go vote!

today is election day, go vote.  Like the kids below say, “vote however you like…”

Obama to the left, McCain to the right.  Ha, I love this vid!

comings and goings cont’d…

I know I know… I am MIA for months and now I’m writing posts after posts.  I’ve been really busy trying to get some things in place for my big move!  First, I had to take a couple of tests so I can be certified as a teacher and that has literally taken over my life.  Plus, the month of September was filled with a lot of visits.  One of which was from one of my oldest friends, Yu.  We had a pretty fun and relaxing weekend.  I went to the Moma (finally!) and it was really cool.  Here are some of my favorite pieces:

comings and goings cont’d.

So I visited s.dot in the Pitts and I got to see my kitty – Pinky!  s.dot’s place is pret-ty sweet and it seems that Pinky is really happy there so that made it a very happy trip for me.  It was really nice for me to get away since I hadn’t been out of the city since August (ok, so it’s only been a month an a half… but the concrete jungle can get to ya!)

children of the 80’s.

In light of our Halloween theme – Children of the 80’s, I was going down memory lane.  This one makes me smile and sing at the top of my lungs.

Wow, who knew surfing money could be so fun?

This has got me to thinking, what were YOUR favorite childhood cartoons?

comings and goings.

HKlove was in town a couple of weeks ago and we had some crazy adventures!  First off, I got to experience Madison Square Garden for the first time!  And it was for a Weezer concert no less!!!  We got tickets at half price the day before the show for front row seats, I was pretty stoked.  I realized that in my transition to smaller bands, I hadn’t been to a venue that big in probably years.  Yes, I saw Radiohead with probably 60,000 people but that was outdoors so it doesn’t count (and it was a festival!)  So here are some pictures of that trip:

sitting pretty…

Front row!

Union Square *sigh*

i don’t take compliments well. sorry.

I was having a great conversation with my friend Leo and it came out that I don’t take compliments very well.  He didn’t realize what kind of a role I played with AA (the nonprofit I work for – but not alcoholics anonymous) and was really struck by the fact that I have not mentioned it to him since I started working with them three years ago.  Call me sheepish, call me crazy, I just NEVER want to toot my own horn.  When I came to this realization I laughed about it because I realized that I can take shit, and I can take criticism but yet when it comes to compliments, I get all weird and awkward about it.  Leo calls that insanity.  I can’t deal.  I cut myself down.  I can’t help it.  I never want to hear what people think about me (good or bad) but for the most part, I don’t even care about it – that lesson in 4th grade peer pressure made a massive impression on me!  Call it insanity, call it extreme humility, but its just in me and my culture to never really talk about my accomplishments.  I already know I did something great, I did a good job on it, I don’t really need anyone’s validation.  But for the most part, when people give me a compliment, I just feel really weird that they are acknowledging something I did – as if whatever I did was trying to elicit their attention.

more coming soon…

halloween.

I need a costume.  any ideas???  I haven’t had a good costume in years and I prefer the ones that you create yourself, not just buy.  My friend Hannah is in town that weekend so we’re trying to think of doing something together.  One idea that I threw out there was a ghetto red riding hood.  I’d be wearing a big red hoodie.  ha!  gangsta – LBC style.  But I don’t know.  Any suggestions?

remembering 9/11.

Its my second time being in New York City on the actual anniversary of 9/11.  Last year, my friend and I went, in the rain to ground zero, but it was closed off for family members only.  New Yorkers remember, but life goes on.  Today, I was at my school in Brooklyn when the principal announced that there would be a moment of silence for those who lost their lives and for those who lost someone special to them on that day.  This of course started a class discussion in the fourth grade class.  These kids, have grown up in a post 9/11 world.  They were only 2 when this happened.  In their short little lives, they have only known a war on terror, heightened security and two magical lights beaming from the New York city skyline.

I remember exactly where I was on that day.  I also remember the first time I heard a plane fly overhead after the ban was lifted.  To live this life of fear put everyone on edge, but we no longer live like that.  What about those who are still unfortunate enough to live in countries that do?  Especially those that are forced to live like that because of us?  Is our time in these countries really worth their lives and ours?  Our aim to ensure democracy is at the cost of lives and freedom?

My fourth grade kids talk politics. Heck, even my first grade kids from last year were talking politics.  They discuss who they want to win for the presidency.  People don’t give kids enough credit, but they can tell you who their parents are voting for and why, they hear and comprehend a lot more than you think.  My kids are Obama all the way.   They make me proud.  They give me hope.

oh the double standards.

Some of you know, I have pretty strong thoughts about politics and the upcoming election.  I’m sad to say that I normally don’t pay attention to the daily mud that is usually thrown around but being a future teacher of America, it’s pretty easy to see where I stand.  My friend Alex sent me this vid, and I thought I’d share it with you.  It makes me so angry sometimes, this blatant double standard and hypocrisy.

Check it out

http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=184086&title=sarah-palin-gender-card

walking in nyc.

So and I are walking down the street to Korova Milk Bar (which is now a bookstore) and I get a call from Duggan.  She’s on her way, just down the street.  I tell her we’ll wait for her on the corner.  I get off the phone and turn to So.  We can stop or we could just walk slow.  So’s face: confusion and shock.  She tries to walk slow horribly.  New Yorkers don’t know what walking slow means.  They think its an oxymoron.

So surprised.