My uncle decided against going back. I found this out when I came home from work today. I don't know what is responsible for him changing his mind, but I'm guessing it had something to do with the price of the return flight ticket. Ouchee to travelling this time of year.

That patient I mentioned before, I had another encounter with him. I am doing his treatments of late, because Lou and Lei are always with other patients. Not that I'm complaining. Well, all we did was talk while doing the modality treatments. What else is there to do?

Throughout the conversation, his cooking came up and then an invitation for me to go to his house so he could cook for me was brought into the talk. Not a formal invitation, but I wouldn't mind if it happened. He's a sweetheart. Nothing romantic could ever come of it, but you can never have too many friends. And he seems like a nice guy. Plus, I love his dog.

Monica and I got to talking about taking a trip to Los Angeles together. We even went as far as to price the trip for four people, including my brother and my cousin. Not bad deals. We're planning on going the first weekend of March, to Hollywood and Universal Studios. I talked to my brother about it, and he's game. We'll talk more at the new year, when Monica comes back from her vacation. She'll be gone for the next week on her vacation time. But I plan on being too busy to really miss her company much. We'll see how that goes.

Bittersweet Visit__________

Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2004 - 6:51 am

My mom's having an emotional rollercoaster of a week. Through a surprise that was organized mostly by my brother, my uncle Ernesto is here with us right now. He's been here for two days. He's away from his family and he's feeling the affects now. The plan was to stay and work, like most of the people who come from Mexico. But he announced last night that he needs to be with his family at this time of year, which is totally understandable.

So mom has gone through complete and total happiness, down to sadness because her brother is leaving. But she'll recover.

Happily, my brother is here with us for the duration of the holiday season. He has to call and make an appointment with a dealership in Stockton, which looks promising. I wish him luck. I do, however, have to make sure he has appropriate clothing for his interview. So yay to shopping. I'm just glad that he's here with us.

He seems to feel guilty because he was unable to buy any of presents, due to his tight financial situation. But having him here with us is more than present enough. That makes me happy that we'll all be together.

Christmas Eve will be spent at Sara and Miguel's house. Mostly with Sara's family, whom I enjoy spending time with anyhow, and Veronica and Jacinto will also be with us. All we are in charge of bringing is sparkling apple cider, chips & dip, drinks, and plates. Everything else will be provided. I'm going to video tape and take lots of pictures. What better occasion than a Christmas with family and friends?

SD and TJ__________

Sunday, Dec. 05, 2004 - 7:50 am

It's already Sunday, but I have been in San Diego since Friday night. I travelled with Mom to come and visit my brother. And since I'm the only early-riser, I have a little spare time to write. I'll be lucky if my mom and brother are up before 9:00 am.

Yesterday, despite the fact that it was threatening to rain, we drove down to Tijuana to shop and just walk around. I told myself I wasn't going to buy anything, but ended up getting suckered into buying a Gucci bag. It was $35, so good chance that's a knock-off, but the bag itself is real leather, and cute either way, so what the heck.

I also found a street vendor who engraved rings for $6 with anyone you wanted. Pretty rings, very simple. And he was doing it with a little hand saw. It was amazing. And quick. So I bought 3... one for me and two for gifts to send to my friends. I'm wearing mine now. And you'll never guess what they say.

"Spike"

Yeah, mom just rolled her eyes at me.

Only bad thing about going to Tijuana is seeing so many people suffering. It was hard. In the little resteraunt where we ate lunch, they were charging $1 for 2 tacos, which were tasty, and $1 per soda. And we were the only ones there at that time. That means that if no one else came in that whole hour, they made $6 total. I was a little upset and sad while we were eating. So I paid with $10, and when the girl came back with the change, I told her to give it to the waitress. The waitress looked down at the 4 $1 bills, and then looked up at me with tears in her eyes, and said thank you. I managed to keep it together until we were about one block away, and then I burst out crying.

That was very difficult for me. $4 mean so much to these people, and could buy this girl 4 meals. And all I think of $4 is that it can buy me a grande mocha at Starbucks. I hope this feeling lasts. The feeling that I shouldn't take anything for granted. Not even a dollar, since there are so many people who do without everything that comes to easily for me.

God Bless Them All.

Giving Thanks__________

Thursday, Nov. 25, 2004 - 10:11 pm

Being the bratty little shit that I am, I spent a good portion of the time with the family pouting and whining because I didn't want to be there... due mainly to the events at the last family function I attended. I ended up, of course, having a good time. Mostly wrestling with my 6 year old nephew over tea bags and my cell phone. Yes, that was fun. He was very playful with me, which is odd for him. But I was grateful for that. Yay for caffeine.

I am thankful for so much. I can never thank God enough for having a family. I am thankful for the unconditional love that these people give to me. Even though I missed my brother tonight, I know he wasn't alone. He spent Thanksgiving with some friends. That makes me happy at least.

And I whine and stuff about my job, but at least I have one. So many people can't say that. I know I'll have my job and a steady paycheck coming in, even if I blow it on crap I don't need, at least I have that income coming to me.

A friend of mine, sadly, doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving because she lost someone close to her on this date. I am grateful for her friendship and wish her the best. Hard for me to console someone like that when I really don't know what she's going through. And I hope I never will. It's heartbreaking. I take having my mother and father around for granted. I really have to stop doing that.

And now, after the big turkey dinner, the pumpkin pie, and the wrestling match with Bubba, I think I'm ready to go to sleep. Three more days left of my long weekend, so I better make the most of them.

Once again with the Long Wait__________

Monday, Nov. 22, 2004 - 6:59 pm

So it's been another month almost since my last little entry. And again, a lot has happened. I still hate my freaken job. That's never going to change. But I've also decided that his wouldn't be a good time for me try and find another job. Might as well suck it up and try and tough it out until March.

Why March? Well, I've discovered that there will be another "convention-type" thing in California that I would like to go to in February. A lot of new faces, but a few repeats. Mainly I want to go to see Marc Blucas. Yay Riley!

Sometime last week, a co-worker who is very spiritual, did this little pendulum trick. You ask a question, and with a very steady hand, you hold the pendulum. If it turns counterclockwise, the answer to the question is no. And vice-versa. Well, every single question relating to work and finding a new job- the damn thing kept going counterclockwise. I was getting a little irked. But accepted it.

Anyhow, I didn't think that could be right, since I was trying so hard to find another job. Anyhow, turns out that there was an "outside presense" influencing the direction of the pendulum. Turns out it was dear old grandpa... the maternal one. The one I'm not too fond of. Didn't chance the fact that the pendulum was correct.

Thanks to this new convention, and the simple fact that I doubt a job would be willing to give me vaca for two days when I just started, the pendulum was oh so very right. I'll be staying at least until March. Unless they fire me first.

So I've had two recent encounters of the male kind in the passed week. Makes me feel all pretty and stuff. There is this guy at my church who my mother insists looks at me all the time. But dear mother looks at me through the eyes of, well, a mother. To her, I'm the mostly beautiful woman who has ever walked the face of the earth. Ha! Well, anyhow, I always try to look nice for mass. Except for that Halloween incident. But I digress. This guy has never ever before done more than shook my hand and said hello. But this Sunday? Nopedy nope. He straight kissed my cheek! TWICE! EeeK! (Sad, but true, that was my first "Kiss"...)

Ok, I am calm.

And this second one isn't so great. There is a patient (Bad Juanita, already) who is a relatively young, very nice guy, but with some not-so-great habits. He smokes weed like a chimney. But legally, as he always likes to remind me. Anyhow, he has brought his little chihuahua "Moose" up to the clinic, and I love this dog. He's adorable.

So, he has mentioned on a couple of occasions that he has no girlfriend. No big deal. He's a talker. Bit of a motor-mouth, even. But today he said two things, in my direct presense, that made me wonder. One was a casual mentioning of him liking "Not-White" girls. Ok, I'm not white. But no one in the clinic really is. Afterwards, however, he gave me a direct compliment, saying that I should wear my hair down more often because it looks pretty. Ok, I just about dropped my jaw. No big deal, right? Except that I never get compliments like that... from anyone! Much less a guy. All I could say was thank you, and that I just wanted it to dry out. Stupid me.

So that's it. My big, eventful couple of a days with the opposite sex. Yay.