I know, it's been over a month since I've updated. And I was doing so well for a while!
So here's the good news: I've been able to check a few things off my 1,001 list. YAY! Of course, I haven't had the time or the energy to post about them, but that's coming.
The other big news is that it's time for NaNoWriMo!! NaNoWriMo is National Novel Writers' Month. During the month of November, crazy people all over the world attempt to write a 50,000 word novel. I've known about the event for a few years now, but this is my year to participate.
I'm about 1,010 words in, but working hard. I plan to post excerpts from my novel to this blog as time permits.
Wanna learn more about NaNo? Check out their website: www.nanowrimo.org . And stay tuned to this blog - which I promise to update more regularly - for more info on my novel.
*SJ*
About Me
- Sarah*Jane
- What is a PRG?? PRG is something someone started calling me long ago - almost in another lifetime. It stands for "Puerto Rican Goddess." Most days lately, I just feel like a Pretty Regular Girl. So this blog will journal my days as a PRG. Some days that will mean my adventures as a Puerto Rican Goddess; other days I'll just be a Pretty Regular Girl. I hope you can find entertainment in both.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Pre-Birthday Present
Birthdays are a big deal for me. I'm not particularly close to my family, so holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving are uncomfortable at best, depressing at worst. However, when I started dating Jay many moons ago, he always made a big deal about my birthday. We always went somewhere great for dinner, and the festivities usually included a big shopping spree.
Now that we're not together anymore, I knew better than to expect a big shopping spree this year. However, he still did something completely over-the-top and generous for me this year. He knew I had been talking about buying myself an iPad. In fact, I even took him to the Apple Store one day to test drive one and show him what it was all about.
Well, several days ago, I decided the nearly $800 price tag was too steep for me right now, and I really ought to do something more responsible with the money I had been saving. So I decided to buy a Barnes & Noble Nook for now and keep saving my money to pay off some other things.
Jay actually took me to B & N and paid for half of my Nook as my birthday present!!
And of course, I had to get a protective case for it. If you know me, you know I am a gadget geek. However, I am also a klutz! Hence, the need for the case. This one was designed by Johnathan Adler and I was drawn to it immediately.
I can't wait to start reading on my Nook. I was hesitant to get an eReader at first. To me, there's just something about turning the pages of a book, ya know? But now that I've had a chance to play with one a few times, I really think I'm going to like it.
Do you have an eReader? Do you like it? What are you reading now?
Now that we're not together anymore, I knew better than to expect a big shopping spree this year. However, he still did something completely over-the-top and generous for me this year. He knew I had been talking about buying myself an iPad. In fact, I even took him to the Apple Store one day to test drive one and show him what it was all about.
Well, several days ago, I decided the nearly $800 price tag was too steep for me right now, and I really ought to do something more responsible with the money I had been saving. So I decided to buy a Barnes & Noble Nook for now and keep saving my money to pay off some other things.
Jay actually took me to B & N and paid for half of my Nook as my birthday present!!
And of course, I had to get a protective case for it. If you know me, you know I am a gadget geek. However, I am also a klutz! Hence, the need for the case. This one was designed by Johnathan Adler and I was drawn to it immediately.
I can't wait to start reading on my Nook. I was hesitant to get an eReader at first. To me, there's just something about turning the pages of a book, ya know? But now that I've had a chance to play with one a few times, I really think I'm going to like it.
Do you have an eReader? Do you like it? What are you reading now?*SJ*
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Personal Ad
Today I thought I would do something fun. I was talking to a friend today, who was trying to convince me what a great "catch" I am. Have you ever had friends like that? We were talking about a relationship that didn't work out, and he was reassuring me that I'm going to find someone who deserves me.
That got me thinking. What does someone who "deserves me" really deserve? If someone wins my heart, what comes along in the package? So I thought I would write my own personal ad. An honest description of me, and what you get if you "get" me.
Me: Equal opportunity sports fan, Football fanatic. Don't send me flowers, or take me for long walks on the beach. Buy me a book and take me to a UFC match and we'll have a great time. Avid reader, adventure seeker, and perpetual student. I could live on steak, and make the best dessert you'll ever taste. Love to travel, meet new people, and try new things.
Petite, but a spark-plug in a small package! I enjoy working out, but also enjoy a fun night out. I can be the center of attention, but also know how to relax and go with the flow. I always have a song in my head, and often dance to the beat of my own drum. Fiercely loyal to my friends, I'm often looked to as a trust-worthy confidante.
You: Equally trust-worthy, enjoys outdoor activities and trying new things. Strong sense of self and good character a must. Strong enough to take care of himself, and stand up to a feisty Puerto Rican when necessary! Mamas boys and co-dependants need not apply.
*SJ*
Word Count: 286
That got me thinking. What does someone who "deserves me" really deserve? If someone wins my heart, what comes along in the package? So I thought I would write my own personal ad. An honest description of me, and what you get if you "get" me.
Me: Equal opportunity sports fan, Football fanatic. Don't send me flowers, or take me for long walks on the beach. Buy me a book and take me to a UFC match and we'll have a great time. Avid reader, adventure seeker, and perpetual student. I could live on steak, and make the best dessert you'll ever taste. Love to travel, meet new people, and try new things.
Petite, but a spark-plug in a small package! I enjoy working out, but also enjoy a fun night out. I can be the center of attention, but also know how to relax and go with the flow. I always have a song in my head, and often dance to the beat of my own drum. Fiercely loyal to my friends, I'm often looked to as a trust-worthy confidante.
You: Equally trust-worthy, enjoys outdoor activities and trying new things. Strong sense of self and good character a must. Strong enough to take care of himself, and stand up to a feisty Puerto Rican when necessary! Mamas boys and co-dependants need not apply.
*SJ*
Word Count: 286
Monday, August 30, 2010
Weekend Recap
I had such a fantastic time this weekend! I spent the weekend with my fellow bartender, Shasta. We made it a girls' weekend and had a blast! We left work early Friday night and headed out to one of the pubs in the area. We danced the night away, and before we knew it, it was 2 am!
Well, what are two young, good-looking bartenders to do after the bar closes? Find an after-party of course! We ended up heading over to my buddy Matt's place, where we hung out with my regular Thursday night crowd of guys. They're my boys that come up to see me at the bar every Thursday night. Here's a picture of me and one of my boys, Philip:
We stayed at their place until it was time to take Janet back to work, which was about 11 o'clock the next morning! Saturday we lay pretty low. Hung out at Shasta's house with her mom and her kids, who are adorable! Soon enough, it was time to get ready for Saturday night. We had planned to go to Billy Bob's Texas, the world's7 largest honky tonk.
Now, those of you who hail from somewhere outside of the great state of Texas may not be familiar with the term "honky tonk." Basically, it's a country bar. But really it's so much more than that. According to dictionary.com, a honky tonk is a "cheap, noisy and garish nightclub or dance hall." That pretty much describes Billy Bob's! It's located in the Fort Worth Stockyards, not far from where I used to work. I had never been to Billy Bob's before Saturday night, although it is one of the biggest tourist attractions in the area. Here's a pic of me and Shasta at the beginning of the night:
Froggy's is a really cool place on the water, and they have a sand volleyball court and a slip 'n slide! And *this* is Justin, our bartender at Froggy's. Notice the very nice eyes Justin has? Careful ladies, he has a "kind of" girlfriend! Huh? Yeah, I'm actually *really* over these guys and their "kind of" girlfriends. Man up, for crying out loud! (Justin is actually really sweet & a fantastic bartender. He's not committing bc she just moved away, so...)
Well, what are two young, good-looking bartenders to do after the bar closes? Find an after-party of course! We ended up heading over to my buddy Matt's place, where we hung out with my regular Thursday night crowd of guys. They're my boys that come up to see me at the bar every Thursday night. Here's a picture of me and one of my boys, Philip:
We stayed at their place until it was time to take Janet back to work, which was about 11 o'clock the next morning! Saturday we lay pretty low. Hung out at Shasta's house with her mom and her kids, who are adorable! Soon enough, it was time to get ready for Saturday night. We had planned to go to Billy Bob's Texas, the world's7 largest honky tonk.
Now, those of you who hail from somewhere outside of the great state of Texas may not be familiar with the term "honky tonk." Basically, it's a country bar. But really it's so much more than that. According to dictionary.com, a honky tonk is a "cheap, noisy and garish nightclub or dance hall." That pretty much describes Billy Bob's! It's located in the Fort Worth Stockyards, not far from where I used to work. I had never been to Billy Bob's before Saturday night, although it is one of the biggest tourist attractions in the area. Here's a pic of me and Shasta at the beginning of the night:
Froggy's is a really cool place on the water, and they have a sand volleyball court and a slip 'n slide! And *this* is Justin, our bartender at Froggy's. Notice the very nice eyes Justin has? Careful ladies, he has a "kind of" girlfriend! Huh? Yeah, I'm actually *really* over these guys and their "kind of" girlfriends. Man up, for crying out loud! (Justin is actually really sweet & a fantastic bartender. He's not committing bc she just moved away, so...)
The saddest site at the end of the night is a bunch of empty shot glasses.
And here's a pic of me and my kickball buddy, Brian. All of his friends call him "Carp." As in, "drinks like a fish." LOL
So that was my weekend, in a nutshell. We ate, we drank, we were merry! We laughed, we cried, and a good time was had by all!
I promise to get back to your regularly scheduled programming after today. This weekend was definitely the exception, rather than the rule, for my posting. I had intended to post some this weekend, but when you're staying with someone else, it's difficult to plan alone time.
Hope everyone had as great a weekend as mine was. Let's have a great week!
*SJ*
Word Count: 514
Word Count: 514
Friday, August 27, 2010
Words of Wisdom
I don't have a lot of words of my own today. Rather, I am quite "down in the dumps." My mom keeps telling me that I will have good days and bad days as I try to sort through my life, my feelings, and my thoughts about everything going on in my life.
Today is definitely one of the bad days. I don't like to post a lot about my personal life on days like these. No reason to drag everyone else down with me. Suffice it to say, I have a lot going on in my head that wouldn't be much fun to read about.
So...today I thought I would share a few quotes that are helping me through. The first is a quote from Erma Bombeck, a novelist and humor columnist in the latter part of the twentieth century. "When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything you gave me.'"
This is a quote that reminds me to give my very best every day. Even if I am just tending bar and slinging drinks all day, I can still be friendly. I can be a good listener, and put a smile on someone else's face.
The next quote is actually from The Message, and is found in Matthew 16:24-26 "Then Jesus went to work on his disciples. 'Anyone who intends to come to me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for?'"
This quote gives me great comfort knowing He is in the driver's seat. I wouldn't say that I'm exactly to the point of embracing the suffering, but I'm definitely trying to learn from it. I know that I've talked a lot about finding myself and discovering what I want out of life. This verse says that self-sacrifice is the way to discovering that. To truly give up everything I thought I knew, I thought I needed, that I thought I wanted. In so doing, I will find my *true* self - the person I am meant to be.
Finally, I leave you with one additional quote. This quote is actually part of someone's signature line on the NaNoWriMo board. There is no annotation, so I don't know to whom I should attribute it. It's too bad, really, because I love the quote. "Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter, try again, fail again. Fail better."
I love this quote for so many reasons. First of all, it is a reminder to KEEP ON TRYING. That you *will* fail. That mistakes will be made. But it is what we learn from each experience that is important. A mistake is only a mistake if we fail to gain anything from it.
I hope some of these quotes are able to help someone else. I know they have been and are a tremendous help to me. I have to remind myself to take it a day at a time and not try to fix all the world's problems at once. So I'm curious to know what has helped you through a difficult time. Is there a quote you've read, a mantra you've adopted, or a ritual you do that has helped you? Feel free to share!
*SJ*
Word Count: 721
Today is definitely one of the bad days. I don't like to post a lot about my personal life on days like these. No reason to drag everyone else down with me. Suffice it to say, I have a lot going on in my head that wouldn't be much fun to read about.
So...today I thought I would share a few quotes that are helping me through. The first is a quote from Erma Bombeck, a novelist and humor columnist in the latter part of the twentieth century. "When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything you gave me.'"
This is a quote that reminds me to give my very best every day. Even if I am just tending bar and slinging drinks all day, I can still be friendly. I can be a good listener, and put a smile on someone else's face.
The next quote is actually from The Message, and is found in Matthew 16:24-26 "Then Jesus went to work on his disciples. 'Anyone who intends to come to me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for?'"
This quote gives me great comfort knowing He is in the driver's seat. I wouldn't say that I'm exactly to the point of embracing the suffering, but I'm definitely trying to learn from it. I know that I've talked a lot about finding myself and discovering what I want out of life. This verse says that self-sacrifice is the way to discovering that. To truly give up everything I thought I knew, I thought I needed, that I thought I wanted. In so doing, I will find my *true* self - the person I am meant to be.
Finally, I leave you with one additional quote. This quote is actually part of someone's signature line on the NaNoWriMo board. There is no annotation, so I don't know to whom I should attribute it. It's too bad, really, because I love the quote. "Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter, try again, fail again. Fail better."
I love this quote for so many reasons. First of all, it is a reminder to KEEP ON TRYING. That you *will* fail. That mistakes will be made. But it is what we learn from each experience that is important. A mistake is only a mistake if we fail to gain anything from it.
I hope some of these quotes are able to help someone else. I know they have been and are a tremendous help to me. I have to remind myself to take it a day at a time and not try to fix all the world's problems at once. So I'm curious to know what has helped you through a difficult time. Is there a quote you've read, a mantra you've adopted, or a ritual you do that has helped you? Feel free to share!
*SJ*
Word Count: 721
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Yes, Sarah Jane, You are a Grown-Up
I'm pretty proud of myself for keeping up my blogging every day. I just went back and counted, and I started updating again August 12. Since then, I've had eleven (this will be twelve) posts. That means I've only missed three days of blogging in two weeks. I know it doesn't seem like that big of a deal, but I have a hard time sticking to anything!
Today, just for fun, I thought I would write about my first "grown-up" purchase. For most people, that would be a car, or a house, or maybe something for a baby. Not for me. I've had a couple of different cars, and I've bought a house. No baby yet, but I've bought plenty of baby paraphernalia for others!
Today's post isn't about any of those things. There is, however, one semi-major purchase that sticks out in my head as being my first "grown-up" purchase. It ranks right up there with my professional Kitchen-Aid mixer, but the mixer came a few years later. Behold, my very first - and arguably my very favorite - grown up purchase:
Today, just for fun, I thought I would write about my first "grown-up" purchase. For most people, that would be a car, or a house, or maybe something for a baby. Not for me. I've had a couple of different cars, and I've bought a house. No baby yet, but I've bought plenty of baby paraphernalia for others!
Today's post isn't about any of those things. There is, however, one semi-major purchase that sticks out in my head as being my first "grown-up" purchase. It ranks right up there with my professional Kitchen-Aid mixer, but the mixer came a few years later. Behold, my very first - and arguably my very favorite - grown up purchase:
A Dyson vacuum cleaner! I had been wanting one forever, but they were just too expensive. So we kept going to Wal-Mart and spending $35 on a cheap vacuum. That would last a couple of months, then it would break. Pretty soon, we were right back where we started: in the vacuum aisle at Wal-Mart, picking out our next cheap piece of crap vacuum cleaner.
So...one day Jay and I were at Best Buy. I don't remember our original reason for going, but I'm pretty sure it was to buy a video game or some other important piece of electronic equipment. Then I saw it, and it was like the heavens opened! They had a new Dyson that was at a reduced price because it was out of the box. I don't think it had ever been used, but the box was destroyed in shipment or something.
Anyway, I left Best Buy that day a very happy girl, with visions of a sparkling clean home in my head. I can't promise that my home has been immaculate and sparkly clean every day since then. What I can promise is that I get a little gleeful every time I use my Dyson. Or, as I like to call it, my "Big Girl" vacuum!
So tell me...when did you first know you were a grow-up? What was the first grown-up purchase you made?
*SJ*
Word Count: 1,182
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Stream of Consciousness Writing
Someone on the NaNoWriMo board suggested "stream of consciousness" writing as a warm-up exercise. I thought I'd give it a shot, so while I was sitting at lunch today, here's what I came up with. Fair warning, though, it's not all sunshine and roses.
*lunch
*BBQ
*Riscky's
*Jay
*Sydney - I feel bad for abandoning her - guilt? Makes me feel like a bad person. And of course, as always, I fear if I'm not a good "dog-mommy" I won't be a good real mommy. I always feared I would be a bad mother, which is one BIG reason I never wanted kids. All of that changed when I met Jeremy.
*So kind, so sweet, and I love watching him play with Cheyenne. I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life making him happy. Nurturing each other and nurturing our children.
*Savannah Dai, if we had a little girl. Now I may not get my baby girl. But I will have my Savannah Dai. She will be the female main character of my NaNoWriMo novel.
*It doesn't have a name yet, but Savannah Dai's novel is part chick lit, part memoir. It's the story of a girl who loses everything - her job, her money, her love - and has to find out who she really is.
*I'm excited and terrified to take Savannah Dai on this journey to find herself. I'm heartbroken that I have to take this journey myself. I heard some good advice from a bar guest on Sunday, but it's so hard to take. He said that I should pray at the end of a relationship. Pray and say "thank you."
*Take what I've learned from it, and thank you that now I can move on to other things. It makes sense, but at the same time, it's the hardest, stupidest advice I've been given.
*I don't *want* to move on. I don't *want* to cry every day. To feel my heart break a little more every time he crosses my mind.
*I'm not a girl who *needs* a man to feel complete. But I *like* being around him. I *like* having him in my life. No one has ever made me feel so beautiful, sexy, and special.
*I know eventually I will have to dig deeper to resolve these feelings and move on. Especially as Savannah Dai begins to develop and I start to flesh out her story. I just don't feel like I can do it right now, today.
*SJ*
Word Count: 415
*lunch
*BBQ
*Riscky's
*Jay
*Sydney - I feel bad for abandoning her - guilt? Makes me feel like a bad person. And of course, as always, I fear if I'm not a good "dog-mommy" I won't be a good real mommy. I always feared I would be a bad mother, which is one BIG reason I never wanted kids. All of that changed when I met Jeremy.
*So kind, so sweet, and I love watching him play with Cheyenne. I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life making him happy. Nurturing each other and nurturing our children.
*Savannah Dai, if we had a little girl. Now I may not get my baby girl. But I will have my Savannah Dai. She will be the female main character of my NaNoWriMo novel.
*It doesn't have a name yet, but Savannah Dai's novel is part chick lit, part memoir. It's the story of a girl who loses everything - her job, her money, her love - and has to find out who she really is.
*I'm excited and terrified to take Savannah Dai on this journey to find herself. I'm heartbroken that I have to take this journey myself. I heard some good advice from a bar guest on Sunday, but it's so hard to take. He said that I should pray at the end of a relationship. Pray and say "thank you."
*Take what I've learned from it, and thank you that now I can move on to other things. It makes sense, but at the same time, it's the hardest, stupidest advice I've been given.
*I don't *want* to move on. I don't *want* to cry every day. To feel my heart break a little more every time he crosses my mind.
*I'm not a girl who *needs* a man to feel complete. But I *like* being around him. I *like* having him in my life. No one has ever made me feel so beautiful, sexy, and special.
*I know eventually I will have to dig deeper to resolve these feelings and move on. Especially as Savannah Dai begins to develop and I start to flesh out her story. I just don't feel like I can do it right now, today.
*SJ*
Word Count: 415
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