The Beautiful Blogger Award

So I just got a great compliment, I've been nominated for the "Beautiful Blogger Award", from Dalton over at http://daltonboley.blogspot.com/. He's got a very interesting blog, I encourage everyone to check it out!! Being a part of 20 something bloggers has really opened me up to all the different bloggers out there and it's a great site!! 

For all those I awarded, here are the rules: 

1) Thank the person who nominated you for this award. 

2) Copy the award & place it on your blog. 
3) Link to the person who nominated you for this award. 
4) Tell us 7 interesting things about yourself. 
5) Nominate 7 bloggers. 
6) Post links to the 7 blogs I nominate. 

7 Interesting Things About Me 

1) My senior year in high school I attended college full-time instead of taking classes at high school. I then graduated college three years after my high school graduation.

2) I'm not Catholic but I work for a Catholic school. I'm in no way anti-Catholic, definitely hints of complete disagreement with how Archdiocese run their schools though!

3) In the future I plan to start an organization that provides scholarship assistance to high school age students so that they can attend good schools instead of gang ridden public schools. I'm very passionate about helping underprivileged teenagers realize their full potential. There are too many kids in the world, especially here where I live in Chicago that live a dangerous life because they don't know they have options. I don't think that's acceptable, I want to help!!

4) I've been a Michigan Wolverine fan since I was 13 years old and I'm from Ohio, so if you know anything about the rivalry it's basically a sin to be an Ohio Wolverine fan!! Go Blue ;)

5) I suspect I have a small case of A.D.D, either that or I just don't give a f**k about a lot lol!! I think it's an interesting cocktail of both of those.

6) I heart reality tv...what's better! If you like to live a drama free life, but enjoy drama. Experience all the fun drama without having to deal with the consequences.

7) My family tree is pretty branchless, I don't know my real father or real grandfather or any of their families. It's pretty sad because I feel there is so much out there I could be missing out on, but I've been blessed with a wonderful set of grandparents, sister and mother. I wouldn't trade any of them for anything!!

My 7 Nominee's 
http://daltonboley.blogspot.com/ Dalton has a phenomenal blog, I feel like every day we hear about war and I just feel like I really have no idea what is going on over there. This just gives some very interesting insight to what is happening.
http://www.singlegirlinsandiego.com/ Very insightful and honest blogs on relationships. Every blog is great!
http://xbergdorfblondex.blogspot.com/ Enjoy the honesty!

http://confessionsofachicagogirl.blogspot.com/ The title says it all "Happiness is a journey, not a destination"  
http://www.uncorkedv.com/ Always enjoy! 
http://www.celebritybrideguide.com/ Love checking out the dresses and rings. 
http://thisandthatyall.blogspot.com/ Funny.

Great reads....

My Bloody Life: The Making of a Latin King 

by Reymundo Sanchez

Once a King Always a King: The Unmaking of a Latin King 

by Reymundo Sanchez

I haven't been a big reader for the longest time but a good friend of mine is lent me the first book and I was hooked. Oddly enough gang life has always interested me because I just don't understand how so many people can just be so void of emotions and just not care about life and be so prepared for death. Anyhow this is a true story of a man who was a Latin King here in Chicago. It's very details and really makes you see what some of these people have been through. I honestly would recommend these books, it'll make you look at things a little more seriously when in bad neighborhoods I think.

Best of 2009

What was your best trip in 2009?
I didn't do any real vacations this year except going home to Ohio, so really each time I went home it was a great time. In May I got to go home and watch my little sister graduate high school, in November I got to see her in her new school element and in December I got to really enjoy the whole family and the real meaning of Christmas which to me is making others smile. 

Share the best restaurant experience you had this year.
My birthday dinner at Cafe Iberrico. I shared my birthday experience with my friend Ryan, we had a shared birthday party which was awesome. A group of 8 of our friends came along and we got wonderfully delicious food. Cafe Iberrico is Spanish Tapas so everyone orders plates and they get passed around. I am so craving the octopus and garlic potatoes from that night!!! 

What book - fiction or non - touched you? 
My Bloody Life: The Making of a Latin King this is an amazing true story written by a former Latin King that took place here in Chicago. I'm currently reading the second book. It's just amazing to me that some of this stuff happens just as we all go on in our regular daily lives. It's sad that so much can be overlooked just because it doesn't have to do with us.   

Something that made you grow this year. What made it the best challenge of the year for you?
Work, it's constantly a challenge, more so in patience and understanding. Having to step back and not take things so personally or over work myself has been a huge challenge. I put my hand in too much, and while doing well at it all, it just causes me to get taken advantage of and for 2010 I'm over it. It's hard to make things great when talking hand puppets lead the pack.   

What's rocking your world?
My Blackberry 9700, I'm sure a phone fanatic.  

New food.
Spanish Tapas, I'm a huge fan now that I had all the best things at Cafe Iberrico, I really enjoy trying new things and everything hit the spot.  

Tea of the year. 
Sangria tea at Argo Tea 

Word or phrase. A word that encapsulates your year. "2009 was _____."
"2009 was the year of the douche bag" I said that a million too many times lol!! 

Shop. Online or offline, where did you spend most of your mad money this year? 
In stores! Although my money wasn't very mad this year lol it was very short.  

New person. Who is your unsung hero of 2009?
My grandmother, she's an amazing person. She's been there when I needed to talk. Unfortunately she's had to be there when my cars having issues and I have no moolah, but my grandparents are everything they are amazing people and they are my unsung heros of always!! 

Project. What did you start this year that you're proud of?
Started taking care of my financial issues, figuring out what was next. Just in general I did a lot of growing up and figuring out what was next. Still have tons more to do, but I feel like a foot is in the door for my future.

Learning experience. What was a lesson you learned this year that changed you?
You can't expect everyone to work as hard as you. Not everyone will have the same work ethic as I do. I still don't necessarily accept it or fully understand it, but now I know it 

Gift. What's a gift you gave yourself this year that has kept on giving?
My blackberry, it keeps my head on straight!! It also keeps me in touch with everyone, and in the know. 

Insight or aha! moment. What was your epiphany of the year?
Time to be happy, and live life for me. I don't need anyone to make it happy. In fact other people do more to make it harder then to make it easy. Depend on myself and my family. Meet new people and be open to new friendships. I've always been pretty closed off and I decided that I need to open up 

Social web moment.  Did you discover Twitter?
I discovered twitter, and I also discovered that I hated it about a month later lol!! 

Resolution you wish you'd stuck with. (You know, there's always next year...)
Getting my ass in shape. 2010 + WAC....here I come so I can go to Miami and Mexico this year!!

Happy New Year

Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.  ~Hal Borland

Drop the last year into the silent limbo of the past. Let it go, for it was imperfect, and thank God that it can go. ~Brooke Atkinson

I had Christmas dinner at Denny's...

My family is great, only we can pull off Christmas Dinner at Denny's and make it fun. Christmas Eve is our regular extravagant dinner night and my mothers cooks up all her wonderful dishes. This year was nothing short of DELICIOUS like always. After a huge meal like that we all slink off to bed and sleep till about 10am to open our gifts. My grandparents who are conveniently located in the house right next door come for Christmas Eve dinner and for Christmas Day breakfast and present opening. On Christmas Day my mother, sister and I went to see my sisters grandmother and family (we have different dads), they're interesting people. Well that's putting it wrong, what's interesting is that they're all really rather boring actually. We showed up late because we had been relaxing after present opening and breakfast. When we finally arrived at the their house they'd already eaten (bastards), honestly it's ok my step father's mom is a icky cook. She tries to get all creative, and really I just want some normal good food that stays down!! So we get there late and we aren't even offered food. Immediately my sister and I are over it and ready to leave, but we stay for about an hour. After that we decided McDonalds would be the Christmas dinner of choice, only to find out that was CLOSED, seriously McDonalds closed...mortal sin! So we called Denny's and just like trusty ole Denny's they were open, we high tailed it out to Amherst and ate Denny's for Christmas dinner. I really think this should be our new Christmas dinner tradition. Who doesn't like to sit at Denny's and laugh at the most random people. My sister and I traded comments back and forth all night about this absolutely tragic family who we came to realize after being nosey ALL worked at Denny's. There was a daughter who looked 12, and had a pedophilish looking boyfriend. Her dad then walked in PLASTERED, he was apparently coming to pick up his daughter and his son who was doing dishes. Now if that isn't family bonding I don't know what is.

New Years Resolutions...yeah I'm serious!!

Every year I avoid resolutions because it seems like just another waste of time, adding more to my already overflowing to do list. This year I figured I'd get into the spirit and give it a try.

1. GET IN SHAPE
2. Take more vacations this year
3. Leave work AT WORK where it belongs
4. Meet new people
5. Start MS degree
6. Reduce stress "just breathe"
7. Stop drinking pop (well maybe a few)
8. BE HAPPY
9. Get out more (aka get a dang social life)
10. Just live life and take advantage of all opportunities that come my way!

I just turned 27 I think its time for me to have more follow through on goals that aren't just professional. I've been kickin ass at job oriented goals but beyond that I've been pretty blah. Time to jump start my life and make age 27 the best ever!!

Why cheat? What is wrong with these women making money by cheating?

This whole Tiger Woods thing has me thinking about two big things; why do men cheat, and why do women cheat with high profile men and then feel it's ok to capitalize off of it?

Why do men cheat? Let me start here, honestly people in general. What is the purpose of marrying someone to turn around and cheat on them? Let's speak specifically about high profile athletes and celebs first. These men travel all the time, and see the opportunities as being easy and quick. They just do and don't think.On the other hand there are regular men who cheating and who aren't traveling or living extravagant lives. There is a difference between the two. High profile men are essentially hunted by women who are trying to have the experience of sleeping with them. Regular men aren't always hunted, a lot of times they're the hunters, or it's just circumstance. Is either more wrong then the other? I think cheating is just wrong, especially when you're married. You stand up before god and take vows then lay down with someone else, it just seems unimaginable. I sure hope when I get married my husband never does it, and if he chooses to be with other women then he should just ask for a divorce. Honestly men who can't be with just one woman shouldn't get married in the first place!! 


I was watching the Khloe Kardashian wedding earlier on my computer and I couldn't help but hope the best for the girl whose married to an NBA player, but in the same breathe I couldn't help but wonder when he'll start cheating. It'd be so interesting to know how many athletes have actually stayed faithful to the women they're with. Do these women who have cheating athlete husbands actually think their husbands are being faithful. After what happened to Steve McNair you'd think some of these athletes would have gotten their shit together and now Tiger Woods drama came out. Each and every one of them thinks they'll get away with it.


As a single woman who still believes in happily ever after, all of this frightens me. Am I just being foolish, should I give up hope now on having happily ever after? After all more then 50% of marriages end up in divorce. Finding a good guy first and foremost is worse then finding a needle in a 1000 mile long hay stack, so then once you find him you have to hope he's not sneaking behind your back.



So here is the other side of the issue, what kind of women are these who are cheating with these high profile men simply to make a buck off of them in the end? First of all they're cheating with a man whose married, they're believing whatever BS he has to tell them about how he's not happy, or they might not even need an excuse, they just need to know who he is. These women are risking their futures for 15 minutes of fame and payoffs from gossip magazines to get them through to long term success. Are they not considering that after we're done reading OK magazine for a few months they'll become irrelevant and a laughing stock in all professional worlds. What would make someone risk everything to be someones side whore?



I'm disappointed that affairs are really this huge in the media, do we really care that much that Tiger Woods has slept with a lot of desperate women who just want money? I know I sure as hell don't care. Do we care that his wife won't leave him, because all she ever was was a nanny and she won't have much without him especially if the prenup is tight. 


An interesting thought is that if these high profile men REALLY wanted to go out and do their thing on the side why would he continue to choose women with nothing. Those women have the most to gain. Go do your side thing with women who have everything they need, they're the least threatening. Why choose a waitress, nanny, cheerleader, they've got everything to gain from a man messing up and leaving evidence.

This is just wrong lol...but hey don't mess with the wrong women!! HILARIOUS!!