me and my 424

deary lou.
previously on the e-list…

on saturday, i attended my first student wedding. it was held in golden gate park. the ceremony was simple and elegant. the bride looked beautiful in her kimono. it was a small gathering of family, friends, & teachers from school. it was so great to see so many former students gather to help hiromi & jeff celebrate their wedding date. it was a lovely way to spend a saturday morning. to hiromi & jeff: i wish you both all the happiness. congratulations. just where will i end up next is anyone's guess.

to view photos from the wedding click here

stay gold & be well…

down in it

deery-lou.

previously on the e-list...

last weekend i found myself in the beautiful jenner celebrating misty's 40th birthday. the house had an amazing view of both the russian river & the ocean. sadly, i never made to the ocean but i did take advantage of sunning myself on the deck as well as doing laps in the hot tub. the festivities began friday afternoon and it didn't take long for the wine to make its entrance once we all arrived. by dinner time people were well on their way of being buzzed and it lasted throughout the night. it made perfect sense that the costumes & wigs exploded onto the scene with many different persona's appearing. i believe its safe to say that everyone was in full-party mode that evening. as things began to wind down a group of us headed off for the hot tub. what a perfect way to end a most fabulous evening.

saturday was spent sunning & hot tubing. we were a feeling the effects of the night before. i spent the night trying to sleep on a air mattress with a slow leak. not so much fun unless you enjoy sleeping at a 90% angle. that night was italian night with a most delicious meat sauce i've ever tasted. i kept my drinking down to one glass that night. things were a bit more low-key though many bottles of wine still got emptied.

i spent sunday lounging around while the others went off wine tasting. it was nice to chill out at the house. it was quite peaceful to sit and stare off into nature. we had an informal pj party that night. it was great seeing everyone in their pajamas. i do feel that i worked my pink hippo pjs quite well. most of the evening was spent chit-chatting with one another. it was great way to end the weekend.

we were up & out of the house by 10. we got back to sf around noon & i spent the rest of the day doing absolutely nothing. i was soooo tired. what a great weekend. there's nothing like hanging out with good friends. i look forward to many more getaways to come. just where we i end up next is anyone's guess...

for photos from our fabulous weekend click here

stay gold & be well

p.s. happy birthday, misty!!!

vanishing twin

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

i've had this chronic sinus pressure that is driving me crazy. some days it feels like my head to going to explode. otc drugs just don't seem to be helping. looks like i'm going to have to bite the bullet and see a doctor. sigh…

in other news, i finally got myself a little kitchen table and 2 chairs. Yay, me! slowly but surely my apartment is becoming complete. next on the list is a love seat or perhaps a futon to sit on in order to watch tv instead of my bed.

the last of the holiday groups left on wednesday. lucky me, i got to take them to the airport. at least i got out of work for a couple of hours. hopefully now things will get back to normal at work.

i had a bit of shopping spree last week. i managed to get a vest, a pair of shoes, some sunglasses, etc. also met up with d-nasty for a mid-week movie. all in all things have been pretty good. just where will i end up next is anyone's guess.

stay gold & be well…

mr. disco

deery-lou.

previously on the e-list...

this is why i love pam anderson so much-click here!

just where will i end up next is anyone's guess.

stay gold & be well...

lithium

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

i forgot to mention last week that i experienced "muni story # 713". this time it was on 38 geary and it involved the crazy balloon man. he sat in the doorway of the exit talking to himself while making balloon things. for the duration of my trip he popped two balloons, made two swords, made a strange flower thing, & attempted to make two dogs [hence the balloons popping]. life in the city is never dull.

some other highlights of last week/weekend:
• happy hour with some current/former co-workers
• the arrival of the french teenagers
• korean bbq at han il kwan [my new fav place]
• huegel coming into the city friday night & having a sleep-over
• discovery of delicious pupusas [where have you been hiding]
• nihonmachi street fair in japantown
• rhubarb tart
• la mediterranee
• crissy fields
• twin fan from target
• surviving another week of work

just where will i end up next is anyone's guess…

stay gold & be well…

delicious demon

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

i have a new favorite site. it makes me happy. it's called the daily bunny. as you can probably guess it's all about cute fuzzy bunnies. you get to see pictures like this…


and let's not forget its companion site which is just as cute called the daily otter. the otters are trying to out cute the bunnies…


oh, how playful otters are. they make me happy, too! the otters are the best part of the zoo. i also like otter pops. just where will i end up next is anyone's guess…

stay gold & be well…

i can see now

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

in 1946 on this day barbara lee shellem entered the world. even though she is no longer with us, we will continue to celebrate the life she lead. happy birthday, mom. i miss you deeply…
oxox



stay gold & be well…

walking in l.a.

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

while straightening up the classrooms last week, i came upon this little gem hanging on the wall for all to see.



oh, the things teens come up with. never a dull moment. just where will i end up next is anyone's guess.

stay gold & be well…

natural disaster

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

it's been ages since my last post & oh so much has been happening. here's a quick rundown of events in no particular order:

• huegel's b-day in the blazing heat
• dinner with kiki & her lovely lady [yum fest]
• krispy kreme bread pudding
• days of not leaving my apartment except to go to work
• french/spanish/chinese teenagers holiday groups
• a smoking muni
• harry potter
• two new tees from my favorite site teefury
• a new shoulder bag
• cafe time with j&d
• a cheeseburger with bbq sauce, bacon, & onion rings
• dinner with mrs. leibowitz
• big mac pizza
• a lovely visit from jen
• pride weekend & wine bar
• fresno for the no on 8 rally
• a few dates here & there
• a photo outing with shane
• a visit with my cousin
• capitola
• and finally after months of searching...a rug for my apartment [see photo]


so that just about sums it up. i'm sure i missed a few things but whatever. my spirits have lifted quite a bit so expect more blogging on a regular basis. i will also be adding links to the photo themes that i've skipped. stayed tuned. just where will i end up next is anyone's guess.

stay gold & be well…

the fuschia wall

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

the natives are getting restless. while riding the 31 balboa home from work, a man snatched a woman's wallet/cell phone [i couldn't tell which] out of her hands and jumped off the bus. the woman took off after him. as we drove off, i noticed that the man who had taken the item was being thrown up against a wall by a man. meanwhile, another guy [who i think was an undercover cop] was crossing the street to assist the man. what the fuck is going on…
just where will i end up next is anyone's guess.

stay gold & be well…

i disappear

deary-lou.
previously on the e-list…

"I feel like Alice in Wonderland, its so surreal. I feel like a blonde nothingness, alone in my own body ...... Today its not drugs that fill my body, its despair." — Farrah Fawcett


i don't quite remember when my love of farrah fawcett first began. looking back, it just seems to have always been there. in first grade, my classmate glenda had all of these pictures of farrah that she'd bring to school. she claimed her father worked in the biz and that was how she came to possess them all. i was definitely jealous. not of her father working in the biz but that she had so many pictures of farrah. there was nothing special about these photos. they basically looked like they had been ripped out of a magazine, but that didn't matter to me. lucky for me, glenda gave me a few of these pictures most likely because i nagged her. hehe

i didn't have the infamous poster, instead i had a black and white 8x10 of the poster that i got at a flea market along with a picture of steve austin. they were a couple then so it seemed only fitting. i did have several other posters of her though. i remember begging my mom for one particular poster i saw at spencer's gifts. it was from the playboy photo shoot she did in the 80s. i told my mom that there was only one left and after causing a scene in the mall she finally gave in. i was so happy. i also had photo albums filled with pictures of farrah i had cut out of magzines hidden away in my bureau drawer. they were my dirty little secrets.

while most boys my age were collecting baseball cards, i collected charlie's angels cards which i still have. if you turned the cards over you could make a picture of the angels. sadly, i never did get a complete set and to make matters worse, my dog rags chewed a few of the cards. however, that didn't stop me from putting the picture puzzle together. i always saved jill's [farrah] pieces for last.

i wasn't allowed to stay up to watch charlie's angels when it originally aired, although i did manage to sneak a couple of episodes here and there. i remember seeing the cult classic "angels in chains" at my grandmothers. it's still my all-time favorite episode. and thanks to cable tv, especially tnt/tbs i was able to catch all the reruns after school. i was always excited when it was a farrah episode.

as i got older my love for farrah never faded. i'd still watch the tv movies she did, bought the magazines she was in, and even started buying farrah-dise on ebay. yes, i admit i bought the farrah styling head although we turned it into the jamie lee curtis head for d's halloween party last year. by far, the most bizarre thing i bought was probably a box of farrah heads. i ended up decorating a christmas tree with them.

when i heard the news about farrah today i was definitely sad. i'm not really sure what it was about her that i liked so much. i just did. and still do. she meant a lot to me growing up in ways i still don't quite understand and perhaps never will. what i do know is that farrah was an icon. viva la icon.

just where will i end up next is anyone's guess.

stay gold & be well…

rhiannon

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

i wasn't able to speak at my mom's remembrance ceremony, so instead i wrote something and posted on the photo board i made. i thought i'd share it here as well.

I’m not sure where to even begin. This has got to be the hardest thing that I’ve ever tried to write. I can’t seem to find the right words to capture your essence. There is so much I still need to say, so I’ve decided to write it down hoping you’ll be able to hear it. I never imagined that I would have to sit and write something like this so early on. My thoughts are all jumbled but I will do the best that I can.

You were an amazing mother in so many ways. And although I often kept my distance, I wanted you to know just how much you meant not only to me, but also to Zoe, Dad, and every one else who’s life you touched. I’m not sure you really knew how much you’ve influenced my life, helping me to become the person I am now.

Just as I felt I was making progress in opening up, you were taken away. I wish I had the opportunity to have spoken to you one last time. I will cherish the last conversation we had since you sounded so happy. There are so many things I still needed to share to with you. So many things I still wanted you to hear. Although I know I can still talk to you, it’s not the same as you being here.

You were filled with such compassion and kindness. But most of all, filled with understanding. You never judged us and always accepted us for who we were. You simply allowed us to travel down the path we needed to, offering us support and guidance when we needed it. For that, I’m most thankful.

I always knew that no matter where I was, you’d always be there for me. I will definitely miss the stories you shared and will cherish them forever as I play them over and over in my mind. I can only hope that you felt fulfilled in your life. Please know that you were a wonderful mother and a beloved wife. Wherever you are, I hope that you have found peace and happiness. I know in my heart you’ll always be around looking over us.

I want you to know that we will be okay, so please don’t worry. We are strong because of you and will get through this. And not a day will pass when I won’t celebrate the person you were. I miss you so much and love you deeply.
xoxo

just where will i end up next is anyone's guess.
stay gold & be well…

runaway

deery-lou.

previously on the e-list...

i'm back. it's been a very long month, one in which i haven't much felt like blogging. in my attempt to return to normalcy, i decided it was time to return. the grieving process is definitely a long one but i'm beginning to feel like i'm making my way down that path. though i know there will never be a day where i won't miss my mother, deep down i know that it won't hurt as much. i'm just taking things day by day allowing myself to feel however i want to feel. i'm very thankful for all the amazing people i have in my life [friends/family/etc.] without them i'd be truly lost.

as we all know, mother's day was this past sunday. i had anticipated the worse, especially since this would be the first mother's day without my mom. fortunately, that was not the case. when i awoke, i actually felt fully rested which was a first for me. it was almost as if a sense of peace/calmness had engulfed me. perhaps it was my mom letting me know that things would be ok.

it was still fairly early by the time i left my house. i had decided to head to the beach, one of my mom's favorite places, to spend some quality time with her and myself. the day before i had purchased a gerber daisy to bring along with me. ever since speaking with butterbean, the gerber daisy has become somewhat of symbol for my mom. that is something i'm truly thankful for. i found a photo of my mom from a recent trip she took with her good friend. on the back of it i wrote her a message then wrapped the photo around the stem.

upon arriving at the beach, i took a little stroll along the ocean. there were a few people here and there. most of them were walking their dogs. it was quite pleasant to see how happy the dogs were to run through the sand and frolic in the ocean. i sat down on a log that i had found and spent the next few minutes gazing out into the water and reflecting on times past.

after a bit, i ventured on. i wanted to go to a more secluded part of the beach. i knew exactly where i wanted to go so i made my way there. as i walked along the trail, i realized just how much my mom would have liked it here. i pulled the flower out of my backpack and walked the rest of the way with it in my hands. that way, she was sort of with me.

having reached the desired location, i climbed out onto the rocks to find that perfect spot where the waves crashed against them. it was there that i had my little "chat" with my mom. When i had finished all that i needed to say, i tossed the flower into the ocean. the flower & photo separated. the photo landed into the ocean while the flower landed on a nearby rock. it seemed quite poetic. i sat down on the rock waiting until the waves finally carried the flower away. and then i knew that both flower & photo were together once again. happy mother's day, mom. i miss you. oxox

waves crash against rocks
opening their arms to you
your spirit floats on

just where will i end up next is anyone's guess.
stay gold & be well...

your ghost

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

mom, i hope you knew how much i loved you & always will. you'll be missed deeply. wherever you are now, i hope you happy and at peace. just know that we will all be okay in time…













rest in peace, mom.
oxox

stay gold & be well…

motel 74

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

this week i found myself actually venturing out during the week. i know, completely out of character but i'm trying to change things up a bit. on wednesday, i met up with my old pal rachel for some drinks. we went to ginger's [something] downtown. it was a quaint little hole in the wall. it was quite dark inside and the drinks were strong. while trying to find the light to the bathroom, i ended up burning my hand on the heater. good times.

on friday, i went out with some co-workers to the bamboo hut in north beach. we were taking sharon, my boss, out for drinks. friday was her last day. i started the evening with tropical drinks and ended it with some vodka tonics. probably not the wisest move on my part. i definitely felt the effects of the cocktails on saturday.

i managed to rally a bit on saturday morning to go to misty's for breakfast. afterwards, we took a stroll in golden gate park. we saw some not so great art. before heading home, i walked around stow lake. i had never been to the top of the hill so i decided to check it out. the view is amazing from up there. by the time i got home, i felt completely wiped out. the rest of my day was spent watching tv.

today, misty, kate, jojo, & i went to the movies to see sunshine cleaners. i was pleasantly surprised by the movie and enjoyed it quite a bit. tomorrow, i start my new position at work. i'm taking over for my former boss as the academic coordinator. i'm a little nervous about bit but i think it'll be a good experience for me. hopefully, i won't miss teaching too much. just where will i end up next is anyone's guess.

stay gold & be well…

run for your life

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

is it just me or does it seem that oatmeal is every where these days. about a month ago, i noticed that jamba juice had introduced "jamba oatmeal" available in 3 flavors. then, i saw that the starbucks next to my office had oatmeal as well. prior to that, there was a quaker oats quick fire challenge on top chef. and now, every where i look i'm haunted by the new quaker oats ad: go humans go. it's on practically every muni and there's also a giant billboard on the building near my apartment. why is oatmeal suddenly all the rage? did i miss the memo? has oatmeal become the "recession food" of 2009. i leave you with this:


it's the same ad that's on the building near my apartment. i see it daily. just where will i end up next is anyone's guess.
stay gold & be well…

i ran away

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

i've been watching el gatos while misty & ted have been off enjoying music at sxsw. i must admit it's nice to be around animals. sometimes i miss having a pet. at least, there is always someone at home who will listen to your woes. i tried to spend as much quality time as i could with the girls. we watched tv, ate snacks, and chased a feather. what more could you want.

on saturday, i met up with my pal, shane, to have cake at sweet sensations. having cake is a wonderful thing. people should do it more often. i went for the orange cake which never lets me down. the princess cake tried to tempt me once again but i can't be fooled. it's not as delicious as it looks. i also got to speak with kate t. it's been ages since we last spoke and it was great to hear her voice. i miss my baltimore peeps. the rest of my weekend shall be spent doing chores. oh, the joy. just where will i end up next is anyone's guess.

stay gold & be well…

landslide

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

i got a note from one of my students the other day. he left it at the front desk. last friday was his last day; however, he skipped class. here's what he had to say:

just where will i end up next is anyone's guess.
stay gold & be well…

walkin' after midnight

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

OMG! this has got to be the best thing ever: go here. be sure to read the comments, too. thank you robyn for sending me this link. it definitely did the trick; however, now i want one. evil kitten taking over my mind.
just where will i end up next is anyone's guess.
stay gold & be well…

p.s. to see more of the evil cute kitten with its own web page in japanese click here

silence

deery-lou.
previously on the e-list…

since my last post was such a downer of sorts, i figured a little happiness was needed. so i leave you with this image.


thanks to the big picture notes for posting such a great image. just where will i end up next is anyone's guess.

stay gold & be well…