My Lucky Day

Yesterday, I had nothing to do all day so I decided to take the opportunity to head out for some snowboarding, one of my favorite activities. It was a great day to hit Minnesota's equivalent of slopes and the (man made) snow was as great as fake snow can be. The temperature was around 50 so I only needed to wear a light jacket and was snug as a bug in a mug conveniently placed on a rug near a pug.

I haven't been snowboarding for very long. This will be my 4th year and my first year I only made it out once and only twice last year so I'm not particularly good at it but it's something I really enjoy and would like to get better at. One thing I've struggled with for a while is being able to turn toe side. Toe side turning is essential to be able to look like this much of a badass.

I spent some time on the bunny hill to work on toe side turning... and also because the lift operator was hot. And had a pleasant aroma that one could smell from a distance. Yeah, I'm shameless but he smelled a combination of manly and something I'd like to fuck.

Finally, after an hour of falling, frustration, and flan* I managed to stay balanced on my toe side and flip my board around... which resulted in me falling forward into the snow. This was, however, still a big step because I had, up until that point, not had much luck even veering in that direction.
*There wasn't any actual flan. Flan is mentioned only because of its F... and because I really like talking about flan.

I stayed on the bunny hill for a while longer working on turning and taking deep nostril inhales each time I got back on the chairlift. I managed to get to the point where I can somewhat switch back and forth between balancing toe side and heel side and I can direct myself in the toe side direction... though if it came to having to toe side turn suddenly, I'd probably pull a Sonny Bono and perish in an unfortunate tree accident.

In a lucky coincidence, I managed, during a break from my life as some sort of snow sprite to discover that the main chalet has a bar! And they serve wine! And then I saw a fox! Three things I love combined so perfectly it almost seemed too good to be true.

Following my snow adventures I returned home to find out I won a pair of tickets to Dr. Dog at First Avenue in February! It's part of my life strategy of entering as many contests as I possibly can. I figure this way I'm bound to win at least a couple of them and if it's something I end up not liking, I can sell it on eBay for CA$H M0N3Y.*
*I hate people who type like that, too.

Overall, it was a great day. I didn't let things that usually would've brought me down get in my way. Yes, it hurt slamming my ass into the hill repeatedly and face planting on the bunny hill. And yes, I wanted to rip that girl who was standing at the bottom of the chairlift unload texting and taking pictures of her boyfriend's throat out.* And yes, I was upset that my efforts to catch the previously mentioned fox resulted in it running away into the woods and a mandatory court date to discuss the restraining order in March. But I kept a positive attitude and kept working hard and in the end there was a positive outcome! So that's the take home message. Work hard. And don't chase foxes. They're well versed in the legal system.
*SERIOUSLY?! Did you eat paint chips or stupid candy when you were little?! You're going to get hit or at the very least piss off a bunch of people. This isn't the Olive Garden or a cheap motel. GO ELSEWHERE

Going back to snowboarding, I listened to some new music today while snowboarding and it got me to thinking of some of my favorite songs to snowboard to. So I half-assedly created this awesome playlist that you can try out next time you're racing down a hill covered the solid phase of a common molecule on a piece of fiberglass... Or not. It's your life. You've probably seen a few of these before but like I said, I half assed it.

1. Polish Girl- Neon Indian
2. Cradle- The Joy Formidable
3. Just A Girl- No Doubt
4. Dead Disco- Metric
5. Sun of a Gun- Oh Land
6. Marry the Night- Lady Gaga
7. Siberia- Lights
8. M83- Midnight City
9. Le Disko- Shiny Toy Guns
10. Dance With The Devil- The Sounds

So. What do you listen to when you snowboard? Or ski, if you're really white. Or whatever sport you play... Extreme pig wrestling? Pilatescross? I don't care. This is me trying to engage you. Throw me a frickin' bone.

#40ThingsAboutMe Part 2

I'm supposed to be studying for my organic chemistry test on Thursday... but obviously I'm going to procrastinate by blogging. Here's part 2 of my 40 facts thing!

11. Even though I'm really inflexible, yoga is probably my favorite form of exercise. It burns a lot of calories and builds strength at the same time. One of the things I'm most proud of is going from barely being able to do bridge pose to being able to get into a full wheel.

12. I usually don't crave potato chips or sugary foods like most people do. Instead, I'll randomly crave foods such as (but not limited to) watermelon, strawberries, lentils, peanut butter, spinach, corn, and carrots.

13. The quickest way to piss me off is to not return a text, call, etc. or to just blatantly ignore me. I'd rather you had the respect (if you can call it that) to lie to me about having plans if you don't want to do something than just not respond.

14. I HATE talking on the phone. Please, for the love of Shiva, text me instead of calling me.

15. No Doubt and Metric have had an indescribable impact on my life. I've met so many amazing people because of them and have had incredible experiences because of both of them. Their impact on my life has been absolutely one of the most positive things to ever happen. People often wonder why I'm so passionate about them (and I often get made fun of for this passion) and THIS IS WHY. It goes beyond the music. It's the community and the bonds with people that make them so special.

16. When I was younger, I used to think that I would never end up drinking. Well... things have changed haha.

17. My oldest brother is becoming a Catholic priest. Needless to say, our worldviews are in extreme conflict.

18. Smoking=Instant turn off.

19. I really like gardening. Not so much the actual process of digging in the dirt and what not, but I like seeing the results.

20. I've never kissed someone I'm legitimately attracted to. I've either been drunk or just gone along with it because I liked that I was getting attention from a guy.

Best of 2011 So Far

Holy moly, it's already July! Where did the time go? The year is already halfway over! It also means that I'm just a few weeks away from turning 21 and I'll be able to taste alcohol for the first time ever!!!!

As I'm sure many other bloggers do, I'm going to take this opportunity to reflect on some of the great music that's been released so far this year by picking a favorite album, song, and live act as well as give some props to some of my favorite new discoveries thus far this year. Obviously these are not final because there's still six months to go which will be including Lollapalooza, a new No Doubt album (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), and many other releases and shows. Who knows, by the end of the year these might seem like complete and utter shit... but I doubt that =)

Best Album (So Far)
The first six months have included releases by two of my favorite artists, the Sounds and Lady Gaga. Needless to say I was pretty much giddy for these albums to come out and when they did... I kinda got blue ballsed a bit. They were decent, don't get me wrong, and they both have some great songs on them (From the Sounds Something to Die For album, I recommend "The No-No Song," "Wish You Were Here," and "Better Off Dead." From Gaga's Born This Way, "Americano," "Marry the Night," "Government Hooker," "You and I," "Shei(weird German symbol that looks like a B)e,"and "Edge of Glory" stand out) but as a whole, neither of them was spectacular as far as I'm concerned. Some stronger releases came from Yelle, Cold War Kids, and the Rural Alberta Advantage. In fact, the Rural Alberta Advantage would probably be my favorite album this year if I hadn't spontaneously gone to see a band known as the Head and the Heart at SXSW and become absolutely obsessed.

Seriously, these guys are AMAZING and their self titled debut is one of those rare albums that I like every song on it. They played an acoustic set at the Electric Fetus in Minneapolis last month and it was incredible. I had the chance to talk with them for a minute after and they were incredibly nice and down to earth.

Best Song (So Far)
This one is a bit harder to choose from because there have been a few songs that I've had on repeat. "The Edge of Glory" by Lady Gaga is just... fucking genius. It's like an 80's throwback and, while she gets criticized for that, I personally really enjoy it. Other favorites that didn't quite make the cut include, "The Bay" by Metronomy, "Louder Than Ever" by Cold War Kids, "Cardiac Arrest" by Teddybears feat. Robyn, "Breaking and Entering" by Tonight Alive and "Muscle Relaxants" by the Rural Alberta Advantage but my favorite, which has found a place as one of the few non-Metric songs on my most played list, is "The No-No Song" by the Sounds. It's. So. Damn. Catchy. And best of all it includes my favorite musical element, angry female vocals! Stick it to whoever hurt you, Maja! You can have me. Seriously. I wouldn't say no.

Best Live Act
As I've mentioned in the past, I went to SXSW and that's where I saw my favorite live act so far... twice. Yes, it's the Sounds! They have so much energy and what's there not to love about a group of sexy, sweaty Swedes with a ton of energy? Nothing. I finally got to see Maja's legs up close and in person and THEY ARE EVEN BETTER THAN I IMAGINED. The other thing Maja is semi-known for is her ability to chain smoke through a whole set and, while I normally find cigarettes incredibly disgusting, I was more than a bit turned on. If that's not enough, I randomly ran into them on the street and got this picture with Maja!

Isn't she gorgeous?! She was incredibly nice, too. I always find that makes me like a band that much more because there are some asshole musicians out there.


Some New Favorites
I'm not going to pick just one for this category because there are so many great ones. This list is far from complete but here's a sample:

The Head and the Heart- But I've already talked about them enough.

The Naked and Famous- I discovered them early in the year and I'm just going to attribute it to Merrijoy because she's one of two people I know who understand how AWESOME they are.


Ellie Goulding- HOLY MOTHER OF SHIVA I LOVE HER. How did I not hear about her before?! She might be my favorite Brit. When she sings, she still maintains her British accent but it's not annoying as accents sometimes can be. She does a cover of "Your Song" by Elton John and the video for it on YouTube... Oh man. She's too cute for words.

Dessa- She's another one who I don't know how I missed her before. She's a rapper from Minneapolis and she's just incredible... and that's coming from someone who generally doesn't enjoy rap.


The Book of Mormon- Okay, so this isn't a band, it's a musical. But it's earned a spot as one of the two musicals I actually like (the other being Avenue Q). Hasa Diga Eebowai is... just glorious. Go look it up.

Aaaaand those are my favorites so far. What have been some of yours? Do share! I'm always looking for new music!

For those of you who are unaware, I've recently developed an obsession with this YouTube show called "My Drunk Kitchen." The premise that this girl gets drunk and cooks things and films it. It's pretty freakin' great. Well, there happens to be a new episode today so I wanted to share it with you before I got into the real meat of today's blog.




Isn't she great?! I love her. I want to keep her in a jar in my room.

Now that I've shared the joy of MDK, it's time to move on to a more serious topic. I know, I know, it's rare that I have serious blogs because I'm so fucking entertaining.

For those of you who don't follow me on Twitter, lately I've been posting a lot of rather depressing statuses (Basically, I've turned into this whiny thirteen year old fat emo girl). I know they're annoying and I know it seems like I'm... well, a whiny thirteen year old fat emo girl. I also realize that lately I've been really irritable lately. I'm snapping at people, I'm making vicious sarcastic comments, I'm not commenting or tweeting or texting back, I'm being really anti-social... Basically, I'm becoming a real asshole.

Well, more of a real asshole than I usually am.

I've also become a tad paranoid and have gotten mad at people for stupid things like not responding to a Facebook event invite or whatever... Stuff that, while annoying, doesn't warrant the kind of reaction I've been having. In addition, I've felt the need to obsessively write on people's walls, comment or like everything, etc. because I feel like everyone is abandoning me for completely irrational reasons.

I guess I just really wanted to apologize for how I've been acting lately. There's been a lot of negative stuff in my life lately that I've been struggling with and it honestly has been getting worse rather than better. I'm trying to work through it but it's a long, difficult process. So if I snap at you or whatever, don't take it personally. It really is my issue more than anything else and you're probably doing nothing wrong. I don't know why I take things out on the people I love, but that's what always ends up happening. I'm trying to stop, I really am.

Life has been a struggle lately for me. I don't want to go into details of what's been going on, and I'm sure most of you probably don't want to hear it, but things are getting bad. Some days, I won't get out of bed until 4 because I just don't see the point or feel like dealing with reality. Hopefully, someday I'll get better. Hopefully.

Random Life Updates

Hello one and all!

I've just been on a blogging spree lately, haven't I? Maybe it's all the free time I have before summer class starts again. Can't fill it all with exercise, can I? ;)

I have a few short updates I wanted to share really quick that don't really fit in anywhere else but I felt deserved an appearance in here. I have a few blog ideas I'm going to be working on posting soon so look for those!

First of all, I want to start by sending my condolences to anyone who has been affected by these crazy ass tornadoes the past few days. It hit here in Minneapolis not too far from where I live and thankfully, we didn't get hit as bad as other places like Joplin, Missouri. I would like to bring up an interesting thinking/discussion point: The weather lately has been erratic and highly out of the ordinary. Am I the only one who sees this as a product of climate change? I hope people wake up and start listening to the scientists who've been warning that yes, it really is happening!

I'm also really upset that this anti-marriage amendment is going to be up for a vote in Minnesota. I'll probably post a blog about it down the line but just know that angry Joey is ANGRY!!!! >:(

I finally ordered my ticket for Lollapalooza! I'm so excited to FINALLY be going this year! There's a great line up including Girl Talk, the Naked and Famous, Muse, Cold War Kids, Flogging Molly, Cee-Lo, and so many others! It'll be my second music festival this year, too! (I went to SXSW over spring break) And, best of all, I'll be 21! Lolla is a week after my 21st so I'll still be in legal boozing heaven haha. I'm not entirely sure who I'm going with yet but hopefully this won't be a solo trip.

In other exciting news, I have less than two weeks until Chelsea Handler! So excited to see her again! I'm reading her new book and it's HILARIOUS as always.

I've been doing a lot of StumbleUpon lately and, as a result, have come across many different recipes that I want to try. As I try them, I might share a few on here. Get ready for lots of delicious vegetarian cuisine!

That about wraps up that my random blog. Like I said, stay tuned because I have some great posts in store!




Oh, one more thing: No, I did not get raptured on Saturday. I guess Jesus doesn't like agnostics. =)

A comforting lie can't last

I'm on a bit of self improvement binge as of late, trying to rid my life of some of the negativity I have been experiencing and generally trying to make the world a more pleasant place. And that's why I've decided that it's time for me to stop my double life of sorts I've been living.

Those of you who know me fairly well know that in addition to being ignored, being lied to is one of the things that I find most hurtful and rude. I've also never been a fan of people who put on a facade, whether it be to seem like they're a good person but behind the scenes they're not or just to make someone like them. Well, I realize I've been doing these last two and it's time that it stops. Maybe this lie, the second face I've been putting on for some of you, is why I'm experiencing so many problems lately. Maybe it's not. But either way, this is my attempt at detoxifying my life.

Yes, as I'm sure all of you who I haven't already told suspected, I'm gay.

Now, I really don't want to make a big deal out of this. Why? Because it's not really central to who I am as far as I'm concerned. There are so many more interesting things about me. Like did you know that I'm an ordained reverend and can legally perform weddings? Much more interesting than who I'm potentially attracted to.

So please, don't make a big deal out of this. I've known for a long time. I'm still the same person I was before. My love of Metric, Canada, HIV advocacy, meeting new people, doing nerdy things like reading theoretical physics books for fun, Gwen Stefani, drinking like a fish, being a general badass, posting articles about current events and science that no one reads, yoga, the 7 Deadly Sins Games, randomly giving out complements to people I barely know on Facebook, and so many more things that really make up who I am haven't changed. I'm still the same old Joey, with all my quirks and flaws and positive attributes and my tendency to care a little too much about other people. I'm just finally able to show who I am in my entirety.

This was probably the hardest thing I've ever had to do partially because I've been scared of how people will react and partially because I'm not really friends with any guys, let alone gay ones, so I don't know what others have gone through. That's why I really appreciate any support you can give me.





I can assure you all of one thing:

No more lies.