A Little Realization...

.: :.

There is a special sense of victory that most people experience when they manage to loosen your grip on your convictions.

It's sad.

Say Cheese!

Pick that spinach out of your teeth because I just purchased a new digi cam and I am going to be snapping shots at everything and everyone! 

After 4 years, I decided it was time.  I have plenty of reasons, too; my niece is growing up, creativity is therapeutic, and I want to indulge the inner photographer that I've been taking for granted since high school.  Mr. Farinola would pout if he knew.  I'm also gearing up for the warmer weather and some new goals.  

What better way to capture the journey than with a new digi cam?  (especially, since my memory is crap)

So here it is... the Sony Cybershot DSC W80 in PINK!

New Slideshow

I posted a slideshow.  It's on the right.  Right there... yeah, that's it. mhm...

7/11ths of the family met up in NYC for a high end Mexican dinner.  Pomegranate margaritas and guac made freshly at table side.  But the highlight was definitely, the Ella bear.

Have You Ever Seen One of These?

It's not everyday that one crosses paths with the Big Purple Bus.  Maybe it was the orange lighting, but the bus looked rather pink for a "purple" bus.  I couldn't help but hear one of my favorite Barney songs play in my head as I ran to it in childish wonder, the ever mysterious   "Barney Bag"... I shall refresh you.

 "Well, I've been looking in my Barney bag. 

 And I found a lot of things!

Gadgets, and gizmos, and odds and ends,

and even some old string.

So we ask ourselves the question,

'What can we make today?'

With imagination and the Barney bag

we'll see what we can make today.

Yeah! We'll see what we can make today."

Don't hate.

How To Stay Out of Debt

I am overdue for a nice meditative blog but in the meantime... 

Here's an informative video on how to stay out of debt.  Pay close attention, so as not to get lost in the complex logic. 

Like the font color?  I was aiming for something between a dollar bill and a penny.

P.S.  My blog looks a lot better on a Mac.  :)

Also, feel free to post responses to this blog about the new Apple products rolled out by Steve at the Macworld Expo.  If you haven't seen it yet, click here.

04/25/1979

Forwarded to me by my good ol' friend, Deanage.  

(Thanks!  Oh and Roger just called you "Dean-o" and I pictured the Flinstone's pet!)

Enjoy....

Blah Blah Blog

I still have not emerged from my blog cocoon.  My guards are still up.  And I'm still making "safe" entries.  

It's about 12:30 a.m.  I'm cold but refuse to get up and turn the heat on or go grab a blanket.  I do this a lot.  It's a way of depriving myself as an expression of not truly appreciating myself. Simply put, I'm not important enough to get warm.  It sounds laughable to read and to write but it's true. And I really feel that way.  I'm also pretty lazy sometimes.  So that probably plays a part, too. 

There's a lot on my mind right now and I'm wondering if I should save it for tomorrow or let it out now while it's still fresh.  The age old question asked by my inner writer - will marinating in it make it better (like lemon chicken) or does waiting air out the fragrance of its essence (like car fresheners)?

It's ok to struggle WHILST making a post, right?  

"Muchacha" and I were having a very lively discussion today about Jesus' words in Matthew 5:23, 24 -  

"If, then, you are bringing your gift to the altar and you there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar, and go away; first make your peace with your brother, and then, when you have come back, offer up your gift." - New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

It basically comes down to that right now.  So that's what I'm going to do.  

Make peace with my brother.

I promise, my blogs won't always be this vague.

LOST in 8:15 (Official Recap S1-S3)

* Spoiler Warning *

Hilarious, though.

Love

I just heard this quote today...

"Love - a urine mirage in a desert of fear."

Ayn Rand Phil Donahue Interview Part 1 of 5

As part of a casual discussion of the links between Objectivism & Darwinism, a friend of mine sent me this video of an interview with Ayn Rand by Phil Donahue.  (Thanks Darkus)

It speaks for itself.

I've read two of Ayn's books - The Fountainhead and Anthem. Both were very enjoyable and a quick read.  They also came highly recommended by some good people.  Like most things though, they contain truths and untruths.  

In theory, I agree with Ayn on the importance of having a healthy sense of pride in our accomplishments as opposed to fake humility or contrived self-depracation.   She takes it a bit too far, though, when it comes to her thoughts on God and religion.  I don't agree with her at all on that topic.  That part of the interview is in video 3 of 5 in the sequence which can be found on YouTube.  Phil provides a sharp and strong retort to her claims.  Definitely thought-provoking, to say the least.  I have a lot more to say on this, but I'll stop here.  

Enjoy

One Thing I Must Know Before I Die

(Originally written on 12.15.07)

I've always wondered why if new bulbs are put in at the same time and are of the same wattage, receiving the same amount of voltage, some of the lights in the letters of company names go out at different times.

Like tonight, we were driving in south jersey and drove past an O--I- E  D-pot.

Why does this happen????   I need to know before I die.

Let me know if you have any theories or plausible explanations.

Here is one from my friend, Tom...

"Simple...God doesn't like certain letter combinations. I mean, I'm pretty sure he likes all letters (except maybe Q), but we all have our irrational peavery. And certain neon schemes drive God bananas. It makes sense because he can see the whole world all the time, so those signs must feel like they're coming right through his bedroom window! I understand why he's upset."

What say YOU?

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So, yesterday was my 27th birthday.  January 4, 1981, I was born.  I'm not old enough to hide my age and not so young that I reply with fractions or round up and say "I'm going to be..." when people ask how old I am.

I don't celebrate birthdays, of course.  But the anniversary of one's birth has this naturally reflective quality for most people, including myself.  Some dwell more on the years that have come and gone.  And some focus on the untapped potential of the future.  I did a little of both yesterday.

When I was 15, I remember telling someone "I will die before I'm 25.  And if I'm not dead, I'll kill myself." *   My thinking was that I didn't really want to commit suicide, but I was "hopeful" that something would spur on my demise.  And if not, I would have to step in because who wants to get old?  

I was about 13 when Kurt Cobain died at the age of.. 27.  He quoted Neil Young in his suicide note when he wrote, "'it's better to burn out' than to fade away".  This profound statement captured how most young people view getting older.  Your skin loosens, things sag, hair grays, body stiffens, fears swell, bitterness hardens and you get really, really lame and out of touch.  That's how I viewed aging.   

Coming to my senses at age 19 shed a lot of light on my gloomy conceptions.   I eventually started looking forward to my thirties and saw it as a time when uncertainty is behind you, you've figured yourself out, and built up enough experience to proceed with method and precision into whatever you do.  You can meaningfully press on.

As you get further into "your future" one question in particular seems to swell and reverberate on each birthday - "What have I accomplished?"  But this time around, I don't really want to think about that because what I have accomplished is not as important as what I can accomplish or rather, what I'm going to accomplish... which is still undecided.  Actually, I opted to just wait for tomorrow so I don't have to think about it.  (haha)

Ultimately, the most important thing for me is to remove all the circles.  Those destructive patterns that creep into my life and surround me.  The circuits that thrive on repetition.  I fear that they get stronger each time I run the course.   And they're more patient than I am because they know I'll return to their familiar grip.

But it's 2008 now and I'm on the cusp of a new cycle.  I can see the crest of its waves approaching me in the distance.  And I've had 27 years to prepare for its arrival.

__________________________________________________

* Is that unusual for teens?  I don't think so but my gauges could be off.  Now teens are learning to love their fleshly selves like rabid little dogs so maybe death is not the first thing on their list.  They'd much rather advertise tiny teen problems as massive despair to their friends to extract maximum comfort and consolation (attention followed by praise).  But I'll not go on that tangent.  Thankfully, I do know some teens who are exceptions to this rule (Linda, Sandra, Tiffany just to name a few).

The Thing About Blogs...

Anyone who knows anything about me knows I like to study people & behavior;  to know and understand why we do what we do.  Know, know, know.  And I've gone through phases in how I feel about them - naivete, hate, apathy, love, apathy...  The usual.  

Being an idealist at heart, one of the most important lessons I've learned about people (besides expectation=disappointment) is that you have to know your limits with them.  Some are very trustworthy.  Some will break your heart.  Some will never listen to anyone.  Some will devastate you with a loyalty that endures the ages.  It is necessary to accept this.

"But doesn't this restrict your relationships?",  you might ask.  Do lines on a map limit the potential of a city?  Absolutely not.  Learning, and re-learning, this lesson makes my friendships more enjoyable. For example, I don't share intimate details with my friends possessing the gift of gab.  By doing so, I keep them out of the precarious position of having to "keep a secret".   If I'm looking to go out and have a great time, I'll most likely call my extroverted, social butterfly friends who will probably already have an agenda.  And then there are some who I just love to listen to.  It's very liberating.

It's great having unique conversations with my friends and family.  Like how my sisters remind me to care for my practical needs, or how Erin and I can go off on tangents about how in my mind, she's a winged and glittery forest creature who rides a two-toned striped glow worm with green jelly for blood.  Then there are the endless hours Ryan and I can spend swapping theories of personality nuances and illustrating life in "N" metaphors or how Roger and I can be perfectly content saying nothing at all.  I think of it like a beautifully patched quilt.

The thing about a blog is... it tempts me to defy this rule.  How?  Because to me, an enjoyable blog is one that is, at the very least, honest, open, and informative.  So how do I openly share my ideas, thoughts, feelings, without crossing these trusted boundaries?  Will the universe unravel if I do?  No.  But it may get messier.  

-=-

-=-

            I'm up for the challenge.  Are you?              

_________________________________________

"If they were all one member, where would the body be?  But now, they are many members, yet one body.  The eye cannot say to the hand: 'I have no need of you'; or, again, the head [cannot say] to the feet: "I have no need of you." - 1 Corinthians 12:19-21 NWT

Which "My So-Called Life" Character Are You?

As you can see, I'm Angela.

Let me know who you are by commenting to this post.  I am VERY interested in the results. 

Rosa, I know you can appreciate this one.

Which My So-Called Life Character Are You?

Shocking MySpace Facts Revealed!

A recent study reveals that 98% of myspace users do NOT have hands.  Supporting evidence includes, but is not exclusive to, countless pictures of handless users.

Dr. Tequila (Tila's older, smarter, also Filipino brother), an expert in the field of Myspaceology, states "It's not so much that they are all missing BOTH hands.  In fact, the data shows that the majority of that 98% are missing just one hand.  The other can usually be seen dangling in the background or placed alluringly somewhere on their person.  The numbers are staggering."

Scientists are still researching the cause of this shocking peak in handless members of the electronic community and suspect it might be genetic. However, some renegade teens argue "we're just vain and friendless!"

                                                                                                     

Photo: Dr. Tequila analyzes a test tube for the cure as perplexed colleague marvels at why he's not using a microscope

Location: C.A.S (Center for Armless Scientists)

The Biggest Loser

There was a "The Biggest Loser" marathon on Bravo today that I caught with one eye and one ear while I obsessed over my new blog and the difference between RSS and Atom feeds (click here if you're interested in reading about the differences, thanks to Chrissie for the reference).

I wish they would focus a little more on what these people are actually eating, but other than that what a great premise. I especially like that before the finale, they make the finalists spend weeks at home trying to lose the weight on their own so the fuel of competition motivates them in their natural habitat which helps for a smoother transition into regular life.

It seems inevitable that there will one day be a "Real World" type version of this show where, in the spirit of dirty competition, people start swapping ring dings for low-fat snack wells or twinkies for tofu ( I know they look nothing alike but it could happen!). I really hope it doesn't happen but I'm sure it's on its way.

Then there's the question of, is this show really encouraging to the overweight people of America? Do some watch and think "wow, all I need is an overpriced trainer, fat camp, a nutritionist, paid healthy meals, and lots of time away from my job, family, and other obligations... and voila!" (discouragement ensues) or does seeing people lose all this weight, regardless of the method, provide enough inspiration to others with the same desire?

On a more technical note, I changed the default setting that was only allowing gmail users to post comments so now everyone should be able to post with no obligation.

Also, if you'd like to subscribe to this blog, click the "Subscribe to: Atom (posts)" link at the bottom of this page (or the the link I just posted). Then click the "Subscribe in Mail" link on the bottom right. Depending on your browser, you may have a blue and white "RSS" icon in the URL box that can also redirect you.

how do you feel about blogs?

I'd like to know how you feel about blogs and blogging in general.

Are they vain?

...helpful? 

   ...cathartic?

...useless?

What are some of your favorite blog sites?

Do you have a blog?  If not, would you ever start one?