I'm so in Ireland right now....

After about 18 hours of waiting in airports, flying on planes, and riding buses, I am finally in Galway with my best friend Meghan.

I am ecstatic to be here after what seems like months of planning and dreaming about it. However, I am only half awake right now, and need to take a serious nap.

Check back soon for more photos and updates from leprechaun land!


-Monica

Swedish Surprises!

My lovely Swedish ladies are back! And if you're thinking "Back? Where were they? Actually, I don't even know who these Swedish ladies are!"...then let me tell you a little story.

Last month, I met two women from Sweden--Anna and Pia. We instantly fell in love and spent every day with each other for a week while they were visiting Austin. And I was heartbroken on the day they left to travel through the rest of the states. Literally....heartbroken. I'm pretty sure I cried.

I've kept in contact with them about their adventures, still solemn knowing that I probably wouldn't see them again for a REALLY long time (because, um....they live in Sweden and what not.)

Well last night I was having dinner with some friends and they walked through the door. Easily the most I have been surprised and the best surprise ever! Everyone kept the secret from me really well. :)

But I am just so unbelievably touched that Anna and Pia came back to Austin to spend time with me at my birthday party! Sometimes people just make you feel so warm and fuzzy inside and you feel so lucky to have them in your lives. Duuude....they freakin paid hundreds of dollars to fly back for me on my birthday. I can easily say that this is going to be the most memorable and exciting birthday I've had.

I hate cleaning....

Of every chore I must do in life, cleaning is my least favorite.

Cleaning the tub,
Cleaning the sink,
Cleaning the toilet,
Cleaning the car,
Cleaning the ceiling fan,
Cleaning the floor,
Cleaning the dresser,
Cleaning up my clothes,
Cleaning clothes....also known as LAUNDRY....my worst enemy. I did two loads today and still have 8 more to go. Eight!

On a side note, I rather enjoy vacuuming, but I live in a house with wood floors, sooo.....

I would gladly pay someone for these services if I could afford it. Anyone who thinks that I am capable of doing these things well and on a regular basis is sadly mistaken. I have absolutely no desire to accomplish any of these chores on any given day.

I'm looking around thinking about how I promised myself I would do these things on Sunday. I even recruited a friend to help me and I'm STILL not motivated. Uhhhhhhhh......

One day, I know that I will find a man who will do all the chores around the house and I'll come home from work, dinner will be ready and waiting for me and he will be so excited to see me. And then I will wake up and realize, CRAP....that's never gonna happen.

Sifl and Olly Show

Does anyone remember this kickass show? It has made a comeback in my life recently thanks to You Tube and my friend John.


Umm, Chester is the coolest sock puppet EVER.


Here are some of my favorite clips:


"Chester Goes to the Roller Derby"






"Squirrels"



"Get the Bubbles, Chester!"



I can't stop laughing.

Rock Operas Totally Rock

Here's my next project everyone:

I want to create a horror rock opera using classic horror film characters and plotlines. I want to juxtapose themes of violence and gore with pop melodies of love and sorrow.

Imagine the following scene (close your eyes, it might help):

The curtains open and you see two sets of people, one on stage right and one stage left. They approach each other "West Side Story" style, snapping their fingers and ooh and aahing at each other. Look closely. You'll notice that one group is a gang of everyone's favorite bad guys (Freddie, Chuckie, Leatherhead, etc.) and the other are their victims, bloodied and terrified.







However, they start singing at each other, circling each other, snapping and jumping in the air, doing lunges and turns....you know, awesome dance moves. The entire scene is focused on dance fighting. Like, Michael Jackson's "Bad" or "Beat It". In fact, maybe that's the background music.

The scene ends with the victims collapsing on the ground, while the bad guys are hunched over, predatory.

As the curtains close however, you see something unusual. The bad guys are crying. And you wonder why. (Trust me, you do.)

Well, if you stayed and watched the rest, you would discover the answers....because this is musical is about the relationship between victim and victimizer and the search for meaning and happiness.







So the next step for me is this:

I would like to recruit my creative development team who will help me write this play, compose the music, and stage it live in the Spring/early Summer. I'm just putting it out there. Feel free to express your interest or throw it right back at me. But know this......A Nightmare on Musical Street WILL happen next year. And it will be bloody spectacular.

Barackulous!

Ok, ok, ok.....it has taken me several days to soak in the fact that we have a new President. I guess I had just come to terms about feeling depressingly apathetic, and often times embarrassed of our nation's leadership.

And then it happened.

Barack Obama won Tuesday night and just last night I felt something identifiably hopeful. All I know is this: I read this article yesterday from Germany quoting a leader there who said something along the lines of, "Everyone wants to be America right now".

Who wouldn't with a body like this?



Not only that, but he supports major need for education reform and teacher support. That's kind of what I do.

http://www.barackobama.com/issues/education/index.php#k-12


And he's funny:

[on being bi-racial] "During the holidays, it's like a mini United Nations. I've got relatives who look like Bernie Mac, and I've got relatives who look like Margaret Thatcher."

Oh you silly goose, Barack.

In conclusion, hoorah for a new President. I look forward to not be ridiculed for being American.

I Need Something Fun to Blog About...

So I'm off to find something deliciously entertaining or enlightening for my readers. Not sure, when I will return. It may take me a few days to find something so freaking fantastic.

Check back soon.