THE DAILY ROUTINE KILLS YOUR SOUL..

(THE BETELNUT RESTAURANT SF)

Yesterday started off as any normal day. A day full of so much crap to do and not enough time to do it. Well, after I picked Jude he was pretty upset, because one of the boys at school were not treating him fairly. I told him to ignore him and play with some one else. He was still very hurt. I could not believe he was being faced with these issues already. Anyways, I thought tonight I would take him to dinner with us and he will feel much better, which he did.

Everyday, the same ol' crap, same ol' crap ( I am trying not to have a foul mouth as usual). We wake up, eat breakfast, drop Jude to school, I do homework for my classes, I pick Jude up from school, Jared comes home relieves me, then I go to school, I get home and Jude and Jared are already sleeping, so I retire for the night as well. Next morning, guess what? Same shit...

The Washkowitz family is not use to routine. We are an outdoorsy, adventurous, family that never plans. Since Jude has started school our lives have become nothing but routine. Jared and I have been snapping at each other. Jude has been over tired. I remember speaking with Jared's grandpa once and he told me never give into routine. Routine can kill a marriage and your soul. He is over 80 years old and he regrets following the rules so much. He said, if your child or spouse wants you to spend a day with them knowing you have to be at work, call in sick once. It is priceless.

Well, getting to the rest of my day. My friend Debra was here from Jamaica. She wanted Jared, Jude and myself to meet her and her family y for dinner. To be honest I was feeling sick and I really wanted to cancel, because I felt like shit, but I have not seen her in years and I said, "why not?" We met up with her and her family and had an awesome time. We went to the Betelnut restaurant. Jude sat at the table with us on his best manners and was content colouring pictures w/crayons. Everyone had martinis and mojitos. I watched and drooled..:(

We started reminiscing about the good ol'days. We chatted and laughed about every subject under the sun. Jared was laughing, I was laughing and so was Jude. We realized how much we needed that outing. We realized we have become exactly what we promised we would not. We have become that family that has given into routine. As of yesterday it has been broken. No more routine!! We will go out and mingle and eat at a different restaurant every week. I felt like ten years of age came off of me.

Can routine kill your soul???

THE MOVE OF THE WEEK . . . . .


"THE BOYS OF BARAKA" IS MY MOVIE PICK OF THE WEEK. I WAS ROAMING THE AISLES OF BLOCKBUSTER WHEN I STUMBLED UPON THIS POWERFUL DOCUMENTARY. I SAID, "WHY NOT?" i HAVE SEEN EVERY MOVIE IN THE STORE ANY WAY, SO IT WAS WORTH A SHOT.

THIS DOCUMENTARY IS VERY MOVING AND SHOWS YOU THE TRUTH OF THE UNFORGOTTEN CHILDREN IN BALTIMORE, MD. THEY SAY THAT 76% OF BOYS WILL NOT GRADUATE FROM HIGHSCHOOL IN BALTIMORE. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?

WELL, THIS MOVIE IS ABOUT A PROGRAM IN KENYA, AFRICA THAT TAKES THE TROUBLED YOUTH OUT OF THEIR HECTIC ENVIROMENTS AND GIVE THEM THE EDUCATION THEY DESERVE. THIS SCHOOL IS LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NO WHERE (BUSH). THERE IS NO TV, NO GUNS, NO DRUGS, NOTHING BUT NATURE AND BOOKS. YOU WILL SEE THE TRANSITION.

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS DOCUMENTARY. I GIVE IT FIVE STARS *****.

STAY TUNED TO MORE MOVIE REVIEWS TO COME....
I THINK I WILL CALL MY REVIEW SECTION COUCHPOTATO.COM

MY PICTURE OF THE DAY . . . . .

NO MORE PTA FOR ME . . .

OK, IT IS FINITO.. OVER... DONE!!! Yesterday I quit the god damn PTA. Yes, I did. I feel great bout it. The stress is gone. I don't have to deal with these desperate house wife clones any more. The workload was way too much. I wanted to be so involved with my son's education, but I did not know it was a fulltime job (not paid). I was the organizer of the PTA. It came to a point where I had 20 - 40 emails a day, typing letters, sending out emails, doing excel sheets, keeping the contact between teachers, students, and the PTA board flowing. I was falling behind on school work and focusing on the PTA. I am definitely not a multitasker like the other mothers. They obviously have no life other than their children and the PTA. Everyone has great ideas, but who was doing the work?

I need to focus on school and my pregnancy. So, yesterday I built up the courage and resign.

Do you believe that today I went to drop Jude off at school and the PTA president snobbed me. I said hello and she gave a fake smirk and kept walking. So, I guess since I am not a member of the PTA cult I am going to be an outcast. Oh, well I love being different, so an outcast is not so bad. I just cannot believe grown women are acting like highschool girls.

Don't get me wrong I still want to contribute in another way, for instance, in the library reading to kids ( how stressful could that be), helping with the garden, science fairs, chaperoning on fieldtrips. I can still help out, but not on the PTA board. I rather be with the children than the stupid ass adults. Kids are much easier than the middle aged women with no lives.

Let me cut them some slack. I am not being fare. I think I am just upset with the way they are handling the situation. There would not be so much pressure on the parents in the public school system if the government was doing there fucking share. We are spending millions of dollars in Iraq, but we are cutting school funding. Do you know who funds the Physical Education program, Science Program, Language programs, art programs, and music? The PTA... Yes, the PTA. We would not even have PE anymore if it iwas not for the PTA. The only thing the government funds is Math, English, and History. A lot of public schools do not even have a librarian anymore. So, the PTA has gone from the old days of baking cookies to a serious corporate business with no salaries. Our school PTA raises 200,000 - 600,000 a year.

Isn't that sad? So, the parents are becoming stressed out to keep the schools up to par. So, I feel it for them and that is why I will still be active in some kind of way, but they are still bitches!!!

LUKAS ROSSI IS THE MAN . . . .

Last night on "Rock Star, Super Nova" Lukas Rossi walked away as the front man for the band. He was Jared's favourite from the beginning. The guy is talented and performs great. His voice is original and he is very versatile. You can tell he has major issues. Can you be an artist with out issues? You have to see and feel the pain through his music. He is definitely a ROCK STAR!

On the down side I think he has too much attitude and the fame will go to his head real quick. I give Super Nova a year before they break up. Lucas wants fame and he doesbnot care who he fucks over to get it. I do not think he will stay loyal to the band memebers. I can read him and I am damn good at reading people. I assure you this band is going to take off. They are going to ROCK with Lukas. He will take them to new heights and bring those old boys back to their youth. When they reach that high, Lukas will say, "I made you guys and brought you back from the 80's. You are holding me back. I am going solo!" He is going to realize he is hot and young. Why should he let these 40 year old washed up headbangers ride off of his coat tail. Remember, I predicted this!!!

So long . . . .

SOCCER MOM?

When did life change from getting high and drunk in a nightclub to soccer mom and the PTA? I never thought I would of seen the day when I became a soccer mom and on the PTA council. One morning I woke up and said, "who is this?" It is not that I don't like being involved with my son's interest, but I never thought that would be me. Am I one of those mothers? Am I going to start baking cookies and selling lemonade on the corner? Or better yet sewing Halloween costumes? Jude better grow up to be a wellrounded, educated, cultural, generous, athletic and open minded adult, because I am going against my morals here to show him that I support him a 100%. Kids need that and I hope he benefits. If he turns out to be a serial killer, racist, junkie, drop out, I swear I will be the first to kill him.

The good thing is the times have changed most of the soccer moms and PTA parents are all young and hip parents. It is not the stereotypical Betty Crocker mothers. Not at all! Most of them are our age who surf and play in bands. They are pretty cool parents. So, I do not feel so bad. The PTA/Soccer mom image has changed.. The Generation X kids are the parents now. Which I think is pretty cool. I do not think our kids will be as screwed up as we are. The new generation of parents will not hide anything from their kids. They tell them about sex and drugs straight up. Not like my parents, who gave me a book to read because the couldn't even say the word "SEX". Drugs? What was that? I did not even hear the word in my house. We would not of been so damn curious if we knew what we were getting into. Atleast if my son is curious he will be educated about sex, drugs and materialistic skanks. He will know the cause and effect of everything. Lets hope he will not be curious.

Well, this is my weekely schedule..

• Jude has school M-F 8:40am - 2:40am. I drop him off at school.
• Go to the Java Beach Cafe and do some homework for my class while I watch all of the hippies and surfers skateboard outside.
• Then attend my yoag class if I actually make it on time.
• Head home and read all of the emails from the PTA and start on that work load.
• Pick Jude up from school and turn in my work to the PTA.
• If it is Thursday - Soccer practice
• Oh, I forgot I also have school Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays.

So that is my week! Oh, Jude will be starting Spanish and Cantonese at the end of the month as well, so I will have to pick him up from those classes as well. Man, I did not know that your life becomes so busy when the kids start school. I do enjoy being busy but I am still getting accustomed to it.

Check put this album called "SoccerMom", pretty cool if you like the 60's..

www.cdbaby.com/cd/soccermom

Really cool record. She is pretty hot in LA right now.

SLEEPLESS IN SAN FRANCISCO . . .

The early morning seems surreal with its silence and mystic presence. As of 5am this morning I was sleepless and could not fall back asleep no matter what I did. I gave into the fight and just got up and started my day. I checked email, bank account, craigslist, and watched a movie. I went upstairs and watched the movie "Phat Girls" w/Monique. It is not really my type of movie, but I support it because my friend Jimmy is the co-star. It was nothing like I thought it would be. I was expecting another ghetto comedy. It had some of that in there but it was really intense. You saw the world from a large woman's point of view. It was pretty interesting. My friend "Jimmy" was not too bad himself. The things you have to do as an actor. I have to admit seeing him kiss Monique kind of left me uneasy.

(MONIQUE AND JIMMY)

Well, moving on... I forgot what it was like to be pregnant. I probably get a good night sleep one or two days thorugh out the week. This baby does not sleep. I am up every morning by 4 0r 5am. That is why pregnant women are miserable. They do not get any sleep! I pray please let this baby be easy like Jude was. The day Jude was born until now he never gave any trouble with sleeping. He was sleeping through the night at 1 month old. Why do I feel like this one is going to bring many sleeples nights. He/she is preparing me from now.

Jared is going to have to buy earplugs again. When Jude was a baby the first couple of weeks he woke up every two hours for a feeding. Jared could not handle the crying plus he had work early in the morning, so he bought earplugs. That was genius! So, to Jared's friends if you want to know what to buy him for a baby shower gift... earplugs!

Anyways, this is a boring ramble, because I am tired and I really do not anything to say. So, I am going to try one more time to get some shut eye..

Ciao!