a time to repent.

Not until I moved down here have I had such a deep loathing for Wal*Mart. Down here, the store is completely different. Matter of fact, every time I go back to my hometown and I visit the Wal*Mart there (because Target is too far away), I notice the difference. Believe it or not, there is a difference. Up north, the cashiers are friendly. They converse with you. The lines are basically bare... EVEN at Christmas time. Down here, not so much. I dread the Wal*Mart down here. The cashiers are rude, the stores are messy and down right dirty. One time, I went to get some things and spent more time waiting in line than I did actually shopping. One of the items I purchased was a 6 pack of beer that I contemplated opening while in line. Apparently, in the town I live in, there is an unwritten rule that if you consume a product while in the store, it is not considered stealing. Sure, I have opened a soda while at the store, but at least I still have the cashier scan the empty bottle. But really, folks, nothing makes me want to throw up more than when I'm looking at accessories for my bathroom and I come across an eaten apple core that is all brown and mushy sitting on the shelf next to the display of bath rugs. Ew. I have made a silent resolution to not shop at Wal* Mart anymore. The kicker is, if I drive on the right road, I can find 3 Wal*Marts within MILES of each other. And they are all the same. I have come to peace with the fact that I am willing to spend the extra dollar and drive the extra miles to go to Target where the store is clean, the quality of the product is better, and well, they have a Starbucks. Sunday, I thought would be a quiet day at home. New Mr. Tia was sick with some bug that he is convinced his mother passed to him via the telephone. I was tidying up the house and putting off vacuuming until he woke up. He asked what we were going to do and I told him I thought he could use the rest so I didn't want to plan anything. He decided to act on my recent nagging of rearranging our bedroom. Yes, I just admitted that I nagged my husband. You see, we have a television in our bedroom. It sits against the side wall on his side of the bed. Since New Mr. Tia usually falls asleep before I do... and he snores, I like to watch tv to fall asleep. However, when he rolls over, I can't see the tv. I can't really bring myself to push him over. Because when he rolls over, he usually stops snoring. Can you feel my double edged sword? I just think we should move the tv to a more neutral place where we can both see it equally. Rearranging the room should be cake right? And cheap, right? Have you ever met New Mr. Tia? We spent our Sunday afternoon driving from store to store to store looking for a lingerie type dresser/chest to match our bedroom furniture since our bedroom furniture is discontinued. We also were out pricing flat panel tvs that we could hang on the wall. All I wanted was to move a few things in the room. Our tv is fine. But now, different plans have been made. After visiting Best Buy, Target, Costco, and a few other stores, we didn't have any luck. Afterall, we were just pricing things. Not buying them. We were pleased that all we spent was money to fill up on gas. Then yesterday, I got the text message... "Wal*Mart has a 26" flat panel with a built in dvd player for $..." So we went. I could feel my shoulders tensing as we walked in the store. As we made our way towards electronics to look at the merchandise, we passed the furniture. And guess what we found? For a good price. And it was good quality. Real wood. Not laminate. We both were in awe that we found what we were looking for and more for a cheaper price and a better financing deal at this place. We wasted our Sunday afternoon looking for something that was right in our backyard the entire time. Sorry, Wal*Mart. (side note: while we were looking at the tvs, I heard the loud speaker... "attention Wal*Mart shoppers, registers 23 and 25 are now open with NO LINES. I couldn't believe it myself)

This is a tribute of sorts

When I first moved here, I had a really hard time. It's almost been 18 months and I still am having a hard time, but that's a different post for a different time. I was going through a song and dance with the state to get my massage therapy license so in the mean time, I waited tables and bartended at a restaurant. I remember it well, it was my second week of work and my last table of the night. Two girls walked in and sat in my section. They were so sweet. Bright smiles and contagious laughs. After I served their dinners to them I remember saying, "Thanks for being so friendly. You girls have really made my day. As a matter of fact, you are really making me miss my sister." I said this because as I watched their interactions, it reminded me of me and my sister. I told them that my sister was due in a few weeks with a baby and I wanted to be with her badly. It was nice to see them and talk to them because I was still fresh to the area and really, wasn't sure what I was doing here. They made me feel better. Fast forward a year. Again, my second week of work, but at my new salon and spa. When I don't have any clients, I walk around the salon and nail room and talk to clients and offer complimentary neck and shoulder massages while they wait for their colors to process and their nails to dry. That's when I saw her. The girl from the year before that was in my restaurant with her sister. She didn't remember me at first. I approached her and offered her neck and shoulders some lovin'. And again, she had the big smile and the contagious laugh as she talked to her nail tech. Then she started asking me about myself. I told her we'd met before. When I jogged her memory a bit, she remembered. It was a joyous reunion. Since then, this girl has become a regular client of mine. She and I know each other. I know her husband's name. I know about her childhood. I know how much family means to her. She has said on more than one occasion that her family is her rock. I think this is where she and I connect so well. I LOVE my family. I miss my family. I talk to my sister several times a week. She and I have conversations that I guess only sisters can understand. We laugh and we cry together. I'd talk to my brother probably about the same amount of time, but he's very busy and will be for the next two and a half years or so. To have siblings like I have, is the best gift ever. They are my support and my rocks. Their spouses and their children are just as wonderful. I'm such a nerd, I have tears welling up as I type this. My parents are the best. Not only do I have a great mom and a great dad, my mom remarried to a wonderful man who loves me and my siblings as if we were his own. We are so fortunate to have a "bonus dad" like him. I'm grateful for my parents everyday. Words cannot describe the love I have for my family. I miss them all the time and especially as of late. If only every kid could be as lucky as me.

Say You Want a Resolution Well You Know...

Happy New Year, Everyone! How was your holiday season? Good? Good. New Mr. Tia and I went to our hometown in Western New York and spent time with both families. It was joyous. Hardly stressful. We flew out of an airport about 3 hours away from where we live because a) we saved almost $300-$400 by flying out of there b) I have family there so we didn't have to pay for parking or a hotel and c) it was a direct flight. We came home on New Year's Eve and spent the Eve with my aunt, uncle and their two girls. My aunt kept asking what my resolution for 2008 was. I'm not one that is big on resolutions. I used to write pages after pages of things I would do differently for the new year and of course, I never followed through. A lot of times, I never set realistic goals for myself, hence the failed follow through. I have, however thought of some things that I can do this year that I can achieve. Drink more water. Water is so good for me and sometimes I don't feel that I am drinking enough of it. I do notice a difference when I drink more of it. Focus on my new career. I just started a new job and I love it. I get frustrated at times and I have realized that my frustrations don't help matters. My new philosophy is "Tomorrow is a new day". Self Preservation. Early to bed, early to rise. Just returning from a week away, I have gotten into the habit of sleeping in and staying up late. Having healthy sleeping habits can help me to be more alert to get through my work day. Along with the preservation, I am also going to focus on my self confidence. I have been struggling with this since I have moved here. My best friend finally told me that I cannot expect others to perceive me as confident until I am in fact, confident. I have had a hard time at my new job with that. I went in yesterday with a new attitude and I am hoping my project works. One day down and it has. Follow through on things. Everytime I go out of town, I get this bug in my butt to get home and get on the stick. I want to reorganize, clean out the closet, clean clean clean... you get the idea. Thanks to my parents, I got a brand spanking new dated organizer complete with a task master that I can use to help me get this stuff done. Spend more time with my iPod and my digital camera. They deserve more lovin'. And of course... BLOG MORE. I know I have talked about this before, but I really am going to try. We'll see how it goes. I wish you all a wonderful 2008. *side note: See that big space in between the title and the beginning of the post? That happens whenever I start a post and save it to finish later. How can I stop that?

Better than me

As most of you know, I have done a lot of jobs in my past. Anything you put in front of me, I'll try it.

After my long struggle of becoming an LMT here and finally finding a job, I only work part time at my new spa. So to make up for some lost time, I have been bartending a couple nights a week. I used to bar tend for a corporate restaurant but then have moved to a new place that opened up and the money to be made has been, well, quite phenomenal to say the least.

Let me tell you about new place. It is a wine bar. And a cigar bar. There are leather sofas and chairs for our guests to sit and enjoy their cigars and cocktails and on the weekends we have live jazz and blues. On one end of the bar, there is a walk in humidor with every kind of cigar you can imagine and on the other side, there is a liquor store.

There are two sides to the bar. One is for the public and the other side is for members. You have a thumbprint identifier to let you in to the "Members Only" area. You get many benefits for being a member... 10% off purchases, access to the conference room, a free cigar and bottle of wine a month... and depending on the level of membership, the more benefits you have. But mainly what does your membership get you? Status. "Hey lady, wanna come join me for a cocktail? I am VIP at this club down the street. That's right, I said VIP. I have money."

These members love their liquor and they love to drop their money like no body's business. It is actually quite sickening. I guess that is because I'm from a place that drinks cost a quarter of what they cost in these parts and well, I most of the time got them for free anyway. Bartenders of a feather flock together.

I have been nominated by my colleagues to be the member 'tender. Most members like me. Others don't get my sense of humor. I'm ok with that. I have been known to make almost $200 in tips off of only TWO PEOPLE.

I have now asked to be taken off the member bar for only a couple days. That's all I want. I need a TV timeout. I'm surprised I haven't lost my job yet. If any of you reading know anything about me, you know that I am not one to be talked down to without having something to say back.

Let me set the scene for you...

*about a year ago when I was waiting tables, I waited on some gentlemen that worked for one of the largest car dealerships down here. They tried recruiting me to come to their place and sell cars. I ran into one of the people a few weeks ago while bartending a private party in someones home. I didn't know at that time how he looked familiar and just thought I knew him from the wine bar. Until he came in wearing the dealership's t shirt, did I then put it all together. Read on.

Me: Now I know how you look familiar to me. I served you and some of your colleagues last year at SB.

Him: And we tried to get you to come sell cars with us.

Me: That's right!

Him: If I remember correctly, you had a lot going on then, you were getting married... (he goes on and on)

Me: Yep!

(interrupted by friend of man... aka: I'm With The Guy With The Membership)

IWTGWTM: Wait, let me get this straight... you met her LAST YEAR when she was waiting tables at SB.

Him: Yes.

IWTGWTM: And you tried to get her to come sell cars with you.

Him: Uh-huh.

IWTGWTM: And now here you are, a year later, in another bar, realizing how you met in the first place.

Him: That's right.

IWTGWTM: Well, I can certainly say that I'm glad that in that last year having a job offer fall in her lap like that, she has really moved on to bigger and better things. Way to reach for the stars.

Now, the member that I knew from back when was offended as was I. I looked at him and said:

With the economy being the way it is right now, I am probably making more money bartending than selling cars. And I like to make my money honestly, not by lying through my teeth to sell all the bells and whistles.

You know, some people. Then, my favorite:

Member: Miss? (finger snap) Miss?

Me: You know my name, you can call me by my name.

Member: Oh, well, I prefer to call all who serve me Miss.

Me: Oh? Really? I didn't know we could do that. If that's the case, I prefer to call all who I serve Douchebag. So, what'll it be Douche?

Now, this kid has been up my butt the last few times I have worked. The best part is: I think his parents bought his membership or he saved his allowance. He is younger than me and is the worst of them all. When it's time to close his tab, he always says, "Give yourself 20%". Yessir. I'll be right on that. Thanks for nothing. Douche.

Moral of this post folks, please don't think you are better than anyone else. Treat your servers with respect. They work hard for their money.

Handle With Care

First of all HAPPY HALLOWEEN and HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO NEW MR. TIA. I had a great weekend. Wanna know what I did? I'll tell ya. My aunt and uncle live 3 hours north of here in beautiful Orlando. They went out of town... actually, they went out of country for a few days, leaving their 8 & 10 year old daughters in my care. The best part was that my parents were also vacationing up there at the same time so I got to hang out with them. We had a great time. My mom went to my cousin's little league game and joined us for lunch and my bonus dad sent treats for the girls while he stayed back to study hard for an exam he had to take. Have I ever told you about some of my baby/house sitting stories? I have a few. Like the time I was 19 and watched a set of 7 year old triplets for 18 days while their parents went to Hawaii. And then I also took on house sitting as a side gig before moving down here. There was about a month a few springs ago when I wasn't home. I went from one house to the next watching animals and houses while the owners went on their vacations. Each time I did these jobs, I had special instructions from each parent. Example: "Every Sunday, I get the dogs cheeseburgers from McDonalds" ... "This dog has to go out before this dog. If Said dog goes out at the same time as the other dog, well, they won't go to the bathroom, they'll just sniff each other's butts" ... "I set out all the clothes for the kids (that's right, 18 outfits... multiplied by 3, well, 54 outfits) with the days I want them to wear them." That last one was really tough. I started to panic when Valentine's day was a snow day and the kids had to wear their Valentine's Day outfits on the 15th. I'm glad to say that this job was easy. My cousins were great for me. No special instructions. Just the basics: Feed them, get them to school on time, minimal tv watching, get them to bed on time and help them with their homework. Easy enough. I too, have learned a thing of two about my jobs for myself. Here's one of them. Be prepared because you never know. I have always had the attitude, "Nobody knows me, I don't care what I look like right now because I am not from here, therefore, I will never see these people again." What do I mean by this? Example: It used to drive New Mr. Tia bananas when I would run to the grocery store in my flaming bright pajama bottoms and ratty t shirt. What do I care? I don't know anyone, right? In my adventure, I had to leave the house at 7:30 am to get the girls to school on time. Dropping them off, you don't get out of the car. Their teachers come to get them. So what do I do? Naturally, I didn't do my hair, threw on my tank top and gauchos and headed out the door. We pulled into the school behind a Cadillac Escalade. When we came to the drop off stop, the girls gave me their hugs good bye and the driver of the Escalade got out to hug his children and send them on their way. Driver then turned smiled and waved at me. Who was this person? Only Johnny Damon. I wanted to get out and ask him for an autograph, but the girls were embarrassed by my ensemble. I also decided against it since his former team had just won the World Series in a 4 game sweep the night before. It has been a great story to tell since I have been back. The next morning I got up to get ready to take the girls and looked presentable in case Johnny and I (because I'm on a first name basis with him) had another encounter. I also had my Sharpie and paper. And camera. Only this time I was also hoping to catch Joey Fatone. Much to my dismay, it didn't happen. Anyone have any other suggestions?

Try and try as I might.

So I have been trying this blog thing and made numerous attempts many times to stay at it. Things happen to me that make me think, "this would be a cool post". Then I sit at the computer and it's almost like my brain quits on me. Now, I figure this: My sister, recently revealing she is expecting numero seis can manage to maintain her blog. My brother, attending law school and his wife, attending to their two beautiful, very active children, can manage to maintain their blog. Why the eff can't I? Things here in Lehigh Acres (LA, as I like to call it) have been crazy. I recently quit my job that I have had for over a year and have taken 2 new positions: LMT (Licensed Massage Therapist) and CM (Certified Mixologist) at an upper scale, less corporate than my current job, watering hole. New Mr. Tia is still working hard in the furniture industry and we are both working hard so we can start saving money to build a newer, bigger house. It is amazing that our 3 bedroom, 1 1/2 bathroom home is too small for us. We just have a lot of crap. But it's all important crap, mind you. We also just returned from our honeymoon a few weeks ago. We boarded the Carnival Valor and set sail for Nassau, Bahamas; St. Thomas and St. Maarten. We had a fabulous time and between his blackjacking and my bingo playing abilities, we won $1000. I bet you didn't know there was a method to playing bingo, huh? I know in my last post that I mentioned that I was going to talk about the no Gatorade in my house. Well, that post was a while ago and we still have not had Gatorade in the house. For those that don't know, New Mr. Tia LOVES his Gatorade. I used to buy 3 gallons at a time and that would MAYBE last a week and a half. He has recently developed some body issues and health issues, resulting in him cutting out Gatorade after reading the nutrition label. I'm very proud of him because if he had the option of having an IV of the stuff hooked up, he'd do it. Next step, quitting smoking. I think he's ready. If he's ready and can do it, so can I. We are going to do it together. Then I can spend less time sitting outside by my pool and more time in front of my computer, honing my blogging skills. Time for me to go now, but I just wanted to create a new post in a third attempt to maintain my blog. Thanks for your patience.

Well, I passed!! Have you ever taken a test and come out of it KNOWING you failed? Or, have you ever come out of a test KNOWING that you kicked butt? Yeah... I came out knowing that I did horribly and found out shortly after that I didn't do as bad as I thought. They're sending the official score in the mail. I think I like it better just knowing if I passed or failed. But hey, I passed. So now I just wait to see if the Department of Health will approve my license application and everything will be good. *coming soon... we haven't had gatorade in our home for almost 2 whole weeks!!!