Real California Chica

Rock Of Ages

2010-01-22T01:07:00.000-08:00

So I finally made my long awaited trip to NYC to see my best friend on Broadway. Her show, Burn the Floor, closed and she was brilliant in it. We had a blast hanging out with her and the rest of the class. I'd been dying to see Rock of Ages and it was amazing. I was a little bummed because we had the 2nd understudy of Stacee Jaxx. But Constantine was brilliant in his role as Drew, the wannabe rocker with a heart of gold. I knew Constantine could sing per his stint on idol but I was shocked at what a great actor he was. I really fell in love with his character and found his words, not just his notes believable. Marrying my two true loves, hair metal and Broadway, was an orgasmic experience. We met Constantine backstage and he was gracious and a gentleman.

New Year's Resolutions

2010-01-01T13:27:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! One of the best ways to keep your New Year's Resolutions is to share them with others. So here are mine.
Writing Resolutions:
Blog daily or at least 5 times a week.
Finish my YA manuscript - The Coven
Rewrite my Chick Lit manuscript as a contemporary romance.
Write and enter a red hot fairytale for the Samhain Anthology.
Personal Resolutions:
Make a new veggie dish once a week.
Make a new soup once a week.
Start dancing again.
Work Resolutions:
Take on a few more GMAT clients.
Finish GMAT manual.
Finish proposal on non fiction GMAT book.

So what are your new year's resolutions?

Drop Dead Diva vs. More To Love

2009-08-22T23:17:00.000-07:00

My favorite new show of the year is Drop Dead Diva. Does anyone else just love this show? Unlike More to Love, where all the plus size women are constantly being goaded into talking about how their weight affects their self esteem and romantic relationships, Drop Dead Diva features a sassy confident woman who is gorgeous, desirable, and not playing the victim. Plus, I know many blogs have already talked about how the ladies on More to Love sizes are featured on the screen. So not appropriate. So if you haven't found Drop Dead Diva, check it out. It's a delight, despite the creepy guardian angel.

Get Sad

2009-07-23T23:30:00.000-07:00

Tonight was the 100th episode of So You Think You Can Dance. It was a great show tonight and I loved that they had members of past years participate. Mrs. Donnie Burns (Heidi Groskeutz) and Travis Wall danced one of my favorite Mia Michaels numbers, but the true highlight was seeing Wade Robson dance to a number her choreographed. He is so brilliant - I want a weekly Wade Robson show. I so understand why Britney cheated on Justin with him. I digress.
The low light - the much hyped Katie Holmes Judy Garland Get Happy dance. Seriously, so so lame. She didn't even dance - she has a wonderful body and she is stunning, but walking up and down the stage and kicking your leg doesn't cut it. Especially on a show on the caliber of So You Think You Can Dance. Next time try Dancing with the Stars. But that was truly embarrassing. Anyone who that this would revitalize her career is way off mark.

Notorious B.A.G.

2009-06-03T01:48:00.000-07:00

What is it about Brian Austin Green? He has dated arguably the most beautiful brunettes in Hollywood - Megan Fox, Vanessa Marcil, Tiffani-Amber Thiessen. I guess he and Tommy Lee made a deal in the 80's - heads brunettes, tails blondes. Tommy still has a lock down on the blonde sex symbols. Anyway, if you're like me, force yourself to watch the new 90210 just for the slim hope of a David Silver update, you will be truly upset to know that Brian is in talks to star in . . . .One Tree Hill?! What! I understand that he dissed 90210 for Terminator or maybe to break into film (loved his cameo with Steve Sanders in Domino) like his superstar girlfriend but if he is going to return to a teen drama why choose One Tree Hill which is on it's last leg over the BH 90210? OK, BAG, granted 90210 sucks but you alone can revive it. I say have Donna run into Ray Pruit, start an affair since she and David are separated, and then David can swoop in and save their love.

Zac Efron Back to the Future Four!

2009-05-25T16:34:00.000-07:00

My hubby and I ran into Zac and Vanessa in the Hawaiian Airlines First Class lounge in Waikiki. They both look even more beautiful in person. Anyway - Zac is obsessed with Back to the Future and says that he would love to play Marty McFly. BTF filmmaker Bob Gale recently said in an interview that he did not want to make a remake or another sequel. In previous interviews, he stated that there was a time they considered a fourth but with Michael J Fox's health, they wouldn't consider it. I think a remake is a horrible idea - the movie is a classic. But a fourth would be a great idea. Zac could play Marty's son - which would work into the theme of the movie since we know Marty has kids with Jennifer. At the end of the first film, Doc comes back and warns Marty about his kids. The producers could make Marty more Doc - like and use his illness as an effect of the time travel - warning Marty Jr. of the consequences of messing with the space time continuum. Any thoughts?

Dancing with the Stars Finale

2009-05-18T21:21:00.000-07:00

Wow. Interesting finale. First - I was livid that they did a Paso Doble Faceoff - only because in my book I have the final three do a Paso Doble Pow -Wow - and I wrote that scene 3 years ago -though I know people will think I copied this final show.

Anyway - first thing that bothered me - as typical in the finale - each couple is coached by the judge - but prior to this season Len was always the one to coach. So Gilles gets Len, Melissa gets Carrie-Ann, and Shawn gets Bruno. How messed up is that? Len is the only judge who has a background in ballroom - fine use Bruno and Carrie-Ann for the freestyle but not for ballroom. So Gilles had a complete unfair advantage. My favorite part was Carrie-Ann showing Melissa how to do the Paso - what a joke - Carrie-Ann was showing her steps that I learned in a group paso class when I'd been dancing for a day. That's not going to help Melissa at all

When they actually did the Paso - Gilles was amazing - PERFECT posture, attitude, fierceness. Melissa did way better than I expected since she hadn't done the dance but I saw some balletic arms which were too soft for Paso. Shawn did the steps alright but lacked the right attitude for me. Round one Gilles.

OK - on to the freestyle - Shawn and Mark - nice and bouncy, worked to her strength, and Mark is brilliant.
Melissa - they were WAY to harsh on her - if Gilles acts, and Shawn does gymnastics, why can't Melissa use so cheer steps. But Tony should have put in more ballroom esque moves to appease Len. It kinda looked like my beloved Kitty Carter choreographed it. Go DCC!
Gilles - I love flashdance and have been know to curl up in a ball and spin on the floor so I may be biased. Love the routine but for once, and only once, I will agree with Carrie-Ann. The dance showed off Cheryl and not Gilles which isn't fair at all because Cheryl is the pro and Gilles already has an unfair advantage because the male stars have an easier time than the girls. The female pros can just dance around the male stars but the female stars have to dance their hearts out.

I think it will come down to Gilles and Melissa. I want Melissa to win but I think Cheryl did a better job with Gilles but this isn't about the pros - its about the stars.

Memory Quilt

2009-05-03T22:20:00.000-07:00

Above is the quilt that I made for Doug's family. I spent three whole days working on nothing but the quilt and it was a labor of love. It was so hard especially stitching the pictures of Doug as a child. His family appreciated the quilt.

In Loving Memory of Douglas Tarry

2009-04-23T23:33:00.000-07:00

27 year old Douglas Tarry was killed on Sunday by a drunk driver. Doug was one of my best friend's, Denise, older brother. He had celebrated his sister's 25th birthday at her apartment in Oceanside. Doug had a great time with his sister and her friends that night and as a responsible adult, chose not to drive to his home in Moreno Valley and endanger his life and the life of others. Doug spent the night with his sister and decided to head home the next evening at 7 pm. Tragically, he was driving on a collision course. On the 15 freeway, a drunk driver was speeding. The unlicensed driver was pulled over for speeding but left alone by the officer for a second sped off. The cop began a high speed chase hitting speeds of over 100 miles an hour. When the driver turned on the 76 highway, he ran a red light and crashed right into Doug. Doug was medivacced to the hospital but passed away on April 20, shortly after midnight, with his beloved friends and family by his side. The driver? After losing his leg in the accident, he hopped along the highway for 50 feet before being captured. He is expected to make a full recovery.

Douglas Tarry had his whole life ahead of him. He had just graduated from California State Dominguez Hills with a bachelors degree in digital media arts, specializing in sound recording. He was a very talented guitarist and singer and was in a band named, Agrypnia. I met him several times. Doug was always willing to help out his friends and family. Though he barely knew me, he took care of my cats when I was stranded in Hawaii during the San Diego wildfires. He was always there for a shoulder to cry on for his sister.

His family and friends are beyond devastated. Doug was a handsome, bright, compassionate, gifted man. He will be sorely missed but never forgotten.

I waited 9 years for this!

2009-04-15T00:01:00.000-07:00

I love me some old school 90210! Have all episodes taped off Soap Net. So I was anxiously anticipating Donna Martin's return to our favorite zip. When she appeared on Kelly's door, I had tears in my eyes - seriously - I'm that much of a loser. My husband laughed at me. But Donna can not save this show. It is beyond redemption. From Dixon mugging holding a Dr. Pepper, to the lame fake Peyote scene, to Naomi acting like a kindergartner with a crush it was dreadful. And the Diablo Cody line was beyond lame. Like Donna or Kelly would be starstruck by Diablo - didn't they have Christina Aguilera perform at the Peach Pit after dark or see a methed out Fergie as a part of Wild Orchid? And Donna is separating from the Notorious BAG (Brian Austin Greene) Come on - David needs a job now that Terminator is going to be cancelled. I will never watch this show again. UNLESS - they bring back Ray Pruit!!!

Dancing with the Stars Recap April 13, 2009

2009-04-13T21:58:00.000-07:00

So I've decided to post weekly DWTS recaps on my blog. This is for my DCC friends. Each week, I'll explain each dance using descriptions from my upcoming novel, Dancing under the Stars, what you should look for, and then give my thoughts on every celeb's performance.

Jive: The Spin
Dancing by himself in the middle of the floor, he jumps, bounces, and spins. Annoyed at his arrogance, she slides beside him and matches his every flick and point. He grabs her by the waist and spins her around him. She runs from him and he snaps her back like a rubber band. He grasps her behind—she pulls away from him, he thrusts her back. He seizes her and sways her head toward the floor. When he’s ready, he snaps her up into his embrace. The music breaks and he releases his hold on her. She trots off the floor, smiles over her shoulder, and counts the minutes until they can boogie again.

What to look for - bounce action in the feet, high kicks and energy, connection with the partner

Rumba: The Longing
He seduces her with a glance. He pulls her towards him and just when he has her in his grasp, she retreats. She playfully teases him, caressing his chest and fondling his hips. He wraps her legs around his waist, pressing her against him. She leans into him, savoring his scent. She wants to give herself completely to him, but alas it can never be. She turns around, gives him a longing look, then walks slowly away.

What to look for - feet should trace the floor, seductive character of the dance,

Melissa - Love her but she is at a disadvantage because Tony's choreography was no where near on par of Mark's or Juliann's. If you look closely, she did not keep her feet on the floor and had a problem getting into character. Her extension is gorgeous but Tony needs to work on technique.
Steve O - I love his commitment to character. I think it comes from his mime training. Technique not there but I just love Lacey's dancing.
Shawn - Loved loved loved this dance! 1st Mark's choreography is beyond brilliant. Big contrast between his and Julianne's rumba. The rumba should convey longing and teasing and should not be overtly sexual.
Lil Kim - I loved this routine. I agree with Len, not enough traditional basic Jive movements but she really got into the character.
LT - So adorable. But why oh why does Edyta wear those ugly leg warmers. Great improvement over last week. Light on his feet.
Ty - I love Ty. He seems so honest and sincere and it comes across in his dancing. He's a little stiff and he is better in the standard dances.
Gilles - My friend Cheryl is doing a brilliant job with him. He looks better than most pros. Amazing commitment to the character of each dance. Agree with Len though, seems a little frenzied.
Chuck - I found their routine to be raunchy, not passionate. Her outfit was atrocious. He was better than last week.
What do you all think? Who is your favorite dancer? Which judge do you agree with the most? (I agree with Len).

First Dog Bo

2009-04-12T14:13:00.000-07:00

Though this dog is adorable, I'm deeply disappointed that Obama purchased a dog from a breeder instead of rescuing one from a shelter as he promised in his campaign. I was so happy for the first time we would have a first dog who was rescued. I just did a search on Petfinder and I found 13 Portuguese Water Dogs at shelters, 3 of them were purebreds and 3 of them were mixed with Poodles, another allergy free dog. Did Obama meet with all of these dogs? I'm sure his vetting process for Bo was as good as his process for his cabinet nominees. Donating money to a shelter is not enough. The Obamas should have set an example for this country to adopt instead of buy especially since the shelters are overflowing with pets due to the economic crisis.

Pug mix needs home

2009-04-02T00:10:00.000-07:00

I am fostering this adorable pug mix. He was found in downtown Hemet dodging traffic. Please contact me if you are interested. He is sweet, loves to lick people. I would keep him but I have 4 dogs already.

Rock of Love Bus

2009-03-27T22:43:00.000-07:00

Here is my hubby and I dressed up as Bret and Jess from Rock of Love. We absolutely love this show. I was a huge Poison fan growing up and my girls and I are considering forming an all girl Poison cover band called the Fallen Angels. I would be the drummer, Roxy Rockett, and my friend Denise would be Britney Michaels, Melanie would be Cissy DeVille, and we are still looking for our bassist, Barbie Dall. But this show is so great because Bret is more sincere than the Bachelor. He actually listens to all these girls and tolerates their childish antics. I love that he does so much for the Marines, like my husband.

Tommy Lee Live! Motley in San Diego

2009-02-03T23:49:00.000-08:00

Last night my hubby and I saw Motley Crue. It was my 8th time seeing them live and by far their worse show. In case you don't know me, I'm completely obsessed with Tommy. I've been in love with him since I was 13, used to have my entire room wallpapered with his picture, just completed my first novel where a fictional Tommy is the main love interest, and I drum in a hair metal cover band under the name Tammy Lee.

The show was at Cox Arena. Highlights, seeing Kat Von D in the audience, watching Nikki Sixx cuss out a psycho fan who threw a water bottle at him (bitch deserved it), lowlights Vince forgetting the lyrics to most of the songs, Tommy dousing girls with Jager. But despite my love for Tommy, at a Crue show I come to watch him drum. This time, Tommy's set was obscured by the strobe lights for the majority of the night. Plus how much lesbian porn do they need to show during the songs? Really unnecessary. There were children and women in the audience. If they have to show porn, at least go with Tommy and Pam's video. At least half the audience was straight women in love with either Tommy or Nikki and Im sure girl on girl action was not what we had in mind going to see Crue.

Bottom line, many musicians go to concerts to watch the craft of their idols. I'm all for special effects and pyro, but not if it comes at the cost of seeing the band play. I have the damn CDs, so if I just want to listen to their songs and watch some chicks make out, I can do it in the privacy of my own home. And at least on the CD's Vince sings the correct words. Plus their new songs suck - "Motherfucker of the Year" and "White Trash Circus." Seriously? What happened to rock anthems rebelling against society instead of just celebrating having no class.

Still, any night in the same room as Tommy is a good one.

Louis and Max put Cheryl on blast

2008-10-22T19:39:00.000-07:00

Louis van Amstel and Maksim Chmerkovskiy put Cheryl and Lacey on blast recently about their weight.

According to US weekly, ""[People] look at this show to be inspired and think, 'If I just work hard enough, I can look like that,'" he says. "If they watch someone who's dancing her butt off and she's still heavy, they can be discouraged.
"You have to take responsibility," he adds."

And Maks (ever the gentleman) added "When I first saw these women this season, I said, 'Guys, you know the camera adds 10 pounds,'" he says. "'You have to do something about this."

Everyone is up in arms about their comments. I have known Cheryl for over 10 years and she has a beautiful figure and has always been curvy. But what the public doesn't realize is that Louis and Maks's comments are very typical perceptions of how male ballroom dancers view female dancers. It drives me crazy that ABC tries to make Dancing With the Stars out to be such a family orientated show and ballroom out to be a wholesome sport. How many times was I told I was obese by my Russian dance coach who ordered me (at 19 and 105 lbs!) to only have cabbage soup and strawberries. I have a bulimic girl in my novel, Salome, who is always being yelled out for her weight.

I think Cheryl looks hot but I hope that Louis and Maks's comment opens the rest of the world's eyes to the evils of dancesport.

PS. I love Louis and think he is an amazing dancer and wish he would come back to the show. Maks's ego needs to get checked however. He is not a good enough dancer to talk shit about anyone.

2008-10-19T16:54:00.000-07:00

I have been a deliquent blogger for awhile. But that is all going to change. I have some exciting news. 1st. I have been announced as a finalist in RWA's Chick Lit Writers of The World Get Your Stiletto in the Door Contest in their Classic Chick Lit division for my novel Dancing Under the Stars. Yeah. I find out if I win on Nov 5. Fittingly, the day after the presidential election.Wish me luck.

Alphabet Quilt

2008-01-09T19:06:00.000-08:00

So I am on this new quilting kick. I had never quilted before but my husband bought me a sewing machine. I made this ABC quilt for my nephew. It was really fun. I cut 30 6x6 blocks, 4 alphabet blocks for the corners and then Angles, Bunnies, Cats, Dragon, Eagles, Football, Gorillas, Horses, Ice Skaters, Jalapenos, Kangaroos, Lobsters, Marines, Nutcracker, Owls, Penguins, Queen, Reindeer, Stars, Tractors, Unicorns, Vegetables, Witches, Xray, Yarn and Zebras. Then I used backyardigans for the borders.

Pregnant Marine Missing!

2008-01-09T16:01:00.000-08:00

Pregnant Marine L.Cpl. Maria Lauterbach is missing from base. She was last heard from on Dec 13, and her cell phone was phone at the front gate on Dec 20. Why is this the first that the media has reported on this case? I heard about Laci Peterson the day after she went missing, and I also heard about Jessie Davis - the pregnant girl who was murdered by her married boyfriend - within days. I live on Marine Corps Base Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, and there has been no reporting of this disappearance. Why didn't the Marine Corps talk to the media so we could find this girl and her unborn child. Where is the father? I pray that she is safe.

Young Marine, What do you want to be?

2007-12-09T17:33:00.000-08:00

I just read my friend, Fred Smith's Blog about the book " A Private Affair," about a solider's affairs. Above is a photo taken at my wedding where the Marine's ran to the floor to dance to YMCA. The scene repeated itself a month ago at the Marine Corps Ball. I also just finished a fascinating book my Steve Zeeland about Gay Marines called the Masculine Marine. Though I felt that his book was flawed because he was intimate with many of his subjects (but really, how can you blame him) it was riveting. Scandalous affairs between a pfc and his captain made me hunger for more. My 2nd novel - devildawls, about a group of Marine Corps wives features a prominent gay Marine who is torn between his love the the Corps and his love the his Fellow Devil Dog. Based on a true story.

Dancing with the Stars Racism

2007-10-18T17:44:00.000-07:00

This blog is for Crafty Chica. I have been slacking off but I wanted to give my opinion on this and last season's DWTS. Or as I affectionately call it "Dancing with Has-Beens." Also the title of my novel. But more on that later.

So let's first talk about last season. Joey Fatone was robbed. Absolutely robbed. I love Apolo but the boy can not stand up straight and isn't a quarter of the performer that Joey is. He hunches over like the speed skater he is and I have no idea why he won and why the judges gave him high scores. But hey, I have zero respect for the judges, especially since one of them is having an affair with my best friends husband!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But enough about that.

On to this season.

#1 I hate this show. The only reason I force myself to watch it is because of my stupid book. I am still editing it and everything I wrote over a year ago has become true. I am psychic. Bruja, no? I wrote about a Latin Lover with a mommy complex having an affair and then they put Mario on, I wrote about a character from 80's night time soap Tiburon 94920 and then Ian Zeiring shows up. Creepy. Anyhoo, for those of you non dancers, the new team of Mark Ballas, and Derek and Julie Ann is unbeatable. Mark Ballas is the spawn of Corky and Shirley Ballas, Dance royalty. He is phenomenal. Can't take my eyes off him. Seeing that his mother is in town helping him out, he should win.

#2 Most racist show on television. Except maybe the Bachelor. Another white bachelor? Come on now. I guess Mexican, Black and Asian men aren't eligible. But I digress. The judges consistently give the black contestants lower scores yet they praise their "rhythmical abilities."

I will write more. I promise.

House of Britney

2007-05-07T23:46:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday, I was privileged enough (or stupid enough) to waste $260 dollars on tickets to see Britney. In my defense, it was her first show in three years and I wasn't aware when I gave $260 to a scalper that I would be paying $26 a minute for her show. In my mind, I delved into a wonderful Britney fantasy - our taut and toned pop tartlet would give the best performance of her life, with scintillating new dance moves that she honed from the Millennium (maybe after another tryst with Wade Robson), and maybe she would leak a new track or two with possibly a secret never before heard duet with Timbaland. We would all wake up from the white trash nightmare that any Britney fan has been living in during the Federline years, there would be no images of Britney traipsing barefoot and pregnant through Arco station bathroom stalls carrying a baby on her back, chomping on Cheetos and sloppily slurping a Venti Vanilla Frappucino. I consoled myself time and time again by saying that I was NOT a pathetic Britney fan. No - I am a recovering glam rock junky that was merely seduced by Britney's mesmerizing stage performance. As a dancer, I lied to myself, that it was my duty to watch her captivate an audience. But I can not deceive myself anymore. Britney's moves were just a shadow of her former precision. The Britney that had cast a spell over me when I saw the opening of her Onyx hotel tour in San Diego three years ago was just a distant memory. Britney and her beguiling dancers looked like the rejects from the search for the next Pussycat Doll. The other dancers superior bodies and lines highlighted Britney's soft arms, sluggishness, and self conscious dancing. As a dancer, the ultimate goal is to dance like nobody is watching. If Britney continues to give performances like this, we may all finally be able to look the other way.

2007-04-30T11:00:00.000-07:00

I am seeing Britney Spears tomorrow! I just spent a fortune on two tickets for the House of Blues in San Diego. I just wonder if she is going to perform bald!

2007-03-13T12:00:00.000-07:00

So I just read the new novel China Dolls . . . .
On the surface, I really liked it. Well written, very funny, Fast fun read. Upon further reflection, I found it to be one of the most racially stereotyped and demeaning books I have read of late.
Yu and Kan do the exact opposite of what Alisa does in her books. Alisa presents a broad spectrum of different types of Latino people, with positive and negative qualities. With regards to the men in Dirty Girls, we have a Cuban Jew wife beater, a Mexican philanderer, a Puerto Rican nice guy, an idiot white guy, and an Aztec with a superiority complex. I am not suggesting that Yu and Kan represent other Asian groups, but all of their Asian American male characters are shown as weak, dorky, effeminate, or controlling.
The characters call the Asian men names like "Asian Warrior Man." p 136
p 129 "Haven't you ever gone out with an Asian guy before? "Oh yeah, in college, Mike Tang. He was a nice guy. He told me he loved me five minutes after we sat down for dinner."
All the white guys are described as tan, gorgeous perfect bodies. When any of them make rude degrading comments, their actions are excused but when the Asian male characters say something offensive, they are lambasted for being "traditional male chauvinist pigs."
I just find it so sad that it is bad enough that white media desexualizes Asian American men, but that Asian female writers do it as well. In the history of primetime television, there has only been one Asian man that has kissed a woman (Jin and Sun from Lost) That was the main reason that I created the Tim Lee character in my book was to show a gorgeous Asian man that all the girls are in love with.
I have been reading everything in the chick lit genre I can get my hands on while I revise my book because I am learning so much by reading. In China Dolls, I found that I couldn't distinguish at all between the three characters and they all seemed to have the same voice, so I am really trying to make all my characters distinct.

Alisa Lynn Valdes - my role model, breaking down the old "white" boys network

2006-12-01T14:46:00.000-08:00

Alisa Lynn Valdes, you may know her as Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez. If you don't know about her, you should. She is my favorite contemporary author, her novel Dirty Girls Social Club was the first non assigned book I read in ten years. She brought back my love of reading that I had as a child when I devoured 300 books every summer and won read a thons. A love of reading that I lost while being an English major at Stanford where I was forced to read books that had characters that I had nothing in common with. So one day I wrote her and she wrote me back. I was thrilled, I have met tons of celebrities in my life and I don't care about any of them who I perceive to be lucky and attractive but not necessarily talented. But Alisa is different. Alisa is creative and a brilliant writer. And she has been a mentor to me, I attended two Chica Lit conferences and she even tried to help me get published. I am so grateful that she, a best selling author, took the time to try to help me fulfill my dream. Her novel inspired me to write. So I am a Harvard and Stanford alum - the ultimate old boys network. Has anyone in my network helped me get published? No. So I advise everyone to create your own network and go after your dreams. Especially women of color. I still don't have a book deal or agent yet but I won't give up. And you have to read her new young adult novel Haters. It is great, realistic, and all my high school students loved it.

Life as a Newlywed Marine Wife

2006-12-01T11:30:00.000-08:00

So once the sexiness of seeing your man in his dress blues and the two of you walking down the aisle under the arch of sabers wears off, the reality sets in. I am a military wife. My husband is deploying soon. Something that was sprung upon us at the last moment and I was not aware of when we got engaged. So I move to Hawaii to be with him before he leaves and he is working everyday from 6am-6pm. So much for spending quality time together. Not cool. You'd think that the General who is always bullshitting about "family time" would try to give families as much time together before they leave.

Why God! Lance Coporal Thomas Lee Bass "Don't Ask Don't Tell"

2006-11-30T10:57:00.000-08:00

This picture disturbs me. I love Tommy Lee - he was my second crush, Jon Bon Jovi was my first. When I was a child, I had my entire room wallpapered in pictures of Tommy. I even based a character in my novel on Tommy. If Tommy Lee is gay, who is straight? Maybe since he has been with all the hottest girls in Hollywood he is just looking for the next high. But Lukas? He can get a hotter boy - like maybe Wentworth Miller. Plus why is he wearing a Lance Coporal Marine Corps Bravo shirt? Did he borrow it from a closeted gay Marine lover? Devasted. Well at least I have room for a new boy on my list! Tommy was #1.

Welcome to my blog

2006-11-30T10:47:00.000-08:00

Hola,Welcome to my new blog - realcaliforniachica. Let me introduce myself. My name is Alana, I am a newlywed to a United States Marine. I have my masters in Education from Harvard University and a bachelors in English from Stanford University. I own and operate a standardized test preparation business Academe Advantage, http://www.academeadvantage.com/, where I prepare students for college and graduate school. I also run a dating site for Marines, http://www.singlemarines.com/, and No, I did not meet my husband on it. I am a recovering competitive ballroom Latin dancer and I just completed my first novel, America's Next Ballroom Champion, which I am shopping to agents and editors. I am Latina. I have two pug dogs who I adore. I am a hair metal goddess and love all 80's bands. I am also a celebrity gossip junkie. I hope you enjoy my blog - I will discuss celebrity gossip, the war in Iraq, life as a military wife, educational issues, and anything else that comes to mind. Hope you enjoy!