Off to see Tara Donovan one last time

On Sunday, I ventured out to MCASD Downtown. I wanted to go see Tara Donovan's exhibit one last time. Her use everyday objects in her art are phenomenal, she brings out the richness, depth, and texture in huge form. Some materials that she uses- Scotch Tape, Mylar film/tape, pins, toothpicks, straws, buttons, tar paper, plastic cups, styrofoam cups. I snuck a few no-no pics. The exhibit closes on February 28th. I wonder how they will get all these sculptures out of there in one piece. 

See and download the full gallery on posterous

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Beautiful Day Today

I ventured back outside today. I am not an advocate for the cold. This morning, I jogged/walked the trail at Lake Murray. Good to see lots of people enjoying the day boating, walking, jogging and skipping stones. I love San Diego. 

See and download the full gallery on posterous

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Happy Anniversary to Me

I knew February was a good month. It's my dad's birthday (5th), my son's birthday (17th), Chinese New Year (Any new year is a good year), President's day (happy birthday to my $1s and $5s),  good ol' Valentine's day (as hubby would say it-a nice manufactured feel good holiday) and the most important day of February- my twitter account anniversary.

In a year (and a some odd days) and over 2,700 tweets later, I have managed to make lots of priceless friendships (you know who you are). I have discovered the land of Social Media (thanks @bcarroll7). I went to BlogWorld (discovered more social media folks). Went to BarCamp San Diego (discovered smart cookies that use the computer in ways I find unthinkable). Went to lots of tweet-ups both educational and just plain fun. Rediscovered the gift of giving. Lastly,  I have discovered lots of new things about me- I like interacting, engaging, caring and finding out about new things. So how long have you been tweeting? 

1 year, 1 week, 1 day, 17 hours, 53 minutes, 14 seconds
Feb. 6, 2009 via howlonghaveyoubeentweeting.com/

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Just do it.

Sunny Bates on Linchpins, Passion and Fear from Seth Godin on Vimeo.

I liked this video! Very inspiring...I guess I should just do it, like Nike says.

My Superbowl Memories 2010

Ahh, the Super Bowl, what entertainment you bring year after year. The game itself, Meh- but I was happy that 2 former San Diego stars got their ultimate dream. I was more entertained in the commercials. I noticed my brain cells slowly dying as each second passed by watching these bits of stupid. I did encounter a few thought provoking keepers (see below). And, I did encounter some creepiness (seals personified, talking babies, dogs taking off their own bark collars and putting them on their owner, underwear wearing office environment & more). Never mind the product. After seeing these commercials, Pepsi may have done something smart with their ad budget.  

What life could be like in 20 years

I don't think I would buy this car but what the message of this commercial stuck with me. 

Someone is going to replicate this commercial

I can see it now- Sock Monkey Costumes and Robots doing silly things in Vegas. Great halloween ideas await. 

Clever Google

Top of mind Google, my search engine of choice. No silly tricks, just a good demo catered to me - a' la francophile. My eyeballs were glued.

What were your top-of-mind Super Bowl commercials? 

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It's a bird, it's a plane, it's....

Last Friday night, a group of girls and @NBCphotog decided to hang out at a trapeze school in Del Mar. Since it was my hubby's b-day, I decided to make it a family event. After the "grown-ups" took their flights, they opened the trapeze up to the kids. Shockingly, my kiddo decided to fly like the rest of us. It was a blast. Thanks @circusfund and @iizliz for taking video.

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Amazing

Props to these inmates. I have no rhythm compared to them.

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Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?- My musings

I just finished Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? by Seth Godin. This book talks about being the Linchpin (The pin that holds things together). If you are a Linchpin you become indispensable because you are that factor that keeps things going, growing, gripping in your job or life. You become an artist who gives gifts because you are self-less and have that certain je ne sais quoi. Seth Gives numerous examples of real-life Linchpins and goes so far to say there are two kinds of workers- The Cog (a worker who does simple tasks with direction) and the The Business Owner (who wants people to be cogs so they can make the most profit). Do I want to be Indispensable- YES, ABSOLUTELY. I let my previous jobs go and didn't have the passion anymore to keep everything together (therefore dispensable). This is an eye-opening book- I related to the sections about the resistance, how the lizard brain takes over and the disconnect I had to my previous job (lack of passion- lack of being that artist). Because of reading this book: I plan to throw out my resume, I maybe proficient in those things on my resume but most of it is not who I am. I have been all over the map throughout my adult life because I wasn't mapping, I was just following paths that were given. Now is the time to sit and map out my own life. I am not going to map out what makes the most money or what is a quick fix today. I need to map out what will stick with me in the long run, do what I love to do, become happy with life again, give selflessly and without expecting something in return and become fearless. Things that will make me a Linchpin AKA Indispensable. Time for me to go to work now. Read this book and you know what I am talking about. Keys: More Cowbell, destroy your Lizard Brain, defy resistance.

Changing Your Twitter Name

I decided to change my Twitter name (AKA Twitter handle) from @jboydsandiego to @JenBoydSD. I did this because I thought it was time. I want people to identify me by Jen or Jennifer not just J, also I wanted to cut a few characters off my twitter name (you only have 140 characters to compose your message). Word out there is that some obsolete names will be re-released to Twitterville, so there may be a slew of new name changes coming. 

Here are some steps you should take after you change your Twitter name:

• Remember your name- say it a least 5 x to yourself, so you avoid identity crisis (like I had this morning).
• DM your closer friends your new name.
• Announce it to Twitterville (but remember to type in the right handle, I went type happy and combined my old and new with the wrong name altogether). So I had to announce it again.
• Change all your information in your blogs, Facebook accounts, website wherever you have your old twitter handle mentioned. 
• Be aware of all the collateral pieces your Twitter name is on- Business Cards, Pamphlets, etc. Those pieces will become obsolete (Luckily, I only have a few business cards left).
• Create a search column for your old name so you don't miss @ mentions. You do this just in-case someone identifies you by your old twitter name.

Other things to know: 

• Lists you are on will automatically change your name so you don't have to worry about having to create again or being left off someone else's list. 
• If someone tries to DM you using old twitter handle- it will not go through it will bounce back on their end.

If I am missing something, please leave a comment.  AND I promise I won't change my name again for a while.

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Another way to donate to #Haiti

Paste Magazine has set up a donation site called "Songs of Haiti", upon donation they will let you access a library of songs to download, some of the artists are: Ludacris, Switchfoot, Kevin Barnes (from Of Montreal), Andrew Bird, Marco Benevento, Sarah Borges, Bruce Cockburn, Jason Isbell, Bill Mallonee, Mugison, Sila and the Afrofunk Experience, Wovenhand, Xiu Xiu, Arrested Development, Ben Folds, Bob Mould, Cee Lo Green, Cowboy Junkies, Emmylou Harris, Indigo Girls, Josh Ritter, Marc Broussard, Mark Kozelek, The Greencards, Matthew Sweet, Of Montreal, Passion Pit, Patterson Hood, She & Him, The Avett Brothers, Dan Dyer, The Decemberists, The Jayhawks, The Minus 5, The Low Anthem, Wovenhand, Willard Grant Conspiracy, Jill Andrews and The String Cheese Incident. (Note: Some of these songs are from the “Save Paste” campaign.)

To donate, go to http://www.pastemagazine.com/songsforhaiti. 100% of money contributed through “Songs for Haiti” will be spread among three charities active in Haiti: Doctors Without Borders, Red Cross, and Wyclef Jean’s Yele Haiti Earthquake Fund.

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I want one of these

I want  a Chumby

photo credit: chumby.com

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Marketing 101

So what makes a business succeed? Text books usually say to start by using Marketing 101 Principles to make a business prosper. We learn in Marketing 101 about the 4 P's- Combination of Product, Price, Place and Promotion. But they forget the most important P of all People. What they say is true- You must have the 4P's to become a viable player in your industry. But in order to sustain your market share you must create the relationship, as well as knowing the product, price, place and promotion. If you are lucky enough to be the front-runner or one of the leaders in your business, here are some tips: be respectful, be humble and know your place because it is easy to slide and fall to the wayside. Customer service, promptness, showing that you care are human traits that add to the purchasing experience. It adds that extra touch and shows that your business cares. So what are people waiting for? Create a great People experience.

This or That

I am looking for a job. Yes, it is time. I need that responsibility in my life, that human interaction, knowing I still have skills. The question that I have been getting way to often- where do you eventually see yourself? Or where do you see yourself in 5 years? I guess I never fully looked into this other than I hope I win the lottery and sit on an island sipping margaritas all day. So really, what do I want to do? Do I want to have a career where I am successful, am well known in my field, have some meaning to what I do? Or do I want to just fidget and make widgets? I guess I will need to really answer this sooner than later. It is a burning question for them and I guess now for me. Also, I have the pocketbook and the family to think about in a more serious manner. My husband just got a pay cut, along with me not working, this is no bueno. I have to admit, before we did spend on necessities that were not needed. I spent $4 a day on a white mocha. Now I drink the instant stuff and it isn't as good but it is something. That is about $1 vs. $4 a day. I have cooked practically every single day in 2010. I think my signature dish is fried rice, and it probably costs me about $3 in ingredients to feed the whole family. My kids and hubs love it, I am ok with it. When I was too busy to cook, I would spend upwards to $30 on one meal (take-out). By all means we are not in the red yet. We didn't get that pool that we wanted before the economy went to crap or upgrade to our dream house when we both had full-time jobs. These decisions would of put us up sh*t creek. I am reading this book on living simply, practicing this philosophy on life means staying away from the malls/stores, itunes, Amazon and my choice money drainer Target. Having a list of basics of food/staples and sticking to it. I am still being social and going out to select things. I still belong to the MCASD so I get invites to their receptions and belong to my twitter/social media groups. But this year, unfortunately, you won't see me tweeting about delicious dinners at fancy restaurants or buying new technologies (I really want a web-based phone someday). But really, I am ok with that. I am grateful with what I have and am enjoying my family life in the process. Hopefully, I will be able to share our family vacation (generous mother-in-law x-mas gift) to Mexico in the beginning of March. But that is my This or That choice. The cruise is booked but I need to get on with life. If things happen, things happen. It is this or that.

Month of Changing

January is the start of my little life changes. 2010 will definitely be the year of change.

-I started watching my movie a day project for 2010. I have learned to watch a movie and think about what I thought about it and record my movie and thoughts via blogging on amovieaday2010.wordpress.com. This blog is still a learning process because I still don't know technical terms for movies. It has been cool watching a movie I may or may have not watched otherwise.

-I have been eating better. No fast food, cooking more, going to farmers markets for some of my food. I do feel a difference, hopefully, this makes for a better life in 2010.

-I still am doing Toastmasters. It is a love/hate thing. I need those motivators to help me improve public speaking. Yes, I still dread getting in front of people and speaking. A fear that goes back to grade-school. I rather have my pet hamster bite me 20 times than do a speech sometimes. It is that bad, but I am getting there. I am actually getting more comfortable so I am glad I spend my Saturday mornings there.

Still Improving

-Still need to be social. Haven't been to a social gathering in 2010. I plan to start this upcoming week and go to a few things. I even signed up for a trapeze lesson to learn something new with 9 others of course.

-Continuing to spend more time with my family. Lots of trips to the dog park. Will also try to go on bike rides, I just need to make that helmet purchase.

-Living more economically. I am reading this book called The Simple Living Guide: A Sourcebook for Less Stressful, More Joyful Living by Janet Luhrs. It has been an eye opening experience. I picked the book yesterday off my shelf (I've had for over a yr. but never really read it). This is a book I should of read/practiced a long time ago. By all means I am not about to go live out of a motor home to save money or grow my own food like some people have in this book. My goal is to stop and think about my purchase patterns in the past and improve upon them. I don't need my $4 Starbucks each day instead I make my coffee during the week and have a mocha as a treat once or twice a week. Instead of going to Barnes and Noble or buying a book on Amazon, I have been checking out books from the library. I can't do this for every single book but for many it has been working and saving me shelf space in the process. I still need to work on the shopping thing some more, but I think what will work is not to go to browse at all. The temptation is still there for me. Purging things, I recently cleaned out over 10 years worth of clothes/purses(mostly career clothes) and gave them away to AmVets. We also shut off our HBO and SHO for the moment. No Big Love for me (will catch up later). I am still reading the career choice portion of this book and still working on my life passion. I am still contemplating all my choices. I know in a few months I will decide and get there. The book also says to travel more to experience life (Not the Four Seasons way unfortunately). I like this chapter and will definitely practice this more(putting what I save from not eating out and coffee towards this).

So these are little/big changes in my life. Progression is the key and I think I am getting there.

Dreams of CES

This is awesome, everything will be smaller, thinner, compact, faster, smarter and in 3-D. Watching CES from the sidelines. Good to see this new technology coming out for 2010!

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One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish Blue Fish

A bit of "zen fun"

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Busy 2010 so Far

I still have Sunday. I wanna go to the Hillcrest Farmers Market and go to my first yoga class of the year. So far I have done these things:

-I saw Nine at the theatres. I liked it, I need to compare to original musical- just couldn't get Daniel Day-Lewis as an Italian but I can get past that. If anyone should of been on the posters it should of been Fergie, her musical number/character was kick ass. -Friday nt. saw Transformers, Revenge of the Fallen on Blue Ray, stupid movie but was entertaining. -Of course, Saturday morning was spent at Toastmasters, I even created @satsavants twitter acct. (New VP of PR there) -After Toastmasters, I went to monthly book sale at Library scored some books for family (Hitchhikers trilogy, 2 Dan Brown Novels and some beginning readers). I checked out three books/cd for myself: Book on Interior design in Paris, The Lovely Bones and a french phrasebook cd for ipod. -Took dogs to dog park, to roam for about an hour. -Cooked chinese food for family- fried rice, potatoes and chicken dish (like my mom made for me) and white rice. -Folded a mound of clothes while watching 'One Crazy Summer' on TV

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My Sort-of-Resolutions

I am not sure if resolutions work so I will make some sort-of-resolutions. Not total promises but just some thoughts to put in front of my mind for 2010.

1. Run One 5K- Already signed up for this in April. Something to look forward to.

2. Start going to gym when I drop of kids to school, I need that extra motivation not to return home from dropping them off. It is usually a mile and a half 3-4 times a week.

3. Pursue my amovieaday.wordpress.com project. One movie a day for 365 days, I did 2 movies today. So I guess I can bank "Transformers, Revenge of the Fallen". Crappy Movie with Special Effects.

4. Eat healthier, try to hit the farmers market more. Cook more

5. Try to use coupons if possible. I don't bother to collect or look for them. Maybe, I can save money to travel more.

6. Think about buying stuff. Do I really need that shirt, trinket, stationery, cute on sale thing at Anthropologie/Urban Outfitters? Where will it be in six months? I know this may work for some things but not others.

7. Go to the dog park more. Dogs need exercise too...
8. Go out once a week with friends/or have them come to me

9. Clean off desk once a week so it doesn't build up and I won't become one of those people on Hoarders.

10. Time Management- Read, Watch, Internet, Learn.

11. Enjoy Life- don't obsess about having to find a job that I will dislike... accept my life as a consultant, Stay-at-Home Mom, Volunteer.

Ring in 2010!

New Decade, New Year, New Outlook...
2010 will be for learning

2010 will be for having fun

2010 will be for interaction

2010 will be improving on myself and being myself

2010 will be for NOT feeling sorry for myself

2010 will be for planning and doing

2010 will be for giving

One Day Left

One day left of 2009. Won't miss you baby. But I did have some highlights, both good and bad.

January- Got to see my grandma in Yuma. Saw my friend's band Black Heart Procession at the Casbah (first time at the Casbah).

February-Start of the decline of my former company.

March- Started posting on twitter, just playing around experimenting.

April- A lot of depressing stuff going on at work. I did find use for youtube though.

May- Finally got laid-off (blessing in disguise- maybe). Lots of thoughts on Paris and changing my life.

June-Airborne Toxic Event (Event), that was a fun night, met the band for the first time. Anthology is a very cool venue. Got a new dog Lola, she was a rescue from the Camp Pendleton Animal Shelter.

July-Went to my first-ever Tweetup, VIP treatment. As glamourous as it sounds, it wasn't. No talking with Shawn Merriman, but I did meet some friends IRL. Entering the Social Media Whirlwind started re-learning at UCSD for a class taught by Becky Carroll. Great times. My sis visited an i went to the San Diego Zoo. Went to see Horsies and Airborne Toxic Event again.

August- Saw Airborne Toxic Event yet again on the roof of the Hard Rock Hotel. I guess I had a summer fetish with Airborne Toxic Event. Two of the Three events were radio-sponsored. I am not sure how I got to attend these, but I did. 4-day Road Trip: San Diego-Palm Desert-Camarillo-San Jose-Camarillo-San Diego. Lost my cat (she was 9)...She wandered somewhere and didn't return :(

September- Yee Haw, I went to Dallas for a wedding. Saw Kathy Griffin Live.

October- Ahh, Regina Spektor Piano Goddess- saw her at HOB. BlogWorld in Las Vegas, what a fun group of people- can't wait till next one, Halloween is always fun, Saw some oldies with Elise at Jack's Fourth Show

November- David Sedaris (got to see him), Gary Vaynerchuk (got to meet him too), Thanksgiving with my folks up north. Nice road trip.

December- Nice quiet month for celebrating the holidays. Ready for 2009 to be over and focus on all the good things to come in 2010. I am fortunate to have despite the few setbacks. They say good things come to those who wait.

Picking and Choosing

Another job interview today, interesting to have been on my umpteenth interview in a lifetime. Everytime I enter the room, the first things I always wonder are: Is this person going to like me? Am I gonna wanna work here? Is this my existence worth being here 8 hrs. a day? Sometimes I think "I love you already but you don't even know me" or "Jesus, am I really going to try to get a job here." In a way interviewing is like dating. Do you like me? Do you want to be my friend? Want me to introduce you to my family? "If I like you, I will call you," they always say. Better yet, I will e-mail you if I like you and want another date but either way, I will let you know that either "I am into you" or "I just am not into you." Today, it was really hard to read my date (interviewer). I am not sure if I am going to go out on that "second" date or not. "It would be nice to see you again", I say, "call me if you want to introduce me to your family." Dating* Sucks. 

*Dating Aside- Obviously, I need a job. I have a real "family" to support after all. But if all else fails, I can write about my job interviews as I were going on dates. Maybe someday I will get married to a job. 

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Christmas Time Memories 2009

Just a few moments this holiday season. It was a memorable Christmas in San Diego.

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My Facebook Statuses for 2009

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January.pdf (124 KB)

Kind of fun reading these all in a row. Great recap of my thoughts for 2009. Will be fun to see my thoughts in 2010. Happy Holidays! Jennifer

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Going Minimalist

It is all about content they say, I sure hope so, I have been playing with my blog template and cannot find one I like. I know I have my ideal design, but right now it is all in my head. They say, don't procrastinate...just do it. So I am doing it with content. Spending more time writing less time designing IRL. I still design in my head. Baby steps.

Year in Review in 9 days

I have 9 days to write this post. It will be 2010 soon, every year I think that the next year will be better. I sure hope so. This year kinda sucked but I tried to make lots of lemonade. Yes, I am hoping 2010 will be better. Here are the pros and cons of 2010: Well start with cons first then pros (End off with a good note).

Cons:
- Lost my job
- Haven't replaced my job yet
- My mouth is like a sick puppy, needs caring for all the time (Gum issues)
- Less money for vacations, crap that ends up in my garage

Pros:
- Still have my health
- Spend more time with family
- Got Lola a new dog (probably wouldn't adopted her if I still had my job)
- Joined Toastmasters to conquer my public speaking fear
- Started conversing/engaging on Twitter, met some IRL friends out of this
- Learning loads in Social Media- Got to meets some good role models IRL
- Not as stressed from work
- The gym became my friend and not my enemy
- Did a tiny bit of travel- San Francisco, 3-day cruise to Catalina Island and Ensenada, Las Vegas, and took a mini-road trip going to San Jose on the 101.

Late Night Snuggie Post

I will admit, I love my Snuggie, I was skeptical at first (this was over a year ago) but as soon as I got mine, I was hooked. I got it as a gift from my mother-in-law. We received four burgundy Snuggies, one for each family member, but I am the only one in my family that uses their Snuggie (so I guess I technically own 4). I wear my Snuggie around the house, haven't ventured out in public (yet) like some have (guy on dance floor in Vegas). My husband doesn't appreciate it when I wear my Snuggie when snuggling with him, he finds it a bit disturbing when I come to bed draped in cheap, fleece material. I am not picky when it comes to warmth, I am ok wearing a oversized fleece mess.

I don't find the Snuggie to be the next peacoat, but it does work as a nice oversized robe. My dogs even chewed holes in one of my Snuggies and that seems to be my favorite one (the holy one). The material isn't the best, but it keeps me warm. I highly recommend this product even though there are better quality ones out there- Nuddle, Slanket, Brookstone NAP. I endorse Snuggies for people. I don't endorse Snuggies for Dogs, Blythe Dolls nor I endorse Snuggies for Trolls. 

Photos by absolutelysmall (Blythe doll Snuggie seller) and beckynot (Troll Snuggie seller)

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The Sing-off

I tuned in to "The Sing Off" a reality/talent singing/A cappella style show on NBC. First off, I had no idea what to expect, I only saw the commercial a couple of times (thanks to the magic of DVR). The first thing they did was bring all the groups out to sing a song together. I was a bit confused but then I got it. They were all competing to be the best A cappella group on TV. A few thoughts on the show:

 

-       Ben Folds- Umm, he is genius. Didn’t know he was a judge on the show before watching (shocked to see). I love his music (Bitches ain’t shit, Cologne, Jesusland, Smoke, Battle for who could care less) I didn’t know he was so in-tune to music theory. He understood the voice intonations, he explained why things worked and didn’t work. Good choice NBC. His tour t-shirt needs to now read. I heart Ben Folds before he sucked, but now he redeemed himself and is a singing judge. (I own his tour shirt)

 

-       Boys II Men Shawn Stockman- Nice sweater. I wanna see a B II M reunion on this show. His judging was on the nice side, but respectable.

 

-       Nicole from the Pussycat Dolls- Huh? Are you taking what Paula is taking?

 

-       Humanizing these singers, I liked the stories before the group sang. People have challenges but they aspire doing what they love despite hardships. Excellent message.

 

-       I don’t like the comparison to Glee/American Idol. Glee is a different type of show, the singers rehearse, record then lipsync. Glee is a comedy not reality. Glee isn’t all A cappella. The only thing they have in common is group singing. Because of Glee,  the Sing-off contestants need to be careful on song choice. My brain loves the Glee Soundtrack and when you sing Somebody to Love, that is what I am going to want to hear (Glee Cast) The Sing-off isn’t American Idol either, yes the singers are off key but there are no silly antics leading up to the competition.

-       My favorites/thoughts of the night…Beezulbub group. Love they made a human van and sung at the same time (something Glee show should do- A whole show on Beatles music). Also, if you sing a song that was on Glee, it better be a better rendition, which it wasn’t (Socal Group). Not loving the faux hawk on the Mormon girl lead singer but she can screech out a tune. The Barbershop ladies in red-they were cute and there were only four of them, they remind me of the Red Hat society. The guys from Puerto Rico- I liked that they put a spin on the Jason Mraz song, made it their own (they could of butchered it, but they didn’t). It is all about performance at the end.

 

-       I know I couldn’t do any better. I am not one to watch shows with Nick Lachey (ex- Mr.Jessica Simpson), but I will make this one exception. Good Clean Fun/Good Luck to all. 

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Baby Mantras to live by and The Adult Version of Pin-the-Tail on the Donkey

I went to Thread San Diego Today. Three words to describe:  Inspiring. Uplifting. Defining.

Artists doing what they love. Here are two of my finds today:

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The Real Job Hunt is about to begin

I have to admit, I have enjoyed my run as being a SAHM. It has been therapeutic and rewarding to watch my children grow up before my eyes and have no distractions of the 9 to 5 grind. But being a SAHM unfortunately doesn't pay the bills. My challenge is monetizing my thoughts and insights. I have a gazillion ideas but they all go in every which way. I want to work in art, i want to work in marketing, I want to work in social media, I want to work in France or at least travel to France (don't know French too well), I like going to see live music so maybe I want to promote music, I want to help homeless people get back on their feet. I obviously need a plan, some patience and maybe a crystal ball.

People Sure are Dedicated

Yes, I like Adam Lambert's voice, I like his theatrical presence and that he is authentic. I am not a diehard fan, but I did get to hang out with a bunch of them this afternoon. I had the opportunity to take my daughter to see Adam dedicate his American Idol Finale outfit to the Hard Rock Hotel. I spoke with a few of them and some were camped out since 8am just to get a glimpse at the action. 

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I Suck at Gift Giving

Confession, when it comes to gift giving I suck at it. I just bought myself a Paul Frank Hoodie with built-in earbuds and a coffee cup from Starbucks today. I did buy a friend a doodle book yesterday but I was tempted to start coloring in it. Yes, the holidays are for being charitable, being with family and counting your blessings. But all the ads, deals, excessive word-of-mouth on gadgets/books/knick-knacks gets me every time. Tis the season for overbuying. I need to stop this 2 for me - 1 for you ratio formula for gift-giving. It really should be 0 for me - 30 for you (I don't really NEED anything).  As for the hoodie I ordered, I will find it handy to have built-in earbuds for my old-school ipod (till I accidently wash it). Then may be I can buy that new ipod Nano (so colorful). Enjoy the pics.

photo credit and where to buy:
ipod nanos-apple.com
paul frank hoodie - Karmaloop.com
Doodle a year - Mcasd.org

See and download the full gallery on posterous

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Flash Mobs are Cool

I especially like train stations, open spaces, museums. A Universal Love...as you can see by the various cities that love to do a random dance.

For your viewing pleasure, here are my favorite Flash Mob dances:

 

Sound of Music incorporated in a Flash Mob. Yodalay-Yodalay-Yodalay hee hoo...

 

Even corporations turn Flash Mobs into commercials

 

Can't leave out MJ's Thriller

 

Museums in Paris have flash mobs too

 

 Even Oprah doesn't know that she was flash mob punk'd

 

Oldies but Goodies

 

 

 

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The Hottest Toy of 2009- Zhu Zhu Hamsters

I saw these Zhu Zhu critters on the shelves in September, fully stocked and ready to be taken home. At the time, I didn't care to have one of these fake rodents in my house. Still don't, but I am curious on the mayhem, these little mechanics are about to stir. Disclosure: I own a "real" hamster, which doesn't have an off button and it stinks at times, why would I need a fake one?  So I passed up the chance to get my hands on the "Hottest Toy of 2009". Shucks, I always do that ( a chance to buy in bulk and charge people 5,6,7 or 8 times the retail amount).  I could of cashed in for the sake of those poor parents trying to fulfill their kid's holiday wish. Retailers are counting on Black Friday to have this toy hamster bring in the masses. On Black Friday, Toys R Us is planning to have a lottery to have a chance to buy one of these $10 electronic fur balls . Heck, this beats buying them on the black market for $60 each. But is my headache worth $50, probably not. My prediction, one year from now that little $10 or $60 fake rodent will be on the bottom of someone's closet (Hammy or Hamlet can be friends with Tickle me Elmo and Furby). Can I add there are accessories too- playhouses and trails with add-ons, hamster balls, skateboards. Add about $20-$100 extra dollars (for retail) to this mix, closer to $200-$500 for black market fulfillment. Holidays fun yet? It hasn't even started, it isn't even Friday yet.  P.S. if you see one of these things send one my way, my kid "kinda" wants one this Christmas. 

PPS. Have a Happy Thanksgiving and don't stress out. Family or Friends rules out woes (Thankful for great people)

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Team Edward

I have to admit, I do like the Twilight series, it gives people the chance to swoon over something positive in their lives. There are too many crappy things going on in the world. Why not escape in a good fantasy movie like New Moon.  They make fabulous merchandise for the movie, isn't that what it is all about the merchandise? My key find are these Team Edward T-Shirts. I am thinking about getting them for my family members. Why? Because Edward is the name of my husband not because I am a New Moon fan (but I can pretend).

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Parent-Teacher Conference

Highlights...Looking at E's work of her hand-drawings of a cartwheel demonstration and balloon sayings "I don't feel so good" (girl upside down) and her drawings of her cheeseburger cravings in gymnastics.  Overall a good PT meeting. I am glad that there are caring teachers out there.

Another edition of How am I?

I am doing just great from the standpoint of my health, my family's health, love from family and friends. Still wanting to get to Paris, France sometime soon. I still am employable, just haven't found the right gig yet.

My list of desires in a position:

*Flexible (from the time I am writing this post Graveyard may do too)
*Use of my brain (Social Media Marketing preferably)
*Close to my house (Preferably in my house)
*Pay would be wonderful (enough to save to retire when I am 65 but will settle on paying my bills)
*If I must work out of my house and have to work during the day, doggie's to work would be nice.


That's all on the job situation. It is approaching Thanksgiving. I will be thankful that I get to be happy everyday of the week. My mind has been meandering but I am getting there. Lots of family roller coasters but the train hasn't fallen off the track yet. What is broken can be fixed. This is what I am thankful for this year.

No Running in Target Either

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Black Friday out of control- Really?

Did people just now find out that the lottery system is the way to go with the Black Friday Bunch? Crazy people getting up at the crack of dawn for crappy electronics, game systems that are not hard to get anymore and free snowglobes for the first 200 people. New rule for 2009- No running in Walmart. Any other rules I should know about? I wonder how Twitter will play into this crazy insane shopping day? 

http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/108137/calming-the-black-friday-crowds

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Why books won't go out of style

I own so..so..so many books. I like the look and feel of the cover and the paper inside. My grandmother owned a bookstore in the bay area and when I was little I used to marvel at all the books she had in her store. I was drawn to the vintage magazines and toys she had on her shelves. I like that you can just pick up a book and go to the page you were on. This last week, I went to two book signing events. The first book signing I went to was the David Sedaris event at the new Balboa Theatre in San Diego. David is so damn funny. He has a voice that I can listen to for hours telling me silly, offbeat stories about his family life or some satire he concocted from his vivid imagination. David is a cute little guy that drew a picture of himself in my book of him throwing up. He said he is too old for people to be taking real pictures of him, so he drew me a picture of himself. Then I told him I saw him on Letterman (YouTube Style), he then proceeded to draw chunks coming out of his mouth and told me, "that is me when I got off the stage on Letterman". The second book signing this week was a wine tasting event for Gary Vaynerchuk's book CRUSH IT! Gary has a sense of enthusiasm that makes you want to go CRUSH IT yourself. I admire his wine tasting abilities- not sure if I could pick up the petrol, beef jerky hints in wine myself but fruit hints of the wines- yes. I liked 3 out of the 4 wines which is not bad for someone who doesn't like the strong tannins in wines. Both of these events I thoroughly enjoyed and had a physical book in my hand at the end of the night. 

My point to this post is-  if books went out of style, what would we have these authors sign? Would there be a blank page for the kindle for the author to stylus their autograph? Would furniture makers slow down the production of book shelves? How about B&N, Borders and most important the indie booksellers? I understand the usefulness of a kindle for clutter relief and ease of use when traveling, but damnit, I like my books. What if my kindle fell into the bathtub? I would loose my page literally. Paper and ink wins this debate. Technology has won most of my heart but in the publishing world, I will stick to the real thing. 

 

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Ups and Downs

Last night, I went to see Regina Spektor at the House of Blues. She plays piano effortlessly. Her voice is amazing and her lyrics are offbeat yet beautiful. Her ensemble band was really good as well. Two young asian men playing bass and violin and Matt Chamberlain (drummer) who has drummed for Tori Amos in the past. Dinner at the Red Pearl was excellent. Their dishes are asian yet you would not be able to duplicate by eating anywhere else. I just have to say I love going out and having fun. Downtown wasn't busy at all, it was great to walk around without worried about the craziness of traffic and groups of people. This was my up.

Tonight is my down, lethargic evening puts me to bed at 7 pm. Throat scratchy, sneezing, getting up every few hours to put benzocane on my toothache. The seasons decided to change overnight. I am feeling a bit better, but it seems so hard to think of productivity when you are feeling like this. Life is funny like that I guess.

My picture with Chris Brogan

We are were some crazy San Diego Tweeps in the right place at the right time. I look forward to reading the book "Trust Agents". Love ya BWE09, looking forward to BWE10 - I am pictured far left.

Jack's 4th Show

Sat. Nt., I took my 7 yr. old to the Jack's Fourth Show (concert) at the Verizon Amphitheater in Irvine. Jack is a popular radio station in the LA area. I got tickets through a promotion so I thought what the heck. So E and I drove up to see Missing Persons, RATT, Eddie Money, George Clinton, Joan Jett, B-52s, Foreigner. It ended up we only say 4 of the 7 bands but for being an outdoor show, not bad. This was not her first concert, she had been to two prior concerts. When she was 5 yrs. old, I took her to see Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus and last July I took her to see the Idols Live. Both of those concerts were in her age range, not so sure this was but we went had a good time and I survived. Wasn't sure what I was thinking taking her to see a bunch of bands older than I was. But she knew some of the music from Joan Jett and the B-52s (from playing the Rock Band video game) so I wasn't too worried about her being bored. Here is my recap:

I knew Missing Persons and RATT were the first bands to come on so I took my time getting to the concert. So we ate quick dinner at a restaurant called Harpoon Henrys along the Dana Point Harbor. I had a clam chowder bowl and she had the grilled cheese. Ok for restaurant food, there were probably better places to eat out there but I was not familiar with the area.  After eating, we continued onto Irvine. When we got there and RATT was just wrapping up the song Round and Round comes on and E says I know that song. Ok, I am thinking...so much music from Rock Band and Guitar Hero is overlapping this generation it is crazy. I have tix to lawn seats (free for all in the top level, you bring your own blanket and sit wherever there is a space), we sit in front of a wall in the back, pretty much the only space for a blanket left. No one in back of us so that is good. There were a few kids I saw walking up to the lawn area so I am thinking..this concert is kid-friendly (relief in my mind). I drove an hr. and a half and I am not turning back. It kind of was kid friendly, I just wasn't sitting in that area. E and I sat where in front of us were nice people drinking beer and having a good time. We got settled at about intermission time and then Biz Markie came out and did a guest appearance which was great. He say his one hit wonder "Just a friend", old school rap and some beat-boxing. Those were memories. Then Eddie Money came out, he has some good hit songs, I totally forgot that was him that sang...Two Tickets to Paradise, Baby I'm in Love, Take me Home Tonight. But he looked and sounded like crap- the songs were good though.  E was having a good time noshing on her pretzel and cotton candy. Next up was George Clinton, he comes out and starts singing "Flashlight"- I start smelling skunk, so glad E didn't notice. George is one crazy guy, his dreads were out of this world plus one of his band mates comes out in an adult diaper. Laughter from E. "Ha ha, the guy is wearing a diaper", she alerts me. I am thinking well at least he is clothed or better yet is wearing more than a sock. E enjoys the guitar and blues riffs. I heard the people around me praising the guy in the rastafarian beanie. Great, I am thinking, he also proceeds to light a "cigarette" and I give him an evil eye- someone points to E telling him there are kiddos around. He then goes a few steps up to hide his smoke.  I am glad she didn't notice. Then is Joan Jett. She starts singing some of her unknown songs and goes into her classic songbook Crimson and Clover, Heartbreaker, finally E's favorite I love Rock and Roll. I myself can't believe I am singing this with my 7 yr. old, I remember singing this very song on the bus in first grade "put another dime in the jukebox baby". Ahhh the memories. Joan Jett was probably the best performer there and she is a rock goddess which made the trip up to Irvine well worth it. Lastly, we the B-52s came on they looked the same as in their Love Shack Video, just a tad bit older, same hair-dos. But they started with old, old songs ones I didn't recognize at all. Got to the point where E was coming down from her sugar high (or perhaps a contact high).  She did want to stay for the song Roam but it wasn't meant to be, we did hear it from the parking lot as well as my fav. Love Shack. In the sea of cars luckily, I found mine. We got home about 11pm a decent hr. considering it was out-of-town concert. Beat but glad I went so I can cherish memories reliving the 80's with my 7-yr. old daughter.

My thoughts on hate

 This is a rant.

I have seen many news stories lately on hate, religion and war. History repeats present in many forms. Wars because of religion. Hate because of religion. Wars because of Hate. Religion based on Hate. It is this cyclical mess the world cannot get out of. I tend to shy away from the news, CNN or any other source that brings news because it just isn't positive anymore. Everyone is fending for themselves. It seems the only time people come together is when there is a catastrophic event or a fundraiser/marathon/ awareness month. Right now, there is a war on what kind of healthcare America should provide. The reason why we don't have the healthcare system France, Spain or Sweden has is because there is no compassionate care in America, it is all about the bottom line. TV shows such as Grey's Anatomy are basing story lines on this, Seattle Grace can't give a test because it is $5000 and who is going to pay when the patient cannot afford? I understand that there are costs associated with healthcare and it is a business like anything else, but to be afraid to go to the dr. because of affordability scares me. I have seen bills from my son's checkup on a region and it wasn't pretty. I could of bought a used car with the 5 hrs he was in the hospital (most of the time waiting) and there were no operational procedures done.

I am no expert on War, Religion or Government Affairs, but what I do see is Hate. I have seen it when gay marriage wasn't granted legal in CA when it was already legal for that time window. Isn't LOVE of another person regardless of their gender enough?  LOVE is so hard to find these days, I myself have been through the struggles of finding LOVE. Religion has made these guidelines that it has to be between a man and a woman, because the bible told us so. I am all for religion, free belief system, that is why America has the freedom they have, but when any hate of another is involved it makes me sad.

My conclusion on hate is we live in this divided world. I am not so sure how long it will take to bring us all together but we cannot let a catastrophe or casualties in our system bring people out of their bad reasoning of the world. 

Halloween Preview

Went to Target this evening, spent about $75 on 3 halloween costumes. One complete Witch Costume and two doggie costumes. This is great (hint of sarcasm) with $75 I could get a weeks worth a groceries, but I am settling for one month of joy. You cannot buy pictures of your dogs dressed up as Frankenstewie or Lola the Princess. E is a witch this yr.

I should be sleeping

I blog best in the middle of the night or just before bed. I seem to think more openly, possibly something I wouldn't say if I was not half asleep but cannot sleep. Perhaps, i have things on my mind. Today, I slept in and didn't feel guilty, I had a massive headache so I was technically sick. If I mope around without being sick, I am unproductive but if I am sick and mope around it is alright. I guess there is logic to this, but I would like to mope around and not feel guilty about doing so being perfectly healthy. Right now, I don't even watch Oprah when it is scheduled, nor do I tune in to The Priee is Right. I would love to watch Plinko in HD and scream at the TV but I don't. I don't even schedule trips to the beach and pretend I am in Hawaii. I love my computer too much and my twitter friends. Can't afford the iphone service, so until that time comes I am glued to my home wi-fi and leave only for hour-long trips jogging around the lake or climbing the mountain. My dogs Stewie and Lola,  like my company and I like their company as well. They follow me around the house, they know when it is treat time. Lola likes her daily greenie and Stewie likes his dried chicken wrapped rawhide. Lola also likes drinking out of the hose when I am watering my plants currently on life support. This is a great partnership the dogs and I. Anyways, I really should be sleeping because right now I am just ranting.

5 pink tents

This weekend, my mother-in-law gave my daughter 5 pink tents to have a future proposed sleepover. The tents were from last yrs' 3-day walk and her friends knew my m-in-law had a granddaughter. So they decided it would be cute to give us the tents for this sleepover purpose.  My m-in-law dropped off the tents to E and she was so happy, already planning out who she was going to invite. I jokingly said "oh we can drop one off downtown", she replied quickly and mentioned her friend didn't want to see the pink tents downtown. Oh, I bit my lip hard, shut-up and left the room.

This has gotten me thinking about these tents and the homeless everytime I see them and they are still sitting on my living room floor. There is a huge homeless population in San Diego. Do we help them or ignore them? As a human being, I think the answer is to help, but obviously to many the answer is to ignore.  I would like to be helped if I were in that situation, it really isn't hard anymore to lose it all. I am now strongly considering volunteering for a homeless organization with or without the 5 pink tents in hand. What do I have to lose? I still have a roof over my head.

Lots of places and things to do

Lots of places and things to do this month, but still not working (another post, another time).  Another birthday passed by...the big 34, I think next yr. is a milestone, maybe I will actually have a birthday dinner with friends or something more than this yr. I am actually enjoying my time with the family, not so stressed out, rushing everywhere, trying to be everyone to everbody all at once. These are my top Sept. thoughts:

TEXAS
I went to Texas last week for a beautiful wedding, didn't actually set a foot in Dallas, but was about ten miles away, maybe next time. Observations:  Everyone spoke in a twang accent. If I had stayed there a bit longer, I might of even picked it up. Loved the La Madeleine Restaurant, never thought I would listen to beginner french lessons in a Texas bathroom. Another thing that grabbed me was a bbq restaurant called Red, Hot and Blue that we went to served "pitchers" individually as their glasses. 32oz of sweetness is what they called it, plus you get free refills if you wanted. I guess they do say everything is bigger in Texas.

KATHY 
Last nt., I saw Kathy Griffin Live. Her Balls of Steel tour, she mentioned tweets as twats, and had a lot of celebrity dirt stories. I think you either love her or just are plain offended. She is great in my eyes, so what if she is so wrong. Her topics last nt: Oprah, Whitney, Britney, Jon and Kate, Barbara Walters, Miley Cyrus, Palin Party, Paula, a bit on the Kanye/Taylor fiasco..and other stuff to bad to say aloud. My thoughts on her routine:  Someone has to bad mouth the celebs- why not it be her? Laughter is the best medicine they say, I got a great dose last night. The end.

FRIENDS
Old and new friends...I have my two oldest friends still around, 21 yrs. of growing up together, thick and thin. Not so hard to believe we stuck together for so long.. I wouldn't have it any other way, I love we share our differences, similarities, struggles and our achievements together. I just have to say if it weren't for them I would never have met my husband, had two wonderful kids or have fallen in love with San Diego.  I have also found new friends both in the former workplace and most recently by twittering (great cocktail party). I just have to say I have met the greatest people, everyone has a story to tell, some great ideas, many experiences good and bad. Can't wait to see the friendships grow and bloom. My thoughts on this: I never know where anything takes me anymore. May my experiences give me a great journey till Oct.

How am I

I am doing, still not "working" (I am working just not with a paycheck). I am now contemplating my definition of a "paycheck" (don't get me wrong, one of those would be nice). I want to enrich myself and work in a place that helps me grow as a person. I am not sure if one exists right now. As long as I can afford my long-term pursuits, I will keep growing as a person. My short-term pursuits have got me life knowledge but nothing sustainable for me to grow on. My enjoyments, learning more on social media and the change that is bringing to the marketing/advertising world. The old way was to advertise pay traditional media like newspapers, radio, television and magazines to get the word out either by selling product or service out and letting consumers come to you, a great one-way conversation. The new way- listening to consumers/friends/family, letting them know that you are out there and giving something to them to engage each other and talk about your product/service/life. This makes for a exponential buzz factor, transparency and real-time conversation with your audience. I am still learning technologies, there are much to be learned and new ones created everyday. That is the beauty of the industry right now, it is evolving, never a dull moment and as long as I am engaged, I will keep my ear to the ground and sponge the knowledge up. There are many groundbreaking leaders out there right now, I consider them inspiring and helpful to me. Knowledge really is a powerful thing. I hope to continue soak it up.

Two months really?

Sorry, blog I haven't touched you in over two months.  Let's see in two months, I have managed to:

1. Keep my leisurely duties with keeping house, dogs and kids
   
2. continue studying social media
   
3. had my sister and niece over for a short visit
4. Have a zoo membership because of the family visit
5. join toastmasters
6. See Airborne Toxic Event two more times and hangout for nanosecond with drummer and bassist at the roof of the Hard Rock Hotel
7. Finally drive up to the front of the Hotel Del but haven't entered yet
8. Apply for lots of jobs to find that no one cares that I like to email resumes, I am not that thrilled either that I have had five jobs in the last ten yrs., I wanna job watching Oprah and eating licorice.
9. See horsies from Turf Club, once you go turf you never go back. So horsies, I won't see you for about another yr. or so.
10. Go to the beach a couple of times. Not the many like I hoped.
11. Managed to meet new people through twitter of all places. I seem to stick with the old friends, but I gave it a try.
12. Did author a new blog on wordpress called secretsandiego

Well hope I write again before I turn another age again. About 3 wks from now.

Airborne Toxic Event- June 17, 2009

Yay! I saw them live. One of the best performances I have seen yet. I should of taken pics but was told not too. I do what I am told (sometimes) Anyways, it was a happy night. Red wine had a lot to do with it. Thank you, French House Pinot Noir.

Unpredictable

I find life unpredictable. I just found out my old friend Mike's wife was one of the journalists that was held by NK.  I do hope that justice will serve right and she returns soon to her family. It is so hard to think that something so traumatic can be so close to my heart. I am one of those people that protect their friends and family.  Don't mess with me or my friends/family. I know someone is watching up above. I find it hard for myself to wait, I cannot imagine what it is like for Mike and their little girl. I do see and appreciate my family in a new light and think that cherishing what I have is my first priority. I do see a happy ending.  Hope is my new favorite word.

Writing is theraputic

Only on blogger.  I haven't been able to put pen to paper, I write only in the middle of the night and what is on my mind or passionate about.  I need to catch up on my Getting Goop-y posts about Gwyneth's blog.  Maybe that will be my Catharsis to get my life on track again.  I am slowly getting there, I guess that why 'work' is called 'work', you work to make a living, you work to have a life, you work to make something you enjoy.  It is quite a process, I do see a light though really faint, I see it. 

Oh the changes we seek

Life is one of those mysterious things.  All the challenges, uphill battles it brings. I guess life would be one boring gesture if there were no ups and downs in life.  I take this challenge on to find what makes me happy, fulfilled.  I have to keep telling myself one journey may lead to another.  I think I am like the character Matt in Ugly Betty, always going from one thing to the next. This summer, for as long as I can, I plan to enjoy my time with my children, maybe try to volunteer for a bit. Apply to colleges for work...not sure about private sector jobs anymore, they are too elusive. Get myself out there to see if I have marketable skills for the masses.  Love the continuous weekend I am having so far, but I know that will get old knowing my trips to Europe will be scarce if I don't work.  

Today

Today, I joined the ranks of the unemployed.  I really am totally ok with it. My line of work is a dying art.  The only thing is what do you do for money?  If I had a choice and now I do, what should I do with my life now.  Things I like right now. France, french things, art....this all leads to me being a artsy Parisian.  Realistic no but anything is possible.  Truly, I need to be me.  I have been suppressing it too long. I am going to decide in the next coming weeks what is right for me. Not a job, not a career, but truly what is me.  My passion, what drives me. Not just what collects a paycheck.  I have played that game too long.  C'est la vie.  Another fork in my illustrious world of me.

Jen in Real Life

For a while, I thought things were getting brighter. This week has been a bit gloomy.  There were layoffs at work and some other stuff going down on the homefront. I don't like being depressed about things. I thought I was over that. I am over it. I just count my blessings and the things I have and feel achievement and love.  That is all I want to feel. I hate depression, economic downturns and soul taking gestures in the world.  I want and need the art around me and the greed-free idealistic aura to surround me.  I still see travels to Paris and other beautiful european cities in my horizon.  I hate being told what to do, who to fire.  I don't want to contribute to the failing economic downturn.  The end.