I TAKE IT ALL BACK!

I am watching Justin Bieber on American Idol. (I realize I watch this show way too much). Back to JB--HE JUST KILLED IT! That Baby song had me moving. I take it all back...he rocks my face off.

I apologize for anything and everything I said about him. Yes he is young, but he just made me do a spin move while washing dishes. THANK YOU JUSTIN BIEBER!

Ok back to contemplating why my life is a bit sad/pathetic--more posts on that to come.

Taubel--OUT!

He Remembered Me!

Hello all! Yes, I have not been updating as much...forgive me--I found a life for the past couple weeks. And by life, I mean spring has sprung in Chi-Town, thus I spend my free moments outside trying to savor every moment. October will come too quickly, and I will revert back to being a bitter, wine drinking, awkward, hermit crab. BTW-I hear you saying "what has changed?" A lot has changed! I will be totally positive peggy, I am switching to wine coolers, my awkwardness has disappeared with the winter, and I am totally mac'in it at the bars these days. Ha--who am I kidding, I would never switch to wine coolers...and a lot of those other things are kind of not true.

Like my blog, I have neglected my local coffee shop. I have been on a mission to save some cash, so I have been brewing my own joe these days. Not only am I saving money, but I am learning (slowly) what good coffee tastes like. Let's just say my first couple of pots tasted as though I brewed dirty socks.

Last week I ran out of Folgers (insert--the best part of waking up...). I had to hit up the good ole coffee shop, and I found myself a little excited. As eluded to in previous posts, I have a slight crush on the coffee guy. He is a simple man who just likes brewing coffee for the locals of Wrigleyville. Everyday he shows up in his cargo shorts, K Swiss shoes, and baseball t-shirt and pours us the greatest blends ever. (Yes he wears those cargo shorts in the winter--such a rebel!).

As I entered the shop my heart was all a flutter. I wanted to act cool, but not too cool. I wanted to seem like I had never left. But then I got to thinking, what if he doesn't remember me? What if I was just another face among the sea of patrons he sees every day? I thought all of this from the door to the register--which proved to be foolish because when it was my time to order I just stood there with a huge ass grin on my face.

Finally, he broke the ice and said, "Hey, we haven't seen you in a while. Where have you been?" To which I responded unsteadily, "Oh yeah. That. umm yeah you know just trying to save those dolla bills, yo." (insert awkward laugh and freakish hand motion). I am not even going to comment on this response because it was so absurd. He thought so to because he laughed awkwardly and then said, "The usual coffee?" I was so excited that he remembered my order that I did a little jump and said, "oh yes, coffee for me." And then I did it...I WINKED!!!!! WHO AM I??? I WINKED?!?!?!?!?! Oh whatever, I was on a high that he remembered me, and not only me but my order!! Yeah so what, my usual order is a large coffee, but that is not so generic. A lot of people are starting to order those fancy drinks complete with whip cream and stuff. I would venture to say that regular coffee is an alternative order.

I was so amped by this encounter that the following morning I made sure I looked extra nice. I even put on some shimmery eye shadow--wait shimmery eye shadow is not hip these days? Damn it! Anyways, so I confidently walk into the coffee shop.I stood in line waiting for my romantic coffee exchange and then I hear it. To the average Joe it just sounded like the coffee guy asking for an order, but to me, it was the sound of my heart breaking. My coffee guy was asking the older woman in front of me the following, "Hey, haven't seen you in a while. Where have you been? The usual coffee?"

Yes, my coffee guy had used the same cheap line on me as he had on this cougar! How did this happen? And furthermore, how could he do this to me? I thought we had something special. I thought that my large coffee was the one cup he looked forward to pouring each morning. I thought that I was original and special to him!!

I haven't returned to my coffee shop since then. It just hurts too much. I hope that one day we can get back to where we were before, but I am not sure how to do that. To ensure this time doesn't have to come soon, I bought the value pack of Folgers coffee. I will be sipping my dirty sock tasting coffee for at least another three months.

Taubel--OUT (and not to Starbucks!)

My New Picture...

I put up a new picture for my profile and then took it down with in a day. Why you ask? No, it wasn't because Mark Paul Gosselaar sent me that new photo along with an email detailing his undying love for me. No, it wasn't because I was fearful that someone would see my photo online and thus my life would spiral into a series of failures--never getting another job, stolen identity, stalker,etc. It was because I looked a bit busted in the photo. It was taken by one of my students after a long day at school. I felt it was is an accurate look of how I normally look/feel when I am blogging. I realized that I was consistently apologizing to you for grammatical and spelling errors, and I thought the picture would provide some sort of defense for my downfalls in the writing arena. By the end of most days, I am still swimming in letter sounds, temper tantrums(from my students and myself), and accidents of all kinds. It is hard for me to pour my glass(es) of wine, let alone put a sentence together. (You will notice I am still trying to prove to why my poor writing should be excused--wah wah). In the end, the picture was more of a reason for you all to stop following my blog and/or stop being friends with me. It was bad guys....real bad. (There would be no way that Maks, from Dancing With the Stars, would want to take me on a date if he thought I looked like that)

You may be asking, "Becca, Why didn't you just take a cool picture of yourself wearing aviators and then post it?" To you I say, How dare you?!?! Who do you think I am? Some girl who sits around and takes pictures of herself? Do you want that obvious slanted pic that tells you, "This girl uses all her spare time to take pics of herself wearing fashionable sunglasses for her new facebook profile picture, and furthermore she thinks these pictures make her look prettier and skinner than she really is but they actually make her look even more bustarded?" Have some dignity. Have some class...I would never!

Ok I can't lie...I tried to do that. (see pic below). But none of my attempts actually made me look sane, much less a cool blogger. (I realize the oxymoron I just made in that last sentence). Also, the picture you see below is the one I managed to take upside down--yes I am a twenty something who grew up in the age of technology. But in my defense I used disposable cameras until 2008.

I was just trying to look cool, but then I realized, "Becca you have never been cool. Ridiculously, awesomely, and absurdly funny--yes, but never cool." That's when I realized--I have been put here to make you people laugh. Therefore, I have posted my busted looking profile picture and pictures of my attempts to look hardass for your entertainment. It is a hard job but some one has got to do it. Let me know how you feel!

NOTE--I do not need your judgments about my attempts to take cool pictures. It was a Friday night and I decided to stay in to re-watch the Madonna episode of Glee. I think it is safe to say I realize that I am anything but cool.

Taubel--OUT


Yes, I was trying to be a cast member of The Hills...or I had just finished watching Top Gun. Does either excuse really make this picture ok? (Deep sigh and shoulder shrug)

My First CD...

The first c.d. I ever bought was by a lesser known group called The Real McCoy. Below is a link to my favorite song. It was the only reason I bought the CD.

NOTE--first tape I ever bought was the TLC On The TLC Tip. What About Your Friends was my jam! In 3rd grade I had some issues with some friends and it was my anthem. Thank you ladies. Links below


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kctlBvsaFuE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVJBhDoGapM

Happy Saturday and your welcome!

Taubel--OUT!

Keeping It Mediocre

WARNING--Shameless plug coming your way. Below is a link to the video of my first improv show. Our team name is Keeping It Mediocre--we set expectations high. We have all been taking classes at Second City in Chicago, and these clips are from our level C show at the Training Center.

We are currently in our last class and have our last show on May 1st. If any of you are in the Chicago area please come see us!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAAc07o_8z0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1khV2BPckEw&feature=related

*There are 2 videos of the show the first link is of the first 8minutes and the second link is the remainder of the show.

Enjoy!
Taubel--OUT!

Transform Me=Awesome!!

Readers, prepare yourself for a big shocker. I am watching VH1 reality shows this morning. Stop judging me and turn your tv to VH1. You will thank me later.

Currently, VH1 has a show called Transform Me!. The basis of this show is that 3 Transgender women help a woman who is struggling with self esteem and fashion. They come to here home, riffle through her closet and make up drawer, and talk to her about her current lot in life. The idea is that the transformers know what it is like to feel like they are not able to be a beautiful woman. Because of the journey they took to become a woman, they are now qualified to help these fashion challenged women find higher self esteem and clothes that actually look like they are from 2010.

I was a bit skeptical of this show, but five minutes in, I was sold! Think Queer Eye for the Straight Guy meets the Real Housewives of Atlanta. Basically, it equals AWESOME!!

The transformers travel around in an ambulance and say some hilarious things. For example, upon searching through a transformees make up drawer they found only a tub of Vaseline. This upset them, and when they confronted the fashion patient this was said, "Petroleum Jelly does not count as a make up item." I died for that comment. Thank god they told us. How many people have been going around thinking that vasline would be the best thing before a Friday night on the town? They get better...

They took their transformee on a shopping spree and began to explain the joys of accessories. BTW--I learned a lot from this segment. I may or may not have been taking notes. It was not until one of the transformers began to talk about the power of the clutch that I realized the gold mine I had come across. Apparently, the fashion victim was not holding her clutch correctly, nor strutting with said clutch right. They showed her a couple of ways to work the clutch and then said this gem, "The clutch is the slave and it will serve you." Get it gurl!!!! Thank goodness I was watching. I had no idea that a clutch could serve me. You think it could brew my coffee in the morning too?

Finally, to help their charge find her inner strength they took her to a Country Western bar to ride a mechanical bull (which they called a buffalo for the remainder of the show). This is where two of my favorite lines were said. First their fashion victim mounted the bull, and I must say, she was pretty good. One of the transformers felt the ride on the bull was a metaphor for her transformation. "When she jumped up on that buffalo, she told me 'I'm ready. I want to go through life being fierce.'" I love that a ride on a mechanical bull said all of that. Maybe some of our governmental officials need to ride a mechanical bull to get some answers to the many problems we have going on...furthermore, maybe the Transform Me ladies should head up to Washington and spend a week or so there.

Perhaps the best line was when the transformers took to the bull riding. One was wearing a skirt and tried to jump up on the bull. Immediately, VH1 put up a sensory bar and then they cut to a confessional shot. "I'm not one to wear underwears but if I decide to ride a buffalo I think that would be a smart choice." Thank you VH1...thank you.

By the end of the episode, the fashion victim was a victim no longer. Not only did she look beautiful, but she seemed to have a lot more confidence. Like most makeover shows, there were some tears of joy at the end, but I didn't mind it so much.

Overall, this show is entertaining and a little heart warming. I am tempted to have someone take pictures of me before and after school, and then send them to VH1. I go for comfort when teaching. Therefore, I look pretty tragic, and I am more than certain I could qualify as a fashion victim. I have a feeling those 3 ladies and I would have a great time together.

Set your DVRs and start watching this show. I have to run and watch the latest episode of 16 and Pregnant.

Taubel--OUT!

A Quick One...

First, let me say that Jason Derulo has some JAMS and I love them. Before he starts singing each of his songs he does this little intro thing where he sings his name. I thought this was just to remind you who he was in case you are listening to suffle on your iPod and you needed a quick reminder. We have all been there before--you think you are about to get one song but then you get another one that has a similar beginning. Jason D. just lets us know up front what awesome beat we are about to jam to.

He just performed on American Idol, and he did the name intro there too. It really confused me. Hey Jason, Ryan just told everyone you were performing. We were pretty sure it was going to be you. I wasn't thinking that Ryan and the Idol gang were going to pull a fast on us and put Clay Aiken on the stage. Not only would that be a little creepy but it would be a really good way to flush ratings down the toilet. I appreciate you wanting to be sure we knew it was you kicking ass on stage, but I think it might have been a bit over the top. That David kid from the other season of Idol just performed, and he wasn't like "David Archie here" right before he launched into his not so great version of Imagine. He knew that we all knew it was him on stage and that we were all wishing that it were the other David on stage.

So Jason, while I LOVE your songs, I think it is safe to say that we know who you are and we love you. Can we cut the intros please? K Thanks! BTW--Love you!

Taubel--OUT!