A Blog a Day Keeps the Mind...

What? Fresh. Inventive. I dont know. BUT, November is apparently National Blog Month which means that bloggers are required by blogger law to write a post a day. Part of me really wants to try and abide by blogger law. With internet now in mi casa (thanks crystal) I have the resources to do so. However, what the heck would I blog about every singe day? Somedays I barely have enough to write a paragraph...and sometimes a whole week passes by without even the remotest tidbit of interest. Whats a blogger to do? Well, I've decided that I will take on the challenge of November but only half of posts will be real and half will be left to my creative devices. Yes...I like the sound of this plan. So take it or leave it world.

I met Frederick Douglass this weekend...

We talked about how he was a mulatto and that I was Asian. We discussed how we never knew that cats and cartoon characters could be so slutty. We mutually agreed that there was a shocking lack of creativity filtering in and out of the apartment. We mused over jello shots and how America was not the melting pot it claimed to be. He told me he wrote a book as his alter ego, a graduate student teaching at the University of Chicago. We discussed how we were the only ethnic folks in the room until one of the Crazy 88s showed up with swords and everything. We joked around with the Crazy until he left in search of Black Mambo. Frederick then asked me why I didnt dress as Harriet Tubman. As he said this, Britney Spears walked by hand in hand with Victoria Beckham and Angelina Jolie. Angie was suprisingly without Brad and seemed to be carrying a Mexican baby, a black baby, and some mix of Indian/Caucasian. Suddenly David Beckham came ambling by holding up a very tipsy Peter Pan. As Peter tried to navigate the stairs, Ricky Bobby came by to yell, If you're not first, you're last. Then Buddy the Elf grabbed Peter and yelled, Why dont you just fly you fuckin fairy?

It was a very strange weekend.

How Fitting...

The word of the day is:

impecunious \im-pih-KYOO-nee-uhs\, adjective:
Not having money; habitually without money; poor.

Like I said, how fitting.

Hip and With It

My friend got me a subscription to this magazine for my birthday. The tagline reads: Signs of life in Music, Film & Culture. Now, they definitely have the music angle covered by including a free CD in each issue of the magazine highlighting some up and coming, popular indie rock groups. The kind of bands that would find themselves on the next O.C. mix or playing at Pitchfork Music Festival or any of those other music festivals that claim to have the greatest emo bands in one setting. I enjoy it though. Thats a brilliant angle...include a free CD of the bands you are interviewing and then some...great marketing move. However...I'm not a huge fan of the all the music...in fact, some of it downright disgusts me. How come the popular music, the next great bands always sound to me like they are screaming nonsensical lyrics to some choppy beat. Is that "emo" music? I dont get it. Bands like Beruit, The Weakerthans, Son Volt...I dont get you. You can argue that I dont have an appreciation for music and that might be true but does it even qualify as music? I understand I am way out of my league for writing about music...but then again writing about music is like dancing about architecture. Exactly. Sounds like a lyric from one of the aforementioned bands.

However, I do enjoy these folks so if you have a chance, you should check them out or feel free to come by...I'll give you the free CD.

Iron and Wine-Boy with a Coin
Big Bear- Nashville
Manu Chao-Mala Fama

Cover Letters

Do employers even read these? Do they really "make the difference?" I'm currently in the process of crafting a cover letter for a job that I am not entirely qualified for but I'm trying to sell them on the other positive things I have to offer while expressing my desire to learn and learn quickly. But honestly, when the shit hits the fan, do cover letters even make a hootenany difference. And yes, I just used the word hootenany.

Dream Jobs

In my current search for employment, I often think, oh it would be SO cool to have such and such as your job. Sometimes I wish I was independently wealthy so I could do all sorts of different but enjoyable labor and as soon as it became tedious, I could just switch to something else without having to update my resume. I have spent a good deal of time on craigslist which is awesome but yet not entirely reliable since a majority of the opportunities on craigslist are for employers who are too cheap to actually spend money on posting jobs. Or maybe they know they will find those diamonds in the rough, like me, who constantly peruse the sight and apply as soon as they see something remotely appealing. But back to my dream jobs...

1.) Casting director--this dream job was almost a reality until a "friend" got the job I'd been coveting for a month.

2.) Equipment manager for a new women's soccer team--now, I know what you are thinking, equipment manager and women's soccer...but seriously, equipment managers get to travel with the team, occasionally be on TV and are part of the team and yes, it is women's soccer but it would still be a professional sports. Like I said, these are my dream jobs, not yours.

3.) Food critic--let's see...get paid to eat and be judgmental. Where do I sign up?

4.) Entertainment marketing--doing publicity for a film studio or production company. Save the world from some of the drivel that Hollywood puts out these days.

Mission Accomplished

Upon reading Mags' post regarding the movie Breach and human lie detector skills, I thought that would be a fun way to share my wedding experience this weekend.
So, at this wedding I: (and note, only one of these is true)

a.) Did not trip at all..at all.
b.) Hooked up with a gorgeous guy but then realized he was not so pretty in the morning and when I say hook up, I mean by UD standards "hook up."
c.) Dropped a baby on accident and didnt tell the parents...it was hardly long fall and there was carpet.
d.)Spilled some strawberry sloe gin fizz on the bride's beatiful dress...not noticeable to anyone else but me and didnt tell her.

Fine. All are true. Or are they?

Wedding Bound...

Tonight I'm leaving for yet another wedding. This will be wedding #4 for the year and probably the last wedding for the 07 season. Am I excited? Yes, there will be a few faces there that I havent seen in a while. Super excited? No, I am not super excited because a.) I actually have to do something, meaning a reading, which requires me to walk down an aisle, stand up in front of people and read some Scripture and with my track record, there is a 95% chance that I'll slip or falll or trip and b.) I'm not sure how many stories I can listen to about the 100 things your baby can do now. Cynical and bitter? Definitely. Why can't you just say no to weddings? Thats a great question and as soon as I'm able to say no to weddings then I can say no to smoking and no to free food and no to cream in my cofffee and no to extra free dessert and no to car rides instead of public transportation and no to free internet and no to veggie cream cheeze on my everything bagel. But then again, why would I want to do that?

ABC (WB), NBC, CBS or Fox?

Yesterday, a few friends and I were mulling over cocktails discussing which network we liked the best. We boiled it down to 3 choices originally and I added the WB with ABC because face it, the WB is like ABC for adolescents. Same ridiculous plotlines, sub par acting, and gratuitous eye candy. I also added Fox because it was responsible for one of the singular most hilarious shows ever called Arrested Development.

NBC may take the cake with The Office, 30 Rock (which I hear is really well done), Scrubs, Law & Order, and Heroes. Fox is a close second to since they rule the world in the cartoon realm with Family Guy and Simpsons. CBS...who? I'm not sure I've watched a single show on CBS on purpose. Which brings us to ABC. Greys Anatomy, Ugly Betty, Dirty Sexy Money, Desperate Housewives. When did ABC become ABC sex network?

I'm going to go with NBC. But I do want to know what you think so please, enlighten me.

5 Things About Me that Are Lame...but I dont care

Every once in a while, I feel its important to call myself out on things. Its a purging of sorts...kind of like confession only I dont leave with grace and penance nor does it have the same significant effects on my soul. But I digress and share a few things about me that are totally lame but despite the possible stigma, I hold my head high. At least for a while.

1.) I own Seasons 1 and 2 of The O.C. You know, that whole Marissa-Ryan drama, will Seth and Summer get together, etc. It was gripping stuff with witty dialogue that no self respecting person would ever say in real life. The eye candy doesnt hurt either. It brings me back to what I call the "Paul Walker Syndrome." Greek god looks. Excruciatingly painful acting. Notice how I only own Seasons 1 and 2. Before it got really really shitty. One can argue that it was shitty from the beginning but I dont want to argue, I've already admitted these things are lame, but come on, you thought Seth was pretty funny too.

2.) If my checkbook is messy or there are cross outs, I will, literally, rip out the entire ledger and start over. Even if that means I have to re-enter figures and amounts from 3 months ago. Call it anal, call it ridiculous...either way, neatness counts.

3.) I cannot stand people who misspell things. I love to correct them. Its some sick thing I hold near and dear to my heart but I see misspelling as a major sign of weakness. And I cant stand it. It bothers me. A. whole. lot. So much so that I have to physically get up from the computer and walk away if someone sends me a document with spelling errors.

4.) I love the Thesaurus. All those delicious words floating around just waiting to be used. The 25 cent words that make you seem a bit smarter and more educated. Rather than dwell in the ordinary, the thesaurus allows you to become extraordinary or exceptional, rare, primo, uncommon, remarkable, even singular.

5.) I love liturgical music. All those songs that we sing in Mass, like, One Bread, One Body and Gather Us In, Eagles Wings, Here I Am...those kinds of songs. I love them. Sometimes when I'm supposed to be paying attention in Mass, I will flip to the song section of the missal and pick out my favorite ones and quietly hum them to myself. The song How Great Thou Art brings tears to my eyes. I'm crying now just thinking about it.

Yeah for babies!

I'm going to take a break from Colombia to share exciting news that my cousin is now expecting!!! I love it and I love their little family so I'm uber excited that there is going to be an addition. More babies are such a cute, good thing in this world. Truly great.

My mom left me a message today regarding this cousin's news and shared a conversation she had with my cousins' oldest daughter who is five.

Mom: Hi!! I hear you have big news in the family.

Adorable 5 yr. old cousin: We are having a baby!!!

Mom: I know! So exciting. Do you think its going to be a boy or a girl?

Adorable 5 yr. old: Well...I'm pretty sure its going to be one of those.

Catedral de Sal Zipaquirá

Location: Bogota, Colombia.

One of the very first sites I saw while in this fabulous city. This is famous salt mine in Bogota which was reputed to date back to 3 BC. The mines have been extensively worked over the centuries, but vast reserves of salt still remain. Deep inside the mountain there is an underground "Salt Cathedral" which has been dug out of solid salt and is absolutely breathtaking. Along the path to the Cathedral, miners had dug the stations of the cross to accompany you in your journey. Each of the stations has a large cross carved out of salt and the size of the cross pertains to the specific station. For example, when Jesus falls to the ground, the cross is short and stout depicting his fall.

And this was just day one.

How about that...

So, its been a week and a half since I "moved on" from my previous job and there is this nagging feeling in the back of my mind saying I need to find something fast, something quick, hurry hurry, time's a wastin, how are you going to make money, etc. But you know, sometimes I want to say, "Shut the heck up, little voice." I've only not been working for a week and a half and I did get a part time job helping out a former employer and I've taken some babysitting jobs so damn it, leave me alone.

I am also going through Colombia withdrawal. In Colombia, there is no rush rush. There is "hurry up and get a job" but rather, "relax, its a beautiful day and there is no government overthrow today." In Colombia, in my beautiful hacienda, I would kick off my shoes, play with the dogs, ride my horse in the mountains, drink chocolate and eat crossaints, and take several naps and possibly read my book or take a carriage ride through my extensive grounds. I would eagerly call to Maria to bring me some more limoncello or aguascailente. The funny thing is...all this happened and I was doing this about 3 days ago. No wonder I'm having Colombian withdrawals. The grass is always greener in Colombia.

I went to Colombia and all I got was this dog bite...

Seriously. A dog bit me. We were playing, of course, but he still bit me and I think they shot him. Seriously.

In other news, Colombia was amazing. I cant really blog about it yet because the events of the past week are still sinking in. I can only tell you that I was blow away by the generosity of the people, not to mention the beauty of the country. Yes, parts of Colombia are dangerous but the majority of the people are warm hearted, kind, and hilarious. They are a hard partying bunch too which explains why I'm exhausted. That being said, I'll get back to you tomorrow.

Colombia Bound

Sooo...tomorrow I leave for Colombia. Yes, Colombia the country. Its amazing to me how many people spell it wrong...they keep spelling Columbia like the city in Missouri but its really ColOmbia, the country. Geez.

I'm excited, nervous and wishing that I owned more cute shirts. But alas, I cant go out and buy more cute shirts although I did try today for 2 hours and then I got sick to my stomach because I couldnt believe how many people were at the freakin mall in the middle of the day on a Tuesday. So, I'm heading home to pack and figure out how to hide my numchukas in my bag because if any drug dealer tries ANYTHING, I'm going to whip out my numchkuas and pepper spray and display my skillz. pray for me.

Day 1 in Life of Unemployment

9:00: Wake up and turn off alarm
9:30ish: Wake up for real

10:30: Check email and facebook and blogs and the state departments travel warning about Colombia which happens to be the country to where I'm headed on Wed.

11:00: Watch an episode of Private Practice on abc.com (not too bad--although I dont think I'll bother to watch on primetime)

Noon: Bring lunch to Mom at school

1:30: Chat with Mom and look at all the cute school kids

2:00: Return home and watch the US vs. Norway Bronze medal match from last Sunday. Antagonize about the US's low finish and curse the reporters for perpetuating the Hope Solo scandal.

4:30: Check craigslist for possible career opportunities, think about job search...really think hard.

4:35ish: Check email and blogs again...start thinking about dinner.

Thats where I'm at so far.