next time, order the shrimp

when someone said count your blessings now
'fore they're long gone
i guess i just didn't know how
i was all wrong
they knew better
still you said forever
and ever
who knew

one's on the way

I haven't seen this since I was much younger, though I admit it has come to mind over the years and I catch myself singing it from time to time, should the context present itself.

Childhood memories ftw...

one more smile I fake
and try my best to be glad
one more smile does the maker make
because he knows I'm sad

someday

someday I'm finally gonna let go
'cause I know there's a better way
I wanna know what's over that rainbow
I'm gonna get out of here someday

finding balance in my life

Mass Attack

more toriphoria

I found some stuff from the Houston show on the web. Here are some pics...

Tori as Clyde





Tori as Tori




(Y'all... That wig has got to go.)

Still with me? How about some video!?

Here is Big Wheel, the first song that Tori (Tori-as-Tori) performed. I don't know what she was channeling at the moment, but she was some kind of into it! Maybe it was that sassy little jumpsuit?

M-I-L-F Don't you forget!

More of the Big Wheel dance... Poor my baby. This reminds me of the Cornflake Girl dance she was doing about 10 years ago during which she would gesticulate having a nice round pregnant belly. Something to do with her miscarriage.


Hey Jupiter, Sam's favorite -- NOT!


Not David Bowie


I cannot forget
that he can't forget her
or that some friends just
change like the seasons
take me back to the fact
that you still blame me
but I am not the reason
you are Not David Bowie
Not David Bowie

goodbye galveston

This morning we took the ferry across Galveston Bay to Port Bolivar. It was quick, convenient and free! -- a nice alternative to having to get back into the Houston traffic.

All in all... I enjoyed my first trip to Galveston.

welcome to galveston

Did you know there is a Big Lots right down the street from the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center? Now you do! OK, moving on...

Galveston had a familiar air to it. And I'm not just talking about the smell. The beach and marshy areas are reminiscent of coastal Mississippi and Louisiana, while the historic Strand district calls to mind the antique stores of downtown Ponchatoula.



We parked near the harbor and spent the afternoon walking the Strand. The Peanut Butter Warehouse was a bust. Nothing exciting going on there, especially not the woman who sits behind the counter and stares at you the whole time!

We saw FiestaWare in just about every color at Yesterday's Best, for all you enthusiasts out there. Anybody? Anybody? (Bueller?)



Hendley Market made for an interesting stop. I made sure to look for the three-legged kitty that crawls out onto the skylight of the 1855 building and catnaps on the glass high above customers' heads. No sign of the kitty, but there was a dog hanging out behind the counter.

The ladies who work there are friendly, and when I asked for a lunch recommendation, they pointed us to Eatcetera, an artsy cafe that was brought to life by one of their former co-workers.



I had the ham, cheese and asparagus panini. It was simple and delicious.

We passed some landmark buildings and ducked in and out of a few more shops on the way back. The whole neighborhood was pretty laid back, though they were gearing up for one of their biggest events: Dickens on the Strand. Exciting? Did we miss out or did we leave just in time? Maybe we'll never know.



After a few hours soaking in the Strand, we were ready to check out the beach scene.



We checked in at the hotel and walked across the street, down the seawall and onto the sand. The waves were rolling in, lazily. It was relaxing to watch it.



We walked around by the pier and caught sight of a humongous rat as it scurried across the boardwalk. Farther up on the pier, we found quite an afflicted-looking cat on the rocks.



It was watching the sun set or something and obviously did not want to be bothered; when I called to it, it turned its head slowly and gave me an evil look! Did kitty catch some atrocious disease from the rat -- or maybe it's that 40 ounce it had just finished off?



After the beach, we went to Shrimp N Stuff, where the locals eat. I'm convinced that the locals may be crazy. One of the customers, an old woman, looked sorta mysterious and witchy. She had long stringy gray hair, a big frumpy coat and a denim hat modeled after the one that made Paddington Bear famous.

While waiting for her order, she made a few trips out to her car and then back to join her companion, another old woman, at the table. I had decided they were hermits, one Hampton short of a Grey Garden. Then our frozen shrimp arrived and I got distracted.

On the way out, we passed by their car. There was so much junk in the backseat, I had to avert my eyes. But not before noticing the bumper sticker that read What's The Hurry? You're Already in Austin. I figure these crazy old ladies may be what is keeping Austin weird.

No judgment?

None taken.

We quickly drove away and headed to the next Galveston highlight... Hastings! It's like Barnes and Noble but they also carry used items. I bought a few DVDs at a great price, and Sam bought a basket load! It was a cool place. We celebrated our finds with ice cream at Ben & Jerry's on the beach. Pretty good day.

ikea and the half-price b

Get it? Akeelah and the Bee..? Yeah, maybe that one was a bit of a stretch...

Our fourth and final day in Houston found us on a shopping spree that took us all over town hitting some of our favorite stores. We enjoyed strolling through IKEA and admiring all the cool Swedish imports. They have a lot of neat stuff that is actually affordable!

We had some damn good lunch at Pei Wei, which is like a fast casual version of PF Chang's with many of the same menu items. At Half Price Books I found a new copy of the Tomb Raider: Legend game for $7. And of course we found time to squeeze in a few more Big Lots stores and the Container Store, which is always fun!

That night we tried some pizza place near the hotel... Barry's Pizza or sum'in. I believe it is operated by some unfortunates who've never had the opportunity to visit a real pizzeria. I'm just sayin'. Don't say I didn't warn you!

fazoli's FTW!!!1

I'd have to say the highlight of today's adventure (for me) was Fazoli's. Doesn't take much, does it? I used to love going to Fazoli's. OK, OK... I admit that the food is not the bomb, but Italian fast food was a nice option to have in BR. When it closed I was distraught. Exaggerating... So now that it is no longer there I try to locate them when I travel. We found one in St. George, UT, last Fall on the way back from Zion National Park. I enjoyed the baked ziti and some fresh garlicky breadsticks.

Today there was no baked ziti.

Rigatoni Romano was the closest match.

This were in Katy, innit.

...The dirty bastards.


I guess I was mildly let down, but it was still pretty good. I miss Fazoli's.

In other news, we went to two Big Lots and completed a circuit at the Katy Mills Outlet Mall before throwing in the towel and getting the hell out of there. They are relentless with that Christmas music, aren't they?! You can pipe it into my head all day but that doesn't make it feel like Christmas. Have I no Christmas spirit? Am I not dreaming of a white Christmas? Nah, not quite... I just want to survive this hellacious Houston traffic and make it back to the hotel alive.

:)

The sun was out today! We went to the Houston Museum of Natural Science and headed straight to the butterfly conservatory.

The Cockrell Butterfly Center at the Houston Museum of Natural Science is a stunning, living exhibit that showcases hundreds of live butterflies in a naturalistic rainforest setting. The central conservatory is a dramatic three-story glass cone filled with tropical plants and exotic butterflies. During a typical visit, one can expect to see 50 to 60 different species of the world’s largest and most colorful butterfly species, flying through the balmy air, hovering over flowers or sipping fruit juice – and occasionally, landing on visitors!

It's pretty cool. As soon as you walk in, the heat and humidity hit you. The thundering sound of a waterfall lures you closer. As the trail descends, you pass the resident iguana sunning itself on the rocks. The waterfall scene comes into view. The butterflies flutter by and greet you. They do butterfly things... Feast on the lush flora in a frenzy. Enjoy a slice of mango. It's the good life. We had the fortune of being just about the only ones there at the time. And yes, a few butterflies even landed on us, which was delightful.

Afterwards, we celebrated with lunch at the McDonald's in the museum, then we headed to the paleontology exhibit to see the dinosaurs. It was cool. We trekked all throughout the museum and saw pretty much all of the exhibits to some degree. After a few hours in the museum, we walked through the Japanese Gardens at Hermann Park.

We finished the day at Dave & Buster's. Burgers and games, oh my. We had a blast playing some game where you drop in a token and watch it inch a massive pile of tokens ever towards a precipice, hoping that some should slip over the edge and cause the machine to spew tickets. Sound like fun?? Trust me, it was. When we cashed in our tickets, they told me I had 1578 points! I walked away with an alarm clock, a D&B hacky sack and a miniature rubber snake -- and I still have 8 points to spare!

a soggy day in houston town

Greetings from Houston! We just got back from seeing Tori Amos' American Doll Posse World Tour downtown at Jones Hall. It was a great show. Tori came out as Clyde, one of her doll characters from the latest CD. Clyde performed Bouncing Off Clouds, Little Earthquakes, Juarez, Mary, Little Amsterdam and Beauty of Speed.

Later Tori came out as Tori, donning a bright orange wig with straight-across bangs and wearing a sequined stars and stripes american flag body suit thing that was sleeveless on one side. Can you picture it? If I come across a photo of it, I will share.

Tori performed Big Wheel, Space Dog, Pancake, Cornflake Girl, Doughnut Song and Glory of the 80's. While the band took a break, she did an improv and a few other tunes, like Cloud on my Tongue. Once the band returned to the stage, she did a few more songs with them (not worth mentioning) and finished the show with two encores: Precious Things and Not David Bowie, and Hey Jupiter.

In case anyone's keeping score, it was my 12th Tori concert and Sam's 13th (the one time he went without me was when he got to meet her). The crowd was well behaved (I thought). Not too many interruptions. And the venue was nice. They offered some catered fare, which I don't believe I've seen at a concert before. Salads, pasta, panini, cheesecake... It all looked great, but of course it came at a cost -- I bought a chocolate chip cookie and a small bottle of water for $5. But it said Jones Hall on the label, does that count? They also have their own napkins, ooh!

Speaking of food... [rewind] We ate at Cafe Adobe today. I tried the signature Avocado Adobe. They take half an avocado, stuff it with cheese and your choice of ground beef, fajita chicken or steak, lightly batter, fry and top with ranchero sauce. Mmm!

After that we went to see the Menil Collection and to visit the Rothko Chapel. Interesting!

So far, our time in Houston has been rewarding, especially when you take into consideration that it rained incessantly on us all the way here, including the time we spent detouring on highway 190 thanks to the natural gas well that is still burning near I-10.

omlol

1. Oh hai. In teh beginnin Ceiling Cat maded teh skiez An da Urfs, but he did not eated dem.
2. Da Urfs no had shapez An haded dark face, An Ceiling Cat rode invisible bike over teh waterz.

[via lolcat bible translation project]

margaret ann's cinderella party

For Margaret Ann's 47th birthday, we threw her a surprise Cinderella party. She loved it! In fact, she was moved to tears, many times over.

Here is the moment when Cinderella arrived to crown Margaret...



Next, Margaret was whisked away for a special Cinderella makeover...



Then, when it was time to make a wish and blow out the candles, Margaret couldn't think of anything more to wish for, saying "I got it right now."



After a while, I transferred to the laptop some of the photos I had taken so I could print some off for Margaret. I also showed her some of the videos I had filmed, and she reacted as though she were reliving the moment all over again. She was a big ol' sobbing mess! Beside herself with joy, she had everyone crying. And she never tired of expressing her gratitude and love. I don't think I've ever seen anyone happier than she was on this special day.


(Scroll sideways or click the buttons on each side.)

Can you tell she was loving the attention? Cheese!!!

here we go. "moo shu cereal" for breakfast with duck sauce.

now my life is complete, part 2

via loltori

into the wild

What if I were smiling and running into your arms?
Would you see then what I see now?

Saw Into the Wild last night. I liked it. Emile Hirsch did an incredible job in his portrayal of Chris McCandless.



Kudos to Emile, Sean Penn, Jon Krakauer, Chris' family, both at home and on the road, for telling his story and allowing it to grow into what it has become.

blogito, ergo sum

100th post!!

Wow, can you believe it!?

Is anyone still with me?

Where do we go from here?

trapped in the closet

Forgot to mention... R. Kelly's Trapped in the Closet was on IFC last weekend, all 22 chapters of the hip-hopera. I decided to check it out, just for the silly novelty of it. It was immediately annoying, due mainly to the hysterical singing and the nauseating repetition in the music. Yet nothing is repeated, no verse, no refrain... By repetition, I mean that he only uses two chords throughout the entire work. 84 minutes. 2 chords. Genius? No. Excruciating.

It tells the story of how a one night stand can set off a chain reaction of events that reveal a web of lies and deception. Yeah, he leaves no stone unturned in his examination of the relationships in this twisted tale. Well, eventually, after several dramatic cliffhangers, I was curious to see how the hell it was going to end. "To Be Continued."

Kelly claims to have made twenty more installments "that have yet to be filmed," and then reiterated his open-ended stance on the fate of future installments, claiming that the series will end "when the aliens say it's over". I suppose he'll be busy for a while, trying to figure out what else to cram into his story. Shock and awe. Is this what they call carving out one's own niche? Truly a pioneer? Don't say I didn't warn you!

bury my heart in goat cheese

Last night we tried another recipe from Sam the Cooking Guy: mushroom and spinach pizza. It's made with goat cheese! Real, softened, goat cheese... Who knew!? This stuff is incredible. OK, maybe I'm exaggerating a little? Maybe I'll get over it? Stay tuned...

af 607105

melancholy
aviation
chocolate
perfume
cigarettes
frequent flyer
stow away
dislocation
sleeping
jets
wave goodbye
feel homesick
tranquilizers
bill of fare
cry easy
dvt
disappear into thin air

we wish you all a very happy pleasant flight
this is a journey to the center of the night
and the inflight entertainment's out of sight
here on af 607105

time difference
you're waking
chase the sun into your eyes

sleeping cities
dust hotel rooms
passengers look to the skies

fly over
your lifetime
and never touching down

my heart
is breaking
somewhere over saskatchewan

we wish you all a very happy pleasant flight
this is a journey to the center of the night
and the inflight entertainment's out of sight
here on af 607105

your life in
the wrong hands
savannah and frozen wastes

the flight path
the wingspan
below the earth rotates

i love you
i miss you
i cannot see your face

invent a
new persona
drunk here on the edge of space

all the things i carry with me
and all the things i left behind
and all the things that wait to meet me
hover in the air tonight

if i can only keep on moving
and never stop and think of me
and freefall through the years and decades
terminal velocity

we hope you had a very happy pleasant flight
this is our final destination so goodnight
like a stone we are now falling from the sky
farewell from af 607105

the cabin
is burning
i smile and feel complete

here amongst
total strangers
27 000 feet

suspended
isolation
kids throw toy planes in the street

one final
blaze of glory
viewed from a window seat

the cooking guy

Remember the marinating pork chops? I cooked them last night, inspired by a recipe from Sam the Cooking Guy. Anyone else watch his show? He has some great ideas. Easy, simple, and (now I know) good. Hell, anything marinated in ginger, soy sauce, brown sugar and beer has to be pretty damn good. I served them with ginger broccoli and some asian flavored rice mix. Good stuff! And healthy.

poultry-is-your-friend and the infinite inner nietzsche

A week and a half ago, when I was puking my guts up, one of the images I could not get out of my mind was the chicken I had cooked the night before. I had cooked grilled chicken and asparagus (as a follow up to the succulent and flavorful stuffed zucchini from the previous night. I was on a roll!). It was delicious and healthy, at the time; for when I was extremely ill the following day, I was sure I had poisoned myself with salmonella or some such incubus of viral plague.

Visions of trimming and preparing the chicken raced through my thoughts til I was well beyond disgusted. These are the kinds of ideas you don't want to get when you're nauseated and vomiting. You just want to clear your mind and pray it all goes away while you remain as still and quiet as you reasonably can while the room is spinning out of control.

And then there's that damn song that won't leave you alone. I don't remember which one(s) it was, but it was not the time for song! I tried to concentrate on my breathing -- could I have learned something from that one yoga class? The rise and fall of my diaphragm, the breath moving into and out of my lungs, it only kept it at bay momentarily but could not kill the music!

Anyway, I've already said it was a miserable experience. And so the success of my recent foray into healthy cooking came to a screeching halt after only two meals. But at least now I am convinced that raw chicken juice was not to blame for my misfortune, and, confidence regained, I am ready to start anew.

I grilled chicken again tonight. (--And I'm still alive! LOL.. Not funny?) This time it was for chicken salad with red grapes and pecans, served on a portuguese roll. A what? A portuguese roll. Yeah. It was damn good too.

Ready to embark on a week of inspired cooking and healthy eating. The pork chops are marinating in the fridge. Stay tuned!


that that don't kill me
can only make me stronger

(Kanye expresses his inner Nietzsche...)

work it, make it, do it,
makes us harder, better, faster, STRONGER!

dear God
make me a bird
so I could fly far
far far away from here

authentic greek yogurt

After having read some rave reviews, I tried some Fage (pronounced: Fa'-yeh!) yogurt today. I had the classic pairing of yogurt and honey, which regularly appears at the Greek table, and found it quite tasty!

T - to the A - to the S - T - E - Y mmm mmmm tasty...

labyrinthitis

Two days ago I experienced what I would consider my sickest day ever. I'll spare you the details and summarize by calling it severe dizziness and vomiting. Basically, any time I moved my head, even rotating it a few degrees, it would set the world in flux and the room to spinning violently until I puked.

I've had dizzy spells many times but never to such an extreme. As you can imagine, I would lie still for hours without moving for fear of having another episode. As a result, I didn't eat or drink anything the entire day.

The doctor at the after hours clinic found me dehydrated and immediately put me on intravenous therapy. I went through two IV bags injected with Phenergan, which pretty much knocked me out and put an end to my misery.

I awoke the next day feeling much better. I had a follow up visit with my regular doctor who diagnosed me with labyrinthitis, which was "probably caused by a virus." He prescribed some Antivert to take next time I have those symptoms.

I feel like I am in recovery. Still cautious to move or look around or eat or speak... My insides are sore from all the involuntary heaving, which has also produced hundreds of tiny red spots all around my eyes when the blood vessels burst.

Today I had solid food and a caffeinated carbonated beverage. Mmm... Nothing like fast food to make you feel healthy again.

the idealist

Just took the What is Your World View quiz... Here are my results:

You scored as Idealist, Idealism centers around the belief that we are moving towards something greater. An odd mix of evolutionist and spiritualist, you see the divine within ourselves, waiting to emerge over time. Many religious traditions express how the divine spirit lost its identity, thus creating our world of turmoil, but in time it will find itself and all things will again become one. Idealist 81% Existentialist 75% Cultural Creative 69% Postmodernist 69% Materialist 63% Romanticist 63% Modernist 56% Fundamentalist 38% What is Your World View? created with QuizFarm.com

Surprise... I'm an idealist, an odd mix... FWIW

eat pray love

When I was selecting library books to bring to the beach a few weeks ago, I desired a good travel tale. Craving escapism, I suppose. I checked out a few books which were equally appealing to me. As a result, I've started on each one, trying to quench that desire. It's like I am anxious and cannot decide which one to go with, so I want to read them all at the same time. What is the deal?!

Yesterday, I picked up another book on my list that fits the bill. I began to read it last night, and before I knew it I was almost 50 pages in. Hooked!



Here is the account of one woman's search for everything across Italy, India and Indonesia.

From the jacket flap:

By the time she turned thirty, Elizabeth Gilbert had everything a modern, educated, ambitious American woman was supposed to want — a husband, a house in the country, a successful career. But instead of feeling happy and fulfilled, she was consumed with panic, grief and confusion. She went through a divorce, a crushing depression, another failed love and the complete eradication of everything she ever thought she was supposed to be.

To recover from all of this, Gilbert took a radical step. In order to give herself the time and space to find out who she really was and what she really wanted, she got rid of her belongings, quit her job, left her loved ones behind and undertook a year-long journey around the world, all alone. Eat, Pray, Love is the absorbing chronicle of that year. Gilbert's aim was to visit three places where she could examine one aspect of her own nature, set against the backdrop of a culture that has traditionally done that one thing very well. In Italy, she studied the art of pleasure, learning to speak Italian and gaining the twenty-three happiest pounds of her life. India was for the art of devotion, where, with the help of a native guru and a surprisingly wise Texan, she embarked on four months of austere spiritual exploration. Finally, in Indonesia, she sought her ultimate goal: balance — namely, how to somehow build a life of equilibrium between worldly enjoyment and divine transcendence. Looking for these answers on the island of Bali, she became the pupil of an elderly, ninth-generation medicine man and also fell in love in the very best way — unexpectedly.

An intensely articulate, sensible, moving and funny memoir of self-discovery, Eat, Pray, Love is about what can happen when you claim responsibility for your own contentment. It is also about the adventures that can transpire when a woman stops trying to live in imitation of society's ideals. This is a story certain to touch anyone who has ever woken up to the unrelenting need for change.

stuffed zucchini

Stuffed Zucchini
Originally uploaded by jyew

Inspired by this mouthwatering photo... I made stuffed zucchini last night. I didn't know what to expect, since I don't remember the last time I cooked something. It actually did turn out "succulent and flavorful!" Stuffed zucchini and roasted garlic couscous. Mmm!

one cool remove
one cool remove
and forever let me stay
one cool remove away

omg pops is cooked

at my dad's 71st birthday party... he had a blast.

rustic comfort

I took the What's Your Design Style quiz... Check out the results!

Rustic Comfort

The verdict is in, but there's a twist. Your design style is a combination: part updated country, part ethnic flair, both with a contemporary look and feel. You need a home with casual and practical style – an environment that'll work for kids, pets, company and more. The emphasis is on simple yet attractive, durable furniture will hold up over time while your colorful accessories energize and entertain for years.

"The furniture for this design style could be contemporary or traditional, says Julie Rackley, an interior designer in Bellevue, Washington. "The common threads are comfort and durability" That means easy-to-clean synthetic blends like micro-fiber, which cleans up swiftly with a sponge. (So long silk!) Function is a key consideration as well. A multi-purpose ottoman that doubles as a coffee table or storage unit would work for you.

Design Tip for Rustic Comfort

Choose color! Dress up your functional style with worldly colors, borrowing from Mediterranean and Hacienda styles. Try high energy colors like sunny yellows and oranges, but don't forget the popular jewel tones for a splash of elegance in the dining room or bedroom. "For 2008, we're going to see a new direction in red, towards bluer jewel tones," says Becky Ralich Spak, a senior designer At Sherwin Williams. "Shades of violet and deep purples that have been absent for so long are going to start showing up again. These energizing colors are also elegant."

Need inspiration for your combination style? Find dozens of sophisticated decorating ideas in Designers' Portfolio

• Transitional Style
• Contemporary Style
• See something you like? Get all available products on Marketplace.

a day at the beach (remix)

gigasaurus

Matt and Bucky competed in the Rails Rumble this past weekend. After 48 continuous hours of coding, they ended up with Gigasaurus, a band and venue gig management application.

Our application is a gig sharing and rating site. The application aims to be a central gig administration point for both venues and bands, as well as a hub for bands and venues to connect with other bands and venues. Bands and venues are able to create gigs and invite other bands to join the gig. Other bands on the site will be able to find gigs with empty slots and request to join the gig.

After the gig, all participating bands will be allowed to rate the other bands and leave feedback. The rating score is aggregated and an overall score is kept.

If you would like to help them out, please vote. (Registration required.)

how will you know if you found me at last
'cause i'll be the one, be the one, be the one
with my heart in my lap
i'm so tired, i'm so tired
i wish i was the moon tonight

lost in the sounds

i hear in my mind all these voices
i hear in my mind all these words
i hear in my mind all this music
and it breaks my heart

it came from the 90s, part 1

Sophie B. Hawkins sent me an email asking me to vote for her song on VH1.com...

"Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover" was selected by VH1.com as one of the "100 Greatest Songs of the 90’s!". Cast your vote for Sophie. Your vote will determine the countdown order. Encourage your friends to vote. You can vote more than once.

Vote, baby, vote! Who remembers Sophie at the Varsity? What about the House of Blues? Hell yeah I was there. Good times. Free condoms.

dancing barefoot

I finished reading Dancing Barefoot this weekend. It's a book of short stories by Wil Wheaton that I happened to find it at the library when I was picking out some books to bring to the beach last weekend. I started reading it at the beach, but I had to stop just after the first story, Houses in Motion. It tapped into something and made me feel incredibly sad. It's a great story. If you get the chance to read it, let me know what you think. I enjoyed the rest of the book as well.

namaste

Just got back from my first yoga experience.

It totally kicked my ass.

When I learned that a yoga studio was opening down the street from where I live, I got excited. It is something I have always wanted to try. I've read a lot over the years about the benefits of practicing yoga, and I am at a point in my life where I not only strongly desire such benefits but feel that I desperately need them: reduced stress and anxiety, increased strength and flexibility... and most importantly, balance. I want and need balance.

Today was open house and they were giving free classes all day. I chose to attend the basics class. When I arrived, I was nervous. When I entered the room, I felt intimidated. The first thing the instructor said was "Who has never been to yoga?" My hand was the only one that went up, and everyone looked at me as I was trying to get settled since I was the last one to arrive and had to take the only empty spot available, right next to the instructor. Nervous, intimidated, out of place. Did I mention I was the fattest one in the class?

I had no idea what I was getting into. I thought we would be stretching and breathing, basically; holding a few poses while focusing on breathing and clearing the mind, right? Yoga basics...

It was so hard!!

Because I am so fat, I had trouble breathing in some of the stances -- sad but true -- which sort of defeats the point, right? Like I needed another reason to lose weight... Thus the negativity entered my mind and pushed out some of the enthusiasm and excitement. Also, because I am so out of shape, I couldn't hold some of the poses. Before long, I was sweating profusely and getting weak. Eventually, I had to break from what the class was doing and just sit. I suppose the weakness just signals how much help I need, how far I have to go, but in that moment it was infuriating. I did not want to give up.

I returned to the first pose and tried to calm down and focus on my breathing. At this point, I was glad I had my back to the rest of the class so I couldn't see their faces. I was soaked. I thought, well at least I'm getting some kind of workout, right? I was determined to hold on till they were done, whether I could participate or not. I turned and looked around... Some of the more advanced students were doing some really incredible things -- things which, before this class, would not have seemed nearly as impressive. But now I knew the amount of skill involved. I wondered if I could ever get that good, get to the point where I could contort my body like that, and with as little effort as they were displaying. I grew hopeful again.

When the class got on their backs, working towards a cool down, I decided I could participate. I joined them again. They continued to do amazing things, and I continued to watch, taking care not to hurt myself or pass out. Then I found something I could handle: corpse pose. I guess that one is self-explanatory. LOL! Baby steps, right?

The class ended on a positive note. As soon as we were dismissed, the instructor looked directly at me and said "Are you OK?" At least she waited and didn't disrupt the class to check on me earlier. I had suffered enough embarrassment, even if it was only in my mind.

On my way out, the girl at the front desk was asking how I liked it. When I told her how difficult I found it and how much trouble I had, she exchanged looks with another girl there who was listening, and they both smiled and nodded, as though they had anticipated such a response. That's when they decided to mention that this particular instructor is really tough. They suggested that I come back and try one of the yoga basics classes they offer. I said "I thought this was the basics class, that's why I chose this one..." They gave each other that look again and told me not to base my decision on that class and that instructor, and that I should come back and try some other classes.

Will I go back? I want to. I suppose that as long as I work at my own pace I'll be OK. The girl at the front desk tried to encourage me by saying that since I am such a novice I'd have the greatest results. Is this the beginning of something great? We shall see.

It's a joke but it's not funny.

now my life is complete, part 1

Guess what I just stumbled upon...




DVD, website, cafepress merchandise...

One is too many. A thousand's not enough.

Brilliant!

putting the damage on

don't make me scratch on you door
i never left you
for a banjo
i only just turned around for a poodle
and a corvette
and my impression
of my best angie dickinson
but now i've got to worry
'cause boy you still look pretty
when you're putting the damage on

i'm trying not to move
it's just your ghost
passing through

a day at the beach

Went to the beach this weekend. This beach trip was different from others. I don't know if it has to do with the location or the time of year or what, but the waves in Orange Beach were much calmer than what we are used to in the area between Pensacola and Panama City Beach. Also, the crowd I would have expected for a holiday weekend never showed. Made for a nice relaxing getaway.

Another thing that sets this visit apart from other previous trips to the beach -- and definitely a highlight... Look who we had to share the beach with!



What an exciting surprise! Between the margaritas, playing with the rays and hunting for seashells, we had a great day at the beach.

More pics here.

what to do with all this excitement?!

i'm on a path to meeting another goal. smile.

worm buckets

worm buckets
Originally uploaded by cæsar

anyone...? anyone...? bueller?

and don't forget the accessories

august and everything after

Seems like August flew by... Also seems like a lot happened this month -- some things good, some not so good.

At this moment, I feel optimistic. I look forward to September with enthusiasm.

We leave for the beach in the morning... I have picked out some library books to bring with me. Hoping it will be a fun and relaxing time.

Cheers

happy blog day

In opposition to my previous post, I present:



Yay! What? I never said I wasn't conflicted. What a coincidence, though; as soon as I begin to prune my blog collection, I find out about blog day... There is something cosmic going on here. And according to the rules, I'm supposed to recommend 5 blogs -- preferably blogs that are different from [my] own culture, point of view and attitude. Screw that! Who makes this shit up??

blog fever and the unclutter

In an effort to un-clutter my life... I just spent some time removing subscriptions to blogs I never read. So far I managed to whittle the list down to 206 subscriptions. (Yeah, I started with 269. Get over it.) No wonder I never seem to catch up! I promise to continue to chip away until we reach a manageable amount of blogs. Stay tuned...

In other unclutterer news... Learn how to detach yourself from stuff and make the case for de-cluttering your life right now. Why does this subject always resonate with me? Don't you ever just want to simplify your life and purge it all?? Who's with me?

hydrangeas and wagons

I just noticed that I have been taking steps towards accomplishing some of my goals without even realizing it. I've been drinking a lot more water lately, which is probably a result of longer work days (thank you mandatory overtime) rather than a conscious decision, though I had intended to make it a conscious decision at some point (thus the goal part), but now I don't have to because since it's been going on for several weeks now it's pretty much automatic. How about that! Yay for hydration! And for hydrangeas! And for run-on sentences? Lame... I ruined it! But wait! There's more!! I've been enjoying healthy snacks and also making healthier choices for breakfast. I'm ramping up onto the wagon, again, and so far it's an easy ride. Here's to good health. Just thought I would share. I'm working on goals and it's a good feeling. Excited?

how fun are these

This brightened up my day a bit... It's neat with just the right amount of green and geek.

Some random lines from today's intake... They work great in and out of context.

• reveling in the absurdity of adjectives
• driven by morons who are circling the drain (for those of you who know, omg does that sum it up or what!?)
  

why

this is the book i never read
these are the words i never said
this is the path i'll never tread
these are the dreams i'll dream instead
this is the joy that's seldom spread
these are the tears...
the tears we shed
this is the fear
this is the dread
these are the contents of my head
and these are the years that we have spent
and this is what they represent
and this is how i feel
do you know how i feel?
'cause i don't think you know how i feel
i don't think you know what i feel
you don't know what i feel

goodnight my love

Uncle Gene gets his own post... I returned home from last weekend's flying roadtrip through Texas to learn that Uncle Gene had died in his sleep. Everyone was in shock. He was 59. Later we learned that he had had a massive heart attack. I think everyone is still in shock.



Here is a clip of him singing, taken from his band's website.

rufus wainwright extravaganza

cowboy hat... brooches... disco ball...
matching striped shirt and shorts...

Check out my pics from the Austin show at Stubb's BBQ.

that teenage feeling

all the loves we had
all we ever knew
did they fill me with so many secrets
that keep me from loving you

hey you

hey you
don't you give up
it's not so bad
there's still a chance for us
hey you
just be yourself
don't be so shy
there's reasons why it's hard

keep it together
you'll make it alright
our celebration is going on tonight
poets and prophets would envy what we do
this could be good
hey you

we can flee

there's a river running underground
underneath the town towards the sea
that only I know all about
on which from this city we can flee

going to a town... or two

3 days, 2 nights, 8 hours of concert time
1111 miles, 18 hours on the road (not counting Houston's unrelenting construction traffic)

still recovering from the weekend's flying roadtrip to Dallas, Austin and back

details coming soon

more helvetica

The DVD edition of Helvetica is now available for order. The DVD includes the full 80-minute feature film, plus over 90 minutes of additional interviews with Massimo Vignelli, Matthew Carter, Erik Spiekermann, Hermann Zapf, and many more. 16x9 anamorphic widescreen presentation, with English and German language subtitles, and a 12-page color booklet.

Release date: November 6. Pre-order now, you'll save some cash, get early shipping and exclusive goodies.

There's also a limited-edition box set, which includes the DVD, three letterpressed mini-posters, a color C-print of a still from the film (one of ten different stills) signed by director Gary Hustwit, two love/hate Helvetica buttons, and a letter of actual Helvetica metal type! Limited edition of 1,000 copies, order yours now.

Within minutes of receiving the email notice, I pre-ordered my very own copy of the DVD. Can you guess which version? :]

one night only

Saw a special screening of Helvetica last night at the Contemporary Arts Center in New Orleans!

A documentary film by Gary Hustwit about typography, graphic design, and global visual culture, it looks at the proliferation of one typeface (which is celebrating its 50th birthday this year) as part of a larger conversation about the way type affects our lives.

I didn't know what to expect. I was curious about the film. But as more and more people arrived, I grew more excited. It was becoming more of an event. Eventually, the theater room, which seats about 200 people, was full.

For a documentary about a font (understatement?), I found the film interesting and quite entertaining -- and from the resounding laughter and applause, so did the rest of the audience. Plus, I thought it was cool to see and hear the faces behind the typefaces, names I had come to recognize -- Erik Spiekermann, Matthew Carter, Hermann Zapf, the guys from Hoefler & Frere-Jones... Spiekermann was particularly amusing, with his opinions and eccentricity. Later I remembered that I subscribe to his blog.

if i had a myspace page, part 1...

now this is what i'm talking about!
apologies in advance. :D

Oh Dae-su

Here's one you probably haven't heard of... Saw Oldboy last night, a Korean film about revenge. It was wicked and delightful.

i'm here

I'm poor... black... I might even be ugly... but dear God, I'm here. I'm here.

into the wild

Just finished reading Into the Wild. It's not quite what I had expected. I suppose the movie will deliver a more detailed, firsthand account of adventure.

I'm in your thoughts, stirring up your wanderlust.

lunch special

mmm, eggplant! (who knew!?)

feel the burn

I almost got a perfect score on the burnout self-test (73 out of a possible 75):

You may be at very severe risk of burnout -- do something about this urgently.

With a proper exam, I'd probably score off the chart.

star punch

Got the first star punched into my new Fresh card today... Let the countdown begin!

...Am I over it already and just don't realize it?

i'll take where-the-work-stops for $500, alex

matt just told me that he was asked to remove an "offensive" quote from the intranet:

if a train station is where the train stops, then what is a work station?

omg lulz


edit: i should mention that these random quotes are generally intended to be motivational and profound. once in a while we are treated to some irony. (is that really irony??)

happy 50th post

yay! who knew i had so much to say!? actually...
i don't think i've really said much of anything.

yay! anyway.

hey kathy

Saw Kathy Griffin perform live last night. She did her thing for two solid hours with hardly a pause to catch her breath. She is so crazy and so funny. I managed to get a few halfway decent shots. Here, she is making fun of how Paula says "I work my ASS off, Jeff" on Hey Paula.

See all my pics here.

Oh, did I mention that we were sitting on the front row? Thank you Sam.

This might hurt a little...

If you want to stay healthy in America, don't get sick.

Ain't that the truth? Saw Sicko last night. It was interesting, sad, infuriating, funny...
I recommend it. We have so much to learn from Canada, England, France... Cuba.

P.S. I'm moving to France!

On a more positive note, one of the previews was for a movie entitled Into the Wild based on a book by Jon Krakauer. Looks like quite an escape. I just checked out the book from the library and cannot wait to start reading it! I want to finish it before the movie comes out in September. Wish me luck!

yay

the highlight of my day:
the vending machine gave me 2 bags of peanut m&m's for the price of one

the worst part of my day:
my boss wants to promote me

a surprise treat awaits you

dear God
make me a bird
so I could fly far
far far away from here

digital ghost

it started as a joke
just one of my larks to see
if somehow i could reach you

so i swam into your shores
through an open window
only to find you all alone
curled up with machines
now it seems you're slipping
out of the land of the living

just take a closer look
take a closer look
at what it is that's really haunting you
i have to trust you'll know
this digital ghost
but i fear there's only so much time
'cause the you i knew is fading away

hands lay them on my keys
let me play you again
i am not immune to your net
find me there in it
i won't go even if in
your heart only beats ones and O´s
switch you on my friend
pull you from that rip current
but only you can fight against this

take a closer look
take a closer look
at what it is that's really haunting you
i have to trust you'll know
this digital ghost
but i fear there's only so much time
'cause the you i knew is fading away

fading
fading
away

well i know that you're in love with him
'cause i saw you dancing in the gym
you both kicked off your shoes
man, I dig those rhythm and blues

i was a lonely teenage broncin' buck
with a pink carnation and a pick-up truck
but i knew that i was out of luck
the day the music died

i hate my 30's

chomp chomp

How excited am I that my Fresh punch card is full? You cannot imagine. What an accomplishment! However, even though I will one day soon feast on a free salad or wrap which I have rightfully earned, I know I will be sad to have to turn in my card full of star-shaped punches. I guess life goes on and I can begin anew, collecting a new set of stars on a fresh Fresh card? Only time will tell...


The back. Just because. My precious!

Hmm... I really like this place.