buddha ate my churro

18 June 2012

2012-01-18T19:31:00.000-06:00

holy amazeballs!!!

seriously, this is the best thing that's ever happened to me... since i got engaged! :D

oh man, i just lurve doggies and star wars! i hope that made you as happy as it made me.

may the dogs be with you.

8 January 2012

2012-01-09T00:44:00.002-06:00

today, i bring you something awesome:

i've been a fan of living in a tiny, utilitarian space since i first saw those towable houses (not mobile homes) and this is just the best one i've ever seen (i love that he made room for all of his books!). i just don't know if i'll be brave enough to actually do it; it's kind of hard with a dog.

are you brave enough?

4 January 2012

2012-01-04T01:31:00.000-06:00

i'm a bit late posting my new year's resolution but i just couldn't spoil the surprise (pre-official engagement)!

this year, i've resolved to...

GET MARRIED!!!

this is my betrothed, mr. casey mark dougal. we're to be wed on june 29th.

pretty great resolution, no?

3 January 2012

2012-01-03T03:53:00.000-06:00

"Let me reiterate what Brigham Young said: If you're 25 years old and unmarried, you're a menace to society. Just something for everybody to ponder."

bleh... i hate getting older. don't get me wrong, i love my birthday... it's the one day that's all about me! but... i'm really not interested in getting older.

so i think i'll just pout today:

pout to this appropriately pouty song:

just kidding... it's not that bad... i've just been alive for a ridiculously long time. hmph.

lastly, many thanks to my mami for bringing me into this world. i know she'll appreciate this:

happy 25th anniversary of the day you did all the work, mamita!

1 January 2012

2012-01-02T05:19:00.000-06:00

top 11 of 2011

please to enjoy the eleven best things that befell me this year (in no particular order):

1- casey mark dougal! (details forthcoming...)

isn't he adorable?

2- grad school! although my heart was set on school in DC, i ended up in the best IR program on the planet. i love IR/PS. i'm completely smitten and loving every minute of it. yes, even torturous midterms and finals weeks, when i literally thought the world was coming to an end. AND, i'm learning 中文! 大学是太好了! 我爱那!!!

free food-ing with my grad school chums

3- teaching sunday school. this is, by far, my favorite calling. i love teaching and teaching the new testament was pretty dang awesome this year. with all due respect, the apostle paul is sassy and i like him. i've learned so much and am looking forward to teaching the book of mormon in 2012.

4- living in san diego. i love austin and miss it very much... but it's nice to live on the beach in this gorgeous weather that doesn't fry your brain and entire self in the summertime. also, i have a lemon tree in my patio and a really nice tan. sunshine!!! and as a result of moving to san diego, i've acquired the best sleep doctor. literally. i mean, the man treated mother teresa, for goodness' sake! and i sat in the same chair as her in his office. sigh... basically, what i'm saying is that i practically met mother teresa this year. and going to disneyland again ain't too shabby either.

5- good friends keeping me afloat through difficult times... excruciatingly difficult times... like my entire universe falling apart and... holding these chickens?

6- glorious days in austin, enjoying everything that amazing city has to offer. the outstanding music, food, scenery, people and the millions of things to do in that #1 best place ever... i'm itching to go back! (i do realize i was just there ... but just one week is never enough!)

cruisin' downtown with resident awesome-girl, nanna.

7- my macbook pro... yes, i'm one of those obnoxious people now.

8- my little dog, benjamin franklin. he's been my boyfriend/child for a couple of years now, but this year, my little buddy has stuck with me and been my partner in crime/adventure (mostly adventure). judge this weird dog lady all you want, but i could not have gotten through the tumult of this year without this little guy.

so maybe i really like this blue shirt and wear it always...

9- my time at TCRP. what a blessed and wonderful experience it was to work there. i was fortunate enough to spend my workdays with truly admirable, courageous people doing truly amazing, inspiring work. thank you for letting me be a part of it!

denim day 2011

10- happy happenings in my family. my darling mother married my now-stepdad who makes her very happy, my grandmother will be moving to texas from buenos aires, my cousin's little boy made it through chemo and is doing well, and all are (to the best of my knowledge) in good health and prospering. and river plate got bumped to second division, so all is well for the riquelme clan. dale boca!

i love these little girls!

11- a renewed and improved relationship with my Heavenly Father. this year, i re-learned how to pray, study the scriptures, and interact with Him on a deeper level. i am ever-grateful for His love and His care and mercy. this is definitely the best thing that befell me in 2011.

what a load of great blessings! what are your top eleven?!

happy new year!

25 December 2011

2011-12-26T12:50:00.000-06:00

happy christmas! this year, i crocheted a santa hat for a rat:

this is moxie. she's an accountant by day, and an etsy shop owner by night. she's a festive little bug.

also, we took a fancy picture together:

happy christmas, all of you!

30 November 2011

2011-11-30T05:02:00.001-06:00

my first round of grad school finals is next week (almost 1/6 of the way to masterhood!!!)...

and i'd rather be...

at disneyland's gibson girls ice cream parlor on main street with mr. dougal...

and the novaks...just kidding! the rineharts! (disneyland double dates win the day!)

those who run xc together, stay together :D

i'd give all the things to be enjoying a delicious frozen treat where these two lovebirds first met.

sigh...

18 November 2011

2011-11-18T13:30:00.001-06:00

marcel the shell with shoes on always makes my sad days happy:

and he has a new video!

"oh gaw, i can smell his face"

ahahahahaha! i can't stand it, he's so great.

happy happy!

14 November 2011

2011-11-14T17:26:00.001-06:00

it's no secret that i'm a big fan of maps. a cartophile, if you will.

from xkcd today:

(NERD ALERT) i prefer the globe as my #1 (but have yet to own one. sadface), but if i have to pick a 2D projection, it's the orange peel.

howsabouts you?

7 November 2011

2011-11-08T02:11:00.000-06:00

i've survived my first round of grad school midterms, and while i don't yet have all of my grades, i'm feeling pretty okay about things. i don't think i'll be dropping out! honestly, it was touch-and-go there for a while... this program is HARD! like a #10 on this pain scale. (whine whine whine)

anyhoo, i could not have survived without my sweet darling loverface, who is always willing to help me (even if it means having to endure my rabid anger and frustration via skype from a different time zone, bless his heart).

here's how he helped me understand probability theory today:

thanks for helping me pass my midterms, honey!!!

seriously.

5 November 2011

2011-11-05T15:58:00.002-05:00

happy guy fawkes day, my dears! it's fun to see that my favorite movie of all time is becoming everybody else's too. i'll be celebrating, as usual, by watching señor v this evening.

i've a fantastic and very appropriate thing to share today! our houseguest this week told us all about her work with the zapatistas in chiapas, mexico. they're a group of indigenous people who oppose neoliberalism and promote alter-globalization. they would, most of all, like to regain control of their homeland and the freedom to work the land and live on it as they've done for centuries.

they're non-violent, for the most part, and their women have fantastic rights (!!!) . they live in autonomous communities, where drug use, drinking, and weapons are not allowed, and the motto is, "aqui manda el pueblo y el gobierno obedece."

this was the first we'd heard of their struggle, and we were most excited to learn that one of the prominent ways they "rebel" is through painting murals. my favorite of them all was the magic mural:

click to enlarge!

it's absolutely breathtaking, but it was destroyed by the mexican army just days after it was completed.

it always hurts my insides when governments destroy books or art to repress a rebellion... and i guess it hurts many others' insides as well, because the mural has been recreated in various locations across the world, the first of which was in the homeland! sadly, the replica in argentina was also destroyed by the authorities. from hasty google searches, it appears that several other replicas have also been destroyed, but one does remain in san fran.

here's a great explanation of all the different parts of the mural:

and you can go here for a version you can color in yourself... or have your kids do it... whatevs.

our houseguest also showed us an awesome mural of the upside-down world map, which i'm also very fond of, but can't find a picture of. sadface. just watch this west wing clip instead.

anyhoo, hats off to these muralists, whose art helps us remember remember that, "people should not be afraid of their governments. governments should be afraid of their people."

happy 5th!

29 October 2011

2011-10-29T11:24:00.002-05:00

good morning, saturday!

last night, i took a gnarly three-hour quantitative methods midterm:

post-brainasplosion

this morning, i'm in bed, knitting:

happy happy.

what are you doing today?

23 October 2011

2011-10-23T13:01:00.001-05:00

i've made a fantastic discovery today:

The UNESCO Catalogue of Representative Works

A direct subsidy programme launched in 1948 by UNESCO in order to encourage translation, publication and the distribution of texts significant from the literary and cultural point of view, in spite of being little known beyond national boundaries or beyond the frame of their linguistic origin.

one such work is from my homeland:

UNESCO edition (english)

cowhide illustrated limited edition (english)

i'm ashamed to say that i've never ready martín fierro myself, but i do know that it is a beautiful and oft-sassy epic poem about a gaucho (argentine cowboy) that paints a gorgeous picture of pampas life in argentina. i've put it on my christmas list, so i'll be reading it soon. it's available as a free ebook online as well, so you can read it in spanish online and even download it to your kindle for free.

you can browse the rest of the representative works collection using the search feature on the website, which allows you to search by country or language or even by type (poem, play, novel, philosophy), or at the UNESCO Bookshop. cool, huh?

happy reading!

22 October 2011

2011-10-22T03:52:00.002-05:00

my sweet mum loves this movie:

so, of course, i do too! tonight, i tried out another bit of barb:

watch this:

outstanding movie. i'm a big, big fan.

me: "this movie has an intermission! like my fair lady! yesssss!"
casey: "like all good movies. man, old movies used to have class."

up next in the barb queue: funny lady.

.

16 October 2011

2011-10-16T12:36:00.000-05:00

hello blogaroos! i apologize for the prolonged absence, but here i am, from-the-lemon-tree lemon tea in hand, ready to blog it up.

loads of fun things in my life lately, but let me encourage you to come visit me (i'm turning travel friday into i-miss-you sunday this week) and get in on the fun by tempting you with three great restaurants i've discovered:

Hash House a go go

that there's the sage fried chicken and hardwood smoked bacon waffles. literally, the most delicious thing you'll ever eat. it's an obscene amount of food and you will love every bite. EVERY SINGLE BITE. there's now some locations in LV too, but do yourself a favor and come to the beach, will ya? even if it's just for 36 hours. (but if you can't, the hash house gave the food network the recipe, so you can make it too!) you'll have plenty of leftovers, but these are leftovers you won't be nice about sharing. the salmon is also fantastical. nom nom.

Sushi Deli 3

that there's the salmon sashimi. literally, the most delicious thing you'll ever eat. and the biggest (to give you some scale, that's as thick as my hand). and the cheapest. $5/5 pieces or $9/10 pieces is unheard of! i don't know how they do it, but it is amazing and you will love every bite. EVERY SINGLE BITE. the super dragon roll is off the heezy foh sheezy also. nom nom.

JV's Mexican Food

that there's is not the chicken mole enchiladas, but it's the closest photo the internet had to offer (it's jv's chicken mole bowl). anyway, the enchiladas are literally, the most delicious thing you'll ever eat. that sauce is amazing and you'll wake up craving it in the middle of the night (much like unto chuy's creamy jalapeño). their mole has something like 29 different things in it, but the best, of course, is chocolate!!! and we all know that if it's chocolate, you will love every bite. EVERY SINGLE BITE. the chile relleno is also delightful. wash it all down with some orange bang! nom nom.

san diego is treating us well. not only is the weather perfect and the food delicious, but benny went to the groomer yesterday and got a complimentary blueberry facial and a festive halloween scarf. some would argue that's not very masculine, but my dog smells delicious and looks adorable to boot, so i'm well-pleased.

come visit!

6 October 2011

2011-10-06T13:22:00.000-05:00

this is how i'm going to perfect my mandarin:

my church makes a language study edition of the book of mormon, which has the simplified chinese characters with the pīnyīn (the phonetic system of writing chinese) alongside the english text. looks like this:

the grammar structure is a teeny bit similar, and i've heard of chinese learners having great success with this (missionaries, right?)... my french improved tremendously from reading the book of mormon in french, so why not?

pretty dang exciting, huh?

still got a long way to go, though. we just barely finished learning the pronunciation and tones this week. still have no clue what anything means (besides what i learned in china) nor can i recognize any characters (besides what i learned in china).

learning mandarin is a slooooooooooow process.

1 October 2011

2011-10-01T14:28:00.000-05:00

come, listen to a prophet's voice:

i love conference. and i love that we can watch it online. i've taken to pausing it and pondering and writing things down and conference has been such a sweeter experience for me since.

the Spirit shows up if we show up. watch!

30 September 2011

2011-09-30T00:30:00.000-05:00

what's the difference between a job and grad school?

job me.

grad school me.

there's a lot more natural light in my life.

man, i love being outside. 70˚ year-round ain't too shabby.

come visit!

(this post serves as a pseudo travel friday)

29 September 2011

2011-09-29T11:24:00.000-05:00

so, i'm learning mandarin chinese in grad school...

like this:

that's my professor, mr. cha, a korean kid from his class last year, and my chinese textbook. i should *cross fingers* be able to understand everything that kid is saying in a month or so.

so far, i've learned how to say "i love my mom" (我爱妈妈) and "i want to hug a horse" (我抱抱马).

still working on those tones...

p.s. don't ask your chinese TA if you can call chairman mao "chairman hair." i promise she won't like it.

23 September 2011

2011-09-23T02:24:00.000-05:00

happy travel friday!!!

next time you're in vegas...

stop in at egg works for their stuffed french toast. that's right, it's french toast, stuffed with scrambly eggs, cheese and ham, all for a very reasonable price.

i hear their biscuits and gravy plate is not too bad either...

a very good breakfast at a dog-friendly little joint, the airspace of which is frequented by low-flying jets making their landing at mccarran.

what a fun day!

22 September 2011

2011-09-22T09:56:00.000-05:00

happy first day of grad school to me!

that's my woke-up-at-6am grumpy face...

and those are my five... count them... one, two, three, four, FIVE mandarin chinese textbooks. there's my managerial economics textbook... and, for some light recreational reading (which i won't have time to do), the politics of electoral systems, calculus with finite mathematics, economics is everywhere, the professor and the madman, natgeo traveler's guide to taiwan, my antonia, the little prince, and the scriptures (which i will make time to read).

i love my desk. thanks to saint mary for letting me test drive hers earlier this summer, and for saint gretchen for providing me with some fine decor for it (the R2D2 and C3PO postcard is from her because she's awesome).

i'm ready!!!

18 September 2011

2011-09-18T13:30:00.000-05:00

preach it, hillary:

Remarks at the APEC Women and the Economy Summit

“There is a stimulative and ripple effect that kicks in when women have greater access to jobs and the economic lives of our countries: Greater political stability. Fewer military conflicts. More food. More educational opportunity for children. By harnessing the economic potential of all women, we boost opportunity for all people.”

we're a force to be reckoned with, ladies.

17 September 2011

2011-09-17T13:13:00.000-05:00

my family is a wee bit obsessed with le petit prince, only because it's the greatest book ever written (besides the scriptures, of course)...

and i'm a wee bit obsessed with my moleskine cahiers and volants...

well, check this out:

just when you thought the world couldn't get any more awesome...

The Le Petit Prince special edition, features a customized cover, paper band and inside cover with art from the book. Small details capture the magic and idealism of the story. A custom "In case of loss" message reads "In case of loss, return to planet..." and "As a reward, my secret about...". Each Le Petit Prince special edition comes with a cut out scene from the story tucked away in the rear notebook pocket. The pocket size notebook includes a globe-shaped cut-out of the Prince enjoying a "perpetual sunset" on his home planet. The large size notebook includes a 3D landscape where the Prince meets the fox and tames him.

it just did! buy them here.

(there is also a star wars collection. moleskine ftw!)

28 August 2011

2011-08-29T05:22:00.001-05:00

what a lovely gift i've received:

this i love:

Often when I imagine you

your wholeness cascades into many shapes.

You run like a herd of luminous deer

and I am dark, I am forest.

listen to an interview with one of the translators of this great work:

A Wild Love for the World

you fascinate me, rilke.

23 August 2011

2011-08-23T12:22:00.001-05:00

good morning! today i share with you my music secrets (not all, just 3):

#1. this girl has the best taste in music. fb stalking her "song of the day" and blog stalking her "best of" would do you well:

#2. amazon has free music for you to download. good stuff, too. this morning i've already downloaded some sufjan, fleet foxes, joss stone, haydn, sarah jarosz, and even some aquabats. do not be alarmed by the offer of kitten performances of native american flute lullabies... i promise there's more than just that.

#3. aol is still good for something! spinner.com, an aol website, has a free mp3 of the day. any indie/up-and-coming bands i know i've found there (or by the grace of the great shanna gibbs). you can download any of their free mp3s from any day, so get excited to spend lots of time going back through their archives for the goodies. lots of good stuff there.

alright, off you go!

19 August 2011

2011-08-19T12:25:00.001-05:00

happy friday, friends!

my sweet baby roommate unpacked this teeny tiny pan when we were moving in a few weeks ago:

which, of course, i started calling "the spinster pan" as it is only big enough for one miserable egg for one miserable spinster's one miserable breakfast on any given miserable day of her miserable spinster life... hehehe.

for the past two mornings, i've made what i like to call "the spinster scramble":

it's delicious!

enjoy your weekend.

17 August 2011

2011-08-18T02:10:00.000-05:00

i found this talk on someone's fb page a few days ago, and it's very great:

this is also great:

g'nite!

10 August 2011

2011-08-10T13:53:00.000-05:00

i'm getting on my soap box again... you've been warned.

since i'm a brave and outspoken lady, i don't find it totally inappropriate that i share the following with you. having qualified my comments so, here goes:

one of the most prominent mormon feminist issues for me as of late is that of female sexuality and how it is approached in the church.

i recently found myself in the bishop's office hearing this come out of my mouth: "bishop, i need help keeping the law of chastity," with this response, "uh... why?" and my reply, "because it doesn't make sense." i think he was surprised that i came in with that question and not a whole lot to "confess." but he asked me for some time to ponder on it and he came back a couple of weeks later, armed with the Lord's answer for me.

having, finally, at 24, the answer to my question (which i will share, do not fret)... having been a member of the church for my entire earthly existence, i was troubled. how was it that i could go 24 years in the Lord's church and not know, really, anything concrete about the context of my sexuality? and, i ventured, i'm probably not the only one...

many conversations with friends followed, and it was affirmed that i am, in fact, not the only one. luckily, one such friend shared this really wonderful blog post with me, which put words to my thoughts very precisely:

13 Articles of Healthy Chastity

please do read it. please do ponder it. and please, for the love, if need be, pray about it.

the way the culture of the church, at least in the US, has been approaching and teaching chastity to women is toxic. it is wrong. it is not what the Lord intends. it is not what His apostles and prophets teach (see here). the main problems lie in the following, which i'm quoting from the post (which you'd know if you've read it. go read it!):

This myth of male weakness is a pernicious lie that we have to eradicate from our culture. It manages to be both anti-male and anti-female. Anti-male because it teaches that men are wild beasts instead of noble agents of their own destinies. I do not mean to imply that it is a myth that teenaged boys think about sex, a lot. But it is a harmful lie to say sex is the only thing boys want. Boys are just as complex and moral and strong as girls are. And NO girl can make a boy think or do anything. Boys make their own choices and are exclusively responsible for those choices.

it has never sat well with me that the belief is taught that women are holy angels from heaven on high with spirituality levels off the charts and men are "wild beasts" who cannot control themselves but, in His great wisdom and grace, the Lord gave men the priesthood as a crutch to make up for how carnal and sensual and devilish they are (read this).

i'm ever so sorry, but the priesthood is a privilege and it is a great responsibility. it should never be treated as anything but. and when it is, it breeds a very strange brand of sexism. "chivalry," as some would call it. it puts women on a pedestal from which we do not feel comfortable descending into the humanity that is truly our reality (i.e. we are on earth to learn and grow and become) and creating a safe space for that learning, growing, and becoming. in turn, it puts men in a horrible ditch out of which they seem to have little motivation to climb (i.e. we were born this way and it's impossible to overcome the "natural man" so why even bother). it makes it all too easy for men to profess that they'd like to "marry up" and find a wife who will "whip me into shape" and "force me to do my home teaching." it makes it all too easy for women to settle and become convinced that their husband will really just be their first child, for whose eternal salvation they will be responsible. it makes for resentment between the sexes, so very easily permeating the entirety of our culture, into even every yogurt/paper towel/home loan commercial where the wife spends the entire 30 seconds rolling her eyes and the husband tripping all over himself. no. unacceptable.

women are also human. and for humans, guess what, sexuality is standard issue. it is a divine power and blessing. a divine power and blessing, as my bishop explained, that one does not have the privilege of exercising or benefitting from until one has committed to another in a deep and binding way: marriage*

*marriage = not a green card marriage, not a marriage for a tax break, not a drunken-mistake-in-vegas marriage, not an abusive marriage, not a mail-order-child-bride marriage, not an i-kidnapped-you-and-forced-you-to-marry-me marriage, not an i-received-revelation-that-you're-to-be-one-of-my-plural-wives-but-you're-only-14 marriage, etc. i think you get what i'm saying.

that's the answer. and that is how sexuality should be taught, and the abuse of sexuality contextualized.

thank you, and have a nice day.

6 August 2011

2011-08-07T00:34:00.001-05:00

happy sunny saturday, y'all!

i love my new home in san diego...

there's a beautiful magnolia tree outside my window,

and a cute jewish grandma to tell me it's a magnolia tree;

my books have found a happy home near the sunny front windows,

which have some exceptionally great shutters on them;

there's a gorgeous lemon tree in the patio, which produced a deliciously juicy lemon

to be squeezed into honey lemon tea for my sore throat the other morning;

and, our condos back up into this beautiful canyon,

to which we have exclusive access...

...exclusive access benny very much enjoys.

it's been a very nice first week. all members of the household (benny, cute roommate alexis, and me) are tuckered out from a long day at the dog beach... all showered/bathed and ready for bed.

sweet dreams!

29 July 2011

2011-07-31T20:34:00.000-05:00

happy travel friday!

my travels from austin to san diego have come to a close, but not without something for my lovely readers.

DJMH and i discovered this desert gem in our exhausting travels:

it was beautiful and huge and relaxing and comfortable and out in the middle of nowhere... perfect for weary travelers like ourselves or getaway-ers like my future self:

there's a golf course, horseback riding, beautiful pools, fountains, rockscapes, a water slide AND you can go learn how to drive formula 1 cars, too.

the room was huge and comfy and the tub very conducive to hot bubble baths... just what i needed after turning into a little ball of stress from moving/changing my entire life drastically. and breakfast was greatly delicious.

and the best news: it's dog-friendly!!!

honestly, it was the first time i got to fully relax in a VERY long time. hooray!

25 July 2011

2011-07-25T02:29:00.010-05:00

miss you already.

15 July 2011

2011-07-16T02:25:00.001-05:00

happy travel friday!

i'm leaving austin very, very soon, guys. and i'm a bit sad...

so this week, i bring you, the nytimes austin travel guide:

via nytimes

enjoy the 36 hours in austin piece, with its gorgeous slideshow:

via nytimes

and, may i point you to this lovely article about one of my favorite hangouts here, rainey street:

via nytimes

anyone care for a breakfast taco?

11 July 2011

2011-07-11T08:51:00.000-05:00

i was thinking about instituting a new feature called mOoDy MoNdAy but i might lose readership.

but this MoNdAy, i'm mOoDy because i still don't have a place to live in san diego. and i leave austin in exactly two weeks. TWO WEEKS!

is this normal or should i be having a heart attack?

maybe i'll just get a PO box and ben and i can move in with this guy:

i've been meaning to spend more time outdoors...

welp, don't forget to go claim your free slurpee today at 7-eleven!

8 July 2011

2011-07-09T14:37:00.001-05:00

happy travel friday!!!

this article came to me by way of my lady hms. it's quite a great slideshow:

20 Things I've Learned From Traveling Around the World for Three Years

by Gary Arndt

this guy is cool. he has the life i crave (although i wouldn't go a-wanderin' alone). you can read about mr. arndt's travels at his blog, everything everywhere.

let's get going!

1 July 2011

2011-07-01T09:12:00.002-05:00

happy travel friday!

so there's a fireworks ban all over texas because of this "drought" we're having...

austin's 4th celebration is by far my favorite... but if you can't have fireworks and cannons... however can you have the 1812 overture?!

listen to all glorious 16 minutes here.

so we're trying to decide where we should celebrate... sans fireworks/sans ban.

let us travel to:

willie nelson's 4th of july picnic - ft. worth, tx

kerrville's 4th on the river - kerrville, tx

july 4th weekend - fredricksburg, tx

find more texas celebrations here.

happy america day!

p.s. argentina's independence day is july 9th. eat some empanadas, will ya?

28 June 2011

2011-06-28T08:10:00.000-05:00

i got this email from UCSD yesterday...

Dear Ana,

Welcome to the UCSD Graduate School. While we all know that the next few years are going to involve a lot of hard work and late nights, we also know that to be truly successful we need fun and fulfillment thrown into the balance. Start UCSD off right by registering for Grad School Surf Orientation from September 9-12. This trip is sponsored and run by UCSD and is only open to other incoming UCSD grad students.

The trip starts at the UCSD Surf Shop where we meet and then load vans and drive to a privately owned surf resort located at the famous Shipwrecks surf break in Baja California. Our group will stay in beachfront cabins looking out onto an awesome point break which you can surf from dawn to dusk. Hot showers, beds, clean bathrooms, and healthy, delicious meals prepared for you bring the comforts of home to our comprehensive surf training program. This surf safari is a great way to start UCSD with surfing skills and new friends to hit the beaches with when school begins. Your fellow travelers could be heading to Rady, IRPS or any of the other great graduate programs on campus. A great part of this program is that you will make new friends throughout the school, and hopefully a future surf buddy to help you motivate to head out on the dawn patrol.

Sincerely,

The Wilderness Orientation Staff

say whaaaaaaaat?!

count my many blessings. i'm goin' on safari.

24 June 2011

2011-06-25T10:09:00.000-05:00

happy travel friday! man, it's been a while...

this week, we're talking about food on planes. it's gross. so, bring your own:

NY Times Travel:

Pack a Picnic for Your Next Flight

image via nytimes

i usually try to eat at the airport before i fly... especially in austin because everything at the airport has to be local... and the breakfast at waterloo ice house is fantastic.

but, other airports aren't as great... and i don't like paying $12 for a toasted einstein's bagel. so maybe next time i'll pack something delicious myself. i think the "no liquids" through security throws us off and makes us think that we can't bring a cooler full of savory treats through either. no way!

what treats will you pack?

22 June 2011

2011-06-22T14:21:00.000-05:00

the paramount has a glorious summer film series, where they show really fantastic classic films. last night, i went to see this:

fahrenheit 451

"Here, we're only fifty or so, but there are many, many more scattered around. In abandoned railway yards, wandering the roads. Tramps outwardly, but, inwardly, libraries. Oh, it wasn't planned. It just so happened that a man here and a man there loved some book. And rather than lose it, he learned it. And we came together. We're a minority of undesirables crying out in the wilderness. But it won't always be so. One day we shall be called on, one by one, to recite what we've learned. And then books will be printed again. And when the next age of darkness comes, those who come after us will do again as we have done."

and decided i'd be this:

which book would you be, book people?

14 June 2011

2011-06-15T00:15:00.000-05:00

date night game at bookpeople: pick a favorite book for the other to peruse.

my pick for him

Tlön, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius
by Jorge Luis Borges

his pick for me

House of Leaves

by Mark Z. Danielewski

minds: blown.

12 June 2011

2011-06-14T23:41:00.000-05:00

on learning the art of keeping an open mind...

on being: listening beyond life and choice

Ms. Tippett: I want to read you something that I was really struck by that you wrote. You were giving a list of a couple of qualities that you thought were necessary, as you said, if we are to continue the conversation to bring construction forward thinking approaches to what has been a long and difficult issue. One of them that really struck me was "the courage to be vulnerable in front of those we passionately disagree with."

Ms. Kissling: Right, right. And I think that's the hardest thing to do and I think it is very hard for all of us in these situations to acknowledge, for example, that we just don't have the answers to this problem. I don't think we have the answers to the problem of abortion in our society, whether it's the problem of abortion itself or the problem of how we're going to mediate our differences about abortion. And a willingness to admit that is very, very difficult. What is it in your own position that gives you trouble? What is it in the position of the other that you are attracted to? Where do you have doubts? Because it is only, I think, if we are interested in understanding each other and if we are ultimately interested — and it's not a question of common ground — but if we are ultimately interested in [...] policy that reflects what is good in the concerns of those who disagree, the only way we're going to get any sense of what that is is if we can acknowledge what is good in the position of the other, acknowledge what troubles us about our own position. I mean, I've said this to somebody recently. I said, you know, I don't understand how you can work on an issue for 35 years as complicated as this and never change your mind at all about anything.

what wonderful insight.

1 June 2011

2011-06-01T15:37:00.000-05:00

still in the middle of moving... so, while i go do that, here's a lovely poem:

29 May 2011

2011-05-29T19:51:00.000-05:00

we had a great lesson in relief society today. the moral was: "don't miss out on life because you're sitting around waiting for something (marriage) to happen."

i've always been a brave girl, and i like to think i do a good job of going for what i want and not missing out on great opportunities (with a few exceptions, like that trip to munich i didn't take!), but a teeny part of me is afraid to go on the really BIG adventures because i might miss out on something (a husband) if i don't play it safe.

with grad school in the very very near future, and the realization that, as an international affairs student, my summer internship will most certainly be international, and my career after graduation will likely also be international... i've decided to stop being afraid!

if i have to move to china alone, so be it. i'm not afraid to ENJOY that anymore (okay, maybe a little, but i'm working on it).

this feels good.

28 May 2011

2011-05-28T14:21:00.002-05:00

i'm in the middle of moving and the blog is undergoing renovation. my apologies.

in the meantime, go listen to these guys:

the dinner party download: a fast and funny “booster shot” of news and culture

designed to help you dazzle your friends and family at this weekend’s dinner party. in every 15 minute episode you’ll learn a joke…get the week’s major headlines…bone up on some history…drink in a cocktail recipe…meet an artist of note…savor an emerging food trend…and hear your new favorite song. plus, unconventional wisdom from hosts rico gagliano and brendan francis newnam.

"you've overstayed your welcome. please leave."

13 May 2011

2011-05-23T23:25:00.000-05:00

if you know anything about me, you know i love two things:

disneyland + star wars

what a lucky friday the 13th.

11 May 2011

2011-05-23T22:14:00.000-05:00

for my sanity's sake, i'm taking a break from the mayhem and blogging a little som'n som'n.

i was recently asked to "tell ... a little bit about [my]self," and i thought so so hard about a few short things i could say that would paint an accurate picture... so i said those things i thought of... and then later, i realized i should've just shared this:

things i regularly get in the mail because i signed up for them:

national geographic magazine

uncommon goods catalog

national geographic traveler magazine

anthropologie catalog

and, in other news, just when you think nothing else in the world could go wrong... the bottom of your hole puncher just falls off and there are little paper circles all over your office. which turns out to be kind of funny, and makes things a little bit easier to bear.

10 May 2011

2011-05-10T22:26:00.000-05:00

it's dear buddha's birthday.

i hope he is feasting on a giant cake made of churros.

happy birthday, buddha!

8 May 2011

2011-05-08T03:19:00.000-05:00

my mom's pretty neat:

feliz dia de la madre, mami!

4 May 2011

2011-05-04T01:48:00.000-05:00

may the fourth be with you.

1 May 2011

2011-05-02T01:08:00.001-05:00

i'm 1/5 of the way through my movie-watching extravaganza!

so the only bad thing about this one was the acting... and it wasn't even that bad. the cast was full of goodies (including my beloved jesse st james), but they all just seemed a little off their game. otherwise, it was great.

basic storyline:

this guy kills the president...

they think she might've had something to do with it...

this old guy forces this young guy to be her defense counsel...

he's all conflicted about it. drama ensues.

watching this brought up a lot of my own conflicted feelings about the issues presented as well... the issues being that, under the constitution (and some other laws, etc.), everyone deserves a fair trial and is entitled to due process, and that guilt has to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

now, on the surface, these seem like no-brainers... but there are circumstances in which our gut, our feeling, our sense of loyalty and duty, perhaps to our country or to our own conscience, make upholding these rights difficult for us. i've dealt with this a lot in my own work, and have watched our nation deal with this issue in, for example, the war on terror.

the film is a perfect example of this conflict... the beloved (by the north, mostly) president has been murdered (in a seemingly last-ditch attempt) by individuals who would like to see the current government, and that for which it stands, fall. the nation is divided and volatile. and the last thing the government needs while it is trying to restore peace and patch the nation back together is the reinvigoration of the rebel base by the success of a few conspiring enemies of the state.

teetering governments (and often those who are not teetering but just plain ol' authoritarian) are tempted, in an effort to keep the peace, to proclaim similar to chancellor sutler's in my favorite film, v for vendetta:

My fellow Englishmen: tonight, our country, that which we stand for, and all we hold dear, faces a grave and terrible threat. This violent and unparalleled assault on our security will not go undefended. Or unpunished. Our enemy is an insidious one, seeking to divide us and destroy the very foundation of our great nation. Tonight, we must remain steadfast. We must remain determined. But most of all, we must remain united. Those caught tonight in violation of curfew will be considered in league with our enemy and prosecuted as a terrorist without leniency or exception. Tonight, I give you my most solemn vow: that justice will be swift, it will be righteous, and it will be without mercy.

and even if there is no teeter to be felt, there are circumstances where we find ourselves conflicted by our task to defend the rights of someone we know, to the very core of our being, to be evil.

my boss told me once that even bad people have rights, and more importantly, asserting the rights of even the worst people makes it so that good people will continue to have rights.

it's still difficult, though. are we serving the greater good by executing swift justice in circumstances like these, or by upholding rights we agree are our foundation, no matter the circumstances?

.

29 April 2011

2011-05-01T12:57:00.000-05:00

here's a belated post that was to go up on friday last, but the fine folks at at&t popped a fuse and snipped a wire or two in our phone line box so the internet died and it was back to the middle ages for a few days.

okay, so pretend it's friday...

thursday was my first night of this:

yep, in addition to narcolepsy, it turns out that i have sleep apnea! hooray!!!

now, it's a pretty mild case, so my doctor is having me wear this contraption to bed every night for a month to see if forcing my airways open helps me at all.

it's already a fun-tastic time.

the machine is pretty quiet, so that's not too bad, but it creates fun levels of pressure inside my head, so that if i open my mouth or pop my ears i pretty much gag and can't breathe. i didn't make it through the night with it on. it makes my heart beat weirdly and is irritating as hell.

but it's only for a month. if i get used to it and it does help... then i get to wear one of these for the rest of my life (or have surgery):

being me is awesome!

26 April 2011

2011-04-26T23:51:00.001-05:00

usually there's not even one movie out that i want to see, but by some miracle:

i want to see all of these!

let's go to the movies!
.

24 April 2011

2011-04-24T10:17:00.002-05:00

.
He lives!

words from a prophet:

May the Spirit of our Lord accompany us and remain with us. We know not what lies ahead of us. We know not what the coming days will bring. We live in a world of uncertainty. For some, there will be great accomplishment. For others, disappointment. For some, much of rejoicing and gladness, good health, and gracious living. For others, perhaps sickness and a measure of sorrow. We do not know. But one thing we do know. Like the polar star in the heavens, regardless of what the future holds, there stands the Redeemer of the world, the Son of God, certain and sure as the anchor of our immortal lives. He is the rock of our salvation, our strength, our comfort, the very focus of our faith.

In sunshine and in shadow we look to Him, and He is there to assure and smile upon us.

He is the central focus of our worship. He is the Son of the living God, the Firstborn of the Father, the Only Begotten in the flesh, who left the royal courts on high to be born as a mortal in the most humble of circumstances. Of the loneliness of His living He said, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head” (Matt. 8:20). He “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38).

He was a man of miracles. He reached out to those in distress. He healed the sick and raised the dead. Yet for all of the love He brought into the world, He was “despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: … he was despised,” and was esteemed not (Isa. 53:3).

We look upon His matchless life and say with the prophet Isaiah:

“He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows. …

“… He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (Isa. 53:4–5).

i am grateful beyond measure to have Him in my life, to know that He cares for and loves me unconditionally. He is risen and He lives!

have a very happy easter, friends.

.

22 April 2011

2011-04-22T12:11:00.000-05:00

in light of recent events, i bring you the best breakup song and music video ever made:

my bud krista leigh and i had loads of fun with this one in college. wind! trash! fire! drowning! oh no!

hilarious. and our because-we're-hard-of-hearing lyric change:

i am sweating in an ocean all alone.

.

14 April 2011

2011-04-14T11:18:00.000-05:00

new song by my favorite:

also, i'm riding an amtrak train today. and an airplane. two, actually. i'm mostly just excited about the train, though.

also, i accepted admission to the MPIA Program at the School of International Relations/Pacific Studies at UCSD this morning.

how's your day going?

12 April 2011

2011-04-13T00:20:00.000-05:00

my flight out of memphis today was something else. i sat on the left side of the plane, window seat, had the row to myself. we were something like 6th in line for takeoff; 10th in a line of 15 planes--some small, some our size. i'm in a canadair regional jet 90.

i leaned over, elbows on my knees and chin in my hands, and stared out the window at our fellow take-off-ers.

i'm in a bus with wings, i thought. and, like these other planes, i'm gonna go around this little u-turn, haul ass down the runway, and magically end up in the air. IN THE AIR.

the first plane rounded the corner and paused. the pilot pulled the "make the jump to light speed" lever, and they were off. racing down the runway, and suddenly, with no warning, up, up, up. up 'til they were a tiny speck in the sky that turned right and into the clouds.

then, the second. then, the third. and then a big, fat, lumbering FedEx plane cut in line. this thing moved, oh, so very slowly. like a fat uncle after thanksgiving dinner, on his way to the couch for some football. just rolling down the runway, seemingly propelled by its strange girth.

like a little kid, i thought, "noooo way." no way it was getting up there. nope. not happening. but then, again without warning, it peeled itself off of the ground and pulled itself up and into the sky.

my jaw dropped.

amazed. utterly amazed. the entirety of my insides grinned; i'd just witnessed a MIRACLE. a monstrosity of a vessel had just ripped itself from gravity with such ease, as if it does this sort of thing every day. amazing.

i watched it fly off into a tiny speck and turn right. where it's going, i do not know. but it's going, i can tell you that.

we were two tiny planes behind the giant. they went up into the sky easily, like ballerinas into an hours-long grand jeté.

now, i fly often. this is my sixth flight in five days. my umpteenth in twenty-four years. i'm in the sky a lot. i ride the air bus with frequency. i'm numbered with the frequent fliers. and i love the switch from taxi mode into take-off mode. the sudden push of my self against the seat and the more-high-pitched, urgent hum of the giant engines behind me. and, like most fliers, the drop of my inner organs to my pelvic floor when the plane's nose tips ever-so-slightly upward and the wheels lose the comfort of contact with the earth. i close my eyes, lean back, and breathe deeply--fly.

today, the feeling was so exquisite. what a miracle i'd just witnessed. what a fantastic manifestation of science i'd just lived.

i had a biology professor in college who introduced the course with a lecture on a child's sense of wonder. he'd kept his, and promised if we'd find ours, we'd love the study of life. luckily, i found my sense of wonder in his class. and i found it again today, in something so miraculously commonplace, i rarely think twice of it.

happy flying!

11 April 2011

2011-04-12T03:20:00.001-05:00

back from a fantastic weekend in san diego, and should be in bed resting up for my trip to DC tomorrow, but i got distracted...

nanna and i were looking at these necklaces today:

cute, no? perfect for a lady who likes teensy jewelry, like me.

we're thinking of getting matching "going to grad school" pendants. cheesy? of course not.

too bad my mantra, believe, comes in such a weird shape:

maybe i'll get this one if i end up at ucsd:

so many choices! which ones do you like?

8 April 2011

2011-04-08T01:04:00.063-05:00

happy travel friday!

this weekend, bf and i are in san diego, visiting ucsd (perhaps my future home for grad studies) and soaking up the socal sunshine.

now, i haven't spent a lot of time in san diego, even though i grew up an hour north of it, so i'm excited to get to know it better. some things i'm excited about:

one of the most beautiful temples in the world

breathtaking scenery

amazing spanish architecture

real mexican food

gas lamps and quarters

doggie surfers

loads of free things to do

and, of course

the beach!!!

safe travels, friends.

6 April 2011

2011-04-07T00:36:00.001-05:00

my birthday girl lexi loves to read, but hasn't yet made a foray into classic literature. vampires and werewolves are the name of her reading game. so, for her birthday, i thought i'd ease her into the classics with these:

pride and prejudice and zombies

(read an excerpt here)

sense and sensibility and sea monsters

(watch the book trailer here. like a movie trailer, but for books. cool)

now, i have not read them, but they got splendid reviews, spent some time on the nytimes bestseller list, and do a good job of keeping the original beauty of miss austen's masterpieces. and there's some of this in there for you action fans:

what's not to love?

and hey, if lex ends up liking them, i might give this one a try:

android karenina

(book trailer can be watched here)

much to dad and bf's dismay, i hated the original, so much so that i never finished it (i got sooo bored when they run off to spain or whatever... yawn). will the clever mashup redeem tolstoy?

let's just get ourselves excited for may 10th, when this baby will be released:

the meowmorphosis

it promises to be a wild ride.

happy 24th, alexis!

3 April 2011

2011-04-04T21:57:00.000-05:00

conference was magnificent this year. i watched all four sessions without falling asleep (no small feat), and took some 13 pages of notes. it's fantastic what happens when you come to conference with questions: they're answered!

my sweet bf watched with me, and especially enjoyed the music. and the byui choir's outfits: "all the guys look very professional and nice and all the girls look like they just came from easter! and they were the eggs!"

anyhow, if you missed it, you can watch it here.

cecil o. and elder bednar's talks were among my favorites.

enjoy!

20 March 2011

2011-03-20T18:53:00.062-05:00

sxsw was pretty good to me this year... not as good as last year, because i didn't get to see any of the bands i wanted to see, but the bands i did see weren't so bad. here's the roundup:

on thursday, we saw the strokes:

not much needs to be said about the strokes, because unless you've been living under a rock for the past several decades, everyone is well aware that they are pretty cool. the sound quality at the show wasn't ideal, and it was a big free concert in a big crowded grassy area, but it was good enough to sit through three or four songs before hiking back to our car parked many, many blocks away.

on friday, we saw nothing. nothing and the american apparel factory flea market, where we picked up some controversy-laden threads for cheap.

on saturday, we celebrated holi:

and then, we saw machines are people too:

MachinesArePeopleToo

this band is from tn and they had some good indie beats. also, they know how to count, at least all the way to six. i love bands that know how to count. i think i'll live the rest of my life liking one or two of their songs, tops, because after the third or fourth, they all started to sound the same. they were good, but they need to work on their variety. not bad for a free show in a tree house.

apres ça, we saw valient thorr:

valient[sic]thorr is from raleigh (so maybe my bro will preach the gospel to them w/in the next two years) and they're a slightly political metal band. they were pretty sick. i got my headbang on and admired the moshing with wondering awe. at one point, they made everyone sit on the floor and row, viking longship style. it was a sweaty, sweaty experience.

at the same time, out in the patio of the bar, we saw a band that we thought was called doctor krápula (that was the listing) but looking at their site now, that's not who played at all, it seems, because they're rock and this band was latin. i can't find the actual band that played but we got some pretty decent cumbia out of them. thankfully my cute boyfriend is not afraid to dance, nor is his bengali friend, who lured in the latinas with his suave moves. we had a fantastic time dancing and shaking our hips every which way.

what a fun weekend! y'all should move to austin.

16 March 2011

2011-03-16T22:36:00.000-05:00

it's warrior week.

warrior one on the great wall

my yoga practice has moved from a lot of work on my paws and on my bum into upright work with my legs. this has landed me in various warrior poses, full of strength drawn from a firm foundation. it's amazing how much you can extend upward with the whole of your body if only you're firm in your foundation.

more warrior one

i especially love warrior poses because they require this foundation of strength and focus to bring you into a space of firm control. and am i ever in need of control.

reversed warrior

ever since things began to fall apart in my personal life, and continued to do so in my work life and with my health these last two years, it's felt like i have been spiraling out of control.

warrior three - my newest challenge

i learned two things in class tonight:

1. i'd forgotten the sweet taste of control.
2. i definitely need to invest in new yoga tops and pants that breathe better, because my entire self was completely soaked today. lululemon, it's about time i paid you a visit.

i've made a lot of progress in my practice since i started practicing with tim, the most fantastic vinyasa teacher alive. i've been going to his advanced intermediate hatha/vinyasa class pretty solidly for the past several months, and today i challenged myself and hit up his advanced vinyasa class. he very literally runs a sweat shop, but he is a miracle worker. in his class, i happily work very hard and accomplish things i never thought possible.

this is tim

laying in sweet sweet savasana this evening, i focused my attention to my third eye (just super relaxing, no weird mystical creepiness here) and thanked my Heavenly Father for this wonderful body that i have, that is able to move and flow and stretch and sweat and work in such wonderful ways.

warrior two

being strong and in control on my mat made all the difference and i walked off my mat in control.

namaste.

p.s. i'm hoping i'll be lucky enough to find an amazing teacher in san diego or dc. any recommendations?

14 March 2011

2011-03-14T13:09:00.001-05:00

in preparation for this, i downloaded this:

arcade fire - the suburbs

for only three and a half american dollars!

i really like the song modern man:

now, i'm not one of those cool kids that was on the arcade fire bandwagon before they got on the radio. i don't think i'd heard much more than the song the suburbs before. the video was shot in austin(!!!), with some really nice views of the 360 bridge. watch:

but i'm excited to see their show in the atx. i'm so glad i live here! (sxsw is this week)

another awesome thing:

natgeo travel photos of the week

you can download desktop sizes for free, which has been fantastic for wallpapering my new pro (the photo above is my current wallpaper). check it out. the photos are breathtaking, of course. we don't expect any less from national geographic.

have a good monday!

12 March 2011

2011-03-12T23:21:00.001-06:00

“Inasmuch as we continue faithful, we shall be those that will be crowned in the presence of God and the lamb. You, my sisters, if you are faithful, will become Queens of Queens, and Priestesses unto the Most High God. These are your callings. We have only to discharge our duties.” Eliza R. Snow and the Woman Question by Jill C. Mulvay Fn, BYU Studies, vol. 16 (1975-1976), Number 2 – Winter 1976 264.

a heated late-night discussion with fellow lady mormons, conversations with lew, and reading articles like this brought to the surface a lot of deep and painful feelings for me today -- feelings i've been repressing since my time at byu, when these issues were always in my face.

why do we, as women, hold the position we do in church culture today (especially considering the position of the women in the early church)? why do we know nothing about our Heavenly Mother besides that She exists? why can't we preside (especially in the context of our family, why can't we preside with our husbands)? why can't we do things like bless the sick anymore? why is the cultural expectation, the ideal, for women in the church to be housewives and nothing more (let's be clear that by housewife i do not mean mother)? why are women who don't fit the mold ostracized? why does it feel like we have to wait to be priestesses and queens?

i know who and what i am in my Heavenly Parents' eyes, and it's very difficult for me to be immersed in a culture that tries to deny what i know.

it's very difficult and, honestly, it hurts. it really hurts.

9 March 2011

2011-03-09T20:28:00.002-06:00

thanks to lew's ipod fiddling, i rekindled an almost-forgotten romance with this album on my drive home today:

damien rice - o

my favorites...

... for the strings

... for reminiscing about my childhood

... for holding hands

thanks, damien.

8 March 2011

2011-03-08T02:18:00.002-06:00

happy international women's day!

watch:

an excerpt from my favorite speech on women's rights:

read the full text or listen to the full audio here.

and this is worth a read:

Senate Resolution 74 -- Designating March 8
as 'International Women's Day'

i leave you with a quote from one of my favorite ladies:

The battle for the individual rights of women is one of long standing and none of us should countenance anything which undermines it. - Eleanor Roosevelt

onward.

5 March 2011

2011-03-05T21:07:00.000-06:00

today, i bring you my top three favorite podcasts:

a little bit of poetry and interesting facts on the writer's almanac

this week, i learned all about the homebrew computer club and the first apple computer, and heard a lovely poem about cold days in march. just lovely.

a little bit of story telling on this american life

the latest is a story of a man who was wrongfully convicted of a murder and spent two decades in prison, while the real killer served just two years. fascinating.

and

a little bit of classical music prodigies on from the top

this morning, i heard a 9 year old play a movement of one of mozart's piano concertos and then tell a little story she'd made up, about a merry-go-round-riding squirrels, rabbits and grizzly bears, to go along with the piece she played. awesome. simply awesome.

i <3 public radio.

28 February 2011

2011-02-28T23:01:00.001-06:00

i blog to you from my new macbook pro. it is a miracle computer. i'm sure i will blog more about all the cool stuff it can do as i continue to explore it.

from my new pro, today i bring you the second installment of prison things.

we at tcrp just released another human rights report:

Banned Books in the Texas Prison System: How the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Censors Books

tdcj has banned 11,851 books from prisons, many for ridiculous reasons. for example, a book of shakespearean sonnets is banned because the cover has a classical painting of a nude, a biography of oprah is banned for the use of the N word in the context of describing the racism she faced as a child, and exposés on prison conditions in the US are banned for discussing the problem of rape in prison. what is even more ridiculous is the list of books that are allowed: mein kampf, the hitler we loved and why, guns illustrated, guerrilla warfare (with its instructions on building a mortar with common household items), letters to penthouse, etc.

some banned classics: The Inferno by Dante Aligheri, Vintage Langston Hughes, The Color Purple by Alice Walker, American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis, Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller, Couples by John Updike, Big Sur by Jack Keroac, Satanic Verses by Salmon Rushdie, Deadeye Dick by Kurt Vonnegut, Myra Breckinridge by Gore Vidal, Portnoy's Complaint by Philip Roth, Live from Golgotha by Gore Vidal, Great American Novel by Philip Roth, Deer Park by Norman Mailer, There Are No Children Here by Alex Kotlowitz, Burmese Days by George Orwell, Three Great Tales: Heart of Darkness, Typhoon, Nigger of the Narcissus by Joseph Conrad, Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler, Notebooks of Don Rigoberto by Mario Vargas Llosa, First Love by Joyce Carol Oates, Eight Men by Richard WrightVillagers by John Updike, Fugitives and Refugees: A Walk in Portland, Oregon by Chuck Palahniuk, Twelve Million Black Voices by Richard Wright, Breakdowns: Portrait of the Artist as a Young %@#* by Art Spiegelman, Big Rock Candy Mountain by Wallace Stenger, Salammbo by Gustave Flaubert, Delta of Venis by Anais Nin, Utopia by Thomas Moore, Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides, The Way to Paradise by Mario Vargas Llosa, White Oleander by Janet Fitch, Hooking Up by Tom Wolfe, Everything that Rises Must Converge by Flannery O'Connor, The Human Stain by Philip Roth, A Contract with God by Will Eisner, Fanny Hill by John Cleland, Ancient Evenings by Norman Mailer, It Can't Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis, How the Other Half Lives by Jacob Riis, The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman by Ernest Gaines, Jr., The Essential Gore Vidal

it is just ridiculous that texas is not encouraging well-read minds in its prisoners. what better way to spend your time in prison than to be reading classics and elevating your mind, exercising your brain, and increasing your knowledge? texas' answer is, apparently, to not. go here for the full list of banned books.

from my boss, jim harrington, at our press conference: "it's so counterproductive. it's so stupid. it is absolutely stupid to let in mein kampf but not some of these other books that are important in the literary world but also important to our society and the criticism of our society."

take a few minutes to read the report. it's very informative and has loads of good info on the benefits of reading for prisoners and the harm that this censorship is causing. if anything, you'll be amused. and you might get some good ideas for your to-read lists.

26 February 2011

2011-02-27T02:21:00.000-06:00

let me tell you a little story:

while at dinner at nxnw for el bf's good friend's birthday (a dinner which the whole of austin attended. damn, that kid is popular), i excused myself to go to the ladies' room. the messiest ladies' room i've seen at a nice restaurant. the only passable stall was the ADA accessible one. so i decided to use it. plus, it's bigger, so who can resist?

don't worry that when i came out, there was a nice lady in a wheelchair, waiting.

embarrassing.

i should know better.

21 February 2011

2011-02-23T02:35:00.002-06:00

lewis took me home to plano this weekend to meet the fam (yeah, yeah, settle down), and while there, we took a little ride down to dallas to see macbeth at the kitchen dog theater:

and it was so awful. in the middle of act i, we looked at each other in disgust... "you wanna leave at intermission?" "there is no intermission." aaargh.

and malcolm, who wasn't terrible otherwise, walked all over my favorite line:

Give sorrow words: the grief that does not speak

Whispers the o'er-fraught heart and bids it break.

tragic! (at least the theater donates 5% of their ticket proceeds to charity, something i promptly signed up TCRP for.)

so, to get the bad taste of poorly-performed shakespeare out of my mouth, i grabbed lexi for an evening of:

not my favorite play, but most certainly my favorite modern cinematic adaptation of shakespeare (hot, young, talented leo being in it may have something to do with it). it's excellent.

watch the prologue:

and, please, "give me my sin again."

oh, and, pbs has rupert goold/sir patrick stewart's macbeth for us online, in its entirety, for free. looks awesome. thank goodness for the government funding of the arts. and the royal shakespeare company.

up for a do-over, lew?

16 February 2011

2011-02-17T00:18:00.001-06:00

i made the greatest discovery of all time today. you read me? of ALL time!

i was downtown at a press conference late this morning, which left me with a hankering for indian food (for no apparent reason other than indian food is delicious). i didn't have much time, so i called the clay pit and asked if they let you do their lunch buffet to go. they DO.

chicken coconut curry

$8.20 later (plus the fifty cents for the meter), i walked out of that pit with enough indian food to feed a small army of very hungry zaida gnomes for four to five days. chicken coconut curry, aloo ghobi, tandoori chicken, a black bean soup, a LOT of rice, an even more LOT of naan, and some uh-may-zing mango kheer.

mango kheer

yeah. that happened.

so, next time you want to have a lovely indian food picnic for you and ten of your closest friends (in austin), you know what to do.

8 February 2011

2011-02-08T18:12:00.000-06:00

pro:

i'm making the switch.

(hooray!!!)

7 February 2011

2011-02-07T12:54:00.000-06:00

in preparation for my valentine's day talk in church on love, i'm curling up in bed (yes, i'm still sick) with this:

and this:

and, when it arrives from wherever my philosophy student bf ordered it, this:

i'll also be consulting church materials, of course. anyone have a favorite talk, scripture, etc. on love?

6 February 2011

2011-02-06T16:14:00.002-06:00

being laid up in bed, all sick and miserable and whatnot, i decided to watch this:

how lovely!

now, if only i can convince my valentine to sport big paper hearts with me on the 14th...

15 January 2011

2011-01-15T07:47:00.000-06:00

also...

yeahhhh!

14 January 2011

2011-01-14T02:03:00.003-06:00

i've previously mentioned a certain constellation i fell in love with years ago, while stargazing on a backpacking trip through the sierra nevadas, where the sky is so clear and the air so crisp you can see all the way to kolob (blasphemous mormon joke)...

it's the teapot, sagittarius, which aligns with the center of the milky way so perfectly, it looks as if our home galaxy were steam coming out of the teapot's spout. absolutely beautiful:

and, as it turns out, it is now my astrological sign! the stars have re-aligned in my favor!

and look what wikipedia says about my new sign (emphasis added):

Sagittarius is the sign of the zodiac mainly concerned with philosophy, higher education and global thinking. It is ruled by Jupiter, the planet of expansion, benevolence and luck/fortune. Individuals who have a strong Sagittarian influence are typically interested in expanding their horizons through traveling abroad, learning foreign languages, or immersing themselves in unique cultures. These individuals thrive on higher education; once they find a subject(s) they’re passionate about, they will search relentlessly for more answers and more information to build on what they know. They are also fond of ethics, as it appeals to their philosophical nature and is a subject that is so contextually dependent that they’re skilled at being flexible in applying sound philosophical observations to complex situations.
Because Sagittarius is a mutable sign, they are generally very adaptable philosophically because they seek to understand the world from a higher perspective and are perspicacious in finding higher meanings through their varied encounters. They tend to be optimistic and have a great capacity for faith, as it is this good-natured faith that usually plays into their fortunate endeavors. They are not usually known for their reliability (unless they also have a significant Capricorn influence) because their attentions have a tendency to be scattered.
Sagittarius is a fire sign, which imparts a fiery enthusiasm that shows through their (blunt) sincerity, honest convictions and drive for independence. They enjoy adventures and are partial to the great outdoors.

that's a pretty spot-on description of me! as we know, i was formerly a capricorn, which explains the "significant influence" and i emphasized "luck/fortune" because, as luck would have it, that is what zaida means in arabic. weird.

what's your new sign?
.

13 January 2011

2011-01-14T01:13:00.000-06:00

today, grab an apple and a good book and go read by the window. may i suggest:

a pink lady

deliciously sweet and tart and crunchy. go here to see creative things you can do with 'em before you eat 'em. who knew kiwis could make a good apple?

and

entre nous: a woman's guide

to finding her inner french girl

one of my favorite bday presents from one of my favorite ladyloves.

enjoy!

12 January 2011

2011-01-12T21:37:00.000-06:00

today's favorite things:

Bach: A Strange Beauty

listen to the full album on npr

and

FoodPornDaily.com

i don't think the food can hear me yelling, "STOP IT!!!!" with every click.

aaaaaand back to grad school apps. the misery ends in 36 hours! then, the wait begins. kill me.
.

5 January 2011

2011-01-05T20:20:00.000-06:00

once in a while, i can cook. today was such a once. i got creative, too. let me walk you through what i did to end up satisfied and smiling... with my dinner.

a butternut squash, a frozen seafood mix*, ginger ale and some bowtie pasta that spilled in the pantry because no one can close a box lid around here. yes, yes.

1. pasta to boil, with some salt and olive oil in the water.

2. halved butternut squash covered with plastic wrap, in the microwave on high for ten minutes.

3. sautée the seafood mix, once defrosted, with some ginger ale (barely enough to cover the bottom). sounds weird, but trust me on this one. actually, i waited a minute or so to add the ginger ale.

4. when the squash is done, scoop the soft fleshy insides into the pan, stir it around, and turn the heat off.

5. once the bowties are ready, drain, and slather it up with some butter.

6. spoon the squash seafood mix over the pasta.

7. throw some shredded asiago on top and eat that up!

bonus step: eat the rest of the shredded cheese with a big spoon and drink that ginger ale out of the bottle throughout.

bon appétit!

*i think i'm going to try just shrimp next time.
.

4 January 2011

2011-01-04T20:13:00.001-06:00

i guess being 24 is not that bad:

via the portland twenty-something

in other news: dog farts and grad school applications are the worst. german chocolate pie and pandora's symphonic radio are the best.
.

3 January 2011

2011-01-03T13:05:00.000-06:00

.
.

well, crap. i'm 24.

2 January 2011

2011-01-02T21:21:00.001-06:00

i don't want to be 24.

1 January 2011

2011-01-01T02:43:00.000-06:00

my new year's resolution:

the only thing that jiggles on her is her butt. that's what i want.

yoga, running, and eating clean. do we think this will work?
.

31 December 2010

2010-12-31T12:53:00.001-06:00

top 10 of 2010

please to enjoy the ten best things that befell me this year (in no significant order):

1 - i happened upon a really fantastic group of girlfriends this year--ladies that make my many adventures in austin truly epic. Xs and Os to my ladyloves.

with nalg and heater for festivus

2 - i finally did a headstand in yoga. what a perfect way to end the year in my yoga life: i accomplished something i didn't think possible and it felt great. plus, i had my very lovely friend with me to share in the accomplishment.

3 - i fell out of a plane! skydiving for my dad's 50th was a truly stupendous adventure. i learned a lot about myself that day: i'm fearless.

4 - i got a smartphone, finally! internet with that kind of portability has changed my life.

5 - my trip to DC solidified my plans for the next etapa of my life. i haven't felt so strongly about a decision since i got my acceptance letter to BYU. it was love at first sight; when the plane made its final turn toward reagan international and i got a view of the national monument all lit up in the nighttime, i knew it was meant to be. being in DC felt so right (and was SUCH a west wing geekout), and i can't wait to move there so soon!

6 - i decided to drive like a californian again, and that kind of assertiveness on the road has strangely trickled into the rest of my life. we should be a little more californian!

7 - my little brother, my precious pup, and i had a really great doctor's-orders weekend getaway in corpus christi. we lived it up, stayed in a 4-diamond hotel, valeted the car, dined on the fanciest of feasts, swam in the gulf, laid out by the pool, and took benny on a dolphin cruise. it was, quite literally, just what the doctor ordered for a very stressful time in the life of me.

8 - bestie got married to a really spectacular guy, and i had the opportunity to perform my MOH duties at their sweet wedding. what a great trip! and what a beautiful marriage! i love my bestie and my BIL (bestie-in-law).

toasting sans glass

9 - in april, i got some beach time while home for my little novak's nuptials. i'd almost forgotten how much i need the ocean in my life. see you again soon, beach!

same beach, same friend, different trip

10 - late this year, i decided to try dating outside of my faith. it's been a really great experience so far, contrary to everyone's predictions and warnings. re-entering the dating scene was just what i needed, and... when it rains, it pours.

what's your top ten?!

happy new year!

30 December 2010

2010-12-31T10:40:00.000-06:00

i have the most awful posture.

in addition to regular yoga practice, i've been tying myself up with a headband for drives in my car, a la princess diaries:

watch the clip here

it looks freakin' weird, and it is freankin' weird, but it's helping.

i just don't want to end up like this:

any other suggestions?

good posture shout out to carrie vb, who has the best posture i've ever seen. she credits regular yoga practice and a fear of ending up like that old lady, hunched over and living in a graffitied alley.

28 December 2010

2010-12-28T21:09:00.004-06:00

happy birthday, brother! in your honor, i'm writing about something completely unrelated to you...

my favorite christmas present:

showers are taking decidedly longer, and i'm hanging out in my bathroom way more than necessary.

buster bluth would be proud (although, i don't think staring at a map counts as cartography. i think that's what we call geography).

.

27 December 2010

2010-12-28T01:03:00.002-06:00

so, i take lexi to yoga with me today--beginners, because it's been a few weeks--and the instructor (one i don't like very much but she's really good at teaching basics) tells us we're doing inversions. so, i'm thinking it's gonna be plow, or some modified shoulder stand...

nope. wrong.

it's headstand time.

do you know what i'm saying here? a headstand. the pose i can't get. try as hard as i may, i just caaaaaaaan't get up there. this pose hates me. it snickers at me behind my back. it is the bane of my yoga existence. curse you, headstand!!!

but...

i got it. i did it. i got up (with the help of the instructor). and i HELD IT!!!!

VICTORY IS MINE!!!

and, victory is TWICE lexi's. girlfriend got up both times, sans assistance. girlfriend rocketh.

as a reward, we got legs up the wall instead of savasana. yum.

26 December 2010

2010-12-26T11:15:00.002-06:00

maybe i'm going to hell for saying this...

but this was not that offensive.

GARY: Look, maybe us Mormons do believe in crazy stories that make absolutely no sense, and maybe Joseph Smith did make it all up, but I have a great life and a great family, and I have the Book of Mormon to thank for that. The truth is, I don't care if Joseph Smith made it all up, because what the church teaches now is loving your family, being nice and helping people. And even though people in this town might think that's stupid, I still choose to believe in it. All I ever did was try to be your friend, Stan, but you're so high and mighty you couldn't look past my religion and just be my friend back. You've got a lot of growing up to do, buddy. Suck my […].

CARTMAN: Damn, that kid is cool, huh?

thoughts (which you're only allowed to share after watching the full episode)?

23 December 2010

2010-12-23T16:18:00.005-06:00

i should never promise posts to people. zaida's favorite things a la oprah's favorite things post? fail.

but, i would like to share my favorite "organizational thing" on my list of favorite things, just like oprah had:

CLEAN HOUSE

CLEAN HOUSE is Heather Smith, Austin native and organizing extraordinaire. With over 7 years experience in calming chaos, Heather can tackle cluttered spaces with ease and help transform your home into a relaxing-yet-functional refuge for you and your family to enjoy.

also, my friend heather is very musically talented. listen to her lovely music here:

it's a festivus miracle!

21 December 2010

2010-12-21T21:54:00.000-06:00

last night, while eclipse-watching at the 360 bridge lookout...

braces-sporting high school boy trying to flirt: oh yeah, surfing! i was in hawai'i surfin' some killer waves, man... it was so awesome and surely you're impressed by how cool i am that i surfed one time and can identify with you being from california!!!

me: yeah... it's been a while since i've surfed... hmm... yeah, since i was in high school, probably. so that's gotta be... what? like... five years?

crickets: chirp chirp.

image via the associated press

13 December 2010

2010-12-14T02:14:00.001-06:00

microecon is over. i'm resting my brain and watching the daily show on the interwebs... and then comedy central punches me in the face with this:

beautiful, beautiful men.

how does ralph lauren manage to find the most gorgeous men on the earth for their ad campaigns?

especially that one who's kissing everyone in the video above. i hope to run into him soon, just in case he's still kissing every female in sight. yum:

just look at him (some more):

and, gentlemen (those of your that are straight, hehe), he can help you dress yourselves:

by the way... he's canadian (and like 12 years old, but that's not important)! add him to the list of canadian things i'm really into. i love those crazy canucks.

so, what have we learned today? work hard in your classes and after you pass your finals and turn in all your projects (and give your dog a bath), you will be rewarded with some serious eye candy.

9 December 2010

2010-12-09T03:14:00.000-06:00

'tis the season and this has been overwhelming me to the point of tears lately. have a listen!

more importantly:

i choose real!

don't worry that i don't know what i'm doing, am completely on my own on this one, and will probably hate this idea of mine by the time my mission is accomplished.

but, it must be done!

i'm craving that stench of pine and i already bought the star for the tippy-top.

real it is!

8 December 2010

2010-12-08T21:56:00.001-06:00

welcome to this week's edition of pretentious pet peeves: things i think everyone should know and am peeved you don't. today, i offer you three.

one:

travesty ≠ tragedy

two:

"...apostrophes are not used to make words plural. When making a word plural, only an 's' is added, not an apostrophe and an 's.'" (source: Purdue OWL. emphasis added.)

three:

geneva is a city in switzerland. it's not a country. it's in europe.

alright. back to studying for my econ final.

6 December 2010

2010-12-07T00:29:00.000-06:00

as most of you are aware, my job title is prisoners' rights paralegal at the texas civil rights project. so after one year, six months, and ten days after commencing this journey, i feel like it's time to institute a new feature i'm calling:

prison things

i'll preface this new feature with the following: prisoners are people to me. they are children of God. they have done or have been accused of doing some terrible things, but i care about them just the same. yes, some prisoners i've met scare me. i'm disgusted by some because of what they've done. i lose my patience when meeting with some of them. i think i'm better than some of them. i admit it. we all do these things. but, when it comes down to it, they're just like you and me. they're human beings, with feelings, with dreams, with goals, with tears in their eyes, with families that miss them, with the same right as you and i have to God's unconditional love. so, with this segment, i hope i can tell you a little about what i have learned from my experiences with the world of prison without actually telling you about my clients, my prison visits, or my day-to-day work... because i legally and ethically can't.

for our first installment of prison things, i hope you enjoy this unconventional look at prison life, from my favorite radio show, this american life:

This American Life Episode 218: Act V

if you'd like to support the performing arts in prison, make a donation here.

24 November 2010

2010-11-24T01:01:00.001-06:00

previous to the advent of imogen heap into the world of music, my #1 musical love of all time was queen. let me make it perfectly clear that, although queen is now #2, i would never, in a million years, tell you that imogen is a better musician than my dear sweet freddie.

oh, i love freddie. so so very much. his voice brings tears to my eyes and chills to my entire being. the vocal range he had is astounding. for a man to be able to sing that way is fantastically impossibly magnificent. that voice was crafted by God.

just listening to him vocalize in the first few mins of this performance of under pressure overwhelms me:

that song, by the way, is so epic. listen to the studio version, with david bowie's vocals, here. i've been car dancing to the rah mix (off of queen's greatest hits iii album) on my commute for several weeks now.

and, have you seen the really cute lip sync they did on that movie it's kind of a funny story? here's a snippet:

speaking of lip syncs... the glee kids did a pretty great cover (they actually sang) of the always-tremendous bohemian rhapsody (the video is weirdly backwards. don't know why):

but, of course, jesse st. james is no freddie:

sweet kicks, fred

yet another reason to visit/move to geneva: eternal epic-ness in montreux

my daddy-o shares/instilled my ardent love of freddie. i find him watching the following at least once a week when i come home from work:

yes, he's singing with an opera singer. and there are fireworks. he's that awesome. he recorded an entire album with her. rock and opera... epic.

freddie left us to go rock out in the spirit world nine years ago today.

an epic post for an epic man. you're welcome.

17 November 2010

2010-11-17T02:22:00.000-06:00

it's 2:16am. as usual (since nuvigil came into my life), i can't sleep. and econ hw is boring.

this is not boring:

"Funny vid from the early days of The Buried Life (2006). Duncan and Jonnie asked Dave to come in and do a backflip for a music video they were shooting for their buddy. He showed up in loafers. When asked if he could still do a backflip in the rain he said don't worry about it. This is his story."

man, i love that show.

12 November 2010

2010-11-12T07:28:00.000-06:00

my two wicked sweet coworkers, tanya and g, made and brought these to the office:

buckeyes

which are not to be confused with these lads:

ohio state buckeyes

nor these:

buckeye tree nuts, which are poisonous, but not poisonous enough to keep the local indigenous tribes away from eating them in days of yore. but...

peanut butter fudge dipped in chocolate is MUCH more delicious, and not poisonous at all.

the recipe is here.

11 November 2010

2010-11-11T19:03:00.001-06:00

i'm so bored in econ... so i'm online window shopping at anthro.

don't worry that even when i window shop, it's still only in the sale section. i dream big. here are some good finds:

this one's full price, but i'm absolutely smitten:

and how great would this little dress be for the fabulous holiday party we're cooking up?!

sigh... if i were a rich [wo]man...

also, this is adorable:

i think i'm going to leave class early.

8 November 2010

2010-11-09T00:45:00.000-06:00

i'm coming down with something. and it's a well-known fact i lose my mind when i'm about to get sick...

observe:

that song is unnervingly catchy. and, don't worry, that's not the only justin beiber music video i've watched this evening.

some things i've learned from the three... ok, FOUR music videos i watched:

nixon watches are really in right now.
justin beiber owns a lot of really cool jackets/why is he always cold?
justin beiber likes his ladies brown/otherwise-not-caucasian.all
usher is his dad.

the first few minutes of this are hilarious (profanity warning. you've been warned) and about the beibs.

ah-ha-HA! npr validates me once again! he's CANADIAN! and we all know i love canadians. ok, my creepy love for justin beiber is just fine. i'm at peace with it now. he's canadian. like those degrassi kids.

alright, i'm gonna go get hopped up on some cold medicine now. bye!

p.s. benny is grumbling along to the beibs. he likes the babybabybaby song, it seems. yeah, my DOG likes justin beiber.

26 October 2010

2010-10-27T01:10:00.000-05:00

instead of doing my econ hw:

it might be too small to see, but ... 9 - 6 = 3

let's talk about my weirdo celebrity crushes:

turns out i like skinny white dudes

at least they're not as weird as obri's:

(my apologies for the juvenile posts lately... i blame it on the narcomeds.)

19 October 2010

2010-10-19T02:27:00.000-05:00

in my mind, there are two iconic brands that will never go out of style. they've been around forever, and they're what the cool kids have and always will wear:

i have:

now, i want:

which color should i get?