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November 19th, 2009

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November 11th, 2009

06:58 pm - Happy Anniversary, LJ! It's been seven whole years. Thank you for listening to me. Sunday we went to the All Souls Procession. There were some strange coincidences (a woman littering her Reese's wrappers by us, seeing Logan at a stop light) that gave me goosebumps and made me wonder if they were signs. Big news! Josh took over the studio, now we are making big changes and running it together. I'm excited.

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November 8th, 2009

11:40 am - Muzik. Last night Josh and I went to dinner (delicious sushi) and then to the studio. We had intentions of making nasty electro hip-hop songs but ended up recording two versions of the same folk-punk song. My version is blatantly inspired by Kimya Dawson. I'm not much for acoustic singing, my voice sounds too innocent without strong music behind it. I like rock and roll with electronic soul, and I've been very sore throaty and stuffy the past few days, but you know what? I don't really care. Because I sang it like I meant it. For Daddy and Ricky. So here are three songs, one was recorded a few weeks ago and I sing background toward the end. The other two were recorded last night. Stay Posi - Alexis Catherine Crunch Bars - Josh Hourselt As Yet Untitled - Josh Hourselt feat. Alexis Catherine Today we are walking in the All Souls Procession (www.allsoulsprocession.org). I'm going to tape Reese's wrappers on my purse in loving memory. Tags: death, josh, kimya dawson, life, love, music, to hell with being self-conscious

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November 3rd, 2009

10:57 am - You look like the singer of Three Dog Night My dad came home last night. What a relief. Now we are on the road to recovery. Saturday night, after making tons of chili and chicken noodle soup, helping Amy carve pumpkins and put on makeup for trick-or-treating, we decided to go out. I wasn't really up to it, but I knew I needed some laid-back fun time. We met David and Molly at Kontiki. We were a bit afraid because of our costumes and the crowd that usually goes to Kontiki, but by the end of the evening we were taking photos with a man in a Jose Cuervo bottle costume and I knew all was right. ( Viva Mexico ) Current Music: Bullet Treatment Tags: family, friends, fun, halloween, pictures

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November 2nd, 2009

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October 29th, 2009

02:40 pm - Dad. 3 people were injured in the dust-related crash (Department of Public Safety) WILLCOX, AZ -- Officials say three people were injured in a chain reaction accident that was caused by reduced visibility due to blowing dust. Department of Public Safety Officer Joy Craig said the crash happened around 1:20 a.m. on Interstate 10 about 20 miles east of Willcox in southeastern Arizona. Craig said two commercial vehicles and a bus were involved, closing I-10 for nearly five hours. The collision reportedly occurred as a truck entered a dust storm area and slowed down due to limited visibility. The truck was rear-ended by a freight truck and a bus reportedly ran into the back of that vehicle. The driver of the first truck was not injured, according to Craig. She said a driver and co-driver in the second truck were treated and released from Tucson Medical Center in Tucson. The driver of the bus, Jaime Quintana, 47, of Tucson, was admitted at University Medical Center for his injuries, which were not considered life-threatening, according to Craig. Craig said visibility was severely reduced due to blowing dust, requiring the victims to be transported to hospitals rather than being air-lifted. The highway reopened just after 6 a.m. Craig said the accident is under investigation and no citations have been issued so far. The past day and a half have been pretty hard. The media is already calling...family keeps calling...I am beyond drained. Keep my daddy in your positive thoughts, please. He is going to be okay but it is going to take some time. Please stay safe. Current Mood: sad

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October 27th, 2009

07:32 pm - Pin-Up A few weeks ago I decided to treat myself to a photo shoot at Flash in the Past. This girl Ramsey, who I went to elementary school with, oddly enough, now owns a business with her mom doing pinup photography. It was really fun. It was one of those things that I've been wanting to do for awhile and I decided what better time than now? Here are some of the shots, sans one that is special for Josh and one that I haven't seen yet which will be featured in a deck of cards. ( Monroe for a day ) Current Music: SVU Tags: fun, pictures

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October 26th, 2009

09:38 am - Zombies and Pumpkins Over the weekend we participated Tucson's 4th Annual Zombie Walk. The theme was 80s. Josh and I were prombies and Amanda was totally rad zombette. It was a lot of fun and the pain from my heels as we trekked up and down 4th Avenue helped me perfect my zombie shuffle. On Sunday we took Amy to the Willcox pumpkin patch. We also went to Apple Annie's orchard and ate homemade apple crumb ice cream. It was divine. This weekend made me very happy. ( Pictures ) Tags: family, halloween, life, love, pictures, trips, zombies

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October 20th, 2009

12:31 pm - Right back where we started from. It feels like it's been way longer than just one week since we were in the smog-covered city of Los Angeles. The days are passing by very slowly, as if we brought back those ugly, gray clouds on our shoulders. I am so tired in the mornings and in the afternoons and in the evenings. It's sort of like being depressed except not. I attribute it to the crashing that came when we all realized that the cool week at the beginning of October was a fluke and that 100 degree days are not behind us. I want my energy back. I forced myself to let go of my panic and rode a bunch of rollercoasters at Six Flags Magic Mountain. The only famous person I saw the entire trip was the co-star from Two and a Half Men, but I don't like that show so I only stared at him for a few seconds. One of the cast members at Disneyland offered to take our photo and then dropped my little Canon on Mickey's hardwood floor, breaking the lens. I was not as sad as I thought I would be, and their insurance agent is actually sending me a check, so I ordered the newer version and it was actually 80 dollars cheaper than the one I bought a year ago! Maybe things work out better when you stress less. All in all Disneyland was maybe not the happiest place in the world, but definitely the most crowded, but I did get to ride everything I wanted. We stayed at a Holiday Inn Express near Venice Beach for two nights, and it was actually very cute and relatively cheap. The night we arrived, we walked on the Santa Monica pier and ate seafood. Honestly? That day was probably my favorite. Last weekend we went to a wedding. The groom is Scottish so there were a lot kilts, but the bride is El Salvadorian so there was lots of latin music and their first dance was a tango. Alex, Eric, Josh and I just took advantage of the open bar and talked shit and laughed. I felt kind of awful about it but really, weddings are terribly boring. That night I made it my mission to have a wedding in which people actually have fun. Anyway, this weekend we are participating in Tucson's 4th Annual Zombie Walk. The theme is 80s and there will be a Thriller dance. We are going as totally rad 80s prom dates who were getting hot and heavy after prom before being attacked by zombies. Josh's suit is polyester and my dress has polkadots. I can't wait. ( Pictures ) Current Music: Peter Bjorn & John Tags: california, life, love, pictures, vacation, weddings

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October 15th, 2009

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October 5th, 2009

12:06 pm - Grand Canyon/Sedona Our weekend was a getaway weekend with the pup. We woke up early, packed our stuff into the Vue, and hit the road. The Grand Canyon is beautiful and Sedona might just be my favorite place in all of Arizona. Jackson didn't understand why foreign people did not fawn over him the way that Americans do. We spent the night in Williams, where a prescribed fire became a wildfire. Everything smelled like campfire; I didn't mind. We had organic, locally made apple cider in Sedona that was worth the risk of "potentially harmful bacteria" due to lack of pasteurization. We went to that church in the cliff that I went to last time and I pined after that mansion with the planetarium/observatory. It will be mine, oh yes, it will be mine. Soundtrack for the road: Fleet Foxes - Blue Ridge Mountains Against Me! - As the Eternal Cowboy Bad, fuzzy local radio Sigur Ros Talking about the future We got back on Saturday afternoon with the world as our oyster for weekend festivities, but opted to stay in and watch "A Time to Kill." I love that movie and Matthew McConaughey's drawl. Yesterday we went to Octoberfest and 4th Avenue in search of thrift store finds. I didn't drink beer but I did get some cinnamon roasted almonds. It was a quite lovely weekend. ( Photos ) Current Music: Junior Boys Tags: arizona, jackson, josh, music, photos, pictures, trips, vacation

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September 29th, 2009

11:13 am - The Past Week Over the past week I: -Booked vacation for the Grand Canyon/Sedona (this weekend) and California (next weekend). -Watched Grey's Anatomy. Cried for George. Cried harder for Ricky. Pretended not to cry. -My hairstylist dyed my hair dark brown purple. Received mixed reactions, mostly good. Loved it anyway. Here it is, at a Grand Opening yesterday, taken unbeknownst to me -----> -Wore animal print and cage heels to a Grand Opening event. Felt fabulous. -Started reading a new book by my favorite author, Wally Lamb, called The Hour I First Believed. -Had a pin-up photoshoot with an elementary school friend. Felt like Marilyn. -Agreed to be in a deck of cards last-minute. Made Josh a little jealous, maybe. Cute jealous. -Watched "The Seven Year Itch." Fell in love with Marilyn. Again. -Tried gelato again. Was not disappointed. Liked it better than frozen yogurt (gasp!). -Maintained a lingering cough. Cursed it away so that I can exercise. -Went to the dog park a whole bunch. Laughed at dog park people. Made dog friends. -Graduated puppy class. Missing graduation this weekend because he's too cool for school. -Started, then stopped drinking coffee everyday. Made me too high-strung and anxious. Found that hilarious. You know, the usual. Tags: books, life, pictures, plans, update, vacation

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September 21st, 2009

09:50 pm - You are NOT the father! "Thank you for using BioPet Vet Lab's DNA Breed Identification Test. The breeds listed in the following report indicate the breeds that we detected in your dog. In processing, breeds are detected as rangers rather than absolute values. These are then listed on your certificate as Levels, which are defined as follows: Level 1: Over 75% of the DNA found in your dog is from the breed listed. **most mixed breed dogs will not show any breeds listed under Level 1 unless the dog has a purebred parent. Level 2: Each breed listed represents between 37-74% of your dog's DNA. Level 3: Each breed listed represents between 20-36% of your dog's DNA. Level 4: Each breed listed represents between 10-19% of your dog's DNA. Level 5: Each breed listed represents less than 10% of your dog's DNA." This is funny because every time we go to the park, we see these dogs that have faces like Jackson, but they're blonde. And every time we ask, it turns out they are Goldendoodles or Labradoodles or some sort of -oodle designer breed. Who knows if it's accurate, but it's funny to think that our boy might not be a terrier-mix at all. Current Music: Josh playin' geetar Tags: jackson, muttsofafeatherflocktogether, puppy

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September 14th, 2009

06:35 pm - Nobody puts baby in a corner. I'm sitting on the couch watching Mad Men, feeling a little loopy from the codeine cough syrup the doctor prescribed me. I've been sick for the past three weeks and now I'm left with this persistent hack and low grade fever. It's awful because I am craving aerobic activity (yeah, I can't believe it either). Josh took Jackson to Chris' house and I'd be lying if I said I didn't appreciate the peace and quiet tonight. Just me and Don Draper. We had plans to go to Vegas the weekend after Ricky died, for my birthday, but after everything happened I told Josh it would be better to go when we felt better. We spent most of the weekend toiling around in the studio. I sang on a song (just a little bit). It actually sounded good. Singing is a very intimate thing for me...maybe I'll post it on here later. On Sunday we drove up to Mt. Lemmon with Jackson. We ate pizza and a giant cookie and had intentions to hike but it started pouring. It was lovely to get away. Last weekend was my birthday. I didn't have the energy to organize anything, but Josh surprised me with a sushi dinner and a small group of friends waiting for me at Plush. Chris and Mary and Alex were all waiting there for me. Right after we arrived, I felt tiny hands over my eyes and realized that Celina was there too. We went to a weird gangsta bar and then went to Vaudeville where I danced my heart out. They played all my favorites, from Biggie to Lil' Kim to Foxy Brown. Next up was the Meet Rack where Josh had never been, we went on the tour of the sex room and Celina's friend Richard got branded. Yes, it was an interesting night. Josh got me an Akai XR20 Beat Production Center for my birthday. I can't wait to learn how to use it. What a thoughtful gift. He also got me Lost Season 4. My mom and dad got me a Coach bag and these boots I'd been coveting. Josh's mom and my sister both got me gift cards. Amy gave me a plate full of Rice Krispie treats that she made herself. They were definitely the most delicious gift I've received in quite some time. Patrick Swayze died. Everyone is dying this year. Pictures from the last couple of weeks, and my birthday weekend: ( More ) Current Mood: blah Tags: birthday, family, josh, life, pictures

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September 10th, 2009

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September 1st, 2009

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August 31st, 2009

07:57 pm - So long, so long, my friend. Remember when I first met you? You were in Josh and Alex and Devin's band, Uglystick. Everyone used to jokingly scold me because I'd say "How is the new boy?" and you were Jamaican. Of course I never said it because I was racist, I said it because you were just a boy, with your backwards baseball caps and skate shoes. A teenage boy with problems that you got over when you became a man, and we were so proud of you Ricky. Remember when I realized how much I liked you? It was when we went out for Josh's birthday, right after his break-up. He was still sad but we were determined to have a good night. We went out to Buffalo Wild Wings and bowling, and you were so funny and we laughed all night. You were such a good friend to Josh and he to you. We both wanted to see Josh happy, and you always made him happy. You followed me home that night because I had a couple of drinks and I wasn't drunk but I was too giggly for you to be sure. You wanted to make sure that I got home safe. I wish that you got home safe on Saturday night. Remember how many nights we wasted at Mainstreet Billiards? That place is a shit-hole but we always had fun. We had to go there because you weren't 21 yet. We didn't even play much pool. We mostly sat around and watched Alex and Josh play because they were better than us. I learned a lot about you during our conversations. I keep laughing remembering our Shakira/Wyclef impressions. You were the only one of Josh's friends who ever could talk about current ridiculous hip hop music with me. You let me call you Pretty Ricky even though that group is awful. After you turned 21, we stopped going to that shit-hole, and we never really wanted to go without you anyway. Remember when you turned 21? There were so many people there at Thunder Canyon Brewery. So many people love you. So many people miss you. Remember the last time I saw you? You recorded a song at the studio a couple of months ago and I wasn't sure if I should go because I didn't want to make you uncomfortable. Art-eests can be shy, you know. But Josh told me I should go, so I picked up some pizzas and we sat around and caught up for a bit. You were so busy with work and school, we hardly got to see you. You finally figured out what you wanted to do and you were going to move to Washington D.C. when you graduated. I was so proud of you for going back to school, Ricky, so many people never do! I remember watching you play guitar and making up vocal melodies in my head. I remember the way your face lit up when Josh added the drums you described. I remember your shaking hands as you handed me the lyrics you'd penned. I remember wanting to make you feel at ease so I told you they were real good. And they were real good, Ricky. It turned out great. Everyone is so sad right now. You were so loved, you'll be so missed. And I know that things get better, but for now the world seems less hilarious, less kind, less genuinely good. You were one of the best people I knew, and I just feel lucky to have met you. Rest in peace, Pretty Ricky. Tags: death, friends, loss

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August 28th, 2009

04:22 pm - RIP Teddy I'm watching the memorial for Edward Kennedy, home sick for the second day in a row. I know what a great man he was, that he was instrumental in bills like the Family and Medical Leave Act, but I didn't REALLY know. Here is what I found: A synopsis of Sen. Kennedy's legislative achievements runs 54-pages long. During his 47-year Senate career, he authored more than 2500 bills, hundreds of which became law. Some highlights: * The Civil Rights Act of 1964, which made segregation in public facilities illegal, was proposed by JFK and championed after his death by Lyndon Johnson. The bill was filibustered for 57-days by southern segregationists in the Senate. Still recovering from serious injuries sustained in a devastating plane crash, Ted Kennedy returned to the Senate floor to give an impassioned speech which helped break the filibuster and lead to the bill's passage. * In 1970, Ted Kennedy led the fight for the Voting Rights Extension Act which lowered the voting age to 18. * Kennedy championed the successful floor fight to pass the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 which abolished the quota system limiting immigration from Asia. The results literally changed the demographic make-up of America. Millions of Asian-Americans who contribute so much to our economy and our educational system literally wouldn't be here without Sen. Kennedy's efforts. * Kennedy co-sponsored the National Cancer Act which established a federal cancer research program and quadrupled the amount spent on cancer research. * Kennedy played a key role in passing Title IX, requiring colleges to provide equal funding for men's and women's sports. Without it, hundreds of thousands of female athletes would never have had the opportunities which they achieved. * In 1986 Sen. Kennedy led the bipartisan fight in Congress which overrode President Reagan's veto of economic sanctions against the apartheid government of South Africa. The resulting economic isolation helped pressure white South Africans into accepting that the days of apartheid were numbered, and along with the resistance of black South Africans, helped bring about the release a few years later of Nelson Mandela and the advent of majority rule. * Kennedy was instrumental in passing the Americans with Disabilities Act which prohibited workplace discrimination against and required public accommodations for disabled Americans, making it possible for innumerable disabled Americans to live better and fuller lives. * Sen. Kennedy co-sponsored the Family and Medical Leave Act which required business to provide unpaid leave for family emergencies and the birth of a child. * Sen. Kennedy co-sponsored the COBRA act, which allows employees to keep their health insurance after losing their jobs. * Kennedy led the fight to raise the minimum wage from4.25 to5.15 an hour in 1996, and again in 2007 led the fight to increase it to7.25. * Kennedy was a leader in the fight to establish the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) which today insures over 10 million children. Amazing. What an inspirational person. And I know that I'm out of touch with him really, that his family is a dynasty, an anomaly in American culture and the last of a certain breed of citizen. But selfishly, my learning of all his accomplishments couldn't have come at a better time. Kennedy reminds me that you don't have to outgrow the notion that you can change the world, that people matter. "The more our feelings diverge, the more deeply felt they are, the greater is our obligation to grant the sincerity and essential decency of our fellow citizens on the other side. . . . In short, I hope for an America where neither “fundamentalist” nor “humanist” will be a dirty word, but a fair description of the different ways in which people of good will look at life and into their own souls. I hope for an America where no president, no public official, no individual will ever be deemed a greater or lesser American because of religious doubt — or religious belief. I hope for an America where the power of faith will always burn brightly, but where no modern inquisition of any kind will ever light the fires of fear, coercion, or angry division. I hope for an America where we can all contend freely and vigorously, but where we will treasure and guard those standards of civility which alone make this nation safe for both democracy and diversity." Tags: hope, life, outlooks, politics

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August 24th, 2009

03:54 pm - It's the simple things. Anxiously waiting for the next 10 minutes to pass so that I can do my run and go home and spend the evening cooking and spending quality time with my man and my pup. On tonights menu: Tortilla Crusted Chicken Rellenos & corn & beans and probably a cinnamon streussel muffin with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert. It's the simple things... I ordered a doggy DNA test for Jackson, so maybe just maybe we can gain some insight into his breed. I don't really care, but when I get real bored at work I tend to internet shop and spend money on things I don't need. Besides, we'll finally be able to answer "What kind of dog is that?" when we take him places like his Petsmart training where he is called Wonderdog. He's a smart boy. Here's a picture of him eating ice out of our friend Mary's glass: Here is a picture of Jackson and his friend Gus wrestling at Mary and Chris' house: Current Mood: tired Current Music: Cibo Matto Tags: cooking, domestication, jackson, josh, life, puppy

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August 20th, 2009

12:33 pm - Shiny, New Outlook It was extremely cathartic to vent about my current rough patch in the professional world, or whatever. Oh LiveJournal, it may not be cool to write in you anymore, but I always will. Over the past six years, I've documented so, so much, and I was never very good at keeping paper journals. You + Me = Forever I was reading this blog shortly after my rant, http://nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/ and I became overwhelmed with a sense of gratitude for my life. This woman, Nie, was a happily married mother of four when tragedy struck and she was in a plane crash. Now, she is horribly burned on most of her body and going through the healing process. All the while, she remains (or tries to remain) a happily married mother of four. Her ability to put things into persective and perservere through what I can only imagine is one of the most difficult things to go through is incredibly inspirational to me. It was interesting to go back to BC (before the crash, as she calls it) and read and compare to AC (after crash). She's still the same person. It made me cry. Not because of how sad it was, but because of how amazing she is. Nie is my hero. I know what I have to do, and I'm going to do it, but it's going to take lots of patience. Patience is a virtue, and it's one that I've always lacked. I've got to keep my eye on the prize, and in the meantime, take stock of my current situation and appreciate the things that I love. -Spending Sundays with my family. My family in general. -Jackson -Cooking dinner/Baking for my own little family -The greatest guy I could ask for, the one who enters my dreams with sapphire rings. -My friends for loving me when I'm a recluse and for embracing me when I'm not. -My health and the health of those I love. -My legs for carrying my body three times a week on that treadmill. That wonderful, stress-relieving treadmill. Some people (the Beatles) say that love is all you need. I was never too sure of that logic, and I suppose I'm still not. What I do think, though, is that love gets you through. Maybe that's what they meant. Current Mood: optimistic Tags: life, livejournal, nie, outlooks, positivity

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