"So let go, jump in... so well, whatcha waiting for?"

-- "Let Go," by Frou Frou

There's a scene in the movie Garden State, one of my very most favoritest films, where Sam (Natalie Portman) turns to Andrew (Zach Braff), or "Largeman," and says:

"This is your one opportunity to do something that no one has ever done before and that no one will copy throughout human existence. And if nothing else, you will be remembered as the one guy who ever did this. This one thing."

To which she does this fabulous little spaz of a dance and blurts silly noises.
(Tried to find a YouTube clip, but no luck. Looks like you'll have to watch the movie!)

We're always taught to emulate the good people and learn from the mistakes of those who maybe didn't consider the consequences, for whatever the reason, and so far learning and/or leading by example has worked considerably well. But isn't it nice to think that there are moments were we truly own and made happen exactly what's going on, even if just in that moment? Something we did and chose to do with all the gusto of our deepest inner being... and, regardless of whether or not there's a significant result once that moment passes, sometimes just the thought of knowing we took a chance on ourselves provides a much needed shift in our spiritual and mental paths. But, oh!, when something in the world does connect with our conscience and we try even harder... the possibilities defy all odds!

It's been a crazy week news-wise, which I deemed this post to be fitting, but I've also seen personally within myself and in others just what can be accomplished by stepping out of the box and finally taking the first step. It's been an inspiration and a comfort to me; the sight that hope, happiness, and brazen excitement still exists in a world so innately tragic is damn fine thing.

As for me, I feel like I've slowly tapped at an inner strength no power bar or vitamin as afforded me yet, and I'm finding more complacency in parts of my life that generally run nothing short of chaotic. I hope the rest of the summer allows me to continue this new "inner workout" so that when game time comes in the fall, I'm in tip top condition to make it through at a personal best. No spandex shorts required.

I have a lot of blogging material on stand-by, and I hope I can get it all together before I take off for vacay next week (talk about excitement!). So I encourage you to check back often. And, in the meantime, I encourage you further to take time out and do your own spaz of a dance and blurt silly noises. The freeing sensation alone is wonderful; the thought you could do something no one else in human existence could ever do... I'll let you experience it for yourself. =)

"Facebook": You Can Be Who You Want To, You Can Leave Your Fears Behind (or so you thought)

Blogging friends, Facebook-ians, and cyber countrymen,
Lend me your ears! (Or is it your eyes?) Dad-blasted.... Just listen up.

Summer's in full swing, which means my VISTA project and general happenings at my site are coming to a slow dwindle. Now that the office is quiet and a little slack, I find myself frequenting favorite internet sites a little more during down time; one of them being, of course, Facebook.

Ahhh, Facebook. The reason for so many online "reunions," a chance to run a farm or a city with no degree required, a special space to make your life one giant, open book... and to bring your hopes and dreams to a crushing, surprising demise. Now, I'll admit: When Facebook first began as a silly experiment (does anyone remember the actual WALL you wrote on?), I put some things up that are classified as "Embarrassing" by now. I've since tried to "bite my tongue" as the world has gotten smaller and I have to very wary of who and what can access my information. But as I've had more time to doof around and see what my friends ("friends"?) are up to, I've come to the realization about several things that just don't seem kosher when it comes to Facebook... Yes, readers, I'm about to get sassy.

1. There really should be a status-per-day limit. Is it really necessary to tell me EXACTLY what's going on or going through your head every 30min? I have _X_ amount of friends ("friends"?), and I really don't appreciate you taking up 80% of my news feed with your daily chore list and every emotional reaction you experience. And do you really want everyone knowing how boring or big of a nutcase you are? Even the priest cuts you off after so long in confession, and that's the juicy stuff! I suggest you learn the art of summarizing, or find something to do with yourself that's interesting. I've heard lion taming is the next hot thing.

2. You do know music lyrics are copyrighted, yes? Listen, we all have those days, bad and good, where sometimes there's a song that speaks to exactly what we're feeling. That's why music is such a powerful thing. But when your statuses (statusi?) are non-stop dribble from American Top 40, I begin to wonder when you've taken up being a walking karaoke machine. I'm scared to hold an in-person conversation with you for fear you're going to answer with Black-Eyed Peas cliches. How about you get creative and write the musical notes from Mozart or Chopin: "E-Flat D-Minor A-halfnote F G C... yup, just been one of those days." (<-- I made those notes up.) Or better yet, go scat! "Deedle dee do-op shmood-lee poo-boo-be-bop YEAAAH!" Celia likes this.

3. Why should I celebrate your 21st by watching you get trashed when you've been illegally blacking-out for years? Okay, so maybe there was a time or two when I was not-of-age and attended a house party or two with definitely of-age beverages. ("Whaddya mean that wasn't plain Kool-Aid?! I don't believe you, give me more so I can prove you wrong!") But for the most part, I waited my turn and had a proper inebriation celebration. But seriously? When your entire wall post and photo content consist of you engaging in trashy business since you were 13, an invitation to your "craaaazy!" 21st is like trying to suggest Red Lobster as fine dining. Don't use your birthday as a cheap ploy to get me to buy your booze for the night. In fact, YOU should buying ME drinks for keeping your dirty secret for so long.

4. Quoting Bible verses and posting joyous, whimsical statuses does not negate the fact you're a huge b*tch. Sorry, John, I know you don't like me using the "B" word; but if walks like a duck, sounds like a duck, and sure smells like a duck... Anyway. Listen, I'm just as big of a God-fearing girl as the next person; and also I understand you can love Jesus but drink a little. Yet just because you pronounce how blessedly magical your life is and/or how love or some higher power has washed over you like a sparkly rainbow waterfall... it doesn't take away the fact you're a rude, drama-inducing individual in real life and that there's living proof posted to your profile suggesting otherwise. Again, we're all human and prone to slips, but me thinks some of thee dost protest too loudly...

5. We get it. You're sick. For the bagillionth time this year. Listen, this is Facebook... not WebMD. Instead of wasting time posting 100x's a day about your projectile phlegm or swollen cranium, how about, oh I don't know, go get it checked out?? I'm sure not going to invite you out if you're going to be Debbie Disgusting the whole time. Or is it sympathy you're looking for? If that's the case, there's this thing called "support groups," and I sure know plenty of therapists looking for work. In the meantime, I'll be inclined to remove you from my friend list -- hypochondriac or not -- for fear your potential germs could somehow infect me via news feed.

6. Flashing the gangsta-quasi-peace sign in EVERY picture does not make me think you're hardcore, cool, or in anyway make me wish I be your BFF. Really. It's stupid. Until you've lived a day in Compton or sold your shoes to raise money for the orphans, I really don't get why you do it. This also goes for having your mouth gaping wide open, wearing your sunglasses in a dark bar, making sure your beverage of choice winds up in every photo, and posting the almost same exact shot 20x's. (Whatever happened to a nice side hug and saying "cheese"??) At least make some effort to make them entertaining. Experiment with your hand gestures and funny faces. Wear a sombrero. Or better yet? Just go out to have a good time without documenting every waking second. If you need a camera to piece together your nights, as mentioned earlier, there's this thing called "support groups"....

7. Continuous posting of articles by educated people does not make you educated. I'm a firm believer in the power of social media as an instant means of distributing information, and goodness knows I've posted lots of things as well as stumbled on some great pieces posted by friends. But good gracious, adding a slew of articles on your wall written by world renowned physicists, environmentalists, journalists, and political analysts grants you no academic merit. Last I checked Facebook 101 is not a college requirement.

8. Other random things that wet my willies: Spoiler statuses, baby fetus sonogram pictures, not giving credit to others for stealing their links or photos, adding a "signature" to the end of a comment (no really, it already says your name), not returning love left on your wall, having full-fledged conversations on a post or picture, getting 24 notifications because of a full-fledged conversation on something you wistfully "liked" in passing, continuous berating or negative statuses, asking me to join your really questionable group, and misquoting or bending the real story in a posted link.

Sigh. I promise I'm not usually this contemptuous (quit snickering in the corner over there, you!). It's an observation, and I'm sure you good folks reading this don't fall into any of these categories; and good Lord knows I've probably tripped a nerve with something I have or don't realize I'm doing (now's your chance to speak up or shut up... choose wisely). Bottom line, we all really need to take a step back and see what we're projecting through the lens of cyberspace. At the end of the day, those posted links, pictures, and comments aren't just type on a silly website. Whether we chose to believe it or not, Facebook has become the great connector; and with it comes great need for restriction. It's scary to think who can see what we do and have a recorded history of it. It's scarier that people are misjudged because they feel safe behind the computer and don't realize how it comes across on another person's screen.

(Found this on a blog entitled "Sick Facebook"... and who doesn't love talking animals?!)

And to those I may have offended: Put it in a status and call it a day already.

I'm one work day away from the weekend, and I have a feeling it's going to be a good one. (Like!)

Foodie Post #2: W.O.K. (World Oriental Kitchen)

Nothing says “modern gal” like Chinese food; watch any sitcom or Lifetime movie about a indepent lady with a sharp tongue and a packed PDA and there’s always that classic scene where we find her sitting in her messy apartment in her underpants: hair undone, glasses on, and working fervently on a report with her trusty lo mien and chopsticks standing by her side. Nothing says dedication like those little crispy noodles on top.

Now, I’m a sucker for the hole-in-the-wall Asian restaurants; but as my body decides it likes more to retain calories on my hips instead of being appropriately expended into energy (although I’m usually in desperate need of a nap after The Grand Buffett), I have to start making compromises with my favorite food choices. And, boy oh boy, am I in luck! In the mid-fall of last year, I was introduced to W.OK. (World Oriental Kitchen) while attending my friend Anne’s birthday dinner. I’m always pretty weary of those ultra-cool Asian fusion places; I would much rather high-tail it to the local greasy joint and risk the MSG-induced sweats than eat my fried rice from a martini glass and have a splitting headache from the bass-driven techno tunes. But WOK proves to be that happy medium between the “mom-‘n-papa-son” place and the super-trendy digs. The décor is nice balance between simple yet chic, an overall very clean but comfortable atmosphere.

Located on King Street downtown, W.O.K. is like the Subway of the East. You walk in and pick your base which is usually rice and/or noodles with veggies (I love the skinny rice noodles). From there, you pick your “toppings” from a variety of meats and vegetables, including the typical Asian faves like tofu, edamame, and bamboo shoots. What’s nice is you pay for what you want; I tend to naturally stick to more veggie rich dishes when eating Chinese, so I can load up on lots of flavorful colors and textures without breaking the bank or feeling sluggish afterwards. Lastly, you pick your sauce and they sauté your creation to perfection (I highly recommend the house plum-based sauce: a little sweet, a little spicy, but never heavy or slimy). They also have a variety of teas, wines, sakes, and beers if you’re in the mood to hang out a while. Once you’ve placed your order, pick your seat and within minutes they bring out your piping hot bowl of deliciousness.


(Check out my hot dates: Anne (L) and Minh (R), who always are there to encourage me to finish my plate.)

Of course there are similar places, but a few things set W.O.K. apart:
.::. For one, they’re very locally focused. There’s a general support for all things Charleston, not to mention a big portion of their food comes from South Carolina farmers and manufacturers. This tends to be a slight drawback in that they often run out of things if there is a bad season or the shipment is delayed, but it’s so nice to actually have honest-to-goodness taste and no processed after-dinner-bloat. It also heavily supports the Slow Food movement, which is very cool indeed.
.::. They have a great happy hour on their beverages and appetizers and lots of daily specials. I wish I had discovered their Facebook Fan Page sooner; if you’re a Charlestonian you might be able to jump on a last minute deal. If you’re planning a vacation to the Holy City soon, you can look ahead and plan your visit to WOK to take advantage of a great deal!
.::. WOK is one of the few places that tries hard to implement sustainable practices, and it’s refreshing to see them live it and not boast it for notoriety. Lots of the décor is made of recycled materials, the lights are LED and kept low to save on energy, the restrooms are water and energy efficient, the disposable silverware is the compostable corn-based material, and they have recycle bins to sort out the waste from the reusable. Whether you’re a tree-hugger or not, you can’t deny that efforts to go green are a win-win for all!
.::. You get a lot of food for a very reasonable price. My typical bill is around $10-12 for dinner, and I’ll usually have enough food leftover to bring to work for lunch the next day. Usually… depends on the kind of day I’m having. ;)
.::. They have these nifty little screen lights on your table; there’s a small button that changes the screen from red to blue which lets the kitchen staff know to check on your table. Need some more sauce? Allow me! *click*

So while my inner sassy girl-on-the-go will always hold a special place for the oil-drenched eggrolls and crispy sweet-and-sour chicken of the Hong Kong Panda Dragon China King’s, I’m happy to support WOK and it’s mantra of creating better food for a better world by providing fresh, Asian inspired favorites... letting your hair down and coming in your underpants is optional.

**Update! Upon double checking in on their Facebook page, I see they have sushi now, too! Praise be Buddah, how delish!

A Weak Excuse, A Plea for Reassurance, A Flatulence of Words I Just Can't Help.

Just having one of those nights where I feel like I need to run barefoot at 100mph and do a belly flop in the ocean. I've got a knot in my throat consisting of recent repressed anxious energy, and I feel the need to shake and shimmy until the rattles of my Pandora induced spasms break up the nervous thoughts colliding in my brain. Oiy, over-stimulation with minimal attention to my healthy outlets... I feel like a 3rd grader jacked up on birthday cake playing High School Musical Chairs (oh yes, it does exist).

The elementary schools I work with had their last day of school today. It hasn't hit me just yet, but I know Monday's going to be weird without doing my daily site visits every afternoon. It more importantly signifies the final stretch of my AmeriCorps term and the immediate life shift that will take place in August. I have so much yet to do and figure out, both in my current existence in Charleston and my future planning in Columbia, and it's creating a sizable stress load. I'm just feeling a tad off; I'm normally very Type-A and organized down to the color-coding and personal hierarchical system of present needs. But I feel so scattered lately and my sloppy "to do list" is getting frustratingly chaotic.

But, mon cheries, 'tis my own burden and I'll sort it out in due time. And by due, I mean "due or die." (You like zee play on words, no?) I'm hoping once I sort out this new schedule, take the time to make a legitimate game plan, and attend to the mundane tasks I've been avoiding, I can properly attempt the more enjoyably productive endeavors that have been manifesting in my creative inner-workings. Thank you for your patience. Thank you for the support! I really do hope this is worth maintaining....

With that, Happy Weekend, and I'll have more in a few days. :)

My silly poops, always there when I'm having a crazy moment.