My 7

New daddy Peaker did this to me. So, here goes.

7. Ray and I met in Las Vegas. I was there on vacation with my cousin, Jen, her BF and another girl, Erin. The day we met, I was sitting by myself at the bar at the ESPN Zone in NYNY. I was sitting by myself because of the events from the previous night:

Jen, BF, Erin and I decided to go out to the Hard Rock cafe Friday night. We arrived around 11pm and got drinks. We were waiting for one of our friends, a local, to join us. Brandi arrived around midnight and we all made small talk. I decided to go to the ladies room, and on the way back, stopped at the Hard Rock store. You know, the one on the corner, right by the entrance?
Anyway, I was gone maybe 20-30 minutes. When I got back to the group, they were not where I had left them. So, I walked around the round bar a few times looking for them. No luck. So, I went back to the original spot and waited. And waited. And waited. For 3 hours.

Now, the fact that I'm realizing that my cousin and friends abandoned me was sinking in. BUT, that is not the worst part. My delightful little cousin was carry the purse. THE purse. Let me explain. Oftentimes when girls go out together, they put all of their money, identification and lipsticks into ONE purse. One girl carries the purse. I was not carrying the purse that night - she was. So now, I have no purse. I'm moneyless, ID-less and have no cell phone. I'm stuck. And by this time, it's 3am. I must have been looking somewhat distressed because this guy comes up to me and asks me if everything is OK. I tell him my situation, and he lets me use his cell phone. I call my good ole cuz, and Yep, they are back at the hotel, fast asleep!

Are you F-in Kidding me?!?!?

I go out to the cab line, and get a driver to take me to my hotel, promising to run up to my room and come back to pay him. He is very, very skeptical, but agrees. I ended up tipping the guy $20 over the $7 cab fare. I then race up to my room, rant at my cousin, pack my belongings and get my own room. How could my own flesh and blood abandon me like that? In Las Vegas, no less?? She said I took too long in the bathroom. What a biotch! I have not talked to her since.

Anyway, the good part about this story is that the very next day, I met Ray. We have been inseparable ever since. So although I lost something on that trip, I also found something: the love of my life, my soul mate. I guess sometimes things happen for a reason.

6. I want children. Or a child. Ok, we'll start with one, and see how that goes.

5. I've never really been into drugs. I smoked the Marijuana once or twice, and experimented a bit with some other things once or twice, but that's it. I've never done cocaine, heroin or speed. Nothing like mushrooms or crack. Alcohol is my vice. In college I drank Boone's Farm wine and Mad Dog 20/20. They were cheep, and I was on a budget! I eventually had a beer phase, but that has passed. Now I drink mostly wine (I have advanced from the Boone's Farm, I promise!) and mixed drinks - mostly Gin & Tonics or Red Bull & Vodka.

4. I lived in Bethesda, MD, and worked in down town Washington, DC, 2 blocks from the White House, at the time of the 9-11 attacks. I was getting ready to go into work that morning, and my sister called and told me to turn on the TV. I watched as the second plane hit. I watched as the Pentagon, 2 miles from my house, was hit. I lived 1/2 mile from the Post Office that was poisoned with Anthrax. In the days that followed, I, and I'm sure many, many others, lived in constant fear. I rode the subway (Metro) to work every day, and constantly wondered if that was the next target. "America's Subway" is engraved in stone above the entrance to the downtown station, making this a prime target in my mind. But I still went to work every day, numb. Our building and the surrounding buildings were evacuated due to bomb threats on a weekly basis. I could not send mail to anyone, for fear of possibly spreading a deadly chemical weapon. It's truly a sick feeling to know you can't send your sister, mother, friend a birthday card without putting their lives in danger.

I moved back to Cleveland, OH after a year in DC, and never looked back.

3. My sister is my best friend. Although she lives in Cleveland, OH, we talk at least 5 days a week, and email almost daily. She is truly my best friend and confidant. She is always honest with me, tells me how it is, kicks my ass when it needs kicking and has been there for me every step of my wierd, funny little drama packed life. I miss her terribly and feel like I'm missing a huge part of her life by living so far away. I desperately want to move back East. And after school, God willing, that is what Ray and I plan to do.

2. I was married before. My first husband and I met in college Sophomore year. We struggled through 3 tumultuous years together, constantly fighting and breaking up. We eventually convinced ourselves that getting married seemed like a good idea. We were young, and very dumb. The marriage lasted about 7 months before our fights became physical. He hurt me physically ONE time, and I through the bastard out. I had the marriage annulled, moved to a new city and put that part of my life behind me. That was almost 12 years ago.

1. My dad died from a heart attack at 47 years of age. His heart was weakened by diabetes, as was much of the rest of his body. He worked for Ford for over 16 years, and had taken 2 weeks off for vacation, and to spend time with family. The day he went back to work, was the day he died. A massive heart attack on the floor of Ford Motor.

Although it's been about 10 years now, I'm still not over it. I will never get over it. Loosing a parent is tough. It's the toughest thing I've ever had to go through. I think of him every day. I talk to him sometimes, like praying to my own personal guardian angel. And I believe that he hears me. I know that he knew I loved him. But I will always regret not telling him more.

Little Smokkee's Birthday and Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo weekend was Little Smokkee's first birthday.

Of course, I was a huge geek and did this:

I've always told myself I would NOT be one of those girls who dresses her mutt in frilly doggy clothes, and thank God I have not gone that far. I could be a candidate for biggest spoiler though!

Dionne's out

Sorry, Wonka, but your girl Dionne has been eliminated.
The judges said she needed too much coaching....

BUT, I forgot about one Biotch that is still in the running to be America's Next Top Model!!

Introducing NeNe (Natalie):

Pretty HOT, huh?

So, it's NeNe, Jaslene, or Natasha. Who will win? I'm still voting for Natash.

A new recipe....mmmmmmm

I made this for dinner tonight:


Rosemary Vanilla Chicken Yield: 4

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason, this is also an account of what happens when I make this dish, so you’ll understand each step. Of course when you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like.

Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!I often braise chicken thighs for dinner; they have infinite varieties of preparation and go well with just about any side dish. They are flavour sponges too! In this version I pair the woodsy aroma of rosemary with the subtle flavour of vanilla. Try experimenting with other seasonings for different flavours.

Ingredients:
Rosemary Vanilla Chicken
8 x chicken thighs
4 tbsp of olive oil or vegetable oil
2 x onions, sliced
2 x carrots, chopped
1 bottle of chardonnay
1 x vanilla bean or 1 tbsp of vanilla extract
2 x large sprigs of rosemary, needles peeled off

Directions:
Rosemary Vanilla Chicken
Remove the bones from the chicken thighs by slitting the back of the thigh with a sharp knife. Carefully trim the meat off of each bone. Try to leave the thigh in one piece, but it’s OK if it ends up in several pieces.

Preheat a large frying pan over medium-high heat then splash in the olive oil. Add the chicken and the bones and begin browning. As each piece browns, turn it over. Continue until each piece is golden brown then lower the temperature. This is the best time to add the rich flavours of caramelization before the liquids are added and before the meat begins braising. Take the meat and bones out and reserve while the vegetables are cooked.

Add the onions and carrots to the hot pan and cook them for a few minutes until they slightly soften. This will brighten their flavours considerably. As you stir them, loosen any brown bits that adhere to the pan’s bottom. These are caramelized juices from the meat and will add a lot of flavour to the dish.

Add the chicken meat and bones back to the pan. Pour in the wine - reserving a sip for yourself! You may also use less wine and make up the difference with homemade or canned chicken broth. For this dish I prefer the oaky vanilla-like flavours of California chardonnay.

Slit the vanilla pod lengthwise and scrape out the seed paste inside. Mince the remaining pod and add along with the seeds and rosemary to the chicken. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Place a tight-fitting lid on the pan and let braise on the stovetop over medium heat until tender, about 45 minutes. Remove the lid and fish out the bones, they’ve added their flavour and can now be discarded. Turn the heat up and reduce the liquid until it thickens into a sauce. Taste; then season with salt and pepper.

Serve over any rice, pasta or grain

It was Sooooo very good!
If you try it, let me know what you think!
I love to use rosemary with chicken - it really is a great blend of flavors.

America's Next Top Model

These are the finalists.
Tell me who you think will win.

Jaslene?




Natasha?

Or, Dionne?

MY pick is Natasha. Have to love those Polish girls...

Home Game

Okay, so this weekend's home game was a friggin HIT!
Ray got his wish - I made hot wings.
AND, I made pasta primavera, pulled pork sandis, baked beans and BBQ Meatballs.
We also had a veggi tray and cheese tray (courtesy of Ray).
Everyone seemed to love the food.
Also, we supplied ALL the booze. Whitch I'm SURE everyone loved!!
We had a total of 26 peeps.

Here are the dirty details, according to Blinders, our tourney MC:

Saturday night, the Laguna Niguel Special Event on the OCPT was
completed, hosted by Ray AND Tina.
We had 26 entries, 55 Rebuys, and 22 Add-ons for an OCPT
record prize pool of $2,060. After a rebuy filled
first two hours, the field started to drop.
At the final table bubble we would have Steve,
Chip, Larry, Chris, Christina and Wes. Steve
would go out on the bubble when his preflop
push was called and did not hold-up. Next Chris
would lose a huge chunk of his stack, and be
eliminated a few hands later in 5th place.
Chip would be out next, followed by Larry shortly after. H
eads-up we would have Christina and Wes, who both
held nice sized stacks for most of the tournament.

Christina would have the biggest stack after eliminating
much of the final table. A chop was discussed, but
Christina would not negotiate, and used her large
stack to knock Wes out about 10 hands into heads-up.
Congratulations to Christina who won the largest 1st place
prize ($850) in OCPT history. She also moves into the
2007 lead, and 4th all-time with the oversized cash.
Congratulations as well to Wes who won $500 in his
first ever OCPT event. Thanks to everyone who made
this special event the biggest and best yet on the OCPT.




















Okay, So, I, of course, only made it to the second table.
I guess hostessing and poker do not mix. I did not get any cards and was totally consumed by the constant attempt to please my guests. So, I wentout with AJ os.
Oh well. Next time.

I'm Back, Biotches!!

Okay, so work is slowing down a bit.
School does not start again for a few months.
The Elf Is Back in Business!!!!

After long hours of working, keeping up the household and taking care of my Smokkee's (big and little), I am finally able to turn my attention back to my blog.
So you have me back - for a few months anyways....

This weekend, Smokkee and I are hosting a home game.
Blinders, Poison and boobielover will be there, along with some others.
Scandalas pictures to follow....

So, the Martha Stewart in me is trying to decide what the hell to have for food and drink.
I have to serve my guests a hot meal before I take their $$$, you know?
Any suggestions?
Should I go with the traditional wings and meat/cheese platter? or maybe some homemade pulled pork sandwich's (no jokes here)?
Perhaps a veggie platter? cheese platter?
And the booze: beer and liqueur. We don't serve water in MY Bar! What movie is that quote from??
Maybe some wine for the ladies.

I'm sure I'll come up with something, and be running my ass of at the last minute.
Oh the joy of it.

Call me the God Mother

My sis and her hubby have asked me to be the God Mother to my sweet angel nephew, Jaiden.

Not only am I intensly honored, but hugely overjoyed as well. Seeing little Jaiden's face makes me smile so big. Even during times of stress. I have this picture on my desk at work and all I have to do is look at it, and he makes me smile. How can you resist this face:

And, check out Peaker's blog for an article that brought tears to my eyes. It's called "And then one day, he looked up and smiled".

Saint Patty's Day

Okay. So I have not posted in a while. Been Busy.
Ray talked me into a hiatus from work to play at a home game this past weekend.
Blinders was there, along with Audra and some others.

I'm In!!!

I received this yesterday:


Hi Tina,

So I was able to use my magic and have the committee review your file today as opposed to Thursday.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

You have been accepted into the Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology here at Argosy University/Orange County!
I had no doubt that they would love you!
I'm very excited to be sharing this good news with you.
You will receive an official letter stating your acceptance, but I thought I'd give you the heads up before you receive the letter. :-)
Now go out and celebrate!!!

Thy H. Nghiem
Assistant Director of Admissions
Argosy University/ Orange County

PARTY TIME - EXCELLENT!!!!
As I read the "Congrats", I immediately burst into tears, as I shared the email with Ray.
This is one of the most important days of my life.
I simply cannot believe that my dream is about to come true.
I look forward to this new journey in my life....

Party Party Party

This is me a year or so ago at a friends birthday party.

It was at a Mexican resaurant in Long Beach.

I was on stage dancing a little Flamenco....

We drink Sangrias and ate Mexican food, including flan.

A dream come true

I think we have decided on the Mansion.
It's an English Garden style white and blue estate on the ocean, in Laguna Beach.
As you enter through a gate surrounded by grapevines and ivy, you are swept away to another world.
Travel a short distance down the cobblestone walk to the cool white front door.
Enter, my friend.

You are greeted by a grand staircase, dining room a little further to the right, and two fireplaces.
On this main level, a large white-pained window is framed by elegant flowing draperies.
It beckons to you.
As you approach, you are struck by the most amazing view of the ocean and beaches stretching far down the coast.





Upstairs, you find one of the guest suites first. It is decorated in traditional decor, comfortable and welcoming. Very much like a luxurious Bed & Breakfast suite. Back down the hall a bit lies the Master suit, containing a fireplace, King bed and separate walk in dressing room. You hear the sound of the Ocean and are drawn to glide past the fireplace and bed, to the French doors at the West end of the room. Here, you open the doors and walk out onto a balcony on the Ocean.

The air is crisp and clean. The rhythmic waves lull you into a trance.

The ceremony begins on the sprawling outdoor patio, as the sun sets over the ocean. Immediately following will be an indoor cocktail hour and then dinner, where guests will be served, yes you are correct, Filet Mignon and Chicken Marsala (our caterer is the Chef that prepares the menu for Champs restaurants). Wines for each course to be selected by the bride. Dancing into the wee hours will complete the night.

And now for the location....

Ray and I have an appointment tomorrow with our wedding coordinators, Francie and Elizabeth Christy. These two women are totally over the top. They always serve us wine and give us appetizers, call each other baby and believe that they are "The Mermaids of Laguna Beach".

Check out their website.

Ray went with me to the last meeting, and I think his ears started bleeding as we girls talked about colors, cakes, flowers and dresses. So tomorrow will be a thrill for him, I'm sure.....giggle giggle.

Anyway, we are going to a Mansion on the beach and the beach at the Ritz tomorrow to check them out as possible ceremony and/or reception sites.





I'll let you know how that goes!

Wedding Dress

So, I went here today:

It's an upscale Bridal Salon in Corona del Mar. They had Melissa Sweet, designer gowns, showcased this weekend. It's the kind of place where they only have about 50 gowns, all very pretentious, all very high priced. Why did I go here? LOL - Did not know it was like this. I'm not a very pretentious person, and I don't care much about designers and labels (except in shoes - wink). So, I was on bride.com, looking at gowns, and a lot of them pointed to this bridal salon.

I got there, and was all by myself, which was okay since this was my first venture out trying on dresses. I walked in, seemed to fit in, sighed, and then signed in. This cute little OC blondie named Melissa was helping me with my dresses. So, basically, it's like, strip down in front of Melissa and spend the next hour climbing into dresses, looking into mirrors and having all these ladies coo over how beautiful you look.

I tried on this:

And this:

Both were beautiful. As I was falling in love with the second gown, I made the mistake of looking at the price tag: $6,000!! OMG BUT, if I bought today, it would be 10% off. LOLOLOLOLOL

Smokkee better win some Big Tourneys soon!

The search continues.....

Wedding Planning

Shopping for a wedding dress makes me feel like such a Princess.
My favorite little Vegas Hottie has volunteered to come shopping with me.
So far I like:

I'm going to make sure this is truly the best day of our lives.

From the invites to the flowers to the dinner to the honeymoon - this is going to be an event to remember.

A Proud Day

Allow me to gloat a bit, because I'm sooo proud.
When I earned my Masters Degree from Pepperdine University last year, with a 3.97 GPA, while working Full Time, I was very proud.
My sister and her hubby were scheduled to fly out from Cleveland for the ceremony, and I was ELATED.
So, when Ray and I went to pick them up from the airport, and I walked into LAX, I expected to see them.
However, I instead heard a faint voice from behind calling my name. OMG - it was my MOM.
She was not supposed to be there. Evidentaly, instead of my brother-in-law flying out, they decided to fly my Mommy out. It was one of the best surprises of my life.

At the ceremony, I almost broke down twice (crying) in the processional line.
It was one of the proudest days of my life, as I had succeeded in accomplishing one of my life's biggest goals.
So I graduated, and walked the line. The line across the stage. The line into an upper echelon of education. The line, and one step further towards my dream. My dream of attaining my Ph.D. - Of becoming a Doctor.

I will digress a bit here . . . when I was a senior in high school, I decided to major in Psych. Everyone told me that the only way to make good money in the field would be to get my Ph.D. I became determined at that point to make this my Ultimate goal. I remember when I went on the campus visit to Akron U (where I eventually earned my Bachelors Degree), my mom jokingly told my Dad that he would be calling me Dr. one day. We all giggled gleefully at the prospect of it all. . . .

Several years later.....I'm walking the line. I'm one step closer to my goal. I'm running towards my mom, diploma in hand, near tears. Imagining my Dad smiling down on me. Beaming with pride.
Do you ever have those moments in life when you feel true joy? The kind of joy that brings back memories of childhood and Christmas? That day, I felt joy. I felt proud. I felt invincible.

So, in my quest to earn my Ph.D., I am applying to several programs. And, I am required to go back to my professors from my Masters program and solicit recommendations. I was pleasantly surprised by this letter:

January 17, 2007

RE: Letter of Recommendation for Tina Terebeckij

To whom it may concern:

Tina Terebeckij was a student in my Principles and Theories of Learning course (PSY659) at Pepperdine University from January of 2005 to April 14, 2005. She demonstrated exceptionally high levels of commitment to mastering the content of the course. Her class rank was number two out of 20 students.

Tina was a class leader. She worked hand-in-hand with her classmates on group projects, in-class discussions, and in her presentations. Her passion for supporting other people’s growth was clearly and consistently displayed in the time she was my student. When Tina asked me to write a letter on her behalf, I was delighted for the opportunity to support her goals, because I see what is in this talented young woman. She has the emotional and intellectual maturity and academic talent to be successful in a doctoral program of study at your University.

I would be most pleased to personally talk with you in more detail about other qualifications of Tina Terebeckij. Please contact me at....

Sincerely,

Jack L. Housden, Ph.D.
Adjunct Professor of Education and Psychology
Pepperdine University, Orange County Learning Center, Irvine, CA

Our Little Donkey and some Psych info (WARNING: non-poker related content)

Here is an updated picture of our puppy, little Smokkee.
I absolutely adore him! He's such a good boy.
Ray laughs at me because I send the puppy to doggy day care a few days a week.
It gets him socialized with other dogs, and he gets lots of exercise!!

I've been busy applying to PhD programs in Clinical Psych.
I'm applying to the University of Las Vegas, the University of North Carolina, Greesnboro, Alliant University in CA, and Argosy University in CA. They all require Transcripts from all 3 schools I've attended, letters of recommendation, a personal statement/essay, a resume, application and fees. Whew - soo much work!! Many of my professors from my Masters Degree program have been very happy to write letters. Ordering transcripts has been painful. My personal essay was difficult to write, but easy to conform to each school's requirements.

They want to know all about your personal struggles, why you will be a good therapist, and what you will base not only your therapy strategy on (theory), but what you plan to research for a possible Dissertation topic. My dissertation must explore a topic that is interesting to others and myself and invokes numerous job opportunities. Attachment theory and morality, for me, have become two key fields of interest and possible dissertation topic areas. I tentatively plan to investigate the development of attachment during childhood, and the establishment of morality, as they relate to the criminal mind. I am interested in interventions during adolescence that will redirect at-risk children to healthier ways of expressing themselves.

So you lose some, and you lose some

The last few weeks of football have been rough.
My Bucks lose, my Chargers lose.
How could 2 teams that are sooo favored, lose so badly?
I don't understand.

I'm not sure which is worse, losing all season, or winning all season and screwing up unexpectedly - in the playoffs, in the Championship game.
You see, my football team breakdown is this: Ohio State Bucks, Cleveland Browns, San Diego Chargers.
I grew up in Cleveland, and remain loyal to my OH teams. I love the Indians, the Browns and the Cavs.
Since I'm a big fan of the football, I put my heart mostly into those teams.
I like baseball, on a nice Sunday afternoon, sitting in the sun, drinkin an ice cold beer.
I'm not a huge fan of basketball, but love watching Lebron.
I do love hockey, and the Bluejackets are awesome. But, I don't get to see them much.
So, I mostly root for my Bucks, and the Chargers, my winning teams.
Plus, Ray and I have Chargers Season tix, and have been going since I moved out to CA 3 years ago. Ray has actually owned the tix for about 7 years. The first year he owned the tix, they went 1-15 with Ryan Leaf. He is truely a loyal fan.
He was so heartbroken on Sunday. It sucks.
My heart was broken, too, but to a lesser degree than when the Bucks f-ed up.
Oh well, what's a girl to do? At least I did not bet on the Chargers. I think I'm giving up betting.
I stress out too much, and can't enjoy the game.

Speaking of enjoying the game, I'm struck with memories of when my sis and I lived back at Ohio State. We lived in several locations around campus - geesh, it seemed like we moved every year, and we did. Anyway, where ever we lived, we always made it down to campus for Bucks home games. We had some friends that lived across the street from the stadium, and charged $20 for parking. We parked for free though. We would walk a half block to the locals' favorite hang out, the Varsity Club, and staked our claim to a place at the bar. There, even though we didn't have tickets to the game, we felt like we were present. The crowd, the cheering, it was vintage good cheer - the kind where everyone is just there to have a good time.

Aaaahhh....the good ole sporting event. It's a place where joy and heartache often collide.

Playoffs BABY!!

Well, it's on to another football game and team.
My San Diego Chargers play thier first playoff game tomorrow, against Waffs team, the Patriots.

Check this out, courtesy of my beloved:



Should be a pretty Sweet game. Hmmmm...I wonder what I should wear.
I'm NOT going to bet. I've determined that it's bad luck.
Plus, I usually go broke. The game is around 1:30 tomorrow. We'll head out around 10:30.
It's about an hour drive south of Laguna, depending on traffic.
We'll take baby Smokkee, too, and stay overnight in a hotel. We may even enjoy an adult beverage or two.

Go Chargers Go!!!!!

Sooo...have not played much poker lately. Have not been into it. Have you ever felt that way?
I feel like "what's the purpose?" I never win anyway. Live games are more fun. Blogger tourneys are more fun. I guess I'll just have Smokk fund my bankroll....

A Story of Heartbreak....

Pregame excitement.... so ready to go
Our whole season wrapped up in a Red Bow.
We set forth to play the game we can't loose.
Our fans filled with pride - we prepare FL's noose.

First play of the game, we run the ball back.
Scoring first, quick and stating that we are no match.
We bask in the glory of true champion's reign.
Our Heisman trophy winner, about to be slain.

I sit here watching in disbelief and strife
As Florida steels a touch down, they plunge in the knife.
We score one more Touch Down and even the game
As I realize today, somehow, we are not destined for fame.

Our Defense did not show up
Our Offense did not block
Our Heisman Trophy Troy got sacked, and we all watched the clock.

I beat up the couch
I cursed all that's sane
As Florida kept scoring, I felt my hopes drain.

I tried to believe my Bucks would come back,
But the screen on the TV proved Florida's attack.

My team, hopes and glory
Were crushed with disdain
The tears in my eyes were welling from pain

I finally realized my Bucks were sure beat
My heart in my throat, I shrunk in defeat.
How this could happen, nobody knows
My Bucks least of all
We went down the less chose.