luv & kiwi

I Don't Know How She Does It

2012-02-10T09:40:00.000-08:00

Last night J and I watched I Don't Know How She Does It--a flick starring Sarah Jessica Parker. Consensus from the jury: We liked it!!!

I was sooo expecting to see a little Carrie Bradshaw pop out. Nope. No Carrie.

I was expecting we'd get some whackadoo Aesop's Fable that would leave us rocking in a corner because we'd learn women really couldn't have it all (career, fam bam, cool husband who's free of smartie pants comments because he's butt hurt you haven't made him the mini god of the family). Nope. No Aesop's Fable.

The writing was good, hopeful and cheery for sure, but it wasn't cheesy over-the-top. It was just a feel-good flick; perfect for a night in with a gal pal. I loved her outfits (totally not Carrie-esque, remember!)

Greg Kinnear is still cute as a button. Pierce Brosnan is still the hottest grandpa to walk the face of the Earth and the actress who played Momo was hilarious and reminded me A LOT of my pal in Chicago, Laura. Uncanny personality similarities... lol

I dig. Recommend it. Watch it.

MY SPLEEN!

2012-02-10T03:13:00.000-08:00

My spleen hurts! My body has been brutally handled in a harsh, violent way and I don't know if I shall survive.

At least that's what I keep telling myself...

Yesterday was crazy how much working out we did. We went non-stop for THREE hours people...and then I had a small vegan burger (like that would feed the inner beast inside starving for fuel!) Yesterday was mad fun though. Hanging out with J for any type of fitness event is always an adventure. She's always getting on me to try something new...to quit my complaining (my butt STILL hurts from snowboarding but I did those damn squats man!) We met cool girls, which always seems to happen, and had a blast.

We decided that even though our bodies were done, we sure weren't so we somehow managed to shower, dress up and go out for a nice dinner to celebrate FBG. We had some pretty tasty cocktails that left us feeling nice and then came back home and watched How Does She Do It with Sarah Jessica Parker.

...Movie was actually cute and entertaining; total surprise! I just wanted a good chick flick to watch with my main gal pal. We weren't expecting something we'd actually dig. Good job gods of all things girly! You did a good job!

Now that the FBG event is over we can spend the rest of the weekend relaxing and enjoying each other's company. Now that I'm in the thick of it all I realize I had no clue just how much I needed some J time. It's just good to be 14 again...laughing, giggling and having to force ourselves to go to bed. Aren't girlfriends great that way? I don't know how some girls can live without 'em!

Jamba

2012-02-09T10:00:00.000-08:00

J and I are participating in an intriguing adventure hosted by Jamba Juice today. I can share nothing with you. The only thing I can tell you is we will not (I repeat) will NOT be swimming around in the juice. We will not be wrestling in the juice and we will not be using the juice to create world peace.

I've already told you too much. You can ask nothing more of me!

Bag Lady

2012-02-09T09:00:00.000-08:00

I'm weird about bags. It takes me forever to find one I like. When I do find one I'll rock that ish to its demise. Secretly I wish I were one of those girls that rocked bags based on the daily outfit, but when push comes to shove I'm lazy as heck...plus I lack creativity when it comes to me and my style ish.

While I was in Mammoth (sans TV) I found this bad boy. The first bag in a long time I actually drooled over. It's a Furla in dark grey. I have named him Furbie.

♥

Girl's Just Wanna Have Fun

2012-02-09T03:13:00.000-08:00

First night consisted of running over to Whole Foods, grabbing insane amounts of veggies, carrot ginger salad dressing, some wine and fruit and lounging around.

We watched Funny Girl, sipped some great wine from Santa Barbara, painted our nails and toes and threw on some masks. According to J we were totally "miming it out."

Just what the doctor ordered...

Fun Fam Bam Facts

2012-02-08T10:00:00.000-08:00

My great grandmother on my mom's side hid Bonnie and Clyde. My mom said my great gram would always say, "Clyde was okay, but that Bonnie was a bitch!"

My dad's mom went out with Wilt Chamberlain. She was NOT one of the 20,000. She said she didn't have fun on their date...he talked about basketball too much. Go figure!

J Returns

2012-02-08T09:00:00.001-08:00

J is coming into town today and I can not wait! I swear it's like the Universe knows just when we need each other.

I'm in desperate need of a slumber party and she's a goodie gal to have one with. We have a Fit Bottomed Girls event we have to take care of and then it's play play play time! We'll cook together, go out and experience a snazzy restaurant, catch a chick flick...on Saturday we're meeting up with Loverchini for some Pasadena primping time. (Mama Tish's eyebrows and lip are in dire need of some bush removal!)

In all, it should be the kind of weekend the doctor ordered.

I feel blessed that she has the opportunity to come out so much. (She'll be back in April for Coachella.)

She does a soul good.

Extra! Extra! Independent Woman Blubbers Like a Baby

2012-02-08T03:13:00.001-08:00

I pride myself on being a tough, independent strong woman. I like to think that while I love living with Jersey, I could totally make it on my own just fine...wouldn't be no big THANG...

I love how my ego is all big britches and muscle.

Jersey had to go back home unexpectedly to be with his family and so what did I do once I dropped him off? I cried the ugly cry.

Yep. Sure did. I pouted all night before he left, too. Yep sure did. I'd like to blame Aunt Flo...point my finger at her and say she's the culprit for my total namby pamby behavior, but I can not tell a lie. I chopped down the cherry tree. I miss that dude so bad when he goes away.

I really miss him when he goes away for a long time and then I cry the ugly cry. When I cry the ugly cry I make an ugly sound and so life in general is just ugly.

I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing...Is it normal to blubber? I know it doesn't feel too good, but I guess it's a good thing to miss someone even though you clean his man cave's bathroom...and have to cook at 10:30pm because ole boy was too lazy/clever to eat anything other than peanut brittle.

I need my J to get here quick before the crying headache sets in. I told you it was ugly, right?

Clever or Lazy?

2012-02-07T10:00:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I stress hard core about what to prepare for the week...what to cook/having the time to cook it/blah blah blah...

Jersey is always telling me I stress too much and he'd be fine if I didn't cook. He gives me that whole, "I cooked before you. I will cook again!" pep talk.

Last night I went to that improv class from 8 to 10pm. I totally expected there to be food when I got home, but there was nada. I went upstairs and asked the poor guy what he had eaten...peanut brittle. He had eaten peanut brittle for dinner.

Um...

Is this some sort of thing men do to trick us into being like their mamas?! I ended up having to stay up hella late to make food for dinner and my lunch for the next day. Men are either really lazy or hella smart.

I haven't figured out which one he is just yet...

Improv 101

2012-02-07T09:00:00.000-08:00

Here's an acting little tid bit for you: I've never taken an improv class. Nope. Not one and it's a tid bit important for the career.

Dara is my pal from junior high/ high school who has always been involved (and excelled) in all things theater. I remember watching her back in the day. She was really good and so when she told me she knew of a place that offered free classes I knew I had to go with her...for the sake of acting.

It was TERRIFYING though. I don't know what it is about me and groups of strangers...me throwing my acting out there for the world to judge...but I get all weird. The palms sweat, the bubble guts gurgle in my tummy and I turn into a hot mess.

My nails are little stubs now. I click and rip at them when things are scary. Messed up that personal manicure for nothing, though because the class was fun.

It helped that Dara was there and she's energetic and open and totally up for good laughs. She'd set the tone for the group of newbies and then we'd go in and then do our thing. (My friend Moon was there with us...group date!)

I'll more than likely go back with her. I think it would be fun to open up that hemisphere of my brain...get the goofy side tickin' and a'tockin'.

Crazy, but I think I would have chickened out and not gone had it not been for this pinterest pic I found with a Mother Teresa quote. It reminded me that I may have been scared and insecure, but to do it anyways...

I did it and got a couple of laughs out the deal.

Tish 1, life trying to beat the dream out of me, 0.

Forgiveness

2012-02-07T03:13:00.000-08:00

Have I ever told you that I'm an emotional sponge?

I'm the type of gal who can be happier than Whitney Houston at a crack house, only to fall into a deep sadness the minute someone walks into the room with puffy eyes from crying. I don't know if it's empathy, or some hippidy dippidy thing that's beyond words, but I just am super duper sensitive when it comes to the energy bouncing around in a room.

That being said, I just came out of a stupendous stoup of negative angst due to the fact that I had defriended someone back in July and the negative energy circling that just wouldn't go away. Everyone was constantly talking about it...asking me questions...telling me stuff that would get me riled up all over again.

It was TOO much. I got to a point where I was praying and writing "Peace" in my journal every night for an entire month. I just didn't want such negativity in my life. Sure the friendship may have been over, but that didn't mean I wanted to sneer and butt twitch every time her name was brought up. That's terrible!

(And dishonest...if someone has that much power in your thoughts you need to really assess what's truly going on, why you defriended, etc.)

So that chick and I talked...and talked...and talked a lot more. We spent a couple hours one night going over (in person) why things had happened, what stirred the pot and got stuff nasty heated...all of it. I was hella vulnerable. I was as honest as honest comes and told her the whole nitty gritty. I mean, what's the point of lying if you're sick of the way things are. Be strong, put it all out there and clear the darn air.

...And it worked! I have peace! We're civil now. We're kind and we're considerate and that's definitely helped the peace in my soul start to expand and grow.

It feels so good to takea look at myself and figure out where I need(ed) to improve. SERIOUSLY!

Great NY Times article about defriending

Super Bowl #46

2012-02-06T09:00:00.000-08:00

What a great party! Seriously!

Living in a big space makes party time excellent (Wayne's World!)

Jersey and I woke up early on Saturday morning and did all the shopping for the big day...that night we prepped the food, watched a scary movie, The Rite, with Anthony "frickin scary" Hopkins and crashed. Next bright and cheerful morning we woke at 7am to the delightful sound of our neighbor's demolition crew tearing the shat out of their town home. Nice,eh? The Positive Pollyanna in me thought, "Well since they're making all of this noise at silly times of the day, they won't mind us making a whole bunch of noise this afternoon."

Everything works out, don't ya think?!

Katarina came over first, toting bags full of stuff she needed to cook at our place. We had bourbon wings, mac n cheese ball things, dips, veggies, cupcakes, chili, turkey burgers...My stomach is starting to get ready for a pooh just because of this rehash I tell ya!

The gang started to trickle in around 3 (late little buggers) and the party picked up quick. We had some Patriot fans, but for the most part it was cheers and beers for the Giants.

Everyone was getting along and having a blast...Some Don Julio tequila shots may have been slammed at different touchdowns/great plays...

It was a great party...I love all the people that came. Watching Jersey turn drunk red in the face (Asian thing) with his crazy pals was delightful. Super Bowl #46, you were snaz-tastic! Thank youuuuu!

...And a Victor Cruz salsa dance to you all!

♥

It was written...

Jersey and New York are ready (ignore the basketball)

Our neighbors from the old days...How we miss them!

Momma D knows how to prep her kid for battle!

Yes, even I rocked some love

Moon, Jersey and some Renee nail biting...Great intense game!

The Amazon's King and Queen (and a Loverchini)

Twendy and Loverchini

Creative friends, don't ya think?!

Book Club: The Alchemist

2012-02-06T07:30:00.000-08:00

Saturday's book club was really good. The Alchemist always stirs up juicy conversation. We discussed our dreams and persistence...all that good stuff that made that book so magical.

The next book is Incendiary by Chris Cleave.

We drink mimosas, nibble on scones and pastry puffs. It's very girly and hella cathartic. We all need intelligent, honest chats with our pals from time to time. I swear if I could read books faster I'd have one of those bad boys once a week.

mimosas

Margarita pizzettes

Jersey always helps out before the girls arrive. Supportive and sweet

Wendy gave us sweet themed gifts to go with the book

Half of the pack. I love these girls!

Done and Done!

2012-02-03T10:00:00.001-08:00

Oh how lovely it is to have my taxes filed, my business license renewed and my FBG posts for the next couple of weeks written. I've been so lazy lately... But that didn't stop me from allowing the anxiety of things left undone from to get the best of me.

It just took me the whole week!

♥

Moo

2012-02-03T09:00:00.000-08:00

♥

I wonder how Jersey would react if he came home and found this glorious life-sized statue in front of our abode.

Everyone needs a sacred cow in their life. Everyone.

Eternal Optimist

2012-02-03T03:13:00.000-08:00

My colors are blush and bashful...

Your colors are pink and pink!

♥

a kiwi to the first person who gets that quote!

Coachella Closet

2012-02-02T10:00:00.000-08:00

You know I'm excited for this darn music festival if I've made a Pinterest board for it!

Fears

2012-02-02T09:00:00.000-08:00

Things currently scaring the pee pee out of me

Improv acting classes. I've never been to an improv class so I'm scared to get up in front of people who have done that kind of ish before. I'm so rusty with acting stuff...The worst thing for an actor in training is to stand before her peers and watch them as they silently question why the heck you're doing what you're doing.

That movie coming out this Friday, The Woman in Black. It looks terrifying. And why must Harry Potter rebel against being type cast and do such totally different roles? I need him to stick to the sweet ish.

My Laziness. I swear I can't seem to do anything lately. I can't write for FBG. I can't read the book club selection that's due this Saturday. I'm a hot, lazy mess.

Honne and Tatemae

2012-02-02T03:13:00.000-08:00

Honne (本音?) refers to a person's true feelings and desires. These may be contrary to what is expected by society or what is required according to one's position and circumstances, and they are often kept hidden, except with one's closest friends.

Tatemae (建前?), literally "facade," is the behavior and opinions one displays in public. Tatemae is what is expected by society and required according to one's position and circumstances, and these may or may not match one's honne.

♥

The other night I was watching a segment on ESPN about sumo wrestling and they mentioned the words Honne and Tatemae. I was immediately intrigued...

I think all writers, whether they realize it or not, suffer from tatemae haunts. We may not lie, but we definitely omit certain aspects of our lives for whatever reasons...and I'm fine with that.
I think it makes the honne moments more special...

Do you think it's wrong to only share who you truly are with a set group of people or should we all be striving to live our truths publicly?

I've been chewing on that question for awhile now...

PS I LOVE the images that come up when you google search "Honne and Tatemae"

Credit by: Frame Maker
Did you know women sported Brazilian wax jobs back then?! I sure didn't!

January │ Month in Pictures

2012-02-01T10:00:00.000-08:00

Whoever created this app was cruel. It's so hard to remember to do this and frankly, I don't have snapp-worthy ish to post every day.

I did it, though! I made it thru January! Each post has a little blurb that describes each picture. It's groovy...if you actually do it.

♥

Super Bowl Menu

2012-02-01T09:00:00.000-08:00

I am sooooo excited for this weekend's Super Bowl party festivities! We're pulling out the big guns for this football fest!

People are laughing that I'm making such a fuss, but I can't help it. We don't entertain at our place AT ALL so I go balls out for this kind of ish!

♥

Fly on the Wall

2012-02-01T03:13:00.000-08:00

Being a fly on the wall is my favorite insect + place holding circumstance to be in.

I love it when people post blogs about what's in their bags...or what's in their homes. Don't you?
I just love being nosy. Love it! Love it! LOVE IT!

Good Purse to Go Thru

Chuck

2012-01-31T10:00:00.000-08:00

When I started dating Jersey I became a Chuck convert.

Yeah...I know I pride myself on not allowing dudes to change me. Just because their eggs are scrambled doesn't mean I have to scramble mine...ya know what I mean, Vern? Well...Chuck was actually good and sweet and action packed and NERDlicious so I got sucked in...We've been watching for three seasons and now it's over. I cried because 1.) the ending was dumb and stupid and I hated it. 2.) I hate when things end. 3.) There's hardly anything on I'll watch nowadays.

Sigh...I know I'm not alone in my grief. Jersey threw a random (and might I add) misplaced fit the other night. I asked him why he was freaking out and he said it was because of the Chuck ending. Yeah....it was and IS like that!

We shall miss you Chuck...We shall miss YOU!

Reading Lesson

2012-01-31T09:00:00.000-08:00

I packed two books for my trip to Mammoth: Then Again by Diane Keaton and The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo. Diane was depressing the ish out of me (it's hard for me to read about actors making it quickly and not knowing how lucky and fortunate they are.) so I switched over to my second book which I've read before.

The Alchemist is our latest book club pick, which I wasn't too pleased about. I was bummed because I had to read something I've already read, but after a couple of chapters I realized that book changed on me. The last time I read it I was a young actress, green and enamored/terrified with Los Angeles and my dream. This time I'm six plus years in...I'm cynical, weary and beat DOWN so this book about the pursuit of dreams is opening my eyes in a whole new way.

I swear I never made it passed the first page's message when I originally read it. I just remember relating to the main character because he wanted to pursue his dreams...he wasn't scared of them like the others' he would meet on his travels. The end.

That's ALL I really related to. This time I'm relating to the middle of the book...the part where all the crap starts to happen...the parts where he's decided life is way easier than the pursuit of his dream so he settles for a job that pays well and will keep him comfortable.

It's funny...I was reading the book in the car and it wasn't making sense at all. At one point I turned to Jersey and said, "This book is trying to tell me something deep, but my brain just doesn't want to wrap around it right now."

Then yesterday my friend Diva D asked me if I'd like to go to an improv class with her. I declined because I had to work out and I had to grocery shop and write and clean and do laundry....

The light bulbs went off; then popped fuses and sparks flew everywhere ...(that's how HUGE my aha moment was) I figured out I'm totally chillin in the crystal shop...and all that deep ish I just couldn't wrap my brain around was suddenly clear as rain.

Needless to say I wasn't thrilled to learn that truth. If you would have asked me before what I thought of The Alchemist I would have told you it was a beautifully sweet story about a boy going after his dream...Now I'd tell you it's a frickin nightmare cautionary tale...sent to the masses to scare the living poop out of us.

Funny how books find you...you find books..and messages find you maybe not necessarily when you want them, or when you think you need them, but when they frickin randomly want to.

Road Rage Shamed

2012-01-31T03:13:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I was running late for my training appointment...I just kept thinking I have to get there by 4:30! I have to start running! I have to get in that warm-up...I don't want Jersey to cut my workout short because of stupid traffic....why is this woman driving so slow!? What's going on?! I can't pass her because I'm about to exit...She better have a darn tootin' good reason for driving 50 in a 65!

...And that's when it happened.

I started to exit. She stayed straight and as I got up to her to give her a stank "you are crazy lady!" face I saw that she was in fact an elderly woman and she was crying...obviously in pain and here I am, this high strung silly kid whose only reason for making this dear old lady's day a little bit worse was a five-minute warm-up run.

Have you ever had one of those moments where you think you're totally in the right for raging on the road only to find out you're the complete and only wanker?

I need to listen to more classical music.

I feel like it's time to find some stillness to just figure out why I'm really mad...I always act like someone has stolen my lunch money and given me proverbial life wedgies. Gotta stop contributing to the grief.

Mr. President

2012-01-30T10:00:00.000-08:00

Play Marilyn Monroe's "Happy Birthday Mr. President" song. Check!

Give a birthday kiss and hug. Check!

Have a birthday candle ready for the oportune moment. Check!

Be quiet and let the boy wish!!! Check.

The Drive to Mammoth

2012-01-30T09:00:00.000-08:00

The drive to Mammoth was beautiful!

It took us six hours. We took our time, ate at a lovely bakery, read some Hunger Games out loud and took a helluva lot of pictures.

That's the snazzy part about living in Los Angeles...There are so many adventures just a hop skip and a jump away. I think I made the correct move when I decided to throw all my stuff into my car and head to California.

Just the two of us

Birthday Mammoth Trip

2012-01-30T03:13:00.000-08:00

For Jersey's birthday this year we went to Mammoth. He boarded A LOT and I took boarding lessons...which was really interesting. I'm STILL unable to lift my arms above my boobs...but it was fun!!!

We rented a cozy, enchanting little cabin...watched a grip of movies including Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close which was beautiful and heart wrenching.

We laughed a lot...I wiped out on my butt even more and we played in the snow. It was awesome sauce. The man did good choosing that as his birthday destination.

If you ever want to get away, I totally recommend staying at the Tamarack Lodge. The apple cider is to die for; the hospitality is overwhelmingly sweet and the beds are like butta. (Something you'll need if you spend most of your time on the mountain falling on your arse.)

Fashion Feng Shui

2012-01-26T10:00:00.000-08:00

What?! Bacon Powder!?

Could this be the reason I live in chucks and feel like a boob when I put on heels and try to rock styles that end up making my ass twitch?

When I get rich....

THIS is where I shall go!

Going to Find My Inner Shaun White

2012-01-26T07:00:00.000-08:00

Jersey's birthday is mad close to my best friend's day of birth. Think that's a coincidence? I THINK NOT!

I love me some Aquarius folks!

To celebrate his 32nd we're heading to Mammoth Mountain...the mountain of mountains...so he can snowboard to his wonky little heart's content.

I've never boarded so this should be fun. I have lessons scheduled for the am. I plan on shredding down the mountain by Friday afternoon. I'll be singing, "She'll be coming down the mountain when she comes," so if you happen to be there too, listen for me!

I hope I make a friend in class. I hope I get an A! I hope I don't bust my ass! I hope he has a groovy time!

I'll be back on Monday to tell you all about it. I hope you all have a great weekend. Pray for me. Cross your fingers and toes...let's all hope that Tishy makes that big mountain her little bitch!

31

2012-01-26T03:13:00.000-08:00

My best friend in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD is 31 today.

When we were young we'd hop into her shaggin' wagon and hit up a bagel sandwich shop; rock a tiara while eating some yummy grub.

Now we live thousands of miles away so we do phone calls and surprise packages. Like snail mail...not like strippers with shocking schlongs.

J Hizzy...I love you gurl!

I'm thankful you were born.
I'm thankful you make me list things I'm grateful for every day.
I'm thankful you're a refreshing breath of the air I need.
I'm thankful you name things, too.
I'm thankful you're intelligent and pack just enough immaturity to keep up with my fart obsessions.
I'm thankful you are who you are!

Sing "Dream Weaver" when staring at this picture

Word Nerd

2012-01-25T10:00:00.000-08:00

I love Pinterest...I love every darn tootin' thing about it, but I especially love one of my boards called, Word Nerd.

There's just something great about having sayings like, "What's wrong with just being you" plopped up next to, "I love to fart."

The random tickles of my day are the secret to my utterly strange sensibilities...

Party in the Front

2012-01-25T09:00:00.000-08:00

I'm pretty sure Jersey thought I was taking one of my normal lovey dovey shots I'm infamous for, but I had ulterior motives....

Dude straight looks like he's rocking a mullet in this picture, don't ya think? A good, strong, thick one! My little Asian Billy Ray Cyrus....

How do you say achy breaky heart in Tagalog?

Hand Out

2012-01-25T03:13:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I had to make a quick run to the grocery store. I had just come from a run, I was sweaty, stinky and as I told the sad woman outside of the sliding doors, without any cash.

I went in and got the Splenda for Jersey...some vegetables for a salad, paid for my food and hopped out the door. As I was walking towards the exit doors I could see people's smiles fading. They'd put their heads down and shake no's towards the woman asking for help. I walked past her; feeling ashamed and drove off.

And then that nagging pain that ALWAYS hits me slapped me in the face. Who was I to ignore someone starving right in front of me? Who was I to think she chose her path...

I turned my car around, parked, marched right up to her and told her to come inside with me....that I would buy her food. She told me she didn't want anything to spoil but asked if I'd get her a gift card for any amount I could spare; so I went in and did just that.

I didn't feel better per say afterwards...it wasn't about making me feel better about my privilege. That whole when you give it's really a gift for you stuff didn't kick in. I just felt the need to not be like the people who put their heads down. Why do we do that? Why do we ignore? What's an apple or two to us?

I'm still a bit emotional about it...her eyes haunt me...she was obviously embarrassed to have her hand out, but I imagine her skinny little body didn't really care what people thought.

I can't always give...but I want to. I always imagine they could be me. I could be them...and you never know just how quickly your situation can change.

Trying to shake off that sadness.

Kiva Update

2012-01-24T09:30:00.000-08:00

That was quick!!!

Our awesome pub owner has fulfilled her goal of buying a fridge and will begin the process of paying back those who loaned money to her.

I understand the Kiva process, but I'd rather she just keep the money like an investment...I hope she prospers! I hope her children get the education she dreamed of giving them!!! I hope she gets a home!

Paying it forward is a beautiful thing...

Selah Sue

2012-01-24T08:00:00.000-08:00

So on that fabulous dinner date that I told y'all about I found love for a new woman.

Yes, it's true...I need and want...and desire Selah Sue to get in my ear bellies and keep playing sweet, sweet music.

The amazon king was the one who hipped Jersey and I to her. He told us she's this Belgium gal who was totally discovered on YouTube singing in her back yard.

They scooped her, polished her up a bit and VOILA! out popped a pretty woman with an UNBELIEVABLY cool, new, awesome sound.

I love her. I really do.

You can check her out on iTunes. I keep her track, Raggamuffin, on constant repeat.

Wu Me

2012-01-23T10:00:00.000-08:00

Yep...It's THAT serious.

Time with the Girls

2012-01-23T08:00:00.000-08:00

I don't know where I found time to do everything I did over the weekend, but I did. I met up with a group of my girlfriends for some gangsta shopping on Saturday.

We had mimosas and then took our champagne + o.j. to the streets (in plastic red cups) and hit up a bunch of vintage shops in the valley.

I came away with a jade necklace that makes me want to frolic in a field and two cute outfits for the spring.

The jewelry store we hit up was amazing and then some. It's dripping with ish...all arranged by color, you can hit up the gold, the diamonds, the ziamonds, the CZ, the turquoise, the coral, the blues...I was experiencing mad eyegasms!

Of course we got tipsy and spent more time laughing and less time shopping, but considering I'm about to go to Mammoth that wasn't so bad.

Saturday Dinner Date

2012-01-23T03:13:00.000-08:00

On Saturday night Jersey and I were invited over to my gal pal's house for dinner. (She's the amazon queen and her husband is the king...THE most beautiful couple EVER!)

The amazon queen greeted us at the door with her son--a little fella bursting with personality and pizazz--and the night just got betta and betta.

She happens to be the very first person I met in Los Angeles when I moved here. We have oodles in common. We jinx/joke each other constantly (say the same thing at the same time), we think the same and are both with guys who are multiples; Jersey's an identical twin, the amazon king is a triplet! So it would make sense that we'd hang out a lot, right? Wrong! We hardly ever get to play! In fact I've known her for going on six years and this was the first night I ever met her son. The last time I "saw" him, he was in the womb. She does my hair and makeup for shoots so I've seen her since then, but never as a family unit.

The amazon king is the resident chef, so while the queen entertained us, he cooked up the most deliciously, eclectic, flavorful meal that consisted of Moroccan meatballs, couscous and a delicious vegetable soup that you were supposed to pour over the couscous.

We drank great wine, sipped on a sweet mint tea that complimented the food perfectly; Jersey even tried the king's French rum...(He's from France so of course he had this captivating story about the rum and where he got it from and who he shared it with.)

Jersey has a man crush. He just kept exclaiming that their place was mad sexy...He did this even in front of the kid, who preceded to look at him like he was a special case of nut.

Over dinner we discussed foods, travels, and music. The king is a DJ, painter, musician, chef...and the queen is this amazing makeup artist, hair chick, stylist, model, mommy....

We were enamored with them and quickly made plans to have them over to our place. Now we just have to figure out what the heck we can make that even comes CLOSE to the food they made.

Two weeks...I have TWO weeks to make it happen!

This kid had me the minute he said we could sleep over

Music time: Did you know that The Game rapped in French?!

Oh the food! THE FOOD! THE FOOOOOOD!

Mosaic Madness

2012-01-20T10:00:00.000-08:00

Back in Jr. High I used to take Spanish with this girl named Kate who used to talk about toots almost as much as I did. While that was awesome we still never hung out.

The one good thing about facebook is you can connect back with folks you may not have been tight with in high school, but find rather delightful now. Kate moved out of Middle Earth; I moved to Los Angeles, and now we're facebook buddies; exchanging fun little blurbs here and there on each other's walls.

Best of all, Kate's an artist. She has all of these kick arse mosaics that make my heart strings pluck. Even better, she's going to make one for me and my lovely artless abode. The walls in this piece are naked! They need mosaic!

She needs to get on Etsy. Don't you think!?

Gangster Wonky

2012-01-20T09:00:00.000-08:00

Um...#Fail

But clever new phrase! (Gangster wonky...)

Ink361

Glad it's Friday!

2012-01-20T03:13:00.000-08:00

...Because I've reached the point where I imagine this happening:

Chick Flick Chicken Soup

2012-01-19T10:00:00.000-08:00

There's just something about Sleepless in Seattle that really melts my butta...

N...Y...
What is that?!
No way.
That's NW!
New York...He's on his way to NY.

Nectarine Cobbler

2012-01-19T09:00:00.000-08:00

Can you say heaven? Can you say it while holding your tongue?

Last week I met up with a new friend for drinks and eats at my favorite LA restaurant, Bottega Louie.

This is where I had my "Shitty 30th Birthday" and where I try to drag Jersey to as much as possible. The food is just superb...the atmosphere is awesome and the people are great for people watching.

Laura and I tried some yummy new things on the menu while indulging in my favorite oldie--the portobello fries.

For dessert we shared an order of the nectarine cobbler which made my eyes roll back in my head.

Shrinks...

2012-01-19T03:13:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I had an appointment with my shrink dude. Not the one I call "the angel" but the other one. The weird one who never seems to get my name right. I hear him shuffling down the hallway every time (true religion jeans go swish swish) and then I hear that terrible, dreadful name...

"Lateeeeesha, I'm ready for you now."

DOH! ICK! ACK! I DIEEEEE. My name is LaTisha, but I go by Tish. If my name were Lateeeesha then I'd go by Teeeeesh, but I don't. See how that works?

There's something disturbing about a man who can't remember the correct pronunciation of my name giving me drugs.

He likes to ask me these random questions, then I answer and he doodles. I swear he's secretly testing me for craziness because we never have a connection...like at all. He interrupted me mid-story and asked if Jersey was Korean. When I said he was Filipino he went back to writing and my butt twitched.

Shrinks. Can't live with 'em, can't get happy pills without them!

Go in the little room. Hit the top secret (labeled) magical button that alerts the shrink and wait...wait...wait

Scary: SOPA Protest

2012-01-17T20:02:00.000-08:00

How am I just now finding out about this?! Scary stuff...make sure you watch and then stay the heck off Facebook and Twitter tomorrow!

Pinky Up

2012-01-17T10:00:00.000-08:00

I've been OBSESSED with tea lately. Don't know what got into me but I just can't get enough. The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is go poo. The second thing after the poo involves me hopping downstairs, turning on the stove and getting my morning tea ready.

The tea mug I choose, chooses the rest of my day. If I go for the Van Gogh one then I'm creative and quirky. If I go for the big mug with Los Angeles on it then I'm subdued and calm. Who knew tea could be so important...

I totally do that Folgers sip "mmm" thing, too. Favorite tea currently is Starbucks' Joy tea. That ish is the BOMB! It's joyful. I recommend you try it before they tuck it away for the season.

First Snow Boarding Trip

2012-01-17T09:00:00.000-08:00

Jersey wants nothing more than to go snowboarding for his birthday so off we'll go to Mammoth!

Guess what!? I've never snowboarded in my life. Guess what again?! Jersey is a crazy banshee on the snow.

We've rented a little condo so that I can cook and bake and do all that cute stuff you're supposed to do for your BOOOOOO for his birthday. All of this pending my body's capabilities post first run. I hear my booty will hurt, my knees will ache, my wrists will whine and my legs will burn.

Just in cases: I'm planning on wearing mad padding...I'm going to stick Always pads with wings to everything I can. I'm a preventative gangsta.

gangsta rida!

I'll give new meaning to riding goofy

Sexy in my bulk

A Beautiful Wedding

2012-01-17T03:13:00.000-08:00

We went to a beautiful wedding on Saturday evening. It was at the Vibiana, this GORGEOUS venue in downtown LA. A few descriptives: elegant, chalk-a-block full of beautiful detail and overflowed with personal touches.

The couple was really sweet and looked sooo good. Jersey and I have been discussing whether or not if we want a wedding or not. We were inching more towards a court house, but this wedding had us both thinking maybe we could do something small and intimate.

Yeah...I said it. We're talking about weddings and children and all that big kid ish that usually makes me arse twitch.

I drank the kool-aid.

From now on I will always get styled by a professional before attending an event!

Once couple wishing another a beautiful long life together

Beautiful, memorable wedding...

Sol Salon

2012-01-16T08:00:00.000-08:00

My gal pal, Vanessa, is the genius behind most of my makeup jobs I do for photo shoots. She was my first pal in Los Angeles...how we decided to meet up is still beyond what I can fathom. (So many weirdos out there! So trusting we were!)

She recently took a break from working on studio sets and got a gig working at a hair salon in Culver City called Sol Salon...so basically now she's a triple threat: makeup artist, hair guru and stylist. She said she could cut my hair, but EVERYONE says they can cut my hair and we know that's not true but this chick really did give me the best cut I've ever had out here in LA...and I've been to the salon that does Halle Berry's head!

She did my hair and Jersey's head...which I was really thinking would be a hot mess to work with, but she did the darn thing and made that boy look debonair to boot.

So now we're life long groupies of Vanessa. If she can mess with my curly Jesus mop AND tough crazy Filipino hair then she's the bomb and then some!

For MLK Jr. Day...

2012-01-16T03:13:00.000-08:00

Jersey and I are going to a Clippers vs Nets game. lol...

That's what that boy wanted for Christmas so that's what we're doing. We plan to take the train there so that we can get pissy drunk (Just joshin!) and spend our afternoon screaming "Lob Angeles!!!" to anyone who will listen.

If you catch a news blurb about two crazy folks causing a ruckus in LA ...well.

Years ago in college, I'd go to the radio station and do socially responsible things with my pal Corn. Not so much once I graduated from college and moved to Los Angeles...

I promise to make sure to strive for peace between the Clipper fans and Nets fans. It's about working with what you've got, right?

Coachella 2012

2012-01-13T10:00:00.000-08:00

{knock, knock. who's there? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!}

Guess which music festival is gonna get in my belly for the third time? The same click is going. We now refer to ourselves as the Holy Coachella Trinity. It's hard to find a group you can do a whole music festival with! It takes patience, autonomy, coolness and low-maintenance bomb-ass chicks.

Because it's so hard to get through an event like this, we're very persnickety about it only being the three of us rolling out there together.

I can't wait! The girls will come and stay. We shall wake up and drive out there. We shall listen to good music. We shall have a blast!

Total girly side note: I shall shop my arse off trying to find the perfect, comfortable clothes too. Being comfortable at Coachella takes work, yo!

New Edition

2012-01-13T09:00:00.001-08:00

This morning New Edition's Can You Stand the Rain popped up on my Pandora playlist and made me smile.

You see many moons ago that song came on when I was in the car with Jersey. At the time he wasn't MY Jersey...He was just this kid I was cool with who I had a HUGE crush on. We were jamming to the song and talking about our love for that darn group...driving to The Stinking Rose--one of our many city adventures we used to go on.

Hearing that song totally brought me back to how I used to feel back then when he wasn't mine, but I wanted him to be.

It's been two years since then. (weird I know) Now that we live together and talk, fight, tickle, toot all day every day it's hard to remember those first crush memories. That song totally made my morning.

Our lives our made up of those stories, memories and feelings.

In the beginning...

Blurbomat

2012-01-13T03:13:00.000-08:00

John Armstrong's blog is a guilty obsession of mine. He's super duper technical, but he's hella cool. He breaks down photography, camera apps, his emotions...EVERYTHING with keen precision.

I know professional photographers out there probably hate the latest filters and toys that come with owning an iPhone...I think all those head shakers should read John's post.

Makes sense if you ask me...

John Armstrong (AKA Blurbomat)

Suddenly I See

2012-01-12T10:00:00.000-08:00

{theme song}

I've been really antsy...full of unrest. SOMETHING, ANYTHING with acting needs to pop up and land neatly into the lap of my life. I need to book a job. This song is my perfect 7-up, pick-me-up tune.

I just keep singing it...

Cramps

2012-01-12T09:00:00.000-08:00

I really tried to go out and run yesterday. I'm trying my hardest to get back the energy, get-up-and-go zaniness that I once possessed, but I swear this round of womanly fun is causing mad havoc.

Running sounds like torture. Eating the cookies that my pal Nina sent Jersey and I for helping her with something sound so much lovelier.

I'm being punished for living in sin with my boyfriend!!! I just know it!

Damn the cookies, save the plan!!!

Less of these...

Nina sent Smiley Cookies

More of this!

(TRX + the voice of Jersey)

Keep Calm and Drive On

2012-01-12T03:13:00.000-08:00

I've been glued to iMovie. I'm almost at the point where I might have to break down and buy a Mac. The application is okay on the iPad, but I've used the real deal before. In high school and college I worked exclusively with non-linear editing programs for the news programs I produced and I miss it.

With the guru application you can splice and throw scenes in different areas just by dragging. Linear editing is boo boo, old school...Non-linear, on the other hand, is the bee's knees.

(Well it is if you're a lazy bubkis like me.)

Champagne + Granola

2012-01-11T10:00:00.000-08:00

E approached me earlier last week and asked what kind of healthy snacks she could grub on so I invited her over to make some of that yummy granola Jersey and I baked up for Christmas.

I had an opened bottle of champagne from my book club that was just gonna go to waste...figured it made a lot of sense to finish that bad boy off with my lady in apron. We sipped, stirred, sniffed and snickered for a couple hours.

Nice night. I approved.

Cheers to friendship and granola!

Pizza was hot!

Check List

2012-01-11T09:00:00.000-08:00

There's something wonky about this week. I just can't get my brain to cooperate with me and be productive.

There's a lot of ish on my to do list, but I just don't really care. I'm suffering from lazy brain. I think it's a product of a crazy, non-stop weekend. Last weekend I just kept popping from one event to another...overlapping friend things. Cuh-razy time!

This weekend we're going to a wedding that's a two-part shindig so Sunday will be used for curing the lazy brain ineptitude I'm currently shimmying with.

♥

Damn it!

The Good Grub is Coming!

2012-01-11T03:13:00.000-08:00

GET IN MY BELLY! ALL OF IT!

DineLA is coming soon and I can't wait. I've only gotten to play twice in the past. Once with Jersey in Huntington Beach and once at this fancy schmancy french place with a gal pal. Both times were super fun. The goal is to go to a place you'd never in a million years think to go.

Gets me out of the house, out of my foodie-less box, gets me cool points with myself.

It's been forever since Jersey and I went and explored all the weird stuff this place has to offer. We're going snowboarding in a couple weeks for a long, extended weekend. I'm hoping we can squeeze some more good stuff in there too.

Not for me...more for the dude. He seriously goes ape shat if he stays in one place for too long. His need for adventure and "new" is like my need for smart people and poop stories. It's major!

I swear the boy is going through some kind of spectacular PMS lately too so anything to subdue his man rage would be swell...I swear to GOD the FDA needs to develop a pill for men...while we're at it, the Surgeon General can go right on ahead and declare that men do indeed get PMS.

Tishy about to go crazy.

Kiva

2012-01-10T10:00:00.000-08:00

Have you ever heard of Kiva?

Oprah mentioned the org, but I never would have thought twice about actually becoming involved if it weren't for J. This past Christmas she suggested we forego gifts and help out a fellow woman instead.

(The media loves to focus on women's cattiness and cruetly...it's quite sad. Figured it was dope we could lift another up instead of tearing her down.)

We finally got a chance to sit down together and choose the woman we wished to help. Meet Penninah! It was a tough decision, but I know we chose the right person. She runs a pub (which we thought was sassy fun.) Her goal is to educate her children and build a permanent home for them. (That made her admirable.)

Those two qualities were enough to melt our hearts and open up our Kiva wallets! She's 48% closer to reaching her goal of $425.00. The cool thing is once she's made it and able to pay back the loan you give her you can use that money to help out another woman...

You just keep helping and helping...

It's a wonderful feeling, I must say. I was very proud of J for this idea. Think we might have to make this a new Christmas tradition...

Penninah

Taste in Heroines

2012-01-10T09:00:00.000-08:00

The Goyles: Wendy Wonderful, Celina Sunshine, Meli Mellifluous and Glenda Gladiola

The Event: Book Club

The 411: It was groovy baby...

On Saturday the goyles met up at my place for our monthly book discussion. Like Water for Chocolate wasn't one of our favorites, I have to say. We're modern girls that twitch at tradition. Tita (the main character) was really trippin' over her daughter duties...the goyles weren't really a fan of dutiful obligation. (They made me so proud.)

*We've decided we need some stronger female characters in our lives...I swear you can totally measure a woman's gangster by her taste in heroines.

Wendy brought these bad boys from Pastries by Edie

We went through 2 1/2 bottles of champagne. This is our sanctuary of fun!

I got a wee bit theme-y for the party. In the book Tita uses rose petals to make a quail dish. Aren't I cute?

The movie was sexy and educational lol...

There had to be chocolate...

*PS While Tita made my arse twitch, this book isn't a total waste. The magical realism is enchanting to boot.

The Mentor and Moon

2012-01-10T03:13:00.000-08:00

My friend K wrote me a couple weeks ago and asked if I'd hang out with her brother. He has just moved to Los Angeles...trying to do the acting thing, the music thing AND the modeling thing. Triple threat!!!

I don't have that much acting information to share at this point. (A couple of acting classes under my belt, a photographer I love...it's not like I'm mentor material at this point.)

Because I knew the Encyclopedia of Tishy would be a short read, I took him to the farmer's market for the rest of the meeting.

I showed him what hippie LA is like and he in turn impressed the stuffings out of me and this little Argentinian man. The fella assumed Moon would just walk up to him, get his empanada and leave, but Moon lived in Argentina for awhile. As soon as he whipped out the Spanish with the Argentinian accent the man's face lit up. They talked for a good couple of minutes...it made me giggle.

It was nice to meet a new friend. Him and Jersey clicked immediately...they have hip hop dates lined up. Too cute...

Being an acting mentor...have I really been here long enough? Do people assume I should have done something by now? Yikes! Come on dream!

♥

She was a delightful addition to the market atmosphere

Wine Tasting

2012-01-09T10:00:00.000-08:00

For a pal's 40th birthday, Jersey and I dressed our little selves up and drove out to Oxnard (wayyy out in B.F.E.) for a wine tasting party at this really snazzy cellar called Magnavino Cellars.

I died over a petite shiraz, laughed with friends and discussed big kid, grown thangs and watched on lovingly as my gal pal was love-spoiled by her friends and family.

The place was beautiful and enchanting.

♥

The Birthday Girl

Style Me Rotten

2012-01-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

It's no secret that I'm inept when it comes to styling and all that girly stuff. While I appreciate seeing a gal rock a good outfit, it's just not really my thing. It only becomes an issue when I have to go somewhere that requires me to dress up. Then I shit a brick. : )

Luckily, I have friends who are stylish and then some. Celina arrived at my place early Sunday morning. We had some pumpkin bolani and tea and then we were off to my favorite little secret fashion find.

We giggled and squealed on our somewhat long drive out there and then jumped through the doors of the boutique. The owner styled me herself and made me feel like a princess. (I have a black tie wedding event next weekend. Have to look my bestest!)

Not only that, I found an Escada belt that made me drool and a frickin' mod-inspired dress that I can't wait to wear. According to Celina we pulled out all the "belts and whistles." She's a clever minx isn't she?!

So...I was girly for a day! Weeeeeeeee!

A vintage cornucopia

I was dying over these beauties

Fat Came to Play!

2012-01-09T03:13:00.000-08:00

I have two best guy buds: One lives here (his name is D) and the other is Fat. Fat lives in Middle Earth so I see him less, but he visited me this passed weekend in La La Land. He's one of those awesome sauce guy besties because he doesn't do any of that weird, ambiguous "we're friends, but I secretly want to date you shat", he hips me to new books, movies, shows, and music. He's just a good apple all around and has supported and stuck by me through some crazy times.

He doesn't make it out this way too often but when he does it's rock solid...my soul glows...yes, like the song.

Fat in all his glory

Watermelon Mexitini from Mexicali

Fat's brother is an actor out here in LA. You may have seen him in a McDonalds commercial. Grrr said the green-eyed monster

Big time!

The guys came back to my place for some Tebow Time!

...And we're brothers...Can I get a HIGH FIVE!

Chuck

2012-01-06T09:00:00.000-08:00

I love reading the blog, Dooce every day. Okay, so I'm a bit obsessed, but that's okay because J says it's perfectly normal...She says I'm just a social media enthusiast. (That girl really should have gone into PR now that I think about it.)

Any who...When I worked in the office, I'd always share the daily Chuck picture with my gal pal Evvie. She could totally appreciate the humor and art and modesty patches that Heather (Dooce writer) put on her beloved dog.

Because she loved that dang dog as much as me I thought I'd brighten every day of her morning up with a Dooce Chuck calendar. They come out every year and I love 'em! Without fail I could email a pic of that pup to her and seconds later I'd hear giggles and sighs coming from her cube.

What better gift than Chuck every day, all day?!

It's the gift that keeps on giving...

Skin Food

2012-01-06T08:00:00.000-08:00

My lovely sisters both live in South Korea and are privy to this awesome skin line that one of them (An) hipped me to. (I mentioned I'm psycho about skin products...don't act shocked that I'm still discussing this.)

Well, yesterday I received a cool package in the mail with Korean symbols (Hangul I believe?) and one of the sisters and her husband's names stamped on the front, so I ripped that bad boy open and what was it but THREE different masks, one being the most awesome, thoughtful gesture EVER...a kiwi mask. (Tear)

She also included some other masks for me to try out. I miss that girl terribly, but sending me this makes me feel a tiny bit better...makes my face feel 100% better. I swear I put that stuff on, leave it there until it's dry and no longer looks like cottage cheese (or something that comes from a man's pee pee as Don so maturely pointed out.) and BOOM! SHAKA LACKA! I have the smoothest skin...It's like satin silk met a baby's bottom...one orgy later my face feels like a million dolla.

I love South Korea! And I REALLY love my sisters for hipping me to such cool, snazzy, and might I add worldly skin products...way to a product whore's heart!

YES!!!

2012-01-06T03:13:00.000-08:00

Sorry about the outburst out the end...I.JUST.COULDN'T.HELP.MYSELF.

I love Cesar! I love Cesar Millan so much I accidentally get him confused with Cesar Chavez all the time...quite sad. (The smart women who championed for my brains are slapping their foreheads right now wondering where they went wrong.)

There's just something about that man, though...

Anyone who gets to have passion for the dogs AND a TV show that allows him to share that passion with the world is A Okay in my book!

If I had a show about my passion we'd all be watching me sitting on a couch with a group of women around me talking about poop. Be thankful you got Cesar.

Rainbow Tribe

2012-01-05T10:00:00.000-08:00

Jersey plopped down in front of the boob tube and started watching some documentary on King's of Leon. Turns out those boys and they're family are some kind of hillbilly! They're twangs were twangy, their teeth were missing and they're mullets were fierce.

I sat on the couch smiling...I'm used to hillbilly...One side of my fam bam is made up of the sort. (It's so grand being a mixed chick. People looked so shocked when they figure out that being mixed extends into having white family...and having white family that may come from the hills of Kentucky.)

I was thinking back on fonder times...distant cousins in their twenties with more kids than teeth...and that's when I noticed Jersey's look of bewilderment.

I can't WAIT for our *wedding...mwhahaha. What happens when you mix Filipinos, bougie black folk, ghetto black folk, white collar folk and white hillbilly folk? A YouTube sensation just ready to explode, that's what!

*No freaking out over that whole wedding business, either. We've pinky swore we've got awhile.

Product Whore

2012-01-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

I swear I saw this video and about destroyed my laptop...clutching the sides to resist hitting BUY.

Joyus

Since I was a small kid I've been obsessed with masks and anything with a "make my face glow!" purpose. I'm trying to be a big girl and actually save my money for two trips we're taking this year AND new bedroom furniture so I have to cut the chords with the clays.

No pretty masks...no pretty cleansers, toners and other silliness.

Tear.

A Creative Spark

2012-01-05T03:13:00.000-08:00

I swear when I came back from Christmas I was a walking zombie. There was nothing up there in the noggin' whatsoever.

J and I laughed for a couple of days about the whole mess...she suffered from that dreadful plague as well, but when you're paid to write and write often you have to knock that mess out. I don't know how I did it, but I did...I started writing and while it's not my normal, goofy, gross, silly ish it's words so I'm happy.

Yesterday at work an associate approached me about a business she's supposed to start. I'm the go-to writer for our department when it comes to editing and business (big kid talk) emails so she came to me and asked if I could help her with her web site's content. I happily accepted (totally flattered) and went to business asking her questions.

Turns out she was having a hard time with a name so I started some verbal diarhea and voila! out popped a name that even I had to shimmy over. It's fun and clever. Because I'm helping Pro Bono she's going to offer me her services for free...We'll use that time to do some gorilla marketing research on my friends. (mwahahaha)

So we'll have a party pretty soon and I can't wait. See, creativity just lands you right, smack dab in the middle of awesome and kick ass.

Betty Frickin' Crocker

2012-01-04T10:00:00.000-08:00

I rationalize things in the zaniest of ways. I'm really sick of cooking so I cooked like crazy last night. Figured it would prevent me from cooking for the rest of the week. In my twisted universe it makes perfect sense.

I spent a couple of hours in the kitchen making home made chicken marinades, whipping up spiced peppers and prepared salads. Okay, now it doesn't sound like I did shat, but I did! I spent two hours doing that ish man! Hmph

Hoping that beast with a bottomless black hole belly (aka Jersey) can make it all last because I might just stick a wooden spoon up his bum otherwise.

Note: Cooking is not a stress reliever for me. I had to clean my kitchen three times . That's just redonkulous!

♥

2012-01-04T08:00:00.000-08:00

I recently read something about the new site called Pinterest. Basically it really is a dream board for folks...filled with wishes and outlandish images of ish we'll never be able to buy...

Got me thinking...Do you think women who literally get to have it all (in terms of clothes, cash, yadda yadda) need to pin? Or is it boring to pin something you're about to go out and have your personal shopper bring back to you in a couple of minutes?...

Sometimes being financially challenged is more fun. At least that's what I'll continue to tell myself. Do you pin?

♥

App-Licious!

2012-01-04T03:13:00.000-08:00

I'm smitten with a new app called Project 365.

Basically you take a picture every day for a year. I have no problem doing this being that I snap pictures more than a wrestler snaps necks.

So far, so fun! I swear on the days I have nothing to take a picture of; I'll snap pics of the toilet...maybe with random ish sitting on the toilet. Why not.

♥

First Day of Movement

2012-01-03T10:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Jersey had a hankering to get out and move. I told him that was fine...and then went right back to writing and watching chick flicks...that is until I looked up and saw the puppy dog eyes.

"Oh, you want me to go with?!"

Yeah...so we put on our gear and headed to a nearby blacktop. It's been such a long time since I've touched a basketball. I'm a bit scarred really. In Jr. High I went to a basketball camp because I wanted to be just like Shaq. I got there and worked my ass off, but at the end of the camp it was still just about the pretty popular girls whose parents were cool with the coaches.

So I never played again.

Then I met Jersey and he's big time into playing. He used to play overseas actually. All that to say he plays a lot and he drags me into it a lot. He's at least encouraging and chases my wonky balls.

It was a good first workout that's for sure. I haven't sweated in over a month...It was smart that I got out there moving in a non-traditional way...because if I would have started on a treadmill I would have killed over like one of those scared little goats.

My Favorite Word

2012-01-03T08:00:00.000-08:00

You know it's gangster...

Santa Barbara | New Years Day

2012-01-03T03:13:00.000-08:00

On a whim, Jersey decided we should wake up New Years Day, grab a quick breakfast in our 'hood and then drive up the coast to Santa Barbara for the day. This is why living in Los Angeles is so snazz-tastic. Everything's a couple hours or less...the mountains, the beaches, Vegas...It's awesome.

We hit up State Street and popped into some fun stores that Jersey had to drag me out of. I saw so many things I'd love to get for friends. Kitson is dangerous...Sephora, too.

We always have to eat at Santa Barbara's Shellfish Company. Awesome deals on crab, I swear!

We did a bit of shopping, ate some great ish and then headed home once the sun started to go down. This 2012 stuff is pretty nice so far!

NYE 2011

2012-01-02T03:13:00.000-08:00

NYE was a hoot! The plans: Go ice skating with the Loverchinis and then go home, rest, dress to dazzle and head to a friend's house party.

To prepare I went and had my hair did and went shopping for the blinger headband I'm wearing in the picture below.

That's when it happened...I texted some friends of ours to see if they'd want to drive together to the party and then stay at our place so they wouldn't have to drive back to Long Beach and the wife texted me back asking if I was being serious...because the party was the night before.

...And she wasn't pulling my chain.

Jersey hadn't really looked at the date of the party. It was Friday...meaning we now had no plans for NYE. I wanted to push that boy on the ice so bad...but I got over it. We laughed it off and decided we'd get some good grub and then decide if we wanted to take up the Loverchinis' offer to party with them at a bar in Santa Monica.

We went to this really tasty restaurant where we sipped on a cocktail called Punch for One. It contained Peruvian brandy, pineapple, agave, angostura and lime. Can you say delicioso?! I can!!!

After that meal we were feeling a little too comfortable and settled so we decided we'd stay home and ring in the new year together with Dick Clark and that annoying Ryan Seacrest. It was perfect. We laughed, we drank sweet arse champagne, bought a lottery ticket from the liquor store and started a new tradition where you burn your intentions for the new year.

It was practically perfect in every way. I love that durn boy. I swear he makes everything snazzy and cool...even when he messes up party dates!

Paris Red

2011-12-30T08:00:00.000-08:00

I love having friends chalk-a-block full of expertise and braininess. The other day I decided I wanted to wear a bright, beautiful red lipstick for New Year's Eve so I texted a pal of mine who is a makeup artist and asked her what brand and color she recommended. (She's done my makeup for a couple of shoots so I trusted her noggin.)

Seconds later I received word that the bestest and brightest was Chanel so off to the store I went. After rubbing a couple of colors onto my fist I found the perfect shade-Paris Red.

Turns out it's pretty much everyone's perfect color, though. No one at that darn mall carried the color. Now I'm on a mission.

A MISSION I SAY!

I have no idea what I'll wear, but I know my liparoos will be french-kissable that night. Ooo la la!

2011 | A Year in Pictures

2011-12-30T03:13:00.000-08:00

"We will open the book. It's pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day." ~Edith Lovejoy Pierce

...To all those who have made this year so very memorable...Thank you.

Luv and Kiwi,

Tish

Waiting for a Flicker

2011-12-29T10:00:00.000-08:00

I read a lot of blogs...like a lot. I'm constantly searching for amusing stimulation, but bloggers are lazy for the most part. It's hard to find someone who blogs consistently every day about clever coolio things.

That's my problem. I've been super bored with what I've been reading. Now that Christmas is over everyone's gone into super uber hibernation mode and I'm left twiddling my fingers.

I'm waiting for something zany to happen! I'm waiting for something crazy neat awesome to come along and knock me off my feet. I want to be on the ground, looking up at kiwi-colored stars dancing around me.

Acting can pop up, my book edits can magically turn into an agent magnet, my savings plans can pay off and I can go on not one, not two, not even three, but FOUR trips this year (one overseas!)...I just need some umph.

Ya know? I'm not always like this...Something weird just got up my butt and now I'm walking around funny wondering how the heck to fix it.

The Acting Front

2011-12-29T08:00:00.000-08:00

I haven't heard a lick of news from my agent...I got those stupid headshots and nada. I realize it's the holidays and a lot of ish shuts down...and it's not 2012 yet and all my good ish is going to happen there BUT I'm still a giddy school girl...I'm itchin for some action!

I have a friend up north whose brother just moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting. I'll be doing a coffee date wtih him soon. How odd is it that when I first moved to LA I had a coffee date with a pal's cousin and now I'm in that same boat...except I haven't really worked all that much yet. lol

Soon! It'll happen soon!

I also just found out that my favorite acting coach is moving back here and wants to get the old group back together with some newbies in the mix! 2012 is going to be acting busy-beautiful. You just wait and watch!

Rap: That Whipper Snapper Music

2011-12-29T03:13:00.000-08:00

I was stalking Twitter a couple of weeks ago and came across Gwen Paltrow's tweets. She wrote some hoo haw about loving this chick named Azelia Banks so I googled her to see what the hoopla was about.

Turns out she's this young rapper/lyricist chickadee. Her video was super cute...I'm sitting there watching her (fully clothed) rap and she's not shaking her booty or touching her tatas...NICE! Then I hear the words coming out of her mouth and I about fell out of my chair!

She's clever yes...I mean she used the word betwixt which rocks my world, but she also throws in some "lick up on my genitals". Thinking Mrs. Coldplay has lost her shat because while Azelia's music may be cool for working out I'd never write of its lovely powerfulness.

Thoughts on the whipper snapper music of today? Is it all about the beats? Should I hang up my cool pants now and start wearing socks with sandals?

Doesn't she look cute and innocent?! Don't be fooled!!!

A Home Alone Moment

2011-12-28T10:00:00.000-08:00

If we're not *facebook buds you missed out on my delightfully alarming story from last Wednesday.
Jersey and I pulled a Home Alone the morning of our trip. The night before he said he was setting his alarm for 3:00 am. I said I'd set mine for 3:30 as a backup...except he didn't hear "backup" He just heard me say I was setting my alarm...and I set it for 3:30pm by mistake.

I was dreaming away last Saturday morning when all of a sudden I heard him scream "We've slept in!!!"

(You NEVER want to hear those words when you're supposed to be boarding a plane to go home to see the parents you haven't seen since LAST Christmas.)

Fortunately for us, Jersey has a weird internal alarm clock and woke us up at 4:30am ...late but doable. We still managed to run around our home like banchees on speed trying to get our ish together in time to make our flight.

The only oops in that whole mad rush was leaving the garage light on...which we now have to replace, but other than that we arrived in Middle Earth with all of the correct belongings...and some really bad hair and breath.

♥

* Favorite Facebook quote of the morning: KEVIN!!!

Twinkie Got Me Poop!

2011-12-28T08:00:00.000-08:00

I've never felt more loved. Twinkie went to South Africa to take care of baby monkeys (she's dope like that) and came back with poop and a beautiful symbolic sentiment for little old me.

The symbol means persistence. She of course sent a card explaining her gifts and the card tickled me just as much as the actual gifts. I swear I'm a lucky girl. I have some pretty sweet-tastic friends!

♥

Spirit Spaz

2011-12-28T03:13:00.000-08:00

Man I had a great trip home!

Christmas is always really weird for me. When I was young, the holiday was simple, magical and always pure joy but the older I got the more I saw the greed and the grumps...the Grinch and the chumps and it made it so hard to appreciate my favorite holiday.

(I think that's why it took me so long to get into the Christmas spirit this year.)

I did find it though! And this year was even sweeter.

I went home for the holidays (Jersey in tow) and spent six spectacular days with my best friend and my parents. I saw friends; I visited my God children; took Jersey on a tour of where I worked all through high school, and introduced him to the Christmas Plaza lights.
My parents picked us up and drove us back to their home (which is three hours from Kansas City) and we spent days cooking, napping, eating and laughing.

I got the most thoughtful gifts from my loved ones that made my heart explode with love...the thoughts behind the gifts are gifts in themselves!

♥

My mom's gift touched me deeply...She found a book lover's gift set. It has a journal, magnetic book marks, page marker sticker tab thingies and labels for personalizing my library. I love this gift so much...Don't you love it when moms just get us? I don't even want to take them out of the box!

"Let's go back through the past year..."

Jersey out did himself, too! One of my Christmas wishes was for him to write me one letter per week for a whole year. He took it one step sweeter and created a blog for me. Each week I'll receive a new post from him--an entire year of his thoughts...Is it possible that a girl can be this lucky? He ended up getting me a lot of great and thoughtful things that made me squeal like I was five again, but this one took the cake.

★

J and I are doing something different and beautiful this year. Instead of a gift exchange we're combining our gift giving powers to help out a woman associated with a charity of our mutual choices. How lovely is that? I'm kind of geeked. There's so many programs out there we can help with. I'll let you know which one we finally choose.

All in all the time spent with loved ones...the sentimental thoughts and thoughtful gifts...well, it was all kind of perfect. I loved Christmas 2011.

A Christmas Story

2011-12-24T22:01:00.001-08:00

...My mom told me the funniest story while we worked on the turkey together. When she was a little girl she was reading in bed. Her mother kept yelling at her to turn off the light. She couldn't stop though.

Before she knew it her mother had lunged into the room and was hitting the top of the blanket.

She thought she was spanking my mom but she was actually wailing on her sister who was sleeping. My mom kept saying "ouch no" though so that Grandma wouldn't know. My mom was a sneaky beast.

My mom and I were laughing so hard we were crying on the turkey. Natural salt seasoning...

The Writing Elf is In Middle Earth

2011-12-22T10:00:00.000-08:00

I'm not the bestest at keeping up with my writing when I'm with friends and fam.

Due to that merry little fact, I shall return after Christmas.

Happy Holidays!!!

Well Who Am I? Sho'nuff!

2011-12-21T10:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday morning I was getting ready for work, scrambling around like a banchee and noticed Jersey was still lounging in bed, hands behind his head, chillin like a villain.

I turned to him and said, "You're a bum! A lazy bum!" and he quipped back that he was THE manager...of his job AND of the house... and that's when my eyebrows raised and I stopped in my tracks. (You see he's been on this cute, proud trip about getting a manager position, but he had to go and extend that to the home...tsk tsk)

He couldn't even finish the words without laughing. He KNEW he was gonna get it. I immediately pounced on him and started tickling him.

Seconds later he was screaming, "You're the manager of this home! You are!"

Yeah....that's right chump.

That's right.

An Early Christmas Present

2011-12-21T08:00:00.000-08:00

Meli (from the book club) texted me a couple of days ago and asked if I'd be home because she had a little somethin', somethin' to drop off. I didn't think anything of it...a little sweet gesture; I told her to come on over and went back to scrubbing my home.

That woman showed up at my house yesterday with this beautifully wrapped gift. I thanked her profusely for thinking of me. She bounced on the couch and told me she had saw it and thought of me immediately.

(At that point I was still calm.)

I read her sweet card and then carefully began unwrapping the gift. That is until I saw the first part of what the gift was and then went ape shat...literally.

OPRAH! MELI GOT ME OPRAH!!!

I had actually seen this book at the airport coming back from New Jersey. I straight up beelined for that darn thing and then sat their pawing it through the window.

Meli had read back through my posts and found hints and whispers about my ~~obsession~~ love for Oprah. I just about died from all the excitement. Hell, I'm still a bit winded.

I'm really blessed to have such sweet, thoughtful, and might I add generous people in my life. SERIOUSLY! It really meant the world to me that someone could dig deep and get to the center of my little Oprah groupie heart.

Middle Earth Christmas Chronicles

2011-12-21T03:13:00.000-08:00

When this little bad boy goes to post, Jersey and I will be waking from the dead and rolling over cursing ourselves for booking such an early morning flight. Then we'll realize we're going to Middle Earth to visit my best bud J and my delightful parental units and then we'll start skipping around like little spazoids.

Happens every time.

I can't wait to just be there already! I'm really hoping, praying and crossing my fingers that the weather cooperates and we make it there when we're supposed to...or sooner!

I'm ready to be home for the holidays...ready to see snow and smell my mom and dad's cinnamon-y Christmas home.

I'm happier than an elf who's just found out he suffers from elephantiasis of the jingle bells!

Out and About With the Fellas

2011-12-20T10:00:00.000-08:00

I love hanging with D and Jersey. Luckily they dig each other and spend 90 % of the time discussing fantasy football and sharing LA pounds (Please don't ask me about that silly handshake.)

Elves in the Kitchen

2011-12-20T09:00:00.000-08:00

Jersey and I needed some Christmas shakeup this past weekend so we decided to bake Christmas goodies for his peoples. I got this really snazzy recipe for apple cinnamon granola that ended up turning out so yummy we made some for ourselves. We've decided healthy and nutritious gifts aren't a bad thing being that we're both health nuts. This could be the beginning of a beautiful Christmas past time...

♥

My mom sent us matching Christmas aprons. We had too much fun in them

Feeling the Christmas spirit...FINALLY!

Jersey's attempt at gangster...Note the blue glitter tat on the neck

We must really work on our handwriting...and our plus signs

The Counter

2011-12-20T03:13:00.000-08:00

Before the Adam Sandler party Jersey and I hit up our favorite burger joint, The Counter. We sat at the bar, watched some sports and laughed over yummy fried pickles and the best little sliders. It's good to have little neighborhood spots!

♥

Shutterbug Toys

2011-12-19T10:00:00.000-08:00

♥

I'm pretty sure everyone thought I'd dig photography for a tiny bit and then kick it to the curb, but I've been snapping for years...don't see myself giving it up any time soon either. I got some new toys to play with over the weekend. Man, how I love Poppins the iPhone!

Helena and Harper

2011-12-19T09:00:00.000-08:00

I love Em and her adorable family...and the bottom right picture of Harper (H2 as she calls him on her blog) made me laugh so hard I snorted a bit.

♥

The Happy Madison Party

2011-12-19T03:13:00.000-08:00

Adam Sandler's party was Friday night...boy was it out of this world!

I've NEVER been around that many celebrities at a given time. I saw Maria Bello first and I just about peed my pants considering I had JUST watched her show before we left. Everyone who has ever worked with Adam Sandler or befriended his bulldog was there.

He performed with his band, there were bar stations set up everywhere in this little hidden compound in the valley...we could ice skate if we wanted, ride a train, bull ride, sing karaoke, bowl, play arcade games that were rigged to not need quarters. It was a kid's dream I say! I played the ISH out of Ms Pacman!

We spoke to one of Jersey's favorite stars out there right now and he was totally humble and gracious...The guy didn't even freak out that two very grown adults were drooling all over him.

I've been in LA for years now, but I still can't act normal around people I've admired from the boob tube. They're doing what I've always wanted to do...They're ACTUALLY in the biz and doing it well...lucky ducks.

I was sooo happy to be there, but I caught myself wondering why it happens that I'm always so close to it all, but never get bites of my own. Cruel tease or just the beginning tastes of how it will be soon?...

Hopefully I'll be able to answer that soon.

We weren't allowed to take pictures at all while there so no pictures of totally awesome folks that weren't plastic surgery'ed out...weren't dressed all fancy schmancy. Lots of jeans and cool, whatever folks. The only annoying people there were the hoochie mama young girls standing close to stars, bending over slowly, trying to get them to notice them.

Tsk tsk...We all want to be discovered...I'd just rather it be me, my face and I...not my booty.

After the party we finally got brave enough to snap a pic

I got a Mike Tyson face tattoo because I'm gangster

Jersey's neck tattoo...He is such a bad ass!

Say Cheese

2011-12-18T21:59:00.000-08:00

The Journal

2011-12-16T10:00:00.000-08:00

♥

It's so not fair that, as a joke, I asked Jersey to sign up for an Oprah journal and he got his before me.

~what the freak?!~

Totally stealing it..