We called it an early nite today; JK is exhausted. As for me, you know I have the energy of a three year old...LOL.
San Antonio was beautiful. We stood in a hotel called Watermark Hotel & Spa. John called me spoiled when I suggested that hotel as opposed to a hotel that someone in Pal Talk had suggested. After a few minutes, he said I made a wise choice. See people should trust me :) . Anyway, San Antonio's River Walk is just beautiful and at night it's so romantic with all its lights. We also visited San Antonio's Botanical Garden which anyone who is in San Antonio must visit. Of course, we also went to The Alamo. But mostly, we just traveled on our own, trying to get a feel of the place. San Antonio surprised me. I thought it would be very suburban but it's really very metropolitan, at least more metropolitan than what I had imagined. JK loved San Antonio and actually so did I. I took tons of pics and swear I will upload them when I get home.
Our next stop, Austin. We are currently in Austin and of course while there we visited our friend. Austin is just beautiful. I love Austin. So now there's some conflict, JK wants to live in San Antonio. I want Austin. Austin deserves its own post, that's how much I fell in love with the place. It's very cultural and has tons of museums :) . My favorite so far has to be Jack S Blanton Museum of Art located on the University of Texas campus. You must visit this place if you are a fan of art. So far I have visited 4 museums and I have only been here for 2 days. I think Austin is going to be my new home.
We did visit my work offices both in San Antonio and Austin. Both look the same to me and they both seem to look like my office in NJ, so much for individuality. Both offices have room for me and the people were so friendly so I felt very welcomed.
Well, another 2 days in Austin and then back to New York City. I do miss the city but I am loving Austin.
Later or better yet, heeeee hawwwww. By the way, I have yet to hear anyone say that...LOL.
Monday, November 20, 2006
Friday, November 17, 2006
Hee Haw Texas
Well, JK and I arrived safely to San Antonio this morning. Due to the rain in NYC, we had a 2 hours delay but was greeted to wonderful weather here in San Antonio.
The Riverwalk area is beautiful so now we are off to lunch and then some site seeing. I have already taken tons of pictures and will upload them shortly.
We are here until Sunday and then off to Austin.
Catch you all later....Heeeeeeeeeee Haaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwww
Side Note: Although I am "officially" on vacation. I am working today and Sunday. I did 4 conference calls today and the next one is at 3:30pm (4:30 est). This is what you get when you are managing a multi-billion dollar project. Your vacation is not really vacation.
The Riverwalk area is beautiful so now we are off to lunch and then some site seeing. I have already taken tons of pictures and will upload them shortly.
We are here until Sunday and then off to Austin.
Catch you all later....Heeeeeeeeeee Haaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwww
Side Note: Although I am "officially" on vacation. I am working today and Sunday. I did 4 conference calls today and the next one is at 3:30pm (4:30 est). This is what you get when you are managing a multi-billion dollar project. Your vacation is not really vacation.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Drinking From The Best Well
I previously stated that I had in the past been a Roman Catholic and a Jehovah's Witness. Today the latter religion came knocking at my door. First and foremost, I am not a disfellowed member. Disfellowship, for those that do not know, is when the congregation shuns you for some sinful act and you are no longer associated as a member. I am a disassociated member because it was my decision to leave. As a disassociated member, I am shunned by my former Jehovah's Witnesses friends and family members since I have not repented, i.e., have not returned to the fellowship, I will never be resurrected once God reigns again. This is according to the Jehovah's Witnesses.
At the age of 17, I was very dissatified with my Catholic religion and was looking for answers to many of my questions. While in high school, I met and had a friendship with a fellow student who was a Jehovah Witness. After several visits, I started going to my local Kingdom Hall which happened to be just a block away from my parents' home. I never felt comfortable with them but at least unlike my former religion, I did get answers. Today, I do not accept a lot of the answers I received but at 17, something was better than nothing. I will go into the reasons why in another post, I promise. I have a lot to say about being a Roman Catholic and a Jehovah Witness. But I will say this much, the guilt put on me during my time as a Jehovah Witness was extreme. I was a non-smoker, at the time, and had never had a drop of alcohol until the age of 24. I left the fellowship at the age of 23.
My biggest sin was that I fell in love and married a man who was not a Jehovah Witness. He actually considered himself an atheist. Today, I would say my husband was no such thing, he was agnostic. He believed in a higher power but gave it no name. And he lived a honest, considerate life as far as any human can. My fellow brothers and sisters continued to attack me for not trying to convert him or rather as they would say it "save him". They are right, I never tried to get him to convert. He respected me and my beliefs and I returned the favor. The elders would lecture me endlessly about our marriage and "bedroom" behavior. They wanted details on both on a constant basis since I was in a way in danger of "becoming a lost sheep." I left them when I was 23 and my husband was sick from leukemia. My husband was dying and what I was told by one of the elders is that my Jehovah was doing this because he was dissatified with my husband and that my husband would never ever see eternal life. That was it, I left. Over the years, I wandered around in search of God. Even this year, I returned back to Catholicism and did Jehovah Witness bible studies. How's that for being twisted? I am now a member of a non-denominational church and feel that I have found a true fellowship for me.
I am currently reading Raymond Franz's In Search of Christian Freedom. Franz is an ex-Witness and was also an elder at one time. Of course, his books are not preferred reading in the JW community. I was reading this particular book when I got a knock at the door. It was one of the Witness that stands in the subway which I use to go to work. Upon seeing the book in my hand, she said "Jehovah guided me to your door." I laughed at that comment because I would have probably have said the same thing in her shoes. She began to talk to me about her scriptures. The reason why I say her scriptures is because she is getting a lot of her information from the New World Translation bible and the WatchTower. Both things are published by Jehovah Witnesses. We began to talk and I told her all about her religion and that I was disassociated member. She left my home by saying that I was lost. For the past few weeks, I have stop smoking. Completely stopped by prayer and dedication, I have found strength against this demon. I am relaxed and continue to grow my relationship with God and Jesus. So I thought as I was closing the door, she feels that I am lost and I know that I am drinking from the best well.
Afterthought: I am back on PalTalk under another username and am frequently in the ExJehovahs Witness following Jesus room. If you are a member of PalTalk you should come and visit that room. It's very interesting.
At the age of 17, I was very dissatified with my Catholic religion and was looking for answers to many of my questions. While in high school, I met and had a friendship with a fellow student who was a Jehovah Witness. After several visits, I started going to my local Kingdom Hall which happened to be just a block away from my parents' home. I never felt comfortable with them but at least unlike my former religion, I did get answers. Today, I do not accept a lot of the answers I received but at 17, something was better than nothing. I will go into the reasons why in another post, I promise. I have a lot to say about being a Roman Catholic and a Jehovah Witness. But I will say this much, the guilt put on me during my time as a Jehovah Witness was extreme. I was a non-smoker, at the time, and had never had a drop of alcohol until the age of 24. I left the fellowship at the age of 23.
My biggest sin was that I fell in love and married a man who was not a Jehovah Witness. He actually considered himself an atheist. Today, I would say my husband was no such thing, he was agnostic. He believed in a higher power but gave it no name. And he lived a honest, considerate life as far as any human can. My fellow brothers and sisters continued to attack me for not trying to convert him or rather as they would say it "save him". They are right, I never tried to get him to convert. He respected me and my beliefs and I returned the favor. The elders would lecture me endlessly about our marriage and "bedroom" behavior. They wanted details on both on a constant basis since I was in a way in danger of "becoming a lost sheep." I left them when I was 23 and my husband was sick from leukemia. My husband was dying and what I was told by one of the elders is that my Jehovah was doing this because he was dissatified with my husband and that my husband would never ever see eternal life. That was it, I left. Over the years, I wandered around in search of God. Even this year, I returned back to Catholicism and did Jehovah Witness bible studies. How's that for being twisted? I am now a member of a non-denominational church and feel that I have found a true fellowship for me.
I am currently reading Raymond Franz's In Search of Christian Freedom. Franz is an ex-Witness and was also an elder at one time. Of course, his books are not preferred reading in the JW community. I was reading this particular book when I got a knock at the door. It was one of the Witness that stands in the subway which I use to go to work. Upon seeing the book in my hand, she said "Jehovah guided me to your door." I laughed at that comment because I would have probably have said the same thing in her shoes. She began to talk to me about her scriptures. The reason why I say her scriptures is because she is getting a lot of her information from the New World Translation bible and the WatchTower. Both things are published by Jehovah Witnesses. We began to talk and I told her all about her religion and that I was disassociated member. She left my home by saying that I was lost. For the past few weeks, I have stop smoking. Completely stopped by prayer and dedication, I have found strength against this demon. I am relaxed and continue to grow my relationship with God and Jesus. So I thought as I was closing the door, she feels that I am lost and I know that I am drinking from the best well.
Afterthought: I am back on PalTalk under another username and am frequently in the ExJehovahs Witness following Jesus room. If you are a member of PalTalk you should come and visit that room. It's very interesting.
Monday, November 06, 2006
A Monday in New York
Today as I am leaving for work, I hear in the news that my train line is down because of "police activity." Not one train but my entire line, the 2 and 3 trains. So I decided no problem, I know in advance I will walk to the "B" train. Unfortunately, many of my fellow New Yorkers thought the same thing too. So as I go into the station, I find a mob of people trying to get to work. After waiting 47 minutes to get into a squashed train, I get to hear that there are signal problems ahead. Of course, this announcement, which by the way I heard clearly (yeah, no muffled voice, go figure!) was said while we were in the tunnel; no chance of getting out. A trip that normally takes me about 45 minutes, took today 2 hours and 19 minutes.
And so while people were shoving each other and cursing at one another, I could not help but sing to myself (no, I did not sing out loud) "Native New Yorker." For weeks, the City has been romancing me, trying very hard to make me change my mind of leaving her. She was a seductress and I was wondering if maybe I should stay. Today's train experience did not change my mind. I did not go and say yeah this is why I want to leave. The truth is I love my city and all she offers. Sometimes she offers great excitement and love and sometimes she offers darkness and fear but that's what New York City is all about.
In less than 2 weeks, JK, who has decided he wants to move with me, and I will be going to Texas where we will visit my work offices in San Antonio and Austin. Chances are I will pick Austin. No matter how beautiful Austin is, Austin will never romance me like New York City. I guess I am just a native New Yorker at heart.
And so while people were shoving each other and cursing at one another, I could not help but sing to myself (no, I did not sing out loud) "Native New Yorker." For weeks, the City has been romancing me, trying very hard to make me change my mind of leaving her. She was a seductress and I was wondering if maybe I should stay. Today's train experience did not change my mind. I did not go and say yeah this is why I want to leave. The truth is I love my city and all she offers. Sometimes she offers great excitement and love and sometimes she offers darkness and fear but that's what New York City is all about.
In less than 2 weeks, JK, who has decided he wants to move with me, and I will be going to Texas where we will visit my work offices in San Antonio and Austin. Chances are I will pick Austin. No matter how beautiful Austin is, Austin will never romance me like New York City. I guess I am just a native New Yorker at heart.
NYC Marathon
Yesterday, like millions of New Yorkers, my friend JK and I were cheering those who participated in the ING New York City Marathon. It was a cool Fall day and a perfect day for a marathon.
What amazes me is not so much the professional athletes because they train all year for these events. Not to take anything away from them because it takes determination and perseverance to be a professional athlete. But what I really like to see is the common man, who has been training for months so that they can participate in this event.
While eating Sunday breakfast with my family I got to see runners in First Avenue. When I got home I got to see the runners going into Central Park. I could see the exhaustion on their faces but also the determination to carry on to the finish line. It's amazing that we humans have the uncanny ability to sustain pain and exhaustion and somehow draw up some inner strength that makes us go on.
Every year I have my own personal "marathon". Although I love my high heeled boots, I am extremely flat footed - no sign of an arch anywhere on my feet. So my personal marathon is the March of Dimes. Each year I go around and have people sponsor me and I always get new sponsors as well who don't feel I will make it. Once year, allow blisters and pain to take over my feet. Yet each year, after many socks changes and bandages later, I bring up this determination not to quit. All who know me know my feet are always and I mean always done, not a corn or abnormality will be allowed on my feet. So the March of Dimes is a torture. But somewhere near the half way mark I get into this zone. It's a zone that only sheer will, determination and darn stubborness exists. And each year I cross the finish line and for a week later I am suffering while collecting my money.
I saw this determination, this will to finish yesterday, in every common man whether his feet was what carried him or a wheelchair. And all I could do was cheer - loud and proud for my fellow man.
To all those who participated in the NYC Marathon whether you finished or not, I salute you.
What amazes me is not so much the professional athletes because they train all year for these events. Not to take anything away from them because it takes determination and perseverance to be a professional athlete. But what I really like to see is the common man, who has been training for months so that they can participate in this event.
While eating Sunday breakfast with my family I got to see runners in First Avenue. When I got home I got to see the runners going into Central Park. I could see the exhaustion on their faces but also the determination to carry on to the finish line. It's amazing that we humans have the uncanny ability to sustain pain and exhaustion and somehow draw up some inner strength that makes us go on.
Every year I have my own personal "marathon". Although I love my high heeled boots, I am extremely flat footed - no sign of an arch anywhere on my feet. So my personal marathon is the March of Dimes. Each year I go around and have people sponsor me and I always get new sponsors as well who don't feel I will make it. Once year, allow blisters and pain to take over my feet. Yet each year, after many socks changes and bandages later, I bring up this determination not to quit. All who know me know my feet are always and I mean always done, not a corn or abnormality will be allowed on my feet. So the March of Dimes is a torture. But somewhere near the half way mark I get into this zone. It's a zone that only sheer will, determination and darn stubborness exists. And each year I cross the finish line and for a week later I am suffering while collecting my money.
I saw this determination, this will to finish yesterday, in every common man whether his feet was what carried him or a wheelchair. And all I could do was cheer - loud and proud for my fellow man.
To all those who participated in the NYC Marathon whether you finished or not, I salute you.
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