Famished Menu and ok, ok post...

snow. again. really? it was over 50* degrees on friday and now we're back to this.
ugh.

on the plus side- i've been having an uber-busy schedule since the snow had been melting...2 weeks of running around and having fun. i am thankful to be home today.

how were your weekends? did you discover a new place nearby? we did so much, and i'm pretty sure my friends, LML and I went through about 5 bottles of wine.

here's the rundown of what happened last week:

• continued knitting/crocheting!
• hung out with some besties
• saw my baby friend!
• saw Grandma
• went to the doctor
• found out i have to get a neck scan
• hung out with parents
• vineyards
• restaurants

and LML's Birthday!! YAY!
we had an extraordinary week, filled with friends, family and lots of fun! it's been non-stop!




last weekend we actually returned from a mini-vineyard vacation FAMISHED...so we hauled ass to the kitchen and this is what we came up with following the kind diet menu:

some more wine with dinner- we freaking love malbec!

spinach salad with a splash of olive oil- teriyaki flavored pumpkin seeds and craisins.

yummy in my tummy. ok, our tummies.

freaking awesome pasta we picked up at a specialty store sauteed with onions, garlic, yellow peppers, spinach and tomatoes. MMMMMMMM

honestly, i am craving this again tonight.

so off to figure out how many posts it's going to cover my whole week and share with you guys <3

today's agenda:

• crafts
• cooking
• cleaning
• yoga
• writing
• finishing illustrations for children's book #2!

my february list updates:

finish writing two of my novels

i have made oodles of notes- does that count? truth is, waiting for my published children's book to find their way to my home kind of held me back, and now that they are here i want to start making appointments to speak with whoever will list. 50+ book ideas can't be all bad. sign me, please!

finish illustrations for my second children's book

on this item, i've been doing pretty good!

stay in touch

ok, i have the best friends in the entire world- no questions asked. they were very amused by the letters and/or old greeting cards i sent them that i'd had from years and years ago...i have visited my friends and besties, and spent some time with family. i am quite the happy kitten (not to be confused with meow meow, from my previous post)



spread joy

i hope i spread a little, i tried my best :)
say i love you more

this is the goal i've kept up best. i kind of think that i'm STILL driving poor LML crazy...

20 minute activity three times a week

this has been one of the easiest commitments to keep. did i spell that right? who knows!

wash windows

not yet.

wash walls

done!
clean grout

have begun!
scour pots and pans-

one down...a million to go...
polish wood

done!
research my spring activities

done!
donate, donate

almost ready!!
cook/bake new things (this is where 'the kind diet' resolution comes in)

today, sweet potato gnocchi. tomorrow, the world.

begin making appointments for activities in springtime (march and on)

yep, we're on track!

off to the drawing board with my horrid ear infection or sinus infection or something that's insisting on killing me as we speal.

what's up with you? share, share!

productive day!

good news: i have been uber-productive today! i am so excited that i got everything i set out to do, done!

that's what a snow day (again!) is good for!

bad news: well, i can't tell you the bad news- but it's not mine! lol

this weekend will find me and LML snow-shoeing to get our errands done, since our predicted 8 inches last night turned into a magical 16-18 in new york city! do you believe this?

ick. slushy, soon to be dirty snow. it only stays pretty for so long.

today, i officially opened my etsy shop. it's not complete yet, but you'll notice a link on my sidebar to the left :)

i marked quite a few things off of my master to do list that i don't even have listed on my january list!

other than that- how are you guys doing? anything new?
i wish i had something more new to share with you.

i have been cooking the same old things :)
oh, yesterday morning i went out before the snow hit (but i think i told you guys that)
and i've been working on my other manuscripts/illustrations.

i
am
exhausted!

please share with me anything fun- y'all make me happy <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?

snow and sanitation

mayor bloomberg:
i think you suck. you're quite horrible. please go away. but before you do, can you please tell me why the garbage and recycling has not been picked up in queens for the past month? i'm sure you're neighborhood is shiny and clean (because let's face it, you're the mayor- which is a conspiracy theory) but other people can get sick if it stays out any longer. speaking of sanitation:

dear sanitation workers:
i'm sorry that mayor bloomberg is directing you people in all different directions and at different, grueling hours of the day. it's not your fault he sucks. i would like you to have him pick up all the garbage that's been left out for the day. and snow plow at the hours that you guys are running so he can see how hot you feel.

dearest society who is out there shoveling and breaking backs and bones:
if you raise hell against this crap, i'm in.

i love life

good morning, bloggie friends :)

please don't be mad at me for not blogging yesterday. i had so much to do and i have so much information to share that i am afraid of an onslaught of what i have to post will make you bananas.

Monday was a wonderful day, spent with my family and a dear bestie, talking about life and (what else?) food!

I was about to finish my manuscript when I realized that i had to go over it again (and thank God I did!) and at this very moment I am placing it on a different format.

Since my January list includes cleaning up house/shop and moving out clutter, Tuesday and Wednesday had me do just that...until 4 am yesterday morning, when I felt something protruding from my neck. Crying hysterically, LML woke up and cuddled with me and tried to assure me that it was from me being sick. I felt bad and tried to be very quiet and still so he could go back to sleep.

By 11:30 the next day, I had done laundry, hung out with my sister, and finished a visit to the store for the necessary items. AND I had gone to the doctor, who solidified what LML had told me. So now I have to change up my vitamin regime and take my anti biotics until I am better. And keep my neck warm. I am parading around the house in a sweat suit and scarf, drinking lots of tea. It's quite fun today really because...
I am cleaning out EVERYTHING! This began on Tuesday, when I moved my printer from my office to my dining room table where I get the most sunlight. From that point, I cleaned out every internet file and moved every box of binders and papers that had not been filed yet and started downsizing.

(that's where the information I've gathered comes from...)

Binders FILLED with stuff that I was gathering before we got married. Tips on how to organize, clean up clutter, and general happinness.

It makes me uber-happy.

I will not be in contact with anyone today until some things are completed. I need structure! I need schedules- AND I'm addicted to them. I have also been preparing a lot of vegan meals, vegetarian meals and general yumminess.

How have you been spending the week?
Did you hear about the pending snow storm in New York?

Ew ew ew

Let me know- I love hearing from you all :)

love me,
the globetrotting gamine

despite-

dear bloggie friends:

hi :)
writing to you is one of my joys this morning. the weather is dark and gloomy (and icy!) outside here in New York and it's allowing me to accomplish things i want to do today (see what i'm talking about here).

blogging gives me a sense of accomplishment- i record my thoughts and ideas
my inspirations and dreams
and hopefully i inspire others
to do the same.

life is too short to not do something you've always wanted to do.
so if you're stuck at home and can't do it- research it! read about it :)

if you are able to do something while you're stuck at home-
do it and post the progress on your blog!

it's your personal space to do with what you will...
this just excites me.

today i will be tackling "my goal for yesterday" (i.e., manuscript)
and cleaning my office,
and creating a planner (if I have all the right tools)

wondering if i'll have time to do it all and
squeeze some scrapbooking in, too!

what's your favorite thing to do when you're stuck at home?
i would love to know- you all inspire me so much :)

love me,
the globetrotting gamine

i wish you a happy weekend

dear bloggie friends,

i wish you a wonderful weekend, filled with family or friends or fun!
or all three <3

hope you didn't find me terribly boring this week- i am trying to get these books done!
thank you for the congratulations! it means so much to me!

on monday, i will post up the link :)
by tuesday, i should be sending my other book to a publisher or self publisher...
or both?

it really depends on my mood that day. i have so many other books i need to work on!

a big thank you to my sister-
who is proofreading the first 100 pages of my ever growing manuscript.
feel bad for her, she's getting the next 100 monday morning : /

two very special thank you's to my nephews...
who are my biggest fans!
and by the way- i'll give you the picture of it on Monday, little nephew!

and to my four best girlfriends-
who literally pushed me to get them done!

S, L, A, C- Thank Youuuuuuu


have so much fun for me this weekend-
i don't know what's going to happen in New York with the snow!

to my new bloggie followers:
THANK YOU FOR FOLLOWING! i always follow back :)
 if you need anything, let me know!
 it may take me a few days, but you'll see me following! (my picture is blue/purple)

love to all until next time!

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.

new years resolutions?

i am not sure if i enjoy being snowed in. we got hit with a massive blizzard.
pros: we have lots o'food...especially my assistant, pup.
cons: we might get cabin fever and kill each other if we see each other for another two days :)

does this ever happen to you? please note that i love to spend time and snuggle with LML but i think he goes stir crazy being at home.

i don't. my best ideas are obviously born at home.

this week is going to be spectacular, other than the snow.
 (note: puppy hates snow. he will not go outside, he will not go near an open door if there is snow outside of it.)

i have so much to do and i know that right now, to think about it would be a little much...can't go anywhere since new york and new jersey is in a state of emergency.

so today, we're going to stay in, cook, eat and watch movies.

bliss.

what are you up to?

love me,
the globetrotting gamine

today...

while this was going on outside:

...i hung out with this guy...

...i cleaned the house. and then...

• made a reservation to...somewhere ;)
• organized my jewelry into ice cube tray- fun idea!
• made chicken and potatoes (pics tomorrow!)
• went to Vitamin Angels and donated some money
• uploaded all pictures (since last january, excluding guatemala) to usb drives
• realized i had the second tomb raider movie, so i watched it.
• wrote
• made a list of what i need to shop for
• chiped the icy snow off my car and pushed it into the street...

because my tenant

stole my shovel

to dig out his car

for the hour

that i was sweeping away

snow balls and blocks

into the street

so the cars can stomp on it.

sigh

oh, and realized that some people?
yeah, they're ridiculous!

but not you. you guys write and read for living. these people play games online all day.
this is why i love you guys.

have a wonderful weekend! hope you have lots of fun and stay warm and safe <3

love,
mg
<3

p.s.!

facebook name
is
whosthatgamine@gmail.com

name:
mysterierose

profile picture:
blue and swirly...a kiss between me and LML
if you can tell :)

thanks for the love
and let me know what i can do for you :)

love,
mg

ps- i don't shovel!

going up?

in the meantime..

it's snowing again

and i've had enough.

i do not want to go outside

and shovel.

i am baking oatmeal raisin cookings,

and cleaning the house. nothing eventful has been going on here.

Yesterday, my fam and me went to go see Shutter Island.

I couldn't even finish it because LML was coming home early...

and i had to prepare the tacos!

can someone tell me the ending...please?

they won't pick up the phone and tell me it!

meanwhile, that person that i've mentioned is being normal

like nothing ever happened-

leaving messages like normal

emailing me like normal

thus i feel like *i* am crazy.

my assistant called in a mental health day...

he's sleeping on my leg.

that is all for now :)

lots more v.soon! (like the snow)

love,

mg

drama and updates

Dear Bloggie Friends:

this is what has been going on in my world:

• i still have not gotten the case results from NOVEMBER 2008 from the Board of Education, because they are *&%^&(. So I plan to sue them and will be contacting this massive lawyer later :)
• the friend that i've previously mentioned in posts the last two weeks- the one that has been spewing my information (like what i have and what i do and other intimate details) has now been running around and telling people that i must be pregnant because i wrote to her to please stop telling everyone my private information. Seriously, what do you do with that?
• LML and I had a uber-fun weekend vineyard hopping (please try strawberry dessert wine-it probably goes great with cheesecake!), shopping, and fine dining and The Frisky Oyster ( I really freaking love the Frisky Oyster)...we didn't want to come back home.
• i have blocked my facebook wall for fear that said-crazy person will tell people i'm pregnant
• heard that another blizzard is coming (?!)...this is what the last one looked like:

my poor backyard- i thought these shots looked pretty cool. i should do a backyard post to show you what it looked like before we remodeled. What do you think?

So all in all...

i had a lovely weekend

drank my weight in wine

please note, that since i've boozed it up

i am *not pregnant*

but i guess stupid people

will think your pregnant

when you tell them not to do something

that you think is disrespectful to you.

i also think that stupid people

will accuse you of stupid things

when life starts treating you the way you want it

and they will assume that you are pregnant

so people could think you're an asshole

when you go out and have wine at a vineyard

or at dinner

or in front of the fireplace

or on vacations.

for the love of god.

thank you guys

for being my friends

:)

love,

mg

Can you believe it?

When things are going so well in ones life, isn't there bound to always be a "thorn" there, somewhere?

I don't know why, but I always feel this way- in part because in my case, it always happens.

5 years ago, LML and I got married, moved in together, adopted our puppy, went to Greece for the first time together, I got a job in my "career"...and wouldn't you know it?

A thorn, aka, the principal at the school I was working at.

5 years later to present day, LML and I still married, very much in love with each other AND our puppy, relaxed...

and a thorn, aka, someone in denial of the *principal* of the matters at hand.

As the snow comes down outside, I wonder...is there really any reason for one persons negativity? Sure, a lot of people could take things to heart when there was nothing hidden between the lines...but what if all you really asked for was to be listened to by someone you've known basically your entire life-

and they don't give a crap to listen?

Does this make YOU crazy? Delusional? Depressed? Anti-social? Suicidal? Pregnant?

That's what it made *me* yesterday, according to this person. Why, you ask?

I asked this person to stop talking to people about my and my family's personal business, and to please be respectful of my privacy. Violations include:

•  the way she talks about me in front of my face to other people (about stuff that I don't care for anyone to know)
• wants to only go out to clubs and drink, which is not LML and I's thing. It was a few years ago, maybe when we just got married because we'd never done it before. But we're not 21, and we've progressed in things we'd like to do.
• how she balls me out and e-mails everyone we know to make me sound like i'm crazy...since I am not entitled to feelings
• not respecting my wishes with what i like to do and what i *don't* want to do.
• tagging me and virtual strangers in photos *strangers to me* because we're neighbors and we should talk...(really? what business is that of yours? did i force you to go to your next door neighbor and become friends?)
• and then, to be called all of these names AND upon "realizing that i'm pregnant because of mood swings" (which i'm not, but she said so- so she MUST be right, right?) offers to take me out to celebrate...
• because would i really go out and celebrate by drinking if i was pregnant?

Please note that I have always been aware of the differences between me and this other person. This person used to be very good to me and used to ask me how i was feeling...this person has stopped caring. This person has been focusing all her attentions on herself and petty things, not caring who she hurts in the process. But...upon being labeled all these things above, this person claims that they will always be there for me so that I should go to them with my problems since I have so many.

No joke.

My problem, once again...and maybe YOU have caught on...

is MY PRIVACY. SHUT YOUR MOUTH ABOUT MY PERSONAL LIFE, ATTRIBUTES, WHEREABOUTS, GOINGS ON!

Last I checked, I HAD a mouth. Still do. I can use it at will...apparently, this person has never had me use my mouth to defend myself to them, and now that I have I am mental.

My sister said it's the Jamaica in me that should have came out when I was young. My husband claims it's because I grew up and realized that I'm not a doormat.

Whatever the case, what would you do if...this person...was doing this to you?

Love,
globetrotting gamine

Central Park, NY 2009

Part one of besties (who you can find at eatsgrass.blogspot.com) day in NYC!

The spice of life...

Time Stands Still ^

The Blizzard in NY

Hopefully, this is the worst Mother Nature will do this season :)

"to those whom much is given, much is expected."

well, if you give me this place, then...oh I don't know. At least, this is good motivation and something pretty to look at when it's SNOWING OUT!! Poor rainysnowy New York :)

and the quote is all true. completely.

have a wonderful weekend...I can't wait to read all about 'em!

MG

Oh Christmas Tree

I figured this photo is fitting since on weather.com it's been plastered: Say it ain't Snow!

I hate snow. Actually, I love it. It's pretty and it allows me to sleep in, but...

I had plans this weekend! I had photos to take for and of lovely bloggers. Stinky snow fairy.

A very disgruntled

MG

A weekend less crazy

(photo shot by my hunny, sometime around 2003. i don't eat donuts unless it's a treat anymore)

A weekend less crazy would be a welcomed- treat for all. I would love for one weekend to:

*as usual, be wakened to doggie snuggles and kisses, while in the arms of LML
*have the three of us have breakfast in bed in front of a roaring fireplace (this one hasn't happened yet, but maybe we can go to a hotel to have it accomplished!
*to shut off all cell phones, and hide from all outside interruptions
*to walk around in the snow with my small puppy, so that we could only see him via his outfits, and his eyes and nose :D
*to have yummy hotchocolate in front of previously said fireplace...
*to just get out of NY

will post more tomorrow...

love me,
the globetrotting gamine