I Realize

I stole this from Melissa last week, because I thought it was a great way to share a little bit more about "who I am" to my new readers, and have a little fun in the process with ALL of you...I invite you to join in and do your own. (Note: Melissa's list (click on the link) has a few more questions than my own...I took a few out because...well...because I didn't like them. lol)

1. I've come to realize that my chest-size...is what it is, and women pay thousands of dollars for what I was given naturally by God, so I might as well make peace with it.

2. I've come to realize that my job...does not define me, but it sure helps when I enjoy what I do for a living.

3. I've come to realize that when i'm driving alone...I play music WAY too loud.

4. I've come to realize I need...to admit my weaknesses in order to become stronger.

5. I've come to realize I have lost...my fear of looking foolish, I embrace my silliness.

6. I've come to realize that I hate it when...I hurt someone unintentionally.

7. I've come to realize that if I'm drunk...I'm probably falling asleep, I know...boring.

8. I've come to realize that money...is necessary, but should not be the driving force behind anything you do.

9. I've come to realize that certain people...are not meant to be a part of your life.

10. I've come to realize that I'll always...try harder.

11. I've come to realize that my sibling(s)...has grown up to be a pretty decent young man.

12 I've come to realize that my mom...is my best friend, but then, I've always known that.

13. I've come to realize that my dad...is the sweetest, kindest, most patient and laid back man I know.

14. I've come to realize that tomorrow...we get a chance to do it all over again.

15. I've come to realize that I really want to...live every day to the utmost.

16. I've come to realize that somewhere someone...needs a hug.

17 I've come to realize that life...really is short, don't waste it.

18. I've come to realize that this weekend...was a great one to recharge my batteries.

19. I've come to realize that the best music to listen to when I'm upset...is old school stuff that makes me giggle.

20. I've come to realize that my friends...are amazing.

21. I've come to realize that this year...I have traveled A LOT.

22. I've come to realize that my ex(s)...taught me a lot about myself, but I'm glad they're my "exes". ;-)

23. I've come to realize that maybe I should...stop procrastinating so much.

24. I've come to realize that I love...everything about life.

25. I've come to realize that I don't understand...a lot about human nature.

26. I've come to realize my past...has made me who I am today.

27. I've come to realize that I'm totally terrified...of the idea of "nothingness".

28. I've come to realize that my life...is a blessing.

Nitey Nite - Meme

I've been tagged by Julia with the "Sleep Meme". Ah sleep...there are few things in life quite as enjoyable as a good night's sleep.

So, without further ado, here are my responses:

1. How long do you sleep each night?

During the week I average between 6 and 7 hours a night. On weekends, I try to go for 7 to 8 instead.

2. Do you fall asleep easily?

Only if I'm really tired, otherwise, no. I will go over my day, and whatever else is on my mind before I can fall asleep.

3. Do you fall asleep at times not in your bed?

Yes, usually on weekends, when I stay up way too late watching television, I will fall asleep on my couch. RIGHT HERE...

4. Do you listen to music or use white noise to sleep?

Sometimes yes. I actually suffer from Tinitus, which is a condition that causes you to hear this constant buzzing in your head, it's really annoying and always there. For a while it was really bad, and I learned to fall asleep to music, because that would drown out the buzzing to help me actually fall asleep. My condition has gotten better, and actually only bothers me now when I'm REALLY tired or sick, so I don't use music every night, but now and again I still do.

5. Do you sleep through the night or get up a couple of times?

I mostly sleep straight through the night, though I tend to wake up a few times, but only very briefly for seconds, and I NEVER get up.

6. Do you have trouble sleeping away from your own bed?

I do. I can't sleep away from my bed for the most part. I toss and turn, I wake every hour on the hour, I'm never fully rested.

7. Do you need an alarm clock to get you up?

Good grief yes. And let's be honest, my alarm isn'te even enough at this point. I have to trick my brain and set my clock wrong, so I don't know exactly what time it is, so that I'll actually get up. Mornings? Not my friend.

8. Do you ever take medication to help you sleep?

No.

9. Do you/have you slept with pets?

I have in the past, I don't have any pets but a fish now. Somehow, I don't think that would work really well.

And on that note, I'm supposed to tag some folks, but I'm going to open this one up for grabs. Want to do it? Please do, and link back, let me know you participated.

Happy Monday!

Photo Meme - The Rule of 4's.

I've been tagged for a meme by one of my fellow SheWhoBloggers, Callista at Callista's Ramblings

The rules of the meme are as follows: Post the 4th picture in the 4th file of your 'My Pictures' folder.

Easy enough, right? Except, te 4th folder in my "My Pictures" folder only had two photos in it...so I just decided to post the 5th photo in my 5th folder...and here you go:

There you go, that's it.

It doesn't say anything about tagging anyone, so I'm not going to officially tag anyone, but I'm going to invite you to join in if you'd like...and just let me know if you do. I'd love to take a peak into your computer photo files...

You Should Know...

Well, I've gotten my very first ever meme tag by Twitter. I'll have to share with you my love affair with Twitter in another post, but for now, let's tackle the tag...

Lisa of Put It on the List has tagged me with the Six Things Meme. I've actually done this meme before here, and a variation of it with the 7 things, 8 things and even 5 things all over my blog. But, if you don't know by now...I sort of love talking about myself (uh, I'm a blogger after all), so, what the heck, let's do it again!

So, here's what I'm supposed to do. I'm supposed to tell you 6 things about me that nobody knows. UH...see, the thing is...I don't really have any secrets. My life is like an open book, especially on this here blog. So, I'm going to try...

1. I haven't had cheese in 6 weeks. Now, I'm a self-proclaimed cheese-a-holic, I could eat an entire thing of cheese in one sitting, so this is quite the amazing feat, but as part of Jenny Craig, with the exception of a few "cheese-like" ingredients in their prepared meals, I haven't touched cheese in 6 weeks.

2. Today I feel skinny. I'm still only half-way to my goal weight, but today, I've actually tucked my shirt INTO my pants, and don't feel the need to hide my belly. Crap, I feel thinner, if not skinny.

3. I want to start dating again. There, I said it. It's been a long time, and I'm ready. It's time.

4. Sometimes, I get insanely self-conscious and insecure and wonder if everyone things I'm a big fake. I have the most amazing friends, but sometimes, I wonder if they "just put up with me" or if they genuinely like me. I wonder if I can really be as great as they all make me feel I am.

5. Over the last few years, I've developed a green thumb of sorts. I used to kill all plants that ever crossed my threshhold, but lately, I've managed to not only keep some alive, but to actually revive a few and bring them back from the nearly dead. I'm kind of proud of this.

6. I want a dog. No, I'm not getting one. I don't have the lifestyle to be a pet owner right now, but I want one. BADLY!

Okay, that's it, that's my six. Now I'm supposed to tag six people, but I've been a very bad blogger lately, so I feel badly going out and tagging folks I haven't visited in a while...so I'm going to cut the list short at four instead:

1. PBNJM - my cousin and bestie forever and ever.

2. Julia - and yes, I realize I owe her a few memes she's tagged me for as well (I promisse, they're in the works).

3. Frigga - who's posts I miss reading, man, I've got some catching up to do!!!

4. Frances - because I know she's always up for a meme or two!!

Enjoy ladies!!

Monday Morning Meme

So, I realize things have been a bit on the “heavy” side here at Candid Karina, which is all well and good, but I thought for a Monday morning (okay, fine I realize by the time I hit publish on this it’ll be afternoon), I’d go with something a bit on the lighter side.

I heard about this Meme from the lovely leader of SheWhoBlogs, Frances. She, in turn, grabbed it from Janie, and I thought it seemed like a fun one to do, so here we go.

It is what the name of it says it is...a meme about your "writing style", just questions about the same. So, without further ado, here are my answers.

1. Do you write fiction or non-fiction? Or both?

Both. My blogging is mostly non-fiction (though sometimes, you have to wonder, don’t you?), but then there’s my poetry, and the great American novel I’ve been working on for decades now.

2. Do you keep a journal or a writing notebook?

No. I haven’t kept a journal in many, many years. Somewhere along the line it stopped being important to me to diary my thoughts and daily activities. I’m actually a little sad about that, it would be nice to be able to go back and reflect on what I was feeling at certain times in the last few years. And yet, even now, knowing I feel this way, I can’t bring myself to journal now either. But I blog, so I suppose that covers that, doesn’t it? I don’t keep a writing notebook either, but at any given time you will find random writings on spare pieces of paper, or any of the dozens of notebooks I have lying around my home or office.

3. If you write fiction, do you know your characters’ goals, motivations, and conflicts before you start writing or is that something else you discover only after you start writing? Do you find books on plotting useful or harmful?

It depends. Most of the time, I must admit that my characters write themselves. I don’t usually start with a “goal” in mind, and develop the story from there. Usually I start writing, letting the character speak to me of where it is they are going, what it is they are doing, and go from there. On the rare occasion that I do have a planned action, conflict, motivation, I find myself usually blocked at some point, not able to reach that destination. It seems that if I already know the destination of the character, I lose interest in the voyage. If, however, I have no idea where we’re headed, I take much greater pleasure in sitting back and enjoying the ride. As far as the books, I don't find them harmful, but I don't find them useful either. For me writing is "organic" and no books on "how to" can help me. I can't follow instructions on something that to me is just like breathing...I just do it.

4. Are you a procrastinator or does the itch to write keep at you until you sit down and work?

I am both actually. I’m a procrastinator by nature, in everything I do, pretty much. But when I get some inspiration to write, I usually have to drop everything and do it right then in there, for fear of letting it escape.

5. Do you write in short bursts of creative energy, or can you sit down and write for hours at a time?

“Short bursts of creative energy” pretty much sums me up. That’s probably why I find it nearly impossible to finish any story longer than a few pages, and why poetry works so well for me. I have a really hard time with sitting with the same idea for long periods of time. I think that’s where my procrastination sets in.

6. Are you a morning or afternoon writer?

I am a “whenever I have a chance” writer. The time of day doesn’t really affect my creativity, it’s more when the muse strikes, and I happen to be near a computer, or a pen and paper.

7. Do you write with music/the noise of children/in a cafe or other public setting, or do you need complete silence to concentrate?

I don’t think I can write in complete silence. The chaos of the world around me is my greatest inspiration, so I need some hustle and bustle around me in order to focus. That said, when I am finalizing any particular piece of work, I need complete silence and concentration.

8. Computer or longhand? (or typewriter?)

Mostly computer, sometimes by hand (usually only poetry by hand though).

9. Do you know the ending before you type Chapter One? Or do you let the story evolve as you write?

Hmm…I think I answered this question pretty much in number 3, because for the most part, the way it works with my character’s goals and motivations is how it works with my endings as well. But, this is very different when I write non-fiction. I’d say that 95% of the time writing a piece of non-fiction (an article, a blog post, etc.) I’ve already figured out my conclusion, my point, my ending, and a lot of times, my final sentence, pretty much before I’ve written my first word.

10. Does what’s selling in the market influence how and what you write?

Not usually, no. I write from my heart and mind and my crazy imagination, not what’s on the book shelves. However, what’s going on in my life GREATLY influences all my writing, not just the non-fiction, but my fiction as well.

11. Editing/Revision - love it or hate it?

For the most part, I actually enjoy it. There’s a sort of pleasure in going back over words you wrote “in the heat of the moment” and rereading them almost as a stranger, to realize what works and what doesn’t. To see those moments of genius you had, those words that are pure brilliance, that you can’t even fathom where they came from, and then to be able to change the not so brilliant word choices, the pieces that don’t make sense even to your eyes upon a second glance. I think it’s part of the art form of writing, and I love it.

Well, there you go. That was fun. I'm not tagging anyone, but I'd love to read yours if you decide to do it, so if you do, please let me know, okay?

The ABC's of Me - With Photos

I was tagged by Frigga quite a while ago with this ABC Meme, and I didn't forget about it so much as I just haven't been posting all that much lately. But I figured this would be a good post for a rainy Friday...

A is for: Attached or Single? Single and always loving it, but…as I mentioned in pretty much every single one of my “The Bachelorette” recaps at Café Karina…if anyone has Jason’s number, I’m willing to change that status for him.

B is for: Best Friend? All my friends are the best.
C is for Cake or pie? Pie, although, I much prefer mousse, chocolate mousse…YUM

D is for: Day of choice? Saturday for sure, get up when I want, go to bed when I want, do what I want in between…I love me some Saturdays!

E is for: Essential item? Just one? Cell phone. My life is in that phone, and wait till I get a blackberry or palm treo or something of the sort…I’ll be unstoppable then!

F is for: Favorite color? I do not have a favorite color, per se, but lately I’m quite partial to jewel tones, that deep purple that’s so in vogue, the emerald green…those colors

G is for: Gummy bears or worms? Neither, I’ll take Sour Patch Kids please!

H is for: Home town? I don’t know, I suppose I’ll go with Lowell, Massachusetts, because that’s where I spent my formative (i.e. teen) years…

I is for: Favorite indulgence? Shoes..shoes are by far my favorite indulgence

J is for: January or July? Always July…can it be July for a few more months?

K is for: Kids? LOVE kids. I especially love other people’s kids, because at the end of the day? You get to give them back and go home to your nice quiet kid free condo! ;-)

L is for: Life isn’t complete without? Love. And by love I mean faith, friends, family, all the really important things

M is for: Marriage date? You never know, that might actually happen in this lifetime, but first we need to work on the letter A above.

N is for: Number of brothers and sisters? One biological brother, Candid Brother himself (seen here with a "friend"). One lil’ sis through Big Brother Big Sister: Lil' K

O is for: Oranges or Apples? Mangos. WHAT? No one said I had to play by the rules.

P is for: Phobias? Ledges…not so much heights, but the “edge” of high (and not necessarily high) places freak me right out. And being underwater…can’t do it, won’t do it…EVER.

Q is for: Quotes? “What you think of me is none of my business” - Terry Cole-Whitaker; “If you think you are too small to make an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito." - Anita Rodick

R is for: Reasons to smile? All of the above, all of the below, the many many blessings in my life. Oh yeah, and chocolate.

S is for: Season of choice? Summer, Summer, Summer!!!! And just in case you missed it…SUMMER.

T is for: Tag 5 people: Sorry folks, I'm not tagging, but I'm inviting you to do this meme if you want to...I think you'll enjoy it.

U is for an Unknown fact about me: Oh come on, my life is an open book! No? Okay, let’s see…I don’t drink soda…ever. Not for health reasons or any of that, I just don’t like carbonation in my drinks.

V is for: Vegetable? I love veggies, spinach, tomatoes, broccoli, green beans, snap peas, you name it, I probably like it…veggies are great!

W is for: Worst habit? Picking at my acne in my sleep. Yes, I know it’s gross, I don’t do it consciously…and besides, why am I still getting acne in my 30’s anyway?? Sheesh!

X is for: X-ray or Ultrasound? UM…yes, I’ve had both done…is that the question?

Y is for: Your favorite food? You should know by now (or you will learn anyway) that I suck at picking favorites…there’s no way I can do it, especially with food…and shoes…and people…and colors…and places and…

Z is for: Zodiac sign? FISHES…ironic for someone deathly afraid of being underwater, doncha think?

Z is for: Which zoo animal is your favorite? TWO Z’s?? And again with the favorites. It’s a toss- up between the wild cats (any of them, panthers, tigers, lions, leopards) and the monkeys…I love monkeys!

I also grabbed this meme from Frigga right around the same time...I wasn't tagged for it, but I tagged myself...so, might as wel throw it in here. It's the MeMe of Firsts and Lasts:

First real job: By real, I’ll assume that means babysitting doesn’t count, so we’ll go with the first job where I paid taxes and that would be every American teenager’s dream job (insert sarcastic eye roll here) McD’s.

First screen name: As if I could remember that? It was something on Compuserve, I know that…remember compuserve? Am I dating myself here?

First funeral: For the father of a friend of mine, who died from Lou Gherrig’s disease…I was 17 or so…it was horrible

First pet: Nice, the cat. Her name was the ultimate misnomer, she was NOT nice, but she was beautiful, and became the mother to the nicest, sweetest most awesome cat I’ve ever had, Pom-Pom

First piercing: and only – ears; oh wait, I’m lying, I got a second hole in each ear at one point, but they got infected and I let them close up

First tattoo: could be happening very very soon…stay tuned

First credit card: probably one of the many I signed up for on spring break in Daytona so I could get free stuff

First kiss: YUCK…read this post where I told you all about it.

First enemy: Stacy Greekopolous (not her real last name). She was evil, and jealous and made 8th grade miserable for me…but I got sweet revenge without even doing anything..maybe I’ll tell you about her someday.

Last car ride: home from work today, in the pouring rain...what fun!

Last kiss: OH, we don’t want to relive that fiasco, can we talk about the one before that instead?

And that's that...Happy Friday everyone. Hop on over to Cafe Karina for the latest "So You Think You Can Dance" recap, and Creative Karina for my latest entry into Pensieve's Poetic License (where she created a whole new poetic form JUST FOR US). Tomorrow stop by for Photo Hunter, and next week I'll have my next installment in my tales of "All The Boys I've Loved".

Playing Tag

I have been tagged for another one of those fun little "6 Random Things About You" memes. I like these, because they're just an excuse to talk about how random it is to be me. So, first the rules:

1. Link to the person who tagged you. That would be Julia.

2. Post the rules on your blog. - Check.

3. Write six random things about yourself.

4. Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.

5. Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment at their blog.

6. Let your tagger know when your entry is up.

Got it? Good...here are mine:

1. My couch is made of the very best stuff on earth - microsuede. Last night I spilled pretty much an entire glass of red wine on the chaise lounge portion of the couch (very similar to the one below, color and all). A little stain remover and soapy water, and it's good as new today. LOVE my couch.

2. I cry at the silliest things. I think there's something wrong with my emotional "synapses" because sometimes the tears just sort of spill out for no reason at all, and I simply can't control them. And yet, at times when you would expect tears, be they funerals, weddings, or other emotional events...the tears are not always available to me.

3. I have a ridiculously hard time picking favorites. Ask me what my favorite color, food, beverage, etc. is, and I can't come up with an answer. It always depends on the day and on my mood. I don't remember ever even having a favorite color as a child. I think this is because I'm always trying new things, experimenting and experiencing, so I find new "favorites" every day.

4. In the last six months or so I've been going through some personal growth in my faith and my relationship with God. I've always been spiritual, but lately I've been exploring that faith and digging deeper. It's amazing what you find once you start digging. I've found a bit of inner peace I didn't know was there, among other things.

5. Within the last 4 years I've completely lost one of my phobias. From the time I was a little girl, I was completely terrified of dogs. All dogs. Big dogs, little dogs, friendly dogs, and certainly angry dogs. When approached by any canine, I would get that tight feeling in my chest, that feeling of tension in my muscles, and that sweating of the palms that only those with any phobia will completely identify with. But now, none of that happens. Even when faced with a less than friendly dog, I get a reasonable sense of "cautionary" fear, but none of the phobia induced panic. I'm always amazed at that reaction now.

6. I make a killer ice cream cake. I was told this weekend that my ice cream cake is better than Carvel's. I'm pretty damn proud of that fact. I'll tell you all about my cake, and the rest of the Mother's Day meal my cousins and I prepared in tomorrow's post.

I tag:

1. CandidMama

2. Mama Bear

3. Beckie

4. Janis

5. Pamela

6. Lil' Mouse

Enjoy!

Where I'm From

Seems like I'm having a meme sort of week around here. Yesterday I completed two memes I was recently tagged for, and today I have something a bit different. I found this at A Slice of Life quite a long time ago, and have been meaning to do it myself but hd never gotten around to it. Finally, here it is:

Where I Am From

I am from ballet shoes, from "coma com pao" chocolate bars dad would bring home from work and the wide open sea a few steps away.

I am from the tiny two room house on the beach, small and dank, filled with the sounds of mom in the kitchen singing African songs.

I am from four foot high ferns, sugarcanes in the back yard, lilypads that grew on land, the countless plants nurtured by my mother's touch, the trees I'd climb, secret hiding spots, and the sand beneath my feet on the way to the beach.

I am from large dinners with too much food and loud voices, louder laughter, from Avo Odilia and Grandpa Frank and Vovo Ana.

I am from the hard working and determined laborers, and the story tellers with tales of survival and perseverence.

From "I am Proud of you, you should be proud of yourself" and "It's their loss, don't let them get to you".

I am from grandma teaching me to pray at night, seeing God in everyday things, church on Sundays, but only if it feels right, never doubting that faith is what's inside.

I'm from Africa, Portugal, the U.S. of A., starting over again and again, knowing home is where the heart is. From "Muamba" and "caldo verde", "papo secos" and "linguica".

I am from parents who knew they'd met the love of their lives on the day they met, from a family of refugees, fleeing a country in civil war, although they'll always hold it as paradise in their hearts, from a third try, where the streets where supposed to be paved in gold.

I am from photo albums filled with memories, journals filled with poetry, video tapes filled with laughter. I am from stories of survival, renewal, revival. Books inherited from my grandmother, heirlooms gifted by another.

I am from a history of struggle, a present of love, a future of dreams. I am.

This was a lot of fun to do. IF you would like to attempt this yourself, go here for the template and instructions.

Happy St. Patty's Day

Fun Monday this week is being hosted by Nikki. Since I forgot all about Fun Monday until this morning and didn't sign up, and then couldn't think of anything to answer either of the options she gave us this week...I'm not participating for the first week in a LONG LONG time...but, make sure you head on over there for all the others who did sign up!


Instead I decided to do two more memes I've recently been tagged for.

The first is from Qualcosa di Bello - a book meme:


The rules...
1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people.

I love books, this is a fun one. Okay, I'm currently reading Sammy's Hill by Kristin Gore (yes, that Kristin Gore) on my lunch breaks at work. I'm not at page 123 yet, so hopefully this next section won't spoil anything for me..let's see:


I knew it was a long shot.
"He's an actor, actually", she answered unexpectedly.
"Really?" I was intrigued.


Hmm....now I'm curious. ;-)

There you have it! Now for the tags (that's always the hard part, isn't it?):


1. Literary Feline

2. Julia

3. Frigga

4. Susan

5. Pamela



The next is a Crazy 8 Meme from Frigga:


8 Things I’m passionate about


1. My family
2. My independence
3. Seeing the world
4. My spirituality
5. My home
6. My friends
7. My beliefs
8. Shoes (what?)

8 Things I want to do before I die

1. Travel to Tuscany
2. Travel to Thailand
3. Travel in general to see more of the world
4. Get published (or at least finish the damn novel already)
5. Be a mom
6. Fall in love again
7. Meet some of the people who inspire me (including some bloggers I know)
8. Be at peace


8 Things I often say


1. "Thank you so much" - It's been pointed out to me that I have excellent phone manners and always end my calls with this sentence at work.
2. "I love you" - mostly to my parents as I'm ending any one of the millions of phone calls we have each week.
3. "Beijinhos" - which means "kisses" in Portuguese, also to my parents.
4. "Seriously?!" - blame this one on Grey's Anatomy, but it has become a part of my daily vocab whenever something surprising (and usually idiotic) happens. This one can be said in the form of a question, a statement, an exclamation and so many other formats.
5. "I'm so ready for spring". - SERIOUSLY, is winter over yet?
6. "I need to get caught up" - lately, it seems I'm always behind on everything, from blogging to my work, to stuff around my house...I need more hours in the day.
7. "Sure, why not". - usually followed by a silent "why do I get myself into these things? I really need to learn to start saying no.
8. "HUH?" - this one usually follows the half-instructions my boss will provide me with for any given assignment. He's not great with the detail, and I do a whole lot of head scratching before I can start any assignment.


8 Books I’ve recently read or am currently reading:


1. Sammy's Hill by Kristen Gore (yes, Al Gore's daughter. Two of my friends recently read it and recommended it. I'm only on page 70, but am enjoying it so far.
2. Every Which Way but Dead - Kim Harrison (reading this in Audio format now), it's a fun novel about a witch who is a bounty hunter of sorts, with Vampires and Werewolves and all kinds of otherworldly creatures...just my type of "away from reality" fare.
3. The Good, The Bad and the Undead - Kim Harrison (also in audio), just finished this one, which was book two in the series above.
4. Sins of the Father - A Buffy the Vampire Slayer novel (what? I love my Buffy stuff, so sue me).
5. Angel with Attitude - Michelle Rowen
6. Darwin Awards - This is a fun book of "stupid human tricks" basically, which I keep by my desktop computer at home, so I can read the short stories while I wait for things to load, since that computer is a piece of crap.
7. Savoring Seafood and Shellfish (or something like that)- Williams Sonoma cook book I just bought this weekend.
8. Birds of the Northeast - A birdwatching book Shopaholic gave me for my birthday because I just hung a bird feeder on my balcony.


8 Songs I could listen to over and over

1. Hotel California - Eagles (This was actually first on Frigga's list, but it made me laugh because just this weekend I picked it out of the jukebox at the pool hall we went to saying "I can never shoot pool and NOT listen to this song, it's a pre-requisite", so I had to leave it on my list as well).
2. Any one of the songs by lifehouse - this may sound like a cop-out but I honestly cannot pick just one song by them, I can listen to all of their songs over and over and over again.
3. Addicted by Kelly Clarkson - I just love this song, it's one of those great angry driving songs.
4. Undeniable - Matt Kearney - have you heard this song? If you haven't, you simply must listen to it.
5. If Everyone Cared by Nickelback
6. Lovestoned/I think she knows - Justin Timberlake - Makes me dance everytime I hear it.
7. Sweet Sixteen - Born as Ghosts (It's Eric Balfour's (he actor) band, they're unsigned as yet, but I love their music)
8. Livin' On a Prayer - Or really, any of the older Bon Jovi stuff, cuz, you know, it's Bon Jovi.


This is just a small sampling of how eclectic my music tastes can be...for example, right now, I'm listening to Vanessa Mae, who is a classical violinist.


8 Things that attract me to my best friends


1. Ability to laugh at themselves and act goofy (because Lord knows I do it all the time).
2. Intelligence (I'm not talking about book knowledge, I'm talking about common sense and the ability to carry an intelligent or interesting conversation).
3. Morals (are they at least somewhat in line with mine?) (Frigga had this on her list, and I couldn't agree more).
4. The love of shopping (this does not apply to all my friends, but at least one of them needs to share this with me...Thank God for Shopaholic).
5. The fact that they get me without questionning my choices (or doubting my happiness).
6. Their maturity (my closest friends are ones who can handle it when we don't agree on something without taking it personally or making it a personal attack, that's a sign of maturity to me that is absolutely essential).
7. Mutual dependance (knowing they will cry on my shoulder when they need to, and will lend me their shoulder when I need it).
8. That something. It can't be explained, but it's that same spark you look for in a romantic relationship (well, a different kind of spark, but you know what I mean)...you either have it and become friends, or you don't, and become acquaintances.



8 People I think should do Crazy 8s


UH...this is way too hard...I'll come back to this part later I think...

Let's play tag

There's no real "Follow-Up Friday" this week, because I replied to each and every one of your comments in the comments sections of the appropriate posts. Therefore, if you left me a comment this week, you'll want to check back there for my replies.

If you've been busy this week and are curious about what's happened here at Candid Karina, here's a quick recap...Saturday we kicked off the Ultimate Blog Party. Sunday I had technical difficulties, so barely managed to get a post in. Fun Monday was all about movie quotes. On Tuesday I told you all about my birthday weekend, and shared some photos and on Wednesday I had a great big thank you to my blog-buddy Sognatrice. And in yesterday's Thursday Thirteen I had a chance to share with you some of my zoo photos. And of course, for my latest recaps and opinions on American Idol, take a gander on over to Cafe Karina.


Okay, now that we've got that out of the way, I thought today would be a good day to tackle one of the many memes I've been tagged for recently.


This one is the 30 Questions Meme, and I was tagged by Frigga. Here we go:

If your doctor told you TODAY that you were pregnant, what would you say? Somebody call the pope, we've got ourselves a miracle.

Do you trust all of your friends? My real friends, yes.

Would you move to another state or country to be with the one you love? I think it would fully depend on the circumstances, how serious we were, why we'd have to move, and what state and/or country we'd need to move to, and what I'd be giving up personally by moving, but for all the right reasons, yes.

Do you believe that everything happens for a reason? I actually do. We might not always know what those reasons are right away, but I do believe eventually it all makes sense.

Can you make a dollar in change right now? Probably, yes.

Which one of your friends do you think would make the best doctor? Hmm...that's a tough one. I'm not sure any of them would, to be honest.

What naughty word do you use too often? Probably the F word. I try not to...really, I do, but sometimes it's called for.


Is there someone who pops into your mind at random times? There are several people who pop into my mind at random times. Lately, it's been one particular random person from my past...hmmm

What's your most favorite scar? I don't really get this question...do people really have favorite scars?


When was the last time you flew in a plane? As opposed to flying with my wings? Uh...it was almost two years ago now, I think...how sad. I'm due for another trip.


What features do you find most attractive in the preferred sex? Preferred sex - I like that, it's funny. What do I find most attractive though? I don't know, it depends on the guy, but I've noticed that my tastes range from one end of the spectrum to the next on appearance, so it must have something to do with personality, right?


Fill in the blank. I love __________. Life!

What is a goal you would like to accomplish in the near future? Get caught up on updating my blog roll...I've been trying to do it for months now.

If you were to wake up from being in a coma for an extended time who would you call? Definitely my mom.


Where was your favorite picture taken? As in favorite picture 'of me'? I have no idea, I hate pictures of me.

What's your middle name? That's a little known secret around these parts.


Honestly, what's on your mind right now? My deadline on this HUGE project I have to do at work today, and how I should really log off and get to it.

If you could go back in time and change something, what would it be? I don't know...I'm not sure that I would change much.

Who was or will be the maid of honor/best man in your wedding? Don't know, but with the number of weddings I've been in, I've got plenty of victims to choose from.


What are you wearing right now? Black pants with a red pinstripe, a red shirt and red stilleto boots.

Ever had a bar fight? Nope.

Who knows you the best? Hmmm, probably my mom.

Did you buy something today? Amazingly enough, I haven't bought a single thing since Sunday.


Did you get in a fight with someone today? Not yet, but it's early. ;-)


When was the last time you had a massage? Wow, it's been a long long time.


Last person to see you cry? There was a whole group of them actually.


Who made you cry? It wasn't a who, as much as a what, but it wasn't a bad thing.


What was the last TV show you watched? I watched pieces of Good Morning America before I left the house.


Who was the last person you hung out with? My parents, I had dinner with them last night.

Have you ever taken a peek at someone else's diary? I don't think so. I'm pretty sure I haven't, no.


This was different, and fun. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to tag people, but I'm not going to...I'm going to instead tell you to feel free to tag yourself, if you want to.

Have a great Friday everyone, and stop by tomorrow for Photo Hunter, won't you?

If I was a Rock Star

It's WHISPER WEDNESDAY at The FIRM, and it's in FULL EFFECT in the office next door to me...so, I thought it would be fitting, since I'm sitting here with the music cranking and the office door closed, that I would do a music related meme today.



I've seen this meme in a few places throughout the blogosphere, but I'm pretty sure the first place I saw it was at A Spot of T's, so I'll give her the credit. Plus, her's was such a good version of it, that I want you to go and check it out! Here's the deal:



The Band Meme


Here’s how you make your own band's CD cover. Follow these directions to the letter.

Go to……
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random The first article title on the page is the name of your band.

2. http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3 The last four words of the very last quote is the title of your album.

3. http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days The third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

4. Use your graphics program of choice to throw them together, and post the result, and link it as a comment in this post.

(Don’t forget to follow the Terms of Use at Flickr and provide a link back to the page at Flickr



Got it? Okay good.



Here's mine:


I kind of love it!

The details:


1. Dion Foxx - Dion Foxx (born June 11, 1971 in Richmond, Virginia) was an American football linebacker in the National Football League for the Miami Dolphins, the Washington Redskins and the Green Bay Packers. He played college football at James Madison University, where he played offense and defense. Foxx also played in the Canadian Football League and XFL.


2. Mere Excess of Comfort - Minds, like bodies, will often fall into a pimpled, ill-conditioned state from mere excess of comfort. - Charles Dickens


3. Photo by Melancholic "Dreams are like guillotines...waiting to fall". How beautiful!

That was fun. I'm not tagging anyone, but if you decide to do this (or have done it) let me know so I can come check yours out.

Tag, I'm it!

I was tagged quite a long time ago by Ana at Eclectic Closet to do the 7 Random Things About me MeMe. Since I'd just done this same meme as well as the extensive 200 Things About Me posts right around the time I was tagged, I decided to hold onto this one for a later date. Well, hey now, it's a later date!

The Rules: 1) List 7 random facts about myself, 2) tag 7 people, and 3) leave a comment on their blog letting them know.


1. I'm can't wait to see the movie "27 Dresses". This is because I am that girl. I have been a bridesmaid 5 times, but have actually been asked to be a bridesmaid 7 times. Those two other times? I had to gracefully bow out of one very early on due to lack of finances, and the other wedding was called off. When previews for "27 Dresses" started showing up, all my friends started joking that this movie is totally about me, the eternal bridesmaid. Go ahead, you can laugh, I do.

2. When I was young, I suffered serious separation anxiety from my parents. They would go out to a movie and leave me at home with my grandmother (who lived with us, and who I loved dearly) and I would cry the entire time until they got home. This lasted pretty much until I was in first grade, and the first day of school I cried the whole day because I was away from home. I think there are still remnants of that left in me, I can never go too long without talking to my parents, something doesn't feel right if I do.

3. Even though I've never really given serious thought to being a mother, knowing that it'll happen one day, whether biologically or through adoption, but not focusing too heavily on it...I've already picked out my daughter's first and middle names. And no, I won't share them with anyone until the time comes.

4. I almost hate to admit it, but I'm a little sad today about the news of actor Heath Ledger's death. I only watched Brokeback Mountain recently, and I thought he was amazing in it, and found him to be a fantastic actor. The reason I say I hate to admit it is that as much as I you want to step away from the "Hollywood" stuff, it's always been one of my guilty pleasures, so when something tragic like this happens, I get all wrapped up in it. The fact that he has a little girl makes this one heartbreaking, and my prayers go out to his family and friends.

5. I have written more poetry and short stories and other creative works since starting Creative Karina last year, than I have in the 5 or 6 years prior to that. I had some crazy writer's block for all that time, and really believed that my life as a writer was done, that I wouldn't get it back. I'm so relieved that I seem to have found my muse again, and am extremely proud of the work I've created recently.

6. I'm wearing white pants today. They are "winter white", and The Nazi this morning said I looked "Springy" and that annoyed the crap out of me. Doesn't she know what winter white is? At times like this I miss working in the city, where fashion was actually something people appreciated. I'm a fashion fanatic and get annoyed that noone around here gets it.

7. I still haven't had a pb&j sandwich...EVER...

Well, there you have it. Random enough for you? Now to tag seven others.

I'm going to go with:

1. Frigga (because she always seems so happy when she gets tagged);
2. LilMouse (because then I can learn some about her);
3. The Ex (because, although I'm pretty sure she hates being tagged, and will probably ignore my tag and/or complain that I tagged her, I think her answers could be hillarious with her wry sense of humor);
4. Beckie (because she just came back from a short blogging break, so I figure I'd give her something to write about on those days she doesn't feel like coming up with her own topic);
5. Jannis (because I also want to know more about her and her travels throughout Spain);
6. Isolda (because she's new to blogging, and a very good friend of mine, so I want to get her "out there");
7. Wicked H (because she's a busy bee, so a meme might be something she'll enjoy doing right now).

I know some folks hate memes, so if you don't want to do, then hey, don't do it. ;-) Trust me, I won't be offended, I just wanted to throw it out there.

Now, Whisper Wednesday has begun at The Firm once again, so I'm going to close my office door and turn up my music. You all have a great day, won't you?

A Month of Me

Before I get into today's post, I just want to let you all know that Follow-Up Friday has been moved...it will now be Sum It Up Sunday. I have decided that since I'm blogging daily now (including weekends), Sunday is a better day to "wrap up" the week, if you will. Plus I have more time on Sunday mornings for a more complete post that way. Also, there is a small update today at Covert Karina. Password remains the same for those who have it. If you have no idea of which I speak, read this.

Okay, moving on. I've been tagged by Julia for a "Birth Month Meme" if you will. The rules:


1. Mention the person who tagged you and create a link back to them.

2. Copy-paste the traits for all the twelve months (see below).

3. Pick your month of birth (see below).

4. Highlight the traits that apply to you.

5. Tag 12 people and let them know by visiting their blogs and leaving a comment for them.

6. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve done it!



Okay then. It feels a bit self-indulgent, and perhaps a bit silly as well, but hey, what the hell, isn't blogging self-indulgent anyway? And silly? Well, what's wrong with silly? I'll play. We'll start with numbers 3 and 4...my month of birth is MARCH, the following are the listed traits and my feelings as to how they apply (or do not) to me:



Attractive personality: I think this applies. I'll admit that sometimes I wonder what it is about my personality that appeals to others (especially when I'm feeling particularly down on myself), but the truth is, I've never had trouble making friends. And although I always say that all of my friends are the best, therefore I could never say I have ONE best friend, I am the person a lot of my friends consider to be their best friend. Must mean something, right?



Sexy: If only! Although, to be honest, although most days I would be down on myself and not be able to imagine how this adjective could possibly apply to me, I have been told that it does. A lot. I'd believe it, but...well...I don't.



Affectionate: This one absolutely 100% fits me. I'm highly affectionate and cuddly, and huggy and just that sort of person.



Shy and reserved: Hear that? That's the collective laughter of everyone who knows me. 'Nuff said.



Secretive: Not generally, no. Although, as much as I read like an open book most of the time, I do have secrets, and in fact, they are so secret, that nobody, and I mean NOBODY knows them. And then there's Covert Karina.



Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic: Honest, almost feels like a contradiction of the above, doesn't it? I think I am honest in the really important stuff, but due to my overactive imagination, tend to embelish at times, exagerate if you will. I don't lie. Or at least, I don't even intend to lie. But sometimes I may stretch the truth a bit. But really, only when it doesn't matter, and then why do I do it? I blame it on the writer in me. Generous to a fault. I've mentioned before my love for giving gifts, how I get all giddy and excited as someone opens something I gifted. I'd give you the shirt off my back, but...well, nobody needs to see all that now do they? And sympathetic? Boy, am I ever. I'm the girl who can't watch the news because I will cry beginning to end for all the pain in the world. Which leads me to:



Loves peace and serenity: Indeed. Again, I've said before how one of my greatest pleasure is coming home to my empty, quiet home, lighting some candles and sitting back with a glass of wine. AH serenity.



Sensitive to others: I'm going to say this is pretty much the same as sympathetic, and I've already addressed this above. I feel for others as if I were them. Their pain is my pain, their joy is my joy.



Loves to serve others: In a word? No. What, I'm honest, remember? I don't mind helping others, really, I'll go out of my way to help someone. And I'll work for others, I realize it is the way of the world to do for others as you would have done unto you, blah blah...I'm okay with that. But do I LOVE to do it? uh...No. I don't.



Easily angered: Yes, I am, but only with certain issues, and the great thing about me is that I'm just as easily pacified. I'll get worked up, usually without anyone's knowledge, and then I'll take a breath (slam an office door and blast some music, for example) and work myself right back down.



Trustworthy: Yes. You can trust me always. I will not voluntarily ever betray someone's trust. I just don't have it in me.



Appreciative and returns kindness: Yes and yes. As much as I can, as often as I can.



Observant and assesses others: I am observant. A regular people watcher and admirer of the world around me. Do I assess others? Sometimes, yes, I do. But I usually give them a chance to show their true colors too.



Revengeful: No, not at all actually. I'm of the "let karma do it" school of thought. I may never forget when someone has hurt me, but I do forgive, and I don't need to seek revenge. IN fact, I think it's a complete waste of energy, and my resources are better spent elsewhere. Shopping for shoes, for example.



Loves to dream and fantasize: always dreaming, always fantasizing. On the outside, I conduct myself accordingly, and meet my responsibilities, go about doing what needs to be done. On the inside I have a million alter-egos living lives you can't even begin to imagine. Thankfully, I can't translate some of those into my writing.



Loves traveling: Do I ever! The only negative of being a homeowner in my eyes, has been the lack of traveling funds. Damn mortgage.



Loves attention: Yes, okay, I admit it, I do. Of course I do. I have a blog, don't I?



Hasty decisions in choosing partners: This one couldn't be any further from the truth for me. Any less hasty and I might never date again in fact.



Loves home decors: True. Have you seen my home? No? Well, you should definitely come by. We'll have coffee and I'll show you my rooms, all designed by yours trully with love and care.



Musically talented: Only if listening to music counts. OH, I can dance too. Other than that, I'm pretty sure I'm tone deaf, and can't play any instruments either.



Loves special things: I'm not even really sure what this means. Doesn't everyone love special things? What are special things?



Moody: Yes, I'm moody. I can go from zero to PMS in seconds and back again. The good thing about me is that I tend to live in my happy moods a lot longer than my down moods.



And there you have it. Definitely a bit self-indulgent, but I had fun with it.



Now, before we get to all the other monthly traits, I'm supposed to tag 12 people. But...I'm not going to. I'm a rebel, yeah! No, what I want to do is tag YOU. Yes, you dear reader. If you are reading this and think it would be fun to do, then consider yourself tagged. Even if you don't have time right now, save the tag, and on one of those days when you just can't come up with any blog fodder on your own, you can use this tag. See, I told you I was generous!



Birth Month Traits:

JANUARY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Ambitious and serious. Loves to teach and be taught. Always looking at people’s flaws and weaknesses. Likes to criticize. Hardworking and productive. Smart, neat and organized. Sensitive and has deep thoughts. Knows how to make others happy. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Rather reserved. Highly attentive. Resistant to illnesses but prone to colds. Romantic but has difficulties expressing love. Loves children. Loyal. Has great social abilities yet easily jealous. Very stubborn and money cautious.



FEBRUARY: Abstract thoughts. Loves reality and abstract. Intelligent and clever. Changing personality. Attractive. Sexy. Temperamental. Quiet, shy and humble. Honest and loyal. Determined to reach goals. Loves freedom. Rebellious when restricted. Loves aggressiveness. Too sensitive and easily hurt. Gets angry really easily but does not show it. Dislikes unnecessary things. Loves making friends but rarely shows it. Daring and stubborn. Ambitious. Realizes dreams and hopes. Sharp. Loves entertainment and leisure. Romantic on the inside not outside. Superstitious and ludicrous. Spendthrift. Tries to learn to show emotions.



MARCH: Attractive personality. Sexy. Affectionate. Shy and reserved. Secretive. Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic. Loves peace and serenity. Sensitive to others. Loves to serve others. Easily angered. Trustworthy. Appreciative and returns kindness. Observant and assesses others. Revengeful. Loves to dream and fantasize. Loves traveling. Loves attention. Hasty decisions in choosing partners. Loves home decors. Musically talented. Loves special things. Moody.



APRIL: Active and dynamic. Decisive and hasty but tends to regret. Attractive and affectionate to oneself. Strong mentality. Loves attention. Diplomatic. Consoling, friendly and solves people’s problems. Brave and fearless. Adventurous. Loving and caring. Suave and generous. Emotional. Aggressive. Hasty. Good memory. Moving. Motivates oneself and others. Sickness usually of the head and chest. Sexy in a way that only their lover can see.



MAY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Strong-willed and highly motivated. Sharp thoughts. Easily angered. Attracts others and loves attention. Deep feelings. Beautiful physically and mentally. Firm Standpoint. Needs no motivation. Easily consoled. Systematic (left brain). Loves to dream. Strong clairvoyance. Understanding. Sickness usually in the ear and neck. Good imagination. Good physical. Weak breathing. Loves literature and the arts. Loves traveling. Dislike being at home. Restless. Not having many children. Hardworking. High spirited. Spendthrift.



JUNE: Thinks far with vision. Easily influenced by kindness. Polite and soft-spoken. Having ideas. Sensitive. Active mind. Hesitating, tends to delay. Choosy and always wants the best. Temperamental. Funny and humorous. Loves to joke. Good debating skills. Talkative. Daydreamer. Friendly. Knows how to make friends. Able to show character. Easily hurt. Prone to getting colds. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt. Brand conscious. Executive. Stubborn.



JULY: Fun to be with. Secretive. Difficult to fathom and to be understood. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Takes pride in oneself. Has reputation. Easily consoled. Honest. Concerned about people’s feelings. Tactful. Friendly. Approachable. Emotional temperamental and unpredictable. Moody and easily hurt. Witty and sparkly. Not revengeful. Forgiving but never forgets. Dislikes nonsensical and unnecessary things. Guides others physically and mentally. Sensitive and forms impressions carefully. Caring and loving. Treats others equally. Strong sense of sympathy. Wary and sharp. Judges people through observations. Hardworking. No difficulties in studying. Loves to be alone. Always broods about the past and the old friends. Likes to be quiet. Homely person. Waits for friends. Never looks for friends. Not aggressive unless provoked. Prone to having stomach and dieting problems. Loves to be loved. Easily hurt but takes long to recover.



AUGUST: Loves to joke. Attractive. Suave and caring. Brave and fearless. Firm and has leadership qualities. Knows how to console others. Too generous and egoistic. Takes high pride in oneself. Thirsty for praises. Extraordinary spirit. Easily angered. Angry when provoked. Easily jealous. Observant. Careful and cautious. Thinks quickly. Independent thoughts. Loves to lead and to be led. Loves to dream. Talented in the arts, music and defense. Sensitive but not petty. Poor resistance against illnesses. Learns to relax. Hasty and trusty. Romantic. Loving and caring. Loves to make friends.



SEPTEMBER: Suave and compromising. Careful, cautious and organized. Likes to point out people’s mistakes. Likes to criticize. Stubborn. Quiet but able to talk well. Calm and cool. Kind and sympathetic. Concerned and detailed. Loyal but not always honest. Does work well. Very confident. Sensitive. Good memory. Clever and knowledgeable. Loves to look for information. Must control oneself when criticizing. Able to motivate oneself. Understanding. Fun to be around. Secretive. Loves leisure and traveling. Hardly shows emotions. Tends to bottle up feelings. Very choosy, especially in relationships. Systematic.



OCTOBER: Loves to chat. Loves those who loves them. Loves to take things at the center. Inner and physical beauty. Lies but doesn’t pretend. Gets angry often. Treats friends importantly. Always making friends. Easily hurt but recovers easily. Daydreamer. Opinionated. Does not care of what others think. Emotional. Decisive. Strong clairvoyance. Loves to travel, the arts and literature. Touchy and easily jealous. Concerned. Loves outdoors. Just and fair. Spendthrift. Easily influenced. Easily loses confidence. Loves children.



NOVEMBER: Has a lot of ideas. Difficult to fathom. Thinks forward. Unique and brilliant. Extraordinary ideas. Sharp thinking. Fine and strong clairvoyance. Can become good doctors. Dynamic in personality. Secretive. Inquisitive. Knows how to dig secrets. Always thinking. Less talkative but amiable. Brave and generous. Patient. Stubborn and hard-hearted. If there is a will, there is a way. Determined. Never give up. Hardly becomes angry unless provoked. Loves to be alone. Thinks differently from others. Sharp-minded. Motivates oneself. Does not appreciate praises. High-spirited. Well-built and tough. Deep love and emotions. Romantic. Uncertain in relationships. Homely. Hardworking. High abilities. Trustworthy. Honest and keeps secrets. Not able to control emotions. Unpredictable.



DECEMBER: Loyal and generous. Sexy. Patriotic. Active in games and interactions. Impatient and hasty. Ambitious. Influential in organizations. Fun to be with. Loves to socialize. Loves praises. Loves attention. Loves to be loved. Honest and trustworthy. Not pretending. Short tempered. Changing personality. Not egotistic. Take high pride in oneself. Hates restrictions. Loves to joke. Good sense of humor. Logical.

5 Post Meme

I've been tagged by Sognatrice with the 5 Post Meme. I figured that since yesterday's Fun Monday was about going back to an old post, I'd stick with that theme and do this Meme today.


The rules:

Post 5 links to 5 of your previously written posts. The posts have to relate to the 5 key words given below (family, friend, yourself, your love, anything you like).
Tag 5 other friends to do this meme. Try to tag at least 2 new acquaintances (if not, your current blog buddies will do) so that you get to know them each a little bit better.
Don’t forget to read the archived post and leave comments.

So, here we go:

Family

I decided to go with this post about my brother. I have a new post about him that I'm working on, for his birthday this year, so I figured I should tell you all al ittle bit more about him before that post. I like this post quite a bit, so, here you go: Ode to Shortstuff. You can see other posts about my family in the "Family" category on my left column here.

Friends

There were a couple of posts I could have gone with for this one. I thought about going with this Fun Monday entry, or this one about my "hot" cousin, or even this one about my college friends, but, in the end, I picked this one:

What about your friends? Because I had fun writing this one, and well, I want to know if you have any of these friends yourselves, and if you have any to add.

You can see more friendly posts in the Friends category.

Yourself

Another tough one to choose. You can learn all about me by reading my 200 Things About Me posts. But, for a little more in depth look at me, I'm going to go with Marriage or Martinis. I wrote this post two years ago, and interestingly enough, not a whole lot has changed since then. I'm still single, I'm still not sure about dating, marriage, or any of those things, and I'm still pretty darn happy with the life I lead.

Your Love

This one was a little bit tougher, because...well...see above..I'm still single. I could have gone with some of the recent "All The Boys I've Loved" posts, but instead, I took some liberties here and went with a different sort of love. I decided to go with the kind of love you can only get from a child, that unconditional, no holds barred, one of a kind love. I don't have any kids of my own, but LilK, my "little sister" through Big Brother Big Sister, has been about as close as it gets for the last almost 7 years. Here's something I wrote for our 6 year "Anniversary".

Anything you like

Well, that's more like it! Here's one of my favorite posts, about one of my favorite topics. No, not shoes, not this time. Poetry. You can read some of my poetry on my other blog "Creative Karina".

That was fun, traipsing through my past posts. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

Now, for the tagging part.

The meme said to try and tag at least two new acquaintances...I figured why not make all five new acquaintances? So, here are a few ladies who's blogs I've just started to frequent:

Robin (the Pensieve One)

Blue Momma

Tiggerlane

Junebug

Lisa

There you go.

Classic Movie Quiz

While bloghopping yesterday I came across this quizz on my friend Frigga's blog. Since I've never met a personality quizz I could resist (really, I'm a sucker for these things), I went ahead and took it, answering all 45 questions. My result:

What Classic Movie Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

Hmmm...interesting! If you take the test, come back an tell me what movie you are.

Me Meme - Well, I never...

Wordless Wednesday is right below this post.

Quite a while ago my buddy JennieBoo tagged me with this meme. In the ME Meme, I'm supposed to give you 5 things about myself that I have never told you before. Because I was in the midst of doing my "200 things about me" posts, I thought I'd be all out of "me" things to give you, so I held off on the meme.

But the other morning on the radio there was this discussion being had about things you had never done that most people have done. I thought I'd incorporate this discussion and instead of just telling you 5 things about myself, I'll tell you five things I've NEVER done, that the average person (at least in the U.S.A.) probably has:


1. I've never eaten a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. EVER. Yes, I know that is a very strange thing, but I was allergic to peanut butter until recently (I've always had strange allergies that come and go), so peanut butter is a new food group for me, and I'm just beginning to expirement with it. In fact, I've also never had a "Butterfinger" but the other day I had a Butterfinger Ice Cream...YUM. I just bought some raspberry jelly this weekend, I just need to get some sandwich bread and the "never" will be deleted from this list pretty soon.


2. Keeping with the food stuffs, I've never had a traditional "grilled cheese" sandwich. By traditional I mean made in a frying pan. I've had paninis, and my own version of grilled cheese, made on a grill or electric sandwich maker, but never a "frying pan" kind.


3. I've never been skiing or ice skating. This may not be so unusual in the warmer parts of the country, but around these parts, I'm an oddity. Everyone around here has done at least one of the two.


4. I've never watched ANY of the Star Wars movies. I know, I know, sacrilege and all that, but I've just never had an interest in them. I don't think I've watched more than 5 minutes of the original, and not even that much of any of the prequels or whatever they were. If I were to elaborate on this, I could tell you I've also never seen Jaws (again, no interest), The Godfather films (there is no excuse for this one, I love gangster movies, and I even bought the box set for my ex Cognac at one point), or even a full episode of the tv show "Cheers" (which as a Bostonian is not something I should be admitting)...and a whole slew of other movies that "everyone" has seen.


5. I've never been fishing. Maybe this isn't that unusual, but I am Portuguese, so really, fishing should come naturally to me, shouldn't it? But, I've never done it.

It was actually a lot harder to come up with these than I thought it would be. I don't really know how many people I'm supposed to tag, so I'm going with 3.

Julia - Because I love this lady and want to learn more about her.

Ms. Frou Frou - Because I know she's been really busy with work and hasn't really had a chance to blog much lately, so I'm hoping to give her some fodder for when she has a chance to get back to it.

and

Janis - Because I love reading her stories of her time in Asturias, so I'm greedily asking for five more things I don't know.

Ladies, you don't have to do a "I've never" like I did, it's just a 5 things we don't know about you post. Have fun with it.

Oh what a night...or five.

I was tagged by The Queen of Memes, JennieBoo, for quite the thought provoking meme quite a while ago. I started this post almost three weeks ago, but was unable to finish it because I just couldn't come up with the answers. I've decided to give it a go again.. It is the Five Best Nights, So Far Meme.


The rules: list the 5 best nights that you can recall and then tag four other people and see if the meme can continue.

Sounds simple enough right? Yeah, sure, until I had to start thinking about what my 5 best nights so far were. Really? I have to really dig deep for these. I'm pretty sure that I'll miss a night in here that I'll go back and think "oh yeah, that was even better than he ones I listed" but I had to go with something, so here's my five:


1. March 9, 1985 - It was my first night spent in the United States of America. It was also the evening before my 10th birthday. My parents and I, and my baby brother had arrived and my grandmother had birthday cake for me. It was a full house of strangers so happy to meet us all. It was the beginning of a new life for all of us. It was so long ago, and I was so young, but I still have very vivid memories of that night.

2. Any of the number of nights spent with my cousins up at the white mountains when we were supposed to be sleeping, but were instead listening to music and talking into the wee hours. I can't pick just one specific night, but I have great memories of those nights.

3. I don't know the exact date, but the night I went to my first concert. It was a New Kids on the Block concert, and I was about 13 or 14 years old. My cousins and I were the biggest New Kids fans. We had our walls wallpapered with their photos, we were in their fan club, we even had our own "Pen Pal club" that we started. Spend our days writing letters to other "BlockHeads" throughout the world, exchanging pictures of our favorite New Kid. And we scored tickets to one of their concerts. We were in a kind of delirious heaven only teenage girls can understand. Our seats were horrible, but we had the time of our lives. It also began my love affair with live music. From that point forward I would attend over 40 different concerts. But that particular night, and all the silly memories that come with it, will always stand out in my mind.


4. This one is a bit of a stretch, because it started off as a "day" which turned into a "night", but I'm throwing it in anyway. My first date with my ex "The Soulmate". He picked me up at 11 am, and wound up dropping me off at 11pm. It was the best date I've ever been on, and I don't even remember most of what we did that day. I do remember that I fell in love with him that day, and didn't want the date to end (thus why it lasted 12 hours). It was a great night.


5. My first night in my condo. I bought my condo about one month before I turned 28 years old. Prior to that, I'd been living with my parents. I'd never moved out. I hadn't gone away to college. I'd never been "on my own". Buying the condo, all alone, was a great source of pride for me. Moving out into the world, by myself, was something I'd wanted to do for a long time. My first night, completely alone, in my new home, was bittersweet. There was a great sense of separation from my parents, and this left me with both a sense of accomplishment and pride, and a deep sadness, that here I was, all grown up and on my own. I shed a few tears, and then I took a deep breath and looked around. WOW, this was all mine. I had done it. There have been few moments in my life when I've felt so proud of myself.

So there you have it, the 5 best nights so far...sort of...

I think I'm supposed to tag some people here...so, let me see...

Annie - because she's a fairly new blogger, who I really enjoy reading, and I think she'll enjoy filling this one out.

Qualcosa di Bello - because I love reading her blog and have a feeling her response will be full of moments that'll make me teary eyed, in a good way.

Frances - because she absolutely fascinates me, so I can't wait to hear what she'll choose as her nights.

and finally

Frigga - who will probably kill me for tagging her yet again, but I love the stuff this girl writes, and just know her answers will be a fun read.

So, hop to it ladies, let's see if you can do it in less time than it took me, which was about 3 weeks or so. You can do it. ;-)

When I grow up...

I've been tagged by my buddy JennieBoo at O So Mo Love with a "Career Meme".

Here is how to play:If you had the opportunity to do a 1-year internship in a company or field completely unrelated to your current career or specialty, what would be your top 5 choices?

This is actually fairly easy for me, because there are several career paths I wanted to take, that just didn't work out for whatever reason. I'm still not really sure what I want to be when I grow up...but any of the following would be fun:

1. Dancer/choreographer. I've always wanted to be a dancer, and even now I find myself choreographing dance routines in my head when I hear certain songs.

2. Psychiatrist/counselor. I'm the friend everyone calls to tell their troubles to, so hey, maybe I could get paid to do what I already do for free!

3. Personal Stylist. I love shopping, I love clothes, I love to help people put outfits together...this would be the PERFECT job for me.

4. Interior decorator/designer. Same as above, but with homes...that could be so fun.

5. Writer. I'm still working on this one...I'll never give up on this one.

I'm supposed to tag five people, but I'm going to cheat a bit and just let you all answer as well if you choose to...either in comments, or on your own blogs. What do you want to be when you grow up?

Stories from the weekend in NYC still forthcoming. I haven't forgotten, just busy at work today...

Well, I have been tagged again, by my buddy JennieBoo at OSOMOLOVE. Somehow she knew I'd enjoy this "unusual" meme...hmm...am I so obvious in my cynicism about the world? I'll have to work on that!

Actually, I really do try to live my life focusing on the positive and not stressing about the negative. I'm a firm believer that life is WAY too short to waste any of it being negative. But, like everyone, I have my bad days, and I have my pet peeves...stick around here long enough, and soon you'll know what really pushes my buttons. But I digress...back to the meme...

Here's the deal, The Freelance Cynic created this meme. He says:

"If you've ever listened to people talking on a bus you'll know that most of what they say is negative. They talk about things they hate, people that annoy them and boyfriends that let them down before they even think about mentioning the 'nice things.'

All of us do it. We find it natural, when with a friend, to moan.In fact a recent study has shown that the most effective form of human bonding is moaning and gossiping.Yet our blogs, the social tools of the 21st century, are populated by memes listing our 'favourites,' or our 'blessings,' or our 'funniest' moments. In our efforts to be readable we have denied others the one thing that makes us interesting - our whining, moaning, complaining selves.And so I am pleased to present the first ever Moaning Meme! The meme that will teach us all a bit more about each other and ourselves.It's time to spread some Personality... "

So, there you have it, a free ticket to be a downer! How could I EVER turn this down?

The Moaning Meme

5 people who will be annoyed you tagged them. (This one is tough, because I see a few of my intended Tagees have already been tagged...so let's see, I'm going with some of my favorite bloggers and commenters)

1. Frigga

2. Miss Frou Frou

3. Beckie

4. Julia

5. Literary Feline

(I tagged people who I thought would do the meme, but it is by no means limited to only them! Be part of something new - Spread some moans!)

4 things that should go into room 101 and be removed from the face of the earth.

Karina's note: I'm going to skip the obvious "serious" answers, and go with
more fun ones here.

1. Anyone who's ever appeared on "Flavor of Love" - how much of a disservice to the women's movement does that show do? ugh

2. Crocs or whatever those ugly ass shoes are called...I honestly think they are the ugliest things invented and can't believe grown adults wear them in public.

3. High interest rates on credit cards. Highway robbery, and I still don't get how some of these rates are even legal.

4. Rosie O'Donnell. I'm sorry, I just don't get it okay?

3 things people do that make you want to shake them violently.

1. Skinny girls who say "I can't go in the pool, I don't wear a bathing suit in public". Listen you stick, if my fat ass can get in a bathing suit, then yours certainly can.

2. People who've NEVER had to deal with a weight problem trying to tell me how to eat.

3. People who leave their shopping carts in the middle of the aisle in a supermarket, blocking the passage for anyone who walks by, and then stand there obvlivious to how ignorant they are.

2 things you find yourself moaning about.

1. Lack of time, there's never enough to do everything I want to do.

2. How much I just want to be able to eat pasta alfredo, or a steak and cheese sub.

1 thing the above answers tell you about yourself.

1. I'm hungry and should go out and get lunch now.

RULES:*Link to the original meme at FreelanceCynic.com so people know what it's all about!*Be as honest as possible, This is about letting people get to know the real you!*Try not to insult anyone - unless they really deserve it or are very, very ugly! *Post these rules at the end of every meme!Finally remember, cynical is sexy. At least that's what I'm hoping...

Everything but the kitchen sink

One of my fellow "She Who Bloggers", recently shared a fun project she had participated in at her blog Postcards From the Clouds. The idea, from faceyourpockets.com is to empty out your pockets and scan the items, along with a portion of your face, and then to also include a description of the items.





I thought this sounded kind of fun, so I decided to join in, however, as most women will tell you, they don't really put pockets on about 90% of women's clothing (jeans and coats being the only exception pretty much), and as it is summer and I'm not wearing much of either, I decided to empty the pockets in my purse. Disclaimer: I carry a huge purse, so I did not scan all the items in my purse, I chose to only scan the things in actual "Pockets" within my purse.





The items are as follows:

-purple business card holder
-purple pen
-bottle of Victoria's Secret "endless love" perfume
-lipstick
-lipgloss
-chapstick
-sample size "India Gardenia" perfume from The Body Shop
-sample size "Cool Water" perfume (are we sensing a perfume addiction here?
-betty boop tin which holds advil etc.
-trident splash gum
-eyeglass cleaner towellette
-my rio mp3player
-my cell phone (I'm badly in need of a new one)
-eye drops (I have very dry eyes)
-a ticket stub to "High School Musical" a recent performance I attended with my little sister (tickets given to me by my boss).

And that's about it...we won't even discuss how much more crap is in my purse not in "pockets"...can you find my face?