Singing Queens

If you saw "Priscilla Queen Of The Desert" on Broadway and loved it, then I have no doubt you will love its cast recording. I did, and find myself grooving.  The vocals on it can be a little tepid  - Will Swenson seems uninterested, and Nick Adams has never been known to be a vocal powerhouse - but if you listen and imagine the costumes and sets which are the real stars of the show, it becomes an extremely satisfying aural experience. Listening to it out of context, though, I wonder if an ordinary listener would be able to "get" the whole thing. Like - what is with the different tempos of "Don't Leave Me This Way"? The countrified "I Love The Night Life" doesn't make much sense on record. And the inclusion of "Follie! delirio vano e quest?" from La Traviata? Don't even try. All the pop songs sound like one interminable one after a while. Perhaps because those songs are shoehorned into scenes as opposed to creating music to move the scenes forward. The cast recording, unfortunately, showcases the weakness of the production as a musical. But as a "souvenir" for an enjoyable night of theater, this recording succeeds. Choose your experience.

I'm Not A Stranger To Myself

I am feeling like myself again tonight. I went to the gym earlier, and did my 40 minutes of cardio, and then I walked home. Simple, right? Yet somehow by doing that I felt free, I felt like the old me. I played my music on my iPod, and who cares if I played Liza Minnelli while I was exercising? No one. It was just me, no one else to please, no one else to worry about. It felt good. Little by little I am establishing the routine that I want for myself. I seriously felt that I was kind of losing my identity there for a second, but deep inside I knew it would never happen. I like the gym a lot, and during that particular time, the crowd was just perfect, meaning it wasn't crowded at all. I had my choice of machines, and the television screens were showing replays of the royal wedding (liked her dress, by the way, although it looks almost nothing like the real Alexander McQueen would design)  so it kept me occupied, and before I knew it, my cardio was finished. I am contented this evening. 

The moment in between what you once were,
and who you are now becoming,
is where the dance of life really takes place.
~ Barbara de Angelis

Royal Apathy

One more weird thing about me: I have very little interest in William & Kate's wedding. I got a call this afternoon from my sister asking me which newsstands in NYC carry The Guardian because she wants to get the newspaper coverage of the wedding. "I want all the papers," she says and I answered, well, why don't you just look at the websites? She said she waned the physical copies, and honestly, I just don't understand. Is it because I ceased believing in fairy tales a while back? Is it really a step up for Kate to be married to William? Think of all the things she will lose just for a tiara. I guess...it's just not for me. But if it works for her, more power! On an unrelated note, I saw a not-bad movie last night on DVD titled "Every Day," starring Liev Schrieber and Helen Hunt. It is a nothing sort of story, but this is one of those instances where the actors made a big difference. Helen Hunt may play the same character over and over again (humorless bitch) but she does it so well that all is forgiven. It's one of those smaller movies that you probably have never heard of, and frankly, it is better entertainment for me than getting suck into the trials and tribulations of "real housewives."

"I follow four dictates: face it, accept it, deal with it, then let it go."

- Sheng Yen

Spaniard SPF

Almost every day I meet someone here who tells me, "The summer here is horrible. Be ready for it." I keep on asking them, are you trying to scare me? Maybe not, but the spring weather so far has been very beautiful. And yes, I can kind of sense that the sun can be very harsh. I mean, everyday it's been up, without fail. I almost wanna ask for a cloudy day. Almost. So I started to search for a good strong spf cream for the face, as it is most important (even in non-sunny places) for the face to be protected. I mean, I don't want to say hello to sun spots and wrinkles. Someone recommended Heliocare creme to me, and when I researched it, it looked promising. It has even been rumored to be the one used by Dra. Vicky Belo. And they even had it in gel form, which I prefer because my skin do nto feel too cake-y after putting it on. Well, this stuff is truly wonderful. I feel like I get protection and it's non-greasy, glides easily. A total wonder. Apparently this stuff is made in Spain, and it kind of makes sense because, you know, Costa Del Sol is right over there! Now I really feel protected and I feel like I am ready for the harsh summer weather that everyone here has been warning me about. Bring it on, Mr. Sun!

You are sowing the flowers of tomorrow
in the seeds of today.
~ Unknown

It Commenced

I can't remember why I picked this book to read next.  I think it was on top of the pile I was tidying up at the time.  And after reading it, all I could say is - Meh. I didn't particularly enjoy it, but I don't thoroughly dislike it either. The first part of the book sets up the four main characters, but I thought not enough. Midway through the book, I still got confused as to who was whom, as I thought the character's voices weren't distinctive enough. The second part of the book was more engrossing, if a bit soap-operaish in treatment. But as the conflicts unraveled, the payoff was almost laughably unbelievable. Perhaps this novel was too "feminine" for me? I kept on thinking that while I was reading it, but as I perused through the Goodreads comments after, I was relieved to find out I am not alone in thinking that this was not the most stellar literary experience. So - on to the next!

BC/14

Recording...

I just learned how to use my DVR on DirecTV and I am excited.  I have had it for over a month now but have been too lazy to learn how to use it. But yesterday I just bucked and asked my sister-in-law, and I felt so stupid after because it was so easy, like even a child can do it. Now I have it set up to record Oprah and The Ellen show everyday. Only 22 more Oprah episodes till she closes shop. Today I also gave a gift to Tito Fred, May's dad. They have been very kind to me and my dad so I wanted to give him something special and I thought of something - I filled an 8G mp3 player with songs he likes - mostly classics and standards - and he was so happy when he found out I was able to put in 125 songs on it.  He does not overtly show emotions but I could tell he was happy. The real gift there is not the mp3 player, of course - it's the labour of love I put in compiling and transferring all those songs in it. Tonight we went to a salad bar...buffet! It seems like hey have buffets here of all kinds, and there is a buffet consisting of all salads and soups. And it was great - I had a wonton chicken salad that was quite good. And they had a chunky cream of brocoli soup that I just loved to death. For once I don't feel so stuffed after having a buffet meal. 

"You don't become what you want; you become what you believe."

- Oprah Winfrey

A Member Now

After forever procrastinating, I finally joined a gym. I chose LVAC after much heehawing. It is the cheapest, first of all, at $22.00 per month. It takes ten minutes to walk there, but I figured that isn't bad. It may not be the best choice when the weather is 115 degrees, but hopefully there won't be a lot of those. The sports club is huge - the cardio area, which would be my most important department, is massive, with 14 machines. I was there at during busy prime time, and there were a lot of empty machines. It seems to attract a very diverse crowd, too. There were a lot of hotties, so that might be an incentive. I chose it over Gold's Gym, which was too meatheaded for me (plus the manager never answered any of my questions) and 24 Hour Fitness was just too inconvenient location wise, never mind the offer by Jeremy Michael Hall of a generous discount. I think I made the right decision, now all I need is the motivation to go, go, and go. The sales person I dealt with, Larry, is also from the East Coast so there were a lot of things we spoke about regarding Est vs West mentalities. When I finally got my membership card, I felt kind of proud. I knew it was a step in the right direction. 

Goodness is the only investment that never fails.

~ Henry David Thoreau 

Good News For Modern Man

Easter is here, and we went to mass this morning. They say that Easter is the most important holiday for Catholics because that's when you renew your baptismal vows - and you promise to reject Satan, and sin. And I did that this morning while at mass. So Satan beware, because right now I am mighty armed. I had a major accomplishment yesterday - I was able to go to South Point casino by myself to watch a  movie. And I don't know why I was so scared, as the bus trip took 8 minutes in total. I was so early for the movie I was able to get to the screening that was one hour earlier than what I intended to attend. After, I felt so accomplished, I was so happy with myself. Fear of the unknown is always an unsubstantiated fear, of course.  And one of the most powerful Mercury Retrogrades ended last night, so hopefully this new beginning promises to be very fruitful. And indeed, it has. I won a book from Chick Lit Central !  I woke up to this wonderful news this morning, and it was joy joy joy. I have sometimes beginner's good luck with these contests, I once won a bottle of perfume from another web site. This is always a blessing, and I appreciate it. Thank you, Lord. Thank You Universe. 

No Winter lasts forever,
no Spring skips its turn.
April is a promise
that May is bound to keep, and we know it.
~ Hal Borland

Love Is A Circus

After seeing "Water For Elephants," my first thought was: I finally understood the allure of Robert Pattinson. Try as I might, I never really "got" the Twilight series, as well as the Edward Cullen appeal, but in this movie make no mistake about it: he is a full fledged leading man. He has a screen presence that glows, he is handsome as handsome can be, sexy and imposing. You cannot take your eyes off him he is on screen, and you feel what he feels, as he gives a magnetic performance. Based on the best selling book by Sara Gruen, this movie is old-fashioned. And why not? There are no bombs, no aliens, no superheroes in this movie, but there's plentiful of emotions, ans an honest-to-goodness story. Remember those?  I have not read the book so I don't know how faithful it is to the novel, but what is in here (written by Richard LaGravenese, who also adapted "The Bridges Of Madison County") is epic in context. Set in the 1930's circus scene, it is more than a love story, although love and its consequences drives the whole plot. I didn't even mind Reese Witherspoon, an actress I have very little fondness for. Everyone is raving about Christopher Waltz's performance, and it is good. Since his character is written like a cardboard, one can appreciate how it's almost human-like in his hands. But again, I think this is Pattinson's movie. I fell for him here, and nowadays that's a very difficult thing to accomplish. 

Travels To Genoa and Paris

Good Friday, and it was restful. I mentioned earlier that i was going to help out when we take the dogs to the vet and I did and it was kind of fun. My sister was telling me they went to this grotto in New Jersey in 45 degree weather when out of the blue they saw a butterfly, clearly indicating that my mom was "visiting" them. It apparently came out of nowhere, and was just making its presence known. I am not surprised, and I am not scared either. I spent the rest of the day just resting, catching up on my rented movies. First I was in Italy via "A Summer in Genoa," starring Colin Firth, and really he has started to become one of my top favorite actors. It seems like he can invest tenderness and vulnerability in every role he plays, and he certainly was the highlight in here. I love the shots of Italy, and miss the gelato they keep on eating. Then it was on to Paris for "Father Of My Children," which is a French melodrama about a producer who commits suicide. You would think that with a plot like that you would get a syrupy sentimental film, but this is French cinema, after all, so it's a bitter sweet affair. I liked the way I just traveled vicariously to both places, and it sure made for a very good Good Friday.

For every person that has lived
there will come at last,
a spring she will never see.
Glory then, in the springs that are yours.
~ Pamela Brown

Resting

They say Good Friday is a time for reflection, so I am going to try and do that. I have to accompany my sister in law in taking their dogs to the vet this morning as they are getting their yearly anti-rabies shot. I don't mind, I love dogs and love March and April. I kind of also miss Allie and Puna, my sister's dogs back East, especially as I am receiving news that Allie has not been feeling well. But she is 84 years old in dog years now, so she is getting up there.  I think for the most part today I will be resting - I have these movies from Netflix, and I have these books I want to catch up on. 

Fifty Sense

THE BIG FIVE-OH was another free Amazon Kindle book, and I frankly wasn't expecting much from it. I was even rolling my eyes in the beginning because the whole set up is such a cliche, and there were very heavy handed Christian overtones in the writing. Plus, the writing isn't sophisticated at all, and at times it felt like I was reading a children's book. But then something happened in the middle of the book - I actually cared for these characters. Although they were drawn like cartoons, they were harmless, and charming enough for me to want to know what would happen to them. Sure, as the novel progressed the born-again tones started becoming more and more obvious, but I think I kind of read that about this book as I downloaded it. I mean, it was free, after all, so I am sure there was some kind of agenda and propaganda behind it. The book did not exactly change my life, but it provided some entertainment for me. In a way, it was like watching a wholesome Lifetime movie. You know exactly how the trip will end, you just have to relax and enjoy the simple pleasure of the journey.

BC/13

Monthiversary

Can you believe it has been a month since I moved? It seems like everything was just yesterday, and here I am... in my Monthiversary! I am settling it quite nicely, and enjoying the sunnier weather. Things are different, alright, but change happens because they are supposed to happen, I firmly believe. I do not regret my decision, because I know things do happen for reasons. And things always work out for the best. I miss a lot of my old life, and I love a lot in my new life. Those two thoughts may sound contradictory, but they really aren't. 

I always pass on good advice.
It's the only thing to do with it.
It is never any use to oneself.
~ Oscar Wilde

Party Pooped

Remember the party at Aedes I wanted to go to? Well,  it still went on without me, of course, and here are two pictures Mike took since he went for my stead. It's funny because my friend Miguel told Mike that I must be very upset that I wasn't at the party. He was right. I so wish I was there...

Madly,Truly

I truly hope I am not coming down with something. This morning I woke up with an upset stomach, and I don't even know what caused it. Now tonight I have this feeling like I want to throw up, andI even skipped dinner. Just now I woke up and felt a little hungry, so I just had a slice of banana bread cake (from Goldilocks - they are delicious!) I hope I don't have some kind of stomach virus. I learned today that we are off on Friday. Yay. Well, it's Good Friday so I really should just chill and reflect, but I will try to do something interesting. Or I may just stay in and sleep. It's the same thing sometimes. This whole weekend I caught up on the Blu-Rays of the last season of "Mad Men" and it was a great season artistically. Jon Hamm consistently gave a superb performance in each and every episode, and I hope he wins something for it. And Elizabeth Moss has warmed up to me after all these years while January Jones' petulant Peggy got just a little bit tiresome (or maybe that was the point) I am glad that Matthew Wiener struck a dea with AMC for two more seasons, as I am glad to follow where these characters go. 

Faith goes up the stairs that love has built
and looks out the window which hope has opened.
~ Charles Spurgeon

Palms Springs

Palm Sunday, and it was great to have our whole family go to church.  We went to this beautiful church called St. Thomas More Church, and it was a very beautiful Eucharist celebration. They even had the second reading as some kind of passion play presentation, and it was kind of funny because the young boy who played Jesus had this Justin Bieber hair cut. I mean, Jesus, Justin, it's kind of similar, right? But anyway, it was really kind of beautiful, and I always feel better and lighter after attending mass. I know I do not agree with 100% of Roman Catholic doctrines, but for better or worse it is still a big part of me. One thing that is very interesting here is that there were a lot of people wearing shorts and tank tops to church. There were even young ladies in very short shorts, and somewhat revealing summer tops. I mean, show some respect, people! We all had brunch at the M Hotel after, and it was truly fantastic. The weather has gone scorching. At one point, the temperature was as high as 97 degrees! But it doesn't seem as bad as you would think. I mean, my biggest concern was that if I put enough face sun block to protect my skin. That's the one thing I really need to do here, make sure I have enough sunblock on my arms and face, because the sun is quite intense. It is still the desert, after all.

Praise with elation,
Praise every morning
Spring's re-creation
Of the First Day!
~ Eleanor Farjeo

Looking For Silver Linings

It's sunny and temperatures are going to hit close to 90 degrees today. I walked around for a bit this morning because I mailed my dad's tax return and it was nice and hot. Not steaming or humid, just hot. And it's dry heat. I always, in my mind, equate the summer heat with the horrendous humid New York summers, but here it's not as bad, in a way. Dry heta is just dry heat - it doesn't have the humidity that will usurp all your energy. But hot is still hot, though. Thank God I did my taxes a long time ago, would hate to be caught in the crunch. My brother is paying the IRS $28,000 so I cannot blame him for doing it the last minute. I mean, I would not want to give them interest, too. Passing by the pool today, there was this cute guy shirtless. Hmmm... silver linings...

Keep your faith in all beautiful things:
in the sun when it is hidden,
in the Spring when it is gone.
~ Roy R. Gilson

Blizzy

These pictures are probably from eight or nine years ago, but I finally got them from Pipo. I have been asking him for these for a while now. It is the first time I have seen them, and even though they are not of the best quality, they still show a snapshot in time. 

Picking Myself Up

This weekend should be a lot more quiet than last, and I am kind of looking forward to it. I had a lot of fun last week, and it was making me a little down earlier. Maybe because I don'y have any plans, and will probably just rest and sleep. Although truthfully, I don't mind the silence. I did tell myself that I couldn't keep myself feeling down, so I took my butt off the bed and started walking to the stores around me. That was one of the reasons I chose my current location - just a couple of steps and there are places to go. I walked to the area near Target, fully intending to check out the store. But I got sidetracked first at Ulta, and then at Bath & Body Works. It is amazing how sower gels and body lotions can instantly perk up my mood. I think I just wanted to reward myself for a good week - I started walking, and I am really now getting in the groove at work. Today was pretty busy and I was tired, so maybe I just needed a pick-me-up. I remember before I would walk around the city as well after a rough day. I just need to relocate my same energy here. I find myself right now feeling a lot better, and I realize things aren't bad. On the contrary, they are pretty good. So now, I've got my Netflix flicks, and I am suddenly looking forward to the weekend.

Do not the most moving moments of our lives
find us all without words?
~ Marcel Marceau

The Others

I may never get used to the "West Coast Mentality."  Since today I walked to work again, everyone just seems so baffled by the idea. I mean, it's a nice walk, to be honest, and I even passed by the Office Max to buy multi-colored pans so it was kind of an enjoyable journey for me. Still, everyone is just so mystified by the idea. Today I even found a "bike trail" right by the High School I pass by, and saw people jogging there. It  makes a fantastic short cut route for me, so the whole walk just got even better! So here at work the secretary has a radio and she  has it on the local Top 40 station. I have no idea about the songs - maybe that's why the recent Glee episodes have not been as enjoyable for me. The kids sing these songs, and probably why I am not in its demographic anymore. Shrug. Just one of the signs that I am really really getting old. Someone bought Jollibee Chicken Joy at work today and I am scared to eat it. I always think about that being the last thing Marlon's mother ate before she had her fatal heart attack, and it petrifies me.

Great things are not done by impulse,
but by a series of small things brought together.
~ Vincent Van Gogh

Spirit Moves Me

Jeff sent an email a while back "inviting" me to join him in going to Los Angeles for Pipo's birthday and I thought, why the hell not? Since I am a West Coaster now, it will be fairly easy for me to go to California. I was searching for air fare and the best I saw was for Spirit Airlines? Spirit? I have heard of them before (my brother took it to go to Florida last November) but have never taken them. But for $29.00 each way to LX, it seems like a no-brainer. I am sure it is not the best airline in the world, but it is only a 45 minute flight and I'll be there before I know it, so I went ahead and purchased a ticket.  I am ure it will be fine.  And speaking of fine, this morning for the very first time I walked to work. Why is it that everyone here thinks it is the weirdest thing in the world? It's probably about a mile walk, and it took me about 25 minutes, and it was great. I used to walk all the time in the city, and this walk does not even close to how I used to go block after block after block. I figured it was just about six or seven songs on my iPod. I loved it, and want it to be the beginning of a healthier regimen. Pipo's ex, Jeremy Michael Hall, is some kind of manager at the 24 Hour Fitness here, and he told me he would hook me up with a "Friends And Family " thing, but I think I still want to go with LVAC because the club is gorgeous, and nearer. I have been dragging my feet joining, but I hope to find the motivation soon.

I sit beside the fire and think
of all that I have seen,
of meadow-flowers and butterflies
in summers that have been;
Of yellow leaves and gossamer
in autumns that there were,
with morning mist and silver sun
and wind upon my hair.
~ J. R. R. Tolkien

Flip Out

I read today that Cisco is discontinuing the Flip camcorder. Baffling, but kind of made sense considering I haven't seen it really being talked about a lot for a while. I know it's popular, but when I read the news article, apparently it was a money-loser for Cisco. I thought that was pretty weird, considering I know a lot of people who own one. I mean, almost all the Luha Film movies were recorded on the Flip. Gio was even recording us from one the other day. So does this mean mine will be obsolete soon? It was probably obsolete since last year, knowing how technology is nowadays.  I haven't used my iPad in about a month (since I moved) and it wouldn't turn on earlier. Apparently, if you don't use it for a while, it will take a very long time to recharge the whole battery, and I had to update the operating software, and almost all of my apps had to have upgrades. Maybe I will use it more now. 

"Trust yourself. Create the kind of self that you will be happy to live with all your life. Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement."

- Golda Meir

Ready To Take A Chance Again

Pipo wanted to see a show, and I suggested we go to the half-price booth (similar to TKTS) to see what they had. Well, amongst the choices, the one we gravitated to was Manilow. Barry Manilow. I have seen him before at Radio City Music Hall, but this, of course, is a different show. Of course, I have loved and know most of his songs by heart. Some even have emotional meaning for me. We got cheap mezzanine seats, but we were told to get there early. Imagine our surprise because we were actually seated in the orchestra area, albeit the side. We definitely got the hook up, probably because...beauty is beauty. On to the show - it was fantastic. Barry was in great voice, and though he was never a "voice" even when he was young, there is a certain raspiness and huskiness now to it that I kinda dig. And for his age, it has stood up pretty well. His face has been facelifted to death, and you can barely see his mouth moving when he is singing (super zoom cameras are banned) but his voice certainly fills the room. And he sang his hit after hit with all the love and emotions he could muster, and you cannot help but get caught in all of it. It was quite emotional for me. My favorite is "Weekend In New England," and I have grown to appreciate that song more after I heard his "back story," about it being Barry falling in love in Provincetown, MA where we used to vacation. The technical aspects of the show were great, too - you see where your money went. I thought the audience would be sparse, but the place was pretty full. I loved the show, frankly, and would be ready to take a chance on seeing it again and again...

I Know My Way Around Here

Whew! What a weekend, a whirlwind it did seem like ! Pipo arrived friday night for a visit, his first one here since I moved. It was nice to see him, even though I just saw him about three weeks ago back East. It felt great having someone with me here, away from my daily routine with family. Well, Pipo is family also, but in a different way of course. So we picked him up at the airport on Friday, and since we got access to an automobile, Pipo and I proceeded to go to the strip. And you know what? I impressed myself because I realized I kind of know my way around here a lot more than I thought I did.  I mean, I now know how to get to the strip ! It is really quite easy, because the whole area is basically a box. All you need to know is what street comes after next both horizontally and vertically, and realize the streets go north and south, or east to west. It really is kinda like NYC. So Friday night. We ended up at Aria, because Pipo said he wanted to check out the newer hotels. Incidentally, it was also my first time there, and thought it was a very sophisticated hotel. We then crossed through the City Center and ended up, somewhat, at the Bellagio. They had the Spring Flower show and it was a pleasant surprise to end up there. Pictorials abound, of course. 

Naked, Sacred

Finally, finally, finally. I finished a book. I am now one book closer to my goal, and many many more to go as I play catch up.  This book was one of the ones I packed from my East Coast pile, and I just randomly chose it. I don't even remember now how I got it, but it's definitely not a brand new copy. I wish I could sy that I got into the story right away, but it took me a while. I don't know if it was because I was not comfortable or relaxed yet, but I enjoyed the second half of the book much more than the first half. I remember even almost giving up on it, but the anal retentive in me just kept on persevering. I am glad I did. At first, I wasn't too keen on the main character, Elisabeth Page. She comes from a "buena familia" and they are snobs, the father being a major asshole. The wife and kids mean well, but there's no question that they act "entitled." Elisabeth is a pasty chef at a hot Beverly Hills restaurant, but she feels like she has to start changing her life because she realizes she is unhappy. She then meets a guy from the other side of the tracks, and things start changing. She gets an offer to do a pilot for a cooking show for the Food Network. The wheels start turning and she tried to deal with all the changes happening. Maybe I related to it because I went through a lot of changes as well. The book is well-written, with one of those too-much-analyzing kind of characters that I always gravitate to. The writing can too be cutesy at times, and there are some holes in the plot line, but not too unbelievable. A fun enough read. 




BC/12

Tell Me Where The Road Turns

For the first time, today I miss New York City. I think most of all I miss the energy and vibe. It's definitely more laid-back here, and it's the rah-rah-rah quality of the city that I am craving. But then again, do I need that kind of stress? Maybe it's true what they say, that once a New Yorker, always a New Yorker. I think I definitely have an East Coast "sensibility," and it is getting even evident in my choice of scents - people here are getting baffled by my incense/oud fragrance combos, they are probably asking why I want to smell like a church! Or leather! I had Hermes Kelly Caleche on today and I bet people are wondering why I smell like a couch, ha ha. Speaking of which, Aedes invited me to a perfume launch, and .... obviously I won't be able to attend. Maybe this is what struck my nerve on all these feelings. I know I need to get over this, but it's just this feeling of helplessness....

West Coast Gal

Since moving, I am finding limitations with my NY area code line, so I decided to get a local number. We decided it would be best (and cheapest) to just add a line through my dad's existing AT & T contract (yes, I know) so we just did that and now I have a 702 line. I am officially a West Coast Gal now, indeed. One thing that indicates I am getting comfortable here by the day: my insomnia is slowly and surely creeping back. The other night I couldn't sleep until 2 a.m., and last night until about 1 a.m. Some things will never change, I guess. Whether East or West, I get attacked. It's just fortunate that I do not have to wake early for work because if I did, I know I would not be getting enough sleep, and I would spend the day tired. 

"The snow goose need not bathe to make itself white. Neither need you do anything but be yourself."

- Lao-Tzu

Lolita

Next Up: finding an affordable massage place. No Chinese ladies giving happy endings, please! Back east, I had a 'spot," and it was excellent. They gave Chinese deep tissue massage, the way I like it: they beat you up and afterward you feel like you received karate chops. I have kept my eyes open around here and there are spa type places but I am sure those price points are high. I just want a plain no-frills massage, and I think I may have found my answer. I met this young woman Lerna and she told me that she knows this older woman who charges $45.00 / hour, and she said she does very deep tissue massage. She is an older Pinay, so she just does it on the side. I have high hopes, and it should be quite convenient, as she even does house calls. Now, as for the happy ending part, let's just say I am working on that, too. :)

Happiness is a butterfly
which when pursued is just out of grasp...
But if you will sit down quietly,
may alight upon you.
~ Nathaniel Hawthorne

Ruby

One of my concerns, believe it or not, when I moved here was finding a good threading place. I had passed by a place in one of my visits here before the big move, and I made a mental note of it. Well, it was two weeks this weekend, and I was due for a cleaning, and I was getting a little anxious if I would feel comfortable at this place I had in mind. So yesterday afternoon, I went i the place...and it was good. Thanks God it was good, and I was even very comfortable with the young lady - her name is Ruby - who did my eyebrows, and they even had very comfortable chairs in the place, and I was very happy with her service. And yes, this makes me very happy. I sometimes feel if I would be able to "own" my life here, and this little thing is a step in completing that puzzle. Thank you, Ruby. (And as a wonderful aside, the place is right in front of the In & Out Burger!)

Acquire purpose, rather than possessions.

~ Michael Rawls
  

There's A Catch

I didn't have high hopes going into "Catch Me...I'm In Love" (um, what exactly does this phrase mean?) because I am not really a Sarah Geronimo fan. Even though I enjoyed her two earlier movies, I don't enjoy anything else she does. I find her a middling singer with no originality, for example. But hey, since I have no life and nothing else planned on a Saturday night and some people asked me to go see this movie with them, I said what the hell. So, I enjoyed myself watching the movie, and now about half an hour after watching, I have almost forgotten about it. Sarah Geronimo has fans, for sure: the movie theater was jampacked. But she has been doing the exact same role for the third time now that I suspect even her most devoted fans have started to tire of it. She is effective enough, thanks to the magic of movies. Gerald Anderson I have always found to be a sensitive actor, and in here he has a role that he can do with half his eyes closed.  Sadly, he and Sarah have the chemistry of a wet noodle. They get by their own charisma but you never ever believe that they are together. And it is sad that someone like Christopher de Leon has such a thankless role. And just as an observation: why do all these actresses wear foundation that is three shades lighter than their normal skin tones? It is distracting me to pieces. I guess this shows that not much else goes on in the movie. And Garry Marshall should really sue because a scene from "Pretty Woman" is blatantly stolen by the makers of this movie. 

What A Fool Believes

Yesterday was April Fool's Day and we were victims! I think I have mentioned that our office's secretary is 7 months pregnant and yesterday morning she sent a text message saying that she was rushed to the hospital and she thinks she is already having the baby. So we were rushing to go to work yesterday morning as soon as possible. However, when we got there, we saw that her car was parked so we were all wondering. I myself thought that my brother was playing a trick on me, but it looks like we got played! She started screaming "April Fools!" as soon as we got in the corridors. I don't know how invested I am now to be affected by all of it but I gotta say she did a good job fooling us. It was April Fool's Day at the office the whole day, and some of the tricks they were playing I thought were a little mean. For example, they called one of the nurses and told her that her apartment was on fire. I thought that was just a bit too much. I mean, the lady being pranked is a mean nasty pain in the ass, but still. I would never wish that on anyone. We had dinner in Chinatown last night, and I ate something bad, I think. I had a stomachache for a a little bit last night before going to sleep, and I am just thankful it wasn't a full blown thing and I woke up feeling a lot better this morning.

Fools have a great advantage over the wise;
they are always self-satisfied.
~ Napoleon 

When The Sun Comes Out

Not to be very Harold Arlen, but today it is going to be 90 degrees here, and darn it, I will be wearing shorts to work! I guess we are having a mini-heat wave here, although apparently temperatures will drop by Saturday night. It is just a little taste of Summer, though people here say that Spring doesn't really last long - summer almost always grabs the spotlight sooner than later. I still have not unpacked my nicer sandals, but I will wear my nice H & M black strappies today. And for those keeping count on my reading challenge, I will be happy to report that I am finding time to read. I feel like I need to do it, as it provides balance in my life. Even if what I am reading may not be the most thought-provoking things, it still instills some kind of intellectual action on my part, and I gladly do it. 

"The major difference between the big shot and the little shot is the big shot is just a little shot who kept on shooting."

- Zig Ziglar,