Tijera's Xanga

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 05:27:32 GMT

I'm bringing Xanga back - drop a comment if you're with me!

Back!

Tue, 18 Sep 2007 18:39:08 GMT

It has been a long time since I've updated this site. I've been stuck on Myspace. (I know.)

Anyhow, a lot has happened this year in LA. I've been performing and writing a lot. Between improv, sketch and writing classes, radio, and stand up, I've kept the comedy and writing wheels greased. A commercial agent came to one of my shows and signed me. Then I never heard from them again =)

Still, I'm not sure LA and I will work out in the long run. Even though things here are great, I'm getting antsy to move again. The superficiality and fast pace of the city is driving me crazy. The only reason I want to stay is because of the friends and relationships I've developed out here.

If I move it will likely be to either Colorado or New York. I've been checking out various journalistic-geared jobs in the Colorado Springs area. But I also have some connections in New York that I'd be interested in using. However, that wouldn't be any less superficial and slower paced =)

I really miss Colorado. I worked several years at Summit Ministries in Manitou, and in addition to missing the people and atmosphere there like crazy, I've also missed the scenery, mountain climbing, and especially the thunderstorms!!! There is something incredibly calming about a Colorado thunderstorm. However, I have never lived in a place that required driving through snow in the winter. That is my only reservation about CO. (But, the cost of living out there is sooooooo much cheaper I could start paying off college loans--huge plus!!!!!!)

Anyway, prayerful consideration is being applied to all options =)

Does anyone still use their Xanga account?

My Review of Babel

Thu, 08 Mar 2007 01:21:49 GMT

Babel

I finally saw the movie Babel, and I must say that I was very disappointed. It definitely wasn't anything Oscar-worthy, but for the big names attached to it. I would try and refrain from spoiling the ending...but there is no ending to spoil.

Still, I'll try not to give too much information away, but basically here's what happened: A husband and wife are vacationing in Morocco when two kids playing with a gun shoot the wife on a tour bus (if you didn't ascertain that from the preview of the movie then you need your IQ checked). Those kids' stupid decision to shoot at tourists leads to the nanny of the husband and wife's children to make a stupid decision, which dominoes into one long, boring, overrated motion picture. Really, for a movie whose title refers to the confusion of languages, everyone communicated quite well. There was miscommunication, but that had nothing to do with the language, only the stupidity of the decisions the characters made. The movie should have been called "Why America is better than your Country," because the other cultures they portrayed did not look like fun places to live. Oh, and what was with the deaf Asian kid who had sexual turrets? I finally just started skipping through those scenes because they were both painful and disturbing to watch.

And typical of a film trying to win an Oscar, every scene was about two minutes too long. The movie could have been 60 minutes shorter without all the extra footage. The scenery wasn't even beautiful (I think that's why Lord of the Rings got a away with being so long is because of the scenery).

I know the director was trying to make some big social point with the movie...but it failed to translate onto the silver screen. Maybe that's what the title really meant...that we wouldn't understand the movie.

Traffic Issues

Wed, 28 Feb 2007 04:09:01 GMT

The Los Angeles Mayor is campaigning hard to get money to expand and fix LA highways, thus clearing up lots of traffic. My bet is that they'll spend a lot of money clearing up the traffic, and then all the people all over the country who didn't move to Southern California BECAUSE of the traffic will then move to LA, and the traffic problem will revert back to its old ways. Plus that would make housing costs skyrocket even higher, crowd the schools even more, and overpopulate the beaches. Boy I'm just a bundle of optimism.

ACADEMY AWARDS

Tue, 27 Feb 2007 05:05:27 GMT

Are they over yet? I hope so because I'm anxious to get back to the 24/7 coverage of Anna Nicole Smith's corpse.

Duh!

Tue, 13 Feb 2007 18:51:59 GMT

I read a story in the New Zealand Herald (don't ask) today about how models have lower mental health than women who work jobs outside of the fashion industry. I'm sure I'd be a little mentally malignant if I never ate, smoked like chimney, and was drooled on by men and hated by women all because of my looks. That and you're objectified and criticized on a daily basis for things you can't control. This just goes to show that money, weight, and beauty cannot guarantee happiness. I think a model's outlook on life would change if they would just eat a cookie. Maybe I'll start a model outreach called "Macaroons for the Mental Health of Models."

Personally, I thought the whole depression-model connection was common knowledge, but I guess it was a slow news day in New Zealand. I mean, most of that country is made up of sheep anyway.

My latest near-death experience

Tue, 13 Feb 2007 05:01:15 GMT

I don't know if you believe in God, but I do. Especially after what happened about an hour ago. I was walking back to my apartment from church and about to cross the street when two cars collided and one spun out of control and up onto the sidewalk where I was about to cross. Actually, there was probably a better chance I would have been decapitated by the car door that flew off. In any case, if I'd have left church 15 seconds earlier I'd be roadkill right now. This was much scarier than the airplane incident because it happened right in front of me (and almost on me). The airplane ride was scary because you know you can do absolutely nothing to stop the plane from going down.

Luck, fate, destiny, whatever. I believe that God had his arms around me and for whatever reason he wants me alive another day. (So he can have some other gigantic metal object scare me to death...no pun intended =)

I am so excited to be alive! And as soon I my shock wears off...I'm going to go do something fun to celebrate that involves neither driving nor walking across the street.

P.S. If I do happen to die in some absurd way, like being decapitated by a flailing car door, please, someone put something humorous on my tombstone. None of this "rest in peace" crap. Because I will be wreaking havoc in heaven =o)

Catch and Release

Tue, 13 Feb 2007 04:56:12 GMT

Catch and Release Review

Okay, so I went to see Catch and Release this morning. I wanted to see Epic Movie, but my sister and I didn't get out the door in time for that one. During the opening credits the power went out in the entire theater facilities. About 20 minutes later the power returned, and so did the movie. And now, my review of Catch and Release.

Catch and Release: Three watch checks.

This was a fun, lighthearted, and incredibly predictable romantic adventure. It was one of those movies where you don't know how the characters got into the situations they have to resolve, but it doesn't matter because you don't really care too much about the characters anyway, but that doesn't even matter because you don't even know the character's names...and even that doesn't matter because you're just rolling your eyes at the classic, chick-flick romantic gags. It's all there: the wacky best-friend, the cuter-than-a-cupcake kid, the forbidden love, the dejected third point of the love triangle, and the doe-eyed engenue. In the end, the hateful, self-centered mother-in-law was just misunderstood. We got a free movie voucher because of the electricity problems, so we can actually go see a movie with a plot and some action.

Also, I'm watching the second season of Grey's Anatomy, and Seattle Grace Hospital has the slowest elevators known to mankind.

The Marathon: A marathon blog entry

Sun, 21 Jan 2007 02:47:44 GMT

The Marathon: The good, the emotional, and the blisters

WARNING: THIS BLOG IS LONG. BUT NOT AS LONG AS I WAS RUNNING SUNDAY.

I am now an official marathoner. Sunday I ran 26.2 miles at the P.F. Chang's Rock n' Roll Marathon with Team in Training. Team in Training helps train people for marathons while raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. All in all, I raised $3,000 for the organization and finished my marathon alive. Words cannot describe how proud I am of myself. As a tried and true "non-athlete," you can be sure I will be rubbing this accomplishment in as many faces as possible.

The events for me actually began the evening before the marathon. Team in Training had a pasta party for all its runners and we heard from sponsors, speakers, and participants, all thanking and encouraging us for our fundraising and dedication. They gave us first-time marathoners a few last-minute pointers, and warned that we would likely have the emotional stability of a two-year-old. This turned out to be true for me.

This season's Team in Training raised more than 5 million dollars, we learned! One young mother got up nervously in front of the group and told us how her daughter battled a form of lymphoma since she was five. They went through ups and downs, treatment after treatment, and after several years of battling, her daughter died. This was just six months ago and the woman ran the marathon with us in her honor Sunday. It was heartbreaking and the first of four times I cried over the weekend. (I cried more that weekend than the past five years of my life).

After the pasta party it was off to bed for a night of trying to sleep. Adrenaline is not a good sleep aid. I slept a whopping four hours. After a brief gathering with my team in the lobby of the hotel, we were shuttled over to the start line…90 minutes before the race began. There, along with probably 30,000 other people, we ate breakfast, drank coffee, and FROZE!!

Arizona had record low temperatures that weekend, and we stood out in the 20-degree weather wishing we could run just to get warm. One of my tiny water bottles on my belt actually turned to slush while I was standing out there. I have never seen so many people huddled around a floodlight than at the starting line of the race. I really understand now why mosquitoes flock to light. I got to know several people solely because we needed to stand close and soak up each other's body heat. Where are all the hot guys when you need them? Okay, bad pun.
(By the way, I wouldn't recommend using a Port-a-Pot in freezing temperatures. Just take my word for it.)

Finally, 7:40AM approached and the race began. Well, I didn't know it began because I was so far in the back of the corrals I didn't hear the gun go off. In fact, it took about 20 minutes just to cross the start line.

Now, a mile-by-mile description of the race.

Mile 1:
After the 20-minute walk to the start line we were off! We heard bands, cheering, etc, and then, the ultimate welcome…some group decided it would be fun to try and condemn our souls during the race. Amid the "Go Runners!" and "Runners Kick Ass-phault!" signs, there was a group of people holding signs saying things like, "Turn to Jesus. You're running toward hell!" Seriously, don't tempt people with the heat of hell when it's 20-degrees outside. It's counter-productive. My other favorite sign said "Deny yourself!" Seriously, people, we're running a marathon (most of us for various causes). How much more can you deny yourself?

Mile 2-4:
Loved these miles. I'd run long enough to warm up a bit, my friends and I were having rhyme-offs, and the miles came and went quickly.

Mile 5-8:
Knee pain! Really bad knee pain on the outside of my right knee. These were my "bite me" miles where I got nice and grumpy. I took some Aleve for the pain, but I couldn't help thinking that I'd be running the next 20 miles with the pain getting progressively worse.

Mile 9:
This marks the second time I cried. I was feeling all sorry for myself and getting slightly annoyed that my knee pain wasn't lifting when I passed a co-ed wrapped in a blanket holding a sign that said "Leukemia and Lymphoma Society: Thank you. I lived." I learned quickly that you can't run, cry and breath simultaneously, so I decided to hold it in. At some point during this mile my knee pain subsided completely. Thank God!!

Miles 10-15:
I saw my family cheering for me at some point during this time. I didn't recognize them under all the coats and blankets. My memory here gets blurry. I know I sang a bunch of Weird Al songs (which encouraged those around me to either speed way up or slow way down), some Aida, and Vanilla Ice. Oh, and another church passed out water (holy, I'm sure =) and opened up their facilities for runners who needed to use the restrooms. Finally! Christians doing the Christian thing. It was like spiritual Gatorade.

Miles 15:
Around here I started talking to another lady running with Team in Training. She told me she had run more than a dozen half and full marathons. I asked "wow, why so many?" She said, "well, I have lymphoma and I'm on a ticking clock." Yep, you guessed it, I cried for the third time. (well, teared up. See earlier note about crying while running)

Miles 17-19:
Two syllables come to mind during this time: Bor-ing. By this time I had lost my friends to different paces and was running by myself. I met a wonderful TNT coach known only as Mama Lisa, and she ran with me for a while and we had fun chatting, joking, etc. Then I started calling my friends on my cell and leaving messages. I can't remember now exactly how many people I called and what I said. I was drunk on running and did some dialing.

Mile 20:
Huzzah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mile 21:
Double Huzzah!!!!!!!!!!!

Mile 22:
I reached this mile in just under five hours! Granted 80 percent of people had already passed or were close to the finish, I was proud of my time. At this point I was so starving (pretzels, salt, and power goo can only take you so far), and started thinking of the perfect post-race meal. It was around this time that I saw some marathoners come out of a Wendy's with their fast food. Priceless.

Mile 23:
The right lateral knee pain returned with a blinding force. I knew it was my IT Band and the little straps on my legs weren't holding them in their appropriate place on my leg anymore. It felt like what I think child labor will be like, only in the outside of my leg. I stopped by a medical station and grabbed some Tylenol and did something I've never done before when I've encountered any sort of discomfort: I kept going.

Mile 24:
Since I walked most of mile 23 and watched about 200 people pass me, I decided I needed to speed things up if I wanted to get to the free food at the end of the race. So I pretended I was in a mall (I hate malls) and the only way out was to speed walk the rest of the way.

Oh, I also passed a water station that they were starting to clean up. But someone handed me a Twizzler, and that made me happy.

Mile 25:
If one more person told me I was "almost there" or "looking good" I was going to knock their teeth clear into their appendix. Yep. Another "bite me" mile.

Mile 26:
Whoever decided that a .2 had to be tacked on to a 26-mile run was a complete moron. What's wrong with running 26 miles? What makes that extra .2 so much more respectable? The time between mile 26 and the finish seemed forever. But it gave me time to think about how I wanted my finish-line picture to turn out. I knew I didn't want the serious ultra-runner frown. Should I go with funny? Normal? I went with the good-old-fashioned Olympic arms-in-the-air finish. Oh, and I cried for the fourth time.

Finish:
I got a finisher's medal and I wore it the rest of the day, and the whole six-hour drive home (mainly because it annoyed my older sister). We also got free flip flops, all the packaged water, chips, crackers, fruit and bagels we could carry, and a P.F. Chang's gift card. That alone made the race worth it.

So there you have it. I've done something I thought I would never do. It gave me a new perspective on life, living life, and especially a new appreciation for giving. To all of you who gave your time, money, energy, talents, prayers, encouragement, etc. to help me raise money for this cause, THANK YOU! You have no idea what your support meant to me, and to everyone involved with Team in Training and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

P.S. If you made it through the entire blog, you deserve a finisher's medal too.

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Tue, 05 Dec 2006 04:45:23 GMT

Public Humiliation Incident No. 657

Today I was coming from Universal City Walk back to my apartment when I started running to get across the street before the red hand stopped blinking. I was so busy looking at the light, that I tripped on a curb and completely wiped out. Not just a dainty little trip, but a face-plow into the pavement. I scraped and put a lovely bruise on my left knee, and actually drew some blood from my wrist and elbow. I don't think I've wiped out like that since learning to roller blade when I was ten. I feel so young again!!!!!! It's awesome!!

9:46 PM - 1 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove

It's done!!!

I am so excited. The show I produced to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is done!! I thought it went really well for my producing debut =) The best part: we raised about $700 for the charity!! The people who came out to perform the show were amazing, the volunteers running sound, lights, etc, were incredible, and we had an audience!! I'd say we had a good 60+ people packed into the cafe. We had to bring more chairs out...YAY!!!

I'm breathing a sigh of relief and catching up on my writing job now, which I didn't have time to do the past two days because I was working on details for the show. I have a new respect for people who organize things. Things that I just take for granted: like having change in the cash box. I just take it for granted that I go places and they give me change for my $20. But someone has to go stand in line at the bank, fill out the withdrawl slip, and wait as the lady counts out 30 one dollar bills. There were so many odd little things to work out...and this was just a modest sized benefit. I can't imagine all the stuff involved with working on a full-scale show (theater or television).

Maybe I'll put on something like this again someday. But for now, I'm going to eat some left over pizza.

1:56 AM - 5 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove

Monday, November 27, 2006

My new shoes

I had to get a new pair of running shoes today. My current shoes pretty much bit the dust during my 20 mile run on Saturday. I need to start thinking of the next adventure I want to achieve after my marathon. I also need to decide what I want to do with my life. Everytime someone asks me I make up a different answer. I don't think I've given anyone the same answer twice.

Right now I'm working off a "do before I die" list, which includes things like run a marathon, see Cirque de Soleil, and go skydiving. I'll figure it out. For now I'll keep living life on the wild side =)

4:42 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Happy Turkey Day!!!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! I'm extremely thankful and grateful for the obvious (wonderful friends, supportive family, good health, job I love, promise of eternal life...etc. =)

Here some other things I'm thankful for:

1. Lay's Salt and Vineagar potato chips

2. Wizards in Winter (by the Trans Siberian Orchestra)

3. My new black sweater that ties in the front

4. Video chat!!

5. My sense of humor

6. My pride in my sense of humor

7. My pride in my pride of my sense of humor

8. Llamas

9. The Mummy and The Mummy Returns

10. The unbelievably large starfish in the Long Beach Aquarium

Now, want to know the random things YOU are thankful for!!

8:16 PM - 4 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove

Sunday, November 19, 2006

Chicken Boo

The anniversary of Chicken Boo's disappearance is coming up. I have to say, the hole in my heart that was left when she went missing still hasn't been filled. I ache to see her scrawny chicken legs run up to greet me when I visit my home in Texas. I miss feeding her dog food from my hand, and collecting her single egg every morning. Chicken Boo understood me. We were kindred spirits in an odd sort of chicken-human sort of way. Secretly, I'm still kind of holding out hope that she is alive. Oh, Chicken Boo, how I love and adore you!! I'm going to go cry now.

11:40 PM - 1 Comments - 3 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove

Friday, November 17, 2006

Patrick

Today my blogging audience gets the story of Patrick. Patrick and I have known each other for almost all eternity. Well, let's put it this way, he's almost seven feet tall now, and I knew him when he was shorter than me =) Anyhow, I haven't heard him sing since we did Gypsy together way way back many centuries ago, not long after the Bible began. I think his voice was still changing at the time. Then he went to college and I went to LA, and he just sent me a clip of him singing in his grown-up voice (and wearing a grown up vest) and I was so excited that I thought I'd give him some free PR on Myspace. Look out Broadway, Tommy Tune's doppleganger is coming your way! Okay, so this clip is Patty singing She Loves Me by Bock and Harnick (they composed Fiddler on the Roof, for my fellow musical theater geeks). I hope you guys can enjoy it as much as I did...whether or not you know him =)

My New Pencil Sharpener

My older sister bought me a pencil sharpener because it was shaped like a nose. To sharpen the pencil, you stick the pencil up one of the nostrils and, of course, twist. She said she saw it and thought of me. I like that I'm the type of person people think of when they see things like nostril-shaped pencil sharpeners.

1:03 AM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Comment of the Day
Current mood: mellow

Today I was talking to the mother of one of my piano students, and she asked how many kids I wanted to have someday. I responded with my usual answer: Twelve, give or take a few sickly ones that I sell for extra money.

She then asked about my boyfriend. I responded with my usual answer: Which one?

On my way out, she stopped me and said: "I'll be praying for a husband for you."

I gave her the business card for the "Pray for Kristin's husband club." I have about fifty people scattered across the U.S. in the club, all of whom are convinced that deep down I'm unhappy because I'm twenty two and not married.

Actually, they should start a support group, because I think they'll probably be praying for a while.

9:07 PM - 2 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove

Monday, November 06, 2006

My least favorite bugs

I can't sleep, so I figured 2AM would be as good a time as any to write about all the bugs I don't like.

Normally, I like bugs. I was one of those kids who always had empty Cool-Whip and Peanut Butter jars filled with leaves and bugs scattered throughout my room. However, in my old age, I've discovered that I find just a few species of bugs completely repulsive, and it's all connected to a tramatic childhood incident.

Repulsive Bug ..1: The Roach.
When I was little, I slept over at a friends house and woke up with a roach the size of Texas on my face. The entire house woke up to my scream. Plus, I can't stand the sound when you step on them. It's a gushy-crunch combo sound which I find similar to nails on the blackboard or a Lifeguard's whistle.

Repulsive Bug ..2: The Wasp.
You'd think I'd hate this bug because I got stung. Not the case. I actually had two pet wasps growing up, Freddie and George, that I clipped the stingers and wings off and carried around like hamsters. (Looking back, I really was an odd child) Anyway, Freddie and George died because my mom wouldn't let me keep them inside and the Texas fire ants got to them. I still feel guilty and responsible for their demise. I've never forgiven myself, and I've never loved another wasp since. Someday when I have kids, I'm letting them keep their wasps inside.

Repulsive Bug ..3: The Moth.
Imagine finding a bag of walnuts in your pantry. You start popping them into your mouth (As a kid I just liked to sit and eat in the pantry. See parenthetical comment in Repulsive Bug ..2). Your hand lingers in the bag for a moment before you realize something is moving in the bag. It's not just one something, it's a lot of somethings. You look in the bag and see, nestled among the walnuts you've been eating, a disgusting bed of moths and larvae. You drop the bag and moths fly out all over the place. To this day, the offspring of these moths are flying around your pantry in Texas.

The Final Repulsive Bug: The Gnat.
Because I lost the third-grade home school spelling bee on this word. Well, that and I was babysitting and I made this toddler blow his nose and two gnats were in the kleenex.

Pleasant dreams!

1:36 AM - 2 Comments - 4 Kudos -