The OC, CA

Well for the first time I got to relax in California, enjoy the margaritas, shopping, food, ocean, food, shopping (oh wait, I already mentioned food and shopping). Well I had a blast!! My sister recently moved out to the picturesque town of Irvine, where the lawns are manicured, the houses look the same, the shopping centers and streets are just perfect and the food is awesome. Although it was a very rough flight and not to mention long, the wait was great b/c I got to spend time with the family. I even got to eat in Laguna Beach, didn’t run into LC, Tessa, Chase, Cameron, Kendra, or anyone from Laguna Beach , but nonetheless the view of the ocean was breathtaking. We ran into a rough patch with the turkey, it took twice as long as we anticipated cooking. Thus, we had a really late dinner that was definitely worth the wait. The funny part of the trip was going shopping on Black Friday, spending well over a small chunk of change on clothes, shoes, and accessories for four hours and coming back to my dad to find him with one bag full of men’s socks, a scarf, and two belts. We all laughed in frustration scratching our heads wondering how one person can only buy one bag’s worth of clothes in four hours, and add to that…it was mostly socks!! Well either way, I have spent the last couple of days in post turkey bliss having a great time. I hope all of you got to have a great Thanksgiving. What am I most thankful for: My family and friends, and the simple fact that I have food in the fridge, a roof over my head and money in my pocket.

Details of the two suspects

These two girls are wanted for questioning for the crime of eating my shoe. Both girls were present at the time and place of the crime scene. Details on each girl are posted with their photos. Please leave a comment and let me know who you think ATE MY SHOE!

Who ate my SHOE!!!!!!!

So i get home from a fun night out on the town...and low and behold, what do i find? I FIND MY SHOE EATEN!!! I can't believe that my dog or dogs ate my shoe!! At this point I was hooting and hollering at my dogs trying to figure out who the culprit was. I mean both dogs went running for their caged bed area trying to hide from this crazy lady who was yelling and waving around an eaten shoe! Well who can blame a girl for getting mad about a shoe, especially when it's a staple to my work outfits and has just been the most comfortable shoe ever. So here are the suspects. Feel free to give me your opinion as to who you think ATE MY SHOE

Just for anyone's viewing pleasure, continue to scroll down to see just how bad my shoe was eaten and let me know if you'd be pissed too.

Another pitiful angle of the badly eaten shoe.

My next step is to review the evidence, analyze the poop (jk) and come to a conclusion who did this to my shoe! I'll keep you posted once the verdict has come in and the sentencing has been decided.

It's Friday!

Woohoo, whoohoo! It’s Friday, It’s Friday! I got to see my Lil’ Sis from Big Brothers Big Sisters today. She’s a junior at a High School in South Dallas and she works at a grocery store. Well today we talked about the big day: MONDAY. Monday we’re taking a tour of SMU (Southern Methodist University). We’re going to sit in a marketing class, talk to an advisor and take a tour of the campus. This would be her first official college visit. So I’m really, really excited about Monday.

Let’s see, at this point I have no plans for the weekend. We were supposed to do Habitat this weekend, but that was canceled. So we might just go to Happy Hour tonight and get our drink on! Then tomorrow, go shopping and shopping and shopping then go out again. I can’t take the boyfriend b/c he’ll be grumpy shopping all day, so I’ll leave him to clean :) hehe…while I go SHOPPING! Well he might watch the OHIO vs MICHIGAN game (#1 vs #2). That should be an awesome game!

We’ve got our Christmas party coming up soon and I’ve got to plan away at what food I’m going to serve and what cocktail drinks I’m going to make…etc. It’ll be fun! So I’ve got to get back to creative brainstorming on my first official adult Christmas Cocktail Party! I’ll let you in on the details when it’s over.

Cheers and Have a Happy Weekend!!

Christmas Shopping

I'm one of those people that plans for Christmas since like AUGUST!! Yes, it's true...I'm a planner. Well I've been saving and saving a little bit each paycheck to be able to buy ALL my gifts this year without using a credit card, and by golly I did it! I saved enough to start my shopping on the Biggest Macy's day sale before Black Friday. I went to the galleria after work (way out of my bubble) and had a great idea what i was going to get my sister. The second I walked into Macy's I couldn't find a single thing I liked for my sister. I found tons of stuff for me, but not for her. So i wandered around, found two shirts, fell in love with them and bought them. Then out of the corner of my eye I see the shoes section and fall in love with these cool brown Nine West boots, and i buy them too...So much for shopping for others...After my little splurge, I went to every store I can think of that a 21 yr old would enjoy shopping at...well I couldn't find anything. I couldn't find a single shirt, sweater, top, pant or coat that I liked to be able to call it a GIFT FROM ME! So I didn't check off a name from my list, but I did get some new shoes and two new shirts! Maybe this weekend on Sunday I'll go and venture into North Park and see what i find. Wish me luck!



Here's a pic of my new boots!!

Why I Love Being a Woman in the 21st Century

Well you'll never guess what's on TV...first you might ask what I'm doing awake at 12:35 AM on a work night...but i guess that's what happens when you have a great dinner and great company to accompany you for the evening and take all of your cares away. Well getting back to the TV...Mona Lisa Smile.
I'm a huge Julia Roberts fan and I actually own this movie, but it's fun to watch it on TV also. It takes me back to a time I never knew and fortunately feel lucky that I never did have to experience it. Thanks to the pioneering women who came before me, I, a woman, am now seen as more of an equal human being than ever before. I am able to make the decisions on what school I'd like to attend, how far I'd pursue higher education and negotiate and conduct business with the sharpest male sharks in the business world. Why do I love being a woman in the 21st century: easy...i have empowerment. I believe in myself; I am strong; I am agile and intelligent and best of all I have the opportunity to make the decisions that impact my life.

I would like to say thank you to all the great women that have preceeded me in this life and have contributed to the changing social views of what a woman should be. I'm normally not that feministic, however watching this Mona Lisa Smile movie I can't help but think that I am very lucky and grateful to be a woman in today's society...

Stay posted as I may write my latest accomplishments...maybe later I'll post my "101 things I'd like to do before I'd die". By the way: #41 was "Drink Kopi Luwak Coffee" (the poop coffee from the Luwak). Well I actually got to taste it a couple of months ago...yes I drank poop coffee...1 down 100 to go (well not really, but you catch my drift).

cheers to all! have a great night!!

Pictures of Kopi Luwak Coffee

Why i have a love/hate relationships with Sundays

Well let's see. It's Sunday, November 12 (wow...i had to even check the date on the calendar to see what day we're on) and as routine as routine can get I'm on the laptop doing homework, watching the Celebrity Paranormal Project and eating Oreo's. Yum! Especially since they are low-fat calorie reduced. It's funny b/c my boyfriend and I are on a frenzied diet to stay healthy, a feat that can be nearly impossible during the holidays. And yet here we are, watching the amount of "partially hydrogenated oils" and "high fructose corn syrup" are in our every day foods. Sundays are our purge days...we get to eat anything we want :) woohoo!! I had a great 'EL GUAPO' sandwich from Two Rows. Oh and while eating I had one of my many Jessica Simpson moments...I, Graciela, asked the waiter dude for a Heini Light, not realizing that TWO ROWS is a brewery and doesn't carry any beer that is not made on-site. Well...when a girl wants a Heini a girl should have a Heini ;) but NOOOO, they don't sell Heini's...what's up with that? And then I get this like insulting look from the waiter with these piercing eyes that are asking me "how dare you even ask if we carry Heini's, don't you know we're a brewery?"

Well anyways...the reason I love Sundays: I get to eat whatever I want
The reason I don't really love Sundays: It's the day before monday and I have to work on Mondays. Plus I always feel so rushed on the weekends trying to get everything done that I could get done during the week and I never really get to enjoy Sundays.

Well I lately started my masters, I've been doing it online and it's been great! I do find myself racing home and doing homework. It's sad b/c I don't have the time I desire to clean, do laundry or make a good meal. I find myself falling way way way way way way way behind on things that I would normally keep on task (like cleaning, doing laundry and cooking). But obviously it's not that bad, because I am shifting priorities so I can stay competitive with the job market candidates and so that I can experience personal growth. Besides, I consider this opportunity a very lucky one and I am grateful that I have a roof over my head, food in my fridge and money in a bank account. I'm going to sleep so I can have a little energy for MONDAY...my least favorite day of the week.

-graciela