Torres del Paine

Here is a detailed map of the Torres del Paine National Park with trails marked out. Doesn't it look beautiful? Is it weird to find a map sexy?

Time on my hand

Huh...I haven't been in this perdicament in some time...I have time on my hands and I don't know what to do with it. This week was supposed to be crazy busy for me. I was supposed to be in Atlanta today and tomorrow and in Detroit Wednesday and Thursday. But my Atlanta meeting was postponed due to the little blizzard outside and my Detroit meetings were pushed back until mid-April. And all of this happened this morning. So now I have a week to do...nothing. Well, not nothing nothing...I do have things to take care of at work and deadlines at the end of March...but now I have a free week both professionally and personally. Oh, what to do, what to do. And to top it all off, my personal "To Do" list is relatively short right now. Just 6 items (of course one of them includes "Do taxes".)

Hymn

Hymn
by Bo Young Lee

I once
Dated an older man ______________________...36
Who told me
“Your optimism

is
a result of your
youth”

As though
hope
was the

flaw

I should have
Walked out
That ________________________________moment
But at 22
My confidence

Betrayed
As did my

Validity
Fail

What would he
Tell me now
___________________________________…almost 30
If he knew
I still cry
When I sing
“Amazing Grace”

(….how sweet the sound

that saved a wretch like me

I once was lost but now am found

was blind but now I see)

Camping and Hiking

This article in today's NY Times reminded me of my 9 day trek through the Grand Canyon in Feb 2002. Wow, it's been 3 years. It was about 19 degrees at the top of the canyon the night before we started our descent down and it snowed while we were in our tents. Four days later, when we hit the bottom of the canyon and the Colorado River, it was about 75 degrees and perfect. One of my best memories, the kind that you keep stored away and pull out whenever you need a smile, involves practicing yoga along the Colorado River at 7 in the morning just as the sun began to crest over the canyon's edge and perfectly reflect the canyon walls along the still water's surface. The purple, green, burnt sienna, and blues were vivid and quiet and all I remember is feeling completely immersed and transported.

It's a shame that so few visitors to the Grand Canyon (or any other national park for that matter) rarely venture beyond the well hiked and populus trails. Just a day or so out, once you hit backcountry territory, you can find the real goodness of the wilderness.

Mmmm, all this talk about backcountry hiking is making me long for my trip to Patagonia. I've finally settled on a general time frame. Since Oct is the beginning of the hiking season it's still a bit nippy. I think I'll be heading south around the Christmas/New Years time frame. That way I take full advantage of the holidays and I don't have to eat up all of my vacation days. I think I'm going to do the Torres del Paine trekking circuit, which usually takes anywhere from 7 - 10 days. It covers about 70 miles and I think there is an ascent of about 5000 feet...so about the same as the Grand Canyon. My biggest debate now is if I do this with a couple of mates and we set our own agenda or if I do one of those pre-fab treks where you are led by a guide. There are pros and cons to both options.

One of the things I love about camping is all the gear. I could spend hours wandering around REI. Did you know they made ice cream makers for campers? That's 1 lb 10 ozs that I don't need to schlep around for 10 days. Anyway, I think I'm gonna finally splurge and get myself one of those nifty self-inflating sleeping pads.

And they lived happily ever after...eventually

I'm a little late in commenting on this but I was really happy to hear that Prince Charles and Camilla would be getting their swerve on in April. Whatever your feelings on the matter (or lackthereof), you can't deny that there is something geekily sweet about the whole thing. It's also nice to get an occassional reminder that fairy tales don't own the exclusive rights to happy endings.

What a whirlwind weekend/week I had...I've said this before, and I'll keep on saying it, I've got GREAT friends. Thank you KLo for allowing me to celebrate such a momentus event with you! And EF baby, I luv ya...and I'll keep on luven ya, even if we only see each other every 2 years!

Dinner with KC and friends was awesome. It also reminded me why I love the midwestern folks so darn much. I'm not a big fan of the accents but in every other regard y'all rock.

Tuesday was spent flying to and from Washington DC. These one day engagements always leave me feeling a bit crazy. It's wild to think that I woke up in NY, spent 2.5 hours in the airport/flying, spent 3 hours in a meeting, spent 2.5 hours in the airport/flying, and ended the evening in Manhattan working out/having a late supper with a friend. You'd think that after 7.5+ years of consulting, I'd have gotten used to this sort of schedule. The next week or so should be just as exciting/unnerving. Looks like I'll be flying to Atlanta and then Detroit. Oh...I may get a chance to catch up with my dear SC whilst in Altanta. Yeah!

Looks like nearly all the hotel rooms in the Coachella Valley are already booked up. I'm probably gonna skip the Coachella festival this year. Given that I'm knee deep in mortgage and I'm trying to save for Patagonia, I'm living conservatively. This means that I can only indulge in the occassional new pair of shoes or handbag. Sigh.

Today's blog was brought to you by the short attention span theater.

Why I am the way I am

For all of my parents' insanity, they are amazingly wonderful people (although this doesn't discount their mental instability) and still amazingly in love with each other. This year marks their 35th wedding anniversary!!! They still hug and kiss and say nice things about each other. They also do other sickeningly sweet things for and to each other. Very unique for an asian couple of a certain generation...but then again, they are unique people.

Take for instance this past week. My mother got very sick on Tuesday and had to stay home from work for a few days. She wasn't eating much. My dad, knowing that my mother's one weakness in the world is a certain type of cake sold in a special Korean bakery, picked up two HUGE cakes on the way home to try and entice her to eat something. He did it by his own volition and the cakes aren't cheap. Not exactly the most practical thing to feed someone when they are still sick, but utterly sweet and kind none the less.

I've said this before but I'll say it again, I'm a lucky girl. (Even when they are constantly haranguing me about something.)

No wonder I'm still single. I can't possibly find a mate that can live up to the standards my parents have set.

Something to do on Monday

Yeah...almost the start of a three day weekend...and what a weekend it will be...

Thursday night - kicking off with a night of pottery painting with the fabulous momma LB.
Friday - Celebrate KLo's 30th @ Fez!!! I haven't been to Fez since we sent EF across the pond. Wow! Full circle.
Saturday - Hopefully spend the day hitting the sample sales with the aforementioned Ms. KLo
Saturday night - Dinner with KC and friends at Chubo.
Sunday - A day of relaxation and getting centered
Monday - President's Day. An interesting activity for the day - I saw this in Time Out NY this morning: "The Spirit of The Gates" - Join Buddhist monks and other religious leaders from different faiths in a silent, meditative procession through Christo's Gates exhibit in Central Park. A short outdoor service at 72nd St. and Central Park West will take place directly after the walk. Meet at the corner of 72nd St. and Fifth Ave. 2pm - 4pm. Let's see if I can get this booty above 14th street by 2pm.

Here's a question for all you caffeine drinkers out there...How do you do it? The other day, prior to walking into a 4 hour meeting with 10 partners at a law firm, I was feeling a bit sleepy. I decided to drink a 1/3 cup of coffee. Oh boy! Big mistake!! I spent the next 6 hours oscillating between nausea and ADD. Granted I don't drink much caffeine...but man alive...it got to me. To top it all off, the caffeine left me so wired I didn't fall asleep until 3:30 in the morning. And I drank the coffee at 2 in the afternoon. Note to self, no coffee for me.

Closing and Openings

Recently, a great teacher in my life said, as explanation for why he has decided to take a new course in his life, "Sometimes you have to allow a door in your life to fully close before another will open." I think what he was trying to get at was the idea that sometimes you have to close the door in order to allow for enough silence to make hearing possible. That's when you hear what the world has in store for you.

Not long ago a door in my life closed as firmly and soundly as it opened extravagantly and gloriously. I felt sadness for the closure but it gave me the opportunity to listen in that quiet space. I began to hear some amazing things; things that told me "Don't ponder too long on the closed door. Yes, you are on the right path - both professionally and personally. Yes, keep going."

So, what is it that I heard, you ask? Well, I've been working a long time amassing skills that at times seemed unrelated and irrelevant. I'm finally starting to figure out how all the pieces fit in together. Last week, after several months of networking and then more weeks of interviews I was invited to sit on the Board of Directors of a prominent dance oriented non-profit. Dancewave is a wonderful non-profit that brings modern dance to kids in a vast array of socio-economic groups. www.dancewave.org. I'm thrilled. This opportunity will allow me to participate and give back to the delicious world of modern dance. Modern dance has given me so much joy over the years and I'm glad I can give back in this way. In a weird confluence of events, I've also recently met a ton of Board members for Danspace Project, www.danspaceproject.org, the historic and groundbreaking performance space in the East Village. They are looking for new board members and a few have mentioned that they want me to join. I don't know if I'll have the time for both organizations but we'll consider that "burden" if I'm fortunate to have it. It's like this magic melding of my professional skills with my artistic sensibilities.

Additionally, in just the last week I was invited by a certain large automotive manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, MI to sit on their Sustainability/Corporate Social Responsibility review board. I know how they got my name but still, the fact that they saw my resume and thought...this girl may actually be able to add some value to our discussion...is really amazing. I'm thrilled. Those of you who met me during the MBA days know how much this means to me.
Oh! Oh! and I heard back from the co-op board...we are making some headway on the apartment. Soon...very soon!

I guess my parents are right when they say..."Just try your best."

The world is an amazing place, isn't it?

On the topic of closings, I attended the funniest performance art piece last Friday night with dear friends AI and DB. My Price Point by Mike Albo was a satirical look at our modern consumer oriented culture. It was great! It combined sharp commentary with dance and comedy. I loved it! My favorite line was "I was working backstage at a concert and got to witness Conor Oberst and Michael Stipe share a hug in their strange homosexual vegan way." Normally I'd tell you to see this show but it ended its run at PS 122 last Sunday night. Oh well. It was still pretty damn funny...

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day to all that I love...You know who you are.

If I could, I'd give each of you one of those paper valentines with Snoopy on it and afix a little heart themed chocolate...maybe a little Snickers in a pink wrapper.

Oh...and happy 29th birthday to Ms NG! I'm terrible...I know it's in February and I know there is a nine somewhere in the mix...but for the life of me I can't remember if it's the 9th or the 19th. And you'd think I only met her yesterday. Can you believe that it's been 9 years of friendship. I love you girl.

Green Day and Storm King

I like Green Day. There, I said it. Don't hate me. I like Green Day. I know, as someone who spends 90% of her time listening to the likes of Bright Eyes, Kanye West, and Arcade Fire, I should know better. But I can't help but bop along to their infectious faux-punk. What can I say, the boys of Green Day know how to write a good hook.

On a completely unrelated topic, the installation of the Gates reminds me of Storm King Art Center in the Hudson Valley. Storm King is an open air art gallery with the mission of celebrating significant sculptures of scale within the context of nature. It's quite the experience. Imagine an open air gallery set over some 500+ acres of Hudson Valley and hill and green and stream...as you meander your way over grass and gravel and intoxicate your senses with the smell of tree and earth, you stumble across a 100 foot metal sculpter. A Cauldwell, perhaps. Or maybe Mark di Suvero's Pyramidian. First you see the singularity of the sculpture, its cold construction and foreign nature against the backdrop of lawn and woodland. Then slowly you notice the hill beyond and the trees to the right and all of a sudden the sculpture becomes apart of the landscape, an unexpected addition that adds a new harmony to the existing composition. It's inspiring. If you ever find yourself in the NYC area between April - Nov, try to make your way to Mountainville, NY to visit Storm King. You won't regret it. www.stormking.org Visit the website, at least, to see what you're missing.

I heart Jason Mraz

What can I say? Sometimes I revert to being a 15 year old teen mall-rat. Ms. SS kindly accomplanied me to one of his concerts back in San Francisco - Oh, I felt ooooollllldddd. But I had so much fun. Anyway, I thought I'd share a bit from his blog. This post made me laugh and laugh and laugh. I heart Jason Mraz.

From www.jasonmraz.com:

Valentine’s Day Advance Placement Cliff’s Notes

Okay. So I’m about to get real busy and then chase that flurry of hurry with a healthy dose of rest and relaxation, which means I may not open my computer for a solid week or so as I’ll be lost in paradise somewhere on a private tropical island in the central pacific with my imaginary Victoria’s secret model girlfriend. With that in mind I’m leaving the mainland with this advanced statement for those seeking Valentine’s Day advice.

If you’re like the former me, you’re having trouble coming to terms with the holiday around the corner. You’re wondering what you should do for your significant other, what you should buy. And I say if this is you, you’re wasting your time. Valentine’s Day is to be shared and if your partner is expecting something from you to keep the game going then they suck. If you’ve done something wrong and you think you’re big dinner plans for this Valentine’s Day are going to save your relationship than you’re still wrong. Valentine’s day is about the celebration between two people and everything they understand about each other. It is a day reserved like any other. It is one day. But it’s a day with its emphasis on appreciation. The best thing you can give your lover or long time friend is your undivided attention. Place your hands in theirs and look them in the eyes and give them a straight answer.

If you’re happily married and you already celebrate each other’s companionship daily, well, I don’t quite know what to tell you. I would say do something to surprise the other. How so? Do the opposite of your daily routine. If you watch a lot of TV, don’t. If they always make dinner, you do it. If you always drive, let them drive. If you always have to shave their back, let them do it. Carry on with life as you always would, but put yourself in their shoes for a few hours to learn more about how they contribute to the courtship.

Here are a few more specific tips to prepare for the upcoming showcase showdown.

Guys:

WAKE AND BAKE.Get up early. Girls love breakfast in bed. If she has to work, wake her up in time to enjoy it. She’ll only be grumpy for a few minutes. If you don’t have a kitchen or time to cook because you’re a lazy-ass, then take her to a local hotel the night before and order room service and treat the both of you. Besides, strange places are always the kinkiest.

FLOWER POWER.People say flowers are over-rated. This is only said by those who are uncomfortable buying flowers because of other issues. Flowers put a smile on every woman’s face and will do the same for you when you get home from work and you see the same flowers at the dinner table and then later by the bed. She will remember who loves her all day long and she’ll see them and feel pretty and think she smells good because she’ll be smelling the flowers instead of that knock-off perfume you got her for Christmas.

DETAIL.So you’ve given her flowers, your honest hand and a straight answer. You still need to make her giddy all day because you paid attention to detail. -Send a postcard today that will arrive in time for Valentine’s Day. *Write something nice on it.-Leave little notes in all her usual spots, i.e. the coffee pot, the porcelain pot, the drivers’ seat of her car, the cat, your boxer shorts, etc. *Write something nice.-Make a mix tape/cd with all your favorite love making songs for her to listen to all day and attach a note that asks her to save you a dance later. Dancing can be done anywhere; in the carport, in the kitchen, on the roof, it doesn’t matter, just don’t promise her you’ll dance with her and then not. She’ll hold it over you head the rest of the year. You’ll be sorry.-Give her a bath. Not one with you in it, but draw the bath for her. Light candles. Drop in some flower petals. Use salts. Then leave. Deep down she wants to be alone. She works hard to put up with you as it is. Besides, this will give you time alone for online gambling or finishing that jig-saw puzzle you worked on all day long while she was at work. -And whatever you do, don’t tell her you got your tips from this website. She’ll think you’re gay.-If you are gay, the same rule applies. Pretend you thought long and hard about this without any help.

*If you’re completely hopeless and/or retarded, here are a few suggestions to write on the aforementioned notes/postcards. If your handwriting sucks, I give you my permission to print this out and paste it onto the parchment. Cut this section out so you won’t give away the fact that you found it online. Parchment by the way is a nice word for paper.
- You make me smile. (My personal favorite.)
- Without you, I’d probably be in jail by now.
- I love the way you love One Life to Live.
- I love how you reduce, reuse, and recycle in order to achieve a peaceful, equitable, and sustainable earth future.
- Buenos dias con amore. Lavese los manos. (Girls love a foreign tongue.)

Or use song lyrics…
- I’m yours.
- You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are grey. (If you’re 4.)
- Hike up your skirt a little more and show your world to me. (For advanced couples only)
- I adore mi amore. (I repeat: Girls love the foreign language.)
- Drop it like it’s hot.

Girls:
The best thing you can do for your fella is to just let him be. He won’t know what to do without you nagging him incessantly. In fact, don’t do anything. I mean, really, does he deserve it? Let him watch TV. Let him look at porn on the Internet. Just don’t let him leave the house without you. This may be a night where you give him some peace, but it doesn’t mean he can have his peace and eat it too. He’s not to go out with the boys and forget about you because you did nothing for him. He’s to learn at home exactly what you do for him everyday. You’re distance will drive him nuts. And then just before he’s about to cry or storm out of the house, take him by the hand, look him in the eye, capture his calming heart, then kick him square in the frontal intersection of his pants and tell him if he ever tries to leave you it won’t be your foot he’s coming in contact with next time. Boys are stupid. Sometimes they need to be reminded of this. I speak on behalf of all stupid boys when I say it is you who makes this relationship work. If he hasn’t left already, you’re doing something right. Take this time to torture him for the fun sake of torturing another. -Whatever you do, don’t dare tell him that you heard this from me. I don’t need your boyfriend waiting in the alley after the show. In fact, don’t bring your boyfriend to the show next time. There are five other guys onstage with me dying to be your boyfriend that night.

Loners:
Take yourself to the movies. Do something alone. Cherish the solitude and all the popcorn you can eat. Or go to dinner alone and then leave a note for the waiter/waitress. Let them know that someone is thinking of them this Valentine’s Day and that you’ll wait by their car when they get off work. This might creep them out but it’ll be your pleasure since you’ll be home asleep long before they have to be escorted to their car later that night in fear of you.

Eros

From Eros the Bittersweet by Anne Carson

"I would like to grasp why it is that these two activities, falling in love and coming to know, make me feel genuinely alive. There is something like an electrification in them. They are not like anything else, but they are like each other. How? ...They have at their core the same delight, that of reaching, and entail the same pain, that of falling short or being deficient...Both mind and wooer reach out from what is known and actual to something different, possibly better, desired. Something else. Think about what that feels like. "



Reach, love, learn, (fall)...reach again. Ah yes, that is the essence of life.

Art and Wal-Mart

Only 2 more days before "The Gates" unfurl in Central Park. I CAN'T WAIT!!! Here's another article about the art installation.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/10/arts/design/10gate.html?8hpib

Here's a complete non-sequitor. Wal-Mart is trying to barrel it's way into NYC. All of you know what I think about Wal-Mart aka the spawn of satan. We've got to stop them. Another article from the NY Times.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/10/nyregion/10walmart.html?hp&ex=1108098000&en=8c2c007ce54aa66f&ei=5094&partner=homepage

Mmmmmm....Lentils

No, not lentils...Lent.

Today's Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the 40 day Lenton season. So you'll be seeing lots o' people with smudges on their foreheads. I'm not Catholic or anything but in years past I've considered getting ashes. Although I'm the farthest thing from a religious person (I like to think of myself as more faith based than religious - too many bad, conservative connotations) I find certain ceremonies and observations of the church to be quiet refreshing and inspiring. It's always been my thing to seek out the church when I feel weak or scared, there is comfort in the familiar. The first thing I do when I move to a new town is seek out a church...and eventually I get all misty eyed and weepy. I realize that one of my struggles with San Francisco was my inability to find a church where I felt at home.

I never really observed Lent as a child. I always saw it as something observed by more liturgical sects (re: Catholic and other Orthodox churches). As I grow older and as my spiritual practice evolves, I now find myself drawn to practices and traditions that once seemed silly or unneccesary. Take fasting, for instance. I've always been drawn to the idea of fasting for periods of time. Nearly all religions incorporate fasting as a spiritual practice...Ramadan, Yom Kippur, Lent. What is it about fasting that makes it such a universal act of spirituality? On a physiological level, fasting is often used as a cleansing mechanism. The thought is that you clean the body of toxins and renew it - essentially starting off with a clean slate - an opportunity to begin anew - let our old body fall away. (If you want a really good fasting tonic mix 32 oz. of water with a pinch of cayenne pepper, half the juice of a lemon, and a teaspoon of honey- mix and repeat for as long as you fast - oy! that'll clean you out.) On an emotional/psychological level, fasting is an act of empathy and compassion, an opportunity to experience the suffering (on a very manageable level) of those without. The pangs of hunger, the desire for certain foods, is all supposed to remind us of what we do have and be thankful for it. Personally, I don't see fasting in such "heavy" terms...for me it's basically an opportunity to focus on other things - things beside food.

So, why am I writing about this anyway? Well, in years past I've given up something relatively innocous and easy for Lent - white sugar, eggs, chocolate. This year I've decided to give up all animal based products for Lent. Basically, I'm becoming a vegan again for the next 40 days. I've had small pangs of guilt ever since I walked away from veganism about a 1.5 years ago. As most of you know, I LOVED being a vegan. It made sense to me and made me feel that my life style was more in line with my personal values. Going back to being an omnivoure was the right decision for me but I still miss being a vegan. So, for the next 40 days I'm going to avoid all dairy, eggs, meat, fish, poultry, honey, etc... No new purchases of leather stuff (bags, shoes, belts) or wool sweaters.

I've been toying with the idea of going back to veganism probably for the last 7 or 8 months. I think I'm using this Lent as an experiment to see how my body reacts. If all goes well, I might just stay vegan. I must admit though, I really enjoy non-vegan shoes (leather).

Oh dear, it always comes back to the shoes, doesn't it.

Daddy Advice

It's been called to my attention that I have been very negligent in providing wisdom from the sage teachers that are my parents. Well, my mom has been fairly sane as of late, therefore I introduce you to wisdom of my pops. Oh boy! This would be the man who taught me how to hotwire a car at the age of 6 and let me take a drag of his cigarette (before he quit) at 4.

"Sex is great. I love sex. Just don't have too much sex. It wears you out."

"I'm sorry you look like me. I was hoping that by marrying your mother you'd get some of her genes."

"You should teach yoga to our church members. Even if you weren't any good, I'm sure someone would show up. Plus, most don't speak very good English so they'll never know if you were a good teacher or not."

"Korean people eat fast because we are a rural people. We gotta get back in the fields to harvest." (Yeah, I'm still trying to figure that one out. I don't think I've ever seen my dad harvest anything.)

"Men are sneaky and deceptive. Trust me, I know. I'm one of them." (I think I was 7 or 8 the first time he told me this.)

"Wow, even I speak better English than Arnold Schwarzenegger."

"Why'd you have to go and tell on me?" (This would be after he downed an entire 1 lb box of dark chocolate covered raisins in one afternoon. He's refering to my mom.)

"I don't understand why gay people choose to stay in the middle states. If it's so discriminatory out there, they should just pack up and leave. Look at me, I barely spoke English when I came to New York. Of course I'm smart, which helps."

"I don't understand why people fawn over athelets and movie stars. It's not like they ever bought you a cup of coffee."

Lucky

"I know we are the lucky ones, dear." - Bif Naked

To all my friends near and far, you guys rawk!!!!

I am a lucky, lucky girl. No real reason for the love, just thought I'd tell you that.

Yer pretty and smart and kind and funny and sweet and huggable and sunshiny! LOL...Have a good Tuesday.

And no, I'm not on some happy pills. You know me better than that.

I know what I'm doing for my 30th!

Okay...so I realize that my 30th b-day is still a ways off (8.5 months and counting) but I've finally figured out what I'm going to do in honor of its passage. I'm gonna go and hide myself in the mountains of Patagonia! And what do you know, Oct. is the beginning of the prime camping/hiking season. I don't have any of the details planned as of yet, but I do know that I want to spend at least 5-6 days in the backcountry - it's been too long since I've last been on a good "connecting with nature" trek. This soul needs to smell trees and climb rocks and subsist on dried fruit, nuts, and other dehydrated vittles.

I need to get a new tent - any suggestions? The last tent I owned wasn't even a tent - just a one person bivy sack. 2.6 lbs. I think I want something a little larger now but I'm super sensative about weight.

On a slightly different note, we had a GREAT weekend in the tri-state area! 55 degrees! I went for two LOOOOOOOONG runs - 8 miles on Saturday and 10 miles on Sunday (Oy! My body is feeling it too). It was fabulous. And my Sunday run was out in Long Island. I drove to a nice woody park and got lost in the trees and the earth. Yum! That's the thing about having four seasons, you really appreciate the good weather when it arrives. If we had a similar weekend in San Francisco, people would have been complaining about it being too cold.

And least you think I seem a little too granola crunchy, I also scored a really cute pair of cropped black pants at Anne Taylor Loft for $12.50 (originally $60, plus tax-free week in NYC)! Good weather, good runs, and cute pants - what more can a girl ask for!

Ohhhhhhh....I can't wait to plan my trip. And I'm totally open to having one or two companions. Anyone want to join me? My only requirements is that you've been backcountry camping at least once before and you're not a wuss. Ha!

The thing about Boston

First the world series and now the super bowl. If only they could have also won the presidential election.

I WANT TO GO TO THE COACHELLA AND BONNAROO FESTIVALS!!!

I can't stand it! I can't stand it! (Can you tell it's been a slow day at work. Three posts!)

I want to go to Coachella and Bonnaroo!!!! Am I crazy? Yes!

Bonnaroo Festival Line-up (in Manchester, Tennessee) June 10 -12

Mars Volta, My Morning Jacket, Mouse On Mars, Iron & Wine, M. Ward, Joanna Newsom, Rilo Kiley, Trey Anastasio, Benevento / Russo Duo feat. Mike Gordon, Old Crow Medicine Show, Tea Leaf Green, Widespread Panic, Dave Matthews Band, the Allman Brothers Band, Jack Johnson, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Gov't Mule, Bela Fleck Acoustic Trio, John Prine, Yonder Mountain String Band, Keller Williams, STS9, Earl Scruggs & Friends, Joss Stone, O.A.R., Toots and the Maytals, Umphrey's McGee, Ozomatli, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, Drive-By Truckers, Particle, Xavier Rudd, Ray Lamontagne, the Gourds, Donna the Buffalo, John Butler, Trio, Ollabelle, Citizen Cope, Brazilian Girls, and Madeleine Peyroux.

Coachella Festival Line-up (in the Coachella Valley, near Death Valley, on a polo field, in the desert, in May,in California - it's HOT!)

Saturday, April 30th: Coldplay, Bauhaus, Weezer, Cocteau Twins, the Chemical Brothers, Wilco, Keane, Snow Patrol, Rilo Kiley, Cafe Tacuba, Doves, Sage Francis, Armin Van Buuren, the Raveonettes, Bloc Party, Mercury Rev, Fantomas, Hernan Cattaneo, Zap Mama, DJ Peretz, the Secret Machines, Jamie Cullum, M83, Ambulance LTD, Four Tet, MF Doom, Josh Wink, Amp Fiddler, Tiga, the Kills, Donavon Frankenreiter, Spoon, Boom Bip, Katie Melua, DJ Marky, Immortal Technique, Jean Grae, Razorlight, Swayzak, Radio 4, Buck 65, Eisley, the Sexy Magazines, k-os.

Sunday, May 1st: Nine Inch Nails, New Order, Bright Eyes, Gang of Four, Prodigy, Black Star, the Faint, Roni Size, the Arcade Fire, Roots Manuva, DJ Krush, Thrice, Junkie XL, M.I.A., British Sea Power, the Dresden Dolls, Miss Kittin, the Fiery Furnaces, Aesop Rock, the Perceptionists, Jem, Autolux, Sixtoo, Tegan and Sara, Stereophonics, The Bravery, Matthew Dear, Diplo, Subtle, Beans, Shout Out Louds, the Futureheads, Sloan, Kasabian, the Blood Brothers, Matmos, Wolf Eyes, Gram Rabbit, Smokestacks, Zion I.

When I was 21

When I was 21, if you had told me that we would have an African-American woman Secretary of State and a Hispanic Attorney General within the next decade, I probably would have jumped up and down in excitement. Condelezza Rice and Alberto Gonalez were not what I had imagined. I am sad.

Becareful of what you wish for.

Stupid Racist Things People Have Said To or Near Me

"You speak English so well."
Me: "Yes, do you need any help with your English?"

"Where are you from?"
Me: "New York."
"No, where are you really from?"
Me: "Manhattan."
"No, no, I mean where were you born?"
Me: Queens (Which is not true but I didn't want to give him the satisfaction.)
FYI...if you are ever curious about someone's origin, a much more acceptable question would be "What is your ethnic heritage?" Of course, this one is also a bit of a minefield. It's best to avoid the question all together and wait for the person to volunteer the information.

"English is the official language of the US."
Me: "Ummm, no it's not. We don't have an official language."

"I think I hear an accent."
Me: "Yes, it is the accent of intelligence."

"Why don't you just go back to your homeland."
Me: "Do you mean New York City?"

"Hey Chink."
Me: "I much prefer Gook. If you're gonna be racist, please use the correct ethnic slur."

"Do you speak English?" (Tourist who stopped me to ask for directions)
Me: "No, I don't. You should ask someone else."

"Do you dream in Korean?"
Me: "No. But I do dream in French and Latin."

"But you don't act Asian."
Me: "I like to save my flying kung-fu for special occassions. I don't like to show off."

"Are you sure you're Korean?"
Me: "I'm not sure. Wait a sec while I check my label."

(This next one comes from an interview I was conducting. I couldn't respond back but I wish I had.)
"The problem with the black people we hire is that they always have a chip on their shoulder. The asians and indians aren't like that. Of course, you have to watch out for them as well. They have a tendancy to exaggerate their resumes."

(If you ever want to pick me up at a bar, never, ever use this last one. Remember, I wear stilletos and I know how to convert them into a self-defense mechanism.)
"You are so beautiful and exotic and I love the special color of your skin."
Me: "Too bad. This is going to be the last time you see it." (And then I walked away.)

How Odd

It's weird to realize that people, other than my close friends, read this thing from time to time. Apparently my thoughts on racism hit a few nerves. Great! I love a good debate. I wonder how my "On Racism, Part 2" will be received. It's in the works!

It's interesting to ponder what the one dimensional Bo must look like in their minds eye? Am I tall or short? Fat or skinny? White, black, asian, hispanic, or other? Do I wear pink shirts with orange polka dots? Educated or uneducated? (Wait, don't answer that last question. Based on my horrid punctuation and spelling I'm sure I know the answer to that one.)

I wonder.

Things that make you go 'hmmmmmmm'. (I'm so dating myself.)

The goings on of my goings on...

I realize that one of the goals of this here site was to keep you informed about the goings on of my goings on...and lately I've only been ranting and raving and being quite narcassistic...so here are a few tidbits about what I've been up to.

> Still waiting to close on the apartment. Apparently, based on advise from other home owners, the process I've gone through is completely typical.
> Still volunteering with Dress for Success...I like it a lot!
> Currently in talks to maybe join the Board of Directors for a couple of prominent dance companies/dance-music oriented non-profits. If I get these, I'll let you know.
> Spoke to a reporter for Glamour magazine in late Dec. (work related) I think the article is supposed to come out in their April or May issue. I'll keep you posted.
> Enjoyed visits from a multitude of CA friends! You guys are fun!
> Saw an interesting art exhibit at the ICP examining whiteness (as in the race.)
> Indulged in Fall and Winter...Yeah seasons!
> Realized that I have the capability to not run away when I get scared.
> Tried to rationalize why I should purchase those cute red and cream flats by Charles & David...oh bother, who am I kidding...of course I bought them! But can you believe it...I purchased flats...well, not real flats. But the heel is only 1.5 inches!
> Flew to LA, gave a work related speech, and flew back to NYC all within the span of 21 hours!
> Filmed a PSA (but you already knew that!)
> Held a headstand for 15 minutes!!!
> Got a poem published...but you'll probably never actually see it anywhere it counts.
> Applied to two writing fellowships/scholarships and am still waiting to hear back about both...I'm sure I'll be rejected.
> Joined a choir.
> Joined a writers workshop.
> Considering actually finishing my MFA - I know, you're all probably thinking "She's still doing that?"

Over the next couple of weeks/next month, I'm hoping to:
> Finally select a closing date on the apartment.
> Party with the beautiful Ms K.Lo on her 30th! Oh, and see that fellow she's always dragging along. ;-)
> Hear back from the writing fellowship folks.
> Do my taxs.
> Do some more painting and writing and photographing.
> Figure out a way to not put y'all to sleep as you read this.

Should I just abandon this format and revert back to putting minute by minute accounts of my conversations with my mom?

The simpleton that I am

I'm such a little simpleton. Just about anything can make me giddy.

Like:
Eating Trader Joe rice crackers.
or
Having 'boogeybaby' as my email address. You'd think I'd have gotten over the amusement of that one by now.
or
Sharing five hours with Ms. Fong on Saturday night and gorging on tasty vittles.
or
The extra syllables rap artists tack on to make their flow more smooth. For example: "I see 'em on the block when I passes/ Lookin' like they need oxygen mask-es" Courtesy of the artist Fabolous.
or
My friend Dave "the man".
or
My huge pink bathrobe.
or
Singing a karaoke version of Camron's "Hey Ma". How can you not smile when you hear the chorus - "Hey ma." "What's up?" "Let's slide." "All right." "All right." "We gon' get it on tonight."
or
Puppies with too big paws.
or
"A Poem of Friendship" by Nikki Giovanni

A Poem of Friendship
by Nikki Giovanni

We are not lovers
because of the love
we make
but the love
we have

We are not friends
because of the laughs
we spend
but the tears
we save

I don't want to be near you
for the thoughts we share
but the words we never have
to speak

I will never miss you
because of what we do
but what we are
together