I am sooooo happy today!

First, over the weekend I got in touch with a friend that I haven't spoken to in over 10 years! You know when you can have a gabfest like you saw someone yesterday... that's a sign of real friendship. We used to hang out at each other's houses all the time and DJ'd in college together. I had so much fun talking to her and catching up. She sent me some beautiful wedding photos and I will be sending some back today. We are working on a trip to Florida, where she lives now, around October. I can't wait. I also saw Lady in the Water and really liked it. The middle was a bit slow, but all in all, it was a good movie with a tearjerker - feel good ending. I do have to remind myself no popcorn next time though..makes me sick every time. For goodness sakes, I used to work at the theater after High School and know what goes into that slop..I should really know better. I've started back on my school work finally. The current subject is US History, and it's really fascinating. My brain must be maturing. Finally, I found some really good resources online for the planning and implementation of a web site design. We've started on the technical aspect. Next comes the administrative, organizational and finally design and marketing. This is such an exciting project with the UN Online, and I hope the first of many. I'm working earlier this week..yay. This means I can get a lot more stuff done that's been on the back burner. I've needed to make a phone call to a photographer I met almost a year ago, who is local. We met becausee he made our gorgeous wedding cake. In talking we discovered a common interest in photography, and he suggested doing an outdoor photoshoot. I really need to get out more and think this would be the perfect vehicle. Maybe, to get to know each other better (our meeting was brief but I like him a lot) Dave and I can invite him over to dinner. He has to bring desert though, LOL. Well I'm off to work now ..hope everyone has a stupendous Monday!

what i'm reading..what i'm thinking about.

-okay blogger doesn't want to post this pic so... Its The Working Poor: Invisible in America (Vintage) (Paperback) by David K. Shipler If you are interested in this great read, click here and you will be redirected to Amazon. From an editorial review: The Working Poor examines the "forgotten America" where "millions live in the shadow of prosperity, in the twilight between poverty and well-being." These are citizens for whom the American Dream is out of reach despite their willingness to work hard. Struggling to simply survive, they live so close to the edge of poverty that a minor obstacle, such as a car breakdown or a temporary illness, can lead to a downward financial spiral that can prove impossible to reverse. David Shipler interviewed many such working people for this book and his profiles offer an intimate look at what it is like to be trapped in a cycle of dead-end jobs without benefits or opportunities for advancement. He shows how some negotiate a broken welfare system that is designed to help yet often does not, while others proudly refuse any sort of government assistance, even to their detriment. Still others have no idea that help is available at all. "As a culture, the United States is not quite sure about the causes of poverty, and is therefore uncertain about the solutions," he writes. Though he details many ways in which current assistance programs could be more effective and rational, he does not believe that government alone, nor any other single variable, can solve the problem. Instead, a combination of things are required, beginning with the political will needed to create a relief system "that recognizes both the society's obligation through government and business, and the individual's obligation through labor and family." He does propose some specific steps in the right direction such as altering the current wage structure, creating more vocational programs (in both the public and private sectors), developing a fairer way to distribute school funding, and implementing basic national health care. Prepare to have any preconceived notions about those living in poverty in America challenged by this affecting book. --Shawn Carkonen There's another book I wanted, but unfortuantely I thought since I found it for 20 used on Amazon and 25 new I'd find it at my local bookseller for the same. Oh boy, I stopped on the way home at my local store and it had to be special ordered and was 40! I guess I'll have to order from Amazon and get it snail mail. I was fascinated when I saw an excerpt. I'll give you one here and maybe you'll agree. It's a subject I've been giving a lot of thought to, so for me, it was instant whopee-I need this book. (okay want need yeah yeah) Click on the book for purchase link at Amazon. All Things Considered, November 9, 2005 · Imagine inviting yourself to dinner with 30 different families... in 24 countries. Imagine shopping, farming, cooking and eating with those families... taking note of every vegetable peeled, every beverage poured, every package opened. Well that's what photographer Peter Menzel and writer Faith D'Aluisio did for their new book, Hungry Planet: What the World Eats. The husband-and-wife team wanted to see how globalization, migration and rising affluence are affecting the diets of communities around the globe. Each chapter of their book features a portrait of a family, photographed alongside a week's worth of groceries. There's also a detailed list of all the food and the total cost. Here are Guatemala, Chad and Germany: The disparity amazed me. Although it should be obvious, it still shocked me. It also made someone like me, who is trying to lose weight, actually feel guilty for beig a product of over consumerism. I proved to me how much I really need to simplify my life and get back to basics. There is no need to eat as much as I do. I realize I can eat so much less and still get proper nutrition. It makes me do a lot of reflection as well. By the way, the German family is neck and neck with Americans. You can read the whole story at the link here, including audio excerpts from the authors.

peacock feather

eye-of-the-peacock, originally uploaded by andrealeev. Aren't they just beautiful!

Finally

You may have read in some of my past blogs that I had been diligently looking to do some volunteer work in my local area to no avail. To date I have shown an interest with 3 or 4 local charities with no response. I so miss volunteering and was really getting disheartened about this. Unfortunately, the people I've contacted (1 on 4 different occasions) haven't gotten back to me. Its very frustrating because I come from 3 generations of volunteers and this is a vital part of who I am. It is something I need to do. Heck my grandmother is in her 80's and is currently volunteering weekly at the local college. I'm jealous. In San Diego, maybe because it's a bigger city, the volunteer efforts abound and I had been involved with a Shelter for over a year as well as the local SHARE food bank. I absolutely loved it. I've been back in NJ, my home state, for about 5 years now and have had a lot of trouble finding a volunteer match. One in particular had a rep that was so, so negative I didn't stay. She was concerned I'd have enough time to help out even though I have plenty of time. It was sad because it was helping at the very shelter we got our companion Da Vinci at, and I would be willing to help them in any way I could. People are weird. I had left word at a local children's home, Catholic Charities and a food pantry..nothing. Now come on: I work part time and have a ton of creative energy and administrative skills to offer. The only one who was responsive was the area food bank. Unfortunately, they are a 35 minute drive away at minimum. I may still make the drive, just because I've liked everyone I've met there and they seem way more organized than anyone else I've contacted. Several people have said that the problem is the people taking the messages and following up on them are volunteers who have too much work to do. You'd think they would jump on someone who could help. The aforementioned coupled with problems with a family member has had me in a real funk lately that I desperately need to get out of. It doesn't help that I don't like my job. I refuse to let depression get the best of me. I read and reread the piece I posted late yesterday until it spoke to me. Passion..hmmm. Here's the wonderful journey it guided me through: I was checking Matt's Blog and decided to visit some of the links he had posted to other sites. One in particular looked interesting: Have Fun Do Good so I visited the site. At the bottom was a link to UN Online Volunteers . I visited their site and signed up so I could browse the opportunities available. Well, to my delight, I found a perfect opportunity, applied for it and was accepted. I decided if I can't find something local..heck I'll go virtual. The Massaba Rural Development Organisation needed Basic Web Design for a Crafts Webite. I will do my absolute best to make the site sing. About them: Mission Statement: Massaba Rural Development Organisation(MRDO) is a local NGO that was formed by a group of socially sensitive people with proffessional background and experience and whose motivating factor was their desire to assist in the improvement of the lot of the vulnerable ,marginalised and deprived in society through education and other sustainable rural development programmes.It was registered in 2004 in Kenya under the Non-Governmental Orgainsation Act of 1990 with its head office in Nairobi and Field Office in Kisii that serves the 3 Gusii districts(kisii,Nyamira and Gucha),Nyanza Province, Kenya. I am really excited! My assignment will be, "...assist us come up with a basic web design that will display the pictures of our carvings ,item descriptions and prices.Also he/she will be required to put a system in place of doing purchases online ie PayPal.The project aims at improving livelihoods by increasing wages of artisans and removing the exploitative tendencies of middlemen." Yippee, I can't wait. At this point I am awaiting further instructions. Having seen a small part of Africa first hand and always having had a love for the beauty of the continent I know this is something I will excel at. I have some pieces of art I've purchased from Kenya and know just how wonderful they are. I am eager to build a site that will help them as well as be a creation I can be proud of. I knew there was a reason I revisited my old friend Kahlil Gibran yesterday, and honed in on that particular piece. I had his work as part of my wedding vows and am always amazed by the simple truths his melodic words impart. Your reason and your passion are the rudder and the sails of your seafaring soul. If either your sails or your rudder be broken, you can but toss and drift, or else be held at a standstill in mid-seas.For reason, ruling alone, is a force confining; and passion, unattended, is a flame that burns to its own destruction.Therefore let your soul exalt your reason to the height of passion, that it may sing;And let it direct your passion with reason, that your passion may live through its own daily resurrection, and like the phoenix rise above its own ashes. (you can read the whole piece at Katsanddogz.com here) You see I have been at a standstill in mid seas with a flame burning to its own destruction...how true. Hopefully this project will enable my soul..what makes me..well... me... rise like the phoenix from the ashes. Working on the mind, body and soul lately and I think all need to be nurtured. Body: check, mind (working on the check), soul: check ( I hope)! Getting there slow but steady...that's how you win the race! May your passion live through its daily resurrection!

Something I wanted to share from Kahlil Gibran

An excerpt from On Reason and Passion: Your reason and your passion are the rudder and the sails of your seafaring soul. If either your sails or your rudder be broken, you can but toss and drift, or else be held at a standstill in mid-seas. For reason, ruling alone, is a force confining; and passion, unattended, is a flame that burns to its own destruction. Therefore let your soul exalt your reason to the height of passion, that it may sing; And let it direct your passion with reason, that your passion may live through its own daily resurrection, and like the phoenix rise above its own ashes.

Dave and his beef teriyaki

Dave and his beef teriyaki, originally uploaded by andrealeev. He actually used the chopsticks! I missed the shot before he dumped rice all over his beef. It really was a beautiful presentation believe it or not. LOL

I can't wait to play with my food!

Every week after church Dave and I eat lunch out. It's our family day, so aside from things that really need to get done, we spend it in a very leisurely fashion. We usually go to the same diner (with the same waiter even) every week with the neighbors. They didn't go to church yesterday, so Dave let me pick where we would eat. Yippee! There's a new sushi place I've been wanting to try..so Akira it was. For anyone in Burlington County, NJ they are in the 7 Eleven shopping center in Mount Laurel, NJ. It has a nice decor to it with marble floors, a chery wood sushi bar and mustard yellow walls. Dave doesn't like bar seats, so we chose a table. Here's my quick review before I get to the point..yeah there actually is one :) Appetizers were: Miso-awesome Salad-awesome ginger dressing with a lot of carrot shreds Beef Gyoza Steamed with Plum Sauce- Stole one of Dave's really good and tender Piyo Piyo Stick-I picked this (coconut milt marinated chicken grilled /served with a peanut sauce) okay the sauce was awesome; I could taste a lot of curry which I love, but unfortunately the skinless chicken was hard on the outside - bit overdone. It was tender inside though once you got through the "shell". Dinner: Sushi Deluxe (me) Stunning presentation and really good. Tuna rolls were excellent. The only minus was that the shrimp was a bit tough and had a pre-frozen kinda taste to it. Steak Teriyaki (Dave) Another stunning presentation. The teriyaki sauce was incredible as was the cut of beef. Garnish was gorgeous. Tried a bite and the meat was so tender, it was like a steakhouse cut. Okay....here's my point finally. I am supposed to take my sushi for lunch but it's so beautiful I plan on taking some macro shots of it before I eat it. I'm actually taking something else to eat so I can take photos of my food. Sushi has to be the most beautiful form of food on the planet. See how wacked the artistic mind is. I'm working till 2pm today..can't wait to post later this afternoon-pics and another great site I found - the Freecycle I mentioned. Have a great day and be safe.

I bought one!

I couldn't resist buying one of the photos I posted yesterday. I decided on the "Fat Girl" photo. This is the Bio photo of the artist lightleaks. Her gallery, yes I know - again, is at www.lightleaks.etsy.com There are two more photos by the same artist that have me completely under their spell. "Cant be kept Quiet" ... wow does this ever make a statement. She may not have even intended to but to me this screams about the horrors inflicted upon someone who cannot protest. "Bound and Broken" This is another that says the same to me. I think I have to have it! Okay I think I "need" both of them. Hopefully they will inspire and motivate me to become more involved in the issues I feel strongly about. This goes to show the awesome power of photography. I hope to some day get half as good as she is. In the meantime..I'm so drawn to her work. Okay here is something totally stupid. Someone told me that you can tell a lot about a person by what is on their iPod. I am such a major dork! Here's what's on mine: Podcasts: NPR: A Way with Words, Books, Food for Thought, Radio Expeditions, Rick Steves' Audio Tours, The Onion Radio News and Corporate Watchdog; WBUR: Here and Now, WHYY's Radio Times with Marty-Moss Coane, Digital Photography Tips, Photoshop Killer Tips and The Changing World from the BBC. Brick Films shorts. Music: Albums - Damien Rice: "O" and "B-Sides" and James Blunt: "Back to Bedlam" Books: Thomas Mann: Death in Venice, John Grogan: Marley and Me, Isak Dinesen: Out of Africa, Emile Zola: Nana, Joel Osteen: Your Best Life Now, Fyodor Dostoevsky: Crime and Punishment, Leo Tolstoy: War and Peace, His Holiness the Kalai Lama: The Art of Happiness, Nathaniel Philbrick: Mayflower, Stephen D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner: Freakonomics and The Autobiography of Martin Luther King. I really have discovered what a total nerd I am! HA HA...I'm okay with it though. Maybe I'll add some ACDC or some Portishead so I can feign coolness....nah I can always borrow Dave's iPod. Tonight I am working 5-9pm and I am prepared for super busy. That and being watched like a hawk. We have to code out of our phones to go to the bathroom (yes that's what I said) at the call center where I work (can't say the CO). Well people typically code out and run downstairs for about 3.5 minutes if they smoke sometimes after a really bad call. Now they have decided that, if they catch a worker doing this, the first time is a warning and the second possible suspension without pay. A co-worker was seen by a manager who called another. Someone actually ran the length of the building trying to catch him and was upset that they didn't. Now I cannot usually get a supervisor's help when I need it and they are running, full speed mind you, trying to catch someone who is not actually urinating when they say they are? Oh Lord I need a new job so bad. I was sick in July and told also, (I literally laughed inside) that if I am more than 2 minutes late 3 times or sick between now and JANUARY 2007, I may face a "step" on the absence plan and possible suspension. Gee I wonder how many days I could get. Man is it time to look for a new job. No wonder people who had a job like mine outsourced complained about it being too stressfull. I am a very petty person and plan on going to the bathroom every 30 minutes while I am at work tonight. I am acknowledging the pettiness of this action already..I know it is wrong :) Maybe I will take some reading material with me...nah that would just be evil. I am a brat but I'm not evil. Well maybe a little.

Amazing Talent!

First I am ashamed of my spaghetti and meatball binge last night! Guilt doesn't begin to cover it. LOL...okay today is the first day. I am working on a presentation of some great stuff I found on the internet having to do with Freecycle, etc. but stumbled on another really cool site I wanted to tell you about. Etsy.com is like Ebay for artists. Being a photographer myself I was thrilled with this idea. Well in looking around I came across an artist whose work just blew me away. No other word but amazing for this Southern Florida gal. Thought provoking would be an understatement in describing her work. Please take some time and visit her gallery and website. She has requested no hotlinks to her website so I'll just provide the address: caryndrexl.com What I love about her work is this. It's not cupcakes and flowers..it's reality with a dark edge. I think the goal of any artist - writer, photographer or painter is to make the viewer step back and think. So, while her work has a dark edge to it...it throws you reeling into reflection. That's talent baby! I'm posting two of her photos; each link to her gallery. I'm just trying to decide which ones I'm going to buy :) hmmm I wan't one of each! Thanks for the inspiration caryn!

myfooddiary

myfooddiary, originally uploaded by andrealeev. I love this site!

treadmill

treadmill, originally uploaded by andrealeev. One of my two new best friends

I am so proud of myself!

A couple of days ago I posted that it was time for me to work on....ME! Well, here we are a week later and I have actually been sticking to getting healthier. I joined a site where I can track my diet, exercise and body info and my goals. I provides charts of my progress as well as all of my nutritional info for the day as well as telling me how much I will weigh in 30 and 60 days if I keep up what I'm doing now. And yes, this is due to my 20 year reunion coming in October. I was a dancer back then and refuse to be the "Look how fat she has gotten" person! Changes I've made: A minimun 1 mile per day on the treadmill (today I did 1.3 miles -my new # to beat :) Drinking tons of water Watching everything (I mean everything) I eat. I actually have to log it..oh boy. Cut my caloric intake way, way back, until I have retrained my body to eat good food and only when I'm hungry. I've read that, much like Pavlov's dogs we actually become conditioned to eat at certain times as well as certain amounts. By doing a very low calorie diet for a while, I'm conditioning myself to eat when I'm practically starving instead of when I think I should. It feels great really, however the growling stomach was a bit embarassing in church this past Sunday. We go to the diner after every week, and I actually resisted this week. Full glass of water before the meal (all meals) and had tomato vegi soup and a salad with the dressing on the side...YAY. One meal at a time..lol. Eating out is the hardest! As a fun thing I've also started tanning. It's supposed to help the psoriasis (which is almost gone) and I'm so tired of being the palest person on the planet. I'm not going for leather just some healthy color. I'm also considering dying my hair today, which I haven't done in about 15 years. Usually I do the lemon juice or sun-in in the summer, but this year its been way too hot out. I also noticed a ton of gray hairs in my bangs! When I went for the bangs I didn't realize how many of my highlights had dissappeared. I actually like the dark blonde...until I started noticing the gray. Sadly, that means its probably all over my head hiding in the blonde. It's a rite of passage that was coming. I am 37 and that's about right for this reality check lol. I've become obsessed with the tweezers and my hair...put them down and walk away! My fear of hair color is actually of the upkeep. I am very lazy when it comes to doing the girly crap that takes up time. I have too much other stuff to do to worry about nails and roots..blah blah. For the benefit of my husband though :) I will. Speaking of which..he has earned major brownie points this week. First, flowers for no reason! His response "I do have a reason...I love you" AWWW! Second, he is an awesome exterminator. He removed a cicade from our yard (they are on my yuck list next to tarantulas) and is a great cobweb and tomato horn worm remover. Life is good!

super cool link

Until I post later, I wanted to share a great link a co-worker provided. By zip code, it will last best gas prices in your area. GAS PRICES BY ZIP CODE

Test

This is an email test post to my blog!

giving it a whirl

All this week I have been working from 10-2, which is much later than usual for me. As a result, I find myself walking in the door, after running errands on the way home, much later than I regularly do. Thus the lack of blogging this week. Today, I'm going to try something different. I activated the feature whereby I can post via email from work (not that I'd ever do that on work time :) If all goes well and the feature works properly...stay tuned for an afternoon post. Last night at the world religions class we are holding at church we finished part 2 of Islam. We ended up having a wonderful Socratic discussion about the Shariah and Talmud. I really had forgotten stimulating debates can be! It really makes me miss the college classroom setting and the interaction that accompanies it. It also makes me realize all the stuff stored in my brain that is getting dusty. Alas, I am quickly becoming a lame-brain. LOL. The conclusion I have reached, is that the crosswords and cryptograms will no longer suffice as my sole mental stimulation. Time to pick a class this fall at my local college! The online courses are way to easy and lack challenge and interaction. The fun part will be choosing a class. I'm leaning towards something like Anthropology. Physical Anthropology had to be one of the most difficult and rewarding classes I have ever taken. We all look back at thing we "should have done" and for me being talked out of a dig in Mexico at the invitation of my professor was, and will always be, the big one for me. Not again. Thus the benefit of the gray hairs I have been lamenting over finding lately. With age and life experiences comes knowledge..hopefully. Time to grab the bull by the horns once again. I am thinking Cultural Anthropology this time or perhaps a Psychology course. I just finished my most recent issue of Psychology Today..and couldn't put it down. Not that anyone has an interest in which I choose, but I will let you know. Hmmmm... this wasn't supposed to be a blog...it was supposed to be a "I'll blog later" thingy, but I will still try the posting from work. I hope everyone has a wonderful day..and don't let the butt heads get you down!

guess the vacation wasn't yet over

My apologies. I overestimated my readiness to begin blogging again. I guess I thought I was over the personal situation that spiraled me into a major funk because I wanted it to be so. Sometimes the psyche doesn't agree with what we want to be. I know now, after being home with Dave for the week and really getting some old, long overdue projects done, that the "mental housecleaning" is complete. I feel somewhat uncluttered in more ways than one. It is time for me to complete several other things, which have been put off for way too long. I have decided to join the living...full force..mentally and physically! Family and friends can be a wonderful support and I am indebted to several individuals for this...some of them aren't even aware of how much they have inspired and helped me. The important thing is that I am aware and thankfull beyond words. First on the list is to pick a charity once and for all and get involved. When I say involved I mean down and dirty, hands on involved. Walk the walk. Supporting several causes financially and bringing them to the forefront of my blog isn't enough. Second, post photographs...I need to nurture this passion. Body and mind have been suffering and need to be tended to as well...finish the correspondence course which is long overdue and get back to treating my body way better. Lastly..okay maybe not lastly, but next..work on another podcast. Now lastly, get back on my MACS card roll. I missed June and intend to come home from work today and set the pen afire! (not literally :) I have been told that I procrastinate because I need the security of being in a safe place. Should I really succeed at something..the safety net is gone. After seeing Cirque du Soleil this weekend..I have discovered that beautiful things can and do happen without a safety net. As the show says..the sky is not the limit. I believe.