Megan McDonald - San Jose, CA

Blog Posts

Feb 24, 2009: MyLife looks Great!; Just a shout out to you guys...I really like the address book :) Hope you're doing well - don't know if you heard but I landed at walmart.com - helping to turn the big ship towards sustainable business practices with whiz bang information architecture ;)later, keep up the great work!Meg
Aug 07, 2008: Bad habits I wish I could stop; I would tone down my emotional responses - I think being an artist and living in hipsterdom for so long honed my skills for expressing myself but not necessarily honed them for restraint or picking the right response for the right situations.I mean haven't you noticed most plays or movies are about conflicts?? And characters that either respond intensely or have to be kicked, dragged or beaten until they respond...two extremes of introversion versus extroversion...thinkers versus feelers...intuitive types versus sensory types...judgementals versus perceptives.There's a book that proposes there are 36 plots ever. I would bet most of them involve conflicts between characters with those starkly contrasted traits.
Mar 20, 2008: What was your first job and how much did you get paid?; Dining Hall - I think 7.50 per hour. I made cookies and served food.
Feb 27, 2008: Great vacations I've taken in my life.; I think the three month trip to europe was probably it, but then again snorkeling with manatees in florida was great as were the trips to Miami/Keys.I am thinking about a trip to Hawaii next. Or Fiji and Australia. Air Tahiti Nui have some good packages. There are some four day trips for a good price to Fiji upcoming actually.In the meantime I think I'll check out my local spots on the coast, an aquarium or two...
Feb 27, 2008: Would you relocate far from your friends and family for your fantasy job?; Yes.
Feb 27, 2008: what was the most beautiful thing you've ever seen?; brittle sea stars at 75 feet in the pacific or parrot fish and coral at 20 feet in the gulf
Feb 27, 2008: Describe a place you like to go to be alone; the ocean
Feb 27, 2008: Favorite piece of Jewelry?; My green amber triangle earrings
Feb 27, 2008: What part of the supermarket do you go to first?; tee-hee...the fresh produce section then I work my way to the other side. Only it doesn't really work that way most of the time and I end up making myself tired criss-crossing back and forth from one side to the other...lol
Feb 07, 2008: How well does your current job fit your personality?; I'm getting to work on projects that support Germany and doing conference calls with co-workers in India (and Omaha). I'm very excited and the number of people with different backgrounds is really exciting. I think having grown up on military bases with people from all over the world conditioned me to feel comfortable in environments like this. I have always since I started college wanted to work for international companies and have done so in the past. The fact that it is one of the more important aspects of my 'dream job' has made me think that I should take some international business and marketing courses. My job is part analytics, part design and a big part 'small group dynamics'. These all satisfy a different part of my personality...the organized and questioning part of me, the creative and empathetic part of me as well as the team player/negotiator/peacemaker part of me. It was either that or become a reality tv decorator...ya....(ok, just joking although...in another life, who knows...)
Feb 03, 2008: What I do with my free time; This is a great question (no, this isn't one of the ones I came up with when I worked at Reunion :)Lately, having moved I have loads of free time outside of work all to myself and I have to say that I'm quite luxuriating in it, getting loads of minor things done that I normally don't attend to very well, when my social life or other things like kayaking intervene. I haven't figured out where to go kayaking yet up here but I have joined a few meetups and will in short time get out there.But the great things I've been doing with my free time lately have been watching completely un-cool old movies, like the one I saw the other day with Kirk Douglas in it called the 'Bad and the Beautiful' about Hollywood. I also have caught up on my paperwork and have lists again...it's weird but when I was in LA I stopped making lists. I do so much better overall when I make lists and get to cross things off. I know life should not be about lists alone but isn't it fascinating to think how different everyone's lists would be if we didn't preserve the concept of lists for things like 'do the laundry, go to the grocery store, pay bills...' I let myself make my lists a little more fluid or I keep 'creative lists' of things I hope to get to like finishing that first novel I started last year or writing character sketches for the new one I thought of the other morning while I was waking up.I also started an art piece about identity and how modern life has not only provided us new experiences but how it kind of fractures our experience of our own identity.A sidenote, this is the first time I've had TV in over a year and I can honestly say there is very little of quality on it still. Maybe partly because the writer's strike. But then again, that strike has given me the time to focus on the primaries this year. If it weren't so unfair to the writers, I'd lobby to have Hollywood ease back until Election Day. I have also been reading a lot. A book about Ebay, Barack Obama's autobiography, etc...And, I'm also cooking again and happy with having a kitchen and juicing and blending. I'm taking care of my health. So on that note, I'm going running and maybe for a soak in the hot tub.
Jan 18, 2008: How I Define Home; Where-ever I am
Jan 16, 2008: FREE HUGS in LA; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MONTPHr7V1w&feature=userI found this video on YouTube and absolutely loved it. It reminded me of how 'hard' LA is. After NY, I thought LA would be way more laid back but it really wasn't that much more laid back. I'm not sure what I was looking for when I went there, but I know I found it and it was inside myself, so now no matter where I go, I have it.
Jan 16, 2008: If you had to live half of the year anywhere in the world, where would it be?; Italy because they have limoncello there and because it is warm and laid back and some of my best dreams are of villas overlooking the mediterranean or on a hillside in Tuscany...I would love to live on a citrus orchard one day but it is just a dream - one that is kind of not sensible - in that I have no real agricultural experience at all.-- or Australia/NZ because it is rugged and makes me think of the australian 'dreamtime' and there is the ocean and so much to explore. I think there is a part of me that could just walk out to the wilderness one day and just explore by myself for a long time. That's just not something this modern world really affords us and as a woman, not something even the 'old world' would have afforded either.sigh...i have a bit of a wanderlust in my heart sometimes
Jan 16, 2008: Great Quote; Ebay/PayPal are great about having inspirational and entrepreneurial speakers on campus. I'm missing the one that's happening right now because I had a meeting that ran past the time I'd need to get to the site on time.But they provided a powerpoint document that the speaker will be using in his presentation and there's a great quote from this speaker/author, Bill Strickland that I wanted to post. “For me, jazz is one of the most powerful metaphors I have ever found for living an extraordinary life. Jazz isn ’t just the music, it ’s the feeling the music gives you. That feeling is the result of an ability to recognize potential in simple things and ordinary situations; then, through improvisation, conviction and skill, turn that potential into something remarkable. Jazz is a state of mind in which possibilities for innovation and discovery are revealed to you, and you are able to tap into deep reserves of commitment and passion.” —BILL STRICKLAND
Jan 08, 2008: Countries I've Lived In; 3: America, Germany & France
Jan 06, 2008: Did you grow up an army brat?; Everyone called my dad 'Big Mac' and he was an e-8 by the time he retired - Master Sergeant or something like that.We lived in 6 or 7 different places before I went to college, including germany and because of growing up as an army brat, I am really comfortable around different cultures and with a mixed group of people. I also have a deep appreciation for culture and travel and history. (we stopped at every historical marker on our road trips). I'm also good at goodbyes, but then again, often feel as if the connections i have with people are flimsy though they often are not. It's just a fear I guess. The real and true friends I've had along the way are still with me and talk to them and see them regularly despite distances.The other thing about growing up Army esp. as a girl, is that my dad could put the fear of 'god' into boys. When I was 16 my dad was a teacher on post and basically warned all this GI students to stay away from me and my sister that we were 'offlimits' and thank goodness. I saw too many of my girlfriends get pregnant at a young age and if they were lucky, married to the GI, following him around the world, never improving their own lives really. It's hard to be a military wife and get to do things like go to school when you live on bases that are often not near colleges. I'ts hard to do that while you have kids too. I saw my mother struggle to finish her degrees throughout my entire childhood. It took her until I was 17 to graduate from undergraduate. But then look how far she went by getting her PHD. Very proud of her.
Jan 06, 2008: My Biggest Problem in Junior High; ah...fond memories of getting pushed around by various chola gang girls and the older boys in the neighborhood trying to cop feels off me at the school bus stop. A 35 year old drug addicted pedaphile trying to break into our house with a butcher knife. My father being away for an army school for 3 months then another year in Korea on the 38th Parallel while my mom was suffering from Kidney stones. uh, yay, 8th/9th grade pretty much sucked...I still managed to get straight A's - no idea how though. 10th grade was boring comparatively.
Jan 02, 2008: My Dream Car; alfa romeo
Dec 20, 2007: What's the most challenging thing about relationships?; Jealousy I think is one of the most challenging aspects of relationships or getting into a relationship. I do sometimes feel jealous but try to just observe how I feel and respond in a positive, mature way. I believe jealousy can be good as an indicator for one's self of an imbalance in a relationship, sometimes the first indication that I have feelings for someone. But it can often be a barrier to any kind of relationship, romantic or friendship...if one reacts to that jealousy. I find that people who are overly jealous, often blame the object of their jealousy for the jealousy. And I also find that it is because the jealous person has a difficult time expressing their affections positively. Jealousy, control or possessiveness are sort of a crutch for someone who has a hard time with the vulnerability that goes with saying to someone 'I like you' or 'I love you' or 'I need you'.There are a lot of ways that I've seen people react to jealousy: competition, blame, anger, violence, verbal abuse, withholding affection, breakups, etc. Sometimes the jealous person is justified in a breakup if the other person is going outside the relationship in a way that breaks preconceived boundaries or agreements between the two people. But often, the person who is the object of the jealousy is clueless and not participating in behavior that would be considered a betrayal of any kind. It's merely the fear of loss or betrayal on the jealous person's behalf that causes the set of emotions in the first place. And fear is something we individually have to deal with. Reassurance is fine I think as long as it doesn't dissolve into endless circular unresolved co-dependence.I think until one learns to deal with jealousy, it's difficult to be in a relationship that is by majority, positive, happy or somewhat smooth.I guess to there are many things that can make a person jealous or insecure. Maybe, the other person's attention being pulled towards responsibilities or problem solving, etc...if the jealous person is a very attention seeking personality. I've heard that sometimes couples who have babies have problems with jealousy over which parent a child might favor. There are all kinds of ways to get jealous or insecure, I suppose.At the end of the day, it just ain't easy being 'green'...we could all take a lesson from kermy and miss piggy.
Dec 20, 2007: My First Date; Ha Ha...I had to think about this one for a second. I'm a little fuzzy. I think I went to a dance with a boy in the 9th grade but then again I think it was just a group thing. So my first official real date must have been the homecoming dance with Larry Corrales' brother. Please forgive me (Larry), I can't remember his name anymore.My second official date then would have been with Timothy Laughy, the soccer stud... ;) I had quite a few dates with him but then after we broke up, and then I started dating that guy from the University (the punk rocker John Ricketson). That was really it for me in high school.anyhoo...I still have a photo of me and Larry's brother that my parents took. How awkward I was back then. And I was the 'new girl' that year since we'd just moved.
Dec 12, 2007: My Biggest Regret; Things I can't control in life: that my dad got sick with MS.Things I can control in my life: that I get in my own way sometimes.
Dec 11, 2007: 'True' Meaning of 'Discipline'; So recently I've been taking a look at my life and trying to figure out how I can improve it. I got some feedback, too, from a couple people and one person said I could use some more 'discipline' in my life. That word got me kind of stuck. The first images that came to mind were the army greens my dad wore when I was a kid and all the men running PT by our house every morning. It also reminded me of a 'bad' word called 'structure'. But after looking up 'discipline' in the dictionary, I realized the two words are really very different. Discipline has less to do with a rote structure or routine than it does with a state of mind, one that lends itself to 'learning'. It is after all related to 'disciple', which really made me start thinking. It made me realize that discipline itself doesn't really come from imposing a structure onto myself but from inside myself, a genuine curiosity to learn certain kinds of things. At work, the 'discipline' that I am learning is important to me as a professional and for my future as a person in terms of opportunities for growth within the organization I work for. In my personal life, I see some room for improvement in the areas of finance and health. I think I am bored at the gym often and the artificiality of my workouts feels pretty un-stimulating. I don't want to become a trainer myself. I do think there are many ways I could get exercise though and in the summers the kayaking is a great way for me to do that. But I'm in the off-season now and relegated to the gym because I'm such a pansy I don't like going running under 60 degrees (yeesh, I can't believe I used to run in NYC at 30-40 degrees!).But I like dance and I think I should sign up for some classes in it to learn it better. I actually looove dance, but have had little chance to learn it in the recent past. I also think I'd like to learn a fourth language and I pick Italian. This is where I start to get stuck again though, because I have so many interests I spread myself too thin and don't take care of the important stuff.So in order of priority, here are my disciplines:1. health - eating, exercising, sleeping, grooming2. work - learning, communicating, thinking, doing3. finance - learning budgeting, analyzing, finding new ways to save4. romantic/social - attracting, relating, accepting, thinking, loving, appreciating5. culture - italian, travel, reading, experiencing, cookingAnyways, I think that's a good life and a lot of learning to do. And that's pretty much discipline. It takes a little more will power to get going in certain of these areas than others for me.
Dec 11, 2007: My Last Meal on Earth; Pizza and root beer floats. Or my dad's enchiladas.
Dec 11, 2007: Marshmallows & Dogs Over an Open Fire; Of course I have! Who hasn't? I've roasted all kinds of things over an open fire...my mom used to drag all her cast iron with us on camping trips and make Indian FryBread for breakfast, Irish Stew, etc. I myself am the gourmet pizza mistress on camping trips. I have to say I've never tasted a better pizza than the ones I've cooked over an open fire in cast ironware.
Dec 08, 2007: Childhood New Year's Resolutions; I remember one year I promised God I'd be better in school if he could make it so my grandmother could come visit us in Texas (she lived in Northern Michigan) at the end of the semester in 6th grade.
Dec 05, 2007: Me & Ice Skating; Yeeeeessss...I looooooove ice skating! My dad taught me how when I was a kid in Michigan...it was so beautiful every time we'd go which would usually be late at night after he got out of work, the way I remember it.And I ice skated in NYC at Chelsea Piers a couple times at their sky rink which looks out over the Hudson River towards Jersey. It's so pretty...and fun and exhilirating.
Nov 29, 2007: Me and Competitiveness; Mostly with myself. I find competitiveness with other people is tricky. If it's understood that it's all in good fun and in the name of progress, then it's fine. But if that's not clear to all participants, things can be taken personally or misconstrued.I'm just as willing to sit back and be the last picked in softball as I am to take the lead and anything in between.So, I guess no in the traditional ways. But I am though highly motivated and passionate. I'm just not the type of person to gauge my progress against others' as often as I do against my own personal set of goals.
Nov 25, 2007: Running away from home; Yes. In germany. On the day we left to go back to the states. I ran away from home in the morning, I guess to avoid leaving. I ended up going to a german kindergarten and pretending I was 5 and german. They believed me up until the end of the half-day when it was time for everyone to leave and I didn't want to leave. Then it took till around 3pm to figure out whose kid I was. My parents were frantic, looking for me all day long.I think this is why my parents were strict with me as a teenager and insisted on curfews and check-ins. I think since I was 3 they were probably always afraid in the back of their minds that I'd just leave one day without telling them. I think they are still afraid of that sometimes. When I went to Europe for three months, it was a really difficult thing for my Mother to swallow. Anyways, having your child run away when they're 3 years old on the day you're supposed to take an International flight must have been pretty scary.
Nov 25, 2007: Annoyances; self-obsession. It annoys me when I do it, it annoys me when other people do it. It just generally annoys me. Especially when people are self-obsessed enough to mistake their own agendas for others without asking questions first. Ya, projection, a natural extension of self-obsession, pretty much sucks. But we all do it and a lot of navigating through life is navigating through projections made by people who are, for the time being, acting from self-obsessed beliefs.
Nov 25, 2007: My Favorite Place on the Playground; Hmm...either the swings or the baseball diamond. But honestly playgrounds got old after a couple years and then I started marking tree forts in the woods out behind my gramma's house. Now making tree forts (or even snow forts in the winter) that is a goal worth having as a kid...those suckers are difficult, involve a lot of creativity and a heck of a lot of fun all the way through to the end.
Nov 23, 2007: Fave Childhood TV Show; Dukes of Hazzard and that cliffhanger adventure show...gotta love cliffhangers... :)
Nov 21, 2007: Art Geek Quote...; When you can't see the Seurat for the pointilism, step back and look at the big picture. tee-hee...I actually made this one up...oh and I made the last one up too.
Nov 21, 2007: Best Quote Ever; My Heart is not a game piece on your monopoly board...dammit!
Nov 21, 2007: My Parent's Marriage; My parents have a pretty good marriage. They met in High School and apparently he was quite a jerk to date for a couple years in high school, so they broke up and got back together a few times. My Dad is quite a guy. Yes, he used to sell condoms in high school. He worked at a pharmacy so he'd buy the condoms at wholesale and then resell them to kids in high school for more money. Quite the business sense that one had.My mom was a pretty artsy chic so it's really hard to see how this duo really got together, but high school forms some crazy bonds.Anyways, mom says as long as they don't do things like work on the car together, they're fine. She says he is far too much of a jerk when he works on the car for their marriage to survive that. LOL. A wise lesson to learn that there are some things people should not do together, like work together or play board games together or the relationship suffers.Sigh. Ya, the two of them bicker quite a bit but they also cuddle and watch tv together and they're as cute as they can be, I'll say. And they both embrace and put up with each other's differences. They've managed to live in the same house for most of the last 37 years so I guess they're doing pretty damn good compared to the average stats in this country...60% divorces means most people are not embracing and tolerating the way my parents do. I have no idea what the other one will do without the other when the time comes.
Nov 20, 2007: Communication in a Relationship; NO
Nov 15, 2007: States I've Lived In; Nine plus Germany and France so maybe 11?
Nov 14, 2007: Falling in Love; Eat together but not of the same plate.Stand together but not too far apart or too near.For the pillars of the temple stand apart.And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow.Give your hearts but not into each other's keeping.For only the hand of life can contain your hearts.Be together but don't make your whole lives part of each other's lives.
Nov 14, 2007: How Much I First Paid for a Candy Bar; 25 cents. I remember too we found a Hershey bar wrapper for 5 cents when we remodeled an old Victorian house we lived in when in Michigan (during the time we were out of the military briefly when I was in grade school).
Nov 13, 2007: Saw the Best Bumper Sticker Ever Today; If you act like a sheep, the wolves will eat you.
Nov 13, 2007: My Worst Childhood Dream; Well it had to be one of two dreams I had as a kid. #1 - I was asleep - with the Chicken Pox, I might add, in my little footsie 'jammies. I woke up in the middle of the night (which I still do at times) but I was half asleep and half awake and dreamt that one of my toys was possessed by the devil. It was a little like alphabet toolbox that has a magnetized board on the front so you can spell out words and apparently I thought it was glowing red and writing weird words on it. Ya, totally nuts. I think I was about 6 years old.#2 - My parents let us kids stay up late and even though I was totally tired I kept myself awake so I could have fun and then when my dad laid me on my bed and walked away, a few seconds later I sat bolt upright in bed and screamed because I thought I saw one of those wooden artist models dancing around in front of me. And it really scared me too. I think I was about 7 years old.I always have had really lucid vivid dreams
Nov 11, 2007: How I describe myself; Feisty, Confident, Smart, Sassy, Quick, Clever, Witty, Sweet, Helpful, Collaborative, Brave, Persistent, Cheerful, Dramatic, Attractive, Bratty, Sometimes Reticent, 'High Maintenance', Adaptable, Sometimes Stubborn, Sometimes Open Minded, Selfish, Selfless, Sharing, Warm, Sensual, Hopeful, Positive, Active, Hyper, Outdoorsy
Nov 11, 2007: Stupid Mistakes While Under the Influence; LOL - maybe something I did this weekend. Hmm...
Nov 09, 2007: Khalil Gibran's Poetry makes sense to me...; excerpt from 'The Prophet'On Marriage, from The PROPHET, by Kahlil Gibran When Almitra spoke again and said, "And what of Marriage, master?" And he answered saying: You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore. You shall be together when white wings of death scatter your days. Aye, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God. But let there be spaces in your togetherness, And let the winds of the heavens dance between you. Love one another but make not a bond of love: Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls. Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup. Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf. Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone, Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music. Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping. For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts. And stand together, yet not too near together: For the pillars of the temple stand apart, And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow.
Nov 09, 2007: Unusual personality; Yes, I do have an unusual personality. I'm complex. I think in a very psychological way, somewhat analytical but tempered with a very warm and kind heart. It basically comes across to people who don't know me well as kind of 'neurotic'. Sigh. I know this about myself. I'm actually a really reliable and rock-steady person. I am sometimes too much of an 'open book' and will get frustrated when I come to a stopping point with no immediate answer. If I remember to stop and breathe and think, then I can get past the obstacle. Basically if I were a rat in a maze, my tendency might be to get trapped in the maze. Unless I'm really aware I'm in a maze, then I compensate for my innate personality quirks.
Nov 09, 2007: My Favorite Summertime Memory; Riding my green banana bicycle from our old house in Michigan down to the beach with my best friend at the time (Melinda) - I had even put food and a blanket into my basket. But I was sneaking because my mother didn't let me go that far on my own usually. I think one of my older cousins saw me but I'm not really sure she ever told on me or not.But that combination of a sense of freedom, adventure and the beauty of the day is the most mentally and emotionally seductive memory of my life. There are others very similar but that one is one that I like to savor when I feel too static.
Nov 08, 2007: Britain Gains Awesome ex-pat, US loses bigtime; My friend Blayze has to fly back to the UK today, much against her wishes. She lost her Visa and was told she had 30 days to leave the country. She's had to get rid of everything and say goodbye last night to the friends she's made over the past 2 years.I'm really sad today. My heart is aching a bit over missing her already. She's really one of the lovliest people I know. I hate that she has to go.
Nov 08, 2007: The first book I read; A Golden Treasury of Fairy Tales or something like that. My mom still has it.
Nov 08, 2007: Who Took My Profile Picture; Li Li!!!
Nov 07, 2007: When a Dog Bit Me; Yes. When I was about 9. By a boxer. She was inside the house and I was playing with her puppies outside. She got out and lunged at me. I dropped the pup and stood up straight - she grabbed the inside of my left arm and I still have a scar there of two little bite marks.:)
Nov 06, 2007: Great Quote; STAY HUNGRY. STAY FOOLISH.
Nov 06, 2007: How I Know I'm Ready for Commitment; When I'm done sorting through the bullshit. When I know in my heart what I want out of a situation and when I am willing to do it no matter what anyone says or thinks. When I'm not afraid of known results/consequences."This is the true joy in life- that being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one. That being a force of nature, instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die. For the harder I work the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle to me. It's a sort of splendid torch which I've got to hold up for the moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations." -- George Bernard Shaw
Nov 05, 2007: Curfew Concequences; Um, yes, once. See, where I grew up on Army bases, there was always a curfew every night. 10pm or the MPs would haul you over to your parents' house. And believe me, MPs are scary huge marine-like guys. Funny the most annoying kid in high school is now an MP at some base in Arizona.So anyways, one night I was camping out at a girl's house who lived just behind Officers' Row and we decided to sneak out with a really cute boy over to the pool and even though we all talked about sneaking inside the pool to go swimming, we didn't and we snuck back to the tent without getting caught.
Nov 01, 2007: The Most Daring, Scary Thing I've Ever Done; Hmmm. Maybe SCUBA diving with the sea lions off Santa Barbara Island. Maybe kayaking in the Hudson River. Maybe taking off on my own to backpack around Europe. I'm sure there are a few other things.
Oct 30, 2007: My favorite new cartoon; Lucy, the Daughter of the Devil.I think it's on cartoon network - I downloaded from iTunes though. and of course most of the episodes are on youtube.you gotta see it - sooo funny. i mean if you like sacriligeous dirty-smart humor
Oct 30, 2007: My Fave Fast-Food Burger; Jack in ze box cuz it tastes very yummy
Oct 26, 2007: Online Dating and Me; Yes, recently. Good results.
Oct 26, 2007: The Most Romantic Thing Anyone's Done for Me; one boy wrote a song about me.One stole flowers from the church outside the library to give to me spontaneously.2 dozen roses on my birthday.it's the little unexpected things that are often most romantic.holding hands, sitting close together, looking at each other knowingly.
Oct 24, 2007: What I'd Do Differently; I would have been more open-minded and perspicacious.
Oct 22, 2007: 3 Things I'd Take Along; (aside from the clothes on my back which I'm assuming I could select)- My Laptop/External Harddrive- My bikes- A jackknife
Oct 20, 2007: My Fave Movie Treat; popcorn with loads of deliciously unhealthy butter. best eaten simultaneously with chocolate covered raisins, for the salty sweet effect.
Oct 19, 2007: Written on My Tombstone; "She Was a Hell of a Gal"ok, seriously??? morbid question but if I had to answer it I'd put this poem on itThe Eagle He clasps the crag with crooked hands; Close to the sun in lonely lands, Ringed with the azure world, he stands. The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls; He watches from his mountain walls, And like a thunderbolt he falls. Alfred, Lord Tennyson, 1851
Oct 18, 2007: What I'd Change About My Body; I love everything about my body. But since I'm answering this question, I guess just to lose the rest of the weight I put on a few years back.
Oct 16, 2007: Sweet, Salty, Spicy -- What I prefer; I am sweet and salty and spicy...wait, that's not the question you're asking???
Oct 16, 2007: The Era I Was Truly Meant to Live In; I have a feeling I already answered this but since it's the Question of the Day and I can't remember what I wrote the first time, I'll give it another go.I think aside from Time there is a geographic angle to this...for example 16th century Ireland was very different from 16th century America.So...I think probably 10th century Ireland or Renaissance Italy or 1800s in Australia.Or America before the 'white man' or Africa during the 20s or Los Angeles in the 60shmm...meaty questionis the future an ok answer too? Cuz I have a feeling I'd like to belong to the future more than the past.
Oct 16, 2007: Last Compliment You Received; That my voice is really cute.
Oct 15, 2007: Would I Change My Name .. And to What?; Stella James
Oct 14, 2007: Latest Movie/TV Shows; OK, so my latest favorite animated TV Series is "Lucy, the Daughter of the Devil" - effing funny shitethe latest movie I saw that was awesome is 'Lars & the Real Girl' - just so well done - such a beautiful storyline and it's like the director picked up your heart in his hand and just cradled it and rocked you back and forth until that final wonderful simple moment like falling asleep like a baby.it was wonderful and taught me so much about relationships and the difficulty some of us find in getting back into them, the pains and fears that keep us stuck at times and how isolating life can feel when we are not able to be open to love.It was just an effing good movie. Love is hard. And sometimes the only way we can access it is to substitute something not quite so real for the real thing in order to hopefully go through some of the experiences that can teach us about ourself until we are ready to let the substitutes go and just hold the hand of the real thing.
Oct 14, 2007: Are you always terminally late or always on time?; Usually on time but I go through phases where I'm always late. Usually when I'm going through a lot of internal change and I'm out of touch a bit with externalities. When I studied abroad in Ireland I saw a clock there that had an 'ish' after every number on the clock - the friends I was with were Irish and they told me it was 'Irish Time' LOL and that's how it gets sometimes.
Oct 14, 2007: What I'd Change About My Body; I would lose about 30 pounds off my @ss and hips and thighs. Ya, definitely that. I really have no complaints about my body otherwise. Honestly. Love my hair, my face, my lips, my shape, never thought about getting fake boobs. I love my legs when I am less heavy - when you can actually see their shape :) LOL Got no problems with shape of my trunk, just the extra junk. Love my back, my neck, my feet and toes too :) wow, love everything about my body really. I'm happy with moi :)
Oct 14, 2007: What I'm Proud I Did Today; I confronted a guy I broke up with a year ago who was mad at me today, enough to try to ignore me - but won't tell me why he's doing this again. I'd rather not blog about the nature of the conversation. It was definitely amicable enough, well cold actually on his part but also definitive. Thank goodness...he finally took a stand one way or the other :0 sigh. dating. they should just call it something like 'confus-ating' or something.anyways, I'm proud I didn't just let him get away with hurting my feelings like that.
Oct 14, 2007: What is your favorite thing about yourself?; That I'm fun and light hearted and completely present. I know that's three things. But I think they are all kind of related to each other, integrated in fact ;)
Oct 14, 2007: Me, a Die-Hard Romantic?; Absolutely. I have high expectations. Actually I have a range of expectations from very low ones to high ones and a lot of people can meet the lower ones. It's the ones that meet the higher ones that touch me most romantically. Old school crap usually gets me like taking walks and spontaneously picking wildflowers to give to me is usually the best way to make me smile. I think cuddling at the movies or at a library or well anywhere can be really romantic.And just reaching out and grabbing my hand is a sure winner too.I mean maybe I should be saying 'flowers, chocolates and sweep me off my feet' but honestly the whole sweeping off my feet kind of scares me if it happens too fast. It's the little things that matter most.I like being hugged and nestling my face into the shoulder of a date the most. I love walking down the street with my man's arm around my shoulder. Everything around me looks romantic in those moments, no matter what time of day or year. There are a zillion more romantic moments that I cherish but they're very hard to enumerate since they're so in the moment and personal. Ya, I'm romantic and love the feeling of being in love. I think also napping in the Hudson Park or Central Park on a blanket is one of the bestest romantic things to do in NYC. I haven't decided if there's something like that in LA, mostly because there are a lot of homeless people in the parks here. Kind of puts a damper on it.
Oct 14, 2007: Time or Money?; as long as time is fixed at present day, then mo' moneymo' time than I have now? without the money, it won't enable me to do the things I want to do with my life. besides I love working. when I freelanced I had a great time, worked only part-time for a relatively full time income and I got pretty bored and ended up coming back to full time work in order to accomplish something more interesting and meaningful.
Oct 13, 2007: Best Movie I've Seen Lately; I just saw Lars & the Real Girl and it was a phenom movie. It reached right into your heart and cradled it in the palm of its hand, periodically dropping you a few inches only to catch it again and lift it back up. It was pain wrapped in a ball of cotton. And it felt good to examine how fear can affect our experiences in life and vice versae.I think carla fiorini said that she is captivated by the people who reach those very dark places and how they crawl back up and out of them. I paraphrase a bit, but the gist is how do we get back up after we fall/fail. Failure modes happen. They are a part of life and the more we fail and get back up, the better we get at it.I like what someone said recently about how our goal is not to get through with perfect marks but just to get through to the other end of the project. Letting go of perfectionism feels awkward sometimes, but the payoff is that I do a much better job. Funny how that works.
Oct 11, 2007: Do you have a favorite scent?; Yes, clinique Happy because it is so fresh and citrus-y smelling. MMMMM...I love the smell of citrus so much sometimes I put a whole bunch of fresh lemons and oranges into a bowl in my apartment and just smell them whenever I pass by.
Oct 11, 2007: Who I Last Got Angry With; No Comment :) LOL
Oct 10, 2007: Three favorite Romantic Songs; Hallelujah as covered by Jeff BuckleyYou Give Me Fever by Peggy LeeReunion by Stars
Oct 10, 2007: My Dream Birthday Cake; oh my, what a great question...German Chocolate Cake is my favorite, but a dream birthday cake would be a triple layer red velvet or chocolate cake with fudge frosting in a lattice work pattern with little flowers all over it. Something cute.
Oct 10, 2007: My Last Lame Excuse; Honestly, I can't remember. I don't normally make lame excuses. I think I've done that maybe a handful of times in my life when I was overwhelmed and felt like I couldn't say the truth. Like a deer in headlights. But even then, mostly I stumble around until I say what I need to say.
Oct 09, 2007: The Latest I've Ever Slept In; um, 3pm - I think I got back at 8am from an all night party in Brooklyn at an arts building...followed by breakfast at some seedy place in Chinatown with my friends from www.thewaterbughotel.com
Oct 08, 2007: The Era I Was Truly Meant to Live In; Yes, totally. I think maybe Pagan Ireland or France. So around 600 AD maybe. Roman times also strike a chord with me. And pre-Roman occupied Egypt. I'll explain why later. I'm really tired right now and should be asleep.
Oct 08, 2007: Me, a Die-Hard Romantic?; Yes.
Oct 08, 2007: How can you tell you're in love?; It feels so good you think it'll never end, then it does and it hurts.
Oct 08, 2007: What songs make you cry no matter what you're doing?; Jeff Buckley's cover of Hallelujah, Eclipse of the Heart, GeorgiaIce Ice baby...oh ya but for a totally different reason
Oct 08, 2007: What's my favorite way to listen to music? Car? Concert? At home? Exercising?; Rock Music, sometimes Etta James or other classic. anything new.
Oct 08, 2007: Things that I love; Big Purple Lilac BushesYellow/Orange Calla LiliesButtercups and DaisiesCupcakes with yellow butter cream frostingMeat Pies (yummy, thank god for the brits)Perfect SundressesSunshine right after the RainCreamy blue skies with dabs of cloudsMixing Yellow and OrangeMixing Blue and GreenLaying out on a boat deckfloating in the oceanriding my bike down hillsriding my bike in a skirtFarmers' marketsSmall sea-side villages (like Marble Head or Manchester-by-the-Sea)My grandmother's canned plumsCherry PieFresh whipped creamBlue/Black/Straw/Rasp-berries in the middle of summer picked freshDirt roads that lead to nowhere/everywhereOld Beat-up Red Ford trucksPlatform shoesFresh linenWillow treesKissing in the shade of a willow tree on a blanket in the summer afternoon.BreezesHolding Hands
Oct 08, 2007: Next Vacation Ideas; sigh, this is truly dreaming as I have too many expenses right now and xmas upcoming but...the following is a list of places I'd like to go in the near future, short weekenders.1. San Frandisco to visit my friend Jess who moved up there recently2. NYC to visit friends I am (way) overdue to visit3. Hawaii - ok, that would take a week but I really really want to go soon4. Vegas - going for xmas for sure but kind of miss my family and wanted to see them sooner than later :<
Oct 08, 2007: What I Should Do Daily and Don't; make my bed (amongst other things) - when I live alone I can be incredibly lazy. When I have roommates I tend to be way more neat than that.
Oct 07, 2007: Do you prefer motorcycles or cars?; Motorcycles - hmmm, yes I'm totally going to start saving for a motorcycle or maybe a Vespa. Either way, it's hot.
Oct 07, 2007: From my MySpace Blog about 'My Heart'; ok, kind of poetic - which is what my MySpace friends are used to from me, but this is kind of sort of more a work profile, so please just be warned, it's a bit more of my artsy-fartsy side coming out here than you're used to. Plus please keep in mind my mother IS a poet...I write also, but again that's something I don't talk so much about at work. Here goes...My heart, romantically speaking...I'm listening to my heart right now and it's not easy. Because my heart isn't rational. It defies my rules that I set up. It defies other people's rules. It does not follow a straight line. It grows in ways I do not predict. It betrays my protective mind. It teaches my arrogant mind. It causes great pain to my ego and frustration to my will. It defies the forcefulness of passion and leads with patience. The road is not easy, it is the roughest of pavement. It is the water that wears the stone down. There is often friction against it like sandpaper. The friction polishes my heart and softens the paper.
Oct 07, 2007: GREAT QUOTE from my CONSUMER MARKETING CLASS; A man is least himself when he talks in his own person; when he is given a mask he will tell the truth. - Oscar WildeWhy does this quote ring so true to me? It reminds me of Halloween a bit first. It encourages us to put on masks or personaes that we normally don't but that we secretly wish we were or parts of us that just don't get expressed as often as we want. I'm not telling what my costume is this year but it's good and totally involves masking.The second way this quote hits me is that I think of myself as the kind of person who is so often in the 'raw' and without masks, almost too much so at times. I am so openly myself so often and so direct. I can end up being kind of vulnerable. I'm not sure that's really bad but I know it's awkward sometimes. Third, because I think I'm not wearing a mask, I also think that I know exactly what I want most of the time. But often, I am just overly confident and that is actually a mask I suppose...hmm, darn I argued myself right out of this one. In reality, though, I am not always as confident or sure of my choices or self. I actually suffer from a lot of indecision at times, which I really don't like about myself. Or maybe I'm just a little too hard on myself to think I should always know what I want. It's a bad habit to pick up, always knowing. It's not even really true. Many times I've been surprised by some development that came around the corner and smacked me in the forehead that was not something I foresaw as something I'd want in my life. And many things I've wanted are just plain not really right for me, or highly inconvenient.One of the 'reveals' people give away is when they talk about someone else and their attitudes about someone else's choices. An example from the marketing book (chapter on exploratory techniques specifically projective techniques) involves a luxury car manufacturer asking a participant a series of questions. When ask directy if that participant wanted a Brand X for herself, she responded with acquiescent, pleasing responses about quality etc., but when asked about her neighbors Brand X car, responded 'oh those status seekers'. One can project, though it is a bit of a leap, that the person really sees Brand X as a high status brand with somewhat negative overtones. I don't know I'm still thinking about the impact of that in our user situations with our product. I would love to see this technique used in a focus group specifically involving social networking platforms just to see how this really works.
Oct 07, 2007: Whether I Hold Grudges; Life is too short to hold grudges. Just move on. Most problems end up working out after some time and perspective. If not, the friendship or association wasn't meant to be. With the important people, at least in my life, we always find our ways back to each other and let each other know how much we appreciate being in each others lives. That goes for family, friends and co-workers alike. Geesh, we wouldn't be friends if we didn't argue at least a little right!!?!
Oct 05, 2007: My Favorite Meat; Seafood - specifically shrimp, crab, scallops, oysters, trout, salmon. As for regular land-based meat, I think it's occasional for me, but I love a nice steak. I normally eat chicken but mostly because of the way it's prepared or that it's healthier than red meat for everyday eating.
Oct 04, 2007: My Beverage Indulgence; @ 'Le Petit Gamin' in New York City on 8th and 19th (if I remember right) there is a wonderful little cafe with a very warm little drink called 'grog' LOVE IT and miss my outings there with my friend Abigail (who moved to Seattle) and my GALlery Gals groups on wintery saturday afternoons. :<anything else? hmm, chocolat chaud from the Belgian place down the street - it's utterly divine and the most like the hot chocolates I ordered all over Europe when I stayed over there last.
Oct 02, 2007: What are your top 3 flavors of ice cream?; Peanut Butter-Chocolate, Lemon Sorbetto (or any gellati whatsoever), Pumpkin
Oct 01, 2007: My Fave Sweet; Pecan Pralines because they are a bunch of sugary goodness wrapped around my favorite nuts. And they usually taste pretty salty too because of all the butter - yikes that's a heart attack waiting to happen eh?
Sep 29, 2007: What My Parents Are Proudest of Me Doing; Got straight A's all through high school, got accepted and offered a scholarship to go to a prestigious college.My mother has also told me that she's extremely impressed by me when I moved to New York City. The first time she visited me, she told me that she was really blown away by my ability to navigate the subways and get around and make friends all on my own. My parents have rarely had to tell me they were disappointed in me, probably something they are glad about. And we try not to focus on the few times we've had to have that conversation. Sometimes they're just protective too. And sometimes they're right, and other times they just need a little time to see the benefits of a certain decision I make, like when I went to Europe for three months. Boy, did they freak over that but in the end my mom was also pretty impressed by how I handled that. My dad actually probably is less protective - I take after him with my risk taking. On the other hand, I also take after my mom in my planning abilities. I think she gets afraid I'm just like my dad and will take risks without thinking. But I'm actually all about calculated risks. Sometimes I fail, many times I don't and the payoff can be really good in those cases. I think some of my confidence comes from that, although a lot of it is just inborn or maybe because I'm an Aries :) LOL.My parents have rarely constrained me with their ideas for success, but have only asked me that I live my life the way I choose to and to give everything my very best. They probably would like to see me in a good relationship at this time, but more because I think they can tell it would make me happy. I have pretty great parents.
Sep 28, 2007: Did you grow up an army brat?; Yessiree and boy was that weird...and good and different. People often have a hard time pinpointing my background and my accent. My accent is also affected by the study abroad I did in college and business experiences I had at Reuters when I sometimes had to speak some form of horribly pidgin french to communicate with my coworkers from there.
Sep 28, 2007: What's your favorite brand of clothing?; Chinese Laundry - really sleek simple stylish designs.
Sep 28, 2007: If you went to college, tell us which college you went to and why you chose that college?; Cornell University - because I got in early decision, they paid for my tuition every year and it was in the middle of nature with lots of hiking and had an outdoors center.
Sep 28, 2007: What's your favorite day of the week? Why?; Tuesday because it's not Monday and it's a nice cozy day to crawl up under my covers and listen to music and get an early night's sleep or watch a movie or talk to an old friend.
Sep 28, 2007: What I'm Proud I Did Today; Work related: I helped the team I'm on collaborate to finish more of a project than we anticipated finishing up by using my organizational skills.Non-work related: I celebrated the fact that I've lost some weight by wearing a dress I was embarrassed to wear before I lost the weight. I want to lose a bit more weight, but working on it.
Sep 27, 2007: If there was one thing you could teach people about love, what would it be?; To be positive, that negativity only breeds what you focus on.
Sep 27, 2007: What's the best way to end a first date?; by setting up a second one
Sep 27, 2007: Who'd I Like to Be in History; Cleopatra - because she ruled all of Egypt and she was powerfulAnne Bonnie - because she was a pirate and had immense freedom for a woman in that time.Lauren Bacall - because she is the essence of cool and controlled feminine power - she is the ultimate woman in my opinion.Rachel Carson - because she is adventurous and landmarked women in marine biologyVeronica Franco - because who would not want to be a concubine in medieval Venice, fall in love and win over the Inquistion?Sean Connery - because he got to play James Bond Jaques Cousteau - because he was a highly adventurous person in marine biology and he spent so many days of his life out on the ocean which is what I dream of sometimesErnest Hemingway - because he was a hella lot of fun though I'd like to skip his latter years when he became depressed and killed himself.Peter Beard - because he was really adventurous and a photographer and travelled to many places *and one of my 95-year old friends made a movie with him in it when he was young and I would have liked to have known my friend when he was my age.
Sep 25, 2007: Sweet, Salty, Spicy -- What I prefer; salty like sunchips or tarot chips.but even better sweet and salty is my favorite - like saltwater taffy or chocolate covered pretzels or honey roasted pecans or the absolute best is some kind of yummy bread like buttermilk biscuits or sourdough bread with salty butter and some honey drizzled over it. definitely not for everyday consumption but a great treat when in the mood.
Sep 25, 2007: An Item I Covet That a Friend Has; an iPhone...
Sep 23, 2007: The Most Important Lesson I've Learned; Mostly that life is a series of conversations that change the people and eventually the situation.
Sep 21, 2007: What languages do you speak? If none, what other languages would you like to learn?; French, a tiny bit of spanish. I would love to learn Italian and am interested in Chinese languages.
Sep 21, 2007: What the one item in your kitchen that would best describe your personality?; Martini Glasses
Sep 20, 2007: The Deadly Sin I'm Least Prone To; probably wrath or pride
Sep 19, 2007: The Deadly Sin I'm Most Prone To; Gluttony
Sep 13, 2007: What I'd Eat Exclusively If I Could; CHEESE, or rather gourmet pizzas with exotic cheeses on them...
Sep 07, 2007: What's the best advice your father gave you?; IN REGARD TO BOYS: "If you leave food on the porch, dogs will just keep coming back."IN REGARD TO LIFE: "Nothing in this world can take the place of perseverance. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of education derelicts. Perseverance and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'press on' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race." - Calvin Coolidge, thirtieth President of the United States (1923-1929)
Sep 07, 2007: Who was your first boy/girlfriend?; 10th grade: Tim Laughy - soccer champ. 11th and 12th grade: John Ricketson, punk rock musician.
Sep 06, 2007: What kind of car do you drive? What color is it?; Blue Santa Fe by Hyundai
Sep 06, 2007: If you had 1 million dollars to spend in 5 days, but you could not spend it on yourself, what would you do with it?; Pay off my mom and my sister's house loans, pay for my brother's school loans, put some investments in my neices' and nephews' names, buy either a cabin in the mountains or a house at the beach for them to vacation at.
Sep 05, 2007: What's the best way to end a first date?; with breakfast...just kidding
Sep 05, 2007: Have you ever broken a bone? How did you do it?; ya, several times. foot - guiness plus platform shoes plus NYC sidewalks are not a good combocollarbone - 2nd grade, orange flying saucer sled down a sand dune with a ski slope at the bottom
Aug 29, 2007: Have you ever been camping? What was it like?; I was conceived on a camping trip...and been camping ever since.
Aug 27, 2007: Have you ever broken someone's heart?; Yes. Not pleasant to be on either side of that equation. I try to avoid breakage these days by being more blunt, that way I'm only bruising an ego instead of breaking a heart or vice versae.
Aug 24, 2007: What's your favorite time of year?; SUMMER, OF COURSE!!!!
Aug 23, 2007: What's your fantasy car?; Jaguar XJ, Lotus Elise, Ferrari F430, any kind of hybrid SUV
Aug 15, 2007: MY NEW FAVORITE PHRASES; #1: Deep Web#2: s/he as opposed to the longer and still slightly partriarchal 'he/she'
Aug 15, 2007: What do you do most often when you are bored?; Meditate...or if I'm EXTREMELY BORED, I play solitaire or tetris on my PDA.
Aug 15, 2007: Cable Television is on its Way OUT...; I don't own a television right now and even if I did, I wouldn't subscribe to Cable. I would simply plug my laptop into it and cruise the web over to my favorite TV Shows.As quickly as Cable cannibalized the Big 3 Networks, the Internet is now poised to strike. Already I have access to all the top networks and many cable channels television series via my internet connection. [Oooh, I am connected via a Cable Modem...] Forget about the possibilities of syndication on YouTube and Google Video.Syndication...hmmm, now that's an interesting thing to talk about. Syndication traditionally is the way television stations can buy up old episodes (older than at least one or two seasons normally) and release them to their viewing audiences who either missed the first airing or want to watch the episode again.Now with the Internet the shows are made available the MORNING AFTER the episode originally airs and can be available at the whim of the company that aired them. This puts a definite spin on what syndication means to consumers of television.And one last thought, disjointed as this blog is...but can we really call it television anymore? Shouldn't we instead call it something like 'entertainment provider'? Thoughts?
Aug 14, 2007: Hawaiian Management Philosophies; Read an article about this local boy in Molokai who after years of military service sought funding to start a tech company that serviced the military's health sector.He described his business in such a great way, I had to share it.The values, embodied in his motto, are family (ohana), cooperation (laulima), generosity (ho’okipa), courage of leadership (koa) and harmony (lokahi).from http://www.mauinews.com/story.aspx?id=33141
Aug 14, 2007: what was your best Halloween costume?; Poster-Bunny for Population Control - Pregnant Bunny Rabbit that handed out condoms to everyone at the party - I was, have never been pregnant so that WAS part of the costume. I swear. I am not sure I want to contribute to the population at this point in time. I mean, I'd like to but only with the right person to contribute with :) and in a few years time maybe.
Jul 30, 2007: If there was one thing you could teach people about love, what would it be?; To be open, quit labelling your relationships, time is on your side, and never be afraid to say what you want/feel.
Jul 30, 2007: What was your first job and how much did you get paid?; I worked in the dining halls in college for 8.50/hour
Jul 26, 2007: What the one item in your kitchen that would best describe your personality?; spatula
Jun 25, 2007: How can you tell you're in love?; Well, I can tell when I'm not :) !! And I believe to be truly in love, both people have to be in love, so one-sided, unrequited loves, I don't believe in them. I think you can sometimes tell right away if someone has the potential to fall in love with you, but I also believe in being friends with someone either before or while you are feeling each other out (not up ). But most times if I'm 'friends' with a guy, I really am just friends and hate it when someone tries to read into it as more. I do try to give everyone a chance to get to know them before ruling out romantic friendship as opposed to platonic friendship. But most times I rule people out has to do more with friendship and values than anything else.And also, I want my relationship to have meaning more than the 'wink-wink' 'nudge-nudge' stuff, which is good, but having a bigger meaning to two people engaging in a partnership and the positive impace that can have on the world around us from work relationships to family and larger issues/communities even.
Jun 15, 2007: What?s the most challenging thing about being single?; Crazy, drug-addicted, not-on-their-meds, out of work, sleeping in their car or on the beach effers...hah, I should have just become a nun!
Jun 06, 2007: What songs make you cry no matter what you?re doing?; Jeffy Buckley's cover of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah"
May 24, 2007: Top 5 memory from when I was a kid; My #5 top memory was when my Dad and my brother and my sister came to pick me up from college at the end of the fall semester. We drove back from upstate NY through Canada to Michigan. At Niagra Falls at midnight, my Dad stopped at the Falls and we walked up the snowy pathway to see/hear the falls. I remember the lights on the falls and the icicles hanging off of the lightpoles and all the stars at night. It was so surreal and beautiful and this is exactly the kind of thing my Dad was always good about giving us as kids...an amazing appreciation of the beauty and mystery of the world.
May 21, 2007: First day of school; Looking for my mother's legs at the end of the day and mistaking some lady for my mom.
May 17, 2007: What I do to release anger and sadness; anger: with tears, many many tears of frustration followed by hopefully something constructive or acceptance.sadness: by talking about it, sometimes by cooking or cleaning, or laying in bed watching old videos until I'm so sick of myself I go for a walk on the beach or get out and do something physical in nature.
Apr 25, 2007: What I want to say to the world; I love you!
Apr 25, 2007: The kind of candy I would want to be; Peanut butter cups.
Apr 04, 2007: Things I take on a trip; 1. passport2. kleenex (doubles as toilet paper when necessary)3. backpack4. camera5. toothbrush
Apr 04, 2007: My favorite book growing up; The Agony & The Ecstasy by Irving Stone - the life and times of Michelangelo
Apr 04, 2007: My favorite charity; I would pick Surfrider because of all the hard work and dedication that the people in that group put into saving our world's ocean from pollution.
Apr 03, 2007: 26 Things I should do before my NEXT birthday; So here's the list all typed out...1. Fishing2. Antiquing (or picking up old furniture off the side of the road)3. Surfing4. Walk 'Broad Beach' (where is that?)5. Hike Death Valley6. Visit Indonesia7. Have a Beach Party8. Knit Something (thanks Paul - that's going to hurt)9. Do 'the Stairs' (either Santa Monica Beach Park or our building?)10. Photograph everyone at Reunion.com and put it on the site11. Work Customer Service for a day12. Ride in a Hot Air Balloon13. Eat Crickets at Typhoon (Santa Monica Airport Restaurant)14. Watch a Laker's Game (painful)15. Publish a short story or a poem16. Drive Big Sur Coastline17. Bet $10 on a Roulette table18. Go to the Horse Races in Santa Anita19. Snowboard20. Pet sit for a friend (tony...was that a hint?)21. Watch 3 episodes of 'The Riches'22. Go to Chiappas Mexico23. Contribute to my favorite political candidate24. Volunteer somewhere for something25. Buy Awesome Sunglasses26. Wear a Helmet for a Day (Paul has to buy the helmet - this will suck basically)
Mar 28, 2007: My birthday list of 26 things to do before my next birthday
Mar 28, 2007: What my high school friends were like; I generally went between all groups but 4 in specific...the 'smart kids', the 'theater/punk kids', the 'student government kids' and the 'sports kids'
Mar 20, 2007: The longest plane ride I've taken; 8 hours to Geneva Swiwtzerland
Mar 20, 2007: Most unique cultural experience; Carving ducks for their fois gras livers in Niaux, France before christmas '02. I will upload photos as soon as I find them!
Mar 20, 2007: Active vs. relaxing vacations; I prefer Active vacations because I often don't get to do those active things in everday life, things like SCUBA diving or cycling etc.
Mar 19, 2007: Buying a home; Wow, I'm considering this right now. I'm not ready yet, but I've been getting loads of advice from other people and I'm mulling over the idea of either buying a condo on the beach or buying an income property - either a 4-unit building in which I live in one of the units or maybe a small commercial property.
Mar 09, 2007: Oh My! Lions, Tigers & Cucumber Lizards!; Watch out for those cucumber lizards at the breakfast table! THANKS FOR THE DRAWING SHARYN!
Feb 09, 2007: My most prized possession; Day-to-Day: my car, for obvious reasons but I also love my little miniature SUV that is the least bad for the environment that I could afford without buying a hybridPure Whimsy: my seashell/rock/coin collection - because it reminds me of all the places I have been and loved.
Jan 12, 2007: Best and worst weekend getaways; Best - to Bar Harbor Maine to visit a guy-friend of mine. We kayaked at sunset with a pod of dolphins and a seal, rode his motorcycle to 'Reel Pizza' and got to eat our pizza and drink red wine while watching 'The Score' then went back to the house (that looked out over the ocean) and sat in the hot tub.Worst - Road trip to Florida with a couple that I was friends with to go scuba/snorkeling. They fought the entire weekend and the ENTIRE way back - 8 hours in the car...
Jan 09, 2007: If I was an animal; a panther or a dolphin. I know...they're very different.
Jan 03, 2007: Best and worst high school memories; BEST - going to Homecoming with my older, college PUNK Rock musician boyfriend.WORST - Bobby Hernandez torturing me in Trig/Psych classes.
Dec 18, 2006: Family nicknames; My sister's nickname was 'Bitsy' because she was so large when she was born and my grandmother had an ironic sense of humor.My brother's nickname growing up from my mom was 'Tommy Tittlemouse' after the British Nursery Rhyme...I'm not sure why especially since we're not British.My nickname was always 'Meg' short for Megan which is already short. Meg is usually short for Margaret. My name is very popular in Australia but is welsh in origin so I'm told.
Oct 19, 2006: Hope is Emo; You have to go see the videos at www.hopeisemo.com
Oct 11, 2006: Charles Bukowski; If Charles Bukowski hadn't passed away when I was already an adult, I would swear I was him, reincarnated as a woman.
Oct 11, 2006: Love; "love is like a bottle of gin, but a bottle of gin is not like love"
Oct 09, 2006: The Departed; Boston, gangs, violence, doublecrosses, hypocrisy of crime/law...hot irish guys fighting each other...nice.
May 22, 2006: About My School Life; Cornell: studied film with a concentration in fashion/costume design BA U of A: studied telecommunications with focus on web media MA (publications too) In a nutshell, after graduating high school I went to Cornell University and graduated in 94; then after a year off and a summer teaching at Space Camp in Huntsville, AL I went to the University of Alabama.
May 22, 2006: About My Personal Life; I live in Los Angeles now and work here at Reunion.com. Working out at the gym and doing physical therapy on my shoulder right now - ie, getting back into shape. I can't wait to get out there and kayak and swim again. Still a bit of the party girl though I've slowed that down a bit now that I'm in LA and doing the healthy thing :) - lived in NYC for 7 years and had a blast though my level of health was pretty much in direct inverse relationship to my level of socializing. I do a lot of photograpy and of course web design.
May 22, 2006: About My Work Life; love it! best place to work ever. the people here are organized, focused and passionate. the company has a huge heart and soul. who couldn't be happy here?

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