Dead giveaway

To those who commented on my I'm curious post: You're right!

Librarian equals:

• Raquel/Boo
• Shhhhhh
• Serious
• Cardigan
• Glasses

I tried to be serious for the picture here, but I kept laughing at myself. I don't really shush people. In fact, one time in Germany, a customer asked me to keep my voice down. Apparently, I talk too loud while on the phone and have since learned to close my office door. (Whatever, guy.)

If it does become too loud in the study area, I basically pantomime that their music is blaring from their earphones or kindly suggest the conference room for their group meeting. And that's how I shush, I guess.

I hope you enjoyed this post because I rarely post pics of myself. Today is an exception because two different customers told me I looked like I was 21 and 24 years old. So let's add "young" to the list, shall we?

Boo-yeah. And tomorrow's Friday.

Enough food already

Cheese danish with strawberries (thanks Gin), velvet cake, and my usual--Hawaiian Wedding CUPcakes.

MY GOD, I need to stop writing about food. But I promised my mom I'd show her how my desserts turned out for the other Chamorro get-together this weekend.

This is the most I will bake this year.

The Chamorros I have met here in Texas are super-nice. When I'm with them, I notice my intonations change, we find connections to each other in some way or another, the food we eat is scrumptious, the children get along, and there is laughter all around.

Ai, ya, yai, these Chamorro parties. You arrive hungry, laugh heartily, eat satisfyingly, and leave happy.

Addition to my humble abode

I made a major purchase yesterday. And when I say major, it's because I have only the bare essentials for my apartment. And I only buy items for my place after I've thought about it for a loooooong time and ONLY IF I'M FULLY SATISFIED with the item. I have one couch, one recliner, one coffee table, one bed, one TV, one desk, one office chair, one dining set. I also have a gas grill and cooler, but that's because my dad forced me to buy it in Germany when he was visiting. My kitchen cabinets are not stuffed with special platters or fancy cooking gadgets. I eat on crappy dishes but with quality utensils. And okay, to be completely honest, I inherited a 900 pound piano which I desperately need to donate to some church or something.

My place has been described as "minimalist," and I agree 100%. That's how I like it--clutter-free. I like to see vast amounts of carpet/tile when I walk out of a room and into another. I'm not a big fan of colorful curtains, wall deco, or candle holders. Sure, those things are pretty, but I'm just plain lazy to appreciate it fully. But more so, plain lazy to dust them.

Getting back to my major purchase. I bought a PlayStation 2. (Not 3, because excuse me, that's $400! Plus I really don't see the big deal about blue-ray DVDs.)

The urge to own my own console (not to be confused with camisole), began after I played Galaga at my new Chamorro friend's house. They broke out the Namco Museum, and I was re-hooked to the game. I have no interest in purchasing other games, unless of course Contra comes out for PS2.

So who wants to come over for a non-stop fun game of Galaga?

On my 13-inch TV/VCR.

Amateur

Top to bottom:
chocolate cake w/cool whip, Heath chips, & chocolate pudding layered
shrimp kelaguen
spinach & coconut milk
angel food cake

I don't mind being an amateur cook. Because that way, no one expects miracles from me. And they won't complain that I "dice" my onions too thick, miscount fruit pieces, or add too much lemon and salt.

If these turn out to be decently edible, then special thanks to my mom for the tips and tricks.

Tomorrow and Sunday

It's been a long week at work, and I'm ready for the weekend.

On Saturday, I meet up with some Chamorro families for a bar-be-que; it will be small, but we all know that it will be kind of too much--as in too much food, but I'm not complaining. I will always be a proud participant in any devouring of Chamorro food.

The dishes I made tonight for tomorrow's get-together are chocolate cake, angel food cake, shrimp kelaguen, and a dish of what I think is called Gollai Hagon Suni (spinach, coconut milk, onions, and tumeric), although my Chamorro cookbook, which is "xeroxed," just calls it Spinach with Coconut Milk.

Heart attack food, I know. I'm promising myself to leave the bbq early enough to hit the gym before it closes to work off at least a fourth of what I will have consumed. And FYI, that is the most I'm cooking for the whole year.

On Sunday, I will probably eat leftovers from Saturday. I plan to download some audiobooks onto my iPod and get some reading done--I am watching too many DVDs, which I NEED TO STOP. I've only read three books in the past two months, and that is a painful, painful shame. I need to bring Project Read back to life.

Possible items on the weekend agenda--totally disregard any form of literacy and physical exertion and catch up on my shows.

I'm curious

What's the first word that comes to mind when you hear this word?

Librarian

Discovery

Today I received three phone calls while I was on this at the gym. And I discovered something at the end of that workout--I burned more calories than usual! Typically I burn 500 calories while on it, but with the diversions of talking on the phone and trying not to huff and puff AND be badass, I burned 660 calories! I tested it on the bike too. I called my aunt, and I guess I pedaled faster and harder because I burned 40 more calories than usual.

So call me on my cell. Or I'm going to call you, okay?

Here's my gym routine (although not set in stone):
Mon/Wed 8-10 pm
Tue/Thu/Fri 4:45-6:45 pm
Sat/Sun varies

On average I burn 900 calories each time I work out, and I have been really good about eating healthier overall, but I'm still a big girl. Sure, I feel my clothes fitting a teeny-weeny bit looser, but boy, I still have lots of junk in my trunk. And it's already been a year since the gym and I have been together. It has taken me one year to lose 25 pounds. WTF's up with that?! Two pounds per month? That's just so wrong.

I'm thinking I may have a thyroid problem. I plan to read more on hypothyroidism because I think it will make me better understand potential reasons why my progress is not as productive as it should be. Plus I'm going to make an appointment with my doctor. (Ugh, I hate copayments because I can't help feeling that my money was wasted just to hear a diagnosis I already figured out on my own.)

Don't forget to call me (during above times). Especially if you know a lot about hypothyroidism.

And don't worry; I know I'm still badass despite this rant.

Visiting the Vs

Left to right: Kam, Char, Len, me, Zach, and Terese

I spent this weekend visiting my good friends, Charlei and Len, who live 3.5 hours away. We have kept in touch over the years mostly through email and the few and far between phone calls. We hadn't seen each other since high school graduation--over 16 years ago!

Charlei and Len are two of my most favorite people in the universe. They're true, beautiful, down-to-earth, lovely people who "get" me. My visit was full of laughing so hard that my jaw HURT and eating so much that ... my jaw HURT. My kind of people.

And their two kiddos! Oh my goodness, I simply love them. Kamerin is a joy to be around because she has such good manners and is just so darn pretty. And Zach, oh that Zach--he is a character. I want one just like him, I think. Yeah, I do. His laugh is infectious, his smiles are to-die-for, and his huggability-factor is number one.

Thank you taking such good care of me, Len and Char! I really love you guys!