Meeshie's Page-o-Words (aka: Meeshie-isms)

I can finally write a little every day about my experiences through life....past, present, and future.

[meeshienguyen]

Raising a Successful Maddox

FINALLY! An article that validates me as a #TigerMom AND a #HelicopterMom !!! What a great way to start out this Friday morning! WOOOHOOO! ;p ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Article: Raising Successful Children http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/05/opinion/sunday/raising-successful-children.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1& ----------------------------------------------------------------------- I've been "jokingly" been called #TigerMom & a #HelicopterMom by some of my other Mommy friends. However, there is truth in all humor (wink-wink).  Last night was my first Parent Orientation at Maddox's new preschool. Yes, I'm a Mommy, but attending this milestone event really hit it home that I AM "Officially" A PARENT! (Go figure!) As Ms. Ana explained to the 20 or so parents that we sitting in the children's chairs that our butts barely fit into, the various volunteer opptys on the sign up sheet for the classroom and school. Of course, my ears perked up and I couldn't wait to get my hands on that sign up sheet. As soon as Ms. Ana was done with her presentation, I jumped up, ran to the front of the class and signed my name next to the volunteer opptys. (Of course, Ryan rolled his eyes at me smirking) One mother turned to me and said, "Wow, you signed up for a lot of duties!" I just smiled at her. But what I wanted to say was, "That's right I did! You have no idea who just joined your school!" BAHAHAHHAAAA!!!  Yes, I am now the co-parent laison for the classroom, on the Halloween Carnival committee, on the Spring Fling committee, and twice a month helping out at lunch to deliver pizza for Pizza Fridays! This is going to be RAD! Next year, I'm considering running for PTA President. ;)

[meeshienguyen]

Stairway to Awesomeness!

I remember seeing this cute cartoon come up on my Facebook feed about a Mama, her kids & hubby, COFFEE, and most importantly WINE!  Of course I just had to "like" the comic cartoon then immediately click on her page only to find more AWESOME comic strips and instantly became a fan! 

Through FB, I've come to be "cyber-friends" with Comic Strip Mama - chatting online and even having her create an awesome logo for my website!

On August 15, 2013, Comic Strip Mama released her first ever book!

You can purchase it on AMAZON: http://amzn.to/16JTp0b

Video book trailer:  http://youtu.be/nDdJy_9Ce7Y

I asked Comic Strip Mama to tell us a little about herself and her journey, and here's what she said...

OH NO SHE DIDN’T!

OH YES I DID Dr. Phil! (Hehe) I’ve done it! I have written a self-help book and established myself as a self-proclaimed “expert” on how to live an awesome life!

And guess what?! I am not EVEN a therapist, a psychologist, a doctor of any sort or an educated mental health professional with any type of degree or designation. My "credentials" do not come from reading and studying text books, passing exams or graduating with a diploma. They were earned the hard way, the REAL way, through a lot of hardcore living and learning. That is something that cannot be bought or taught.

Life is hard and it isn’t always fair. Sometimes… life is downright INSANE! I have experienced many of life’s seemingly insurmountable blows and for many years I lived a dark, disturbing, depressing, miserable and reckless existence as a result. I wallowed in a sea of self-pity and negativity to the point that I almost drowned. At my lowest, my mental health was so seriously compromised that I didn’t care if I lived or died.

Sounds disturbing, doesn’t it? Well it was. But a few years ago I decided to rise above it all! I changed my way of thinking, stopped setting myself up for failure and reinvented myself into the person that I am today...a strong, happy and positive person and parent who strives to achieve “awesomeness” every day, in every way! And let me tell ya, it wasn’t easy! You want to know why it wasn’t easy? Because I struggled with so many things that I was conditioned to believe… that’s why.

Stairway to Awesomeness is not your average self-help book. It is the ultimate self-improvement book that goes against the grain of many self-help/self-improvement books out there. And I say that with great confidence. I take my readers on my very real tragedy-to-triumph life journey and explain HOW and WHY I changed my way of thinking about many things that so many of us are conditioned to believe. I encourage my readers to focus on the positive, recognize the blessings and find the humor in life instead of taking it way too seriously… even in the face of adversity! The 30 fundamental steps that I write and illustrate about are tried-and-true and life changing. I prove that achieving a life of awesomeness IS possible. There is also a very unique and humorous comic twist throughout the book that will make you smile as you make your own climb to awesomeness!

Since I decided to write this book I have encountered many awesome people that have said “You know, I should write a book about my life too!” or something to that effect. If you have a real-life story that would inspire others to be awesome, what are you waiting for? Write it! The world needs more of that!

She's one AWESOME Mama!  Please help support this great achievement and buy a copy of her book!

  Connect with Comic Strip Mama™:

http://www.comicstripmama.com

http://www.facebook.com/ComicStripMama

http://www.twitter.com/ComicStripMama

http://www.goodreads.com/ComicStripMama

  Enter the Comic Strip Mama™ Blog Tour of AWESOMENESS Extravaganza Giveaway for your chance to win some AWESOME prizes!

http://www.comicstripmama.com/STAIRWAY-TO-AWESOMENESS.html

  Until next time,

~ Meeshie ;)

[meeshienguyen]

Mommy, Son & Crossfit

It's the CROSSFIT GAMES 2013 this weekend!  

This morning I checked online to see if their website posted any of yesterday's events and clicked on the highlight reel.  

http://games.crossfit.com/video/crossfit-games-update-show-july-25-2013

As I watched the mother/daughter portion (they are both competitors this year), I remembered what had happened yesterday in the car with my son Maddox who will be 3 years old at the end of November...

We were on the way to visit my friend Christine who just happens to live down the street from Crossfit Counter Culture in Encinitas - where I go to workout twice a week (if I'm lucky).  Maddox has only been there twice: once because our nanny dropped him off there after my class and another time when we went to buy some appareal - for his Aunt Kiki and I got him two CF shirts as well.

As we were driving down the road, Maddox goes: "Mommy's gym is here"

Now mind you, we were about 3 blocks from the gym, which is also in a center towards the back...

Me:  "Yes, Maddox!  Mommy's Crossfit gym is just down the street.."

Maddox:  "I want to go see Mommy's gym"

Me:  "Well, after we visit our friends.  Do you want to come to Mommy's gym with me next time and watch?"

Maddox:  (face lighting up)  "Yes!"

I'm amazed how much he remembers - what kid at 2 1/2 remembers landmarks/stores that he's only seen twice (while in a car driving) and can actually tell me where my Crossfit gym is at????  It's CRAZY!  I also can't wait (but can LOL) for they day where we are working out together - running, swimming, biking, Crossfitting.  I would love for one day when he's older for me to compete in the, well, by then in the Masters (yikes!), and him against some of the "Fittest in the World".

[meeshienguyen]

A Family Picture of Co-Parenters

Today I got an email from Maddox's school updating parents about the week.  In the email, it asked:

"If you haven't already, PLEASE bring in a family photograph of you (parents), your child and their sibling(s). Preferably size: 4x6"

For a split milli-second I got a sinking pit in my stomach when I saw the word "family" on my computer screen.  I never want Maddox to feel like he is the kid in the class that has a Mommy and a Daddy that are not together that don't live under the same roof.  I strive EVERY DAY to  address his feelings or any other thoughts or wonders he might have about me and his Daddy not being together.  

Like the other day when Maddox goes, "Where's Daddy and 'Sally'???"  (We'll name Daddy's new GF as "Sally" to protect the innocent).

I responded with, "Daddy and Sally are working - you will see them tomorrow and you can give them both big hugs and lots of kisses!"

I try and make the drop-off and pick-up transitions easy, tension-less, and semi-fun...LOL ;p   I never want Maddox to ever feel that Mommy and Daddy don't get along or are fighting...it's hard enough as it is for him to go back and forth from my home to his Dad's...two beds, two sets of clothes, two homes to have to acclimate to every few days.

I am fortunate that Maddox's dad wants the same things for Maddox as I do.  We constantly are working to make co-parenting easy on Maddox.  Don't get me wrong, I'm sure there are times when his Dad mumbles under his breath at me...as I do him...but we keep those things to ourselves...or to the friends that get to hear us vent.  THANK YOU FRIENDS! ;)

I'm a picture-taker, it's in my Asian genes...HAHHAA!  And so every chance I get to take a pic of me, Ryan, and Maddox together...I do!  Sometimes I think Ryan rolls his eyes at me - but I know that once he sees the pic and how happy Maddox looks in them, he's thankful.  ;)

So later today, I will be running to a Rite-Aid to print out the pics that I've taken of the three of us thus far in 2013 so Maddox can bring them to school this week and hopefully be PROUD to show off his "family".

(Touring schools March 2013)

(First Day of School:  6/17/13)

(Easter 2013)

(Jenni's Wedding:  Dec 2012)

[meeshienguyen]

TANTRUM TUESDAY

I officially started potty training last Friday and for the most part it has been going well.  Maddox has gotten the hang of telling me when he has to pee-pee and poo-poo.  There are times however, where he tells me he want to pee-pee but as quick as I sit him on the toilet, he's quicker to say, "No, pee Mommy, down".

  This morning did not start out like our usual HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY day.  Maddox woke up at 5am crying out for "MOMMY!" in which I brought him to my bed to sleep for just one more hour.  Of course he loves to push up against me causing me to lay on my side almost falling off my bed.  By 6am it was time to get up and get ready for work.  Maddox loves to sit on the bathroom counter top and watch me get ready asking, "What are you doing Mommy?  What's that Mommy?  Ohhh, Mommy is putting on her makeup!"  

I change him out of his night diaper and put on his Thomas the Train under-roos and take him downstairs for our breakfast.  "Mommy, Thomas the Train" which is his way of asking me to turn on his Thomas the Train DVD for him.   I turn it on, and grab him a banana to eat.

"Mad, do you have to go pee-pee?"   

"No, Mommy" he replies.

But of course after handing him his banana, he tells me, "Mommy! Pee-Pee!"

We go into the bathroom, I pull down his under-roos, sit him on the toilet and his ritual kicks in..."No pee-pee Mommy, down".  I take him off the Sesame Street toilet seat cover and put his under-roos back on.  We head back out to the living room and sure enough, "Mommy! Pee-Pee!"  So we head back to the bathroom, pull down the under-roos, place him on top of the toilet seat, and he wiggles back off.  

"Mommy, underwear!  Shorts!"

"Maddox, do you have to pee-pee?  You haven't gone yet this morning, let's try and go". 

"NO!!!" as he's holding his wee-wee crossing his legs.

"Yes, you want to stand up and pee-pee like Daddy?"

"NO!  Sit down!"

"Ok" and I try to sit him back down - and of course, he wants to get off.  We do this LITERALLY for about 6-7 times.  Each time I walk back out to the kitchen to get things ready for our nanny who is about to arrive in 10 minutes so I can fight the 5south traffic to work.  

Each time he doesn't pee, he jumps up and down crying as I leave the bathroom.

"Maddox, if you're not going to pee, Mommy is going to turn off Thomas the Train"  (Yes, I've now threatened my kid with a cartoon)

Crying and screaming and crying and screaming...jumping up and down as tears stream down his rosy cheeks, clear snot bubbling around his nose.  

"Mad, you keep telling Mommy you have to pee then you get off the toilet. OK. No more Thomas".

"Mommy!!!  Thomas!  Thomas! I go pee!  I go pee!"  Well, he doesn't end up going pee, and once again, I leave the bathroom as he follows me out crying hysterically trailing at my heels around the house crying out "Mommy!!!!!!!"  

That's when I hear it...the change in his cry, yell....whatever it was he was doing...he looks straight at me and yells "Mommy!  PEE-PEE!"  We rush back into the bathroom, I prop him back up on the toilet and he looks down at his wee-wee and BAM!  A stream of pee-pee comes flowing out!  I swear every time that kid pees it's like heaven's light shining through the dark gray clouds!

"YAY Maddox!!!  You did it! You pee-peed!" I yell in excitement like he's just won the Heisman trophy.

"Mommy!!!  I did it!"  he screams back with the biggest smile on his face!

"Doesn't that feel much better???"

"Yay, I did it!"

As soon as I get his under-roos and shorts back on.  Our nanny Marie arrives with Grayson.  Maddox runs over to say 'Hi".  Kimo (our Yorkie-Maltise dog) runs over as well.  Happy Happy Joy Joy!  

The boys are running towards the stairs to play, Kimo right behind them.  Maddox stops, Kimo keeps going...going...going...going right under  Maddox's legs...knocks him off his feet....and we have a CRIER AGAIN.

[meeshienguyen]

An Inspirational Mom: Kim Dolan Leto

Before I ever was a Mommy I would see these Moms running around town with their kids - FIT AS CAN BE!  I remember only hoping that after I had a kid (or two?) that I would be able to maintain some sort of fitnees routine.  You'll be amazed at what you can do with the right time management and a some help from the Dad.  As you all know, I am a single Mom but am fortunate to have a good relationship with Maddox's Dad who loves his son and wants to spend time with him.

On the days/nights I don't have Maddox, I use them to my advantage and schedule workouts during that time.  On weekend runs Maddox just comes right along with me.  I never run more than 90 minutes with him in the running stroller - heck, I'd even get bored sitting for that long!  And this regimine actually works!

So who is this Kim Dolan Leto person?  She's a fitness mom who inspires me that I can do it being as busy as I am!  I was fortunate to be featured on her website in her "11 Inspirational Moms" blog!  :)    Now don't get it twisted...I'm NO FITNESS MODEL MOMMY! But my goal is just to get in MY OWN best physical shape.  It was so awesome to see other Moms overcome their personal fitness obstacles to obtain their goals and I'm honored to be among them!

Here's the story:

http://www.kimdolanleto.com/2013/02/11-inspirational-moms-with-incredible-stories/

Thanks Kim for inspiring other Mommies!

[meeshienguyen]

What you can do in just 1 week...

I survived the Carlsbad Marathon, even after a "Mommy Night Out" on that Friday, taking care of a sick kid on Saturday, including myself, and then running the marathon in 5 hours 12 minutes...not too shabby.  Well, two weeks have gone by and besides not workiing out...this last week has been quite eventful.

Last Friday, thanks Wendy, I was on a stand-by flight to Vegas for my best friend Heather's wedding.  It was a small quaint one with only family and a few close friends.  We stayed at the Venetian but got upgraded to the Palazzo!  YAY!  The wedding was sooooooo perfect!  I tell everyone that "he's the one".  

Vegas is like my second home town.  I lived there for three years while "attending" UNLV.  I did not get the perfect attendance award.  I literally flunked out of that school and ended up moving to L.A.  but that's a whole other story and journey.  Whenever I go back to visit, I'm amazed at how it's changed and I'm no longer VIP status...which makes me sad.  However, when you go back with a HOT group of Peeps...you're bound to get into a club here and there ;)

The wedding was on Saturday, followed by dinner, a short walk to TAO night club, complete with drinking and a ton of dancing.  As the night went on...I remember walking back my friend to her room, hanging out in Heather's room, meeting a cool local, drinks at the hotel bar with Aussies, then back at my room - NO idea what time.  The next thing I know I hear "Meeshie!!! Get up!  We need to get to the airport now or we're going to miss our flight!"  Craig screamed at me.

UGH!!!  I think I still have a buzz going as I throw all my crap into my Hello Kitty suitcase - or maybe the feeling came from LACK OF SLEEP.  "Where's my LV purse?  I can't find it!  SH*T!  Maybe I left it at the bar downstairs???"  I scramble around the room, tossing the sheets in the air and crawling on the floor.  "C'mon, we have to go!" Shouts Craig once more.  "OK, I'm coming...we need to stop at security" I mumble.

Of course, no one turned in my purse...damn.  Thank gawd I had my ID in my 'going out' purse so I could at least get on my flight - which by the way I was still flying standby!!!  That's why I needed to get there early in hopes some tourist had just as much fun as I did and is still passed out in their bed...or on the bathroom floor.

I'm running behind so tell Craig to go and I'll just catch my own cab.  My own $35 one way price cab. With NO LUCK at finding my purse, I hop in a cab and head to the airport arriving at 7:15am - plenty of time to check-in and fly standby for the 8:30am flight, right?  WRONG!  Not only did I NOT get on the 8:30am flight, I also did NOT get on the 9:40am flight.  Seriously?  I'm partly buzzed, needed food and water, and now have to wait two hours for the 11:55am flight on stand-by.  OMG... I just want to GET HOME!

I texted Heather that I didn't make either flight.  I then get a call:  "Teague's Dad just got Maudi and can swing by the airport and pick you up if you want to drive back to San Diego with them?"  I didn't even have to bat an eyelash.  "YES!  I'll wait outside baggage!!!"  There was no way I was going to wait two hours and chance not getting on the next flight home...at this rate I could be stuck in the Vegas airport all day!  A sense of relief overcame my body as I saw Phil pull up and Maudi smiling at me from the front seat.  I hop in the back and off we drove.  BYE BYE second home town...see you soon.  

The drive home was a very quiet one.  Maudi and I in and out of restless sleep while Phil jammed out to top 40 hits...which he knew the words to...so freakin' cute!  I realize that I have no car or house keys...great.  My car is at airport parking...I hope the garage door is not locked...and hoping I can at least borrow my sister's car for the night.

Pit stop for gas, two tacos from Hack in the Sack, then back on the road.  Meanwhile, I'm playing phone tag with the security people at Palazzo.  Another missed call...check message:  "Ms. Nguyen, we have your purse and wallet, please give us a call back if you want to pick it up or if you want us to mail it to you".  OMG OMG OMG!  I actually had some karma left over in my karma jar!!!  Thought I used it all up!  Guess not! ;)

Phil drops me off at my sister's house where I pick up Bianca Beemer and head home.  By now it's 3:30pm and I'm so tired and smell like an ashtray.  I muster up the energy to take a shower then plop my arse on the couch.  The only time I got up was to cook a thin crust CPK pizza because I HAD to put some food in my body.  I really wanted Panda Express, but couldn't bare the thought of getting in my car to drive down the street to pick it up.  I ate one tiny slice of pizza, caught up on my TiVo shows, then headed to bed by 8:30pm only to watch Twilight until 10:00pm then finally passed out.

Monday came faster that I'd like...but pealed myself off the bed and headed into work.  First stop, McDonald's for a fried hash brown and a sausage egg Mc Muffin, complete with an OJ.  I brought the leftover pizza minus one slice into work for lunch.  Which by the way, I didn't end up eating and some co-worker ATE IT and left me ONE slice!  Can't wait to blog about that story!

My morning was spent calling Kia to see how long it would take to make a key for my car - 10 minutes???  Sold for $56.  Left work, drove to Kia, got key made, drove to Mom's house, dropped off Bianca Beemer, drove with my Asian-Driver-Like Mom, paid $36 for parking, then had a sushi bento box lunch with Mom - who told me about her Hawaii trip and her new business - Bonzai Trees online. ;p

There was no gym Monday, Tuesday (1st Montessori school visit), Wednesday.  

Wednesday...such an eventful day in itself.  My second Montessori school visit - where the Director made fun of my clipboard piled with my tour checklist and printed pamphlets.  Thanks to my ORGF Dawn, I finally made that appointment with Kari - the short haircut specialist to CHOP CHOP my hair.  Butterflies and a good nervousness all around.  

But that was quickly subsided when I got the text from my nanny:  Maddox has had a 100-101.4 temperature today.

Being my first child...EVERY THING is taken with the utmost caution.  I rushed over to the nanny's to grab him...of course when I got there, his temperature broke so drove him to his Dad's house.  

I was still able to make it to Girl's night...I <3 girls night...a night where we can finally catch up over a glass of wine and some good food in our yoga pants.  A tradition that we've been doing for years...

Thursday was super busy at work...forecast due, my headcount was off, SAP reports running slower than snail speed.  I seriously wish I had four computers so I could work more efficiently! Got to at least workout at the Meat Market (aka:  UTC Super Sport) with Felicia in TKB.  Day flew by...time to meet Boz and Kiki at Dawn's house for a quick run before my CHOP CHOP session!

  Drum roll please!!!!!!!  CHOP CHOP CHOP CHOP...snip snip snip snip!  The Meeshie Faux Hawk has arrived!  Thanks to Kari - the short hair expert and the support of the bestest friends a girl could ask for:  Dawn, Tom, Craig, and Kim.  There are more...but I didn't tell them about this last minute decision.

New DO:

Followed by an Singles Awarness Day (2/14/13) Dinner with the rest of the Peeps...

To top off the day...I get home and there is a package waiting for me on the door step...MY PURSE!!!  The Palazzo had my purse delivered back to me in less than three days!  WOOHOOO!  What a great way to end an AWESOME Thursday! ;)

....And so now it's Friday afternoon...and I've managed to do my hair this AM and STILL LOVIN' IT! :)  

Almost quitin' time...time to pick up my little man Maddox and watch his expression when he sees Mommy's new hair.  However, not sure he will react so surprised.  Like I said...I wear it back ALL THE DAMN TIME to the point that when he sees it down, he actually says "Mommy, hair!" and pets me like I'm a llama.

Tomorrow is the start of a new weekend and new adventures...starting out with driving up to Los Angeles with Maddox after swim class to visit my friend, her husband, and new 6 month baby girl - who I have not seen in over 5-6 years...

I need to write my congress person about seeing if we can have 10 days in a week instead of seven.

What are the odds???  Slim to none. 

[meeshienguyen]

Miracle Marathon

So in less than 41 hours I will be running in the Carlsbad Marathon - my second.  Not sure who's great idea this was to run this race?  Oh wait...mine.  

              This seriously has been a challenging race to train for...I mean who seriously is going to train over Thanksgiving and all the damn holiday parties that one MUST attend during the month of December???  Oh and wait, how do you do your long runs of 14, 16, 18, 20 miles on the weekends when you have a two year old and you feel guilty about making him sit in a B.O.B stroller for longer than an hour?

Like always, I've found ways around the so-called "system":

1.  Go to the holiday parties that fall on a Saturday night and only drink wine

2.  Suck it up and spend money on a nanny for the long runs so Maddox doesn't have to suffer sitting in a stroller just so Mama can prove she can run another marathon post baby

3.  New Year's resolution is:  NO drinking (HAHA, good one), run EVERY weekend and get to 20 miles in 4 weeks - totally DOABLE!  WTH???

4.  (and the most important)  Make your friends run with you so it holds you accountable as well - Thanks Jen, Kimmie, & Shawnie! ;)

However, my FAVORITE perk about training for a marathon is the process called "Carb-Loading".  I started this process today...errrrrr, ok, I lied.  I've most likely been carb-loading ALL DAMN MONTH!  HAHAHAA!  This is NOT your typical Runner's Magazine version...this is the Meeshie version!!!  LOL!  The Meeshie version consists of:

                     YUM RIGHT??!!!!  OH and for lunch today I had yellow curry with chicken, rice, carrots, potatoes.  Tonight I'm going to grub on pizza or something....that's right baby...CARB-LOADING!!!  Ya hearrrrrd me??????

OK OK OK, I know I know...I do have some good practices like taking this EVERY MORNING for the past few weeks:

                 Tangent:  I've tried and tried to get this pic to rotate LEFT!  LEFT I say, LEFT!!!

OK, I'm back.  Any hoot, with so many peeps getting the flu, I just need my body to hold out until AFTER the marathon...c'mon body you can do it!  It's working so far...KNOCK ON SOME WOOD!  I've also been drinking a ton of water to hydrate...or actually to REHYDRATE from last weekend's Sunday Funday Football playoffs <sigh>

It's raining out today and suppose to rain until Sunday --- I absolutely HATE running in the rain!  The last time I did, my socks and shoes were so drenched that my feet kept slippin' and ended up being covered with the nastiest blisters known to mankind...FAIL.

But it's all good n' da hood...I'm ready as I'll ever be.  All I'm aiming to do is make it ACROSS the finish line in one piece and without peeing or going numba 2 down my leg!  (I know, GROSS - but those hard core runners actually will do that so they don't have to stop and add minutes to their race time)  I've come to accept that I am not a Kenyan and all I'm trying to do is cross off this item on my 2013 things to do list...come to think of it...maybe I need a new list?! ;)

Wish us luck!  And if I don't show up on Facebook on Monday, someone send out the search party for me.  (Check any bars around mile 18)

[meeshienguyen]

Cyber Completeness

So this week has probably been the most productive week I've had in a while.  Besides putting out a few fire drills at work on our 2013 budget, I managed in my spare time to pull together all of my various websites and blogs into one cyber-place! My old "Meeshie" website was originally started because I wanted to have a site where other women going through breast cancer could go to read my story.  Not sure when it was that I asked myself "Is it really necessary to devote a whole website to breast cancer?"  I mean, it doesn't define who I am. 

I have all these various pieces of my life that were scattered all around and I've been yearning to put the puzzle together.  And as of today, I can say that I feel about 95% complete.  Kind of weird that having my new "Meeshie" website can make me feel this way...but it does.  

I admit - I am borderline addicted to technology that keeps me posted to social media.  My life is timelined at least 4-5 times a day.  I created a FB page for my Mom and Maddox has had once since he was born.  My whole family is on FB and all my friends.  Well, with the exception of Tiba - who I am still on a mission to convert.  LOL!!!  If I think up of a group, I create a FB page for it...like our FITNESS FANATICS (70 members) and HOOKAS TO MAMAS (30 mamas). Hmmm, what other groups can I create???  (Kidding - not really...TEEHEE)  

Now that I have my pieces all together, I can start blogging at least once a week. Blogging is like therapy...just as running is like therapy.  Ugh, pattern here?  Maybe I just need therapy...HA! ;)

I'm just glad that I finished one project on my List of Sh*t to Get Handled in 2013!

Now if GoDaddy will just stop repointing my old site to the old domain and point it to the new one!!!  GOOD GRIEF how long does a change take these days???

Cyber-Slowness...

http://www.meeshie.com/ 

[textfromdog]

[meeshienguyen]

I love this blog!  Freakin' Hilarious!

[meeshienguyen]

Back the F Off

I can't remember the last time I blogged - been way too long!  Today, however, I'm going to take time out from my day job to write about a very very very serious epidemic plaguing Meeshie's World - PERSONAL SPACE.

Not sure what's been going on lately, but personal space seems to be getting smaller and smaller all around me.  The WORST place this occurs is in Starbucks. 

All of us know how LONG the lines get around 8am in Starbucks around the nation.  Guys walking in with hairs still out of place.  Ladies still applying another coat of mascara - hey at least they're not doing it in the car (that's a whole other blog).  Each of us lining up one after another to get a cup of morning crack.  

I love the Starbucks that I go because they know my name and know exactly what my drink order is and it's ready before I get to the register to pay...now that's service!  So the other morning, I'm standing in line...I was late (UGH) so the line was out the door (Starbucks should really consider a VIP line...HAHAHA).  Any hoot, I'm doing the right thing by making sure to give the patron in front of me their personal space.  When I'm in line, I try to give the person in front of me enough room so if they were to quickly turn around I would not be staring them in the face while our noses are touching.  However, the person behind me is literally climbing on my back.  I can feel their stanky "I haven't eaten anything and my stomach is empty" breath on the back of my  neck.  Seriously???  As the line inches forward, I stay put and of course, as expected, the idiot behind me just about runs into my ponytail.  

Now, I usually wear my hair in a ponytail to work everyday.  Mostly because it's the easiest hair-do in the mornings as I'm trying to get ready quickly.  Work is not a fashion show and I'm trying my hardest to look plainly professional.  (HAHA, stop laughing Peeps...hey, I'm trying at least)  Getting ready fast allows me to spend some quality "mommy and me" time with Maddox before work.  Yes, tangent (damn A-D-D).

Back to the story...I'm thinking to myself, "ok dude, you're asking for it, c'mon...get just a little bit closer...just a little bit more..."  I swiftly turn my head to the left like I'm interested in purchasing a stainless steel coffee canister (that looks like a dildo) for $19.99 so that my lovely ponytail smacks them in the face. AHHHHHHHH...SATISFACTION! Back the F off or my I will strike you down with my deadly ponytail! 

Recently, this lack of personal space followed me to VONS.  I loooooove shopping at Vons, Target, and Walmart.  I go to one of them at least every other day.  It's actually becoming an addiction that Kim pointed out to me last weekend.  If anyone knows a help group for this type of problem, please send me info.

So, I'm in line strategically placing my items on the conveyer belt.  All heavy items first, followed by boxed items, cold items, then breads and chips (since they go on top of the heavy items in the cart).  I just like to help the baggers out... (is that even the PC word to call 'em???)

Once all my items have exited my cart, I push it forward to the bagger then proceed to the pin pad to enter my secret decoder frequent stalker shopper saver number, and then pay.  Now, here's where my personal space was invaded...Cart is still in a position where I cannot move from the pin pad because the bagger has not finished placing all the items in the cart.  The person behind me literally bumps me forward in order to enter their secret decoder frequent (not stalker cuz I'm sure they do their shopping only once a week) shopper saver number.  I hold my ground, flick my head right and let my deadly ponytail whack them in the face....AHHHHHHHH...SATISFACTION once again!  Back the F off!  GEEEEEZ!  Give a Hooka some room to breath for Pete's sake!

Sometimes I wish that places like Starbucks and Vons would put down those feet prints on their floors (like we had in Kindergarten) so show where each person should stand in line - with ample space between each set...wishful thinking, I know.

I think the next time I'm in those places, I'm going to stand with both my hands on my hip and twist back in forth while I'm waiting in line.  This way it'll create a nice circle of personal space...I'll let you all know how that works out for me.  LOL!!!

[textfromdog]

[meeshienguyen]

I love this dog!

[meeshienguyen]

I fart on feminism!

So I haven't blogged in a while...between trying to work full time, raise a kid, do volunteer work on the side, collaborating on a new start-up company, working on my relationship (or lack of one), and pretending to train a few times a week to run half marathons every two months - I've just been a tad busy.  Wait, forgot:  and trying to have a some-what social life.  But in all of my running around, I've come to despise my energetic go-getter enthusiasm and just want to be a stay at home mom!  There!  I said it!  

Being brought up in the 20th century where so many civil rights movements occurred, it's no wonder why I'm reverting back to the good ol' days where the man goes to work and the woman stays home with the kids and has dinner ready on the table for her husband when he returns from work.  Seems simple, easy, effortless (to me anyways).  But I've been instilled with independence, strong-mindedness, and the " I can do anything" attitude.  

Before a child:

I could work all day, find time to workout twice a day, coordinate events each month, socialize with ALL my friends, and read in my spare time.  It was go go go...here there everywhere!  (errrr...that sounded very Dr. Seuss) 

After a child:

Having Maddox was the BEST THING that could have ever happened to me!  He is the reason why I have slo'd my ro'!  If it wasn't for him, I'd still be running around doing a 1,000 things without really "stopping to smell the roses".  So this is why I FART ON FEMINISM!  

Because I want to be little Miss Independent, my days are filled with my career, my  charity event planning business and volunteer meetings, trying to fit a workout in, stopping at the market, cooking, feeding and bathing a baby, having dinner for the man done, cleaning toys and straightening up the house for the next day's nanny share, laundry, and then I finally get to eat then shower and get ready for bed.  Usually 1-2 days a week, I have the peeps over so once Maddox goes down, I can actually visit with them.  And let's not forget, Ladies...the bedroom performance!  Yes, " I can do it"!  HA!  Thing is, I can.  I can because that's the way I was raised...that's what I call "normal"...my reality.

At the end of the day...all I can think is that I wish I could wake up the next morning, take Maddox out of his crib and play all day with him.  I think about all the cool places we could visit and how much fun we'd have.  I would be there for every new step, word, fall, and hug.  I could teach him to read early, have him adding numbers by the time he's 3, and we could synch up our iPhone calendars with Mommy and Me play dates.  Ahhh, crap...there I go again...

So I'm sure those of you who are reading this are probably saying, "just stop everything else and just work and raise Maddox".  I tried that already and I was miserable.  I know I said that I FART ON FEMINISM...but like a fart, it dissipates, and so have my feelings about farting on feminism.  It's not Meeshie to sit at home doing nothing.  It's Meeshie to want to try and make some sort of difference in my world.  So what I've learned to do is pick and choose what I can commit to - what doesn't interfere with my time with Maddox while he's "awake".  Once he goes down, I can have my meetings, make the phone calls, send out emails, work on events, write long-ass blogs, & watch my TiVo shows.  

(I've also been blessed with the BEST FRIENDS in the whole wide world.  Friends who have helped me find balance.  Friends that know I have a child who goes to bed at 7:30pm and so they come over to my place and hang out, play with Maddox until he goes to bed, then the big peeps get to have our wine and TSN.)

I would have been the first in line in the 1920's casting my vote and the first one in the 1960's to burn my bra.  That's who I am...a feminist...it's who I've become:  an energetic go-getter who's sometimes too independent for my own good...but oh well.  Today, I'm just trying to be the first one that Maddox looks up to as he matures and becomes a man.  

[meeshienguyen]

My Peeps CAN'T DRIVE!

OK, I know that I will get a lot of "crap" for this blog...but I'm prepared.  I do not understand why Asian people just CANNOT drive to save their lives!!!  Seriously!!!  Asians are sometimes the strangest ethnic group of people.  Yes, we are super duper awesome at math.  Heck, by age 5 I knew my multiplication tables from 1 through 12 and could spit out the answer before my dad could finish saying, "What's 12 times 11?"  

"one-tirty-too!"  (lil' meeshie giggles)  Wait, there was no giggling! There were hours and hours of sitting at the dining table doing math until my panoramic-viewing eyes (thanks, Kami) couldn't take it anymore.  

Asians are good at science too.  I won my school science fair in the 7th grade and competed in the Chicago city science fair.  My project was "The effects of acid rain on plants".  Complete with hypothesis, graphs, conclusion, and some dead plants.  

And have you ever seen Asian people play golf?  Talk about giving the new meaning to "ready golf".  They scurry out of their golf cart, run to the ball, hit a perfect shot, then run back to the golf cart and take off.  Why is everyone running?  It's like they are doing the Chinese fire-drill all the damn time!  Needless to say, when I am on the course I do have this sense of anxiety the group behind me will get pissed off if I'm lagging to far behind from the group in front of me!  Maybe Asians were born with some weird "play golf quick" gene???!!!  Oh wait...I don't hit perfect shots though...HAHA.

So here's the kicker...if Asians are sooo smart and are quick golf players...why in the HELL do they drive slower than snails???  Asians can't turn properly, make a U-turn, park, let alone drive on the freeway, and I sometimes wonder if they are too scared to even start the damn car!  

I hate to say this, but my Mom is one of these Asian drivers.  I literally FEAR for my life when I'm in the car with her.  "Mom, if you go 50mph and everyone else is going at least 65mph, you are going to get plowed from behind!"  I yell as I'm watching for cars as they speed up behind us and swerve to get out of the HER way.  I know they are looking in their rear-view mirrors going "damn Asian drivers!".  (HAHA) "What?  You want me get ticket?  Insurance expensive yu know!  Yu need save your money!"  WTF?  How did we get on me having to save my money?  AHA, another Asian Tiger mother trait - but that is for a whole other blog...

Every time I'm on the road and some Nissan, Honda, Acura, Lexus is pissing me off, I can be assured that it's either a chick Asian driver or "older" Asian person (like my Mom) behind the wheel.  I can always tell because their seat is sitting at 90 degrees, with a head that can barely see over the steering wheel as they sit so close that if they so much as slightly tap their breaks, they will break their nose.  And don't even get me started on why anyone buying a BMW should go through a rigorous driving test...Asians getting the level 10 "hardest" driving test of them all.

Maybe it's because I have A-D-D and always in a rush to get somewhere that I always made sure I drove a sports car so I could whip in and out of traffic to get to the red light 10 seconds faster only to sit there idling.  I pride myself on being a really really really good Asian driver (aka:  road rage so get out of my way...I gotz places to be people!  omg, I'm LMFAO right now).  <sigh> I miss Bianca Beemer...she was a great beemer who I loved dearly...memories...

OK, that's my piece on Asian Drivers...I'm now ready for your comments!  ;)

[meeshienguyen]

You never know who you'll meet!

On my lunch break yesterday, I took the Double Stroller that has been taking up space in my apartment to the gas station down the street.  I needed to fill it up with air so that our awesome nanny can walk both Maddox and Peter.  (I nanny share with another family so that Maddox can have the luxury of being only 1 of 2 kids instead of 1 of 4 in a daycare center).  

Double stroller back story:  Kami watches two kids.  How the hell do you walk them both  at the same time when they are two over sized boys and a crazy Napoleon-complexed dog?  She has been making due with putting one in a baby Bjorn, the other in our B.O.B (the G-rated BOB...LOL) and Kimo on a leash attached to the stroller.  I mentioned that maybe we'll get her a double stroller on Craigslist.  But then she figured since one day she wants to have at least two kids, that if me and the other mom could pitch in a small amount she would pay the rest and then keep it.  BRILLIANT!  And so that's what me and the other Mom did!

Double stroller arrives and it's awesome!  But, needs air in the tires.  I kept saying I would take it to the gas station, but never found the time - until yesterday.  At lunch, I finally put that double wide thing in the back of my car and drove down to my local gas station by the Bristol Farms in UTC.  OMG!  That place was packed!  Everyone was getting gas, getting a car wash, or trying to get lunch.  Where is the damn air pump station???  AHA!  There it is!  UGH!  There's two cars already waiting to use it!  

As I park next to one car, I see this shaved-down close to the scalp head pop up from the other side.  The young girl was wearing a cute sundress with a wrap and sunglasses.  Ah, I admired her shaved head!  How there have been many days lately where I've wanted to get a crew-cut myself!  I absolutely loved it when my hair was growing back after I finished chemo.  The GI-Jane look was HOT (and not temperature hot..HAHA) It was so easy to maintain too!  I will admit, a lot of peeps came up to me telling me how awesome my "haircut" looked.  I just went with it ;)

As I hop out of Kiana Kia, a wave of tropical humidity flushed over my face.  Geez, it's hot and humid today...ew.  In my cute work attire, I grab the over-sized stroller out of the back of my car and pop it open.  "Nice stroller" the guy who was second in line for the air blurted out.  "Thanks!  Needs air though...this air station is a hot commodity today!"  

The shaved-head girl comes back from asking the gas station attendant to start up the air tank.  I notice that her head is bald...not shaved.  Then I see the "Radiation Oncology" parking sign in her front car window.  AHA!  She is a cancer patient....wonder which kind.  I was excited to get her attention to ask.  As she finished with the air pump and handed it over to the guy next in line, I knew this was my chance.

"Hi!  Excuse me!  I noticed your radiation parking sign...may I ask what type of cancer you had?"  I had a feeling I already knew the answer.  "I am going through breast cancer."  My body filled with a sort of delight - which sounds TERRIBLE!  I should not be happy or delighted that another young girl is affected by a crappy diesease, but it was more of a feeling of...OMG...let's be friends, let me introduce you to other young survivors!

"I'm a 5 year survivor too!  What stage were you? What....?"  And that's how I met Justine.  She was a happy girl - very spunky.  I told her a little bit about my story and about the Young Survivors Coalition.  I gave her my business card and told her about the golf tournament fundraiser that will be in October.  "I love golf and play" she informed me.  "Great!  Then you can come out and play in the tournament!"

At this time, the air pump shut off.  Justine volunteers to run back to get it turned back on and the guy stretches the pump cord and holds it in place so I can cautiously bend down to fill the tires up with 30 PSIs and not flash the whole world my thong underwear.  Trust me, it would not be a pretty site right now...Asian pancake butts ARE NOT IN!  The three of us chat for a few minutes..."This air pump is like the water cooler at work" I joke.

I thank the guy and wave to Justine as she drives off.  

As I drive back to my place I can't help thinking how random that all was.  But, life is random.  One day you could be partying it up in Miami, the next you could be told you have cancer.  Random! Even after opting out to freezing my eggs before chemo - I get "pregnant" and have the cutest baby!  Random!  And a simple task as going to fill up tires I meet a free-spirited girl who is going through cancer and is going through it with a smile on her face...ok, meeting her - RANDOM...smile on her face - STRENGTH!

In the end, it was great to see both boys in the stroller!  And here is what it looked like:

[meeshienguyen]

Relationships come with Risk

There are all sorts of "Relationships" -  famiily, friends, significant other, co-workers, and even with your pets.  You even have a "relationship" (although a negative one) with that biatch you can't stand or that guy you think is a total douche bag. 

As me and three other friends sat around a bar table toasting to our friendship, we pondered out loud about how to cope and move on from a relationship.  I've always found the dynamics between two lovers fascinating.  There are four stages to a lover's relationship. 

The first stage I call "BLISS".  You have that first date, first kiss, first "time".  Then it's sexting, butterflies, and fondling.  You can't wait to see the other person and you want to spend all your free time with them.

The second stage is "CONTENT".  It's been about six moths to a year.  You spend just about every night together - if you haven't already moved in.  Laundry is a medley of underwear and socks.  One cooks the other does the dishes.  You pee with the door open while talking about how your day went.  Things are good.

The third stage I call "DOUBLE DOWN".  Your relationship comes to a fork in the road.  Do you take the blue pill and head right or do you take the red pill and head left?  Now it's been over a year going on two.  Well, that all depends on the two of you and what each of your "perception" of the relationship is...Do you still have butterflies?  Do you still fondle?  Does it bother you that your he leaves the toilet seat up?  Does it bother you that she complains you don't help around the house?  If the answer is NO, take blue pill and go right.  This path leads to engagement and marriage.  But journey with caution because in this day in age, there are no guarantees that this path will lead to everlasting bliss. 

If you're still standing at the fork...the it's obvious that there are things that bother you about the other person.  That you are re-thinking if you two should be together or you actually have one foot out the door.  Take red pill, go left.  This path will ultimately lead to a break-up.  And so, how you move on depends on how you "handle" the departure. 

Finally, stage four - "LIFE".  Now, I didn't tell you this, but both paths eventually lead back to one road.  That road is called "Life".  Dating is a process of trial and error people!  If a relationship doesn't work out it's because it wasn't a right fit for whatever reason.  Move on, pick someone new and try again.  Learn from your past relationships taking what revelations you've had and apply them to your next one.  What if you took that blue pill and it ended up feeling like you really swallowed the red one?  Well, then it's a bit more complicated.  Funny how a little piece of paper with some black ink on it can alter one's perception and expectations of their sig.other. Well, it's hard when a marriage is not working out and I believe that it's important to exhaust all avenues to try to reconcile.  But, it's important to know when to throw in the towel.  You are still on that road called "life".  It doesn't end...but is endless...it keeps going whether or not you decide to walk down it. 

(Maybe this is why I'm terrified of getting married...LOL...I endorse the "Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russel" style of relationships.  But that's just me...and it's a reflection of my childhood and my view on what makes a successful "family".)

I hope that each of you that is reading this finds your "perfect fit".  Each relationship, whether with friends, family, or lover will make you happy, make you sad, and more than sometimes disappoint you.  But as Sinatra sings..."That's Life!".  How you handle your relationships is the true test - not the relationship itself.  You are never going to always get along or agree on which Victoria Secret model is the hottest (c'mon ladies...we all have our favorite one and so do the guys).  You will learn what you like or don't like in a person.  You will also learn a great deal about yourself because the other person will surely let you know what they like and don't like about you too!

But it's how you learn to live with each other's weird habits or character flaws that will determine how long you walk down the road of "Life" together.

I am still "learning" how to be a better significant other.  I'm feisty, bossy, and like to do things my way.  My hectic, over-organized, high-expectations, trying to do a billion things while holding Maddox standing on one foot,  "if you don't have a meeting request on my iPhone" calendar life can make me a bit hard to handle.  Maybe that's why most of my relationships only lasted barely a year or two.  However, being in those relationships, I know what I want and the type of person I want to be with in my next one. 

I could write about breaking up while having a baby together but still trying to see if the relationship can still work out with a flood under the bridge....but that blog is for another time when I have a few days of nothing to do but write...(haha, yeah right, like I have blocks of free time like that! LOL)

Take away:  Date Date Date, Love Love Love, and if for some reason it doesn't work out with someone, grieve, but you MUST pick yourself up, brush yourself off, and keep on walking down "Life".  I promise you WILL find your perfect fit.

[meeshienguyen]

Hookas, why do we insist on being "clothes and shoes" whores?

I've been SLOWLY unpacking my big black trash bags of clothes and shoes.  I like to think of myself as someone who can easily let old clothes and shoes go...but as I garbage bag-dived to figure out what the hell was in them, I realized that I have some items from back in da day when I thought that a full jean outfit was HOT!   Now that I'm a "mommy" some of my...ok..wait..MOST of my clothes seem too all of a sudden be too "young" or "inappropriate" to wear.  ALL of my bikinis are Vegas - Sunday pool party style where most of my butt cheeks (which are now "asian flat") are hanging out the bottom and just enough of the top of my arse crack shows. 

And the shoes!  Good LAWD the shoes!  I'm one of those girls who finds a style she likes and ends up buying it in the 3 standard colors:  black, brown, and white.  I figure I'll need 'em for work.  Then I LOVE HIGH HIGH HIGH HEELS!  Hooka HIGH!  When I was about 8 month pregnant I went to Macy's with Jen and saw these thigh-high "Pretty Woman" black boots.  I HAD to try them on and fell in love with them...can you imagine being there watching this pregnant chick putting on thigh high boots and trying to walk around in them?  Like at any time after having Maddox I was going to be struttin' around in them at da club...Whoot-Whoot!  (No, I have not worn them yet..they are still in the box in my closet collecting dust...one day...)  But seriously...all the mommies reading this know that heels and babies do not go well together.  I have started slowing wearing wedges and heels...but with caution.

So now I have all these shoes which I barely wear...but my thought is this...one day, when Maddox is grown, I'll be able to wear all my OLD clothes and shoes which I will think are still cool and in style.  But, I'll be that lady who thinks she's hip while my son and his friends that come over mock me behind my back.  "Awwww, Ms. Nguyen is so cute...she's tries to be hip with her sooooooooooo 2010 BEBE snake skin heels and her one-piece jean outfit..."

So now what?  Part of me wants to exude that "positive mommy role model" image.  The other part of me is like "screw it!  just cuz you're a mommy now doesn't mean you can't aspire to MILF status"!  All of you who know me, most likely know me all to well and can figure out that I will KEEP all the bikinis! HAHA!   ;p

As for the clothes, I will keep all my short shorts and short cute sundresses.  The only item I ended up relinquishing to the 90s was my one piece jean outfit...which now come to think of it...I'll keep it because I know in a few years, it will be back in style.

I'll carefully save only those shoes which I will wear and give away the others to good-will.  Why not give them to my Hookas?  Cuz girls, if I'm not even going to wear them, I don't want you to be walking around in them either...I will not have random young girls born in the 90's mocking my Hookas!!!  ;)