69 days of magic

Employing a little change, challenge if you will, to life to add a spark to my existence and avoid succombing to the monotonous routine of every day activity. Granted, nothing about my life is mundane, but I don't want a day to go by in vain no matter how fantastic or insanely humdrum. I know what you're thinking, the dark days of January have really hit hard this year. The reality of it is I am craving enlightenment. Having said that, I am on a mission to document the magic, a significant event, at the close of each day every day beginning now through April 1. Why April 1? April embarks the beginning of spring, renewal, and it's my favorite time of year. Another bit of trivia: April 1 is preceisely 69 days from today and we all know 69 is a fascinating number.

This is an almost three month trial. My desire is that when this project wraps on April 1 the end result will be a refreshed outlook on my days and nights with a profound appreciation for life. But of course there will be effortless days when everything seems to come together beautifully and there will certainly be those days where I want nothing more than to go home, crawl in bed and reset. Let the challenge begin.

Day 1: January 22, 2009

The value of faith. I know, I know. When you start to read this, my very first documented magical moment of '09, you will think how sad a more insightful moment failed to present itself to my life in 24 hours but ya dirty dog there is a moral. Besides that, it was a drab kind of day and the task is searching for at least one explicit incident. So here it is. I managed to squeeze in an hour long workout session in 30 minutes which, trust me, was no easy feat. I pushed myself to the extreme, so much that I felt awful during the drive home. Today's 30 minute workout session was more successful than some of my 90 minute jobs with the difference being I was determined. Having really reflected on my behavioral patterns I see how easy it is for me, at times, to become a victim to the slightest bit of a struggle without overcoming the bump in the road. The process of reversing these horrible personal habits is such a challenge for me, stubborn as stubborn can be, a creature of "I can't" so in the end I don't. I can be so tough on myself that if I were my own parent I'd probably want to turn myself into family services for relentless mental anguish. "Put your heart over the bar and your body will follow" and that's exactly what I did. I made the time out of a hectic day and rather than wuss out by doing a half hearted cardio session, my typical "I only have 30 minutes" routine, I gave it my all. Excuses really are ugly. I have no reason not to workout every day (yes every day) with a little faith and determination. Next stop, waking up at 5:30 in the a.m. to workout. Baby steps.

I also ran into an old friend, one I had been reminiscing about earlier in the day, and we made plans to hang out next week. This made me happy.

I find myself closer to becoming the person I know I can be without complicating matters with my thoughts, working on patience and striving towards complete optimism. This is magically significant!

~ J

365 days with photos took 730 days off my life!

So.....

I’ve been trying to load this mother f’ing video I created two weeks ago and it's giving me aneurism. "You can't give yourself an aneurism." Now is not the time for a debate I am clearly stressed enough. You might ask "was it necessary to throw in a mother f'ing?" Sure it was just to convey how frustrated I've been with this video. I would say screw it but by golly after a breakdown and bleeding ulcer I don't want my effort to go in vain. I should be earning a paycheck for this tough creativity. Yes, that doesn't make a whole lot of sense but throw me a bone won't ya? I am not thinking with clarity.

Having said all that you'll watch my 7 minute and some odd second video and and say things like “that was it?” or "well that was a big fat waste of 7 minutes and some odd seconds." Listen. Not only was it difficult to create this movie due to a program that clearly hasn’t been checked for kinks, the uploading has been nothing short of a pain in the ass. The only success I've had getting the video to play as it should is if I burn the 176,381 KB clip from picasa to a DVD-R and play it in my media player. If the mother f'er is played in any other program the pixels [fancy tech talk] get all screwy and the photos look like shit. Regardless, here is my 365 days with photos movie. You'll get the point even if faces look like melting hot lava. It's time for me to move on with my life and bid adieu to this movie once and for all.

Happy 2009! p.s. if you watch the video and are given an option to view standard video or HQ video (more technical lingo you wouldn't understand) opt for the HQ. Ciao Babies!

Exported Videos

a broken heart

Little mister, you were taken away from me too soon. My heart hurts because you took pieces of it with you. Rest in Peace my sweetheart. I will love you forever and ever. Your perfect face is irreplaceable and will be severely missed by all. You were such a joy to my life in the short time we were together. I can't wait to meet you again some day. I love you.

the world i know

More and more I find myself wondering what happened to courtesy in society? Is there no such thing as civil kindness? Nowadays I watch as men and women go out of their way to be rude. This world has become so jaded as a whole it's not difficult to find someone taking out their suppressed anger on complete strangers. It's immorality at its finest. It doesn't bother me so much that chivalry is dead - there are few gentlemen out there randomly offering a doting "after you" while holding the door. What gets under my skin is the lack of general decency. In the words of Depeche Mode, People are People. Our exteriors come in many shapes and colors but our interiors operate the same. The world as we know it today is a selfish one and one filled with anger. I've come to expect indecency yet am surprised by respectful behavior. When someone is inappropriate it instigates negativity. The negativity lingers and is passed on to another eventually. On the flipside, the same is true with kindness. It's infectious. It feels good. There is real value to the cliché "eye for an eye" which is one of the basic laws of life. Inherit it! Look, I am far from godly but I have strong will to change not only my attitude but my actions. So many people fret through life which is a tragedy. There are those without souls and then those that are consumed with so much hate they treat others poorly in an effort to share the pain. We are all human and all have our moments, lord knows I have my share, but I am proactive about becoming not only a better person but a better citizen. Thank you's and you're welcome's are no longer a necessity even when expected. There is practically no such thing as good customer service. No one wants to help without receiving in return. In grocery stores you'll find people cutting, pushing, grabbing. I once was told by a gentleman in a super big hurry and whose front bumper sticker informed me he was a "Christian" that I "looked like a girl that knew something about dick" after I kindly suggested he stop acting like one. Why? This man, sporting a bad case of little man syndrome, jumped out of his car in anger and began shouting obscenities at me for backing out of a parking spot at a safe and regular pace. Not even a shortage of time could come between this nutjob and his insane rant. I was painfully embarrassed but moreover I wondered what was eating at this man so terribly that it didn't bother him a bit to release his rage on a little woman at the grocery store at noon on a Thursday afternoon.

Stepping down from my podium I hear you ask what's new? Not much. In a shellnut, True Blood is one of my weekend highlights, yesterday I finished a book I've been lugging around for 5 months, I scored a 222 on iBowl last week, I am a big fan of the Healthy Choice basil chicken pasta bowl eating at least one per day if not two, I am thrilled with America's choice in our new leader, I have grossly neglected working out my bod, and I'm self-learning the craft of knitting so that Christmas '08 won't be tough on the pocketbook. I added a couple of pictures to the left of my blog. The first photo documents Matthew and I posing as Dolly and Kenny on the 31st last month. Let it be known that I am holding a mic not a flashlight and Matthew is dressed as Kenny Rogers not Taylor Hicks. In the photo directly below D&K you'll find my pesky roommate Jerry Seinfeld posing as a character true to life -The Devil. Funny story, Jerry was recently banned from the dog park due to heinous acts I can't legally blog about. I can report that he and I will be making the rounds throughout the neighborhood this weekend alerting other pets of his offensive sexual behavior. The guy is nuts but he sure plays some mean pinball. Last week for his first (seventh) birthday he asked for a pint of jagermeister and a pack of black and milds. He got a ball, a bone and the too-small-for-his-body devils costume as seen in the photo, 1/2 price at Petsmart's post Halloween sale.

In closing, as John Lennon so delicately put it, if there will be an answer let it be.

~ your friend J

H-A-LL-O-W-EE-N spells...

Ready to get spooked?













If that doesn't make you sweat bullets something is amiss. Tell me you weren't petrified that he lived under your bed when you were a kid. To this day I worry this guy is smiling, plotting, under my bed while I catch some zzzz's pending the perfect moment for attack. This is precisely why my four legged roommate sleeps on the floor next to my bed - let that clown try to strangle him first and give me time to get the heck out of dodge.

Happy eve of All Hallows' Even. I am a big fan of dressing up and here's a secret -finding that prefect costume and wearing it out is even more fun when you have a festive event to attend. I 've gotta admit I felt a little silly sitting around the house, alone, in my Beetlejuice getup last year but this year I plan to stand out at a costume party in character and in style. I struggled this year finding that perfect one, finally settling on something two days ago primarily to alleviate stress. I have purchased a few odds and ends for the big night but I have yet to try on the ensemble in its entirety. Truth be known I am apprehensive about the final product -what if I fail to deliever? What makes my costume interesting and puts me at an even higher risk for failure is it accompanies that of a sidekick, if you will. His costume is less complex than mine and involves a can of silver hairspray and a sports jacket. I have a feeling if he were to wear this costume without the addition of my character people would guess he is Doc Brown from Back to the Future. Here is a hint about my character: I purchased a used size 36D bra (sick, right?) that will drape my naked body tomorrow eve following several washes in hot water - extended cycle. This lady was a tramp at her chicken ranch in Texas back in '82.

This morning while I was getting ready for work in my 52 degree house I noticed a pathetic roll of toilet paper clinging to my toilet paper holder. The things that go through my mind while doing the mundane everyday things - you wouldn't imagine. Regardless, today I wonder how it is possible - seriously how can it be - that in this house we go through a 6 pack of toilet paper in one week. That's practically 3 rolls a week per person, give or take, depending on the kind of week our respective bladders and colons are having. Maybe I am oblivious to the average individual's daily usage of TP but this seems high. Maybe because it's tragically cold in my house my four legged roommate designed a toilet paper scarf or jacket. I know it sounds far fetched but would you believe that up until yesterday my landlord informed me that we would have to suffer through the winter minus heat because she cannot afford to have the $4,000 heating unit replaced? This morning when I walked out of my house and took my first breath I could see it in the exhale yet it was warmer outside than it was in my living room.

Paper towels. Another item that is used in abundance in my home. This significantly adds to my homemade coat theory.

things that scare me:

* Governor Palin serving as first person in the presidential line of succession
* my old, haunted house and the abnormal things I pretend to ignore
* my absessed tooth - it haunts me with regularity
* people who live in the box - not to be confused with the homeless
* IBS although I haven't been haunted by the ailment in quite some time
* high school musical 1, 2 and 3
* the 2 guys straight out of Deliverance that threatened my sister and I because we weren't driving fast enough one car ahead of the scumbags...I suspect these people have little to live for but moments like these
* will the recession affect the Wendy's $1 menu
* fish sticks - worst food made available to man
* taking off a pair of boots after a long day in them
* those assholes in The Strangers - Tara isn't home!
* life without Flying Burrito
* anyone who says their favorite television show is The Hills
* neck jewelry made for the male gender
* cats - okay not really but I am running out of items to bullet here
* blue cheese - what is it?
* cockroaches - tougher to kill than those Vamps on True Blood (one of my fav shows)
* trying on a pair of my size 25 jeans straight out of the dryer
* long lines - patience really is a virtue I haven't quite adopted
* the chainsaw guy at the end of a haunted house - why am I always the innocent victim
* getting out of bed when my thermo reads 50 knowing I have to get in and out of the shower
* trick-or-treater's that won't go away because "I can see someone inside"

I could go on but I will save you the pain of my rants. Eat a Salty Nut Bar for me (the tasty treat you pervs), bob for an apple or two, and remember to be safe.

Good Night my friends,

J

this one's for my padre back home

Today is October 15 which signifies absolutely nothing. On second thought:
Today will be the best day of someone’s life and for someone it will be the worst. Where's the entertainment in this? There's none. Welcome to October 15.

The office in which I work is being renovated. At any given moment of the day there is a crew of 10 plus diligently pounding, pulling, and scurrying up and down the halls. The foreigners, most legal citizens, are a hard working bunch and smiley to boot. The upside to the ear piercing hammering and headache inducing paint smell is I am learning Spanish.

Today at 103 pounds, quickly losing the muscle I worked hard to gain, and sans any real training to speak of for weeks I crave exercise and all the wonderful benefits that are connected to pumping blood and breathing oxygen. With the weather tempting me to play outside I have an itch to run the mountain, the mountain being my workout of choice, alas my exercise of preference has been put on temporary hiatus after my experience on the trail Friday. As I set to defeat the mountain I was intercepted by a perfect stranger within 2 minutes of my run [sidenote: remember the television hit Perfect Strangers starring Balki Bartokomous - I miss it]. The man informs me that his eyes were drawn to not one but several cottonmouth snakes during his mountain climb. Readers I am petrified of God's worst creature made of the reptile famile. I didn't wait for the guy to get into his car before I jumped in mine. If I were training for an Olympic sport this guy would be called a medal blocker. My opponents' dirty rotten scoundral, if you will. For now I will refer to him as Slugwart. In the meantime I am sad that I have been swayed from a once highly enjoyable and rewarding workout.













It's better to be safe than sorry so just in case I find myself at the mountain anytime soon I want to know what those disgusting creatures of death look like. After a few clickity clicks of the keyboard the google search generated a FAQ about the venomous beasts that included the following words: Aggressive, Alligator mouth, Deadly, PMS (dare me to prove you wrong) and "will find you and attack." No way Jose. Speaking of Jose, one of the renovators is barely pushing cinco feet tall. The tall one is wearing an Extreme Makeover Home Edition t-shirt and this impresses me quite a bit. I have learned by eavesdropping (I'm curious) that one goes by the name Pablo. Duh. You should have heard the ringtone his cell just blasted. My guess is it was Mexico's National Anthem.

In other news, I’ve acquired a Kenyan penpal, Kanai, and to be quite honest the steps taken to manufacture this friendship have escaped my mind. Breaking the urge to be subtle aside I came right out and questioned my African friend to what did I owe such honor. Apparently Kanai and I met several years ago through a friend of mine he went to grad school with in the states. Kanai writes me on a regular basis. He is fascinated with American politics and all the other glorious, highly publicized matters born and raised here in the U.S. of A. Here is an excerpt from Kanai’s email today:

“So how has your week been so far? How is the economy doing? They've had the bank crisis on CNN and in the newspapers international section. America is a resilient society so things will get better after everything hits bottom."

I like how Kanai asks me how the economy is doing as if inquiring about the weather. “Oh, it's half past shitty."

By the way, have you noticed that some people are victims of their own stereotypes? Why not skip the taco bell and grab a six inch sub? Don't become a casualty to cliche' Pablo. Run!

In closing I compare my day to a Benetton commercial, minus the cool stripes in a variety of colors. I plan to make a trip to the gym where the stair machine (readers not to be confused with stair stepper) will inevitably kick my ass followed by draining my bod of every last drop of agua via the steam room. For the record, I didn't learn the word agua today - I knew that one.

I miss crabapple.

~ Jl

We refer to this as 'the one strum'














RaNdaLe

2 - 7!!!