Home

I went home today to help out my parents with housework. My mom is hanging in there, but still sick. She had a doctor's appointment a week ago because of her shoulder. Turns out she had a calcium deposit and was given steriods for the pain. Osteoporosis. It's like she's collecting problems these days. Hysterectomy last fall, heart failure ongoing, and no Osteoporosis. The only bright side was how upbeat she is about life in general. In five months, she will be celebrating her sixtieth birthday. I plan to do something pretty fabulous for her- Pink Manolos Style

There's no place like home,

P. Manolos

Thought of the Day

It's 65 degrees in November. Global warming or just a coincidence?

Zimba and I are enjoying the warmer weather. We go for runs, spend time outside playing with leaves and puppy fighting until he passes out on the couch. I couldn't have asked for a better companion.

Too much of a good person...

I went to WV with my Brown Eyes to visit his friends still in Morgantown. I had a great time and I met a lot of great people. I couldn't help but reflect on the many great people I had left at home. I never imagined that when I would move back from CA to OH that I would find myself making life long friendships. I never really had close friends growing up; I did towards the end of high school but that's pretty much it. Far as I know, my only best friend was this Irish girl named Deirdre who was in my fifth grade class.

"You can have too much of a good thing"- I think that's the old saying. Well, you can also be too much of a good person. I have found through trial and error my proclivity to smother others with love and kindness had made many of the friendships I have made the past year absolutely disastrous. Instead of getting mad, I get nice. I don't push back, I pull in. So you can imagine when I allow people to say and do things to me that I am not comfortable with for so long that I tend to blow up at a randomly. Implode.

It was after the last explosion I had that I realized that something had to change. I have to tell my friends when my feelings are hurt or when I feel like they are being disrespectful towards me. I can't shrug it off and hope they will apologize in the future. I can't expect everyone to be nice to me. I can't even expect everyone to know when they are being unkind.

So as I type right now, I realize that this may be the biggest flaw I have. I'm just too damn nice. Yes, you probably think that I am tooting my own horn, but really take a moment to understand why this can be a bad thing. By not allowing people to see when I am angry, sad, disappointed, or just plain pissed off- I allow them to become comfortable in a pattern of negative behavior towards me. I allow them to think their actions are ok because they have always been ok. I think that's the worse thing you can do to someone, lull them to think that their behavior is permissible only to reject it later in an explosive argument.

My commitment for 2010? To create healthy boundaries in all of my relationships. No more intelligence jokes- they hurt my feelings, I should feel comfortable being who I am with all of my friends and know that they accept me with all of my limitations attached. I may not care to defend my religious beliefs to you b/c frankly I see it as a waste of time and energy. I like to study 10 hours a day, it may seem irrational but it's very soothing to me. I do like to take care of you, 24/7 if I could. I'd pick up the phone at 3AM and listen to you and commiserate with you. There will be nights where I just want to sit at home and pet the dog. Don't hate me for it.

No more Miss "way too" Nice Gal,

P. Manolos

Traveling Country Roads

I'm in WV with Brown Eyes. I'm meeting his friends and seeing the streets he used to run down naked as a young WV freshman. I guess things are progressing nicely. The big test isn't meeting the parents- it's meeting his closet friends and getting along with them. I think I'm doing okay.

I need a nap. Last night we broke furniture, played beer pong, and helped young underclasswomen get laid. Didn't go home til the lights went out.

Wild and Wonderful,

P. Manolos

Zimba

Haha. He has the funniest look on his face in this picture. He's got to be the most photogenic dog that ever lived.

A year ago, before I began law school, I wanted to buy a dog. My parents and my sister went off on me, telling me how it was such a bad idea. "You won't have time for him, you have to take care of him. Blah blah blah." I must admit, they were right about how hard it would be to take care of a dog. Zimba has had so many doctor's appointments, check ups, surgery (castration) and babysitting needs that I had to take care of all on my own. Let's not even mention how much it costs to feed and house him.

Our typical day together consists of me getting up early to let him go potty outside, eat breakfast, and if we're lucky, go for a jog. I put him in his crate and I feel guilty leaving him for the four-six hours I have to be at school for classes. I come home and we spend most of the evening studying and perhaps even watching tv.

He's got a great personality. Always looking to start a 'puppy fight' (this is when he and I will wrestle each other to the ground and bark incessantly until one of us cries uncle). He goes nuts if you even mention the word "walk". When I'm crying or feeling down, he comes by and licks my tears away and cuddles right up to my chest and falls asleep.

My only fear is the day we have to inevitably part ways. He's a dog, and like all animals, has a short life expectancy of 10 maybe 15 years tops. I think that was my biggest fear getting another dog- going through the process of losing him to old age.


All good things in life must come to an end. The key is to enjoy them while we can.

Puppy Love,

P. Manolos

Thought of the Day

Going out to Sushi with Brown Eyes. I don't know who farts more, him or the dog.



Passed Out from Gas,

P. Manolos

Obsession of the Day

Zimba wore this little outfit for Halloween. He was a good sport!

Shopping in less than an hour!

P. Manolos