liza-monette’s blog

What's your decor style?

I am a combination of Contemporary / Mid-Century modern. I really like Modern, but it can be a little to minimal and stark for me.  At the same time, I don't take my decor too seriously.  Most of the time I just go with my gut.

Another survey taken from Chelsea's blog :)

Two Names You Go By
1. Monette - by family
2. Liza - by friends

Two Parts of Your Heritage
1. Filipino
2. Chinese (but don't "officially" know)

Two Things That Scare You
1. Falling down
2. Right now our Economy

Two of Your Everyday Essentials
1. Eating
2. Just constantly thinking about anything and everything, esp. design/art stuff

Two Things You Are Wearing Right Now
1. My "at home" eyeglasses
2. non-matching PJGs

Two of Your Favorite Bands or Musical Artists (at the moment)
1. Adele
2. Pink

Two Things You Want in a Relationship (other than Real Love)
1. Communication
2. Trust

Two Truths
1. I am overly conscious of my surroundings - I pay too much attention sometimes.
2. I am painfully shy. Sometimes I think I suffer from social anxiety.

Two of Your Favorite Hobbies
1. Interior Design - constantly thinking of ways to change something/ anything/ everything in our house, especially my office.
2. Sewing - it's really calming for me.

Two Things You Want Really Badly
1. To have my own successful small business.
2. Enough money to pay off all my debts, esp. my mortgage, HAHA!

Two Places You Want to go on Vacation
1. NYC
2. Italy

Two Things You Want to Do Before You Die
1. Have a successful small business.
2. Make a REAL difference in this world.

Two Ways that you are stereotypically a Dude/Chick
1. My LOVE of shoes.
2. My LOVE of handbags.

Two Ways you act like the opposite sex
1. I'm not a "girly-girl". One of my motto's is, "I may be dressed like a girl, but I'll still kick your ass."
2. I am a BIG fan of basketball, esp. the LA Lakers :D

Two Things You Normally Wouldn't Admit
1. In high school I was in love with 2 boys (at 2 different times). Later found out those 2 boys were couple, LOL!!! I can laugh now.  But I'm sure if I knew what I know now back then, I'd have bawled my eyes out. The messed up part about it is that the one I was really in love with, liked me too. Nothing ever happened between us. Kinda glad :P
2. I tend to keep everything in and on my worse days sometimes I get depressed because of it. And yet, the people closest to me, don't know that.

Two Things You Are Thinking About Now
1. How to take my career to the next step and start my own little business.
2. Our possible trip to NYC. I really REALLY hope we can make it happen.

Two Stores You Shop At
1. Target
2. Home Depot

Taken from Chelsea's blog :)

Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed?
We sleep with the closet doors closed. It's mirrored and it makes the bedroom look a lot more bigger.  Funny thing is, at our old apartment, I liked to have the doors open. They weren't mirrored... maybe that's why? I dunno, folks.

Do you take the shampoos and conditioner bottles from hotel?
Only if it's a good quality shampoo and conditioner.

Do you sleep with your sheets tucked in or out?
All tucked out and messy.

Have you ever stolen a street sign before?
Nope. Haven't ever seen one worth taking :P

Do you like to use post-it notes?
I hardly use the.

Do you cut out coupons but then never use them?
I used to... not anymore.  Don't look through them or cut them out at all.

Would you rather be attacked by a big bear or a swarm of a bees?
I don't think anyone ever has to deal with these choices, but I guess I'd rather take on the bees.

Do you have freckles?
Nope, but I have lots of moles/beauty marks.

Do you always smile for pictures?
Yep, I usually do.  If it's not a smile, it's a goofy face/expression.

What is your biggest pet peeve?
Closemindedness and blissful ignorance.

Do you ever count your steps when you walk?
Nope.

Have you ever peed in the woods?
What else are you gonna do when you're camping??

What about pooped in the woods?
Nope. I've always been able to hold it until I find civilization.

Do you ever dance even if there’s no music playing?
Sometimes, but not full on routines, LOL!

Do you chew your pens and pencils?
Ewww, no. I save that for my nails, hahaha!

How many people have you slept with this week?
One, my Bubs.

What size is your bed?
King size

What is your Song of the week?
T.I.'s "Whatever You Like"

Is it okay for guys to wear pink?
Of couse! I admire a guy that has courage to wear pink.

Do you still watch cartoons?
If I do, it's usually "Family Guy" or if I can catch old school "Tom & Jerry", "Popeye", or Tex Avery 'toons.

What’s your least favorite movie?
"LOVE GURU". I love Mike Myers, but this movie was absolute CRAP! So crappy... I stopped watching after 30 minutes. I've NEVER done that before.

Where would you bury hidden treasure if you had some?
Show me some treasure first.

What do you drink with dinner?
90% of the time it's water; 9% would be iced tea; 1% would be soda.

What do you dip a chicken nugget in?
Honey Mustard

What is your favorite food?
It's a tie between Pork Adobo and Kare Kare

What movies could you watch over and over and still love?
"Stranger than Fiction"

Last person you kissed/kissed you?
My Bubs

Were you ever a boy/girl scout?
Nope... it was too expensive.

Would you ever strip or pose nude in a magazine?
Umm... yeah, no.

When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper?
On a "Congratulations on getting married" card about a month ago.

Can you change the oil on a car?
If I had to, yes I do.

Ever gotten a speeding ticket?
Nope, but got a ticket for not stopping completely at a stop sign.

Ran out of gas?
Nope! I never let the tank go less than 1/8.

Favorite kind of sandwich?
Turkey w/ avocado and cheese *droooools*

Best thing to eat for breakfast?
Spam, eggs, and garlic fried rice

What is your usual bedtime?
When I'm not working late at night, usually by 1am

Are you lazy?
I can be, but for the most part I'm not.

When you were a kid, what did you dress up as for Halloween?
I only remember being either a Geisha or a clown. Oh! One Halloween I dressed up like a member from TLC, LOL!!!

What is your Chinese astrological sign?
Yep, it's the Monkey.

How many languages can you speak?
Sadly, only one.

Do you have any magazine subscriptions?
Martha Stewart Living and Domino

Which are better legos or lincoln logs?
Dude, LEGOS!

Are you stubborn?
YES.

Who is better…Leno or Letterman?
Funny thing is I think Letterman is better, but I watch the Tonight Show more, LOL!!

Ever watch soap operas?
Haven't in a loooooooong time.

Afraid of heights?
Yep, I think I do. Actually, I think I'm more afraid of falling.

Sing in the car?
Of course!

Dance in the shower?
Haha, weird! Nope.

Dance in the car?
I think I have when I've been in the car with friends.

Ever used a gun?
One that shoots out staples.

Last time you got a portrait taken by a photographer?
By myself? My Senior portrait. But the real last time was at "Prime" restaurant in Las Vegas with Raf, his cousin Ray, and Ray's wife Viv.

Do you think musicals are cheesy?
No, I don't.

Is Christmas stressful?
It used to be when I would spend it at home in Hawai'i. Now it's a lot more chill.

Ever eat a perogie?
I don't think I have.

Favorite type of fruit pie?
Is pumpkin a fruit? LOL! How about sweet potatoes?

Occupations you wanted to be when you were a kid?
Three in total - an architect, an animator, and a computer graphic artist

Do you believe in ghosts?
Yes, I do.

Ever have a Deja-vu feeling?
A few time.

Take a vitamin daily?
Nope, and I think I should start taking some.

Wear slippers?
All the time.

Wear a bath robe?
Nope... I like to get dressed right away.

What do you wear to bed?
T-shirt and shorts.

First concert?
Michael Jackson's HIStory tour.  It was the first and only time he came to Hawai'i.

Wal-Mart, Target or Kmart?
Target FTW!!

Nike or Adidas?
Nike

Cheetos Or Fritos?
Jalapeno Cheese Cheetos and BBQ Fritos *drooooools*

Peanuts or Sunflower seeds?
I don't either of them so much. But I'd say I prefer Peanuts

Ever hear of the group Tres Bien?
Nope.

Ever take dance lessons?
I did hula for a few months when I was in the 4th grade.

Is there a profession you picture your spouse doing?
I could actually see him being a firefighter. He's already certified through the military. That or construction.

Can you curl your tongue?
Yep.

Ever won a spelling bee?
HAH! Nope.

Have you ever cried because you were so happy?
Yep.

Own any record albums?
Nope.

Own a record player?
Nope.

Regularly burn incense?
Nope.

Ever been in love?
I have, and currently am.

Who would you like to see in concert?
Lauryn Hill and Maxwell.

What was the last concert you saw?
John Mayer's Summer Tour in Irvine, CA

Hot tea or cold tea?
Iced Tea

Tea or coffee?
Used to be coffee, now it's tea.

Sugar or snickerdoodles?
Depends on my mood... I don't discriminate against cookies.

Can you swim well?
I could probably swim well enough to MAYBE save my life. But no... not very well.

Can you hold your breath without holding your nose?
Haha! Yes, but not for very long.

Are you patient?
I'm pretty extreme - I can be surprisingly patient and surprisingly hot tempered impatient.

DJ or band, at a wedding?
A GOOD Band.

Ever won a contest?
Yep.

Ever have plastic surgery?
Nope.

Which are better black or green olives?
I don't usually like olives, but black olives on pizza and green olives w/ sun dried tomatoes :D

Can you knit or crochet?
I tried knitting... I had ZERO patience. I prefer sewing.

Best room for a fireplace?
Living room, but then again.. I'm not a big fireplace kinda person.

Do you want to get married?
Already am.

If married, how long have you been married?
Married almost 3 years... our anniversary is actually next Wed. (Nov. 12)

Who was your HS crush?
Oh man! Too many!

Do you cry and throw a fit until you get your own way?
I used to, I'm sure. Now? I do things for myself :P

Do you have kids?
Nope... not unless dogs count :)

Do you want kids?
Not yet. Actually, I don't really know anymore. All's I know is I don't want any kids right now.

Whats your favorite color?
Blue, Green, & Pink

Do you miss anyone right now?
My family and friends back home in Hawai'i.

Did you watch, Next Great American Band on FOX?
I saw like one episode, but didn't have enough interest to remember to watch it again.

Wow... I'm just in shock. I can't believe Heath Ledger is gone.  And he was only 28.  It's really sad and really unfortunate for Hollywood... he was a great actor!

I might cry when I watch Dark Knight in the theaters :=o(

I'm always excited when Halloween is over just because it ushers in the rest of the holidays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years.  I'm extra excited this year because we finally have our own place!  We are hosting Thanksgiving this year.  I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!  I've NEVER made a Turkey or hosted a Holiday for that matter.  But damnit, I'm excited!!  I'm making everything but the Honeybaked Ham (MIL and SIL will take care of that).  And it'll all be from scratch.  I LOVE to cook and due to work I don't really cook these days so YOU KNOW I'm EXTRA EXCITED.  So anywho so far on the menu:

• Roast Turkey (Turkey will be brined and slathered in some herb butter, yuuuuuuum!)
• Homemade Gravey (still figuring out what wine to deglaze with)
• Stuffing
  
• Roast Garlic Mashed Potatoes (Raf's requesting CHUNKY 'tatters)
• Cranberry Sauce (still finding the perfect recipe... I bought every single Thanksgiving Food Magazine out there, so I'll find one)
• Candied Yams (MIL's request)
• Some kind of simple salad
• Dinner Rolls
  
• Pecan Pie
• Apple Pie
• Sweet Potatoe Pie
• Pumpkin dessert of some sort (dunno if it's pie or this kick ass recipe I found via Martha Stewart Living)

That's a lot, but I know I can do it!!  It's all about planning my attack.  I'm probably going to bring all my magazines on our vacation, hahaha!  I'm such a nerd!

Funny thing is, we'll have all this food and there's only going to be 5 people that will DEFINITELY be there, haha!  But once we get final count it could be about 10-12 people.

Now... I just have to buy a Turkey, hahaha!

I did catch most of MTVs Rap Superstar show.  Perez Hilton was good, but Shar Jackson kicked EVERYONE'S ASS! Glad she WON! This is my favorite performance of hers.  Hehehe... trying to kick back 'til I have to leave for the night...

Okay, so I think I am officially unhip.  The day has come when I am no longer up to date with the new trends in webdesign, blogs, and just the web in general.

• Realization #1:  Flash.  I know it, I've used it, but I'm not savvy.  I don't think I want to be, really.  It's a whole 'nother beast.  If you wanna be a damn good Flash Web Designer, you have to be a whiz at Action script.  It's like being an f-ing computer programmer.  No thank you, Mr. Man.
  
  And using the "timeline" just isn't cool.  Not at all.  Well, I say to those "Action script good, Timeline bad" folks.... "Boo to you!"
  
  
• Realization #2: Twitter and RSS.  Oh my gulay.  Can't figure this shit out.  Had my twitter account for a week now.  Still don't know how the hell to put it on my Vox posts.  Any helpful links on Twitter and Vox, and Twitter and LJ... I will put a shrunken vinyl replica of you on my altar and praise you the way you should be praised (exaggeration, btw).
  
  I know I'll figure it out... eventually.  Probably when Twitter is no longer cool and there's something newer and cooler out there (kind of how MySpace stole Friendster's thunder).

Well, at least I've finally wholeheartedly jumped onto the WHOLE FOODS, Organic, Eco-Friendly bandwagon.  So I'm somewhat hip still, right?

UPDATE: YAY!  Have my Twitter widget on my Vox.  It's waaaaaaaaay on the bottom of my left-sidebar.  Whoo Hoo!!!

When driving alone, what do you do?  Sing along to the radio?  Think about your day?  Something else?
Submitted by carapiccoladiva.  

When I'm driving, there's ALWAYS music playing, whether it's my iPod hooked up in my car or just the local radio.  Sometimes I sing along, but lately I've just been zoning out while I drive to and from work.  LOL!  I guess when you're used to a driving routine, your body just takes over while the mind is free to roam?  Maybe it's just me? HAH! Plus, I am never in traffic and my drive is 20 minutes to and from.

Honestly, I don't really think of anything.  My mind is just blank.  It's like I'm meditating without the intention to do so.  Or if my mind's not blank, I'm thinking about all the projects I have for my 9-5 as well as my freelancing gig.

I enjoy driving, by the way... but usually more so when I'm by myself.

How many email addresses do you have?  What are they for? 
Submitted by clippedwings.

There are three (3) that I actively use:

1. One (1) @gmail.com account for friends and casual e-mails, but I consider it my MAIN e-mail account.
2. One (1) @gmail.com account it's my "professional" e-mail and family e-mail account.
3. One (1) @yahoo.com account and it's my current "looking for a job, so respond to this e-mail" e-mail account.

Why do you live where you live?
Submitted by memtony.

For Love.  Really, that's how I ended up here and that's pretty much why I'll stay here.

When I first met Raf, he lived in San Diego (thanks to the Navy).  I moved to LA for a year, then finally ended up moving to San Diego.

And so here we are today.  A few years ago, I thought I was done and over with San Diego.  I wanted to MOVE MOVE MOVE.  But due to Raf, again, being in the Navy, we stayed put.

But today, I'm glad we live here.  We bought a house a little less than 2 months ago and we couldn't be happier.  I realize now that I just needed some roots of my own to finally realize that I CAN call this place my home.  Sure I don't live in New York, San Francisco, Seattle, or Vancouver (places I would LOVE to live in some day), but that just means I have to start traveling more :=o)