Unique blessings, remembering this one guy, and the birthday cluster preparation

Just for today, what's making you happy, lucky, blessed, or just plain cheerful? Are any of those things different from what makes others feel happy or blessed? Is anything unique?

The birthday cluster and having my favorite people all in one room.

My closest friend is my closest ally. She is from Berlin and we often stay awake until 2 AM talking about the state of the world, or the state of reality and quantum physics. She speaks about four languages.

On any given day, I can smell the ocean.

On any given day, there is a crow walking around with my shoe in its beak.

Two beautiful, smart young people that I got to watch grow up, and a little Korean boy who calls pirates "yo-hos."

I absolutely know that I will be going to either Japan or China.

A small group of friends, and when we get together, it's with swords and staffs, or with Chinese food, but either way we can laugh together well into the night even as we're beating the crap out of each other.


I've been re-reading my journal posts from this time last year. This time last year, I was still at The Bad Place cleaning up bloodbaths that other people couldn't handle. This time last year I was taking T'ai Chi with The Gold Dragon, Sije Empress Teishi and The Lady Chrysanthemum. I wish I was still doing that because I really miss it. And this time last year I was getting ready for a birthday cluster party.

Well, I'm still getting ready for the birthday cluster party, only this time my brother won't be there. >_<

My brother and I have the same birthday, 26 years apart; October 24th. My cousin's birthday is Nov. 1st, the week after mine (and we grew up together.) Her husband's birthday is also Oct. 24th. Our Grandma's birthday is Nov. 3rd, and so is my cousin's son's birthday. Then, back when my two best friends were Nick and Jeremy (two brothers,) their birthdays were on Oct. 24th and Nov. 1st.

That's a lot of Scorpios!

So we have the birthday cluster party, and that's one thing I hope never changes. ^_^

Yesterday I went out birthday cluster shopping with my Mom, and we went to Tar-zhay and she was looking at sheets. We passed by satin sheets and suddenly we both remembered this one guy who was a friend of the family's years ago, when I was a kid. His name was Tommy (typically Italian last name.) He was from The Old Neighborhood although I don't remember how my Dad met him; I think through work when he was a security guard. (My Dad is a retired cop, but he continued to work long after his retirement.) Anyway, Tommy was around when I was a kid of around 14 or so. Yesterday in the store we both remembered when he told this story once about how he'd gotten these satin sheets and--you have to imagine the Old Neighborhood accent--"I got into bed and WHOOSH! Slipped right out the goddamn bottom!" Along with the hand gestures he used to describe this, it made me laugh so hard that I was pounding on the table.

His daughter was a hairdresser who had accidentally colored Tommy's greying hair purple; I remember that, too.

I said to my Mom that I liked Tommy, because he was always so generous, and he was. He used to bring my cousins and fiends and I all of these madly expensive gifts. "The first time I met him, he bought me Lazer Tag, which was so cool!" I said.

"Err, he didn't exactly buy them," was my Mom's reply.

Oh. Yeah. O_O They'd fallen off a truck.

I said that I missed Tommy and I hoped he was doing well, because he had battled liver cancer for a long time. My Mom told me he had died around 2003 or so. I think I knew that, but had forgotten. It pretty much sucks; I would love to have seen him one more time.

Well, that was just on my mind today. I've got to do some laundry and maybe animate a little before Kung Fu tonight. I'm having a problem figuring out how I want to animate this one drawing that I did. It's crappy to begin with so it doesn't matter, but still, I want to do it. ^_^

ETA: A neat quiz!

Your result for What Your Taste in Art Says About You Test...

Simple, Progressive, and Sensual

20 Ukiyo-e, 8 Islamic, -3 Impressionist, -23 Cubist, -23 Abstract and 17 Renaissance!

Ukiyo-e (浮世絵, Ukiyo-e), "pictures of the floating world", is a genre of Japaneseand paintings produced between the 17th and the 20th centuries. it mostly featured landscapes, historic tales, theatre, and pleasure. Ukiyo is a rather impetuous urban culture that has bloomed in popularity. Although the Japanese were more strict and had many prohibitions it did not affect the rising merchant class and therefore became a floating art form that did not bind itself to the normal ideals of society.

People that chose Ukiyo-e art tend to be more simplistic yet elegant. They don't care much about new style but are comfortable in creating their own. They like the idea of living for the moment and enjoy giving and receiving pleasure. They may be more agreeable than other people and do not like to argue. They do not mind following traditions but are not afraid to move forward to experience other ideas in life. They tend to enjoy nature and the outdoors. They do not mind being more adventurous in their sexual experiences. They enjoy being popular and like being noticed. They have their own unique style of dress and of presenting themselves. They may also tend to be more business oriented or at the very least interested in money making adventures. They might make good entrepreneurs. They are progressive and adaptable.

Take What Your Taste in Art Says About You Test at HelloQuizzy

Trust me to get the one result with the graphic that's kinda porny. O_O

Unique blessings, remembering this one guy, and the birthday cluster preparation

Just for today, what's making you happy, lucky, blessed, or just plain cheerful? Are any of those things different from what makes others feel happy or blessed? Is anything unique?

The birthday cluster and having my favorite people all in one room.

My closest friend is my closest ally. She is from Berlin and we often stay awake until 2 AM talking about the state of the world, or the state of reality and quantum physics. She speaks about four languages.

On any given day, I can smell the ocean.

On any given day, there is a crow walking around with my shoe in its beak.

Two beautiful, smart young people that I got to watch grow up, and a little Korean boy who calls pirates "yo-hos."

I absolutely know that I will be going to either Japan or China.

A small group of friends, and when we get together, it's with swords and staffs, or with Chinese food, but either way we can laugh together well into the night even as we're beating the crap out of each other.


I've been re-reading my journal posts from this time last year. This time last year, I was still at The Bad Place cleaning up bloodbaths that other people couldn't handle. This time last year I was taking T'ai Chi with The Gold Dragon, Sije Empress Teishi and The Lady Chrysanthemum. I wish I was still doing that because I really miss it. And this time last year I was getting ready for a birthday cluster party.

Well, I'm still getting ready for the birthday cluster party, only this time my brother won't be there. >_<

My brother and I have the same birthday, 26 years apart; October 24th. My cousin's birthday is Nov. 1st, the week after mine (and we grew up together.) Her husband's birthday is also Oct. 24th. Our Grandma's birthday is Nov. 3rd, and so is my cousin's son's birthday. Then, back when my two best friends were Nick and Jeremy (two brothers,) their birthdays were on Oct. 24th and Nov. 1st.

That's a lot of Scorpios!

So we have the birthday cluster party, and that's one thing I hope never changes. ^_^

Yesterday I went out birthday cluster shopping with my Mom, and we went to Tar-zhay and she was looking at sheets. We passed by satin sheets and suddenly we both remembered this one guy who was a friend of the family's years ago, when I was a kid. His name was Tommy (typically Italian last name.) He was from The Old Neighborhood although I don't remember how my Dad met him; I think through work when he was a security guard. (My Dad is a retired cop, but he continued to work long after his retirement.) Anyway, Tommy was around when I was a kid of around 14 or so. Yesterday in the store we both remembered when he told this story once about how he'd gotten these satin sheets and--you have to imagine the Old Neighborhood accent--"I got into bed and WHOOSH! Slipped right out the goddamn bottom!" Along with the hand gestures he used to describe this, it made me laugh so hard that I was pounding on the table.

His daughter was a hairdresser who had accidentally colored Tommy's greying hair purple; I remember that, too.

I said to my Mom that I liked Tommy, because he was always so generous, and he was. He used to bring my cousins and fiends and I all of these madly expensive gifts. "The first time I met him, he bought me Lazer Tag, which was so cool!" I said.

"Err, he didn't exactly buy them," was my Mom's reply.

Oh. Yeah. O_O They'd fallen off a truck.

I said that I missed Tommy and I hoped he was doing well, because he had battled liver cancer for a long time. My Mom told me he had died around 2003 or so. I think I knew that, but had forgotten. It pretty much sucks; I would love to have seen him one more time.

Well, that was just on my mind today. I've got to do some laundry and maybe animate a little before Kung Fu tonight. I'm having a problem figuring out how I want to animate this one drawing that I did. It's crappy to begin with so it doesn't matter, but still, I want to do it. ^_^

ETA: A neat quiz!

Your result for What Your Taste in Art Says About You Test...

Simple, Progressive, and Sensual

20 Ukiyo-e, 8 Islamic, -3 Impressionist, -23 Cubist, -23 Abstract and 17 Renaissance!

Ukiyo-e (浮世絵, Ukiyo-e), "pictures of the floating world", is a genre of Japaneseand paintings produced between the 17th and the 20th centuries. it mostly featured landscapes, historic tales, theatre, and pleasure. Ukiyo is a rather impetuous urban culture that has bloomed in popularity. Although the Japanese were more strict and had many prohibitions it did not affect the rising merchant class and therefore became a floating art form that did not bind itself to the normal ideals of society.

People that chose Ukiyo-e art tend to be more simplistic yet elegant. They don't care much about new style but are comfortable in creating their own. They like the idea of living for the moment and enjoy giving and receiving pleasure. They may be more agreeable than other people and do not like to argue. They do not mind following traditions but are not afraid to move forward to experience other ideas in life. They tend to enjoy nature and the outdoors. They do not mind being more adventurous in their sexual experiences. They enjoy being popular and like being noticed. They have their own unique style of dress and of presenting themselves. They may also tend to be more business oriented or at the very least interested in money making adventures. They might make good entrepreneurs. They are progressive and adaptable.

Take What Your Taste in Art Says About You Test at HelloQuizzy

Trust me to get the one result with the graphic that's kinda porny. O_O

A message to Sarah Palin

From young women, a message to Sarah Palin: Please don't take away our rights.

Sarah Palin's beliefs could become YOUR future. Please try to pass this on as much as possible. Try to hit up some people who may not know about these issues; you could sway a few undecided voters!

ETA: And another thing. Palin breaks with McCain on gay marriage amendment.

NEW YORK – Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin says she supports a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, a break with John McCain who has said he believes states should be left to define what marriage is.

In an interview with Christian Broadcasting Network, the Alaska governor said she had voted in 1998 for a state amendment banning same sex marriage and hoped to see a federal ban on such unions.

"I have voted along with the vast majority of Alaskans who had the opportunity to vote to amend our Constitution defining marriage as between one man and one woman. I wish on a federal level that's where we would go. I don't support gay marriage," Palin said. She said she believed traditional marriage is the foundation for strong families.

A message to Sarah Palin

From young women, a message to Sarah Palin: Please don't take away our rights.

Sarah Palin's beliefs could become YOUR future. Please try to pass this on as much as possible. Try to hit up some people who may not know about these issues; you could sway a few undecided voters!

ETA: And another thing. Palin breaks with McCain on gay marriage amendment.

NEW YORK – Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin says she supports a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, a break with John McCain who has said he believes states should be left to define what marriage is.

In an interview with Christian Broadcasting Network, the Alaska governor said she had voted in 1998 for a state amendment banning same sex marriage and hoped to see a federal ban on such unions.

"I have voted along with the vast majority of Alaskans who had the opportunity to vote to amend our Constitution defining marriage as between one man and one woman. I wish on a federal level that's where we would go. I don't support gay marriage," Palin said. She said she believed traditional marriage is the foundation for strong families.