Resolutions for 2013

With the start of a new year come resolutions, which many people often make for themselves. I thought I'd take this opportunity to state a few of mine.

Resolution #6: to end communication with certain people who I've known for many years, but who have never made much effort--in the last few years--to continue maintaining our friendship. In my book, friendship is a two-way street and I don't need flakes for friends.

Resolution #5: to start working on the book that I've been wanting to write for a while now.

Resolution #4: to get back to an exercise routine that won't require me going to the gym. I enjoy Zumba, but I can't afford to do it all the time. I might brave the cold weather and start going for walks or jogs in the area where I live.

Resolution #3: to find stable employment that will help me with finishing up my college education.

Resolution #2: to allow more time (aka ME time) for myself. I tend to worry a lot over things, such as trying to pass my math course. I need to relax more and hope that I can do so in 2013.

My #1 and final resolution: to NOT keep torturing myself by remembering people from my past. It's all about the future now and I don't want to be reminded of those who never once cared for me.

What are your resolutions for 2013?

Happy Birthday Mike & Davy!

Happy 70th Birthday to one of the best songwriters ever, who also inspired what we once called MTV: Michael "Mike" Nesmith.



And Happy Birthday to David "Davy" Jones, my first celebrity crush, who is probably entertaining everyone up in Heaven with this song.  :)

Happy Holidays!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

Are You Seeing Anyone?

Dear Cousin,

You should read the article Single & Childless: I Know What You're Thinking because it'll explain to you why I'm still single and childless.

Maybe next time you will refrain from asking me the same redundant question (see above blog title), which I'm absolutely TIRED of you asking me every time I see you!

Signed,

Happy and Not Desperate

A Double Griswold Family holiday reunion

Anyone remember the film National Lampoon's "Vacation"? Well, then you'll remember Chevy Chase as 'Clark Griswold,' Beverly D'Angelo as his wife 'Ellen' and his kids 'Rusty' and 'Audrey,' played by Anthony Michael Hall and Dana Barron.

And if anyone remembers National Lampoon's "European Vacation," this time 'Rusty' was played by Jason Lively and in National Lampoon's "Christmas Vacation," 'Audrey' was played by Juliette Lewis. Johnny Galecki, who played 'Rusty' in "Christmas Vacation," probably didn't take part in the commercial because he's currently filming the show "The Big Bang Theory" and sadly, Dana Hill, who played 'Audrey' in "European Vacation," passed away in 1996. Did you follow all that?

I love reunions! How about you?

A man who can spell...

Ain't this the truth! I mean, is it too much to ask for? ;-)

Intuition

My intuition is usually always right. Well, exactly one week ago today, it was definitely right on!

Last Friday evening, my second cousin "R," who's a year older than me and who was visiting her parents, invited me out to a tapas restaurant/bar, which recently opened up in our neighborhood. Initially, the invitation was for a birthday drink since my birthday was on the 21st. Without hesitation, I answered her text and asked her what time and where. After a few texts, I told her that I'd pick her up at her parents' house.

Five minutes or so later, we arrived at our destination. Since both of us were raised in this town, we started reminiscing about the two businesses that were at this location prior to the tapas restaurant. The new business owners really turned this place in to a nice setting. When we walked in, I was hoping they wouldn't make us sit outside, but they did. Thankfully though, there were long-standing heaters nearby to keep us warm.

My cousin and I were at the restaurant/bar for about two hours just chatting and discussing the fact that we're both single. My cousin and her younger sister "M," (by 2 years) moved two hours southeast many years ago to attend the university. After graduation, they each found a career they had gone to school for. Eventually, "M" got married and now has two small children. Oh, I forgot to mention that "R" is a twin. Her brother "J" is married with one child, and actually lives near me.

Back to last Friday night: we ordered three tapas and a drink each. I wish I could've finished my drink, but I was already getting tipsy and I was the one who had to drive us back. Anyway, I was impressed with two of the tapas we ordered. About an hour or so later, "R" told me that her twin brother and his wife would probably be joining us in a little while. They eventually did, along with two good friends of "J's." "J" is a jokester and always makes us laugh, so we were in good company. The tapas bar was about to close and "J" asked us if we'd be interested in walking to the "new" neighborhood bar just around the corner, which used to be a popular steakhouse. We said yes and made our way there. As we arrived, I was standing near the entrance next to a friend of "J's," trying to get situated. Then about five minutes or so later, I see this attractive-looking guy walking towards my direction, who just happens to be Mr. Cutie! I couldn't tell how many friends he was with him (maybe three), but I only recognized the grey-haired, slender, older woman with him. I honestly think that as he was leaving, he actually saw me.

For some reason or another, Mr. Cutie popped in to my mind just hours before going out. He lives in the same town as I do, but we NEVER run in to each other. The last time I saw him was about two months ago at a festival in town. I thought to myself, "If I run in to him this evening, would I finally have the courage to say something to him?" Obviously, since he wasn't alone, it would've seemed awkward to have said anything. I think he and the grey-haired woman are just friends. Ok, I'm hoping that's all they are.

So the next question is: do I still have feelings for Mr. Cutie? The answer to this question: I don't really know. I've never been forward enough to introduce myself in-person versus the time I FB messaged him three years ago. Seriously, the perfect opportunity would've been to have approached him at the festival, since he was semi-solo, but I didn't. :-(  But then part of me also wonders, "Why doesn't he approach me?"

I guess it's only a matter of time until I get tired of waiting around for someone to initiate a conversation with me. I need to start utilizing certain skills I keep hiding and that I'm working on, and figure out a way to approach others (i.e. mainly men) without feeling nervous or awkward. I guess it's time to push this shyness aside! ;-)

This Is 40

This is why I cannot wait until December 21!  :-)

Throwback Tuesday

As I was driving home from school this afternoon, I was listening to the radio and heard this song, which I hadn't heard in a while. I still love it!  :-)

Happy Thanksgiving

I hope everyone has a great and Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Birthday to Me!

Today is my birthday and I'm celebrating a very special one this year! Let's just say I'm old enough to drink, old enough to remember who shot J.R. on "Dallas" and Brandon and Brenda Walsh on "90210" (the original shows, not the new versions), yet I'm still too YOUNG to qualify for a senior discount or collect Social Security! ;-)

This past Sunday, my parents, my sister, my brother and one of my nieces (my oldest niece and her hubby, and my nephew couldn't make it since they live out-of-town and out-of-state) and I went out to dinner to celebrate my birthday. We had dinner at a nice restaurant, which is located about 20 minutes south of where I live. When we all finished our respective dinners, I was the only one who did not bring home any leftovers. At one point, the waiter shows us an array of desserts and we tell him that we won't be ordering any dessert tonight. Then about 5-10 minutes later, a few waiters and waitresses came to our table and brought me a cowboy hat to wear, and then sung "Happy Birthday" to me. They also brought me an ice cream sundae with one candle lit.

However, today on my actual birthday, my good friend "C" took me out to lunch. Then I had an errand to run and then celebrated a low-key dinner at home with my family, minus my niece, who had to work this evening.

I would just like to say that I'm very thankful for being able to celebrate another birthday. I'm also grateful for my health, the roof over my head, my friends and most of all my family. :-)

I hope this new milestone brings me many more opportunities and helps me get closer to accomplishing a few of my lifelong goals within the next year.

Frustrated with School

There's an old saying that goes like this: "If it isn't one thing it's another." This couldn't be more truthful. You see, I just recently applied to the university for which I'm hoping I'll be accepted in to for fall 2013. However, every time I set foot in to my class where my instructor advices all of his students on the application process, etc., I continue to grow very skeptical and nervous over the latest updates on what it now takes to get accepted in to higher education.

I submitted my online application to the university about two weeks ago and will likely not find out if I was accepted until around March 2013. To make matters worst, I just experienced a major (well, at least to me it is) setback.

There's another saying that goes, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." On November 15, I had a meeting with my math instructor. Just before class had ended about an hour earlier, he handed us back our 2nd exam, which we had all taken the week prior. I didn't do very well on this test. I met with my instructor immediately after class and he recommended that I drop the course and try again next semester. This was technically supposed to be my last semester and next semester was going to be reserved for taking one class for my major and one elective course. Well, that's all changed now because I will have to re-take math again in January. :-(

Honestly, I wish I had the brain for all college-levels of math. Instead, I ended up with the English gene. I've put in many countless hours doing homework, getting one-on-one tutoring every week and going to both math tutorial centers, four days a week, to get assistance. Unfortunately, all the hard work hasn't paid off yet. :-(

After having spoken to my instructor and after having cried for a little bit, I composed myself. I then called my guidance counselor's office to see if I could make an appointment to see her before I register for spring classes, which is in two weeks. Unfortunately, she had nothing available until the day before I register, so I decided I was going to go to drop-in counseling the following day. In the meantime, I headed over to the math tutorial and attempted to work on my math homework. However, during the entire time I was there, all I could think about was how I failed terribly. :-(

The next morning, I drove to school and met with a guidance counselor. I discussed with her what my instructor had recommended and I asked her if it was better to drop the course altogether or should I remain in the class and accept the grade I was going to receive. The counselor agreed with my instructor in that I should drop this course, which I ended up dropping on Friday.

This is NOT what I had intended to happen. I really wanted to pass this course THIS semester! I know that I'm not a good test taker and I have a really hard time remembering certain concepts. While I felt that the lectures in this class moved at a quicker pace, my brain was still behind and still trying to figure out what I was taught during the previous lecture! UGH!!

Next semester, I will start new, hoping this time that I will pass my math course. I'm so ready to move on with my life and be done with this school! 

Flashback Friday

Here's a favorite song of mine by my favorite band The Monkees. The song is from their 'Headquarters' album, which was their third album, but the first one they took full control over after having fired music producer Don Kirschner.

I can't wait to hear this song be performed live on Sunday! :)

Self-Love

"You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection." ~Buddha

Funny Guys Quote

This sums it up best.  :-)

Quote courtesy of lifelovequotesandsayings.com

Flashback Friday

Finally...it's Friday!!

Here's a band of musical brothers from Utah, who were very popular in the 1970's. You might recognize the cute, younger brother singing lead...Donny. :-)

Music Monday

Here's a tune by one of the greatest bands from Dublin, Ireland: U2.

News Recap

I've been so busy with school, work and life that I haven't had much time to blog until now. Here's a breakdown of what's been happening in my life in the last month.

On Sept. 12, my parents, niece and I drove 10.5 hours to Southern California to attend my cousin "T's" rosary. We left at 4:30 a.m. and didn't arrive until about 3:20 p.m. Needless to say, we were all tired and sleepy, but we had to arrive at my other cousin's ("T's" sister) place and rest for a little bit until it was time to attend the rosary at 7 p.m. The next day, most of my cousins--minus a few and my two siblings, who couldn't make it--gathered to say our final goodbyes to my cousin. Although the reason we were all there wasn't pleasant, it was good that we were able to visit with my mother's relatives since we don't get to see them very often.

Recently, I've sought therapy for some issues that have plagued me since childhood. I won't go into details, but I'm hoping it helps me overcome some of the things I've dealt with throughout my life.

Men. What can I say about them except they're from Mars. ;-) Honestly, I'm coming to a point in my life where I really want to make some new, permanent changes, including "throwing in the towel" to feelings I've had for someone who I know will never like me back. It is what it is and I can't make a person like me nor will I beg someone for that matter. My motto is, "What you see is what you get." If the other person doesn't like the qualities I have to offer, then he's missing out. I am no longer going to waste my time and effort. As I've said before, if I'm meant to be in a relationship, then so be it. And if it doesn't happen, then I'll learn to accept whatever God has planned for me. Anyway, I'm going to continue focusing on what's more important to me right now and that's completing my studies.

School is going smoothly. I've been spending a lot of time on-campus, either working on my math homework or seeking extra help at the math tutorial center. I didn't do well on my first exam and I'm striving to get a better grade on my 2nd test. School is over in about 9 weeks and I'm intending I pass this class so I can concentrate on taking classes for my major.

Since returning to school in August, I recently had to cut back on my freelancing job with the organization I've been working with. However, the amount of work I'm doing now for them isn't helping me pay my bills, which means that I am now looking for a new job...one that's flexible, stable, permanent and with better pay. However, I get really discouraged when I receive rejection from a company or an organization because I know they're thinking that I'm overqualified for their position. Instead of "judging a book by its cover," they should allow me to interview first before they judge me based on my background or experience. I mean, why do they post the open position and then not give interested job seekers the opportunity to interview AFTER all the effort he/she has gone into contacting them and sending them his/her resume? This is what frustrates me the most. :(

On Oct. 13, I received something in the mail, which I've been working on for the past seven years: my Associate degree! What took me by surprise was the word located just underneath my name, which was 'Honors.' :-) Anyway, about two weeks ago, I had an appointment with my guidance counselor to discuss the college application I need to fill out before the end of November. She started reviewing all the courses I've taken at the college and told me that as of this past May, I completed all the requirements needed for my Associate degree! Another piece of good news she gave me: since I passed my previous math course in May, I don't have to take the competency exam after all. This last bit of news was such a relief! Now it's just a matter of going through graduation ceremonies next May and passing this final math course (i.e. Stats) in December so that I can finally transfer to the university in August 2013! A final anecdote: my counselor told me that I need to take one more Journalism class, which I could very well take at the university, but she recommended I take it in the spring. So much for getting a real break from school next semester! Well, the good thing about this class is that I know the instructor very well and I'm certain she'll be happy to see me in her class again. :)

I was recently asked by a relative what I was going to do for my birthday, which is in a month. I told her that I wasn't going to do anything. You see, I'm celebrating a "milestone" birthday this year and my cousin's older siblings (they're twins) had a party for their "milestone" b-day last year. However, there's a big difference in how they celebrate and in how I celebrate, which I might discuss here someday. Anyway, I initially wanted to do some fun activity with a few of my closest friends, but I don't think I can afford to do so right now. I think I might just go out to dinner with my family and possibly with some close friends since most of them will be around for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Lastly, I recently received an email from my editor. She commented on the unique events I email her every week for the two calendars I'm responsible for. She also asked if I planned to continue writing after the semester was over or if I was done with writing altogether. I'm in the process of replying to her. I honestly and seriously can't be making "chump" change for all that I do. This part-time job has been a blessing and a headache at the same time. Although I'd like to continue contributing, I'd like to get some more experience in doing other things involving writing. However, those opportunities haven't risen lately. Also, with how the economy is right now, I need a job, but I also need a better income so that I can pay the bills and do some fun things in the future, including taking a trip or two on my bucket list. Besides, I really need something to look forward to after all the stress from school and work.

Music

I can't recall if I've posted this video before, but this song is one of my favorites! :-)

An unsettling week & revisiting old feelings

Last week was not a great week for me and my family. Last Monday was my brother's birthday and I'm grateful he's been on the road to recovery since April. He went back to work in May and seems to be doing fine. I just continue to pray that he takes good care of his health and that he doesn't have to go through another setback.

My parents 53rd wedding anniversary was last Thursday and it was overshadowed by my (first) cousin's death, which occurred the day before. :( I still can't believe that my cousin "T" is gone and that I won't ever get to see or talk to her ever again. She had a major presence within her family. Whenever she'd get riled up, she would talk very loud, but she was awesome! "T" and her older sister (by four years) "C"were always inseperable! They used to pretty much do everything together. "C" is the mother of three daughters and "T" was the mother of three sons. Many years ago, my brother started teasing our cousins "C" and "T" because they were born with very curly hair---thanks in part to their mother (my aunt). If you didn't know them, you might think they wore wigs. Anyway, my brother used to tease them--mostly "T"--and would refer to the sisters as "Las Pelucas" (which translates to "The Wigs" in English). Whenever my brother would say this to "T," she would start to badmouth my brother, but in a joking and loving way. I'm going to MISS my cousin. My family and I, minus my brother and nephew, will be attending my cousin's funeral this week. It will be nice to see my cousins, uncles, etc. again, but I wish it was under better circumstances. :-(

On Saturday, I met up with an old friend, "J," from high school to attend a local beer festival. She was two grades ahead of me and we used to constantly hang out together when she moved back to the area we grew up (she actually grew up in neighboring town) in about 10 years ago. Probably within the last 2 or 3 years, "J" and I hadn't been hanging out as much because I've been super busy with school and work, and she's been busy with work and church-related functions.

My friend "J" and I met up with her cousin, her cousin's hubby and one of "J's" high school classmates. Within 20 minutes of going in to the festival, I ran into my Zumba instructor, who was there with her hubby. We talked for a little bit and I found out my instructor's mother-in-law is from the same town as my parents. Small world! Just before I started chatting with my instructor and before "J" started talking to someone she knew who was just a few feet away, "J" and I spotted "Mr. Cutie," who I used to have a crush on around 3 years ago. "J" remembered who he was and admitted to me that he was kind of cute! The last three years that I've been attending this festival, he has been there with friends. This time around I saw him with a male friend, and they would part ways every now and then.

I'll be honest, when I caught a glimpse of "Mr. Cutie" at Saturday's event, my heart raced a beat per second! Is it possible to still have feelings for someone you've never talked to? Ugh!! At the moment that I was talking to my Zumba instructor, I nonchalantly looked over "Mr. Cutie's" way and I know he looked over my way once or twice and probably thought, "She looks familiar." Anyway, whenever I caught myself in a conversation with someone at the festival, my radar always seemed to be on the lookout for him. At one point, "J" and I were walking to get some more beer, and I was within arm's reach of "Mr. Cutie." I could've accidentally bumped in to him at that point, but I believe he was talking to some short-haired, tall blonde woman. Bleh! ;-) From what I gather, "Mr. Cutie" is (still) single, but I'm sure he has a type.

Living in a small town you'd think I'd run into "Mr. Cutie." Well, I haven't...well, not prior to Saturday. The last time I actually "saw" him was when I was driving north through town a few weeks ago and he was driving south. We normally don't run in the same circles or we don't ever cross paths unless it's some sort of function in town. Maybe I'll run into him again at another local function or at one of the restaurants.

After attending the beer festival, I can honestly say that whenever I feel in the mood to drink another alcoholic beverage, my drinks of choice will either be water, wine or a mixed beverage--preferably with vodka! ;-)

Sad day :-(

Last night as I was getting ready to go to bed, I started crying again. I knew something was wrong with my 51-year-old cousin "T," who had been suffering with liver cancer for about a year or less. I had spoken to my mom about my cousin and she said that she had spoken with "T's" older sister, who said that "T" was saying her good-byes to her closest family members and was talking about her deceased mother and deceased younger brother. "T's" older sister took that as a sign that her life was coming to an end.

I didn't have class today, but I was scheduled to go to school to meet with my math tutor for the first time. I got up early so that I could get a good parking spot at school. I was in the library waiting to meet with my tutor when I saw that I missed a call from one of my younger cousins, "A." I tried calling her back and when she didn't answer, I left her a voicemail letting her know that I'm pretty sure I knew what her call was about. I then texted her. About an hour or so later, "A" confirmed my assumption: her great-aunt "T," my (1st) cousin, passed away this morning.

I'm still numb at the fact that within a year's time, I've lost a 3rd family member. :-( I'm also saddened that this is the 4th relative of mine to be stricken with cancer; of those 4, only 1 has survived. At this point in my life, I don't ever want to say or hear the word "cancer" ever again!

A word of advice: don't ever take your health for granted. If you're feeling symptoms or noticing something different concerning your health, make an appointment with your doctor and have yourself checked immediately...before it's too late.

Back to School...and some prayers needed

This week I started back at school again. I'm taking two classes this semester, except the second one is a short-term course and doesn't begin until October, where as the other class I'm taking currently is math, aka Statistics, aka my "enemy."

Recently, a few people had asked me what class I was going to be taking in the fall and I mentioned the Statistics class. The comments I got were not at all comforting. Some told me that it was a hard class, while others said that they wished they would've taken another class. Last Thursday, I had a one-on-one conversation with my instructor and told him that since junior high, math has never been my best subject. He did tell me that this class is a lot different than the Algebra class I took with him two semesters ago. I'm just praying that I pass it because it's the last class I need to take so that I can transfer next fall.

This semester, I intend to get one-on-one tutoring (again) and will be doing drop-in tutoring whenever I need help. I just finished the first two homework assignments earlier this week and I didn't find them to be too hard. However, I know I need to work on memorizing the vocabulary in my book. I'm crossing my fingers and intending that everything goes well.

In other news, today I found out that my cousin "T," who's 50, is not doing so well. My mother had a conversation with her older brother today and he told my mother that his sister has liver cancer. We knew she was sick with cancer, but we didn't know to what extent. Her brother said that her cancer is advanced and is currently seeking another opinion, in San Diego. She lives about two hours northeast from San Diego and the doctors there don't seem to be doing much for her in her hometown. Then again, it seems that there's not much more they can do on their end since her cancer is so advanced. :(

I'm still holding out and praying that my cousin gets well. However, I'm just dreading the day when my mom gets THE call from one of her nieces or nephews telling her that my cousin didn't survive. My family has already gone through two deaths within the last year and I'm not sure how much more we can take.

Life isn't fair, especially when you have a loved one who is ill and there's nothing you can do about it. Word of advice: get yourself tested when you're supposed to and/or seek out the proper medical attention before it's too late and spend as much time as you can with your family before it's too late.

My Late High School Reunion

My high school reunion occurred two weeks ago and all I can say is that it went off without a hitch! Ok, actually there was one tiny hitch and one tiny piece of drama, which I'll reveal a little later.

I had an appointment like 1.5 hours before my friend "C" was to have arrived at my place. The people I was with asked if I was excited to be attending my reunion and I told them that I'm not the type of person to show a lot of excitement. I just told them, "We'll see how it goes."

My friend arrived to pick me up and we headed towards the country to a winery we had never been to before, which is on the border of the town we grew up in and the next small town over. As we approached our destination, I could tell that there weren't very many cars in the parking lot. As we made our way up the stairs, we approached a table where one of our classmates was and I picked up my name tag, which had my senior grad photo on it, in black and white. I then helped my friend look for her name tag when I noticed the name tag of a few others who I knew for sure were coming. Then as I looked down again, I saw the name of one particular male classmate...the one who I had a small crush on. OMG..."G" is coming! What am I going to do? What am I going to say?

As we made our way into the courtyard, all we see are these beautiful vineyards in front of us! I mean, they were picturesque and I now wish I would've taken more photos of our view. :( About 5 or 10 minutes later, my friend 'H' texts me and my cousin 'M' texts me to tell me they're on their way. Within 15 minutes or so, I see this tall, good-looking, muscular guy walk in with his BFF since childhood, who also graduated with us. It's "G," my former-not-so-former crush! I whisper to my good friends "C" and "I" that he's here and all they do is smile.

So for the most part, the seven of us--including two spouses of two of my classmates--stood by this one table talking to each other and during the entire time, I tried sneaking several glances towards "G." He was surrounded by his BFF and two other classmates, including one female. But then at another point, another female classmate stood next to him talking his ear off for probably 30 minutes and then the next thing I know is that I think he might've been alone for a brief second! UGH...THAT should've clearly been my cue or opportunity to go talk to him, but I blew my chance! :(

You don't know how many times I wanted to approach him and talk to him. Growing up, from elementary through high school, we never had a class together. We knew of each other, but never once had a conversation of any kind. Ok, so maybe I said one word to him during the first day of 11th grade. I walked into the multipurpose room to go pick up my schedule while some of our class officers or classmates affiliated with student government were helping distribute class schedules. He was standing at the table where my schedule was, so I picked my schedule up and probably muttered something like, "Hi" or "Thanks."

"G" was a guy who I could never figure out. I always wondered, "Is he stuck up or just shy?"I asked my friend "H" the same question a few years back and she couldn't answer the question either. He used to hang out with the booksmart/smarties (I'll dub him 'Mr. Smartie' here), some of the jocks and the so-called popular "in-crowd." Unfortunately (and thankfully), I was never part of that crowd. I "beat to my own drum" and wasn't a follower.  When I was younger, I also thought that I was way out of his league. Yes, I literally felt like Molly Ringwald's character in "Sixteen Candles" and "Pretty in Pink"! My most vivid memories of him were that he was a nice, sweet, neutral-somewhat-preppyish guy, who probably made friends with everyone. So how come we were never friends then? Simple. I was too shy and self-conscious about talking to guys who I thought were super cute and who I thought I never had a chance with.

Now that we're a lot older, I seem to think that he and I have very similar qualities. When he had his FB account (he deleted it last fall), I could tell he has always been close to his family and childhood friends, as have I. Another uncanny irony is that we were both born on the same day, except I'm exactly 7 months older than him. Ok, I guess I always did have a thing for 'younger' men! ;-)

I think my whole point to this is that while I was at the reunion, I felt the same awkwardness I felt when I was back in high school. I mean, I had no problem being around my close group of friends or my cousin, who was a jock back in the day, but also hung out with many of the same people that 'G' did, aka the "in-crowd." Anyway, while I was there, I still sort of felt like I was being excluded in some way.

During the reunion, I went up to a few people and chatted with them, and they came up to me as well. What I also noticed was that most people were going up to "G." I don't think I remember seeing him approach anyone. To my surprise, he and his BFF left early, about 1.5-2 hours before our reunion was scheduled to end. I clearly thought they'd stay until the end. Oh well. There went my last chance to talk to "G" and I blew it, again! :( Or did I? More about this later in this blog.

Back to the reunion: only 33 of us attended and we had a graduating class of close to 250! And during our last reunion, we had about 65 show up. This time around, one classmate told me that she thinks many people didn't attend this reunion because the word didn't get out sooner. Yes, we had a FB reunion page and other classmates invited others to join, but it seems that some people just couldn't make it because they already had other plans, or they couldn't afford to go because they now have families or they honestly just didn't want to go.

The one thing I'll say, once again, is that our class wasn't organized...never was and some things haven't changed! I think it's unfortunate that the organizer waited until about a month before the reunion date to let classmates know how much the tickets were going to cost, etc. I think she finally spoke up and sent everyone the link because other classmates were complaining on FB if our reunion was going to happen or not. A few other classmates mentioned to me that this reunion should have been planned at least a year in advance!

Oh yeah, and what kind of reunion would it be if there wasn't any drama? ;-) At one point, I went to go sit down with two of my friends and I noticed another classmate dancing with two other classmates. I thought to myself, "Oh, she decided to come after all." Probably about 15 minutes later, my cousin comes up to me and tells me that this classmate, the one who showed up late and who had been dancing, was escorted out of the winery because the organizer didn't want her there. This was the same classmate the organizer had some 'beef' with back in school and obviously still had the same feelings towards her recently. I don't know what the problem was between those two, but I think it's time for them to grow up!

In all honestly, I still can't kick this feeling that I'm still attracted to "G" after all this time. I felt bad that I didn't talk to him at the reunion, so about three days later I emailed him. A week went by and I thought, "Ok, I'm never going to hear from him because I emailed him last summer and he didn't respond." So about three days ago, I see this email in my "inbox," which I thought was from my editor, but when I looked closer, it was from him! Because I was so busy with work and trying to finish two tasks by Friday's deadline, I didn't open the email until two days ago. What's funny is that the entire day I was stressing out and feeling nervous was the same day I opened his email. However, it was also because I was trying to make my work deadline, but I was also worried as to what he replied.

What I basically told him in the email was that I hoped he didn't think I was stuck up because I didn't go talk to him. I also said that I'm not sure why we never spoke to each other while we attended all the same schools together, but that I always knew he was a nice, sweet guy. And yes, I mentioned the small crush I had on him. His response was really nice, which actually made me feel a lot better after my stressful day. :)

He apologized for not emailing me back sooner because he had been busy visiting family and friends out here on the West Coast before he returned to the East Coast. He thanked me for sending him a copy of the hilarious slideshow that was played at our reunion, which he and his BFF missed seeing. He also thanked me for the kind words I said in the email and said that he didn't think I was or am stuck up. The final thing he said was that it was too bad we weren't able to catch up, but that hopefully our paths would cross again.

I'm a realist, so I'm not holding my breath or expecting anything to happen between us, but I'm grateful that I finally got the nerve--even if it was through email--to tell him how I felt. I don't have many guy friends, so it'd be cool to finally have him as a real friend since I've "known" him for many years. And who knows, maybe we'll finally be able to catch up when I travel back east to visit my friend "S," which will hopefully (*keeping my fingers crossed*) be next spring. :-) 

Wayback Wednesday

Oh Colbie Caillat, why are your songs and their lyrics in my head lately? ;-)

The Monkees to reunite for a 12-city tour!

The Monkees are coming!!!! YAY!!! I guess since my birthday falls during the week of Thanksgiving, I'll be treating myself to an early birthday present...or two!

And thank you to Michael (Mike) Nesmith for spilling the beans twice in two days!  :-)

To read more about The Monkees upcoming tour in November, click here.

To read Michael Nesmith's new Q&A with Rolling Stone magazine (YES, the same magazine who has NOT inducted The Monkees in to the Roll and Roll Hall of Fame), click here.

A possible Monkees reunion in the works

Could the rumors be true? I saw the above photo floating around The Monkees's official Facebook page today. In addition, Michael "Mike" Nesmith may have already spilled the beans when he posted the following message on his FB page this morning: "We may be coming to your town."

As much as I'm anticipating reading the official announcement, which is coming tomorrow, I'm a little sad that this is happening because of the passing of front man Davy Jones.

I would have loved to have seen all four Monkees perform together! I missed out when Mike joined the other three guys on stage during their 20th anniversary tour stop at the Greek Theatre in L.A. in 1986. I finally had the opportunity to see Davy, Micky and Peter perform in 2001 in San Francisco, Davy and Micky in 2002 and finally Davy, Micky and Peter in July 2011 in Saratoga--where I got to meet all three and take photos with each of them. A dream come true for me!

If Micky, Peter and Mike end up reuniting this year or in 2013 for a U.S. tour as a tribute to Davy, then I'm all for going! I just hope they don't schedule a concert date near my area during a week night because I have school and I really need to pass this (last) class! :-)

*Note, as of 12:30 a.m., Aug. 8: Well, a happy early birthday (it's in Nov.) to me is in order because Mike Nesmith just posted on his FB that he, Micky and Peter will be performing 12 concert dates in Nov. in the U.S. YIPEE!!! Now I'm just praying one of those dates is in Calif. and near my area. :-)

High School Reunion teaser

After much anticipation, I attended my high school reunion last night. It was a pretty interesting night, which only left me with one regret. More details to come...soon.

Crushed yet again :-(

Well, I just read on Huffingtonpost.com that one of my other celebrity crushes, actor Martin Henderson, is possibly dating a cougar 12-years his senior. And this isn't just any cougar! Can anyone take a wild guess as to which cougar he might be dating? Here's a hint: until recently, she was married to another actor, who was 15-years her junior. The answer is here:  

Demi Moore possibly has a new boyfriend: Martin Henderson

Love Island

 
Such a beautiful island! I'd love to be stuck here! Hmmm...what 'can't live without' items would I bring with me? I wonder if the Love Boat travels here. :)

A bad day turned into a better day

Last night after having watched the movie "Something Borrowed," I started feeling sort of sad and depressed. There was a quote or line in the movie where Ginnifer Goodwin's character 'Rachel' told something to Colin Egglefield's character 'Dex' which sort of resonated with me and the things I've been feeling lately.

I know I sometimes sound like a broken record, but I feel like I haven't accomplished everything I've wanted to in my life. However, there are certain things I don't have that I can't do anything about because they're totally out of my control. I wish I knew how to handle these types of situations because I feel like I'm totally clueless sometimes. I also want to make some improvements in my life, including being more outgoing, but there are just some things I would prefer not tackling alone. Then again, I came into this world alone, so I'm going to have to teach myself not to be afraid of taking the next step in trying to find what it is I'm looking for.

After having returned from brunch with my family--to celebrate a belated Father's Day and my mother's birthday--I noticed my crush tweeted me, which was in response to a general statement I posted yesterday about a movie (NOT the same film I spoke about here in this blog) I had seen the day before, which he was in and that meant a lot to him, which also happens to be one of my favorite films. Anyway, I had no idea he had a supporting part in the film. After he responded again, my disposition turned from bad to better. :)

In retrospect, I just have to keep reminding myself to think positive and have faith that everything will get better...one day.

"Sometimes you just have to forget about the things that make you sad and remember the things or people who bring joy into your life." ~Me

Fast Forward Friday

Typically on Fridays I like to post a 'Flashback Friday' video on my FB page, but today I decided to post a video here for what I like to call 'Fast Forward Friday'...which will consist of a current song rocking the airwaves.

You can never go wrong with a Kylie Minogue song! :)

Twitter: The Pros and Cons

As some of you may already know, Twitter is a social networking site that lets you connect with various people...either with your similar interests or who are in the same line of business as you are. When I first joined Twitter about three years ago, I thought to myself, "What is all the fuss about?" Well, after you receive a tweet/reply back or a direct message from one of your favorite artists/actors/singers/TV personality/authors, etc., on this website, well, I can totally understand now what all the hysteria is about!

I'll admit that Twitter has its good points and its bad points. Some bad points are that you'll get a bunch of spam on your timeline--either from other followers who demand their favorite artist's or musician's attention--or you'll receive a RT (retweet) from someone you don't know--especially if your Twitter page is not private--only because a certain celebrity has replied back to you and now every other fan of his/hers believes you're good friends with him/her, or when you see a friend or an acquaintance post something on there, such as a rant, and as you read it you might think it's a subliminal message being directed towards you.

The good points about Twitter is that you can read some of your friends'/acquaintances' replies--and some of them are funny or outrageous--and laugh your head off, or you can rant and rave all you want without involving any of your nosy relatives--who you only interact with on Facebook because you don't want them knowing about your other life on Twitter--or you tweet/reply to one of your favorite actors/actresses/musicians/authors, etc., in the hope that they see your reply--since there's a 100% chance they're not following you--and then you receive a tweet back from him/her not once, but twice--which happened to me about a week ago with one of my favorite actors! :)

One of the other perks is when you receive a tweet/reply back from one of your favorite peeps, such as a crush. Even though he may be following you and might be busy doing something else, you never know when he'll tweet you back..like mine did to me several hours ago. :-) These, by far, are my favorite type of tweets!

I sometimes like to refer to Twitter as the biggest fan letter I never wrote during my childhood to that once popular celebrity I used to like and now he/she can sometimes see my reply and tweet/write me back! LOL!

My High School Reunion Saga

Well, my high school reunion is almost a month away and my classmates and I still have yet to receive any information on tickets and how much. Several classmates have been leaving posts in our FB reunion page asking if there's actually going to be a reunion and wanting to know where they can purchase tickets. All this information should've been given to us at least 2-3 months ago. I know it's no easy feat planning a reunion, but the organizer should have the decency to communicate with us and let us know what's going on. As far as we know, we have a date, time and we know the organizer placed a deposit down on a location.

*Side note: About a day or so after I started writing this post, our reunion organizer posted a link to our FB reunion page of a website she had created where we can purchase reunion tickets. And today she posted another message in our reunion page reminding us not to forget to buy our tickets because the price will go up once the date gets closer.

I find it ironic that we don't hear from the organizer for months and then the day after people are complaining, she posts a message with what we're asking for! And now she's constantly reminding us about buying our tickets. Yes 'S,' we hear you loud and clear that you want to be reimbursed for putting a deposit down to rent the facility where the reunion will be held!

Just another reminder that our class was NEVER organized and some things will NEVER change!

*Side note #2: Drama is ensuing regarding this reunion! Needless to say, some classmates are having second thoughts about attending the reunion. Seriously, some people NEVER grow up! I'm so glad I was never part of any clique nor was I a follower in high school. Also, the organizer is going to great lengths to get our classmates to attend this reunion. She's being very pushy with her posts, constantly reminding classmates about buying their tickets. I just nod my head and say, "Enough already!"

Getting Older and Thinking About The Future

Yesterday was not a good day for me. In the midst of dealing with people who don't value friendships, I started thinking about my future (again) and the things I feel that I haven't accomplished. I had a good cry for about an hour and then I buried myself in doing some work. I despise dealing with negative energy, but it was just beyond my control.

I'm approaching a milestone birthday this fall and everything that I didn't get to experience as a child, as a teenager, or as a young adult, well, it all came to mind last night. I'll give you an example: I never attended any of the school dances nor my two proms. It's not that I had any desire to attend them, but no guy ever asked me to go. In addition, I was really shy back then, but I didn't have any problem talking to others once I got to know them better.

Now that I'm getting older, I have a better perspective of life (I know I might sound like a broken record here, but I don't care) and I know that everything happens for a reason. I've found that you have to rely on your faith and the fact that God has everything planned out for you. In the past, I've made intentions that if I'm not meant to be in a relationship then I'll have to (learn to) accept it. I've also made intentions of wanting a successful career/employment, which means that I haven't really dedicated myself nor have I focused on anything else that I want in my life. There are also times when I think to myself that I'm better off alone or independent because then I won't have to deal with someone else's baggage (i.e. crap). Then I start over-analyzing why I'm not good enough for someone...then only later to start telling myself that that other person will have to accept me for me.

The relationship versus non-relationship talk usually occurs whenever one particular female cousin of mine from So Cal (who's two years older than me, who hasn't had much luck with men either...only up until about a year ago) asks or when one of my brother's good friends (i.e. a woman about a year older than me) interrogates me. Seriously, mind your own business! If I want to tell you, I will. Basically, whenever a question like this arises, I tell them the truth and move on. Sometimes what I really want to tell them is that I'm NOT desperate and that I will NOT settle for anyone or anything!

There are still many things I'd like to experience in life, like traveling more, writing a book, etc. I've been accustomed to not having much in my life and I know some of these things might have to wait a little while longer, but I'm patient person. I will leave everything in God's hands.

Today's Rant: Rude People & Convenient Friendships

Not much irritates me these days, but today takes the cake. I'm not sure if there's a full moon out tonight, but a few things happened today that really just put me over the edge.

When you offer your hospitality to someone who you've just met because they're good friends with a relative of yours and then months later you find out that that person decides to cut / break all ties with you altogether, then I take it as an insult. I mean, I just think that person is rude and ignorant. Thankfully, he/she won't be welcomed back anymore.

Then a few hours later, a so-called friend texts me to say that she and another friend, who I've known a lot longer than the other one, are in (my) town and told me to come over and meet them at a nearby hotel because there's some festival that's being held there. As I've told both of them in the past, I don't like it when someone invites me to an event at the very last minute. I feel that I wasn't important enough to be 'invited' in the first place, plus I may have other things I'm doing. Also, posting photos on Facebook of your food or dessert that you ate just before the event and NOT inviting me to meet you for dinner either...well, that just isn't going to put you on my good side either. After I told the so-called friend that I'd appreciate it if next time she give me more advance notice, she replied back with a snarky comment that doesn't deserve a reply back.

I'm clearly NOT a fan of convenient friendships. I'm a loyal friend until you give me a good reason to not remain your friend. I think the friendship advice I received from my mother many years ago still holds truth, especially after tonight.    

Where Are They Now?

Have you ever wondered what happened to a crush of yours from your childhood? Well, my answer is yes and it looks like my continuing saga of discussing celebrity crushes is back again; however, this one was a real special one.

In the early 1970s, child actor Lee Harcourt Montgomery began his career in the entertainment world. He appeared in the Disney movie, "The Million Dollar Duck" and then in other countless movies, like "Pete and Tillie"--with Walter Matthau and Carol Burnett playing the title roles--and "Ben," in which a young Michael Jackson sang the theme song to. As Lee grew older, he continued acting and appeared in more films, and did some guest stints on TV shows like "Fame," "Family Ties" and "Highway to Heaven."

In spring 1985, a film was released about teens competing in a dance competition titled Girls Just Want to Have Fun. It starred five unknown actors at the time: Sarah Jessica Parker (from TV's "Square Pegs"), Helen Hunt (from "Mad About You"), Jonathan Silverman (from "Weekend at Bernie's"), Shannen Doherty (from of "Little House on the Prairie" and "Beverly Hills, 90210") and Lee Montgomery. I had developed a huge crush on Lee when I saw him guest star in a TV movie titled "Happy Endings." Two years later, he was cast in GJWTHF. My crush was so bad that I used to rent GJWTHF like every week or weekend! Thankfully, many years later I got my hands on a copy of the film.

A few years after GJWTHF was released, I had read a rumor in a teen magazine that Lee had gotten married. I'm not sure if this was true, but nonetheless I was heartbroken. Shortly thereafter, he completely left show business altogether.

Several years ago, my curiosity got to me, so I poked around online to see if there were any sightings of the elusive Mr. Montgomery. I couldn't find anything about him on his sister Belinda's website and his other sister, Tannis, hadn't garnered much fame compared to Belinda and Lee. I then viewed Lee's page on IMDB.com and it indicated that he was a music composer for films. In 2002, he composed music for the films "Legend of the Phantom Rider (aka Trigon: The Legend of Pelgidium)" and 2005's "Trespasses," but as far as Lee's acting career, he has not acted in over 24 years. So this curious writer/journalist wants to know what he's been up to these days? Is he still composing music? Will he ever return to acting?

Recently, I poked around online again and did a search for him and came up with three 'new' search entries, including one by a friend of Lee's, one by another blogger who posted a tribute blog to Lee and another search that mentioned that he'll be making a public appearance sometime this year. Now if I can somehow attend the event he'll be at then I'll be a happy girl! I mean, after all these years, I'd still love to meet him! I'm crossing my fingers I can make this wish a reality! :)

Here's a favorite scene of mine from GJWTHF:



And here's the final scene, one of my other favorites:

Sad Day

My crush left today to return home, which is on the other side of the United States. Apparently, he had been staying here in the U.S. (i.e. Los Angeles) for close to a year now, likely doing different acting gigs and teaching acting...more notably with the acting company he did the performance with back in March.

After much deliberation for the last three days or so, I emailed my crush through Facebook as opposed to leaving a message on his website or sending him a direct message through Twitter, because as we all know, sometimes you have much more things to tell someone that surpasses 140 characters!

What I basically said in the message was that I could kick myself for not having introduced myself and said hello to him after his show in March. I mentioned that I tend to be a little shy, but that once I get to know you then it's all good. In fact, I told him to ask our mutual friend, who's known me for several years now. Then I told him not to ask our mutual friend after all because he might tell him otherwise. ;) I ended the message by asking him if he was planning on returning to the U.S. either at the end of the year or next year and I told him that the next time I see him that I wouldn't be so shy. Well, I think he messaged me back a few hours ago, but I don't have the guts to open the message up right now since I'm working on some other things.

Seriously, my problem when it comes to guys I'm attracted to is that I can't talk to them! :-( I mean, meeting Jonathan Knight with the New Kids was a whole different experience. I thought for sure I'd choke up and mince my words when I met him and the others. Ok, so I was shy when I met The Monkees last summer, but that's only because I've loved them since I was 3.5-years-old. I mean, my Davy crush was over with by the time I was 6-years-old! But saying hello to a guy who you've never even met before, but who you've only heard good things (i.e. friendly, nice, down-to-earth) about, well, I have a slight problem with that. UGH!!

Honestly, all I'm looking for is a friendship with this guy. I'm not expecting anything else. Unfortunately, anything else would be difficult because he lives in a different continent. But you know, there is this form of communication that is called the Internet. ;-)

Happy Weekend!

I hope everyone enjoys their Memorial Day holiday weekend!

Also, a very funny, HOT guy just made my day and weekend after he replied to my tweet. Honestly, it's the little things in life that put a smile on my face. :)

Funny Ecard!

Ha, ha! :)

Source: someecards.com

A Somewhat Awkward Interview

Last Thursday, I had a job interview for a Marketing Assistant job. Mind you, I don't have a Marketing background, but I've been around long enough to know that I possess the necessary skills and experience to get the job done.

As I sat down for the interview, I was greeted by a young woman and young man, who both looked around my age or a few years younger than me. The woman saw my address and asked if I lived right behind this one specific landmark and I told her 'yes.' She continued to say that she knew a few people who lived on my same street. I just smiled at her and almost asked her which neighbor of mine she knew, but I just let it go. The interview was scheduled for 10:30 a..m., but I arrived about 10 minutes early. Needless to say, my interview was very quick because as I walked out of the interview, it was already 10:30! As I walked to my car, I thought to myself, "What are the chances that this woman or owner of the company could be my neighbor's girlfriend?"

So this morning as I looked out my window, I notice the neighbor getting ready to leave in his car and he's accompanied by his lady friend, a.k.a. his girlfriend, who just happens to be the SAME young woman who interviewed me last Thursday! Talk about an awkward moment!

I think the fact that I didn't get hired by the marketing company was a blessing in disguise. Anyway, I have a meeting scheduled for next Wednesday with the editor of the newspaper I freelance for. She's going to give me more information about the job she has available. If everything works out well and she's able to offer me some flexibility so that I can finish my education, then I think I might be offered a position with the newspaper!

I'm keeping positive thoughts that everything works out the way it's intended to.  :)

Celeb Crushes

The above photo explains the feeling you get when you find out that one of your celeb crushes, Carter Oosterhouse, has a big ego and has let fame go to his head: http://www.tmz.com/2012/05/14/trading-spaces-host-carter-oosterhouse-sues-world-floors/

Or when you find out that one of your other celeb crushes, Chris Pine, has a girlfriend, who's a model --which doesn't come as a surprise. http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/chris-pine-makes-red-carpet-debut-with-model-love-dominique-piek-2012175

Well, at least I have another celeb crush who hasn't disappointed me...yet. ;-)

Airing Out My Frustrations

I try not to let too many things bother me these days. I've been trying to stay positive in hoping that things around me will get better. It's just a matter of being patient and letting things run their course, which are beyond my control. Well, today everything happened all at once.

Today was my last day meeting one-on-one with my (Advanced) Algebra tutor. This was my second semester having him as my tutor and he's been the most patient person I know. Well, today I just could not understand one problem he was trying to help me solve. It seemed like a very easy problem, but there were some steps I had missed, so part of the problem was wrong. At one point I told him that I just couldn't do it anymore. I felt like I was wasting his time. Needless to say, I didn't finish or solve the rest of the problem and worked on a few other problems after that, which I was able to understand.

No matter how hard I try to comprehend every lesson and/or every section in my math class, I feel like I have this block in my brain and that I'm always behind in trying to figure out how to understand what's being taught to me. :(

After feeling so frustrated, I also started thinking about my employment situation. :( I've struggled for the last two years in trying to find work. I recently started a freelance writing job, but freelancing isn't stable or long-term. So when I thought that things couldn't get any better, I come home to find an email from the editor at the freelancing job. She said she's going to have a writer's position available beginning June 1st and wanted to know if I'd be interested in speaking with her about it. I emailed her back and told her 'yes,' I'm interested.

One of my journalism classmates, who currently works as a writer for the same company, recently told me that his job is full-time and leaves him with little time for anything else. I plan on meeting with the editor to discuss the position SOON and when I do, I plan on finding out all the details about the job because finishing my education is very important to me, as is finding stable employment in what I enjoy doing.

This is going to be a difficult decision for me to make. Why can't I just win the lottery and not have to worry about any of this? ;-)

The Act of Flirting

Too funny & so true! ;-)

Source: 9gag.com

The 'Do I Really Need A Man?' Checklist

Just read an article that totally makes sense about being a single woman in today's society.

:)

To all those out in Blog World,

May I present you Mr. Theatre...also known as Mr. Actor.

The above photo was taken from a television episode he appeared in a while back. Apparently, this specific episode was highly ranked amongst the show's loyal fans. Personally, I couldn't tell you anything about the show since I never watched it. In fact, I was oblivious to it since I don't watch much TV these days. Ok, so I've caught the last two episodes of 'Parks and Recs' with special guest star Paul Rudd.

Anyway, Mr. Actor is a friend of a friend / former colleague of mine, who's also the colleague of an acquaintance. Did you get all that? ;-) Hopefully, I'll get to see him perform in another production again. Otherwise, I'll just wait patiently until he tweets again or posts another status update. :-)

The Times Are a Changing & Good News

It’s funny how when you get older, some of the things that you used to love doing, say a few years ago, really don’t mean as much to you as they once did. Personally, my priorities have shifted 100% and I just want to enjoy different adventures, opportunities and new milestones, as well as spend much time with my family and close friends. :) So per my previous post, I was hoping to land a job with a local publishing company. After thinking about it some more, it dawned on me later how I probably wouldn't have been a good fit for it because although it would've involved writing, an integral part of the company consisted of being immersed in something I don't really know much about. Thankfully, the company never called me.

Around this same time, I was feeling sort of down and hopeless that my job prospects were getting very slim. Well, a few days later, I had come home from my evening class when decided to check my email. When I opened it, I noticed I had received an email from a woman I had emailed like a week prior. One of my Journalism classmates is currently working for this woman and is writing for a section of the major newspaper company that's located in our area. Anyway, I had sent my cover letter to this woman--the editor of the section--and what she basically said in the email was to not give up on her, that she was busy, but that she was interested in talking to me and would be in touch soon. A few days later while I was helping with the production of the school newspaper, I received a call from the editor. She'd like to meet with me and discuss potentially writing for what I had proposed in my cover letter.

So last Monday, the editor and I met and she asked me about my Journalism experience as I handed her my portfolio, which included clips of some of the articles and stories I've had published. So a day later, she calls me and asks if I'd be interested in taking on an assignment where I live. The deal was that I'd attend an event and I'd have to submit the story the same day so it could get posted on the newspaper's website. Well, it turns out that it didn't get posted until the following day. Anyway, so I'm happy to say that I'm currently freelancing as a correspondent for this company! :) The editor had mentioned during our meeting that she currently has someone working as a permanent correspondent for this section of the paper. If this person decides this job isn't for her, then she said she could offer me the position. However, the one slight problem I see with this is that the job is full-time and as I told her, I'm really adamant in finishing my college education. Well, if I ever have to cross that bridge, then I'll deal with it then. As for now, I just want to enjoy the work I'm doing.

So in other news fronts, Mr. Theatre tweets every now and then, but just not to me (ok, so he did tweet me back that one and only time). :( I had no clue who he was until I saw him in the play he was performing in at my college back in March. When I saw him make his appearance onto the stage, I said to myself, "Who is that?!" :) Anyway, he's getting ready to leave Southern California and head back to his home in the UK (he's originally from the U.S.) in a few weeks. He and the other two actors (their company's main office is located within my county) in the play are taking the show to London for several weeks and will be performing it live in and around that area.

Speaking of plays, Mr. Theatre and the other two actors did an AMAZING job in the play they performed at my college a month ago! They're all gifted, talented actors and I don't know why I never caught one of their shows before. I guess it could also be because they only play select cities throughout the U.S.--as well as other countries--with sometimes a different set of actors, including an actor friend/former colleague of mine.

The story about my trip to L.A. last month will have to wait for the next blog post because right now I'm trying to balance posting this, as well as transcribing a one-hour lecture I attended last week for a story I'm writing for my section of the school newspaper, as well as work on some questions for an interview I'm conducting tomorrow for another story for the school newspaper AND work on 2 new stories for the newspaper I'm freelancing for. Boy, I cannot wait until the end of the semester, which is in a matter of 3 weeks! :) I just want to be able to relax and catch up on some personal tasks I've had to put off.

Adios!

Positive thoughts...please!

I'm inundated with trying to work on two new stories, as well as on some other tedious (ugh...Math!) homework, but I'm in dire need of editing my resume right now after having to put it off for about a week or so. Well now I just noticed a new job posting for a position I'd be perfect for! Plus it looks like it may be flexible and the location is ideal. Speaking of flexibility, I need it desperately in my schedule since I'm still working on finishing up my college degrees.

I'm going to put all my intentions out there for manifesting and receiving positive thoughts because I really want and need this job! :-)

Latest Update

First of all, I need to get something off my chest. Why do most all cute guys always go for the younger, cute girls? :-( I guess that's the story of my life. Ok, I'm getting off my soapbox now.

I've been trying to update my blog for the last 3 weeks, but I haven't had a chance to. I'll be trying to post an update soon about two things that happened to me last month: 1) during my trip to Southern California and 2) that took place at my school.

Also, there's a new crush alert (see item #2 above). For now, I'll only refer to him as Mr. Actor or aka Mr. Theatre. I think he can be best categorized as being a non-celeb and/or maybe a 'D' or 'E' celeb. ;-) Anyway, now that he's my friend (we actually have 1 friend and 1 acquaintance in common) on two social networking sites, I have to be mum about this crush on those sites because that's all it is--nothing more.

More later.

Davy Jones Tribute Show in NYC - 4/3/2012

Here's a link to the Davy Jones Tribute show that was held in NYC last night. Members of Davy's and the Monkees' band were in attendance, as were Micky, Peter, two of Davy's daughters, Talia and Annabel Jones, Deana Martin (Dean's daughter and Davy's former girlfriend, who appeared in an episode of 'The Monkees' during the final season) and many other of Davy's friends and fans.

Below is one of my favorite videos from last night's show, which a fan was so kind enough to take. It brought me to tears when I saw Micky crying as he performed "Daydream Believer."

Flashback Wednesday

This song just came up in my Pandora station. The title of the song explains the feeling some people get right on the spot when they see someone they're attracted to.

Fond Memories of The Monkees

Photo courtesy of retrorebirth.wordpress

I just got a little teary-eyed while watching this video.

The first time that I had ever laid eyes on The Monkees was when I was 3 1/2 years-old, when I watched the rerun of the pilot episode, Here Come The Monkees. This song is from that episode.

I always did prefer the faster version of "I Wanna Be Free" to the slower version that eventually aired on the TV series and that was released on radio, and which appeared on their album, The Monkees.

Missing Davy Jones: Why The Monkees Should Be Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Photo courtesy of fanpop.com

Photo courtesy of seventiesmusic.wordpress.com

I'm going to say this once again, but I hope Jann Wenner finally comes to his senses and has The Monkees inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!

O, Ye of Little Faith

Lately I've been feeling like 'throwing in the towel' with regards to a goal on my bucket list, which I thought was going to happen. I just think I may have 'sat' on the idea for too long and now it may be too late. :-(

It's been almost three weeks now that I emailed my query letter to four different online publications about a story I wanted to write and received the ok to do in the future. Well, I have not heard back from any of the publications I emailed. In addition, I emailed my story subject to try scheduling an interview with him since I was going to be in close proximity to where (I imagine) he lives, but I haven't heard back from him. I'm beginning to feel like this goal will never happen. At this point, I'm about ready to give up.

One thing that I feel that I tend to lack sometimes is confidence, especially when it comes to writing. Yes, I've had my work published before, but sometimes I feel like I don't have the right connections in order to make things happen. Or when I know things are too good to be true, I don't act upon them right away and then end up losing out on a great opportunity.

I just wish that the 'powers that be' (in this case, these four publications and the story subject) would sometimes just take a chance on someone who's trying to get 'their foot in the door.'

In other news, I'm frantically looking for employment that will work around my school schedule. Honestly, I browse through job postings every single day and lately there doesn't seem to be much out there. Someone recently told me that I should consider cold calling the companies I might want to work for. Unfortunately, the ones I'm interested in are not anywhere near where I live. I'd rather find a job within a reasonable driving distance of where I live rather than find something where I'd have to travel an hour away. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and trying to stay positive that I'll be able to find work within the next month or two.

Davy Jones: Family bid final farewell in Manchester

Davy Jones' family bids a final farewell to the Daydream Believer in his hometown of Manchester, England. :-(

Davy Jones' Private Funeral Held in Florida

A private funeral was held today in Florida for former Monkees heartthrob, singer and actor Davy Jones.

Public memorials honoring Davy will be held next week in New York and in Manchester, England, where Jones was born. A possible memorial concert with Davy's Monkees band mates--Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork and Michael "Mike" Nesmith--might take place in L.A. in the future, but as Dolenz stated in various interviews this week, it's still too early to say if this will actually occur.

Another public memorial will take place March 10th in Beavertown, PA--where Davy also owned a home--at a church that Davy was having built in the community. It's unclear whether Davy's family or close friends will be in attendance at this memorial.

Remembering Davy Jones

Here's a touching story written by Hollywood television producer Jeff Sherman, who also happens to be good friends with Micky Dolenz of The Monkees.

Oh, to have been a fly on the wall during the previous Monkees reunion. Or to have had the chance to have been invited to each of the events mentioned in this article.

R.I.P. Davy Jones