copycats vs. flattery

(taken from google images who took it from etsy.com. i don't own this.)

you've heard the saying:

imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

well, that saying really bothers me.

probably because growing up,

my parents gave me every opportunity

to surround myself with art, culture, diversity

and love...

so i always wanted to be different,

and i was different...

and when everyone in high school was trying to copy each other...

i was still trying to be different.

maybe it was the rebellious side of me, maybe it was just blood...

but ugh, i wanted to be different.

and i was lucky enough to find amazing friends

who loved me for me!

because of this, i hated competition even though i knew most thrived on it.

me, i thrived on to-do lists from the moment i could write.

(my mama thought i was a reincarnated genius- or just a genius)

which leads me to my point-

you like what someone is wearing, writing, reading, doing

and you're friends with them and even if you're not

you wish them all the best,

because you like what they bought to your life.

and then you're hurt because sensitive, trusting you

gets duped by their nasty, though counterproductive to themselves only, nature.

they don't wish you the best.

they don't even wish themselves the best-

they think they're PERFECT and you're crazy

and then they copy you.

30 year old me says-

so be it.

y'all who do this are going to be crazy

with or without knowing me

so please don't know me.

make it your best effort to not know me.

i am honestly flattered,

that people out there

still succumb to copying (almost to the T)

leaders in their field/convictions/community, etc.

and people who are original in everything they do--

it shows who is weak.

it's the way of the world.

so,

go about your merry days--

and copy, imitate away!!

enhance your life: like attracts like

"Many of you have been around people whose attitude is self-defeating and depressing. These people are not very popular,because their negative attitude pushes others away. At the same time, they tend to draw into their lives other like-minded victims who have the same fearful mentality. You know the expression: misery loves company. How can anyone succeed in life when surrounded by negative energy? With such a dismal outlook on life, victims always feel as though they have been dealt a bad hand.

...if individuals, despite their situations, do not seek a world past the one they know and attempt to learn the skills to understand and become aware of their true selves, they will continue to live in these adverse and restricted conditions."

-James Van Praagh

Ghosts Among Us

are you ever...

so tired, that no matter what you have to do you just don't want to do it?

yesterday, i thought to myself (and LML) maybe I'm depressed?

But then, I don't feel depressed- a little sad sometimes but I'm thinking that if I'm mostly giggly and laughing, then that can't be it.

It's so crazy- I was with some friends yesterday discussing nasty people- they really do seem to hold you back.

Because of crazy people, I feel as if I can't write what's actually going on in my life (and there's really, really cool stuff I'd like to talk about) because there are these nasty people are keeping a vigilant eye on what I'm doing. The feeling leaves me stifled and I wonder: do these people have any blip of a life of their own that they costantly have to spread rumors and focus on mine?

Not that I ever let anyone hold me back- except maybe myself- but come on! I'm almost 30 and these people are my age or older. Eeps.

Never thought such negative influences would be around me...though more and more I've been reading that they actually get attracted to happy go lucky people (i.e. me and various people I know)

It figures.

So in the case of blogging what you actually want to blog about, aside from starting a new one- what do I do?!

love me,

the globetrotting gamine

i have discovered

this week  have discovered that:

• my to-do list should, pretty much, grow legs. it would be much easier to taunt me while it chases around my house and wherever.
• true friends are just that, and they make me happy.
• everyday should be mother's day, father's day, valentine's day. isn't there something wrong with celebrating important relationships only one day a year? i think so.
• vacations should be funded by the government and required at least once a year.
• people should really start looking at why they're miserable instead of making the happy also miserable. stop trying to get people down if your life sucks, and fix it. it's not the happy people's (or my) problem!
• there should be more hours in the day!
• there should be more time to drink wine, read, stare at flowers, take pictures, and smile.

happy monday <3
love me,
the globetrotting gamine

m.i.a. renewal

being m.i.a. from a few avenues in my life seem to give me a new perspective on people, situations, routines...

for example: many people will have comments about you whether or not you do something.

do it anyway- wait, wasn't there a poem like this...?

"People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.



If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.


If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.


If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.


What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.


If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.


The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.


Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.


In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.

-Mother Teresa"
 
Mother Teresa was an awesome inspiration.
 
I fee as if the last line says it all- everything is between  you and God- or you and your psyche- or you and your universe. It was never between you and them.
 
Don't let other people bring you down- they will usually do so because their life isn't going right or they have turmoil unknown to you. After all, misery loves company.
 
I have found when you get rid of the misery- you find everything you could have ever hoped for- including a peaceful and much happier life.
 
So thanks, for being out there somewhere and reading this. I promise I will have more interesting posts soon ;)
 
Much Love,
the globetrotting gamine

people love it when i freak out

can you tell i'm freaking out in these photos?

i wanted to live my life to the fullest possible before i was 30...

here was move #102940- play with stingrays, swim with them, feed them...

and going underwater to find them before they swarmed at me!

now, i was freaking out before they touched me...

but when they did, i realized they were so soft and velvety

(my friend would love my usage of that word)

and very cute!

they were uber-friendly,

and so much so that they gave our trainer/guide hugs!

i was upset that they didn't hug me :(

but i did get to feed them...

that's a calamari i was holding up for my photo op

before i fed it to them...

for now

(like i would tell you when i'm off and about again :) surprises are better)

i am new york bound...

so any crazy thing you'd like me to do/post about

before i'm 30...

let me know and i'll post about it...

or try to do it!

have you ever done "crazy to do's before you're 30" things like this?

i'd love to hear!

also, today is the last day of my book giveaway-

i will announce the winner later <3

and...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY YUMMY NEPHEW!!! YAY!

my rants.

there is so much going on in my tiny little world (let alone the rest of the world)

that i find it hard to begin and get out everything that's been going on and everything i've been feeling.

i am resorting back to lists to give you guys a glimpse into what's been going on:

1. this weather. really, New Yorkers and all in the Tri-State area...wtf? Hot, cold, humid, cold. Warm, cold. Stop getting me sick!
2. doctors. can you figure out how to talk to a patient yourself while not scaring her? thanks.
3. rehabilitation centers- you're supposed to CHECK on your patients and make sure that they don't roll out of bed, you assholes. how can someone who hasn't walked or sat up for a whole year decide that three days ago would be the day that she'd roll out of bed. we know it was your, you *^*&^%^&%'s.
4. drivers (grrrrr and grrrrr)- why are you trying to kill me by cutting me off with your car? did i do something to you? did me going straight and following traffic laws piss you off? did you believe that i had a deathwish? you're lucky i didn't play bumper cars with you, you dumb &%*k's.
5. children/students: when you leave your school building and you're walking God Only Knows Where, why do you feel above everyone else who is in an AUTOMOBILE while you are not looking when you cross the street? Why are you frolicking while not looking or hearing the oncoming traffic?? Did it bother you when I honked my horn and scared the piss out of you in front of your stupid little friends? Curse at me again and I swear to God I will get out of the car and kick the snot out of you. You're lucky I had my dog in the car and that he's little. Your parents must be so proud and I am so happy I know where you go to school.
6. hospitals- why do you make people wait in drafty hallways when there are quite obviously empty beds and warm empty rooms that the patient will be pulled into directly? i have so many rants about you, hospitals, that I think I can write a book about it.
7. time warner cable- stop dicking me around with these bills and no clean-cut explanations, you animals.

i am sorry i had to rant and rave so much, but this is going on in the world of me.

i hope you lovely readers are having a much better, happy healthy week <3

love me,

the globetrotting gamine

update to my pet peeves list

pups pet peeve is being photographed :)

welcome and good morning to you, my bloggie friends!

i don't like to start off my posts in a negative manner, but you know how it is when you just need to vent!

i have a pet peeves list that i've been working on and TODAY is the perfect day to add to it.

without further adieu- my pet peeves:

1. Black Friday- really, what's the point?
2. when department stores bring out seasonal decorations way too early
3. when there is a hole in your favorite sock.
4. when the first sip of your beverage isn't what you thought it would be.
5. misplacing something you need until you find it when you don't need it anymore.
6. people who take their opinions to a whole other level, bordering insanity
7. rumors! why don't people feel they're good enough to talk about themselves, but they feel they have to make up things about other people?
8. when the spices fall out of your hand and overflow onto a dish you're cooking.
9. snow. endless, not beautiful, slushy new york snow that keeps you from doing what you want!
10. being sick when you don't want to be!

grr.

what are your pet peeves?

enhance your life: toxic education

if you have people who follow these descriptions in your life right now...
GET RID OF THEM!
this makes for some interesting reading:

just walk away

and be your happy selves

you don't live here

LML and I were complaining last night.
Why couldn't we fall asleep?
we tried and tried...we must have dozed off around 11 and 11:30, respectively.

woof. grr. mmm woof.
Woof.
WOOF.

Alright boy, that's enough.

BANGGGGGGGGGGG!

WTF WAS THAT?
[a big bang, tree, boulder, brick or all hit my bedroom window.]

"Oops, Sorry!"

WTFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

Out goes LML with his fleece.
He gains about 6 inches in heights. Makes him about 7 ft. tall.

a little shrimp headed dork is standing on our doorstep.
drunk? probably.
high? yep.

Dork:" i'm waiting for stephanie"
LML: "oh yeah? which floor?"
Dork now Ass: "um, second."
LML: "alright, let's go"
Dork now Ass: "won't we wake everyone up?"



Oops- DID I MENTION IT WAS 1:15 at this point?!

One. Fifteen.
AM!

LML: "YOU (*&*^*&^ WOKE ME UP! UPSTAIRS, NOW!"
 Eventually we find out that he was jerking us around for a place to sleep- oh yeah.

and no one in the entire house knew him!

so he leaves.
2:15 we've fallen asleep.
2:30 there's a knock on the window!!!!!!

!
can you let me in?
LML: NO! I'm sleeping- go HOME! HOME!

He leaves.
Of course, he still wants to sleep over.
Now, we're up watching Who's The Boss and I Love Lucy- maybe not in that order but who knows?

4 am!
4!! We hear a creak at the door.
He was sleeping on our porch!

Cursing, yelling, screaming commences.
Asswipe leaves.

I didn't know until this morning that he hit up my neighbors house looking for a Manuel!!!
This lady and her family have been in that house for close to 100 years. No Manuel. Ever.
Though he did want to go inside and use her phone.
Seriously?

I'm dreading going to sleep tonight :/

Anything like this ever happen to you?!

love me,
the sleep deprived
globetrotting gamine

Reflections '09/'10

A lot of people write reflections down... I don't know if I ever really have and I'm a journal/scrapbooking/list kind of a girl.

So I'm going to take a hint from the inspirational loves and put everything into words. I am sorry if I am driving you crazy, but am so thankful that you've visited. Please note, that if there is an old post you'd like to comment on, I will NOT think that you are crazy. I love comments :)

2009:

• I began my blog in August.
• Realizing, once again and on a daily basis, that I love LML more and more
• In January: We spent New Year's with my family- it was the coldest day ever! Anyone remember that? Many diner trips, my niece's 19th birthday at homeand at a hookah lounge, our first time ever in Montreal, hanging out with friends
• February/March: hanging out with friends even MORE, 10 year reunion (don't remind me!), weekend getaways with the best people in the world!, first time ever in the Dominican Republic!
• April/May/June: working on beautifying our backyard, planting tulips, multiple Home Depot and Garden Shoppe runs, planting trees and other flowers. We have planted over 30 species last year alone! Boy, the yard was empty. Atlantic City Trips
• realizing that writing and publishing my books were my only focus besides family, responsibilities, and gardening was a freeing experience
• helping out someone, only to let the outcome of the situation turn to crap because they suck: i.e. see crazy people posts.
• cooking and baking different things!
• my good friends having their baby!
• celebrating successes

2010:

• pursuing our dreams
• realizing that people will "show their ass" if you're happy and they're not
• realizing that some people will only care about you if you are miserable
• wondering what to do about said people
• taking time out for ourselves and our families
• wanting to change our lives, getting rid of all negative energies.

Ya. That about sums it up for now!

love me
the globetrotting gamine

mindless television

confession:

i LOVED Real Housewives of New York City. it's pointless drama really helped me get through the pointless drama thrown at me!

why did i love it?

these women (portraying a glitzy, only in movies NYC) are in their 40s. lives: families, romances, children, jobs, bills.

how do they HAVE the time to start with this crap? i mean, really?

i really hope it was all to promote their careers, because the matter is that these women just bicker with each other...for no reason! who cares what you think they said?
who cares what you own?
who cares where you're taking photos?

(i know, i touched on these "crazy people" topics earlier today, but seriously! if you need to get over your own drama-filled life/people in you life...watch the repeats of this show!)

crazies.

i really hope y'all are living it up, drama free!

love me,

the globetrotting gamine

blizzard aftermath

this is what it looks like today! Sunday 12ish pm is when it began...

and my assistant has been hard at work ever since.

the street was cleaned today at 5am...

see what a douchebag bloomberg and his team are?

at least today has been uber-productive... right?

sigh.

love me,

the globetrotting gamine

isn't it ironic?

welcome to tuesday! it's a wonderful extended holiday weekend, isn't it?

except for all this snow.

at present, LML is outside trying to thaw out the car and wiggle it around a bit so he can attempt to go to work tomorrow.

our roads have not been cleaned.

public transportation won't be up and running until tomorrow.

very few trains are functioning.

the airports finally opened last night.

meanwhile...

cars and ambulances and buses who've tried to scoff at mother nature got a nice surprise by being stranded in the middle of various streets.

really?

hey, bloomberg? i know you're attempting to further mess up our educational system, but how about you unlodge the stick from your ass and send your employees out to clean?

or are you hanging out in martinique right about now?

you bastard.

funny status of the night

my good friend George made me laugh...

he wrote this on his facebook status!

"Friday night commute ... I already saw some dude with his pants on the ground. I'm sorry in this weather nobody wants to see your behind, or what color underwear you have. On the train a few individuals took up the 3 seaters for themselves and their bags, isn't that a fine nowadays?"

i have labeled it crazy people cuz i have seen my fair share of not-so-pretty behinds!

love me,
the globetrotting gamine

friday thoughts

do you ever feel like everything is coming down on you all at once?
it doesn't even matter when it's going to happen- but when it does it's like the only person/people you can depend on can give two shakes of a rats tail about you.

and you know you're being unreasonable but you can't help it...you have nothing that you can offer in a conversation to someone who thinks they are above it all, or above you, or who won't listen anyway...

it seems to be the theme of this year. i started the year off with it, and i am ending the year with it.

that being said, I am not a miserable person. i like to be optimistic and see the glass half full so to speak.
i don't like to play games, and i especially don't like to be the one in the middle of someone else's game. i think more of myself and i expect more out of people. i like to be around people, and usualy when i don't have anything nice to say i don't say anything at all...

when people are scared, they tend to pick on you. YOU'RE crazy. YOU'RE miserable.
meanwhile and at least in my case: it's when you are at your happiest they begin this crap again.

what's the point, really? to see how far they can take you?
how much they can push your buttons?

how they can continue to hurt you in the future?

or it must be an astrological thing.

thankfully: i have had and will have time to think, and plan and go on the way i always have been. i don't care about the games, people can play them...and think what they think...and do what they do...

god's speed.

i am sorry to bore you lovely bloggie friends with my rant, but thank you for listening.
having a million and one things to complete today, i have gotten all that i have wanted to say pretty much off my chest.

the miracles of having a blog :)

much love to you all and have a beautiful weekend

love me,
the globetrotting gamine

Target Optical Sucks!!

This is from my review on yelp!

On October 2nd, I bought my $300 Prada Eyeglasses to target Optical (since I've always sweared by target!) so I can get lenses. I was assured that my glasses would be back and ready in 7-10 days. On the 12th day (!) after three phone calls from me, they tell me that they tried to call me (somehow they had a different phone number on file than the one i had given them) to tell me that my frames are broken...WTF?! but my $170 dollar lenses were there. They told me that John, the regional manager would try to get me the same pair. I waited for THREE WEEKS, for them to tell me (after me calling everyday since I found out my glasses were broken) to give them a style number from Lens Crafters or Pearle Vision so that I can get some sort of restitution. I give them the style number last Monday, and on WEDNESDAY they tell me that I never gave them the style number and John is taking care of them!


On Friday, they hadnt heard from JOhn and they assured me they would call me. Yesterday, I was rudely told they were still working on it after a MONTH OF ME BEING OUT GLASSES AND $400!! and they hung up on me without saying goodbye.

WHAT SHOULD I DO??? i want my glasses!!

 
 
Really does anyone know what I should do??
 

magnet?

(image from cafepress)

i am almost 30...
and i still have to deal with
the babybullshit of drama...

why?
seriously?
people don't have enough to do?

people are worrying about what i'm doing?
do i look destitute and stupid?
unkempt? unworthy of *something*?

seriously, i am about ready
to tell people
to blow it out their asses.

i must keep people up
all night long
since they worry about me...
and make up things.

i know this isn't the first time i've complained about these issues...
but why do they still follow me?!

i'm going to be 29. i'm married. i have a life, a family, things to do. i don't need this.

i am never vulgar, and this is not towards the bloggie world so I need to vent:

FUCK OFF, ASSHOLES!

love me,
the globetrotting gamine

extreme exhaustion

unfortunately, my Grandma has not gotten too much better. I have been moody and my parents think i am depressed cuz i'm not my usual self...how can i be? so i made LML promise to keep me extremely busy until i come back to normal. every weekend of the summer has clearly been an example.

last weekend...was crazy! we...

visited Grimaldi's Pizzeria (pictures will be posted in menu posts), had cigars and shot pool, then went to Trotta for a glass of wine, and ended the night at Sullivan's Bar to have some beer.

Note: Drama.

Note: I had 10 mosquito bites. On each of my feet. That makes 20 :(

Those are 3 of my favorite guys in the picture above!

That was Friday Night.

THEN:

Saturday:

The guy in the background holding the mic?

George Lamond, baby! If you were around in the 90s and listened to freestyle, then you definitely have heard his songs. We saw him live in Brooklyn on Saturday night after we visited a wine bar called Fino's on Bell Blvd. in Queens. So much fun!

PS- I tried to take pictures with Manhattan in the background, but it didn't come out! Here is an example:

Between Friday and Saturday we had maybe for hours of sleep.

Sunday!:

Sunday morning we ran some errands, then....OFF TO MOHEGAN SUN, CONNECTICUT!

It was our friends first time there- it was so much fun! We played the slots, had some lunch, and ended the night with...more wine.

Man, we drink a lot of wine.

that was the bar atmosphere we drank our wine in!

hey, there's the wine!

a shot of the casino...before my camera batteries died.

again.

What have you guys been doing all summer?!

Love me,

The Globetrotting Gamine

i am disgusted.

cri will explain why, but to start off...i've missed my bloggie friends in my bloggie world. thank you so much for sticking by me even when i go M.I.A. My Grandmother was back in the hospital last week, and got out last night. Everything makes me sadder than usual, and more irritable than usual...i hope you can understand my opinions and not hold it against me :)

i read an article in the local paper today about schools and budgets. let me start off by saying"

the board of education: new york AND united states...you suck.

10 reasons why you suck from an average persons eyes...namely, mine...

1. you let horrible educators in to the school system and keep them there. educators who have never been tested for any MENTAL DISORDERS, and you let them destroy the spirit of children, colleagues and the school environment itself.

2. when i was interning at an elementary school in 2003 in new york, the DOE deemed it fit to tell half the class to go OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM to read quitely to themselves while the other children stayed behind to learn. in a class of 25!!!! 25!!!!! they were in the THIRD GRADE....when i complained that they are not getting they are reading done- you did nothing.

3. YOU DO NOTHING! what do you do?? test the potential of a child?? WHY DON'T YOU TEST THE POTENTIAL OF THE PRINCIPALS? Principals who are power hungry, who you've set to work with "School Superintendents" and "Mayor" Bloomberg (who in fact, has never been an educator and makes passes at young women, many of who have told me THEMSELVES) and allows budget cuts?? WHAT DO YOU KNOW?

4. Why isn't every school self- goverened? Shouldn't the principal be in charge of the school? What higher power should they be looking up to for the well-being of the children and the environment?! I don't even WANT to know who the highest power is...and I've heard it all, believe me.

5. Why is it that all the great educators get shoo-d out? Are you afraid? Obviously.

6. The Board of Education is not a democracy, and I have come to believe that it is definitely not in the well being of our children anymore. They are doing away with a lot of private schools...now there are budget cuts in public schools, with many public schools being shut down. WHY? do we have a lack of children to fill the classes????

then why are there well-over 25 students per class now? you idiots. then you test students thinking that they hear your droning voices from way in the back of the classroom.

7. Furthermore, these horrible and nasty and over 60 year old educators? The people that fall into all three categories? WHY ARE THEY STILL WORKING??
NO WONDER YOUR BUDGET SUCKS!!!

and you try to make us believe that it's our fault? moving on...

8. What about the vast amount of cases educators past and present have against the BOARD OF ED? Why does it take so long to get an answer? Too busy buying your multi-million dollar mansions, and your mercedes?

Bloomberg- I visited your home in the Caribbean. Get over yourself.

9. I've noticed that many people in the Board of Education do not like it when you have an opinion that varies. It should be the same as theirs...as if you were clones, robots, droids. You only hang out with each other, have no other friends, and then gloat? Why? Did you forget about the life you used to have before it sucked you in? More power to you.

10. CHILDREN is what the school system should be about. Their brains, academics, what we teach them, their LIVES!!! NOT YOURS! You hold innocent little peoples academia in your hands, and when you want you squish their creativity, joy and academic outlets. You sick assholes. Trying to dumb down America, aren't we??

Wake up, Parents & Students alike. They're trying to make us stuuuuuppppiiiidddd...

You'd think I'd feel better after venting, but I don't. I will vent more soon.

So much more makes me sick and maybe you're better off knowing than not knowing.

Love,
Globetrotting Gamine