Only 64 more days until the World Beard and Moustache Championships!!

randall moustache
Originally uploaded by mayshelley.

I stumbled across this website for the World Beard and Moustache Championships. Randall's baseball season ends in late August, which gives him adequate time to grow a sweet beard...best of luck to you brotha!

AAARRRR!!! Matey! It's me a Captain Black Spot

Black Spot
Originally uploaded by mayshelley.

The Shelley’s 2nd Favorite National Holiday is unquestionably “Talk Like A Pirate Day.” Every September 19th (starting last year) we get on me wooden legs and me eye patches and yell out pirate profanity at all who will listen. Luckily, talking like a pirate isn’t limited to only one day a year. Since Randall’s baseball team is the Long Beach Arrrrrmada, we have taken advantage of this opportunity and bought out the whole pirate section at the party store and with hooks in hand and eye patches on head, we have become the Arrrrmada’s most energetic, perhaps only cheering section.

Inspirational Clip for the Week

Here's a video that shows my love for documentaries and short shorts. Enjoy!

Wow Wee Rickey Henderson!

rickey
Originally uploaded by mayshelley.

If you were a baseball fan in the 80’s and 90’s the name Rickey Henderson may sound very familiar. Henderson played most of his years with the Oakland A’s and is best known for stealing bases. To this day, he still holds the most career stolen bases with 1406 and places second for most stolen bases in a single season with 130. Rickey Henderson currently plays in the same Independent baseball league as my older brother Randall. This past weekend I went down to San Diego to watch Rickey Henderson and Randall Shelley duke it out for second in the league’s stolen bases. It’s still very early in the season, but it will be an exciting summer following the Long Beach Armada. The picture provided is the leagues leader board.

Lesson One on How to be a Hippie

On my way to my Ruhi Study Circle class, I parked my car near the host’s house I noticed a lone object in the street caught my eye. A four drawer deep mahogany dresser lay on the corner with a single spotlight shining down upon it through the overcast, hazy sky. The hippie gods were casting a light onto this piece of “trash” calling the inner-hippie inside of me to pull my car around and take this dresser. I waited to investigate further into this mysterious dresser on the street, but upon leaving the Ruhi class I noticed it was still there. I mustered up some courage, pulled my car around and threw that dresser in my trunk. Tonight marks my first solo trip of dumpster diving.

My Aunt Juliet owns a book called The Hippie Handbook. I remember glancing over it a few years back and took notes on the proper etiquette of dumpster diving. I have included these rules:

1.Identify your target neighborhood. Concentrate on areas where young people rent. Stay away from wealthy neighborhoods. It is a surprising fact that rich people do not throw good stuff away. They give their trash to charity and deduct it on their tax returns.

2. Determine when trash is in your target neighborhood (by observation or calling the city).

3.The night before trash day (“Trash Eve”) drive your VW bus slowly through your target neighborhood.

4. When you spot a dumpster or trash pile that is teeming with bounty, approach is cautiously. (Do not get in the dumpster. Dumpsters can be very dangerous and also dirty.)Bring a footstool so that you can get a good vantage point for sifting. Stay away from clothing, sealed trash bags, and diapers.

5. When you see something you like, carefully free it from the dumpster and load it in the back of your bus.

6.Continue cruising and repeat.

Written While Listening to “Speed of Sound” by Coldplay

The Real OC?

Laguna Beach shoreline
Originally uploaded by mayshelley.

Today I finally got the chance to drive down to the beach since my return home for the summer. This picture is of the Laguna Beach shoreline and cliffs. Every first Thursday of the month, the galleries on Pacific Coast Highway open up their doors to showcase their new pieces they have in their gallery. Tonight we strolled along the strip. Although Laguna Beach is known for its art, I thought that overall the art pieces lacked emotion and creativity and classify most of these pieces under what I like to call “safe-orange-county-art.” But maybe I’m being an art snob…I do have a concentration in Art.

Written While Listening to “Like Eating Glass” by Bloc Party

Being World's Second Best Blog Isn't Too Bad

If you are the type of person that limits themselves to a given amount of internet procrastination time, then read no further. Today was my first day back from work and during my lunch break I came across an article in the New York Times about blogs. They mentioned a blog called “postsecret” where people write their deepest secrets on the back of a postcard and mail it to a given address. The blogger then posts these postcards on the site. If you are looking to procrastinate or you are just bored, I highly suggest checking out this site (of course after you read the complete archives of this amazing, thought-provoking blog)

Written While Listening to “Subterranean Homesick” by Radiohead

More Mun, More Fun

SBC park
Originally uploaded by mayshelley.

This weekend my cousins, May Allen and Tom, came up to Northern California to watch their hometown San Diego Padres play the Giants at SBC Park. Once again, great weekend!

Written While Listening to "My Mathematical Mind" by Spoon

Life Lesson from A Rod (and i'm not talking about my Dad)

A few years back when my brother was at Spring Training with the Texas Rangers, Alex Rodriguez gave a talk about how to be a champion. He said that the great champion athletes limit their daily thoughts to only 500 thoughts per day. They exercise blocking out the insignificant thoughts and focus on what they want to be. For example, A-Rod would repeat the mantra ‘I’m going to get a .350 batting average, I’m going to get a .350 batting average” throughout his daily.
I still think that’s near impossible (but, hey I’m not a champion athlete). But, for this week I have developed a modified self-focused plan. I’m going to limit myself to one large activity per day and focus all of my energy and thoughts into making that event the best it could possibly be. On Monday I focused all of my energy and going to see Star Wars and it perhaps was the best Star Wars-movie-watching-experience I could possibly have (the only way it could have been better is if some one in the audience was dressed as Chewbaca or C-3PO). Yesterday, I focused my thoughts on attending my Yoga class and I had the best darn yoga session ever! I’ve decided that tomorrow’s activity will be taking over the world!! (or going to the rec pool, depends on the weather).

Written While Listening to “Old Soul Song” by Bright Eyes

Born Loser?

For my first week as a college graduate my plans are to hang out in Davis, relax, go to the Rec Pool, catch up on reading and write my thank you letters. Since the electricity is out for the day at my house, I decided to cruise the town. During my solo lunch at Pita Pit I picked up the UC Davis newspaper, the California Aggie. I quickly became excited when I realized that it was Tuesday, which means that the ex-Davis Hometown Celebrity Lamar Haystick’s column “Born Loser” would be on the second page.

Lamar writes a very entertaining weekly column about how pathetic he is and how he has no “game” with the ladies. A few years ago, my friends and I were so entertained by his column that he was often the topic of conversation over Tuesday night dinners and we would intentionally get in his checkout lane at Safeway where he worked just to get a glimpse of him. The mystery of this born loser continued for about a year until my sisters and I randomly met him at a Benefit Dinner after our Yoga class. As if he were actually a celebrity, Amy bombarded him with questions regarding his column like “Did you really live in the Safeway women’s bathroom for a month?” and “So your car actually got towed away with you sleeping in it?” He was obviously very flattered by the attention by the stunning attractiveness that my identical twin sister possesses. From then on the mystery of Lamar began to fade and instead of us semi-stalking him, he began semi-stalking my sister. Amy actually got unkowingly suckered into a hot night on the town with Lamar. She may not admit it, but I think she secretly wanted Lamar to write about how the “born loser” scored a hot date with a hot lassie, but unfortunately next Tuesday there was nothing written. Anyways, here’s a link to his article where he basically verbally gets worked by an aggie reader.

Written While Listening to "Magnolia Mountain" by Ryan Adams

All the Way May!

fireworks in SF
Originally uploaded by mayshelley.

Here's a picture of the firework show held in my honor for graduating from college!! It's difficult to see in this picture but they actually wrote "Congrats May!!" with fireworks in the sky. (ok so it wasn't exactly for me...but we can pretend, right?) Thanks for a great weekend everyone!!

Written While Listening to "Why You'd Want to Live Here" by Benjamin Gibbard

Wait…so when you refer to Eminem you aren’t talking about the Chocolate that melts in your mouth not in your hands?!?!?

With four days left until graduation, I’ve been taking my spare moments to reflect on the things I’ve learned within the last twenty-two years. Being a Liberal Studies Major, my course work includes two classes in almost every subject. I have taken everything from Chemistry to “how to teach Physical Education.” With such a wide breadth of knowledge I have acquired, the most shocking information is the crushing of a lifelong belief that Jackson Browne wasn’t of African American descent. On the many Shelley family road trips we would have a regular rotation of the Beatles, Bad Company, James Taylor and Jackson Browne blazing on the tape deck. My mom often told stories of her teenage crush on Mr. Browne and on one trip to Sun Valley, Idaho my brother and dad actually met him. It wasn’t until a few weeks ago when I “googled” Jackson Browne that I stumbled upon a picture of a short white man. I sat at my desk in confusion wondering why a picture of a white man came up under Jackson Browne’s name. And then it clicked that my whole life has been deceptions and lies.
I started to recall stories of friends and family members and the crushing stories of their lifelong misconceptions. For example, a dear and loved one to me just realized a few years ago that the sauce you put on top of eggs benedicts is not called “Holiday Sauce” rather “Hollandaise sauce.” My favorite story of another loved one (not to be named) believed that Gary Sinise (best known for his role as Lieutenant Dan in Forrest Gump) actually didn't have legs in real life.

Written While Listening to "Say Hello, Wave Goodbye" by David Gray

From Plain Jane to Hottie with a Body

It’s a known fact that “reality tv” has officially taken over television programming. Within this new era of programming, there have been some great reality shows (Show Dog Moms and Dads, the Amazing Race, Wife Swap just to name a few) and some horrible and degrading ones. The last people I would ever expect to fall into the abyss of Reality television are my parents. They are suckers for the Makeover shows and I’m not talking about the Home makeovers and re-design the bedroom shows, I’m talking about the Swan type shows. The shows that take the “ugliest of the ugly ducklings” and remove them from their loved ones as they transform into the beautiful swan they could never have been without plastic surgery and a personal trainer.
When I was home for spring break a few months ago, my parents explained their new pitch for the ultimate reality series: “Surprise Extreme Makeover.” The show will find some not-so-attractive people who need a basic, simple surgery like removal of the tonsils or the removal of wisdom teeth. The twist is that while they are under anesthetic the doctors will perform all of the necessary transformation surgeries: tummy tuck, nose job, liposuction, breast augmentation, etc. It’s a perfect combination of the surprise twist that keep viewers watching shows like “Joe Millionaire” and the makeover element found in shows like “Queer Eye.”

Written While Listening to “You and Me” by Kelsey Bulkin

First Sign that the Whole Earth Festival has come to Davis

love machine
Originally uploaded by mayshelley.

It's official! The Whole Earth Festival has begun! (Check out the plates on the car '1HIPPIE')

Gives a New Meaning to "Finger Foods"

A hot dinner conversation amongst my friends within the last few months is the lady who “found” a finger in her Wendy’s chili. I have been following the Wendy’s story since I first heard about it over spring break. Allegedly the Las Vegas lady who found the finger in her Chili in San Jose planted the finger stub in the Chili in order to get some money out of it. One may wonder where one can get a finger stub. Apparently, the stub belongs to another Las Vegas woman who got her index finger bitten off by some sort of feline (no not a Liger, Liger’s are friendly) who last saw it in the Emergency Room in Las Vegas. The case of the missing finger in the chili still continues. Adding to all this chaos, a man in North Carolina bit into his ice cream this week to find what he thought was an unexpected nut. After sucking the ice cream off of the “nut” he removed the nut to find it was actually a human finger tip! I have found some interesting things in my food throughout my lifetime. Most of these items are bugs or a stray hair….but two fingers within two months?!?! Someone needs to call FDA.

Written While Listening to “Don’t Stop” by the Brazilian Girls

My Sistas- not in a genetic sense- 4 Life

This past weekend, I ventured to the land of the “sistas.” I’m not referring to my biological sisters Amy and Maryam, rather my soul sistas. A few Baha’i friends from the Bay Area put on “Sister Saturdays;” a place for woman to gather and talk about what is on their mind. Although, I am not allowed to fully explain our intimate discussions and rituals due to members of the other gender who happen to be readers of this blog, I will tell as much as I am permitted to.

As I walked into the Baha’i house, the smell of food and estrogen filled the air. We started off by lighting the altar dedicated to the greatest sista of all…Oprah. Continuing with a verbal exercise of discussing what is on each ladies mind aka talk about how one’s husband doesn’t help around the house, insecurities with one’s physical appearance, and the personal struggles that all women go through. With my home girl Erykah Badu’s CD grooving in the background we started with the health and healing component. This included making our own salt scrubs and wraps and giving each other facials with Miracle Wip. I’m not really the “only hang out with girls” type; the thought of spending more than ten minutes in a Sorority House gives me the major heeebie jeebies. Yet, this weekend I walked out of there with twelve new soul sista’s and I can now officially say that I, too, am a Sista!

Oh yeah, Happy MAY DAY to all!!!!

Written While Listening to “Mayfly” by Belle and Sebastian

One Way of Guaranteeing an A

In twenty-three days from today, I will have officially finished my bachelor's degree. Week thirteen in a fifteen week semester is the first week of crunch time. It’s been an overwhelming week to say the least. Today I had my final presentation for my “Understanding and Creating Art in the classroom,” which consisted of a thematic unit, three lesson plans, biography and an actual art activity for the artist Marcel Duchamp (best known for his “sculpture” Fountain; a urinal flipped upside down and signed “R. Mutt”). My forty-five minute presentation was going well until the end of the slide portion as I was walking to pass out a handout to the students; I knocked my head on the hanging television in the classroom. The next thing I remembered I was seeing stars above my head. Running into stationary objects is something quite familiar to me. It’s not unusual for me to be daydreaming while walking down the street and run into stationary light poles on the sidewalk or bike into parked cars. After my presentation, I wasn’t as concerned with my the big bruise that is emerging from my head, rather….how many pity points do a I get for knocking myself out during a Final Art presentation?

Written While Listening to “On Peak Hill” by Stars

S.S. Congruent's Voyage to the Island of Tutor

SS congruent
Originally uploaded by mayshelley.

Last time I came across the super hero Captain Compass, he had jumped ship after math class and left his trusty trapezoid ship the S.S. Congruent to drift in the open waters of campus. Today I was in the Math Tutoring Lab getting some help on my Math homework and you can imagine the shock when I saw that the S.S. Congruent had beached on the walls of the "Math Ed Corner" of the Math Tutoring Lab.

Written While Listening to "Crown of Love" by The Arcade Fire

Lean to the Left, Lean to the Right, Stand Up, Sit Down, FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT!!!

I attended a private Catholic High School. My parent’s original intent in sending their Baha’i children to a Catholic School was for the renowned athletics and academics. I could only speak for my own high school experience, but from what I hear of the public high school assembly scene is that assemblies were limited to magazine drives, pep rallies, and a good opportunity to ditch school. The Santa Margarita Eagles typically put on a darn good pep ralley and our magazine drive assemblies were above mediocre, but we often had inspirational speakers at our assemblies. These were typically paid speakers that toured conferences and high schools to tell their stories to young eager high school listeners about pro-life or abstinence. Most of these assemblies provided a good opportunity to pass notes and attempt to find your friends in the bleachers across the gym.

Last night at dinner with friends, I was recalling the most memorable speaker; A man who was born with no arms and played the guitar with his feet. I explained how he played Frisbee with his neck and shoulder and demonstrated how he washed his hair without arms. Of course, my friends didn’t believe me and immediately mocked my story. So today I set myself the goal of searching for this no-armed-guitar-player. It took me a while because I wasn’t sure what exactly to search for. “no arm man” and “armless guitar” didn’t quite work. It was finally “no arm guitar” that was successful. He’s playing in Sacramento next October if anyone is down to see him.

Written While Listening to “You’re My Best Friend’ by Queen

The State of the Tater

When I was a child, every winter break we would pack all six of my family members and Chuck (my Dad’s best friend and the fifth official child of the Shelley family) in the family suburban and caravan with five other cars that belonged to the Diliberto clan to Sun Valley, Idaho for a skiing extravaganza. The scenic 995.08 miles of the great Western United States we drove through was left mostly unappreciated by my siblings and I, due to boredom and constant fighting in the back seat. The only interesting thing my siblings and I thought the state of Idaho produced was “potato guns” and a ritzy ski resort.

The Idaho House of Representatives has produced a “concurrent resolution stating legislative findings and commending” the writers and producers of Napoleon Dynamite. I am officially changing my previous statement to… The only interesting things the state of Idaho has produced are “potato guns,” a ritzy ski resort, and Napoleon Dynamite.

Written While Listening to "He Woke Me Up Again" by Sufjan Stevens