Saturday, December 24, 2005

'twas the night before christmas

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the store
All the creatures were stirring, buying last minute gifts galore.
The shelves were disheveled, all the shirts were a mess,
And the jeans were mis-hung by shoppers, who could care less.

The children ran down the isles, screaming so much,
All hooked up on sugar, candy, sweets, and such.
While their parents just stood there, with a plastered smile
In a line that stretched out for miles and miles.

When out on the floor there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my register to see what was the matter.
Away to the isle I flew like a flash,
Tore past the jewelry, and the belts with sash.

The light on the breast of the newly folded clothes
Gave the lustre of midday to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a fallen shopper, with a mighty large rear.

Carmen, my manager, so lively and quick,
Bent down to the customer, ever so slick.
More rapid than eagles, her apologies soon came,
But the customer shouted and cursed her by name:

“You Stupid! You Bitch!
Oh, what the f***!
If your going to wave,
You should say ‘duck!’
Look what you did!
And look at my eye!
Ow! It hurts! It hurts!
I think I’m going to cry!”

What had happened was Carmen, trying to boost sales,
Tried to do a little dance, but ultimately failed.
“Say, ‘Next please,’ with a smile so nice!”
Then she whacked a customer, right between the eyes.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard from the crowd
A prancing and pawing that was not so loud.
As I drew in my head and was turning around,
Down the isle, my co-worker Grace, came with a bound.

She was dressed all in red, from her head to her toes,
and her vest was of Rudolph, the reindeer with a red nose.
A tiny little lady, no bigger than 4’2,
She came squeaking by, in her shiny black shoes.

Her eyes, how they twinkled! Her small glasses, how merry!
Her cheeks were like roses, her nose like a cherry!
Her droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the teeth from her smile was as white as the snow.
The way that she waddled, right down the isle,
Made everyone stop and look, and just smile
She had a broad face and a little round booty,
That shook when she laughed, like a bowl full of fruit-y.
(Ok, so fruit doesn’t actually shake, but it rhymes…sue me!)

She walked to the customer and in a sweet voice, she rang:
“Are you alright senorita? That was quite a loud bang.”
A wink of her eye and a twist of her head
Soon gave me to know we had nothing to dread.

A few moments later, after the commotion had settled
Grace talked to the customer, and in a way, sorta meddled.
She talked to the customer and helped her to understand,
That shopping on December 24th, was no where near grand.

“Senorita,” she said, “Why cant you see?
That Christmas isn’t about presents, it’s about family.
I’m sure you’re buying, with good intentions in mind,
Pero, go home to your family, there’s still time.”

Grace’s words of wisdom, were a blessing in disguise,
As she spoke, she helped everyone to realize,
That buying gifts, so late in the year,
Was no way to celebrate this Holiday cheer.

The customer realized, that Grace was right,
She should have been home, celebrating the night.
So she gathered her belongings and drove out of sight,
And I thought to myself, “Oy, were closing early tonight!”

Merry Christmas, from my family to yours!

Tuesday, December 20, 2005

friendly gestures

Remember those scenes in The Little Mermaid when Ariel tries to "talk" to Prince Eric and tell him her true feelings, only to be left devastated because he doesnt understand, and in turn the putz leaves Ariel for someone else who actually has a voice? I know exactly how fustrated she must've felt.

After having my tonsils lasered out, I've litterally have had no voice. Just a raspy whisper with a lot of flem. I sound just like my neighbor Ms. Pelba, from down the street. She's been a heavy smoker for more than 50 years and every five minutes or so, she hawks up some kind of mucas-y goodness from the depths of her lungs and spits it out, as if she were going for a Guiness world record. It's really gross and no one has been able to spend more than 10 minutes with her. Just like me.

And it's not my fault. I cant help it if I sound like Charlie Brown's teacher and am always hawking up my beluga caviar-looking flem. How else am I supposed to get better? I know one major factor that could help would be much-needed bed rest, but for some reason, the very idea seems so foreign to my new managers.

During the week of waiting to know if I had gotten the job, I had scheduled an appointment with St. Joesph's hospital, because my primary physician had requested that I do so. After I got the job, I explained to Gina that I was going to need two days off for rest and recooperation. Apparently it went in one ear and out the other, because the day after my surgery, I was scheduled to work 12-8:30.

I wasnt in any pain, and I was still able to do my job, but still, you know? Working the floor and register have been so hard because not only do the customers want an answer right away, but if we were playing charades and we were on the same team, we would totally lose.

How hard is it to follow simple hand movements and finger pointing? I swear, Helen Keller had it easy compared to these folks. I even switched my means of communication to writing on post-its, but that took too long and people would walk away as I tried to write all fast to them. How rude is that? And then if I'm not dealing with people who dont understand, I'm dealing with the people who do. So many people have come up to me and sign language their questions to which I respond with an arched brow and a shrugged shoulder. So how exactly am I supposed to deal?

Thursday, December 15, 2005

the weekend update

It's barely Friday, and already this week has worn me out. I so could use a day off.

Last Saturday I made a killing at the funeral ceremony of Barbara Cooper. No pun intended. Yes, the ceremony was finally held this weekend, despite the fact, that Barbara had been resting in an urn for over a month.

Of course, it was still my responsibilty to deliver the neighborhood eulogy. But with studying for finals, dealing with the witches of Kohls, and trying to maintain my less-than-perfect social life, I had no time to even process an idea of what I was going to say. It wasnt until the night before that the words came to me.

"How can we honor the memory of a woman like Barbara? Well, she was governed by the laws of physics as are all living things. It is a scientific fact that hearts and clocks slow down as they approach the speed of light, the point in which matter is converted into energy. Babrara's heart approached that speed on Friday evening, 7:57, according to the coroner, converting her matter into energy. Into pure white light. Though she is no longer with us, she is all around us."

Not a dry eye within a mile of East 5th St. I was so proud of myself for delivering such a touching tribute and even more prouder of the fact that I didnt use the words "whore" or "adultress" in my speech. Everyone at the ceremony came up to me and told me that it was just so beautiful and so touching. Too bad it was totally unoriginal and copyrighted. Yup. And it's all thanks to my Season One DVD of Third Rock From The Sun. I know, I know, but when you're writing about a dead woman at two o'clock in the morning, any and all ideas seemed to be good at the time. Moving on...

After the ceremony, I went into work, and I gotta say...it's actually starting to grow on me. The managers may be total assholes, but most of my co-workers are actually pretty cool. They're really nice and most of them have even shared stories with me about how shitty the managers are. Which was kinda nice knowing that I'm not totally delusional about the Nazi camp they run. Some of the tales they've shared with me are so juicy that if I ever need to blackmail them, God forbid and knock on wood, I am ready. Wow. Ouch. That did not come out the way I meant it to be. Is it bad that I'm already thinking of blackmailing my co-workers? Wow...I so need to stop hating on my managers.

But, while having fun at work, and chatting away with my new found friends, I got the best news of all. Wednesday, my friend Priscilla gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. Weighing in at 8lbs and 8oz and measuring 20in in length, Nicholas Scott Johnson was born. I just came back from the hospital and lemme tell ya...I can so already tell that the kid is gonna be one major heartbreaker. The kid has got the biggest feet on a baby, that I have ever seen! And you know what they say about kids with big feet...

I still cant believe my friend gave birth to a baby. I mean, I knew she was pregnant and all, but still, you know? I guess I just never fully grasped the concept. But she's fine, and so is the baby, and I cant wait to see them again. Priscilla even asked me if I would record some baby lullaby songs, because she said she wanted the baby to hear me sing, which made me smile so hard. It's cuz a long time ago, for Valentine's Day, I sang Priscilla a song and she's always wanted to record my voice? I still dont know why, cuz I dont think I'm all that great, but it sure made my day. So I told her I'd give it a shot, and that I would try to record a song, once I get my voice back.

I have my voice with me right now, but by this time tomorrow, I wont be able to make a sound. Not for a full two weeks. The reason? I'm having a tonsilectomy tomorrow morning. I know it's a routine procedure, but I'm still a little freaked, you know? Dr. Huerta said, that because of my enlarged tonsils, and how my throat is shaped like a triangle, rather than a circle like most others, they needed to come out, or else I could choke to death mid-sleep. The other good thing is, according to Dr. Huerta, I will no longer snore, snort, have allergies, or get any more sick throat problems, like that mono I had a while back.

I guess what I'm most afraid of is my voice changing. Which is why I added this Audio Post, so that I may forever have a recording of my voice, one last time.

Saturday, December 10, 2005

to sink or swim

OMG, work was so stressful today. I know I shouldnt be talking bad about the place that provides me with a weekly paycheck, (cuz nowadays they can look you up online in a heartbeat) but seriously...I wanna quit. After two days of training (three if you count that horrible Black Friday), I wanna throw in the towel and give up. The reason? None of the managers like me. And how far can a temporary sales associate climb the corporate ladder if none of his supervisors like him? Huh?

Donna, the secretary, doesnt think I have the needed passion that, I guess, is required for the job (I overheard her talking on the phone about who she thinks wont survive this Holiday season), Carmen keeps making little "jokes" of how she thinks I hate her (she's the boss-lady that made me run to all five registers on Black Friday, bagging everyone's purchases, while the other trainee's just stood there looking all lethargic), and Gina...oy...I cant get that woman to just smile at me. I swear, it's like she tries to be unpleasant. She could be riding Space Mountain at Disneyland, next to Santa Claus and a genie, while having a menage a trois with Brad and Angelina, smoking a joint, knowing that Ed McMahon would meet her at the front entrance to give her a $10 million dollar check, and the bitch, still would not smile. Ugh...

But it's not just the "being liked" part that bothers me...it's also about some other things. I found out, I was a "pity hire", meaning they had no attention of hiring my ass, and only did it because some of their employees were caught abusing their employee discount. How do I know? I was talking to a fellow employee, and during the middle of our conversation she asked, "Wait...are you a late hire?" She may as well have asked, "Wait...are you a leper with pink eye and the flu?" Was this what they of us? I couldnt let my fellow "pity hire" friend Kathleen walk and work around the store, not knowing what everyone saw her as. But after I saw her employee folder, I kinda paused on the whole thing.

While taking my training test on the computer, Donna casually laid Kathleen's folder on mine, and walked away. Of course, the tempataion was strong, and I looked at Kathleen's folder. On the front, Donna had written: temp, $6.50, apparel. While on mine, she wrote: temp, 6.25, mens. Exactly like that. I was a dollar sign and a quarter short of Kathleen's payrate. Why was Kathleen getting a quarter more than I was? We were both "pity hires", we started training the same day, and Kathleen told Gina that she had "absolutely no experience in retail." The only difference between Kathleen and I, was that she was in her mid-60's, smelled like White Diamonds, and was white.

Ok, so maybe that last difference shifted this post from light and airy banter, to a big ol' racist uproar, but just hear me out. Up until highschool, everyone thought I was of Cauasian background. But I'm not. I'm a total mutt with really light skin. I guess the fact that I dont speak a word of anything foreign, just only made me more White-r. It's a shame really. Both my parents and all my grandparents speak Spanish, but I dont. What makes it even more shameful is I can do a ton of accents (I swear I could give Tracey Ullman a run for her money) but I suck at my Spanish one. Anyways, the point is, I've never really experienced racism. I'm too dark to be accepted in the White community, yet too light to be accepted in the Hispanic community. Kinda like Jessica Alba. Race has never been a factor for me, because people dont know what to label me as, you know? But now, I wonder if times are a changin'...

Am I being treated unfair in the workplace because of the color of my skin? Am I being paid less because of my background? Or am I taking things out of content and way too seriously? Do I need to lighten up (no pun intended) or should I take a stand? A part of me, want to just throw the towel in and give up, cuz I may as well quit while I'm ahead. And another part of me, wants me to show them that I can do it, and that I'm not a failure. But then why show people up, who dont care anyways?

Monday, December 05, 2005

to strive or suffer

Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks

So...take one, huge, wild guess who hates their new job?

Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks kohl's sucks Kohl's sucks

Me. Sure, Kohl's has its flexible hours, they pay every Friday, and on certain days, they have double employee discounts including stuff already on sale. But yes, indeed, Kohl's does suck.

After working for what seemed like an eternity on Black Friday, Carmen, the store manager told me and three other employees that we would all be getting calls back later on that afternoon. But no call was made. I waited the entire weekend, and still, no call was made. It wasnt until I talked to my friends, Maria and Jose Cuervo, that I got the guts to call up Gina, the hiring manager, and ask her what the deal was.

ME: Hi, Gina, it's me David Tellez.
GINA: Hi...how...can I help you?
ME: Well, I was just wondering, if I was going to ever get a call back.
GINA: Um, yeah, we sent out letters to the people we wanted to hire, and, well, I cant remember, but I think you were on that list. I'm sorry, I just cant remember.
ME: Oh. Well, when should we be getting our letters?
GINA: Um, soon. Yeah. Soon.
ME: Ok, so, like...
GINA: Yeah, I'm sorry Gary...
ME: David.
GINA: Yeah, David. I'm sorry, but were really busy right now. We'll call you.
ME: When?
GINA: Uh, tomorrow and if we dont call, then you call us.
ME: Ok...but,
GINA: Ok? Thanks! Bye!

What a way to feel wanted, huh? Gina didnt call me the next day. Surprise, surprise. Instead, it was another manager and she offered me a job. I took it and went in for orientation yesterday. But the entire time, while I sat there with a smile plastered on my face, I wondered if I made the right choice. My head was saying that this was a good job that could pay off the bills that were accumulating under my name and I wouldnt be home all day playing Suzie Homemaker. But in my heart it didnt feel right. It still doesnt feel right.

Should I stand up against the oppressive judgement of a corrupt company...or should I just suck it up, work with the tension and just pay off my late $250 phone bill?

Friday, December 02, 2005

The Wicked Witch of the Library

The library. A grand building filled with millions of books that are available to anyone. A place where the intellectuals and the homeless gather to read, sleep, and absorb the wealth of knowledge that is at their disposal. But as I've learned today, one thing that cannot be learned at a library is decorum.

Yesterday I was at the library doing research for my final English paper, on people who lead double lives. The concept came to me after my class watched the movie "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" and I saw Oprah do a segment on the very same topic. According to the layout Mr. Julian gave us, we were to have several online resources as well as several written ones. Which explained my presence at the library. Otherwise, I would have been at home watching reruns of Full House.

After taking pages of notes and quotes on people who lead double lives, I picked up my resources and placed them on the cart near the Information Desk. It was then, that this lady, who was sportin a rainbow tie-dye dress and birkenstocks along with a spiky mullet and a bajillion bangles, came up to me.

LIBRARIAN: Excuse me. What do you think you're doing?

I looked around, trying to find the poor soul that this librarian was ready to attack. But, alas, I saw no one.

ME: Me?
LIBRARIAN: Yes, you!
ME: Oh. Yeah?
LIBRARIAN: I asked you what you were doing.
ME: Oh...uh...Putting the books away?
LIBRARIAN: No! You are not putting the books away! Instead you are putting them on my cart!
ME: Ok.

Obviously, she was going somewhere with this, but I was clueless as to where. I mean, how can you take someone seriously when they're dressed like a kalidescope?

LIBRARIAN: You took those books off the shelves and you need to put them back where they belong.
ME: Why?
LIBRARIAN: Do you think it is my job to put away your books?
ME: Um...
LIBRARIAN: I need you to pick up your books and put them back where you found them.
ME: Are you kidding me?
LIBRARIAN: No, I am not kidding you.
ME: Well, I dont know how to do that. Those books have numbers and stuff.
LIBRARIAN: Pick up your books and I will show you where to put them.

I dont know what it was about this libararian, but she scared the hell out of me. Maybe it was her bushy eyebrows. Maybe it was that weird freckle-mole she had near her left eye. Or maybe it was the small sweat moustache that she was beginning to form on her upper lip (of course, upon closer inspection, it wasn't a moustache of sweat...it was just a moustache). All, I know was that it was something. And that something made me pick the books off the cart and follow the bitchy librarian.

I couldnt believe I was actually gonna put the books back where they belonged. Who was this libararian, to think she had the power to make me listen to her? Where was my courage? Where was my confidence? Where were my witty comebacks that I learned from watching countless episodes of The Gilmore Girls?

This librarian needed to be put in her place, but for some reason, my mouth was dry and I couldnt think of a thing to say. That's when I did it. I threw the books in the air, toward her direction, turned, and ran down the stairs to the first floor of the library. I didnt even look back, as I rushed out the sliding doors. The last thing I remember hearing was those books making a "THUMP" sound, and it didnt sound like they hit the floor or the shelves. So possibly, I may have hit the old bag. But then again, she deserved it, right?

Tuesday, November 29, 2005

When Celebrities Flirt

Working retail on Black Friday, is one of the most challenging events a young adult could ever face. All those desperate women, fighting for the last of the last, begging you to help them out. It was like last call at any bar U.S.A. I tell ya...if it wasnt for the fact that they were after a George Foreman grill, I would so be turned on.

But the women werent the only one's that were desperate.

As I stood next to my new friend Christine, bagging the early shopper's purchases, we laughed and made comments about the weird shoppers.

CHRISTINE: Did you see what that one lady got?
ME: You mean all those grannie panties?
CHRISTINE: Yes!
ME: I know! Why doesnt she just wear a shirt that says: "VIRGIN AND PROUD OF IT!"?
CHRISTINE: Or even, "YOU WONT SEE THIS MOMMY KISSING SANTA!"
ME: No. No, dude. No.
CHRISTINE: Shut up. Mine was good!
ME: Yeah. No.

It was all fine holiday fun and games until this thin, 30-year old looking, bald guy with horse teeth started to talk to us.

GUY: WOW...dont you two look lovely? You both have really nice eyes.

Which was true. We both have blue eyes. And set against our dark brown hair, we were both total knockouts, if I do say so myself. Except, nothing about my features was au natural. Thank God for L'Oréal #5 and 1-800 CONTACTS.

So we thanked him, and continued scanning and bagging his purchases, while he continued to talk. To me.

GUY: So, I know you, but I dont think I've met you before. Are you new here?
ME: Oh, well, sorta, kinda. It's kinda like a test-out sorta thing, you know?
GUY: Oh, ok, that's cool. Right on.
ME: Yeah. Right on...
GUY: And so if you get the job, your gonna work cashier right?
ME: Oh, I dont know. I guess. Maybe.
GUY: You should. I think you'd be real great at it. You have that special sorta something thing with customers.
ME: Thanks.
CHRISTINE: That'll be $212.59.

As this guy, paid for his purchases, I realized his voice was really familiar. I just didnt know where from.

CHRISTINE: $7.41 is your change, and you have a nice day.
GUY: Thanks. It was nice talking to you...to you...
ME: Oh, um...Luke.
GUY: Luke. I'm Ken. Ken Carr. See you later.
CHRISTINE: Oh my...do you know who that was?
ME: Yeah. He said, "Ken. Ken Carr." The fool thinks he's James Bond. Werent you listening?
CHRISTINE: No! That was Ken! Ken Carr from the radio!
ME: From 93.7 KRQ?
CHRISTINE: No! From 104.1 The Point!
ME: He switched stations? When did that happen?
CHRISTINE: Hello?! That's not the point! He was hitting on you!
ME: Shut up, liar! He was not hitting on me. He was talking to me.
CHRISTINE: Exactly.
ME: Besides, he said , we both have nice eyes. Remember?
CHRISTINE: Yeah, but he was talking only to you.
ME: Oh, and so it's my fault I've got the gift of gab? Besides, Ken Carr is not gay. He has a wife. They did a afternoon show, remember?
CHRISTINE: No. Dude, I dont think he has a wife. I think he likes the boys, if you know what I...
ME: Will you stop talking and just scan? Sheesh.

I wondered if Christine was right. Was Ken Carr gay? I mean, I know radio DJ's can be gay, but it never really crosses your mind. You just turn the radio on, hope the DJ's say and play something witty, and then you just turn em' off and continue with life. These local celebrities really dont play a factor in your life, as much as the one's showcased on the cover of US Weekly. But these local celebrities dont flirt with people like you and me. They flirt with other celebrities. Right?

And then it happened. Yesterday morning, I'd thought I'd tune in to 104.1 to chek out this Ken Carr fellow, and he totally gave Kohl's a good name, which did not make me feel so good.

KEN CARR: So I go into Kohl's for my After-Thanksgiving-Day Sale, and I gotta say...Kohl's is my new favorite place! I mean, the people there are so awesome and they make you feel real comfortable. And when you go to buy your stuff, you feel like your talking to a friend and not someone who just wants your money. I'm telling you...shop at Kohl's everyone!

Thursday, November 24, 2005

Thanksgiving Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving y'all! So, get this. Monday afternoon, Kohls called me. Apparently, they liked what they read on my application. Go figure. I guess they completely forgot about the small episode I created earlier that day, which was fine by me!

So yesterday, I went in for my group interview. Out of all the interviews I've ever had, this, by far, was the best. Most interviews are done one by one, and as we all know, those are the most stressful. Your nervous, your hands get all clammy, and while you sit and try to look relaxed, you end up looking constipated and sweaty. But this one was different.

In this interview, we all sat around a table, while the interviewee asked questions, that we answered as a group. All the answers were totally perfect and right on key. And because we all did such a good job, we all got jobs. Well...sorta.

We all filled out the proper paperwork (tax papers, drug testing, etc), but the interviewee said she still had to do background checks. Which is starting to freak me out. What if they find my record that says I was accused of shoplifting from my old job? I didnt get fired, because I had the option of retiring, but still. Is it a felony or a misdeamenor? Should I tell them before hand or just wait it out and tell them only if they find something?

I start my first day, tomorrow morning (aka Black Friday), and I still dont know what to do. But at least, I'm getting a paycheck, so thats one thing I'm thankful for!

Monday, November 21, 2005

Kaught At Khols

So, as most of y'all know, I have not worked since September, after I was fired for "stealing" a can of green tea (see September 23). And since then I have been desperately looking. The same way that one chick (aka Slutly Slutenstein) who's been looking for her baby daddy on The Maury Show.

Meanwhile, you'd think after 10 failed paternity tests with 10 different guys, you'd give up. But no. Slutly Slutenstein was determined to find the answer. No matter how many people were judging her, calling her names behind her back and to her face, she didnt give up. In a way, this slut was an inspiration. But circling all the want-ads, checking on-line, and filling out countless applications was getting me no where.

Until one day, I saw it. There it was, waving across in the wind, like a pair of boxers at a camp flag post. A sign, that read "Now Hiring." Kohls was hiring! Immeadiately, I went in and asked for an application, hoping the xerox-ed paper was an answer from Heaven.

Before I had been convicted of stealing a can of 99 cent green tea, I had always put down that I had never been convicted of, found guilty of, plead guilty to, or addmitted guilt to a crime. But after my September hearing, filling out applications made me wonder what the right answer should be.

The judge did tell me I had the option of taking a diversion class that would help with my supposed kleptomania problem and promised that if I took it, the charges would be dropped. I havent taken the class just yet, but I have made payments on it, which is just as good, right? Besides, what respectable establishment, in their right mind, would hire a convicted felon? Actually I think Wal-Mart would, but I still have my dignity...I think. And since it's best to err on the wrong side, I've been check marking "NO."

So anyways, the other day, on my way to class, I stop by Kohl's to turn in my application. I thought it would be a little weird if I walked in with just the paper, so I my carried my application in my Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Backpack.

Once I got in the store, I placed the bag in a stroller and was immeadiately greeted by a barefoot male cashier. That's right...barefoot. As in no shoes or socks. Just feet. Odd to say, but the sight of the Barefoot Contessa, with the red streaks in his hair, gave me a small ray of hope. If they're this relaxed with their employee's, then I was a total shoe-in.

I walked around the store with my new found confidence and made my way towards the back, to the customer service. But just before reaching my final destination, I made a small detour to the ornament section. Obviously, I had to have the application in hand before reaching the counter. So I hid behind the ornaments, reached into the stoller, and pulled out my application. While doing so, several elderly women were looking my way, with a gasping look on their face, as if I just told them all that tapioca was no longer a dessert option. I quickly turned away from the decaying divas and continued along my merry little way.

Not five seconds after I turned my application in, were those elderly women approaching me with pitch forks and torches. Ok, so they werent pitch forks and torches. But one should never underestimate the power of the elderly when they carry an over sized crocheted tote bag and wear orthepedic shoes. Especially when they're coming towards you with the Barefoot Contessa.

BAREFOOT CONTESSA: Excuse me, sir, can you please follow me?
ME: Why?
BAREFOOT CONTESSA: Sir, we have reason to believe you are in possesions of some items that do not belong to you.
ME: What? No I dont!
BAREFOOT CONTESSA: Sir, follow me, please.
ME: Whatever! I'm leaving. I am not a theif.
DECAYING DIVA 1: He was acting suspicous! I saw him looking at the ornaments and hunching over his cart!
BAREFOOT CONTESSA: Ma'mm...
DECAYING DIVA 2: I saw him put something in! It's in his cart! Look!
ME: Whatever! Your glasses are too thick!
BAREFOOT CONTESSA: Sir, please...
ME: No. Bye!

And I left...both the store and my chances of ever getting hired there. I mean, really, what are the chances the hiring manager will ignore the small scene I created in the store? I totally should have taken something and just returned it later for store credit...

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

Maybe It Does Take Two

One year ago, my friend Priscilla met this really cute Jamaican guy named TJ. TJ was the general manager of a local Papa John’s eatery and, at the time, he was everything she was looking for. He was charming, sweet, well-mannered, and not married. He did, however, have three children with three different ex-girlfriends.

But that didn’t stop Priscilla from dating him.

Priscilla believed she was the one person who would be able to change TJ. She believed she had the power to help TJ see the error in his ways. She made it her mission to improve TJ, and make him the boyfriend of her dreams. But, she was too late. After several months of dating, Priscilla discovered that she was pregnant and TJ was no where near her expectations of a dream boyfriend.

During the first few months of what was supposed to be young lovers bliss, the young lovers fought endlessly and had restraining orders put on one another. They weren't just crazy in love. They were crazy.

After one night in jail, two court-appointed counseling sessions, and three months of crying over TJ I realized I had to help my friend out. Stressing and obsessing over a guy, who obviously was no longer interested in her was just not healthy. Besides, she kept calling me during peak hours when I did not have free minutes.

I explained to Priscilla that having TJ in her life wasnt as important as she thought. I mean, sure they were gonna have a kid together, but that didnt mean they needed to be together. Rachel and Ross showed us that during the eighth season of Friends.

After I shared my wisdom of Oprah with Priscilla, I began to wonder if I had said the wrong thing.

Growing up with a single parent isnt something I've experienced, but its something that I have seen with members of my own family. Two of my aunts are divorcees with children and I've seen them struggle, trying to live everyday life and sacrificing everything for my cousins. Both of their ex-husbands are your basic dead-beat dad, and so I really do admire them for surviving the hardships they've endured. But I wonder if having a male figure in both their lives and my cousins' lives, would help.

Maybe it does take two members of the opposite sex to raise a child. I know for me, I would be one clueless human being if I didnt have my mothers love or my fathers wisdom. I probably would have survived without one or the other, but I'm very thankful, that I was raised with both. And even my friend Thomas, who has two mothers, I know his mother Lou Ann, went out of her way to make sure Thomas had a male role model while growing up. I never asked him why, but I always felt it was because there are some things fathers can bring to the table, and there are some things mothers can bring to the tables. And since parents are gonna screw up their children anyways, why not have both sides do it?

I decided to bring my new found wisdom to the table, and talk to Priscilla about including TJ in her life.

We has lunch the other day, and because she is due in early December, we discussed how the last few weeks of her pregnancy should be spent. She thought, sitting at home with her feet up on the coffee table, re-reading old issues of US Weekly was the perfect way to pass the time, whereas I thought she should patch things up with TJ.

PRISCILLA: David, I just want to thank you so much!
ME: For what?
PRISCILLA: For helping me realize that I dont need a man in my life...
ME: Oh...
PRISCILLA: ...and that I can do this all by myself. TJ is nothing but a piece of shit! I so do not need his triflin' ass! I dont fuckin' care who he sleeps with, just as long as his child support check is in the mail! You know what I'm saying?
ME: So then, wait. Will he be a part of your life? Yours and the baby's?
PRISCILLA: Hell no! Just the paycheck part and thats it!
ME: Really? But dont you think he needs some kind of male role model in his life?
PRISCILLA: What do you mean?
ME: Well, I mean, I'm sure you'll do a good job raising the kid and whatever, but like you cant teach him everything. You know? Like he's gotta have some guy around to talk to when he goes through puberty.
PRISCILLA: I guess.
ME: I mean no matter how many books you throw at him, it's always more comforting to hear someone else talk about it. About the changes and stuff.
PRISCILLA: Well, thats why I have you, my brother, my tio...dont worry. This baby will be well-loved and well-taken care of. He dont need no male role model, like TJ!
ME: Yeah. But still. Dont you want your baby to know the father? To have some kind of part in its life? I mean, I wont always be around like a father will, and I'm pretty sure once your brother and tio have their families, they wont be around as often, you know?
PRISCILLA: I dont know...

And so, I guess my real question is: Is it wrong to try to put back together a failed relationship for the sake of a child? Even though both parents cant stand to be in the same room with each other and they've both said, several times, that they want nothing to do with one another, is it wrong to try and make things work? Or am I like Priscilla, thinking I have the power to change people? Is it just wishful thinking? If so, should I just then accept the things I cannot change, or just try harder?

Monday, November 07, 2005

Two Souls And A Funeral

There are only two times when it is appropriate to discuss the souls of others. One involves a séance with a group of your closest friends. The other is for entertainment purposes to be shared with a group of blogging strangers.

The soul that I wish to discuss is Barbara. Barbara was a figure in the Tucson community and a major philanthropist. She was also my neighbor.

The summer we moved into our house was the summer after I graduated from high school and got fired from my first real job. With all that extra time on my hands, I was in charge of unpacking and rearranging our house. During that time, I also got to meet and greet our new neighbors.

Barbara and her husband Richard greeted us with a basket of goodies, including a rotisserie chicken, a bottle of Yellow Tail, and vanilla candles. It was nice to see warm and friendly people welcome us with a gentle hand of friendship. Unfortunately, that hand of friendship extended further than it should have.

The small windows in our bathroom overlook into our neighbor’s yard, exposing nothing but brick. However, when looked at a certain angle, some windows at the front of our house, exposed not only their entire front yard, but Barbara’s dirty secrets as well.

Every morning at eight, Richard would leave to work. And every morning at a quarter past, a strange man in a dark midnight-blue Saturn would pull up to the drive way, go inside and about an hour or so later, he’d leave. Nothing bizarre about a mid-day visit. Unless of course, it turns out to be a mid-day sex snack in the sack. There they were, Mr. and Mrs. Get-It-On-Like-There’s-No-Tomorrow. An adulterous couple so into each other, that I had no choice but to watch them bang like bunnies.

Barbara continued her affair throughout the entire summer and then some. It wasn’t until I attended a neighborhood barbeque, that I figured out that the strange man was Richard’s cousin. It was nice to put a name to the gyrating ass I had seen all summer, but it was sad to know that Richard had a cheating wife and a back-stabbing cousin.

If I was smart and heartless, I would’ve black-mailed Barbara and lived off her and her husband’s income for a while. Unfortunately, I no longer have that option.

This past weekend, Barbara’s daughter called and informed us that Barbara had died. Barbara and Richard were vacationing in Mexico and driving down a dirt road, when all of a sudden, the truck flipped, and crushed them both. They were soon flown back to Tucson to the UMC hospital, both in critical condition. Sadly though, Barbara did not pull through.

Because we were her closest neighbors, Barbara’s daughter has asked our family if we would be willing to do a small reading at the funeral. And because I’m the writer of the family, the job has been bestowed upon me. How am I supposed to write the eulogy of a cheating wife, mother, and neighbor? Should I tell Richard about what I know of his wife, or should I let his soul go to the grave, thinking he had a faithful wife and loyal cousin?

Is it wrong to speak ill of the dead, when the dead did ill acts while they were alive? Or no? The thing that haunts me the most is I may have been the last person Barbara spoke to. When she and Richard left last Wednesday evening, she called me and asked if I would be so kind as to collect the mail and newspapers and hold them until they returned from Mexico.

And if that wasn’t strange enough, last night at around one in the morning, I saw a strange car pull up to my neighbor’s house and drive around the mailbox. Someone got out and approached the mailbox. I didn’t get a good look at the person, cuz of the tree in front of my window, but I did sense that something wasnt right.

The next morning I went to go "collect" the mail for my neighbors and when I opened the mailbox, I was shocked. On the inside of the mailbox Richard and Barbara had placed label stickers of their names on either side. Barbara's name was missing. Should I be worried for my soul right about now, or not?

Friday, November 04, 2005

Cheep! Cheep Ass!

Yesterday, my friend Veronica and I decided to do lunch at McDonald's befofre math class. I swear, that Dollar Menu is God's gift to college students everywhere. If only they installed a Bowflex at every booth...

Anyways, so we order our food, sit down, chat and chew the cud. During the course of our fast food fiesta, Veronica looks into her bag and is surprised to find a Happy Meal toy. She opens it up and its this cute little gold fish with a cute little helmet on, that pops out of a small space ship. Instantly, Veronica fell in love with the cute little gold fish and totally went goo-goo ga-ga over it!

VERONICA: Oh, just look at it! It's so adorably cute!
ME: Yeah, it is cute.
VERONICA: Awww, and look at its little smile and little chubby cheeks!
ME: Yeah...
VERONICA: It's just so small and tiny and it's so cute to hold! It needs my love!
ME: Ok, Mother Love, calm yourself! There are people around us and they are looking at us for all the wrong reasons!

But Veronica went right on smothering the poor toy and even held it up to her cheek in a loving, yet terribly disturbing, way.

After we finished our food, Veronica and I stood up to throw our food trays out. Veronica did hers first and then went over to stand by the door. I noticed she was toy-less and holding only a medium diet coke.

ME: V! Where's your toy?
VERONICA: Oh, I threw it away.
ME: What?! Why?
VERONICA: David I wasnt planning on keeping it.
ME: Yeah, but you were so...
VERONICA: Besides, it would have just stayed in my car forever and gotten in the way. I dont need more junk in my car.
ME: Yeah, but, I thought you liked it!
VERONICA: Well, yeah, but what do I need a little Happy Meal toy for?
ME: Veronica! You could have given that toy to some poor homeless kid on the street who cant afford toys!
VERONICA: Yeah! Cuz all homeless kids want toys and not food!

And thats when I did it. I put my tray on top of the trash, got on my knees and dug through the trash. As I sit here and think about it, I dont know why I did it. I guess cuz, as a kid, I used to collect and save my toys from McDonalds or Burger King. I swear, every toy they gave out from 1987 to 1995, I own. They serve no purpose, other than being my chachkas (aka dust collectors) but I still treasure them because they are a part of my childhood. And I remember as a kid, if I got the same toy again, I would either a) exchange it at the counter or b) give it to some kid whose parents didnt believe in the wholesome goodness of cheese burgers and chicken nuggets.

Veronica was horrified as I dug my way through the soggy french fries and jalepenos (Oy, I swear, only in Arizona will you see the people putting jalepenos on everything!), but just guess how I felt! I mean, how spoiled are you to throw away a perfectly good toy? Didn't she ever see the movie Toy Story? Sheesh...

VERONICA: David! Get up! People are looking!
ME: Well hold on! I almost...
VERONICA: I will buy you a new toy! Just please get up!
ME: No! I want this one!
VERONICA: People are looking!
ME: And?
VERONICA: It's for all the wrong reasons!
ME: Let them look! I cant believe you threw away your toy!

Eventually I rescued the toy from it's plastic bag prison and soon we were on our way to school. Veronica blabbed about how embarassing it was for me to rescue a toy from the trash

VERONICA: Even the manager was laughing his ass off!
ME: So?! When your that old and still have acne, who are you to judge?
VERONICA: I'm just saying, you shouldnt be digging through trash.
ME: V, it wasnt that big a deal. I betcha there is a kid out there looking for this toy and I am going to make his day when I go and give it to him.
VERONICA: Are you gonna tell him you dug it out of the trash?
ME: Well, no, but I'm gonna wash it first.
VERONICA: You are such a cheap ass.

And then I wondered of how much of a cheap ass I really am. I dont think I'm a cheap ass, but then there are some things I do, that can be considered cheap ass, but I like to think of it as a smarter way to save time and money. It's the only way of life I know how to live, you know?

Ever since I was a kid, I've known how to save a buck or two. If there was a sale and only one jacket left, I'd hide the jacket behind the linen section and bring it out the day of. It's how I'm able to own a ton of clothes and still have a ton left over. I mean, my first words were, "Can I take it back if I already wore it?" And I can list you a number of friends who have thanked me for teaching them the proper way to hide the tags in their clothing, that way they can return it the next day for a whole new outfit. And thats not being frugal. It's being smart...right?

Wednesday, November 02, 2005

California Fun In The Sun

What a bomb-ass Halloween! If your looking for a new way to celebrate the haunted holiday, I totally recommend going to an amusement park for the weekend of Halloween cuz it's so much fun!

My brother Caleb entered into some contest online and won a pair of tickets to Six Flags. And then the other day we heard something that at Six Flags one of the roller coasters rides backwards, and so we had no choice but to check it out.

FRIDAY:
Orignially, this was going to be a family trip, but last minute my mom and my middle brother Daniel canceled. My mom's excuse? She couldnt find a sub for her preschool class and so couldnt take time off. My brother's excuse? Couldnt find anything to wear that didnt make him look like an Arizona-ian. He wanted to look California-ian.

Which I guess means, he thinks Arizona is stuck in a time warp of 1872, where the men wear boots and 10 gallon hats and the women wear hoop skirts and bonnets. And it's like hello?! We are blessed with Hollister, Abercrombie, and like 3 malls that are all within 25 minutes of driving distance of each other. I dont know what he was thinking, but it was his loss. So, it was just me, my dad, my lil' brother Caleb, and an open road.

Seven hours later, after a long-ass drive, we found ourselves somewhere between San Diego and Anaheim, lost and tired. It took some time, but after complaining for 20 minutes, my dad pulled over and asked for directions. (I know guys arent supposed to ask for directions cuz it isnt right, but I knew we needed help, which made me right and my dad wrong, which made me happy, so boo-ya!)

We stop at this burger/martini bar called Tropics, and lo and behold who do I see but my cousin Katrina! It was a total surprise, since we hadn't planned on seeing each other, but there she was, all decked out like she was going to a party. And she was. A Hollywood Halloween party! Since her and her friends were gonna be busy on Saturday and couldnt exactly go out on Halloween night, they planned to party the Friday before and invited me to go along!

So imagine lil' ol' desert bumpkin, Arizona-ian, me, arriving on Hollywood Blvd. by a Limo Excursion! I know! Totally hot! We went to this Drag Bar/Club and had one hell of a time dancing and singing! And lemme tell ya...those men with their high heels and adam apples can sure bust a move with their fake busts! I even got the guts to go on stage and sing "I Got You Babe" with a drag Cher and got a standing ovation! I even got to meet that chubby red-head kid from The Sandlot (his name's 'Patrick' by the way and not 'chubby-red-head-kid-from-Sandlot'...dont ask) and Mayim Bialik (she played Bette Midler as a kid in the movie Beaches) and omg!, they are so down-to-earth people. Especially Mayim. But then again, when you're the adoptive parents of a whale, a wolf and a manatee, what else do you expect? (and I mean, besides a smelly house!)

SATURDAY:
We woke up the next day and decided to go to Disneyland and California Adventure. After all, how many times does one get to go to a 50th anniversary? (I already went during the summer with some friends, so I guess that means twice...) I've been to Disneyland every summer (and sometimes during November!) since I was 9 months old, and I have never gotten tired of it. Something about being in a place where you can visit the past, the future, and your childhood dreams all in one place just means a lot to me.

I think the thing I like most about it, is that it's a place where your dreams can come true. And it's just so much fun and so sweet when you get to see a small child or a retarded kid in a wheel chair look up and see their favorite princess or Disney animal walking down Main Street U.S.A.

Plus they had the entire park decked out in a 50th anniversary/ Halloween/ Christmas decor and it was totally awesome! Especially The Haunted Mansion ride. They fixed it up with all this Nightmare Before Christmas stuff, and put a total new spin on the ride. But some of the rides didnt even need decor to get you in the Halloween spirit. At The Tower of Terror ride, the ride cast members were so gloomy, it was like the entire crew was PMS-ing, which made the ride even scarier, cuz it seemed like half the crew really wished the elevator would plummet us to our death! So much fun!

And the fire works and the parades and all the Disneyland magic...you just cant put a price on it. (except, they have, and well...let's just say y'all better have a good credit card with some good credit!)

SUNDAY:
We finally made our way to Six Flags and OMG! That was fun! Well sorta. We got to the park a half hour after it opened and ran over to this roller coaster called "X". It's this way cool roller coaster that does a 360 degree spin, flips fowards and backwards, and just leaves you totally speechless. Or so we read. We waited in line for 2 1/2 hours before learning that the ride had shut down and would no longer be running that day.

Totally sucked, but when your surrounded by other roller coasters, why be miserable? Like sex, we rode each roller coaster fast and hard and had one helluva good time! And like sex, we had to work hard to get to the roller coaster. Six Flags isnt really laid out well, cuz there's all these up and down hills and few benches and it really takes a lot out of you.

Nightfall came and soon the entire park was covered with this spooky fog. And hidden in this fog and in the shadows were all these park employees dressed as monsters and psychotic people and it was their job to scare the shit out of people. And boy, did they do a good job. Especially in the haunted houses that were set up all around the park. Unfortunately, they did too good of a job.

As we stood in line, wathcing the shennanigans of scary monsters and terrified customers, I had my own scary moment. Ok, so I'm minding my own business when all of a sudden the trashcan behind me bangs real loud and this 4 ft man with 3 ft long arms comes "walking" (it was more of a 'I-cant-walk-so-good-on-my-right-foot') from behind and I jumped and gave a small yelp. Turns out, the guy wasnt one of the costumed freaks, but a janitor with a limp and a disability. How I was supposed to know?! I felt so horrible, but when you hire out costumed actors to act like hired employees...it's just bad taste. Thank God, that was my last day in L.A., but certainly not my last time!

Friday, October 28, 2005

The Wrong Side Of The Law

On September 3, 2005 at approximately 6:11 PM, my friend Lily Ana got into a car accident. As she approached the intersection of 22nd and Alvernon, she began to make a left and head southbound on Alvernon in the second lane, when out of nowhere a 2003 Altima came flying right into the front of her car, making her car skid into the first lane. At least that's what my friend said.

And I believed her. When she called me that day, crying cuz she was all shooken up, I believed her. I even took her side when she told me that she said the wrong thing to the officer. She had told him that while making the turn the light was already yellow, but what she meant was after she began to turn, the light went yellow, meaning she had the right of way. Of course her statement landed her a ticket, which was the reason we went to court yesterday afternoon.

Since this was Lily Ana's first court appearance she had no clue as to what to do, and since I already had previous experience (aka September 23), I went for moral support. (actually, I went as an excuse to miss my math class, but tomatoe, tomatah!)

So we met at the downtown court and found ourselves sitting on a wooden bench, facing nine police officers. Now this was a courtroom. I know it's kinda stupid for me to say this, but I was semi-jealous that Lily Ana got a better courtroom than I did. I mean her case was nothing more than a speeding ticket. Mine was grand theft. Not that I'm bragging or anything, (cuz it wasnt grand theft), but you know what I mean?

Lily Ana got called to the stand, while a nerdy cop sat on the other side. And when I say nerd, I mean nerd. Pleated pants, penny loafers (no lie...), and a plaid shirt. Both a fashion victim, and a walking ad for birth control. So anyways, Lily Ana explained her side of the situation, while the nerdy cop explained his. In the end, Lily Ana lost her case and had to pay a grand fine of $162, instead of the $62 that the ticket was issued. But like my 3rd grade teacher Ms. Clough used to say, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

As we drove away from the court house, with Lily Ana behind the wheel, upset about the unfair outcome of the case, I began to wonder if the outcome was fair. Lily Ana drove out of the parking lot like a bat out of hell and totally ran a red light. And that was just within 15 seconds of leaving the court house.

Now, I'm not one to judge on other people's driving abilities (not after I crashed into that callbox 2 years ago, but that's another story!), but it seemed to me that Lily Ana wasnt exactly a safe driver, which was quite odd, since this wasnt the first time I was in the car with her. I mean, yeah, sure, I may have been drunk a few of those other times, but still! You'd think that if she was this bad of a driver, then this wouldnt have been her first ticket.

But it was, and she wanted my opinion on the situation.

LILY ANA: Dont you think that was so unfair? I mean that cop totally just pissed me off!
ME: Huh?
LILY ANA: The cop. Like he really needed to say that I said I ran a yellow light.
ME: Oh, yeah...
LILY ANA: Why couldnt he just keep his mouth shut?
ME: Yeah...
LILY ANA: I mean, I know I'm a good driver, you know? Dont you think?

Actually, I didnt know what to think. I still dont know what to think. Is it wrong to tell your friend, the one you just supported, that she is and was in the wrong? Or do you just smile and pretend like nothing happened? Or is that wrong? Maybe a weekend in Cali will help me sort all this out...

Monday, October 24, 2005

the couple/costume conundrum

A couple weeks ago, Maria invited me to a costume Halloween party. At first I was kinda excited, cuz I havent been to a costume Halloween party since the 6th grade, where I went as...I forget, but I think it was drag, since thats what all the guys did back in middle school. (cool at first, but considering the fact that like half the guys I went to middle school with are gay and do compete in drag shows, it's kinda freaky, you know?)

But as the days began to pass, I kinda had second thoughts. The reason was cuz it was a couple's costume party, where (and I quote!) "You and your boo, must dress cool!" Lame, I will admit, but still, when it's free alcohol, how can you pass up such an offer?

Except, I wish I had my own "boo" to go with. I mean, yeah, Lupita's cool and whatever and I like hanging out with her and whatnot, but, I dont know, I guess sometimes I wish there was someone else in my life that wasnt just a friend. Cuz let me tell ya...it totally sucks being alone.

So I kinda decided I wasnt gonna go. I mean I know I already RSVP-ed but I just didnt feel right going to a couple's party with a friend instead of an actual date. I knew I had no option but to tell Maria before it got too late and things got too messy. But each time I tried to talk about it, I just didnt have the heart nor the guts, and soon I found myself shopping with Maria for Halloween costumes.

She had decided we were going as Carlos and Gabrielle of Desperate Housewives, which sounded like fun, and made me think twice again about going. Unfortunately, Maria couldnt find an ensemble that was deemed "Gabrielle enough" and so, last minute she decided to go as Cleopatra. Which meant that I had to give up my orange jailer jumpsuit for something less from this century. Which seemed plausible since I did look good in the Roman guard costume. Who'da thunk I'd look good ina white skirt and brown sandals? I mean besides half my middle school friends.

As, I stood in line to pay for my costume, I kept seeing all these lovey dovey couples around me. It was as if Halloween was the new Valentine's. Something about carving a face into a pumpkin and hanging plastic skeletons all over the place just screamed 'love'. I didnt understand it, but apparently the couple macking behind Maria and me, were just turned on by the idea of ghosts and goblins. My second doubts started to spark up again, and so last minute I put the costume on hold and decided to pick it up on Saturday, the day of the party.

Saturday came and I was still undecided if I was gonna go. I was opting for staying home and watching SNL , over a bag of Pop Secret , when I realized I could be doomed for a life of loser-um. I couldnt believe that I wanted to stay home on a Saturday night rather than go to a kick-ass party, and all because I was still single. Right away, I called Maria and asked her what time the party began.

Instead of wasting prescious time, Maria decided to pick up both my costume and my ass, which I was really greatfull for until she arrived at my door. Instead of the hot Roman guard costume, she decided (last minute) that I should go as a Roman emperor with a toga and all.

ME: Maria! It's a dress!
MARIA: It's a toga.
ME: Which is latin for "male dress!"
MARIA: Oh, whatever...
ME: Maria, I cant go with a dress on!
MARIA: It's not a dress! Besides I couldnt find that Roman guard one and I thought this one matched me better.
ME: What do you mean you couldnt find it? Didnt they have it at the counter?
MARIA: Well, they put it back when you didnt come back and pick it up. And I looked all over for it, but couldnt find it, so I got the next best thing.
ME: And this was it?!
MARIA: It was either this or nothing, David!
ME: Then you choose nothing! UGH...I cant believe I'm wearing a dress for Halloween.
MARIA: It's a toga!
ME: It's a dress!

It was a long dress that went all the way to my ankles and had a purple sash/cape in the back and came with gold arm cuffs and a gold leaf wreath for my head. If I was in a relationship with someone, that costume would have guarenteed me sex for the night. Instead, it only guaranteed me a free ride to and from the party.

On the way to the party, Maria and I talked about relationships and dating and got so involved in our discussion that we took the wrong ramp off the freeway and drove down a dark, dirt, one-way road for 15 minutes. We were lost. We were dressed like the cast of ROME and we were lost. But we werent the only ones. Down the road, standing next to a stranded car, was the horny Halloween couple that stood behind Maria and me at the costume shop. They were arguing and screaming at each other, portraying the zombie and grim reaper (the costumes they were wearing) to a T.

As we drove by the screaming dead, I realized that being in a relationship wasnt so important. I mean, the whole reason I wanted to be in one was for a stupid costume party, which, now that I think about it, sounds kinda pathetic. Being in a relationship with someone, means that I would be tied down. It means my needs would come second to my special someone. Selfish as that sounds, it's what I was thinking as Maria and I searched for a road that would lead back to the freeway.

In the end I realized I dont need a special someone in my life to be my date. I already had a special someone in my life and her name was Maria. She may not be my girlfriend or my soulmate, but she is my best friend and it's kinda nice just hanging out and doing things with her. Even if it's holding her hair back while she's puking in the toliet.

Friday, October 21, 2005

Pump It...Louder!

The concert was awesome! I know I took forever to talk about it, but I've been so busy trying to regain my voice back...seriously. But it was just such an amazing experience to see these great artists perform some really great music, live!

Maria and I got to Phoenix, with time to spare, and stopped at In-N-Out Burger for a quick bite. We then made our way to the America West Arena where we took pictures with Harajuku Girls and met the craziest fans. It's almost like Maria and I weren't worthy enough to be there. But no whacked-out fan with a black top and mis-matching striped socks could stop us.

The Black Eyed Peas opened the concert, with their vibrating, funky, hip-hop sounds and rocked the house down. I mean, I 've never shooken my ass and pump my fist in the air so much while being sober. It was such an awesome experience! And for one brief moment, during the concert, it was like me and Fergie were the only ones there and she was shaking her humps, just for me... The crowd was totally crazy, and at the end, when Will I Am said, "Now, unfortunately, since we're almost over, we cant get this concert started...so let's just get RETARDED!" all hell broke lose. Partially, cuz' a killer song was just moments away, and partially cuz a singer's concert cry had just told an entire audience to become retarded. Is that even PC or am I old-fashioned?

After a a brief 20 minute intermission, Maria and I stocked up on souvenirs and refreshments and got ready for Gwen Stefani. Seeing her and the Harajuku Girls sing and dance on stage was like watching the MTV Music Video Awards or an unpresidented special on TV. It was just so cool to see that Gwen had made it on her own, you know? Like you know how so many people leave a group to do a solo act and they fail so miserably? (aka four of the NSYNC guys and one member of Destiny's Child) Well, it was cool to see that she actually made it and it was so cool to hear her sing live.

The coolest part of the entire concert was having Fergie stand not 10 feet away from me, watching Gwen perform. How cool is that? It's like she wasn't even a singer, but a fan like the rest of us. A fan, surrounded by big security guards. And she came over and shook our hands! We took a picture and everything, but as you can tell, the photo's totally did not come out...but whatever! I know in my heart, I met Fergie and I got to touch Gwen, as you can kinda tell in this pic with the bitch getting in my shot and covering her all up. All in all, I gotta say, this was an awesome concert. I'm still in shock that I actually went, and that I got to see them for free! Now all I have to do is find my 'Pay It Foward' act, and I'll be good to go.

Sunday, October 16, 2005

The Kindness Of Strangers

Four days ago, I was in an online bidding war for a pair of Gwen Stefani concert tickets, but lost to eBay user vintagestiles. So, like any other eBay addicts, I overcame my loss quickly and moved on to another bid.

The item? 2 front-row tickets. The starting bid? $500. Yeah. And so far, nobody had made a bid. I mean, could you blame them? $500 for a pair of concert tickets was a little crazy, but then again I just bought an entire case of Jergens Natural Glow (God's gift to albino's) like there was no tomorrow, so who was I to complain about money?

I watched the auction to see if anyone would make a bid, but so far no one had. With only three hours left...two hours left...one hour left...I e-mailed the seller and asked them, "If no one makes a bid, would you be willing to sell them for me, for $200?" The seller was still keen on the idea that someone would make a bid and sadly told me, "No, but if you wait until after the auction, I may have something else for you."

The auction ended with a whopping bid of $560, and just before I had lost all hope of ever seeing Gwen or her opening act friends the Black Eyed Peas, the seller e-mailed me and asked if I would like to have a pair of concert tickets, section 111, row BB, seats 4 and 5...for FREE.

I'm not even kidding you! She sensed through my e-mails, that I was a kind spirit and wanted to bless me with free concert tickets! No lie, no catch, no no nanette! I kept asking to make sure what her reasons were, and she just said, "No catch, I'm just a swell girl that likes to do nice things. Just remember to pay it foward."

And that was that. I got the tickets yesterday in the mail and in a couple of hours, me and Maria will be driving up to Phoenix for one kick-ass concert...I'll tell y'all about it later!

Thursday, October 13, 2005

From Geek To Chic To Total EEK!

Two years ago, my friend Nicole, the Martha Stewart of Tucson teenagers who made me a pillow for a graduation gift and a confetti cake for my birthday, met my friend Celinda.

We were all in Mr. Koppy's Advanced Journalism class our senior year. I had known Nicole since the good ol' days of middle school. We never really hung out in the same social circles, (she was in the ghetto fab, whereas I was in the fab) but after two years in the same journalism class, we became friends, and forgot about our petty middle school circles.

Celinda, on the other hand, became my friend after we were both assigned to work on the same story for the school newspaper. After a lengthly discussion on why The O.C. was by far the best show on TV, we discovered we had to stay after class, cuz we never actually got around to writing the story. A similiar situation happened to Nicole. One pepperoni pizza and three iced caramel frapps later, we all became really good friends.

Lately though, we've kinda seperated. Not in a bad way, but, not exactly in a good way either. We still keep in touch with phone calls, texts, and MySpace, but with work, school, and family stuff, we rarely see each other anymore. Except for Nicole and Celinda.

This past summer, it seems as though Nicole made it her personal goal to hang out with Celinda, the same way a groupie would hang out with a rock band, minus the drunken sex and shooting up. Kinda like Kate Hudson in Almost Famous and that whole Band Aid thing. Anyways, so yeah, she and Celinda have been hanging out and I mean, thats cool and all, I'm not jealous or anything, (really, I'm not!) but I feel like I'm losing a friend.

Back in highschool, Nicole was kinda a nerd. Instead of going to a party, she opted to stay at home and work on her scrapbooks or sew a hanging quilt. That was the thing that made Nicole special. She didnt think going to parties and getting trashed in the bathroom at 2 in the morning made her cool. It was the fact that she didnt do that, that made her cool.

But after hanging out with Celinda for a whole summer, it seems as if though all of Nicole's wholesome morals had gone out the window. Now, she party hardy's every weekend and even last week she told me, "I smoked my first dubee and am so stoked!" She's changed. Totally. The hemline on her skirts and tops, like her waist, are losing inches. Which, I'll admit, is pretty hot, but it's not Nicole. And I dont know what to say about it. I mean, on the one hand, I'm glad I have a new drinking buddy, but on the other, I miss the old Nicole.

But I dont think Nicole, misses the old Nicole. In fact, I think she likes the "New Nicole." Is it wrong to want the old Nicole back? And if so, is there anyway to talk to her about it without sounding totally selfish? I mean, how do you tell someone, that the "new them" isnt exactly all that and that you prefer the "old them," instead?

Monday, October 10, 2005

In His, Hers, And My Shoes

So, this past weekend I saw the movie In Her Shoes, with Maria and had a horrifying revalation presented to me.

I wont spoil the movie at all, but in it, Cameron Diaz's character, Rose, is this free-spirited party girl, who cant seem to keep a job for more than a month, and dreams of making it famous one day. Throughout the movie, Rose lives the care-free life and pays the consequences as she is kicked out from house to house, only to end up living with her grandmother at a retirement center.

Throughout the movie, I was constantly reminded that my way of life mirrored Cameron Diaz's character. At first, I laughed at the very idea. But as the movie progressed, and I saw Cameron Diaz act like a spaz on the big screen (which I dont think was to far from real life) I began to wonder if there was any truth in Maria's assumption.

MARIA: Well, it's not like I'm lying or anything.
ME: Ugh! Maria!
MARIA: What? Like your gonna stand there and tell me, you did not see yourself on that big screen?
ME: I dont know.
MARIA: David, how long do you last at your jobs?
ME: What do you mean?
MARIA: How long do you last at your jobs?

Maria had a point. For the past year, the longest I had held a job was 2 months, 1 week and 4 days. And the sad thing is...no, wait, that is the sad thing. I mean, the only other job I've had, was the one where I worked at Forever 21.

From November 2003 to April 2004, I worked as a sales associate, but left after my ex-best friend Isabel, told the manager I was the ringleader in a recent employee shoplifting scandal. She was jealous that I was on my way to becoming an assistant manager, and made up some B.S. that my wardrobe was lacking in the cheap, synthetic-fabric department, and well...I quit. Or got fired. I'm not sure. I mean, I know they told me my "services were no longer needed" but I replied with, "To hell with my services, I quit!" Anyways...

I didnt work again until January of this year, because I told myself, I needed a break and wanted to prepare myself for college. The reality was, I couldnt land a job if my life depended on it. Not even seasonal.

But as Maria and I talked some more, I kinda got the feeling that maybe living the care-free life wasnt so horrible.

MARIA: I mean, dont get me wrong, I'm not trying to put you down or anything, it's just I wish I could be more like that.
ME: More like what?
MARIA: More laid back. I'm always stressing over my work, over school, I stress over everything. And you dont.
ME: I stress!
MARIA: Yeah. Over your hair.
ME: What?!
MARIA: I'm kidding. But no, for reals. You hardly ever stress. Everytime I call you, you're either watching TV or shopping or hanging out with someone.
ME: Not these days...
MARIA: And you always look like you're going to a party or something.
ME: Aw, thanks. I do try.
MARIA: And yet, you always pass your classes. Even in high school, you were the biggest ditcher I knew. You were always drinking and smoking...
ME: Maria! I did not smoke!
MARIA: David...
ME: Well, at least not ciggerates...
MARIA: The point is, you've always had this laid-back-fuck-you-world-take-me-as-I-am-or-dont kinda additude and I've always admired that. You dont care what other people think, and you dont stress over everything. You dont care about the consequences, you just live for the moment. I wish I was more like that.

You wish you were more careless? So, now I dont know if thats a good quality or not. Is it something I should be proud of, or something I should work on? Or should I take pride in the fact I'm living the life my friends wanna live? Thanks a lot Cameron...

Thursday, October 06, 2005

The Big Two-Oh-My-Gah...

Ok, so it's 12:01, which means, I'm officially 20. Fuck, I'm old. I'm not a teenager anymore....I mean, there goes like a third of my life. I wont be adding the word "teen" after my age anymore, which basically means, I'm an adult. An adult. Too old to be a kid, too young to be a parent, yet considered an adult. I'm just stuck in the middle...like that fish-looking kid, Malcom.

UGH...cant I just keep all my presents and still be 19? Cuz I think I'm still 19 in Hawaii or something...I dont know. I mean, my life’s going pretty well and all, but I look around and I just see so many of my friends and peers who’ve accomplished so many of their goals and most of them aren't even 20. They have direction, whereas I, am still just trying to figure it all out.

But like my friend 3D says, "Ya gotta grab life by the balls and yell out, "FUCK IT, I'M 20!" Of course, my friend 3D is always poppin' some kinda new pill, so his advice isnt really taken as a final thought. But maybe there is some truth in it. Maybe turning 20 isnt so bad...hold on, my phone's ringing.

Ok, so I just got off the phone with my friend Litzaya (who just so happens to share the same birthday as me! HAPPY BIRTHDAY LITZAYA!) and I'm just totally in love with her. Well, not in that way, but you know what I mean.

ME: Ugh, it's such a bitch turning 20.
LITZAYA: Why?
ME: Well, you know, it's cuz...ok, I'm 20 right?
LITZAYA: Yeah...
ME: Well, it's like, I'm one year older and I still have no idea what I wanna do in life you know? I mean, you have your professional basketball dream, Eliana has her medical assistant dream, and even Danny has a dream to own his own business someday. It's like, y'all have your own little paths made, and y'all know whats at the end of it. And y'all are younger than me, and I'm still clueless.
LITZAYA: So? Who cares if you dont know where you're going? Not everyone knows what path they're gonna take and besides...getting there is half the fun. So why rush to it? Just have fun and enjoy life, and then before you know it, your path pops up right in front of you, you old fart!

Litzaya, you are so smart and so awesome. No wonder you're at NAU and I'm still stuck in Tucson at Pima. Those are just pearls of wisdom (except for that 'old fart' comment...how immature!) But whatever. I'm 20. That feels so cool to say it. I'm 20. I'm 20. Nah, it's too early. I'm 19 and 12 months...totally better. Another year older, and none the wiser.

Monday, October 03, 2005

A Gay/December Romance

Is it wrong to have an older guy friend take you on a shopping spree? At first, I didnt think so, but now after some thought, I'm thinking maybe it was wrong. I'm asking this because, well, it happened to me this past weekend.

What went down:

I have this friend named Raul who I met at a graduation party in May, right after I quit my job at InfoNXX (yet another, weird job quitting story, which I'll tell y'all about later...). He asked where I worked, and I told him I quit my previous job because my boss turned out to be this crazy psychotic woman (remember the movie The Hand That Rocks The Cradle? She was the technical advisor!)

Well, anyways, it turned out that crazy, psychotic boss-lady Linda was his aunt. Yeah. In this small world of ours, why do I keep burning these bridges? You'd think I'd know better by now, but, no, apparently not. Whatever. But it was cool though, cuz turns out, Raul hates his aunt Linda too. Apparently, when he graduated several years back, Linda had told him she couldnt go to his graduation because it was in the morning and she was tired. Plus, since she had the night shift that day, she wanted to rest up for it. I know! What a bitch.

So, we bonded over that and have kinda been hanging out ever since then.

Then this past weekend, he invited me to Phoenix. He wanted to do something special for my up coming birthday (by the way, it's October 6th, and I am registered at Macy's and Dillards, just so y'all know), and figured a lunch at my favorite restaurant, The Rainforest Cafe, would be a good idea. Free lunch in a city other than my own? You aint gots to tell me twice.

The lunch was so good, but then again, anything eaten on someone else's credit card, is always good! After lunch, we kinda walked around the Arizona Mills Mall, and before I knew it, I was carrying more than $600 worth of mall goods. If I'd have known he was gonna buy me everything I pointed to, well...I'd have pointed more in the Gucci store! Kidding.

But no for reals. I didnt think anything of it. I guess I got caught up in the moment of having unlimited credit in my hands. I blame the hanging flouresent lights and the scent of lemon pine-sol floors. It wasn't until we got back to his car when I realized how much I had spent. Or actually, how much he spent.

ME: You know, maybe I should take some of this back. I mean, it's a lot.
RAUL: Forget about it. It's cool.
ME: Yeah, but I mean...
RAUL: It's cool. Dont worry. Besides, if you could take some of that stuff back, what would you return?
ME: Well, I dont know, but something.
RAUL: See? You dont know. So just keep it.
ME: Yeah, but...I dont know, it seems a little too much.
RAUL: Who cares? It's my treat to you. I like being generous with my friends.
ME: Well, ok, I guess.
RAUL: There you go! Besides, I want you to know that I think of you more than a friend.
ME: Oh? Kay...
RAUL: I really, really like you.

There it was. In black and white. He said, "I really, really like you." That was twice too many times to use the word, "really" in a sentence between guy friends, dont you think? Especially when one of them is straight. I guess I should have mentioned that Raul was gay. But see, to me that didnt bother me. Sexual orientation isnt really a top quality I look for in a friend, you know?

The ride was totally dead quiet along the way back to Tucson. I was thinking about what had happened, and I'm sure Raul was kicking himself for saying what he said. Very weird. The thing is, I dont know what to do now. The more I think about it, the more I think of how this whole situation looks like a sugar daddy weekend. I cant even bring myself to look at the shopping bags and the heavenly goodness they hold. Well, not true. I've been breaking in my new Oliver Peoples sunglasses and they are so great! But what I do about Raul? Do I pretend the whole thing never happened? Or is it wrong to ignore it? And what do I do about my new clothes? UGH...

Thursday, September 29, 2005

Old Friends, New Disasters

Last night, I called my old friend Skye to see if he and another old friend, Isabel, wanted to go out to lunch soon. The reason I call them old friends is because about a year and a half ago, we had this huge falling out.

Isabel and I were both working at Forever 21 during our senior year but after this huge debacle at prom, Isabel simply told our manager, that I was the ringleader of a recent shoplifting fiasco that had gone down at our store. Of course, it wasnt true, but Isabel lied so well, that I was fired and she was promoted. Ever since then I've hated Isabel.

But a few weeks ago, during one of my many mall pick me ups, I bumped into Isabel and Skye. Literally. I was wearing these new blue contacts, and couldnt see a damn thing in front of me. Just vague, formless shapes. But who needs sight when your eyes are the color of the sky on a clear day?

What I thought would be an awkward moment, turned out to be the most natual meeting of all. After you break up with someone, you hope and pray to God to run into the ex-party, looking like a movie star, to make them see that you dont need them anymore and that you're actually better off without them. It's how I had always hoped to run into Isabel, and coincidently enough, my wish came true. The funny thing is that once my dream came true, my confidence had a major boost and I no longer hated Isabel. Call it maturity or whatnot, but I was actually glad to know that I was no longer consumed with hatred for this old friend.

We chatted for a little while, and made plans to go out to lunch. But as the days passed, no phone calls were made. I later found out from Skye that the reason he or Isabel made no attempt to contact me was because she had run off to Mexico. But to make up for it, Skye suggested another luncheon. This time it would be with another old friend/enemy, Brenda. But with this old friend/enemy I wasnt ready to make peace and so told Skye I wouldnt be able to make it, because...I was busy planning my own birthday party.

A lie, I know, but it's just I wasnt ready to start having lunch with Brenda. I mean, I had just gotten over Isabel, wasnt that enough? I guess not, cuz' now I have this huge blow-out party to throw for myself in less than a week, and my ass is just totally broke. Ugh...