Wednesday, November 30, 2005

Seasonal Celebration

That's what they called the concert. They didn't want to say Christmas I guess. Anyway Janice and I went there last night and met up with a friend of mine from Trinidad, Anna.
At night Westcott looks sublime!

Well the whole concert was enjoyable but I want to break it down. They started with How Shall I Fitly Meet Thee. The singers were on stage and in the aisles, but the best part of this performace was the trumpets.
The Women's Glee Club and the Madrigal Singers stuff was a little bit slow and kinda boring so I'll skip that, but then they had some kids perform and that was really adorable!

There were 65 kids (I counted), and out of that only 6 boys, so they had those boys interspersed across the stage. The cute part was that a lot of the kids were wearing Mary Janes or Oxfords...you know, their CHOIR SHOES! :)

The songs like O Come Emmanuel, Do You Hear What I Hear, and Carol of the Bells, reminded me of choir in high school when we had to practice for the Christmas shows and concerts at Trinity Church downtown. I even remembered all the mezzo soprano parts that I had to do.

There were a couple of African songs like Betelehemu and Natufurai which sounded very American. I just remember the Tallahassee Boys choir singing that stuff, and nothing else I have heard can really compare to the energy, passion, and accents that the boys had.

The Jazz Vocal Ensemble didn't really sound like Jazz at all! It was kind of strange to hear them. They were entertaining though because they danced and moved around etc.

The Collegians sang Run To The Manger, and they had an interesting sound...like across between chain gang workers and a barbershop quartet, so I really liked that performance. They also did a number called Hush! My dear, lie still and slumber. That was really interesting because they had a Counter Tenor (who sounded very much like a woman). Check them out. The guitar was excellent. He just picked at the strings the whole time. 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4-5-6., in that tempo! I loved that.

This director is really great. His name is Andre Thomas and he is actually one of the best music directors in the United States. He was really gracious on stage.

The audience sang two songs. Angels We Have Heard On High and Deck The Halls. That was a lot of fun to do. There was someone on stage directing us with the tempo and encouraging harmony. You really felt like your music teacher was up there telling you what to do...but in this case a much nicer, kinder, non- yelling, non-screaming, non- telling you that you are a failure because you don't breathe from your diaphragm, music teacher! (LOL).

And last but certainly not least. The gospel choir. Oh My! These were the best performaces of the night. The audience screamed and gave standing ovations to them (this only happened with them). They sang Joyful Joyful (remember they sang this in Sister Act 2 led by Lauryn Hill), and Now Behold the Lamb (I think I heard this on Diary Of a Mad Black woman but the Tally Boys Choir has done it many times).
They had the best singers. The lead for Joyful Joyful sounded like an Angel. It was haunting... You can see her there singing and the two guys to her left of the picture did a Gospel rap!

Well we had a very good time. If you look in the background you can see the fountain at Wescott. I really like how it looks at night. Sometimes it is lit up and looks amazing. We saw this guy playing the harmonica outside and I thought it was cool.
The town Christmas Lights thing is coming soon and Choir of the Bells so I may go see that as well.
Hugs M

Tuesday, November 29, 2005

La magia del romance español

These are three of my favorite pics that Janice snapfished on Spain. I like them so much because of the lighting. It probably made her experience seem more magical and exciting. I can totally write myself into those settings. Each picture alone is a great story, I am sure.

This first picture is part of a Roman Wall. This was my absolute favorite. Can you just picture walking by that wall by yourself or with someone sweet and drinking in the atmosphere? It looks dark, sweet, dark, soft, warm....

Then I love these little European walkways. Everybody walks in Europe. Somewhere, sometime, just walking. This is Las Ramblas at night. How can you not like this....

Just walk by arm in arm, and get some flowers for your sweetie. Then keep on strolling.

This last one is of Janice and a friend she made in Barcelona. I love this picture a lot because its not perfect. Its blurry and that adds a lot to the background which is amazing. look how the building looks oro. She was on a walking tour here in the Gothic Quarter (1300s -1400s).

I can't wait to visit these places. Just roam around and take everything in. I think it may be good with a sweetie but still really good alone!

Hugs M

I Didn't Write This But I Liked It!

At this time of year, I want to thank all of you who have taken the time and trouble to send me your chain letters over the past 12 months. Thank you for making me feel safe, secure, blessed and wealthy.

Because of your concern I no longer drink Coca Cola because it can remove toilet stains.

I no longer drink Pepsi or Dr Pepper since the people who make these products are atheists who refuse to put "Under God" on their cans.

I no longer drink anything out of a can because I will get sick from the rat feces and urine.

I no longer use Saran wrap in the microwave because it causes cancer.

I no longer check the coin return on pay phones because I could be pricked with a needle infected with AIDS.

I no longer use cancer-causing deodorants even though I smell like a water buffalo on a hot day.

I no longer go to shopping malls because someone will drug me with a perfume sample and rob me.

I no longer receive packages from UPS or FedEx since they are actually Al Qaeda in disguise.

I no longer shop at Target since they are French and don't support the Salvation Army.

I no longer answer the phone because someone will ask me to dial a number for which I will get a phone bill with calls to Jamaica, Uganda, Singapore and Uzbekistan.

I no longer eat prepackaged foods because the estrogens they contain will turn me gay.

I no longer eat KFC because their chickens are actually horrible mutant freaks with no eyes or feathers.

I no longer date the opposite sex because they will take my kidneys and leave me taking a nap in a bathtub full of ice.

I no longer have any sneakers -- but that will change once I receive my free replacement pair from Nike.

I no longer buy expensive cookies from Neiman Marcus since I now have their recipe.

I no longer worry about my soul because I have 363,214 angels looking out for me and St. Theresa's novena has granted my every wish.

Thanks to you, I have learned that God only answers my prayers if I forward an e-mail to seven of my friends and make a wish within five minutes. (I don't remember that in the Bible).

I no longer have any savings because I gave it to a sick girl who is about to die in the hospital (for the 1,387,258th time).

I no longer have any money at all, but that will change once I receive the $15,000 that Microsoft and AOL are sending me for participating in their special e-mail program.

Yes, I want to thank all of you soooo much for looking out for me that I will now return the favor!

If you don't send this blog to at least 144,000 people in the next 70 minutes, a large dove with diarrhea will land on your head at 5:00 PM (EST) this afternoon and the fleas from 12 camels will infest your back, causing you to grow a hairy hump.
I know this will occur because it actually happened to a friend of my next door neighbor's ex-mother-in-law's second husband's cousin's beautician!
Honest!

LOL
M

Monday, November 28, 2005

Favorite Things List

I finally came up with a Favorite Things List from this past Thanksgiving week. These are in no particular order. I liked them all the same.

1. The great kids that you get to be around at Thanksgiving when families get together. Firstly they are cute. Then they say these things that make you wonder "How did they think of that?"
Then they get into mischief (which you love because that's the stuff you used to do). Then they get tired and quiet till something new catches their attention.

2. The grownups- Making jokes and laughing so that none of the pics you take come out perfect! We took this pic three times and this was the most SANE of them all. Everybody in this pic is from another country. Haiti, Spain and Trinidad!
The guys are somewhere in the background making us laugh

3. Lackawanna Blues: This is a must see (will make you cry though-be warned)

4. Novelty bottle (There was a sombrero attached to it) of Sangria that your friend (Janice) brings you from Barcelona.

5. The Girl With the Pearl Earring: Why didn't I see this sooner!

6. Cheese Fries (the best in Tally so far) on a Saturday afternoon, when you're starving, at Bannerman's. The waitress saved our bill under the tile "Two Ladies". It was interesting to see it on the bill itself. "Two Ladies- total 12.37"

7. Church after Thanksgiving: Everybody is rearing to go! The message is always something you needed at that time. This week's message was on that yearning/longing/hole inside of all of us that needs to get filled and the only thing that can really fill it is GOD. I'll do a whole blog of this later, but I really liked it. When you feel inside that you are searching for something and no matter how much you buy, what relationship you are in, how much tv you watch, whatever addiction you indulge in, nothing can fill that empty place......

8. World Market: The British Section- clotted cream, salami and water crackers for dinner YUM. The cashiers are so friendly well at least the one we had. He talked to us for a while about everything going on in the store.

9. Fresh Market: Caramel and Cheese popcorn in the same bag!

10. The guy at Publix deli who feels comfortable enough to say that you're weird because you don't want any of the dinner combinations that they offer but want to mix and match, then asking you nutrition and food questions. He then finds out that what you tell him is the same stuff his Mom had been telling him for YEARS!

10. Like Water for Chocolate.

Hugs M

Wednesday, November 23, 2005

In All The Rooms


If you ever watch the Cosby Show Reruns and you look in all of the bedrooms and the living room you will see art from Bill Cosby's collection. In Vanessa and Rudy's room you may see a poster of Whitney Houston but above Vanessa's bed you see a painting. That's the really interetsing stuff I like to look at.
In the living room near to the kitchen door there hangs this one from Ellis Wilson (there was an episode when Clair bought it at auction, because Ellis was supposed to be her great uncle).
I really like this one of his (The Funeral Procession).

But one of my favorite artists is CIDNE WALLACE. Everything she does is just so cute.
I love it!
I mean I like the painted stuff. Figurines and ceramics are not my thing, but the art on the calenders and the journals, totes, and cards are so great.
All the art comes with 'sage' advice about friendship, endurance, peace, love etc, and that is what I really think pushes it over the top.
I really liked the Sistas Calendar from 2004, the Fox Journal cover and the magnets.
Of course there are tons more artists that I like but I had to mention these now because I think Cidne is a little bit underrated and the general public doesn't really know Ellis.

Remember....

Self defense class?
We took it and then prayed that if we were ever in a jam, we would remember what to do. Then every guy friend we had who'd been in the military at some point in their lives, tried to teach us 'some moves'.
Well we all signed up, and showed up for the class.

The instructors were really patient because I swear thare was a lot of moaning and crying from people accidently getting hit on the nose, or the shin.
We had to partner up, and you know how it goes. You always get someone who says "Be careful, don't move too fast or hit too hard!"
But then they end up being the ones who get over excited and cause some damage.

Well everyone seemed to have a partner like that, so there was much mutiny, jumping ship, changing of partners and giggling.
I mean we learned a lot of stuff, but for a while there it was a massive free for all!

Headlocks, wild punching and swinging. At one point, it got really scary because the instructor had us with our backs to our 'attacker'. You didn't know what they were going to do (which I know is the point, but you try it sometime and see how YOU feel).

That freaked a lot of the girls out big time. I wasn't totally freaked out but I don't like people sneaking around and lurking, so it was a struggle to remember the moves and not poke someone's eye out and run screaming to the corner of the room like a couple of the other girls did.
The funny thing was that we all really got so into it. You didn't see your partner as the girl you had health club with, or went to see a play with, or bought some cookies for just 10 minutes earlier. She became THE ENEMY. Of course some girls just wanted to impress the teacher I'm sure.
I'm sure because I am totally one of those girls. I always had that trait, ever since I was in primary school.
Just always trying to impress the silly teacher. I don't know why I did that, because I didn't like most of them at all.
They were nice enough some of the time, but then other times you would see them do and say unnecessarily mean things. I've heard them talking about kids' parents etc. I never knew why they were talking about that stuff but I understood everything they were saying and could repeat word for word what they said (yes at the ripe old age of 5 I could do that).
Hugs M

Tuesday, November 22, 2005

I Always Leave....


Someone off my mass email list and feel bad afterward when they write and say they haven't heard from me.

So I am going to wish everyone Happy Thanksgiving, even to all of those who don't celebrate it.

Then I am going to write sweet little individual emails so everyone can feel special! :)

Yes that pic is supposed to represent me....
I know I'm going to hear about this post from you guys...

Hugs
M

Monday, November 21, 2005

Smells of.......

It was a little bit weird seeing Ralph Feinnes in the new Harry Potter movie. He did add some sophistication to the thing I must say. I really like him a lot as an actor and the movies I liked him in best were "The End of the Affair" and "The English Patient."
Both movies I despised greatly for the content, because they try to turn betrayal and hurting innocent people into romance. But truly, he was very good in them both. He made me feel sorry for both men whose wives with whom he indulged in affaires du coeur.
My favorite line of his in the English Patient was:
"You smell of marzipan/martyrdom."
It was hard to tell which of the two words he said, but either one could fit (remember the smells of the market, versus his lover deciding to stay with her husband).

I've gotten used to Jason Isaacs in the Harry Potter movies but I would really like to see more of him, in there. They haven't yet used him to his full potential(nor Alan Rickman for that matter).
He is one of my favorite actors. Besides being good..he is devilishly handsome. :)

Hugs M

Friday, November 18, 2005

As I Lay Sleeping

Last night at 12:45 am my phone rings...
Nocturnal friend (NF): Hi, I can't sleep, can you talk for a little while?

Me: Sure, what's up? You know I'm going to blog that you called me so late right?

NF(cheerily): Sure, no problem. So what you doing?

Me (getting my bearings) : Laying in bed listening to you. What's going on, why can't you sleep?

NF (pensive): Just thinking about a lot of stuff, life, future etc....I couldn't sleep last night either

Me (waking up): Wow, well we can talk for a while if you think it will help

NF(sheepishly): I wanted to call you last night but I thought you may be sleeping at 2am in the morning

Me (deleriously giggly):LOL, I kinda was.

NF(softly): I'm glad you don't mind talking to me

Me (aww): Well I know you would do the same, if you could hear your phone in your deep sleep.

NF(matter-of -factly): So I was thinking that.........

Half an hour later after we had talked non stop about everything under the sun and moon

NF(half interestedly): So why do you always ask people what they had for lunch or dinner?

Me (happy to talk about food): Its a vicarious living thing. I get to imagine that I can eat that stuff without needing stomach pumping later.

NF(amused): You're so funny !

Me (a little dryly): Yeah it comes out mainly when my mind is trying to shut down on me.

NF(happily): See! more funny...you're a good friend

Me (softly): Thanks, you too....

NF(voice fading): I feel sleepy now.

Me (bright eyed and bushy tailed): Good, I'm really glad. Get some rest ok?

NF (voice barely audible): Goodnight Marsha

ME (wide awake): Bye

It was 2:30 by that time. I couldn't get back to sleep. Remember Faulkner "As I lay dying"?
I felt like that. I think the last time I remember looking at the clock it was 3:45am

That, in combination with the cold weather this morning made my eyeballs hurt. I told Sandi this morning as I came into the office and she giggled. Your eyeballs hurt?!

Only then did it strike me as funny that my eyeballs were hurting...its not a common thing to have happen.
I was able to laugh, especially when she lent me her keys for the door and when I retuned them to her they were freezing from my hands...so I feel better now.

Hugs M

Thursday, November 17, 2005

Regreso Pronto Janice


Janice is going to Barcelona (Spain) today on one of the 'dream trips' that we all want to take.
I say dream trips because she is going alone to explore by herself (of course she will meet people there).
I will do a similar one but to Australia when I am done with all this stuff.
She'll be back next Friday night .
I had to see her off last night, so we went to dinner.

Its freaky to do that stuff alone, but good nevertheless. I remember exploring Washington D.C. alone. Taking the underground rails (surprisngly very easy), and walking a lot. To the museums, USDA (of course I'm gonna go there), the Thai restaurant etc. Everyone I met was really nice and helpful so its no worries.
In Panama, it was nice to go downtown, and you pick up the Spanish fairly easily. The thing is though, if you take the buses you have to be so careful because you don't really see the numbers on the buses, so they may take you places you are not expecting. Also I sat beside a seriously drunk guy one time and I was a little scared, but whatever, he didn't do anything but sit there and smile.
I went up and got a pic with this rapper who was shooting a video and he seriously looked like Penny Hardaway! I swear! The interesting thing about Panama is the little kids on the streets. They are outrageously cute but a little bit sinister! Where did they learn how to scam on people?

Meanwhile we had fun. Our friend Mark went with us and had a good time too judging from this pic. I think we have this effect on people. LOL.
Anyway Janice, te extraÑo. Envìame una tarjeta postal.

Abrazos M

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

First Denzel


I have always liked Denzel Washington.
Firstly because of his name Denzel, secondly because he is a great actor, thirdly because WOW, he is the total package! You know...just a really nice person it seems.
He always impressed me, even when I was little watching St. Elsewhere.
His most memorable performance was as Steve Biko in 'Cry Freedom'. When I started High School in Trinidad at age 11, they took the whole school to the movies to see it.
They all cried. 700 crying girls. Brilliant!
I felt awful. At that time I didn't cry so that anyone could see. I never did that in those days, but I should have because my stomach was on fire, and I had blinding headaches.
Looking back on it now I wished I wouldn't have seen it because the teachers didn't really explain to us that we would cry and feel lost and weird.
I had never been to a funeral (my first one was at age 26), never really seen anything terribly bad or violent done to anyone I really liked on TV, so that was one bad time. I still remember the feelings to this day. I remember how Denzel looked when they showed his body. He was gray and swollen and beat up.
It was after that I started having nightmares about dead people...but whatever...I don't want to think about it anymore.

Hugs
M

Meine Lippen, sie kussen so heiss: Lyrics

This is the English translation to this song from Giuditta.

The story tells of the Army officer Octavio and his consuming love for Giuditta, a passionate spitfire, who leaves him because he refuses to desert the colours for her; their chance meeting several years afterwards comes too late, though they realise how much they have lost.
Music by Franz Lehár, book and lyrics by Paul Knepler and Fritz Löhner.

Why ever should it be
That men at once make love to me?
When they are near me,
There they stand.
Their eyes look deep in mine.
They always kiss my hand.
Why ever should it be
They speak of magic charms in me
That no man can resist?
For every time they look at me these charms persist.

But when the soft lights glint and glance
As midnight hours go by
They hear me sing, they see me dance
It's then that I know why

On my lips every kiss is like wine
In my arms love is more than divine,
Its engraved in the stars high above me
Men must kiss me, men must love me.

When my feet haunting rhythms inspire,
In my eyes gleam the flames of desire,
When I dance, then I know Fate's design.
On my lips every kiss is like wine.

I have a dancer's blood
That rules me like a throbbing flood.
My mother was the dancing star
Without a rival at the Golden Alcazar!
How great she must have been!
In dreams I have so often seen
The raptures when she danced;
She held each heart enthralled and every eye entranced.

Her spirit wakes in me again,
My fortune wills it so.
At night I dance as she did then,
And this is all I know.

On my lips every kiss is like wine
In my arms love is more than divine,
Its engraved in the stars high above me
Men must kiss me, men must love me.

When my feet haunting rhythms inspire,
In my eyes gleam the flames of desire,
When I dance, then I know Fate's design.
On my lips every kiss is like wine.

Meine Lippen, sie kussen so heiss

I went to an instrumental and vocal concert a while ago where the average age of the attendees was about 55. There was no reason why this should be so, because the performances were excellent and mod.
To be fair I hadn't heard about the concert through my usual means. I hadn't scoured the newspapers or looked at any billboards. I hadn't met a random stranger while walking through any garden or parks and started any conversation.
I received an email.
The email simply stated, "I have two tickets to a performance on such and such date and time, that I won't be able to use. Please reply if you want these tickets."
The very end of the email provided a phone number and office number so instead of replying, I walked to the office. I was looking for the name of my new ticket benefactor on any door that I came acrosss and happened to stop at one office to ask where she may be....The person who directed me, directed me well.
Round the corridor and to the end on the right.
There she was, the ticket angel. She even gave me parking passes. I was the first person to respond to her email.
The interesting thing about that office area and being there, is that I walked back to the first person I talked to, to thank her for the directions.
This person was absolutely wonderful, we started a conversation that led to us talking about hair, hairdressers, her future husband (she hadn't met him yet but was somewhat positive who it was going to be), and invitations to respective churches.

The concert itself was really very nice. Like I said the average age was 55 and so the air was moderately aristocratic. I say moderately because there is only so much older women in America can do to dress their older husbands in a manner befitting an event similar to the opera. If they want to wear sneakers with their suede elbowed jackets, that's what they are going to wear, by golly!

The only performance I remember was the one I liked the best.

"Meine Lippen, sie kussen so heiss"/ "On my lips every kiss is like wine" /"My lips they kiss so hot (literal translation)"

It was sung in German by a sultry black woman (a young music professor at FSU) in a blue silky form fitting dress. She was so expressive that you could translate the words in your head, just by looking at her facial gestures, the twitch of her hips, her winking eyes, curvy suggestive smile and dismissive hands. It was a very sultry, flirty, groovy performance.
A couple weeks later I saw this same woman at the mall in jeans, high heels, a pink camisole, and a cinch jacket, and was too intimidated to approach her to talk.
That rarely happens, and when it does I am always disappointed after the fact.
Hugs M

Monday, November 14, 2005

On Deck to Godiva

Well on Saturday Janice and I went to a party thrown by Sean. He is one of the directors of the Govenor's Club downtown, and the former president of an organization called Tallahassee 25.
I think the party was like a housewarming, where you get to see his house that he's been working on for a year.
Here we are with Sean on the deck outside.

The house was actually VERY cool. There were a lot of different types of lighting for each room. The bathroom was my favorite...black tile and blue light...you have to see it to understand but the interesting part was the gadgetry in the office area and the browny red hardwood floors.

Then outside where we took most of the pics was this cool deck with hottub and a path leading into a hilly garden. I really liked it. We tried to get a pic of us with the hottub, but I guess since we were sitting on it, it couldn't be shown.
We got to meet some cool people too! All Sean's friends and family...I especially liked Sean's dad, and the woman who talked to us about beans and eggs :).
They were so great to us there.

Sean's friend Devin was really helpful and nice too so I took this pic with him.

When Janice and I left we decided to head over to Cafe Cabernet to listen to some Jazz. It was open night mike I think because a lot of patrons got up there and started to sing. Some were really very good and some......Not so much :(
Once again we met up with Eric, who is super nice and attentive to us when we go there. His wine and coffee bar 'NECTAR' is going right on schedule and should open the first week in December!
Before we actually got to really talk to him, we were sitting near the Jazz section and this guy came up to order his drinks. I looked in his direction and he looked at me and said "Hi." I stared for a second and said..."I know you!"
It turns out that he is a Professor in the College of Music and I had seen him perform (piano) at a concert in Oppenheim. He actually went to school with Russell Crowe....I talked to him for a little while....
Well the second time he came up I introduced him to Janice and small world...she knew him from Ithaca where she did her undergrad.

Well after a while we went across to the other section/bar area.

Since Eric was Bar Manager that night, he kinda flit between where we were at first and this second area (and all over to make sure things were running smoothly)...then he settled there.
So we got to talk to him some more. He is a really sweet person.
It turns out that he is into sports like Janice (what guy isn't right?), and has a fantasy league just like her.
They talked about that for a while and I looked at my fingernails (LOL).
Only when they stopped with that did the conversation get interesting to me! That's why Janice tried to teach me some more about football last night! :)


The interesting thing about this place is that customers buy the bartenders drinks a lot and I think they are kind of obliged to take them so here is a shot of them taking a shot! I think its interesting because these guys take it all in stride. They don't get phased by this at all...and by phased I mean tipsy....

One more thing...everybody keeps making fun of my camera in terms of the size...but I just have to say that it takes great pis and one day will save the world!
Mikey says "Wow you can land a plane with that thing!"
Hugs M

Sunday, November 13, 2005

Deviled Green Eggs and Ham: Stomaching It All

For some reason my emotions get all balled up and expressed in my stomach. When I am stressed I can't eat.
When I am nervous, I can't eat and I feel a big old knot in my stomach. When I am happy and laughing my stomach hurts but in a good way.....
So there's that going on, but I also have to watch what I eat. There are certain foods (and I think a lot of people experience this) that just really are a no no for me...spinach and eggs are the worst but they are my favorite foods too!
Janice and I went to her friend Sean's house (will blog about that later), for a party/get together.
The food spread was really really good.
I saw the deviled eggs and that was all I wanted. In all I had 7 half slices.
Anybody who knows me, knows that 1 slice is waaaaaayyy too much!

Then I had a small slice of cake. By the time I had the cake I was feeling kinda iffy about it, but Janice got it for me so I felt I needed to try some. I wish I hadn't...I really hadn't been feeling very good since Thursday morning and I knew I needed to watch myself but the eggs were too alluring.

Janice on the other hand had 4 half slices of deviled eggs, a ham sandwich, and no less than TWO plates of baked beans.....
I knew we were going to be in for it.....
When I saw her second plate of beans (all of which she knew wasn't good for her own stomach), I started to feel woogy....oooooohhhh. :(
As I write this I can recall the feeling (I am laughing though...its funny after the fact!)

Then one woman at the party who was talking to us had her plate of beans...she said she could do that because her husband was away for the weekend and her son was going to be home late...
When I told her about how many eggs I had...she said.."Well that's just going to be nasty!"
We all screamed with laughter.
I won't say everything that happened hours later, but for having all that stuff to eat, my stomach stayed pretty calm for the rest of the night...Janice's didn't but it wasn't as bad as it could have been!
I'll tell about the rest of Saturday in my other blog.
Hugs M

Saturday, November 12, 2005

Deleriously Tired

I woke up this morning, under the blankets, and not knowing where I was. It felt like a cocoon. That was how tired I was when I got to bed.
My first thought when I woke up was....'Oooohh Warm', then nothing else. 7 hours of walking around yesterday didn't help. I fell asleep twice during a really good movie...I'll have to watch it again.

I am still really tired right now.
I have one blanket around me and Sean Paul and Ce'Cile are singing 'Can You Do The Work', on my cd player.
I want to go back to bed but I gotta go walk. I'll take that Sean Paul cd with me....
Walk, think, walk, alone, think, home, shower, sleep, work, think, think, think....
Half hug
M

Thursday, November 10, 2005

Maysa..Incognito



I have heard her and her group perform on the radio and never knew who they were till today.

Sade is classic but if you don't like Jazz, Maysa will make you a follower. It is sultry yet upbeat, and all the lyrics are so relatable. You can really relax to this but it won't make you sleep :)
If you want to you can try "The Best of Incognito" just to get your feet wet, but I must say that I really like "Out of the Blue".
Hugs M

Wednesday, November 09, 2005

Fizzle

My friend Andy and I were talking about when friendships fizzle.
It sucks when that happens, and it mainly happens when you meet someone new.
With old friends you can generally pick up where you left off.
But with new people, if you don't see them everyday or every week or something, you really have to do some serious work with it especially in the first few months or you are at great risk of losing it.

You really lose it, not in a bad way, it just sort of gets lame sending emails that say, "how are you doing?"
"Oh I am fine, how are you?"
or "I am slammed at work."

Blech. Then you get bored and think..."Well maybe I won't keep this up."
You think that especially when you have your 'real time' friends making plans with you to do stuff, and keeping the love alive.
Anyway, I wanted to say hi to Andy who reads my blog faithfully and makes reference to it when we messenger, to give me advice! LOL
Hugs
M

Eat Drink Man Woman


My friend Ying Yi Chou (originally from Taiwan, a great artist, art historian, and one of my greatest friends), rented this movie for us to watch.

It was really great, and I think a lot of people will be able to relate to everything that goes on in this movie.

I am going to watch it again soon but I wanted to recommend it highly.

There is a lot of symbolism and hidden meaning (of course) in the movie, but I as a Food Scientist and a Food Network buff, like the way that they used food to tie everything together, including how everything works out for the father of these three women in the end.

This is one movie that everyone should see.
Hugs M

Monday, November 07, 2005

Friday Night Get Down



On Friday night, Janice, Mickey and I went to the Downtown Getdown. Here we are.
Did I mention that Mikey is hilarious!
I forgot to say that he is a sports caster and producer for a radio sports show in Syracuse NY. He also manages a band NEW DAY and can sing like nobody's business.

The Getdown was a lot better than I thought it would be. First we visited Willy at his ping pong practice, then we headed out after having some fun with him...."Oh Willy we need to fix your sleeves and your shirt.."LOL

At the downtown getdown, I swear I would like to know how 5 year olds to 10 year olds learn to do the "Tootsie Roll' better than adults...

Here are the adults doing the Electric Slide, or at least a version of it.

There was a rock band down the other end and Mickey swore that one of the singers was at least 70 years old...It was hilarious but I thought it was great that they played "Play that Funky Music"

People were having a lot of fun and it reminded me of when I went to hear that cover band ELI at Paradise Bar and Grill...all these older people just really letting it all hang out....Check it out.

Then of course everywhere we go we meet some new person, so here is me and some guy lets name him Bubba.

Meanwhile Mikey ate this huge turkey leg and then I got accosted by some guy. I was trying to be nice by talking to him in the first place, then he started to be huggy so I had to run away and Janice and Mikey came running behind me laughing! When I try to be nice to strangers, some of them don't know when to quit it!


The great thing is that the FAMU marching band and the FSU marching band were there.
I love them.
The FAMU band kept it jumping!

FSU was great too! They had everyone doing that 'chop' thing that they do at the games.

After a while, we were kinda dragging so we left and I went to slep. You should see what happened Saturday! Hugs M

Thursday, November 03, 2005

Armageddon

Ok so I think almost everyone has had something like this happen, but I am going to relate three recent stories.
Janice and I went to Golden Corral for dinner one day.
Midway through the dinner she NEEDED to go to the bathroom. I don't know if it was the potatoes, or the icecream, but she just HAD to go. She refused to go in the public bathroom, so she held it till we got to the car. Then she started to moan. Moan and fidget...
SO I am trying to stay the speed limit, but get her home so she could 'go' (I totally understand about public bathrooms), but the moans get worse as we pass Brevard, then Tennessee.

On the way home she gets a call from Michael S (Michael says that everytime he gets around us all we talk about is poop). She and Michael S. are talking about the GMAT, the future, relative good-looks among the circles of friends etc, and suddenly Janice says "Marsha, stop the car, Michael I gotta poop!"
I can hear Michael S on the other end laughing and saying "Thanks for sharing."
I stop the car and Janice literally leaps out and runs toward Double Tree Hotel. I scream at her that I'll meet her there, but I don't think she hears because by that time the pressure was too great.... (I am laughing as I write this).
I park and go find her in the lobby bathroom....She proceeded to decribe in DETAIL the consistency of said 'go' and how it was 'all over the place'.

We shared that story with Willy , who topped it with his version. He was walking down the street and something he ate did not agree with him. (I gotta tell you Willy is Italian and Dominican but looks like a Cuban Adam Sandler.)
HE started to run. The nearest deli came to view and he ran in. "WHERE IS THE BATHROOM!" he demanded of the cashier.
The cashier tried to tell him it was for employees only.....(fat lot of good that did)
Willy almost screamed the man down for the bathroom, but when he got in there, there was no toilet paper...
Willy is sweating at this point, and he rushed back out and grabs all the napkins he could find and runs back in. He describes what happens next as an Explosion.
He Janice and I were in the movie theatre about to watch "Two for the Money" when he told us this story. He had to finish it in spanish because the couple behind us were snickering at him. He had stood up was showing us the motions: from how he ripped off his belt, to his expression of relief...I hadn't laughed so hard in a long time!

Mikey (Janice's brother) is in town today! He told his own story about having to go. He had to pay for the gas in his car, as well as go to the bathroom. The line in the gas station mart was too long and he had to jet to the bathroom to 'handle his business'. He described the scene as 'Armageddon in there', once he got going.
I laughed so hard. Mikey is so funny...Here we are in the booth.
We were having lunch together and my stomach was beginning to act up from the Mexican food and the fiber I had taken the night before.
Ugh
I think we ALL have a story of that. I would like to hear more...they are all so funny...I don't know why...
Hugs
M

Yesterday at Church

We read Psalms 142....I liked this part

3 When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who know my way.
4 Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me.
I have no refuge; no one cares for my life.
5 I cry to you, O LORD; I say, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living."

They talked about the heart of the hurting.
They talked about how people are hurting over various things and how we should be aware of that and be a light to them.
Specifically they talked about guys who have done wrong things and then never been able to recover because their reputation for that one (or how many) past wrongs haunts them forever.

Everybody deserves a second chance. Everybody has done something they are not proud of.

Its a hard topic for a lot of people because they have wounds which may be reopened depending on what they know someone else has done.

eg: If you kow some guy cheated on his wife, and you have been cheated on, it may be hard to reach out to him as a human who needs your help.

We should make the effort though and reach out, because until someone proves you wrong, you never know what impact you may have on their lives.

Its even hard for me to say that because people have the capacity to do some really horrendous things to other people...but I will try my best because I know I would want someone to do the same for me and reach out.... It doesn't mean I have to open myself up for potential pain but I can still show kindness...

M

Tuesday, November 01, 2005

I had a bully!

I laid down today because I felt exhausted and I turned on the TV.
There were male models on there for a commercial with dark hair and I thought to myself.. "Why don't I find these guys attractive?"

All of a sudden I remembered this guy/kid in my prep school (its like advanced kindergarden before you go into first grade so you can learn to do math, read, and write before the other kids I guess....they don't allow naps and made us wear uniforms, like normal school), this kid's name was Ganesh Madoo.
He was my bully...
He used to take my pencils and break them and he took my lunch and snacks and ate them..
I was 3-4 years old.
He was about the same age but mean and sneaky.
I didn't know how he learned that, but I was scared because he hit, and he hit hard!
I don't remember crying but I remember being scared of him because he had brown eyes that were very light colored and it made him seem unstable and unpredictable.
They darted around and made you scared, because they darted then stood still as he looked at you before he did something mean.
That's my first memory of my stomach hurting when I was stressed. Maybe I was hungry too (lol).

He was very unpredictable...he used to bully other kids too...I remember being scared of him but not his silly brother who was in the same class as us and his twin...his twin didn't look anything like him and wasn't nearly as vicious, but he was sneaky. He stole things, and Ganesh was his protector.
Ganesh stole this little girl's candy (I saw him take it from her lunchbox) and I told her big brother who was like 12 years old.
Boy was he upset! He yelled and yelled at Ganesh and Ganesh lied and said he didn't. I insisted that he did take it and I had seen him.
I remember being a champion of justice in those days. Ganesh hit me hard for telling.....
I knew if I hit him back there would be trouble so I would pinch his brother's legs when he wasn't looking...I think that is what I did.
I could pinch HARD!
His brother cried at everything...how silly. I didn't like his dad either...I stared at them a lot and I didn't like him at all.
One day my mom was walking me to school and Ganesh and his dad were walking just ahead. I made her hang back a bit. I walked real slow.
She wanted to know why I was scared of silly Ganesh Madoo (she used the word silly or stupid) when I was never scared of anything or anybody at home.

Truth was I was scared of a lot of things but just fought so much/ stood up against them that everybody thought I was big and brave...whatever...
What a revelation.
I wonder what Ganesh is up to these days....looking back on it I think he may be very goodlooking now....back then I thought he looked evil...LOL!

Wow all these memories are coming back. I think this bully experience really shaped the way I see things now about people.....
You know what the weird thing is?
I remember talking to Ganesh as if he were my friend sometimes.....
Like he would sometimes just ask me to borrow a crayon and I would say no (I never liked to share my stuff just on principle) and he would accept that....
Or I would ask him a question or something like that. I never played with him because he was too rough....but I remember us being 'normal' too...

Yuck
Hugs M
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.