Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Random Thoughts From a Walk On the Beach

  • I am amazed at home many colors of blue there are between the sky and the ocean.
  • How is it that Enya with music that is reminiscent of fog and Mel Torme with a big band are both perfect for a walk on the beach?
  • Mel's song about San Diego makes me laugh.
  • Everything seems okay - oddly enough.
  • I love it when people say hello to strangers when they are walking (so very un-LA and so very fabulous)
  • I love that sometimes when songs come on they fill you with joy before your head has even figured out what it is.

Songs I walked to this morning (and yes it was on shuffle): Uhn Tiss Uhn Tiss Uhn Tiss -the Bloodhound Gang; The Kill (Bury Me)-30 Seconds to Mars; Na Laetha Geal Moige - Enya; Lust for Life - Iggy Pop; You Got Me All Wrong - Dios Malos; They Go To San Diego - Mel Torme; Doll Parts - Hole

Friday, March 20, 2009

25 Random Ass Things

Okay, so I did this for facebook, but I promised myself I would post it here too.

This is just 25 random things about me.

1. My dad and Shirley left for Costa Rica last week.
2. I love chocolate milkshakes that come with the extra in the silver cup.
3. When I say I have eclectic taste in music, I really mean it.
4. I love to travel - but I love coming home too.
5. I love teaching S Factor (I loved teaching ballet too - it is just different).
6. I love helping peoples bodies and figuring out their puzzles.
7. I love the fact my best friends are very opinionated.
8. My nieces fill my heart to over flowing much of the time.
9. I am proud of my dad and love the fact he still plays bball.
10. I am secretly a snob about some things.
11. I am good at keeping secrets IF I know it is a secret.
12. I am a study geek (and my friends at school point this out a lot)
13. I often give my heart too freely and too quickly - I am working on slowing myself down.
14. My sister accuses me of forgiving too easily, which is true, but I do sometimes hold grudges.
15. I miss my Mommy.
16. I love the sound of rain on the roof.
17. I love playing in puddles when I know I can go home and take a hot shower.
18. I love the fact that some of my fb friends have been my friends for years and years (and years).
19. I am starting to expand the things I can cook (and I am actually pretty good).
20. I have gotten hooked on Friday Night Lights - which I started watching due to reading an old friends review of it.
21. My ass is not random, it is fairly fabulous.
22. I prefer my martinis with gin and very dirty.
23. I believe in both peace and maid service - neither of which I have with any consistency.
24. I believe most people are more beautiful than they realize.
25. I am off to the farmer's market - ever hopeful that I will use the fruits and veggies I buy before they go bad.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Spoke Too Soon

Once again, I spoke too soon.
Got out of yoga today and had a message from the man I like - seemed like a good thing. I was excited. He wanted to let me know (rather than just not calling) that he didn't see our relationship going anywhere. He was taking this eharmony thing very seriously and was looking for a serious relationship and he didn't see us having that.
You can't argue with his feelings, so I didn't. My little heart felt a bit bruised and battered. I wonder what it is I lack or have too much of that he wouldn't want a "serious" relationship with me. But... as a friend of mine pointed out, perhaps I just dodged a bullet.
Thank goodness I was going slowly.
The good thing is I seem to be attracting people that are closer and closer to what it is I want. As Mama Gena would say - he's driftwood. It means I am getting closer to shore. I just wish I could see the damn shoreline.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

My Musings on Dating

1. I actually like someone
2. I am trying not to jump 5 steps ahead of where we are in the moment
3. I am going slowly (so far so good)
4. I seem to be what is getting in the way by over analyzing
5. I need to keep dating other people partially so as not to obsess
6. I woke up the morning of our third date excited that I would get to kiss him that day
7. I need to keep dating other people so as not to obsess
8. I really want to enjoy this process
9. I realize I don't think I really know how to date, I tend to jump in and be "in a relationship" sometimes before I know if I really like them

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

More Books - A reading Challenge

I copied this from GoodReads pretty much so I could have it to refer to. It seems great and you have to think about them.

It is a Reading Challenge...

OFFICIAL SPRING CHALLENGE - 2009

THE RULES
1. Anyone can participate and can join in at anytime from March 1st and through Midnight (EST) May 31st.
2. Each individual can set their own goal as to how many points they think they can earn in that time and if they want to they can reward themselves. The top 3 point earners will get to choose the 25 point tasks for the next challenge. **New to the challenge is a midway winner - the top point earner at the midway point - Noon on APRIL 15th - will get to pick a 50 point task for the Spring Challenge.***
3. Each task counts for points only ONCE and the same book can not be used for two categories.
4. Re-reads count (unless otherwise stated).
5. If you have less than 50% of a book you started prior to the beginning of the current challenge it may be counted towards your point total (if it meets the criteria for one the tasks). I.E. If you are on page 10 of a 200 page book on Feb 28th and it fits one of the Spring Challenge categories it will count.
6. Small adjustments can be made to the categories but try to stick as close to the task as possible...if you aren't sure feel free to ask.
7. In general small books (I'd say 100 pages or less) like children's books should be used sparingly and only for the 5 point tasks.
8. Audiobooks can be used to complete any of the tasks unless otherwise noted.
9. It's fine to change your mind about which books you plan to use for which task at any point...just let me know.
10. Other than that just have fun; post what you are reading (tell us if you liked it); and let me know what your point total is so I can update the leader board.

THE TASKS

5 POINTS
1. Read a Science Fiction OR Fantasy Novel.

2. Read an epistolary novel OR a non-fiction collection of letters/journal etc.

3. Spring Cleaning: Follow these directions to find your book for this task...
- Go to your Goodreads bookshelf.
- Click on the All Books link
- Organize them by the Date Added (going from the earliest to the most recent)
- Go down the list and read the first book you come to that you HAVE NOT yet read.

4. Planes, Trains, and Automobiles Task – Read or listen to a book while you are on a plane, on a train, or in a car (or other mode of transport like a bus/combinations of transportation)
- For this task you can’t, for example, start a book in the airport and finish it on the plane...the book must be read entirely while inside one of those modes of transportation.
- But the plane/train/car etc. does not have to be moving the entire time for it to count – exe. you can start reading the book once you board the plane before it takes off.
- DOES NOT have to be read in one sitting.

5. For Easter/Lent/Passover…
- Read a Christian Fiction novel,
- A book about sacrifice, OR
- A book about something you would or are planning to give up.

6. In Honor Of Women’s History Month…
- Read an autobiography/biography of a woman you admire OR
- A novel with one of the following in the title (woman, women, lady, ladies, female, feminine, girl, girls, maiden, madame).

7. For Arbor Day – Do your part to save some trees by…
- Reading an e-book OR
- Listening to an audiobook OR
- By reading a book and “recycling” it - giving it away to someone else like a friend or through an online book swap/trading site or by donating it to a local library or charity.

8. For April Fools Day…
- Read a humorous novel, a book of jokes, OR
- A biography/autobiography/memoir of a comedian.

9. Read a book with one of the following Spring animals in the title…
- Rabbit or Bunny
- Bird (the word bird or any type of bird)
- Butterfly/Bees
- Lion
- Lamb OR
- A term for a baby animal such as kitten, cub, calf etc.

10. April Showers Bring May Flowers…
- Read one book with a Rain related word (rain, thunder, storm, shower, lightning etc. but not water) in the title OR
- Read a book with the name of A TYPE of tree or flower in the title. 1058995
10 POINTS

1. For St. Patrick’s Day – Read a book by an Irish author, set in Ireland, OR about Ireland.

2. For Cinco De Mayo – Read a book by a Mexican author, set in Mexico, OR about Mexico.

3. For ANZAC Day – Read a book by an Australian author, set in Australia, OR about Australia.

4. Read a book by an author who was born in March, April, or May.
- You can find a list that will help with this task at http://www.authdir.net/

5. March 24 is Harry Houdini’s Birthday – Read a book about magic, a magician etc.

6. In honor of Earth Day (April 22) read a book with the word Earth, Moon, Sun, World, Star or one of the other planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune) in the title.
- Words such as earthly, sunset, lunar etc. are acceptable.

7. In Honor of Mother’s Day…
- Read a book where the author/main character shares the same FIRST name as your mother OR
- Read a book recommended by/given to you by your mother.

8. In Honor of Memorial and Armed Forces Day – Read a book about a veteran OR someone serving in the military (fiction or non-fiction).

9. Read a book from the TNBBC Top Books list…
- The book can not be your own contribution
- The number that corresponds to that book must only contain numbers that can be found in the year you were born…i.e. if you were born in 1982 (like me) you could read 1, 28, or 89 but not 93, 15, or 22 (because there is only one 2 in the date) etc.
- The list can be found under the TNBBC Top 10 Lists!! Subheading
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/7573...

10. Members of the TNBBC have great tastes in books - follow these directions to find your book for this task...
- Start by going to the club’s membership list.
- Sort the member list by the Date Joined and Find Yourself on that list. (I chose the date joined sorting option because the page you will find your name on for the other options will change more often)
- Read a book that earned a 5-Star rating by another member who is on the same page as you.

15 POINTS
1. It’s Written In the Stars…read a book that corresponds to your astrological sign… (books can be fiction or non-fiction)...
- ARIES: Made me think of Ares the Greek God of War – Read a book about the Gods, Greek Mythology, Greece etc.
- TAURUS: The Bull – Read a western, a book about a cowboy, the rodeo etc.
- GEMINI: Read a book about twins.
- CANCER: Read a book about a cancer patient, cancer survivor, cancer doctor etc.
- LEO: The king of the jungle – read a book about royalty.
- VIRGO: Read a book about a virgin, virginity or loss of, abstinence etc.
- LIBRA: Read a book about a lawyer, the law, a judge etc.
- SCORPIO: The scorpion – read a book that takes place in the desert, a wasteland etc.
- SAGITARIUS: The archer – read a book about an athlete or sports.
- CAPRICORN: is a cardinal sign which is associated with creativity – read a book about an artist or art.
- AQUARIUS: Read a book that takes place at sea, about ships etc.
- PISCES: Read a book about a fisherman, fishing, sea life, marine biology etc.

2. April is National Poetry Month – Read a book of poetry OR about a famous poet.

3. Read a past OR present TNBBC group read that you haven’t read before

4. Read a novel that takes place in a location you plan to visit during this challenge OR have visited previously during spring break (does not have to be overly specific i.e. if you are visiting Paris this spring (LUCKY YOU) you could read a book that takes place anywhere in France).

5. Read a book written by an author who won a major literary prize (Nobel, Pulitzer etc.) in the year you were born (it does not have to be the book they won the award for).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_lit...

6. Read a book that was has been translated from its original language (i.e. it could be from Swedish to English or English to Italian etc.).

7. In honor of both Dr. Seuss’ birthday (March 2) and Mother Goose Day (May 1) find and read two books with rhyming titles. By this I mean that there is a word in the title of one book that rhymes with a word in the other book’s title.
- Example: You could read The Scent of Sake AND The Red Tent

8. Get To Know The Author - Read a book by an author AND then either attend a reading by that author OR read/listen to an interview with that author.

9. Read a book with a color in the title AND eat a meal that includes at least 2 foods that are that color (you don’t have to cook it yourself).
- I.E. if you read Stephen King’s The Green Mile (you could have a mixed green salad and pasta with pesto sauce; or a kiwi and a bowl of mint ice cream for dessert).
- Feel free to share recipes with the group if you do make something yummy for this task.

10. March, April, and May are the 3rd, 4th, and 5th months of the year
- Read the third, fourth and fifth books of one series OR
- Read 3 books with the numbers 3/4/5- three/four/five - 3rd/4th/5th - third/fourth/fifth in the titles (books do not have to come from the same series in this instance)
- You can't mix and match these though...exe. 3/four/fifth is not acceptable

25 POINT TASKS
1. KAREN’S TASK - As we are all totally completely addicted to GR (Goodreads), let's read…
- A book which title starts with the letter G AND
- A book which title starts with the letter R.
- Books like The Gargoyle or A Raisin In the Sun – that have titles beginning with A OR THE followed by a G or R word are acceptable for this task.

2. EL’s TASK - Read a Non-Fiction book about OR by a noted diarist from This List http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_dia... who lived prior to the 1900’s.

3. ANGELA’S TASK - Look for your first post in the Official Spring Challenge. Once you find it, look at the person below you and go to their profile and pick TWO books to read off of their shelves. If their profile is listed as private, go to the person below that person.

4. ROS’ TASK - Read a book that’s on the big reads list. http://www.bbc.co.uk/arts/bigread/top100...

5. BONNIE’S TASK - Read a book outside your normal genre(s). Example: Bonnie usually reads YA, fantasy, nonfiction and classics so she'd have to read short stories, plays, mysteries, etc.

6. JON’S TASK - H.M. Queen Elizabeth II is 83 on April 21st, read a Non-Fiction book of at least 400 pages relating in some way to the British Monarchy past or present. Write a short Goodreads review and post a copy on the Spring challenge thread.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kings_of_En...

7. DARLA'S TASK - PENDING

8. CASSIE'S TASK - For her friend Melissa (who told her about goodreads and is a YA Librarian): Read two young adult novels.

9. SARA'S TASK - Read a book that has a title of 12 or more words.



(yes I know I am a geek, but I love this - probably, why I love homework and book lists)

What I Teach


(granted I don't teach bears) but this one is pretty good.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Drinks

Friday night, after taking my students out to Cheetahs, I went to Seventh and Grand for my friend's beau's birthday. It is a very cool bar that loves to serve whiskey drinks. I followed the beau's advice and had an Old Fashioned - and oh my goodness. It was yummy. Now, the coincidence is that today, looking in the LA Weekly, I stumbled across this article that mentions the bar AND lots of other supposedly cool places to drink here in Lala land.