Monday, May 19, 2008
Changes...
Sorry I have been a bit M.I.A. lately on blog posts, but I've had some sudden job changes in the last month. Hopefully soon I'll be back to more regular posts. Ta-ta for now!
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Girls, Girls, Girls
Last weekend was Maliah's bachelorette party, which was an extravaganza at her mom's house in Phoenix, AZ. I arrived Friday evening after an extremely fast and easy plane ride from Los Angeles. About 20 girls or so descended on the house for the festivities, and they had prepared with numerous air mattresses, copious amounts of liquor, and LOTS of guacamole. Friday night was spent coordinating the airport pick-ups for all the girls, and meeting and greeting for those of us who had not met before. The moment I stepped into her mothers kitchen (of her gorgeous 5 bedroom 5 1/2 bath house), a margarita was thrust in my hands. I should have known that the night was going to end up bad when my food options were a flour tortilla with quac and salsa inside, and some berries. You would think I would have slowed my drinking knowing nothing was really in my stomach to absorb it, but I soldiered on consuming 2 margaritas, and then switching to vodka cranberry which is always a dumb move. I ended up calling Denise from the couch in her mother's living room, and then just never got up. I woke up there the next morning with a random blanket over me, and another girl asleep in the chair next to the couch. It was a bangin way to begin the weekend.
Saturday we all headed to the pool. Some sat in the sun, while others (like myself) stayed under the shady shelter. I was a bit hung over, and so tired because all the margarita mix in my body woke me up at like 8:15 that morning. Someone brought out champagne, but I couldn't even think about alcohol at that point, and only wanted some food. I was STARVING. I went back to the kitchen and found a large container of veggie burgers. I microwaved one for myself and topped it with, once again, quac and salsa. It tasted so good and helped to ease the rumbling and gurgling in my stomach. I hung in for a bit longer, but finally at 2:30 I went for a nap knowing there was a fun-filled night ahead, and I needed to be conscious. Maliha woke me at around 5:00 to let me know the live singer had arrived. Yes, we had live entertainment. Maliha's mother, Karen, had been at a charity event in Phoenix, and this man had entered himself in the auction, saying he would come to your house and play live music. I guess no one was really bidding, so her mom bid out of sympathy, and low and behold, won. What better occasion to have this man come and play his acoustic tunes than a bachelorette party. Honestly, I enjoyed his renditions of Paul Simon, John Denver, and other easy listening artists, and I MUCH preferred it to the live entertainment that came next.
From what I gathered, the story was Maliha did not really want a stripper, but her friends wanted her to get one. So, she made all these ridiculous requirements for the stripper she did want, knowing it would be near impossible to find. He must be attractive, be intelligent, be able to carry on a conversation, etc. Well, her friends told her later they had found this man (although I'm still not convinced he met these demands ). I was told he is not really a stripper, but is a "male model," cute and knows stuff about NASA. Do not ask me, I was not involved in this process. The guy shows up, and it's pretty awkward. He looks like a douche to me (Hollister type t-shirt, true-religion jeans, and white loafers, ugh) and I doubt he knows a lot about NASA, but I never confirmed this suspicion. Then, someone announces we are going to draw him... at this point I realize I'm in some straight girl nightmare, and I cannot run (ok, that's dramatic, but I should have been more drunk at this point than I was). He takes off his clothes, except for a small bedazzled g-string, and wouldn't you know it, he has a BELLYBUTTON RING!! Every person I have told this too, automatically says gay, but I think he's just that much more of a douche.... I have no other words. Maliha sits next to him on the couch and I think attempted to have a conversation while he is lounging in his pose, but she is pretty much slurring at this point so who knows what was said/understood. I love drunk Maliha, it provides for so much comedy and memories.
After the "drawing," the music starts to play and he proceeds to do very awkward lap dances for the girls. Oh, I forgot to mention he won't allow any pics because he doesn't want these on the internet because they might hurt his "modeling career." hahaha! I can only laugh. It was so weird because he's just some dude, who's not a stripper, pretending to be a stripper, but is doing it really badly. When it was finally all over, and someone announced the cabs were there to pick us up, I was so relieved and thankful that I had avoided being shoved into that lap dance chair. The cabs took us to Scottsdale, an area in Phoenix that is packed with bars/clubs. We bar hopped, drank, danced, and everyone was having a pretty good time, but when we decided to enter a 3rd club, poor Maliha was stopped at the door. The guard saw her staring at him with those glazed over eyes, swaying back and forth, and decided she looked drunk off her ass (and he was right). I guess he asked her if she was drunk, and all she could do was say yes because at this point, there was no sense in trying to deny it. It was awesome. After everyone found out Maliha was being held outside, most of us decided to just go home. Most people had been drinking pretty much all day, and had reached their max capacity of alcohol. People raided the kitchen when we returned (I of course had quac and salsa), and then passed out various places around the house. I actually made it to my bed that night, so I was proud.
Sunday morning people emerged slowly from their sleeping nooks, and you could tell that everyone had lost their steam. It was time to go home. People gathered according the departure times, and went to the airport in shifts. My flight out was at 3:00PM, and after another nice, easy flight, I landed in LA around 4:30. I called Denise immediately (we missed each other like crazy) and told her all about the trip as I was searching for my bag. I realized I had gone the wrong way, turned around, and there she was on the phone with a BIG smile on her face holding a coffee bean for me. She knows the way to my heart... caffeine. :)
I spent Sunday evening laying in bed watching bad reality television because really, that is all my mind could handle. It was a fun weekend, but it was nice to be home. Now I must used these next few months to recover and get ready for the wedding weekend in Chicago. Wish me luck!
Saturday we all headed to the pool. Some sat in the sun, while others (like myself) stayed under the shady shelter. I was a bit hung over, and so tired because all the margarita mix in my body woke me up at like 8:15 that morning. Someone brought out champagne, but I couldn't even think about alcohol at that point, and only wanted some food. I was STARVING. I went back to the kitchen and found a large container of veggie burgers. I microwaved one for myself and topped it with, once again, quac and salsa. It tasted so good and helped to ease the rumbling and gurgling in my stomach. I hung in for a bit longer, but finally at 2:30 I went for a nap knowing there was a fun-filled night ahead, and I needed to be conscious. Maliha woke me at around 5:00 to let me know the live singer had arrived. Yes, we had live entertainment. Maliha's mother, Karen, had been at a charity event in Phoenix, and this man had entered himself in the auction, saying he would come to your house and play live music. I guess no one was really bidding, so her mom bid out of sympathy, and low and behold, won. What better occasion to have this man come and play his acoustic tunes than a bachelorette party. Honestly, I enjoyed his renditions of Paul Simon, John Denver, and other easy listening artists, and I MUCH preferred it to the live entertainment that came next.
From what I gathered, the story was Maliha did not really want a stripper, but her friends wanted her to get one. So, she made all these ridiculous requirements for the stripper she did want, knowing it would be near impossible to find. He must be attractive, be intelligent, be able to carry on a conversation, etc. Well, her friends told her later they had found this man (although I'm still not convinced he met these demands ). I was told he is not really a stripper, but is a "male model," cute and knows stuff about NASA. Do not ask me, I was not involved in this process. The guy shows up, and it's pretty awkward. He looks like a douche to me (Hollister type t-shirt, true-religion jeans, and white loafers, ugh) and I doubt he knows a lot about NASA, but I never confirmed this suspicion. Then, someone announces we are going to draw him... at this point I realize I'm in some straight girl nightmare, and I cannot run (ok, that's dramatic, but I should have been more drunk at this point than I was). He takes off his clothes, except for a small bedazzled g-string, and wouldn't you know it, he has a BELLYBUTTON RING!! Every person I have told this too, automatically says gay, but I think he's just that much more of a douche.... I have no other words. Maliha sits next to him on the couch and I think attempted to have a conversation while he is lounging in his pose, but she is pretty much slurring at this point so who knows what was said/understood. I love drunk Maliha, it provides for so much comedy and memories.
After the "drawing," the music starts to play and he proceeds to do very awkward lap dances for the girls. Oh, I forgot to mention he won't allow any pics because he doesn't want these on the internet because they might hurt his "modeling career." hahaha! I can only laugh. It was so weird because he's just some dude, who's not a stripper, pretending to be a stripper, but is doing it really badly. When it was finally all over, and someone announced the cabs were there to pick us up, I was so relieved and thankful that I had avoided being shoved into that lap dance chair. The cabs took us to Scottsdale, an area in Phoenix that is packed with bars/clubs. We bar hopped, drank, danced, and everyone was having a pretty good time, but when we decided to enter a 3rd club, poor Maliha was stopped at the door. The guard saw her staring at him with those glazed over eyes, swaying back and forth, and decided she looked drunk off her ass (and he was right). I guess he asked her if she was drunk, and all she could do was say yes because at this point, there was no sense in trying to deny it. It was awesome. After everyone found out Maliha was being held outside, most of us decided to just go home. Most people had been drinking pretty much all day, and had reached their max capacity of alcohol. People raided the kitchen when we returned (I of course had quac and salsa), and then passed out various places around the house. I actually made it to my bed that night, so I was proud.
Sunday morning people emerged slowly from their sleeping nooks, and you could tell that everyone had lost their steam. It was time to go home. People gathered according the departure times, and went to the airport in shifts. My flight out was at 3:00PM, and after another nice, easy flight, I landed in LA around 4:30. I called Denise immediately (we missed each other like crazy) and told her all about the trip as I was searching for my bag. I realized I had gone the wrong way, turned around, and there she was on the phone with a BIG smile on her face holding a coffee bean for me. She knows the way to my heart... caffeine. :)
I spent Sunday evening laying in bed watching bad reality television because really, that is all my mind could handle. It was a fun weekend, but it was nice to be home. Now I must used these next few months to recover and get ready for the wedding weekend in Chicago. Wish me luck!
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Gibbons are a Type of Ape...
This is one of the many facts I learned about Gibbons this past weekend. Denise found out about a fundraiser for the Gibbon Center in Santa Clarita, so we decided to actually wake up quite early on a Saturday to go out there and show our support. Our friends Cathleen and Rhonda joined us for the adventure and said it was the single most amazing moment in their lives (well, I'm exaggerating, but it was pretty damn cool). The Center studies the Gibbons to learn about their behavior and reproduction patterns, in the hopes of saving the species and preserving them in the wild as opposed to keeping them all in zoos.
They provided a vegan breakfast which involved tables and tables of food such as granola, bagels, soy cream cheese, soy yogurt, soy milk, almond milk, rice milk, fruits, veggies, oatmeal, some sort of potato/bean dish and much, much more. It was like a feast made especially for me. :) After breakfast, the scientist/founder of the Gibbon Center spoke to the attendees and answered any questions people may have. Some of the interesting things I remember are Gibbons are monogamous, fiercely territorial, come in 15 different species (although he may have proof there are 16), and are highly endangered in certain areas of the world. He said that they attempt to keep the ones from the wild and their offspring as free from human interaction as possible, in the hopes they can reintroduce them into the wild eventually. It would not be advantageous for them to trust humans, because then poachers would find them easy targets. Still, some of the more rare Gibbons have come from zoos in China where they were humanized, so he said they do not know if they are Gibbon or human. I'm not sure how the Center keeps the wild Gibbons wild since they are cared for by humans and fed by them, but I am confident this guy knows what he is doing. For more information on the Center, here is their website. http://www.gibboncenter.org/
After listening to the question and answer phase for awhile, Denise and I decided to wander around the area and look at all the different Gibbons. To watch them swing from branch to branch is pretty awe inspiring, and I'm constantly amazed at the seeming awareness and human like characteristics of apes/monkeys in general. One cute moment was when a toddler Gibbon started performing and wanting to play with the children that were looking at him. He was spinning around, jumping, and climbing on the cage. It is like the Gibbon knew these were small creatures that might be willing to romp around with him.
The final highlight of the morning was when the Gibbons decided that they would start performing the territorial call which they are famous for. Since we were surrounded by different species of Gibbon, each call was a bit different. I really cannot describe what these calls sounded like, but they were unlike anything I have ever heard come from an animals mouth. At times it was so loud you had to yell at each other to try to carry on a conversation. Denise got much of it on video, and we have been trying to upload it online to send to people. If we can accomplish this, I will post it on here.
We left hot, covered in sand (it was damn windy), and incredibly happy that we made it out of bed to support this cause and see this wondrous display. Gibbons rule!
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Dinah Shore Recap
Dinah Shore has once again come and gone. Denise and I had a great time..... organizing our room!! Sadly, Denise and I did not make our way to bikini clad ladies in the sun, but instead decided to stay home, save the money, and get our room picked up and more zen like. We had actually intended to go, but then at the last minute decided it was just too expensive and could not justify spending all the money on girlbar in Palm Springs. I still have the same feelings I did last year about the exploitive nature of that weekend, and the ridiculous money they take from these lesbians just for a glance at a cute girl in hot pants. I realize that these women have the free will to pay, but my argument stands that they are using the fact that lesbians lack these types of events in other cities to take their money at top dollar. I was told that to get into the dance party at night, it was $90.00!!!! Anyway, I went into this rant last year, so I will stop now before my face gets too beat red.
Despite all that, I was a little sad not to be going because our friends Shannon and Noa had never attended the Dinah, and I thought it would have been fun to be with them for their "first time." As I said, Denise and I spent the weekend getting rid of a lot of unnecessary crap, going through our storage unit, and just chilling with our neighbor boys as well as Lindsey who is in town. It was nice and relaxing, but we did miss our ladies terribly. We felt better though when the reviews of the weekend were less than stellar. Common complaints were WAY too expensive, crappy music, overpriced drinks, and of course, the lack of our presence. ;) We missed everyone, and they missed us, it was a love fest all around. :)
The consensus seems to be that if we attend again next year, we will all rent some sort of house together, bring our own drinks, our own music, and if we attend any parties it will purely be on a sneaking in/splitting bracelets basis because Dinah ain't worth the money, and I intend to stick it to those ladies any way I can. :D That's right, I said it... TILL NEXT YEAR!!
Despite all that, I was a little sad not to be going because our friends Shannon and Noa had never attended the Dinah, and I thought it would have been fun to be with them for their "first time." As I said, Denise and I spent the weekend getting rid of a lot of unnecessary crap, going through our storage unit, and just chilling with our neighbor boys as well as Lindsey who is in town. It was nice and relaxing, but we did miss our ladies terribly. We felt better though when the reviews of the weekend were less than stellar. Common complaints were WAY too expensive, crappy music, overpriced drinks, and of course, the lack of our presence. ;) We missed everyone, and they missed us, it was a love fest all around. :)
The consensus seems to be that if we attend again next year, we will all rent some sort of house together, bring our own drinks, our own music, and if we attend any parties it will purely be on a sneaking in/splitting bracelets basis because Dinah ain't worth the money, and I intend to stick it to those ladies any way I can. :D That's right, I said it... TILL NEXT YEAR!!
Monday, March 31, 2008
March Madness
The month of March has FLOWN by and it seems to have been jam packed with activities.
Can I just say that I have been loving the weather lately. I'm really not quite ready yet for the blazing sun of summer, so I have really enjoyed the last few days of sun and temperatures in the mid 60s. Lovely as Jess would say.
In other news, LOST is in reruns now which is a sad, sad thing. It was getting so exciting there for awhile and so many new things were being revealed. Perhaps they decided to give our brains a chance to rest and absorb before we ended up getting a nose bleed, which leads to cerebral cortex explosion, which leads to death like that guy on the boat and almost Desmond before he found his constant.... see what I mean.
As far as activities post St. Louis, here are some high-lights.
On March 14, my friend Mark held an event at The Factory Night Club to raise money for his friend Van who is riding in the AIDS Lifecycle Ride. The AIDS Lifecycle is a bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles to raise money for AIDS, and is a goal of mine on my "list of things to do." However, just in order to participate in the ride, I think you need to raise something like $2,000.00, which is a hefty sum if the majority of your friends are either students, "struggling actors," or work in "the biz" living on the unpredictability of the movie industry. So, Mark impressively coordinated a men's swimwear fashion show with brands such as Speedo, Timoteo, and more to get gay men excited about seeing male models in skimpy clothing and somehow hoped to translate that into donations for AIDS. I don't really get it either, but perhaps gay logic is different than most...hmmm I see research potential.
Anyway, most of our friends made it to the event, and the place was packed! After dancing for a few hours, the show began. I had to laugh because some of the lesbians seemed to be getting more excited about men in swimsuits than the gay boys. I heard comments like, "Ooo, he's cute," "Did you see his *&@#," "Nice body." hahaha! They raised a decent amount of money, but not as much as they should have for that show because gays are cheap, but all in all it was a success! My friend Phil's Birthday was also that night, but alas, he was overshadowed by scantily clad men... WE STILL LOVE U PHIL!!
The following weekend there was a large Birthday celebration for a lesbian named Cathy at Oil Can Harrys, which is a gay line dancing bar in the Valley. On Saturdays though, they have Disco Night! Lesbians + Disco + leather daddies, bears, and fabulous gays + drink specials until 10PM = an amazing time!! There were so many lesbians there that one gay man actually felt the need to ask why there were so many of "us," we had to explain it was a Birthday party and we love to boogie. Noa and I seriously danced non-stop for approximately 3 and half to 4 hours and I probably could have kept going if there weren't pesky details like "closing times," and "we need to get home now before I drink more and make a fool of myself."
One high light of the night was one of my favorite writers and vlog stars Karman Kregloe from afterellen.com was in attendance. I have enjoyed her writing since she recapped Tila Tequila for the site, and began watching the vlog "We're Getting Nowhere" when I saw they were recapping America's Next Top Model because as I have expressed here before, I have a sick and twisted addiction to bad reality shows. Anyway, I saw her waiting in the bathroom line, and I wasn't sure if I was going to say anything because I am not one to approach people, but at this point I had thrown back a few too many drink specials, so I just said, "Hey, I like your blog on afterellen.com." I was expecting a, "Hey thanks," and that would be the end of my brush with online fame, but instead she said thanks and actually got out of line to talk to me!! I introduced her to Denise and rambled on about how much I enjoyed her writing... at least I think that is what I said. At that point I could barely make out coherent sentences much less speak in any sort of intelligent manner. Still, I was so impressed that she did that and it just made me a bigger fan of her work. Not a fan as in she will be my new screen saver for my computer, but as in I will continue to enjoy her work and take comfort in the knowledge that she is a really cool person.
It was a extremely good time and I definitely will be returning for gay disco Saturdays, and we plan on bringing our friend Shannon to line-dancing Fridays because she's gonna teach us all the 2-step. :)
The next weekend was Justin's Birthday, so we went to see the movie Monster Squad at a local theater. I had never seen the film, but after a viewing I'm a total fan. I LOVE cheesy 80s comedy, especially the genre of "kids save the world while adults are clueless" movies. If you haven't seen it, I definitely recommend it. I was told they finally released it on DVD, so run to your local blockbuster, independent movie rental place, or "put it in your que," and good ready for good, campy, ridiculous fun.
After the film everyone arrived at Vince and Justin's apartment for a house party, and the festivities ended with us watching stupid shit on youtube as always. All I have to say is, "Ken Leeeeeeee, tolibodeeebodouchu!!!!!"
One final note, I have reached my max of friends with March Birthdays. This month I had Kendra, Phil, Mark, Justin, Angela, Brendan, and of course, my Nani's Birthday to attend/send a card/myspace. If you would like to befriend me, please consider changing the date of your Birthday, or just don't let me know when it is because I will feel pressure and guilt about what to get you, whether or not I can attend, and just what type of cake is your favorite because even with good friends you don't necessarily know that. :) I LOVE YOU MY MARCH BIRTHDAY FRIENDS!!!
ps: also in happenings this month, Denise ate a baby crab... lets please take a moment of silence in remembrance.
Can I just say that I have been loving the weather lately. I'm really not quite ready yet for the blazing sun of summer, so I have really enjoyed the last few days of sun and temperatures in the mid 60s. Lovely as Jess would say.
In other news, LOST is in reruns now which is a sad, sad thing. It was getting so exciting there for awhile and so many new things were being revealed. Perhaps they decided to give our brains a chance to rest and absorb before we ended up getting a nose bleed, which leads to cerebral cortex explosion, which leads to death like that guy on the boat and almost Desmond before he found his constant.... see what I mean.
As far as activities post St. Louis, here are some high-lights.
On March 14, my friend Mark held an event at The Factory Night Club to raise money for his friend Van who is riding in the AIDS Lifecycle Ride. The AIDS Lifecycle is a bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles to raise money for AIDS, and is a goal of mine on my "list of things to do." However, just in order to participate in the ride, I think you need to raise something like $2,000.00, which is a hefty sum if the majority of your friends are either students, "struggling actors," or work in "the biz" living on the unpredictability of the movie industry. So, Mark impressively coordinated a men's swimwear fashion show with brands such as Speedo, Timoteo, and more to get gay men excited about seeing male models in skimpy clothing and somehow hoped to translate that into donations for AIDS. I don't really get it either, but perhaps gay logic is different than most...hmmm I see research potential.
Anyway, most of our friends made it to the event, and the place was packed! After dancing for a few hours, the show began. I had to laugh because some of the lesbians seemed to be getting more excited about men in swimsuits than the gay boys. I heard comments like, "Ooo, he's cute," "Did you see his *&@#," "Nice body." hahaha! They raised a decent amount of money, but not as much as they should have for that show because gays are cheap, but all in all it was a success! My friend Phil's Birthday was also that night, but alas, he was overshadowed by scantily clad men... WE STILL LOVE U PHIL!!
The following weekend there was a large Birthday celebration for a lesbian named Cathy at Oil Can Harrys, which is a gay line dancing bar in the Valley. On Saturdays though, they have Disco Night! Lesbians + Disco + leather daddies, bears, and fabulous gays + drink specials until 10PM = an amazing time!! There were so many lesbians there that one gay man actually felt the need to ask why there were so many of "us," we had to explain it was a Birthday party and we love to boogie. Noa and I seriously danced non-stop for approximately 3 and half to 4 hours and I probably could have kept going if there weren't pesky details like "closing times," and "we need to get home now before I drink more and make a fool of myself."
One high light of the night was one of my favorite writers and vlog stars Karman Kregloe from afterellen.com was in attendance. I have enjoyed her writing since she recapped Tila Tequila for the site, and began watching the vlog "We're Getting Nowhere" when I saw they were recapping America's Next Top Model because as I have expressed here before, I have a sick and twisted addiction to bad reality shows. Anyway, I saw her waiting in the bathroom line, and I wasn't sure if I was going to say anything because I am not one to approach people, but at this point I had thrown back a few too many drink specials, so I just said, "Hey, I like your blog on afterellen.com." I was expecting a, "Hey thanks," and that would be the end of my brush with online fame, but instead she said thanks and actually got out of line to talk to me!! I introduced her to Denise and rambled on about how much I enjoyed her writing... at least I think that is what I said. At that point I could barely make out coherent sentences much less speak in any sort of intelligent manner. Still, I was so impressed that she did that and it just made me a bigger fan of her work. Not a fan as in she will be my new screen saver for my computer, but as in I will continue to enjoy her work and take comfort in the knowledge that she is a really cool person.
It was a extremely good time and I definitely will be returning for gay disco Saturdays, and we plan on bringing our friend Shannon to line-dancing Fridays because she's gonna teach us all the 2-step. :)
The next weekend was Justin's Birthday, so we went to see the movie Monster Squad at a local theater. I had never seen the film, but after a viewing I'm a total fan. I LOVE cheesy 80s comedy, especially the genre of "kids save the world while adults are clueless" movies. If you haven't seen it, I definitely recommend it. I was told they finally released it on DVD, so run to your local blockbuster, independent movie rental place, or "put it in your que," and good ready for good, campy, ridiculous fun.
After the film everyone arrived at Vince and Justin's apartment for a house party, and the festivities ended with us watching stupid shit on youtube as always. All I have to say is, "Ken Leeeeeeee, tolibodeeebodouchu!!!!!"
One final note, I have reached my max of friends with March Birthdays. This month I had Kendra, Phil, Mark, Justin, Angela, Brendan, and of course, my Nani's Birthday to attend/send a card/myspace. If you would like to befriend me, please consider changing the date of your Birthday, or just don't let me know when it is because I will feel pressure and guilt about what to get you, whether or not I can attend, and just what type of cake is your favorite because even with good friends you don't necessarily know that. :) I LOVE YOU MY MARCH BIRTHDAY FRIENDS!!!
ps: also in happenings this month, Denise ate a baby crab... lets please take a moment of silence in remembrance.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Missouri loves company...
It has been a bit since I verbally threw up online. My apologies for those that anxiously await notification that I have updated this blog with fascinating tidbits from my extremely exciting life, but it has been a bit of a madhouse here at work. :)
We have entered the notorious (well, notorious for Immigration lawyers) season of H-1B filings which must, MUST be in the fedex box on Monday, March 31, 2008 to arrive on the doorstep of Immigration on April 1, 2008 in the small chance that your application sneaks in and is picked for H-1B eligibility. I can't remember if I wrote about this last year, but at the risk of repeating myself, I will provide a brief explanation. H-1B is a temporary work visa which is available generally for 6 years (but must be renewed after 3). It requires a bachelor's degree, a job offer, and approval by the Department of Labor. The government allows about 65,000 H-1B applications to be accepted a year, last year, something like over 300,00 people applied. What this means of course, is many people did not make it in, and that the 65,000 spots were taken up in the first day! So, this is why it is so important that your clients application be there on the first day that they can apply, to try to increase the chances of getting picked. Of course, all our clients waited until the last absolute moment to tell us they wanted to apply, and I have been scrambling around the last week or so trying to track down clients and their employers to get all the needed documents compiled and organized into a neat little package to be mailed out. Today, I will finally finish my last ones.... phew!!
So, that is why I have been a bit M.I.A. lately, but do not worry, I am back to once again take precious moments away from your day to tell you about what's going on with me!!
Back tracking a bit, a few weekends ago Denise and I made our way to St. Louis for my grandmother's (nani as all the grandkids call her, which I invented as a child cause I'm a genius) 80th Birthday. As it turns out, Vince was going back to St. Louis that same weekend, AND his mother had booked the EXACT same round trip flight as us! We discovered this information late one night while discussing coordinating a ride to the airport, and we were all extremely excited (and perhaps a bit worried that this might be some omen for disaster? well, maybe that was just me). Anyway, we were able to finagle it so that we all sat together on the way there AND back. We watched movies, got drunk, and as I said, I think pretty much had more fun than anyone else on our flights.
As for our actual time in St. Louis, it was great, but too fast as always. We stayed the whole time with our friends Kate and Joe which was really nice because (1) they are just awesome, and (2) we could escape family for awhile and just chill for the night.
We arrived Thursday around 5:30, picked up our rental car (which was a PT Cruiser... Denise's FAVORITE ;), dropped Vince off, deposited our things at Kate and Joes, and went out to Thai food which was amazing and SPICY!
Friday Kate and I took Denise around the city to various high-lights. We went to lunch at Blueberry Hill (a famous restaurant where Chuck Berry still plays!), later went to a Bissingers chocolate bar which was amazing but also a tad sickening at the end, and finished with a coffee at Coffee Cartel, an old hang out of Vince and I back when it was more gay (before those damn straights took over;). One other thing was that day, it was FUCKING COLD!! It was so cold in fact in prompted deep discussions about why midwest winters just seem to be so biting cold. It is like pins are hitting your skin as the wind blows against your face. It is definitely unlike the cold we have here in the West. St. Louis was definitely much colder than Tahoe, even though there was like 3 feet of snow in Tahoe and it was just as cold temperature wise. We decided that it must have something to do with the humidity in the air, but what do we know... anyway, moving on. That night, we went to see the movie Juno for a low key outing event. The film was cute, but I think I had just heard too much hype for it to live up to. Also, I had a bit of an issue about the way they approached the idea of abortion, and the way the clinic was portrayed. I heard an interview with Ellen Page where she discussed this briefly, but I still don't think her explanation was convincing. Still, Ellen Page was adorable and the characters were well written, so as far as movies go I felt it was pretty successful.
Saturday was the big day. The party was at a community center in an area called Shrewsberry and started at 3PM, so we got there around 2:30 or so. It was supposed to be a surprise party, but I guess there had been a few slip-ups, so she was a bit suspicious. However, when she entered, I think she was shocked at the amount of people that were there. She started to cry when she saw me, which of course made me cry, and it was a love fest all around. The party was nice. Lots of catching up. My brother was there with his wife and little boy Brendan who is so cute and smart, but was having a hard time not throwing a fit every time something did not go his way. I got to see my cousin Rachael who I have not seen in many years, which was great. Also, my other cousins Angela and Laura were there, and Denise and I spent most of our time talking to them and catching up. They are really amazing girls.... seem much more together than I was at their age. My aunt Marcia brought some wine, so there was actually some alcoholic beverages at the gathering (my family usually has dry parties), which was nice to cut the nerves a bit. The room was only reserved until 8:00pm, so we wrapped it up around 7:30 or so. I was tempted to go back to my Nani's to hang for a bit more, but I thought it was time for a break from family, since we would see them again tomorrow.
Instead, I took Denise to this lesbian bar called "Novaks" in downtown St. Louis. I had heard they had moved to a new space since I had been there and it was much nicer. Well, the rumors were true! The Novaks I knew was this small narrow bar that had a small triangle stage at the end for the periodic Drag King show (which is why to this day I cannot hear "It's gettin hot in here" without seeing a drag king gyrating his hips in a girls face). The place it has moved to is a really cool warehouse type space with exposed ceilings, red brick, and a large round bar in the middle of the room. In the back room there are plenty of pool tables and draw poker machines because that's what the les's like to do in the midwest. We were actually given a pleasant surprise when we learned that there was a drag queen/king show that night, AND even more surprised when we saw once again how cheap drinks are there!! 4.50 for a rum and diet! However, the thing which eventually drove us out was all the smoke. St. Louis has yet to institute the no smoking in doors policy.... COME ON people, get with it!!!
Sunday was the Science Center with the my Nani, mom, Jeff and Sara, Brendarn, Denise and I. Brendan was SO excited to go there and see the dinosaurs. However, I'm not sure he realized that the dinosaurs there are animatronic, which means they move and roar. The closer we got to them, the more he freaked out, and eventually had a melt down. We decided that perhaps it was in our best interest to explore other areas of the Science Center, which was a lot of fun. Towards the end of the day, we made it back to the area where the dinosaurs were, my brother tricked Brendan into getting in an elevator which deposited them downstairs right where the dinosaurs were. Brendan realized he had been tricked, was pissed for a second, but then cautiously made his way closer and closer. We even stood under them to show him that our heads were safe below the T-Rex jaws. He actually ended up getting pretty close, and I was proud of him because I don't know if I would have done that at his age (I was afraid of Halloween until I was like 7, and don't get my mom started on the story of me screaming in the bank at the moving dolls in the window). After the Science Center we stopped by the Zoo to take pictures of this incredible metal sculpture of animals they recently added to the outside of the walls. When Brendan was told we were only looking at the outside of the Zoo and not actually going in, he decided this was yet another reason to loose it. He recovered after he saw the sculpture and some horses in the park, but it was pretty obvious it was time to go home.
We all went over to my Nanis' for conversation and Pasta House take out. It was good, but I barely ate any because I knew we were going to the most amazing Vietnamese food in a few hour with Kate, Joe and Vince, so I wanted to save my appetite. At about 7:30 we said our emotional goodbyes (it is always so hard for my mom), and met everyone for dinner at Pho Grand. The meal was fabulous as always, and I have decided we must try to eat there at least once whenever we get back to visit. After we went for ice cream at Ted Drews (a famous custard stand there) and decided that all we wanted to do was sit on the couch and watch embarrassing videos of me in my youth, and watch the penguin surfing move which I can't recall the name of right now, which we did.
Monday we said a sad goodbye to Kate (Joe was at work), and departed for the City that is Los Angeles. It was a lovely little trip, and I can't wait to see everyone again. We are thinking B-town for Christmas, but that always involves a brief stint in the Lou, so we will be back again soon to the gateway to the west!!! oxoxox
ps: hopefully i will post some pics later
We have entered the notorious (well, notorious for Immigration lawyers) season of H-1B filings which must, MUST be in the fedex box on Monday, March 31, 2008 to arrive on the doorstep of Immigration on April 1, 2008 in the small chance that your application sneaks in and is picked for H-1B eligibility. I can't remember if I wrote about this last year, but at the risk of repeating myself, I will provide a brief explanation. H-1B is a temporary work visa which is available generally for 6 years (but must be renewed after 3). It requires a bachelor's degree, a job offer, and approval by the Department of Labor. The government allows about 65,000 H-1B applications to be accepted a year, last year, something like over 300,00 people applied. What this means of course, is many people did not make it in, and that the 65,000 spots were taken up in the first day! So, this is why it is so important that your clients application be there on the first day that they can apply, to try to increase the chances of getting picked. Of course, all our clients waited until the last absolute moment to tell us they wanted to apply, and I have been scrambling around the last week or so trying to track down clients and their employers to get all the needed documents compiled and organized into a neat little package to be mailed out. Today, I will finally finish my last ones.... phew!!
So, that is why I have been a bit M.I.A. lately, but do not worry, I am back to once again take precious moments away from your day to tell you about what's going on with me!!
Back tracking a bit, a few weekends ago Denise and I made our way to St. Louis for my grandmother's (nani as all the grandkids call her, which I invented as a child cause I'm a genius) 80th Birthday. As it turns out, Vince was going back to St. Louis that same weekend, AND his mother had booked the EXACT same round trip flight as us! We discovered this information late one night while discussing coordinating a ride to the airport, and we were all extremely excited (and perhaps a bit worried that this might be some omen for disaster? well, maybe that was just me). Anyway, we were able to finagle it so that we all sat together on the way there AND back. We watched movies, got drunk, and as I said, I think pretty much had more fun than anyone else on our flights.
As for our actual time in St. Louis, it was great, but too fast as always. We stayed the whole time with our friends Kate and Joe which was really nice because (1) they are just awesome, and (2) we could escape family for awhile and just chill for the night.
We arrived Thursday around 5:30, picked up our rental car (which was a PT Cruiser... Denise's FAVORITE ;), dropped Vince off, deposited our things at Kate and Joes, and went out to Thai food which was amazing and SPICY!
Friday Kate and I took Denise around the city to various high-lights. We went to lunch at Blueberry Hill (a famous restaurant where Chuck Berry still plays!), later went to a Bissingers chocolate bar which was amazing but also a tad sickening at the end, and finished with a coffee at Coffee Cartel, an old hang out of Vince and I back when it was more gay (before those damn straights took over;). One other thing was that day, it was FUCKING COLD!! It was so cold in fact in prompted deep discussions about why midwest winters just seem to be so biting cold. It is like pins are hitting your skin as the wind blows against your face. It is definitely unlike the cold we have here in the West. St. Louis was definitely much colder than Tahoe, even though there was like 3 feet of snow in Tahoe and it was just as cold temperature wise. We decided that it must have something to do with the humidity in the air, but what do we know... anyway, moving on. That night, we went to see the movie Juno for a low key outing event. The film was cute, but I think I had just heard too much hype for it to live up to. Also, I had a bit of an issue about the way they approached the idea of abortion, and the way the clinic was portrayed. I heard an interview with Ellen Page where she discussed this briefly, but I still don't think her explanation was convincing. Still, Ellen Page was adorable and the characters were well written, so as far as movies go I felt it was pretty successful.
Saturday was the big day. The party was at a community center in an area called Shrewsberry and started at 3PM, so we got there around 2:30 or so. It was supposed to be a surprise party, but I guess there had been a few slip-ups, so she was a bit suspicious. However, when she entered, I think she was shocked at the amount of people that were there. She started to cry when she saw me, which of course made me cry, and it was a love fest all around. The party was nice. Lots of catching up. My brother was there with his wife and little boy Brendan who is so cute and smart, but was having a hard time not throwing a fit every time something did not go his way. I got to see my cousin Rachael who I have not seen in many years, which was great. Also, my other cousins Angela and Laura were there, and Denise and I spent most of our time talking to them and catching up. They are really amazing girls.... seem much more together than I was at their age. My aunt Marcia brought some wine, so there was actually some alcoholic beverages at the gathering (my family usually has dry parties), which was nice to cut the nerves a bit. The room was only reserved until 8:00pm, so we wrapped it up around 7:30 or so. I was tempted to go back to my Nani's to hang for a bit more, but I thought it was time for a break from family, since we would see them again tomorrow.
Instead, I took Denise to this lesbian bar called "Novaks" in downtown St. Louis. I had heard they had moved to a new space since I had been there and it was much nicer. Well, the rumors were true! The Novaks I knew was this small narrow bar that had a small triangle stage at the end for the periodic Drag King show (which is why to this day I cannot hear "It's gettin hot in here" without seeing a drag king gyrating his hips in a girls face). The place it has moved to is a really cool warehouse type space with exposed ceilings, red brick, and a large round bar in the middle of the room. In the back room there are plenty of pool tables and draw poker machines because that's what the les's like to do in the midwest. We were actually given a pleasant surprise when we learned that there was a drag queen/king show that night, AND even more surprised when we saw once again how cheap drinks are there!! 4.50 for a rum and diet! However, the thing which eventually drove us out was all the smoke. St. Louis has yet to institute the no smoking in doors policy.... COME ON people, get with it!!!
Sunday was the Science Center with the my Nani, mom, Jeff and Sara, Brendarn, Denise and I. Brendan was SO excited to go there and see the dinosaurs. However, I'm not sure he realized that the dinosaurs there are animatronic, which means they move and roar. The closer we got to them, the more he freaked out, and eventually had a melt down. We decided that perhaps it was in our best interest to explore other areas of the Science Center, which was a lot of fun. Towards the end of the day, we made it back to the area where the dinosaurs were, my brother tricked Brendan into getting in an elevator which deposited them downstairs right where the dinosaurs were. Brendan realized he had been tricked, was pissed for a second, but then cautiously made his way closer and closer. We even stood under them to show him that our heads were safe below the T-Rex jaws. He actually ended up getting pretty close, and I was proud of him because I don't know if I would have done that at his age (I was afraid of Halloween until I was like 7, and don't get my mom started on the story of me screaming in the bank at the moving dolls in the window). After the Science Center we stopped by the Zoo to take pictures of this incredible metal sculpture of animals they recently added to the outside of the walls. When Brendan was told we were only looking at the outside of the Zoo and not actually going in, he decided this was yet another reason to loose it. He recovered after he saw the sculpture and some horses in the park, but it was pretty obvious it was time to go home.
We all went over to my Nanis' for conversation and Pasta House take out. It was good, but I barely ate any because I knew we were going to the most amazing Vietnamese food in a few hour with Kate, Joe and Vince, so I wanted to save my appetite. At about 7:30 we said our emotional goodbyes (it is always so hard for my mom), and met everyone for dinner at Pho Grand. The meal was fabulous as always, and I have decided we must try to eat there at least once whenever we get back to visit. After we went for ice cream at Ted Drews (a famous custard stand there) and decided that all we wanted to do was sit on the couch and watch embarrassing videos of me in my youth, and watch the penguin surfing move which I can't recall the name of right now, which we did.
Monday we said a sad goodbye to Kate (Joe was at work), and departed for the City that is Los Angeles. It was a lovely little trip, and I can't wait to see everyone again. We are thinking B-town for Christmas, but that always involves a brief stint in the Lou, so we will be back again soon to the gateway to the west!!! oxoxox
ps: hopefully i will post some pics later
Monday, March 3, 2008
Lesbian Turkish Oil Wrestling
Yes, you read the heading of this post correctly. Denise, myself, and friends attended an event put on by the producer of the L word, Ilene Chaiken, called FYKE which featured lesbian Turkish oil wrestling. Let me just say that one more time... Lesbian Turkish Oil Wrestling. Really, it had been my great pleasure all week to tell people I was going to such an event because when else in my life am I going to get to say that!!
Now, I decided to do a little research on this type of wrestling just for my own edification, and found that making it a match between women seems to be Ilene Chaiken's twist on the event because in Turkey, it only involves men. An episode of the L word featured Turkish oil wrestling between women at "she bar" hosted by the character Dawn Denbo, climaxing in a drag down, oil filled, smack down between Dawn Denbo, her lover Cindy, Molly, and Shane. The oil wrestling I attended on Saturday night was a sort of cross promotion for the L word and the constantly referenced online site called ourchart.com.
If you would like a more in depth exploration into the history of oil wrestling in Turkey, here is a link to it from the extremely accurate wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkish_oil_wrestling
When I google imaged Turkish oil wrestling, I was given countless images like the one below.
I can see why I was told by someone that this sport is very popular among gay men. However, as seen from the photos above, this is nothing like what I saw Saturday night.
Before I get to the actual event, I must say that on Saturday day, Denise, Noa, Shannon, Vince, Justin and I went on a BEAUTIFUL hike in Eaton Canyon back to a waterfall. It was a gorgeous misty and foggy day, and the green hills around us just came alive. We had done this hike once before, but it was last summer when everything was bone dry and the water was nothing more than a trickle. After all the rain we have had this year, the water was gushing down from the waterfall and forced us to negotiate over rocks, climb hills, and balance on trees in order to traverse the water back to the falls. It was a wonderful day and I was so overcome by the beauty of nature. Any LA people reading this blog, I TOTALLY recommend this hike, but do it soon before the water starts to get sucked up by the blaring sun.
After enjoying the beauty of nature, I was ready to enjoy the beauty of two women soaked in oil wrestling. haha! I had to say it....
So, we all arrived at the venue a little before 9:00 PM. The email sent out by the promoters said that between 9-9:55 they would sell tickets for 10.00, but after that they went up to 20.00. Although I was excited at the prospect of telling people I had attended lesbian Turkish oil wrestling, I was not really willing to pay 20.00 for that prestige. Also, we had a feeling the later we were, the less our likelihood of getting tickets became, and from what I heard the line was like as the night went on, we were right!
We were in line waiting for them to open the doors, which they finally did at about 9:15, but this was long enough for us to be subjected to the really annoying lesbians who think they are more important than everyone else so they MUST be on some list or be able to cut in line. Ugh... annoying. However, we got in without any issue and went straight to the bar after dealing with all the egos outside the door.
For hours lesbians just kept pouring in through the door, crowding around the wrestling ring set up in the middle of the room. Denise, Noa, Shannon and I were able to secure a spot at the front of the ring, but we paid for it by a number of shoves, squeezes, and smelly armpits. Finally the event started with an introduction to the sport by Michelle Wolff (you will only know her if you watch Dantes Cove on the HERE network) and the host was Elizabeth Keener (aka: Dawn Denbo on the L word, and the sister of Catherine Keener who I LOVE).
They introduced the wrestlers and began the first match. Oil was dumped out of a bucket onto the ring floor, and they got down to it (and I mean literally down). In all honesty, it was more fun to say we were going to lesbian Turkish oil wrestling than to actually watch it. People were shoving you the whole time, it was likely that oil would get on you if you were too close (and I liked the shirt I was wearing), and one of the wrestlers was not wearing a great outfit and as a friend of mine so politely stated, "her ladies were falling out." After the first match, we decided we would just hang out with friends and people we had not seen in a long time, and catch some of the matches on the televisions provided.
The rest of the night was really the best part. I saw many friends who I have not spoken to in months, took lots of pics (well, Denise took lots of pics), and even made a few videos. Cybill Shepard's daughter, Clementine Ford was in attendance who is also staring in the L word this season. She is SO cute in person, and as Denise said, she could be the exception to the monogamy rule. ;) haha! I gest, I gest. I also spotted Ilene Chaiken in the crowd inspecting her creation and seeming quite pleased.
At one point in the night I was trying to sneak between Elizabeth Keener and Clementine Ford who were getting their pictures taken by a fan, and Elizabeth Keener playfully bopped me on the head, so that was pretty cool. :)
So folks, lesbian Turkish oil wrestling just turned out to be an entertaining springboard into a really fun night with friends and those I have lost touch with, which is completely fine with me.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Birthday Weekend!!!
So, my official Birthday was February 17, 2008, and this was a big one according to most, 3-0. Yes, tis true, I am no longer a youthful sprite in her 20s, but am now a responsible adult in her 30s... at least that is what "they" say, but I say shit balls to that! I feel absolutely no different today than I did a few weeks ago, and I have come to question whether we humans ever truly feel like "adults," whatever that is supposed to mean. So far in a limited poll I have secretly been conducting, NO ONE ever feels their age or sees themselves as "grown-up." I think this lends support to the age old cliche's of "age is just a number," and "your mind is always more youthful than your body." Just my humble opinion and take on entering a new decade of my life.
However, the purpose of this post is not some soul-searching pursuit into the deeper meaning of my life as a 30-year old, but is instead about what I did for my Birthday weekend!! Woo Hoo! On Friday, February 15, Denise and I once again traveled the familiar I-5 to Sacramento, stopping at our usual haunts and eating a lovely dinner at "My-Way."
We arrived at Katy and Becky's around 10PM, and we all geared up for our trip the next morning to TAHOE! I had never been to Lake Tahoe, but Denise is always professing its' beauty and insisting that we must go. The moment had finally arrived. Becky had found a cabin for us all online that accepted pets (yes, we had 3 dogs with us), was large enough for 4, and most importantly, had wifi. :) After a slow start Saturday, we made it to our cabin in the mid afternoon. It was SO nice. Two levels with a master bedroom and bath. Katy and Becky were gracious enough to allow Denise and I the pleasure of sleeping in the master bedroom since it was my Birthday. There wasn't much time for snow play, so instead we went out to dinner at a local sushi restaurant. Things started out splendidly, but progressively went down hill ending in bad service and REALLY bad sushi. In repayment for our wasted time and damage done to our stomachs, Katy took 2 cute wasabi/soy sauce bowls from our table. It was justifiable and I will say that in a court of law, under oath, but will not reveal my current profession.
That night we sipped on some wine and sneaky peaks while playing poker, which I won!! Yea! There is some sort of magic that happens with me and poker up north.... Denise, another argument to add to your list of reasons we should move. ;)
Sunday it was my day of birth, and SLEDDING!!! We bought some cheapy 5 dollar pieces of plastic, and took them to a nice hill we discovered, which we had all to ourselves. Now, the snow at that point in Tahoe was probably 2-3 feet deep... maybe more. So, as you would walk over hardened snow, there would be weak points where your whole leg would just fall right through. It was hilarious watching each one of us try to climb up the hill, while constantly falling into the snow. The day was filled with plenty of sledding, exploration, and a near death encounter with the waters of Tahoe, all of which is caught on tape.
After a bit more sight-seeing, we went back to the cabin to make ourselves presentable for dinner. Becky had read a really good review for this local Thai restaurant, so we decided to give it a try. When we arrived at the place, there was a 40 minute wait, so we decided to pass that time at a bar next door. All I can say is, the food was totally worth the wait...mmmmmmm. I ate every last bit which is rare for me, and I was totally paying for it later.. and so was everyone around me. ;) That night we played Cranium back at the cabin, again with wine and sneaky peaks. I really just felt like staying in for my Birthday and hanging out with my lovely peeps (also members of the peeps club I might add). It was a wonderful Birthday and a great way to celebrate 30.
Monday it was time to pack it up. After lunch at the marina and some running/play time for the dogs, we made our way back to Sacramento. We kept the rest of the day pretty chill, since we were all exhausted from our snow play from the day before exacerbated by too many sneaky peaks. ;) Tuesday we stayed for lunch and thrift store shopping, and resigned ourselves to the fact that we needed to get on the road back to LA.
I had such a wonderful Birthday month. So many great surprises and happy times with my friends/people I love in my life. It was the perfect way to celebrate another Birthday and my entrance into my 30s. Can't WAIT to see what 40 brings.... but I guess I'm getting a tad ahead of myself. Ta ta!
Monday, February 11, 2008
Birthday Surprises and More!!
So, last weekend I was given a Birthday surprise like no other. In reality, my Birthday is February 17, but we will be sitting by a fire in Lake Tahoe at the cabin we have reserved with Katy and Becky on that day. woo hoo! Anyway, I had been struggling with when exactly to do my Birthday celebration in Los Angeles. I finally decided I would have it the weekend we returned, that way it could be a sort of combo Birthday/Vince and Justin house warming event. I had told Denise last Friday, and she said, "Sure, tell Vince and Justin."
On Saturday morning I had to arise at 7:30 AM (ugh) to go to a CLE class to keep my license current. It was an interesting topic, but I was way to sleepy of all this law jargon so early in the morning. After that, I met up with my friend Jess for lunch and pedicures. She had also requested that I PLEASE go with her and some friends to pick out bridesmaids dresses for an upcoming wedding. I actually could not imagine a more miserable activity, but I agreed since she is my friend. :) After two bridal shops, an annoying sales woman with an unattractive habit of agreeing with EVERYTHING anyone says, another with an attitude, and 5 hours of sleep, I was useless and wanted to go home.
I arrived at home about 5:30, and needed to be in the shower by 7:00 to get ready for dinner at 8:00 with Laura, Noa, and Shannon. I used my hour or so of time to try to nap. At 7:00 Denise and I were rushing around to get ready, and as usual, I was ready first. So, Denise asked me to take the dog out to pee before we left. I begrudgingly agreed. Of course, Baron was awful on the walk! He was pulling, jumping at every person that walked by, would NOT go to the bathroom. I just kept pulling, yelling, and getting more frustrated by the minute because I knew it was after 8:00. Finally I took him in, and he was pulling me up the stairs like a madman. I was SO pissed. I opened our apartment door, and said, "Get in there!" At that exact moment the lights turned on and everyone yelled, SURPRISE!" I was completely shocked! I can't imagine the look of horror that was on my face. I had NO idea and was feeling schizophrenic due to my quick emotional switch from angry to flabbergasted to happy and releaved.
It was a wonderful surprise and very well coordinated by Denise. It was perfect that Vince and Justin live next door, so everyone could hide there until I walked Baron down and rush next door. I later saw the evite later and her orders for everyone to just indulge me if I mentioned any Birthday plans, just as she had done.
I had such a great time and realized once again how lucky I am to have all these wonderful friends in my life. I got so many great gifts, but the highlight was the 80 GB ipod people pitched in to get! I was SO shocked. My little ipod Nano barely turned on anymore, and I had been needing a new one, but 80 GB??!! I don't know if I will ever fill it up, but I will sure try. ;)
On Sunday, we decided to ignore the utter chaos that was our house, and go to the Gentle Barn!!! Shannon and Laura accompanied us, and it was such a great day. A young boy greated us to get our email addresses. When asked if we needed to make a donation, he said "You don't have to but it is very nice of you." haha! The animals were SO cute and friendly. There were only a couple of horses that seemed skittish, but all the other animals allowed you to pet and feed them. Above are a couple of pictures Denise took. The horse I am petting is in the Clydesdale family, and it was HUGE (although Shannon said they were actually small, but they were big to me!) They had shiny red hair and blond wavy manes. I read later that they use these horses to make a hormone supplement for women with menopause, and haven't stopped even though there are many synthetic types available. :(
I think it is amazing what these people are doing and deserve lots of money and support!
After we went to a famous local diner, and then made our way back to good ol Cahuenga to help Vince and Justin move a few large items. That night was all crashed on the couch with bloody marys, a wonderful dinner created by Denise, and watched Rock of Love 2. What a great way to end a great weekend. ta ta ya'll!!
Friday, February 8, 2008
My Down Stairs Mix-Up
So, first order of business...LOST!! We are two episodes in this season, and has already put our brains in tail spin (get it, tail spin, their tail section spun onto the island...whatever, it's clever. :). They have introduced 4 new characters who may or may not be good and who may or may not be there to rescue them. We found out last night that their real mission involves Ben, the malicious leader of the Others, and they don't seem to like him very much either. We have seen a flash forward for Hurley (but not as forward as the season finale last season), and learned that 6 people get off the island (they are calling them the Oceanic 6), 3 of whom are Jack, Kate, and Hurley. Hurley tells Jack that they need to go back to the island, and that they need to help the others who are still there, whoever that may be. Jack is still adamant they are not going back. What happens to make this Jack turn into the obsessed Jack (obsessed with getting back to the island) from the season finale is a HUGE mystery and I cannot WAIT to find out. Every Friday I look at LOST blogs to see what people are saying about the episode from the night before, and today they were all abuzz with some GREAT theories. If anyone has any ideas to share, please comment. What is probably so exciting about this show is it is full of mystery, and forces our brain the bend in ways that is rarely done with television. Although, my brain does bend to figure out why anyone would eat bull testiles just to go on a date with someone, but it's not quite the same.
Moving on, last weekend my friend Noa celebrated her Birthday with karaoke/bowling. Whoever decided to combine these two highly entertaining pastimes is a genius. We bowled for 2 games each team. The funniest moment for me was realizing the Phil has this cute gay swish when he bowls, which is a crack up because in other aspects of life Phil is one of the "least gay acting" of our gay friends. It's nice to know there's still a little flame in there somewhere.
After bowling, it was time to take karaoke by storm! Pretty much everyone went up to do a song, except Shannon and Denise (chickens!). Vince and Carmen were karaoke virgins, but they each surprised us with their performances. Vince did a rambunctious rendition of "Sweet Dreams" by the Eurythmics, complete with ass slapping and scarf flailing. Carmen belted out "Love is a Battlefield" by Heart, which had all of us hopping and dancing around like the bunch of Lesbians that we are. The next day I was still signing "Love is a Battlefield" in my head, and Denise was suffering from the ailment known as "bowling arm."
Saturday we were in Santa Monica and had a great celeb sighting. Ellen Paige from "Juno" was at Wholefoods. She is SO cute and little. She is truly a "pee pee." She looked like a little lesbian too, but you didn't hear that from me cause I ain't one to gossip.
This weekend I think Denise and I are going to try to visit the Gentle Barn. It is a great organization that rescues Domestic and Farm animals, as well as helping abused and at-risk youth. Denise and I were reading some of the animals stories last weekend, and we were both sitting there with tears streaming down our faces. Here is the link to their website http://www.gentlebarn.org/ I'm ready to pet some animals and give them some money.
Have a GREAT weekend ya'll!!
Moving on, last weekend my friend Noa celebrated her Birthday with karaoke/bowling. Whoever decided to combine these two highly entertaining pastimes is a genius. We bowled for 2 games each team. The funniest moment for me was realizing the Phil has this cute gay swish when he bowls, which is a crack up because in other aspects of life Phil is one of the "least gay acting" of our gay friends. It's nice to know there's still a little flame in there somewhere.
After bowling, it was time to take karaoke by storm! Pretty much everyone went up to do a song, except Shannon and Denise (chickens!). Vince and Carmen were karaoke virgins, but they each surprised us with their performances. Vince did a rambunctious rendition of "Sweet Dreams" by the Eurythmics, complete with ass slapping and scarf flailing. Carmen belted out "Love is a Battlefield" by Heart, which had all of us hopping and dancing around like the bunch of Lesbians that we are. The next day I was still signing "Love is a Battlefield" in my head, and Denise was suffering from the ailment known as "bowling arm."
Saturday we were in Santa Monica and had a great celeb sighting. Ellen Paige from "Juno" was at Wholefoods. She is SO cute and little. She is truly a "pee pee." She looked like a little lesbian too, but you didn't hear that from me cause I ain't one to gossip.
This weekend I think Denise and I are going to try to visit the Gentle Barn. It is a great organization that rescues Domestic and Farm animals, as well as helping abused and at-risk youth. Denise and I were reading some of the animals stories last weekend, and we were both sitting there with tears streaming down our faces. Here is the link to their website http://www.gentlebarn.org/ I'm ready to pet some animals and give them some money.
Have a GREAT weekend ya'll!!
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
VOTE!!
If you live in a state that is holding a Primary Election today, GO VOTE!!!! We have to become more active in our political process for things to ever change. Not only will you feel good about yourself for partaking in a right so many fought to gain, but you get a cool sticker as shown above! :) Thanks!
Thursday, January 31, 2008
LOST PREMIERE!
So, for those of you who are not obsessed maniac's like myself, you may not know that the season premeir of LOST is tonight. I am full of anticipation and glee for this season, especially after the shocking finale of last years season. I know, I sound like a LOST ad on television, but it's such a true statement.
If you are not a LOST fan yet, I encourage you to run out, rent all three seasons, and watch them in about a weeks time (it can be done, believe me). After that, you will be all caught up for next week. I'm telling you, I heard all the buzz about LOST for a couple of years, and I thought, "seriously, how exciting can a show be about people stuck on an island." Obviously my skeptism was due to my only point of reference, Gilligan's Island.
However, look at the stranded LOST members below
Now look at these, see the difference?
Plus, if you watch, you get to experience the hotness that is Evangeline Lilly (evidentiary support below).
LOST is obviously NOTHING like Gilligan's Island. I really don't know what else to compare it to, but it's definitely a dream for those who like to pay REALLY close attention to detail, find clues in every scene, and remember characters, plots, or comments from seasons past to match up with what is happening currently. Also, if you have a vast mental catalogue of prior movies, books, and comics written on a variety of topics including destiny, alternate universes, paradise, and interconnectedness, that helps too. I really have none of these qualities, which is why I read the blogs online by people who are good at that stuff, and reap all the benefits of their hardwork and attention span. I love the internet.
Anyway, run out and rent those seasons!!! I'll let you know how tonight goes!! YEA!!!
If you are not a LOST fan yet, I encourage you to run out, rent all three seasons, and watch them in about a weeks time (it can be done, believe me). After that, you will be all caught up for next week. I'm telling you, I heard all the buzz about LOST for a couple of years, and I thought, "seriously, how exciting can a show be about people stuck on an island." Obviously my skeptism was due to my only point of reference, Gilligan's Island.
However, look at the stranded LOST members below
Now look at these, see the difference?
Plus, if you watch, you get to experience the hotness that is Evangeline Lilly (evidentiary support below).
LOST is obviously NOTHING like Gilligan's Island. I really don't know what else to compare it to, but it's definitely a dream for those who like to pay REALLY close attention to detail, find clues in every scene, and remember characters, plots, or comments from seasons past to match up with what is happening currently. Also, if you have a vast mental catalogue of prior movies, books, and comics written on a variety of topics including destiny, alternate universes, paradise, and interconnectedness, that helps too. I really have none of these qualities, which is why I read the blogs online by people who are good at that stuff, and reap all the benefits of their hardwork and attention span. I love the internet.
Anyway, run out and rent those seasons!!! I'll let you know how tonight goes!! YEA!!!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
I like surprises!
We are only three weeks into 2008, and it has already started with a bang! Full of surprises, adventures, and projectile vomiting.First, to my extreme pleasure and delight, I was informed near the end of December that my sign sister (aka Ms. Jodi) would be flying into LA from London on New Years eve for a glorious 10 days!! Woo Hoo!!! Jodi once lived here with us in this urban jungle, but she left in December 2005 to go back to family, friends, better pay/vacation, the pound, weather, and no ice (sorry, Denise made me say that.:). While I understand her decision, I have missed her terribly. We still communicate often by chat, text, blackberry messenger, and the occasional phone call, but it is not the same as her walking with me to get coffees and pedicures while we gossip about gay and straight drama.
Anyway, we had a wonderful time while she was here, and I miss her so so much. We consumed copious amounts of coffee and had great discussions about life choices, why she likes assholes, and the empirical truth that there must be some validity to astrology because we are both so similar in small ways. :) Jess, Jodi and I went to lunch, pedicures, shopping, and ended with pictures taken in the photo booth on the Santa Monica pier a la Beaches style (minus the Atlantic City part of course) over the weekend. It brought back so many fun memories. Friday night we danced our asses off (literally, I swear I have less ass) at Popstars and practically had the dance floor to ourselves because most people don't venture out of the house in LA if it is raining, which it was. The night before she flew out we went bowling, and I beat everyone with my superior bowling skills....at least that is how I remember it. On Thursday evening before her flight we had one last coffee bean together. After there was a tearful goodbye in the streets of Hollywood while two men in a convertible harassed us and a girl gave us death stares for standing in the street... it was magical. ;) WE MISS YOU JODI!!
In other exciting news, our friends, and other long-term couple of the group, Vince and Justin are moving in RIGHT next door to us!! I don't mean next building down the street, but mean same floor, same side of the hall, DIRECTLY next door. OH SHOOT!!! Let the good times begin.
The next adventure was not exactly mine, but is so incredible that I had to put it in my blog.
My friend Noa and a girl she was on her 3rd date with decided to go on a day hike to Switzer Falls, which is right outside LA in the mountains. Noa, Denise and I have hiked there a few times. They arrived at about 10 AM, and started on the path, taking a different way into the falls than we usually do. As they are walking along the path they meet a nice man with a dog who tells them about the area, and that to the left is a camping site. They chat a bit more and the ladies are on their way. Eventually they get to the falls, hang out, and around 2:30 or so decide to hike out. They decide to take the path out that we usually take, just for a change of scenary. After over an hour and a half of climbing over rocks that do not look familiar, and no path in sight, Noa decides they somehow went the wrong way, and are lost. By now it's around 4:00 and she decides they need to go back the way they came and get out of there before the sun goes down.
They book it back over the rocks, and by the time they get back to the falls, it is 6:30 and pretty much dark. Assessing the situation, it seems like their best option is to go to that campsite the hiker told them about and see if it is near a road to flag down help. Noa tries her cell phone several times, but alas, no service. They finally arrive at the camp, but there is no road, and it is completely dark. Through the dark night they see there are two outhouses (Noa called them latrines. Who says that? ;) hahaha!), and decide that the choice is clear. They are going to be spending the night in one of them.
Squeezing onto the woman's bathroom floor, cuddling up, lying on top of each other for warmth, and shifting so as not to suffocate each other is how they spent their night. (Again, note this is their 3rd date!) Finally, the sun starts to rise about 7:30 AM, and they run out of there as fast as they can. To top it all off, it starts to snow! They finally get to the car, and drive out of there. Since they are delirious from their lack of sleep and warmth, they go the wrong way on the highway (I'm giving Noa the benefit of the doubt here) and don't realize it until they cross under a bridge they don't recognize. They stop at a small coffee shop, get some food and warm drinks in their belly, and finally make it home.
Crazy huh?! It's like one of those stories you see Monday morning on the MSNBC Headlines, "Two day hikers lost in the woods, sleep in Outhouse," because really, no one says latrine except Noa. ;) Glad you made it out alive Noa!!!
Finally, we went to see Cloverfield on Monday. I was damn scared and kept placing my hand on my head due to nervousness and disbelief. The content of the film aside, we were warned before hand that some people get motion sickness because the whole movie takes place from the perspective of a handheld camera. They had actually been cleaning up vomit beforehand, so we were delayed getting in the theater. The usher informed us that they had placed a trash can in the theater for viewers who felt instantly sick, and that the bathrooms were right out of the door if you could run that far. As we were exiting the theater after the film, still exhausted from adrenaline, right by the exit doors was none other than a pile of puke. A pile of puke noodles to be exact. Guess they couldn't make it to the bathroom, and did not want to hurl into the trashcan in front of a theater full of people. Justin took a picture... priceless.
Anyway, those are the highlights of my 2008 so far. Hope everyones 2008 is shaping up to be as exciting as mine. :)
Monday, January 7, 2008
Holidays and Such...
Since I really didn't post anything over the Holidays, the overwhelming idea of recapping the days makes my head spin, especially since I have a cold and my head seems to be literally spinning. So, here is a brief outline of what we did.
Christmas Eve - We had our few remaining LA friends over for a wonderful feast prepared by Denise. Our friend Noa came, who is Jewish, for her first Christmas Eve. I think we made a good impression. ;) The rest of the night was spent filming our antics such as drawing on Justin, desecrating the baby Jesus, and expressing every one's love of chocolate. I again made a French exit around 2:00AM, but the festivities continued until about 3:00AM
Christmas Day - We went over to Katy's dads house for lots of good food, drinks, presents, and ponderous performances.
Days to follow - hiking, sleeping, and the "Dewey Cox Story" which = DUMB!
The weekend before and up through New Years Day - We rented a cabin in Wrightwood, CA, which is about 1 hour and 15 minutes from LA, with our friends Noa, Laura, Shannon, Rob and Kendra. There really wasn't any snow around our cabin, but if you drove a few minutes there was enough to sled on. We cooked, ate, played games, sled, hiked and were almost eaten by a mountain lion, did head stands (as seen above:), and I was finally able to see the recent Harry Potter movie despite protests. :) It was fun, but after 4 days, I was ready for my own comfy bed.
Well, that's my last few weeks in a nut shell. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
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