Yesterday morning I had the most wonderful dream! I only really remember two images, but the dream was so full, I loved it!
The first image was of me opening a large door to a house, from the inside (I think the door was green). On the other side of the door was my college roommate Alex, except he was no longer the scruffy, youthful, frazzled-yet-charming boy who stayed up all hours of the night re-playing Halo 2 (twice) that I knew in college. He was a man. And what's more, he was not alone: He was holding a very young, blond girl in his arms (she had her arms around his neck), and there was a lovely lady standing next to him, holding the hand of another, slightly older blond girl. We immediately embraced. That's when I realized what was going on: after so long, I was meeting Alex's daughters for the first time (I had already met his wife at the wedding, years before). They were beautiful girls. Perfect and well behaved and wonderful.
I think I had me a significant other as well, so the second image was of the four grown-ups (and maybe the girls, I really can't be sure) sitting around my (stunning) dining room table eating a large bird I had just roasted. We were laughing and talking and reminiscing. Oh, how wonderful it was for me and _____ to see Alex and _____ again!
And then I woke up.
The dream made me excited about growing up. I saw and felt that after so long and with the addition of 4 people we don't even know yet, Alex and I were still the same people. We could still sit with each other and be entertained and not feel strange about the time that had passed between us. It was such a comfort to me after the fitful night of sleep I'd just had.
I can't wait to meet your beautiful babies, Alex! Maybe now you'll name one after me??
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
My Lady
Tonight marks my last night in Vancouver. I've had last nights in Vancouver before, so this one seems a little bit easier, more usual. My friends I'll keep, the furniture I'm taking, history and memories I've got, so I'm beginning to realise the thing I'll miss most about living in Vancouver is my one and only: La Condesa.
For those of you who don't know, La Condesa (Spanish for The Countess) is the name of my quaint little 1950's eight-suite apartment building. She has a pink stove and a pink oven. She looks out towards the South because she loves the sunshine. She's a bit of a hypochondriac so she lives right across the street from the hospital. She's got a quiet, breezy little roof deck and basically I just love her!
She has sheltered many special people - from Caitlin Campbell to Tanya Black, from Stefanie Schussel to Gabi Jirasek, from Navid Mozaffarian to Elise Freeman - and her warmth has been felt by all.
It's particularly sad to leave her now; things aren't going well for my Lady these days. She's had a couple break-ins. And the dumpster divers' clanging bottles keep her up at night. She's leaking and cracking and creaking and old. I know that, in time (ten years tops), she will no longer be, and a more stylish, greener, taller building will be in her place. So I fear this may be the last time I lay eyes upon her boxy form, her modest front lawn, her exhilarating entryway mosaic.
Ok, so I know the people taking over my suite, which means I may actually end up seeing her again, but in the spirit of romanticism: She shall e'er live on in my heart as the coziest post-collegiate hearth and home I've doth known. From now on, I shall shelter her memory, as she once sheltered my bosom and heart...
To La Condesa!
For those of you who don't know, La Condesa (Spanish for The Countess) is the name of my quaint little 1950's eight-suite apartment building. She has a pink stove and a pink oven. She looks out towards the South because she loves the sunshine. She's a bit of a hypochondriac so she lives right across the street from the hospital. She's got a quiet, breezy little roof deck and basically I just love her!
She has sheltered many special people - from Caitlin Campbell to Tanya Black, from Stefanie Schussel to Gabi Jirasek, from Navid Mozaffarian to Elise Freeman - and her warmth has been felt by all.
It's particularly sad to leave her now; things aren't going well for my Lady these days. She's had a couple break-ins. And the dumpster divers' clanging bottles keep her up at night. She's leaking and cracking and creaking and old. I know that, in time (ten years tops), she will no longer be, and a more stylish, greener, taller building will be in her place. So I fear this may be the last time I lay eyes upon her boxy form, her modest front lawn, her exhilarating entryway mosaic.
Ok, so I know the people taking over my suite, which means I may actually end up seeing her again, but in the spirit of romanticism: She shall e'er live on in my heart as the coziest post-collegiate hearth and home I've doth known. From now on, I shall shelter her memory, as she once sheltered my bosom and heart...
To La Condesa!
Be My Guest: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Cheesecake
Hello folks,
I would like to introduce to you my newest segment: Be My Guest. This is where I feature an entry from a guest blogger who really captures the essence of the Ultimate TJ Kous. The below was written by my sister, known in the blogging world as Crumpets. Enjoy.
(ps. if you ever want to be featured in Be My Guest let me know, we'll talk!)
Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Cheesecake
In honor of the Ultimate TJ Kous’s imminent return to the land of his birth, I dedicate this blog to the one and only institution that celebrates the very best and worst of what America has to offer: The Cheesecake Factory.
If you’ve never been to The Cheesecake Factory (or what I will henceforth refer to as CheeFa, a liberty I feel comfortable taking due to my self-appointed blogger status) I’d say stop what you’re doing right now (well, finish reading this first), begin a competitive eating training regiment in order to sufficiently stretch your stomach (cause, believe me, it’s not ready), get yourself to the nearest CheeFa location and prepare to taste the flavors of red, white and blue.
I don’t care if you are now or have ever been a member of the Communist Party. To not love CheeFa is as un-American as it gets. What’s not to love is what’s not to hate: the oversized portions; the appropriation (read: bastardization) of foreign cuisines; the sheer amount of booths in the restaurant (oh, the booths!); the mechanized corporate-speak of the servers (up-sell, up-sell, up-sell); the endless tome of a menu.
Being handed the multi-laminated-page menu, in all its spiral-bound glory is both the most exciting and daunting moment of the experience. Yes, I have some tried and true favorites (Grilled Chicken and Avocado Club, Luau Salad, Barbeque Ranch Chicken Salad, Chinese Chicken Salad), but the pressure is always on to CHOOSE SOMETHING NEW. Will I like the Barbeque Chicken Pizza? Will the Crusted Chicken Romano taste as delicious as it sounds? Will the Fresh Fish Tacos be messy to eat? Is it lame to order The Factory Burger since I could get that at another restaurant? Does it make sense to order Spicy Cashew Chicken at CheeFa when I could get it at the Chinese restaurant on the corner? These questions plague me, to the point of causing displeasure (Yes! I said it, displeasure at the Cheesecake Factory! It does exist.)
This ordering process too closely resembles my everyday life, the life full of opportunity and choice, the life I’m afforded just by virtue of the fact that I AM AMERICAN. It is my job, in some cases my duty, to choose, and I just so happen to be one of those people who think they want a little taste of everything and ends up always ordering the very same thing.
The ultimate question is: Do I enjoy my Luau Salad any less just because I order it every single time?
Or, wait, is it: Should I just order the Factory Burger if I want it?
Or: If Obama or Clinton wins the Democratic nomination will we be stuck with another
Republican president?
(Should I just move back to Canada?)
No matter how painful the experience may be I go back for one reason and one reason alone: I love me a big portion. And, I don’t mean this as any sort of metaphor for being American (I want a three-car garage and the cars to fill it!). I mean exactly what I say. I walk through those doors, in cites from Marina del Rey to Boston, MA, into the bustling, cavernous, sanctuary because I know beyond a shadow of a doubt I will be presented with the largest single portion of food I can find at any restaurant, and I will walk out of that restaurant more uncomfortably full than imaginable. And, though I will feel like the fattest person in the room as I depart, I’m comforted by one steadfast rule: I will never be the fattest person in the room. This is America, after all.
For now, I’m thankful there is no CheeFa in New York City (I can barely decide which Chinese food place on the corner I should order from). But, perhaps it is in these moments when I venture outside the city where I dwell, deeper into the land of the free and the home of the brave, and find myself holding a menu with ads and 33 types of cheesecake (one called 6 Carb, made with Splenda!) that I become the very best version of myself, the one who is about to stand for something, right or wrong, rich or poor, fries or a salad. It doesn’t matter what I choose, it’s that I have no choice but to choose, and therefore I am all that I can be as I look up into the imploring eyes of the server who asks, “What’ll it be?”
I would like to introduce to you my newest segment: Be My Guest. This is where I feature an entry from a guest blogger who really captures the essence of the Ultimate TJ Kous. The below was written by my sister, known in the blogging world as Crumpets. Enjoy.
(ps. if you ever want to be featured in Be My Guest let me know, we'll talk!)
Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Cheesecake
In honor of the Ultimate TJ Kous’s imminent return to the land of his birth, I dedicate this blog to the one and only institution that celebrates the very best and worst of what America has to offer: The Cheesecake Factory.
If you’ve never been to The Cheesecake Factory (or what I will henceforth refer to as CheeFa, a liberty I feel comfortable taking due to my self-appointed blogger status) I’d say stop what you’re doing right now (well, finish reading this first), begin a competitive eating training regiment in order to sufficiently stretch your stomach (cause, believe me, it’s not ready), get yourself to the nearest CheeFa location and prepare to taste the flavors of red, white and blue.
I don’t care if you are now or have ever been a member of the Communist Party. To not love CheeFa is as un-American as it gets. What’s not to love is what’s not to hate: the oversized portions; the appropriation (read: bastardization) of foreign cuisines; the sheer amount of booths in the restaurant (oh, the booths!); the mechanized corporate-speak of the servers (up-sell, up-sell, up-sell); the endless tome of a menu.
Being handed the multi-laminated-page menu, in all its spiral-bound glory is both the most exciting and daunting moment of the experience. Yes, I have some tried and true favorites (Grilled Chicken and Avocado Club, Luau Salad, Barbeque Ranch Chicken Salad, Chinese Chicken Salad), but the pressure is always on to CHOOSE SOMETHING NEW. Will I like the Barbeque Chicken Pizza? Will the Crusted Chicken Romano taste as delicious as it sounds? Will the Fresh Fish Tacos be messy to eat? Is it lame to order The Factory Burger since I could get that at another restaurant? Does it make sense to order Spicy Cashew Chicken at CheeFa when I could get it at the Chinese restaurant on the corner? These questions plague me, to the point of causing displeasure (Yes! I said it, displeasure at the Cheesecake Factory! It does exist.)
This ordering process too closely resembles my everyday life, the life full of opportunity and choice, the life I’m afforded just by virtue of the fact that I AM AMERICAN. It is my job, in some cases my duty, to choose, and I just so happen to be one of those people who think they want a little taste of everything and ends up always ordering the very same thing.
The ultimate question is: Do I enjoy my Luau Salad any less just because I order it every single time?
Or, wait, is it: Should I just order the Factory Burger if I want it?
Or: If Obama or Clinton wins the Democratic nomination will we be stuck with another
Republican president?
(Should I just move back to Canada?)
No matter how painful the experience may be I go back for one reason and one reason alone: I love me a big portion. And, I don’t mean this as any sort of metaphor for being American (I want a three-car garage and the cars to fill it!). I mean exactly what I say. I walk through those doors, in cites from Marina del Rey to Boston, MA, into the bustling, cavernous, sanctuary because I know beyond a shadow of a doubt I will be presented with the largest single portion of food I can find at any restaurant, and I will walk out of that restaurant more uncomfortably full than imaginable. And, though I will feel like the fattest person in the room as I depart, I’m comforted by one steadfast rule: I will never be the fattest person in the room. This is America, after all.
For now, I’m thankful there is no CheeFa in New York City (I can barely decide which Chinese food place on the corner I should order from). But, perhaps it is in these moments when I venture outside the city where I dwell, deeper into the land of the free and the home of the brave, and find myself holding a menu with ads and 33 types of cheesecake (one called 6 Carb, made with Splenda!) that I become the very best version of myself, the one who is about to stand for something, right or wrong, rich or poor, fries or a salad. It doesn’t matter what I choose, it’s that I have no choice but to choose, and therefore I am all that I can be as I look up into the imploring eyes of the server who asks, “What’ll it be?”
Saturday, November 10, 2007
The Afterblog
You Canadians out there (and possibly some Americans) know all about the Hills Aftershow with Jessi and Dan from MTV Canada. Well, even though I hate it, my friends Marty P and Emma VII dressed up as them for Halloween. Their costumes were magnificent, and they defintely won the award for Most In-Character costume - they never broke. It was actually kind creepy... Anyway, like it does, news spread (as did pictures) and Jessi and Dan (ps. Dan Levi is Eugene's son!) personally invited the girls to join them via webcam on The Aftershow November 19th!
How terribly avant-garde!
Good luck girls. I'll YouTube it.
How terribly avant-garde!
Good luck girls. I'll YouTube it.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Telly on Telly: O'er Hills and Dale
I just don't get it. Last week everyone from Patrick Conn to Perez Hilton was absolutely baffled by The Hills. People have been all abuzz about LC's nail polish, Audrina's lack of a job, "and did you know that they don't even live in the apartment anymore?" I only have one thing to say to all these people who are completely dumbfounded with the construction of MTV's best reality program:
NO DUH!
The first clue (and this was in the first episode people!) was that the month The Hills premiered on MTV Lauren Conrad herself, the newly hired intern at Teen Vogue, graced the cover of that same mag. Ummmm.... I don't know about you, but where I come from lowly interns are not covergirls. Correct me if you know otherwise.
I did an interesting thing last month. Having just admitted that I enjoy The Hills but never having seen Laguna Beach, I decided to watch the first two seasons. I did not watch to be entertained, however. I watched with an analytical eye and let me tell you, the structure is very much there. It's pretty much blinding when you look for it. You should try it: go back and watch these shows. Imagine if MTV came to your highschool and selected the most interesting and beautiful creatures to be filmed. I'm sure it would more than resemble Laguna.
Where is The Hills going to go from here? Now that the secret's out what will happen to the livelihood of the show? Will we still watch? Has it lost it's appeal? Do we care what happens now that we know it's not actually happening?
In a related/unrelated point, I want to clear the air and let you know what "team" I'm on. You know how it is - Team Heidi, Team Lauren, the wildcard Team Audrina... To be honest, I don't really care all that much. All I know is Lauren was hurt and Heidi and Spencer are worthless. I know Audrina's not a true friend and to be honest, I can't spend too much time thinking about (or spending time with) any of these people. So, from this day forward I form TEAM LO - for all those who throw sass, and only stop in every couple of weeks for the party, for those of us who've know LC from the beginning and stick around because we love her, and (most importantly) for those who judge harshly without hesitation or concern for feelings. Long live LO!
What team are YOU on?
In conclusion I am going to leave you with my true feelings: At the end of the day, I don't really like The Hills...
I love it.
Telly on Telly: The List
I realized this weekend (with the help of fellow bloggers) that I should publish my list here on the blog so that you folks can know what to expect, or even suggest items on the list you'd like me to blog about!
Here she is, in no particular order:
Lost
The Tudors
Jamie At Home
Everyday Italian
Forever Summer
Nigella Feasts
Giada's Weekend Getaways
Top Chef
Project Runway
Nip/Tuck
Big Love
Six Feet Under
Entourage
Sex and The City
Da Ali G Show
Ugly Betty
Ed vs. Spencer
The Powerpuff Girls
So You Think You Can Dance
Tracey Takes On...
The Golden Girls
My Super Sweet 16
The Sarah Silverman Program
Match Game
Full House
Recess
Arrested Development
8th & Ocean
Jonny Quest
Maui Fever
Absolutely Fabulous
Seinfeld
The Naked Truth
Soul Train
Gossip Girl
Once and Again
Saved By the Bell
What Not To Wear
Punk'd
The Simpsons
Wacky Races
Aeon Flux
Strangers With Candy
Jeopardy!
Anything with The Duggar Family
Dance 360
The Magic School Bus
Weeds
The Colbert Report
Yo Momma
Lingo
Engaged and Underage
Party of Five
Planet Earth
Stella
Flavor of Love
The Hills
Avatar: The Last Airbender
The Fabulous Life Of...
Tiny Toon Adventures
Cheaters
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Wonder Showzen
The Office
Little Britain
Mad Men
Cashmere Mafia
Jon & Kate Plus Eight
Chelsea Lately
Summer Heights High
Brothers & Sisters
The Biggest Loser
The Riches
The Girls Next Door
Melrose Place
Unscripted
The Comeback
Here she is, in no particular order:
Lost
The Tudors
Jamie At Home
Everyday Italian
Forever Summer
Nigella Feasts
Giada's Weekend Getaways
Top Chef
Project Runway
Nip/Tuck
Big Love
Six Feet Under
Entourage
Sex and The City
Da Ali G Show
Ugly Betty
Ed vs. Spencer
The Powerpuff Girls
So You Think You Can Dance
Tracey Takes On...
The Golden Girls
My Super Sweet 16
The Sarah Silverman Program
Match Game
Full House
Recess
Arrested Development
8th & Ocean
Jonny Quest
Maui Fever
Absolutely Fabulous
Seinfeld
The Naked Truth
Soul Train
Gossip Girl
Once and Again
Saved By the Bell
What Not To Wear
Punk'd
The Simpsons
Wacky Races
Aeon Flux
Strangers With Candy
Jeopardy!
Anything with The Duggar Family
Dance 360
The Magic School Bus
Weeds
The Colbert Report
Yo Momma
Lingo
Engaged and Underage
Party of Five
Planet Earth
Stella
Flavor of Love
The Hills
Avatar: The Last Airbender
The Fabulous Life Of...
Tiny Toon Adventures
Cheaters
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Wonder Showzen
The Office
Little Britain
Mad Men
Cashmere Mafia
Jon & Kate Plus Eight
Chelsea Lately
Summer Heights High
Brothers & Sisters
The Biggest Loser
The Riches
The Girls Next Door
Melrose Place
Unscripted
The Comeback
Thursday, November 1, 2007
...But It's Not My Fault
I know it's been a while since I posted and for this I am sorry, but let me just explain!
I got robbed - nay, BURGLED - last Saturday and the bastard took my laptop and my ipod (along with my roommates' computer, ipods, and jewelery). So now I have no computer to blog on! Normally this wouldn't seem like a problem given that I sit around BedCetera all day and have plenty of time to blog during the workday. But alas, we've been hiring people like crazy and for the last two weeks I've been training new recruits. I would be setting a bad example if I bummed around on the internet all day.... work's much harder when you actually have work to do!
You may be wondering how I am blogging right now.....I have deceived my coworkers into thinking I am making a To Do list for tomorrow, but really I'm not! They're chatting right next to me and have no idea!
Please don't lose faith in the Ultimate TJ Kous! I promise you I will be back with a vengeance after this weekend (I'm hoping to reap my birthday present [a new laptop] from my parents when I meet them in NYC). I'm sorry (particularly Warren and Lauren), but it's not my fault!
Excuse me, but I've got a To Do list to write.
I got robbed - nay, BURGLED - last Saturday and the bastard took my laptop and my ipod (along with my roommates' computer, ipods, and jewelery). So now I have no computer to blog on! Normally this wouldn't seem like a problem given that I sit around BedCetera all day and have plenty of time to blog during the workday. But alas, we've been hiring people like crazy and for the last two weeks I've been training new recruits. I would be setting a bad example if I bummed around on the internet all day.... work's much harder when you actually have work to do!
You may be wondering how I am blogging right now.....I have deceived my coworkers into thinking I am making a To Do list for tomorrow, but really I'm not! They're chatting right next to me and have no idea!
Please don't lose faith in the Ultimate TJ Kous! I promise you I will be back with a vengeance after this weekend (I'm hoping to reap my birthday present [a new laptop] from my parents when I meet them in NYC). I'm sorry (particularly Warren and Lauren), but it's not my fault!
Excuse me, but I've got a To Do list to write.
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