Surviving Saturn Return

Join me in all my adventures as I approach the big 3-0. The planet Saturn takes 29.5 years to orbit the Sun; when it returns to the exact degree along the ecliptic it occupied at the time of a person's birth this is referred to as Saturn Return. Saturn is associated with fear, confusion, difficulty, accomplishment, reflection, and maturity. Astrologers believe that the 30th birthday is a major rite of passage and marks the "true beginning" of adulthood.

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Delicioso

Well I suppose it was bound to happen at some point. The Food Network finally created a show I am interest in watching. Ace of Cakes is awesome! All about this one bad ass who with his rag tag crew of friends (who also happen to be amazing artists) make these gorgeous cakes. Some of them are really intricate, and others are just downright festive. Like one of my favorites below:





You can also checkout Charm City Cakes' website. They have an unbelievable gallery of past artistic yumminess. I am quite excited to watch these guys continue to work. It's always such an inspiration to me when I see people like this. Not like I ever wanted to bake professionally before, but I just love seeing stuff like this. Chef Duff is a cool guy who just likes to bake and decorate pastries. So first I'm thinking, "wow, I'd love to meet that guy, and maybe date him" and then I'm thinking like "no, no, I really want to work for him," but now I guess I'm settling for watching him on TV. I do this. Try to find a way to realistically connect to people I am inspired by who might not be so acessible. I'm getting over it. ...I tried to convince my brother to order a cake for my sister-in-law's law school graduation this coming spring (the only occasion I can think of that could warrant a cake in the MD/DC areas) but he said it was too expensive. I offered to pay for my slice, but it didn't seem to make much of a difference. ...oh well. ...enjoy!



Thursday, August 10, 2006

Blah Blah the wedding was nice

now I'm sick. recovering from the stress of the weekend. it has taken a lot out of me. and this "cold" I managed to catch is taking more. I'm exhausted.

Yes, my dress looked great. Yes, my sister-in-law's friends thought I was cool. Yes, one of them tried to make out with me. ...Yes , it was fun seeing my nieces and aunts and cousins. there was crappy stuff to. She unknowingly used my favorite flower. The one that in the back of my head was something I thought I might use if I ever got married, and it would be so original. Now it's not only not orignal, but the photo albums would be right next to eachother on my parents' cofee table. ... and the chick that was asked to sing instead of me was also wearing a dress with ribbons on it. what are the odds? I think God was playing tricks on me. ...anyway, this is much more exciting:

From the Museum of Sex:


Now showing through September 20, 2006
The Presidential Bust of Hillary Rodham Clinton Starting August 9, 2006 The Presidential Bust of Hillary Rodham Clinton: The First Woman President of the United States of America will be officially open for public viewing for a limited six week run.Artist Daniel Edwards' inspiration for the piece was derived from actress Sharon Stone's controversial quote earlier in the year about challenges that would most likely be encountered should the Junior Senator from New York run on the '08 ticket. "I think Hillary Clinton is fantastic," Stone said. "But I think it is too soon for her to run. This may sound odd but a woman should be past her sexuality when she runs. Hillary still has sexual power and I don't think people will accept that. It's too threatening."The Museum of Sex is wholly dedicated to the exploration of the history, evolution and cultural significance of human sexuality. In keeping with this mission, the museum advocates open discourse and strives to present to the public the best in current scholarship unhindered by self-censorship. The Presidential Bust of Hillary Rodham Clinton: The First Woman President of the United States of America raises issues and questions our assumptions about celebrity, sex and politics in America.
The Presidential Bust of Hillary Rodham Clinton: The First Woman President of the United States of America will be on view through September 20, 2006.

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Families and Weddings and Travel, oh MY!

I get disapointed by people all the time. This is one of the curses of having tremendously high standards and always making sure to acheive them yourself. But I expected better from my sisters. My sisters who are of the same flesh and blood. The same standards and neuroses. What the hell happened?

We are a very musical family. We love singing. We're also generally pretty silly. It makes for a good deal of entertainment value whenever we are all together. So I jocularly suggest to my 2 older sisters that we do a little song at the "Welcome Dinner" Saturday night of the wedding weekend. And to get the ball rolling with ideas, I put forth a song from Stephen Sondheim's musical "COMPANY" called "The Little Things" here's a soundbite.

Here's the Lyrics (Skip this paragraph if you just want to know the story):
It's the little things you do together,
Do together,
Do together,
That make perfect relationships.
The hobbies you pursue together,
Savings you accrue together,
Looks you misconstrue together
That makes marriage a joy.
Mm-hm...
It's the little things you share together,
Swear together,
Wear together,
That make perfect relationships,
The concerts you enjoy together,
Neighbors you annoy together
Children you destroy together,
That keeps marriage intact.
It's not so hard to be married
When two maneuver as one,
It's not so hard to be married
And, Jesus Christ, is it fun.
It's sharing little winks together,
Drinks together,
Kinks together,
That makes marriage a joy.
The bargains that you shop together,
Cigarettes you stop together,
Clothing that you swap together,
That make perfect relationships.
Uh-huh...
Mm-hm...
It's not talk of God and the decade ahead that
Allows you to get through the worst
It's "I do" and "You don't" and "Nobody said that"
And "Who brought the subject up first?"
It's the little things, the little things, the little things
It's the little things, the little things, the little things
The little ways you try together,
Cry together,
Lie together,
That make perfect relationships.
Becoming a cliche together,
Growing old and gray together
Withering away together
That makes marriage a joy.
It's not so hard to be married,
It's much the simplest of crimes.
It's not so hard to be married,
I've done it three or four times.
It's people that you hate together,
Bait together,
Date together,
That make marriage a joy.
It's things like using force together,
Shouting till you're hoarse together,
Getting a divorce together,
That make perfect relationships
Uh-huh
Kiss, kiss
Mm-hm.



They are both very receptive. Neither has a better idea for the content and both are willing to do it. Fast forward a week, and I have gotten my brother's best friend (a piano genious) to agree to accompany us. My mother dug out my keyboard from my bedroom closet at her house (this was bought for sophomore year Piano 1 and 2 classes at the University of Arizona) and UPS'd to said best friend so he will have something to accompany us on (his portable needs a professional sound system). And most importantly, I have gone all the way up to Lincoln Center from my office in Murray Hill on the hottest summer day in years, to get to the NYPL Performing Arts Library so that I can copy the sheet music SO THAT I can sneak onto the company scanner SO THAT I can send PDF's to said best friend SO THAT he can be familiar with the music ahead of time AND my sisters and I can hold the music in our hands. Not to mention the emailed lyrics and links to sound clips, suggestions of places where my sisters can download the song for free or $0.99, reccommended going to their local library if they have time to listen to the song in its entirety a couple times, but also promising to bring my cd and diskman so they can listen in Denver this weekend as well. No requests came from me for choreography or harmonies or matching outfits. Just a willingness to follow up on what you already said sounded good to you.

AND NOW, they are both having doubts and second thoughts. Fuck that! Suck it up. Get it done. It's really not that hard to become familiar with something enough to sing your highlighted lines while holding the music and listening to the cues the piano will give you -not to mention the repetitive nature of the song, nor the fact that you will be up there with 2 other people!

Sheesh.