Doing stuff

Lately I have traded in nights of drinking endlessly and mornings of gut wrenching hang overs with Reese Witherspoon movies for activities in Toronto. This city is very lively and it is about time I stop complaining about the awful weather and enjoy all the excitement around me. Last year I had a chance to catch a baseball game, watch some local theater, go to a Canadian Football game, and go to the Ex twice!

I also went to a Rodeo.

I have never actually been to a rodeo so I didn’t know what to expect. I did think beer and country rock was customary. Then again, I am in Toronto. Instead of some down home hooting and hollering I saw people sip merlot and clap politely. Since I went alone I kept my fist pumps, USA chants, and studio audience jeers to a minimum. I did laugh nervously when I saw a real life rodeo clown.

I am not scared of clowns but I do find something creepy about the men that take on such an occupation. They tend to be miserable drunks. When I was 8 years old I was pushed to the ground by  McGruff the Crime Dog after asking for a hug. I know people in costumes aren’t clowns but they are in the same category. Jerks.

I also went to Monster Jam last week.

Last time I went to a monster truck show I got into a fight with some 9 year old kid that claimed Grave Digger and myself suck and suggested we both enter hell.

This Monster Jam was less violent but I was lucky enough to witness many cars flipping. I do enjoy crashes.Other cars just died for no reason. They would drive onto the track, build up my hopes, then just die. The Grumpy Owl put it best when he said “Toronto is where cars,and dreams, come to die.” Very very true.

Much like the rodeo, Monster Jam lacked shirtless men and kids cursing. They did sing both national anthems and I am proud to say that I represented America well, having no problem being the only person singing and stomping about to The Star Spangled Banner.

Next week I am taking my companion to Little House on the Prairie the Musical. Then the week after that I am taking him to his first professional basketball game. It is going to be the Toronto Raptors vs the Sacramento Kings. I hope the Kings have better luck here than those trucks had.

The Companions

(All pictures for this post taken from Fanpop which has photos, bios, and pretty much everything you want from any tv show and movie you desire)

As stated before I am going to discuss some Doctor Who companions. I am not familiar with EVERY companion (yet) so for now lets focus on the new series shall we?

I am not counting Mickey, Sarah Jane, Captain Jack Harkness, or K9 on this list because they had very short runs and I would like to discuss them more in the future individually.

First off :ROSE

I will admit when I started watching the new series I didn’t want to like Rose Tyler. As a dark haired lady I have a slight bias towards blonds. Of course I never hold a grudge and in fact some of my favorite tv characters are blond (Kelly Taylor on 90210, Paris Geller on Gilmore Girls, and even Nelly Oleson on Little House on the Prairie). It didn’t take long for me to appreciate and even root for Rose. I loved the chemistry between her and the 9th Doctor (teacher and student) and wished that could have been shared between her and the 10th Doctor (love sick puppy and pity party dude).

Likes: Rose could stand on her own. Street smart and normal. Dressed appropriately. Grew to love the Doctor instead of instantly becoming obsessed (Martha I’m looking at you!”). Favorite Episode: Doomsday (I cried)

Dislikes: Treated her mom and Mickey like crap. Thought she was better than other people and entitled to be on the TARDIS. Least Favorite Episode: New Earth (Dude, he’s new and you are already making girlie eyes at him? Don’t you miss that Eccleston smile?)

Next up: MARTHA

I had high hopes for Martha. She’s brown-I’m brown, she’s a doctor-I go to doctors, she’s pretty- I go to doctors, I thought this was my time to shine! I was wrong. Martha broke social/racial boundaries for the show (sorry Mickey you don’t count) but she did nothing for the storyline. She immediately fell for the Doctor and for the rest of her travels was nothing but a bitter love sick baby. And for being a doctor herself she knew very little about anything. Seriously they made the first black female companion second best. Of course, we the fans love and prefer Rose but they also made the Doctor the same way creating a character who is not quite good enough then they wonder why we don’t like her? You made her pathetic and unlikeable. Now I am not playing the race card here, if they had any actress playing Martha she would be just as bad. I am just mad they thought they were doing a good/new thing by making her black then giving her such a weak and vulnerable character. Then of course at the end of her run (last episode) they give her a stronger role and toss her to Torchwood saying “See, she was strong and brave all along”. Well, you fooled me.

Likes: She was *suppose* to be smart and independent. She’s black. She flirted with Captain Jack (who wouldn’t?). She loves and respects her family. Favorite Episode: Last of the Time Lords (Her strongest role)

Dislikes: Where to begin? Everything. She even wore inappropriate running shoes.

Finally: DONNA

Where do I begin with Donna Noble? I LOOOOOOVE HER!!!!

Ever since I saw her in Runaway Bride I loved this woman. She is an older,sassy, funny lady. She was a perfect companions for the 10th Doctor. He needed to get away from love sick kids and just have a buddy to travel with for a while. She made me love the show again. I can’t even discuss her because I love her too much. She was strong (even after her first fiancee tried to kill her) and perfect (even though she has a tendency to be hung over often).

Likes: Everything. She put the Doctor in check when he didn’t show empathy or was just acting a fool. She was never jealous of the other companions. Funny and charming. Good natured with a short temper. Favorite Episode: Turn Left

Dislikes: A bit self absorbed. Least Favorite Episode: Not sure yet. Let me re-watch this series and get back to you.

Goodbye tenth doctor

David Tennant is my favorite doctor. Maybe it’s my love of a man in a suit or maybe I just like Scottish people. We had some good times together.

I won’t pretend I have always been a die hard Doctor Who fan. I wasn’t. The only reason I watched the show as a child was because in the 80’s at 1am your entertainment options were limited. I could watch infomercials or Doctor Who followed by The Star Gazer.

Trust me, if Night Court was on I would have watched that in an instant.

Anyways back to Doctor Who.

I am really glad they turned Tennant’s last moments into a series of specials. I am not sure I could have handled a season with ANOTHER companion. Don’t get me wrong, I love Rose and Donna (and kinda not hate Martha) but the change over every season is just too much. Especially since the old one always returns during season finales. (I will get into the companions in a later post cuz trust me, I can go on for days).

Tennant had a good run and it is time for him to leave but gosh darn it, I cried. When I flip through the channels and see him on the screen my belly hurts with giddiness. Sure, there are things about him I hated (like the fact he fell in love, his mood swings and his playing the ‘I’m the last of the Time Lords’ pity card all the time).Still he was fun, exciting, and had empathy. He made me love the show.

Tenth doctor, you will be missed (but not really since I have the DVD’s)

2009: You were okay I suppose

So much has happened since I rang in the new year last year. The only thing I recall from that new years party was yelling at people to find my missing socks. How they became missing I do not know.

Those were younger, simpler times.

2009 started with me being drunk, cold, and homesick. This first few months tested my relationship with old grumps while also testing my widening waist line. I moved up a few pant sizes while my ego moved down a few.

By spring things seemed to be in order. I was taking private clarinet lessons and in a French class. My drinking became homebound and I was loving the melting snow.

Then I got deported.

For the month of May the lovely grumpus took care of my Davy while I was sent back to Sacramento to get my affairs in order. I spent this time bonding with Janell who has to be one of the nicest people on the planet. Though she is a vegan she didn’t mind my midnight beef jerky feasts.

Then I came back to Canada, spent a few months chasing the sun then went to school. While I rode out the rest of the year in school I made a few new friends, began jarring stuff, got engaged, and lost a Bruno.

I ended this kinda dull/very eventful year spending Christmas with a very nice family with good food. It reminded me of when the Ingalls went to Winoka and that street urchin Albert decides to hang about. The family feels sorry for him and feeds him. Then he never leaves. That’s pretty much what happened this Christmas. I was given a nice meal and a warm bed. Then as I left to make my way back home I said a pleasant “See you next year!!” followed by an angry mumbled “whether you like it or not!!!!”

That’s kind of the Hill Family motto for new years: See you next year, whether you like it or not!!!!!

We have enemies.

The Name Game

Shalome.

What a delightfully Jewish name. If my mom knew what she was doing maybe she would have thought twice before giving me my name. Of course she didn’t name me Shalome originally. Due to all the drugs she was on in the hospital the name on my birth certificate is Shlom. Sounds like a disease or piece of lunch meat. Lucky for me she changed it a month later.

Shalome Anita-Leigh Hill. That’s my name. And curious enough my initials are also the first four letters of my name. Since I will soon be an Oakley I get to add another letter to my name. Now all I need is the M and the E and I will have my first name spelled out with all the initials of  my name. Perhaps I should keep my first husbands last name Eastman. Almost covered. Then, just for kicks I will add my moms maiden name Medina. There. With all the extra hyphenated last names added on I can have my initials spell out my first name.

Then what?

Tv makes me who I am

I know people who are hypochondriacs. They read about a disease and all of a sudden they are on deaths door. Well, that is not me. I truly believe I am gonna die fighting a tiger while saving a bus full of school children and elderly folks. That is just the kinda girl I am.

But this does not stop me from believing I share the same fate as people on tv. If I watch a show where a woman is pregnant I start thinking I feel a baby kicking my insides, even if I am on my lady time. Recently I watched a show where a girl had body dysmorphic disorder. I decided I had that too. I started thinking that maybe I think I am ugly. I started working out a bunch while eating a lot less. This lasted 3 days.

I don’t have body dysmorphic disorder. No one that looks at themselves half naked in the mirror as much as I do does. No one that takes photos like this and posts them online would suffer such a disorder.

God, I miss that sun!!!!!

I think my problem is I feel what women feel, even if that is not part of my life. I hate the fashion industry for creating an image of what beauty is suppose to be and causing women to starve and hate their bodies, even if I have never hated my body personally. I hate that we women judge and belittle each other because one wears Uggs and sweats while the other wears heels and skirts.

We try to pretend we know what is sexy and what men want. Well having four brothers and dating various men I think I know what they want.

You!!! Not your shoes, clothes, or hair. They want “dat ass”. And they should.

Got some junk in dat trunk? Honey, don’t starve. Men have written songs in your honor. Boobs too small? Never stopped me from getting attention. But it is easy for me to say “get over it, love yourself!” cuz I think I look good. Damn good. And I have people in my life who never make me feel less than myself (of course when I start acting like the Queen of Sheba they tear me down a few pegs but thats expected, I’m an asshole).

I am not sure what makes a woman decide to hate her body. I do know that tv does not help. Watching shows where women are starving themselves, even if it is to teach a lesson, makes me think I am doing something wrong in my life. Being happy with myself, how dare I? Where is my movie? Who wants to see a curvy girl golly, drunk, and shaking her ass on the dance floor?

I do. And so do men.

And lesbians. Can’t forget the lesbians.

Busy Busy Busy

Yes. That has been my life these past few months. I have gotten myself into some pretty boring crap lately. School and work has been taking up most of my time. If you wanna hear about some of my homework go visit Grumpy.

I also went to the orthodontist today. He took off my old braces and gave me new ones. I got the kind kids get that come with colorful rubber bands. This months color is powder blue.

Some other things I have been doing: Had more than one scary moment in a taxi, made gumbo, faked doing drugs so drunks would think I was “down”, cleaned my house, working out and counting calories for fun, set aside the Sookie Stackhouse novels for now to begin reading Wicked, took nose ring out.

I also bought an electric/fake wood burning stove. I put it inside my fireless fire place. It looks silly now but once the lights are down and I got that fake fire going with some Harry Potter on the tv……pure romance!

I got these snow cleats that you attach to the bottom of your shoes for more friction. We had our first snow today (well, yesterday really but today was the first day I left the house). I may have jumped the gun with the cleats. The snow fell on the ground and pretty much melted away. On a positive note I walked to school tap dancing (or at least sounding like was).

Did you know I am renting and learning the oboe?

Tonight I am gonna play that bitch, along with hula hooping and baking peanut butter cup cupcakes.

Girl Party

A few weeks ago I went to a Girl Party hosted by Nadja.

This is a great idea for a party. Just the ladies. Sometimes I like just sitting around sipping on libations and having a gab-fest. Men are nice but I can do without them a good 80% of my life. This was also a good way to meet ladies without seeming like I wanna take them home.

I do not remember much about the party but I did make new friends. And pictures were taken. And my face got crazier and crazier.

By the end of the night I was handing out cupcakes to strangers on the street.

Looking crazy.

Update

I did some jarring, went to a Girl Party, and attended a rodeo at the Royal Fair. Unfortunately my computer and camera are fighting so for now please enjoy this silly picture they gave me for free at the Royal Fair. The lady told me to pretend I am in a chilly forest. My double chin also decided to make an appearance.

Losing my faith

Growing up Baptist in a poor black neighborhood taught me a few things. Number 1- Never trust “the man”. Number 2- When mixing drinks Kool Aid is a good option. And Number 3- Gospel music is AMAZING! Whether or not I believe in Jesus is irrelevant. I enjoy music, and I enjoy things made with passion (for instance I make my taco’s with much passion, thus I enjoy them). I love the energy and power a gospel choir has. If politics were set this way I would know what was going on.

Please take a few seconds to view this amazing choir. Look at the energy in that group. It sucks you in and  makes you want to know more about this man they sing about. What has gotten them so excited and how can I get some?

But with all good things there are white people around fuck it up. Not that I am racist in any way, I just find the majority tends to take anything the minority has, whiten it up, and sell it at a discount price (Taco Bell, Kung Fu/Chuck Norris). As a result you get something like this.

I loooved this song when I was a kid. My grandmother would play this record all the time and I do not recall it being so “jazzy”. They replaced the church organ and soulful vocals with a casio keyboard and funk guitar.And why?

Cuz white people enjoy sucking the soul out of everything good and pure.