Wimbledon and Jason Mraz

I completely and totally forgot how much I love tennis. For 5 years, I lived and breathed tennis. It's how I lost all the weight. I would wake up at 7 am and play tennis for 2 hours with my dad. There were some weeks where we played every single day. It would never fail, I would watch the Grand Slams and feel the sudden urge to play. I miss my dad. He's such a great man. He has to be the humblest, funniest, kindest guy I know. He sacrificed about 1000 hours teaching me how to play tennis. He still plays to this day. My dad is over 60 and he still beats guys half his age. My dad has always been in great shape, I don't know how his genes skipped out on me.

I don't know what happened but all of a sudden I just stopped playing and stopped watching all the pros. I guess I got to busy? I moved, I graduated, I married... I guess my life moved on.

Thank goodness for Wimbledon. I've spent the whole week watching Wimbledon from 8 til 5. I haven't sat down and watched a game in ages. This week, I really sat and watched the strokes and the strategy. It rekindled a love that has been long buried and forgotten. Now all the players that I used to love like Guga, Ferrero, Safin and Ivanisevic, are now obsolete and have been replaced by new tennis stars. So, thank you to Wimbledon and Janko Tipsarevic for renewing my love of tennis.



Also, I literally stumbled upon the new Jason Mraz cd... That kid is love. I'll always remember my friend Yessie for introducing him to me in college. We used to read his blog during breaks during class and squee about his genius. His new album is so great for the summer, especially on a nice relaxing afternoon sipping a cool glass of lemonade.



I'm watching Wanted tonight. I'm super excited.

I must confess...

Watching: So You Think You Can Dance. Flipping Mark Kanemura is amazing. He's Hawaiian, he's quirky and he can dance yo.
Reading:Belong to Me by Marisa de los Santos. Her writing is so prolific and captures emotions so well. It doesn't hurt that she's half Filipino either.
Listening:Narrow Stairs. I don't care what anyone says, this is the best album of the year. Coldplay who?
Waiting:The Dark Knight. The viral marketing on this movie is sick.
Obsessing:Since there's been a lot of press on Mr. McAvoy this week, I've been watching all his interviews. The funniest one so far was the Daily Show, but he's doing Craig Ferguson tonight, should be hilarious.


Earlier this week, I was flipping through the channels one night. I think it might have been Sunday, but I can't be too sure. All I remember is that I wanted to relax and watch something that didn't require a lot of thinking, basically no thought process whatsoever. I'm flipping through and there isn't anything good at all, nothing not even a Man vs Wild, or Anthony Bourdain. Nothing. I finally get to ABC Family and there's something that caught my eye. Now before I say what it was, I am aware that I'm gonna get a lot of flack for this. I will lose a lot of my "street cred" but I'm willing to be honest and let it out.

So, I must admit the "something" that caught my eye was in the shape of a Jonas brother. Yes, as in Joe Jonas of the Jonas Bros. The funny thing is that the reason why I stopped to watch is because the kid has an uncanny resemblance to Filipe and at first I watched because I was creeped out. The movie, Camp Rock, was just awful. It was cheesy and campy (no pun intended) but I couldn't stop watching. The lead girl, Demi something or other, she's cute and she can sing in a Michelle Branch kind of way. So, yea.. I feel really bad for the older Jonas, he's really just the broke Jonas... I think his name is Kevin. Poor kid, stuck with his cooler and somewhat cuter younger brothers.

Anyway, so yea yesterday I totally downloaded their new song. It's not the best song I've ever heard, but it's kinda catchy. I'll probably listen to it on those days that I listen to my old N'Sync albums. Yea... I listened to N'Sync but they were good back in the day. i mean come on, Bye Bye Bye was really catchy.

Manic Monday... Did I just say Manic Monday? My golly.

It's Monday and I'm at work. Physically for today. I drive to Boca on Mondays and Tuesdays. Last week, I was sick and ended up staying home the whole week (Yes in my jammies). At first, it was awesome. I would wake up 10 minutes before I had to log on and then voila! I'm at work. No need to change, I could make breakfast while everything was loading, it was pretty cool. I couldn't say I felt the same by Wednesday. The reason being... I sit at home in the dark. It's really all rather creepy, but I don't like letting other people know I'm home. I know I'm weird. Let me try and explain the set-up, if you can imagine it:

First, I close all the blinds. All of them, the ones in the kitchen, the bedroom and the living room. I don't like it when people can look into my house. The other day when I was at home, I opened the blinds a tiny crack and there were people walking around in the back. I saw them, jumped up and quickly closed the blinds. Of course, peering out a little to see if they saw me. I'm paranoid I guess.

Second, I turn the AC to 75 or 76, we usually have the AC on 70. I have this weird notion in my head, that if I just sit completley still throughout the day, I wont use all of the cold air, and since there is only one of me it kinda makes sense? Mark hates it. One of the first things he always asks me when he comes home is, "Why is it so hot in here?" and I always reply with the same answer, "Because I turned the air down." He asks me everytime. I guess because he hates the hot weather, but if I'm in my jammies and I'm sitting in the same spot for 8 hours, it doesn't bother me.

Third, I turn all the lights off. I guess I do this because, I don't want anyone to know I'm home and also because of the electricity bill. I figure the less I use, the less our electricity bill will be. Of course, this enhances the creep factor, but times are tough people and again adding to the fact that if the lights are off, no one is home....

So anyway, I'm sitting at the computer desk for 8 hours and I can't really watch tv or listen to music through the speakers, because if my boss or someone intercoms me, they can hear what I'm doing. So, I have to do everything on the sly. So, I'll have one earphone in and one out so I can still pick up calls.

I mean working from home is cool, but because I'm there all day and then there all night, the walls start to close in on you. You realize that you were wearing possibly the same shirt you wore yesterday and you looked at all the same websites. Even though I'm working from home and have the ability to do whatever I want, I still try to have some integrity and actually work. I mean I may have some music on in the background or a reading something, but I don't want to take advantage you know? So anyway, after a while sitting at home all by your lonesome can be... well to be redundant lonely. Then sometimes I wish I was in Boca with all the other people. But then when I'm in Boca... like today. I wish I was home. The simple reason being it's also lonely here.

Giselle moved to Taiwan and she was the only other young person here. Everyone else is above the age of 40 and their English is for lack of a better word almost non existant. It's hard to have a conversation with someone when they don't understand you and you don't understand them. It ends up being a conversation where you're just smiling and nodding your head and saying, "Yes!" "Really?" "Cool!". It's very tiring. So, I end up just sitting here and doing what I would at home, except not in my jammies.

I'm really not complaining. I'm 100% thankful for this job, I truly am. I just start to think a lot, when my brain is only working 5%.

Lacking Motivation?

Watching: The Incredible Hulk. Edward Norton is boss.
Reading: The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. Amazing...
Listening: Talk by Coldplay. This is my song of the week. I've been listening over and over.
Waiting: Wanted. Do yourself a favor and watch the Red Band trailer. This movie is gonna own.
Obsessing: All my fave Brit guys. So many cool things going on this summer with ALL of them.


Yup, I'm lacking motivation. I need to get on the ball with a ton of things. I'm starting to feel them weighing down on me.


Be a friend, try and motivate me.

Hamlet

How oh how, did I not get tickets to see David Tennant as Hamlet. I mean COME ON... It's the Doctor as Hamlet. The greatest Dane in all of literature. My golly and its flippin Shakespeare. I love Shakespeare. I think I truly fell in love with literature when I read Shakespeare. I always had a bit of a crush, but I fell hard when it came to Shakespeare. David Tennant is also performing in Love's Labour's Lost. Le sigh. I'm really quite miffed. It's bad enough that I have to miss the Mighty Boosh Festival, but I also have to miss this.

Remind me again, why I don't live in the UK?

My Grandfather has a blog?!?!

Well, he does but not really. My grandfather, or Lolo as us Filipinos call him, leads an amazing life. This past May he turned 90 and he's still full of life, maybe more than most of us. Lolo has been through quite a bit. He was a Prisoner of War during the Bataan death march, he was a lawyer, he fathered seven children, he suffered the loss of his beloved wife, he moved to America and now he lives in retirement.

My brother started this blog, because Lolo wrote about his life. Lolo is quite a prolific writer. He wanted everyone to know that we all have a purpose and plan. Here is a little snippet,

"This story is written to give glory to God who has a plan for everyone. I was born on May 8, 1918 and at my present age as I write this story on December 7, 1991, my experiences and observations conclusively prove the truth about God’s plan for everyone. (Today is the 50th anniversary of Pearl Harbor.)

It was during my lunch session with Atty. Dallas Albritton in his office with Atty. Robert Ruelo when in the course of conversation, Dallas said: “Brother, you should write a story of your life.” He made this suggestion after I told them how I passed the Philippine Bar which I took in 1949."

It is quite lengthy, but I do encourage you to read it. It's more than just a story about a man who lived a life bringing glory to God. It's about my history about where I come from. I'm proud that he is my Lolo and I want to share that with all of you.

http://sibayanclan.blogspot.com/

Summer thus far....

Watching: Every dance show that is on America. They are ADDICTIVE. (Let me clarify... ABDC and SYTYCD)
Listening:Viva la Vida - Coldplay. That Apple commercial is off the chain. Yes, I said chain.
Reading: A Voice in the Wind - Francine Rivers. No, I never read it. Yes, I know it's blasphemy that I haven't.
Waiting: THE INCREDIBLE HULK.
Obsessing: Reading. I think in the past 5 days, I've read 5 books. I'm a woman possessed.

It's summer time. Yay. Well not really. Honestly, unless your a mother, a teacher, a student or a bum (not a literal bum) summers cease to exist in your life. I finished my 2 months teaching and they were amazing. It was challenging, stressful, but most of all, it was rewarding. The relationships I formed in that short amount of time are priceless. I really want to go back in the fall, but alas I still have not heard. So RC, that's a no. I have not heard, but everyone please pray for me.

So if your wondering what I'm doing job wise, I decided to go back to my old job for the summer. Now before you start saying, "What the?" Let me explain myself.
I did have a job lined up teaching swim to kids, but the place was shady. I played phone tag with the receptionist for 2 weeks. They never said specifically that I was hired. They never told me how much they were gonna pay me, or what my hours would be like. It was all very sketch. Although, I was still set to do it, because I really didn't want to drive to Boca. Well the real pièce de résistance was the fact that when I did lifeguard training, I almost drowned. Most of you don't know this, but I've had a water phobia my whole life. I can never really have water on my face for long periods of time. I always have a towel in the shower so I can dry my face. I think this semi-phobia has to do with the fact that when I was 5 I almost drowned in the bathtub when I hit my head. Lame, I know but we all have these little quirks. Although, as an adult I've overcome the phobia.

Anyway, so this company I was gonna work for, they told me that I had to do lifeguard training. Now, I've never had any formal training in swim. My BFF taught me how to swim when I was 10 and recently she told me she didn't know how to swim. Which I thought was funny, because she taught me. So, yea... figure that one out. When they said lifeguard training, I'm thinking that there isn't much involved in this. The lady says you'll be watching videos and in the water some time. I'm like, okay I can do this.

When I get there, they tell me I have to do 12 lengths of the pool with the breast stroke and freestyle. I think to myself, "Noelle, you can do this. Don't be afraid." I jump in and the water is boiling hot. I do about 4 lengths in a style that does not resemble the breast stroke or the freestyle and I can feel my arms cramping. As I was swimming, I think I inhaled at least 1 liter of water. I was in the middle of one lap and I started to sinkand I think at that moment, I realized that my old job was for me.

I really think it's God thing though, because they have no one here that speaks English properly and they're paying me almost $5 more than the other place. Plus, I wont have an awful tan anymore, I can work whatever hours I want, I can write blogs, and if I can get this stupid router to work, I can work from home. So yea... I'm in a good place right now.

Summer Goals.

I need to make a list of goals for the summer. If I don't, I'll never accomplish anything. I'm the type of person that loves to make lists. Often I'll put things on a list that I've already done, just so that I can strike it off the list. There is nothing more satisfying than knowing you completed a task you set out for yourself.

1. Write Write Write Write.
2. Find something for the fall. Something that does not involve travel or Asians.
Although, I'll ONLY be doing it for the summer.
3. Make a trip somewhere that isn't Tampa and not necessarily out of the country.
4. Make time for my peeps. I miss you peeps.
5. Read Read Read Read.
6. For further encouragement, Write Write Write!