Da Goddess

If I were giving gifts this year, I would wrap your presents in Manta Claus paper. I would, indeed.

If I were to give you the gift of music, I would send you directly to Greg Nagy where you could download his fine album.

Were I to include a single video for the Holidays, I would include my favorite:

And if I were given to proclamations of the joyous sort, I would wish each and every single one of you a happy, loving, Christmas, Hanukkah (or the spelling of your choosing), Kwanzaa, Ramadan, Winter Solstice, etc.

With that, I am off to cook for people who are not my blood family but for whom I am helping to keep close together, while missing mine…and I will be calling my family later this weekend to let them know how much I love and miss them so incredibly. Next year, though, I’m THERE. Without fail.

May you find extra hope, faith, joy,friendship, love, and laughter amongst your gifts this year.

Moving.

Yep. You betcha. The family I work for has been trying to close on their new house and the very kind people at the mortgage company have stalled and stalled so that we get to move Christmas weekend.

I don’t mind the moving part that much. I won’t have to do any lifting. I’ll help clean the new place and unpack, but everything else is being done by other people. I’m happy that I’ll be able to get the rest of my belongings that have been stored at friends’ homes. But I’m bummed that this delay (which we had no idea how long it would last) has meant that Little Dude’s visit couldn’t be scheduled and, thus, I have no way to bring him out for the week after Christmas as we’d hoped.

So, I’m missing LD and my Mojo and the rest of my family. Things have been hectic around here and Christmas cards/gifts aren’t going to be sent until after Christmas. That’s just the way it goes, I guess.

LD has been extremely awesome about the change in plans. We talked twice today, the first while he was at my mom’s baking cookies (chocolate with ancho chiles amongst others, which he says he loooooves), and then again after he got back to his dad’s house. He heard the baby in the background and asked if it was a cat. “No, that’s the baby.” “Oh, he sounded like a cat.” Then the baby started babbling, as babies are wont to do, and LD giggled. “Okay, he sounds like a baby now. He sounds cute, too. I can’t wait to meet him.” Oh, my dear son, I can’t wait for you to meet him, too. I know they’ll get along great. LD is a baby whisperer of sorts. Kids of all ages love him. Soon, my son, soon. February.

And there you have my grand plans for Christmas. What do you have going on?

I love Jack Tempchin. You do, too. I know you do.

Bonus video:

This was one of my favorite songs when I was a kid.

I just want to go on record as saying I think Desperado was The Eagles’ best ever album. Hotel California is a close second, but Desperado was just so lyrically and musically magical that I almost can’t bear the harmonies when I hear them. They make me want to weep in absolute pleasure over their sweetness. Take “Saturday Night”.  Listen to that mandolin and the yearning in earnest (as if there were any other sort of yearning)…it’s simple, it’s complex, it’s gorgeous! And “Doolin’ Dalton”.  And “Desperado” itself. Tell me those songs don’t pull at your heartstrings and make you envision a time when you could just be wrapped in someone’s arms, slow dancin’ and praying the night could last forever.

Why there aren’t any Eagles vids for “Saturday Night” on YouTube, I haven’t a clue. Plenty of covers, but nary an actual Eagles version.

That’s all. Nothing else of significance here.

Imagine reading an article about a musician you once supported with great zeal and halfway through the piece you see a quote taken from an interview you did with said musician.

Yep. Just happened. The part about Home Depot. The interview was in 2006. We had a falling out right about that time. Okay, exactly at that time. And many tried to squelch any posting of links to that interview on Blogcritics because it was done by me.  Yet it gets quoted on Gibson’s website.

Classic.

Hahahahahahahaha!

Ironic, ain’t it, Stu?

Let’s skip the sad, angry bit of how it all came about and just get right down to it, shall we? I’ve lost my head.

My beautiful clear glass head which was to hold all sorts of things for a series of images I’ve wanted to do now for two years. So, if you find a clear glass head (human sized), for rather cheap, please let me know right away! Post something in the comments and I’ll email you back quickly.

I do know that Pier 1 has some for around $20. I may go that route since that’s where I got my last head. This new one seems a bit “delicate” though. I want something more rugged or at least a little beat up. Character is everything. Like this woman’s head on ebay. I like the amber. And the hairstyle. Color me weird.

Thanks!

Currently so fucking constipated that my ass feels violated. I’ve been trying everything.

I’m hoping it all “comes out” in the morning.

Like that damn dachshund I dropped after my lower back surgery years ago.

‘cept I’m not hearing any barking. Just me groaning and feeling generally miserable.

This is what you get when you move into a new place and bathrooms are in short supply. Once we get moved, I’ll have my own. Thank God.

Fantastic article over on Pajiba about leading male characters on TV who make us work harder and harder to care about them.

Honestly, some of these shows I don’t even bother with anymore. Like Grey’s Anatomy. I stopped watching after the second or third season because, frankly, who fucking cares whether Derek and Meredith were together or if Izzy was going to crumble after her patient/boyfriend’s death? All the blathering on about stupid shit made the show less and less a priority each week. The best episode ever was “Pink Mist”, with the always beautiful and still ruggedly handsome Kyle Chandler. ‘Nuf said.

I’ll defend Mad Men until they totally mess it up. Don Draper is, despite his moments of awareness and conscience, a man who is perfection to look at but a disaster for one’s heart waiting to happen. Granted, the timeframe of the show is very chauvvinistic, so I allow a little wiggle room. Just not as much as Don truly requires to make him “lovable”.

House, well, hell. House is better than a lot of doctors I’ve worked with, so I don’t know that he deserves to be on the list.

Don’t watch Glee, American Horror, Sherlock, or It’s Always Sunny, thus I have no real opinions there. I do, however, recognize that all the guys from The League deserve to be seriously kicked in the nuts at one time or another. And yet, I love love love the show. It’s so…let’s just say I know people like that and I love them despite (or maybe because of) their faults. Jeff Winger on Community? Hello! His character may be a dick, but he’s written so that he’s perfectly straddling the fence between asshole for life and reformable guy with issues.

Lest we forget Barney Stinson. Look, the guy may be a man whore, but he’s one who is also vulnerable. He’s the Fonz…in a suit, with a more cutting tongue. One of the best characters ever written for a sitcom. Think Uncle Jesse, but with an edge and an actual personality. Also, “Swarley”.

I love posts on other sites that make me sit around, think about imaginary characters, and then opine on them at length. Or at least as lengthy as I get these days. Thanks, Pajiba!

By 3pm, dinner was done, the dishwasher was running, and my “new family” loved all my food. I’m calling it a good day and heaving a contented sigh.

Talked with my family…except for LD (who is on a trip with his grandmother and uncle — dad’s side of family). They’re all gathering over at my sister’s for dinner. Thankfully, I felt almost like I was there with the yummy Razzmatazz I made, courtesy of my older sister’s recipe.

I miss them all, but just knowing they’re together and happy and that they’re happy I have this job, etc., makes everything okay.

Of course, come Christmas, I better have me a fix or I’ll go crazy.

I hope each of you have many wonderful reasons to be thankful today and every day. For me, I have to say I’m grateful for my friends who have stuck by me, even when I was a pain in the ass or when I fucked up, or especially when I was feeling so low. I’m grateful for my family, who never ceases to surprise me. I’m grateful for this new job and the opportunity it provides me to be a part of a family’s life, to care for their precious little one, and to help them find time to do more than just “work” and “be parents”.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone

Tis PrompTuesday over at San Diego Momma’s place. Been a long time since I’ve played along, but heck, my post was written in her comments section. I’m just spreading the love.

You know how such complicated things are really quite simple? Like, you want to work out? WORK OUT (San Diego Momma). Or, you want to write a book? WRITE A BOOK (San Diego Momma). Or maybe you’ve been meaning to reclaim your soul from social media saturation. STOP TWEETING SO MUCH AND WRITE YOUR BOOK (San Diego Momma). So for today’s writing prompt, I’d love you to laundry list something that sounds complicated, such as…

Oh, go read her entry. It’s good.

“As for YOU, laundry list something. And…Please post your submission in the comments OR post in your blog and leave a link to your blog in the comments.”

I’m a great lister, so here’s mine:

How to survive in Las Vegas:

1. Find a sugardaddy.
   1a.  Be under 25
   1b.  Be HOT
2. Work at any of the big casinos as a service “model”
   2a.  Again, be under 25
   2b.  And, naturally, be hot
3. Failing the first two suggestions, try gambling. Because there’s no RISK OF LOSING EVERYTHING. Ever. Not at all.
4. Take a job in an industry that’s oversaturated by people who don’t know what they’re doing and charge too little, thus fucking it up for those of us who are good and charge for being educated and competent.
5. Hope you have enough friends with empty sofas so you can couch surf your way through life as you wait for meaningful work.
6. Be prepared to piss off at least two of those friends (over something small, but still piss-off-able).
7. Be prepared to beg and plead for forgiveness endlessly if they are the kind of friends you like having in your life.
8. When all else fails, become a live-in nanny for first time parents who are sweet as can be and make you life as comfortable and happy as possible. No lie. They’re that good.

I’m waiting for the finale to be posted online.

I want JR Martinez to win, but wouldn’t be upset if Ricki wins. They’ve both done well. I just don’t want to see a Kardashian win. PUHlleeeeeeeeeeeeeese!

Anyhow, I’m too tired tonight to wait for it to post to hulu, so mum’s the word, eh?

Also, should I keep this design on this blog the same as it’s been for years or do I go with the one I’d put up for the dg/wp site? What else would you like to see? I’m open to suggestions, so speak up;

I was punished for my blog absence but good. Walked into my friend’s house last night and stumbled upon my first live and not encaged scorpion (and tiny baby scorpion to boot).

Actually, I wasn’t really punished as much as I was surprised and angry because she can NOT have scorpions running about in her home. So I stuck a glass on top of it until she got home. It then took two of us to get it scooped up into an airtight container.

Look, I’ll rescue and relocate rattlers. I will kiss tarantulas. But I draw the line at scorpions. Especially ones dropping babies as we’re trying to avoid getting stung.

Blah blah blah.

The really BIG news of the moment is that I have a new job as a full-time, live-in nanny for a sweet family and their beautiful little boy. I am very excited about this. Over the moon, in fact.

Also, happily, a lump at the edge of my breast/armpit area has decided to go away after ten days. I’m considering that VERY GOOD NEWS.

Oh, then there’s the upcoming PBS special for the group Human Nature next month. Please watch it. I am in the audience (yes, I am…was there both nights). Better still, it’s going to be amazing! You will love these guys as much as I do.

And with that, I should tell you that DaGoddess.com is back, what with being rescued by Jay and Pam. (Thank you, mi amigos!)

 This post marks my return here and, hopefully, better blogging habits.

Other special thanks go out to people whose names I cannot mention for things I cannot mention. They know who and why and how deep my gratitude pool is.

…because I’m not renewing my domain name (honestly, I have more pressing expenses, right?), I’m going to use my “insecure browser” (I think they mean unsecure or non-secure or even outdated…but insecure? What? It wasn’t popular in middle school and now it has a variety of self-esteem issues causing it to act out?) and start blogging over at wordpress.

I’m trying to get it set up before this place disappears, so check there for me if you’re even remotely curious as to what I’m up to.

In other news, last night I attempted to make cheesy broccoli chicken and rice. Sadly, I had no chicken or broccoli. The cheese was courtesy of a spare packet of mac ‘n’ cheese cheese, if that makes sense.

Yeah, I think I’m getting blonder. Or having mini-strokes, which is entirely possible given the dizziness and spots before my eyes and all. Nah. Let’s just go with superblonde, okay?

Thank you, Pam!

Pam helped me fix whatever the hell happened when I tried using the wordpress backup plugin. Apparently when I tried to use the plugin it FUBAR’d the site so that I couldn’t even get to my dashboard. And then Pam walked me through the fix.

Thank you, girlfriend! You rock mightily.