Somali Christmas (my thoughts on the matter)

I think I had almost forgotten the magic of the Somali Bantu. They have this funny way of changing my life.

After a morning of feverish baking (Pumpkin bars for Somali Christmas. They LOVE pumpkin.) I headed over to the Douglas Ranch to play my part in the Somali Christmas. We were giving Christmas dinner (and presents) to 40+ Somalian Refugees who are living in Portland. Danielle works with them on a regular basis, so she's used to the chaos that comes with the Somali clan.

I, however, am not as well-aquainted.
and I got volunteered for van duty. So I drove that 15 passenger van over the the somali apartment complex and picked up 14 Somali childred. FOURTEEN. and they were all under the age of 11.

Before I loaded into the van, Seynab invited us drivers into her home for coffee and a snack. I had already eaten and was quite full. But that matters little to a Somali. So I ate it. I ate the chipatis (fried bread. something akin to Nan) and the chunks of goat liver in oil. YUP. goat. I did my best to eat the goat without them noticing my disgust. It was not good at all.

The rest of the day went by in one delightful blur. There was food, music, dancing and the general akwardness of trying to communicate with 40 people who hardly know your language. And I loved every minute of it. And I tried to dissect what that is. why do I love them so much? to tell you the truth, I am not really sure. But I think they are beautiful - absolutely beautiful and I can see how much Jesus loves them. And I think that is what makes me love them. Even if I do love little Abdulai a little bit more. Is it so wrong to have favorites?

So, nevermind my new year woes.
Really, I have so much to look forward to.

somali christmas

danielle and dunya.



Baby Hassan (and my cell phone)



Me and Baby Hassan. Present opening chaos.



Baby Jama

I think I always hate the approach of the new year because it reminds me that I am right back where I started.

a simple twist of fate

sometimes it takes a few PBR's and a 7 rounds of pool to help you figure out the answers.

i certainly wasnt looking for it. but maybe that is because I didn't want to know.

but now I know.
so I suppose I have to do something about it.

top 10 of 2005

1. The White Stripes - "Get Behind Me Satan"
2. Bob Dylan - "No Direction Home Soundtrack"
3. Sufjan Stevens - "Illinois"
4. Wilco - "Kicking Television Live"
5. Spoon - "Gimme Fiction"
6. BRMC - "Howl"
7. Sigur Ros - "Takk"
8. The Kills - "No Wow"
9. Denison Witmer "Are You a Dreamer?"
10. Kanye West - "Late Registration"

notable mentions:
Death Cab, Johnny Cash Legend Series, Joanna Newsom, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Gorillaz.

I feel like I am forgetting quite a few very important discs. But this is what I thought of, off the top o' my head. Tell me what I am missing.

and to all a good night...

(becca and I at the 4th annual Roommate Christmas party, circa 1970)

oh yeah

I'm not on a boat anymore. :)

and I am in Clackamas, Oregon with the fam (and our new puppy, Scout).

Today I am baking pies (Pumpkin Pie, Apple Pie, Jefferson Davis Pie, and Eggnog Cheesecake).

I watched 8 episodes of LOST yesterday.

I went to my crazy Oregon thrift store and scored a typewriter, some elton john records, and a crap load of clothing. My favorite item is a yellow dress with a peacock on it.

I will post cruise pictures when I get around to it. right now I am feeling far too lazy. But I had a great time.

sorry for the lack in blogging. I will get back on the wagon soon.

see you in a few.

I'm on a boat to mexico.

like sister, like seagull. (the seagull series)

family photo op.

in san fran at thanksgiving.
what a lovely bunch.

free love on the free love freeway

AS OF TODAY, I AM A FREE WOMAN.

I gave my two weeks notice. I am officially unemployed. and I LOVE it. I'd explain to why I am leaving, but its long and complicated -- but it basically boils down to a personality conflict and the fact that I am tired of being tired and stressed all the time. I want my life back.

So, I have a few other job opportunities -- ones that I am rather excited about -- and I will keep you posted as I figure out what's next. For now, i am going home for Christmas.

And, I am going to be taking care of Taylor again for the first half of January. Her mom relapsed and has to go into treatment for a year. I am just going to help them with the first few transition weeks. It happens to fall at a really keen time for me, since I was already going to quit my job. And I get to be in Portland for a few weeks longer, so I am not complaining.

In other news, I quit drinking today. Dave Price and I made a pact. I told him that I would not drink a drop as long as he wont drink a drop. This started today. I dont know how long he'll last (because I can last as he can. Thats the thought, anyway) - but I will stick it out with him.

And, yesterday, I talked with an old friend for the first time in awhile. things were a little 'off' with our friendship, but I think we're on the road to recovery.

So, just like that - its a new day. A light has dawned. Honestly, I feel like a different person. I am ready for this new year and whatever hellish things it may throw at me. After all, I made it through this year in one piece.

So here is to what is yet to come -- may I not die of an ulcer at 25.

My Grown-Up Christmas List

My grown up christmas list: (posted at the prompting of Abbie. so here you go, Ab.)

Unlike Amy Grant, I am not asking for “No more lives torn apart, and that wars will never start. And that everyone would have a friend, and love would never end…”

Nope. I am not asking for that at all. Because that’s cheesy and insincere.

This is what I want for Christmas:

1. Arrested Development Season 2
2. LOST – season 1
3. Johnny Cash “The Man, His World, His Music” DVD
4. The No Direction Home DVD
5. Christmas with Johnny Cash (CD)
6. Coconut Lip Balm (The Body Shop)
7. Burts Bees Tinted Moisturizer (Medium tint)
8. DIG! DVD (Special Edition preferred)
9. A new purse or wallet
10. A functioning record player
11. The Simarillion – by Tolkien
12. Aveda shampoo, conditioner, hair products
13. Elizabeth Arden Green Tea perfume (its cheap and found at any drugstore)
14. Wilco – Kicking Television Live CD
15. For my ipod to work
16. Bob Dylan – Live at the Gaslight CD
17. A marriage proposal from Sufjan Stevens
18. Books. Really, any books (Vonnegut, Salinger, CS Lewis, Jane Austen, anything about Johnny Cash or Bob Dylan or music biographies in general…)
19. Underwear. Cute underwear.
20. A gift certificate to Trader Joe’s.

CROCS.

Milton (my intern) sent me this link today: http://sub.crocodileadventureclub.net/archive/
I will post the link here (so you can see all the lovely croc pictures) - but you must read below. I got a good chuckle out of it for sure.

A Brief Guide to Crocodilians we Like
see also: Gavials, Why They Can't Play Too


Crocodiles have medium-length snouts, jagged smiles, and curved scales along their backs
They tend to have Biblical names
Crocodiles enjoy 7-Up but hate Sprite
Crocodiles drafted a Bill of Crocodilian Rights, but burned it when they realized it'd also apply to their delicious, tender young-uns.
Crocodiles can't read, but have never been outed as illiterate because they're incredibly unpleasant and therefore solitary beasts.
Crocodiles accidentally invented the Flowbee in the early 90s and are truly sorry for it.
Finally, crocodiles like to make tooting noises whenever they finish doing something.


A Similar Compendium Concerning Alligators, Nature's Andy Dicks


Alligators have more aristocratic features than crocodiles, which means crocodiles often refer to them as "fancy"
Alligators hate using cellphones and will only make calls from princess phones
Alligators like stout beers and ginger ale, but nothing else
An alligator named Lawrence once bit through a killer whale. It took him 8 days and 3 metric tons of horse tranquilizers.
All alligators have read Fast Food Nation, consequently they've all killed at least one McDonald's executive
Many alligators rebelled against their parents' dated archosaur values
Most alligators believe Gygax is a better player than Beckham


A Enchiridion to Caiman, Masters of New Age Medicine


Caiman are naturally stout, a characteristic that limits their roles in Hollywood to "munchkin", "hobbit", and "poor Bond-villain trap"
Many caiman believe people still do "The Bartman"
All caiman enjoy Cajun food
Caiman don't play MMORPGs because they get bored with them after the initial leveling high, also, no thumbs
Many caiman actually read books on the New York Times Bestseller list, despite the fact that they're all either absurd self-help books or stories about quirky executives having mid-life crisises.
Caiman inherited the music industry from Sy Spurling 20 years ago, so they're to blame.

I've had some time to think about you.

I've listened to this song by Patty Griffin non-stop lately.
it says "I've had some time to think about you on the long ride home".
the song sounds very sad, and it makes me sad. I feel nostalgic, but i only heard the song a month ago, so I don't know why it makes me feel that way.

the point is, I have a long ride home every day.
and I have a lot of time to think and IT. and to think about him.
and to think about my friend the heroin addict, and moving to a new apartment, and selling my stuff, and roommate christmas, and my grandparents beliefs on tim robbins and communism, and job drama...

so, i don't normally like to subscribe to the idea of a theme song.
but if I was going to have one, I suppose this would be it.

despite the three listed below -

I must say, this thanksgiving has been amazing.
so, here's to all the wretched thanksgivings - may I never have another.

top three

WORST THANKSGIVINGS EVER

1. Cody, Wyoming (circa 1993?).
My dad was a pastor at a small, struggling, Christian church in Cody. We lived in the parsonage on the church property - which was a yellow and orange painted double-wide trailer. We had been at the church for nearly 6 months and none of us had really connectd with anyone there. It was too far to drive to California for the holiday's, and no one in the church bothered to ask us if we had plans. So we attempted thanksgiving dinner in the trailer. I don't remember many details -- just that my mom was horribly depressed, I helped cook the sad little meal, and that we almost killed our cat by throwing her outside during a raging blizzard. It was the lonliest and quietest thanksgiving we ever had. And we spend most of the evening trying to revive the cat we almost killed. The cat lived, thankfully. But it was still a horrid holiday.

2. Quincy, CA (circa 1992?)
I believe this was the year my family were in YWAM in Chico, CA. We went to my grandparent's place in Quincy, CA, for the big thanksgiving meal before we took off for our 2 month mission trip to Mexico. The day of Thanksgiving went off without a hitch - everything was perfect. It was the day after that everything went sour. First of all, my granparents house was on a septic system. And, while we were there, the septic system decided to break. The repairmant wouldn't be available until Monday (this was Friday), which meant that we had no running water for 2.5 days. In the meantime, I contracted the stomach flu. I specifically recall the feeling of myself getting ready to vomit - so I yelled to my aunt diana who grabbed a gallon sized ziploc bag and tried to contain the mess that ensued. Needless to say, I did not quite make it all in the bag. and, I had no way to clean up. So, we loaded up and went to Perko's Koffee Kup (purposeful misspelling in restaurants is a crime) to brush our teeth and freshen up. It just seemed like the worst possible combination of elements. No running water, the stomach flu, and a crappy coffeehouse in a teeny little mountain town. I still hate the Perko's chain to this day. And, fo no other reason than it reminds me of that fateful weekend.

3. Idaho Falls, ID (2001)
This was a monumental thanksgiving for the Strannigan family. We packed up the car (My parents were living in Central Oregon, I was living just outside of Portland) and headed out to Idaho Falls to the Manginelli's house. Phil was my boyfriend, and we were quite serious. Serious enough to bring our families together for Thanksgiving, anyway. Phil and my sister, Danielle, were at YWAM in Montana together - so they were able to meet us in Idaho for Thanksgiving. They both were leaving on outreach a few days after Thanksgiving, so this was the last family gathering either of them would have for a while. The whole thing seemed to work out perfectly - Idaho Falls was the middle ground between Oregon and Montana - we were all able to be together before Danielle and Phil left for the mission field. There was just one problem: Phil and I had come to a standstill in our relationship. A week prior to thanksgiving, I had found out a few imporant things about him and I confronted him on it. I told him that we needed to talk thanksgiving. I was delustional and expected him to change his wiley ways, tell me he loved me, sweep me off my feet - and then I'd wait for him to return from Thailand and we'd get married and all that jazz. Well, it didn't exactly go like that. Phil avoided me the whole weekend. He left me with the fam while he went out to breakfast with various hometown friends he needed to 'spend time with' before he left. He had a going away party and talked with everyone but me. And, finally, at the last possible second, he took me to Perkins family restaurant to break the news to me: The Lord was calling him in a different direction. He had to go be in Thailand without any distractions, and that meant breaking up with me. We sat in his car and cried and said that we wished things could be different. Then we went back to his house and he cooked me cinnamon rolls and we watched The Simpsons and prayed that the morning wouldn't come. But the morning came, and we said our goodbyes. I got in the family minivan, went straight to the backseat, and cried the whole way home. There was a blizzard on the way home, which extended the trip by at least 3 hours. Even without the blizzard, I think it would be safe to say that it was the longest car ride of my life. And, that, I think, goes down in history as being the worst thanksgiving ever.

on a more serious note

I must say, today is a loaded today.
You see, today is Linda's 24th birthday.
And today is the last day of having Linda Lee as my roommate.

The triniti is finally breaking up. Last night we drew names out of a hat to determine who gets what art pieces off our living room walls. We've been socialists for so long, its hard to divvy up the goods after 3 years. Maybe if Solomon were here, he'd threaten to saw our coffee table in half so that Linda and I could each have half of it. That's what I think he'd do.

when you live together for 3 years and share EVERYTHING (you people know our clothes sharing craziness. if you ever compliment one of us on an outfit, you can guarantee we will say "Thanks, it's Becca's" or Thanks, its Linda's". I rarely wear all of my own clothes) it feels like a divorce when you split up. Not in the emotional sense, just in the sense of personal belongings. Like who gets the fridge that we all pitched in on? or the infamous vintage table?

To tell you the truth, I do like change. I like moving, I like getting rid of things. I look forward to where I will be living come January. But just for today, I feel wistful. To sound perfectly dramatic, I am closing a chapter of my life (did I just say that? yeah, I did. and its true).

So, here's the the triniti. Its been a good stint.
I bet you'll miss my amazing toaster.

happy birthday linda!

in the spirit of thanksgiving

I am inspired to write a list.
of things that I am particularly thankful for.
some of them are rather trivial and silly, but those are always easier to write about.
so here goes...these are a few things I am thankful for.

the No Direction Home soundtrack
Arrested Development season 2
Murder Mystery parties
Eggnog lattes
Matrix Dj's at going away parties
My sweatshirt collection
My t - shirt collection
phone conversations with my mom
late night text messaging
the 4th annual Roommate christmas
$12 Gap jeans find
Vintage dresses
Cheese Danishes
Pumpkin chocolate chip muffins
Personalized snowman ornaments (that are personalized with the name DREW)
Patty Griffin's "Long Ride Home"
the thought of moving to Long Beach
Thanksgiving break
San Fransisco

you can't always get what you want...

but sometimes I think that I can get whatever I want just by working hard.
or waiting a really long time.

beck likes hummus, Cash likes coca-cola

if you ever wanted to know what persnickety rock stars require for their backstage provisions, look no further. This site has over 200 contracts from various musicians -- stating their needs, wants, and ridiculous demands.

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/backstagetour/

twinsy

meet my twin, sara (of tegan & sara).
yes, they are twins.
yes, they are lesbians.
and apparently I look just like one of them (on the right).
its the bangs and scary facial structure.

willy wonkers

gene wilder always did terrify me.

here's mikey from Sherwood (a band on my label, also a friend) and his impression of gene wilder. its goooood.

here's the link, ch-ch-check it out: YOU WILL BE AMUSED
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6228226787709089846&q=mikey+does+gene+wilder">mikey

strange things are afoot at the circle K....

wining and wooing and whining

went to three shows this weekend. fri, sat, sun.
each night, a different band from my label was performing somewhere in los angeles.
it was my task to woo them.
I wined them, I dined them.
I assured them that they were safe in the sidecho fold.
and now its monday and I am back at work.
but I feel that I never really left work.
I never really took off my sidecho shoes (if you will...and I do...)
and I think its safe to say that I am all show-ed out.
but then I will be at the detroit bar tonight.
I'm just that crrrrazy.

gratitude.

jen and shant made my day, my week, my life.
they listened to my sob story of all my hardships and troubles and they bought new tires for my car so I don't have to have another blowout on the freeway.
they said that they consider me to be family, and they have savings to help 'family emergencies', and they said this was one of those times.
I was crying a little bit. I cannot tell you how grateful I am to them.
tires, I know, its a silly thing. but I couldn't afford new ones and they are shot.
praise the Lord.
I love Jen and Shant.

tps report

today I wore a short skirt.
today I ate a pad thai bowl from trader joes. the tofu was awful and tasted like freezer burn.
today I got up a half hour early and sat in the quiet of the morning and prepared for my day. read a psalm.
today was much better than yesterday.
today I listened to BRMC, Beach Boys, Slick Shoes, Hot Snakes, and itunes party shuffle.

tonight I am going to the LAB.
tonight I will see a lot of people I know.
tonight I will probably see a few ex boyfriends.
tonight I will eat at the gypsy den with colin.
tonight my legs will get cold. poor planning on the skirt.
tonight I will stay in long beach. not sure where yet.

tomorrow...
well, I have no idea. but I think it will involve working, lunching, driving, and arrested development season 2.

I don't really have a third tale ready.

not that i can think of right now, anyway.
so read the other two and I will see what proverbial bats I can rummage up out of the proverbial belfry in the next few days.

3 unrelated tales I feel prompted to tell (part 2)

TWO.

Two Saturdays ago (maybe three), Myste, Kristin and I happened upon an amazing sale at a vintage store. We ended up in the back room of this vintage store for 2 hours, rooting through piles of vintage clothing. Myste and I did most of the rooting while Kristin giggled and took pictures of us perched on top of the mounds.

When we exited the vintage store, we were filthy. Our fingernails were brown, our hands were brown; the residue of aged, unwashed, and unwanted clothing was now covering my body. I wanted to wash my hands immeadiately. We had to drop Kristin off at work (Peet's) so we parked there and went inside to use the restroom.

On the walk back to the restroom, Myste paused for a second to look a a teapot. I waited at the bathroom door for her, keeping it ajar while motioing for her to join me. We only needed to wash our hands -- there was no need to lock the door. As Myste walked into the bathroom, she was followed by a small, elderly, Asian woman. It was a small, single bathroom. There were no stalls, walls, or doors of any kind. I turned to the woman and explained, "Oh, we're just washing our hands. We'll be out of here in a minute." I assumed she would wait for us outside. However, judging by the woman's reaction , I take it that she did not speak English, because she proceeded to continue on into the bathroom.

I again explain that we will be out of the bathroom momentarily. I walk to the sink.

The woman nods at me and proceeds to walk over to the toilet, drop her pants, and use the restroom.

I catch myste's glance in the mirror. I then look down at my hands and concentrate on scrubbing. I try not o look at myste, for fear of bursting into akward and hysterical laughter. We wash our hands briskly (but it seemed like an eternity). The old woman finished her business, stood up, and waited for the sink. Myste and I grab paper towels, made a beeline out of the bathroom, and to a far corner of the store where we feigned interest in the various teas. Anything to avoid eye contact with our new bathroom buddy. She returned to her table and was presumably enjoying her cup of tea when we left the building.

and that was it. a cutural experience, if you will. and a really funny one at that.

3 unrelated tales I feel prompted to tell

ONE.

Somewhere during the course of my freshman year of college, my roommate Abbie met a boy. I can't remember his name currently, but I think it was Ben. They hung out a few times and things seemed to be going well. I talked to him on the phone occasionally when he'd call for her. We were into a lot of the same things, Ben and I. We both liked Dogwood, I remember. Abbie wasn't sure how she felt about him, but Ben seemed to genuinely like her. somewhere in the process of wooing her, Ben beagnt o ask me for dating tips. He'd email me occastionally and ask me for date ideas and things of this nature. I hadn't met the guy, but I liked him.

a month or two into all of this, I was finally to meet the mysterious Ben. He was in a band and his band was playing in Santa Barbara one Friday night. After the show, Ben had planned to drive down to La MIrada and hang out with Abbie and I. We waited for him in our dorm room -- I remember a lot of giggling, there was probably a lot of chocolate eating...and there was a lot of waiting. We called his phone a few times, with no luck.

"He better have a really good excuse" Abbie said. I remember that much.

2:00 am and no word from Ben. Abbie and I fell asleep and hoped to hear from Ben in the morning. After all, you don't stand two girls up for no good reason.

6:00 am. Abbie's phone rings. I can't hear who it is, but I hear Abbie gasp. She says a few things, mostly "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh.". My heart sank.

He died. In a car crash on the way down to La Mirada. His band van wrecked.
Abbie had never met his family, but had met his best friend once. The best friend remembered to call Abbie and let her know the news. She didn't go to the funeral, because it would be akward, as no one knew her.

So we sat in our dorm room in the dark all that saturday. We didn't say much. We both cried. The whole thing was really bizarre. I kept the emails from Ben in my inbox. I refused to delete them because I wanted to remember him. I don't know how Abbie dealt with it. We didn't really talk about it. But you don't really get over a thing like that.

I did not forget you all.

There should be a few literary morsels for you to read (by yours truly) by the end of the day. Sorry it has been so long in coming.

thanks,
the management

annie are you ok?

so some of you may have heard the rumor that I am AWESOME and I get to go do cool things because I am a big wig record exec. well, today is one of those days.

I am going to see Alien Ant Farm at the House of Blues in Anaheim FOR FREE tonight. and my boss gave me money to schmooze and buy drinks for other big wig execs.

i mean, my job has been tough lately - I am not going to lie to you. but its nights like tonight that turn my frown upside down. how many of you can watch a marginally talented alternative rock band cover a pop song from the 80's (and this song somehow managed to sell 1.5 million records for them) on a cool autumn eve?

yeah, I thought so.
just cross your fingers, I might be able to ge tyou Hoobastank tickets the next time they're in town.

to kelly!

I must say, I cannot go to bed before I confess that this is the best weekend I've had in a long time.

*the good foot (70's funk dancing) with good friends
*cards and thai food
*kate's bridal shower
*vintage store uber sale (4 vintage dresses, 1 skirt, 4 shirts, 1 belt for $32)
*new beverly - good friends, good film
*cafe 101
*church
*the OC and Ali G.
*brownies and coffee
*RAIN

and, to top it all off, I sat in front of Tiffany Amber Thiesen at church today. I have no doubt that it was her. so, here's to you Kelly Kapowski. Your dance with Zack out in front of your house when your parents wouldn't let you go to prom was a defining moment in my young life.

2 nuggets of unrelated information.

1. I take absolute and sheer delight in being the person who gets to use the very last toilet seat cover left in a bathroom stall. I figure you have a 1 in 200 chance or so of being the person who gets to use the VERY LAST toilet seat cover, and so when it actually happens (I can remember it happening all of 3 times) I am quite enthusiastic. nevermind the next person in line who is now seat cover-less -- I was the lucky stiff who got the last one.

2. When I was a freshman in high school I joined in the magazine subscription selling extravaganza. I am not sure what the whole point of the ordeal was, but I was selling magazing subscriptions to friends and neighbors and my high school was somehow benefitting from this. I was a nerd and I didn't know any better so I sold those things like crazy. There were prizes involved and I wanted to win the grand prize. I don't remember if I actually won the grand prize, but I did place in the top 3 or so, and apparently this merited a real PRIZE. they picked the three winners up in a limo and shuttled us off campus for free lunch. the best part is, they took us to Sizzler. I think I am one of the few human beings on earth who has arrived at Sizzler in a limo.

i am in my weekly meeting right now.
i walk away from these feeling so little.
and so overworked.
I hate thursdays more than anything.
plus, the conference room is over AC'ed and my fingers are purple.
get me out of here.
thank goodness for wireless and laptops and blogging.

i changed my blog.

I had grown tired of the polka dots, it was time for something new.

not sure how I feel about the new color scheme. I wanted something minimalist.

but I did link (most) all of you suckers.

and there is password protection on the comments. those darn blog spammers.

so, enjoy.

this party will, indeed, be off the hook.

myste got me.

tagged by myste. I liked this one.

10 Years Ago:
14 years old. I had just recently moved from Cody, WY, to Auburn, CA. I wore a white t-shirt, black jeans, and a flannel shirt tied around my waist for my first day of high school at Forest Lake Christian School. My dad was a pastor and my mom was homeschooling my sisters. I don't really think I listened to music yet, although sometime that year I discovered DC Talk's Jesus Freak. I was a NERD.

5 Years Ago:
i have just started my sophomore year of college. I drove a 1981 Honda civic with a Ninja Turles sticker on it. I cut all my hair off and dyed it black. and then maroon. and then hot orange.I lived in Stewart hall with Jen Kendall, next door to Erica and Rachel (and just down the hall from Corban and Jen M.). I was waivering between a PR major and Media Management. Like Myste, I also met a boy named Phil (M.) and I fell in love. Unlike Myste, this love didn't make it through my sophomore year. oh yes, I almost forgot. Dave Price got me a management job at Family Christian stores. And I was booking concerts for biola / the eddy. My claim to fame was having Thrice play in the SUB.

1 Year Ago:
i was travelling the globe with my sister. Right about this time last year I was in Ankara, Turkey - eating Kababs, working with Iranian refugees, and playing with orphans. shortly after that we visited the city of Ephesus and sat in the auditorium where Paul used to preach. that whole time was completely monumental.

Yesterday:
i worked from 9:30 to 5:30. I ate round table for lunch and talked to a guy from Jerusalem. I made really yummy black bean and red pepper chili, drank wine, watched to OC and went and watched my friend Gena (her band is called Day of Lions. well its not a band, its just her. but she's called Day of Lions) play a set at the Lava Lounge. it was really good. then I fell into a deep and exhausted sleep.

5 Snacks I Enjoy:
peanut butter filled pretzels, chips and salsa, chocolate covered raisins, reeses pieces, cheese and crackers.

5 Songs I Know All the Words To:
the Man comes around - Johnny Cash
In my Life - the beatles
God only Knows - Beach Boys
A Lack of Color - Death Cab for Cutie
most every pedro the lion song - but lets go with "Secret of the Easy yoke"

5 Things I’d Do with 100 Million Dollars:
Travel a lot. Buy the somalians a house and food and clothing. move out of LA. I'd buy an apartment in San Fransisco, Boston, London and Zagreb - maybe more if I had money left. And I'd probably start a business. and I would go to Africa and depending on the current political crisis I would do what I could to make someone else's life better.

5 Places I’d Run Away To:
Croatia, San Fransisco, Boston, Africa, Italy

5 Things I’d Never Wear:
stirrup pants, the color purple (well, royal purple. I hate it), platform shoes, yosemite sam t - shirts, anything made by the "Big Dog" company.

5 Favorite TV Shows:
Arrested Development, The Simpsons, The OC, Freaks and Geeks, the Wonder years (and Scrubs, and The office)

5 Biggest Joys:
a GREAT cup of coffee/cappucinno, music that really fits a moment, the feeling of a job well done, my saturday morning breakfast and clean the house routine, the times when I am really able to rest in God's grace.

5 Favorite Toys:
my new G4 ibook!, my new computer speakers/subwoofer, my vintage toaster, my ipod (when its' not broken), my camera

5 Fine Folks Who Can Now Consider Themselves Tagged:
um, don't know who will actually do this - but lets say Kamn!, the talbots, matt and amber, nina, and rosie.

a first.

so after the show at the gig on Tuesday I called 911 for the first time in my life.

there was a big pile of trash that was on fire in the alley across the street from the venue. there were actually 2 separate fires (one in this silver pot, and one that was the pile of trash). the light was on in the building attached to the alley. when I called 911, Patrick (from Careen) somehow found a hose and started spraying the fire. and the lights in the building went off.

the firemen came and we had mostly put out the fire. they opened the door to the building (it was unlocked) but no one was there. they asked us a few questions and thanked me for calling.

I guess it was arson. not a big deal, really.
but it was a first. I called 911.

there was much, much more to that night (just your garden variety " your teenage idol is now single and sitting close to you on the couch" stuff) but its all too tiring to think about. I am just ready to get caught up on life this weekend. And doing my laundry will be like therapy for my soul.

back in the U.S.S.R

yeah that's right.
I am officially the representative of the USSR for myste's party on Friday.

anyone got any communist clothing I can borrow? because I got nothin. my sister in oregon has boatloads of this type of thing . but she's in oregon, and that is no good to me now. I'd ask her to fed ex it...but she won't. :)

so, I will try to track me down a red sash and a furry cap. and maybe a hammer and sickle.
and I got a bottle of russian vodka to bring as a party favor. (because I have no time to make perogi's or stroganoff or beets or anything like this. and vodka is the only other russian thing I can think of.)


in other news: I got asked to book a tour for fielding and the cold war kids (for spring). this has many, many strange implications to it - but mostly that I was sort of "hanging out" in a non-platonic way with one of the guys in fielding and we aren't really hanging out anymore but now I find myself booking a tour for his band. I know, I know, I bring it upon myself.

SO...
you should come out to the cold war kids/fielding/careen show that I put together at the Gig in LA on tuesday (10/4) and watch me self-destruct. No, really, I want you all there. mostly because if I don't get 60 people there I am dead. and its only 5 bucks.

MY LIFE IS WORTH 5 BUCKS TO YOU, RIGHT?

sigur ros

a cinematic masterpiece. watch it now.

http://www.emichrysalis.co.uk/quicktime/sigur_ros/glosoli/index.php?version=6.520&bandwidth=530236

the celebrity car game! yeah!

oh do I have a game for you peoples.

so you take a car. and you make it into the name of a celebrity (any celebrity will do), rockstar, band, etc...

this game is best while driving (because you are viewing lots of cars) in traffic.

Examples of what exactly I am talking about:

Toyota Camry = Camry Diaz (or Camry Crowe)
Ford Taurus = Ford Taurussel Crowe
Acura = Acura Knighley ( a-Keira Knightley? get it???)
Ford F-150 = Ford F-1 50 Cent
Jeep Cherokee: Jeep Sonny and Cher-okee

so -- have at it. post them in the comments. you can do it. you know you can!
I seriously love this game.

supercreepin

the last place I wanted to be last night was the Spider Club for a Supercreep CD release party.
I don't like the band.
I don't like the album.
The guys at the Supercreep record label are insufferable.
Kevin cancelled on going.
My sisters were watching the Arcade Fire in Oregon.


and I can't say that last night was amazing, or even fun, by any stretch of the imagination...
but it was worthwhile.
a bunch of really silly things (open bar + linda + ex boyfriends + drunk marriage proposals from strangers + cinespace + paul) added up to what seemed like a pointless Los Angeles extravaganza.

but on the drive home, I got in a fight with linda. we were both yelling and it all seemed horribly exhausting and pointless. paul (my friend from work) was in the backseat. he occasionally added his thoughts.

but today, I drove paul to work. and he told me that he liked listening to the conversation last night. in fact, he told me that his faith in christianity was restored. his words were "You said really good things. In fact, I think you sparked my faith."

things like this rarely happen to me (if ever).
the Lord certainly does move in mysterious ways.
and here I thought that last night was a bust.
needless to say, we had a great conversation all the wa to work today.
I like that.

happy birthday myste!

a little shout out to my dear friend myste on her BIRTHDAY!
let me know your schedule -- and I am taking you out for a cafe ole and an eclair!

paperwork panic attack.

I am a self-diagnosed control freak, organizational freak, OCD, with slight ADD tendendcies.

This means a few things for me:
1. I like things the way I like them. Not the way you like them.
2. I hang all my clothes in the same direction in the closet. I use the same brand of fabric softener, year in and year out. I systematically rotate shampoos so I get a nice mix of volumizing, cleansing, moiturizing, and color protecting.
3. I don't like being touched. Especially in public or when its hot outside.

These are just a few of the quirks that come along with my somewhat rigid personality. Granted, I grew up in a nomadic-evangelical-pack-rat-garage-saling family, so I had some semblance of flexibility beaten into me. And, for that I am thankful.

But, this is what I simply do not understand about my organizational tendencies: I have a crippling fear of paperwork. Mostly paperwork in the form of bills. But I also hate traffic tickets, any sort of contestment, bank statements, credit card applications, credit statements, loan payments, insurance papers, etc. I HATE THEM ALL. Rather than deal with my paperwork like a normal OCD person, I simply let it pile up on my desk -- and I let it sit there and haunt me for as long as I can possibly stand it. I won't open the envelopes because I fear whatever horrible news is waiting for me inside. There is NEVER good news inside of those envelopes.

Needless to say, I set out to take care of those nasty little envelopes today. And I found some real gems. A court contestment for the seatbelt ticket I got in Oregon. A bill for a Loretta Lynn CD from my CD club I supposedly recived at the Fullerton house while I was living in Oregon (I told you, I let this stuff PILE up), a few months of bank statments to be opened and filed, and my new loan payment information. There was lots more, but I won't bore you anymore with these details...

I don't feel much better now that I have opened them and written the corresponding checks. I just feel poor. But, I also feel a wave of relief. I did it! I tackled the pile. Now, I get to wait for the next set of mail to arrive and the crippling panic to rise out of my gut and into my chest as I stare at the stack of unopened envelopes on my desk.

I think I should start praying now that my husband will be a paperwork whiz. because, otherwise, I am screwed.

My new boyfriend.

Ok I tricked you. I don't have a boyfriend!

but, you have to listen to this. this guy is amazing.
(warning, its like 15 minutes long, but it is so worth it)

www.purevolume.com/troysmixtapeoflove

and, just so you know - the girl broke up with him the day after he recorded this for her.

this time last year...

...I WAS HERE. (Venice, Italy)

Just me and Danielle, traversing the european countryside. Drinking cappuccinos and eating pastries. I miss those days. I went back and read some of the blogs from our travels, and it makes me homesick. Or should I say travel-sick? I can't believe its been a year.

here's the europe blog if you care to take a trip down my memory lane:

http://eurostrans.blogspot.com/2004_10_01_eurostrans_archive.html

a smashingly good weekend

1. kanye west guest appearance with jon brion (and adam from maroon 5. but that doesn't really register on my awesome radar) on friday night. well worth the three hour wait. he did the first song off the new album and then freestyled about hurricanes and things of this nature.

2. jon brion played "don't think twice it's allright" for me. yes, I requested it, and he played it and it soothed my soul.

3. I slept till 11:45 on Saturday. i dont think I've done that in a year. and it felt gooooood.

4. Linda and I watched a LOT of the OC this weekend. (still season 1). I hate that Oliver kid. and Julie cooper. but I love love love love love Seth Cohen, and that's what keeps me coming back.

5. Dodgers games yesterday with the new boy on the block. The Dodgers beat the Padres 7 - 3, which worked out well for the overall mood of the date. He came over to my house and we watched a lot of OC and drank a bit of wine and I cooked him dinner. an all around lovely day.

I went to bed at 11:30 last night and woke up ready for a new week. That's a good feeling.

fallen from beach boy grace

my uncle doesn't think I should have taken this job.
so I think the glory days with Brian Wilson are over.

I sat at home on Sunday night while the wonderful melodies of "Smile" were enchanting those in attendance at the Hollywood bowl.

busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy

ha! that was fun.
the point: too busy to blog the past few days. sorry kids.

if you give a chimp a cig...

http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/irresistible/4899696/detail.html#

inspired to write a hit song.

I think I am going to write a song called "gas prices got me down"
either that, or "gas prices are ruining my life and now I am broker than broke and if only LA had a decnet metro system and I didn't work 35 miles away and how come people blame the president for a hurricane and I am looking into bio diesel so that I can afford to live again."

today is...

the 21st anniversary of my brother's death.
Jonah Thomas Strannigan

I was 3, he was 4 and a half. It was a car wreck. My family's vehicle was hit by a logging truck. Everyone else survived, except jonah. My parents both broke both of their legs, and were in hospital beds for a month. My grandparents moved in with us to take care of me and Danielle (she was 9 mos.). I literally have no memory of that month.

I was young, so I don't remember much about him. He was autistic, so he didn't relate with me much. But he did share his box of raisins with me the day before the accident, and I will always remember that. He never shared with me, so this was unusual and special. He was my older brother, so naturally, I adored him.

He's buried in a cemetary just outside of Sacramento. When I was a kid, we would visit the grave often, and we would put pinwheels on his grave. Jonah loved pinwheels because of their resemblance to a fan. Autistic kids generally adore fans, due to their constancy and repetition. They find this soothing.

Since my parents were injured, drugged up, and hospitalized, the head pastor of our church picked out a gravestone for Jonah. He chose to put an image on the gravestone. It was a picture of Little Boy Blue, asleep on the hay. He chose to write: "Jonah Thomas Strannigan. Born: December 6, 1979, Made Perfect: August 30, 1984". I always liked that he wrote that. But, I never liked the picture. In my childish mind, I thought it was a picture of my dead brother. I literally thought it was a picture of his dead body lying on a mound of hay. No one ever explained to me that it was Little Boy Blue (I found out quite a few years later). So, I have these vivid memories of visiting my brothers grave and being really uncomfortable with the image of the boy on the hay.

For whatever reason, that image has been burned into my brain. Whenever I think of Jonah, i think of Little Boy Blue and all the confusion that ensued because of my childhood perceptions. its funny and strange.

funny things from this week:

1. had drinks with a couple of the guys from Jet at the Cat and Fiddle. Cam (guitar) was actually a nice fellow and I didn't mind listening to his aussie accent for the better part of 2 hours. too bad he makes pretty bad music.

2. Got an email from a guy who used to play in a ska band called "Mr Smarty Pants" that my band (Agnes United) used to play with all the time in high school. He works for Tooth and Nail now. what a small, Northern California Christian music world it is.

3. My good friend Andrew got fired from his job at Pat's Record Company. They hired the mailroom guy (who is convinced that he looks just like Brad Pitt. The guy is insufferable.) instead, beacause he will work for $5000 less a year. thankfully, andrew got severance and vacation pay (and hes worked for the manager of Green Day for the last 2 years. he will be FINE.), but it still bums me out.

4. Linda and I are getting attacked by bugs. I thought it was just her, but I found numerous annoying little itchy bumps on my ankles and legs yesterday. Will the summer just END already?

5. lastly, I am dying to watch the 2nd season of the OC. OC party for memorial weekend anyone?

a first.

I fired someone today.

I must say, I didn't mind it.

except for the part where he swore a lot and cried.

but he was terrible at what he did. and he didn't like brett.

so that's what I did today.

a first firing.

cwk last detroit bar show

with the likes of Jessica Dobson (aka Margo lee)
and denison witmer (he's amazing)

so, go, my friends. I hope to see you there.

overworked, underpaid

*NOTE: title is not a complaint. it is a statement

I am Products Manager/Office manager-ish person/Aunt Lindsay for Playback Entertainment

As of 2 days ago, I am the Advertising Coordinator for Sidecho records. this could be a full-time position in it, and of itself.

Also, as of 2 days ago, I am co-publicist (with my friend Paul Maziar at the Militia Group) for the new Tokyo Rose record that releases October 4th. We get full color promos on Monday and I gotta do the send outs after that. That means I gotta write a bio and press release on a band I've heard TWICE by the end of this weekend.

funny enough, I am eating this up. I work 10-12 hour days and they fly by.
all I gotta say is: no more body butter.
I love my job. I really do.

by the way

last night was probably the nicest date I've ever been on.

you will have to ask me about details in person or phone.

(this is no way indicates my feelings for the datee, I am just stating that the date - on an event level - was amazing)

for the control freak

watch this.

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/fold.php

I need this in my life.

good times.

it was good to see my family. they are amazing.

we went to venice beach, and the santa monica promenade, and the tim hawkinson exhibit and we watched the simpsons and my mom actually LIKED it.

church was good (ok, great. best sermon I've heard in a long time).

work has been great. I am starting to do publicity and I like that.

I got lots of vintage things from my mom for my birthday (broaches, a vase, glasses case, cake plate, tea cups, espresso cups, etc.)

going on a date with a BOY tonight. he's picking me up. and he won't tell me where we're going.

I'll let you know how it goes.

a BIG FAT THANK YOU

from Julie Newman...

just kidding.
It's a thank you from me to all my amazing friends who made y 24th birthday the best birthday ever.
seriously, yesterday was incredible. I felt so loved by all of you! thank you for acknoweldging my strange and intense need for communication! I appreciate it!

LOVE YOU ALL!

the boss man took the crew to Red Robin for my b-day.
I got a scooner of a mai tai at his insistence.
workin on your birthday isn't too bad when your boss wants you to be liquored.
ohhhh yeah.

I woke up to flowers from amanda.
read Isaiah 30.
drank a cappuccino from Peets, along with a chocolate croissant.
listened to Sufjan Stevens on the drive to work.
deposited my paycheck (always a nice feeling)
2 text messages (Linda, Chris K)
2 phone messages (Jeremy, my dad)
2 myspace messages (Becca, Nate)
1 work call (andrew, he sang)

and the sky is cloudy.
I am tickled that the sun is hiding its blistering face on this day.

here's to Jack Bauer and to all things 24.

rambo, mexican art galleries, and penguin nail files.

my oh my. what a weekend.
(I feel that most of my sunday or monday posts say that. I need to CHILL OUT on the weekends.)

the rambo party was a success. it was a strange mix of friends, lovers, and strangers. I was given a beautiful vintage copy of the "Wind and the Willows" by a boy I am just getting to know, and I must say, he got a lot of cool points for that move. An old flame (Canuck) got really really drunk and told me (among a number of things) that I have attractive toes and breasts. The birthday boy got soused and had to be tucked into bed early. Rambo shoots people with arrows and they combust. I wore camo with a wifebeater and red heels. it was pretty hot. Matt the ex said not-so-nice things about me to Linda and (almost) ruined the spirit of the evening. lucky for him, my value does not lie in the opinions of past flings. phew.

saturday was spent sleeping (in Jen and Shant's marriage bed. creepy), shopping, and preparing for the next party: the matt art opening/gathering at the matzoh loft. oh, and I watched two documentaries and did laundry.

matt's opening was great. it was a huge piece that looks something akin to a trashy wall in ny/europe that has poster after poster plastered to it and they are starting to peel off and look really trashy but fantastic. the gallery was in mexico (ok, a really crappy part of downtown LA, but for all intensive purposes we were in mexico) and had free MGD and Tecate. there were a lot of our friends there and I wore my new vintage dress. I was totally overdressed for the occasion and I didn't mind it one bit.

then, my friends all came over to our place and we drank wine and ate cheesecake and listened to jazz and there were candles lit and a lot of people I love in one room, and it was great. really great. Becca got me a penguin pen and nail file from Sea World, and Linda and Becca gave me a big ole gift certificate to Target so I can get the new Simpsons DVD. erica and cameron gave me really cool candle holders and earrings. we toasted over peach champagne. it wasn't even supposed to be a party for me or my birthday -- I just wanted to have my friends over and it seemed like the right time.

so, thank you friends, for making this a delightful pre-birthday weekend. and myste, I missed your presence, but understand the art hanging/phil's parent's hold ups -- so I will just see you Monday.

who has advance copies of the new Sigur Ros and Death Cab albums?

I do.

better start grovelling and I might throw you a bone.

a much needed distraction.

When was the last time you went to the bathroom outside?
to tell you the truth, I don't even remember. alaska, when I was 11. I'm weird about peeing. if at all possible, I will only pee in my own restroom.

When was the last time you saw one of your parents?
when I was back in oregon for the whole tiffany thing -- was that june? it feels like years ago.

Which family member do you most resemble?
probably my grandma. she's tall and has big...uh...'features'

Do you wear cologne/perfume?
Elizabeth Arden Green Tea. And I really like Lacoste (its a bright pink bottle) but I can't afford it.

Do you wear deodorant?
nope. I figure I had to eliminate at least one cancer-causing agent from my life.

Do you 'clean up nice'?
sure, I guess so.

When was the last time you tripped and fell?
gosh, I don't remember that either.

Where was the last place you slept besides your home?
dave and erik's couch on monday. I was too long for it, so it was not comfy.

What are you listening to right now?
brett is playing coldplay, another guy in the office is playing the beach boys. both are great ways to start the day.

Have you ever started an uncontrollable fire?
not even close.

Ever run out of gas on the road?
nope, I'm far too paranoid for that.

Would you rather cut the grass or rake the leaves? I've never mowed a lawn. I love raking. its theraputic.

Your name spelled backwards: yasdnil enna naginnarts (NAGGINARTS! oh man, that is awesome)

What is the last thing you downloaded onto your computer?
a picture of david beeman off the cwk site for my desktop background.

Last time you swam in a pool?
hmmm. I think Las Vegas in May. I don't like swimming or water.

Have you ever been in a school play?
no, but I've been in loads of church plays. (I was homeschooled during elemetary school.)

How many kids do you want?
well, when I finally get around to it (and I probably will) -- 2. 1 boy, 1 girl.

Type of music you dislike most?
new country. well, slow jams/R&B type stuff I despise as well.

Are you registered to vote?
I'm not sure. I tried to register an never got nothin in the mail.

Do you have cable?
no way.

Ever prank call anybody?
a long long long time ago. and it was fun.

Best friends?
in all different shapes and sizes. my sisters, linda, abbie, jeremy, becca, dave reichle...

Would you go bungee jumping or sky diving?
I'd really rather do neither. may maybe maybe sky diving if I was drugged or something. not big on heights.

Do you have a garden?
I wish. I have like 4 plants in m house that I am desparately trying to keep alive.

What's your favorite comic strip?
The Far Side

Bath or Shower, morning or night?
shower every other morning.

Best movie you've seen in the past month?
Invisible Children, and what I've seen of the T.Rex documentary (gotta finish it)

Favorite pizza topping?
pineapple. maybe artichoke hearts.

Chips or popcorn?
mmmm chips. all kinds. guacachips.

What color lipstick do you usually wear?
matte brown type things.

Have you ever smoked peanut shells?
I didn't even know that was possible.

Orange Juice or apple? Orange. Apples should never ever be juiced. They turn into urine. (im keeping katies answer on this one because there couldnt possibly be a better answer -- and I am keeping this answer from katie/myste because it is so so so true)

Favorite type of chocolate bar?
toblerone, hershey's with almonds, almond joy, anything with peanut butter.

When was the last time you voted at the polls?
in oregon, its all absentee. but I coted at the polls at biola once. I guess the first bush election.

Last time you ate a homegrown tomato?
in oregon.

Are you a good cook?
they don't call me hosty for nothin.

Ever order anything from an infomercial?
nope

Sprite or 7-Up?
7-up. when I am sick.

Have you ever had to wear a uniform to work?
stupid kodak and their stupid hawaiian shirt with stupid khaki pants.

Ever thrown up in public?
unfortunately, yes.

Would you prefer being a millionaire or find true love?
can I say YES?

Do you believe in love at first sight?
that's lust.

Can ex's be friends?
oh geez. I hate this question. I guess they can, kindof. but I think that in the dark reaches of their mind they really just want to make out.


Who was the last person you visited in a hospital?
nate rose

Did you have a lot of hair as a baby?
yes, lots

What message is on your answering machine?
stupid question. something on my cell phone that says I work a lot and blah blah blah leave me a message.

What do you think about most?
I think about work a lot. and my lack of money. and silly silly boys.

Favorite form of travel?
yes. train in europe is delightful. I don't mind cross country trips in motor homes either...

Ever drink rotten milk?
no. I don't eat leftovers, let alone milk that is past the expiriation date. what do you think I am, a ROOKIE?

if this isn't a sign from God...

The Simpsons Season 6 releases to DVD on August 16th.
My birthday.
THIS IS FATE, PEOPLE.

the kids at my work think I speak with just a hint of a southern accent.
this amuses me to no end.

God Bless the African Summer

I stole this from my sister Danielle's blog and I had to share it with you all. She's an amazing person (and a great writer), so I thought you should read this.


my african summer
(by danielle strannigan)

note: this is a terribly long blog about my experiences with somalian kids. just don't say that you weren't warned.

so . . . i have about 15 african children in my life this summer. for those of you who aren't in the know, i started voluntering with catholic charities a month ago to help somalian refugees here in portland. officially, i am supposed to teach english to majuma, a somalian woman, but what usually ends up happening is that i sit in the shade with majuma and three old somalian men, while i fan myself to keep cool and desperatley try and catch on to the mostly somalian conversation. so far i have learned to count to ten and say hello, and majuma has learned the word "starbucks". after i sit for awhile with the adults i usually wander over to where all the kids are playing in the dirt--there are about 5 or 6 families, but majuma takes care of all the kids while the other mothers go to their various service-oriented jobs.

the kids are great, man. they are always so excited to see me (or any other person, for that matter), and they are always wanting to be held or hugged or affirmed or just get any attention, really. i am used to kids ignoring me as a general rule, so it has been quite a shock to my system to instantaneously be bestest friends with a pack of wild children. but it is so much fun.

i wish i could take everyone in the world with me to the apartment complexes where they live--even an afternoon could change your life. i still have no idea what has happened to these families, to these kids--majuma and i cant communicate well enough yet and the kids have all blocked it out. all i know is that somali has been war-torn for many years, and some of the kids have scars on their faces, arms, and backs. most have lost their fathers to war.

there is this one little kid- abdikadi--who i have never quite been able to "get". he doesn't smile as much as the rest of the kids, and is very, very quiet. but there is an anger in him that is unusual for a 6 year old, although its just underneath the surface. to be honest, i have never paid him that much attention before because he never demanded it. on monday i had another pool party for the kids at my house and i took home in my car two older boys (both 17) and abdikadi. there were some pictures of me in india floating around the back of my car, and abdikadi was totally entranced. he stared at those pictures for the whole ride home, and i could hear him saying "dani-yell" over and over. finally, i looked back and said "abdikadi--you know my name! good job!" (it is really hard for the kids to say my name . . . usually they just say "teacher" or "dani"). he smiled shyly and looked away. one of the older boys, abdi, looked at me and said "he talks about you all the time."

that warmed me to the very cockles of my heart. the next day my friend jenny and i took all the kids to my churches program because we thought the kids would get a kick out of the "serengeti" theme. jenny took the 3 youngest children and that left me with the other 8 . . .and it was pure chaos. there was biting, kicking, screaming, cursing (unfortuntately, the few english words that they all know are somewhat unsavory), and lots of kids falling asleep in the middle of the "bible talks". i was definetely the bad mom whose kids ran wild and whom the other parents "tutted" about. i couldn't help it--mostly i just had to laugh at how hilarious it was to have these 8 crazy kids at my all-white megachurch. nobody knew what to do with them. as frazzled as i was by the end of the night, i don't think i have ever loved kids as much as i did right then. as we were taking the kids back to the van, abdikadi ran up to me, slipped his hand into mine, and started jabbering away about what he did that night at vbs. unfortunately for me, he was talking in somalian the whole time, so i just nodded my head and smiled. but i got the idea. he fell asleep smiling on the way home.

this summer has been amazing mostly because of my time with these children. everytime i am with them i learn to appreciate life just a little bit more. i am so inept, so uneducated, and so clueless--but christ is in me. and uses me to show love to others.

i am pretty sure that i am going to have to go to africa at some point in my life now. put another country on the dream list, danielle.

I got 24 wishes, but a bitch aint one.

in a fit of total self indulgence, I am going to make a birthday wish list.

this is no way obligates anyone who reads this to purchase any of the listed items for me. This is merely a list, if time and money were no object - of things that I would like to have as my posessions. read these things only to gain a better understanding of who I am and the things that haunt me from the shelves of stores saying "purchase me purchase me purchase me even though you should be spending money on practical things like rent...")a perfectly frivolous post.

24 Wishes for my 24th year.

1. Scrubs Season 1
2. The OC Season 1
3. Arrested Development Season 2 (don't know when it comes to DVD, but when it does, mark my words - I WILL OWN IT.)
4. The new white stripes CD (although, a little birdy told me that my youngest sister is purchasing this for me)
5. Neil Young - After the Gold Rush
6. any and all Them CD's (Van Morrison will also do)
7. Any Walkmen CD's
8. Any book by St. Augustine other than Confessions (already own it)
9. The new Nick Hornby/David Sedaris
10. The Simarillion
11. the Dig! DVD (special edition would be nice, not necessary)
12. Cash: The Man, His World, His Music special edition DVD
13. T. Rex Electric Warrior
14. An Ipod that doesn't freeze whenever I try to charge it
15. a gift certificate to trader joe's (perferrably a million dollars)
16. A guitar (this would be from the Beach Boy Uncle - he mentioned it once, I am not holding my breath)
17. The Bible as read by Johnny Cash on CD
18. Dinner and a movie with Jason Schwartzman
19. A pint of cider from the Cat and Fiddle
20. any product made by aveda
21. beads and big clunky necklaces (any accessories, really)
22. A disneyland pass
23. Cute boy short underwear
24. anything vintage. anything. books, jewelry, dishes, ash trays, toasters, etc.

ok. that was hard to do. and it was really self indulgent.
so thanks for bearing with me.
this was for me, not for you.
it's more of a comprehensive list of what to buy when I start rolling in the dough. which is not any time soon.

adieu.

you know your job is stressful when...

you've seen everyone in your office (men, women, and children) cry at some point in the last 3 days.

except me. no tears (yet).

welcome to the 'biz'.

who needs a drink?

I love this:

"Let us sing now, not in order to enjoy a life of leisure, but in order to lighten your labors. You should not sing as wayfairers do - sing, but continue your journey. Do not be lazy, but sing to make your journey enjoyable. Sing, but keep going."

-St. Augustine

'...sippin on gin and juice'

Simpsons quote of the day: "Monstromart: Where shopping is a baffling ordeal."

Street Scene, San Diego, 2005.
Observations:

1. Lots of kids who listen to Snoop Dogg like weed. These kids also don't know how to appreciate the sheer genius of Jack White. Unless, of course, they are smoking weed -- which makes anything enjoyable to them.

2. The Flaming Lips are one of the most entertaining bands in the world to watch. They covered Queen's 'Bohmenian Rhapsody' and Black Sabbath's 'War Pig'. Brilliant.

3. The White Stripes are phenomenal. Jack White is insane. Meg White is a hero of mine. They made a believer out of me.

4. You should not cram 100,000 people into a large parking lot and expect them to all be able to leave at the same time on public transportation and not have a problem. Thankfully, Andy and I are 'thinkers' and we opted to have someone pick us up rather than wait for a trolley for 2 hours.

5. While I am not a fan of the whole festival concept, I must say that The White Stripes and Flaming Lips performances (not to mention Spoon) made the whole thing worthwhile. All of you, go out and buy the new White Stripes NOW.

that's all for now, folks.

love lessons with lindsay (Vol. 1)

1. if you happen to go dancing and 3 of your "ex's" are there, you might as well just dance with all of them. simultaneously.

and forget not His benefits.

All the glory that the Lord has made and the complications when I see His face in the morning in the window.

All the glory when He took our place. But He took my shoulders and he shook my face.

and He takes and He takes and He takes.

watch the trailer:
http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hv&cf=trailer&id=1808628394&intl=us


I CANNOT WAIT.

Invisible Children

http://www.invisiblechildren.com

I just watched this documentary. It was made by three guys our age who knew nothing about Africa and went with no organization or corporate sponsorship. Now they are raising millions of dollars to provide shelter for the 'invisible children' of uganda - children that escaped from their abduction into the rebel army and now fear for their lives.

if you would like, i will lend my copy to you.

and, rumor has it that a large group of people are going to Uganda to work with the invisible children on December 16. That is the same day as the Sidecho/Playback company cruise. I could get wasted for three days or go to Africa.

I really hope I can go to Africa.

mother hen syndrome.

well kids. its been a few since I've been at the wheel of the ole blog.

the new job is great. I've been there four days and already the people there feel like family. I have a lot of responsibility and a lot to learn (I won't be emailing/blogging during work hours till I get the whole system under control), but that's the way I like to do things > stress is my life blood.

My official title is "Products Manager" for Playback Entertainment. Essentially, I am the Mother Hen for Playback Ent and Sidecho Records. Playback Ent is a distro/consutlting company that does distribution for 7 record labels. My job is to make sure that all the records for those labels are on display and being carried in stores across the country. I also deal with distro to Japan...all that good stuff. I have 5 people that report directly to me and will ask Mama Strannigan every day what they are to do that day.

So, I gotta figure out what the heck I'm doing by Monday because I gotta tell these kids what to do. Its a little bit stressful. Like I said, I thrive on this sort of thing.

Jenny's (the girl I am replacing) last day was Friday. I am officially on my own. We will see how that goes. Bring it on. I will sneak the blogs in as often as I can.

just a friendly reminder to cameron and amber that I have interviews for you in the comments section of the blog in which I was interviewed. answer away, kids.

whistle while you work.

yes'm. that's what I am doing.
whistling and working. at the same time.

so I like my job. a lot.
I was out till 1:00 am last night, meeting record execs and getting on guest lists for posh hollywood venues. I was a schmooze. and I do love to schmooze. with the manager of green day. BOOYAH.

so I hardly have time to think here, let alone sneak in a blog -- but I am sure it will calm down after I get trained and figure out what in the world I am doing and start barking orders at the interns like crazy. this is what I was made for.

ask me your questions, I'll tell you no lies.

This could be considered a meme of sorts, but you need to invite yourself to the party. Here are the instructions:

1. If you want to participate, leave a comment below saying "Interview me." "Blow me" or "Eat me" are not acceptable substitutes.

2. I will respond by asking you five questions - each person's will be different. I'll post the questions in the comments section of this post.

3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.

4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview others in the same post.

5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.Got it? You have to ASK to be interviewed, and I promise I will try and be clever.


So here is my interview from the lovely Myste:
1. if you could use your hosty skills to host any game show (real or imagined) what would it be?
Supermarket Sweep. No reason except that it was the best game show on television ever. and I want to be a part of that.

2. if you had to choose to either only listen to one band/musician or watch only one movie for the rest of your life what would you do? (and what band or movie would you choose for repeat?)
I would watch Rushmore every day for the rest of my life because it's comic genius. and it has great music, so I would sort of kill two birds with one stone (hence my name. oh yeah.)
and, I would listen to Johnny Cash every day for the rest of my life. His music library is exhaustive, I could hardly even listen to it all, and he sings about Jesus a lot and I like that.

3. please describe your feelings about eating breakfast foods during non breakfast times of the day.
I used to be adamantly opposed to most breakfast foods (except waffles. I've always liked waffles) - but I am starting to fall in love with them. Pancakes can be eaten any time of day, as well as omlettes. I must say, I can't really do a fried egg in the afternoon. Granola is strictly morning (maybe at lunch with yogurt) but cereal is just about the perfect midnight snack.

4. what will you name your child who is concieved to the tune of "children of the revolution"?
I've always leaned towards the name Lucy for a girl. maybe Darcy. and the middle name will be Alyne -- since it's my mom's middle name her her mom made it up.
For a boy -- no clue. Elliot maybe? I really don't think about these things.


5. which actors would play you and 2 friends of your choosing in a movie titled "the life and times of lindsay strannigan"?

I will be played by Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen. (preferrably Ashley) they have a knack for real and intuitive acting, the have great hair, and I like the way they constantly purse their lips. Plus, it will bring loads of media attention.
Linda will be played by Uma Thurman (not only because she looks like her, but I think Uma kicks ass. as does Linda)
My love interest (there has to be a lover interest) will be played by the kid who plays Seth Cohen on the OC because he's so hot right now and he'd look good kissing Ashley Olsen and he is wiry and funny and I like people who are wiry and funny.

so kids, who wants me to interview them? YOU READY FOR THIS?

welcome to tired

today is my last day in the free world.
tomorrow I join the ranks of Americans with 9-5 work schedules.

considering the whirlwhind weekend I had, I thought it best to take it easy today. and by take it easy, I mean: drive from San Fran at 5:30 this morning, drop Linda off at work, come home, throw some lunch together, take the newlyweds to the airport and El Pollo Loco, go grocery shopping, wrap Josie's birthday present, upload wedding pics to my computer, and watch an episode of Freaks and Geeks. I almost drove to Santa Monica to meet Erik for an hour but thought better of it and took a nap on the couch and drooled a little bit. and now we are all going out for Josie's birthday dinner at the Red Lion. But Josie has seemed to dissappear into thin air, so we will see how that all works out.

Needless to say, I am tired through and through.
My nap did me no good. In fact, I now feel groggy and dysfunctional.

BUT...I did get to go grocery shopping in a 2005 Subaru Forrester with a gigantic "JUST MARRIED" sign on the back of it, so that was entertaining. If anyone wants to go cruisin for dudes in the Just Married mobile...just let me know. I hear that's hot these days.

stealin from myste...

How tall are you?
5' 8" (maybe 7 and 3/4, but I claim 8)

Do you own a gun?
no. but when I lived in alaska, for my 11th birthday I got a mini rifle that I never used.

Rehab?
nope

Have you ever killed an animal?
if fishing counts, then yes, many. (108 lb halibut, oh yeah)

Are you Irish?
My last name is Strannigan. my mother's maiden name is O'Hurlahey. do you think I'm Irish?

What do you think of hot dogs?
Used to hate them, I think it was Costco that changed my mind.

What's your favorite Christmas song?
O Come O Come Emmanuel

What is your favorite smell? fabric softener. or cinnabon.

What do you prefer to drink in the morning? 1.5 cups of French Press

Do you do pushups?
not since my Tae Kwon Do days (a long long time ago)

Have you ever done ecstasy?
nope

Have you been shot?
shot through the heart? (I am sooo clever...)

Have you ever been hospitalized?
broke my arm in gymnastics ('92?) and had to have metal plates put in my arm. they're still there and I have great scars.

Do you like painkillers?
i try not to take them, but I have a 'deranged' neck and so I take advil here and there. I do not believe in Tylenol.

whats your secret weapon to lure in the opposite sex?
I am not an affectionate person and somehow this is seen by the opposite sex as some sort of a challenge to seduce me.

Do you own a knife?
um, a bread knife. some butter knives as well. off-brand, 99 cents store type of stuff.

Do you have A.D.D.?
the test I took online couldn't give me a 'conclusive' yes, but highly recommended I see my doctor. so probably.

Do you love the pain a tattoo brings?
nope. don't like it at all.

Name Five Drinks You Regularly Drink:
coffee (espresso over ice), grapefruit juice, sparkling water, gin and tonic, newcastle.

What's In Your CD Player?
Neil Young - Silver and Gold

What's Under Your Bed?
I have two matresses stacked on each other on a hardwood floor.

What Time Did You Wake Up Today?
5:30 am

Current Haircut?
something easy and long-ish.

What are you wearing?
ummm, my skivvies. it's bloody hot and I didn't know I'd be asked this question!

Current Worry?
that the commute to my new job will be horrendous.

Current Love?
San Francisco and Sufjan Stevens

Current Hate?
That I can't open my Left passenger door because some stupid strip is ripping off. it's the bane of my existence.

Favorite Place To Be?
not in this hot box of an apartment.

Least Favorite Place?
any freeway this time of day; my hot box of an apartment.

If You Could Play An Instrument?
banjo

Favorite Colors
green (of the olive persuasion)

One person From Your Past You Wish You Could be with?
I really don't know.

Where Would You Like To Go?
switzerland/scottland

Where Do you want to live?
1. San Francisco 2. Boston 3. London 4. Zagreb (Croatia) 5. Chicago 6. Ireland

Favorite food?
thai, indian

Color of most clothes you own?
black

Number of pillows you sleep with?
one and only one.

What were you doing 12AM last night?
eating pizza in the Ramada Inn on Market and 8th, San Fran.

What do you think you'll be doing in 10 years?
not living here. possibly with a hubby. hopefully I will have learned Italian, perfected the guitar, and have the job of my dreams.

Are you paranoid?
yeah. just about weird things...like stepping on something dead in the ocean.

Do you burn or tan?
mostly tan. but I got a wretched burn a few weeks ago.

First piercing/tattoo?
my ears when I was 8 becasue my grandma cut my hair like a boy and I cried a lot.

Last person you yelled at?
I would have to say Linda.

Latest crush?
a boy named Chris who seems quite lovely.

Last thing you ate?
BRC Burrito from El Pollo Loco

If you could be a pirate, would you?
hell yes. I already am.

What songs do you sing in the shower?
whatever I have stuck in my head ('What the world needs now, is love, sweet love...')

What's in your pockets right now?
no pockets currently.

what color are your bedroom walls?
blah blah blah white blah blah

Last thing that made you laugh?
Steve and Abbie

Best bed sheets you had as a child?
Strawberry Shortcake.

Pets?
I want a bunny more than life itself.

Have u ever won any awards:
A gold Medal in sparring in Tae Kwon Do (JR High), and just stuff like "Who's Who Among Students", valedictorian, prom princess (are these awards?)...all that jazz.

How many TV's do you have in your house:
one. we don't actually get any channels.

Who do you tell your dreams to?
linda, becca, danielle.

If u could pick one person to make out with who would it be?
sufjan stevens. maybe chris the crush.

What do you think of the person who posted this before you?
I adore her.

ramblin' lindsay anne...

whirlwhind weekend, here we come.
"wedding bells" playlist: 2 hours exactly (this was not intentional)
rehearsal dinners for wedding's that I'm not actually in.
weddings with no alcohol (but they want you to dance)
a meeting of the big bears and the san luis-ers with a few biolans and auburn peeps.
the concert of a lifetime (well, we will see about that)
the wooing of sufjan. he will love me. and marry me.
maybe a pedicure for the bride, maybe some sushi from Trader Joes.
old friends from high school.
my aunt diana, who will cook a lovely breakfast.

and I think I'll be using the seat warmers in my car to combat my new back problems.*

*back problems caused by a strange motion I made while trying to squiggle out of my car and past the railings of my demon parking spot. somehow, during the course of this squiggling, I destroyed my back. it does not feel good at all.

this is me, signing off for a couple days. I'll be back on Monday.

Sisters, OR, is going nuts.

My sis called and told me this interesting bit of news today. oh the small town life. Here it is from the Oregonian:

Authorities say man acted alone in arson at McDonald's in Sisters
The arrest of a student described as a gentle soul and a talented musician stuns the town of 1,500

SISTERS -- A Bend man arrested Wednesday on suspicion of arson allegedly spread gasoline on the outside of the town's new McDonald's and then threw gas cans on the restaurant's roof before setting it on fire, investigators said.

Authorities focused on Nicholas Andrew Patterson, 23, as a suspect based partly on unspecified evidence at the scene, said Deschutes County sheriff's Capt. Tim Edwards. Patterson was arrested about 1 a.m. after leaving a house that investigators had staked out, he said.

Patterson acted alone, Edwards said, but he declined to offer any details about a possible motive. "All I can tell you is he is a local kid, not part of any organized group," Edwards said.
The early Sunday fire gutted the inside of the unfinished restaurant along U.S. 20, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage. It also shocked residents of the Western-theme tourist town, population 1,500, who for months have been debating the McDonald's and chain restaurants in general.

Patterson, a 2000 graduate of Sisters High School, was arraigned in Deschutes County Circuit Court via video from the county jail, where he was being held on $100,000 bail. Eyes downcast, he sat quietly during the proceeding.

He faces two counts of arson, a felony that carries a maximum of 20 years in prison. His next court hearing is scheduled for July 20.

Steve Rodgers, developer of the building that houses the McDonald's, said he didn't know Patterson. "We know their family, but I didn't know Nick," he said. "There's no reason for him to have a vendetta against me."

Those who know Patterson said he's a gentle soul and a talented musician. He was unemployed and a student at Central Oregon Community College, according to statements read in court.

His last job was as a lifeguard at Broken Top, a private residential community in Bend. His mother, who lives in Washington state, sends him money to cover his living expenses, according to court statements.

After the city approved the McDonald's this year, some residents pushed for a ban on new "formula food" restaurants, but the City Council rejected the proposal last month. Now a group of residents is trying to get a similar ban on the November ballot.

Local supporters of the fast food ban said Patterson wasn't active in their campaigns, and all sides condemned the property damage.

"Everybody knows Nick," said Winfield Durham, owner of Sisters Coffee Co. and a friend of Patterson's. "It's a small town."

"Many people, including myself, were very angry when this (fire) happened, so to have Nick implicated in it is just devastating," he said. "It's a tragedy."

Patterson suffered from depression and took medication to control it, Durham said.

The fire and arrest were the latest blows to Sisters, which this month mourned two prominent residents, Bill and Jan Reed, died in a plane crash in the San Juan Islands.

"With all the other tragedies that have happened around here, we're pretty upset," Durham said.

- Matthew Preusch: 541-382-2006; preusch@bendbroadband.com

its a small, musically retarded world.

I got a call from Harmony Artists today.
I have a job interview tomorrow at 4:00.
I haven't started the other job yet, so it doesn't hurt to look into something that is located exactly 1 mile from my apartment.

So I looked them up.
The represent the likes of Charo (yes, Charo), a few hypnotists, and ever cover band imaginable. If ever there was a decent band, there is an indecent band to cover it, and Harmony Artists to represent it: Sticky fingers, The Fab Four, The Pink Floyd Experience, Hotel California, Led Zepagain, and....Papa Doo Run Run. The 'legendary' Beach Boys Cover band that my Uncle plays in occasionally. I stumbled across his picture on the web page.

I'd have the uncle give them a call and muscle them into giving me a job, but i don't think I want it. oh well. the website is a kick in the pants.

www.harmonyartists.com

deflector shields: ON

Erica's birthday party. July 12. Beauty Bar. Hollywood.

We had an intimate crowd; just a few friends having a few drinks to celebrate a few years.

Two foreign guys at the bar: COUGARS. On the prowl, for sure. Linda and her blonde locks catch their eye - and Sam the German hones in on the kill. I watch, amused, as my best friend reacts and plays into the game nicely (bravo). She has a Vodka and Red Bull in her hand wihtin minutes.

I, on the other hand, get Sam's sloppy seconds. As soon as Linda finds out that Sam's [rather attractive] friend, Sasha, is Croatian - he gets pointed in my direction. After all, I have been to Croatia. And I loved it. So, Sasha and I entered into a pleasant conversation about Croatia, and his new home Switzerland, and we talked about London and that Sasha has never been to New York or Boston and I told him he must go.

After 15 minutes or so of this sort of conversation, Sasha and I were done. There was simply nothing left to talk about. We were beating that dead horse until he was deader than dead.

Sasha never bought me a drink. he didn't get my number (phew). and he looked quite relieved when I hardly even euro-kissed him goodbye.

I found out that Linda fared the same way. Sam was a bust. Two club-goer europeans who were looking for an easy catch. We tried to get out with a "See you later" but it wasn't that easy. Linda got bought the drink, so she gave the obligatory number. We will just see if Sam calls her. I doubt it. I think they got the message loud and clear: frankly, we weren't going to put out.

So, happy birthday erica. Here's to sleazy (cheap) europeans. I have yet to get bought a drink from a stranger, and I take pride in that. My deflector shields are on in full force.

when I grow up...

I never had any desire to be a Marine Biologist, Veteriniarian, Dolphin Trainer, or Ballerina. And I knew quite well that I could not grow up and become a "Princess". That simply is not possible. My childhood dreams were so much more plausible than that.

The first career I can actually remember pursuing was that of a professional iceskater. In the days of skaters getting their knees bashed in with pipes (yes, I was a fan of Nancy Kerrigan) I still believed there was good in the ice skating world and that I would be an active member in this magical skating world. Unfortunately, this phase was shortlived and replaced by a new (and enormous) desire to be an Olympic Speed Skater. This phase was also brief due to skating incompetence and my lack of discipline.

The next logical career path was that of an archaeologist. This came before the Jurassic Park craze, although I will admit that reading the book only intensified my desire to dig for treasures. I had no real inclinations towards Israel or scrolls or mummies. Just dinosaurs. For stricly selfish reasons. The thought of being one of those 'creation/evolution' spokespersons was downright upsetting. I couldn't stomach it. I simply wanted to find really old dead things. I don't know what led me away from the path to archaeology. I just woke up one day with no interest. And that was that.

Shortly after the dinosaur phase, I move to Wyoming and stumbled into my next career path: Barrel Rider. Now, I don't know that I ever really believed this would be a profession for me, but I was going to work hard and be a damn good barrel rider. I would ride those horses around those barrels and break world records, baby. Then I grew up. And broke my arm .(in gymnastics, funny enough. but don't misunderstand. I never set out to be a professional gymnast. I knew from day one that I was way too big for that.) Thus ended my brief affair with the rodeo circuit.

In high school, I finally made up my mind: I WAS GOING TO BE AN ASTRONOMER. I got straight A's, I liked stars, and all my science teachers liked me. Never you mind that I had not taken a single class on astronomy or even read a book on the subject. That mattered little: I was to be the next Gallileo. I looked into all the Southern california Christian colleges (because those two things were my only criteria for school) and Westmont was the only one with a telescope or any semblance of an astronomy program. This posed a problem, since I did not have the funds to attend the likes of Westmont. It was around this time anyway that I realized that I am what some would call a "people person" and that my life's calling probably wasn't to spend my life in seclusion, feverishly writing equations and star gazing.

It must have been in the middle of my astronomy phase that my sister and I started a band - a Christian punk rock band, nonetheless. We were called Agnes United and we were awesome. We played the every Christian venue in Northern California (there are more than you'd think) and even opened for Slick Shoes. I started doing some of our booking, as well as booking bands for the coffee shop/concert venue that my church was running. I liked this newfound music world. And I guess the excitement never really wore off, so here I am, still in the music world. I'm only slightly pissed that I'm not an ice skater.

a whole new world

It's offical.
I am the new "Products Manager" for Sidecho Records.
The company is located in Garden Grove - so to all my OC/Long Beach/La Mirada peoples - I will be seeing you more often!

ha.

job interview tomorrow at 12:00 for Sidecho Records.
guess I didn't need that previous whiny blog.

damn the man

gotta find a job. and fast. Haken is a bust. they want me to go door to door to salons and try to hawk body butter. no way, jose. not gonna do it.

sent out multiple resumes this week. left a message for benjamin at william morris. emailed james cho at Sidecho records. i heard that they are hiring. linda is getting me on some linked up system. craigs list. entertainment careers. darn that peggy rupple on bubbs hasn't posted the UTA list. time to go pay my parking ticket from February.

KEEP MY EYES PEELED.

just added "Teen Wolf Too" to the netflix, starring none other than: Jason Bateman.

not quite a bonanza

I don't know how to write about this weekend, but I will attempt to.

The plan was for Linda and I to go down to Andy's place in San Diego to have 4th of July BBQ Bonanza weekend. Nate, Corban, Amanda, and Katie were all going to be down there as well. It was going to be a grand ole time.

Sunday morning Andy calls. We exchanged a few sentences of small talk. after all, I think he's calling to see what time we're pulling into town.

Instead, he drops this bomb on me: "So, last night, we got jumped."

right, right. sure you did, kiddo. (I say something to this effect)

"No, really. Nathan and Jack are in the hospital. Two guys jumped them with a lead pipe and a cane."

I repeat the words "Oh my gosh" a number of times while Andy relays the rest of the story. The girls are all fine...everyone managed to get away...nothing was stolen...and Nate needs surgery.

Linda and I decide to head down to San Diego anyway and try to function as 'moral support'. We knew our 4th of July weekend wouldn't be the BBQ Bonanza we had planned -- but that was the last of our concerns.

All in all, our weekend was quite mellow. We lounged by the pool, played with Gracie the puppy, visited Nathan in the hospital, BBQed some Hebrew Nationals, and tried to keep spirits up. Thankfully, Jack and Nate are OK. Jack got released the next morning, and Nathan was released yesterday. They each have black eyes, stiches, and bruises galore. Nathan's nose took the brunt of the cane and/or pipe, and he underwent surgery to put it back together. He looks like shit.

It's things like this that I really don't understand. There was no reason for it, no warning. There was nothing my friends could have done differently. Two guys approached them casually and asked for the time. The next thing they knew, they were running for their lives.

So I won't attempt to fill in the blanks or prescribe meaning. I just know that sometimes the world is cold and dark and evil people get away with evil things. but, then, I think about my dear friends and how they are still alive and well - and how positive they've been in this whole experience -- and I am so proud of all of them. really, it's all I can think about. So, here's to you, my friends - you really are shining examples of what a follower of Christ should be.