via {frolic!}
23 December 2008
Gorgeous Nutcracker Pictures
Courtesy of Rachel Papo. The photos speak for themselves, so I'll just let you take a look.
via {frolic!}
via {frolic!}
Christmas Christmas Christmas
Oh my goodness.
So. Lots of fun Christmas-ey things have ensued the last couple of days. Christmas began for me on Sunday, in Cairo, with Pete and many members of his family. We began the weekend with a whirlwind of wrapping gifts, baking, cooking, cleaning, shopping...all KINDS of good stuff! Cairo is cute when it's dressed up for Christmas, lots of old-fashioned candles and Christmas trees that hang from street lights and little gaudy board cut-outs of snowmen and reindeer in the park. A big lit-up Christmas tree on one of the main streets. I love old-fashioned stuff.
Not only did Pete's family completely bestow loads of gifts upon me (The Office, Audrey Hepburn movies, beautiful books), Bridgett gave me some SCREENS for my GOCCO!!! (Thanks, Bridgett. I've been meaning to get your number from Pete but I keep forgetting.)
Then, due to unforeseen circumstances, me, mom, dad, Emme, and Pete had our annual Christmas celebration, with a new member! I think Pete enjoyed it. And the biggest surprise of all was that dad bought us (the familly) a Wii. Um, it's awesome. Just in case you weren't sure. Insanely awesome.
As of now I have no pictures to show you, but when I do, I will post them. Next up is heading to Chicago (well, the suburbs) tomorrow for a few days, then back down to Cairo for awhile . THEN, come January 1, me and Pete are vegans. For real. And I LOVE cheese. So we'll see how that goes. I will be sure to keep you updated on that.
Oh, PS: This is me and Pete's first Christmas together! I'm pretty excited about it. It will be nice being with each other in person, instead of periodically talking on the phone, on Christmas day. Le sigh.
So. Lots of fun Christmas-ey things have ensued the last couple of days. Christmas began for me on Sunday, in Cairo, with Pete and many members of his family. We began the weekend with a whirlwind of wrapping gifts, baking, cooking, cleaning, shopping...all KINDS of good stuff! Cairo is cute when it's dressed up for Christmas, lots of old-fashioned candles and Christmas trees that hang from street lights and little gaudy board cut-outs of snowmen and reindeer in the park. A big lit-up Christmas tree on one of the main streets. I love old-fashioned stuff.
Not only did Pete's family completely bestow loads of gifts upon me (The Office, Audrey Hepburn movies, beautiful books), Bridgett gave me some SCREENS for my GOCCO!!! (Thanks, Bridgett. I've been meaning to get your number from Pete but I keep forgetting.)
Then, due to unforeseen circumstances, me, mom, dad, Emme, and Pete had our annual Christmas celebration, with a new member! I think Pete enjoyed it. And the biggest surprise of all was that dad bought us (the familly) a Wii. Um, it's awesome. Just in case you weren't sure. Insanely awesome.
As of now I have no pictures to show you, but when I do, I will post them. Next up is heading to Chicago (well, the suburbs) tomorrow for a few days, then back down to Cairo for awhile . THEN, come January 1, me and Pete are vegans. For real. And I LOVE cheese. So we'll see how that goes. I will be sure to keep you updated on that.
Oh, PS: This is me and Pete's first Christmas together! I'm pretty excited about it. It will be nice being with each other in person, instead of periodically talking on the phone, on Christmas day. Le sigh.
11 December 2008
MILK
You gotta go see it. The story of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay politician ever elected to office (where else, but in San Francisco? One more reason why I LOVE THAT CITY).
Me and Pete saw it opening weekend, and it was just...awe-inspiring. I wish that I had been alive at this time. And the thing is, I talked to my parents about it afterwards (this isn't really a spoiler, but Harvey Milk was assassinated in office in 1978, a couple years after he had been politically active), and they had NO REMEMBRANCE of this happening. They don't remember a gay politician, they don't remember an assassination, they don't remember Proposition 6, which was all about firing openly gay teachers, and the people that support them...
And the thing that I found so odd about this was that my parents are extremely open. I mean, we live in SOULARD. I love Soulard, with my whole heart. I loved growing up around lots of gay men and lesbians, because this is one of the big reasons why I am so open towards all types of people. I was exposed to all types of people as a kid, and from a young age, I have HATED hearing anyone say "that's gay" or "ooooh you're so gay". I HATE it. I correct the kids at Wilson who say it (which happens so much. It breaks my heart.) I correct my friends.
I remember one time, my friend Katrina was over at my house. We had a list of emergency phone numbers by our phone in the playroom, because I was probably in like 6th grade. We still had babysitters sometimes, but if mom and dad were just going to be next door, me and Emme would just stay home by ourselves. The "emergency" list consisted of phone numbers of our neighbors, doctors, family members, etc...and John and Steve were at the top of the list (which makes sense, because they live next door). So Katrina is reading the list, and she reads "John and Steve", and says, "Hey, Kaylen. Where's the lady in that one?" And it was at this time that I realized, hey. Most kids my age have NO clue whatsoever. They think that "gay" is demeaning, and vulgar, and gross. They think it's a joke.
And unfortunately, I still believe that most people my age (and really, lots of people EVERYWHERE) don't understand being gay. They don't understand that it isn't a choice. They don't understand that when two people love each other, they should have ALL RIGHTS POSSIBLE. So many married couples that I have known haven't had kids. So many straight couples I've known have gotten divorced. There are so many families that I have seen torn apart, because of divorce, because of cheating, because of problems...and I know many, many more long-term happy gay couples than long-term straight couples.
In short, this is a topic that I am extremely passionate about. I'm not the type of person to shove thoughts and ideas down another's throat...but this is something I just DON'T UNDERSTAND. I hate that people so strongly oppose gay people's unions. Like I said, what about the straight couples that get married and don't have kids? It's the exact same thing. And no one says that you can't get married unless you plan to procreate.
Anita Bryant said (this is in real life, in the 1970s) "If homosexuals are allowed their civil rights, then so would prostitutes, or thieves, or anyone else." They showed archive footage of this interview in the movie, and I think that the whole theatre just sort of gasped. I was amazed that this woman thought this at all! And then I realized, well, if she thinks that...then lots of people must think that.
Harvey Milk said, "All men are created equal. No matter how hard you try, you can NEVER erase those words!"
No words have been truer. To Harvey Milk, thank you. Thank you for putting yourself out there. I wish I could have met you. I think we would have had a lot of fun together.
Now, please, everyone watch this. I cannot think of a more inspirational movie that I have seen. Everyone is brilliant. And please, please, PLEASE...go see it.
Also, if you are so interested, here's an article that was published on Thanksgiving of this year. This was the 30th anniversary of Harvey being assassinated. Reading this made me cry, so be forewarned. The movie and this article have lots of parallel thoughts and ideas, so it's nice to supplement.
Me and Pete saw it opening weekend, and it was just...awe-inspiring. I wish that I had been alive at this time. And the thing is, I talked to my parents about it afterwards (this isn't really a spoiler, but Harvey Milk was assassinated in office in 1978, a couple years after he had been politically active), and they had NO REMEMBRANCE of this happening. They don't remember a gay politician, they don't remember an assassination, they don't remember Proposition 6, which was all about firing openly gay teachers, and the people that support them...
And the thing that I found so odd about this was that my parents are extremely open. I mean, we live in SOULARD. I love Soulard, with my whole heart. I loved growing up around lots of gay men and lesbians, because this is one of the big reasons why I am so open towards all types of people. I was exposed to all types of people as a kid, and from a young age, I have HATED hearing anyone say "that's gay" or "ooooh you're so gay". I HATE it. I correct the kids at Wilson who say it (which happens so much. It breaks my heart.) I correct my friends.
I remember one time, my friend Katrina was over at my house. We had a list of emergency phone numbers by our phone in the playroom, because I was probably in like 6th grade. We still had babysitters sometimes, but if mom and dad were just going to be next door, me and Emme would just stay home by ourselves. The "emergency" list consisted of phone numbers of our neighbors, doctors, family members, etc...and John and Steve were at the top of the list (which makes sense, because they live next door). So Katrina is reading the list, and she reads "John and Steve", and says, "Hey, Kaylen. Where's the lady in that one?" And it was at this time that I realized, hey. Most kids my age have NO clue whatsoever. They think that "gay" is demeaning, and vulgar, and gross. They think it's a joke.
And unfortunately, I still believe that most people my age (and really, lots of people EVERYWHERE) don't understand being gay. They don't understand that it isn't a choice. They don't understand that when two people love each other, they should have ALL RIGHTS POSSIBLE. So many married couples that I have known haven't had kids. So many straight couples I've known have gotten divorced. There are so many families that I have seen torn apart, because of divorce, because of cheating, because of problems...and I know many, many more long-term happy gay couples than long-term straight couples.
In short, this is a topic that I am extremely passionate about. I'm not the type of person to shove thoughts and ideas down another's throat...but this is something I just DON'T UNDERSTAND. I hate that people so strongly oppose gay people's unions. Like I said, what about the straight couples that get married and don't have kids? It's the exact same thing. And no one says that you can't get married unless you plan to procreate.
Anita Bryant said (this is in real life, in the 1970s) "If homosexuals are allowed their civil rights, then so would prostitutes, or thieves, or anyone else." They showed archive footage of this interview in the movie, and I think that the whole theatre just sort of gasped. I was amazed that this woman thought this at all! And then I realized, well, if she thinks that...then lots of people must think that.
Harvey Milk said, "All men are created equal. No matter how hard you try, you can NEVER erase those words!"
No words have been truer. To Harvey Milk, thank you. Thank you for putting yourself out there. I wish I could have met you. I think we would have had a lot of fun together.
Now, please, everyone watch this. I cannot think of a more inspirational movie that I have seen. Everyone is brilliant. And please, please, PLEASE...go see it.
Also, if you are so interested, here's an article that was published on Thanksgiving of this year. This was the 30th anniversary of Harvey being assassinated. Reading this made me cry, so be forewarned. The movie and this article have lots of parallel thoughts and ideas, so it's nice to supplement.
This is the epitome of everything I love.
I know, I post a LOT of commercials on here. And I am sorry about that.
BUT. BUT. BUT. This one is PERFECTION! I have wanted Miss Dior Cherie for quite some time now (I smelled it in a magazine and was, like, drunk with happiness). This commercial is wonderful because:
1. It was directed by Sofia Coppola. So, not only is it full of light (one of her trademarks), but it's really reminiscent of Marie Antoinette, which I LOVE
2. There are balloons
3. There are pink dresses
4. They are in Paris
5. There are sweets, in a patisserie!
6. There are cute boys
7. There are smiles and happiness
Yeah. Perfection. Not sure? Check it out for yourself:
BUT. BUT. BUT. This one is PERFECTION! I have wanted Miss Dior Cherie for quite some time now (I smelled it in a magazine and was, like, drunk with happiness). This commercial is wonderful because:
1. It was directed by Sofia Coppola. So, not only is it full of light (one of her trademarks), but it's really reminiscent of Marie Antoinette, which I LOVE
2. There are balloons
3. There are pink dresses
4. They are in Paris
5. There are sweets, in a patisserie!
6. There are cute boys
7. There are smiles and happiness
Yeah. Perfection. Not sure? Check it out for yourself:
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