Jon's Nook

Sunday morning

2008-04-20T07:21:00.000-07:00

It's Sunday, April 20, 7:22am. My life is thus: 2 cats in bed with me, 1 purring, 1 sleeping. Toby threw up at 6:25 am on my side of the bed, so I'm up earlier than expected. Narcisso is also up, sweeping the driveway after his late night plant potting fest. I really want to get away from the house today and do something cheap and relaxing, but that's more easily accomplished from home, sitting in the yard, watching the cats catch grasshoppers.

On Wednesday, we drove home from Toyota of North Hollywood in a new Rav 4! Shocker. Hopefully we won't have to sell our souls to the devil to keep it. It sucked that someone broke the driver's side mirror on Thursday! Luckily the repairs came in at under $150, and we're back in business.

Anyway, that's my life as of April 20, 2008.

How Can I Not Vote

2008-02-05T13:22:00.000-08:00

for this woman's grandson?

Orion

2008-01-19T15:42:00.000-08:00

I love the southern night sky in winter. When we first moved to LA, Orion always greeted me when I took Toby out for our evening walk. I was pretty miserable, since my partner and I were in a terrible place in our relationship, money was tight, and things just weren't going as planned when we ran away from Chicago. Lesson: running away doesn't solve anything.

Orion gazes down, securely belted, guarding me against insanity, creditors, and lost hope. Thank you, mighty hunter.

Go Hillary!

2008-01-08T21:41:00.000-08:00

I am still 100% behind John Edwards, but I'm so proud that Hillary pulled it off tonight in New Hampshire! I'm too lazy to try and figure out if she's the first woman to win a US presidential primary or not.. I know Jesse Jackson won several primaries in '84 and '88, but can't figure out if HRC has taken that record.

Maybe John Edwards sounds too Southern, and people are reminded of the shrub's accent, faux Texan that he is. Whatever it is, it's not over yet, though I hate to think how many gazillion Hillary will raise between now and the next primary.

I'm the only one in my household who cares, so I can't have any political discussions with anyone around here! Rats! I shouldn't have called Quinnette a Republican. She'll never forgive me nor will she talk politics with me again, which I probably deserve.

Oh, an aside. Had fun at the Critics Choice Awards last night. Best moment was being about 8 feet from Queen Latifa. Should have jockeyed for a spot at Brad and Angelina's table.

Do I really want/need to blog?

2008-01-03T10:34:00.000-08:00

Lately I've acquired a new addiction, dailykos.com. There is no end to the pleasure I get reading the full left spectrum of Kossak diaries. So, should I take up blogging again after almost a year of posting nothing at jonsnook? Perhaps. Maybe this is a start. Since it's Iowa caucus day, I'm pretty pumped. I hate having to wait all day for the fun to even start, but that's the nature of the caucus.

Let's see...it's January 3rd, so maybe I can post something about my goal/resolution for 2008. I'm giving myself permission this year. Permission to be wrong, or right. Permission to make mistakes. Permission to laugh, and cry. Permission to be healthy. Permission to dream big.

So, there ya go. A new post for the new year. If anyone is reading, I hope you enjoy my musings on myself and the world.

Little Mosque on the Prairie

2007-01-18T10:46:00.000-08:00

I heard this NPR interview with Zarqa Nawaz, the Muslim creator of "Little Mosque on the Prairie" for Candian Broadcast Corp. It's a sitcom about a small prairie community and its even smaller (yet growing) Muslim community. The Muslims have started meeting in the local Anglican church. From the website:

At its heart, Little Mosque is a humorous look at relationships, family, love, the generation gap and balancing Muslim beliefs and traditions in a prairie setting.

Sounds like a winner for CBC! Below are 4 youtube clips that captured the pilot episode. Enjoy!

Part 1 of 4

Part 2 of 4

Part 3 of 4

Part 4 of 4

Longer Daze

2007-01-05T16:48:00.000-08:00

At about 4:30pm, just as I predicted, the sun caught me right in the eye as it slid at a 45* angle from the edge of my window and slipped below the hilltop.

Shortest Day Just Past

2006-12-22T10:36:00.000-08:00

It's officially winter! For a soothing solstice website, visit Candlegrove.

In a week or so, the setting sun will catch me in the eye at my office. Soon thereafter, I'll be going home before the sun makes it to my window.

Childless, Childfree, or With Child...

2006-12-19T09:04:00.000-08:00

I posted a somewhat sharp comment on Raul's blog yesterday, and got not only a response from Raul but from another reader. I was taking issue with Raul's use of "childless," being somewhat hyper sensitive to the word and the negative connotation I was hit with.

I'd love to have kids. I'd love to be confident that I was stable enough and my meager income and partner with a disability could provide every positive moment possible for even one child in our home. We had dreams of children, but current circumstances scream NO KIDS to us right now. We're 38 and 39, and we struggle. Being a gay male couple, it's more than just a matter of not using birth control. Much more.

What do you think? Does "childless" fall into the same house as "homeless" and "tasteless"? Is "childfree" too far in the other direction, as if children were a burden to be avoided, like sugar in sugarfree gum? What about "non-childed"? What about me growing thicker skin?

I deeply admire Raul's blog and his writing, but I just had to comment honestly.

You know it's Christmas in Lufkin, Texas...

2006-12-12T10:11:00.000-08:00

...when Oil Pump Rudolf starts his annual celebration!

Lufkin's Rudolf is one of those childhood memories I'll always cherish. He's been pumping every Christmas for 40 years, lifting his antlers 45 feet into the air. When I was young, Rudolf was assembled about 3 blocks from my house, on Lufkin Industries property. Now he greets people from the Lufkin Mall parking lot, guiding the locals and travelers as they make their way around the loop.

Um...

2006-12-08T09:27:00.000-08:00

...it's been a while, meaning I haven't been in much of a sharing mood. Holidays aren't what they once were before I began claiming my self and examining connections and relationships.

So Thankful...

2006-11-24T14:41:00.000-08:00

...for many things, such as:
Narcisso, my love
Toby, Amos, Alistair, Peekaboo, Joseph
Quinnette
ICLA
Steve and Steve
Holly
the Flores-Kilgore clan
the Bassinger/Witte clan
the Sims/Derr clan
Debbie, Dave, Nickie
Alexis
St. Andrews Manor
Stephine and Isabelle
Midas
Ralphs (last minute turkey purchase saved dinner yesterday)
Gloria and Richard

None are perfect, but all are blessings.

Thanks for reading!

No Big Bear for us

2006-11-13T13:01:00.000-08:00

After a grueling trek over an unfamiliar 2 lane mountain road in pitch black, this was to be our hideout for the weekend, with promised views of the woods, the lake and the slopes. Not so. A critical medicine was inadvertently left in Los Angeles, so we drove back through the night, down a "shorter" equally dark mountain road, back home to Koreatown. Oh, did I mention that the difficult-to-find cabin was not even available after we arrived (which coincided with the realization of forgotten medicine); the owner of our weekend mountain palace was already ensconced, watching tv, indignantly insisting that he had blacked out the whole month for his questionable hedonistic pursuits. Needless to say, we were useless the rest of the weekend.

Pain

2006-11-09T10:45:00.000-08:00

I just caught a preview of a CNN special airing this weekend: C0mbat Hospital. I'm so lucky to live where I do and have the life I have, despite financial challenges, relationship struggles and vocational wandering. I have an incredibly low pain threshold and tolerance, and if I was a soldier or civilian hit by shrapnel or bullets or an exploding IED, I don't know how I could stand it. Let's end all war soon.

Today, you need to...

2006-11-07T09:19:00.000-08:00

Democrats, Republicans, Greens, Independents, Libertarians, Communists, Socialists, EVERYONE needs to vote today! It's our right and our duty as citizens of this wack nation. I'll be watching CNN all day and tonight to find out what % of our populace got out of the house and braved last minute campaigners, foul weather for some, and the Big Brother-esque voting machines that we should monitor very carefully.

Weekend Review

2006-11-06T13:22:00.000-08:00

Ah, let's see...

Friday night we STAYED IN as usual so as to watch Battlestar Galactica! If you aren't watching this show, you need to.

Saturday, lazy day. Discovered all the washers in my building are "broken" with no estimated repair/replacement date. Why this wasn't posted somewhere like on the bulletin board by the mailboxes is beyond me.

Sunday, we went to see "The Departed." Nothing like a mob/crooked cop movie on the Day of Rest! I was surprised at how many times I laughed in this tragic tale of rats and bullets through the head. Was justice served? You be the judge. Oscar for Scorsese? I won't predict.

I've started another blog for my mandala work, the idea being to share mandala facts and trivia, promote my Mandala Workshop enterprise, and post a daily mandala for you to enjoy. Check it out!

Mandala Workshop

2006-11-03T14:40:00.000-08:00

I'm working on developing a mandala workshop that I can offer in the Los Angeles/Southern California region. Seems to be a shortage of people doing this here, which is surprising. Wish me luck! The Mandala Workshop website will be coming soon.

Masked Superhero and Faerie King

2006-11-01T10:17:00.000-08:00

Narcisso and I and 500,000 of our closest friends threw a great costume carnival last night in West Hollywood! I think this was more fun than gay pride, since everyone was participating, everyone was "on parade," and there were no annoying barricades corraling folks into narrow, get-trampled-to-death pedestrian zones.

I was watching a CBS Evening News story last night about how kid-friendly Halloween has been hijacked by adults and sleazy costumes. I saw plenty of kids and parents traveling in packs trick-or-treating in my neighborhood. I also saw kids in West Hollywood dressed up, taking in all the craziness of the night. Halloween is for adults AND kids, for people of all ages. It's a night when anyone can wear a wig and make-up, eat disasterous amounts of candy, and revel in their community. Were it not for Halloween, I wouldn't be enjoying a day wearing fingernail polish, nor would I feel the kid in me remembering Halloweens from my childhood. It's hard to find things to celebrate these days, so I'm grateful for West Hollywood's open arms and the spirit of imagination and childhood enjoyed by so many last night. Sure, there were some drunken slobs momentarily dulling the ghoulish sheen of the night, but what I'll remember is a time apart from the daily grind, holding hands with Narcisso as we churned our way through pirates, monsters, super heroes, Bo Peeps, devils, women's sufferagettes, fawns, skeletons, nuns, knights, damsels, nurses, cheerleaders, Marie Antoinettes, and kittens. So lighten up, CBS. Let down your hair WITH your kids, trick AND treat!

Blessed Samhain!

2006-10-31T10:33:00.000-08:00

That's pronounced sow-in, not sam-hane! Read ALL 'bout this magikal holiday at Blogikal. Be forewarned...it's written by a witch!

Halloween Eve

2006-10-30T11:22:00.000-08:00

I have no costume, and I live about 2 miles from a 500,000 attendee Halloween block party. What's a guy to do? Suggestions for cheap insta-costume are welcome! The best thing about the evening will be Tiffany on stage!!!

Neither Winner Nor Loser

2006-10-27T14:36:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I won nada on the Price Is Right. (Yes, I was there!)
This morning, I didn't win the new car on Free Car Friday on KBIG. (Yes, I entered to win!)
Tomorrow, I know of no contests, so I'm sure I won't win anything.
HOWEVER, I am not a loser! Just a non-winner for the moment.

I took this shot at Gay Pride back in June. I LOVE her lips!

Eid Mubarak!

2006-10-23T11:54:00.000-07:00

Greet your Muslim neighbors, friends and co-workers with a warm "Eid Mubarak!" today.

From islam.about.com: During the month of Ramadan, Muslims observe a strict fast and participate in pious activities such as charitable giving and peace-making. It is a time of intense spiritual renewal for those who observe it. At the end of Ramadan, Muslims throughout the world observe a joyous three-day celebration called Eid al-Fitr (the Festival of Fast-Breaking).

Eid al-Fitr falls on the first day of Shawwal, the month which follows Ramadan in the Islamic calendar. It is a time to give in charity to those in need, and celebrate with family and friends the completion of a month of blessings and joy.

Before the day of Eid, during the last few days of Ramadan, each Muslim family gives a determined amount as a donation to the poor. This donation is of actual food -- rice, barley, dates, rice, etc. -- to ensure that the needy can have a holiday meal and participate in the celebration. This donation is known as sadaqah al-fitr (charity of fast-breaking).

On the day of Eid, Muslims gather early in the morning in outdoor locations or mosques to perform the Eid prayer. This consists of a sermon followed by a short congregational prayer.

After the Eid prayer, Muslims usually scatter to visit various family and friends, give gifts (especially to children), and make phone calls to distant relatives to give well-wishes for the holiday.

During Eid, Muslims give thanks to Allah for His bounty and mercy, celebrate the holy days, and wish each other well. While appropriate words in any language are welcome, there are some traditional or common Arabic greetings that one may use or come across:

"Kul 'am wa enta bi-khair!"
("May every year find you in good health!")
"Eid Mubarak!"
("Blessed Eid!")
"Eid Saeed!"
("Happy Eid!")
"Taqabbala Allahu minna wa minkum."
("May Allah accept from us, and from you.")

Operation Migration

2006-10-23T10:45:00.000-07:00

Every year, a troup of fantastic people teach a new flock of young whooping cranes the migratory path from Wisconsin to Florida. This is part of an effort to re-establish a viable whooper population, reversing the near extinction of these magnificent birds. I read the daily field journal each year, following the trials and tribulations of the cranes and crew members. They've had batch of uncooperative weather this year so far and haven't had many fly days.

You can follow their progress through the field journal. If you can donate to this operation, they need your help!

I follow enterprises like Operation Migration in order to retain a sense of hope. Iraq, Skid Row, melting ice caps and potential anguish are all trumped by the good works of good folks.

An aside...if you haven't seen Amistad, rent it this weekend. I finally saw it last night and was rewarded by the story of brave people all around.

End Poverty

2006-10-20T10:02:00.000-07:00

Let's end poverty and let the people get on with living! Add your voice.

Day Makers and Breakers

2006-10-19T09:17:00.000-07:00

Bob Shieffer's "Free Speech" segment on the CBS Evening News last night made me think.
He said:

There's been a lot of bad news this week but if you were in Detroit like I was, you wouldn’t know it.

The only thing I found in Monday’s papers there was that the Detroit Tigers were heading to the World Series. From the front page to the business section I found 23 — count 'em, 23 - stories about that.

That’s the great thing about sports. No matter how bad the news, when our team wins, the day gets a lot better.

In the long course of human events who wins a ball game really makes no difference, but it made me wonder. If we can choose things that don’t matter — like winning a pennant - to make us happy, how many times do we choose things of no consequence to make us sad or mad?

Like a car that cuts in front of us in traffic. That hardly matters, but its ruined the day of many a rush hour driver. Or that 15 seconds with a rude waiter or sales clerk that leaves us in a bad humor for 24 hours. Or sweating bullets over which college our kids get into when what matters is what they get out of it, not where they got in.

Too often we allow our emotions to be ruled by the inconsequential, which causes us to miss the things that do matter.

But for now, let's not bother Detroit's good people with any of that. After auto industry problems and layoffs, this is the first good news they’ve had in a while. They’re enjoying it while they can.

I know my whole day can be ruined, or a chunk of it anyway, by inattentive drivers, bad Starbucks service or webpages that are slow to open. Things that do matter get lost, things like my partner who loves me, my home which, though small, shelters me, my furry children who need head rubs, walks and cage cleanings, and a job that covers most of our expenses. So what if the Starbucks guy doesn't smile at me. I can still smile at him, as well as at the driver who cuts me off and the webpage that is taking a siesta.

Malibu Toby

2006-10-18T09:31:00.000-07:00

Our boy turns 12 today! That's 74 in human years. Happy Birthday!

In case you were wondering, Malibu Barbie was introduced in 1971. The original Barbie hit store shelves in 1959.

$3.7 Million

2006-10-17T12:41:00.000-07:00

AIDS Walk Los Angeles raised a record $3.7 million this year! I'm glad I could kick in my small donations total to help make this a great event. Here I am with the ICLA Stompers...I'm the big guy on the right. Need to walk 10K every day!

AIDS Walk Los Angeles

2006-10-13T11:04:00.000-07:00

Sponsor me! Click here.

My crime-fighting cohort

2006-10-12T21:53:00.000-07:00

Supergirl

Lean, muscular and feminine. Honest and a defender of the innocent.

Supergirl		85%
Green Lantern		85%
Superman		80%
Batman		75%
The Flash		75%
Spider-Man		70%
Wonder Woman		65%
Iron Man		65%
Hulk		60%
Robin		50%
Catwoman		40%

Click here to take the Superhero Personality Test

Moses, our beloved calico ryukin

2006-10-12T09:07:00.000-07:00

Our beloved Moses swam to the big, beautiful goldfish pond in the heavens yesterday. He gave us many wonderful memories, doing tricks and coming to see us when Narcisso called his name. We'll miss you, Moses.

Happy Coming Out Day!

2006-10-11T10:11:00.000-07:00

Though you won't find it on mass-produced calendars, today is National Coming Out Day! What, you ask, does that mean? Well, October 11 is recognized as a day to encourage everyone - gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and straight - to talk openly and honestly about who they are and why gay equality matters to them.

In Los Angeles, being gay isn't really a big deal. But in Lufkin, Texas, or Birmingham, Alabama, or Cullowhee, North Carolina, or Seoul, Korea, being gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or even a straight ally of GLBT people IS a big deal. That's why National Coming Out Day is important, because the more people come out, the less misunderstanding and fear about being gay there will be. Living openly helps make stronger, lealthier friendships and relationships. Living honestly is a realization of the truth that God made you the way you are and me the way I am.

Please visit the Human Rights Commission to learn more about being gay, living openly and the importance of talking about it.

Not the nerd I thought I was

2006-10-10T16:49:00.000-07:00

Rats! I was hoping for a much higher score!

Grammar, please

2006-10-05T15:06:00.000-07:00

From cnn.com today in a piece about Rick Santorum:

After discussing the threat of Iran, a frequent subject he broaches these days, he turned to the empty chair and said, "I'd like to hear what my opponent has to say about this." The crowd of several hundred laughed and applauded.

I don't think a subject can be frequent. A subject can, however, be broached frequently. Fire the editor, please.

Oh, and about Mark Foley, it's not a gay issue. It's an abuse of power issue.

Gay Pride...

2006-10-04T12:43:00.000-07:00

...it's all about bridal drag queens. If this isn't a great argument for gay marriage, what is? A girl doesn't go all out like this unless she's SERIOUS!

Marginalization

2006-09-19T09:24:00.000-07:00

George W just told the UN that extremists in the Middle East should be marginalized. NO ONE should be marginalized! Extremist tactics should be renounced and extremist ideas must be countered with progressive solutions to social ills, but NO ONE should be marginalized! Marginalization CAN foster creativity and growth, but marginalizing extremists, I believe, only fans the fires of violent action against civilization.

Oh, now he just said that Iran must abandon its nuke-u-lar weapons ambitions...not the thing to declare, I say!

I say, don't call someone an extremist until you examine the doctrinal log protuding from your own eyeball. And don't suggest marginalizing anyone until you've walked in the margins yourself and experienced hopelessness, voicelessness and the oppressive weight of a culture or society who demonizes you before talking to you. I'm certainly not advocating terrorism or violence, I'm just weary of the world.

39 and a day

2006-09-07T09:04:00.000-07:00

I've been treading on this planet for 39 years now. That puts me squarely in middle age-dom, I think. I'm not much for lists, and goal-setting has never held much interest (hence the state of my affairs), but I thought I'd start dream up a set of accomplishments to strive for in the coming year before I hit 40!!!!

make a lasting friendship
create something of beauty
blog 3x/week at a minimum (meaning I have 2 more entries to make just this week, and it's already Thursday!)
take a 2 week vacation

Four goals in 364 days shouldn't be too challenging. The great thing about goal lists is that they can be updated at any time, so stay tuned...

Oh, and if you're wondering, for my birthday, I took my boyfriend/partner to the airport, worked, and went to bed early. Nice, ay?

That's the spirit!

2006-08-30T13:02:00.000-07:00

I've found a couple of sites that might help me sort out the remains of my spiritual side.
Abe's Atheventures is an account of one man's quest to educate the masses that God is fake.
The Daily Scribe is a collection of spirited bloggers representing a broad swath of faith backgrounds...they're looking for progressive Muslim blogs, so if you know of any, help make some connections.

But Ah luv Uh'mair'kuh!

2006-08-29T13:19:00.001-07:00

You Are 35% American

America: You don't love it or want to leave it.
But you wouldn't mind giving it an extreme make over.
On the 4th of July, you'll fly a freak flag instead...
And give Uncle Sam a sucker punch!

How American Are You?

Petty Thievery

2006-08-28T13:03:00.000-07:00

There's a small fig bush along one of my dog-walking routes. About a month ago, I noticed that it had a fair number of green figs developing, and I was reminded of warm, sweet figs on my neighbor's fig bushes in Lufkin. I've been keeping an eye on the figs since then. Yesterday, I saw that one of them was gentle purple, not yet ripe enough to eat, but almost there. Fearing that a crow or squirrel might deny me a small pleasure, I plucked the fig from the bush and walked away with Toby. I heard someone call out, but didn't think they were addressing me.

When Toby decided to do his business, near the end of the block, I glanced back and saw a man examininig the fig bush. I do believe my small theft was observed.

Heaven

2006-08-24T15:10:00.000-07:00

What might heaven be like?
-warm, fresh-baked brownies and ice-cold milk
-snuggling with your favorite snuggler
-afternoons of rope-swinging from tall, ancient sycamore trees

My theory of how heaven might work is like this: when you die, you go somewhere where you're confronted by all the crap things you ever did in your life. You are filled with empathy for those who received the brunt of your doings. To deal with the despair, which overwhelms you, you are wracked with sobs that last a proportionate length of time to how crappy you've been. As soon as you start your crying, someone appears (not God or Jesus or Buddha, just someone who has already spent some time in heaven) and they hold you and comfort you for as long as you need, smothering you with understanding, unconditional acceptance and forgiveness. Once you've been comforted, you then get as many opportunities as needed to be the comforting arms/legs/presences of the newly dead. Everyone who dies goes through this, and heaven is thus populated with eager grief councelors who spend eternity comforting the newly dead and anguished. Down times are spent consuming brownies and milk, snuggling, rope-swinging, and whatever else can be done.

This theory appeals to both my revulsion of retribution theology and my desire to have people understand the consequences of their crappy words and actions.

Wind in my hair

2006-08-23T09:53:00.000-07:00

I've now experienced LA the way God intended, from a convertible. Ford Focus, your days are numbered.

Pew Blogger Survey

2006-08-22T09:03:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across this survey yesterday. Taking it, I asked myself why I blog. I know a handful of people check this blog occasionally, but I'm not really sure why. I'm not a poet or song writer or photographer or essayist, just a guy ambling about a few parts of LA, trying to get his head on gaily forward, rediscovering himself and building a home with a wonderful man. When I read Raul's blog, I read art and poetry and contemplation. When I read Kuntry Konfession, I find satire and humor.

If you read this blog, let me know why you read it, why you read other blogs, and what you're looking for as you surf the blogosphere.

If you're a blogger, I recommend taking the Pew survey. It's fairly harmless.
http://jonsnook.blogspot.com/2006/06/jay-hooks.html
And as I questioned before, Jay Hooks, where are you?

Pop Tarts and cookie trails

2006-08-10T09:31:00.000-07:00

Some people like Pop Tarts (I do!), some people don't. Similarly, some people have pop-ups enabled, others have them blocked. I've changed one of my blog settings so that if you want to comment on any of my posts, you won't get a pop-up window.

I have no idea if more of you will [be able to] comment now, but I thought I'd give it a go. It's fun reading your comments. Gives me a sense of being connected somehow, kind of like having pen pals (which I failed at as a kid).

A shout out to Raul "Tony" Gutierrez' recent post on being cool.

Cookie trails are fun to follow. Gvisit.com lost some data in a recent blackout, and my visitors prior to Aug. 2 are lost forever until they return to my page (sigh).

Treadmill Choreography

2006-08-08T12:19:00.000-07:00

Watch this!

Vampires and Apocalypse

2006-08-08T09:09:00.000-07:00

I'm reading two books right now. S.E. Hinton's "Hawkes Harbor" is an intriguing vampire tale. I picked this up in a drugstore near my former psychiatrist's office, initially intrigued when my eye caught the author's name on the cover. I loved Hinton's "The Outsiders," "That Was Then, This Is Now" and "Rumblefish" as a kid. Now I'm a fan of her adult-targeted fare.

In "Messiah" by Andrei Codrescu (author and NPR commentator extraordinaire), two young women are being slowly drawn to each other from New Orleans and Jerusalem, as part of the coming end of the age as we know it. Spirits and the internet are major players as well. This is my first reading of Codrescu's work, and I'm hooked.

Celebrating Rob Meunier

2006-08-04T11:32:00.000-07:00

We've been busy at work, dealing with personnel changes and planning a memorial gathering for a staff member who died recently.

High today in downtown LA in the 70s. I thought it would be hotter here.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

2006-07-27T15:59:00.000-07:00

Yeah! I got a promotion at Ithaca College! I just resigned from the Laminate Gallery. No more sales pitches! Woo hoo! No more 7 day work weeks!

Bad News Not Allowed

2006-07-25T15:09:00.000-07:00

How many blogs have you read that chronicle depressing life situations?

God's Gift: Air Con(ditioning)

2006-07-24T14:17:00.000-07:00

I spent August of 1998 in Korea, mostly in Seoul. It was hot, and air con (as it's called there) was a blessed gift when found. It's been hot as blazes for over a week here in Tinseltown, and I finally got off my sweaty ass and bought a window unit at Sears last night. Installation was a bit of a bear, but it's cooling sweetly now.

How did/does anyone survive stifling heat? How did we evolve in Africa and not have something other than sweat glands to avoid dying without access to freon and compressors?

Creating Logos

2006-07-20T12:36:00.000-07:00

I found a great website for basic logo/text-graphic creation.

The DaHTML Code

2006-07-19T10:36:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, it would be nice to have the brain of an engineer. I'm sure Brock, Mike, Weylin, Greg or Laura would have no trouble getting rid of the empty space in yesterday's post.

Did you see where family-friendly Disney fired their film production president? "Oh, you're in the delivery room? Great! Hope it goes well. YOU'RE FIRED!"

My Inner Superhero

2006-07-18T12:55:00.000-07:00

I am Spider-Man (with a hint of Superman)

...intelligent, witty, a bit geeky and has great power and responsibility.

Spider-Man		70%
Superman		70%
Supergirl		67%
Green Lantern		65%
Hulk		60%
Catwoman		55%
Iron Man		50%
Batman		50%
Wonder Woman		47%
The Flash		40%
Robin		39%

Click here to take the Superhero Personality Test

Death to Vampires

2006-07-17T09:40:00.000-07:00

I had the rare experience of remembering a dream this morning. It should have been a nightmare, but I woke not scared but curious. I was battling vampires, not ones in black capes with dripping, bloody teeth, but ones who looked like normal people (whatever "normal" means) who knew that I was on to their identity. Part of the dream involved trying to call people on my cell phone, frantically scrolling through the numbers in the phone's address book and not finding whom I was looking for. I killed one of them by bashing his head against (the floor? the ground? a wall?) until he had no head.

Money Does Too Buy Happiness

2006-07-06T09:37:00.000-07:00

I'm disgusted by news reports, like this one, or this one, or this one. Call me selfish, but I am tired of barely making ends meet and having no vision of how to get ahead of where I am. It's ridiculous to think that being poor = being happy. I'm fairly poor, or perhaps bottom-of-the-barrel middle class, and I'm not happy about it at all. Yes, I made some very unwise, even stupid decisions early in my life that have cost me good credit. If I could reestablish some credit, maybe THEN I'd be happy, or less dissatisfied. Where's the study on people's happiness in relation to their credit score?

Here's a more satisfying article.

I just would like to be able to put a down payment on a new Civic (I'm not asking for the means for a Hummer, or even an Accord!), rather than scratching my way through Craig's list for something that will run, has passed its smog inspection, and costs $500 or less.

ID+1

2006-07-05T09:09:00.000-07:00

Happy July 5th. My neighborhood sounded like a war zone last night. I thought fireworks were illegal in LA; if they are, I guess the police had bigger fish to fry than the kids in Koreatown.

Yeah for the Space Shuttle! Now let's hope it glides home safely.

Boo on Kim Jong Il. How dare he try to be as mighty and aggressive as the USofA, especially during our birthday party!

I'm having trouble getting photos to align properly. Huge gaps in my html knowledge.

Cheers

Strange Brew

2006-06-27T09:36:00.000-07:00

The air outside my office window has a moist, pale green cast. I think this is what summer in the San Fernando Valley is gonna be like. People are complaining about the humidity, but come on, it's not Lufkin humid by any stretch.

Finally saw The DaVinci Code last night. It kept me tuned in, mostly to see how R. Howard would handle Brown's story. Odd changes, particularly the ending. There was so much more depth to the book; that's what bothered me most.

I'm ready for a change from the Laminate Gallery. Never have I felt so micromanaged under such poor management. Totally disempowering. Ithaca College is still wonderful, though. I'm hanging on to this place as long as I can.

Life's peculiar. Hopefully I'll be posting more regularly again, now that I'm well into therapy and feeling more confident than I have in eons.

Someone from Mesquite, Texas visited my site this week! Shout out to you!

Jay Hooks

2006-06-09T14:40:00.000-07:00

One of my pasttimes is Googling old friends and acquaintances, like Jay Hooks. Jay Hooks was one of my early childhood friends, like when I was a toddler through 7 years old. What I remember about Jay was his Kiss posters and albums (at 7 years old? must have been later on, when we moved back to Texas), taking baths together (definitely when we were younger than 7), and his early rebellious nature.

Here's a clip of him playing in Germany. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find out where he is now.

Where are you, Jay?

2006-06-08T09:48:00.000-07:00

Love Life Ad

The Swiss got it right. I wish this ad could air every morning during the Today Show and every afternoon during Oprah.

Gay Marriage

2006-06-05T11:47:00.000-07:00

I just made myself watch George W. Bush give his pathetic appeal for the anti-gay marriage amendment. What a JOKE this guy is. Such an outrageous pander to the quivering-scared religious conservative homophobic bunch. Thank GOD Mary Kay Letourneau can marry her former sixth grade student in a legally recognized heterosexual union. I'm SO glad that Mary Kay and Vili Fualaau can live in priviliged, legally upheld, wedded bliss.

Sheesh.

Finding/Missing

2006-05-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

Why is it that whenever any particular item is not needed, it's always present and frequently in the way, but when it IS needed, it's no where to be found. The nose pad fell out of my glasses today. Found the pad, but the cheapo glasses repair kit with the tiny screwdriver that is usually in plain sight was illocatable.

No Passengers

2006-05-16T09:50:00.000-07:00

I had a brief Twilight Zone moment this morning. The subway train pulled up, fairly loaded with riders, but the sign on the outside said "NOT IN SERVICE / NO PASSENGERS." The train wasn't ghostly pale or shimmery, so I boarded, but didn't really relax until I exited at Hollywood and Vine.

Da Vinci Code/M:I:3/selling stuff

2006-05-11T08:50:00.000-07:00

Just finished The Da Vinci Code. I must say, it was a great story. I'm not usually drawn to best sellers or the murder mystery genre, but I was completely hooked into this mystery, and I loved the ending. Of course, I could only picture and hear Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon I was reading, but I think I'm ok with him in the lead. What was the last Tom Hanks movie, anyway. The Terminal? Hmm...

Last weekend we took in the other Tom, running, shooting, killing and almost getting killed for 2+ hours. Good for what it was, and Hoffman was superbly evil. Philip Seymore, not Dustin.

I'm sad that X-Men will be drawing to a close this summer!

Let me hear your opinion on the ability to purchase goodies through my blog!

Abuelita

2006-04-28T09:53:00.000-07:00

Narcisso's abuela died late Tuesday night in Ocala, Florida. He was there, along with all his family. I was back in here in Los Angeles, since our finances are in the pits right now and I couldn't afford to make the trip. She was a fiesty, beautiful woman who had a long, great and sometimes trying life. I'm sorry that I never met her, but I'm grateful for the stories Narcisso has shared with me. I'm also deeply struck by how much his family accepts me, when my side has such a difficult time with the concept and reality of us. Doesn't say much for white middle-class values.

Homerun Pie

2006-04-24T10:59:00.000-07:00

Ah, the Homerun Pie. This is one of my vices. So sweet, so rich, only 25 cents, and so packed with saturated fat (8g/40%DV). So easy to grab in Ralph's on late-night grocery runs and gobble in the car. Interesting that the baseball theme doesn't rouse more negative feelings in my, given my disasterous Little League season in Lufkin. But that's for another blog, another day.

This wrapper has been parked under my monitor for over a month, waiting for its photo session and write-up. At last, it can join its friends in the county landfill.

coasting...

2006-04-21T11:23:00.000-07:00

...or maybe skidding. Life's complexity has disallowed routine posts here lately. Once several catastrophes have passed or been averted, I'll be back in the blogosphere. Or perhaps I'll let you into the mud of my life.

I've been considering a lotus tattoo for some time, given it's buddhist significance.

Katie's Moving Up

2006-04-06T09:45:00.000-07:00

Kudos to Katie Couric's "history-making" new job as CBS Evening News solo anchor. First a live broadcast colonoscopy, now this. I'm most thankful that to get Katie, I don't also have to get Matt Lauer's adolescent homophobia.

Major Tom

2006-04-05T15:37:00.000-07:00

Interesting and provocative video I found.

Dislikes 2 Likes

2006-04-04T09:36:00.000-07:00

Crayola's 'cornflower' crayon
Tomatoes
lima beans
acorn squash
70's rock
all things queer

What are a few of yours?

Korean Madness

2006-03-30T09:23:00.000-08:00

Just discovered You Tube. This could easily eat my entire day.

Los Angeles Marathon and a dream

2006-03-28T08:49:00.000-08:00

Part 1
I can't even run 4 blocks to the subway station when I'm late. These folks wheeled their way through the LA Marathon 2 Sundays past. The course was 1 block from our apartment.

Part 2
I rarely remember my dreams. This morning was different. I woke up having just dreamed that Toby (our dog) and I were in some woman's house, and Toby was peeing on a piece of furniture, a trunk perhaps. I woke up to find Toby clicking around the room (clicking because of his toenails and our hardwood floors), trying to get me to take him for our morning walk. In the dream, the woman also had a dog who was sometimes a two-headed dog and sometimes a dog with a head that was split down the middle from nose to neck. Very normal dog otherwise. Earlier in the dream, I was at some sort of conference, and either Mary Paik or Lupita Sanchez, both former bosses, was talking with me about someone getting drunk. The conference center might also have been a version of my high school.

Get-well Sunflower

2006-03-24T14:05:00.000-08:00

Entropy

2006-03-17T10:48:00.000-08:00

Entropy frequently slaps me in the face. It's usually when I'm late to something or under pressure to complete some task, but sometimes I'm caught off guard, like when I glance at the scraps of life just inches below my monitor wonder what's going on with those bits of paper.

I love definition #5: "inevitable and steady deterioration of a system or society." I would add: "See 'the next generation of smileys.'"

Amos

2006-03-16T16:41:00.000-08:00

Auto E-write-ica

2006-03-15T11:09:00.000-08:00

After blogging for a few weeks now, I'm confronted with my small place in the world. I've browsed over some other blogs, and very few seem to really matter, except to a small, niched following of readers. My profile appears to have been viewed 52 times, and my page hit map shows one map pin location of a viewer, from Santa Monica, which is probably me via wherever my servers originate. So I'm left with the questions: Do my words matter? Do my photos interest anyone but myself? Who was I thinking would visit my page on a regular basis? And, most importantly, why do I care? Maybe my blog will be more a journal to myself, a way to collect some memories and thoughts and images which matter to me, and that should be enough.

My two favorite bloggers are still Raul and Richard, both once Lufkin residents and now living elsewhere, like myself. Raul's artistry is in his eloquent photos and words. Richard's appeal is his slice-of-life photos and dry humored writing. Thanks, guys, for unwittingly prodding me to achieve something new.

Hardwood in Motion

2006-03-13T16:13:00.000-08:00

3rd X a charm

2006-03-12T18:33:00.000-08:00

I think we've found a new spiritual home. We've been to First Unitarian Universalist Church in Santa Monica 3 weeks running and have consistently found organized yet spirited liturgy, heartfelt music and unashamedly liberal and inclusive theology, not to mention great story-based reflections (aka sermons) and friendly people. Last week we had to sit in the very back corner, because we arrived late and the place was packed. Today we sat in an anteroom (late again, packed again) and saw none of the service, but had an equally profound experience. AND, there's been lunch served twice!
(Photo from First UU SM website)

Angelenos

2006-03-10T09:10:00.000-08:00

Before moving to LA, I had the impression that folks here would 1) all be beautiful in the Hollywood sense of the word and 2) not very friendly. Wrong on both counts. Angelenos, or at least the ones I've crossed paths with so far, look and act pretty much like people anywhere whom I've crossed paths with. Maybe it's because I live in Koreatown, not WeHo (translation: West Hollywood), and ride the bus to work. I also walk Toby at least twice if not three times every day, so of course people comment on how adorable he is.

My favorite three people so far are: Mr. Suh, who works the night shift at the Union 76 gas station which as the cheapest cigarettes nearby; Carmen, my bus buddy who is a chef near my office; and the Korean woman who power walks every morning, in her pumpkin windbreaker and Gilligan hat, who always gives me a smiley "Good morning."

From my (bath)room with a view

2006-03-08T11:21:00.000-08:00

Hollywood Schlock

2006-03-06T23:22:00.000-08:00

Can I get any more star struck? The chance to be in the presence of greatness got us up at 4 this morning to attend the taping of Oprah's post-Oscar show. It was interesting, to say the least. I was hoping Philip Seymor Hoffman would be a guest, but that was a long shot given his reticense for these interviews. Also slightly disappointed that Clooney and 3 6 Mafia weren't included. If it wasn't for Gail's backstage interviews, Oprah wouldn't have had much content. But, Reese was sweet, and Jon Stewart was a great guest. Also, Oprah was great at acknowledging the audience and showing her down-to-earth side, talking about having to pick up her dogs' poo before heading to the show this morning. I'll probably do it again next year if given the chance.

Then, tonight, we went to a panel discussion with the cast and production team behind Medium, one of our favorite shows. Fascinating if you're into that sort of thing. Loved Patricia Arquette.

Tomorrow is back to reality.

Living Room Buddha

2006-03-03T12:52:00.000-08:00

Working on the closeups. I think I need a tripod or something steady.

Namaste

Alistair

2006-03-02T09:23:00.000-08:00

Looks innocent enough, no? No is right.

Moses

2006-03-01T10:20:00.000-08:00

This is Moses. He guards our refrigerator and our spice rack.

Library Day

2006-02-28T14:02:00.000-08:00

Narcisso and I joined the Santa Monica Public Library this past Sunday. Their brand spankin' new facility on Santa Monica Blvd. is really lovely! This shot is taken in the courtyard garden from ground level in a patch of succulents.

I haven't been a library browser for too long. Online browsing has taken the place of wandering up and down random library shelves, discovering hidden jewels forged long before the first webpage was coded. I miss those days.

Cheers

Hockney on cameras

2006-02-27T16:46:00.000-08:00

Painter David Hockney recently said, "The camera can't see space. It sees surfaces. People see space, which is more interesting" (Time, February 20, 2006).

Maybe. Nothing like a nice collection of surfaces, though.

Happy Birthday, Narcisso!

2006-02-26T18:17:00.000-08:00

Motivations

2006-02-25T08:08:00.000-08:00

I've become a blogger because:

~ People want to know my thoughts.

~ I can make a fortune on advertising.

~ Long lost friends and acquaintances will suddenly find me.

~ I had some free time at work and this seemed more productive than watching the Olympics on the tv in my office.

~ If Richard and Raul can do it, so can I.

What I've discovered is that it will take a huge chunk of discipline and commitment to post an entry every day, which is my goal. I've never been able to stick with daily journal entries for long. Maybe someone out there will find these musings worth reading every now and then. Hopefully someone I don't know will find this and leave a comment. That'll be gravy.

Cheers

Connections

2006-02-24T12:18:00.000-08:00

Stumbling through the blogosphere, I've recently found two blogs by former Lufkinites like myself who are now living far from our hometown. Though I don't know either blogger that well, the feeling of connection is strong. It's something about having a shared experience, in our case, growing up in a somewhat isolated town in East Texas. Raul was a year or two ahead of me, and Richard and I travelled in different social circles, but Lufkin, Texas, has, I'm sure, put an indelible stamp on each of us. Things like little league baseball, the Rudolf oil pump, the paper mill, pine trees, and one channel tv (thanks, Raul!). Also, living in a dry county, Clark's, Godfather's Pizza, and Friday night football.

Perhaps this strong feeling of connection is taking hold of me because I'm now in Los Angeles, trying to find my place among palm trees, great weather, and a mysterious driving culture. Chicago always felt familiar for some reason, but LA is still an enigma. My side of the family seems very scattered now, and I feel like I'm floating and drifting, not sure what's in store this afternoon, tomorrow, or a year from now. Going with the flow has never felt more dangerous.

So here's to Raul and Richard. Thanks, guys, for helping me find my way, just a little.

Shalom

Routine Criminal

2006-02-23T09:21:00.000-08:00

Last night, after exiting the subway stop and waiting to cross the street on my way home from work, a prophet or schizophrenic or maybe an angel hollered "A criminal always returns to the scene of the crime." This has stuck with me and got me thinking about a life of routines, of places returned to with shocking regularity, of how many "crimes" I have commited in the places I frequent the most. Mainly, home and work. I'm afraid that I'm the perp of too many crimes at home, something I'm deeply ashamed of and regret immensely.

This returning happens in the memory, as well. I go back mentally to my crimes, replaying them, trying to make sense of my motivations and thoughtlessness. Crimes of yesterday and yesteryear. How did I become such a criminal? How entrapping the proverb spoken last night. He was right. I do return to the scenes.

Namaste

New Universe

2006-02-22T12:08:00.000-08:00

I stumbled onto someone's blog today while killing time before lunch, and decided that rather than just surf blogs, I should start my own. Hopefully something positive will come from this, such as an end to world hunger, a cure for toenail fungus, or eternal bliss for Brad and Angelina. Who knows. Anyway, hope whoever is reading will come back soon. Cheers.