Please Pack Your Knives & Go.

Today the Cocoa Cola Girl went to her lil free demo class at Williams Sonoma. I wonder if they are going to do these during the holiday season?? Today's demo was on knives. I'm a lil skittish around knives. Always have been. When your little you learn three cardinal rules, 1.) Don't play with the stove, 2.)Don't play with matches, and 3.) Don't play with knives. Well I think I forgot to upgrade the third one. lol.

I learned a few interesting facts that I would love to share with you. I've always heard on the TV shows, "Top Chef" & "Iron Chef" that the knives make the chefs. That's totally true. You can't just go in a store & buy a knife set. There are different types for different purposes. There are Serrated Knives, Pairing Knives, Santoku knives, Japense knives and of course many more. And when it says, "Medium Dice" they actually mean dice it to a medium size. When following a recipe you actually have to follow the sizes of dices. A dice is the lil cubes of garlic, or potato or any yummy ingredient. You need the right size because it depends on cooking time. If you need a large dice in a stew and you cut small dices, your potato will be soggy in the stew because it cooked too fast. Did not know that!!

There wasn't much to the demo. This is was the first one that was more of a, "Buy this product." My eyes are still watering from when the lady cut the onions. Her main advice to people buying knives was buy at least a Chef's Knife & a Pairing Knife. A Chef's knife is a knife you cut a turkey with & a Pairing Knife is small which is used for cutting tomatoes, onions, radishes, etc.


Also ALWAYS SHARPEN YOUR KNIFE!! The odds are actually greater of getting cut from a dull knife, then a sharp knife. Also when you are slicing & dicing make sure you're cutting on a level surface. Even cut your potato or tomato perhaps into a square shape so you don't have to work with a wobbly opponent. And curl your non cutting hand so you don't have your hand flat where it can be easily cut. I was hoping to learn how to like make a rose out of a radish but I think I have to take a real class for that.

Well for heavy duty Knife skills maybe I'll just watch "Kill Bill Vol.1" for some inspiration. I'm sure a Hattorio Honzo sword will do the trick. =P.


This is going to be a hard week for me. I have a lot to do & none of it is easy. Rose-colored glasses off, and Grown-Up Face on. I spoke of change and nothing is going to change unless I do something. I think I'm ready. Well, I have to be ready. I'll explain more tomorrow...

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I'd like to take a minute to thank the lovely lady over at Dustjacket Attic for giving me my first award, the Kreativ Blogger Award. This made me soo happy!!! I'm going to follow the rules now. I have to tell you 7 things you didn't know about me & pass it to 7 people!

7 things you didn't know about me:

1.) I went to Catholic school til 6th grade.

2.) I actually was the Captain of my high school Cheerleading Squad. And was the most unpopular cheerleader ever. Yeah, Taylor Swift hunny, sometimes the "Cheer Captain" doesn't get the guy either.

3.) I'm terrified of the E.T. Ya know the alien movie with the plant, Drew Barrymore, the E.T. Phone home? I'm petrified of that movie. I actually will run out of a room and scream if it's on the TV.

4.) I love train rides. I always feel like I'm going to some other world and it's just so relaxing.

5.) I believe in Past Lives. I've met too many people & on that first meeting I've felt like I've known them forever or some time before. And there are definitely things you just can't explain.

6.) I can play the piano, but I can't read sheet music. Maybe I'm dyslexic or something because the notes on the pages just get all scrambled to me, but my grandmothers both taught me how to play by ear.

7.) When I was 8, I accidentally bumped the actress Brooke Shields with the door at Planet Hollywood in Atlantic City. She had walked in before me, and I pushed the door into her back. SORRY BROOKE!! I had no idea who she was at the time.

I'd like to pass on this award to 7 people:

Carpe Diem
Modern Dreamer
Simply Colette
The GREEN in me
Wandering Thoughts of a Scientific Housewife
I know, right?
Life in Quotations
Thanks again!!!

Oh Don't Forget to Enter my Giveaway!! Here's the link to the post.

My Dirty Dancing Eye Make-up Compact Giveaway!!

Just a Few Random Tricks & Treats

I can't resist the signs that say, "Antique Sale Today." lol. I picked up this lil gem today. The man said it was from the 1950's and OMG she was soo dirty. I was going to take a picture of how dirty she was but it just didn't come out good in the picture. All I did was just put some water on a cotton swab. The dirt came right off. I understand that people don't want to clean their antiques they want to sell because if the paint comes off who's going to want to buy it? But in all honesty the man could have gotten at least $15 out of me for her if she was all cleaned up. I only paid $6. Not bad. =)I like the lil fan in her hand.


I want to have a make-up table one day in my future bedroom, or when I'm married & have a master suite. This painting is the "The Lady at her Dressing Table" by Gerrit Dou. I think it's beautiful. Hopefully I can put this lil antique lady on my vanity table one day. Also I'm going to need a lot of book-shelves, china closets, and display stuff because Damn I have a lot of trinkets. hehe.

Ever feel like your week just flew? Just flew right by? I feel like I blinked and it was Saturday. It probably didn't help that I just slept all afternoon. But some days you need to just sit and reboot. Like charging your cell-phone. If you use your cell phone while it's charging it won't hold the charge. It's important to take a break from the auto-pilot that is your daily routine.

I'm stuck on a Halloween costume idea so I'm going to go see if I can get some ideas tonight by walking around the mall. I already helped someone make a Barbie costume, and someone make a Heman Skeletor costume. Last year I made my own Harley Quinn costume. I was inspired actually by Project Runway Season 5. I didn't do the typical Jester outfit I made mine out of a black corsette put together with a red corsette & altered a black skirt I had. It was SO MUCH FUN!!! I think I'm going to a post about the process later in the week. I was in a whole Batman group too with 3 of my guy-friends.

Here's a picture from last Halloween:


How do you top that for this Halloween???
Well perhaps the Mall will give me some inspiration for Halloween...

Tomorrow I have the Williams-Sonoma demo of Knife Lessons. Dum Dun Dun.... I'll learn how to use knives to make garnishes. Oooo...I'm excited. It should be fun. I'll report back here tomorrow. =)

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Oh Don't Forget to enter my Giveaway!! Here's the link to the post.

My Dirty Dancing Giveaway!!

I can't believe the news today... IT'S MY FIRST GIVEAWAY!!!

You heard my title right. So I neglected to mention how many of something I recently bought in my thrift store, dollar store, tag sale adventures. One day I was telling my mom about my blog and said, "Oh ya know that Dirty Dancing make-up thing I bought, well I took a pic and put it on my blog," to which she responded, "Yeah know you should go get another one because that would be a great give-away!". BINGO!! Awesome idea!! Thus this Giveaway was formed.

In honor of my 50th post, I'm giving away of a

"Dirty Dancing Eye Shadow Compact!!"

To Enter this Giveaway:

1.) Leave a comment below to enter with a valid email address.
2.) If you post a link to this post on your blog I'll give you a second entry!
3.) I will ship it internationally so anyone can enter!! <3
4.) I will pick a winner randomly on Wednesday, October 14th 11:11pm E.S.T.
5.) If you've never been to my blog, Welcome!

What you will recieve:
I thought this would be something fun & cute for one of you lovely readers to also enjoy. It is an eye shadow compact with real eye shadow that has a hologram of Patrick Swayze picking up Baby in the famous up pose where the mirror should be, and it comes with a free mirror key chain of the two of them holding each other. On the package it says, "Watch my eyes, They Tell You What to Do". You can click the picture above for a larger image. <3

If you want anymore information about this, by all means ask.

Enter & Enjoy!!! =)

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Btw, I wanted to thank you for your comments on my last few posts. They have meant so much to me and have inspired me. I will whole-heartedly take your advice! I really am so happy I started this blog!! =)

I even went to the gym today. If you occupy yourself you don't really look at the time going by. I watched Flashforward(I'm so hooked) and I actually walked the whole hour so I'm happy. Tomorrow is another day and one more step forward.

Title is a quote from the U2 song, "Bloody Sunday". I heard it today on the radio and I thought that line was fitting. =)

Have a good night!!!

To Find Love.

In the movie, "Sex & The City" Carrie asks Louise(Jennifer Hudson character) why she came to New York City. Her answer was the following, "To find love." I think I'm going to start my search of finding love. I've been thinking a lot in the past few days what is it that I want? Love and Love Returned. And THAT combo is something I have never experienced.

I was told when I was 18, that "Oh Hunny it's your age & guys your age are just so immature." I was then told that when I was 20. And 21. And 22. And now 24. I've had relationships but every time it came to the Love word I either never say it or did say it and then got a blank stare in return. Yes I actually told a guy I love you and he just stared at me... Ironically I've even gotten an "I love you, too" from the Mess BUT I never said it first tho.(I still don't understand what happened that day, I was closing the car door, made an arrgh sound and got I love you too out of him, while he actually had a girlfriend and we were just friends, as I was closing the door so I didn't get to ask him wait what? but he acted like it never happened.) I have been in love but yeah I have never had it returned and have a guy show it. Every time I've heard "I love you" the guys have shortly thereafter dumped me or never mentioned it again and next time I saw them they had a new girl or never called again.

I was going to say, "I want a grown up relationship" but then I realized hmmmm...What age do these "Grown Up Relationships" Start?"

Or rather...

My questions are: What age do the games stop? What age does a guy not play games? What age does the guy have to be to be able to say, "Yes, Melanie is my girlfriend". We can work up to the I love you bit but seriously what age does it take for a guy to answer the texts? When will they not treat you like you dispensable? What age will guys not treat you badly so you will leave and they won't have to break up with you? (I am a constant victim of the drive-by break-up, which is basically stop speaking to her & she'll get the picture) Now I'm 24 and the Mess is actually 26, so I guess 26 isn't the answer either. What age will a guy not shy away from a girl who says they love them?

I don't even think this argument can be broken down to age to blame, either. Maybe it's me. This blog's purpose is for me to discover my inner self and perhaps I'm being too understanding and too not-clingy or I'm scared of saying I love you or assuming too much or I'm not broadcasting my feelings from a roof top enough. Or Maybe it could be the guys that I'm choosing or who choose me. But I think what this all boils down to this conclusion: Something has got to change.


And I think it's time for a change. A much needed healthy change.

In the movie, "Fight Club" the narrator mentions that if you keep tonguing a cold sore in your mouth it'll never heal, ergo you have STOP tonguing it and you'll get better. Horrible analogy I know, but it's the first one that popped into my head. Maybe I need to stop certain habits, and recognize what my real feelings are deep inside so I'll look and feel better.

So to find love, I think I have to clear out all the junk in my head and try to let love in. I want a guy who will admit I'm his girlfriend, who won't switch his moods every time I see him, one who will show in his actions that he cares, one who will give his hardest try to pick up the phone or answer my texts, who one day will say, "I love you too" and one who will kiss me awake and maybe JUST maybe stop looking for another girl for a lil while because he has me or maybe forever stop looking. Regardless of whatever age we might be in the future.

Once again I am Rapunzel in the castle, waiting for love but this time it has changed. There is a positive spin to this waiting because I'm not waiting around for a fool and I MUST have the strength try to stick with this.



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Btw tomorrow will be my 50th post and I'm going to do my First Giveaway! Be sure to check back around 11pm E.S.T. in the U.S. I bought something a while ago and had to go back and buy a second one to give out as a memento of a great actor and a fabulous movie. <3

"That's what I do...I invented Post-its!"

Turn the Page. Today I recieved my College Yearbook!! Yes, I graduated in May 2009 and just FINALLY got it today! They said there was a problem or something?!?! Anywho, I thought my picture came out pretty good! However my hand looks like it's growing out of my chest. lol.

I was looking back at my high school yearbook and Woa I've changed. And btw it took me 6 years to get my Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics & 4 different colleges. I've been to Rockland Community College, Rutgers University, Bergen Community College, and then St. Thomas Acquainis college. It was a really long long journey. I've said this before and I will say it again, "Whoever said college will only take you 4 years tops! seriously must have not gone to college". I have to say I'm proud that I stayed with it and finally finished. It's an accomplishment I take a lot of pride in. When I graduated high school I never thought my life would be the way it is now.

But, Honestly, my life started after high school. I felt like I was finally myself. Here's my picture from June 2003.


Looking back, it's weird to see how different you look. I wear make-up now for starters. hehe. I think I need a new hair-style tho, because it's the same in both pics. Oops! lol.

Have you ever looked back on old pictures and see how much you've changed?


Ironically, this past weekend I saw about 15 people I knew back in high school. Maybe I won't have to go to the reunion in only 4 years. It was a serious "Romy & Michelle's High School Reunion" moment. I was just acking for someone to ask me, "What have you been up to?" So I can say, "That's what I do, I invented Post-its," like Michele says in the movie. hehe. Or claim that I'm a "Business Woman". I love this movie. It is one of my all-time favorites. Lisa Kudrow is hysterical!! Ohh high school and it's silly dramas. I really don't expect much from the people I went to high school with when I happen to bump into people I never really talked to(a.k.a the bitchy populars). All I expect is a, "Hey! How ya doin? Oh that's good! Catch ya later". THAT'S IT!! What really bothers me is when people totally ignore you like they never sat next to you in Biology. Come on, I think people should show some fraction of respect. We all know you know who I am and I you, so be nice and at least just say Hi. Ya know?

I, at least, just say hi or wave.

Well, I'll admit I have no clue who almost 99% of the people are in my college yearbook, but it's a nice memento to have for yourself. I think tho, I'm gunna try to re-vamp myself like Romy & Michele did in the end of the movie and find my own personal style. I want to be who I really am. Romy & Michele were themselves and I gotta remember that's what truly mattered in the end.

So, "Let's fold Scarves" - Michele

"How can I trust you...with my heart?"

My title is the a lyric from the above band, "Dommin." Here is there website link for them. Dommin They are one of my current obsessions. I really love underground non-mainstream bands. Hmmmmm. How to describe their sound? Well they are kinda like a gothic industrial rock lounge singer band. Yeah I wouldn't think those 4 things could go together but when you throw in amazing lyrics it just works. The singer's voice is so melodious. Oh did I mention they're really hot guys and soo soo nice??? I have a guilty pleasure of liking brown eyed guys who wear a lot of black. I met them when I went to see The Birthday Massacre last April.

This is me and the band, Dommin:


I'm a tad bit short, don't ya think?

Well the reason for this post is that I bought tickets today for their upcoming concert in NYC on October 20th. I can't wait!!! I like the sound of the singers voice. The catch is I didn't buy just one ticket. The other ticket is for the Mess(my brown-eyed Mr.Big). The awesome girl at the blog, Carpe Diem, gave me an idea from her last comment to do "The Mess Files". This will be the first post. See I right now am completely in the dark as to what is going on with him because I've tried to hang out with him twice(which in 2 weeks I don't think that's nagging) and have texted I miss you after 12 days of not seeing him or any real contact. He will answer but when I say hey lets chill I won't get an answer or a follow-up. This is unfortunately standard with him. I'm nauseatingly used to it by now but I swear I have a few grey hairs I didn't have yesterday.

Today was no exception. Haven't heard from him since last Wednesday when he didn't respond to "hey lets do something tonight" and today I get a text of, "Did you get the Dommin tickets yet? I can't wait to go with u." Ummm....hmmmm...this is where I draw a blank. My mind starts racing and I'm like Oh Oh maybe he'll appreciate me??? Maybe he will see that he likes going to concerts and things with me?? Maybe if I left him completely he would ask me to stay??? Maybe it'll be one of those good days where I feel like him and I are the only two people in the world and he'll give me one of those mind erasing kisses I love so much???... But I dunno. I texted him, "I bought the tickets! Can't wait to go with you too! Miss ya!". But no response.. It's almost like he's one of those drawing boards that you can draw on but there's a lil lever on the bottom that erases the drawing so you can start again. Nothing seems to add up.


I wish those hearts would stay together, but it really appears that he just erases the drawing the second I leave his sight. That is the perfect analogy. Also Dommin's hit song, "My Heart Your hands". The chorus reads, "How can I trust you with my heart?" How could I ever trust him from the stunts he's pulled? Ack. I could go on for hours about this. I'll stop here.

Regardless of the Mess, I'm gunna enjoy myself at this concert regardless of him being with me there or not. Maybe one of the band members would ask me to dance? Omg I'd be in heaven. *Dreaming*

Here are the lyrics to that song if your interested:

Dommin - "My Heart Your Hands"

I can feel the knife carving your love in my heart

You promised you wouldn't harm a hair on this fragile body, no that's not fair

But how can I trust you?

How can I trust you with My Heart, in Your Hands closing your grip!

I'm so afraid that you'll leave me cold with my heart in your hands closing....

Try to sit here with closed eyes

It's not possible

Cause how do I know that you'll be good doing the things that you know you should

Yeah, how can I trust you?

Also here is their music video for this song. Check them out. It's been on repeat for days on my computer. =)



"Til Tomorrow."

It was just one of THOSE days....

Yup. That's the only way to describe it. One of those days where nothing worked. I get alot of those. I was even trying to just calm down and relax by making one of the bracelets I know how to make out of embroidery floss...but alas it got so knotted up & tangled that I accidentally broke one of the strands so I had to scrap it. It's too difficult to somehow add another string.

I don't want to blame the weather but I'm going to. It was like 80's degrees today, hot, and I actually got a tan and a sassy lil tan line now that won't disappear til probably January. It was aslo in the 50's last week. Um...Weather...PLEASE MAKE UP YOUR MIND!!! On Friday it danced with the idea of rain or not and then when you realize Oh it's not going to rain, it pours. And of course I didn't have an umbrella and it was the day I decided to straighten my hair. It was funny, I left a bar I was at for pizza down the street, then came back to the people I was with and had curly hair from the rain.


Maybe I'm Bridget Jones. Yeah know from, "Bridget Jones's Diary". I have a diary, I used to work for a publishing company, I'm a horrible public speaker, I would totally watch my bf sleep if he was as cute as Mark, I have a best friend who used to call me at work from the bathroom and cry about a guy named Rick like her friend, I had a guy who I thought was Mark who wound up being Daniel Cleaver read my diary, I definitely have an inner monologue going on constantly in my head, I will wear those jumbo under garments to suck in my tummy, I have a Daniel Cleaver(Hugh Grant), I try not to think about Daniel Cleaver(The Mess) but fail, I will sing out loud to "All by myself" in my car, I don't know where Germany is, I have self-help books, I probably will always have a tummy, I can't cook and would totally serve blue stew, I'll go on the treadmill at the gym and I have fallen when I got off of it(omg it was soo embaressing), I actually have done a tour video with a certain Daniel Cleaver counterpart, and like her some days things just don't work.

But I was never sent to a Thailand prison. hehe. And I don't think I've found my Mark yet. le sigh.

This thought kinda striked me the other day. You know the expression "24 hour Party?" Well it occurred to me that I am in fact 24 years old and um...where is the 24 hour party that I would think would come with this age???? It's been rough, real rough. I'm kinda trapped in this middle of child/adult. People know I'm young but they don't realize how old I actually am. I had a lady last week when I was looking at condos tell my mom the following: "Oh we don't allow children in the building" so I responded, "Well what age do you constitute as a child?" The lady kinda stuttered wordlessly for a moment and then said, "Well how old are you?" I said "24". She was like "Oh I guess your not a child really." People sometimes don't know when to keep their mouths shut. "...Not a child really." When did 24 become kinda not a kid? I thought that was 21? or 18? Maybe the woman was inhaling her marker fumes all day. Well I don't think I'm child but I will say I'm becoming & learning to be an adult, thank you very much bitchy real estate woman.

24 for me is becoming a trial. Trial and Error. Today was definitely Error. Bridget Jones had 2 happy endings to both the movies. I'd like just one small happy ending, please. I hope that's not asking for too much. (The images are via Imdb.)


"Do you know what people did in the old days when they had secrets they didn't want to share? They'd climb a moutain, find a tree, carve a hole in it, whisper the secret into the hole and cover it up with mud. That way, nobody else would ever learn the secret... " - 2046

Tagged & Tag Sales...Dun Dun Dun

The angels is a painting by Raphael.
So I got tagged by the sweet miss at Simply Colette yesterday and I must oblige =)

1. What books are on your favorite shelf?

Firstly I'm addicted to Vampire novels. So my favorite shelf has almost every book from Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles Series(My favorite is the book, "Queen of the Damned") to Laurell K Hamilton's Anita Blake Series(My favorite is "Narcissus in Chains") to Kelly Armstrong's "Women of the Other World" series & Charlaine Harris's "Southern Vampire Novels"(The series True Blood is based on). I love to read. I also have a soft spot for the romantic novels from Lora Leigh.


2. What DVD's are on your favorite shelf?

Oh the Buffy the Vampire Season #2, Nip Tuck Seasons, Queen of the Damned, Walk the Line, The Abandoned, Mad Money, Simply Irresistible, No Reservations, Blade Runner, & Shaun of the Dead.

- I have probably over a 100 DVD's. I have so many Omg. Seriously my future house is gunna be DVD's & Books & trinkets...Who needs furniture? =P


3. What are your two favorite cookbooks?

Well, this is a tricky question. I'm ashamed to say that I personally don't own any cookbooks. I know it's pretty bad. I really need to start learning.

My favorite sources lately tho have been my lil pamphlets from the Technique Demos from Williams Sonoma. =) Hey, it's a start.


4. Select 1-3 recipes you would cook for guests.

Hmmmm........I would make a panini for my guests. My mom bought me an early Christmas present so I am a proud owner of one. =) I would make the panini with Italian bread, some swiss cheese, truffle oil, mushrooms, and a hardboiled egg on top. It's delicious.

Also I would make sure I had a fresh batch of Chocolate covered Strawberries. I love to make them.


5. What will we be drinking that's available.

Cocoa Cola or Hypnotiq or Crystal Head Vodka(It tastes like Vanilla).


And 10 Secrets just because:

1. I can catch about 25 pennies off my right elbow with my right hand.

2. I have a dream of being a real life actress. I want to be in a movie so badly.

3. I have an extremely messy bedroom all the time. I have OCD cleaning tendencies with my notebooks from school & how my hair is sometimes but my bedroom is never clean.

4. When I'm lonely I'll sleep with my stuffed animal tiger, which is actually an EXXON Gas station tiger I got when I was 3. Zimmerman Tiger Bob is his name. He's 21 years old and never asks for a drink, so I think I'll keep him.

5. I love to translate Latin, the Ancient Roman language. I can speak it, but I think the Pope would be the only one who'd understand.

6. When my parents aren't home I'll play the old Brittany Spears songs, Cristina Aguilera, Shakira or any of those other songs from the late 90's and rock out to them like they are the best songs ever.

7. I'm terrified of drowning. That's my greatest fear. I almost drowned when I was 5, I guess the fear of it never left me. I did teach myself to swim like no other tho, just in case.

8. In college when the teacher shut off the lights and made us watch a video or put on the projector I went right to sleep.

9. I think things happen for a reason. But I'd pay anything in this world to know why? I really wish I knew the future.

10. I believe in angels. There are miracles in this world that can't be explained. A few times in my life I must have had an angel because I don't know how I got through it or how it worked.

Yeah that was fun. I would tag the following lovely people. No pressure tho =).

Next to Heaven
The Constant Chill
They Call Me Lucy
Ocean Dreams
I Know, Right?
Life in Quotations

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Today was a quiet day. I love Saturdays because I get off the Auto-Pilot. =) I didn't do much but I did go to a Tag Sale and a Thrift store and picked up these items I would like to share with you.


I can't believe it's a ceramic purse bank!! So cute!

Remember "Beauty & the Beast"? This is the lil tea cups and the lil boy cup named Chip! I found this in a thrift store and the girl only charged me $2 for them!!!! If I find anything Disney I gotta buy it.

The plates were just too pretty. I'm gunna wind up being Carrie Bradshaw with not one matching plate one day!! hehehe.

Okay I hope everyone is having a good weekend. It's rainy here in NY and very humid so I think I'm gunna stay in tonight and practice some sleep. Til Tomorrow...

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And if your a Charlaine Harris novel fan like me check out this Giveaway at Confessions of a Wandering Heart.
Confessions of a Wandering Heart Giveaway

Who are you going to call?? Ghostbusters!!

This is one of the curbs in my job parking lot. I liked the red leaves then the more yellow ones are in the back. The other day I was like Oh...Hey there's now fall clothes in the mall...Oh...there are leaves...Oh Woa I forgot about Fall. I guess when your on Auto-pilot it's hard to take a second and notice things, especially when it was like 80 degrees last Saturday. lol.

I love October. It is my favorite month Ever!! I love Halloween shopping, I love decorating, I love the candy, and I love trick or treating and dressing up!! I hard-core love to dress up. I never grew out of that habit from a lil girl. See I even started to dress up my desk. This below is my lil container for my pens and junk at my job. The lil mini Beanie Bear Vampire was too cute one day in the super market that I had to buy him. And more decorations will definitely follow!


My office never told me I couldn't have toys at my desk, so I must test the waters. This is one perk to working in an office of all men. They really can't say anything to a stuffed animal on my desk cuz it makes me happy and then I work better. Well that's the excuse I told them.

So I'm going to tell you guys about an adventure I had to meet none other than a Ghostbuster. Dan Akroyd!! He played Ray in the Ghostbusters, he has been in many Adam Sandler movies, as well as Tommy Boy. (I love meeting famous people btw). So last April my friend found out that Dan Akroyd was putting out his own brand of Vodka. Crystal Head Vodka and was coming to Wayne, NJ to sign them. OMG!!! I freaked! I was like "I wanna go, I wanna go!!".

We got all ready to go that day then it started to rain...Yeah. We like okay this isn't that bad it was April so it wasn't THAT cold out. We got there and there is of course a line outside. It was pretty long but we like meh okay an hour probably tops to wait...Oh we were EVER so wrong. It took 2 hours just to get to the entrance of the store, in the pouring rain, with one umbrella, and I just had a sweatshirt on and my friend tho he had on a leather coat. I don't know how he didn't get hypothermia from holding the umbrella so tight. It got colder and colder. But alas we got to the door.....We didn't realize it was another 2 hours wait IN THE STORE!!! They had all the people looped and looped around.

We kept joking that it was just going to be a card-board cut-out just to mess with all of us or a look-alike.

I think we got there around 9:30pm and then we actually got to meet him at 2:30pm. After all the bitching about waiting, my feet killing me, the fights with the friend because we just in line WAY TOO LONG, and a tease free sample of Sour Mix(I thought it was alcohol), we saw Dan Akroyd. I got my Crystal Head Vodka bottle signed by Dan Akroyd. hehe. He signed my DVD booklet of Ghostbusters as well. I got to shake his hand too and he really has a high voice. I was shocked. I told him I loved Ghostbusters and he was like, "Thank you very much Miss." It was over before I knew it but it was fun. I can honestly say I waited 5 hours to meet a Ghostbuster!! hehe. I just hoped he didn't wish for the Stay Puft Marshmellow man while I was near him. =)

Here are the photo of the Crystal Head Vodka(Delicious btw),the Autograph and me with him.



I apologize for the quality of pic with me and him. I can't find my memory card with it on it. But I will eventually. Hope you enjoyed the story of my lil adventure. A reminder also that all the good horror movies and classics like Ghostbusters will be on Tv now!!

Okay I had gotten a text from my boss this morning at 7:25am to not dress business casual so I'm exhausted. Remember to look outside at the beautiful changing trees!

Do you like the new lil collage for my header? I tried to make it Halloweeny? ;)

"Illusion never changed into something real..." - "Torn" by Natalie Imbruglia

Nickels.

First it was Pennies. Now it's Nickels. A Nickel is 5 cents. A dollar is 20 nickels. A $500+ pair of Louboutin shoes I want or a pair of Jimmy Choo's is over a 1,000 nickels!!! Ewww, is all I got to say. If you picked up a nickel off the ground every day for a year you actually would only have $182.50. That's alot of money for the everyday life to me, but not for the fashion world. It's pocket change. And that is very discouraging...[Nickel image via unknown.]

At the end of every month I'm doing a Save Money Tips post. I do have a Bachelor's in Math and I'm trying to really put together my finances lately to help me figure out what salary I need in a new job. Basically there are bags and bags and envelopes upon envelopes of coupons in my home. My mom has even got my dad cutting them out for her to save time. lol. It's funny. He comes home and goes "Oh Kathy, I got you a 50% off coupon for JoAnn's" so happily that you'd think he just won Monopoly! hehe.


I did manage to save a little money this month, however I was cursed by a bit of emotional shopping once again. I really when I leave the house should leave my credit card at home!! I bought a black cocktail dress that looks like the classic white dress Marilyn Monroe is famous for wearing except in black. Ya never know when Price Charming might possibly show up and you need to go to a banquet. (I dream...ALOT). Other than that I tried to set a budget and I think I did not too shabby. [Image above is via Google images & one below is via Imdb from the movie "Mad Money"]


Here are some things I used this month to save some cash.
1.) Library Fines: ALWAYS KEEP THE "WHEN IT'S DUE" LIST!!! ( I paid about 5 dollars in fines this month because I forgot to put the movie back in the case and returned the case and didn't listen to my voice mails. lol. Also I forgot about a book for 2 weeks.)

2.)(This one is a bit cheesy) Go to the library and take out a DVD instead of spending the ridiculous amount at Blockbuster! Most libraries have a very recent assortment of movies and if the movie sucks, it was free so who cares, right?

3.)At a Bar: When you go out to a bar, bring only the amount of cash you want to spend. A guy I work with is terrified of owning a credit card because he is afraid of the bar tab if he used it. So he brings enough cash that if he had to take a cab home he could and enough so he can have a few drinks. Not a bad idea!!

4.)Look at the Sale filers in the newspaper!! If you are addicted to Dannon Light Yogurt, ( I am a hardcore addict to the lemon one) wait til there is a sale in the super market and stock up!! My mom bought 20 of them and that should last me at least 2-3 weeks, till they are on sale again.

5.) Free Demo classes. In some communities and libraries there are alot free classes and demos. I've been doing them for about 2 months now and i love em. I'm learning soo much!!

6.) Lunch: Big issue for me because it's expensive. I tried to wake up a lil early and make myself enough food for lunch to bring with me to work so I wouldn't be hungry. I did this at least 2 times a week and then I realized Oh! I actually still have some cash in my wallet at the end of the month! Sweet!

7.) Coffee: Go to Target, spend the money on a coffee maker and try to have the cup of coffee at home. This is not always the easiest thing to do because sometimes you wake up late *Cough* like me *Cough* and gotta go to Dunkin Doughnuts but if you get a minute make a cup of coffee and sit at your table and relax while you drink a cup. I did that this morning. I actually sat for a minute and just enjoyed my cup of coffee and it calmed me a bit from the ridiculousness that was yesterday.

Okay well I hope maybe one of those tips will strike you and go hmm maybe I can do that. It's not much to save, but it's something and it does add up!! I'm saving up some mad money for maybe a pair of designer shoes or boots, maybe to go on a trip next spring perhaps to Quebec City in Canada ( I love it up there), or maybe to buy that extra nice piece of furniture one day. Ohhh...One day........


September was a better month for me then August. But I feel sick physically & mentally. That's typical for me. I'm sick at least once in the Fall. *Knock on wood*. The leaves are falling everywhere so my allergies act up. It was like Summer then I turned around and BAM! it was fall. October tho, is my favorite month out of the year. It means Halloween is right around the corner. I don't know what I want to be yet....hmmmm...It's also going to be my Return to Diet Land month too. But the fall goodies everybody is posting is making me sooooo hungry!! First things first, switch to diet soda and no candy at my desk.

I'm tired, but emotional tired. My dad's test went great today and we got the good results back. I'm so relieved. I did text the Mess and he answered one text but when I asked if he wanted to chill he didn't respond til it was too late and apologized for standing me up all night waiting for an answer. Figures. I just want the week to be over, because I have a concert and a Greek Festival to go too. Maybe that'll help me feel better. Yeah I think it will!! Til Tomorrow

It's 11:11. Make a wish! Maybe if I write my blog everyday at 11:11 my wishes will come true. Hmmmmm...Maybe.

"He bit my lip and drank my war from years before..." - "Love like winter" -AFI

"Miss Melanie! How are you today?"

My bosses ask me that question everyday. I always want to tell them about my real day, ya know the truth, but a small "Okay" usually always comes out of my mouth. They grunt or go "Oh that's good" and return to their respective offices. It's just easier this way. If I really told them what goes on with me...I think I'd get the blank stare after and then the "Okay So Call Office Team Immediately and hire another girl for the office". It's a little rough and lonely to work with 5 guys all day long. My poor mom then gets flooded with all the stuff from my head in a rant session I do everyday to her when she gets home. I'm sorry Mom.

Well I'll tell all of you my real day.

I realized in this blog I've been happy for the last 2-3 weeks. My posts are cheerful, productive, informative, and have a lil skip to them. I want to continue that ohhh sooo much. The reason I think I've been peppy is that The Mess (My Brown-Eyed Mr. Big) was around for a while. I'm not his girlfriend, I'm the best friend(The Julia Roberts "Best Friend's Wedding knockoff pretty much)....when he isn't dating someone. When he's dating other people I never see him. However, he is this guy that is always in the back of my head. I love him, he knows it, but we just can't seem to do anything to make it work. He never asked me out and I just seem to be waiting for him to do it but I don't think it'll ever happen. The problem is...he just makes me happy, so I go back. He even will spend a night with me just swinging on the swings at the playground where we live...

We aren't honest with each other I think. I know I'm terrified of telling him how I really feel because I fear he'd leave me and not even want to be my friend anymore. But I have NO IDEA how he feels about me. If I'd ask him, he'd probably be an asshole about it. He actually even read my diary once. (I was absolutely devastated and he didn't act like the end of "Bridget Jones' Diary" where he just bought me a new one when he saw all the bad things I wrote about him.) After the diary incident he fought for my friendship back, so I think he at least values me in his life. But we could have the perfect day including mind-erasing kisses goodnight & the "huns" & the cuddling, but then he never calls when I say call me. The next time I'll hear from him he'll be seeing someone else. But then they'll break up and he'll spend time with me again. Or if he's had a bad day he'll call me...This has been going on for 3 years this vicious game/cycle between us. I just don't know what to do to repair it or fix it??

I feel like I'm setting myself up for another heartbreak again from the same person. I'd call him but I know he's at work. We used to talk for hours online, but he doesn't go on Aim anymore. Maybe I should just tell him how I feel. I think if I don't hear the "No" I keep hoping I'll hear a "Yes" one day. It's a mess. sigh. I have to figure this out one day or I'll be boiling rabbits before I know it. I run it over and over in my head like Carrie did with Mr. Big and like her I in the show could barely figure it out. Now I'm waiting for him to call but I know when enough days go by I'll give in and call him...maybe. I just don't know what to do?

Besides about him, my mind just races. I described it before as a TV set flipping through the channels, because the remote is stuck between the couch cushions. That's exactly how it is. I over analyze things til my face is blue. I've been really obsessed with money lately. This whole almost buying a condo made me realize that if I work a little harder and march some time maybe this time next year I can buy something. I might have to go back to retail to get a part-time job for the holidays.

I also came to the conclusion that in searching for a new job with my new resume that I have no clue what type of job to go for?? I have broad degrees in math & engineering science and I'm not sure how to combine them into a specific job. I think I need to speak with someone. Maybe go back to my last college and see if someone can help me.


Tomorrow my Dad is having a procedure/test done. It's nothing major but I'm worried. It's a test that could have either a good result or a bad one. I know he'll be okay, we're tough lil cookies in this family but I'm still upset. It has to be done so we know. But I just wished that when one of my bosses asked me today, "Miss Melanie, how are you today" and I told him about my Dad, that I hadn't said a word. The boss made me upset instead of feeling that my dad would be okay. My boss gave me a life lesson of it's inevitable that people will be sick and it will get worse as your parents get older and have to be there for them. I really really wish I kept my mouth shut. I think people don't think. I REALLY needed those rose-colored glasses in that moment and he just shattered them. This boss tells it like it is, he's a realist but COME ON...if a girl is going at lunch to check on her dad because she's worried don't tell her something that might make her more upset...he probably just wasn't thinking.

This is all that ran through my head today. For this reason and so many more is why I answer, "Okay" when I'm asked, "Miss Melanie, how are you today". Sometimes you just have a bad day. I think I want to put the rose-colored glasses back on for just a lil while......

I think I'll call the Mess tomorrow and try to hang out with him even though all the above stuff. It's just...sigh...He makes me happy...

11:11 *Make a wish*

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While trying to find something to do also at work to clear my head I decided to start reading Julie Powell's blog. Julie is from "Julie & Julia. That movie is actually what started me blogging. I loved the idea of it and yes I'm hooked. If you ever had an interest in checking it out here is the link. The Julie/Julia Project That link is the for the first entry. It's a wonderful read.

The Time Traveler's Wife.

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger is one of the best books I've ever read. I love to read but this is the first book I've completed in awhile. I'm one of those people that when I read books I will basically play it like a movie in my head. I'm very visual. I actually saw the movie first so I had good images for the read. This book places you in a world that your desperately waiting to find out what happens at the turn of each page. She describes the scenes so nicely that you really don't have that moment where your like, "Oh crap I just read 3 pages of nothing and can't remember what I just read, then have to re-read it." Not in this book at all.

Here's a brief non-spoiler synopsis of the beginning:
There is this boy named Henry, who one day finds out that he can time-travel within the time frame of his life. An older version of this boy starts to appear to a little girl named Clare playing in a field. He sees this little girl grow up right before him but little does she know that she is married to him in the future & when he leaves he is going to her. Little Clare begins to fall in love with this older gentleman that keeps showing up naked in her parents's estate field. But it's not that easy to meet the man of your dreams and have him be there always & love you always. She meets the present day Henry when she is 20 years old and he has no memory of her at all. Of course not. This present day Henry doesn't know her because he has never met her in the present. From here is where the story truly begins.


There is emotion, devastation, pure love, waiting, heart breaks, joys, and just so much more. Your happy for Clare & Henry one minute and then the next your screaming at Henry for being an ass. You might cry and some of the story may leave a cold shudder upon you. HONESTLY DON'T EXPECT A CLICHE' STORYBOOK ROMANCE where two people meet, there's a little drama, they sleep together, fight, and get back together. NOPE! You get to read how Clare grows up and anyone who has ever make believed that they had a secret boyfriend will love some of it.

I recommend this book if you really want to get lost in a story for a while. It's cleverly laid out so that you get Clare's reactions and Henry's reactions in separate diaryish sections. It's very realistic even though Henry Time Travels. Niffenegger can write emotion and true emotion well.

Perhaps I like this book because Clare reminds me of myself. This book deals with her finding herself while waiting for her life to make sense and come together. Yup, that's me. I seem to always be waiting for the Mess to come back to me. He leaves, comes back, leaves, and comes back. He also...Get this...has a DELOREAN!!! A delorean is the car from Back to the Future where Marty McFly time travels. I couldn't make this up if I tried. lol. Well him & I just can't seem to tell each other who we feel or not feel so it really is appearing to me to be a wicked game going on. I love him & *sigh* would wait for him to love me. I just don't know if he does or ever will? I think I fear knowing the answer because it could mean to the end to him & me. Clare waited. She waited her whole life. Also in the book Clare drives a Honda Civic. So do I. Henry gets sick when Clare drives. So does the Mess. Clare's hair is always a mess. So is mine. lol. Eerie Coincidence. The Mess is really going to drive me insane. He was back for a lil while last week & I have no idea when he'll come back again, if he even does.

"I wouldn't change one second of our life together." - Clare
The following is purely just my opinion. If you read the book first, then watch the movie you may feel like they watered down everything, stripped the story of rawness & realism that the book projects so loudly. If you watch the movie then read the book, the book is a bit more of a brutal slice of life but you may enjoy the book more because it's more details & you can really see how Henry & Clare felt about things. I like the movie for in it's own way but I enjoyed the book so much more.


Today my office talked non-stop all day long, which made my day seem longer than ever. Even when I was taking orders over the phone they whispered which was worse. I wish each one of those boys one day works in a hair salon and gets to listen to female gossip 24/7. That would be justice. One of the callers to place an order for this site I work for too actually asked me if I knew the Real Housewives of New Jersey. LOL! I've never seen them but I live 20 minutes from where it was filmed and where the ladies live. It was hysterical.

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What else that made my day was I received my Postcard from the lovely lady, Nicolette that runs the blog, Simply Collete!! If you click here you can read her blog, Simply Colette. Her photographs are beautiful, she's full of inspiration & talent, and her tales from her travels make you wanna book a flight tonight and go! =) I'm going to put the postcard in a collage that I can't wait to make!!

The water is soo blue. I want to go, now. It rained all day so seeing the Fort Lauderdale beach made me want summer again.

Btw...Where did September go? It evaporated....

Warning: Drinking Espresso will TOTALLY get you WIRED!!!!

It's Sunday so I went to this week's Free Demo at Williams Sonoma. If you click the collage i made it will appear bigger. All I can say is that the topic was Coffee...And I've been completely & utterly AWAKE THE WHOLE ENTIRE DAY!!!!! lol. I mean it. I actually cleaned my room!! I went shopping in the mall for hours, I actually cooked dinner, I made my bed which I rarely do, I folded clothes, I ranted at my mother of why I hate my job for about 3 hours, I actually cleaned out my unread emails, I ranted that I was talking in my sleep, I realized Omg I talk in my sleep?!?!?!, I realized Oh crap I didn't text back "Yeah lmk" cuz i was soo stressed, I watched "The Professional", I freaked out over what to do with The Mess, I put all my hair things into this box, I read...I did this....I did that...

Can you tell I had ALOT of coffee today???? I apologize for writing like a cracked out Road Runner. *Beep Beep*

The demo was the Technique Class called "Espresso, Cappuccino or Coffee, Anyone?" Surprisingly there are alot of different things about coffee. For example you can make coffee in a standard coffee maker or you can make coffee in a French Press. I had no idea what a French Press was!! It makes such a smoother cup of coffee. It's a different machine that presses the beans and the hot water together so the coffee separates from the beans. Anyone ever use it? Well you can brew the same coffee beans in a coffee maker & a french press and get two completely different tasting coffees. We also learned that it does matter how fine or coarse the coffee grinds are. What makes Espresso is the Fine Coffee Grinds. Normal Coffee is more coarser of a grind.


Then we got to see demonstrations on all the different Espresso machines. Espresso actually has less caffeine then coffee but espresso is such a small amount it does give you an extra kick in your step! I always wondered how they got the foam on top. I learned it's called Frothed Milk and you have to make it with either a Milk Frother or an insert that's on the Espresso Machne. Woa. The only thing about these beautiful machines is they are expensive. Like omg. I wish I was getting married so I could register and hope hope someone bought me one!! hehe.

Here's some info for you that I got off the Technique sheet in the top right of the collage up there. This info can also be found at Wlliams Sonoma. There are recipies for specialty drinks there too!




Here's some definitions:

Espresso: A single shot of rich, aromatic espresso

Espresso Macchiato: A shot of espresso "marked" with a dollop of whipped cream

Cappuccino: A shot of espresso crowned with a frothy cap of milk foam(thats the whole Milk Frothing thing)

Caffe Latte: A shot of espresso topped with steamed milk and a thin layer of milk foam.

Very cool. It looked so easy when the girl demoed it, but there are recipies for each of these yummy coffee goodness drinks. If I had the money I would buy one of the machines. I really can't make good coffee. lol. I'll honestly admit that. It's always too strong. One day I actually put coffee grinds in a cup of hot water and waited for it to brew. lol. (I didn't realize there was instant coffee. In my weak defense I was reallllly young when I did this. =P). But now I have a better understanding of coffee which is kinda cool. I really recommend going to these demos, I'm learning soo much!! If there's ever a Jeopardy question on Espresso Oh I'll so know the answer!! =)

I'm gunna try taking two aspirins to come down off this coffee binge because I need some sleep!! hehe. Espresso may have less caffeine but WOA depending on how much you drink of it you'll be ready to run a marathon. This week is going to be my put back together and repair things week. It's really set in that about 3 weeks ago I lost a good friend to drama, and am stuck in this wicked game with another. I need to straighten some stuff out. I'm lonely. I don't know if I can repair some any of it but I'm going to try. I'll start tomorrow.

"I like my coffee to say, 'Good Morning'" - my mom
This Road Runner is finally slowing down so Til Tomorrow!!! *BEEP BEEP*

Colonial Day

For those of you who don't know, I live in Southern New York State. I'm actually about 20 minutes outside of New York City. The city is booming & a beautiful day trip but I have alot of cool things right outside my door in Rockland County. (That's the county where Suffern is in that Sex & City episode where Aidan takes Carrie to the "Country"...Shhh don't tell HBO but it's not at all the country hehe.) In Rockland there are actually alot of historical places from the American Revolutionary War. A British spy in the War named Major John Andre actually was hung here too. This link is some info on him. Major John Andre

Well every year in the fall, the Tappan Historical Society holds what's called Colonial Day. It's at the DeWint House in Tappan. Here is the link for some info. The DeWint House It is actually one of the oldest surviving structures in Rockland and George Washington stayed there during the American Revolutionary War.

The people of the society get volunteers to teach the town how people lived in Colonial times. Some dress up & re-enact the times. I used to be a Colonial Re-enactor for this day. College & my fibroid surgery prevented me from doing it the past two years, but I used to do the demonstration in the kitchen. I used to teach kids how the colonial people made butter, preserved apples, and how they had to get bulks of salt & Sugar because of course there was no super market. I actually had a kid draw a car with a quill pen one year. lol. Gotta love the irony.

Here are some pics from today:


This is the DeWint House.

These were the Re-enactors showing us how muskets were used. I love the cars in the background. lol.


I love how the rose sneaked into my picture. lol.

All I can say is WOW!! He looks just like Ben Franklin!!!

Here the talented ladies teaching the people about the kitchens of colonial times.That's gunna be me again next year.

And this is my Mom & I enjoying the day.

The photos were taken by me today. I will try to do Colonial Day next year. It was soo much fun. I miss being in the kitchen teaching the kids. They really do enjoy it. It was hysterical seeing a colonial solider using a digital camera. hehe. I felt like I was in the movie "The Patriot". I dunno how colonial ladies didn't have sneakers tho. Omg their feet must have drove them nuts!! lol. Hope u enjoyed this lil glimpse to the past!

A bought a lil bracelet from a little girl today too at this event. It says on it Live, Love, Life. I had to buy it she was just too adorable. I will try to remember that saying. =)