So last week rachelmanija posted about a performance that was going to be done by the organization she volunteers with, The Virginia Avenue Project*, that was happening this weekend and I, being in a bit of a mood, decided it was high time Kelly and I went on an adventure.

Yesterday was the play and, despite all my worries and the best efforts of LA traffic we made it to the show with plenty of time to spare**. The car ran great, and after the show we went and had dinner of a sort at a Denny's just down the street with Rachel, and I signed my life away with Rachel and Kelly as witnesses.***

The show, though. Ohmygod, the show. Poor seajules had to put up with several texts during intermission and then again after the show about how insanely awesome it was. Seriously. It was THAT awesome. I will explain.

Done in two acts, each one consisted of a series of short unrelated plays performed by program kids and their professional writer/theatre/mentor people. Practically between every play I turned to Kelly and said, "I want to do that, I want to work with these kids. Let's move to LA!" Needless to say Kelly is a very patient woman.

I mean, how could you not want to spend all your time with kids who're willing to sing their hearts out on songs about things like magical beings having to keep their lives closeted or an eagle whose cry is "Barack"? Or, best of all, about how the buffalo skull burns in the desert. To young Jose I give my greatest applause because without a doubt he just about killed me.

If any of you are in the SoCal area, make sure you don't miss the next time these kids put on a show, it's entertainment of a caliber you're unlikely to find anywhere else if only because of the sheer joy of the performance. I know that Kelly and I will be going again, and dragging everyone we can along with us.


*Click the link and donate! Seriously! The kids are wicked rad and the program does incredible things in their lives.
**On the way back on the other hand we hit traffic just as we got back on the freeway. Midnight in LA and we still came to a complete standstill. Took us over half an hour to go a mile and half. Eesh.
***Isn't that how long it takes to write a book? Forever? Gah. Starting this week I dedicate time. Or something. A post is a start! :D

For those of you who already read the Comics Curmudgeon this bit of SHEER GENIUS won't be new. For the rest of you?

I have only one thing to say.

Zombie. Beethoven.

GO!

THERE IS A NEW FMA SERIES OUT AND IT IS AMAZING.

...*ahem*

New FMA series, revamping from go, apparently. Just watched the first episode unsubbed and and I am -still- insanely in love all over again.

Roy! And Ed! And -Armstrong-!

They all look like... like -themselves-! Even more than in the previous anime, which is saying something. I was reminded that, uh, Hughes will be here again, and it will break my heart, but I DON'T CARE.

Oh, FMA you break my heart so good.

Here, go ahead and watch the opener. It's okay if your heart beats a little faster, it's what happens when you fall in love.

A quick update on a life gone insanely busy:

- New computer is totally rad, not used nearly enough, and named Ike.*

- My wedding dress makes me feel like the princess of the cupcake kingdom and I LOVE it.

- We have managed to, with only a single week's concerted effort, procure two wedding dresses and a cake maker. Bad. Ass.

- I am making fish tacos next week. Like my guests, I'm am praying for the best.

- For those of you keeping track at home, the betta count is currently eight. The newest fish is named Avery and I adore his little scene-kid colouring.

- The new apartment is totally the best thing ever, and also we have finally achieved a Kitchen Table.

This isn't to say that we don't totally love the balcony too, but being able to eat a table is a luxury I hadn't realized I missed so much. Also, I have been cooking real food so much more since we got the table that I feel like just having one is practically a health food choice on its own.

- Kelly is officially graduating in June. Things just keep on getting more exciting around here.

- Shopping on Etsy is always fun, but -now- I have the excuse to shop for wedding things like jewelry and gift-y things and I am having an absolute ball.


I keep on resolving to write more because quite a few fantastic things have happened recently, and I just keep finding myself wandering about the internet instead, though do I still read everyone else's posts. Ah well, I'm sure that after with so much wedding stuff happening I'll at least have pictures and things to show off. ...Which reminds me; I have an appointment with some flower people on Monday. Hazzah!



*Gale, don't you dare laugh at us. XD d

Federal Taxes = DONE

State Taxes = DONE

Kitchen = UNPACKED

Rest of the New Apartment =/= UNPACKED not even a little.


So. Yes. This has been a very busy weekend* and a the week has gone on much the same way, BUT we are officially moved into our new place and I cooked my first meal here last night. Also my in-laws are buying us our missing furniture (KITCHEN TABLE) this weekend. Hazzah!

...now I just need to get to the rest of the kajillion books and things all over the office and get them. Um. Not in bags any more. After than all you SD peeps will have to come over for dinner. How does some kind of taco arrangement sound?


*Thank you SO much seajules, cindelius, bruisezonherego, and zakhodit! There is NO way we could have gotten through all that moving without you guys. Seriously.

WE GOT THE NEW APARTMENT WE WANTED.


We move in this weekend if we can pack fast enough. Lord it happens fast when I get going. Hazzah!

It is MUCH harder to file one's taxes and watch Ouran High School Host Club than you would think.

Seriously.

Today is my birthday so I am going to the Gma's house where my mum is making fish tacos (Oaxaca style) and I'm going to rope all my doofy SD friends into playing board games with me.

Fuckyes.

From this little veggie garden to all of you,


HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy Birthday to seajules!


You do so much for your sister and I that makes every day better. We adore you and hope that the next year is full of even better possibilities and adventures for you and the Señor. *HUG!*

I have acquired a cold and my cough is back. Yes, I'm sure several of you will remember it well from, um, every other time I have gotten even a little congested. It sounds like I am trying to play a goose like bagpipes.

Kelly is around but working on a finals paper which means that even though we are sitting across the living room from each other IM is our main means of communication because it messes with her paper writing mojo less.

...It should also be noted that have this almost pathologic fear of drinking really hot tea. It's almost always tepid by the time I get to it, but that's still better than burning my tongue.


Me: No more talking for me.
Kelly: ok
Me: It's making the cough worse.
Kelly: drink your teeeea
Kelly: even if it's only a teensy bit warm
Me: Remind me for I am chatty.
Kelly: the warm is important
Kelly: especially in our tiny apartment
Kelly: put a blanket on too
Kelly: siiiilent beeeean
Kelly: hoooooly beeeeean
Kelly: siiiiiick is meeeeean
Kelly: toooo my beeeeeean
Kelly: round yon teeeeeeacup yooooou should siiiiit
Kelly: siiiiip your teeeeea ... driiiiink iiiiit
Kelly: sleeeep to niiiight with my beeeeeeeeean
Kelly: sleeeep with my heaaaavenly beeeean


Come on by our place for the holidays. The carols are highly festive.

Right now Kelly is painting and since that means she won't play with me, I've been spending since yesterday work my way through six volumes of Hellsing. At best it makes 85% sense and the rest is just insanity and cool shots drawn entirely to use up toner at the printers.

It is also kind of rad.

( Though the Catholic knights with the Klan hoods gave me pause. Also there are spoilers here.  )



And in conclusion, AWESOME.

I've been reading politics again.

With the current turn of events in the world, does this mean that Rahm Emanuel is the Hughes to Obama's Mustang?


...Yeah, that's what I said.




Man I love this administration already.

Re: Prop. 8

Fuck this noise. Kelly and I are having a wedding in July and no one can stop us.

Come on CA come on come on come on.

I just wanted to give a state close to my heart a little more love.

Ohio, you made me proud today. You made me cry, but you made me proud.


Now, California, you better not let me down 'cause that would just be cruel.

It's raining in San Diego this morning. More than just a drizzle, but not by a lot. Hopefully not by enough to keep people home and away from the polls.

I've already cried once this morning over a video that was posted on Facebook (thank you!). You can see it here:




Kelly and sat, and watched, and I just started to sob. That's MY college they're showing there. Those are people I went to school with standing in lines for HOURS just to get their voices heard. Already today I've seen that those same people, adults now with real jobs, spread out all over the country, are voting have voted today. And it just hits you like a ton of bricks. Someone tries even once, just once, to take away your voice and you will do all kinds of things to get it back.

This morning Kelly and I got up and tried to plan our day around voting. We tried to figure how to pick each other up and how long to wait in line and then finally we just looked at each other and said, "Or we could just go now."

Our polling place is only a few blocks from our apartment, but we drove because of the rain and because Kelly has school this morning. Though, as she put it, "If there's ever a day where it would be okay to miss class, this is it." As it turns out there was no reason to worry. A short line greeted us and while I parked the car Kelly went and stood with a small group of people in front of the North Park Community Church. A woman holding a "No on 8" sign across the street from the church and I exchanged thumbs-ups and by the time I walked up, mail-in ballot in hand, there was quiet conversation going on around Kelly, and people everywhere were smiling and excited.

From the nice Church folks inside passing out coffee and pastries we learned that when the election officials had opened the location at 7 this morning there'd already been a line of people waiting outside. No one seemed surprised by this, though everyone seemed pleased.

In the end the whole process took maybe thirty minutes from start to finish, and Kelly was pretty excited to have voted in her first presidential election. I got to pet a dog and listen to people outside the polling place be polled themselves by researchers with clip boards. It was heartening to hear how many of them were voting for Obama and against Prop 8.

It's almost nine now, and it's still raining. I'm home with tense shoulders and knees from the rain and completely glued to the vote ticker on Facebook. Every minute or so the numbers twitch upward and some part of me gets a little more hopeful. Today is a big day for everyone, not just those of use who wanted to get married or who don't want to lose their homes. Today is a strange and wonderful morning full of un-San Diegan rain and people standing out in it. On any other day you'd think that SoCal folks melt if you get them wet, but not this morning. No, today there are people all up and down University holding signs, standing in lines.

Today is beautiful.

I'll Be Seeing You
by Jo McDougall

World War II is slipping away, I can feel it.
Its officers are gray.
Their wives who danced at the USO
are gray, too.
Veterans forget their stories. Some lands they fought in
have new names, and Linda Venetti
who deserted the husband who raised cows
to run off with an officer
has come home to look after her mother
and work the McDonald's morning shift.
William Holden is dead,
and my mother, who knew all the words
to "When the Lights Go On Again All over the World."