1999...the year that I couldn't remember until I saw some pictures...
Here we go. Pull up a chair and footstool and RELAX as I give you the year in review (as per the pictures in my photo album)...
I should mention right off that my father was diagnosed with cancer in 1998 and was told he only had 3 mo's to live basically...but still was hanging around a year and a half later before giving up the battle. But that's in October...
The beginning of 1999: I discovered that that was the year I decided I should be blonde...what was I thinking? Hello? I may act like a blonde but boy I must not have had true friends...because a true friend would have told me how awful I looked with blonde hair....ACK! I also discovered that I was still dating Eggy until about March (we started seeing each other around Halloween of 1998). Eggy (Elgardo Rivera) was one of the few Puerto Ricans I dated in my lifetime and he was 8 years younger than me which meant that he couldn't go to the bars with me. That was just one of the many reasons for that break-up.
April 1999: Flew to Turks and Caicos for work. It was a one day Hell Fam! A Fam trip in the travel industry is short for "familiarization trip" which means you go to these great destinations and check out the hotels so you can better sell them yada yada yada...Normally a fam trip is not one day long but usually around 3-4 days. So luckily we only went to see the Beaches resort and not the Allegro resort as well. Also, I sent my mom a postcard as I had always done when I went on these trips and she never got it *sad face* ~ oh well.
((See there is a reason why I'm such a shutter-bug. Seeing the pictures brings back so many memories that I can't believe I forgot all about this stuff.))
Also in April 1999: I met someone new. I went out with "the girls" (my group of gal pals back then) dancing at Flashbacks, a club that played music from the 70's and 80's. There was this guy who was just a bit taller than I was. He was short. I'm only 5' tall. LOL. Anyway, he was exotic looking. There was something about him. He came up to me during a song and asked me to dance. Next thing I know - it's 3 songs later and we're making out on the dance floor!! He had this incredible accent - I found out that he's Romanian...ooh - a Vampire! NOT! Ok, so he tells me his name is Victor. I continue to see him for a bit and come to find out that not only is his name NOT Victor but Viorel (he told me that he goes by Victor as it's easier for people to say...whatever) but -- and this is a BIG BUT he's also married!!!! YES MARRIED!!! Bummer. Oh well - pity...only wasted 3 months. I move on.
June 1999: Went to the NJ Renaissance Festival with my mom in Somerset. I met someone famous! Ron Palillo...you know him! He played Arnold Horshack on the TV show "Welcome Back Kotter" - remember "Ooh, Ooh, Mr. Kotter. Ooh Ooh!" as he waved his hand in class. Ah the 70's....Have photo proof too! If anyone wants to see...leave a comment and I'll post the pic.
August 1999: Went to Camden Aquarium in NJ a lot!! I was considering volunteering at that time but then decided against it as it was going to cost me too much in travel expenses going and coming and not getting paid in return. Ah well - it would have been fun feeding the seals and giving tours. Also in August...as I had already mentioned before, Michael and I went up to the NY Ren Faire in Tuxedo Park. It wasn't a date but when he kissed me - suddenly I felt that maybe we should have made it a date.
September 1999: Enjoyed a free day at Dorney Park and Wild Water Kingdom in Allentown, PA. Since I did the Walk-a-thon that year (oops forgot to mention that - it was in April) I raised enough money to earn a free pass. I got a couple of friends to go along for the day. Epiphany: I was so much thinner back then. *shrugs*
Also in September...The PA Ren Faire had a first ever season with a KING! H-O-T King too might I add!!! Hubba Hubba. RUSSELL RINKER!
Again in September: (Sept 30 - Oct 3) was another Fam trip for work...this time to Montego Bay, Jamaica! Not a good trip as my mind was on my father the entire time. I did get a phone call during that trip to advise me that he might not be around upon my return......*shutters at the bad memory* Which brings me to ...
October 6, 1999: The day the Earth stood still for me - my Daddy died. After his year and a half struggle with cancer he succumbed. We buried him on the 9th and I didn't realize how strong I could be in a situation like this as I handled all of the funeral arrangements myself since my mom was wrecked beyond repair...understandable - they were married until death they did part. *wipes tears* I remember on the 11th - it was my turn to cry and did I ever...for 2 days straight...My salvation? The Ren Faire. I went the week after my "breakdown" and it set me back to normal - well, as normal as I could be under the circumstances that is.
November 1999: Thanksgiving/My Birthday -- I turned 29 and was having issues about getting so close to being 30. I left my job and started a new one. Got all the dumb blonde cut out of my hair and got a "more mature look" to go with the new job. Got a new wardrobe and life seemed like it was starting to shape up again.
December 19-20, 1999: Karaoke Marathon for the Marines' Toys For Tots campaign...lasted 13 hours at Karaoke!!!! I was running out of songs to sing actually....LOL!! It began at 1pm Saturday and ran until 2 am Sunday morning...I remember sleeping a lot on Sunday...
Christmas 1999 was uneventful - just did the usual family thing.
The Millennium!! New Year's Eve 1999: I found myself at Missy's, my best friend at the time, getting rather buzzed off of some concoction she made for me with all alcohol and no mixer. She invited 12 people to come over and all we got was 2. Yes, well - we played Millennium Edition Monopoly and got wasted. Fun time had by all four of us.
And that, my friends, was my life in 1999 - the year that I forgot.
Now, I'm off to bed! Nite Nite to all ~
I should mention right off that my father was diagnosed with cancer in 1998 and was told he only had 3 mo's to live basically...but still was hanging around a year and a half later before giving up the battle. But that's in October...
The beginning of 1999: I discovered that that was the year I decided I should be blonde...what was I thinking? Hello? I may act like a blonde but boy I must not have had true friends...because a true friend would have told me how awful I looked with blonde hair....ACK! I also discovered that I was still dating Eggy until about March (we started seeing each other around Halloween of 1998). Eggy (Elgardo Rivera) was one of the few Puerto Ricans I dated in my lifetime and he was 8 years younger than me which meant that he couldn't go to the bars with me. That was just one of the many reasons for that break-up.
April 1999: Flew to Turks and Caicos for work. It was a one day Hell Fam! A Fam trip in the travel industry is short for "familiarization trip" which means you go to these great destinations and check out the hotels so you can better sell them yada yada yada...Normally a fam trip is not one day long but usually around 3-4 days. So luckily we only went to see the Beaches resort and not the Allegro resort as well. Also, I sent my mom a postcard as I had always done when I went on these trips and she never got it *sad face* ~ oh well.
((See there is a reason why I'm such a shutter-bug. Seeing the pictures brings back so many memories that I can't believe I forgot all about this stuff.))
Also in April 1999: I met someone new. I went out with "the girls" (my group of gal pals back then) dancing at Flashbacks, a club that played music from the 70's and 80's. There was this guy who was just a bit taller than I was. He was short. I'm only 5' tall. LOL. Anyway, he was exotic looking. There was something about him. He came up to me during a song and asked me to dance. Next thing I know - it's 3 songs later and we're making out on the dance floor!! He had this incredible accent - I found out that he's Romanian...ooh - a Vampire! NOT! Ok, so he tells me his name is Victor. I continue to see him for a bit and come to find out that not only is his name NOT Victor but Viorel (he told me that he goes by Victor as it's easier for people to say...whatever) but -- and this is a BIG BUT he's also married!!!! YES MARRIED!!! Bummer. Oh well - pity...only wasted 3 months. I move on.
June 1999: Went to the NJ Renaissance Festival with my mom in Somerset. I met someone famous! Ron Palillo...you know him! He played Arnold Horshack on the TV show "Welcome Back Kotter" - remember "Ooh, Ooh, Mr. Kotter. Ooh Ooh!" as he waved his hand in class. Ah the 70's....Have photo proof too! If anyone wants to see...leave a comment and I'll post the pic.
August 1999: Went to Camden Aquarium in NJ a lot!! I was considering volunteering at that time but then decided against it as it was going to cost me too much in travel expenses going and coming and not getting paid in return. Ah well - it would have been fun feeding the seals and giving tours. Also in August...as I had already mentioned before, Michael and I went up to the NY Ren Faire in Tuxedo Park. It wasn't a date but when he kissed me - suddenly I felt that maybe we should have made it a date.
September 1999: Enjoyed a free day at Dorney Park and Wild Water Kingdom in Allentown, PA. Since I did the Walk-a-thon that year (oops forgot to mention that - it was in April) I raised enough money to earn a free pass. I got a couple of friends to go along for the day. Epiphany: I was so much thinner back then. *shrugs*
Also in September...The PA Ren Faire had a first ever season with a KING! H-O-T King too might I add!!! Hubba Hubba. RUSSELL RINKER!
Again in September: (Sept 30 - Oct 3) was another Fam trip for work...this time to Montego Bay, Jamaica! Not a good trip as my mind was on my father the entire time. I did get a phone call during that trip to advise me that he might not be around upon my return......*shutters at the bad memory* Which brings me to ...
October 6, 1999: The day the Earth stood still for me - my Daddy died. After his year and a half struggle with cancer he succumbed. We buried him on the 9th and I didn't realize how strong I could be in a situation like this as I handled all of the funeral arrangements myself since my mom was wrecked beyond repair...understandable - they were married until death they did part. *wipes tears* I remember on the 11th - it was my turn to cry and did I ever...for 2 days straight...My salvation? The Ren Faire. I went the week after my "breakdown" and it set me back to normal - well, as normal as I could be under the circumstances that is.
November 1999: Thanksgiving/My Birthday -- I turned 29 and was having issues about getting so close to being 30. I left my job and started a new one. Got all the dumb blonde cut out of my hair and got a "more mature look" to go with the new job. Got a new wardrobe and life seemed like it was starting to shape up again.
December 19-20, 1999: Karaoke Marathon for the Marines' Toys For Tots campaign...lasted 13 hours at Karaoke!!!! I was running out of songs to sing actually....LOL!! It began at 1pm Saturday and ran until 2 am Sunday morning...I remember sleeping a lot on Sunday...
Christmas 1999 was uneventful - just did the usual family thing.
The Millennium!! New Year's Eve 1999: I found myself at Missy's, my best friend at the time, getting rather buzzed off of some concoction she made for me with all alcohol and no mixer. She invited 12 people to come over and all we got was 2. Yes, well - we played Millennium Edition Monopoly and got wasted. Fun time had by all four of us.
And that, my friends, was my life in 1999 - the year that I forgot.
Now, I'm off to bed! Nite Nite to all ~