Posts Tagged ‘find the funny’

Let’s be honest, the best ideas for Valentine’s Day almost always comes from girls and women. That’s why Galentines Day is such a popular idea. I mean, ever since middle school my friends and I have talked about the perfect Valentine’s Day surprise from whoever we were crushing on at that moment. These were very specific ideas that guys would never think to do. When I was in the Eighth Grade, my idea was for this boy, Russell, to send me baby pink roses, pink peppermint ice cream, and pink furry slippers. I mean, c’mon, Russell had no idea I even liked him… well maybe a little bit of an idea. He did ask me to go steady at a party when we were slow dancing, but I whispered that I thought I was too young. After that we were both wayyyy too embarrassed to hang out together, so that was the end of our big relationship.  Years later when he became a rock star, he sent me tickets to his show. It was really nice of him and the seats were pretty good. True story.

LOVE IS ALL AROUND US —

Celebrate LOVE — its such a positive feeling we can all agree on – especially these days. Right?

TimeOut for Singles on Valentine’s Day

It’s not essential to be in a relationship or even have a romantic connection. Check out Time Out’s ideas for Singles in L.A. or Google “Ideas for singles in ( whatever city you’re in).  Then be spontaneous!

Spread the good feelings of Valentine’s Day. Surprise a friend, a neighbor, your BFF, or a family member with something sweet. As long as it it’s not too cheesy, you’ll make someone smile. And if no one sends you an unexpected Valentine treat, you can send one to yourself.  Just act surprised. I guarantee it’ll be exactly what you’re wishing for.

Or…invite your pals over and have everyone bring something they learned how to make on Instagram. There are sooooooo many great ideas for decorations, invitations, table settings, napkin folding —  and they have amazing reels showing how to make yummy-looking heart-shaped foods. One of my favorites is from Insta’s “SaraTreed.”

I’m definitely making her cinnamon heart to take to the hospital staff when I volunteer next Friday. Oh yes, a certain ER Doctor will be there. When he takes a bit of my cinnamon heart, he just might ask me to go steady. Don’t worry… this time I’ll say, “yes!” Ahahaha!

But how do I know if we’re both wearing masks?

The vibe’s different now. Covid’s basically under control and the staff isn’t freaking out about Monkey Pox, but MASKS are still required.

I miss SMILES… connecting with SMILES… getting feedback from SMILES… I especially miss  smiling with Dr. Privacy and seeing HIS smile. I hadn’t realized how important smiles were to my ER life because I took them for granted.

Sadly this is so not happening!

Mira says I’m totally overthinking this. She insists that he can see my eyes smile, but Mira’s like the ideal volunteer who always says and thinks the perfect thing — she’s like Mother Theresa’s daughter. When I look in the mirror, I don’t see smiling eyes. No, I see a fugly mask that goes yuckily with my fugly hospital smock. Guess I should be happy none of my fans can recognize me. WAIT! Do I even still have them?

Conundrum: How can I #BeAuthentic if I’m masked?

FACIAL FEEDBACK shows friendliness (or not) —

Facial expressions help us read and understand each other. If I can’t see someone’s face and vice versa, I go into a funk. It’s kinda like going to an audition where the CD has a blank face. If I can’t see someone’s facial expression it’s hard to get a sense if I’m nailing it or failing it.

I feel like masks zap the warmth from everyday life at the hospital. It’s impossible to look cute with a mask.

I guess I can try to be the reason someone smiles today… even if I can’t see it. But it’ll be a challenge, trust me.

I know — I’ll study up on body language before my next shift. I’ll make eye contact and mirror Dr. Privacy. Maybe that’ll  bring back the spark we felt before Covid — or was it just me? Maybe I’ll start with the patients — they’ll be more receptive.

Aha! I just sneaked one in. Removing my mask is the NEW NAUGHTY!

I barely feel like an Actress or an ER Volunteer…

Remember how they said ER Volunteers could come back to my hospital last month? Well, we’re still not back.

Waiting for my COMEBACK!

Charlayne, my supervisor, had us take a brush-up written test. Did that. Aced it. Then a health check-up. Did that. Then we had to get a flu shot. Did that.

Then she sent an email about a mandatory Booster. Have that.

Then she added a Zoom meeting to go over all over the new Covid rules. Sat in on that.

We learned how we must now enter the hospital through a tent, then wait in line for a temp check, then pick-up two hospital masks (to be worn at the same time) and then get a daily badge to wear in addition to our regular badge. Haven’t done any of that yet, because Charlayne’s now supposed to tell us one-by-one when we can go back.

This is starting to feel like waiting for a callback…

To make things worse… haven’t heard from Dr. A in forever...

Or my Agent!

I’m SO OVER IT!

Oh, and I can’t take my homemade goodies to the doctors and nurses anymore because now the staff isn’t allowed to eat in the hospital!) But, it seems like the hospital isn’t the only organization that keeps changing its mind because the CDC is continually Covid-confused too.

On the good side…

Since I’m not doing anything I haven’t made any MISTAKES lately. haha.

And since I’m on auto-Purelling as a way of life after working in the ER for so long, I haven’t gotten Delta, Omacron or any kind of Covid yet. Fingers crossed.

Oh, and I’ve been going on okay-during-Covid-WALKS with a really cute boy in my neighborhood whose name I’m keeping private at the moment;) Not exactly romantic, but at least we don’t have to wear masks and he can see my smile:)

Hang in there Evie, haha …

Niles, my hairdresser-bestie, and I live in the same building. He’s in my “bubble” so we have dinner together a lot. Monday before last dinner on his balcony was like any other since March. His housekeeper, Hortensia, was there cooking, cleaning…

On Tuesday Hortensia’s sister was sick, so she got tested. On Wednesday sis learned she’d tested POSITIVE. So Hortensia tested, and yes, unfortunately: POSITIVE.

Niles got tested and said it was “easy-peasy” at the drive-through set-up at the Veteran’s building, plus he got his NEGATIVE results within 24 hours.

I went to the website,  filled out the forms, watched the video twice (“don’t drop anything”) printed the receipt with my number… so far so good.

On Saturday I was psyched to go. The line was long, but kept moving. It took about an hour to go through. One of the masked guides told me to go to Tent #1. When I got there, I asked the next masked guide if there would be another Tent #1 and she told me there would be. She asked if I’d been there before.

No it’s my first time.

She explained that up ahead they’d tell me what to do… piece of cake, right? Uhhhhh… not exactly for me.

Passing a sign PUT ON YOUR MASK, I eventually I got to a window where a guy asked for my number and then attached a sealed plastic bag with the test kit on one of those extended grabber things and pointed it to me in my car.  After I grabbed the plastic bag, he told me to roll up my window, which I did.

After that something went wrong, because I followed the car in front of me for awhile without stopping and noticed that the driver dropped something in a receptacle and continued to drive on. I had no idea what he was doing since no one had told me to take the test yet and there’d been no place to stop and do what was shown in the video. I continued in the moving car line, a little nervously…

The next masked guide told me to get into Row 3, which I was aware wasn’t Row 1, but I figured maybe I didn’t have to get to Tent #1 after all.

Then, after I’d been there an hour my car line exited out! I FREAKED and pulled over to the side as quickly as I could.  Frantically I opened my plastic bag, but in my nervousness, the white gauzy circle-thing fell to my car floor. Noooooo! (“don’t drop anything.”) I speed-dialed Niles.

Am I supposed to take my test in the car and send it somewhere?!

No– didn’t someone watch you take the test?

No, and Niles —  I accidentally dropped my white gauzy-circle thing!

Read the rest of this entry »

dance whenever! wherever!

Loved, loved, loved seeing ELECTION DEFENDERS make lemonade out of long-line-lemons,  spreading cool moves and positivity to VOTING in Philly.  Rachel Maddow interviewed the enthusiastic Nelini Stamp and showed what creative get-the-vote-out-thinking can accomplish. Nelini’s contagious smile and kick-ass movement: JOY TO VOTERS made me want to boogie back to the polls again.

Imagine a place where no one’s asking what party you’re part of because everyone’s partying together. Yeah,  you might need to go to a SWING STATE to see it —  or you can bring a social-distancing-dance-vote-movement to your own State. Remember, the State of the Union is up to each one of us.

Cha Cha Slide to the POLLS —

It’ll make you believe in democracy again

Meet Darby Carter —

Half-hour rom-dramedy at its best — 

HBO Max’s LOVE LIFE by creator Sam Boyd is perfect for pandemic binging. The series follows DARBY CARTER (Anna Kendrick) through her twenties as she navigates her career and romances in NYC. Darby gets lots of input from her impulsive best friend Sara (Zoe Chao), Sara’s likeable boyfriend Jim (Peter Vack), and the brutally honest Mallory (Sasha Compère).

Sara Yang, Darby’s fearless bff —

Sometimes you’ve got to find yourself before you find the one…

In the first five minutes we know we’re on a journey to help Darby, the wounded pleaser, find the love of her life. Darby struggles through her fear of rejection to make romantic connections, short and long — with a couple of broken hearts, flings and hook-ups in her path. What gets in her way? She doesn’t know what a true connection feels like — thanks to her narcissistic mom, weak dad and confusing examples surrounding her. What keeps her going is her unshaken belief that she’ll find what she’s looking for someday…

Augie and Darby… what does it all mean?

Darby’s love life reminds me of mine – catastrophic yet eternally hopeful. LOVE LIFE is a hybrid anthology series that turns the rom-com upside down… definitely worth watching — with unexpected twists and turns and a really good ending. That’s all I’m going to say. Don’t want to spoil it.

(Wish I could star in my own anthology series. Would definitely like to know how it turns out, ahaha.)

Me too, Darby!

Otis and Maeve – mixed messages

SEX EDUCATION, a bawdy, bold and big-hearted British comedy series on NETFLIX, is about a 16-year old boy (Otis) with a Sex Therapist Mom (Jean) who gets talked into going into business with a badass cool girl (Maeve.) Maeve spreads the word that Otis is a sex therapist for high-schoolers. BUT Otis is totally inexperienced and in fact can’t deal with his own sexuality… yet he’s surprisingly intuitive when it comes to dealing with the problems of other teens.

awkward and awesome!

Otis and his Mom – love/hate

It’s a little bit of a parallel universe for me, since I’m someone who hates hospitals (especially the one my Mom frequented when she was dying)… yet now I’ve ironically extended my community service sentence voluntarily because (spoiler alert) I’m actually pretty good at helping others deal with being at the hospital. Go figure.

SEX EDUCATION’s outstanding cast is led by Asa Butterfield, as the nerdy inexperienced sex-pert. Gillian Anderson plays his frank, ff-ingly free and boundary-less mother.  Emma Mackey is brilliantly tender and tough in a break-out role that I would’ve loved to have gone out for before I aged-out of hottie-in-high-school parts. So sad…

I laughed and cringed as I binge-watched all eight episodes. It definitely left me wanting more… much more.

scene from a sex manual