new age, familiar faces, future places.

i am now older, and i accept it with pride. i got carded on my actual birthday a few days ago!

the festivities kicked off last week, and each friend made sure i had a great time. 

on friday one of my girlie gals and i supported a friend's event and made an appearance. this girl and i always stumble upon new adventures (like that thursday during dinner with her mama that came from houston). 

bartender spraying my area with champagne?

saturday was AMAZING!! i went to a rodeo in the the texas hill country with my parents and friends. i was so happy to be spending time with my parents. my dad and i even two-stepped to George Straight, drank Shiner beer and talked about my accomplishments. my mom just smiled, also commented on my accomplishments, laughed and drank her Dos XX. i truly lived up to "lee texas." after that, i had VIP waiting for me where the night before some NBA players were also sharing VIP. of course we didn't take their pics because when i work with celebrities i see how annoyed they truly get. besides, i was too busy to care about them.

monday was dinner with my beautiful parents at a little italian restaurant and some vino. i am the type of person that will pick a mom&pop shop or "hole in the wall restaurant" over the chilli's or olive garden or any franchise (well, 95% of the time); i support local business! my mama had blooming yellow roses for me, my dad gave me some collectible items, and i did a few shopping trips where i made sure to announce it was my bday gift "to me, from me." afterwards, i gathered with intimate friends at a bar. they all laughed, sang, drank, and raised a pint in my honor.... even Ron. whaaaaat??? Ron?? the guy that-- yes him. all in all, it has been one of the most memorable times of my life. i got happy birthday & i love you calls and texts all day long. even though my Mami is no longer here, i know she would have called and told me how much she loves me just like she did every day and every birthday.

red shimmery cup holder from:me, to:me!
and the quote on the cup is true <3.

that monday morning my mom and i celebrated with a piping cups of lattes and she said how she really wants to go to spain. she wants to see how i used to live over there and the places i became a local. i really hope i can take her. i told J my intern and she also wants to go. sure! let's all go! you wanna come too? ;)

oooopsies.

after a very emotional two weeks, i obviously disconnected myself from the world; or as i have put it, slowly crawling out from under my rock.

well, it just became clear to me that i had the option to be in LA to be part of my filming crew's special meeting. i guess i'll never know what i will be missing out on. i think LA would have been good for me.

in other topics, two of my friends started to become socially-web-active, one about music, and the other... well i do not know because it is all in Greek. no, really, he's Greek and he's updating in his native language. looks, like it's time to pick up a new language.

lastly, i would like to wish my former intern the best luck in the world. she listed me as a reference, i spoke wonders of her, she got the 2nd interview, so my dear Jhannet, i hope you get the job!

Grandma.

thank you for being my grandmother.

thank you for letting me be your favorite granddaughter. 

thank you for giving me advice through my stupid mistakes and treating me like an adult, and not a child...

i bet that was difficult.

mami&me at my college graduation!

thank you for being the coolest grandma. thank you for being my Mami.

rest in peace, Mami. i love you so much.

i miss you so much,

ep.

zoo, foyo & race cars

so what happens when you decide to randomly take the day off from the chaos and decide to take on a little adventure? let me also add that my station's meteorologist informed we'd be welcoming a cold front around 3pm... yeah, two hours late. way to go- we were frying until 5pm!

....... playing hooky so close to the real weekend almost seems pointless, but it was well welcomed.......

decided on a whim, with mr. london, that today would be perfect for a visit to the zoo. i secretly thought we'd be the only adults, but turns out i was very wrong. other young kids, older couples, and of course, the endless groups of awkward children from school field trips.
we were approaching the monkey section and i told london, "we prob should not come around here, or the zookeeps will realize you've escaped!" he got back at me later when we went to visit the reptiles and one of the snakes had a sign that described "small mammals" as a part of its diet; he told me i'd better watch out or i could be next. oh, ha ha. i think mine was the funniest.
we visited my fave, the Rhino!! i keep a deep hunch that rhinos are dinosaurs. i got a penny pressed with a rhino on it. i was happy, yes happy like a young toddler.
                                 afterwards, we visited a nearby park, then headed for some froyo (frozen yogurt). i became friends with the owner and she told me to stop by more often. on our way to Whole Foods i got a thumbs up from a cute guy in the same sports car like mine. his was super clean, unlike mine since i drove through a construction site- ew. and the weirdest part? london saw him give the thumbs up, i didn't. oh well, not my fault i'm awesome... kidding. made it to the store and stocked up on brown sugar! ja'dore!

slit wrists.

ahhh!!
Dear Adele,
if you ever happen to read this I want you to know that I deeply admire your talent. In Spanish we have a saying for songs like your yours, "corta venas." that means the song is so touching that it moves your insides and makes you wanna slit your wrists. I know it may sound terrible, but believe me, it is not.

I dare say that 98% i can relate to your songs. they always hit the achy spot and trigger pondering. at the very least they transport me to certain moments in my life and either i get emotional and thank God i survived that phase, or i get excited with hope.

i will describe your songs as fuzzy warm blankets for the soul.
you always get me when i see you Unplugged with my glass of vino.

rock it, lady.

dear coffee maker,

or Dear coffee gods,
i just want to thank you for guiding me into fixing my beloved Cuisinart coffee maker.

my Cuisinart sidekicks, and John Deere mug... good Texas mornin' to ya!

this morning i realized how much i take the coffee maker for granted. all it would do this morning was beep. beep, beep, and beep some more. i was getting so frustrated, but decided to unplug it and come back.
i felt so confused bc it had never freaked out on me like that, and it's not it can talk and tell me why it won't brew! so i decided to take the time and remember how i had set up the machine and what i was doing wrong this time. it's like i was jogging my brain through a relationship. wait a minute! it is a relationship!

i realized this morn i have a relationship w my coffee maker. i look out for it, clean it, praise it, and thank it for its spectacular performance.

well, the problem? some one took my machine apart to "clean it" and did not return all the pieces bc they were "air drying." i was happy to have my yummy cup 'o joe and realized that all relationships sometimes just need a little attention instead of exploding and moving on to the next best thing.

lesson learned: be patient and the world (the world being whoever you want it to be) will smile.

hello, reality.

of course we had a coffee date in Hawaii!
and check out the bicycle bike rack!

back from the trip and hit the ground running. i probably feel more tired now than i have in a very long time.

my mama had a great time. however, i must share that being in the island of Honolulu there was an eruption... "what?" you ask, since it has no active volcanoes...

the eruption came from two little ladies known as mother and daughter. i am not proud, but we got over it and had even more fun. yay, for happy mothers and daughters!

some of the adventures included driving to a few secluded beaches that i will never attempt to pronounce (my studies in phonetics couldn't really save me, sad), checked some of North Shore out, this is where surfers "hang ten" out in "knarly waves, dude!"we also checked out a few shows, one of them being a dolphin show. those little babes are so peaceful and a joy to feast the eyes on. i tried to get the birthday girl to jump in w the darling dolphins, but she wouldn't. not even when the entire crowd was coaxing her. my mom is awesome. hours of driving became a treat rather than a drag in this gorgeous paradise. there's a highway called H3 and it takes you directly to the Pearl Harbor area, well we drove it and i had never seen such a scenery in my life (i still get goosebumps thinking abt it). my mom LOVES flowers so i took her to a few botanical gardens and we had a picnic in one that a running waterfall and we sat underneath a GIANT tree on the greenest and softest grass we've ever seen. we seriously looked like the icons of a gardening or home improvement-type magazine.

see what i mean?

when you compare yourself to all these mountains, giant trees, and breathtaking views, not to mention the ocean (!!!) you come to realize that we are so insignificant in matter. it brings you to a reality check that helps you find a sense of humility, but it's only worth it if it stays in you even after your plane departs Hawaii.

“ but this Friday night, do iiiit aaall againnn…”

tgif, and update.

1. Ron struck out.
2. Finally met up Mr. London.

London asked me to dinner, but being the prideful Texas woman I am, I did not reply until the day of. So after my jog I get a phone call from this lad asking me to lunch the following day. I accept. After lunch we went for some froyo (which is a plus that he likes it) and caught up. It had been over a year since we had seen each other and we spoke sporadically. After making sure he did not have plan that evening, I invited him out w me and some of my friends. He accepted, after fulfilling his prior compromise.

London: hey, I just finished. And I am driving, where do I meet you?

Me: oh, we are downtown. Come meet us so we can all go to listen to the new DJ’s afterwards.

… he walks towards my friends and me and I introduce him. We master the plan of attack, and depart. Making a small detour, the group grabbed some drinks at a more intimate location 1^st before we met up w my other half of friends.

Friend 1 and fiancé are to my left, London to my right. It began. There was something that sparked. Perhaps it was referring to memories when we’d visit each other in Europe, or perhaps that established friendship we have. Whatever it was, it was good. The rest of the night I was dancing to those DJ’s and having a blast. It was the type of night I had been waiting for. Fireworks. I did not have a set plan for the occurrence of events, I just wanted to have fun with or w/o London, good thing he was able to join me. By the end of the night our hair and clothes were completely soaked! Pretty much sweated out every ounce of alcohol.

I don’t have a plan as for a relationship. As I’ve said before, I want to see if he is the same guy I left behind or has he changed in a way that is no longer compatible with me? So far, he has been living up to his own (unbeknownst to him) standards. For instance, I’ve used him as my measuring stick for every guy after him. Obviously, they’ve not been able to keep up.

happy bday, mom! surprise!

Tuesday sept.6…

As youknow my mom’s bday was the 3^rd and I had a surprise brewing for her… well, we’re on our plane to Hawaii!

Saturday morning at coffee shop

Mama: let’s go to this coffee shop because it’s closer.

Me: yah, but it’s smaller and I don’t like it.

Mama: I can’t even pick the place on my own birrrrrthday?!

Me: okay! Okay! Fine. (now can you see where I got my sass from?)

So we are sitting at the table drinking our coffees and I tell her, “well, since it is your birthday I got you something. Here. Read them in the numbered order.”

….she reads a mega-cute card I gave her that has flowers and a red kite. Her face is saying, “thank you,” but her brain drives her to nod to reluctant aging… reads print out #1, days worth of activities, looks at me puzzled. Reads #2, looking at me like she wants to believe the resort accommodations. Still looks confused, but automatically opens #3, and she screams, “OH MY GOD! THESE ARE TICKETS TO HAWAII!”

go figure, everyone in that tiny coffee shop turned around. One jokester even shouted, “hey that’s great, I’ll pack now!” oh, haha.

Needles to say, she was ecstatic, and then started to oh-my-goodness her comments since she had to inform her agenda she was leaving in 3 days. And guess what? She never complained. That’s right mother. We spent the whole day together and then for dinner we went to a French restaurant she had been craving. This was my mom’s intro up ‘till now: “hi, it’s my birthday and my daughter is taking me to Hawaii (insert megawatt smile).”

And the best part about all of this was these past few days we’ve been hanging out in public, strangers will actually approach us and refer to her or my sister, and I say “I don’t have a sister”… people think my mama is my sister! Can you believe! She would blush, and drop her bday intro. What can I say, my mama looks good.

So this morning after a few mishaps, like missing our plane due to exaggerated lines, all has been according to plan.

coffee thursday.

as an ongoing tradition, every thursday, my lovely mother and i have a morning coffee date.
we never need an excuse to drink coffee or to meet up, but having an official mother/daughter date just seems exciting.
thursdays started off as long exhausting days a while back and she'd say she had to get fueled for her day, and thus the dates began. when i was living in Spain, she would come on her thursday mornings, and depending on how melancholic she'd feel due to my absence she'd leave, or stay. i would do the same on my part of the world. sometimes we would even call each other. there were times that it was my lunch time and walk into a coffee shop if i knew she was going to call just so we could still have our coffee date.

i love my mama so much. she has put up with me and my shenanigans, and still doesn't judge me. she is a beautiful human that will take anyone in need under her wing. she doesn't think twice to share her wealth, gives all her love, and has always worker her ass off for me. i have her to thank for the good in me (and some of the bad...JK!)

what she doesn't know is that i have a very special surprise brewing for her Bday that is a few days away. she has suspicions, but i have told her these plans would be unable to be executed due to my scheduling with Network.

mama, standby...

models & bottles.

this past weekend ended with a twist. still trying to figure out how i feel about it... let me explain.

so i ended up going to my friend's party, the theme was "models & bottles"(picture to follow). it was very fun, but at the same time another party was going on but felt bad if i ditched my friend for the other guys. anyway,

3pm
i ended up extending the invite to only 2 ppl, my friend L and Ron. L immediately accepted and i was excited to have her come out w me. so, remember how i had said Ron asked to meet up on the wkend? well, i thought it would be nice to have 2 days. his reply was that he was at work (i already knew this) but that he was going to try to be out by 10. i i said, "perfect! i am not arriving prior to 1030pm anyway."
                                                          ... all seemed to be settled...
midnight,
at my big brother's party (he likes to think he's my older bro).
L and i having a blast. have not heard from Ron. i txt him asking if he's ok and if he is still working. he says yes (Ron is not in my industry, but let's just say he's probably borderline of it, so he's a very busy man regardless).

1am
Ron's txt: i am finished, should i head out there?
me: idk. up to you. this place is done at 2.


my brother and friends are asking where this mystery man is, bc since we had a VIP spot, we had to let the bouncer know to just let him in to our area. we call it a night, and no word or appearance from Ron.

Sunday afternoon (the day we were supposed to go out)

Ron: Hi, sorry about last night. did you have fun?

me: yes i did

Ron: is it ok if we hang out tomorrow instead? my buddy's parent died today, and he's an only child.

you probably think i am a flake but i am not. things have just gotten hectic.

me: i understand, ok. let me know if there is any way i can help.

to be honest, i am not disgruntled in ANY way bc we are only friends. i left it at that. this situation did not even perturb my thoughts all day.

Sunday evening:
a txt from Mr. London (the history between this lad and myself will be later posted).
the time-sporadic conversation thread led to nearly 1am. he is currently out of town, but returns in a few days... wants to meet up.

i love my life. everything is up in the air, not committing to anything or anyone. we shall see what happens this week.

"la vida no es para esperarla, es para vivirla"

God, please give us strength.

              so this week has been quite a whirlwind.
1). a casino in Monterrey, MX exploded yesterday, Mexican Papayas are currently banned since the FDA's warning of these fruits containing salmonella. some research argues the presence of these pathogens, but just be safe.
2). preparing for Irene...6 e.coast states have been mandatorily evacuated due to hurricane Irene (i have a friend in Charleston, SC that leftto the Dominican Republic, and a dear friend in the city... please take precautions!!)
3). higher up the e.coast was witness to an earthquake. last time that part of our world quaked was 114 years ago!
4). Steve Jobs is critically ill and quits Apple. stocks fall.
5). Crisis in Libya continues.

on a lighter note, Lady Gaga has been confirmed to appear on The Simpsons, and her character has something to do with Marge... keep your eyes peeled.

i have a few things lined up for the weekend, friends, Ron, and good girl Sunday.
come ooooon weekend, let's go!

lady moon, please come out.

Dear Moon,
please hurry up and come out to play with the stars.
come out and grace the Texas Hill Country with your presence.
              ... i need you...

...i need you... so i can finish directing my scenes and get the efff out!!!

thanks for understanding,
lee.

prodigal daughter, success, and blah blah blah

so it has been quite a while since i have posted... MUCH has changed. i have proudly turned down TWO engagements, graduated college, moved to Spain and traveled around, my baby puppy passed :(, came back to the States to work for television, and now i am here living my life cracking my knuckles before i make my next decision or mistake.

thank God i have always had my amazing bff, AAA which will now be referred to as "B". 'tis true that time and my move and her *cough*marriage *cough* drew us apart, but we both knew that in our hearts the cord had not been cut.

well, a lot has certainly taken place in both of our lives since then. she now has her own business, she and Hubbers adopted Gino Bambino, and i have been working for one major network television channel while i freelance for another.

lately though, i have felt like i am somewhat better at analyzing my life and thinking twice before making a decision. i still rant, get pissed easily and whatnot, but with a different, and dare i say it, more mature streak.

tonight i went out with a male i recently met. for the time being he will be referred to as Ron. Ron is a very handsome, chivalrous Texas man that shares my feelings for a nice glass of Cabernet and un-trite foods. i will also add that he is quite the foodie of my city. he fits into my new "norm" of eligible bachelor's, but i feel that there is still a lot more to be discovered for both of us.

tomorrow i head back to the wonderful world of television production, leaving me sans time for much of a social or romantic life; he asked if we could see each other this coming week, stay tuned for what goes.

no more neglect,

lee.