This is Halloween

This week I took my first concrete steps toward going back to law school since withdrawing almost exactly four years ago. It seems fitting that I should be doing it now, the same week that I'm honoring the 4th anniversary of my mom's passing. It's been a tough week; tougher than I would have expected. (Probably toughest on Chris since I've been a nervous wreck and a completely raging bitch.) But I know she would be really happy to see me moving forward. And for the first time in a looong time, I'm actually excited about going back.

Tomorrow I'm going to the Thai temple in Berkeley to do the traditional blessing for the dead. I'm also finding it really interesting that this is all happening at Halloween: 1. My absolute favorite day of the year and 2. A time when the Druids celebrated and honored the dead, believing that the veil between this world and the world of the ancestors was drawn aside and that contact could be made with the spirits of those departed. (Remember when we built that shrine at my house on Halloween and the candle by my mom's picture shattered?) Obviously today's Halloween celebrations are pretty far removed from those traditions, (thank you Christians for ruining a perfectly good pagan holiday) but there are still vestiges of the original meaning, the shrines on Dia de los Muertos for example. I've been trying to come up with a way to express just how much I love Halloween, but I come up short every time. It just rocks ya'll.

All in all though, it's been a good time to reflect and to grieve, and to move forward. And hopefully after tomorrow's blessing the moving forward part will be just a little bit easier. After that there will be some major pumpkin carving, pumpkin seed roasting, Nightmare Before Christmas watching, candy eating, and mischief making. Hoorah!

Stymied Porn

Sorry guys. I know how much you loved my photos from the Folsom Street Fair but, due to complications with my photobucket account, they're gone...perhaps for good. Yes, I'll admit that "Lubed-up and fake-tanned naked man jacking off in the street", and "Retiree in chaps with 100 penis piercings amidst graying pubes" were two works of photographic genius never to be forgotten, but alas, I don't think I have them anymore. Perhaps you'll accept this ridiculously silly picture of me as my apology and some small compensation?

I Love Egg

The other day I was having a conversation with a vegan who (a little randomly) informed me that eating eggs is like eating chicken period. I found the remark disgusting, misinformed, and a little stupid to be honest. Perhaps it's because I happen to adore eggs and have been known to dine on them several days a week at breakfast. I dunno.

Then it occurred to me that I know several other individuals who also share the vegan's strong anti-egg sentiments. Mostly because they think eggs are gross, but whatever. So in light of the highly-charged and personal nature of the subject of a person's taste for eggs, I submit this short video which, I believe most accurately expresses my feelings on the subject. (Please make sure your speakers are on for full effect.)

Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy!

Tonight C and I will celebrate our first wedding anniversary. And while I still feel fresh with the newness of marriage, and saying he's my "husband" still feels strange rolling off my tongue, yet it seems odd to me that it's only been one year. We're already so comfortable in this newly defined sense of relationship, as if it could never have been any other way. Still, I love being here at this first of many celebrations...with him. And next month on the 12th, maybe with a little less fanfare, I'll be happy to quietly note the passing of our 9th year together, and will perhaps make a little wish for many many more.


(Editor's Note: While the sappy emotionally overindulgent tone of this post may elicit nausea in the reader, the writer feels completely justified considering nature of the occassion. So tough titties, nah-nee nah-nee boo boo, bite me, etc., etc.)

Maybe It's My Evil Smirk

I forgot to mention that I got some serious action in the airport on the way back home from Austin. For those of you who haven't gotten any play lately, I suggest you put on something sexy with a little metal clasp hidden somewhere underneath the surface (a bra perhaps?) and head down to your local airport, where you are sure to get your jollies.

After setting off the metal detector twice, I was sent into a waiting area that reminded me of the stall they keep the bull in at the beginning of a rodeo. They had to find a woman to do the sort of full-body rubdown that was about to take place, in full view of the rest of the terrified passengers walking past me eyeing me nervously, so it took a few minutes. But after that Chris was treated to some major girl-on-girl action that he probably want's expecting and won't soon forget...right there in the middle of the terminal. It was hot folks.

For some reason I have really bad luck in airports. It seems like everytime I fly I'm singled out in those random bag checks, or "please remove your shoes" scenarios. Whether it's because the camping pots in my bag look suspiciously like a bomb, or the drug sniffing dog inexplicably decides to sit down and bark next to my bag, I've been searched and prodded and questioned so many times that I'm even starting to suspect myself of something.

The last time I came back from Thailand, my siblings and I were standing at the baggage claim when we were approached by a customs officer (he couldn't even wait for us to get in the long line and make our way up to the immigration desk)...
- "Where are you coming from?"
- "Uhm...Thailand"
- "What were you doing over there?"
- "Oh, well, actually...we were attending our mother's funeral."
- "Uh huh. Right. Okay, I'm gonna have to ask you to step right this way and head toward the red security checkpoint."
- "...yes sir."

I'm Baaaack!

Hey all! I'm finally back, but due to technical difficulties, I won't be able to post any lovely snapshots from my little stint back in the Lone Star State for a few more days. But since you're dying to know, we had a blast. We didn't get to see nearly everyone we wanted to, or begin to complete the exhaustive list of must-eats I had planned, but all in all, we had a rip-roaring good time. And best of all, we got to help some of our bestest friends celebrate a beautiful wedding. I'll tell you more about it when I get my visual aids up and running.

I must admit I'm happy to be home though. God, I love this place. Everytime I leave I appreciate coming back here even more, except for the fact that I had about 1600 emails clogging up my bulk mail folder and almost 100 in my inbox. For the last time! NO, I DO NOT WANT A PENIS ENLARGEMENT! I haven't gotten back into the whole work routine thing yet. What's all this about spending 7 hours behind a desk, staring at a computer, not drinking a margarita? Weird. Although, the fundraiser sounds like it went off really well in my absence (I know you were just dying to know). So now begins Phase II of my job, In Which Amanda Creates a Major Fundraising Campaign From Scratch. Should be interesting.

Oh yeah, and have you seen the funniest new show on television? It's called the presidential debates! Freaking hilarious, dude. It's kind of like Whose Line Is It Anyway, except that one of the guys gets to have his lines read to him through an earpiece...Oh yeah, and speaking of elections, mad props to Rachael the pornographer for using her super powers for good and panhandling for Kerry until the election. Go girl!