Celebrating women.

Did you know that March 8 is International Women's Day? Neither did I until I spent time outside of our country. It seems that here in United States that we see little or no need to celebrate women, you know, because of all that equality we have here. . .(sarcasm). Today is actually the 101st celebration of International Women's Day and for most of you, I imagine it is the 1st time you have heard of it. It seems that Americans don't feel the need to be involved in anything internationally celebrated, including women.

The first time I heard about Women's Day was when I was traveling in Mexico and Central America. I happened to be in southern Mexico on March 8, 2008 when someone, I will never remember whom, told me "Happy Women's Day". I was confused, I'd never heard of this Women's Day. I asked if it was a Mexican holiday and I was then informed that March 8 is, in fact, International Women's Day, celebrated the world over. I was delighted to know such a day existed, and disgusted at the same time that I had to leave my country in order to learn about this multi-national holiday.

Over the next three years, I was in various countries on March 8, and each time, I was wished well and embraced for simply being a woman. In 2010, while I was living in Bogotá, my Colombian boyfriend brought me flowers and wrote me a sweet note in Spanish waxing sentimental about all the things wonderful about the women in his life. Never have I received such sentiment from anyone here in United States on Women's Day. Not from my father, not from my brothers, not from any lovers or bosses or friends.
According to yogi tradition, women are sixteen times more powerful than men. Only sixteen times? From what I've seen, it's more than that. In my travels, I have seen more than my fair share of impoverished and homeless. More times than I can count, I have seen homeless women with more than one child. I do believe that only one time have I seen a homeless man with children in tow. Studies show that when women are earning money a large portion of it goes directly to nurturing the family she is also raising. Men fall short in this category and have a tendency to keep more for themselves before handing it over to the women who will then spend it on the family. In many cultures, it is the women who control the money in the family and for good reason, have you seen the crap that men buy with their money? For many women in this world, the real work begins when we arrive home from our outside jobs. The saying "Behind every great man is a great woman" did not come from nowhere. Anybody with even the tiniest amount of life experience knows that men are basically a mess without the help of a woman. This is evident as most of the married men I cut hair for are simply repeating their wives' requests, because it's obvious they have no clue what is best for themselves. The wisest men I know happily admit that women are the better of the two. I happen to wholeheartedly agree.

As women, we have a far greater capacity for tenderness and compassion. As women, we have a far greater capacity for nurturing. As women, we have a far greater capacity to bear burdens and to tolerate physical and emotional pain. As women we have a far greater capacity to multi-task and to endure. As women, we have a far greater capacity for creativity and communication. We are more patient, we are more peaceful, we are more generous, we are more compassionate. All of this makes it no mystery then as to why we are more beautiful. We have larger groups of friends and keep better ties with family. We live longer and we live happier.

Traditions have to begin somewhere. So to my mother and step-mother, to my sisters and step-sisters, to my aunties, to my nieces, to my dear friends, to my cousins, to my co-workers, and to determined women the world over, Happy Women's Day from United States. Thanks for keeping it all from falling apart.

Dedicated to my mother, the woman who taught me to fight for what I want without even showing it.

Lingering feelings.

Was there a situation where you ever wished you could have just one extra day to experience what was going on? One extra day to explain yourself? One extra day to enjoy the perfect vacation? One extra day to be with a loved one who has passed on? Today is your extra day.

Because humans are so imperfect, we have created an imperfect calender that requires that every four years we add a day to our calender to make up for the flawed system and get us back on track. February 29 happens to be the lucky and illusive day that we get giddy over every fourth year. We call it leap year, which is a strange name, what exactly are we leaping over? I prefer to think of it as linger year. This extra day is not only our way of making up for a calender we haven't gotten right, but it's a chance to linger just a little bit longer before moving on with the year and beginning the month of March.

Call me crazy, but I am thinking of today as my extra day. My extra day I wished I could have had in so many situations seemingly stopped short. My extra day to be on vacation, my extra day to explain my mistakes, my extra day to hold my lover before we forever part, my extra day to see my baby nieces and nephews before they become adults right before my eyes and it's my extra day to be with my Grandma Hansen. All the times I have ached for just one extra day, I will live in one day. I will close my eyes, breathe deeply and let my mind go. I will return to the places I desperately miss, I will have my final say, I will breathe in the scent of my lovers forever burned on my brain, I will squeeze the chubby cheeks of babies and I will ask my grandma for gum from her purse as though no time has passed. And when I open my eyes, I will be smiling.

Today is your day to be well if you are sick. Today is your day to study just a bit more for the big test. Today is your day to lie on the beach in Mexico. Today is your day to hold the hands that are no longer with us. Our work obsessed society has destroyed any concept of doing things for ourselves, for nothing more than to feel good. I suggest that today everyone takes ten minutes to close their eyes, breathe deeply and let your mind go and linger in all the places you wish you had just one more day. No regrets, just a chance to really experience the best times of our lives all over again. You will be amazed and the clarity of your memories when you really give them a chance to surface and become alive again. Whatever you have to do can wait for ten minutes, but the extra day you will live in your most perfect memories will last a lifetime.

Spider in my shower.

A poem by Sarah.

There's a spider in my shower

It's on the tile with the flower

Do I scream or do I cower?

Nah, I think I have more power

I look at it and say

"Stop looking at me naked and get out of my way!"

It decided it would rather stay

Today will be the spider's last day

While I splash and while I sing

I get an idea, my brain goes "ding!"

I throw water at the thing

Down goes spider, hope it enjoys dying

*Inspired by spiders in showers the world over.

Light me up.

The other day I was realizing that between the two lamps in my bedroom that they collectively require six light bulbs. My bedroom does not have a main light, so one of the lamps connected to a light switch serves as my main light. Though this lamp can use three bulbs, it only has two that are currently functioning, taking the grand total of light bulbs for one bedroom to five. Then it hit me, five light bulbs?!?!? Now it's not that I ever have all five of them going at any one time, but five bulbs seems excessive. And as if five wasn't enough, I then realized that I have four florescent bulbs in my bathroom, one bulb on my balcony, and I even have lights inside my closet. The bathroom bulbs go on and off all day, but the balcony and closet lights are rarely used, if ever. Not only do I have like seventeen bulbs in my room, but I also use a 1500 watt space heater connected to one of six outlets in my bedroom walls, and have a rather powerful heater/exhaust fan in the bathroom(totally necessary). Am I some kind of electricity hog? I can't believe that I have so much potential to waste electricity.

We are a country that wastes the shit out of resources, which is clearly represented by the availability in my single bedroom. It got me thinking about when I was living in Guatemala. Oh let the comparisons unfold. In Guatemala, I lived in a three story open air house built out of cinder blocks, concrete, rebar, and a tin roof. The top level of the house was completely open air and was something of a lounge. We had a few light bulbs up there, but hardly used them. Most of the electricity of the top level was taken by the stereo system which consisted of a few speakers. The middle floor of the house was one bedroom and our kitchen. The kitchen had a tiny fridge and one light bulb. Our two burner stove was connected to a small gas tank and therefore required no electricity. The bedroom on this middle floor had one light bulb and a TV that was on sometimes. The ground floor of the Guatemalan house had three bedrooms and the bathroom. Each bedroom had one light bulb as well as the bathroom. And true to Central American form, the shower head was also electrified.

So if we add up the number of bulbs in the entire three stories of the Guatemalan house, the total comes to seven; one upstairs, two on the middle floor and four on the main floor. Due to the open air structure of the house, we didn't use the lights during the day and our house was well lit at night because there was a street lamp style light on the pathway in front of our house. Seven light bulbs in the entire house in Guatemala, and I have six between two lamps in one bedroom in Los Angeles. Sheesh.

Now here's the best part. At any one point in my entire home, there is probably something like twenty bulbs going, and likely more than that when we are all home. One night in Guatemala, I had the light on in my room, my housemate Gary had the light on in his room as well as his TV and space heater. At the same time, the light bulb was on in the kitchen and my brother Brady who was visiting was taking a shower, also requiring electricity. I was standing on the second floor chatting with Gary when all of a sudden flames and sparks started shooting out of the side of the house where the main electricity was connected to the wires passing overhead. I hollered at Brady to turn the shower off immediately so he didn't get killed, and then the house went dark. Four light bulbs, a TV, a space heater, and an electrified shower head caused a melt down. We had blown the entire house. Standing in the dark Brady whimpers, "But I'm all soapy". Poor Brady. Once we realized the electricity was out for good he had to finish his shower in the cold and in the dark.

All's well that ends well and eventually the crappy Guatemalan electricity was fixed. But to this day, I love to reminisce and make comparisons to that time in my life and this story is one that just came up when I realized what a bunch of electricity pigs we are in this country. Here's to excess. Now go turn off all of the things in your house that you aren't using.

Cast yer vote.

As 2012 has arrived, we find ourselves in an election season revving up to be a timeless one. I mean, who are we kidding, voting for president in the last year on Earth carries some ominous qualities. Moving on. I came across this photo. Remember when that guy ran for president? Speaking of timeless elections, Perot was the only guy in modern history to be a legitimate third candidate. Twenty years ago he sure gave Bush and Clinton a run for their money. And we all know how history turned out with that one. I bought this t-shirt at a thrift store, don't remember where or when, but obviously a score. I had this t-shirt with me for many years and most of the time I sported it, people would comment. I traveled with it to many places and it was good to me for throughout the years.

*

But why do I have a photo of it? The Perot t-shirt, though a classic, was just sitting in a box in my mom's attic for a while. When I came across it while looking through my things, I decided it was time to get rid of it. I attempted to sell it on eBay, to no avail. Apparently Perot memorabilia isn't that hot of a seller. However, I have a wannabe hipster younger brother, Alex. Alex was clearly the only worthy recipient of this fine piece of vintage election apparel. I had no doubts that he wanted the shirt. Ecstatic and nearly moved to tear, Alex received the shirt. Before parting ways with Perot after a long and beautiful relationship, I snapped this photo so that as my brain ages I can remember it like it was yesterday.

Panamá

Sometimes it's the people. . .

This one is priceless. Not only is there a kid at the bar, but those boobies on the far left are superb.




I can never resist an epic self-portrait.

Things to buy in Japan

I know, I know, it's been about a decade since I wrote anything, so this post will certainly make up for it. I also know that it has been months since I was in Japan, but some things never get old. Japan is a land of kitschy crap. Said crap can be purchased nearly anywhere and is endlessly entertaining to browse. Enjoy some of the awesome potential purchases the great nation of Japan has to offer. The above shirt expresses my greatest sentiment.
If you are confused as to what this multi-colored toilet paper is for, the plastic wrap it's in tells you...it's for number deux.
A certified George Bush Sr. talking action figure, sort of ironic. Evey little politicians dream. It really does talk. Believe it.
Never in my life have I wished so badly that I could read the Japanese language. It is clear that one would be enlightened by the offerings in the above catalog. Take a second and really look at all the photos on the cover and you will be pissing yourself with laughter...
For the avid golfer: Now you don't have to concentrate on just pooping. You can also improve your golf game at the same time! And though I'm sure this is 100% Japanese innovation, the packaging with a stupid white guy on it shows clearly who will use it. I hope this "game" comes with the warning to not actually try to poop and golf on a real golf course.
YES! What little girl has never dreamed of having a purse made out of a dead toad?
Special to Okinawa, Habu sake. Habu is a deadly, venemous snake on the island of Okinawa so what better than to make booze out of it. Habu sake is available anywhere curious tourists are, and is actually a beverage that is consumed. I abstained from drinking it, however not from taking photos of it.

When planning your next trip to Japan, be sure to save some room in your luggage for all the one-of-a-kind souvenirs. If there is no room in the suit case, no worries, I'm absolutely sure that there will be some ridiculous luggage for purchase.