Friday, May 30
Ink Influences Viewership?
An article from the Kansas City Star titled In NBA playoffs, less ink means more viewers claims that more people would watch the NBA if players were not inked up and/or they covered up their tattoos with long sleeves. My first reaction was that is riduclous but I wanted to read the article to see how he justifies his claim. Turns out my intital response is correct.
Whitlock speculates that "Less Ink Means More Viewers" without any evidentiary support except a misleading poll and a couple of comparisons to fat people having sex and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit models, both of which are extremely poor comparisons to make.
The poll he has up asks "What do you think of tattoos on players?" which does not address his claim that less tattoos would equate to an increased viewer audience. Currently the majority of people answered that they didnt like tattoos on players which is misleading because at first glance you might think it supports the claims in the article but it doesnt because he isnt asking if tattoos influence if they will watch.
Nude scenes with fat people an accurate analogy to players with tattoos, really? That is hardly the same thing. You watch basketball for the action, for the game itself and tattoos are not the main focus, they are a minor physical attribute of some of the players. If you are watching the game for its intended purpose you may not even really notice them. If you are watching fat people in nude scenes though, you have no where else to look or to focus on, that’s your focus. It is a poor comparison at best.
And Sports Illustrated not having swimsuit models covered in tattoos is an even weaker argument. First of all there is a different set of standards of what is physically appealing in men versus women. If you are a swimsuit model there is a very narrow definition of what is beautiful and acceptable. In this society tattoos are more acceptable on men than women so it isn’t an equal comparison. Also the only focus of a swimsuit model is her body and physical appearance. “Models are paid to look good. Athletes are no different” claims Whitlock. Actually athletes are paid to play well, not look good otherwise there would be a lot of players out of a job. Once again in basketball the actual game is the focus not the body art. And I dont even know what he is getting at with his "Everyone accepts that female basketball players — when possible — are pushed to showcase their feminine beauty" comment.
Whitlock make claims that are poorly supported. Not everyone wants to see only clean cut basketball players. Diversity in appearance is a reflection of society and we aren’t all clean cut. We don’t all look the same and we shouldn’t. If you are closed minded to automatically assume that inked players are “menacing, tattooed brutes” that “have so little genuine self confidence that they find it necessary to cover themselves in tattoos as a way to mask their insecurities” then you are out of touch with reality. Having tattoos does not equal insecurity, that’s an asinine assertion. Just because it is something that doesn’t appeal to you, doesn’t mean other people should be judged for it.
Whitlock speculates that "Less Ink Means More Viewers" without any evidentiary support except a misleading poll and a couple of comparisons to fat people having sex and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit models, both of which are extremely poor comparisons to make.
The poll he has up asks "What do you think of tattoos on players?" which does not address his claim that less tattoos would equate to an increased viewer audience. Currently the majority of people answered that they didnt like tattoos on players which is misleading because at first glance you might think it supports the claims in the article but it doesnt because he isnt asking if tattoos influence if they will watch.
I know many of you probably think the number of tattoos doesn't influence viewing habits. You're wrong. Like everything else televised, appearances matter. There's a reason you don't see nude scenes in movies with fat people. Trust me, fat people have sex. It's just no one wants to see it. Not even fat people.
Nude scenes with fat people an accurate analogy to players with tattoos, really? That is hardly the same thing. You watch basketball for the action, for the game itself and tattoos are not the main focus, they are a minor physical attribute of some of the players. If you are watching the game for its intended purpose you may not even really notice them. If you are watching fat people in nude scenes though, you have no where else to look or to focus on, that’s your focus. It is a poor comparison at best.
Do you think Sports Illustrated would let its swimsuit models cover themselves in tattoos? Models are paid to look good. Athletes are no different from models. Everyone accepts that female basketball players — when possible — are pushed to showcase their feminine beauty.
And Sports Illustrated not having swimsuit models covered in tattoos is an even weaker argument. First of all there is a different set of standards of what is physically appealing in men versus women. If you are a swimsuit model there is a very narrow definition of what is beautiful and acceptable. In this society tattoos are more acceptable on men than women so it isn’t an equal comparison. Also the only focus of a swimsuit model is her body and physical appearance. “Models are paid to look good. Athletes are no different” claims Whitlock. Actually athletes are paid to play well, not look good otherwise there would be a lot of players out of a job. Once again in basketball the actual game is the focus not the body art. And I dont even know what he is getting at with his "Everyone accepts that female basketball players — when possible — are pushed to showcase their feminine beauty" comment.
Whitlock make claims that are poorly supported. Not everyone wants to see only clean cut basketball players. Diversity in appearance is a reflection of society and we aren’t all clean cut. We don’t all look the same and we shouldn’t. If you are closed minded to automatically assume that inked players are “menacing, tattooed brutes” that “have so little genuine self confidence that they find it necessary to cover themselves in tattoos as a way to mask their insecurities” then you are out of touch with reality. Having tattoos does not equal insecurity, that’s an asinine assertion. Just because it is something that doesn’t appeal to you, doesn’t mean other people should be judged for it.
Meet Maynard
This little guy belongs to one of our roughest superintendents Mike. He is a sweetheart though and loves dogs and he found this one wandering around all matted and shaky so he picked him up and took him home. HE has a Mohawk and his name is Maynard, how awesome is that? I thought he would make a good Friday smile:)
Thursday, May 29
Hey Mariah....
...you really suck. Not only was the outfit bad but this is how you throw out a pitch? Georgia could do better and she would dress better while doing it too!.
Wednesday, May 28
Quick Poll
Alright you shoe people out there and boys who have opinions about fashion, mama needs a new pair of shoes, but not just any shoes I want a pair with some sass. I narrowed it down to the following that I like and are in my price range. Let me know your thoughts!
This one is called "Pounce". It definitely has a unique pattern to it and an interesting toe. However it is brown and I dont wear a great deal of brown.
I love me a leopard shoe. I have a pair of wedges that are leopard print but they are brown and not as delicate as these. These are more dressy and fun.
These will definitely turn some heads, they sort of beg to be looked at. I love red shoes though and these are less expensive than the others. Too domiatrix? I kinda like em.
I confess, I really dig these shoes. You arent going to find too many peopole with shoes like this in Fresno and I like that quality about them, however I am not sure if I could pull them off.
I am starting to fall in love with yellow shoes. They are actually much more of a neutral than you would think, yellow goes with just about any color and adds a noticable punch to an outfit. I am not sure about the style though.
Alright now spill it and dont hold back (not that any of you ever do).
This one is called "Pounce". It definitely has a unique pattern to it and an interesting toe. However it is brown and I dont wear a great deal of brown.
I love me a leopard shoe. I have a pair of wedges that are leopard print but they are brown and not as delicate as these. These are more dressy and fun.
These will definitely turn some heads, they sort of beg to be looked at. I love red shoes though and these are less expensive than the others. Too domiatrix? I kinda like em.
I confess, I really dig these shoes. You arent going to find too many peopole with shoes like this in Fresno and I like that quality about them, however I am not sure if I could pull them off.
I am starting to fall in love with yellow shoes. They are actually much more of a neutral than you would think, yellow goes with just about any color and adds a noticable punch to an outfit. I am not sure about the style though.
Alright now spill it and dont hold back (not that any of you ever do).
Hey Mariah...
...a hooker called, she wants her outfit back.
It's such a shame to have all that money and still look like you got your outfit from the dollar store.
Tuesday, May 27
Office Humor
Things at my office that no one else but me thinks is funny:
-Tennesse: "He told me he would send me a link to get the standard specifications. Whats a link?"
-My dad asks me to "bird dog" things for him when he wants me to find something online or an old email.
-The removable hard drive is referred to as "the guts" and a computer is a "machine".
-My mom will not type over things but will erase them and then type. So if she wants to go to a different website than the one displayed she puts her cursor on the address bar, backspaces and then types. I have told her repeatidly that she can just double click it and it will highlight and then you can just type over it but she thinks the other way is easier. (My mom does not like change)
-Susan does not know she can silence her cell phone when it is ringing and she cant answer it. If she is on the other phone and it starts ringing she lets it keep ringing until voicemail picks up. This drives me crazy but not as crazy as the next one...
-Susan always answers her cell phone "hello?" as if she has no idea who is calling. Her husband calls her at least 3 times a day, it is always him yet she cant seem to figure that out and it is this big mystery to her of who could be calling. And yes she has caller ID like everyone else.
*Sigh*
-Tennesse: "He told me he would send me a link to get the standard specifications. Whats a link?"
-My dad asks me to "bird dog" things for him when he wants me to find something online or an old email.
-The removable hard drive is referred to as "the guts" and a computer is a "machine".
-My mom will not type over things but will erase them and then type. So if she wants to go to a different website than the one displayed she puts her cursor on the address bar, backspaces and then types. I have told her repeatidly that she can just double click it and it will highlight and then you can just type over it but she thinks the other way is easier. (My mom does not like change)
-Susan does not know she can silence her cell phone when it is ringing and she cant answer it. If she is on the other phone and it starts ringing she lets it keep ringing until voicemail picks up. This drives me crazy but not as crazy as the next one...
-Susan always answers her cell phone "hello?" as if she has no idea who is calling. Her husband calls her at least 3 times a day, it is always him yet she cant seem to figure that out and it is this big mystery to her of who could be calling. And yes she has caller ID like everyone else.
*Sigh*
Thursday, May 22
And On A More Serious Note...
I had NPR on at work today when I started listening to a story about teen pregnancy in California. After hearing that the California Department of Finance conservatively projects a 23% increase in annual teen births in California within 5 years which will result in approximately 12,500 more California teen births in 2008 than there were in 2001. More dusturbing is that the San Joaquin Valley has the highest teen birth rates (69 per 1000 females ages 15-19 of any region in California - over twice the rate of the San Francisco Bay Area.
Historically there has always been teen pregnancies both intentional and unintentional, however there seems to be less of a stigma attached to it these days. In the 50s you would have been shipped off to a "special school" where you secretly gave birth, the child was adopted and it was off you go like nothing ever happened. Today teen mothers are not as shunned by society which is both positive and negative. Positive because mothers are not treated as if they have some contagious illness and sent away in order to uphold reputations and keep the family secret. It can also be negative if young women start to see becoming pregnant as more normalized. Getting pregnant at a young age is not as big of a deal as it once was. However if you look at the individual and societal consequences of teen pregnancy, it is a huge deal.
The consequences these teens face when becoming pregnant at such an early age can be detrimental. 70% of teen mothers drop out of high school, making pregnancy the primary reason young women drop out early. Only 30% of teen mothers complete high school by age 30, compared to 76% of women who delay parenthood until age 21 or older. (Berglas, N., Brindis, C., and Cohen, J., p. 24).
Teen moms drop out of school for various reasons related to having a child but thats not so much the case for the fathers of these children since fathers of children born to teens are on average almost four years older than the mothers, and a majority is over the age of 21. (Public Policy Institute of California, p. 5). So the older men knock up the girls and their lives aren't nearly as effected, nice. 78% of all teen mothers in California had never been married but even if they were, teen mothers also have higher divorce rates. Only one out of five teen mothers receive any financial support from their child's father.
Although I basically knew all this to be true, the numbers are much more staggering then I expected. At 27 years old, if I became pregnant unexpectedly I don't know how I would be able to handle it so I cant imagine a 16 year old having a clue of what to do. It is deflating to think about all of the possibility and promise that can dissapear from a girls life when she becomes pregnant at an early age. Additionally children of parents with low educational attainment, occupation, and income are more likely to have sex at an early age, not use contraception consistently, and become pregnant or cause a pregnancy. (Berglas, N., Brindis, C., and Cohen, J., p. 17). And so the cycle continues.
Yet even with all of these startling statistics, sex education is still not taught frankly and openly as it should be because some parents and educators find it inapropriate. I can't even remember being taught sex ed in school or by my parents. I learned about sex through the media and from talking to friends which is terribly inaccurate. It's a good thing that I didnt have sex at an early age because I am sure I would have missed a thing or two. It is asinine to believe that merely educating students on the hard facts when it comes to sex and its consequences can lead to increased sexual behavior when the consequences of not doing so are clear. Leaving them in the dark about the consequences of sex does not make them less likely to engage in sexual activities. And while you attempt to hide your sons and daughters from the truth about sex keep in mind that you as a tax payer are also paying into the 1.5 billion dollars that Californians have to pay annually for teen moms.
I know this isn't as big as a hot issue that it has been in the past but this is also the first year that the teen pregnancy rate has gone up in many years so it should go back on the table in educational debates.
All the info and stats I referenced are from the California Department of Education.
Historically there has always been teen pregnancies both intentional and unintentional, however there seems to be less of a stigma attached to it these days. In the 50s you would have been shipped off to a "special school" where you secretly gave birth, the child was adopted and it was off you go like nothing ever happened. Today teen mothers are not as shunned by society which is both positive and negative. Positive because mothers are not treated as if they have some contagious illness and sent away in order to uphold reputations and keep the family secret. It can also be negative if young women start to see becoming pregnant as more normalized. Getting pregnant at a young age is not as big of a deal as it once was. However if you look at the individual and societal consequences of teen pregnancy, it is a huge deal.
The consequences these teens face when becoming pregnant at such an early age can be detrimental. 70% of teen mothers drop out of high school, making pregnancy the primary reason young women drop out early. Only 30% of teen mothers complete high school by age 30, compared to 76% of women who delay parenthood until age 21 or older. (Berglas, N., Brindis, C., and Cohen, J., p. 24).
Teen moms drop out of school for various reasons related to having a child but thats not so much the case for the fathers of these children since fathers of children born to teens are on average almost four years older than the mothers, and a majority is over the age of 21. (Public Policy Institute of California, p. 5). So the older men knock up the girls and their lives aren't nearly as effected, nice. 78% of all teen mothers in California had never been married but even if they were, teen mothers also have higher divorce rates. Only one out of five teen mothers receive any financial support from their child's father.
Although I basically knew all this to be true, the numbers are much more staggering then I expected. At 27 years old, if I became pregnant unexpectedly I don't know how I would be able to handle it so I cant imagine a 16 year old having a clue of what to do. It is deflating to think about all of the possibility and promise that can dissapear from a girls life when she becomes pregnant at an early age. Additionally children of parents with low educational attainment, occupation, and income are more likely to have sex at an early age, not use contraception consistently, and become pregnant or cause a pregnancy. (Berglas, N., Brindis, C., and Cohen, J., p. 17). And so the cycle continues.
Yet even with all of these startling statistics, sex education is still not taught frankly and openly as it should be because some parents and educators find it inapropriate. I can't even remember being taught sex ed in school or by my parents. I learned about sex through the media and from talking to friends which is terribly inaccurate. It's a good thing that I didnt have sex at an early age because I am sure I would have missed a thing or two. It is asinine to believe that merely educating students on the hard facts when it comes to sex and its consequences can lead to increased sexual behavior when the consequences of not doing so are clear. Leaving them in the dark about the consequences of sex does not make them less likely to engage in sexual activities. And while you attempt to hide your sons and daughters from the truth about sex keep in mind that you as a tax payer are also paying into the 1.5 billion dollars that Californians have to pay annually for teen moms.
I know this isn't as big as a hot issue that it has been in the past but this is also the first year that the teen pregnancy rate has gone up in many years so it should go back on the table in educational debates.
All the info and stats I referenced are from the California Department of Education.
Yesterday someone parked an RV across the street from the office in hopes of selling it. It is old, a bit run down but I absolutely love RV's. When I was a kid I was always jealous of the families that took road trips in RV's. I imagined the space, and the freedom of that kind of travel must be as close to shangri La as you could get.
My family road trips consisted of cramming in the backseat of a car with my sister next to me, crap strewn around me to keep me entertained but mostly I liked looking out the window and day dreaming. Don't get me wrong, our vacations were always great. We always had AC and my sister and I didn't fight very much but there was always something about the idea of being able to walk around while in route and not being confined to one spot for 5 hours that sounded very cool.
Even now I think it would be fun to get an RV and take a road trip with friends. Driving around the country, exploring, meeting new people, visiting our friends that are strewn about, fanfuckingtastic if you ask me. We could blog about our misadventures and start a cult following in the nerdom that is the blogging community. Who knows, maybe even write a book about the empiphanies of RV travel.
They are selling it for $9,500 or best offer...who wants to quit their jobs and travel with me?
Wednesday, May 21
A Day In The Life
I took a few pictures yesterday of my work life, but had some problems with my camera phone so they didn't all go through. I don't have a fancy phone and I dropped it in the toilet previously so these things happen. Here is what I do have though:
This was taken at the Kermit Koontz Educational Center project. I had a job meeting there yesterday afternoon and they are currently installing modular classrooms, hence the crane. I think cranes are fascinating, especially the really big ones they use on tall buildings. This crane was only a junior but I still think its cool to watch them lift the building from the truck and onto its concrete slab. This project isn't too far from Tower either, just across the street and one block east of San Joaquin Memorial.
This is my office. I hate close out documents! Usually my office is nice and tidy but I know have 4 projects that have close out documents coming in and it has taken over. Hopefully 2 of the projects will be done by the end of this week so I can have my office back.
This is my fumanchu kitty. A year ago I faxed a picture of this really adorable kitty to one of our superintendents to test his fax machine and he faxed it back fumanchu style. I didnt have any decoration in my office at that point so I put him up and now I heart him.
I also had pictures of the exterior of the office and a huge dust storm outside of my window but alas they didnt make it.
And as a side note, I wore my running skirt in public for the first time yesterday and it was a big mistake because I didnt quite realize how windy it was. Yes they have shorts underneath but you look pretty ridiculous with a skirt flying up around you. I still think they are really comfortable but I will make sure only to wear it when the wind is calm.
This was taken at the Kermit Koontz Educational Center project. I had a job meeting there yesterday afternoon and they are currently installing modular classrooms, hence the crane. I think cranes are fascinating, especially the really big ones they use on tall buildings. This crane was only a junior but I still think its cool to watch them lift the building from the truck and onto its concrete slab. This project isn't too far from Tower either, just across the street and one block east of San Joaquin Memorial.
This is my office. I hate close out documents! Usually my office is nice and tidy but I know have 4 projects that have close out documents coming in and it has taken over. Hopefully 2 of the projects will be done by the end of this week so I can have my office back.
This is my fumanchu kitty. A year ago I faxed a picture of this really adorable kitty to one of our superintendents to test his fax machine and he faxed it back fumanchu style. I didnt have any decoration in my office at that point so I put him up and now I heart him.
I also had pictures of the exterior of the office and a huge dust storm outside of my window but alas they didnt make it.
And as a side note, I wore my running skirt in public for the first time yesterday and it was a big mistake because I didnt quite realize how windy it was. Yes they have shorts underneath but you look pretty ridiculous with a skirt flying up around you. I still think they are really comfortable but I will make sure only to wear it when the wind is calm.
Monday, May 19
Wah, Work Sucks
Work really sucks right now. Everyone is in a bad mood and stressed out so no one is talking to each other and when they do its short and/or you get snapped at.
My dad is stressed because he has an important bid coming up.
Tennesse is stressed because his wife got a job offer down south so they have to decide soon to take the job and move or to turn it down and stay.
Susan is overloaded with work because the City of Fresno is ridiculously anal with the paperwork they want to the point where they wont take paperwork that isnt filled out in blue ink. If you have ever worked with subcontractors you know that getting them to follow directions is nearly impossible and they usually take a few tries before they get it right.
I am working on Close Out documents for (3) projects so I am also dealing with getting subs to turn in the proper paperwork in the proper form. The State is just as bad as the City and they rejected the first set of close outs because the cover letter was not in the proper format and font, even though all the information is there.
And my mom just doesnt want to work and is still concerned that I am gay and/or bipolar for reacting the way I did to the gay marriage discussion.
Everyone is walking on pins and needles and someone is going to snap. So if Corin starts sending out texts about a workplace shooting rampage, chances are...
Friday, May 16
Save The Date
I went over to Tower Tattoos yesterday to talk to Monica about my peacock, discuss some loose ends and set a date to get it done. I was thinking that I might want it a little larger but when she placed it on my back it ended up fitting really well. It will start just where my bra strap hits my back and will go down past my waist and onto the upper part of my butt. She is also going to free hand some of the feathers around the sun so the two tattoos are incorporated, which I really like. Color wise I brought her several pictures of peacocks and peacock feathers so it will as realistic as possible so she will be using lots of greens, blues, purples and golds.
She couldn't give me an estimate of the price which scares me a little but I understand why she isnt able to do so. I figure it wont be going anywhere though so I am getting my moneys worth and I would rather pay more to make it really beautiful. She also told me it will take between 3-4 hours so unless I wimp out in the middle of it, it will be done in one sitting.
So if anyone is around on June 9th @ 4:30 and want to stop by, feel free, I could use the distraction. Yay, I am excited!
She couldn't give me an estimate of the price which scares me a little but I understand why she isnt able to do so. I figure it wont be going anywhere though so I am getting my moneys worth and I would rather pay more to make it really beautiful. She also told me it will take between 3-4 hours so unless I wimp out in the middle of it, it will be done in one sitting.
So if anyone is around on June 9th @ 4:30 and want to stop by, feel free, I could use the distraction. Yay, I am excited!
Thursday, May 15
I Am So Angry I Am Shaking
One thing we don't discuss very often in my family is politics and in particular gay marriage. Once or twice this has come up and it ends with my parents and I being very upset with each other. With California overturning its ban on gay marriage today my dad decided to bring up the issue which was a big mistake. I work with four very conservative people (including my parents) and the way they view some things has really bothered me in the past. I knew that this wouldn't go well when I started in on it but this is an issue I feel very strongly about because I frankly cannot understand how people justify being against gay marriage.
Naturally I praised the decision and everyone else rolled their eyes, sighed or otherwise displayed discontent with the decision. I don't even know at what point it got heated but it didnt take long. My dads long standing "argument" about why gay marriage shouldn't be allowed is that marriage has always been between a man and a woman and its tradition. Obviously I do not accept that as any type of argument whatsover. "Thats the way it has always been done" does not hold water because if thats the way we make decisions I would be at home cooking and cleaning while I take care of 3 kids and wait for my husband to come home so I could serve him after his long day. Things evolve and change and laws, rules and traditions change with it. That reason aloneis never good enough. What I suspect my dad wont say but wants to is that he thinks being gay is wrong.
I cant even discuss what else was said because I am incredibly embrassed and dissapointed to know my parents feel this way. It breaks my heart to think that if I were gay, my own parents wouldnt accept that part of me and thus not accept me. It is also so incredibly hypocritical of my parents to raise my sister and I to accept everyone and to not judge people, which is obviously our viewpoint now, and then not do the same thing themselves.
It is fucking tradition? Well fuck your tradition, it isn't right.
Naturally I praised the decision and everyone else rolled their eyes, sighed or otherwise displayed discontent with the decision. I don't even know at what point it got heated but it didnt take long. My dads long standing "argument" about why gay marriage shouldn't be allowed is that marriage has always been between a man and a woman and its tradition. Obviously I do not accept that as any type of argument whatsover. "Thats the way it has always been done" does not hold water because if thats the way we make decisions I would be at home cooking and cleaning while I take care of 3 kids and wait for my husband to come home so I could serve him after his long day. Things evolve and change and laws, rules and traditions change with it. That reason aloneis never good enough. What I suspect my dad wont say but wants to is that he thinks being gay is wrong.
I cant even discuss what else was said because I am incredibly embrassed and dissapointed to know my parents feel this way. It breaks my heart to think that if I were gay, my own parents wouldnt accept that part of me and thus not accept me. It is also so incredibly hypocritical of my parents to raise my sister and I to accept everyone and to not judge people, which is obviously our viewpoint now, and then not do the same thing themselves.
It is fucking tradition? Well fuck your tradition, it isn't right.
My Top 5 List
2008 is almost half over but instead of going through a schpeel about where the time goes I am looking ahead to things I want to make sure I get done by the end of the year. You all are subjected to read this because writing it down publicly makes me more accountable so feel free to harrass me if I don't follow through.
1. Get my Peacock tattoo. I have an appointment with Monica tonight to talk to her about price, location, color and size. I am thinking I want it bigger then the drawing she had, if I am going to do it I might as well go big! I am really excited about talking color with her though, the blues and greens and purples, oh my! I have been thinking about what color to make the flower and havent made any decisions on that yet though. Maybe an orange or a reddish for contrast. Any thoughts?
2. Run the Trail of Two Cities Marathon and improve my time. Obviously I have planned this for awhile and I am already signed up, but I will need to start official training in July so I have until then to discontinue my bad habits. I have been slowly cutting back in certain unhealthy habits but I will need to go out less and drink less too. Sleep is incredibly important when you are training and I cant neglect my diet like I did last time either. If you are going to make the committment to run, no sense in doing it half assed.
3. Get my personal trainer certification. I have been thinking about doing this for awhile and have just started studying for the exam, which I won't take until the fall. Seeing as exercise is a passion of mine I thought training could be something I could do on the side or possibly find a way to do this full time. The main thing I am lacking in my life and in my job right now is passion and feeling like I am making a difference in someones life. That is something that is important to me and it is the direction I want my life to go in.
4. While I am on the subject I want to be able to do Scorpian pose by the end of the year only because it would just be bad ass to be able to do that (see above). I have never been a fan of yoga but I have been doing a new circuit training program that uses some elements of yoga and I finally realized how challenging it is. It is also a good way to relieve stress and stretch my muscles, especially when I am marathon training. Do you know how effing hard that is?? I love me a challenge.
5. Finally, get my fiances in order. Lord I hate this stuff but it needs to be addressed. Basically I need to pay off my credit card which I can easily do by the end of the year and start saving, which I have already started to do but thats for my tattoo and/or travel, not important things like oh retirement or something.
So thats my top 5 list. I have 7 more months. Ready, go.
1. Get my Peacock tattoo. I have an appointment with Monica tonight to talk to her about price, location, color and size. I am thinking I want it bigger then the drawing she had, if I am going to do it I might as well go big! I am really excited about talking color with her though, the blues and greens and purples, oh my! I have been thinking about what color to make the flower and havent made any decisions on that yet though. Maybe an orange or a reddish for contrast. Any thoughts?
2. Run the Trail of Two Cities Marathon and improve my time. Obviously I have planned this for awhile and I am already signed up, but I will need to start official training in July so I have until then to discontinue my bad habits. I have been slowly cutting back in certain unhealthy habits but I will need to go out less and drink less too. Sleep is incredibly important when you are training and I cant neglect my diet like I did last time either. If you are going to make the committment to run, no sense in doing it half assed.
3. Get my personal trainer certification. I have been thinking about doing this for awhile and have just started studying for the exam, which I won't take until the fall. Seeing as exercise is a passion of mine I thought training could be something I could do on the side or possibly find a way to do this full time. The main thing I am lacking in my life and in my job right now is passion and feeling like I am making a difference in someones life. That is something that is important to me and it is the direction I want my life to go in.
4. While I am on the subject I want to be able to do Scorpian pose by the end of the year only because it would just be bad ass to be able to do that (see above). I have never been a fan of yoga but I have been doing a new circuit training program that uses some elements of yoga and I finally realized how challenging it is. It is also a good way to relieve stress and stretch my muscles, especially when I am marathon training. Do you know how effing hard that is?? I love me a challenge.
5. Finally, get my fiances in order. Lord I hate this stuff but it needs to be addressed. Basically I need to pay off my credit card which I can easily do by the end of the year and start saving, which I have already started to do but thats for my tattoo and/or travel, not important things like oh retirement or something.
So thats my top 5 list. I have 7 more months. Ready, go.
Tuesday, May 13
American Gladiators: Awesomely Bad or just Bad?
Last night was the new season premiere of American Gladiators and it was a two hour event of, well, over the top cheesy competition. Now I know that the show is never going to be a quality show. I would compare it to a reality show like "Rock of Love", where you know what to expect, you sometimes wonder why you are watching such crap, but you cant look away. The only difference is that after watching "Rock of Love" you feel an urgent need to take a shower, but I digress.They advertised that they had new events, new Gladiators and a new Eliminator. I wasn't very impressed with any of the new events, but they did make the rock wall enormous.
The two winners from last season also debuted. "Jet" is the female winner and damn she got really cut over the break, her abs are amazing. The male winner "Rocket" also debuted but he is such a small guy compared to the other Gladiators that they will probably only use him for the rock wall. By far the most uneccesarily dramatic debut of a Gladiator was "Phoenix". She appeared in shilloeute and she was wearing these big angel-like wings. Then these two explosions occured and produced big balls of fire and Phoenix flew through the air and landed in front of the flames, ready to kick some ass. I died laughing, it was so ridiculous.
Also funny was one of the contestants was doing Assault, which is the game where you try to shoot the Gladiator while being shot at, and the girl picked up the shoulder rocket and shot it backwards. She had a hard time at the eliminator too, falling on her head twice.
One thing that really annoys me about the show is it appears being physically fit is not nearly as important as having a good story. Every contestants has had some sort of obstacle they had to overcome to be there. Thats nice and all but they dont neccesarily put the best athletes in which makes it less competitive. For example they had on a guy last night that had one leg amputated from above the knee. He did well in some events but watching him try to finish the eliminator was just painful. He was obviously struggling and started falling and staggering a lot and at the end they had to stop the treadmill ramp for him to get up it. He finished and everyone was cheering for him but I felt bad for his competition. That guy won but he beat a guy with one leg, not much to brag about and they cheered more for the one legged guy then they did him.
Also either every contestant on the show failed speech class or the writers are horrible, but they should eliminate all talking and interviews from the show. The hosts are bad and the contestants say the most idiotic and lame things that I feel embarassed for them.
Nick and I discussed this via text message last night but it appears you have to be stoned and or drunk to be able to watch this show. I would add that it is also better if you are stoned or drunk with other people so you have someone to make fun of it with. Having said that I will still watch it and I still think it would be kinda cool to be on the show, I just need to put on 30 pounds of muscle and experience some sort of tragedy before I would have a chance to be on it.
The two winners from last season also debuted. "Jet" is the female winner and damn she got really cut over the break, her abs are amazing. The male winner "Rocket" also debuted but he is such a small guy compared to the other Gladiators that they will probably only use him for the rock wall. By far the most uneccesarily dramatic debut of a Gladiator was "Phoenix". She appeared in shilloeute and she was wearing these big angel-like wings. Then these two explosions occured and produced big balls of fire and Phoenix flew through the air and landed in front of the flames, ready to kick some ass. I died laughing, it was so ridiculous.
Also funny was one of the contestants was doing Assault, which is the game where you try to shoot the Gladiator while being shot at, and the girl picked up the shoulder rocket and shot it backwards. She had a hard time at the eliminator too, falling on her head twice.
One thing that really annoys me about the show is it appears being physically fit is not nearly as important as having a good story. Every contestants has had some sort of obstacle they had to overcome to be there. Thats nice and all but they dont neccesarily put the best athletes in which makes it less competitive. For example they had on a guy last night that had one leg amputated from above the knee. He did well in some events but watching him try to finish the eliminator was just painful. He was obviously struggling and started falling and staggering a lot and at the end they had to stop the treadmill ramp for him to get up it. He finished and everyone was cheering for him but I felt bad for his competition. That guy won but he beat a guy with one leg, not much to brag about and they cheered more for the one legged guy then they did him.
Also either every contestant on the show failed speech class or the writers are horrible, but they should eliminate all talking and interviews from the show. The hosts are bad and the contestants say the most idiotic and lame things that I feel embarassed for them.
Nick and I discussed this via text message last night but it appears you have to be stoned and or drunk to be able to watch this show. I would add that it is also better if you are stoned or drunk with other people so you have someone to make fun of it with. Having said that I will still watch it and I still think it would be kinda cool to be on the show, I just need to put on 30 pounds of muscle and experience some sort of tragedy before I would have a chance to be on it.
Friday, May 9
Moms and Bachelorettes
Just a reminder to not forget that Sunday is Mother's Day. (My Mom rarely takes pictures but I got her drunk enough to take this one so I decided to post this rare event) I will be taking my mom shopping and then lunch and a movie tomorrow which will be nice since at work we don't get much quality time and I did hang up on her this week, which I feel kind of bad about. So make sure you give some accolades to your mama and if you are a baby mama yourself (sara and soon to be Annie) Happy Mother's Day to you as well.
Also this weekend I have a second bachelorette party of Heathers to go to (and we arent even close friends!). I will probably be checking out of that early because I went to the first one when I didnt want to go which was in Shaver and it was very lame with everyone asleep and in bed at 10 pm (at a bachelorette party, shesh!). I have only myself to blame for this though. The reason she is having another one was because she went to the one Kendall and I threw for Melissa and had a lot of fun and told me thats what she had wanted her bachelorette party to be like. So this is attempt #2 at fun. Honestly I dont blame her though because her first one did really kind of suck, which wasn't her fault, and to follow that up with the awesome and amazing party Kendall and I threw was just like salt in the wound. She actually told me that exact thing, she was drunk at the time though so she might have been being dramatic.
So those are my plans for the weekend, throw in some yoga and lifting and it will be Monday before I know it. And speaking of Monday, American Gladiators starts up again on Monday, woo hoo. There are new events and everything!
Happy Friday!
Thursday, May 8
Postcards From Yo Mama
Hilarious website, especially after the phone call I had with my mom the other day that led me to hanging up on her because she couldn't find "gmail" on the google website. I needed her to give me the tracking number in an email while I was driving so I told her to go to Google and click on gmail. She couldn't figure it out. I was so frustrated after several minutes of me saying "Mom it is right there it says gmail, it's on the top left you just need to click it" at increasingly frustrated tone I told her "forget it I will just come back and do it myself" and hung up. How can you not figure that out??
So this website aside from having a great title has posts from people who submit a correspondence that they have had with their moms where their are technologically challenged or have some ridiculous if not well meaning advice. You know the embarassing, eye rolling stuff that moms do.
Take a look-see, I promise you'll chuckle.
So this website aside from having a great title has posts from people who submit a correspondence that they have had with their moms where their are technologically challenged or have some ridiculous if not well meaning advice. You know the embarassing, eye rolling stuff that moms do.
Take a look-see, I promise you'll chuckle.
Wednesday, May 7
Music
I have been listening to a lot of The Black Keys lately. I really like the raw blusey rock sound that they have. When I was a kid I listened to a lot of classic rock like Creedence and the Stones and I am always drawn to that sound of music. So here is a video for you to take a look and a listen to in your free time.
Also Fraud is going to be playing at Toykyo on Saturday May 17th with Docabilly. You all know my feelings about Toykyo but I am planning on going to that show with my big pregnant friend Annie (her husband is the lead singer for Fraud). As long as we get there early enough to get a seat I should be good.
Oh and the Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival is in SF on August 22nd through the 24th and is boasting a pretty solid line up this year featuring the likes of: Radiohead, Beck, Tom Petty, Jack Johnson, Manu Chao, Ben Harper, Widespread Panic, Andrew Bird and a ton more. I would like to go to this as well.
That is all.
Also Fraud is going to be playing at Toykyo on Saturday May 17th with Docabilly. You all know my feelings about Toykyo but I am planning on going to that show with my big pregnant friend Annie (her husband is the lead singer for Fraud). As long as we get there early enough to get a seat I should be good.
Oh and the Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival is in SF on August 22nd through the 24th and is boasting a pretty solid line up this year featuring the likes of: Radiohead, Beck, Tom Petty, Jack Johnson, Manu Chao, Ben Harper, Widespread Panic, Andrew Bird and a ton more. I would like to go to this as well.
That is all.
Tuesday, May 6
Cinco de Drinko Lived Up To Its Name
A quick recap of Saturdays fiesta was requested so here it goes:
Highlights: The mustaches (they were a much bigger hit than I expected!), Heather dancing on a table, Dennis decapitating Paco the Pinata, Ed telling a story about getting hit "harre" at a counter in "bay ers feel" (you really had to be there but it was hilarious-ask Woody), yummy salsa, I think there was a little Mario Kart but it is a vague memory for me, there were only 3 beers left.
Lowlights: Food was a bit of a problem - my kitchen is just too damn small and I didnt have enough room for everything, someone enjoying the food and alcohol so much that they decided they wanted to taste it again coming back up, Ed getting pink chunky fluid on my bathrobe.
Overall I know I had a pretty good time and hopefully everyone else did as well. To be honest it didnt go exactly as I was thinking it would, but I still had a lot of fun. My thoughts on Sunday morning at about 3 AM was "I will never do this again" but after getting some sleep I think this will become an annual event, with some minor changes:
-Less food, sorry that you all brought stuff but there ended up being too much food and people seemed like they would rather drink anyway so it wasn't worth the effort or expense. Next time it wil be limited to frozen things that can be put in the oven.
-I think there needs to be a requirement to go out later in the night. I understood that people didnt want to because they would be spending money and at my place they werent, but I think this just encourages people to drink a bit too excessively. Also I like to be able to go home and go to sleep when I want to (selfish but true).
Everything else will be the same except I will buy more mustaches. I am anxiously waiting for the Art Hop exhibit of Adam with the mustache placed on various locations on his face. I also look forward to Katie getting a patent for texturized tattoos. What a creative group we are, especially when there is tequila!
If anyone has pictures please post or send. I know Kendall had her camera but we may not see them for a few months so if anyone else was taking pics, please let me know.
Highlights: The mustaches (they were a much bigger hit than I expected!), Heather dancing on a table, Dennis decapitating Paco the Pinata, Ed telling a story about getting hit "harre" at a counter in "bay ers feel" (you really had to be there but it was hilarious-ask Woody), yummy salsa, I think there was a little Mario Kart but it is a vague memory for me, there were only 3 beers left.
Lowlights: Food was a bit of a problem - my kitchen is just too damn small and I didnt have enough room for everything, someone enjoying the food and alcohol so much that they decided they wanted to taste it again coming back up, Ed getting pink chunky fluid on my bathrobe.
Overall I know I had a pretty good time and hopefully everyone else did as well. To be honest it didnt go exactly as I was thinking it would, but I still had a lot of fun. My thoughts on Sunday morning at about 3 AM was "I will never do this again" but after getting some sleep I think this will become an annual event, with some minor changes:
-Less food, sorry that you all brought stuff but there ended up being too much food and people seemed like they would rather drink anyway so it wasn't worth the effort or expense. Next time it wil be limited to frozen things that can be put in the oven.
-I think there needs to be a requirement to go out later in the night. I understood that people didnt want to because they would be spending money and at my place they werent, but I think this just encourages people to drink a bit too excessively. Also I like to be able to go home and go to sleep when I want to (selfish but true).
Everything else will be the same except I will buy more mustaches. I am anxiously waiting for the Art Hop exhibit of Adam with the mustache placed on various locations on his face. I also look forward to Katie getting a patent for texturized tattoos. What a creative group we are, especially when there is tequila!
If anyone has pictures please post or send. I know Kendall had her camera but we may not see them for a few months so if anyone else was taking pics, please let me know.
Friday, May 2
A Thursday Night in Tower
Last night I met up with Adam and Mike at Ed's Art Hop Show. The building the show was in Severence which is a beautifully restored old building where they have dance/music classess in. I have been walking by it for quite sometime and it was nice to go in and see it from the inside.
Eds work was up in the hallway and I would imagine a lot of people will have a chance to see it since his work will stay up for a little while and there is a lot of traffic in that building. Maybe something will come of it, but at the very least people who might not otherwise get a chance to see it will have that opportunity which is very cool. One piece that was new to me was the large one at the end of the hall and I can't remember the title but it had something to do with the war. I really liked that one because the wood was imperfect and the reds were really beautiful.
After the show the boys and I went to Mings for some dinner. I had some chow mien and a crap load of celery but I was starving so it hit the spot. While we were there Ed asked me if I had heard from Monica about the tattoo. I told him that I hadn't and don't really know whats going on but I haven't been proactive about finding out what the deal was since she told me she would call me when it was done. Maybe a minute and a half after that conversation my phone ran and I got a voicemail from Monica saying that my drawing was finally done and I could come in and see it whenever I was able to. Since Sara is getting her ink done with Monica on Sunday, I will stop by and see it then while I watch sara get a needle stuck in her. So I am happy now, although I am a little low on the cash flow at the moment so I may have to put it off for a little bit. I really just want to see what she came up so I can see what it will look like.
With that and the Cinco de Mayo party, I think I am going to have a good weekend:)
Eds work was up in the hallway and I would imagine a lot of people will have a chance to see it since his work will stay up for a little while and there is a lot of traffic in that building. Maybe something will come of it, but at the very least people who might not otherwise get a chance to see it will have that opportunity which is very cool. One piece that was new to me was the large one at the end of the hall and I can't remember the title but it had something to do with the war. I really liked that one because the wood was imperfect and the reds were really beautiful.
After the show the boys and I went to Mings for some dinner. I had some chow mien and a crap load of celery but I was starving so it hit the spot. While we were there Ed asked me if I had heard from Monica about the tattoo. I told him that I hadn't and don't really know whats going on but I haven't been proactive about finding out what the deal was since she told me she would call me when it was done. Maybe a minute and a half after that conversation my phone ran and I got a voicemail from Monica saying that my drawing was finally done and I could come in and see it whenever I was able to. Since Sara is getting her ink done with Monica on Sunday, I will stop by and see it then while I watch sara get a needle stuck in her. So I am happy now, although I am a little low on the cash flow at the moment so I may have to put it off for a little bit. I really just want to see what she came up so I can see what it will look like.
With that and the Cinco de Mayo party, I think I am going to have a good weekend:)
Thursday, May 1
A Pain in My Freakin Neck
For the past couple of months every few weeks I get what a kink in my neck. More specifically the pain is in my lower neck near my shoulder blade. Movement of the neck however is when I feel the pain so I refer to it as a pain in the neck. It feels like a kink you get in your neck when you sleep on it wrong, so that is just what I thought it was.
This morning I woke up feeling fine but while I was walking into the office all of the sudden it sort of seized up and I felt a sharp pain when I even slightly moved my neck. It loosened up a bit but if I try to put my head all of the way back or all of the way down, I can feel the pain shooting down my shoulder blade and and lower neck. Since I had been awake for about an hour at that point I am suspicious if it had anything to do with the way that I slept.
Also it is in the same exact spot every time it happens and if it was from sleeping wrong I would think it wouldnt be in the same exact location. The pain will gradually decrease but it will hurt for a good 5-7 days if not more which makes me think maybe I strained a ligament or something and if thats the case what am I doing to cause this? I have had my mom rub the area and she can feel knots and says it is really tight so I have her really dig into it as hard as she can and it hurts so good but only while she is doing it. Afterwards it gets really sore like a bruise and continues to hurt like a strain at the same time.
Basically I dont know what the cause is and I dont know how to treat it. Any thoughts and or suggestions would be appreciated. I have thought of going to get a massage or even a chiropractor (I know people have some opinons about this) but so far I have just been putting up with it until it goes away and I need to be more proactive.
This morning I woke up feeling fine but while I was walking into the office all of the sudden it sort of seized up and I felt a sharp pain when I even slightly moved my neck. It loosened up a bit but if I try to put my head all of the way back or all of the way down, I can feel the pain shooting down my shoulder blade and and lower neck. Since I had been awake for about an hour at that point I am suspicious if it had anything to do with the way that I slept.
Also it is in the same exact spot every time it happens and if it was from sleeping wrong I would think it wouldnt be in the same exact location. The pain will gradually decrease but it will hurt for a good 5-7 days if not more which makes me think maybe I strained a ligament or something and if thats the case what am I doing to cause this? I have had my mom rub the area and she can feel knots and says it is really tight so I have her really dig into it as hard as she can and it hurts so good but only while she is doing it. Afterwards it gets really sore like a bruise and continues to hurt like a strain at the same time.
Basically I dont know what the cause is and I dont know how to treat it. Any thoughts and or suggestions would be appreciated. I have thought of going to get a massage or even a chiropractor (I know people have some opinons about this) but so far I have just been putting up with it until it goes away and I need to be more proactive.
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