Top 5 of Everything

Posted on March 7th, 2010 in Joy of Zen by joyofzen

Did this for fun… I sorta cheated and didn’t number them 1-5… so they are not necessarily in order, but I was given a lot of lists to cover. I might do this from time-to-time with fewer lists and actual numbers.

Top 5 Historical People I Would want to Meet:

  • Martin Luther King Jr.
  • Nichiren Dishonin
  • Cesar Chavez
  • Lucille Ball
  • Andy Kaufman

Top 5 Reasons to get Married:

  • Never having to eat alone in a restaurant
  • There is no longer a need to search for a partner in crime
  • People will stop asking you when you’re going to get married
  • Dual income
  • Having someone to take you to the ER in the middle of the night

Top 5 Reasons not to get Married:

  • Most everything in the Top 5 reasons to get married can relate to a relationship with a boyfriend or girlfriend, without the piece of paper
  • If things don’t work out with someone, you can walk away without having to go through a divorce
  • You don’t have to worry about living your life around someone else’s schedule
  • One person’s debt becomes the other person’s debt too
  • In-laws

Top 5 Books I’ve Read:

  • Dancing Barefoot – Wil Wheaton
  • Just a Geek – Wil Wheaton
  • I used to read Patricia Cornwell, I’m sure one of those would be here
  • Where the Sidewalk Ends – Shel Silverstein
  • Angela’s Ashes – Frank McCourt (just read that he died last year)

Top 5 Funniest Moments in my Life:

  • The 1 year anniversary of my back surgery, my heel got caught in a crack at school and I crashed down to the ground. I couldn’t stop laughing at how ridiculous it was.
  • I was at the beach with some friends when the clasp in my front-closing bikini top broke. Good thing I acted quickly.
  • My friend Stefanie and I were sitting in my car in the parking lot at a Tommy’s before a =w=eezer show. A lady drove up to the drive-thru and said, “Do you have anything vegetarian?” We laughed until we cried… we still randomly say that to each other and lol. Added note: there was a vegetarian place with a big sign about a block away.
  • I (at 15yrs old) was in Beaverton, Oregon, spending the night with a girl I babysat and her grandpa. We were headed up to Portland to go to our appointments at Shriner’s. I had a room to myself to sleep in. I saw a shadow outside my window and started freaking out, thinking it was a man walking back and forth. I finally went to the window and looked out. It was a freaking llama.
  • This last moment happened recently. I got down two bags of photo albums from my closet, bumping my laundry basket in the process. So I’m standing next to the closet, leaning over, digging in a bag of photo albums when the laundry basket jumps off the shelf and flies out, aiming straight for my head. I screamed, jumped, ran and was laughing hysterically, it was out of control. I went over to the living room, still laughing, still not breathing, and my roommate didn’t know what the heck was happening. After a few minutes of laughing/crying, when I could actually speak, the first words out of my mouth are, “I wish that was on video.” I know a good comedic moment when I see it. And the laundry basket had ended up wedged on a chair and open drawer too. I just wish I could’ve seen my reaction to all that lmao.

Top 5 Reasons to have Kids:

  • They are awesome
  • You get to shape a life, hopefully better than how yours was shaped
  • They make you feel young again
  • You will go on vacations because you want them to experience life
  • You can tweet the funny shit they say as a OH:

Top 5 Reasons not to have Kids:

  • It would be expensive in so many different ways
  • You are responsible for their life
  • You might worry about them too much
  • At some point, they will likely rebel (although I didn’t)
  • The world is a pretty fucked up place

Top 5 Favorite Foods:

  • Pasta
  • Sushi rolls
  • Pho
  • Enchiladas
  • Shrimp

Top 5 Cuss Words:

  • Fuck
  • Shit
  • Motherfucker
  • Whore
  • Ass

Top 5 Bands I’ve always Wanted to See:

  • Oingo Boingo
  • Dead Kennedys (only with Jello as singer)
  • Sublime
  • The Prodigy (hopefully this will happen someday)
  • The Doors

Top 5 Movies:

  • Snatch
  • Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
  • The Breakfast Club
  • High Fidelity (the whole reason for this blog post)
  • Grease

Top 5 Excuses for not Having a School Assignment:

  • The flash drive the assignment is on died
  • Accidentally saved the edited paper in a temp folder and it’s gone now
  • Brought the wrong flash drive to school
  • Backpack was stolen and the assignment was in it
  • Oh, I thought it was due next week?

Top 5 Albums:

  • Pretty Hate Machine – NIN
  • Weezer (blue) – =w=eezer
  • Bleach – Nirvana
  • The Specials – The Specials
  • Give me Convenience or Give me Death – Dead Kennedys

I Need a Break

Posted on March 3rd, 2010 in Joy of Zen by joyofzen

Next week is the last week of the quarter and finals are the following week. I only have one actual tests, but the other two are papers. I think I’ve written 8 papers so far this quarter, maybe 9. That always happens, I either have to write a TON or hardly anything at all. The papers are gonna be hard and they’re gonna suck. I’m going to start preparing for them over the weekend. I have a ton of reading I need to do for both. Ugh. I will need to study for the final in the special ed class. I’m not to worried, but definitely need to set aside a day for that.

I only get one week off between these two quarters, so not much of a break at all. Ugh. I plan on trying to veg out as much as possible in the limited time. Oh, and here I am rambling and not posting my good news! I’ve been accepted into the credential program I applied for ^_^ So I will be getting my bachelor’s in June, but starting the credential program this spring. I need to apply for the master’s program because I want to do that concurrently with the credential stuff. The master’s is only one extra quarter of work. Yes, I will be in school forever. I think I’m slightly crazy for doing this, but I know it will be worth it in the end.

One thing I am looking forward to is summer! This is going to be the first summer in a few years that I won’t have to take classes. With the extra time, I really want to focus on getting in shape. Well, I want to have fun too of course. I would like to go to the beach a couple times a month. I’m sitting here, trying to imagine what it’ll be like to have three months off of school. Wow, just wow.

Hermit

Posted on February 27th, 2010 in Joy of Zen by joyofzen

When I was little I used to be outgoing and such. I volunteered to speak at events. I was the lead actress in the 4th grade play, I was comfortable with myself (despite being picked on).  I moved after 4th grade and had some rough times. I became very introverted. I’ve never been able to fully come out of this behavior… I shouldn’t say fully, I’m nowhere close to be extroverted heh.

I’m the type to keep a smaller amount of close friends around me rather than a huge group of people. I almost always meet people through other people, rather than on my own. I know that isn’t such a terrible thing, but I’m not outgoing in the slightest bit.

I’m definitely most social on Twitter. I never shutup there. In person though, I never really have much to say. I find it hard to make ’small talk’ with people. I am friends with a couple of my co-workers who I clicked with, but that is a sort of forced situation. You work side-by-side with people, of course you’re going to end up chatting.

I keep telling myself I gotta get out more, but am very timid to go anywhere alone. I also have no money to be spending, so that’s not helping the situation any. One complaint people have about me is that I don’t show emotion much, which is true. Even if I’m super happy inside, it often doesn’t show on the outside. It takes a lot to get any measurable amount of emotion out of me. Going back to the shutting myself off from the world when I was younger.

Guys never ask me out. Literally, never. It’s always me who has to be more forward. My friend says it’s because I’m so quiet though. I’ve always figured (since high school) the worst thing that could happen is the guys says no. I asked my crush to a dance in high school and he said no, but was nice about it.

I really miss going out and having fun. I’ve never really been one to initiate going out, definitely more of a follower than a leader. I always wish I had some single friends who lived around me, it’d be much better for me to get out to socialize with a few other people. I can’t imagine going somewhere and initiating conversation heh. Weird how it doesn’t bother me at school, to talk to random people, but yeah.

So, at this point I’m just completely rambling and have no answers for myself heh. Sounds about right. I’ll stop there :)

This is Likely to go all over the Place

Posted on February 23rd, 2010 in Joy of Zen by joyofzen

I can’t decide if over should be capitalized. Meh.

Dear lord I am so exhausted. These 10-week quarters are torture. It just hit me how many hours I’ve been working with my classes. I had a day last week where I was exhausted, it was Thursday though. Slept for 12 freaking hours that night! I’m gonna aim for 6 hours tonight, that’s usually an ok number.

I’m still trying to get things in order at school. I got everything turned in for my credential application, now I just need to hope that they will accept me. I need to get a questioned answered in the morning. Alright, this is how tired I am, I just tried to write, “to get an answer questioned.” Eep.

I’m laying on my bed in my clothes and really do not want to move. I keep thinking about all the homework I have to do for next week. Ugh. I’m gonna start it Thursday night and just try to stay on top of it. I have 3 papers do, and the special ed one has two speech samples I have to transcribe and analyze. That’s the 9th week of quarter… and I have nothing due on the 10th week. I wish one of the papers was due then. Sigh. The 11th week is finals, which involves 2 big papers and a test. This quarter has gone by very quickly, but I want a vacation. I only get one week off before the next quarter starts. It’s a cruel, cruel world.

Had to deal with a stupid mess last night that is completely ridiculous. People can be such idiots. I’d go on, but the idiots are probably reading this now, because they have no lives apparently. Have at it.

I’m doing my best to stay awake right now. Was up ’til 3 or some crap this morning, trying to finish homework. I don’t wanna fall asleep yet though, cuz if I sleep over 6 hours I usually feel worse. That’s why I came to blog, I knew reading would knock me out and this sounded like the extent of my ability to focus.

I am debating what to listen to. Definitely something mellow… Sigur Ros, Portishead, Elliott Smith, Damien Rice… Decisions. A lot of times I end up putting my iPod on shuffle, but then skipping way too many songs. The Genius thing on iTunes seems pretty cool, but I’m not on my desktop as much as my laptop.

See. This is why I gave this post the title I did. I’m just rambling about everything. Probably a good time to stop :)

I Think too Much and Live too Little

Posted on February 12th, 2010 in Joy of Zen by joyofzen

For those who know me, you probably agree with the title of this post. I am a very introverted person, not outgoing and I definitely don’t like to talk about my feelings. I’ve become more social over the last year, but I still consider myself shy. People online often expect me to be very talkative when we meet in person, but it’s not the case.

I just watched Amélie. I’d only seen it once before, and that was many years ago. I couldn’t remember much about the movie other than I remembered liking it and the crème brûlée. I find that part funny since it’s hardly in the movie. I just love it too and love cracking it.

So, during the movie I guess I had sort of an epiphany. It’s not something that I wasn’t at all aware of, it was just made clear. There is a point where Amélie helps someone with something, which triggers something in her that makes her want to go around helping people, or just trying to make things right. It brought her immense pleasure.

I connected this with why my life always feels a little off. I love to help people by nature, which is why I want to be a teacher in some capacity. Then, all this goes back to the thing about me not being where I want in life. I should’ve been done with school long ago, in a career I enjoy and fully supporting myself.

But that’s just not how life happens to be right now. I really feel if I was working in the career I want I would feel like a weight has been lifted from me. The struggle of getting there, not being there now, just trying to get through each day at a time to reach certain goals. It just wears on me.

The thing is though, I need to stop letting it. I know I will get there eventually. Amélie is a free spirit, and I identify with her timidness. I admired her enjoying skipping rocks on the water, feeling different things with her hands; these little things brought her pleasure.

I feel I’ve been doing better with letting things, like the gorgeous sky, make me happy, and of course always music. I just think I’m so worried about getting to the next thing that I’m not living right now. I let things weigh on me so much, when I should be going with the flow.

So I guess Amélie did two things for me. Reminded me that I will eventually get to my goal of helping children, and just be as free as possible. Enjoy life as it’s happening. I’m not saying there won’t be any bitching or moaning along the way, but I will make an effort to seek out the positive things surrounding me.

I can’t remember a movie ever having triggered anything in me like this before. It’s a strange feeling, sort of like coming out of a fog and trying to readjust my eyes.

Content

Posted on February 10th, 2010 in Joy of Zen by joyofzen

I wonder if I should look at my last post to see what I talked about… I don’t think I care enough for that sadly.

I know one thing I can talk about. I had to analyze a poem for one of my Chicano Studies classes. I have never been a fan of poetry. I think things straight forward and don’t want to have to go digging for meaning. It is not the least bit enjoyable for me to read it. But this poem I analyzed I connected to my life. Again things I’m always aware of that I need to improve on, but seeing me as the main character sorta woke me up.

I tend to create my own prison of doom sometimes. I can be so happy for a while, but it’s usually something outside of myself causing it, and when whatever that is stops I feel super meh. I am always completely bored with myself. I’m sure that is why I am on my computer non-stop when I am home. I can manage to entertain myself for 2-3 hours, but after that I go insane if I don’t have something else there to keep me going.

I guess the point of me writing about it is that I need to take control over it. I know I can’t be happy all the time, but I’ll settle for being content. My logical brain understands all this, but then the other part of my brain says “Um, nope.” I am content right now… since I analyzed the poem the other day I’ve been more relaxed. Just if I can keep it going……

Yet Another Week…

Posted on February 6th, 2010 in Joy of Zen by joyofzen

I turned in my credential application this week, sans one thing because I realized I paid for the wrong thing online. Ugh. I am so grateful they accepted the application anyway. I am hoping everything goes smoothly and I get this cert. of clearance thing quickly so I can turn it in.

Sigh.

And I got an A on a paper in one class and stupid B on one in another class. I have a paper due in each this coming week. This quarter is swamped with papers. This is always how it happens. I either have a ton to write, or hardly anything at all. This coming week is the 6th week of school… and there are only 10 weeks. This quarter seems especially fast for some reason.

And on a different note……

Two people contacted me who I really didn’t want to hear from. One is the cousin I wrote about last April I think it was. And since I’d deleted him as a contact I wrote back when he texted asking who it was. When he said, I just didn’t reply. I was pretty pissed for a couple hours. He knew not to contact me again. Asshole. Thankfully he didn’t try texting after that.

Then my ex left me a voicemail message out of nowhere. Part of what he said was that he was probably the last person I wanted to hear from, and I thought yeah, so why are you calling me. I was gonna ignore it, but he sent a follow up email. I felt compelled to email back, I was just too pissed at that point. I basically reminded him how much he sucked. I figured he’d get the clue and leave me the fuck alone. Thankfully he didn’t reply.

So many times this week I fantasized about being on the beach. Toes in the sand, drink in hand, listening to the ocean and smelling its yummy scent. Someday I’ll have a real vacation. I really hoped it’d be this summer, after my bachelor’s and before my master’s. Just not in the cards though. Someday.

75? That is Crazy

Posted on January 23rd, 2010 in Joy of Zen by joyofzen

Today my dad would be 75 years old! He’s been dead about 2/3 of my life though, so he will forever be 55 to me. I decided I would post the two mp3s I have of him singing country. The sound quality isn’t very good, but besides these two things, I only have one cassette with his voice. And his voice is younger in these songs, it doesn’t sound like the voice I knew, but I am very glad to have them.

A Million Tears

Roses Bring Old Memories Of You

My dad wrote these songs too. The woman’s voice is my aunt, his sister.

Pimpin’

Posted on January 21st, 2010 in Joy of Zen by joyofzen

So, I added a few links over there <——- and I just wanted to draw your attention to them. I am only doing this because I genuinely love them. I have nothing to gain from the pimping. Although, this means that I am not really much of a pimp huh? If I’m not getting paid? Damn, I’m gonna have to re-think this….

Anyway… LOL That’s Tasty! is my friend Adrian who is traveling around to various food places and reporting back. His YouTube videos make my mouth water. Please check him out if you like food (includes meat).

And please, visit The Bloggess. Especially if you’re having a shitty day. I swear she’ll cheer you up, with things like.. okay, I was gonna put a quote, but rather I am going to put the title of the post and the link cuz it’s awesome: An open letter to the people sitting next to me at the movie theater who won’t shut the fuck up.

You are welcome for the linkage :)

A Day in Weather

Posted on January 19th, 2010 in Joy of Zen by joyofzen

I never expected to be writing a blog post about the weather, but my drive home earlier today was nothing short of amazing.

I was heading east for quite awhile, and the sky had beautiful blue part with these great white clouds, the way the sun was coming through was awesome. It had poured so hard earlier in the day, this was a welcome view. There were various other clouds around, some gray, but the view straight ahead was great.  I wanted so desperately to have my camera with me but didn’t. I took two 12s on my cell and a picture, but they don’t do what I saw justice.

So then I started to drive north, and that view was of complete doom. I said aloud, alone in my car, “What the hell just happened!?” I turned around to get a full 360 degree view of the sky. There was still the gorgeous view to the east, but everywhere else was being captured by this gray blanket. Immediately there was rain. TONS of rain pounding to the ground so hard. I could hardly see and had to put my windshield wipers on full-blast. It was so a quick, drastic change from the last scene I was enjoying.

Thankfully people kept driving pretty decent during this downpour. The traffic started to slow and the rain let up a bit. I looked up to see his beautiful rainbow against the gray backdrop. I immediately tweeting about it since I hadn’t seen a rainbow in many years. It was awesome. I knew my phone wouldn’t capture that, so I didn’t bother trying. I just stared at it, enjoying all of its colors.

As I got off the freeway, the  rain was light and again there were blue skies and the rainbow was nowhere in sight. As I drove closer to home, more clouds came into view. They were big, purple fluffy ones taking over the sky. I haven’t been so excited about nature in who knows how long. I just wished someone had been there to share in the experience. Once I got home I didn’t even get out of the car before texting my friend, telling him about all the amazing things I just witnessed. It is definitely something I will remember for a long time.

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