The Passion of The Christ
My church saw The Passion of the Christ today. I had some misgivings about going to see this movie. I had an idea of how brutal a lot of the scenes were going to be and I don't know how well I was going to be able to take it. As with everybody else who saw the movie, I had the comfort of watching "from the outside". I got mad at the people in the movie. Not "at" the Jews as a lot of the movie's detractors, but at all the blind people, the idiots in the movie. I was screaming in my mind's voice, "Don't you know what you are doing?!!!" "STOP IT!"
As with any story I've read, I've already created the movie in my mind. Each "movie" gets more intense as I learn more of every facet of the story. Each time I read that part of the Bible, I've created a movie. Later on, I read a text on what a person goes through when crucified and so my movie changes. Then I read a book on the history of the roman empire and the movie is changed again. Through the years the movie I ended up with a movie that was harsh, brutal and dark. Every real movie I've seen of the crucifixion of Christ was very clean. Mel Gibson's version came very close to the one I had in my mind, in terms of brutality. It scared me.
Afterwards a bunch of us had a meeting to discuss the movie. One of the questions was "What scene stood out the most to you?" There were a number of answers, for some the most brutal parts stood out more and for others the subtleties stood out. The part of the movie that stood out for me was when the pharisee was taunting Jesus. Jesus started praying for the pharisee and one of the thieves called down from his cross and told the pharisee that Jesus was praying FOR HIM! I needed that bit of irony.
There was a lot of things about the movie that I am still trying to process, so I will continue this for tomorrow.

Song of the Day: "The Reason Why We Sing" by Kirk Franklin

Shuffle
I loaded most all my mp3 into one playlist and shuffled them here are the Top Ten:

• "Wildfire" by Micheal Martin Murphey


• "White Summer, Black Mountain Side" by Led Zepplin


• "If I Can't Have You" by Yvonne Elliman


• "Look Of Love" by ABC


• "Ballerina Girl" by Lionel Richie


• "Cherish" by The Partridge Family


• "Easy Livin'" by Uriah Heep


• "Lay Down Sally" by Eric Clapton


• "This Can't Be Life" by Jay Z


• "Painters" by Jewel

Wow, I forgot I even had these songs.
What's in your collection?

Song of the Day: "Standing In The Shadow Of Love" by The Four Tops

Glimpses
I didn't really have a clue as to what a best friend was or what it entailed. All I know was that he was always there when I wanted to play. At school, he always played in my team or me in his team depending on which one of us got picked first.
---
She was the first girl I knew that I didn't care she was a girl. She punched harder than most of the guys and she ran faster than any of us. She knew more things about sports than all of the guys put together or at the very least bluffed about knowing more about sports than the other guys.
---
He was one of the older kids on the block. He taught all of us kids about football. We all knew he was at least 10 years older than us, but he hung out with us anyway. Looking back he could have been such a bully, at least of the block. He definitely, was a lot bigger than all of us. But he hung out, showed us how to play football and baseball. He was like a big brother to all the guys on the block.
---
These are little glimpses of people that have made an impression in my life and for one reason or another are no longer a part of my life. Every once in a while, I will take them out of the box that is my memories. Like any treasure that has collected a little dust, I take each memory and put a bit of shine on them. I'd like to think that each of them are as fulfilled as I imagine them to be. Each of them has contributed to the person that is me and I'd like to thank them in the only way I can and the only way I know how...
To make as positive an impact to others I meet as they were to me.

Song of the Day: "The Ghost In You" by The Psychedelic Furs

Flag
Ladies and Gentlemen! My dog Flag. One of the most spoiled dog in the world.

• favorite food: mine, yours, well... yeah.


• favorite snacks: fortune cookies and "sliced" bananas (not necessarily together)


• must haves: Ice in water


• Demands attention (stands in front of TV when people are watching)

Song of the Day: "Fox On The Run" by Sweet

Rain, Rain And MORE Rain... Woohoo!
I LOVE this weather! There is something about rain that I just go "woohoo" over. I went to the gym and when I got home I literally "cooled off" by playing fetch with Flag in the backyard. I wanted to just sit in the rain all night. Unfortunately, computers and rain don't mix. Nope, they sure don't... hmmm... I wonder if Sony has a waterproof laptop? nah!

Looks like I am going to have to watch what I say to Natalie from now on, because she's using AIM quotes and putting it in her xanga. I think Flag enjoys the rain almost as much as I enjoy rain. Every once in a while I see him "prancing" around in the rain, almost like skipping if dogs can skip. When I said "prances around like a fairy dog" I meant fairy like tinkerbell.

Boy it is really coming down pretty good right now. I also like the sound of rain.

Song of the Day: "Rhythm of the Falling Rain" by The Cascades

Music
I am not sure how much music plays in people's lives, but it really plays a big part in mine. I can play some instruments with some degree of functionality... and at times it even sounds decent, but I am not talking about that.

I enjoy listening to music. I enjoy almost every form of it. There have been music that I've enjoyed, there have been music that I could not get away from fast enough and that's not to say it was bad just that I did not enjoy it. People ask me what/who are my favorites and I can't really give them an answer beyond "Whatever I am listening to at the moment."

Of all the things that may color my life, I would say that music was... the color blue.

Song of the Day: "The Wild Rover" by The Dubliners

What A Morning!
I didn't get a lot of sleep last night. I was so upset over the hit and run that I couldn't sleep. I'm sure I was able to get some sleep but not a lot. I remember bouts of just staring into the ceiling, listening to the wind and rain outside. All I know is that I saw the alarm clock readout go to 5:30 to set off the alarm. *groan*

I got ready for work and left the house. I was still venting a bit from last night and thought maybe a good breakfast would help me put some of this anger aside. I went to Spires near work and got a newspaper... Didn't work. Still fuming!

Then I got to work and parked the car and this happened...

Picture A Picture B


God is good... sooo good.
*sigh*

Song of the Day: "Come Clean" by Hillary Duff

Crash Bam Boom
I was the victim of a hit and run. That in itself is bad enough but I was on my way to a date and for anyone who has known me for a good long while, those things are rare and far in between... ARGH!!!!

I had just left the house and was on my way to meet her. I was feeling good and really looking forward to the evening. Getting on the freeway on-ramp, a white truck cuts me off at the on-ramp and starts fish-tailing. Before I can get out of his way the back of his truck clips the front of my car. I am thinking at least we were slow enough that it wasn't worse. Then I realize he isn't stopping, the truck continues onto the freeway. At first, I thought "Hey where the heck is this guy going?" Then it starts to sink in that this bonehead is running!

My first inclination is to go after him and chase him down. Then reality sunk in. This guy is running. I started to go after him then I came to a realization, I was about to get involved in a high speed freeway chase! The road conditions were damp at best and the traffic was not light. Besides, if I do catch up to this person, how am I supposed to get him to pull over? If I did chase him down and he pulled over what am I going to do demand to exchange information? Seeing as he is driving away from the scene of an accident, he MUST have his reason. Unless I knew that the reason was because he had to get the donor heart to the hospital in time, I am not going to chase down someone who has already demonstrated to me that he doesn't belong in society, at least not in mine. So, I exited the freeway at the next exit and called CHP.

It took a patrol car about 20 minutes to get to my location and the officer took a report. Unfortunately, I was not able to get the truck's license plate information, because he didn't have any, at least none that I could see. Looks like I am going to have to "eat it" on this one. The damage isn't so bad that the car can't be driven. In fact, I drove it back home after the officer took the report.

I had called the date as soon as I got hit and explained what happened. She was very understanding and said that we could try again. I was so disappointed. You cannot imagine how disappointed I was when I got home.

*sniff*


Song of the Day: "Say Anything" by Good Charlotte

It's Only Water! For Goodness sake!

What is it about rain that freaks people out? I love it when it rains. It's a great reason (excuse) to get wet. It is the perfect excuse for getting your feet wet. "Oh yeah, my feet are soaked because it's wet out" = "Yeah, I couldn't resist jumping into that puddle over there."

So I was just waiting for a little gathering of the Culinary Safari group, so I am playing fetch with Flag in the backyard (yes, in the rain). It's a good thing he like the rain too or else it would look pretty silly my being in the rain while throwing the ball to him while he was in the patio. Hmmm, the rain is coming down hard right now. I'm starting to think that people will more than likely start calling me soon to cancel out on tonight's eat-fest.

Hey! There's the first ring....

Song of the Day: "Someday" by Nickelback

Honesty
If you search for tenderness
it isn't hard to find.
You can have the love you need to live.

But if you look for truthfulness
You might just as well be blind.
It always seems to be so hard to give.

Honesty is such a lonely word.
Everyone is so untrue.
Honesty is hardly ever heard.
And mostly what I need from you.

I can always find someone
to say they sympathize.
If I wear my heart out on my sleeve.
But I don't want some pretty face
to tell me pretty lies.
All I want is someone to believe.

Honesty is such a lonely word.
Everyone is so untrue.
Honesty is hardly ever heard.
And mostly what I need from you.

-- Billy Joel

I really like this song. Billy Joel is the MAN! It was playing on the radio on my way back from LA this morning. I just had to CRANK it UP! Needless to say it is also the...

Song of the Day: "Honesty" by Billy Joel

The next time you wonder where you stand in the world's economic scale take this eye-opener.
The Global Rich List

Song of the Day: "With Arms Wide Open" by Creed

Afghanistan?! What about Downtown?
Someone was showing me a flyer for "Help Stop Gender Discrimination in Afghanistan". Let's just say my reaction to the flyer wasn't too nice. Don't get me wrong, I am all for stopping most types of discrimination anywhere and everywhere. I put this person on the defensive by launching a bunch of questions (now I would call them "attacks") on something she believed in supporting. Questions like, "So, there is no gender discrimination here in the USA?" "How can change be affected there by a group of people here, who can't even affect the same change here?"
I know what I did was not nice. But I really have a problem with the whole "let's fix this or that problem" in other countries when the same problems exist here in this country. I am all for helping our neighbors when disaster strikes, if for the only reasons are that we can or that we should.

Song of the Day: "My Sacrifice" by Creed

Disappointment
"I blame no one for this." "There doesn't even have to be a reason, good or bad."

That's what I keep telling myself. I was really looking forward to this afternoon. I didn't care that the day started at 7:30 this morning or that it was only 2/3 of the way over by 4:00 in the afternoon. The whole day was spent in anticipation. That 2/3 mark was supposed to be the best time of the day. I tolerated the whole day just to get to this point. The torturous hours were supposed to give more appreciation to the reward. The reward then gives hope of the promise of more the following week with another reward.

Yeah well... she didn't come by today...*sniff*

Song of the Day: "Rocky Raccoon" by The Beatles

More About Me
I've seen lists like this on other blogs so I thought ok, in addition to my 100 things about me, I'll do one too. I'll add this on to my "About Me" link eventually.

Name: Angel
Nickname: None repeatable
Astrological sign: Leo
Age: Clinging on to 39 for as long as possible.
Height: 5' 7.25" (yes, I will include that last quarter of an inch)
Level of Education: Never high enough
Occupation: Teacher
Birthplace: Quezon City, Philippines
Marital status: Single
How many children: None, what part of single did you not understand?
Do you drink (alcohol): Occassionally
Do you smoke: Not anymore, thanks Susan.
Favorite outdoor activities: Drinking coffee, reading a book.
Favorite indoor activities: Drinking coffee and reading a book
Favorite colors: Green, Black
Favorite type of music: Too many to mention
Favorite musical groups/performers: See above
Favorite soundtracks: The Big Chill
Favorite song at the moment: Where Is The Love by Black Eyed Peas
What's in your home CD/Casette player right now: Cachao Master Sessions Volume 1
What's in you car CD/Casette player right now: Creed Weathered
Do you play an instrument: Not anymore. Saxaphone, Clarinet, Flute, Bass Guitar, Drums, Bongos/Congas andthe Harmonica.
One pillow or two: Three
Have you ever had your appendix or tonsils removed: Tonsils
Do you make fun of people: Not as much as myself.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up: Super hero
What would be your dream job now: Super Hero
Places you'd most like to visit: Europe
Your first car: 1970 Comet
Dream car: 1964 Jaguar Roadster
Toothpaste: Colgate
Shampoo/Conditioner: Hahahahaha
Favorite season: Winter
Favorite holiday: Easter
Favorite board/card game: Trivial Pursuit/Master Twos
Favorite hobbies: Reading
Favorite sport to play: Football
Favorite sport to watch: Right now, LaCrosse
Least favorite sport to watch: Nascar
Do you have any siblings: Yes, two younger sisters.
Do you get along with your parents: Yes
Favorite place to chill: Guppy's
Favorite place to visit: Tahoe
What is your bad time of day: Afternoons
What is your good time of day: Not afternoons
Favorite perfume or cologne: Duc de Vervin, thanks Steph.
Favorite scent of candle: Candles have scents?
Favorite subject in school: Political Science, Comparative Literature.
Least favorite subject in school: English
Favorite magazine: Blender
Favorite movie you have seen recently: Lord of the Rings, Return of the King
Favorite movie of all time: LOTR trilogy
Other favorite movies: Shawshank Redemption, The Big Chill.
Favorite TV programs: West Wing, SG-1 and anything Star Trek.
Favorite cartoon character: Hobbes
Favorite food: There is an UN-favorite?
Chocolate or Vanilla: Vanilla
What is your bedtime: 1:00 am
How many rings before you answer the phone: 3 tops or else it goes to voicemail.
The first thing you think of in the morning: What again?
Favorite thing to do when you're home alone: Reading
Thunderstorms - Cool or Scary: Cool
Pen or Pencil: Pen
Do you like to drive: Yes
What is on the walls of your room: Bare walls
What words or phrases do you overuse: No really...
Coolest things anyone ever gave you: Gadgets
If you could pick one super-human power, what would you choose: The power to give anyone I wish Empathy.

Song of the Day: "The Rain Song" by Led Zepplin

Why Stephanie and Snowmobiles Do Not Mix
This story has been repeated quite a bit, but no matter how many times it has been told there are always more who have not heard it yet. So here it is and if anyone wants pictures all they need to do is click on the thumbnail to get the full picture.
It was a great day. The sun was out, it had been snowing heavily days before and well, the sun was out. Stephanie wanted to try snowmobiling. We had gotten into a beginner's group, which was made up of a bunch of soccer fanatical, fun at all means, we're-on-vacation Londoner nursing an all night of drinking hangover. The group reminded me of Monty Python movie, not because they all had English accents though it helped, but the spontaneous bursts of insanity that occurred everytime the convoy stopped.

It was a fun bunch of people we had and the trails the guide was taking were breath-taking. We were taking the trails at a pretty good pace. After a while I was almost tempted to take off my helmet, but I resisted knowing how cold it would get whipping through the trails. I started off in the front of the pack with the guide (that's me in the yellow). The guide took the group to a frozen lake to allow everyone some practice time driving their snowmobiles.

Just to clarify a few things about snowmobiles
- They have a centrifugal transmission, which means that the higher the transmission revs it shifts to the next gear.
- Unless you have been riding for a while and have had a lot of practice, you have to go up an incline straight on or you tip over.
- When you let go the gas, the snowmobile will come to a stop...Unless it is downhill.
The frozen lake we were on was surrounded by a road, at some points there was a 4 to 6 foot high incline onto the road from the lake bed. In order to get to the road from the lake bed one has to drive up the incline straight on or risk toppling over.

According to Stephanie, she was still trying to get used to driving the snowmobile when she wanted to go up to the road. In trying to get up enough speed to up the incline she revved up the snowmobile a little too hard... Ok, a lot too hard. She turned that incline into a launching ramp. She flew over part of the road. The back end of the snowmobile landed on the far end of the road and jack-knifed the snowmobile into a 25-foot ravine on the other side of the lake. Stephanie flew over the handle bars and landed flat at the bottom of the ravine.
Fortunately, it had been snowing heavily the days before so a thick, soft bed of fluffy snow broke her fall. According to Stephanie, she was more embarrassed about the situation than hurt. She in the process of evaluating her condition, wiggling her fingers and toes to make sure she didn't break her back or anything like that. What she did not realize was though the snowmobile was no longer revving, it was still uphill from her location. It slowly inched its way down until the snowmobile slowly stopped right on top of her and pushed her even deeper into the snow. By this time, she was now 3 feet deep in the snow, making a pretty good "Stephanie silhouette" in the snow.
One of the guys from London found her and quickly called the rest of the group for help. One of the guys found me at the other end of the lake and told me, "Your wife is hurt!" My first reaction was, "My wife? I don't have a wife..." Then I thought, "Oh you must mean..." I got there just in time to see the guide do this most amazing thing. He zipped up his coat and slid down the hill Frosty the Snowman style! Considering the urgency of the situation, I thought that would be the quickest way down so I tried to get down there the same way, only to have a totally different outcome. I ended up making my own silhouette in the snow. By the time I reached the "crash site" the guys were already rolling the snowmobile off Stephanie's back. When I heard Stephanie talking to the guide, I asked her if she was ok and if we were going to need to take her to the hospital. She reassured everyone that she just a little shaken and that she's fine. Hearing that, I just HAD to tell her "smile" and started taking pistures. One of the guys seeing me snapping away started clicking away with his camera.

Song of the Day: "I Can See For Miles" by The Who

Valentine's Day Heartaches, part I
I had been scribbling her name on every page of my notebook for days, no for weeks. I made sure that I ate lunch at a table across from her and completely ignored her even though I didn't. I had been saving up my allowance for three weeks so I can get her an AWESOME Valentine's Day gift. I had dragged my mom to one of the biggest stores on the island and spent the whole morning looking, searching for the perfect gift. I thought I had found it in a monstrousity of a musical bird cage that played the theme song from the Love Story. I gave it to her on Valentine's Day which was on a school day. It was nicely wrapped (I had the store wrap it), I waited for the right moment and I had a little "I hope you like it" speech. She took a look at the box and gave me a smile, then she saw the card...
I misspelled her last name and well it came out spelling something though not really bad, it wasn't nice. She must have thought I did it on purpose, because she wouldn't take the gift, never even opened it. All I knew was that she didn't like me all that much after that.
That was in the 4th grade...

Song of the Day: "Lonely People" by America

Pie In the Face, part I
I haven't pie'd anyone in the face in a long while. In fact, I have not pie'd anyone since 1996! My goodness that's a long time to go without pie-ing anyone. I remember the first time I got a pie in my face. It was my senior year in high school during a pep rally. They were have a pie eating contest and they did not have a junior for the competition. They were asking for a volunteer from the junior class, but no one was volunteering. I spotted a friend in the crowd and got a bunch of guys together to literally throw him up on stage. Well, he didn't win but after the contest he picked up his pie and just gave me this wicked smile and I knew what was coming. I tried to get away but the same guys that helped me throw him up on stage were the same guys that kept me from getting away. That was my first, and needless to say, not the last. I am trying to figure out of the people I now spend a lot of time with these days, which one would take one in stride? Hmmm...

Song of the Day: "So Yesterday" by Hilary Duff

Nerd Comic Strip
I found an online comic strip that has not yet failed to give me a chuckle. The strip is called PVP Online. Basically, it is a strip about group of people who work at a magazine that reviews all type of computer games, video games and online network games. The characters are aware they are a comic strip in fact the author/artist makes an appearance every so often. Another character is a troll that was a character of one of the games they have reviewed and now works at the magazine as an intern... I know it screams of NERDS!!! I love it! I think I am hooked. I'm such a geek. Slaps, tickles and giggles.

Song of the Day: "Pinball Wizard" by The Who

Even My Eyelashes Hurt!
In my continuing efforts to better health, less weight, nicer clothes and hopefully a somewhat smoother dating life (I can dream can't I?) I have been going to the gym. Yes, for the first time in years (close to 3) I am back in a gym. It is going on 2 weeks now and I am happy to report I am feeling better and I am actually liking it... sort of.
Today, I had a session with a personal trainer. I would like to say he was supportive, patient and informative. That he got me to try new machines and innovative resistance exercises...

In reality...

HE WAS MEAN! HE MADE ME GET ON THESE TORTURE DEVICES THAT MADE EVERY PART OF MY BODY HURT! WHEN I WANTED TO STOP TO REST HE WOULDN'T LET ME! WHEN HE SAID TO DO 10 REPS HE REALLY MEANT 15! WHEN HE TOLD ME, "WE'LL START YOU UP SLOWLY"...HE WAS LYING!!!!

*groan*

Even my eyelashes hurt...

Song of the Day: "Sending Out An SOS" by The Police

Tuesday, Once More
I heard a call, but there was no sound. I turned my head to the right as if there was an explosion, but there was no immediacy in my action. In fact, I was moving in slow motion compared to everything and everybody around me.

SHE came by today. I really didn't think she was going to show. I thought of every conceivable reason she might have for not being able to come by and I was really doing a great job of convincing myself that any of them were valid. Then there she was, just like that. I turned around and there she was, even earlier than before.
WE spoke of common interests - WE have common interests!
WE spoke of common goals - WE have common goals!
WE talked about similar situations - yes... WE have similar situations...
WE talked about... - What am I thinking? WE talked!
I asked her what she had done the past weekend - she stayed in to do some studying.
I asked her if the boyfriend had planned anything nice for this coming weekend...

She said, "What boyfriend?, I don't have a boyfriend!"

I'm pretty sure at that declaration, I excused myself and did a couple mental cartwheels and more than a few "whoooooopies!". Now this is where it kind of gets cloudy, but I am pretty sure I was doing that male cheering motion of pumping my arms back and cheering "yes, yes, yes!" repeatedly. Which wouldn't have been such a bad thing if SHE wasn't right behind me...

I'm off to a good start...

Song of the Day: "100 Ways" by James Ingram

Still Looking For Love
I've really got to stop watching "falling in love" or "feel good"movies. They are misleading and they only make me feel good for a short time, then I don't feel so good.
I know they are just movies but with so many of them out there, there are times when you lower your guard and believe the hype, the illusion, the lie.
Love is so easy. It is so obtainable.

• It may take a thousand ships...Helen of Troy.
  
• It may require a civil war...Gone With The Wind.
  
• It may take being burned in a plane crash...The English Patient.
  
• It may require a long, long relationship as friends...When Harry Met Sally.
  
• It may take committing adultry in an African plantation...Out Of Africa.
  
• It may require hiring a prostitute while taking over a company only to dismantle it...Pretty Woman.
  
• It may take a trip around the country taking pictures of wooden bridges...The Bridges Of Madison County.
  
• It may require healing a horse and the little girl it protected...The Horse Whisperer.
  
• It may take going through officer flight school while dating a local girl...An Officer And A Gentleman.
  

Okay, so you get the drift. I don't think I'll be watching movies for a while.

Song of the Day: "When A Man Loves A Woman" by Percy Sledge

Teach Tolerance... 'nuff said.

Song of the Day: "How About You" by Staind

The article headline says, "Woman Gets Back Wallet After 40 Years"
I can sort of relate with this lady. I have a "boomerang wallet" myself though it did not take 40 years for it to come back. But it does keep coming back.
The first time I had lost the wallet was at a restaurant in San Gabriel called Shau Mays, actually I had lost/dropped it in the parking lot in the back as I was getting out of the car. I thought I had just left it at home and went on in with my friends. I didn't not have any plans to go anywhere that weekend so I didn't really think about it until the following Monday. Luckily, I did not have any credit cards in the wallet and the only thing I needed to replace was my driver's license and I was going to do that Wednesday after work. When I got home, I recieved a package in the mail and it was my wallet. The person found it in the parking lot and mailed it to the address on my license. Everything was still in the wallet including the money I had in it ($60) minus $2 the cost of sending it to me. All there was a note telling me where the person found it and how much it cost to send it back. The person did not give a name or a return address.
The second time I had lost it was at a bar in Fullerton. I guess it feel out of my back pocket (again!) and fell under the table. It wasn't until Sunday afternoon that I realized it was missing. I knew that I must have lost it at the bar or the parking lot (again!) and went back the next day. Nothing! Monday afternoon, I get a call from a friend saying that someone called her saying that he has my wallet. I had her business card in my wallet and it was the only phone number in the wallet. So after a short game of phone tag I got in touch with the person who found my wallet and Iwas able to get it back, intact. That was when the wallet was dubbed the "boomerang wallet".

Song of the Day: "Girls and Boys" by Good Charlotte

Peace Is Our Choice
I had read this article from Pope John Paul II. In it the pope says,
"peace remains possible. And if peace is possible, it is also a duty!"
How powerful is that? Forget governments, nevermind organizations, don't rely on agencies. Each have thier own agendas which boils down to a conditional peace.

• "We will keep the peace with you if you buy our products."
  
• "We will keep the peace with you if you adopt our form of government."
  
• "We will keep the peace with you if you convert to our religion."
  
• "We will keep the peace with you if you think the way we think."
  

If every individual takes it upon themselves to make the possibility of peace their duty, how much more of a chance does peace have? Teaching peace is a great step towards peace, but don't let it stop there. The next step is to practice it.

Song of the Day: "Give Peace A Chance" by John Lennon/ Paul McCartney

I found myself in a sort of a funk. No matter how hard I try, I can't seem to get out of it. I'm trying to just "think happy thoughts" or "be positive". Not that I am in a particularly negative mood, just "blah".

Song of the Day: "Where Is The Love" by The Black Eyed Peas

I just wanna cry...
I saw this cartoon today, it's a strip called "La Cucaracha" by Lalo Alcaraz. I was chuckling right after reading the Doonesbury strip. After I saw this, things weren't so funny anymore.

---

I was going write about something else but the cartoon somehow hit me hard.

Song of the Day: "Another Day In Paradise" by Phil Collins

Oh...uh, hi!
I had an IN-credible conversation today. It was full of trivial questions, trivial answers, uneasy moments of silence and repeated "ums" and "uhs". It was constantly being interrupted and clumsily restarted. There was redundancy, repetition and oh yeah, did I mention redundancy? I was clever, insightful, interesting, pithy, witty and wise. I was in the most perfect place a person could be and I had to fight the urge to run as far and as fast as I can to anywhere and everywhere BUT there. Of the conversation I do not remember any of it, what I do remember is that:

She wanted to say "hi". Her hair comes down straight and curls in at the end, surrounding her face and drawing you in.
She wanted to say "hi". She looks right at you as she speaks and keeps eye contact, as if breaking it would cause harm.
She wanted to say "hi". She acknowledges your comments with her whole body.
She wanted to say "hi". She has a tiny speck of brown below her left eye.
She wanted to say "hi". She smiles with her entire face.

She wanted to say "hi". With heels on, we are the same height.

Another thing I remember from the conversation and it brings excitement and dread, she promised to visit again next week...

Song of the Day: "The Very Thought Of You" by Tony Bennet

I really shouldn't... I have some chores I need to do
When exactly did I become responsible? When did I become a responsible adult? When I think of some of the things I used to do ... I shudder and cringe.
I used to...

• smoke.
  
• surf, without knowing how to swim.
  
• back up my pride with my fists.
  
• hitch hike.
  
• pretend to be a stunt man (double shudder).
  

Song of the Day: "Hot Blooded" by Foreigner

Training Wheels
A parent was walking alongside a child riding a bike with training wheels got me to thinking of my training wheel days. For the longest time I dreaded taking those training wheels off. I got comfortable with them and I did not want to leave the safety and reassurance it represented.
It got me to thinking about all the different kinds of training wheels I've had in my life and the ones I still use. My ventures into the "dating world" has not been going well. Putting aside the difficulties in meeting single women of my age group, I can't rely on others to bring me to them (or them to me for that matter). I enjoy spending time with my friends, but I'm afraid I am using them as training wheels of sorts. Instead of seeing them in the role of the training wheels, maybe I can have them take on the role of the nervous parent running alongside the bicycle making sure that I don't crash and burn and become horribly disfigured both physically and mentally and ... uh, too far? Dating sucks.

Song of the Day: "Love Won't Let Me Wait" by Luther Vandross