Ms. Tiffany's Universe

The Nerve!

2011-04-06T11:22:00.000-07:00

I have a pinched sciatic nerve. It has happened before and probably will again, it's not fun. This time I have a constant dull aching pain with some numbness and tingling that goes all the way from my lower back to my left foot. Sitting for long periods is a pain. Which means work = pain. A phenomena not unique to my situation.

All this to say I visited my local drug dealer and found some delights.

Holy Crash Test Dummies, my co-workers have a sense of humor.

You are what you are. Own it.

Summer Night City

2011-04-05T16:16:00.000-07:00

Dreaming of an amazing summer night wearing a flowing dress and high heels. All set to the back drop of this song.

Drunks Are Fun

2011-03-30T10:17:00.001-07:00

Floating Soccer Pitch

2011-03-24T15:06:00.000-07:00

gosh, just when i feel like life is full of bleh and nos there is this. it epitomizes every belief i've clung to since a child.

Want

2010-12-29T15:50:00.000-08:00

These are amazing. I want. I want. I. WANT. Clutches that appear to be books. Books that are actually clutches. So sneaky and utterly charming.

buy my expensive gift here: http://www.olympialetan.com/index.cfm

The Creation of Cybersex

2010-12-07T11:58:00.000-08:00

The other night I got together with a group of friends to watch the original Tron. I was excited to finally re-watch this iconic film. I have a distinct memory of watching it on VHS with my older brother at our next door neighbors house and quite frankly being bored. To be fair the film wasn't intended for the 5-6 year old girl crowd, I was probably pissed there weren't bears or ponies. "Where are my Care Bear Stares dammit!" *Side note did you know that the Care Bears were originally created for use on greeting cards by American Greetings? Fascinating. **Double side note, I also remember going to the local video store (no Blockbuster than, or for that matter now, folks) and seeing the Care Bear Movie resting on a high shelf bathed in a celestial florescent light with its siren call, "Rent me. Rent me. RENT ME. I will change your life." I snatched it up and then waited impatiently for my father to rent a VHS player.

Back to Tron, beyond my memory of watching it the only thing I remembered of the actual film were colored lines chasing across the screen. So yeah I was excited to refresh my memory.

The film's not that good, turns out I was a wise 5 year old. BUT there are some golden moments such as the deleted scene found below. Which I dub the creation of cybersex. That's right I said it, DISNEY CREATED CYBERSEX. You read it here first people.

Ask The Rocker

2010-12-01T16:25:00.000-08:00

My friend Todd just launched a new website Ask The Rocker.

Every time I see Todd he raves about how much I look like his hot aunt (by marriage).

Absolute hilarity.

On Repeat

2010-11-23T10:37:00.000-08:00

This song is hot.

The Hood Internet - It Was A Rainy Day (Ice Cube x CFCF) by hoodinternet

from The Hood Internet

Skateistan

2010-11-11T09:57:00.000-08:00

A great short documentary about the emergence of skate boarding in Afghanistan. Fascinating the impact a "toy" can have on a life.

2010-11-04T10:45:00.000-07:00

These two brilliant lamp designs need to be combined. Cheaters would totally sponsor.

Design by Ladislava Repková

My First Crush

2010-11-03T14:12:00.000-07:00

Jesus Gave Me A Tap Out

2010-09-08T14:26:00.000-07:00

Today is a day I am teetering between wanting to cry because I feel like the absolute most worst person in the world and wanting to rip people's heads off because they are absolute morons. All the while I am stuffing my face with See's candy* (thanks for that pound box Amy the 10 or so pieces I've had today are really putting me on the marriage track).

I feel like Chunk from Goonies: "At 9:05 wished ill will on a loved one. At 9:05:32 envisioned exclaiming "nah na na na na" with relish. At 9:10 jealousy and envy burned within me. At 9:10:01 realized these are the reasons why no one loves me. WAAAAHHHH."

"Have I done any good in the world today?" NO! Strike me down Jesus. Strike me down! I am not of Thy flock...Lament. Lament. LAAAAment.

Instead Jesus gave me a tap out.

The Trouble With Coupons from Hyperbole and a Half

Now I love me some coupons but there is a place and a time. I once got asked out on date with the line, "I have a coupon we can use." I also once got a coupon for Ralph's as a Secret Santa Gift. I was pissed.

That being said, I really really really want to see someone give a stripper a coupon for Applebee's.

*The See's Candy box is now empty. Emptying it was my only solution for implementing damage control.
**I didn't eat it all today. I've been nursing the box since last week. Is it too late? Did I chase all the men away?? Anyone? Anyone?

Danny and Annie

2010-09-03T08:58:00.000-07:00

In an era filled with divorce it's hard to believe that a marriage such as this is possible, it's so nice to know that it is. May we all strive to love as Danny and Annie do.

Danny & Annie from StoryCorps on Vimeo.

2 years: August 19, 2008

2010-08-19T09:47:00.000-07:00

Here are some of the things you've missed mom.

I finally made it to DC

I celebrated Rahne's B-day with her and Kristen in Baltimore.

We elected our first black president.

I took a three week trip all by myself to Thailand...

and Cambodia. Check solo journey off of my bucket list.

I got a hair cut and my first set of highlights.

I bought an SLR camera and decided to learn how to take pictures....it's a slow process.

We went on a family camping trip. We really enjoyed ourselves?

I turned 31 and got 30 gifts from the 99 cent store!

Rahne and Kristen came for a visit!

I almost died visiting CC in Detroit.

We had a belly dancer at our apartment. HOT HOT HOT

Went Zorbing...

black water rafting in glow worm caves...

and went to jail...

in New Zealand.

I started wearing bikinis, I know you're not happy about that but what are you going to do about it?

Went snorkeling and rode a water slide (A LOT ) in the Great Barrier Reef.

Watched people take camel rides at a beach in Australia, we thought it was rather strange too.

Matthew and Chelsea spent Thanksgiving driving a golf cart,

doing the chicken dance,

and learning how to skate board.

Spent Christmas and

New Years in Germany 2010 from Tiffany Jordan on Vimeo.

New Years in Germany.

Thankfully we all survived.

Bubba died so we took Tannen on a trip to Salvation Mountain.

Jen and I took a photo exploration of Downtown LA.

We did cartwheels in the poppy fields,

I fell every time. Not successful once. Not. A. One.

Ran Ragnar again and helped our team start a rivalry with this other team.

Fox Crawling from Tiffany Jordan on Vimeo.

I taught a baby how to crawl.

Turned 32 and had the best birthday ever.

I went night swimming, got caught in a rip tide and almost died all while skinny dipping. Thankfully there are no pictures.

I went viral.

I successfully summited Mt. Whitney with Mike and Amy. I also got altitude sickness, I vomited six times shortly after this picture was taken.

Chelsea and I attend cousin Kelsi's wedding.

Grandma Jordan is still as short as ever.

We miss you and dad.

Damn. I got the wrong phone.

2010-08-11T13:37:00.000-07:00

An Android user and a Mormon. So screwed (but not).

http://flowingdata.com/2010/08/11/iphone-users-are-more-promiscuous/

Jane Austen's Fight Club

2010-07-23T15:05:00.000-07:00

Shushers

2010-07-08T00:28:00.000-07:00

Before going to bed I need to get something off of my chest. I am SO sick of shushers. You know those people who "politely" turn to you and ask you to be quite. Having spent a few years in therapy I have to admit that I am a big respecter of boundaries so my first instinct is to respect that they've shared something that displeases so I should respect and correct.

NO MORE. I am changing my behavior right now.

I was at a play at the Pantages tonight with some friends, its a huge theater, the play hadn't begun yet so there is a large buzz about the room as everyone chats with their companions. My friends and I are doing the same when all of a sudden the old man in front of me turns around and with a bit of agitation says, "Could you ladies please quite down?"

What prompted this? I. Don't. Know.

I had just told my friend that for her anniversary she should take her husband on a helicopter ride that flew to locations significant to them and as they reached each one she should take off an article of her clothing and give it to him. (Our other friend had just shared this was how her cousin had be proposed to but she got roses instead of his clothing. I'm pretty sure men would prefer an undressed woman at the end of the ride instead of a dozen roses but I could be wrong.)

Maybe the man and his puritan wife were offended?? If so then choosing to see a play with a song that praises the endowments of a man was a poor choice.

Or maybe they found my laugh grating. Again. I don't know. And after spending way to much time stewing about it I finally came to this profound conclusion: SCREW YOU.

We were NOT talking loud or being disruptive in anyway so old man YOU need to stop being rude and start keeping your thoughts to yourself because I don't want to hear you.

Listen up all you shushers out there, unless someone is genuinely being disruptive (meaning more than just you and your party are annoyed) STOP SHUSHING. SUCK IT UP and DEAL WITH IT.

xoxo

Saucony: All Terrain Independence.

2010-07-05T11:47:00.000-07:00

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

2010-06-17T14:38:00.000-07:00

If you don't currently like Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros this video will change that. And if it doesn't you are dead to me.

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zero's - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

I'm smiling from ear to ear. I've always heard they are fantastic live and this proves it and just think I was this-close to seeing them live. next time. next time.

How many bands can just roll an old piano out onto the streets of San Francisco and pull this spectacularness out????

nice

2010-06-07T13:13:00.000-07:00

got this from my friend karl . i think it's more comforting than unsettling.

The Day Was A Good Day

2010-05-26T00:00:00.000-07:00

May 24th is my birthday. It was a good day.

It began with this.

I was waiting for Dave, he was taking me for a birthday breakfast. He was late. He finally came and we went to John O'Groats (aka John O'Goats). And it was good.

Then I saw this:

I politely inquired, "What is on your shirt?" The whole shirt was than revealed and we had a modest little chuckle.

The whole shirt:

In reality I heartily exclaimed, "What's on your shirt?" and then we both laughed very hard, very long and I very loud. It was a very very moment.

Then I got to work and saw this: sorry it's crooked can't get it to flip for some reason.

an hour later I saw this:

Yes those are my co-workers all wearing the same shirt. This isn't even all of them. Yes it took me an hour to realize they were all wearing the same shirt. I noticed it on the lady holding the glasses first. It took me a few seconds for my brain to figure out that 1) she was in fact wearing Dave's shirt 2) They did not know each other so there was no logical reason for her to be wearing the shirt 3) Dave set me up.

I then yelled, "SHUT UP!!" and began to laugh very very very hard, very very very long and very very very loud. It was a very very very moment.

The entire office heard me laughing. That's how they knew I had found out. My laughing was the signal. And they all began filing in. THEY JUST KEPT COMING! The whole office. ALL wearing MY face on their shirts.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

This picture was actually taken at least two minutes in to me laughing. I just kept laughing and saying, "Where's my camera? Where's my camera?" They all just stood there exactly as you see them, watching me.

Some of my co-workers took me to lunch. Connie was the only one brave enough to wear the shirt.

I was a little peeved. Not only did they not all wear the shirt but they completely disregarded my request to go to my favorite restaurant Tacomiendo and hijacked me to another for NO GOOD REASON. HArumph.

We than had gelato. I had Italian Love Portion. And it was good.

Sadly most of the other pictures that commemorate the night are on other cameras. But it did involve Tacomiendo for dinner, me taking half an hour to realize the Tacomiendo waitress was wearing the shirt, a table full of Trader Joe's (TJs) employees and yes I took a picture with them and last but not least boob jello with birthday candles as nipples. Cans this day have been any better? no.

It was a great day. I might have even teared up a few times. I can't tell you the last time I felt that loved.

Thank you party organizers. You are the best. Thank you so much for being my friends.

exciting!!

2010-05-20T16:43:00.000-07:00

A high-speed rail that would go through Visalia! Exciting. Who ever made this map is stupid because they misspelled Tulare. Yes that's right it's spelled Tulare not Telare. Hopefully whoever made this map will have nothing to do with the development of the high-speed rail system.

I'm The Best!

2010-05-17T22:33:00.000-07:00

Ran the Palos Verdes 1/2 Marathon on Saturday. A beautiful but beastly course. It's all hills. You are either running up or down never flat. Check out the elevation:

My friend Amy coerces me to run this race every year she is not pregnant, I've never run it well. Two years ago I tanked like I've never tanked before, seriously I had to walk a majority of the second half and was so sick after I almost passed out...I think I had a bit of heat stroke.

So I was a bit nervous.

But this year. This year I did great! 2:10:13. A PR for me. Woot! Woot!

The winner of the marathon and I finished at the same time. I felt bad for him because I stole all the cheers that were rightfully his.

WHAAAAAAT? OKAY, Moments of Lil' Jon: How To Appropriately Express Incredulousness In Today's Modern World. Part 2

2010-05-14T14:28:00.000-07:00

*This is part two of a t wo part series.

The second NPR story I'd like to discuss is titled "In Porn Industry, Many Balk At Condom Proposal". To sum up the story there is a call, mainly from a group called AIDS Healthcare Foundation, to mandate the use of condoms during the production of porn. As the title of the story suggests many in the porn industry are opposed to this.

To be honest my first thought was, "Who cares if porners use condoms." (i've just decided that porners is my name for those who star in porn films because let's be honest just because you are in one doesn't you a star make.)

But then I thought about it and realized that these people have a lot of sex with a lot of different people and not just with other porners, with regular every day people. AND it's not just HIV/AIDS, there are all kinds of STDs. lots of sex + lots of partners = increased risk of std. in my opinion: std + lots of sex + lots of partners = public health issue. Plus wouldn't it be really interesting to see what their risk management and workman's comp rules and regulations look like??

Anyway, why I now have an opinion on this matter really isn't the point of this post. The point are some choice tidbits that came out later on in the story. Here's the first...you ready for this??? I don't think you are...

Quote: "But many performers, both male and female, find it physically uncomfortable to do their jobs using condoms, says Vivid CEO Steve Hirsch."

WHAAAAAAT?!

I'm sorry. Can you repeat that? It's physically uncomfortable to use a condom????? Sadly NPR did not further explore that comment. I'm left to my own devices to figure it out...I think I'll write a letter.

Dear Porners,

I'm told that you find the use of condoms physically uncomfortable. This does not make sense to me. Don't you think protecting your health and that of others is worth a little physical discomfort? Be honest is it really that uncomfortable? While we are at it could you please explain to me how you being filmed performing explicit sexual acts isn't physically uncomfortable?

Please don't send pictures or video,

Tiffany

Okay we have that covered let's move on to the next tidbit.

begin quote
Most porn producers agree that these health risks are serious, but they don't think condoms are the solution. Hirsch says Vivid Video tried it before, for nearly seven years. "When we became a mandatory-condom company, we saw sales drop by about 20 percent," he says. Hirsch fears a condom mandate would wipe out the region's multibillion-dollar adult film industry. He says that California, where unemployment tops 12 percent, can't afford to lose more jobs.

end quote

WHAAAAAAT? OKAY!

Hirsch you are joking right?? Right??? Where's the hidden camera? Condom use shouldn't be mandated because of the recession?! California can't afford to to lose the porn industry?!

DAMN the recession it screws everything!!!

Maybe if the California government would have used protection we wouldn't be in the mess we're currently in. Ever think of that Hirsch? Huh? huh?

it blows

2010-05-10T15:44:00.000-07:00

mother's day effing blows if you don't have a mom or if she's dead. that sentence might have been hard for some of you to read but get over it. imagine what it's like for those of us who have to live that reality. seriously it sucks.

back to mother's day: marketing is everywhere. BUY. FLOWERS. LOVE. CARDS. CANDY. HUGS. it's like valentine's day but in pastels.

even worse than the leading up is the actual day itself. [scoff] typical. i mean come on holiday couldn't you at least try to be original??

why is day of the worst ? because EVERYONE and THING is telling you to call your mom. including my email. the sounds and sites of the day are like this: call your mom. call your mom. call your mom. call your mom. call your mom. and i'm like. "ignore." "huh? oh n/a ignore." "sigh. i can't. sniffle" "back off. i can't!" and finally "she's dead!!" and then it just gets awkward.

i even ditched out on church completely yesterday to avoid it. church LOVES to make a big deal out of mother's day. i went to visalia to visit my brother and his kids instead. i arrived just as they were returning from church. (woot!) i asked my niece Chelsea what they did at church. (side note about this family, their mom basically abandoned them a few years ago.) Chelsea excitedly described how they made flowers for their mom's out of cookies and candy. then she said, "I was going to bring it home but then I ate it."

i laughed and gave her a high five. she's one smart cookie.

the worst part? there is now something glen beck and i agree on. DAMN YOU GLEN BECK. damn you.

but seriously mom. i love you and i miss you.

WHAAAAAAT? OKAY, Moments of Lil' Jon: How To Appropriately Express Incredulousness In Today's Modern World. Part 1

2010-05-06T15:02:00.000-07:00

A few nights ago while driving to a friends house I was listening to NPR. I find the programming on NPR to be quite enjoyable and tonight was no exception. Two stories in particular caught my attention.

*This is part one of a two part series.

The first is a discussion about soda in America. One of the guests, Gail Woodward-Lopez (Associate Director, Center for Weight and Health, U.C. Berkeley) really enthralled me. Her basic point is that our large consumption of soda directly links to the rise in obesity because 1) it has increased our caloric intake over all and 2) they are empty calories, meaning they provide little to no nutritional value.

"[People] don't compensate. So, for example, if you drink a soda or other sweetened beverage with your dinner, you dont eat less dinner because of that. Because it just doesnt have the same filling properties that other foods and beverages do."

"[W]hat we find is that when you take in something like a highly processed substance, such as sugar or high-fructose corn syrup, every other nutrient has been stripped. So basically, you're just getting calories."

Ms. Woodward-Lopez also defined drinking soda in moderation as no more than one (1) per week.

My reaction?!
I WAS FIST PUMPIN' LIKE A CHAMP!!! I was like, "YES! Gail you are so bril! I stopped drinking soda in high school. Wanna talk about moderation? How about 2-4 times a year! How ya like me now Gail?! I am way above the curve. Who's the best ever? ME. And whose the devil? SODA!"

NPR then brought out Dr. MAUREEN STOREY (Senior Vice President, Science Policy, American Beverage Association) for the rebuttal.

"BOO. HISS."

Maureen came out fighting. First thing she said, "[W]hats going on in America is that people are consuming more of everything and not exercising enough. Soda, she says, is not to blame."

"What Maureen? Soda is not the devil?? We can't put all the blame on one thing? Our actions and choices as a whole are responsible for our physical and mental well being?"

My champ fist pumpin' quickly reduced itself to an awkward white girl raising the roof who just realized her actions weren't hip.

I agreed with Maureen. I began to question myself. Maybe I wasn't the best in the world as Gail had lead me to believe...

Thankfully Maureen kept talking: "Of nutritional value, there is either high-fructose corn syrup or sucrose, and that does provide energy or carbohydrates. And if we are active and need a refreshing beverage after a nice, long walk or a run, you can have a beverage and quench your thirst and stay hydrated."

WHAAAAAT?! OKAY!!

Yeah. After my 9 mile run on Monday the first thing I sought was a can of Jolt and oh boy was it refreshing and nourishing. Maureen you crazy.

Gail was right. I am the best in the world.

YEEEAAAAAHHHHHH!

somewhere in my youth or childhood

2010-04-29T23:10:00.000-07:00

when i was younger i relished monday holidays because it meant i could watch the sunday night made for tv movies with reckless abandon.

#mylifeisbetterthanyours

duck

2010-04-16T23:59:00.000-07:00

Neighborhood Treasure – Pictory

2010-04-09T10:01:00.000-07:00

Looking through these images (Neighborhood Treasure – Pictory) created an intense desire for me to go home. The strange thing is that no particular place came to mind just the strong desire to feel that amazing feeling of "ahhhh i'm home."

What places make you feel at home? What places or things where you live make you feel at home?

I think I might need to travel around LA sometime and capture my "home".

aimee wilder

2010-04-07T16:30:00.000-07:00

man i wish i had kids

or even a house

aimee wilder i've never liked wall paper so much.

it's half the battle

2010-04-05T15:03:00.000-07:00

did you know that The Beatles' song Yesterday was originally titled Scrambled Eggs?

true confessions

2010-04-05T14:10:00.000-07:00

#1) I've always found the song Sledgehammer and accompanying video by Peter Gabriel very annoying. I always kept it a secret, especially as a child because I knew how popular it was. Now that I am older I say, "Screw it Tiffany, SHARE YOUR OPINIONS!" So I shall...even if I lose friends over this.

#2) I love it when a whole family (and one Tiffany) bursts out in excitement when one of them pee-eds on the toilet. I sure hope I get to have kids one day.

they call me a musical genius...

2010-04-01T11:56:00.000-07:00

I am sitting here listening to this band:

Trying to decide if i like them or not. Their music is reminiscent of something but i can't quite put my finger on it. "Oh yes." I say to myself. "Classic Rock, kind of psychedelic but who exactly..." I ponder. "Not The Who. Cream? Yes more like Cream."

I start to scan their myspace page and guess what I see??

Influences: Cream, Baby Grandmothers, CAN, Fabienne Delsol, John Lennon, The Shadows (HBM), The Mamas and The Papas, Kyuss (Homme in general), Love, NEU!, Colour Haze, AIR, Dungen, The Nazz (Rungren), Blue Cheer, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Beck, The Doors, Gnarls Barkley, Steppenwolf, Jefferson Airplane, Massive Attack, Portishead, GZA/RZA/Wu-Tang, Jedi Mind Tricks, Cypress Hill, NAS, SELDA, oh SELDA...

Yes that's right the number one influence listed is CREAM. I am good ladies and gentlemen, I am good.

put a smile on

2010-03-22T09:26:00.000-07:00

i love anyone who can even conceive of doing something like this.

Diego Stocco - Music From A Bonsai from Diego Stocco on Vimeo.

census?

2010-03-02T21:32:00.000-08:00

I got a census packet in the mail the other day, or at least what I thought was a census packet. I found it again tonight and thought, "I should fill this out because I am a responsible American." So I pulled the papers out and began reading the "instructions". This is what I found. Begin quotation:

Dear Fellow Republican,

You are one of a carefully selected group of Republican leaders nationwide receiving the enclosed CENSUS DOCUMENT containing your 2010 Census of America's Republican Leadership.

My GOP colleagues in the United States House of Representatives have asked me, as House Republican Leader, to enlist the nation's most knowledgeable Republican activists in uniting our Party around a principled conservative agenda.

That is the key to electing a new Republican Majority in Congress, ending Nancy Pelosi's reign as Speaker and stopping the Obama Administration's radical leftist agenda...[pictures of them were inserted here. in case i only know these individuals by face and not name, i assume.] ...before they do irreversible damage.

end quotation.

Now I must admit I am a registered republican. I know shocking. A woman living in LA who's a registered republican?! But I'm also a Mormon from the Central Valley. That's like a Mormon from the Orange County minus the $$ and breast implants. I registered when I was 18 and didn't really know what my political leanings were. My parents were republican so I registered republican. I have a few years on me now and have realized my political opinions are varied but the majority of them are more democratic in nature.

I think Obama is doing a great job. I agree with Universal Health Care and I have no problems with paying higher taxes to get it. I agree with the concept of welfare etc. To sum up I think there are certain things (i hate using that word but i've already spent 5 minutes too long trying to think of another) that are inalienable rights and we, as a society have a responsibility to provide them.

So it's quite laughable that I've been "enlist[ed] [as one of] the nation's most knowledgeable Republican activists". What am I going to do about it? SKEW THE RESULTS!

On to the survey:

Question 1: Do you believe the Obama Administration and Nancy Pelosi's soft-on-defense, reckless spending, higher taxes, and expansive Big Government policies are the right leadership for America? YES

Question 2: Do you believe our Republican Party should be united around the conservative, free-market principles of limited government, low taxes, and a strong national defense? NO

Question 6: Should House Republicans resist the Democrats' new federal government bureaucracy, excessive regulation, and socialist "spread the wealth" redistribution schemes? NO

Question 10: Should House Republicans fight military-cutting efforts in Congress, like ultra-liberal Rep. Barney Frank's proposal to slash the Pentagon's national defense budget by 25%? NO

...

I'll tell you what I do oppose NRCC. I oppose your biased and leading "census" questions. I oppose your unveiled effort to incite people to anger and distrust. For these reasons alone, I would disagree with you even if I agreed with you just to piss you off.

I can't wait until they get my survey!!!!! :)

salvation mountain

2010-02-28T19:16:00.000-08:00

i came

i saw

i conquered

how do you find salvation? by following the yellow brick road of course.

the whole thing was actually really cool. leonard knight, the artist, has lived here for 30 years while building his tribute to God. that's his cat george.

leonard uses items he finds in the desert, like branches, tires, cars, car doors etc

the core structure is adobe and the building tools he needs are mainly donated by visitors.

it's vibrant and cool. you should go.

and always remember Cod Is Love

we also stopped by the salton sea

don't go. it smells.

this is the sound

2010-02-26T17:07:00.000-08:00

of your website: codeorgan

Bosstone

2010-02-24T13:47:00.000-08:00

sad news. my sister's dog Bosstone (aka Bubba) died last night. i'm sad. she was such a great dog. i got her for my sister 13 years ago, a friend had gotten her as a puppy (then named miss piggy. she was a boston terrier, they snort a lot) and could no longer take care of her.

there are so many things i want to say about Bubba but it just makes me too sad.

anyway, this video is all over the music blogs today and i thought it was kind of fitting. especially since one of my sister's nicknames is jj.

i'm a little worried that the video is too "graphic" or that the actual message of the song is horribly inappropriate but it's resonating with me so i'm posting it. i'm assuming the song is about "letting go" but i have no idea. discerning songs is NOT a skill of mine but that's ok, it's something a lot of people struggle with...sigh...i'm in need of an afternoon delight.

your order has shipped!!!

2010-02-23T10:29:00.000-08:00

i have been experiencing a strong desire to "get out of dodge" for about three weeks now. it hit full force this past friday, so as soon as i got home from work i began researching where to go.

my answer: Salvation Mountain. strange and kooky? PERFECT.

i didn't go. i ended up having a lot of fun friday night and thus went to bed way later than expected. got up late the next morning to a GORGEOUS day and went for a 7 mile run...i now have a new favorite run. by the time i was done it was too late in the day to start my 3 hour journey. i will be going there. very soon. let me know if you want to join.

ANYWAY doing this research got me to thinkin', "I need a guide book for CA." so i bought one.

i am very excited and can't wait to get my book. just think of all the adventures that await me!! it was a lonely planet, after all, that shared with me the secret of the thai woman's prison that gives massages. it was fantastic! even if they stole my sunglasses...it's possible that i forgot them but them being stolen makes for a much better story.

i got the email today saying my order has shipped! oh the anxious anticipation of seeing what wonderful gems my lonely planet will hold!!!!

fyi

2010-02-20T01:00:00.000-08:00

if you google "lee pace tiffany" my blog comes up first.

it is meant to be lee. it is meant to be.

this brought happy to my day

2010-02-19T09:48:00.000-08:00

DanseDance from Julien Vallée on Vimeo.

"Each day, we are surrounded by seemingly insignificant objects, taking them from one place to the other, or leaving them on a table for weeks, without paying any attention to them. We ignore or forget them, using things only when we need to, making sure they don’t interfere or inhabit our space. But what if they were not so stable and subservient? What if they could swivel, bounce or even fly. And what if they did so all at the same time?"

if i'd only known

2010-02-17T23:31:00.000-08:00

I have a personal goal for February to only eat 16 grams of sugar (from sweets) per day. I'm perfect so far and can guarantee it will remain that way BUT if I'd only done a little research I'd never have made this goal. If only I'd known I'd have set my goal to increase my intake by 20 kilos/day.

The bottom right reads:
Note to mothers: Exhaustion may be dangerous - especially to children who haven't learned to avoid it by pacing themselves. Exhaustion opens the door a little wider to the bugs and ailments that are always lying in wait. Sugar puts back energy fast - offsets exhaustion. Synthetic sweeteners put back nothing. Energy is the first requirement of life. Pay safe with your young ones - make sure they get sugar every day.

now this is a product i could sink my teeth into

2010-02-11T16:11:00.001-08:00

happy valentine's day week

2010-02-08T13:47:00.001-08:00

Nuit Blanche from Spy Films on Vimeo.

go after the things you desire.

cool

2010-02-04T11:06:00.001-08:00

hope & faith

2010-01-26T13:55:00.000-08:00

hope & faith can be elusive enigmas, at least for me. then i see (or witness) and image such as this and everything becomes clear. for me the father's hand is the epitome of hope and the child faith. i can feel this father's yearning for his child to have a good life even though he knows unspeakable hardships exist and the child saying, "i have no idea what's going on but if you take the lead i'll follow."

(
A man touches his newborn baby, born three days ago, at the Israeli hospital in Port-au-Prince January 20, 2010. (REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

"you remind me of the babe."
"what babe?"
"the babe with the power."

lee pace

2010-01-18T19:59:00.000-08:00

my roommates and i were watching a show the other day and the comedian informed us that he googles his name and thus discovered a blog post in which a fan confessed her crush on him. his reaction, "she never thought i'd read it but she don't know how lonely i am." hahaha....wait why don't i do that.

lee pace if you're single you should ask me out. i have a horrible personality but i'm hot.

a town called panic

2010-01-15T23:18:00.000-08:00

this is the most spectacularly bizarre, hilarious and fantastic film i have ever seen. hands down.

New Zealand in pictures

2010-01-11T12:41:00.000-08:00

a december to remember

2009-12-14T16:27:00.000-08:00

1. A Car With A Bow.

You know those annoying Lexus commercials intended for rich people who don't care about looking rich, even in today's economy? The ads that depict people walking out to their driveways Christmas morning, only to see a brand new Lexus all wrapped up in a pretty bow?

Why should the fact that you can't afford a Lexus -- or any car, for that matter -- prevent you from giving one as a gift? Besides, nothing signifies the act of giving more than sticking a bow on something, anything. So this Christmas, head out onto your street or into your neighborhood in the middle of the night and wrap whatever car you wish you could give in a giant red bow. Why stop at one? Wrap five cars, or all of them! Then, in the morning, march your robe-clad loved one out there and surprise him or her with the gift of momentary, fleeting, unobtainable luxury. Take a picture, because that's the one thing they can keep (aside from the bow, of course).

by carrie brownstein http://www.npr.org/blogs/monitormix/2009/12/monitor_mix_2009_gift_guide_1.html

this sounds like the best christmas ever.

an education: new moon sucks this doesn't

2009-12-09T00:44:00.000-08:00

i just got out of seeing this movie with my friend emily. it is FANTASTIC. we couldn't stop talking about it. the most fascinating thing is that on the face of it it's completely predictable but we were left guessing the whole time. the character arc is phenomenal! the emotional wave it takes you through is mind blowing. i'm still trying to figure one of the characters out and my mind is loving the challenge. oh gosh, i desperately want to explain the beauty of this film but i lack the critiquing skills and writing ability. all i can say is that it is a finely crafted film and it's left me feeling enthused more than any movie has in a long time. GO SEE IT!

2012

2009-11-24T14:11:00.000-08:00

If the world really did implode in 2012 and you were in charge of determining what got destroyed, what would you destroy?

I would destroy:

1) Fox News
2) All the cars in LA except my car and my friend's cars because driving people around everywhere would get really annoying. Since we would be the only ones with cars we would all quit our jobs and start a cab company, all the roads are still intact. We would be wildly successful but a few years down the road everything would fall apart because of all the infighting. Eventually a Lifetime movie would be made and Renee would be happy.
3) Luxembourg

things that F-word-ING piss me off.

2009-11-20T11:25:00.000-08:00

dick cheney: his parents really did a great job at naming him correctly.
idiots who expound on how we could have won vietnam, making the implication that us losing the war is what made it wrong; as long as you win a war you are in the right, right? F-word NO. idiots. we should have never been there in the first place, win lose it doesn't matter if you are sticking your nose where it doesn't belong. the creation of a north and south vietnam would have been great though, just like in korea because that's working out rather swimmingly. Here is a great article by Senator John Kerry: http://www.newsweek.com/id/221623
people who complain about unfair taxation and applaud the 32% raise in tuition at UCs when they went to byu. pot. kettle. i'm going to be calling you and asking for a portion of my tithing back.
everything about the executor of my parent's "estate". you know how it's commonly stated that in english the word "love" isn't adequate for expressing the true depth and breadth of that emotion? i feel the same thing about hate when it comes to this man.
getting two pieces of mail: one being the i want to stab you inducing "closing the estate letter" the other from Smart Cremation. i will reprint for you the first paragraph of the letter.

Dear Ms. Jordan,
As difficult as it is, sometimes we owe it to ourselves and to those we love to face the truth. Dying is part of life. Death, is what makes our lives so precious, exquisite and magnificent.

really?! f-word you. happy friday!

3153296673

2009-11-19T12:09:00.000-08:00

*WARNING* This is about sex so Laura you probably don't want to watch it. :)

http://blogs.reuters.com/fanfare/2009/11/19/jason-segel-sings-for-love-or-a-one-night-stand-whatever-works/

an interaction

2009-11-17T21:01:00.000-08:00

i was at a health fair at the va in long beach today. i had a lot of interesting interactions. below you will find some excerpts.

1st situation:

two security guards (both young men) insist on bringing me a slice of carrot cake. i take one bite, it's not very good so i don't eat any more. they walk by again and start giving me a hard time for not eating it. they walk away one comes back.

security guard: "yeah when ever people offer me cake i try to say no because you know it's just not good for you. i've really noticed the effects that stuff has on me too. last night i ran 1.5 miles and man towards the end of it could really see the impact of that stuff [sweets] because it gets rough and i want to die."

me: (in my thoughts) pfftt 1.5 miles. i ran 3.5 miles yesterday, so don't try to impress me with your 1.5 miles.

the security guards walk away and the woman at the table across from me, the same table that was serving the cake, says "those two [the security guards] are always together and they think they are the shit."

second situation

a 65 year old african american man wearing an olive colored polyester suite and a gold chain sees me throwing my mostly uneaten cake away.

man: "why aren't you eatin' that cake? watchin' your figure?"
me: "yes"
man: "why?"
me: "someone has to."
man: "it looks good to me."
me: "well i want to keep it that way."
man: "are there other people watchin' your figure?"
me: give no response. the man continues to stand next to my chair, neither of us saying anything.
man: "what's your name?"
me: "tiffany. what's your name?"
man: "008"
silence
me: "why is that your nickname?"
man: no answer
me: "is it because you are slightly better than 007?"
silence
man: "you single?"
me: "yes"
man: "why?"
me: "i haven't found him yet."
man: gives me a look like that says men are crazy because i haven't been scooped me up yet."i need to give them my glasses."
me: "yes. you should sell them."
man: "a heisman. they don't recognize a heisman when they see one."
me: "nope"
man: "i know a heisman when i see one. you're beautiful. you're a beautiful woman. you don't know how beautiful you are."
me: "thank you"
man: "i don't even have those glasses and i see that."
me: no response and lots of me awkwardly looking away and trying to start conversations with other people. then a list of questions get thrown at me.
man: "you work out? How often?"
        "where you live?"
        "you work here [at the va]?"
        "when did you graduate ucla?"
        "what was your major?"
me: "history"
man: "tell me something about my history?"
me: "um...you worked for the city."
man: looks slightly surprised. "did i tell you that?"
me: "nope" but he did.
man: "can i call you some time?" he starts to take out his phone.
me: "no"
man: "will you call me sometime?"
me: "no"
man: "so i can't call you & you wont call me?"
me: "no"
man: "you are a heart breaker." (this comment comes from a previous conversation between us in which i told him i was a heart breaker.) "why you gotta break my heart? I just put it back together a few months ago & now you are breaking it again."
me: (trying desperately not to say sorry because there is no reason for me to.) finally i say, "didn't intend to."

man has to leave for an appointment. i say "nice talking with you." and shake his hand. MISTAKE. he grabs it, holds tight and caresses it with his thumb.

yes that's right the brothers love me. which once again is why i thought the man in detroit was hitting on me instead of threatening to kill me.

can i get married now.

can you tell me how to get...

2009-11-09T11:23:00.000-08:00

On November 10th Sesame Street will begin their 40th season. Sesame I haven't watched you in awhile but if you are still this cool keep it up because this is EXACTLY the kind of education I want my kids to have. For your betterment, watch the kid at 0:38 and 4:11.

In2Books

2009-11-02T15:45:00.000-08:00

i just signed up for what seems to be an extremely cool volunteer opportunity and i think you should join too. It's called In2Books http://in2books.epals.com/login.aspx?ReturnUrl=/default.aspx. Basically it's a pen pal/book club between you and a student in elementary school.

you are matched up with a child who is either in the 3rd, 4th or 5th grade you both read the same books, picked by the child, through out the school year and then you write letters to each other about them. seriously could this opportunity be any cooler? i love to read. i love kids. i love being worshiped or a role model, whatever you want to call it.

SIGN UP NOW! they are taking applications throughout the month of november.
http://in2books.epals.com/login.aspx?ReturnUrl=/default.aspx
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=111486578993&v=wall&ref=mf

happy halloween!

2009-10-30T11:28:00.001-07:00

trying hard

2009-10-29T22:46:00.000-07:00

where do i begin?!!! so i began this post with the intention of demonstrating how horrible i am at trying hard, with a humorous slant of course. then i thought, "isn't there a quote about trying hard and being successful?" so i googled "the harder you try" and guess what answers.yahoo.com had for me, "Why is it the harder you try the more it seems you fail?" as a resolved question nonetheless. who knew yahoo had the answers to my life!

this was the answer picked by the asker, "There's such a thing as trying too hard. Once that point is reached, the extra pressure you put on yourself begins to negatively affect your performance. It's a mental thing more than anything else..."

SNORE

i liked this answer by insanity better "because the harder you try the harder the goal is. you judge how big the goal is then try as hard and do as little as necessary to achieve that goal. if you try extremely hard at somehting easy like making cereal you wouldnt fail. but since we try hard at things that we see as tough like maybe acing our finals sometimes it is just out of our reach. its not that every time you try hard you fail, its that every time there is a tough goal to accomplish you try hard and sometimes it is out of reach. so if you try hard and you fail it is the goal that makes you fail."

thank you insanity. thank you.

now that we are all armed with these two spectacular answers let's get back to me. i too fail when i try really hard. for example, back in august my sister rahne came to visit. i don't know her very well and she is my big sis so i want her to like me.

my goal: impress her

action taken: tell her my roommate was black and that i say funny racists jokes to her all the time. this was all done within less than 10 minutes of her arrival. we were in fact still bringing in their luggage from the car.

thoughts?

i also took a picture of a bowl-legged man while we were on a hike.

the www is my downfall

2009-10-25T19:19:00.000-07:00

you ever have something really funny to say, so funny that you've even planned your blog post about it? that was me this morning towards the end of my 13 hour plane ride. i couldn't wait to get home and rip this blog out but the www refused to work for HOURS! torturous, i know.

i now realize that the majority of the humor was based off of the delirium of a long plane ride, sitting in the last row of the plane next to the bathrooms (lesson learned: always travel with personal sachet of potpourri. vicks vapor rub might actually be better, those fume forced eye closures might at least induce sleep.), watching 6 moives and not one minute of sleep. to sum up, i was cranky as hell. the woman two rows in front of me and her choice of head adornment almost pushed me over the edge.

in case you can't tell those are koala ears, which she wore throughout the plane ride and prior to boarding, who knows how long she had them on before that. lady you are 45 not 5 it's not cute just lame. i'm willing to bet that she also owns an embroidered mickey mouse denim shirt and bedazzled crocks.

did you know?

2009-10-20T03:37:00.001-07:00

did you know that australia requires a visa? i didn't.

Liu Bolin

2009-10-08T13:14:00.000-07:00

http://v1kram.posterous.com/liu-bolinthe-invisible-man

busy and proud

2009-10-01T14:01:00.000-07:00

Quick update: Life has been rather busy lately, especially work. I have gained additional responsibilities without losing any others, don't you love it when that happens? Unfortunately it's because they had to lay a few people off. Thankfully I am very excited about my new responsibilities. I will now be running a weekend long camp for kids who have MS this summer. This is right up my alley and it kind of makes me want to get up and dance.

Well ok a new lover could probably only make you that excited but you get the point. and if you haven't seen 500 days of summer you should it's great. i've seen it twice.

I'm also in charge of family programming and scholarships. I wrote all of the bios for last years recipients (except the first 5) and created this website: http://www.nationalmssociety.org/chapters/CAL/programs-services/support-for-the-family/scholarships/index.aspx

I am good at my job. It feels good to say that because for most of the time I've worked here I haven't felt like I was. I think being so bogged down with family things was the largest culprit of that. I'm still sad about all of that but I guess with time...

Next weekend I am going to New Zealand and Australia with my friend Alysha and I will be spending Christmas in Germany. Lot's of travel ahead!

p.s. Everything I do just came on Pandora. Still makes my 7th grade heart swoon.

iranian funk. who knew?

2009-09-24T10:54:00.000-07:00

UPDATED: ok. well. hurumph. i was trying to make this post really cool so you could actually just listen to the music...turns out that's beyond my capabilities. here's the lame old link. BLERG!
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112829658
pretty fantastic right?!

i've been having a love affair with npr for about three months now. it's going splendidly.

it's like this and like that and like this and uh

2009-09-22T11:56:00.000-07:00

When drunk undie clad Yeltsin went to White House searching for pizza!

Russia News.Net
Tuesday 22nd September, 2009 (ANI)

Washington, Sep.22 : Former Russian President Boris Yeltsin got so drunk during a 1995 visit to Washington that Secret Service agents found him a few hundred feet from the White House clad only in his underwear and trying to hail a cab. He later explained that he wanted a pizza.

http://www.russianews.net/story/545793

The D

2009-09-13T23:49:00.000-07:00

I went to Detroit to visit CC. I had fun.

I almost died.

But it was worth it.

I saw a magic bus.

I saw the Heidelberg Project

I saw CC climb things.

I saw CC get wet.

And all the while Billy D. watched over us.

I went to Lake Michigan.

And accepted that sometimes I'm wrong and next time wont settle for this as my sunset picture.

I learned about the birds and the bees.

We posed as nervous freshman, participated in a scavenger hunt and learned everything there is to know about the Michigan library instead of seeing Ann Arbor.

The duck was worth it.

We had fun.

With this post I learned to edit in HTML because blogger and pictures is annoying as all get out.

la fin.

hubble and beatles

2009-09-09T11:45:00.000-07:00

if i was an inanimate object i would want to be the hubble telescope.

today the remastered versions of the beatle's albums were released, both in mono and stereo. i heard a bit of a remastered "dear prudence" yesterday...absolutely smashing.

tribute

2009-08-31T00:19:00.000-07:00

so i have to give a 20 minute tribute to my mom at my grief group on tuesday (9/1). i don't want to do it at all. what i want to do is pick something up crash it to the floor and storm out in protest. but alas as an "adult" that kind of behavior is deemed unseemly and thus i feel constrained by dictates to not follow my desires.

anyway. my mom wrote each of us kids (there are four of us) journals because she was poor in health and didn't know if she would be allowed to see us grown. the first entry of mine is actually written 8 days before i was born. i didn't get it until after she died, i've read through some of it but haven't been able to get through all of it. all this to say, as i was browsing through it today i found this poem..

To my four children March 23, 1984 (which is my parent's wedding anniversary)

Life

Child

You were not born to feel sorrow

for a mother not whole of body--

My spirit is whole, and overflows with love.

I cannot mourn for myself,

for I was born with purpose.

I morn for you,

for the pain you must suffer,

in my behalf.

I feel mortal weekness, fear, and pain.

but it's you,

you, fill my every thought.

My hope in life,

to be a mother,

has been granted, and more,

for I gave birth to you,

and I've been blessed,

in knowing you.

My eyes fill with tears,

as I plead for life,

No mother could love more deeply--

My pleas grow stronger,

though I know this pain won't last.

Yet, I plead to raise you to maturity.

Life beyond will be more splendid.

We've talked of streets paved in gold,

and being together eternally,

but this life holds beauty, too,

for in this life

I gave birth to you.

--Judi Jordan

Happy Birthday Mom.

2009-08-27T08:50:00.001-07:00

i have been taking pictures

2009-08-22T23:45:00.000-07:00

some of my favorites

A Year: Judi Barlow Jordan

2009-08-19T11:37:00.000-07:00

senior portrait 1963

wedding day March 22, 1968

Birthday: August 27, 2005

(not much happened between 1968 & 2005...at least not digitally)

When I was younger my mom would make fudge Easter eggs for friends, neighbors and us. Everything hand made. Everything decorated by hand. In 2006 I made her make them with me. These are probably some of the last images I have of her because the MS was really starting to physically change her appearance. Every time I was home I'd take pictures of her but to be honest they weren't very flattering and thus got deleted. Even though she would kill me for posting these, I can't not because all I see now is an extremely beautiful woman whom I miss terribly.

think her eyes are amazing in this picture. I could stare at them all day.

Finished product.

Mom and me.

folk

2009-08-19T09:55:00.000-07:00

I love folk music. This album is extremely enjoyable. It's a live recording, if I would have been there in person I would have been transfixed. Listen to the whole album for free here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111966379 ...This is not a request.

thoughts

2009-08-14T00:03:00.001-07:00

1) Amy and Mike are the best.

2) While driving home from Moorpark tonight I noticed all of the skid marks on the 405. Each of these skid marks has a story...what are they? Most of them have a similar beginning, an uttered "OH SHIT!" but I'm curious where it went from there. These aren't just inconsequential doodles drawn out of boredom they are marks of the fragile state of the human existence. For some it's a mark of "phew that was close." For others it's of deep gratitude for the opportunity to live another day. For others it's a mark of deep tragedy. For some it is the last physical mark they created in this life...

3) Then I got home and ate a banana (thanks jenni). I love bananas. What I love more are banana splits. There used to be a restaurant in Visalia called the Velvet Creamery. The name always has and always will make my mouth water. Such a delicious name. I have fond memories of it being the height of a Visalia summer, 115 degrees outside, me inside the Velvet Creamery nursing a banana split and shivering while I did so. I've always tended to get cold while I eat or drink cold things.

There was also one time when a bunch of ladies came to clean our home and my dad snuck me out of the house to get a banana split at Fosters Freeze. That was a good night.
Those are my thoughts for these evening. Completely random? Yes. That's how my mind works so get used to it. Now I'm off to fall asleep watching Clueless.

moon

2009-08-04T22:39:00.000-07:00

I love the moon. It's so beautiful and for me always a reminder of the existence of God.

This is a beautiful picture but...

Not as beautiful as the one I took tonight. :) Look close you can see the craters. No? Maybe with a magnifying glass? Or you're just blind and dumb & there is no use in trying.

carousel

2009-07-21T23:33:00.001-07:00

When I was a kid I loved carousels. They no longer hold the same magic for me that they once did. No longer is it a mythical adventure on my magic steed (the land or sea variety). No, now it's just perpetual circular rotation...no destination, you end where you begin. I feel that's what my life is right now and I'd like to get off of the ride.

Most nights I sigh with relief, "ahhh got through that day." Then I realize that it will all start over again the next day...perpetual circular motion...I hate it.

I want change but what?? That's the question(s) I don't know the answer to. When I was fed up with my old job I had a list of dream ideals for my new job, I don't have that this time. There are only three things I know I want and routinely fantasize about.

1. Marriage

2. Motherhood

3. Living in Western Europe for at least 2 years

I have no idea how to make these things happen. Well except #2, I am an expert on the kama sutra afterall. I'm just not willing to do it without #1, I blame Mormonism 101 for that.

by the way, i took the above picture.

What a week.

2009-07-17T11:51:00.001-07:00

Last Saturday, July 11th, started out quite lovely with a bike ride and frolicking at the beach. The fun continued that night with improv at Upright Citizens Brigade and dinner at Birds for Chelsea's birthday. Then this happened:

A guy going 30-40 mph ran a red light and slammed right into us...I don't think he ever even hit the brakes. I saw it coming but couldn't process everything in time to warn Chelsea, the most I could get out was, "car" and then I braced myself for impact . A few seconds went by (felt like an eternity) with nothing happening and I honestly began to think, "maybe he'll miss us" and then BAM. I felt the whole side of the car caving in. I couldn't move at all for 20 to 30 seconds after because I hurt too much, which again was scary. Thank goodness for side air bags.

One of the cops teasingly said he spent $15,000.00 on his teeth (don't recall how this came up in conversation). I then accused him of vying for a spot on the next recruitment poster.

I then asked him if I could get in his back seat. What can I say his teeth were pretty brilliant and I can never pass up a photo op.

The night ended with Katie patiently waiting with me at Cedars Sinai. I left with a neck brace and prescriptions for vicodin, ibuprofen and a muscle relaxant. I really wanted to ask Katie to take a picture of me with my neck brace on but didn't want her to think I was a photo whore.

By the way, no worries everyone, I am fine. By now even my two chipped teeth have been taken care of.

The rest of this week has been spent at building a biplane, at doctors appointments and I started my massage class, which I loved.

I am exhausted.

thank you bobby brown

2009-06-28T02:16:00.000-07:00

An actual exchange I had at a club tonight:

guy: "where are you going?"
me: "over there."
guy: "why?"
me: "it's my prerogative."

Iran

2009-06-25T09:39:00.000-07:00

To the people of Iran.

I support you and am proud of you. I am a firm believer in the right to protest. Thank you for your demonstrations and protests. Thank you for providing me an opportuinty to get to know you and your country a little bit better. I hope the violence may end soon and that you will one day feel you have received what you are asking for.

For additional images:

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/06/irans_presidential_election.html

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/06/irans_disputed_election.html

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/06/irans_continued_election_turmo.html

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/06/a_troubled_week_in_iran.html

gaping hole

2009-06-13T02:33:00.000-07:00

When I was younger and my siblings would come home from college for the weekend/breaks/holidays I would get so excited. On the flip side when they left I would start bawling. No matter how much I tried to stop it I couldn't. I have a hard time saying goodbyes.

Most of you know that both of my parents have passed away and it feels like there is a big gaping hole in my heart and in my life. Losing both of them is something I anticipated for quite some time and tried my best to prepare for it but I never thought it would be this hard.

I've always been a fan of time, no matter what you do it just keeps on going. That aspect of time always brought me such relief and comfort. No longer do I feel this way. Time has become an enemy. The more time passes the more people I lose and the more time continues to pass the more people I'm going to lose. This bit of reality makes everything in me want to shut down. Oh but good ol' Father Time doesn't stop there not only does he steal people but he steals your memories. I realized this week that I don't remember what my dad's laugh sounds like. How can I not remember such an integral part of him? I feel like I'm betraying him.

How could they both be gone? I don't understand it. I can't comprehend it. I look at pictures of them and I am just baffled. It's so confusing to look at pictures of people who lived on this Earth, who created lives and a family and then they are just gone. You can't call them on the phone, you can't ask them for advice or seek comfort from them, you don't have a home to go to. When you wonder where a certain picture, artifact, book etc is and realize it's probably at your parent's house but you can't go and get it because everything's been cleared out. If I or my siblings aren't in possession of it then it's gone forever because everything else has been thrown away. How can two people's lives disappear so quickly?

I was going to attach a picture but don't know what happened to the one digitized photo I had of them.

cannabi

2009-06-11T10:47:00.000-07:00

perhapse this movie needs to be re-released with all this talk of legalizing mj.

RAISINS!!!

2009-06-09T10:37:00.000-07:00

I die laughing everytime.

http://www.thesneeze.com/2007/raisins-2007.php

it's educational

2009-06-03T09:19:00.000-07:00

*WARNING* some of you might not like this entry.

Whenever I can't sleep I pop an ambien. Sleeping is not one of my many talents...I struggle with it A LOT. This past Sunday I knew a restless sleepless night was upon me so I gulp down an ambien, curl up under the covers and drift off into blissful sleep.

The next morning I awake to a blank Netflix watch instantly screen on my computer. I had no recollection of watching anything. No big deal. Most nights I put something on as I fall asleep in order to zone out and help quite my mind.

Monday night rolls around and I begin my ritual of watching something on Netflix. The opening screen comes on and I see this on the previously viewed:

"huh?" I think to myself

THEN THE MEMORIES COME FLOODING BACK

I now remember searching Netflix for something to watch. When I saw this show I thought, "I want to learn about that."

I mean come on who doesn't want to know the secrets to the art of love?

I didn't remember much beyond that so I click on it. Again. More memories come flooding back. Especially this one refrain, "It's not porn. It's educational."

The kicker. It has less than two stars. Apparently after all that I'm not even well educated.

cannabis

2009-05-26T11:32:00.001-07:00

i take lots of calls at work. this is just one of them.

lady: i'd like information on the use of cannabis. i'm having strange side effects and want to know if that's normal. blah blah blah. she had a lot to say but i'd stopped listening. i've gotten very good at knowing what i need to listen to and what i don't.

me: well is it prescribed by your doctor?

lady (with attitude): *snort* no. it's illegal.

me (thought in my head): not in california idiot.

me: what side effects are you experiencing? who am i speaking with?

lady (again with attitude): *scoff* i'm not giving you my name.

me (in my head): lady you are paranoid. i wouldn't care if you were smoking crack. i only want your name so i can get credit for taking this call.

me: what side effects do you feel you are experiencing?

lady: blah blah blah

i gave her the information i had and offered to email it to help keep her privacy.

lady: i've done research on the websites and nothing addresses what i'm experiencing. i've had MS for a long time, i don't take any drugs for it and my MS doesn't really bother me. i don't view cannabis as a medication.

me: so then why did you start taking cannabis?????

this lady is an idiot for the following reasons:

1. she gave me attitude right off the bat. if you are seeking advice and knowledge from someone DON'T give them attitude.

2. if you are in fact using cannabis for the reasons you outlined than it is in fact a medication.

3. she started taking an illegal drug (turns out she lives in nyc) and is paranoid about it.

4. she started using cannabis to address symptoms that are common side effects of MS without researching it or any other treatment possibilities, including legal drugs and alternative therapies.

5. again she is paranoid about it which means she is unwilling to talk to her doctor or any other professional making it impossible for her to really know how all of this is affecting HER. you can research the interweb all you want but the fact of the matter is IT doesn't know your medical history. IT can't tell you what is your MS, what is the cannabis or if it's something completely unrelated or not.

the points of this lesson:

if cannabis makes you feel better go for it but at least know what you are getting into. fyi this applies for all medical treatments you are considering.

don't give me attitude.

sometimes i start out a post thinking it's going to be funny and it turns into a rant. i'm going to go take a hit and revisit this post...maybe then it will be funny.

glee

2009-05-22T20:12:00.000-07:00

Perusing through the stuff saved on our dvr and I come across "Glee". A friend had just mentioned it so I decided to watch. umm....it's FANTASTIC! I lol'ed, grinned like Fat Albert getting a second piece of cake, happy emotions were had. I even felt, shall I say (and I shall) gleeful. The kicker: they sang Journey throughout!! They had me at "you make me weak..."

Here's the pilot. Watch it. Love it. Be gleeful.

new hobby

2009-05-19T22:03:00.000-07:00

My friend Alysha is teaching me about photography. I had my first photo shoot tonight, I was in heaven the whole time! Here are my favorites.

Random

2009-05-10T22:25:00.000-07:00

Here are the thoughts currently in my head:

1) There are some blaring inconsistencies in the movie Pretty Woman. Vivan charges $20 to personally escort Edward from Hollywood to Beverly Hills yet her price is $100/hour? A drive to Beverly Hills with a bus ride return would take AT LEAST 1.5 hours but probably more. On top of that think of all the lost potential revenue during those hours. From a business side, what a HORRIBLE decision. Let this be a lesson to all of you in the service industry.

2) I am sad 95% of the time and am terrified that I will always be.

3) I hate it when books have an introduction. I never know if I need to read it or not and I don't want to waste my time reading it if it's not important to the story. A majority of the time it's not but you never know. To those of you in the publishing world STOP having introductions to books, if the information is that important put it in the actual story.

A good reminder for me.

2009-04-28T16:50:00.000-07:00

Love is real, real is love,

Love is feeling, feeling love,
Love is wanting to be loved.
Love is touch, touch is love,
Love is reaching, reaching love,
Love is asking to be loved.
Love is you,
You and me,
Love is knowing,
We can be.
Love is free, free is love,
Love is living, living love,
Love is needing to be loved.

aahhh.

2009-04-21T11:30:00.001-07:00

morning was pretty average for me today. i awake at 7 and refuse to get out of bed. 8:02 alarm goes off. snooze button hit. 8:12 alarm goes off. snooze button hit. i continue to lie awake in bed. mornings really aren't my thing. plus i can feel the heat emanating from my window. finally i emerge from the bed to ready myself for work. all the while disliking the heat & dryness in the air, on my skin, my hair...everywhere. 8:55 time to depart for work. i hop in the car and start driving. then it hits me pure CONTENTMENT. a brief second of huh? then realization hits. AIR CONDITIONING. i LOVE it. the cold air flowing over my skin denying the heat it's rightful victory. the environmental side of me thinks this is wrong but every other part of me screams ALL IS RIGHT WITH THE WORLD.

you have to understand i grew up in a town where 95 degrees was a reprieve from the heat. air conditioning was my savior. i have a fond memory of walking home from school in the oppressive heat when all of a sudden a mirage...my father. in a car. pulling up along side me. i tentatively reach out for the door. GLORY BE. it's real!! i leap into the car and immediately feel the sweet sweet ecstasy of air conditioning.

remember when.

2009-04-20T11:33:00.000-07:00

remember when birkenstocks were all the rage.

i'm waiting for the day when we can reminisce about crocs.

suck it.

2009-04-16T13:44:00.000-07:00

sometimes that's what i want to say to life.

to that end, here are some things that can really piss me off.

to counter here are a few things that usually brighten my day.

http://rachelthurston.blogspot.com/ photography is my favorite medium of art and i love her's.

monday.

2009-04-13T10:46:00.001-07:00

Sigh. Here's to the beginning of another week.

episode ii

2009-04-06T11:29:00.000-07:00

return of the tool

A co-worker walks into my office today and asks a question which addresses both the tool and I:

co-worker: "Can I borrow this chair?"
me: shrug of the shoulders "sure."
-a brief conversation ensues between me and said co-worker. it ends she is about to leave.-
the tool: "Uh. That's actually MY chair. It's for when I have meetings in here people have a place to sit."
-silence and awkward stares-
co-worker: "So can I borrow it?"
the tool: "Yes. I appreciate the ask."

Co-worker and I exchange knowing glances as she leaves.

Seriously?! What is wrong with this guy????

ugh.

2009-03-24T15:21:00.000-07:00

I forgot my headphones at home today. Not having them is so painful it's death inducing. Why? I share an office with an absolute tool. And when I say share I mean our desks face each other, nay touch each other, just like in elementary school. And when I say tool I mean a tool. I don't talk to him. I don't talk to people I don't like. It is always dead silent in our office.

For my birthday I would like 20 pairs of headphones please.

The One The Only

2009-03-23T23:07:00.001-07:00

This my nephew Matthew Jordan. He turned 16 today. Yes you read that right 16!!! CRAZY! He is fantastic. I called him to wish him a happy birthday.
Here's a bit of the conversation.

M: "I took my girlfriend on a date Saturday night."
T: "That's great. You have a girlfriend?! What did you do?"*
*side note turns out she isn't actually his girlfriend this was their first date and his first date ever.
M: "Dinner and a movie."
T: "Were you nervous to ask her out? How did you do it?"
M: "No. I called her on the phone and said would you like to go on date with me Saturday night?"
T: "Wow. Good job. You are so brave. Are you going to ask her out again?"
M: "Yeah"
T: "When?"
M: "When I'm available."
T: "Well when are you going to be available?"
M: "I don't know. I'll have to check my calendar."

FANTASTIC!

If I were a rich man.

2009-03-18T12:41:00.000-07:00

If I had more vacation time.

If I had someone willing to go with me?!

I just found round trip tickets to Moscow for $439. I want to go to there.

TO LIFE!

Videos for your pleasure.

2009-03-03T23:12:00.000-08:00

I took both of these videos in Cambodia with the specific intent of sharing them with my friends and family.

The first is to give you an idea what it was like exploring the wats of Angkor in Cambodia.

The second is one of the many bands I saw that are comprised of survivors of land mines. I almost bought one of their CDs but it was $10! Come on, it was the end of my trip and I was short on cash! Apparently my level of charity does have a price.

My "Those Less Fortunate" soapbox

2009-03-02T00:17:00.001-08:00

Today during an announcement someone made a comment about "helping those who are less fortunate than us." Which immediately set my blood to boiling. I find comments such as these to be extremely rude and condescending.

By saying you are blessed or fortunate simply because your life is not XYZ you are also saying that my life is better than yours or that I am more blessed than you. Why? Because you are counting your blessings or fortunes in life by looking at what another lacks. With comments such as these you are inherently making a comparison and I would argue that we are not meant to compare our lives with each others. In an article about the recent plane crash in Buffalo, NY they were interviewing a few individuals who were meant to be on that flight but for one reason or another missed it. For good reason these individuals were shaken by how close they came to death. One of them made the comment, "God was watching over me." My immediate thought was, "What a harsh comment to those you just lost their loved ones. How many of them will wonder why wasn't God watching over us?"

In Christopher Reeves book "Still Me" he talks about a role he played in which he was a paraplegic. He describes how after he was done filming he came home and felt so blessed that he wasn't in a wheelchair, that that wasn't his life. After his accident he was reflecting on that experience and realized how arrogant he had been. I didn't understand what he meant at first but now I fully agree with him.

In my opinion God is watching over all of us and blesses all of us. In one way or another all of us are fortunate. I feel it is our obligation to recognize and acknowledge the blessings in our lives because we all have them. It is complete arrogance to say I am so blessed because that is not my life. We should never look at someone and say I am fortunate because I am not homeless like you. What we should do is recognize that everyone faces hardships in life and some peoples experiences can be completely unimaginable to us which may lead us to feel that we are blessed because that wasn't/isn't our experience. I would argue that those aren't blessings and it doesn't make anyone less fortunate than you it's simply a different road traveled. Yes, use other people life stories and experiences to gain gratitude and perspective on life. But never never say or feel that someone is less fortunate than you because they may very well be thinking that same thing about you.

Confession

2009-02-02T22:07:00.000-08:00

I often contemplate how superior I am to others. I'm slightly ashamed of this but it's true. More times than I care to admit I find myself scoffing and scorning others because they don't realize how lame they really are.

Case in point, I was in my good ol' home town of Visalia this weekend. My siblings and I went to see a few bands play at a local bar. First up a "folk" band from Seattle. They weren't folk. They lied. They were pure country which equals pure crap. Anyway, there were two men there decked out in full suites. One of whom I heard declare "I like this band." I swiveled my head shocked and appalled. Fast forward a few more songs and these dapper dan's were back and with increased DUI potential. Then the horrors of horrors began...they started dancing. It was like we were at a wedding being held in a double wide. Picture a greatly exaggerated form of the chicken dance mixed with chest bumps mixed with lots and lots of hugs. Feelings of superiority shooting through the roof.

Thankfully the evening picked up with a fantastic band called The Fruit Bats from Chicago.

All By Myself: In Conclusion, Thailand and Cambodia

2009-01-23T17:27:00.000-08:00

November 2008: I found myself in Thailand and Cambodia all by myself. I was a little nervous to travel alone at first but I pounded myself on the chest, just as Ms. Dion taught me to and hopped on the plane.

My two main reasons for this trip were:
1) To fulfill several of my dreams
2) To get myself completely out of my element and challenge myself.

My flight landed past midnight in Bangkok and I began to wonder where I was going to sleep that night...I had absolutely nothing planned. Lack of planning is not my usual MO and believe me I attempted many many times but every time I sat down to put things in order nothing came of it. I believe it's the way things needed to be. I think I just needed to go and take whatever paths I chose to take as they arose along the way.

I still find myself struggling to find a way to describe this trip to people because it was unlike anything I've ever done before. It wasn't a vacation for one thing...a vacation is a break from life, whether you enjoyed it or not...this was not that. This was living my life while traveling. Evey day I had to scavenge for food, make sure I had a place to sleep that night, figure out how to get from here to there, experience discrimination, learn cultural differences, deal with grief, be alone every night, make new friends everyday and the hardest part, there is no escaping you when you are the only one there.

Yet at the same time I was living this adventurous fantasy! White water rafting, elephant riding, kayaking, island hopping, climbing amongst ancient ruins, exploring new cities, discount shopping that puts Ross to shame, plane rides, bus rides, train rides, tuk tuks, hoofing it, MASSAGES. The scenery was so varied and completely stunning. The people were amazing. I met people from all over the world and let me tell you this world is abounding with good people. People who care, who want to make a difference and leave the world a better place than how they found it. I love that I learned that.

Anyway, I didn't intend to go on and on I was just going to announce that I've finally pulled together all the pictures. There are a lot of pictures but I broke them down by catagory so they would be easier to go through and I'm not very good at editing pictures so they are all as they were taken...

Enjoy!
Tiffany

Bangkok:

Bangkok

Chiang Mai:

Chaing Mai

Pai:

Pai

Krabi:

Krabi, Southern Thailand

Angkor Wat:

Angkor Wat

The rest of the wats I visited in the Angkor area:

Wats in the Angkor area

Floating Village:

Floating Village, Cambodia

The People:

The People

Signs:

Signs