Tiff the Mini Vaca

Doubletree Hotel Haikus

What is up with the
Poor customer service skills
Doubletree Hotel


Portland Doubletree
Take responsibility
Please do the right thing

X-BOX's New Version of "Rock Band"

I think that the makers of Rock Band should develop a new version of the game geared towards us hispanics. Mariachi Band! I know I'd rush out and buy it. Instead of drums, you could have trumpets and fiddles and the singer would have to sing Mariachi songs and do gritas. It'd be awesome!

Another 15 minutes of fame

Well, more like about 5 seconds of fame, but I ended up in a Group Health and STP promotional video on the Group Health web site. To check it out, click here

Soy Ice Cream Bar

United Haiku

United Airlines
Man at gate gave my seat up
Don't fly United

Me and some of "the girls" in Colorado

Here are some pics from my recent trip to Colorado. More pics and related blog postings are coming soon.

I think this one should be my new facebook pic

Cousin Darla on Rye and Nikki on Cowboy

Celebrity Sighting

At the airport in Denver, Nikki and I were in the same terminal with Shawn Johnson, Olympic gymnast and recent winner of DWTS (sorry - I still think Gilles was robbed). Mark was disappointed that we didn't congratulate her on her dancing victory, but I believe that just because someone is famous doesn't give me the right to invade their personal space and I'm not one for randomly talking to people I don't really know, unless they are JW's. If it were Hugh Jackman or Patrick Dempsey or a few other people, it may have been different....

G-Dawg the Sk8er Girl

In preparation of another summer at Alki, I am trying to teach Gobi how to ride my skateboard. So far, so good - it is a slow process, but we are definitely making progress. I will have to post pictures/video once we get her really going.

Late Morning T

Location: I'm physically at work, but in my mind, I am on a white sandy beach in Hawaii

Listening to: A Starbuck's CD - Mele O Hawaii (Songs of Hawaii), which explains where my head is right now.

Mood: Pensive and longing to be somewhere tropical.

My Talk

So last week I had a talk on happiness - in the front school, mind you. I think I like it better when I do an impromptu because I don't have as much time to panic. Well, anyway, I think as long as I don't throw up, pass out or die during a talk, it can be considered a success. Holy spirit is a powerful thing!

Tiff's Words of Wisdom

Don't put cans of hairspray and deodorant next to each other because some morning you might be getting ready for work while you are still half asleep and end up going all day with sticky pits and hair that smells "powder fresh."

Bhangra Bloody Bhangra

I recently got a new CD with the above title - it is Indian techno hip-hop music covering old Black Sabbath songs and I must say that I LOVE it.

American Idol Winner, Kris Allen

I don't think anyone was more shocked that Kris Allen to hear that he had one Season 8. Although appreciative, he almost relunctantly accepted the title after saying something like, "but Adam deserves this..." No one could ever accuse this kid of lacking humility.

Is it just me

Or did Katy Perry look like she was wearing an adult diaper last night on American Idol?

Tiff's Tips On Life

If you want to make a comment at the meeting on Sunday and your comment happens to contain information about doggy poo (ie how Paul compared the things of God and things of the world and he said everything else was "refuse" or as the KJ Bible puts it, "dung," meaning dog dung) it's best to think of an appropriate word for poo so there isn't an awkward pause before blurting out "doggy doody". I'm just saying...

Star Trek vs Wolverine

OK - they both have had huge media buzz, they both have state-of-the-art special effects and they both have origin stories. Who will win the battle of the blockbusters? So far, it looks like Trek is going to take it hands down. What do I think? Well, I must say, I'm a bit torn. Star Trek has a better story line that steers it away from the old Trek without compromising the essense of the a Star Trek movie, but the one thing it doesn't have that the new X-Men movie has is Hugh Jackman. Quite frankly, I may be out of my Vulcan mind, but the whole Wolverine movie could have consisted of Mr. Jackman sitting silently in a chair and I still would have seen it.

Geek?

So does the fact that I am seeing the first showing of the new Star Trek tonight after meeting make me a geek? Well, if it does, at least I'm not alone.

Tiff's Random Thought of the Day

Sadly, the brilliant epiphanies I have late at night when I'm acutely sleep-deprived are not the inventive, clever, life altering ideas I thought they were after I've attained an adequate amount of slumber.

Ice Cream and Firefighters

Ice cream and firefighters - what an awesome combination! Next Wednesday, April 29th Baskin Robbins is having a 31 cent scoop night. OK, it's not free like this week's Ben & Jerry's soiree was, but BR is making a $100,000 donation to the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC)National Junior Firefighter Program. For the details, click here. Ice cream and firefighters - you just can't go wrong on this one, ladies!

Free Cone Day

Yesterday was "Free Cone Day" at Ben & Jerry's and an awesome sister from Yesler was kind enough to send an email informing me of this special day. Throwing caution and a dairy intolerance/allergy to the wind, I had me a cone. Coconut - so yummy! Even with the gastrointestinal issues later on, it was totally worth it!

Late Afternoon T

Location: Work

Listening to: Brandi Carlile's "The Story"

Mood: Generally stuffy - my office is hot and I'm congested. I know it's only barely just begun, but I can't wait for Spring to end.

Late Afternoon T

Location: Work, but getting ready to leave soon for Bellevue where I will be attending a Search and Rescue unit meeting.

Listening to: Adam Lambert's version of Tears For Fears, "Mad World." I clicked on the link from C's blog, although if you want to see it now, click here. I never had really gotten into AI much before, but this Adam dude has an amazing voice - it's not much of a competition if you go by talent alone.

Mood: A bit excited about joining SAR - it should be a good outlet for this trauma junkie. =)

Tiff's Random Thought of the Day

There's just something almost magical about whipped cream.

Tiff's Tips On Life

Don't watch multiple episodes of Mystery Diagnosis late at night when you are sick and have a high fever, because invariably you will think you have every disease they showcase.

Tiff's Tips

I don't generally recommend movies unless it's maybe a rated G kids film because I know that consciences vary and I don't want to offend or stumble anyone. So, taking that into account, I am not recommending this movie - I'm just making a suggestion if you do see this one. If you go to see Duplicity, there is a lot going on in this film, in fact, sometimes the screen splits into four different scenes and there are a lot of plot twists and turns, so if at all possible, I would recommend not getting up to go to the bathroom, because if you do, you probably will be totally lost when you get back.

Morning T

Location: Work, although I still feel cruddy and wish I was at home in bed. Gobi likes it when I'm home sick because then she gets to hang with me all day and being the self-centered little beast she is, she doesn't care that I feel sick.

Listening to: AR Rahman's "Shakalaka Baby." This is one of the songs in the Broadway musical, "Bombay Dreams" which Nikki and I and a couple of other sisters saw at the Paramount a few years ago.

Mood: A bit grumpy because I'm nauseated, congested and I have a headache. Spring has finally come and it is kicking my tuchas!

Afternon T

Location: Back at work after an extended illness - I was out parts of 2 weeks with a viral infection. Yuck!

Listening to: Adam Sandler's "Hine Ma Tov" off of "The Jewish Songbook, The Heart & Humor of a People" album. I'm trying to get a better feel for the Jewish part of my 'alleged' heritage. I think this is the only song I've heard Sandler sing where he's not trying to be funny - I think I prefer Jason Alexander's "Shake Hands With Your Uncle Max."

Mood: A little queasy and wiped, but I'm still hoping to go out this evening after work and help finish distributing Memorial invitations.

Sorry

I haven't blogged much at all lately - I've got the flu and it's hard to be witty or creative when all you wanna do is stop throwing up and sleep.

Dance

We all have moments in life when we just gotta dance!

Rosie

She was already a pretty old girl in this pic, but still had a lot of spunk. I used to take her to Pike Place Market in a backpack so she wouldn't get stepped on by the throngs of people. I miss my buddy!

Morning T

Location: Too obvious

Listening to: The soundtrack to Dan in Real Life - Sondre Lerche is awesome!

Mood: Blahhhh

Late Afternoon T

Location: At work, as usual...working late, as usual

Listening to: Jim Bianco's "I Got a Thing for You" off of his "Sing" album

Mood: Feeling a little irritated with Gobi - I know she's not that bright and it's probably a good thing that she is adjusting well to life without Rosie, but there's a little piece of me that fears that I am raising a callous little beastie. Well, insensitive or not, I still love the little punk, but I sooooo miss my Po Po.

Got Stress?

Feeling some tension in you life? Want a fun way to relieve the stress? Click here

Negative Affirmation of the Day

OK - here's another posting from my old blog that I've decided to bring back.

My life is like a romantic dramedy, but with more sadness, less romance and no happy ending.

Wow - I seem to be in a rather foul mood today. Sorry.

Afternon T

Location: At work - yes, I know it's Saturday, but we are chronically understaffed and I am chronically overworked

Listening to: Lenka

Mood: Tired with a headache and I think the rest of my body has picked a fight with my stomach and my stomach is winning plus, I really miss Rosie. This system stinks.

Late Morning T

OK - I've decided to try and blog on a more regular and consistent basis, so I've resurrected from my old blog the Daily T posting.

Location: my cube - sometimes I feel like I live here.

Listening to: Neko Case"s "This Tornado Loves You"

Mood: Sad, stressed, overwhelmed and anemic (Is anemic a mood?)

March 9th, a day of infamy

March 9th was a real stinker of a day. I've had some really bad days over the last few months with a lot of bad news coming my way, but March 9th really sucked. I thought at first that Rosie was just asleep - I was wrong. This really really stinks.

Daylight Savings Stinks!

Granted, it is nice to leave for the bus early in the morning and not have it still really dark out, but losing an hour of much needed sleep on Sunday and having my sleep schedule completely thrown off for the next few weeks makes it so not worth it! Daylight Savings - I HATE you, I LOATHE you, I wish you'd never been invented!

To the guy who was hooked up to an oxygen tank and smoking a cigarette...

Dude - what were you thinking?!!!!! Were you hoping to burst into flame, or better yet, explode and take out anyone standing near you? Stupid!!!!

Urban Slang for the Hip Jedi

Yo dawg, my homeboys are not the gangsta droids you're lookin for - step off!

Urban Slang for the Hip Jew

Step off \step-'of\ - to back off or retreat from a situation in order to avoid a confrontation.

Grill \gril\ - face

Chutzpah \chkoots' pah\ - nerve, gall, brazeness, audacity

Tuchus \took' us\ - rear end, butt, behind, derriere

Props to your chutzpah, dawg, but you need to step off and get out of my grill before I pop a cap in your tuchus.

My Bacon Haiku

Bacon makes it hard

to be a Jew at breakfast

No Kosher bacon


Copyright 2008 by Rivera T

You're only as old as you feel you are

This morning while I was out in service, this sister was telling me about this psychologist dude who has a book or something about a person's "eternal age." It's the age one feels they are, which can be quite different from their actual age. He said that most people stay a certain age in their head and a significant event in their life can play a part in what age that is. That being said, I turned 25(ish) again a couple of days ago. I refuse to go any higher than that - at least in this system. Maybe, if this system lasts long enough (though I really hope it doesn't) and I'm literally in my fifties, I might be ok with the term, "realy, really, really late twenties."

My name is Tiff and...

I'm an Idolholic. Well, they say that admitting it is the first step towards recovery. Honestly, I probably wouldn't be admitting to this, but a close friend of mine today confessed to her following the show this season and that gave me the courage to admit that I, too, have a problem. I blame Mark. He had a cable guy out here a few weeks ago to fix his hi-def and in the process of fixing it, the cable guy disconnected my line. Since it's Mark's account, he has to call he guy to fix it and my procrastinating bro has yet to do it. Channel 13 is the only station I get in clearly. When Idol started, I just had the tv on for noise, but that's how it starts. Then there was this guy who looks like Robert Downey Jr., and he can really sing, and he has this sob story about lsoing his wife...next thing you know, I'm not only watching the show, but actually calling in and voting! What has become of me?!!! Is there a 12-step program I can join? Somebody organize and intervention, please! I hear that Idol is the gateway drug of bad reality tv; pretty soon I could be watching Survivor, or The Bachelor or any of those stupid pseudo-reality MTV shows that feature Lauren Conrad and company. Yikes! If I start watching Bromance, you have my permission to shoot me.

BTW - I still secretly hope that Danny Gokey wins this season. Go Danny!

He's Just Not That Into You

OK - all of you girls out there who haven't seen this movis are probably thinking it's the ultimate chick flick and you just can't wait to see it. Conversely, all of you guys are probably thinking, "Oh no - she's gonna try and drag me to another lame chick flick. Well, fellows, check out this youtube video and you may change your mind.

My New Ride

No Car Yet

Car salesmen are so stinkin shady!

A New Car

Might get a new car today, but not sure yet. I'll update y'all later.

Who woulda thought?

Today, Nikki and I were driving through Redmond on our way to Duvall when I noticed a sign for the Rosa Parks Elementary School. Hmmmmm - an grade school named after a famous figure in racial equality...in Redmond, Washington. I wonder how many African American kids actually go to that school. It just seems a bit odd to me; kind of like having a MLK Jr. Day Parade starting with festivities in Enumclaw and ending with a Equal Rights Ball in Yelm.