The first time I saw “Back to the Future” was when I was nine years old (in 1985). I fell in love with the story, the action and Michael J. Fox (whom I was already crushing on thanks to “Family Ties”). I started acting out the story with my Barbies, using Peaches and Cream Barbie’s dress for Lorraine’s Enchantment Under the Sea dress. The pink Barbie Corvette turned into a DeLorean. I also made coloring books that tried to capture the whole story. I’m sure I watched it dozens of times on video and cable after seeing it in the theater. I can’t fathom any other way I would have memorized it that easily.
Any time I hear “Power of Love” by Huey Lewis, I’m immediately transported to the beginning of the movie, when Marty is clinging to a truck in order to skateboard more quickly to school. The song just captures the essence of that movie, even though it really has nothing to do with time travel whatsoever.
Ever since I saw “Back to the Future,” I’ve been fascinated by time travel and enjoy watching movies and reading stories about the topic. (This probably explains why “The Time Traveler’s Wife” is one of my favorite books.) I saw the second and third installments of the series, but wasn’t as impressed as I was with the original. It just was about Marty in other time periods rehashing the same lines and scenes with the same people. The one fear I have is that someone will try to remake it in 2015 so that someone travels back to 1985 (which is then 30 years into the past). That will just be wrong. “Back to the Future” is a classic that should not be messed with in any way.
In lieu of “Back to the Future’s” 25th anniversary, I wanted to share a list of my favorite scenes or lines from the movie.
• When Marty plays “Johnny B. Goode” at the dance.
• When Marty first meets his grandparents, aunts and uncles in the 50’s, at their family dinner.
• When Biff gets tricked into driving into the manure truck.
• When George asks Lorraine to the dance by saying it will be their “density.”
• “Hey you, get your damn hands off of her.”
• “Give me - Give me a Tab.” “Tab? I can't give you a tab unless you order something.” “All right, give me a Pepsi Free". "You want a Pepsi, PAL, you're gonna pay for it".
• How all the things that happened after Marty went back in time affected his present day life.
• “Where we’re going, we don’t need roads.”
• The way Marty slept. It looked so uncomfortable and yet it worked for him.
• “If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything.”
• “Why don’t you make like a tree and get out of here.”
• Hey Biff, get a load of this guy's life preserver. Dork thinks he's gonna drown.
• How Lorraine calls Marty “Calvin” because of the name on his underwear
Please feel free to comment with your favorite BTTF moments or quotes.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Merrylandgirl is a Gleek!
Ever since I saw the teaser episode of “Glee” in May, 2009, I was completely hooked. There’s something that attracts me to “Glee” and makes it a “must-see” show on my weekly schedule. It could be the witty humor and clever lines, the music (pretty obvious on that part), the acting, the fact that most of the actors and actresses are fresh faces to me, the stories, etc. The show brings back memories of being in chorus and even competing on speech team (hard to explain, but it makes sense to me). It ranges from easily relatable to completely unrealistic, but that’s what keeps viewers on their toes. My favorite character is Rachel. I know she's probably not the most popular choice, but that makes her more endearing. And I love her singing voice. I feel like I can relate the most to her. Also, I love how some of the episodes have even made me cry, like the third one from this current season.
Lately, they’ve been doing theme episodes, such as Madonna, Lady Gaga and Britney Spears. Tonight, the theme is “Rocky Horror.” For me, combining one of my favorite TV shows with one of my favorite movie experiences is complete nirvana! (I can’t say the movie is my favorite, but I have lots of good RHPS memories.)
In lieu of tonight's episode, I’ve compiled a list of themes that would be an incredible combination for me:
1. Rent (it would be a perfect way to celebrate 15 years)
2. Into the Woods
3. Nirvana
4. Adam Lambert
5. Alanis Morissette
6. The Wizard of Oz
7. Grease
8. Little Shop of Horrors
9. Billy Joel (I think they were talking about it but I don't know if it will happen)
10. Disney music
Please feel free to share your list of perfect "Glee" themes. :)
Lately, they’ve been doing theme episodes, such as Madonna, Lady Gaga and Britney Spears. Tonight, the theme is “Rocky Horror.” For me, combining one of my favorite TV shows with one of my favorite movie experiences is complete nirvana! (I can’t say the movie is my favorite, but I have lots of good RHPS memories.)
In lieu of tonight's episode, I’ve compiled a list of themes that would be an incredible combination for me:
1. Rent (it would be a perfect way to celebrate 15 years)
2. Into the Woods
3. Nirvana
4. Adam Lambert
5. Alanis Morissette
6. The Wizard of Oz
7. Grease
8. Little Shop of Horrors
9. Billy Joel (I think they were talking about it but I don't know if it will happen)
10. Disney music
Please feel free to share your list of perfect "Glee" themes. :)
Monday, October 25, 2010
You've got mail
Something that kept me sane during my hellish junior high years was the existence of pen pals. Nowadays, with the Internet, it seems like people no longer take a pen to paper to catch up with a friend. It’s as easy as a click of a mouse, and no postage necessary. However, back when postage was still 25 cents and beautiful stationery was sold in the shops of historic Long Grove (Illinois), I used to love writing real letters to people I knew in different parts of the country...and the world!
The first pen pal I had was a girl who was cousins with some family friends of ours. I met her the summer before seventh grade and we agreed to write to each other. She lived in NY and we only saw each other at simchas for our family friends. Her grandma would be with us in Florida and she’d call her so we could talk by phone during that time. Anyway, we would send each other letters talking about our latest celebrity crushes and other things going on in our lives. She was obsessed with “21 Jump Street,” so she wrote about that a lot, as well. (I remember that she even had a “21 Jump Street” themed Bat Mitzvah party.) She’d also try to write her own script for the show and would send it to me. And one of the best things she ever sent me was sheet music to the songs from “Sing.” I think we’d send each other birthday and holiday gifts, as well. We stayed in touch throughout high school and college, but then drifted a bit after that. We’d send occasional sporadic e-mails, but that was about it. Thankfully, we were able to reconnect on Facebook and I’m glad to see that she is doing well. Sometimes I’ll e-mail her about things that remind me of our past pen pal exchanges.
Shortly after I became pen pals with my friend from NY, I signed up for an Australian pen pal exchange from my library. During the rough first few months of seventh grade, one of my days was brightened by a letter I received from a girl in New South Wales. She and I started corresponding regularly and would send each other gifts, as well. She first sent me a picture of koala bears, which is now hanging in my older son’s room. I sent her a Caboodle (those make up kits that have extra compartments for more storage). We corresponded throughout high school and college, as well. However, we lost touch because I had writers block on a letter and just never sent it. She and I were at different places in our lives at the time and I felt like I had nothing more exciting to say. I feel bad about dropping contact. I keep looking for her on Facebook but can’t seem to find her. I’m guessing she only goes by her married name, but I thought even searching for women around her age with her first name who live around the NSW area would produce something. So far, no luck.
Through a pen pal exchange from “Teen” magazine, I became connected with a girl from California. She seemed really friendly and we’d exchange letters often. I perceived her to be someone who would fit in with the popular kids at my school, so I felt honored to receive such unconditional attention from her. We were supposed to meet up in person when she had a layover in Chicago once, but then her flight got changed and the meeting didn’t happen. She was nice enough to call and explain what happened though. We stayed in touch throughout high school, but then drifted apart. I also became pen pals with another girl from California (through the same magazine) when I was in high school. She also seemed like the more popular type and I was pleased to have her attention, as well. We also drifted after high school. Finally, there was a girl from Alabama, whom I also met through “Teen,” who seemed really nice. She knew Spanish and I would try to write to her in Spanish when I was learning it in high school. Once she signed a letter with “Lylas,” which I thought was Spanish. I asked my teacher about it and she explained that it meant “love ya like a sister.” That was pretty funny and embarrassing at the same time. I think we tried to stay in touch during college, but also drifted. I haven’t found any of these three girls on Facebook though. Believe me, I have tried.
I think there were other pen pals with whom I only corresponded for a short amount of time and then we quickly lost touch. I remember a girl in junior high who seemed to have a million pen pals. I was jealous of her. She’d connect with people from the classified section of “Teen Beat” and “Bop” magazines. I tried doing that too, but nothing ever came of it. I do appreciate and cherish the letters I received from pen pals throughout the years. I unfortunately do not have them anymore. They either got lost in a move or disappeared in a flood. I would also stay in touch with friends who I became close with in person but lived too far away from to see often. Later, I’d sometimes exchange handwritten letters with friends I met online. It seems like the concept of pen pals does not exist in this day and age. It is probably because stamp prices have risen and the Internet is so much more convenient. Still, I don’t even know if I’d let my kids have pen pals unless it was something I helped to arrange. It seems like there are less trustworthy people out there these days. There’s also the chance of cyber-bullying to worry about. Even when my kids start getting on the Internet, I’ll have so much protection on there that all they’ll be able to do is play games or watch family friendly videos. I’m impressed that my parents let me have pen pals and also meet up with people I connected with online. I know if I were a kid in this day and age, the level of parental monitoring would be so much tighter. It makes me glad that I grew up in the 80’s and 90’s, when pen pals were just friends I got to know through the mail.
The first pen pal I had was a girl who was cousins with some family friends of ours. I met her the summer before seventh grade and we agreed to write to each other. She lived in NY and we only saw each other at simchas for our family friends. Her grandma would be with us in Florida and she’d call her so we could talk by phone during that time. Anyway, we would send each other letters talking about our latest celebrity crushes and other things going on in our lives. She was obsessed with “21 Jump Street,” so she wrote about that a lot, as well. (I remember that she even had a “21 Jump Street” themed Bat Mitzvah party.) She’d also try to write her own script for the show and would send it to me. And one of the best things she ever sent me was sheet music to the songs from “Sing.” I think we’d send each other birthday and holiday gifts, as well. We stayed in touch throughout high school and college, but then drifted a bit after that. We’d send occasional sporadic e-mails, but that was about it. Thankfully, we were able to reconnect on Facebook and I’m glad to see that she is doing well. Sometimes I’ll e-mail her about things that remind me of our past pen pal exchanges.
Shortly after I became pen pals with my friend from NY, I signed up for an Australian pen pal exchange from my library. During the rough first few months of seventh grade, one of my days was brightened by a letter I received from a girl in New South Wales. She and I started corresponding regularly and would send each other gifts, as well. She first sent me a picture of koala bears, which is now hanging in my older son’s room. I sent her a Caboodle (those make up kits that have extra compartments for more storage). We corresponded throughout high school and college, as well. However, we lost touch because I had writers block on a letter and just never sent it. She and I were at different places in our lives at the time and I felt like I had nothing more exciting to say. I feel bad about dropping contact. I keep looking for her on Facebook but can’t seem to find her. I’m guessing she only goes by her married name, but I thought even searching for women around her age with her first name who live around the NSW area would produce something. So far, no luck.
Through a pen pal exchange from “Teen” magazine, I became connected with a girl from California. She seemed really friendly and we’d exchange letters often. I perceived her to be someone who would fit in with the popular kids at my school, so I felt honored to receive such unconditional attention from her. We were supposed to meet up in person when she had a layover in Chicago once, but then her flight got changed and the meeting didn’t happen. She was nice enough to call and explain what happened though. We stayed in touch throughout high school, but then drifted apart. I also became pen pals with another girl from California (through the same magazine) when I was in high school. She also seemed like the more popular type and I was pleased to have her attention, as well. We also drifted after high school. Finally, there was a girl from Alabama, whom I also met through “Teen,” who seemed really nice. She knew Spanish and I would try to write to her in Spanish when I was learning it in high school. Once she signed a letter with “Lylas,” which I thought was Spanish. I asked my teacher about it and she explained that it meant “love ya like a sister.” That was pretty funny and embarrassing at the same time. I think we tried to stay in touch during college, but also drifted. I haven’t found any of these three girls on Facebook though. Believe me, I have tried.
I think there were other pen pals with whom I only corresponded for a short amount of time and then we quickly lost touch. I remember a girl in junior high who seemed to have a million pen pals. I was jealous of her. She’d connect with people from the classified section of “Teen Beat” and “Bop” magazines. I tried doing that too, but nothing ever came of it. I do appreciate and cherish the letters I received from pen pals throughout the years. I unfortunately do not have them anymore. They either got lost in a move or disappeared in a flood. I would also stay in touch with friends who I became close with in person but lived too far away from to see often. Later, I’d sometimes exchange handwritten letters with friends I met online. It seems like the concept of pen pals does not exist in this day and age. It is probably because stamp prices have risen and the Internet is so much more convenient. Still, I don’t even know if I’d let my kids have pen pals unless it was something I helped to arrange. It seems like there are less trustworthy people out there these days. There’s also the chance of cyber-bullying to worry about. Even when my kids start getting on the Internet, I’ll have so much protection on there that all they’ll be able to do is play games or watch family friendly videos. I’m impressed that my parents let me have pen pals and also meet up with people I connected with online. I know if I were a kid in this day and age, the level of parental monitoring would be so much tighter. It makes me glad that I grew up in the 80’s and 90’s, when pen pals were just friends I got to know through the mail.
"I Think I'm Gonna Like it Here": Merrylandgirl's spa day experience
When I first entered THE pearl modern spa and boutique, I had the song “I Think I’m Gonna Like it Here” from Annie in my head. I had signed up for this spa day event, hosted by a local shul, and had been looking forward to it for almost two months. I was not disappointed in the slightest.
Initially, everyone was given a locker and a robe and invited to hang out in the lounge on really comfortable chairs and couches or have breakfast, where they were serving danishes and a yogurt bar (catered by a local Kosher store). I didn’t have my first service until 12:30, so from 10:00 until then, I got to eat breakfast, relax and read. I managed to claim a lounging chair (a longer version of a regular chair, meant for stretching ones’ legs) and settled in with my book and some mint flavored hot cocoa. Women who worked at the spa were handing out warm neck wraps, so I enjoyed that luxury, as well.
My first service was a facial. When I got in the room, I was surprised to see a massage table. It was very comfortable though. The woman who did my facial offered me a pillow, which was definitely appreciated. She then explained all the steps of the facial so that I would not be too alarmed by what she was doing. First she put a cleanser on my face, which smelled incredible and felt amazing. I couldn’t stop smiling! She wiped it off with a warm cloth. Then she used an exfoliating scrub and wiped that with a warm cloth, as well. Finally, she put on a hydrating mask and covered my eyes with a translucent cloth. She let the mask sit for a while and gave me a hand and arm massage in the meantime. It was a very pleasant and relaxing experience overall. I couldn’t stop raving about it the whole day!
Afterward, I got a manicure. I haven’t had one since this summer, so it was a nice indulgence. With all the typing and other things I do, I don’t know how long it will last. I picked a warm fall color (a deep red) and let the manicurist get to work. While she was doing my nails, she washed my rings and now my engagement ring is all sparkly again. She did a great job and was very gentle throughout the manicure, even though I have tense hands, which she kept pointing out. When she painted my nails, she did small brush strokes, almost like she was painting a work of art. It was fascinating to watch.
After my nails dried, I had lunch (mostly salad) and sat with a girl who was new to the community. She was very nice, and I enjoyed getting to know her. Then I rested for a short time until my pregnancy massage (or as they called it, an “oyster” massage). The massage bed was set up with a special cushion so I wouldn’t put pressure on my abdomen. She first worked on my upper back and shoulder area and got out all the tension that had been causing my upper back, neck and shoulders to be sore for a while. Then she worked on my legs and feet for a long time. It was such a relaxing and blissful experience and I really enjoyed it.
I had some time to relax in the afternoon before going home. I took a shower at one point. The water pressure was great, but it took a while to get to the right temperature. Then I sat and talked with some women, including the new girl I met that day, and also read for a while. When it was time to get ready to leave, I did not want to get out of the extremely soft and comfortable robe in order to put on my street clothes. It felt like I was getting back to reality after a day of complete hedonism.
I hope there will be more spa days like this in the future, as it was a wonderful experience. Next time, I would like to be able to take advantage of things I couldn’t do while pregnant, such as the blue grotto clay treatment or the luxurious tub soak, as well as drink some wine. Aside from all that, it was a nice getaway and I enjoyed bonding with other women from the community.
Initially, everyone was given a locker and a robe and invited to hang out in the lounge on really comfortable chairs and couches or have breakfast, where they were serving danishes and a yogurt bar (catered by a local Kosher store). I didn’t have my first service until 12:30, so from 10:00 until then, I got to eat breakfast, relax and read. I managed to claim a lounging chair (a longer version of a regular chair, meant for stretching ones’ legs) and settled in with my book and some mint flavored hot cocoa. Women who worked at the spa were handing out warm neck wraps, so I enjoyed that luxury, as well.
My first service was a facial. When I got in the room, I was surprised to see a massage table. It was very comfortable though. The woman who did my facial offered me a pillow, which was definitely appreciated. She then explained all the steps of the facial so that I would not be too alarmed by what she was doing. First she put a cleanser on my face, which smelled incredible and felt amazing. I couldn’t stop smiling! She wiped it off with a warm cloth. Then she used an exfoliating scrub and wiped that with a warm cloth, as well. Finally, she put on a hydrating mask and covered my eyes with a translucent cloth. She let the mask sit for a while and gave me a hand and arm massage in the meantime. It was a very pleasant and relaxing experience overall. I couldn’t stop raving about it the whole day!
Afterward, I got a manicure. I haven’t had one since this summer, so it was a nice indulgence. With all the typing and other things I do, I don’t know how long it will last. I picked a warm fall color (a deep red) and let the manicurist get to work. While she was doing my nails, she washed my rings and now my engagement ring is all sparkly again. She did a great job and was very gentle throughout the manicure, even though I have tense hands, which she kept pointing out. When she painted my nails, she did small brush strokes, almost like she was painting a work of art. It was fascinating to watch.
After my nails dried, I had lunch (mostly salad) and sat with a girl who was new to the community. She was very nice, and I enjoyed getting to know her. Then I rested for a short time until my pregnancy massage (or as they called it, an “oyster” massage). The massage bed was set up with a special cushion so I wouldn’t put pressure on my abdomen. She first worked on my upper back and shoulder area and got out all the tension that had been causing my upper back, neck and shoulders to be sore for a while. Then she worked on my legs and feet for a long time. It was such a relaxing and blissful experience and I really enjoyed it.
I had some time to relax in the afternoon before going home. I took a shower at one point. The water pressure was great, but it took a while to get to the right temperature. Then I sat and talked with some women, including the new girl I met that day, and also read for a while. When it was time to get ready to leave, I did not want to get out of the extremely soft and comfortable robe in order to put on my street clothes. It felt like I was getting back to reality after a day of complete hedonism.
I hope there will be more spa days like this in the future, as it was a wonderful experience. Next time, I would like to be able to take advantage of things I couldn’t do while pregnant, such as the blue grotto clay treatment or the luxurious tub soak, as well as drink some wine. Aside from all that, it was a nice getaway and I enjoyed bonding with other women from the community.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Merrylandgirl has a "Wicked" memory
I recently obtained (by accident) a new CD of the "Wicked" soundtrack. I've had the soundtrack for a while, but the CD became scratched up and I could no longer enjoy listening to it. Hearing the songs in my car today reminded me of my first experiences with this musical.
My first encounter with "Wicked" was when my friend sent me the soundtrack in February, 2004. I started listening to it and couldn't get enough. By the weekend of my wedding in March, I had memorized most of the soundtrack. Over the summer, I saw the Tony awards and Idina and Kristin performed "Defying Gravity." At the time, I resented "Avenue Q" for taking away the Best Musical win from "Wicked." (I did give the show a chance years later and am glad I let down my grudge.)
Later that year (around this same weekend), my sister and I went to NY for a weekend getaway and to visit some of our close friends living there. We got tickets to see "Wicked," even though we got obstructed view seats to save money. It wasn't too bad, we just couldn't see some of the scenery. As Murphy's Law would have it, we did not get to see Idina perform. However, her understudy was wonderful. (I can only imagine the pressure of being an understudy for Idina Menzel!) We weren't expecting to see Kristin, so that wasn't a disappointment. The coolest was getting to see Joey McIntryre as Fiyero. We were NKOTB fans back in the late 80's and he was definitely my favorite. After the show (which was amazing), we got his autograph and took a picture with him. My sister told him how we saw him in a New Kids concert and he was embarrassed about it. (Apparently not embarrassed enough to do a reunion tour with them!) Anyway, there was a lot going on in the show that didn't fall into place just from listening to the soundtrack. It was cool to be surprised in such a way and to see things come together in the story.
We saw "Wicked" again in Chicago when a touring cast performed. We could see the scenery this time but we were further back. I think seeing it on Broadway created a major bias for me because I couldn't enjoy it as much with a touring cast. I wasn't impressed with Fiyero at all and thought Elphaba was decent but didn't even hold a candle to Idina's understudy. Carol Kane ("I'm not a witch, I'm your wife!") was Madame Morrible and she did pretty well with the role. I'm glad my husband enjoyed the story and music though. He listened to the soundtrack with me more often after that. However, he didn't like "Dancing Through Life" and I didn't (and still don't) like "Wonderful." We'd do a trade-off so we both got to listen to the songs we wanted without the other complaining. :)
In October of 2005, there was a singing contest at a local mall as part of a promotion for "Wicked" in Chicago. My husband was home with our one month-old son and I got to go to the mall to return a few gifts and check out this contest. I decided to enter and my number got picked. I chose to sing "Popular." Probably not a good choice for me as I have more of an Elphaba voice than a Glinda voice. I wasn't expecting to win anyway. I met this one girl there who was really nice and I was glad she got to advance forward in the competition. It was still a fun experience nonetheless. I enjoyed just being around other "Wicked" fans.
I haven't really been as involved with "Wicked" since that time, especially due to my many changing Broadway show tastes. However, I still love singing along with the soundtrack and still know all the words. I don't mind getting the songs in my head and I hope to one day meet Idina, as she is an incredible performer. And I still think everyone should see "Wicked" at least once in their lives.
My first encounter with "Wicked" was when my friend sent me the soundtrack in February, 2004. I started listening to it and couldn't get enough. By the weekend of my wedding in March, I had memorized most of the soundtrack. Over the summer, I saw the Tony awards and Idina and Kristin performed "Defying Gravity." At the time, I resented "Avenue Q" for taking away the Best Musical win from "Wicked." (I did give the show a chance years later and am glad I let down my grudge.)
Later that year (around this same weekend), my sister and I went to NY for a weekend getaway and to visit some of our close friends living there. We got tickets to see "Wicked," even though we got obstructed view seats to save money. It wasn't too bad, we just couldn't see some of the scenery. As Murphy's Law would have it, we did not get to see Idina perform. However, her understudy was wonderful. (I can only imagine the pressure of being an understudy for Idina Menzel!) We weren't expecting to see Kristin, so that wasn't a disappointment. The coolest was getting to see Joey McIntryre as Fiyero. We were NKOTB fans back in the late 80's and he was definitely my favorite. After the show (which was amazing), we got his autograph and took a picture with him. My sister told him how we saw him in a New Kids concert and he was embarrassed about it. (Apparently not embarrassed enough to do a reunion tour with them!) Anyway, there was a lot going on in the show that didn't fall into place just from listening to the soundtrack. It was cool to be surprised in such a way and to see things come together in the story.
We saw "Wicked" again in Chicago when a touring cast performed. We could see the scenery this time but we were further back. I think seeing it on Broadway created a major bias for me because I couldn't enjoy it as much with a touring cast. I wasn't impressed with Fiyero at all and thought Elphaba was decent but didn't even hold a candle to Idina's understudy. Carol Kane ("I'm not a witch, I'm your wife!") was Madame Morrible and she did pretty well with the role. I'm glad my husband enjoyed the story and music though. He listened to the soundtrack with me more often after that. However, he didn't like "Dancing Through Life" and I didn't (and still don't) like "Wonderful." We'd do a trade-off so we both got to listen to the songs we wanted without the other complaining. :)
In October of 2005, there was a singing contest at a local mall as part of a promotion for "Wicked" in Chicago. My husband was home with our one month-old son and I got to go to the mall to return a few gifts and check out this contest. I decided to enter and my number got picked. I chose to sing "Popular." Probably not a good choice for me as I have more of an Elphaba voice than a Glinda voice. I wasn't expecting to win anyway. I met this one girl there who was really nice and I was glad she got to advance forward in the competition. It was still a fun experience nonetheless. I enjoyed just being around other "Wicked" fans.
I haven't really been as involved with "Wicked" since that time, especially due to my many changing Broadway show tastes. However, I still love singing along with the soundtrack and still know all the words. I don't mind getting the songs in my head and I hope to one day meet Idina, as she is an incredible performer. And I still think everyone should see "Wicked" at least once in their lives.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Back to life, back to reality....
It’s been a busy few months and I haven’t really kept anyone up to date on my life, other than through little Facebook status updates. My pregnancy is pretty obvious now. Even if I didn’t post about it, people would still come up to me to say “b’shaah tovah” because of how I look. I shouldn’t complain because I barely showed with my last pregnancy and would get comments that people didn’t believe I was pregnant. I found that to be annoying. The first couple of months were rough. I was so nauseous that looking at a computer for a long period of time just made it worse. I was surprised I was online as much as I tended to appear. Eating was a chore because I knew the food wouldn’t stay where it was for long. I even got sick at shul once, which was so embarrassing. (Thankfully, it was in the bathroom and only one person I knew heard me.) I just know that I will never become bulimic. I hate throwing up!!! I’m so glad I can eat again that I tend to overeat these days. I have the excuse of “eating for two” though. My 20 week ultrasound is this coming Friday. I am not finding out the gender. I love the element of surprise and I’m more concerned that my baby is healthy than anything else. I had my first sonogram on my birthday, which was a nice treat on a lousy day (it was Tisha B’Av and I had an ear infection). Then I had one in August to check for Down Syndrome and other possible issues. I’m more excited about this one and will post pics next week.
The whole month of September was full of holidays and holiday preparation. One holiday would end and we’d be out shopping to get ready for the next one. Rosh Hashanah was nice because my parents were in town and we got to spend some quality time with them. We hosted a couple of meals and my husband made some amazing dishes. He got this new brisket recipe and the flavor reminds me of how my paternal grandma used to make it. I had him make it again for Shemini Atzeret. Yom Kippur was okay. This was the longest I’ve ever made it through a service without having to worry about the kids. However, I had a really bad headache and broke the fast a few hours early as a result. Then I spent the rest of the evening reading a book where the main topic was food. We officially broke the fast over grilled cheese sandwiches with our neighbors. Sukkot was one weather disaster after another. It first stormed on Erev Sukkot, soaking everything in our sukkah. Thankfully, it held up okay and remained Kosher. Some people lost most of their schach and weren’t able to eat in their own sukkahs. What I love about our neighborhood is that other families helped people out when they needed sukkahs for their meals. The first two days of Sukkot were extremely hot. It was like mid-summer all over again. Sukkahs don’t come with air conditioners, so we were sweating like crazy. We hosted lunch on the first day and went to a friends’ sukkah (although we ended up being in their neighbor’s sukkah) on the second day. There were a couple of sukkah hops going on, as well. It got nicer out by the weekend and we had friends over on Sunday for a barbecue. Then we started our cooking all over again for Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah. We had some friends visiting from Englewood and we hosted the lunches so that they could meet some of our friends here. We had fun spending time with our NJ friends again. The weather didn’t behave too much though. We got soaked walking to shul on Shemini Atzeret in the pouring rain. It let up in the afternoon but started again on our walk home from evening Hakafot. We even lost power at around 11:30 pm. It came back shortly afterward, but it was still an annoyance at first. Simchat Torah would have been nicer if they had groups for the kids. It was loud and crazy and my older son did not want any part of it. I tried to get him interested, but he just wanted to stand there and watch. Then I had to watch him while he ran around with his friends so that my husband could daven. Overall, Simchat Torah was a fun experience at our shul. This was the first time we experienced Hakafot here, as we went to Baltimore last year and all the women were sitting in the corner while the men danced. It was nice to see the women dancing and having a festive time here.
This past weekend, we went on our camping trip. It was different than I was expecting. We basically needed to pack up everything needed to feel comfortable and survive for a few days in the great outdoors. We went to Jellystone Park. It’s very kid-friendly and family-oriented. There was a mix between roughing it and living in luxury. My husband even joked about what it would take to be completely removed from the camping environment while being at the campsite. They had regular bathrooms with showers and automatic hand dryers (which my younger son hated because they were so loud). There was a convenience store if we left anything behind. Of course, the one thing I left behind was not to be found at a convenience store. (More on that later!) We arrived Friday evening and waited for our cousins to show up with their tent. Then they helped my husband set up the tent and we put our air mattresses inside. Afterward, my husband started a fire so that we could see (we didn’t have any lights by our campsite and had to rely on campfires and flashlights, as well as borrowing our cousins’ lantern). The fire didn’t last long and he had to keep adding wood, leaves and other flammable items from nature to keep it going. In the meantime, I brought our hot dogs over to our cousins’ grill and managed to trip on their fire pot (it was this metal tin that every campsite had for making fires) and bang up my legs. I think I protected the area of my stomach were the baby is (I called a doctor today to explain what happened and they didn’t seem concerned) but got scratched at an area above the waist. It was not fun to walk the rest of the weekend. The boys were sweet about it though and my younger son kept kissing my knees. Anyway, we dined on hot dogs and later had s’mores for dessert. Then we gathered by the other people who were with our “group.” (Mostly friends of our cousins but we were all camping around the same area.) One couple brought their beagle with them and it made me miss Buddy. Our first night in the tent was okay, other than being cold and noisy. It felt like we were right on the path of a train track. The boys woke up at random times throughout the night, as well. Saturday morning, we hung out by our campsite for a while trying to get warm. Our cousins made hot chocolate, which was a nice treat on a cold morning. It warmed up outside by 10:00 and we took the kids to a trampoline area that also had a lot of sand. The boys had a blast. Then we went to a playground for a while and later walked around the campgrounds to see what was going on. After lunch, my younger son and I took naps while my husband and older son looked for firewood. Then we all went pedal-boating and played mini-golf. Afterward, there was a wagon ride where they played really annoying versions of children’s songs. (I was singing one this morning and my younger son remarked that we heard it on the tractor.) Then we relaxed for a while by our campsites and had dinner and later sat around the group campfire again. I got to chat with one of our cousins' friends and she was really nice. The boys both fell asleep on my husband's lap, which was sweet even though I was surprised he was able to walk after that. I hope our next child (b'shaah tovah) favors me so that he doesn't have to cram three kids on his lap next time. Anyway, after we put the kids down, we went to bed too. Our air mattress deflated during the night and it was so difficult to sleep after that! In the morning we took showers and packed up for the ride back home. We first took a trip to Luray Caverns. It was very interesting there. I called it the "Disneyland of caves." It was obviously a natural wonder but it was set up with walkways and lights everywhere. There was an audio tour included and the music had a Disney feel to it. The best part was the Stalacpipe Organ. It was set up in such a way that the rocks were hit in different spots to make music. The boys somewhat liked it. My older son kept rushing ahead of us, which he usually does at museums and zoos. He can't stand still long enough to appreciate something. Just to backtrack, when I said I forgot something important, it was the extra battery and charger for my older son's cochlear implant. He was basically going off one battery that had very little juice left. It would work for 5-10 minutes at a time and then it would be off for a while. It worked for him to hear the Stalacpipe Organ though. I'm just glad he can somewhat hear out of his left ear and that he can read lips. I felt so awful for forgetting something so important (and I was worried about forgetting our towels and we had to turn around before we even left our neighborhood)!
Not too much else is new. I went to a huge "holiday" sale at my favorite thrift store tonight and came out with some more maternity clothes and a few things for my younger son. (My older son is set for the next year with clothes, thanks to a generous friend with twin boys.) I also got some CDs, such as the "Clueless" soundtrack (which I only had on cassette till now) and the "Pulp Fiction" soundtrack (since I can't find the one I already have). I found a case for the "Freaky Friday" soundtrack (yes, the music is good in the movie and I went for it). However, when I opened it, the "Wicked" soundtrack was inside. That was fine by mine since my current one is all scratched up. I got some more costumes for the boys, as well. They can use them for dress-up or Purim. My older son has a Halloween party at his school and I'll send him something to wear there too. Speaking of which, I'm sad that I can't go to his class Halloween party this year. This is the first time since 2006 that I've had to work on Fridays. I've been so spoiled by my previous job, as well as this current job (up till now). He also wanted me to go to the pumpkin patch on his class field trip, but that won't be happening either. It's one of the few things that is hard about being a working mom. I hope I can make it up to him in other ways.
I think I've talked your ears (or eyes, in this case) off for now, so I'm going to head off to bed now. Thanks for hanging in there and listening. More to come...
The whole month of September was full of holidays and holiday preparation. One holiday would end and we’d be out shopping to get ready for the next one. Rosh Hashanah was nice because my parents were in town and we got to spend some quality time with them. We hosted a couple of meals and my husband made some amazing dishes. He got this new brisket recipe and the flavor reminds me of how my paternal grandma used to make it. I had him make it again for Shemini Atzeret. Yom Kippur was okay. This was the longest I’ve ever made it through a service without having to worry about the kids. However, I had a really bad headache and broke the fast a few hours early as a result. Then I spent the rest of the evening reading a book where the main topic was food. We officially broke the fast over grilled cheese sandwiches with our neighbors. Sukkot was one weather disaster after another. It first stormed on Erev Sukkot, soaking everything in our sukkah. Thankfully, it held up okay and remained Kosher. Some people lost most of their schach and weren’t able to eat in their own sukkahs. What I love about our neighborhood is that other families helped people out when they needed sukkahs for their meals. The first two days of Sukkot were extremely hot. It was like mid-summer all over again. Sukkahs don’t come with air conditioners, so we were sweating like crazy. We hosted lunch on the first day and went to a friends’ sukkah (although we ended up being in their neighbor’s sukkah) on the second day. There were a couple of sukkah hops going on, as well. It got nicer out by the weekend and we had friends over on Sunday for a barbecue. Then we started our cooking all over again for Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah. We had some friends visiting from Englewood and we hosted the lunches so that they could meet some of our friends here. We had fun spending time with our NJ friends again. The weather didn’t behave too much though. We got soaked walking to shul on Shemini Atzeret in the pouring rain. It let up in the afternoon but started again on our walk home from evening Hakafot. We even lost power at around 11:30 pm. It came back shortly afterward, but it was still an annoyance at first. Simchat Torah would have been nicer if they had groups for the kids. It was loud and crazy and my older son did not want any part of it. I tried to get him interested, but he just wanted to stand there and watch. Then I had to watch him while he ran around with his friends so that my husband could daven. Overall, Simchat Torah was a fun experience at our shul. This was the first time we experienced Hakafot here, as we went to Baltimore last year and all the women were sitting in the corner while the men danced. It was nice to see the women dancing and having a festive time here.
This past weekend, we went on our camping trip. It was different than I was expecting. We basically needed to pack up everything needed to feel comfortable and survive for a few days in the great outdoors. We went to Jellystone Park. It’s very kid-friendly and family-oriented. There was a mix between roughing it and living in luxury. My husband even joked about what it would take to be completely removed from the camping environment while being at the campsite. They had regular bathrooms with showers and automatic hand dryers (which my younger son hated because they were so loud). There was a convenience store if we left anything behind. Of course, the one thing I left behind was not to be found at a convenience store. (More on that later!) We arrived Friday evening and waited for our cousins to show up with their tent. Then they helped my husband set up the tent and we put our air mattresses inside. Afterward, my husband started a fire so that we could see (we didn’t have any lights by our campsite and had to rely on campfires and flashlights, as well as borrowing our cousins’ lantern). The fire didn’t last long and he had to keep adding wood, leaves and other flammable items from nature to keep it going. In the meantime, I brought our hot dogs over to our cousins’ grill and managed to trip on their fire pot (it was this metal tin that every campsite had for making fires) and bang up my legs. I think I protected the area of my stomach were the baby is (I called a doctor today to explain what happened and they didn’t seem concerned) but got scratched at an area above the waist. It was not fun to walk the rest of the weekend. The boys were sweet about it though and my younger son kept kissing my knees. Anyway, we dined on hot dogs and later had s’mores for dessert. Then we gathered by the other people who were with our “group.” (Mostly friends of our cousins but we were all camping around the same area.) One couple brought their beagle with them and it made me miss Buddy. Our first night in the tent was okay, other than being cold and noisy. It felt like we were right on the path of a train track. The boys woke up at random times throughout the night, as well. Saturday morning, we hung out by our campsite for a while trying to get warm. Our cousins made hot chocolate, which was a nice treat on a cold morning. It warmed up outside by 10:00 and we took the kids to a trampoline area that also had a lot of sand. The boys had a blast. Then we went to a playground for a while and later walked around the campgrounds to see what was going on. After lunch, my younger son and I took naps while my husband and older son looked for firewood. Then we all went pedal-boating and played mini-golf. Afterward, there was a wagon ride where they played really annoying versions of children’s songs. (I was singing one this morning and my younger son remarked that we heard it on the tractor.) Then we relaxed for a while by our campsites and had dinner and later sat around the group campfire again. I got to chat with one of our cousins' friends and she was really nice. The boys both fell asleep on my husband's lap, which was sweet even though I was surprised he was able to walk after that. I hope our next child (b'shaah tovah) favors me so that he doesn't have to cram three kids on his lap next time. Anyway, after we put the kids down, we went to bed too. Our air mattress deflated during the night and it was so difficult to sleep after that! In the morning we took showers and packed up for the ride back home. We first took a trip to Luray Caverns. It was very interesting there. I called it the "Disneyland of caves." It was obviously a natural wonder but it was set up with walkways and lights everywhere. There was an audio tour included and the music had a Disney feel to it. The best part was the Stalacpipe Organ. It was set up in such a way that the rocks were hit in different spots to make music. The boys somewhat liked it. My older son kept rushing ahead of us, which he usually does at museums and zoos. He can't stand still long enough to appreciate something. Just to backtrack, when I said I forgot something important, it was the extra battery and charger for my older son's cochlear implant. He was basically going off one battery that had very little juice left. It would work for 5-10 minutes at a time and then it would be off for a while. It worked for him to hear the Stalacpipe Organ though. I'm just glad he can somewhat hear out of his left ear and that he can read lips. I felt so awful for forgetting something so important (and I was worried about forgetting our towels and we had to turn around before we even left our neighborhood)!
Not too much else is new. I went to a huge "holiday" sale at my favorite thrift store tonight and came out with some more maternity clothes and a few things for my younger son. (My older son is set for the next year with clothes, thanks to a generous friend with twin boys.) I also got some CDs, such as the "Clueless" soundtrack (which I only had on cassette till now) and the "Pulp Fiction" soundtrack (since I can't find the one I already have). I found a case for the "Freaky Friday" soundtrack (yes, the music is good in the movie and I went for it). However, when I opened it, the "Wicked" soundtrack was inside. That was fine by mine since my current one is all scratched up. I got some more costumes for the boys, as well. They can use them for dress-up or Purim. My older son has a Halloween party at his school and I'll send him something to wear there too. Speaking of which, I'm sad that I can't go to his class Halloween party this year. This is the first time since 2006 that I've had to work on Fridays. I've been so spoiled by my previous job, as well as this current job (up till now). He also wanted me to go to the pumpkin patch on his class field trip, but that won't be happening either. It's one of the few things that is hard about being a working mom. I hope I can make it up to him in other ways.
I think I've talked your ears (or eyes, in this case) off for now, so I'm going to head off to bed now. Thanks for hanging in there and listening. More to come...
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Would you like fortune cookies with that?
When I was a junior in high school, I got my first part-time job...at my favorite Chinese restaurant, of course! I pretty much grew up eating at this restaurant, so it was only natural that I should work there too. And the biggest perk was free meals every night I worked there!
I started off in carry-out, as most people did if they were underage (as we couldn't serve alcohol). I went through a training and picked it up pretty quickly after that. I had some pretty crazy customers every now and then. Some even drove my managers crazy. I think it was right after I started working there that a woman who reeked of horrible body odor came in and took forever to place her order at the counter. Then she would ask stupid questions like "what is beef on a stick?" After her order was placed, she decided to pay in coins and took even longer to count them out. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, it was so awful!
After a while, I got to know the regular customers and would have their order written down before they even gave it to me. It sounds like something out of "Sex and the City" (when Miranda calls the Chinese take-out and the person answering says her order before she does), but it's true. I'm even guilty of ordering the same thing at a Chinese restaurant every time I go (and this one was no exception). There were times where I had some really nice customers who would even give me tips. In the winter, I'd offer tea to customers as they were coming in out of the cold. One of them told me to dip my finger in the tea to sweeten it up. Then he proceeded to tell me that he thought I was really nice. I was surprised because he seemed out of sorts when he first came in to pick up his order. I'd also give cocktail umbrellas or fans to children to keep them busy, which the parents appreciated. (My manager didn't appreciate it as much because the kids would tear them up and make a mess.) Once I gave a fan to a little girl who had a lot of disabilities. Her whole face lit up and I got emotional from her response.
During the summer between my junior and senior year, I got trained to be a hostess. It was something I was excited to do, as I got to dress up nice and didn't have to answer the phone as much. However, hostessing can have its drawbacks too. If it was a busy night, it got completely overwhelming. I was told not to "slam" a server's station, but that was hard if their station was the only one available and there were a lot of hungry customers waiting. I learned that the worst time to host is Valentine's Day. I don't think I even got to sit down that evening! The one time I did want to host was on Halloween, but more out of vanity. I had a really cute French maid costume and thought it would be perfect for hostessing in that night. However, another girl was being really obnoxious about refusing to come in unless she could host and she dressed like a cowboy! I still had fun that evening, but I was annoyed over what happened.
In my years of working there, I learned to break away from just eating beef and gravy and try some new dishes. It couldn't hurt as it didn't cost me anything. I tried a lot of new dishes and started liking egg rolls for more than just the outer crust. My favorite dish to come out of this experience was what they called "chicken garlic lo mein." After I stopped working there, I would still come in to eat and order it every time. One night when I was working, one of my coworkers was trying to be funny and put duck sauce (usually meant for egg rolls) all over my lo mein. The joke was on him because it tasted really good that way!
I worked with some interesting people during the time I was there. Mostly it was other people with whom I went to high school. I got to know some better that way and became incredibly annoyed with others. I liked the wait staff though and enjoyed talking to them...well, most of them. When I was checking out my future college, one of the servers was attending that school and I got to meet up with her while I was there for an orientation. Her brother was also really nice and I'd request to be in his section when I was just there for a meal (when I wasn't working there anymore). There was one server who drove me crazy and we'd pick on each other all the time. We'd just say "duh" to each other a lot and then he'd talk about me in Chinese to one of the other servers. I tried to get back at him by talking about him in Spanish, but that backfired when I learned that "loco" meant "husband" in Chinese. Oops! There was a nice lady who washed dishes there for a while. I'd try to teach her English by using fortune cookie messages. She read one out loud and made it sound really funny by the way she pronounced it. I'm glad I wasn't the only witness to that. The managers were interesting. It was a husband and wife and their two sons. I got along well with the husband, as he was very mild-mannered. The wife was a different story. She tended to get in peoples' faces but she also had her nice moments. She brought back jewelry from China during one of her trips there and she gave it to all the staff. I also liked one of the sons better than the other, but everyone has personality differences and you can't please them all. The husband manager would sometimes let me help with bookkeeping, which allowed me to sit for a while and I'd even get to watch TV. I was doing bookkeeping when the OJ chase was going on in 1994. I got to watch on the little black and white television in the office.
The other interesting part of my job was getting to work in the kitchen and help package orders. I learned some Cantonese words and commands and also got to munch on chow mein and pan fried noodles when it wasn't too busy. I could wear t-shirts and shorts since it got hot in the kitchen. It was amazing to see how quickly food could get whipped together. The guys I'd work with liked to joke around and it was more laid back that way. The one thing I didn't like was making hot mustard. We had to stir water and mustard powder together. The worst was when some got in my eye! I wish they had distributed packets like every other Chinese take-out seemed to do! I think they eventually switched, but long after I had left.
As you can see, I have a lot of memories of working at a Chinese restaurant. This post is just a select few. I am sure there are so many more! I haven't eaten there since 2008 (when I was in Chicago for a visit), but I still think about the food and still crave chicken garlic lo mein on occasion. If you know which restaurant I am talking about, stop by there some time and enjoy some egg rolls and lo mein for me!
I started off in carry-out, as most people did if they were underage (as we couldn't serve alcohol). I went through a training and picked it up pretty quickly after that. I had some pretty crazy customers every now and then. Some even drove my managers crazy. I think it was right after I started working there that a woman who reeked of horrible body odor came in and took forever to place her order at the counter. Then she would ask stupid questions like "what is beef on a stick?" After her order was placed, she decided to pay in coins and took even longer to count them out. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, it was so awful!
After a while, I got to know the regular customers and would have their order written down before they even gave it to me. It sounds like something out of "Sex and the City" (when Miranda calls the Chinese take-out and the person answering says her order before she does), but it's true. I'm even guilty of ordering the same thing at a Chinese restaurant every time I go (and this one was no exception). There were times where I had some really nice customers who would even give me tips. In the winter, I'd offer tea to customers as they were coming in out of the cold. One of them told me to dip my finger in the tea to sweeten it up. Then he proceeded to tell me that he thought I was really nice. I was surprised because he seemed out of sorts when he first came in to pick up his order. I'd also give cocktail umbrellas or fans to children to keep them busy, which the parents appreciated. (My manager didn't appreciate it as much because the kids would tear them up and make a mess.) Once I gave a fan to a little girl who had a lot of disabilities. Her whole face lit up and I got emotional from her response.
During the summer between my junior and senior year, I got trained to be a hostess. It was something I was excited to do, as I got to dress up nice and didn't have to answer the phone as much. However, hostessing can have its drawbacks too. If it was a busy night, it got completely overwhelming. I was told not to "slam" a server's station, but that was hard if their station was the only one available and there were a lot of hungry customers waiting. I learned that the worst time to host is Valentine's Day. I don't think I even got to sit down that evening! The one time I did want to host was on Halloween, but more out of vanity. I had a really cute French maid costume and thought it would be perfect for hostessing in that night. However, another girl was being really obnoxious about refusing to come in unless she could host and she dressed like a cowboy! I still had fun that evening, but I was annoyed over what happened.
In my years of working there, I learned to break away from just eating beef and gravy and try some new dishes. It couldn't hurt as it didn't cost me anything. I tried a lot of new dishes and started liking egg rolls for more than just the outer crust. My favorite dish to come out of this experience was what they called "chicken garlic lo mein." After I stopped working there, I would still come in to eat and order it every time. One night when I was working, one of my coworkers was trying to be funny and put duck sauce (usually meant for egg rolls) all over my lo mein. The joke was on him because it tasted really good that way!
I worked with some interesting people during the time I was there. Mostly it was other people with whom I went to high school. I got to know some better that way and became incredibly annoyed with others. I liked the wait staff though and enjoyed talking to them...well, most of them. When I was checking out my future college, one of the servers was attending that school and I got to meet up with her while I was there for an orientation. Her brother was also really nice and I'd request to be in his section when I was just there for a meal (when I wasn't working there anymore). There was one server who drove me crazy and we'd pick on each other all the time. We'd just say "duh" to each other a lot and then he'd talk about me in Chinese to one of the other servers. I tried to get back at him by talking about him in Spanish, but that backfired when I learned that "loco" meant "husband" in Chinese. Oops! There was a nice lady who washed dishes there for a while. I'd try to teach her English by using fortune cookie messages. She read one out loud and made it sound really funny by the way she pronounced it. I'm glad I wasn't the only witness to that. The managers were interesting. It was a husband and wife and their two sons. I got along well with the husband, as he was very mild-mannered. The wife was a different story. She tended to get in peoples' faces but she also had her nice moments. She brought back jewelry from China during one of her trips there and she gave it to all the staff. I also liked one of the sons better than the other, but everyone has personality differences and you can't please them all. The husband manager would sometimes let me help with bookkeeping, which allowed me to sit for a while and I'd even get to watch TV. I was doing bookkeeping when the OJ chase was going on in 1994. I got to watch on the little black and white television in the office.
The other interesting part of my job was getting to work in the kitchen and help package orders. I learned some Cantonese words and commands and also got to munch on chow mein and pan fried noodles when it wasn't too busy. I could wear t-shirts and shorts since it got hot in the kitchen. It was amazing to see how quickly food could get whipped together. The guys I'd work with liked to joke around and it was more laid back that way. The one thing I didn't like was making hot mustard. We had to stir water and mustard powder together. The worst was when some got in my eye! I wish they had distributed packets like every other Chinese take-out seemed to do! I think they eventually switched, but long after I had left.
As you can see, I have a lot of memories of working at a Chinese restaurant. This post is just a select few. I am sure there are so many more! I haven't eaten there since 2008 (when I was in Chicago for a visit), but I still think about the food and still crave chicken garlic lo mein on occasion. If you know which restaurant I am talking about, stop by there some time and enjoy some egg rolls and lo mein for me!
Friday, October 1, 2010
"Harden my Heart"
Sorry I've been absent lately. The Jewish holiday season has been busy and I haven't been inspired to write in a while, as a result. I realized that I missed writing about Lou and Cat's story and wanted to keep it going.
This week's [Fiction] Friday topic: "Lonely in Paradise."
This is a continuation from my posts on June 25th, July 2nd, July 9th, August 6th and August 20th....in case you want to go back to the beginning.
"Harden my Heart"
Cat started heading toward the strip, looking at all the brightly lit hotels and casinos as she had to continuously stop at each traffic signal and also yield to wayward pedestrians who didn't know how to use a crosswalk. She felt herself starting to nod off and opened her windows to get some fresh air. She didn't think she would make it back to California, the way she was feeling.
Just then, her cell phone rang.
"Desi? What's up?"
"Cat, was that you I saw at Wild Notes? Only you know how to rock out on 'Harden my Heart.'"
"Yes, that was me. I can't believe you saw it!"
"Loved the performance, babe! Are you still in Vegas?"
"I was heading back to Cali, but I was thinking of staying another night, maybe crashing at a nicer hotel this time."
"Listen, I'm at the Paradise Hotel with some of my girlfriends for a bachelorette party. Want to join us?"
"I could manage that. See you in ten."
Cat put down her phone and grinned, thinking of Desiree "Desi" Swann and the last time they hung out together. Of course, it was during her stripper days, the days she didn't want to tell Lou about. Maybe Lou had somehow found out and that's why he got upset at the karaoke bar and left. She didn't know if it was worth analyzing Lou's motives right now, as she was all prepared to party the night away with one of her best friends.
The inside of the Paradise Hotel and Casino looked like an island. It reminded her of "Lost," which reminded her of one of her first connections to Lou. Get that boy out of your head, girl! She wanted to slap herself for getting all teary-eyed looking at the lobby of a new hotel. Her original plan was going to be dinner, karaoke and then some quiet, but steamy, romantic time with Lou back at the motel. Maybe even with a bubble bath, if the tub wasn't too disgusting. Apparently, that didn't happen, aside from the karaoke. And now she was at the Paradise hotel, looking all sweaty and disheveled from a long evening. Plus, she stuck out like a sore thumb in her hot pink shirt and white pleather skirt with her six-inch black Louboutins. Everyone else seemed to be wearing black or muted tones, including the group of girls who, led by Desi, came to greet her.
"CAAAAAAT!" Desi ran to her and hugged her tightly. She reeked of vodka, clove cigarettes and perfume.
"It's so good to see you again, Dez. I missed you! So, where are we off to?"
"We're going to hang around the hotel bar for a little while till the stripper gets here." Then we'll all be going back up to the room for a little show. But, shh, don't tell Mia."
Cat glanced over at the petite blonde wearing the bridal veil decorated with plastic male genitalia. She looked completely wasted and doubted she would be surprised by any strippers, if she didn't hit on them first.
"Um, sounds fun! Hook me up with a Cosmopolitan." She figured that sounded cooler than just having another beer.
Just then, "Harden my Heart" started playing on the overhead speakers in the bar.
"Cat! It's your song! You should sing again! Encore!"
Cat lightly smacked Desi on the shoulder. "I don't think your friends want me to sing. They'd rather have a stripper dancing to this song."
"Whatever. Here's your Cosmo."
Cat practically inhaled the drink, willing herself not to think of Lou anymore and just enjoy the girl time. Not that anyone aside from Desi was even talking to her. She probably could have snuck off to bed unnoticed, since Desi had even joined her friends to do some shots.
She then spotted a woman sitting quietly in the corner of the bar. She had short, reddish hair and her face looked like it had been severely burned or disfigured. She wondered if the woman was as lonely as she was, if not more. Cat decided to join her. Maybe misery does love company.
"Sorry if my friends, if you can even call them that, are being too loud. I can try to get them upstairs if they're bothering you."
The woman looked startled and nearly fell off her barstool. "Oh. I almost didn't see you. I was kind of spacing out for a few minutes. I guess I have low tolerance for alcohol these days. No one is bothering me, but thanks."
"So, what brings you to Vegas?"
"It's a long story. Apparently, my ex-boyfriend is hiding out somewhere in Vegas. My brother was here on vacation and spotted him with a stripper. He thought I should come down and look for him myself. I have nothing better to do anyway."
"Fascinating. I was here with a guy I was seeing but then he freaked out on me and left. Now I'm just killing time with an old friend before heading back to California."
"Men suck, don't they?"
"Why do you care so much about finding your ex-boyfriend? Or did he just become your ex because you think he might be seeing a stripper on the sly?"
"It's more complicated than that. I don't know if I want to go into details with you. I barely know you."
"Try me. I have nothing better to do either. The name's Cat, short for Catherine."
"Nice to meet you Cat. My name is Elaine. Care to sit down? You may need a drink for this story."
This week's [Fiction] Friday topic: "Lonely in Paradise."
This is a continuation from my posts on June 25th, July 2nd, July 9th, August 6th and August 20th....in case you want to go back to the beginning.
"Harden my Heart"
Cat started heading toward the strip, looking at all the brightly lit hotels and casinos as she had to continuously stop at each traffic signal and also yield to wayward pedestrians who didn't know how to use a crosswalk. She felt herself starting to nod off and opened her windows to get some fresh air. She didn't think she would make it back to California, the way she was feeling.
Just then, her cell phone rang.
"Desi? What's up?"
"Cat, was that you I saw at Wild Notes? Only you know how to rock out on 'Harden my Heart.'"
"Yes, that was me. I can't believe you saw it!"
"Loved the performance, babe! Are you still in Vegas?"
"I was heading back to Cali, but I was thinking of staying another night, maybe crashing at a nicer hotel this time."
"Listen, I'm at the Paradise Hotel with some of my girlfriends for a bachelorette party. Want to join us?"
"I could manage that. See you in ten."
Cat put down her phone and grinned, thinking of Desiree "Desi" Swann and the last time they hung out together. Of course, it was during her stripper days, the days she didn't want to tell Lou about. Maybe Lou had somehow found out and that's why he got upset at the karaoke bar and left. She didn't know if it was worth analyzing Lou's motives right now, as she was all prepared to party the night away with one of her best friends.
The inside of the Paradise Hotel and Casino looked like an island. It reminded her of "Lost," which reminded her of one of her first connections to Lou. Get that boy out of your head, girl! She wanted to slap herself for getting all teary-eyed looking at the lobby of a new hotel. Her original plan was going to be dinner, karaoke and then some quiet, but steamy, romantic time with Lou back at the motel. Maybe even with a bubble bath, if the tub wasn't too disgusting. Apparently, that didn't happen, aside from the karaoke. And now she was at the Paradise hotel, looking all sweaty and disheveled from a long evening. Plus, she stuck out like a sore thumb in her hot pink shirt and white pleather skirt with her six-inch black Louboutins. Everyone else seemed to be wearing black or muted tones, including the group of girls who, led by Desi, came to greet her.
"CAAAAAAT!" Desi ran to her and hugged her tightly. She reeked of vodka, clove cigarettes and perfume.
"It's so good to see you again, Dez. I missed you! So, where are we off to?"
"We're going to hang around the hotel bar for a little while till the stripper gets here." Then we'll all be going back up to the room for a little show. But, shh, don't tell Mia."
Cat glanced over at the petite blonde wearing the bridal veil decorated with plastic male genitalia. She looked completely wasted and doubted she would be surprised by any strippers, if she didn't hit on them first.
"Um, sounds fun! Hook me up with a Cosmopolitan." She figured that sounded cooler than just having another beer.
Just then, "Harden my Heart" started playing on the overhead speakers in the bar.
"Cat! It's your song! You should sing again! Encore!"
Cat lightly smacked Desi on the shoulder. "I don't think your friends want me to sing. They'd rather have a stripper dancing to this song."
"Whatever. Here's your Cosmo."
Cat practically inhaled the drink, willing herself not to think of Lou anymore and just enjoy the girl time. Not that anyone aside from Desi was even talking to her. She probably could have snuck off to bed unnoticed, since Desi had even joined her friends to do some shots.
She then spotted a woman sitting quietly in the corner of the bar. She had short, reddish hair and her face looked like it had been severely burned or disfigured. She wondered if the woman was as lonely as she was, if not more. Cat decided to join her. Maybe misery does love company.
"Sorry if my friends, if you can even call them that, are being too loud. I can try to get them upstairs if they're bothering you."
The woman looked startled and nearly fell off her barstool. "Oh. I almost didn't see you. I was kind of spacing out for a few minutes. I guess I have low tolerance for alcohol these days. No one is bothering me, but thanks."
"So, what brings you to Vegas?"
"It's a long story. Apparently, my ex-boyfriend is hiding out somewhere in Vegas. My brother was here on vacation and spotted him with a stripper. He thought I should come down and look for him myself. I have nothing better to do anyway."
"Fascinating. I was here with a guy I was seeing but then he freaked out on me and left. Now I'm just killing time with an old friend before heading back to California."
"Men suck, don't they?"
"Why do you care so much about finding your ex-boyfriend? Or did he just become your ex because you think he might be seeing a stripper on the sly?"
"It's more complicated than that. I don't know if I want to go into details with you. I barely know you."
"Try me. I have nothing better to do either. The name's Cat, short for Catherine."
"Nice to meet you Cat. My name is Elaine. Care to sit down? You may need a drink for this story."
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