the Nonsense in Between

Merry Christmas

A story about Cherry Creek and a dog named Botox

I should probably preface this by telling you all that I have a new position at work. Sorry I'm a slacker for not telling you that I am the new "career development coordinator" at [my company]. What does that mean exactly? Well it's a brand new position so we're still figuring it out. Basically, I'm helping our graduates get placed in salons and spas in the area and hopefully even outside the area. I'm putting together a career fair to help build relationships between our school and potential employers. I'm also going to be working with local highschools to get hs grads into our school. So that's my new position. Back to the story...

Yesterday I was to visit several salons/spas in the Cherry Creek area to let them know about our school, why we're so great, and why they should want to hire our graduates. I've heard enough about Cherry Creek to have my prejudices. If you're not from the area, Cherry Creek is a place where wealthy people segregate themselves from the rest of the world, so they can see who can put their nose highest in the air, it's also a place where wealthy coloradans pretend like they're shopping on rodeo drive, and everyone drives luxury cars. With this in mind I thought I should "dress it up" a bit. I slapped on my costume and mask but when I got there I realized I was fooling no one. With x-ray vision they see right through to the tag on your clothes and mine said "not designer". I think the fact that I walked like a normal person and less like I had a stick up my ass also gave it away. One of the salons I walked into had a particularly snooty owner with a really stupid accent that he forced to make himself feel cool. His judging little eyes made me feel icky so I ran out quickly. Back outside I was appreciating the warm sun and fresh air when I turned a corner and ran into a girl with a dog. She was wearing an outfit that screamed "i paid way too much for this, I'm a stupid whore". Okay, that last part might have been a stretch of prejudice but then she opened her mouth and confirmed it. She said to her dog, "come on Botox." I thought, "Surely, I imagined that". But then she said it again "Botox, this way, Botox over here..."
I began tapping my heels together and saying "there's no place like home, there's no place like home"... Clearly I do not belong in places like Cherry Creek. I concluded that in my previous life I must have traded my Tiffany and Prada for something more real, like a soul.

I was so happy to leave there. I came home ripped off my costume and reveled in the knowledge that I not only know who I am underneath it all I'm proud of it.

Wedding Woes

As the year 2006 creeps up on us people keep insisting that I start planning this wedding. Okay, Okay we should really get on that. We set a date and an approximate time (sept. 3rd at duskish, like 6:45). Then it was time for the guest list. In the beginning we said we'd keep it small, not realizing that the groom's list would be 10 times longer than mine. Being a state away from all of my friends and family makes it hard for all of them to make it. Sure it's only a state away and Dom's family is coming from allover the country but my family just doesnt have the money. I called my mom to ask her who might be able to make it and she basically told me no one. Except of course her, my dad, and my brothers. I'm mostly just upset that my aunt Maria and my Abuela won't be here. Besides my mom, they are the two most influential women in my life and it would have meant the world to me to have them here.

But the show must go on and so must the planning. I've picked out the dress, flowers, Dom's friend Lee will officiate, getting help with invitations (thanks, Juan), Megan Barry Photograpy for photos (really awesome ones, right megan?). I guess people want to see decorations so I'll get on that but it's not going to be spectacular, people. And if one more person asks me about "the color" I'm going to scream. There is no "color". Infact, I may just get a hodgepodge of things that dont match to piss everyone off.

So for those of you who get an invite and actually make it to the wedding just bring your party pants because it's going to be a grand mis-matched time.

It's not a tumor

Several years ago my parents sat my brother and I down and explained that the Ruiz family would no longer partake in christmas traditions. No more tree, no presents, no lights, tinsel or other meaningless things would fill our home come december. My first reaction as a spoiled american kid was that my parents were cheap and I was angry. Truth be told my parents were poor and axing the christmas crap was mostly a financial decision that doubled as a life lesson.

The first couple of non-christmases I felt slighted and I let my parents know. In conversations with my mom she challenged me to find reasons why we should celebrate christmas. I gave it alot of thought and I'd come to her with reasons like "its good to give". She'd snap back with an objection like "so give, give with meaning, give all year long, but don't give for the sake of giving and certainly not with the expectation of recieving". She was right. The energy surrounding Christmas wasn't the spirit of giving but the burden and urgency of buying gifts.

In my adult life I have made the choice not to parttake in this consumer driven holiday. But explaining to people that I don't celebrate christmas is like telling people I like to eat babies for lunch. They gasp, whisper behind my back, call me names. Call me Scrooge but when you're wasting time in the return line returning the scratchy sweater aunt Sue sent you I'll be busy appreciating my next breath.

...

and lick the blood off with our tongues.

Ahh the power of cheese...

After a long day at work (with a crazy lady) I came home to this in my mailbox. Thanks, Dominic, cheese makes everything better.

Losing Composure

I pride myself in being mature and professional at work while still having a good time with coworkers. Today I lost my composure. Most of the people I work with are fantastic, sadly not all of them are. I have been patient, civil, professional, and even kind to the one non-fantastic person. What she lacks in personality she makes up for in the volume of her voice. The loud words that constantly flow from her mouth add nothing to the world and make me wish it were okay to ducttape coworker's mouths shut. I usually try my best to smile kindly and nod while my insides boil. Today her nonsensical rambling made me steam her laziness pushed me over the edge.

At closing, the duties were left to her and I. She completed one task and many still needed to be done so I was shocked when she took a seat complaning she was tired. I asked her nicely if she'd come help with closing when she snapped. I mean snapped like a crazy person! She said "NO! I have to sit down, I haven't sat down all day. Just let me sit!" It is at this point I believe the steam screamed out of my ears. I angrily stormed off and finished the tasks myself. Then she came up and started yelling at me, again, like a crazy person. There were many lines I could have crossed, many words I could have said but I remained reserved, mostly. I told her if she was too tired to help me close then she should just go home, I think I was being reasonable-right? This clearly was the wrong thing to say to the crazy person in front of me. She flipped out more, if that was even possible. Screamed louder, called me a child, told me to grow up, threw a trashcan. And then I lost it I just started laughing. The whole scene was obsurd. I wouldnt have anymore to do with this so I just turned around and ignored her. She left without completing anymore tasks as she was exhausted from screaming at me.

Nicole Versus the Elements

I woke up yesterday to the weatherman saying "arctic conditions". My first thought was that he was speaking of someplace far to the north-Alaska? Canada? Montana? But much to my dismay he was speaking of noneother than Denver, Colorado. That's right people, I'm facing arctic conditions. The high yesterday was 10 degrees! I'm not made for this. My people are from the warm depths of Mexico. Genetically, I'm just not designed to deal with this. Mentally, I can't even comprehend what minus-some-degree means. I'm almost ready to give in to the cold, just roll over and die. But other people seem to be surviving it so I guess I'll try this "layers" business and hope it works for the little mexican girl from Roswell.

Wish me luck, send me warmth.

Everyday Vacation

I woke up this morning feeling rested and full of life. As I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes I remembered last night. A night like any other. I came home to my beautiful fiance, we made dinner together, and enjoyed eachother's company before hitting the hay. As I laid next to him I remember feeling as though the world were a million miles away, my worries with it. He is my vacation.

I came to my computer to tell you all about this and on my way I stopped at his blog and read this. What can I say? We're retarded for eachother.