Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone. It seems like forever since I last blogged. I guess the time just got away from me. School is officially over. Grades are posted, everything is done, and I couldn't be happier. I am so looking forward to a fun summer with Myriam. Seriously, I have a feeling that the next few months will be HUGE for us. If all goes as planned, I will be performing a show in Long Beach, somewhere in the O.C., somewhere in L.A., and in the Bay area--what's up NORCAL? I will keep you all posted. This is a one person show so I won't even have to share the stage.
Plans for my birthday party are coming along slowly. It'll happen for sure--it's just taking longer than I thought it would to get organized.
My mother is out of the hospital!! YAY. She is doing very well and is appreciative for all of the thoughts, prayers, and well wishes.
Ok--Since my last post--3 amazing and brilliant people have passed on to the next life. Gil Scott-Heron, Randy "Macho Man" Savage, and Jeff Conaway. They will all be missed. They each brought something different to the "potluck" of life, and I appreciated their contributions. One made us laugh, one brought us to the edge of our seats, and one made us think. I am grateful for who they were.
Storm chasers are really stupid people. I mean really stupid. Why oh why would anyone choose to chase after a tornado?
Kim Kardashion is a baby. No one needs a 20.5 carat diamond ring. Any respect that I had for her (which was very little) is gone. It's a disgusting display and I think it should be outlawed. I have no good reason--it just makes my stomach turn.
I am currently reading several books. Sometimes it is hard for me to choose so I just read whatever I'm in the mood for. Last week I had soooo many moods-- so now I am reading: Heat: A Kitchen Memoir (it's ok), East of Eden (reading it with my friend JW), Siddhartha by Herman Hesse, Columbine by Dave Cullen, and Ice-A memoir of Ice T (the rapper/actor not the drink). What can I say--it's an ambitious week.
Myriam saw The Hangover II today with her family. She loved it. I think I'll wait for the DVD.
The new Lady Gaga cd is great. I highly recommend it to everyone. Yes, even you Blaine--it's good music. Madonna is soooooo yesterday--it's time to move on to a new freaky blonde. LOL
The new Betty White book is brilliant. You should all check it out. Betty White is 89 years old. Her take on life is pretty fricking amazing. I laughed a lot when I read it.
Last weekend Myriam and I ate at Umami Burger in L.A. The burger was voted best in America but, I beg to differ. Though the burgers were delicious, they lacked personality. The chefs were so liberal with the truffle oil--that I could hardly taste anything else. One or two drops is sufficient people--please do not douse the bun in it. The burgers were about $15 each which did NOT include a side item so, we ordered fries and onion rings. Again with the truffle oil. OY. The burgers on the menu were interesting but you were not allowed to deviate from the recipes. In other words--you couldn't say no sun dried tomatoes. I think that is ridiculous. People know what they like--they should be willing to get what they want and leave what they do not. 7.8/10 is my rating--a strong C+. Oh--and they do not even have mushrooms--what kind of burger place does not offer mushrooms? For a $50 lunch--I expected a lot more of an experience. Oh well.
Went to Barneys today. Myriam bought a new hat. I got some jeans and a bow tie. I'm really really excited about the bow tie. I've wanted one for a very long time. Now I need an occasion to wear it.
There is a man that has eaten over 25,000 Big Macs. He is healthy. I think that is pretty awesome.
This is a true story: A man with no arms went into a bank to cash a check. Even though he had two forms of i.d. the bank still would not give him the money. The reason: he could not produce a thumbprint. Are people really that stupid?
There is a strong chance that I will be married before I turn 40.
Myriam and I are going birdwatching next weekend.
Not much else to talk about today. Tomorrow's blog will discuss my role models, my non role models, and what I would do if I had no fears.
Thanks for reading. Comments are awesome. One love.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
22 years, Trina vs TJ, update on my mom, a great book
Hello everyone. Hope that your weekend has been lovely. The weather here has been great. I have two more days of teaching left, then, I am done. Looking forward to 12 weeks of vacation.
I'll start with an update on my mom. She went in on Thursday for a minor procedure on her heart. Well, the Dr. slipped or something and cut a hole where he shouldn't have. She was in intensive care for one night, showed a lot of improvement, then moved to the normal care wing. We expected her to come home yesterday however, tests showed blood on the lungs as well as a blood clot. Last I heard, the Dr was doing something to prevent the clot from moving. We are all very concerned about these recent events, yet hopeful for a full recovery. I talked to my mother this afternoon and she is about the same. I ask that you all keep my mother (and father for that matter) in your thoughts and prayers. I am fortunate to have friends of all faiths--so I really feel that all of our bases will be covered. Whether you are praying to God, Mohammad, Mother Earth, Buddha, Jesus, Saints, Angels, The Dali Lama, or any other higher power--make sure to mention my family. I will keep you all posted. Thanks so much.
Ok-so yesterday was the 22nd anniversary of my high school graduation. I remember it well. I thought I'd look at how I have either changed or stayed the same since then. Fun Fun. First--just in case you don't know about the town I grew up in--here it is in a nutshell. I grew up in New Hartford, Iowa population 650. Yes, that says 650. My graduating class consisted on 23 people--20 of which I saw at the 20 year high school reunion. My town was and still is 99.99% white. The school that I attended was K-12--in other words, we all grew up together, looked the same, and knew each other well. I would consider Jamee Maurer Klein and Mary Huff honorary members of the class because they were with us except for the last year. Ok-here is the list:
Things about me that haven't changed since 1989
1. I still love Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, and pretty much all other music from that era. Michael Jackson!
2. I'm still optimistic about my future
3. I still love to roller skate!!
4. I still think the Big Mac is amazing
5. I still don't need the math I learned in school
6. I still drive a mustang and think it's a sweet car.
7. I still talk to Devona Neiman almost everyday (facebook)
8. I still love being on stage
9. I still want to be a comedian
10. I still am not a morning person
11. I still think that the show "Roseanne" is the greatest sitcom ever. (Modern Family is a close second)
12. I still don't appreciate "classic" literature like I am supposed to.
13. I still love to watch people breakdance
14. I am still afraid of snakes
15. I still have about the same amount in my savings account--which is next to nothing
16. I still think metal lunchboxes are awesome
17. I still use the word awesome
18. I am still not a parent
19. I still have all of my papers in unorganized piles
20. I still just "wing it" most of the time
21. My Cousin Jackie is still one of my closest friends
22. I still love John Hughes movies
Things about me that have changed since 1989
1. I can no longer run a mile in under 6 minutes
2. I no longer wear acid washed jeans--or a size 3 for that matter
3. I am now "out" and proud
4. I no longer fear authority--not at all!
5. I no longer strive to impress others
6. I now have to drink diet soda.
7. I now call pop soda
8. I now have neighbors who are not white
9. I am no longer interested in camping or kayaking
10. I no longer wear feminine clothes
11. I no longer try to fit in
12. I now actually read books instead of just pretending to
13. I now think office supplies and socks are great Christmas gifts
14. I weigh about 45lbs more-yikes
15. I am now a Buddhist
16. I am now much more politically aware
17. I am now well traveled and well educated
18. I am now afraid of flying
19. I no longer own a walkman or a VCR
20. My hair is no longer huge--and neither are my glasses for that matter
21. I no longer drink alcohol.
22. I no longer shave my legs
I can probably think of a million more but that's it for now. Ok, so my given name is Trina but my friends all know me as TJ--well, most of my friends do. Here's how it works. Everyone that has known me for more than 20 years calls me Trina. All of my family members (even those under age 20) call me Trina. People that met me after 1992 call me TJ. All of my students call me TJ--except a few ESL students that cannot say their Js. They call me professor Trina which I love. Some people are two-timers, meaning that they call me TJ sometimes but Trina other times. My cousin Janelle calls me little T. I love that. I'm sure that most of you couldn't care less about this--just thought I'd share. TJ stands for Trina Jo BTW. Mt friend Jamie calls me Teej. I'm sure I've been called a lot of other names, both good and bad, but I just wanted to focus on TJ and Trina.
Just finished the book I'm Perfect and You're Doomed which is a memoir about a girl's upbringing in the Jehovahs Witness religion. The book was awesome. I recommend it to anyone with a good sense of humor. The author had very dry wit and seemed like she was a lot to handle as a teen. She's wicked smart yet whiny and her story made me laugh a lot. I am currently working on my memoir. Anybody got any title ideas?
Ok-that's it for today. Thanks for reading everyone. Comments are awesome. One love.
I'll start with an update on my mom. She went in on Thursday for a minor procedure on her heart. Well, the Dr. slipped or something and cut a hole where he shouldn't have. She was in intensive care for one night, showed a lot of improvement, then moved to the normal care wing. We expected her to come home yesterday however, tests showed blood on the lungs as well as a blood clot. Last I heard, the Dr was doing something to prevent the clot from moving. We are all very concerned about these recent events, yet hopeful for a full recovery. I talked to my mother this afternoon and she is about the same. I ask that you all keep my mother (and father for that matter) in your thoughts and prayers. I am fortunate to have friends of all faiths--so I really feel that all of our bases will be covered. Whether you are praying to God, Mohammad, Mother Earth, Buddha, Jesus, Saints, Angels, The Dali Lama, or any other higher power--make sure to mention my family. I will keep you all posted. Thanks so much.
Ok-so yesterday was the 22nd anniversary of my high school graduation. I remember it well. I thought I'd look at how I have either changed or stayed the same since then. Fun Fun. First--just in case you don't know about the town I grew up in--here it is in a nutshell. I grew up in New Hartford, Iowa population 650. Yes, that says 650. My graduating class consisted on 23 people--20 of which I saw at the 20 year high school reunion. My town was and still is 99.99% white. The school that I attended was K-12--in other words, we all grew up together, looked the same, and knew each other well. I would consider Jamee Maurer Klein and Mary Huff honorary members of the class because they were with us except for the last year. Ok-here is the list:
Things about me that haven't changed since 1989
1. I still love Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, and pretty much all other music from that era. Michael Jackson!
2. I'm still optimistic about my future
3. I still love to roller skate!!
4. I still think the Big Mac is amazing
5. I still don't need the math I learned in school
6. I still drive a mustang and think it's a sweet car.
7. I still talk to Devona Neiman almost everyday (facebook)
8. I still love being on stage
9. I still want to be a comedian
10. I still am not a morning person
11. I still think that the show "Roseanne" is the greatest sitcom ever. (Modern Family is a close second)
12. I still don't appreciate "classic" literature like I am supposed to.
13. I still love to watch people breakdance
14. I am still afraid of snakes
15. I still have about the same amount in my savings account--which is next to nothing
16. I still think metal lunchboxes are awesome
17. I still use the word awesome
18. I am still not a parent
19. I still have all of my papers in unorganized piles
20. I still just "wing it" most of the time
21. My Cousin Jackie is still one of my closest friends
22. I still love John Hughes movies
Things about me that have changed since 1989
1. I can no longer run a mile in under 6 minutes
2. I no longer wear acid washed jeans--or a size 3 for that matter
3. I am now "out" and proud
4. I no longer fear authority--not at all!
5. I no longer strive to impress others
6. I now have to drink diet soda.
7. I now call pop soda
8. I now have neighbors who are not white
9. I am no longer interested in camping or kayaking
10. I no longer wear feminine clothes
11. I no longer try to fit in
12. I now actually read books instead of just pretending to
13. I now think office supplies and socks are great Christmas gifts
14. I weigh about 45lbs more-yikes
15. I am now a Buddhist
16. I am now much more politically aware
17. I am now well traveled and well educated
18. I am now afraid of flying
19. I no longer own a walkman or a VCR
20. My hair is no longer huge--and neither are my glasses for that matter
21. I no longer drink alcohol.
22. I no longer shave my legs
I can probably think of a million more but that's it for now. Ok, so my given name is Trina but my friends all know me as TJ--well, most of my friends do. Here's how it works. Everyone that has known me for more than 20 years calls me Trina. All of my family members (even those under age 20) call me Trina. People that met me after 1992 call me TJ. All of my students call me TJ--except a few ESL students that cannot say their Js. They call me professor Trina which I love. Some people are two-timers, meaning that they call me TJ sometimes but Trina other times. My cousin Janelle calls me little T. I love that. I'm sure that most of you couldn't care less about this--just thought I'd share. TJ stands for Trina Jo BTW. Mt friend Jamie calls me Teej. I'm sure I've been called a lot of other names, both good and bad, but I just wanted to focus on TJ and Trina.
Just finished the book I'm Perfect and You're Doomed which is a memoir about a girl's upbringing in the Jehovahs Witness religion. The book was awesome. I recommend it to anyone with a good sense of humor. The author had very dry wit and seemed like she was a lot to handle as a teen. She's wicked smart yet whiny and her story made me laugh a lot. I am currently working on my memoir. Anybody got any title ideas?
Ok-that's it for today. Thanks for reading everyone. Comments are awesome. One love.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Recap, the Sperminator, and Guavas in the sky
I guess blogger is back up so I thought I'd post. Unfortunately, my post from last week was removed when they did maintenance so here is a recap in case you didn't get to read that one:
I got to meet Dimitri Martin (see facebook profile pic)
Myriam had a birthday. It was super fun. She is 34 now.
Myriam lost her job:( Thanks Arnold for f***ing up Cali's budget.
I think the "It gets better" campaign should be changed to the "Let's make it better" campaign. See, it doesn't get better--grown ups are also big ol bullies. More than half of the country is still against gay rights.
Gay "pride" needs to be FREE. It needs to be accessible to ALL people. Booze and sex is not pride--it's a party--and a bad one at that.
My Chapman students threw me a party--they rock.
It costs 100,000 just to have your wedding at the Huntington Botanical Gardens.
I am now a level 1 Reiki healer. If you do not know what Reiki is, you should look it up.
My mom sent me a care package. I love her a lot.
Ok--now that you are all up to speed--here is my latest post:
Two schools down and one to go!! I am very excited for next week to be over so I can begin my summer vacation. The end of the semester is very bittersweet. I am SOOO ready for a break but, I will miss all of my students very much. I really had a good batch this semester--they were all very hardworking--well, let me take that back--they were just a good batch--a good mix of diligence, entertainment, brilliance, support, and sheer joy. Seriously. Thanks kittens for making this semester awesome for me.
What else is going on? Myriam and I are on a mission to have the funnest yet cheapest summer ever. Yesterday my students helped me make a list of free things to do. Let's just say that there are enough items on the list to keep us busy all summer long. I'm very excited about that.
Myriam and I have a guava tree in our yard. Sometimes I would come home from school and I would hear someone yell--"Hello." I'd look up and our next door neighbor would be sitting in the tree like it was the most normal thing in the world. He would always say...enyoying (yes, it says enyoying) the fruit and the weather. I honestly think those were the only words he knew in English. I'm certain that his family taught him those words so he could communicate with me why he was in my tree. Anyways--it was fine. We loved him and I was happy to see someone "enyoying" the fruit. Well, he died recently and I miss him. He was a gentle, kind, and loving man. Even though we did not speak the same language--his energy still made an impact on my life. He looked like he was maybe 70 or 75 years old and he died in his sleep. I'm certain that he is somewhere where there are many quava trees. RIP Sanchez. "Enyoy" the afterlife.
Ok-new topic. Arnold Schwarzenegger is an idiot. He is a dishonest repulsive man with no integrity at all. To fu** up the lives of his family (I love Maria Schriver) is bad enough--but he also fu**ed up California. He lied to us all. He was against gay marriage--telling me that I would hurt the moral fiber of CALIFORNIA (say it in the Arnold voice). What a joke. His lack of integrity and his narcissistic attitude have caused a lot of trouble for Californians. Tuition is so high that many students can no longer afford an education, important programs have been cut, and hundreds and hundreds of teachers (including Myriam) have lost their jobs. I never really liked him--but now he is on my list of my most despised and wicked people that hold WAY to much power, have WAY to much money, and need to keep their pants ZIPPED.
I simply cannot believe that Zsa Zsa Gabor is still alive. She is quite a fighter.
Cher is 65 years old. I do not quite know how I feel about that--it's just weird. Time really does go by super fast.
The movie Bridesmaids was amazing. Myriam believes that this film will be revolutionary. Finally we get to see REAL women who are REALLY funny dealing with REAL things. YAY!!! Even straight men will laugh. Well done indeed. I think Maya Rudolph is beautiful.
Ok--I think that is enough for today. I find that if the blog posts are too long--people do not read the whole thing. I may blog again later tonight but for now--that's it. Love you all. Comments are awesome. Oh--and if you want to leave a comment and get credit for it--just sign your name at the end. Duh!!
I got to meet Dimitri Martin (see facebook profile pic)
Myriam had a birthday. It was super fun. She is 34 now.
Myriam lost her job:( Thanks Arnold for f***ing up Cali's budget.
I think the "It gets better" campaign should be changed to the "Let's make it better" campaign. See, it doesn't get better--grown ups are also big ol bullies. More than half of the country is still against gay rights.
Gay "pride" needs to be FREE. It needs to be accessible to ALL people. Booze and sex is not pride--it's a party--and a bad one at that.
My Chapman students threw me a party--they rock.
It costs 100,000 just to have your wedding at the Huntington Botanical Gardens.
I am now a level 1 Reiki healer. If you do not know what Reiki is, you should look it up.
My mom sent me a care package. I love her a lot.
Ok--now that you are all up to speed--here is my latest post:
Two schools down and one to go!! I am very excited for next week to be over so I can begin my summer vacation. The end of the semester is very bittersweet. I am SOOO ready for a break but, I will miss all of my students very much. I really had a good batch this semester--they were all very hardworking--well, let me take that back--they were just a good batch--a good mix of diligence, entertainment, brilliance, support, and sheer joy. Seriously. Thanks kittens for making this semester awesome for me.
What else is going on? Myriam and I are on a mission to have the funnest yet cheapest summer ever. Yesterday my students helped me make a list of free things to do. Let's just say that there are enough items on the list to keep us busy all summer long. I'm very excited about that.
Myriam and I have a guava tree in our yard. Sometimes I would come home from school and I would hear someone yell--"Hello." I'd look up and our next door neighbor would be sitting in the tree like it was the most normal thing in the world. He would always say...enyoying (yes, it says enyoying) the fruit and the weather. I honestly think those were the only words he knew in English. I'm certain that his family taught him those words so he could communicate with me why he was in my tree. Anyways--it was fine. We loved him and I was happy to see someone "enyoying" the fruit. Well, he died recently and I miss him. He was a gentle, kind, and loving man. Even though we did not speak the same language--his energy still made an impact on my life. He looked like he was maybe 70 or 75 years old and he died in his sleep. I'm certain that he is somewhere where there are many quava trees. RIP Sanchez. "Enyoy" the afterlife.
Ok-new topic. Arnold Schwarzenegger is an idiot. He is a dishonest repulsive man with no integrity at all. To fu** up the lives of his family (I love Maria Schriver) is bad enough--but he also fu**ed up California. He lied to us all. He was against gay marriage--telling me that I would hurt the moral fiber of CALIFORNIA (say it in the Arnold voice). What a joke. His lack of integrity and his narcissistic attitude have caused a lot of trouble for Californians. Tuition is so high that many students can no longer afford an education, important programs have been cut, and hundreds and hundreds of teachers (including Myriam) have lost their jobs. I never really liked him--but now he is on my list of my most despised and wicked people that hold WAY to much power, have WAY to much money, and need to keep their pants ZIPPED.
I simply cannot believe that Zsa Zsa Gabor is still alive. She is quite a fighter.
Cher is 65 years old. I do not quite know how I feel about that--it's just weird. Time really does go by super fast.
The movie Bridesmaids was amazing. Myriam believes that this film will be revolutionary. Finally we get to see REAL women who are REALLY funny dealing with REAL things. YAY!!! Even straight men will laugh. Well done indeed. I think Maya Rudolph is beautiful.
Ok--I think that is enough for today. I find that if the blog posts are too long--people do not read the whole thing. I may blog again later tonight but for now--that's it. Love you all. Comments are awesome. Oh--and if you want to leave a comment and get credit for it--just sign your name at the end. Duh!!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
The pain of a ginger, tow companies, things that start with s, and inappropriate attire.
I think it's been over a week since my last post. Let's just say that it's been the best of weeks, it's been the worst of weeks. No biggie.
I'm like a Phoenix!!!! Ya know, the bird--not the city.
Ok--let's see....what is going on? Osama, Obama, My mama. One is dead, one was forced to prove that he was born in the U.S., and one had her 58th birthday on Tuesday. Wow mom--you are gettin' up there.
Today I saw two tow trucks with interesting company names. One was ironic and one was clever. Emergency Hookers is the one I will always call if I need help. The other was called All American Tow. The truck was a Toyota therefore NOT all American.
I love the 7 11 Coffee bar. Today it was extra awesome because the blueberry flavored coffee was right next to the butter toffee flavored. I mix the two of them, so it was nice not to have to move. The man next to me was wearing tighty whiteys and a blue t shirt. Seriously, that was all that he had on. Is that legal? If it is, I don't think it should be. Chones are an undergarment--not shorts.
What did Mariah Carey name her children?
One of my Chapman students' sorority broke a world record yesterday. They created the world's largest thank you card. I think that is pretty cool. Way to go Camille and sisters.
Things that I do not like that start with the letter S:
Sweet potatoes
Scrabble
The Simpsons
Sour candy
Snakes
Sand
Spumoni
Snowboarding
Snooki
Salsa
Things that I like that start with the letter S
Sesame Street
Snuggies
South Dakota
Seinfeld
Soda water
Sandwiches
Sweater vests
Storytelling
Sandra Bullock
Snoop Dogg
Here is a very interesting fact:
People with red hair aka "gingers" need more anesthesia than the average person for pain. Apparantly, they feel more pain and are more sensitive to it than everyone else. Poor gingers!! Does that mean they have to pay extra when they get surgery, because anesthesia is frickin expensive? The bill for my mastectomy was $57,000 and more than half of that was just for the anesthesiologist. BTW--it was an outpatient surgery. Isn't that a RIDICULOUS amount of money?
You're so vain, you probably think this blog post is about you.
If you purposefully create an atmosphere of compassion in everything that you do--that will make your own life pretty awesome.
Myriam and I have decided to go camping this summer for a weekend. Neither of us are fans of camping, but we thought it sounded fun. We are gonna make smores, go hiking, do some birdwatching, and collect leaves. Doesn't that sound like fun? That's what I thought.
Went to Cafe Piccolo for dinner. It was REALLY REALLY good. We needed a nice evening out.
Tomorrow I am taking a 9 hr Reiki training class. I cannot wait. In simple terms, Reiki is Japanese technique for stress reduction and energy healing. My friend Kat is a master Reiki teacher, and I am her guest at the class. I'm really looking forward to the experience.
Today I will close with a joke.
A blind man walked into a store with his guide dog. He immediately picked up his dog and begun to swing him around by the leash like he was a toy. The store clerk came over to the man and said, "can I help you sir?" The blind man replied, "no, I'm just looking around." HAHAHAHA.
That's it for now y'all. It's nice to fully have my life back. Look out cuz there is no stopping me now. Thanks for reading. Comments are always appreciated.
I'm like a Phoenix!!!! Ya know, the bird--not the city.
Ok--let's see....what is going on? Osama, Obama, My mama. One is dead, one was forced to prove that he was born in the U.S., and one had her 58th birthday on Tuesday. Wow mom--you are gettin' up there.
Today I saw two tow trucks with interesting company names. One was ironic and one was clever. Emergency Hookers is the one I will always call if I need help. The other was called All American Tow. The truck was a Toyota therefore NOT all American.
I love the 7 11 Coffee bar. Today it was extra awesome because the blueberry flavored coffee was right next to the butter toffee flavored. I mix the two of them, so it was nice not to have to move. The man next to me was wearing tighty whiteys and a blue t shirt. Seriously, that was all that he had on. Is that legal? If it is, I don't think it should be. Chones are an undergarment--not shorts.
What did Mariah Carey name her children?
One of my Chapman students' sorority broke a world record yesterday. They created the world's largest thank you card. I think that is pretty cool. Way to go Camille and sisters.
Things that I do not like that start with the letter S:
Sweet potatoes
Scrabble
The Simpsons
Sour candy
Snakes
Sand
Spumoni
Snowboarding
Snooki
Salsa
Things that I like that start with the letter S
Sesame Street
Snuggies
South Dakota
Seinfeld
Soda water
Sandwiches
Sweater vests
Storytelling
Sandra Bullock
Snoop Dogg
Here is a very interesting fact:
People with red hair aka "gingers" need more anesthesia than the average person for pain. Apparantly, they feel more pain and are more sensitive to it than everyone else. Poor gingers!! Does that mean they have to pay extra when they get surgery, because anesthesia is frickin expensive? The bill for my mastectomy was $57,000 and more than half of that was just for the anesthesiologist. BTW--it was an outpatient surgery. Isn't that a RIDICULOUS amount of money?
You're so vain, you probably think this blog post is about you.
If you purposefully create an atmosphere of compassion in everything that you do--that will make your own life pretty awesome.
Myriam and I have decided to go camping this summer for a weekend. Neither of us are fans of camping, but we thought it sounded fun. We are gonna make smores, go hiking, do some birdwatching, and collect leaves. Doesn't that sound like fun? That's what I thought.
Went to Cafe Piccolo for dinner. It was REALLY REALLY good. We needed a nice evening out.
Tomorrow I am taking a 9 hr Reiki training class. I cannot wait. In simple terms, Reiki is Japanese technique for stress reduction and energy healing. My friend Kat is a master Reiki teacher, and I am her guest at the class. I'm really looking forward to the experience.
Today I will close with a joke.
A blind man walked into a store with his guide dog. He immediately picked up his dog and begun to swing him around by the leash like he was a toy. The store clerk came over to the man and said, "can I help you sir?" The blind man replied, "no, I'm just looking around." HAHAHAHA.
That's it for now y'all. It's nice to fully have my life back. Look out cuz there is no stopping me now. Thanks for reading. Comments are always appreciated.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Bumbling homophobe, a mess at open mic, and what now.....
Hey everyone. This will be a great post. Just thought you'd all like to know that.
Ok--first things first, can ANYONE tell me in very basic--and I mean very basic terms what the differences are between dubstep, techno, and house music? I seriously think that they all sound the same.
Best song lyric of the week: "I don't need a boyfriend cuz I got my flip flops." Simplistic efforts+ philosophical brilliance= country music.
True story: Last week in Oregon there was an open mic event at a coffee shop. We all know that open mic's can be f***ing weird, but that is not the point. So this guy got up and sang a new song that he had written. The name of the song was, Sorry for the Mess. After he sang the song, he proceeded to stab himself to death--ONSTAGE. The freaks in the audience thought it was part of his art, so they just watched--ya know--while nodding their heads--pretending that they thought it was a brilliant performance. Finally, someone realized that he was indeed stabbing himself, but by then, it was too late-- he was dead. Suicide is never funny, but this story did make me laugh. How in the hell does one just watch something like that happen? Seriously, how? Note to self: stay away from open mic's in Oregon.
Ok-here is another tragically funny story. I recently went to my very first soccer game ever. It was a super fun experience. My dear friend Sammy is a member of the Angel City Brigade which is a group of die hard Galaxy fanatics that attend every game and cheer the entire time. They have drums, flags, special cheers and songs--it's really cool. I totally got into the hype. I was jumping, singing, and cheering just as loud as everyone else................ Here is where the story turns tragically funny--the leader of the group stands in front with a megaphone to let us know which song or cheer we should do. He also keeps everyone in line and kicks people out that aren't actively participating.
Ok--the leader announced that we all needed to raise our hands while doing "spirit fingers"--then we needed to shout in unison as the opposing teams goalie kicked the ball--as the goalie made contact with the ball we all screamed "puto." Ok--even though I should know spanish--I don't. When I told Myriam about the cheer she looked dumbfounded and asked me if I knew what puto meant. I of course said that I thought it meant f***er to which she replied that I was wrong. It means faggot. I was unknowingly committing a verbal hate crime--for 90 minutes--and smiling while doing it. She thought it was hilarious. Here is what makes this story funny:
1. Doing spirit fingers is super gay
2. I am an idiot
Here is what makes this story tragic:
1. 7/10 teen suicides are caused because of a gender or sexuality crisis
2. I spend every waking moment trying to teach people about why acceptance of others is crucial
I'm sad because I cannot possibly attend another game with the ACB even though I really enjoyed the experience. Some people may argue that it's just a word, but I beg to differ. The saying "sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me" is str8 up bullshit. Words can be much more powerful than a punch--scars from words take much longer to heal. I plan on writing a letter to the ACB to see if they would be willing to change that particular cheer.
The interesting thing about the ACB is that it is a very diverse group. They pride themselves on diversity--I'm hoping a conversation with them will open doors to queer galaxy fans. Perhaps there are already some in the group....I'm sure shouting that word is very difficult for them to do. Gandhi says that we should "be the change you wish to see," I guess this is where I come in because I simply cannot stand by and watch this continue.
I finished The Art of War. I loved it. I read it through a queer comedic lens--which I'm sure has never been done before.
I'm really glad that the semester is nearly over. I love teaching so much, but I hate all of the drama that comes with it. Seems the dean needs to meet with me AGAIN.....wonder what it is this time. Who knows? I am comforted though by the saying: "well behaved people rarely make history." I truly believe that I am good at what I do. I have changed lives and am seriously tired of having to defend my teaching style. I guess we will see what happens.
Not much else is going on. Looking forward to my meeting tonight and a cool event on Saturday. I think I'll bbq on Sunday. Thanks for reading everyone.
Ok--first things first, can ANYONE tell me in very basic--and I mean very basic terms what the differences are between dubstep, techno, and house music? I seriously think that they all sound the same.
Best song lyric of the week: "I don't need a boyfriend cuz I got my flip flops." Simplistic efforts+ philosophical brilliance= country music.
True story: Last week in Oregon there was an open mic event at a coffee shop. We all know that open mic's can be f***ing weird, but that is not the point. So this guy got up and sang a new song that he had written. The name of the song was, Sorry for the Mess. After he sang the song, he proceeded to stab himself to death--ONSTAGE. The freaks in the audience thought it was part of his art, so they just watched--ya know--while nodding their heads--pretending that they thought it was a brilliant performance. Finally, someone realized that he was indeed stabbing himself, but by then, it was too late-- he was dead. Suicide is never funny, but this story did make me laugh. How in the hell does one just watch something like that happen? Seriously, how? Note to self: stay away from open mic's in Oregon.
Ok-here is another tragically funny story. I recently went to my very first soccer game ever. It was a super fun experience. My dear friend Sammy is a member of the Angel City Brigade which is a group of die hard Galaxy fanatics that attend every game and cheer the entire time. They have drums, flags, special cheers and songs--it's really cool. I totally got into the hype. I was jumping, singing, and cheering just as loud as everyone else................ Here is where the story turns tragically funny--the leader of the group stands in front with a megaphone to let us know which song or cheer we should do. He also keeps everyone in line and kicks people out that aren't actively participating.
Ok--the leader announced that we all needed to raise our hands while doing "spirit fingers"--then we needed to shout in unison as the opposing teams goalie kicked the ball--as the goalie made contact with the ball we all screamed "puto." Ok--even though I should know spanish--I don't. When I told Myriam about the cheer she looked dumbfounded and asked me if I knew what puto meant. I of course said that I thought it meant f***er to which she replied that I was wrong. It means faggot. I was unknowingly committing a verbal hate crime--for 90 minutes--and smiling while doing it. She thought it was hilarious. Here is what makes this story funny:
1. Doing spirit fingers is super gay
2. I am an idiot
Here is what makes this story tragic:
1. 7/10 teen suicides are caused because of a gender or sexuality crisis
2. I spend every waking moment trying to teach people about why acceptance of others is crucial
I'm sad because I cannot possibly attend another game with the ACB even though I really enjoyed the experience. Some people may argue that it's just a word, but I beg to differ. The saying "sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me" is str8 up bullshit. Words can be much more powerful than a punch--scars from words take much longer to heal. I plan on writing a letter to the ACB to see if they would be willing to change that particular cheer.
The interesting thing about the ACB is that it is a very diverse group. They pride themselves on diversity--I'm hoping a conversation with them will open doors to queer galaxy fans. Perhaps there are already some in the group....I'm sure shouting that word is very difficult for them to do. Gandhi says that we should "be the change you wish to see," I guess this is where I come in because I simply cannot stand by and watch this continue.
I finished The Art of War. I loved it. I read it through a queer comedic lens--which I'm sure has never been done before.
I'm really glad that the semester is nearly over. I love teaching so much, but I hate all of the drama that comes with it. Seems the dean needs to meet with me AGAIN.....wonder what it is this time. Who knows? I am comforted though by the saying: "well behaved people rarely make history." I truly believe that I am good at what I do. I have changed lives and am seriously tired of having to defend my teaching style. I guess we will see what happens.
Not much else is going on. Looking forward to my meeting tonight and a cool event on Saturday. I think I'll bbq on Sunday. Thanks for reading everyone.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Forbidden speech topics, books, Is that Aretha or....
I think it's odd that we call today "good Friday." Isn't this supposed to be the day Christ DIED? And then we call that cool day of shopping after Thanksgiving "black Friday." What's black about it? They should be switched. BTW--yes, I know we call it good Friday because ye ol' JC died for us, and that's "good." And, yes I know we call the other one black Friday because it's the day most companies get out of the red and into the black financially. Most people don't know that so...I still think it's odd.
Saw HOP again today with Myriam. She loved it. Is there a soundtrack for that film cuz if there is, I'd like to get it. I really enjoyed all of the music.
This week I heard some of the best speeches ever in my public speaking class. Thanks everyone for working so hard. My students are pretty great. Today I actually held an "optional"lecture/class and 21 people showed up:) I couldn't believe it.
I have a very short list of speech topics that are off limits. After this week, I have added to more. Here is the list just in case you are curious:
1. NO BOARD SPEECHES i.e. snowboard, surfboard, wakeboard, skateboard, etc. It's not that I have anything against these boards or the people that ride on them--it's just that I live in Southern Cali so I've already heard about 100 of these speeches. I just cannot hear another one.
2. No abortion. The reason for this is: someone always cries or storms out of the room. It's not worth it.
3. No death penalty.
4. Do NOT try to save our souls? I once had a student do a persuasive speech where they had an "alter call" at the end. He wanted us all to come forward and accept Jesus as our personal savior. This student said that if each of us did not come forward--we would burn in hell. A Jewish student freaked out and another student told the speaker to fuck off. It was not at all productive.
Here are the two that I had to add this week:
1. How to put in contact lenses. Um...I nearly threw up. It's weird I know, I just cannot watch someone touch his or her eye. I have never tried contacts simply because the thought of touching my own eye makes me weak in the knees.
2. How to test your blood sugar. Um...you know how I am with needles and blood. Let's just say it's hard to grade a speech when you are passed out on the floor. LOL.
Let's see.....what else is going on? It's so great having Myriam home. She enjoyed the tour but is really happy to be back in LBC. Tomorrow is the L.A. Grilled Cheeses Invitational. It's also the L.A. Galaxy game. Oh, and I have to teach in the morning. Busy day I guess.
Myriam thinks that Aretha Franklin looks like Snuffleupagus from Sesame Street. At first I was offended by such a ridiculous statement. Then, I looked at her latest picture and cannot help but agree.
I try really hard to read two books a week. This week I am reading The Art of War by Sun Tzu and The Jungle by Upton Sinclair. The two in line after that are Kiss and Tell by Mari Naomi and Water for Elephants by Sarah Gruen. I'll let you all know what I think of them. Ice T just came out with his memoir. I'm pretty sure it's gonna be good.
Next month Lily Tomlin AND Wanda Sykes are both coming to Long Beach. My friend Jen got an interview with Lily Tomlin. I'm really excited for her--
Best song lyric of the week "If the proof is in the pudding then call me Cosby."
Best sign that I saw this week at a church: "Finding eggs is ok but finding Jesus is better." Is he hiding?
That's all I have for today. Happy Easter--hope all of your baskets have the good chocolate in them and not that cheap stuff that tastes like waxy pencil shavings. Thanks for reading.
Saw HOP again today with Myriam. She loved it. Is there a soundtrack for that film cuz if there is, I'd like to get it. I really enjoyed all of the music.
This week I heard some of the best speeches ever in my public speaking class. Thanks everyone for working so hard. My students are pretty great. Today I actually held an "optional"lecture/class and 21 people showed up:) I couldn't believe it.
I have a very short list of speech topics that are off limits. After this week, I have added to more. Here is the list just in case you are curious:
1. NO BOARD SPEECHES i.e. snowboard, surfboard, wakeboard, skateboard, etc. It's not that I have anything against these boards or the people that ride on them--it's just that I live in Southern Cali so I've already heard about 100 of these speeches. I just cannot hear another one.
2. No abortion. The reason for this is: someone always cries or storms out of the room. It's not worth it.
3. No death penalty.
4. Do NOT try to save our souls? I once had a student do a persuasive speech where they had an "alter call" at the end. He wanted us all to come forward and accept Jesus as our personal savior. This student said that if each of us did not come forward--we would burn in hell. A Jewish student freaked out and another student told the speaker to fuck off. It was not at all productive.
Here are the two that I had to add this week:
1. How to put in contact lenses. Um...I nearly threw up. It's weird I know, I just cannot watch someone touch his or her eye. I have never tried contacts simply because the thought of touching my own eye makes me weak in the knees.
2. How to test your blood sugar. Um...you know how I am with needles and blood. Let's just say it's hard to grade a speech when you are passed out on the floor. LOL.
Let's see.....what else is going on? It's so great having Myriam home. She enjoyed the tour but is really happy to be back in LBC. Tomorrow is the L.A. Grilled Cheeses Invitational. It's also the L.A. Galaxy game. Oh, and I have to teach in the morning. Busy day I guess.
Myriam thinks that Aretha Franklin looks like Snuffleupagus from Sesame Street. At first I was offended by such a ridiculous statement. Then, I looked at her latest picture and cannot help but agree.
I try really hard to read two books a week. This week I am reading The Art of War by Sun Tzu and The Jungle by Upton Sinclair. The two in line after that are Kiss and Tell by Mari Naomi and Water for Elephants by Sarah Gruen. I'll let you all know what I think of them. Ice T just came out with his memoir. I'm pretty sure it's gonna be good.
Next month Lily Tomlin AND Wanda Sykes are both coming to Long Beach. My friend Jen got an interview with Lily Tomlin. I'm really excited for her--
Best song lyric of the week "If the proof is in the pudding then call me Cosby."
Best sign that I saw this week at a church: "Finding eggs is ok but finding Jesus is better." Is he hiding?
That's all I have for today. Happy Easter--hope all of your baskets have the good chocolate in them and not that cheap stuff that tastes like waxy pencil shavings. Thanks for reading.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Weekend plans, pimp driving, and the meat we eat
It's Wednesday night, Myriam is finally home, and life is good. We are working through our stuff, moving forward, and possibly planning a wedding:) Yes--what I say is true.
Ok so I am no longer performing at the Comedy Store on May 8th. I got bumped. No big deal. I'll get there eventually. Everything happens in its own time. I have been writing a one person show. I hope to perform that this summer--I'm sure tons of people will come and see it.
I have a VERY busy weekend coming up. Of course Scratch and Sid (our two rabbits) are very excited about delivering baskets on Sunday. I am supposed to be a judge at the L.A. Grilled Cheese Invitational on Saturday AND I am supposed to go to the LA Galaxy game. Tough decision to make--isn't it? Myriam and I are going to see Hop and Water for Elephants on Friday. We are also going out for a romantic dinner before. I'm very excited. On Sunday, we are going to brunch then to see the flowers in Carlsbad.
The weather has been weird--especially in the midwest. I hear that it's still snowing in Iowa and Illinois. That is ridiculous.
I am so glad that I am on spring break right now at Chapman. I absolutely HATE teaching on April 20th. Everyone is always saying--"dude, it's 420--cool." What a bunch of idiots.
Ok--I learned something really interesting this week about what we, as Americans, eat. Here's the deal: The average American eats 64 lbs of beef, 50 lbs of pork, 57 lbs of chicken, and 14 lbs of turkey every year. Just an FYI--that is 185 lbs of meat. I'm not sure what to do with that information--I just thought it was pretty facinating.
Today I saw a pimp driving around in a lavander cadillac. Well, at least I think it was a pimp. His liscense plate said Mr 2 tall, he was smoking a long cigar, and he had a feather in his fedora hat. I really really wanted to talk to him.
I am no longer going to carry ID. Why, you ask? Because people should just know who I am. That of course is the philosophy of Sue Sylvester. It's now mine too.
Still looking for summer work. Erin--I will try to come to the theater soon:) Next week I plan on sending out a lot of resumes. Hopefully something good will come out of that. I'd love to find something part time--but I need to make like four grand to get through the summer. I guess we will see what happens.
That's it for today. Thanks for reading folks.
Ok so I am no longer performing at the Comedy Store on May 8th. I got bumped. No big deal. I'll get there eventually. Everything happens in its own time. I have been writing a one person show. I hope to perform that this summer--I'm sure tons of people will come and see it.
I have a VERY busy weekend coming up. Of course Scratch and Sid (our two rabbits) are very excited about delivering baskets on Sunday. I am supposed to be a judge at the L.A. Grilled Cheese Invitational on Saturday AND I am supposed to go to the LA Galaxy game. Tough decision to make--isn't it? Myriam and I are going to see Hop and Water for Elephants on Friday. We are also going out for a romantic dinner before. I'm very excited. On Sunday, we are going to brunch then to see the flowers in Carlsbad.
The weather has been weird--especially in the midwest. I hear that it's still snowing in Iowa and Illinois. That is ridiculous.
I am so glad that I am on spring break right now at Chapman. I absolutely HATE teaching on April 20th. Everyone is always saying--"dude, it's 420--cool." What a bunch of idiots.
Ok--I learned something really interesting this week about what we, as Americans, eat. Here's the deal: The average American eats 64 lbs of beef, 50 lbs of pork, 57 lbs of chicken, and 14 lbs of turkey every year. Just an FYI--that is 185 lbs of meat. I'm not sure what to do with that information--I just thought it was pretty facinating.
Today I saw a pimp driving around in a lavander cadillac. Well, at least I think it was a pimp. His liscense plate said Mr 2 tall, he was smoking a long cigar, and he had a feather in his fedora hat. I really really wanted to talk to him.
I am no longer going to carry ID. Why, you ask? Because people should just know who I am. That of course is the philosophy of Sue Sylvester. It's now mine too.
Still looking for summer work. Erin--I will try to come to the theater soon:) Next week I plan on sending out a lot of resumes. Hopefully something good will come out of that. I'd love to find something part time--but I need to make like four grand to get through the summer. I guess we will see what happens.
That's it for today. Thanks for reading folks.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Baptist BBQ, typo, and a one-legged Uncle Sam
Happy Friday. It is a beautiful day outside. I believe it's 83 degrees with a nice breeze. Too bad Myriam isn't here to enjoy it with me. Speaking of Myriam, she will be home in 4 days. 4 DAYS!!!!! YAY! She has been gone for 30 days and I am very ready for her to come home. I miss her a lot. The Sister Spit Tour is going very well. Tonight they are in Minneapolis, Sunday is Madison Wisconsin, and Monday is Chicago.
I've recently noticed a trend with music that I do not understand. What is up with artists coming out with part II and part III of songs? Is it because they have run out of ideas so they just add to whatever is already out there? I do not think it should be allowed.
I also do not think athletes and musicians should get to return after they retire. Once they say they are gonna leave--they should just leave. See--when they say they are going to retire fans get really freaked out then spend a ton of money to go see them perform or play before they go Then, the celebrity decides that he or she is gonna stay for awhile more. That is not ok. These fans should get refunds when that happens. Tina Turner is on like her eighth farewell tour, Michael Jordan came back to basketball like three hundred times, and don't even get me started on The Judds.
It's tax day. I completely forgot to do them. Oh well. They will get done eventually. Every year around tax time, local stores hire street people to put on costumes and wave signs around in an attempt to draw more business. Today I saw a man with one leg dressed as Uncle Sam and a woman with no teeth dressed as the Statue of Liberty. I was disgusted and fascinated at the same time. Apparently, these people receive $20 a day. I'm not really sure what else to say about it. America is a very interesting place.
A school in Chicago has banned lunches made from home. The school says that it wants the students to get away from their families bad eating habits. Now, students must eat the school lunches or go hungry. Many students are opting for the latter. Are school lunches healthy? I didn't think so. Didn't papa Bush say that schools can consider ketchup a vegetable? Shouldn't they be focusing on math or something?
Ok--two interesting fast food ideas.....one is pretty cool--the other--not so much. Churches chicken is now making tacos. NO! They need to stick with chicken. Taco Bell is trying out a doritos flavored taco shell. I think that sounds amazing. The only thing is....it would be super messy so I suggest that they just have the dorito part on the inside of the shell.
Found a new fun place for lunch. The Baptist Church on Magnolia and Anaheim in Long Beach makes BBQ on Fridays. All you do is stop in, tell them what you want--and BAM--there ya go. Ok--I'll say it--it's a black church--and let me tell you--the food is AMAZING and all of the women have great hair. Everyone called me baby. I got the combo which was $12. It consisted of 4 huge ribs, 3 pieces of chicken, 2 full hot links, potato salad, beans, mac and cheese, and peach cobbler. I weighed it--6 lbs. I have enough food for the weekend. One of the women was talking to me while I was waiting for my food and she was telling that the choir is saving up for new robes. They are currently doing a cans for the choir drive. I went home and brought back four garbage bags full of cans. She gave me a kiss and an extra peach cobbler. Oh--and I've been invited to church on Sunday. I LOVE black baptist churches. I may just go.
The best story that I heard on the news this week was the one about the couple that won the lottery---only to find out that there was a typo in the newspaper. WTF. They should sue the newspaper. Imagine--winning the lottery then calling your boss to tell him that he's an idiot and that you quit. Woops--now you find out that there was a typo in the paper. Oh dear. What now?
That's all I got for today. Thanks for reading. Much love.
I've recently noticed a trend with music that I do not understand. What is up with artists coming out with part II and part III of songs? Is it because they have run out of ideas so they just add to whatever is already out there? I do not think it should be allowed.
I also do not think athletes and musicians should get to return after they retire. Once they say they are gonna leave--they should just leave. See--when they say they are going to retire fans get really freaked out then spend a ton of money to go see them perform or play before they go Then, the celebrity decides that he or she is gonna stay for awhile more. That is not ok. These fans should get refunds when that happens. Tina Turner is on like her eighth farewell tour, Michael Jordan came back to basketball like three hundred times, and don't even get me started on The Judds.
It's tax day. I completely forgot to do them. Oh well. They will get done eventually. Every year around tax time, local stores hire street people to put on costumes and wave signs around in an attempt to draw more business. Today I saw a man with one leg dressed as Uncle Sam and a woman with no teeth dressed as the Statue of Liberty. I was disgusted and fascinated at the same time. Apparently, these people receive $20 a day. I'm not really sure what else to say about it. America is a very interesting place.
A school in Chicago has banned lunches made from home. The school says that it wants the students to get away from their families bad eating habits. Now, students must eat the school lunches or go hungry. Many students are opting for the latter. Are school lunches healthy? I didn't think so. Didn't papa Bush say that schools can consider ketchup a vegetable? Shouldn't they be focusing on math or something?
Ok--two interesting fast food ideas.....one is pretty cool--the other--not so much. Churches chicken is now making tacos. NO! They need to stick with chicken. Taco Bell is trying out a doritos flavored taco shell. I think that sounds amazing. The only thing is....it would be super messy so I suggest that they just have the dorito part on the inside of the shell.
Found a new fun place for lunch. The Baptist Church on Magnolia and Anaheim in Long Beach makes BBQ on Fridays. All you do is stop in, tell them what you want--and BAM--there ya go. Ok--I'll say it--it's a black church--and let me tell you--the food is AMAZING and all of the women have great hair. Everyone called me baby. I got the combo which was $12. It consisted of 4 huge ribs, 3 pieces of chicken, 2 full hot links, potato salad, beans, mac and cheese, and peach cobbler. I weighed it--6 lbs. I have enough food for the weekend. One of the women was talking to me while I was waiting for my food and she was telling that the choir is saving up for new robes. They are currently doing a cans for the choir drive. I went home and brought back four garbage bags full of cans. She gave me a kiss and an extra peach cobbler. Oh--and I've been invited to church on Sunday. I LOVE black baptist churches. I may just go.
The best story that I heard on the news this week was the one about the couple that won the lottery---only to find out that there was a typo in the newspaper. WTF. They should sue the newspaper. Imagine--winning the lottery then calling your boss to tell him that he's an idiot and that you quit. Woops--now you find out that there was a typo in the paper. Oh dear. What now?
That's all I got for today. Thanks for reading. Much love.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Text mistake, white trash entrepreneur, and jobs I've had
Tuesday's are pretty cool. Mine was anyway. I taught this morning, had therapy (which was great), and went to drum class. Not too much else happened today. Mellow.
Myriam will be home in one week. YAY!! Tomorrow she is in Ann Arbor Michigan--which is where my old stomping grounds are. She is reading at the Aut Bar--the first non seedy gay bar I ever went to. I'm sure she will be able to feel my spirit there. I have friends in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti--if any of you can--you should go to the reading.
Here are a few humorous things that happened last week. Myriam was texting some friends about how annoyed she was with her boss. She even called her a twat. After the text went through, Myriam realized that the text went to her boss instead of her friends. We both think it's hilarious. It's all straightened out now and Myriam has been more caucious when sending texts.
A young family member of mine who is 13 was seen buying condoms at Wal Mart. I'm from a small town--so of course the person who saw him immediately called his mother. His mother passed the message off to his father. His response was as follows: "Why in the hell is buying condoms?" I just bought him a whole box." Hmmmmm. Well, after he confronted his young son, the truth came out. He had been selling them at school to make some extra money. I think it's brilliant. Let's just hope that if these 7th and 8th graders are actually having sex-- they use these black market condoms. Then it will be a win win for everyone involved.
Dolly Parton says that she loves Lady Gaga. I think that is awesome!! The only thing that will make that better is if they decide to do a duet. My God. That would be one of the greatest colaberations EVER.
Best music lyric of the week: I need you like Jaws needs a raincoat
Best line from Treal TV: Damn, you shot him where his deoderant go
Duran Duran is making a comeback. My cousin Jackie used to LOVE them. If they have a concert in Iowa--I'm gonna fly out and take her.
Here is a list of jobs that I have had. Can anyone beat this?
1. Carny
2. Soda Jerk at Dairy Queen
3. Factory Worker
4. Something illegal
5. Manager of a Christian Grocery Store
6. Fish Monger
7. Baker
8. Deli Owner
9. Funeral plot salesperson
10. Security for the Lakers
11. DM for a coffee company
12. VIP usher for the Kodak Theatre
13. Comedian
14. Wedding officiant
15. Caterer
16. Professor
17. Mystery Shopper
18. DJ
19. After school science teacher
20. Poker and blackjack dealer
21. Food critique
22. Restaurant consultant
23. Salesperson for like a million companies but, the coolest was funeral plots
24. Kosher Chef
25. Speech Consultant
26. Housecleaner
27. Nanny
28. Maintenance worker--which is hilarious because I cannot fix a thing.
29. Hay Baler
30. Telemarketer
31. Barker for Cirque Du Soleil
32. Taps player for military funerals
33. Motorcycle funeral escort
34. Orientation/transfer counselor
35. Dogsitter
There are probably more but that's all I can think of now.
Best Pimp name I have ever heard: Marmalade
Best Psychic name I have ever heard: Peaches
I'm booked at the Comedy Store in LA on May 8th. Y'all better come out and support. I'm in the Belly Room, I've got new material, and hell--it'll just be fun.
That's it for tonight. Comments are awesome. If you don't want to be anonymous then just sign your name at the end of the post. Yes Katie, I know I still haven't blogged about Mac Dre. It's comin'--be patient. Hyphy Thizzle Dance--SOON!!
Thanks for reading! You are all awesome.
Myriam will be home in one week. YAY!! Tomorrow she is in Ann Arbor Michigan--which is where my old stomping grounds are. She is reading at the Aut Bar--the first non seedy gay bar I ever went to. I'm sure she will be able to feel my spirit there. I have friends in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti--if any of you can--you should go to the reading.
Here are a few humorous things that happened last week. Myriam was texting some friends about how annoyed she was with her boss. She even called her a twat. After the text went through, Myriam realized that the text went to her boss instead of her friends. We both think it's hilarious. It's all straightened out now and Myriam has been more caucious when sending texts.
A young family member of mine who is 13 was seen buying condoms at Wal Mart. I'm from a small town--so of course the person who saw him immediately called his mother. His mother passed the message off to his father. His response was as follows: "Why in the hell is buying condoms?" I just bought him a whole box." Hmmmmm. Well, after he confronted his young son, the truth came out. He had been selling them at school to make some extra money. I think it's brilliant. Let's just hope that if these 7th and 8th graders are actually having sex-- they use these black market condoms. Then it will be a win win for everyone involved.
Dolly Parton says that she loves Lady Gaga. I think that is awesome!! The only thing that will make that better is if they decide to do a duet. My God. That would be one of the greatest colaberations EVER.
Best music lyric of the week: I need you like Jaws needs a raincoat
Best line from Treal TV: Damn, you shot him where his deoderant go
Duran Duran is making a comeback. My cousin Jackie used to LOVE them. If they have a concert in Iowa--I'm gonna fly out and take her.
Here is a list of jobs that I have had. Can anyone beat this?
1. Carny
2. Soda Jerk at Dairy Queen
3. Factory Worker
4. Something illegal
5. Manager of a Christian Grocery Store
6. Fish Monger
7. Baker
8. Deli Owner
9. Funeral plot salesperson
10. Security for the Lakers
11. DM for a coffee company
12. VIP usher for the Kodak Theatre
13. Comedian
14. Wedding officiant
15. Caterer
16. Professor
17. Mystery Shopper
18. DJ
19. After school science teacher
20. Poker and blackjack dealer
21. Food critique
22. Restaurant consultant
23. Salesperson for like a million companies but, the coolest was funeral plots
24. Kosher Chef
25. Speech Consultant
26. Housecleaner
27. Nanny
28. Maintenance worker--which is hilarious because I cannot fix a thing.
29. Hay Baler
30. Telemarketer
31. Barker for Cirque Du Soleil
32. Taps player for military funerals
33. Motorcycle funeral escort
34. Orientation/transfer counselor
35. Dogsitter
There are probably more but that's all I can think of now.
Best Pimp name I have ever heard: Marmalade
Best Psychic name I have ever heard: Peaches
I'm booked at the Comedy Store in LA on May 8th. Y'all better come out and support. I'm in the Belly Room, I've got new material, and hell--it'll just be fun.
That's it for tonight. Comments are awesome. If you don't want to be anonymous then just sign your name at the end of the post. Yes Katie, I know I still haven't blogged about Mac Dre. It's comin'--be patient. Hyphy Thizzle Dance--SOON!!
Thanks for reading! You are all awesome.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Gandhi, Roscoe's and Tour update
Happy Friday. I'm just hanging out at home today and tonight which is nice. It's cloudy outside--then it's sunny--then it's raining--then it's windy. Whatever. I taught this morning and class was really good. It's worth the two hour drive.
It's frickin Sunday now. I had some sort of a stomach bug AND a migraine so I've been laying kinda low. Feeling better finally so I thought I'd finish this post.
Myriam is in wrapping up the East Coast portion of her tour. This week she read in New York, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. Tomorrow is Kentucky--then to the Midwest. She is not a huge fan of the East Coast claiming all they have there is weird sandwiches, lighthouses, and odd looking white people. Those odd looking white people did enjoy her book though:) She'll be home in 9 days. I am very excited about that. It just hasn't been the same without her.
I have no comedy gigs lined up right now. I've just been super busy with so much other stuff. It'll happen soon enough-- I'll keep you all posted.
Here are a few things that I just do not understand:
Snooki gets paid more to speak at Rutger's University than Toni Morrison does. Her best line "study hard but party harder." Scary.
McDonalds has 50,000 new job openings while teachers here are being laid off by the thousands. Who needs to learn anything....as long as we have the big mac...we'll be fine. Also scary.
Long Beach City College just finished building a multimillion dollar solar powered parking structure--to assist students with parking. They also cut 222 classes for the fall semester due to the budget. Hey students: you may not get any classes but, chin up, there will always be parking.
It's official: I need a job for the summer. If anyone has any leads or suggestions--please let me know. Yes, I know that McDonalds is hiring. No, I am not above working at McDonalds. Frankly, I'd like to work smart-- not hard. Nothing wrong with that people. If anyone needs any catering done--or a wedding performed--or whatever--let me know.
I am a new fan of the band Gangstagrass. No, they do not sing about 420. It's hip hop and bluegrass combined. I like it. It's very postmodern. Fiddles DO have a place in rap music and that makes me super happy.
I had a student ask me a great question last week after class. "Um, TJ....can you take the morning after pill at night--or just in the morning?"
Went to Roscoe's Chicken n Waffles tonight with my friend Erich. He had never been there before so it was really exciting. He loved it of course. It was also a great opportunity for us to catch up. He had yet to hear all of the details of the saga that was last semester--so now he is up to speed. Everyone needs to hear a good horror story now and again.
Read a great book this week called Great Soul: Mahatma Gandhi and his struggle with India by Joseph Lelyveld. It was REALLY good--very controversial. I highly recommend it to everyone.
Uncrustables now come on whole wheat bread. They are still not very healthy--but at least I feel better about eating them. For those of you who do not know...uncrustables are little frozen peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with the crusts cut off. They are pretty much delicious. I've tried to make my own with better ingredients but, they just didn't taste as good.
The Grand Prix was in Long Beach this weekend. I'm glad it's over. A lot of obnoxious people come to town.
Let's see--not too much else is going on. Looking forward to a productive and fun week. Tomorrow I am going to blog about Mac Dre and Treal TV. It's gonna be a hip hop education--a tribute to greatness--and much much more.
Thanks so much for reading.
It's frickin Sunday now. I had some sort of a stomach bug AND a migraine so I've been laying kinda low. Feeling better finally so I thought I'd finish this post.
Myriam is in wrapping up the East Coast portion of her tour. This week she read in New York, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. Tomorrow is Kentucky--then to the Midwest. She is not a huge fan of the East Coast claiming all they have there is weird sandwiches, lighthouses, and odd looking white people. Those odd looking white people did enjoy her book though:) She'll be home in 9 days. I am very excited about that. It just hasn't been the same without her.
I have no comedy gigs lined up right now. I've just been super busy with so much other stuff. It'll happen soon enough-- I'll keep you all posted.
Here are a few things that I just do not understand:
Snooki gets paid more to speak at Rutger's University than Toni Morrison does. Her best line "study hard but party harder." Scary.
McDonalds has 50,000 new job openings while teachers here are being laid off by the thousands. Who needs to learn anything....as long as we have the big mac...we'll be fine. Also scary.
Long Beach City College just finished building a multimillion dollar solar powered parking structure--to assist students with parking. They also cut 222 classes for the fall semester due to the budget. Hey students: you may not get any classes but, chin up, there will always be parking.
It's official: I need a job for the summer. If anyone has any leads or suggestions--please let me know. Yes, I know that McDonalds is hiring. No, I am not above working at McDonalds. Frankly, I'd like to work smart-- not hard. Nothing wrong with that people. If anyone needs any catering done--or a wedding performed--or whatever--let me know.
I am a new fan of the band Gangstagrass. No, they do not sing about 420. It's hip hop and bluegrass combined. I like it. It's very postmodern. Fiddles DO have a place in rap music and that makes me super happy.
I had a student ask me a great question last week after class. "Um, TJ....can you take the morning after pill at night--or just in the morning?"
Went to Roscoe's Chicken n Waffles tonight with my friend Erich. He had never been there before so it was really exciting. He loved it of course. It was also a great opportunity for us to catch up. He had yet to hear all of the details of the saga that was last semester--so now he is up to speed. Everyone needs to hear a good horror story now and again.
Read a great book this week called Great Soul: Mahatma Gandhi and his struggle with India by Joseph Lelyveld. It was REALLY good--very controversial. I highly recommend it to everyone.
Uncrustables now come on whole wheat bread. They are still not very healthy--but at least I feel better about eating them. For those of you who do not know...uncrustables are little frozen peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with the crusts cut off. They are pretty much delicious. I've tried to make my own with better ingredients but, they just didn't taste as good.
The Grand Prix was in Long Beach this weekend. I'm glad it's over. A lot of obnoxious people come to town.
Let's see--not too much else is going on. Looking forward to a productive and fun week. Tomorrow I am going to blog about Mac Dre and Treal TV. It's gonna be a hip hop education--a tribute to greatness--and much much more.
Thanks so much for reading.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Reward and punishment, Joe, and I am grateful
I hope that everyone had a nice weekend. The weather today was great. I really like that it stays light longer. Feels almost like summer. Perhaps I will bbq sometime this week. Would anyone like to come over on Thursday for a bbq?
Ok--so an update on Joe Le. Unfortunately, Joe's body was found today at 3:30 p.m. It's times like this that we must all stop and count our blessings. Everything in my life seems so petty compared to this. Please send a shout out to your higher power on behalf of Joe's family and friends. Please add a special one for Brian Tran. Brian saw the whole thing happen and has a lot of guilt--not to mention pain. I simply cannot imagine witnessing such a tragedy I hope he feels that he can reach out for support from those who love him (including me).
As most of you know.....I recently received an award for professor of the month at Chapman University. I am very proud of this accomplishment. I really love teaching and I know that I am damn good at it. Today I received an email from the head of our department telling me that they have decided to cut the staff in half and, I am being cut. There was no reason given, no explanation about how the choice was made, and no remorse whatsoever. I am very sad because I really love teaching there. I think I bring something fresh to the students. I have a great combination of academic and street smarts--not to mention a great sense of humor. Oh well, I have to just remain positive. Rejection is God's protection. God protects me a lot BTW. LOL. Maybe this is a sign for me to work harder on my comedy--expand my audience. I can still educate. The cool thing about being a comedian is: you can teach others BUT you don't have to grade anything:) Thanks for the outrage though--I love that you all think I'm kinda awesome.
Here are a few reasons why I think I'm awesome:
1. I know all of the words to Shoop
2. I can cook like nobody's business
3. I drive a mustang
4. I am hilarious and can make almost anyone laugh if given the chance
5. I like to read textbooks in my free time
6. I have really cool glasses
7. I have the spirit of a child and the experience of a Chief
8. My students tell me that I have ballin' kicks. I guess that means cool shoes
Here are a few reasons why I think my life is awesome. These are things I'm thankful for:
1. I own a home in southern California
2. I get 19 weeks a year off
3. I am healthy
4. I have amazing friends and family
5. I have the best partner in the world
6. I can be myself--all of the time
7. I am loved and respected
8. Sesame Street is STILL on every single day.
I got nothing else tonight peeps. Sorry--I know there really isn't much wit or sarcasm in this post. Oh well. Still hope you enjoyed reading. Oh KATIE: Tomorrow I will blog about Treal TV. OK?
Ok--so an update on Joe Le. Unfortunately, Joe's body was found today at 3:30 p.m. It's times like this that we must all stop and count our blessings. Everything in my life seems so petty compared to this. Please send a shout out to your higher power on behalf of Joe's family and friends. Please add a special one for Brian Tran. Brian saw the whole thing happen and has a lot of guilt--not to mention pain. I simply cannot imagine witnessing such a tragedy I hope he feels that he can reach out for support from those who love him (including me).
As most of you know.....I recently received an award for professor of the month at Chapman University. I am very proud of this accomplishment. I really love teaching and I know that I am damn good at it. Today I received an email from the head of our department telling me that they have decided to cut the staff in half and, I am being cut. There was no reason given, no explanation about how the choice was made, and no remorse whatsoever. I am very sad because I really love teaching there. I think I bring something fresh to the students. I have a great combination of academic and street smarts--not to mention a great sense of humor. Oh well, I have to just remain positive. Rejection is God's protection. God protects me a lot BTW. LOL. Maybe this is a sign for me to work harder on my comedy--expand my audience. I can still educate. The cool thing about being a comedian is: you can teach others BUT you don't have to grade anything:) Thanks for the outrage though--I love that you all think I'm kinda awesome.
Here are a few reasons why I think I'm awesome:
1. I know all of the words to Shoop
2. I can cook like nobody's business
3. I drive a mustang
4. I am hilarious and can make almost anyone laugh if given the chance
5. I like to read textbooks in my free time
6. I have really cool glasses
7. I have the spirit of a child and the experience of a Chief
8. My students tell me that I have ballin' kicks. I guess that means cool shoes
Here are a few reasons why I think my life is awesome. These are things I'm thankful for:
1. I own a home in southern California
2. I get 19 weeks a year off
3. I am healthy
4. I have amazing friends and family
5. I have the best partner in the world
6. I can be myself--all of the time
7. I am loved and respected
8. Sesame Street is STILL on every single day.
I got nothing else tonight peeps. Sorry--I know there really isn't much wit or sarcasm in this post. Oh well. Still hope you enjoyed reading. Oh KATIE: Tomorrow I will blog about Treal TV. OK?
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Joe Le, HOP, and things about me
Ahhhh. It's Saturday evening. Nothing too exciting planned. Oh-I do need to write an exam. I guess that is what I will do.
Ok. I'm going to start with something kind of serious because it is weighing heavy on my heart. On Friday, one of my students, Brian, was hiking with his friend Joe Le. As they tried to cross the stream, Joe was swept away by the undercurrent and Brian was unable to help. This had to be a very devastating thing to witness. Though there was NOTHING that Brian could have done, I know he feels responsible. A search party has been looking for Joe since Friday afternoon. As of now, they have only recovered his backpack. However, they have not given up. I'm sure the family and friends of Joe are terrified to say the least. If any of you have a higher power--please give a shout out to him/her asking for Joe's safe return and for strength for his family and friends. This is clearly a trying time for everyone that knows and loves Joe. Prayers, chants, vibes, and any other positive energy will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
OK. I saw HOP yesterday. It was truly wonderful. I took my friend Ellie. She is 3and 1/2. We both laughed a lot, ate popcorn, drank sprite, and just enjoyed the day. Ellie doesn't venture out without her mom very often so I was honored when she agreed to go with me. Here is my favorite thing that she said to me: Hey Teej (yes, she calls me Teej) "You know that song that you like.....I not like your song so turn it off please." Anyways, the movie was great. I recommend it to everyone. Children of ALL ages should see it.
Classes are going pretty well. I cannot believe that the semester is more than half over. Myriam will be home in 18 days so I'm pretty excited about that. She is having a great time. Tomorrow they fly to New York for part 2 of the tour.
I really want to get a job this summer. Any suggestions or leads would be appreciated.
I really like the game Angry Birds. Today I played it with the sound on for the first time. Now I love it even more.
BTW--there IS such a thing as too much cheese.
Where are my poker players? I want to have a game next week. Any takers?
I don't really have much else to say so here are a few random lists about me
Things that make me happy: balloons, waterparks, and weiner dogs
Things that make me angry: apathy, the price of gas, and jaywalkers
Things that make me tear up: those damn animal commercials with Sarah Mclauhlan singing in the background, some of my students' exam scores, and the fact that Betty White is the only Golden Girl left
Things that make me laugh: Myriam's book Wish you were me, mariachi/hiphop fusion, and people that think cats are smart
That's it for now. I'll write again tomorrow. Thanks for reading.
Ok. I'm going to start with something kind of serious because it is weighing heavy on my heart. On Friday, one of my students, Brian, was hiking with his friend Joe Le. As they tried to cross the stream, Joe was swept away by the undercurrent and Brian was unable to help. This had to be a very devastating thing to witness. Though there was NOTHING that Brian could have done, I know he feels responsible. A search party has been looking for Joe since Friday afternoon. As of now, they have only recovered his backpack. However, they have not given up. I'm sure the family and friends of Joe are terrified to say the least. If any of you have a higher power--please give a shout out to him/her asking for Joe's safe return and for strength for his family and friends. This is clearly a trying time for everyone that knows and loves Joe. Prayers, chants, vibes, and any other positive energy will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
OK. I saw HOP yesterday. It was truly wonderful. I took my friend Ellie. She is 3and 1/2. We both laughed a lot, ate popcorn, drank sprite, and just enjoyed the day. Ellie doesn't venture out without her mom very often so I was honored when she agreed to go with me. Here is my favorite thing that she said to me: Hey Teej (yes, she calls me Teej) "You know that song that you like.....I not like your song so turn it off please." Anyways, the movie was great. I recommend it to everyone. Children of ALL ages should see it.
Classes are going pretty well. I cannot believe that the semester is more than half over. Myriam will be home in 18 days so I'm pretty excited about that. She is having a great time. Tomorrow they fly to New York for part 2 of the tour.
I really want to get a job this summer. Any suggestions or leads would be appreciated.
I really like the game Angry Birds. Today I played it with the sound on for the first time. Now I love it even more.
BTW--there IS such a thing as too much cheese.
Where are my poker players? I want to have a game next week. Any takers?
I don't really have much else to say so here are a few random lists about me
Things that make me happy: balloons, waterparks, and weiner dogs
Things that make me angry: apathy, the price of gas, and jaywalkers
Things that make me tear up: those damn animal commercials with Sarah Mclauhlan singing in the background, some of my students' exam scores, and the fact that Betty White is the only Golden Girl left
Things that make me laugh: Myriam's book Wish you were me, mariachi/hiphop fusion, and people that think cats are smart
That's it for now. I'll write again tomorrow. Thanks for reading.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Healthy anger, The Premiere of HOP, and birthdays
Ok, it's 10pm and it's still 84 degrees in my house. WTF. This weather is out of control.
Myriam is in Canada. Her tour is going well, and she is having a great time. She will be home in 20 days!!! Yay. the rabbits and I miss her very much.
Nothing too exciting is going on. I'm glad they found the snake. I cannot imagine working at that zoo. You know, coming into work and having your supervisor say...."alright, today you'll be looking for the snake." "Remember to be careful though cuz it's one of the deadliest snakes in the world." Damn.
Tomorrow I am taking my little friend Ellie to go see HOP. It's going to be really fun. She's 3 and 1/2 and she loves the movies. We're going to eat popcorn, eat m&ms and enjoy the film.
I may be performing tomorrow night in L.A. It's been a little while since I performed so I'm really glad for the opportunity. Hopefully my Board of Directors meeting can be changed so I can do the show. If not, I guess it just wasn't meant to be.
Today I followed some advice from my therapist and made a mix CD full of angry music. It's called FUKT. I'm really glad that my hurt has finally turned into pure anger. That is very healing for me because hurt is anger turned inward. Finally, my anger is being directed at the right source. Anger can be a very positive thing as long as it is expressed in a way that is beneficial. Remember, how others treat you is their karma; how you respond is yours. Making the cd is a healthy thing and I loved doing it. Here is the playlist:
1. Gives You Hell sung by Glee
2. Just like a Pill by PINK
3. Fuck You by Ceelo Green
4. Never Again by Kelly Clarkson
5. Bust Your Windows by Mediafire
6. Gernade by Bruno Mars
7. I want to Break Free by Queen
8. You Oughta Know by Alanis Morrisette
9. Picture to Burn by Taylor Swift
10. I can do Better by Avril Lavigne
11. Closure by Aly & AJ
12. FU Right Back by Frankee
13. This Love by Pantera
14. I Hate Everything About You by Three Days Grace
15. Bitch Back Up Off of Me by K Rock
16. Hate (I Really Don't Like You) by the Plain White T's
17. Puke by Eminem
If anyone has any other songs they think that I should add then by all means, let me know. YAY!!
My friend Karen suggested Gun Show by In This Moment. I'll check that one out.
Also, if anyone wants a copy--let me know and I'll burn one for you.
My mom just had her "birthday." As of yesterday she is a five year cancer survivor. I'm very grateful for her and her health.
One of my oldest and dearest friends is turning 40 tomorrow. T Greene. I love you so much and I'm honored to be a part of your life--even though you are super old. HA. Speaking of tomorrow--that is also the day that I will officially be 39 and 3/4. My party is going to be on July 8th and 9th. Roller Rink and Waterpark. Invites will be going out in the next few weeks. I wish that you could all come. I know several of you live really far away but I'm sure that you'll be here in spirit. Feel free to send a gift though--even if you cannot make it. HAHA Just Kidding of course.
So recently I've been making collages. I really like doing them. I'm going to post some on ETSY. If anyone sees one they like--let me know and I'll send it to you. It will be free of course. Also--if you'd like me to make you on and you have a specific theme in mind--tell me and I'll get right on it. It's super fun and I would love nothing more than to make and give them to my friends and family. Handmade gifts are the best.
Let's see.....Oh today, I went through my blog and read all of the comments. They were all super great. I really needed to see them. Several of them made me cry but in a good way. It seems that I have a lot of people reading my blog but, only a few of you leave comments. Just give it a try....I really like them and I'd like to know who is reading and what you think of the blog AND you should also offer suggestions. To those that leave comments on the regular--thanks. To everyone else--get on it. It's fun and you can even do it anonymously if you want to.
Alright, that's it for tonight. I'm tired and I have to teach tomorrow at 9. I love my Saddleback students but it takes me two hours to get there on Fridays:( Thanks for reading. Comments pretty please. You can even just say hi if you want to.
Myriam is in Canada. Her tour is going well, and she is having a great time. She will be home in 20 days!!! Yay. the rabbits and I miss her very much.
Nothing too exciting is going on. I'm glad they found the snake. I cannot imagine working at that zoo. You know, coming into work and having your supervisor say...."alright, today you'll be looking for the snake." "Remember to be careful though cuz it's one of the deadliest snakes in the world." Damn.
Tomorrow I am taking my little friend Ellie to go see HOP. It's going to be really fun. She's 3 and 1/2 and she loves the movies. We're going to eat popcorn, eat m&ms and enjoy the film.
I may be performing tomorrow night in L.A. It's been a little while since I performed so I'm really glad for the opportunity. Hopefully my Board of Directors meeting can be changed so I can do the show. If not, I guess it just wasn't meant to be.
Today I followed some advice from my therapist and made a mix CD full of angry music. It's called FUKT. I'm really glad that my hurt has finally turned into pure anger. That is very healing for me because hurt is anger turned inward. Finally, my anger is being directed at the right source. Anger can be a very positive thing as long as it is expressed in a way that is beneficial. Remember, how others treat you is their karma; how you respond is yours. Making the cd is a healthy thing and I loved doing it. Here is the playlist:
1. Gives You Hell sung by Glee
2. Just like a Pill by PINK
3. Fuck You by Ceelo Green
4. Never Again by Kelly Clarkson
5. Bust Your Windows by Mediafire
6. Gernade by Bruno Mars
7. I want to Break Free by Queen
8. You Oughta Know by Alanis Morrisette
9. Picture to Burn by Taylor Swift
10. I can do Better by Avril Lavigne
11. Closure by Aly & AJ
12. FU Right Back by Frankee
13. This Love by Pantera
14. I Hate Everything About You by Three Days Grace
15. Bitch Back Up Off of Me by K Rock
16. Hate (I Really Don't Like You) by the Plain White T's
17. Puke by Eminem
If anyone has any other songs they think that I should add then by all means, let me know. YAY!!
My friend Karen suggested Gun Show by In This Moment. I'll check that one out.
Also, if anyone wants a copy--let me know and I'll burn one for you.
My mom just had her "birthday." As of yesterday she is a five year cancer survivor. I'm very grateful for her and her health.
One of my oldest and dearest friends is turning 40 tomorrow. T Greene. I love you so much and I'm honored to be a part of your life--even though you are super old. HA. Speaking of tomorrow--that is also the day that I will officially be 39 and 3/4. My party is going to be on July 8th and 9th. Roller Rink and Waterpark. Invites will be going out in the next few weeks. I wish that you could all come. I know several of you live really far away but I'm sure that you'll be here in spirit. Feel free to send a gift though--even if you cannot make it. HAHA Just Kidding of course.
So recently I've been making collages. I really like doing them. I'm going to post some on ETSY. If anyone sees one they like--let me know and I'll send it to you. It will be free of course. Also--if you'd like me to make you on and you have a specific theme in mind--tell me and I'll get right on it. It's super fun and I would love nothing more than to make and give them to my friends and family. Handmade gifts are the best.
Let's see.....Oh today, I went through my blog and read all of the comments. They were all super great. I really needed to see them. Several of them made me cry but in a good way. It seems that I have a lot of people reading my blog but, only a few of you leave comments. Just give it a try....I really like them and I'd like to know who is reading and what you think of the blog AND you should also offer suggestions. To those that leave comments on the regular--thanks. To everyone else--get on it. It's fun and you can even do it anonymously if you want to.
Alright, that's it for tonight. I'm tired and I have to teach tomorrow at 9. I love my Saddleback students but it takes me two hours to get there on Fridays:( Thanks for reading. Comments pretty please. You can even just say hi if you want to.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Living without limbs, words of wisdom, and snake update
If you take the amount of money that the U.S. spends on food in one week---you could feed a third world country for one year. Do you know what that means? It means that we are being overcharged for food.
Happy Wednesday everyone. Well, they still haven't found the snake. You can however follow him on Twitter. (Bronxzooscobra) I love that. Thanks for the link Tricia.
Today was a pretty good day. Class tonight was great yet frustrating at the same time. I teach intercultural communication at a VERY privileged university. Don't get me wrong, a lot of the students there did not come from wealthy families AND I'm not saying that coming from a wealthy family is a bad thing. I just find that so many of the students cannot look beyond their own bubble that is Orange County. They cannot comprehend empathy because they have never been forced to "walk in another person's shoes" and frankly, many of them don't want to. Tonight we discussed abortion AND immigration which of course are very heated topics. Overall, it was a good discussion but some students made some very ignorant and offensive comments. It frustrates me when the bad puts a shadow over the good. Oh well, I do what I can and I'll just be grateful for the students with open minds and critical thinking skills.
Last night I had an out of the body experience. I was beside myself. HAHA
What happens if you spill carpet cleaner?
So, I've noticed a trend lately. There are A LOT of stories about people with missing limbs who are accomplishing great things i.e. climbing mountains, becoming wrestling champions, surfing, etc. Anyways--just something that I noticed. It amazes me how differently- abled people will go to such extremes to show that they can do ANYTHING. They seem to want to appear "normal." The funny thing is that most of them are doing more than "normal" people are. I wonder if they would've done all of these things if they had all of their limbs or if they would've just been lazy like the rest of us.
My grandpa only had one arm. He grabbed a live wire to save several people from being electrocuted and in turn, he lost his arm. The funny thing about my grandpa....he got by....but he never tried to "prove" that he could do ANYTHING. In fact, he basically just simplified and enjoyed his life. Sometimes--instead of trying to prove that he was "normal" he would just say something like: "I can't do that you idiot, I only have one arm." Sometimes he wore a hook--which was super cool. My grandpa was pretty amazing. I have lots of stories about him. Perhaps I'll share some with you. Jackie.....I know you are reading this. What is your favorite grandpa story?
Words to live by:
How people treat you in their karma; how you react is yours.
Zen Proverb:
Live every day like your hair is on fire
So, I love netflix on demand but they really need to update and fix their organization. Tonight I was looking for a movie to watch and under the "fight against the system" category was Dr. Dolittle II and A Veggie Tales film. They were right next to a George Carlin film and a Michael Moore film which made it even funnier. I'd love to see a Veggie Tales movie where they "fight the system." That would rock. Romaine is a very religious vegetable. Lettuce pray.
That's it. I'm tired. More tomorrow. Thanks for reading.
Happy Wednesday everyone. Well, they still haven't found the snake. You can however follow him on Twitter. (Bronxzooscobra) I love that. Thanks for the link Tricia.
Today was a pretty good day. Class tonight was great yet frustrating at the same time. I teach intercultural communication at a VERY privileged university. Don't get me wrong, a lot of the students there did not come from wealthy families AND I'm not saying that coming from a wealthy family is a bad thing. I just find that so many of the students cannot look beyond their own bubble that is Orange County. They cannot comprehend empathy because they have never been forced to "walk in another person's shoes" and frankly, many of them don't want to. Tonight we discussed abortion AND immigration which of course are very heated topics. Overall, it was a good discussion but some students made some very ignorant and offensive comments. It frustrates me when the bad puts a shadow over the good. Oh well, I do what I can and I'll just be grateful for the students with open minds and critical thinking skills.
Last night I had an out of the body experience. I was beside myself. HAHA
What happens if you spill carpet cleaner?
So, I've noticed a trend lately. There are A LOT of stories about people with missing limbs who are accomplishing great things i.e. climbing mountains, becoming wrestling champions, surfing, etc. Anyways--just something that I noticed. It amazes me how differently- abled people will go to such extremes to show that they can do ANYTHING. They seem to want to appear "normal." The funny thing is that most of them are doing more than "normal" people are. I wonder if they would've done all of these things if they had all of their limbs or if they would've just been lazy like the rest of us.
My grandpa only had one arm. He grabbed a live wire to save several people from being electrocuted and in turn, he lost his arm. The funny thing about my grandpa....he got by....but he never tried to "prove" that he could do ANYTHING. In fact, he basically just simplified and enjoyed his life. Sometimes--instead of trying to prove that he was "normal" he would just say something like: "I can't do that you idiot, I only have one arm." Sometimes he wore a hook--which was super cool. My grandpa was pretty amazing. I have lots of stories about him. Perhaps I'll share some with you. Jackie.....I know you are reading this. What is your favorite grandpa story?
Words to live by:
How people treat you in their karma; how you react is yours.
Zen Proverb:
Live every day like your hair is on fire
So, I love netflix on demand but they really need to update and fix their organization. Tonight I was looking for a movie to watch and under the "fight against the system" category was Dr. Dolittle II and A Veggie Tales film. They were right next to a George Carlin film and a Michael Moore film which made it even funnier. I'd love to see a Veggie Tales movie where they "fight the system." That would rock. Romaine is a very religious vegetable. Lettuce pray.
That's it. I'm tired. More tomorrow. Thanks for reading.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Snake on the loose, glad to be alive, and HOP
The new commercial for Panda Express where the pandas are dressed as pirates--freaks me out.
As many of you know, I am terrified of snakes. Recently a cobra, yes a cobra, escaped from the Bronx Zoo. Last night I actually couldn't sleep because I was seriously afraid that the cobra would somehow end up in my house. Yes, I am 39 years old and I thought a snake could travel 2500 miles to Long Beach and enter my home to kill me. Every single time I heard a noise.....I turned on my lights to see if it was the cobra. I guess they still haven't found it. Another sleepless night indeed.
I am reconnecting with dear friends. Today I got to hang out with Jen Reed. It was invigorating. She's pretty amazing.
I really want to take a trip to Texas to see my friends Devona and Sue. I've know Devona for nearly 35 years and Sue for over 25. I miss them so I hope I can arrange a trip very soon.
Quotes of the week:
"Rejection is God's protection." Jen Reed
Me: "What will I say if she calls?" Jamie: "You'll say what the fuck do you want!?" "Not everyone has a soul TJ." I heart you Jamie. Thanks for the pep talk.
The new movie Hop opens on Friday and I cannot wait to go see it. I totally identify with that rabbit. I'm hoping my little friend Ellie will go see it with me.
I LOVE the song Written in the Stars by Tinie Tempah. If you haven't heard it, you should check it out. His name is pretty awesome too.
Myriam KEEPS selling out of her books. Her tour is going great. She's found her calling and I'm honored to be able to be a part of it.
So I received an award for professor of the month at Chapman. I'm super proud of this.
Many of you have given me so much support over the last several months. I could not have gotten this far without it. Just three months ago I was seriously contemplating suicide. I look back now and realize that that would have been a very bad decision--especially considering why I was so despondent. It would not have been worth it. Believe me. Since then, I have grown so much as a person and am actually grateful for the pain that I had to go through. I faced it, felt it, and learned. Believe it or not, I'm even grateful for the person that brought on so much of that pain. Though I was not given the opportunity to face her--and even though she lied to make me look bad--I still learned. We can even learn psycho evil I guess. All I know now is that I have an amazing partner, amazing friends, a wonderful family, great students, a bright future, a sharp mind, and a pretty sexy body:) I'm finding my center and I really like it. Thanks so much everyone. It's the little things that add up to the big.
3 months ago I wanted to die......now I am learning to drum, laughing everyday, and receiving awards for my talents. Never give up people. NEVER.
That's it. I'm tired and I need to go look for the snake. The funny thing is.....if I ever saw a snake in my house I would just die immediately from fright. Tomorrow--time with Karen, teach, massage, and a meeting. My life kinda rocks.
As many of you know, I am terrified of snakes. Recently a cobra, yes a cobra, escaped from the Bronx Zoo. Last night I actually couldn't sleep because I was seriously afraid that the cobra would somehow end up in my house. Yes, I am 39 years old and I thought a snake could travel 2500 miles to Long Beach and enter my home to kill me. Every single time I heard a noise.....I turned on my lights to see if it was the cobra. I guess they still haven't found it. Another sleepless night indeed.
I am reconnecting with dear friends. Today I got to hang out with Jen Reed. It was invigorating. She's pretty amazing.
I really want to take a trip to Texas to see my friends Devona and Sue. I've know Devona for nearly 35 years and Sue for over 25. I miss them so I hope I can arrange a trip very soon.
Quotes of the week:
"Rejection is God's protection." Jen Reed
Me: "What will I say if she calls?" Jamie: "You'll say what the fuck do you want!?" "Not everyone has a soul TJ." I heart you Jamie. Thanks for the pep talk.
The new movie Hop opens on Friday and I cannot wait to go see it. I totally identify with that rabbit. I'm hoping my little friend Ellie will go see it with me.
I LOVE the song Written in the Stars by Tinie Tempah. If you haven't heard it, you should check it out. His name is pretty awesome too.
Myriam KEEPS selling out of her books. Her tour is going great. She's found her calling and I'm honored to be able to be a part of it.
So I received an award for professor of the month at Chapman. I'm super proud of this.
Many of you have given me so much support over the last several months. I could not have gotten this far without it. Just three months ago I was seriously contemplating suicide. I look back now and realize that that would have been a very bad decision--especially considering why I was so despondent. It would not have been worth it. Believe me. Since then, I have grown so much as a person and am actually grateful for the pain that I had to go through. I faced it, felt it, and learned. Believe it or not, I'm even grateful for the person that brought on so much of that pain. Though I was not given the opportunity to face her--and even though she lied to make me look bad--I still learned. We can even learn psycho evil I guess. All I know now is that I have an amazing partner, amazing friends, a wonderful family, great students, a bright future, a sharp mind, and a pretty sexy body:) I'm finding my center and I really like it. Thanks so much everyone. It's the little things that add up to the big.
3 months ago I wanted to die......now I am learning to drum, laughing everyday, and receiving awards for my talents. Never give up people. NEVER.
That's it. I'm tired and I need to go look for the snake. The funny thing is.....if I ever saw a snake in my house I would just die immediately from fright. Tomorrow--time with Karen, teach, massage, and a meeting. My life kinda rocks.
Monday, March 28, 2011
A short post
Reasons why the 80's were so much cooler than today:
1. Gender bending was cool and sexy (i.e. Madonna and Glam Rock)
2. The glass ceiling was broken then...by Geraldine Ferraro-- when she became the first female Vice Presidental candidate on a major party ticket. Many of you did not know that did you? She died this week.
3. Baskin Robbins actually had 31 flavors. See they only have 29 now which is RIDICULOUS!
4. Happy meals came in boxes.
5. Ideas for film and TV were actually original--not just remakes.
6. Parachute pants
7. People like Gene Simmons, Hulk Hogan, and Rev Run were brilliant entertainers instead of tired reality show stars.
8. Bocephus.
9. Justin Beiber wasn't born yet.
Ok so it's Monday. I have a pretty busy week. Myriam is in Oregon and she says it's cold but pretty.
My cousin Stevie is coming back to the states. She is a badass MPO in the Army. She's been based in Germany but will now be in Georgia. Stevie's kinda bummed about it because she loved Germany but, I'm glad she's going to Georgia for a number of reasons: 1. It will be easier to visit her because Myriam and I go there a lot--cuz our dear friend Thais lives there. 2. She can bring some positive energy and courage to the state. They need it. 3. I think she will like it because the National Museum of Puppetry Arts is there and I think she likes puppets. Maybe she doesn't but--oh well--I like puppets.
Got my 90 day chip last week so that's pretty cool.
I pre ordered Season 2 of Glee today. YAY!!
You should all watch the documentary Food Matters. It's pretty amazing.
I don't really have anything else to say right now. Will post some haiku and other fun things later tonight. Cheers! Thanks for reading.
1. Gender bending was cool and sexy (i.e. Madonna and Glam Rock)
2. The glass ceiling was broken then...by Geraldine Ferraro-- when she became the first female Vice Presidental candidate on a major party ticket. Many of you did not know that did you? She died this week.
3. Baskin Robbins actually had 31 flavors. See they only have 29 now which is RIDICULOUS!
4. Happy meals came in boxes.
5. Ideas for film and TV were actually original--not just remakes.
6. Parachute pants
7. People like Gene Simmons, Hulk Hogan, and Rev Run were brilliant entertainers instead of tired reality show stars.
8. Bocephus.
9. Justin Beiber wasn't born yet.
Ok so it's Monday. I have a pretty busy week. Myriam is in Oregon and she says it's cold but pretty.
My cousin Stevie is coming back to the states. She is a badass MPO in the Army. She's been based in Germany but will now be in Georgia. Stevie's kinda bummed about it because she loved Germany but, I'm glad she's going to Georgia for a number of reasons: 1. It will be easier to visit her because Myriam and I go there a lot--cuz our dear friend Thais lives there. 2. She can bring some positive energy and courage to the state. They need it. 3. I think she will like it because the National Museum of Puppetry Arts is there and I think she likes puppets. Maybe she doesn't but--oh well--I like puppets.
Got my 90 day chip last week so that's pretty cool.
I pre ordered Season 2 of Glee today. YAY!!
You should all watch the documentary Food Matters. It's pretty amazing.
I don't really have anything else to say right now. Will post some haiku and other fun things later tonight. Cheers! Thanks for reading.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Random thoughts and shout outs
Jane Lynch AS Sue Sylvester AS Madonna might just be the coolest thing ever shown on TV. (Glee Season 1)
I gave away my ticket to Nate Dogg's funeral because I did not want to cancel class. Now that is dedication folks.
I am addicted to that damn Angry Birds game.
Quotes of the week: "An open mind is a great thing to have but, not so open that your brains fall out.""Don't lose track of who you are just because it might be easier to be someone else."
I am on spring break at OCC next week. I do love my students there but, I hate going to that campus-- so I'm looking forward to the break.
Shout outs: Hey Tyler, Sarah, and Tricia--thanks for an awesome time at Le Creperie. I love hanging out with you guys AND the food was super good. Let's do it again soon. I'll even be nicer to the gay waiter next time.
Tim Hill--you are a rock star. It was awesome seeing you on Friday and I cannot believe that you bought me and my friends' lunch as a surprise. Double treat indeed. I'm glad that you are doing well, your friend was Wisconsin is ADORABLE, and I promise that I will arrange for you to meet John Mayer someday. I promise.
Sometimes I feel like I'm playing tug of war with myself. Does anyone know what I mean?
If you had to pick two celebrities to be President and Vice President who would you pick? I would pick Judge Judy for President and either Betty White or Oprah for Vice President.
My friend Shae (who is ten by the way) made a really cool statement the other day. She was asked to find a song that was her "guilty pleasure." You know...something that you love that you might be embarrassed or even feel guilty about for liking it. I have many guilty pleasures including: Teen Mom 2, Neil Diamond, Mountain Dew, etc. Anyways.....After Shae's mom explained what a guilty pleasure was Shae simply responded by saying "If I like something it's because I like it and I'm not going to feel guilty about that." I love her insight. We should always be proud of what we like--no matter what others might think. Thanks for the great lesson Shae.
On Friday, my friend Robin is turning 50 and my friend T is turning 40. On that day I will officially be 39 and 3/4. My thirties are coming to a close and I'm finally at peace with that--well at least right now I am.
Ok that's it for part two. Thanks for reading. Tomorrow look for some haiku and some fun lists. Send me a topic and I'll come up witty something witty to say about it. Have a great week everyone.
I gave away my ticket to Nate Dogg's funeral because I did not want to cancel class. Now that is dedication folks.
I am addicted to that damn Angry Birds game.
Quotes of the week: "An open mind is a great thing to have but, not so open that your brains fall out.""Don't lose track of who you are just because it might be easier to be someone else."
I am on spring break at OCC next week. I do love my students there but, I hate going to that campus-- so I'm looking forward to the break.
Shout outs: Hey Tyler, Sarah, and Tricia--thanks for an awesome time at Le Creperie. I love hanging out with you guys AND the food was super good. Let's do it again soon. I'll even be nicer to the gay waiter next time.
Tim Hill--you are a rock star. It was awesome seeing you on Friday and I cannot believe that you bought me and my friends' lunch as a surprise. Double treat indeed. I'm glad that you are doing well, your friend was Wisconsin is ADORABLE, and I promise that I will arrange for you to meet John Mayer someday. I promise.
Sometimes I feel like I'm playing tug of war with myself. Does anyone know what I mean?
If you had to pick two celebrities to be President and Vice President who would you pick? I would pick Judge Judy for President and either Betty White or Oprah for Vice President.
My friend Shae (who is ten by the way) made a really cool statement the other day. She was asked to find a song that was her "guilty pleasure." You know...something that you love that you might be embarrassed or even feel guilty about for liking it. I have many guilty pleasures including: Teen Mom 2, Neil Diamond, Mountain Dew, etc. Anyways.....After Shae's mom explained what a guilty pleasure was Shae simply responded by saying "If I like something it's because I like it and I'm not going to feel guilty about that." I love her insight. We should always be proud of what we like--no matter what others might think. Thanks for the great lesson Shae.
On Friday, my friend Robin is turning 50 and my friend T is turning 40. On that day I will officially be 39 and 3/4. My thirties are coming to a close and I'm finally at peace with that--well at least right now I am.
Ok that's it for part two. Thanks for reading. Tomorrow look for some haiku and some fun lists. Send me a topic and I'll come up witty something witty to say about it. Have a great week everyone.
Myriam's tour, Louis, and student statements
I have had a super busy week. I've missed blogging. Some of you have emailed me to inquire about my next post. Well, here it is. It's Saturday night, I just took some theraflu because I'm fighting a cold, there is a Little House on the Prairie marathon on, and I have some leftover steak and mac & cheese in the fridge--so there ya go.
Myriam was here for three days which was wonderful. Her readings all went very well. In fact she sold out of her books for the second time. People cannot get enough of her weird wit. Thursday's reading was here in Long Beach and the place was packed. Before the show, we had the gang from Sister Spit over for dinner. Kirk, Ali, Mari, Blake, Amos, Michelle, and Beth all got to see our house and meet the rabbits. I was honored to cook for them. It was a pretty good meal if I do say so myself. Many friends came out to the venue to support Myriam and the rest of Sister Spit. It was awesome. I think it may have been one of the greatest nights of my life. Good food, amazing artists, great friends, and a shout out from Michelle Tea makes for a pretty incredible time. To see the Sister Spit Blog check out Radarproductions.org.
Myriam will be back in 24 days:) She is having a blast but, I miss her a lot.
Ok so last Sunday I adopted a dog. I posted a few pictures of Louis on my facebook page. Unfortunately, after a few trips to the vet I made the decision to return him. Though I loved him, I had to do what was best for everyone--including Louis. He has some serious eye problems and I just couldn't take on the responsibility of caring for him. I was going to have to administer a number of medications multiple times a day AND his care was going to cost a lot. An independently wealthy woman that volunteers at the shelter has decided to take him and get him the surgeries and help that he needs. I'm grateful for her. I enjoyed the few days thatI had with him.
My drumming class is going very well. I really love it. I'm now on a mission to find the perfect drum to purchase.
Ok so it's Sunday now. I totally fell asleep before I finished my post. Theraflu rocks.
On of the classes that I teach is public speaking Last week was a speech week and here are some of my favorite lines from speeches AND some favorite excuses from people who missed their speeches:
1. (Best opening line) "Today I am going to tell you about an expensive coffee that is made from poop."
2. (Best citation of source) "According to the back of the Entenmann's box, these donuts are full of fat."
3. (Best line for further research) "If you want to know more about this then you should totally google it."
4. ( Three best excuses for missing class) "Oh...I got confused and thought our class was on Monday's and Wednesday's." "I couldn't come to class because all of my clothes were in the washer and I didn't think you wanted me to come naked." "My coke dealer is in Vegas and I was twitchin cuz I didn't have none."
5. (Best true reason for having to drop the class) "I'm being charged with murder cuz the guy me and my homies beat up died this morning."
This post is getting too long and I have a lot more to say so........I'll post again in a few hours. Promise!!
Myriam was here for three days which was wonderful. Her readings all went very well. In fact she sold out of her books for the second time. People cannot get enough of her weird wit. Thursday's reading was here in Long Beach and the place was packed. Before the show, we had the gang from Sister Spit over for dinner. Kirk, Ali, Mari, Blake, Amos, Michelle, and Beth all got to see our house and meet the rabbits. I was honored to cook for them. It was a pretty good meal if I do say so myself. Many friends came out to the venue to support Myriam and the rest of Sister Spit. It was awesome. I think it may have been one of the greatest nights of my life. Good food, amazing artists, great friends, and a shout out from Michelle Tea makes for a pretty incredible time. To see the Sister Spit Blog check out Radarproductions.org.
Myriam will be back in 24 days:) She is having a blast but, I miss her a lot.
Ok so last Sunday I adopted a dog. I posted a few pictures of Louis on my facebook page. Unfortunately, after a few trips to the vet I made the decision to return him. Though I loved him, I had to do what was best for everyone--including Louis. He has some serious eye problems and I just couldn't take on the responsibility of caring for him. I was going to have to administer a number of medications multiple times a day AND his care was going to cost a lot. An independently wealthy woman that volunteers at the shelter has decided to take him and get him the surgeries and help that he needs. I'm grateful for her. I enjoyed the few days thatI had with him.
My drumming class is going very well. I really love it. I'm now on a mission to find the perfect drum to purchase.
Ok so it's Sunday now. I totally fell asleep before I finished my post. Theraflu rocks.
On of the classes that I teach is public speaking Last week was a speech week and here are some of my favorite lines from speeches AND some favorite excuses from people who missed their speeches:
1. (Best opening line) "Today I am going to tell you about an expensive coffee that is made from poop."
2. (Best citation of source) "According to the back of the Entenmann's box, these donuts are full of fat."
3. (Best line for further research) "If you want to know more about this then you should totally google it."
4. ( Three best excuses for missing class) "Oh...I got confused and thought our class was on Monday's and Wednesday's." "I couldn't come to class because all of my clothes were in the washer and I didn't think you wanted me to come naked." "My coke dealer is in Vegas and I was twitchin cuz I didn't have none."
5. (Best true reason for having to drop the class) "I'm being charged with murder cuz the guy me and my homies beat up died this morning."
This post is getting too long and I have a lot more to say so........I'll post again in a few hours. Promise!!
Friday, March 18, 2011
Myriam's tour, hypnosis, haircut, and weird food facts
Hope everyone had a great week. Mine has been super busy and productive. My blog has reached 10,000 hits (not including mine) and that makes me really really happy.
I went skating today and bit it big time. The streets of Long Beach are too bumpy. Now whenever I want to go skating, I have to drive to the beach and skate on the bike path.
There was a time when Rice Krispies had four mascots; Snap, Crackle, Pop, and Pow. They got rid of Pow after World War II began. Yucca is very good for you, but if not cooked properly it will cause body paralysis. Imitation Krab has red food coloring added to it. That's how they make it look like crab. If you go to carlsfriends.com you can order a sourdough starter. They will send it to you for free. There is an ice cream parlor in England that sells ice cream made from human breast milk.
My girlfriend Myriam is currently on tour with Sister Spit. Please check out radarproductions.org for a tour schedule. She will be gone for an entire month. I am super proud of her. Her writing is quite amazing, and I think it's pretty cool that she is going to get to share it with so many people. If you want to learn more about Myriam or see some of her stories, just google Myriam Gurba. Sister Spit will be in L.A. tomorrow night, Pasadena on Tuesday, USC on Wednesday, and in Long Beach on Thursday. It'll be great to see her. She has only been gone 6 days but it seems like forever. I'm so glad that we are back together. The whole mess with ____ actually brought us closer together, and for that I am grateful.
I am going dancing tonight even though I hurt my knee today. I haven't been to Ripples in years so I am super excited.
I love mix cds. My friend Karen made me two this week and they were both super awesome!!
Does anyone know where I can find some cool remixes? Any DJ's come to mind?
My students have decided that my stage name should be DJ No Clue. I do not care for that name.
I finally got my hair cut by Brock Le Brock. He is amazing!!! If anyone in the LBC is looking for a new stylist.....please call Flaunt and make an appointment with Brock. Tell him that TJ sent you and you'll get a discount.
Yesterday I tried hypnosis. I loved it. The goal is to disassociate myself completely from a certain someone in two sessions. The first session was VERY successful. Hypnosis is something that I would recommend to anyone and everyone. If you have ever wanted to give it a try contact Landon Vo. Let me know if you want his number.
My little friend Ellie (little meaning that she is young not that she is a midget) bought me the book Princess Boy. It's a children's book about a young gender queer person and it is AMAZING. It's nice to see books like this. All kids need unconditional love and, all people should learn a little something about gender.
I saw not one, but two students smoking weed on campus last week. They were just out in the open (in two different locations) just puffing away. Unbelievable.
It's supposed to rain tomorrow. I hope it doesn't.
Both my African Drumming and my Tai Chi classes are going very well. I love them a lot.
Forgiving is easy. Forgetting is not. I wish it was.
If one more person handing out cash for gold fliers comes to my house......I may just punch him.
There has to be an easier way to find out what is in the center of assorted chocolates.
Seven songs that I will always love no matter what: Shoop, Forever Young, Sister Christian, God Only Knows, Under Pressure, Crazy (Aerosmith), and Ice Ice Baby.
That's it for now. Thanks for reading.
I went skating today and bit it big time. The streets of Long Beach are too bumpy. Now whenever I want to go skating, I have to drive to the beach and skate on the bike path.
There was a time when Rice Krispies had four mascots; Snap, Crackle, Pop, and Pow. They got rid of Pow after World War II began. Yucca is very good for you, but if not cooked properly it will cause body paralysis. Imitation Krab has red food coloring added to it. That's how they make it look like crab. If you go to carlsfriends.com you can order a sourdough starter. They will send it to you for free. There is an ice cream parlor in England that sells ice cream made from human breast milk.
My girlfriend Myriam is currently on tour with Sister Spit. Please check out radarproductions.org for a tour schedule. She will be gone for an entire month. I am super proud of her. Her writing is quite amazing, and I think it's pretty cool that she is going to get to share it with so many people. If you want to learn more about Myriam or see some of her stories, just google Myriam Gurba. Sister Spit will be in L.A. tomorrow night, Pasadena on Tuesday, USC on Wednesday, and in Long Beach on Thursday. It'll be great to see her. She has only been gone 6 days but it seems like forever. I'm so glad that we are back together. The whole mess with ____ actually brought us closer together, and for that I am grateful.
I am going dancing tonight even though I hurt my knee today. I haven't been to Ripples in years so I am super excited.
I love mix cds. My friend Karen made me two this week and they were both super awesome!!
Does anyone know where I can find some cool remixes? Any DJ's come to mind?
My students have decided that my stage name should be DJ No Clue. I do not care for that name.
I finally got my hair cut by Brock Le Brock. He is amazing!!! If anyone in the LBC is looking for a new stylist.....please call Flaunt and make an appointment with Brock. Tell him that TJ sent you and you'll get a discount.
Yesterday I tried hypnosis. I loved it. The goal is to disassociate myself completely from a certain someone in two sessions. The first session was VERY successful. Hypnosis is something that I would recommend to anyone and everyone. If you have ever wanted to give it a try contact Landon Vo. Let me know if you want his number.
My little friend Ellie (little meaning that she is young not that she is a midget) bought me the book Princess Boy. It's a children's book about a young gender queer person and it is AMAZING. It's nice to see books like this. All kids need unconditional love and, all people should learn a little something about gender.
I saw not one, but two students smoking weed on campus last week. They were just out in the open (in two different locations) just puffing away. Unbelievable.
It's supposed to rain tomorrow. I hope it doesn't.
Both my African Drumming and my Tai Chi classes are going very well. I love them a lot.
Forgiving is easy. Forgetting is not. I wish it was.
If one more person handing out cash for gold fliers comes to my house......I may just punch him.
There has to be an easier way to find out what is in the center of assorted chocolates.
Seven songs that I will always love no matter what: Shoop, Forever Young, Sister Christian, God Only Knows, Under Pressure, Crazy (Aerosmith), and Ice Ice Baby.
That's it for now. Thanks for reading.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Roseanne, The death Penalty, Captain crunch, and spinal tap
Hey everyone. It has been str8 up crazy this week. So much is going on. I think I'm going to have to start blogging more often to fit it all in.
Ok--here we go.
I have always been a huge fan of Roseanne (both the show and the comedian) but I am very disappointed that she has chosen to stand up for Charlie Sheen. He is an idiot and I am glad that he was fired. I think he needs to take a serious look at his actions. I am a huge proponent for people being able to do what they want to but, all actions have consequences. Dude--you can't have hookers brought to your door AND be on a family friendly sit com. Pick one and move on. If he is on one more cover of people magazine--I am canceling my subscription. Roseanne--please stop adding to the insanity.
I have always been very vocal about my opposition to the death penalty. Not only have innocent people been executed but it is VERY expensive and does not deter people from crime. Anyways--I was happy to see Illinois put a ban on the DP this week. Other states have actually considering getting rid of it to save money. I know that there are evil people out there--I get it. I just don't think.....well...it doesn't matter....I'm just happy about Illinois.
Ok--GREAT NEWS!! The Quaker Oats company has decided to keep Cap'n Crunch. They were seriously considering getting rid of the cereal. After thousands of letters--they decided that was a bad idea. I love Cap'n Crunch.
Did you all know that Pop tarts come in 30 different flavors? I do enjoy a pop tart now and then. Today, one of my students suggested that I try to put butter on them when they are hot. That sounds so good but the last thing that my fat ass needs is butter on a pop tart. I'll probably try it anyways.
True story: yesterday, while on a high school field trip, a 17 year old student jumped off of the Bay Bridge on a dare. Oh--and here is the best part--he survived--no injuries whatsoever. This is the future of our country. I guess he answered that age old question asked by every mother--"if they asked you to jump off of a bridge would you?" I cannot believe how lucky that idiot is. Please don't call it a miracle--it's called luck when they are idiots.
Yesterday was one of the scariest days of my life. I had to call 911 for Myriam and I seriously thought she was going to die before the ambulance came. After a number of tests, including a spinal tap, they sent her home. She's doing GREAT today. I am very grateful that the hospital took such good care of her and that she is ok now. Headaches can be super scary--especially when they include loss of sight and vomiting.
As many of you know--during my mid life crisis--I actually left my relationship for some pretty stupid reasons. The logistics of that mess are not important. All I can say is that I am so glad I am back home with Myriam and that we are working stuff out. Myriam is an amazing person and we have had 12 great years together. I'm grateful for second chances, honesty, and my own growth. Especially after what happened yesterday--I know in my heart that I am where I supposed to be.
Kind of sappy--I know. What can I say--I am a hopeless romantic.
It's supposed to be a nice weekend and I do not have to teach:) Looking forward to skating and maybe we will go on a picnic. My brother in law David is coming on Sunday and so is our friend Cris so that will be super fun.
Nearly finished with act one of my one person show. I'm looking for people to read it and give me some feedback. Any takers? I have a regular one AND one that is pg 13 just so ya know.
Due to Myriam's emergency I was unable to attend my first Tai Chi class. I will go next week for sure and let you all know how it goes.
Here are some other things I have planned for next week. Some of them even sound fancy and important. They are all gonna be super fun.
Board of Directors meeting for The Movement, haircut at Flaunt by wait for it...Brock Le Brock, smoke and kick it with K.R., drum class, tai chi, massage, appointment with a hypnotist, AND my first soccer game ever. My friend Sammy is a member of the Angel City Brigade. You can see a video of them on youtube. They are a super crazy bunch that raises all kinds of crazy at the games. In fact, sometimes the law has to get involved. We wear bandanas over our faces so the cops can't tell who we are. It's kind of like a cross between a super hero and a gang member. I'm really excited. GO HARD OR GO HOME!! Sammy even bought my ticket so that makes it even better.
Yeah--I try to live on the edge. That's it for today. Thanks for reading. I'm so close to 10,000 hits. Please leave comments. You all rock. Much love!
Ok--here we go.
I have always been a huge fan of Roseanne (both the show and the comedian) but I am very disappointed that she has chosen to stand up for Charlie Sheen. He is an idiot and I am glad that he was fired. I think he needs to take a serious look at his actions. I am a huge proponent for people being able to do what they want to but, all actions have consequences. Dude--you can't have hookers brought to your door AND be on a family friendly sit com. Pick one and move on. If he is on one more cover of people magazine--I am canceling my subscription. Roseanne--please stop adding to the insanity.
I have always been very vocal about my opposition to the death penalty. Not only have innocent people been executed but it is VERY expensive and does not deter people from crime. Anyways--I was happy to see Illinois put a ban on the DP this week. Other states have actually considering getting rid of it to save money. I know that there are evil people out there--I get it. I just don't think.....well...it doesn't matter....I'm just happy about Illinois.
Ok--GREAT NEWS!! The Quaker Oats company has decided to keep Cap'n Crunch. They were seriously considering getting rid of the cereal. After thousands of letters--they decided that was a bad idea. I love Cap'n Crunch.
Did you all know that Pop tarts come in 30 different flavors? I do enjoy a pop tart now and then. Today, one of my students suggested that I try to put butter on them when they are hot. That sounds so good but the last thing that my fat ass needs is butter on a pop tart. I'll probably try it anyways.
True story: yesterday, while on a high school field trip, a 17 year old student jumped off of the Bay Bridge on a dare. Oh--and here is the best part--he survived--no injuries whatsoever. This is the future of our country. I guess he answered that age old question asked by every mother--"if they asked you to jump off of a bridge would you?" I cannot believe how lucky that idiot is. Please don't call it a miracle--it's called luck when they are idiots.
Yesterday was one of the scariest days of my life. I had to call 911 for Myriam and I seriously thought she was going to die before the ambulance came. After a number of tests, including a spinal tap, they sent her home. She's doing GREAT today. I am very grateful that the hospital took such good care of her and that she is ok now. Headaches can be super scary--especially when they include loss of sight and vomiting.
As many of you know--during my mid life crisis--I actually left my relationship for some pretty stupid reasons. The logistics of that mess are not important. All I can say is that I am so glad I am back home with Myriam and that we are working stuff out. Myriam is an amazing person and we have had 12 great years together. I'm grateful for second chances, honesty, and my own growth. Especially after what happened yesterday--I know in my heart that I am where I supposed to be.
Kind of sappy--I know. What can I say--I am a hopeless romantic.
It's supposed to be a nice weekend and I do not have to teach:) Looking forward to skating and maybe we will go on a picnic. My brother in law David is coming on Sunday and so is our friend Cris so that will be super fun.
Nearly finished with act one of my one person show. I'm looking for people to read it and give me some feedback. Any takers? I have a regular one AND one that is pg 13 just so ya know.
Due to Myriam's emergency I was unable to attend my first Tai Chi class. I will go next week for sure and let you all know how it goes.
Here are some other things I have planned for next week. Some of them even sound fancy and important. They are all gonna be super fun.
Board of Directors meeting for The Movement, haircut at Flaunt by wait for it...Brock Le Brock, smoke and kick it with K.R., drum class, tai chi, massage, appointment with a hypnotist, AND my first soccer game ever. My friend Sammy is a member of the Angel City Brigade. You can see a video of them on youtube. They are a super crazy bunch that raises all kinds of crazy at the games. In fact, sometimes the law has to get involved. We wear bandanas over our faces so the cops can't tell who we are. It's kind of like a cross between a super hero and a gang member. I'm really excited. GO HARD OR GO HOME!! Sammy even bought my ticket so that makes it even better.
Yeah--I try to live on the edge. That's it for today. Thanks for reading. I'm so close to 10,000 hits. Please leave comments. You all rock. Much love!
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