http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/ ...rock my socks... - LiveJournal.com Thu, 22 Nov 2012 10:10:48 GMT LiveJournal / LiveJournal.com charminglydaft_ 6087847 personal http://l-userpic.livejournal.com/25872471/6087847 http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/ 100 100 http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/44548.html Thu, 22 Nov 2012 10:10:48 GMT http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/44548.html this is for you, jacob. ugh. the things we do for love.<br /><br /><a name="cutid1"></a>[01] what's your first name? blakety<br />[02] middle name? rose<br />[03] last name? mcgee<br />[04] nicknames? blakety cakes, baby, creep<br />[05] age? 22<br />[06] gender? yep, a lot.<br />[07] birthday? march 12<br />[08] your sign? pisces<br />[09] where do you live? good question. oregon, i guess? and hadley.<br />[10] do you have a boyfriend/girlfriend? i have some sweethearts.<br />[11] if so what's her/his name? heh<br />[12] have you ever been in love? yes<br />[13] who are/were your crushes? jacob. i like how it asks "were," as if i could just list all the millions of people i've ever had crushes on.<br />[14] do you have any piercings, or want any piercings? yes<br />[15] if so what do you have/want pierced? have: septum, snakebites. i'd like an industrial.<br />[16] do you have a tattoo or want one? yeah<br />[17] if so what kind and where? i have a semicolon on my ankle, and i'm getting a douglas fir cone<br />[18] where do you shop at the most? new seasons.. <br />[19] what color is your hair? brown, surprisingly.<br />[20] what color are your eyes? brown and green<br />[21] how tall are you? 5'3 and three quarters<br />[23] do you smoke? i haven't in a week<br />[24] do your friends smoke? some of them<br />[25] who are your closest friends? i'm in a transitional friend period. probably jacob, spark, izzakate, molly, olana. emily and maya when we're in the same physical space but we lose touch easily.<br />[26] who are your friends? are you serious?<br />[27] who are your best friends online? that's a weird question<br />[28] do you like bath & body works? not really<br />[29] kind of shampoo and conditioner do you use? water. the water kind.<br />[30] is your hair short or long? short.<br />[31] do you like to shop? not particularly. i like to shoplift though.<br />[32] what sports do you play? field games.<br />[33] what turns you on? jacob.<br />[34] what turns you off? douchebags.<br />[35] what place do you go for fun? shows.<br />[36] what do you do for fun? hang out and talk. gawd i sound boring.<br />[37] how many phones do you have in your house? just my cell phone<br />[38] how many tv's do you have in your house? 1. actually i think my parents have another one upstairs. this is boring.<br />[39] what's your favorite food(s)? soup! with bread and butter.<br />[40] do you look like anyone famous? i've gotten ellen page a few times. no complaints here.<br />[41] do you think ricky martin is muy guapo (very handsome)? he was pretty suave for a while.<br />[42] who are the most attractive people you know? all my friends are foxes (jacob wrote that but i totes agree). also autry.<br />[43] are you a virgin? hah!<br />[44] do you wish to be like your parents? in ways, but mostly not. i've learned a lot from them and i am grateful for that.<br />[45] what cologne should a hot guy wear? ick. actually maybe old spice. it's not cologne but i like it.<br />[46] what are you listening to right now? the hum of the refridgerator. was the mountain goats earlier.<br />[47] what time is it? 1:16am<br />[48] how many hours per day do you spend talking on the phone? usually like .15, when jacob and i are across the country, like 5.<br />[49] do you have your own phone line? cell phone<br />[50] have you ever kissed someone of the opposite sex? someone was just telling me every time they hear the phrase "opposite sex" they are reminded of when they were a little kid and thought cats were the opposite of dogs.<br />[51] what are your favorite shoes? my high top vans &lt;3<br />[52] what kind of clothes do you sleep in? t-shirt and undies<br />[53] what's your favorite soda? maybe dr. pepper. or vanilla coke.<br />[54] what things do you say a lot? word.<br />[56] who is the coolest person in the world? jacob.<br />[57] do you think you're weird or funny? i think i'm weird. i would like to be funny.<br />[58] what would you prefer thong or bikini? never a thong<br />[59] who was the last person you called? jacob.<br />[60] where do you wanna get married? up yer butt<br />[61] who is the hottest girl/guy in your school? joey jeremiah<br />[62] what are your favorite girl names? evan<br />[63] what are your favorite guy names? guy<br />[64] what's your worst memory in the past 5 years? that's fucked up you don't get to ask me that. worst feeling in a moment though was probably when i saw stalgia's bike outside the hampshire library and got all ptsd-y.<br />[65] what's your favorite childhood memory? probably camp<br />[66] what is your favorite fast food restaurant? burgerville<br />[67] who do you really hate? shitty cis dudes. ralph hexter. kary aloveah.<br />[68] do you have any brothers and sisters? yeah!<br />[69] if so, names? earthan, molly, marcus, alexis<br />[70] do you have a pool? no<br />[71] do you have a spa? no. really?<br />[72] are you stupid? not usually.<br />[73] what are you addicted to? the thrill of the chase<br />[74] do you like jewelry? sometimes<br />[75] who do you wish you were? a more self-assured version of me.<br />[76] who has it easier, boys or girls? yes<br />[77] would you rather be short or tall? i'm pretty down with being short except it sucks at shows.<br />[78] do you like to dance? a lot!<br />[79] do you like playing pranks on people? if i can ever think of good ones that are not sketchy. which is very infrequent.<br />[80] what's your least favorite subject in school? homework. does that count?<br />[81] what's your favorite subject in school? probably fiction and hard sciences.<br />[82] what time is it? 1:26am<br />[83] what college do you wanna go to? i don't really. but probably hampshire. or evergreen.<br />[84] what school do you go to now? the outdoor school<br />[85] do you have a playstation or nintendo 64? used to<br />[85] if so, what are your favorite game: on those? n64--tetris sphere. that game was SO COOL. playstation--final fantasy VII<br />[87] do you sleep a lot? sort of. not at the right times though.<br />[88] what are your favorite radio stations? KBOO, Z100 (if only my high school self could see me saying that. hah!), wild 107.5<br />[90] are you a morning person? no but i like them if they catch me in the right mood.<br />[91] what's your favorite tv station? the N (does that still exist?)<br />[92] do you shave? no<br />[93] how often do you shower? once every week or two. or three.<br />[94] do you get along with your parents? yeah<br />[95] what room do you spend the most time in? basement/bedroom.<br />[96] how many rooms does your house have? a bunch but i don't go in most of them.<br />[97] what do you wanna be when you're out of school? a superhero.<br />[98] do you curse a lot? yes.<br />[99] are you ticklish? quite.<br />101] what are you wearing right now? skinny brown corduroys with a big hole in the butt (they're spark's), my kitchen syncopaters t-shirt, and the olive drag knit sweater that annika gave me. which is sort of also spark's. <br />[102] do you go to church? sometimes for midnight mass on easter. or when my grandparents are in town and my dad is in a persuasive mood.<br />[103] do you like the person who sent you this? obviously or i wouldn't be doing it.<br />[104] do you believe in god? in ways.<br />[105] do you like to watch pda's? not at all, actually.<br />[106] do you show pda? yes because i'm a hypocrite. <br />[107] do you believe in love at first sight? in ways.<br />[108] what color tooth brush do you use? blue and also i have a green one for ods<br />[109] how many times a day do you brush your teeth? two :)<br />[110] who is your favorite cartoon character? trent from daria.<br />[111] do you have a job? every so often.<br />[113] what's your favorite fruit? plum<br />[114] what's your favorite veggies? kale. or broccoli.<br />[115] what's your favorite candy? peanut m&m's<br />[116] what was the best day of your life so far? i have no idea.<br />[117] what are you gonna do today? hopefully talk to jacob. probably sleep way too late. go to some restaurant and eat thanksgiving food with mom and michael.<br />[118] are you momma's little angel? she seems to think so most of the time.<br />[119] do you wear body spray? ew<br />[120] who is the sweetest girl? jacob<br />[121] who is the sweetest guy? also jacob<br />[122] are you wearing nail polish now? obvs.<br />[123] if so, what color? pink with black crackle, in honor of TDOR<br />[124] how many rings or necklaces do you own? one ring to rule them all<br />[125] do you wear a watch? yes<br />[126] did/do you have braces? i did for a hot sec. i stopped wearing my retainer when they told me i would have to get braces again and i never looked back.<br />[127] are you tired? always<br />[129] do you have freckles? more like moles. i get freckles in summer.<br />[130] what are you thinking right now? "i wish jacob was awake"<br />[131] are you having fun? not particularly.<br />[132] what time is it? 1:39am<br />[133] who makes you laugh? jacob.<br />[134] who's your favorite teacher? jonathan westphal. or jan or tara in middle school. or margaret cerullo. i've had a lot of good teachers in my day.<br />[136] what is the best concert you have ever been to? oh man. so many. one of the most fun was franz ferdinand before they were too big that they had to play stadiums.<br />[137] what is your favorite dream? the ones that i wake up freaked out by because they feel like they have meaning.<br />[138] what is your worst dream? same.<br />[139] are you tired of filling this out yet? getting there.<br />[140] who of your friends do you think will get bored with this? i don't expect any of them to see it. except maybe wombat 'cause they claim to still use lj.<br />[141] who sent this lovely survey to you? jacob.<br />[142] what's your worst memory as a little kid? one time i was furious at my mom, like fuming mad, and i decided to get revenge for whatever it was she did to make me mad, so i took her eye shade mask thing for sleeping and was going to cut it in half, but then once i started i felt so incredibly guilty that i stopped and put it back under her pillow with a little slice in it and felt bad and cried about it.<br />[143] have you ever cheated on anyone/been cheated on? both.<br />[144] do you believe in santa claus? how exactly do you mean...<br />[145] do you believe in ghosts? i believe in something.<br /><br />what's better? choose one or neither<br /><br />[146] rap or r&b? both<br />[147] pop or rock? pop<br />[148] rock or metal? metal<br />[149] classical or jazz? jazz<br />[150] hanson or manson? hanson<br />[151] koRn or 311? i don't know what 311 is, so i think that.<br />[152] no doubt or garbage? oh shit that's hard. garbage i think.<br />[153] jewel or fiona apple? fiona apple.<br />[154] offspring or nine inch nails? nine inch nails!<br />[155] sugar ray or tool? i honestly have no idea.<br />[156] backstreet boys or *nsync? aren't they like kind of the same band though?<br />[157] joey mcintyre or jordan knight? i have no frame of reference.<br /><br />your opinions<br /><br />[158] what do you think about boy bands? never really got it until recently<br />[159] what do you think about country? good country is so good. radio country is so goofy.<br />[160] what do you think about heavy metal? remove the word "heavy" and i'm all there. heavy metal is just like, almost good.<br />[161] what do you think about rap? i can get into it.<br />[162] what do you think about r&b? reminds me of michael. i like this new allen stone kid.<br />[163] do you think nkotb are coming back? they did.<br /><br />yes or no or eh<br /><br />[164] like hanson? yes<br />[165] like *nsync? as of recently (last few years)<br />[166] like backstreet boys? same<br />[167] like koRn? no<br />[168] like orgy? don't know<br />[169] like sugar ray? don't know<br />[170] like metalica? eh, sometimes<br />[171] like no doubt? yes.<br />[172] like britney spears? YES.<br />[173] like aaron carter? eh.<br />[174] like b*witched? i don't know<br />[175] like joey mcintrye? don't know<br />[176] like jordan knight? don't know<br />[177] like busta rymes? eh<br />[178] like offspring? no<br />[179] like ricky martin? yes<br />[180] like coolio? don't know<br />[181] like janet jackson? eh<br />[182] like spice girls? hells to the yeah<br />[183] like all saints? i don't know<br />[184] like c-note? i don't know<br />[185] like 98�? yeah<br />[186] like 5ive? don't know<br />[187] like tlc? yes<br />[188] like take 5? i don't know<br />[189] like moffats? don't know<br />[190] like jennifer love hewit? no<br />[191] like dixie chicks? yeah<br />[192] like mariah carey? yes<br />[193] like eyc? i don't know<br />[194] like brandy? yeah<br />[195] like eminem? eh, sometimes<br />[196] like shania twain? eh<br />[197] like monica? yeah<br />[198] like mya? sure<br />[200] like blessed unions of soul? i don't know<br />[201] like bare naked ladies? eh<br />[202] like robbie williams? no<br />[203] like sixpence none the richer? don't know<br />[203 MORE] like limp bizkit? no<br />[203a] do you like the beach boys? sure<br />[203b] do you like def leppard? nah<br />[203c] do you like whitesnake? don't know<br />[203d] do you like queen? yeah<br />[203e] do you like elton john? sure<br />[203f] do you like R�KETMAN? dunno<br />[203g] do you like depeche mode? yeah<br />[204] how many cd's do you have? not many anymore. they all disappeared when i got an ipod.<br />[205] what cd's are in your cd player? nothing but in my tape deck is the mix jacob made me &lt;3<br />[206] how many tapes do you have? like 15ish i think<br />[207] do you own videos of your favorite group? i think i have a franz ferdinand dvd somewhere. maybe also a tegan and sara one.<br />[208] do you record your favorite group when they're on tv? i probably would if they were on austin city limits or something. does that still exist?<br />[209] are you obbsessed with your favorite group/singer/band? not currently, though jacob is sucking me in a little.<br />[210] what's the oldest group/singer you are still listening to? suzanne vega my whole life pretty much. same with dar williams. also thelonius monk (since i was in the womb) and john coltrane.<br />[211] are most of your friends music freaks? yes although i would never use that term.<br />[212] what do you think of the girls and the whole teeny bopper thing? creeps me out a little<br />[213] have you ever paid for a pay-per-view? no<br />[215] do you ever buy merchandise of your favorite group? i'm trying to more 'cause i like band t-shirts and i am stingier than i need to be.<br />[216] what tv station is better...mtv or vh1? mtv 'cause it has jersey shore<br />[217] what is the worst show on mtv? that one about weddings.<br />[218] what is the best show on mtv? jersey shore obvs<br />[219] if you could marry any music person who would it be? carly rae<br />[220] what is the worst cd you own? i'm sure i should have a really good answer to this one but i can't think of it.<br />[221] what's your favorite movie soundtrack? where the wild things are<br />[222] friend(s) that looks most like you? canoe, apparently. at ods everyone gets us confused.<br />[223] friend(s) you go to for advice? jacob, annika, olana, izzakate<br />[224] friend(s) you have the most fun with? em singer, olana, maya<br />[225] friend(s) you can do nothing with and still have fun with? jacob, olana, izz<br />[226] friend(s) you've dreamt about? lots of them.<br />[228] friend(s) you tell your secrets to? jacob. izz. mical.<br />[229] boxers or briefs? briefs<br />[230] long or short hair? mixture<br />[231] dark or blonde? dark with dyed bits<br />[232] tall or short? a little tallish<br />[234] mr. sensitive or mr. funny? are those mutually exclusive?<br />[236] dark or light eyes? bright<br />[237] hat or no hat? depends on the person<br />[238] ears pierced or no? yes i like getting earrings for people<br />[239] tan or fair? sunkissed<br />[240] freckles or none? freckles!<br />[241] stubble or neatly shaved? stubble as long as it's not scratchy<br />[242] rugged outdoorsy type or sportsy type? outdoorsy<br />[243] all american, homey g, or grunge? queer punx are hawt<br />[245] accent or american? come on.<br /><br />on preferences<br /><br />[246] mt. dew or surge? mt dew<br />[247] mcdonalds or burger king? bk<br />[248] coke or pepsi? pepsi<br />[249] rather marry the perfect lover or perfect friend? i don't...<br />[250] sweet or sour? both<br />[251] chocolate or vanilla? chocolate<br />[252] tea or coffee? tea<br />[253] sappy/action/comedy/horror? sappy obvs<br />[254] cats or dogs? cats duhh<br />[256] cool ranch or nacho cheese? cool ranch<br />[257] mud or jello wrestling? mud<br />[258] with or without ice-cubes? with<br />[260] milk/dark/white chocolate? dark<br />[261] shine or rain? rain <br />[262] top or bottom? bottom..<br />[263] favorite season? maybe fall<br />[264] strawberry or cherry? strawberry<br />[265] skiing or boarding? skiing<br />[267] cake or cookies? cookies<br />[268] cereal or toast? cereal<br />[269] car or truck? truck<br />[270] night or day? i'm crepuscular<br />[271] gloves or mittens? mittens<br />[272] pager or cell phone? cell phone<br />[273] bunk bed or waterbed? bunk bed<br />[274] chewing gum or hard candy? gum<br />[275] motor boat or canoe? canoe<br />[276] lights on or off? mood lighting<br /><br />what's your favorite? <br /><br />[277] what's your favorite color? rainbow<br />[278] what's your favorite number? 14<br />[279] what's your favorite drink? bubble tea<br />[280] what's your favorite animal? cat<br />[281] what's your favorite holiday? passover<br />[282] what's your favorite quote? "shit's fucked up and bullshit."<br />[283] what's your favorite sound? a peacock's mating cry<br />[284] what's your favorite ice cream flavor? mint chocolate chip<br />[285] what's your favorite song ever? there's no way. <br />[286] what's your favorite book? empress of the world<br />[287] what's your favorite movie? nightmare before christmas, but i'm a cheerleader<br />[288] what's your favorite tv show? skins, gossip girl, modern family, friday night lights, misfits<br />[289] what's your favorite radio station? YOU ALREADY ASKED ME THIS QUESTION<br />[290] what's your favorite place? camp namanu<br />[291] what's your favorite game? scattegories or boggle or cranium<br />[292] what's your favorite scent? pheromone.<br />[293] what's your favorite food? YOU ALSO ALREADY ASKED ME THIS ONE.<br />[294] what's your favorite shape? octagon.<br />[295] what's your favorite texture? fur.<br />[296] what's your house gonna look like? the yellow house<br />[298] how many kids do you want? maybe a couple, eventually. i struggle with this decision.<br /><br />on relationships <br /><br />[299] what does your ideal girlfriend/boyfriend look like? i don't... leave me alone.<br />[300] how do they act? ...<br />[301] where is your dream date? getting sweaty at a show and making out or something<br />[302] do you like to call or be called? be called.<br />[304] move anywhere, where would it be? everywhere<br />[305] what time is it now? 2:09am OH FUCK ARE YOU SERIOUS?? I JUST SPENT AN HOUR ON THIS SHIT.<br /><br />i hate you jacob. <a name='cutid1-end'></a> http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/44548.html man overboard -- i like you man overboard -- i like you apathetic public 1 http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/44306.html Thu, 22 Nov 2012 04:42:15 GMT http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/44306.html man i have to run an errand. i just want to waste away on my computer all day feeling sorry for myself because i'm the same piece of shit i have been since i was 15. but instead i have to leave the house and it's not even raining. i should write this on livejournal, sounds just like the shit i wrote 7 years ago. boo. http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/44306.html the mountain goats - you or your memory the mountain goats - you or your memory self-pity public 0 http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/44266.html Sun, 03 May 2009 07:40:20 GMT http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/44266.html i want to get really mad at someone. i want to yell at them and cry and punch them and maybe throw things. that is the kind of mood i'm in. the mood that usually ends up in breaking my phone or slamming my door or snapping at my parents or something wholly unsatisfying like that.<br /><br />it was such a weird week. i feel like i got dumped. it really dragged me down this week. i haven't gotten drunk in over two weeks. that might be part of it. i just feel like shit. most of the time spent with friends this week has been really good, but every time i'm alone i just fall into this pit of anxiety and sadness. i've asked people to rescue me in the middle of the night twice. i've been avoiding people i don't know how to deal with. i'm really nervous to go back to outdoor school tomorrow because last week was so hard and so unrewarding it wiped me out. this week was supposed to be my recovery time but instead i spent it flip-flopping through emotions and putting things off. i'm exhausted instead of refreshed.<br /><br />i've been coasting for so long now that i feel like everything is going to come crashing down very soon. in fact, i think this may be the beginning. (of course, on a fixie you can't coast.. maybe i should start living more dangerously.) i keep pretending that if i just ignore consequences and do the things that make me happy then the consequences won't exist, but i've never been sure that was true.<br /><br />i miss a lot of people right now, and i feel like that's wrong. i don't need to miss them- they're still here. http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/44266.html myspace.com/theautry myspace.com/theautry public 0 http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/43872.html Thu, 26 Feb 2009 23:08:02 GMT http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/43872.html the other day i was babysitting and the six-year-old asked me if i believe in christ. she said she believes in christ, and that makes her a christian. i told her i didn't know. there are many things i could have said to that girl, but her mother was still there, and watching me, and i froze up. i had no idea what to say. its not really my place to talk to her about religion, is it?<br /><br />i think i will talk to her about it next time.<br /><br />i am trying to understand why it is so much easier for me to focus on and deal with trivial things, or things that only pertain to my life at this very moment, than to do the things that are going to benefit the rest of my life, or at least my semi-distant future. i have been avoiding scholarship applications like the plague. instead of applying to get money for school, i have been scouring facebook for various trifles of information, having drunken adventures, and sorting through relational bullshit to try to find out where it is each of my relationships is going. i would much prefer to do any of these things than to fill out applications. this madness needs to stop. the osac is due on monday. i'm screwed.<br /><br />in other news, i've decided to start using livejournal again. i'm not writing these days, and i think it.. what's the word.. "hace falta" in my life. it is missing, lacking. anyway, a journal is the easiest way to start writing again. plus if its online, i can't lose it. and i like comments.<br /><br />now i have to go to my fiddle lesson. i will come back later and bitch and moan and write a stereotypical fuck everything livejournal rant. it will be great, just you wait. http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/43872.html distant public 0 http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/43586.html Thu, 26 Feb 2009 01:46:52 GMT http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/43586.html tuesday, feb 24, 2009. 11:34pm.<br />i recently realized how important it is to my mental health for it to rain in portland. it has been such a dry winter, one of intense emotion and drastic actions. it can be very stressful at times. even the good can be overwhelming, and the bad, especially, can cause that panicky ache deep in my stomach. but the rain... it just soothes everything. its like a hot cup of tea with honey on a sore throat; it washes away the pain and fills me with peace. yesterday, when i woke up to the pitter-patter outside my window i breathed a sigh of relief and realized: this is what has been missing from my life. the endless grey, the gusts of wind through tree branches and windchimes, the tap tap tapping of the raindrops on fallen gutters and trash can lids. this is exactly what i needed.<br /><br />i walked all day/evening/night today. i couldn't get enough of the warm wetness of the earth, the quiet of the city, listening to the drips of water land on my hood. i am happy. http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/43586.html "i am happy" by Bitch "i am happy" by Bitch feliz public 1 http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/43397.html Thu, 26 Feb 2009 01:44:33 GMT http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/43397.html sunday, feb 22, 2009. 10:46pm.<br />so today we were in the grocery store and we walked by the jello and we were like, "oh, we have to get some pudding mix for the bread" and there was a woman standing by the jello who heard us and was like "are you girls making the amish bread, too?" and she was holding the instructions for the amish friendship bread.<br /><br />if anyone wants some of this starter, please let me know. we now have a surplus.<br /><br />also, i find it very difficult to believe that the amish use INSTANT pudding mix in their BREAD. but it is tasty anyway. http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/43397.html hungry public 0 http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/43145.html Wed, 05 Nov 2008 10:18:12 GMT http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/43145.html could it be? obama is going to be our president. i still don't really believe it. like maybe when i wake up in the morning it will turn out that oh just kidding he can't be president because <u>fill in the blank</u>. i didn't realize until he actually was elected that i was convinced it wasn't going to happen. they stole the election the last two times, what was preventing them from doing it again? i Definitely didn't expect him to win by such a huge landslide. obama got more than twice as many electoral votes as mccain! this gives me <i>so much hope</i> for this country. so much more than i had. i didn't think people could do it. my "america" glass just went from half empty to half full. for the first time since i was ten, <b>i am proud of my country.</b><br /><br />why am i so happy that he was elected? i never got So in to his campaign that i volunteered or even went to his rallies. i talked about how people had too much faith in him, that people looked to him as the be-all end-all but that he can't answer all of our prayers. i still don't think that he can/will solve all of our nation's problems. but i definitely think that he will try. i don't agree with him on every issue, and i'm scared of some things he may try to do, but i really believe that he has the capacity to <i>listen to the people,</i> and that he will try to serve US, and that maybe WE THE PEOPLE will once more have a say in what happens in our country.<br /><br />but the best part of all of this, the best thing to come out of this election, in my opinion, is this:<br /><br /><b>people are so happy.</b><br /><br />i was walking up division tonight, past the obama headquarters, etc, and almost everyone i passed was happy and shouting and dancing and said something to me about what a happy night it was and how much we have to look forward to. people honked as they drove by, the shouted out of the windows "healthcare for everyone!!" and we all hollered our support back to them. so many honks, so many shouts, so many fireworks and parties and such a good feeling in the air.<br /><br />maybe this was what it took to bring our country together. to bring our PEOPLE together.<br /><br />yes we did. http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/43145.html blue cranes blue cranes ecstatic! public 2 http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/42954.html Fri, 23 Nov 2007 07:03:56 GMT http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/42954.html Below is a request from PCASC activist Megan Hise who has been living<br />in Venezuela for the last year. She has been working closely with the<br />workers at the Sanitarios Maracay porcelain factory, and urges<br />immediate action in support of these workers. In this case, we can<br />honestly make a difference. <a name="cutid1"></a><br />Shizuko, PCASC coordinator<br /><br /><br />From the Desk(top) of Megan Hise<br />PCASC activist, Caracas, Venezuela<br />November 20, 2007<br /><br />Solidarity with Sanitarios Maracay<br />$2000 dollars by December 4th. Just do it.<br /><br />In November of last year, 800 workers of a large porcelain<br />manufacturing facility in Maracay, Venezuela found themselves out of a<br />job. The boss had come to them, and rather than deliver their required<br />end-of-year bonuses, announced the closure of the facility. He would<br />need at least a few more months to come up with the scratch to pay up,<br />and if he did reopen the plant, there would be some conditions. Like<br />what? Like rejecting the collective bargaining agreement, all of the<br />gains of the struggles of recent years after giving the old company<br />union the boot, and winning a new, rank-n-file driven, class-conscious<br />union. <br /><br />Every December, working class Venezuelans receive their "utilities," a<br />portion of their hourly wage that is reserved for the end of the year.<br />It’s also a time when everyone takes their holiday vacations.<br />Christmas, they say, smells like fresh paint. Why? Because that’s when<br />working people have the free time and disposable income to spend on<br />house repairs, new shoes for the kids, and la hallaca (the special dish<br />of the Christmas season). After a year of just scraping by on a<br />miserable salary, these end-of-year bonuses allow for a fresh start the<br />next year. But last year, according to the bosses, there was no money<br />to pay out these bonuses.<br /><br />Whether the company was really headed towards financial ruin is<br />debatable. Workers tell stories of years of tremendous exploitation<br />coinciding with extravagant capital investment in the property. They<br />describe cooperate decisions that make one wonder, are they just stupid<br />or are they trying to turn this ship under? Rumors circulate about the<br />boss's political motives: After all, Alvaro Pocaterra participated in<br />the bosses’ lockout of 2002 that all but crippled the economy in<br />November (again, notice the time of year) of 2001, with the aim of<br />destabilizing the Chavez administration. One thing is certain. When<br />the workers began to organize and fight for their rights, the<br />union-busting campaign began.<br /><br />Back to November 2006. Having recovered from a similar stunt by the<br />boss earlier that year and a 1942 occupation of the facilities, taking<br />over the factory again was not a far-fetched plan. Factory occupations<br />are a common tactic around here, like sit down strikes back in the day.<br />Gotta make sure the bosses and their lackeys don’t destroy the factory<br />in the meantime. But the Worker Assembly in November had something else<br />in mind. Having solicited the expertise of Marxist comrades in the<br />movement, especially a worker organizer from Brazil's recovered factory<br />movement, the strategy was kicked up a notch. The workers would not<br />just maintain watch on the premises. They would resist- by working, by<br />continuing to produce. They would survive from the sales of porcelain<br />bathroom suites to the surrounding community. They elected a factory<br />committee, which included rank-file union leaders.<br /><br />For nine months this Workers Council managed production, sales,<br />finances, and mobilization. The 600 manual laborers of Sanitarios<br />Maracay ran the factory without the boss, without the help of the<br />government, and with the former office employees and supervisors<br />continually trying to sabotage the struggle. There were serious<br />obstacles including the bad debts of the boss, the difficulties of<br />procuring imported raw material with little capital, and unclear legal<br />terrain.<br /><br />For the workers most involved, the installations became home. Four<br />meals a day served hot, all medical expenses covered as needed, rides<br />to and from work in the recovered company ambulance. All for one. One<br />for all. We. Ours. Together. Whether planting grass on company premises<br />just to make the place look less sterile and more livable, or standing<br />up to the state police and National Guard trying to repress their right<br />to protest, the workers most active in the fight developed a level of<br />political awareness and social consciousness far above the fight for<br />backwages and retirement pay. Suddenly, their form of resistance,<br />control obrero (worker control), became in and of itself the goal.<br /><br />Of course there were setbacks. Big ones. After the brutal highway<br />standoff with the authorities of the state of Aragua and the subsequent<br />regional strike by the major union federation, the National Assembly<br />moved to declare the company of strategic national interest, and agreed<br />to recommend that President Chavez expropriate the factory. It did not<br />happen. Intrigue, sabotage, worn-out, beat-down workers. There have<br />been many setbacks. See<br /><a href='http://www.handsoffvenezuela.org/sanitarios_maracay_under_attack.htm' rel='nofollow'>http://www.handsoffvenezuela.org/sanitarios_maracay_under_attack.htm</a><br />for more details.<br /><br />But the injustice continues, and so does the struggle. After<br />successfully exploiting the attrition and internal division between the<br />manual laborers and white collar employees, fomenting a mutiny against<br />the worker-leadership, the Ministry of Labor has not made good on its<br />promises to ensure the boss pays what’s owed. Since August, workers<br />have not been producing, but have been selling the inventory and<br />transferring the revenue to the owner. In return, they receive a weekly<br />stipend. It is a ceasefire until a suitable settlement offer is made. <br />After such a long, visceral struggle, the past few months have been<br />depressing. The former workers council and allies within the plant were<br />banished. They moved across the highway to an independently manageable,<br />separate part of the Sanitarios Maracay Installations factory. There,<br />they have been waiting to see what would be the outcome of the<br />strategy, the mutiny, imposed by the boss and the complicit Ministry of<br />Labor. But it hasn't worked out. The workers have decided that it is<br />time to make a move, time to go back to work.<br /><br />The 60 workers most committed to the struggle, to their socialist<br />project, to fighting with and for the working class for a decent<br />quality of life, are ready to start up production in Sani Plasti<br />(separate from the principal plant). Control Obrero continues.<br /><br />We are counting on the support of the UNT (major union federation) of<br />Aragua, rank-n-file workers across Venezuela, other occupied and self<br />managed factories, and international solidarity activists who recognize<br />the importance of this historical moment in Venezuela. We need clear<br />examples of successful self-managed factories, of workers without<br />bosses, of workers sharing decision-making and profit with their<br />communities- the collaboration of the community councils and the worker<br />council.<br /><br />The workers of MANPA, the neighboring factory to Sanitarios Maracay in<br />San Miguel were recently in at a stand-off with their boss.<br />Negotiations were going nowhere. What did they do? They suggested to<br />their employer that if he didn't sit down and bargain in good faith,<br />they were going to open up a can- Sanitarios Maracay style. You can<br />imagine what happened next. He sat down and settled. Likewise in<br />Cativen, also in Aragua, the workers in a moment of struggle called up<br />their UNT buddies of Sanitarios Maracay who arrived at the factory and<br />stood up to the police in solidarity with their brothers and sisters of<br />Cativen. Trembling at the reputation of the workers of SM, or rather,<br />the growing solidarity demonstrated in that action, the boss dropped to<br />his knees. Week after week, the bosses of Aragua are demonstrating a<br />concerted effort to destroy the organization of workers and the<br />collective bargaining agreement. The only left to prove is that workers<br />can organize and fire their boss.<br /><br />We have the opportunity to contribute now to a Project that has already<br />made waves in Venezuela and around the world. Let us be relevant to one<br />of the most important worker's struggles in one of the most exciting<br />social movements of our time!!!<br /><br />Today at 11am I received a call confirming that the workers of Sani<br />Plasti are moving ahead with their plan. They are starting up<br />worker-controlled production. After a year of struggle and strike pay<br />used up, their access to resources is limited. We can help. <br /><br />Solidarity with Sanitarios Maracay.<br />$2000 dollars by December 4th.<br />Just do it.<br /><br />**To donate please write a check to the Portland Central America<br />Solidarity Committee with Sanitarios Maracay in the memo line. You can<br />mail checks to: PCASC, 311 N. Ivy St., Portland, OR, 97227. Or, feel<br />free to stop by and drop off your check or cash at our office to<br />Shizuko Hashimoto, PCASC coordinator. Time is of the essence! Email<br />info@pcasc.net if you are interested in donating through PayPal. **<br /><br /><br />Portland Central America Solidarity Committee (PCASC)<br />and Cross Border Labor Organizing Council (CBLOC)<br />311 N. Ivy St., Portland, Oregon 97227<br />Tel: 503-236-7916 E-mail: info@pcasc.net<br />www.pcasc.net<br /><a name='cutid1-end'></a><br />Shizuko, PCASC coordinator http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/42954.html public 0 http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/42740.html Wed, 07 Nov 2007 23:11:34 GMT http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/42740.html this is very important.<br /><a name="cutid1"></a><br /><br />this is an email i got from the US Campaign for Burma:<br /><br />As we mentioned last week, Congressman Tom Lantos (D-CA) introduced new sanctions to cut off major revenue from Burma's military junta. The Block Burmese JADE (Junta's Anti- Democratic Efforts) Act of 2007 has the power to force the regime to negotiate with Burma's democracy leaders and Ethnic nationalities. We must show the people of Burma that the U.S. is taking action to support their calls for freedom, democracy and human rights. Call your Representative today asking them to support the Block Burmese JADE Act! Organize your community to call in as well. Contact details for your Representative below.<br /><br />What the Act Does:<br /><br />The regime makes hundreds of millions of dollars each year off the sale of gems. More than 90 percent of the world's rubies and fine-quality jade comes from Burma. The new sanctions will crack down on the regime's practice of avoiding U.S. sanctions by laundering gemstones through third countries before they are sold.<br /><br />Chevron with a large investment in natural gas in Burma, provides the regime with huge cash flows. They have also escaped sanctions - until now! This bill will target Chevron's payments to the regime and their ability to claim tax deductions on those payments. <br /><br />This Act also freezes the assets of Burmese political and military leaders, prevents Burma from using U.S. financial institutions via third countries to launder the funds of those leaders or their immediate families, and prohibits Burmese officials involved in the violent suppression of protesters from receiving visas to the United States.<br /><br /> "This legislation will turn off a huge cash spigot for the thuggish Burmese regime," Lantos said. "If my colleagues come together and act quickly to pass these new sanctions, we can put an end to huge profits for the junta and its unscrupulous middle-men. We must ensure that the sale of some of the Earth's most beautiful natural resources does not continue to enable the horrors inflicted upon the people of Burma."<br /><br />Burma also uses third countries to access the U.S. banking system. These overseas banks process accounts in and through the United States for Burma's rulers, providing the regime with much-needed hard currency. The regime uses these funds to purchase weapons and luxury goods, while the bulk of Burma's population lives in poverty.<br /><br />Lantos' legislation tightens existing sanctions to prevent Burma's military rulers from profiting from sales to the United States, and blocks access to the U.S. financial system not just for Burmese human rights violators but also to those who provide the regime with banking services.<br /><br />The Block Burmese JADE (Junta's Anti-Democratic Efforts) Act of 2007, if passed, would be the strongest action yet that the U.S. takes to pressure Burma's military regime to negotiate with Burma's democracy leaders and ethnic nationalities.<br /><br />Contact information:<br /><br />To find out whom your individual representative is go to this website and type in your zipcode, <a href='http://www.house.gov' rel='nofollow'>http://www.house.gov</a> . Once there, enter your zip code in the "Find your representative" box in the top left corner of the screen.<br />Once you know whom your representative is - use the list below to contact your representative's Foreign Affairs staffer. If s/he is not there leave a message and ask her/him to call you back. Call today and call every day until you get an answer!<br /><br />Already a cosponsor:<br />Congressman David Wu (Democrat, 1st district)<br /><br />Still need:<br />Congressman Greg Walden (Republican, 2nd district), contact staffer: Lauren Flynn at 202-225-6730<br />Congressman Earl Blumenauer (Democrat, 3rd district), contact staffer: Judah Ariel at 202-225-4811<br /> Remind his staffer that he cosponsored the renewal of the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act earlier this year and in previous years, should continue his support<br />Congressman Peter DeFazio (Democrat, 4th district), contact staffer: Travis Joseph at 202-225-6416<br /> Remind his staffer that he cosponsored the renewal of the Burmese Freedom Democracy Act earlier this year and in previous years, should continue his support<br />Congresswoman Darlene Hooley (Democrat, 5th district), contact staffer: Aaron Lande at 202-225-5711<br /><br />To add their name as a cosponsor:<br />Let them know that to co-sponsor they should contact Eric Richardson at the Committee on Foreign Affairs office at eric.richardson@mail.house.gov or 225-5021.<br /><br />Talking Points for Staffer:<br />- Tell the staffer you want your representative to co-sponsor the Block Burmese JADE Act of 2007<br />- Give her/him proof that this policy works. It cuts off hundreds of millions of dollars to the regime and will specifically target the top generals' finances. <br />- Mention that the military junta still deserves sanctions. On top of brutally crushing thousands of peaceful demonstrators, including monks, the military regime has destroyed more than 3,000 villages. It has forcibly displaced more than half a million people inside Burma as well as causing a million refugees to flee across the border to neighboring countries and has made no efforts to move toward democracy.<br />- Let her/him know it is important to send a strong signal to the regime that the US government will continue to keep American money out the hands of the junta.<br />- This is not the only action being taken against Burma. On top of many diplomatic efforts, the EU has imposed new sanctions, as well as Australia, and even Japan has decreased aid to Burma. <br />- Finally ask the staffer to call you back when your representative has co-sponsored the Block Burmese JADE Act. Important: Leave your phone number!<br />Let him/her know that his/her constituents care about Burma!<br /><br />Check up to see if they cosponsor:<br />It's easy to check and see if they follow through and agree to cosponsor. THOMAS, the Library of Congress' congressional records database updates a list of all information on legislation. Click on this link to find out who has signed as cosponsors,<br /><br />Please let me know when you have contacted your Representative and how it went - thelma@uscampaignforburma.org. These new sanctions will hit the regime where it hurts. <br /><a name='cutid1-end'></a><br /><br />call your rep. http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/42740.html public 0 http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/42443.html Thu, 21 Jun 2007 19:41:59 GMT http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/42443.html En qué fecha estamos? Ya no me acuerdo. Ni siquiera me acuerdo qué día es. Lunes. Hoy era lunes, sé porque me olvidé de irme al colegio a ver mis papeles. Lunes el 18 de junio. Hoy se fue la Maikie. Mareike, de alemania. Estaba en esta familia antes. Hoy tarde se fue a guayaquil, y en la mañana se va a alemania, via peru creo, algo mas en europa, y frankfurt, y en carro dos horas a su casa. Ayer se fue la Lani. No lo puedo creer. It's like it just doesn't register in my head. Like it's not real. None of this is real. Portland doesn't exist. Lo soñé todo. Portland, mi niñez, MLC EMS Buckman Cleveland New Day.. I dreamt it all and it was a great dream and I'd like to fall asleep again and go back into it and then wake up again and go back to sleep again and I promise I can handle living both lives. The thing is, even if/when we come back to visit, of course we'll visit our families and our Ecuadorian friends but we won't have each other. It's not like we can come back and jump back into our lives how they were because we are such a part of each others' lives, but we won't be here together.<br />Of course I'm looking forward to going back, for many reasons, and I've talked on the phone recently with both my parents, Earthan, Ari, Spark, Izzakate, Sam Jackson, Max, and Ethan Cohn, (edit: now Izabelle as well), which makes me much more excited... but I'm so unsure. To put it very simply, I cannot even pretend to imagine what it'll be like. The truth is, I'm as scared to leave as I was to come, and maybe even more. This is something we never covered in all those Rotary orientations. It's very unfamiliar ground, I've never felt anything like this, ever. And it scares the hell out of me. http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/42443.html mano negra- soledad mano negra- soledad pensive public 8 http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/42239.html Fri, 04 May 2007 23:57:45 GMT http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/42239.html this is an email i just sent to the new outbound on her way to ecuador this upcoming year, and i thought y'all might be interested in reading it. loves!<br /><br />hey my name is maya. i'm in ecuador right now, in cuenca. cuenca is super chill, the word in spanish is tranquilo but it doesnt really translate so well... cuenca is a good place to end up because its pretty big (the third largest city in ecuador, but way smaller than guayaquil and quito). its smaller than portland, but big enough that its fun to explore. its a UNESCO world heritage site, and theres always lots of tourists, especially in december for "el pase del niño" parade and whatnot. it is absolutely beautiful and very historic (there are incan ruins downtown...) and colonial. you see a lot of native people walking around in their traditional clothes, very brightly colored, and washing their clothes in the river. there are 4 rivers in cuenca, and the word "cuenca" in spanish means river basin. it is just gorgeous and there are some great museums so i highly recommend visiting.<br /><br />the thing about rotary, at least here, is that everyone is upper class. this can be a good thing, because you know everything is clean and safe and everything, but it gets really tiring. from my experience, the upper class of the world is all pretty westernized. it gets to a point where you have to go out of your way for a cultural experience. i'm just letting you know so you can be prepared, there are upsides and downsides. they say they are "middle class" but there isnt really a middle class here so much, there is basically poor or rich.<br /><br />as far as school goes, i really dont like school but only because its really boring and drab and kind of depressing. the people are really friendly and accepting though and it wasnt really a problem at all. exchange students arent really expected to do work or anything, but it gets really boring not doing anything. also, on the coast the school year is like opposite from the year in the mountains and the US, so if you end up on the coast most of your time there will be vacation. one thing that kind of bothers me is that in the states the exchange students are always the cool people that everyone wants to be friends with, but here they are just kind of used to foreign people, especially americans. my school is a catholic all-girls school, which is difficult because a lot of the students are very ..artificial but i was able to make a lot of good friends and the girls who arent my friends dont bother me at all. it is also difficult because i am not catholic... i dont know what religion you are but it is a very catholic country. they havent tried to convert me or anything, although we do have 2 religion classes, one which is taught by a nun, and singing class in which we learn religious songs.<br /><br />ecuadorian kids, at least in cuenca, dont really "hang out" a lot. they like to do things. there is a party almost every weekend, although they are usually paid parties that cost 3-5 dollars. when there isnt a party they go to the movies or a discotheque. they do hang out at the mall sometimes, in the food court. it is actually pretty ridiculous going to the mall on a friday evening because the food court is absolutely PACKED with teenagers, eating ice cream or talking or waiting for someone else so they can go wherever it is they're going. they also like to dress up. i mean not fancy fancy but they go to parties in heels and all made up and with their hair done, and they even sometimes dress like that for the mall... if you do have friends that like to just hang out though ("dar vueltas" is what they say, like pass around the town) it is nice to see the sites and everything. it is good to have at least one friend with a car if you are in a bigger town like cuenca or big city like quito or guayaquil. the driving age is 18 but age isnt really a big thing here. for example it is not weird for a 16-year-old girl to be dating a 20-year-old guy or even older. the other way around its a little bit wierd though.. but not unheard of. or illegal. lets see what else... i dont know if you drink, but a lot of kids drink a lot here. the legal drinking age is also 18, but they never check id. even if you dont drink the not-checking of id is great because you can go to whatever bar or discotheque you want and its okay. oh thats another thing! they dance here SO MUCH. at every party there is always a dance floor and thats like the main thing you do at parties is dance, and they go to discos or nightclubs too. my school friends dont go to too many discos, but dancing is definitely a big thing. they dance "reggaeton" which you may or may not have heard, its a type of music kind of like rap but with a really strong and distinct beat.<br /><br />rotary here is different. i mean, in portland i went to my meetings as often as i could (they were during school or i would have gone every week) and i was pretty involved. here on the other hand, the exchange students are not officially invited to the meetings. every week the "ladies" of the club (basically the wives) have a meeting/tea and we are expected to go to that.. although we did get the chance to participate in an amazing project, in which the rotary club brought dentists from canada here with portable equipment and such and went around to elementary schools in little villages where the people are living in almost complete poverty (ecuador is a third world country after all) and did free dental work on all the kids. it was sad to see all these children in such a bad situation, and with so many dental problems at such a young age, but it was incredible to be able to make a difference.<br /><br />as far as the trips go, they are just about the best thing ever. all the exchange students get to be such great friends because you can all relate to each other so well, and the trips are basically just big parties, plus you get to see other parts of the country. i recommend going on all of them, even though there are 5 and only 2 of them are free. i am going to the galapagos in about a week and i am SO excited, there is also a trip to the Amazon rainforest, to Quito, to the Manabi province on the coast (that was the first trip and free) and to the southern part of the country, the mountains, cuenca, etc. (which is the last trip and also free).<br /><br />okay well i have written you a novel here, hope it helps. any other questions feel free to ask and i will try not to be too long-winded. i like talking about it (as you can see) :-)<br /><br />good luck! -maya http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/42239.html panda-muñeca panda-muñeca bouncy public 6 http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/41749.html Tue, 01 May 2007 14:03:19 GMT http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/41749.html <br><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/mayday1899.jpg" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"><br><br /><br />A May Day demonstration in Stockholm, Sweden 1899.<br /><br />We have today off from school. According to Wikipedia this is a Catholic holiday too, but they are also celebrating (not really the right word..) el Día Mundial del Trabajo. I was downtown earlier, and saw a rally, and was very disappointed in myself that I had neither my camera nor my minidisc recorder... but I did get a flier.<br /><br />en otras noticias, estoy escuchando a la KBOO noticias, y está hecho mierda... deben tratar de leer las noticias <i>antes</i> de que las leerán en la radio... http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/41749.html streaming KBOO news streaming KBOO news public 3 http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/41589.html Sat, 21 Apr 2007 02:57:21 GMT http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/41589.html i just talked to sam jackson and corey on the phone! :D it was amazing i love those kids so much. i miss them so but it will be soon and a reunion in vancouver. i love you all and i am so happy right now just had to say that and i will post probably tomorrow. LOVE!! and happy 4/20 heh http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/41589.html cat stevens cat stevens public 4 http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/41364.html Thu, 15 Mar 2007 01:27:17 GMT http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/41364.html <object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YlRne8tZrI4"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YlRne8tZrI4" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350" allowScriptAccess="never" ></embed></object><br>the best kid's show i've ever seen. http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/41364.html public 10 http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/41158.html Mon, 26 Feb 2007 03:15:43 GMT http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/41158.html <object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/puSkP3uym5k"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/puSkP3uym5k" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350" allowScriptAccess="never" ></embed></object><br>have your speakers on.<br /><br />this guy is like kaki king but on ukulele. if you like it i would also recommend his song "let's dance" on youtube. http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/41158.html public 0 http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/40769.html Tue, 06 Feb 2007 21:06:42 GMT http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/40769.html <a href='http://betterpropaganda.com/artist_page.asp?id=181' rel='nofollow'>http://betterpropaganda.com/artist_page.asp?id=181</a><br /><br />on the bottom right it says "What Would You Do?" click download and then stream to listen. http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/40769.html public 0 http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/40535.html Sat, 06 Jan 2007 03:17:34 GMT http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/40535.html pase del niño parade, downtown<br /><br /><a name="cutid1"></a><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/mayafotos462.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/mayafotos463.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/mayafotos464.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/mayafotos465.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/mayafotos466.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/mayafotos467.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/mayafotos470.jpg" /><br />dancing<br /><br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/mayafotos471.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/mayafotos472.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/mayafotos473.jpg" /><br />love the hustle and bustle of my city on the hottest christmas i've ever had.<br /><br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/mayafotos474.jpg" /><br />this one was just too weird for me. part of the gun even moves like its shooting.<br /><br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/mayafotos476.jpg" /><br />dinner número dos. no pictures of la primera.<br /><br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/mayafotos477.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/mayafotos481.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/mayafotos483.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/mayafotos486.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/mayafotos487.jpg" /><br /><big>felicidades</big> http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/40535.html rufus wainwright- little sister rufus wainwright- little sister artistic public 11 http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/40283.html Sat, 06 Jan 2007 01:03:38 GMT http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/40283.html technically 25 diciembre, 2006 2:54 am<br />today (technically yesterday) it finally started to feel like christmas. i guess it was more like last night, even. last night, i sang many christmas carols and chanukah songs to myself, played virtual dreidel online, and made latkes <u>and</u> applesauce for my family, both from scratch! the smell and the taste of the latkes just suddenly, finally, made me feel like its even december. when i was at supermaxi (its like safeway) getting my ingredients there was a santa (papa noel) and elves taking pictures with small children. i watched the last 10 minutes of the remake of miracle on 34th street in spanish, and made sure to go over every scene of the old one that i remember in my head, and its a wonderful life, and even some of nightmare before christmas. the town is decorated a bit more now, even though the houses still dont have christmas lights (just trees with lights) there are lights strung up hanging across some streets downtown, and these big flashy things that remind me of zoolights, on avenida solano (the major street that goes straight from downtown to a couple blocks away from my house). (now 12:20 pm) i got a package in the mail from gramma, and the contents was wrapped, which brought me back to all the decembers past, getting boxes of wrapped stuff to put under the tree from all my grandparents. i woke up (yesterday) and the radio was playing christmas carols, both in english and spanish, and it didnt really stop until i got into bed at 2:54 this morning. i went to a parade that is apparently world-famous (there were a lot of tourists there) called "pase del niño," or "pass of the child" as it says on the brochoure (sp!) i was given. people (i think mostly native people) save up all year and work all year on these extravagant outfits for their little kids and horses, donkeys/mules, trucks (floats), etc. the hustle and bustle was astonishing, i think its the fullest downtown is all year. we met up with a bunch of other exchange students and watched the parade and wandered, bought a lot of little ice cream things (basically frozen go-gurt and otter pops) from the blue-and-green-jumpsuit people. chase (new friend = AFS exchange = michigan), jacob (rotary = texas), and i went into a new bookstore thats catty-corner from my school, which has a coffeeshop in it and is small but fancy (and quite expensive) with books in spanish, english, french, and german. it was actually quite remarkable we ended up there, because i had just had a dream the previous night about being in Powell's. later i went home and watched the grinch (the live-action version). then i went to my host grandma's house, on my mom's side, for the first of two christmas dinners.<br /><b>the first dinner</b>:<br />a pleasant amount of people were there, including the parents of my host grandma (i guess me host great-grandparents), and 2 little boys who are my cousins. the older one reminds me of duncan, mallory's little brother, when he was like 5, but less consistently annoying, and the younger one doesnt talk yet but wobbles around and picks up everything within reach and throws it on the floor. the meal, which started at about 8, consisted of: *ecuadorian tamales, which i was told were different from other tamales, but i think thats just because they have more vegetables. *what seemed to be three main dishes, -lasagne, -chicken, and -ham (with a bone in it), all of which were perfect and delicious. (and yes i almost spelled ham with a j because in spanish it is jamon. XD) *rice (of course. rice with every meal. really.) with herbs so it was fancier than usual. *salad! with delicious onions that had been soaked in lime juice and herbs. *wine.<br />after dinner we sat in the living room and opened gifts. of course the younger you are the more gifts you get, so lucas (the baby) got the most, closely followed by the little cousins. i got a two-piece sweater thing, one piece of which i wore to the second dinner.<br /><b>the second dinner</b>:<br />i walked into the house and was greeted by my other toddling cousin dressed as an angel. he has curly blonde hair and was absoutely the epitome of cuteness. i wanted to get a picture but he went to sleep before i did. this meal started at about midnight, and consisted of the following: *turkey- apparently this is "traditional" to eat on christmas eve here, as it seems to be in the US... *peas with little chunks of cheese mixed in. the most popular cheese here is kind of rubbery-looking and feeling but it is good with certain vegetables. like corn. and these things called Aves i think.. *potatoes (boil 'em mash 'em stick 'em in a stew). *salad <u>drenched</u> (i mean like soaking) in some sort of salad dressing. its supposed to be like that though. *rice, of course. *gravy. kind of. really good but not very.. appealing looking. *champagne. then for dessert they had cake with some sort of nuts in it. i didnt have any because i dont really know the names of nuts in spanish and i didnt want to get sick. instead i had this big piece of sweet bread with little bits of candied fruits in it. it was pretty good but so <u>dense</u>. i was already quite full from having dinner twice, and the effort of chewing this bread <u>and</u> swallowing was almost too much for me. a glass of milk helped wash down a mass of crumbs (several times) that just kept caking in my mouth no matter how much i chewed.<br />after dinner we exchanged presents again. lucas didnt get nearly as many gifts, but there are 3 cousins on that side of the family ranging from 5th to 7th grade to bear the brunt of the gifts. they handed out all the presents from under the tree, as seems to be custom in many cultures. well the cultures that have christmas... this was a very christmas-y scene to me, with the floor covered with wrapping paper and gifts. an electronic foot messager for my host grandpa. i got another sweater (yay)(i wont be cold on a regular basis anymore! haha), earrings, two necklaces (one matches the earrings), a scarf, and some body spray stuff.<br />on christmas morning i ate a lot of chocolate that i had bought earlier, keeping with the tradition of having a ton of chocolate for breakfast christmas morning (although it was the latest i've slept on christmas for years... actually ever i think. 11:00) and i opened the present from my real gramma. with my new green christmas socks and fuzzy sweater, xavier and i went to his parents' house for leftoevers, and isabel went to her mom's house for leftovers. all in all, i'd say it was a pretty good christmas, with minimal homesickness. the required amount of homesickness was there, but it wasnt as bad as i had dreaded. (now 5 enero/jan) thanks to the good ol' reliable (hah!) mail system, i got a christmas card from (vermont) elyssa a couple days ago, the christmas presents i was supposed to <u>give</u> yesterday, and am still waiting on 3+ other packages that i know of. hah. oh well, i still havent sent anyone anything.<br /><big><big>¡Feliz Navidad!</big></big> http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/40283.html belanova- por ti belanova- por ti feliz public 3 http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/39643.html Wed, 27 Dec 2006 20:58:34 GMT http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/39643.html I JUST TALKED TO IZZAKATE ON THE PHONE!!! wow that was so amazing, we talked for like 25 minutes, i sooo needed that. merry christmas. http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/39643.html ecstatic public 6 http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/39181.html Wed, 27 Dec 2006 01:40:43 GMT http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/39181.html happy christmas<br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/warisover7.jpg" /><br /><a name="cutid1"></a><br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/warisover1.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/warisover5japanese.gif" /><br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/warisover2.jpg" /><br /><br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/warisover4.jpg" /><br />thank you john and yoko<br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/warisover3johnandyoko.jpg" /><a name='cutid1-end'></a> http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/39181.html falalalala... falalalala... feliz public 2 http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/39147.html Fri, 22 Dec 2006 02:33:14 GMT http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/39147.html <b>EMS PEOPLE!!!</b> remember this??<br /><br />Con mi burrito sabanero, voy camino de Belén.<br />Con mi burrito sabanero, voy camino de Belén.<br /><br />Si me ven, si me ven, voy camino de Belén.<br />Si me ven, si me ven, voy camino de Belén.<br /><br />Lucerito mañanero, ilumina mi sendero.<br />Lucerito mañanero, ilumina mi sendero.<br /><br />Si me ven, si me ven, voy camino de Belén.<br />Si me ven, si me ven, voy camino de Belén.<br /><br />Con mi cuatrito voy cantando, mi burrito va trotando.<br /> Con mi cuatrito voy cantando, mi burrito va trotando.<br /><br />Si me ven, si me ven, voy camino de Belén. <br />Si me ven, si me ven, voy camino de Belén.<br /><br />Tuqui tuqui tuqui tuqui, <br />tuqui tuqui tuqui ta.<br />Apurate mi burrito,<br />que ya vamos a llegar.<br /><br />Tuqui tuqui tuqui tuqui, <br />tuqui tuqui tuqui tu.<br />Apurate mi burrito, <br />vamos a ver a Jesús<br /><br />yeah, they actually sing it here! i never realized it would be useful when gabby was teaching it to us. where was she from again? peru right? also, my parents have a cd for the baby with that Arroz con Leche song about the woman from San Nicholas remember? that we learned in jan's class. http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/39147.html tuqui tuqui tuqui ta! tuqui tuqui tuqui ta! bouncy public 7 http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/38707.html Sun, 10 Dec 2006 23:51:15 GMT http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/38707.html i have a new mailing address, because it is easier than my old one. my house doesnt have an address, so we are using my host mom's office.<br /><br />Maya Flessas<br />c/o IXATOURS<br />Benigno Malo 6-72 y<br />Pdte. Cordova<br />Mezzanine<br />Cuenca, ECUADOR<br /><br />more pictures coming in the next few days. http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/38707.html stand by me stand by me distracted public 5 http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/38118.html Wed, 29 Nov 2006 00:06:11 GMT http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/38118.html so tomorrow i'm leaving for quito at 6:15 in the morning!!! its the second rotary trip woohoo!! but you know what this means: i need to pack! which mean no more pictures until monday. but i have more pictures from the coast trip, pictures of my school, and i will have pictures of quito, otovalo, etc when i get back. so prepare yourselves.<br /><br />les quiero todos ustedes muchisimo!!!!<br />chau, maya. http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/38118.html public 2 http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/37783.html Tue, 28 Nov 2006 23:48:44 GMT http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/37783.html ¡¡más fotos!!<br />warning: i didnt resize most of these ones so it will probably take longer to load, but it was just too beautiful.<br /><br />Day 1 continued<br />after the parade, we all had a big group picture! there are about 99 exchange students in ecuador from all over the world<br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/Manabi%20trip/paseomanabi22.jpg" /><br />(i'm one row above the canadian flag but it totally doesnt look like me)<br /><a name="cutid1"></a><br />this was just the first bus<br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/Manabi%20trip/paseomanabi21.jpg" /><br />the coast we went to in Manta... enough said<br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/Manabi%20trip/paseomanabi27.jpg" /><br />80% of these people are exchange students... especially the ones out swimming in the ocean!<br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/Manabi%20trip/paseomanabi23.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/Manabi%20trip/paseomanabi24.jpg" /><br />when has this ever felt <b>good</b> in the <i>oregon</i> coast??<br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/Manabi%20trip/paseomanabi26.jpg" /><br />after the beach, we went to a town called Montecristi, which is famous for artesanías of crafts typical of the area. there were plenty of artesans ready to sell us their goods in this nifty building<br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/Manabi%20trip/paseomanabi28.jpg" /><br />and a band playing outside for us when we arrived!!<br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/Manabi%20trip/paseomanabi29.jpg" /><br />una cosa famosa que es muy típica de ecuador is the "Panama Hat"<br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/Manabi%20trip/paseomanabi30.jpg" /><br />clarissa!!! (from astoria)<br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/Manabi%20trip/paseomanabi31.jpg" /><br />that night there was a very strange welcome dinner for us... it began with a "danza folklórica." this picture is all the dancers holding signs for each of our countries<br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/Manabi%20trip/paseomanabi38.jpg" /><br />the dance was put on by kids from a local high school, and ended up being rather modern and sexual<br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/Manabi%20trip/paseomanabi39.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/Manabi%20trip/paseomanabi46.jpg" /><br />after dinner we elected a king and queen of the trip... it was a strange process, but each country chose one female representative and pretty much we voted on how well they danced and how much we liked them. there are fewer boys than girls, so all of the boys ended up having to "try out," and this is a picture of the finalists (my picture of the girls didnt come out)<br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/Manabi%20trip/paseomanabi60.jpg" /><br />Reyna y Rey del Paseo, Taiwan and Michigan, respectively<br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/Manabi%20trip/paseomanabi62.jpg" /><a name='cutid1-end'></a> http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/37783.html belanova- niño belanova- niño public 4 http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/37531.html Tue, 28 Nov 2006 00:23:07 GMT http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/37531.html wow... its been awhile huh?<br />sorry i havent posted for ages, but it is really quite freeing and relaxing to realize that you have no obligation to go on the internet, or to do things you dont want to on the internet, and i just havent been in the mood.<br />but i have for you, at long last, PICTURES!<br /><br />i have a lot of pictures to post, so i will do a couple different entries with different genres over the next couple days.<br />to begin with, we have our first rotary trip! this was a trip to the beautiful province of Manabí, which is on one of the best coasts in the world.<br /><br />DAY 1: Portoviejo<br />Portoviejo is the town that Clarissa lives in (the other exchange student from district 5100). we woke up, and immediately got ready to be in a parade for the 'fiestas de portoviejo.' here, instead of having one general fourth-of-july-esque independence day, each city has their own independence day and their own festivals for it.<br />this has got to be one of the coolest buildings i've seen here. unfortunately the picture didnt come out as cool, but its still cool.<br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/Manabi%20trip/paseomanabi16.jpg" /><br /><a name="cutid1"></a><br />this is who we were marching in front of<br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/Manabi%20trip/paseomanabi8.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/Manabi%20trip/paseomanabi9.jpg" /><br />belgians!<br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/Manabi%20trip/paseomanabi10.jpg" /><br />california, new york, missouri. ca (nate) and ny (emily) are in cuenca.<br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/Manabi%20trip/paseomanabi11.jpg" /><br />the two taiwanese kids. these two and one boy from japan are our only asians...<br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/Manabi%20trip/paseomanabi12.jpg" /><br />a few of the canadians. the first one on the left has a really thick french accent because he lives in quebec. the second and fourth ones (geordie and mike) are in cuenca.<br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/Manabi%20trip/paseomanabi13.jpg" /><br />canada and finland<br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/Manabi%20trip/paseomanabi14.jpg" /><br />denmark and belgium<br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/Manabi%20trip/paseomanabi15.jpg" /><br />when we got to the end of the parade, there was a little station where a lot of observers were sitting and a platform from which announcers were announcing (fancy that) who everyone was that was marching by. when they announced the rotary exchange students, everyone flew their flags high and it looked really cool.<br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/Manabi%20trip/paseomanabi18.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/Manabi%20trip/paseomanabi20.jpg" /><br />we were supposed to be wearing our rotary blazers, but it is always a million degrees and humid in portoviejo... luckily they gave us t-shirts for the trip too, and by the end pretty much everyone was in their t-shirts.<br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/Manabi%20trip/paseomanabi19.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m93/eclipsetheglobe/Manabi%20trip/paseomanabi20.jpg" /><br /><a name='cutid1-end'></a><br /><br />and dont think i've let you down, i have a new music suggestion. Belanova. they are from mexico. for those of you who look at my myspace (my space?) you will be happy to know that i finally changed my song! and it is now a belanova song. i also added a belanova video of their most popular song here.<br /><br />more pictures soon of the beautiful ecuador coast!!<br />chau chau http://users.livejournal.com/charminglydaft_/37531.html belanova- rosa pastel belanova- rosa pastel chipper public 8