I just finished a book entitled "An Ordinary Extraordinary Man", a biography about my papa (my dad's father). It was written by my dad who is also an OEM.
Even though I was exhausted last night and was facing a full day of work ahead of me, I just could not put the book down. The writing was phenomenal, my dad is a mastermind with the pen, but also it was truly inspirational.
Aside from pasting the entire book into this blog, I could not even begin to explain how amazing my papa was. In short, he started life in a somewhat broken home with family fueds and hurt feelings all around him. He went on to marry my baba, who he fell in love with in elementary school, and had ten children. The house was run with one simple rule- you can't do wrong doing right and you can't go right doing wrong. Over the course of his years on earth, he managed to mend the problems in his immediate family, raise all of his kids to be faithful and honest, and open his heart to love everybody that he ever encountered. He worked late and long hours every day to make sure that his kids always had bread on the table and shoes on their feet, always remaining a quiet strength.
What kept running through my mind as I was reading is that even though Papa died when I was six years old, how lucky I am that my own father turned out exactly like him.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Lauranda
Did I ever tell you about my friend, Lauranda? Well, actually, I am Lauranda, or more specifically, I make up the first half of Lauranda. The second half is Amanda. However, whatever Lauranda does, Lauranda does, so it just makes sense to combine our lives.
When Lauranda goes out in public, it is so embarrassing when somebody calls her Lauranda and me Lauranda. I'm Lauranda and she's LAURANDA! People really need to get us straight.
Lauranda lives in the Lauranda bed in Lauranda world. Lauranda loves eating Maria's best pizza and Aubrey's cookies. When Lauranda goes to PC Express to get her computer fixed, Lauranda comes along and brings her broken laptop as well. Sometimes Lauranda starts laughing too hard at strangers or salesman, so Lauranda has to pick up the slack and say, "You'll have to excuse Lauranda...but hi, I'm Lauranda and I can tell you what you need to know." Lauranda spent a glorious semester as best friends and soul mates, but then Lauranda had to graduate. Now Lauranda just goes shopping at Gabes (to buy discount clothes...Lauranda is classy) and misses the good old days.
FACT:
Lauranda likes Fiber One, but Lauranda does not.
One time Lauranda wore matching onesies all weekend long because Lauranda loves being comfortable! Also, Lauranda has been seen dressed as an indian, snow storm, plaid wearer, mermaid (just Lauranda), poodle skirt girl (just Lauranda), mustached gentleman, and more.
The moral of the story is...
When you mess with Lauranda, you mess with Lauranda.
When Lauranda goes out in public, it is so embarrassing when somebody calls her Lauranda and me Lauranda. I'm Lauranda and she's LAURANDA! People really need to get us straight.
Lauranda lives in the Lauranda bed in Lauranda world. Lauranda loves eating Maria's best pizza and Aubrey's cookies. When Lauranda goes to PC Express to get her computer fixed, Lauranda comes along and brings her broken laptop as well. Sometimes Lauranda starts laughing too hard at strangers or salesman, so Lauranda has to pick up the slack and say, "You'll have to excuse Lauranda...but hi, I'm Lauranda and I can tell you what you need to know." Lauranda spent a glorious semester as best friends and soul mates, but then Lauranda had to graduate. Now Lauranda just goes shopping at Gabes (to buy discount clothes...Lauranda is classy) and misses the good old days.
FACT:
Lauranda likes Fiber One, but Lauranda does not.
One time Lauranda wore matching onesies all weekend long because Lauranda loves being comfortable! Also, Lauranda has been seen dressed as an indian, snow storm, plaid wearer, mermaid (just Lauranda), poodle skirt girl (just Lauranda), mustached gentleman, and more.
The moral of the story is...
When you mess with Lauranda, you mess with Lauranda.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Library Adventures: Phase 2 & 3
I know I mentioned awhile ago that I walked the whole way to the library only to find that it was closed. The next time I went, I checked the website first, and took the car to avoid a huge disappointment again. It was opened and I spent an hour or so picking out books. When I went to the checkout desk and inquired about getting a library card, I was informed that I couldn't because I have no proof that I live here. I sheepishly gave the books back and walked out the door.
Last Sunday, I walked there again, ready to spend all day there reading. I even brought a borrowed library card to bring home some books. I ended up starting 3 different books before they announced that the library was closing early and for everybody to make their final checkouts. I took my stack of books and headed up to the front. The lady scanned the library card and asked me when was the last time I used it. I said it was my mom's and they said it was expired! And I couldn't renew it without "my mom's" permission.
STRIKE THREE!
Last Sunday, I walked there again, ready to spend all day there reading. I even brought a borrowed library card to bring home some books. I ended up starting 3 different books before they announced that the library was closing early and for everybody to make their final checkouts. I took my stack of books and headed up to the front. The lady scanned the library card and asked me when was the last time I used it. I said it was my mom's and they said it was expired! And I couldn't renew it without "my mom's" permission.
STRIKE THREE!
Pointers
I was preparing an omelet for the girls' lunch. Since the dishwasher was running with apparently all the butter knives in it, I was using a HUGE butcher knife. Distracted for one moment, I sliced into my finger and it started bleeding. It hurt so bad but nothing a bandaid couldn't fix.
Anyways, later in the day, when my little buddy came home from school, I started filling him in on all that had happened while he was gone.
"And I cut my finger with a knife by accident" I casually remarked.
He looked at the bandage on my pointer finger and gasped, "Did you cut it off?!"
Ohh, the dramatics of being 7 years old.
Anyways, later in the day, when my little buddy came home from school, I started filling him in on all that had happened while he was gone.
"And I cut my finger with a knife by accident" I casually remarked.
He looked at the bandage on my pointer finger and gasped, "Did you cut it off?!"
Ohh, the dramatics of being 7 years old.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
The Elephant Walk
Tomorrow after work I am going into the city. At approximately 1:00am, I will see a sight that one would never expect, elephants marching down 32nd Avenue. The Ringling Brothers circus is coming to town and, as tradition, they will walk the elephants through the Lincoln tunnel the whole way to Madison Square Garden. It'll be so cute to see them with their trunks holding on to the tail of the one in front of them. Elephants are so massive, so exotic, so beautiful! I cannot wait for the big event!
Hear more about it, as well as Peta's side of the story, here: http://www.travelistic.com/video/show/2884
Hear more about it, as well as Peta's side of the story, here: http://www.travelistic.com/video/show/2884
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Twitter (2)
Follow this link....
perhaps the funniest thing I've seen since the other video I saw right before it that I thought was really funny...
http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1892586#1892586
perhaps the funniest thing I've seen since the other video I saw right before it that I thought was really funny...
http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1892586#1892586
Book it
Before I went back to college to visit, I stopped home (home being PA, where I grew up). I was glad to see my family and friends, of course. But I was also thrilled to see my bookcase. You see, I had left on the day after Christmas, packing only the necessities. I have a pile of unread books that I have now brought back with me! Book club, anyone?
Case of the Mondays (on Thursday)
Hey. Hello. Sorry it's been a long time since I posted. I would never want to leave my three or more readers hanging!
I took a mini vacation back to my alma mater last weekend. Yes, I went back to visit less than three months after I graduated. Get over it, I missed it too much. Turns out that time hasn't changed it at all, and the number one remark people gave me all weekend was "it seems like you never left." Haaa, I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing. I had a blast though.
When I came home (home being NJ in this case...I realized about two weeks ago that I started calling the blue house my home), I was warned that I might want to stay away from the babies. Some kind of virus came and took hold of their fragile little bodies. Day in and day out, we've just had to rock them, put them to sleep, soothe them, fill cups with gatorade, and keep Wonder Pets constantly playing on the TV. I feel so sad for them, I just wish they would get better! I miss the days of continuous play, laughter, and sunshine. Because of all this, I had two overflowing suitcases on the floor of my room for most of the week. I became way behind on a bunch of responsiblities because every night I would crash and burn at a ridiculously early hour.
I'm kind of reaching for a theme to this blog here. I guess I just realized when I wrote about our week of sick babies, that it kind of applies to an overall life lesson. I mean, hear me out, we're in a period of waiting. Right now, this is Lent, waiting for the resurrection. Just like my impatience for healthy children, we can grow wishful and complacent in this Lenten journey. I have just been continually waiting for the day that they are not sick, instead of looking to what I have today, and being grateful. I do have to say, I've loved the quiet cuddle time with the girls. And this is helping me remember that they are just vulnerable little babies, so I shouldn't get frustrated with them so often.
I have had horrible anxiety lately. I mean like, I would freak out because of the littlest things. I finally realized that the reason was probably because I wasn't sticking to my Lenten promise. I had let myself get off track and now that I'm back to it I feel much better. Amist the crying babies, and cluttered messes, I'm at peace again.
I took a mini vacation back to my alma mater last weekend. Yes, I went back to visit less than three months after I graduated. Get over it, I missed it too much. Turns out that time hasn't changed it at all, and the number one remark people gave me all weekend was "it seems like you never left." Haaa, I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing. I had a blast though.
When I came home (home being NJ in this case...I realized about two weeks ago that I started calling the blue house my home), I was warned that I might want to stay away from the babies. Some kind of virus came and took hold of their fragile little bodies. Day in and day out, we've just had to rock them, put them to sleep, soothe them, fill cups with gatorade, and keep Wonder Pets constantly playing on the TV. I feel so sad for them, I just wish they would get better! I miss the days of continuous play, laughter, and sunshine. Because of all this, I had two overflowing suitcases on the floor of my room for most of the week. I became way behind on a bunch of responsiblities because every night I would crash and burn at a ridiculously early hour.
I'm kind of reaching for a theme to this blog here. I guess I just realized when I wrote about our week of sick babies, that it kind of applies to an overall life lesson. I mean, hear me out, we're in a period of waiting. Right now, this is Lent, waiting for the resurrection. Just like my impatience for healthy children, we can grow wishful and complacent in this Lenten journey. I have just been continually waiting for the day that they are not sick, instead of looking to what I have today, and being grateful. I do have to say, I've loved the quiet cuddle time with the girls. And this is helping me remember that they are just vulnerable little babies, so I shouldn't get frustrated with them so often.
I have had horrible anxiety lately. I mean like, I would freak out because of the littlest things. I finally realized that the reason was probably because I wasn't sticking to my Lenten promise. I had let myself get off track and now that I'm back to it I feel much better. Amist the crying babies, and cluttered messes, I'm at peace again.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
So I was in a car accident...
I mentioned that I was hit by a speeding car. That is a true story, I wasn't just being ironic. My friend and I were on our way to the mall when a car came out of NOWHERE! The other guy's car is definitely totaled and my friend's car looked pretty bad (I couldn't open my door...) and was towed away. The important thing is that we're safe.
I really don't want to be overdramatic and blow this out of porportion. But I just want to say one little thing. If I HAD died, there would probably be some people out there questioning if I even loved them. So, lesson learned.
I really don't want to be overdramatic and blow this out of porportion. But I just want to say one little thing. If I HAD died, there would probably be some people out there questioning if I even loved them. So, lesson learned.
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