Tuesday, July 23, 2013

The Royal Baby is HERE!!!

And why the hell am I so excited??!! Living in the US, the British Monarchy truly does not have any political or any bearing really on my life, so what gives? Why are we Americans as in love with this Royal Couple (and now the Royal Baby Boy) like we are still a part of the British Colonies? I have a theory (ok, don't lie: you all knew that was coming!)!

A little background here: I was messaging my friend in Basingstoke, England, about whether she would like our magazines (ie, US's) coverage of the royals sent over to her. Her response was not what I thought it would be, but it struck me as interesting. She would love to have our mag's not for the royal coverage, but for the US celebrity coverage! I was astounded (really!)! Here, our news coverage portrays every Brit as a diehard royal lover who cares about nothing more (celebrity-wise) than the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge (ie, William & Kate). And this was apparently not the case. She told me that the royals don't have the importance that they used to, and that Kate was simply another woman having a child. Again, flabbergasted! Here I was, in Los Angeles, CA, and I couldn't get enough of the coverage of the pending royal birth (ok, I could get enough in that I wasn't buying the mags to see what was what, but I was catching all of the specials and news stories, and am currently watching the ABC 20/20 special on the ROYAL BIRTH, and have recently added my likes on Facebook to Prince Harry, Duchess of Cambridge, and HRH Prince Baby Cambridge... ok, maybe a little obsessed. No judgement!). Now, don't get me wrong, there are more than a fair share of Americans who could give two giggles less about the royal family (I have seen a plethora of negative comments on the FB comments from followers of the major news organizations that are reporting on the birth, and it's not pretty. Hell, my boss from work flatly stated that why should he give a damn when we can't take care of our own over on this side anyway? (paraphrased, of course). And there's the sentiment of #1776 #1812 #Independence that is in abundance on the updates as well. However, to me, these people are not "getting it." It's not about going back to being a British colony, or losing our independence, or that we care about a sham of a monarchy over our own problems here (which is another discussion for another day).

So what is it about? Why do we care? These are some of the images that I grew up with as a little girl:
Cinderella's wedding day. (All images from a Google Images search, and credited to their respective owners)
Cinderella's transformation.
Sleeping Beauty (I think it was a tie between this one and Cinderella for my favorite).
Snow White's happily ever after.

And finally,
Princess Diana's wedding day, with Prince Charles, of course.
Do you see a pattern here?? I have four nieces, and they have a lot more options in women's figures growing up than I did... I was inundated with princesses or Barbie. I remember watching the Royal Wedding (the first one - Diana and Charles) when I was five years old. I was glued to the TV. The dress was amazing, and all the news reports said that Diana was a regular girl and look where she got to be! Just like Cinderella!! I was enamoured, whether I realized it or not. When the boys (who are only 6 and 8 years younger than I am) were born, I remember that too. I would always check out the photos in the tabloids while waiting in line at the grocery store to see what it was the Diana was doing with her boys. I think I held a secret dream (like many other girls, I suppose) that I could be like Diana and become a princess. Hell, one of my favorite never-gonna-happen fantasies is the Prince Harry is hanging out in LA, and we incidentally run into each other, and have a wonderfully fantastic fling and he realizes that I am the woman for him. I KNOW it's never gonna happen, but it's fun to think about. Man-candy aside, when Kate and William were married, I watched - which meant I had to stay up late/get up early (I don't remember which) in order to do so, but I watched and was awed. Kate may be a "commoner," but she is a stunningly beautiful woman inside and out. And the parallels between the two weddings did not need a news commentary for me to make. I shed a tear for the memory of Diana, and hoped she was watching from where ever it was, and happy for her son. And the surge of hoping to become a princess resurged, even though I was in my 30's and that was not going to happen in all reality.

I think it moves past the princess wish though. Our view of royalty has definitively changed since the untimely and tragic death of Princess Diana. I think there is now admiration and respect for the way that William and Kate handle their royal duties as well as trying to maintain some level of normalcy for them. I think there is also respect for the way that they deal with the paparazzi. They appear to be a wonderful couple, the kind that you can be jealous of in a good way because they symbolize all that is good in the world kind of couple. A couple you could see yourself having dinner with, or playing cards and having drinks with. They complete their duties with grace and (apparent) ease, which has been resoundingly obvious in the past 48 hours of royal baby birth. They inspire in you the want to wish them nothing but the best, not just because of William's tragic loss, but because they are just those kind of people. And as some noted during the royal wedding, coming together as a country for such a happy event in a time that was so depressing otherwise (due to mainly financial issues) was a major boost to the morale (and economy) of England.

I think here in the US, we become burned out on our celebrities, who - for all intents and purposes, are American Royalty. Interest in the Brits' Royals gives us something "new" to talk about, gossip about, get happy about, whatever about. I think (at least from the perspective of my friend) that it would be the same for the Brits - our American Royalty are far more interesting than those that they grew up with and know inside and out.

Regardless of all theoretical consideration, reasoning, or inherent wishes, celebrating a birth (royal or otherwise) is a good thing. The circle of life continues on and lineage (again, royal or not) stays alive. And, like the wedding, I'm sure that all of the hullabaloo over this baby has been helpful to the economy of Britain, and interesting for us Americans as well.

I wish the couple and proud new parents nothing but the best. Love him to the moon and back. Teach him to be as you two are, and what a happy marriage looks like. Make sure he knows all of his family - good, bad, alive, or no longer with us. And don't be afraid of discipline. Enjoy this time that you have because it is too soon before they are growing and going on to live their own lives.

And send Prince Harry my number... Two redheads getting together would be phenomenal! And he needs an older woman, which would be me!!!
I mean, seriously, how can you not fall in love with this face? Or body? Or antics? *le sigh*

Just my thoughts. Until next time, stay classy world!

xoxox Desilu

Should've posted this last week, but ... you know... stuff happens/happened.

 So, I was going to delve into something deeply personal, but I'm not feeling it yet – this week, anyway. The week before Mother Nature arrives, a couple of things happen that give it's eminent arrival away: 1. I become extremely tired... like so sleepy tired, that no matter how much I sleep, it's not enough. Which makes work harder to go to, and things I need to get done, harder to get done. Add this to the heat, and I am a wasteland of do-nothingness for about 7 days. As an OCD/Type A personality, this is no bueno. (Side note: I have tried both Midol and iron supplements, but neither boost my energy levels or impact the tiredness. I have also resorted to generic 5hr energy, which – in “normal” conditions – usually give me an edge without the edginess. During this particular week period, I can fall asleep after drinking two 5hr energy drinks. Any other suggestions would be more than welcome... it's something that has developed as I've gotten older; rather, it's something I have recognized as I've gotten older). Anyway, #2 is that I become much more introspective. Things that normally are filed away under “get over it” or “said and done” or “I worked through this” come back to the forefront of my mind and I keep them on instant replay in my head as I fall asleep or work or whatever. Which is a long winded (ok, REALLY long winded) way of how I ended up debating on blogging the deeply personal on my second entry. But after boring ya'll with that, I don't think I will delve into the deep and personal just yet...

Ok, now what? Well, let's start with a fantastic week last week. Had a retro-lovely and wonderfully prepared dinner at the Dal Rae in Pico Rivera.
Sign for the Dal Rae... So much fun!!
Valet parking is mandatory (but only a $3.50 charge!) and my friend and I dressed up in our retro-lovely best. There was a traditional relish tray, complete with handmade pickles (absolutely divine, and I love pickles – except sweet or bread & butter pickles – those are disgusting!), carrots, radishes, and pickled peppers. DIVINE! They are famous for their pepper filet mignon, and I have to say, it sliced and melted like butter – very rich and flavorful and delicious flavor. My friend is vegetarian, so she had the shrimp scampi – very large and delicious looking shrimps... Both of ate every last spec off of our plates while dissecting and discussing our lives since the last time we had dinner together. Had the waiter had the foresight to actually leave a dessert menu, we may have had dessert, but since he only tried to tempt us with the souffle (not a fan, personally – but I love other desserts), we declined. The ambiance was very 1950's-1960's, and you could definitely tell which patrons had been going to this restaurant for years. It is also said that “Mad Men” has filmed there, which I can very well seeing being truth. Very dim lighting, the booths were shoulder high (as opposed to leaning back and touching the back of the person behind you), and although the tables (and therefore the patrons) were very close together, there was still a sense of privacy and seclusion about the dining room. It was a fantastic way to catch up, share girlie secrets and enjoy our love of the vintage and retro world. Time flied as it always does when she and I go to dinner, and it was definitively one of the best dinners we have had together.

I also had a fantabulous girls night out with two of my closest girl friends from work. We all get together at the Purple's* house, sit outside because we all three smoke, and turn into a triplet of kvetching – over work, over play, over boys, over life. On ocassion, we'll imbibe a little eToh, but usually, we end up drinking Pepsi or whatever is on hand, and normally we'll do a $5 pizza from Little Cesar's (we all work for the same employer, so none of have a lot of extra money to spend). This time, we ended up at Carl's Junior (after Taco Bell was shockingly closed! It was only 11pm!) which also has the Green Burrito. MMMMMM.... GREASY TACOS + PEPSI AT MIDNIGHT IS AWESOMESAUCE. We also went nuts over Jenna Marble's youtube vids and Honest Trailers. Normally, someone has to open the next morning, so we don't stay too late, but this time, none of us had to open, so we slammed it until 2am. I AM TOO OLD FOR 2 AM. (I know this now. The next morning, I was still up at 645 am and didn't make it to take a nap or anything all day. NOT A HAPPY CAMPER. But, I would totally do it again!). Ethel* usually brings me home, which is a ton of fun, because for some weird reason, she always gets lost in my town. It's a running joke now between the three of us as in Ethel's picking up Lucy, so they'll be a couple hours late. Going with Purple to pick out a dress for her cousin's wedding in Texas in August, which should be fun and interesting... hoping for Manny's El Loco for lunch, but gotta check with her.

Last week I also helped Alice polish all of her silver (we had previously washed all of her crystal and china), which was a first for me. Despite destroying my nail polish, my rings were absolutely shiny gorgeous when we were done! In putting things back into her china cabinet, we came across her marijuana plate (her name, not mine, but highly accurate). And she giggled like a schoolgirl. And I had to take a picture. Imagine, 93yr old Alice with a 1960s marijuana plate! The thought still makes me laugh out loud! Alice was a schoolnurse, and one year (in the late 60s), the school's principal gave this to her as a gift and told her that his wife had picked it out once he saw what it was. Apparently, the wife did not recognize the marijuana leaves, but thought they were very naturish and gardenish, and since Alice loves gardening, she thought it would be a great gift. The kicker to this story is that this was the same year that all schoolnurses had to start going into the junior high classrooms to talk about “dope” and “pot.” She keeps it because it brings her a little giggle every time she sees it, and a very fond memory. Her housekeeper and I tried to convince her to hang it on the wall (instead of hiding it in the back of the china cabinet shelves), but she was not to be convinced. She said that she remembers when she walks by the china cabinet.

Please excuse the chipped nail polish that none of you noticed til I pointed it out... Anyhow, the plate as a whole...

And a close up of the "leaves." Ok, seriously, how do you not know what that is?? Funnier than hell!
I am a member of a pin-up group of penpals that has just recently gotten started. It has been so much fun! I am loving picking up things and making things that are going to other girls that are like me in their love of pin-up and vintage goodies... And I am so hoping that this group leads to life-long friendships. I received a couple of awesome packages in the past couple of weeks, and am preparing some to send out. I've been collecting four-o'clock seeds from my garden to send out to one of the girls in the Netherlands who enjoys gardening. Speaking of my garden, it is starting to really bloom beautifully. I am convinced that it is because of my very awesome flamingos.

How awesome are they? I mean, right?? Totally the flamingos!!

And you can see my beautiful zinna, the strawberries (center basket), and tomatoes (bottom basket). The back is the bird of paradise which can be (and often is) the bane of my gardening existence. But, again, how awesome is she??!!
I probably should give some credit to Miracle-Gro as well, but definitely the flamingos. Every time I go to the store, I usually end up picking up something else to add to it, and the combination of everything together is actually seeming to grow well and look well together. And I so enjoy my morning ritual of taking my coffee, cigs and Kindle out the front yard before anyone else is up (and before the sun becomes evil hot) and watering the grass and my garden and seeing how everything is doing. I play my Kindle while I'm doing 5 min cycles on the different sections of the yard, then taking the hose and attacking the “dead” veins of St. Augustine grass to bring them back to life (yep, I know how to resurrect St. Augustine), then flush the four-o'clock seeds back into the garden so that they spread out and root all over the garden. I end up this ritual with closing back up the seed containers that are hothousing whatever new seeds I've planted. This is every other morning at the very latest, especially in this heat... when it's typical SoCal cool, only every couple of days (which sucks, so I'll sometimes just go out and sit on the front porch with my coffee and Kindle and enjoy the weather). I recently planted some GoldenDew seeds from a Golden Dew Melon into the front yard itself, where there used to be grass... and I can't wait to see if it will produce! I separated the seeds into two plants, and planted them within a couple of feet of each other, along with a purple salvia to bring in the bees for pollination. I just bought three more different melons, and I will probably plant those seeds in the yard too, because this grass is taking too long to come in and these will help make the yard green and pretty and smell good and give me (fingers crossed) some yummy melons to share with Alice.

I started walking the kids again (and by kids, I mean my dog Coco (Chihuahua) and my mom's dog Duke (German Shepherd/Lab mix). In our “neighborhood” (a term I use loosely, because there isn't the sense of neighborhood that I had growing up here – yep, I lived in 3 different houses that are all adjacent to each other, so I literally grew up here, and this is where I returned when I had no other choice. Anywho, I know a few of my neighbors – mostly those who I've known for the majority of my life, or who have known various family members during my life – but there is no sense of community within this area like there was when I was a kid. And instead of gang members (NorthSide Bolen!! um, yeah, no joke), we live cattycorner from the Mongols (a Motorcycle gang from California (I believe they originated here) that is mainly known for being a veritable threat in the drug and prison community), who bought a house and who likes to stay up late partying with unnecessarily loud motorcycles. ANYHOW... people here are weird (in my opinion) about their dogs. On the corner, aka the EVIL DOG HOUSE, is a house that currently has two Golden Retriever/Terrier (I think!) mixes who bark and try to attack any other dogs that walk by the house. The fence around this house is only about 3-4ft tall, so it's not a problem for them to be up on the fence barking like mad and trying to instigate crap with other dogs. There is another dog pair around the corner from them that has two very friendly dogs, but whom my dogs are not allowed to “visit” because it makes their dogs bark (wtf?!?). There is a street down a ways that we've walked down before and had no real problems with, but then we went down there and were attacked by a bunch of little dogs who basically had been let out of their houses/yards without parental supervision and ran the gamut of the street. THAT WAS SO FUN. And since I make friends with the dogs that I walk by on a regular basis, I would like my kids to meet Sadie in particular (a Boxer who LOVES me and gives me lots o kisses on my way to and from work). Coco is not usually Little Miss Friendly, but Duke loves to play with whomever he can. And they remembered all of their direction from every time I've walked them, although I do have to say, walking is a relative term. Coco tries to mush like she's running the Iditerod, but she's a whopping 5lbs and I can pick her up and carry her til she gets it together. Duke, on the other hand, is as tall as I am when he stands up, and although he weighs less than I do, his brute strength is enough to make me run behind him. I have to wear yoga gloves when we walk because if I don't, my hands become shredded messes of leashburns. I actually have to spell out W-A-L-K when I'm talking to someone about taking them out, because they both know what it is when I say it out loud and they go absolutely crazy in anticipation. I love walking them... previously, I used to listen to an MP3 or my cell phone playlists, but the past few times, I've stopped and just paid attention to what was going on around me, so it's become therapeutic. I've tried to be neighborly and talk to people and say hi, although Duke is intimidating because of his size, I try to show people how friendly he is, especially the kids. I usually stop walking them in the late fall/winter because of the weather (Coco doesn't do rain) or because my work schedule won't let me, which is usually around the same time because of retail's holiday season.
Coco in her normal pet-my-belly-now position that she assumes anytime someone gets near her.

Duke (when he was a wee bit younger) with his I'm-so-cute-Scooby look.
This will probably be one of a couple of posts for this week... as mentioned, I've got a lot on my noggin and need somewhere to get it out. This is the easy stuff, the fun stuff, the life-lite that is easy to write about. The other stuff, not so much fun, or easy, or life-lite (more like LIFE with the resounding announcer voice). I figure if I separate the two, you (as a reader) can pick and choose what posts you want to read.

So here's my list of loves for this week:

G7 Coffee from Vietnam. OH. MY. GAWD. This stuff is awesome and I forever love my manicurist/hairstylist for introducing it to me (and giving me the directions, since the bag is only in Vietnamese and I don't speak that language). Now, I just need to find a direct source for it. The first bag I squandered away in less than a week; this bag, I am going slow on. Helen loves me and keeps pimping it out to me everytime I go in to see her. She is an awesome person who does fantastic eyebrows and manicures. AGAIN: THIS IS AWESOME COFFEE. I will post a pic the next time I have some cause I already finished this package (much to my dismay!)!

Gatorade's Sandia Citrus (aka Watermelon Citrus) flavor tastes just like a watermelon Jolly Rancher. Their Strawberry Lemonade Limited Edition flavor isn't bad, but once I went Sandia, that was it for me. I even prefer it over my favorite Raspberry Melon, but I can only get it at 7/11, and we all know that is not the cheapest place to get anything (unless it's a slurpee, cause you can never pay too much for a slurpee).

My lawn flamingos. I cannot get enough of these guys, and I am having a helluva a time finding them. These were 99cents each at the 99cent store, so I couldn't resist picking them up, and now that I am head over heels in love with them, I can't find them anywhere. So, a plea for help: if you can find them, please for the love of Pete, tell me!!
(I actually just wanted another excuse to show off my girls cause I love them so much!!)

Once again, Jenna Marbles. The vids we laughed the hardest at were the ones “what a girl/guy thinks during sex,” which was hilarity.

Honest Trailers. The one about Titanic 3D is insanely on the mark and hilarious.

Puffy Cheetos. Enough said. 

Until next time, stay classy world!

Desilu

*Names have been changed to protect the innocent (ok, not always so innocent). 

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

The Inaugural Address of Desilu's Diaries

 It is over 100 degrees today, so I am sitting outside, listening to Duke & Coco eat their crunchies in peace, flealess again for the first time in a week. It's really hard to maintain a flealess physique when it is so hot you have to soak them down to keep them cool, which cancels out the flea medicine. But of course, blue Dawn to the rescue!!! One interweb how-to that actually does seem to work.

I am in a contemplative state today because of the Dustin Hoffman vid that has been making it's rounds on the interwebs, which I thought most appropriate for starting Desilu's Diaries. (Not sure of the vid I am talking about? Here it is: Dustin Hoffman "Tootsie" Interview . Watch it, cry a little, grab a coffee, then come back to me). To me, Dustin Hoffman is the “thinker's actor.” Simply meaning, he actually stops and thinks about the roles he's done, and what his intended effect is going to be on an audience when he makes a movie. And he just endeared himself to me even more with his interview. And then I really think about what he said, because it does go both ways. How many people (not men or women, but BOTH) have I passed by without a second glance simply because they didn't meet my expectation of beauty (which is different than Dustin's I would guess, and different from yours as well – in spite of the beauty ideals presented in society, we each have our own view of what makes something – people included – beautiful.)? And aren't a little piece of each of us wondering “how many people have 'ignored' me (for lack of a better term) because I was not their ideal of beauty?” I know that I am an interesting person; I know that my life, for lack of a better phrase, is complicated and messy, making it inherently interesting. As a redhead – if for no other reason – I am interesting! Which leads me to this: challenge yourself to see beyond the physical. We hear about that a lot in today's interwebs; news stories about the incredible people who don't look incredible on the outside, so how did they manage that amazing feat of whatever-it-was? I'm not talking about giving the time of day to the weird guy you don't know who slows by the side of the road to give you a ride “cause it's really hot outside” and that just looks creepy – no, by all means and PLEASE go with your gut instincts on that one!, but the person who you work with, sit by in class, see on your bus route all the time, walks in as a customer in your store on a regular basis – those people – give them not only the time of day, but ask about them. If there is one interweb that truly shows this principle in action, it's HONY (Humans of New York) on Facebook (don't know if they also have a website stand-alone as well, but it's well-worth a google search. Or Bing! It if you're so inclined; whatever, just look them up). When you look at the person photographed, and you read the small conversation/statement, a lot of the time, you would not instantly think of that person being affiliated with whatever was said (although, there are sometimes when they match up like serendipity). What would you tell HONY if he stopped and took a shot of you – what would be your conversation/statement? What do you want people to know about you outside of the physical?? When you strip away your looks (whatever they may be to you) and hide behind a computer screen, what is it that you would share with everyone so they would know about you? Think like that the next time you encounter someone, and it will change the way you see them (I would guarantee it, but I don't make a lot of money, so let's just leave it with I'll give you an I-told-you-so).

For me, this blog is an extension of me. It is my personality on paper (theoretically); my interesting shining through. Some of you know what I look like; I know what I think I look like. But I think my inside is much more fascinating than my outside. For right now, I'm going to take a page from one of my favorite Blogger's books (Aunt Peaches; look her up, ya'll, right after you're done reading. You won't regret it): in her conversation about Dustin's interview, she gives up why her readers – some of us dedicated to her for a couple of years now and love her fiercely – will never see her picture on her blog. I think it is an interesting perspective, and a challenge, especially in this day and age where selfies are all over the net and tumblr and facebook and every other forsaken place available. Not knowing what Aunt Peaches looks like doesn't deter me from wanting to sit, have a lot of coffee (and if she's back on the wagon, Diet Coke for her), and kvetch until the cows come home about anything and everything. Seriously. I would love to have coffee with this woman. If I had mature, responsible, smart brothers, I'd want to set them up with her just so she can be my in-law and we could get together all the time. And again, I have no idea what she looks like (or to blow someone's mind and state the obvious – if she is really a she and not a very crafty gay guy. She's definitely a she, this I go with my gut on; but on another note, doesn't the web making us even think that people aren't who they say they are suck? I know, there are multitudes of reasons why this is, but coming from an age where things “seemed” a lot more straightforward – and that is a whole 'nother blog post in and of itself – I miss the sanctity of someone's word). Any how... Aunt Peaches & HONY: find them. Follow them. Enjoy. I told you so (pre-emptive).

Another vid I watched today was by the infamous Jenna Marbles (Youtube sensation and funny-girl – well-worth a Youtube search and vid watching when you need a giggle or ten). Normally, Jenna is the funny-girl she's known for, but today's vid (was there something special about today that I missed? All of this on one day, no wonder I'm contemplative!) was about finding and being yourself. And you know what? For a girl who makes us laugh over stupid shit, she has got it figured out. I know she's younger than me, but she gets it more than I ever have before watching her spew it out!! I know, I know: sometimes, despite the message, it's the medium that makes it work. Whatever. It worked. I laughed a little, but thought a whole helluva a lot. And I kinda wished – for a moment, anyway – that I knew what this girl knows at her age when I was her age. This girl – in spite of the stupid shit she can come up with – has got her shit together. That was my thought. She will go far in life was my second thought. My third was: what awesome parents she had. Because the foundation is really laid there.

So... since I'm on a roll, let's make the inaugural Desilu's Diaries a really long read. Hopefully not throwing ya'll out on your ear with never-gonna-read-this-again long, but with hmmmm-that-was-interesting-can't-wait-til-next-week long. Since this is going to be a random catch-all of a place, where ya'll can read me work my way through life – my very INTERESTING life, lol – I thought that this last piece would actually start out my re-entry into blogging (but Dustin won, so, ya know): Life List. There were two pieces that got me onto this, and it is a little different than just a bucket list. Everyone has a bucket list – those things we all want to do before we die, blah blah blah. But thanks again to Aunt Peaches (and you can read her inspiration for her on her blog post about this) and Marc and Angel Hack Life, a Life List seems much more appropriate for me: what is it that I want to accomplish – big or small – in this life? Sometime in the next year? Sometime in the next five? Sometime before I die? So, no judgement here, please, and if you are so inclined, leave me a couple of your Life List Musts in the comments... Here goes:
  1. Ballroom dancing lessons – particularly the tango, Argentine tango, fox trot, and paso doble. I look awesome doing them in my head to the music I picked out (where I'm also on Dancing with the Stars, being coached by Tristan... oh those Irish boys... Anyhow, I digress), now I just want to look awesome doing them in real life. Without my current two left feet.
  2. Fly to Europe, but schedule a 6 hour layover in New York, where I hire a cabbie to give me a three hour tour and take me to the best slice or pastrami sandwich he knows about before I have to fly over the Atlantic. My gut tells me that I will be going to London on this particular trip, but no, no current plans.
  3. Speaking of Europe, get a damn passport (with a decent photo) and get it stamped from a couple of places (Mexico & Canada count!)!
  4. Do like the car commercial and buy a t-shirt and take a picture in front of the Welcome to... sign of all 50 states, plus the territories.
  5. Learn at least one more language, and become fully fluent in the two I already know (btw: English counts as a language ya'll already know; becoming fluent in it is an admirable goal!).
  6. Finish my doctorate.
  7. Complete the 101 things to do in Los Angeles list that comes out every year. Maybe not 100 things to do in a year, but have the list and work my way through them so I can get to know the real LA where I live (besides, I do have to work and 100 is like 1 thing every three to four days – when I'm independently wealthy and retired maybe, but that's not going to happen anytime soon).
  8. Write again (and this blog counts). All of my life has been intertwined with writing – my writing. I don't think I've ever really completed anything, but I have used it as therapy. Now, it's therapy and public, so I want to be conscientious about doing it on a regular basis and making it mean something. Don't get me wrong – not every piece of writing should be life or death serious, but just the act itself is important to me.
  9. Learn how to play the piano and the cello. I play five instruments already, but both the piano and cello are two different types that I don't know and have always wanted to learn. Besides writing, music was my second love (and still is).
  10. Step outside of my box. Yep, I live in a box (actually, it's a garage closet, but tit for tat). And as a 30-something, I need to be able to show my son that stepping outside of your comfort zone is not going to kill you, but may actually lead to other really awesome things happening. 

    Ok, I think that's enough mind boggling for one day. I expect to post at least once a week. Sometimes, it may be more (but I will shoot for it never being less – see #8 above). Sometimes it will have serious stuff, and sometimes it will be seriously stupid. All depends on the kind of day/week/hour I'm having and want to share with ya'll. One thing to note: I will always (ok, no promises here) leave you with some of my favorite things from the past week/day/month/whatever. Here's this week's:
    Miranda Lambert's Momma's Broken Heart video and song. I'm not a big country gal, but I sing this on the top of my lungs like I'm not really tone deaf whenever I hear it. I love this song because it's fun; the vid is even more fun.
    Pistol Annie's (feat. Miranda Lambert; yes, I think I have a girl-crush on her, get over it) Hush Hush video and song. A LOT of ya'll watching will stop and go, yep, that looks/sounds familiar, lol.
    George Takei on Facebook. I do miss a lot of the Star Trek humor (not a Trekky or a Star Wars fan for that matter), but he has a seriously funny straight-man style sense of humor that anyone can get. He's funny to read, loves his audience, and really enjoys life.
    Danielle Colby on Facebook. She's the female face of Antique Anthropology, the show American Pickers. She's a fascinating woman, a burlesque star in her own right, and a young hippie. Her posts are sunshiny and happy days (most of the time), and she's definitely grrrl power in her own way.
    Plus, ya'll have to check out both HONY and Aunt Peaches on Facebook, and Jenna Marbles on Youtube. And the one cause I am fully supportive of right now is Bombshells Against Bullying, which has started in the Bay Area (of California) and is moving across Facebook (and hopefully, the world, soon!). They are a cause well worth a mention and support.

    I have a lot of TV to catch up (mainly Rookie Blue and Motive, although I still have to make it through Scandal, and I hear that Mistresses is well worth watching, so maybe. I don't do Game of Thrones, and isn't Downton Abbey off air til March? Mad Men could use some catching up too, but a couple of seasons worth). Reading right now: Nikola Tesla on my Kindle. I may be him reincarnated (and without the genius theories) in just the bad luck genre so he's kin to me. Still have to finish Cleopatra and Middlemarch. Obsessed with Scramble on my Kindle.

    Have a fantastic and interesting week peoples! See you next week!

    Xoxo Desilu