The DecaAwesome List Strikes Back

It's been a while since I did one of these, and since I am feeling saucy and sassy today, it's about time I shared some good vibes.

1. Yan-Yan. Delicious Asian snack consisting of cookie-like sticks you dip into flavored cream. I've tried chocolate and vanilla so far. Strawberry is next. Best part: the weird messages on the cookies. There's Horse Gallop Away, Chick Lucky Colour Yellow, Owl Only at Night, and Squirrel Your Best Friend. I'm sorry, what? Eating words that make no sense is delicious!

2. Dr. Scholl's Ball-of-the-Foot cushion inserts. I know, this one really shows my age, but they're so damn comfortable! I have some in two pairs of shoes. Definitely reduces slippage and slidage, and makes walking around all day much more pleasant. 

3. Skype. Saw my two grandmothers on Easter, my parents, Cat and the new baby, and even my gorgeous nieces. It's like being there.

4. The Julia Child part of Julie and Julia. Like many people who have reviewed this film for me, I loved the Julia Child parts the best. The Amy Adams parts were good too, but sometimes I felt like smacking the character. Julia's relationship with her husband was particularly inspiring. Such a supportive, loving man she married. I should be so lucky!

5. Sous-chef-ing. After many years of reluctant cooking (I don't find it especially comforting or relaxing), I suddenly find myself in the role of sous-chef to my roommate, who cooks rather well. I have also found that I have a knack for cutting things up, not just chopping, but slicing, dicing, and yes, butchering. As the granddaughter of a butcher, I seem to have the talent for meat-cutting in my blood. I'm supposed to say something threatening here like, 'so watch out!' but I won't. Oh wait, I just did.

6. Exercise. Yes, I do feel more energetic, thank you very much.

7. My new steamer. It cooks rice and vegetables beautifully. To me, there is nothing lovelier than white rice and steamed broccoli. Yummy.

8. New academic projects. I might have the opportunity to write an academic book that no one will actually read, and I am totally psyched at the possibility. You can take the girl out of school, but you can't take the nerdiness out of the girl.

9. New fiction projects. I just started a new novel. It's the most ambitious thing I've tried so far. I don't know if I will succeed, but I'm sure gonna give it the ol' college try.

10. Love. I had a rough day this past week. I was feeling discouraged and impatient, and my friends and family were there with loving words, hugs and kisses from the people geographically close, and supportive comments from the folks on Facebook. I'm so pleased I've given enough good in the world to receive these dividends back when I need them.

Bonus:

11. The guy who told me that scientists don't know anything about gravity because they don't take Karma into account. Hee. You made my day.

DecaAwesome Returns

Just in time for Halloween, the DecaAwesome list rises from the dead!! It's not exactly the Zombie DecaAwesome list, but that's a good idea for a themed list later in the month. This is a list of things I just plain like. It's been a stressful month so I think it's a good idea to remember some of the simple joys in life. Also, I watched Amelie last night and I always feel so inspired and whimsical when I watch that movie. Damn you and your irrepressible charm, Audrey Tatou!!

1. Reading a magazine backwards. Sure, I start out by reading it front to back, but soon I turn to the back cover and page through it backwards. I still read articles in order of course, but the paging is done back-to-front. I don't know why I do it, but it makes me happy, so there.

2. Being finished with grading. I love seeing that stack of newly graded papers, each one marked up and ready to be returned to its owner. I spent hours earlier today grading a midterm and I can't explain that wash of joy when the last paper was graded and out of my hands. Accomplishment!

3. The Daily Show. I get a lot of news from the Daily Show, I'm not ashamed to admit. TDS makes me laugh and throws down some facts. Also, Jon Stewart's comic rage is pure genius. This week, TDS is on a break. *sigh*

4. Reading a book that goes down easy. Sure, Proust is worth the effort, and Dostoevsky will break your head while it's breaking your heart, but it's nice every once in a while to read something that doesn't, you know, challenge so much. A book that you eat up like a plate of cookies. I'm reading a book like that right now, and I'm enjoying it very much. Proust is in the on-deck circle.

5. Chocolate. True chocolate lovers will call me a poseur since I don't like dark chocolate, but those people can jump in the lake. I bought myself a Cadbury Caramello on Saturday and I've spent the last few nights eating pure chocolate-caramel joy, three squares at a time. YUM.

6. Trader Joe's. It's not my normal grocery store since I have to drive a ways to get to a decent one, but last night I decided it was time to go and get those products exclusive to Trader Joe's. I won't bore you with a list-within-a-list of what was purchased, but I will tell you that after my roomie and I returned from TJ's, he made a kick-ass salmon dinner that was paired beautifully with a $7 Riesling. Ah, TJ's.

7. Binder clips. It's wrong how into office supplies I am, but there we are. Staples now has this paper clip station wherein you can fill a tub (small, medium, or large) with binder clips, paper clips, fasteners, and the like. I filled a medium tub with whimsical and practical clips (some are shaped like G clefs!) for school. The clip I most often use is the red one with the "X" on it. I put my to-be-graded papers in it. When they're graded, the papers get transferred to the green binder clip with the check mark on in. That's how you know they're done!

8. Glade Scented Oil Candles. They come in a pretty tin, which, is pretty much all I need; I love tins. Anyhoo, you burn these little candles and they smell wonderful without being too strong or cloying. The tin is reusable, and you can get refills for the candles. My recommended scent: Clean Linen. Pretty much says it all. You get the smell of laundry without actually having to do any. WIN!

9. Half.com. I just bought some DVDs I've been putting off buying because they were never going on sale. You can get things both new and used, and it's part of eBay so you know you can trust it. I now own all of Samurai Jack, and season 4 of Supernatural. Take that, Target, for not putting it on sale. Now some independent seller in Minnesota gets my money and you get the shaft! (I'm just kidding, Target. We cool.)

10. Fall weather. The weather over here is a little bipolar at the moment, but that's okay. We have experienced beautiful fall weather intermittently. I'm no fan of winter, and I know that's what fall leads into, but it is such a wonderful thing to walk around in the crisp autumn air, wearing a sweater or a jacket. Fall means crunching leaves when you walk, watching TV at night with a blanket tucked around your feet, buying fresh apple cider at the supermarket, deciding on a Halloween costume, roasting pumpkin seeds, and making holiday plans. It's lovely.

DecaAwesome List for the week of 4/13

The theme of this week's list is high school. Here's a list of ten things that I loved about my high school, St. Francis Prep, Fresh Meadows (that's Queens for all you west coasters), NY.

1. The Alvernian Drama Society. Where else could misfits of all sizes, shapes, and stripes find a haven...and put on dramas and musicals! I have so many good memories of building sets, rehearsing dance numbers, and just hanging out with the coolest, funnest, most interesting people in my school. I made friends there, gained self-confidence there (and promptly lost it again in the next round of auditions), and basically grew up there. I laughed, I cried, I saw turtles in the sky, it was a brilliant thing.

2. The 7-day schedule. We had this overly complicated schedule that we all accepted without question. Here are some of its nuances: every class was assigned a letter A-G (not to mention H period which you could take before official classes began every day); every day, one class would "drop out" and the following day that class would meet for an hour, and then the day after that, that class would be first period. So day 1 was ABCDEF (G dropped out); day 2 was DFEGAB (fourth period "G" was an hour long); day 3 was GADCBE. We had funny mnemonic devices to remember this schedule, including the, er, habits and preferences of some of our beloved teachers. Some were generic, like day 2: Drugs For Every Girl And Boy.

3. The Music Department. Particularly Mr. Zuar's choir, Mr. Zuar's Music History class (I'm a freaking musicologist, so it must have had one hell of an impact), and Mr. Motley's RepCo. I just sang my fool heart out for four years running. Good teachers who were funny (intentionally, and otherwise) and knowledgeable and made me love music so much that I made it my career. The jazz band was pretty awesome too, as I recall.

4. The Seraph. Our newspaper. I wrote features for this thing for all of my four years at the school. At the beginning of junior year, they gave me a regular column to write. I called it "The World Through My Eyes" (with apologies to Depeche Mode). It was basically like this blog, but in print form and with more typos. My junior and senior years, I won a bunch of High School Press awards for my column and for other stories I wrote. It was good experience, and it was the beginning of my (possibly incorrect) thinking that people might actually care what I have to rant about.

5. Joe Claro. My junior year English teacher. His first day at Prep was my first day of junior year. He is quick-witted, hilariously deadpan, and superknowledgeable. We hit it off right away, and we are still friends now. I had lunch with him when I was home visiting at Christmas. Way back when, he helped me find my voice as a writer, and he continues to encourage my work. He is a lovely human being, and Joe and his wife Fran are like family to me.

6. The stage in the auditorium. Seriously, one of the biggest stages I have ever seen at a school. It also dwarfs some Broadway theater stages. It's not only wide, it's deep. And when I watch old RepCo tapes (yes, I still have some), I am amazed at how many people we crammed on that thing. I spent half my time at Prep on that stage. It was like home to me.

7. Three lunch periods. Freshman had "first lunch," i.e. the first half hour of the 1 1/2 hour fourth period/lunch thing. After first lunch, freshman had the whole hour period and the afternoon. It made the afternoon drag on interminably, but at least freshmen didn't have to fight with upperclassmen for food. Juniors had "last lunch," i.e. the last half hour of fourth period. So juniors would have their first four periods (last one of those was the "hour" period) and then lunch. Last lunch made the afternoon go very quickly. Seniors had "split lunch," i.e. a half hour stuck in between two halves of the hour period. Made the hour period fly by. I think sophomore lunch was a wild card. Could be any of them. This was a really good system. The school was huge, so this was a way to feed everyone and stagger the crowds.

8. Cafeteria pizza. God help me, I love that stupid square pizza. I loved it at the roller rink, and I loved it on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays in the Prep cafeteria. Honorable mention: those chocolate chip cookies that came three in a package.

9. Eating outside. I and the other misfits ate our lunches away from the madding crowd of cafeteria folks. When the weather really sucked, we'd compromise and eat on the steps, but we tried to stay out of that hornet's nest whenever possible.

10. The smartness of the student body. You had to test to get in, and the standards there were pretty rigorous. Being smart wasn't something you needed to be ashamed of there. It wasn't something you had to hide (like it was in middle school), it was something that was valued, both by the teachers and by the other students. I had friends who were brilliant scientists and artists, and who made the environment fun and stimulating. Only during my Ph.D. studies at USC did I find myself in that kind of environment again.

Bonus: Michele Filorimo. Still one of the funniest people I have ever known. She was a sophomore when I was a freshman, and she took me under her wing. We were unselfconsciously weird together, and I am so excited to still call her a friend. She was my heart during our three shared years at Prep.

New DecaAwesome List

This is my 50th blog! Can you believe that? In honor of the occasion, here it is, my darlings: the DecaAwesome List for the week of 3/16. The theme of this week's special blog is: technology.

1. The internets. When I first started using the internet in my grad school research methods class the year was 1995. There were no search engines as we know them today. You had to type in long strings of letters and numbers and backslashes and forward slashes to get to the uncolorful, uninteresting-looking pages that held information. The majority of musicological research was still done on paper, and internet sources were quite a bit different than they are today. Not only have the internets (yes, I call them this, or the "interwebs") changed life as we know it, but recent public sites like YouTube have revolutionized the way I write program notes and teach voice. Great performances are at my students' (and my) fingertips. I don't have to run out and buy the CD or even download it from iTunes. It's right there for me to see and hear whenever I want, 24/7. And I'm not even mentioning the miracle of other sites I use daily.

2. "Series of Tubes." In 2006, this is how former Senator Ted Stevens (Republican, Alaska) described the internet. Yes, my loves, the internet is a series of tubes. It's just about the funniest thing I've ever heard, like ever. I once tried to tell this story to people, but I was laughing so hard, it took me 15 minutes to even finish the phrase, "series of tubes." Now, when I can't stop laughing (which happens often), I call it, "A 'series of tubes' moment." Read more about it here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Series_of_tubes

3. iTunes. Some days I wake up singing a song like "Tarzan Boy" or "Break My Stride" and I'll think to myself, 'wouldn't it be nice to hear that song again today?' and there it is on iTunes. I can get it, if you'll pardon the expression, for a song, at 99 cents.

4. Blackberry. Texting, the interwebs, email, all at my fingertips. I've also discovered the true joy of something I never used to do: ignoring it sometimes.

5. Netflix. Movies of your choosing come to your mailbox. When you give one back (and you can keep it for as long as you like), you get another one. If that isn't fast enough, you can watch movies instantly on your computer. My roommate and I burn through Netflix like a warm knife through buttah. We watch movies, documentaries, entire seasons of TV series, and cartoons. It's brilliant.

6. Texting. I've mentioned this before. I have trouble committing to phone calls lately. I only have little snippets of time between stuff to talk and it's hard to have a phone call like that. But little snippets perfect for texting. Also, I have a full keyboard so that makes texting easy.

7. Facebook events. I invited people to my recital using Facebook events. I have RSVP'ed for many Facebook events. It's a great way to share upcoming happenings, and since most people Facebook every day, you get a lot of responses right away.

8. Online banking and bill pay. Instant knowledge about how much you have or owe. You can know what checks have cleared and which ones are outstanding. You can transfer money from one account to another while sitting at home drinking cocoa in your pajamas. You can pay bills without using stamps. You can make sure that payment isn't late by submitting it today online. What could be easier?

9. Google Docs. I can share documents with people if I want feedback. I can keep documents in progress on Google Docs so I can work on them from any computer with internet access. It's a great backup for stuff, and I great way to make sure I'm always working from the latest draft.

10. Blogging. Months ago, when I put my "Blog-A-Week" project into effect, I just thought it was good writing practice. It ended up being good therapy, and it's something I look forward to every week. I love making these lists especially, because it encourages me to find special things that happen every week and to appreciate them. I celebrate them...in blog form. It's also a great way to share what's going on with me. The busier I am, the more disconnected I can feel. But if you read my blog, at the very least you'll know what I've been eating.

Thanks for reading. There's more to come.

DecaAwesome List for the week of 3/9

1. Not taking a bath on taxes. I worked a lot of freelance last year so I was really scared about what I was going to owe. Luckily, I found a good accountant, kept good records, and bought some deductible stuff like a new computer, so I ended up paying an absolutely reasonable amount. How many people say that?

2. Patton Oswalt. Watched his Werewolves and Lollipops special last night. Two words, people: gray drapes. I almost had to stop the DVD because I couldn't stop laughing.

3. Girl Scout Cookies. Yo, it's about that time. Time for Thin Mints and Tagalongs, Do Si Dos and Trefoils. Bought four boxes at my accountant's office (the guy was selling for his daughter's troop). Left with money in my pocket and some Tagalongs!!

4. Sight reading. The process by which people can play or sing a song the first time they look at the music. Since starting college a hundred and six years ago, my sight reading skills have improved dramatically, and they keep improving. I don't take this skill for granted, because I have worked hard on it all of my adult life. It sure does come in handy at choir rehearsals and on mass days where I show up an hour late. (Yes, I'm one of those people who forgot to change my clocks.)

5. Birthdays. There are a lot of them coming up. Lots to celebrate. We had cake and pizza for one of the faculty today and there's more where that came from. March is a birthday-riffic month.

6. Jeffrey Dean Morgan. I love this actor for a lot of things he's done. Most especially, he is Papa Winchester on Supernatural, but he was also the cutest thing ever in P.S. I Love You, where he played a hot Irish dude (and you get to see his butt!). But anyway, I started watching Weeds on DVD last night and he plays a dead guy in that show too! That makes three shows where JDM plays a dead guy in flashbacks, memories, or dreams: Grey's Anatomy (he started out alive, but then died), Supernatural (he started out missing, but alive, and then later died), and Weeds (the show is about his widow). Yay for JDM who just rocks the posthumous guest-starring gig! Also, he's hotter than the sun. Have I mentioned that? Also, I haven't seen Watchmen yet, but I think the death of his character starts the events of the film in motion. So, yeah, JDM and death, perfect together.

7. Stations of the Cross. Last night, there was a service at my church where we went through and meditated on each station of the cross (the steps Jesus took to his crucifixion). As far as I'm concerned, the Stations of the Cross service is the most moving service of the entire church year. I always feel really affected by it, and last night was no exception.

8. Making a difference. It's funny, sometimes the worst thing about your day can turn around and be the best thing a day later. I had some drama with someone earlier in the week, but I think we have both grown considerably because of it. I was so upset about it a couple of days ago, but I'm so glad that it happened now. I think we're both better off.

9. Time Magazine. I got this magazine for years when I was a student (big discount off the regular price), and I used to read it all the time. Well, I bought it in the supermarket last night and I'm enjoying it. It's a bit more...eh, how do I put this...it's a bit less than what it used to be, but I bet it appeals to more people now. Still, I'm enjoying it. Now that I don't have to worry about someone else's reaction to the news, I'm actually having fun learning about what's going on in the world.

10. John Adams. The composer. I got tickets to hear him speak at the Public Library in May. I am so excited. He's a great speaker and an interesting guy. I think there's going to be a book signing afterwards, so I will be sure to crack open his autobiography by then.

DecaAwesome List for weeks 2/22-3/2

I've been meaning to do this list for days, but it was an extremely busy weekend and I just didn't have the time. So here we go! Also, I should note that there will be no food on this list just because my Mom thinks I'm getting too much sugar. So, even though I'm eating something delicious right now, I won't tell you what it is.

1. Sideways. The movie, not the direction. I just saw a paper at a film music conference about this movie and it reminded me of how much I enjoyed seeing it. I used to own Sideways on DVD, but if I'm not mistaken, I lost it in the "divorce." But here's the good news: I bought it as a Christmas present for a colleague, but he had just purchased it himself, so I still have a DVD here at work, and it's still half-wrapped in Christmas paper. Early Christmas for me!

2. Spring Break. It's not here yet, but I'm really looking forward to it. I might even have a visitor!

3. Old Sport. This nickname refers to a person I knew in high school and recently reconnected with. I don't remember who started calling him "Old Sport," but I do know two things: 1) the nickname stuck right away, and 2) the name comes from the Great Gatsby. I haven't seen O.S. in about 17 years, but since we've been Facebooking and texting, it's like no time has passed. He's a good man who has his head on straight. It's actually quite refreshing to talk to someone like that. Also, he's cute!

4. Lilies of the Valley. My favorite flower, and the flower of my birth month. I have been toying with the idea of trying to grow my own since they are hard to come by. Such a pretty flower. They were all over a design photo spread in this month's Family Circle (many thanks to Nanny for my subscription!).

5. Target. Where else can you buy Lucky Charms, Drano, Monopoly, a candle, and a shirt all in one place? I bought a couple of new sweaters there last week for $15, along with cereal and Windex. It's truly one-stop shopping. But you must say "Tarjay" and make sure that "j" sounds French.

6. Hikes without Mics. This is a hiking and music event put on my some friends of mine under an umbrella organization they created called The Natural Stage Project. A bunch of folks hike to a location and once there, they eat, play music, and enjoy nature. My folk group was the featured guest on the bill at yesterday's Hikes without Mics in Griffith Park. The weather was perfect, the "stage" was rocky, but lovely, and the food and company were great. It was a beautiful day all around. I can't wait until the next one!

7. Drinking songs. I went to see my friend play at the Pig N' Whistle on Friday night and he played a drinking song he wrote. It was right at the beginning of the set, so it made the whole crowd drink together and bond. I think the crowd was definitely in the right state of mind after that.

8. Clicking. You know when you meet someone that they're "your kind of person?" At the same show Friday night I met a guy named Tom Riddle (yes, that's his real honest-to-god name) and within about two minutes of sitting at the same table watching our mutual friend play, it was clear that we were definitely on the same page. He made a Salacious Crumb joke and it was on. I don't have romantic interest in him (and even if I did, I'm still in my "year off"), but I think he'd make a really cool friend.

9. Conferences. I went to the first musicology conference I have been to in about three years, I think. Some of it is inevitably boring, but there's always something fun and interesting that just inspires, or makes me want to go learn about new things. It makes me miss musicology too, somewhat, but when I see students at those conferences who are ABD (all but dissertation) who are looking for work, I am grateful to have a job at all.

10. Ear plugs. A must-have for anyone who values their ears. I got a little carrying case for ear plugs when I attended the drag races with my cousin (her husband's company is a sponsor). The case says Castrol on it. I use them when I'm at a concert or even when the PA system somewhere is too loud. They're also a godsend when my roommate is working on his music and I'm trying to sleep. It's not often that noise keeps me awake, but when he's recording the screaming vocals to some rock songs, I pop in my ear plugs and I'm asleep in no time.

DecaAwesome List for the week of 2/16

1. Cadbury Creme eggs. Holy smokes, these things are good. They have always been a favorite for me. Some people think they're too sweet or some other nonsense, but they are truly deliciousness.

2. The movie Waiting. I just got it on Netflix at the recommendation of T, and it was seriously the funniest thing. That last scene at the party is priceless. I knew that the "game" was going to be a vital part of the ending. Anyone who knows narrative structure knows that. But here's the thing: I didn't see what happened coming, and I was freaking delighted by that.

3. Hiking. It's not usually the tippy top of my list of fun activities. Y'all know I'd rather sit and read a book or something nerdy like that. But T was dying to get out of the city for a hike, so we drove up to Santa Barbara and did a gorgeous hike that had wicked caves and my very first Geocache.

4. Geocaching. Geocaching is a pastime wherein people leave stuff in locations and then post the stuff's location on the interwebs. Other Geocachers use their GPS devices to go find the "treasure." You write something on the requisite notebook inside, leave something (I left a hackey-sack) and maybe take something (I took a "Think Green" button). Then when you get home from your adventure, you can go online and talk about what you left or took. It's like fandom, only instead of Harry Potter, you get ammunition boxes full of band-aids and gum and a nearly empty fifth of Vodka. I don't see myself becoming a Geocacher, but it was fun to find an unexpected treasure in a cave.

5. Half.com. You can really find stuff for half price or less on this thing. To paraphrase the jingle, I'm never never never paying full price again. Oh wait, that's Marshall's. Still.

6. Alanna Ubach. I first encountered her as Beakman's assistant on Beakman's World (a funny science-type show in the Mr. Wizard vein...but much cooler). She's beautiful, but she always plays these hilarious character roles. She was Marsha Brady's lesbian admirer in the Brady Bunch Movie. She was one of Elle Woods' sorority sisters in Legally Blonde. She was the Latino lady who ushered Ben Stiller into manhood in a flashback sequence in Meet the Fockers. Tonight, she was hilarious in Waiting. I just found out she doesn't have a Wikipedia page. Someone has to do something about this. Maybe I need to step in. You are under-appreciated by most people, Alanna, but not by me. Not by me. 

7. Mrs. Butterworth's syrup. I grew up with Aunt Jemima, and she was great, but Mrs. Butterworth's syrup is thicker and just absolutely yummy. T introduced me to Mrs. B months ago, and that meant saying goodbye to Aunt J., but I did, and I've never looked back.

8. The Harlem Globetrotters. I took Cael to see HGs on Sunday. We got some $16 seats (which were remarkably excellent), bought a program and some cotton candy and we were set. The HGs put on a funny show. Cael and I even got photographed for the HG fansite. 

9. Avocados. They're already delicious, but then they make Guacamole out of it. I never ate these before, but I eat 'em now and they rock.

10. Magazines. I bought a couple this week as a guilty pleasure. I just finished two big jobs for two orchestras, so I thought I deserved a treat. The magazine I'm enjoying most? A little publication called Storage. Yes, it's a magazine put out by Better Homes and Gardens dedicated to closet systems, rubbermaid containers, cubbies, nooks, and baskets. Apparently when I can't handle informative non-fiction or complex narrative, I can handle pretty pictures featuring cubbies and nooks.

DecaAwesome List for the week of 2/9

1. Doughnuts. I'm not a huge fan of doughnuts. In fact, when there's a box with free doughnuts sitting in the office at work, I'd say 90% of the time, I just walk right on by. But I've been watching a lot of Dexter, and they are always eating doughnuts on that show. So I had a craving. I fulfilled the craving with a strawberry-frosted sprinkle-licious doughnut from 7-11. It was great. I suspect that I'd get doughnut cravings more often were there Dunkin' Doughnuts in my local area. There aren't, so I weigh less. Which I suppose is a good thing. Because the DD Coffee Roll? Yeah, hard to say no to.

2. Morgan Freeman. Earlier this week, I saw a little indie film with him called 10 Items or Less. He played a character that was basically himself, and he was brilliant and funny and self-deprecating. His co-star, Paz Vega, was also great. It turned out to be a very touching film. That guy can do anything. From being Easy Reader to giving voice to the Penguins to acting the hell out of any part he's given, he's a national treasure.

3. A clean room. I was so thrilled to have finished, like, 90% of my room cleaning before the first day of school. There's nothing like starting over with a clean slate. I'm really happy with the way things worked out with moving stuff around and throwing stuff away.

4. iTunes. I love having my music collection on iTunes. I make playlists all the time. I can burn 'em to disc and listen to them in the car. I can share them with people. This week, I used iTunes to burn recital songs for my accompanist. Now he knows all the tempos I want.

5. Reading in the bathtub. New favorite thing. I never got it when people did this on Tv and in the movies, but now I see how relaxing it can be. And if the book gets wet, so what. The crinkley paper will just remind me of feeling really relaxed and enjoying my favorite pastime of reading.

6. Nick Hornby's Slam. I didn't get this novel when it first came out because I was waiting for the paperback, but Dan lent it to me over winter break and I just finished it. First of all, I love NH. I think he's amazing. The kind of writer I would like to be. Second, Slam was his stab at a young adult novel, and I think he did brilliantly with it. I enjoyed it a lot.

7. Home hair coloring. My hair is black now and it cost me $9.00. I did it all by myself, although my roommate helped me get all the spots I missed. My hair looks awesome, if I do say so myself.

8. Waking up and not feeling tired even though you really should be. My friend Tina stayed over Wednesday night, and she didn't get in until late, but I had to wake up at the crack of dawn to do something at school. I didn't get much rest, but when the alarm went off in the morning, I was ok. Nothing is worse than dragging yourself out of bed when you can barely move, so I was pleased that I just got up, no problem.

9. Pencils that use .7 lead. I know this is geeky as hell, but I have a bunch of pencils that use .5 lead and they just require more effort. The .7 lead is thicker and makes broader strokes, but you still have the accuracy of a mechanical pencil.

10. The Wrestler. Mickey Rourke was amazing in this heart-breaking film. He was so completely the character, it's like it was a documentary rather than a narrative film. I'm just like...guh...it was good. Good on you, Mickey.

Bonus: Entenmann's Valentine's Day Cupcakes. I just got a box from my folks for V-Day (and a beautiful card came with it), and those cupcakes are so fresh and sweet and delicious. I'm going to eat one right now. Thanks, Mom and Dad!

DecaAwesome List for the week of 2/2

Here's a list of then things that rock this week.

1. Wogging. It's my term for walk-jogging. Since I'm still out of shape it's what I do on my morning run. I jog until my heart explodes and then I walk for a while. When I'm out of the near-death zone, I jog again. I do this for thirty minutes just about every morning.

2. Tiger Beer. It's from Singapore and it's delicious. Some friends found a place in L.A. that sells it, and brought some over for the Superbowl. I had heard of Tiger before I went to Singapore because it was a beer that novelist Anthony Burgess (A Clockwork Orange) drank when he lived in Malaysia. One of his first novels is actually called Time for a Tiger. I bought my very first Tiger off of a food cart in Singapore. The beer was as ice cold as the day was steaming hot. I drank it while I walked down the street. You can do that in Singapore. It's brilliant.

3. Puffs Plus tissues. These lotion-y tissues are a godsend when you're sick. My roommate has a cold right now and I'm coming down with it too, so I'm heading to the store tomorrow to replenish my supply.

4. Crystal Light. Now that I'm on this "live-it" (as opposed to "diet," thanks, Jon!) I can't drink as much of my beloved lemonade. So I've been drinking Crystal Light and it's really not that bad. I used to only drink it when hiking, but it's nice as a drink to break up the monotony of water, water, water.

5. Strawberry Nutri-Grain bars. A delicious breakfast on the run. I love strawberries. I even love strawberry-flavored things. Other berry-flavored things, not so much. 

6. the L.L. Bean Boat and Tote. K and C got me one for Christmas (it's got "Gryffindor" stitched onto it and it's house colors!!!) and it is a freaking awesome bag. Been using it as my schoolbag for wintercession. I can tell I'm going to be using this thing forevs. Thanks, guys!

7. Facebook. What can I say? The status bar, the pictures (I get excited when I see that someone's tagged me in a photo!), my Wall. I enjoy it very much. I'm not on it every day, but I love checking in and seeing what folks are doing. I also like coming up with interesting things to put on my status bar. Status bar statements have to be true, but I like them to be interesting as well. 

8. Good Superbowl games. This one was actually an interesting game to watch. Not like other Superbowls that were blowouts or boring. There were challenged calls, stunning reversals of fortune, and a dude running 100 yards for a TD. A dude whose heart almost exploded. You could tell.

9. Clementines. Just bought a new box and I am enjoying them so much. So fresh. So juicy.

10. Caffeine. I don't drink coffee or soda or anything with caffeine, but when I'm really dragging, I take a caffeine pill. It's a pretty rare thing; I do it maybe once a month under normal circumstances. The weird thing is that I don't get the obvious feeling of being more awake. No, I gradually start feeling like everything is going to be just fine. I'm going to get everything done on time and under budget. It makes me want to make more lists and get organized. The caffeine provides a truly pleasant sensation, but I won't overuse it because I don't want it to lose its effectiveness. 

The DecaAwesome List

For the week of 1/11 to 11/17

For those of you just joining me, this is a top-ten list of things that have made my week. In no particular order (although the first one is particularly awesome)...

1. My sister. It was her birthday yesterday. There is no one on this earth who could ever be what she is to me. She is part of my heart and soul. She knows me in ways no one else does. She's seen me through everything. She taught me how to read when I was a very teeny little Hero. We're very different, yet we think the same. We'll make the same joke at the same time in response to something. And this still happens, even though I haven't lived in the same state as her for nine years. We don't talk as often as we should, but she's always there with me. She's the voice in my head, Bud Abbott to my Lou Costello, she's Han Freakin' Solo, a force to be reckoned with, a ridiculously talented artist, and the one person I'm sure I want to grow old with.

2. Burt's Bees tinted lip balm. When you just don't feel like dealing with lipstick, but you have to put something on your chapped lips, this is the perfect solution. A hint of color, moisture for the lips, a tiny little tube to stash in your pocket. I use the shade called Papaya. Oh, Burt, you are the man.

3. Gettin' organized. At last count, I have thrown away nine bags of crap, made up three Goodwill bags of clothes (plus two stacks of books), and shredded a ton of stuff (the shredder actually began to smoke at one point. I think it was trying to tell me to take a break.). I can see the top of my desk for the first time in months.

4. Gettin' in shape. I have gone running (well, for me it's more like a combination of jogging and walking) just about every day for the last two weeks. I'm not seeing any big changes yet, but it's not about that. It's about not being a blob any more. And thanks to all of the folks who say they haven't noticed that I've turned into a blob. I hope to continue fooling you until I am at my fighting weight again.

5. Having a workout buddy. My roommate comes running with me sometimes, and when he doesn't, he encourages me to go. When I come back, red and sweaty, he tells me I should be proud of myself. I need that kind of acknowledgment and encouragement, you know? Also, Cat and I are going to try to make a workout date for every week. This way we can catch up with each other and get back into shape.

6. My job. Yes, I complain sometimes. Yes, sometimes I don't want to go. But man, I have to admit it is a pretty damn sweet gig. It's tough, but so rewarding, and I have slightly more job security than a lot of people I know. Also, I've made some really good friends not just with my colleagues, but with some of my former students.

7. Christian Bale. I've seen three of his movies this week: The Dark Knight, American Psycho, and Equilibrium. He is such a rockstar in all of them. I don't particularly find him all that hot. But one has to be attracted to the slick smoothness and utter grace of his movements, especially when he's fighting.

8. Chinese food. One of my favorites. I'm meeting a friend for dinner at this place in Los Feliz and their Lo Mein was to die for. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

9. Venice Beach. My roommate got a biography of Jim Morrison for x-mas, and we've both been reading it. It's inspired us to go to some of the places where the Doors played or hung out, and we discovered that--you'll never believe it--it's still 1967 at Venice Beach. The nightly drum circle is like a freakin' time warp. Next time I go, I'm bringing an instrument to play. Then I'm gonna write some environmentally conscious poetry and maybe hitchhike cross-country like a Dharma Bum. Or, you know, not.

10. The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest. On the last page of every issue of the New Yorker, they have a cartoon with no caption. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to come up with a clever caption for the drawing. Usually, I am clueless as to what would even make sense for the cartoons, but every week they find three finalists for the previous week's cartoon. And at least one of them is laugh-out-loud funny. My recent favorite (didn't end up winning, btw) showed two business men at work. one of them sporting a cooked turkey under his arm. The caption read something like, "I am useless without my morning turkey." And I don't know why, but I've been laughing out loud at that for weeks.

DecaAwesome List for home

Here is a top ten list inspired by my visit home for Christmas:

Top Ten Foods of Home

1. Fusili and mom's sauce. I ate this upon arriving at my parents' house late Tuesday night. The pasta was yummy and the sauce was to die for. I miss mom's sauce all year round, and mostly eat sauce out of a jar, so it was a real treat.

2. Chinese take-out. It's what we're eating tonight. I can get good Chinese food in L.A. now (when I first moved there, I was clueless as to where to find the good stuff), but there's nothing like eating the good NY stuff out of the white take-out boxes at the dining room table.

3. Stuffed mushrooms. This is a holiday tradition, made for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I made them for the first time for Thanksgiving this year, and it was like stealing fire from the gods. Absolutely delicious.

4. Eggplant parmagiana. This is my grandma's specialty. Sometimes EP can get really heavy and greasy because you need to fry it up, but my grandma's recipe requires a draining step that makes the eggplant light and fluffy. It's practically like cake.

5. Fresh mozzarella from Iavarone's. Very soft and flavorful. Nothing like a slice of fresh mozz on a piece of semolina bread (maybe with a tomato). I could eat a ton of this.

6. Pizza from Umberto's. This is going to be tomorrow's dinner. No visit home is complete without take-out from our favorite pizza place. The sauce is magnificent. Mom likes extra sauce, but I'm good with the regular kind. They make a helluva Sicilian pie as well. Yum.

7. Elio's frozen pizza. This is best as a midnight snack food. They don't sell this kind of frozen pizza in L.A. It's the kind of pizza they used to serve at birthday parties at the roller rink. It's not real high quality, but it's awesome nonetheless. Best when overcooked a bit and kind of burnt on top.

8. Entenman's holiday cupcakes. Also something you can't get in L.A. Yes, we have a little bit of Entenman's, but for some reason, they don't sell the cupcakes. These monstrosities of sugar are made with yellow cake, a layer of chocolate on the top and a swirl of icing to match the season. Valentine's ones have cinnamon jelly beans, Christmas ones have little sugar trees, St. Patrick's Day ones have little sugar shamrocks.

9. Ham wrapped around a breadstick. Now that I'm eating pork again, I can enjoy this staple of holiday parties. The good cold cuts from M&M's (in Floral Park) don't hurt, either. The recipe? Take a slice of ham and wrap it around a breadstick. Eat. Savor.

10. Log Cookies. Mom makes these buttery-riffic cookies from a recipe she got from my Aunt Lee. They've got butter, crushed walnuts, and powdered sugar. They are fabulous, and I think of my beloved Aunt and godmother every time I eat one. Which is a lot at Christmas.

Christmas-y Things

I'm combining this week's regular entry with this week's DecaAwesome List. I'm not doing it because I'm so busy. No, no! For once, I am sitting on my butt with not too many things on my "to-do" list. I gave my last final today and I've done most of my grading. I'll be handing everything in on Monday and then I'll be free to enjoy my week at home. So, I'm actually being a bit lazy for once. Since I got back home after school, I've been sitting around mostly. Watching TV and reading. Bliss and Heaven. I was asked to go out with some friends tonight, but I honestly just want to veg out on the couch. So I will.

Here goes. This week's list with possibly more explanation than usual.

1. Panera. An AMAZING bakery that T suggested I try. Not only did I eat an unbelievable bagel there (although NYC's Ess-a-Bagel still holds the title), I bought a loaf of semolina bread. I know that doesn't sound like something crazygood, but it's hard as hell to find a loaf of semolina in this town. After eating there, I went home, opened a fresh mozarella, heated up some sauce, and it was like Sunday morning at Nanny's. Score.

2. iTunes. I am putting together a recital for March, and I now have recordings of the stuff I'm considering. Easy as pie. I just searched for it, downloaded it, and soon it will be sync-ed onto my iPod. All from the couch. No wonder our country is so fat. But the convenience! The convenience!

3. Love, Actually. This was a favorite of me and my ex, and I was terrified that I wouldn't be able to watch it again. Bad memories, good memories, who the hell can tell which are worse? But I'm pleased to say that it's on right now (cut to ribbons on TBS, unfortunately), and I'm enjoying it a lot. Hey, it's a funny movie. And touching and sweet and adorable. And you know what? Even though I'm sort of anti-relationship right now, it's still freaking charming.

4. Yes Man. Saw it last night and I liked it very much. Once again, Jim Carrey's character needs the love of a slightly nutty free spirit to help him find life again, just as in one of my absolute favorite movies: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Similar idea in another fave (although this one without Jim C.): Stranger Than Fiction. I love these movies for many reasons, but I like 'em a lot because I am a slightly nutty free spirit. I just went back and read over this and "slightly nutty" spoonerized into "nightly slutty" in my tired brain. Yeah.

5. Colin Firth. He's funny and charming and English. And I love his story line in Love, Actually. 

6. Rock Band. I know I put this on weeks ago, but I just had a Christmas party and it is the best party activity evers. Which brings me to #7...

7. When you have a party that you think is going to be lame, but which turns out to be really, really fun. It happened Thursday. I invited a heap of people and everyone kept canceling, and  it felt like it was going to be the world's worst party. Or that I would be sitting in a party dress (like I wear those) on my couch with just my roommate to hang out with, and no guests coming over. But that is not what happened. It's not like hundreds of people came over or anything, but that's probably better because my place is not huge, but just the right amount of folks came over to make it awesome.

8. Pomegranate candles from Illuminations. Illuminations is a candle store (are they on the east coast?) and around the holidays, they sell this amazing-smelling candle called pomegranate. It is seriously the best-smelling candle, maybe ever.

9. Cold orange slices. I love orange juice so much, and getting the juice right from the orange slice is amazing. Especially when the orange is ice cold. It's better than a popsicle. Better than candy.

10. The discovery of a new Chinese restaurant. On Thursday, it was absolutely imperative that C and I stop for noodles. The closest place was one I had gone by a million times, but never ate in. And you know what? The lo mein was transcendent. I'm going to go there more often. It's pretty near school and it's a decent and reasonably-priced place. Did I mention the lo mein?

DecaAwesome List Number Five

For the week ending 12/13/08.

1. Sunshine. This movie is incredible. It's gorgeous. The score is beautiful. And it's suspenseful and mind-blowing, yet still somehow so believable. WOW.

2. End-of-semester parties in lieu of classes. You get to eat cupcakes and cupcakes are great. Also, you don't have to teach.

3. Getting the stressful thing overwith. I'm so glad the faculty recital is over. It was stressing me out.

4. Candy Cane Jo-Jos. Trader Joe's Christmas cookies. They're like doublestuff oreos with ground up candy canes in 'em. Transcendent.

5. Ricky Gervais. I saw his comedy special the other day, and I was freaking crying, I was laughing so hard. The whole thing about Humpty Dumpty? I just lost it.

6. Finishing up Christmas cards. I'm almost done. Four left!

7. Poinsettias. I can actually have one this year.

8. Straws. They make any drink--even water--more festive.

9. Magazines. I bought two this week and got one in the mail. When I read them, it feels like I'm on vacation already.

10. The marimba. Saw a great piece for solo marimba last night at LACO. What an amazing instrument.

DecaAwesome List Number Four

The DecaAwesome List for the week ending December 6th.

1. Self-help books. God, I am so awful, but I am finding a couple of them really, truly helpful.

2. Creativity. Been thinking a lot about my story, and I have some interesting ideas. Also, my roommate is a composer and it's rad to hear him write music.

3. McIntosh Apples. Yummy and sweet. Best. Apples. Ever.

4. Cinnamon toast. Bread, butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Tell me a way you can combine those ingredients that's not effing delicious.

5. Gettin' shit done. I worked like a dog most of Thanksgiving weekend, but holy crap, did I produce.

6. Pure Citrus. It's a room spray, but it smells like fresh oranges. It's brilliant.

7. On Demand. Ordered and saw The Incredible Hulk tonight without leaving the couch.

8. Ruthless efficiency. I achieve it sometimes, and I'm pretty close to it these last two weeks.

9. Honesty. I'm trying out a new thing: being honest about how I feel about things. Today was kinda shitty, so when people asked me how I was (I mean, really asked me, not just howya doin'), I told them: I'm okay, but not great. And lately, when I've felt anti-social, I've just told folks, look, I can't be around people now. It's going to be a real test to see if I can keep this up around my family. I always like to act like everything is fine, so we'll see how honest I can be. It's a good thing, though, so I want to keep doing it.

10. Nuts in the shell. I bought unshelled nuts for the dessert course of my Thanksgiving. Only a few nuts got eaten, so that leaves a bowl and a half of nuts for eatin'. I've discovered that brazil nuts are pretty delicious, and that walnuts aren't just for cookies anymore. Also, the unshelled nuts just scream holiday to me. As does the case of cuties I bought.

Bonus #11. Cuties. Small, cute, and sweet. I am what I eat, neh?*

*"Neh" is an expression from Ender's Game that roughly translates as, "don't you think so?" 

DecaAwesome List Number Three

Here is the DecaAwesome List for the week ending 11/22/08.

1. Simply Limeade. You wouldn't think that limeaid could be this delicious, but oh, it is. It. Is.

2. My sister. M truly rules the school. She sent me MST3K DVDs for Thanksgiving because she is amazing and she loves me.

3. MST3K. Keeps nerds entertained for hours.

4. Psych. Also a gift from my sis that I am only now getting to enjoy. I should probably be sleeping, but I'm watching another episode.

5. Super fluffy hotel beds. Like sleeping on a cloud. A king-sized cloud.

6. Sap. The closer I get to the holidays, the sappier I get. In my mind, I'm making lists of things I'm thankful for. I'm like that.

7. Red Trolley. San Diego's microbrew. Delicious.

8. Crossword puzzles. I love these things a lot.

9. Short nails. I like to keep my nails plenty short. Looks neat.

10. My friend Di. Who I will see on Saturday. She is a fine artist, a writer, a great Mom, and seriously one of the coolest people I know. She's like, top 5 for coolness.

DecaAwesome List Number Two

This is the DecaAwesome list for the week ending November 15, 2008. In no particular order:

1. Dictionary.com. This is a website where you can look words up, and I use it all the damn time. I call it up on my Blackberry and look up words to find out their etymology or how to pronounce them. It's awesome.

2. Pandora.com. My roommate showed me this site. It's like a customized radio station, of sorts. You put in a band you like and it classifies their music and then suggests other bands or artists that do similar things. In a lot of cases, it'll show you people you already know, but it will also introduce you to folks you might never have heard of otherwise. It's probably run by a bunch of cave-dwelling musicologists.

3. Patrick Waburton. His cartoon voices, especially Brock Sampson on Venture Brothers, are so frickin' high-larious. His voice is just...so funny. Also, it was his birthday yesterday. Happy Birthday, Patrick!

4. Rieslings. Yummy white wine.

5. Not teaching middle school. I'm thankful for this one every day. I get to teach college now and it's way more fun.

6. Lush Bath Products. They're great products and they have labels that say who made them so it's all very personal. And also, they smell like chocolate and strawberry and grapefruit.

7. CocaChicken. This is a dish that T makes. It's chicken cooked for a long time in ketchup and coca cola and jebus, it is delicious. The chicken is so tender, you can cut it with a fork.

8. Iron Man. Yep. Another Robert Downey, Jr. movie. Saw it in On Demand last night. I had already seen it on the plane to Singapore, but it was way better on my pimp TV.

9. My lap desk. Keeps me from burning my legs while I'm putting in long hours editing and writing.

10. Venture Brothers DVDs. I own the first two seasons now and I've already watched all of season 1. It's good for what ails ya. 

DecaAwesome List Number One

For the week ending 11/8/08

A word before we start. I am a compulsive list-maker. At any one time, I have a master list that is categorized (stuff for school, special projects, errands, etc.), and a list that breaks tasks down day-by-day. Lists help me keep track of all the many things I must do. I also find them fun. Why? God only knows. Anyway, I love making lists of things that make me happy, and so I introduce to you, the DecaAwesome List, a top ten of stuff from the week. Sometimes I'll include an explanation with the list item and sometimes I'll let these things speak for themselves. In no particular order:

1) The Big Bang Theory and Venture Brothers. The two funniest shows on television. And they're two shows that were specifically designed to be funny to complete nerds. Big Bang Theory is on Mondays at 8 on CBS. Venture Brothers is on Adult Swim (Cartoon Network) every night at 12:30AM.

2) Chipotle - the restaurant. I ate food from there for the first time this week. It's always been a favorite of S and C, but I've never eaten there myself because I'm so damn picky. But then S told me I could have them make my burrito as boring as I liked. So I did and it was delicious. I even liked the cilantro rice, and I usually HATE cilantro. Score!

3) Pilsbury Cinnamon Buns. It's WRONG how good they are. Wrong. Also, I'm hungry right now.

4) Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang. Robert Downey, Jr. is maybe the funniest guy ever. I laughed like a freak throughout the whole thing. I just love meta stuff. Shane Black is a genius.

5) My purple pen. It was the one perk I got from judging the student Talent Show at school. It's just a plain Bic, but it writes in purple ink and it makes me happy.

6) Hotel pens. Yes, the nerd has two entries about PENS. The bulk of my pens comes from hotels. Sitting next to my keyboard on the desk is a pen from the Hyatt. I love hotel pens because they're free, and I usually get them when I'm at a conference. Conferences give me that good feeling of possibility so, by association: hotel pens = possibility.

7) Change. Not in a nickel and dime kinda way and not in an Obama way either. I just mean that you can be unhappy and you can change it. You can change your reaction, change your actions, change your situation, and just generally flip the script on almost anything. You just have to be willing to do it.

8) The Artist's Way. I'm reading it. It makes me feel like I'm validating my desire to write more. By reading this book, I am silently saying, "I'm serious about this."

9) The drum part of "Cherub Rock" on Rock Band. One of the most enjoyable songs I have yet played on this addictive game. Also, my band, Monkey Deathcar is very big in Amsterdam.

10) Editing. I was up until 3:30 last night working on the Accreditation Document, and even though the job is a total pain in the ass, it feels really good to fix something that's broken. Who ever guessed that I would be good at fixing anything? I can't fix a car or a dishwasher. I can't fix elections or contests. I can't even glue something back together without bonding two of my fingers together. But damn it, I can fix a sentence that makes no sense. I can make your subject and verb agree. I can maintain parallel construction and proper syntax. I can translate "english" into English. And I can have fun doing it, even at 3 in the morning.

~Hero