Musings of an Empress

Ok so this is just for fun, of course, but I got a link from a friend of mine that matches you with the celebrities you most resemble. It uses some sort of facial structure recognition technology…I don’t understand it; all I know is I like what it had to say.
Apparently, I most resemble Sofia Coppola (69% match), Angelina Jolie (66% match) and Kim Novak (63% match)…not too bad. So go play for yourselves and let me know what you come up with.

Oh, and look closely at the default face…she should be easily recognizable.

There are a few things I’ve learned (or at least realized) in the last few days.

I don’t actually make resolutions and I don’t stake a ton of importance on December 31st. I am ready for a new year. There are things I want and things I want to be done with. I will get into more details tomorrow.

I was reading poetry by one of my favorites tonight. This one is called: What I’ve Learned Since Leaving the Ground ~ Sign Language

Memories follow me
To be ignorant
of your past
is a choice.
To accept it
in all forms,
from place to place,
continually ABSORBING
all moments possible
is not uncertainty,
not naive.
It is willingness
to join soil, sound,
hands.

First off, Rie, you and your family are in my prayers. Again, if you need anything, let me know. much love to you.

I hope everyone had a good Christmas. Mine was busy but uneventful. Mom and I cooked enough food to feed an army (even though we somehow forgot to make any pie…if it hadn’t been for the candy I think we would have been in danger of having our Midwesterner cards revoked). The entire extended family…well everyone still in Cali…came to my mom and dad’s house for dinner. Even my older siblings came up…everyone except Roxy…she had her own family for Christmas.

Later Christmas night, when it was just the immediate family, we played Trivial Pursuit…as usual my dad kicked my arse…but I did well otherwise.
You know you’ve reached adult status when you are excited that your Christmas gifts are practical. I got a cookbook, kitchen utensils, tires for Kai and some school tuition…I couldn’t have been happier. It’s the little things in life after all.

Speaking of little things: to my dear friend, thanks for introducing me to Marc Broussard’s music. He’s fantastic.

“Home” By Marc Broussard

Merry Christmas!! I am off to my parents’ for the weekend. We’re gonna cook way too much food and have a wonderful time. I hope each of you has a fantastic and relaxing Christmas! I’ll be back to write next week. I’m going to spend time with friends I haven’t seen in forever.

Ok, so I was actually contemplating writing about my favorite Christmas movies and then I stopped over at this lovely lady’s place. She had the same great idea; so I am in effect stealing this meme since she wrote hers first.

So here it goes, my top 5 favorite Christmas movies (or at least ones that make it feel like Christmas):

1. A Christmas Story. This one is a classic!! It’s my dad’s favorite movie and so I grew up watching this one. You have to watch it, if for no other reason than to see Flick stuck to a pole.
2. The Santa Clause 1 and 2. These count as one movie in my mind and I almost always watch them in tandem. Tim Allen is hilarious…that’s really all there is to it. I love these.
3. It’s a Wonderful Life. A bit cliched maybe, but to me, this movie is the embodiment of Christmas. My mom and I used to watch it several times in the days leading up to Christmas. I used to run around with various angel ornaments saying, “Everytime a bell rings, another angel gets his wings.” (Hey, it was cute when I was four)
4. Small One. This is an old Disney cartoon that most people don’t know…but I loved it. I used to cry every single time I watched as a child…I saw it about three years ago and I cried then too. It’s a sweet story about the unwanted donkey who ends up having an important job.
5. A Disney Christmas and White Christmas tie for the last spot on this list. White Christmas, like It’s A Wonderful Life, is a classic all on its own. I love the dancing and the singing…and Bing Crosby. But, there is something to be said for the joy I felt watching the Disney Christmas cartoon montage as a child. I loved Chip & Dale and Donald in the gift wrapping department…or Goofy trying to learn to ski. Ah…those were hilarious.

Ok, so maybe the fact that I haven’t watched any of these movies recently could be contributing to my serious case of “bah humbug”. Hmmm…perhaps tonight is the night to start.

Right now, the song that most fits my mood is Christmas Wrapping…the Save Ferris version.

Ho Ho Ho woke up this morning with a scary feeling
Realized it was November first
Christmas oh my god its nearing
What am I to do I said
Then I covered up my head
Prayed for sleep for two more months until this holy mess is over
Wasn’t that lucky, I turned on the TV
Beanie Babies on the news
Biggest selling gift this year
What’s a tired Jew to do?
So TV off, Try to escape,
Called my Friend from Silver lake
Said to meet on Fairfax for some coffee and a kruegal

Talked about our fear and dread of tinsel lights and parties
Suddenly like a bad dream
Fairfax was transformed into a holiday paradise
everywhere was Hanukkah
Shiny, Sparkly, blue and white isn’t this a little soon?
I got up quick ran to the mall
Before my pain got any worse
What a stupid thing to do
I’m a sitting duck in Santa’s zoo
Suddenly I couldn’t walk
I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t move
Children running everywhere
Screaming, “tis the season”

Merry Christmas Merry Christmas
But I think Ill miss this one this year
Merry Christmas Merry Christmas
But I think Ill miss this one this year

Merry Christmas Merry Christmas
But I think Ill miss this one this year
Merry Christmas Merry Christmas
But I think Ill miss this one this year

December first the pains have gone
Thought about Adam’s Hanukkah song
He forgot to mention me
Thats ok his song was better
Photograph on Santa’s lap
I’m over my fear of shopping
Bought gifts for all my goim friends
One for each, not eight
Sorting cards from all my friends
Sweet of them to take the time
One pile for all the Christmas cards
from friends who just don’t get it yet
Hanukkah day on overload, I just can’t stop eating
I have so many latke’s that my tush is going to explode

I tried to walk it off and so I went to the Kabbalah Center
just to kill some time I
thought I spotted Madonna
Christmas Day, Hanukkah’s done
Woke up feeling funny
Maybe its cuz I lost half my hair and
I have spent all of my money
Whats a Jew to do today?
L.A. is a ghost town
Looks just like another year of movies and Chinese food
Then suddenly I laughed and laughed and
caught on to that was happening
Christmas magic brought this tale to a very happy ending

Merry Christmas Merry Christmas
I couldn’t miss this one this year
Merry Christmas Merry Christmas
But I couldn’t miss this one this year

Merry Christmas Merry Christmas
But I couldn’t miss this one this year
Merry Christmas Merry Christmas
But I couldn’t miss this one this year

The following song fits two very different situations in my life in very converse ways. Last night I rested…really rested. The more balanced my soul becomes, the more impatient I become…not that I am going to take any action sooner than it’s wise. I am examining many facets of my life and the connections I have to others. It’s enlightening and freeing…

Bonds deepen, understanding grows
Balance reclaimed, an engulfing calm,
An air of giddiness that reaches great depths
It’s about damn time.

I’m walking away from troubles in my life

.hov:hover{background-color:yellow}CHORUS
I’m walking away, from the troubles in my life
I’m walking away, oh to find a better day
(chorus X2)
I’m walking away

CHORUS(Repeat to end)

I am now officially a starving college student once again. I found out this morning that all my paperwork is in order and I was able to register for classes. Before ya’ll get too excited, it’s just community college and it’s only part-time. But I am going back to school…of my own volition even. I never thought I would be excited to go back (I was so burned out when I quit last time) but here I am almost two years later. I am taking classes I want to take; not following any specific checklist. I don’t have any particular paper goal in mind yet…one step at a time.

I am in a good place these days. I am still withdrawn and introverted; but I am balanced and I am happy. I’m still not using too many words at this time; but I am perfectly ok with that. I haven’t been sleeping much, but now the sleep I get is more peaceful. It’s nice to feel the difference when you find someone who calms you: mind, body and soul. As is always the case for me, this situation is complex and confusing…but I haven’t been so grounded and happy in a long time; so right now I refuse to question it. I am so certain in what I know to be true that even being patient doesn’t seem daunting.

For the first day in a long while, the gloomyness of the day outside is having no effect on my mood. Happy Friday ya’ll. I hope it’s a good one. I will be spending my weekend helping my mom and my nieces prepare Christmas candy and cookies. I think I might just be able to get into the Christmas spirit this year after all.

I haven’t written much as of late, I know that and I’m sorry for my silence, but the real world has been taking precedence, as should be the case. At any rate, I hope to resume more regular writing very soon. There are a lot of changes occuring for me and I am rolling with it all. If I feel up to it, ya’ll may get another audio post out of me. Sorry about the quality of the last one…cell phones and all.

For now, I have stolen a meme from the fabulous Ms. Rae.

Seven Thing to Do Before I Die

1. Travel Europe
2. Rebuild a 1970 Chevy Chevelle California Edition…without dropping it off to the boys
3. finish college
4. get married and have a family (yeah i’m traditional every now and then)
5. visit every state in the country
6. learn at least two more languages (right now the front-runners are Hawaiian and French)
7. Live in Mexico at least once more

Seven Things I Cannot Do

1. juggle more than one physical object at a time (I’m a great multi-tasker however)
2. snow ski
3. write simultaneously with both hands
4. stand pretentious people (I feel that one Rae)
5. say the alphabet backwards, and yes, I’ve tried to learn
6. draw anything even remotely resembling art
7. live without hope

Seven things that attract me to… (foreign and domestic bodies)
for the record, this is about the most weirdly worded question

1. expressive eyes
2. a deep and open soul
3. sarcastic sense of humor
4. broad shoulders
5. frequently DCUs or some other type of uniform
6. deeply-rooted faith
7. strength mixed with compassion

Seven things I say most often

1. oy vey
2. love you
3. whatever
4. I quit
5. yeah yeah
6. when I grow up
7. these days shit, damn, hell makes the list

Seven books (or series) that I love

1. Fight Club
2. Blackhawk Down
3. The Jack Ryan books by Tom Clancy
4. assorted plays of Shakespeare
5. Coincidence of Memory
6. Machiavelli’s the Prince
7. the Frances children’s books

Seven movies I watch over and over again

1. Tomb Raider (both of them)
2. Love Actually
3. anything with the Rock
4. 10 Things I Hate About You
5. Breakfast at Tiffany’s
6. Roman Holiday
7. Fast and the Furious (1 and 2)