Today's Photos

Sleeper

I got this DVD for Christmas and I watched it today. I first saw it when it came out in 1973. I was 9 years old. I'm sure I didn't get half the humor but through out the years, it has become one of my favorite movies.

I got a bunch of DVDs for Christmas... Seinfeld - Season 7, Gilmore Girls - Season 6, Brady Bunch - Season 3, Shawshank Redemption and Father of the Bride 2.


Ciao.

Christmas Photos

My Dinner Plate - A Vegetarian Delight!

The Two Moms

One Too Many

Nativity Scene

Two Today

Two From Last Week:

New Photos & Video

Piano Vids

Some Chopin Preludes played by Sergio Tiempo:

No. 16 - this is an amazingly fast piece




No. 4 - so beautiful

Corinne Sang It!

The concert was so good! She sang all 11 songs from her CD plus a Led Zeppelin song "Since I've Been Loving You".

I had an extra ticket so I sold it on the street for $2.00 less than I paid to a "scalper"; I was just happy to get some money back but...

After I got something to eat and was walking back to Town Hall, I was approached by the guy who bought my ticket and was offered a 10th row center Orchestra seat in exchange for the other 1st row Balcony seat because he could get a lot more for the pair of tickets. I was psyched to see the show from this better location.

I found a beautiful new navy pleated skirt in the bathroom with a price tag of $99. It was in a small shopping bag hanging from the hook. This was before the show. I wanted to do the right thing, so I was directed to a man who worked there. I told him the deal, but that since the skirt was really nice, I wanted the option of keeping it if no one claimed it. He told me I'd have to wait a few days. I showed hesitance and he said "I can't just forget that I saw it." I asked if he'd be in the lobby after the show, to which he replied yes. I told him I'd check back to see if someone had inquired about it and if not, I'll keep it. No one claimed it so now I have a gorgeous skirt that I can use as an incentive to continue losing weight to one day fit in it.

What a very cool evening!

Today's Photos

I finally got a photo of what I believe is a Heron.



Two of Mack in Black & White

Cry Baby Cry

I am totally loving this song. It's by Santana featuring Sean Paul with Joss Stone.

Here's the video:



As Well ---> I got a bunch of songs tonight. More Lady Sovereign. Four songs from a British band called The Ordinary Boys. Another track from Santana's CD from last year featuring Los Lonely Boys and two of their songs.

I LOVE MUSIC !!!

Son Of a Preacher Man

This is one of my all-time favorite songs. This song is just simply fabulous! It was sung by Dusty Springfield. Here's a video of her singing it, sometime between 1968 - 1970. It seems a tiny bit slower than the recorded single.



This is Joss Stone singing it on a UK Music Hall of Fame Special in November 2006.




Another one from Joss Stone - Super Duper Love (Live) - in 2003, I believe, when she was 16.



This girl sure can sing!

Killa Beats

Heard "Love @ First Sight" by Mary J. Blige today on the Ellen Show. I had forgotten how freakin' awesome this song is.




I first heard "Love Me or Hate Me" by Lady Sovereign on a digital music channel on my TV a few months ago. I just love it!

A Few Pics

2 Miles

I took these photos today. It's freezing today! 38 degrees; 33 with the wind chill. It even snowed a teeny-tiny bit this morning.





Corinne Bailey Rae concert is next Wednesday; can't wait! I hope it's a nice sunny day so I can get in early and walk around, taking some photos.


Ciao for Now.
Maria

Hoje

Hoje... Today in Portuguese

I went to the lake by the fish hatchery today and took some photos. Here are some:





I'm working tomorrow from 11am until probably 7:30pm. I'll walk on the treadmill.


Ciao for Now.
Maria

I'm Going to Be a Godmother

The people I nanny for have asked me to be their son's Godmother. Here's a photo of my soon to be Godson.



What a honor!


Ciao for Now.
Maria

Photos

Another with a Faded Effect:

Starting My Christmas Shopping

I bought Wanda's present online this morning and I'm going to get Joey's in a little while. Mom's Body Lotion is currently not available at Scentiments; fingers crossed it will be soon. I will check out Kmart & Toys R Us for Mack's present.
I'm going to bring my camera along in case there's a good opportunity. My case is in NJ as of yesterday at 3:15 pm. It says Estimated Delivery Thursday, 11/30... no way, must be sooner.

I have to pick up Sophia at 8:15pm and bring her home. This little girl cracks me up!

Chelsea today:

Ciao for Now.
Maria


Update: I am done for 3 people. I'm too Psyched!

Dancing Kids

Get video codes at Bolt



Get video codes at Bolt



Get video codes at Bolt

Gray Day - Bummer!

I wanted a nice, sunny day to take pictures outside. Oh well, another day.

Two of my babies:



Lovely !


Ciao for Now.
Maria

I Got It !

I am freakin' though because it has a Canadian Warranty. I was on the phone with BuyDig.com; they said they'd have to get back to me tomorrow. The person who handles this is not in. The camera isn't on their website anymore but it is on BeachCamera.com which is another company of theirs - same address. Thank God I have a pic of the Camera info that I posted. It clearly states that it comes with a USA Warranty as does it on BeachCamera.com.

I called Panasonic in hope that by giving them the Serial Number they could tell me if it's from Canada... they can't. They don't seem to care at all.

It's 8:30 now and I'm just going to forget all about this crap and play around with the camera. I'll deal with this situation tomorrow.


Ciao for Now.
Maria

Update: The USA Warranty is printed in the Manual. All that worrying for nothing. Here's a cropped photo I took tonight of Obie. He has a new nickname... Twinkle Toes.

It Shipped Today !

My new camera is on it's way. Well hopefully. I have a Fedex Tracking #, but can't check it until after 10 pm supposedly. I really want to get it on Friday because I don't believe they deliver on Saturdays. Fingers crossed!

I made up an Exercise Schedule on Saturday and was supposed to Cycle in the morning but didn't. I will tonight. I did walk on the Treadmill just now. I went slower because I get shin splints and also pain in my left achilles tendon.

There are tons of ducks in the harbor today. I think they are Brants. There are over 100 of them. This photo is from eNature.com


There were also 2 male mallards in the pond for a short time today. I also saw the whitish fish in there this morning. It's over a foot long and moves very slowly.

I found the envelope with the screen protectors I wrap around my iPod last night. I re-wrapped and it looks so nice.

I have to try on the outfit I picked out for Thanksgiving when I get home. I want to stop at Eckerd after work to see if they have the sparkling cider and to drop off a roll of film I found yesterday.


Ciao for Now.
Maria

I Bought It !!

I just bought my new camera... Panasonic DMC-FZK along with a 1GB Lexar High Speed SD Card. No Tax, No Shipping. Website states free shipping is Fedex 8-10 days. Since they're located in NJ, I hope to get it much sooner that. Fingers crossed no more than 5.

I was checking out the Nikon D50. It's a Digital SLR. I found an outrageously low price of $259 online for Body Only (no lens), when most other stores have it for $150 to $200 more. I found info on the store though... prior customers claiming the warranty is not an USA one but international. Battery & Charger not included. So I said, NO WAY !! Very shady!

So now, I await and hope I made the right choice.

I have to call Sandra about next week. Doing it right now.


Ciao for Now.
Maria

Stair Climber Woes

Well, I tried to do the Stair Climber but I just can't get it to work right. The steps don't seem to have the firmness necessary. They go all the way down. Either it's broken or since the electrical outlets are in bad shape, maybe it's not getting enough oomph to keep the air pressure up.

So I did the recumbent cycle for 30 minutes - 10 miles. So that will count as the Stairclimber this weekend, to reach my goal. Therefore, 2 more times on cycle and 1 time with Total Gym and Dancing, of course, as well.

Worked last night. Bill asked me if I lost weight; said my face looked thinner. I was psyched!

Tennis ---> Maria lost to Justine yesterday in the semi's of the WTA Championships. So it's Justine & Amelie in the Finals tonight. I found out that Maria lost yesterday morning; it was going to be on TV at night. I hate when that happens. So today I'm avoiding the WTAWorld Forums. Here's a photo from yesterday's match. It says it all.


To Do Today

• Laundry
• Fix Up Dining Room
• Straighten Up My Room
• Change Litter

Ciao for Now.Maria

New Camera

One Camera that I'm looking at is the Panasonic DMC-FZ7K. Cheapest Deal so far:

Buffleheads?

I think this is what was on the harbor today. I counted 23 of them. Photo not taken by me.


I later saw what I think was this bird; a Belted Kingfisher.



I really must get a better camera; one with better optical zoom. These birds were simply magnificent!


Ciao for Now.
Maria

Tennis Today

I am so psyched to be able to watch the Sony Ericsson WTA Championships from Madrid. I recorded Maria's match on my DVR and I'm now recording it to DVD. I then hope to be able to get it up on MegaUpload. Fingers crossed.

Here's a photo of Obie I took today from my iSight camera on my MacBook. He looks so cute!


I'm still coughing a lot; I think I may have bronchitis. Let me take my temperature right now. 98.8. As my normal temp is below 98.6, it's a teeny tiny, slight fever. I'll take tylenol.

I want to go to Madrid next year. I was thinking about going to Miami in order to see the Sony Ericsson Open at the end of March, but Madrid would be way cooler.


Ciao for Now.
Maria

Race Day

Today is the NYC Marathon. I like to watch it every year and would love to actually go there and watch it on the streets. It simply amazes me! 26.2 miles! I love hearing the stories of the people who are running. It's inspiring to me.





I have been sick since Thursday. Fingers crossed it's not bronchitis.

I want to buy a DVD Recorder today. I've been thinking about getting one since I got a DVR to save shows & movies I record and since the Sony Ericcson Championships from Madrid are going to be on TV, the time is now. I want to get the matches onto YouTube.

I watched "Breakfast at Tiffany's" last night; well basically the end of it. It was on again right after, so I recorded it and started watching it this morning before the marathon started. It's such a great movie! Here's a photo from the beginning when Holly Golightly (Audrey Hepburn) has breakfast at Tiffany's.

This is the dress that Maria Sharapova's US Open night dress was inspired from. That dress sold at auction for $21,000. The dress Audrey wore is being sold at Christie's in December and is expected to sell for about $100,000. Both for charities.


Ciao for Now.
Maria

Hoy

It's my day off and I was just lounging around working on my website. I was trying to use frames but I couldn't get the top centered with the bottom so "Screw It... No Frames!".

I saw this video on YouTube.



Too freakin' cute! I love American Shorthairs.

Aujourd'hui

After watching the videos of today's tennis match, all in French, I thought I'd join in.

Maria won in 2 sets! Linz is her fifth tournament of the year! This photo during the trophy ceremony is too cute!


I am so totally psyched that I will be able to watch the Sony Ericsson Championships in Madrid which starts November 7th. It will be on the Versus Channel which I didn't even know I had. I can't wait!

I still have yet to use the Stair Climber, Total Gym or Cycle. Hmm... why am I not doing it?

I just watched "Two For The Road" with Audrey Hepburn and Albert Finney. A great movie and Albert was so gorgeous in it. A photo:


I went to Target & did some food shopping today. I got candy for Halloween. I'm sure we'll have some leftover. None for me though; well, maybe one ;)


Ciao for Now.
Maria