Cayman Islands, Cozumel, Belize, & Roatan Islands

Hi Guys!

So it's not exactly the vacation of my dreams... but it's damn near close. I think I'd prefer to stay on one island as opposed to a cruise, but still, being in the sun, next to a pool, in the middle of the ocean ain't half bad either.

So we hopped on a 6am flight Sunday morning for Tampa, and with a layover in Cinncinnati, we reached Tampa around 1130am, grabbed out luggage, and were dropped off for check in at the Carnival Cruise dock. We finally got to our rooms around 130, and grabbed some food. The ship is nice, absolutely ginormous!

So after a day at sea yesterday, we docked at the Cayman Islands, which are part of the British West Indies, this morning for a bit of island time from 7am-3pm. We ended up doing a Trolly tour of the city - they kept pushing the 'Snorkel with the Stingrays' tours, but after the croc hunter... well.. no thanks. The water is sooo blue and it's probably 85-90 degrees here, hot, hot sun. But it's windy, so it takes the heat off. Lil Sis and I are both... burned. Today mostly. After we did our Trolly tour, we grabbed some lunch & did some shopping, and realized we didn't have much time after that so we just headed back to the ship, where the pool was empty and we were allowed some quiet time to ourselves.

Tomorrow we hit up Cozumel, Mexico, then Belize on Thursday and the Roatan Islands on Friday as our last stop before a final day at sea.

We all seem to be having a good time, but I think all the sun makes us drowsy [either that, or mum's seasick meds - cuz she took a nap this afternoon for a few (4) hours!]

I'm catching up on some reading, soaking in the rays, and drinking. Lots. They've got drinks of the day in funny shaped cups, and we drink lots at dinner. And we've got these great waiters for dinner, David & Winato. Two of the funniest and sweetest guys I've met here so far. David is from Peru and Winato from... Indonesia. Couldn't remember for a second!

Alright, it's almost 6, and that's when 1/2 priced internet ends... after that they charge .75 cents a minute!

Maybe you'll see me later in the week.

xx :)

And I'm Out Like A Fat Kid in Dodgeball

I apologize. I, too, have been a bad blogger as of late. With work issues over the past couple of weeks [finally resolved - I'll fill you in later], and then my birthday, the AIA Convention in Boston [Sarah, I saw your booth!], and now, my impending trip to the Caribbean :) Yes, I said Caribbean :)

We fly out of Portland tomorrow morning, flying down to Tampa to hop on our cruise ship headed towards the Western Caribbean. Belize, the Roatan Islands, and two more stops, I've got myself a week of rest and relaxation, which, was badly needed.

So, I'm going to be a bad blogger for one more week.

After that, I'll be back like I never left.

Hope everyone has a good week!!

And The Answer Is...

I've also got a question for all of you - those of you who comment regularly, and those who hide out in the woodwork:

If you could move to any American city - where would you go? I'm talking for culture, nightlife, cost of living, job availability, etc. East Coast, West Coast, Midwest, etc.

Let me know :)

Happy Birthday To Me

People will call me The Girl With The Candy Apple Pumps - Confessions of a Shopaholic

Pity Party For One?

I had a kind of crappy day at work. And I didn't feel like driving an hour down and then back to hang out with a girl I'd never met before (TM is trying to help us each make more friends in the area). Besides - the plans were up in the air, and I sent her a txt cancelling, and she didn't get back to me till 820 anyways, way past the starting time of the band we were going to see. So I wouldn't have found her anyways, and would've been stuck down there all by myself. As if Small Town isn't bad enough, I know NO ONE down where she's at.

So after last week's big date, I was supposed to have another on Friday.

Oh wait. It's Friday night, isn't it?

Yes, Lpeg, it is.

And what am I doing?

Oh, that's right. I'm home. Alone.

M never called. I saw him yesterday for a few moments when Jess needed art supplies, so we stopped into his store, and on the way out, with a polite nod, he said, "Good to see you. Take care." Polite. Courteous. But nowhere near any kind of "Great to see you! Give me a call!" kind of emotion.

So I waited for him to call.

And call, he did not.

So I txt'd another friend who had mentioned getting together. Got nothing back.

And so I cleaned my apartment. My disgusting apartment that my roommate feels no need to clean.

I cleaned, I did dishes, and I sat down with dinner and watched Sweeney Todd.

Nothing like a Friday night with Johnny. Seriously. The guy rocks.

Around 1015, The Roommate rolls into the driveway, and another car pulls up. One I don't recognize. Thinking he's trying to bring a girl home, I don't go to the window and wave or anything. He's out there 10 minutes or so, and in come 4 other cars. I look out again, thinking it's Marty stopping by for me (same car), but it's not. The Roommate sees me, looks up, then walks off with all 5 people and heads down to the bar. He doesn't even come in the fucking apartment to drop anything off. Aparently I'm that diseased. Or an embarrassment.

Now, I know we don't hang out that much. But christ dude. It's fucking FRIDAY night and I'm home alone. What the fuck do you think I'm doing? Thanks for the fucking invite though. Very sweet of you.

So, needless to say, this night has turned into a Pity Party for Lpeg.

I'm lonely. I'm irritated. And I'm stuck in this godforsaken state.

London can't come soon enough.

Happy May Day!

I absolutely love, Love, LOVE this month. It's my favorite by far [maybe cuz my birthday is in 5 days, maybe because it's nice and beautiful outside, maybe because it's warm!].

Anywho it's a busy month - Tuesday is the birthday - the big 25! A quarter century!! Mum turns 50 at the end of this month. Then next weekend is Lil Sis's college graduation! She's growing up so fast! I can't believe it's already time for her to graduate - but she'll do absolutely fine in the real world [and if things don't work out as planned... you've got us. We'll figure it out!]. I'm off to an AIA convention in Boston on the 15th - 17th, then back to Small Town for a Swing Dance, then back to Portland by 6am on the 18th where we [me, Lil Sis & the rents] fly to Miami and hop on a cruise ship headed to the Western Carribbean! Warm, sun, sand, water. Parasailing & snorkeling. Reading and relaxing. Yup - definitely going to enjoy this vacation :)

I also bought a bike for $30 [no seat, and from a lady I work with - and The Biker God has got an extra seat], but it will work to get me back and forth from my new part time job. I'll save gas and get some exercise! It's hot pink and changes to purple, and it looks like the mountain bike I got for my 10th birthday, but hey, it was cheap and it works! [I'm going to see if I can paint it a metallic green].

I'm also stopping over to the music shop over lunch to see if they still have their floor model keyboard for sale - I heard it's a bit cheaper, and I'd love to have a keyboard which actually feels like a piano [Lil Sis - we don't need to share that with mum!]

Aside from that - I haven't heard from M, but we had talked about Friday, so I'll wait and see if he calls. I did all the work the first time around, and if he really wants to go out with me, then he can call! Besides, I called him on Monday to wish him a Happy Birthday - so the ball's really in his court now.

Oh I suppose that's all for now. Jess is coming over tonight for some girl time & wedding planning, trying to cram in as much as possible since she leaves at the end of June for North Carolina!

Never Any Good

I was never any good at getting yelled at.

I'm still not.

I still fear him coming over and yelling at me for something (more often than not) that I didn't do. Sadly, I think that is a pretty true statement.

My photocopying, computer, word processing, photoshopping, assistant skills are great. I am a pleaser, and usually do very, very well in that area. When it comes to design decisions... well apparently, I have none. There is no confidence in my design skills. But even if there was a lack in confidence from my superior, I would hope that there would atleast be a confidence that I, as an intern 2 years out of school, done with one house, another two under way, that atleast, if there was a lack of confidence in my design skills, that there would be no lack of confidence in the fact that atleast I knew where to turn when I had a question.

And turn I did. The Emperor has been an unwavering pillar of support for me over the past two years. And the houses I have been lucky to be a Project Manager on were only successful because of his guidance. I think, atleast in that aspect, I have proven myself. That when in doubt, I know where to turn. That I know how to get the answers I need.

But apparently. Well. There is still no faith.

Ahh. But my photocopying skills are up to par. And my coffee runs are to perfection.

So isn't my generosity and thoughtfulness when new clients are in, or consultants. Everyone is taken care of. And I like doing that as well. But that is NOT what I went to school for. In fact, I don't need to go to school for that.

Yes, I am young. Yes, I am a woman. Yes, I work in a male-dominated field.

But I thought after a very successful house (in my humble opinion), I would have atleast proven that I knew where to turn. Yes, we had minor issues. Yes, there are things I would do differently. Yes, I wish I had more supervision while I was going through that. But I didn't. I learned.

And now I feel like I'm back to square one. Or worse. Further than that. Because now, I'm not trusted with anything. I can't make my own decisions, and anything I do, well, it's wrong.

Oh right, unless it's fix a computer issue....

I was just never any good at getting yelled at.

About That.

Some weeks you really need a Saturday on a Wednesday.

Rain Rain Go Away, Come Again Another Day

I went tanning this morning. I got up early, showered & dressed, and headed downtown for my appointment. It was drizzling, but it was a five-minute walk, and I figured I'd be ok.

I came out of the tanning booth and the clerk looks at me, "You're so lucky! You were in there, enjoying the warm bed, and it was downpouring! It just finished."

Sweet, I think. I hope I can make it back to work.

I stop for some coffee on the way back, and step outside. Still drizzling. I head to work.

The closer I get to work, the harder it seems to rain. By the time I step into my office, I am looking like a drowned rat. I put my coffee down, then head upstairs to my apartment (yes, and it's nice and convenient - I love it) and re-blow dry my hair and throw on some new clothes.

The Emperor just laughs as I walk back downstairs.

"Feeling better?" He asks.

I nod my head, smile meekly, and head over to my desk.

What DO You Listen To On Your iPod?

Ok, so I wasn't belligerantly drunk. But after five drinks... I had a hell of a lot of fun.

Yesterday TM and I headed into town for lunch. We hit up the bank, grabbed some food, and then popped into Little Shop so I could see what time to meet M at the bar. He said the band was playing at 930, and he would be there around 9. I said alright, and we headed back for work.

Last night I took a bit of a nap, relaxed, and got dressed for my night out. I was planning on sleeping a bit longer, but I was awake, and terribly excited. I just laid there in bed, hoping it was going to be a great night. By 920, I headed downtown. As I mentioned earlier, he wasn't there when I got there, so I played pool with The Roommate and his Boss.

On my way to my second drink, I had a nice chat with a fellow who works at another shop in town, one we do alot of business with. I glance over, and there is M with his co-workers.

G [M's boss] looks at me and smiles. "Lpeg! You're here!"

"Hi, G! How are you?" Surprised that he knows my name. I go in there alot, and we do a bit of business with them, but I was touched that he actually knew my name.

He introduced me to his wife and to another friend of M's who joined them. They share some funny stories about my boss, joking that when he says 'jump' you say 'how high?' I had to laugh.

M was on the opposite side of the group, and he scoots over next to me, smiles, leans his head into my hear and says, "Hello."

"Hi," I say, smiling back at him. We lock eyes. He is cute. Since I don't really know him, we shout into each other's ears for a bit, trying to hear over the music, learning a bit more about each other. He's lived here for 8 or 9 years, went to high school here, and is now going to school to be an art teacher. He still lives with his mom, a 10 minute walk from my house.

At this point, G interrupts us. "So, Lpeg. We've got a debate going on at work lately. We love our iPods, can't get enough, but you're one of the few people in town that walks around with yours all the time! We're all dying to know what you're listening to on your iPod! "

I laugh. They're talking about me? At work? Sweeet. "At the moment? It's Missy Higgins. But I listen to everything. It changes on my mood. How about you guys?"

"Heavy metal!!" He says and throws out the rocker sign with his hands. I just laugh harder. I look at M, "Oh, definitely Metallica, all the time," he says. They both pretend to start rocking out to some heavy metal, and I am throwing my head back with laughter.

At this point, I am done with my drink. I notice M's is almost gone, "what are you drinking," I ask him. "Guinness," he says. "Want another?" I ask. "Sure! Thanks." I head to the bar and get two more drinks. I come back and we talk a bit more, listen to the band. I head to the bathroom, and when I come back, they are all dancing. Having been here before with The Roommate, I know that if I dance, he will make fun of me forever. So I play another game of pool with him and his Boss.

G looks at me and motions me over, "Come on, Lpeg! Come dance!" I smile and shake my head. No way.

A bit later The Roommate leaves, and I am standing at the table, near to where they are all still dancing. G says again, "Come dance!" M is dancing with a girl he works with, and his friend Seamus is dancing by himself. He looks at me, reaches for my hand, and this time I accept. We dance for a bit, a couple of good tunes from the 80's, and have a good time. M's next to me now, and I look at him, "I need some air. Care to join me?" He nods.

We walk outside into the cool night. There are people smoking, and we talk for a moment outside. Then I start to walk over to the pier. Being both quite drunk by now, we talk for a bit, what, I cannot remember. We walk down the pier, and come across some steps. I reach for the rail with my left hand, and he reaches for my right hand. Ok, I think, Nice. He entwines his fingers with mine.

He stops, walks in front of me, and looks down at me. He's so tall. Taller than me, and I'm wearing my taller shoes! This is nice, I think. Oh god, he's going to kiss me isn't he? Yup. He's making the first move! He's making the first move!! Ooo he's a good kisser! I'm thinking to myself, and eagerly return the kiss. We stand there for ten minutes, kissing on the dock. I pull away, he pulls me back. He says something, I laugh, and he kisses me again.

I finally pull away as I hear someone approaching, and we sit on the bench.

"I'm really sorry I missed out on Monday." He says softly. "So when can I take you out?"

"You want to take me out?" I ask.

"Well, yes! When are you free next week?"

"Umm, well Thursdays usually work for me."

"Thursday? Ok then. How about seven, eight? That usually works for me."

"Eight? I'm asleep by ten on Thursdays! It's always a long week, and I can hardly keep my eyes open by Thursday night," I say, laughing.

"Ok, Friday then!" He says, smiling. Just then, Seamus calls.

"Where are you?" He asks.

"We're sitting on the pier, by the lobster restaurant," M says and hangs up.

He leans in and kisses me again. A few seconds later Seamus shows up and sits down next to me. By this point, I've got to pee like crazy, so I look at M, "I'm heading in for a moment, are you coming back in?" "Yes," he replies, "I've got to finish that beer."

I head for the bathroom, wait a moment, run inside. By the time I come out, neither M nor Seamus is back in the bar. I walk back out to the pier, and they are nowhere to be seen. I give M a call.

"Where are you?" I ask.

"Seamus started throwing up, so I'm walking him home."

"Oh, okay. Can you wait, or are you past my house yet?"

"We're way past your house."

"Oh bummer. Are you coming back? I was hoping to have an escort home!" As The Roommate is already at home [with some chick] and I am... well.. very intoxicated.

"I'm going to stay here, with Seamus. He's really sick."

"Ok then. You guys have a good night."

"You too."

I hang up the phone, very disappointed. I atleast wanted him to walk me home, we could talk a bit more.

That's ok. I still have a date later this week!

I get home and call Lil Sis. She's laughing at me. I know she's not sleeping yet, because her away message just went up a few minutes ago. I tell her all about the date, and she laughs. I never call her drunk, usually it's the opposite way around.

What a great night :)