Bears vs. COLTS

Aren't you all glad I am back??? I would never leave you hanging during FOOOOOTBALL SEASON!!

I am pumped (as usual) for Week 1 of the NFL!!

Chili, wings, a new Bob Sanders jersey, hanging with my boys (Rasta and Erich) and enjoying a rainy Sunday from my recliner.

This.is.the.life.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLTS!!

Well, we opened the season with a loss. This is NOT how I anticipated it going but 'tis the life of the NFL.

Colts
0-1

Chad (Dumbass) Ocho Cinco

Who else thinks it is COMPLETELY ridiculous and circa Terrell Owens that Chad Johnson would change his fucking name LEGALLY to Chad Ocho Cinco. Um....who does he think he is???

I don't get it at ALL? I know this is just another media attention getter, but can someone please tell this idiot to GET REAL???

I mean, he is a DECENT player, but HELLO....Cinci hasn't done anything in the last two seasons...it was like last year when he put MVP on his jacket and wore it to the first game, which Cinci fucking LOST. He's an ass and it's things like this that piss me off about the NFL. He thinks he is so much better than everyone that he changes his name for attention!!

If he would just go out and play his game, do his fucking job, etc. he would earn a LOT more respect...not with these childish antics....NICE way to be a role model, asshole.

Can you tell I'm irritated? I just find it RIDICULOUS.

Here's the article:
The National Football League decided on Thursday to recognize receiver Chad Johnson's legal name change to Chad Ocho Cinco. The new name will be on the back of his Cincinnati Bengals uniform for the season opener in Baltimore on Sunday.

The receiver had his name changed in his home state of Florida last week. It's a reference to his uniform number — Ocho Cinco means "eight five" in Spanish. When the NFL celebrated Hispanic Heritage month in 2006, he wore it on the back of his uniform for pregame warmups, but had to remove it for the game because of NFL rules — it wasn't his real name.

The Pro Bowl receiver asked the media to start calling him by his new name this week. The Bengals couldn't change the name on his uniform until the NFL gave permission.

In an e-mail to The Associated Press on Thursday, league spokesman Greg Aiello said simply: "It's his legal surname."

The receiver has declined to talk about the motivation for his attention-getting change. Coach Marvin Lewis said the receiver had been considering it since last March.

The change to Ocho Cinco is the receiver's latest promotional move. He's also known for his touchdown celebrations, his golden Mohawk for one season, his race against a horse and his list of defensive backs who failed to cover him.

One of the most notable name promotions in pro football was running back Rod Smart's decision to put "He Hate Me" on the back of his XFL jersey, which became the best seller in that league's brief history. Smart trademarked the moniker but did not legally change his name, so he had to go by "Smart" when he made it to the NFL. He played for Philadelphia in 2001 and for Carolina from 2002-05.

Ocho Cinco my ass. I can't wait until he ends up on the sidelines permanently.

....In Jamaica

If you all could understand how much I need a break!!

I miss you though!!

Hopefully ...be back soon!!

::HUGS::

Travel Tip #2: Book Early

I don't know about most of you all but I am a procrastinator. However, when it comes to booking your next vacation, that belated honeymoon or family vacation, I suggest NOT waiting.

Airfare is crazy unpredictable and the days of "last minute deals" are over, so the closer to your travel date that you wait, the more likely you'll pay more. I realize that every once in a while you might land a really great rate on a airfare package, but most likely, to lock in the exit row seat on a plane to a hot, fabulous place, you want to book it as soon as possible to avoid overpaying and getting exactly what you want.

This holds true for resorts/hotels/popular destinations as well. Don't wait!! You won't get that gorgeous ocean view room with 24 hour room service and have to settle for a sidewalk view with the dumpster in the back. You'll have to accept less!! Don't do that!!

Get what you want, how you want. Create a budget that works, plan ahead and book your vacation early (with me of course!).

Rasta ...Mr. Boom Basta

Another massive distraction in my life is the addition of our new baby...puppy!

Erich and I have been "discussing" (aka arguing) about a dog for about a year. Finally he compromised by giving me my way two weeks ago.

We ventured out on a rainy Tuesday night to the Humane Shelter. I'd been checking out www.petfinder.com for weeks and I knew I wanted a dog from the shelter.

Also, after much research about dogs and cats together, I decided a puppy was the ONLY way to make things work, because I knew the cats wouldn't be as offended by a dog who had never known a cat.

There weren't very many pups to choose from but that is OK because there was only one for us, anyway. He was sitting quietly cowering in the corner of his pen when we got there. We discovered that he was the last of a litter of 8 and they had all been adopted the weekend before, so he was all by himself!!

His little face was smooshed into the ground and he was looking at us, but not interested in getting close at all. But, it didn't matter. I knew he was the one. We did another round and considered one other pup for a second but my heart reached out and melted and we weren't going anywhere without this puppy.

Even Erich was hovering near him, and I just knew it was a done deal.

Adopting from the Humane Shelter in Indy is pretty easy. You fill out an application and as long as you seem half way normal, they let you take your animal home that night. We disclosed we had cats and only lived in a condo, but they don't mind. I think they knew we were a good choice for this munchkin!

How traumatizing to have all your brothers and sisters adopted away and to be left alone on a cold cement floor and then to suddenly be in a fast moving jeep on your way to Petsmart?!?!? Scary times!! But, all well worth it!

Erich named him Rasta, which is short for Rastafarian in honor of our favorite Caribbean island and destination wedding location, and it is a perfect fit, as he is a mellow, relaxed, lovin' water dog.

He was really nervous the first night. We couldn't get him to eat or drink or pee for about 24 hours.

He also had to meet cats for the first time in his short life (he is only 3 months old). Hello, Aggie!!

And, our alpha baby, Riesling....she is definitely curious!

A close up of the new little guy...look at that baby face!!

Oh, he already loves his daddy. Erich is such MUSH for this dog, ya'll!! It is SO adorable!!

He just cannot believe that this blanket is ALL his. He is so cute, it breaks my heart!!

Since having Rasta, my days are totally different. We spend the day together in my office, him fussing to play, me taking him out every hour or so. He is nearly 100% potty trained already and he fetches!!

His lab webbed feet we've discovered are his ticket to loving water. It has been storming a lot since we brought him home and he is so in love with being outside, he'll find every puddle you can imagine and land his big ass feet in the water just to see it splash. It is almost time to throw him in the deep end!!

We don't do a whole lot during the day and I try to tell him how lucky he is since so many doggy moms have to work and crate their pups during the day...he thinks I am lame and wishes I would play with him MORE.

But, Erich comes home at 5:30 and takes him out for hours of romping through the neighborhood, playing fetch and meeting the other neighbor pups. It is great.

I am VERY excited we got him, despite the fact that he has eaten two pairs of flip flops and my hard drive cord. TURD!!

Speaking of, it's time for a poo...he's gotta go!!

Rasta ...Mr. Boom Basta - SING IT!

SUUUUNNNY St. Lucia

So, no excuses other than I am REALLY busy and cannot stand the upload feature on Blogger!! I hate that I am not more connected to my online blogging buddies like I once was. Maybe this will be a kick start to getting back into blogging. I once really enjoyed it but that was when I hated my job and did everything to avoid working while I was at work!

Those days are no longer, and although I am at home, I spend immense amounts of hours dedicated to my clients (don't I sound like a fabulous agent? I know, it's because I am!)

I have a LOT of catching up to do. If you think I haven't been doing anything in my month away, you are wrong!!

First, let's talk St. Lucia! Last October, my VERY first trip working for Beach Bum Vacation, too me to this fabulous destination on a FAM (familiarization trip) with Sandals. It was a WHIRLWIND of craziness and in less than three days, I saw four resorts with 150 other agents, met some managers and was back in the states selling the properties.

It definitely gave me a TASTE of the beauty that I had no idea existed, in a place where pirates used to hide their wares...and of course, I had to go back!

As a special treat, Beach Bum gave all the bums a trip to paradise of their choice!

Erich and I immedately started planning our second honeymoon and we both decided St. Lucia was a place where we could have it all and it was possibly a once in a lifetime opportunity (for him at least!).

In February I bought our flights (which I will forwarn is the most expensive part of the trip) and in April, we decided on which resort.

We chose Sandals St. Lucia Regency Golf Resort and Spa (check it out on the right). It is an upbeat, social, outgoing resort! I absolutely love this resort, with it's bluff overlooking much of the Caribbean Sea, and it's fabulous pools (I'm such a pool girl).

We decided we had to experience the helicopter shuttle. It is a 15 minute flight between Hewanorra Airport and your resort. It is 3 times as fast, and you get to see the whole island. While I suffer from motion sickness, I still love to try new things, so even though I was NERVOUS, I was still REALLY excited!!

Here is a shot through the window over the island...isn't that beautiful!! The helicopter driver was quite a stoner. He is originally from Boston and has been living in the islands for 15 years, flying tourists to their resorts. I find this interesting and I'm slightly jealous...who does that?!?! Apparently, he does!! He gave us the run down on ganja in the mountains and explained that is where it is grown safely, because the cops are too lazy to go up there and get it. Love that!

Here's our ride...After 9 hours of travel, this is what I look like. HOT.

We arrived at our resort and I didn't have any memory left in my camera. On the flight, just as we were landing, I had a minor meltdown, because I realized I had forgotten my memory card in my computer at home! How the fuck did I do that?!?! I was really upset, thinking, HERE I AM IN A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY AND THEY AREN'T GOING TO HAVE A MEMORY CARD and I'M A TRAVEL AGENT WITH NO PICS!! WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH THAT PICTURE. Somehow, I knew it would be OK, but I was really upset at the time.

However, when we arrived at our resort and were privately shuttled right up to the bluff check in, I knew my trip was going to be amazing. You see, the rooms on the bluff are ALL upgrades. Since I'm an agent, I automatically get the lowest level room (usually!) but Beach Bum has an INCREDIBLE relationship with Sandals and especially, Regency.

We got seated and greeted, given some cookies and champagne, a cold towel for our feet and neck (are you seeing now why San Pancho may not have been "me" - I like the spoilers). And, then...our butler came!

That's right, not only did we get upgraded, we got greeted with a BUTLER!! I have never had this full experience before and I was just thrilled!! I knew it was a week I would not soon forget!

She took us to the Honeymoon One Bedroom Romeo and Juliet Ocean View Suite. While it has not been renovated, the room was impeccable and gorgeous.

Princess and Shanna were our Butlers and they got us settled in and ready for relaxation.

Princess had already organized our nightly reservations for the restaurants we would NEED to check out and when we told her about my lost memory card, she offered to go into the market on her DAY OFF and get it!! I was shocked and THRILLED!! Crisis averted.

The view from our balcony was amazing, especially at night...with gorgeous palms and little lizards running around, sitting out on the patio was absolutely relaxing and incredible.

We spent the first evening completely exhausted from travel, lying on the comfy couches watching television. It was about time....

We spent the first day drinking and enjoying the pool on the other side of the resort. We met two great couples, ventured over to the Grande and had some lunch with our new friends. We drank and played water volleyball and I blacked out my afternoon. I don't know how this stuff happens...probably from drinking several strong beverages before noon!!

The next day, Erich and I spent some quiet time at the Piton Pool on the bluff...they have these fun waterfalls ...My hubby really enjoyed them!

On Tuesday night, we wanted to have dinner with our friends, so we asked Princess to hook up a reservation for 6, which is next to impossilbe if you don't have a butler! One of the couples couldn't even get a reservation! But, they were with us...let's roll out to Kimono's, a fabulous Japanese live cooking restuarant. We had sushi, shrimp, steak and chicken, fabulous dessert and entertainment.

We kept up the party late night, and had some fun at the outdoor bar...we were havinga n awesome time!

We got back to our room and Princess had decorated the bed (this was a nightly ritual and always came with dessert!! YUM!!)

The evenings spent in were just as relaxing and wonderful as those spent out. The sunset from our room was always so amazing and in St. Lucia, if you watch closely, there is a FLASH of red, at the line where the sun meets the space before the earth makes the final turn on the horizon. It is absolutely awesome!!

On Thursday, we got up and caught the shuttle to check out other properties around the island and have some other fun experiences.

The mountains in St. Lucia make it even that much more romantic! It is so amazing between the ocean, the banana fields, the tropical jungle, the mountains, the beach....you get everything in one small place. It is truly paradise.

On our last night, Erich and I were treated to a very special dinner for Butler only guests at Gordon's on the Pier. It is out in the sea, and of course, we sat outside. Our servers were extremely attentive, the food was pristine, and they serenaded our evening. We shared the space with just a few other couples and had one of the most romantic dinners we have ever had together with the lazy waves lapping underneath us and the Piton Mountains as our backdrop.

Who could ask for more?!?!
I can't wait to go back and for those of you considering your next vacation, this is a MUST see. Put it on your list!

Travel Tip #1: Smart Packing

Now that it's summer, you might be off on your next vacation, camping trip or other long weekend. All this traveling in the last year or so has taught me one thing! Pack light! It makes your life SO much easier! And, with the ever changing baggage fees attached to airline rates, you may as well learn some basics to keep things moving along and avoid spending extra money!

Tip 1: Roll your clothes tight and you'll be able to get more in the bag.

Tip 2: Bring JUST what you need. This might sound easier said than done, but if you take the time to break down what you REALLY will wear the whole week (do it by day), I promise you will only bring what you NEED.

Tip 3: Bring more shirts than pants (you can always rewear and mix and match with your bottom half)

Tip 4: Bring less shoes - they take up space in your bag and if you pack appropriately, you'll know you don't need more than one pair of black pumps. Bring clothes and shoes that you can wear in combos vs. picking items that only go with ONE particular pair of shoes.

Tip 5: Put your bathing suits in your carry on. They take up NO space, so no need to put them in your bigger bag.

Tip 6: Bring an entire outfit in your carry on, just in case your luggage doesn't make the trip.

Tip 7: Learn the TSA rules and carry on your liquids. It will minimize your extras so much! Keep in mind that most hotels/resorts have the basic necessities from shampoo to lotion.

I am sure there are many more, but this is a great start for the vacation season.
And, remember, if you or anyone else is planning a trip in the near future, I'm here and would LOVE to help guide and support you all the way to the beach!

San Pancho, Mexico

Hola, Senors y senoritas!

Having just returned from what I can only describe as "rustic" Mexico, I have to say ...while it was unique and very different, I don't know that it was my speed.

I loved the house we stayed in. It was absolutely beautiful and set on a HUGE jungle mountainside. It was so incredible in the middle of nowhere; although, the ride through the jungle and down the hillside was REALLY rough on my sensitive belly.

Our house had a manager/chef awaiting us when we arrived. His name was Luigi and he showed us around our 12 person house. Erich and I chose a villa in the middle of the house outside...it had netting on the bed (indicating bugs...yay!) and its own shower/bathroom area.

I really loved the house. It was HUGE, spacious, romantic and fun for a group. I didn't love that I couldn't eat whenever I wanted. We really weren't provided with middle of the day snacks, only three meals a day. While that is fine, it wasn't enough when you are drinking HEAVILY for several hours.

The VIEW was to DIE for!! Absolutely AMAZING. It was heartstopping!! I have to say ....it was the best part of the whole trip. The sunsets took your breath away and the ocean crashed into the rocks at rapid force. It was so incredible.

On our last night an entire (school/family?) of dolphins swam through. I am not exaggerating when I say there were probably 100s of them...in one big long line, jumping and migrating north. I was in AWE of this pristine moment in nature. I have never seen something like that and it nearly brought tears to my eyes (I am so sad our photos of it didn't really come out!)
Check out my slideshow:

In the days, we sat in the infinity pool with pitchers of margaritas by our side...by night, we played poker, drank beer, played Caps and Catch Phrase. We visited town, shopped in authentic Mexican stores, ate REAL Mexican food and even spent a whopping $2 ($200 pesos) on 30 minutes at an internet cafe. We browsed real estate ads ($435,000 was the cheapest one bedroom villa) and enjoyed the beach.

All in all, it was a great trip, but I have to say...I'm totally spoiled and really like the all inclusive, swim up bar, eat whenever and however much you want, feel of resorts. Maybe it's my job that is tainting me, maybe it is the rough bumpy ride through the jungle. But whatever it is, as much as I really liked the house and the view, it is probably not enough to make me do it again.

Next stop....St. Lucia (May 10-17). See you on the flip side!!

Travel Fears

I know this is going to sound crazy and probably something most of my readers (if I still have any) don't know about me, but I don't like to travel....I get anxious and terrible dibilitating motion sickness that puts a kink in my day every time I have to get in a car for a long ride, a plane taking off/landing or a train going over bumping tracks. Don't even get me started on the rough rides between some airports and resorts.

Funny how I do my job and LOVE to GO places but hate the means of getting there. I don't necessarily have FEARS, but I do get anxious...and have been suffering from motion sickness since I was a kid.

I do the normal thing and take my Dramamine but it makes me feel drunk once on the ground and even caused me to black out the first night of my wedding (yes, I drank with it, but seriously!)....so, really I don't LOVE to fly, drive or go anywhere...it is hard for most people to understand, but it's not something about my job I enjoy.

I drove to Chicago last night in the piss pour rain and about had a meltdown. I feel weak, scared and nervous when I drive and I also worry about other vehicles colliding into me, ESPECIALLY in rain. My stomach twists in knots and I generally don't feel better until I get to whereever I am going and am in a permanent NOT MOVING location.

Today, I got lost returning home and went 45 minutes out of my way. I nearly had a break down. I'm not really sure why I would share this, since I'm supposed to be calm, cool and collected, but this is something I have years suffered from and my friends make fun of me, but is generally a large problem.

It's a good thing I LOVE my job more and don't mind pushing through but I have to tell you, I'm VERY happy to be home and in the comfort of my own office, out of the car and where all things are stationary.

Check In

I have been doing so much and so nothing lately. I literally work 15+ hours a day at my computer but somehow manage to avoid blogging.

I hope you are all well.

I am leaving next Friday for Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and I have a feeling upon my return I'll be more in the mood to share.

I hope to have something fun posted soon!!