Puns I've made recently

Pun 1:

Mom: How many bottles of Syrah do we have in the box?
Me: I see two. But now we need a Que.
Mom: A what?
Me: A Que?
Mom: Why??
Me: So we can have a Que Syrah Syrah.

Pun 2:

Friend: This is the ring my boyfriend bought me for Christmas. It's a bottle opener.
Me: Is it a DeBeers?

Pun 3:

Friend: If I eat cow brains will I suck their intelligence into myself?
Me: Then you'd have a Moo opinion. But that's a Moo point.

Pun 4:

Friend: Here's a new name for our company - Political Sex Horse!
Me: I vote Neigh.

2009 Personal Challenge Wrap Up

For the last 3 years I've been personally challenging myself to read more books and see more movies.

Here's how I did in 2009:

Books - 18 books read. A lot lower than 2008's 27 and 2007's 34 BUT part of this is due to there being no text books to read for at least half of the year. This year's books were also probably bulkier whereas in 2007 I read a lot of graphic novels and audio books.

Movies - 67 movies watched! That's a pretty decent count but in 2008 I did 75. I still win over 2007's 45 though.

In other ventures - I wrote more fiction in 2009 but way less in general (as I didn't blog as regularly as in previous years). However I have no count on that particular venture.

But a drop in the pool...

People with Geniuses

I am this lady's biggest fan!

Should We Be Doing More To Reduce The Graphic Violence In Our Dreams?

Nancy Fichandler is my favorite funny right now. She's comedic GENIUS.

Singing Voices

I do this thing where I decide that certain singers are the "singing voice" of certain actors.

For example - Linda Eder is the singing voice of Lucy Lawless. Even though Lucy can sing herself... it doesn't matter... she's Linda Eder in my head when she sings. Or rather... when Linda Eder sings I picture Lucy Lawless. Granted they kind of look alike to begin with.

There are others! But this is the only I can recall at this exact moment - other than the point and purpose of this entry which is Lady Gaga.

Henceforth - Lady Gaga shall now be the singing voice for Amy Adams (who, again, can also already sing... but it doesn't matter.)

And in other news - this movie looks like the kind of feel-good movie I love.

Hells yeah

Something about this....

...is too cool for words.

Favorite Music Video of the Week

Glamm Fire

So when I eventually have my fabulous bi-coastal life I think I'll trick out my living room in one or both (or all) of my homes (or maybe just my home theater rooms) with a fancy fireplace by Glamm Fire. OMG look at these things!!

GlammFire.com










ArtFireUSA.com seems to be the U.S. distributor of these products.

They carry other brands as well.

Like this steampunk-ish gem from Godin:



And apparently Pazuzu lives in this house:



You can also order a pizza oven from that site if the mood strikes.

Monkish

I just found this site and now feel compelled to visit every site listed and make sure that my standard username is registered at all of them! I want to see the red "TAKEN" on all of them!!!! http://usernamecheck.com/

BTW - if you're not/haven't already, read/follow/link up to my new web/movie related blog over here: RavenWolfProds.blogspot.com

The Final Tally

This last year I had three personal challenges for myself. The first was: WATCH MORE MOVIES.

I ADORE movies but over the last several years I've found it difficult to just sit down (or go out and watch one). I loved high school when I saw a movie in the theater almost every weekend (I'm probably exagerrating but that's what it felt like). Joining the Gee El Ay Ay Dee movie nomination committee helped somewhat in this challenge a few years ago and I stayed a member for two years. But in 2008 I decided not to return because I couldn't juggle the meetings and school. In exchange I decided to join Netflix. (Logically this made financial sense since my film ticket purchases for Gee El Ay Ay Dee were not comped and considered "donations" ... joining the 1 at a Time Netflix plan was actually cheaper than being a nomination committee member.) This also meant that I got to watch movies that I ACTUALLY WANTED TO SEE (as opposed to strictly GLBT, and often "not-that-awesome", movies). Yay!

Well, I kept my tally on Spout.com (where I like to play movie expert) and I'm proud to say that I totally won that challenge! In 2007 I watched 45 movies. In 2008 - 75!!! (The last movie I watched in 2008 was technically finished in 2009 but I'm still counting it - Terminator 3!)

The second challenge was: READ MORE BOOKS. (And I totally include comic books, audio books and text books in that tally.) I keep that count on GoodReads.com and it looks like I didn't do as well. (I'm sure this has something to do with all the movies I was watching.) In 2007 I read 34 books. In 2008... only 26. (Hanging head low.) BUT CLOSE at least. (This has a lot to do with not listening to as many audio books.)

The third personal challenge was: TRAVEL MORE. I don't even think I have a tally for 2007 because I don't think I went anywhere. Well this year I started 2008 in Portland (Oregon) to visit Adrea, then moving to Tacoma to meet/visit Jenni and Seattle (Washington). Next up was Providence (Rhode Island) to hang out with my friend Jeff (and see Denise and family briefly) with day trips to Boston (Massachusetts) to see Val and Mystic (Connecticut) (to see the pizza). In August I went to Tokyo JAPAN with a few other girls (including Gringa Frijolera)!!! (For my 30th birthday.) Then I ended the year with a quick pre-Christmas trip back to Tacoma (Washington) to see Jenni and family again.

Another challenge that I completed, that wasn't originally on my list, was the 100 Push Up Challenge. I decided to do that, strictly to see if I could (and maybe also because I was being a little competetive with theMAC) and I did! Totally surprised myself on that one. Turns out - I actually CAN finish things from time to time.

What else did I do this year? Well I didn't originally intend for this to be a sum-up-the-year post but now it is so:

- I tried out for a reality show (true)
- Hunted for ghosts in Seattle, Newport (Rhode Island) and Hollywood
- Ouiji-ed 5 times!! (with Jenni, Kristin (no luck) and Deidre) and got to know the various ghosts and fairies that follow me around (or live in my room, as it were)
- I ate tomato, corn and cheese flavored ice creams
- DisneySea!!
- Visited a shrine, a love hotel, a food amusement park, bought Sony products FROM SONY, played Pachinko, ate at a restaurant full of ninjas, rented time at a cat petting zoo, ate sushi at the Tsukiji Fish market, drank Sake (and ate McDonald's) in Shibuya, climbed a tower, went to the Ghibli Museum and saw Harajuku girls in Harajuku!!
- Gained a nephew (Ellis) and a wing man (Jose)
- Had a brief freelance job at Mogreet.com
- Learned how to take better photos and develop film in a dark room (Photo 2 class at Santa Monica College)
- Went to Cafe 50's in my pajamas for a discount
- Saw Wicked (again), The Color Purple (twice), Nine to Five and Spring Awakening
- Went to the Gee El Ay Ay Dee Media Awards with Adrea (my second time, her first)
- Lost an aunt to cancer (oh you weren't expecting bad stuff?)
- Took care of my Dad after his bout with pancreatis
- Dealt with mom after one of her surgeries (elective)
- Went to The Little Mermaid sing-a-long at the El Capitan with Amy
- Went to Brenda's wedding and got asked to be a bridesmaid in Taysha's wedding
- Went to a Red Hat Society tea with Taysha & Monica
- Saw friend Alicia do stand-up comedy
- Saw Hedwig & The Angry Inch at midnight with Kristin
- Saw Clue at midnight with Amy
- Said Goodbye to Leslie (when she moved away) and Hello to Leslie when she came back for her and Taysha's 30th birthdays
- Went to "Girls Night Out" at the Grove with the girls (Brenda, Taysha & Monica)
- Braved the scary monster corn maze with Jenni
- Met Tippi Hedren at her tiger sanctuary, Shambala
- Went to a Prop 8 protest with Michael and his husband
- Saw "Repo - The Genetic Opera" with Deidra
- Saw Twilight with Leslie


And all of that was IN ADDITION to all the crazy projects I had going in school (learning how to composite with green screens, code in PHP, Javascript and Actionscript 3, creative directed the production of a YouTube like video site, created and produced a film promotional site for a REAL movie, invented/coded a mobile phone game, authored DVDs, created databases, trained audiences via computer, fought with evil clients, etc. etc. etc.). All in all I would say that I did a good job of balancing school and life in 2008.

Goals for 2009: READ MORE BOOKS, SEE MORE MOVIES (specifically in the theater), FINISH A VIDEO GAME (I have a hard time sticking-to-it), GET A JOB (damnit... I've been avoiding it but I do, indeed, graduate this year) and WRITE MORE (I've already begun with some daily writing prompts...I realize it's only a few days into the year but so far-so good). I also have a bunch of bridesmaid goals that I won't mention other than to mention that I have them.

Life Goals (Maybe for 2009 or Not):

- Go to New York City and see a Broadway play ON Broadway
- Go somewhere thrilling for New Year's Eve (possibly to New York City)(I did celebrate one New Year's at Epcot Center but it was rainy and kinda miserable.) (My mother celebrated New Year's Eve in London this year and followed that up by marching in the New Year's parade with a group of Red Hat Society women. This. Sounds. Fun!)

But wait... there's more!

Find yourself in a tizzy wondering "What the hell am I doing today?" Ever forget an important meeting? Wondering when next you’re supposed to put that flea medication on your cat? Have an affinity for small pocket dogs?

Finally - something that will please your eyes, tickle your funny bone AND mind your dates - why it’s a PRINCESS KAYLENE 2009 Calendar!

Yes, you heard right! A Princess Kaylene original for the year Two-Thousand-And-Nine. Need a gift for that friend who has everything. We’re willing to bet that they DON’T have a Princess Kaylene calendar! And we’re backing that up with a no-money back guarantee!

Just think of everything that you can do with your very own Princess Kaylene 2009 calendar! Remember important holidays! Pay your bills on time! Never forget another birthday! Have a handy guide to tell you what day of the week it is! Plan out your vacation days!

As an added bonus - collect some photos shot by yours truly. Cut them out of the calendar and save them for years. Put them on your walls. Frame them for your children’s rooms.

But wait, there’s more! The Princess Kaylene calendar will not come with a certificate of authenticity nor it will be autographed by Princess Kaylene or her personal photographer. And not only that, you won’t know which photos were shot by Erin and which were hand picked by her guardians for 2009 inclusion. It’s a year-long guessing game sure to keep you entertained!

By now you’re dying to get your hands on a Princess Kaylene calendar and just want to know how to get it. It’s simple. There’s even more than one option for your purchasing pleasure.

And for all this you’d probably expect to pay nearly $45. for this once in a lifetime opportunity that will last you for a whole year. But NO! How about $30? NO! $25?? NoOoOoO! The Princess Kaylene calendar can be yours for only $10.99!!! That’s right, only $10.99!!!

And if you don’t act now you can find something solar powered to go along with your Princess Kaylene calendar. Pesky cell phones always running out of juice? Need some more rainbows in your life? Have a pool that’s just too cold? SOLAR POWER is the way to go! See below for details.

E-commerce sites are standing by to take your orders:

Princess Kaylene Calendar on Etsy
Princess Kaylene Calendar Store
(I shot about half the pictures ... I’m a better photographer now. That was like a year and a half ago. I do not get a cut of calendar sales. NOTE - I did NOT graphically design these calendars.)

Solar Energy To Go (my mother’s website... she will be so happy if you buy something from her... but then she’ll get all cocky...NOTE - I did NOT design that site!!)

Action Needed - UN Declaration for the Global Decriminalization of Homosexuality

Today my Google RSS headlines that feed into my Gmail sent me this little bit of GLBT news about the UN Declaration for the Global Decriminalization of Homosexuality. News - CLICK ME

Now we need to take action!

Step 1: Go to THIS BLOG and click the "DIGG THIS" link at the bottom.
Step 2: Mike Tidmus' Blog furthered the news by requesting action in the U.S. and provided links to find your Senator's contact info. And also provided info about the Vatican's stance and how to contact them.
Step 3: Contact your Senator/Congress/Representatives... whatever. (See sample letter below.)
Step 4: Twitter/Status update/Blog/Forward E-mails to get the word out.
Step 5: NOW GO!

I took action and sent letters to my Senators and Congress people.

Here's the letter I wrote (stealing snips from different blogs and articles) - feel free to copy/paste.

Dear Senator FILL IN NAME,

This Wednesday a declaration for the global decriminalization of homosexuality will be put before the UN General Assembly. While every country in the European Union has signed on and Canada is a sponsor, the United States of America has not signaled support for this declaration.

This is a outrageous! By not actively supporting this declaration the U.S. government is suggesting to the world political arena that it is OK with us if human beings are imprisoned, tortured, murdered or legally put to death simply for loving another.

This is NOT OK. This is not OK with me. This is not OK morally. I urge you and your office to do what you can to influence a decision to support this declaration.

The declaration will be tabled on Wednesday by France with the backing of all 27 member states of the EU; plus non-EU European nations including Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, Ukraine, Andorra, Liechtenstein, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Ukraine, Armenia and Macedonia. Support of the Latin American states of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico and Uruguay has also been offered. Canada is a sponsor. Gabon, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, New Zealand and Japan are also on board with the declaration.

Why aren't we on that list?

Thank you for taking the time to consider this note and this request for action.

Craftz

Today Amy Sedaris hosted a big crafty deal in L.A. I did not get to go. A few years ago I went to the Bazaar Bizarre and got awesome one of a kind gifts for people ... the Bazaar Bizarre is no longer held in L.A. What's a girl to do? Etsy!

I know about Etsy through Jenni and it was backed up by Imogen Heap who posted a funny VLOG about how she got a newsletter from Etsy about "What would Imogen Heap wear?" ... so she went to Etsy to see what she would wear. That's really not as funny when I retell it.

SO I just finished about 6 hours of (procrastination) Etsy shopping.

My favorite find today was Etsy's "Alchemy" page where I can actually request to have something made! This is awesome... if I can think of something. I do, already, know that I want a knit green tomato hat. So I might ask for that.
(But, you know, a little cuter.)

And also a knit hat with devil horns. My friend was SUPPOSED to make one for me (the pattern is in the Stitch N'Bitch book and she was all into knitting for a half second)... she even gave me a Xmas card with a promise to make it. And then we went yarn shopping and we picked out a nice blue/black skein and she even started the rim.... and that is as far as that got.


Meanwhile my friend Adrea knit me a blue/black knit hat that I love! No devil horns but it works. I still want my devil horns though.... HINT HINT MIRIAM (who will probably never read this anyway.)

But here are a few awesome "interesting" and awesome Etsy items that I did NOT buy today.

Toilet Tea



Cloth Panty Liner



Shaun of the Dead throw pillow (I did buy something from this shop)



Teddy Reborn (that actually growls)


I had this in my cart but pulled it out at the last minute... I still want it though.



Travel Size Penis Pillow



Knit biology dissections



Giggle-worthy

New Blog

As if i don't have enough to maintain.. it suddenly occurred to me that I should have a blog entirely devoted to what I do at school and with the specific topic of web studentry. Actually this occurred to me a while back and I created a MySpace page entirely devoted to that but it's not versatile... thus I created a new BLOGGER blog. I don't have anything expert to say but the goal is to slip it into my resume/portfolio site and at least APPEAR to enjoy my studies. (Which I do.)

So new blog lives here: http://ravenwolfprods.blogspot.com

Gas Huffin' Bad Gals

In film school one is exposed to a variety of films. Films with historical content. Innovative films. Short films. Student films. Bad films (lots of bad films). But the two films that I remember the most are The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (still amazing) and a short film that toured with a student film festival.

Back at Emerson I was the president of a group called "Films From The Margin" and I managed all the film screening events ... which meant that I also had to attend them all and watch more and more of these random strange, independent and often boring films. This one was SUCH a joy. SO good in and amongst the other ... crap... that I just fell in love with it. From time to time I would do an internet search for it. Once I found it on a film site... but then it went away. Once I swear I found it purchasable but when I went back it was gone. I thought all was lost until I told my tale of woe to a friend the other day. One day later he e-mailed me back with a link. A YOUTUBE link! Why the hell did I never think to search YouTube??

But without further praise... I present GAS HUFFIN' BAD GALS!!

Part 1:


Part 2:


Part 3:


Part 4:

Repo! The Genetic Opera

I saw Repo! The Genetic Opera last week. I still can't decide whether or not I liked it. I *think* I did. But some of the lyrics were just sooo horrible. But then... were they so horrible that they reverted to good? Like how pugs and bulldogs are cute because they're so ugly? Someone I know once described Clea Duvall as "that ugly kind of cute." Repo is the same. It's not GENIUS like Clue. But it's not so bad it's good like Rocky Horror or Shock Treatment. Hmm... I still can't decide. Meanwhilessss.... there are 22 songs on the soundtrack so that makes the $9.99 iTunes price a deal. But then there are only a couple I like... but then maybe the others will grow on me. Like any time Paris Hilton sings... that might be catchy.

But here's the best part of the whole movie - Sarah Brightman as "Blind Mag" ... she's just the coolest character! And she's Sarah Brightman... so .. she innately rules.


CHASE THE MORNING

Twittering & Protesting

I'm gonna do a little experiment here... I finally found someone to take me to a protest and I figured I might try to do a little play by play Twittering while I'm there. (If I get there at all.) So follow this blog entry for possible interesting things.

That dang marriage thing!

Being un-politically aware and blissfully ignorant of most things - I did not actually know the following. I just knew that denying me the right of marriage was wrong. Interesting point, below, regarding Massachusetts and the rights they still do not have. My surrogate older sisters were married in Massachusetts several years ago when it first became legal. Then together they had a child. It was a joint pregnancy - one woman carried the other's egg. Both of their names appeared on the birth certificate. But then one day they decided to go on a vacation outside of the country and since their rights didn't extend outside of the state the mother that did not physically bear the child had to ADOPT her own flesh and blood son. Just IN CASE something happened on their trip. I was appalled when I heard that. It hadn't even crossed my mind that something like that would need to happen.

So please read below (which I quote from a forwarded e-mail which was cut and pasted from a blog... I don't know where the original source material is or I would cite it):

Civil unions/domestic partnership DO NOT give gay/lesbian couples the same rights as straight couples. Here are examples of some rights that are denied.

Question: What are the legal benefits of marriage?

With the denial of gay marriage, gay and lesbian couples are kept from more than just a ceremony and marriage certificate. There are many real legal and economic benefits of marriage that gays and lesbians are denied because they are not allowed to marry. What are the legal rights and benefits of marriage?

Answer: According to Lambda Legal Defense, more than 1,400 legal rights are conferred upon heterosexual married couples in the United States. By not being allowed to marry, gays and lesbians are denied these rights. Even in the state of Massachusetts, the only US state with legalized gay marriage, most of the benefits of marriage do not apply, because the Defense of Marriage Act states that the federal government only recognizes marriage as "a legal union of one man and one woman as husband and wife".

Here are some of the legal rights that married couples have and gays and lesbians are denied:

1. Joint parental rights of children
2. Joint adoption
3. Status as "next-of-kin" for hospital visits and medical decisions
4. Right to make a decision about the disposal of loved ones remains
5. Immigration and residency for partners from other countries
6. Crime victims recovery benefits
7. Domestic violence protection orders
8. Judicial protections and immunity
9. Automatic inheritance in the absence of a will
10. Public safety officers death benefits
11. Spousal veterans benefits
12. Social Security
13. Medicare
14. Joint filing of tax returns
15. Wrongful death benefits for surviving partner and children
16. Bereavement or sick leave to care for partner or children
17. Child support
18. Joint Insurance Plans
19. Tax credits including: Child tax credit, Hope and lifetime learning credits
20. Deferred Compensation for pension and IRAs
21. Estate and gift tax benefits
22. Welfare and public assistance
23. Joint housing for elderly
24. Credit protection
25. Medical care for survivors and dependents of certain veterans

These are just a few of the 1400 state and federal benefits that gays and lesbians are denied by not being able to marry. Most of these benefits cannot be privately arranged or contracted for within the legal system.

Now go on over to my blogroll at the right ----------> and click on "The Gay Marriage Thing" blog. And visit The Gay Marriage Thing movie site: http://www.thegaymarriagething.com/ I bid you to do this if you wish to know more about my surrogate sisters that I reference above.

Shout Out

As if I didn't do enough blog shout outs in the last post here are a couple more (this tides me over until Blogrolling.com gets back in business and I can add them to my list on the right --->).

1) Benjamin Hall posted a link to No Smoking in the Skull Cave for Halloween and I promptly added myself as a follower. Today I discovered that Becca (blog writer) had nicely filed my blog under her list called "These Blogs Rule!" Suhweet! Even if she never visits again (I know she did the one time) - what an honor! So here's her shout out:



2) My friend from college got herself a new blog just recently. It seems that, while I thought social networking was going to trump blogs, blogging is more popular than ever! I find myself blogging more and more back here than usual simply because it's more adaptable for the future. I'm also considering making another subblog just about my webdesign stuff (suddenly realizing that I should have been reading webdesign blogs all along). BUT THAT'S NEITHER HERE NOR THERE! The point is - read TheMACdoodle's blog here.