Life on DVD

Does anybody else out there wish they had a DVD of their life? I mean, you could look rewind, fast forward (up until the moment), etc. I found myself thinking this just right now at my desk because I was wondering how the heck I got to where I was, and how I got to be the person that I am. I mean, I remember when I thought of myself as nice and sweet. Now, although I think I'm a nice person and sometimes sweet, I also think of myself as stubborn, and sometimes mean. Yes, mean. when did I become mean?

and bossy...I could be bossy. at least that's what I've been told by my sister.

When the heck did I become bossy? I mean, I've had to learn how to take care of myself, but then I've also learned that I can't do everything, and I've learned how to make others...feel useful. :)

I'd love to sit down with my DVD and see what happened to me. was it that one time i trusted in someone who turned out to be using me? or was it when I went out of my way to do something only for it not to be appreciated? or that one time when i turned around and realized that i was doing all the work?

and when did i get cynical about people and life?

(I just realized that it was weird thinking all of this when i'm in a really good mood today...weird!)

So anyone up for taping my life for the sole purpose of my own selfish needs????? :) any takers?

Forget Fridays, weeks of vacations or holidays suck even more!

Its 12:25 PM on Wednesday. I'm leaving on Friday for California for my cousin's wedding over the 4th of July holiday.

How could anyone expect me to be productive?

Hmmm...this entry kinda sounds a little familiar... so I haven't been the vision of productivity (I'm talking about me tackling tasks with the lack of *umph* and gusto here, the dang work's getting done, don't worry)...big deal. Around this time a couple years ago, I was permitted a SUMMER VACATION!

This time of year, I find my brain sort of wandering...doesn't help I could step out of our building door, swing my head to the right and watch skiers, jet skiers, and boaters cross my vision while walking to my next meeting... no, that doesn't help at all.

But this time of year makes me want to travel everywhere, stay out late watching summer movies (Dakota Fanning, I'll be seeing you tonight) on a week night, and absolutely, positively NOT wear nylons all week while everything on tv and the newspapers talk about summer things like going to the beach, barbecues, picnics...etc.

Thank goodness I'm due for a bit of a vacation. California, see you in a couple days.

Hawaii...can't wait to see you. August can't come soon enough.

Okay...that put me in a better mood. I think I'll .....go audit someone...woohoo!

Stop me, I'm coveting...

A friend of mine emailed me pictures of this celebrity's house. For the life of me, I can't remember the guy's name (wasn't a show I was familiar with on cable), but his house is so amazing to me.

I'm posting two pictures, one looking out from the house into the "backyard," and the other from one of the bedrooms. Both are during the day. The pictures at night are even more spectacular.

What a backyard

Posted by Val

Imagine waking up to this view.

Posted by Val

My sinister plan is working!!!!!

Robin - IN FLORIDA!!!!! :)

Posted by Val

Robin just moved here this last week...bwahahaha....my plan to move my friends and family to Orlando is finally working.....of course, its only taken five years to see the fruit of my scheming realize, but, hey, it'll happen!

I'm so happy Robin's here. She has joined the Florida Hospital family practice residency program. I'm so proud of my friend, Dr. Vance. She's stuck through med school, and she's doing what she's planned on all along. She's a long way from a lot of people she loves in California, but the selfish part of me is ecstatic she's here.

Its kinda weird to have your different worlds meet, but last night, I introduced her to some friends of ours, and I'm so happy it looks like we could all hang out. Good thing, too, since we'll be roommates again! :)

I haven't mentioned it at all, but I'm overseeing the new home-building of a Villar home. My parents saw the Orlando housing market as quite reasonable in comparison to northern California (imagine that!). So, on their trip out here last year (yes, LAST YEAR), they decided to build a house. The picture of Robin is in the neighborhood of our future home...if the blasted thing ever gets built. Kristin, Valerie, and Robin in a house...I so can't wait.

Due to an overindulgence of tea on my part which resulted in quite a late evening, my mind is not quite in tip-top condition, but if anyone's wanting to follow in Robin's footsteps, do't fight it...

Happy Friday!

I just was sitting in in the silence of our office on this Friday afternoon, and I just thought I'd post a little something...

.......so...how's it going?

yeah, you can see the extent of my Friday afternoon brain activity. it amazes me how much my brain can shut down on Friday afternoon. that's how its always been. historically, i have been more willing to be productive Sunday afternoon, heck, even Saturday night, then on a Friday afternoon. i have never been in an environment that has required me to have productive Friday afternoons. having never been OUTSIDE the SDA institution, i have always been given the Friday "off" for Sabbath preparation. You know, grocery shopping, household cleaning, etc.

Elementary school got out at 12:15 pm, highschool...don't remember much about it anymore, but it was around 2pm, probably. Same thing with college. did we even have any classes scheduled for 2pm on Friday? the latest I remember having a class on a Friday afternoon was at 1pm, and we were considered unlucky in scheduling.

and now...i'm working. for an SDA organization, though. my department's "usual" time to leave on Friday afternoon is around 3pm. Some others leave earlier than us even! Its kinda funny because we have non-SDA companies that sometimes come to work in our office, and we make them leave earlier on Fridays because that would mean us permitting them to work on the Sabbath. For them, it was a whole new concept considering they regularly work 50+ hours a week.

my mind has never been continually challenged on Friday afternoon. I blame on lack of Friday afternoon productivity and concentration on my 27 years of environment. Its not my fault my brain shuts down. really, its not.

...T-minus 1 hour and 21 minutes.

Sito

Last night, Eli was driving to come pick me up from a meeting, and he had to swerve to miss hitting this little kitten. I started calling him Elisito (little Eli), Sito for short.

We spent part of last night at the pet ER, and most of today trying to find a way to save this little kitten without committing to keep him. what a dilemma. should we leave it with animal control who would put it to sleep because they were overrun with healthy stray cats, or spend the money to save this little kitten (who was hurt) but who would, in the end be put to sleep at animal control anyways since we couldn't keep it?????

It was amazing how attached we got within a couple hours. and, to top it off, Eli's sneaking it into his house since his sister is allergic. We felt so helpless watching this kitten bleed at the pet ER discussing, basically, whether it should die now or later, in our hands or in animal control's. my roommate's cat was hit a couple months ago. we found it on the side of the road. we brought it to a random vet who pronounced it dead on the spot. i felt so helpless, i couldn't help keep this innocent little animal under our care alive! coming across this little kitten, i almost felt like i had a second chance, although i knew i couldn't keep it. life seems so unfair when you sit and watch a little kitten suffer.

Anyone want a kitten?

Sito

Posted by Val

Eli & Sito

Posted by Val

When did I get so control-freakish?!?!?!?!?!

I've just had a tough week. And its all because things didn't go the way I planned it, like I thought it would (or should) go. And because of that, my life sorta-kinda sucked all week.

I'm in charge of all the music for my church service. Last weekend, my first week "on," the group scheduled to do worship, well, it didn't work out, and I found myself Friday afternoon, desperately looking for a group. We planned this group far in advance, why didn't things work out?

So, I had to miss out on a large part of my own birthday get-together last Friday night because I found myself having to be part of my makeshift group...and thus started a week of H-E- double-hockeystick. Here's a run down of my week:

• Week 2 worship group backs out.
• Missed my scheduled important weekly church meeting
• ...because my trusty Cavalier broke down in the middle of a busy road
• Waited nearly two hours in the hot, humid Florida air for tow truck
• Forked over much-needed $$$ to repair my aging Cavalier
• Newly acquired 'Palm' was not working the way I imagined it would
• Screwed up company programs due to above 'Palm' problems (had to admit to company tech support what I was doing)
  
• Was turned down by numerous groups and individuals to perform this week resulting in personally having to participate in Week 2 worship service
• Woke up sick
• Woke up with no voice

I was in a terrible mood all week. But you know, I realized that I'm pretty darn good at putting on a mask. I actually got an email from a friend telling me that she knew I had a lot on my plate at church, but it was great that I was handling it so well, and it helped those around me to calm down.

WHAT?!?!?! What was she talking about??? I was a complete mess! I'm glad those around me didn't see my unraveling. Unfortunately, the closer someone was to me, the more they saw of the real me...and frankly, I felt sorry for them. I was snappy, I was negative, I was whiney... I didn't like the real me, I wanted to me my mask...permanently!

And the one closest to me definitely got the brunt of things. Why is it that those that are "privileged" to be let in find themselves as human punching bags?

I guess you take the good with the bad, and I really learned something about myself. No matter how much you plan, organize...things completely out of your control may happen, and you can't beat yourself up for them when they come. Now, I'll never be passive about things...I'll do everything in my power to have things work out. But stressing and working myself sick isn't good.

And you know what? I look at the bullets above, and I see that I failed to list the positive things that happened to me this week:

• I was able to organize music and singers together in such a way that everyone was happy, and it'll turn out just fine. Plus, I got to know these singers who were excited to help out this week better. They are fabulous singers and girls...
• My knight in shining armor was able to get my car fixed at a fraction of what it should have cost. thank you.
• My palm worked, and my tech support...was new and was only too eager to make everything better (and, really, part of my palm is for work...)
• I was able to get off work early because of the car and being sick and was able to recuperate.
• Work was pretty light and doable

If i looked at it that way, my week wasn't sooo bad. and i learned about myself and my tendancies. and I'll work on my faults...

...hopefully this upcoming week will go according to plan...babysteps, okay!?!?!?!?! :)

Birthday Eve

This year, on my birthday eve, I decided that I wanted to be awake to watch my skin start to wrinkle, joints stiffen, and hair start to turn grey at the stroke of midnight. In order to do that, we went out and spent the evening watching "Hostage" on the $1 theater screen, drove around town a little bit, then spent the remaining hours at Super Walmart. I think someone actually thought I was a little tipsy considering I was soooo tired, I had a glazed look about me, and I was just throwing things in the cart, when I wasn't sitting in it, or course. Needless to say, this morning, I was looking through my bag thinking, "oh, yeah...I remember vaguely wanting that..." or "yeah, gotta return that!"

Afterwards, we went to Steak 'n Shake which I found out was 24 hours (5 years in orlando, i didn't know!) and celebrated my birthday over some chili cheese fries. mmm...we asked if they had a candle to put in my fries, but they didn't...

all in all, it was very nice to be sitting in the car having "Happy Birthday" sung to me over the fries at 12:10 am. Something that's never happened to me before. Now I'm looking forward to seeing friends over Indian food tonight. yummy! :)

Until later! :)

Favicon Envy

I must admit, after seeing some friends put up favicons on their blog address bars (Kimi, Jim, the Camacho's), frankly, I started experiencing a little favicon envy.

I wanted one!

I read up on it, I envisioned, but alas...I had decided it wasn't to be with my limited computer knowledge and lack of time.

Then...I looked at my manfriend, Eli. Eli does not like to get stumped, Eli likes computers, Eli likes ...whatever program he used to make the icon. The answer to my favicon envy was sitting in front of me watching old "Star Trek: The Next Generation" reruns and letting the dog lick him (if that's not sexy, I don't know what is)!!!!!

With a couple of bats of the ol' eyelashes (yes, even the straight, thin asian lashes work sometimes, girls), and the big eyes effect shot from the downcast position...well, that did the trick. Eli, sitting at the computer, me, standing over his shoulder...ah, what a team. :)

I got my favicon! :) (please tell me you see it). It was exactly what I wanted. Thank you, Eli! :)

Happy Birthday Dad!!!!!

Today, June 4, 2005, is my dad's birthday. Happy birthday, dad!!!



My dad is so awesome. Since I am homeless, I have a limited supply of pictures to choose from, but I found this picture of my father dancing the filipino tinikling dance with my brother-in-law at my sister's wedding. My dad is hard working and fun (you can tell by the huge smile on his face that he is someone who likes to play and have fun). I think I'm an accountant because my dad is one. Just growing up watching my dad work, I, for some reason, always thought I would follow in his footsteps.

But the best things I learned from watching my dad were related to loving God and how to have a successful relationsip (or try). My dad wakes up every morning, walks downstairs, and reads his devotional and Bible every single morning. I see how worshiping God is incorporated in my Dad's daily living each day, and I think that's awesome. My dad shows me that religion isn't something you know or do, it is what you are.

Whenever I go home to visit, being on a time zone three hours ahead, I would wake up early and spend time with my dad. I would watch him have his devotional, walk with him or wait for him to come back from his morning walk, then we'd have breakfast and read the newspaper together. And, if it is Sabbath, and my dad is making his famous spaghetti for lunch, I'd beg some for breakfast...mmm... the perfect breakfast food. My mom might come downstairs a little later, and just watching them interact would make me smile since someday I hope to have a marriage partnership like them.

Dad, I have been blessed to have you as a father. Thank you so much for being the father you have been my whole life! Happy Birthday


Posted by Val

I love Geeks!!!!!

Okay, so there's this new reality show that I started watching. The premiere was this week, and its called Beauty & The Geek. The premise of the show takes seven "geeks" who are very intelligent but have near-to-none social skills paired up with seven beautiful women well-versed in pop culture and society but are ... book-smart challenged.

The geeks teach the girls some sort of book smarts while the girls try to teach the guys some sort of social skills. for instance, thr first episode the girls teach the guys a dance routine which they have to perform dance while the guys have to tutor the girls on fifth grade curriculum which they are later tested on.

i lke the show because it isn't a cheesy dating game. These are two groups of people that normally wouldn't associate interacting, teaching each other what they lack, and learning from each other what it feels like to walk in each other's shoes. i think its great.

plus the geeks are sooo cute! :) awww.....

My Favorite Morning Show

I love the WB. They have several shows and reruns that i love to just kill time watching. but one of my favorites is a daily thang...its their morning show which is a cross between a tv news show and a radio talk show. on top of keeping you up to date with the news around the world, they also do a lot of little segments on interesting tidbits...when they're not dancing, making fun of reality shows, or talking to people off camera...

The Daily Buzz is a riot.

Thanks for making my morning wakeup routine a little more enjoyable. Check it out if the WB has it in your line-up (its mostly around the country) sometime.

The #1 Christian Porn Site

So I was watching "A Current Affair" the other night while i was cleaning my room, and this little bit came on that really caught my attention. It was about an internet church site at www.xxxchurch.com. The website's caption?

"The #1 Christian Porn Site".

Have a look-see and let me know what you think about all this!

Obviously there's a bit of a controversy out there about this.

Ah...the JOYS of living in Florida

Although a day late, i would like to make a tribute to the 2005 Hurricane Season which started yesterday, June 1. In the unlikely case that a hurricane occurs in the Atlantic (what are the chances...right?), here are the names that will be gracing our battery operated radios and handheld televisions:

Arlene
Bret
Cindy
Dennis
Emily
Franklin
Gert
Harvey
Irene
Jose
Katrina
Lee
Maria
Nate
Ophelia
Philippe
Rita
Stan
Tammy
Vince
Wilma

FYI - Hurricane Valerie is on the Atlantic list in 2006.

Watch out...