Today, I want to share the music of a very important person named Steve. Steve is a openly gay man who became the first blogger in the 90s to write about his battle with HIV. Music shaped who he became through his battle and helped him survive. He is a singer and songwriter off Broadway that composes plays and his own beautiful ballads with a humorous touch in New York, USA. His HIV blog became famous and attracted a person from Harvard to ask him to come speak to the medical department about HIV, which gave them some recognition of how to treat it.

I had the extreme honor of meeting and somewhat mingling with Steve at a private dinner and a PFLAG benefit concert/play, and am proud to currently call him a Facebook friend. After the concert, I am seriously considering hiring him to play at my future wedding. His voice is a good kind of haunting and left me in tears by the end of the night.

With a sentimental, funny twist similar to Jimmy Buffett and the like, these are two of my favorite ballads he sang.

Regarding Steve’s potential memorial service, a song of remembrance.




Save Me A Seat written and composed by Steve Schalchlin:
Perhaps someday for several hours, you’ll fill some church with lots of flowers.
And displace a saintly shot of me somewhere in the hall.. stick a tray of nachos up against the wall!
I bet my mom will tell a story, endowing me with lots of glory.
And punish you by making you listen to my song.
Torture you by forcing you to have to sing along.
Somebody save me a seat, somewhere in the back.
‘Cause I’ll get bored and go across the street, eat a snack… grab a beer at the bar.
Find a piano, get out the tip jar.
Somebody save me a seat at that piano across the street.
‘Cause I’ll look back and laugh at you and you’ll be bored as hell.
Will you wonder if you really knew me? Will you wonder if you knew me too well?
And I’ll sing all the secrets I’m too ashamed to share; I’ll sing about courage that came from God knows where.
A revue of all the hearts I’ve broken, all the songs I’ve sung.
Foolish words I might have spoken when I was very young.
Yeah, somebody save me a seat on a roller coaster somewhere. We’ll fly around and have some fun, and we’ll think about the miracles… we could have done.
And the people.. we could have become.
While the beers made me silly and I feel kind of guilty ‘cause I left you alone over there.
So I’ll sneak back inside and stand by you chair, and just for a moment…
I’ll goof with your hair!
Then I’ll find my way back to a seat in the back, and I’ll be a good boy ‘til it’s over.
Then I’ll get to do something that you cannot do, I’ll follow you home! Every one of you.
Then on a day that you feel lost of hurt, go to the kitchen… get some dessert.
Then sit at the table and eat, just remember… please remember…
To save me seat. Please remember, to save me.. a seat.
Copyright 1996 See No Evil Music/Lil Shack O Tunes/ASCAP.

The true story and the first song regarding Steve’s first hospital visit.




Connected written and composed by Steve Schalchlin:
I saw a neon sign that said: “Emergency”.
I barely even know what happened next!
Collapsing in a doorway, and then down the hall.
Connected to a meter… we should all be connected to a meter.
A very nice young man with three rings in each ear,
Said: “We don’t lose that many patients… in a year.”
He rolled me to a lonely room with a light beneath the bed.
Connected to a bottle… we should all be connected to a bottle.
Every night at 1AM the angel of the nighttime would wake me up and give me something good… and then give me something bad.
All day long I’d channel surf, that’s all I could do.
I couldn’t read a book or walk around.
You know you’ve hit the bottom when you’re glad to be…
Connected to a TV… we should all be connected to a TV.
I dreamed I was on Happy Days, that I was playing Richie.
With Potsie begging Richie not to die… ‘cause they’d never let Richie die.
Friends would come around and bring me little things.
And say how much they needed me to live.
They told me I would make it, ‘cause they said we were…
Connected to each other… we should all be connected to each other.
Someday if I lose this fight to carry on, please send me some place gently out to sea.
And listen as I whisper softly in your ear,
“Connected to each other…. we will always be connected to each other.”
Mmmmm…. ohh!Copyright 1996 See No Evil Music/Lil Shack O Tunes/ASCAP.

So, you can see why this man inspired me and others the night of the concert(s), and was the perfect speaker on behalf of PFLAG. With many upbeat, fun songs and other ballads that filled our hearts with peace and gratefulness, Steve is a true fighter who knows how to have a laugh in the worst of “rock-bottom”. A big thank you to him for giving his nights to us and raising money for our nonprofit!

My favorite new “accessory” that I have added to my collection is my very own iPod Touch by Apple. It is a 2nd generation, refurbished (factory restored) Touch with 8GB memory. This was a product I won on eBay from a top seller with included warranty for only $78 plus $8 shipping.

There are some pros and cons to the iPod Touch 2nd Gen., such as the fact that this version is much outdated (currently the 4th Gen. is out on the market) and lacks a camera feature like the 4th Gen.

Pros:

• Fast speed interface and response time. A small delay when loading updated sites such as Twitter and Facebook, but all is normal.


• A wide, wide variety of apps to purchase for cost and free on the App Store, including most all apps developed for the iPhone (such as games and the famous photo editing program, Instagram—easier to use with 4th Gen. camera).


• Free texting apps are available to virtually turn your iPod Touch into an iPhone, and with a few dollars a month, can be turned in to a real phone made to call (this may need the camera feature on the 4th Gen.).

• Sleek look and durability. I adore the light-weight finish that this generation has (as all do) and the fact that it is hard to break. Mine came with a ton of light scratches on the back (presumably from battering it a bit), and still works like new.

Cons:

• Can’t make calls. This is the one feature lacking on the iPod Touch(es). However, the main purpose of the iPod Touch is for music (as all iPods are), not the lenient calling factor that the iPhone has.


• Doesn’t have a camera. One of the main reasons I got any Apple hand-held product was to use Instagram’s app, and without a camera, I have to manually sync or email/save all my photos to run them in the system or “Photo” folder. In some ways, it is better to wait and save up to splurge on a newly dated 4th Gen. with full features.

1). Talk vs. Listen: Talk. There is a big difference, for me, between listening appropriately and being shy. The reason I say talk is because I’d rather speak my opinions and live loudly/proudly than sit on the sidelines.

2). Customer vs. Service: Customer. The customer’s always right, am I right!? The service is usually a downgrade of terrible, in my experiences. At least with operators over the phone, which is usually what this saying is used in reference to.

3). Bed vs. Kitchen Table: Bed. Call me prudeish, but I like natural and normal.

4). Manic vs. Depression: Manic. No matter what, what-ever, I would despise my life if I was depressed. I don’t see myself becoming one of those people that is prone to depression, but it’d be a hard life if I somehow was.

5). Yankees vs. Red Sox: Red Sox. Red Sox have so much more rich and interesting history and stories about their team. Yes, the Yankees are awesome, but I’ll stick to a legendary team.

6). Metal vs. Swedish Death Metal: Metal. Neither if I could omit both, but death metal is like a bullet to the brain.

7). Yoga vs. Jazzercise: Yoga. I’ve never actually tried jazzercise, but I am guessing it is a jazzy, lighter version of aerobics. In that case, I’d say jazzercise, because I like to be up and moving constantly, but I do love a good yoga session every once in a while.

8). Your High School Gym Teacher vs. A Banshee: High School Gym Teacher. Considering I don’t have one, I guess I got lucky at this question.

9). Honesty vs. Flattery: Honesty. If I look fat in my new dress, I want you to tell me that before I go out looking chub. Honesty is the best policy, even when it hurts. Always.

10). Accountant vs. Lumberjack vs. Librarian: Accountant. I’d never want to be a lumberjack and always associate that job with males. Librarians are sweet, but it’s a bit of a boring job for someone like me that loves to be engaged 24/7. Accountants get to use computers and type a whole bunch, while keeping track of a million things. I like to multi-task.

11). Dysfunctional Family vs. The Good China: The Good China. There are certain Chinese morales within family functions that really inspire me. While I highly disagree that all youngins must respect their elders, because some elders are just foolish, I do appreciate the respect they hold for their parents and the organization the family has within the dynamics. I’ve had my fair share of rub-off from dysfunctional families.

12). Nirvana vs. Pearl Jam: Pearl Jam. Haven’t heard much from either, but if I had to choose, I’d most certainly pick the one with the cooler name, the richest history, without Kurt Cobain! Attention hogs that go too far really piss me off.

13). Ultimate Frisbee vs. Pride: Pride. Funny this is a question, considering my 4th and 5th grade class would always play this game with the teacher and I’d always sit and watch. To me, it was a bunch of immature boys rough housing. I couldn’t wait to leave.

14). Kirk vs. Picard: Omit question—I don’t like Star Trek, let alone Star Wars, or any other idiotic show/movie that kids buy into that advertises all the wrong morale. Can you say, Hannah Montana, Harry Potter and Twilight?

15). Cocker Spaniel vs. Cocker Spaniel: Cocker Spaniel!! Again, who doesn’t find a cocker spaniel adorable?

16). Deodorant vs. Crystal: Deodorant. No idea how these two relate, but I’d prefer not to be smelly.

17). The New York Times vs. The Wall Street Journal: The New York Times. I find it more interesting and informing, but the difference is light.

18). Donkey vs. Platypus: Donkey. They’re both ugly lookin’ animals, but both as lovable. Donkeys look huggable, but platypus’ have big noses.

19). Snow White vs. Cinderella: Cinderella. Neither of these are legitamet stories, and come from very disturbing original stories that Disney twisted into positive messages for little girls. In the original tale, Sleeping Beauty was raped. I approve of netiher, but Cinderella is pretty pretty!

20). New vs. Vintage: New. I’m not a vintage collector, but I do occasionally like some decor from the ages. Modern is my thing.

21). Zeppelin vs. Hot Air Balloon: Hot Air Balloon. Nothing beats it.

22). Disco vs. Punk: Punk. If the punk music is the pop/rock type I am thinking of, such as Green Day and such, I pick punk. I have never been a fan of disco.

23). Youth vs. Wisdom: Wisdom. That’s my message, isn’t it? Wisdom will get you much further than your weak immaturities. We all have them, but we all have the faith that will get us through our hard spots in life, as well.

24). Hare vs. Tortoise: Hare. I just wanna hug all the hares and rabbits out there. Tortoises may have hearts, but turtles and their relating species are quite boring.

25). Mustache vs. Beard vs. Chops: Mustache. I’m certainly NOT a fan of facial hair on either sex, so I’m likely to pick the one with the least amount, if I had to.

26). Lean vs. Buff: Lean. I’m not the type of girl who wants a man with a six-pack. I want him to eat well, exercise and love himself for who he is—skinny or big.

27). Shaken vs. Stirred: Stirred. I adore yummy frappuccino-type drinks, which are stirred and blended instead of just shaken coffee.

28). Married vs. Single: Married. I do aspire it someday, whenever I decide the time is right. I would not want to die alone without having the experience of a healthy marriage.

29). Harvard vs. Yale: Harvard. I haven’t studied enough about these two law schools to choose which one is better, but I’ve heard more good things about Harvard than Yale. I’m not interested in being a lawyer or going to a 4.0GPA school.

30). Mermaid vs. Elf: Mermaid. Elves look weird and can scare me (I’m weird, I get it). Mermaids are also untrue myths, yes, but they’re gorgeous and fun to attempt to believe in.

31). Denial vs. Acceptance: Acceptance. I never live in denial, or at least try not to. I am ready to move on from bad things in the past and enjoy life happily.

32). Hardcover vs. Paperback: Hardcover. While it is a portion more expensive, I like the feeling of a hardcover in my hands.

33). Unicorn vs. Wolf: Wolf. Wolves are cute and friendly, unless you upset them. Unicorns don’t exist, so why would I pick them? I guess if they did, maybe I’d say unicorn, but I never found a love for the myth as a child.

34). Airport Security vs. Meter Maid: Airport Security. Love ‘em.

35). Cornflower Blue vs. Burnt Sienna: Burnt Sienna. I like dark tones that resemble red and orange. Cornflower blue is too deep of a blue for my taste. My favorite colors are cadmium orange and seafoam green/blue, so go figure.

36). Pigeon vs. Squirrel: Squirrel. Squirrels are fast and excited all the time—similar to my bubbly personality. Besides, I just can’t stand the squacks of a pigeon.

37). Zombie vs. Cyborg: Cyborg. Anything other than zombies, they are way too annoying and cliche.

38). Past vs. Present: Past. I know it’s a terrible idea to have that past is better than the present, but I think we all fixate on what we had that one time, etc. I use the past to better my present.

39). Shout vs. Cry: Cry. Shouting usually involves hurting someone emotionally, and I’m not hurting someone if I cry alone.

40). Hot Dog vs. Clam: Clam. I’d prefer seafood any day over meat.

41). Morning vs. Night: Morning. I used to be a HUGE night owl, but once I got into a steady sleep schedule, I loved waking up. Going to sleep is boring.


Remember this: none of my answers are intended to offend. Vs. encourages quick judgment and stereotyping to answer questions without spending a dragged out amount of time contemplating whether an orange is better than an apple!
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This is part of the mini-series “A Realization of Life and its Quirks”. Read the rest here…

I was playing around in a chocolate scrubbing war with partner Mark when my own creative, NOH8-like blog post/image idea popped in to my head.

A health condition I am very passionate about is the disease Vitiligo. When you see individuals like Michael Jackson who went straight from being darker skinned to pale white in an instant, what do you think? More than likely, a whacko man who got numerous plastic surgeries, oh, and let’s not forget: a man who bleached his skin! How insanely bothered must he be to switch his skin from black to white.

Truth is: Jackson didn’t have much of a choice. Jackson had Vitiligo from a young age. Vitiligo is a skin disorder in which you are born of African descent (or the like) and overtime your skin begins to turn white, dissolving patches of your dark skin in a very unsettling and unhealthy way.

I was watching a documentary on Vitiligo and individuals in the workplace and at home that battle this disease every day, and coat their faces with tanner and make up to turn the process around as much as they possibly can. Someday (and maybe they are already) those people will be completely Caucasian-looking, even if by genetic race they are not.

I can play around with a sweetener all I want to get the point across, but Vitiligo is nothing like smearing chocolate on your body, and certainly is no treat. It is a heartbreaking, traumatic experience for many who go through it, and a troublesome situation for those in it, trying to cover up the signs.

Think of a middle-aged woman compulsively trying to hide her wrinkles and frown lines with multiple creams, rubbing every inch of her face, only to find she cannot turn back the time, only this woman could be any age, young, old, or even a man. She/he could be a news anchor, an author, a teacher, a mother/father, or even a celebrity.

This is a condition I hope you all educate yourselves on and read articles on. It is fascinating how these people live normal lives and don’t let Vitiligo stop their hearts from living freely, no matter how “not normal” these people look.

1). Bros vs. Hoes: Hoes. I personally don’t always believe in the “friends before partners” saying, considering many of my past “friends” have disapproved of my partners when they are perfectly normal and treating me great. Bros hardly know anything - always take your risks with the hoes first.

2). Instant Gratification vs. Long-Term Goals: Instant Gratification. I’m not the type of person to be able to wait around for goals to happen, especially if it is some kind of physical goal (a purchase or such), instead of a career or personal goal.

3). Pen vs. Pencil: Pen. I understand the easy use and choices involved with using a pencil, but I like the strokes of a pen much better. It looks much more permanent (well, perhaps that is because it is…).

4). Foucault vs. Chomsky: Omit question - don’t know enough about these.

5). Shark vs. Cancer: Cancer. There is one and every million people that survive a shark attack, take Bethany Hamilton for example, but I would much rather have a chance to die peacefully with time to say goodbye than be bloodily ravaged by a sea animal.

6). Leno vs. Conan: Leno. I honestly can’t explain how irritated Conan makes me. Stick-your-finger-down-your-throat irritated. Terrible humor from a not-so-nice guy. Leno is boring, I’ll give you that, but if I had to become a celebrity of some sort, I’d rather go on his show.

7). Bigfoot vs. Seven Abnormally Large Catfish with Fangs: Bigfoot. He’s actually not that frightening when you think about it, nor are catfish, but I’d rather have my lucky chance at spotting an urban legend than seeing things that can be found in a aquarium.

8). Form vs. Function: Form. Recently, I’ve been battling this craving for Apple products because of their delicious looking appearance, never reminding myself that a PC has much faster performance and durability for what I need. I’m guilty of superficiality… sue me!

9). Velociraptor vs. Pterodactyl: Velociraptor. Either one’s O.K., I just think the first looks more scary and tough. Enough with the wings already.

10). Pop vs. Soda: Soda. It has always been soda while I was growing up, “pop” was just a coined phrase to make “soda pop” easier to say.

11). Lick vs. Scratch: Scratch. I don’t know what I’m lickin’, but I don’t wanna!

12). The Romantics vs. The Modernists: The Modernists. I’m certainly a romantic at heart, but not an idealist, as many past decades have been modeled after. Modernists seem to have lacking imagination, which I certainly don’t. However, modernists know that not every romance works perfectly—realists like myself.

13). Lawrence of Arabia vs. Sandstorm: Sandstorm. I don’t get those tales, I’d rather the sand sweeps them far away so my brain doesn’t hurt.

14). Crunchy Peanut Butter vs. Smooth Peanut Butter: Smooth. Matter of tastebuds opinion; different strokes for different folks!

15). Video Game vs. Maturity: Maturity. Love this set, because it is SO true! I could never marry a guy or gal who loved video games. It doesn’t sit well with me.

16). Science vs. Apocalypse: Science. Did I mention I’m a realist? The apocalypse just isn’t going to happen… sorry!

17). Santa Clause vs. Easter Bunny vs. Cupid: Easter Bunny. First off, kids don’t care about Cupid, which rules him out of the category here. You know about Santa when you are five or six years old, therefore, I’m ruling him out as well. He becomes mundane after you get exactly what you asked your parents for every Xmas. The Easter Bunny is a constant source of entertainment! Face it. You never know what you’re going to get Easter morning, the egg hunts are a bunch of fun. Your parents don’t have to sit you down and have “the Easter Bunny isn’t real” talk—it’s implied.

18). Clothed vs. Naked: Naked. I love the end of the day when I can lay back, relax and have only underwear on in bed, surfing the web on my laptop, cozy in my safe haven. Clothes can get in the way. Or is underwear considered “clothing”? I guess so…

19). Frat Boy vs. Keg: Frat Boy. Kegs are for the weak and those that need popularity and alcohol to get them by. I’d stick to being frat boy, not kegging frat boy.

20). Cowboy vs. Matador: Matador. I have plenty friends who think both are equally attractive, and for me, my heart has been captured by more matadors than cowboys (not to mention the main matador was from Texas). Matadors are passionate, romantic and thrilling. Cowboys get their thrills from advertising America as the #1 and only country that matters, not to mention their stereotypical Republican viewpoints. No thanks.

21). NFL vs. NBA: NBA. C’mon, who wants to watch football anyway?

22). Flashback vs. Montage: Montage. I don’t see how these relate completely, but I’d rather have a preserve of my memories and be rarely able to flashback, compared to often, momentary glimpses into past events.

23). Parsley vs. Sage: Parsley. I haven’t tried sage on many of the edible things I have consumed, and I do like the physical appearance, just not the taste. Parsley can make anything burst with flavor.

24). Typewriter vs. Laptop: Laptop. Kidding me?

25). Parents vs. Teenager: Parents. Again, racking up the points in that stereotypical, authority answer category (ex: Cop vs. Robber)! You know my opinionated views on *most* teenagers, so for this broad answer, I’ll have to go with the parents. I’d choose teenager if we’re talking about myself and my friends, but most teens are crazed little troublemakers.

26). Inoffensive vs. Funny: Funny. Yes, I do believe you can rarely not offend and be funny, and I like to think of myself as a generally humorous individual!

27). Townie vs. Carnie: Townie. Get out of our towns, carnies!

28). Pearls vs. Diamonds: Diamonds. Personally, I don’t see the value of pearls. I get that it is a rare species, but to me, diamonds have much more worth (they’re a girl’s best friend - what can I say?) and look much more beautiful. Some would disagree.

29). Missionary vs. Doggy-Style: Missionary. I get the whole rave about sexual expeditions and spicing up the bedroom, and I’m all for that, but doggy is a liiiittle too weird for me.

30). Knight vs. Peasant: Peasant. I like the simple folk and don’t believe in fairytales.

Remember this: none of my answers are intended to offend. Vs. encourages quick judgment and stereotyping to answer questions without spending a dragged out amount of time contemplating whether an orange is better than an apple!
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This is part of the mini-series “A Realization of Life and its Quirks”. Read the rest here…

Hey all! This is my first tutorial post… EVER, on UnstoppableKatya.com.

I was in dire need of a change regarding physical appearance for my Internet browsing (the only thing I use my computer for, aside from typing papers, editing photos and video chatting) so I looked up ways to change my browser’s appearance into a MAC-like style… and well, I was successful and want to share how with you!

1. First things first. You need to download Safari, which is the MAC OS default Internet browser (developed by Apple Inc.), but has a PC version for the same features and price (FREE!). This has a really flexible “Top Sites” main screen that many people rave about. This screen appears when you hit Ctrl + T to get to a new tab, or whenever you start up the browser.

2. After you have gotten Safari on your desktop, go to this webpage and click download on the “OS X Font set” link and hit save. Once it pops into your download folder, right click and hit “Open Containing Folder…”. Once the ZIP file is highlighted, right click and hit “Extract all…”.

3. After each separate font is extracted in the folder, go to your “Computer” from the Start menu and search “Fonts” in the search bar. Once you find the file labeled “Fonts” (which should include every basic font that Windows automatically installed at creation / any fonts you have previously installed). Drag the font titled “Lucinda Grande” into the “Fonts” folder - this will install the font and it will be ready for input into your browser. (If you’d like to use the others seen in the pack preview, go ahead, but the default font is Lucinda Grande).

4. Open Safari and click on the Settings button in the far right corner, which has the typical settings star icon.  Hit “Preferences…” and under “Appearance” switch your “Standard Font” and “Fixed-Width Font” to “Lucinda Grande”, with the size of 14. Switch “Font Smoothing:” to “Strong”. These preferences will look different on all screen resolutions, so play around with this to your liking. The font alone was extracted from a MAC and will look similar no matter what smoothing - this just gives it its infamous MAC clarity. (Also note that this will not work as well in other Internet browsers, such as Firefox or I.E., but will look semi-MAC-like).

And BA-BANG! You’re finished! If installed correctly, a Tumblr post will look like this…






And when finished, it should look something like this on your web page…





Nice, smoothed font. Please remember this is not supposed to look IDENTICAL to an Apple product or MAC font, this is just to give the general feel. Websites such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and most every other site/article will appear with the same, sleek font. Enjoy!

In comparison, here is Apple’s webpage with their default font style in a unaltered Firefox browser:

Sad to say it for those who don’t know, but Borders bookstores are closing down in an estimated week or two, except for possibly a slim 40 out of over 400 that will be bought by a bigger company. I am personally extremely disappointed with the news, since I have been a great Borders advocate/supporter. For me, Barnes & Noble cut it for the first 10 years, but then I grew bored of their lacking selection and high prices (especially for coffee—$4-5 for a small, are you kidding me?).

Borders was a beloved hangout spot for friends and I, and the 20-75% off deals they sent every other day in the mail filled the knick-knack/journal lover inside of me with glee! For us, Borders will be truly missed, and we apologize with our fullest hearts that we didn’t buy enough Kula coffees to make the bill. We love you, BB!

1). Conservative vs. Liberal: Liberal. I am both on many different subjects, but I don’t choose Democrat or Republican. I have more democratic views and believe in a liberal standpoint.
2). Design vs. Copy: Copy. If we are talking about painting or drawing, I like to copy and give credit to the original artist. I like to have something to mirror and practice with.

3). Long-Distance vs. Fling: Long-Distance. I’d rather miss the person I love than have a one night stand or a week-long stand with a stranger. Fighting for your love makes you stronger, and absence makes the heart grow fonder.

4). Surf vs. Turf: Turf. I’m not that big of a risk-taker, so I’d rather stay on the sand and watch the surfers do their thing.

5). Zeus vs. Ganesh: Ganesh. I enjoy looking at elephants and their intricate design, at least in the Greek tradition and Hinduism. Zeus is a bit boring.

6). Tattoo vs. Piercing: Tattoo. I don’t understand why people get either, but especially intricate of either. I’d rather get a small tattoo on my shoulder or a piercing on each ear.

7). Knit vs. Sew: Knit. Sewing is pretty complicated and with a simple 4-1-1 you can knit like a pro in no time with some good practice.

8). Jem vs. She-ra: Neither. I have a strong dislike for cartoons.

9). Em Dash vs. Semicolon: Em Dash. I use them a lot—can’t you tell?

10). Viking vs. Samurai: Samurai. I don’t get the famous hype about Vikings, to me they’re a little stupid. Samurai will whoop your butt.

11). Black Sheep vs. The Favorite: Black Sheep. I do like having attention on me, but I’m not the type to want to be what everyone else wants me to be. It seems as though I would fit “the favorite” stereotype quite well, but I am definitely the black sheep in my generation and family.

12). Time vs. Money: Money. I don’t want to live forever, and I do enjoy material items, such as electronics. I would rather live a shorter life, enjoying it to the fullest and being able to do all the traveling to see the world.

13). Jacques Cousteau vs. Octopus: Jacques Cousteau. I hope I didn’t just admit to something terrible. Don’t get me wrong, I love the octopuses.

14). Traffic vs. Sanity: Sanity. I would rather stay home that day than drive in massive, hour-long freeway traffic.

15). One-Night Stand vs. Another Lonely Night: Another Lonely Night. You know me and one-night stands! I would never participate in something like such, and in reality: after the person leaves, it is just another lonely night. I would rather wait for the days I would not have any more lonely nights.

16). Drunk vs. Sober: Sober. Are you kidding me? The sober life is what I live for! Sobriety fills me up inside with glee and overwhelming joy. Especially when I find others like me, clear-headed and free to think.

17). Emoticons vs. Words: Words. Emoticons get so dull and troublesome. I’d rather express myself through words. You know, the intelligent, thoughtful way of expression?

18). Midcentury Modern vs. Shabby Chic: Mid-Century Modern. I’m not into many “chic” things, and I adore modern architecture and decor. Modernistic things bring happiness to my life.

19). Long Board vs. Short Board: I don’t like skating, nor surfing. However, I’ll say long board, just because either seems less dangerous with… well, a longer board.

20). Harlequin vs. Hard-Core: Harlequin. Harlequin is so hard-core, man. What are you talkin’ about?

21). Hunger vs. Thirst: Hunger. I find myself very rarely thirsty, and if I am, it’s only for a drink of water. I’m always hungry because there’s always amazing food in the world.

22). Walk vs. Run: Walk. I enjoy running to get exercise, but there’s no real place to do it around here. If you know me real good, you’d know I HATE to walk, but I’d rather walk to catch transportation than have to run everywhere.

23). Therapy vs. Meds: Therapy. Call me a Northwest hippie, but emotional consoling and cognitive therapy is the first step before you load yourself up with drugs.

24). Zoo vs. Aquarium: Aquarium. Zoos are abnormally boring to me, unless they have exotic animal species. Aquariums are spacious and good for photography.

25). Fire vs. Ice: Ice. I love figure skating! Fire has brought misfortune to many people I know, but ice is avoidable. Fire can occur easily.

26). Instant Replay vs. Referee: Referee. Does no one recognize a pattern in my answers to these categorical questions?

27). City vs. Country: Country. It’s a hard decision, but I would rather live on the countryside and have a good life away from violence and the icky parts of the city, especially if I could score a decent WiFi connection. If I couldn’t, maybe I’d live in the city with a getaway house on the countryside…

28). Boobs vs. Butt: Butt. The whole common debate over whether small or big boobs are better puts a toll on young women. To me, nothing bigger than a handful, but with a booty, it’s a different story…

29). Sherlock Holmes vs. James Bond: James Bond. The physique says it all.

30). Jewish Guilt vs. Catholic Contrition: Jewish Guilt. Jews are awesome, c’mon. The stories are a bit ridiculous, but Catholics are extreme idealists and really irritate me when they skip out on a common tradition or moral like it’s no big deal. That’s contrition!

Remember this: none of my answers are intended to offend. Vs. encourages quick judgment and stereotyping to answer questions without spending a dragged out amount of time contemplating whether an orange is better than an apple!
…


This is part of the mini-series “A Realization of Life and its Quirks”. Read the rest here…

1). Hero vs. Antihero: Hero. Anti-heroes are so annoying. Who would want to be someone who was lacking heroic qualities? Typically, anti-heroes lack the qualities that make heroes what they are, such as bravery and strength.

2). Flying vs. Invisibility vs. Telekinesis: Telekinesis. I don’t share any passion to fly or have those abilities. Invisibility would be a cool talent to have, then you could hear what people thought of you when you weren’t in the room and you could freak people out by lifting objects. As for telekinesis: I’m a big fan of traveling, so I have to say this is my first pick.

3). Guitar vs. Piano: Guitar. Piano is so hard, but you can self-teach easily with guitar and a few lessons. The idea of being able to pick up an instrument and instantly being able to create your own songs to go along with the melody is great.

4). Surrealism vs. Impressionism: Impressionism. It is so pretty and flowy. I’m not much for 3D-lookin’ art or wild and crazy colors that make popping images. I am interested in the smooth, complimentary colors that form a masterpiece of swirls and twists.

5). Rad vs. Cool: Cool. “Rad” is weird sounding. My generation is so used to the “cool”s and the “chill”s.

6). Kramer vs. Kramer: KRAMER, DUH! We all love Kramer. How can you resist him?

7). 50s vs. 60s: 60s. Neither, really. I suppose the 60s. It’s closer to when The Beatles landed.

8). Diet vs. Exercise: Exercise. Diet is so troublesome - I love eating. I enjoy exercise even though I don’t really lose weight with exercise alone, it’s fine.

9). Cops vs. Robbers: Cops. Cops rule, robbers are little troublemakers!

10). Paycheck vs. Creative Fulfillment: Paycheck. I’m looking for more soul-fulfillment, not exactly “creative”. I already have numerous creative outlets and pick up hobbies for creativity and joy. My career should be all-around fulfilling.

11). Rollerblade Lifestyle vs. Chest Hair Lifestyle: Chest Hair. I’d rather deal with tons of hair on my partner, or even myself, than have to rollerblade everywhere for the rest of my life. Talk about a short life!

12). Bela Lugosi vs. Vincent Price: Bela Lugosi. I hate horror films, but you have to pick the most handsome and realistically fit for his part.

13). Plato vs. Socrates: Socrates. The reason I say this is because I hold very similar viewpoints to Socrates himself, and love his prophecies/wisdom.

14). Holden Caulfield vs. Angst: Holden Caulfield. I have a bone to pick with the authors on this question, because “angst” and “child-like” qualities have truly nothing to do with each other. You can be “wise beyond your years” and not angsty against “child-like” qualities, or in other words: it makes no sense. I, myself, never gave in to the typical teenage angst, nor did I feel like staying a child and innocent all my life was appropriate. I’d rather be wise than a fool on either side.

15). Opera vs. Theater: Theater. I adore plays and script readings, not so much opera—it hurts my ears. Theater is so much more engaging and enlightening. You come away with something new every time you go.

16). Spring vs. Fall: Fall. Spring is just a mockery of summer. Fall has gorgeous leaves and trees in full orange-y bloom, and good, spiced cider/pumpkin frappuccinos.

17) Nature vs. Nurture: Nature. To go into this topic the way I view it, realism vs. idealism, I have to *naturally* pick realism. I cannot stand it when parents or authority try to nurture a child while sheltering it from the harsh realities of life. I know quite a few young individuals who were very harmed emotionally by the idealism of their parents.

18). Golf vs. Nascar: Golf. I’ll enjoy a car race, hands down, but I’m not the type of person to be racing in one. It is dangerous, and in personal opinion, quite pointless. I do like thrilling experiences, but not one as scary as racing. I’d rather enjoy a spring day, sipping tea, going to play a round of golf.

19). Valium vs. Vicodin vs. Viagra: Viagra. All different drugs used for different situations. I am for them all, as long as they are not abused and screwed around with. Although you can probably guess which I favor the most from the big picture.

20). Arm vs. Leg: Arm. Legs keep you walking, running, jogging and dancing, but I’m a pretty immobile person in that sense. My arms (and hands, for that matter) keep me typing, texting, entering, moving, doing, and enjoying life the most.

21). Boy vs. Girl: Girl. The only reason I’m saying female is because I am a female. Definitely not a full-blown feminist, but I fully disagree with a bunch of stereotypes males stand for—cheating, lying, being an all-around jerk that doesn’t respect females’ feelings. This changes with age and time, but I still don’t have the most flattering interpretation of men. Girls are crazy, I’ll admit, but guys are just ridiculous!

22). Coffee vs. Tea: Coffee. I can’t get the joy out of tea that some people can. It is lacking so much taste, in my opinion. I would adore a bustling, wild sense of peppermint in my mouth, warming my body from head to toe - I’m a strong drink type person.

23). Gold vs. Silver: Silver. Why did the figure skating fan say silver? I enjoy admiring silver more and pick out far more silver jewelry pieces to sport around. I suppose if I were a golden athlete, I would appreciate the color more, but for my personal visual taste, I’ll go with the lighter/cleaner of the two.

24). Julia Child vs. Rick Steves: Julia Child. No one beats Julia Child. Perhaps Rick Steves is a great tour guide and travel expert, but Julia Child’s theory on butter is adored in households world-wide (and especially adored by me!).

25). Graffiti vs. Gallery: Gallery. Graffiti is a special thing, when used properly. It takes an idiot to ruin a village, and one often does. If it is a warming expression of graffiti, great. If it’s a couple troublemakers trying to get a reaction, trash. I enjoy art galleries where I can learn something. I use different types of art to feel it in my soul.

26). Mullet vs. Rattail: Rattail. Mullets are pretty gnarly - I’m not a fan. Rattails are cute, for those who can pull it off. Say, Billy Ray?

27). Objective vs. Subjective: Subjective. I live my life subjectively, for the most part. I am objective when I write essays, at times, and in my personal life when I feel my soul learning something new. Subjectivity gets you through with confidence.

28). Mime vs. Juggle: Juggle. Mimes are not a state of attraction for myself personally, I don’t think they have much to offer, unless they are a still statue that entertains people with slow, sudden movements. A mime is a little creepy. Jugglers prepare years to surprise people with fire-breathing, tossing talents.

29). Lead vs. Follow: Lead. You all know me well enough. I am certainly not the type to follow—norms or people. I invent, create, lead, teach, and preach.

30). Human vs. Robot: Human. Robots are characterized by what us humans want. I’d rather be a human than be a robot. Refer to #29.

Remember this: none of my answers are intended to offend. Vs. encourages quick judgment and stereotyping to answer questions without spending a dragged out amount of time contemplating whether an orange is better than an apple!

…



This is part of the mini-series “A Realization of Life and its Quirks”. Read the rest here…

Gazing at the delicate full moon, gracing yellowish-blue clouds tonight got me thinking. Humans are so precious. Babies, children, teenagers, adults, and elderly. Most humans don’t share my minority belief. This belief that each being graced our earth for a reason and is not to be taunted or ill.

Sometimes I wonder, if I hadn’t been adopted, and I was still with my birth mother: who would I be? Would I have met the people I have met? Just a few? Or none? Would I be happy? Sad? Confused? Would I be blessed with self-knowledge or create emotional harm to those around me in a cry for attention?
Whatever I would have been, I wouldn’t be me. I wouldn’t be UnstoppableKatya, as cheesy as it may seem.

What if I had made love to my first love? What if I had bared a child young, like my birth mother? What if I had my first kiss at age 17? What if I hadn’t met the one I so deeply find solace in? What if I had given up everything and moved in with the first boy to have captured my heart? What if I had fell in love with the boy I shared my first intimacy with? What if I was in love with a woman?

Because of my first loves and because of my emotional and physical intimacy with those I have felt it with, I am me. This is the reason I am me. When I think about these big things, I feel as if my spirit is filling with gratitude, bittersweet thanks to the soul that brought me to my life’s experiences.

I look around me on a daily basis and see those less fortunate than myself. While I am talking about the homeless, hungry on the streets, I am also talking about the young women everywhere that look at their bodies and hearts in disgust, wishing they were someone different… somewhere different. And the young men as well, who think if they’re geeky or smart the cheerleader won’t want to date them (who don’t seem to realize the cheerleader probably isn’t worth dating if they won’t recognize them). Or the teen going through prejudice because they are black or fat or gay, that they turn to drugs or self harm to heal their pain, turning into a downward spiral until they fall. Hard.

I look at the individuals who are so quick to judge, they pass their acquaintances by because of their own envy, greed and unresolved emotional states. The individuals who think it is O.K. to belittle others’ opinions because they don’t agree. They need just as much tender love as those listed in the above paragraph. They were scarred by whatever life chose to spitball at them, however tragic or pathetic that may be. Those who live on this earth deserve love and understanding.

We all judge, but we shouldn’t desert. We should help, heal and guide to a better generation, one not full of superficiality, but of hope for a bright future for our children and grandchildren.

There’s a quote within the song “Earth Song” by Michael Jackson that I absolutely love that I want to include in this post to remind all of you to thank God or whoever you worship for the life you’ve been given and look for the ways you are more fortunate than a certain group, seeking out ways to fill in the holes of lacking compassion that you see around your community:

What about yesterday? What about the seas? Heavens are falling down, I can’t even breathe! What about the bleeding Earth? Can’t we feel its wounds? What about nature’s worth? It’s our planet’s womb! What about animals? We’ve turned kingdoms to dust. What about elephants? Have we lost their trust!? What about crying whales? We’re ravaging their seas! What about forest trails? Burnt despite our pleas! What about the holy land? Torn apart by creed. What about the common man? Can we set him free? What about children dying? Can’t you hear them cry? Where did we go wrong!? Someone tell me why! (What about us!?) What about babies? What about the days? What about all their joy? What about the man? What about the crying man? What about Abraham? What about death again? Do we give a damn!?”

Yesterday, I launched my silly tumblelog titled Snippets from a Bookstore Cafe.



There I will be posting my favorite graphics, messages, quotes and music for you all to enjoy. I am going to let my “teenage side” grow and flourish there. Happy tumblin’!

Photo from WeHeartIt

Back then, kids had manners to be cherished. While they still did grow up to get drunk with friends and hold mediocre standards of morale a good percentage of the time due to the lack of education regarding poor choices, their parents were able to control them in restaurants and public places as small children.

My mother recounts of a similar time when she was growing into adulthood herself. My mom always talks of her child self as being quite well-adjusted and a conforming child—one who would do her homework without her mother asking. She was kind and listened to instruction.

Kids now-a-days make for a freakshow of society. Screaming, throwing and slamming things into other things. (Now, I know there are poorly behaved kids from every generation, but from my observations of stories told, more so now). This not only annoys fellow people in public, but embarrasses the parents (you would think…).

A new trend has heightened among the past several years. I say heightened, because it was there many years before, just not so apparent in the parenting culture. This trend is the: “My kid always does right and never wrong.” denial.

A restaurant in Pennsylvania recently made a new rule of their own that bans children under the age of six from entering due to their poor mannered parents that didn’t feel the need to calm their kids down when they started making a ruckus. These parents proceeded to make claims about how this new rule “offended” them.

As you may be able to tell, I’m truly not writing this to gripe about the restaurant owner. I have a particular bone to pick with the parents of these misbehaving children…

As one individual mentioned on the “comments” page regarding the restaurant ban via news reports, “The ‘kids will be kids’ cliche only goes so far.” The parent needs to take responsibility for their child’s actions. Ever seen the show Supernanny? Many parents just like the parents on that show are in denial that their parenting skills are the root of their child’s poor behavior.

Living in the teenage society now, I can tell you, not many of these kids turned out to be “the best kids”. I have a friend who was the biggest little snot in elementary school who has now developed into a mature young man. I have an acquaintance who was the sweetest, bubbliest girl, now hooked to drugs and hardcore partying. And of course, I know a few that never ever changed. So, for these “bad” kids that don’t change - where is this behavior coming from?

There’s a good chance for kids who exhibit steady bad behavior throughout their life that there is little peer interference. Those who were good and turned bad more than likely got sucked into peer pressure and hip behavior of the century, as most of my “studying” has led me to believe. Therefore, all this “bad behavior” is transferred right back onto the parent’s shoulders. What’s up, parents?

If I were the owner of that restaurant where I got snappy remarks from the parents when I asked them politely to calm their child down, I would say this: Come back with your kids in another six years and let me know what they’ve accomplished. This may sound harsh coming from someone who is not a parent herself, but it is coming from someone who has experienced the most foolish parenting tactics around, observing high and low the rules of her friends’ parents.

Can I say I’m surprised the majority of teens are hooked to drugs and lacking self confidence? No. As a final example, a teen is unlikely to comprehend the importance of morale if their parents used drugs as if they were nothing to worry about, nor punished the teen when they later used heavy drugs themselves. To me, bad parenting. To some, normal lifestyle. The smallest behavioral mistakes can turn into huge problems as you grow into adulthood.

This generation’s society has a warped vision of health and good karma, but all I have to say is this: I will never let my child live in such a miserable situation of poor judgement and public discrimination for as long as I can have control over that factor of their life. I will strive to provide the best parenting counselor for myself and my partner, and I will never abuse my child, nor lead them into thinking wrong is right due to lack of communication.

No kid is automatically “the best kid”. To their parent, maybe, but that doesn’t mean just because the parent is blinded by that infamous “my kid is always right”, that the kid is going to be treated positively by anyone else but their teenage friends. For the time being, perhaps kids will favor the party girl over a headstrong girl such as myself, but I guarantee that when the teenage buzz wears off, I will have held the morale that would have saved these kids a ton of heartache.

People earn their mature status through their wisdom, grace and loving sentiment, and not to wear it out, but: morale, and behaviors in relation to other human beings. Selflessness, honesty and respect. For that, I can applaud my parents for paying the bill and escorting me out of the restaurant if I ever was to throw a fit!

1. Pancakes vs. Waffles: Pancakes. I enjoy the texture of pancakes much more than waffles. Waffles seem so chunky and harder to coat with butter and syrup. I do enjoy the waffle’s holes in order to hold fruit, such as blueberries, but the pancakes are so light and fluffy.

2. Glockenspiel vs. Didgeridoo: Glockenspiel. When I hear didgeridoo I think of kangaroos. I put images with things that rhyme. Glockenspiel is so funny sounding, I could imagine me saying it when something ridiculous happened. “What glockenspiel!” Don’t get me wrong, I know these are musical instruments…

3. Firstborn vs. The Baby: Firstborn. I am the first born and the only born in my family, but in my biological family, the firstborn. I like the admiration that comes with being the firstborn and the spoiled one. However, without being an only born, the attention may fade away.

4. Blonde vs. Numbers: Blonde. I honestly don’t know what the difference or relation is between these two, and the only connection I could make up is the “blonde” jokes about blonde-haired girls being dumb, therefore, numbers is the smart side of the two. Either way, I am not a mathematical person and definitely do not enjoy numbers. Call me blonde!
5. Downtown vs. Uptown: Uptown. I do enjoy high-scale, fine dining and shopping, but I don’t think I could afford visiting “uptown” all the time. Downtown is a bit too dirty and exhausting in comparison to uptown, but I don’t think I’ve ever really visited an “uptown”.
6. Jean-Luc Godard vs. Steven Spielberg: Omit question - don’t know enough about the first.

7. Christmas Eve vs. Christmas: Christmas. Christmas Eve is SO annoying! I sit there every year, regardless of my age, thinking: “Wow. When am I gonna open presents? 6? No, too early. 7? Maybe, but the parents might not be up. 8? Too late. I want my presents now!”

8. Kitten vs. Goth: Kitten. Goth is just insane. What do people get out of displaying a goth style? Maybe I’ll never know, but it’s whatever works for them! The stereotype of the goth girl holding the small, scared-looking kitty cat is terrible. I want to save the poor kitty!
9. Cake vs. Honor: Cake. I don’t mind if people see me eat messily and fatty. I enjoy what I eat and am not going to count calories if I am enjoying it immensely. Again, I still can’t seem to figure out what cake and honor have to do with each other, but cake is always the best.

10. Ride (in a “pimp“‘s ride) vs. Die: Ride. I know how to blend in with a group or stereotype very easily. All you have to do is realize what language and emotional communication the group favors and you can fit in quite fine. This is how I can handle the everyday teenager!

11. Angel vs. Devil: Angel. Angels have helped me get through so much in my life and guide me everywhere I go. Not those Biblical angels, those people that meant a ton to my life before they passed away, or those assigned to watch over me contently. Devils get you into trouble and bring out the very worst in everyone.
12. Nasa vs. Space: Nasa. I enjoy technology and I enjoy technological advancements. Space will always be, NASA is there as a secondary achievement to increase our knowledge about space. Space, to me, is not that impressive, because it just is.
13. Serif vs. Sans Serif: Sans Serif. I like the curly, simple and sweet fonts that look like hand writing or gentle strokes. Times New Roman is a bit too bulky and rough for me.

14. Pipe vs. Joint: Joint. Of course I’m not going to back out of this question just because I do not participate in drugs! If I was to smoke, I would like something that resembled a cigarette, because yes, I admit: I think, like most media-educated humans, that smoking cigarettes is attractive! There is nothing like a woman sucking in and puffing out silky smoke (or getting serious lung disease…).

15. Fight vs. Flight: Fight. In life-terms, that is, not in a dangerous situation. I always picked flight growing up with GAD and things that held my strength back from being all it could be. I fight to the death, discovering things about myself and what I want, never letting anyone tell me I cannot have it.

16. Middle-Aged Man vs. Nosehair: Either; Nosehair. Again, don’t these two things go together? Most middle-aged or any-aged men have nosehair! Most women have nosehair! Massive nosehair, however, I would probably buy my partner a razor.

17. Domination vs. Submission: Domination. In life, I like to be a blunt, always-on, passionate person. I won’t discuss my sex life or preferences on a public website, but I think we are all a bit of a twist of the two in the bedroom.
18. Straight vs. Curly: Curly. I never thought I would see/hear myself say that. When I was younger, I absolutely hated my wavy, curly hair. I wanted to take a flat iron and straighten my hairs out of my head! After so many compliments on my naturally flowing hair, I realized that not many people are blessed with the curls I do have, and have to spend hours styling their naturally straight hair. For me, it is not that hard to straighten, but for some it is nearly impossible to wave and achieve a natural look.

19. Bono vs. Apathy: Omit question - are these musicians? Rappers? Or are you talking about something to do with Cher?

20. Captain Ahab vs. Moby Dick: Omit question - again, what? I haven’t heard of these legends that much. I’m modern youth, you could say.

21. Hipster vs. Prep: Prep. Hipsters are a little too “original” for me, and their stereotypical morale isn’t that impressive. I like both clothing styles, but I enjoy the stylish clothes of preps, mainly speaking of females.

22. Botox vs. Smile: Smile. I don’t believe in inauthentic ways of looking beautiful, nor surgery to make yourself sexy. I would never inject dangerous drugs into my cheeks so I could look like a Barbie doll. I would rather smile and enjoy my laugh lines that show my wisdom and age.
23. Friends with benefits vs. Actual friends: Actual friends. I have never been that much of a fan of the “friends with benefits” situation and enjoy my close friends a ton. I would rather keep my friendships than ruin them with lust.

24. Self-made vs. Trust fund: Self-made. I may be a bit superficial, but for the most part, I like to think I’m down-to-earth. Working for a living and earning the money yourself is much more rewarding than inheriting every dime from daddy or mommy, such as Paris Hilton did. An extra dime doesn’t hurt, but not every dime.
25. Coin vs. Stamp: Stamp. I try to avoid coins at all cost. They seem grimy, dirty and pointless. Why can’t we price everything in dollars? Stamps are easy for mailing and can be easily stored, unlike a bunch of coin collection bags.

26. Swimming pool vs. Hot tub: Hot tub. So relaxing and romantic, if spent with the right person. I probably would not enjoy a hotel’s chilly pool unless I knew there was a steamy hot tub awaiting my cold tosies.

27. Irony vs. Sincerity: Sincerity. While I do enjoy a good ironic joke or witty remark, honesty is greater and more importantly valued in my life and those around me.

28. Napolean vs. Genghis Khan: Omit question.

29. Frank Lloyd Wright vs. Frank Gehry: Frank Lloyd Wright. I studied and discovered Mr. Wright through a school project and enjoy his architecture a ton. So modern, hip and beautiful. I haven’t heard of Frank Gehry that much.

30. Texas vs. The World: The World. Texas is beautiful, but the people there stereotypically have a couple screws loose. I would enjoy going anywhere in the world for vacation, but Texas. The first boy I ever loved was from Texas, so that may have been the only reason for a visit a couple years back that still remains today.

Remember this: none of my answers are intended to offend. Vs. encourages quick judgment and stereotyping to answer questions without spending a dragged out amount of time contemplating whether an orange is better than an apple!
…


This is part of the mini-series “A Realization of Life and its Quirks”. Read the rest here…

I remember back when I was blogging on Bridgette’s Diary, I included a mini-series about my dreams (I’ve always been quite good at predicting the meaning of dreams, and remembering them at that) that would dive into the what, why, and hows within my subconscious.

This morning, I remembered 2 dreams that don’t make a whole lot of sense to me.
1. I am driving, and I can’t control the car. I swerve in and out of lanes, twirl around and stop abruptly. Pretty soon, a cop car pulls me over, but not from behind me. In front of me. This is when the dream changes out of no where, or at least when I stop remembering details.

2. Once I make it to the library to meet my friends, I start recognizing everyone that works there. My good male friend is the librarian. Other friends are helpers. Our group sits around and talks. This group consists of the people I dislike, and the people I get along with at high school. We start talking about my blog, and they ask me questions. Suddenly Mark shows up and tells me that he needs to register for some sort of test or paper that he needed to submit to the library. We go over to the desk and he asks for the current sheet, dated 2010. They say they only have 2008 and there is no updated form. Then I see some papers to the right, and sneakily browse through. I see my name written on a paper (not in my hand writing) that dates 2010. This is the paper Mark needed.

What do I think these dreams mean?

Just like the infamous falling dream, the first dream could possibly be a sign that my life is spiralling out of control and I feel stressed/overwhelmed, which at this moment, I do not. It’s a stretch, but the fact the cop came from the front could signify a random, abnormal or new situation, which I have trouble accepting in real life. The cop is always supposed to come from behind, right? If situations in life don’t go the way I plan or think they will pan out by expecting things, I get anxious.

The second dream puts up one big red flag for me: over-confidence. First, everyone is asking about what I do. Second, I get an advantage over my partner. Maybe I view Mark as if he doesn’t need help getting things in and out of life, but I could also view myself as more high maintenance. Or, this could just be representing a more popular theory: I enjoy high school more than he did, and I spend too much time on studying instead of on him, therefore would have an advantage when it comes to administered tests.

Who knows. I’d rather not keep my mind boggled for the rest of the day contemplating this, but I thought I’d get those ideas out in the open. How good do you think you are at predicting your own dreams? What do YOUR dreams mean?

Last night, partner Mark, furry sister Tess, mom Peggy and dad Dave joined me for a stroll along the beach, and a (very lengthy) photoshoot!

Naturally, I also got some decent photos of myself, taken by my wonderful Mark.

Having my entire true family down with me at the beach is the happiest I’ve been in a long time.

1). Rope Swing vs. Inner-tube : Rope swing. Ropes give unique rushes of adrenaline and childhood reminders at your (or below) feet. Inner-tubes are a snowy blast, but cannot be stopped unlike swings - can get frightening at times.

2), Extrovert vs. Introvert : Extrovert. While both types have their pros and cons, who would want to be an introvert? What a boring life they would have to lead! Depends on the range of each influence people are, but I'd rather be the life of the party than the anti-social, bookworm.

3). Beach vs. Mountain : Beach. I'm not a very "sunny lover", but there's nothing I hate more than climbing to reach the final goal of overlooking a rocky cliff. Appealing to some, not to me. The beach has nice people, generally good food, rocks and shells, and flat ground!

4). Wizard vs. Dragon : Dragon. Wizards are cool and can cast spells and all, but c'mon, in theory, dragons are cooler than 'em all (no irony intended).

5). Jupiter vs. Saturn : Jupiter. The bigger the better, am I correct? So maybe it would be nice being named after a Roman God, but personally, I would never want to be compared to another something in my species with "___-like". If I were a planet, I'd prefer to be Jupiter.

6). Bear vs. Ferret Swarm : Bear. No idea what a "ferret swarm" is, but I like the big, scary animals that seemingly look friendly a good majority of the time. That's creepy-awesome.

7). Love vs. Lust : Love. Lust only goes as far as pleasure by the minutes, while love is long-time pleasure, involving both physical AND emotional factors, such as trust, and deep connection. Lust in life is a waste, even though it may be enticing. Love stays around for the long haul.

8). Lion vs. Alligator vs. Cobra : Lion. First off: Cobras are just plain freaky. I don't get a good vibe from snakes. Secondly, alligators do no good. They are ugly lookin' things that have quite dangerous attitudes. Lions win above all animals--beastly thangs they are!

9). Boxers vs. Briefs : Boxers. Briefs are a little too "girly-lookin'" for me, and a bit "mommy-lovin'". I'm used to long crotch pieces on men - not bikini-cuts.

10). Skiing vs. Snow-boarding : Skiing. Snow-boarding is uneasy and challenging. Skiing is exhilarating without being too dangerous and jumpy (well... unless you crash into a tree on accident).

11). White Meat vs. Dark Meat : NEITHER! The only question I can omit because of personal preference. I am veggie, and planning to keep it that way. However, to be fair: I suppose white meat. I still eat fish.

12). Destiny vs. Free-will : Destiny. Free-will cannot triumph over destiny. God/the universe controls all free will of humans. You can prevent getting in to a car accident, but your crash tendencies were determined far before you were a functioning, moving human being.

13). Ship vs. Train : Train. Ferrys and private boats can be extremely exciting, but unless this is a cruise ship we're talking about, I prefer taking the train for travel. The train is quaint, not rocky or nauseating, and has friendly people/great food.

14). Beatles vs. Stones : Beatles. Both bands are great, but the bull haircut is fantastic and adorable on young men. Music is good from both, but The Beatles are better hands-down.

15). Fork vs. Spoon : Fork. Forks better themselves so they can beat the evil spoons! No, but really: forks can pick up most all foods, but spoons aren't so clever.

16). Lab vs. Rat : Lab. Science is pretty interesting and rats are nasty creatures. I would rather be the person that does the experiments on the rats than the creature that gets tortured (it may seem selfish, but c'mon, wouldn't we all deep down?).

17). Speed vs. Strength : Speed. Speed is super-duper! I'd rather be the fastest competitor or typer instead of the slow weight-lifter. Strength doesn't help me personally as much as speed.

18). Fiction vs. Nonfiction : Nonfiction. I love reading magazines, articles and biographies/memoirs. Fiction novels and boring stories do not amuse me, unless the characters are based off of real people. What can I say? I'm a realist!

19). My Place vs. Yours : My Place. Sexually and emotionally, I feel safer "going back to my place" instead of trying to trust the other person and their antics I presumably, in this situation, would not know very well.

20). Eiffel Tower vs. Statue of Liberty : Eiffel Tower. While this is a toss-up, considering these two pieces of artwork were created by the same inventor, I still pick the coolest design of them all. So maybe the statue is a bit bigger or "creative", but the tower stands with an incredible ease and beauty.

21). Earthquake vs. Flood : Earthquake. I have lived through them before, including a big 6.6 shocker in 2002. I am trained well to deal with earthquakes and react quite calmly/swiftly in that type of emergency. A flood would absolutely devastate me and my home. Besides, I can't swim that well.

22). Palm Tree vs. Evergreen : Evergreen. Considering I live in the home of the evergreen trees, I feel it would be rude not to pick them. Another reason I pick evergreens is the fact that they represent rain and life, palm trees are found in extremely humid, dry climates that are no-no's for me.

23). Aussie vs. Kiwi : Aussie. I haven't had much representation of New Zealand folk, but plenty of positive interactions with Australians. I LOVE the Aussies! Absolutely love 'em. One of my favorite bloggers resides in Australia (Karen Cheng), did I mention?

24). Healthy vs. Wealthy : Healthy. Money isn't everything to my down-to-earth soul, even though I sure do love my electronics. If I had to pick to marry an honorable, broke person over a stuck-up, rich snob, I would marry my true love in a second, just so long as we could live long, healthy and happy lives.

25). Sigmund Freud vs. The Unconscious : Omit question - haven't studied enough about this concept quite yet.

26). Bath vs. Shower: Shower. I've never been that much of a bath person... never enjoy sudsy bubble-baths, or as Chandler from F.R.I.E.N.D.S. said, "sittin' there, soaking in your own filth." I like water I can get clean in, and jump in/jump out once the job is done.

27). Vanilla vs. Kinky : Kinky. Perhaps not *that* wild, but I'd rather be all the colors of the rainbow in the bedroom and make my partner pleased with variety than being stiff as a board, never spicing up my sex life. Sex is about love and intimacy, but it is always about pleasuring your partner and being welcome to new ideas.

28). Faith vs. Luck : Faith. Luck is too shaky to put your trust into. Luck is as shaky as rolling a die and hoping for a 6. I would rather have faith in God, or whatever the situation may be, instead of hoping on broken threads. Faith is knowing everything will turn out right, even if it doesn't go your way.

29). Jackson Pollock vs. Vincent van Gogh vs. Pablo Picasso : Omit question - don't know enough about Jackson Pollock.

30). Passive vs. Aggressive : Aggressive. Personally, I don't understand people that say poor things about others behind closed doors, and cannot stand confrontation. If you're going to start a fire, be prepared to take the heat! I live for proving the ignorant wrong, not for screaming in your face, but for telling you that your way of thinking isn't correct. We all have our opinions, but those who are reluctant to share theirs are weaker, in my mind.

Remember this: none of my answers are intended to offend. Vs. encourages quick judgment and stereotyping to answer questions without spending a dragged out amount of time contemplating whether an orange is better than an apple!

...


This is part of the Mini-Series "A Realization of Life and its Quirks"
Read the rest here ....

As many of you know, I am against common religion--it has no basis and is just plain silly. I got the idea to make a post in a mocking tone, similar to those who claim they worship the Bible, however, these beliefs are those I would state if I was ever to make my own Bible and 10 commandments, and how I believe God intended us to live. Inspired by the 6 Most Important Decisions You'll Ever Have to Make / The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teenagers by Sean Covey, here are my 10 Commandments of a Fabulous Teen!

1. Above all other rules, you must learn to love yourself. Love yourself for the flab on your hips, that crooked tooth in your mouth and the bad habits you just can't seem to break. After you learn to love yourself, learn to accept and love each and every individual around you. Never intentionally wish anyone harm or wrong-doing, and be thankful your enemies have provided you with intelligence.

2. Don't consume recreational drugs, nor alcohol or cigarettes... at all. The biggest sin is purposefully disrespecting the well-being of your body and putting negative substances in it. God gave you a beautiful, healthy body. Don't ruin this blessing.

3. Speak your heart out. Let your voice ring from mountain to mountain, releasing your birth-given right to share your beliefs. Speak your opinions, even though they may not be agreed with. Vice versa, learn to accept others' opinions and values, regardless if they are right or wrong in your mind.

4. Live honestly. Speak the truth, and nothing but the truth. Don't commit to a situation or a person you know in your heart that you cannot live up to. Don't hurt people because you need to keep your pride--swallow it and save a broken heart.

5. Don't believe the majority just because it is "the popular thing to do". If your spirit is telling you to go with minority, do so. Don't let any political, religious or personal issue conflict with your plans of happiness. Don't let any individual insult you, bring you down or speak ill of you without a rebuttal.

6. Don't live a troubled life of religion and tainted stories of gremlins and goblins. If you are to become of a religious faith, study hard and well before you dedicate yourself. Sacred text, such as the Bible, has been translated and misinterpreted over many, many years. Know which of the text to take literally, and which to analyze. Regardless of your opinion on religion, form a relationship with God--your logical creator, or the entity you wish to worship.

7. Eat a balanced diet and exercise often. The second worse thing for your body aside from consuming negative substances is not taking good care of your "sacred temple". Consider working yoga or meditation into your monthly lifestyle.

8. Respect your family and those who have guided you to the path you are on today--positive influences, teachers and wiser human beings (by wiser, I do not mean older). If your pride affected your ability to listen to someone with more wisdom than yourself, apologize to them once you have learned your lesson(s).

9. Get involved in your community or participate in some sort of outreach. Know your status and know how to use it well. Predict your future career path, become involved with a non-profit and do work for charity/volunteer in your community.

10. Last, but not least: know what behavior is mature and immature. Learn how to differentiate behaviors and mannerisms, and choose the road less traveled by within your social circle (more often than not: maturity). It's a complicated lifestyle, but a rewarding one. Once you figure out your own 10 commandments, use those to articulate feelings to other people and advocate your beliefs.

"I can't even start to explain how many people disliked what Martin Luther King Jr. had to say. That's why the study of History fascinates me, but guiding the future generation, even more."

Located in the midst of the Lan su Yuan Chinese garden in Portland, Oregon is the delicious teahouse in the Tower of Cosmic Reflections.

Quiet solitude is what you experience walking in to the teahouse. Warm Chinese dishes and a plethora of herbal and spiced teas await you, along with an inviting staff who know their Chinese mannerisms well.

Our trio ordered the vegetarian dumplings, steamed buns, hot tea, and guava juice. The menu ranges from $2-20 dollars and will pleasantly surprise you with its authenticity. While service was a bit slow that day, lunch was delightful, to say the least!

It's not every day that you find a knock-out Greek restaurant. Besides Yanni's in beautiful Seattle, Washington, this exquisite restaurant called Eleni's Philoxenia & Estiatorio makes your tastebuds tingle!

Eleni's is based around the Crete diet--the healthiest diet according to a recent study, due to their generous portions of olive oil and vegetables.

Totally affordable with their appetizers ranging from $6-15, and main dishes $8-20, you are bound to find something you like, and the most extensive appetizer menu you've ever seen.

I ordered the 3 dip plate with pita bread as my appetizer, had the Makaronia me Lahanika (diced eggplant, wild mushrooms, peppers, olives , capers and garlic sautéed in olive oil with fresh basil, herbs, spinach and kale; served over spaghetti), and topped it off with a fresh chocolate mousse.


The staff is welcoming and wonderful, and even personally thanked us for coming after we were already out the door. Eleni's has two locations, one in the Sellwood district, and one in Pearl. If you're in Portland, Oregon sometime, give Eleni's a try. You won't hate it!

Oh, how I love to travel! A couple hours ago, I departed on a train on the way to Portland, Oregon. Like every summer since I was twelve years old, Portland is my mother and I's getaway from the insanity in our own town.

Last year, my "date" (Mark) joined us! We visited the OMSI museum, Japanese Garden, Saturday market, went jet-boating, and explored city life while watching the big Fourth of July firework display over the Willamette river.

This year, we plan on checking out the legendary VooDoo Doughnuts, exploring Old Town China Town/Chinese garden and doing a lot of shopping here and there. Of course we are leaving time for the OMSI, Saturday market, and maybe even the Rose Test Garden (the oldest operating garden, from WWI).

Trains are an inexpensive, practical way to travel. We take the Amtrak, whose reputation is quite poor in terms of being on time, but whose staff is kinder than ever and food can make your tastebuds happy. I suggest taking the Amtrak somewhere local for a day trip, or scheduling a weekend away. Sometimes it's good just to get out of your normal town and experience culture unidentical to your own.