Draft Day 2 - "My Man in My Pocket"

Day 2 began with Carolyn resting on her laurels and taking 15 hours to make her picks for the end of Round 6 and beginning of Round 7. The natives were getting restless and the "OH SO LOVELY" trash talking began. Carolyn suffering a slight hangover from drinking too much beer while playing Bingo the nite before was not prepared to make her picks.

So we waited....Finally she made her picks and we were off and running and ACTUALLY moving at a fast pace. Steve finally made an appearance, instead of phoning in his picks and the TRASH talking was kicked up another notch with Steve in the draft room. (a lot of it directed towards me and what did he say "a person with Alzheimer's could pick better than Skillz" -meaning me)

I think the best part of the draft was the trash talking and Carolyn and I probably had the dirtiest mouths out of the 10 of us - 8 men and us 2 women.

I again was getting nervous because Manny (or "MY MAN IN MY POCKET" as he became known amongst the other 9 drafters because they all knew I had a guy on IM, email, on the phone, texting me with picks) was not home and my form of communication with him for picks was text messaging.

I already knew what my next picks were to be because Manny had told me the nite before so I was all set on Rounds 7 & 8 - Galloway and the Giants Defense (i know taking the defense early is not good but i was following the trends of my fellow drafters on that one).

However....my man in my pocket, who was off gallivanting somewhere (seriously how dare him - i needed him to help me draft!!!), was not so quick (and extremely vague) with his responses the rest of the day. He helped me through Rounds 9&10 - Rhodes (RB) and Winslow (TE) (which remember were back to back picks for me) after I listed names of available players, but from there on out....I was basically on my own...

Rounds 11 &12 I did research on the players - I mean I am a lawyer that is what I am trained to do research and justify my reasonings - i sent off names to my man in my pocket via text message and he said yes to Chris Brown(RB) and no to Plummer(QB) asking if Brunnell(QB) was still available. He was, simple enough. I was doing good.

However, Rounds 13 & 14, I again researched picked some names, sent the text off to man in my pocket. He didn't respond and he didn't respond and the draft was bouncing along coming to me quicker and quicker and quicker.

Finally he responded with YES to BOTH. However, at this point, I had researched more and had a few other names in mind and couldn't remember what names I sent him. I had also conferred with Kiki, who liked the current thoughts running through my head.

I was in a panicked state - wishing and hoping for more time - loving (for once) that Lee was not at his computer and was taking his sweet ole time (which usually annoyed the crap out of me.) Finally, I sat back and thought this is not Manny's team, aka man in my pocket, this is MINE - I am going to make my own decisions based on my research and make my picks - So i went with Longwell (K) and Moulds (WR) - i believe I had texted man in my pocket Akers (K) and Moulds (WR). I had waivered with taking Bruce (WR) instead of Moulds...but I thought i could grab Bruce the next round. SO THERE I MADE MY FIRST DRAFT DECISION COMPLETELY ON MY OWN!! I was sooooo PROUD!! FRANTIC but PROUD!! And I had my mind made up by my turn to draft (thanks Lee for the stall).

So from here on out - I thought well man in my pocket is NOT being helpful, he is too busy off having fun - so I AM GOING TO DO THIS ON MY OWN! I buckled down and researched. Which trust me - made for a stressful and harrowing afternoon/evening. I know that the later picks are not quite as important as the beginning rounds BUT I still wanted to impress Manny and my fellow drafters with my OWN SKILLZ!! Since my nickname is MC SKILLY SKILLZ! (which later turned into MC TRASHY TRASH TALK just for a few hours)

Rounds 15 & 16 came and Bruce (WR) my fall back in the previous round was still available - right now he is hurt but he is looking good for the season and when in good form an excellent choice - so I grabbed him. Then I read about Michael Turner who is Tomlinson back-up RB - so I snatched him up too.

Now I was getting the hang of it - my only real decision was with 18 rounds did I want to draft a back up kicker or a back up defense for my BYE weeks or try to pick them up later....I thought ahhh why draft them now grab another WR and RB - so I took Norwood (RB) and Caldwell (WR) - supposedly good late draft picks. So I set my draft on autopilot and let it roll...

MAYBE I made some wrong decisions there in the final rounds on my own. AND PROBABLY I will have Manny- aka Man in my Pocket - yelling at me when he sees my picks. But it was FUN and I am glad I did some of it on my own.

THE TRASH TALKING was sooo much fun!! and if you remotely even know me - you know I love to do it and I am good at it! I told Carolyn that I wished there was some way we could have saved the Draft Room chats going on - there would have been some great blogging material.

When the draft started to wind down the trash talk lessened and everyone started to turn back to their work (or those that were home already signed off)...it was a sad moment for me as the trash talking ceased...BUT I know the trash talking will continue and will last me ALL season into February.

SO my question now - DOES THIS MEAN I HAVE TO WATCH FOOTBALL ALL FALL AND WINTER????

ummmm i have never ever done that in my life - guess I know how my Sundays will be spent...uuurrrghhhh - AGAIN WHAT DID I GET MYSELF INTO??



My Fantasy TEAM:
Culpepper, Daunte QB MIA
Barber, Tiki RB NYG
James, Edgerrin RB ARI
Rhodes, Dominic RB IND
Moss, Santana WR WAS
Owens, Terrell WR DAL
McMichael, Randy TE MIA
Giants, DST DST NYG
Brunell, Mark QB WAS
Brown, Chris RB TEN
Norwood, Jerious RB ATL
Turner, Michael RB SD
Bruce, Isaac WR STL
Caldwell, Reche WR NE
Galloway, Joey WR TB
Moulds, Eric WR HOU
Winslow, Kellen TE CLE


The Latest POLL Posted by an OFFICEMATE:
Which owner pissed you off the most?
Poll Results as of 8/30/2006 @ 9:37am
Pieter - Because he has the best team. 0
Steve - Because he was too cool to attend the first day in person and used his lackey to hand his pick to the commissioner. 0
Mark - Because he went against the grain and passed on 1 of the 3 best running backs. 0
Todd - Because he was on autopilot. 0
Lee - Because he averaged 1.5 hours between picks. 3
Carolyn - Because she continually claimed she was working (sure)! 1
Karin - Because she based most of her selections on who was cute 0
Evan - Because he based most of his selections on who was cute 0
Enrique - Because Christina really made his selections. 1
Peter - Because he thought he would fool everyone with his "top secret sleeper picks." 0


OH YEAH I FORGOT TO MENTION - MY VACATION TO MIAMI IS TOMORROW!!!! BE GONE FOR FIVE DAYS!!! WOO HOOOOOOOOO!!!

RE-Cap of the First Day of the Draft

Yesterday was "THE DAY" - the day our office fantasy football draft kicked off. As the 10 of us (Carolyn and I being the only 2 girls) sat around all morning in anticipation of NOON TIME when the first pick was to be made - we all started the trash talking early.

I actually couldn't believe that I was nervous and Carolyn was too - she had the first pick, she was afraid the guys were going to "jeerlead" at her pick. My nervousness on the otherhand was "is Manny going to wake up when I call him, so he can tell me who to pick." I had last pick in the first round (but 1st pick in the 2nd round, so back to back picks). I sat there and watched as people picked the only names on the list I knew - but Manny kept reassuring me that they were all making dumb picks and that we had this in the bag.

My first two picks (or should I say Manny's) were Tiki Barber (RB) and Edgerrin James (RB). The men from the office strongly applauded my first two (back to back) picks and some yelled "ahh I was going to take him!!" I thought ok Manny must be pickin good guys and I am doin alright...even though I have NO CLUE who those two guys are - and it is for damn sure that they are NOT REGGIE BUSH!! (god he's hot)

AND Manny wouldn't let me take Reggie - my boyfriend - so Pieter, one of my bosses, snatched him up. I stormed into Pieter's office and said "I can't believe you drafted my boyfriend!!!" The boss boss - Roger - said "Reggie Bush is your boyfriend?" with a funny look on his face. I said "no, my fake boyfriend!!" Another Funny look from Roger. The conversation went on about why I didnt draft him and I told them both that I thought everyone KNEW how much I loved him and they would keep their hands off - a future trade is potentially in the works (but i dont think Manny will like that).

But Manny is the best - he actually logged in as me for a bit when things were getting dicey - to manage my picks for me - and trust me he did some EXCELLENT TRASH TALKING FOR ME!! (of course I had to monitor him from Carolyn's computer but....he sounded just like me - except when he went into detail about the players, like i know that shit!) Manny seems to think he should get ALL my winnings if I win anything - I am saying maybe MAYBE 50/50.

Manny drafted the controversial T.O. for my team and boy did I get ripped apart for that one...but as always Manny talked smack like the best of them and kept my co-workers in check...

So after DAY 1 this is what my team looks like:

QB 5 (#50) Culpepper, Daunte (QB MIA)
RB 2 (#11) James, Edgerrin (RB ARI)
RB 1 (#10) Barber, Tiki (RB NYG)
RB
WR 4 (#31) Moss, Santana (WR WAS)
WR 3 (#30) Owens, Terrell (WR DAL)
WR
TE 6 (#51) McMichael, Randy (TE MIA)
TE
K
RB-WR-TE
DST
RS
RS
RS
RS
RS
RS


Now we are just waiting and waiting and waiting for Carolyn to make her picks to get today rolling...she has been sitting on her picks since yesterday evening...seriously she has had all evening, nite and now morning to make these decisions!! LET'S ROLL!!!

I don't want to be sittin by the pool on Thurs in Miami with my laptop (and the wireless internet) doing my last picks!! HELL NO!!

Fantasy Football!! WHAT did I get myself into???

ANY words of advice from my guy friends (or any of my girl friends that happen to be crazy football freaks - KIKI)??? would be much appreciated...

the guys in the office convinced me to be in their league...Me being me and always up for a challenge and lil bit of trash talking was like sure why not - I will fork over $35 to be 1 of 2 girls in your league!! why not lose a lil bit of dough to spice up my office life!

The CATCH:

if you know me, you know that I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT FOOTBALL!!!!

I mean I can sit and watch a game and know what is going on, I know some of the rules, etc etc. I know that Kurt Warner plays for St Louis and he went to my undergrad - University of Northern Iowa. I know that Tom Brady, Matt Lyte, and Teddy Bruschi all play for the New England Patriots and they used to come into the Home Depot I worked at in Mansfield, MA all the time. oh and my puppy Payton, is named after Walter Payton...

BUT other than that small bit of knowledge - I know NOTHING about the players.

My DRAFTING strategy:

base my picks strictly on LOOKS and BODY

i.e. Reggie Bush...

I was thinking who cares if I lose if my whole team is HOTTT

BUT I have been yelled at by Manny and Garrick (who are kindly helping me with my draft!!) and they both told me that was a stupid strategy. Manny actually told me to STOP sending him half naked pics of Reggie Bush. I mean my strategy for our World Cup office pool was either countries I really like to visit OR countries with kick ass names - like TOGO.

So far before the Draft has even begun - my lovely male officemates - have bashed me twice... TWICE...

one of our draft rules is this:

5. No drinking during the draft Karin. We will be drug testing and taking A and B samples from each player.

another one of my male co-workers posted a poll:

Which owner's draft preparation do think will be most effective?
Peter Weinrieb's cocaine-fueled all nighters. 1

Evan's five part interview with disgraced former Jet head coach Rich Kotite. 0

Karin's week long alcoholic stupor. 0

Peter's key word searches in Produced/emails/1986/Taylor, Lawrence. 2

Lee's strategy sessions with his Mommy. 1

Carolyn's exhaustive research to determine which players like to eat gumbo. 1

good thing no one has voted for mine yet, or wait maybe that is a bad thing....

so NOW GAME ON!!! watch out guys, you may think i am a sleeper football dumby but WATCH OUT!!!

But any other words of advice...please please please let me know! Draft starts Monday 8/28 at NOON - oh yea i got screwed - I have last pick in the 1st round (1st pick in even rounds but still).

Please Get Ready at Home!

Seriously - I am so sick of getting on the Subway in the morning and watching women plop down in a seat, rifle through their bags, pull out a makeup case and proceed in applying their whole face. Seriously, I see it every morning - foundation, powder, blush, eyeliner, eyeshadow, mascara, lip liner, lipstick....the whole deal folks!! I even watched some girl get her powder all over her black pants and sit there and sigh over and over while she tried to wipe it off her thighs.

I am truly sorry if any of my friends do this and I offend you - but COME ON People just get up like 2 minutes earlier and do your make-up at home!!!!!!

If I don't want to watch you doing it - TRUST ME the MAN sitting next to you, across from you or wherever doesn't want to watch you either. Maybe some of my feminist friends will jump down my throat for this but...I think the men (and even me!) would appreciate either seeing you sans makeup in general or with it ON before you get on the Subway!

The Subway Car is not your BATHROOM! PLEASE apply the MAKEUP at HOME!

you

you

are there

i am here

nothing to do

so time to be

with just me

cant you see

when i say no

please just go

money, $$$$, dough, money, money, money - Makes my world go 'round

So this morning my alarm goes off at 6:00, 6:05, 6:10 and I say to myself 5 more minutes...just 5 more minutes. Well...that 5 minutes turned into 7:30. I rolled over looked at my clock and muttered in my sleepy voice "SHIT!" SHIT, meaning - now I wont get to work until 9:15, which I am normally there at 8:00. AN HOUR AND 15 MINUTES of TIME LOST - or not lost because I will just stay late to make up for it...but still....

As I walk to the bus stop, I am thinking "aww it is SO NICE out today and summer is almost over..." I had the strongest urge to turn around and walk back to my house and put my bathing suit on and plop my ass down in the lawn chair in the back yard and sunbath all day.

One little phone call to my boss and BAM! I could have had the day off.

The temptation was rising in me, overwhelming me - I mean Saturday was overcast all day and Sunday I spent the whole day, where??? IN THE OFFICE!

I am now steps away from the bus stop - the bus is heading towards the stop - My body is fighting me - it is SCREAMING at ME:

"GO BACK HOME!! TAKE THE DAY OFF!! LAY IN THE SUN!!! SUMMER IS ALMOST OVER!!!"

Then MY BRAIN jumps in and says "NO KARIN! NO!!!!! YOU MUST GO TO WORK!! YOU MUST MAKE MONEY!! MONEY, MONEY MONEY, MONEY, MONEY!!!"

WHY??????? WHY does MONEY drive my life???? WHY!?!

No, not because I am money hungry and I live some huge extravagant lifestyle - I WISH!

It is more like:

RENT;

SCHOOL LOAN PAYMENTS;

CREDIT CARD DEBT;

EAT; (ok - who really needs to eat, NOT ME?? - therefore ALCOHOL - haha kidding)

OTHER BILLS;

BILLS;

BILLS;

BILLS....

UGHHH... I mean trust me...I am able to do fun things like go on vacation to MIAMI in less than 9 days. I do tons of fun things in NYC and I do some shopping here and there... and there are thing that i want like a new ipod, new phone, new camera, new bedding...new fall clothes...

I suppose if I wasnt taking 3 days off of work next week to go to Miami for 5 days, then I could have justified not coming to work today...but then again Probably NOT - plus I have a project that has a deadline...which means I shouldnt be writing this blog and I should be working...

So, as you probably guessed I fought that temptation that was taking control of my body and I got on the BUS and now I am AT WORK - I will be here until 10pm or so...

so, i guess later...gotta work, gotta pay the BILLS...gotta make the dough...

Drunk Dialing... MIddle of the NITE phone calls....

how come i always find men that LOVE to drunk dial me in the middle of the NIGHT!!???? seriously dont these guys know me??? and know how precious my sleep is?????? and how grouchy i am when woken up by phone calls at 1:45AM when i have been asleep since 11????

hmmm guess i need to find a man that appreciates his sleep as much as i do...

Parting is such Sweet Sorrow...And then there were two...

Well we all knew the time would come when one of us would leave the Tyco world. Today was Michele's last day...

Michele and I started together (back in the last week of April) - she was the first person I met when I came in on the day that they told us to come in and then they said "OOPS we don't have space for you yet, we will start you in a few weeks." Michele and I then started on the same date and in the old office we didnt know too many people so we would just head out to lunch together. We both swore that if we were here for more than a few months (or 3 years like some of the people) we would have the right to kill each other.

Then we moved office locations and everyone seemed a little nicer, the environment was a lot better and we got to know Carolyn. 2 became 3 quickly and we were known as the 3 Muskateers around the office. Usually all three of us we together - if not it was a rare occasion.

Michele took another job and gave Carolyn and I plenty of time to prepare for her departure but I believe the two of us were in pure denial. Pure Denial that one of our three was leaving, pure denial that Michele had a real job and we are still here working in the isle of Tycos with no end in sight....just pure denial. Our 3 Muskateer lunch excursions, shopping trips, coffee trips, ice cream trips, etc etc etc...are now over.

I have made a great friend in Michele and I am so happy for her that she is taking the leap into her new career, but it will not be the same in the office without her. I watched her clean her cubicle yesterday and yet I was still in denial. Today we walked her to Penn Station, Carolyn got her favorite popcorn, Michele and I got cupakes and we all said quick goodbyes, knowing that we will all see each other at Happy Hour and many many more times...because she is not moving away - she just has another job up in the 40's only 15 or so blocks away.

On a normal day when one of us heads home early and our group IM chats end...one of us usually says "And then there were two..."

That is how our group chat ended tonite...Michele signed off at 5:05 our screens popped up with "Michele has left the chat."

I wrote to Carolyn "And then there were two..."


can you imagine when the time comes for one of us (Carolyn or I)to leave.......................then what....





Congrats on your New JOB MICHELE! We Love you and We will miss you SOO Much!

Ridin in (Subway) Cars with Boys

Have you ever been riding in the subway and you see someone that you are extemely attracted to and you really want to just go up to them and say "Hi, I'm Karin and you are?"

Well there are always hot men on the subway and just every once in awhile I get this urge. But for someone reason I feel like there is this unwritten code - that you just dont start chit chattin with people on the subway. I mean when men, guys, boys whomever start trying to chat me up - I completely ignore them. (Maybe its that whole don't talk to strangers thing that our parents taught us when we were little...)

Anyways - how is approaching someone in the subway car different than approaching someone at the bar? *Maybe because at the Bar there is usually liquid courage involved and you can blame any embarrasement from rejection on that*

So at the end of last week, I was on my way to and work I was running late. I am on the D train and either 2 or 3 stops after I get on - this gorgeous man gets on and stands not too far from where I am sitting. We both looked each other up and down and proceeded to catch each other's eyes a few times. After a few more stops, a seat opened up and he sat down.
My heart was racing a little because I thought he was so good looking, BUT i would never say anything to anyone on the subway.
I just couldnt - well I am a pussy when it comes to approaching men anyways - but especially not randomly on the subway.

The train pulls up to the 34th Street stop and I get off and climb the steps to street level, as I walk out the door I hold it open for the person behind me and it is HIM - I think ok there are alot of offices around here.

I continue on down the street and I notice that he is basically step for step right next to me. I walk right by the coffee cart (because I am already running late for work and I wanted to get logged in and I could run back out and get some coffee) and I continue to my office building door.

I stop to open the door and he stops right next to me and follows me in, then follows me into the elevator - I press 4, he presses 3.

It was just the 2 of us in the elevator - ME and the HOT MAN - both with our Ipods on. My heart was pounding - I couldnt believe it - HE WORKS IN MY BUILDING!

Me, being me, I completely ignore his presence and that there is even anyone else in the elevator. Somtimes I can act so stuck up and bitchy...*sigh*

So I share with the girls when I get into the office this story and I joke about how I should run late more often...well yesterday morning, i woke up late as I have been sick and again i am running late to work. I dont see HOT man on the train.

As I hold the door open for someone while leaving the station it is him. And there we are step for step down the street and the whole thing occurs again.

Except this time he makes some attempt to talk to me as I grabbed the office door, I walked in and held the door for open him and he said Thanks - which i could barely hear over my Ipod and for the second door the same thing (but I did not utter a word back). We get to the elevator push the buttons for our respective floors, I lean back against the wall of the elevator and again pretend he is not there. Out of the corner of my eye I catch him glance a few times at me and then "Bing" we are at the 3rd floor and off he goes.....

So, next time if I see him on the subway, do i talk to him?
Is there EVER a time where someone should be so bold and just approach the hot man (or woman) on the Subway?

I have no clue...And i thought i was getting better at what my friends call "my fetal position" reaction around men that I am interested in. I thought I was doing really well since I moved to the city...guess not...guess I took a few steps back with this one.

maybe next time i am running late.....

Heat Waves, Subways, and Sweaty New Yorkers

Have you ever been in NYC when it is 100+ degrees out??
Down in the HOT Subway Stations - steam basically smoltering off your body - hoping against all hopes that the Subway Car you get into is blasting its Air con.
BUT NO - the one you chose is barely spitting out some hot air and the doors are closing and its too late to move to another car..

Well last week temps were up in the 100's and the days were miserable. When I woke up in the morning to my air con in my room at full blast I would rifle through my clothes to find the coolest articles of clothing available (and items that no one could ever tell that you had completely sweat through them- becuz on one semi-hot day i had a sweaty incident in a subway car with no aircon and linen pants - not a pretty sight). Most days item of choice were sundresses - Office Appropriate I am not sure but you know what - I didnt care - i always shoved a suit coat in my bag and off I would go.

On those days of the EXTREME heat - most mornings at 6am when i was in the shower the temps were already hitting almost 90 degrees - can you imagine at 6am in the morning???

On my short walk to the bus stop i was already hot and sweaty - now i can think of a few situations where it is not so bad to be hot and sweaty - but trying to get to work - NOT one of THEM!

The buses were never too bad, but the subway stations - i swear sweat was just rolling down my body and there should have been puddles left under me (i am surprised i didnt look like the kid Michele and I saw one day while getting lunch - he was about 8, he just stopped on the corner and peed his pants and a big huge puddle formed under him and everyone jumped back - Michele and I laughed - probably scarred the kid forever - but hey if you are just going to pee your pants on a street corner in NYC you deserve to be laughed at!). Anyways - i digress - i happened to be very lucky on those extremely HOT days i only ended up in a non-airconditioned car ONCE - and thank god i Had my new Jcrew Magazine with me to fan myself. I hate being HOT - unless i am on the beach or at a pool or sunbathing.

Everyone told me how hot and sweltering NYC could be in the summer and I guess I found out...Good thing my office has the BEST AC system ever (i mean we are talking ANTARTICA) - which meant once I got to work I barely left until late at nite when it had cooled off a bit.

I hope to god the 100 degree weather is over - but I really dont want Summer dont be over - I am enjoying my saturdays on Jones Beach wayyy too much!!

taking my own advice..(RIP Robert Gonzalez)

i was going to say today but i guess i should say yesterday...my day did not start off well and for no particular reason (see previous blog Missy McMoody) then I found out that my younger cousin who was in a Pageant Monday - did not win Queen but she received 1st Runner Up. I guess she was expected to win and everyone was pretty much blown out of the water by her 1st Runner Up placement. Disappointments in life being something I am extremely familiar with - I sat down and wrote her an email - being the "wise" older cousin that I am. My advice to her was based on my past...

Bits and pieces of the email and my ULTIMATE WISDOM were this:
"...but trust me God only gives you what you can handle and this one I know you can handle and be the Queen that you are! Just be you and show them that you are deserving and the amazing person you are!"

"Disappointments like this in life are going to happen often - trust me. I feel like ever since I turned 18, everytime I turn around there is another disappointment sitting on my doorstep. You just have to pick yourself up and carry on - learn from it, add it to your character, be a better person and become stronger. And never let these disappointments keep you from moving forward and striving for more."

"I am only here living in NYC working as an attorney because I pushed through the disappointments. I worked my ass off to find the drive, the money, the will or whatever it was to get what I needed or wanted. I could list all the things in life that killed me and never made me want to get back up again, but that would bore you!"

"anyways - i just wanted to tell you that i am proud of you - it takes a lot of courage to put yourself out there and do things like the pageant - and you never know until you try. For some reason, winning Queen was not in God's plan for you this year...and maybe i sound like grandma - but god always has a plan for you and sometimes you need to do a little soul searching to figure out what it is and why these things happen the way they happen. life is a journey and it is not always full of good times and laughs and these bumps and disappointments are what make you who you are - you just have to choose what you are going to do with them and how you can learn from them."

So I stumble on thru my miserable day, knowing my poor cousin is having a bad day too - although for completely different reasons.

Then I get a phone call telling me that Robert Gonzalez died of a heart attack at age 21 in the break room at the Home Depot Last nite (meaning monday nite). It was odd because last nite and this morning I knew something was off kilter in this world - but I could never pin point what it was - there was something deep that was depressing me and gnawing at me...now I know....

Robert was one of my cashiers, he was one of my favorite cashiers! From the moment I transferred to the store he was one of the only people that was nice to me and continued to be nice to me. He used to ride the 4 train home with me at nite after work and make sure I was safe and always made me listen to his crazy music and share his headphones with him (Go Get Your Wet Wipes!). I loved working with him. He actually just called me last week to check in on me and see how I was doing make sure I wasnt burning myself out with my lawyer job because I have not worked for home depot for 3 weeks now I think. He will be greatly missed and he was an amazing human being - he always put a smile on my face.

He was one of my friends, he was a co-worker, he was a myspace friend, and he was always calling to check up on me or make sure Yaindy and I got home safely on the 4 train. He was an amazing human being and his soul is up there with the Angels.

As my day went on - I sat at my desk, sat on the train home, sat on my front stoop talking to Yaindy grieving for the loss of such a YOUNG and GREAT Soul. As I am laying here sleepless in my bed knowing I need to get up in 4 hours - I am still grieving. But I am laying here thinking about life, love, loss, family, friends, appreciating everyone and everything around - feeling completely opposite, but yet somehow totally in tune, with how i was feeling early this morning - life is short. I should not dwell on things, i should appreciate and love everyone around me - i should cut things out that are bad for me BUT embrace all the good (keep all those good pieces to my puzzle and appreciate them). I should never forsake anyone important to me and I should always let them know i care and i love them.

Robert's phone call to me only days ago hits home hard with me - it is something i do all the time - i didnt have time to talk to him. It was the middle of my work day and I was at the deli grabbing lunch with Michele - I chatted with him for maybe 2-3 minutes and then told him I had to go and I would catch up with him soon and we would go grab that drink I have been promising him for months.

But did I call him back? NO of course not - I never call anyone back and I am usually very blazee about it all!

I know I cant beat myself up over it and that it wouldnt have changed anything...but I can change the future and how I treat those I care about. And this is the part where I tell you that I need to follow my own advice...

"trust me God only gives you what you can handle"

"but god always has a plan for you and sometimes you need to do a little soul searching to figure out what it is and why these things happen the way they happen. life is a journey and it is not always full of good times and laughs and these bumps and disappointments are what make you who you are - you just have to choose what you are going to do with them and how you can learn from them."

God had a plan for Robert on this earth and his purpose was served - God had a plan for Robert to be part of my life and everyone's life that he touched. Robert was taken from this earth way to soon - but he was full of life, love and energy.

I have learned from him and my own advice that I have to grow from his death and be a stronger person and a BETTER person, friend and family member.

You never ever know when you are going to lose someone - life is fragile...

RIP Robert - i already miss you more than you will ever know....

"Missy McMoody!" (taking back my puzzle pieces)

Today I woke up on the wrong side of the bed, no clue why...I am just a BITCH today..ok i am always a bitch, but even worse than normal. After briefly speaking to a co-worker this morning, he IMed me with this comment "Missy McMoody!" Yep that is me today!

I mean a series of events occurred over the weekend and yesterday to make me sit back and think about things..none of them major or even worthy of wanting to discuss, but collaboratively they caused me to take a few steps back and think about things and try to put somethings in my life in perspective.

People disappoint you (i mean that is part of human nature and there are MANY MANY MANY amazing people out there that do not disappoint you and I love all of you!) but many times you believe people are alot more than what they are - you see the good in them (even if others dont and you want to help them to improve their lives) or want to see the good in them.

And honestly i am not pinpointing one person or one event...just a bunch of small things from a bunch of different people - leading up to this one thought that pushed through to the front of my brain last nite - "maybe i should go back to it just being me"

MEANING - from aug 2004 until i moved to NYC in march 2006, i was by myself ALOT - lived in europe for 6 months and spent most days by myself, lived in cali for 5 months spent most days with who? ME! then moved back to massachusetts for 8 months and for most of those 8 months i knew NO ONE except my brother, his new wife and her family and even after i made a few friends, i still was with just ME alot!

I like ME - some people would probably say that I like ME too much, that i am too self-invovled, self-absorbed, selfish - any of those "self" words except probably selfless (a few of the people closest to me in my life may say that i guess) . Being with just ME over the past 2 years (of course my family, my best friends and many guys have come and gone) has given me an opportunity to find who I REALLY AM!

But when you start to let too many people in things start to get cluttered - you start to lose bits of yourself, pieces of you fall off, some lost forever some just shoved under the bed.

I have been working on my puzzle for 28 years now - it is no where near complete but I also dont like it when i lose a piece here and there.

This realization put me in a stupor last nite and I woke up as an absolute horrible and miserable human being.

I am not saying I am going to become a recluse and cut all my friends out my life - I am just saying I let some bad into my life the last few months - and NOW it is time to let it go and get my puzzle pieces back from them.

Those pieces may be a little bent or torn for awhile but it will be nice to have them back and I am ready to take them back. Its Time to BE WITH ME again.

baseball, baseball, and one more baseball - 3 times the baseball

So my parents came here to visit me after my brother's wedding and if you have ever read my Blog Eamus Catili you will know that I am a HUGE Cubbies fan and my dad is not - he is a cardinals fan (BOOOOOO!!!). The Cubs were here in NYC for 3 days of games against the Mets (which a fun fact - they had to take a train from Maryland to NYC - Juan Pierre said if we keep losing they will start making us take a bus - hahaha). So I decided as part of showing my parents around NYC - I would take the to the Cubs/Mets game on Monday nite! It was a great game, I love being at the ballpark in Summer! I was the only one in our section wearing a cubbies T-shirt (my mark prior t-shirt to be exact) and the CUBBIES WON!! 8-7 It was so nice to come back to the office and rub it in the Mets fans faces - all the ones that tell me daily how much my cubbies suck!












So after the game - I found out that my current favorite cubbie MARK PRIOR would be pitching the Wednesday afternoon game. I have never ever had a chance to watch my husband pitch - so I thought it was time! I was on a mission from GOD to get really good up close tickets to watch him pitch. One of my good guy friends said he would take the afternoon off with me - so a guy in the office that is a huge Mets fan got ahold of his ticket broker and got me sweet tickets for cheap right behind home plate. I felt like i was sitting right next to Mark Prior. And I thought my guy friend was going to kill me because I think every other word out of my mouth was Mark Prior this or Mark Prior that! He pitched a decent game - walked alot of guys but he had no hits! But the cubbies lost in extra innings 1-0. However the loss did not go to my man Prior!

















"Prior made his sixth start of the season and second since his latest stint on the disabled list -- he was sidelined with a strained muscle on his left side. He lowered his ERA from 8.14 to 6.60 but is winless in nine starts since last September, the longest drought of his career. The 25-year-old Prior walked four in the first four innings, including the leadoff batter three times. He showed some frustration but never folded.
"It's starting to come around," Prior said. "I've had a lot of freak things happen to me. ... I think I've got a lot of great years ahead of me." Cubs first baseman John Mabry went to his knees for Endy Chavez's sixth-inning grounder toward the hole, and Prior hustled to cover first. That's when he appeared to run out of gas. Prior walked slowly back to the mound and was checked by Baker. Prior stayed in the game but never looked comfortable during a five-pitch walk to Beltran. Baker then came back out and removed the right-hander. "I was on a short leash going into that sixth inning," said Prior, who had some cramping in a finger on his pitching hand late in his outing. Prior threw only 56 strikes. He walked a season-high five and fanned three."



So at this point in the week I had already been to 2 Ball games, which i mean i got to watch my cubbies play twice in one week! And Friday at the office, my friend Michele (who has season tickets to the Yankees) says we have 2 extra tickets would you like to go? I was like SURE WHY NOT!! Make it 3 games in one week! WOO HOO! So on Saturday my roomie and I laid out in the backyard all day and then headed off to Yankee Stadium to meet up with Michele and Ian. However, what I didnt know is that my roomie, Jenn, had ran into our neighbor (whose husband Lou works the games at all the games) and she gave Jenn Lou's cell # and told her to call him to see if he could get us moved to better seats. So we get there, get our beers and we call Lou - Lou moves us down to awesome seats and brings us pizza!! Well the Yankees got creamed by Tampa Bay - but it was still a great game and a great time!! Afterwards, Michele and Ian joined a group of us for dinner in Times Square and it was just an amazing day, afternoon, and evening! Thanks Michele for the tix! I owe ya!!


  

  



  

  

  

  





Anyways - I AM A LUCKY GIRL!!! Three Ballgames in ONE week - YEP READ IT - 3 in ONE WEEK!

To Jayson, my brother, and Katie, his new wife

His hello was the end of her endings
Her laugh was their first step down the aisle
His hand would be hers to hold forever
His forever was as simple as her smile
He said she was what was missing
She said instantly she knew
She was a question to be answered
And his answer was "I do"


A very wise woman once said “Some people are settling down, some people are settling and some people refuse to settle for anything less than butterflies. When it comes to saying ‘I Do’ a relationship needs that Zsa Zsa Zsu, that special something that gives you butterflies in the stomach.”


Jayson and Katie, I know this is true for the two of you – neither of you settled for anything less than Butterflies and your relationship truly has the Zsa Zsa Zsu that all of us look for and hope to find.



  


Jayson, you are my brother, my best friend, my confident, and my protector. And all I have ever wanted for you is to find someone that can be your best friend, your confident, and your protector. You have found that in Katie and I could not ask for a better sister in law and a better person to take care of you and walk by your side.

Katie you are truly an amazing woman – holding up to the pressure of scrutiny of my friends and I during our first meeting and even riding mechanical bulls with us years later! I am proud to say that you are my sister in law and that you are a part of our crazy and insane family.

As the two of you move forward as one, I wish you blissful happiness and forever Zsa Zsa Zsu.

Let us all hope and pray that your married life is like this toilet roll - soft, strong and ever so long.

I love you both and God Bless you.

To Jayson and Katie.




  




  

  

  

blogged out

well shit...i dont think that i have blogged since way before i left for the wedding on the cape. wow since, hmmm let me check my archives, since July 14th...wow..and that was just pics posted.

Well my life has been pretty busy. I was working crazy hours there for awhile, because July 18th-22nd I was up on the Cape in Massachusetts for my Brother's wedding which was July 21st. I will tell you in another blog all about my BLING BLING HAIR I got for the Wedding - Ridiculous!!

Tues-Thurs I spent many of hours in the sun and on the beach hanging out with my kickass cousin, Aubrey, wow has she grown up - AND i absolutely love spending time with her!! (my parents rented a convertible for the week and Aub and I stole it one day - to pick up men!!) I also got to spend a lot of time with my family which was cool since we hardly ever get to see each other.


  



My parents hosted the rehearsal dinner on Thurs nite, clam bake with a DJ - talk about a party!! I was even dancing with Monkeys!! Blow up ones that is. I also opted to give my best man speech at the rehearsal dinner instead of the reception, thought it was more intimate...



  


The wedding was Friday nite and it was amazing and beautiful and alot of fun! And if i do say so myself, yes i am going to be cocky, i looked GOOD!



  

  


saturday was family time and we all just vegged out all day..and then SUNDAY - was NYC tour day for the fam.

ah yes - let me tell you i was tour nazi - we left Mass at 6am to be to the bronx by 9am and to central park by 10:30am from there I had a tight and rigid schedule - my aunt, uncle, and cousin had ONE DAY to see NYC.
here was my crazy Itinerary for Sunday July 23rd in NYC
6:00 AM – leave Attleboro, ma

9:00 AM – arrive at Karin’s house in the Bronx
• Park cars
• Drop off bags
• Walk/take bus to train (4 Train)

10:30 am – Walk thru central park
• Get off at 77th street stop
• Come out in Columbus circle

– From central Park walk by:
• Carnegie Hall
• Radio City music hall
• Rockefeller center
• St. Patrick’s cathedral

– walk down 5th avenue
• Stop by grand central station (DIDNT DO THIS)
• Empire state building
• Karin’s work
• Madison square garden

– train from Penn station down to see (2 train):
• Brooklyn bridge (DIDNT DO THIS)
• WTC
• Walk from there by wall street
• Continue on to Battery park to see statue of liberty

– head back north to:
• Chinatown
• Eat dinner in little Italy

– After dinner:
• Head to times square to see the lights at nite

YES we DID ALMOST ALL OF IT - but 2 stops, I walked there ASSES OFF!! mom and aunt beth took forever in central park - i swear they took pics by every freakin tree - just kidding, love you guys - Aub and I were so ready to move on to bigger and better things!!

They got their REVENGE on me though....they all paraded around the city in I HEART NY t-shirts...how embarrassing, oh well they had fun with it. and i posed for a pic with them....


  


So Mark, Beth, and Aub left Monday and mom and dad were here thru Wednesday. It was so nice to have them here and show them the City I live in and the City I love. I wish they could/would come and visit more often.

I took my parents to a Mets/Cubs game on Monday nite and that kicked off my week of ball games (to be continued in another blog...)!! I love the Cubbies!!!