90s March

It's the freakin' last day of the month! Can you believe it? What is really pissing me off most is that it is April already and I am now technically 20 books behind on my vow to read 100 books this year. It's doable that I can catch up, but I really need to make an effort to start reading again. Which I have. Last night before going to sleep I read about 30 pages of this next book I am reading. It's just that now that I am back in the grind of things work-wise, it's a little harder to fins time to read. But I wil persevere, and I will do everything I can to meet this challenge. I know I will be disappointed in myself if I fail. No fails allowed! I don't know if I feel nostalgic or happy that while there is a Nor'Easter back East we are having summery weather here with temperatures today flirting with the 90s. I was told I could wear shorts but I am a little dyahe to. 

May you have the hindsight to know where you've been
The foresight to know where you are going
And the insight to know when you have gone too far.
~ Irish Blessing
  

Need You Know

Sometimes things hit you when you least expect them to. We were at at Korean restaurant this evening when, on our way out, I noticed a man eating on his own. I don't know why, but I just felt sad - for him. I don't ever want to be in the same situation, and I realize of course that he may not feel the same sadness about the situation and I may just be projecting my own feelings about his situation...but still, it just seems so sad.  And one more sign that I am acclimating here: tonight I was able to enjoy watching a fantastic episode of "The Good Wife," which means I am relaxed enough to do so. So things are slowly getting in place. And I know I am very late to the game on this, but I cannot stop listening to Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now," and yes it's almost a year old hit, but the lyrics just made me remember that feeling of being in love, of being awake at the middle of the night, and just wanting to hear someone's voice. Yikes. 

"Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do."

- Pope John XXIII

When Pipo Met Gaga

One Week

I've been here a week....and life isn't bad. It's not perfect but nothing is. Do I miss the East Coast yet? Not really, but that may come after. Reading all the reviews for "How To Succeed" make me kind of miss being near the theater community, but it's not like I don't have remote access here. I can't believe that Ben Brantley of the NYT gave it an almost-pan but on second thought, I kind of expected that from him. The rest of the reviews range from good to raves. I don't think Daniel Radcliffe has anything to worry about, as his box-office is probably solid as a rock. This evening I saw the Blu Ray of "Never Let Me Go" and it is every bit as haunting as my initial viewing of it. If anything, watching in in a smaller screen makes the story more intimate, more accessible. And the wonder that is Carey Mulligan! She is turning out to be one of my favorite younger actresses. And I don't care what anyone says, but I do think Keira Knightley is an engaging actress, and of course Andrew Garfield proves he is not a one-note performer. This is the kind of movie that stays with you long after the credits have rolled and I find myself thinking about it still. Maybe I should read the book as I am sure it is more complex and layered. 

Sura On A Saturday Night

Lazy Saturday

It's a lazy Saturday.  It's already 3:30 p.m. and I haven't done a thing, and I think I deserve this. Last night's baby shower part for Jacky wasn't as bad as I feared. Well, the fear was for naught anyway. I was being a drama queen for thinking it would be much worse, but deep inside I know it wouldn't be too bad. You would think my Friday night would be more exciting, but after the office party, I just went home, popped on a DVD, and just slept early. So as you can see, my life here is as exciting as it has ever been.  That's okay, though, as I really think I am much too old now to be doing any kind of partying. 

We all need someone who inspires us
to do better than we know how.
~ Anonymous

TGIF

Thank God It's Friday. I could really use a "real" day off. I really haven't had one of those in a while. What I mean is that I haven't had a day when I wasn't stressed for some kind of deadline. My mind has eased up a lot the past couple of days but there is still a little bit of the stress felling left over, and I just hope to get rid of that soon. Like hopefully, very soon. I plan on having a relaxing Saturday - I have some movies to watch on BluRay, I have some wine, I plan to just veg out and sleep. There is a party at work this afternoon, a baby shower, and even though I scarcely know these people I am expected, of course, to show up there and even be part of the festivities. It is a little uncomfortable, but  I know it's necessary for me to be there. Like I have a choice.

"You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover is yourself."

- Alan Alda

With This Sleep I Thee Bed

So I finally have a bed! Hallelujah! It arrived today, and I spent the whole day waiting, but it's here, no more complaining, no more stress. When it finally arrived, it was in pieces, and of course I did not buy assembly from the store. However, the two Mexican delivery boys "offered" to do it for me for half the price it would have normally cost - for about $30.00 so I just went for it because the last thing I need was to figure out how to assemble it. I am the absolute worst at doing these things, so for my money, that was thirty dollars well spent. This should be the last piece to get for now. I am nowhere near complete, but this is it, the rest can wait, and can be gotten piece by piece. For the first time, I will sleep in my own bed, and I expect to have a full night of sleep now. Fingers crossed. Back to work tomorrow, and I am kind of excited. It is so different in that there is almost no stress, and it is kind of personal for me, like I know what I am doing is really making a little bit of difference, not just making money for a multi-corporation. 

"In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins - not through strength, but through persistence."

- Buddha

Get Here

Let's try this one more time. I am here at home again waiting for my bed to arrive. I am sending good vibes to the universe so this goes through without a hitch. We temporarily got one of those inflatable beds for me to sleep on, so I am not in the most comfortable sleeping positions, so I would very much welcome getting my bed now, please. Funny because I skipped work today, or this morning anyway. I've got the life: I got to  work my first day and then take the next day off. But just let the bed get here, already, so I can get my piece of mind. I have started the laborious task of unpacking, and I am maybe halfway there, just doing it slowly, and putting stuff away as I see them. That way, I can slowly get rid of the boxes. I'll get there. Yesterday was my brother's wedding anniversary, so we went out to eat at this Southern Barbecue place called Lucille's, and it was utterly fantastic. One thing here is that there are all these great restaurants.  While I was eating, I got a text from Gabby. It seems that he had no idea that I had moved, and heard the news from, of all people, Suzy. I had told her because she mentioned that she has relatives here and visit often.  Gabby is apparently just a six hour drive away so he was so happy that I am near him now. He said that he will be here on the 15th of May for a day after he comes back from Manila, so he will definitely visit. I say, just get here!

Use what talent you possess:
The world would be very silent
if no birds sang except those that sang best.
~ Henry van Dyke
  

Life Is Funny.

Sometimes life is funny.  Today is my first official day at work here, and I get an email from another one of my old "contacts" about a position in Morgan Stanley. Hey, you are a year too late, I almost answered, but just showered to get ready. I am slowly adjusting to life here, but it's mostly good, so the process is quite enjoyable. No complaints except for the people I miss back East. Well, I don't miss them too much yet, but any day now I know it will kick in. 

"All that is needed for the forces of evil to triumph is for enough good men to do nothing."

- Edmund Burke

To Settle

Still trying to settle things, hitting minor bumps. My bed that was supposed to be delivered today didn't come in. I got a call early this morning saying that when they were loading it in the truck, they saw that it was damaged, and they need to order a new one, which should arrive Wednesday, and they cannot deliver it until some time during the day on Wednesday. So I have no choice but to just accept things I cannot change. I was going to go all ballistic, but what for. I will just stress myself.  I spent the last month trying to fight stress - no need to prolong it now. Actually, I need a massage, and have a funny story about that. There is this place nearby that looks like a nondescript massage place. I thought it was one of those Chinese reflexology places. But when I googled the name of the "spa," it turns out that it is one of those prostitution massage kind of places. I suddenly felt so dirty for even googling it. And it just goes to show how naive I am in these parts, biut not to worry, I'll be in on the sleaze real soon! (I wish)

For what I have received
may the Lord make me truly thankful.
And more truly for what I have not received.
~ Storm Jameson

My Welcome Committee

It's so nice to get such a warm welcome..

Where Do You Start

Where do you start? Well, there are a lots of things to accomplish today. Go to the new place, and start unpacking, in general. But that is not even the toppest priority. I have to get a bed. My brother was going to get one, but I didn't realize that getting one could be a complicated process - so many choices, so many price points. I told him to hold off so I could decide myself. I may turn out to be one of those people who will "try out" the bed and lay on top of it right there in the store! Never mind all the "small things" I need to get, for the kitchen, for the bathroom. I wan to start new - all my old stuff I threw away and gave away. Besides, I thought it was not worth it to pack and ship and pay for old things to be sent cross-country.  I may not get them all right away, but it's a process.  I also need to get a chest drawer for my bedroom, one that is high enough so it can serve as my TV stand. So as you can see, I am very specific in what I want. Plus, I need to do some grocery shopping. There is already water and soda in the fridge, but need to get other essentials.  A full day ahead, and this after only getting about four to five hours of sleep. I am definitely just working on adrenalin right now, and I expect a crash any...minute...now. But! Before I finish as much as I can, of course!

May raindrops fall lightly on your brow;
May the soft winds freshen your spirit;
May the sunshine brighten your heart;
May the burdens of the day rest lightly upon you;
And may God enfold you in the mantle of His love.
~ Irish blessing

Life, Rebooted.

So I look tired and sleepy, and unshaven, but I just woke up, and here it is - the first day of my new life. I am still at my brother's house because we came in late, but we passed by my new place last night, and I think I made a good decision about the place. I look forward - I am exhilarated - to the prospects of a new life. Reboot starst now!

The Big Reveal

I got this book, "Almost Perfect," as a free Amazon book for the Kindle, and thought nothing of it after.  I downloaded the Kindle for Blackberry app and wanted to read something there. This book was first to appear on the list - alphabetically, by title, so I downloaded it onto my phone and started reading it. Well, by Golly, I got so hooked, and it was a very interesting premise. A high-school student named Logan starts out heartbroken because he just got dumped by his girlfriend.  He is depressed, and then meets the new girl in school, Sage.  They find that they have chemistry from the beginning, and it seemed like the perfect situation for him - he has found the girl of his dreams. But then there's a catch, a big reveal: Sage is really a man, a "transitional" male to female transsexual.  Just like any straight boy, the thought repulsed him. But then something odd happens. He finds that he has feelings for Sage, and then realizes that real love transcends gender and sexuality. This by no means simplify the situation. Logan questions, compromises, gets angry, sympathizes. He goes through a set of emotions he didn't know he had. The author lays out a fleshed out character that is layered, and normal. And I like the way he "explains" Sage, the transsexual character. She is unapologetic, confident, but deep inside we understand all the complexities of what she feels, and her decisions. This is mostly a story that is quite difficult to read sometimes. As you can probably imagine, these characters are brought into situations that a lot of times they cannot handle. The author mostly succeeds in giving them distinct voices. The writing could be a little more sophisticated, but then I think of the intended audience of this book, teenagers, so I can't really be too critical. I was immersed in this book, and couldn't wait to find out what happened to the characters. 

BC/11

Disconnected

Sometimes you just have to listen to the Universe. We are at the hotel by the airport right now. Our flight is not until tomorrow but we wanted to stay here so we could be comfortable. After we checked in, I realized the charger to my phone was still in the house. Oh well, I guess I will not be making any long phone calls while I am here. And then I also realized that the charger to my laptop is still at home, too. I have a fully charged computer right now, but of course, have to be judicious as to how I use that energy. Maybe it's the Universe teling me to chill, relax. I think I still have a slight fever right now, and I do need some rest. So I will keep this post brief. 

Last Late Lunch, For Now...

Late lunch with Jojo today. Will miss having you close by, but I will be back before you know it...

On The Verge

Of all things to happen, now I am sick. I was feeling kinda sick and weak this morning, and I just basically spent the day resting. I have just awoken now, and feel somewhat better. Better enough, it seems, to do more packing. I don't know up to when I am going to have to do this packing, but right now I am just taking it a moment at a time, and I have to tell myself there is only so much I can do, and I am just going to let things be. I am very exhausted, and I am near the brink of a nervous breakdown. I won't kill myself - the pressure is getting to the point of it physically affecting me, and I just need to take care of myself.  I have had no television for two days now, and I am curiously not missing it too much, which begs the question of how important it is to my life now. Of course, there's a new television set waiting for me over at the new place but that's not the point. I ask myself how much do I watch: "Glee," "The Good Wife," "Modern Family" are the only shows I watch religiously, and I even sometimes forget to watch them. I am online a lot of the time, and I guess I could very well watch these shows on YouTube or Hulu. Obviously, I would need the television as I watch BluRay and DVDs, but the television part, I guess I don't need it as much as I used to. 

May you have the joy that's due you,
May the years be gracious to you,
May a blue sky smile above you,
And through all your days, God love you!
~ Irish blessing

Scratchy

Another day, another post about being exhausted. But I am almost there, and I can kind of se the finish line. I think my throat is also getting to be very scratchy, so I will pop some kind of medication very shortly. Today took another step into completion over at the new place. Direct TV came in today and everything has been installed. However, there seem to be some kind of problem with the internet and phone installations, but they made a ticket to look into it by tomorrow. Hopefully, it will be fixed by the end of the week so everything will be in place by Saturday. I just want to get back to some kind of normalcy, and I want to go back to being relaxed enough to enjoy reading. I had this box of unread box that I was very close to throwing away, but today I decided, you know what, I am going to pack it media mail - the cheapest way - and if it gets there late, who cares. If it doesn't get there, it was never meant for me to be read. So I just hope to open it there, and some of these books I have been meaning to read for years. Who knows, maybe I will. I am about two months behind in my goal of reading 100+ books this year. Hopefully, I can get back ont rack after I have moved. I expect to. One of the books I am reading now, on my Kindle, is good that I actually want to slow down reading it until I can really enjoy it. Isn't that kind of weird?

May the blessings of each day
Be the blessings you need most.
~ Irish blessing

Bangs

Winding Time

It's winding down, my New York time. Today I went to get my hair cut with Emiko and she was practically in tears. I was practically in tears, too. I told her to give me a cut that would grow nicely, and had to have my sides and back short. And I totally loved the cut she gave me so much so that I had her take a picture of it just in case someone else gets to cut my hair after, so I will have something to show them. And we had a tearful goodbye, but I know that she will cut my hair again. It may not be as regular as before - but it'll happen. I'll make sure it does. 


My brother picked up the keys to the apartment today and he said it looks fine. He said he will start bringing my boxes there, and will try to have everything inside by the time we get in Saturday. Well, technically we will probably go to the place Sunday, since we will be sleeping at their house Saturday night as we are arriving late in the evening. He said he got all the keys, and even mentioned that the parking spot is quite nice - it is literally in front of the door - not like I have a vehicle. But who knows, someday soon...

Take chances, make mistakes. That's how you grow. Pain nourishes your courage. You have to fail in order to practice being brave."

- Mary Tyler Moore

Coffee Kirk

I

Hit And Run

Yesterday, it hit me. Right there on the PATH train. I just suddenly realized that I will miss the train, I will miss the city, the city which has been good to me for 27 years. There are so many memories, and they all started to flood in front of my eyes, and I found myself crying. It wasn't a sad sort of cry, just a reminiscing kind. I think I just needed to cleanse myself of the stress, the sadness, the anxiety, the relief: everything all mixed together in one emotion, in one act. I found myself strangely scared - this is one of the biggest things I will ever do in my life, and my third big change ever. In the long run, I think I need this. Things change because they need to change. For the first time, I have started to miss New York City - the convenience of it being there, accessible to me whenever I want it, whenever I need it. 


I feel like I will never finish packing. I am still at it, but tomorrow is a "free day." I will meet Tim Kirk for coffee, and then I will get a haircut from Emiko. I wonder when she will cut my hair again after tomorrow. I know it will not be the last time, but I wonder when next. I will just have to make the best of it. 

Time is the best doctor.
~ Yiddish proverb

Radcliffe: Rad!

On paper, I thought Daniel Radcliffe was totally wrong for the lead in the musical "How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying." I mean, can you picture him as the modern-day Robert Morse? While I have never read nor seen any of the Harry Potter media blast, I knew this kid is a multi-million dollar Superstar. And the theater crowd shows a demographic that skewed young - very young. The show starts and he is greeted by a thunderous applause by an over-eager audience. I roll my eyes. My knee-jerk assessment: he is much too young for the part (or he reads young anyway) and he lacks the comedic quirk needed for the role. Can he even sing, or dance? But by the first number, he has won me over. The kid is a Star with a capital S. His singing : more than okay, a little shrill at times but nothing that wil make me run away. His dancing: surprisingly youthful, robust, and even subtly sexy.  He won me over, and I suspect that his crowd entered the theater as Harry Potter fans, and left as Daniel Radcliffe ones. 


I have some minor problems with the direction: the "Coffee Break" number fell flat, and I detested the dress in "The Paris Original" number, which kind of defeated the purpose of the song. But this is a score I love to peaces, one that I have had in constant rotation in my iPod, and one of the shows whose recorded music I have almost memorized.  So, as you can probably sense, this show is close to my heart. I thought this production gives the material justice. I had a lot of fun, and there were some stunning numbers, particularly "Company Way," "Big Ole Ivy," and "Brotherhood Of Men," the showstopper pieces that did their jobs.  And by gosh, I even got a little farklempt with "I Believe In You," proving that Mr. Radcliffe can even effectively sell a ballad.  John Larroquette is just as good, and Christopher Plank adequate enough, although I kind of miss the camp that Charles Nelson Reilly stamped in the Bud role. But gain and again, I must single out Mr. Radcliffe - this is one performance which earned its standing ovation at the end, and the crowd leapt at its feet during the curtain call. 


I may now even watch those damn Harry Potter movies!

It Gets Busier

It gets busier...and then it getts better.  This will be my busiest week in a while, but I won't be complaining. I am going to try to squeeze everything in, and I bet you I am successful. And Pipo was in town. He was sent here for business, and he arrived Thursday night, and he was in meetings the whole day Friday. We were going to meet Friday night, but schedules on both our sides proved to be very tight, so we just ended up meeting earlier. He wanted to check out Century 21. You know, there's a part of me that's wanting to get one last Century 21 shoe for the season, but I looked around and couldn't find one I liked. Maybe I will come back sometime during the week because we were just quickly checking things out. One last shoe purchase before moving? Sounds like a primo idea to me ! (Also, haven't really bought a new shoe in a looooong while, maybe a year now) But back to Pipo, he just got two things. That's how C21 is: hit or miss. Some days you don't know what to get; other times you push yourself to get just anything. Pipo got a shoe, by the way. 

"If we live out of our memory, we're tied to the past and to that which is finite. When we live out of our imagination, we're tied to that which is infinite."

- Stephen R. Covey

Pipo's Visitation

Pipo was  here for a business trip, and it gave us an occasion to catch up, albeit very briefly. No worries : we'll see each other again in three weeks. 

Dyland And Pete And Elda

Thinking Japanese

I am thinking about Japan - an 8.9 earthquake just shakes. I was still awake at around 2 am this morning when I saw it on one of my Facebook friend's status, and I immediately turned the television on. At that time, only the all-news channels had coverage. Since I knew I had to wake up this morning, I forced myself to tear away from the television to go to sleep. I knew that when I woke up there would be wall to wall coverage, and of course, there it was: every channel was fixated on this. My heart really goes out to the Japanese people affected by this natural disaster. Emiko posted on her Facebook wall that her family is ok;  I was just about to write her to ask. This, at least, is good to hear. I have an appointment with her on Tuesday for a hair cut, and I don't know when she will be able to cut my hair again. Not to make this all about me, but I want her to be in good spirits while she cuts my hair. Okay, that last sentence was essentially a joke. 

Half our life is spent
trying to find something to do with the time
we have rushed through life trying to save.
~ Will Rogers

Hillary's Conviction

I don't know why, but I just do not care for Hillary Swank. Maybe because she beat Annette Benning twice, or maybe because she looks like a horse (I don't have the same problem with SJP) but just something about her bugs the shit out of me. And remember I was telling you how I haven't been relaxed enough to watch a movie? Well, last night I put my Netflix Blu-ray of "Conviction," and I actually finished the movie, and am very glad I put it on. It's your standard feel-good true story biopic, with Hillary Swank starring as a woman who moved heaven and earth to prove her husband's innocence. And I must say, she gave a stunning performance as Betty Walker. I would normally not give her the due, but she earned this one. And it is directed by Tony Goldwyn - yes that handsome actor, one and the same. The standout performance in the movie, though, is not Hillary's but Sam Rockwell. He give a fearless, sometimes unsympathetic, turn and he should have been nominated for an Academy Award. Even Juliette Lewis' small role did not stop her from giving an unforgettable screen presence, and if I remember correctly, she got a Golden Globe nomination for it. I give the movie a thumbs up. You know that for me to recommend a Hillary Swank movie it must be pretty good. For the record, I still cannot stand her, and still think she looks like a horse. 

Thirty Eight Pounds

Gee, I am exhausted. I feel like after the move, I would need a  vacation. But, better things in the end, better things. I vacillate between packing, shipping, and staring at the wall. And I can't relax, I wake up in the middle of the night sometimes in a daze. I have even tried watching a movie, or reading, but my mind just cannot concentrate enough to comprehend. And because of all this, I am getting cranky. I just need to focus a little bit, and not fall apart at this later stage. It's almost finished. I decided that on the night before we leave, I am going to get a hotel room near the airport so it would be a lot less stressful for my Dad. For the elderly, any kind of change is stressful, and I want for him to be as comfortable as possible. There are so many things to think about right now, and I am scared I will miss something. But I just have to be kind to myself, I can only do so much, I am trying as hard as I can. I shipped today a box full of photo albums, and I am just so happy I have always been the type who took pictures - I have documented a good part of my life. It was good to see photos from our European Tour in 1990 - my last trip with my mom. ANd all the reunions with the gang - starting from the Palm Spring reunion, and the numerous LA and SFO sojourns - they were all there. When I weighed the box, it was 38 pounds of photographs, and I even took the pages out of the heavy photo album binders. A lifetime of memories weighed at thirty eight pounds. 

When it comes to changes,
people like only those
they make themselves.
~ French proverb
  

To Catch A Thief

Remember my plight about the missing Prada Box of CDs?  Well, when we were at the Secaucus Post Office yesterday, I casually mentioned it to the postal clerk, and today when we went back there to mail more boxes, said postal clerk (named Denise) gave me a business card. It is of a gentleman who is a "postal investigator." Apparently, what I got was very weird, and he now wants me to talk to him, show him the letter I got, and he wants to investigate what happened to my package. What a pleasant turn of events. While I do not hold hope that they will find my discs, it would be nice if they could give me some sort of explanation as to why what happened did happen, and did my Prada box cause for it to happen. I know this sounds like one bug mysterious murder case, but it is what it is. I heard that these post office workers take their jobs and titles seriously - they are an extension of the Federal government, after all. 

"The world is as you perceive it to be. For me, clarity is a word for beauty. It's what I am. And when I'm clear, I see only beauty. Nothing else is possible."

- Byron Katie

Just Around The Corner

Spring is just around the corner, indeed. So many things on the planning stages.  I haven't even moved and I am already getting house guests! It looks like around the weekend of April 9th, Pipo will be visiting, and then Gio shortly after. Unfortunately, Jeff will not be able to join up because they have a product release around that time. And now I just found out that Pipo will be here this weekend, albeit very briefly, for a business trip.  He will be here Thursday night, and then leaving on Saturday. He is unsure what his exact schedule will be, and if we do meet up, it just might be very quick. And then now, Jeff has an idea of going to Paris for Memorial Day weekend. And of course, I have not totally decided if I would join my cousins on their Med cruise. So many things, so many choices, enough to drive a person crazy. I guess everybody is having spring fever right now. The weather is a little nicer here, and my brother was telling it's shorts weather already over there. Shorts weather !?! I can't even begin to imagine. 

"Things don't go wrong and break your heart so you can become bitter and give up. They happen to break you down and build you up so you can be all that you were intended to be."

- Charles "Tremendous" Jones

The Priscilla Curtain

Shredded Beef With Chinese Chili Peppers

Jojo and I had dinner at Sammy's tonight, and I realized that it is one of the things I will miss about NYC.  Aside from the fact that I love the food there, it's almost a personal place for me. I go there with friends all the time, the servers and even the owners know me. They may not literally know my name there (or perhaps they do?) but they definitely know me there as a loyal patron. I will definitely miss their Shredded Beef with chinese Chili Peppers, as I don't know of any other place which serves that: one of my favorite dishes ever. Sammy's has been such a go-to place for me that I have brought everyone there, and has been a scene for happy occasions, as well as not-so-happy ones. I feel a kind of sadness knowing I won't be able to go there whenever I want. Sure, there will be good Chinese restaurants over there, but it just won't be the same... Boy did I really construct a post about Chinese food?

Wisdom is knowing what to do next.
Skill is knowing how to do it.
Virtue is doing it.
~ Thomas Jefferson

We Three Queens

I must admit the idea of PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT wasn't very appealing to me. Another jukebox musical, I thought. There's been so many inane ones, and I always ask - is it too much to ask for original music on Broadway? But this show is a lot of fun, and part of the reason it is may be because the songs are from our "salad days." There's a lot of Madonna - she is practically canonized in this show - and a whole slew of Disco classics ("Don't Leave Me This Way," "I Will Survive") that you can't help but feel the energy of the show.  At times, it feels like an extended drag show from The Pyramid, but that's fine since they don't do these shows there anymore. It feels very 90s, when I was young, and I went out. On a purely nostalgic level this show hits a bulls eye. It is directed aggressively (I see Jerry Mitchell as a consultant) so there is never a dull moment, and the set and costumes have enough bells and whistles. Hell, there are literal bells and whistles everywhere, and lots and lots of glitter. (A cast member said that the glitter is even imported from Australia - is Australian glitter better?) They put a pink boa on top of all of this, so you can't not have fun. 

And there are great performances, too: Will Swenson, Tony Walton, and Nick Adams all gamely play their parts with gusto. I thought Swenson was just a bit too tentative, but fine enough. And Adams is sort fo a revelation - he is the best dancer in the bunch so you notice him and even though he isn't the best singer in the cast, he gets by well.  I truly was pleasantly surprised by all three of them - and a lot of chorus boys are cute. Nick Adams is great eye candy, and they show knows that - he is nearly naked for a good chunk of the show, and when he is not, it's still all cute. I think I have a crush on him. 


All in all, a fun night out.  God knows I need one fo those once in a while. 

Prejudicial

I hate to be prejudiced, but... I can't help it.  My brother alerted me to a television on sale at Dell. I agreed, yes, it's a good deal, so I wanted to order it, and sure, why not just call the 800 # to buy ? Which I did...and the call center went to... The Philippines. How did I know? The fake wanna-be-American accent was a dead giveaway. The wrongly pronounced words added to the Pinoy identity. I tried, I really tried. I gave her the model number, she fidgeted, she found it, and then told me she doesn't see the particular model on sale. I am sure it's some kind of technical glitch, because I am staring at it on my screen. She said she needed to check with her supervisor. I hang up. I just cannot be bothered, and I know my impatience is irrational, but I should have just clicked on the web site, which is what I ended up doing anyway. Could you imagine the commotion I would have caused had I told her that I would be using my brother's credit card number? I just didn't want to deal. I don't know why, but it just infuriates me sometimes, and I know it's a prejudice I need to overcome, but.... anyway, I hope the television gets delivered on time.

Up With The Rainbow

So I just read that Andy Cohen criticized the PS22 Choir, and I kind of agree with him. His comparison with "Up With People" is even apt. I remember cringing when I was watching it. I mean, I don't mind the class picture of all the winners, but please, not with those banshee children singers, and even the choice of song, "Over The Rainbow," is too pandering. I am not Mr. Cohen's biggest fan, but credit where credit is due. 


I am getting a little frustrated that I haven't been reading as much. With all the packing and everything else going on, I just have not had the time...and the mood for it. A lot of times I am just exhausted and I have to be a little bit relaxed to start reading. I last finished a book on February 10, and that is almost a month already. I read an article that people have been reading more because of eReaders, and I have always said I love my Kindle. Hopefully when things settle down after the big move, I will go back to some kind of reading routine. I only have 10 books finished out of my 100 goal for the year. I know I still have a long way to go, but still, this is a goal I really want to achieve.

"Life is a good teacher and a good friend. Things are always in transition, if we could only realize it. To stay with that shakiness - to stay with a broken heart, with a rumbling stomach, with the feeling of hopelessness and wanting to get revenge - that is the path of true awakening. Sticking with that uncertainty, getting the knack of relaxing in the midst of chaos, learning not to panic - this is the spiritual path."

- Pema Chodron,

Dark Strangers

There was a time that I was a big fan of Woody Allen.  I don't know, I just "got" his humor, and I know that it wasn't everyone's taste. It's very New York, I thought, or the New York that I was falling in love with at that time.  I looked forward to his yearly movie. But then something happened - he got tainted, and it all started with that business with hi marrying his daughter, Soon Yi. After that, or maybe because of that, his artistry became different, in my eyes anyway. Now even when he makes good movies ("Match Point," for example) there just something about them that I just don't appreciate anymore. For example, in Match Point, I couldn't help but think that he gave the role to Scarlett Johannsen because he is lusting after her. What's my point, you ask? Well, I Netflixed "You Will Meet A Tall Dar Stranger" last night and I just didn't like it. On paper, it's a Classic Woody Allen vehicle that would have been perfect for me. And it has great performances, especially from Josh Brolin (who knows exactly how to deliver a Woody Allen line) and Naomi Watts.  However, the whole thing, when put together, fell flat for me. The jokes seemed sophomoric, and the sparkle just wasn't there anymore. Maybe I have outgrown him, maybe my taste has changed, but the Woody I know isn't the same Woody anymore. 

Diz Is It

So here it is, there it goes. I booked our plane tickets today for the last leg of the movie, and it will be on March 19, about sixteen days from today. In sixteen days. Wow, that's a thought I really am getting a grasp on, although I think in a lot of ways, my mind has already checked out and moved over there. There's still some to do regarding packing, but it will be done, thy will be done. I still don't have a bed, and a television set, but everything else will fall into place. Yeah, diz is it.

From Prada To Nada

Oh, how sometimes you really cannot trust the Post Office.  I have been mailing my CDs on shoe boxes, taken out fo their jewel cases. I have been using the sturdiest shoe boxes I can find, and some of them just happen to be Prada shoe boxes. Well, it looks like one of the boxes have been tampered with, because I got a notice today, with the adress notes and stamps in a small envelope today, saying the parcel has been found with just the labels. I suspect it was because someone thought there were expensive Prada shoes inside, and of course the postal employee "inspected: them. What a bunch of crooks. The least they could do was put the thing back together when they found that there were only jazz vocal CDs inside. I mean, really, would they be truly interested in Jo Stafford music CDs? I just hope that there weren't any real rare stuff in that box if, indeed, it has gone to the skies. Speaking of going to the skies, John Galliano. Yes, he is brilliant, but like all brilliant artists in the world, they cross thin lines between sane and crazy. But, it is not an excuse for ant-semitism. There are a lot of gays defending him, obvious fans of his work, but I do wonder if they would be as defensive had he gone on an anti-gay rant? Hate is hate, no matter how you dress it up, even un the chicest couture pieces. 

Bee Ayy Cee Kay

I am back East, and it's March already. Time is flying fast, and time shouldn't be a-wasting from now on. There are things I want to accomplish, and I should be making a list, because I don't wanna miss a thing! I think my mind has already moved. I got an email today about a job listing that could work for my experience, and I don't know, should I even send them a resume, since I have moved more than half my life already, signed a lease, and have already bought some furniture? And speaking of dilemmas, I thought Glee was on today but instead I was assaulted by American Idol. I do like Jennifer Lopez on the panel, I feel like she has really invested herself in these contestants. The first singer, of course, is this Fil-Am guy, and even though all of the judges gave him high praise, I thought he was excruciatingly bad - all mugging and all hysterics, and not even theatrically entertaining. It was just smarmy, and....bad. The thing is, though, every Pinoy and their mother is on Facebook campaigning for this dude, and I could be mean and nasty and say no way he's bad, but I know I shouldn't, because, you know, I just want to live and let live, and want everyone in the world to be happy and have world peace. 

"Our deepest fears are like dragons guarding our deepest treasure."

- Rainier Maria Rilke