For Those Lonely Nights

American Idiot The Musical

Last night we watched the "American Idiot" the musical. I've been a Green Day fan since the age of 12, but I think I could have gone without listening to that album for the rest of my life. It's been overly played and has reached an age demographic that I can't stand. Any concert where there are parent chaparones is a HELL NO forever.

A collaboration between Green Day and Michael Mayer, who directed "Spring Awakening", the musical is an depth look at a couple of East Bay kids with angst. I mean that is the basic jist of it. The three of them go their separate ways and coming back to what I think is Rodeo, CA, being the same people that they were when they left, angry, apathetic, and White. I assume that the play is set in Rodeo because that is where Green Day is from, and the cast were spot on Rodeo kids. The costumes could have been a tad less Hot Topic, but for the most part I think Green Day wanted them to look like they were from the Bay.

The show brought some strange memories back of being in Rodeo at Toot's bar or some random house party, standing around with a beer knowing that this wasn't my scene. Folks are usually dressed in a skater-esque, Rockabilly, Zumiez/hot topic, some punk/goth fit, with eyes and and short conversations being sorta vacant, but present? I always hate talking to people who really don't give a shit about what you have to say, and that's pretty much how I felt in those social situations.

A lot of strange yet great memories of walking in front of Billie Joe's house and driving on Christie Road. Jogging around Viewpoint not knowing where the fuck I'm going. Random Islanders in a hick town. Inhaling fumes from the Rodeo power plant. WOW. I have to say great bands are born in this city. I can't hate.

Back to the play. The play was pretty much a sing along in my mind. I hate watching shows where people are singing a long, so I just sang with my *eyes*. The songs I love on the album where great to see on stage. I guess I can't hate on their fanbase now. They captured my heart when I was their age, but there was no fucking way I would ever see a show with my parents there.

Children Full of Life

Children learning how to be human. The good kind of human. In college we learned a lot of social experiments on the savagedry of human behavior. In our modern society it's very clear that people have the capability to do unimaginable cruelty to one another. It's gotten to the point where good deeds are over commended, because we no long experience them.

Mr. Kanamori, a fourth grade homeroom teacher in Japan, takes an introspective approach in teaching his students empathy and compassion. He teaches them a way to be "happy" in a way that doesn't revolve around acquiring possessions or instant distractions. You learn to be happy because you are giving, and you are being supported by those around you.

This documentary brought up some interesting memories, as these students deal with issues such as death and bullying. I thought about my 5th grade classmate Billy Garcia who died when he was hit by a diesal truck. How we dealt with that as a class at the time left an imprint in my mind. As kids we learned how to bury tragedy quickly and silently. In "Children Full of Life" I finally learned what I needed to hear all these years later.

I've only given a snippet of what I've taken away from this documentary. Below is a brief article that CBC, the network that created the documentary, described about the award winning series.

http://www.cbc.ca/passionateeyemonday/feature_270904.html

Apathy and Jealousy

Lets transform this misused energy into something positive. It's a bad day not a bad life.

Interesting Quote

"My biggest advice is to invest resources in a cultural campaign that seeks to undermine the celebration of suicide by developing the traditions of humor within the culture."

TIME online article "Inside the Mind of a Suicide Bomber"
By ALYSSA FETINI

http://www.stumbleupon.com/s/#1o2TDT/www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1934101,00.html/

Love these Betches.

We eat together once a month. We are supposed to be blogging, but we don't we just eat.

http://justservethebetch.tumblr.com/

A Very Bootch Halloween

Chun Li and Miss Hennessy Asia, and no there is no such a thing


The Queen and Riddick


Sakura and Chun Li


Bjork didn't happen. She's too complicated of a bootch.

ZOMG! Cute Sad Monsters.

Boss

The Complications of Poverty: The Real Slumdog

Resolved.

Yesterday I took a marble notebook from work. I had one of these a couple of years ago when I was going through it. Unemployed at the time, I would take my notebook and go to any coffee shop and brainstorm ideas for my show that I was working on at the time. Feeling jumbled with a lot of thoughts lately I thought that this might help yet once again. I took some time before my second job of the day to write. There is something theraputic about physically writing versus typing.

The most constructive thing that helped was writing out a life plan. I do this with my students. A life plan consists of time related goals covering certain areas of your life such as career, education, relationships, health, spirituality, and leadership. Where do you want to be with these goals in the next 3, 6, and 9 months? I'm not exactly ready to plan in years yet. This past week felt really draining, because I couldn't think past the present day.

I know I could definitely work harder. I realize that I miss working with people and feeling like part of a team. I to resolve this in some way so that I don't feel that void. I hate working alone in anything, which has been a part of my angst in a lot of aspects of my day to day.

After getting the marble notebook. Mind feels clearer. yes.

No one is here at work, but I have to be. HMPH. Top of the morning to you.

Void

My space. My Clan. My tattoo. I hate you. I love you. Been feeling the void and disconnected.

Positive Mantra for the Morning: You still have a lot to learn you beautiful bootch

Every night has been worth it, but there hasn't been much sleep since.