jholiday

Jholiday's guide to classical music

2009-10-14T00:00:00.000-07:00

Many of us enjoy classical music, however, many (most) of us are wholly ignorant to the classical musical vocabulary needed to both express enjoyment of the genre and to move in the social circles of other classical fans. This can actually keep us as closeted classical fans until we're confident enough in our terminology to converse with someone about Bach without fear of embarassment. I think Stuffwhitepeoplelike.com put it best when they said:

If a white person starts talking to you about classical music, it’s essential that you tread very lightly. This is because white people are all petrified that they will be exposed as someone who has only a moderate understanding of classical music. When a white person encounters another white person who actually enjoys classical music (exceptionally rare), it is often considered to be one of the most traumatic experiences they can go through.

“Really? Beethoven’s 5th Symphony….that’s your favorite.”
“um, no, I mean…”
“You sure it’s not Pachebel’s Canon?”
“well, ah, I like that, ah, song”
“sigh, of course you do.”

Stuff White People Like #108 Appearing to Like Classical Music

So I present to you: Julia's Very Basic Primer to All Things Classical

What does the title "classical music" really mean?
Classical music is difficult to define, but it is of European tradition, utilizing orchestral instruments(and voice), and must be distinguished from popular music and jazz. This applies to music created in the last 700 years, and it encompasses many styles.

What do you mean by "many styles?"
Alright, so chronologically you've got:

Medieval-mostly religious chants, no one really listens to this stuff.Pre1400

Renaissance-here we see instrumentation as the new focus, as well as multiple melodies. You probably won't recognize any famous composers from this era, and if you do, you shouldn't be reading this because you probably know more about this than I do. 1400-1600

Baroque-alright, now we're getting somewhere. You probably have a lot of these guys(no girlz yet) in your collection. Recognize the names Bach, Vivaldi and Pachabel? They're my boiiiz and they all fall under the stylistic umbrella of baroque music. Music becomes much more complex and we see the creation of "tonality" as a way to categorize music, for example, a concerto in G minor. This is also the birth period of the opera! 1600-1750

Classical-the namesake period, it's the summit of classical music. Piano is now the dominant instrument, and we have the beginning of the SYMPHONY. Big, big, deal. Basically, they tightened up everything from the baroque era and made it BIGGER. Mozart really overshadows all other composers from this epoch.1750-1820

Romantic-If the Classical Period is the parent, then Romantic is the unruly teenager. These guys broke all the rules, then set them on fire. We see flamboyant orchestration and wild experimentation that really departs from the strict rules of the Classical period. Think: Tchaikovsky, Strauss. Beethoven was instrumental(pun intended) in the transition to this period.1820-1900

YES!! Love this

2009-10-13T23:24:00.000-07:00

I found a little video that humorously shows a slight flaw in the reasoning of those who oppose gay marriage. If gay Californians aren't allowed to degrade the sanctity of marriage, why should strait couples be allowed to divorce? Isn't that much worse? The 2010 California Marriage Protection Act is currently collecting signatures to be included on the ballot. Ha!

My favorite bit from this clip is "If we allow anyone to get divorced, before you know it people will be divorcing their dogs."

Learn more at RescueMarriage.org

The Poultry Chronicles

2009-09-09T23:46:00.000-07:00

Julia's home life has been a bit tumultuous lately. In July my sister broke her arm and subsequently moved out of our shared apartment and home to Chico, leaving me with her two adorable pets (whom I described in an earlier post). The trade off of the lost company of my sister for the constant company of a duck and a chicken took some getting used to. Then I started to like coming home to my new life companions. I even put diapers on them and made them my house pets.

Fernanda:
She had a custom made duck diaper with a coordinating neck bow.

Ms. B:
She was too small for the custom diapers that are sold online, so I made a makeshift diaper out of a plastic grocery bag. How embarrassing, hee hee!

Two weeks ago Laura swooped into town to finish moving out of her room and took my two remaining roommates with her. Left fowl-less, despondent, and alone, I turned to the only venue that I knew would ease my loneliness. Craigslist. I logged on with the sole intention of trolling for poultry. What I found changed my life forever. Behold Chickenbaby.

This is Chickenbaby showing off on the first day that I got her.

Here she is stealing my breakfast this morning. I put my plate on the ground (thoughtlessly) to answer the phone, and when I turned around the plate was empty! So I had to recreate it for a photo shoot. She got to keep the cinnamon roll in the end, in case you were wondering.

Santa Barbara bound

2009-08-18T00:28:00.000-07:00

I wouldn't want to classify myself as a Neil Gaiman fan, but I've read more than a smattering of his books. I was a big huge fan of Coraline in 3-D, and Preludes and Nocturnes has forever been on my reading to do list, but his titles take up a lowly shelf in my library so that my collection of Victorian literature can be on better display, if you know what I mean.

This is why I'm telling you (shhh, it's a secret) that I just bought tickets to see him speak at UCSB this February and I am beside myself with glee! Lately, I've been relishing his latest, The Graveyard Book, on audiobook. It's based on The Jungle Book, except in this version the "Mowgli" is raised by ghosts instead of jungle aminals. It just won the Newbery Medal and Neil will be talking about this marvelous work as well as others in a few short months! Check out I, Cthulhu on his website. It's funny.

Two new whimsies

2009-07-08T11:46:00.000-07:00

I've spent the last part of my week gardening, a pursuit that I never thought I would take up. This isn't because I don't love plants, or the (tamed) outdoors, but simply because I possess a black thumb. Every unfortunate houseplant that finds itself in my grasp quickly gives up its stake on life due to my overabundant bestowment of water and plant love. Perhaps plants of the outdoor variety will fare better? Time will tell, and I promise to post pictures of an impossibly lush garden (if there is one to be had).

Also, I've become hopelessly addicted to etsy.com. This replaces my previous preoccupation with ebay. This is a picture of my latest acquisition.

A chick and a duck!!!

2009-06-21T02:06:00.000-07:00

Laura (my sister) brought home a chick and a duck last week. They're really entertaining! The duck is shockingly intelligent, and the chicken? Shockingly vapid. In a cute way. Hopefully we can get duck/chicken diapers (yes, they exist), so that they can be house pets!

Boxes in the Attic

2009-06-21T01:31:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite pastimes is to study interesting subjects online. Some topics have been found merely by hitting the random button on Wikipedia. For instance, the other day I studied blood, and found that blood types are not the only differences between people's blood. Someone could be unable to accept a donor's blood of the same type because of an Rh factor! Fascinating! So O- really isn't the universal donor.
Anyway, the point that I'm getting to is that in my quenchless search for knowledge, I am starting to find that I am...running out of room. For instance, the other week I was looking up malapropisms and related devices, and I can't remember what they are anymore. This forgetfulness has never happened to me (I of the elephantine memory). So I wonder, am I running out of room? Have all of the memories and facts of my 25 years started to crowd the hard drive in my brain? Or are my facilities simply aging and am I unable to retain things like I once could?
My favorite literary figure, Sherlock Holmes, would side with my first theory. In the first Sherlock Holmes novel A Study in Scarlet, Watson tells Holmes some commonly held scientific knowledge, along the lines of the Earth revolving around the Sun, to which Holmes responds that he doesn't care! His brain is only filled with things that are useful to him in solving crimes, and everything else is inconsequential. Holmes states that a brain is like an attic, it can only hold so many boxes before it becomes full and you can't find anything anymore, therefore he is a better detective by staying wholly ignorant of everything that is not useful to him.
Is this how our memory works, like Holmes' attic? Or can our minds be infinitely elastic? Most would agree it's not that simple. Memory, in its makings and retrieval, is so interesting. As interesting, I think, as forgetting. Isn't it a mystery how and why we forget things? Or are things never really forgotten, just repressed?

Score!

2009-05-22T00:18:00.000-07:00

I just bought my tickets for the 2009 Comic Con in San Diego! I'll be attending Thursday, July 23rd. I can barely contain my joy. For the last few years I've excitedly clicked through pictures of costumed attendees online, muttering promises to myself that I would be one of their number next year. After a few years of apparently empty promises, I've finally taken the plunge. Now all I have to decide on is a costume.

Kombucha!

2009-05-08T18:52:00.000-07:00

If you hold credentials as a jholiday blog expert, you've probably heard of Kombucha.

Kombucha is a miracle tonic, created from fermented tea. To picture how it is made, imagine how an alcoholic beverage is made, usually by adding yeast to something with a sugar content (wine grapes, barley, potatoes, etc.) In the same way you can create kombucha, except in the place of yeast you use a kombucha "mushroom", which is made of mostly probiotic bacteria (think yogurt), added to a mixture of green tea and sugar. This creates a delicious, effervescent nonalcoholic beverage that is chock full of antioxidants, probiotics, enzymes and amino acids, and polyphenols.

Kombucha has had success with cancer patients, it promotes weight loss, body alkalinity, the immune system and is the best hangover cure I have ever found.

This post is in celebration of GT's (my favorite kombucha brand) release of new kombucha flavors! So far I've bought:

Botanic No 3- seen above. This has lavender and elderberry. A new favorite.

Botanic No 7- Has a gingery flavor. I like it, it tastes like a mellower version
of their "Gingerade" flavor.

Botanic No 9- I haven't tried this one yet!

Superfruits- includes all those trendy antioxi-berries like Acai and Gogi berries.

Yum

This is the jam!

2009-05-08T15:45:00.000-07:00

I've reminded all of you readers about my super awesome how-to-find-music secret, the UK pop charts. At the top of their list is the booty shakin "Number One" by Tinchy Stryder. You heard it here first (in the USA, at least...)

If this video stops working, check out the non-bootlegged version on youtube here

reading list

2009-05-08T15:14:00.001-07:00

I've been on a bit of a fantasy bender lately. I wrapped up the Mortal Instruments trilogy, and am now in the middle of Sabriel, the 1995 winner of the Aurealis Award for Fantasy. Next, I plan on reading Anne McCaffrey's The Dragonriders of Pern and finishing The Complete Ghost Stories of Charles Dickens. Anyone have any other recommendations? I've heard good things about Stewart's The Crystal Cave.

Got my hair did

2009-04-29T17:33:00.000-07:00

I got my hair cut today! Nothing drastic, or even a difference most would really notice. But I'm really happy with the cut, it was getting so long that it was bordering on cave woman hair. Melissa from Faces a la Mode does my hair, and she's a-ma-zing!
On a sadder note, Melissa told me my hair is falling out. Thinner overall. and noticably thinner in the front, giving me more of a widow's peak (yuck). So I'm off to New Frontiers for a fancy new multivitamin that will hopefully nip this problem in the root..er..bud.

A day in the life of Julia

2009-04-25T15:36:00.000-07:00

Some days you just have to accept that the best choice would have been to drop everything and just go home, because things aren't going to get any better. We all have those days. Mine was yesterday. I woke early, around eleven, natch, and primped myself for a relaxing four block walk downtown to read my book on the patio of Peets with a pot of green tea. I'd bought a pair of sunglasses the day before and was really excited about wearing them. I strolled down the sidewalk feeling not unlike Giselle Bundchen, looking at the nice clear day through my fashionable new aviators.

All I remember is the noise I made, a kind of short, comical "Aaaaaaah!" and then a bump to the shoulder. Then all I saw was the underside of the grill of a BMW. Staring at the front of the now stopped car, I had the sudden flashing vision of the driver imagining they'd hit a mere speed bump and trying to continue on their way. I sprung up, hands defensively splayed, and tried to see inside the darkly tinted windshield. "Why is this person not coming out to apologize?" I thought, just as the door slowly opened to a smiling middle aged woman with lardaceous gums and a bad dye job. In my welling anger toward her glib apologies and creepy demeanor (I have not once gotten the creeps from a woman until yesterday), I wandered off downtown, mumbling something about how I was all right. I think I was in a bit of a shock.

The world seemed slightly unreal as I shakily wandered into a clothing boutique. At this point, I'd forgotten that I'd walked downtown with the intent of drinking tea, so I started thumbing through the clothing racks until I felt an arm around my shoulder, and an enthusiastic "Hi Julia!". It was my friend J*, and by friend, I mean a fellow that I have been acquainted with mostly though drunken, fumbling snogging and pawing at each other in bars. He's quite a handsome fellow, but whenever I see him outside of a nightclub, I never quite know what to say. I escaped the store with his number and a promise to meet up later that night, and made my way toward Peets with a new found remembrance of tea and my book.

Just as I'd stepped (cautiously) across the crosswalk, a dark pick up truck pulled up, and a man in the passenger seat gave me a watchful head nod. My. exboyfriend. whom. I. haven't. seen. since. walking. in. on. him. with. another. woman. a. month. ago. I think I gave him a sort of shocked half wave, but whole day is a little fuzzy for me. Then the light changed, and off he went.

I finally made it to Peets, but before I could refill the water in my jasmine green tea, I timidly headed back home to the safety of my apartment, looking twice before I crossed every street.

Book hunt

2009-04-21T17:36:00.000-07:00

I've been reading this new series of books that took forever to get a hold of. I was recommended the "The Mortal Instruments" trilogy, which begins with the volume "City of Bones". The books follow our hero Clary as she navigates a New York populated with demons, vampires, pixies, and really every other fantasy creature you can think of.

So, in my hunt for a new read I hit up the local Borders. I wondered around that dang store countless times but all I could find were volumes two and three! Of course, what do you know, owing to my impeccable taste, I'd selected an unexpectedly popular title that had flown off the shelves in the past weekend. Upon asking a friendly looking Borders employee for help, he re-rummaged through the shelf and with a glimmer in his eye said, "No we're all out, but come with me." I scampered behind his lead, twisting through bookshelves and aisles, till he stopped, arms proudly spread, presenting me with a table piled high with tween-age vampire romance novels. "This one has been particularly popular", he said, laying in my hands "Midnight Fangs", whose cover looked like a Harlequin romance cover, but with, you know, half naked models with fangs. I shuffled, bookless, out of the store, feeling a bit insulted.

Next stop, Barnes and Noble downtown. Same scenario; a teen fiction bookshelf piled, stacked, and double parked with volumes two and three! Forlorn and discouraged, I passed the B&N version of the "Vampire Romance" teaser table. On it were scattered paperbacks decorated with pictures of creepy dark rimmed eyes, seductive fanged grins, and the cover of volume one, City of Bones? Yes readers, I'd found my prize where I least expected to be rewarded. There were only two copies left! And when I returned today for volume two, the first volume was all sold out.

poetry 101

2009-04-20T02:07:00.000-07:00

I wrote this a while ago, it's a nod to one of my favorite poets.

Long live the brambles and seafins yet,
under the waves they sleep
I left my home and all the rest
to capture the wet and the wilderness

Of what the wily sea floor left?
It beats a sound retreat--
A windpuff and the frothy wreath
stolen from under my feet

Webs of softly green and light
fold us into its creases-
Let them be left, the green and light
to sweep our thoughts beneath

Long live the brambles and seafins yet
under the waves they sleep
Interred by man they greet no one
but those who swim out to see them

To boldly go?

2009-04-20T01:53:00.000-07:00

I've never watched Star Trek before, but I am excited about this

I'm not one for movie star crushes, but dayum! Resistance is futile...I'll follow him where no man has gone before...He can beam me up anytime... You get the idea.

Site that Julia is a fan of (no.1)

2009-04-13T22:44:00.000-07:00

I have a few favorite websites that I check every once and a while (daily). College Humor is probably my favorite of the bunch. It's been around so long that it would probably take months of sleepless reading to get through every funny thing on this website. Check it out.

This is one of my favorites from their video section, titled "Overgrown Guy Girlfriend". So silly. You also MUST watch the prank wars in the series' entirety. And "Font Conference", although everyone else I show it to thinks it's weird..

NCAA, whew...

2009-04-06T01:15:00.000-07:00

Well my bracket didn't fare so well this year. I only had one pick make it to the final four, and that was UConn. I just can't bring myself to pick North Carolina. Or any North Carolina team for that matter. I really don't like Duke, and for no logical reason! I just have a North Carolina state basketball bias, and it's been debilitating to my bracket odds in the last few years. Go Michigan!

Caveo hominum

2009-04-05T23:51:00.000-07:00

So, yeah, my blog posts have been MIA for a long time. But that is all in the past. What we, as readers, need to focus on now is why has Julia neglected this precious blog for so long? Loyal blog followers, Julia has been distracted by dirty rotten MEN. Something that will distract her no longer, be assured. The previous boyfriend of jholiday, who shall not be named but rhymes with Josh DOUCH BAG has held Julia back for too long.

Well, since this a blog about Jholiday's daily life I owe it to you readers to delve into the inappropriately personal tale of the downward spiral of Julia's love life.

So Mr D and I were going along in our girlfriend-boyfriend life just la-dee-da until I stumbled upon some very inappropriate myspace messages! Jules was left for another woman! ! ! It was really traumatizing. All of this happened about a week and a half ago.

But you know what is great about this break up? How quickly I got over it. Honestly, it was all through having my heart broken in the past and knowing what to expect in the healing process and my AMAZING group of friends who never let me be alone. Now I truly feel as though I am myself again. I feel like myself...but better. Myself...with more possibilities, perhaps?

There is something a bit humiliating about being in a bad relationship. When it is over you think that you should have known better. And you wonder what your peers think. Something like, "Oh, that poor girl", which hurts almost as much as the break up.

Rabbit Rabbit

2009-01-08T14:36:00.000-08:00

Does anyone make New Years resolutions anymore? Most resolutions are almost cliches, (get in better shape, get out of debt, learn something new) they're unoriginal, and unwittingly bringing scorn upon the resolutioner. The idea of resolving to accomplish something simply because of tradition seems so uninspired. But I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir here (hehe) when I denounce this often vilified tradition.

However, in keeping with the writing goal of actually having a point to my blog posts, I pose this question. Do you readers ever wish to reform yourselves, maybe even minutely, at the start of a new year? Perhaps resolutions come not from foresight, but reflection. Everyone assesses the passing year, usually with a "phew, I'm glad 200- is over". My 2008 reflections were candidly pleasant, and it was the only year in memory that I felt soundly satisfied with. This aside, as 2009 breaks upon us I wonder what my life would be like if I did some things a little differently.

For the Holidays

2009-01-05T18:15:00.000-08:00

The boy took me to Disneyland for Christmas after a few heeeaaavy hints and I had a magical time. I love Disneyland as much as the next guy, but every December my memories of the park are like a siren call, and the holidays aren't complete without a visit. Kinda cheesy, I know.

This picture pretty much sums up our moods for the day.

What I've been doing

2009-01-05T17:13:00.000-08:00

Loyal readers, cease your mourning for the unfortunate jholiday blog hiatus, and rejoice! For I have returned. I'm sure you're dying for me to tell you what has kept me away for so long, and tell I will. This long month of December has been filled with dead week and finals, family visits, a sister graduation, a jholiday vacation or two, and a very special boy. So please, excuse my absence but be assured that I am back with stories, anecdotes and musings to keep you entertained for a while longer.

It's raining men

2008-11-22T22:39:00.000-08:00

I'm starting to notice a cyclical pattern in the love life of jholiday. For most of the year, the city of San Luis Obispo is not exactly a mecca of single attractive respectable(keyword) young men. You might think otherwise, being a college town, but it is surprisingly difficult to scratch up a date whom I would feel confident bringing home to mother.

This is all true and consistent until the leaves begin to fall and a chill wind sweeps down Higuera bringing Christmas lights and somehow, eligible bachelors along with it. Jholiday is fighting them off with candy canes and shopping bags every holiday season, and I ask, why? Why this change? I'm certainly not doing anything differently. I actually prefer to celebrate the holidays without the added pressure of impressing (and shopping for$$) some new man friend. Perhaps it is the nostalgia and sentimentality that the shortening days and "A Christmas Story" reruns bring to the homesick and sugarplummed boys of San Luis, and they seem to yearn anew for some cute blogger like me to drape their arm around.

Sigh... Whatever the reason, as this single girl and The Weather Girls say, "It's raining men, hallelujah, it's raining men, Amen!"

the illest thing

2008-11-19T23:57:00.001-08:00

Jholiday has caught a nasty cold. I'm currently holed up in my room, confined to spreading my germs to my keyboard and mouse. But since this is jholiday's blog, I do have something fabulous to share with you. Who would have thought that in these dark hours of sniffles and bulk Kleenex consumption that a worthy idea would glimmer in the darkness. But I might have found the best way to alleviate my symptoms, in the form of a Mexican (spicy!!) fruit salad. Trust me, it's amazing.

You will need: cucumbers, lemon or lime juice, salt, cayenne pepper and sweet fruit (I like grapes, mandarin slices and watermelon).

Combine the fruits and cucumbers, toss with lime/lemon juice and a dash of salt, then season with cayenne pepper until it's just spicy enough for ya. Ahh, sweet relief.

Silly

2008-11-15T23:51:00.000-08:00

I saw the new Bond tonight. I liked this video more :)

RIP Michael Crichton

2008-11-10T17:29:00.000-08:00

Michael Crichton has long been one of my literary heroes. He was the second author I really got into as a child (after Keene's Nancy Drew series) and I did pride myself on delving into the scientific mysteries of his novels while my class mates struggled through a volume of "Goosebumps". I spent many sick days and rainy weekends in his dinosaur populated islands off the coast of Costa Rica, jungles deep in the heart of the Congo with murderous gorillas, a broken time machine in the Dark Ages of Europe, and the cold sinister corridors of metropolitan hospitals with dark secrets.

I soon became a thirteen year old Crichton snob, protesting the movie adaptations of his books because of their unforgivable departure from the storylines in my beloved novels. If my parents were unlucky enough to take me to one of the films, they were guaranteed an earful of whining lament from the backseat of the station wagon, as I educated them on the film's omission of a vitally important Pachycephalosaurus or a wrongfully killed minor character.

Crichton is the author of the popular novels Jurassic Park (for which he is most famous), The Lost World, Congo, Timeline (another favorite of mine) and Sphere. Crichton was a Harvard educated physician, and a screenwriter, producer, and of course, novelist. He passed on Nov 4th, 2008, after a battle with cancer.

My music secret

2008-11-10T00:45:00.000-08:00

Everybody asks me, "Julia, how do you find all of these amazing bands that no one has ever heard of before?" Well, not everyone. Some few may mumble something about no one listening to techno anymore and ask me to turn my music down...but for those of us who like to take a chance with new and exciting sounds, I present to you my secret weapon. The UK pop charts.

Our friends across the Atlantic have always been just a bit more savvy when it comes to pop, and most of their best hits don't even make it to the US market. Recent discoveries of mine have been "Beggin" by Madcon, The Sugababes, "Infinity" by the Guru Josh Project, Adele, and "Up" by The Saturdays. My ipod and my workouts have never been livelier.

It's a beautiful thing

2008-10-29T20:34:00.000-07:00

Check out my post that breaks down all of the California ballot propositions!

Travian

2008-10-17T02:54:00.000-07:00

My latest time sink has been Travian, an online strategy/war game. It's played with many thousands of people around the world, most are enemies, and some can be allies. I have villages on three servers (gulp). The best part about the game is that you get to balance growing your villages and military with the political intrigue of alliances, spies and treachery. If you'd like to join me, sign up for server 3 in the NW quadrant. My alias is "Ransom". I'm also on server 7 as jholiday, naturally.

I would love to meet other players, especially if you're a good player in a top alliance.. Drop me a message here or in the game :)
For those of you not already in the know, go to www.travian.us

Simile, and the whole world similes with you

2008-10-07T23:40:00.000-07:00

I've been so busy with school lately that my beloved blog has been neglected. I'm upset by this because I adore blogging, and honestly if I could list things that, in 2008, made me happier than anything else, blogging would be near the top!!

I've been writing a lot too, and I've finally finished my first short story. I'm so proud of it that I'm going to submit it for publication in a few literary journals and magazines! This is a big deal for jholiday because getting published has always been something I've wanted to achieve. To be a published writer.... (for full effect, read published with a dreamy, far off look in your eyes).

I also plan on putting it online so that I can share it with all of you, but I'd like to copyright it first (yes, I'm paranoid). Expect my opus "Touchstone Cove" in a few days!

Subscribe to jholiday

2008-10-02T01:48:00.000-07:00

Dear loyal readers,
I've added a new link to the sidebar that allows you to subscribe to the jholiday blog! This replaces the annoying and intimidating RSS feed thingee. You can sign up anonymously and it won't show me or other loyal readers that you're a follower, or publicly (which will display your photo and is a nice way to get more traffic to your blog!). To subscribe, you must have a gmail account...

jholiday's political endorsements

2008-09-30T01:36:00.000-07:00

These are my positions on the upcoming California ballot measures and elections.

PROP 1A: An overwhelming yes. We need more mass transit options in California. My personal favorite form of transportation also happens to be trains. This is an expensive undertaking for California, but I believe it's a necessary one. Yay for trains!!!

PROP 2: This is the farm animal rights prop. Pictures of chickens kept in cages smaller than the chickens themselves breaks my heart. However, placing restrictions on California agriculture will only lead to farms leaving the state, not adapting more humane practices in the state. In an increasingly bankrupt California economy, should we really be discouraging agriculture? This prop only applies to egg laying hens, veal, and a few other farm animals, but I still say no on prop 2.

PROP 3: No. While I'm all for helping children, govt needs less involvement in health care (IMHO) and I believe bonds are an irresponsible way to fund initiatives like this.

PROP 4: NO! This prevents a minor from seeking an abortion without parental notification. The government should not have input in confidential health issues of any person, regardless of their age or situation. This should be confidential stuff. Props like this are always on the ballot and always defeated in Cali for good reason.

PROP 5: I'm leaning toward no on this prop. I don't see how increased spending on drug programs and shortening of parole for drug related offenses will solve anything. However, I feel uninformed on this issue which prompts me to further reserve my opinion on this prop.

PROP 6: Yes. My yes vote is partially out of fear which is not a strong argument, but gangs scare me. This prop allocates nearly a billion dollars yearly to law enforcement and creates approx 30 new revisions to state law over gang related offenses to create new crimes, penalties and harsher sentences.

PROP 7: Yes. If this passes, all electricity companies must harvest a minimum of 20% of their energy from renewable sources, and the percentages will go up in subsequent years. Environmental causes are dear to me.

PROP 8: NO! A resounding no. It sickens me that we discriminate against gay and gayelle couples and don't allow them to marry. Who are we to say whom one can and cannot love? The issue here should not be your stance on gay rights, but whether the government should be able to interfere in the private lives of its citizens by defining whom we are allowed to marry. If you plan on voting yes on this prop I will probably like you less.

PROP 9: I need more information on this one, but I'm leaning toward yes. This prop offers victims of crimes greater access to the criminal justice process, and limits the number of parole hearings to which criminals are entitled. I'm just not sure this prop protects the rights of the accused.

PROP 10: This is a toughy. But I'm thinking no. This prop gives huge breaks to people wanting to buy high fuel economy vehicles and provides grants to research new renewable energy sources. While I believe strongly in environmental causes, I believe there will be a huge increase in demand for the things this bill promotes in a few years (high mpg cars and cheap energy), which will dramatically increase their availability. This bill will then be obsolete in coming years and will unnecessarily take taxpayers' money.

PROP 11: I still have no idea what this prop will do. I'll get back to you. Maybe. If I don't keep dozing off while reading about it.

**update** Prop 11 will create redistricting and give the planning of the new districts to a non-partisan panel, yanking the job from the (partisan) state legislature. The new panel will be composed of an even mix of Dems, Republicans, ans Independents.

PROP 12: Yes. I feel that we owe our veterans of war much more than we currently give them. This prop provides for loans so that veterans can buy homes and farms. There is already a similar provision in place to provide low interest home loans to veterans, and I believe this enhances it. The Ca legislature has unanimous "aye" votes on this measure.

jholiday also endorses.... McCain/Palin!!!!

But Obama gets the sexy vote (jholiday licks finger, lifts finger in the air, makes sizzle sound). Rrrrrr.

Halloween Ideas

2008-09-22T19:17:00.000-07:00

Click over to my Favorite Things blog to see some amazing Halloween costume ideas!

Found It

2008-09-22T18:58:00.000-07:00

I was quite thankful to get this picture in an email. This is from last Halloween at my workplace, and I'm the second right in the picture. My costume was Indiana Jones. It turned out great and was quite inexpensive to put together.

Last night I bought my Halloween costume(s). I like to stretch the holiday out over several days, and wear a different costume on each separate day. I might dust off the ol' Indiana Jones-ette costume this year, but three more have been added to the line up including:

penguin!

Leia

and a lion!

The Calvin and Hobbes costume is still a possibility, but due to the lack of a suitable Calvin, the costume idea has been shelved until a solution presents itself.

Yarrrr

2008-09-19T16:31:00.000-07:00

Hope you have a happy International "Talk Like A Pirate Day"! Arrr.

Secrets

2008-09-15T21:51:00.000-07:00

I'm working on a short story, which is the first assignment of any consequence in my writing class, and I'm really excited about it. But I don't want to share a peep of what I have planned to write. This brings me to something I've thought a great deal about lately-the importance of secrets. I have never been able to keep a secret about myself. I'll often admonish myself to keep some detail of my life a secret as I'm driving up to a friends house or about to step into work. But every time my lips betray me, and the minute I confide in someone about that latest (insert exciting thing here), I feel immediately cheapened and I know that it is all my doing.

So, here forth I vow to keep secrets, beginning with my latest short story masterpiece, but this will branch to all areas of my life: thoughts, discoveries, romance, conflicts. Of course I still relish sharing stories with you loyal readers and all my friends, but there is something to be said for keeping little gems and snippets of your daily life to yourself, to guard and kindle.

"The holiest of all holidays are those kept by ourselves in silence and apart; The secret anniversaries of the heart."
-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The best card idea

2008-09-15T00:51:00.000-07:00

Do you ever forget someone's birthday/graduation/misc. special event and think, "Oh, I can just send an ecard"? Then you actually look at the ecards and realize that they're pretty cheesy and you feel bad for being such a slacker about mailing a card. Well, if you ever find yourself in this predicament, just upload a picture and an .mp3 to go with it and www.postcard.fm will combine them into a spiffy email card.

Dr Horrible's Sing-Along Blog

2008-09-14T01:09:00.000-07:00

I know that a lot of my recent posts have been about entertainment/pop culture etc and have been severely lacking in jholiday personal life updates. So, I'm sorry to deprive you longer still of jholiday life updates and hot goss, but this show is too good to not talk about. And, I haven't been doing anything all that exciting lately anyways.

"Dr Horrible's Sing-Along Blog" (avail. only thorugh itunes) is one of the greatest shows ever! It stars Neil Patrick Harris and is created by Joss Whedon who created that cult classic Buffy show that I always thought was lame. Buuuut, this show is all gold, baby. Watch it, watch it, watch it now!!! HCUOSJKFSJLJCLBS!!! I can barely contain myself.

I hate those bluetooth thingees

2008-09-09T12:57:00.000-07:00

I found this comic online a while ago and I think of it every time I think someone is a crazy person because I can't see their earpiece.

This is one of the funniest, unintentionally funny music videos ever

2008-09-04T23:34:00.000-07:00

I guess this is the kind of music they like in Germany. I especially like the guy jumping on the trampoline with watermelons and bananas around the 1:28 minute mark.

If you liked this, check youtube for his "Ding Dong Song". Classic.

Haaaalloweeeeen!!!!

2008-09-04T23:06:00.000-07:00

I think the days right before Halloween are my favorite part of the holiday because I love imagining a costume and then piecing it together. The holiday itself is always fun, but the parties are never what I build them up to be in my creative, costume crazed mind. Last year I was Indiana Jones but for this Halloween I've been plotting my costume for months. I'm going as Hobbes from Calvin and Hobbes. Know any Calvin lookalikes? I'm accepting applications.

In addition to being in the early stages of planning my own costume, I'd like to help you with yours! In the coming weeks you can look forward to a veritable jholiday blog Halloween fashion show, with pictures of some jocose, inventive (and easy!) costumes that surely no one else will have.

My Favorite Song

2008-09-04T22:37:00.000-07:00

The Korean pianist Yiruma's "River Flows Through You" tops my favorite song list. This first time I heard this song, I found it so truly beautiful that I've listened to it nearly every day since. It took my appreciation of music to a whole new level. I'm working on it for the piano right now (a daunting endeavor), so if you want the sheet music send me a message.

Book of the Week

2008-09-01T15:57:00.000-07:00

My dad once told me that all successful people read -- and that if I wished to be so, I should read a book a week. Luckily for me, I just can't stay away from the darned things, but I often wonder if I'm not reading enough when I fail to meet the weekly mark. The last book I read, Eldest, (completed last night in anticipation of Brisingr!), took nearly two weeks for me to thumb through its pages.

Now I have my choice of materials, and I chose a collection of short ghost stories by Charles Dickens that I found at the Chico used book store. It includes the most famous ghost story, A Christmas Carol, but also holds some other really unique, clever characters in its tales of ghosts and ghoulies. More than any other author, Dickens transports me into the world he creates in his writing, and I can't wait to return again to his dusty offices, graveyards and decrepit manors in Victorian England.

A Summer Recipe

2008-09-01T13:57:00.001-07:00

Ok, I know that summer is really almost over, but this drink has always been my favorite hot weather refreshment. I've been drinking it for years and discovered it during a spurt of kitchen creativity during a sweltering August in Los Angeles.
You will need:

Fresca

and

red wine

Pour yourself a tall glass of Fresca (a delicious calorie-free grapefruit soda!)over plenty of ice and splash in enough red wine so that the drink is a red burgundy color (usually a little under an ounce of wine per tall glass of fresca). Then, go sip it in a shady hammock with a good book :)

I've Been Listening to This Song

2008-08-25T01:18:00.000-07:00

Dragons, Oh My!

2008-08-22T21:57:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been re-enjoying the delicious fantasy world of Christopher Paolini. I've plowed through his first novel, Eragon, and the second, Eldest, is a bit under halfway read (reread). This is all in anticipation of the long awaited third novel in his series, Brisingr. Brisingr will be released around Sept 2oth, so there is plenty of time to catch up.

Paolini's Inheritance cycle (thats what this series is called) is the flavor of the moment here at jholiday blog. The book follows a young man named Eragon who finds a dragon egg that hatches into an intelligent dragon. Eragon and his new dragon Saphira explore the world, grow up, and challenge the course of history The books are written in the vein of The Lord of the Rings with similar characters and plot. The writing is so charming and the characters are so endearing that I am thoroughly absorbed by the story and constantly amazed at the proficiency of Paolini's grasp of language. Did I mention he wrote the first book, Eragon, when he was 15? These books are truly the next fantasy classics of this generation, and while they stand in the shadow of Tolkien's masterpieces, they also stand alone as seminal works.

On Writing

2008-08-20T23:06:00.000-07:00

I enrolled in a creative writing class at Cuesta. I used to shudder at the thought of a writing class because that would leave my work exposed and vulnerable to the red pen of the instructor. I know that just one person's opinion is not the end-all decision of the value of my work, but I've always been afraid that my arrangement of words and spinning of ideas is just average. For the class we'll be expected to create several short stories, poems and smaller miscellaneous writing exercises. I can feel the palpitations of anxiety welling in myself as I imagine submitting my attempts at good fiction. I attempt to write often, but I have more ideas for stories than time or drive to write them. I suppose I've always known that I should be a writer, but do I write well?

Let the games begin..

2008-08-10T15:31:00.000-07:00

So while the Olympics in Beijing are off to a roaring start, I'm beginning my own gaming event here in my cozy apartment in San Luis Obispo. While I'm not sure everyone can relate to this, every once and a while I get a hankering to play video games all day. Today's schedule of events includes: Travian, a new online strategy game that happens in real-time, Neverwinter Nights 2, which I will be picking up from Circuit City shortly, and maybe a little Zelda: Twilight Princess, if I get bored with the other two too quickly. To keep myself from becoming a complete shut in today, I'm going to go see the new 3D movie at the Fremont with some friends tonight, thought I'm sure that doesn't do anything to help lower my nerd levels that are now dangerously high...

Jules is tired

2008-08-09T22:00:00.000-07:00

After three days of work, interrupted sleep, double shifts at work, and no sleep, I'm on my way to my earliest bed time in...well, I can't remember the last time I went to bed before midnight. Today was particularly tiring because I woke at dawn to figure out the time of my friends' wedding! I never got an invitation, so I had to call my friends to ascertain the time of the ceremony. No one was answering their phones, so I was on "wedding watch" from 8 till 10 until I finally found out that the wedding was at 11. The ceremony was beautiful, and Steve and Christina were so excited and in love, which is the only requirement for good wedding to me.
At the reception, the most wonderful wedding-ly possible thing happened. I caught the bouquet!!! All superstition aside, all girls want to catch the bouquet. It's the competion. Like winning a flowery lottery. Today, no elbows were thrown, nor toes trampled. If I hadn't put out my arms it would have smacked me in the face. It was meant to be.
My next blogging challenge will be to post a picture. Maybe you'll get to see a picture of me from today, clutching my prize. But for now, slumber awaits...

jholiday returns

2008-08-06T23:19:00.000-07:00

I know all you loyal readers have been on the edge of your seats since my last post, checking the page day and night for the Chico updates and gossip that I promised. I'm up late tonight after too much tea, and I can't but reminiscence of my week in my hometown, so it seems perfect to write an update and mark my return to San Luis.
I spent my days wondering around downtown Chico, which is much like dt San Luis. This was partly because I like to window shop and partly because I couldn't think of anything else to do. As a tenacious book lover, the used book store in Chico is one of my most anticipated stops. While there, I scored a really nice copy of "The Return of the Native" for my antique hardbound collection, "The Myth of Sisyphus", and "The Sign of the Four", (which is one of the few Sherlock Holmes stories I have not yet read). I also promise a review of "The Myth of Sisyphus" when I finally finish it (not an easy read, that one)
When I settled onto a patio table outside of a coffee shop next door, I had the pleasure of attracting many of the downtown Chico "personalities", until my little table was fully encircled by these perpetual coffee shop philosophers. We talked mainly of books, first my books, then great novels, our jobs, the heat, love lives, people we know. So immersed was I in our little circle that I didn't realize I was due to meet Breanna for dinner until I was very late. I fell all the more in love with my hometown now that I have a friend and good conversation waiting in many a coffee shop.
The weekdays were sprinkled with fun lunches and dinners with my memaw, and a multi day shopping extravaganza with Breanna. The warm Chico nights filled with old friends and long stories over countless pints. And lets just say my imaginary romance with Vlad wasn't all that imaginary after Friday night! When my memaw and step pepaw left for the weekend, I got to add late nights of great music and wine (Paso wine. Holla!) while sitting on their porch, watching the sunk sink past the city lights.
I love it when you get a vacation exactly right, and the joy of being in a new place doesn't fade until the long trek back, whence comes a slow burning yearn for home and the familiar, speeding your journey and closing the last chapter on a fond memory.

Jules is on vacation...sort of

2008-07-29T15:30:00.000-07:00

I'm sure this news will fall with much chagrin upon the hearts of my faithful readers, but I am out of town until this Friday the 1st, and I will be taking a blog vacay until I return. Most likely. Unless I just can't stay away, which is possible! Well, I might post some adventures if they are to be had. None the less, I am sure to have many exciting things to share with you upon my return to San Luis Obispo and my blogging career.
I'm currently peacing out at my Chico casa because the driveway gate is locked (grumble grumble..) leaving my key-less self and my car prisoner until my homie Breanna can pick me up. Then the fun can begin. The agenda today consists of a little shopping downtown, dinner with my memaw and step-pepaw, then dollar night(!) at Rileys with Bre and Tony and possibly some others. I also hope to meander over to the Banshee pub again to scope on the hot bartender, Vlad. Im sure thats not his name, but last night he was in this sexy plaid shirt, and I was too shy to ask his name, so..plaid, Vlad, get it?

CD review: Eric Hutchinson's 'Sounds Like This'

2008-07-26T02:34:00.000-07:00

I was at Best Buy a few days ago buying a cover for my ipod, and while I was waiting to check out the Eric Hutchinson CD caught my eye. I am an embarrassingly faithful reader of PerezHilton.com, and he turned me on to Eric about a year ago. I downloaded a few songs and made a mental note that he was working on a full length album, (which I promptly forgot). Well, at Best Buy Eric was on sale for $6.99, so I added his CD to my shopping cart full of unnecessary gadgets.
As I pulled out of the parking lot I popped his CD in. I liked what I heard. That is, until I got to the new album versions of the songs I'd downloaded a year ago. In the place of a charming, acoustic guitar playing singer-songwriter in the vein of a good Jason Mraz, I found over produced, over synthesized versions of the songs that had nestled a place in my top music rotation not too long ago. It was like he'd hired Miley Cyrus' producer. Really. Now, the songs weren't bad, they were actually kind of catchy. Its that they weren't sincere love songs anymore. But I still kind of loved it.
This will def be blasting from by beach boombox this summer! I'm loving track 9, 'Back to Where I Was', and the acoustic pre-album recording of 'All Over Now' is not to be missed.

To facebook, or not to facebook?

2008-07-26T01:56:00.000-07:00

Something disturbing happened to me the other day, but to explain it you need the back story. So, my friend Brent decided to make me this facebook page because I refuse to join the f.b. revolution. Now, he seemed to put some effort into the page, (lots of pictures, etc) and the page was actually funny, but a little mean and patronizing. So I left it up, as, in my opinion, a fan page of me that I had nothing to do with :P because I was at the same time offended by and entertained by it. So, the disturbing thing happened a few days later. I have Blockbuster Online as all you faithful readers may know, and I decided to add the new BBC version of 'Persuasion' to my queue. When I clicked 'add', this little window popped up saying, "Your Facebook diary has been updated to show you added this movie to your queue!". Um, what? Why, why why is this being noted so the internet population at large can see my video rental habits? I felt so freaked out that this website could invade insignificant little details of my life like that and post them as a news flash. I'm sure I reacted a little too much, but I felt like my privacy was a little violated. Now this leads me to another question. What is the appeal of these social networking sites. Is it healthy to want all your friends/acquaintances/mailpersons/etc to know everything about you, like a page like that promotes? I'm still not sure.

Moonstruck

2008-07-22T23:55:00.000-07:00

I watch a lot of movies. Sometimes I don't want to, but lately I've had so much free time that I'm going through my Blockbuster Online movie queue like a mad woman. So today Moonstruck arrived in the mail, and I immediately popped it in the dvd. It was a great romance, but without all the romantic comedy stuff that usually makes me gag. It probably didn't hurt that it had an oh so hottt young Nicholas Cage, whom I've loved ever since 'Peggy Sue Got Married'.

I feel like something special in 80's movies, especially romantic comedies, is so missing in movies today. They seem more real, more relatable. A movie like Moonstruck, or Ordinary People(not a rom-com), or whatever, isn't afraid to have more dead, slow screen time, which makes the characters more relatable. Their on screen awkwardness has the effect of making them seem more human, and not a character. I guess they seem to live life more at the pace of you or I.

In this film Cher's character's parents are both involved in infidelity in a saddeningly unresolved way, and its juxtaposition with the burning central romance creates melancholy questions about the longevity of romantic love. All in a film that gives you such excitement about the passion of its central characters, too!

Next on the movie queue is the HBO series Six Feet Under (so I get to see a gay Dexter! Yess!) and American Gangster (which I've been putting off. It's been on my coffee table for a month.)

First Post!

2008-07-19T13:14:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my blog! I've wanted to do this for such a long time, as kind of a more interesting alternative to facebook or something so I have more freedom to post what I want. I hope to make this a blog about what I find exciting, new, moving, funny, ect in my daily life. Enjoy!