Beyond the Orange Curtain

Crash Cart

2010-04-13T20:22:00.000-07:00

I think it's time we defibrillate this blog!

I went to see my counselor today, sometimes I am not sure if I'm getting anything out of the session but I think today was actually pretty productive. I spent most of the time talking about how unproductive I've been feeling and how impossible it seems for me to accomplish anything -- professionally and personally. I talked a lot about the long hours I work and how very taxing my job can be. I frequently get leave at 830 and do not return home until 7 or 8 after a long day of driving through traffic. I also bring my work home with me and try to motivate myself to do some work while I watch TV. Ah, TV, my other problem. If you didn't already infer from my intro, I've contracted an unhealthy addiction to Grey's Anatomy. Lifetime is trying to ruin my life by airing three episodes a night on every weekday night, they've been quite successful at it.

So my counselor gave me a couple challenges, I love when she does that, one of which is to create more balance in my life. Everyday I am to find a way to do something for myself which does not fall into the category of work or vegging. Even if I only do it for 15 minutes it counts. I have some ideas -- like reading, going for a run or bike ride, doing my short indoor work-out. But I was trying to decide what I'll do tomorrow and I was hit with an idea. I totally enjoyed last year when ya'll threw out daily activity suggestions to me during Lent (See: Me and JC). I think it would be fun to start that up again.

For this week I am going to a play on Friday and I have softball practice on Saturday. I need balance activity ideas for Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday. Lay 'em on me.

The Opposite

2010-01-05T19:41:00.000-08:00

I know, this is pretty much the same cop-out as before, just in reverse. It's gonna be a list, just of what I did do rather than what I need to do.

First an explanation. I was talking with my counselor again about my crazy inability to accomplish tasks -- prime example: I received a stipend for approximately $5,000 during my time with MATCH Corps, have I applied it to my loan yet? Nope. I tried once, but then found out I couldn't apply it to Sallie Mae (the devil incarnate) my HUGE loan. I can apply it to my CFS loan - which at around $12,000 seems like small beans, but have I done that? Nope. When did I receive the stipend? June 2005!!! How many times have I thought about applying it? More than 12,000! It gets less valuable as my interest continues to be applied.... But I digress (as usual).

Where was I? Yes, I am bad at getting things done. My counselor (whom I seem to write more and more about on here), was asking me if there is anything that I gain from this behavior or anything that I am apt to loose from abandoning it. We thought a lot. I talked about this whole idea about not being an adult, how if I did accomplish these tasks I would see myself as more of an adult -- but I honestly couldn't think of a reason why being an adult would be a bad thing. The short and end of it is that after 17 years of wondering (my first memory of seriously considering my "forgetfulness" comes in at around fourth grade) I am going to get evaluated for ADD - adult ADD, awesome, I think we all know I totally have that.

So, anyway, as part of our discussion, we talked about changing my mindset from negative nagging myself to get me to do things, to thinking positively about how good I'll feel once things are accomplished. Well, at the time I didn't think I had more negative thoughts than positive about accomplishing tasks - and then I realized - blogging my to do lists. That is definitely negative reinforcement -- I put a list out there for the world to see all that I have to accomplish, then when I don't tick off all my goals, I see myself as failing. So, The Opposite (FINALLY, THE POINT!), from now on I will blog about what I have accomplished rather than what I need to accomplish.

Today:

Work-

1) Went to office early to get new cases

2) Found out dates for kids to start toddler groups

3) Scheduled re-eval for D H-C

4) Finished progress sheets

5) Turned in mileage

6) Resolved transportation issues for 2 kids

7) Submitted consult requests for new kid

8) Called three families to give information

9) Read from Toddler's busy book

10) Followed-up on new cases

11) Printed up personal info and resources (again) for young mother

Personal

1) Called PCP office

2) Called to schedule evaluation

3) Cleaned out car

4) Read from Lamb (thanks Lei)

5) Took half hour nap (definitely an accomplishment)

6) Cleaned for half hour

6) Cooked dinner (an amazing accomplishment)

7) Made new rule for self (can only have beer and/or (and) wine if actually made food)

8) Watched netflix movie - To Sir with Love (very good)

9) Updated finances

10) Checked flights for wedding and set up fare tracking (farecast.com -- wonderful)

11) Gathered prescriptions to be picked up (this has been put off since summer)

12) Added social events to planner.

13) Updated Blog - meager though it is.

That's a lot. I'm proud. More to come...

The List

2009-12-09T16:16:00.000-08:00

Ugh, I'm doing it again. The other day someone told me there is an expression in Italian about working on a task that you're always trying to accomplish but just never seems to get done, it translates into "Building a Cathedral". That's how I feel about pretty much everything, there's just always more to do, I'm always building my cathedral. I'm still hopeful that I will eventually achieve a system, some real organization and find time to consistently and meaningfully update.

In the meantime, and old stand-by cop-out. My list. I met with my counselor today, I told her how bad I have been at accomplishing anything lately and we discussed how the first thing on my list, needs to be writing my list. Counseling costs a lot of money, it only costs me a $10 co-pay, but I got a full bill once and they charge over $200 for that hour I spend talking. So I figure if it costs that much I need to make sure I'm really following through. So, my list.

I love making lists, I have a good system too. According to this really awesome planner I had a long time ago, it was developed by Benjamin Franklin, I'm sure it was just a marketing gimmick, but either way it's simple and wonderful. You free-form write out everything you need to do, then you go through the list and rank the importance of the tasks A-D. So, without further ado:

A. Clean my room

A. Laundry, lots and lots of laundry

A. Organize my desk area

A+ Make a spray bottle of disinfectant - take it and towel into car

A. Transfer credit debt onto new Discover Card

B. Buy new laptop

B. Christmas presents

A+ Email Cultural Survival about volunteering

A. Put holiday events into planner

B+ Take care of doctors bills

A. Get prescriptions filled!

A+ Prep for tomorrow (art project, folders, plan, gift for emanuel, ingredients for dinner, other shopping)

A. Mosaics for kids

A. Card and stickers for adam

B+ Find out about Argenziano holiday party

A. E-mail about Toddler Book

A+ Figure out if I have time to pick up freecycle stuff tomorrow

Okay, so that's four A+s...I'm going to accomplish those four things tonight! I can do it! And I can already check off one list item - Make The List : CHECK!!!

Curriculum Blog

2009-09-09T19:00:00.000-07:00

I just published a monster post on my curriculum Blog. It was very personal so i figure it kind of fits here too. Enjoy: Saying Goodbye.

Albums from our past....

2009-08-28T19:33:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to write this post for a while, so here goes. Let's post about the albums that remind us of the past. Like junior high, high school, college, etc.

What are the albums that remind you of junior high?

This is easy for me, as it was when I truly starting getting into music and listening to artists other than what my parents were listening to.

1. Oasis -- What's the Story Morning Glory. I can remember the first time I heard Champagne Supernova on the radio. They've been my favorite band ever since and it was announced today that Noel just quit Oasis. I'm bummed.

2. No Doubt -- Tragic Kingdom. They're still playing songs from this album on the radio. And I love me some OC bands.

3. Green Day -- Dookie. I used to sit and watch MTV all day waiting for the Basket Case video to play. Fantastic.

4. Weezer -- Blue. It's still one of my favorite albums ever. Love it.

Ladies, what are yours??

Ch-ch-ch-changes...

2009-08-23T07:12:00.000-07:00

...turn and face the strange.

Ok, ok, so it's been a looong time, way too long. I got into one of those, "there are so many other things that I should be doing that I'm not" funks. And yes, too much time on facebook, that thing is such a time suck!

Anyway, I have some posts of substance that have been rattling around in my head for a while, but I figure after such a great lapse I should do some sort of an update, "look how much has been going on, aren't I excused for my inactivity?" sort of post.

So this summer I have decided to go for a new record, how many things can I change about my life in one season.

Yesterday I realized that these are the only major changes I have NOT made this summer:

1) I am not moving out of the state/country

2) I am not having a baby

3) I am not starting school

Things I HAVE changed, or that have changed, this summer -- with explanations to follow.

1) After two years together and almost a year living together, Rachel and I broke up.

2) I cut all of the hair off of one side of my head, and half of it off of the other.

3) I started seeing a counselor.

4) I am hoping to receive an offer for a new job in the coming days.

5) I am moving across the river to Somerville with a very good friend.

6) I will become a step mother for a very cute puppy who lives in my new apartment.

I know 6 things doesn't sound like that much, but to me it seems like a lot. And aside from my hair and the counseling, all of these things are manifesting themselves in really huge ways in the next 2 weeks.

1) I don't really feel like sharing too much about this on a public forum. It was really hard, and heartbreaking, but the right thing for both of us. We broke up in early June and have been living together since. This was my first real long term relationship (I had made it a year before but she had been cheating on me the whole time and we kept "breaking up" but not being able to make it stick). Rachel is the first girlfriend? partner? I ever lived with. So consequently it's my first major break-up and period of adjustment.

It seems like there are a few ways the immediate post-breakup period can go. One of the two can immediately move out and rely on their friends while they figure out what to do. The couple can live together in a strained and steely silence that occasionally explodes into anger or violence. Or they can continue living together in a fashion very similar to before but somehow different, not friends yet, but also no longer a couple.

Rachel and I fell into the last category. We still love each other, I don't think a lack of love is what drove our breakup. So we've continued with most of the same love and affection we've always had but with changes, sometimes strained. Thankfully we live in a 2.5 bedroom house so Rachel was able to move into her office where, conveniently, a futon was already located. I don't think I can process this anymore. We're only living together for one more week, well two, but I'll be in Mexico for one of them. It's going to be very hard to leave, it's going to feel like we're breaking up all over again. But this limbo period can't keep going, the strain would eventually become too much. I'm hopeful for our future friendship.

Apparently I did have a bit to say about that.

2) I always do this, I'm such a ritualistic person. Breakup ----> cut hair. This being my biggest relationship I went for a drastic cut. For years I had been obsessing about Sara's cut from Cycle 6 of ANTM. She hated the cut, but I thought it was awesome. You can kind of see it in this picture:

It's super short on the sides but long on the top. I had been thinking that maybe this was my time to go for it, but I forgot the photo so I figured, maybe next time. But when I was waiting in the salon I found a very similar cut in one of the books and figured I would go for it. My stylist (who I love and trust) decided to use it as a jumping off point but go asymmetrical with it instead. I was really nervous about how different it was at first, but I've had it for a couple months now and I have totally adjusted and love it!

3) I realized that with my awesome health insurance, counseling was only a $10 co-payment away. I love it, I'm going to run the risk of sounding too much like a Dar song if I keep going, so I guess I should just quote it instead: "And when I talk about therapy, I know what people think, that it only makes you selfish and in love with your shrink. But oh how I loved everybody else when I finally got to talk so much about myself." I started going to discuss my relationship with Rachel, and that has continued to be a topic, but there's a lot more to talk about too. I have a ridiculous urge to put a smiley face here.

4) I don't like to be too public about people or jobs I'm interested in. The less people that know, the less you have to feel the pain when you're asked how it's going and you have to let them know {insert name here} wasn't as interested in you as you thought. But I am constantly shooting myself in the foot on this point -- every time it happens I vow that next time I'm going to keep my mouth shut. But then I get so hopeful, and so excited, and I can't contain it. So, running the risk that this may blow up in my face (when the 5 people who read this blog and don't already know ask me):

I have gone on two interviews for a position as a Developmental Specialist -- home visiting children 1 to 3. I think it would be a perfect job for me and I am really excited at the prospect. They seem to be genuinely interested in hiring me and are only waiting to hear back from the Department of Public Health to see if I qualify as an "education person". The government red tape pisses me off sometimes. It doesn't matter to them that I have been working in education for over 5 years, all they care about is if I took enough education courses in college -- as if that is where my real qualifications are coming from! Anyway, I'm really hopeful that I'll hear back soon (but in the meantime don't ask me about it).

5) I had been hoping to find a place to move into for mid-July, then August 1st, then August 15th. But I was really lazy about it. Despite the fact that I had to get up at 6 in the morning in order to make the hour and change commute to Somerville, I just kept dragging my feet. I couldn't figure out why I could not get myself to really look for a place. Now I know, it was the fates (or, yes mom, my guardian angle) working to make things fit correctly into place.

Two weeks ago, I found out from the one place I had actually seen that they went with someone else. Then I went to see another place. I walked around, noting the low basement ceiling, the pipes, the small windows opening to courtyards, the bedroom converted into a living room. I felt like I was in a college dorm, a quirky and kind of cool college dorm, but still. I started negotiating with myself -- Melanie, you've waited too long, I don't know if you can afford to be picky, you NEED to move by September 1st and we're getting close... I left, and on my way home I noticed I had missed a call from a good friend.

She let me know, 1) that she had been diagnosed with MS, 2) that her wedding (a little more than a month away) was off and 3) if I would like to move in with her. It is possible that she is experiencing more changes than me right now, just maybe! It all came together, this is the right place for me to be, and the right time. Yes Mom, it had to have been God, or fate, or interconnections -- some sort of energy flow between everything. And then, to top it all off, earlier this week Rachel confirmed that she found a new roommate to move in September 1st -- perfect.

6) This just occurred to me yesterday when I was talking to a friend about all these changes, I said, well, I'm not having a baby, or getting a dog, but then I realized. Yes, my friend is the proud momma of a Boston Terrier. I'm looking forward to having a puppy in my life, especially now that he is not a puppy anymore and has calmed down a lot.

Ok! That was a lot. Am I forgiven? I think we need to make a pact. Each of us need to pledge to do at least one short post per month -- then we'll have at least four posts in a month. I know I led us into our current demise but I am going to try really hard. Are you with me??

Where are my friends???

2009-08-21T15:11:00.000-07:00

I miss my friends.

Where The F!@& Have I Been?

2009-05-20T12:55:00.000-07:00

Hi Hi my sweet friends! Sorry to be MIA for so long. Sometimes I let my work life consume me. BUT I am back (still working)!!! I should update you on life.

Work has been SO hectic these past two months. Our company is in the process of changing designs and time is of the essence since we are going into battle with another company. I have undertaken another project that involves a new packaging design and since we are a medical device company, sterility is a HUGH issue; I have 3 awesome engineers on it. I have 4 reviews to write in the next month or my bonus weens away for the days I am late. Regular production issues are on the rise and I spend 50% of my day in meetings. So that's it in a nutshell--workwise.

I completed my La Jolla Half Marathon with a personal best time of 2hr and 03min on one of the most grueling hills (400ft/mile climb). I am signing up to be in the lottery for the NYC Marathon (anybody interested to run or cheer?). I can do some awesome yoga poses now.

I am going on a cruise this weekend to Mexico (but not to Mexico, since H1N1 is a concern). We are going to Ensenada, but looping back and porting in Catalina. Since more than half the group are engineers, we devised a plan to sneek hard liquor on the boat (apparently, wine is the only alcohol you can bring).

I need to plan a trip to SF to see Ninja and AMDG, can you advice me of a weekend that I can buy a plane ticket for...puhleeease?

I need to write a story of how I met AMDG.

I need to do a lot of stuff.

MMMK--late!

Actually, It Was "Just Dance."

2009-05-14T02:52:00.000-07:00

Do you have a public library near you?

Do you suggest any other place where I could study that is within a 3 mile radius of your abode, but preferably not 3 miles westward because the review courses are 3 miles northeastward?

Do you really really want to go to the beach on Sundays because I really want to, also?

Will you be there to welcome me when I arrive in The Bay Area and your place of residence on Sunday, May something, sometime in the eventide, but not this Sunday but next Sunday?

Would you say that your hot water gets shut off in the mornings between 7 and 9: not to your knowledge, never, rarely, occasionally, often, or frequently; at the beginning of your Day 3 of No Sleep-No Shower Challenge?

Do you concur in my suspicion that there are spiders in this office biting me, or do you suspect me of hallucinating?

Aaaaand this one is for YOU ¡!

If you need a break....

2009-05-12T07:57:00.001-07:00

Lady Gaga performed Poker Face on Ellen yesterday and it was fantastic. You Tube it -- it's definitely worth watching.

Oral Examinations

2009-04-27T08:12:00.000-07:00

Today marks the start of two weeks of midterms exams in the school of pharmacy. Compared to previous quarters of school, we actually have a 'light' schedule consisting of only 5 exams. However, this quarter also marks the beginning of the Therapeutics courses, in which we actually learn pharmacy. A lot of what we have learned up until this point has been the basic sciences behind pharmacy: pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, physiology, etc etc. In therapeutics, we start recommeding drugs, make dosing changes based on kidney and liver function, identify drug-drug interactions and adverse reactions that are from drug therapy. It's pretty cool. It's also really really hard, but it's the reason you come to pharmacy school.

Anyway, therapeutics exams consist of a written portion and an oral portion. For the oral part of the exam, we show up and are given a case, we have 30 minutes to try and figure out what's going on, and then we have 15 minutes to present it to a faculty member along with proper patient counseling, which may or may not be related to the case (example, inhaler use, how to self-inject insulin, etc). Needless to say, this has gotten my classmates in a tizzy. People are literally freaking out over the oral exam and therapeutics in general. I admit, it's a lot of information and there's a little fear of the unknown (like oh god, please let them ask me something I know or don't let me forget all of the drug dosages I just crammed). But I think this happens before all exams. It could go badly, or it could get well, depending on what they ask, right? Riiiight.

Now, my class isn't unique in freaking out. All second year pharmacy students at my school tend to freak out a little this time of year. However, in previous years a girl did pass out during the oral exam and had to be taken to the hospital (she hyperventilated), and it generally consumes everyone. It's impossible to have a normal conversation with people right now. You say "hey, what's up?" which I think is a totally benign converation starter. Invariably, I get the response "OMG therapeutics is killing me!" "I am so stressed out/far behind" " I am really nervous for the oral exam" blah blah blah. It's actually driving me crazy. Not the class or preparation for the oral exam, but my classmates, my colleagues, my peers, are literally driving me UP THE WALL!!!

How does a Ninja deal with the stress you might add? Well I have been downloading a lot of music lately, I have been most diligent about keeping up with my celebrity gossip, last night I watched two movies, and I am writing a blog post 1.5 hours before my first midterm (NOT therapeutics). For me, exams are like a game. You prepare, you train, and then your professor throws you either a wicked curveball or a big fat change-up. You either totally whiff it or you hit it out of the park. It's not a reflection of who you are, but it's usually a reflection of your training. And sometimes you just have an off day. So I don't typically let exams freak me out. I mean come on, what do you think you do as a pharmacist all day? You make drug recommendations, verbally, to a medical team. So really, the oral exam is perfect preparation for our future careers. We should be THANKING them for this opportunity, not freaking out!

I could on about this all day, but I will stop here. It's time to stretch and warm up for Pharmaceutical Chemistry!

The Good Word

2009-04-17T08:48:00.000-07:00

Tell me what it is with you! No posts? No news? No thoughts?

This past weekend was GLO-RI-OUS. And I made lamb. That's a good story. I'll trade one o' my stories for three others.

Linds - Do you still want me in your home in The Bay Area on May the 17th? I might take a week to chill out, though, so I might be there by the following Sunday Sunday Sunday. It's snowing again in Denver. Want to head out here for a weekend getaway? What are you doing this weekend instead?

Leilani - Question, Why do you never give me a chance to respond to your gmail chats? I'm usually in class, or late to work, or half asleep when I'm gmail, so you have to give me a second. What are you doing instead of giving me a second?

Melanie - I still haven't read that article I sent you a week ago. I'm back in bed so maybe you can call me and summarize it to me and I can fall asleep and dream of a similarities and differences. What are you doing now instead of sleeping?

Please answer your respective questions, and feel free to answer other unspecified matters, and please elaborate. I suggest to use where-what-when-why-how as a guide.

Boston, Massachusetts!

2009-04-08T14:38:00.000-07:00

Before there was Lindsay in Denver there was Priscilla in Boston.

Lindsay enjoyed a blizzard in the mountains; I enjoyed sunny skies and three pleasant days.

Fresh off the plane my darling Melanie picks me up and masterfully negotiates through the patchy Boston traffic all the way home. Let me tell you how exciting it was to be in a three-story house: very. Can’t tell you why. I only got as far as the second floor, but it was great. AND! on my very own bed in my very own guest bedroom was what? Was “Eres muy especial,” the pillow with arms. What a promising start. Then I left my wallet on the driveway. Then I met Becka, FINALLY! The woman has a flight to catch to the other end of the country the next morning and is not-so-sidelined with a bad cold, but she still rallies and looks like one million dollars and hangs out. What a lady. Then we picked up my wallet, then we picked up Rachel! Yay, Rachel!
[I don’t tell a good story, I don’t and I know and there’s nothing that any of us can do about it.]
Can’t remember the name of the restaurant we went to [terrible] but they had beets and I had Sam Adams like any good tourist on her first night out in Boston Mass. Ah, then across the street to Queereoke.
Alright, I live in the Rocky Mountains. That’s high-altitude. I can run forever, walk for longer than that, dance my pantalones off, yet I get to Boston and I.am.winded. And everybody in there was, more or less, rocking the house. Nicki, I’m talking about you. And in Laguna at Main Street bar (or is it just called “Bounce” now?) and after several cocktails, I can hold my own. Um, not so in Boston. Maybe it was stage fright. It’s likely. I’m so bashful. But Melanie and her rad voice and pretty face saved me and the rest of the queereoke-ers from myself. And then Melanie put the o! in queereoke by performing a moving rendition of “Baby Got Back.” Rachel was beaming. I was awed. Everyone celebrated. It was wonderful.
Onward, Friday! Melanie gives me a map to get to Harvard Square while she was at work. I walked there just fine. I checked my e-mail at the law school. I walked back. The walk there took me about 20 minutes, maybe; the walk back took about 3 hours. I suppose that I took for granted the linear streets of Denver and D.C. In any case, it was a nice way to see things. I met a lot of people. Did you know that they have crossing guards for adults? Frankie was the nicest. He understood that I don’t like when people say “Priscilla? Like Priscilla Presley?” if I tell them my name. Thanks, Frank!
Then, warm tea, very necessary. Then, awesome dinner at a piano bar. As we’re waiting for a table, some guy just standing there exchanges a few pleasantries with us, then asks if we’re from here. I’m about ready to pour out our common life story, Melanie’s and mine, when Melanie just says, “No, California,” and I don’t know if it was the tone, which was still nice, or the mere absence of possible continuity, but the guy backed off immediately! I think we even got an “Enjoy your night.” Lesson learned. Awed, two-for-two.
Listen, then we go to this other bar. I meet Anastasia and her fiancée. The conversation naturally turns to tequila. Next thing I know, I’m doing Cristal body shots with very friendly strangers, Melanie’s grabbing onto one flaxen-haired suh-lut after another, and three of the Spice Girls, I kid you not, walk in and start dancing with Anastasia on the bar! It was a very memorable evening, and I use “memorable” about as loosely as…well…
the next morning I wake up with a rash on my stomach. And that’s the story. I despise lies. So the yarn before about citrus oils and prolonged exposure to the early afternoon sun is nothing more than a fairytale. And now I am free.
Sometime on Saturday, I’m going to say afternoon, Melanie and I find ourselves walking around a big tree park. I enjoyed it very much. I like huge trees because you can really access the wind that way, the noise and the feeling. Nice walk. Very good lunch at this place next to the Samuel Adams brewery! Big thanks to Melanie for causing us to snag a primo spot at the bar for the tasting part of the tour. She was telling me under her breath where I need to stand, stay at the back, ok, just stay right here in the back…and then we turned right around and were the first in line for the bar. Most people sat at big tables of about 10 people. We sat at the bar with 4 people. One pitcher per each such group. Subsequently feeling fine, Melanie and I take a nice walk around the town and get on the mofo green line. I make it about 5 stops out of 9 before I advise Melanie of the immediacy of the need to get the f out of there. Sweet, kind Melanie hangs out in some bar, drinking by herself, with a bunch of annoying chumps doing some kind of an annoying themed bar crawl while I get sick for a little while. We missed the museum, which both of us really wanted to see, and actually which my mom was also very sad that we didn’t manage to get to. But we walked some more, saw the big dig area, looks good, Boston! and made it to the North End where we enjoyed a slice of Europe, even to the point of, as Melanie pointed out, charging us for water.
OK, now we get to Two Women and This Dude. Melanie, you can tell this story if you want. For all you fans, it involves a tiger, a zebra, and Jiminy Cricket. And zoology.
After Melanie and I cycled around Boston the whole day, Rachel saved us from more possible physical ravages of unkindly metro trains and comes out to pick us up and we three watch “Flight of the Conchords.” It was a rerun for me because Melanie played it out for me earlier in the day while we were walking around. As always, I liked Melanie’s version best.
And so Sunday arrived, and we went to mass at this little convent, and there were all these kids, so many kinds, so much motion, and as the mass went on it seemed as if all the kids belonged to all of the adults. And we never saw the nuns, but we knew they were there. Then breaking bread over a super good breakfast with super good company, Rachel and Melanie and Anastasia and her fiancée. Afterwards I got to see some of Melanie’s and Rachel’s neighborhood which has some really cute and likely really addictive shops. Melanie got something from a cheese shop, Rachel got a doorknob, I got a sandwich and carrots.
Sad, then the airport. I’ve blocked it out. When I came to, I was still at the airport because my flight was delayed, delayed, canceled! But my quick-thinking mother had already called me with the info for alternate flights and alternate connections—and let me tell you, if you’re trying to get on another flight and another connection, you must know the flight number, the time it leaves, and the time it lands; otherwise, the United people will feign ignorance. Next to lies I despise that, disingenuousness.
Spring breeeeeeak!
And Melanie and I still have “Poker Face,” and I will check out the Watercourse restaurant per Rachels’ recommendation, and now I’m waiting waiting waiting for Mel and Rachem to come on out to the Rockies, for Leilani and I to have another Great American Pia and Leilani Festival, and for Lindsay to stop pretending that she hates the snow.
Fin.

Denver!

2009-04-07T15:52:00.000-07:00

Hi friends.

My spring break was last week and I visited AMDG in Denver, Colorado. When I told people I was going to Denver, invariably I was asked a) was it going to snow or b) would I be snowboarding or skiing. My answers to above were "I hope not" and "hell no."

I think this attitude must have cursed me because it dumped a foot of snow on my first full day in Denver. I have never seen snow like that in my life. I mean, it really did snow allllll day. And let me be very clear about something: I hate snow. It's cold and wet--what is so cool about that? Maybe I shouldn't have gone to Denver, but I wanted to visit AMDG and when else was I going to get a chance to visit the Rockies considering my aversion for all things wintery?

The upside to the snow was that AMDG's law school classes were canceled that day so we had all day to try and avoid the snow. I really wanted to go to the Denver Museum of Contemporary Art for a Damien Hirst exhibit, so we set out after breakfast despite the blizzard. We decided to take public transportation, which would have worked out nicely if we didn't have to transfer from light rail to bus. By the time we got off the bus and were only like 2-3 blocks from the Museum, we were so cold that I made AMDG take me home. I think the conversation went like this:

Ninja: I'm cold, can we go home?
AMDG: We're only like 3 blocks from the Museum.
Ninja: I know, but I can't feel my feet. Can we just go?
AMDG: No, we're almost there.
Ninja: TAKE ME HOME RIGHT NOW OR I'M GOING TO DIE!!!
AMDG: Ok, let's go.

When we got back to AMDG's apartment we were greeted by the nice little suprise of snow inside the house. I guess that's what happens when there's a blizzard outside and you leave your windows open. Haha. I have pictures, it was amazing. Although not quite as amazing as AMDG cleaning it up and clearing off the balcony the next day while I watched. Heeheee.

Friday arrived with no more snow (horray!) and I managed to make it to Starbucks on foot. As AMDG found, I am incredibly unpleasant when uncaffeinated and so I will go to great lengths to obtain caffeine. And food, especially Jalapeno Cheetos, which are AMAZING and you must try. I introduced them to AMDG and some of her friends, and they are quite the delicious snack. Not too cheesy, not too spicy. Perfect.

Friday was also the Sangria Showdown. I will only say that AMDG was robbed. Sangria should not be so sweet that your mouth puckers. But the party was fun regardless, and now I know how to make quiche and a super-yummy secret desert that I can't share with you over the internet because it's a secret. All I will say is that Nutella + Marshmellows = sunshine and rainbows for your mouth.

We had big plans for Saturday, but considering we spent most of the morning watching Celine Dion in concert, we got kind of a late start. We did make it to the Coors brewery however, after eating some tasty burgers at Elway's, the restaurant owned by John Elway. AMDG tried to convince me to ask our waiter who John Elway was, but the waiter was French and I chickened out. I should have done it, but I'm lame. Sorry AMDG, next time.

Sunday was my last day in Denver and it was BEAUTIFUL. We went to Boulder, cruised around listening to the Beach Boys with the windows down (my favorite thing to do), and walked around a park. We ate icecream in the sunshine and it was awesome. Probably the best time all weekend.

Now I am back in rainy SF, getting my butt kicked in school and it's only the second week. I hope everyone is doing well. Thanks for a great vacation, AMDG, and I can't wait for you to come stay with me this spring!

Love Ninja

Whan that Aprile

2009-04-06T16:08:00.000-07:00

Yes yes and yes. It's one of those afternoons when you're falling asleep inside the CLASSROOM AT 26 YEARS OF AGE and all is right with the world. It would be peaceful if there wasn't so much of a mess to complete in a very short amount of time. Leilani, have we ever met? I wonder if we did. I cannot remember. If only I had a blog-posted story to which to refer when I warmly reminisce about our earliest times together. School's out fortoday. Ciao.

Day 31

2009-04-04T06:55:00.000-07:00

1. Posted my questions for Ninja (see below)2. Posted criagslist and facebook ads for softball players, I'm the team rep.

3. Emailed update to Coach and other Rep.

4. Rescheduled appointment with Dermatologist.

5. Emailed people interested in babysitting service.

6. Cleaned for the arrival of Kathy and Patricia.

7. Got on my hands and knees and scrubbed the kitchen floor, a la Cinderella.

8. Took example Food and Fun binder to office and explained how it should be changed.

9. Forgot to return Watchmen....

10. Didn't have a task....

Questions for My Pharmacist

2009-04-03T06:09:00.000-07:00

Okay ninja, I've decided you're my personal pharmacist since I know nothing about drugs and you know everything.

Question 1: I started on a new allergy medication. I used to take AllerClear -- 10 mg of Loratadine, of course I used to take two -- don't know why, so 20 mg. I told my doctor it wasn't working well and said I thought I needed a new prescription. She said it was very difficult to approve allergy medication prescriptions these days and that instead I should try Zyrtec first.

So I started on Zyrtec-D a couple of days ago -- 5 mg of Cetirizine and 120 mg of Pseudoephedrine HCI. I haven't noticed a change in my symptoms (starting to think maybe I need a prescription nose spray again) but I have noticed something else. The last two days I took the pill around 8 pm, it's a 12 hour extended release tablet, and both times I've woken up in the middle of the night. The first night I woke up and had trouble falling asleep, then last night I fell right back asleep but I woke up around 5 times. Then in the mornings I've felt both gittery and foggy. Do you think it's related? I'm going to start taking the pill in the morning instead, see if that helps.

Question 2: I have a dental appointment on Monday. Ever since my ASD repair in '99 I've had to take antibiotics before the appointment -- something about being susceptible to infections. For the first few years I took it seriously, but then it just became a pain. After my three year appointment my cardiologist told me the device was healed over and that my heart size had reduced to the smallest it would ever get -- the upper reaches of "normal". It's been almost 10 years since the procedure, I'm normal now, right? At least I don't need the antibiotic anymore, right? They dental office called me yesterday inquiring, I told them it had been 9 years and I only needed the antibiotics during the first 5, but I might have made that up. What do you think?

Two Days

2009-04-02T18:45:00.000-07:00

I'm tired, I may not remember all....

Wednesday:

1. Finally called car insurance company to find out if I really owe them money, yes, I do, now what to do about it...

2. Another load of laundry.

3. E-contested my parking ticket.

4. Wrote to my supervisors about my interest in greater responsibility -- in other words, I need a promotion.

5. Posted babysitting ad on Craigslist, now to just respond to the interested parties.

6. Posted old TV on Freecycle.

7. RSVP'd for Harvard Prevention Research Center community partners meeting.

8. Bought new allergy meds.

Today:

1. Last load of laundry -- phew!

2. Bought gardening bags -- it's that time of year again, Rachel's very excited.

3. Updated Curriculum Blog: A Focus on Reading.

4. Cut, pulled and hacked at dead plants.

5. Filled out Food and Fun proposal (after 5+ months of running club).

6. Wrote to friends about joining Rachel and me at the MOS, our library ticket is valid for up to four people.

New tasks??? I won't officially be done with the previous task until the 14th when my museum ticket is valid.

Mappy to the Rescue

2009-04-01T07:50:00.001-07:00

I really do think Mappy is helping my productivity.

1. Load of laundry, put away clean clothes.

2. Called Fenway Health back.

3. Put away dishes.

4. Dumped out and rinsed compost bucket.

5. Made appointment with Fenway Health.

6. Worked-out with Rachel!!!

7. Sent bio and picture for Anastasia and Kelly's wedding website.

8. Returned and checked out Library books.

9. Next step on task: Went to Library to obtain Science Museum ticket.

The last task was more difficult than expected because the woman was rude to me. She took out the MoS calendar and started spitting out dates the tickets were available and then acted put-out when I asked her if I could see the calendar myself because I was having a hard time keeping track of all the dates she was giving me. I don't understand. Do people treat her badly? Is that why she took it out on me? But I was being pleasant, why spit in the face of the nice people? Are you trying to get them to be rude to you too? Maybe she thought I wasn't deserving of the free tickets? Meh.

Day 27

2009-03-31T07:22:00.000-07:00

I started using Mappy as a reward when I complete tasks. I get to play one game every time I accomplish something. This has made me more productive, I think, you be the judge:

1. Left a message with Fenway Health.

2. Called Faulkner for allergist, then called another line to register, then called back to make an appointment with the allergist.

3. Load of laundry.

4. Put away clean clothes.

5. E-mailed Bekka and Rosanna about Food and Fun.

6. I'm stretching Lindsay's recent task into multiple tasks. Yesterday I did online research to find out how to obtain a Museum of Science pass from the Library for FREE. A phenomenon that my mentee recently alerted me to. If you live in the Boston area, you should definitely check out that link, I don't know why I never tried it before.

The Weekend

2009-03-30T06:59:00.000-07:00

Friday:

1. Cleaned for our new weekend guests.

2. Did two loads of laundry, with the help of Jessica -- one of our guests.

3. Bought eggs.

Saturday:

1. Nursed a hangover.

2. Took a walk.

3. Girlyman show -- wonderful!

Sunday:

1. Looked up Fenway Health number

2. mmmmmm aren't lazy Sunday's wonderful?

23

2009-03-27T07:28:00.000-07:00

1. Two more mosaics.

2. A little prep for today.

3. Talked with co-worker about "promotion" -- looking good.

4. Wrote to Crystal about wedding rehearsal

5. Talked with Nomi about High Scope book and possible resources for school-aged out of school time.

Hmm...I thought I accomplished more than that yesterday. I don't count things I accomplished during work hours, because I'm being paid to do that.... maybe that's why I feel like I did more.

Any new tasks?

Day 22, I Think

2009-03-26T06:36:00.000-07:00

1. Returned books to library.

2. Bought bread.

3. Picked up prizes for homework store.

4. Cemented one mosaic - made by my kids.

5. Made tea list. Listed all loose-leaf and bagged teas we have available.

6. Experimented with Mom's Mac 'n' Cheese some more -- too thick this time.

7. Cleaned, took out trash and recycling, put away dishes, etc.

8. Watched Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire -- excellent suggestion!

For today???

Rashes, rashes

2009-03-24T19:32:00.000-07:00

The oils from citrus fruits can enhance the effect of the sun on your skin; that is, result in a major sun burn that will take “a couple of months to go away;” i.e. “here’s some Hydrocortisone cream.”

This means that you may wake up one morning, days after basking yourself in the southern Californie sun, with an unchanging, non-irritating rash on your stomach. This is because, while you were locked out of your parents’ house one warm afternoon, you decided to take off most of your clothes and take in as much of the glorious, glorious light and warmth mmm of the sun as you were able. Well, hey, why not enjoy a delicious lemon while you wait, since there’s a tree right next to you. And no, don’t get up while you peel it, give in to the effects of the refreshing beer(s) with which you’ve been whiling the time and stay down, peeling said lemon(s) riiiiight over your belly. And a few days after you discover this rash, classic of classics, you’ll go to your university’s student health center to see about this strange rash that you got over spring break…

The point is that now I’m watching “The Enforcer,” a riveting cinematic account of a district attorney contending against sudden drastic odds in order to deliver justice to a rampaging, homicidal crime boss, and The Boston Story will, will! thereafter ensue. Anecdotes will include the amazing tiger-zebra chronicle, a magical man named Samuel Adams, the f-ing green line, and and and too many more to name, including reveling in the bodacious Melanie & Rachel abode and fiiiiiiinally meeting such well-loved names as Becka and Anastasia, soooo: to be continued because here's lookin' at Smiley right now (must get the most out of my Netflix money).

Over halfway there...

2009-03-24T19:03:00.000-07:00

1. Worked out with Rachel, it was like pulling teeth but she got me to do it!

2. Balanced finances. (note, make sure not to spend much during this 2 week period)

3. Wrote Shabori back about summer job.

4. Resisted buying "snack" while shopping for Food and Fun at Market Basket -- working on saying goodbye to my winter belly.

5. Applied second coat of paint to toes.

6. Just checked and none of the Harry Potters are on Netflix instant view. I may have to rent it unless I can find another on-line site to watch it on. And no worries, I always enjoy a good Harry Potter viewing.

AMDG and More

2009-03-24T08:44:00.000-07:00

Thursday:

1. Finished cleaning for AMDG's arrival.

2. Finished organizing old papers.

3. Picked AMDG up at airport.

4. Took my guest to Doyle's and The Midway - Queeraoke.

Friday:

1. Printed map for P (AMDG) and sent her off in the direction of Harvard Square.

2. Returned to Harvard Square with P, went to Dado for tea and mochi.

3. Went to Jacob Wirth for dinner, could hear the piano bar but the seating area was full :(

4. Went to the Tam to meet up with friends, had a shot....woooo

Saturday:

1. Went on walk through Arboretum and Metro-West Corridor to Sam Adam's Brewery.

2. Enjoyed lunch at Ula.

3. Went on Sam Adam's Brewery tour and enjoyed beer. Bought P a souvenir.

4. Went of tour of North End, enjoyed a gelato and cheese cake.

Sunday:

1. Mini-tour of Rosi Village: Solera, Boston Cheese Cellar, and Fornax (pictured).

2. Said goodbye to AMDG :(, took her to airport.

3. Went to Deep Banana Blackout show - amazing! - great workout!

Monday:

1. Went grocery shopping.

2. Contemplated applying for job and decided I'm under-qualified.

3. Had consultation appointment with tattoo artist. Made appointment to get my tattoo touched up before wedding.

4. Applied first coat of hot, hot, hot pink nail polish while listening to Beach Boys - perfect activity for a frigid spring day.

Poppin'

2009-03-19T05:21:00.000-07:00

1. Continued to clean for AMDG's arrival. TODAY!

2. Went for ingredients and baked traditional soda bread in prep for class activity.

3. Made Bibimbop for dinner -- took me forever.

4. Rachel found, and I enjoyed, Pop Rocks (picture coming). She found a three pack, tropical, strawberry, and watermelon, I choose watermelon -- it was awesome, a little party in my mouth.

On the docket for today: Pink toenails and The Beach Boys.

Day 15

2009-03-17T19:31:00.000-07:00

1. Took Shabori, my mentee, out for lunch. We discussed school, ambitions, family, savings, etc. I introduced her to Middle Eastern food at the aptly named Middle East. I made her try grape leaves, Arabic/Turkish coffee, and Baklawa.

2. Made appointment for tattoo touch up consultation.

3. Went with Rachel to REI to get life jacket, thanks sweety!

4. Wrote e-mails about Thursday and Friday events while AMDG is here.

5. Failed in attempt to obtain Pop Rocks. I did find a recipe for homemade pop rocks, but it will probably be easier to find them at CVS or somewhere.

A Very Long Weekend

2009-03-17T06:03:00.001-07:00

I've been thinking about it, and it's clear that most of my friend's parents were getting frisky when the weather warmed up -- "It's warm, I'm moving around and not just sitting on my butt freezing... let's have sex." Because of this I have entirely too many birthday events to attend from February to March:

1. Allison -- (2 events) January 30th and 31st (this is close enough to count)

3. Janet -- February 21st

4. Rachel -- (3 events) February 22nd - 24th

7. Claudia -- February 27th

8. Meg -- February 28th

9. Maria -- (2 events) March 7th and March 13th

11. Mara -- March 13th

12. Kelly -- March 14th

13. Two more birthday's coming up this month, unsure of events.

It's a lot, it may make it seem that I have tons of friends, but the truth is that over half of them are contained on that list, nuts. Anyway, did you notice that three of the events were over the weekend, two in one night, and the St. Patty's Day Parade on Sunday (with a new friend living in Southie I couldn't pass that up), so yes, it was a busy weekend.

Here's what I accomplished despite, and because of, my busy weekend:

Friday

1. Worked out!

2. Made gift for Mara (was a big hit)

3. Picked up Watchmen from library

4. Meditated on train, was more successful than I expected and it lasted my full trip, helped me to relax about how late I was

Saturday

1. Gained a new role, Best Man Lite. Went with my friend Anastasia and her fiance Kelly to look at colors for their wedding. I will post a picture if I can, it's gonna be pretty awesome.

Sunday

1. Made St. Patty's Day shirt

2. Drank and played beer pong and acted crazy all day -- it was the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Southie, that's what I was supposed to do.

Monday

1. Cleaned, almost done, just have to tackle the guest room for AMDG's arrival!

2. Dropped Rachel's friend off on way to work

3. Took Rachel out to Fugakyu, our favorite restaurant, to make up for keeping her from eating yesterday due to my intoxicated desire to play another round of beer pong.

4. Picked up framed Red Sox Champion picture for "homework store".

I have fallen behind on tasks. Will find and enjoy Pop Rocks today.

Quick Before Bed

2009-03-12T20:39:00.000-07:00

1. Cleaned room (some).

2. Avoided working out -- oh oops, that's the opposite of my goal.

3. Danced in room while cleaning -- although I do feel this was cheating a little since I always do that.

4. Bought markers for school and home (mmmm.... I don't know if this counts but they were on discount and it just felt so good).

5. Bought new memory card for my camera so I can stop using Rachel's -- this certainly counts.

6. E-mailed Shabori, my mentee, about having lunch while she's home for spring break -- yay!

7. Watched 30 Rock* and The Office -- that should count.

8. E-mailed about P coming.

This episode kind of freaked me out a little because it started with Lemon talking about how The Container Store was going to change her life through organization, a tune I was singing earlier this week after leaving said store....

Day 9

2009-03-12T06:55:00.000-07:00

1. Picked up more books from the library.

2. Made Chloe's Mac and Cheese recipe - notes, too creamy, don't use expensive sharp aged cheddar next time (it's all we had).

3. Finished Life of Pi - this was responsible for me not accomplishing too much yesterday. I got to that, "I'm so close to the end I can almost taste it" point and I couldn't stop. Of course, I'm a slow reader so it takes me a while to finish books once I get to that point.

4. Due to #3 I was unable to perform a task yesterday, but I just read about the school massacrer in Germany in El Pais. Tonight I will have a dance party. Tomorrow meditate. Next rainy day - pink nail and Beach Boys.

GOOD VIBES GOOD VIBES GOOD VIBES GOOD VIBES GOOD VIBES GOOD VIBES GOOD VIBES

HAY

2009-03-11T21:47:00.000-07:00

Leilani! I'll be en el condado de naranja from Friday night and am hoping to see a special someone (you you you) until the following Thursday morning at which point
Melanie! and Rachem! I'll be in tu barrio from 7:08 post meridiem and am so excited (Jessie Spano) and I cannot wait! todotheFreedomTrailagainbutthistimewithyouguys and then I will leave on the 22nd in anticipation of
Lindsay! I will be at the airport at the time indicated by YOU to ME in your correo electronico of Sunday, February 8, a date 33 days before your phone interview tomorrow with big-time big-name pharmacological-relacionado entity in One Thousand Oaks, California.
There is much to do: International Tax at 6 pm tomorrow. It's ironic. I have the brew and I'll have the chronic and I don't give a shhhiiiiii about basketball. I do like the noises, though, so that's totally incorrect: I could watch basketball for hours notwithstanding my disdain for its business aspect at both the professional and collegiate level. Ms. Priscilla, tear down that wall and study into this good night. Good night!
Melanie! Tonight's Lenten undertaking is a dance party, your choice of music.

Quick Before I Run for the Bus

2009-03-11T07:09:00.000-07:00

Yesterday:

1. Finished organizing part 1.

2. Balanced finances made payments to credit cards, sallie mae, and savings, rent + utilities and car insurance.

3. Shopped at Market Basket for school.

4. Took birthday present to Maria (I forgot it on Saturday - of course)

5. Came up with better idea for school for next week.

6. Didn't have pink nail polish on hand so sent Linds good vibes whenever I thought about it.

Gotta run...

Day 7

2009-03-09T19:23:00.000-07:00

1. More organizing. There's a lot to go through, I'm aiming to be done tomorrow.

2. Picked up books from library for kids

3. Drank spicy hot cocoa expertly made by my girlfriend, whilst wrapped in a blanket and reading my book. Another great suggestion.

Whatcha got? Bring it on!

God's Day

2009-03-09T06:22:00.000-07:00

Sunday is God's day right? And on the seventh day God* rested.

1. Went to The Container Store to buy helpful organizational tools. I'm very into buying things used and using Freecycle. But sometimes going to The Container Store and buying something new just helps me get going. I have to admit it. I love that store.

2. Used new file folder to organize all important documents from 2005-2008. Now my poor old little file folder only has 2009 documents in it and is no longer overwhelmed.

3. Used new flat and long under bed storage box to begin going through big box of mementos. If you know me, you know I'm a HUGE pack rat.

4. This is where the rest comes in, either DB Echo's reminder to set my clock forward, which I did, was my task for the day, or I had no task. But since God rested I figure it's okay that I did too.

*I hate when people use sexed pronouns to refer to God, if there is a God, or Gods, they are clearly unsexed beings, to think that such a supernatural power would have a sex is just absurd.

The Day isn't Over Yet...

2009-03-07T15:27:00.001-08:00

... but I'm on my way to a birthday slumber party (yes, exactly like the ones of our childhood), so this is my last chance to update today.

1. Cleaned, the whole downstairs of the house is now clean.

2. Got a birthday present for Maria - acknowledging birthdays in a meaningful way is definitely one of my goals.

3. As per Lei's suggestion (you got it in just at the last moment) I did 5 Sun Salutation A and 5 Sun Salutation B. I'm not exactly a yoga super star, and as was previously noted I am out of shape, so it was a little challenging, but definitely fits into my goals -- great suggestion.

Here is a photo of me attempting this task for your enjoyment.

Yesterday

2009-03-07T08:38:00.000-08:00

I know I was productive yesterday, I just need a moment to think........ okay fine.

1. Prepped for Food and Fun, I made a Sesame Tahini Vinaigrette to serve with a small salad. It was pretty easy and turned out well - some of the kids really liked it.

2. Short curriculum blog update: Luck of the Irish

3. Chatted with a friend about internship options for my mentee Shabori who is interested in financial analysis.

4. I did not have a task, Linds has missed a day of her lenten sacrifice, but maybe that's okay since I did two on Thursday. Any tasks for today?

Day 3

2009-03-05T20:16:00.001-08:00

This is getting more complicated by the day, I have my own goal accomplishing and two tasks to do. And now my girlfriend is scheming to start adding to my load. I told her it doesn't work like that. Okay, on to the list.

1. Called Ericco (I don't know how you spell it) about my old ID and took a new picture just in case.

2. Called my doctor's office again to leave a message about referral appointments that have yet to be successfully made.

3. Updated curriculum blog: Listening to the Needs of Your Students

This also counted as journaling about my day yesterday

4. Skipped to Chloe's house

Okay, despite D.B. Echo's seemingly insightful comment about skipping, this was a surprisingly difficult task. It might just be that winter is my sedentary season and I am out of shape. But it did occur to me as I was becoming breathless that we did skipping as part of calisthenics during softball conditioning. And skipping up hill is decidedly difficult. I must admit that I was unable to make the full 5 minute walk skipping, but I did have some fun and got my heart rate up. And, just as an FYI, I do enjoy a good skip on occasion and am known to break out the "Wizard of Oz skip" when I'm walking and feeling light hearted.

5. And finally, after all that skipping and watching The Office and 30 Rock at Chloe's, I came home for my bath. Since I don't have bubble bath at home and didn't care to go buy some, I hopped online to find out how to make my own. There were some good recipes but since my only ingredients on hand were castile soap and essential oil the bath didn't end up too bubbly. But that's okay, it smelled lovely, was relaxing, and I got in a little more time to read Life of Pi. But I must note that despite the consideration for the cold weather, the root beer float was the more enjoyable of the two suggestions.

Totally time for bed, goodnight.

Day 2

2009-03-04T19:20:00.000-08:00

I'm about to turn in. Here is my list for the day:

1. E-mailed Vicki about who to contact at Whole Foods regarding produce donations.

Also talked with Rosanna about what official process I need to go through when acquiring donations.

2. Updated curriculum blog: Question of the Week

3. Planned out all of March for Food and Fun

4. Left a message with Errico Studios about my ID badge (this one has been on my list for so long - it counts!)

5. Most importantly I stopped by Emack and Bolio's on my way home for a lovely Rootbeer Float - great choice Linds.

So my only question is, do I wait for another task from Linds or do I follow P's request that I skip somewhere - I am a fan of skipping?

How I Met You: Part II

2009-03-03T23:03:00.000-08:00

The first time we met, there was Chemistry. I mean we met in Chemistry, Ms. Smith's class. I didn't know Linds initially in class, she was the quiet girl. I learned that we had a friend in common, Tiffany. Tiff and I swam on the same club team (The Nadadores--Go Nads!); Tiff and Linds were BANDOS (band members--Go yellow MC hammer pants and high top chucks!). So I decided to approach Linds in class and try to befriend her. Yes, I tried--but totally got the cold shoulder. As I said, she was shy. Finally I broke though and we became fast friends. It was probably becase we had music in common. Her favorite band was Oasis (still is) and mine was Radiohead (still is)...

Another class that we had together was biology! Four of us would sit at the lab learning biology, dissecting fetal pigs, gossiping about school things, tap dancing on the hollow floors (ok-I think that was only me), and discussing if "The drain was clogged.*" Linds, Tiff, Fawn, and I were the darlings of biology class--the highest achievers, answering questions correctly, and just being fun. It was like having your BFFs with you all the time!!

And that is How I Met the Ninja Pharmacist! Stayed tuned for...

*"The drain is clogged" comes from biology class. A cute guy was passing the door in biology class. I clinched my teeth and said "That guy is hot!" which sounded like "the drain is clogged." Ahhh, the good ole times!!!!

Lent

2009-03-03T18:41:00.000-08:00

I have decided what I will do for the lenten season. I am dedicating to do at least one thing everyday in pursuit of my goals. Anything from updating a blog to working out to researching grad schools. As another way to keep me on track with this dedication I will update everyday with what I have done. This will be boring, but short. Feel free to ignore them.

Today:

1. Started curriculum blog

2. Read from Supporting Young Learners 3

3. Journaled about my day at school and my kids

Ashes

2009-02-27T07:40:00.001-08:00

I've moved away from Catholicism. I believe I'm the only one of us who intentionally has. My mom sees the Advengineer at Mass sometimes, I think Ninja is an occasional church goer, and AMDG, well I guess the answer is in the name. Funny, since I, the youth ministry leader and church lector (the person who stands in front of the congregation and reads the day's reading) was probably the most involved and fervently devoted of us all.

I still go to Mass with my mom and my lita when I'm home in OC. They like having me come, and I like singing. I don't say the prayers out loud - even though they run through my mind - years of training, it never goes away. When the time for communion comes I walk up to the front, cross my arms on my chest and lower my head, then I'm given the non-communion blessing. That's generally as far as my Catholicism goes these days.

I continued to attend weekly Mass during my first year and a half of college. After that point I found myself unable to reconcile the way the Church - through the Vatican, chooses to approach homosexuality. I could no longer be a good faith member of a church that, at its core, is unable to fully accept me and my lifestyle. I may be wrong in that decision, and maybe I'll reevaluate at some point, but for now, this is where I am.

The other day one of my many Catholic students (I'm an after-school teacher at a public school) pointed out to me that it was Ash Wednesday, I wouldn't have even realized if she hadn't said anything. I loved Ash Wednesday and the lenten season when I was a kid. When I had bangs I used to sculpt then specially - a side wave, so that you could still see the ashes beneath. Then I would be really careful to make sure that I didn't disturb them so the mark would stay as long as possible. I also liked giving something up, it was a challenge, the temptation to cheat always there but the desire to make it always a little stronger. Then to end it all is Palm Sunday - you get a palm and weave it into a cross - fun, you think about how next year these will be the ashes on your forehead - cool. I always made sure to wear sandals to Palm Sunday Mass. That was when the priest would go around the church and wash a select few peoples' feet, the way Jesus had washed the feet of the apostles. I always wanted to be chosen - I never was.

There is something about the lenten season that still appeals to me. I know the whole idea of "giving something up" during lent is to help you reflect on the sacrifice that Jesus made for us and bring you closer to God. That's not really the part that I am interested in. I like the idea of looking at your life and evaluating where something needs to or should be changed - something you indulge in too much, something you don't do enough, and then dedicating to making that change for 40 days. It's like New Year's Resolution Plus, because you make a commitment to change but you make the commitment to God, so you have more motivation to see it through. I think I'll "sacrifice" something this year, my first time since Lent 2001. I'll let you know when I decide what.

So ladies, how about you? What's your lenten sacrifice?

Why SMCHS Still Affects My Life

2009-02-22T18:14:00.000-08:00

This is going to be an ongoing post for me, and I welcome any feedback or suggestions:

These are just some of the reasons Why SMCHS Still Affects My Life:

1. I have to resist the daily urge to wear a ribbon in my hair
2. The name of my dream band would be The Sue Mills Sluts
3. I still plan outfits for events weeks ahead of time because I am scarred from being forced to wear uniforms every day and then having to scramble to find an acceptable outfit for 'free dress' days
4. I think it's weird that they let the boys at the high school where my boyfriend teaches have facial hair
5. AMDG absolutely refuses to even consider talking about going to our 10 year reunion next summer
6. I can still maneuver through an entire day in a skirt/dress and NOT flash my underwear

To be continued...

Details

2009-02-10T18:31:00.000-08:00

Okay, time for some reader feedback -- I know you're out there and you're reading so let us know what you think.

If you've visited before you noticed I've made some changes, I enjoy reading pages with a background color -- not white -- what do you think? How about the other color changes?

Do you think we should make any other changes or additions? More information in the sidebar? Less information in the sidebar?

And finally, what do you think of my nickname? Kid Krusader? Is it as boring as I fear it may be? Anyone have any ideas? Read my profile for more info on me and suggest a better name. 5 points to the person who comes up with the best suggestion -- I'm such a teacher. No one got any points last time because AMDG announced what her name meant before anyone had a chance to respond.

The story of Us - by Kid

2009-02-09T09:49:00.000-08:00

I'm gonna see if I can do this as one post, but we all know my ability to run at the mouth, so we'll see.

The Advengineer is the first of the group that I met, as she stated earlier we actually met at Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate School - Go Roadrunners, err something. I can't remember when I first heard about Leilani but I remember why. There was a boy at our school whose last name was Leilani, and I remember thinking - if they get married she'll be Leilani Leilani.

We eventually met through Fawn, I know I have some pictures of Lei from jr. high, and I had actually forgotten that she was friends with Christin. But in my memory we continued on a track of being more like acquaintances until our confirmation retreat sophomore year. Leilani was a fellow member of San Francisco Solano, the Catholic church that was actually part of our high school campus. (AMDG and Ninja both attend/ed some other church). And sophomore year all us good little parishioners were shipped out to the woods to prepare ourselves to be committed adult Catholics.

Lei was in the same room as me, confirmation retreat may sound terribly tedious but I remember having a lot of fun. We played foozeball (how do you spell that?) and went on nature hikes, and to my memory we were generally rowdy and silly after we were supposed to be in bed. Yes, we also had sessions where we talked about God and making positive life choices for ourselves and such, but most talks started with an entertaining skit. Okay, I might be biased, I was a confirmation leader my junior year and I also might have been a co-director my senior. But, well, at least I thought it was fun. Lei?

Anyway, I left the weekend having met the first boy who would ask me on a date (oh the religious "meet markets" do work as intended) and feeling that Leilani and I had firmly moved into friendship. Fun, sweet and super cool snowboarder and surfer -- what's not to love? I still have a little note that she wrote to me and drew a cute snowboarder girl on (I save everything).

Now Ninja, I met her after Lei but we were friends before Lei and I were really friends. Linds and I met at the end of summer right before high school was about to begin -- at band camp, yes, that's right. Linds and I were bandos together and that pretty much sealed our friendship for life- Bandos 4ever. Linds played the tenor sax and I played the bassoon. I remember that my hair was still growing out from the pixie cut I had in jr. high. I was soo nervous about meeting new people at my school -- I asked my mom to force all of my short little hairs into a tight, tight little bun. I believe the result of this is that when I met Linds for the second time, on the first day of school or maybe at freshman orientation, she didn't recognize me because my hair was down and my eyes weren't pulled back by the tightness of the bun.

I can't remember when we started spending substantial time together outside of band, but bando time was substantial enough. We both had wind ensemble together during school, marching band rehearsal after school and eventually football games every Friday night. Even though I didn't have to go to the away games because I played the bassoon and it was not a pep-band instrument - yes, of course it's not a marching band instrument either but our director, "Doc", insisted that I play, sitting on a chair, at the front of the group - uggh. Anyway, I didn't have to go to the away games but I did anyway because I was super cool. Lindsay was actually cool, there was this really cute drummer - Steve, he was a senior, and he totally liked Linds. But I think it eventually ended because her parents didn't want her dating a senior, or dating at all?

Eventually all us girls, the bando girls, the bio girls, the swimmer girls and all the girls in-between became a little group of friends and extended friends, and we ate lunch together. Where we ate lunch switched every year, but it was always somewhere in the sun, on the ground (this is surely a strange idea to all you east coasters - lunch was always outside, the "cafeteria" was just a huge open air awning with tables underneath, we only ate indoors when it was raining). Senior year we actually started sitting at one of the cafeteria tables (did we call it the cafeteria?) but we still sat on the ground in the sun sometimes too. We were really good girls, my brother still marvels at how "good" my friends and I were in high school.

Now somewhere in here came AMDG, but for some reason I don't have a distinct memory of meeting her. Do you? P was one of the swimmers, and ate with us sometimes senior year, she was friends with my friends and that's how we met. I know I was invited to her Christmas party senior year. I remember because I insisted I was okay to go even though I had a heart procedure preformed on me the day before. I proceeded to fall asleep immediately and was driven home by my boyfriend.

My first real distinct memories of P don't come until after we graduated. The summer we all really drank for the first time. Oh man, that was a bad summer for me. Anyway, at some point after high school we became a solidified group. We began regularly e-mailing each other, visiting each other at college, spending breaks together. Then we all got stars tattooed on our feet, along with three other lovely SM girls who have now largely dropped off our radars. But we still remain - the four :).

This is why people have kids :)

2009-02-04T21:56:00.000-08:00

Hi again.

So if you want to see something funny, go to You Tube and search "Kid on Drugs" posted by christiquinn. Trust me, it's totally not what it seems like. Apparently, parents think it's funny to videotape their kids on drugs after getting a tooth pulled. I agree with them. It's soooo funny. I can't wait until I have kids. That's when I'm gonna get me a videa camera!

I wonder what drugs he was on?

(Note from the editor. This video was marginally hard to find. Here is the link, it's called "David after the dentist", but it's the same thing.)

This is what my email would have said to you had I written an email today

2009-02-04T21:44:00.000-08:00

Hi friends.

How long ago did we start this blog? Like a week or so, right? And how long did it take me to forget my password? Yup, exactly that length of time.

But give me a break--I have 6 midterms in two weeks and a project due the week after exams end. And I would much rather read your posts than study, so keep them up. I am very much looking forward to reading about how I met Avengineer. I'm sure she'll say something about me being bitchy, but yes her name was Ms. Smith, and yes she listened to the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. It's amazing how I absolutely loathed high school chemistry and yet, 90% of my classes are chem classes. Someone has a sense of humor. Somewhere.

Oh, and Kid Krusader, your post was very informative. I had no idea that was the Rick Warren from Saddleback. I try not to associate with Christians, only jaded Catholics.

See you in two + weeks, Ciaooooo.

How I Met You: Part I

2009-02-01T13:22:00.000-08:00

I don't like to date myself. So I don't think I will. How we all met was quite awhile ago. Each of us were associated by the extracurricular activities and classes that was high school. I swam on the same club team with AMDG (Go Nads!), I had Chemistry with Ninja Pharmicist (Go Ms. Smith!- was that her name?),and I went to the same junior high with Kid Krusader (Go Road Runners!). Since each story of how I met each of them is unique, I am going to break up this story by post. This is about how I met Kid Krusader.

I didn't meet Kid formally, her reputation (for me) preceded her. For some reason, before I even met her, I was told that she was a human preztel and could put her feet/legs behind her head and that she dated some guy name Tony. That was junior high. What a weird impression to have before meeting someone. I bet she didn't even know I knew that. =) How I really met her was through our mutual friend Fawn (yes, like baby deer). I think they were in the band together. I knew Fawn through other friends in my classes. In high school Kid was in a program called Integrated. She was in the program with my BFF from elementary school, Christin. What a small world! Nothing too interesting about our meet. She was a really nice person...who all the boys wanted to date!

And in a nutshell, that is how I met Kid Krusader. Next week...

Rick Warren and Other Gay Matters

2009-01-28T08:13:00.000-08:00

The Advengineer and I both went to Intermediate School with Josh Warren (do you remember him Lei?). He was really nice, I wasn't close friends with him, but I would call him a close acquaintance. I remember him fondly as an open, accepting and fun person -- he makes me think of Tigger or Hobbes but that probably has more to do with his build and red hair than anything else. Back then his dad wasn't such a big deal -- he hadn't yet published The Purpose Driven Life, and Saddleback Church wasn't quite the behemoth it is now - with it's 20,000 weekly attendees. I knew Rick Warren (who was really just "Josh's dad" to me) had started Saddleback Church and that he was the minister there.

Saddleback was already really popular with the youth back then, the "Christian" kids always bragged about how cool their youth ministry events were. Tons of kids attended, they had live music, huge events. I seem to remember my brother talking about wanting to be part of their group, how they reached him on a level that San Francisco Solano youth ministry couldn't. I went to one of the large "cool" youth events once, I think I was a freshman in high school. I remember feeling like I had entered an oddly cultish situation. It was HUGE, held on the current grounds of Saddleback Church (120 acres), it felt like any big event, like a town or school fair or something. In my memory there were games like a climbing wall, and live music - but it's all kind of hazy. I don't remember anyone really talking religion, but there were tons of kids -- teens -- in Wildside shirts (the name for Saddleback's youth ministry - soooo cool). I remember feeling out of place and wrong. I simultaneously felt wrong because I didn't belong because I wasn't a "Christian" and also because the event seemed naughty -- like these were "bad kids" who were going to do something wrong because there were so many of us teens and so few adults and we were all outside together at night.

My girlfriend, Rachel, always laughs at me when I refer to "Christians" as though they're some sort of other (she's Baptist*). "Catholics are Christians", she always tells me. I know that, of course I know that, but I've had the idea that we're different bored into me for so long that it's hard not to think of "them" as an other. You may be thinking that my Catholic upbringing is responsible for this, that I was always told that Catholicism is the one true religion, that the other Christian religions were not true because they didn't fully follow the rules of God -- something like that. I might have learned a little of that, what made Catholicism different from other Christian religions, but that's not what made them seem like an other, it was them, the Christians. I mainly remember this from high school, but it may have happened earlier than that too. Maybe it's because I went to a Catholic high school so the "Christians" felt they needed to affirm their place as non-Catholics. I remember having many conversations about how we (Catholics) worship Mary and how that was so wrong because we acted like Mary was another God when she wasn't -- why were "we" so obsessed with her? So what if Catholics think Mary is important? She's the one woman that is held in any high position in Christianity, what, are "Christians" chauvinists? We can't have great respect for a woman? I also remember them pointing out that we have the crucifixion on our cross and they do not, or maybe it was us pointing that out to them.

I have since come to learn that by "Christian" what I mean is Evangelical, by which I mean Rick Warren's flock. I don't remember them ever calling themselves Evangelicals, just "Christians", as in, "I'm Christian and you're Catholic." Have you ever seen the grounds of Saddleback Church? It's HUGE. And it seems to get bigger every year. It's right off the Toll Road (241) in Lake Forest. Here's the Google Map satellite view.

View Larger Map

I can't get Blogger to paste it anymore zoomed than that but if you zoom in you get a good idea. I went in the massive main "worship center" once, when my mom's co-worker died. It seemed to me a strange place to hold a funeral service. Rich was a really good person, and had touched a lot of people in his life, but we seemed such a small and insignificant group dwarfed by the warehouse like size of the church.

There are some things about Rick Warren that I do like and respect. He is the creator and senior pastor of the eighth largest mega-church in the US and yet I'm pretty positive he still lives in the same house he did when I was in intermediate school. It's not small, but he does have three kids and it's not huge either. It's in a small gated community, not Coto De Caza or even Dove Canyon. If you ask me it's pretty run of the mill OC, just a little larger than average. Not the crazy mansions you hear about other mega-church leaders owning. It is reported that he donates 90% of his earnings and keeps 10% -- I don't doubt this. He also spends a lot of energy fighting AIDS and poverty and urging others to do so. There are many Evangelical pastors out there who could use to follow his example in these ways.

He also did some pretty good work for Obama during the election -- he brought him out to Saddleback Church to speak to his congregation during primary season. My mom, a liberal OCer, was shocked to hear diehard conservative Republicans talking about how good Obama sounded (I think they were shocked to hear themselves say it).

But then, for all the good, there's also the bad. It makes me sad, that a man who has so much power and influence, who works for so much good can also work to hurt others and spread hate. Rick Warren, in his own words, believes that homosexuality is not the right way, that certain parts are meant to "fit together" and that allowing same-sex marriage would be the same as allowing brothers and sisters to marry or older-men to marry children. He used his large influence in California to help Prop 8 pass when he released a statement in which he said, "Of course, my longtime opposition is well known. This is not a political issue, it is a moral issue that God has spoken clearly about. There is no doubt where we should stand on this issue. ... This will be a close contest. I urge you to VOTE YES on Prop 8 - preserve the biblical definition of marriage. Don't forget to vote!"

His clear message of love and acceptance of all God's children is well received by his congregation. I sent out an e-mail urging people in my yahoo contacts to attend the Join the Impact Prop 8 protest (my e-mail was purposely not preachy because I knew I was sending it to some people for whom this was a sensitive issue). I received this message in return from a man I had babysat for who happens to be a member of Saddleback Church:

If you want to protest something that Jesus is against this is your right as a person of free will. God's word states that homosexuality is an abomination to the Lord. Not all people Melanie are God's children as Jesus stated to the Pharisee's during his time on earth when he said that their father was the devil. That means Melanie that they were doing their fathers will while Jesus pursued His Father's will. Standing for something like you are doing is going directly against what my Lord Stands for. You do what you will but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord. Never again send your godless garbage into my home through email.

Yup, pretty sure he just called me the spawn of satan. Last time I checked tearing people and their lifestyles down is not a way of "serving the Lord", but that might just be me.

Then there's the sad fact that Obama picked Warren for the Inaugural Invocation. Plenty of people have written about this, so I'll keep it short. Yes, I understand that Obama wants to reach out to the conservatives, but really, just after he was so influential in passing Prop 8, which you called pointless, why does he get the most watched invocation of the whole week? Why didn't you tap him to do the closing invocation which less people watch? Or maybe even the opening invocation before the concert on Sunday, that way it wouldn't have been televised or even heard by half the people in attendance.

Caught on to where I'm going? Gene Robinson the openly gay Episcopal Bishop from New Hampshire was tapped to do the opening invocation after all the controversy when Warren was chosen. Robinson was told that he was already decided on before all the controversy and was not chosen to pacify people. Either way, and for what ever reason, someone (everyone is pointing fingers in the other direction) decided Robinson's prayer would not be included in the HBO coverage of the concert. Then, by some other divine miracle, there were sound system issues during his prayer so that most of the enormous crowd in attendance couldn't even hear him. So, the only way to hear Richardson's prayer is through a video taken by an audience member, very small, faraway and with bad sound quality. I think the video does not give due credit to the prayer, so here is the text:

O God of our many understandings, we pray that you will…
Bless us with tears – for a world in which over a billion people exist on less than a dollar a day, where young women from many lands are beaten and raped for wanting an education, and thousands die daily from malnutrition, malaria, and AIDS.
Bless us with anger – at discrimination, at home and abroad, against refugees and immigrants, women, people of color, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.
Bless us with discomfort – at the easy, simplistic “answers” we’ve preferred to hear from our politicians, instead of the truth, about ourselves and the world, which we need to face if we are going to rise to the challenges of the future.
Bless us with patience – and the knowledge that none of what ails us will be “fixed” anytime soon, and the understanding that our new president is a human being, not a messiah.
Bless us with humility – open to understanding that our own needs must always be balanced with those of the world.
Bless us with freedom from mere tolerance – replacing it with a genuine respect and warm embrace of our differences, and an understanding that in our diversity, we are stronger.
Bless us with compassion and generosity – remembering that every religion’s God judges us by the way we care for the most vulnerable in the human community, whether across town or across the world.
And God, we give you thanks for your child Barack, as he assumes the office of President of the United States.
Give him wisdom beyond his years, and inspire him with Lincoln’s reconciling leadership style, President Kennedy’s ability to enlist our best efforts, and Dr. King’s dream of a nation for ALL the people.
Give him a quiet heart, for our Ship of State needs a steady, calm captain in these times.
Give him stirring words, for we will need to be inspired and motivated to make the personal and common sacrifices necessary to facing the challenges ahead.
Make him color-blind, reminding him of his own words that under his leadership, there will be neither red nor blue states, but the United States.
Help him remember his own oppression as a minority, drawing on that experience of discrimination, that he might seek to change the lives of those who are still its victims.
Give him the strength to find family time and privacy, and help him remember that even though he is president, a father only gets one shot at his daughters’ childhoods.
And please, God, keep him safe. We know we ask too much of our presidents, and we’re asking FAR too much of this one. We know the risk he and his wife are taking for all of us, and we implore you, O good and great God, to keep him safe. Hold him in the palm of your hand – that he might do the work we have called him to do, that he might find joy in this impossible calling, and that in the end, he might lead us as a nation to a place of integrity, prosperity and peace.

God of our many understandings -- Robinson made sure his prayer was inclusive of all people, a very rare non-Christain leaning inaugural prayer, and yet very few had the opportunity to hear it. While Rick Warren, heard by millions around the world went the other direction, and gave a resoundingly Christian invocation, even more Christian than the typical inaugural prayer as he actually used the name of Jesus:

I humbly ask this in the name of the one who changed my life, Yeshua, Isa, Jesus, Jesus (hay-SOOS), who taught us to pray, Our Father who art in heaven hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on Earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.

It is interesting to note that Warren also referred to Americans as being "united by our commitment to freedom and justice for all". I wonder if anyone has pointed out to him that same-sex marriage rights fall squarely under the heading of "justice for ALL"?

This has been a very long post, and it is high time I wrap it up, but I want to do so on a happy note.

I've heard tell from people with insider D.C. information that Obama will most likely not do much for "the gays" during his first administration but that he will probably tackle same-sex marriage and the rights of aliens. Meaning he will try to change the rules so that citizens can sponsor their same-sex partners who are seeking citizenship. Under current Federal law marrying a same-sex partner is grounds for revoking of the Visa. So if someone seeking their green-card through means other than marriage then gets married to a same-sex partner they risk getting thrown out of the country -- so they have to lie, of course, if they get caught lying they are thrown out of the country for lying (catch 22, anyone?). It's just a step, but one of big importance to many people.

I have evidence that Warren's OC stronghold of anti-same-sex rights advocates is dwindling. I recently joined the Facebook group Santa Margarita CHS, Alumni, two days ago (when I joined) there were 555 members and the second "related group" was California's Ready to Repeal Prop 8. There are only a few new members since then but it's no longer a related group, I don't know why that would be, but I am still encouraged that so many people who grew up and were influence Behind The Orange Curtain are against Prop 8. And my other proof is that I only received one "hate mail" in response to my Prop 8 protest e-mail, but that one e-mail incited an outpouring of love and support and dialogue from others who received the e-mail (he hit reply all - it was a huge list, the max number of recipients), many of whom are from or in Orange County. My favorite response was from my mom:

I don't profess to know the mind of God - I know Jesus left us two great commands - To love God above all things and to love one another as we love ourselves.

I don't know if my Catholic church is correct in denying same sex couples the sacrament of marriage - but when it comes to prop 8 it doesn't really matter - because prop 8 is not about changing my religious convictions - it is about denying equal civil rights to our brothers and sisters who are All God's Children - who are loved equally by Him who would leave the 99 for any 1 of them.

The only thing I am certain of is that in our democracy my religious beliefs CAN NOT trump another person's CIVIL RIGHTS. When this happens in the Middle East we wage war against the government and call it a stand for democracy - aren't we being hypocritical? Prop 8 does not affect your or my religious beliefs in any way - but denying the civil rights of any of our citizens diminishes us as a democratic people.

And finally there is an awesome new group called Yay Gay (yes I co-opted their name for my previous post) -- "a grassroots movement to foment positivity for all things queer and crowd out homophobia through outreach, organizing, community service, humor, and lots of kindness". I'm pretty sure the "kill them with kindess" approach is going to win the day. Join the Facebook group or e-mail them at project.yaygay@gmail.com. A movement like this is definitely needed in OC -- so this is especially to all you out there, join the group and start coming up with ideas!

I lied, one more thing. The ACLU of Massachusetts is putting on a conference on Reclaiming Our Civil Liberties. Sounds pretty good, and it's not expensive, I'm hoping to go. Find out more here.

Okay, seriously last thing. Join the Impact is doing an open letter signature drive to tell and show Obama that we remember his campaign promises and that equal LGBT rights are important to millions of Americans. Please click the link above to print out the letter, sign it, have as many people as you can sign it and send it in by February 16th.

* Yes, my girlfriend is a Baptist, but it's not what you think. This isn't Southern Baptist we're talking about here. She belongs to an extremely liberal Baptist Church. Two of the three Pastors are openly gay. The most recent gay pastor was ordained as an openly gay woman. If you're looking for a very liberal, open and accepting church on the North Shore, check out First Baptist Church of Beverly.

DWYN

2009-01-25T22:21:00.000-08:00

Today's Colorado afternoon was spent walking up and down some street in Boulder, near the three o'clock hour, looking for a place with 1) a blender; 2) piña colada enablants; 3) a substantive food menu. Less simple than it seemed. Success was eventually ours, but be hereinto forewarned that Colorado DISCRIMINATES in favor of the winter, yeah, (see Winter Park; or, the Grinch's preferred vacation spot). The serious drought of tropical libations is telling in that regard.

Back to the plain language movement.

Feliz cumple!

Yay Gay!

2009-01-22T16:29:00.000-08:00

This article came out today in Time-Out Chicago. It's about the dearth of gay comics and gay comedy scene in Chicago (the country's comedy capital). And Chicago just so happens to be where my ex-girlfriend and current friend (isn't it amazing when that happens?) makes a living as a stand-up comic (and nanny). I believe at one point she was the only lesbian stand-up in Chicago (a city a nearly 3 million people), and that may well still be the case. Anyway, she is great, and funny, and she is in the article. Check it out: The Jokes on Us. Yay Gay! Yay Cam!

26

2009-01-22T08:41:00.000-08:00

Definitely not a reference to the Jesuits or to any order, although I'm sure they're an upstanding group of Catholics.

When I typed in "AMDG" to Google, which anybody could have done, by the way, I learned who uses the phrase: the Jesuits, that's fine; and some other blog that is too excited about the supposed evil of our newest presidential administration, which I guess is his call as much as it's the Jesuits' call as much as it is my call. Ironic, but it's each of our prerogatives, Bobby Brown.

Side note: "new" axis of evil = Turkey, Russia, China, per the usual criteria but especially for the chasm where their scruples would be.

No, it belongs to no one and to everyone, much like the study of the system of jurisprudence in Spain, another item I came across in my learning experience last night. It might belong to Loyola, the guy, not any of the schools, but I'm going to go ahead and speak for him and say that it's everyone's. I don't wave any flag or sign my name, nor my appellation, to a cause. I did give to "No on Prop. 8," but that's as natural to me as is buying mint tea, which is the best tea.

In closing, I need to find a red blouse to wear for my composite picture. I try to spend the least amount of time possible in that building, so I don't know that it's consistent of me to volunteer my face to appear in a composite picture of my class, but I think my mom might be upset if I don't do this, so this one's lovingly for you, madre.

Ninja in Defense

2009-01-22T07:37:00.000-08:00

I took 3 years of Latin, the last of which ended almost TEN years ago, and I am still held responsible for being able to translate all the random, obscure Jesuit phrases? Or initials of said phrases?

Why don't you post your age AMDG? Where is my Avengineer?

AMDG

2009-01-22T05:25:00.000-08:00

Ninja -- you took Latin in high school -- you totally should have caught that one!

AMDG -- is this a reference to the Jesuits or just the phrase?

A Blog is Born

2009-01-21T20:31:00.000-08:00

On Saturday morning, during a pillow talk, my friend Bekka mentioned a weblog she had been following since before "blogs" were popular. It's a site where a group of friends from her high school post stories and pictures from their lives. It got me thinking. My old blog has been feeling kind of stale, and "the sexy bitches" (as we called ourselves in high school despite the fact that we were anything but the "mean girls") hadn't been doing a stellar job keeping in e-mail contact anymore. Why not combine these two problems to come up with a solution?

I contacted my friends, and our little group of four decided that a joint blog was a fabulous idea. Thus, a blog was born.

After much back and fourth we agreed on a name: Beyond the Orange Curtain (good work ninja and AMDG). Orange Curtain: n. the characteristics, real or imagined, that differentiate Orange County from Los Angeles County and the rest of California, see also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_Curtain.

We all grew up in SoCal, Orange County, Southern Orange County at that. We met at Santa Margarita Catholic High School. We all moved on, well, kinda. The advengineer moved on to San Diego, but she's back behind the curtain again -- it's not her fault they were hiring bioengineers in good ol' Rancho.

We keep in touch, we travel together when we can, and we all lead very different and interesting lives. Check us out:

There's Leilani the Polynesian Advengineer, residing in Rancho Santa Margarita, California.

Lindsay the Nordic Goddess and Ninja Pharmacist, residing and studying in San Francisco, California.

Priscilla the Romanian AMDG (5 points to the first person who can tell the rest of us what that means), residing and studying in Denver, Colorado.

And me, Melanie the half Mexican Kid Krusader, residing in Roslindale (read: Boston), Massachusetts.

Seriously though, check us out.

Beyond the Orange Curtain

Crash Cart

The Opposite

The List

Curriculum Blog

Albums from our past....

Ch-ch-ch-changes...

Where are my friends???

Where The F*!@&* Have I Been?

Actually, It Was "Just Dance."

If you need a break....

Oral Examinations

The Good Word

Boston, Massachusetts!

Denver!

Whan that Aprile

Day 31

Questions for My Pharmacist

Two Days

Mappy to the Rescue

Day 27

The Weekend

23

Day 22, I Think

Rashes, rashes

Over halfway there...

AMDG and More

Poppin'

Day 15

A Very Long Weekend

Quick Before Bed

Day 9

HAY

Quick Before I Run for the Bus

Day 7

God's Day

The Day isn't Over Yet...

Yesterday

Day 3

Day 2

How I Met You: Part II

Lent

Ashes

Why SMCHS Still Affects My Life

Details

The story of Us - by Kid

This is why people have kids :)

This is what my email would have said to you had I written an email today

How I Met You: Part I

Rick Warren and Other Gay Matters

DWYN

Yay Gay!

26

Ninja in Defense

AMDG

A Blog is Born

Where The F!@& Have I Been?