Ad Nauseum

Once Again, With Feeling...

2007-10-30T07:59:00.000-07:00

Oops, I did it again... I've moved my blog. Check out the new blog for future updates and postings. Peace out, homies!

Ice is back with a brand new invention

2007-10-09T14:04:00.001-07:00

Soooo... how do we feel about the re-design? It's a work-in-progress. Will it ever stop? Yo, I dunno.

It's Tyra, bitch!

2007-09-14T08:48:00.000-07:00

Because we all know I'm a bit obsessed with all things pop culture, it shouldn't surprise you that I find this hilarious. Happy Friday!

Mama's Got a Brand New Baby!

2007-08-29T08:55:00.001-07:00

Yes, I bought a new car. Isn't she beautiful? I hadn't planned on replacing my '98 Accord quite so soon, but it turns out the catalytic converter needed to be replaced (at roughly $800) and the car was only worth about $3,000. You do the math. It wasn't worth it. So, I upgraded to a 2007 Civic EX Sedan. And I love it! The car payment? Don't love that so much. But it's worth it. I'm open to suggestions for naming- has to be a female name beginning with a C. Any ideas?

Update: She has been named. The winner? Thanks to Liza, my little riceburner will now be known as Chloe. Why? Have you seen 24?

Alphabet Quiz

2007-08-06T08:04:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of Sarah. If you post it on your blog, say so in the comments so I can come read it!

A - Age: 26.
B - Band listening to right now: Spoon.
C - Career future: Advertising Guru/Media Maven.
D - Dad's name: Mike.
E - Easiest person to talk to: Anyone of the following: Julie, Sarah, Elizabeth, Jami.
F - Favorite song: That's like asking me to pick a favorite finger. I've got lots, and love them all. If I had to choose, we'll go with "Everyone Gets a Star" by Albert Hammond Jr.
G - Gummy bears or gummy worms: Neither, really. If it's not chocolate, I'm not really interested.
H - Hometown: Kansas City.
I - Instruments: Used to play piano, dabbled in guitar, and sing in the shower/car.
J - Job: Assistant Account Manager.
K - Kids: Not yet.
L - Longest car ride ever: Kansas City to Juarez, Mexico.
M - Mom's name: Barb.
N - Number of states you've been to: 24.
P - Phobia(s): Suffocation, drowning, being buried alive, nuclear holocaust.
Q - Quote: "This aggression will not stand, man." (The Big Lebowski)
R - Reason to smile: Friends.
S - Song you sang last: "I Don't Feel Like Dancin" by the Scissor Sisters. And yes, for the record, I was dancing while singing. Listen to the song and you'll know why.
T - Time you wake up: 5:00am
U - Unknown fact about me: If have any job other than my own, I'd be a meteorologist. I've been fascinated with thunderstorms/tornados/bad weather since I was a little kid.
V - Vegetable you hate: Cauliflower. Ewww.
W - Worst habit: Being late.
X - X-rays you've had: Teeth, head (MRI), heart (echocardiogram/EKG)
Y - Yummy food: Barbecue. Yes, I grew up in KC.
Z - Zodiac sign: Aquarius.

Oh, the Fickleness of Me!

2007-07-23T16:20:00.000-07:00

Here's something I don't understand. Why is it that whenever I want something, I'm obsessed with it until I get it. Then, once I do get it, I don't want it anymore. I've noticed this disturbing trend and it worries me. It applies to multiple areas of my life. Is there any way to change it? Or am I, in the words of The Runaway Bride, "profoundly and irreversibly screwed up?"

Game on, holmes!

2007-07-12T14:16:00.000-07:00

Good Cop, Baby Cop

Sometimes, There's a Blog...

2007-07-09T18:21:00.000-07:00

Well, faithful readers, here it is. My (allegedly) substantive update. I feel bad that I haven't updated recently, but truthfully I haven't really felt compelled. I guess I've been busy enjoying life and not writing about it, which isn't a bad thing. So what's changed since I last updated? Let's review:

1. Julie graduated and moved home and brought her cat, Pretty Kitty. I'm allergic to cats, but for some reason I can tolerate her pretty well.

Celebratory drinks!

La Pretty Kitty.

2. Went to see an impromptu Aqualung concert with Jami at Record Bar. Helluva show! They covered Wilco's Muzzle of Bees which made me love them even more. Did I mention this venue is a bar in Westport, and there were only about 30 people there? Aqualung was in town to open for The Fray, who ended up cancelling the show last minute. So, Aqualung decided not to waste the evening. We got to meet Matt Hales (lead) after the show. Here's proof:

Jami and I with Mr. Hales. He's British and geeky and wonderful- definitely a new favorite on my iPod.

3. Citizen Cope concert with Jami at The Uptown Theater. Fantastic show!

Great show, but we forgot to bring our hemp sandals and dreads.

4. Started teaching a lot of classes at the gym, and enlisted the help of a personal trainer to help me fit into my summer wardrobe from last year. So far, I've lost 8 pounds. I have another weigh-in/measurement on Thursday morning.

5. Saw one of the greatest movies of all time, The Big Lebowski. I'm ashamed it took me so long to see it. "The Chinaman is not the issue, Dude!"

6. Played my first golf course EVER with the help of Liza and Jud. One thing is for certain: I'm no Tiger Woods. Yet...

Here are some random pictures that I just wanted to include because they're fun.

At Drake for Julie's graduation. Welcome to the real world, kiddo!

Drinking "Eager Ninjas" with Jami at a great little Japanese restaurant/bar/dance club downtown called Nara.

With Jud at a Royals game.

A fabulous alcoholic concoction Jami introduced me to called "Paintcan."

Hopefully, that's enough to suffice for now. I'll be back soon.

New from Apple...

2007-07-09T14:04:00.000-07:00

"There is no exit strategy!"

I Know You're Gonna Judge Me For This

2007-07-03T07:24:00.000-07:00

(Or: Guilty Pleasures)

So last night I discovered something that made me irrationally happy. Noggin (a TV network I've never heard of until yesterday) is airing Laguna Beach and The Hills from the beginning. I'm not sure why, but I'm strangely addicted to both shows. I think I lose brain cells every time I watch, but God help me, I love the mindless, pointless teenage pseudo-drama. Why is that?

By the way, this is not the substantive posting I promised. You can expect that tomorrow since I have the day off. That is, if I'm not engrossed in Laguna Beach reruns...

Sorry...

2007-06-26T09:17:00.001-07:00

For the lack of updating. This seems to be a trend with me which, if you've read this blog for any length of time (read: Liza) you're probably aware of. I have a reason- I've been busy. I promise I'll try to post soon. A real post. Of substance. Yes, they do occur once in a blue moon.

You Need to Watch This Video

2007-05-10T11:15:00.000-07:00

Can someone please tell me how Dick Cheney and all his Halliburton buddies can live with themselves? I think I need to go vomit now- that's disgusting. Thoughts?

Currently Reading:

2007-05-09T10:03:00.000-07:00

Sarah first told me about this book a few years ago. I first saw a preview for the movie around Christmas and have since seen it twice. I enjoyed the film so much the first time that I finally decided I had to read the book. I'm almost finished with it, and I wish it were longer- I don't want to put it down! Jhumpa Lahiri has such a smart yet accessible writing style. Though the subject matter is emotional and complex, the writing itself is easy to read and easy to understand yet not simple. It is rich and textured and the words have a depth to them that allows the reader to become part of the story. The book makes me think and imagine. I feel as if I've become friends with the characters, particularly Ashoke and Ashima. This book has truly allowed me "to travel without moving an inch." It has been a beautiful journey, reading this book. If you haven't yet read it, I recommend it. Do yourself a favor and check it out.

Shhhh! It's The Secret!

2007-05-09T08:11:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my friend Jami for sending me this article. In case you've not heard about it, there's a book/dvd out called The Secret which teaches you to harness the power of positive thoughts to get everything you've ever wanted in life. In case you're interested, you can see what Wikipedia has to say here. The following article came from Slate.com and it's quite funny. Enjoy!

human guinea pig
I've Got The Secret
What happened when I followed the best-selling book's advice for two months.
By Emily Yoffe
Posted Monday, May 7, 2007, at 5:17 PM ET

Decades before the best seller was published, my father knew the secret of The Secret. He was aware there were people with esoteric knowledge who controlled all the wealth, had all the power, and were specifically excluding him from getting any. He bought the books of his time that promised, like The Secret, to unlock these mysteries. I loved listening to him spin his theories about how things really worked—until either I got too old to believe him anymore, or his spinning took him further and further away from reality. He died with nothing, living under an assumed name.

So, I will acknowledge that I came to The Secret with a negative attitude. When I bought it, I quickly stuffed it into a plastic bag, glancing around Barnes & Noble to make sure I saw no one I knew. The last time I was this embarrassed at a bookstore was when I bought The G Spot, another best seller that provided instructions for achieving bliss. For the Human Guinea Pig column, I usually do things that readers are too embarrassed or too intelligent to do themselves—like entering a beauty pageant or entertaining at a kid's birthday party. I wanted to see if applying the rules of The Secret to my life would bring me the perfect happiness that it promises. But millions of you have already beaten me to this one. There are now 5.3 million copies of the book in print in the United States, and publisher Simon & Schuster says it is selling about 150,000 a week. A separate DVD version has sold at least 1.5 million copies. Groups have formed to discuss how to best live by The Secret's rules. It is a No. 1 best seller in Australia, England, and Ireland, and it is scheduled to be translated into 30 languages.

There's no secret to The Secret. The book and movie simply state that your thoughts control the universe. Through this "law of attraction" you "manifest" your desires. "It is exactly like placing an order from a catalogue. … You must know that what you want is yours the moment you ask." "See yourself living in abundance and you will attract it. It works every time, with every person." The appeal is obvious. Forget education, effort, performance. Everything you want—money, power, comfortable shoes—is yours simply by wanting it enough.

There are certain caveats. Apparently the universe has a language-processing disorder and doesn't comprehend standard English usage of the words don't, not, and no. So, as the book explains, if you summon the universe by saying, "I don't want to spill something on this outfit," the universe translates this as, "I want to spill something on this outfit." If only Rhonda Byrne, the television producer who is the author of the book and creator of the DVD, had been there to counsel those negative authors of the Ten Commandments!

Byrne says Shakespeare, Newton, Lincoln, and Einstein all owed their achievements to their understanding of the law of attraction. She asserts that "the discoveries of quantum physics … are in total harmony with the teachings of The Secret." To prove this, she explains, "I never studied science or physics at school, and yet when I read complex books on quantum physics I understood them perfectly because I wanted to understand them." (Pop quiz, Rhonda: What is the energy of a single photon [in eV] from a light source with a wavelength of 400 nm?) The book is dotted with quotations from great men of history that supposedly back up The Secret's assertions. Take this one from Winston Churchill: "You create your own universe as you go along." Something about this struck me as sounding not terribly Churchillian. I looked it up and it turned out Churchill did write it, but it was his mocking characterization of the metaphysical twits of his day.

Given my skepticism, how could I make myself believe in The Secret enough to give it a fair test? To quote one of The Secret's avatars, Ralph Waldo Emerson, "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." Clearly, The Secret is drivel, but why should that stop me from sincerely throwing myself into seeing if it worked? I am already deeply susceptible to superstition and seeing signs—if I find a penny (faceup only), I pick it up knowing something good will happen to me. As self-absorbed as I already am, I loved the permission the book gave to sink deeper into a Jacuzzi of megalomania. As The Secret points out: "You are the master of the Universe. You are the heir to the kingdom. You are the perfection of Life." Just as I'd always suspected!

So, I vowed to follow Byrne's simple rules for abundance and see what happened. The book encourages one to start big: "It is as easy to manifest one dollar as it is to manifest one million dollars." But I thought starting with the million-dollar manifestation was like saying, "I love you" on a first date; I didn't want to scare the universe into not taking my calls. I came up with three things I thought the universe would find reasonable: a kitchen floor, unclogged sinuses, and a new desk.

At this point I should add that The Secret is not only drivel—it's pernicious drivel. The obvious question that arises from its claim that it's easy to get what you want, is: Why do so many people get what they don't want? As Byrne writes, "Imperfect thoughts are the cause of all humanity's ills, including disease, poverty, and unhappiness." Yes, according to The Secret, people don't just randomly end up being massacred, for example. They are in the wrong place because of their own lousy thinking. Cancer patients have long been victims of this school of belief. But The Secret takes it to a new and more repulsive level with its advice not just to blame people for their illness, but to shun them, lest you start being infected by their bummer thoughts, too.

But look, I needed a kitchen floor, and if abandoning sick friends and loved ones was what was required—well, who really enjoys those bedside visits, anyway? We recently renovated our house, and everything went great except our kitchen floor. Remember being told in school that the Holy Roman Empire was neither holy, Roman, nor an empire? My kitchen floor was supposed to be acid-stained concrete. And while it was a floor, it turned out to be neither acid-stained nor concrete. Instead it was made of some sort of epoxy, with a surface that looked as if my dog had fallen into a mud pit and then come inside and rolled all over it. I spent weeks attempting to find an easy, inexpensive way to resurface it. One concrete guy said if he came it to fix it, I'd have to remove all my appliances and baseboards, let him grind down the existing floor and pour a new surface, and pay him $4,000 to do it. Thankfully, he decided the job was too small and troublesome to be worth it. Covering the floor with cork tiles would also require appliance removal and an outlay of about $3,500. And so it went with every alternative.

So, I followed The Secret's recommendation and notified the universe's call center that I wanted a quick, economical, pleasing, and durable kitchen floor. Once I did that, the next step was to enter such an intense state of visualization that it was as if my new floor already existed. Byrne writes: "A shortcut to manifesting your desires is to see what you want as absolute fact." Although normally people who see things that aren't there are considered delusional, I went with Byrne's recommendation to "act as if you have it already." One day my husband called from work to check on various house issues, and I said, "I'm so grateful that I finally got a beautiful kitchen floor."

"Are you on something?" he asked.

It turns out I was on a universal high because a few nights later I awoke at 3 a.m. from a dream that had supplied the answer: Paint the floor to look like acid-stained concrete! The next morning I searched the Internet and contacted every faux painter within a 50-mile radius. Only one, Deanne Lenehan Cunningham, agreed to come and take a look. She had never done a floor and was concerned whether her products would adhere to the sealant now on my floor. She said she would talk to the manufacturer, see if was possible, then give us an estimate.

When a week went by without a callback, my husband suggested I phone her, and that I also explore other alternatives just in case. Normally I tend toward the anxiously obsessive, and I would have already been doing that. Instead I told him it wasn't necessary because we already had a perfect kitchen floor. Secret-speak requires this odd future-present construction, which my husband came to call, "sounding like a moron."

But as Byrne so amply proves, the universe loves people who sound like morons. Deanne finally got back to us, said she could do it, and that she would charge us $912. We now have a gorgeous, glowing floor. And I had to admit just sitting back and letting my desires manifest freed up a lot of time—and was much more relaxing than trying to take care of things myself.

With that success, I moved on to my sinuses. Each spring, pollen causes my nose to resemble a drip irrigation device. I spend months spraying my nostrils and popping antihistamines. Why not put in a Secret request to get rid of my allergies? After all, the fiftysomething Byrne describes how it took her only three days of proper thinking to get rid of her reading glasses and restore her eyesight to that of a twentysomething. So I shelved the drugs, walked my dog, breathed deep, and expressed gratitude for my sensational sinuses.

This worked great for weeks, through one of the most frigid springs on record, and I was starting to think that maybe my father was right, maybe people like Byrne really knew how the world worked. Then the weather warmed up and the air was thick with pollen. My eyes swelled, my nose started pouring, and I ended up with a sinus infection and a bag of medications from the otolaryngologist. Of course, one could say The Secret failed. But look at it this way: When I first started imagining myself drip-free, the universe responded by sending a cold snap! Then because I became so blasé about my sinuses, the universe decided to warm things up again. Surely there is a lesson here for Al Gore.

Finally, the desk. I had spent months dragging myself around to furniture stores and cruising the Internet for the desk, which I can see quite clearly: It's sleek and made of steel, L-shaped, with plenty of work space on top and storage below. Unfortunately, no one who manufactures desks also sees it. Following The Secret's precepts, I stopped wasting my time looking for it and instead expressed my gratitude for its arrival. I've now spent six weeks visualizing this desk to no effect. Perhaps the problem is signal interference from my husband, who keeps suggesting I manifest the word Ikea into my search engine and just order a damn desk.

Or perhaps the problem is that millions of people are now putting in their orders and the universe's servers have crashed. Or maybe it's something else. As one of Byrne's favorites, Albert Einstein, said (in a quote that doesn't make it into The Secret): "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."

Article URL: http://www.slate.com/id/2165746/
Copyright 2007 Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive Co. LLC

How to Use an Apostrophe Correctly

2007-05-07T07:32:00.000-07:00

(Or: Let's all get on board the grammatically correct train!)

Courtesy of WikiHow:

1. Avoid using an apostrophe to indicate a plural. The incorrect use of an apostrophe to form the plural is called the greengrocer's apostrophe, since grocers are often the worst (or at least the most visible) offenders. If you have more than one apple, then use apples, not apple's. If you can't replace the word with "his" or "their" and if it isn't a contraction, then there shouldn't be an apostrophe there.

2. People can forget the rules when a word ends in a vowel, such as the word "photo." Many people write "photo's" instead of "photos". An exception to this use is in the case of making a single letter plural. Therefore, Why are there so many i's in the word "indivisibility"? is correct. This is simply for clarity reasons, so that the reader does not mistake for the word "is". However, modern usage and clarity prefer to avoid the insertion of an apostrophe by surrounding the single letter in quotation marks before pluralizing it: Why are there so many "i"s in the word "indivisibility"?

3. Similarly, apostrophes can be used when talking about a word (e.g. this list contains a lot of do's and don't's) but quotation marks can make it clearer ("do"s and "don't"s). Place an apostrophe before the "s" when you are indicating a singular possessive. With few exceptions, this is true even if the name or word ends in "s".
"Jacob's shoes are very cool." The shoes belong to Jacob (singular: one person).
"I found the dog's old bone buried in the backyard." The bone belongs to the dog (singular: a single dog).

4. Place an apostrophe after the "s" when you're dealing with a possessive plural case. When a noun is pluralized by having an "s" added to the end (e.g. book to books, tree to trees), the apostrophe must be placed at the end of the word to make it possessive (books', trees'). But if the word can be made plural without an "s" at the end, this rule does not apply; the apostrophe goes before the "s". "Look at the all of the sailors' boats!" The boats belong to the sailors (plural: there is more than one sailor). "The children's dresses were pink and frilly." The dresses belong to the children, but since the word children is already plural without having to add an "s" at the end, this is an exception.

5. Use apostrophes in contractions. Sometimes, especially in informal writing, apostrophes are also used to indicate a missing letter. For example, there is the word "don't", which is short for "do not." Other examples are "isn't," "don't," "wouldn't," "couldn't," and "can't." It is also used to shorten sentences with variations of the verb "is" (including "has" and "have"). For example, we can write "She's going to school" instead of "She is going to school"; or, "He's lost the game" instead of "He has lost the game."

6. Be aware of the its/it's exception. You should only use an apostrophe with the word "it" when you want to indicate a contraction for "it is" or "it has". Otherwise, its is one of the few words that indicates possession without an apostrophe. For example, "The dog is eating its bone". This may seem confusing, but it follows the same pattern as other possessive pronouns: his, hers, its, yours, ours, theirs. Place an apostrophe after the "s" when you are indicating a singular possessive for a person's name that ends with the letter "s".

Tips
"Apple's 89¢ a pound," would literally mean that "apple" owns "89¢ a pound" (the possessive) or "Apple is 89¢ a pound" (a contraction).
Never write "her's." Her's is not a word, just as you would not write "him's". Recall that possessive pronouns do not need an apostrophe: his, hers, its, yours, ours, theirs.
When a word ends in "y," as in "try," take extra care when changing the verb form. For example, "try" does not become "try's". "Tries" would be correct.
Do not use apostrophes or quotation marks for emphasis. For example, take a billboard that says: Joe Schmo, the "best" realtor in town! It makes the word "best" appear sarcastic and untrue, rather than emphasized.
The Elements of Style by Strunk and White is a very short and handy guide to writing and punctuation. Keep a copy of this book nearby when you're writing and refer to it if you're unsure about usage.

Warnings
Don't put an apostrophe within your name on your return address label. If your surname is "Greenwood," "The Greenwoods" is correct, while "the Greenwood's" would be incorrect.
If you want to write about a party given by Luke and Ashley Smart and all their children, write "the Smarts' party" (Smarts is a plural, then add the possessive apostrophe).
Throwing apostrophes in willy-nilly quickly shows that the writer does not understand the rules about possessives, contractions, and plurals. If in doubt, err on the side of leaving out the apostrophe.

Further Confirmation that I'm a Headcase...

2007-05-03T11:31:00.000-07:00

You Are 50% Left Brained, 50% Right Brained

The left side of your brain controls verbal ability, attention to detail, and reasoning.
Left brained people are good at communication and persuading others.
If you're left brained, you are likely good at math and logic.
Your left brain prefers dogs, reading, and quiet.

The right side of your brain is all about creativity and flexibility.
Daring and intuitive, right brained people see the world in their unique way.
If you're right brained, you likely have a talent for creative writing and art.
Your right brain prefers day dreaming, philosophy, and sports.

Are You Right or Left Brained?

Nike's "A Different Kind of Thank You"

2007-04-18T08:09:00.000-07:00

This ad ran in The New York Times on April 15th. In case you can't see it, the ad reads:

Thank you, ignorance.

Thank you for starting the conversation.

Thank you for making an entire nation listen to the Rutgers team's story. And for making us wonder what other great stories we've missed.

Thank you for reminding us to think before we speak.

Thank you for showing us how strong and poised 18- and 20-year-old women can be.

Thank you for reminding a sports nation that another basketball tournament goes on in March.

Thank you for showing us that sport includes more than the time spent on the court.

Thank you for unintentionally moving women's sport forward.

And thank you for making all of us realize that we still have a long way to go.

Next season starts 11.16.07

One of the most relevant, well-written ads I've seen. Nice work, Wieden+Kennedy!

Save The Cookie!

2007-04-17T11:19:00.000-07:00

For all you travelers that appreciate Midwest Airlines for their cushy seats and warm, chocolate chip cookie goodness, listen up! Apparently they're fighting to remain independent and avoid a take-over by AirTran Airways. Visit my friend Liza's blog for details and a link to sign the petition in support of cookies!

And They're Under $20!

2007-04-17T09:28:00.000-07:00

From Dooce's daily links, I present to you:

It came from this site. I think I pulled a muscle from laughing so hard. Freakin' awesome!

My Thoughts Exactly.

2007-04-16T11:20:00.000-07:00

Seriously, what could they possibly have in common?

Wilco's Jeff Tweedy is a funny dude...

2007-04-06T13:06:00.000-07:00

From Entertainment Weekly:

The Trouble With Tweedy

The Wilco frontman fights his prescription-drug addiction to record one of the band's most straightforward and traditional albums to date, ''Sky Blue Sky''

Clark Collis

The problem with an album as fervently anticipated as Wilco's new CD, Sky Blue Sky, is that some people are inevitably going to be disappointed with the result. ''There are newer fans that are crying fowl,'' admits Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy of the early reaction to the album, which comes out on May 15 but is streamed periodically on the band's website. ''Every f---ing record I've ever made has been received in the same way. If that wasn't happening I think I would be worried.'' Certainly Wilco's sixth studio album represents yet another stylistic shift for the musically mercurial outfit.

Wilco began life in 1995 as an alt.country act in the vein of Tweedy's previous band, Uncle Tupelo. But their breakout, gold-certified album, 2002's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, featured a good deal of dissonant, sonic experimentation. A Ghost Is Born (2004) sounded stranger still and featured ''Kidsmoke,'' a 10-minute song about tax return-completing spiders. The sextet's follow-up, however, is a far more musically traditional and lyrically straightforward affair. Tweedy says that hushed tracks such as CD opener ''Either Way'' or the spare, acoustic ''Please Be Patient With Me'' were ''easier territory'' for the band's relatively new six-piece lineup. But the singer-songwriter adds that the CD's directness was also partly a result of his recovery from the prescription-drug addiction that forced him into rehab just prior to the release of A Ghost Is Born. ''It's a lot easier just to speak directly in all areas of my life,'' he explains. ''I just don't have as much to hide. I'm not f---ed up and that makes things a lot simpler.'' EW.com spoke further with the singer-songwriter about the new CD, overcoming addictions, and the time Diddy confused him for an usher.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Did you deliberately set out to make a more straightforward album?
JEFF TWEEDY: It's something that has happened organically with this lineup of the band. It's really our first record, not counting the live record (2005's Kicking Television: Live in Chicago). But it's really been kind of fun so far, just the initial reactions from the record. There are always some fans that seem to regard whatever we do as some sort of direct personal assault.

The lyrics are certainly less obtuse than on A Ghost Is Born, during the making of which you were addicted to prescription drugs.
Well, yeah, I mean... [Laughs] There's a lot more effort, I think, to say things pretty directly. But I was taking medication to try to feel normal, you know [Tweedy has a history of crippling migraines]. It wasn't like I was pursuing oblivion and we had to record when I wasn't on something. That really wasn't the environment. But certainly we couldn't work as intently as we did on this record for all of those obvious reasons. I don't even smoke anymore. So it's a lot easier to just sit in a room with a bunch of other guys that don't smoke and not have to get up and go and have a cigarette every 15 minutes. We can sit there for six hours and not give up.

How did you give up smoking?
I signed a contract with my son on the anniversary of the day that I had gone into the hospital. I signed it, I went and bought a new car that didn't smell like an ashtray, and I just kind of sweated it out.

Are you still getting migraines?
I haven't had a bona fide migraine since I was in the hospital. I think it's very related to the panic disorder and the other things I was dealing with. So, since I've been able to manage that side of my life, I haven't really had one.

Some of the songs on the new CD are pretty pessimistic...
I don't remember feeling very pessimistic about anything. I mean, if it is there, maybe you're pessimistic!

What about "Hate It Here," which is about a man who, having broken up with his lover, ponders how he will occupy his time once he's done all the laundry? That's pretty depressing.
Oh God, I think that song's hilarious! I mean, honestly, I think it's the funniest thing I've ever written. What's not funnier than that? For me, it's like the funniest line I've ever sung: ''What am I gonna do when I run out of shirts to fold?'' My wife calls it ''the liar song'' because I don't actually know how to use a washing machine.

Does it make me a bad person that I was disappointed the new song "Walken" isn't a tribute to Christopher Walken?
I don't know you well enough to know if that makes you a bad person. But it probably doesn't make you a good person.

Did I read correctly that you were once mistaken for an usher at the Grammys by P. Diddy?
You did read that correctly, yeah. The first time Wilco was nominated for a Grammy it was for Best Contemporary Folk Album for the Mermaid Avenue album [Wilco's 1998 collaboration with Billy Bragg]. So I was standing outside the bathrooms waiting for my wife and some other guys in the band. And as they went into the bathroom everybody kind of unburdened themselves of their programs and their coats and jackets and stuff, so I'm standing there holding a big stack of programs. And Puffy and his entourage came up to me and took one of my programs. Like I was standing there offering them to people! I guess I just looked like a page. I didn't look like I belonged there, is the main point of the story. I might have been beaten with a diamond-encrusted cane, but things didn't go that way. So I feel lucky.

Posted Mar 30, 2007

Spring

2007-03-26T19:14:00.000-07:00

Random Pictures

2007-03-23T19:27:00.000-07:00

I'm really bad about posting pictures and for that I apologize. I've got one from my birthday, some from random evenings with friends and some from St. Patrick's Day. So here you go!

Julie and me on my birthday

Liza and me at Bluestem

The Elizabeths and I being goofballs

Julie and me on St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick's Day mayhem with Jami

Kiss Me, I'm Irish!

Weekend In Review

2007-03-05T11:06:00.000-08:00

Friday night: Went to a 5:30 Cycle class at the gym. Following that, stayed home, watched tv and fell asleep on the couch. Finally woke up at 2am and wondered "what the hell happened here?" I began the evening with every intention of going to bed early so I could wake up and go to the gym the next morning. Needless to say, the best laid plans...

Saturday: Had a late dinner with Liza at Californo's. Crab cakes, pinot grigio, salmon filet and the biggest creme brulee I've ever been served. Seriously, this was an entire soup cup filled with carmelized goodness. And I couldn't finish the whole thing. Creme brulee: 1. Megan: 0.

Sunday: KC Brigade Arena Football game with my parents (my birthday present to my dad). They actually won! Not a bad way to fill the off-season from the NFL. I still can't wait for pre-season, though.

And today? Today it's absolutely B-E-A-UTIFUL outside! I plan on driving home with my windows cracked and sunroof open. Perhaps I'll throw in a little Tom Petty Free Fallin' for good measure.

Daily Rant: Why do people pierce the ears of their infant children? Not only is this undoubtedly traumatizing to the poor child, it is quite tacky. Why not let the little darlings commit themselves to a life of accessorization once they're old enough to make an informed choice? For the record, I had my ears pierced in the 4th grade, when my mother deemed me "old enough to handle the responsibility of pierced ears." Perhaps there should be a legal statute put in effect to prevent reckless ear piercing and/or providing ear piercing to minors?

This Is Truly Despicable

2007-02-26T12:07:00.000-08:00

I'm a sorority girl. I get that there are certain stereotypes that come with that label. I disagree with just about every single one of them, but I can tolerate it. What I cannot tolerate, however, is such stereotypes being perpetuated by those within the ranks for the sake of keeping up appearances, as seems to be the case with Delta Zeta's national officers. From yesterday's New York Times:

February 25, 2007
Sorority Evictions Raise Issue of Looks and Bias
By SAM DILLON
GREENCASTLE, Ind. — When a psychology professor at DePauw University here surveyed students, they described one sorority as a group of “daddy’s little princesses” and another as “offbeat hippies.” The sisters of Delta Zeta were seen as “socially awkward.”

Worried that a negative stereotype of the sorority was contributing to a decline in membership that had left its Greek-columned house here half empty, Delta Zeta’s national officers interviewed 35 DePauw members in November, quizzing them about their dedication to recruitment. They judged 23 of the women insufficiently committed and later told them to vacate the sorority house.

The 23 members included every woman who was overweight. They also included the only black, Korean and Vietnamese members. The dozen students allowed to stay were slender and popular with fraternity men — conventionally pretty women the sorority hoped could attract new recruits. Six of the 12 were so infuriated they quit.

“Virtually everyone who didn’t fit a certain sorority member archetype was told to leave,” said Kate Holloway, a senior who withdrew from the chapter during its reorganization.

“I sensed the disrespect with which this was to be carried out and got fed up,” Ms. Holloway added. “I didn’t have room in my life for these women to come in and tell my sisters of three years that they weren’t needed.”

Ms. Holloway is not the only angry one. The reorganization has left a messy aftermath of recrimination and tears on this rural campus of 2,400 students, 50 miles southwest of Indianapolis.

The mass eviction battered the self-esteem of many of the former sorority members, and some withdrew from classes in depression. There have been student protests, outraged letters from alumni and parents, and a faculty petition calling the sorority’s action unethical.

DePauw’s president, Robert G. Bottoms, issued a two-page letter of reprimand to the sorority. In an interview in his office, Dr. Bottoms said he had been stunned by the sorority’s insensitivity.

“I had no hint they were going to disrupt the chapter with a membership reduction of this proportion in the middle of the year,” he said. “It’s been very upsetting.”

The president of Delta Zeta, which has its headquarters in Oxford, Ohio, and its other national officers declined to be interviewed. Responding by e-mail to questions, Cynthia Winslow Menges, the executive director, said the sorority had not evicted the 23 women, even though the national officers sent those women form letters that said: “The membership review team has recommended you for alumna status. Chapter members receiving alumnae status should plan to relocate from the chapter house no later than Jan. 29, 2007.”

Ms. Menges asserted that the women themselves had, in effect, made their own decisions to leave by demonstrating a lack of commitment to meet recruitment goals. The sorority paid each woman who left $300 to cover the difference between sorority and campus housing.

The sorority “is saddened that the isolated incident at DePauw has been mischaracterized,” Ms. Menges wrote. Asked for clarification, the sorority’s public relations representative e-mailed a statement saying its actions were aimed at the “enrichment of student life at DePauw.”

This is not the first time that the DePauw chapter of Delta Zeta has stirred controversy. In 1982, it attracted national attention when a black student was not allowed to join, provoking accusations of racial discrimination.

Earlier this month, an Alabama lawyer and several other DePauw alumni who graduated in 1970 described in a letter to The DePauw, the student newspaper, how Delta Zeta’s national leadership had tried unsuccessfully to block a young woman with a black father and a white mother from joining its DePauw chapter in 1967.

Despite those incidents, the chapter appears to have been home to a diverse community over the years, partly because it has attracted brainy women, including many science and math majors, as well as talented disabled women, without focusing as exclusively as some sororities on potential recruits’ sex appeal, former sorority members said.

“I had a sister I could go to a bar with if I had boy problems,” said Erin Swisshelm, a junior biochemistry major who withdrew from the sorority in October. “I had a sister I could talk about religion with. I had a sister I could be nerdy about science with. That’s why I liked Delta Zeta, because I had all these amazing women around me.”

But over the years DePauw students had attached a negative stereotype to the chapter, as evidenced by the survey that Pam Propsom, a psychology professor, conducts each year in her class. That image had hurt recruitment, and the national officers had repeatedly warned the chapter that unless its membership increased, the chapter could close.

At the start of the fall term the national office was especially determined to raise recruitment because 2009 is the 100th anniversary of the DePauw chapter’s founding. In September, Ms. Menges and Kathi Heatherly, a national vice president of the sorority, visited the chapter to announce a reorganization plan they said would include an interview with each woman about her commitment. The women were urged to look their best for the interviews.

The tone left four women so unsettled that they withdrew from the chapter almost immediately.

Robin Lamkin, a junior who is an editor at The DePauw and was one of the 23 women evicted, said many of her sisters bought new outfits and modeled them for each other before the interviews. Many women declared their willingness to recruit diligently, Ms. Lamkin said.

A few days after the interviews, national representatives took over the house to hold a recruiting event. They asked most members to stay upstairs in their rooms. To welcome freshmen downstairs, they assembled a team that included several of the women eventually asked to stay in the sorority, along with some slender women invited from the sorority’s chapter at Indiana University, Ms. Holloway said.

“They had these unassuming freshman girls downstairs with these plastic women from Indiana University, and 25 of my sisters hiding upstairs,” she said. “It was so fake, so completely dehumanized. I said, ‘This calls for a little joke.’ ”

Ms. Holloway put on a wig and some John Lennon rose-colored glasses, burst through the front door and skipped around singing, “Ooooh! Delta Zeta!” and other chants.

The face of one of the national representatives, she recalled, “was like I’d run over her puppy with my car.”

The national representatives announced their decisions in the form letters, delivered on Dec. 2, which said that Delta Zeta intended to increase membership to 95 by the 2009 anniversary, and that it would recruit using a “core group of women.”

Elizabeth Haneline, a senior computer science major who was among those evicted, returned to the house that afternoon and found some women in tears. Even the chapter’s president had been kicked out, Ms. Haneline said, while “other women who had done almost nothing for the chapter were asked to stay.”

Six of the 12 women who were asked to stay left the sorority, including Joanna Kieschnick, a sophomore majoring in English literature. “They said, ‘You’re not good enough’ to so many people who have put their heart and soul into this chapter that I can’t stay,” she said.

In the months since, Cynthia Babington, DePauw’s dean of students, has fielded angry calls from parents, she said. Robert Hershberger, chairman of the modern languages department, circulated the faculty petition; 55 professors signed it.

“We were especially troubled that the women they expelled were less about image and more about academic achievement and social service,” Dr. Hershberger said.

During rush activities this month, 11 first-year students accepted invitations to join Delta Zeta, but only three have sought membership.

On Feb. 2, Rachel Pappas, a junior who is the chapter’s former secretary, printed 200 posters calling on students to gather that afternoon at the student union. About 50 students showed up and heard Ms. Pappas say the sorority’s national leaders had misrepresented the truth when they asserted they had evicted women for lack of commitment.

“The injustice of the lies,” she said, “is contemptible.”

It's About Time!

2007-02-26T09:18:00.000-08:00

If you know me at all and have talked to me in the last 5 months, I've probably begged you to go see The Departed. And now you know why, suckers! Hehehe! I'm so glad Martin Scorsese got the Best Director Oscar, and Best Picture was a pleasant surprise. This, along with Goodfellas, is one of my all-time favorite movies. If you haven't seen it, I now own a copy and would be happy to share it with you, provided you return it promptly as I'll probably want to watch it, like, now.

A Girl's Best Friend

2007-02-23T07:33:00.000-08:00

Currently Reading:

Upon recommendation from Liza, I started reading this book a couple weeks ago. It's really interesting, and sheds so much light on exactly where the diamond trade has been. If you're at all interested, check it out. And here's a story from The Economist about where the industry is going. Now, go educate yourself!

Changing facets

Feb 22nd 2007 | JOHANNESBURG
From The Economist print edition

An industry once dominated by a cartel is starting to look like any other

DIAMONDS are back on the big screen. The stones serenaded by Marilyn Monroe as a girl's best friend are now, however, portrayed by Hollywood as Africa's worst enemies. Leonardo DiCaprio may win an Academy Award for his performance in “Blood Diamond”, as a mercenary hunting for the precious rocks during the war in Sierra Leone in the 1990s. But in reality, the shape of the industry—which produces an estimated $13 billion of rough stones and over $62 billion of diamond jewellery—has greatly changed since then.

Most of this transformation is due to the fact that De Beers, the company that once controlled much of the supply of rough diamonds, has loosened its grip, and a host of smaller producers are emerging. Regulators in Europe and America and governments in Africa have also promoted change, and “blood” diamonds have almost disappeared. As a result, the diamond trade is starting to look more like any other ordinary industry.

The shift, says Gareth Penny, De Beers' managing director, has been “from a supply-controlled business to a demand-driven one.” In the early 1990s the diamond giant was producing 45% of the world's rough diamonds, but selling about 80% of the total supply from its London marketing outfit, regulating the market through the careful management of a large stockpile. But sitting on a big inventory was not good for financial returns. At the same time regulators in America and Europe were calling for more competition and stories abounded about atrocities committed by diamond-financed rebels in Africa.

After new management arrived in the late 1990s, De Beers changed tack. Its main trading outfit stopped buying diamonds on the open market. The company delisted in 2001 and is now owned by Anglo American, the Oppenheimer family and the government of Botswana. It has settled its long-standing antitrust dispute with American regulators. And it has promised the European Union that it will stop buying diamonds from ALROSA, the state-owned Russian firm that extracts 20% or so of global production, by 2009 in order to promote competition. Today, De Beers sells about 45% of all rough diamonds, and its share of production is about 40%.

As the market becomes more dynamic, De Beers is investing heavily in exploration, developing four mines in Canada and South Africa and selling underperforming operations. The diamond giant has established a chain of jewellery shops in a joint venture with LVMH, a luxury-goods group. It now spends about $200m a year on marketing, which has helped to boost sales of diamonds, particularly in Asia. Marketing is also vital in persuading people to buy the real thing. Synthetic diamonds have captured 90% of the industrial market, but have made few inroads into jewellery, at least so far.

Smaller firms such as Kimberley Diamond Group, Trans Hex and Gem Diamonds are racing to fill the gap between large producers and exploration juniors. Petra Diamonds, another small firm, has just bought one of De Beers' South African mines. Petra is confident that it can make money from the loss-making mine, unburdened by De Beers' costs. It is also about to start producing in Sierra Leone, and is optimistic about its exploration in Angola, where it is working with BHP Billiton. The company expects to produce 500,000 carats by 2010, up from 175,000 carats last year. But this is still tiny next to the record 51m carats De Beers produced in 2006.

Meanwhile Lev Leviev, a secretive diamond tycoon, has been setting up cutting and polishing facilities in Africa, buying some rough stones direct from governments and moving into production, putting further pressure on De Beers. “Leviev has been a driving force behind the revolution at De Beers,” says Richard Chase of Ambrian Partners, an investment bank, though Mr Penny shrugs this off.

What is certain is that Africa, which produces 60% of the world's diamonds (see chart), wants to do more than just supply rough stones. “De Beers has failed to properly appraise the aspirations of African governments,” says Chaim Even-Zohar, a prominent diamond specialist. “Now it is payback time.” Gone will be the days when African diamonds were shipped to London to be sorted and aggregated in lots before being sold.

In January the firm agreed with Namibia's government that all diamonds produced by their joint venture would be sorted at home, and about $300m worth of gems, just under half the output, would also be sold locally. Last week De Beers, which has already sold 26% of its South African arm to a black-owned consortium, said it would merge its Namaqualand mine with a state-owned diamond firm to create a new independent local producer. And by 2009, all De Beers stones from around the world will be sent to a swanky glass building in Botswana's capital to be aggregated. All this shows that mineral resources need not always be a curse.

African producers are also keen to cut and polish their own diamonds, which adds 50% or so to the value of rough stones, and even move into the jewellery business. Although it remains a big trading hub, Antwerp is no longer the world's cutting and polishing centre, and Israel has suffered as well. Almost all diamonds are now cut and polished in India or China, but African producers hope to get a share of the business.

And what of blood diamonds? Today, says Alex Yearsley of Global Witness, a pressure group, they make up a tiny fraction of world production. But Mr DiCaprio's on-screen antics have raised awareness of the issue. Although it is a big step forward, the Kimberley process—a certification scheme set up in 2002 to ensure that diamonds are not paying for weapons—is not perfect, and dodgy diamonds can still find their way onto the market. De Beers says the film's release in America, just before the crucial Christmas season, did not dent jewellery sales. But more customers now want to know where their diamonds come from and want a guarantee that they are clean.

This is good news for those producers that can demonstrate the provenance of their stones. Canada has developed a certification scheme for its diamonds, and since 2004 De Beers has been selling some stones in Asia with its Forevermark, a microscopic engraving that guarantees their origin. Small producers, such as Petra Diamonds, are following suit.

Even so, Global Witness says the industry is not much more transparent than it was a few years ago. Smuggling is rife, especially in countries like Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and illegal diamonds still find their way to rich countries. Some 1m informal miners pan the rivers of Africa for alluvial diamonds, often in appalling conditions. The Kimberley process was designed to stem the flow of conflict diamonds, says Willie Nagel, an international diamond trader who was instrumental in setting it up, but “conflict-free diamonds should not be confused with ethical diamonds.” Mining firms and voluntary groups are working to improve matters. Hollywood may not be looking to a Leonardo for its next portrayal of the industry—but it is by no means certain that it will be seeking a Marilyn either.

It's Been A While...

2007-02-22T11:18:00.000-08:00

So I haven't written for a while, and for that I apologize. This blog thing seems to go in spurts for me. I guess I just don't have much to say sometimes. Here's my attempt at summing up the last few weeks:

I turned 26 and celebrated with Liza, Abby, Elizabeth and my sister, who surprised me by coming home to do dinner. We went to Baja 600 and had mucho white sangria, followed by drinks at ReVerse and the Falloon. The last few years I haven't done much to celebrate my birthday, so it was fun get out and be fabulous for a change. For some reason, this year I actually do feel older. I'm closer to 30 than I am to 20, and I feel like there should be some sort of measurable change in maturity/general life progression for me to speak of. Alas, I have neither. I guess I'm still clinging to my "early 20s" in the vain hope that I won't have to be a boring, serious grown-up that worries about taxes, mortgages and my 401K.

I also got a haircut, and now have bangs. I took a recent issue of Us Weekly to my haircut guy Mark and requested that he make me look like this:

Obviously, not exactly like Reese Witherspoon (I wish!). It's not quite as blonde and the bangs aren't quite as heavy. I think I like 'em. I've been told they're sassy.

Other news- I'm going to be teaching group Cycle classes at my gym now. Not sure exactly what days/times, but if you're interested I'll keep you posted. Yes, that means I get to sit up at the front of the class with the mic headset on and make people sweat.

That's really about it for now. I'm off to enjoy the GORGEOUS weather we're having before it snows again. Seriously, can we be done with winter now? Puh-leeez?

Monday Mourning

2007-01-29T11:04:00.000-08:00

This just breaks my heart. It makes me wonder if horse racing isn't a bit cruel to the animals. I'm not nearly educated enough to make that statement, though. What are your thoughts?

Less than 24 hours until...

2007-01-22T13:09:00.000-08:00

Here's the review from Rolling Stone.

I'm excited. And it snowed this past weekend, so I'm really excited.

This past Saturday, I saw The Last King of Scotland with Liza and BJ. I've been waiting for this movie to open in KC, and was not at all disappointed once I saw it. Forest Whitaker is scary-good, and deserves the Oscar, in my opinion. Go see it, enlighten yourself, and learn a little bit of history. Disclaimer: There is a very graphic scene in this movie. I won't say anymore, as I don't want to spoil it, but when you go see it don't say I didn't warn you.

I Love This...

2007-01-19T14:03:00.001-08:00

John Mayer Sounds Off On 'Grey's Anatomy' Incident

Singer John Mayer has come up with a way to end the controversy surrounding Grey's Anatomy star Isaiah Washington's use of a gay slur against a co-star - make his character gay. Washington stunned cast mates in the Golden Globes press room on Monday when he denied calling co-star T.R. Knight a "faggot."

Mayer writes on his blog, "What better way for an actor to get to the roots of his discrimination than by portraying the very subject of his own ire for the remainder of his contract?"

The singer even went as far as outlining two scenes; one paints Washington's character as the webmaster of the fan site for the glam rock band who also bakes tea cookies. The other suggests that a caged tiger be on set at all times to keep Washington in line.

Washington issued a statement yesterday, apologizing for his behavior and admitting that he needed professional help to deal with the issue.

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)

The Cultural and Sports Phenomenon Known as "Becks"

2007-01-11T08:39:00.000-08:00

Oh, Lord help me! I'm gonna have to become an MLS fan now. I will make no apologies for the fact that I think this man is absolutely gorgeous. And now he's coming to the US! The man who single-handedly disproved my theory that all British men have really bad teeth! Uh-oh, I think I feel a swoon coming on...

The Matchup of the Year

2007-01-09T12:29:00.000-08:00

I'm clearing my schedule in eager anticipation of this.

Pay attention to me, I don't talk for my health

2007-01-07T07:32:00.000-08:00

I'm watching "Meet The Press" this morning- yes, Liza, I actually got up to watch. Senators Joe Biden and Lindsay Graham were the first guests and engaged in what I though was a very civil debate over the current strategy of the war in Iraq. However, I counted at least 3 times that he used the phrase, "that's a red herring." (Biden also announced that he plans to run for President in 2008.) I found myself wondering exactly what he meant by the phrase, so naturally I Googled it. Here's an informative post I found, courtesy of www.Word-Detective.com:

A fishy issue.

Dear Word Detective: My question is something I heard frequently in reference to the presidential election: the phrase "That's a red herring." I know that a herring is a fish, but I have been unable to decipher the meaning of the phrase "red herring" within the context of a sentence, and I just feel too foolish to ask anyone, because everybody else seems to understand. Please help. -- J.D., via the internet.

Don't feel foolish. I'd be willing to bet that a majority of the people you hear using the phrase "red herring" only vaguely understand what it means, and many probably don't even know they're talking about a fish.

But we are, and a noble fish at that. Until over-fishing depleted their ranks, herring were so numerous and so important as a staple foodstuff to both America and Europe that many writers referred to the Atlantic Ocean as "the herring pond." The downside of the little critters, however, is that they spoil very rapidly and become inedible. The only practical way to preserve herring is to cure them with a combination of salting and smoking, and those herring most heavily cured turn a deep crimson color from the process. Voila, red herring.

Curing herring in this fashion not only preserves the fish and changes its color, but also gives it a distinctive smell, and thereby hangs the modern meaning of "red herring." In training hounds to hunt foxes, these red herrings, dragged on a string through the woods, were used to lay down a trail of scent for the dogs to follow. There is also some evidence that red herrings were, later in the training process, sometimes dragged across the scent trail of a real fox to test the ability of the hounds to ignore a false clue and stick to the scent of the fox. From this practice comes our use of "red herring" to mean a false clue or bogus issue designed to confuse one's opponent (or, in the case of our recent election, the voters). "Red herring" first appeared in the literal "smoked fish" sense around 1420, but the figurative "phony issue or false clue" sense didn't appear until around 1884.

So if you didn't know, now you know. Holla.

Rock Over London, Rock On Chicago...

2007-01-03T14:02:00.000-08:00

Witness the following picture of Pat Robertson reportedly praying. This comes from a story on Wonkette about Pat's dreams of terrorism in 2007.

Is it just me, or does he look as if he's mid-headbang listening to Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody? Just a thought...

Happy 2007, Dear Readers!

2007-01-02T14:51:00.000-08:00

Yours truly rang in the New Year while sitting at home doing stuff for work. I am one of three things:

1) Totally boring and a hermit,

2) An extremely dedicated little employee,

or...

3) SOOO over paying too much money to go to some party with a bunch of coupled-off friends, drink too much champagne, inevitably get depressed and bitch/whine/cry/mope which will annoy said coupled-off friends, wake up with a bad hangover the next morning and feel even worse about myself.

I'd like to say it's number 2, but in truth I think all are applicable. Any way you slice it, I had a rather quiet night which was just fine with me, thankyouverymuch!

"This is Me Bitch, Miss Beazley"

2006-12-19T07:21:00.000-08:00

I found this on Wonkette. Is it just me, or does Barney kinda sound like an angry Robin Leech?

Starting Anew

2006-12-18T07:20:00.000-08:00

I love the idea of making a New Year's resolution. You get to start fresh with a clean slate. It's a definitive opportunity to say "From this day forward, I will..." and that excites me. Perhaps it's because there are a quite a few habits I'd like to change. Perhaps it's because I'm a total control freak and I relish any opportunity to organize myself for the better. Either way, I love it. And no matter how many resolutions I don't keep, I'll still make my list every year in late December and get ready for the ride. So, my question is this: what's your resolution going to be this year? Here are a few of mine to get you started.

1. Go to the gym at least 3 times a week.

2. FINALLY pay off my credit card.

3. Read at least one "for fun" book each month.

4. Take a vacation and go somewhere new.

5. Run a 5K for a cause.

Now, get to it- you've got 2 weeks left!

What I Want for Christmas

2006-12-12T07:42:00.000-08:00

This. Okay, not really. But it is funny... I might remind you that this posting does not excuse you from commenting on the previous post- I still want some answers, people! Get to it! See below...

The World According to Megan, Vol. I

2006-12-11T07:51:00.002-08:00

On the way to work this morning, the DJ on the station I was listening to posed an interesting question: what do you think the worst song of 2006 is/was? In response, I've compiled a list of 5 offenders:

5. "Showstoppin" by Danity Kane- Manufactured by P Diddy/Puffy/Puff Daddy/whateverthehellhisnameis, this girl group needs to stop their show. Immediately. They've got about as much street cred as my Grandma Jean.

4. "Unfaithful" by Rihanna- Whiny, whiny, obnoxiously whiny. How did we get from "S.O.S." to this?

3. "Lips of An Angel" by Hinder- A song about wanting to cheat, sung in a really bad Chad Kroger-esque gravelly voice that makes me want to drive my car into a tree when I hear it.

2. "London Bridge" by Fergie- How come everytime this song comes on I want to want to want to claw my eyes out?

And the worst song of 2006 (according to yours truly) is...

Drumroll please...

1. "Wind It Up" by Gwen Stefani- Anyone who samples a song from The Sound of Music and thinks it's cool is clearly insane and doesn't deserve to be married to Gavin Rossdale. There. I've made my case.

Now, what do YOU think the worst song of '06 was?

Have you seen the movie "Only You" with Marissa Tomei and Robert Downey Jr.?

2006-12-08T09:37:00.000-08:00

It's kind of like that, minus the obsessive Euro-stalking part. I'll admit I'm very curious what this might say, but not curious enough to send my cell phone number out into cyberspace.

Karmic retribution, or just bad luck?

2006-12-07T11:45:00.000-08:00

So I've now run into two, yes, two of my exes within 5 days. I'm left wondering several things:

1. What the hell was I thinking (in both cases) dating these people?
2. Time has not been kind to either one. They really look repulsive.
3. I can do SOOOOOOOOOO much better.
4. What did I do to bring this upon myself?
5. Will I make the trifecta? I'm almost scared to go out this weekend...

In other news, Abby and I had a great conversation last night about my seemingly chronic case of singleness. I expressed my frustrations about always being the one who hears about friends' relationships, never having one of my own to speak of. So, somewhere in the midst of the wine, pasta and conversation at Brio, I had the brilliant idea that I should write a book about my experiences (or lack thereof), dedicating each chapter to a different friend and their relationship woes/successes. Granted, it will probably be a fairly short book, as I'm only 25 and haven't quite had enough experience to fill an entire novel. I've even got a title in mind, but I'll keep that little nugget to myself for now...

Thoughts? Anyone?

A great gift idea for your niece...

2006-12-06T08:58:00.000-08:00

In honor of the holiday season, here's a little something to get you in the spirit. Happy Holidays!

Ridiculous Survey Redux

2006-12-04T13:23:00.000-08:00

Originally posted on my old blog, but I felt it was time for an update. Here goes!

Nine lasts:
1. Cigarette: Homecoming weekend at Mizzou. I'd like to add that this was the first and ONLY cigarette I will ever smoke. Now I know why I don't do that.
2. Beverage: Water. Two liters a day.
3. Kiss: I still don't kiss and tell...
4. Hug: Abby, I think. One of those girl-hugs at the bar.
5. Movie seen: "Goodfellas." Scorcese is a genius.
6. CD played: Rufus Wainwright, "Want One"
7. Song listened to: "I Don't Feel Like Dancin" by Scissor Sisters.
8. Bubble bath: I don't remember- probably not since I was a kid.
9. Time you cried: Not for a while, actually. I think the last time was a couple months ago.

Eight have you evers:
1. Dated one of your best friends: No.
3. Kissed somebody and regretted it: Yes.
4. Fallen in love: In hindsight, probably not.
5. Lost someone you loved: Yes.
6. Been depressed: Everyone has down days- nothing serious.
7. Been drunk and threw up: Sadly, yes. I was that girl on a few occasions.
8. Ran away: And leave the creature comforts of my home? Are you kidding? The answer is no.

Seven states you've been to:
Colorado, Utah, Minnesota, Iowa, North Carolina, Florida, New York (and many others).

6 things you've done today:
1. Showered.
2. Gone to the bank.
4. Talked to a radio rep about traffic issues.
5. Checked myspace and gmail.
6. Read gossip magazines during lunch with my bosses.

5 favorite things:
1. Snow days
2. Fleece blankets
3. Christmas cookies
4. College football
5. Gossip magazines!

4 people you last talked to
1. Abby
2. My boss
3. Liza
4. My other boss

3 wishes
1. To pay off my credit card.
2. To find a date for New Year's Eve!
3. World peace. Seriously!

2 things you want to be when you grow up
1. Fulfilled.
2. A wife.

1 thing you regret
1. Allowing people to take advantage of my niceness- is that a word?

I've watched this at least 15 times...

2006-11-28T20:55:00.000-08:00

and it never gets old! Too cute!

Gesundheit!

Am I a Bad Friend?

2006-11-28T12:13:00.000-08:00

I really am happy for her. She deserves to have good things happen. She's in a relationship right now that seems wonderful, and they spend a lot of time together (read: I don't spend much time with her anymore as a a result). I'm not so insecure to be jealous of the time they spend together. I get it. There are friends, and then there are significant others. Part of the problem stems from the fact that we never hang out as just the two of us anymore. We're always going out with him and his friends. I miss having girl time and being able to comiserate with someone. When I get mopey and depressed about my chronic case of being single, she cheerfully reminds me that "he's out there!" Every time we speak she's just gushing, and she assures me that I'll find the same kind of happiness. I just need to wait for it.

"You'll find him," she says. "My mom's friend didn't meet the one until she was 43, but now that they're together she couldn't be happier." And this is suppose to encourage me how, exactly? 43?! Someone please kill me if I've spent the next 18 years of my life waiting. And given her current blissful state, I find it ever harder to smile and nod when she says things like that.

What I really want to say is, "How in the world would you know what it's like to wait? You've been single for all of 2 months since I've known you, and even then you were on a rebound. I know he cheated on you, and I hate that you were hurt by him. But 3 months later, you're attached to another hip and you're disgustingly cute together. In a good way, of course. Forgive me when I tell you that coming from you, this argument carries VERY little weight."

Am I a bad friend because I can't be all joyful and excited for her? For secretly wishing she'd shut up already? I'm happy for her, but do I really need to have my nose rubbed in it? Because it hurts me deep down and makes me wonder why it is that after 25 years, I still haven't had a relationship that's lasted more than 2 months, none of which were really truly serious. Is there something wrong with me? I don't get it...

Here's the part where I wallow in self-pity. Why are nearly all my friends paired off and I'm not? I'm starting to think that maybe I'm just not meant to be in a relationship. And the prospect of going through life alone really scares me. Not that I need to be attached to someone- I'm not co-dependent, I swear- but I really would like to have someone to share everything with. Someone who gets me. Someone who cares about the stupid little things that make me who I am. Maybe it's just because the holidays are looming, I don't know. I just feel really lonely right now, and I don't like it.

From CNN.com...

2006-11-20T08:00:00.000-08:00

Not sure how I feel about this... I'm pretty sure the draft wouldn't stop politicians from sending American troops to war. Look at what happened in Vietnam. Nothing good would be accomplished by reinstating a military draft. Perhaps it would be a better idea to look at the reasons why more citizens haven't signed up for voluntary service...

Top Democrat: Bring back the draft

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Americans would have to sign up for a new military draft after turning 18 if the incoming chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee has his way.

New York Democratic Rep. Charles Rangel said Sunday he sees his idea as a way to deter politicians from launching wars. He believes a draft would bolster U.S. troop levels that are currently insufficient to cover potential future action in Iran, North Korea and Iraq.

"There's no question in my mind that this president and this administration would never have invaded Iraq, especially on the flimsy evidence that was presented to the Congress, if indeed we had a draft, and members of Congress and the administration thought that their kids from their communities would be placed in harm's way," Rangel said.

Rangel, a veteran of the Korean War who has unsuccessfully sponsored legislation on conscription in the past, said he will propose a measure early next year.

In 2003, he proposed a draft covering people age 18 to 26. This year, he offered a plan to mandate military service for men and women between age 18 and 42. It went nowhere in the Republican-led Congress.

Democrats will control the House and Senate come January because of their victories in the November 7 mid-term election.

At a time when some lawmakers are urging the military to send more troops to Iraq, "I don't see how anyone can support the war and not support the draft," said Rangel.

He also proposed a draft in January 2003, before the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican who is a colonel in the U.S. Air Force Standby Reserve, said he agreed that the U.S. does not have enough people in the military.

"I think we can do this with an all-voluntary service, all-voluntary Army, Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy. And if we can't, then we'll look for some other option," said Graham, who is assigned as a reserve judge to the Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals.

Rangel and Graham appeared on "Face the Nation" on CBS.

Rangel, the next chairman of the House tax-writing committee, said he worried the military is strained by its overseas commitments.

"If we're going to challenge Iran and challenge North Korea and then, as some people have asked, to send more troops to Iraq, we can't do that without a draft," Rangel said.

He said having a draft would not necessarily mean everyone called to duty would have to serve. Instead, "young people (would) commit themselves to a couple of years in service to this great republic, whether it's our seaports, our airports, in schools, in hospitals," with a promise of educational benefits at the end of service.

Graham said he believes the all-voluntary military "represents the country pretty well in terms of ethnic makeup, economic background."

Repeated polls have shown that about seven in 10 Americans oppose reinstatement of the draft and officials say they do not expect to restart conscription.

Outgoing Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld told Congress in June 2005 that "there isn't a chance in the world that the draft will be brought back."

Yet the prospect of the long global fight against terrorism and the continuing U.S. commitment to stabilizing Iraq have kept the idea in the public's mind.

The military drafted conscripts during the Civil War, both world wars and between 1948 and 1973.

The Selective Service System, an agency independent of the Defense Department, keeps an updated registry of men age 18-25 -- now about 16 million -- from which to supply untrained draftees that would supplement the professional all-volunteer armed forces.

In response to Congressman Rangel's argument, here is my thought: There's no question in my mind that nothing would have stopped this president and this administration from invading Iraq. Not the flimsy evidence that was presented to the Congress, not even a draft. But that's just my opinion...

2006-11-15T09:40:00.000-08:00

When I Grow Up I Wanna Work in Advertising

This is my chosen profession, but I must have done something horribly right to be blessed with such a fabulous position. I love my job!

These Boots Weren't Made for Walkin'

2006-11-13T12:32:00.000-08:00

Ouch. I'm wearing a new, cute (albeit constricting) pair of brown boots today, and they make my feet feel as if they've been bound in a fashion reminiscent of ancient asian cultures. I can only liken the sensation to wearing pointe shoes in ballet class when I was in 7th grade. Imagine jamming your toes into a small, wooden box that clearly was not meant to have 5 toes jammed into it at once. My poor little piggies are crying for release!

On an equally insignificant note, I seem to have fallen prey to my own quirks. I spent the better part of my Sunday cleaning, reorganizing and generally rearranging my life. It's my own little way of exerting control on the world in which I exist, a strange little place where sleep can't possibly be had if there is a mess anywhere within 50 feet of my person. It's a curse, but it has its advantages. No one has EVER accused me of being disorderly.

And now I'm out of original thoughts, so I'll leave well enough alone.

Thought for the Day

2006-10-28T09:12:00.000-07:00

"Yesterday's work should pale in comparison to what you do today. Make it a rule to be greatly distressed when you don't beat yesterday. " ~Bart Cleveland

I read this on Small Agency Diary, one of the links listed on this blog. It's a blog written by and for those who work in small advertising agencies. Pretty interesting for ad geeks like me. Take a look if you're so inclinced...

Kierkegaard and a morning latte...

2006-10-27T06:58:00.000-07:00

I came across the following poem by Soren Kierkegaard on an acquaintance's blog this morning. As he noted, the translation is from the original Dutch, which explains why it doesn't rhyme... but I digress. I think it sheds light on what makes people great leaders. Enjoy!

If we wish to succeed
in helping someone to reach a particular goal
we must first find out where he is now
and start from there.

If we cannot do this,
we merely delude ourselves
into believing that we can help others.

Before we can help someone,
we must know more than he does,
but most of all,
we must understand what he understands.
If we cannot do that, our knowing more will not help.

If we nonetheless wish to show how much we know,
it is only because we are vain and arrogant,
and our true goal is to be admired,
not to help others.

All genuine helpfulness
starts with humility before those we wish to help,
so we must understand
that helping
is not a wish to dominate
but a wish to serve.

If we cannot do this,
neither can we help anyone.

Why I love the Protz...

2006-10-17T14:16:00.000-07:00

Discussing the new VW commercial featuring John Mayer...

Sarah: I saw it last night for the first time. Had no idea about it!
Me: Yeah, I saw it this past weekend. He makes me want to buy a Volkswagen. Love it!
Sarah: He makes me want to buy *him*.
Me: Well, that too. Obviously... :)
Sarah: I would need a raise, though. Maybe once I get to NYC and become a famous rock journalist, I will be able to afford him.
Me: When you do buy him, can I rent him from you for a weekend or two? That's about all I'll ever be able to afford working in advertising...
Sarah: Sure. Whenever I'm out of town, he's yours.
Me: Yesssssssssssss!!! (Napoleon Dynamite-style, with the fist)

Aaaannnddd scene.

Moment of Silence, please

2006-10-16T07:53:00.000-07:00

CBGB No More. Wish I could have been there.

On a lighter note, my weekend in review:

Friday night: Actually went to the gym for a cycle class, had dinner with the grandparentals, watched Grey's Anatomy, Season 2 with my sister and went to bed early.

Saturday: Got up at 7:00 to take my car to the dealership for an inspection and drooled over all the pretty, shiny new cars in the show room. All the inspection yielded was this: turns out I have hail damage. Really!? Is that what that is? I thought my car just had a really bad case of acne in it's adolescence that left it riddled with pock-marks. Who knew? Then, Julie and I went shopping. All over the place. I have a new pair of very cute brown boots that only set me back about $65. Shoppping was followed by lunch at our favorite Chinese restaurant. Mmmmmmm... crab rangoon! Then I unfortunately watched my Tigers lose their first game of the season. Boo.

Sunday: More football, more losses. This time it was the Chiefs. I'd rather not discuss it right now.

That's all...

Sometimes a song just says it all, Part II

2006-10-12T09:14:00.000-07:00

Isn't this how it always is with me and relationships? I hate not knowing what the other person is thinking and convincing myself that I have to put myself "out there" in order to find that out. Inevitably, I'm the only one "out there" and I feel like an idiot. If only there was an easier way to do this whole dating thing...

The Fear You Won't Fall by Joshua Radin

Digging a hole and the walls are caving in
Behind me air's getting thin but I'm trying
I'm breathing in
Come find me
It hasn't felt like this before
It hasn't felt like home before you
And I know it's easy to say but it's harder to feel
This way
And I miss you more than I should
Than I thought I could
Can't get my mind off of you
I know you're scared that I'll soon be over it
That's part of it all
Part of the beauty of falling in love with you is the fear you won't fall
It hasn't felt like this before
It hasn't felt like home before you
And I know it's easy to say but it's harder to feel
This way
And I miss you more than I should than I thought I could
Can't get my mind off of you
And I hate the phone
But I wish you'd call
Thought being alone
Was better than was better than
And I know it's easy to say but it's harder to feel this way
And I miss you more than I should
Than I thought I could
Can't get my mind off of you
Can't get my mind off of you
And I know it's easy to say but it's harder to feel
This way
And I miss you more than I should
Than I thought I could
Can't get my mind off of you

(Disclaimer: I am NOT falling in love, I just thought this was a very eloquent song and I totally get that the whole not-knowing-what-the-other-person-is-thinking thing is a necessary part of dating someone. My argument, however, still stands: it's a bitch to go through it all.)

Hello, again!

2006-10-11T07:47:00.000-07:00

Let me start by offering my humble apologies to you, dear readers. For the last month I've not made a visit to my little corner of the internet to regale you with the oh-so-exciting happenings of my life. I know you're all salivating at the mere possibility of an update, so here goes...

My Life in Review (Sept. 11- Oct. 11)

- Meetings, and lots of them. But that's not exciting, so I won't bore you.
- I decided to start teaching Cycle classes at my gym, and spent 3 weekends completing the requisite training. Lots o' gym time. Lots o' sore muscles. But lots o' calories burned. I win!
- Last weekend I participated in my first-ever pub crawl to benefit cancer research. Nothing says "Let's cure cancer!" like 2,000 drunken 20-somethings in matching t-shirts.

Our pub crawl team, the Bayside Tigers!

- I'm housesitting now, and have been for nearly 2 weeks. The doggies I'm watching include 2 Scottish Terriers and a Border Collie mix. Oh, for cute!
- I got a raise!
- I'm seriously considering going back to school to get my MBA. Maybe not next fall, but sometime in the next few years.

Those are the note-worthy events. Everything else was boring. Trust me. However, I'm going to Mizzou over Homecoming weekend for a mini-reunion with my pledge class. I promise pictures! Stay tuned...

Moriarty, OUT!

Listen Up Y'all...

2006-09-11T20:06:00.000-07:00

FromThe New York Times, 9/4/2002...

9/11 Lesson Plan

By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN

The Times just ran an article about the trouble teachers were having in deciding what to tell students on Sept. 11. That's a serious question. This is a moment for moral clarity, and here are the three lessons I would teach:

Lesson #1: Who are they? This lesson would emphasize that while most people in the world are good and decent, there are evil people out there who are not poor, not abused — but envious. These extremists have been raised in societies that have failed to prepare them for modernity, and the most evil among them chose on Sept. 11 to lash out at the symbol of modernity — America. As the Egyptian playwright Ali Salem put it in Time magazine, "Beneath their claims . . . these extremists are pathologically jealous. They feel like dwarfs, which is why they search for towers and all those who tower mightily." Their grievance is rooted in psychology, not politics; their goal is to destroy America, not reform it; they can only be defeated, not negotiated with.

Assigned reading: Larry Miller's Jan. 14, 2002, essay in The Weekly Standard: "Listen carefully: We're good, they're evil, nothing is relative. Say it with me now and free yourselves. You see, folks, saying `We're good' doesn't mean `We're perfect.' Okay? The only perfect being is the bearded guy on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. The plain fact is that our country has, with all our mistakes and blunders, always been and always will be the greatest beacon of freedom, charity, opportunity, and affection in history. If you need proof, open all the borders on Earth and see what happens. In about half a day, the entire world would be a ghost town, and the United States would look like one giant line to see `The Producers.' . . . So here's what I resolve: To never forget our murdered brothers and sisters. To never let the relativists get away with their immoral thinking. After all, no matter what your daughter's political science professor says, we didn't start this."

Lesson #2: Who are we? We Americans are not better than any other people, but the Western democratic system we live by is the best system on earth. Unfortunately, in the Arab-Muslim world, there is no democracy, too few women's rights and too little religious tolerance. It is the values and traditions of freedom embraced by Western civilization, and the absence of those values and traditions in the Arab-Muslim world, that explain the main differences between us.

Assigned reading: "An Autumn of War," by the military historian Victor Davis Hanson: "Our visionaries must be far clearer about the nature of our struggle. In their understandable efforts to say what we are not doing — fighting Islam or provoking Arab peoples — they have failed utterly to voice what we are doing: preserving Western civilization and its uniquely tolerant and human traditions of freedom, consensual government, disinterested inquiry and religious and political tolerance. . . . We must cease the apologetic tone we have developed with the Arab world, and make it clear that their ministers who hector us are not legitimate without elections, their spokesmen are not journalists without a free press, and their intellectuals are not credible without liberty. The right to admonish Americans on questions of morality is not an entitlement, but something earned only through a shared commitment to constitutional government."

Lesson #3: Why do so many foreigners reject the evil perpetrators of 9/11 but still dislike America? It's because, while we have the best system of governance, we are not always at our best in how we act toward the world. Because we want to drive big cars, we support repressive Arab dictators so they will sell us cheap oil. Because our presidents want to get votes, they readily tell the Palestinians how foolishly they are behaving, but they hesitate to tell Israelis how destructive their West Bank settlements are for the future of the Jewish state. Because we want to consume as much energy as we please, we tell the world's people they have to be with us in the war on terrorism but we don't have to be with them in the struggle against global warming and for a greener planet.

The point, class, is that while evil people hate us for who we are, many good people dislike us for what we do. And if we want to win their respect we need to be the best, most consistent and most principled global citizens we can be.

Assigned readings: The U.S. Constitution, Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points speech and the Declaration of Independence.

(Italics and bolding are mine.)

I don't think that anyone who reads my blog lost anyone in the 9/11 attacks, but in case I'm wrong I'd like to let you know that my thoughts and prayers have been with you today. I haven't forgotten...

Journey/Def Leppard

2006-09-06T21:46:00.000-07:00

Me, Abby, Stacy and Lindsey love us some Journey!

Aww yeah!

Don't Stop Believin'

Let's Get Rocked!

Shabooya, sha-sha-shabooya ROLL CALL!

2006-08-28T13:37:00.000-07:00

Okay, I'm curious to know who's reading my blog! Minneapolis, Boston, Fort Wayne and Sunnyvale, please identify yourselves. Leave me a link and I'll check out your blog!

Sometimes a song just says it all...

2006-08-24T08:47:00.000-07:00

In Repair by John Mayer

Too many shadows in my room
too many hours in this midnight
too many corners in my mind
so much to do to set my heart right

Oh its taking so long
i could be wrong
i could be ready
Oh but if I take my heart's advice
I should assume, it's still unsteady
I am in repair
I am in repair
Stood on the corner for awhile
To wait for the wind to blow down on me
Hope that it takes with it my old ways
And brings a brand new life upon me
Oh its taking to long
i could be wrong
i could be ready
Oh but if I take my heart's advice
I should assume, it's still unsteady

I am in repair
I am in repair

Ohhhh

Now i'm walking in the park
all of the birds they dance below me
maybe when things turn green again
it will be good to say you know me

Oh its taking to long
i could be wrong
i could be ready
Oh but if I take my heart's advice
I should assume, it's still unready
never really ready
I'm never really ready
I'm in repair
Im not together
but im getting there

I'm in repair
Im not together
but im getting there

I'm in repair
Im not together
but im getting there

I'm in repair
Im not together
but im getting there

Listen to his new album here.

10 Reasons Why I Love Seattle

2006-08-18T08:22:00.000-07:00

1. Mountains (for hiking/climbing/looking at)
2. Water (for sailing)
3. Professional Football team
4. Cool temperatures
5. Coffee
6. Evergreen trees
7. Pike Place market
8. Architecture
9. Music (hello, Pearl Jam?!)
10. Fresh seafood

I can seriously see myself living there someday... Go visit if you haven't been there!

Pictures from Seattle...

2006-08-15T20:57:00.000-07:00

Some of the highlights from my trip to Seattle... More TK but I've got to download them from my parents' camera, as yours truly wasn't smart enough to pack the charger for my CyberShot and the battery died two days before we left. Apologies, dear readers...

Mt. Rainier (!) from the airplane

Getting coffee at the original Starbucks

Pike Place Market

The Infamous Pike Place Fish Co.

Vegetables at Pike Place Market

Flowers, also at Pike Place Market

The whole family

Cousins!

The cake

Dinner at Salty's on Alki (Check out the view!)

Seattle Skyline from the deck at Salty's

On the pier

Do they make medication for this?

2006-08-01T13:41:00.000-07:00

Everybody watch out- I'm in a cleaning mood! These hit me every once in a while, and I go nuts. Seriously. Baseboard-scrubbing, closet-organizing, nook and cranny-dusting nuts! I'm not sure what brought it on, but I've already cleared off my desk at work. I think I'll just go with it and see how much I can possibly get done after my meeting tonight...

Yesterday (before the cleaning spasms hit) Liza and I went to the driving range and decided to work out our frustrations in life through some hitting. My wedge, which I did really well with on Sunday, wasn't quite working for me as well as I had hoped, so I said "What the hell?" and pulled out the driver. Oh yes, the driver my friends. What happened next was quite unexpected- I actually hit it well and far! Granted, not as far as I would have liked, but compared to last week it was a vast improvement. One thing that bothered me though- and here's a little lesson in golfing etiquette (courtesy of Liza)- the man next to us had a 2-3 year old child with him who would not shut up. It's difficult to concentrate on your shot with people talking and making random exclamations just as you start your backswing. So, for future reference, while on the course or the driving range use your indoor voices kids. Some of us need to focus.

Weekend Update: Julie and I are going to the
Bleeding Kansas Festival this weekend to see Keane and Death Cab for Cutie, amongst other bands. Yes, that's right. Death Cab. How much do you wish you were going too?

Bushwood, here I come!

2006-07-31T07:44:00.000-07:00

I have a new favorite activity... golf! Thanks to Liza, who has lent me an old set of her clubs, I'm well on my way to becoming the next Annika Sorenstam (okay, maybe not). In all honesty though, it's so much fun! We've been to the driving range a couple times, and I've had a lesson (again, thanks to Liza for the hook-up). Aside from the blister on my thumb, it's been great. For someone who hasn't really played at all, I'm not that bad. I can hit the ball straight and get it up into the air, and my lesson helped reduce the "whiff and giggle" factor ten-fold. I've got a long way to go still, but I'm hooked. Anyone up for a round?

"Golf isn't a game, it's a life skill..." ~Elizabeth Hodges

My sissy is coming home!

2006-07-29T11:29:00.000-07:00

This is my sister, Julie. For those of you who don't know me that well, or who I haven't talked to in a while, Julie has been in Ireland for the summer studing directing at Trinity College (Dublin). She's been drinking Guinness, tracking Bono, spending weekends traversing the country and generally running amok. As much as I would have liked to go visit her, funds are a little low these days, and I have not seen her since mid-May. I'm happy to report that she is coming home tonight! So I'm foregoing evening plans to go greet her at the airport. Once again, I have my partner-in-crime. Watch out, Lea-hood... y'all ain't ready for this!

Famous Friends

2006-07-20T07:18:00.000-07:00

Or: Cool by association.

Yesterday's KC STAR: Sarah's column.

Today's KC STAR: Abby.

How cool are my friends? Seriously...

Because Sarah did it, and if it's good enough for her, it's good enough for me!

2006-07-18T13:15:00.000-07:00

You Are 28 Years Old

Under 12: You are a kid at heart. You still have an optimistic life view - and you look at the world with awe.

13-19: You are a teenager at heart. You question authority and are still trying to find your place in this world.

20-29: You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences.

30-39: You are a thirtysomething at heart. You've had a taste of success and true love, but you want more!

40+: You are a mature adult. You've been through most of the ups and downs of life already. Now you get to sit back and relax.

What Age Do You Act?

BFF+BF=?

2006-07-13T20:23:00.000-07:00

Here's a fear of mine... eventually all my friends will end up seriously dating/getting married, and I will be the lone single person who has no one to hang out with. That said, here goes...

My best friend has recently started dating a great guy. They're so cute together, it's almost nauseating. I'm happy for her, of course, especially after all the crap she put up with from her ex. She absolutely deserves to be with someone who treats her like a princess. But now that she and the great guy are together, I feel like I'm being replaced, and I really don't like it. I used to talk to her just about everyday. Over the last couple of weeks, I haven't talked to her that much at all. I don't get as many calls from her anymore. We still hang out, but it's usually with the new boyfriend. She's said she doesn't want to become the girl who never hangs out with her friends because she's dating someone, but I'm beginning to worry. It seems rational to me that when you're dating someone, they're usually pretty high on your priority list. You want to spend a lot of time with them and talk to them a lot. I just don't like feeling like I've become less important to her, because she hasn't become any less important to me. She sees him or talks to him everyday, and I only get to hang out with her on weekends, and even then it's in a group.

This isn't an "I'm angry with her" kind of thing, it's more of a "I'm feeling hurt and kind of lonely" thing. I just don't know what to do about it. Am I being selfish? Do I just need to get over myself? Advice? Thoughts? I'm just confused and sad about the whole thing...

Problem

2006-07-12T13:33:00.000-07:00

9:00 The Hills on MTV.
Also:
9:00 Project Runway on Bravo.

What's a girl to do?

It's all about the Benjamins...

2006-07-12T13:14:00.000-07:00

I have a window at work that my desk sits in front of. I get to look at clouds and cars pulling into the parking lot all day long. The cars don't excite me much, but there's something very peaceful about watching clouds...

Anyway, I've come to a realization (which was prompted by a news report I saw last night): I've got to start saving money! The story I saw last night had to do with the amount of money Americans spend versus the amount they make. Apparently, Americans outspent their earnings last year by several BILLION dollars. I will admit, I contributed to that. But what really made me take notice was the woman they interviewed. At age 44, she has a big mortgage on a large house (which she really can't afford), $15,000 in credit card debt and NO savings. At this point, my stomach flipped out of sheer anxiety for this poor woman. How in the world does someone go that long without saving any money? Answer? They spend more than they earn, for starters. Damn credit cards. I do the same thing. Hello, reality check! But, fortunately for me, I'm only 25 and on my way to being debt-free. Seeing what could happen if I don't curb my spending just put the final nail in the coffin. So, for the next 6 months I will attempt to (gasp!) not spend money on anything that isn't necessary. I think I just might be able to pull it off.

If you read that whole thing, I'd like to apologize for boring you to tears. Now, go grab a tissue...

Royals lost... again

2006-07-09T18:02:00.000-07:00

So Abby, pictured above, got the bright idea to get a whole bunch of people together and go to the Royals game for Buck Night on Saturday. Lots of fun ensued, much beer was consumed, and massive amounts of fun were had. However, the Royals lost to the Blue Jays. Oh well... what else is new?

I'm watching "Garden State" right now, and I love this movie! Zach Braff is a genius. And the movie has a great soundtrack. Just thought I'd share that little bit.

Fives

2006-07-06T19:51:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of Erica...

5 Things in My Car
1. two pairs of sunglasses (brown Oakleys and a cheap black pair from Forever 21)
2. Monster iCarPlay wireless for my iPod
3. bottle of water
4. umbrella
5. ice scraper

5 Things in My Fridge
1. milk (skim, of course)
2. yogurt
3. about 4 slabs of ribs leftover from the 4th of July (my dad has a HUGE smoker)
4. orange juice
5. sugar snap peas from my grandma's garden

5 Things in My Purse
1. wallet
2. lip gloss
3. cell phone
4. gum
5. car keys

5 Things in My Bathroom Medicine Cabinet
1. Crest toothpaste
2. dental floss
3. Arbonne Night Creme
4. clear Sally Hansen nail polish
5. eye make-up remover

5 Things on My Desk at Work
1. cup from Walt Disney World courtesy of one of my co-workers (it has Stitch on it)
2. Dell laptop
3. picture of me, my sister and my dad from the Bahamas
4. a very cute little desk lamp from Target
5. a big calculator (yes, I do work in media)

5 Things in My Room
1. a poster from the Wilco concert at the Uptown
2. PowerBook G4
3. guitar
4. lots of books
5. iPod speakers

5 Things in My Gym Bag
1. a blue towel
2. lock
3. rubber bands
4. extra deodorant
5. gym membership card

Do You Wanna Get Rocked?

2006-07-06T12:15:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness... I'm about to hyperventilate I'm so excited. Abby, Stacy, Lindsey and I have 4th row seats (smack in the middle of the stage) for Def Leppard/Journey on September 6th. Words cannot express how stinkin' pumped I am for this!

"Please bore someone else with your questions..."

2006-06-30T08:18:00.000-07:00

LOVED the movie! The Devil Wears Prada was deliciously bitchy and full of fun fashion. What more could a girl ask for? Seriously, Meryl Streep was genious! For most of the movie, all I really wanted to do was muss up her hair and smack her upside the head for being so cold, but for a brief few moments later in the movie, she almost makes you feel sorry for her. Then, as quickly as she devours assistants and makes them flee from her presence in tears, she's back to her old bitch-a-licious self. FABULOUS! Go see this movie- you'll love it!

"That's all..."

The Most Fun Website Ever

2006-06-29T13:34:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of Sarah: Penguins.

The Devil Wears Prada, I wear Banana Republic...

2006-06-29T13:01:00.000-07:00

Tonight I'm going to a pre-release screening of The Devil Wears Prada. I read this book about 2 years ago and loved it. Can't wait to see the film version of it. I'm especially curious to see Meryl Streep's portrayal of Miranda Priestly, the fashion magazine editor-in-chief character rumored to be based on Vogue's Anna Wintour. Should be entertaining- I'll file a review upon my return...

Anyone?

2006-06-27T13:07:00.000-07:00

Does anyone know how to access Tom Friedman's column online without having to subscribe to TimesSelect? Liza, are you reading this? I'd really rather not pay for it... just curious.

Destination: Seattle

2006-06-27T07:14:00.000-07:00

Or: Watch out McDreamy, I'm coming!

Yes, I realize that Grey's is filmed in Hollywood somewhere. Alas, a girl can dream... So I found out yesterday that I get to go to Seattle for my cousin's wedding in August. SOOOOO super excited about this! It's been on my list of places to visit forever. And now I get to go see everything- including the Space Needle, ubiquitous Starbucks locations, Mt. Rainier, etc... I'll be sure to take lots of pictures- I just hope it doesn't rain the whole time.

Excuse me ma'am, but you've backed your car into my front bumper...

2006-06-26T19:02:00.000-07:00

See also: What I should have said had I been able to utter words...

Today over my lunch break I went to the Plaza to pay a bill, and parallel parked just outside of Latteland. I went to go take care of my errands, and upon returning noticed that there was a car backing in to the spot in front of me. The thought crossed my mind, for only a bried second, "I hope that car doesn't hit mine." I swear I'm psychic, telepathic or something because sure enough, as I approach my car I notice that my front bumper and the other car's back bumper are pushed up against one another. I'm standing there pondering the scene in front of me, and the driver of the other vehicle steps out of the car as I hit the keyless entry and my headlights blink. Clearly, I am the owner of the car this woman has backed into. She is also almost as wide as she is tall. So she looks at me, realizes what happened and then proceeds to say nothing to me. I, stunned and speechless, give her a look that says "Ohnoyoudidn'tjustbackintomycar!" and she, rather annoyedly, turns to get back into her car and begrudgingly move it forward. And as she sits in her car, it sinks under her weight. So I watch and ensure that her car is no longer flush with mine, then get back into my poor little Audrey. Said woman then exits her vehicle and walks right past my door, not even looking at me, and waddles around the corner into a restaurant.

Perhaps I shouldn't be judgemental of her weight, but really... are you seriously gonna back into my car and then say nothing about it when I see you do it? Thankfully, there was no noticeable damage to my car. Jeez people...

Because I, like Sarah, enjoy quizzes...

2006-06-24T14:09:00.000-07:00

Your Blog Should Be Purple

You're an expressive, offbeat blogger who tends to write about anything and everything.
You tend to set blogging trends, and you're the most likely to write your own meme or survey.
You are a bit distant though. Your blog is all about you - not what anyone else has to say.

What Color Should Your Blog or Journal Be?

Next on the agenda...

2006-06-16T09:49:00.000-07:00

My plans for this evening include eating lots of barbecue and listening to none other than The Reverend Al Green. Yes folks, Al Green. He's playing at the Rhythm & Ribs Jazz Festival here in KC. And I got comp tickets through work. Have I mentioned that I love my job? Because I do.

Other news: I, too, am considering having my baby in Namibia. This is ridiculous. I know that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but come on. Be original. Go to Zimbabwe or something.

Coulter vs. Carlin on Leno tonight

2006-06-14T11:57:00.000-07:00

This should be interesting... ladies and gentlemen, get your pies ready!

Apparently sitting at one's desk and not moving really doesn't help sore muscles. It just makes it worse...

Also, I just found this on my friend Sarah's blog for the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. This totally threw me for a loop. I had no idea who it was. Check it out!

In pain

2006-06-14T07:16:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went to the gym, which was a big accomplishment for me seeing as how I seem to come up with various excuses to warrant not going. So I actually made it yesterday- in the words of my sister, "woot." (I'm not exactly sure what that word means, but she uses it to convey controlled excitement, so there ya go.) Now I would normally feel very good about my productivity, however it seems the gym gods have decided to smite me in the form of two very tight, very sore hamstrings. I think I pulled both one or possibly both during the strength/endurance class I took. Basically, I'm trying to move my legs as little as possible for comfort. It's not working very well... thank God all I do is sit at a desk all day. Expect an update on my status as the day progresses. That's all for now.

Congratulations are in order...

2006-06-13T12:49:00.000-07:00

Yay for Ann! Word on the street is that she's gonna be the proud wife of Mr. Luke Daugherty. Such a great couple!

The rest of the world calls it football...

2006-06-12T08:06:00.000-07:00

Seeing as how the USA plays it's first World Cup match today, I thought I'd share some links pertaining to the sport of soccer. Enjoy!

This is also hilarious- courtesy of The Daily Show:

The World Cup

Aw, hail!

2006-06-11T18:55:00.000-07:00

I awoke this morning to find that last night during the thunderstorm, my car got hailed on. And it left dents. SO not happy about that.

Liza and I went to Milburn today and laid out for a few hours. I love sunshine! I think I got a little bit sunburned though. Anyway, I'm exhausted now. I'm going to bed here pretty shortly- just as soon as Entourage is over. I love this show!

TGIF!

2006-06-09T12:32:00.000-07:00

I love Fridays! Just thought I'd share. I really don't have big plans for the weekend, but I'm anxious to get a whole lot of cleaning done. I need to do it. I've got stuff in my parents' basement that hasn't seen the light of day for years. I'm sure they'd appreciate it if I did something with it.

Today has been kind of slow... I've got big plans to go get a pedicure after work. I've become a bit obsessed with having well-groomed (is that the right word?) toes. Especially now that I'm only wearing flip-flops and cute sandals. I love summer for this reason. It's perfectly acceptable to be nearly barefoot in public. I'm recalling an interview from the Today Show where Katie Couric and John Mayer were talking about footwear, and John is explaining his philosophy on feet. It went something like this: "Feet are like the engine room of the body. There should be some sort of protective covering on them at all times." I totally disagree, John. Just in case you ever happen to read this, which I'm sure you won't. I just thought I'd throw that out there.

Well, dear readers, I need to go work my magic and write some more ads. I love my job!

If I only had a pie to throw at my tv...

2006-06-08T20:20:00.000-07:00

I was watching the news last night and saw a story about Ann Coulter's criticism of a group of September 11th widows who she affectionately referred to as "The Witches of East Brunswick." Coulter claims that these women have been wallowing in self-pity ever since the attacks, behaving as though this tragedy affected only them. My first reaction to the story was to be appalled that someone would think such a thing, let alone say it on national television. But we are talking about Ann Coulter here. Compared to her whack-job Conservative, I look like a bleeding-heart liberal. This shouldn't surprise us. I found myself searching for some food item to hurl at my television, but then I got to thinking about the media that gives credence to such "whack-jobs." There's a "minister" (and I put that in quotes because I don't see how anything he stands for has to do with God) outside Topeka who protests at military funerals because he believes God is killing our soldiers for our country's tolerance of gays. I refuse to use his name because that's what he wants. Publicity. Notoriety. Media coverage. Love him or hate him, he doesn't care- there's no such thing as bad press.

What really ruffles my feathers is that by saying such outlandish and cruel things, people like Ms. Coldbitch and Reverend "God hates gays" get more press. Surely I am not the only one that thinks perhaps we should not acknowledge these individuals and let them fade into oblivion. Thoughts?

Work, work, work

2006-06-07T18:59:00.000-07:00

My lovely little office at work has a desk right in front of a window, so all day long I sit in front of my computer like Carrie Bradshaw and wistfully stare off into the sky. I love it! Except today, there were two middle school-aged boys skateboarding in the parking lot and falling all over the place in the process. I'm guessing they've got some pretty nasty bruises as a result...

On a positive note, I got to talk to my sister today. She's currently in London seeing all there is to see before she starts her summer program in Dublin. I'm so very jealous. I want to be in Dublin drinking Guinness in smokey pubs and running around in search of Bono! Alas, I'm here in Oz working and stuff. I guess I'll just have to live vicariously. I seem to be doing a lot of that. Note to self: must stop living through other people's adventures and have some of my own!

And I'm Back!

2006-06-06T21:49:00.000-07:00

Well, hello there! Welcome to the 2nd incarnation of my blog. Don't get too scared- it's the same witty, intellectual fodder for thought. Just a new, updated look and a new web address. Please leave comments, check out the links and enjoy!