I AM Miami! :)

So I got a job. And I'm so excited about it! Let me tell you the details...

I'll be writing for HelloMiami.com

I AM Miami. I will be the reviewer of restaurants and events for the website. It's sort of like a city guide on the web. So I'm getting paid for my time AT the restaurant, reimbursed for my meal, and then paid for the actual writing of the article! Also if I attend an event, that will also be paid for (the event and my time at the event). I'm even getting business cards, so yeah, big time.

So far I'm going to do around 15 hours per week, but later (hopefully) I'll be able to work for them full time!

I just wanted to share my good news with you all! I look forward to seeing EVERYONE at Christmas. I'll be in town on Tuesday, the 23rd.

Love,
Miami.

70 Degree Saturday! - Really.

Wow, Miami is sure warm! (Since everyone was blogging about the snow, I thought I'd share my weather as well!)

Today my book club had a holiday party. We met at a member's house and each brought a dessert and a book (that we already owned, used) to swap. What a relief not to have to buy a new book! Then we played Dirty Santa with them. I ended up with a book of short stories by Alice Munro, which I very much wanted. Then we discussed the book Persepolis, which we had read for December. It was a graphic novel (comic book-ish) autobiography/memoir about a girl growing up in Iran in the 1980s. It was very good and I highly recommend it. Gopal (one of my housemates) is reading it now. Aunt Becky: I'm bringing you Bel Canto for Christmas, and I really think you're going to like it!

One of the girls I met through the book club is in the Coast Guard and she's from Bowling Green Kentucky. The dessert she brought (and made) was Chocolate Bourbon Balls. A true KY girl. They were very yummy. She brought a lot so she told me to take some home with me, and the boys at my house liked them very much.

Then I went to the library and to do a little bit of Christmas shopping. Sadly, I'm not too far along. I'm more excited about coming home than doing shopping! Can't wait to see you all.

Trapeze was a COMPLETE BLAST! I'm debating running away with the Circus, since I love sequins so much anyways. Patty has pics/video and as soon as she gives them to me from her camera I will share them with you all.

Trapeze Wednesday?!

That's right. Tomorrow I'm going to take a trapeze lesson!

Patty, Tamara, Julie and I are all going to Miami Beach after work tomorrow to undergo a 2 hour trapeze lesson! If the decision to go wasn't so last minute, then I would have prepared a sequined outfit to wear. Hopefully I'll remember to bring my camera, but if not, you all will get a full update about the experience, with or without pics!

What I'm reading now...
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

What I ate for dinner tonight...
Baked tomatoes, onions, zucchini and cheese with pepper and Italian dressing on spinach! A salad of sorts; fantastic!

What I'm listenting to...
People say she's crazy she's got diamonds on the soles of her shoes.
That's one way to lose these walkin' blues...

What I'm doing now...
Crashin'!

Shoutout...
to Nikki - hey cuz! Glad we got to catch up some tonight! Love!

Shoutout Two...
Sissy - Where ya at?!

:)

New Painting

Hey all. This is a painting I did yesterday. Just wanted to share it with you all. I think I'm calling it "Flame".

Anyway, not much happened yesterday, I painted, bought a new book, and ate at a Brazilian Steakhouse. The food was AMAZING! My new book is called The Complete Persepolis, and it's an autobiography about a girl growing up in revolutionary Iran. Pretty interesting, plus she wrote it as a graphic novel, which means it reads sort of like a comic book. But it is really interesting because the pictures are beautiful and it's still a really serious book. I never thought I'd be into that sort of book, but my book club picked it, so I thought I'd give it a whirl.

Also Mark and I took a walk around the neighborhood yesterday and it was close to sunset time. (We had to take a walk because we were so incredibly and grossly full from the fantastic Brazilian Steakhouse.) There were lots of houses that had spun Christmas lights around the bases of palm trees! I love it!

That's pretty much all for now. I'm going to do some research at the library soon for my article for the green search engine. (If you're lost, see the post before this!)

Love to all. See you all in just a few weeks. Christmas is almost here!

Go Green Writing!

This morning I had an interview at a place on Miami Beach. It was really awesome driving over the bridge and having all the water underneath me and tall tall buildings everywhere, and thinking, Man, I live here!

I believe I got the job, although it's a non-paid position. An internship. But it's something I'm really interested in, and there is a chance that I could get paid in time.

It's for a green/eco-friendly website that is just starting. It hasn't launched officially, and they are now working on generating more content and obtaining advertisements (to be able to PAY writers). So I'm submitting a few articles to them next week, and we'll see how it goes from there. I'm pretty excited, because if it works out, I could see this site go to a "hard launch" and would be able to see it grow and grow with it. If it doesn't result in a job of some sort (either writing/editing full time, part time, or freelance) then at least I will have some work under my belt.

About the pics: The first one is how I presented my resume and writing samples. I burned them onto a disc and painted the box that held it. On the front (the part you can see) I put my name, etc, and on the back I attached a rip piece of a crossword puzzle and in the empty squares I put my phone number. The second pic is Mark trying to force me into the picture.

So if anyone has any ideas about what kind of articles you'd like to see involving green living, alternative energy, eco-friendly technology, let me know! I've started brainstorming some things, and I even wrote a short article at work today.

So if anyone would like to check out the website, the address is....... www.greenplanetsearch.com
I think the photography is really top-of-the-line, and if you look at the website, it will be obvious as to why they need writers. There isn't a lot of content yet, but now that they have me, they're about to EXPLODE! Lol, okay, that's enough.

MAG-------> I can't wait to see your permit! Good job baby! I love you, and happy 1-5! (Next year you can sing, "I am sixteen going on seventeen..." and that'll be awesome.)

Curling up with a book and a blanket. See you all soon.
J

I heart weekends...

These are our plants after just one week! They are really growing.

Last week at work was slightly crazy. We're getting ready for a huge trial in January, and Ray is traveling all over taking depositions and talking to experts getting ready for it. Also we're having a Thanksgiving potluck the day before Thanksgiving, and I'm going to make a casserole of some sort. I found a glass casserole dish at Ross for $6! So I'm thinking either broccoli/cheese casserole or hashbrown...or if anyone has a tastier one I should try, let me know!

Mark and I are going to eat these fantastic subs later from Mario's. It's this Italian place really close to our house, and everything they make is amazing! Monday nights their pizzas are cheaper, and the garlic/pepperoni is the best! Anyways, I've been thinking about that meatball sub since I woke up. Can't wait! Then we're going to see a movie at 3. Gotta take advantage of the matinee at the moment!

Miami's 25th Annual Book Fair is downtown this weekend. Tomorrow I'm going to meet up with a girl from my book club, have lunch, and browse the books! There are lots of authors going, both English and Spanish, so I'm hoping to find some good stuff. I also heard that a lot of artists set up booths of their work, too, so I'm excited.

That's really all for now! I'll be home on Thanksgiving day very early, so I'll definitely be at all the festivities. Can't wait for the fabulous food and treats! And, of course, to see all of you! Love!

It's been a while since the last post....

This week at work, Patty and I planted flowers. She bought them at Target's Dollar Spot and by Friday they had already sprouted! Green thumbs, what! That's them on Day One in Ray's window.


Sorry that's it been so long! I've been a little busy. Here's what I've been up to.


Two weekends ago (on October 26th) I ran a 5K for domestic violence. Me and my friend Patty got up reeeeeeeeeeeally early (it was still dark out!) and drove to Sunrise, FL (almost to Fort Lauderdale) for the 5K. Two attorneys from our work met us there to run also, and they kicked our butts. Oh well, it was still a lot of fun. They gave us a lot of food at the end and a free t-shirt. I love free t-shirts! Then I came home and took a nap.


Last Friday (Halloween) I dressed up as a cat for work. After work Mark and I went to eat sushi and then waited for trick-or-treaters. But only one group came to our house, and we actually missed them because we were getting in the car to go eat. We didn't do much that night because we were exhausted, and then I was lazy on Saturday. But on Sunday we went to an art festival on Sunset Drive (close to our house and UM). It was really cool! Artists had booths stretched really far down the street, and people were selling treats and drinks. We saw some really cool stuff, and now I'm re-inspired to paint/draw!


Then this weekend: Last night my book club met for a social event at Dolphin Mall. A new place opened up several months ago called CineBistro. Essentially it's a movie theater, and the seats are extra big and comfy and CLEAN - and there are two cupholders for each person and a tray table. You are seated 30 minutes before the movie begins and you order dinner/drinks. Then they bring all the food out during the previews, and you can eat, drink, AND watch a movie! It was a really neat experience. Tomorrow night some of us may be getting together for a Beginners Spanish conversational meet-up....should be fun!


Okay, I'll be home Thanksgiving morning! -- Birthday shoutout to William - it was yesterday. Also Mark and I watched Purple Rain the other night and it made us think of Chelsea and William. I miss you all and can't wait to see you!