Gift From Grace

I'm Wearing:

Beautiful Ruffled Top given to me by Grace

White Tank Underneath Top - Wal*Mart

Skinny Washed Out Jeans by Red Wind - Ross

Cranberry / Wine Boots by a.n.a (a new approach) -JCP

Brown Faux Leather Jacket by a.n.a - JCP

Shoe Haul - UrbanOg.com

As I mentioned in my previous post, I did some online shoe shopping a little over a week ago. I asked my friends on Facebook for some online shops and Urban Original was the second online shop I decided to shop on after my purchase at ShoeDazzle.

Urban Original is quite like Cutesygirl and Amiclubwear. I've seen both sites and although I haven't shopped at either, Urban Original carried a lot of the shoes that Cutesygirl and Amiclubwear carried with more competitive prices. I leaned more toward UrbanOg after hearing a few good reviews from some friends on FB and some not so good ones about Cutesygirl and AmiClubwear although I'll have to be the judge of that myself. In the meantime, UrbanOg offered more styles to my liking and at better prices.

PRICES: I found Urban original to have very competitive prices. Amazing deals I should say. I found a lot of shoes on this site that I had previously seen at my local Shiek inside the mall for less than half the price. I was immediately sold!  

SHIPPING:  I placed my order on Friday, November 19th and received Monday, Novemeber 23rd along with my ShoeDazzle order. Due to the holiday weekend, shipping was delayed. However, if it wasn't for the holidays I could have received my item on Wednesday, November 23rd, just 5 days of placing my order. Shipping was $9.99 for UPS ground shipping. UrbanOg sends you a notification via email with your shipping and tracking information. I thought the shipping was a smooth process, quick shipping had the holiday not affected the transit time.

HANDLING: My shoes arrived safe and sound and damage free. The packaging was quite simple. All three boxes were placed in a bigger box and shipped off. No extra padding of any kind so the shoes were tossed around some before finally getting home. Each shoe box contained the usual, shoe stuffing, and a tissue to prevent any scratching of surfaces from one shoe to the other incase any toss up occurred. Shoe boxes were simple carton boxes and basic. Overall, the conidtion my shoes arrived in was fine, the extra padding and care isn't extremely necessary but it does make the experience a whole lot different.

COMMUNICATION: After placing my order, UrbanOg contacted me with a concern on one of my orders. One of the shoes (ivory booties) had a small manufacturing imperfection. It was a small stain that almost looked like a burn and asked if I'd like to proceed with  my order or cancel the order on that particular shoe. They offered me an additional 15% off and asked if I accepted the shoe that it would be a final sale and would not be eligible for refund or exchange. They sent me pictures of the damage and I felt the damage wasn't so significant and highly noticable so I took my additional 15% off and proceeded with my order.  This is the first time I'm contacted about a problem like this and I must say the experience was great. They took pictures of the damage rather than just telling me what the problem was. I thought that was great on their part and defintely ensured I'd be completely satisfied with  my order. How many online businesses do that? I know i've had experiences before with other vendors who sell me an item that has a problem and they don't bother notifiying me about it which creates a hassle when you want to return or exchange an item.

OVERALL EXPERIENCE:  My overall experience with Urban Original was a great one.  I am defintely coming back to this site and making future purchases. The shipping was quick, despite the lag over the holidays, the prices are very competitive and amazing! I signed up for their notifications and also used a discount code for an additional 20% off my entire puchase. This is a great site, loyal to its customers with ensuring their satisfaction, communicating any problems with more than just words is awesome. I already told my sister about this site and she plans on making some purchases as well. Defintely a place to shop and until I have a bad experience (which I hope I never do) I will continue shopping here and raving about how awesome it is. The site is very easy to use, offering more than just shoes. You can sort shoes by size, color, heel height, type and so much more. Overall an amazing site to shop offering shoes, handbags, accessories, beauty products and more. Defintely a place to check out.

THE SHOES

Qupid System-157 Snake Chain Pump $15.30

These Snake skin shoes were so hot! I remember seeing them at my local mall for almost 40 dollars! I jumped on the deal as soon as I saw the price! These are extremely comfortable considering the chunky platform the shoes rest on. The heel is very high, maybe 4 inches or so but as I've mentioned, the platform makes walking very easy. I did buy these shoes in particular in a size 8 1/2 because when I tried them on at the mall, a size 8 was too snug on my feet. The 8 1/2 fit perfectly. They offer a variety of colors, I purchased mine in brown because I already have so many black shoes and brown is just as versatile as Black and the gold chains stood out more than the silver chains on black.



Qupid Politic-78 Pointy Toe Bootie $23.50

 These are the booties that had a small defect. The defect wasn't noticable, just s very light stain on the side of the bootie and a tiny stain on the heel. Because of this defect, I received an additional 15% off on the booties. These are in a size 8 and they fit perfectly. These I know will be a bit more tiresome because the heel is high and the shoes are very flat on the bottom so it's almost as if you were walking around on your tippy toes all day. To make these more comfortable and less tiresome, I simply add some comfortable soles inside and wala!

Wild Diva Starcy-30 Buckled Thigh High Boot $25.90

Finally, I bought these Thigh High Boots, which are not necessarily thigh high, more like right above the knee. Regardless, I love the detailing of the buckles on the sides and the fact that they are flat making them more easy to walk in and more of a casual boot you can use on a daily basis now that winter is rolling in. The only thing I didn't like about the boots was that they didn't have a zipper on the side making it a harder to slip them on, specially if you have broader calves and or legs. Not much of a big deal for me as I didn't have much problem getting them on, but a zipper on the side always makes it easier and faster to get them on and off.

PROS:

• GREAT Customer Service
• Amazing Deals
• Great additioinal discount codes offered
• Amazing selection
• User friendly website
• Great Communication
• Quick delivery
• International Shipping available

CONS:

• Shipping will cost you, unless you have a Free Shipping code, or buy a certain amount
• Internationl sales are Final Sale
• Other than the shoes, I found everything else to be quite pricey
• 15% Restocking fee if Free Shipping was issued and you decide to do a return or exchange
• Items under $10 are Final Sale
•  All accessories, swimwear, beauty/cosmetic, costumes, lingerie, intimates are Final Sale so choose wisely
• 20% Restocking Fee if package doesnt get picked up or delivered-So if no one is home to receive your package and gets returned you are screwed
• 30% Restocking Fee for refused packages. So if you thought refusing a package would save you from returning it, you're even more screwed

Shoedazzle Review - Pros & Cons

,

HOW IT WORKS: I joined ShoeDazzle November 19th. I was on Facebook and asked about online shoe shops in a post. I got a lot of feedback and checked out a few sites, one of them being shoedazzle. Incase you're unaware, Kim Kardashian is the Co-Founder of the site. The way it works is after signing up, you take a "style profile". You are asked to pick different styles from an assortment of pictures of different models on runways that best appeal to you and what you would wear. At the end of the style profile the "stylists" pick out shoes based on your choices and preferences and you are given a selection to which you end up choosing your favorite pick. Soon after you are, you are given a "showroom" in which stylists pick out the top 5 shoes, handbags, and jewelry pieces you might like.  The style service is 40 bucks a month ($39.95). You can cancel your membership at anytime, you are not obligated to purchase shoes each month and you are also given the option to buy other merchandise like jewelry or handbags. This is just my overview of the whole process, you can read more about how it works here.

SIGN UP PERKS: The instant you join, you are offered 50% off discount on your first pair of shoes along with free shipping. The only downside to the 50% off deal is you have to place the order the day of, meaning you sign up today, your coupon is only valid today, so therefore, if you're unsure or dont have 20 bucks to spare, I suggest you hold off and sign up when you are ready to make a purchase. I personally jumped on the deal.

SHIPPING: I placed my order on Friday November 19th, and received Monday, November 29th. 10 Days later. I was supposed to receive my packages Wednesday November 23rd, but given I placed my order during a Holiday week, delivery times got all messed up and shipping lagged. I am defintely not upset by this, as placing orders during holidays, things like this are bound to happen. I thought the delivery process was great either way. My order was nicely packaged and communication was awesome every step of the way from placing my order, to email notifications with tracking and shipping information. Included in your package delivery is a return label incase you need to exchange your shoes for a different size, pair, or completely different item.

HANDLING & CARE: When I received my shoes they were very nicely packaged! Extremely cared for and very well taken care of. Each shoe had a plastic protector over it, had the usual tissue stuffing to help keep the shoes shape and avoid any bending or denting.  I suppose all shoes are delivered in a pink box that can be used as the storage box to keep your shoes. Each box has eyelet hole in which you can use your finger to hook into and slide the shoes from out the box. You are also given a baggie in which you can place your shoes for further protection from dust collection. I have to say, shoedazzle by far has the best shipping and handling I have ever experienced. I was very pleased with the care of my shoes as I personally like to take good care of them and other companies I've ordered from simply throw a box inside another box and off they go, often times by the time the shoes reach you, they are bent or slightly damaged.

OVERALL EXPERIENCE: The first time experience was a great one. I got an amazing deal, packaging and delivery was great and I was 100% completely satisified. Will I order again? Most likely. Although I beleive 40 dollars for a pair of shoes from ShoeDazzle can be quite pricey, I know I am defintely getting my moneys worth. I know I can find similar if not the same shoes elsewhere, but I really got great communication and a great experience shopping through ShoeDazzle. If I purchase again, I'd only purchase shoes as I beleive the 40 dollars for a handbag is ridiculous and not to mention the jewelry! Overall, I am one happy customer, but will defintely be pushing that "Skip the Month" button a few times before I decide to make another purchase. I would defintely recommend this to anyone who wants to try it out, given you are offered a 50% off discount on yoru first purchase and that's a great deal for an amazing experience and highly taken care of shoes. And now I leave you with a list with my personal pros and cons on ShoeDazzle.

PROS:

• Easy fool proof sign up process
• Great sign up deal
• Quick delivery
• Free Shipping
• Great handling (within US Only)
• No purchasing obligation
• Cancel anytime
• Great line of communication
• Refer-a-Friend Program (earn a credit after 3 of your friends make a purchase)

CONS:

• Can be a little expensive
• You can only skip the month within the first 5 days of the month, so if you forget, you're screwed.
• Showroom selections may not always be to your liking
• If you do your research properly, you can find many shoes on differente sites for more than 1/2 off! Do your homework
• No refunds. You can return an item and exhcange it for another or receive a credit
• 5.95 Restocking Fee If you decide the item isn't for you and choose to return it

Let me know about your shoe experience with ShoeDazzle!

On A Sunday Afternoon



On my way to Grace' House

 This location is one of my favorite areas to drive through on my way North. I love the feeling of passing this area, it's so calming and beautiful. I was on my way to pick up Grace from YT. We decided to hit up Ross and do a little shopping.

This is what I wore for the night. As you may or may not know, I am a die hard Laker fan and today my team was playing the Golden State Warriors which we seriously beat with an ass kicking score of 115 to 89, giving us our 12th win of the season! I was excited and had to sport my team and show my support.
  

I'm Wearing:

Authentic Lakers Jersey #17 Andrew Bynum (my boyfriend ^_^)

Purple Long Sleeve Cardigan

Denim Print Leggings

Carmel Toned Mid Calf Boots

EYE MAKEUP

Makeup Used:
Kat Von D Palette-True Romance: Sinner, Rad Purple, Leather,
MAC Eyeshadows in: Chrome Yellow, Light Falls,  Shadowy Lady, Deep Truth
MAC Blacktrack Gel Liner
MaryKay Ultimate Mascara

HOT PICKS @ ROSS

Here are a few items I found at Ross that were a size too damn small and therefore didn't make it into my haul this time around, but I decided to take pictures and share with you all anyway. Had they fit me, they would have defintely made it into my cart and into my closet. Unfortunately, however they were a size too small and therefore no point spending money on something I wont be able to wear and the hell if I'll try and lose weight just to fit into them. I could always find something similar if not better, elsewhere.





Black Leather Jacket by Guess

I've really been into leather lately and am still on the hunt for two more leather jackets. This one,I loved! I want a leather jacket that will be snug and comfortable not too tight and no room to flex. Unfortunately, Large was the last size in it :( 


Turquoise Sweater Coat

   This turquoise sweater coat was really nice as well. I know it looks kinda frumpy in this picture but I didn't bother removing my purple cardigan when I threw this one over but in person it looked a lot cuter and with the right outfit, this sweater can really liven up an outfit and keep you nice and warm.

Must Have: Black and White Button Up Coat

This black and white coat may have passed me up now, but I will be on the hunt for one just like it soon. This is a perfect coat for the upcoming and fast approaching winter time. I plan on finding something like this soon! It's defintely a must have in my closet.



Grace and I



And here's a picture of Grace and I trying on the same coat! We had an amazing time. After shopping we had dinner and did a video together. She also gave me a goodie bag as an early x-mas present and some hand me down tops which I loved! I will post them here later and also update this post this evening with pictures of the items I hauled away last night and possibly even a Haul video for you to see.

xoxo
Mayra

Purple n Grey OOTD

I'M WEARING:

Grey Sweater Jacket - Torrid

Purple Ruched Top - Torrid

Blue Denim Jeans - Ross

Purple Flats - Factory2U

MAKEUP:

Too Faced Shadow Insurance Primer Potion

Kat Von D Palette in Beethoven:

 Galeano, Sinner, Rad Purple, Leather

Black Track Gel Eyeliner

MaryKay Ultimate Mascara

Cute n Casual

What I'm Wearing:

Collared striped top - Choice Plus 

Brown Ruched Sleeve Cardigan - Ross

Worn n Weathered Blue Jeans - Ross

Neutral Toned Flates - Ross

Makeup:

Groundwork PaintPot

MAC Eyeshadows in:

Bright Future, Magnetic Fields, Night Maneuvers, and Off the Page

Black Track Gel Eyeliner

Wet N Wild Creme Bronzer in Toasty

MicaBella Mineral Blush in Toffee

Coastal Scents Gel Eyeliner in Envious (Lower Lids)

Grand Entrance MAC Eyeshadow (Lower Lid)

Wet n' Wild Lipstick in 906D

False Eyelashes
Mary Kay Ultimate Mascara

I Remember

Today's post will be an excercise from the book Old Friend From Far Away by Natalie Goldberg called "I Remember." The excercise is simple, write for 10 minutes anything and everything you remember. No subjects, no restrictions. Just thoughts and memories as they come and flow thorugh your mind onto paper...or in this case, blog. You'd be surprised how much you get down in ten minutes. Let your mind flow, and dont be concerned about grammar or punctuation. Let it all out. Go.

I remember from the age of nine through 12 or 13 my family was very united. Today I sit here on this table celebrating the marriage of Tia Petra to her now husband Fernando.  I remember back in the day my mother and her other sister Rosario got along so well and today, at this celebration there continues to be tension between them that has caused a drift in both families.  I remember every weekend we’d go visit and how close all my cousins and I were. I remember my cousin asking me advice on how to treat a girl when I was only 11-13 years old. I didn’t know then, what I know today but I do remember telling him to treat her nice and hold her hand when he meant it, not just to get into her panties. I remember telling him to look her in the eyes and tell her how deeply he cared about her. I remember the first time I met my cousins. I remember Noemi was and still is a tiny skinny girl that was short with pin strait hair. I remember sharing a toothbrush with her because she didn’t have one. I remember not knowing you weren’t supposed to share your toothbrush. I remember what it was like living in a trailer I was embarrassed about at the time. I remember lying to my friends and saying I lived in a big house over the fence but it was being worked on so we stayed in the trailer in the meantime. I remember living all alone at the young age of 12. I remember my mother having to work nights and needing me to stay all alone during the evenings because my sister had married and my brother worked as well. I remember not being scared and rather enjoyed my solitude. I remember growing up very poor. I remember evenings when my mother and brother and I would stand outside the company she worked for and sell tamales with hot champurrado because we were so poor that selling tamales and champurrado was the only means we had to make money after my mom’s accident that led to her disability and disability insurance wasn’t enough. I remember how much my mother struggled and how much she overcame to raise us all on her own. I remember feeling so much hate towards my sister in law, to the point I ransacked her room and lied and said someone had came inside to steal things. I remember being sent away to live with my sister in 29 Palms for a few months in the 6^th Grade and how much I missed my boyfriend Tino. I remember a late night drive one night out in the desert and staring out into the night sky, every time I remembered kissing him, butterflies shook up the inside my tummy. It was our first, last and only kiss.  I remember how my first boyfriend Tino would always call me from a payphone and how we’d spend hours and hours on the phone and how he’d constantly tell me how much he loved me. I remember the day we broke up, how much it hurt me and how devastated I felt.  I remember riding the bus to school everyday, and going to the high school to swim during the summer. I remember the first time I fell off my big brothers bike I was a kid, maybe six or seven years. I fell over onto the black asphalt and remember scratching my toe over the rocky black asphalt. I remember looking down at my toe and seeing the red blood gush out like there was no tomorrow and instantly freaking out and cried home. I remember thinking it was the end of the world and that I was going to die. I remember trying to walk over a cable in school and hitting the asphalt so hard that the next time I remember waking up I was in the arms of someone carrying me to the nurse because I had passed out. I remember waking up once after the school bus had returned to school, I had fallen asleep on the bus and never got off on my stop. The bus driver couldn’t drop me off anywhere so she dropped me off at a house I knew my mom knew how to find me. I remember not knowing my own phone number to call her and have her pick me up. I remember not knowing how I got home that day, just being picked up from that house which was out in the middle of no where. I remember.

To Be Continued....

Book Haul

Saturday, was quite the busy day for me. I woke up around 8am and had breakfast with mom. She made some bomb ass spaghetti with salsa roja and had butter spread over toasted wheat bread.  It was delicious. Soon after I was done eating, I began sorting dirty clothes and had a load washed while I showered. I had it dry while I began getting ready for my dental appointment, which I had been avoiding for a good two months.  Today, the left side of my mouth is sore and my teeth feel weird. I find myself feeing the tooth that got filled with my tongue. I was supposed to go in for a cleaning and a follow up on my invisalign plan which I have not used in two months, but had mentioned one of my tooth's was bothering me, turns out I needed a filling.  Why? Procrastination, that's why.  I don't know when I became so damn lazy that I couldn't even pop in my invisalign tray.  Today I suffer from the consequences, and I have to go back a tray because it hurts when I pop in the tray I should be on.  My teeth have moved back slightly so therefore if I continue using the current tray, my mouth feels extremely sore and my teeth hurt immensely.

After my dental appointment, I decided I really wanted to buy a book on writing.  I made my way over to Barnes n Noble and sure enough, I walked away with more than what I had intended. My original intent was to buy a book on creative ideas to get my writing going. A book as in one only. I wanted to buy a book that offered writing exercises, subjects, topics, and random ideas to help eliminate writers block and allowed me to have more things to write about in this blog.  Like anything else, I ended up buying more than one book.  I love reading and writing and I found it difficult to just pick one book.

While at Barnes n Noble I met a really nice lady named Ven.  She is from Vietnam and we were both looking at the same section in books.  It's amazing how long I can be at Barnes n Noble and how I soon lose track of time. It's like a safe haven for me, a place I can go to relax, and become lost and distracted without a care in the world. Barnes n Noble to me is definitely a way of relieving stress. Books are such an amazing thing and I can be in there for hours and not realize how time has flown by.  There I was, standing in front of what to me was writing paradise. How to choose one book. I found myself skimming through books, browsing, and picking and choosing. Suddenly, a woman came to the very same section I was in. That same woman, Ven, ended up sitting down, browsing through books and I ended up kneeling down beside her as I was on a quest to find the "perfect" book.  Ven noticed I was leaning in her direction and then decided to move over a little so I can keep browsing books and that is how we began talking. I told her she was fine, she didn't have to move and the conversation began.  We shared a common interest; writing.  Ven asked me what kind of writing I liked and did. I responded by telling her I had a blog and I planned on writing a memoir on my mothers life. She then began to tell me how much she enjoyed writing and how she wanted to become a librarian because she loved books so much. She also mentioned she didn't write so much because her english and grammar was not great and because it was her second language.  I told Ven she shouldn't be concerned about her grammar or how great her English was or not, if her passion was to write, then she should let her mind go and write, write, write.  Ven was so pleased to hear this. She made me feel really great when she told me I had inspired her to continue writing. She told me she would begin to write and let her mind go. It was such a great pleasure sharing words with Ven. She told me a little about her father, and how she wanted to write a memoir on his life and her life as well.  I shared a picture of my mother and I when I was a toddler and a picture of my sister and my family the day of her wedding. I could tell she really enjoyed me sharing a piece of me with her. She mentioned I looked a lot like my  mother and thought I was very beautiful and I was very flattered when she told me I looked like something from out of a magazine, thank you Ven, that was very wonderful of you.

Ven and I exchanged emails and I gave her the address to my blog and we agreed we'd get together sometime in the future for some coffee at Barnes n Noble (B&N) and I look forward to it very much and I hope she does not get offended by the offensive language I sometimes transmit through my writing.

Now, onto my book haul.

Before leaving B&N I walked away with six books. Five of which relate to writing and one, an Erotic Romance by Maya Banks, one of my favorite "heat" writers.  I couldn't help pass up the deal, I purchased her book Temptation for only $3.99 (original $15.00).  I own a few books by Maya Banks, and I love how detailed and vividly she describes scenes and characters and of course the romantic, emotional yet erotic stories she writes.  Maya really has a way to get your creative imagination flowing and her books are an easy, enjoyable and hard to put down read. At this moment, I don't know if I'll blog about the story, or if I'll incorporate into my videos. I'll decide what to do, once I begin the story.

Old Friend from Far Away by Natalie Goldberg, is the book I began reading instantly. Already, I've followed through on the exercises she has as you read the book.  The first exercise was to write about what "I'm looking at", not necessarily a white wall or a dresser, but she suggested you be more detailed and informative. What kind of dresser, how many drawers, is it old or new, big or small.  The second exercise was to write about what "I'm thinking of." Each exercise was ten minutes and I found myself amazed at how fast those ten minutes went by and how freely I was able to write.  So far, I've only read the fist 5 pages and I've already fell in love with the creative process it is giving me.  I bought this book to help me write a memoir on the life of my mother and maybe even my own.  She explains a memoir isn't based on dates or a timeline but random memories and so far the writing exercises definitely help in bringing forth those memories we forget even existed.

The Daily Writer by Fred White is another great book I picked up. This book offers "366 meditations to cultivate a productive and meaningful writing life" (White).  The first thing I noticed was that the book has entries by date. For example, January 1st is "Uses of Allegory".  Now, I know for a fact I probably wont use this book by date, because the year is almost over, but I could hold off and begin the writing process this book offers at the beginning of the year. I then think why wait and therefore figure I should just write and just do it. The book offers "Try This" exercises in which you are given an assignment. For example, in "Uses of Allegory", you are given the ask to create an allegory and he gives you subjects and examples to lead by and follow through with. I can already tell you the first exercise on writing an allegory is already becoming a challenge but I'm excited and looking forward to taking on new challenges and see where this will lead me to and how it can help my creative process and improve my writing skills.

Lastly, I picked up two books on styling and sentence structure and another based on grammar.  I am considering returning the two books on styling and structure because they were $10 bucks a piece and I can easily find them on Amazon or ebay for much less. I know I can find all these books easily for half the price I paid for, but I really wanted something I can read now and not have to wait around a week for them to arrive. The Art of Styling Sentences by Ann Longknife and K.D. Sullivan offers 20 basic sentence patterns and how to write clear, coherent, eloquent sentences. By skimming through the book, there are examples given that demonstrate and clarify how and when you should use particular patterns and the grammar involved to make such distinct sentence structures. I feel as a writer, I am good but with practice comes perfection and although nothing or no one is perfect, practice makes better and that's my intention, perfect my writing skills, take them from good to better to best.  This book also offers ideas on how to express your thoughts in imaginative, figurative language which is something I truly enjoy doing and look forward to perfecting that skill as well. Finally, The Wrong Word Dictionary is just that, a dictionary of words that are most commonly confused.  I honestly picked it up because it was a "bargain", although Im sure I could have found it far cheaper online. In the end, it's a great reference to have and reach for when I find myself confused or when I need clarity on a particular word.

And now, it's Sunday afternoon and I must finish this blog post so I may begin to get ready for a dinner we are having this evening. My Tia Petra, sister to my mother got married and today is the celebration. I will come back with an outfit of the day and share my day with you.

xoxo
Mayra

Starstruck at a Mixer

11/10: Manuel & I at a Mixer for the Chamber of Commerce

Wednesday, November 10th, my good friend Manuel put a mixer together for his work and invited me to join him and show support.  I have to admit that when I was asked to join him, I was procrastinating about coming to the mixer. Sure, I wanted to show some support to my friend, but the thought of being around people I did not know really scared me.  I'm an over thinker. Instead of taking action and really just grabbing the bull by the horns and doing something, I can overthink something so much to the point I discourage myself from trying something new .

So many thoughts run through my mind that I become overwhelmed.  Manuel practically had to hound my ass to go to the Mixer lol. He kept harrassing me, threatening me to go or else! lol.  Anyway, I ended up going beacuse I really did want to show him support and because he always invites me to places and I always end up flaking, but he flakes on me too, so we just laugh it off because in the end, it works for both of us lol.

Manuel and I have this friendship where he can call me a "fuckn bitch" and I can call him "a fuckn asshole" or my personal favorite "You fuckn douche" and we're still good friends! When we hang out it's trouble and all laughs and I love that I can have a friend I can talk shit to and with and just have a healthy amicable friendship....but anyway...enough of the douchebag...

So I end up showing my support for Manuel by going to this Mixer he kept harrassing me about, and I have to admit I really enjoyed myself and am very glad I went.  I didn't mingle as much as I would have liked to, but I wasn't all quiet and timid as I was scared shitless I'd be.  I did, however, really enjoy spending time off to the side and observe everyone's chemistry and everyones interaction with each other. 

I had my eye on one person most of the time and that was Manuel. (No, not like that lol) I've always known Manuel as a social butterfly. He's a natural socialite. Socialism comes natural to him and it's so damn smooth. That bastard. I found myself admiring him for the first time. It was a really pretty picture, a beautiful sight to see as corny as that sounds. He was so natural at striking conversations, coming off smooth and charismatic. He was cool, calm and collected. Greeting all the folks that arrived, chit chatting, mingling and easily carrying conversations.

When it was time for introductions, a few people spoke so highly of him.  Don't get me wrong, as I've mentioned before I've known him for a few years and I've known he's very smart and a career oriented professional, but today I saw this whole other side of Manuel and was almost starstruck.  So many poeple had so many wonderful things to say about him that were truly amazing and I see him in a differnt light now. He's still a douche, will always be in my eyes but he's one amazing douchebag, and I admire him, or at least did so this night...haha. Anyway, enough about the douche (yeah Manuel, you can wipe that smirk off your face now, I'm done talking about you lol). 

I also saw one of my teachers, who came out to show support for Manuel too. I hadn't seen him in 8 years and it was nice to see him. His name is Mr. Peterson. He gave me a few words of encouragement and really encouraged me to continue my education and pursue my dreams. That was awesome.

Later that evening, the Douche and I had a drink at Chilis where my Parole Officer happened to be at the same time, but you can read more about that here.

& It wasn't meant to be...



I dont know where to begin with this one. It was around 9pm and my friend Manuel called me and asked me to join him for a drink at Chillis. He picked me up around 9:45.  We got to chillis around 10pm. I remember thinking on my way to Chillis "what if". What if I meet him there, you know the parole officer. Then I said "psh, yea right, he's probably passed out by now". Anyway...those were the thoughts that ran through my mind. Next thing I know, we arrive, we walk in and get a table on the  bar side of Chillis.

So there we were, chit chatting as I tweeted and continued the conversation. There was a very loud group off to my right, Manuel was in front of me and my back was towards the main entrance. I remember chit chatting about how well the Mixer turned out and how much I admired Manuel that night. I don't normally say nice things to him, we're always bullshitting and talking shit to each other but it's always a bunch of laughs when we hang out. Anyway, I remember being distracted by one of the games as well, or they were running highlights, point is...lots of things were going on.

Manuel and I ended up leaving Chilis around 11:15pm. I remember telling him we were the last people inside, and before we left I remember a group of poeople leaving the restaurants main entrance and I also remember looking out the window and seeing some guy in a white jacket being picked up by another guy that was wearing a Giants jacket or something alike, I remember telling Manuel they were drunk or stumbling all over the place lol.

Anyway, this morning, I'm talking to my PO as I normally do.  I mentioned I had a headhache and he began to say if I had a headache for drinking too much at the Mixer.  He then began to tell me, he didn't plan on doing so, but went out with his cousins and some buddies to chill and have some drinks. I asked him where. He responded with saying Chillis. I was like OMG! I began questioning what time he was there, obviously because of the crazy randome thoughts that ran though my mind the night before and because I was curious to know if we were there at the same time. Well...turns out he left at 11pm. I left the place at 11:15! He was amongst the last group of people to leave!!! Aint' that about a bitch. We were in the same room at the same time and didn't even know it. I remember texting him saying good night around 8:30. He sleeps early because he has a 1.5 hour drive each morning around 5-6 am so therefore the old fart has to call it quits earlier in the evening. I remember texting him and I didn't get a response so I figured he was out cold. Turns out, he sent me a text saying he was at Chillis. A text I never received.

What a bitch! I felt so many things when he said he was there, in the same room at the same time! Specially because of the random thoughts that crossed my mind right before we got there. I swear I said what are the chances of us meeting here! Well the chances were def not good, but dang we were in the same building and we didn't even know it!! I have so many emotions right now that i dont even know how to put into words in order to describe. I was on the barside of Chillis and he was on the far right off of the main entrance and I was off to the left of the main entrance! There were a few instances where I wanted to get up and use the restroom and stupidly decided to hold it in! Had I gotten up to use the restroom, without a doubt we would have spotted each other!! Ai dios mio!! But again, what's meant to be will always find it's way, and it wasn't meant to be last night.

I keep telling myself it wasn't meant to be. And it's true. It wasn't meant to happen like this and I accept that. But just the thought of being in the same place at the same time kills me! He was so close to me, yet so far. Aint that a fuckn bitch! OMG. I just can't beleive it. I'm in awe.

I feel as though each day that passes we become closer and closer and the chances of meeting become more and more likely. I really want nature to take it's course and I want things to naturally fall into place the way god intends them to, but God please hurry! I'm anxious to meet him. 

Just a few weeks ago, we were in the same location as well. He was at a Sports Authority, and I was next door at Barnes&Noble. A few weeks before that, I was at Office Max, right after he had left!! And just last night, we were in the same location at the same time. and how I "magically" appeared before him on Twitter, which he doesn't even know how to use and lead him to my Blog and videos! C'mon now! As he likes to say "I was at the right place at the right time". And it's true... And just today, he says to me that he's going to be in So-Cal for Thanksgiving and guess who's gonna be in So-Cal for thanksgiving too! Yup. You guessed it. Your's Truly. Me. I told him, he should spend tiime with his family as I would do the same, and that he should take me out to one of the many places he said he'd love to take me to in So-Cal, he responded with I'll let you know if it's for sure. I guess it's not set in stone, weather he's going to visit his grandparents in So-Cal or if his Grandparents are coming up north. But the way life goes, I wouldn't be surprised if his abuelos came up North.

I know I'm not tripping out. It really seems as though things are slowly taking their course and I feel like we're a seed that's been planted, our stems have grown, and we're at the peak of blooming. Slowly things are coming together, and what's meant to be will always find it's way .I really can't wait to meet him. It's driving me crazy, but I feel as though it's almost here and I'm trying really hard to be patient because I know this is going to be special :)

Plus Size OOTD - Cool, Calm, and Collected




Cute, Comfy, & Chic...and absolutely inexpensive!



I'm Wearing:

-White Collared Tunic Top with Center Button Closure

-Olive/Tanned Cardigan w 3/4 of a cuffed sleeves

-Brown Leggings

-Black Knee High Boots

-Olive & Creme Colored Scarf

Today's outfit is one of my favorites in a while. It's very laid back, comfortable and casual all while being trendy and chic.  I purchased the white collared top at a local store called Choice Plus (no website). I purchased the Olive toned cardigan at Ross which came with the belt that I have over the white top underneath. I paired the top up with some brown leggings I purchased at Wal*Mart for about 6 dollars and finally paired my outfit with some knee high boots which I also purchased at Ross.

I love the cardigan because it has a really  nice drape. It takes care of all my problem areas and adds figure to my body with the drape and flow of the cardigan. The boots are extremely comfortable, making it easy to walk in all day with not a bother in the world and if it rains you're safe from getting your feet wet :).

I only had the chance to take a few pictures during my lunch break, but since I have to stick around till 5:30 for a Mixer my friend invited me to, I'll take some pictures when I get off work. Then off I go to the Library to meet with my buddy to study and work on some homework assignment that's due tomorrow.

I'll update you all later :)

xoxo

Mayra

Day 08

 Short term goals for this month and why

1. Organize my room, because it still looks like I just moved in yesterday
2. No more shopping till Black Friday because I really dont need anything till the winter season begins
3. Start working out again...because I'm paying for a membership that I'm not even using
4. Blog more often and get back on my creative writing and short stories because I have been lacking big time!
5. Make my dental appointment because it's been a whole month overdue and my tooth is hurting :(
6. Get everything together for Blog/YT/FB sale because I have dropped the ball and need to pick it up again
7. Prepare for my new contest and have all gifts ready to go for shipping so there wont be a lag time this time around
8. Finish reading the book you started reading months ago...and begin book reviews on YT or Blogger
9. Do at least 5 goals from this list

A walk through the Vinyards

This morning I woke up on the good side of bed! I feel great!! I just feel in such an amazing mood it's ridiculous. I took a walk through the vinyard and decided I wanted to take some pictures. I didn't have my camera on me so I took these with my phone and I have to say I'm pretty satisfied with the quality. I'll defintely be taking some more pictures this evening with my canon and maybe even do an OOTD video out in the wilderness as my girl Lisa likes to say lol.

Anyway, I wanted to see how posting from my phone would work and I guess so far so good! This is pretty awesome. I love my smart phone, it's my little hand held computer :).

I'll be back later and post some more, I think what I'll do now is catch up on some blog entries. I'll update this later with my outfit of the day. here are some more pictures I took. As you can see I was on a roll, but I really wanted to capture a lot of the Fall essence in my pictures. I then did some editing with photoshop express on iPhone and only changed the resolution, contrast, brightness and sharpness. Other than that, everything else is untouched :) I mean, theres only so much you can do on a phone lol.

My Biggest Impact

This woman is my biggest impact. I am this woman. Literally. I'm her blood, bone and entity. I am her baby. This woman has raised me, has been my friend, my enemy, and my mother all in one. She is beautiful, strong, and an amazing women. A strong successful woman. Many people measure success in different terms. She may not have a degree in college, or have an amazing job, but none the less, raising 5 kids all on her own, is pretty fucking successful to me.  She taught me what being a strong, independent woman should be like. She raised us all on her own, without a man. It's possible, and she's given me a lifelong example that I can never forget. I've become a mold of who she is, was, and will become. She has been the biggest impact on my life from the moment I left her womb and I couldn't be more proud to say she's my mother and I am who I am because of this woman.

A strong, beautiful and independent woman. A successful woman. 

Favorite Super Hero & Why

Day 6

I need to put some more thought into this.

I dont remember much of my childhood. I was raised very very poor and I am not ashamed one bit. It's taught me how to be humble and appreciative of everything I have today. Growing up I didn't watch tv much. My mom couldn't afford the luxury amenities like cable. We always had antenna. I remember when we first got cable I was like 14 years old. I thought it was the best thing ever. But even then, I was never really allowed to watch anything I wanted. I always watched what the grown ups were watching. In my case, telenovelas.  So that is why it's so hard for me to even think of superheros, because I don't have any favorites or even remember. 

If I can say I have a superhero it would have to be my mother. Shes always been my Super Hero and will continue to be for as long as I live. She's always saved me from everything and everyone, even myself and that is why she is my favorite super hero.