A Decade Later

I'm no authority on time but I always considered this year to be the last in the first decade of the new millennium.  When 1999 ended it was the end of that decade and the beginning of a new one.  And now here I am at the end of another.  I've only been around for 2 full decades and I think this one was more fun.  Maybe it's because I became of legal age for alcohol consumption in this decade, or maybe advances in technology has made life more interesting.

NYE of 1999 does not seem like a decade ago.  I remember precisely where I was and who I was with that year.  And after pondering who I was ten years ago, I realized that I'm essentially the same person, just more experienced and wiser.  With that, I will make this last blog of the decade(it's not like there were many anyway) a list of  lessons learned and experiences had in this decade.

1.  Driving across the U.S. is a grueling process but one that can leave you with memories that will last a lifetime.  Memories that you're so fond of that you may do it twice, which I did.

2.  Living with your boyfriend or girlfriend is not a good idea, no matter how practical it may seem.  Cohabitation is reserved for the married and marriage minded couples.  You should be weary about a relationship that needs to move in together to assess compatibility.

3.  The three most important things to take with you when you travel is flexibility, an open mind and a positive attitude.

4.  I've been to Europe twice and for as long as I live I will never get tired of being there or wanting to go there.

5.  I will never regret time spent on my two mission trips to S. America.  And I hope I to spend more time doing positive work such as that. 

6.  After having given a few dollars to a homeless man, a friend asked if I always give them money.  I usually do and my reasoning is that if I don't give it to him, I'm likely to spend it on alcohol, cigarettes or unhealthy food.  The homeless man is saving me.

7.  Do NOT underestimate the power of a Porsche's engine. 

8. Vegas isn't just about drinking and gambling.  There are strippers there as well.  haha.

9.  Upon coming up to a woman in distress to help her I was greeted with a punch in the face.  Sometimes chivalry just doesn't get appreciated, that is probably why it's dying.

10.  Surprisingly, bungee jumping is much more thrilling than sky-diving.

11.  When drunk be cautious about who you ask to make-out.  They may oblige.  Just because you don't remember it, doesn't mean it didn't happen.  Since the advent of the digital camera, it is becoming increasingly likely that there is photographic evidence of your shenanigans.

12.  I'm beginning to suspect that happiness isn't a feeling, it's an outlook.

13.  Be cautious and consider those around you before telling off-color jokes.  You never know who you might offend.

14. Don't fall in love with hot dog vendors on Hollywood Blvd.  Somebody will get hurt...(*sigh...Natalia...)

15.  When you're uncertain about a decision flip a coin.  If you're unsure about the outcome just go with the opposite of what the coin flip told you.  I use the coin flip to expose my true feelings on the indecision.

16.  There's no point in being mean to strangers and don't give mean strangers the satisfaction of knowing they affected you.

Well, that's about all I can think of at the moment.  I'm sure there are plenty more and plenty more to be had.  I hope everyone has a wonderful end to this year and many blessings in the new decade ahead!

A Refreshing Perspective

Thanks to my friend Jeff, last night I discovered a new and very fascinating show.  It's called "Meet the Natives USA" on the Travel Channel.  The basic premise is that a group of natives from the island of Tanna in the south Pacific come to the USA to discover our culture and also deliver a message of peace. 

The people of Tanna are what we'd call primitive.  They have no running water, no electricity, and pretty much no clothes either.  They are traditional Hunter and Gatherers.

Although seeing their shock and awe of our life in America is amusing it's really their opinions on our way of life that is truly fascinating.

I recommend you watch the show but here are a few of my favorite moments from the few episodes I saw:

1.  While in NYC, they go to the Metropolitan museum.  The tour guide takes them to a section containing artifacts from their part of the world and they ask the guide why they stole their things? 

2.   Also while in NYC, they run into a homeless man in central park.  They have difficulty understanding why this old homeless man has to sleep outside when there are so many homes all around them. 

3.  In the O.C. episode they go to a spa and one of employees asks one of the natives if he'd like to look younger.  He says that he'd rather live longer.

4.  They go to a "botox party".  They wonder if the "medicine" also makes the life inside younger as well.

There's many other interesting moments and I find it really insightful and refreshing hearing their take on war, gay marriage and even economics.  If you get a chance, watch it. 

Season of Loneliness

So, its' been officially Autumn for a couple weeks now and this is a blog I meant to write a little sooner.

September is one of my favorite months. I don't know why. Maybe it's the nostalgia having to do with the beginning of a new school year. It has nothing to do with my birthday falling on this month. What's strange is that although this is one of my favorite months it's also one in which I feel the loneliest. It could be a feeling of loss. A loss of a summer, one without a memorable summer fling. A wasted summer maybe. Does anyone else feel the same?

The air changes this month and I feel so blissfully lonely and happy about it at the same time. Maybe it's the warm and glowing bodies from the summer sun. The air suddenly gets dry but heavy in your chest. There's an odor too, it smells as though the earth has matured. Everyday the sun settles sooner and leans southerly. The days are still temperate but the night brings a gentle chill. A warning for the frigid cold in the coming months. Then the winds start and so do the fires in this part of the country. The wind filters through the trees and the rustle is different. Not a playful chatter like in the summer, but more like an exasperated sigh. Those Santa Ana Winds, they sweep across the land and it feels like a baptism. A cleansing, a wiping of the slate. A reminder that the end of the year is quickly approaching and there is no time to waste.

You might be wondering how much more lonely I get during the holidays, but I don't, well not much really. I've associated those holidays with friends and family. And they're always there, keeping me busy. Valentine's day? When I'm single I see it as an opportunity to hang out with my single friends and not be bothered by the couples. I'm not self-loathing right now if that's what you're thinking. Just sharing my feelings about this season.

If a year was a story beginning in January, right now we should be in rising action, approaching the climax. Where are you right now in your year? What actions are to be made? Do you see the final conflict, goal, or obstacle ahead? Of course life doesn't fit into our man-made paradigms. I don't see any of it now for me and I've been doing a lot of thinking. My favorite part is the denouement(between Christmas and New Year's). It's always a thankful time. A thoughtful time, coming to conclusions and accepting the changes that occurred.

Well, one final thought. I was listening to Gravity by Sara Bareilles again. That is one seriously sad and tormented song. If I was a girl feeling lonely, longing for someone and I heard that song, I think I'd bawl my eyes out. I could not understand why so many women I know love that song so much. And then a few days later my friends and I were talking about "old school" R&B songs(All-4-one, boyz-2-men, New Edition, etc) and someone mentioned IV Xample's song I'd rather be alone. I remember listening to that song in my teenage years, driving in the rain, feeling sad and lonely. No one had even cheated on me, which is what the song is about, but I felt connected and loved that song. I'm not sure if I was even "in love" with anyone at the time. So, I came to wonder if loneliness is actually a positive emotion. Do we like feeling lonely? And do we complain about the feeling because that's just the way you behave when feeling it? Or does the loneliness actually feel bad but indicates the good will feel good when it comes? And has it occurred to anyone that loneliness is one of the most self-centered emotions? It's the feeling you get when you don't have a person that loves and adores you. Then again, it's one of the emotions that indicates that we're human and longing for something good. Ok, I think that was more than one thought. Anyway, the song Gravity makes me want to kill myself....in a good way.

Charred Animal carcuss = Independence day

Why is BBQ so synonymous with the 4th of July? Sure, it's "grilling season" but why not water parks? Or capri pants? maybe it is...

Anyway, I was thinking about that in my late night drunken stupor and felt inspired to blog.

Here's how I envision the first Independence day BBQ:

It's July 4th, 1776. Another typically sweltering summer afternoon in Philadelphia. Just outside Independence Hall our nation's first BBQ is taking place. Amongst the attendees of this soiree(pardon the French) are our forefathers.

John Hancock is overseeing the grilling of meats on the "Bar-B-Que". Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson approach.

Benjamin: Hancock! How's the food coming along?

Startled, Hancock burns himself on the grill.

Hancock: Damnit! I'm having a hard enough time as it is flipping these pieces of meat.
Ben: Just don't poke at it too much. You'll lose the juices.
Thomas: You know, you might have better luck using something other than pens.
Hancock: No man, pens are the future. It's revolutionary!

Ben and Thomas roll their eyes at each other.

Thomas: I think we've been throwing that word around too much.
Ben: So, what are we calling these pieces of meat again?
Thomas: Hamburgs.
Ben: Seriously? A German name?
Thomas: Look, I heard from someone that the Germans are working on some super fast, luxury carriages. I thought that if we named it after one of their cities, we could get a discount.
Ben: I find it ironic that we named something in honor of them and we're burning it.
Hancock: Oh shit! I forgot about the burgers!
Thomas: ham-burgs. ham-burgs. I don't want to lose my discount on a Mercedes Carriage.

Hancock burns himself once again trying to flip burgers with pens. Ben and Thomas enjoy a laugh watching him do so.

Hancock: This is such tedious work. Why are we calling this a Bar-B-Que again?
Ben: It's short for "Barred Be the Queen." Cuz, you know, she's the one that really runs that country. Might as well call their government a "Mom"arch.

They all laugh.
John Hancock looks over towards the picnic tables and sees Sam and John Adams.

Hancock: I can't believe John Adams brought is damn cousin again. And as usual he's trying to sell us on his damn mead. Him renaming it all the time is pretty annoying as it is, what's he calling it this time?
Ben: Independence Lager.

Thomas takes a sip of it from his cup.

Thomas: It's gotten much better since the Boston Tea Party Mead.
John Hancock: For sure. I'd rather kiss King George's ass than drink that again. Yuck!
Ben: He needs to come up with something that's more appropriate for summer time. Like a Summer ale of sorts.

Thomas Paine walks by with a woman on each arm. As he passes they hear him say: "you know, all of this was my idea..."
Thomas Jefferson gets upset and is about to lunge forward to attack him when Ben and John hold him back.

Thomas: oh, just let me at him. I hate that fucker. He hasn't even been here that long! He didn't have to deal with the 7 year's war, the 1st Continental congress, or the second! What a douche...

Hancock, puzzled. Asks...

Hancock: What is a douche?
Thomas: eh, it's a word I made up the other day. I'm hoping it sticks.
Ben: What does it mean?
Thomas: It means useless... useless other than one very unpleasant task.
Hancock: Which is...?
Thomas: Let's just say it has to clean very dark and confusing places.

They all turn towards a commotion near the beverages. It seems a few of the men decided to hold John Penn upside down over the barrel of "Independence Lager" so that he can drink it from that position. (Note: it is argued that this is America's first Keg-Stand)

Hancock: That Penn, he's got some issues...

Just then two thin, pale children approach the group.

Thomas: Hey! Look who it is! It's Meriwether Lewis and William Clark! You know, you boys need to get out more. Your faces are as pale as my ass. Get outside and have some adventures!
Lewis and Clark: Yes Mr. Jefferson~.

They run off.

Hancock: oh! I think the burgers are done!
Thomas: HAM-burgs! HAM-burgs!
Ben: I want that one. That ones looks the best.
Hancock: Back off fatty! I'm the one that's been barred be queening. I get first pick!

And so, they all got along...sorta. The End.

Note: Most of this is historically inaccurate. Remember: I was drunk when I wrote this.

15 mins...

So here it is. A real blog(thanks to Dyana). I've given my notice to myspace and facebook and I'm now moving my exercises of mental masturbation to a real blog site.... May God(and the public) have mercy on me...

So what's this blog going to be about? I don't know yet. All I know is that I realized I spent way to many fruitless hours attempting to get the high score of the week on the Bejeweled Blitz application on Facebook. In all likelihood, this blog may closely resemble my musings on the other sites, which mainly recounted in hazy alcohol induced glory some dumb antics and silly ironies of my life. I'll try to keep it PG-13-ish. A few of the things I'm interested in and may or may not blog about: Traveling, which usually involves alcohol. Wine, lots of it. Musicals, random, I know. Actually a lot more other random stuff, of which I'm still a little embarrassed to admit here. The day will come.

I'll have my 15 mins of fame(more likely shame)....someday.

Whether it's from getting that high score on Bejeweled Blitz or by some weird chance that my drunk aimless musings on this site gets mistaken for genius.

til the next blog, I leave you with this quote:
"Vroom Vroom! Party Starter!"
-Conan O'Brien