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2008 In Review

2009-01-05T15:39:00.005-05:00

It's that time again (already!) to review 2008:

In 2008, I:

Spent New Years' Eve in Boston with Matt, Kevin & Paula (12/31/07-1/1/08)
Went to Seattle (2/15-19)
Went to Smiley's in Pullman, WA (2/20-24)
Went to Syracuse for a basketball game (3/1)
Celebrated Jon & Michelle's wedding in LI (5/3)
Turned 27 (6/14)
Celebrated Brian & Tiffany's wedding in Albany (6/28)
Went to Vegas with Debbie (7/3-7)
Went to a wedding in West Orange, NJ (7/19)
Spent 4 days at Lake Algonquin, NY (7/20-23)
Spent 4 days at 1000 Acres Dude Ranch for the Ryan Family Reunion (7/23-27)
Visited Tory in Miami! (8/03?)
Celebrated Tim & Meghan's wedding in Cape Cod (8/23)
Celebrated our first anniversary at home with steaks, wine (1970 bordelo), year old cake, and our video. And a coach purse. (8/25)
Spent Labor Day weekend at Saratoga Racetrack with Matt, Eric, Elizabeth, Sue, and my dad, and Matt and Eric hit a HUGE race. (8/30)
Celebrated Lauren and Torrey's wedding in NYC (9/13)
Visited Tory in Austin, and had beer flavored ice cream! (10/3-5)
Went to the Breeder's Cup at the Albany OTB and won a huge scratch off with Matt, Kevin and Paula (10/25)
Went to the NKOTB concert at Madison Square Garden (10/27)
Had our first official party in the UC (11/15)
Celebrated Dan & Tricia's wedding in Syracuse (11/22)
Started a holiday cookie tradition with Paula (12/20)
Spent New Years' Eve at the White Sands in Point Pleasant, NJ (12/31)

Tory and Emma Do Austin 10/3-5/2008

2008-10-06T10:21:00.006-04:00

Friday night: Original flight arriving in Austin at 10:30 cancelled. New flight scheduled in at 12:30, but connecting flight from Chicago gets delayed for mechanical difficulty. Boo. My airplane karma has not been working in my favor for Tory visits lately.

Saturday: Headed to the Barton Springs Pool around 2pm. Weather was fantastic - a nice dry 90 degrees and sunny. The 68 degree water was chilly, but we worked our way in and swam a while. There were dogs playing in a section of the river outside the pool that were fun to watch - one of them could catch a ball bounced off of a wall. There was also an older man in a thong sunbathing near us on the hill that was not as fun to watch.

After that, we headed to Chuy's - the place where Jenna Bush was busted with a fake ID - for a drink and dinner. The drink was a Texas Martini (also known as the Mexican Martini of Trudy's fame). It's a combo of a margarita and a martini: tequila, cointreau, sprite, OJ, lime, and two olives stuffed with jalapeno pepper, served in a martini glass (salted rim optional). Chuy's offers free chips and salsa at the bar, then when we sat we ordered queso with guacamole - a combo that doesn't necessarily sound good, but definitely worthwhile. Dinner was a "Chicka chicka boom boom" enchilada. From the menu:

"Two roasted chicken and cheese enchiladas with Boom-Boom sauce"

The name of course attracted attention because of the old "boom chicka boom" camp medley, but once the waitress described "boom boom" sauce, we were sold. Essentially, it's a creamy spicy queso-jalapeno-chili sauce. According to this recipe I found through the magic of google that I plan to try out asap, it has the following in it:

5 jalapeno peppers
1 packet ranch dip or dressing mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 bunch cilantro or to taste
garlic powder to taste
milk to thin or thicken, as needed

Preheat broiler. Place whole jalapeno peppers on a baking sheet and broil, turning frequently, until skins are charred. Cool peppers; remove skin and seeds.

Process all ingredients in a blender, adding milk in small amounts as needed for desired consistency.

Stuffed, we headed back to T's apartment to clean up. We popped over to T's friend's house for a quick drink, then headed to Midnight Rodeo! This place is huge (Texas style), with a large dance floor. On Thursdays they usually have line dancing, but it was just couples two stepping to country tunes on Saturday. A few couples were really good - one guy was throwing flipping his partner through the air swing-style (I may have to teach Matt to do that). In the middle they had an interlude of pop classics (Shoop, Dont'cha), and segued back into country with Sweet Home Alabama.

We headed from there to 4th street, and miraculously found a great parking spot. We were going to meet up with T's friend at one of the gay bars, but the line was long. Just when we were trying to figure out where to go, Fido's across the street started blasting Mambo #5. We took it as fate and headed over in time for the "wave wave wave clap" part of the rotation dance from camp, and we were grateful to discover we've both forgotten pieces of it, after having it ingrained in "muscle memory" for so many years. We hung out in the courtyard until closing, listening to the equivalent of the camp soundrack from 1999-2003.

Sunday: Despite staying up until 4am, we rallied and headed to Stubb's for gospel brunch at 11 with T's friend Rachel. We were seated upstairs so we couldn't see the band, but the music was piping through on speakers. The buffet was a mix of breakfast and bbq with biscuits, grits, brisket, sausage, bbq chicken, migas, and fried catfish. The Stubb's bbq sauce was really tasty, and even with a mimosa (served in a tumbler or a pint glass - whichever they had available) was under $30.

T had to make a stop by at an informal delegate post-convention meetup for about 20 minutes (where she had to give a mini-speech - yay!) then we headed to Amy's for ice cream on the way to the airport. It's like Cold Stone with the mix-ins, and they make their own ice cream. One of the flavors was Shiner - yep, BEER-flavored ice cream! They use Shiner Blonde for flavoring and it tasted great. We ordered Shiner mixed with chocolate chunks and it was amazing.

Sadly, it was time to hit the airport and head home. Cheers to another amazing weekend in Austin!

Word of the Day

2008-10-02T13:04:00.005-04:00

Coprophobophilia n. - the result of office quiz night for charity, and being the #1 team in beer consumption with the fitting name "You Kids Have Fun"

City Frogger

2008-06-02T20:28:00.003-04:00

Walking through times square during rush hour in the middle of tourist season is like frogger - for the pedestrians and the cars.

PMS now a medical disorder?

2008-05-25T00:05:00.003-04:00

Used to be, a woman could have excessive cramps and additional cranky-pants-ness and she'd pop a Midol and move on. Today, the hypochondriac-creating drug companies have created PMDD, which officially stands for Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, but perhaps also refers to a condition in which the sufferers breasts swell to DD size during PMS.

Primary symptoms of PMDD, as listed on the info sheet I received from my prescription drug insurance company (no, I'm not kidding):

- Feelings of sadness, despair, or possibly suicidal thoughts
- Feelings of tension or anxiety
- Lasting irritability or anger that affects other people
- Mood swings and crying

That's right, one more excuse to prescribe mood stabilizers. Not long now before we're all popping a Soma and bowing down to Big Brother.

What's sexier than a guy with a guitar?

2008-05-20T20:26:00.003-04:00

I don't normally watch American Idol. This season, I have probably followed it more so than the others. I don't remember all the names. There was an Irish chick with tattoos. There was a rocker chick. It's down to the final two guys (both named David), and I think I'm only watching because I've decided one of the front runners annoys me, and I want to see the other one kick his butt.

I could be biased because I've always, always swayed to the rock n' roll side of life. I love concerts. I love a good guitar riff. I'm really not much of a Josh Groban fan. But honestly, honestly, why don't more people realize that David Cook (the rocker) has a lot more chops than David Archuleta (Yanni in training). I'm not even sure what the teenager attraction to DA is - he's cute and all, but has a breathy speaking voice that makes me think of a pre-teen that just got caught masturbating. DC has more of a laid back attitude that is all around more appealing, though I think I've seen a couple eye rolls with mysterious meaning.

Round 1
DC did a great cover of a classic U2 song. DA was flat on a lot of a classic Elton John song. He also looked like he was about to forget the lyrics while watching the camera move. The judges praised DA as if he had just pooped a gold nugget.

Round 2
Both sang so-so songs written by contest entrants. Again, DA was praised by the judges for an "incredible" performance, but again he sounded flat in parts, and no one knew the song so we can't tell if he made up the words on the fly.

Round 3
DC picks a brand new (well, old - The World I Know by Collective Soul) song while DA goes with one he already sang this season (Imagine by John Lennon). One of the best versions The World I Know that I've heard, and I've never been a huge fan of that song. DA didn't forget the words, but I still really wasn't a fan of his rendition.

Let the rocker come victorious!!

2007 in review

2008-01-01T16:37:00.000-05:00

In 2007, I:

Spent New Year's Eve at the Desmond (12/31/06-1/1/07)
Visited Tory in Austin! (3/3)
Saw a comedy show with Megan in NY (3/16)
Dressed up as a viking and went to Bay to Breaker's in SF with Jenny & Todd (5/20)
Attended and threw my first bridal shower for Megan -- at the same time! (5/26)
Turned 26 (6/14)
Attended Megan's wedding reception in CT (6/16)
Had my Bachelorette party in NYC! (7/7)
Visited Tory in Miami! (7/28)
Sat first row next to 3rd base at a Phillies game (8/11)
Got married!!!! (8/25)
Honeymooned in Athens, Santorini, and Mykonos in Greece (8/27-9/5)
Ate breakfast with a Smashing Pumpkins' guitar technician (8/29)
Visited Tory in Austin for a UT game (11/9)
Spent New Years' Eve in Boston with Matt, Kevin & Paula (12/31)

It may be impossible to top 2007, but I'm going to give it a go in 2008. :)

In 2008, I resolve to:

Keep in better touch with friends
Finally finish setting up the apartment
Kick butt at work
Go to the gym regularly
Go to happy hour equally regularly
Procrastinate less
Save money
Read 50 books

Jenny and Emma Tag Team California!

2007-05-27T23:27:00.001-04:00

One minute, a facetious "Wanna go to Bay to Breakers?", and next thing you know, we've got bananas in California!

We started off on Friday night at Mas Sake in the marina for sushi with jalapenos and sake bombs to wash them down before heading back to Todd's to crash and adjust to the time zone. On the way up his ginormous hill, we also saw an elderly woman with no pants, which was definitely foreshadowing of the day to come.

I was up at the crack of California dawn (9am eastern). We headed down to San Mateo to see Gil and Anjanette's new house, check out some supposedly super BK Whoppers, and head to an NCA Reunion BBQ at MJs. Stuffed, we headed back to finish up our costumes. Jenny's friend Jassen came over to hang out for a while, and then it was time to sleep, since we had to be up at a very very ridiculously early 8am eastern time. (5am!!)

We woke up and made our way to Brian's bright and early. Runners and drinkers could be seen all over. The first men in bikinis passed by, and CT was soon down to the same. Highlights of the daily view: Sesame street including a life size snuffaluffagus, evangelicals skipping church and holding warning signs, naked old men, flying tortillas, salmon going the wrong way, public urination, our globe on the electric cables, bananas and monkeys fighting, dancing Elvi on a roof, and did I mention naked old men?

The weather was gorgeous and the trip went by so fast. It was great seeing everyone, even for such a short time. I hope to do this every year! :)

Check out more pics HERE.

Gotta Love the UC

2007-03-12T23:02:00.000-04:00

There are many things to love about Union City... the cheap large apartment... cheap food... the cheap large apartment... OK so those things weigh pretty heavily on quality of life from the perspective of my wallet. So it's always a pleasure to experience the culture too.

This morning I was walking speedily to the bus stop, when a guy walking towards me in the opposite direction shouts "Mamasita, Senorita!" just as we pass, and, since I'm carrying around 12 bags like I normally do, I figured I dropped something, so I turned. Little am I prepared to be asked out by a greasy hobo who doesn't speak much English. He even promised to be a great lover as he reached for my hand. ew.

Now, it's not that this kind of thing hasn't happened in the city (and trust me, this is NO ego speaking) and with much nastier people, but there is a certain additional ookie-ness to being asked out in a foreign language by a really ugly individual. Who do these nasty people think they are anyway? Yech.

Tory and Emma Do Austin

2007-03-10T22:19:00.001-05:00

Undeterred (ok, maybe slightly deterred) by my cancelled flight on Friday night, I caught my 6am flight to Austin as bright-eyed and bushy tailed as can possibly be at that hour. Arriving in Dallas to change planes, I was welcomed back to Texas by the sound of someone vomiting in the woman's bathroom. Ahh... good ol' Texas.

Enjoying my very first rental car not requiring an extra fee (I forgot to take a picture of it, but it was a Chevy Malibu FREE upgrade), I made my way over to Tory's FABULOUS apartment with her FABULOUS cat, Gizmo. We set off for David's Bridal to take care of bidniz, and re-discovered the magic of Texas highways - we thought we missed the exit we needed, only to find out the one 10 feet after went to the exact same place.

After taking care of business, we checked out the TX wine rack and picked up some Shiner beer for The Salt Lick, where we met up with several of Tory's UT Austin pals for some of the tastiest TX BBQ ever. Family style ribs, brisket, sausage, beans, potato salad, pickles, jalapenos, and beer and tastiness. Simply marvelous!

In the evening, we made our way over to the Broken Spoke to catch the scene over some Lone Stars, and headed out on 4th Street. First stop: the gay bar! After admiring some cute gay boys over some TX liquor - Tito and red bull, and some concoction with TX liquor the bartender made up (did I mention we limited ourselves entirely to Texas-made alcohol for the weekend? Glorious!)

We ran up to 6th street to meet up with some folks, and not finding the surroundings pleasant, we headed next door for some catch up time, admiring the dancing girls on the bar (including one with a cross-shaped slut stamp... isn't it ironic?) We scored some super-tasty late night tacos at Taco Cabana and headed home to crash.

Sunday we woke up surprisingly early intending to walk downtown for coffee & breakfast. (and to burn off the beer and tacos and bbq from Saturday) We came across a parking lot fair with free popcorn and spam samples (not combined) and checked out some funny hats, and also an art exhibit with bright yellow surgical tubing hanging from a 15 foot rectangular trellis. After a pleasant walk down Congress, we had these wonderfully tasty breakfast paninis and coffee at Halcyon on 4th street.

So sadly, by the time we walked back, it was time for me to head back to the airport to make the trek back north. Tory and Emma next take on Miami in July and UT FOOTBALL (and Matthew McConaughey) sometime this fall. STAY TUNED!! :)

Happy Valentine's Day

2007-02-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

In honor of this great hallmark holiday, a quote from our wonderful president:

"Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many ob-gyns aren't able to practice their love with women all across this country."

Basque in the genius.

Propaganda 101

2007-02-09T15:20:00.000-05:00

In a huge publicity stunt aimed at "proving" sexuality preference is a "conscious choice", evangelist Ted Haggard underwent three weeks of therapy and is now declared "not gay". While it's true that tastes change (after all, who thought I would ever willingly eat peas or asparagus at age 4), most do not (I still do not like brussels sprouts). And while many more people prefer carrots to peas, some do prefer both. Can you train yourself to like peas if you don't? Probably not. You can flavor them differently, or hide them inside a carrot or a roll. You might appreciate them more if the only thing you have to eat is peas. My guess here is that Teddy boy thought he might like some peas, after all, like my dad used to say, "don't knock it 'til you try it". Whether or not he'd like to make a habit of eating peas is another story. People who have once liked peas claim it took them years to no longer crave them. There is no available information as to how they gave up peas. Hypnosis may have been involved. There might be medication for it. Or maybe Pavlov gave them a treat every time they craved carrots and ignored peas. Or maybe Pavlov replaced peas with himself. That selfish Pavlov.

I firmly believe this is a stunt aimed at reinforcing the Christian belief that homosexuality is controllable. Next trick - how to turn those unsightly people of other races white. (Christians making a positive example of Michael Jackson - now there's an idea!)

Gay Evangelist Turns Straight

S.A.T.C. Moment

2007-02-09T14:45:00.000-05:00

After being out and about with a group of fun work people last Friday (2/2), I went out to Hoboken to meet up with my fiance at Three A's when I run into none other than Mr. Big. Not the Mr. Big from the tv show, but my life's closest equivalent. And I mean this in the sense that I used to follow him around when drunk for a little over a year just after college. Otherwise he bears no physical resemblance to the guy on TV, we don't maintain communication of any kind, he doesn't have a vineyard in California that I know of, he's grown a spare tire since I saw him last, and I don't, in any way, still find him attractive. The funny thing was, I swear I caught "the look". A couple times. You know the one - the eyes squint a little while mouth forms a smirk-smile. The expression that says "I could totally get you into bed", which is funny to see when, in fact, he totally could not. This same expression actually says "I'm sucking on a lemon while shoving something in my ass" when you don't reciprocate the... shall we say... sentiment... so guys, use this look carefully. And, no, my ego wasn't just imagining it, my fiance saw it too. It all just makes me thankful for my "Just say NO to scum" resolution new years 2004 that I actually kept, and thankful for my Matt. :)

What A Day!

2007-02-09T14:36:00.000-05:00

Woke up at 7 to find very little water pressure in my shower. After scrambling to get clothes together to shower at the gym, and fuming at how we have yet another problem with our apartment, we walk outside to hear that schools are delayed because of the water issue. Whew, at least we don't have to call the landlord again.

Water Valve Break Prompts N.J. Evacuations

So, getting to work later than planned, I grab breakfast after the 9am meeting. Eating late, I figure I'll just grab food after the 1pm meeting. Well, I grab my food, and go to get in the elevator, and a guy walks out. The elevator is empty (except for me), and little did I know the guy had just farted!! It stunk all the way to the 12th floor. You totally shouldn't do that in enclosed public spaces (bathrooms excluded). I was only happy no one else got into the elevator in between - I would have been assumed the culprit.

Self Accountability, Part Troix

2007-02-07T16:18:00.000-05:00

Here we go again, the government is trying to protect us from ourselves. And earn a few extra dollars. The latest plan is to fine New Yorkers $100 for listening to music, talking on a phone, looking at a blackberry, or thumb twiddling while crossing the street, because of three recent deaths related to dumbasses not looking before stepping into the road. Yes, dumbasses.

I'm sorry if they were your friends or relatives, but that doesn't excuse the fact that they leapt before looking. Even in a dominantly pedestrian city, it is customary to look before stepping into the road. Cars are still bigger than we are. They move faster, weigh more, are less fragile and more fixable. Even if we walkers do outnumber them. Let's not get into buses and trucks. Those Hess trucks you see here are full size, none of that kind that fit in your stocking.

And how do the cops know that just because you're wearing an ear bud or two that your device is turned on? I suppose they could check your cell phone log, but an ipod is easily turned off. And what will they do with one cop and 20 pedestrians, who all crossed the street using some kind of device? Now here's something worth giving up music for: the police stun the group with bright lights (thx Jenny :)) then shoot out a giant net to catch everyone in the act, because pretty much everyone who lives here isn't paying attention while walking those 10 blocks to/from the subway, train or bus. Hope you weren't the one oddball not using anything, or you've got a front row seat for this debacle.

I've seen more people almost get hit while chatting with a friend face to face than any other time. It's also possible to be in la-la land and mistake the road for a fluffy cloud. And what about the deaf, who wouldn't hear a truck horn blow either? Can the blind continue to cross the street? After all, they can't exactly look before crossing either.

Here's a thought - let's let idiots go the way of the dodo, because it's going to be the smart users of us all that end up paying extra for them, just the way our tax dollars pay for their cleanup now.

Banned: Gadgets and Street Crossing

Musical Phallacy

2007-02-07T09:37:00.000-05:00

"A kiss is still a kiss, a sigh is just a sigh", and a guitar is only a phallus? I have to admit, the folks at the super bowl party I attended had the same notion, and I thought the same, but I, like many non-God-fearing Americans, have a dirty mind (to be fair, the God-fearing folks do too, they just refuse to admit it). I called everything "kinky" through high school. I have immediately seen the perverse translation to any joke, image, conversation, or reading material since college. I consider myself a mostly moral human - I don't "slut around" (I'm getting married in August) or condone "skankiness" in others, and I generally keep my cursing to a minimum. I would hardly (no pun intended) call Prince's halftime performance an "outrage".

Many things in this world can be seen in a perverse way. What about the first skyscrapers that pop up in cities - surrounded perhaps by two small buildings? Or a beer ad to the same effect - a single beer bottle, moist with condensation, next to two short glasses, a woman's well-manicured hand (bright red, shiny nails of course) wrapped gently around the neck of the bottle? How about a coke commercial with a pretty girl (or, *gasp*, guy) drinking from a coke bottle? Suggestive imagery is used everywhere, because the human eye is lured to such material. It's effective, people buy into it. It's proven and it works, and it's going to be around for the duration of human nature.

A rock star is sexy. Period. Give a guy, or girl, a guitar, put them on a stage, and people go crazy. Maybe it's the lure of the unattainable, or the "bad" image, or that musicians are stereotypically non-committal, or just plain mysterious. It's a stage presence that keeps us watching. So someone like Prince, with a guitar, on stage, is sexy. Throw up a curtain and a light and watch his shadow - still sexy. That image might make your mind leap to other things, but the image is still a guy with a guitar.

And for that matter, why doesn't anyone complain about the trombone? Very phallic. Or the french horn - players usually put a hand or fist into the horn while playing. What does that make you think of? The movie American Pie took care of the flute for us (she put it where and still played it after?), and also somewhere along the line got the prefix "skin-" added. What would a shadow of a guy playing a cello look like? Probably not nearly as impressive as a bassist. What about the bassoon? Clarinet? Saxophonists are clearly inspired. What are we doing teaching kids to play instruments anyway? Just think of the perversion! THIS MUST BE STOPPED!!

In short - Prince's performance was sexy in true rock star fashion, but only to a PG rating at worst. Young kids would not get that imagery, and if they did, why are you letting them watch a bunch of muscle-bound guys hurt each other and then pat each other on the ass?

Prince's Halftime Exhibition

Fat, Lazy Americans

2007-02-06T09:49:00.000-05:00

What kind of world do we live in that makes people think they can get fat and then find a silver bullet to make them thin again? Some have to work harder to lose weight than others, but when it comes down to it, experts agree that losing weight is a combination of increased exercise and moderation of calorie and fat intake. Some people help themselves consume less calories with appetite suppressors, or take supplements that help increase metabolism (which usually increases anyway once you exercise regularly and follow a diet). Anyone who would believe a claim that Anna Nicole did not use a personal trainer and a dietician to lose her weight should pull their head out of the small dark place they store it in.

People of the US are going to be allowed to get progressively stupider if law suits like these keep earning people money.

Anna Nicole Smith & TrimSpa Sued

Props to AirTran!

2007-01-23T16:37:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to AirTran Airways for removing a 3-year-old who was having a tantrum and her parents on a flight departing from Miami to Boston. The child apparently was crawling under the seat and hitting her parents, and would not sit down in her seat for takeoff, a requirement of all children over age two. The child delayed the flight 15 minutes before the airline asked the family to leave the plane. In return, they were booked on a flight home the following day, refunded the cost of the three tickets, and offered a free voucher anywhere in the US.

This is obviously annoying for the parents, who insist they will never fly AirTran again, but it is a well deserved occurrence considering they could not control their child. Thanks to the airline, the other 112 passengers on the flight did not have to put up with a pesky brat screaming and hitting people for the three hour flight, and were not subject to a continued delay by parents who could not get their child to sit for a mere 20 minutes while the plane took off.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070123/ap_on_re_us/flight_tantrum

How To Be Less Approachable

2007-01-18T09:57:00.000-05:00

Something about me invites random people to start conversations. Someone, please tell me what it is so that I can NOT do it anymore, at least when it's convenient.

Yesterday on my way to work, I turned the corner at 49th & 8th, and a guy in a bright yellow jacket starts talking to me about how cold it is. He's walking in the same direction. I walk faster, to no avail. It's cold and I don't feel like walking an extra block out of my way. He introduces himself as . I say "nice to meet you, I'm going this way" and cross the street, hoping he doesn't know I work in that building.

Who says New Yorkers aren't friendly? And why are people who talk to random people on the street NEVER cute? I have friends I can hook up!

I Miss Having A Super!

2007-01-17T13:10:00.000-05:00

Anyone I've talked to in the past few days knows the saga, because it's been all I've talked about. What does it take to get a simple faucet drip fixed? We live in a building without a super that is privately owned. We've had a light switch broken since about a month after moving in, but it's in the guest bedroom so we haven't worried much about getting it fixed. More recently, my shower faucet developed a worsening leak. I went to the web site my landlord recommended last Wednesday, booked a plumber, and emailed him the quote, only to find out that he has a contractor working in the empty downstairs apartment he wants us to use.

So I call the contractor, cancel the plumber, and find out that we're unable to be home within the week to let in the contractor to do his thing. So I get a call from my landlord on Saturday, where he tells me that this puts him in an "awkward spot" since we weren't able to run home on short notice to let this guy in.

Yesterday, I get a call from the plumber I originally made an appointment with, saying my landlord called him to call me for an appointment. So I schedule him for next Tuesday, and one of us will need to be home to let him in.

Then another email from my landlord this morning, saying he booked his contractor to fix the light and the faucet, which prompts the question, who should be fixing my shower?

I don't want to let the plumber fix it if my landlord is going to claim he didn't approve it and not reimburse the expense, and I don't want to cancel on the plumber again if this contractor won't return my call (2 voicemails for him since Sunday, and no response from him yet).

$#@! What would you do?

Gym Freaks

2007-01-12T11:46:00.000-05:00

Weird incident #1:

Last Friday 1/5 I checked out a new class called "Boot Camp" at the gym. Anyone who has worked out with me knows that I have a preference towards intense workouts, mainly attributed to my gymnastics background. It was a good class, and afterwards I proceed to the locker room to shower off.

When I get back to my locker, precariously wrapped only in a skimpy gym towel because I am not SO brazen as to strut nude, a girl is standing in front of my locker, pinching her "flab" (you know when thin people slouch and then pinch their belly and say it's fat) and looking in the mirror, so I say excuse me and proceed to open my locker and start getting dressed. Little do I know, she's still standing behind me wanting to get into her locker, which was right below mine. First of all, she had not a drop of sweat on her body, and was wearing workout clothes, so I assumed she was on her way in, but apparently she was ready to change and head home. No wonder she's "flabby". Anyway, after she got her stuff (which was neatly tucked into a bag and easy to move, whereas mine was strewn in a little pile) she moved over to the next bench and gave me dirty looks while I finished getting ready.

Weird incident #2:

Last night, I bend over to tie my shoe to go home, and a girl comes by to grab her stuff out of a locker above mine. She leaves the locker door open and walks away, and I stand up and of course smack my head on the corner of the door. Who the $#@! leaves a door open when someone is right under it? Now I have a lump on my head, thankfully under my hair where you can't see it. $#@!

Blame New Jersey! (to the tune of "Blame Canada" from South Park")

2007-01-09T13:04:00.000-05:00

NY smelled funny yesterday due to a possible odor emission from Secaucus, NJ. This time the experts are saying it, too!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070109/ap_on_re_us/nyc_gas_odor

2006 In Review

2007-01-04T10:34:00.000-05:00

Dave Barry is the man.

Dave Barry's Year In Review

A Scary Time in the Neighborhood

2007-01-04T09:06:00.000-05:00

What a horrific time it is to be a parent. A mother in Indianapolis took a nap, and her two year old son wandered downstairs, outside, and onto a highway. Now she is charged with four felony counts of neglect. Not knowing this woman, this could be a valid charge or a simple case of "accidents happen".

This is a scary age to be a parent. Forty years ago, if a child fell off a jungle gym and broke an arm, it was because the child slipped, was clumsy, or maybe wasn't quite strong enough. Twenty years ago, the owner or builder of the jungle gym (or both) was at fault and sued. Today, it's the fault of whomever is present, including a parent, who in every other manner may be the ideal caregiver. We're now teaching children at the youngest ages that their actions have no repercussions, that someone else can always be held accountable.

This being said, a two year old can hardly be expected to remember not to cross the street, but could be physically capable of unlocking a door, which is scary enough in itself.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/LAW/01/03/highway.toddler.ap/index.html

A Little Nostradamus In Us All

2007-01-03T15:27:00.000-05:00

Pat Robertson has announced that God himself told him there would be another terrible terrorist attack in 2007. I wonder if he had maybe just fallen asleep during a viewing of The Sixth Sense and dreamt that "I see dead people" was actually said by God.

Given the fact that Saddam has just been hung, the current presidency is a known sham, and the Democrats have control in Congress, I'm guessing this is just another ploy to sway voters back to the Republican side. What's scary is that there are enough ignorant, careless people that actually respond to unfounded threats like this one, and I wonder how long it will be until everyone sees through this shameless scare tactic.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070103/ap_on_re_us/robertson_prediction_9

Self Accountability - part deux

2006-12-29T09:52:00.000-05:00

Having never been afflicted by issues keeping weight off, maybe I'm just unsympathetic. Maybe I was lucky to eat and learn about healthy food while growing up, or to have developed a liking for activity. But for the government to spend time creating policies for people who can't make healthy decisions is absurd.

Article

It's That Time Again

2006-12-28T15:40:00.000-05:00

It's almost the end of another year, so it must be time to reflect and resolve. Here goes...

In 2006, I:

Got engaged (1/28)
Went to Vegas for the first time (3/4-3/6-ish)
Went to Palm Desert/Palm Springs for the first time (3/7-3/10-ish)
Moved out of my beloved Manhattan... and in with *gasp* a boy (4/15)
Got a car for the first time since high school (5/20-ish)
Met an awesome group of fellow Stevens grad students... finally! (Spring)
Competed in the Empire State Games Trials for gymnastics... and qualified (6/8)
Turned 25!! (6/14)
Moved offices to Harborside from midtown (6/19-ish)
Went on my first cruise, and saw Bermuda (7/3 - 7/9)
Went to Mexico for the first time - Cabo San Lucas!! (7/29 - 8/1)
Saw the first of my childhood friends get married in Buffalo (8/5)
Went on my first solo business trip to Chicago (9/4 - 9/7)
Finished classes for my Masters in Information Systems (MSIS) (9/26)
Almost saw my first baseball playoff game at Yankee stadium... rain! (10/4)
Left my first job after college (10/13)
Started my "first job after my first job out of college", back in midtown (10/23)
Went on a trapeze for the first time (10/27)
Found my wedding dress! (11/2)
Traveled to Vermont (5/28), Boston (6/10), Lake Placid (11/11), Myrtle Beach (12/2)

As big as this year has been, 2007 promises to be even bigger, with a killer wedding on 8/25!

In 2007, I resolve to:

Keep in better touch with friends
Finally finish setting up the apartment
Kick butt at work
Go to the gym regularly
Go to happy hour equally regularly
Procrastinate less
Save money
Plan the best wedding ever!

Pet Peeves, Part 3

2006-12-20T15:23:00.000-05:00

3. When certain people sitting in the back of a bus think it's acceptable to walk to the front before the bus stops, cutting off people who are sitting in the front of the bus at the last stop, for example, on the NJ Transit buses whose routes terminate at Port Authority.

Is there no sense of order in the world? Haven't we been taught, since kindergarten days, that we should get off of a bus or train row by row, from front to back? Possibly, some of us have missed this critical stage of development.

If it's so important for you to be the first to disembark from the bus, why not stand at the front from the time you get on, and let someone else have the seat you took up? Or why not take a seat at the front of the bus? And if none are available, too damn bad. You only have to wait for 30 or so people to get off before you do, and if people stopped clambering over others to get off the bus, they might be able to do so faster.

Heathens, all of them.

Where Has Self-Accountability Gone?

2006-12-14T08:43:00.000-05:00

In yet another case of trying to protect the masses from themselves, one MTA board member, Mitch Pally, wants to eliminate bar cars on trains and the sale of alcohol at stations, claiming that people can drink too much, then drive home drunk from the train station.

Whatever happened to human responsibility? If I ride the train and have one beer, I know that I am well below the legal limit, completely sober, and as clear-minded as I can possibly be considering that I just spent 8-10 hours staring at a computer screen and dealing with all the stresses a corporate environment provides.

For that matter, what's the difference between going to happy hour before getting on the train and getting blitzed (you won't be sober by the time the train gets in) or driving to a bar after getting off the train?

Selling alcohol at the station is pure convenience. You can get a single beer, maybe a snack, and effectively take advantage of the time spent on the train to unwind. Would we rather someone grabs a six pack at a bodega on the way to the train and drinks that instead?

For every one person who makes headlines being an idiot, there are a couple hundred who use the service responsibly. Why remove a profitable service at the drop of a few idiots?

Article: Commuter Rails Drinking

Bombing for peace is like what?

2006-11-27T08:43:00.000-05:00

Pet peeve: People who blindly accuse peace advocates of not supporting the troops.

Lately it seems like people who promote world peace are getting blasted by supporters of the Iraq war (see Anti Peace Sign). Don't these people, including those with family and friends in Iraq, want the troops to come home safely? Is the goal of this nation to continuously wage war? Wanting an end to the war is in NO WAY correllated to a lack of support for the military stationed there. They have been given a job, and it's being done to the best of their ability (with whatever resources they're being given from ranks above). How does wanting that job to be determined completed so that people can safely come home to their families now constitute treason? And, irrespective of the Iraq war, what's wrong with dreaming that peace could happen, or just wanting to be a peaceful person?

People are ridiculous, as ever.

Familiar Faces in Little Italy

2006-09-27T10:34:00.000-04:00

San Gennaro is by far my favorite street fair in NYC. Best moments this year (in no particular order):

- Shaking hands with Mayor Bloomberg while at dinner with MR, JR, LS, JL and MR
- Spotting one of the girls from the Apprentice (I never see people!)
- Running into a guy from the old math days at NYU, coincidentally the same day I "ran into" another math buddy on myspace
- The traditional binge-fest with DT - Still stuffed!
- Watching the clown get dunked with TR, JL, and AC
- Cannolis, Zeppoles, Fried Oreos, and Gelato!

What does NY subway smell like?

2006-09-21T16:09:00.000-04:00

Something smells like 6 train!

Pet Peeves, Part 2

2006-08-29T08:49:00.000-04:00

2. When the culture of the town you live in condones people standing arbitrarily in the middle of the sidewalk such that you can't pass on either side without jumping in the road. Despite the relative emptiness of the sidewalk in question, said persons do not move over to let you pass, but stare lazily in your direction as you attempt to run around them without getting run over.

Pet Peeves, Part 1

2006-08-10T16:22:00.000-04:00

1. When someone asks you a question, and you tell them you need to look up the answer, and (a) they continue to badger you as if you'd already given an answer and they disagree or (b) proceed to make up an answer and continue without you.

The Trouble With Jersey Drivers...

2006-08-07T10:38:00.000-04:00

You'd think mom would give gas and brake 101 before standing in front of the moving vehicle...

Girl Kills Mom During Driving Lesson

No More Ranting

2006-08-07T09:00:00.000-04:00

Caught Light Rail 7:59 am at Bergenline. Stalled train at 2nd street. Wait time: 10 minutes.

My New Favorite Book

2006-08-06T21:27:00.000-04:00

Human beings are remarkable -- at what we can learn to live with. If we couldn't get strong from what we lose, and what we miss, and what we want and can't have, then we couldn't ever get strong enough, could we? What else makes us strong?

So we dream on. Thus we invent our lives. We give ourselves a sainted mother, we make our father a hero; and someone's older brother, and someone's older sister -- they become our heroes, too. We invent what we love, and what we fear. There is always a brave, lost brother -- and a little lost sister, too. We dream on and on: the best hotel, the perfect family, the resort life. And our dreams escape us almost as vividly as we can imagine them.

--The Hotel New Hampshire, John Irving

Cabo Pictures!

2006-08-03T21:06:00.000-04:00

July 28-31 I was in the lovely Cabo with Trevor, MJ, Travis, Rico, Roger and Mel for TP BBE 2006, the Cabo San Lucas edition. Pics are here!

Empire Trials Videos!

2006-08-03T19:44:00.000-04:00

Not exactly Olympic material, but this was the first time I've seen myself on video, and it's not scary enough to make me quit for good. :)

Uneven Bars:

Watch my beam routine here

Watch my first vault here

Ketchup

2006-08-01T13:54:00.000-04:00

Just some points of interest:

1. In the spirit of maintaining my angry rant on NYC area transit, I just want to add that NJ transit is unimaginably worse (and no, not only because it's in Jersey). The light rail only works 30% of the time. When the light rail train is working, the elevator and/or power at my station most likely is not, prompting a shuttle bus or a fun walk down 35 flights of stairs, after the 11 block walk to get there. When it gets too hot out, the cables overheat and the trains don't run. In this case, I can take the Path train to Hoboken and catch a bus, which may or may not have A/C and takes about 40 minutes.

2. No more pencils, no more books, no more teachers' dirty looks... that's right folks, I have officially completed all of my credits towards my Masters degree with a very nerdy 4.0. Only one lousy $2500 prerequisite online course and $300 in graduation fees and a diploma I will have.

3. I just got back from Cabo San Lucas, and it was fabuloso. Pics soon, I swear.

Empire Trials!

2006-06-09T11:40:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was the trials for the Empire State Games in gymnastics. I competed in 3 out of 4 events due to knee issues.

Vault: 8.05 (not bad considering a start value of 8.8 and I didn't train!)
Bars: 7.2 (missing difficulty, one break in connection)
Beam: 8.1 (missing flight series, no falls, a couple major bobbles)

These scores would have put me in 2nd place on bars and 3rd place on beam at last year's meet!

The games this year are way out in Rochester at the end of July. Not sure if it's worth the travel just to do a level 6 bar routine, but I had a blast yesterday.

Next stop: the knee doctor.

Weird...

2006-04-18T00:15:00.000-04:00

Wow - it's so weird how accurate this is...
Crush Calculator

Louisiana Man Warns: Listening to Your iPod May Cause Hearing Loss!

2006-02-06T07:54:00.000-05:00

Lawsuit: iPods may cause ... eh?

I don't know about you, but my favorite game is to see how long I can listen to my iPod at max volume before my eardrums start to bleed. How dumb can the government allow people to get?

I'm engaged!!

2006-01-30T09:15:00.000-05:00

This ring looks a lot like mine, but I had to pilfer a shot from blue nile since I couldn't get a clear shot with my digi. More details to follow.

I Knew It!

2006-01-09T23:52:00.000-05:00

If I do these, I never post the results, but I thought this was intriguing.

You Belong in London

A little old fashioned, and a little modern. A little traditional, and a little bit punk rock.A unique woman like you needs a city that offers everything.No wonder you and London will get along so well.

What City Do You Belong In?

New Year's Resolutions

2006-01-04T12:11:00.000-05:00

1. Be better at keeping in touch with everyone
2. Spend more time doing things I love and trying new things
3. Keep a journal (by recommendation of my Great Aunt). Some may say a blog should be the journal, though I'm still convinced the rest of the world is on a "need to know" basis, and, for the most part, it doesn't "need to know".

A coworker of mine told me his "mantra of the year" yesterday that is also highly appropriate: No sh** in 2006. Words to live by.

NYC Transit Mania

2005-12-19T08:16:00.000-05:00

While I fully appreciate a good struggle for workers' rights (I'm sure I am about to partake in my own individual one for the year), the transit workers' union is going too far. First of all, your average bus driver makes more than I do, and they get around an 8% raise every year, so my hope of catching up is pretty slim.

My teacher friend actually makes less than everyone in the MTA except the cleaners, who, in my obviously unqualified opinion, don't do a very good job for it either. When I came out of the subway at 51st & Lex this morning, the entire platform smelled like some unimaginable combination of rotten meat and poo.

There's so much construction it's impossible to get anywhere on the weekends, there are often ridiculous waits for trains during rush hour, during which time the platform fills up and it's all about throwing elbows to get yourself on the train, where one of the following is guaranteed to occur:

your pocket is picked
you are squished into Smelly Homeless Guy, who insists he is being pushed from behind as he grabs your butt
you are squished into Loud Preacher Guy, who insists on shouting (in your ear) about how you are a sinner if, in short, you're a liberal
you miss your stop because of schmucks who won't get out of the way
...

The main sticking point in the arguments is the MTA's proposed new pension plan, in which MTA employees will have to put in a few extra years before retirement. Not to discredit anyone at the MTA who actually does a lot of productive work, a few more years of hanging out on the platform, doing seemingly nothing useful, yet still making a paycheck doesn't seem so bad.

Maybe if NYC transit was perfect - clean, safe, on time, few service disruptions - I would change my opinion. It just seems to me that now that the MTA has announced a surplus, the workers want to get their hands on it, when it really should go towards improving transit. Maybe they could actually start on the 2nd avenue line they've been promising for years. Maybe the daily commute wouldn't smell like doody. Maybe leaving the house on time to get somewhere would be a good indicator of when you will actually arrive. The possibilities are endless.

You know it's been a late night of studying when...

2005-11-18T01:21:00.000-05:00

Oh, to be an Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifier:

An EDFA involves taking a weak arriving optical signal and combining it with a locally generated higher power optical signal in a length of fiber that has been doped with the erbium. The erbium atoms are excited by this action and they generate photons at the same phase and direction as the arriving signal.

Is that hot or what??

Shopping!

2005-10-13T13:56:00.000-04:00

People who know me also know I despise shopping. I have but one weakness, and they don't have a store in all of Manhattan. Until this winter.

That's right, ladies & gentlemen. New York & Company is opening a brand new store across the street from my office.

Man, is my wallet in trouble.

High Strung Computer Science Folk

2005-09-14T12:47:00.000-04:00

Is it me, or are people growing progressively arrogant, lazy/illiterate, and high-strung?

I'm taking an online class working towards my MS-IS. It's the third online class I will have taken at the school. The interface can seem daunting at first, but if you read the online help section, you'll figure it out by the second week of class. The course isn't a beginner course (the course ID# is 666), so you assume you have some intelligent computer/math nerds in the mix.

Within the first week of class, two people have already posted these raving, panicked posts about how they can't understand the problems, don't understand the wording (but haven't read anything yet), don't get how the interface works, don't understand posts by classmates that were intended to assist, and generally seem rude both to the professor and classmates.

Could some people be indulging in way too much caffeine for way too early in a semester?

I understand being nervous at the beginning of a semester, and that computer geeks are unnecessarily arrogant as a general rule, but if you don't understand something that's going on, you have a better chance of finding out an acceptable answer if you ask nicely rather than blowing up like an impatient little kid. It drives me nuts when people can't take accountability for their own lack of comprehension.

On a more positive note, in response to a friendly student clarification question, the professor put up a "fun" formula involving e. I like this guy already.

Talk about getting started at an early age...

2005-08-19T09:16:00.000-04:00

"The accusers, who were 5 and 6 at the time of the trial, recanted their earlier
testimony and said their grandmother told them to say Smith was responsible for
the abuse rather than their 9-year-old cousin. The cousin, who can't be
prosecuted because of his age at the time of the crime, is serving a life prison
sentence for murder. The grandmother has died."

Something tells me sheltering the 9 year old cousin backfired...

http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/08/18/refused.pardon.ap/index.html

If I've been speaking English all my life...

2005-08-18T14:20:00.000-04:00

Why do I find it impossible to talk? I just had a conference call with 4 people, none of whom I am particularly intimidated by, and all I had to say was 5 words to sum up my thought. Could I do that? Noooo. I had to stammer and sputter through about 90 seconds of drivel before I spat out something coherent.

Maybe it has something to do with translating empirical bubbles of thought to words, I don't know. I knew exactly what I was trying to say in pictures in my head. Unfortunately, the monitor displaying "pictures in Emma's head" hasn't been invented yet.

What the heck is wrong with me, and do I really want to know the answer to that?

If only we could all be so lucky

2005-08-15T16:48:00.000-04:00

"We have performed autopsies on six people. Our conclusion is they had circulation and were breathing at the time of death," Koutsaftis said.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/08/15/greece.crash.1437/index.html

Am I the only one who finds humor in that statement?

NYC transit rant...

2005-08-11T09:57:00.000-04:00

Yes, I think I am obsessed with this web site

Conductor: Ladies and gentlemen, we have some good news and some bad news. Bad news is that our engine has stopped. The good news is that you're not on an airplane.

--MetroNorth train
(fyi for non-locals - the commuter rail to Westchester and CT)

Why this is so funny:

Once when it was 10 degrees out and I was coming back to the city, this happened to me just outside of New Rochelle. They got a little engine thingie to push the train to New Rochelle station, where we got out of the train and waited outside (remember, 10 degrees) for 4 hours while they arranged for 2 buses to bring 500 people to the Pelham station (25 people at a time), where we could get on another train to the city (which waited there for all 500 people).

Other annoying things about NYC transit:

Smelly/hot subway platform or bus stop
Trains/buses not showing up for 20 minutes during rush hour
300 sweaty people waiting 20 minutes for a train, only to wait 20 more minutes when they won't fit on the one that finally comes
300 people lubed up with sweat sliding against you in the crowded train/bus
Subway announcement thanking riders for "riding with MTA NYC Transit!" (as if we had a choice)
Musical performers (particularly trumpets and mariachi trios) - confined space people!!
The preacher guy who shouts gospel to the car for the entirety of his ride. If I wanted to be lectured about being a sinner, I'd go to church

And people wonder why I don't do boroughs???

2005-08-10T10:53:00.000-04:00

http://www.overheardinnewyork.com/archives/002270.html

Who doesn't love getting hit on by the homeless?

2005-08-08T11:52:00.000-04:00

This about sums up everything I've ever thought while in this woman's situation.

http://www.overheardinnewyork.com/archives/002256.html

In a related note...

2005-07-14T19:58:00.000-04:00

Someone Should Complain to Her Soup-ervisor
Bag lady: Ladies and gentlemen, my husband and I are homeless. We can't stay at our shelter during the day so we come on the train to get food. Today we are asking for money so we can do laundry. Anything you can give will help.
Hobo: Why don't you just admit that you're gonna buy crack? I'm in the same line of work, don't believe her.

--N train

http://www.overheardinnewyork.com/archives/2005_07.html

No one wants to hear you!

2005-07-14T09:39:00.000-04:00

Is it possible to emphasize enough how utterly annoying it is to pay $76/mo for NYC MTA Subway fare and not, in exchange, ever have a peaceful ride to or from work?

Yesterday, to my surprise, I left work a few minutes early and got a seat. Just as I started to unwind and start reading my book, in comes a bum, begging for money. Does he do a short speech asking for everyone's assistance? Noooo of course not. He spends 3 stops explaining how he's in some organization or other and trying to get on his feet. Does it get him anywhere? Nope. He didn't get a dime, and some woman at the end of the car yelled at him on his way out.

This morning, coming in at a far more crowded time, I was smooshed into the usual crowd of commuters. Who comes in but Annoying Minister Guy. I've had the "pleasure" of his presence before, but usually he changes cars at the next stop. Ohhhh no. Not this morning. I got to hear his "God loves you, he died for us, the devil makes war, divorce, and gay people" tirade for 5 express stops (that's like 4 minutes between stops), leaving me only one short stop in relative peace. It's ok, I didn't want to read that chapter of my book yet anyway.

Am I the only one that gets irritated at these things? What is it with people? If you don't have anything useful to say, leave the rest of us alone.

Meet the world's newest health nut...

2005-07-05T13:49:00.000-04:00

Latest book on the reading list: Fat Land by Greg Critser
Describing the modern history of fat in the US, Critser leads you quickly through the government-induced increase in accessibility of fattening products and the evil marketing geniuses who created value meals. He follows this up with a detailed description of what excessive fat actually does to your body parts, which is guaranteed to scare the bejeezus out of anyone who's ever had a sip of coke.

What is interesting about the book are the facts provided about how the government changed agriculture/trade regulations to allow for the reduction in price of fattier foods (also, assumedly, healthier foods, but that's beside the point). I also never knew that the adult value meal also came before the kids' happy meal, or that the physical fitness test in physical education class was derived from two different ideals, one of which focuses on physical activities and the other on flexibility and BMI. The apathy towards controlling obesity, at least as presented by Critser, is appalling.

The one major disagreement I have with Critser is his argument that people will go out and eat fast food simply because it's cheaper and they can have more of it. Personally, if I could spend $6 on a McDonald's value meal, or $6 on a salad from Cafe Metro, I'd go for the salad 9 times out of 10. For one, I won't feel like a giant grease ball after my meal, and two, my body may actually process and use some of it, rather than eject it almost immediately. Don't any other people in the world have this kind of common sense? It should not take a genius to figure out a portion of greasy potato sticks fried in lard will make you fatter than eating the same size portion of baked potato (which is readily available at Wendy's for about the same price as the bag of fries). Does every consumer, regardless of class, have an option to eat better? I believe so. Will the healthy option taste as good? Probably not, but isn't that what makes the bad stuff so appealing?

I found this book to be more informational than the Super Size Me documentary because it's not only about the evils of fast food. Overall, I recommend the read.

Pop Princess and Wife Beater Queen

2005-05-18T11:25:00.000-04:00

Now this is the lovable Britney Spears I remember...

Dave Letterman Top 10 Reasons to Watch Britney & Kevin: Chaotic
10. Britney: There's never-before-seen footage of me wrestling an alligator.
9. Kevin: Unlike those "Desperate Housewives" chicks, we're not, like, 60 years old.
8. Britney: It's like "American Idol" except no one sleeps with Paula Abdul.
7. Kevin: In the first episode, you can see my ass.
6. Britney: I'm hot.
5. Kevin: She's hot.
4. Britney and Kevin: We haven't had nearly enough media coverage.
3. Britney: It's gotta be better than this show.
2. Kevin: If enough people tune in, maybe my wife will make out with Madonna again.
1. Britney: In the season finale, you'll find out that Dave is the father of my baby -- oops.

Darwin Nominee of the Day

2005-05-17T08:56:00.000-04:00

A man jumped off the Eiffel Tower last night, intending to use a parachute and promote clothing, and died when the 'chute got snagged and detached after he jumped. (see CNN article). Common sense says don't jump in the first place, but if you still feel compelled, common sense might have you triple checking your equipment. Though they do say truly smart people lack common sense. Just a thought to ponder.

On a more interesting note from the article:

"Franz Reichel, a mustachioed Austrian tailor, was killed leaping from the first deck in 1912 to test a tent-like parachute coat he had invented. He is said to have died of fright before hitting the ground."

No word on how old this man actually was.

The Fountainhead, All Wet?

2005-05-16T14:34:00.000-04:00

This weekend I finally finished reading The Fountainhead, the famous book by Ayn Rand that almost everyone else in the country read long ago, before me, and "LOVE love love love love loved" it.

The book is 800 long pages, and I labored through it for about a month, including a week haitus when I couldn't take it anymore, and finally found some chapters at the very end that captivated me enough to say I couldn't put the book down (maybe 50 pages, total).

I generally don't go around trash-talking about books that are commonly accepted as wonderful, but I honestly need to call this an overrated novel. Maybe it's because I became predisposed to hating it because so many random strangers on public transit insisted on interrupting me to mention how much they love the book. Maybe it's because everyone says the exact same thing and has the exact same opinions about the book, which, ironically enough, seems to contradict what Ms. Rand so thoroughly and relentlessly promotes. Maybe it's because I don't personally have the patience for a repetitive, slow-moving soap opera with characters I can't quite care about.

This isn't to say that I don't find the writing style to be eloquent, or that I lack appreciation for the ideal presented. I think the concept of selfishness for the greater good is fascinating, as do lovers of Ayn Rand works. Anyone who has ever been made to feel inadequate would logically feel this way. I don't discredit the effort to create such a lengthy, epic tale, but I feel like a few of the hours spent reading this would have been better spent elsewhere.

And you wonder what I'm doing instead of blogging. ;)

Foot in mouth disease... the plague returns

2005-04-26T09:41:00.000-04:00

Last night I went out and finally got the chance to meet my boyfriend's close friend who was in town for the night. Not that friends should really be a relationship determinant, but you still never want your significant other's friends to hate you. So, of course, unknowingly, I spit out something completely rude. Basic conversation dialogue as follows:

Him: Where are you from originally?
Me: Connecticut.
Him: The only thing they have there are prep schools and farms.
Me: That's not totally true...
Him: It definitely is.
Me: Well... there actually is this prep-boarding school in my town, but the only people that go there are kids from the rich CT towns whose parents don't want them.
Him: Which school is that?
Me: Choate.
Him: I went there.

Crap. What are the odds of that happening?

2005-04-25T08:39:00.000-04:00

I would like to register an official complaint about the general population of NYC (particularly females) who feel that, after having one (count it, one) freakishly warm April day (Wednesday, April 20, 82 degrees), the skank tanks and short shorts should be scavenged from the depths of storage and worn outdoors (even though the temperature has dropped to a more characteristic 55 degrees, Farenheit).

Let me give some of you a bit of advice. It's April. It's still too gosh darn cold out to be exposing that much of your birthday suit. Especially when, having obviously not completed the age old springtime regiment of burning off the winter jello-belly so as to actually look good wearing such clothing (in June, when summer starts), there is far more birthday suit than the norm being exposed.

Don't get me wrong, this matter wouldn't be so complaint worthy had the hoochie skirts and crop tops went away after that one day. But just because we had one day of lovely weather, somehow it seems that several people have already gone ahead and put all of their spring clothes away never to be seen again. It makes me hope for a freak mid-afternoon blizzard and that causes frostbite in unthinkable places for those less prepared to face the elements.

Introducing...

2005-04-13T15:30:00.000-04:00

My random opinions, back on the web again. Who would've thought.