Gerardo in Pain

While looking for a picture of someone with lots of stomach tumors (more on that later), I came across a rather pleasant surprise.

CHECK IT OUT

I really hope your audio is functioning, wherever you're listening to this, because it makes the webpage all the more special.

And the reason I was looking for a picture of a person with lots of stomach tumors (you know, the kind that make a person's belly look unusually lopsided and lumpy) is because there are two such people in my Psychology course on Human Sexuality. I was trying to explain the tumor phenomenon to Alex because she wasn't being able to picture it, but I couldn't find anything on Google images to my liking. I will tell you that both men in my psychology class appear not only to have large tumors in their bellies, but they also appear to be homeless and in their mid-forties to fifties. Both of them. How does this happen? Two homeless men in a class on Human Sexuality? AND, I'll have you know that, upon asking students to define what sexuality meant to them and hearing from a fair amount of students, Homeless Man #2 rose his hand unassumingly and said, "What about bestiality?" in the creepiest voice ever!

f dja;lf lf jka;lf jkas;df asdfj;adlf jdasl;f

WTF? How gross is that?

Ugh, I'm too repulsed (and alternately a bit amused) to continue on with this post. More later on how awesome I feel to be taking classes with a bunch of 17-year-olds (and a couple tumor-ridden homeless men).

Haha, this is funny...

According to The Princeton Review, this is what students apparently have to say about Smith College:

If people who "use the word 'hegemony' in everyday conversation" and who cherish "freedom from the oppressive hetero-normative patriarchy "—or even know what that means—sound like your kind of folks, you may be a Smith woman. Smithies are "typically politically active, love to learn, and champion about four different causes. They are quirky and dorky but love to go out and have a good time. And they want to save the world." The crusading can occasionally be overbearing—"Smith students can be vicious when defending their own beliefs and ideas and attacking those who disagree with them," warns one woman, but overall students regard one another as "caring" and "supportive." Like hometown Northampton, "Smith is a very gay friendly environment"—students report that there are "a lot of lesbians" on campus, and "quite a few 'boys.'" Straight undergrads think "it's important to stress how easy it is to meet guys. Many hetero women are scared to come here because they believe the stereotype about Smith being solely a haven for man-hating lesbians. It really is not true."

I think my favorite part is when they refer to the fact that there are quite a few "boys" at Smith and that it's not "soley a haven for man-hating lesbians." Beat. Phew! I really thought I was in trouble there for a second!

"You seen a cat with a knife around here?"

Life has been eventful lately. In fact, that is somewhat of an understatement. With the arrival and all-too-soon departure of my lovely Smith ladies, there was gallivanting aplenty. So here's for a brief but thorough run-down of my life's happenings of late:

• Justin Yu came down from San Francisco for a little face-time with the friends (and his family, I presume). As per the usual, he wasn't here nearly long enough, but for the time that he was here, we had a blast. I still maintain that he is one of the funniest people I have ever known. One of the highlights of his visit? A boisterous game of Pit* played with Angela, Jen, Alex, Allison, and I at Matt's house last weekend.
• I saw Junebug this past Wednesday. It was such an unexpected gem. And I don't mean that in the sense that it measures up to some of my favorite films of all time, but it was definitely an incredible feat for a first-time feature length. The acting (particularly Amy Adams and Scott Wilson) was extremely solid, and while there were many elements in the film that could have been interpreted as ultra cliche/premeditated or glitzy (Ahem, think Garden State...), they didn't come off that way at all - not even in the least. Few directors can walk that fine line, I think, and that's what was so impressive to me about the film. Definitely check it out.
• Matthew Boese bought me a guitar for my birthday. It was totally unexpected but also one of the most beautiful, thoughtful gifts I've ever received. With my new Fender Stratocaster guitar in hand, there is no excuse (except perhaps lack of motivation) for me not to jump on this making music/having fun bandwagon. I'm pretty sure Matt had that in mind, so the gift was a bajillion times more meaningful, knowing that it came from someone who genuinely wants me to further explore my creativity/passion in that regard - no holds barred. It's gonna take some work, but I'm looking forward to putting in the effort to start making it happen.
• Last night I had what was possibly the worst nightmare of all my life. Or at least it was one of the more urgent and realistic-seeming dreams I've had since I can remember. It involved my teeth falling out (that most common of nightmares), which I've never had before, in the setting of Larry David's house from Curb Your Enthusiasm, coupled with lots of danger, me being EXTREMELY frantic, and a bunch of people who couldn't have cared less. It doesn't sound all that bad now, but that's partly because I don't remember it all and also because I don't want to scare you.
• Today at work, I got a very special phone call. The gentleman I spoke to uttered not a word of English. In fact, he pretty much just asked me if we offered "sexo," which is sex in Spanish. Now...I've gotten some pretty silly inquiries since working at Massage Envy, but this one tops the list for being the least roundabout. Cheers to that.
• I saw Forty-Year-Old Virgin tonight with Matt, Jeff, Dan, and Katy. It was hiiiiilarious. Now I've really gotta see Freaks and Geeks since it was written by the same dude.
• After missing 5 out of 6 class meetings for both my summer school courses at UC Irvine, I think it's time I get serious about going to class...perhaps even today in about 7.5 hours.
• Jeff leaves on Tuesday. Matt leaves on Friday. Angela leaves next week. Ugh...what's a girl to do?

So, I think that's it. Well, that and this lady who is a frequent client at Massage Envy (a lady with whom I'm on a first name basis) slammed into my car sort of gently as I was leaving work yesterday. My door is a bit banged up, but at least the car still drives. Insurance never covers private parking lot mishaps, so I'll probably have to pay for at least half of it, but it could be so much worse. I really wanted a new car door anyway... (Joke.)

K, goodnight. Peas, love, and harmony. <3>*Pit is pretty much one of the best games ever.

Hahaaa!

Check out this gay picture of me that somehow made it up onto the Club Bang website from our trip there this past Saturday night.


Seriously, how'd I get to be so gay?

When I was young, I caught a glimpse...

Lots to say, not enough energy to say it. Plus, it is too sad. My friends have come and gone - everyone except for Alex, who is still in LA, enjoying her last moments in CA with Angela, while I am theoretically supposed to be studying for class...

Anyway, I just wanted to say that I have posted over 100 pictures on my SmugMug page capturing the extravagance of the past few days. You can brownse almost all of them by clicking here. (A few of them remain on my computer only to be seen by those individuals who star in them because they are really just that inappropriate/scandalous. Oh, well.)

On a final note, our entire trip can be summed up by that magical Mariah Carey song, "I'll Be There," which Allison dedicated to Jen, Angela, Alex, and me on the radio yesterday when she actually got on air with Michelle of KOST 103.5 "Love Songs on the Coast." (Think west-coast version of Delilah.) We sat around in Angela's kitchen for 3 hours last night while Allison put our hair in "piggies" just so we wouldn't miss the heartfelt radio dedication. It was pretty special in the way that very few things in life are.

I promise to fill you in on the past week or so of my life (including that momentous day that marked the 22nd year of my life) very, very soon. In the meantime, do enjoy the pictures. They are pretty silly.

Allison, Jen, Alex, and Angela: your hearts are forever mine. I looove you and miiiss you and regret only that we didn't have more time to spend with each other. You ladies are fine - I'll dance in the Hip Hop Room with all y'all any day, any time. Looooove!

Yesssss!

Today I got my second paycheck from Massage Envy. It is the largest paycheck I have ever received. No, not large as in the area that the check itself takes up, but large in the sense that the dollar amount was fairly nice. Then, of course, I had to pay my credit card bill and get gas... and I have to save up in anticipation of some very special people coming into town!!! Check this out: Alex Weiss is all lined up to arrive in CA on the 13th, then Jen Maurer decides she wants to join in the fun, too, so she's coming in on the 11th, and then Allison Kaylor finally got her act in gear and bought her ticket, so she's coming out on the 13th, too. So that's not one, not two, but three Smithees coming to HB/LA in less than a week! Let me tell you how I feel about that one:

AMAAAAAZING!

Ummm, so besides that, I have nothing terribly exciting to report. Except I did go to the Detroit Bar in Costa Mesa last night, which is apparently something of a hipster hang-out in this neck of the woods. The venue itself was quite lovely, I think I may even frequent it again! Too bad the band we went to see, Frausdots, was extremely disappointing live. Oh, well!

Okay, so that's it. Really and truly. I'll have more to say when I'm not so tired. I just got home from work, and...you know...that thing can be sort of tiring. Not tiring as in bored, but tiring as in it makes your body feel sleepy. Yeah. Sleeping is good. Final note:

ALEX, ALLISON, and JEN...OH, MY!

Haha, "Oh, My" is the name of a sex shop in Northampton. Casey Shevin and I were supposed to go there this semester, but we didn't. Cause she's a flake. (Psych! She's not a flake, she's my penpal!!!)

Oh, and one more thing - it's important to note that my co-host for the entertainment and enjoyment of the abovementioned ladies is Angela Serratore. Sometimes she puts obscenely large pictures in the comments section on peoples' MySpace profiles, but she's a fairly decent person aside from that. So decent, in fact, that I ventured to the valley on Wednesday to spend a joyous day with her. And how!

I've had that Usher song in my head all day...

Yes, I know it has been a while, and I also know that I haven't been good about posting in general ever since I got a job. I'm sorry (but not really). Life has actually been quite good. With the help of my new psychologist, a very pleasant job, and less downtime, things are really moving along quite nicely for me. Aside from the occassional anxiousness related to the question of how I'll get on without Smith, I've been feeling pretty positive lately, and living at home is sort of nice (for a change). At work they gave me a key within the first week, and they treat me like a champ. As silly as it sounds, it feels great knowing that I have a productive influence at my job and that I'm appreciated for my work. My bosses, Jodi and Carol, are seriously two of the raddest ladies I've ever met, and all the other receptionists and massage therapists that work in the office keep life interesting and fun.

Aside from work, I've sort of been trying to get out and about as best I can. It's hard to be proactive about leaving the house or not taking that nap, but I'm working on it. A few highlights/thoughts:

• I saw March of the Penguins with Dan and Matt, and I have an entirely new appreciation for penguins. Seriously, see it, and you'll be amazed. Penguins endure so much!
• I also saw I Am a Sex Addict, a Caveh Zahedi film, at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood. Caveh was there for a Q&A session, and the movie was extremely entertaining. The Pacific Design Center is also a fascinating place that I hope to frequent more often.
• My younger brother turned 18 this past Thursday. That was pretty exciting. He is rad, and tomorrow I think we might just go out to lunch.
• Today Matt and I ate at a fairly new BBQ restaurant downtown HB. The food was great, and walking around downtown, I felt lucky to live so close to the ocean.
• Alexandra Weiss (and *hopefully* Allison Kaylor) arrive in southern California a week from this coming Saturday. That is cause for commotion!!!
• I turn 22 next Tuesday. This makes me laugh because people think I'm 19 (or 16) all the time. Also, it's funny because another year makes me realize how long ago the 80s really were.
• Tomorrow, I plan on venturing to that place they call the valley to visit one Angela Serratore. It's been too long...

I think that's about it for now. Comment away, and I promise not to wait so long before I write again!

PS. I love Target!