Random Happy Makers

What makes you happy? I don't mean the big important stuff, I mean little, random stuff.

These are some of the things that make me randomly, maybe even only momentarily, happy...but enough to make me at least smile:

• Ladybugs
  
• Thunder and lightning storms when I'm safe at home and don't have to go anywhere
• A cold glass bottle of Coca Cola
• Seeing Hubby smile when he doesn't know I'm looking - he may be watching something on TV, or looking at something on the computer, whatever...
• Santa Claus at the end of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
• A run-away balloon floating along...extra happy if it's red
• The sound of an ice cream truck
• Pop Rocks
• Dragonflies
• Watching a little kid spinning around for no reason
• Colored sprinkles
• Spiderwebs
• Rainbows (cliché I know)
• Watching old Cuban men playing dominoes at Domino Park
• My friend Cris' laugh
• Fair/Carnival Food (corn dog, cotton candy, etc.)
• Lying in a hammock
• Batido de Trigo (wheat shake)
• Craig Ferguson
• Red doors
• Sunflowers

How about you?

She's In!

Senate Approves Sotomayor

Voting largely along party lines, the Senate on Thursday confirmed
Judge Sonia Sotomayor as the 111th justice of the Supreme Court. She will be the first Hispanic and the third woman to serve on the court.

YES!!!

¡Si se puede!

Sidecar Saga

As you may remember, in March Hubby and I went to the Philly area for his sister's wedding. I had decided that my drink for the evening was going to be an old-school cocktail - the Sidecar.

However, when we arrived at the reception the bar had a menu of what they called "Featured Drinks" - various types of vodka drinks. I thought those were the only mixed drinks they would serve, so I *sacrificed* and proceeded to have a few "Appletinis". Then we toasted the couple with champagne, and of course with dinner I had red wine.

It wasn't until after dinner that I found out they made all kinds of cocktails. I immediately went to the bar and asked the nice man for a Sidecar. He gave me a blank look for a minute, then said that he had made them before but could only remember that brandy was involved. I had no idea what was in them, I just knew I liked them. The guy felt bad for me so he suggested a Brandy Manhattan, which replaces the whiskey with brandy. Again I *sacrificed* and had a couple of those.

When I returned to the reception area I immediately went to a friend of the family (one of my favorite people - he's just that fabulous!) who I thought might know the ingredients in a Sidecar. He's one of these people who should have been born in a different era - in his 30s but all about retro stuff...and debauchery. So you see, he was perfect! Sadly, he told me he didn't know. Dejectedly - while sipping on my Brandy Manhattan - I returned to my table and shared my tale of woe.

Suddenly, my brilliant computer god brother-in-law whipped out his...Blackberry (dirty-minded people!). He Googled the recipe! Just as someone at my table was writing it down on the back of the wedding favor engagement picture of the newly-married couple, the guy I had checked with earlier was at my side delivering the drink and a copy of the recipe on a wedding favor engagement picture! It turns out he too had "Blackberried" (is that a verb?) it and had given the recipe to the bartender. YAY!

Talk about synchronicity of brilliant minds devoted to the all important task of helping me get a cocktail. I have the greatest friends and family don't I?

Here's a picture of the hand-written recipe:

Needless to say - several Sidecars were subsequently consumed. That's me at the top of this post in my wedding finery and delicious Sidecar. Don't I look happy?

Reclaiming a Word: Patriotic

According to Merriam-Webster Online:

Patriotism - : love for or devotion to one's country

Nationalism - :a sense of national consciousness exalting one nation above all others and placing primary emphasis on promotion of its culture and interests as opposed to those of other nations or supranational
groups

First of all YAY!!! President Barack Hussein Obama - welcome and God bless you. There's no need for me to go into how happy I am today.

One of the plethora of things about which I'm happy is that now I feel I can reclaim the word "patriotic". Throughout the former administration "patriotic" felt like "nationalistic". In my opinion patriotic is good, nationalistic is bad.

Today, after Tuesday's glorious day - I think that President Obama (I love thinking, reading, hearing and saying those words) has made it OK to feel love, devotion and yes, pride in our country. I believe he is going to lead our country with dignity but not arrogance, with strength but not by bullying, with conviction but not by disrespecting other countries and cultures.

Although I already knew it, yesterday while he was giving his phenomenal inaugural speech it really hit me that he truly is *post-racial*. Think about it: his father was Black African, his mother was a white girl from Kansas, part of his life he grew up and went to school in a Muslim nation, and the rest of his youth was spent in Hawaii with Pan-Asian elements.

He is so the right man at the right time.

So, thanks to you Mr. President, I am again comfortable using the word "patriotic" - I now see it as love for my country without implying disdain or disrespect for other countries.

'Toon Monday (because I'll be busy tomorrow!)

It's a beautiful day...

See the picture up there? That was today in Miami! Palm trees and a beautiful blue sky - temperatures in the mid to low 70s. I had a great Saturday. We drove out to Homestead, the agricultural area near Miami. It was Hubby, my friend Purplepassion and me.

First we went to "Knaus Berry Farm" - a farmers market run by "Dunkers" a German Baptist sect. They've been at the same location from November to May for at least 40 years. They're best known for strawberries and baked goods - particularly their cinnamon rolls - AMAZING!

Here's today's line for baked goods.

And look at the tomatoes, strawberries and veggies - YUM!

Afterwards we had lunch at one of Hubby's and my favorite Mexican restaurants. There's a large Mexican population living in Homestead, so there are a lot of very good, authentic Mexican restaurants. Later my friend and I walked around Downtown Homestead, checking out the antique shops, which I love doing.

While most of the country is enduring a horrifically cold winter, we are blessed in Miami to have days like today.

Lucky us!

The Lola Shuffle - The "End of the 8 Year National Nightmare" Edition

If Lola had legs, she'd be leaping for joy! By the next time Lola shuffles George W. Bush will be out of the White House, out of power, unable to cause anymore damage, and safely ensconced wherever he's going.

I know it's hard to believe coming from Lola and me, but we honestly wish George and Laura the happiness they deserve and hope they enjoy long, healthy and happy lives far, far away from politics. Godspeed and good riddance...

Now...for the shuffle of joy...

1. The Cup of Life - Ricky Martin
2. Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off) - Parliament
3. Changes in Latitudes - Jimmy Buffett
4. Movin' Out - Billy Joel
5. Limelight - Rush
6. Goza Mi Mambo Cubano - Cachao
7. Baby Be Good - The Smithereens
8. As Good As I Once Was - Toby Keith
9. Forever Young - Joan Baez
10. Seasons of Love - "Rent" Soundtrack

YAY! A most excellent shuffle...Lola definitely's "got the funk"...

Have a wonderful weekend and inaugural experience!

YES WE DID!

Sunday at the Miami International Book Fair

It was another wonderful day at the Book Fair - and the weather was gorgeous! We had bright blue skies, sunshine, mid 70s and low humidity.

Thoughts, experiences and impressions of the day...

• instead of going alone as usual, I went with my best friend


• travel writers presentation, quote from Eric Weiner author of The Geography Bliss: "Happiness = Low Expectations"


• two cooking and food related presentations - great conversations about food, stories about culinary school, mushroom picking in Italy


• lunch at the Egypt pavilion - delicious Appetizer Sampler: Falaffel, Hummus, Baba Ghanoush, Dolmades


• a performance by The Padura Girls, the beautiful and talented young woman in the picture above - they are the daughters of one one of my closest friends and I was literally at the hospital the day each of them were born 18 and 15 years ago, they've been performing since they were little and I still cry whenever I see them perform


• a crowded, crazy, loud and volatile presentation by Cuban author Zoe Valdes; proof once again that older generations of Cubans simply don't understand the concept of "Question and Answer" instead they do "Autobiographical Soliloquy/Political Opinion then Question then Answer then Rebut the Answer"; author was introduced by the tallest transvestite I've ever seen in person


• didn't want to deal with the crowds at the Vernon Jordan presentation, so I DVRd it on C-SPAN's Book TV and watched when I got home; what an eloquent, brilliant, attractive man; phrase (which I loved) that he used several times when discussing those who participated in the Civil Rights movement of the 60s: "Disturbors of Unjust Peace" - isn't that a great phrase?


• saw and congratulated Miami Dade College President and Founder of the Miami Book Fair Dr. Eduardo Padron

This was the 25th Anniversary of the book fair, of those 25 fairs I think I've missed two of them. This is without a doubt my favorite event of the year - I can't wait to see what the next 25 years bring!

Saturday at the Miami International Book Fair

YAY! The Book Fair! Saturday was the first day of the street fair and I had a blast.

I took the Metrorail into Downtown early this morning and arrived at the fair a little before 10:00 A.M. Throughout the day I attended several author presentations including Esmeralda Santiago, my favorite "non-famous" poet Adrian Castro.

I learned about a fantastic organization called Las Comadres. They presented three Latina women authors which was fun and interesting because rather than read from their work they talked about their experiences in getting published, marketed, etc.

I had some Pad Thai from the international food court and walked around Children's Alley where I saw Madeline, Curious George and Raggedy Ann walking around! I stopped by an area of the fair called Write Out Loud Cafe where I relaxed and listened to several people read poetry before continuing with the author presentations. I browsed some of the books and went home, already planning my "Author Sessions" for tomorrow.

The Lola Shuffle - The "WOO HOO! Obama Won!" Edition

What a fantastic week! I am so happy, I feel like an enormous weight has been lifted, like anything is possible. And now we get to watch Obama put his Cabinet together, it's all so exciting!

And, because I am mean and petty, I'm loving the Republican in-fighting! Talk about throwing Sarah under the bus...dayum! I'm sorry, it amuses me - I'm a bad, bad person.

So Lola - who is over the moon herself because she is *sure* the quality of music in the White House will improve by leaps and bounds starting in January - is going to shuffle up a little sumpin' sumpin' for the First Family-Elect...

1. Drops of Jupiter - Train
2. Hump de Bump - Red Hot Chili Peppers
3. Somebody to Love - Queen
4. Let It Be - The Beatles
5. Mambo - Cachao Lopez
6. Smile - Barbara Streisand (dedicated to McCain supporters)
7. Welcome Back - Mike Sebastian
8. Señorita - Justin Timberlake
9. Just In Time - Tony Bennett
10. Casey Jones - Grateful Dead (always makes me smile)

Let's do something wonderful this weekend - Yes we can!

WOO HOO!

The Phillies did it!

They won the World Series!

After a bizarre two-part game, they marched into a cold, dry field - the stands packed with fans enduring 30+ degree weather. They got the job done!

Hubby is beside himself with joy. He was on the phone with his parents when they got the final out and he kept yelling "I can't believe it!", "I can't believe it!" A friend called on my cell yelling WOO HOO!

It's a good night!

Mmmmm....Ice Cream

OHMYGOD!

I have found heaven in a super market freezer.

Häagen Dazs RESERVE ice creams. Seriously, it's ridiculous.

I've only tried two of them. First Fleur de Sel Caramel - you can read the official description, but basically it's caramel ice cream with these little nuggets of dark chocolate sprinkled with a teensy bit of sea salt - but, when you bite into the chocolate nugget, it's filled with liquidy caramel that oozes onto your tongue (sigh).

The other one I tried was Amazon Valley Chocolate , which is a dark chocolate ice cream, but it reminds me of a light, airy chocolate mousse. You can eat buckets of this without being overwhelmed by sweetness.

I discovered these ice creams thanks to my friend Frank who swears that the Toasted Coconut Sesame Brittle is also fantastic. I haven't found it in my Publix, but he says the best thing is to have a spoonful of the coconut and a spoonful of the chocolate together. This guy is an ice cream connoisseur, so you should really trust his judgement.

So while this isn't exactly great for my diabetes, it does wonders for my soul!

Charlie and Lola

Not too long ago between 10 and 11 a.m. I would DVR The View, now my DVR is recording Charlie and Lola every day at 10:30 a.m. The thing is, "Charlie and Lola" is on the Playhouse Disney channel, whose target audience is pre-schoolers. Despite how the ladies on "The View" behave sometimes, that is quite different than "The View's" demographic. I'll be 45 in July. Do you see the disconnect?

"Charlie and Lola" is adorable. The other day I was watching the show, and Hubby was watching me watch the show, and he told me I was smiling ear to ear! What's up with that? I think it's a the beautiful animation - a combination of cartoons, collage, regular photography, etc., and...the giggling.

Lola is 4 years old, and Charlie is 7 and they and their friends giggle a lot. The program uses real children for the voices - there are few things that make me smile as much as the sound of children giggling, that full-throttle giggle they outgrow all too soon.

I challenge you to go to www.charlieandlola.com watch one of the clips (with the sound turned up) and not smile!

Is it ridiculous that I'm watching this? Probably, but I don't care...I'm just going to go drink my pink milk through my swirly straw and watch my very favoritest show!

A Guest Shuffle - "The My A1c Was Good Edition"

YAY! I had my quarterly appointment with my endocrinologist and got my A1c checked. The first time I had it checked it was at 10.3, then the second time I had it checked after starting treatment, diet, etc. it was 7.2 which was an important improvement, but the doctor wanted me at 6.9. Well I got my latest results yesterday and I had a 6.8! WOO HOO!

I had been worried because I had been doing really well - even over the holidays - but when my mother broke her hip and with everything that followed, my eating went to hell. I thought for sure I had blown it. But I was wrong!

Lola is taking a vacation this week (OK, she's out of juice - my bad!) so we have a Guest Shuffle - my friend Amparo loaned me her iPod to do the shuffle, coincidentally her iPod is also named Amparo. So go Amparo - shuffle on!

1. The Sound of Silence- Paul Simon


2. Boogie Woogie Bugle Boys - En Vogue


3. Hold Me - Fleetwood Mac


4. Sisters - Bette Midler and Linda Ronstadt


5. Be Careful (Cuidado Con Mi Corazon) - Ricky Martin and Madonna


6. Somebody To Love - George Michael and Queen


7. Love So Right - Bee Gees


8. It's All Coming Back To Me Now - Celine Dion


9. Cocaine - Eric Clapton


10. Cuidate - La Oreja de Van Gogh

Great shuffle Amparo! Thanks for helping...

Have a great weekend everyone!

It's Super Tuesday People! Either Way We're In Good Hands

OK, I am in Political-Wonk-Geek heaven. I can't wait to get home and plunk myself in front of the TV to watch tonight's Super Tuesday fabulosity!

My primary source of information will be CNN's "best political team on television" (as Wolf Blitzer repeats ad nauseum). I will be watching my boyfriend Anderson Cooper. My backup will be ABC, with my ex-boyfriend George Stephanopoulos.

I love the picture of Barack and Hillary (above), it shows that despite all the bickering, they like each other. Regardless of who turns out to be the Democratic nominee, which may or may not be determined tonight, I am confident that we're in good hands.

I have my opinion as to who is more electable against the potential Republican candidates, but it varies on who the Republican candidate turns out to be. That's for another post.

Today I revel in wonk wonderland...

Two Little Miracles

Amidst all the craziness that's been going on in my life I have been lucky enough to witness a wonderful event.

A friend with whom I work and his wife, with lots of faith and lots of hope, made the decision to initiate the adoption process back in June/July 2007. They applied to an agency where a friend from their church works. They went through the classes, background checks, home visits, paperwork, etc. Time passed and nothing happened. As 2007 drew to a close they were starting to believe it wouldn't happen, in fact they told each other "It looks like we're not going to have children" and they started to plan their annual summer vacation for 2008.

Through a series of events and conversations, my friend and his wife were told of a woman who had 5 kids - two of them infant twins - and needed to give up the twins, because she simply couldn't afford them. On January 3rd, my friend made an initial phone call to find out the details about the situation. Many phone calls later to lawyers, the birth mother, the agency's social worker and others, on January 9th my friends drove to Central Florida and came home with beautiful, 6 month-old fraternal twin girls. The lucky little girls are absolutely adorable, and the parents are beaming with happiness.

In just 6 days the lives of 4 people (plus extended friends and family) were changed forever! The clincher: the girls were named Faith and Hope by tehir birth mother! And, they were born at about the same time my friends decided to try to adopt.

Here they are, Faith on the left and Hope on the right.



These little girls are so blessed and have been greeted with so much love that their new dad was a bit overwhelmed the other day as he thanked all of us for the quick baby shower we put together for them. They had less than a month to prepare for not one but two babies - they had nothing! He told me that it hadn't been just us, but the new mom's workplace had done the same thing, as had members of their church along with their family.

What a way to begin the new year! I was lucky enough to see a miracle occur, one that has blessed four very special people.

The Lola Shuffle - "The Miami Book Fair 2007" Edition

It's my favorite weekend of the year! The Miami Book Fair International 2007 is here!

I'm so excited I can't stand myself! And it looks like it's going to be a beautiful weekend to boot!

I've got a full schedule Saturday (lots of conflicts actually), not so much on Sunday - but here are my expected highlights (there's always a surprise):

• Erica Jong !!! (OHMYGOD YAY!)
• Ralph Nader
• Judge Marilyn Milian (from "The People's Court" - I love her. It's a guilty pleasure, what can I say? Plus she's a cubanita from Miami - it's a solidarity thing)
• the panel on "Why Kerouac Matters: The Lessons of On the Road (They're Not What You Think)’’
• Amiri Baraka
• Jeffrey Toobin
• The "Cubans in Paris circa 1840" panel

I'll be there - up front in the *reserved rows* because I'm a "Friend of the Fair" and get priority seating. Yes - I am just *that* special!

Happy, happy, joy, joy!

OK Lola, shuffle up something literary...

1. Wanted Dead or Alive - Bon Jovi
2. Born in the USA - Bruce Springsteen (Totally random - I swear! It had nothing to do with yesterday's rant. Dayum - Jersey in da' house!)
3. Tell Me Something Good - Chaka Khan and Rufus (Does everyone love Chaka Khan?)
4. I Need You - America
5. Russians - Sting
6. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Queen (this song makes me happy)
7. I Want You Back - The Jackson 5 (Woo hoo! Go Tito, go Tito!)
8. Darkest Hour - Arlo Guthrie (It's always good to have a Guthrie to keep us honest - be it Woody or Arlo)
9. This Kiss - Faith Hill
10. All of Me - Billie Holiday (Ah, we hadn't heard the glorious Lady Day in a while...a wonderful way to end the shuffle!)

Have a wonderful weekend - if you're in South Florida, go to the Book Fair; if you're not - read a book!

And now, yet another installment in the "Another One Bites the Dust" Series

Adios Gonzales

From arguably the most famous Tango in the world: (Translation by me)

"Adiós muchachos, compañeros de mi vida,barra querida de aquellos tiempos. Me toca a mí hoy emprender la retirada,debo alejarme de mi buena muchachada. Adiós muchachos. Ya me voy y me resigno...Contra el destino nadie la talla..."

(Goodbye boys, companions of my lifetime, beloved bar of all those happy times. It is my turn today to take my my leave, I must depart from my happy youth. Goodbye boys. Now I'm leaving and resign myself...Against destiny no one can fight...)

Again - it's probably wrong at some deep spiritual level, but this just makes me happy.

Come on...sing along with me!

Na, na, na, na...na, na, na, na...hey hey hey...goodbyyyye! Na, na, na, na...na, na, na, na...hey hey hey...goodbyyyye!

A veritable embarrassment of riches! Two in the same day - Another installment in the "Another One Bites the Dust" Series

Bye bye baby, baby goodbye *

I can't blame Tony Snow really. Can you imagine being the spokesperson for this debacle of an administration? I actually kinda liked Tony.

Buh bye...(wave)

* Gratuitous, but always welcome, Bay City Rollers reference

And now, another installment in the "Another One Bites the Dust" Series (aka Rats Jumping from a Sinking Ship)

Hastert Is Outta Here!

I'm sorry but this amuses me...:)