Vets and school and pictures and I should keep writing my proposal.

A quick photo update of random everyday life in the past week or so.

Taking Patch to the vet to remove her stitch (also mom's birthday, happy birthday mom!).


At school doing research. Research! I am being diligent and responsible!


And after school, on my way to the doctor, I saw that the Yagüez Theater was particularly pretty and decided to take a picture. It was only when I was cropping the picture that I noticed that the face of the clock has "Teatro Yagüez" written on it. Almost 25 years going to Mayagüez and only now do I notice. Ay ay ay.

I may update more later in the day. That depends on the wretched proposal. From hell.

*keeps writing*

The long overdue San Juan post.

How long has this post been marinating? Yeah...just look at the pictures...

That's all folks...I need to rest. This past week has been hectic.

What I did last night.

There were penises involved.


Many penises, as you can see.

PENISES!

(Wow, I'm going to get the worst referrals from Google.)

Last night was my friend Jennifer's bridal shower. Dear flying owner of a noodly appendage, I had never seen so many penises in one room. And these are the discreet pictures, mind you. There was Pin the Penis on the Hunk and there was a set of XXX rated playing cards. There were penises on the cake! Oh my.

It was my first bridal shower, I guess that's why I was in so much shock? They were actually planning on having a stripper, but the bride-to-be was against so no stripper. I think that would've been too much for me. But all in all, it was a good time.

Excuse my lack of articulate expression, but I'm still kind of asleep. That, and I have spent barely a day in my house this week! Even today, I must dash off to meet with the girls at the mall. But before I leave, I bestow upon you all, my dear readers, a picture of the bride.


Her face wisely away from the camera, here is Jennifer, the future bride. With a penis veil and a penis diadem. A light-up penis diadem. Which I took video of, because it had a particular light show routine. (But I'm not putting that up here. Sorry.)

Classic.

This is...

What happens when you don't keep up your hobbies.

I used to draw pretty much all the time before I hit my senior year of bachelor's. But when I got into the home stretch of my first university degree, fun pretty much went out the window. 21 credits both semesters, plus keeping up with my weekend job didn't leave much time for enjoyment, let alone hobbies. (Except photography!)

So I pretty much hadn't picked up a pencil or a pen to draw anything other than random sheep for about four years. Wow.  Until today.

I was sitting in the kitchen, writing stuff down (in my Batman notebook! Batman! WOO!), when I noticed I was using my Harry Potter cup-and it's here that we must pause to deal with your gasps of horror or snickers of amusement. Yes, I have a Harry Potter cup. In fact, I HAVE TWO. I like Harry Potter. Sue me. 

Now back to the story. I noticed I was using the cup and I wondered if I could manage a quick sketch. I used to do that all the time to practice, quick 5, 10, 20 minute sketches. I figured then was as good a time as any and so, picked up the pen and tried.

Wow. Was it rotten.

Granted, it doesn't look like a moronic stick figure, but it still is a far cry from how I used to draw. Here, let me show you. 

I think that from the eyes up it looks pretty decent. But the nose, oh the nose. He looks like an angry bull. And the neck. It looks like Arnold Schwarzenegger's neck when he was Mr. Universe (or Olympia, whatever it was). Here, look at it yourself.

Actually, now that I look at it, he sort of looks like he got beaten up by the Klitschko brothers. 

Sigh. 

As a frame of reference, here I give you a picture of a drawing made about five years ago.

This was supposed to be a portrait of the Marauders (you know, Wormtail, Moony, Padfoot, and Prongs, from Harry Potter?), but I never finished it. The one on the left, I think, is Wormtail. The one on the right is James Potter. Why is Wormtail so happy? I don't know. Maybe he got his first chest hair or something. 

Anyway. I feel that I just stuck a big FAIL sticker on my forehead. I definitely have to practice more. 

Definitely.

You know it's hot when...

You reach for your Band Aid Blister Block and it's all melted.

Ay, caramba.

Regular posting will resume once I get a breather. It has been a busy week here Chez Trois Chiens. I've barely been at home this week, what with previously scheduled events (such as the workshop at RUM) and unscheduled events (like my car battery dying because I left the lights on; oops). 

Anyway, off to another busy day. Will post soon. I think. Until then, I distract you with picture taken while walking home some time ago.

Laters!

Nyoh!

We interrupt our regularly scheduled blog posts to bring you this:


A photo of the mysterious and elusive chibi Stella. It was found while being forced to use the desktop because Tsuki's (the Mac's) adapter is damaged. Again. I go through adapters like Paris Hilton goes through bad hair extensions.

Wait. Paris Hilton jokes are sooo two years ago.

Oh well.

I look like a squeaky toy. xD

This is content?

So yes, hello. It has been a rather uneventful week over at Chez Crazy, with perhaps the exception of two things:

1) my dog is being sterilized :(

2) a scale has been brought into the home 

My dog, Patch, is about three years old and I've definitely resisted sterilizing her due to a bad experience with our other female dog, Maya. When Maya was sterilized, something went dreadfully wrong: there was a reaction to the wire used to stitch her up inside (when the idiot doctor used wire, I knew something was wrong) and she had two gaping open wounds on her hips that were always oozing pus. The poor dog was in pain for close to two years because we took her back to the vet and he said that the only option was just ripping her open again and leaving it all exposed. What. The. Shit? To say that I wanted to beat the idiot vet within an inch of his life is the understatement of the year. Nay, decade. 

After two years, the infection finally ceased and now Maya is a happy (well, she can be grumpy) ball of fuzzy love. But to say that I am terrified of this happening to Patch, well. Is supremely on the mark. 

(Patch is currently hiding under the beds. She senses the impending doom. That, and it's hot and she seeks the cool.)

The second part of the post is the arrival of a scale into our lovely home. We haven't had a scale in our house, oh. Ever. Actually, in our old house we did. But that was...approximately 19 years ago. This is a big thing because if we ever wanted to know our weight, we'd have to go to the doctor or go to one of those machines at stores that give you your weight and your lucky number. (They now give Christian messages though...sheesh.)

I think this could be both negative and positive. Negative because it may just turn into some sort of...Lord of the Flies thing, with everybody going "I'M FAAAAAAAAAT!" and then throwing out all the carbs in the kitchen. And then I'd go into berserker mode because they threw away my bread. And nobody, I repeat, NOBODY, separates me from my bread.

This would probably conclude with the house burning down and mom running away with her candy stash. And dad running after her saying, "UNHEALTHY CALORIES!"

Anyway. The positive would be that we would all be aware of our weight and do something about it. Mom weighed in at 132, dad at 240, and me at 137. Pounds, but of course. This cheered me up because I figured I was heavier. But I am aware that most of that weight is fat. No muscle. So if I where 137 pounds of muscle, I'd be fine. But as I am now, no.

Dad worries me though. 240. That's kind of...much, no? He's only six feet one inch so...

Hopefully, this will trigger some sort of positive healthy change in the family diet. I mean, we are relatively healthy with the exception of the obsession with candy. Woo. Do we ever have a sweet tooth. 

Now I have to get ready to take the poor dog to the vet (another vet, mind you; not the evil asshole vet). I think she migrated to the sofa to contemplate her last day of ovulation. 

:(

Up next? Probably a San Juan review and a photo post. Stay tuned!

Weekend.

Well, just got home from the Colegio commencement! Congrats to the boy and the boobies!

Anyway, this is just a quick post to say that I'll be away for the weekend. So, if anything, leave a message, a comment, send an e-mail or call!

Have a good one guys, I'll be back late Sunday or early Monday with a picture post.

Movies.

Movies you should all see: Atonement and The Painted Veil.

Watch.

Weep.

Discuss.

William Carlos Williams.

The appropriation of? The massacre of?

I found this the other day in the English Students' Lounge at Colegio and it just gave me a chuckle. I hope it gives all the other nerds/English lit lovers a laugh as well. (I hope no one goes insane and pitches a fit about the bastardization of William Carlos Williams. I mean, it's all good fun!)

William Carlos Williams is one of my favorite poets (of course, you might consider that a cliché answer). He is half-English and half-Puerto Rican. The two poems that were appropriated on the chalkboard are some of his most famous, "The Red Wheelbarrow" and "This is just to say."

This is what the original versions of the poems say:

"The Red Wheelbarrow" (originally titled "XXII")

so much depends

upon

a red wheel

barrow

glazed with rain

water

beside the white 

chickens

and ""This is just to say:"

I have eaten 

the plums

that were in the icebox

and which 

you were probably

saving

for breakfast.

Forgive me

they were delicious

so sweet

and so cold.

Summer days.

Taken before I rushed out with mom to Ponce. 100+ degree weather. Oh well.

Ketchup.

This isn't a promotion, even though he is the candidate I voted for. And this isn't meant as an insult either. It's just a reminder. :P

Jarabe de Palo & Indie Rock Festival.

As promised, here are some pictures from the Jarabe de Palo concert & the Indie Rock Festival, May 23 & 24, respectively.First, Jarabe de Palo. No pictures of the band though...I didn't get any good ones. :/

The following are from the Indie Rock Fest, starting with Café Tacuba (Tacvba).

Now Circo...

Miranda...was too busy dancing and being silly to take proper pictures...

And one last Café Tacuba picture so you guys can get a perspective on how full the Indie Rock Fest was.

It was all great fun. Hope the pictures conveyed at least some of the fun it was. :)

Faked on eBay.

Well. Fuck.

I think you can tell the topic of the post from the title, no? No beating around the bush. Just short, straight, and to the point.

Last month I purchased what I thought to be a genuine and very nice Yves Saint Laurent Muse on eBay. From the pictures, it looked authentic. So, obviously, I was very excited. I've been wanting to have a Muse for three years now. But when it arrived, the dream went out the window, down the toilet. It was effectively shat upon.

The bag was a fake. Admittedly, it was a good fake. But I knew something was wrong. The leather wasn't supple and soft. The hardware looked cheap and shiny. And it didn't smell right. I can tell the smell of good leather, and this wasn't it.

So now, I'm in the process of returning the bag. If it were up to me, I would totally reveal the name of this person so nobody would deal with this eBayer again. But that would be risky, as the person could get me into trouble. Needless to say, I'm going to be extra careful from now on. 

However, I would like to extend a very warm thanks to the members of The Purse Forum. They helped me confirm my fears and engage in the return process. Go Purse Forum!

Bargain hunting.

Also known as an excuse to take silly pictures of myself and post up outfits.

So faced with doing nothing all day (aka being stuck at home, alone), I decided to risk my luck with my dying car and venture out to Yauco. My aim was to hit up Marshall's to see if they had anything good, but I didn't find anything that made me go: oh yes, must buy. Plus, the one thing I did like was more expensive than the collective amount spent in all I bought. 

So we're starting with the most expensive article in the lot: the lavender shirt to the right. It's To the Max and it was 4.99. Pants are several months old from Old Navy, but I haven't worn them yet. 16.99.

Next up, this skirt! It's BCBGirls and it was only 1.99. Shirt is Old Navy and like the pants in the previous picture, several months old. 1.99 as well. I fully intend this to be one of my more casual summer outfits. After all, summer is about using the least amount of clothes possible without looking slutty. And without getting sunburn. Wear that SPF, kids!

By the way, the reason that my hand is at the waist: it isn't because I'm trying to be posing, it's because I'm so used to everything I wear having pockets, I was trying to find the pocket. But this skirt doesn't have any. Sadness!

Third, this dusty rose-colored dress. To the Max, 2.99! The snakeskin belt is from Marshall's, 3.00. I'm aware that the dress might make me look a little wider, but I think the dress is cute. I've discovered the wonders of the v-neck, and, how can I deny a dress with pockets?

And, have you noticed? In all the pictures I either have my hand tucked into a pocket or I'm trying to. I love pockets. Pockets are gift from the fashion lords. And from a preternatural being.

Crap, the pictures sort of get more unflattering as we go along. Anyway. Last article of clothing bought today: BCBGirls skirt, 2.99. I think the tank top is Guess and it has quite some years on it. Have no idea how much it cost. Probably 9.99 or something, I'm a miser, I know. 

Normally, I don't go for anything blue. Only extremely dark wash denim or super dark navy. I'm just not into blue. However, for 2.99, I figured this would make an extremely nice summer skirt. It's lightweight cotton so it's breezy.

All articles worn in this post (except where otherwise specified) where purchased at Rave. Yeah, I know. Stop shaking your head at me. 

Since I didn't have a job this semester, I definitely restrained myself shopping. I only bought something if I really liked it/needed it/knew it would get a lot of wear. In fact, that has been my shopping M.O. for quite a while now: shop on basis of cost per wear. And, sheesh, at how cheap these were, I totally am getting my money's worth. And so much more.

So, in addition to the articles featured here, I also purchased a candy bar (.54 cents), a necklace (.25 cents), nude nail polish (.99 cents), and blush (an entire dollar). With taxes, that brings the grand total to a whopping $16.84. Much less than the shirt I was drawn to at Marshall's.  

Anyway. So here we have one last outfit, a possible for this year's

 graduation. Not that I'm graduating. But a bunch of people are. Significant people. Like that significant other. And some of my significant friends. And I've actually been boggled about what to wear. Opinions?

So, details of the outfit: dress, J. Crew, totally bought at Salvation Army my friends. Salvation Army is The Awesome. I think it was 5 or 8 dollars. You're already acquainted with the belt, Marshall's, $3.00. Bag, Yves Saint Laurent Muse. Price? Guess. I most definitely did not pay full price for it. Because I'm a pennypincher. Shoes, Prada. $70. Off eBay, of course. The pooch is totally brought to you by not working out and being completely nonchalant and eating too much ice cream.

And, yes, I am aware that it is not a huge pooch and that there are people who are more out of shape than I am, but, indulge me. Meaning, don't go batshit in the comments. As someone who's been both overweight and then a total jock, so I definitely have a level of physical self-awareness.

So, to conclude, I'd like to add a few more things:

-Must stop watching Transformers, the movie. I mean, seriously. I know I totally watched it as a child, but...this is ridiculous.

-Haven't had lemonade in a while. Totally must make some soon. Tomorrow, perhaps?

-Possessed by urge to do a fruit tart. Hmm. Fruit tart. GO POOCH!

-Will totally put up belated Jarabe de Palo and Indie Music Festival picture post.

-Could not resist. Broke quarantine and let dogs in. Oops.

Sleep tight everyone.

Fun.

How to best describe how I'm feeling:

Imagine your bones. Imagine your bones wanting to rip out of your muscle and skin and bang themselves repeatedly onto a wall until they break. That's how much my bones ache. Wee.

So last night I got about a total three or three and a half hours of sleep. Between the dogs barking, my continuous sneezing, the headache, the bone ache, and the tooth ache, that was all I got. So I've decided that next time, I want to have sleeping pills. I really am considering it since three hours of miserable sleep vs eight hours, I think we have a clear winner.

By the way, I am fully aware that I'd hallucinate. But I'm beginning to think that a few minutes of seeing normal lights look like disco lights and having a full night of sleep, well. I'm willing to risk that. 

So, to that person you see barely hanging on, be kind. Don't say, "I slept in! TILL TWELVE!" Because that will make that person most probably want to kill you. Or at least, produce extensive bodily harm.

I hate it when I have sick posts, because it makes me feel like a whiner, but you know what? When my body decides to get sick, it gets sick in the most spectacular of ways. For sure.

Idiocracy, part 5,000

So I was browsing Endi.com to see if there was any relevant news when I spot on the most read "Sangrienta noche de boda," which means bloody wedding night. The subtitle of the story was "man shoots wife for her not being a virgin." And as I read the story, I could not stop myself from getting angrier and angrier. Basically, if I had run across a gamma ray, I'd probably already be She-Hulk. And on my way to that place to rip that motherfucker's dangly gonads off.

It just brings out and puts right into the spotlight the hypocrisy of religion, society, and the people that believe in such. Sure, we need some degree of order, but not this extreme kind of patriarchally chauvinist type of order. Was the man a virgin? Probably not. Then why does the girl have to be? What is it with this insane level of obsession, this need to possess the woman entirely.

Listen, I have no problems with people being virgins. Hell, it's wonderful. You don't have to worry about sexually transmitted diseases, about getting pregnant, about getting checked down there all the time. You don't have to engage in any of that! But I do have problems with people being virgins for reasons that just don't make sense. 

When people bring God into this, that's when it really pisses me off. Look, I respect your beliefs. Or, at least, I do my very best to try. But when you spout fanatical and patriarchal poppycock, it's really quite difficult for you to make your point without looking like a loon. Do you really know that God exists? Has he/she/both/it told you that he wants you not to engage in the mattress mambo because that will make you evil? 

Again, I try to respect people and their beliefs. After all, everyone is entitled to believe what they want. One of my closest friends has chosen to be a virgin until she gets married and, hey. That's great. That's her choice. I have problems with the reasoning behind it, but she has made her choice with those ideals in mind and we are still friends. I'm not going to kill her. Though if she deprives me of alcohol again, I might. Kidding.

The same applies for having sex for the wrong reasons. You're bored? Get some sort of hobby. Wait a while, for sweet mother of a monkey's sake. Wait until you've got your head on straight and at least some sense of responsibility. Have sex when you are willing and ready to assume the load it entails: sexual health, contraceptives, the physical, emotional, and psychological consequences, the risk of getting pregnant. If just reading that sentence makes you break out in hives and scream bloody murder, you're not ready to engage in the act of intercourse.

This may read like a rant. It probably is. It's just that when I read these things in the news, I wonder what kind of world we live in. And if I ever want to bring a kid to a place where these things happen. It makes me furious to think that there are places in the world where a woman has to be covered head to toe. Where a woman is "appraised" because she hasn't been touched by another man. Sweet Noodly Appendage, why? 

And I'd like to point out that I am not referring to any one religion in particular. Most religions are guilty of this kind of prejudice.

For those of you who would like to read the article, here it is. Be warned, it's in Spanish though:

Click.

What is this, Typhoid Mary?

I'm sick.

Again.

Sweet mother of the almighty lord of peanut butter, WHY.

I think this is the 11th or 12th time I'm sick this year. This year. It's not even been six months in, and I've already been sick more than ten times. I don't know the exact number since I stopped counting at ten.

I got sick during Christmas, after Christmas, around Valentine's, on the way to New York, in New York, when we got home from New York. I quit counting, I give up. 

So now I'm attempting to rest, but when I'm sick, I really can't rest because it's a very light sleep. And I suck at sleep. I'm one of those vampiric creatures of the night that needs absolute quiet and absolute darkness. I can't even sleep with the light of the alarm clock, I have to cover it. So sleeping during the day, not really going to happen. So I guess it's either try to plough through the concert pictures (if Tsuki the dying Powerbook can handle it) or try to walk to town (if I can handle it without passing out in the 100+ degree weather).

Crap. I'm running out of Ricola.

Damn, it's pixelated.

Tacuba Dance.
Originally uploaded by chromachord

Until I finish ploughing through the pictures (every time I try to view them, my computer goes insane; I might have to restart it), here you have, for your viewing pleasure, a little video of Café Tacuba performing at the rock festival that took place last saturday in Aguadilla.

For those of you who may not remember or know them, Café Tacuba (sometimes called Tacvba) is a Mexican rock band that started out in...1989, if I'm not mistaken. They were really popular in the 90s and they've played Coachella 3 times. They dabble into a lot of genres and it's all just great fun. Check them out and if you need any help understanding them, either Babelfish it or ask me. :P 

So, without further ado, Tacuba Dance! Spot the chicken mask and watch out for that Karate Kid kick at the end. Enjoy! :)

Good Finds: Old Navy

So I decided to share this with you because, honestly, these sandals are great. They're from Old Navy's leather collection and they're only 19.50! (I sound like an ad, oigh.) They, as you can see, have studs, but not in an overly dramatic way. They remind me of a pair of Marc Jacobs flats from a few seasons ago. Aren't they cute?

Despite being hilariously broke (as in, when the bill comes, I will have to ask my mom for the 19.50 to pay for these), I put in an order for these puppies in the Soba Noodle color, size 11 (because I have skis for feet, awesome). If you're interested, they're obviously available on OldNavy.com, but check your local store to see if they brought these in already. :)

Jeez, I sound like an ad. Oh well, just wanted to share this cute find for summer. 

(I, of course, realize that the menfolk that read my blog could usually care less about fashion and might already be convulsing. Just don't die out on me.)

Viva Puerto Rico?

For some reason, I feel compelled to explain that this picture does not, in any shape way or form, represent some sort of political statement or view. I just liked the composition of the shot. 

Magueyes & Ponce: a photo essay.

The rest of the set is at my Flickr. Just click on the badge at the right!

Do not adjust your monitors.

This is actually a new layout. As Tovi so artfully pointed in the previous post's comment.

So, to show off the new layout (and to make up for lack of content) I'll post pictures later from a recent trip to La Parguera and Ponce. :D

Wee.

(As usual, graphics by moi, code by Damian.)

On the way home...

...saw kitty hanging around rat almost bigger than he is. Obviously, kitten did not desire to eat rat. Kitten only wanted to play with big rat. Still, I found this hilarious. 

Maybe it was the wine.

Hm.

Dear Jehova's Witnesses:

All those pamphlets you leave at my house? The dog eats them. Not because I give them to her, but because she takes them from the fence and rips them apart. Yum.

I'd like to think that this is because, like her "mom," she is a rebel at heart and she challenges the conventions of organized religion like I do. But I acknowledge that it's probably just her canine pupper instinct to seize anything inanimate and shred it to bits. Still, one can hope.

Local color.

8
Originally uploaded by chromachord.

So last night I experienced what could only be described as local color. I went to a place that I consider to be a den of despair, a lair of darkness, a root of evil. I went to...El Colegial.

Yes, I did go. And I took pictures because I've rarely been in those types of places. I think I could count the times I've gone to pubs/bars/places of ill repute? on one hand and still have fingers to spare. But still, go I did.

I'd just seen Iron Man and I was riding high on the awesomeness of the movie, the fact that I don't have to take classes anymore, and that, hey! CINCO DE MAYO! What better excuse to imbibe tequila in lethal amounts. (Well, I only had one tiny little shot. I am not an alcoholic.) So, off to El Colegial we went.

It wasn't a horrible place, but it was kind of...iffy? Shady? Scary? We played a round of pool (which Damian didn't lose but I didn't win, such precise terms, no?). It was fun, but I don't think I'd go there anymore...

By the way, I've got to tell you all, I'm loving the way Flickr blogging arranges the post layout. Yes, I am.

And, as a final note, not that the movie needs promotion or anything, but go see Iron Man. I will not wax poetic about how great Robert Downey Jr. is as Iron Man or how good Jeff Bridges is as Obadiah Stane or how weird it is that Gwyneth Paltrow has curves now. No, I will not tell you all of that. (I sort of just did though.)

Go see it!

Procrastination: an unappreciated art form.

DSCF7576al
Originally uploaded by chromachord.

What I should be doing:
-working on my Philosophy of Teaching statement for tomorrow. Oops, today!
-working on my part of the presentation for later on today
-e-mailing my thesis director
-brainstorming for possible proposals

What I am doing:
-watching What Not to Wear and The First 48
-editing and uploading pictures to Flickr
-looking and adding pictures to Faves in Flickr
-writing this post

As you can see, even though I am less than 24 hours away from being done with class (and with having to take class!), I will not renounce my practice of the refined art of procrastination. Viva la sloth!

To distract you from my laziness, here, a pretty picture of one of the baby frogs in my yard.

Forgive me, Anthony. I have strayed.

So normally I take the decidedly human with good taste approach to Rachael Ray: dismiss her the instant she is mentioned and point out that she does not know how to cook (something that she herself has owned up to several times on her insipid show). Plus, it turns out that she's a very mean and snotty person to anyone who approaches her. I've heard a couple of stories that she tells random people "don't you know who I am?" Yech.

Still, in my semi-religious, totally fanatical daily visits to Tastespotting (only one of the best websites on food ever), I stumbled on a link to an asparagus recipe. Because I happen to like asparagus. Despite somebody's avid protests, I happen to quite enjoy the taste of asparagus. So I clicked the link. And when I read the recipe, said recipe was adapted from a Rachael Ray recipe.

I feel kind of...low. Dirty. Ashamed.

I'm sorry Anthony Bourdain. I've faltered you.

Please don't hurt me if I ever run into you.

But I will say this, the recipe does not, I repeat, does not have any pre-processed or pre-made ingredients (as she is known for), so I feel some sense of vindication for both me and her. It is actually made from scratch. So I shouldn't feel dirty. Or low. Or ashamed.

But still. It's Rachael Ray. Yech.

Moments.

Some of the moments that have made this life good:
-the years with my grandmother
-not having to ask anyone for money
-at 17, dad saying: You're an adult, you don't have to ask us for permission anymore.
-mom smacking dad on the head after he said that.
-learning how to cook and knowing how to cook good
-realizing that I could sing
-giving the perfect present
-mom saying: I admire you.
-getting accepted and presenting at a conference
-all the good food I've ever had
-going to bed in clean sheets right after a shower. Such a good feeling.
-standing in places far away where my grandmother once stood
-napping at the beach under a tree canopy with Damian
-when dad said, "I have a surprise"and pointed to Chewy, my first dog. I was thirteen.
-waking up in the early morn and looking out the window of the hotel room in Switzerland and seeing the snow-covered peaks. I cried.
-Josh Groban's version of the Cinema Paradiso theme. Sweet Jesus God.
-realizing that I was being insanely jealous when some girl talked to Damian.
-realizing that, "oh my God. I really do love this boy" several months after the aforementioned incident
-remembering how we got together
-driving down the road at 4 in the morning, after recently getting a car, with the windows rolled down and seeing the stars shining brightly in the moonless night.
-singing the Moulin Rouge version of "Your Song" and hitting every note
-Princess and Buca
-quitting my weekend job
-blushing at his googly eyes
-jumping off the swing when it was at its highest point and "flying" through the air
-going to places from the stories my grandfather told me about when he lived in Spain
-designing and coding my own blog layouts (oh the good old days xD)

These are just some of the moments that make me go "life does not blow." Despite all the difficulties I've been through, there have been moments that their memories help me carry through. There are definitely some missing though. But I don't want to overwhelm you with all of them in one post.

I want to encourage you all to share some of your memorable moments in the comments! If not, start it in your blogs? :) I am aware that some of the moments may contain cheese, but, well. At some point, our memorable moments will (and ought to?) contain some levels of cheesiness.

This post was definitely inspired by the amazing Mighty Girl, who kick started this whole movement. Long live Mighty Girl! I will have my Life List up soon...

And I go to bed now. Insomnia, I must defeat you.

NYC 2008: Recap

Pictures speak better than words.



If you want to see more pictures, head on over to my Flickr account by clicking on the Flickr link. They might not be uploaded now, but check periodically.

The trip was good. We didn't kill each other, though there were times when I was sure I would be smothered in my sleep. But I asked for it, since I dragged the poor boy shopping.

The weather, oh the weather. It was cold. But we were okay with the cold, the problem was the God forsaken 50 mph gusts of wind. Fabulous. At times I thought I was going to be thrown onto oncoming traffic thanks to the gusts of wind.

Locations in the pictures are as follows:
-Metropolitan Museum of Art
-Central Park Subway Station, in front of the Apple in 5th Ave
-Rockefeller!
-MoMA. Also known as the Museum of WTF This Is Art?
-Somewhere in Queens.

There might be, will be? another more detailed post about New York, but for now, enjoy the pictures. Till then, later!

No sleep till Brooklyn.

Quick post to explain that I'm alive and I'm currently blogging from a damn sexy Macbook Air at the New York Apple store on 5th Avenue. 

Booyakasha!

Swimming through the backlog.

I have quite a couple of entries that are backlogged, simply because I haven't really had time to post. And when I do have time to post, something happens and the enthusiasm to blog really just dissipates. Right now, I'm in a bit of a funk because, well. Certain people are just. Yeah.

Loss of words here.

So instead of boring you with my situations, I'm going to regale you with one of several backed-up posts.

eBay finds! Part deux!

So this is the second of the jackets/coats I bought off eBay. As I said before, I needed to procure some cold weather gear as I will be experiencing some nasty (nasty for me, anyway) weather some day soon. The first was the vintage leather jacket that I featured a couple of posts ago. This one is the Volcom one I mentioned in said post (if I am not mistaken). Got this for around 40 bucks, shipping included, and it's 95% acrylic and 5% wool. I haven't experienced any full-blown allergies while wearing it, but I do get a bit of a tingle. I think it's the wool. But, again, and thankfully, it's not a reaction that makes me want to peel off my clothes, rip off my skin, and scream.

Ignore the contrasting patterns and the weird pose. It was late Thursday night when I took this picture and I was hurrying off to our weekly Rockband, er. Our weekly academic chat at my friend Gerard's house.

Also, it seems that my feet have grown? Is this possible? I went from a normal ten to now ten and a half. So now, I really have to try every shoe on because I don't know if the ten runs large or not. Suck.

Speaking of feet, more precisely, shoes, I scored some suede Prada peeptoe wedges on eBay! Very excited about these. Will blog about them when they get home.

I have big plans for this blog. Well, as big as this blog can be. :P I plan on adding a new section to it, something that caters to my tastes and, hopefully, will help some of my readers at any given time.

Also, I most probably will give my links an overhaul. Blogs that don't exist anymore, blogs that are there, but aren't updated.

So take care everyone, and see you soon. Go watch Anthony Bourdain because he is damn good.

I don't get a sticker?

Normally, I don't really care about politics. I hate it when people start talking about politics as if it is the most fantastic and enthralling thing on Earth. But seeing as how the island's situation is so dire, I feel it is my duty to actively participate and do my best to have my voice heard. (Of course, metaphorically speaking, since I'm fairly sure our dumb as bricks governor is not hearing me when I say he's dumb as bricks.)

So today, I didn't wake up bright and early, but I woke up early enough to get to the polls in time.
The upsetting thing is that you have to pick a party to vote for, they don't believe in the idea of voting for individual candidates. However, the choice was clear for me since I don't believe in the current governor or the party he represents.

Before anybody gets their political knickers in a twist, I'm not promoting any parties, I'm just discussing my personal views. I'm for either unification or separation. That's it, that's all.

So, I voted. I did my part.

Wednesday.

Things to do. In no particular order:

1) Get frames fixed. Are not yet a week old and have already stretched out. Hm. Beginning to think they're not work the investment.

2) Call old office and see if I can talk to my old boss. Who is, coincidentally, my aunt. Need to say hello.

3) Go to school and make copies of book I've had for months now on interlibrary loan.

4) Return said book to interlibrary loan.

5) Get open-ended student evaluations from last semester. Hope that it's good. If not, they're all a bunch of bratwurst loving piss-ants.

6) Check for socks at Kmart. You'd think they'd sell decent quality thick socks at the mall. But no.

7) Oh. Yeah. Jog.

8) Come back home. Cook myself something for dinner. Have head scratched.

9) Watch Ghost Hunters. And Project Runway. (And yes, I am interested in shows about the paranormal. If you don't, then good for you. Everybody has their something. Just don't shove into mine.)

10) E-mail professor regarding 15-page research paper that is due in 26 days.

I think that's it. Other than the normal, requisite, everyday things such as living, breathing, eating. I'm really supposed to be thrilled about things, but I'm not.

I'm really not.

Oh, Internet, I dress for you (also known as eBay finds).

As promised, I present to you my newest eBay find:

Internet, my "new" vintage leather jacket. Scored off eBay for twenty dollars and seventy-five cents. I think it's a bargain compared to what most leather jackets go for, plus, it has character.

I'll be honest, I never really considered getting a leather jacket, but seeing as I will encounter a cold-weather situation soon, I figured leather was the way to go, as I am at the mercy of a rather violent allergy to wool. My requests were that it fit properly, be unique, and nip at the waist. I do believe I got it! It feels a little wide in the shoulders, but with all the layers that will be underneath, I don't think that will be a problem?

Face and hair brought to you by I Just Got Home From Class. The weird stuff on the picture is my attempts to be creative, but they didn't really work. I'll get better with time.

I'm still waiting on another jacket/coat that is 95% acrylic and 5% wool. I decided to risk it because I figured that such a tiny percentage of wool won't do such a big number on me, right? Let's hope it doesn't. Plus, it's lined. And I'd be wearing a scarf. Yar?

Geek chic fabulous.

So we continue with our tales of visits to the medics. But first, a picture. Of fabulous glasses.

These are quite possibly my new frames. I've decided to get new ones so I can have two pairs, in case I'm in a hurry and it's the case of just finding one of two pairs, not one of one. Also, a backup in case anything happens. Such as, I don't know, them falling out of my bag? Being crushed by a car? Patch deciding that they make a fantastic new toy?

You'll have to excuse the face. And the hair. I'd been up since 7:00 AM, just had been informed of future dental surgery, and was debating the cost of new frames plus giving new lenses to my old ones. Though, on the other part, I really don't care :P The only thing that concerns me is that I look kind of...not in shape. But we will not discuss that because I accept that it's laziness in my part.

I really like these frames, maybe because they're just unadulteratedly screaming geekery. I like thick frames. My mother likes to have transparent frames, I don't know why. To each his own then.

What I'm loving most of the frames is the price. They're a relatively cheap 88 dollars. But even this price is a little steep. I paid around the same amount for my other glasses, including the lenses, and those are Cynthia Rowleys! Granted, they were on super sale, but still.

Now, what may follow can be considered as a sort of a rant. It's not directed against anyone, it's just me expressing my point of view. If you feel particularly alluded to, then that's just your thing. I don't have anything against you. Unless you have all my lost/missing/possibly stolen? random items of jewelry, then it is. I will haunt you.

The thing is, I can't justify spending such an amount on glasses. Granted, I need them to read, to use my computer (heck, I need them right now), but they are something that's so fragile. A bag I may justify because it will sustain a higher level of abuse, but, glasses? My glasses have fallen out of cars, flown across rooms, been sat on, stepped on, slammed with a book, kicked, and God knows what else that I can't recall. I need something that I won't go "Oh shit" if anything happens.

Still, when it's all said and done, I think I will get these. I think they look sweet. Of course, I'd be lying that I won't cringe when the bill comes out.

Next post? Extolling the riches of eBay, my friends. Because while on the one hand, eBay can be like an evil bitch mother that abandons its young, it can also be the source of happy moments, in which you mentally frolic through fields with sheep. And ponies. Sweet.

Or I could just talk about something else. 8D

Dental surgery, I has it.

So today I woke up at what I consider to be an ungodly hour: 7:00 AM. But I got out of bed at 8:30 after much mumbling and cursing and wishing the doctor could just come over and attend me in the bed. The purpose of this early awakening was to visit the dentist, an endeavor that I used to enjoy and had not done in about, oh. Two years? So excuse me if I was not particularly excited about going, since I was afraid the dentist might have said: you know what? They're all rotten. You need dentures. And then I would proceed to pass out and dream of terminator ponies.

Turns out it wasn't the horrorfest that I expected, but it wasn't a frolic in lily-covered fields either. The waiting room had internet (be it by accident, since they didn't know how to protect their wifi signal) so that was awesome. I I wandered the internet aimlessly, but it was too early for my usual haunts to have updated their sites. However, the visit itself was not that pleasant. I had my teeth cleaned, which HURT. At several points, I wondered if it was always like this and I had simply forgotten since I had not been to the dentist in two years. And at others, I figured, well. The dental technician is just being an ass.

After removing about two pounds of tar and random particles, the dentist herself came in and duly informed me that I have one cavity (OH SHIT ONLY ONE! WIN!)

But then she told me that I had to have my wisdom teeth removed and probably my root-canaled molar.

Fail.

She also suggested that I get braces, because apparently, my bite isn't normal. And, of course, it totally has to be. But I told her that if it wasn't "oh my God my teeth will rot turn into totally gnarly piranha teeth," then I wasn't getting them. She said it wasn't necessary. So no braces for me. Sucka'.

So yes. There it is. I will have to call the maxillofacial surgeon to schedule the removal of all five teeth at the same time. The levels of fun and awesomeness! THEY ARE ASTONISHING.

-.-

After that, I went into el pueblo and went to the the new restaurants and collected sample menus. :D And then, to the optician to get my eyes checked. Turns out, my prescription needs to get fixed too. Awesome. The levels of shame aging brings.

But that will be another story. With pictures! But now, I have to leave. For I am at the mall. And I have things to do. Which I can't really recall. Hm.

Roman orgy time!

*runs in wearing leather and furs*

Quick, everyone! It's Lupercalia! Cover thyselves in leather and furs! Run, run free! And...

...wait a minute.

Lupercalia requires the sacrifice of two goats and one dog.

I am not down with that.

Anyway.

Shall I continue this oh-my-god-I-bloggeth-in-short-one-sentence-spasms line of thought?

Happy Valentine's Day everyone. Keep the puppies and the goats safe. But if you want to run around in leather and furs, just do what you gotta do. Warn me before though. I need to have a camera ready to capture the moment. And later crucify you in Facebook.

I kid!

By the by, anyone know where I can get a cute red cotton coat? I'm sort of obsessed right now and I can't find any. Plus, I'm violently allergic to wool. :D Like, I tried on a dress the other day without knowing the percentage of wool it had and I walked around with a dress-pattern rash for the rest of the day. Fabulicious!

Now, go hug your brother, your sister, your mother, your lover, your best friend, your dog, cat, pet spider monkey, whatever you choose to express your love to.

Or, go sit in a corner and let yourself shrivel along with your little dark heart.

:D

Blogging under the influence.

So it's 3:24 AM and I'm standing in the kitchen eating a ham and butter sandwich (yes, no cheese). And I am slightly buzzed. I am adventuring in this experiment in blogging because I figured, what the hey. I'm still young. Probably still got a few embarrassing posts in me yet.

I just got home from our weekly meeting for 6005. The meeting ended hours ago, but Gerardo brought out our crack cocaine: Rockband. And, my friends, we have been playing Rockband since 11:30 PM. It's a drug. If you're considering starting drugs, don't. Buy Rockband. It's a relatively cheap one-time investment that will last you for hours.

I'm vocals and drums, mainly vocals. This time around, I got a 99% on vocals, which makes me sad. Because I got a 100% the first time around. I believe it's the alcohol affecting my performance.

As for how much I drank? I do believe it was only three drinks. But they were three very loaded drinks. But I do not know why I reveal such information to you, internet, for you are fickle, and can betray me...

I think I shall retired to bed now..and dream of ponies playing "Enter Sandman" by Metalllica. 8D

Yumtastic!

I present to you the very first wounds of 2008. You know what this means? This means I'm going to graduate, SUCKA. With honors! (But not in May. Don't get your hopes up.)

So how did this happen? This glorious addition to a body already littered with scars occurred on my way to my Foundations of English class. I was moving as fast as I could in my 5-inch wooden platform mary janes when, bam! (And we're not referencing Emeril.) I fell and covered myself with seeds, leaves, and dirt. Add my very own blood to the mix, and, voilá.

The funny thing is that this random guy was walking next to me and when he saw me fall, he did nothing! He didn't even stop to ask, "are you alright? Can you walk?" or, at the very least, go "Ha ha!" like the bully character in the Simpsons.

He just kept right on walking.

Another guy, very much far away and on the other side of the sidewalk actually came up and asked me how I was and if I needed any help. Thank you, kind stranger. Just your asking was enough for me to keep on hobbling.

To the guy who passed me by:

May your penis fall into a cactus pile. :D

And so, I hobbled to my classroom, told the professor, "I'm going to Medical Services, be right back." (See? Responsible.) Hobbled to Medical Services, almost fell on my way back, cursed everything, and then ate chocolate chip cookies given to me by Damian.

Actually, I wasn't surly at all...most of the time I kept joking about it and laughing. Because, come on.

Anyway. I will say this. It seems I keep falling on the same knee. The bad knee. The bum knee. The knee that one day will say: "you know what? FUCK YOU." And then proceed to disconnect itself from my body.

Now, excuse me. I will continue to watch Anthony Bourdain and ooze.

*points at knee* OOZE!

Christmas Wishlist.

I know this is an absolutely craptacular update, but I'm putting this up because Keyla requested that we all put up wishlists at our websites. So here it is.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/28VD41AZV98L0

Be warned that there is a lot of English Lit stuff, lots of Japanese stuff, fashion, and photography.

I'm not promising anything, but I have contemplated blogging. We'll see. Until then, everyone take care.