Something Wrinkled, Patriotic and TV

Busy busy busy!!  I've got a lot to catch up on so bear with me.

What's been going on?  How are you all doing with this cold, miserable winter?  How is everyone's purge going?  It's hard, right?  I'm having a hard time with a few myself.  But like you sometimes need to stick your finger down your throat to help get out bad food or too much booze, think about the end result and help yourself out.  Know you'll be better in the end.  And cliche, but TRUE...

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I aged since I last posted.  Getting older is certainly something.  I have more gray hairs than I can possibly keep up with, so thank goodness for my Beash ;)
And apparently I'm going to be the angry wrinkler.  What do I mean??

Not forehead lines:

 Or smiley lines:

 Or smiley eye lines:

 But the angry lines.  I can't really help it, although I'm super conscious of it now.  That's my thinking face.  Or my "I can't comprehend your idiocy" face.  Or my hurt face, or my squinty asian eye face or my sour face or my 'something smells bad' face:

 If someday I end up like wicked happy, toothless, wrinkly halmoni - that will be ok I guess:

Every year I notice new things and I feel like I look older and sometimes it's hard.   But I do want to thank everyone that wished me well and celebrated with me.  Fun times were had :)

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The Olympics end today.  It's a short two weeks, really, but so powerful at the same time.  I hope you were able to watch the opening ceremonies and some of the games.  And damn if those stories with athletes that they profile don't make me cry every time.  And those Olympic Mom commercials.  I'm such a softie!  We should try to not take for granted what an amazing event happens every two years.  Whether summer or winter, what we are watching is the platform where athletes display what they work their WHOLE LIVES for.  And the setting this year was quite stunning.  The foundation is peace and unity and gives nations a chance to cheer for and support their athletes and root for their flag as one people.

Think of how great it feels to win conference.  Or regionals.  And state!  Then to compete on the national level is pretty amazing.  I was able to go to the AAU Track and Field Junior Olympics in Michigan last year and those athletes were amazing.  The meet itself was awesome to watch.  I was so proud of the qualifiers that I was able to bring!  The international circuit must feel like a whole new world and level of competition.  

So, good job, U S A !!!

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I just watched the premiere episode of Jimmy Fallon hosting The Tonight Show and while it's fresh in my mind, I want to talk about it.  Please, if you can, watch it.  First of all, excellent job.  I'm so happy to see Jimmy in this role.  The show was funny, talented and classy.  My favorite part was the evidence that Jimmy appreciated every minute.  I know he fought back tears through a lot of that whole show.  I've saved it and I'll watch it again.  

In November of 2003, I went to Hollywood for a bachelorette party.  It was a good time (albeit expensive!) and I was able to go to cool places and see many things.  I stood in line all day and was right in front during the taping of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.  I shook his hand.  Guests were Jennifer Garner, Paul Bettany and Jason Mraz.  I remember Paul being VERY funny and Jason winking at me while he sang "You and I Both".

That still might be my favorite of his <3

Sorry, squirreled.  Point is, Jay was fine, whatever.  The very next year Jay announced his retirement in five years - 2009.  I was ecstatic since:

I did watch the Tonight Show for many years sometimes just as a routine before bed.  However in 2010 with the great debacle....I never watched again.  Say what you will, there are many sides to the story, but I do put a lot of the blame on Jay.  I think he acted like an asshat.  Someone who wears an ass... for a hat.

Conan is strong, funny, weird, silly and he promotes positivity.  His humor and that of his writers is exactly the kind that tickles me.  I think he's a great man.  And yet, he only was able to live his dream for six short months before it was taken from him forever.  Longer than the Olympics, but you get the idea.  During the break and before his time on his current TBS show, he PAID staff members with his own money.  He's just a great guy.  I saw him at the Chicago Theatre in 2006 with guests Barack Obama (Senator) and Wilco.  He brought in Andy Richter and they went for a ride with his desk (one of my favorite skits) and blew up the cow that started the Chicago fire.  There was a tour of Chi town with Mr. T that was absolutely hysterical and if you've never seen it - I pity the foo.  Joe and Andrew and I waited all day in the rain to see that show and it was totally worth it.  Pizzeria Uno came out and gave us free slices and then - the tall, skinny, pale man himself came out.  I was very very close to him and it was fantastic!!

Long live Conan and his humor and his propensity to make people happy and his love of doing so.
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Thanks to all of you for being in my life and contributing in some way.  On Thursday I have my follow up appointment with the neurosurgeon and after that I'll be updating you all on that situation and giving the background as well.
Hah!  How's THAT for a cliffhanger???

How to Have a Stress-Free New Year

I wonder how many people I suckered in with that title... Been awhile, hmm? Sorry. Life happened.

I want to wear red lipstick. I think it's so pretty and glamorous but I think I look weird wearing it. But I want to. Maybe I will this year. It's not a resolution, don't worry. Maybe more like a goal. Maybe I'll wear it on Halloween so that people will say "Oh! Red lipstick!" And I'll say "Halloween!" And I will have worn it and it will be acceptable-ish or maybe even better.


I also want to eat chocolate cake. 75 calorie chocolate cake with frosting that tastes like 1250 calorie chocolate cake. No such thing exists but that doesn't help me from wanting it.


Winter needs to die. We've had 8 winters packed into 6 weeks.


Do any of these things have to do with having a stress-free new year?? Not that I know of, no. But I squirrel a lot and I disclaimered that in my first post.


A little more seriously though, is something about me. If you don't know me that well, the fact is: I have too many feelings. I'm far too damn sensitive, I dwell on and over think most things, I'm irrationally (and rationally) passionate about both things that matter and don't matter, I take things too seriously, and I do care what people think. Why do I tell you these things?? Am I squirrelling again??!! No. That was to help illustrate that my tips on a stress-free new year might be legit seeing as how most people probably won't have the same level of self-induced stress that I do.


Our bodies are an amazing creation. When something is in our system that doesn't belong, our body tries to get rid of it. I won't get into the gross details but you all know exactly what I'm talking about! My advice is the same: purge. Things....and people...that are toxic in your life do not belong there. This is absolutely not an easy thing to realize or address. For most people it comes with pain. The thought of "breaking up" with bad habits, unsatisfying careers, and incompatible people is REALLY difficult and actually doing it can be very painful.

Maybe you eat too much chocolate cake. You love chocolate cake but somehow (this is a poor example because God forbid it EVER be true) it's hurting you. Not the typical 'forever on the hips' kind of hurt you, but maybe it's giving you leprosy. I am literally laughing at myself right now. Awesome example, Nae.

Maybe you have a job and things aren't fair. Things aren't fair in any job, really. But if you stress about the unfairness it's going to affect your performance and the way others perceive you. And you'll be the one that ends up suffering from several angles. Don't worry about that person on your team that doesn't pull their weight. Somehow, some way - natural selection will take course and that wildebeast...that wounded, baby wildebeast...will get picked off. You just have to believe it will happen and purge yourself of all the negative energy that their existence brings. Do YOUR best. It will pay off. In yourself and with those that matter. And you'll just feel better.

Maybe you have a relationship with someone, friend or other, that always seems to upset you in some way. Maybe it's that kind of upset that you don't really even expose others to but that you feel in your heart. Sometimes, like in Seinfeld, it's best to end it quickly - like a bandaid "RIGHT OFF!" Maybe it's a family member. You can't really purge your family. But you can still come to terms with the toxicity in your life and realize...maybe you can't be as close to that person anymore.

All of these things are not easy to do. They do take place like a breakup. It hurts. A lot even. It might be the kind of thing that consumes you. And keeps you up at night. And makes you cry. 

I have gone through these types of purges - both willingly and not by my choice. I've been the one that's been purged before. And I realize eventually that after the emotion, I do feel cleansed and more calm and less anxious and happier.

I already know that some of you think this is a cheap defense mechanism to protect myself. It might be, when it's my choice. When it's not then I have to deal with it regardless. But I can't say there's really anything bad about finding inner strength and what it comes down to is that's really all it is. When you purge you have to find the good solid things within to stand on. This doesn't guarantee you a stress free new year, but it will help. No mo' drama. That's all I have to say about that.

In other news, how about we try being better spellers for the new year? I will blog more about the importance of good communication another time. There's an argument that I don't have enough pictures in my blog. So to kill two ideas with one jpeg, here's what I look like when I read something you've misspelled:

Hideous.

Peace everyone. Maybe you can climb down from your comfortable tree just to try something new and be a proud monkey...