Groom's Update

What a crazy month. Beginning with the proposal, Christmas, shopping, parties, work, days off. Visits to places for the wedding, etc. So much in so little time. No wonder brides go crazy. Me? just cruising. Letting Melissa take the reins. There is one more hoopla to go through. New Year's Eve, That is going to be a tough one. A 4 day weekend at work.
It is going to be crazy for both of us, but once it is over, it will be such a relief. Then we can "both" focus on the details for the wedding.
We have a photographer already. My good friend Joan , whom I've known going back about 20 years, has become a photographer and will be doing the honors. Melissa has seen the pictures though she has yet to meet Joan.
Our Resident DJ Gil Barba will be emceeing our event.
I have a good idea who is going to make the cake. I have yet to approach her about it, also a good friend (Ring bearer's mom) Is that even allowed?
We have looked at some rings for the wedding but have yet to decide on anything in particular.
Melissa has accomplished to get her bride's maids to pick their dresses as well as get measured for them.
She is doing good so far. She is getting a lot of advice from the experts. I think it has eased her mind and eagerness a little. I know that before you know it, the date will be here, so getting ahead as much as possible is a good thing.
The trickiest aspect is going to be the honeymoon plans and destination. We basically are all over the place literally. From a tour of Europe to Tahiti. From New Zealand to Moscow.
We might just end up honeymooning in Alaska!
Here we come Sarah!

Day 2

Day 1 was the proposal day which you can read all about in Melissa's blog. Day 2 is today and it is a bit disappointing because of the way UCLA's been playing all night. Now back to the engagement news.
This is day 2 and the fun has begun. There are 2 bride's dress magazines already in the house and a date for the wedding is already materializing. There is already a prospective count of the guests as well as proposed locations.

Let The Madness Begin!

I am going to keep this blog updated as often as I can with news about the "event" which will consume our lives for the next 12 months.
It will serve as a diary of our upcoming wedding just as much as it's been my diary for the last 4 years. Even if it is just for the 2 of us and the 2 or 3 other people that read this blog regularly. (You know who you are....)


Oh yeah! The picture is from the last halloween. Not our wedding outfits!

OK, There it is. I am getting married

To Melissa

See what I was talking about?

I found this on Yahoo.

http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/_ylc=X3oDMTBmZ3RtY3M2BHRtX2xuawNVMTEwNDY3NA--/SIG=10vmqfopr/**http%3A//www.livecareer.com/

A great coworker can help you look forward to going to work each day. An annoying coworker, on the other hand, can make you want to hide under the covers.
A large survey by the staffing firm Ranstad USA asked employees what their biggest office peeves were. It turns out they all involved coworkers. Annoying ones.

Do you recognize any of the top six most annoying coworker types?

The Psst-er: Gossipers were the number one pet peeve in the survey. While some people like to hear juicy tidbits about the boss or their colleagues, too much gossip can undermine the spirit of the workplace. Plus you're always wondering when the Psst-er will make you the topic du jour.

The Broken Clock: These coworkers stink at time management. They're routinely late for everything, including work. They tend to spend too much time on emails, take long lunches, and then scramble to get others to help them meet their deadlines, which, for some reason, they keep missing.

Mold Guy: Coworkers who mess up communal spaces were third on the list of workplace pet peeves. Their month-old leftovers sport a thick layer of fur in the company fridge. Every office seems to have at least one who stinks up shared spaces.

The Whiffy Wonder: You can smell these coworkers wafting about from the other end of the office. They just wear too much perfume or cologne. Some have an obsession with Obsession. Others feel the need to douse themselves with Old Spice. And hiding in your cubicle won't make the overpowering smell go away.

The Cracker: Crackers are loud. They crack loud jokes, they crack their knuckles, they crackle their chewing gum, they clank spoons in coffee cups like they're calling the cows to come in from the fields. People who work near crackers can find themselves ready to crack.

The Tapper: Tappers are generally quieter than Crackers. But that doesn't make them any less annoying when they're tap-tap-tapping on their personal communication devices during meetings. It's distracting, rude, and yes, just plain annoying!

The one positive aspect of these annoying coworkers is that they tend to unite the rest of us who can bond over the latest outrageous offense. Besides laughing at the insanity, here are some other ways to cope:

* Even the most annoying types may annoy you less if you love everything else about your job. Take the free career test to find a job you absolutely love.

* If you find yourself subject to one or more of these annoying types and they're driving you batty, it may be time to find a new job that offers greater job satisfaction, with fewer obnoxious coworkers. Take the free resume test to ensure your resume is in shape.

* If you find that all of your coworkers get under your skin, you may be better off working for yourself with the power to select your own co-workers. Take a free entrepreneur test to find out if you have what it takes to start your own business.

PERSONALITIES

We all have them. Personalities that is. We are one way at home and different at work. We put masks and disguises on to fool, please and make people happy.
You will find the "know it all", that person that gets their information from people magazine or enquirer and joins your conversation with facts about everything. Then there's the "I'm so good looking, all girls want me" guy. This is the same of girls who think all guys ought to ask them out and strut their stuff around oblivious to the fact that they are not that attractive at all. I could go on and on about the types of personalities we have at work, or school. I know I fall into a certain personality trait just like next person.
Most of the time though, the changes in personalities are not as bad except when you turn into a complete asshole or bitch. Yes, those are the right words to describe people who are completely unhappy with their job and their surroundings. I think those are the worse, the rest are harmless.
Those who feel pressured by their bosses, disliked by their co-workers. Those who are all about take, take, take, and nothing about give, give, give. Those who feel that their issues are bigger than everyone else's and they should get all the freebies and benefits without working for them.
They do not see themselves as a bitch or asshole. They see you and everyone else as that, simply because you do not support their views.
They are harmful because they spew their venom no matter how far it goes or whom it hurts. They glee at someone else's pain or mishap. Sometimes pretending they care and support the person while hugging and offering words of support. All the while just soaking up the misery and enjoying the moment.
It doesn't last long though. They eventually fall to their own doing. Eventually all the negativity the spew comes back and bites them in the ass. I have seen it time and time again. I have also been lucky enough to work closely with a couple of them.

Just venting.

Do you know any? No names please.

OBAMA SPEECH TO STUDENTS

What happened to all the controversy? I guess it was good that he did not want to follow up with the "follow up lessons" He's got good people that advise him, that would have been a bad decision.
Agave Jueves III went without a glitch, unfortunately I forgot my camera so there are no pictures, but I gotta tell you it was a success. I will upload pictures taken by others (read - Gil)
Still around..

UNBELIEVABLE SCORE - MEXICO 4, US 0

That's not the Mexican team that shoWed up today at Giant's stadium. That is also not the US team that's been playing for the last few years.
What happened?..
We'll let the experts in sports figure it out.
Gold cup is going to Mexico. Great second half.

LET ME REPHRASE THAT!!!!!!!!!!!

5 GOLS TO NONE!!!!!!

DREAM # 9

Disturbing dreams are my thing.
They are filled with violence and disturbing images that when I wake up, I am sweating and full of relief that it was only a dream. They are so vivid and the more that I remember about them, it's because they were so intense.
Last night, aside from the frequent battle with "bad guys" who wanted to get me into a scam around housing, etc; There was a scene (that is what I call them) where I found myself thinking that I had to take a pill(s) that would kill me. I had to commit suicide because that is what I had to do. Like an Aztec indian facing sacrificial at sunset, I knew that I had to do it and I was willing to do it.
As I was trying to analyze my dilemma in my dream and wondering why I "had" to do it, I came to the conclusion that since I was on my last hours, I might as well make the best of it. I though of drinking champagne since that is one thing I liked so much (at least one of them). I thought of finishing my day with those that I love. As time approached I began to question why I had to commit suicide. I then fought the feeling. I refused to go so willingly. I told someone, not sure who,"I do not want to do it, I am happy and I want to enjoy that feeling for the rest of my life" aware that I was not sick or with an explanation for the suicide, I hang on to the idea that I did not want to die and that I had to fight the feeling.
The struggle in my mind is what got me out of sleep and woke me up.
Lesson there?
Maybe (as people like to say) I have to live each day as if it was the last one of my life.
What do you dream?

Somewhere in that sequence, I rescued two kittens out of a tree by jumping from the top of a building (about 6 stories). Not fearful of the jump I grabbed them and brought them down. As we were walking away, one of them began to talk to me.

SEATTLE

I thought I liked the Northwest after I visited Seattle a few years back. A few years back means even before Olivia was born. After visiting again this year, I found out that I love the area more. Particularly after visiting Vancouver, B.C. What a city! Nothing like I've seen before. I was truly impressed by the layout of the city with its bridges, parks, and proximity to the mountains. Though I thought the traffic was rather heavy, maybe it was because of the weekend. It is nothing like NY city or San Francisco, each one has their own appeal and attractions that make people visit from all parts of the world. I'm sure Vancouver gets its share of tourists from cruises into Alaska and such. If I lived there, I wouldn't mind them, just as much as I do not mind them here in Vegas.
yes, I would move there in a snap.
Any Canadians wanna sponsor a family of 4 with 2 dogs and an Iguana?
Let me know.
On to Seattle!
Melissa and I had a great trip. There wasn't anything to wine or complain about. The weather was great, the walks were interesting with plenty to keep us entertained. The food was as usual, excellent. The highlight of the trip amongst others, was a visit to Eliotts. Their happy hour was the best, no doubt about it. It was so good we went back on our last day for lunch. Of course we had to go up to the Space Needle while we spent a few days in the city, took a few ferries into some of the islands, checked into another hotel in Bellevue, rode their underground transit including their new
Light Rail and to top it off, ended up getting interviewd by some local TV outfit as I was getting into the train.
We had a great vacation.
Enjoy the pictures

DEAR FRIEND

Hello Dear Friend.

It's been so long since I last heard from you or you from me. I cannot remember the sound of your voice and sometimes just a faint whisper of it comes to my mind from long memories ago. Memories that we carved during our times together and with other friends or acquaintances at best and yet still part of my memory and yours.
I remember our talks, our outings, our fights and through it all, we remained friends. Up until the time we decided to go our own ways.
Since then, I've been busy carving new memories and again taking on new paths. Paths that not you or I could have imagined; full of love, hope, pain, laughter, and desires.
I've done things that I am proud of and ashamed of. I've loved and disliked. I've loved and been rejected. I believe I have cried sometimes and made some cry plenty. I am sorry. I am sorry you are not in my life anymore. I am sorry I lost you and that our friendship did not last as long as we hoped for.
I still think of you
and every now and then I think of the great time we had together as kids, as youngsters, as young adults taking on the world.
I heard that you died with no way of confirming it, or for laziness for not going to find your tomb. I am sorry.
I heard you were a successful person in life. I applaud you and I am proud to say I knew you.
Back then we were friends.
Now we are just memories, memories that with each passing day become almost like a dream. Did we actually know each other? or were we someone else's idea of a dream. I knew you. You were real.
Sometimes I miss you. I am sure I cross your mind from time to time. At least that is all we have left since I last saw you.
Perhaps in another life as people say, we'll see each other again.
Perhaps not.
I have had a good life. I have fathered children. I am happy.
I hope you are happy as well

CHECKING OUT?

Once again, its been over a month since I posted anything as you can see from the date bellow.
Scrolling to my right at the other blogs I read, I find that the same is true for just about everyone else. Not many are blogging as much as before, few stay true to their blogs and continue with updates and what not. I believe that Facebook is taking most blogers away from their pages for quick interactions with friends or other readers (blogers). At least that's the case with me.
I am not sure I'm ready to give it all up. It serves as a good record of what is happening at the moment with feelings, moods, happenings (Like the MJ and Farrah deaths).
I will continue however to read your blogs and try and catch up with whatever is going on with you.

SURVIVOR FAN?

I have been a fan of some of the survivor shows and seen probably 2 of them in their entirety. The one I remember watching was Micronesia I believe where Parvati won it against former Survivor winners.

Yes, that Parvati, the conniving, bitch who would do anything to win. At least that was the impression I got from watching the show.
That was not the impression I got when I met her at our restaurant. She stopped in with some friends after being out at the pool. Of course they did not have a reservation (On a concert night- with a full restaurant). That wasn't the worse of it, one of the guys did not have a shirt,so of course they could not come in and eat. As they were standing outside the restaurant attempting to get a table, I noticed one of them and she looked very familiar. her was wet from being at the pool and I though it was probably one of our employees (Cocktail server or something similar). Her smile was what gave her away as familiar. She noticed me and asked me if they could get a table in the restaurant to which I asked if they had inquired with the hostess at the door. Of course they had and received a negative answer which I confirmed again. As we continued on idle conversation, I asked her where I had seen or met her. The answer came not from her, but from her friend. She asked if I had seen any of the survivor shows. After saying yes, she asked if I remember Parvati. That was enough for me to place her face. Indeed it was the "Parvati" from Survivor.

I ended up giving them a table after I gave the other guy a shirt to put on. Sometimes when you are a celebrity, even if it is from a reality show, you can get a table at a completely booked restaurant (As long as you are not a bitch).

IT"S GOING TO GET HOT!!

By the time Mother's day arrives, It is going to be cloe to 100 degrees in Vegas. A bit too hot too soon. It's been great here for the las 3 month with complete spring wheather and a couple of hot days in between, not too hot.
Normally you don't get 100 degree days till June, but we knew they were coming. We expect to have a hot summer where you go for weeks with 100+ everyday. Wheather because of global warming or other nature twist, our whether pattern has chnaged,, twice during December it snowed, just a couple of weeks ago we still had snow flurries here in Summerlin (In April!)
Oh yeah! where have I been?
Facebook - it makes it easier and immedate to blogg about anything.

SPRING BREAK IN LAS VEGAS

This is Spring break in Las Vegas.
Olivia is in Kansas City with her grand mother and aunt.
Anthony is in California (Disneyland) with Melissa.
Me, chilling at home with 2 dogs, a lizard and a cat(Charlie).

Of course there is always work.
Work is so interesting and crazy from day to day. One day all is calm, everything goes according to plans; everyone shows up for work, every employee minds their own business, all customers are in their best behavior.
And then there are days like yesterday.
Someone did not show up for work, another servers is minding everyone else's business but hers, I cannot get another bartender because the beverage department does "not have anyone" available.
(How many people are without a job right now?). I am sure one of them has bar tending experience.
Then you get the people who show up at the door and demand a table before going to their show and of course they do not have a reservation and they get irate when told to wait about 10 minutes for a table. Of course they are "going to take their business" somewhere else, right to another restaurant that is busy with all the same crowd going to see the same show. Next time may I recommend making reservations ahead of time (particularly when you have a group larger than 6)
All of a sudden, as if the storm has passed and the sky clears and you see nothing but sunlight and a calm breeze. Everything stops.
The concert crowd leaves, we are left with empty and dirty tables, an empty bar while everyone behaves better, including me.
Yes, I admit it, everyone was getting on my nerves and it showed, though I think sometimes they need to see that side of me. The side that says, I am not going to take your shit and just do your damn job and do it right.
The storm has passed, there will be more to come and for now I am breathing easier. I am enjoying my spring break.

HSM

Today is the first performance of High School Musical at my daughter's school. It is for students and teachers and open to everyone in general. The next 3 shows require tickets, etc. I will be posting some footage on you tube later on.

AIG

AIG is getting bailed out and their top people still got their bonuses. Maybe when the company I work for declares bankruptcy, I'll get my bonus which I did not get this year and perhaps even a fat raise. I consider myself a "key" employee and thus should receive a few thousands dollars of tax payer money. I am not asking for 1 million or more, just a few thousand.
Yeah Right!
The company I work for, though private like AIG, will not affect the national economy if it goes bankrupt. It will also not receive a bail out from the Fed or even our state government. Imagine the uproar if we were to receive money from Uncle Sam so we can continue to build and run our gambling palaces like before. That might not be such a good idea, imagine the return on the government's investment (last year one of the big companies in town racked up 1.B in profit, just in the third quarter, though this year it was not as lucky.
I think it's wrong to bail out all these companies out of the troubles they placed themselves in. This did not happen overnight and someone should have seen this coming. Obama is not the reason this country is delving into socialism. You can't even call it socialism because we have yet to see medical care socialized. Should it be called selected socialism?
I can understand that many people may suffer if one of these "biggies" go down. the big question is, how many are already suffering because of the economic instability, myself included. Should I sell the house and save for what may come? or stay in it and wait for what may come without any savings to account for?.
Right now we just are sitting ducks waiting for the guns to fire.

MARCH ALREADY?

Some happenings

Olivia got the lead part(Gabrielle?) for High School Musical at her school. Not bad for a 5th grader. She is quite excited and she says that if the play was tomorrow, she's ready. Performances (3) are at the end of March.


This is Olivia singing El Shadai at church.

Anthony seems to be doing better at school. There have not been calls from her teacher wigging out! We both were sick last week, so we kind of paled around going out to breakfast, getting haircuts and such. Oh yeah!. watching lots of movies- All 3 of the Lord of the Rings -one per day. best movies when you are bed ridden. You start watching, then you take a long nap, wake up and movie is still on.

Melissa started on the South Beach diet again, that is very good, because it changes her whole personality and attitude. I remember the last time she tried it, it worked for her.

I have not been on the Wii for a while. Aside from sickness last week, I've just been tired from work, but I think things are getting back to "normal" which in this case is "slow" at work. I have not even been to take pictures or biking. Tonight Melissa and I are going out to a nice dinner to celebrate Valentines.

I have now been in Las Vegas for 10 years.
We moved here back in January of '99. Olivia was not even a year old, not even walking yet. We lived at the Durango apartments on Peace way. This was while we were looking to buy a house. I already had the job at Mandalay Bay, which I got without even an interview with the Room Service manager, my future boss at the time. I was just there for my initial interview with him and went to the trailers where they were doing all the processing. When I got there, of course he was not there, but rather inside the hotel doing a walk through of the Room Service area. When they called him to remind him about the appointment, the message relayed was, "Just go ahead and get him processed." So I went through processing and by the time I walked out of there, I had a job and an ID without even a face to face interview. I though to myself, Wow! am I that good that I didn't even know it?"
Of course this nagged at me so when I got home, I called him back to find out what that was all about.
Of course he was freaked out about it, then he remembered that he also had another appointment with another "Francisco" and since he had already interviewed him, etc. He was ready to hire him. Of course he hired the wrong Francisco for the wrong position.
I think to save face, he decided to hire me anyways so he took me to his VP's office for a follow up interview, not before instructing me to not say anything about being already processed and hired. The VP asked me a few standard questions, getting the standard answers and then he asked my future boss in front of me. "Are you happy with him" to which he answered in the affirmative.
That is how I got my first job in Vegas. Actually my first job was with the Four Seasons in the same building at the "Veranda Cafe". I had also been already hired - after the proper interviews, including one with the then General Manager of the hotel, and was ready to start. However, MB came up with a better offer ($$$) and so my career began at Mandalay Bay.

It was also during this time that Barb was diagnosed with A.L.L.

WHAT HAPPENED TO VALENTINES?

We are having great weather in Vegas with rain, snow in the mountains and still a bit of cold in the air. Yet, we've been very busy at work (thank goodness) that I have not had much time to get out biking or running. Aside from my last foray into Blue Diamond where I scraped my knees and a return trip last week into a new trail, I have not been outdoors much.
This is really the best time to get out there and probably once it warms out a bit, before temperatures reach 100+.
We did have another tequila tasting in our restaurant last week prior to Valentine's weekend and we've been busy since that I practically left Melissa out of Valentine's celebration, not that I celebrated anything or anywhere else.

I'm sorry I missed it. I know you like to celebrate Valentine's and other holidays that sometimes I do not even remember, sorry for that again.
My schedule has been all over the place as well that there have not been time for planning an outing or so, but I have an idea where I'd like to take you to celebrate our love.
It won't be biking or running,though I would like you to go next time, maybe running.
HAPPY VALENTINES anyways.
Love you on February 14Th and every day.

22 Miles and Counting

Today it was a 22 mile ride
View Larger Map through Lake Mead area. A good series of ups and downs-mostly down at first all the way into the Lake Mead Camping site from Lake Las Vegas area. Great road with no autos and not as many cyclists.
The pictures tell the story.

This is our departing point. Looking West towards Lake Las Vegas


Going down after a few downhills


Curvy road with no one around


The long road ahead


Looking north towards the main road (bridge)


Our destination in the distance - Lake Mead Camping Site


Pepe - on the way back


Yes. this is the 11 mile mark - now its back with nothing but uphill!


Pepe at the 11 mile mark


Oasis 1


Oasis 2


Some shots from the Lake Mead area




Back to Lake Las Vegas


Not before I saw this great shot!

Wii Age 37

Facebook

When Wii Fit came out I was very skeptical thinking, "Who needs a platform or wii game to lose weight or be fit?". What happened to just running or going to the gym?. Well boy was wrong!
I love Wii fit. the games of balance, yoga exercises and others are amazing. Why? It really is like having a trainer in front of you while you see "immediate" results right in front of you.
If someone looks at you they cannot tell whether you are putting more pressure on one leg over the other. However, the Wii, while you are standing on the board, measures every inch of pressure you are putting on each foot and that is what I mean when I say you see immediate results. It is also a scale, though not very accurate at times. but regardless, it shows progress and there is good direction and instructions for exercises, of course you could cheat but why bother. You Will get as much out of it as you put into it.
If you don't have one, Get it.
By the way that was a gift to our kids, who do not need to be or stay fit, so I am wondering if it was actually "for us"...
No matter, great gift!

A BRAND NEW DAY

Despite all the ugliness of politics, despite the name calling and at times, uncivilized behavior from our representatives in government, despite the scandals and greed, America is still a great country.
I am sitting here watching the Inaugural and what a show. It is a great show because of the attendance and participation of regular everyday Americans lining the streets, the mall and any open space in sight, including rooftops.
This is probably one of a kind of inauguration, will we see another African American elected? Maybe a woman?
I'm not sure. No one ever could have predicted that he'd get elected 2 years, or 5 years ago. So we cannot say that a woman may not get elected or another African American, who knows, maybe even a Latino president someday.
It took long enough for a minority representative to get elected. It's happened before, not in the U.S. but in other countries. Take Bolivia's current president, Evo Morales, an indigenous native of Bolivia and not a Harvard educated and trained economist.
250 years ago, Mexico elected a native indian form on its poorest states. Benito Juarez, who successfully expelled the French occupying forces at the time.
It was time for the U.S. to experience this kind of pride. It was time for us as Americans to feel proud again of being Americans.
I was telling my son this morning as we were watching the beginning of the inaugural that when the next inaugural happens again, he will be 14 years old, and eight years later, my daughter perhaps will be voting for and watching the first woman be elected to the presidency.
No matter what happens between now and then, whether Obama's presidency is a success or failure, the fact that he is speaking to the country as the new President, is a sign that we've come a long way as a country.
Indeed it's a brad new day.

4 Mile Run

I guess riding 3 miles uphill on a mountain bike and 3 miles downhill through rocks, gravel and mud is paying off.
Today I decided to go running after dropping my daughter off at school and I ran a little over 4 miles. Most of the time I have always gone no more than 3 miles, maybe 3.5. Today I felt good though and I could have kept on going; though I did not want to over do it and have Melissa get a call from the police saying I had passed out on the street from over exhaustion.
How do I know I went over 4 miles?
Thanks to the wonders of iphone and a neat program called Map my ride. It tracks your progress by using the GPS within the iphone.
I've been using it frequently to track distance when bike riding or just running. It is good app for your iphone if you run or bike.
4 miles though?.. I never though I could.

ENTERING INTO THE WILDERNESS

The trail begins on the side of the road. you park by the fence along with other cars and the trail is visible so it is the only one that you take.
As you begin the walk, you see the two huge mountains in front of you with the road clearly headed for the middle of them. The first part of the road is very flat though with lots of rocks around. You could ride and ATV through some areas but there comes a point where you'd have to turn around. The second picture shows a runner whom I encountered as I was going up. She was coming down. It isn't rare to see many people around these areas, particularly those who practice rock climbing since the mountain sides are so flat and steep.
Soon you reach a bit of higher ground with a meadow off to the left.
Looking left you realize that next to the meadow there is a hill of a good altitude which seen from the main road, it looks as though its just another feature of the huge mountain now behind it.

It takes about an hour to reach the base of the mountain. As you enter into the creek, you find yourself surrounded by lots of rocks, some as big as a small house. At this point any sign of a trail is gone. On both sides you have steep rocks with trees and bushes that make it hard to either climb or walk.

I still managed to climb on on side of the mountain till all that was above me was sheer rock. Looking on the other side, I saw a trail that continued upwards into the mountain. At that point I did not want to risk it so I returned. The hike took no more than 3 hours total.

On the way down, I walked into the meadow and found the creek. Currently there are a few waterfalls that feed the creek since we got so much snow over the Christmas week.