Blog Design by Jia

Work from home. It's a word that I've been associated with for some time now. I've done it all. Pampered Chef, Mary Kay, and freelance writing here and there. It was suggested to me by a few friends that I get into blog design (since I tweak my own blog practically daily) and I enjoy creating things.

But I'm curious if anyone would be interested. I would be creating headers, buttons, and can tweak layouts. Here are some samples of things I've done in the past:

Headers:

 

  

  

  

(this was a tweaked header. The title and silhouette were added by me.)

 

(scrapbook style)

 

 

 

Photo Editing:

 (Desi and I -- even though we've never met in person)

 

(I also do photography)

Signatures:

Buttons:

 

  

  

 

No Longer Homeless - Still Smell Like Cat

For those of you just joining us, my name is Jia, and I've been living with my in-laws for the past two years. While I love my in-laws, I also don't condone the use of violence. I'm kidding.

I totally love violence.

All joking aside, Matt's folks have been great in helping us get back on our feet the past few years while I finished college and during the brief few months when Matt's boss was a douche the economy collapsed.

But the longing that I've had for my own place has been the close to baby cravings. I see other people in their lovely apartments and my uterus soul longs for a place to call my very own. We've been ready to get our own place for some time, and it really helped that the in-laws gave us a schedule on when to get out.

So I got the call today that our applications have been approved and we get to move into our slightly lived in shiny new apartment asap. Okay, so really it's not all that shiny and new. We took over the lease of a couple that Matt works with who had to vacate due to family circumstances but didn't want to pay the termination fee, which is totally understandable. Plus, I'm all about not having to pay a depost fee when moving in.

Matt got the keys to the new place today at work, so tonight we headed down, bringing cleaning supplies, toilet paper and potpouri with us - the essentials. It would have been slightly easier had we been given the key to the gate that apparently locks at night, but we followed someone else in, which made us feel better because we were essentially locked out of our new home, and also slightly nervous because seriously, what kind of security is that?

I took pictures of the empty apartment with my phone, but they aren't uploading, so next time I'll have to be less lazy and actually bring my big girl camera. In the meantime, here's a basic layout of our new place:

It's a two bedroom, two bathroom which is awesome cause now I can just not use one bathroom at all, so when guests come over I can be all "Yeah, this is our only restroom. There isn't another one in the back with toothpaste and shaving cream in the sink." The second bedroom has become a bit of a problem. Matt has this silly idea that he's going to put his comic books and video games in there. Oh, and the storage is totally not storage. Apparently it used to be storage, but then the new management took over and put washers and dryers in the storage units, which frankly, I'm okay with. I'd much rather have clean clothes than extra crap. Of course the comic books could have gone in there.

It's also on the second floor, which sucks because we're fat which is awesome because we'll totally be in shape now. The only problem we've really seen (aside from the fact that the previous tenants had a cat and the whole place still smells like kitty litter. Not used kitty litter, but still, even clean kitty litter smells gross. Why do people even own cats?) And apparently the neighbors below us have a four year old that likes to play on our patio (because the patios aren't personal, they're basically a front porch with a fancy "patio" title.

So we need to build a gate, get some chicken wire, or teach Jasper to eat little girls.

Cruise Day 5: Just Keep Swimming

After we did some shopping in Grand Cayman we were ready to get back to the boat. Aside from meeting Big Black Dick, we were all tired, hungry and I was absolutely certain that the island was moving.

However, when we went back to the boat, we saw signs for cab drivers saying "$4 to go to the beach" and we thought, why not?

Billy and Tish rented snorkeling equipment and we began our exploration of the Carribean, face to face.

It was by far, the coolest experience of my life.

I'm terrified of breathing under water, a reason that has stopped me from learning to scuba dive along side Matt. But I got over my fear (because a panic attack under water is much worse than on land) and we saw some amazing things.

But since we didn't have an under water camera, we couldn't take pictures of said amazing things.

We did however see one of these:






Which was awesome!

Matt was determined to catch a fish, and he almost came close to a sucker that was at least 2 feet long! Tish spent her time trying to find seashells and then having Billy fetch said seashells, and I found a school of yellow fish that I felt I needed to touch. I never did though, fast little suckers.

About 50 yards from the beach, Matt found a cinder block on the ocean floor with rope tied around it. What we think was once the anchor for a small boat or a something. In it we found a tiny little blue fish we named Frank. When you dove down to meet Frank, he would come out of his cinder block and charge at you. It was actually a little intimidating! We watched from above as he fought off other fish from his little cinder block home.

It was an amazing day!

Of course when we got back on the boat, not so amazing.

We were tired.

Exhausted.

And scalded by the sun.

Cruise Day 5: I'm Gonna Lose Some Readers Here

Calm down.

He's a pirate in Grand Cayman.

A Birthday is Just Like Every Other Day

Want proof?

• I'm sick. On my frickin' birthday!
• I was woken this morning with the phrase, "Hi honey, I know you're sick, and it's your birthday.. but.."
• My younger sister opted to hang out with her ex-boyfriend instead of me today.

There is a plus side though that makes this day slightly different than any other day.

• My Grandmother called me.
• My little brothers called to wish me a 'Happy Birthday' and tell me they love me.
• My older sister sent me an email with pictures of my beautiful nieces.
• My mother-in-law bought me the whole Twilight Saga (so I'd stop borrowing hers.)
• I learned to stop using the word "that" so much when I write Edge of Night thanks to a new editor.
• I watched Bill Cosby's comedy all day long.
• No one asked me to clean anything today.
• All 4 of my best friends wished me a 'Happy Birthday'.
• I saw one of them last Monday.
• I'll see another this Sunday.
• And I've been talking to the other two tonight online.

And the best thing so far about my birthday today . . .

Matt: *calling me from Subway* Hey I'm picking up dinner, what do you want?

Me: Black forest ham.

Matt: Okay, I'll be home soon.

Me: I loooooove you.

Matt: I love you too.

Me: I miiiiiiiss you.

Matt: I miss you too.

Me: You're sexy.

Matt: . . . . . .  you too.

Me: I said YOU'RE SEXY!

Matt: *sigh* You're sexy too *people giggle in the background*

Me: What about me is sexy?

Matt: I'll tell you when I get home *hangs up*

Who says public displays of humiliation affection can't be done through a cell phone?

It's My Birthday and I'll Sing If I Want To! (And Dance Without Rhythm)

So even though I'm sick, and it's my birthday, I'm still gonna show some love to my readers:

Yep. That's me. Singing Karaoke. On the boat.

I miss my boat.

And to show that even at now 25 years old I no longer have shame, here is a video of me dancing (because the karaoke DJ forced everyone to.)

Warning for your eyes: I have no rhythm whatsofrickinever! And girls my size shouldn't dance anyways . . . outside the bedroom.



PS: Because I'm a serious attention whore, anyone who wishes me love on their blog for my birthday like my awesome best friend Desi did, I will totally whore out your blog tomorrow.

Cruise Day 4: Ganja

(Tish isn't actually smoking pot.)

I totally thought the rumors about Jamaica were exaggerated. On the ship we were informed, "People will offer to sell you drugs everywhere. Do not buy drugs! It's illegal in Jamaica and on this ship."

Of course apparently the laws about pot in Jamaica are kind of like red lights and stop signs in New Mexico. We're aware they exist, we just don't care that much.

(Stuck on the ceiling inside our cab)

Tish and I weren't offered drugs once during our time in Jamaica. Matt and Billy on the other hand were offered drugs three times a piece! It was a little insane! I even saw a drug deal happening on the street while we were parked in front of a shopping mall.

After we left Margaritaville, Tish and I were stopped by a cab driver.

Driver#1: Ya need a ride?

Tish: No, we're looking for the Harley Davidson store.

Driver#1: It's right over der, I'll wait outside for ya.

Me: Umm, okay, thanks.

Matt and Billy were stopped by drug dealers.

Dealer: Hey ya need a ride?

Billy: No thanks, we're good.

Dealer: How about some ganja?

Matt: No thanks, still good.

After we left the other shops in the area, another driver approached us and we walked towards his cab. At that point, the two drivers got into an argument over whose customers we were. It was insane! Maybe they were out of ganja.

In the cab, Tish decided to learn some more about Jamaica.

Tish: You people are crazy drivers.

Driver: No mon, we just know how to drive right.

Me: On the wrong side of the street.

Tish: Is this a traffic jam, or is it always like this?

Driver: Nah, this is nothin'. People honkin' there horns all da time. It's not cause we mad. We happy. We honk our horns and say, "Hi, hello, get da hell outta my way."

Tish: You didn't honk at that guy.

Driver: I only honk at da ladies.


Tish: There's a lady!

Driver: *Honks his horn and waves*

Tish: Are all these people walking in between cars selling things.

Driver: Ya mon.

Tish: What's that guy selling?

Driver: He's selling donuts.

Tish: Is there pot in them?

Driver: No mon. He's got his pot hidden in a bush somewhere over der. He sells his donuts, candy, water, whatever he sells, and when people ask for pot, he goes over to his bush and pulls out a bag so da cops don't see him.

Billy and Matt: Can we listen to Bob Marley?

Cruise Day 4: Has Anyone Seen My Lost Shaker of Salt?

So there's a Margaritaville in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

And that's pretty much the only place we stayed during the 4 hours that we were in Jamaica.

Not for the Margaritas.

For the slide.

There's this huge slide attacked to the bar and restaurant that goes down into the ocean where they have water trampolines!

I kid you not.

Billy and Matt went down first, and had fun, though Matt pulled a muscle in his shoulder on the way down. That slide was vicious, I even got hurt a bit going down myself.

Then when the boys returned to our table where Matt had the most amazing jerk chicken ever, Tish and I went down.

And while we did that, Matt and Billy got some beads of their own.

Billy: *singing*  Wastin' away again in Margaritaville. Searching for my lost sugar and spice....

Tish: Wait . . .  what?

Matt: Sugar and spice?

Billy: Those aren't the lyrics?

Cruise Day 4: Same Blood, Same People, Same God

A woman stopped me when she saw the Jamaican colors beaded into my hair.

Woman: Do ya know what da colors mean child?

Me: No.

Woman: Da black is for da people, da green for da grass, da yellow is for da sun, and whatchu tink da red is for?

Me: Blood.

Woman: Ya right child. Da blood of Jamaica. Not just Jamaica blood tho. My blood, your blood, is all da same in da eyes of God, child. We da same people. You believe in God, child?

Me: Of course.

Woman: Good. God loves us all. Ya come back to Jamaica, ya here me? Jamaica is home for ya now.

And it was.

And then she hugged me and left.

And I miss Jamica.

Cruise Day 4: Ya Mon

When we got off the boat onto Jamaica, we were greeted by music, dancing and Jamaicans giving us hugs and welcoming us to their beautiful country.

After making a few purchases at the local gift shops . . . .

We got into a cab and were greeted by a tour guide (yes, in a cab) and the driver.

Tour Guide: My name is Nikkya and this is your driver Jomo. Say "Irie mon" to Jomo.

Sheep: Irie Mon.

Jomo: Ya mon.

We learned a few phrases in Jamaica. "Irie mon," was described to us as "peace, harmony, a happy greeting, respect, no worries," a phrase I was intent on bringing home with me.

"Ya mon." is not just from Cool Runnings. People actually say that.

Everything and everyone in Jamaica was full of kindness and love (the few that we met).

After we exited the cab, Tish and I found a beautiful Jamaican woman who had a table set up, and we asked her to braid our hair. She was more than happy to do so and our men forked over the cash.

Tish went a different route than I did.

The Bo Derek route.