So…when I say “new vlogs go up on Fridays,” what I mean is that they go up whenever the hell I want. One day, I will embrace consistency. Right now, this is just a fun thing I do sometimes.

Here’s the latest TJEVlog. It’s #4, and it’s a “Life Snippet,” meaning I’ve taken the camera out and about with me in my “real life.” This is from the most recent Teresa’s Hike & Brunch at the end of last month, and in it, you’ll see my Pro Tip for meeting cute guys on the hiking trail. Enjoy!

And don’t forget that there have been three vlogs before this one if you’d like to catch up:

TJEVlog #3: Be a Fucking Ray of Sunshine

TJEVlog #2: LIFE SNIPPETS – Hiking Runyon With Heather

TJEVlog #1: Introducing the Pound By Pound Pledge Drive!

** DON’T FORGET THE POUND BY POUND PLEDGE DRIVE – RUNNING APR. 5TH 2013-APR. 5TH 2014 **

I recorded this vlog about four days after the Boston Marathon bombing, but am only putting it up now because I haven’t had time to edit and upload it. A lot has happened in the past ten days…but the main point of the vlog remains the same. I hope you’ll give it a watch.

*** DON’T FORGET THE POUND BY POUND PLEDGE DRIVE – RUNNING APR. 5TH 2013-APR. 5TH 2014 ***

You’re gonna be hearing a lot about diabetes on this blog over the next year, but there is another cause that is near and dear to my heart – autism awareness. I have a nephew and a niece on the spectrum, but while they each have their share of difficulties, they are also ridiculously brilliant and have enormous hearts.

So I, of course, would love to think that when they become adults, someone else will see their brilliance and kindness and fall in love with them. I mean, duh, right?

A new friend of mine, Carolina Groppa, is producing an amazing-looking documentary that I’m super-excited about called Autism in Love. Check out the sizzle reel above, and tell me that you don’t want to meet each and every one of those people! What’s interesting, too, is that as they’re talking about the autism-specific challenges that these people face with regard to relationships, all I could think was – It’s not just autism. It’s hard to find love PERIOD! I want to tell each of these people that they’re not alone in their struggles to find happy relationships. People without autism have plenty of trouble in that area, too! That’s not necessarily a great piece of news, but at least it’s something we all have in common!

Autism In Love is having a Kickstarter right now, and there are 19 days left. In honor of Autism Awareness Month, consider backing this really awesome project, and tell ‘em Teresa Jusino sent you.

*** DON’T FORGET THE POUND BY POUND PLEDGE DRIVE – RUNNING APR. 5TH 2013-APR. 5TH 2014 ***

Me and Heather at the entrance to Runyon Canyon Park. 4-6-13

Lately, I’ve been using the video function on my point-and-click camera a lot more when I’m out and about, just capturing random stuff. It amazes me that I’ve had this camera for years, but have rarely used it for video…UNTIL NOW.

This week’s TJEVlog contains footage from my very first “Teresa’s Hike & Brunch,” a hiking (and brunching) meet-up I started and that I’m organizing twice a month that will both help me get in shape for the POUND BY POUND Pledge Drive, and allow me to stay in touch with friends. Marvel as my friend Heather and I…are lazy and take the easy trail. YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS IT! Also, we’re cute.

Enjoy this little glimpse into The Teresa Jusino Experience!

*** DON’T FORGET THE POUND BY POUND PLEDGE DRIVE – RUNNING APR. 5TH 2013-APR. 5TH 2014 ***

My dad and my mom. Probably from the 1980′s sometime. Not sure exactly when, but I just love this photo. They both look so fabulous, and so happy.

As I mentioned in my previous post, today is the anniversary of my mom’s passing. It’s been seven years, and I still miss her all the time, usually when I’m doing something awesome that I instantly want to tell her about…but can’t. I’m hoping she knows.

It’s also my friend Adam’s birthday! He’s one of my BFF’s in New York. I miss him, too, and I wish I could celebrate with him this weekend. Have fun being old!

Anyway, I thought it appropriate to do my VERY FIRST VLOG this week, because I wanted to announce an effort I’m taking on this year in honor of my mom, and I’m hoping that all of you who read this will want to get in on it! So, watch the video below and do what it says!

Every time I hear this song, I imagine that it’s being sung by a family member or close friend of a returning companion. What happens when the Doctor drops a companion off at home after showing them all of time and space? Well, they’re never the same, and their former, mundane lives can never compete.

And while they’re pining for the TARDIS, their loved ones have to deal with their moody, broody shit.

Except for Madge Arwell’s family – because she was badass and could keep her shit together, seeing into the vortex and being all, “That was nice.”

Anyway, today’s Song of the Day comes to us courtesy of Alanis Morissette from her classic 1990′s debut album (if you don’t count her Canadian teeny-bopper stuff), Jagged Little Pill. Here is “Not the Doctor.”

The boys of Beat Radio

While I’ve always been into a diverse cross-section of music, noise pop was never one of my ultimate favorites. I just don’t like swaying while staring at my shoes that much. If I’m gonna dance, then I’m gonna dance, knowwhatI’msayin?

However, a couple of years ago I was helping someone by doing publicity and marketing for a noisepop music festival in New York, and I was introduced to a band called Beat Radio, which ended up being one of my favorites at the festival. Since 2008, I’ve been on their mailing list and keeping up with their stuff, but their early song “Treetops” remains my favorite, and I thought I’d share it with you today!

Today’s Song of the Day is “Treetops” by Beat Radio. Enjoy!

Um…ow.

One of the reasons why I wanted to do a Song of the Day segment (as well as start writing more about music in general) is that I’m generally not up on the latest music. I love music of all types, but rely on friends for recommendations and often don’t get to things until well after everyone else (like, I didn’t really listen to any Bob Dylan until about 2004, when a former roommate who loves his music started playing it around me all the time).

So Major Lazer’s “Pon de Floor” (2009) totally passed me by, and I never heard it until I was at Hollywood Babble-On this weekend and this was one of the songs they played. One of the women I was with and I both said something to the effect of “Hell yeah! Beyonce’s ‘Run the World!’” to which The Boy replied, “No, this is Major Lazer.” I insisted I knew a Beyonce song when I heard one, but he was just as insistent, and it was true. Once the song moved past its intro, it was totally not Beyonce, but had the same kick-ass driving dance beat.

This song is really all about the beat – after all, there are but five lyrics in the whole thing – but that beat is infectious and I love it. So props to Major Lazer (mostly DJ Diplo, who’s a freaking booty-dance genius) for producing it, and props to Beyonce for knowing a great sound when she hears it, snatching it up, and putting a better message (and lyrics) around it.

However, if you want to dance your ass off, “Pon de Floor” will do you just fine. Also, this video contains the craziest, most acrobatic fully-clothed simulated sex ever. NSFW-ish?

Sara Bareilles courtesy of Billboard.com.

What’s funny is that I chose these two (yes, two!) videos to share today before I realized that today was International Women’s Day, but I think they’re really appropriate today.

Call it, Dueling Single Ladies.

Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” is NOT my Song of the Day. Or rather, the song is, but not her version.

I love covers when they’re done well. Covers that sound like the original are BORING. But covers that completely reinterpret the song are awesome, and also often highlight the quality of the original. I love Beyonce’s version, but lately I’ve been listening to two covers of the song that I’ve been enjoying a whole lot.

Nataly Dawn of Pomplamoose.

I’ve only just recently been introduced to the Pomplamoose version, and have since been loving their album, Tribute to Famous People.

But my all-time favorite cover of the song comes from Sara Bareilles, who is amazing at covers in general (when you’re done listening to this, seek out her version of Sittin’ On the Dock of the Bay. You’ll thank me later).

So today’s Song of the Day is “Single Ladies” as performed by Pomplamoose and Sara Bareilles. With a shout-out to Beyonce, because she deserves all the shout-outs.

And Happy International Women’s Day. Here’s to the hope that women in the world at large will cease to be considered the property of men in any way, and that we all get to live like we live in a Beyonce song.

More feministy posts coming soon for my geeky women, BTW. Stay tuned…

We run this mutha.

Macklemore (center) from the “Thrift Shop” video.

I’ve been obsessed with this song for a couple of months now. Macklemore’s “Thrift Shop” (from his album, The Heist) is one of those songs that captures you instantly, both because of its humor and because of its musicality. Hearing “Thrift Shop” for the first time reminded me of the way I felt when I heard the leaked version of Cee Lo’s “Fuck You” for the first time on YouTube, and thought it so original and amazing and hilarious and badass that I insisted on playing it for everyone that came into my house that day (and that was a lot of people, as I was having a yard sale that day. Yes, I played it for just about every single person who bought something).

The attitude of “Thrift Shop” speaks to a lot of my values, particularly as they crystallize the longer I live in L.A. With all the “red carpet” events (something that loses its meaning when anyone can buy red carpet at a party store) and people flocking to designer whatever to make a good impression in front of people they’ve never met and will never see again, it’s nice to have a battle cry to the tune of “That shirt’s hella dough/And having the same one as six other people in this club is a hella don’t.”

But the reason why “Thrift Shop” is my Song of the Day today in particular is because it goes along with another blog post I wanted to write today….about the one time I DID spend “fifty dollars on a T-shirt,” and why I consider that one instance totally worth it.

So, enjoy the song now, and keep an eye out for the blog post later. Here’s “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (featuring Wanz).