A (Web Copy) Writer's Dream

Write. That's what everybody in my community of other writer says. Write about anything, daily. There are no rules, just allot time - maybe 30 minutes (to an hour or two) daily to write about anything. As I'm typing this, my mind is running different images of what I can write about. It's quite fascinating. It's like my mind is rolling like a Rolodex full of ideas but for the life of me, I can't decide on which one. Here are some examples: 

1. My love life - but who wants to know about THAT? 

2. My favorite kitchen items 

3. My choices in life 

4. Books that I enjoyed reading - I already did this weeks ago...

5. My New York life and what New York taught me all these years 

6. My favorite TV shows - old and new 

7. My recipes

I mean I could go on and on. On this list I noticed, it's all about what I want- it's all about me. Wow I can actually hear my boyfriend laughing his ass off saying - "Well the world only revolves around one person you know... You." People from my community are all saying, the audience doesn't care about me, the writer. They care about them and what I CAN do for them, you know content-wise. 

I wish I can be like those writers who can whip up content just like that. I also wish I can shadow a writer / copywriter to actually know what they do to write or research. Basically their routine when they're working on a project. I also need a website, to showcase my writing and to apply for writing projects. I know all these things that I have to do but every time I think about it, my mind shuts down and end up doing NOTHING. 

Am I still making sense here? LOL I wish the next time I write on here, I have some news or some epiphany or something. Things that go toward to my goal. To become a web copywriter.   

My Top 3 Books in 2019

One of my resolutions last year was to read at least 3 books and I'm happy to tell you I've read more than that. I've read around 15 or so in 2019. Most of the books I bought were on the sale shelf of Book Culture or from the gentlemen at the UWS streets.

I have read a lot of novels and some biography too; but I 'll share with you the top 3 books I've enjoyed reading in 2019.

1. Who Thought This Was A Good Idea? by Alyssa Mastromonaco 

Written in such a relatable way, I have instantly felt a personal connection with Alyssa reading the first few pages of her book. From her IBS (I don't have it BUT how she reacts and handles it is very similar on how I would in my "oh fuck" moments), to her visits in other countries (I especially liked the Buckingham Palace story), to her wearing simple J Crew clothes and her BIG LOVE for cats! I enjoy reading through this book from start to finish because it sounded like she was talking to me directly. I have learned a handful tricks of the trade from her and had a closer look at her job at the White House during the Obama administration. I also love how she was able to change the bathrooms in the White House to be more woman-friendly. You have got to read her book it is so entertaining and inspiring. I may have said to a friend that Alyssa is my person. You know what? She really is.


2. The Bishop's Pawn by Steve Berry

I have a thing about procedural TV shows especially if they're about heists, busting heists, government and courtroom drama, art forgery, FBI crime scenes and the nitty-gritty way of solving them and other things of that nature. That being said, my book choices also reflects the same genre. This particular book have those elements. Based on the assassination of Martin Luther King, this novel is both exciting and educational. You will learn a little bit more about MLK and his colleagues as much as you will learn something about the US Government and how they probably operate. It's an interesting take on a real life event interspersed with fictional characters complimenting the story even more. I guarantee you, you will find it so difficult to put the book down!

3. I'll See You In Paris by Michelle Gable 

This is best book I've read in 2019! Normally I'd read a book for a week to 2 (In my defense, I only read when I have time while at work or during my train ride to and from work!). This novel took me 3 days! It's that good. Michelle's love for Paris, her take on telling the tale of the Duchess of Marlborough, the characters and twists are the reasons why I fell in love with this novel. It's such an easy read and the story line for each of the characters are amazing. It's not your ordinary love story that's for sure. If you read this book, you're in for a different world and time (both literally and figuratively) you'll enjoy every page!

So there you have it, a few of the books I've read last year that I enjoyed the most. I plan to read more books this year. As a matter of fact, I have Alyssa's other book - So Here's The Thing... and also Michelle Gable's A Paris Apartment. They're definitely on my reading list for 2020!

Aside from writing, reading is one of my favorite things to do (and makes me feel productive and relevant). I'm glad I got back to reading for pleasure again. I've been off it for years. Well, I promise myself, not anymore!

Happy New Decade!

Goooood morning! It’s January 3rd of the new decade 2020! 

Honestly, I didn’t immediately feel the (supposedly) wondrous feeling of welcoming the new year/decade until I was scouring through my brain of the highlights and lowlights of the past TEN YEARS! It wasn’t easy though as some of those moments I’d rather not think about like ever again BUT nevertheless I think it was important. That’s for another blog post. Haha! 

Today, I want to write to declutter my mind. Free some space for other things hopefully positive and productive. It’s a cold and wet day today in NYC. I’ve been here almost 5 years and this is the wettest fall/winter ever! I’ll say it till I’m blue in the face, Mother Nature is STRESSED! It’s time to be more environment-conscious. More so than ever. 

Anyway, the past holiday was a blast. I love how simple it was for me and Antonio. It’s all we ever wanted. Now, if my family were here OR we were there back home with them THAT would’ve been much more amazing. I still pray that it will happen one of these days. I’m not losing hope- although I know I need to work some things for it to actually happen. 

I had a week off and we just wandered around Manhattan and Queens before and after Christmas just being together. Spent a majority of those times at home cooking (me), eating (both of us) and watching TV. Side note: The Witcher is soooo good. I’m a fan. Also, Don’t F*ck with Cats - creepy and amazing documentary.

I’m thankful for the past year. I summed it up by saying it was an “okay” year. Hey, better okay than NOT okay you know what I’m saying? This year I will make sure it’s okay or better. I’ve listed some resolutions and I promise to try and abide by them. I’m proud to say that I did HALF of my 2019 resolutions- that’s not bad right? Hahaha 

I feel a lot of hope (as I do every year) for 2020. But I also know I have to work to be able to achieve some of my future goals. I promised myself that. This year I need to start asking the right questions and discuss tough topics. I’ve got to be more assertive to ensure our future isn’t blurry. So much to do! 

Well, I have to start something, right? That’s why I’m back here writing whatever is on my mind. I keep forgetting how WONDERFUL writing is and what it does to my well being. With that, I greet you all a HAPPY, PROSPEROUS 2020! 

To Kid or not to Kid

I never thought that I would actually ask myself one day if I wanted to have kids. If you know me back when, you probably would assume that by this time, I already have a family. A kid. Okay, kids. Heck I thought I would. But no. It didn't happen. And I think that's okay.

At this time, I think I've surpassed the When are you getting married type questions, I mean finally! But, what I didn't anticipate is that at my age (the glamorous age of 38) almost everyone in my life is bound to ask me one way or the other the next million dollar question - Do you have kids? Or When are you having kids? 

It's a whole new ball game my friends.

Now what boggles me is that when I'm asked about it, I don't know what to say. Or that I'm afraid they won't like or understand my choice. You see, I'm gearing towards the I don't want kids answer. For a lot of reasons.

First and probably the biggest one - kids aren’t for me. Yes I know I’ll be a great mom and yes I know (from dear friends who always remind me) that if it’s MY kid I’ll be feeling differently. God honest truth I’m not great with kids. I don’t know how to talk to them except in an adult-kind of way. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t talk to them like I would talk to my boss during a presentation but I just don’t know how to communicate with a child in a Mom kind of way. I just don’t. I’m awkward around kids. My closest friends for sure have noticed that.

Second, I have an inkling fear borderline phobia about being responsible for a young precious life. I feel such powerful pressure of making sure they grow up responsible and kind and loving. I’m afraid that I would be so protective of this child to point of that said child will hate me for it. I feel that once I become a parent, I will be a neurotic mom who shields my child from anything that will bring them sadness, hurt and pain and... dirt. Now tell me, that’s not right, RIGHT?

This will sound so selfish, but I also am so scared of going through what parents go through when their child is sick or sad or been in an accident. My heart is so weak that I know I’d die first before my child. I remember when my 2 year old nephew had a seizure because his temperature got so high (104F) and I saw firsthand what had happen to him. It’s hard not to shed a tear while writing this as I recall what happened that night. Instead of helping my sister in law in getting cold water or ice I just broke down on my knees and cried- hysterically mind you. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe. I made the situation worse.

And lastly, it means money. I apologize if I sound insensitive, but let's be real. Having kids equate to money- which we don't have right now. I mean I do of course but I don’t have enough to give my child a comfortable life. That’s another thing, for me- if God gives us a child I will love that kid with all of me but I will see to it that he/she will have a nice life; even if it kills me. This is unfortunately, something that I can’t promise at the moment.

Now you may say well, you will figure it out. That’s the thing- I have figured it out and I know for a fact that having kids is not something I’m interested in having. It’s simply not my choice. I wish people in my life will understand my decision. It’s a hard one to accept that’s for sure especially that society dictated many, many moons ago that women SHOULD have children. I also hope in the future that I’ll be able to tell others MY choice and not feel scared about what society will say.

35-Somethings

Grade school. How was yours? Mine was okay. It was...normal. It wasn't mundane. I had the same classmates from 3rd grade till the 6th grade. You can say that we technically grew up together. And we did. We are all blessed to have found lifetime friends in this bunch.

Would you believe that up to this time my grade school classmates and I are still communicating? Yes sir! We are still connected and it's awesome! Well, we thank Facebook for this wonderful opportunity of staying connected after all these years. True, there were years of gap from when we all graduated the 6th grade till when Facebook was created but nevertheless we found each other again and here we are.

It's so nice to talk to people who basically knew you since you weren't old enough to own a cellphone or young enough to play super hyper active games after school hours while waiting for the bus driver. It's also nice to know that you are not the only 35-something human being still trying to figure what you can offer this lifetime.

I love how my Facebook messanger explodes of messages I had to back read to catch up with my peeps from the other side of the world and chime in on whatever topic they're yapping about. Usually it's family life, careers or the lack thereof, where on earth is what's his face, when's the next reunion, beer or hard drinks - but my favorite topic of all are the memories. Everybody gets a good laugh out of it. The silliness and absurdity of our childhood. Oh it's the best!

Talking (or chatting) with them makes me happy is because I never feel our age. To me it feels like I am still talking to the same bozos of 1989. Like, we are still those younglings and we never really grew old. It's as if in that group chat, it's still 1990. I don't know but that's just me. But I'm sure they will all agree with me when I say that- in that group chat time stops and we get to leave the pressures of life and just for a few moments we are grade schoolers again.

Much love to 6-Star, 1994.

-T

A Welcomed Change

I appreciate technology.  Sure, it made me a wee bit lazy at some aspects in my life (Right, Alexa?), but over all it does some other great things to make our lives a little easier. The best thing technology has done for most of us and I'm pretty sure a lot of you will agree with me on this - it's communication. It definitely made communicating better, easier and live in living color.

Home sickness for people like me who moved on the other side of the world is a thing of the past. Well, okay fine we still feel home sick but it definitely lessen when my mom video calls me. All thanks to technology. Long distance relationships aren't that bad anymore because again - Face Time. Stuck in traffic and running a little late for that meeting? No problem! Get your smart phone, check your email for that Go To Meeting invite and voila.

It's true that technology may have ruin some parts of our daily lives but admit it or not, it did and it still is doing some pretty cool things too. I don't know about you but I'm embracing this welcomed change. If used wisely and with caution, we'll reap its advantages for the betterment of our limited existence.

So to Technology, thank you!

-T

Adjusted by the Bureau

Have you seen The Adjustment Bureau? You probably have. I mean it's a movie from 2011. I have just seen it. Today. Out of a whim, because I have a habit of flipping through all channels before settling for a show that I feel I like or have just started. Anyway, today while I was doing my thing with the TV before making breakfast I saw it on the SYFY channel and it was just starting- and let me tell you something, I kinda dig it. Plus, Emily Blunt is in it, so why not? Also, Falcon is there too, only skinnier.

What if there really is an Adjustment Bureau? What if there are people or machines who control our decisions and choices? Ones who basically controls our lives and where it goes or not go for that matter? If there is such a bureau, we cannot exercise our supposedly God given free will. 

I like what Falcon said at the end of the movie; we really don't care about how important free will is to us until it is threatened to be taken away from us. Or something to that effect. You get the idea right? I wonder what I would do if all of sudden my free will to choose whether to get a plain bagel or an everything bagel is taken away from me. What do I do if my free will to choose what I want to do with my life is taken from me, instead some bureau will alter my decisions to have their way and bring their plans to life, my life? Now granted I wouldn't know all these because the bureau acts outside afar from normal people, you know like in the movie? But what if I knew? What then? I'll probably fight them like what Matt Damon did. Plus, I can go through doors to random beautiful places in New York, free of charge? Uhm, yes please. 

It's easy to take for granted important aspects of our lives i.e free will. It's equally important to the air we breathe everyday. That's also why we, as humans need to protect it by not abusing it. In turn we must be grateful that we have it. But how to protect it? I've always believe in what my Pop tells me all the time when I'm about to inhale a tub of ice cream. All is good until you over do it. Everything can and should be done in moderation. Just like in practicing our free will. We must think and rethink what we do and what we decide on. Will it affect me? Will it affect the people around me? Is it good? Is it worth it? Actively ask yourselves these questions. Just because it's free we can run around abusing it. Obviously, I am not talking about little things like what movies to watch or which Game of Thrones character you like best. I'm talking about big important choices we are handed by God and humans. Look, all I'm saying is free will is a gift, let's pray it won't be taken away from us.

Oh and by the way, I thought I could never love the beautiful Ms. Emily Blunt more but this movie did it.

Have a super Saturday, ya'll.

-T