This is a new year, like every new year we have lived to see in the past, or is it?
Last year was a year of upheaval for a lot of people. It was a troubling time for most of the people I know. There were a lot of changes, most of them were difficult, yet they were necessary. How is it that we grow in Christ? Is it because of the trials we endure or in spite of them?
2011 was a year of shaking, molding and perfecting, with some of the residuals carrying over into this new year. I was told that 2011 was a year of alignment and that certainly was true for me. I saw some thing worked out in me that God had been trying to get me to recognize for the past 20 years. Why was I so stubborn? But Thanks be to God who causes me to triumph! Praise, glory, honor, love and the utmost respect belong to Him for extending more grace to me than ever before.
For truly I am Blessed, Highly Favored, Loved and Precious in His sight.
May The love of Christ Jesus abound in your life as you go forward in the power of His might victoriously this year of 2012 and forevermore.
Remember we are running a marathon race, not a hundred yard dash, so don't be overly concerned about the pace others are running. For as The author of Hebrews 12:1 wrote to us "let us keep running with endurance the race set before us," {ISV}
and Ecclesiastics 9:11 ...The race is not to the swift, Nor the battle to the strong,{KJV}
It is time to press on in what God has called you to and press into His presence.
Let The Redeemed of The LORD Say So!
Loko, Queen of The Night
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Karaoke me B-a-b-y…..
I know I can sing I have a lot of fun, and I enjoy singing. At least once a week a group of us from work go and karaoke. I have won the prize a few times, but that's not why go. I just want to have fun. I'm not trying to be the next big thing, which really is too much work! There are a lot of places that you can karaoke in Tucson. Every week one or more of my fellow crooners picks up “the Weekly” and then we decide where we want to go. Personally live within a mile of four places I can literally go every single night and in the meantime I’ll learn how to play pool. Back in November a coworker of mine passed and I was asked to sing at his funeral. I was really reluctant to do it because I generally don't sing in a church like setting for a funeral or weddings, I get too nervous. I always feel as though everyone is looking and judging [of course] but mostly because someone that they'd love is gone forever from this life. After some soul searching and some prayer I did go ahead with it. I had spent some time with him and I knew he liked the old hymns so I sang “What a friend and we have in Jesus.” I know that there are some people who don’t like the sound of my voice, when I was younger they eventually told me I could not sing and I pretty much got thrown out of the choir. It hurt, but I figured back then they knew what they were talking about.
Things are different now I know that I have a good solid Alto voice, and no one can tell me that I can’t sing. They don’t have to like the way I sing, ok, so don’t listen. I appreciated the members of the family [from the service] coming up to me and telling me how blessed they were by my song and I just thanked God for that. As you read this you might wonder why I am sharing all this, but I am reminded of how sometimes you can let people tell you things about yourself and if you allow it what they say can affect your life. You listen to them because they're the people in authority; they're the people that are supposed to know. It just amazes me how many people say things to you about your abilities and how many people have misguided others along their path and have pushed them off their path for whatever reason they had. I'm not saying that I would've been a great singer I'm just saying that had I known way back when that there was nothing wrong with my voice, or the particular style that a bit of training would have fixed. So for those of you out there that are talented, don’t allow the jealousy end envy of others mislead you. Even if you do not choose to pursue a career in music, Sing for the hell of it! Be more confident and mix it up all you want, just remember to have some fun while you’re at it. Don’t you stop singing in the shower, or while you're walking down the street with no headphones. And if you’re asked to perform then do your best. If you love singing then don’t ever stop!
Things are different now I know that I have a good solid Alto voice, and no one can tell me that I can’t sing. They don’t have to like the way I sing, ok, so don’t listen. I appreciated the members of the family [from the service] coming up to me and telling me how blessed they were by my song and I just thanked God for that. As you read this you might wonder why I am sharing all this, but I am reminded of how sometimes you can let people tell you things about yourself and if you allow it what they say can affect your life. You listen to them because they're the people in authority; they're the people that are supposed to know. It just amazes me how many people say things to you about your abilities and how many people have misguided others along their path and have pushed them off their path for whatever reason they had. I'm not saying that I would've been a great singer I'm just saying that had I known way back when that there was nothing wrong with my voice, or the particular style that a bit of training would have fixed. So for those of you out there that are talented, don’t allow the jealousy end envy of others mislead you. Even if you do not choose to pursue a career in music, Sing for the hell of it! Be more confident and mix it up all you want, just remember to have some fun while you’re at it. Don’t you stop singing in the shower, or while you're walking down the street with no headphones. And if you’re asked to perform then do your best. If you love singing then don’t ever stop!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Answering the call
A Belated Happy birthday to La Vante & La Grant, and Happy March to everyone else.
This time I would like to present a tale of a local call center worker, who's story has a loud ring of truth to it, hopefully everyon that reads this will re-adjust their thinking when speaking with a customer service representative from now on.
******** ******** ********
I work in a call center I've been doing this for a long time so long that I hate to think about it. I started doing this when I lost my job and I couldn't find another one for about three months. I had the skills and I thought this will just be temporary and now it is eight years later. Where has the time gone? I found that I'd hate it I hate is so bad that I hate to get up in the mornings on the days I have to work. It has got to be the most thankless job there is. It’s so terrible I hate talking to people on the phone now I'm so sick of talking to people about their problems I'm not a counselor and when people can’t pay their bill they get mad. Why are the mad at me if they can't pay their bill it isn’t my fault, I am not to blame and for the matter neither is the company that provides the service at fault. This is not my first call center job but I can tell you it WILL be my last. I don’t care what I have to do or how I have to live from now on. I am not exaggerating when I say it’s a horrible position to be in.
Over the past eight years I have worked for five different companies here in Tucson. I know what you are thinking, that I can’t keep a job, well the truth of the matter is I've lost 2 very good jobs and 1 I hated because they outsourced my position to India to Brazil to Canada to Mexico and the Philippines I mean seriously in eight years of how many jobs can you lose to out sourcing? When will these companies can get a clue that the people of America hate talking to people in India they hate talking to people in Brazil they despise talking to people in the Philippines when they speak to someone there they know they're never going to get anything done it is a complete waste of their time.
I had a customer tell me that the company I work for has a bunch of stupid monkeys working for them and she was right what can I say I work with the same stupid monkeys all the time I feel like I should be a sewer worker because I spent all day cleaning up shi*. These outsources and Vendors [for they are just as bad] make a mess of the accounts and then just transfer the customer when they call in angry about the situation. I have to clean it up and they won’t ever let me off the phone until it’s done right! I take pride in doing my best, what is right for the customer within the company’s guidelines. That is not good enough most of the time, because you’d have to be a miracle worker to resolve some of the issues to the satisfaction of both. The company cares more about how long it took you to resolve the issue than they do about its resolution. The customer only wants the issue resolved. It never ceases to amaze me how many people tell me how good I was and helpful and that I have taken the time to listen to them when no one else would and fix the problem, but how many of them are willing to write a letter, send an email, or call back and say that to someone that matters? Don’t get me wrong I always give my best and I appreciate the few that do say nice things about me {it’s part of the bonus system, that earns me more money} but there is something seriously wrong with the customers that just yell and scream like a baby that needs it’s diaper changed, or a toddler falling out in the floor having a tantrum because they cannot get their way. I’m honestly sick and tired of the donkey’s that call in angry and belligerent because their service has been interrupted, and when you pull up the account, you always find that they haven’t paid ANYTHING on there account in months. They all say the same thing “I need my service!” Well I say, hen you NEED to pay your bill! But I do say it in a nice way.
I learned years ago about complaining about the outsources' my first encounter was indeed a Indian matter and I was told by someone high up in that particular company back in 2002 that they didn't care they only cared about the bottom line they only cared about the fact that that representative in India that was taking calls compared to what they were pay me they could have three people for that amount of money. That really sucks it sucks when you know that the shareholders only care about their dividends that they don't care about the fact that the people who pay for the service are not happy with it. It sucks that the management cannot see the trend of people calling back again and again because they don’t want to talk to those people in foreign countries. I had an account with Citibank [after they bought out my original bank] and I had to talk to people in India, my account was so screwed up and every time I called it just seemed to get worse. I would ask for a supervisor and they would never let me speak with one. I always got the same story “Yes Ma’am, we are doing everything we can to assist you. Everything will be taken care of just as you requested.” Liars!!!! I actually had to drive all the way to Mesa, and go into a branch, by this time 3 months later I was livid. I spoke with a personal banker who got her manager and although it took 2 hours I got my problem fixed. The next day I closed my account. And I have never looked back.
A lot of call center companies have left Tucson in the last five years and thousands of people have lost jobs to outsources. What I see more and more of nowadays are shops and payday loan centers isn't that funny get high and get in debt that the growing job industry in Tucson….. signed Answering The Call
I hope you enjoyed this piece as much as I did.
Peace,
Loko, Queen of The Night
This time I would like to present a tale of a local call center worker, who's story has a loud ring of truth to it, hopefully everyon that reads this will re-adjust their thinking when speaking with a customer service representative from now on.
******** ******** ********
I work in a call center I've been doing this for a long time so long that I hate to think about it. I started doing this when I lost my job and I couldn't find another one for about three months. I had the skills and I thought this will just be temporary and now it is eight years later. Where has the time gone? I found that I'd hate it I hate is so bad that I hate to get up in the mornings on the days I have to work. It has got to be the most thankless job there is. It’s so terrible I hate talking to people on the phone now I'm so sick of talking to people about their problems I'm not a counselor and when people can’t pay their bill they get mad. Why are the mad at me if they can't pay their bill it isn’t my fault, I am not to blame and for the matter neither is the company that provides the service at fault. This is not my first call center job but I can tell you it WILL be my last. I don’t care what I have to do or how I have to live from now on. I am not exaggerating when I say it’s a horrible position to be in.
Over the past eight years I have worked for five different companies here in Tucson. I know what you are thinking, that I can’t keep a job, well the truth of the matter is I've lost 2 very good jobs and 1 I hated because they outsourced my position to India to Brazil to Canada to Mexico and the Philippines I mean seriously in eight years of how many jobs can you lose to out sourcing? When will these companies can get a clue that the people of America hate talking to people in India they hate talking to people in Brazil they despise talking to people in the Philippines when they speak to someone there they know they're never going to get anything done it is a complete waste of their time.
I had a customer tell me that the company I work for has a bunch of stupid monkeys working for them and she was right what can I say I work with the same stupid monkeys all the time I feel like I should be a sewer worker because I spent all day cleaning up shi*. These outsources and Vendors [for they are just as bad] make a mess of the accounts and then just transfer the customer when they call in angry about the situation. I have to clean it up and they won’t ever let me off the phone until it’s done right! I take pride in doing my best, what is right for the customer within the company’s guidelines. That is not good enough most of the time, because you’d have to be a miracle worker to resolve some of the issues to the satisfaction of both. The company cares more about how long it took you to resolve the issue than they do about its resolution. The customer only wants the issue resolved. It never ceases to amaze me how many people tell me how good I was and helpful and that I have taken the time to listen to them when no one else would and fix the problem, but how many of them are willing to write a letter, send an email, or call back and say that to someone that matters? Don’t get me wrong I always give my best and I appreciate the few that do say nice things about me {it’s part of the bonus system, that earns me more money} but there is something seriously wrong with the customers that just yell and scream like a baby that needs it’s diaper changed, or a toddler falling out in the floor having a tantrum because they cannot get their way. I’m honestly sick and tired of the donkey’s that call in angry and belligerent because their service has been interrupted, and when you pull up the account, you always find that they haven’t paid ANYTHING on there account in months. They all say the same thing “I need my service!” Well I say, hen you NEED to pay your bill! But I do say it in a nice way.
I learned years ago about complaining about the outsources' my first encounter was indeed a Indian matter and I was told by someone high up in that particular company back in 2002 that they didn't care they only cared about the bottom line they only cared about the fact that that representative in India that was taking calls compared to what they were pay me they could have three people for that amount of money. That really sucks it sucks when you know that the shareholders only care about their dividends that they don't care about the fact that the people who pay for the service are not happy with it. It sucks that the management cannot see the trend of people calling back again and again because they don’t want to talk to those people in foreign countries. I had an account with Citibank [after they bought out my original bank] and I had to talk to people in India, my account was so screwed up and every time I called it just seemed to get worse. I would ask for a supervisor and they would never let me speak with one. I always got the same story “Yes Ma’am, we are doing everything we can to assist you. Everything will be taken care of just as you requested.” Liars!!!! I actually had to drive all the way to Mesa, and go into a branch, by this time 3 months later I was livid. I spoke with a personal banker who got her manager and although it took 2 hours I got my problem fixed. The next day I closed my account. And I have never looked back.
A lot of call center companies have left Tucson in the last five years and thousands of people have lost jobs to outsources. What I see more and more of nowadays are shops and payday loan centers isn't that funny get high and get in debt that the growing job industry in Tucson….. signed Answering The Call
I hope you enjoyed this piece as much as I did.
Peace,
Loko, Queen of The Night
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Hitting the Hiking Trails
Greetings and Happy day light savings times to all you poor saps that have to set your clocks forward tonight,
Today I present a tale to you that should have been written by me, as I share the same views as the author about the hikins around Tucson. Enjoy.
Hi Loko. I was so glad to read your blog about Tucson Arizona I've only been living here for two years I moved down here from Las Vegas because I had been working in the casinos and I just kept getting laid off from one after another room for about the last five years and I knew that there were similar conditions here so I decided, Okay then let's just go down there and give Tucson as chance. I had been working in the casinos in Vegas, I do have a job at the Desert Diamond casino on Los Realos. I'm a blackjack dealer and it’s great it’s a lot different than it was in Vegas it’s a lot more relaxed here, actually I make more money on a steady basis than I did when I was in Vegas. Tucson, Arizona is a lot like Las Vegas as far as being surrounded by the mountains but the mountains here are much prettier than they are up there, the temperature is cooler here and I've gotten a chance to explore all lot of the three major mountain ranges around the city. I even got turned on to a couple of the places within the city that I can go and have a great view, There is of coarse “A” Mountain, and another place over by Saint Mary's Hospital. The U of A has a project going on and its 1.5 miles to the top and that seems like a really short hike for someone as experienced as I am, but it is really a good workout for anyone that's interested. Around the half way point you begin walking a 45° angle switch back road leading up to the top. I can feel the burn all the way to the top and the view is spectacular. You're not exactly in the middle of the city but you can, to coin a phrase “see forever” to the North East is the Santa Catalina’s. They are not Rocky Mountain High, yet the beauty of the Catalina’s at sunset is incomparable, like all Tucson sunsets with the reds, purple and orange colors. When I'm standing at the top of Tuc Hill gazing to the northwest it’s funny how you visualize certain shapes and formations. There is a mountain grouping that literally and looks like it's a large chair or throne for some giant or a godlike figure from Olympus. I've taken so many pictures yet I can never capture it on film as I see it with my naked eye. I can clearly see Wasson Peak, which is the highest point in elevation within Tucson. It’s a great view from there and from there you can actually see the west and onto the reservation. I've been on Finger Rock Trail, it's wonderful and hard part of the Catalina's also there is the Ponatoc Ridge Trail which leads off from the trailhead to north You have to access these two from Alvernon Way.
Sabino Canyon is by far the most popular trail around simply marvelous, but not much of a challenge. The seven falls trail that is just spectacular I go out at night among night desert hiker and sometimes we go out specifically just to see some of the things that you can only see at night I actually had an opportunity to see the Queen of the Night flower bloom in stages, what a magnificent flower it is, nothing compares to it. I've taken the Douglas Spring's trail from Speedway and I've hiked all through the Rincon’s floor trails but the Tanque Verde Trail is by far my favorite. I purchased a Parks pass the second time I went to what the Natives call the Monument; actually it is Saguaro East National Park. This year I plan to upgrade my pass to a National Parks Pass because it is not just good for Saguaro East, but is good at any National Park in the continental U.S. It has taken me several tries to reach the first camping ground called the Juniper Basin that is 6.3 miles in, but U finally made it, all by my lonesome. Along the way is a wonderful view atop a Butte of a Box Canyon. There have been many times that, it was as far as I have gotten, especially when I took someone with me. The desert is full of dangerous creatures and some not so dangerous like Javalina’s, Jack Rabbits, Rattlesnakes [Diamondbacks and Sidewinders], Gila Monsters, Giant Tortoise, Coyote’s, mountain deer, Scorpions, African Bees, and Roadrunners. I do love going up into those mountains and there’s a point when I can turn 360° and I don’t see any houses any cars any people nothing but mountains and Cactus the natural landscape and it's just beautiful. I hike alone 75% of the time, although I have gone with a group, or with just one other person. I always have to adjust my pace because they can’t keep up with me. I do stop often to take pictures or for a bite to eat. I really work up an appetite while on a hike. I don't really like going with large groups no more than four total is perfect for me, but just me and the trail is wonderful.
I keep hearing a lot about Mt Wrightstown, but so far I have never been there I did go to Pichaco Peak a kick-ass climb, but I loved every minute of it so far that's the only one that I've been able to go to that is outside of the city limits. I feel like I'm there are so many mountain ranges here and trailheads that I should explore all of them completely before I spent hours driving somewhere else to go hiking when it is literally right in my own back yard
A note to all of the readers about what to take when you go hiking, always take plenty of water and food. Seriously, as much water as you can carry, you should freeze most of it and even leave some frozen in the car, for when your hike is over. Eat a good solid breakfast, I generally start with some Oatmeal, take some orange juice, for space take along a packet or two of the salt you get from the fast food places. I like to have some cocktail shrimp, cheese, apple, banana, kiwi, orange, frozen grapes, melons, assorted nuts like pecans and almonds, dry roasted peanuts and something sweet for sure. You may pick up a bag of trail mix with any combination you like, but get a large bag, your life could depend upon your being properly prepared, especially if you hike alone as I do. There are times when I just want to go on a hike, but don’t want to have to carry a lot of food, let’s face it fruit is heavy and when you have to climb 2000-3000 feet, the water is heavy enough! Since I do most of my hiking do in the summer months when there are no tourists it is unlikely that I will encounter anyone on the trail. I’ve never camped out overnight but I would love to as long as I could go with people that I felt like I can trust if you don't have since enough to bring more than one 16oz or 32oz bottle of water with you and it is not even frozen when it's 115° in the shade I don't think so. You should carry a cell phone with you, although the reception may not be that good. Remember to always sign the register, before you venture onto the trail and please let someone know that you are going. How can they search for you if they do not know that you are out there? …… I dream of hiking trails!
She certainly sounds like my kinda girl. I love hiking as well, have a look at some of my photo's taken when hiking around Tucson.
Just follow this link [copy/paste into browser]
Peace,
Loko, Queen of The Night
Today I present a tale to you that should have been written by me, as I share the same views as the author about the hikins around Tucson. Enjoy.
Hi Loko. I was so glad to read your blog about Tucson Arizona I've only been living here for two years I moved down here from Las Vegas because I had been working in the casinos and I just kept getting laid off from one after another room for about the last five years and I knew that there were similar conditions here so I decided, Okay then let's just go down there and give Tucson as chance. I had been working in the casinos in Vegas, I do have a job at the Desert Diamond casino on Los Realos. I'm a blackjack dealer and it’s great it’s a lot different than it was in Vegas it’s a lot more relaxed here, actually I make more money on a steady basis than I did when I was in Vegas. Tucson, Arizona is a lot like Las Vegas as far as being surrounded by the mountains but the mountains here are much prettier than they are up there, the temperature is cooler here and I've gotten a chance to explore all lot of the three major mountain ranges around the city. I even got turned on to a couple of the places within the city that I can go and have a great view, There is of coarse “A” Mountain, and another place over by Saint Mary's Hospital. The U of A has a project going on and its 1.5 miles to the top and that seems like a really short hike for someone as experienced as I am, but it is really a good workout for anyone that's interested. Around the half way point you begin walking a 45° angle switch back road leading up to the top. I can feel the burn all the way to the top and the view is spectacular. You're not exactly in the middle of the city but you can, to coin a phrase “see forever” to the North East is the Santa Catalina’s. They are not Rocky Mountain High, yet the beauty of the Catalina’s at sunset is incomparable, like all Tucson sunsets with the reds, purple and orange colors. When I'm standing at the top of Tuc Hill gazing to the northwest it’s funny how you visualize certain shapes and formations. There is a mountain grouping that literally and looks like it's a large chair or throne for some giant or a godlike figure from Olympus. I've taken so many pictures yet I can never capture it on film as I see it with my naked eye. I can clearly see Wasson Peak, which is the highest point in elevation within Tucson. It’s a great view from there and from there you can actually see the west and onto the reservation. I've been on Finger Rock Trail, it's wonderful and hard part of the Catalina's also there is the Ponatoc Ridge Trail which leads off from the trailhead to north You have to access these two from Alvernon Way.
Sabino Canyon is by far the most popular trail around simply marvelous, but not much of a challenge. The seven falls trail that is just spectacular I go out at night among night desert hiker and sometimes we go out specifically just to see some of the things that you can only see at night I actually had an opportunity to see the Queen of the Night flower bloom in stages, what a magnificent flower it is, nothing compares to it. I've taken the Douglas Spring's trail from Speedway and I've hiked all through the Rincon’s floor trails but the Tanque Verde Trail is by far my favorite. I purchased a Parks pass the second time I went to what the Natives call the Monument; actually it is Saguaro East National Park. This year I plan to upgrade my pass to a National Parks Pass because it is not just good for Saguaro East, but is good at any National Park in the continental U.S. It has taken me several tries to reach the first camping ground called the Juniper Basin that is 6.3 miles in, but U finally made it, all by my lonesome. Along the way is a wonderful view atop a Butte of a Box Canyon. There have been many times that, it was as far as I have gotten, especially when I took someone with me. The desert is full of dangerous creatures and some not so dangerous like Javalina’s, Jack Rabbits, Rattlesnakes [Diamondbacks and Sidewinders], Gila Monsters, Giant Tortoise, Coyote’s, mountain deer, Scorpions, African Bees, and Roadrunners. I do love going up into those mountains and there’s a point when I can turn 360° and I don’t see any houses any cars any people nothing but mountains and Cactus the natural landscape and it's just beautiful. I hike alone 75% of the time, although I have gone with a group, or with just one other person. I always have to adjust my pace because they can’t keep up with me. I do stop often to take pictures or for a bite to eat. I really work up an appetite while on a hike. I don't really like going with large groups no more than four total is perfect for me, but just me and the trail is wonderful.
I keep hearing a lot about Mt Wrightstown, but so far I have never been there I did go to Pichaco Peak a kick-ass climb, but I loved every minute of it so far that's the only one that I've been able to go to that is outside of the city limits. I feel like I'm there are so many mountain ranges here and trailheads that I should explore all of them completely before I spent hours driving somewhere else to go hiking when it is literally right in my own back yard
A note to all of the readers about what to take when you go hiking, always take plenty of water and food. Seriously, as much water as you can carry, you should freeze most of it and even leave some frozen in the car, for when your hike is over. Eat a good solid breakfast, I generally start with some Oatmeal, take some orange juice, for space take along a packet or two of the salt you get from the fast food places. I like to have some cocktail shrimp, cheese, apple, banana, kiwi, orange, frozen grapes, melons, assorted nuts like pecans and almonds, dry roasted peanuts and something sweet for sure. You may pick up a bag of trail mix with any combination you like, but get a large bag, your life could depend upon your being properly prepared, especially if you hike alone as I do. There are times when I just want to go on a hike, but don’t want to have to carry a lot of food, let’s face it fruit is heavy and when you have to climb 2000-3000 feet, the water is heavy enough! Since I do most of my hiking do in the summer months when there are no tourists it is unlikely that I will encounter anyone on the trail. I’ve never camped out overnight but I would love to as long as I could go with people that I felt like I can trust if you don't have since enough to bring more than one 16oz or 32oz bottle of water with you and it is not even frozen when it's 115° in the shade I don't think so. You should carry a cell phone with you, although the reception may not be that good. Remember to always sign the register, before you venture onto the trail and please let someone know that you are going. How can they search for you if they do not know that you are out there? …… I dream of hiking trails!
She certainly sounds like my kinda girl. I love hiking as well, have a look at some of my photo's taken when hiking around Tucson.
Just follow this link [copy/paste into browser]
Peace,
Loko, Queen of The Night
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Dance till you can’t dance no more
Greetings one and all.
Again thank you all so much for contributing to this series. Today I am happy to present the ideas of the self proclaimed "Dancing Queen of Tucson"
I might have seen her without even knowing it as I attend most of the activities that she has mentioned. Well, put on your dancing shoes and get down on it girl!
***** ***** *****
I love to dance I go to the club's. I go early so that I don't have to pay a cover charge and I dance all night. I do this at least three times a week it keeps me healthy; I have a lot of fun, and enjoy myself. Yes I drink a little bit, but not much I don’t go to get my drink on and since I don’t drink I can be a designated driver.
I get out to a lot of different events throughout the city throughout the year, last fall I went to the Tucson Meet Yourself festival and I saw some of most amazing cultural dances and displays it's just wonderful that you could find so many diverse cultures here in what's considered a small metropolitan area. There were several things are really caught my eye on one of the stage as they had some Hawaiian dancers and although you could tell some of them were really needing some more practice but there were a few dancers that were so graceful and beautiful that I decided to take up Hula. I started taking lessons after the first of the year so it’s only been a month but so far I think I’m doing pretty well. I have mastered 3 of the as I’m told 8 basis steps of Hula and hopefully by summer I can learn a dance. I am so excited! I had taken up the Belly Dancing through the Parks and recreation a couple years ago and can see a lot of similarities between the two styles, but I really do love the Hawaiian Hula more. I even attended a Bollywood Dance [From India} class at the public library at the Martha Cooper Branch late last summer it was so much fun it was a little different than what I thought it would be. There are apparently a lot of different movies that this form of dancing has been featured in and although it was not for me I did enjoy the class and the instructor was great and she said that she had actually been injured and as such could not really do as much as she normally would, and I was thinking yeah right. Here I am huffing and puffing and barely able to keep up with you. I thought that was funny but she was a wonderful girl and I enjoyed the class. I ran into a group of belly dancers there who were taking the class and then I saw them down at the U of A performing they remembered me I was flattered. The form of Belly Dancing they do is more of European origin, I have observed this style before, and they did have great costumes. This was part of the Renaissance Fair at the U. of A on the Mall. I used to know someone who was a really into the Renaissance Festival she had made a lot of her own costumes and I recall her telling me that a belly dancing group practices at one of the Ramada’s in Reid Park near 22nd St and Country Club. Last summer belly dancing I met a native of Alaska and she was kind enough to show me some of their dances and they were also beautiful, and had I had more time to spend with her I would love to learn some of those as well. I don't pass up any opportunity to learn a dance.
At the Tucson Meet Yourself Festival I saw Pasqui Yaqui and the Tohono O’odham also performed a sacred dance, in all honesty they were so boring it amazed me that the Pasqui Yaqui had asked that no photographs were to be taken during their time on stage. I sincerely mean no offense by this but I can’t imagine anyone wanting to photograph the dances that I witnessed. I respect their culture and their beliefs I thought I was gonna see something really spectacular and to make matters worse they were half hour late starting I waited an extra half an hour to be bored to death literally.
I watched many different cultures perform over those three days and most were amazing I have temporarily misplaced my program so I cannot specifically name the ones I saw, but there was a group of Middle Eastern Ladies, a Native American group that would be hard to forget as they had large peacock feathers in there head-dresses, lots of Latino dancers and honestly the Korean drummers stole the show for me! I spent 3 wonderful rhythmic filled days and nights there. I would love to learn some of the dances that I saw there the costumes were just as creative on a scale that makes it hard to even describe so beautiful. When ever I see a style I like and think I can learn easily enough I go for it, and then I can incorporate all these different styles and moves into my own dance. Which is why I consider myself literally the; ….. Dancing Queen of Tucson
BTW I do have some photo's of some of the events mentioned in this article, check back for links to my sister site and updated photo's
Peace,
Loko, Queen of The Night
Again thank you all so much for contributing to this series. Today I am happy to present the ideas of the self proclaimed "Dancing Queen of Tucson"
I might have seen her without even knowing it as I attend most of the activities that she has mentioned. Well, put on your dancing shoes and get down on it girl!
***** ***** *****
I love to dance I go to the club's. I go early so that I don't have to pay a cover charge and I dance all night. I do this at least three times a week it keeps me healthy; I have a lot of fun, and enjoy myself. Yes I drink a little bit, but not much I don’t go to get my drink on and since I don’t drink I can be a designated driver.
I get out to a lot of different events throughout the city throughout the year, last fall I went to the Tucson Meet Yourself festival and I saw some of most amazing cultural dances and displays it's just wonderful that you could find so many diverse cultures here in what's considered a small metropolitan area. There were several things are really caught my eye on one of the stage as they had some Hawaiian dancers and although you could tell some of them were really needing some more practice but there were a few dancers that were so graceful and beautiful that I decided to take up Hula. I started taking lessons after the first of the year so it’s only been a month but so far I think I’m doing pretty well. I have mastered 3 of the as I’m told 8 basis steps of Hula and hopefully by summer I can learn a dance. I am so excited! I had taken up the Belly Dancing through the Parks and recreation a couple years ago and can see a lot of similarities between the two styles, but I really do love the Hawaiian Hula more. I even attended a Bollywood Dance [From India} class at the public library at the Martha Cooper Branch late last summer it was so much fun it was a little different than what I thought it would be. There are apparently a lot of different movies that this form of dancing has been featured in and although it was not for me I did enjoy the class and the instructor was great and she said that she had actually been injured and as such could not really do as much as she normally would, and I was thinking yeah right. Here I am huffing and puffing and barely able to keep up with you. I thought that was funny but she was a wonderful girl and I enjoyed the class. I ran into a group of belly dancers there who were taking the class and then I saw them down at the U of A performing they remembered me I was flattered. The form of Belly Dancing they do is more of European origin, I have observed this style before, and they did have great costumes. This was part of the Renaissance Fair at the U. of A on the Mall. I used to know someone who was a really into the Renaissance Festival she had made a lot of her own costumes and I recall her telling me that a belly dancing group practices at one of the Ramada’s in Reid Park near 22nd St and Country Club. Last summer belly dancing I met a native of Alaska and she was kind enough to show me some of their dances and they were also beautiful, and had I had more time to spend with her I would love to learn some of those as well. I don't pass up any opportunity to learn a dance.
At the Tucson Meet Yourself Festival I saw Pasqui Yaqui and the Tohono O’odham also performed a sacred dance, in all honesty they were so boring it amazed me that the Pasqui Yaqui had asked that no photographs were to be taken during their time on stage. I sincerely mean no offense by this but I can’t imagine anyone wanting to photograph the dances that I witnessed. I respect their culture and their beliefs I thought I was gonna see something really spectacular and to make matters worse they were half hour late starting I waited an extra half an hour to be bored to death literally.
I watched many different cultures perform over those three days and most were amazing I have temporarily misplaced my program so I cannot specifically name the ones I saw, but there was a group of Middle Eastern Ladies, a Native American group that would be hard to forget as they had large peacock feathers in there head-dresses, lots of Latino dancers and honestly the Korean drummers stole the show for me! I spent 3 wonderful rhythmic filled days and nights there. I would love to learn some of the dances that I saw there the costumes were just as creative on a scale that makes it hard to even describe so beautiful. When ever I see a style I like and think I can learn easily enough I go for it, and then I can incorporate all these different styles and moves into my own dance. Which is why I consider myself literally the; ….. Dancing Queen of Tucson
BTW I do have some photo's of some of the events mentioned in this article, check back for links to my sister site and updated photo's
Peace,
Loko, Queen of The Night
Monday, March 8, 2010
All about the yarn!
Greetings to all.
I am very proud to present this tale to you for your enjoyment. This lady has actually got me wanting to work with yarn, imagine that!
Hello world first of all let me start by saying I'm live here in Tucson Arizona and I think it is one of the most beautiful places on earth. I don’t understand how can anyone say that it is dull and boring, there are many things to do here a lot of them are free and some of them you do have to pay for but I can do anything I want, all of the things I love to do. I relocated here from Kansas City fifteen years ago and let me tell you this is like heaven to me.
I love the feel of wool, cotton, and acrylic yarn. I take my old jeans my old tee shirts and recycle them into rugs, blankets, sweaters, hats, and scarfs. Can you tell I’m a crafter? I spend a lot of time at the public Library and last year I was in the main library downtown and I saw a flyer for a group called Urban Yarns; it's a wonderful group of ladies unfortunately so far no men have joined. I invite every man; woman, boy and girl that I meet who shows an interest in my crocheting and knitting, and I know that the ladies have to but alas still no men have joined our group. We are currently involved in the end of a project for the new Diamond Children’s Center a medical facility that will be a part of the U of A. We are making blankets for them and I jumped in with both feet and hands. I have made about a dozen blankets since last August, and I love it. I'm a grandmother and make all kinds of gifts for all of my grandchildren it's relaxing, therapeutic and its fun. Since I joined this group I have been made aware of all sorts of projects one can participate in for charity. My suggestion is that if you don't have a hobby, get one. If you are not sure which one will work for you try working with the yarn? Yarn work is a very inexpensive hobby but if it is not to your liking, try gardening, pottery, embroidery, face painting, photography, or even dancing. All are great things that you can do to pass the time, to fill the time, to make something beautiful for yourself and for others to donate its wonderful!
I go from one craft fair to another sometimes I display my things sometimes I think my stuff isn't good enough even though my family tells me I should be selling what I make and occasionally I get offers to make things for others and they are willing to pay me, but I don't take myself too seriously. My yarn work goes everywhere I go. I check out yard sales and I go to the plea market or the swap meets, looking for yarn or something that I can use to make something beautiful for someone. I heard about some group that makes Lap blankets for the Veterans and disabled, blankets and things for the homeless caps for the homeless children and next year plan to have a lot more projects that I'll be working on. I think that I’ll make some things for the children in the shelters around town I learned a little bit about the origami and would like to start making some of the smaller little animals and toys and creatures. I will of coarse have to test run them on my own grandchildren, to get a good feel for them before I make some for the homeless children. I have started stockpiling the thread already in anticipation. My plan for this year is to donate most of what I make to various organizations. My feeling is that if you have a hobby that allows you to create something there's no reason for you to ever be bored in Tucson Arizona or any other place. …… All About The Yarn
I hope you enjoyed this piece as much as I did. Talk about creative, I am so jealous.
Peace,
Loko, Queen of The Night
I am very proud to present this tale to you for your enjoyment. This lady has actually got me wanting to work with yarn, imagine that!
Hello world first of all let me start by saying I'm live here in Tucson Arizona and I think it is one of the most beautiful places on earth. I don’t understand how can anyone say that it is dull and boring, there are many things to do here a lot of them are free and some of them you do have to pay for but I can do anything I want, all of the things I love to do. I relocated here from Kansas City fifteen years ago and let me tell you this is like heaven to me.
I love the feel of wool, cotton, and acrylic yarn. I take my old jeans my old tee shirts and recycle them into rugs, blankets, sweaters, hats, and scarfs. Can you tell I’m a crafter? I spend a lot of time at the public Library and last year I was in the main library downtown and I saw a flyer for a group called Urban Yarns; it's a wonderful group of ladies unfortunately so far no men have joined. I invite every man; woman, boy and girl that I meet who shows an interest in my crocheting and knitting, and I know that the ladies have to but alas still no men have joined our group. We are currently involved in the end of a project for the new Diamond Children’s Center a medical facility that will be a part of the U of A. We are making blankets for them and I jumped in with both feet and hands. I have made about a dozen blankets since last August, and I love it. I'm a grandmother and make all kinds of gifts for all of my grandchildren it's relaxing, therapeutic and its fun. Since I joined this group I have been made aware of all sorts of projects one can participate in for charity. My suggestion is that if you don't have a hobby, get one. If you are not sure which one will work for you try working with the yarn? Yarn work is a very inexpensive hobby but if it is not to your liking, try gardening, pottery, embroidery, face painting, photography, or even dancing. All are great things that you can do to pass the time, to fill the time, to make something beautiful for yourself and for others to donate its wonderful!
I go from one craft fair to another sometimes I display my things sometimes I think my stuff isn't good enough even though my family tells me I should be selling what I make and occasionally I get offers to make things for others and they are willing to pay me, but I don't take myself too seriously. My yarn work goes everywhere I go. I check out yard sales and I go to the plea market or the swap meets, looking for yarn or something that I can use to make something beautiful for someone. I heard about some group that makes Lap blankets for the Veterans and disabled, blankets and things for the homeless caps for the homeless children and next year plan to have a lot more projects that I'll be working on. I think that I’ll make some things for the children in the shelters around town I learned a little bit about the origami and would like to start making some of the smaller little animals and toys and creatures. I will of coarse have to test run them on my own grandchildren, to get a good feel for them before I make some for the homeless children. I have started stockpiling the thread already in anticipation. My plan for this year is to donate most of what I make to various organizations. My feeling is that if you have a hobby that allows you to create something there's no reason for you to ever be bored in Tucson Arizona or any other place. …… All About The Yarn
I hope you enjoyed this piece as much as I did. Talk about creative, I am so jealous.
Peace,
Loko, Queen of The Night
Friday, March 5, 2010
From the good earth..
I have a green thumb, no really I do I’m a gardener. I love plants, indoors, outdoors, in containers or in the ground. I love mixing the soil with my bare hands too; I rarely use gloves when planting. Perhaps I did not play in the dirt enough as a child. For me there is no greater enjoyment than watching a seedling grow. I prefer to grow my plants from seed, bulb or cuttings. The best approach for me is careful planning, lots of researching and studying. There's nothing about gardening that I don't enjoy. Some people say it’s easy to have great looking houseplants and that gardening is not that hard. Well if that is truly the case, then I must be doing something wrong, and have been doing it wrong most of my life. I have always found it fulfilling but believe you me, gardening can be very hard, backbreaking work at times depending on what kind of garden you have.
I have a small raise garden section, and the construction of it alone was hard, but worth it. It has become the centerpiece of my outdoor garden, filled with herbs, plants and flowers. Gardening outdoors in Tucson can be challenging at best, frustrating at its worst. If you are using containers, and you should have about one-third of the plants in some sort of container they have to be repositioned occasionally depending upon what time of year it is. That means at some point you’ll have to pick them and dirt is heavy, just like water.
There are quite a few nurseries, and other places to buy everything you need to be successful, and my advise to you is when you get new plants, don’t just get them because you like them. First things first; an awful lot of foliage is sold here that will not grow properly here. If you read a book on any kind of gardening, consider the geographical location of the author, look for local authors and consider their views first. Again, don’t be fooled by the plants you see in the Botanical or some other specialty gardens, they invest a lot of money ensuring that those plants you see there are ecologically balanced. Remember you live in the Sonoran Desert and summer temperatures here last for about 5 months.
The best gardens, for my money are a mixture of plants, herbs, vegetables and flowers. I get a great deal of pleasure every summer in more ways than one from my garden. I grow my own tomatoes, garlic, onions, peppers [bells, jalapenos,] basil, sage, cilantro, squash [yellow, Mexican grey & Italian] I have even been successful growing avocado’s from seed. These I grow every year and believe me growing theses herbs and vegetables saves me a considerable amount of my food budget. Every year I try something new, like the avocado last year as well as the green beans and eggplant. Honestly I stay away from the melons, because of the amount of water they require, but this year I’ll be growing my own cucumbers as well. As you can see most of what I mentioned are seed bearing plants, so all I have to do is harvest some seeds, dry and store them until needed. You always have to be concerned about birds and bugs, but there are ways around them, there are certain flowers and herbs that bugs and birds don’t like, for instance French marigolds, cotton lavender, curry, tansy, chives, garlic, penny royal and chamomile helps keep your plants healthy [often referred to as the plant physician.] Purple passions or purple hearts I use them as ground covers and in a hanging pot the produce very small pink flowers and thrive in the heat as long as they are well watered.
Since it is February we experience a lot of rain this time of year more than we do with the monsoons rains, I love this time a year not because of the rain so much but because of what the rain brings during the months of March and April everything will be in blooming all of the barrel cacti, the prickly pears, ocotillo and such as the desert comes alive again. To me the desert is the most beautiful place on earth for a couple of months, all around you are bright colors, reds, orange, yellow, blues, white and pink. I can hardly wait to see them. I always have beautiful plants and I always take lots and lots of pictures and strive to improve my garden with a renewed zeal.
Peace,
Loko, Queen of The Night
I have a small raise garden section, and the construction of it alone was hard, but worth it. It has become the centerpiece of my outdoor garden, filled with herbs, plants and flowers. Gardening outdoors in Tucson can be challenging at best, frustrating at its worst. If you are using containers, and you should have about one-third of the plants in some sort of container they have to be repositioned occasionally depending upon what time of year it is. That means at some point you’ll have to pick them and dirt is heavy, just like water.
There are quite a few nurseries, and other places to buy everything you need to be successful, and my advise to you is when you get new plants, don’t just get them because you like them. First things first; an awful lot of foliage is sold here that will not grow properly here. If you read a book on any kind of gardening, consider the geographical location of the author, look for local authors and consider their views first. Again, don’t be fooled by the plants you see in the Botanical or some other specialty gardens, they invest a lot of money ensuring that those plants you see there are ecologically balanced. Remember you live in the Sonoran Desert and summer temperatures here last for about 5 months.
The best gardens, for my money are a mixture of plants, herbs, vegetables and flowers. I get a great deal of pleasure every summer in more ways than one from my garden. I grow my own tomatoes, garlic, onions, peppers [bells, jalapenos,] basil, sage, cilantro, squash [yellow, Mexican grey & Italian] I have even been successful growing avocado’s from seed. These I grow every year and believe me growing theses herbs and vegetables saves me a considerable amount of my food budget. Every year I try something new, like the avocado last year as well as the green beans and eggplant. Honestly I stay away from the melons, because of the amount of water they require, but this year I’ll be growing my own cucumbers as well. As you can see most of what I mentioned are seed bearing plants, so all I have to do is harvest some seeds, dry and store them until needed. You always have to be concerned about birds and bugs, but there are ways around them, there are certain flowers and herbs that bugs and birds don’t like, for instance French marigolds, cotton lavender, curry, tansy, chives, garlic, penny royal and chamomile helps keep your plants healthy [often referred to as the plant physician.] Purple passions or purple hearts I use them as ground covers and in a hanging pot the produce very small pink flowers and thrive in the heat as long as they are well watered.
Since it is February we experience a lot of rain this time of year more than we do with the monsoons rains, I love this time a year not because of the rain so much but because of what the rain brings during the months of March and April everything will be in blooming all of the barrel cacti, the prickly pears, ocotillo and such as the desert comes alive again. To me the desert is the most beautiful place on earth for a couple of months, all around you are bright colors, reds, orange, yellow, blues, white and pink. I can hardly wait to see them. I always have beautiful plants and I always take lots and lots of pictures and strive to improve my garden with a renewed zeal.
Peace,
Loko, Queen of The Night
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