Busy Week, Plus Ice Skating & A Yummers Vietnamese Dinner made by BK :)

Current mood: rejuvenated
Category: Friends

Hola, I hope everyone is having a great weekend...like most people I think most of us have tomorrow off for President's Day (or is it just me being a "gov-ment" worker now that I think everyone should have all the Federal, National, State AND Local holidays off???) Anyway, I have a LOOOOONNNNGGGG weekend & I am absolutely ecstatic about it b/c I was "for realz" working hard for my money this whole week...I had to organize two events & pull them off plus I have one coming up next week that I won't be participating in but I had to try to get 2 dozen staff volunteers to volunteer for, make floor plans for for all the different stations, plus assign them to their various jobs that day & then TRAIN them in one day (which is going to be on my bday & two days before the event - whew!)...it's overkill but even if I get a dozen people for this coming weekend's event, then it will be all "goodness" for me...

Hmmmm, so, yesterday I saw my good friend's little baby celebrate his 3rd bday & he had it at the Yerba Buena Ice Skating rink...he was there with his cousins plus all the day care school friends with their - get this - rubber ice skates...they were all aflutter b/c I was eavesdropping on a "triad" of little boys who were always sticking close to each other & they were talking about how they were watching all the skating on the Olympics that's being televised right now from Italy...I thought that was adorable & how kids can be easily influenced & also, pick-up so fast - you know it's that "no fear" instinct that kids have - after getting their quick lesson from their instructor they're ready to just hop onto that ice! The party group was asking me if I was going to step on the ice - I told them "no way!" b/c I already sacrificed one arm in a fall & I didn't need to give up the other...I learned my lesson...peeps, I was making like Michelle Kwan & saying "no moh' " to ice skating after my injury ...baha!

I was taking snapshots of some of the kids heads peering over the skate wall - you would see the top of their beanie-bedecked heads or if I knew the kids, they would just wave & have these big ol' smiles on their funny faces, b/c they were so proud they were just slowing inching their way UPRIGHT in around the rink...hahahahahaha!

Anyway, I think all the kids & even some of their parents (the big kids) had a blast yesterday afternoon...it was adorable to see the parents with the kids just teaching them to skate - how maternal and/ or paternal the instincts were coming out with the kids on the ice...love it, love those family moments...esp. when the families would be holding each other's hands...okay, you can call me a big cornball - I don't care - I'm not made outta' wood, that's for sure & if you're a real decent human being with a heart, your ice, cold jaded heart would've melted too if you witnessed all the family bonding going on there in Yerba Buena Skating Rink ;-)

After, doing a little window shopping, I headed home & took an even LOOONNNGGGER cat nap - that was my way of celebrating the time off I had...ha! After waking up from that big beautiful slumber, I got ready to go to my friend BK's party no queridas (dears), not Burker King but my friend who's initials are BK ...she made a spectacular 7 course meal & she IS a phenomenal cook though when I first stepped in her place, I asked her if she needed help in the kitchen before she "shooed" me out & said, "Noo, no, no, I'm a kitchen Nazi - so just grab a glass of Pinot" & let me do my thing!" Wow, well, I'm a good soldier & followed those orders & hung out with her friends just chit chatting ...while more friends came in & we just lounged around admiring her new digs (this was a belated housewarming, if I didn't mention it) ...anyway,when she was finally done she had cooked us the following; 1. Garlic Noodles with green onions 2. Garlic crab with chili powder & generously peppered with buttered sauce 3. Grilled red, yellow, & green peppers with equally grilled shitake mushrooms 4. Garlic Shrimp with salt & pepper with sauteed gin over it & with braised basil leaves 5. roasted mushrooms in a pesto, & a nicely melted cheese, butter sauce 6. Kimchee fried rice with green onions, chopped up spam & eggs 7. A delicious white whipped cream & raspberry, strawberry cake from my fave bakery Dianda's (on 25th & Mission, which I always go to when I'm nearby to pick-up a good cannoli) drizzled in Kalua Chocolate Hot Sauce ...man! Talk about winning people's hearts through their stomach! I was mightily impressed b/c you know how I "loves" me some good eats...it was hilarious b/c her co-workers who she invited didn't even know she cooked b/c they said she usually just buys her food during lunch, etc. Anyway, she told me she only likes to cook like this anyway when there's a lot of people around or if she has good friends to cook for and that I should come over any time if I ever feel hungry (she lives in the Richmond too & it's only like a 10 minute Muni ride straight down Geary or California)...now, I feel like I should be obligated to throw dinner party of my own so I can repay her for the hearty & delicioso meal she threw together for us last night...hmmmmm, I'll think of something...BK is such a sweet gal in the brief time that I've known her...I'll have to make it up to her somehow...

Hmmmmmm, so since I was a bit busy yesterday, I've been a bit lazy today...I was supposed to go over to my mom & grandma's (Lola's) place most of the afternoon today or actually, I was going to stay over but I woke up late & my mother told me not to bother since my grandmother seems to be doing okay & she could handle her by herself...so, maybe, I'll stop by tomorrow instead since I have the day off...

Mmmmmm, I'm listening to my sister's or her boyfriend's mp3's tonight off the laptop that they've downloaded in their folder & they have a remake of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" by a group called, Social Distortion...it's good but mmmm, you can't compare to the classic tune...damn, I know most of you have already watched "Walk the Line" but can I just recommend that movie one more time to everyone or what...I'm so happy it's getting all the awards & Oscar nominations it's gotten...what a fabulous movie & again, kudos in the stupendous acting from Joaquin & Reese....I can't believe I was lucky enough to snag free movie preview tix for it when it first came out

So, it's going to be a short week for me...I'm taking some days off to go away this weekend in Sonoma to indulge in some low-key birhtday celebrating...I am SOOO looking forward to it...really, even if it was just me, myself & I on this trip, it would be all good - I could dearly use the get-away from the city & urban landscape...just somewhere nice & quiet & I'm looking forward to a full body massage that I will be getting that Saturday or Sunday there - I'm going to make sure it's going to be as heavenly as possible!...ummmm, not that I didn't get to go away the beginning of this week, well, I had a taste of it at least - this past Monday, I got to go to an all day offsite meeting in Moccasin which is a stone's throw away from magnificent Yosemite...I was going to plan for an event I'm setting up for late April for some VIP people that want to visit where the "water comes from" & basically just get educated...but mostly, we want to just show off how the system works for these people...planning & event planning takes a LOT of work - I think sometimes people don't respect that - ummm, I take that back it's not that they don't respect it, it's more that they don't want to get down to the minutae of ever little thing that comes with planning events - it may seem inconsequential to most but getting it down to where you want to place people on a conference table to where is the best location for booths to what kind of "tschoskes" and/ or souvenirs you think a particular group of people want - can make it or break it especially if you want it to come across as a good business "relationship" and/ or "partnership" in business...anyway, I'm excited about the project & if I can get enough people to volunteer for this particular event, maybe I'll be swayed to stay overnight at one of our bungalow cabins on the agency's premises...it's very quaint, cabin style but I would love to stay overnight just so, I can check out Yosemite Nat'l Park the next day if I have a good group with me...we'll see, we'll see, I think I can round up some people together ;-) Hmmmm, one thing that totally blew me away driving up there in my lil' company car Prius was that there were these gorgeous, white (blanca) blossoms on the tree orchards on our scenic drive up there...when we finally got to Moccasin I had to ask the woman we were meeting with what they were...Cherry Blossoms? Apple Blossoms?...she said "No, they're Almond Blossoms!" Almonds Blossoms? I had no idea that there was such a thing much less, thought about where almonds really came from than besides the can but then that's the beautiful thing that happens, you always have something new to learn everyday & I was really pleasantly pleased by that discovery ...anyway, she went on to inform me that there is only a small window of opportunity to witness those blossoms & I had good timing to come up now in February to be able to see them...it was my lucky day that's for sure...I was so into them, on our ride back, I made my co-worker stop the car off the side of the road & took about 3 pictures of the floral display going on there ...when I get a chance to download them @ work this week, I'll try to post them on this blog

Anyway, everything's going well all the way around (knock on solid, hard, hard, sturdy wood!) & I'm feeling a bit blessed at this moment...I hope all is well on your side of the world...Now, I'm hearing "Digging on You" from TLC - a remix version - damn! I haven't heard that song in eons...I LOVE it...I miss TLC ( a moment of silence for Lisa Lopez everyone - I'm not kidding either or being funny!) - hmmm, okay one last note, I had to make a playlist for some friends b/c they wanted to throw me a party...now, I don't care if this list totally ages me but it's from my generation & if you can push back the cobwebs of the recesses of your mind on these old tunes, just flashback for a minute with me now Happy Reminiscing!

>1. "Friends" - Whodini (Because I want to dedicate it to all my friends>coming to this bday happy hour...baha!)

>>2. "I Can't Wait" - Nu Shooz (If you forget the song, here's how the>song lyrics start below...that was mah' jam back in dah' day ;->)>>My love, tell me what it's all about>You've go something that I can't live without Happiness, is so hard to>find Hey baby, tell me what is on your mind>>Coz I can't wait (baby I can't wait) till you call me on the telephone I>can't wait (baby I can't wait) till we're all alone>>

3. "Ladies First" - Queen Latifah>>

4. "Big Poppa/ Warning" - Notorius B.I.G.

>>5. "Going Back to Cali" - LL Cool J

>>6. "Real Love" - Mary J. Blige

>>7. "Lean on Me" - Clubb Noveau

>>8. "Spread My Wings" - Troop

>>9. "Can't Stop" - After 7

>>10 "California Love" (Remix Version!) - Tupac

>>11. "Whatta Man" - Salt n' Pepa

>>12. "Hold On" - En Vogue

>>13. "Come With Me" - Shai (Okay, not exactly a dance track but I love>that song, we can slow it down a bit)

>>14. "If You Love Me" - Brownstone

>>15. "Crush On You" - The Jetts

>>16. "Can You Feel the Beat" - Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam

>>17. "Head to Toe" - Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam

>>18. "Point of No Return" - Expose

>>19. "All Night Long" - Mary Jane Girls

>>20. "Nite & Day" - Al B. Sure

>>21. "I Feel for You" - Chaka Khan

>>22. "Rumors" - Timex Social Club

>>23. "Let's Hear It for the Boy" - Deniece Williams

>>24. "Best of My Love" - Emotions

>>25. "All Fall Down" or "Let Me Be the One" - Five Starr (okay, I snuck>in two but who ever plays Five Starr??? I admit I looked through my old>cassette singles & tapes for some of these...lord have mercy...funny as>hell)

>>26. "Square Biz" - Teena Marie

>>27. "Saturday Love" - Cherelle w/ Alexander O' Neal

>>28. "Love Makes Things Happen" - Pebbles & Babyface

>>29. "Summer Girls" - Dino

>>30. "Girlfriend" - Pebbles

>>31. "Meeting in the Ladies Room" - Klymaxx (I saw them on a hot 1986>day @ the Fresno State Fair, people! With my rolled up jeans & pure as>the driven snow keds getting all dusty & dirty w/ the 4H shows happening>all around me!> Talk about being a fan...where the hell are they now???)

>>32. "Never Too Much" - Luther Vandross

>>33. "This Will Be (Everlasting Love) - Natalie Cole

>>34. "If It Isn't Love" - New Edition

>>35. "Kiss" - Prince (Only b/c I'm thinking about Valentine's Day")

>>36. "Working Day And Night" - Michael Jackson

>>37. "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" - Michael Jackson

>>38. "Make that Move" - Shalamar

>>39. "Cutie Pie" - SOS Band

>>40. "Ring My Bell" - Anita Ward (My last one b/c I know you've had>enough & the lyrics are a bit fast! Ha! Hope you all had fun reading>it!)>>I'm glad you're home>And I think you really miss me>I guess you do by the look in your eyes (look in your eyes, look in your>eyes)>Well lay back and relax while I put away the dishes (put away the>dishes) Then you and me can rock-a-bye>>You can ring my be-e-ell, ring my bell>You can ring my be-e-ell, ring my bell>You can ring my be-e-ell, ring my bell>You can ring my be-e-ell, ring my bell>>The night is young and full of possibilities Well come on and let>yourself be free My love for you, so long than I've been savin'>Tonight was made for me and you>>You can ring my be-e-ell, ring my bell>You can ring my be-e-ell, ring my bell>You can ring my be-e-ell, ring my bell>You can ring my be-e-ell, ring my bell

Currently watching:
Sixteen Candles
Release date: By 06 May, 1998