4 Years & Going Strong

We are complete opposites, but we compliment each other in all the right ways.
I'm so glad that I met you 4 years ago. It's funny how you were right in front of my face all along. I can't wait until you get back from Iraq so we can celebrate this day correctly.

Mahal Kita babe!

Motivation

With a little help from the Lottery,
I'll make my closet just like this picture!

& She's going to be my motivation to continue P90x, the Gym, & Eating right.
I need my summer body!

Natural Nude Lips

If you don't already follow her on youtube, you should! She's really funny & you learn about great make-up and beauty tips while watching! :) Enjoy!

p.s. here's a link if you want to see more of her videos on youtube!

http://www.youtube.com/user/JLovesMac1#p/u/0/z9hkOlm2SIw

Steve Madden

OMG *drool*
I've found a reason to start saving.
$100.00 & you'll be mine!

Lady Gaga: Born this way

what do you all think about her music video?
Personally, I liked her Grammy performance better.

Katy Perry Nail Polish

want.

Take My Hand...

...Shawty I'll take you there?

Cultural Awareness

"The world is not a problem; the problem is your unawareness"

I really dislike it when people don't know how to act (or keep their mouth shut) around other cultures. It embarrasses me and makes me somewhat ashamed for being your friend.

Respect my culture because I respect yours.
I don't call you names, so don't call me or my friends names.
How would you like it if I made jokes about your culture?
That's all I have to say.

On a lighter note, my sister performed with PASS (Pilipino American Student Society) this past weekend! She did a cultural dance called Tinikling! I'm so proud of her!

Is it summer yet?

Photographer: D. Anderson

Gosh... I miss the summer sun.

Skype does wonders for those close at heart but far in distance.

( *BASA AKO*)

Kristy & I on skype. We could lose track of time just catching up!
I love chatting with her! She is currently in the Philippines and taking fashion classes!

To read about her exciting excoursions, follow her at:
http://roamingkring.blogspot.com/

If you don't have a Skype account, I suggest that you get online and immediately create one. Skype does wonders when family and friends are scattered around the globe. One of my best girlfriends is currently in the Philippines and it was great catching up with her via skype on Valentine's Day! She's currently taking classes over there & I'm so proud of her! It's really great to catch up with girlfriends and share new and exciting stories!

My boyfriend & I have yet to experience a Valentine's Day where we are both in touching distance. Unfortunately his job is the one to blame. This year, his job has taken him halfway around the world, so we had a skype date this Valentine's day.I had received a package several days ago and anxiously awaited for Feb. 14th to roll around so that I could open it! Every night, he would call me and accuse me of peaking, but I must say that I had pretty good will power this year. Finally... it was time to end all the suspense!

It was definitely worth the wait!

I am currently in my final semester towards my BA in Art Education with a concentration in Ceramics. I will be certified to teach Art in grades K-12. He bought real pearl earrings for me because "it's simple and sophisticated and great for teaching." Also, he says "i deserve the real sh*t" haha. How cute. Thanks babe! I love you!

Valentine's day isn't just about couples. Valentine's day is also a great day to "spread the love" to all the people who love you back. I love my friends and family dearly, so happy Valentine's day to them as well! My grandma sent me a card! She's so sweet. Also, I woke up to something really special from my roommate, Vida. She tiptoed into my room early this morning and placed this on my pillow. She's so sweet!Thanks Vida!
My girlfriends and I went out for a sushi date & when Vida and I got home, her boyfriend Chris (who is also my roommate) made us an awesome dinner consisting of salad, steak, and fudge to dip our fruit in for dessert. He impressed Vida big time!
Spinach salad w/ strawberries and pineapple, honey roasted peanuts, and a vinaigrette that Chris made on his own (vinegar, natural fruit juice, and sugar)! IMPRESSIVE!
The chef, himself! Diggin' the apron!

mmm his steak was so awesome! I told him to teach me how to make it before Aldrin comes home so I can make him some steak for dinner one day! I would have taken a picture of the fudge and fruit, but ... it's all gone =/.

Well, Happy Valentine's Day to everyone on this amazing day! I am so blessed to have all my wonderful friends and family in my life & I love you all! CHEEZY!

Cuddle Fuddle by Passion Pit to end this Blog.
This song makes me Smile! Enjoy!

Salmon Soup

As we all know, salmon is really good for you. Here's a breakdown of what salmon can do to benefit your health!

• Muscles, Tissues, Enzymes, Hormones etc.: Proteins or amino acids are essential components of our cells, tissues, enzymes, hormones and every other body part. The proteins from salmon (and most other fishes) are easy digestible and easily absorbed into the body. They do neither have any adverse side effects nor contain carcinogenic compounds, like other meats do. Salmons are also source of good fat (omega-3 fatty acids) which also plays a vital role in keeping you healthy. Salmon is also rich in some of the very essential minerals like iron, calcium, selenium and phosphorus and vitamins like A, B and D. Selenium, which is very necessary for building up of tissues, hair, nails etc., is best obtained from animal proteins and among which, salmon is one of the best.
• Cardio-Vascular Health: While the Omega-3 Fatty Acids help reduce cholesterol, maintain flexibility of arteries and veins and strengthen cardiac muscles, the essential amino acids repair damages to the cardio-vascular tissues. They help reduce the blood pressure too, as they lower cholesterol level and prevent hardening of walls of arteries and veins, thereby considerably reducing the chances of heart attack.
• Metabolism: The Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin-D and selenium, together help increase influence of insulin, thereby facilitating absorption of sugar and consequent lowering of blood sugar level.
• Eye Care: Again, the Omega-3 fatty acids and amino acids help prevent macular degeneration, dryness, loss of vision and fatigue of eyes. It is a proven fact that people who eat fishes regularly or more than others, have better vision than others, longer.
• Brain & Nerves: The Omega-3 fatty acids increase efficiency of the brain, improves memory and keep it wide awake during long working hours. In company with the amino acids, vitamin-A & D and selenium, these fatty acids protect nervous system from damages from aging, act as anti depressant, relaxes the brain and are also helpful in treating Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Perhaps that is why the fish eaters are supposed to be more intelligent than the meat eaters.
• Other Benefits: Omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation of the arteries and digestive system, reduce chances of cancer of colon, prostrate and kidneys etc., improve skin texture, add shining to eyes, skin, hair and nails and help in the growth of beneficial bacteria in the colon. The fatter the salmon, the more nutritious and healthy it is. It is a good protein supplement of older or sick people too, being easy digestible. In some parts of the world, it is cheaper than other sources of animal proteins such as meat, poultry etc.

My soup contains salmon, onions, tomatoes, spinach, tomatoes, corn, ginger, and some patis. It's pretty easy to make and it's really healthy too! Can't ask for anything better on a cold Michigan night. Enjoy & stay warm everyone!

Built to perfection!

**nom nom nom. **
Sauteed turkey, freshly chopped spinach, tomatoes, and onions w/ cheese
& stuffed in a fluffy abundance of egg. Topped with a sprinkle of pepper.
Enjoy ;)

HW time!

I had only 2 hours of sleep last night.
Yet, I must say that I feel quite accomplished.

*sigh*

She makes me want to drop everything &
move to the PI & become a star/model/anything.
A girl can dream.

Dog Days Are Over

Aldrin's Dog: Adobo (Bo)

"Dear immature neighbors downstairs,

Karma is a bitch.

Just remember who is on top.

Love, the mature neighbors upstairs."

Upon my return from winter break, my boyfriend was informed that he would be leaving for Iraq. He had to pack up all of this possessions, place it in storage, and a bunch of other stuff within a week and a half and leave for training. Since he didn't have enough time to drive Bo (our dog) to Florida, I kept him at my apartment complex in hopes of finding a place for him near me so I can still keep an eye on him and make sure he's okay. Things were fine for a while, but as soon as my downstairs neighbors found out that we had a dog, they started to harass us.

1. Wednesday approx 10:30pm. The girl from downstairs banged on our door really loud. Bo Barked and we sent him to his crate. The girl left a message stating "Shut your fucking dog up. You're not even supposed to have them assholes".
   
2. The next Wednesday approx 10:15pm. Me and my roommates were all doing hw and Bo was on the floor chewing a toy. The neighbors downstairs banged on their roof because we were apparently being loud.
3. The next Thursday after that (my birthday). People came over and we were just having a good time. A guy from downstairs came to our apartment and said for us to stop jumping. We were at the table.
4. The next day (Wednesday). There was no school due to a snowstorm. My roommates and I rearranged our rooms and watched a movie before going to bed at 12. At 2am, someone was banging on our door loudly and of course we all woke up scared. Bo barked. The next day i noticed our doormat was missing. They threw it in the snow. Real mature.

After incident No.1, my roommate Chris & I went downstairs and apologized. I told her what the scenario was and that the dog would not be with us for a long time. She looked like she understood and we thought we were fine.
After incident No.2, we thought maybe it was something else and that we just were assuming they were mad at us or something.
After incident No.3, I was pretty pissed because it was my birthday and they were telling me to be quiet at my own birthday party?! First of all, they have loud partied too sometimes, but I never minded it. Also, this was when I realized that they were just using Bo as an excuse to make us be quiet all the time... sort of like "be quiet or else we will tell".
When incident No.4 happened, we knew for sure that they were immature. Here we were trying to be considerate and walk with lighter steps and keep Bo from getting excited. I would take him to the dog park so that he would get tired and just sleep or chew on his toys at the apartment. Chris, Vida, & I went downstairs to confront them and we even went down there to try to talk to them and ask them what their problem was. Haha Chris even brought down a pen and paper to try and come up with rules or something. When she answered the door, she denied taking our doormat and throwing it in the snow. I really hate liars.

Last night, I came home, collected the mail from the mailbox and went to my room. I opened a letter from Berrytree and it stated that it has come to their attention that we have a dog and that we violated the lease, therefore we will be evicted and that we need to find a different apartment. Also, they said that we have to pay $200.00 plus $25.00 per day that he was in this apartment. As i read and re-read the letter, my hands shook and I was terrified. Just thinking about leaving this apartment, having to find another apartment, paying for all the things accumulating in my head... It was just too much. It didn't help either that my boyfriend was about to board his flight to Iraq in less than 5 hours. I called him and basically had a severe breakdown. What should I do?!

The next day, eyes all puffy and my face looking all crazy, I managed to put on enough make-up to conceal all the craziness on my face and Chris and I went to go talk to the manager, Carol. She was nice about the whole ordeal. I told her about my boyfriend leaving (ugh and sadly i was an emotional wreck) and then i went on to tell her about how Bo was with us for a few weeks but he is currently with a caretaker now. She told me that Berrytree was in the process of allowing pets (starting August) and she was going to look into it and see if I could have that capability earlier. That was a relief! She also went on to say that she would not have known without people complaining. She said that 3 different people complained of barking. Bo never barks! He only barked those two times when people were banging on our door! She also said something that shocked me. She said that the people undearneath us complained of urine coming from our patio onto their patio! LIES! LIES! LIES! They must have heard me trying to train Bo to pee on the pee pad that I had bought but he would not pee on it at all! He would just look at me with his "im not sure what you're talking about" face. LOL the girl LIED! The only places Bo ever went to the bathroom would have been across the street or over the railroad tracks. He never peed on the patio! OMG I went all crazy after that.
Anways, she had the fees waived and said we don't have to pay anything and she was going to look into getting me permission to keep Bo at the apartment. Also, she was going to look into our harassment complaints. I've been doing some payback too. All day, I've been stomping around.
Things are still looking up. I'll keep you all posted as to what happens to the downstairs neighbors and what will happen to Bo.

Here's a little video to end on a happy note. The dog days are really over! :)

Florence and the Machine "DOG DAYS ARE OVER" Music Video from LEGS MEDIA on Vimeo.

i miss you already

My wonderful boyfriend deployed today.
I miss him so much & it hasn't even been 15 minutes.

This week in the Velvet Rope...

I spy me & Bo.
hint: bottom left.

:) AHHHH!! still pinching myself...

Detroit Exposure #2

Maria K. | Lifestyle Portraiture
Preview.coming soon
Photo by : Joshua Hanford
joshuahanford@detroitexposure.com

BAM! that's ME!

Spring/Summer 2011

Only a few more months until the snow & harsh winds vanish
and the grass and flowers take their rightful spots.
Also, I get to immerse myself in the Spring/Summer 2011 fashion trends!
Can't wait!

DONT touch my shit!

HHAHA this is funny! I'm so glad I had good roommates ;) Enjoy!

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Hit the Refesh Button

My new year's resolution was to "Quit Complaining & DO Something About It." I would religiously vent out my frustrations to either my friends, family, (really anyone who wanted to hear about it lol) but most frequently to... my boyfriend. It felt good hearing his perspective about the situations that I would thoroughly describe for him. Most of the time I would cringe at his theories (because he likes to play devil's advocate... he really loves that role even though it drives me crazy) but I knew that I had to hear his perspective to rightfully play my move. Sometimes his suggestions would just take me overboard and I would say things like "why won't you just be on my side?!" Looking back, that's why I've chosen my new year's resolution. My boyfriend would say things like "it's easier to change yourself than (place name here)", and it's true.

Since new year's day, I've complained less, and lost weight in the process. I'm happier. I evaluate what I am negative about, & i do something about it instead of sulking around about it. Not happy about the excess fat around my belly? Eat healthier and try to get some workouts in during the day. Now that I have my boyfriend's dog with me, I wake up earlier, sleep later, and I'm more active than I used to be. Hah i've even rearranged my room due to these changes. I've been meaning to rearrange the room now for a while. Not to worry, I'll upload pictures soon :)

Feb. 1st was my 23rd birthday. I don't feel any different, but it's a way of looking at a new start. I'm well on my way & I have a good feeling about this year. May you all have a wonderful year and remember... If you're ever upset about something, don't complain.... do something about it!

The Big 23!

As a child, my sister and I would always share our birthdays.
We both were able to blow out the candles on the cake, receive presents,
and celebrate it as if it was our very own special day.

This year we recreated our birthday picture from our childhood,
& I let her blow out my birthday candles :)


happy birthday to me... I mean US !