Happy New Year!

How was your 2009? Are you sad to see it go? Happy it's finally over? Whichever it is, I bet you'll never forget it, changed lives this year did. Lol, how very Yoda...

This was a huge year for me, my only wish being that I worked harder to record some of it. But, i am doing this whole fly by the seat of my pants thing...and it hasn't been all bad. I am absorbing, and experiencing life as it happens. I have nothing to prove, and only myself to please in this little spot, so...I guess it's just another punch I will choose to roll with.

That is part of a whole list of things I have learned this year, that you need to roll with the punches. Life is gonna throw all kinds of stuff your way, and staying positive and letting most of it roll off your back helps tons. The Man called this a rebuilding year, and I have to agree. I rebuilt, I looked inside myself, and changed the way I look at the world. I grew up a lot.

I have lost two jobs this year, and for the five years before that I was not without gainful employment for a second. For five years I had a job to go to every day of my life, I had someplace I reported, and turned off my own head to sell dog sweaters, ship digibeats or file paper work. Not having to do that was, scary, fun, a...relief. I have been blessed with a chance to look at myself, and the person I want to be. I have found myself at the precipice, and am going with the less safe, but more personally rewarding path. I have big plans for 2010, that all revolve not going back to a room lit with fluorescent bulbs. I want to make up my own day.

I have thought about this a lot, and slowly set wheels in motion. All in my own good time. And well, I am ready to go out on some bigger limbs now. I have talked, talked, talked about all the things I am gonna do, and none of it comes to fruition. So this year, I am just diving in.

Eeeep!

2009 was hard. America changed forever as it sunk into deeper depression, and people re-thought the way they look at money, jobs, and lifestyles. And in the circle of friends I have, I have not heard many complaints. Most of the people I know were worse of financially, but came together as friends, allies, and support teams. I have not once felt alone, and I think that says a lot about the way things will go in the future.

We have all been humbled this year, and I think it has been great. I am so thankful for the people in my life, no matter what their outlook on 2009 is, because it taught me something.

I look forward to going out tonight and watching Travis Pastrana jump into Long Beach Harbor, drinking in a room we rented for the occasion (in true recession style, splitting the bill with good friends, and bringing our own booze!), watching the fireworks and kissing The Man at midnight. I look forward to 2010, and welcome all the new ways I will grow.

So, what are you doing tonight? What do you look forward to in the fresh, new year ahead of you?

And furthermore my self-control I can't rely on anymore...

So the discovery of, followed by the obsession with Led Zeppelin birthed an obsession with Robert Plant, that went so deep I began to dream about him. It reached a fevered pitch so high, I dreamt he made me peanut butter fudge...*sigh*...Robert take me away!

I was listening to his album Now And Zen, and realized I really love Crazy Ship of Fools. So, I went in search of a video to share with you. This is the official one credited as being "from the Nine Lives box set". Wow, did I come across a gem! This video is so the epitome of what cheesy 1980's love songs should look like! I love it so much! He dances with silk scarves! He practically makes out with the camera! Look at his stacked hair! Eeeeeek! I sat in front of the computer and creamed my jeans. God I love Robert Plant.

Link

The page-a-day

"Set your own priorities; live life the way you want to, with your own set of values. Stop running around simply because you have to "keep up". "

Yesterdays page from the Don't Sweat the Small Stuff calendar.

Daze for your Holly

(<---The inside of one of the lovely cinnamon rolls The Man baked on Thanksgiving morning)

So, I guess I am getting to this thing about once a month. Except I missed November completely....and that makes me sad, cause I like November. It has Thanksgiving and I decided this year that I really like Thanksgiving.

In comparison it's a really fricken easy holiday. There is little pressure if you tune out your family and drink enough. I had a damn fine Thanksgiving this year. The food is always good too, so the only trouble is making it. Which is not really a problem for me, I just was thrown off by how to time it all. We smoked, and drank, and watched Bubble Boy. I was thoroughly spoiled by having a full kitchen (albeit apartment sized, but still so much bigger than the last one) and getting to cook dinner, it was so...RAD!

I also started this here blog last November, so I missed my blog birthday too. Oops. I guess I was pre-occupied with trying to keep a job that I didn't fit into. I was in a really hard spot this time last year, and this little writing spot has helped heaps.

So we are coming to the end of the year, and as always I am freaking out about all the stuff I didn't get done and how I feel panicked that my life is going nowhere, and I am gonna turn into a fat old cat lady. With just one more month till my birthday, and it being another birthday that takes me closer to 30, I am a little...anxious.

Giddy up chocolate chip!

Wow I have lived decadently as of late, it has been bliss. I am really bored and uninspired in the world of the written word too, and, am beginning to wonder if Tallulah was right...leave the journal keeping to the good girls.
Gosh life has been good though. I mean, I still have a boring desk job, and need a little more time to be creative. But, I have learned you kinda have to force those things. You really have to do those things. Just with the little bit I have been making myself dance every day has done wonders for my self-esteem.

I love dance. Dance makes me so happy. I did a different belly dance video last week, and it was very inspiring. I don't work them every day, I take some of the things they taught and then drill them throughout the day. I am really weak right now, and very lazy/tired/gluttonous. SO....I am working at my own pace ok! Get off my back man, geeze.

The Man and I are loving the new place, I will post pics soon. But to be perfectly honest, I am not super happy with blogger's picture posting options...and that frustrates me. So, no picture till I figure that out.

And now I need sleep, since I have smoked myself retarded again.

Peace out.

There it goes again

Wow, so, so much.

I moved!

I have a job!

I have inspiration!

I also got very sick, bought my first major appliance with The Man (eeeep!), made new friends, questioned friendships with others, grew up, digressed, lost my mind and found it.

Party time!

It's late, and I have to be up early to go to this job...which is so boring I know, but it has paid for the rent on a new and much larger place, and a fridge for said place (I have had ice cream from my own freezer in my own fridge for 3 nights in a row now, I am gonna get so fat! It's gonna rock!)

I hope all is well in the worlds of those that read my ramblings, there is so much to share...and now I really have to clip my nails so they will stop dragging on the bass strings and driving me to distraction while I pluck my way through TV commercials.

~Sydney

Happy Birthday Robert Plant!

I love, love, LOVE Led Zeppelin!
There was a whole block of their songs on KLOS on the way home in honor of Robert Plant's 61st birthday, it was awesome.
So now, all the best of a Robert Plant search, Happy Birthday Robert! Keep rockin'!

Time Suck

Photo by Stephan.Com


Wow, time has flown by!

This makes me nervous, they say it gets faster and faster the older you get...and lately it has warped by! They also say: "if you want to make God laugh, make a plan". Well, I am here to tell you it's true, she will laugh, and then fuck it all up for you. True story, it has happened my whole life. I think I just started to understand this though, and now am a little better prepared to use it to my advantage. Over the last few months I can very clearly see where this has happened, and...may be able to see it coming. Or at least have the back up plan more ready.

In Feb. I started to look for a new job, I had been with my former company for almost 2 years and it was not going well. I was bored, really bored. I was very closely watched (my work anyway) by the other girls in my department, so I didn't really ever have to think. If it wasn't right someone else was just gonna check it anyway, and half the time they just redid it themselves anyway...so what was the point of paying attention. Then I got really upset and panicked that I was wasting my life away in a dull office, and wasn't being creative, all because I have to pay rent. So labored on the quarter-life crisis. Then there was a pay cut in may '08, then another one in Nov. '08...and I wasn't making enough money to do anything nice, was just barely eating between paychecks. I wasn't going to move up because no one was very excited for me to train with them, even though I didn't want to be in billing and had only applied due to the 30% raise it offered over my last job. Well, nothing panned out. I decided it was better to stay where I was, even if the pay was crap, and work on my many projects (dance, guitar, bass, reading, handmade cards, boxes, and clothes) to try and do something I love for a living.

Then I was laid off. I mean within weeks of me giving up the job search. I was lost. I knew it was coming, but I didn't really believe it...cause I was told I was safe....or so they thought. The thing is the company is struggling, and had to cut people. The Man and I were freaked, but hopeful. He was out of work too, so although we were gonna spend a lot of time together (yay!), it was gonna be really tight on the money front (boo!).

So we went to Texas to visit a friend that was about to have a baby! And I blew all my savings on plane tickets, food, and things for the baby(I didn't have very much money saved...as I was broke the whole time I was there anyhow). I thought "they'll be unemployment money when I get home! Who cares if I'm broke, I'm having FUN!" And while that's all well and good, and my focus is usually to have fun...it sucks not to be able to eat. And the next few months were all about the hustle, even if it was for a few extra bucks. I had all kinds of time to do things, and it still didn't happen, as I was so distracted with my man, and my money situation. But boy have I had fun!

Then, as I restart my plans, with a fresh outlook, all newly inspired, with a new list of tasks...one of the temp agencies called, they had a job for me! Haha! Another plan out the window! God laughs again! So, I am writing to you from my desk, at a big corporate machine...bored. I took it, and will keep it because...I need the money. It's doesn't mean I will give up on my projects, dreams, or motivation...but I will be able to pay off my credit card this way, and that thing has so much interest it has to go! I am flushing money out the window every month on a card I didn't think I would have more than a year! EEEeeps!

The last 3 months have flown by! I have so many pictures that still have to be edited to post...and for some weird reason computer at home has been super slow (probably because I have so many photos to back up!), so progress is slow going. But, I will not give up. Have to up the ante now, and take on more than I am used to. I realize more of my planning faults now, and will update more often the way I do things. And, ajust to whatever hits me...as long as I keep going, I may one day out smart the Goddess in her constant laughing at me...but I doubt it.

~Sydney

Edited at 10:30pm to add: This is post #69, Holla!

New Hair

I know, I haven't been around. But there are big life changes taking place, I'll be back to tell you all about them! That and my internet is all wonky...so it doesn't always work.

Until all this is processed, please enjoy pictures of my new hair.

Mondays

Wow, the start of another week. It is amazing how fast it all goes by huh? I can't believe how fast it all goes, the days just flow into one another lately. It's not bad or good really, just is...startling.

The Man has a project coming up in about a week, and will have steady work for the rest of the year. I can't tell you how thrilled I am that he will have work, that the bills won't be such a worry. It has been really hard these last 2 months, both of us out of work. We have just barely scraped by each day, some days cause we didn't eat. And as much as that sucks, as hard as it has been, I have enjoyed every second. I spent each day, all day almost, with the man I love. A man I am so crazy about, that when it hit me he won't be here next week while I washed my hands in the bathroom I teared up! Tears! I came out of the bathroom and hugged him so tight, I'm gonna miss him being around. He was so flattered, he said "oh you really do love me!" of course I do silly. So very, very much.

So, now that I am done gushing, on to the wonderful, inspiring things taking up my mind space. I have a whole list of links that were supposed to be up on Friday, and photos, lots of stuff to talk about. I only have 45 minutes to do it in this post, so let's see how far I get!

Being so broke does amazing things to you, it has been a test of strength. I have learned so much! I am so thankful for food, I thank the goddess for each morsel that passes my lips. As a result I have become more creative in the kitchen (pictures soon), and am looking at a LOT of food porn. I have been craving everything on the planet it seems!

♥ Bakerella's pancakes make me drool...Want! Blueberries were on sale this week, so I may make these. They look SO worth it.

♥ Pioneer Women also made me drool this week. I am vegetarian, but there is a bunch of stuff on her 4th of July goodies list that made me salivate.

♥ As did Ezra Pound Cake, twice! I was gonna make these Cherry Fried Pies, but I had to save the cherries cause they were so pretty, I had to take pictures! Well, I have been very self-conscious about my photography for the last month...and a half...and the cherries sat, and sat, and then rotted and died and had to be thrown out. I think I am over the photography snag, I think I just have to make sure I don't care what other people think of me, cause I get hurt too easily that way...but the cherries still died, and so no pictures, no pie...for now.

♥ 4th of July weekend I was obsessed with Oreos, and Solstice weekend I was obsessed with Smores, it was total kismet that the folks at CakeSpy put the two together! Drool!
Yum!

And now I am all fooded out.

Here is a picture of a squashed bird on my street to change the subject:




I thought that dead birds were haunting me for awhile, I found them everywhere. I try to make sure to take a picture each time now, cause I'm gonna turn it into some freaky art exhibit.


♥ Awake at the Wheel is starting a great series on the health zapping side effects of blogging.

♥ Doe Deere is always a rainbow of amazing clothing choices, her bright way of dressing has inspired me lately to add more fantastic pieces to the way I dress. I used to dress in all kinds of fantastic things, I always loved to look as weird as possible. That changed in my early twenties, and I haven't thought about it till recently. Clothing really effects the way we feel, and the way we feel effects the way we act. So, you should dress in a manner that makes you feel good right? Well, what if the rest of the world doesn't like the way you dress? That can make it hard to want to look that way, and this creates all kinds of inner conflict. Here Ms. Deere talks about some of the things you can do to dress in your outlandish best and not let the masses get you down.

And that's all we have time for this post, I gotta go run around this great city of Angeles. Have a great day!

~Sydney

Cheap Eats

This was dinner one night last week, and it rocked.

It rocked hard.

The best part of course being I think it only cost about $1.25 for the meal! Score!



What you see pictured is Kraft Mac&Cheese (the 3 cheese flavor, which rocks), with fresh chopped garlic and pepper mixed into the sauce. Then chop some brocolli and throw that in, make some iced tea (tea bags, water, lemon) and your all set!

I did 2 cloves of garlic, and it was way overpowering. So, go with one.



Yum!

Goodbye Farrah!

Farrah Fawcett was laid to rest here in Los Angeles yesterday, after a service at Our Lady of Angeles church. The above photo currently has the highest rating of the week on my Flickr photo stream. I'm not sure why, the one next to it doesn't have the blurry blob on the left side...but whatever.

The Man and I went down there for a different project we're working on, and I snapped some quick pictures of the chaos on the street.



I am wasn't a big fan of Ms. Fawcett, she was a little before my time. But, she was an icon. Had a tough bout with cancer, and I hope the afterlife is kind to her. She was lovely, and will be missed by those that loved her. We left before the service was over, but saw it on the news last night. I thought it was touching that Ryan O'Neal went back for one last look at the casket before it drove away.

Love never dies.

~Sydney

Ca-razy

I worked last week, for the first time in 2 months...wow, it was weird. It was weird to be working again (although it's over now). It was weird to work my old hours (7am-3:30pm...Ick). And it was very weird to be there when the upstairs desk called into the basement I was working in at the old UCLA hospital, to tell us that Michael Jackson just died across the street and the police were blocking all traffic on that section of Westwood Blvd.

So weird in fact, I would call it surreal.

Michael Jackson is dead people!

I really didn't believe this when they said it in the stuffy little room I had spent the whole day counting stuff in. I still didn't believe it when they announced it on the radio as we drove past the hospital where the crowed was quickly forming, it was just not REAL.



Not because I was a huge fan mind you, I don't own a single Jackson album. But, because he was so ingrained into our culture...I didn't believe he would die. He was otherworldly, like some kind of elf. This was supported of course by the plastic surgeries, the privet Neverland Ranch, and the secret parties with boys more than half his age. He became some kind of enigma, you only saw him in little peeks and glimpses, so it was like he wasn't really there. He was there less lately, in the last few years, so it was even weirder that he popped up with a new tour and album only to keel over and die.

It seems sad, he seemed sad. Last night I caught the last part of "Living with Michael Jackson" and he seemed uncomfortable. Frustrated that the media didn't understand him, he kept trying to defend the parties and sleepovers. It must have really sucked to have been all warped by an abusive father and then have to be responsible for life in a world you never knew. I know most people think this was just the cover story, so he had an explanation for abusing children himself. But I'm not so sure he did, he seemed to be a big kid that didn't understand.

No matter what you thought of him, he changed the face of music, popular culture, and the way we dance. Life would not be the same without his influence.

Tari Pendet dari Bali Indonesia

Really large post, update, recap & faves.

(Photo, design by my boyfriend!)





So I have kinda ignored some of the things I said I was going to post about, and just kinda put up whatever was shiny. Oops! So the good thing about that is I have a big post with all kinds of things to talk about! Yey! More exclamation points!!!

Jeeze, where do i start?

I have to apologise for never writing about Austin, I don't know how it slipped my mind. I Yelped about it...but then never got the time to say anything here. I know, I suck.
I have a damn blog for Christs sakes, what else does one blog about if not a vacation? Well, to tell the truth, I have had a bit of a time getting myself to sit at the computer and do many creative things...I have been a little down. So it really helps to post about super positive things, that are really brief. Then I don't have to sit here as often, I sit here and look for a job...then I don't get any calls for the ones I applied for...Then I get sad and want to get stoned and watch Dexter....It's a damn vicious cycle I tell ya.

But I have worked on a lot of little things lately, and have cleaned and organized further, and am really feeling better about the way things are going. I have a weeks worth of work next week at UCLA, so that'll help. It's just the lack of operating funds that gets me down.

Let's talk about the fun stuff! I have pictures of lots of the stuff we have been up to, so let's start there:

Austin was beautiful!
this was taken at "Redbud" park, a stop on the way to our friends house from the airport. I hadn't seen such nature in a long time.


All the food was amazing, this a epic Veggie burger I had at Freddies our first night there. I still dream about it....


The next day we did a quick walk around the French Legation.


And then later went swimming at this natural swimming hole, Hamilton Pool. It was amazing, there is definitely nothing like this in L.A.!


We had to hike this awesome trail down to get there, this is on the way back up. It was breathtaking.



More wonderful food! Fried Avocado Tacos at Torchy's. I still dream about these too...


AND THESE!
I loved these deep friend cookie balls, rolled in like, cookie crumbs...with chopped almonds and coconut stuff, it was so so good!

We hung out in the yard a lot, our friend was really pregnant. So, we left the house mostly to eat and get quick looks at the city. It wasn't really a trip for tourism, we went to see our friends. I still have photos I could upload to the Flickr...wow I have been a slacker!


We mostly drank, smoked(except for the mom-to-be, I hope you got that Lone Star Amber! It was all worth it, you have a beautiful baby.) and shot the shit in the backyard. It was wonderful, I was so relaxed!




It was my sister Lesley's birthday on the 11th, I made her a card.


And a pair of earrings.

That all went into a box with a lotion, some chocolate lambs (from Easter...I forgot), some hand salve, and a book of happiness quotes. She, our dad and I went to lunch. It was nice, we have all been anti everything, so no pictures from lunch.

My amazing boyfriend has started making shirts with his own brilliant spin on the Obama, Hope design:

I love it, post a comment or email me if you are interested. Rates vary depending on style, I will have more info in the coming days.

♣ I have re listed 2 pairs of the vintage Levi's I am selling and also added a vintage 1960's blue "wiggle"dress with a very smart matching bolero jacket. All of that: Here.


I made CAKE! From a mix, I know. But who cares? It was good, made better by the apples that came from my Indo dance teachers tree.




It turned out damn good, I was so pleased. I know these photos suck, I was so tired by then...I gave up and ate cake.


Today was the best day! I have that job next week, and will be working from 7am till 3:30pm and will be waking at 5:30am to get there in time. This is quite a shock to the system cause, well, I've been a slacker lately. I have completely gone back to the nocturnal ways I was years ago and now normally stay up till 3am. So today (and all weekend) I am getting up at 5:30 and doing stuff!

Today we went to the beach and meditated, and wrote, and filmed stock footage, and had a really nice morning. It was so quiet, and peaceful, I did some yoga, I felt at ease and focused when I got home!

Although this has left me very tired since about 3 this afternoon, so I am going to bid you goodnight. I can't stand to sit at the desk any longer. Have a happy weekend!

~Sydney

Happy birthday Igor Stravinsky

I just had to share the wonderful image that greeted the world via google today. You know, in
case you didn't see it!

I know, this makes me sound like a huge dork. And normally I just enjoy the varied designs that google comes up with for special occasions, but this time I had to say something. This is beautiful! What a fantastic design! I love it!

I am a bit biased, being a dancer I of course had a love affair with ballet; it's a pretty common fascination for girls....


(Photo)


Even if you are 20 and dancing in community college....*Ahem*, glad THAT's over.


Orginal design for Firebird costume (Photo)


So a lovely night was had by The Man and I as we enjoyed apple cake and Stravinsky music found in an awesome blog post here.

Grilled Cheese!

Because you have to make dinner fun.

:)