My Life - Take it or Leave it

Life in Los Angeles - Update 1

sunny_nm — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 18:53:51 GMT

Wow. I'm experiencing a deep and soul-satisfying revolution that is affecting nearly every part of my life. My New Era here in LA has filled me with love, life, energy, curiosity, and happiness. Let's see...where to start? Well, first of all, I signed up for and passed the first (written) part of a motorcycle safety course. I got 100% on the test and will take the riding part of the course this coming Saturday and Sunday. I'm taking the class primarily because I want to get into dirt bike riding, but also because Steve has a sweet bike that I'll be riding on regularly. I got a taste of what I'm getting myself into this past weekend, when Steve took me out on his motorcycle for two really invigorating long rides--one up the PCH all the way to Oxnard, and the other up to Mt. Wilson on the Angeles Crest (there was snow up there!). Riding as a passenger on a motorcycle really forces one to confront feelings of fear and lack of control and trust. You realize that, if the ride is going to be enjoyable, you have to just accept that you have no control, that the person driving loves you and loves life, and that the universe will take care of the rest, even if that means a horrendous crash. It's pretty therapeutic, actually. Not only do we (passenger and driver) share the highly sensorial experience of exploring the land via motorcycle (you can smell the plants, the barbeques, the ocean...!), but we also share the heightened emotions that are part of engaging in a risky experience. The end result is that I feel like I've *really* lived and I'm closer to Steve, my partner and the owner/driver of said motorcycle. I now also desire to be a much more careful driver, having discovered how scary it is as a motorcyclist to expect that, at any moment, a car might pull right in front of or into you, not having noticed you. Sometimes you even wonder if they've noticed you from behind. I don't know what happens when a biker gets rear ended, but I don't want to find out. I vow to be a better driver. Another wholly unrelated element of my New Era, is my discovery that the United States (this area, especially) is much more affluent that I'd really understood. The number of Beamers, Mercedes, Jaguars, etc. on the roads out here is just mind boggling. And it's not just cars that evidence peoples' wealth--there are the expensive hair salons, clothing stores, furniture stores, multi-million dollar homes, packed-to-the-gills yoga studios, spas, etc. that are ALL OVER the place out here. I feel richer just being around all of this. And I'm not just referring to Venice--I'm referring to much of Los Angeles (and believe me, I've seen a lot of it so far--I ventured down to Compton last week and slowly worked my way back north throughout the afternoon, an experience which reminded me that LA is mostly non-white people). When Steve and I rode up the Angeles Crest last weekend, the last town we went through before entering the mountains was this absolutely pristine, beautiful, calm town called La Canada Flintridge. Even there, on the outer edge of Los Angeles, everyone is swimming in money. And I don't mean that everyone is carrying around a Gucci bag and climbing into their Audi TT, but there's just an incredible sense of comfort and peace. It seems as if no one has any worries--they're all as comfortable as could be. There's a peace that comes with wealth, you know? I'm not making a judgment here--just observing. When you have a certain level of wealth, there's something in you that can relax. That vacation feeling. I guess that's what I'm sensing. The vacation feeling. It's kind of rubbing off on me. I feel like this awesome experience is a vacation, but I'm happily realizing that it's just my life. I'm still working hard, still living off of my meager non-profit salary, but I'm feeling rich in emotion, experience, and opportunity. Ahhhhh...deep, satisfied sigh.

A really expensive game of pretend

sunny_nm — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 04:09:19 GMT

So, did any of you happen to catch today's news story that JP Morgan Chase bought out the troubled invesment bank Bear Stearns? (If not, check it out: http://money.cnn.com/2008/03/16/news/companies/jpmorgan_bear_stearns/index.htm?postversion=2008031619) And did you know that we, the American taxpayer, kicked in $30 billion--yes, $30 billion--on this deal? So basically, the US government kicked in $30 billion on a private deal between (allegedly) public, non-governmental firms engaged in a "business" transaction, which came about because one of the businesses involved gambled itself into a shithole while its shareholders looked the other way. And on top of that wonderful news, earlier last week, the US govt, "pumped $200 billion into the market by allowing big bond dealers to offer as collateral certain hard-to-trade mortgage-backed securities for cash." (That was taken from a CNN article on Friday the 14th.) Translation: the government propped up the value (by $200 Bill!!!) of some really shitty securities, which were worthless because of the crap mortgages they're backed by. You know what, you guys? This isn't capitalism. This is a really fucking expensive game of pretend that I wasn't asked if I wanted to participate in. Our financial markets are in utter shambles and the government (i.e., we the people) is paying a LOT of money to make it seem like they're not. Is that how you want the government to spend your money? (And, as an interesting aside, how does the Fed just have $230 Bill lying around, anyway?) Does anyone care? Bueller? Bueller?

I'm now an official Angelina

sunny_nm — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 06:48:23 GMT

Yes, it's official...I paid $5 for a cup of tea in Santa Monica tonight, thereby initiating myself as an official Angelina. And behind me in line was this mysteriously beautiful and yet strangely wooden woman. It wasn't until I saw her drive away in her Porsche that I realized that her fixed gaze was probably a Botox-induced paralysis. Nevertheless, it was a magical night. Steve bought us dinner at Rawvolution, a raw food restaurant. Yum! And then we strolled along Main St. in Santa Monica until we came to the Urth Cafe, where we bought our $5 teas. Woohoo! We're like two teenagers in love--all giddy and mushy. It's nice. I'm happy.

My Transplantation to Los Angeles: ROADTRIPPIN'!!! - 3

sunny_nm — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 21:18:51 GMT

We're now in a Starbucks in El Paso, TX, primarily to take advantage of the free internet connection from the hotel next door. The last two days have been a bit mellower than earlier parts of this trip, I think partly due to a growing weariness with sitting in the car for the majority of the day (even though we've been having awesome laughs and great conversations). I think it's also partly because driving through Texas has entailed vast expanses of nothingness. Some Texas highlights: -showing Steve around Austin, where I lived for two years while I did my graduate work -finding ourselves in a teeny weeny town, Mason, TX, with a veritable town square and saloon (it turns out we were lost and spent over an hour finding our way back to I-10) -the sunset on the way back to I-10 from Mason -getting pulled over (Steve was driving) by the nicest cop ever--we got all sorts of great advice from him, followed by a gentle warning to slow down and watch out for more cops between Ft. Stockton and El Paso -watching the lunar eclipse with Rosie, the manager of a truck stop outside of Ft. Stockton Check out our videos from day 4: part 1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndVSUiJYWjw part 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmH0DOMT7oc Screw Starbucks for charging for their Internet connection. And screw Days Inn of Van Horn, TX for their shitty hotel rooms and high (late night) rates. But kudos to Steve for being such an awesome partner and keeping me laughing through this whole journey.

My Transplantation to Los Angeles: ROADTRIPPIN'!!! - 2

sunny_nm — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 16:41:48 GMT

Okay, we've finally posted day 3 to YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bXiPTojkQM We tried and failed to post day 3 multiple times because the file was so big and our occasional Internet connections so crappy. Each episode is getting longer, as we're capturing more footage and finding more opportunities for sheer ridiculousness. The footage from yesterday (day 4) will make you wet your pants. I'm not kidding. There was some side splitting hilarity in there, including our late night, nearly fatal (for me and Steve) fireworks launch along a dark highway in Louisiana. We only set off two of the rockets, so there will be more, hopefully safer, fireworks activity tonight. We're currently in Gonzales, Louisiana, about an hour or so west of New Orleans. We spent yesterday afternoon and evening in NOLA and just couldn't afford to get a hotel in the city. So instead, we found this shithole hotel with scratchy sheets and (it turns out--we didn't notice this last night) a loud, high-traffic road running by the back (by our room). In retrospect, we should have just paid to stay in NOLA. My bad. NOLA was about as I expected it--lots of nasty bars with no ambience and one goal in mind: get their customers hammered. NASTY. It was fascinating to see all the abandoned neighborhoods, the tent city at the northern (or western?) end of Canal St., the seediness, and the architecture. But ultimately, it was pretty much what I expected: a playground for alcohol-lovers. Ultimately, our time spent in Mobile, AL and the visitor center in Mississippi were far more fun than NOLA. We got a lot of great footage at that visitor center, so watch the video! Stay tuned for day 4.

My transplantation to Los Angeles: ROADTRIPPIN'!!!

sunny_nm — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 06:28:02 GMT

On Friday afternoon, Feb. 15, Steve and I left DC and started our cross-country adventure to Los Angeles. We hardly covered any ground that first day due to horrendous rush hour traffic between DC and the Northern Virginia exurbs. Night one was spent in Wilson, N.C. and, after blowing nearly the entire next morning on hot sex and a long breakfast, we made it just past Charleston, S.C. the next night (by way of Wilmington, N.C., Myrtle Beach, and some other cute coastal towns). We had a delightful dinner at Mellow Mushroom, a sweet pizza joint in Charleston before jetting out of town to a hotel we originally believed to be in Georgia, but, sadly, we discovered the next morning that we were still two hours from Georgia. Today, day 3, ended up being the most interesting portion of our journey, which is ironic, given that as late as 4 pm we were lamenting the dearth of footage and interesting experiences we'd had that day. Little did we know what lay ahead: two hours stuck in dead-stop traffic in the middle of a major thunderstorm outside of Atlanta, a great and also hilarious conversation with a bunch of truckers in some small Alabama town, a much-needed and enriching conversation about our relationship, a visit to the biggest fireworks store in the world (with a giant "no smoking" sign out front--watch for episode 4 in which we'll presumably find a use for the boatload we purchased), etc.. We project a Friday arrival in LA. And tomorrow, we'll spend the day (and possibly following evening) in New Orleans. Woohoo! We're currently sitting in a bar in Mobile, Alabama, the Dauphin St. Taqueria, where we've been treated fabulously by Matt and the locals. We should also give a shout out to the staff at the White Elephant Cafe in Augusta, GA, where we had an interesting chat with the bartender about Burning Man, the Green Tortoise bus company, and other stuff. Here is day 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zc45glPcqc8 and day 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnnnzKmZzw8 We will be posting day 3 (yesterday) of our roadtrip tonight sometime today (Monday), so watch for it. You can search for steveOhollywood on YouTube to find all our vids.

Moving to the City of Angels

sunny_nm — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 19:41:41 GMT

On February 16, I'm going to pull the door of my Uhaul shut and start my cross country drive to Los Angeles! I'll be living in Venice Beach, six blocks from the beach, and continuing to work for my current employer (the Marijuana Policy Project). I'm going out there to be closer to a stellar guy I've been dating for almost a year and a half (and enriching various airlines in the meantime), and to start a new life in a more laid back, freakier place. I won't be the only freak! Dude, I'll be hanging out, hooping and rollerskating like a fiend down at the beach. I can't wait!!! Washington, D.C.: smell ya later! Seriously, though, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time on the East Coast, and would not be the person I am today if it weren't for a lot of you wonderful freaks I've spent unforgettable times with during the past few years. DC has definitely been a formidable era of my life. I went from Mrs. Uppity corporate bitch with no real hobbies or personal interests to speak of (except for playing soccer, which I can't do anymore due to playing soccer (and fucking up my left knee repeatedly)) to (unmarried) Lovering-Skid-Inspyra, fire performing, marijuana law reforming, hooping instructor, vegan, laughing life-loving woman extraordinaire. Life is good! If you ever come out to LA, please contact me and we'll hang out. The picture is me and Steve-O, taken over xmas down in Los Alamos, NM (where we were visiting my mom and the lovely state I grew up in).

Life as a Freak (and Other Assorted Topics)

sunny_nm — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 04:04:41 GMT

I'm a freak in Washington, D.C. When I go out on the weekends, especially if it's with my co-conspirator in freakiness, the magical mysterious Mer, I get lots of stares. And the comments, geez! People are so funny. "Are you guys going to a party?" "Where's the party?" "Why are you wearing horns?" "Why are you wearing glitter?" My responses: the party is right here, and horns and glitter are fun. Get over it. Embrace fun. The fact that *I* do so does not make me a stripper or a psychopath or willing to fuck you or any other sort of menace to society. Mer and I have very exciting plans in the brewing to do a little bit of performance art whereby we'd temporarily playa-fy people out in public (especially the douchebags out in their douchiforms--read: khaki pants with polo shirt(s), often with popped collar(s)). We'd have the works for them--a crazy fabulous outfit, blinkies, horns, goggles, furries, etc. We'll take before and after pictures and post them on the Capital Fire Arts Web site as a way to get them there (marketing, baby!). Other recent blog-worthy experiences: National Insecurity: Remember the Washington, D.C. post office that was shut down for a year following the death of two of its employees after they were exposed to anthrax that came in the mail? (Go here for more info: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2002/06/14/anthrax-brentwood.htm). Just to give you a sense of this facility, it's fucking huge. It services nearly the entire capital area, and has at least 50-something loading docks. On September 11, 2007, about three weeks ago now, I had to go there to drop off a massive bulk mailing shipment that my employer was sending out. And let me tell you, that post office may be prepared to handle an anthrax-laced postal shipment, but they are sorely susceptible to a human being walking in with whatever they damn well please, be it anthrax, a marching band, or any assortment of weapons or other means of sabotage. I was told to go to loading dock 23 to drop off my shipment. When I got to loading dock 23, the dock door (like a garage door) was down, as were the adjacent doors. There was no signage to indicate how I might notify a person that I was there with a shipment, so I entered the building through a door to the left of dock 23. I walked around for 2 or 3 minutes before finding a person to help me. During that time, I could have wandered all through this facility, used its computers, tampered with the mail that was all over the place, or hidden myself in a mail bin and shipped myself to Siberia. When I finally did find people I thought might be able to help me, I had to stand and wait for several minutes while they finished their conversation before I could indicate why I was there or what I needed. There was absolutely no security whatsoever. Ahhh, the irony. Hooping at the Jefferson Memorial and Rule #36: I organized a hoop/poi jam to take place at the Jefferson Memorial today. A small group of us jammed out on the giant "patio" of the memorial, which overlooks the tidal basin. It was BEAUTIFUL out today, and, although it was kind of hot in the sun, still lovely weather for hooping and spinning. But just as I expected, a US Park Police officer eventually came over to us and told us we had to stop. His reason? Well, he wasn't able to articulate a reason, other than comparing hooping to bicycling and throwing footballs, which are not allowed at the memorial. I told him that the second I was breaking a law and he could tell me which one I was breaking, I would gladly leave the memorial to hoop elsewhere, but until then, I wasn't going to move based on his personal preference. So he left. And then came back about 45 minutes later and--I shit you not--declared that we were breaking rule #36. Apparently, rule #36 bans self-expression at the memorial, including singing, praying, and, in his own interpretation, hooping. I think that no one should be allowed to wear clothes at the memorial, since one's wardrobe is a form of self-expression. Naked touristing! I'm sure that Jefferson wouldn't mind. Californians: I'm really irritated at all of you Californians who are just going on about your lives while the DEA raids the fuck out of medical marijuana dispensaries and suppliers. You guys courageously passed Proposition 215, legalizing the use and distribution of medical marijuana in California, and set the national stage for marijuana law reform. So now that the federal government has decided to make life hell for medical marijuana dispensaries, patients, growers, and landlords, you guys just sit back and take it? The feds are telling you that your opinion doesn't matter, your state laws don't matter, your sick and dying patients don't matter. And you just sit back and take it? WTF?! People, take action before it's too late. Show the federal government that you won't take it. Rise up, protest, block dispensaries the DEA targets (so they can't raid them or so they can't leave after having raided them). You can sign up for instant raid alerts here: http://www.safeaccessnow.org/form.php?id=66. There's only so much we can do from D.C. It's you guys--warm bodies--who need to get out in the streets and make a statement. Please. You are squandering an opportunity to help create a better world.

Bitch Session

sunny_nm — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 02:09:10 GMT

I just can't help myself...so many frustrations these past few days. Must...vent...now... My cell phone: After I accidentally drop-kicked it a few days ago (don't tell Verizon that), it has essentially stopped working. I only get reception in the very best reception areas. Everywhere else, my phone searches and searches and searches for service and usually drains its battery doing so. So I called Verizon on Friday from my office to see what could be done (since my phone's still under warranty). They told me to take it to a technician at the closest store that actually has a technician, which is in Bethesda. So I structure my entire day today around that task, only to return home from having my phone "fixed" (they deleted the hundreds of "sent" text messages I had, saying that they were hogging my battery's power and that's why I wasn't getting service) and finding that nothing has changed. So I've gotta go back to fucking Bethesda tomorrow and try to convince them that it's still not working. The problem is, it gets great reception in the Bethesda store, because the tower is right there. Home Depot: I went there a few days ago looking for a fire extinguisher and irrigation tubing. The first employee didn't speak English well enough to help me out. The second two employees each pointed me to different aisles for the fire extinguisher and it wasn't on either of them. The fourth employee simply didn't have enough brain cells to help me out. I finally found the fire extinguisher as a result of my own enraged wanderings around the store. Never found the irrigation tubing, and the employees told me the only way they could find out if they even carried it was if I could give them the SKU number. If I had the fucking SKU number, that would mean I had the product in my hands!!! This was simply a repeat of every other trip I've ever made to Home "we're-as-stupid-as-we-look" Depot. I think I better have some Prozac (or a gun) on hand if I ever have to go back there. Costuming: I need a sewing machine...doing everything by hand is killing me. But I can't afford one. As Burning Man looms ahead of me, I'm noticing a lot of things I can't afford. This has actually caused me to think about getting back into real estate, where I could easily double my salary. But I work for my hero (and I fought really hard for my job!), so it's hard to imagine giving that up. Babies: My body wants me to get pregnant. Guys--you have no idea what torture this can be. Imagine that every single day you woke up wanting a huge piece of chocolate cake. And several times a day you saw scrumptious-looking chocolate cake, but you knew that if you had some (any!), your life would change forever and irrevocably. Oh, and also that you were completely on your own in this new life change--no partner to help you out. That's about where I am. Money: As mentioned above, I'm po'. I work for a non--profit organization and as I fill up my life more and more with my hooping and performing, I'm spending more and more money on those things. Money that has to be spent, on stuff like costumes and hoops, and parts and fuel and fishnet stockings. ;-) The Supreme Court: In the recent "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" case, Justice Alito and his conservative pals on the court essentially trashed the First Amendment, saying that students don't have an unlimited right to free speech, especially if they are promoting illegal drug use. Okay, I'm sorry, promoting illegal drug use? "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" doesn't tell anyone to do anything--it's completely and hilariously non-sensical. Which is what Justice Stevens asserted was the case. He also said that even if the sign were promoting illegal drug use, just like back during prohibition of alcohol when a lot of people secretly opposed the prohibition but were afraid to speak out, the same is probably true of today's environment with regard to the prohibition of marijuana. He argued that it should be okay for students to express and debate their views, even when that entailed questioning whether something should be illegal. Hooray for Justice Stevens! He's my new hero, along with Mika Brzezinski (see why here: http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2007/06/just-saying-no.html ). Okay, I'm done bitching. And just to end this all with a little sparkle of sunshine, I'll list a few good things going on in my life: --I live in America, where you have a selection of at least fifty different deodorants on any given grocery store's shelves --I'm going to New Mexico at the end of this month to introduce a guy I'm very excited about to my homeland y mi madre --I'm going to have at least one kickass costume at Burning Man this year, and it's entirely Sarah-made --I watched Ferris Bueller's Day Off last night (I haven't watched a whole movie in probably 4 or 5 months) and took a two-hour nap today (can't remember the last time I napped) -Fuzzy-wuzzy memories of my lovely cat Reef (who passed away in Dec. '05) -I'm so much more me than I was back in Aug. '04 when I first went to Burning Man (pic attached--taken in a Denny's in Reno before heading up to the playa) -The word "accoutrements"

I'm going to the 2007 Mermaid Parade and Ball in Coney Island!!!

sunny_nm — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 14:45:00 GMT

Dudes, this is one of those gotta-do-before-you-die kind of events. I've got my mermaid dress--now I just need to put together some sort of seashell hairpiece to complete my outfit. Who's coming with?! Check out http://www.coneyisland.com/mermaid.shtml and http://www.mermaidparadeball.com/ Contact me ASAP if you wanna join in the shenanigans.

I went all the way to PDF and all I got was...

sunny_nm — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 02:39:55 GMT

these fuzzball eyebrows! Thanks to Amy, who did a magnificent job applying them with Elmer's Glue (which washed out just fine a day later, after all the balls had finally fallen off--yes, I slept with them on and all but one survived the night!). Watch for the return of fuzzballs at Burning Man...

Armageddon

sunny_nm — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 14:07:43 GMT

This week I've had two very realistic and very terrifying armageddon dreams. Both involved some sort of massive nuclear-type war with missiles raining down. And I was with my colleagues from MPP in both. Which makes sense, I guess. I spend the vast majority of my time at work, so it's likely I'll be there when the world comes to an end. In the second dream, when the bridge that I was on (in a bus) was hit by a missile and started to collapse, my thoughts were as follows: "Oh, so this is how it's gonna end, huh? Darn, I was having so much fun!" I hope I can someday approach my actual imminent death (hopefully not for many many years to come) with the same peace and appreciation for all I've experienced.

DC Fireflies

sunny_nm — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 05:01:19 GMT

Message me thru Tribe if you want to get on a Google Group called DC Fireflies. This group is a forum for local (DC metro area) fire performers to announce spin jams, skill share sessions and performances, or to share info. on resources for such performers. It's uber low traffic. Spam, chain letters, and mis-directed replies punishable by actions not sanctioned by the Geneva Convnentions. Growing the flame, Sarah

Hoopers for Peace a Resounding Success!!!

sunny_nm — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 21:00:53 GMT

I'm not sure how I'll possibly be able to communicate my joy here in this little blog post, but I at least have to tell you how GREAT our outing was today. So fellow hoopers from as far away as NJ and NYC met at my place around 10 am this morning. After filling ourselves with coffee and vegan muffins, and getting our pre-protest pees and poos out of the way, we set out for the National Mall. We got down there around 11:15 and hooped at the corner of 4th and Madison until about 1:30. The response we got from fellow protesters was AMAZING! They loved watching us and trying out hooping themselves. We were photographed by multiple media organizations, as well as hundreds of fellow protesters. I was interviewed at least three times by various members of the media, one of whom I think I lured into coming to my fire gig tonight (FLUX). A guy with a lasso even came out and joined us! Various Burners from DC, its 'burbs, and Baltimore also joined up with us, which is how the pirate duel eventually came about (pics of that and everything else from the Hoopers for Peace outing will soon be posted on my photo site: www.kodakgallery.com/sarahlovering). Unfortunately, I just got a call from Condoleeza Rice, and apparently Hoopers for Peace did not present a compelling enough message to Dubya. He still wants to send more troops to Iraq. I told her I'm sending a hoop straight to the White House, cuz Dubya clearly has not got proper hoopitude. There aint room for imperialism in the realm of the hoop. Thanks to all the hoopers and wannabe hoopers who came out today! I love you all! The attached pic is Dale in the foreground with the Hoopers for Peace sign, and me in the background, gettin' my groove on.

Hula hoops and sock poi deemed "dangerous" by Silver Spring mall mgmt.

sunny_nm — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 04:11:47 GMT

This past Saturday--a.k.a. Global Warming Saturday--Loup-de-lou and I thought we'd head on down to the the outdoor walking mall in Silver Spring to play with our toys out in the sunshine. We set up near the west end, by the colorful fountain where there are always lots of kids running around playing. Not two minutes into playing, a man with the mall's management company approached us to tell us that we had to stop. He gave us plenty of reasons, including a) we were doing something that was dangerous and might make the mall mgmt. liable for someone's (hypothetical) injury; b) street performers were not allowed (note that we were not performing and were not collecting money); and c), the clincher--if we didn't stop, he'd call the police because the mall is private property and we were trespassing. As we gathered our stuff and walked away, I told him it was precisely that kind of policy that keeps that mall from being a nice place to hang out. As it is, it's an utterly sterile, corporate bastion of consumerism. The most irritating thing is that little kids were running wildly all over the (currently dry) fountain, screaming, pushing each other, and jumping on things. I guarantee at least one of them got some sort of scrape or bruise during that process. But did they have to stop playing? Hell no! Why? Because it's acceptable for kids to play, but when adults do it, it's weird and disturbing and just downright dangerous. Ahhhh! This world I live in is so fucked up. Loup and I are toying with the idea of going back to the mall with a camera crew. We're hoping that we can film the mall management looking uber assholish and restrictive and use that to shame them into recanting (with a posting on YouTube, maybe? perhaps an article in the Takoma Park Gazette (local newspaper)?). We realize we might get arrested, but think it might be worth it. How do you think they'd charge us? Trespassing while armed with dangerous...hula hoops? Ha ha! If anyone has any suggestions for us with regard to a potential rematch with Mr. Douchebag mall manager, please send them our way.

Why I am trapped in New Mexico for New Year's

sunny_nm — Sat, 30 Dec 2006 18:15:42 GMT

This is a picture of my mom's backyard. It started snowing Thursday night (Dec. 28), and I woke up Friday morning to a veritable winter wonderland. My flight home on Friday afternoon wasn't cancelled--I just couldn't get to the airport (which is 150 miles away). My mom and I tried to drive into town on Friday to go out to lunch somewhere (I'm going crazy here!!!), but in addition to the roads being terrible, it turned out nothing was open. I paid $130 to change my plane ticket to go home today (Dec. 30), but woke up this morning to ANOTHER foot of snow...and it's STILL snowing. Interstate 25, the main highway between Los Alamos (where I am now) and Albuquerque (where the airport is) is closed, and I just heard on the news that all major airlines have cancelled their flights out of Albuquerque. So unless I'm able to get on a flight home tomorrow, I'll be ringin' in the New Year with my mom and my brother, something I haven't done since I was in high school. My mom will be asleep by 9, I'm sure. But, as much as this sounds like complaining, I'm pretty darn happy to be here in the snow in Los Alamos. I've been talking about getting my bro to video me spinning fire out in the snow, so maybe I'll get a sweet poi video out of this crazy weather. See you all...as soon as the snow lets up.

My mom rocks out on the baton

sunny_nm — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 19:14:01 GMT

Check out the baton twirling routine my mom did for her friends on her 60th birthday: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5F6dF5IP4g Doesn't she totally rock?!

Procreation

sunny_nm — Mon, 06 Nov 2006 02:55:09 GMT

I'm not sure what exactly led to my current state, although I suspect biology played a big role. For the last couple of months, I have been making frequent comments about "when I have kids this," and "when I have kids that," blah, blah, blah. And I've been feeling very, well, in need of a small child to play silly games with and teach things to. My coworkers have even begun to notice it and picked out their own hilarious names for my future children. I find myself now in one of those perplexing situations in life where you want two different and opposing things equally. My current predicament: procreate (or adopt--the point is, I want a kiddo) vs. remain childless and thus, better rested, able to continue focusing on me me me, etc. So...I guess the only thing I can do is continue to live with these equal and opposing desires until I wake up one day to find that the scales have tipped. Is that how it works? I can't seem to find my life manual. And I spilled coffee all over that chapter anyway. I'm fucked. The attached picture is me with two kids--Isaac and Raven--who gave me one of my best Burning Man experiences in the three years I've gone.

The Void

sunny_nm — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 19:59:53 GMT

Last night I had a good hard cry over the loss of a good friend of mine, Jeff Shull. He was killed in an accident the summer before our senior year in high school, when we were 17. Over the years, I've cried about his death less and less frequently, but still think about him regularly. Almost daily, in fact. Jeff was the first person I ever loved romantically and one of the best friends I've ever had. He was a well of creativity, a source of constant hilarity, and a sharp mind. He used to come over to my house at 6 am on summer mornings and wake me up by throwing pebbles at my bedroom window--all to get me to come play Risk (the board game) with him at his house. And for breakfast, he'd cut us slices of german chocolate cake. He once ate a third of an entire cake in one sitting, which I guess wasn't a big deal for a 6'2" 15-year old. One of my favorite memories with him is from the night we climbed on top of the house across the street from mine to lie on the roof and watch the Perseids meteor shower. Because we lived in such a rural area without any light pollution, we saw meteors streak all the way from one horizon to the other. It was wondrously spectacular and made us realize what tiny specs we are in this universe. That was one of the last nights I spent with him before his death. When I go back to my hometown, I still hear people use words and phrases that Jeff originated. He had a whole sublanguage of his own that only those of us whose lives he graced understand and use. When we get back together, I have this sense that we're proud to be carrying on the memory of Jeff through that lingo. We can still get each other rolling with laughter recounting stories of the shenanigans he pulled. Ah, Jeff. I miss you. But it's good to know this void you left in my heart when we were 17 is still here. Love endures. The great things you brought into my life are still with me. Thanks for everything.

Cuteness Attack

sunny_nm — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 18:12:08 GMT

Prepare to waste about 30 minutes of your precious time, watching this video over and over. I promise, your life will be enriched. Or at least your appreciation for panda sneezes will be. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4R6vMPYR1vo

To the fuckwad at PDF who broke the zipper on my tent

sunny_nm — Tue, 10 Oct 2006 02:41:12 GMT

Hi Chris. Remember me? You tried to shove your nasty tongue down my throat before I had to tell you--in no uncertain terms--that I didn't want to kiss you. And when I was taking down my tent, you insisted on showing me how to unzip the tent door, even though I repeatedly told you that the problem wasn't that I didn't know how--but rather that the zipper had a bent tooth in it and shouldn't be forced. But no--you had to be the manly man (insert ape noises here) and demonstrate proper zipper usage to me. Well you know what, motherfucker? You broke the zipper. Just like I warned you would. And then when you found out that the tent was MY tent (why the fuck would I be packing up someone else's tent?!), you made a dumb joke about a girl owning a tent being a requirement if you were going to marry her. (If you were implying the possibility of any sort of romantic or sexual tryst for the two of us, I think this diatribe clarifies my position on that option. But if it's at all unclear, I'm sure I can find a drink to throw on you at the next event.) If I ever see you again, I'm gonna pretend to find you interesting for just a few more minutes so I can steal some cash out of your wallet and replace my tent. And then I'm gonna ditch your sorry ass, cuz you are a self-absorbed, soulless ape.

SAFER's Radio Ad

sunny_nm — Fri, 06 Oct 2006 02:50:26 GMT

You gotta listen to this--it's ingenious! http://safercolorado.org/media/tequila.mp3 SAFER is an organization in Colorado that works to remove criminal penalities for marijuana use and possession. Their angle on the issue is that marijuana is a SAFER alternative than alcohol, when considering using drugs for recreational purposes. They got an initiative on the November ballot--Initiative 44-- that aims to legalize a small amount of marijuana for recreational purposes (medical marijuana is already legal in Colorado): The Colorado Alcohol-Marijuana Equalization Initiative proposes a simple change to the Colorado statutes. By changing one sentence, it would make the possession of less than one ounce of marijuana legal under state law for individuals 21 years of age and older.

Ladies--if you're 26 or under, get the HPV vaccine, for the LOVE OF GOD!!!

sunny_nm — Fri, 06 Oct 2006 02:32:09 GMT

I tried to get it recently, but because I'm 28--and the FDA only approved the vaccine for 9 to 26-year olds--United Healthcare denied my request that they cover it for me. I even submitted a protest and they still denied it. From their letter, dated September 29, 2006: "Member is 28 years old, therefore the use of Gardasil outside the approved age group and or diagnosis other than the approved indications are considered investigational. The Health Plan does not cover investigational treatments." Bah! Please, 26-or-under-ladies. I can't get it the vaccine, but you can do your part to prevent the scourge that is HPV and cervical cancer. If anyone wants to chip in to help me pay for this out of pocket, it's $180/shot (three shots total). Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Can you hear me now?

sunny_nm — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 18:56:13 GMT

NO, VERIZON, I CAN'T FUCKING HEAR ANYTHING! Takoma Park (and other nearby DC residents)--I desperately need your recommendations for a new cell phone service provider. I currently have Verizon and can only have phone conversations while standing next to my bedroom window. Even then, I frequently have dropped calls or the line breaks up. It's frustrating me to no end. Help!

Burning Man (items to add to your playagenda)

sunny_nm — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 13:32:46 GMT

1) Visit me and my peeps at ZooBratFry (an unregistered theme camp--location to be posted on the message board). We will have a bar, a fire spinning plaza, sweet music and a lounge filled with fun sparkly and tactile things for your sensorial pleasure. Come delight in our lovely space. 2) If you are a fire conclave performer, check in at the Fire Conclave Convergence at Center Camp sometime btwn. Mon. and Fri., 10 am to 6 pm. You HAVE to do this to get your laminate and access to the inner circle. 3) Check out the Leopard Martini Lounge's party at 7 pm on Monday night. Wear (faux) leopard skin stuff or put some on there! They are at 5:30 and Guess. 4) Spin at the Philly Experiment's Tuesday night spin jam (5:30 and Eager). 5) Come watch the Playa Del Fuego fire conclave perform at Duel Nature, Kate Raudenbush's 2006 art installation. The sculpture is at the Center Camp keyhole and we'll be performing on Wednesday night at 10 pm. Bring your camera because it's gonna be photorific. 6) At 7:30 on Thursday night, go to the fire dancing plaza Crimson has set up near 5:30 and Esplanade where there will be solo and group performances into the night. 7) At 10 pm on Thursday (or whenever Crimson's thing has ended), go to Porn & Eggs for their prom and a delicious helping of Poirotica, brought to you by Sarah and Loup-de-lou (and the lovely chieftains of P&E, Doug and Bernard). 8) If you're part of a fire conclave, get to the inner circle around 8 pm on Saturday night (and make sure to bring your laminate!).