What Makes you Interesting?

I was reading a friend's dating-horror-story blog the other day, and one thing she said struck me. She said, "Travel makes you boring." What she meant by it was that the constant talk about travel doesn't set you apart or make you that interesting.

It got me thinking...and I am stuck in a conundrum of both agreeing and disagreeing. While I see her point -- I hate when people go on and on about their trips, apropos of nothing -- I find it harder to relate to someone with no sense of adventure, and no real desire to travel outside of their comfort zone.

I have talked about this before, but for me, travel was the first thing to really, truly push me out of my comfort zone. I am rather shy, and when I moved to Spain, it was tough. I was alone, away from my family (none of whom had really traveled before, and all of whom lived within about a 3 hour or so drive from where I grew up). I knew no one, I understood the language but couldn't speak it that well, and was a little lost. This was really hard at first, but I realized that the only way to make the best of the situation was to actually talk to someone. Someone I didn't know.

And I did. And it was awesome.

This experience really shaped me, and shaped my love of travel. I am generally solo, so never HAVE to talk to someone if I don't want to, but have met some of the most awesome people that way.

So I love travel. Books about journeys. Reading the New York Times travel page, getting travel fare emails, helping other travelers find their way. This doesn't mean I want to travel every day, I am a walking dichotomy of wanderlust and homebody. This also doesn't mean I talk much about my trips...maybe an anecdote or two, and my pics if someone wants to look, but I don't think most people want to hear much about other peoples' trips.

But it is a must for me. To be able to share this love with people who understand that fire that is within you -- this is why I love the friends I have met traveling, and the people with whom I've connected because of this common interest. And I have loved seeing my friends discover this within themselves. This passion, it is beyond just, "I enjoy travel."

Ghostride the Whip

There is a certain amount of crap an East Bay-native gets here in the Bay Area. When I started meeting people who were not from my little Inner East Bay bubble, I started hearing these stereotypes, which frankly surprised me. But they are probably true (look, there is a huge trailer park at the end of the street I grew up on, where shirts are rare and beer is plentiful).

At any rate, the new spin is SF vs. Oakland, and, well, this video not only makes fun of it, but hits on the points right on the spot. Especially about the jaywalkers (seriously, drive down International and try to get anywhere quickly...not gonna happen). Also, the hipster debate.

My take? They all dress funny and have weird hair, regardless of which side of the Bay they live.

Swine Flu! Swine Flu!

I hardly ever get sick anymore. Since starting acupuncture, my chi seems to be all aligned or something and I stay pretty healthy. So when I do feel like poo, I get a little worried.

Today was one of those days...so I went to the doctor. It didn't help that my mom is convinced she had swine flu and that got my little hypochondriac mind a'racin'.

So I walk into the doctor and tell them this, and pretty much get laughed out. Well, she was nicer than that, but basically told me there is no way I have swine flu. Which, made me feel better! Kind of. I still feel like crappola, my throat is swollen, and I guess I have some virus which is going around. Advil & rest was the prescription.

Giddy up.

Nerdy for Analytics

I readily admit I am a nerd. I love the ins and outs of people and things, and love to learn more about what’s going on outside my little world, be it through reading, talking, technology, or travel. (anyone who has ever had the great luck of talking to me for more than three minutes knows I am a question machine)

 

In this case, technology is piquing my interest…specifically, Google analytics. A while ago, I threw analytics on this little blog, mainly out of curiosity, but also, at the time, I was trying to raise a few extra bucks through it and wanted to see if my promotion efforts were working. (FWIW…at the time, I went from the lowest Google rating to the second highest, which was pretty awesome) I no longer do that, but it is fun to see who is visiting and from where (you can see it in real-time, too, on the bottom right side).

 

Not feeling very motivated today at work, I went to check out what my site’s been doing. I went through a bunch of reports I had never seen and found one that describes where people are from, and puts in on a handy map!

 

In the last month, people from 4 continents have visited Head in Knots. The USA obviously makes up the bulk of visits (thanks, Mom!), with folks representing 28 states. Gotta get those numbers up, as we all know EVERY state would benefit from my vast knowledge of 90210 trivia and musings on pomegranate gum (nasty).

 

Anyway, I am still lacking motivation, so thought a screen grab and a note would make the day complete. I am not sure who you all are, but…Aloha, Hej, Ciao, Bonjour, Howdy, Hola, G’Day, Cheerio…Bienvenidos a todos!

Wild Weekends...

More than I'd like to admit, I push my body to the limits...my mind would like to think I'm back at 21, but the bod, she reminds me otherwise.

We kicked off Wednesday with a happy hour that I was only planning on attending for about an hour. Several shots, many rounds of flip cup (where I RULED), and a bit of dancing later, and it was around midnight with me having to get into work early in the morning and hit the gym. Neither happened. Bad decision #1.

Thursday rolls around, and it's off to a birthday party for just one drink. Well...that didn't happen, either. Stayed out late, even though I needed to get an early start to rest up for a bachelorette party weekend. Bad decision #2.

Well, things go in threes, right? Rather than sleeping in when I could, I got up early to do lord knows what. Was not ready when my ride came to pick me up. Bad decision #3, though all made due to #1 & #2.

The weekend then included lots of fun girl time, dancing at gay bars, and an awesomely memorable white water rafting trip. All fine decisions, but I am paying for it today. Could it really have been that long ago that we would do fun stuff from Tuesday through Sunday, and still function in school/at work?

Fun times...

Repeal the H8

I have a lot to say about Proposition 8, landmark legislation in California that actually stripped people of rights the California Supreme Court had ruled they should be granted. A lot to say, but I will keep it, for now, to this....

If we start taking away rights, who is to say yours, or mine, may not be taken away one day? It wasn't that long ago that women couldn't vote. It wasn't that long ago that two people of different races couldn't marry. It is a slippery slope onto which we embark when we start taking away rights. And if we allow the majority to take away rights of the minority, it sets a very scary precedent.

Aside from that, for me, it boils down to this: In what way does this issue -- two people who love each other celebrating and declaring their love, and thus get to participate fully in a society that grants certain rights and privileges to married couples -- affect them in any negative way?

"They'll teach gayness in schools" for realsy? They'll teach that everyone is different but we're all human? "People will want to marry their dog" why yes, that is exactly the same thing! "Polygamy will return" who the hell cares if it is CONSENTING adults entering into the relationship. Who are any of us to regulate this?

I choose to celebrate love, in all its forms. We should all be so lucky to experience the love I have seen between many of my gay and lesbian friends. We should all be so lucky to love.

Rain Delays Can Be Fun!

Rain delays are usually boring. If you are unlucky enough to be at a baseball game when one occurs, you are likely huddled beneath the overhang, dreading the return to your seat, which will now be soaking wet. If your in the more tropical areas, like Florida, it may still be warm while it's raining. We rarely have that luck here!

So I love that these kids just enjoyed their 5 hour delay. I love that they tried the Macarena, which came out when they were, tops, 5 years old. I love that they did the dance to Beat It, a song that came out before any of them were even born, and speaks to the enduring appeal of pre-freak show Michael Jackson. I especially love the Irish jig, and, of course, the slip & slide, which...I don't know how it took them so long to partake!

Mainly, I love that these kids realized sports are supposed to be fun. That they are playing a game. And that they shed any self-conciousness and just had a flippin' good time.

Boo: Orbit Pomegranate Gum

I was blinded by the purple packaging.

I admit it.

And the word pomegranate in the flavor. I don't know why, but I always fall for the pom flavor. Go figure.

Orbit Pomegranate Gum did not live up, even closely, to my expectations.

I made the mistake of buying a three pack. After opening the packaging and throwing it in my purse, I noticed a scent of nail polish remover following me around. I could not, for the life of me, figure out what the heck it was! It was in my house, at my work, when I went out...I hadn't used nail polish or remover in months, so it was very strange.

Eventually, my super-sleuth skills led me to the culprit: the Gum! That was just the first of it's problems, though. The texture, well, the texture is just plain weird. I don't know how to describe it, but it isn't gum-like at all. For the first few chews, you get some wonderful bursts of flavor, then it gets sweeter, and the texture is almost like what I would imagine chewing the Styrofoam peanuts would taste like. In fact, it was kind of like those candy marshmallow peanuts after they have been sitting in the sun too long and gotten a little melty. In a word: gross.

I had to toss the extra two packs of this gum. It made me sad...I hate wasting things and especially little splurges like gum (ok, not really a splurge for me, more like a must have). More than anything, I was pretty disappointed.

Tickets Booked!

I know it's been a while...I wish I could say I was off on some fantastic adventure, but, really, I have just been super busy here at home.

I am super excited, however...I finally booked my tickets for my vacation!! Hooray! In October, I'll be heading over to Europe, hopefully to visit my friend's the Q's in Amsterdam (well, I'll be in A'dam, I am just not sure they'll still be there!). I've never been there, and I think it will be so different than most places I go; I can't wait.

After that, I'll head up to Copenhagen and meet with my favorite Swedes, Pernilla & Stina. I have been lucky enough to see Pernilla twice in the past two years, and this will make it three for three! And I got to see Stina last year, too, so twice in two years is equally awesome. She lives in nearby Malmo Sweden, so we'll also head over there. It is also fun that I'll get to spend my birthday with them, just like I did when I turned 22!

Of course, what would a trip to the area be without a visit to Stockholm to visit Pernilla's new house?! She has promised me a hot tub, fire, and wine. I am hoping to try this ice wine she keeps mentioning. I won't get to be there too long, but I can't wait to see the casa negra (it is painted black. Her old house was the casa azul.).

I have lots more exciting plans this year, but I can't wait for this one. I want to plan and book all my stuff now, which is silly, because hopefully prices will come down a bit before I go.

In the meantime...I know there is tons of info out there for Amsterdam, but what about Copenhagen? What are the must sees?

El Libro Del Amor

I may be way behind the times, but I had never heard this song before tonight (on a TV show, no less). I found it haunting...reading it in Spanish, I love it even more.