15 posts tagged “personal”
Happy Saturday folks! Another Saturday and one that didn't just slip by.
Last night I checked out the Good Nite bar. It is very very close to my house. A little too close. I had a good time with my peeps and now, I think, this will be one of our spots.
They have some good specials, which I did not try. I never try specials and I really should. One was called the Good Nite Kiss and it just sounded like it would back a doozy. I stuck with my usual. It is really small and as we were walking up we heard "PYT" by Michael Jackson and Tall Guy gave me a look like "This is a joke right?" I did not care. I was going in! The interior is black and blue lighting and also featured a stripper pole. My question "why do the drunkest of drunk girls always head straight for the pole and do the most hilarious moves?" But the great thing about this bar was that it also was a temptation to the boys as well. Pure entertainment! Boys and girls doing a pole twirl. I think some people got hurt but they probably did not realize it until this morning! They also have a decent dj set up and a nice great amount of seats. I loved the lounge seating along the wall!
Then today, I made this and then visited this place and took these.
So far it's been a good day.
Hope you all have a great Saturday!
I even started running again. I'm going to run an 8K in June so I'm "training." No more cigarettes (which I've been really good about) and no more late night drinking (which I have not been good about - ok, I've cut it way back so that's good). Small victories.
Ok, I know, I am not really a size 9. I hate the fact that women's sizes are such bullshit. This is yet another reason why I need to make my own clothes. No wonder girls strive to be a size 0 with made up sizes like that on the racks. I mean, some girl/woman who is probably a normal size is thinking "OH MY GOD! I'm a f*&*ing size [insert made up number here]!!!" when in reality they are probably a size normal. G.G.D!!! people! GGD!!!!
And yes, I'm not 18 any more but WTF??? AGH!
I wish there were no sizes on pants and you would just have to do that wrapping the waist part around your neck thing to see if it would fit. (does anyone else do that? or is it just me and old people?)
I'm going to eat a cookie now to feel better.
Have a good hump day folks!
I am having trouble sleeping tonight so I thought I should write about trying to be graceful about things that are bothering me.
"grace" is defined as a couple of things :
- elegance and beauty of movement or expression
- seemliness: a sense of propriety and consideration for others
- a disposition of kindness and compassion
I am neither graceful or content. How long does it take a person to be content with their situation in life? I would like to get to this at some point. I have not met very many people who are content. I think, most of the people who are content tend to be older. What would make me content? I am struggling with this question at the moment. So while I attempt to figure this out (which will take years I am sure) here is a video of Martha Graham.
People who know me, know that I usually have a couple of different jobs going on - at the most, I had about 5 part-time jobs. I lived up in the bay area during the dot.com boom so you know, I had to pay rent and have a life. So, this summer, I thought I would just try to enjoy myself. However, I am already a little bored. I know, there are lots of things to do but it is not like New York, where you have tons of free things available. Here, there is a usual "donation." I will have to do some research because I have to find things that are on the cheap...like in FREE!
Today, I'm heading out to pick up my friend for some surf lessons. It's going to be a week long session and I will have to chaperone some children but I am really excited. I have not really gone in the ocean for a good long while. Bad body image and all that. Growing up in Southern California and now living in L.A. has made me really self-conscious. It cannot be helped. It is so in my face that it does affect me. But I want to learn how to surf and my friend who is teaching it is pretty damn cool so I'm ready. I have just suck up all that insecure crap and get out there. Plus, I will not get to swim too much this summer and I need to be in the water. I had forgotten how much I loved being in the water until this school year and Ambookgeek convinced me into joining the morning swimming crew. I used to be at the beach or swimming at my neighbor's house EVERY DAY during the summer. Hopefully, I will be able to find a nice fun board and a decent nice easy surf spot so i can continue this after the week is up.
It has been awhile since i have read my friends posts and I read something that made me sad. I want them to be happy and work it out. I hope it works out because these are two of the most interesting, wonderful and beautiful people I have had the pleasure of meeting and hanging out with and staying friends with even if it is mainly on the internet.
I am sending them both good vibes...
Love is hard work but it is always worth it...(I have to believe that or I would turn into a bitter old lady)
This is the first Saturday in a while where I just feel pretty relaxed and am in a good mood. I took a walk around the neighborhood. I walk past a lot of antique stores and their window displays are the creepiest things I have seen. I mean, antiques are beautiful but how come the window displays are always the weirdest mish-mash of things like a creepy mannequin, a cute puppy statue, odd clothes and a tea set and other odds and ends? and why is there that mannequin? it would look fine without the mannequin in the old crispy flapper dress (which I love). Seriously, it does not make me picture these things in my future home.
Heading out to see the Chinese New Year's parade downtown. I'm really excited. I have been out of town the last couple of years and this is the first year I actually get to see it. Hurray!
Also, I really need to erase old messages on my phone because today I just left a message for my friend and he had called me about this event at the beginning of the month.
Have a happy weekend.
Our first stop was Ramos House Cafe in San Juan Capistrano. It is literally an old house on Ramos Street, which is one of San Juan Capistrano's historical districts. I heard about it and then forgot about it and then, on the train to San Diego, I spotted it from the window and remembered how curious I was about it ever since.
Finally we made it to Encinitas and listened and watched a 45-minute set of one of my favorite musicians, Rob Crow. I really love his new album.
Here is a one of new favorite tracks:
I had the best swim of my life today. I almost finished an entire workout and I am getting better with my stroke and breathing. I have to say, my goal of being a better swimmer is coming into fruition. I only wish I could control myself and not complete defeat the purpose of swimming by eating my nemesis - the dreaded chocolate-raise donut. I am such a sucker for it. I also ended up eating a egg & bacon muffin...Really? what is the point.
I am trying out these energy saving bulbs. They are the spiral kind and use only 15 watts of energy as opposed to the normal 60 watt bulb. They are also supposed to last 5 years. I am blogging about it so that I know the exact day that I bought my first energy saving bulb - Jan. 15, MLK Jr. Day. Mister JT made fun of me and was joking that my bulb will last 10 years since I am always turning off my lights. Let's see shall we. This also means that I should be using VOX for the next 5 years!!! I don't know if I can commit that long but we shall certainly see.
I came home to a package resting against my door. I have been waiting from this package from Peter for the last couple of days, It contained : a vinyl version of "Jah Son Invasion" off of the Wackies label and one size small Wackies t-shirt. After spending a wonderful fun-filled day in Disneyland, I was greeted with a wonderful care package from one of my super best long-time friends. I've been listening to it over and over again. It's really good. I do not have anything off of the Wackies label but so far, I am really impressed with this compilation. It's more classic reggae, a bit rock steady in its pace. Lately, I have been buying more dancehall which is more hip-hop influenced. I have to say, if you like reggae, you should pick this up.
Some of my favorite tracks:
Side 1 - Rockers Time by Barrington Spence
Black Girl by Joy Card - she reminds me a bit of Marcia Griffiths and Phyllis Dillon. Her harmonies are wonderful.
Whenever I'm Happy by Tyrone Evans - this song really makes you feel happy. It's nice to remember what makes you happy. (I really wish I had this one digitized because it's really a good song. It makes you smile)
Side 2 - Pipe Piper by Azul
Sometime Girl - Sugar Minnott
I have to find a way to digitize these records. I did get a link to a record player that has a USB cable. I really need to save up and then invest because I love my records and it would be so nice to share it with people.
On a side note: I really do not send enough care packages to the people I care about and love out there and I should do that more often. Not that I feel guilty about not sending packages, I just get very worried about finances and feel like I can't afford things but really, this holiday season, I realized that it's just nice to send people things so that they know you are thinking about them. It's not even about how much it costs, its just the thought and acknowledgment that these people are wonderful and that I appreciate them with all of my heart.
We just got back from Disneyland (courtesy of Mister JT - who deserves many schmoopies and thanks by the way) I am exhausted and don't have a way to upload pictures since my hard-drive died a month ago.
As we were driving there, the car was pretty much non-stop laughter, at which point I say, "You guys are really funny" and Jason says, "Going to Disneyland is really fun." We just have those moments where we are thinking similar thoughts and then we say them at the same time. I told him, I just wouldn't talk for the rest of the day because he's a mind reader.
It was really incredibly fun, We rode 11 or 12 rides and I got to do stuff that I had not done before.
The whole trip was filled with highlights but, since I am going to choose right now...the best was writing the Soaring over California ride. The entrance is like entering an Aerospace Museum that focuses on planes. That part was interesting but also emotional. They had pictures of important aviators with captions describing the persons contribution to flight along with a soundtrack. The soundtrack was really a bit too much for me. They play that track in almost every military movie - Jason gave all the reenactments - montage playing and cutting to a veteran saluting in a cemetery ; men storming the beach in whatever country ; etc. I was reading one and the music in the background, the black & white enlarged photograph and the words just about made me break down. I had to stop reading. It really was too much.
However, once we got on the ride, it was the most amazing experience. You are suspended and the screen seems to surround you. You begin soaring over all these different parts of California - vineyards in San Francisco, Napa Valley, Joshua Tree, Yosemite, Malibu, San Diego, Los Angeles - all the while going over familiar spots. For example, in San Diego, you go over a carrier and see the downtown skyline and for Los Angeles, you go over the 10/101 interchange in the evening with the familiar unending line of red brake lights. I walked out with a perma-grin. It made me so happy to be in California. I know I am lucky and I try to not take it for granted but sometimes, its moments like these that remind you that this is one of the most beautiful States in the nation. We have it all bustling cities and gorgeous open spaces. I tell everyone I know that I know I am spoiled living here. It really does have it all.
