Things to See and Do- 4/25

I've started this list in my browser's bookmarks of things and places I'd like to do and visit. Instead of hoarding them all for myself until I get to do them, I thought I'd share on a regular basis. For some events/places, I will not be able to do because of prior engagements. If you do end of doing any of these, let me know how it goes!
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Velvet Hustlers & Weird Lovemakers: Japanese Sixties Action Films - April 25, 26, 27 (7:30pm)
(TIckets & Location) $10 General Admission
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Los Angeles Times Festival of Books - April 26 (10am - 6pm) & 27 (10am to 5pm)
Admission to the Festival of Books is free. Parking is $8.
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Wicked! - Until Sept 2008
$35 - $98. I've only heard good things about it.
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Watch the Grey Whale migration - Now through 4/30
$25 adults / $20 children under 12, seniors over 60.
"Sightings are guaranteed: you will get a free trip if we do not see whales or dolphin!"
Another option for a whale excursion
If you wanted to make a whole-day adventure out of it. More pricey.
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Critical Mass - every last Friday of the Month
More info! Where is my bike anyway?
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2 EARTH DAY EVENTS
Eco-Fair at Universal Studios - Sat, April 26 (10am - 4pm) Free! And Free Parking for hybrid vehicles.

City of Pasadena GREENING THE EARTH DAY & Armory Center for the Arts FAMILY ARTS FESTIVAL - Sat, April 26 (10am - 4pm) Free!


Enjoy, everyone. And I hope you have and fun and safe weekend!

Pumping

They say that cells from the same heart beat independently of each other. And they beat in unison. Say you were to take a cardiac cell that is beating fast and place it in space, outside the heart. Then you take a cardiac cell from the same heart that beats a little slower and place it next to the first one. They will eventually sync up... usually taking up the faster beat. See.

What are your heart cells doing? Because my heart is beating really fast right now. (Must be the coffee.)

Today

Before the birds wake
And the day breaks, I rise to
Caffeinate the world!

I [heart] Badminton

These guys are awesome! I need to learn how to smash and defend like this.


I've been doing some research about where to play badminton in the LA area. Sidenote: if you have to question why I can't just set up a net outside, I cannot play with you.

I'm excited about what I found:

OMG, this place looks intense. San Gabriel Valley Badminton Club. Club members can reserve courts and request coaches. I'm sure a beginner would be intimidated by players like this. $7/person for guests.

Arcadia Badminton Club So many players in the area, I guess thay HAD to open another 17-court gym. This one has a cafe and shower facilities!? I found a badminton meet-up club that meets at this location. This guy's arm is strong! Too bad he doesn't have anyone to play with. $5 before 5pm on weekdays, $8 other times.

There's a gym that has Open Badminton hours 15 minutes away from where I live, but I don't want to tell you where it is because it gets really crowded as it is. Let me know if you really want to play and I'll let you in on the "secret" location. $1.

Be sure to catch Badminton during the 2008 Olympics (if they even broadcast it on American TV). You can barely see the birdie, it travels so fast.

Let's Drive

I remember one of the first times I was in a car driving through the Palos Verdes hills. Late autumn.

Sometimes a Cold Rain Can Push Down on the Back of Your Head.

Anti-rock campaign (kick-off)

So I'm thinking that I need to actively shove off the rock I have been living under and (re)discover the world around me. In conjunction with The List (see list to the right of this post), I will be gettin' out of the house, exploring my environs, and interacting with the world. Documentation will occur here at this blog and here. <--- Check this site out! You'll like it.

OMG these shirts at the Mental Floss store are awesome. Some of them blow threadless ones out of the water. Might depend of what kind of messages you like to send with your clothing...

If only I lived in a place like Bozeman, MT... I could eat bison once a week. Leaner than chicken, more protein than beef. Alas, I like my sunshine-filled comfort zone. So I'll have to settle for bison from local farmer's markets or online.

826 in Los Angeles since 2004!? [Damn this rock I've been hiding under. I have a feeling I will continue to curse it until I die. Excuses, excuses.] When I first went to the Pirate Supply store in San Francisco, I fell in love. Can't wait to visit! Thank you Dave Eggers, McSweeney's, and 826 National for continuing to cultivate creative writers and fuel imaginations.

Pleasant trees

Thank you to all my neighbors and others who planted fragrant plants in their yard: jasmine, orange blossoms, rosemary, eucalyptus. You make my runs delightful!

the sexiest place on the planet

artist's studio, cu chi, vietnam


This is the studio of the production designer of The Rebel. Something about the architecture and layout emanates sensuality...reminds me of old kung fu movies, but with a rustic twist. (above: bathroom, where the shower could make you feel like you are bathing in a waterfall. below: bed--complete with mosquito net; front entry way.) You should see it all in the moonlight!







Same artist, different location, different day/time. This is a doorway leading to a waiting/meeting room and office.



Must have been the time of night (like 2am), but I was so snap-happy. I don't think I've seen any design like this without it appearing too Orientalist or kitschy. I was told a lot of the wood used in the office's design came from old railroad ties--even sexier! If I ever win some sort of jackpot, I am flying the designer out and having him design my house. No doubt.

A Day at the Races

Today was the Santa Anita Derby and Derby Day 5k. Part of my course was on the dirt of the race track itself... it was fun to pretend i was a thoroughbred. I ran with humans in the morning and watched horses run in the afternoon. Here are pictures from the pony races:


View of the infield, where there was a beer garden. I had a Blue Moon Belgian White and a Mirror Pond Pale Ale (yum).



Mmm. Hot dog. I know, hot dog buns have sugar. But I deserved it after the awesome job I did during the 5k run a few hours before. I still haven't looked up my time, but it was under a 10 min/mile pace.



Deserved the beer too. Yes, that is 3 glasses in one. BTW, they say it's customary for a lady to wear a hat when she goes to the races...



Me and the track.



The Santa Anita Derby is actually one race out of like 11 for the day. I think it was televised somewhere in the world. Look at the ponies go!



We were too late to place a bet, but I was rooting for Meeting with Destiny (30 to 1 odds). She came in second to last.



For the next race, I bet on the Longshot... Quiet Warrior, #7.



Uproarious laughter! This is my Quiet Warrior, my Longshot, in the paddock. Definitely looks the part. If you're curious whether her expression is normal, it isn't. She was the only one i saw who had her tongue hanging out like this.



My bet.



There she goes, Quiet Warrior, in last place! It REALLY would have been something if she won. A story for the grandkids. Alas.



I threw my ticket and my friend Steven's ticket on the ground in defeat.



Thought it was random.



What a winning horse should look like. Her name is Missit.



And she won! Steven gets to buy me In-n-Out now.



(Not my horse / bets.)



Took out my frustrations another way.



He's okay. No complaints.

Honey Month

The things you learn in a World Religions online course:

"It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago that for a month after the wedding, the bride's father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer, and because their calendar was lunar based, this period was called the honey month -- what we know today as the honeymoon."

1. My dad is not going on my honeymoon with me.
2. It's cool if my honeymoon is a month long, but my figurative honeymoon period better not be so short.
3. Do you have to get married to have a honeymoon? ... i mean, what about the spinsters? and the life-long bachelors? Oh, that's right, at that point that's called vacation or at best a romantic getaway.
3a. I'll take the mead instead.


"Honeymoon" in different languages (from Wikipedia):

French-lune de miel (honeymoon)
Welsh-mis mêl (honey month)
Arabic-shahr el 'assal (honey month)
Spanish-la luna de miel (the moon of honey)
Italian-luna di miele (the moon of honey)
Persian-mah e asal (honeymoon and honey month-mah in Persian means both moon and month).

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The most disturbing list of fun facts I've read:
- Cookie Monster's real name is Sid?!
- More bacteria in the ice machine at fast food restaurants than in a toilet bowl?!

Not as disturbing facts on the same list:
- Eau de Cologne was originally marketed as a way of protecting yourself against the plague.
- Bulletproof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers, and laser printers were all invented by women.

Living under a rock?

A list of things I learned about in the past few days... but probably would have already know had I not been stuck in the Void that is facebook.

Bubble Gum Zombie Pop
On my way home from the Bay Area, I picked up a rideshare from Salinas. He was a 20-year old who had a distinct taste in punk rock and underground hip hop (by white guys). He introduced me to what he called Bubble Gum Zombie Pop, and a group called Zombina and the Skeletones. Listen to "Nobody Likes You." There was another track we listened to while driving the hills and curves of State Route 46 that sounded more like surf music than anything. I felt like I was riding waves of purple, yellow and orange wildflowers.

The soundtrack to Stubbs the Zombie
Who could ask for a better CD of remade songs from the 1950's, 60's, and older? Many of my favorite musicians on it.

Barack Obama and Reverend Wright
I can't believe I missed this news. Really, now. Where have I been? At least I got some porcelain reading time in there... I'm not completely in the dark. NPR, where are you?

The Watchmen Series
A Movie? Never even read the graphic novel. Shame on me.

The best thing i learned this past week!