Sep 29, 2006

Hospital

After being in a hospital 5 whole days this entire week and sleeping there for two nights, I was overjoyed to bring my mother home today. She is recuperating just fine and I am so happy for that.

Watching the nurses at work is something remarkable. I don’t know how they do it. I mean, caring and taking care of a family member is not easy – but helping someone that you are not related to, must take some deep compassion. I do feel for the people in the hospital, and have even assisted a woman at my mother’s bedside. But I don’t know if I could do it as a job. It must be rewarding at times, but at other times, a thankless job. You are dealing with people at their lowest point. Either they are deathly sick, or helpless from surgery…etc.

My aunt is a nurse, and I’ve seen her in action with my mom. It looked so natural. Then I thought about all the strangers she has to assist on a daily basis…

More power to all the nurses out there. (The good ones).

Sep 21, 2006

What A Lush!


I've been keeping my distance from Lush for a while now. I always knew they had good stuff, but I didn't know how kick butt their stuff really was, since I merely tip toed among the products so not as to form a longing. Well, thanks to a lushie who recently gave me a catalog, I read about some of the products and was overcome by this strong desire to pick up a couple of things. When I went to the store, this giddy elation came over me, and I had to stop myself and put a few things back on the shelf. I mainly went there for bath bombs, the "Mask of Magnaminty" and the bath bubble slices. I came out with a whole lot more than that! I bought so much that I qualified for a free goody bag. Trying out the products was so surprising for me. I mean, I always tried their facial soaps (Fresh Pharmacy, Coal Face) and liked them, but their body creams and shampoos are out of this world.

This one shampoo called "Big Shampoo" is just a fully loaded sensory experience. It has real sea salt in it, and when you scoop some and put it in your hands, you don't really want to put it in your hair. But the sea salt melts away and scrub your scalp, and the lather is just crazy-good! It washes away to a squeaky clean, so I wouldn't use it too often, but it's hard to resist the urge. It also relaxes any waves or curls you might have. Good to use when you want to feel weightless. And Dream cream is just awesome. I have yet to try the natural deodorants they have. I am so looking forward to using my bath bombs and bubble slices and also trying my Cynthia Stout shampoo which is supposedly really really good....

That's it, I am now officially hooked!

Sep 18, 2006

Pulled Over

I got the windows of my car tinted – dark. Really dark. I got them done in Miami, and was told that Florida cops don’t really bother with tinted windows – at least not like in New York. So I went with it, & I was really enjoying driving around with my drug dealer windows. It helps keep the car cool in the brutal Florida sun. I was told not to roll down the windows for at least 3 days.

The very next day, (you just knew there had to be a twist) I was driving down I-95 on my way home and this State Trooper was on a tint hunt. He was finished with pulling someone over, and when I whizzed by, he took off after me. First of all, I was going too fast – but so was everyone else around me. He drove up alongside me, saw my windows and flicked on his lights. I’ve been pulled over before, but just not on a highway. So I made my way to the shoulder and turned to Anthony and asked: “Do I have to roll down my windows?” Sick. Anyway, he pulls me over, brings this tester thingy and said that legally in the state of Florida, car windows are to be no less than 28%. He put his tester to my windows and said they were 3%. Dag, were they really that dark? He gave me a citation and said I would get a discount of $20 WHOLE dollars if I would fix the tint. He let me off for speeding.

I learned my lesson; I will not leave my windows up if I see a State Trooper. I passed by some cops by my neighborhood and they didn’t really care…

Ah, the price of vanity!

Sep 11, 2006

5 Years Ago

I’ve been away from NY for a while, but the cool crispness of today felt very reminiscent of the September 11th of 5 years ago. I remember that morning like it was yesterday. I remember thinking to myself what a wonderful morning it was – the warm sun and the cool crispness of the air. I was so oblivious to the fact that it was the day the world scene would change. September in New York is just glorious. I had already forgotten. Spending the last couple of weeks in 80 degree weather, I had forgotten how nice the coolness was. I remember what September represented to me, at the time I was in college, and it meant a new semester – a new routine, a new start. Well, that day was a new start for everybody. Watching on TV last night, the many specials they had and seeing the footage of the towers falling, it still would make my heart stop. I remember seeing the tower fall with my very own eyes and hearing the voices and cries that filled my nightmares. As much as I always said I wish I stayed home that day, deep inside I don’t really mean it. It had so much influence on my life; it made me face new fears and shaped who I am today. Besides, I have a story to tell when someone asks me: “Where were you on September 11th?”

What A Loss....




The same day that Steve Irwin was reportedly killed by a stingray, we were oblivious, in the Cayman islands visiting Stingray Sandbar. I've done an excursion like this before and found that you can't get tired of it. It's an incredible experience, and few experiences are like it - where you get to swim and interact with wildlife.

First you take a 20 minute boat ride to this sandbar where the water is about 5" deep. The stingrays flock to the boats because they know that boats = free food (squid). Once you get down from the boat, you may feel this large rubbery yet velvety smooth thing slosh by you. They are hungry, and the brave ones hold squid in their hand for the stingray to come and with their strong suction like mouths, vacuum the food away. I attempted that, but wimped out last minute and dropped the squid. The stingrays are peaceful, and I enjoy holding them in my arms as you can see in the picture. We are told not to stomp our feet but to shuffle them. And as one may pass by, I would grab the person nearest and cringe while squealing with delight. They are large, intimidating – but harmless (so we thought).

On the boat ride back to the ship, we heard talk of Steve Irwin being killed that very day by a stingray. Nooo we all kept saying, we couldn’t believe it. Well, back on the ship all over CNN news was the sad truth that yes, Steve the Crocodile Hunter had indeed been killed by a stingray, in the waters of Australia. I just couldn’t believe it. The very same day we were laughing, holding these soft rubbery creatures, the beloved Croc Hunter was killed by one. Not killed by a Crocodile, Shark, or Tiger but a stingray. It almost seemed as if Steve were invincible. He was full of life – he had a strong love for these dangerous creatures and awakened in us a new appreciation for them.

Although the stingrays in Grand Cayman are wild, they are used to people and the boats that come and visit. The numbers that visit daily must be in the hundreds. Unfortunately, Steve was in the deep waters of Australia, where he could have easily been mistaken for a shark or predator hovering. I felt, as the world must have felt – that it was a great loss, and I felt sad for his family.

Would I ever visit Stingray City again? Maybe… But probably with a lot more caution. I do believe it was just a freak accident - that stingrays are peaceful docile creatures, and the one that killed our beloved Steve was just trying to protect itself.