The Yenta Center

Sick & Tired

2009-11-24T20:32:00.004-05:00

Someone once said to me that I would regret not getting married and having kids - because who will help take care of me when I am alone, sick and need help? They were right.

Because now... it would be nice to have someone to come home to to let me complain about the tests they are doing on me and just be there for me. I am so tired of taking care of everything myself - and now that I am ill.... it's getting sorta tough. I can't wait until they finally put me on meds so that I will get some relief.... physical and emotional. Helping the physical will help the emotional. It's the nature of what is going wrong. Everything is breaking down right now.... and it's hard to get someone to really understand that when I say I am tired.... it's soul crushing exhaustion. I don't sleep. Possibly 2 hrs a night for a few months now. The physical pain is really hard to deal with. Everything hurts. By the end of the day.... I can barely get myself into my car. It is really upsetting when it's blown off.......

I don't want to burden my Mom, etc... by constantly calling - so I try and keep it to a minimum, and have to restrain myself from calling and complaining.

Like I said - eventually when I see the specialists.... most of the symptoms will at least subside a bit ... they better, because I don't know how much I can put up with.

I've always joked around and said "oh, my niece will take care of me when I am old and need family"... well, right now, she is 7 1/2 ... so yeah... not exactly equipped yet - even though she is the light of my life.

Oh, and what about friends? When you need someone to turn to - you really see all to well who is a real presence in your life and who is a "ghost". Unfortunately, I have more ghosts than I particularly care to have - and when all you need is a hug - vapor isn't very comforting.

Radioactive

2009-11-19T23:35:00.001-05:00

I think the kids in the after school science class rather enjoyed the geiger counter crazily going off when passed along my throat. No there is no danger.... just the remnants of a scan. One asked if I knew what super power I was going to develop :-)

Whenever you are feeling stupid - read these....

2008-06-02T22:03:00.003-04:00

(On September 17, 1994, Alabama's Heather Whitestone was selected as Miss America 1995.)
Question: If you could live forever, would you and why?

Answer: 'I would not live forever, because we should not
live forever, because if we were supposed to live forever,
then we would live forever, but we cannot live forever,
which is why I would not live forever,'

-- Miss Alabama in the 1994 Miss USA contest .

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'Whenever I watch TV and see those poor starving kids
all over the world, I can't help but cry. I mean I'd love
to be skinny like that, but not with all those flies and
death and stuff.'
--Mariah Carey

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'Smoking kills. If you're killed, you've lost a very
important part of your life,'
-- Brooke Shields, during an interview to become
Spokesperson for federal anti-smoking campaign .

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'I've never had major knee surgery on any other part
of my body,'
-- Winston Bennett,
University of Kentucky basketball forward .

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'Outside of the killings, Washington has one of the
lowest crime rates in the country,'
--Mayor Marion Barry, Washington , DC .

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'I'm not going to have some reporters pawing through
our papers. We are the president.'
-- Hillary Clinton commenting on the release of
subpoenaed documents.

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'That lowdown scoundrel deserves to be kicked to death
by a jackass, and I'm just the one to do it,'
--A congressional candidate in Texas .

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'Half this game is ninety percent mental.'
--Philadelphia Phillies manager, Danny Ozark

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'It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's
the impurities in our air and water that are doing it.'
--Al Gore, Vice President

And ..

'We are ready for an unforeseen event that
may or may not occur.'
-- Al Gore, VP

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'I love California . I practically grew up in Phoenix .'

-- Dan Quayle

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<>'We've got to pause and ask ourselves: How much
clean air do we need ?'
--Lee Iacocca

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'The word 'genius' isn't applicable in football. A
genius is a guy like Norman Einstein.' -
--Joe Theisman, NFL football quarterback & sports analyst.

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'We don't necessarily discriminate. We simply exclude
certain types of people.'
-- Colonel Gerald & nbsp;Wellman, ROTC Instructor .

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'If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure.'

--Bill Clinton, President

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'Traditionally, most of Australia 's imports come
from overseas.'
--Keppel Enderbery

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'Your food stamps will be stopped effective
March 1992 because we received notice that
you passed away. May God bless you. You may
reapply if there is a change in your circumstances.'
--Department of Social Services, Greenville , South Carolina

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'If somebody has a bad heart, they can plug this jack
in at night as they go to bed and it will monitor their
heart throughout the night. And the next morning, when
they wake up dead, there'll be a record.'
--Mark S. Fowler, FCC Chairman
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Feeling smarter yet?

That's What Friends Are For

2008-04-28T23:38:00.005-04:00

They:

are there when things are good or bad
and don't run at the first sign of a conflict
"get" your quirks
and don't judge you because of them
let you be stupid when you need to be
and understand why
are concerned with silence
are honest and appreciate honesty back
allow you in when they need someone
respect your feelings and
don't take your friendship for granted
don't make assumptions based on idle chatter
aren't afraid to tell you that they are glad you are their friend.

Late Monday Musing

2008-04-28T23:31:00.005-04:00

After seeing Across the Universe again, I realized that while Jim Sturgess is immensely talented, I felt myself more drawn to Joe Anderson. Maybe because of the raw emotionality of his part, or maybe because he is.... hot. OK - Definitely both.

Goodbye Uncle Jack

2008-04-27T10:30:00.003-04:00

Earlier this week my Uncle Jack passed away in Florida. He was the last of my grandparent's generation and was very special to me, as was my Auntie Anne (his wife). She passed away a couple of years ago. Uncle Jack would have been 99 in a few months and almost up until the end was still his gregarious self. Until recently he was still playing golf!

Jack was my Grandma Betty's brother-in-law and we saw him and Anne quite often. They were always so full of life and love for the family and I was always so excited when they visited.

I wish I could have visited with him one last time....... but isn't that always the case?

Crossroads

2008-04-21T09:16:00.003-04:00

A crossroad. You don't see it coming most of the time until you are staring it directly in the face. It doesn't really matter what it is - it could be work, or deciding to change your appearance, not liking your where you are living and moving, or relationships. It can be simple as a haircut or more life changing.

Yesterday while wandering peacefully around Central Park, several scenarios came to mind that I had time to think clearly about without the interruptions of "daily life". It was rather lovely to be able to just have a stream of consciousness going.

One of thoughts that came meandering in was - when is it ok to give up when something is not working for you? When is the point where it's too much to keep going, and be able to find the strength to let go for your own well being? Taking control comes easy for some people..... it takes me forever to make those decisions because I tend to hang in there until it's too late. It's my faith and optimism that it's all ok that sometimes prevents me from seeing clearly. When the clouds finally part, I have a tough time dealing with the fallout, but eventually know exactly why things happen the way they do. There are the times of course, where I have a laser sharp vision right from the get go, but let things develop and see how they pan out. I am almost always right about my first vibes.

So now, at a crossroad... I have some decisions to make.

Fun With Weight Watchers Points

2008-04-17T19:34:00.003-04:00

There is a site I use for reference when I need help with knowing how many points certain foods have. It was been a very valuable tool in helping me make healthy choices. I have tested some of the values and most of them are almost dead on within a half a point.

Here are some of the more eclectic values for those whose tastes run towards the adventurous:

Emu,cooked

1 oz.

Butter,regular

1 cup

Now *there's* a tasty treat eaten only while calling the cardiologist

Frog's legs,fried

2 (3 oz. with bone)

because really, fried WITHOUT the bone?... how gauche

Armadillo,cooked

1 oz.

Beaver,cooked

1 oz.

(insert joke here....)

Brewer's yeast

1 tsp.

Now, who is eating this as a snack?

Buffalo, water cooked

1 oz.

God knows, you wouldn't want to fry this to make it even tastier.....

Caribou,cooked

1 oz.

the point value that every overweight lion needs to have as a reference

Cholent

1 1/2 cups

I just felt every Jew reading this... shiver with disgust

Raccoon,cooked

1 oz.

apparently a beaver is leaner

Squirrel,cooked

1 oz.

hhhummmm - there is plenty of free food in my parking lot

As much fun as the listing of food can be - it really is a valuable tool in making decisions.

The Queen of White Lies

2008-04-16T22:35:00.007-04:00

So I'm driving home from the City really, really late one night last week and a song came on the radio that I fell in love with immediately. - The Queen of White Lies. I found out that it is by a young local NYC band called the Orion Experience, led by Orion Simprini- they are so much fun. A little poppy throwback with an energetic, fresh great sound. Check them out - the album is called Cosmicandy.

Some lyrics from The Queen of White Lies:

Ooh you're like that Cheshire Cat,
There's a devil that resides behind your smile.
You've got them diamond eyes, they hypnotize
You're unsuspecting victims with your style.

A Rose By Any Other Name....

2008-04-04T22:27:00.003-04:00

It just subliminally says....

GET ME A VAGINA AND QUICK!

Unicorns Suck

2008-03-30T10:32:00.003-04:00

$30 in gas
$16 for the Bridge
$4 various "change" tolls
$13 lunch
$3.00 gummy peaches
adds up to
$66 in expenses for me to go to Atlantic City for the day

I actually only lost $10 gambling........ but ended up $76 down for the day......

HOWEVER, spending time with my friend - priceless..

Tip - don't play the Unicorn video slot - it has no rhyme or reason and cannot be figured out by anyone except the best brains at NASA.

*I have to edit this to add $10 for parking :-) - so the grand total loss was $86 - I may need to re-think the logistics of these trips......

Like A Bad Penny

2008-03-27T20:33:00.004-04:00

Like the proverbial bad penny - voila, I show up again. It's been a very long time since I've felt the motivation to write anything.

Some of you have been asking about my trip to, and pics from Costa Rica. In a day or two I will post some pics and a link to an album that I'm creating. Mike K. - you're gonna love them!

One of the fun things that I've done recently is go to "Celebrity Autobiographies". Brilliant concept. Celebrities reading from other celeb's autobiographies. Kristen Johnson was Mr. T, Richard Kind was Vanna White, Kristin Wiig read the early poems of... Suzanne Sommers, Alan Cumming read Tommy Lee, Jackie Hoffman read from Ivana Trump - after all that... the cast split up and read from Liz Taylor/Debbie Reynolds/Eddie Fisher recounting the same events from the three perspectives... same was done with Burt Reynolds/Sally Field/Lonnie Anderson. It was quite an evening.

This past Saturday there was a phenomenal party for a friend who is moving to Singapore for two years. (hence the cake below) It was such a wonderful time - all the right people were there - a couple of great guys were missing, but they had other plans that evening. Funny though, there was one particular person there whom I'd never met, never spoken to, however... they knew an abundant amount of my personal... very personal history. We laughed A LOT and got along fantastically.

It's been a fun couple of months since I've last visited my own blog... I'll try to keep up more often :-)

Damn My Boobs Are Great

2008-03-27T20:28:00.002-04:00

It took me three days to make, but it was worth it. The friend I made it for, and the peeps at the party seemed to get a kick out of it :-)

Do The FunkyChunky

2007-12-11T17:43:00.000-05:00

Oh for Pete's sake - why did someone have to invent this scrumptious melange of popcorn, pecans, almonds, caramel, cashews and two different types of chocolate drizzled over it? Harry and David should watch and learn from Erica & Ronni.

I got this as a Hanukah gift.... my expanding ass thanks them.

Meet Tibby - The Newest Member of My Family

2007-12-08T22:27:00.000-05:00

She's midnight blue... and fast :-)

Broadway is Back - Including Raul !!

2007-12-02T21:43:00.000-05:00

Friday morning I woke up and didn't feel that great... really... I mean it... I really didn't... I swear *cough... cough* - So I decided to call in sick to work and then attend the Broadway is Back "show" at the Marquis. The large and prodigious rumor mill asserted that each performer(s) there would sing a song from their show. This would make the whole affair run probably about an hour and a half. Not so..... I feel bad for the people who waited for hours. The show was only a half an hour at best.

Following is a link to the article describing the event. I'm too lazy to properly recount the festivities. PLAYBILL ARTICLE

and here is a pic I took at the end: Yes, that is "Elphaba" next to Ms. Lansbury......

Since I had a plethora of time left in the day - I decided to play tourist in my hometown and take some pics. The obligatory stops at "The Tree", Rock Center stores, and Radio City.

On the side of Radio City:

As if I didn't drink enough coffee so far, I made my regular pilgrimage to my java addicted soul's mecca - Porto Rico Coffee on Bleeker and then to Enfleurage where they have the most delicious selection of candles and soaps. (The subway was particularly fragrant by the way...)

Dear God I was hungry! Good thing, because I was meeting some friends for Mexican at my favorite place that also haaaaaapens to have my favorite waiter. First a stop at Posh for drinks (I was invited for the Secret Gay Conspiracy meeting) where I was introduced to a friend's friend with whom I had a spirited conversation about.... Raul. Let's just say we agree to disagree :-) However, he said I was pretty so he automatically becomes a new BFF and gets a blog mention :-) His blog: cowsinthebarn

Capping the evening off was some Coldstone which is conveniently down the block from the restaurant. The last time I had it, it was bland and tasteless. This time, I picked well... dark chocolate mint ice-cream with brownies.

After the sheer amount of food I consumed in such a short period of time, it was quite a surprise that I didn't throw up on the train back to my car. Although I did feel like it.

Definitely not a Weight Watchers kinda day.

Pricilla Presley Is Beginning To Scare Me

2007-11-15T14:03:00.001-05:00

Pricilla used to be one of the most beautiful women in the world... now....

She's beginning to look like Pricilla Queen of the Desert

or worse... her former son-in-law

It's a Doggie Doo World.....

2007-10-30T14:02:00.000-04:00

So.... was the illustration really necessary to get the message across?

My Roomate

2007-10-29T22:35:00.001-04:00

Over the past year I've discovered a bunch of things about my roomate. Some good.... some enlightening.

She:

Sometimes leaves dishes in the sink too long
Needs to remember to put money in her savings account
Loves her cats
Has more than occasional insomnia lately
Forgot just how much she loves hockey
Should really call Motorola about her busted phone
She has a bunch of good friends - who sometimes drive her nuts
Can cook and bake like it's her job, but it's really just a hobby
Thinks more people should keep their word
Makes herself "too available " to people because she loves to spend time with her circle of family and friends
Has gotten a little more adventurous
She tends to trusts people too soon - not in the OMG we're gonna be BFF's immediately way - cause that's just creepy - but always sees the good side, until it's way too late.
Her job isn't nearly as challenging as she really wants
Has come to terms with the fact that she cannot have children.. unless she adopts (that was not as difficult to deal with as she thought, but still had to deal with it)
Needs to get out an explore the world more, but is too tired with life lately.......
Is a good person who has people that love her, even though she doesn't feel that way sometimes

Did I forget to mention that I live alone?

Being a Peeping Tom - Or How I Met Auntie Mame

2007-10-21T11:18:00.000-04:00

So on Thursday, after a gut busting dinner of really good Mexican food it was decided that we needed to walk it off by getting... hot chocolate. Logical right? I thought I was going to explode, but passing up peppermint hot chocolate at Chocolate Bar... not going to happen! After leaving the store, we were passing all the lovely dwellings on Hudson Street and came upon one in particular where the inhabitants were having a small cocktail party that we watched for a moment. Thoughts of a life in one of those houses were discussed amongst us. As we were about to pass the livingroom window one friend stopped dead in front and starting waving at them. Thinking he was a little nuts and high on the hot chocolate we laughed, but he still kept waving. Well it turns out that one of the party-goers was a friend of his. Said friend came out to greet us and invited us in to join them.

What a wonderful and eclectic group we were! They were so incredibly warm and inviting. One woman in particular (the aunt of the party goer's partner) stood out and completely enthralled me. She was a fantastically tipsy jewelry designer and former singer. She kept hugging me. After telling her that one of my friends was not my boyfriend as she thought, and that actually *they* were the ones that were together, she made me promise that I would do my best to make sure that my two friends got married and had a nice life together. She also kept singing to me. I wanted her to adopt me.

What a fun and unexpected evening. The best kind.

Corporate Conundrum

2007-10-14T09:21:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow, I have 2 very important job interviews. They represent the next "step up" in my professional life - and I am a bit apprehensive. Although I am very confident in my ability to do either job, the prospect of going through the process to obtain them is a little daunting. The substantial increase in salary and responsibilities is very exciting. Tooting my own horn for a moment, I submitted resumes to three places, and got two interviews within days. At least I know that the work I put into developing my credentials is paying off - at least to get a foot in the door ffor an interview.

It has been eons since I've had to dress to impress and basically play the corporate game. Both of these positions are well worth the challenge, as they are in the industry that I love and want to set myself down in. Since it has been a while, I was somewhat taken aback when I saw the employment forms from both these organizations. My first reaction was - this has the potential to be a personal violation of my private life. Credit reports?!? Oy. I'll live though - it's worth it.

If either one of these comes to fruition it means my eventual move back to the City. This prospect is also a little nervewracking, but in a good way!

Savage Chicken Pirates

2007-10-10T15:33:00.001-04:00

Meet the MET

2007-10-07T09:05:00.000-04:00

On Friday and friend and I wanted to do something different, on yet another day off - so we took the backstage tour of the Metropolitan Opera House. What a magnificent place - not just the performance space, but the intricate operation it takes to make it happen.

Loved the tour - the access you have is remarkable. It made me sad that I couldn't go to Lucia, but........ we heard Natalie Dessay doing some warmups in a room we couldn't go in - and an added bonus... Renata Scotto was singing her heart out from a different room on a different floor - she was teaching someone (said the guide).

Seeing the costumes for Lucia, Romeo and Juliet, Butterfly (EXTRAORDINARY!) MacBeth, Faust, Aida, Boheme etc... priceless. They are all so gorgeous - and you are allowed to touch them. My friend and I wanted to hang back and try on the kimonos!

She and I had a blast with the stagehands and propmasters. They were adorable.
It is incredibly fascinating how everything is put together and the time frames involved. My favorite fact... they pick the 27 operas and the singers 5 years in advance!

It was a fantastic experience. I highly recommend it

Wentworth - A Fangirl Moment

2007-10-04T21:44:00.000-04:00

Just because... he's perfect.

Whoa Ho Ho It's.... MAGIC

2007-10-04T21:18:00.000-04:00

Yes, yes it is. Bruce and the E Street Band's new album, Magic, lives up to its name - and then some. His songs manage to have the classic E Street sound, yet is never a "copy" of himself. It is fresh and relevant. Much of the music has a decidedly Darkness/River feel to it - which thrills you with "from the soul" lyrics and the soaring sounds that reinforce their standing in the music world as the icons they are. Hearing Clarence's horn and Roy's piano wailing out "that" sound... well, it makes me a very happy fan.

Nappus Interruptus

2007-10-04T09:52:00.000-04:00

Why is it that everytime I try to take a nap, one or more of the following things happen - no matter what time said nap is scheduled for?:

* Downstairs neighbor's radar for blasting their VERY LOUD Mexican folk music
* Landscapers prolific use of a leaf blower
* I have to pee every 10 minutes
* One of the cats feels the need to bang on the door for attention
* My property manager decides to drag all the garbage can from the parking lot to the front and visa versa
* Above mentioned asswipe who has Ray Romano's voice without volume modulation, engages ANYONE who will listen in a conversation how his rent/utlility free existence is a bitch, as is his pregnant one legged wife. (his thought.. not mine, she is lovely)
* Mom calls
* Medical condition kicks in and I want to die
* Someone decides to test their car alarm over and over and over
* The horn blasting trains come waaaaaaaay more frequently than usual
* Or I just have so many things racing around in my mind that I just can't relax....

Deja Vu

2007-10-02T22:20:00.000-04:00

Lately I've been getting some deja vu vibes about a situation I went through a while ago. There are two people I know that have very similar traits, but in varying degrees. There is something unsettling about this. Secrecy, "bending" the truth, omission, and the need to reach out and constantly insinuate themselves into people's lives. This is all under the guise of wanting to be "social". People have even asked me if these two entities were the same person! I noticed this all immediately and was sort of wary, but decided to see how it would pan out. It's actually pretty funny that these two have said some very, very disparaging things about the other to me, but yet choose to have a social relationship. I certainly don't have time for crap like that anymore. Why on Earth would someone want to have people who are like this in their life? It's baffling to me.

Additionally, why is it that no one takes responsibility for the way they make others feel? Safely tucked under a self-helpy blanket... The theory that "only you can decide how you feel" is bullshit. You can feel all you want, the challenge is how you manage it. People do hurtful things to other people, sometimes big - sometimes very small, TAKE responsibility for it. Realize what effect your actions/in-actions have and accept the reaction they get. Don't blow it off as "well that's their problem".

Like people who outright lie (big and small) - they think it's not known, but they are oh so wrong. So never assume that no one knows, just because nothing has been said. And I know a lot... a hell of a lot - I just choose to let it go - but only for so long.

There is a lot more I can say about all of this, but having gotten past it the first time, writing these simple paragraphs was more than enough this time.

Been there... done that - don't want to visit again :-)

Time Traveling

2007-10-02T13:39:00.001-04:00

Last night, I went to a very enjoyable reading at CAP21 called "The Time Travelers Convention". The initial premise was that a group of students put flyers in the library books alerting any time travelers from the future that there will be a party for their arrival. The story's theme eventually came to "don't try and go back to the past in order to fix your present". There were some very funny and touching moments, but like I said some of it definitely needs overhauling - such as not starting Act 2 with a depressing daughter/father ballad.

One thing that irked me. The composer, Mike Pettry, is a Jonathan Larson Foundation Award winner and wrote some lovely music. Heidi Heilig wrote the book and lyrics - however, there was one song that repeated the phrase "I should tell you" several times and in a very familiar way. I suspect that perhaps it was their homage to Jonathan, but it was a bit much. One phrase that definitely should be removed is "library kisses (or libraries and kisses)".

The show needs a lot of work, but the potential is definitely there for a fun off-broadway venture that would probably do quite well given the right cast.

SIDE NOTE: While walking back to my car (down the block) I experienced something I hadn't in a VERY long time. Uneasiness. I guess what happened two weeks ago didn't just stay in my dreams but manifested itself in reality. It bothered me that I was bothered.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow..... is the mall

2007-09-28T22:18:00.000-04:00

So I had another day off today (shut up Eric) and realized it was a great day to go to the mall to look for a shirt/blouse/sweater to go with my "interview skirt". It's the last day of the horrific cold I had - no more dripping, I could hear again, etc.... so I definitely felt better and needed to get out of the house.

While I was shopping (didn't find what I was looking for), it seems it rained pretty hard - when I emerged from the underground parking, this is the first thing I saw:

And to make it even more interesting, as I turned the corner... it doubled as the clouds passed through it! I wish it were clearer, but I had to act quick... it was disappearing.

If I belived in such things.... I would think it was a sign... a very good sign. :-)

A Day In The Life - A Photo Essay of sorts

2007-09-21T23:18:00.000-04:00

Last weekend was a glorious one in NYC - the weather was perfect and I'd like to share some of the photos I took last Saturday. I've lived in the City almost all of my life and am never at a loss for things that catch my eye. Given the fact that my camera comes everywhere with me..... I always manage to stop and take a shot or two... or three... or four - sometimes to the dismay of my companions :-) Walk - stop - walk - stop...

Journey begins.. waiting for the train to pass...

Two of the many doors...

On the building across from Roosevelt birthplace

20th & Broadway (East Side)

Broadway (East Side)
This one just made me giggle...

Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace

Grace Church

You have to be in Little Italy with a place called Cha Cha's

Little Italy/SOHO border

Union Square
Union Square

Undeniably Unmotivated

2007-09-21T23:06:00.000-04:00

It's been a long time since I've felt the motivation to write anything.... lots of stuff going on, but not really much to write home about, so to speak.

I've been wrestling with some decisions I've had to make and coming to grips with an issue that arose from the medical tests I had. All in all, my condition is up in the air.... no resoultion as of yet. Frustrating. The one thing did come out of it was a bit hard to handle at first, yet oddly ok once I thought about it. Nothing life threatening - but definitely altered my thinking of the future and what I thought could be one day....

One decision I did make over the past two weeks, is that I definitely have to move on from my current job. There comes a time when you realize that no matter how "comfortable" it is, there is no going forward and no challenges left. I am at this point now. So, armed with an updated resume... off I go on the job hunt.

Maybe There Is Something to Astrology....

2007-09-01T01:36:00.000-04:00

Today's offering for Capricorns..... this one is waaaaaaay too on target.

Even if you're surrounded by adults all day long, at certain points of your day it might feel as though you have been plopped down in the middle of a daycare center. A few of your people will be acting like children and exhibiting petty behavior. You shouldn't even bother trying to understand why. You have far too many important, rewarding things to do to start wasting time on trying to help them figure out how to act like grownups. Avoid them.

There's Always Room For Jello

2007-08-22T19:13:00.000-04:00

There better be, because of test prep - that's all I'm allowed to eat until 1:00pm tomorrow. Since 10:00 this morning, all I have had is wonton soup (without the wontons) and Jello. One "bright" spot, I can have black coffee.....

Fan-freaking-tastic.

Where is Dr. House When You Need Him?

2007-08-21T23:12:00.000-04:00

I can't describe the depth of how ill I was today. It was bad. All I wanted was someone to rip out my insides, bathe them in cold water and then put them back in.

Being stressed a bit at work did not help the situation at all. It's the time of year where we really have to gear up for the new school year. The kids come back in a couple of weeks - damn, the summer went fast! It's a lot of work preparing for the start of a school year.

When I got home, I managed to eat something and keep it down/in - then passed out from 5:15 until 8:30. It's now almost 11:30 and I'm ready to pass out again. There has to be an end to this. I'll find out in a few days - Thursday is the "big tests day". Maybe then I will stop feeling like I am going to burst into tears every few hours.

It's upsetting to me that there are people I know that don't understand the side effects of my condition. I had someone say offhandedly to me this weekend "Boy, you are high maintenance", "You and your muffins" - all because I needed something - anything - to eat so that I wouldn't get sick. It was said in the tone of voice usually reserved for people like... Paris Hilton.. all because I needed a muffin/bagel. This is someone who once saw for themselves just how sick I can become if I don't eat (I've almost passed out twice in public). It really hurt my feelings. I don't think I will be spending much time with this person anymore. No great loss.

Time in New England... Took Me Away...

2007-08-19T23:08:00.000-04:00

Well... ok, for a few hours at least. One of the great things about my job is the staggering amount of paid time off I get. So Friday and Saturday I was able to take the day and spend some time with friends in upstate NY and, MOST importantly - go to Williamstown, MA to see Raul Esparza as the Stage Manager in a reading of " Our Town". He was great and took the part in a much more congenial and playful direction than other productions. It was very well done. The actors assembled for the production were fantastic.

It was a really busy weekend!

The drive up was a little frustrating early on because of construction, but I had a great stress relieving laugh at the rest stop. It was the type of ladies room where the ventilation system was very old, loud and noisy. I had just walked in when an older woman with a very pronounced Long Island accent proceded to proclaim.... "Oh... I'm so glad it's not quiet in here, this way I can pass gas and no one will hear". Yeah... saying it that loudly sort of defeats the purpose of your thought....

While driving back, my eye was drawn to a small grassy patch about 20 feet from the road. There were about 6 or 7 moving lumps - I thought they were gophers or something similar, but it turns out they were wild turkeys. I hadn't seen them since I lived up in the area. When I got home, I made sure the cats and the fish were fed - and then I was off again!

I am very proud of my cousin. She is a very bright young woman from California who received a full scholarship from George Washington University, and she was visiting her aunt (my cousin) before she went down to DC - so I drove and hour and a half to see her. WELL worth the trip - she is wonderful.

I figured this was a good opportunity to see the parents - so we went to dinner and a movie. I got home around midnight (my day started FRIDAY at 6am !!) and promptly passed out.

Today, after some major house cleaning/re-arranging AND baking some goodies for friends - I had the pleasure of going with said friends to see the closing performance of Luisa Strus' one woman show. It was part of the Fringe Festival. She was incredibly engaging as she recounted parts of hers, and her parent's lives. She is definitely one to watch!

Even though weekends like this physically tire the hell out of me .... I know that life is too short and you have to push yourself as long as you can and make the most of it.

Sometimes... "The System" Works

2007-08-15T22:53:00.000-04:00

For the past year I have been living with a personal legal issue that has had me tied up in knots and had effected every single facet of my life. Something like this puts a future on hold until it is resolved.

When I came home from work, I ate something and then for some reason decided the kitchen needed a good going over. After taking out the garbage, I spotted my mail on the counter and realized I hadn't even given it a second glance. I turned the envelope over and.... there it was. The address of the court on the upper left hand corner..... I've been excited, nervous - and dreading the arrival of this envelope for three months. This issue was what my journey to Newark was all about: Newark on $25.50 A Day.

I opened the envelope with my eyes closed ... a little dramatic, I know - but I did. There in bold letters was the decision in my favor. I now have my future back - if that makes sense.

Like any good Jewish girl, the first thing I did was call my mother.

Wii - diculous

2007-08-12T09:13:00.000-04:00

Last night I had my first introduction to the phenomenon that is Wii. Two words... video game crack. I get the hoopla and the potential for accidents... more on that in a minute.

I'm not really a "gamer" - I play around with my SIMS, Grim Fandango and some trivia games, but that's really it. If I had the Wii system, there would be the possibility of never leaving my apartment.

We all "bowled" the entire evening without leaving the comfort of the livingroom. It's so easy to forget the motions you need to use can cause mishaps. During the game the system consistently reminds you to use the remote with the wriststrap. There is a good reason for this. it can indeed fly out of your hand fairly easily if your palm gets sweaty, or if the remote gets schmutzy. You also have to be careful of objects in the way of your motion. The combination of a ceiling fan, my height and my hand proved to be one of these lessons in paying attention! Needless to say, it amused the participants.

It was quite a fun evening and I'm looking forward to my next fix :-)

Payin' the RENT Again

2007-08-08T22:00:00.000-04:00

When I wrote that last Tuesday's performance of RENT was perfect..... it was - until I went again last night.

This was a very powerful evening. Within a week, the cast managed to somehow raise the level of their performances to a new height. The entire group was explosive and it was riviting. The emotional quotient that Adam, Anthony and Tamyra have brought to their roles is astonishing.

When I went last week, I thought Tamyra was good, but lacked the conviction of her role. Last night, she found "Mimi". Her body language was dead on as was her ability to convey the myriad of emotions the part calls for. Nice work!

Adam and Anthony.... stepped it up yet again. The raw power of Adam's ability to channel Roger is beyond explanation. Now that it is ten years down the line, he brings an obvious maturity and evolution in his acting to the part and it shows. His performance was the perfect combination of sweet, desperate, fearful and overwhelmed with sadness and joy. He had me mezmerized. Anthony is, and always will be the definitive Mark. There is no one who will ever be able to match his depth and understanding of this person. He completely nails the quirkiness in voice and movement that this role demands.

I am very fortunate to be able to experience live theatre on a regular basis. There is nothing like it.

Something's Fishy

2007-08-04T10:03:00.000-04:00

After a few years, I decided to tackle setting up my fish tank again. Here are some of its funky inhabitants. The first one is my favorite - they are very small and called Endler's Livebearers from Venezuela - I will be getting a female today so they can breed and have a family :-)

Dalmation Lyretail Molly
Sunset Fire Platy

Neon Tetra

Nothing Going On But The RENT

2007-08-04T08:19:00.000-04:00

My inner fangurl is making a special appearance for the next six weeks. They are back..... and so are "the pants".

Last Tuesday, I made the first of a few pilgrimages to the Nederlander to see the boys. Adam and Anthony.... what can I say. The chemistry these guys have together is undeniable and palpable. It was so special to see them reprise their roles. They didn't skip a beat. It was perfect and seemed like time stood still. I felt like it was 1996 again when I first sat in my seat at the theatre and watched this incredible piece of work with sheer amazement and joy. If you were there during that time, you felt the impact of Jonathan Larson's clear vision on what was happening in NYC at the time.... he was so on target emotionally that it is not surprising the piece is now a benchmark in the transformation of what is presented Broadway.

It is no secret to those who know me that I have a "special" place in my soul for Adam Pascal.

One thing Leads To Another....

2007-08-04T08:11:00.000-04:00

The people at my Dr.'s office really need a lesson in "followup skills". The details are boring, so I won't get into it - but it was very frustrating. Of the two previous tests, one showed absolutely nothing and the other leads me to another specialist and another potential uncomfortable procedure. I will know more after seeing him at the end of the month. Two tests down - two, possibly three to go. While I am definitely getting anxious about all this, I am amazed at the technology that is involved. Until you need it, you don't realize the advances in medical technology. It truly is astounding. So on I go :-)

Oh, and as a side note... I'm not the "so and so" from Southern Boy's blog!

After Midnight

2007-07-25T21:30:00.000-04:00

In preparation for my test today, from midnight last night until 2:00 this afternoon, I wasn't allowed a single drop of water or a crumb of food. NO MORNING COFFEE! When I got to the hospital, I was informed that I was dehydrated. REALLY?!? Imagine that. It really wasn't the lack of water that was the hard part - it was the lack of food. The pain I was in was borderline mind numbing.

Elizabeth, my tech, was a lovely young woman who kept my sense of humor and my spirits from falling to pieces. She was fantastic. Not an easy job when your patient is dehydrated, hungry and in pain. These two tests went well... considering the unpleasantness of the situation. So I wait for the results..... and the date/time of the two really nasty procedures yet come. I wish this was over, but I will surely endure almost anything to find out what is at the bottom of this.

Weekends Like They Should Be

2007-07-23T22:19:00.000-04:00

What a spectacular weekend. This is what life should be about. Perfect weather, perfect company and best of all.... perfect food! By perfect food, I mean of course.... fried Oreos.... coming in a close second to Sunday's delicious dinner of my friend's meatballs and sauce!

Saturday was spent in the company of two friends who came down for the day from Upstate. I hadn't been to the Renaissance in a while, so it was fun to have dinner there. Then off for drinks at the Mariott. I love their frozen pink lemonade with a shot or two of Malibu. YUM. I had to take off earlier than I wanted to because I had to get up really early to meet some friends for a journey to the Shore.

The biggest bonus of Sunday was spending some quality time with an exceptional young man from the UK, that I had not had the pleasure of meeting until yesterday. We had a tremendous amount in common and it was a fantastic discovery of shared experiences. Very eye-opening considering our different backgrounds - however, we have a few people in common so it was really, really fun.

It was such a beautiful day to be at the Shore. Lovely breeze, great people watching and again... the food. Did I mention Rita's Ices earlier? No? Well I should have :-) I will not mention the music video we made... that will be locked up in a vault tighter than where they keep Dick Cheney's heart. So you know it's safe.

Perfect end to this week's vacation.

Baby You Can Drive My Car

2007-07-18T21:06:00.000-04:00

Please... someone do my driving for a while. It seems that is all I've been doing lately.

After work on Friday, I drove around like a crazy person doing countless errands before my weekend getaway. Saturday was up at the crack of dawn to get ready and get going for my 5 hour drive to the suburbs of Maryland. It was a nice traffic free journey for a change! As usual, I needed to make a pit stop.. this was in Delaware. I parked and went in only to find THREE buses of church members and their choir waiting for the ladies room. Oy vey... So I got back in the car and drove to the next rest stop which was 10 miles away. It was empty - thank God. Taking off again - I then soon arrived at my friend's house to a warm welcome and a hot cup of coffee :-)

Monday, late morning - drove home (5 hours) and then drove to the City since I had plans with friends to be at a free screening of Hairspray. Well that didn't work out too well as New Line Cinema FUCKED it up royally and no one with the passes got in. Not wanting to go home, I drove a friend and I to hang out for a while at his apartment.. pizza! I drove home at 10:30 - and promptly passed out.

Tuesday, up early again, drove to Mom's so that I can get my gown from the seamstress and then we went to lunch (crepes!), Walmart and Target. Drove to the supermarket and then drove home.

Today, I drove to a doctor's appointment that I knew was going to be yucky. They took blood in preparation for my tests next week ... ouch. Then I drove to the drug store, the pet store and Trader Joe's - and then drove home.

Tomorrow - NO DRIVING!

Friday - I have to drive an hour to get my hair done, then to my parent's house to get dressed, drive to Summit, then drive to Madison and then drive an hour and a half home.

Saturday - driving to the City to met friends in from out of town for dinner.

Sunday - possibly driving down to the shore to meet other friends.

Monday - looking forward to going back to work - being in one place for a few hours will be a nice change of pace!

Statcounter Fun

2007-07-11T16:36:00.000-04:00

One of the fun things about having Statcounter is that you get to see how people land on your blog. Most recently, this came up and made me giggle. Thank you to the person who Googled that string of words, not once... but twice... it made my day :-)

carrie tunch butler picture

It also allows you to see where people are coming from. I have had such a wide array of people from different countries besides the US coming to visit.

I have started an entry about why people read certain blogs, how they land there from places you don't know etc... ,it's an interesting subject. The entry is not ready yet. Some fine tuning is in order.

To Sleep, Perhaps To Dream.....

2007-07-11T01:00:00.000-04:00

Insomnia... it strikes again.

A few times a year I get bouts of insomnia. Right about now is the time for one of them. My work schedule changes at this time of year and I have trouble adjusting. I go from 8-4 to 9- 2 or 3. Sounds like a very small change, but it can really affect a person. I'm sure the abomidable heat we've been experiencing and a few health problems are not helping either. I am NOT looking forward to my Dr. appointment next week and the ensuing tests that will be forthcoming. Hopefully a solution will finally be found.

Good thing next week is one of my two vacation weeks in July. I am really looking forward to my getaway this weekend and spending time with my friend and her family. It's a nice drive, very peaceful where they live, and we always have a great time.

I have no doubt that tomorrow morning, I will be in the greatest of moods... (read... cranky).

Bra-Lapalooza

2007-07-10T16:13:00.000-04:00

Bra shopping. Damn it, damn it.... damn it.

Men, this is one joyous shopping extravaganza you have mercifully been left out of... well at least most of you.

Getting a proper fitting bra - especially one for a formal strapless dress is like a snipe hunt. The first territory I scoped out was the holy shrine of Victoria's Secret. You know what her secret really is? That their stuff is way more hype than substance. It is mostly very overpriced, ill-fitting crap. Most women have enough body issues as it is, so we don't need to be given orders by an obnoxious dressing room mirror. You are about to go where no man (again.. well, most of you) have never gone before, but have dreamed about.... a dressing room in Victoria's Secret:

Next , after eight... yes EIGHT various department stores, etc.... I finally found one in the least likely place. Burlington Coat Factory. Well made, fit perfectly and very very well priced.

I shall keep this treasure till I die.

Saturday Spotlight - Birthdays!

2007-06-30T09:43:00.000-04:00

Fun Birthday Celebrations !!

Last night was such a fantastically fun evening. It was spent celebrating the birthday of a friend with a great group of people; a few I met for the first time. What a pleasure it was to have spent time with this gaggle of goofy, intelligent, free spirited, accepting and somewhat uncensored souls. It certainly was a gay ole time. I am looking forward to having more adventures with this bunch, should they include me in their reindeer games :-)

Despite a rough patch, ok......... a REALLY rough patch in the friendship of said birthday boy, I think we have come out it fairly well. When relationships (friends, family, etc...) go though tough times, when it gets resolved in its own way and time - obviously the dynamics change and shift. Even though it has been almost a year since we rebuilt our friendship, at times I still have that "walking on eggshells" feeling. I guess it's only natural given the decidedly unsettling circumstances that led up to our falling out. Still, I am very happy (and proud) for the huge first step that was taken last year to re-connect. It took a leap of growth, awareness and setting aside of pride to do and I am thankful he did.

~~ What are you doing? Are you delivering mail or are you delivering dick and nuts? ~~

Today's Random Horoscope

2007-06-24T22:15:00.000-04:00

I thought this was very appropriate and on target!

There's a lot of hopeful energy around you and your friends right now, so this is a time for everyone to embrace positive thoughts -- they can work wonders. Everyone in your life should have confidence that things are going to turn out just fine.

Saturday Spotlight

2007-06-23T23:59:00.000-04:00

Porto Rico Importing Company

On Bleeker Street, just about three quarters of a block away from this mecca of beautiful beans, a faint breeze blows and the enticing aroma of java starts to fill your senses. The closer you get the excitement builds.

PRCP is not a coffee shop - it is a small store that sells a wide variety of the most incredible array fresh coffee beans and teas from around the world. What a treat to be able to go around the world with coffee. A trip I would love to take for real!

Long And Winding Road

2007-06-21T18:05:00.000-04:00

While talking to a friend today, the subject of my adoption came up. Why did it come up you ask? Because I received a call from my birth mother at work today. I hadn't spoke with her in many many months. She is on the batshit crazy side and a bit fried due to a life filled with drugs. Apparently, the side effects have lasted well into her latter years. But I digress.... my friend really didn't know the details of the opening phase of this chapter in my life, so I decided to re-publish my initial entry from a blog I had in a former life. So pack a lunch....Here goes.... it's really, really long :-)

October 26, 2005

9:38 am Trying to process this new development in my world is intense, to say the least. Thank G-d for Elaine, my searcher. She has been an angel and over the past week has become a significant part of my life.

Now that my head is clearer, I can document better how it went down (more for myself than anything :-):

Thurs Oct 20th:

I posted my info on the NYA list in the evening.

15 minutes later I get an e-mail from Elaine telling me she is going to find them for me and that I should call her.

We talk for a while and then she gets to work. And when I say gets to work.... she is persistant, determined and will call anyone anytime to get results.

Fri Oct 21st:

Calls and e-mails back and forth with Elaine - she has contacted a few men with the last name I had at birth. The men in a family are they key to finds as unlike women, their last names don't change. She spoke to a few people, but nothing yet.

She gives me homework. I have to go to the NYC library and go back again into the NYC Birth Index books and get the names of males born in 1945, 1946 and 1947 with the last name I was born with. This is the key.

From the info I was given by the agency that now has possession of my records (the original one is out of business - GOOD. More about that later), my birth mother and her older brother were extremely close in age. Elaine figured out that they are about a year apart. He was a freshman in college when I was born and she was 18 - she did the math.

Sat Oct 22:

Cold rainy day - but I trek into the City to do my homework.

The Geneology Room was packed. There were lots of adoptees/searchers looking at the books doing their own research. I managed to find the books I need and start writing names.

There was one name in particular that stuck out - it was the birthday. I put a big question mark next to it, packed up my things and went home to e-mail Elaine my results.

SIDENOTE: I was at the Library a few years ago to research my info. I had found out that an adoptees birth certificate number never changes. Lighbulb went on and I went to the library. I was there for 6 hours looking through the index books from 1965. Why 6 hours?? Because the books are arranged by last name, not number. I had to go through each freaking name in the book and try to match the number. I finally did - right before the Library was going to close. I also took the names of all the females born in 1947 - knowing ones of those names was my birth mother. There were 4 names and one listed as "female"....

Back home around 4:00 - e-mailed my findings to Elaine and started waiting. She was out for the day and most of the evening so I knew it wouldn't be until Sunday that I would hear from her.

THE DAY - Sunday Oct 23rd:

I was on my way to the City at about 10:30 to meet my sister and Mom for lunch and to see "Trailer Park".

My cell phone rings at 11:00 - it was Elaine. I didn't really think anything of it because we had been talking for days.

She asked how my drive in was going, traffic, etc... and told me to keep my eyes on the road - or better yet pull over. That's when I knew she had something to tell me.

Remember the male's name I put a question mark next to? Bingo. It was her brother. Elaine spoke to his wife who confirmed that she did indeed have the right family and that she knew all about me. He happened to be home and literally almost fainted. He spoke to Elaine for a few minutes and needed to hang up to collect his thoughts.

11:30 - my cell rings again - Elaine. She tells me that he called her back and gave her his mother's phone number and that she spoke to her. They are all in Florida - and bracing for the hurricane. Little did she know that hurricane Lisa was about to descend on them.

Elaine tells me that the first thing my b-grandmother said was "I have to talk to her - have her call me".

Keep in mind that this is all happening while I am waiting to meet my Mom and sister for our Girl's Day Out!

11:45 - I call (my b-grandmother) - it was rather amazing. She was calm and collected for about 5 minutes and then she broke down. She kept telling me that it was a miracle and that they had tried to look for me for a very long time.

After about 10 minutes on the phone with her - she says "Oh - my daughter just came in from the pool - I'm sure she wants to talk to you (she was laughing when she said this). I almost passed out. (my birth mother) was there to make sure her mother was ok during the hurricane. Birth-grandmother hands the phone over to her and says "Your daughter is on the phone". So, birthmother gets on the phone and says "So, you are still alive?". I said "uuuumm yeah..." In the background I hear birth-grandmother say... "No, this is your FIRST daughter". (That's when I knew I had a sister!)

Birth-mother then starts to cry. We had a nice talk for about 15 minutes - then I realized I had to meet my sister and mother and had to get off the phone.

It took all the strength and willpower I possessed to act as natural as possible when I met up with them. My sister looked at me knowing I had something to tell her - Mom had no clue. We went to lunch - when Mom had to go to the ladies room - I knew I had about 3 minutes to fill my sister in on what had happened this morning. So I told her as much as I could before my mother got back to the table.

Since Sunday, I have spoken to them AND my niece a few times. A lot of questions were answered and even more popped up - so this is going to be a long and winding road.

Very short list of things I did find out:

My birth father is deceased. He died in a drug related car accident. He was a troubled person. (Elaine has found his brother, who is a doctor and left messages for him to call her). That is going to be a trip!

My birth mother and my Mom have THE SAME birthday (different years, but holy shit) She was the one listed as "female" in the birth index.

I have a half sister - who has a 9 year old daughter . I spoke to her also - she is wonderful! My half sister is missing (she is a drug addict and disappeared - I don't know how long she has been gone - I will get more info on that in the coming days)

My birth name, Lorell, came from a L'Oreal ad featuring beautiful redheads. Too funny! (Dreamgirls! - I was first)

I have a lot of family that I will need to be in touch with. It seems that the entire family knew about me. I was told that my existance was not a "dirty family secret" and that everyone knew.

So.... that's the story so far......

I'm doing quite well with this. It's a very odd situation to be in, but has been suprisingly comfortable.

6-21-07 NOT the end of the story by any means, but I will save that for another time.....

Ka-Ching

2007-06-17T09:23:00.000-04:00

The Borgata...... it is a beautiful hotel, but the shining gold building is a bit removed from the rest of the properties in AC. With reason. It is definitely a major step up from them. It is very elegant with beautiful touches throughout. I was a little reticent about spending $20 for lunch - (afterall it takes away from my slot fund), but after walking into the restaurant..... the doubt disappeared. What a fantastic display of gourmet delights. Of course, I was immediately drawn to the dessert section. The treats were magnificent in presentation and taste.

By the end of the day, like a lot of people we were tired and our wallets were somewhat lighter than when we arrived. After a very long day, I wanted to make a quick stop into Showboat - I used to like their casino. We scoped the room for a while looking for a specific type of machine.. we found them, but ran into too many rude crazy ladies and left - so instead of just leaving to go home, we went next door to the Taj for a final fling. We found the machine we were looking for - and two together! We sat down, put in our bills and played for a few minutes - winning a losing little bits at a time. And then...... ka-ching. I looked up and thought I had won 60 quarters ($15) which would have been nice.... I seemed to have missed the extra zero. I won 600 quarters :-) ($150). NICE! All in all between the gas, tolls, snacks and lunch - I came out about $80 ahead..... Not a bad day out! I made some money and spent a lovely day with a wonderful friend.

Saturday Spotlight - Under The Boardwalk

2007-06-16T07:00:00.000-04:00

Atlantic City!

Which is where I will be today!
My slot machine addiction will be fed
as will my tummy at the Borgata buffet!

Heath Care Is Making Me Sick

2007-06-15T21:12:00.000-04:00

I am probably going to have to leave the job this summer.
It literally is breaking my heart. They raised our health
premiums to almost $400/mo with a $35/45 copay and
$20-50 prescrip. It's insane and something needs to be
done. Being single and my own sole means of support,
I simply cannot afford it. We only get a minimal cost of
living raise... no merit ones ever for anyone. I felt so
wimpy... I started getting very teary as I was telling
one of my friends there about it (my yoga instructor -
she is wonderful).

So... when school is officially over next week and I have
all the quiet time I need, I have to start looking. It sucks.
Well... at least until I have something else, I have the security
of the job I have and won't have financial issues for a while.

It's been a tough week and a half, but last Saturday was
definitely THE bright spot. So much fun!

Great friends and much rejoicing :-)

Definitely Disney

2007-06-07T22:32:00.001-04:00

Just a few of my favorites from the trip - I took 500, so this is a drop in the bucket:

Newark On $25.50 A Day

2007-06-07T22:20:00.000-04:00

This morning I had to go to Newark for a very stressful meeting. Now, the city is only about 15 miles from where I live but getting there alive by not taking "the back roads" costs money. Ten bucks for gas, 3.50 for tolls, and 12 for parking. I spent all of an hour at this meeting. This annoyed me.

Some perspective, - Manhattan is also about 15 miles for me to travel to Midtown. I can get there for 6.00, free parking (because I have "that cosmic parking thing") and a lot less stress!

I Am No Longer A Virgin

2007-06-06T23:04:00.000-04:00

It was magical - I finally did it. I went to the parks at Disneyworld. Before this trip I never really "got" why people flip out about this place. I do now.

More than a few things impressed me. The food was incredible, the resort was lovely, the astounding attention to detail and the entire operation as a whole. The people there were wonderful and accommodating. We didn't want for anything. It was a fantastic and well deserved vacation.

My next real adventure requires a passport which I do not have yet. I will be submitting the papers next week. Just thinking about this next trip makes me more than happy - it is one that I have dreamt about. All the arrangements for the trip are in place ... I just have to wait until.... January. Time will not pass quick enough!

BackTo Basics

2007-06-06T22:50:00.000-04:00

It seems like it has been so long since I've been able to write. Life has been particularly busy and wonderful. Since my last entry, I've seen a bunch of shows, taken an almost week long vacation in the most "magical" of places, visited with friends about the City, celebrated my parent's 50th (!) anniversary, etc.... Life is very good.

I realize that at this point in time, everything is sort of "in place" - and it's a very peaceful feeling. Having the right people in (and in some cases out) of your life at the right time makes for a very pleasing existence.

I have some phenomenal friends that I have made at work. They are creative, intelligent and caring people. In July one of the most fantastic of the bunch is getting married. I cannot wait for this event. It is a 1920's theme wedding in an old mansion. I will be living the good parts of "The Great Gatsby" for one evening. What an event this will be! The dress I have is spectacular and I can't wait to wear it!

A few friend's birthdays are also coming up (one of which I missed last year), so more good times to be had :-)

Inadvertant Eavesdropping

2007-05-10T09:52:00.000-04:00

While walking the streets of NYC you are bound to hear things that will either make you stop and giggle or shake your head with confusion and/or wonderment. Here are a few from the past few days :

1) Dude! Now she's making me eat lettuce... WTF?
My thought: Dude! She's "grooming" you for the future... be aware.

2) Man in front of the Marriott Marquis: Yeah, they moved the TKTS booth from Times Square to here.

Woman with him: What do you mean? How could they move Times Square?

3) Visiting Man with first time visitor to NYC pointing to the Port Authority: "See that building? That's where buses come from NJ and Connecticut to Manhattan.

Me feeling friendly: It is amazing that buses come from all over the country and it is so coordinated.

Man: Rolling his eyes and looking at me like I'm an alien says... "pffft - from all over the country - yeah right"

Saturday Spotlight

2007-05-05T11:11:00.000-04:00

Yesterday while I was at Walgreens, I saw a couple of teenage guys standing around the empty checkout counter - pointing and giggling. Like apes drawn to a monolith, a couple of their friends joined them and the the laughter got louder. My curiosity got the best of me and I had to see what they were so totally enthralled with. It was this.... I have to admit - it made me laugh also. While I know that it is designed for babies and diaper rash - my first thought was two cheeks stuck together.

SIMply Gay

2007-05-02T14:24:00.000-04:00

Yes, I discovered last night that my favorite SIM, Aida is a lesbian. It started out innocently enough... she met some guys over the past week that she wasn't interested in - and all of a sudden her thought bubbles started showing pictures of Tricia. So after a few visits by Tricia, both their thought bubbles started showing hearts and lips.... and so it began. The courting, the first kiss and finally last night... woo hoo (in SIM-speak).

Now the true social butterfly that Aida is, her wants are showing that she wants 2 lovers at once... not literally at once, but just "dating" 2 at once. There is no provision (that I know of) for 3 SIMS to woo hoo together. Now that would be a sight!

I blame Eric for this development - he knows why :-)

What A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood

2007-04-30T08:15:00.000-04:00

In two of them as a matter of fact. Yesterday was the type of day that you just stop and say... life is good.

The weather was spectacular. A perfect spring day in NYC. I met a friend for a late(ish) lunch and then went to the 3rd Avenue street fair (in the 20's) for a bit. I found a very cool necklace that I liked, but when I asked about how the matching earrings would look, the answer I got..... like a drag queen. I just got the necklace.

We got into the car and my parking mojo was in full force - a HUGE spot on 55th and 8th. No easy feat. It was just... there. Stopped into the Whole Foods at the Time Warner Center for coffee and found the most gorgeous apricots. I don't know what variety they are - they are not your normal pale yellow golf ball size ones. They are tiny, not really fuzzy, and have the most beautiful blush to them. They look more like teeny tiny plums and taste like a cross between a nectarine and an apricot.

A stroll around Lincoln Center on a sunny spring day is always fantastic for people watching. We saw the NY Philharmonic getting ready to go on a bus. That was fun to see... so many world class musicans... what was a little disconcerting was seeing the police with the canine unit and vans there to protect them and their instruments. The dog was an almost all black/chocolate brown German Shepard. It was beautiful.

Realizing I had never been in the Gracious Home store, it warranted a trip across the street. Loved it. So much stuff. The cooking section had me insane. We wanted everything. Including the miniscule melon baller. Seriously, the bowl was half the size of a pea. I don't know what I would do with it, but it would be great to have in my utensil collection.

After leaving the store - looking up we saw ... another street fair! Fantastic! More stuff I wanted, but couldn't buy this week. No problem - these vendors are always at other fairs... so I will see them again... and again.... and again.

Days like these are perfect - especially when they end with a brand new episode of the Sopranos.

Saturday Spotlight

2007-04-28T09:25:00.000-04:00

In late July 2005, I came across an old work folder that contained a copy of the original Weight Watchers points sytem. I really needed to drop about 30 lbs and I guess that was the perfect sign that it was the right time to get started. At just about 5' 9", I'm tall, so I carried the extra weight fairly well, but definitely did not feel good about myself. By late October I had reached my goal weight and was very proud of keeping my promise to myself. I felt and looked great.

I kept all of it off for well over a year and a half - but a couple of weeks ago, I realized that slowly some of the weight crept back. Not a lot, but enough for me to start the plan again. I did just that about a week and a half ago and I have dropped 3 lbs. One of the keys is that you must write everything down. The visual is what keeps you on track.

After some great alternate food suggestions from a friend, I have incorporated some different things into my diet and expanded my circle of choices. I am now eating even healthier than I did during the initial effort.

Part of what this program instilled in me is the capability to realize when my eating habits change and why. Invaluable - and not just physically. It makes it easy to go back to it and maintain when I need to.

I have several friends that are on (and off) the program with different amounts to lose and maintain, and they have all been successful.

Note of Thanks

2007-04-26T18:45:00.000-04:00

Just a quick entry to thank my friends and even some "strangers" who sent me lovely messages after hearing and/or reading about the death of my grandmother. It was warming to know that you cared and took the time to let me know.

So thank you.

Redneck Guilty Pleasure

2007-04-25T17:31:00.000-04:00

I can't help it... they consistently make me giggle. Who? The boys of Blue Collar TV. I was enamoured of Bill Engvall for a few years before the guys got together. There is something about him that I find ... well.... hot. But then again, I've been told that historically, I have had an unproductive attraction to Southern Boys. Don't you just love it when people tell you (and it seems, the world at large) how you feel without actually consulting you, and if/when they manage to ask.... tell you that you're wrong? Remember the old addage - Don't assume because........

Oh dear - sorry, ... back to the topic at hand - I get home from work in time to watch the show and it is a great way to laugh at the end of the workday. Their episode from New Orleans where they went to cooking school and a Voodoo bookstore made me giggle to the extent that I think I scared my cats.

Fruity Friends

2007-04-21T12:50:00.000-04:00

If this is true... I know some people that will live forever. I knew there was a benefit to the Blackberry Cobblers at Shag!

Link: Fruity Goodness

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A fruity cocktail may not only be fun to drink but may count as health food, U.S. and Thai researchers said on Thursday.

Adding ethanol -- the type of alcohol found in rum, vodka, tequila and other spirits -- boosted the antioxidant nutrients in strawberries and blackberries, the researchers found.

Any colored fruit might be made even more healthful with the addition of a splash of alcohol, they report in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.

Saturday Spotlight

2007-04-21T10:23:00.000-04:00

Lorraine Swanson
(Mo Collins - MAD TV)

Lorraine on The Price is Right

Lorraine Goes Camping

Lorraine at the Vegas Buffet

Lorraine and Carl at the Beach

and the absolute BEST of all

Lorraine and the Ladies - Lady MAD TV

Simple Song of Freedom

2007-04-20T22:36:00.000-04:00

Today is Yom Ha'Atzmaut - Israel's Memorial Day. It is quite fitting this observance comes at the conclusion of this particular week. We mourn those affected by the horror of the events at VA Tech and most recently, today the hostage (and gunman) killed at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston; while we are at it, we can add in the absolute crimes of humanity happening in Darfur and in too many places around the world. Today also marks 8 years since the Columbine HS massacre. My heart is so heavy with the thought of the sheer amount of suffering in the world brought on by our fellow human beings.

However, tomorrow is the 18th anniversary of the uprising in Tiananmen Square. 100,000 students from more than 40 universities gathered at Beijing's Tiananmen Square to voice their discontent with China's authoritative communist government, and call for greater democracy. Ignoring government warnings of violent suppression of any mass demonstration, the students were joined by workers, intellectuals, and civil servants. The picture that summed it up...

Towards the end of his life, Bobby Darin wrote a song called Simple Song of Freedom, whose lyrics remain relevant to this day.

Come and sing a simple song of freedom
Sing it like you've never sung before
Let it fill the air
Tell the people everywhere
We the people here don't want a war

Hey there, Mister Black Man can you hear me?
I won't dig your diamonds or hunt your game
I just want to be, someone known to you as me
and I will bet my life you want the same

So come and sing a simple song of freedom
Sing it like you've never sung before
Let it fill the air Tell the people everywhere
We, the people here, don't want a war

Seven hundred million are you listening?
Most of what you read is made of lies
But speaking one to one, ain't it everybody's sun
To wake to in the morning when we rise?

So come and sing a simple song of freedom
Sing it like you've never sung before
Let it fill the air
Tell the people everywhere
We, the people here, don't want a war

Brother Yareshenko are you busy?
If not would you drop a friend a line?
Tell me if the man, who is plowing up your land
has got the war machine upon his mind

Come and sing a simple song of freedom
Sing it like you've never sung before
Let it fill the air Tell the people everywhere
That we the people here don't want a war

Now no doubt some folks enjoy doin' battle
Like presidents and ministers and kings
But let us build them shelves where they can fight among themselves
and leave the people be who like to sing

Come and sing a simple song of freedom
Sing it like you've never sung before
Let it fill the air
Tell the people everywhere
That we the people here don't want a war

Let it fill the air
Tell the people everywhere
That we the people here don't want a war

Deconstructing Seth Rudetsky

2007-04-20T10:38:00.000-04:00

First and foremost... I love this man. His undeniable passion for, knowledge of, commitment to, and yes... occasional indignation (read: bitchiness) about all things Broadway is on a level that defies gravity (pun intended). His dedication to BCEFA and the Actors' Fund is unparalleled.

This past Monday, Seth's show Broadway 101 was constructed as a "lesson". I wish all school work was as insightful, entertaining and as passionately taught.

Many areas of the behind the scenes aspects of a Broadway show were addressed. Seth's brilliant insight and creativity gave us such demonstrations as: Andrea McArdle and Laura Benanti not so subtlely demonstrating the difference between head voice and chest voice; Mano Felciano finding his "moment" in timing with the conductor; and Seth's magnificent turn as a swing showing the sheer terror of going on for the first time; and my personal "made me weak in the knees" moment... Raul Esparza backed up by 8 beautiful voices (to demonstrate harmony).... singing "Morning Glow" from Pippin. If one's knees could buckle while sitting down... that was the reaction I had. But then again, he could have sang Jingle Bells for all I cared and I would have had the same reaction.

Seth also let us have a sometimes emotional peek into a few of his experiences as a child that lead him to where he is today. They were very personal moments presented with his usual style and flair. After all who gets to have Jen Cody portray themselves as a 8 year old boy... wearing yarlmulke?

Seth - It would be a priviledge to study with you for an advanced degree.

High Tide

2007-04-17T10:05:00.000-04:00

The rain Sunday into Monday was of biblical proportions.

I went to work on Sunday for a few hours since there was a major event there that I had to finish coordinating. The weather was not so awful at that point, BUT the fact that I had to go to my office.... not that fun. By the time I got home - it was starting to get rough. Since I was not about to go out again without an ark, I was consumed for the rest of the day with my SIMS and their lives :-)

So yesterday, Monday morning, I got up as usual to start my day but discovered there was no hot water. *sigh*... you deal with it. As I leave the house, the rain was not as bad as it was Sunday night - but it was still a bit ugly. The traffic was very light... that should have been my first clue. I pass 3 schools on my way to work and usually there are buses and backups at the lights - there were none. I make the turn into my parking lot and...... it was empty. At that moment, my phone vibrates telling me I had a new voicemail message. I knew what it was going to say. ... but I listened anyway. The school was closed because of flooding (the call was made at 6:45 but didn't come through until 8:10).

I turn around - go home - made coffee and once again entered the lives of my SIMS - then I saw the horrific news of the massacre at Virgina Tech. I stared at the TV with utter disbelief and a broken heart for the students, their families and the community - and realized that my minor inconveniences over the past two days were positively insignificant in comparison. Most things are. This act was incomprehensible.

Last evening made up for the dreary past two days. I attended Seth Rudetsky's Broadway 101. What a wonderful evening of song, dance and Seth's hilarious deconstructing of Broadway shows. My next entry will be about it. It deserves its own highlight.

Right now, I am home.... sick and it looks like a nap is in the very near future.

Canine Funtime

2007-04-16T09:50:00.000-04:00

Last night on PBS, I stumbled across an old Frank Sinatra Show and loved the opening theme song. So I went searching for it - His music usually leans towards the romantic..... but what I found is certainly special. Oh those wacky Germans.

(If you click on the picture you will be able to read it better)

Saturday Spotlight

2007-04-15T00:59:00.000-04:00

Dynamic Duo

QuentinTarantino &
Robert Rodriguez

Each uniquely and supremely talented in their own right.... but put these two together and you get GRINDHOUSE - a 3 hour marathon of gore, sleaze, brilliant writing and all around great visual fun. It's been a long time since I've had this much fun at the movies.

Shill Out

2007-04-11T10:07:00.000-04:00

A couple of noteworthy events involving talented people I like very much - so if you find yourself in NYC......

John Raymond "Jerby" Barker will be performing his show "Jerby With A Y" at The Duplex NYC, May 12, 14, & 19th. John's shows are the perfect example of what an evening of cabaret should be all about.

"The show is a comic, bawdy, yet personal exploration through topics ranging from auditioning to love to sex to politics to family. The music wildly ranges from various musical theatre genres to pop, dance, and even rap."

Next up: "Picasso At The Lapin Agile" at The T. Schreiber Studio - written by Steve Martin
featuring Michael B. - now through May 6th.

"Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso, both young, headstrong and passionate, come together in a fictitious meeting devised in the comic mind of Steve Martin. It's bohemian Paris, at the turn of the century and the earth has fallen quiet to listen to a conversation. Does art matter? Can science touch the heart? Is beauty truly in the eye of the beholder? Did Einstein and Picasso really only excel in their chosen fields in order to get girls? With a little help from a mysterious, blue-suede-shoe wearing stranger from the future, these topics get debated in the best possible of environments: your friendly neighborhood bar, The Lapin Agile."

One Safe Place

2007-04-11T00:08:00.000-04:00

Lately, a few of my friends have been having a tough time for one reason or another... I thought of the lyrics to the song "One Safe Place" we've all felt the need for a safe place at one time or another - even if it is just as simple as the love of a friend ..... xoxo

One Safe Place - Marc Cohn

How many roads you’ve traveled
How many dreams you’ve chased
Across sand and sky and gravel
Looking for one safe place

Will you make a smoother landing
When you break your fall from grace
Into the arms of understanding
Looking for one safe place

Life is trial by fire
And love’s the sweetest taste
And I pray it lifts us higher
To one safe place

How many roads we’ve traveled
How many dreams we’ve chased
Across sand and sky and gravel
Looking for one safe place

Toyger, Toyger Burning Bright

2007-04-08T16:55:00.000-04:00

Cat-freaking-tastic! Phenomenal "new" breed in development that is a bit similar looking to my cat, Ranger. Ranger, as far as the vet can tell, is a bengal.

Toyger kitties!

Full Grown Toyger - look at those paws!

Saturday Spotlight

2007-04-07T09:02:00.000-04:00

Divalicious - Love to love her baby...

Donna Summer

1978 - at her absolute best, Donna released "Live and More". It played non-stop on my stereo for years... If I had to have a voice other than my own - it would be hers. Sultry, powerful, unique, sexy, full of attitude and seriously soulful. To this day, no one compares - at least for me. I still have the album. As a matter of fact, I still have my old a stereo system with a turntable... (bought at The Wiz) finding a needle for it would be an interesting endeavor.

Speaking of The Wiz... she would be outstanding as Glinda the Good. I definitely think she could pull it off. Having her play Evillene would be incredible too :-)

My Superpower

2007-04-06T22:54:00.000-04:00

With the exception of one person lately - Apparently more and more, it seems my super power is being invisible. That is unless, I act first. It's getting old. Really old. I want a new power.... I'm really tired of this one.

Maybe it's the migraine I have right now, or maybe thinking about this caused it... who knows?

Channeling Larry King

2007-04-06T08:00:00.000-04:00

Last night I had a spectacularly bad time falling asleep. My racing random thoughts could have given any Larry King commentary a run for it's money. Some of the highlights:

I need a new digital camera
Why is Debra Voight playing Isolde
I hope the cat food is ok
Did the DVDs I ordered come yet (shipped to work)
My hands are dry
I have to clean the fridge
Hare Club For Men - made me laugh like an idiot
Why is my lawyer such a slow poke
I should to use the gift certificate I got for a spa facial, manny/pedi
The paint in my livingroom is peeling
Images from Fast Food Nation ......
Is it really necessary for women to shave their legs
So much to clean out in the bedroom
Ice-cream
"Friend suckers" and the pathological reasons for it (more about that at another time)

There was so much more....

Creature of Habit

2007-04-04T12:07:00.000-04:00

I've been living in my apartment for 12 years. You would think by now I would know where the lightswitch is in my kitchen. The thing is - in the house I grew up in the lightswitch was on the left, as it was in my past 2 apartments. In my current abode, it is on the right. It never fails.... I always try to turn on the light from the left. Pavlovian..... or just stupid? Sometimes I wonder.

The Holocaust - Denial Ain't Just a River in Egypt

2007-04-02T10:27:00.000-04:00

How appropriate something like this came up on the first evening of Passover...

My deep rooted anger about this is infinite.

An excerpt from an article at the UK website www.somethingjewishuk.co.uk

Link to article

"A small number of schools in Britain are dropping teaching the Holocaust for fear it may offend some pupils, a Government funded report by the Historical Association has found.

According to the report, teachers have taken Holocaust education out of the classroom for fear it may inspire some Muslim pupils to express anti-Semitism.

The report revealed that teachers are worried about having to deal with "anti-Semitic sentiment and Holocaust denial among some Muslim pupils"."

HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT????? How about MY family that "had to deal with it"? Let's ask my cousin Cecile, who at 2 years old watched as her entire family was taken away to the camps. The only reason she survived was that a Christian family in the same building grabbed her from the staircase and shoved her in their armoir so that she wouldn't be found. The only other survivors from her family were her mother and sister who made it through the camps.

Or maybe we should ask the families of the 9/11 victims how they feel about "not offending" these students.....

How dare they - TEACHERS, ignore a significant part of global history in order not to offend. It is their JOB to impart knowledge and by not addressing this portion of HUMAN history are doing their students a great disservice - not to mention pissing off a lot of people.

I can't write anymore....... my head is about to explode.

Better Late Than Never

2007-04-01T12:30:00.000-04:00

So you find yourself with a few extra minutes in the morning before you have to leave for work.... here are a couple of things you can do that will garantee you will be late - believe me - I know.

"Quickly"checking eBay for a couple of things

Realizing your shower could use a "quick" cleaning

Cleaning your computer keyboard/screen - and becoming obsessive about it and using copious amounts of Q-tips

Downloading some songs to a CD - something is bound to go awry, therefore taking triple the normal amount of time to complete the task

Sponateously polishing the black boots you want to wear that day - then realizing you can't walk around on the carpet until they have dried

Setting your vcr so you don't miss a show you won't be home for - *see CD burning situation

Going online to Random Kitty Generator

Children of Men

2007-03-31T12:53:00.000-04:00

I think I just watched one of the most startling brutal "what if" films I have seen in .... well, maybe ever. I'm speechless.

Saturday Spotlight

2007-03-31T09:11:00.000-04:00

Tom Everett Scott

Movies, TV and Broadway - he does it all

I, like a lot of people took notice of him after seeing him in "That Thing You Do". However, his stint on ER really showed the depth he is capable of. I was elated when he came to Broadway earler this year in "The Little Dog Laughed". He was truly outstanding as a famous closeted movie actor who develops an unexpected relationship with a rent boy and the effect it has on his life and career.

I definitely look forward to seeing more of this talented man.

Go Ahead.... Make My Day

2007-03-31T02:03:00.000-04:00

There are certain everyday events/people we experience that annoy the crap out of us.... here are a few of mine. This list has the potential to be endless......

Gas station attendants that don't come to the driver's side window, but stay on the passenger side because they are too lazy to walk 5 feet around the car to speak with you. It's rude.

The person who is buying a newspaper, doesn't wait on line to pay and tosses their money at a cashier because they "have just one thing". In reality you are cutting the line. You seem to think you are more important than the harried mom carrying a huge box of diapers, pushing a stroller and has a toddler in tow. You are not.

The woman standing in back of me on line at Walgreens, who upon hearing me ask for cigarettes, looks at me with such distain, as if I asked permission to pee on her furniture. Maybe I should.

People who dismiss children and their opinions... just because they are kids. We have a lot to learn from them and the natural instints they have, which we adults seem to have lost with age.

On the flip side, parents who let their kids loose in stores and expect fellow shoppers to be their guardians. I can't tell you how many times I have had to gently stop a child from handling something along the lines of household chemicals, because their parent was not paying attention.

People who can't seem to "get to the point"..... and say everything BUT what you have asked them - and then they forget and have to start over.

To be continued..... because life can be that annoying somedays

New York, New York... WAS a Helluva Town

2007-03-26T16:32:00.000-04:00

Enough already... STOP chipping away at my beloved City and what little is left that makes it so special. I'm not going to go into why this Festival means so much.... anyone who lives in the City can tell you. No smoking in bars... Shut up... I smoke - and now this.

I hope you choke on your fucking zeppole

To sum it up:

Little Italy residents upset by the raucous annual street fair voted this month to pull the plug on the historic feast, recommending that Community Board 2 move to nix the 11-day gala.

"No one likes San Gennaro who lives here," said Sean Sweeney, a member of the community board's street events committee, which voted against issuing permits for the feast.

So.... after 80 years of the Festival.. all of a sudden it's a nuisance....

and huuumm - I wonder what part of Italy Mr. SWEENEY's family is from.... maybe a visit from Tony Soprano is in order :-)

And They Called It Puppy Love

2007-03-25T23:23:00.000-04:00

It is *that* sad my excitement for this is immeasureable? PUPPY LOVE!!!

Donny and his five brothers may be planning a comeback -- at least for one night - a TV special.

Flashbacks to my bedroom of the mid-70s - poster covered walls, bean bag chair, lava lamp, 8-track player - Oh God..... so stereotypical..... but true.

Saturday Spotlight

2007-03-24T09:09:00.000-04:00

Djimon Hounsou

Academy Award/Golden Globe nominee,
former model and all round hottie

On February 24, 2007, it was announced that Hounsou will be the new Calvin Klein Underwear model. Starting with the Fall 2007 season, he will be the featured in the brand's global print advertising campaign including the launch of their new Calvin Klein Steel product line.

Stick a Fork In Me... I'm Done

2007-03-23T19:47:00.000-04:00

To say the last week and a half was stressful is an understatement. Last Wednesday, my grandmother passed away at the age of 93. In the Jewish religion we bury our dead within 3 days (excluding Shabbat). So... the funeral was on Friday... in the ice storm. It was as dark and gloomy as could be - it was a bit surreal, sort of like a movie funeral. One small moment that happened - my cousin's yarmulke blew off and.... into the grave. It was a much needed split second of lightness.

Thursday through Saturday, I was firmly ensconced at my parent's house... eating anything and everything. There was nothing else to do. Finally on Saturday evening, I was able to get out and go see Grey Gardens with a friend. Not exactly the first show you would think of to see after a death in the family, but it was WONDERFUL and a great escape.

In the midst of this, I have a massive deadline involving the Israeli government. Part of my job is arranging for a group of 67 kids to go to Israel for 2 weeks in April. The paperwork is staggering. I love what I do, but the pressure was definitely on - especially after being out from work for 3 days. Add to that 2 nights of Parent/Teacher conferences, arrangements for the school play and the school dance.... you get the picture. It's been brutal.

But.... Last night - another fantastic evening of theatre ... Talk Radio. I said to a friend today that every man on the planet should look as good as Liev Schreiber does in a pair of black Levis. Naomi is a very lucky woman. Oh yeah... and the play was fabulous. :-)

So that's the roundup - I'd say... that's been enough! I'm really looking forward to bowling tomorrow evening with friends. GREAT stress relief!

It's Alimentary My Dear - aka - You Can't Use the "N" Word

2007-03-23T19:24:00.000-04:00

Living in an area with a sizable Asian population affords me the opportunity to try a variety new foods that I am enjoying quite a bit.

The newest is "alimentary noodles" from Japan. I was one of my favorite stores after work and in the refrigerator section I saw these fresh, creamy, milky white noodles the thickness of a pencil. I had to try them especially because of their name and their size. It was a 3 pack of noodles that included a packet of dry soup mix for each. It was so yummy and didn't taste "pre-packaged" at all.. The texture of the noodles was perfect.

Sidenote: I love this store.... I also got a chocolate babka and Italian Muscat grapes.... those of you who know about my "grape-scapades" last April in Seattle .... these are THOSE grapes :-)

Now you may be asking - what the hell are "alimentary noodles"? Here is the description according to The Cook's Thesarus:

Until recently, the U.S. government required a noodle to contain flour, water, and eggs to be rightly called a noodle. Since most Asian noodles aren't made with eggs, this left them without much of an identity. The FDA permitted names like "alimentary paste" and "imitation noodles," but Asian noodle producers--from the birthplace of the noodle no less--could not use the n-word. The government finally relented, and we can now use the name "Asian noodles."

Here Today.... Gone Forever

2007-03-19T11:41:00.000-04:00

Why am I still amazed that there are people who haven't learned life lessons and continually get off on engaging in mob mentality lead by little people who have nothing else to do with their time/energy/empty lives than get a thrill out of getting relative strangers "on the bandwagon" about people and situations they really know nothing about? It's disgusting and has detrimental effects on those ACTUALLY involved in very emotional situations.....

It's interesting... no... pathetic, that innuendo and gossip have taken the place of facts and that real communication between people is disappearing. There are choices that can be made... ignore or engage.

Ignore is especially useful if your personal knowledge of someone's character leads to you rationally determine "well, this doesn't sound like something XXX would say or do", so maybe I should just ignore it or talk to the person directly. Automatically believing something said in the context of gossip with no direct knowledge is mindless and for people who can't make actual judgements for themselves.

Engaging and getting caught up in that is dangerous and almost always leads to failure - not to mention not so secret little hypocracies. Such as, privately voicing utter destain for someone, then publicly fawning over them. It's actually laughable in some ways. If you don't like a person don't engage them and don't pretend. It's not being true to yourself. I fully understand that this is not always possible in real life social situations, like a party, etc... but you can find a balance, be graceful, and socially mature in a situation like that.

Can people change their minds as circumstances change and not be considered hypocritical? Absolutely. The difference lies in being true and consistent. For a lot of people, it just does not seem possible.

Jeepers Creepers - Wher'd Ya Get Them Peepers?

2007-03-13T21:12:00.000-04:00

Some of the most beautiful eyes....

Escaping "Escapa"

2007-03-12T19:18:00.000-04:00

Heather... I have only you to blame for this..... as will many people now.

Escapa

I've Got Mine - Now You Get Yours!

2007-03-12T13:12:00.000-04:00

You! - I see you eyeing the lunch or snack that is on my desk.... and apparently your need to comment on it is positively overwhelming. Have you never seen a tuna sandwich before? Or a pile of pretzels? Or some fruit?

Enough already - get your own fucking food and stop commenting on mine - every. single. day.

And if you even THINK you are going to get close to my coffee maker, you better hope and pray you have life insurance.

(I need a vacation)

Goodbye Platypus Man

2007-03-11T11:34:00.000-04:00

Richard Jeni, one of my top 5 favorite comedians and fellow Brooklynite, was found dead this weekend at the age of 45. Apparently, the cause of death was a self inflicted gunshot wound.

I'd been fortunate enough to see this wonderful man many, many times and I will miss his presence in the entertainment world. If you have never seen his HBO specials, especially Platypus Man and a Big Steaming Pile of Me, then you are missing some of the best standup experiences you will ever see.

Along with Bill Hicks, Sam Kinison and Richard Pryor we have lost another light of laughter and social insight.

"My mother never saw the irony of calling me a son of a bitch" - Richard Jeni

Parla Italiano?

2007-03-10T09:28:00.000-05:00

Hopefully, I will in a few months! I am starting to teach myself that beautiful, romantic language. It's been a dream of mine to spend an extended amount of time in Italy - especially Tuscany - and this endeavor will be the first step in making that future experience even more fulfilling.

For a while, I've felt like my brain has been on autopilot and somewhat static. So teaching myself a new language should kick start my gray matter into firing those synapses again.

I do read books, listen to music, etc... but for some reason it doesn't seem like enough. I need to learn something completely different! Learning new words/verbs is going to be the fun part. I'm not looking forward to conjugating those verbs properly, but practice makes perfect. Once I get the basics down, it will be the semblance of an accent I will need to work on. That leaves me laughing as I type that.... so I guess I will have to watch a few Sophia Loren movies and The Godfather II to see how it should be done! Ciao!

Fun with Condoms

2007-03-08T16:23:00.000-05:00

The makers of Trojan condoms has started a really clever new website and included name generators on it.

For the Goddesses

For the Gods

Life - When It's Time To Let Go

2007-03-07T22:33:00.000-05:00

Over the next few days I will be dealing with the emminent death of my grandmother. It has given me a lot to think about in regards to modern medicine, technology and the decisions we make in regards to extension of life. She is almost 93 , has lost all quality of life and is going to hospice tomorrow so that she can let go as comfortable and peacefully as possible without all the meds and feedings she has been given. At this point they are ineffective and are actually doing more harm than good for her. Hospice was a very hard yet easy decision to make... if that makes sense. Easy in the sense that it is the logical thing to do at this stage, yet so difficult because for my father, it means it really is the last few days he will have with his mother.

A very strange coincidence with all of this. The doctor estimated given the circumstances, that she will probably pass away on the 10th . My aunt, her daughter... passed away on March 10th, 4 years ago. My grandmother never knew of her death which would make that date very cosmic indeed.

Useful Tip #1

2007-03-06T22:10:00.000-05:00

With the next few nights being bitterly cold... sort of like a Siberian shockwave of weather - a useful tip can be, well.... useful.

Something I learned when living at my last apartment, where the landlard (sic) installed a locked thermostat box during the winter and he kept the fucking thing on 60 degrees. Slumlord.

When you have late night cold feet - put your socks (hopefully clean) side by side in your microwave for 5 seconds on high - turn them over and go for 5 more seconds. VOILA - toasty warm tootsies.

NEVER EVER try this with pantyhose. Ever.

Aretha Franklin Has A Point

2007-03-05T21:30:00.000-05:00

R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

I've been thinking a lot about that word lately. It comes in different shapes and forms. There is the respect for parents and siblings, partners, pets, children, co-workers/bosses, friends, and the human race in general, etc... They are all significant beings in our lives. The concept can be broken down even further yet all tied together at the same time; Respect for feelings, opinions, boundries, and the relationships we have with those beings.

So what happens when it is taken for granted and morphs into lack of respect, apathy, rudeness, lack of manners and consideration for others? You start to question and examine your value and place in those relationships and theirs in yours.. Not a pretty thing to have to do.

I've realized that in order to achieve some sort of peaceful balance in life, you have to ask yourself some tough questions, find the answers within yourself and make decisions that work for you to achieve the best peace of mind and control.

I've struggled with, and made a lot of those types of decisions over the past several months and have been working towards that goal of balance. Learning how to get through the tough parts, knowing how to identify your own issues and separating them from those that are not yours and how they affect you..... is a continuing process.

One of the hardest parts is knowing the right reasons for deciding if a relationship is worth keeping... or is it time to give up and let it ride itself out?

Sometimes - it's hard to tell.

The David Caruso School of "Acting"

2007-03-05T08:30:00.000-05:00

I blame Opie & Anthony for introducing me to these particular "eye" worms. Thanks guys... no really... thanks.

Endless One Liners

The Sunglasses Edition