X-Stina's X-Ploits

Bartender Wars!

2009-10-16T18:57:00.000-07:00

This Week On Bartender Wars

Meet Gage, Deborah and Vinnie: the three bartenders battling it out to win the crowd's approval for their scotch drinks and signature cocktails. Then, get the recipes for their tastiest drinks below.

Pick Your Favorite Now

Which bartender should reign supreme? Read the bios below, then vote for your favorite mixologist.

Vinnie Costa (48.65%)

Deborah Harris (42.47%)

Gage Cass (8.88%)

Total Votes: 923 vote again

Vinnie Costa
Bartender, The Duplex

Currently serving up drinks at The Duplex, New York's oldest cabaret, Vinnie has been bartending off and on for 20 years. He's seen it all, from celebrities to cheapskates, and his hilarious stories about life behind the bar are sure to leave you laughing!

Tonight on the Fine Living Channel

10:30-11pm!
Don't miss it

Photo Phriday: Vandalisim!

2009-10-16T18:27:00.000-07:00

When I prayed to God for strength, is this what he meant?

I awoke to find my car had been broken into. Brook was as devastated as was I to see our personal property violated in such a way that we were downright distressed.

Called the police, took pictures, gas card stolen, called insurance, called gas card company, got to an auto body shop, left my car, got a rental, for all of this aggravation and "strength" lesson ("what doesn't kill ya, makes ya stronger ") it will cost me $100.00 (my deductible). $100.00 dollars that I have to pay out of my pocket for parking my car on the street like everybody else! Stronger my ass...more like BROKER!

Photo Phriday

2009-10-09T18:20:00.000-07:00

Maxi, need I say more? What did you see?

Overheard at the Playground

2009-10-05T11:49:00.000-07:00

While dropping off my youngest as school, one of her classmates comes over to say hello. They proceed to run and play while I wait for the morning whistle to blow.

The whistle blows (If you weren't awake, you are now).

Children all hurry to line up with their class to walk quietly into the school.

Daughter: I'll miss you Mommy

Me: Miss you too baby doll

Classmate to me: Is that cat feathers on your shirt?

Me to Classmate: Actually, its fur sweetie pies, we have 4 kitties.

Classmate to me: Oh, I thought they were feathers.

Out of the mouths of babes.

Questionable directions

2009-10-04T07:12:00.000-07:00

Why do shampoo bottles still have directions for use on them?
Are we really that stupid a society?

Just sayin'

Photo Phriday: on saturday, shoot me

2009-10-03T07:16:00.000-07:00

Sid and Harvey at 4 weeks...

The boy (the black on) is so protective of his sister!

Note their parents ever watching from across the way!

Happiest of Days

2009-10-03T06:18:00.000-07:00

21 years ago today at 3:57 pm I gave birth to the most beautiful girl.

I will never forget that day, I did 3 loads of laundry and yelled for my mother once I started to really feel contractions, but I was so intent on finishing the wash that I waited till I was folded and the next load was in the dryer!

We arrive at the doctors office at 10am, sent over to the hospital at 10:30am (after my doctor asked what the hell I was doing here). I was in excruciating pain by 11 am (thanks D...lol). My water broke at 2:30pm and it was abnormal so we had to do an emergency C-Section (we, meaning the good doctors, I was just there).
At 3:57 my angel baby was born and just beautiful. It was one of the happiest days of my life and it feels like only yesterday.

Look at her now, all growed up and legal.

My only advise is not to get drunk, but get all the free booze ya can...its your 21st birthday!
I love you more than words can say, and then some.
I love you to pieces and all together too!
M

Free Money

2009-09-29T08:17:00.000-07:00

I love winning!

This past weekend we met up with Hubbies Mom and Brother at the Empire City Casino and Racetrack in Yonkers after our dentist appointments.
We thought it would be fun to have a bite to eat and bet on a few horses while they were here on a day trip with Tommy's social club.

We get to the Casino at around 5pm and find them right away. I must go to the promotions desk first to claim my $5.00 free play voucher that I got for my birthday. That was a plus, my first games played will not cost me one thin dime of my own cash.
Schweet!
We then said our hello's to the group and were deciding where to eat. Cafe, Food Court, Expensive Ala Cart restaurant or Buffet.

The cafe was closed on the weekend, the Ala Cart was not really an option, I voted buffet to deaf ears and it was decided, the food court.
I did hear they had Chinese and my tummy was calling for it all weekend so that was a good choice.
Some said they were going to the food court, but then changed their minds and went to the buffet (I was jealous).

After it was all said and done, and everyone had a full belly, it was time to play.
The horses were starting at 7pm and it was 6:50pm. So no time to play (pouting on the inside), at least not yet.

I honestly did not want to play the horses, I know nothing of odds, if I like a horse's name I play it. Not a very smart way to bet. So I watched and it was rather exciting! Seeing it live and as it is happening right then and there was what made it so much more thrilling to watch.

Hubbie and I stayed to watch the first 2 races then left his mom and brother to their horses and we went down to the casino to play the one arm bandits for a while (jumping up for joy on the inside).

I scope the joint and see what machine calls to me. I wanted to play the Wheel of Fortune machine, but they were all taken. I played the bodega brand Wheel of Cash game (or what ever its called) instead. Inserted my $5.00 free play money, played for about 5 minutes and won $20.10 and cashed out. I wanted to come out even at least and now I am up $20.00!

Hubbie just watched, played a bit, but nothing called to him.

After cashing out the twenty we were on our way out when for some strange reason a Turbo Flame something or other penny machine caught my eye. I had three singles in my pocket (the change from a $5.00 I used earlier to buy my coffee) and said to Hubbie, "just $3.00, OK?" and he told me to sit.
About 4-6 spins later I hit something that looks big, Hubs tells me to cash out and the winnings were $40.80! On a penny machine! So I cash out and run with the extra $61.90 I now have in my pocket! Just in time to put towards Donna's 21'st Birthday present. I wish I could tell you what I am getting, but she reads this so she will just have to wait and thank me later.

So all in all I came out a winner with clean teeth!

Over heard at the playground

2009-09-28T20:51:00.000-07:00

When I picked up brook at school the other day I noticed a very red eye and was immediately concerned.
I asked her how it felt and she said it was itchy and it bothered her. I told her we needed to go to the doctor when she said "I better tell her that my eye was making sleep and I wasn't even tired."
She had pink eye.

Out of the mouths of babes.

Welcoming Maxi

2009-09-28T06:52:00.000-07:00

When three becomes four.

Meet the newest member of Our Family:

For all of you who know me, I am the crazy cat lady and have had cats for over 22 years now (and that does not include before being on my own). I am so used to four that after Micki's passing it felt as if I were missing something these past few months.

My hubbie calls me one day about a month ago to come and take a look at something at work. He stressed it was NOT a dog (we have been taking about getting a dog for Brook, but I am just not ready for a dog in our apartment).
So I pack up the kids and take a look at what he is talking about.
I was handed a co-workers blackberry with a photo of the most adorable kitty I have ever seen!
She was born August 7th at 1 am and has a brother or sister (that I just wish I could have taken but just couldn't)
I saw her at about a month old. We were hoping for a boy, but then it was too early to tell.
I picked her up on Thursday the 24th and took her to the vet on Sunday. She got only 1 shot and 1 de-wormer treatment because she was too little. We are finishing up the vaccines in a month when she is bigger. We did verify that she was in fact a girl and that it was very rare for a blue eyed orange and white kitty. Long hair to boot! I may have to invest in a new brush for all this hair to come!
What a squeaky fluff she is though, she cries to be pet and when she is looking for attention. And she is such a pleasure to have around. She is already litter trained and the other three are finally tolerating her! I think they can sense that she is not going anywhere.
I cannot stop looking at her and playing with her and just loving her. Please help me welcome my newest baby!

How do your reading habits stack up?

2009-09-25T20:38:00.000-07:00

Stolen from my brother's (www.vinniecosta.com) blog, I took the challenge and lost to him by a mere 3 books read. I am sure that I totally beat him in reality because I actually read the WHOLE series of Harry Potter books and The Dark materials saga, so ha!

The BBC believes most people will have only read 6 of the 100 books listed here. How do your reading habits stack up?

I read 50 out of 100, some were read a really long time ago (like the classics in HS) but Audrey Niffeneggers "The Time Travelers Wife" was fairy recent for me, so...I wonder also how the list was compiled.

1 Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen [X]
2 The Lord of the Rings – JRR Tolkien []
3 Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte [X]
4 Harry Potter series – JK Rowling [X]
5 To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee [X]
6 The Bible – [X]
7 Wuthering Heights – Emily Bronte [X]
8 1984 – George Orwel [X]
9 Philip Pullman His Dark Materials Series- [X]
10 Great Expectations – Charles Dickens []

Running Total: 8/10

11 Little Women – Louisa M Alcott [X]
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles – Thomas Hardy []
13 Catch 22 – Joseph Heller []
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare – [/]
15 Rebecca – Daphne Du Maurier []
16 The Hobbit – JRR Tolkien [X]
17 Birdsong – Sebastian Faulk []
18 Catcher in the Rye – JD Salinger [X]
19 The Time Traveler’s Wife – Audrey Niffenegger [X]
20 Middlemarch – George Eliot []

Running Total: 13

21 Gone With The Wind – Margaret Mitchell [X]
22 The Great Gatsby – F Scott Fitzgerald [X]
23 Bleak House – Charles Dickens [X]
24 War and Peace – Leo Tolstoy [ ]
25 The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams [X]
26 Brideshead Revisited – Evelyn Waugh []
27 Crime and Punishment – Fyodor Dostoyevsky []
28 Grapes of Wrath – John Steinbeck [X]
29 Alice in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll [X]
30 The Wind in the Willows – Kenneth Grahame [X]

Running Total: 20

31 Anna Karenina – Leo Tolstoy []
32 David Copperfield – Charles Dickens [X]
33 Chronicles of Narnia – CS Lewis [x]
34 Emma-Jane Austen []
35 Persuasion – Jane Austen []
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe [X]
37 The Kite Runner – Khaled Hossein []
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin – Louis De Bernieresx []
39 Memoirs of a Geisha – Arthur Golden [X]
40 Winnie the Pooh – AA Milne [X]

Running Total: 25

41 Animal Farm – George Orwell [X]
42 The Da Vinci Code – Dan Brown [X]
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude – Gabriel Garcia Marquez []
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney – John Irving []
45 The Woman in White – Wilkie Collins []
46 Anne of Green Gables – LM Montgomery []
47 Far From The Madding Crowd – Thomas Hardy []
48 The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood [X]
49 Lord of the Flies – William Golding [X]
50 Atonement – Ian McEwan []

Running Total: 29

51 Life of Pi – Yann Martel [X]
52 Dune – Frank Herbert []
53 Cold Comfort Farm – Stella Gibbons []
54 Sense and Sensibility – Jane Austen [X]
55 A Suitable Boy – Vikram Seth []
56 The Shadow of the Wind – Carlos Ruiz Zafon []
57 A Tale Of Two Cities – Charles Dickens [X]
58 Brave New World – Aldous Huxley [X]
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night – Mark Haddon []
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera – Gabriel Garcia Marquez []

Running Total: 33

61 Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck [X]
62 Lolita – Vladimir Nabokov [X]
63 The Secret History – Donna Tartt []
64 The Lovely Bones – Alice Sebold []
65 Count of Monte Cristo – Alexandre Dumas [X]
66 On The Road – Jack Kerouac []
67 Jude the Obscure – Thomas Hardy []
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary – Helen Fielding []
69 Midnight’s Children – Salman Rushdie []
70 Moby Dick – Herman Melville [X]

Running Total: 37

71 Oliver Twist – Charles Dickens [X]
72 Dracula – Bram Stoker [X]
73 The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett []
74 Notes From A Small Island – Bill Bryson []
75 Ulysses – James Joyce [X]
76 The Inferno – Dante [X]
77 Swallows and Amazons – Arthur Ransome []
78 Germinal – Emile Zola []
79 Vanity Fair – William Makepeace Thackery []

Running Total: 41

80 Possession – AS Byatt []
81 A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens [X]
82 Cloud Atlas – David Mitchell []
83 The Color Purple – Alice Walker [X]
84 The Remains of the Day – Kazuo Ishiguro []
85 Madame Bovary – Gustave Flaubert []
86 A Fine Balance – Rohinton Mistry []
87 Charlotte’s Web – EB White [X]
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven – Mitch Albom []
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle [X]
90 The Faraway Tree Collection – Enid Blyton []

Running Total: 45

91 Heart of Darkness – Joseph Conrad []
92 The Little Prince – Antoine De Saint-Exupery [X]
93 The Wasp Factory – Iain Banks []
94 Watership Down – Richard Adams [X]
95 A Confederacy of Dunces – John Kennedy Toole []
96 A Town Like Alice – Nevil Shute []
97 The Three Musketeers – Alexandre Dumas [X]
98 Hamlet – William Shakespeare [X]
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Roald Dahl [X]
100 Les Miserables – Victor Hugo []

Total: 50/100

Photo Phriday: Sid and Harvey

2009-09-25T17:09:00.000-07:00

I know you remember my Pidge and Pudge, well meet Sid and Harvey...

1 week old

Two weeks old

Born 2 weeks ago under my couch on my terrace. I created a home for them and as soon as they are ready to fly I am getting an owl (fake of course, I am tired of cleaning up bird poo)!
What did you see?

Savant Spot: The Time Traveler's Wife

2009-09-16T17:17:00.000-07:00

Brilliant, unique, sexy.
It is a love story about a man with a genetic disorder that causes him to time travel unpredictably, and about his wife, an artist who has to cope with his frequent absences and dangerous experiences.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was hooked from the first 5 pages in! Its a little bit Sci Fi, little bit drama, little bit love story...my kind of mix!

Only in NYC

2009-09-16T17:09:00.000-07:00

Do you get bombarded by nice Jewish girls throwing cards and honey sticks at you on your way to work?
No?
How about seeing one of these on your block...

No?

A giant motorized kosher supermarket cart.
Well, now you have seen it all baby!

Take Two...

2009-09-14T14:07:00.000-07:00

I thought it was over.
I washed, scraped and scrubbed my terrace and just when I thought I was done:

Please welcome Sid and Harvey to the world!

Anthony was pulling the rug out to throw away for me (due to all the pigeon poop on it) so I could get the terrace power washed before the cold weather rolls in (so I wouldn't have to try to remove frozen pigeon poop!)
When he found two more babies!
Well, I am honored?
I feel bad for them and don't want them to die so...
I made a coop for them

and when Anthony gets home from work we are going to put the rest of the rug and the babies in there so they are contained to one spot.
I have gotten smarter when it comes to pigeon keeping.

When these two fly the coop (like Pidge and Pudge did) I am getting an owl, not a real one, one of those wooden ones to keep the pigeons away for good. It is not that I dislike them, I dislike the clean up after them...dirty birdies that they are.

Photo Phriday

2009-09-11T06:27:00.000-07:00

Photo Phriday

2009-09-04T05:59:00.000-07:00

Pidge and Pudge (my baby pigeons) have flown the nest and I finally have my terrace back, but they have not flown so far...
Eddie keeps a watchful eye over them on a daily basis, good boy Eddie...

On September 4th

2009-09-04T05:44:00.000-07:00

My handsome, talented, spectacular brother Vinnie was born!

Happy Birthday Vin, I love ya too much!

Vin's Childhood Prediction

2009-08-30T10:25:00.000-07:00

A long time ago in a galaxy far far away (our childhood) my brother Vinnie (vinniecosta.com) predicted that he would be the "famous one" and I would be the "rich one" when we "grow up"...
Does anyone ever really grow up?

I truly am rich, but not the monetary way by any means (hopefully to change real soon!)
and technically my brother is famous (5 Takes Latin America) seen on the Travel Channel & Bartender Wars (can be seen on the Fine Living Channel) on Cable TV.

I got an email from the president of the NRAA to email all the members about an upcoming Collage show in New Rochelle. I sent it out and thought about submitting my recent work to see if this is what they were looking for.
I email the curator of the Backstreet Gallery (as instructed) with a JPG of any collage themed piece and hope to hear from him.
I didn't hear back from him, however, I hear back from Jonathan Talbot (http://www.talbot1.com/), the curator of the "Bits and Pieces" Collage show.
He was very interested in the piece I originally submitted and wanted to know if I had more. I actually was working on two other pieces that very day and finished them both.
I was told to email the others when they were done and he would get back to me and also how many post cards would I be needing, totally free (except postage)!
I email him and am waiting to hear back.

Wow, I think, I was just invited to be in the Bits and Pieces Collage Show (in October).

If I make it in, you dear readers will be getting a post card from me with all the details.
Wish me luck.
This is what I submitted:

Docked

My New York

Seaside

All are for sale for $200.00 each or $500.00 for the three.

So does that mean I could become the Rich AND Famous one? Thanks Vin, your prediction is finally coming true!

Train Tuesday

2009-08-25T07:33:00.000-07:00

Another hot day was predicted today and the train car I entered was like a refrigerator walk in box, not that I am complaining at all...but it wasn't the heat of the day yet, it was 8:15am! I am praying now that it will be this way when I catch my train home.
No such luck...I was on the train to hell!
Not only was every other car a "hot car", the conductor evidently just got his train license. I, of course, get in a hot car (being punished for even thinking it was too cold this morning) and about 45 seconds after departure the train comes to an abrupt stop.
Then, off we go again...then 30 seconds later another abrupt stop. Not only is this car I am in a hot car, but packed with commuters hovering over me and almost knocking into me and my hot coffee!
WTH?
Did I mention that I was in a single seat? It was one near the door where the ticket collector used to be able to sit. I love this seat because it is roomy, but not this evening! Since it was so packed there were people standing all over the car itself and me. I had a nice view of the crotchial area of the gentleman standing in front of me, as well as his BO...It was a brutal day after all.
We are passing 125th street now and low and behold, the train abruptly stops 5 minutes after passing said station stop. It was a rough and tumble bumpy ride the whole rest of the way and I was, quite frankly, a bit nervous, but I continued to read (The Time Travelers Wife, brilliant, so far) to keep my mind off the ride to hell.
Now, could things get any worse?
Yeah, much... I am told at the station before mine that the 2 head cars will not open at my stop...Nice of them to give us some advance notice.
So I had to get up, put my book away, pick up my coffee and walk down 2 cars (I was in the head car, of course).
I then get a phone call from my oldest telling me that a french fry is burning in the oven and what should she do, as I am walking through a crowded train with hot coffee and now a cell phone to my ear...
First I told her to shut off the oven (duh), try to fish out the flaming fry with a glove on and tongs, if it was still burning, get a cup of water and throw it directly in the oven!
Geeze. Twenty somethings...
She tells me that it just put it self out and she took the fries out of the oven and she wasn't going near it again!
Emergency diverted.
Finally home and off to an almost burned down house!
Something to look forward to, since I have truly arrived in HELL!

Photo Phriday: Pidge and Pudge

2009-08-21T17:28:00.000-07:00

My babies are growing up! Not sure when they will be ready to leave the (terrace) nest, but they were both stretching their wings before settling in to their very comfortable position below.

Aren't they just gorgeous!

Train Tuesday: A/C issues

2009-08-18T08:02:00.000-07:00

Now that summer has finally arrived, rather the humidity of summer, it is refreshing to know that all public transportation has A/C.
Not on this particular night.
I was running a bit close tonight to catch the 5:59pm but I made it with minutes to spare (thank goodness).
It was actually cooler OUTSIDE!
The tunnel to the train almost knocked me over being as hot as it was in there. I thought I would suffocate!
I wasn't expecting the train to feel the same way, but it did. Dripping now, I get on the train looking for a seat.
The A/C in the car I chose was not working properly but there was some air breezing through. Not enough for me, after running to catch said train, only to drip dry in the car. The only saving grace was that no one sat next to me in a 5 seater except one brave fellow (probably because no one could even sit in this car because it was so hot).
I suffered home, finished my book (which was fabulous) and by Mt. Vernon station, the Air kicked on.
Right in time, I am off in 2 stops...
I guess this is why the fare hike? Fewer train cars, no A/C till the ride is almost over, fewer trains...
Thanks recession.
Something's got to give.

What is that smell?

2009-08-13T07:37:00.000-07:00

I was sitting on my terrace last week when a warm breeze wafted a pungent aroma my way. I looked at the trash basket and it looked clean enough, but I took it out anyway, thinking the dead smell must have been coming from that.
A few days after (clean trash basket) I still smelled something acrid.
Since quitting smoking almost 2 1/2 years ago,my senses have heightened 100 fold. It is a wonderful thing as well as a curse because I never knew that, for example, Grand Central Terminal smelled like a urinal.
I asked my husband if he sees anything while we were sitting outside chatting. He moved a few things around and saw nothing (it was 10 pm when I asked so I wasn't expecting anything).

The next day a went to water my terrace plants when I see a pigeon casually walking from under my table and then fly to my A/C.
Okay.
Lots of pigeons hang out here.
The next morning I wake up to a squeaking sound. It sounds almost like my dear friends dog's squeaky ball toy that she often plays with.
I wanted to throw that ball out the window! I go outside and see if Micky (the dog) is playing with her ball on the window. I see Micky, but she has no toy in her mouth but she is avidly looking up at my terrace. I then move the trash basket, move the cooler, move the table cloth up so I can see under it and this is what I saw:

So now I know where the smell came from and when I thought that it smelled like something died on my terrace, I was mistaken, LIFE was on my terrace, and it sure does stink!

I gave Momma Pidge a plate of bread and water. Time for me to google what pigeons feed their young and get me some.
I am truly honored that for the 20 years I am living here, on 3 different occasions, birds have nested on my terrace, whether it be in my plants or directly on it.
I feel like mother nature.

Train Tuesday:Train Cars

2009-08-11T08:43:00.000-07:00

I know I mentioned this in a previous post, that the "even" numbered cars have no bathrooms and are generally cleaner smelling than the "odd" numbered cars by far.
What I also noticed was that some train cars have gotten a "seat" upgrade.
New pleather!
Not that I didn't love the shiny pleather red and blue seats of yore, the new matte pleather seating is much more comfortable and less slide-off proof!
What a pleasure it is to get onto one of these trains.
Today was my lucky day!
As if the commute couldn't get any better, I got myself a one seater on a so-quiet-you-could-hear-a-pin-drop car as well. Perfect readers commute. Too bad it only lasted for 30 minutes.

On volunteering

2009-08-06T10:41:00.000-07:00

Volunteering is nice and all, but it could turn into a part time job!
I am the secretary of the New Rochelle Art Association and there is a lot going on.
We have the 94th Annual Juried Art Show in September, the show in Chelsea (more info to follow when it is closer to the date) in November and other assorted duties that I am involved in.
I have, so far, created an email/phone list for all the members who are going to be involved in the Chelsea show, called the members who have no email, responded to various emails and am trying to launch my own photography business!
This is by far the busiest I have been all summer, hence the reason for so few blogs, I have just no time left!

Train Tuesday: Observing

2009-08-04T08:19:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I miss the early train due to the bus. If my bus is early, then I can catch the 8:15am train, when it is a mere 3 minutes late, I have to wait for the 8:37am train.
This was the case today, so I took this opportunity to people watch. I sat with my book and spied my surroundings.
Man with coffee and the Times.
Woman with bottled water and People Magazine.
Woman and child in stroller amusing said child with a stuffed doll.
Pretty boring stuff.
I decided to start reading, when all of a sudden...
"The 8:37 train to Grand Central is running 5-10 minutes late due to an electrical issue, again, the 8:37 train to ..."
Why do I even bother to leave early?

Photo Phriday: Hair

2009-07-31T14:15:00.000-07:00

My hair!
Got it cut today (finally).
What did you see?

Photo Phriday

2009-07-24T17:35:00.000-07:00

Today is Josie's Birthday!

Happy 5th to my beautiful Goddaughter!

Photo Phriday

2009-07-17T14:14:00.000-07:00

The "Dated and Old Edition"

While doing a little housework, I came across my old Playbills and Concert and Show Programs and wedged in between them were these:

My first B & W "Bench" photo circa 1985, Mom and Dad's Backyard:

And my brother Vinnie's (www.vinniecosta.com) very first resume:

What did you see?

July 15, 2009

2009-07-15T17:57:00.000-07:00

Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince opens today.
Donna already saw it at midnight, so it was anticlimactic when I took her at 2 pm.

Here is my take on the movie:

If you didn't read the book, you may be a bit confused as to what is actually going on. Some parts were totally right on but others (like the very beginning) were totally made up and never actually happened in the book.
The parts with Dumbledore are far too few and left for the viewer to "figure out" what the heck is going on in crucial parts of the story...it jumped so much that I even second guessed myself.
The Potter crew is all grown up and are finding themselves, so to speak. It is very touching and predictable ( remember, I read the books already), it is nice to see it on screen.
There was a bit of darkness, but not nearly enough darkness. The added scenes really didn't have anything to do with the plot of the story and were a waste of film if you ask me for example, when the Death Eaters visit the Weasley's. Maybe more focus on the "Half Blood Prince" and "memories", less on "snogging" would have made for a more cohesive story.
I did enjoy the movie for what it was though, the movie.
Read the book if you haven't already.

Just wanted to share!

Train Tuesday

2009-07-14T17:46:00.000-07:00

Just an observation, but did you ever run for the train, on one of the hottest days of the year and get into a car that has no A/C AND has a lavatory in it? It can be quite uncomfortable. The A/C usually does kick in, but the lavatory smell kicks in as well...P U.

Well, no more I tell you! Suffer no more!

I have learned (albeit, about 2 years ago) that the ODD numbered cars have lavatories in them and even numbered cars do not (and usually smell much fresher, for a train car).
So the next time you are running for that train, remember...EVEN, unless you have to go.

This is for Metro North RR, do not quote me on subway cars, do they even have lavatories on them? I have never seen one, but I could be wrong.

Happy rails!

It is almost official

2009-07-13T18:01:00.000-07:00

I will be advertising myself very soon on Craig's list and getting cards made up.

For: The newest Freelance Photographer for hire!
"CMC Photography"

I will have more deets ASAP!
You all (my 3 readers) will be getting my business cards to distribute and I will be traveling the Tri-State area (travel is included in my contract)!

Wish me luck!

The adventure is beginning now!

I am available for Anniversaries, Parties, Graduations, Communions, Kids Parties...If your event needs photographing, I am your girl!

Anyone have suggestions on how to get the word out, other than legwork, word of mouth and Craig's List?

Would love to hear your opinions.

Happy Fourth of July all!

2009-07-04T06:31:00.000-07:00

I am working today until 5pm, so I will be home in time for the fireworks! This year, no travelling to see them, its too the roof we go.
We see all the great shows all around us, the only problem is, where to look first!
Enjoy the day, be safe and well dear readers.

Photo Phriday

2009-07-03T14:26:00.000-07:00

Walking down 5th Avenue at 46th Street (on my way to DD), NYC

An Old Priest and a New Priest may be needed

2009-07-01T20:05:00.000-07:00

When I came home from a beautiful weekend in Rhode Island, I needed to make a few maintenance phone calls.
The first one was to an orthopedist for my knee. I kind of popped it out last Wednesday while cleaning (dummy) and got an appointment for July 27th! Yeah, July 27th. That was the first available appointment so I took it. It actually feels better now, but I know me and my body...feeling better does not necessarily mean is better.
The next phone call was to NR Chevy. The steering wheel was shaking on its own as if it wanted to drive itself.
It started doing this last week and I put air in the tires and wanted to check the power steering fluid but couldn't find the stick. I found out on Monday that I do not have power steering fluid, that it is all electronic, no wonder why I couldn't find it!
I dropped off the car on Monday and got a call telling me that the steering column needed to be replaced. OK great, it is all under warranty, so I do not worry. While it was there waiting for a part, I asked it they could look at the key's remote start and change the windshield wipers. No problem, it is all covered. It should be! The car is 1 1/2 yrs old and has 10,085 miles!
I call on Tuesday to check how its going. At 4:50pm I was told the steering was fixed but they needed more time with the key and if they could keep it one more day. All right, I have no where to go and nothing to do...yet.
I sleep well, knowing my car will be like new in the afternoon and am happy it isn't costing me a dime.
Today, I call Chevy and ask how its going. I am told that they were still working on the steering, that it was making a scratching noise and that the "clock spring" needed to be replaced. What the heck was that? Whatever, these new cars are a mystery to me. I was told later on that some of these new cars need software updates...what? I need to get an upgrade with an oil change?
I am assured that it will be ready before 3pm.
Donna, Brook and myself then leave the house for the playground for a bit while we wait to hear back.
I got a call at 2pm telling me that it is ready to pick up, yea!
I get to the dealership and get the paperwork, sign and drive away.
As soon as I got in the car the steering wheel started to steer itself...again. This was tested and fixed? It felt worse than when I left it there on Monday!
I call Mark (yes, we are on a first name basis now) and tell him that not only did the steering wheel move on its own, but it kept on shaking when I turned OFF the car!
He tells me it must be possessed and an exorcism is in order! We discussed our options and we came to an agreement, we needed an Old Priest and a New Priest. But seriously, he offered me a rental because I needed a car tomorrow to babysit for my sisters kids so she could go on an interview.
I agreed and drove back to Chevy to drop off the car, again, and went to Enterprise for my rental (on Chevy, no wonder why they needed government help). I really wanted to try a PT Cruiser, but Chevy only pays for Chevy. Makes sense. They don't want you to fall in love with another companies car now. So I am offered the Aveo or the Cobalt. Both too small and not even comparable to my Malibu. Then the agent says, I have an HHR. HHR? I never even heard of this Chevy make before today.
I loved it when I saw it! I want it I say...wrap it up.
Good thing Chevy was paying for this because the whole process took 1 1/2 hrs to finalize!
1/2 hour at the dealership and 1 hour at Enterprise. Thankfully Brook was with Pipa and Grammy, she would have been complaining the entire time!
I may have even gotten Donna a summer job there! Washing cars...hey, not the most attractive job, but a job none the less. We'll see.
This is the HHR, if you were wondering:

I like it!

Pray for me and my Malibu, that it gets fixed once and for all.

Train Tuesday

2009-06-30T13:18:00.000-07:00

Today was the day that I actually found out how much the fares for the Metro North RR went up.

First, I was lucky enough that I had an extra quarter this morning for the bus (this went up from $2.00 to $2.25). Not a terrible increase when gas prices here in New Rochelle range from $2.89-$2.97 for regular unleaded.

I got to the station and checked out the new prices and they only went up $1.00 each way, I shouldn't say only. Instead of $15.50 round trip, I will be forking over $17.00. So my commute is costing me close to $20.00 bucks (with the bus and the train together).

Thankfully, I only work on Train Tuesday in NYC.

I will be looking for another job soon if Donna doesn't get one. In this economy, I cannot afford to stay home anymore . Donna's job will be to watch her sister and go to Camp Cathy and I (say a prayer) will be looking for a full time job. Enough of this part time, 2 days a week crap!
Don't get me wrong, I love it, but I do not love being broke all the time!

Better late than never...

2009-06-29T18:45:00.000-07:00

June 23rd, 2009 was my cousin Carolyn's 40th birthday!
Happy Birthday...again.
As I always do (thanks to the internet and Facebook) I wished my cuz a Happy Birthday to her, I actually sang it (if you know the tune, feel free to sing along).
I didn't get to her party because Brook had 3 activities the same day (one got canceled due to rain, but she did have 3 events). My other cousin Debbie (who I work with in NYC) comes to me two Tuesday's ago and asks me if I would like to come to Newport RI with her to celebrate Carolyn's 40th. No brainer there, hell yeah I wanna go!
So I didn't feel so bad about missing her party!
Not only did we have a great time this weekend, I got a good workout.
We went on the famous Cliffwalk and are my limbs rubbery!
This is a little of what I saw, since my favorite cousins both left me in their dust (I am a slow poke, but they are seasoned runners, very unlike myself).

I did 6 miles the first day there and 2 miles the 2nd day there.
I got some great shots of the flora, the walk and the beautiful mansions.
The second day there, Carolyn's 6 girlfriends came to spend the night and party with the birthday girl and I have to say, she is a very lucky gal to have so many great girls in her life!
All of them were a laugh a minute and we had some great food, great alcohol and great convo.

Thanks Deb for inviting me and Thanks to the birthday girl for having me along for the adventure!
Glad to have shared it with you all!

Photo Phriday: Newport Edition

2009-06-26T19:07:00.000-07:00

On the cliff walk (that I survived) there was a tunnel that fascinated me and was a great photo op!

What did you see?

Good news and bad news.

2009-06-25T07:58:00.000-07:00

Brook update:
We are back from the doctor and good news is, no strep throat! Just a red sore throat. The doctor said it may be viral or just a cold. Whew!

Bad news, she is still banned from school and all activities for 7 days. So basically, its the TV computer and crafts galore this week for us.

More good news, I no longer feel guilty about going away tomorrow. There is really nothing more I could do for Brook that Anthony and Donna cannot handle for 2 days, which makes me feel so much better.

So now I get the well deserved break from a hectic school year between Barnard and Jefferson, a busy Art Association and busy schedule in general!
This is what I call a "Great Escape" if only for the weekend!

This is the end...

2009-06-25T04:24:00.000-07:00

The last day of school is tomorrow and I won't even be there, I will be in my cousins car on the way to Newport RhodeIsland!
But enough about that, that isn't what I am writing about. I have a problem, well, not a hard problem, just a problem. Brook says to me at 7:10am that she is hot and burning and her throat hurts. With this swine flu going around I just cannot take any chances.
I have work today, rather, I had work today, I won't be going in but instead I will be calling the pediatrician at 8 am when they open to see if we can get an appointment today. My problem, I have the end of the year teacher gifts, grapes and banana's for tomorrows class party (that I will not be attending, Newport), we have a graduation party for her class at McDonalds at 3 pm (which I have to cancel as well). The problem is I feel guilty for going away now.
I haven't been at the doctor yet, so I have no idea what she has. Anthony will be taking off work tomorrow and Saturday and I will be home Sunday.
So, gentle reader, should I go away or stay home with a sick child with the rest of the family?
I say, Anthony can handle it, but then I say, how could I go?
Help!
I am going in the shower and will update this later. Here's hoping it is nothing and I wont feel so guilty.

Photo Phriday: A week late

2009-06-19T07:23:00.000-07:00

On June 12th my baby girl "stepped up" to first grade!
What a wonderful day it was.

What did you see?

Bejeweled Blitzed!

2009-06-16T19:36:00.000-07:00

Since being on Facebook (thanks Vin) I have not only reconnected with so many of my friends and classmates, I have found a wonderful new addiction (other than Farm Town, which I will save for another post) called Bejeweled Blitz.

The objective is to score as many points as possible by swapping jewels of varying colors in order to make rows of the same color that consist of three or more. Doing so will remove them from the board as new ones fall to take their place, and should the newly relocated gems line up as three or more to a color, they will be removed as well. The more jewels you remove, the more points you get. You continue to do this until the game ends.

The player is granted one minute to score as many points as possible. That’s about it, but there is some hope as the game is dubbed “beta“ (though so many Facebook titles have that tagged on them it seems to have lost its meaning, because it almost never goes away) and the one minute game is classified as the “current tournament,” suggesting new game play options may come along. As for social features, the game doesn’t use anything particularly new. Scoring more points earns you a few badges to show off in your Facebook profile, and like most social game games, when you play, your score is compared to that of your friends. This is where the addiction comes to play. You are always trying to "one up" your BFF's! Some scores are so ridiculous that I cannot fathom how in Gods name they even got those high scores. I think my highest was 94,500 points and that was a blast to get! So exciting to see all the jewels cascade, fall and burst into nothingness except high scores.

This makes for some exceedingly simple game play and a fun way to pass a few minutes (that lead into hours). The higher this score the better prizes you are eligible to win.

I have yet to hear of anyone winning anything yet, but I am hopeful it is myself or one of my friends so I can brag about it.

Today though, as I was getting ready to play a few minutes, I got this message when I went to sign in:

SO MANY GEMS, SO FEW SERVERS!

WITH YOUR HELP, BEJEWELED BLITZ HAS GROWN SO POPULAR THAT OUR SERVERS ARE BEGINNING TO BUCKLE UNDER THE WEIGHT OF MILLIONS OF FALLING GEMS.

THE SITE WILL BE OFFLINE FOR A WHILE TODAY WHILE WE UPGRADE OUR SERVERS TO MAKE SURE YOU CAN CONTINUE TO ENJOY BEJEWELED BLITZ FOR MANY MORE HOURS, ONE MINUTE AT A TIME. WHILE WE'RE DOWN, WE'RE ALSO GOING TO SNEAK IN A FEW UPGRADES WE THINK YOU'LL ENJOY!

PLEASE CHECK BACK LATER TODAY FOR YOUR DAILY DOSE OF BEJEWELED BLITZ.

-THE BEJEWELED BLITZ TEAM

What to do, what to do?
The last time I checked back "later" it was at 11pm.
I guess I am not Blitzing tonight! I wonder if everyone got this message?
I certainly hope so!

Train Tuesday: The Annoying Issue

2009-06-16T06:28:00.000-07:00

Nothing is worse than waiting out in the pouring rain for a bus to take you to the train (because it is cheaper than taking your car and parking it for $12 bucks!) except...having to sit next to a nervous foreigner shaking his legs while listening to his mp3 player's blasting music into his head and the surrounding other commuters heads whether they wanted to hear it or not.
There was no where else to sit, and to stand, dripping wet, I foreshadowed myself slipping and falling on my butt in that bus, and this just wasn't an option for me. I put up with it (the shiking, and loud music) and figured the easiest way to avoid that nervous leg shake was to move my dripping umbrella to the inside of the seat and he got wet and stopped to move out of the way. I was so glad to get off that damn bus today!
Annoying!
I missed the 8:45 express by one minute (rain delay undoubtely) and now had an extra 20 minutes to read (Still reading Inkheart and it is extremely intoxicating, but the only time I have to read lately is on Train Tuesday's) But reading in the rain is not good for a book.
Annoying!
It did however, stop raining and I found a dry seat sat down, pulled out the book and read.
Not so Annoying.
The 9:05 arrives on time and off we go to NYC. This is a local train and makes several stops before the final destination and there is a chance you take when taking a 3 seater window. Pro:The left side "step" is a good footrest and book rest (it is a heavy hardcover so the knee hight is a plus) and
Con: 1-2 poeple may be sitting next to you. Hoping that whoever does take that empty seat isn't coughing, sneezing, achey , or amoanie gronie persontalking on the cell that you dread...
Or the computer toting business man, reading his email and clicking away on the keyboard, while texting someone on his blackberry and has the bluetooth in the ear(just in case he didn't get the email). Mine was contestant # 2
Annoying Suit!
I escaped in my book and all else seemed to disappear...good book.
Not Annoyed.
The commute home was uneventful, got more reading* time in before I got off the train and went directly to a school function of Brook's with the whole Crew (the Crew being Anthony, Donna, myself and Brook).
It was a long day and a wet commute. Atleast it stopped raining on the way home, briefly.
The sky did open up again around 3 am. I am feeling like I am living in Seatle or England...jolly good.
*What will happen next week, on Train Tuesday? The fares will be going up, thats what!
We had a notice on the seat notifying us of the fare increase that goes into effect June 17th! Uh, tomorrow!
Annoying!
And not even an exact amount, a percentage! WTH? For more info go to www.mta.org. Not only are the increasing the fares, but they are making us research for the exact amount of increase! I asked the lovely conductor, what if we bought a ticket before June 17th, would they honor it? Or would they charge an on board increase?
She had no answers, she saw the notice when we did and that she is referring everyone to the website.
Annoying.

Seven years and counting

2009-06-15T20:05:00.000-07:00

Today, Anthony and I celebrated our 7 year anniversary.
A very uneventful one at that.
We both had to work, it is Monday and we went to the Red Lobster for dinner with our children.
$100.00 later it was the ladies room for me!
I noticed that I just cannot eat that way anymore. Salad, Appetizers, Entree, Coffee and Desert...Lava Cookie no less. Someday I will learn that just because it is a "special day", it doesn't mean to splurge and feel like I am gonna toss my cookies at any moment! Not a good feeling.
I did enjoy myself and the company was nice, it just wasn't romantic. Next year, no offense, but no kids. I would like a bit more alone time with my husband. Call me selfish, but one day a year I think we deserve to be alone together.
It kind of gets you out of the mood, so to speak and that's all I have to say about that!
Happy Anniversary Anth...here's to another 7, and counting.

Did ya miss me?

2009-06-10T15:27:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, you missed me.
Things have been ultra crazy around here with RIF coming to an end, The Art show at the Library (May 3oth -June 18th), T-Ball, Soccer, Missing teeth, End of the school year...need I say more?
Okay, I will say more, with pictures...
Enjoy the slideshow!

"Train Tuesday" will be back starting June 16th! If y'all were missing it.

Picking up Donna

2009-05-29T07:06:00.000-07:00

Since I have been so busy lately, I have been neglecting my blog...sorry bloggers.
I have been a bad blogger.

Last Thursday I was thrilled to get in my car and drive however many miles to Oneonta, NY to pick up my eldest from college.
This is a photo journal of what I saw along the way and back home again.

The road to Oneonta begins over the Tappan Zee Bridge...

Along the way, I kept the camera on the passenger seat because of all the great photo opps along the way like this farm I passed...

Donna wanted to stop at a place called "Pie in the Sky" a renovated barn/ice cream shop/country store/all around cool place! Good thing we were there on a Thursday!

What fun, the ice cream was dee-licious!

We got back on the road and saw these great tractors...

These reminded me of the Disney movie "Cars" when they went tractor tipping, too funny. If you have not see "Cars" I suggest you do (shameless plug for Disney).

We arrived home at 9:30pm and the very next day left for LBI (on Memorial Day week-end), yeah, into Memorial Day traffic. It too me longer to get to LBI than it did getting to Oneonta!
I put approx. 600 miles on my car in one weekend and did ALL the driving myself, no wonder why my butt still hurts!

Photo Phriday: Last Friday

2009-05-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

We made it to LBI (Long Beach Island, NJ) on Friday night. Donna, Brook Alex and myself walked over to the beach to take a quick peek and this is what I saw...

A Ghost!

What did you see?

Train Tuesday

2009-05-26T10:20:00.001-07:00

There will be no Train Tuesday this week due to illness.

Train Tuesday

2009-05-19T06:27:00.000-07:00

Oh what a beautiful Morning, Oh what a beautiful Day!
I drop off Brook at school (on time).
I get to the bus (on time).
Run for the early 8:37am train (just pulling up to the station 2 minutes late, but I am on time).
Procure an aisle seat, pull out my book and begin to read.
Lovely.
Smooth sailing (uh, railing).

On my way home however, not so smooth sailing (uh, railing).
Again, I run for the 5:59pm train. A track change later, I make it to a three seater aisle and off we go.
This particular train makes only 3 stops (kind of a waste if you ask me), Mt. Vernon, Pelham and New Rochelle. New Rochelle being the final stop then off to the yard for that train.
I pull out my book and continue reading (I am almost finished with it, so I was oblivious as to why the train was going so slow).
I noticed (finally) that we were going awfully slow around the Fordham Road area (not too far from Mt. Vernon). The conductor comes on and says, "Sorry for the delay folks, we have a signal light on red up ahead. Seems to be a bit congested."
Congested?
Is this not a train? A scheduled train no less?
I relish the extra reading time and continue on. Farid dies, then Dustfinger dies, Farid comes back to life...oh wait, that's my book's story not mine.
The train resumes its course.
Mt. Vernon station...passengers exit.
Pelham Station...more passengers exit.
We wait.
We wait some more...
The conductor comes on again announcing that the train before us has broken down and we will be receiving those passengers from said broken down train here at Pelham and for the New Rochelle people to make room for them.
We are off on the next stop, of course we will make room for them! They will have the whole train to themselves considering that New Rochelle was to be the last stop.
The conductor come on once again and lets us all know that the next stop will be "Stamford"
so on and so forth (wherever that other train was heading that broke down before us)...
I look around and see the New Rochelle people start to panic and the conductor comes back with..."After New Rochelle, of course..."
Of course.
It better!
I call Anthony and tell him we are running late, and so was he!
I actually made it to the station before he did. I tell ya.
Tuesdays can be so unpredictable.
So much for a smooth sailing, (uh, railing)!

I am inspired!

2009-05-17T16:23:00.000-07:00

I thought I would never sit down yesterday, but I was pleasantly surprised with myself for not losing it!

Saturday
9:35 AM -

Get in the car and drive to T-Ball

10 AM -

T-Ball, in the rain, but then no rain and just fog that rolled in onto the field like a sheet on an outdoor clothes line flapping in the wind. The game was actually entertaining, but not a good photo opp due to the inclement weather.

11:20 AM -

Game over but now we have about an hour to kill before soccer, which is held in the back field at the middle school just 2 minutes down the street from the T-Ball field we just finished playing at.
See friends from school and parents who I actually like and thought, why not watch their game a bit and have our lunch and change for soccer (not in that order, but all could get done in a lot less than an hour). And that is just what we did.

12:20 PM -

With lunch in our tummy's and all dressed and ready for soccer, we get to the field and are ready to play.
Great clinic (the kids call it practice, the adults call it the soccer clinic because it is 1/2 hour of teaching time by pro soccer players and coaches).
Great game! One of the best I have seen, they are starting to get the hang of "finding space" which is a hard thing to do with Kindergarten age girls.

1:40 PM -

Soccer is over and we are in the car. I call mom to see if she is ready for me to pick her up for an Open Studio day at the Arts Center of Westchester. I have a friend who has a studio there and I really wanted to see her work and to bring mom along to get inspired!

1:55 PM -

I have to pee. 24 ounces of DD will do that to ya. Mom is sitting on the steps and the house is all locked up...oh well, I can hold it till I get home. She opens the back door of the car to kiss Brook hello as I yell at her to get in the car or I am gonna go in my pants...she got in quick.
Does she offer to open the house? No, but that's okay, I have to go into my house anyway to bring Brook upstairs so I can take mom to the Arts Center and try to get home at a decent hour to order pizza.

2:20 PM -

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
Off to White Plains

2:50 PM -

We have made it to the Center and look at the newest exhibition entitled : RUBBISH! Art and the Ecosystem and then up to the Open Studio's of other Westchester Artists, Photographers and Printers! Oh my.
I met an artist that I particularly liked and was so inspired by her work and told her that I have always wanted to do that myself, I just was never to sure as to how to begin and now I do!
It is drawing, watercolor, paper and Cutting scraps and everything I love all in one!
I was so inspired, by my friend's work and her kind words to me after telling her of all of my doubts as an artist and what my roll at the Association is and how much I have inside of me that wants to just get out after being dormant for so many years.
Mind you, I have always stayed in touch with things Art and what is out there (somewhat), I have also kept up with the crafts for school all throughout the Donna years and now the Brook years, uh, the present. But now I am feeling so much more, and hopefully sooner than later, my precious few readers, I will show you what I mean, through my art!
Here's to inspiration! And it came to me all before 5:40 PM!

Saturday Savant Spot

2009-05-16T18:57:00.000-07:00

I have finished Inkspell and am ready for Inkdeath the last installment of the Inkheart series of books by Cornelia Funke.
Published by Scholastic, truly a masterpiece in the making.
A brilliant world that every Savant dreams about entering just once in their lifetime. To actually be in your favorite story? Live your life with the lives you have only read about in a book?
A book lovers read.

Fantasy, action, adventure, family, death. Just my kind of read.

In this installment, Dustfinger gets his wish, he is read back into his story, into his life and we see what he has been missing for over 10 years!
His family, his wife, daughter (he had 2 daughters but one died before he gets back into his story, the original Inkheart). We meet his friends and other "strolling players", The "Barn Owl" the Inkworlds doctor/Sawbones, the fairies, we walk through the Wayless Woods, meet the Black Prince and his bear. Cosimo the Fair comes back from the dead and Her Uglyness looses her awful birth mark on her face to be known just as Violante.

Just when Meggie, gets her mother back from the Inkworld and back to their story is when she gets sucked into the Inkworld herself with Farid, the boy who was pulled out of his story by Mo AKA Silvertongue and Meggie's father. She realizes she has her fathers gift of reading things (and people) in and out of stories, bringing the pages of ink to life.

Meggie and Farid's search for Dustfinger and Fenoglio, (the author of Inkheart) to get her back to her story and Farid back with Dustfinger, was no easy task, but they reunited and then the fun begins!
Elinore is held captive in her own home with Darius, Mo and Resa (Meggie's mother) get read back into Inkheart, and you have no idea what I am talking about, but you want to!

Fabulous read! I am so thrilled to start Inkdeath, and in the immortal words of Farid, "This story shall have a happy ending, I swear."

Happy reading!

Photo Phriday

2009-05-15T12:02:00.000-07:00

Don't even think about taking my nuts!
What did you see?

Goodbye Micki...

2009-05-13T06:51:00.000-07:00

Goodbye my beloved friend.
You were so loved and beautiful.
We are so sad to see you go.
I am hoping you had a wonderful life with us.
You will be forever in our hearts.

Micki
8/1/1989-5/13/2009
RIP

Train Tuesday

2009-05-12T15:03:00.000-07:00

There are pros and cons to commuting
Pros: Cons:
P:Someone else is driving C: You are not driving
P:You can sleep, eat, read, drink C: If you sleep, you might miss your stop
P:The down time is nice C: Scheduling sucks
P:Don't have to drive in bad weather C:Have to walk and carry more items
in bad weather

Any way you slice it, it has its good and bad attributes.
This week was yucky, not for the riding but the weather.
It was a wet, rainy, misty day and it made for a miserable commute.

First, waiting for the bus, always a pleasure...NOT.
I drop off Brook at school, park my car to catch the bus, what, back the train up, you have a car yet take the bus to the train? The reason for this is sheer mathematics, it costs $8.00 less to take the bus to the train than for me to take my car and park it in a lot for 10 hours.

It is misting out, really need the umbrella for the frizz factor, but for nothing else.
I have a "regular" bus rider tell me to "put down my umbrella, its not raining", uh, who are you and why are you talking to me? Do I need to explain the frizz factor to you?

I get to the station with 4 minutes to spare, that is truly a lifetime when waiting for a train in the rain. Bought my ticket and was all ready to rock and roll. Of course, its late.
My hair is frizzing by the second now and looking like I didn't even blow dry it at all.
Oh well, its raining. Everyone looks like a drowned rat.
Train finally pulls in and we are on our way.
Smooth sailing, rather, smooth railing, and out we all go, like cattle heading out to pasture for a day then back into the big rolling cars that take us to designated stops at designated times.
I am done with another fun day at work and when I say FUN I mean FUN. I work with my cousin so it really is fun. and off I run for the 5:59pm, which I miss by 3 minutes...3.
I make my way (out of breath) to the 6:18pm train which is on the upper level, and little ol me just ran to the lower level and now needs to make her way right back up there again!
I get on the train and find an available 1 seater (score) because I know this train is gonna get packed and was I right!
This train was standing room only! (score again, nee nee neener neener) ya snooze, ya loose.
Happily I read while railing home and had happy thoughts of another smooth trip.

It was only drippy rainy by this time of night when I departed the train, rather, derailed, walked up to find my darling husband and beautiful little girl waiting for me along with 20 cabs vieing for just the right spot to pick up the weary commuter and that was that.

Not too eventful

May 10th, 2009

2009-05-10T06:35:00.000-07:00

It's Mother's Day, so I am wishing all my fellow moms a real good one! Rest, Relax and just relish the fact that you are a Mom and can do or say whatever the hell you want and won't get in trouble for saying it like it is because its Mother's Day!

Photo Phriday: The Outdoor Version

2009-05-08T06:48:00.000-07:00

The sun is out, finally!
After a long week of rain rain and more rain, I took advantage of it and drove to Glen Island with my XL DD coffee, 3 Splenda and half and half (in case you ever wanted to surprise me with some, it is always welcome in my house) and sat for a few, this is what I saw.

What did you see?

Train Tuesday

2009-05-05T09:07:00.000-07:00

This was the first time, EVER, that I got on a rush hour morning train and a rush hour evening train and the cars I chose to sit in were so quiet you could hear a pin drop!
The only noise came from the conductor announcing where were were stopping next and the stops afterwords.

Both were packed, not a seat was empty and people were even standing.

I realized this when I was reading (Inkspell, by Cordelia Funke, fabulous book #2 of the Inkheart series of books, just fabulous) that it was ever so quiet and I felt as if I had joined in the pages of my book and I was in the Wayless Woods trying to save my parents with my written and spoken words...

This has NEVER happened, at least not on the same day.
I have been lucky to get on a morning train and it is quiet except for the rustling of newspapers and magazines, maybe the crumpling of a bagel wrapper or paper bag.
But the evenings ride was chaos, what child wasn't screaming or what meeting had to be rescheduled, or the loud ass bimbo on her cell phone making sure the entire car of people heard what an idiot her boyfriend was and that she was not missing "Idol" again because of him.
I was quite fortunate this week!

June 12th, Are You Ready?

2009-05-04T16:28:00.000-07:00

Now I have just about had it with the "Switch to Digital TV" and "Are you ready?" commercials.

What is the big hairy deal?

If you don't have Cable, ViOS, Direct TV, Satellite TV or whatever service is offered in your neck of the woods, then where do you live? Under a ROCK!

I am sure we are ALL ready, except a few of the blue hairs that are still living at home with their caregivers who, by the way, have been telling them that "TV is really going to stick around a little longer," and that their radio tube has been on the fritz and that is why all the static.

Those converter boxes are such a ploy to the aged, it just isn't right. Charging these poor people so much for not upgrading their old tube tv's or their rusted old antenna up on the roof. The bunny ears on the tops of those sets have been collecting dust bunnies of their own for goodness sakes!

So, I implore you, if your mom or dad is a blue hair and refuses to get Cable, ViOS or DTV...just get it for them and tell them nothing! Show them how to use the remote and make a clean getaway!

They will never notice the change has been made! You have till June 12th! Hurry it up now!

Not your Typical Saturday

2009-05-02T12:59:00.001-07:00

My usual Saturday consists of T-Ball then Soccer right after, today though, soccer was cancelled due to rain so we just had T-Ball.
Today also happened to be Team Picture Day.
Now, mind you, I could have taken all these myself and not fall for the hype and pay for them, but it is Brook's first year and the package I got was for the Team Shot, Magazine Cover and 2 Magnets (The package cost me $26.00, what a racket) It is her first time for goodness sakes, besides I want to compare them with mine.
I took my own pictures (of course) and want your opinion good reader.
Could I do this for a living or what?

The Single

The Sportsmen 2009

Aren't they cute?

Here are some candid shots of the players and my Brook...

This is the best, what faces!
This is what it really is...youth sports, what fun, and the best photo ops EVER!

Photo Phriday: A Room with a View

2009-05-01T21:43:00.000-07:00

And oh what a view!
This is what I see from my job in NYC.
What did you see?

I have nothing to write about...

2009-04-29T13:40:00.000-07:00

The final "search for a topic for my blog" submitted by the one and only:

Vinnie Costa

"Mayhaps you should write about the fact you have nothing to write about..."

I actually have too much to write about that it actually adds up to nothing.

I like to keep it interesting here to keep my faithful few coming back for more and checking out what I have to say, but I need to organize it all so I actually make something out of nothing, make sense?
Maybe, maybe not.
In my head it sounds GREAT, on what I like to call "internet paper", not so much.
We'll see.

This is supposed to be about nothing and it is really tuning out to be something, so I better stop here so it continues to be about nothing.

Whew, writing about nothing is truly harder than writing about something.

Thanks Vin! And thank you to all who read my blogs, it is you who make it what it is, also a special thanks to my FB family for giving me the fun run of ideas that made this weeks blog very fun and memorable!

Is it almost May?

2009-04-29T08:47:00.000-07:00

I kept wondering when the sun will come out and warm us up, it is finally here and it has been for the past few days, when I realized that in just a few short days it will be MAY!
This year has totally gone by too quickly.
I realized that Mother's Day is impending, Donna will be coming home in 3 weeks, (Memorial Day Weekend) and the next Juring of new Members for the Art Association is June 6th.
I have a newsletter to get out, minutes to type, a webinar to go to at 4 pm today and get my house cleaned for Italian company tomorrow night.
There is only 1 month and 3 weeks left of Kindergarten as well as Summer!
I have no time people! If only there was a way to be Hiro (from Heroes, NBC Monday nights at 9pm, Season Finale was this Monday past) for just a few days. To be able to stop time so I can clean and still pick up Brook on time at school and get all my typing done.
Maybe even have time to edit all my photos for a RE Portfolio I am working up (I haven't even had a chance to upload those, and Sarah if you are reading this, Thanks again for letting me use your house...I do need an outdoor shot on a nice day though!).
That is another project I am working on. Photograhing houses and apartments for RE agents to use for their virtual tours and such. I am hoping to be ready by the end of the month to bring my CD's to a few local RE offices and freelance myself out for extra $ and experience. I plan to charge $50.00 and hour for as many photos of the house (inside and out) they want and need, and burn them all on a CD for the Agent to use as they see fit. It usually takes and hour to do an entire house or apartment and the uploading, CD and my time. Would be nice to get 2 or 3 a day. If you know anyone or are intereseted, by all means, contact me!
So as you see my dear, few readers...I have a lot going on here, with much more to come!
Just thought I would share.

Train Tuesdays....Did somebody smell smoke?

2009-04-28T15:53:00.000-07:00

Every week my husband asks me the same question, "What time do you think you'll be in?"
"The same as every Tuesday night...6:30pm."

This is the day I commute into the city for work. I enjoy the commute itself, but taking a bus to the train in the AM and having my husband pick me up at the train station after work can be daunting yet very scheduled.

He just asks because he has to make sure I am not doing something afterwords and he has to come pick me up at a different time. Not for nothing, but I would have told him if I were to be late, duh.
Anywhoos, he asked if I could get off at the Pelham Station this particular evening because it would be better for him.
Not a problem, except now, I will be in at 6:25PM (you don't keep me waiting dude, I am pooped...)
"Call me if anything changes."
"Nothing will change," I say, "6:25PM", be there or be square.

After a grueling day at work, I go down into the depths of Grand Central Terminal via Northwest Passage from 47th and Madison, along with hundreds of other rushing commuters at that hour.
I was actually early, got a one seater (yeah, I don't like people I don't know too much sitting next to me and my precious self), pull out my daughters copy of Inkspell (that I am halfway through), and started to read.
The buzzer rings, last call.
The doors close.
Ahhh, nice.
We get approximately to what may be the equivalent of 57th Street and the train stops.
"Sorry folks, we are having some door issues and we need to back the train up to the platform."
Huh? Wait a minute, back the train up...

We got back to the platform and were instructed to exit the train and go onto track 17 and we would leave from there.
I put my book away and prayed for another one seater!
Controlled chaos ensued.
It was an actually easy transition to make and we were off at 6:15PM.
Okay.
I told the man to pick me up at what time?
I couldn't even call him to let him know that the train was going to be delayed till 6:25PM, the exact time I told him to come and get me, because I was where?
In the depths! No cell service.
Okay, he is gonna KILL me!
I was a bit rude in answering him about the time I would be home, but in the end I had a good excuse.
When we boarded the new train we were told by the same conductor (he had to switch trains too, evidently) that there was an electrical problem with the front car doors that it actually started smoking and that for safety reasons we had to switch trains.
"Sorry for the delay"
Never a dull Tuesday! Chinese for dinner?

Sex?

2009-04-28T13:29:00.000-07:00

Sex.

What is there to say about it.

The definition:

¹sex
Pronunciation:: \ˈseks\
Function:: noun
Etymology:: Middle English, from Latin sexus
Date:: 14th century

1: either of the two major forms of individuals that occur in many species and that are distinguished respectively as female or male especially on the basis of their reproductive organs and structures

2: the sum of the structural, functional, and behavioral characteristics of organisms that are involved in reproduction marked by the union of gametes and that distinguish males and females

3.a: sexually motivated phenomena or behavior
b: sexual intercourse

4: genitalia

What 's left?

Oh, I do enjoy it every so often, lets face it, I am only human.

Thanks Anna for your topic.
Tune in tomorrow for the final topic suggestion from:

Vinnie Costa

Mayhaps you should write about the fact you have nothing to write about...

Why you drive on the parkway and park in the driveway? And other funny one liners from A-Z.

2009-04-27T08:38:00.000-07:00

Perfect for a Monday morning, today's topic, submitted by:

Michael K

"Why you drive on the parkway and park in the driveway?

Always remember you're unique, just like everyone else.
Always try to be modest and be proud of it!

Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.
Beer: It's not just for breakfast anymore.

C program run. C program crash. C programmer quit.
Chocolate: the OTHER major food group.

Did anyone see my lost carrier?
Diplomacy is the art of saying good doggie while looking for a bigger stick.

Energizer Bunny arrested and charged with battery.
Error, no keyboard. Press F1 to continue.

For Sale: Parachute. Only used once, never opened, small stain.
Forget world peace. Visualize using your turn signal.

Generally speaking, you aren't learning much when your mouth is moving.
Genius does what it must, talent does what it can, and you had best do what you're told.

How do you tell when you run out of invisible ink?
How does Teflon stick to the pan?

I tried sniffing Coke once, but the ice cubes got stuck in my nose.
I used to be indecisive. Now I'm not sure.

Jesus loves you, but everyone else thinks you're an asshole.
Join the Army, meet interesting people, and kill them.

Keep honking. I'm reloading.

Lottery: A tax on people who are bad at math.
Love may be blind but marriage is a real eye-opener.

Monday is an awful way to spend 1/7th of your life.

Never do card tricks for the group you play poker with.
Never mess up an apology with an excuse.

Okay, who put a stop payment on my reality check?
On the other hand, you have different fingers.

Plan to be spontaneous, tomorrow.
Pride is what we have. Vanity is what others have.

Quantum mechanics: The dreams stuff is made of.
Quickly, I must hurry, for there go my people and I am their leader.

Reality is a crutch for people who can't handle drugs.
Remember half the people you know are below average.

Save the whales. Collect the whole set
Save your breath. You'll need it to blow up your date!

There are two theories to arguing with women. Neither one works.
There's too much blood in my caffeine system.

Very funny Scotty, now beam down my clothes.

Why you drive on the parkway and park in the driveway?
Why isn't phonetic spelled the way it sounds?

X-Stina is wondering who cashed her reality check?

Your gene pool could use a little chlorine.
Your kid may be an honors student, but you're still an idiot.

Zoo's are a wonderful place to reconnect with the family.

Thanks to Michael for that fun topic!

Look for tomorrow's topic...thanks to Anna

SEX!

I may have made my first sale!

2009-04-26T19:31:00.000-07:00

The Dermot Gale Award Show for Members has come to a close and my work was wrapped up and put in my trunk.
I asked Anthony to bring it up with him when he came back from the store.
I couldn't even carry them up with the packages I had earlier from the store myself, so I left them in the trunk.
Little did I know, when I finally unpacked them at 6:30 pm that this one had a note attached to it...

The note read, "So and So was interested in purchasing 'Crock' #17 and here is her phone number xxx-xxx-xxxx."

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!

I called her at 7pm, but haven't heard back from her yet. I am really excited!

Even if she doesn't call me back, I actually have a backup buyer interested in this same picture!

Great day either way!

I am an ARTIST!
I was always an artist, but now I am recognized!

Teenagers, Topic from Midge

2009-04-26T08:05:00.000-07:00

As you may already be aware of, I had asked my FB (Facebook) friends and family to please give me blog topics because I was in a writing mood.
This particular one is for Midge, one of my oldest friends who knows all about the "teenage" thing once having Two, now down to One but prepping for Three others. If you can do the math, the woman has 5 children! God bless her!
So to Midge....

Lillian/Midge Haas DiRusso

Teenagers!

Teenagers are a gift.
We were all teenagers, weren't we? Unless we are teenagers now that is.

They go through so many growing pains, acne, boyfriends/girlfriends, fat, thin, smart, dumb, to smoking & drinking, druggies, nerds.
They cannot wait to drive, or some never want to learn and have mummy chauffeur them around.
I cannot relate to the latter, only because I was the one who could not WAIT to drive!
Dad started teaching me at 14 and if I could, would have been chauffeuring them around!
Teenagers are rebellious, at least that's what my mother told me.
My first experience with one, my oldest, who is now 20 and no longer a teenager mind you, was cake. My 6 year old on the other hand has 7 more years to go still, that will be a blog to read about.
Maybe it was because we had such a close relationship and we were just there for each other.
I strive to be a good mother but a friendly one. I consider my daughter my friend and have been dubbed the "cool mom" more than once, I thank you. So whatever it was that I did right, worked.
I loved my teenager, I loved my Tweenager, I loved my child, I loved my baby.
Maybe that's what it was more than anything. Love.

Respect helps too.
If you respect your teen, try to listen to what is going on with them, support them, get involved with their friends, then you will have a better understanding of said teen. Friend involvement is key. Not only do you see what kind of friends your teenager keeps, but what kind of parents they have, what their interests are, how they act around adults and other peers and if you are lucky to have great fun with all them at the weekly or monthly sleep overs or get togethers at your house!
That's what I remember about raising a teenager. Being a teenager, well, that is a totally different story!
I block it out!

There you have it in a nut shell!

Tomorrow's topic from:

Michael K

"Why you drive on the parkway and park in the driveway."

The 70's

2009-04-25T10:10:00.000-07:00

I was in a writing mood but was lacking subjects so I requested my FB family to send me ideas for my blog, here is idea # 2.

Thanks to:

Ellen S

For her topic idea.

The 70's for me was my early childhood, a time when there was no computer or cable TV or cell phones...a whole lot of no this's and that's to tell you the truth.
70's kids rode bikes with no helmets (and didn't die).
70's kids paid .93 cents for a hamburger, fries and a small soda at McDonalds, not Micky Dees, Mc Donalds, thank you.
70's kids played outside in the "hood" with their "buddies" and said stuff like "Oh snap" and "Psyche"
We watched Laugh In, Little House on the Prairie and The Waltons and often used the term "Good night John Boy" to any or all of the family members we said Goodnight to!
We saw Star Wars (Episode IV and wondered where I II and III were lost to), but loved it and walked around with our light sabres and quoted Obi Wan famous last words, "Use the Force Luke".
CB radios were the 70's iPods and every household was Ten four'ing ALL their good buddies.
I remember it being a simpler time, at least for me.

Even our toys were no frills.

Pet Rocks were a fad that didn't last long, but hit hard! My mom wouldn't spring for one of these things, so I went behind the house and found my own pet and adopted it!

In the October 1976 issue of Teen Beat Magazine shows you exactly how to cut and set your hair just like Farrah Fawcett's! I do not know one girl who didn't want that cut, except for the short hair girls who wanted the Dorothy Hamill bowl cut!

I was 4 when the 70's revolution started and was 14 when they ended. Through my child eyes, thats what stood out.

Tune in tomorrow to read Topic # 3 submitted by:

Lillian Haas DiRusso

Teenagers!

This is why I love FB

2009-04-24T20:15:00.000-07:00

I cannot tell you how I have reconnected with so many old friends, mind you, not the "blue haired"* type old just High School chums and College buddies that I just couldn't be without back then meanwhile, life went on and we drifted apart, and then the internet boomed and on to Facebook we flocked and found anew.
I felt like writing tonight and needed some topic ideas and thanks to these few, I got some:

Katie K at 9:45pm April 24

peanut butter

Ellen S at 9:51pm April 24

the 70s

Lillian Haas DiRusso at 9:52pm April 24

Teenagers!

Michael K at 10:16pm April 24

Why you drive on the parkway and park in the driveway.

Anna B P at 11:04pm April 24

SEX!

What a response!
Here goes, hope you enjoy it all:

Peanut butter
An ode to Peanut Butter
By Cristina Cerone

I think I love creamy the best
It certainly is better than all the rest

Jiff over Skippy? I think not
Unless its on sale, well then not a lot

I just do not know where we would be
Without the sticky stuff for me

If you please,
Will it be ham and cheese?

No, lunchtime just would not be complete
Without my Peanut Butter treat!

Thanks Katie!

Tomorrows topic-

Ellen S

The 70s

* Special Thanks go out to Anthony J. Parisi for coining the phrase "Blue Haired" and me stealing it.

Photo Phriday: Bird edition

2009-04-24T13:32:00.000-07:00

Coming in for a landing...
What did you see?

Train Tuesday's

2009-04-21T17:02:00.000-07:00

My weekly train ride into the isle of "Man" has just been added to my blog fodder
(raw material: fodder for a comedian's routine) for my faithful few who read this.

I do travel on the Metro North Railroad every Tuesday to NYC and have seen and heard quite a few things to make my blog a bit more entertaining to read.
So the first installment of "Train Tuesday's" begins now:

I was on my way to work with Brook in tow. There was no school and I don't like to burden my dad with Brook ALL day when it really isn't necessary. She likes coming into the city with me and she makes for great company. I can guarantee a 2 seater just for us and we can sit anyway we want to without worrying about bumping into each other or listening to an unwanted cell phone conversation right next to us.
I am getting the iPod plugged in with her favorite playlist when the conductor comes over to us. I hand him my ticket and he stands there waiting for hers. Mind you, I have yet to pay a fare for her on the train and wasn't really expecting to do so today, until... He asks me where her ticket is and I politely lie to him and tell him she is 5 (what a good mommy). He says that there is a fare for her at 5 years old. I was surprised and thought the age was 6 and up (not really any better there). I just thought I could get away with not paying for her for at least another year or so, I wasn't worried, it only costs .75 cents, so I thought. Little did I know that a child "family fare" in the morning commuter hours up until 10 am is $3.75 at the ticket window and $9.00 aboard the train. "$9.00?! for a 5 year old?" I say.
"Yes, I don't make the fares up, you never paid for her before?" he says.
"No, I was never asked for a ticket and the conductors usually gave her a smily faced seat marker for riding the good ol' Metro North" I reply.
"Well, that will be $9.00. Just think about it this way, this will be for all the times you saved by not paying for her." he says
"Gee, thanks." I say back as I am digging through my wallet as moths fly about and I manage to find a $10.00 bill that I had stashed for just this emergency.
That fare left me with $3.25 for the day, $2.50 for my coffee and .75 cents for her return ticket.
You don't have threaten me with another onboard fare again, thank you very much!
Lesson learned, be nicer to your conductor and don't lie about your kids age and fork up the do re mi.

Photo Phriday: Is it still a "Revolution"?

2009-04-17T17:36:00.000-07:00

What did you see?

Overheard in the lunchroom

2009-04-16T08:49:00.000-07:00

Dropping off Brook late this morning, albeit by 2 minutes, compelled another late child to yell at us: "you better run to your class or they will lock us up in the lunchroom till lunch!"

Kids.

It is official, I am the Secretary

2009-04-13T19:58:00.000-07:00

The first meeting of the New Rochelle Art Association was tonight and I was there, ready, with pen and paper. I am hoping that I made a good first impression and got busy taking notes and reading the minutes from the last meeting of October 2008. The ballot was read and it was official. I am the new secretary for the Art Association. I also found out that my daughter Donna has been accepted for an internship this summer! Hopefully starting in June! Sweet.
We then discussed current events and what was happening now and for future shows. The one I cannot wait for is in Chelsea, NYC! November 3-14th. I will be there and will keep you posted on that one.
The room was packed with members and I noticed that I may have been the youngest member there, kinda felt humbling in a way. Young, new to the Association and back in the art world from being away from it for so long. I wonder if I truly belong? I hope so, because it makes me so happy to have people see my photos and admire them as much as I do.
I met the "crew" and I found that everyone was nice and for artists, more businesslike than anything...until after the meeting.
I chatted with a member of 45 years and she was like a breath of fresh air.
Alive, brilliant and so talented. She even took 3rd place in the current show at the NRPL (Dermot Gale Award Show for Members - April 4 - 25, 2009).
Make sure if you are in the area to check it out! It is a great show and there really are so many talented artists right here in New Rochelle!
The meeting actually lasted a little over an hour and I am afraid I didn't get to chat with the former secretary at all. Thank goodness for e-mail!
Here's to the new venture!

Photo Phriday

2009-04-10T17:53:00.000-07:00

One of my boys, Munchkin.
What did you see?

How many times can you say Cerone?

2009-04-05T08:56:00.000-07:00

Seeing my name in print with my two daughters (the youngest pictured above) was just fabulous. I feel like a star today.
What a great way to start Palm Sunday? We should have gone to Church, (however, I unfortunately slept through that part of the day, bad Catholic). We knew we were going to be in the paper from yesterdays fun filled morning at Davenport Park Easter Egg hunt and Bonnet Parade, so it was really no surprise, but it sure felt great!
Brook was the real big winner though.

She won an award for her bonnet,

she found the "golden egg" and...

had a fun filled afternoon at the NRPL BID New Rochelle Family Fun Saturdays...filled with crafts, cakes and lemonade!

While in awe at her moms photos on display till 4/25 in the NRPL Gallery!

It is truly a blessed day!
Happy Palm Sunday!

Today is a big day

2009-04-04T06:30:00.000-07:00

For the three of you who follow my blog, today is opening day of Dermot Gale Award Show for Members - April 4 - 25, 2009

I have my 3 pieces ready that I previously blogged about and am super proud of them and am inviting all my fans to come on down to the NRPL to check out the show.

As well today, the annual Easter Egg Hunt and Bonnet Parade at Davenport Park will be going on.

Both events are taking place at virtually the same time and haven't cloned myself as of yet, I will be relying on Anthony who will be taking Brook to Davenport in her beautiful bonnet (below):

and am hoping he takes plenty of pictures of the hunt if I cannot get there in time.

The Shows drop off time is from 10-11:30am and the Easter Egg hunt and Bonnet Parade starts at 10:30am.

I am going to get to the Library early (before 10am) to drop off my work and run off to the park. So wish me luck, I am sure to blog about the outcome!

Photo Phriday: Silly Pop

2009-04-03T08:06:00.001-07:00

What did you see?

Savant Spot: Beowulf

2009-04-03T07:06:00.000-07:00

So much better than the movie, Beowulf can only be described in one word...Epic.
I truly enjoyed reading this classic.
Thanks Donna!

Overheard in the Lunchroom

2009-04-01T18:09:00.000-07:00

Drop off for Kindergarten is in the school's Lunchroom and one of the monitors, "Ms. V" was chatting with the children and asked, "Did anyone here file their taxes yet?" The children wide eyed & stunned, look at each other and one brave soul answers, "Um, not yet, but I am sure we will soon!"
Kindergartners are priceless!

It figures!

2009-03-30T15:02:00.000-07:00

I was trying to do the right thing and clean up my photo's in Photobucket (Photobucket.com, a great place to turn your photos into HTML for blogging and such) and now I have lost all of my photos in my previous blogs!
When you click on where the photo should be it is saying the photo no longer exists!

Well, my friends, they exist, only in a different album.

So if there is a pic you want to see, just message me and I will put it back up here for your viewing pleasure!

Thanks for reading and understanding!

Savant Spot: "Fool" by Christopher Moore

2009-03-30T13:51:00.000-07:00

I know in an earlier blog I was going to start a book review called "Donna's Picks" but what do I call it when she didn't actually pick the book for me to read?

I did a little thesaurus searching and decided on "Savant Spot" (roughly translated from Donna's blog "Bookworm Corner".)

I couldn't rightfully steal her title so I jazzed mine up by saying the same thing just worded differently!

Today's review is on Christopher Moore's most recent novel "Fool", his take on Shakspeare's tragedy "King Lear".

Featuring a very clear WARNING:

"This is a bawdy tale. Herein you will find gratuitous shagging, murder, spanking, maiming, treason, and heretofore unexplored heights of vulgarity and profanity, as well as nontraditional grammar, split infinitives, and the odd wank . . . If that's the sort of thing you think you might enjoy, then you have happened upon the perfect story!" (*on the book jacket).

I couldn't have said it better myself, and quite frankly, this is a hard book to describe without giving it all away.

I am a huge Christopher Moore fan so I may be a little biased. Putting aside the vulgar language and explicit material, Chris's writing is so incredibly entertaining and amusing that I completely forgive him.

If you know the story of King Lear, then you know the story of "Fool", only in Chris's novel, its through a Fool's eyes.

It was a bit hard for me at first to get the English humor (the mannerisms and wording) but I quickly got it with his help throughout the pages with his definitions of certain English and not so English terms. It was a quick read and hysterical as usual coming from Chris (as I so fondly call him now, considering I have read ALL of his novels, I thank you).

I loved the characters and most of all "Pocket", the fool himself, for actually teaching us not to judge others by their titles because one's standing can change with the drop of a hat (or a codpiece).

The only way to truly understand is to just read "Fool". So go out and get a copy right away!!

It is so nice to be done

2009-03-28T19:33:00.000-07:00

Preparing for a member only art show is time consuming as well as frustrating.
Deciding what is going in or not going in.
I ask for opinions and usually get more indecision at this point.
But this time around (yeah, like I do this all the time, it is actually my 2nd public showing) was easy, breazy, cover girl!
Here is what I chose to go in this show:

"Crock"

"Park Bench"

"Spring has Sprung"

These have been framed, wired for hanging and windexed cleaned, tagged and bagged for show.

Exciting!

If you are in the area, feel free to stop by the New Rochelle Public Library and check out the Dermot Gale Award Show for Members - April 4 - 25, 2009.

Photo Phriday: Princesses

2009-03-28T19:32:00.000-07:00

What did you see?

Photo Phriday: Phirst Day of Spring?

2009-03-20T05:03:00.000-07:00

Woke up to snow this morning, on this, the First Day of Spring?
What did you see.

I am feeling creative

2009-03-19T04:37:00.000-07:00

I am so enjoying my new version of Photoshop Cs2.
I never thought I would be able to catch up with this ever so changing craft, computer generated art!
I was just playing with a photo and came up with some fun effects. I may submit these for the next New Rochelle Art Association's Members only Show this April 4th. at the New Rochelle Public Library.

This is my creativity in action:

I also played with a photo of myself, my self portrait so to speak.

Happy St. Patty's Day!

2009-03-17T06:30:00.000-07:00

I am Joining the "Texting Party"

2009-03-15T06:15:00.000-07:00

I am joining the Texting Party of 2009, yeah, you heard me, the Texting Party, like the Republican or Democratic Parties, respectivley.
My daughter went WAY over her current texting plan this month, that she pays extra for, when I decided that this is craziness and it is time for an upgrade.

So I call up our carrier and get the family unlimited texting bundle to add to our existing family plan, already at a great price for 2 phones!

The next day...

I get a text from my carrier and my daughter (who forwarded said message thinking I wouldn't have gotten that message) informing me of the upgrade and to start enjoying the unlimited benefits. In other words, stop talking and start texting!

So to verify, my Donna calls me to ask if we are good to go (regarding the unlimitedness) and I say, "Text Away!" Her reply, (text reply) "Woot".

Thank goodness I am in the loop!
Now all I need is a better phone with a Qwerty Keyboard. I am looking at the Samsung Gravity

Isn't it purdy?

I have an upgrade coming up in April and will start shopping around for good prices, I may even ask my carrier for a special "buy one, get one" deal. For now though, I am happy with my current Pink Tattooed Razr and will be happy with that a little longer.

So I ask now is "Texting" the new...what?

Talking?

Text away people and join the party!

"I would be honored"

2009-03-14T07:46:00.000-07:00

I had a message on my answering machine the other day (because I lead such a busy life already, I am never home anymore) from a woman named Reggie Turkington from the New Rochelle Art Association. I thought there must have been a problem with my membership and called her back right away.
To my surprise, she asked if I would care to be Secretary for the Association. Imagine that, I would have never thought that!

I gladly accepted without even asking about what it entailed and then thought, I really should ask about the position before I accept it...

I was told that Jesse Sanchez (the President) would call to explain it all to me. He called the next day and was thrilled that I had accepted and told me all about the position.
Basically, we meet 4-5 times a year and I would be responsible for taking the minutes and notes about what we discuss for the newsletter and such. Just like what I did for the PTA last year at Barnard School.
I accepted and am now the official Secretary for the New Rochelle Art Association!

(http://www.nraaonline.org/).

Thank goodness we are working with a web designer to update the website. The current site leaves a little to be desired, but the new designs are fresh and good looking.

Since becoming Secretary, I have gotten several emails with the new web design and have shared my thoughts about it. This is truly and honor.

The next show for members is April 4th-25th and I am feverishly working on a few pieces for this show.
The Jury Selection for Prospective Members is April 11th-from 10am-11:30am. So if you are interested in becoming a member of The New Rochelle Art Association, come on down to the New Rochelle Public Library and bring it, and by bringing it I mean your ART!

Photo Phriday

2009-03-13T15:32:00.000-07:00

Massive bamboo, baby.
What did you see?

Is this heavenly?

2009-03-12T08:54:00.000-07:00

Oh my, Donna and I drooled a little...

I am sure this is not a real poster, but I do like the image with Jacob in it as well, considering this book was about his love story also...did I give anything away? I am sure I have not considering I blogged about it earlier in my review.

Happy Drooling.

I love my family

2009-03-11T20:25:00.001-07:00

I get the biggest kick out of my brother Vinnie's (vinniecosta.com) "YouTube" videos.
The first was Skeeter Falls, my mom's 62nd birthday almost two years ago:

Are you laughing you ass off or what? Brook was brilliant and my dad really sums it right up for you.

I then go to YouTube tonight to promote my wonderful brother (http://biggaycasting.com/people/vinpaw) and what do I find?
This newest video, I think from my mom's 63rd birthday just last August:

You will notice the giggling in both videos (yeah, that annoying giggle is me).

I love my family!

Are you voting?

2009-03-11T19:58:00.000-07:00

I am one of my brother Vinnie's biggest fans (vinniecosta.com) and feels the need to promote him a bit.

He is, by far, the biggest unsung talent out there!
I think I missed all but two of his numerous performances here in NYC in his lifetime. Here is a little taste of Vinnie:

I miss seeing him on TV (you may have also seen him on the Travel Channels: 5 Takes: Latin America) almost two years ago!

Unreal.

Now you can help him get back on cable TV, you heard me, YOU!

Click on this link (http://biggaycasting.com/people/vinpaw), click on "Vote", enter the "Captcha" and that's it!

Vote everyday!

He needs to get to the top 5 this round to go on to the next round!
Please, show some of your love for him!
Thanks so much my faithful readers!

Sea lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My

2009-03-07T17:36:00.000-08:00

When am I not at the Bronx Zoo, I ask?
It was 67 lovely degrees out and was slightly overcast, the perfect Zoo day!

We saw:
Sea lions...

And Tigers...

And Bears, oh my...

It was an honor also to have the peacocks "showing off" more than usual today, I think they were turned on, or maybe thinking that Spring has finally sprung and were looking for a little action.
The amateur photographers of America were there and clicking away at these amazing birds in action, myself included. Just look at these feathers:

I took about 140 more photos but I haven't finished editing them yet. These were just the highlights for your viewing pleasure.

It was also pleasure having Anthony along today. He rarely has the time to come to the Zoo with us, so it was a lot of fun having him around to share in the awe and beauty of it all!

It was a great afternoon, with springtime weather and a membership card to the Zoo, who could ask for anything more?

I hate painting, but love the results!

2009-03-06T18:15:00.000-08:00

It is 9:16 pm and I am finished. Finished for the night and finished with my projects.

With Easter coming up in about a month, I am preparing the house for my favorite guests and the family too. I decided the dining room accent wall needed a lift and the kitchen was in desperate need of a paint job as well.

It was also a great excuse to get rid of a lot of "clutter chatchkies".
I had 3 boxes filled with kitchen items that had little to do with the kitchen at all! I collect and collect and they made their way into the kitchen somehow, and now they have all "disappeared", magically, down the chute!

I am debating though on what to do with my baskets. I used to have them on the wall, but I am tired of dust collecting in them and having to clean them all the time. I need two, at least, for bread when the company comes or if we are having spaghetti, but which two to keep? Just one more thing to store away.

I am finished I am done!

I love the results but is my back killing me!

I prepared a slide show of the progress and the finished results, kinda like American Idol only the results are before the commercial break!

Photo Phriday-The Cat Edition

2009-03-06T18:09:00.000-08:00

When one has four cats (crazy cat lady?), a few are bound to make you smile.

Our Eddie Boy.

What did you see?

Designer babies...

2009-03-05T07:20:00.000-08:00

I know most doctors have a God Complex to begin with, but the latest article on "designer babies" is taking it a bit too far.

Now we could (for a hefty price tag I suppose) choose the gender, eye color, skin color and hair color of our next child. This is really going a bit too far if you ask me. Why is hoping for a healthy child, with 10 fingers and 10 toes so unheard of these days? Are we that vein a society, a master race in the making possibly?

In the immortal words of my 6 year old: "You get what you get and you don't get upset!"

That is all I have to say about that.

New Moon and Eclipse, My reviews are in...

2009-03-04T14:13:00.000-08:00

I know, its like a train wreck, you know its bad but you need to keep looking.
I needed to continue after "Twilight".

"Twilight" ended with a cliffhanger and I thought for sure I knew what was coming next, but was I wrong!

My Edward was hardly in the book at all and I got even more frustrated with Ms. Meyers renditions of what and how werewolves came about.

The story opens with Bella celebrating her birthday with the Cullens, a family of vampires. While Bella longs to be one, Edward refuses to change her as he believes it would rob her of her soul.
Isn't that the point?
How else can they be together, forever?
So what does he do? Leave! Typical man, vampire or not.
Bella is destroyed. She sinks into a deep depression and is only able to rise from it with the help of of Jacob Black, whom Bella terms a good friend. Jacob on the other hand is falling in love with her (ut oh).

I was skipping a few pages here and there because, quite frankly, I was tired of Bella's whining about Edward leaving her.

Can Bella pick um or what?

Just when you think Bella is back to normal, she decides to be a bit reckless because she misses Edward and the only way to feel close to him is to take risks to hear his beautiful voice of reason (at least that is what she thinks she is hearing) , so she jumps off a cliff (diving of course and alone, to impatient to wait for her darling of a dog, Jacob).

But the book takes a sharp turn when Edward reappears toward the latter quarter of the book. The ending suspense plot seemed rushed and tacked on. It was really as if there were two books, or two stories, included in New Moon and neither of them were quite finished.

For all my disappointment, New Moon zips by and leaves me wanting more.

So I had to read "Eclipse".

Again, I didn't hate it, but alas was a bit disappointed again. Why am I doing this to myself? I started something and gosh darn it, I am finishing it!

The series that is.

Eclipse carries on not long after New Moon left off. Bella’s high school graduation is approaching and she will soon be leaving Forks forever, supposedly to go to college - but in reality she is planning to join her boyfriend in his vampire existence and will therefore be unable to return home, due to being dead and possessed by a terrible blood lust for the first few years.

We make it through graduation but then dangerous vampires from Seattle come to Forks and dealing with them dominates the rest of the story.

This is only one part of the story though. Eclipse is primarily a romantic saga, so Bella and Edward’s relationship is the primary focus of the novel. Or as I should say Bella, Edward and Jacob’s relationship - because there is a love triangle in the plot of this book.

Jacob is in love with Bella, who is in love with Edward so this is going to make things awkward between them.
Can you say Soap Opera?

The book didn’t feel like it was over 600 pages long, I literally flew through the pages and before I knew it, I was starting ...

"Breaking Dawn" the fourth installment of the series.

I am still reading this and am not too happy with how slow going the book is.
I mean, those crazy kids (Jacob and Bella admitting their love for each other, but Edward is HER true love). I am kind of feeling bad for Puppy Jacob. He seems to be getting the short end of the stick here and even after she marries Edward, Jacob is still an intricate part of her life/death...I am only in the 200's and this is as far as I can comment so far!

Enjoy the reading if you do decide to pick up the books.

They are not a Must Read but if you are feeling like some teen angst, love, and "monsters" this is the series for you!

More to come when I finish the book and series!

Keep an eye out for my new blog installments...Donna's List, a new blog I will be writing about what Donna recommends for me to read next.

Two years and counting...

2009-03-04T08:34:00.000-08:00

Two years ago today, for all apparnt reasons, I quit smoking.

I cannot tell you all how proud I am of myself and wishes that all her friends and family who still continue to pay for their poison (literally) will seriously think about quitting themselves.

I haven't felt better and feel as if I earned a few years back on my life.
Let's face it, you only live once, why waste so much time of it smoking outside and missing out on the fun and conversations when you had to walk outside to have that smoke.

The average price of a carton of smokes in NY is now...$79.56. That is a lot of money gone up in smoke a week! Just think of what I am saving in a month...$238.68 (for 3 cartons of 10 packs a carton for 30 days a month). Yearly this is a savings of $2,864.16! Wow!
Think about it!

The FINAL final

2009-03-02T11:45:00.000-08:00

Well, this is it.

This is the Article and you all get to see it first! Even before it is published.

I am sure there will be more changes made to it once it leaves me, but so is the life of a reporter.

Just the facts ma'am, just the facts.

This whole experience has been so wonderful, I am hoping that I can take it even further, maybe get my own column! I will have to put my brother on the payroll or at the very least take a reporting class of some sort.

Enjoy the final and I promise, it won't be the last time you see this article!

Children Teaching Children
By Cristina Cerone & Vinnie Costa

From Left to right: Vinny and Cindy Allard, Brook and Cristina Cerone, Kimberly and Bob Dawson, Marco and Mary Miceli, Lily and Donna Young, Zoe Pena and Aurora Perez

February 25, 2009: Barnard School’s Pre-K Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) program invited six of Jefferson Elementary School’s finest. The six students, all taking part in the Italian CILA Kindergarten program, were on hand to be part of RIF’s second book distribution of the year. This year’s RIF theme is Reach for the Stars.
In November of 2008, the Jefferson Italian CILA students were introduced to Dr. Simona Rodano, (an experienced edutainment artist singer, actress and songwriter has appeared on RAI Television and Theatre in Italy, Europe and the United States, for more information on Dr. Simona Rodano visit her website wwwfataitaliana.com/If you are interested to know something more about the word EDUTAINMENT:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edutainment), Taught the eager children, “Su Nel Cielo, Up in the Sky” her own original Italian song. Within a matter of minutes, the infectious song had solidly ” …planted itself in our heads and heart” and is what sparked the idea in organizer/RIF Alumna & CILA parent Cristina Cerone to get the two programs together especially since the theme of Barnard and CILA’s Italian’s song worked hand in hand. Cerone’s hope, one great big payoff: Awareness of the Italian CILA and how important it is to continue with it. Cerone spoke with Vicki Rashbaum, NYS RIF Ambassador 2008-09/Barnard Pre-K Social Worker, about her ‘out-there’ idea and with Rashbaum’s blessing, the RIF’s parent volunteers got busy in the classrooms preparing! Within weeks the event had been organized; three of Barnard Pre-K classes were chosen to view and participate in the performance, Mrs. Block/Carew’s, Mrs. Coronious’ and Mrs. Ceja's classes were all involved with the singing and dancing. “It amazed me how quickly and easily it all came together.” Cerone later commented.

The event was a huge success. The children, when asked if they had fun, responded unanimously, “YES!”
Here’s what others in attendance had to say:
"This gives the kids another perspective, that there’s a big world out there after Pre-K. It’s wonderful to see the older kids as role models for the younger ones."- Vicki Rashbaum
"What a wonderful way to bring New Rochelle schools together to collaborate, programs like RIF and Italian CILA! This could be the start of something big."- Patricia Lambert, Principal, Barnard School
"Children teaching children models good education and good partnerships, collaborations between schools foster positive learning experiences."- Kim Block, Barnard Pre-K teacher
Parents in attendance were doubly impressed, Donna Young, CILA parent, "New Rochelle is such a culturally diverse city, and it’s nice to see how our children are interacting with each other in a positive way.” Aurora Perez, CILA Grandmother, "I love this! A nice opportunity to expose this wonderful program to Barnard Schools Pre-K parents who may be looking for a program just like this.” This marriage of programs was an educational way of bringing children and culture together and it couldn't have been more fun. “I think it’s wonderful we can get two fabulous programs together, they can only benefit from each other." Mentioned Cathy Merigliano, Barnard Parent and RIF Volunteer and I think every one involved agreed with the Miceli Family sentiment, it was indeed, “A special day.”

Rashbaum & the Jefferson CILA Italian Kindergarten children

*Special thanks to Vinnie Costa (www.vinniecosta.com) for his brilliant editing, to Donna Young, Dr. Simona Rodano and Julie Pena for all their input.