What's Important in LIfe

For the last two weeks, I haven't been blogging much. I have been working and doing stuff with family. My Mom is here again after going back to Mexico for a few months. I guess she must like it here since she came back so quickly, maybe she just wanted to get away from my brother....

She was in L.A. for about three weeks and now she is here in Vegas, of course she is staying at my brother's, who is right now in Mexico with all his family.

The kids are out of school and will not be going back till the begining of the new school year.

Is this all a routine?..

Am I getting bored with my rutine?

Is Melissa?

How much of what we do everyday is just routine?

How do you tackle what is routine and mundane or just "the same thing everyday"?

Melissa mentioned it this morning:

Get up, shower, get dressed, brush your teeth, blow dry your hair, get your shoes on, kiss your boyfriend good bye.---That is supposedly her routine, well

I kind of broke it by walking her downstairs and to the door naked.

"Have a great day at work"

SHORTHAND TRANSLATED

Is that what it was called?.
When "bosses" dictated to their secretaries?..... Bunch of lines, squigles, etc. If that was short hand, what do you call this?....

From somewhere in the blogworld.....

" i no no1 reads dis but im gunna say stuf anyway on da uva hand if peeps red dis den i most prob wudnt write in it! im so clever i no wot im not guna do, loli dont mean al da stuff i say but im gona say it anyway.anyway, b4 i get 2 random... da girls in skoo, r obsesd wit boys. its a ll dey eva talk about.ma frend bex fancy dis boy curtis who is a real beep i cant stand da guy. hes seriously anoyin. jemz has even gon 2 hit him loads of time but he dus his stupid laf nd runs away like a little kid.jemz is no beta. she fancys a bucktooth freak cald kyle. hes been a proper beep to her but she still likes him! im meen, common sense dat a 17 yr old only wants 1 fing, and i aint gona let my 14 yr old bff giv it 2 him. no beep treats ma friend like beep. i rekon hes cheatin on her anyways, cos he lives miles away from us.anyway, if u woz bord enuf 2 read dis i feel sorry 4 u. "

SENSATIONSALISM

I thought the dramatic graphics and sensationalism was only for TV. Now you also find it on the Internet.

On today's main yahoo page, you have this news that there was a shooting at a casino in Las Vegas. The latest news is that the people who were shot are OK. the shooter is under custody and will more than likely be going to jail. This post though is about the pictures and graphics that are intended to catch your attention so you can be "hooked" to read or at least look at it.
They have them every year and for every disaster imaginable:
"THE CHALLENGER DISASTER"
"THE FLOODS OF 2007"
"KATRINA AND KILLER TORNADOES"
"THE SUMMER FIRES OF 05"

They actually almost make it all seem and sound like a movie title. I think they are obnoxious and pathetic. Notice the cross hairs (or telescopic sight) added as to the picture? The picture also shows where the shooting took place, but in real life, the place does not look that Orange/red dramatic color.
Get ready next year for:

"2008 THE YEAR BUSH ABOLISHED THE CONSTITUTION"

Sunrise

Sunrise
Originally uploaded by Ciscokid1

One of the great things about working an overnight shift is driving home while the sun is coming up. This picture was taken last Sunday morning instead of going home to sleep and since I had my camera in the car, I decided to take some pictures. For more pictures go to my flickr page.

Enjoy!

UPDATE

All is well in my little world.

I guess sometimes your are either too busy to blog or just don't feel like it. I have actually been barely on line. I did find this new software that has allowed me to find some new (and old) songs without the restrictions of i-tunes, so that has kept me busy.
Tomorrow Melissa and I celebrate another anniversary of being together. We'll be going out tonight to celebrate since I am actually working tomorrow and of course I do nto get out until midnight.
Olivia and Anthony were at "camp" last week begining on Wednesday. Melissa was there too and they did not get back untill Sunday afternoon. I did not do much other than rest. We've had a fairly busy week at work. Speaking of work.

Do you have manners when you go out to eat?
Do you order form the menu or make up your own stuff?
Do you complain about the littlest thing?

Are you a picky eater?

TAGGED

As Tags go (Thanks Yamell) Here is another one.


Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to write their own blog with their 7 things as well as these rules. You need to tag 7 others and list their names on your blog. Remember to leave a comment for them letting them know they have been tagged and to read your blog.

1. I grew up in Mexico City 'till I was 19
2. I have now been in the states longer than I have been in Mexico.
3. I have been as fars South as New Orleans, as far north/east as Vermont. I have been northwest to Seattle and of course as far southwest as San Diego and further south.
4. I learned the hard way that to start a business, you need to cross all your T's and dot all your I's.
5. I have landed on my feet despite all set backs.
6. I have a woman whom I believe loves me.
7. I run about 4 miles (if and when I get motivated to do it)

Anyone else who stops here and would like to participate...Go ahead.

LATE NEWS

I had just posted the previous blog when I ran accross this.

Lindsay Cancels Party

"PURE" LINDSAY LOHAN

Of all people who should not have their 21th birthday in Las Vegas, is Lindsay Lohan. On July 2, she will be celebrating her birthday at PURE nightclub at Caesars Palace. There are big billboards around town advertising the big birthday. The adds are to attract perhaps the locals who frequent these clubs, However, I doubt that any regular "Joe Vegas" will get in since it is probably a private event closed to most people and only open to high rollers, The Maloofs, and the usual cadre of revelers tagging along with all the celebrities.
Since the birthday falls on the Second (Monday), the bash will probably begin over the weekend at various other locations with the grand finale at Pure.
Will anyone check her ID to get in?.....

How Times Change

Indeed.
Thanks to Jack Ohman.

THE SHIELD

Not much to blogg about.
Except that yesterday (or last night-and thank goodness for TIVO) I watched the season ending episode of The Shield It is one of those shows you either hate or love. Melissa hates it, I enjoy the show. It is about bad guys, good guys and those who are good but behave badly. There is a lot of crude language and situations which make the show more realistic than anything else in the genre.
The setting is the streets of Los Angeles and the dealings and dilemmas that rogue cops face everyday while they do their jobs. IF you get a chance to watch the show, season 7 shoudl start sometime next year (March), so you have a few months to catch up with Seasons 1 through 6.
By the way- Season 7 may be the last one..

BIRTHDAYS ARE OVER

Finally a week (practically) of celebrations is over. begining with my birthday last week on Monday, Olivia's through the weekend and Memorial Day on Monday.

My birthday was great. Melissa and I went to a great Italian restaurant at The Mirage and after dinner, we went to see Love. It was a great show. If you love The Beatles' music, you will truly enjoy the show. It is a combination of their music with clips and images of their times and history performed by acrobats, dancers, singers and including skateboarders. After the show we stoped by the Revolution lounge for a couple of drinks. Again, a great show. Maybe
Melissa will post some of the pictures from her camera.

Olivia's celebration began last Friday with a dinner to Cheescake factory with all family (Except for me since I had to work that evening). Party continued on Saturday with a round trip on a limo to a friend's house for a pool party.
Sunday it was another dinner celebration at Olivia's Grandmother's home, also attended by those who missed the Friday and Saturday celebration.

The weekend ended with Monday's celebration of Memorial day. This one also involved hot dogs and hamburgers by the pool (Thank you Doyle's).
Finally by yesterday everyone had to get back to reality and back to work.
How was your weekend?

MONTH OF CELEBRATION AND BIRTHDAYS

Mother's Day was a success. I had Melissa's Mom, Olivia's Grandma and Godmother over for Sunday Brunch. We got them Roses, gifts and I made Chilaquiles Verdes. Everyone was happy and had a good time.
Monday, Melissa and I stayed up late playing poker and the loser had to do Tequila shots. At the end of the night, we were both losers.....Not a good idea to mix tequila and poker.
Now it is off to celebrate Birthdays.
Mine is on the 21 and Olivia's is on the 25th. Her Aunts are preparing a "pool" party with some of Olivia's best friends at a firend's house. They are going to get to ride a limo there and back to the house, she's always wanted to ride in one, so it should be a great birthday.
Mine is on Monday. I cannot believe I am turning 42. I do not feel 42 I feel more like mid-30's and I think that is where I am going to be stuck for a while.
Work has been fun and busy. Lots going on in the restaurant business

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

Happy Mother's Day to all you Moms of the blog world. Hope that all your children have at least a good thought and more about you.
Happy Mother's Day Melissa. You deserve love today and every day of your life. And, yes, you also "have" it.
You are a Wonderful Mom.



Thsnk you for letting me use your pictures.

INSTALLING TILE

Finally, a week after I started the project, it is finished.
The picture bellow shows the bathroom after I pulled the carpet and padding out.


Now this is what it looks like.





The hallway before, in between


and after.
Thank you Melissa for your help and suggestions and for keeping the kids away and downstairs...

TOMORROW

Here she is singing the song Tomorrow.
Enjoy.

ANNIE

Here is Olivia and Casey performing Annie

CRAZY WEEKS

I am alive and kicking though a bit in pain.
Wor4k has been good-busy. On my last post I mentioned my training which is still on-going. In between we had a crowd of 16,000 people for a hughe conference, so that kept everyone busy at work.
Olivia's play turned out great. All the kids did wonderfull with their parts in Annie. I will be posting a video as well as pictures of the play. I also decided to take it upon myself and lay tile down on the upstairs bathroom/hallway while I had three days off over the last weekend. Today is Thursday and I am still not done, more about that later....

PEELING POBLANO PEPPERS IN THE KITCHEN

As part of my "Cross-training" at work, Yesterday I spent the better part of the day working in the kitchen.
Having been in the restaurant business for a long time, I have seen, heard and experienced everything that there is to experience about a working restaurant, except the kitchen part of it. I have never been a cook, a prep cook, a grill man or nothing like it, not even in my previous job, where I supervised a whole kitchen crew.
Until yesterday.
I spent at least two hours peeling Poblano peppers, which are used for Chile Rellenos. You stand at this one spot and your back aches, your fingers burn, your throat burns and you are constantly coughing, because of everything that gets released when you are peeling and de-veining peppers. I am sure that people that do this day in and day out get used to it, but what a chore. My next "assignment" was to fry 3 huge bags of tortilla chips. Sounds simple right?, just throw the chips in the hot oil and fry them, yeah, right!
The chips get hot and steamy and "heavy" with the oil they are being fried on. You have to stir them with a large slotted tool, so they don't stick, break and burn. You have to get the right crisp in them and when you are turning them, they are heavy, then you fish them out of the oil carefully
your wrists, begin to hurt, your shoulders ache from the turning and lifting. After filling about 12 large pans, I was done with my assignment and my arms were just hanging my sides limp and in pain.
Kitchen workers are hard working people.
Next week I will be working at the bar, that should be fun, untill the tickets start spewing lots of tickets with all kinds of different complicated drinks..

First Day at Work

Yesterday was my official first day at my new job.
There were plenty of faces I've seen over the past year and some new. I am still looked at as someone who is new and therefore, like an alien out of space, some keep their distance and some are not shy to introduce themselves. It is a job that I have done before so the whole thing is not new to me. Everyone is curious as to what I have done before, where I came from etc. The questions seem funny because as I had said before, I have worked with the company for over a year and a half and I have seen most of them, but they do not remember me.
That is an advantage I suppose.
Not a bad day, only a long one and they are bound to get longer because of the weekends being so much busier. The place turns into a night club after it closes for dinner.
Till then..

WEEKEND OFF!!

So this is what it feels like to be off on the weekends. Calm, relaxed and with plenty of time for a nap (Not that I've taken one, but Melissa did). We went to get lunch at a great Mexican place here in town, Lindo Michoacan a place that has been around for more than a decade in Vegas. Funny to walk into the restaurant and run into Senator Chris Dodd, from Connecticut. Here in Vegas?.. Of course here in Vegas,
Lately we have seen lots of politicians make their way into our state.
Over the big weekend of Cinco de Mayo during a big event in town, the likes of John McCain and other "heavy weights" of politics will be here.
Anyways, I was saying how nice it was to be off on the weekends, I just came back from getting a haircut and later, or soon, we'll be going bowling...
And we still have Sunday...
Maybe we'll go to the Logandale Fair tomorrow.
It is good to be off on the weekends!-Though I think this might be my last one...