san diego 5k mud-run

on sunday, march 29th, 2009 i participated with four other members of the "DIRT FLIRTS" on a 5K aka 3Miler mud run on the hillsides of the Skyline Church grounds in la mesa, ca. i am still pinching myself in sheer delight and in soreness for that matter as i type, that i cannot believe that i was able to make it to the finish line in tow with my team, while still jogging my way down the rough terrain, muddy passages and mud pits. and jst for the record, those mud pits were thick and as high as my waist line. at one point thru the course, i came across a mud pit which i was confident to push thru it without a blink, but in the process i miscalculated my footing and lost my stance, immediately fell forward into the deep pool of mud, yet i got right back with mess and all and kept veering forward without stopping a beat. as a consolation, i had the support of my bff, numia, as well as my other mates, julie & her 10 yr old superstar son, Dominique, as well as runner Katie to get me thru the course. more so dominique, since he kept echoing in my mind through the course that if that lil' man can do it, so can i.
honestly, i thought i didn't have it in me but strangely enough i found my inner strength to plow thru the course with a lot of heart. the worse by far was this epic hillside, that was appeared to a mile long up but the intense incline made me pray to have miracle legs & wings to get to the very top, which indeed i finally did. and boy, was that a terrific view once i reached to the very top but i didn't want to look back to slow my progress instead my thoughts kept reverting to 'damn, i only wished i had more added time on that damn stairmaster', but nonetheless, i finished it and what a joy it was to embrace my team at the very end. this awesome feeling of having this mud-run experience will be a marker for more wellness events to come in the future for me, and i am so amped for all of that. so i'll maintain this momentum as i move forward. happy browsing!

TWILIGHT, phenomenal!

over the weekend, the boys and i drove out to spend an overnighter with one of my bff, numia and her daughter alana. she lives in the san bernardino county, so our drive out of san diego, was an hour and 40-minutes tops. as part of our agenda for the evening was to watch Twilight since it made it onto DVD that week friday. and boy did i enjoy it immensely.

i realize what a huge sensation and HIT, the movie grossed at the box office not to mention on preorder DVD sales. in any case, we spent sunday morning watching the complete dvd, from deleted scenes as well as featured soundtrack videos from the movie. i overly enjoyed the film and understand how others are able to find a connection to the movie as well.

one of my to-do list of this year, is to read the complete series. the story line of the phenom is engaging to a wide audience and even if you're not a fan of vampires, the message is clear about the notion of love. when we meet someone of the opposite sex, that we have this undeniable connecton whether it's emotional or physical, it's as if everything else about them or the other is irrelevant. and perhaps that's why a lot of young and old fans are so drawn to that message.

MY family road trip. . .

so i had my boys with me over this past weekend, and boy did i have an itinerary planned for our anticipated road trip extravaganza. i rented a car from enterprise, a mazda 5 -- plenty to fit 6 ppl comfortably but b/cuz it's only 4 cyclinders, it was terrible on gas mileage. had to refuel thru the overall trip, four times. anywho, i made enough snacks and packed x-tra clothes, blankets, etc for the ride out to tulare, ca county. a small town in between bakersfield and fresno in which my sis & fam have been livin for the past 12 yrs and counting.

so we were on the road headin' out of san diego and in2 orange county - san clemente by 10:21AM and breez'd thru there like a toronado on crack. of course i made sure that there was no chps in sight. i did however came across slight traffic thru los angeles, only to find that it was a car on the side of the road with a chp. i'm guessn' gettn' a ticket or engine went haywire. so i reached pass'd the grapevine and in2 bakersfield by 12:45p, but than sis calls 2 find out where we're at, and obviously made gr8 time b/cuz by 1:33Pm, i made in2 sis' curbside on the dot.

we chatted up a storm and had turkey & cheddar on gorditas while the kids had sandwiches. by 3:15p, sis june wanted to pick up kevin from school and onto meeting her man, joe the mechanic. all in all the time spent with the fam was wonderful. we had burgers 4 dinner and i turned in early along w/ steel & kenny for the eve simply b/cuz our plans 2 head out 2 the mountains was early on saturday morn.

sis awoke to make bfast 4 the kids and i got myself dress'd and made ready my boys for the long ride ahead. it appeared that all the snow gear was prep'd and ready 2 go, however early that morn, we stopp'd at least five times jst 2 get snow chains. the kids had a blast entertainin' themselves on our ride up there. all in all, it was a gr8 bondin' experience 4 ev'ry1. made it out 2 sequoia & kings canyon national park by 12:30p and got take sum fly photos of the scenery. by the time we made it 2 our final destination, wolverton, elevation approximately 4000+ ft. evrywhere u saw was blanketed with snow galore, and slopes all around 2 enjoy. there, the kids got their snow gear ON and headed 2 have sum major fun. here r sum of the fotos throughout the trip.

be true to thyself!

i've been thinkin' a lot 'bout doin' somethin' completely out of character, and often times when i begin to feel this way, it's entirely based on my "mood". yes, i'm feeling like i need to take charge and be bold about my life, my decisions yet again. i often times struggle with this when i feel i don't have a handle but in retrospect, i actually do. in terms of new adventures and/or horizons, i definitely have a plan to develop my hobbies for the upcoming year. my absolute belief in life is that life in itself is undeniably short and to miss out on the wonders of what this this great world has to offer would be a shame. i hope to achieve of the following work-in-progress to-do list that is shown below, and i plan to chronicle my new experiences by showing fotos and/or videos of it, so please stay tuned.

.:.gettn' a acne peel and deep cleanse exfoliation
.:.buying a cal king size mattress set
.:. redesign living room and furnishings
.:. spruce up my existing warddrobe
.:.taking a mini-trip to an exotic and/or unfamiliar place
.:. learn to make sushi
.:. a trip with the boys anywhere but san diego, ca

tune in to see this list grow. . .

exploring alcatraz. . .

a few months ago, i had the priveleged of visiting one of the most
historic landmarks in american history, the infamous, alcatraz federal prison, which resides off the coast of the san francisco bay. my stay out to the bay area was short & sweet seeing that i initially went out there to meet up w/ 1 of my bffs, arlene, who was in training for the week & due to scheduling conflicts, wouldn't make the trip out to san diego, ca in time to catch up. so instead, myself and arlene's sis, lia, plan'd a two-day trip to visit her instead. we spent the day playin' "tourist" by takin' the san francisco trolley down to fisherman's wharf and from there walk'd down to pier 39 to catch the hourly ferry to our final destination. the ferry ride to the remote isle was quick and unmemorable, in which it also only took less than 20mins. that saturay day happened to be wonderful crisp clear blue sky w/ temperatures in the mid 60s, and we were dress'd for the anticipated tour. below are a series of photos that depict that very day and what an awesome experience it was to spend that mid-morning bein' educated 'bout the events that had transpired. i hadn't realized that it was designated as the very first federal state prison in the nation. not to mention that after it had been condemned and closed due to upkeep maintenance fees, there had been revolt by local native americans claiming the isle as their own due to the "gov't" taking theirs and w/ the support by the public, these natives received their reservation lands because of this effort during the late 60s. wat an amazing story to learn 'bout something so profound which makes me feel that more empowered.

.:25 of MY most random quirks:.

tag TWO: the purpose of this frivilous tag is absolutely NOTHING, however, it does allow for time at work to fast forward not to mention, u learn a lil' 'bout MY effervescent whacky personality & idiosyncrasies in one fellow swoop. . .

25. since watching joe wright's depiction of "pride & prejudice", i daydream 'bout backpacking thru the countryside of the UK.

24. i loathe my ex-husband aka "battle X".

23. i continue to tell myself that i better kickstart a workout regimen, but i never seem to find the motivation and time to do it.

22. i PREFER anything victoria's secret w/ regard 2 wardrobe and accessories

21. my absolute favorite color is lipstick "RED".

20. i can cook & bake anything, so far haven't dodged from any culinary challenge yet.

19. i recycle, clip coupons, and save all my receipts, not to mention i take my coupon binder evrywhere i go, especially when i grocery shop.

18. i'm a thrill seeker at heart, so my hope is to fulfill the following in 3 yrs or less time: bunjee jump, sky dive, & scuba dive.

17. i voted for obama/biden in the 2008 general elections.

16. i have lived in southern california for the past 9 yrs and counting. . .

15. i have a sweet tooth on anything decadent.

14. i love taking hot showers, but prefer bubble baths instead.

13. i have a living will and trust in my boys' name.

12. i can watch sex & the city epis again and again. . .

11. i drink a morning cup of herbal tea to regulate me for the day.

10. i love to laugh so uncontrollably that it hurts.

9. whenever it rains, it's reminscent of my childhood years at home in samoa with my immediate family.

8. i hope to visit my parents in tutuila someday soon, i miss them terribly.

7. my best friends till this day are the very ones i have kept in touch since high school & for some in elementary: Iris Mutu, Puamemea Mamea, Serine Taifane-Pritchard, Kandra Lutali, & Claire Tuia.

6. i rather text sum1 than call 'em.

5. if money wasn't an option, i'd travel around the world to my heart's content with my boys.

4. i prefer good _____ over a cold bottle of Michelob Ultra.

3. i love s3x.

2. i live for spontaneity.

1. you cross me, & i write you OFF permanently like a bad debt!

TAG, you're it!

1. Started your own blog. . .isn't it obvious?!

2. Slept under the stars. . .who hasn't?!

3. Played in a band. . .musically challenged

4. Visited Hawaii. . .shoots

5. Watched a meteor shower. . .of course

6. Given more than you can afford to charity. . .not that charitable

7. Been to Disneyland. . .need to visit mickey & friends again w/ the boys

8. Held a praying mantis. . .not up close & personal

9. Climbed a mountain. . .in my backyard of samoa

10.Sang a solo. . .see answer #3

11. Bungee jumped. . .not yet

12. Visited Paris. . .on my wishlist

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea. . .only on youtube

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch. . .it's called Interactive Etch-a-Sketch

15. Adopted a child. . .not my style

16. Had food poisoning. . . i can't say i have

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty. . .at the time, the top was closed for renovations

18. Grown your own vegetables. . . someday

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France. . . 1 of my to-do item

20. Slept on an overnight train. . .never been on 1

21. Had a pillow fight. . .sure i did

22. Hitch hiked. . . it's doable in samoa

23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill. . .i plead the 5th

24. Built a snow fort. . .in my freezer the other day

25. Held a lamb. . .to cook it for dinner last week

26. Gone skinny dipping. . .only w/ the man i luv

27. Run a Marathon. . .need conditioning 1st

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice. . .does daydreamin' count?!

29. Seen a total eclipse. . .from a distance

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset. . .best times of the day

31. Hit a home run. . .i feel that ev'ryday

32. Been on a cruise. . .that's all part of my ultimate plan

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person. . .it'll happen in my lifetime

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors. . .uh-huh

35. Seen an Amish community. . .only on the news circuit

36. Taught yourself a new language. . .evryday, i'm learnin' WAR of WORDs

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied. . .i tell myself that ev'ryday

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person. . .picture books at the library

39. Gone rock climbing. . .at my local gym

40. Seen Michelangelo's David. . .he's HOT!

41. Sung karaoke. . .only when i'm LIT like a match

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt. . .sounds scary

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant. . .YIKES!

44. Visited Africa. . .only time will tell

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight. . .depends on my mood

46. Been transported in an ambulance. . .knock on wood that i don't have 2

47. Had your portrait painted. . .sounds self-indulgent

48.Gone deep sea fishing. . .anyday is a gr8 time to do this

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person. . .one day at a time

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. . . the city of lights sounds romantic n e time of the yr.

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling. . .when i take my bubble baths

52. Kissed in the rain. . .it hardly rains in d'aygo

53. Played in the mud. . .sounds messy

54. Gone to a drive-in theater. . .as a lil' kid

55. Been in a movie. . .only in my dreams

56. Visited the Great Wall of China. . .hopefully very soon

57. Started a business. . .made attempts, but haven't followed thru

58. Taken a martial arts class. . .in my beddroom

59. Visited Russia. . .it's all a matter of time & $$$

60. Served at a soup kitchen. . .i don't think i have

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies. . .i usually eat them

62. Gone whale watching. . .at my backyard

63. Got flowers for no reason. . .i pick'd up sum 4 myself the other day

64. Donated blood. . .three times

65. Gone sky diving. . .soon

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp. . .probably not

67. Bounced a check. . .the story of my life

68. Flown in a helicopter. . .someday

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy. . .couldn't hold onto 1 that'll last

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial. . .back in high school

71. Eaten Caviar. . .YUMMY!

72. Pieced a quilt. . .of course

73. Stood in Times Square. . .wonderful

74. Toured the Everglades. . .may be

75. Been fired from a job. . .haven't had the honor of it, yet!

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London. . .in my lifetime, i'm positive.

77. Broken a bone. . .only sprains

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle. . .it's invigorating!

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person. . .in due time

80. Published a book. . .not creative enough

81. Visited the Vatican. . .soon dammit!

82. Bought a brand new car. . .when i win the superlotto

83. Walked in Jerusalem. . .eh, se soon!

84. Had your picture in the newspaper. . .in my sexy stilettos with my koolaid smile!

85. Read the entire Bible. . .waay back in college

86. Visited the White House. . .passed thru it on my way to the Capitol

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating. . .we islanders like to do that w/ pigs, chicken, & fish
88. Had chickenpox. . .when i was a lil' kid

89. Saved someone's life. . .not that selfless

90. Sat on a jury. . .i'm too biased to be selected

91. Met someone famous. . .at some point, i thought they were infamous

92. Joined a book club. . .sure i have, jst that i don't stay long to offer my opinion 'bout the dam book

93. Lost a loved one. . .i pray that it doesn't happen anytime soon

94. Had a baby. . .two of 'em

95. Seen the Alamo in person. . .NOT!

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake. . .i don't think i'll ever will!

97. Been involved in a law suit. . .does small claims count?!

98. Owned a cell phone. . .currently i do.

99. Been stung by a bee. . .got a huge wilt once from 1

100. Read an entire book in one day. . .sure, especially if it's a thriller!

I tag ANYONE who reads this and wants to do it!

b-day blowout 4 Steel!

this day was a special day for steel seeing that he turned 5 y/os on the 20th of January. interesting fact that his b-day (date) will go down in history as when president obama's inauguration too. the pictures above shows how much the boys had a blast at the local indoor playground, my kid's clubhouse, located in bonita, ca. i prep'd a homebaked salami & cheese pizza that turned out delicioso, plus i baked a cake of chocolate covered cupcakes. it was divine!


::facts 'bout steel::

+ steel loves his action figures such as batman or hulk

= steel tends 2 act as older bro 2 shai

* steel loves favo channel is cartoon network

( steel has 2 eat ev'rything w/ 'ketchup', especially w/ rice or eggs

^steel loves to rough-house when he plays

#steel prays to have big muscles

} steel loves his mommy very much

happy 2009!

out w/ the old, and into the new year of 2009, and i'm jst so amp'd 'bout it all. i have only high hopes, so moving forward from here on out has 2 b brilliant. i spent my the holiday festivities w/ the ppl that i adore: my boo Paul & boys Shai-Styles (8) and Steel (5).

two wks off during the holidays was such a fun & relaxin' time. i had the boys with me for eight days, so a lot of outdoor activities not to mention, sleeping in and a whole lot of eating was such a treat. i did manage to see my oldest bro, julius & family, while they were visiting the greater san diego area & 4 da vry first time meet my niece, isabella. . .she's such a sweetheart. has my bro wrapp'd 4 sure. and his boys and mine were havin' a field day w/ eachother, in which the last time of them seeing one another was in '03 prior to my bro making the official move to hawaii.

so obviously now, i'm back at work and it's been hectic as usual. comin' back from a long holiday break, has us workin' 2 da bone in MIS/IT support, at least 4 da most part, not that i'm complainin' b/cuz these days we can't b 2 whiny 'bout our own situation. w/ the economic downturn and ev'ry1 strugglin' 2 pull it together w/ regard to layoffs, foreclosures, and the mere fact that we're in a recession, u try 2 make due w/ wat u have. so ev'ryday, i gr8ful 4 bein' able to have a job that provides me the stability and security i need to provide for myself and my boys.

'tis the year to be jolly

i am feeling rather 'jolly' since hallow's eve ended, and seeing how i've been thinking a lot 'bout this festive holiday season, w/ the added notion that although i won't have the luxury of fulfilling my holiday wishlist, at least i'll be with my immediate family and the people that i adore in this world. let's c, i'll have the opportunity to see moms since seeing her last summer, as well as meet my bro's daughter, isabella, for the first time and not to mention the rest of his family since attending his wedding in '06. so all in all, im forever greatful for family and the joy of what the holiday festivities bring. it's all so magnificent when you put it all in perspective.

i remember christmas in amerika samoa in which we would always have our family get-togethers' on the eve of christmas. daddio will bring a slue of junk foods: chips, cookies, and a variety of snacks along w/ sodas which for us was treat seeing how we weren't allowed to drink sodas. in anycase, myself, w/ moms, and sis would have to do all of the prep work and typically the family will all stay up till 10PM have a family spiritual thought & prayer and be intuned w/ eachother's company & conversation not to mention taking fotos until the midnight hour. at which time, each of us would have the honor of opening a gift and it would round robin around the room, until all the presents have been opened.
christmas morns were unlike anything else seeing how moms would have a wonderful spread for morning brunch. goodness, i miss those days. . .

lately, i've been thinking a whole lot 'bout traditions, and how i would love to instill that notion to my boys because it's important to treasure and reflect on it as they mature in age, especially during these festive times. now that i'm no longer married, i do believe that it is significant and that i should do all i can to priortize it in my own family traditions. so w/ that in mind, this year will be the first to embark in a holiday family tradition in which i will do my very best to include family and friends that are of worth to my personal life and we shall see how everything this year pans out. look out for the foto montage. . .

new hair do comes new set of realistic goals

i decided a long time ago that i would make conscious choices that will only give me sheer bliss to my personal and professional life, and the fact that i transformed my signature curly long locks, to this more chic new look speaks volumes for that perspective. also, i decided that i will now focus my efforts on prioritizing my health so w/ me riding my bike to work at least 4 times a day, i realized that i need to monitor my food & alcohol consumption. so after much research online, i decided to begin a 3-day fad diet to help kickstart my wellness program to greater lengths than ever before. this will be my outlet to verbalize my feelings and thoughts as i go thru this process, and my goal is to be less lazy and grow out of my comfort zone. i'm trying to retrain my mindset into becoming a motivator for my own self-awareness. and perhaps losing an add'l 15 lbs may be another reason to pursue this yet again.

day 1: starting weigh in 145 lbs at 5'2 1/2 in height

• 9:05A morning meal - included a slice of wheat toast w/ a tsp of PB, and a 1/2 grapefruit w/ my herbal tea.

• 10:15A snack - 2 glasses of water and Wrigley's Doublemint chewing gum (1 stick)

• 11:45A lunch meal - 1/4 cup of canned tuna (drained) and seasoned w/ just black pepper, a slice of whole wheat toast w/ tsp of PB

• 1:30P snack - 1/4 cup of mixed nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts, pine, pistachio, and assortment of others, 1 small gala apple

• 1 palm-sized boneless chicken (grilled), seaons w/ pepper, 1 cup of beets, and 1 cup of string beans w/ large glass of H20

my financial woes!

if only i could figure out how to change my financial woes of "bills" to a fortune of opportunity and luck. do u think my life would be that more simpler and easy-going? doubtful, but i can only wish, right?!

so i had no choice but to tap into my savings to pay off my credit card bills. that's the reality we live in so it doesn't matter if u pay your bills on time anymore, because w/ this whole economic mess, i'm guessing it'll take another 3 to 5 years to recoop much of our losses from this year alone.

i'm wishin' for some1 to whisk me & my boys to somewhere far far away. . .bueno aires sounds good around this time of the year.

love is a losing game, indefinitely!

for lil' over a year, i've allowed this man, named paul anthony hayes, to enter in my life and be a part of my inner circle. i'll admit, that it's been a helluva emotional rollercoaster ride 2 say the least, and i'm beginning 2 realize that being in a exclusive & commited relationship shouldn't b 'bout dramatics, however, it's been our story after the 3-month timetracker had counted down.

i am fully aware that i may have been blindsided 2 allowing myself knee-deep w/ the notion of love and that getting involved so quick and soon may have resulted 2 why i am feeling so inadequate and lost w/ my emotions thus far.

paul and i have shared many intimate moments, and that we have a deep connection 4 one another. however, it seems that we can no longer be on a page that calls for mutual trust and respect. and what saddens me that despite our commitment and the undenying love we have 4 eachother, it seems that it may not b enuff 2 salvage our relationship. my hope is that someday we can look past our flaws, and find some common ground that would be incredible than the two of us combined, & become potentially, friends w/o the attached "benefits" factor.

i wish you well, my dearest paul, and that if we happen 2 cross paths in some form or fashion either here in san diego, ca or may be out in samoa (god willing), than may be it's a sign that our souls were destined 4 an absolute greater power, that may direct us 2 what we ultimately need 2 do allow ourselves 4 closure. take care of thy self and know that you will have a special place in my heart, indefinitely.

forever yours. . .julia

MY month to SHINE!

so it's the start of another month. . .OCTober! and i jst felt compelled and enthused 2 blog 'bout how opportunities can culminate when u least x-pect it.

jst a bit of a backstory on what had transpired thus far, basically i've been employed at an Aerospace company for 7 years, and for the past 6 1/2 yrs, my position seemed to b at a constant stance simply because i wasn't doin' my part 2 become motivated in following thru on improving my skillset level in my current IT/MIS profession. finally, i began to reassess my priorities at the beginning of this year, and i've made the realization that it is now or never to pursue that goal of what would give me that opportunistic edge overall else, redirecting my career path into SAP consulting.

in mid feburary, it started off w/ me inquiring to my director of how myself can manuever into a different department, and from then on, i've been on this pursuit from several informative meetings w/ managers/consultants, not to mention shadowing/training sessions, and although it's been quite a slow and steady pace, but a pace nonetheless. my hope is that after all of this is said and done, that i can look back and say w/ sheer delight, that it was all worth it.

remember, that if you believe it enough w/in yourself that changing careers especially at a point in your life that compels u 2 think outside of the norm and/or box, than it's definitely a journey worthy of pursuit. . .keep u posted on how it all turns out!

today is a gift!

yesterday is the past, tomorrow is the future, and today is a gift, that's why they call it the Present!
so i'm baaack to bloggin', with a bit of a congested chest & cough. yet, it hasn't stopped me from doin' my thang and that i still managed to get up out of bed and come into work. a ton of stuff has happened since my last time bloggin' up in here. . .so let's start off w/ the fact that "today is a gift", in which i appropriately titled this post here. basically, i'm jst in sheer glee with ev'rything up to this point in my life. even though i feel that my overall circumstances can do sum improvement, but that hasn't deter'd me in the least bit of plowin' thru my days. i do know in my heart and mind, that the lil' things will eventually blow over and that six months from now that i can look back & jst smile. . . so far that's been my life's mantra, and i'm almost certain that by nxt month or so, that i'll have a new set of worries; usually thats how life shows it's colorful humor and disguise. i constantly have 2 remind myself that it's a matter of controlling our reaction, and by dwelling on jst the negativity, it's very possible that it can be that much harder 2 detect the good in any form or shape if it enters in our realm. . .so stay positive and rely on ur own support system 2 get ya thru each week.

off-topic, i had a b-day recently in which i turned the big '31'. granted, that i still get carded and that most ppl say that i don't look my age, but i take it as a compliment and jst go w/ the flow. i guess i shu'd b thankin' mom & dad 4 their superb genetics. in any case, i had a gr8 time since i was w/ ppl that r of gr8 importance in my life, paul and my two boys, shai-styles & steel. we dined at sum a-typical 50's diner out in coronado, and it was by sheer luck that my part-time sitter was available to sit for the boys while paul and i "ran the streets" downtown -- randomly selected a pub called 'whiskey girl' adjacent to market street. i shu'd forewarn u that havin' the cold/flu especially on ur b-day, and than tryin' suck down sum brew & shots isn't highly recommended, simply b/cuz ur tastebuds seem out of whack'd. but overall, it was best b-day evr. thanks boo!!!

so i'm glad it's at the end of the week, and i'm still feelin' miserable, goin' on 2 wks w/ this damn sickness. i can't seem to shake the cough though. it's been drivin' me nuts, i tell ya. i've tried mostly all the over-the-counter remedies, but it seems it doesn't suppress it long enough for myself to get better. perhaps i'll try a couple of home remedy fluids. until than, happy bloggin', readin. . .peace. . .i'm out!!!

calistoga, ca

my boo paul & i had planned a romatic getaway trip to napa valley, cali and for the past five months we've been counting the days till we had to finally leave for our trip. this past weekend, was indeed the very days that we had left town and since our return, it has been still 'bout relishing in our "home away from home" retreat, a town called 'calistoga, cali'.
calistoga is almost 30 miles outside of napa valley. it is a very small town, in which many of the local residents have either been living there for years or have migrated there due to work or other reasons.
many of the townspeople were very considerate and extremely nice, yet we didn't spend too much roaming the streets of calistoga. instead, we decided to lounge at the resort and enjoy the perks of what vacationing in napa is all 'bout. . .

so our itinerary was planned to leave san-D, cali at 7AM on fri morn 5/30, and i was able to arrange for a ride to the airport from one of my home girl, to drop us off at least a few hours prior to our flight departure.
of course, i had the impression that we were leaving out of us airways and by the time i had tried to check in, i realized that we were in the wrong terminal hence the wrong airlines altogether, when really it was united we were leaving out of it. so the two of us flagged one of the commuter buses to take us to terminal 1, and we were able to get our boarding passes & zipped thru TSA check point without any hassle.

so it was a lil' over an hour time to kill before our flight's departure, and i kept thinkin' 'bout paul and the fact that he felt a lil' on-nerve 'bout flyin'. fyi, paul hasn't flew since he was 'bout 10 y/o so luckily, there happened to be a pub at the gates, so to help take the edge & nerves off, we sat at the pub that actually opened at 6AM, and ordered sum on-point drinks. paul ordered a triple shot of crown royal & a draft of sam adams, while i wasn't in the bit to drink that early in the morn so instead i ordered a glass of club soda. it was endearing that my honey was a bit disturbed at the thought of flying -- but once we were airborne, it seemed that the drinks definitely put him at ease and i was even happier at the fact that it was a very short flight to san francisco. *winks*

after we gotten our car rental from budget, an olive green hyndai sante fe, we followed the directions that i happened to print out to the resort. our drive out to napa was very carthartic, had a calmness to it. i encourage any and all to visit napa valley at least once in their lifetime.

when we finally arrived to our destination, the time was 1PM and we were able to check in early. the name of the resort in which we stayed at in calistoga is called 'solage'. a very contemporary and illustrious resort, unlike anything i have stayed at before. and that goes double for paul as well. on a side note, i wouldn't have gone to a place like this ever, if it had not been for the promotional package by AMEX. since i am a card member for almost 11 years, i was able to get the accomodations at discount, so it was a 3-day, 2-nite stay in a king-size studio, bungalow-style suite. Also with the suite, came complimentary beach cruisers to utilize while our stay at solage.

so after we had unwinded in the suite, we both showered and took a very needed nap b-4 our dinner reservations at the 'solbar'. the package included a complimentary mud massage and/or dinner for two, so i knew already paul wouldn't be down for the mud massage, so opted for dinner. i tell ya, the food was simply divine. both he and i ordered the most expensive item on the menu -- steak w/ risotto and asparagus. . .we weren't much apt on the wine so we opted for some water and iced tea. after dinner, we went straight back to the room to sleep in. . .we had a long day of travelin'. . .

we awoke feelin' very relaxed the next day and it was probaby early morn 5AM or so. after we gotten ready, we took the cruisers for a morn ride and it was a sheer delight. and then we cruised in our rental around the town area. we drove out to where the walmart supercenter is at which a good 45-min drive from the resort. we were able to get some necessities and then stopped by at a local diner to have some delicious breakfast.

we were originally signed on for a wine tour, but cancelled an hour prior to the time designated and stayed in and lounged at the poolside. we ended up drinking parrot bay rum drinks and eating snacks, plus we a cold cut sandwich that we had purchased from walmart earlier and turned in after our time at the pool. later, we got all dolled up to walk around the resort even more and took fotos to finish the evening. the only thing i wished they had was a place for dancing.
on our drive back to the resort, we noticed how plentiful the wineries were all around the 29 hwy of napa. such beautiful landscapes and especially the homes themselves. here's a shot of one of the winery that we thought was spectacular. opus 1 . . .

this foto doesn't do it justice but as you drive into the premises, there are these metal-gates that welcome you with open-arms, and then you continue to drive thru this very straight drive way which seems to be almost a mile long, in which both sides of the road contains acres of grape vines. it was clearly ingenius on how each vineyard was constructed from start to finish.
once you arrive at the very edge of the drive way, you walk out to the sidewalks that seem to curve in a round 'bout way onto the grounds which eventually leads up to the main entrance of the doors to opus1. and as you can see the architecture of this building in itself, it is rather of an awesome site. there are however plenty of other estates in which i found fascinating as well, but because we were pressed for time, and i didn't really have enough storage capacity on my digital's memory stick, only 'bout 60 fotos made the cut.

in essence, our time spent at the solage resort definitely gave us a very relaxed and refreshing feeling. even after days passed, i still feel well rested, and it is trip like these that you want to take hold of and remember it always, especially if you are with someone that you love and care 'bout. so in short, take the necessary steps to travel w/ the ppl that you hold dear to because life is about having adventure and feeling a sense of freedom. not only that, but the memories that you make on these trips are priceless so remember to chronicle as many trips as you can.

new year, new month, new day!

so i have a lot to be thankful for, since i last blogg'd w/ ya. . .let's c. . .i'm married. . .NOT! lol i'm in a relationship which bona-fides for a RANDOM moment if i ever heard of 1. i was resistant at 1st. i really was. . .but this man is damn near AMaa-aziNG! i love him so much that i cannot contain my bubbliness 4 him. . .his name is PAUL!



i still have my health intact. . .all my hair. . .and most of all, my all-important, one of a kind, sensational personality. did i mention that i underwent sum plastics as a X-mas gift to myself this past December '07?! well, it's true. . .and i'm feelin' exTRAordinary & all that comes w/ as i embark on this new chapter of my life.

it's positively a wonderful feeling to accept the flaws and challenges that comes with life and love. i've definitely accepted what my flaws are, and although that my life isn't entirely at a point of relishing in perfection, it's almost in a category of it, and that is pure delight for me, personally & professionally.

so i look forward to what this year has in store for myself, my boys, and w/ my boo. it is afterall a wonderful life, indeed. i'm sure proof of it!!! so bring it. . .

happy b-day 2 me!

so da local time here in d'aygo is 835AM, and i'm jst on a HIGHness right now, b/c i'm officially 30 yrs old, and by the way . . .it's my b-day! can't ya c me glowin' in all my glory & charm upon readin' my blogfest of sorts on your end. . .hehehehe. . .damn, where does the time fly, u know?! i figured i'd b kickn' & screamin' w/ havin' 2 feel like i'm jst spent on reachin' this major milestone in my life, when in all honesty, i'm ecstatic and relieved really. i love this absolute feeling of knowing x actly what i wanna do w/ my life, of who i am inside and out-, & jst feeling so much comfortable with jst being ME, and i wanna make sure ppl around me know that i'm so content 'bout it and of course that it's my 30th b-day. ha! hey, i wanna hear 'em say. . .'oh well then, happy b-day'!

so let's recap, shall we. . .mentally i feel i've gained a sense of who i am and all that entails. kind of like a damn good bottle of wine in which, u've become more refined and jst damn delicious overtime, and that's how i feel 'bout this nxt decade of my life.
physically, i'm 30lbs lighter den wence b4 at da beginning of this yr. i was jst so unhappy on how i allowed myself 2 let go, and i gave so many x cuses on how i came that way -- blamin' others 4 da way i b-came so damn overweight that at da end of da day, i needed 2 remind myself it was all ME, force feeding myself 2 oblivion. . .what i should of been doing was using that negative energy to force all of that badness OUT in order 4 me 2 feel more free of myself. and i'm so glad i finally came 2 grips w/ that real quick, b/c if hadn't. . .i'd b still stuck in a size 10/12. . .and married! lol (comedy, i tell ya)

so on today's hitlist of items 2 kill, it's gonna b sumthin' like dis. . .a day spent at work, doin' absolutely NADA. . .lol. . .nah, i got stuff, but it's not gonna b in da active workplate, if ya catch my drift. hahahaha. . .
i meet up w/ property manager, anna, 2 have final walkthru on potential pad & cutesy cottage -- i'm tryin' my damndest 2 b OK w/ it all even though she try and pull a fast 1 on me in terms of deposit amt. . .$50 more, aye?! i 8n't trippn jst yet! lol
and i move my shat from psychotic roomie in2 dis pad, so at least my shat 8n't stuck der n-e longer.

after movin' . . .i want 2 spnd a raunchy eve w/ dude over whacky s3x, sum good sushi & hot sake. enuff w/ da damn beers J. . .lol (fo' reos)

vegas babee!

so this past laborday weekend was the highlight of the month, more so of than ever. met up w/ sum of my childhood bffs for a getaway trip out 2 vegas, nv in celebration of our being fabulous women and enterin' our 30's with delight and anticipation. it was a glorious weekend full of fun, heated debates, etc. . .what a weekend w/ women is suppose 2 b 'bout, and i'm so glad we finally made it happen -- definitely, 'bout damn time in fact.

we stayed in a posh timeshare that was borrowed from one of my bff's gfriend at work, only charged us 4 da entire wk'nd $200 bucks which no matter how u cut it, is still a very sweet deal when cruisn' vegas-style.
i decided 2 never-ever drive n-e mor' out 2 sincity due 2 lessons learned from the past, so i flew out, touchdwn by 1PM, had 1 of my homies pick me up from the airport. it was nice, hangin' out -- had sum grub and watched sum "wildboys on mtv" 2 hold me over till da rest of my entourage arrived later that day.
got settl'd finally in2 da suite, bought sum brew & mo' grub and l8r in da eve, play'd sum texas hold 'em w/ sum locals from around da way & jst u no wat, dey jst so happen'd 2 b from samoa as well . . . small world, i tell ya!!!
nxt day was spnt sleepin' in. . .havin' a restful, relaxn', vry chill'n day spent INside (no doubt) -- 2 HOT as fuc'd 2 evn wonder da cross-streets, a whole lot of bullshattn'. . .got a call from our local resident bff invitin' us 2 a b-day bash, evn got da same invite from da partyplanner, himself so it was all G -- always down 4 n e thin' really.
l8r we got doll'd up 2 go hang out 4 sum mo' drinkn' -- ended up at a local joint call'd aloha bar (a whole in da wall) karaoke slash billiards in which college aged and perhaps sum wanna-B socialites and a few hamos/polys seem'd 2 flock.
stay'd up wid a homie from samoa till da wee hours of da morn jst bullshattn' & drinkn' (da rest of my posse turned in 4 da nite). . .then finally hit da sack at 8AM -- had a good of 4-5hrs of sleep action. . .i could get use 2 dat.
went out 4 sum grubbn' at sahara den play'd da nickel machine & a big spin fortune, blew off $10 bucks only. lol hey, wat can i say -- i'm a wuss!

overall, my time & energy spent there was more of a refresher course on how i try and live life everyday now. however, by day 2 i was needing a jolt of reality that sumtimes, a getaway trip isn't key when u don't have the ppl that matter most 2 u 2 enjoy the goodness -- so yes, shai-styles & steel (my boys) -- there's a time and place 4 'em, and bringin' 'em out 2 vegas wasn't a item on the agenda, at least not like a trip w/ the homegirlys, so instead i'm thinkin' of legoland or seaworld central 2 make myself less guilty 'bout it all.

my feelings 4 vegas itself is like gettin' a bikini wax -- it's necessary 2 have frequent visits, but it can b damn painful in the process. so even though i get a lil' x cited 4 a trip 2 vegas, a few days spent in sin city makes me miss e'vrything else so i 4get da whole purpose of my trip 2 begin w/. i prefer 2 hang low either in or nearby cities of san diego. it's not as overrated.

toodles, j

i'm DUNzo!

alright, i'm not real sure how to begin tis blog since so much has happened in these last few months that even i can't fathom how twist'd it has all been, but so far on what i feel the need 2 share is that, i'm much more happy now and it's completely evident but at the same time i feel as a part of me has gone awry. here's the brkdown 2 my personal debacle. . .u sure u want in???

+++moms spent a good six weeks being my personal shrink, friend, and sitter and i jst love this woman w/ such a passion that i miss her so terribly!

+++filed for divorce a day b4 my 7th wedding anniversary w/ barr. that was three months ago n still no mediation or court date set. all of this jst stings, but i'm takin' the hits and feelin' so numb w/ it.

+++i officially moved out two wks ago, but got a pad of my own 20 mins from our townhome, so it's a whole lot convienient on commute for work and less awkward for barr and i 2 have our lil' run-ins. also, i'll b able 2 save on $$$ for the anticipated move. . .

+++spkin' of move, i've decided 2 pack up and permanently move back home 2 samoa. i'm on a 5-7 yr plan of making something happen for myself and the boys, and the goals i have mapped 4 the timeline is a priority and not in the backburner still brewing w/ time. it's gonna happen. . .all of it, and i'm so x-cited! can't ya c me glee w/ delight?! lol

+++turning 30 come nxt wk, wed (sept. 5th) and it will b an awesome awakening for me personally and i am so looking forward to it. this weekend i'll b joining sum bffs on a getaway trip 2 vegas, so thats a b-day wish come true in all aspects. gonna keep it classy and mellow for the most part, i'm totally diggn' this new high i'm ON!

+++lost a total of 25lbs of absolute f.a.t and eatin' quite HEALTHY -- got this tat a decade ago that reminds 2 do jst that on how i live my life. it's a tripp i tell ya. . .


so that's on the agenda for the moment. . .tune in a few months from now when hopefully, i'll have the finale for my divorce and may b a parttime gig 2 help me w/ the move expenses.

peaches & cream, j