New Year's Resolutions

To get a jump start on the New Year, here are my New Year's Resolutions:

1. Sleep earlier (I need to get my 10 hours of beauty sleep per nite)

2. Save more money (aka, stay away from a mall): My bank account will grow, hopefully, despite my new car payment. The plan for financing my posh, frou frou, lavish, and extremely expensive wedding (to occur in the next 5 years, hopefully) is to use my RSU's and stocks.

3. Read more: I need to make a dent in my enormous reading list. First up: finishing the book She Said Yes. Then I'm moving on to Keys to the Kingdom.

4. Lose 10 lbs: this resolution comes standard with being female and is not open to interpretation or discussion. It is on my list every year and will continue to be so until I am old, wrinkley, and wear dentures.

That being said, I wish you all much luck with your resolutions throughout the year as I go about tackling mine.

My advice for the day: stay away from trees on rainy days...they are infested with worms. Trust me on this one.

I love decorating, yes I do!

Check out my snazzy Christmas tree!! We finally got it and it's all decorated...so pretty! :o) And this year, I learned how to put the lights on outside without blowing a fuse...go me. :)

A Sign of the Times?

A friend sent me an interesting quote that I thought I would blog (see below). I honestly don't remember Christianity being attacked or being in the news so much about 10 years ago, or when I was still in grade school. Maybe I was too young to hear about the same issues that appear today; I don't know. Back then, ironically, we still said the Pledge of Allegiance every morning...yet today, grade school kids no longer say it. We are a country founded on Christian principles, yet in today's age, something as simple as the phrase "Christmas Tree" is attacked. And I fear it will only get worse for our kids and future generations.

"[S]uppressing the language, symbols, or customs of Christians in a predominantly Christian society is not inclusive. It's insulting. It's discriminatory, too. Hanukkah menorahs are never referred to as 'holiday lamps' —not even the giant menorahs erected in Boston Common and many other public venues each year by Chabad, the Hasidic Jewish outreach movement. No one worries that calling the Muslim holy month of Ramadan by its name—or even celebrating it officially, as the White House does with an annual 'iftaar' dinner—might be insensitive to non-Muslims. In this tolerant and open-hearted nation, religious minorities are not expected to keep their beliefs out of sight or to squelch their traditions lest someone, somewhere, take offense. Surely the religious majority shouldn't be expected to either." —Jeff Jacoby

Click here to read to an article from a non-Christian prespective-- VERY INFORMATIVE!

For all you anti-gym peeps

This is truly a must-read...I was dying while reading this...it's too funny! This blog is dedicated to all the gym rats out there who continue to work out on a regular basis and to those who just can't get motivated.

A WEEK AT THE GYM: ONE MAN'S STORY

Dear Diary:

For my fortieth birthday this year, my wife (the dear) purchased a week of personal training at the local health club for me. Although I am still in great shape since playing on my college football team 25 yrs ago, I decided it would be a good idea to go ahead and give it a try. I called the club and made my reservation with a personal trainer named Belinda, who identified herself as a 26 yr. old aerobics instructor and model for athletic clothing and swimwear.My wife seemed pleased with my enthusiasm to get started! The club encouraged me to keep a diary to chart my progress.

MONDAY:
Started my day at 6:00 am. Tough to get out of bed, but it was well worth it when I arrived at the health club to find Belinda waiting for me. She was something of a Greek goddess -- with blonde hair, dancing eyes and a dazzling white smile.Woo Hoo!!!!!She took my pulse after 5 minutes on the treadmill. She was alarmed that my pulse was so fast, but I attributed it to standing next to her in her Lycra aerobics outfit. I enjoyed watching the skilful way in which she conducted her aerobics class after my workout today.Very inspiring, Belinda was encouraging as I did my sit-ups, although my gut was already aching from holding it in the whole time she was around. This is going to be a FANTASTIC week!!

TUESDAY:
I drank a whole pot of coffee, but I finally made it out the door. Belinda made me lie on my back and push a heavy iron bar into the air, and then she put weights on it! My legs were a little wobbly on the treadmill, but I made the full mile. Belinda's rewarding smile made it all worthwhile. I feel GREAT!! It's a whole new life for me.

WEDNESDAY:
The only way I can brush my teeth is by lying on the toothbrush on the counter and moving my mouth back and forth over it. I believe I have a hernia in both pectorals. Driving was OK as long as I didn't try to steer or stop. I parked on top of a GEO in the club parking lot. Belinda was impatient with me, insisting that my screams bothered the other club members.Her voice is a little too perky for early in the morning and when she scolds, she gets this nasally whine that is VERY annoying. My chest hurts when I got on the treadmill, so Belinda put me on the stair monster. Why the hell would anyone invent a machine to simulate an activity rendered obsolete by elevators? Belinda told me it would help me get in shape and enjoy life. She said some other shit too.

THURSDAY:
Belinda was waiting for me with her vampire-like teeth exposed as her thin, cruel lips were pulled back in a full snarl. I couldn't help being a half an hour late; it took me that long to tie my shoes. Belinda took me to workout with dumbbells. When she was not looking, I ran and hid inthe men's room. She sent Lars to find me, then, as punishment, put me on the rowing machine-which I sank.

FRIDAY:
I hate that bitch Belinda more than any human being has ever hated any other human being in the history of the world. Stupid, skinny, anemic little cheerleading bitch. If there were a part of my body could move without unbearable pain, I would beat her with it. Belinda wanted me to work on my triceps. I don't have any triceps! And if you don't want dents in the floor, don't hand me the*&%#(#&** barbells or anything that weighs more than a sandwich.The treadmill flung me off and I landed on a health and nutrition teacher. Why couldn't it have been someone softer, like the drama coach or the choir director?

SATURDAY:
Belinda left a message on my answering machine in her grating, shrilly voice wondering why I did not show up today. Just hearing her made me want to smash the machine with my planner. However, I lacked the strength to even use the TV remote and ended up catching eleven straight hours of the Weather Channel.

SUNDAY:
I'm having the Church van pick me up for services today so I can go and thank GOD that this week is over. I will also pray that next year, my wife will choose a gift for me that is fun--like a root canal or a vasectomy.

Rainy Days

I hate rainy days...on top of the rain, it's really cold and I wore open-toed shoes to work, which means my poor tootsies are freezing...how am I supposed to work with such horrid conditions? And what's up with all the thunder? Feeling the urge to nap...zzzz....

Riddle Me This:
What is greater than God...
More evil than the Devil...
The poor have it...
The rich need it...
If you eat it you will die!

(If you know, post...some of you have probably heard this before)

My brother is so random

Sunday afternoon. My brother and I are having lunch.

Me: Aww, cute, "March of the Penguins" is out on DVD.

Brother: really?

Me: Yea, apparently the guy who filmed it got frostbite and they had to amputate his arm.

Brother: But now he's a millionaire.

Me: So? He's got no arm

Brother: He can make an arm for himself out of solid gold.

The Missing Piece

Has anyone read the book The Missing Piece by Shel Silverstein? It's wonderful. Imagine what life would be like if we all found our 'missing piece.'

It was a missing piece.
And it was not happy.
So it set off in search
Of its missing peice.
And as it rolled
it sang this song--
"Oh I'm lookin' for my missin' piece
I'm lookin' for my missin' piece
Hi-dee-ho, here I go
Lookin' for my missin' piece."

Sicky Icky

I am sick. It's double whammy week for me: I have bronchitis and a sinus infection, and on top of that, the worst cramps known to man. Luckily, I am happily drugged up.

Hilton Tagged in London

Paris gets facialed by Banksy, graffiti-style.
September 5th, 2006 • 11:05 AM

If you were in London and buying Paris Hilton’s new debut CD last week, you were probably already in a group as statistically small as those who died of stingray barbs piercing their chests. But you might have a collector’s item in your hand, if the album art features Paris topless and/or with the head of a dog.

Graffiti artist Banksy tagged a handful of HMV’s supply of Paris albums, which have since been pulled. HMV claims they’re being auctioned, but we bet they’ve been pulled to go straight on eBay, earning a handy handful for the store managers. 500 copies of the altered album were buried in Paris supplies across the HMV chain, like Wonka bars with the golden ticket. Some had cute little aphorisms, like “Why am I famous?” and “What have I done?”

Inside these magic cases is not Paris’ album, but 40 minutes of remixed music by “DM.”

It’s not technically a mash-up. But if you picked this up, you got at least a hundred times more value than the rainbow-colored dog turd that’s the Paris “original.”

Marriage Protection Act (MPA)

Below is one of the better quotes regarding marriage I have heard in a while. Thank you, Mr. President. :)

This quote comes in light of the Marriage Protection Amendment (MPA) that the Senate will vote on this week. The proposal would ensure that marriage in the U.S. will consist of the union of one man and one woman.

"Marriage is the most enduring and important human institution, honored and encouraged in all cultures and by every religious faith. Ages of experience have taught us that the commitment of a husband and a wife to love and to serve one another promotes the welfare of children and the stability of society. Marriage cannot be cut off from its cultural, religious, and natural roots without weakening this good influence on society. Government, by recognizing and protecting marriage, serves the interests of all."

Here are the facts:

Public opinion remains firmly opposed to the redefinition of marriage 58 to 39% in a May 2006 poll but same-sex marriage advocates have continued to ask judges to redefine marriage to include same-sex couples.

• Since 1971 at least 46 states have had to battle in their courts those who would redefine marriage out of existence.
• Nine states are now facing lawsuits that would force those states to accept same-sex marriage. Many other states arefacing court battles brought on by homosexual couples who have married in Massachusetts or entered civil unions in Vermont and then moved to another state.
• Nineteen states now have constitutional amendments and 26 other states have similar statutes protecting marriage as solely between a man and a woman. Voters in seven states will vote on constitutional amendments this year and another eight states are working to send constitutional amendments to voters either this year or in 2008.

The need for a U.S. Constitutional amendment protecting marriage grows greater every day:

• In the 19 states that passed constitutional amendments voters supported the amendment by huge margins (up to 86%). However, same-sex marriage advocates turn to the courts to override the peoples will as we saw recently in Georgia.
• State amendments are an important step however, in 2005 a federal district court in Nebraska struck down a state constitutional amendment passed by 70 percent of Nebraska voters. Without protection in the U.S. Constitution state amendments are vulnerable to activist judges.
• The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), passed overwhelmingly by the U.S. Congress in 1996, is already under assault in the states if these cases reach the nations highest court as it is currently configured, Supreme Court
• Justice Antonin Scalia warns that DOMA would be declared unconstitutional.

The U.S. Constitution provides the amendment process as the ultimate protector of state rights by requiring that three-fourths of the states must ratify any amendment.
CALL YOUR U.S. SENATORS TODAY AND ASK THEM TO VOTE FOR S.J. RES. 1, THE MARRIAGE PROTECTION AMENDMENT
Call the U.S. Senate main switchboard below and ask to be connected to the Senators from your state: (202) 224-3121

Wake Me Up When September Ends

I don't know about you, but there is nothing pleasant about September. It reminds of the anxiety of when I was a kid, waiting to go back to school. Sure, I enjoyed shopping for new school supplies (I was a nerd and loved the smell of the new vinyl trapper keepers, the shiny new pens, and the smell of new erasers). But in reality, going back to school meant seeing the same mean people year after year. I was never the popular kid-- I was simply the "nice girl" who was quiet. I was made fun of for bringing blue cheese sandwiches on pita bread to school-- hence, I was dubbed "the stinky cheese girl." luckily for me, my self-esteem and love for stinky blue cheese trumped anything that classmates said about me, and I continued to enjoy my stinky sandwiches day after day.

I still remember my first lunch box-- it was a Peanuts lunch box with Snoopy on it. Years later, when I no longer used it, my brother and I would fill it with rocks and throw it in the deep end of our 9 foot pool, only to dive down later to retrieve the "treasure chest." I remember the many lingering days of August, when we would stay in the pool past 8 pm, awaiting turns to shower. I'd always be the last to go in...I'd sit in the pool, enjoying the silence and stillness of the water. No matter how hard I seemed to scrub in the shower later, my skin always smelled like chlorine during the summers.

I miss how simple life was back then-- all I had to worry about was how I was to spend my day. Now, the pressures of society seem to make up double fold for the carelessness I felt during childhood. I feel many pressures-- to get married, to be successful, to be a woman in the workforce who is career driven, to go back to school for a masters, to fit the stereotype that I have to be a certain weight and look a certain way.

No one ever warns you about this when you're young-- it hits you with a bang when you graduate college and enter the workforce. It's when every day is repetitive that life begins to blend, with no beginning and no end, with no summers to remember years by, and no grades to mark age by. It's been three years for me since I graduated undergrad, but it feels like one year. Repetitiveness makes time its victim. And the sad thing is, things do not slow down as we get older...

But I don't like blood...

Go to http://www.jobpredictor.com/

JobPredictor - What Job should you really be doing:

Jasmin, Your ideal job is a Brain Surgeon.

LOL...I entered my brother's and it said he should be a Church Minister. Ahh, the irony.

Bah Humbug

Why do girls feel the need to wear makeup to the gym while working out? It's gross and disgusting when it starts running down their faces. Just a pet peeve. You're there to work out, not work the room.

An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

A little something I received recently from a co-worker:

Girls are like apples on trees. The best ones are at the top of the tree. The guys don't want to reach for the good ones because they are afraid of falling and getting hurt. Instead, they just get the rotten apples that are on the ground that aren't as good, but easy. So the apples at the top think something is wrong with them, when in reality, they are amazing. They just wait for the right guy to come along, the one who's brave enough to climb all the way to the top of the tree.

Introduce Yourself

So, in the spirit of the age old adage "ask and you shall receive," I have decided to ask readers (those I know and those I do not) to please introduce themselves if you read my blog via a comment below. You may do this anonymously if you wish. I'd love to know who's out there actually reading! And if you'd like, please plug your blog as well; I'd love to check it out!

To get you started, here are some fun ice breaker questions:

1. Your Name

2. Where you're from

3. How long you've been blogging and your blog site

4. Your favorite quote

5. Something quirky/interesting/unique about yourself

6. How you found my blog

7. Anything else you want to add

Thanks so much! To get started, I'll answer the questions myself:

1. Jasmin

2. Los Angeles, California

3. I've been blogging since 2006. If you're here that means you already know my blog site. :)

4. "The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are." -Joseph Campbell

5. I'm double jointed in my elbows and I crack my toes.

6. N/A

7. Thanks for introducing yourself...have a wonderful day!

Links

Useful Blog Links/Blog Additions:

Twitter buttons: www.twitterbuttons.com
Custom blog layout designs (this is where mine came from): http://www.giselejaquenod.com.ar/blog

Globally recognized avatar: www.gravatar.com
Prevent blog plagiarism: www.copyscape.com

Page last updated 7/9/2015. More links to come.

Awards

The following awards were given by fellow blog readers:


Thank you Katie at Can I Just Say for my 1st-ever blog award!











Thank you SE at Silent Echo.







Thank you ShallowOCity.

Thank you Shannon at Team Edwards.

Thank you Sophia at XOXO, Sophia.

About

Hi there! Welcome to my blog.

'Jasmin Loves Coffee' was started in August 2006 as a way for me to keep an online journal. I was tired of keeping a paper journal and decided blogger was the best route to go. Since then, it's grown from a journal to a place where I post random tidbits, thoughts, rantings, ideas, photos, etc.

Why the name 'Jasmin Loves Coffee?' I'm a huge coffee junkie and look forward to my coffee every day.  I go to bed happy because I know when I wake up, I can have my coffee.  Lately, I've been drinking cold brew every morning, even if it's chilly out. 

I was born in Europe and moved to California when I was 6 years old.  I have lived in southern California since then, aside from my 6-month study abroad stint in Marseille, France. By day, I'm an analyst in the medical device industry. I have a bachelor's degree in Business and a Master's degree in Public Health.  In my free time, I enjoy tennis, working out, cooking, reading, blogging, traveling, museums, theater, the movies, shopping, and spending time with my family and friends.  I'm particularly passionate about all things healthy and good food. #foodsnob

Thank you for stopping by, and feel free to introduce yourself here. To contact me, click here.

A few of my favorite people:

My family:

Disclosure:  I occasionally use ShopSense affiliate links on my blog.  This means that when you click on an affiliate link on my blog or make a purchase, I earn a few cents.  Thank you for visiting!  

Contact Me

I'd love to hear from you! I do reply back to emails.

For questions, comments, or general inquiries, please contact me at:

jasminlovescoffee@gmail.com.