These debates couldn’t happen at a better time. Way to ratchet up the scare factor Pres. Obama and Gov. Romney. At this point I’m thinking … which one of these guys sucks the least.  

 

 

I really miss the old Xanga days where I used to write on a frequent basis. Sometimes I look back at some of my entries and wonder how I ever came up with formulating them and putting them down.

I do recall when I started on Xanga I worked in facilities offices and would post on Xanga almost daily. I’m even surprised I had the time to do this. Now I’m working in a high school running an office and I have to admit that working amongst high schoolers there is never a dull day. I also hold a position on the executive board for my union – so I’ve been swimming in Election 2012 and Prop 30 & 32 data/information that at times I feel like I’m drowning in it. 

It just feels that there are so many things going on that I truly don’t have time for myself anymore, or I feel like I can’t allow myself permission to just sit down and write … like I’m doing now. I want to get back to those old Xanga days when I wrote about what’s going on in my little corner of the world.

*sigh* I think I’ll finally crack open that bottle of wine that my Assistant Principal gave me this year for Administrative professionals day and see where that takes me.

Now that I’m finally back to living on my own once again I suppose I have time to once again delve into the Xanga world with which I was so into.  Although I’ve never felt so old in my life … as everything looks so new and confusing.  I guess I have some tinkering around to do.

So I’m still going to the gym on a daily basis, except for today since I’m making a jello with strawberries in it for my Toastmasters meeting tomorrow.  Yet, I did want to send out the ‘signal’ that I am still alive and well … as well as reading all the blogs I’m subbed too … though I rarely have time to REALLY get into the act of commenting as of late.  Added to that I’m doing some heavy training as I was talked into participating in the Stairclimb to the Top.

What is the Stairclimb to the Top?  Well I’m glad you asked.  It is trekking the 75 stories up the US Bank Tower here in Downtown Los Angeles.  September 24th at around 7ish I’ll be climbing my way up the tallest building West of the Mississipi, and then get the BEST view of Downtown Los Angeles that VERY few get to see.  So if you happen to be in the area and see a girl dressed up in a Captain America jacket feel free to say hi … and there WILL be pictures!

For now I’ll post some pictures of my weekend at Disneyland participating in the 5k, and cheering my sister on for the 1/2 Marathon.

We were waved through the Start by Goofy, Donald, some guy and Pluto.  The starting area was where the trams stop in the Mickey and Friends parking lot.  It wasn’t too bad as I rarely take the trams into the park and usually walk towards the security tents anyway.

 

Finally, after a few bottlenecks on the course due to the crowds we are IN!

 

Me in front of the castle with no crowds!

 

Going backstage around Frontierland.

 

Then we came out on the other side by Main Street … and started heading into California Adventure.

 

The backside of … TOWER!  (you will only really get this joke if you’ve been on the Jungle Cruise MANY times)

 

I was nicely surprised by the fact that they had the World of Color fountains going while we jogged around Paradise Pier.

 

Minnie, Pluto and Mickey were waiting for us at the finish line.

 

After the race my sister and I headed off to eat a hearty breakfast, then checked in to the Disneyland Hotel for an overnight stay – mainly because my sis had to be up at 3am to get to the staging area for the 1/2 marathon the next day.  We freshened up and then just relaxed in the room until 2pm as we had reservations to Club 33 for lunch. I also got to surprise my sister with a ‘Good Luck’ desert there!

I can’t wait to eat!

 

This is the hallway that leads to the main dining room … and the buffet.  They’ve got some fresh fruits, heirloom tomatoes, a variety of cheeses, grilled veggies, crab, lobster and shrimp.  Desert is just as delicious with the variety of little cakes … but the coconut macaroons dipped in chocolate are my favorite!  For the buffet we get to select an entree, I picked the Chateaubriand … rare.

 

A nice picture of the hallway.

 

The crowds were surprisingly light for a Labor Day weekend.  This picture was taken around 3pm … and look at how empty New Orleans Square looks!

 

 

As you can see the entrance to Club 33 is right by the Blue Bayou, and for those unfamiliar with it … it is a members only club so you need to know someone to get in.  I’m sure you can spot one of the servers looking out the window above the red shop, that is the main second floor entryway where the french elevator lets you out.  From there you keep going towards the right and that leads you to the hallway … and in turn the main dining room.

 

Once dinner was finished we parted ways with the rest of the dinner party and I went off with my sister to just hang around the park.  Eventually around 5 she decided it was time to hit the sack so that she would be rested up enough for the 1/2 marathon the next day.  Since I didn’t have to be up that early I decided to just roam around the park by myself and mess around taking pictures with all the varied settings on my camera.

I rode the railroad 1 and 1/2 times … as I spotted Mickey and Minnie in Tomorrowland and wanted a picture with them.

 

Hardly anyone was in line to take a picture of this classic pair, mostly because they were in an odd location and out of the public sight … I guess with the heat they wanted to keep them in the shade.

 

Tomasina is a pretty popular Tomorrowland Terrace act.  Here she is singing ‘Barracuda’ … and that just drew me towards the area for a few minutes to enjoy the music.

 

I ended up stopping around Carnation Plaza to catch the Big Band and the swing dancers, but I didn’t take pictures since I was enjoying myself so much.  Instead I got pictures of Rancho Del Zocalo which is right next to it.  I love the lamps in this area at night.

Headed off to ride Big Thunder Mountain … the wait was only 5 minutes!

 

I then capped off the night with a ride on It’s a Small World. 

 

After that I decided to stay and watch the 9:30 fireworks, and I had been up since 4am that day!  When I finally made my way back to the hotel it was well past 10pm, but that made my sleep even better as I was exhausted by then.

Next morning I ended up not taking any pictures as I was holding the sign for all my friends in the 1/2 marathon … next year I’ll hopefully be a part of it, along with another friend.  So that will make a total of seven of us in the 1/2 marathon if all goes well …

 

So many things happened this month …

1. They released version 4 of the layoff list at work, and I’m not on it … but that doesn’t mean I won’t get moved around.  In a way it is good because I am tiring of the bad work environment in the department that I currently reside.
2. I reconnected with a good friend I got to know back in 2002 and I’m really excited to get to see her soon.
3. Yesterday was my birthday and I had a great time.  If you want some campy horror movie laughs I highly suggest ‘Pirahna 3D’.
4. I’ve been going to the gym almost every day and am 4 pounds away from losing a total of 20 pounds this month, so it is doable to meet my goal this week!
5. Things were going great it seems, and then today I discover that my brother got busted for DUI.  Why do boys have to push themselves like that!?!?!  Totally threw my good vibe off, but I REALLY hope he learns from this experience.

Well … I’m off to the gym so I’ll catch you all later.

Picture by LittleEgypt

 

This coming Saturday marks five years since Terry (aka, Lord Pineapple) passed away.  Looking through my old blog posts I came across some of his comments and remembered what a great time I had chatting with him online, even through type he had an English accent … but maybe that’s because he typed as if he was Shakespeare.

I was always amazed at his bravery in losing himself to the characters he created – and the man didn’t hold his tongue.  When he got diagnosed with cancer he let us know by starting his site … More Than Just Crabs.  Through there he shared how he was doing, along with more poetry by his various characters … The Three-Headed Sarahs, Blackie Fortuna, Rev. Tobias Trontby, Sophie Lucy Morgan and all the others that lived inside him. 

Hopefully where he is they are finding him just as entertaining and that it occupies his time so he doesn’t take notice that every once in a while he is missed here.

 

 

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The story of my life. To Becca and many others, with gratitude. I was born without morals Without empathy Without love, So it is amazing in a way That hardly anyone suffered because of me. I had my shameful moments All before the age of about 17, But I was not really evil. I have never molested a child. Never forced a woman to have sex with me, Never had sexual relations with a man, Yet I was born without morals, Without empathy. It’s true that I had good points, I could not blatently lie That meant I had to make up new lives for me, I needed to act, To be a clown, To write fiction And write under various personæ. It is what people who cannot lie do best. Sadly I have an arrogance, I am a terrible name-dropper, Yet all the none-poets I met I only met through my job, And the only Americans Were poets, Like Anne Stevenson The first person to help Me to start to get published. But I shamelessy name-drop Without saying that some of whom I met (Like John Cleese Who thought me an insufferible little prig!) For I was born without morals Without empathy Without love. So why do certain things like the death of someone, The cruelity to a child, Wars, poverty and so on Disgust me so? To be honest There is only one reason I have never hurt, never killed, Gratitude. Grateful to people for loving me, Every man woman or child Who have made a kind remark to me Every smile they gave me And every laugh. They should have killed me at birth People said that, Me included, It could have been true If I was not grateful To wonderful kind people like you. — The Clowne From Clown.

 

Have you met my piggies?  They’re ready to party!

 

I sold my Xbox 360 so that I could buy the new Xbox next month as a birthday gift to myself, and now I’m having Bioshock withdrawls.  That game is just awesome!!!  For now I suppose it’s good I can console myself with the soundtrack … which has some songs I never would’ve listened to otherwise.  Like this one …

If some of you aren’t already in the know I work in the construction department of LAUSD, and my particular region is in charge of the more high profile projects for the school district.  This September the Ambassador HS (K-12 span) is going to be fully open to the students of Los Angeles.  It is amazing for me to see this school finally reaching the finish line, especially since when I started working for this department the ‘school’ was nothing but a big empty lot … with but a portion of the Cocoanut Grove still standing.  Seeing these pictures, and hopefully soon getting to tour it in person makes me want to go back to school … this almost tops our Performing Arts school – Central LA HS #9.

 

Here is a picture of the Cocoanut Grove entrance, and below what it looks like now.

 

Here’s what the Cocoanut Grove restaurant looked like, and how it was recreated to make the teacher’s lounge.

 

Some pictures of the auditorium, which has hand painted details.

 

A few pictures of different areas inside.

 

Finally some pictures of the outside of the school with the plaques of the Robert Kennedy memorial, also note how the high school imitates the facade of the original Ambassador Hotel.

 

I’m sure that once you start listening to the song in the video above you’ll realize you heard this before, but the advice given through it bears repeating.  Now that I’ve had a little time to think and look at my life I see some things that I hadn’t notice before, and these are things born out of the choices I’ve made and the life I lead.

Now, I lived at home with my parents for quite some time and didn’t move out on my own until two years ago.  While at home I didn’t really spend much time with my parents, and actually I tried to avoid them whenever I could.  Now though, in order to kill time and wait for traffic to die down I visit my parents (almost daily) and eat dinner then watch some TV with them.  Sometimes we get into great conversations where we dust off memories and relive all those wonderful moments. 

Then during my drive home I heard this song and it all just kicked in how true a lot of the advice in this song really is.  Now, not all of it will apply to everyone … but really … when you take the time to look back you see so many things you’ve missed.