Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Politics got me down...



I’m not really sure what I’m trying to accomplish on this post.  Probably nothing really other than just putting my thoughts down here like I do sometimes just for shits and giggles.  I struggle to stay positive and promote compassion and kindness always.  Sometimes it gets hard though.  Like today.  Today Politics and our society are getting me down.

I had a wonderful dinner (as always) with a dear friend of mine and we got to chatting.  He has a couple of dogs, one of them a pit bull.  As I was looking into the darling sweet eyes of this adorable mutt we joked about how “vicious” pit-bulls are.  And laughed about this List.  It’s true!  Pit bulls have a horrible reputation but if they are raised with love they are just as loveable and adorable as any other dog.  As Leroy licked my hand and shoved up against me for more affection, my friend started telling me about how he needs to be careful with his other pooch because she’s very protective of her Papa.  This got us chatting about dog bites and animal attacks, etc. and how our society just immediately puts them down.  I wanted to cry when he told me that if someone breaks into your home and your dog attacks the intruder the dog may get put down.  WHAT?!  So if someone breaks in your house and you fucking shoot them with a gun you will probably be fine, but if your dog protects it’s owner the dog could be killed.  I shook my head and said “Our society is so backwards!”.  He of course agreed.  He and I are pretty much on the same page when it comes to politics and our outlook on life.

As we walked the pooches we got to talking about the primaries.  Both of us are fans of Bernie at the moment.  I’ll admit, I’m not the most intellectual person, especially when it comes to politics, but I’m not an idiot either.  To me, Bernie seems to give a shit.  He wants change.  We need change.  Then I read this article today – HuffPo.  This totally depressed me.  Why?  Because it has a point.  Yes, Bernie is great, but can he actually do all the things he says?  Can any presidential candidate? The fact that Trump is even in the running makes me shake my head in shame to be an American.  I've always felt that the president is more of a puppet and that the House controls every damn thing.  The fact that Ruth Bader Ginsburg is there gives me a little hope, but sadly she's usually looking totally annoyed and defeated by the idiots she's surrounded by.  Politics just depresses me. It's so screwed up it seems! 

Then I read this article – ChapBlog.  This is great for Chapman, but reminded me again of how fucked our society can be.  The line “Together, the collections are an unmatched record of the ethical and political forces that were at odds and led to the missteps that set the Challenger up for tragedy”.  Ethical and political forces at odds?!  This rips my heart out because that is how our society thinks at large.  My GAWD.  I could just see how it probably went down.  7 lives are gone because of that decision.

I joke about how all the superhero movies and shows have corrupt government and corrupt police forces and what not.  Joking aside – they’re probably pretty right on!  It’s scary.  Our society is so fucking turned around and wacked out when it comes to this stuff and sometimes it gets so overwhelming I don’t feel like my little acts of kindness are even working.  

Drones?  Chemical Warfare?  Torture?  Genital Mutilation?  Greed - FUCKING GREED?!  Global Warming? ( I really love when people say this isn't a thing.  Jesus.) The fact that it's 2016 and we still have a problem with racism and equality and women's rights?!  I mean come on!!!! 

I have friends who struggle to run a business because they have to deal with a ridiculous amount of bullshit that when it all comes down to it – it’s about money (Like - "Oh...FYI..our state is so fucked and broke that we have to tax the shit out of your tiny business to pay for our fuck ups").  I honestly don’t know how small businesses make in our greedy corrupt world.  People are fighting universal healthcare because it screws them but don’t care that it actually helps everyone.  People want to block our borders and not let anyone in because there’s a few asshole terrorists out there.  Um – hello – the asshole who shot up that church in SC?  The crazy ass who shot up the movie theater in CO?  The even craziest motherfucker who killed all those kids in Sandy Hook?  There’s a shit ton more here in the US and in fact – read THIS!  Yeah…it’s our own nutballs that have killed more people not other nationalities.    We have cops who shoot people at the drop of hat, yet for some reason this weird standoff in Oregon with a bunch of crazy assholes is still going on?!

I drive by new designer apartments being built while just around the corner is a homeless community.  There are zillions of shelter animals and strays that need homes yet breeding is still legal.  We have animals endangered of being extinct yet hunting is permitted.  WTF?!

I’m know I’m going off on a tangent here, and I could keep going for pages and pages.  I won’t.  I don’t get like this too often.  It’s a constant battle to try to live by the way I live.  Kindness.  Compassion.  Etc.  But is it enough?  I’m terrified it isn’t. 

Sunday, January 3, 2016

Another Year in Review...

Why does it seem I was just writing this.  I went back and read last years End of Year Blog and it seems not too much has changed.  This isn't a bad thing at all.  I really do feel like I'm moving in a good direction with my life.  Funny enough I was sick last year as well though!  Gah!  Guess then end of year gets me with a cold.  So - here goes - summing up 2015:

January:
I came to some interesting realizations about art in my life.  This was huge.  You can read about that here if you missed it.  Re-reading this again gets me excited to see what projects I take on this year!

February:
Celebrated the birthday.  Did a silly fun inflatable race.  Were in scattered rehearsals for Slings and Arrows.

March:
Unfortunately I got Strep Throat.  I was coming off a binge of being sick alot that season which was a real drag.  I'm hoping I don't repeat that again this year.  Blergh.  I was in heavy rehearsals by now.  Irish Spirit Run happened and was awesome.  The coolest thing this month was the mosaic classes I signed my dad and I up for.  This has since turned my dad into a mosaic pro.  He has done a couple of rad pieces already, he's taking another class and he's totally obsessed!  I love it!  This was his 1st - yes 1st piece!!  Pretty incredible right??

April:
Slings and Arrows!!!  My 1st trip back to the stage and it was fucking amazing!  You all read the bunches of blogs I wrote I'm sure.  I've never written so many blogs about a performance and I'm so glad I did!!  This was also the month I go to see Julie/Gabe tie the knot!

May:
My usual May highlight - DOHENY!!!!

June:
June brought Holly/Rogers gorgeous wedding.  This month also brought many more fun excursions.  I'm trying to get out and do different stuff and it's been a blast!  OC Night Market was a total highlight for sure!

July:
This was my trip to Calistoga.  I had such a glorious time going up to wine country the year before I decided to do it again!  I did my usual day to day blog and had an amazing time!

August:
August took me too my very 1st convention - Scare LA which was awesome.  We also got to the OC Fair as we do every year.  But a big change that came in August was Terri and I started Meal Prepping!  I blogged about it for a bit, maybe 5 or so blogs covering a couple weeks each.  I'll blog more in the future if we do something unusual.  But we've been pretty consistent!  Terri is teaching me how to cook and this is a real trip for sure!

September:
Had some rough patches in Sept, but did get to D-land on the hottest damn day ever and made it out to the Street Fair.  This year Jon got to join us so that was a huge bonus!!

October:
Another gloriously wonderful Halloween Season,  I spent Halloween weekend up on WeHo with Jay and it was awesome!!!!

November:
Made it to Noches and started rehearsals for a Melodrama!  We also had a fun trio for Rugged Maniac this time.

December:
As usual, the sped up holidays and this year even more so since I was in a show.  This cut a bit into my usual holiday fun but it was super worth it and super fun.

So here we are.  Day 3 of the new year.  I head back to work tomorrow and back into my normal routine which I'm looking forward to.  I hope to kick this damn sickness as well.

2015 was fantastic.  I've turned into a baker.  I'm learning to cook.  I drink white wine as well as red!  I know right?!  The biggest highlight I'd say was getting back onstage.  Not only getting back to it but doing two very different shows.  Reaching down and pulling out emotional levels I never thought I could ever get to as the suicidal Ophelia then bouncing around in a high pitch silly voice as Dixie Troobaloo making people laugh as they tossed fake flowers my way.  So damn rad.  I've seen some wonderful weddings, hit some glorious baby showers and even seen a few new littles pop in to the world.  I got to explore a whole new area of wine country and have some wonderful new adventures. I've also learned a great deal about myself.  I've learned that I actually am truly an empath and I've embraced this and plan to utilize it more.  I want to spread love and peace and help the world to learn kindess, not matter how hard.  It's been awesome to learn this.  So yea,  It's been quite the year!

Now here comes 2016.  This year is going to bring the big 4.0. Birthday.  Not quite sure how I feel about that yet.  I plan on resurrecting Las Craftas and plan to play with some new art ideas that have been dancing around in my head.  I'm hell bent on playing more with the camera and writing more.  I need to pull my meditation back into my life and find away to get a little more focused.  Hopefully some more theatrical projects will come my way as well!  I'm super excited to try some new adventures as well. (Terri got us a cooking class for my Xmas presie!!!)


I also really hope that 2016 brings some much need peace to our world.  There's a lot of awful crap going on out there in the world right now.  I plan to continue to fight it with love and compassion.

Happy New Year Friends!!  2016 - let's do this!


Disneyland Part Deux...

This blog is mostly just pics from the day.

So as you know, I won 4 tickets to the Happiest Place on Earth last year.  We used 2 in September then my other two the other day.  Mom and I wanted to see Halloween and see Christmas.  Although I was still fighting a cold, I bundled up and off we went!  It was freezing!  A friend joked with us that we like to choose days with extreme weather to hit the parks.  No shit.

This time moms friends Keri and Deb joined us as well!  Since it was December 30th the parks were packed.  We only hit two rides right as we arrived - Indiana Jones and the Haunted Mansion (Since it's still decked out for Nightmare Before Christmas) and that was it!  We pretty much just wandered around, looked at the sights, people watched and took pictures the rest of the day.  As crowded as it was, it was really fun!  The four of us had a wonderful day!

Cold be dammed!  Let's do this!

Mom had presies for us!  Full of water and candy for the day!





Would have been cuter without the glitters stripes!






Love!



These were everywhere!  I so should have bought one!















We're awesome.



I told them to soar.  This is what they did.  Amazing.



I loved the Christmas Lights in Bugs Land!




Probably the closest I'll ever get to snow!






We had dinner at Cove Bar and our view was awesome!




For not being able to get a seat anywhere else - this was delish!!!!

Mom always has to win!


And she did!  She won the Mickey and Deb won the horse!








Mom also found out that if you hunt down photographers in the park and you have a pass, you can have them scan it and they'll take fun pictures of you that they turn "magic".  In other words, photoshop something adorable in them.  We got some really good ones!!!

Don't let the "balloons" carry me away!




This is apparently supposed to be Mickey Ears

She kept telling us to be like Elsa and Anna.  I'm like bitch I ain't seen the damn movie!

Holy shit I caught a Tinkerbell!



Sassy!


I think my favorite picture of me and my mom ever!