Not all who Wander are Lost

On Vaca...

2009-06-25T02:11:00.003-05:00

Hello Faithful Readers...(or reader. That would probably be more accurate!)

As is obvious, I have taken a break from blogging the last few months for a variety of reasons.

A. I have been crazy busy at work traveling like mad, and just haven't had time.

B. That constant feeling that I NEED to update my blog because I have taken so many fabulous trips lately was actually stressing me out.

C. I still have not replaced the Internet in my house that I cancelled after a huge argument with Charter back in October. Its hard to update on my off time, when I can't get online.

D. Blogspot can be frustrating at times. They have a lot of technical probs they need to work on. I actually have a couple half-written entries that I can't get the pictures to post on correctly so I gave up.

Hopefully I will be back soon, I actually do enjoy the writing, but I am not making any promises.

Word,
Vivi

Temple of Heaven Park & Fun with Kites

2009-04-16T12:42:00.018-05:00

When I was in my second or third week of the big Beijing trip, I covered one of the tours to the Temple of Heaven. Now, while the temple itself was pretty cool, and something to see, my favorite part of that day was the fantastic park that surrounded.

It was basically a daytime social center for the city of Beijing. A place where apartment dwellers could feel like they have their own backyards. All these local people would gather to entertain themselves with all sorts of outdoor activities. Some examples...

The women doing a fun rhythmic, ribbon dancing thing to music that they played on a portable stereo and speaker.

In one area, a bunch of folks were dancing to traditional Chinese music. It was a funny mix of young & old and good dancers & bad dancers.

And there was a bunch of teenagers that were obsessively playing this hackysack-like game in group circles. The difference was that the actual hacky sack had these feathers sticking out to make it fly pretty high in the air. I even joined in and played for a little while.

FYI : Hacky sacking with the feathered hacky sack is harder than it looks!

Of course, I totally bought one of these feathery hacky sack things.

The Day of the Kite

My favorite part of the park by far, was all these people flying kites. It looked like so much fun! I was talking about for weeks wanting to go out there and try. I was bugging my coworkers and my new friends to go with me, but to no avail. Finally, in the 6th week of the trip, I decided to buck it up, buy a kite, and fly it by myself.

Well basically, hilarity ensued.

Problem #1: When you buy a kite in China, it comes unesembled, and you have to put it together.

Solution: This nice kitestand worker put mine together for me.....because I was clueless.

The finished product.....

Me & my new kite, ready to brave the winds in the park.

Problem #2: I don't remember how to fly a kite. The last time I did it, I think I was 7.

Solution: Stand in the field of the park holding your kite in your hand and looking very confused. Eventually someone will come help you. Like this old man....

He tried (in Chinese) to explain to me how to fly the kite. We got nowhere. Then, he even helped me launch it by throwing the kite up in the wind while I ran with the string spool. Again, we got nowhere. He eventually just smiled, nodded his head, and walked away.

I tried for awhile on my own.

Problem #3: Flying a kite is a two person job. One to run with the spool, and one to hold & throw the kite.

Solution: Run around with the spool in hand, letting the kite drag 25 ft. behind you, in hopes that someone else will feel sorry for you and try to help.

Enter these 2 ladies....

They examined my kite for awhile, and tried, again in Chinese, to tell me what I was doing wrong. Well, it seemed the two of them had very different opinions on kite flying, and they ended up getting in a bickering agrument as to how to help me. It was very entertaining watching them yell in Chinese and hand jesture to me and eachother.

They soon gave up also, and I was left to have a go on my own.

And, unfortunately, after almost 2 hours of attempting to fly my new Chinese kite, this is about the best flying attempt I had, and look where it ended up...

Oh well. Still a very enjoyable afternoon.

Quickie: The Famous Door at the St. Regis

2009-04-03T21:52:00.007-05:00

Do you remember a few years ago when President George Bush was in China giving a press conference, and he tried to walk out the wrong door? There were all these pictures, and videos of him looking pretty stupid pulling on the locked door, and then just standing there confused.

Here's a visual.....

Well, this liitle incident took place at the hotel that I am staying at in Beijing, The St. Regis. The now infamous door was right outside the ballroom where our group dinners were held. And just for fun, and a bit out of boredom when I was having to cover the dinner, I decided to do a little reinactment of the event.

So, here I am on the 2nd floor of the St. Regis Beijing pulling on the exact locked door that thrawted President Bush in 2005.

Good Times!

The Night of the Crazy Mongolian Lady

2009-04-01T00:30:00.002-05:00

I love a good night out. Especially one as random as the story I am about to tell. Oh, and just so you know, there are bits and pieces of this night missing in my mind. So, to quote a cheesy movie I loved....."I'm not going to tell the story the way it happen, I'm going to tell it the way I remember it."

And I'm doing timeline form. My favorite.

Backstory: This particular evening, I was going out on the town with my new friend, who I will call D, that was also a guest in the same hotel. We were heading to an area called Sanlitun. Known for its main bar street and backallies of smaller dance joints and cheesy pubs, it is popular with a fun international crowd.

10:30 PM: We head to a little hidden restaurant that I discovered called The Tree. They have awesomely greasy pizza and also some great beer brands you wouldn't expect to find in China. I was drinkin' some Strongbow this evening. Good times were being had.

11:30 PM: We somehow strike up a convo with this older, cougar-esque woman sitting at the bar by herself. She is actually hilarious, and we find out that she is Mongolian....hence the nickname. From here on out, since for the life of me I can't remember what her real name was, she will be referred to as CML (Crazy Mongolian Lady).

Love the fact that she is wearing her sunglasses in the bar....

12:30 AM: As I was noting CML's very intent interest in hanging out with us, she suggests that we follow her to another bar nearby that had a band. Although, in the back of my head, I was thinking she wanted to...ahem..."Ride the tricycle" (random How I met your Mother reference), she definitely seemed harmless enough and we agreed to go.

12:45 AM: While walking, I hear the faint sound of It's Gonna Be Me wafting into the street. Of course we can't just pass by a bar playing N'Sync, and not stop and get down. So, enroute, we make a short detour to this other club for a beer or two. I recall dancing with some Dutch students at this point.

1:15 AM: The 3 of us get to a bar that I believe was called Studio 65 to hear CML's recommended band. And they were FANTASTIC. It was this Chinese total rock cover band. So very fun.

This band had a great chick lead singer. Here we are with her.

I was dancing like an idiot to the great Nirvana and Areosmith tunes they were kickin'.

I also may or may not have been headbanging a little. My neck was hurting a lot the next day, so I think it was "may have".

By far my favorite band I have seen since coming to China. Thumbs up to CML's musical taste.

2:45 AM: The band finishes and the bar closes. By now, we have made friends with some Chinese guys who were also at the bar, and all of us were hanging outside and snappin' pics of ourselves with the band.

At some point, and I'm not sure how they came on the scene, we added these 2 Austrian guys, one's name was Dan, into our group. Well, CML now suggests that we hit a late night place called Maggie's.

Here's where I get suspicious.

I had heard of Maggie's. One of the hotel contacts had mentioned it to me before because it is near the hotel, and apparently an establishment popular with those seeking ladies of the night, if you will.

I share this tidbit with CML, and she just laughs it off. When I mention something to D, he says, and I quote..."She steered us right to this bar, let's trust her on the next place." So, I play along.

3:00 AM: CML, the 2 new Austrian guys, D, and myself all stuff in a taxi on our way to Maggie's. I am sprawled out sitting across everyone in the backseat. I think my legs were literally hanging out a window.

3:20 AM: We tumbled out at our destination and stumble into Maggie's.

Let me give you a visual: The place is very dark, and decorated with cheesy velvet chairs and tall booth couches. It is full of old Western men, most of which were in suits, or at least jackets. The only girls in the joint were very scantily clad young Chinese girls.

I was sooo right....it was a hooker bar!

3:23 AM: I totally realize that I had been wrong about CML. She wasn't just a cougar looking to possibly third wheel, She was a madame. This was confirmed when, right after we walked in, she went to talk to all these young ladies that she apparently knew.

Like a light bulb turning on, it all came together. She was bringing the guys here to hook them up. Now the question in my head was, how was she planning to get rid of me?

3:30 AM: Being the curious and adventurous person I am, I start walking around this bar taking it all in. The place really was hilarious. I was the ONLY nonChinese girl in there. Everyone was staring at me. Luckily, we were so overserved by this point, I just decided to go with it.

The first 45 minutes here were actually fun. I was lovin' the people watching. And they had a dance floor where the DJ was totally playing stuff like Beyonce. Awesome. I recall doing a performance of the Carlton dance. And I know I slapped the floor at least 4 times. We owned that dance floor!

4:15 AM: O.K. This next part is very fuzzy. At some point, this large guy who I think was Russian, but know was creepy, tried to talk to me when I was on my way back from the bathroom. I believe there to have been a boob graze.

....And that was my cue. As much fun as the dancing was at this place, it was time. I said a quick goodbye to CML, who looked very disappointed that we, or at least D, was leaving. Thought about saying goodbye to the Austrian guys (but their attentions were engaged with some new female..ahem...friends of CML's), and we walked back to the hotel, laughing the entire time about what all had transpired in the last 6 hours.

All in all, definitely a very entertaining night in Beijing.

My 2nd Favorite Holiday - Chinese Style

2009-03-24T04:24:00.019-05:00

I was so excited! We were halfway through the 2 month trip to Beijing, and it was St. Patrick's Day.

The other travel staff had put me in charge of the evening. I spent a long time researching, and planning, and asking local people advise until I came up with the "Beijing St. Patrick's Day Pub Crawl".

After the itinerary was complete, I headed to the Market to purchase the appropriate paraphernalia for the event. I searched high and low for those plastic green beads to wear, but ended up with actual jewelery. I found a very unique green stoned necklace that tied in the front, and would not only be festive for St. Paddy's, but I would also be able to wear it again.

Then I went crazy. I bought green face glitter, and green nail polish. The funniest purchase by far was, of course, the bright green stocking I bought to wear with my black boots. Awesome! The sucky part was that, despite the saleslady saying they would fit me, after I got dressed and put them on, I started on my way to the elevator. By the time I got there...my new green tights were around my knees. Oh well...I was still happy with the Green themed outfit, and ready for whatever March 17th in China would bring.

The first stop on our Pub Crawl was to be Dirty Nelly's. As soon as we got there, we saw that the entire place was decked out in green balloons. And the workers were handing out shamrock stickers.

Here we are with our first beers of the night

We noticed that there was live music. I have to say that I found it a bit hilarious to see this band of all Chinese people dressed in matching St. Paddy's day shirts.

I did find it interesting though, that the bar's idea of festive St. Patrick's Day music was this band playing covers of U2 all night.

Then the bagpiper came in.

Now, I had always thought that bagpipers were strictly Scottish, but I went with it. And, of course, made friends with the guy!

Next came the very unexpected visit from St. Patrick himself!

All through the evening, we were making friends with people from all over the world. Here we are with 2 German guys from Stuttgart, who work here in Beijing. They were a lot of fun and we did some great Irish Whiskey shots with them!

All in all, a very memorable St. Patrick's Day in China. We never made it past the first bar, just staying at Dirty Nelly's dancing and partyin' into the wee hours. So, technically, it was not a pub crawl. But a fantastic night was had by all. Erin go Braugh!

Quickie: Answering a Common Question

2009-03-16T20:43:00.007-05:00

I am not sure why this is, but lately, a lot of people have been asking me where in the world I have left to go. I mean, I know I travel quite a bit, but there are still A LOT of places left fot me to see.

Here is the list of 5 trips I would like to take someday. (hopefully sooner than later)

1. India
2. Egypt
3. Antarctica
4. Israel
5. Alaska

And yes...I do realize it is weird that with all my travels, I have never been to Alaska. Don't worry, I am bothered by that fact.

If anyone cares, the next 5 would be....

6. Peru
7. Nepal
8. The Galapagos Islands
9. Morocco
10. Bora Bora

Who's up for a trip to any of the above???

The Limit to my Courage....The Beijing Night Market

2009-03-15T01:52:00.017-05:00

So I am a pretty adventurous person. Always have been, even when I was a kid. I was, and am, basically scared of nothing.

I have done all sorts of crazy, exhilarating things all over the world: I went skydiving over Hawaii. I did the hang gliding over the urban forest in Rio De Janeiro. I tackled 4+ rated rapids in the coal mining rivers of West Viriginia. I climbed the Syndey Harbour Bridge. Most recently, I did the 10K treacherous hike of the Great Wall of China portion all by myself.

Basically then, I have very little fear...except for one category. I don't eat gross things. Just can't do it. It is the single factor that will never allow me to be on any kind of adventure reality show. It's not even that I can't stomach yucky food; I can't even get to the point where I would put it in my mouth.

I will admit that I am braver when it comes to meats. If something is cooked all the way through, and doesn't resemble the original animal on the plate, I'm usually cool with that. For example, I ate boiled duck brain at a restaurant here in Beijing a couple weeks ago.

Well, out of morbid curiosity more than anything, I braved the Beijing Night Market last week. It is this street fair food stand type thing that they have every night - known for cooking right in front of you, and some very unusual food.

And it really is something to see.

I decided that talking about the Night Market would not do it justice, so here are the pics of my recent adventure.....

First, an overview of the food stands and their offerings.

Anyone up for silkworm on a stick???

How about a scrumptious fried centipede on a stick. "On a stick" was a big theme at the market. Probably because it was easy for the workers to fry up the goodies in these huge vats of boiling oil they set up right there on the street.

Tasty seahorse maybe, to take the edge off your hunger before dinner.

The giant grasshoppers. On a stick of course.

A close up of the popular Chinese snack.

And the gratuitous posed "pretending to eat the fried grasshopper" shot.
My personal favorite find at the market..... I am posing with a big kettle of stew. What kind of stew do you ask?
I'll answer that question with the following picture of the menu at this particular food stall. Yeah. Needless to say, I did not partake of that.

The funny thing is that, as soon as we were finished walking through the infamous market, we went out for a lovely dinner. I had chicken.

P.S. I do have to add a "shoutout" here to my coworker Beth. She said, before we were on our way to the market, that she was going to eat a scorpion. And she did!

WoooHooo Beth! You are braver than I. And I will never get out of my head the look on your face, when you had just stuffed the whole fried scorpion in your mouth at once, and were chewing it up. Priceless!

It has Officially Begun.....

2009-03-13T05:12:00.010-05:00

(Disclaimer: This blog entry is not written by Vivian but, like all her blog entries that deal with her various high school pop culture obsessions, it is written by her 16 year old alter ego.)

Like OMG!!!!!

America's favorite vampire family is all in Vancouver, and camera tests have started for New Moon! WoooHooo!!! The first pics from the set are in......

Here is my fictional, self-loathing, Hottie McHotterson, immortal boyfriend Edward Cullen on the set.

And here is RPatz out of costume looking as only he can. Clearly, there is no explanation needed as for why every women in this country between the ages of 14 & 49 is completely swooning. Not to mention all the gay men. (Perez Hilton is OBSESSED with him) I mean, look at that smile. I just want to start licking him.

And the picture, that seriously made me laugh, posted on PerezHilton the other day. He so wants him some Rob.....

I am really getting excited for all this New Moon stuff. With the insane popularity of the first movie, the buzz about this one will be out of control. I'm psyched for all the updates, and footage that there is sure to be. It really is a shame that the movie is going to suck so bad!!!!

There were 101 photos taken on this first day of pre-filming, so here's the link to the rest....

http://gallery.twilightersanonymous.com/thumbnails.php?album=188

A couple of things to notice as you peruse the pics (don't worry, I looked at ALL of them)....

1. Nikki Reed (AKA Rosalie) is wearing a wig this time around. For Twilight she was insistent that she not have a wig, and instead dyed her hair blond.

2. Taylor (AKA Jacob) is looking very buff. He definitely was working out like crazy as promised.

3. Is it just me, or does the entire cast smoke? Everyone one of them has a cig in at least one picture. Interesting.

Quote of the Day

2009-03-12T01:59:00.005-05:00

“That’s like getting hate mail from Hitler."

- Seth Mcfarlane (Creator of Family Guy) referring to the Parents Television Council (a fundamentalist Christian watchdog group) and their complaints to the FCC about the show and its "inappropriate" humor.

Seth then went on to say....

"They’re literally terrible human beings. I’ve read their newsletter, I’ve visited their website, and they’re just rotten to the core. For an organization that prides itself on Christian values – I mean, I’m an atheist, so what do I know? – they spend their entire day hating people.”

The Great Wall of China

2009-03-01T21:50:00.013-06:00

Been there...

Done that...

Bought the T-shirt!

More Great Wall of China info and pictures coming soon.

I just went to Badaling, the popular tourist section yesterday. But next week, I will be taking the very challenging and treacherous 10 km hike from Jinshanling to Simatai. Apparently it has 250 ft. drops, 70 degree staircases, a zipline, suspension bridges, and hasn't been restored since 1530.

I'm scared, but psyched!

Victory...My First Adventure in Beijing!

2009-02-23T03:00:00.015-06:00

A few days ago, I decided to go and see the Olympic Stadium (AKA the Birds Nest) and the National Aquatic Center (AKA The Water Cube) from the recent games here in China. Both of these building have been near the top of my list of sites.

My adventurous spirit made me decide that instead of taking a cab, which are very cheap....usually no more than $3-4 bucks to get anywhere, I would brave, and try to master, the subway. This would be a good trip to do it with since, according to the subway map, I would have to change trainlines 4 times.

So I set out, subway map in hand, to get to the destination. According to the local company helping us, this was to be a 30 min subway trip. Of course, they did not take into account that I would misread the signs and go the wrong way on the first train. Or even that I would accidentally exit one of the transfer stations and end up having to buy another ticket to get back in and find the right line.

But an hour and 15 minutes later, I was exiting the subway tunnel of the the Olympic park stop. It was weird, but I was feeling strangely exhilarated! I felt like I was in a competition myself. Me against the Beijing Subway system, and although the game was rough...I was emerging victorious! A huge smile crossed my face as I ascended to the open air, and right smack in front of me was the Birds Nest......

And it was even more spectacular than I remembered it looking on TV.

The funniest part, that coincided with my feeling of accomplishment, was that there were all these speakers in the courtyard, and they were blaring that "One World One Dream" song (that was always playing on NBC during the games) while I walked up to the building. Totally cheesy, but a very moving moment for me. Let me explain....

Since I was a kid, I have been obsessed with the Olympics and all the hoopla. I always buy into the corny inspirational commercials and the heartwarming backstories of the athletes. So I let it slide when a small tear welled up inside of me as I took in these stadiums for the first time.

One other little tidbit about touring around this area....the staring was worse here than it has been anywhere else in Beijing so far. EVERYONE was looking at me! Now, as I have been told, most Beijingers are used to seeing Western people since the Olympics. But the difference here is that a lot of the people walking around the stadiums would be tourists from other parts of China. It was very possible that I was the first non-Asian person they had ever seen. There were even people taking my picture, and a few who wanted to pose with me.

It was hilarious. After this happen a few times, I was then giving them my camera to get a picture of us together also. Very fun!

So here are some pics.......Enjoy.

As you can see, it is very cold here.

One of my new friends who wanted to get a picture of me. By the by, everyone here does a peace sign when they get their picture taken with an American. For some reason, the Chinese think that all Americans give each other peace signs all the time.

Another new friend. Another peace sign.

A close up of the design.

The gratuitous Vanna White picture.

The Water Cube.

Me and the Water Cube.

The watching tower between the two buildings. Apparently this is where the super important people watched the Olympic goings on from.

Stay tuned for more pics of the Olympic stuff. Since I didn't have a chance to tour the inside on this particular day, I will have to go back and do that. Can't wait!

The Economy for Dummies

2009-02-21T21:26:00.005-06:00

I saw this today. It's long, but I think it is the best explanation of the credit crisis in the United States. I love the cartoons and simplicity of it. And yes...I realize that the last sentence makes me sound like a typical uninformed American idiot who has to have everything dumbed down for her. Whatever. Watch the video.

Quickie: Day 1 in Beijing

2009-02-13T23:32:00.004-06:00

6:00 PM Flight lands in Beijing Airport

7:00 PM Arrive at AWESOME St. Regis Hotel

7:15 PM Private butler shows me around my room

7:30 PM Hotel convention contact treats us to drinks and dinner at cool bar in hotel with live music.

10:00 PM Hotel contact surprises us with complimentary massages in the St. Regis Spa after dinner.

11:30 PM I go to bed drunk and relaxed.

Not a bad first 5 hours.

Divorce

2009-02-11T13:29:00.010-06:00

It's been about 3 weeks since I blogged about anything political, so I'm due. And here it is.

A friend sent me this video today. And it did effect me. Probably because this is the first time I realized that since the passage of Prop 8 banning Same Sex marriage in California, the proposed dissolution of all the previously legal marriages in that state can be compared to making people get legally divorced. What kind of country do we live in that would force that?

And the fact that Ken Starr (the jackass who was behind impeaching Clinton...and who I have a theory about how he is responsible for 9/11) is a part of the legal team is sickening to me.

Here's a snippet of the article...followed by the video. It's a tearjerker.

On December 19, 2008, Ken Starr and the Prop 8 Legal Defense Fund filed legal briefs defending the constitutionality of Prop 8 and seeking to nullify the marriages of 18,000 devoted same-sex couples solemnized before Prop 8 passed.

The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in this case on March 5, with a decision expected within 90 days. We, the undersigned, ask that the Court enforce the equality promised to each of us by our constitution and invalidate Prop 8. So doing will protect all loving, committed couples in California -– including the 18,000 who said "I do" last year –- and prevent the initiative process from being a tool for stripping vulnerable minorities of precious constitutional rights.

This video may have been cheesy but seriously. These are families. And devoted partners. They deserve for their marriages to remain recognized and legal.

I am caving...25 (or 20) Random Things

2009-02-09T11:16:00.009-06:00

This has been all over Facebook. At first I wasn't going to do it, and instead just posted a snide comment on my profile about how everything I do is random.

But I did have a change of heart, probably after reading a lot of other people's 25 Random lists, and decided I would give it a try. I decided to post it here instead of Facebook.
Why? I'm not entirely sure. I think because I don't feel the need for all 300 if my Facebook friends to see it. Just those friends (and I don't think there are really that many) who actually regularly read this blog. And I guess all the strangers who stumble upon this blog. Here goes....

Ohh...and I'm only doing 20 because I think 25 is too many!

20 Random Things about Me

1. My pinky toenails on both feet are triangular. I have been to a few doctors about this throughout my life, and have been told that there is nothing wrong with them. It is actually common. Although I have never seen anyone else who has this. I also have crossover toes. I also have a strange baldspot right at my hairline above my nose.

2. I have been to over 60 countries and 6 continents in my life. But I have never been 3 hours South to the city of Branson, Mo. And it is a personal goal of mine to NEVER go to that city. What makes this funny, is that on many, many occasions in my international travels - when foriegn people have found out that I am from Missouri, they ask me about Branson. I actually get really annoyed about it.

3. My favorite word to say is "dallop". I don't get to use it much in normal conversation, but I think it is so very fun to say. The funniest spoken word, in my opinion is when British people say the word "scrotum". I think it is hilarious! I have been known to ask people with British accents to say that word, and I can't help but giggling and getting very entertained by it. It's not as funny when Americans say it...just Brits.

4. I do not really believe in counseling or psychology as a way to solve personal problems. Which is actually kind of ironic, because my mother is a psychologist. Nor do I buy into 12 step programs, and most self-help philosophies. I think we all have the ability to fix our own problems within. I do however believe in medication, and anti-depression drugs. It's am interesting paradox for me. I don't get people who are suffering and refuse to take medication for stupid reasons.

5. I really am not joking when I say I don't want children. I get very upset at people who try to question this, and convince me that I would be a great mother. My theory is ...why would you ever want to convince someone who states out loud that they are not cut out for parenthood? That they do not have the patience to deal with all the issues parents have to deal with? With all the bad parents, and abusive parents in the world, why would you even consider encourages someone who point blank thinks they would be bad at the job? Makes no sense to me.

6. I really believe that a sunny day, my convertible with the top down, a great CD of songs that I know all the words to, and a 44 oz fountain Caffeine Free Diet Coke from QT can fix all when I am depressed or in a foul mood.

7. I hold grudges. And it takes me a long time to get over things. I am still mad at folks for things that happen 15 years ago. It's not like I go out of my way to hate people or anything, but if I run into, or if someone that made me mad in the past is mentioned, I can't help but still be pissed at them. Not to their face or anything, but in my head. This is a big struggle for me. Because I know it is unreasonable, but the thoughts are always there.

8. I nap in the shower sometimes. Not the bathtub...the shower. I can't do this at my own house, because the hot water runs out too fast. But, when I stay at hotels, I have been known to actually lie or sit (depending on the size) on the floor of the shower with a washcloth over my eyes and dose off for more than 30/45 minutes while the water is hitting down on me. It is incredibly relaxing. I would probably nap in the tub if I wasn't afraid of accidentally drowning, but in the shower that is not possible.

I struggle with how much water I am wasting, but I recently gave up bottled water, and have been trying to be more green in my life to make up for it.

9. My favorite phrases that I use entirely too much, but love....

I got nothing.
I'm picking up what you're putting down.
There is nothing about this that is not awesome.
Word. (as a greeting)
I have no use for that person.
I hate (fill in the blank) with the fire of a thousand suns.
I wouldn't kick him out of bed for eating crackers.
Score.

I have also, thanks to Barney on How I Met Your Mother have started to embrace "High Five" in the last few years.

10. I gave up caffeine about 4 years ago. It was a great decision once I was truly able to break the addiction. Now when I drink caffeine (even a little bit) it makes me absolutely crazy. I shake uncontrollably, and I can't stop babbling. It feels like I am drunk. If I drink a lot of it (Like 2 or 3 fountains sodas worth in one day or some red bulls) , I get these crazy heart palpations that have actually landed me in the hospital twice. It's amazing that this happens now considering that I used to drink ridiculous amounts of caffeinated soda with no side effects in high school and college.

11. If I could live anywhere in the world besides the United States, I would live in Dublin, or another city in Ireland. My favorite international city to visit is Buenos Aries, Argentina.

12. I would love to meet and have a conversation with John Hughes. I think he is one of the most insightful and underrated movie writers, directors, and producers of our time. No one has better captured the spirit of the American teenager.

13. My mother is one of the most amazing and real people I know. I don't think we are a lot alike, but we have similar temperaments. We fight all the time, and we both get very frustrated with each other. This is going to sound strange, but I do not agree with a lot of the decisions she has made in her life. However, I really admire her for where she came from, and what she has accomplished. I love her a lot, and know that she would (and does) do anything she can for me. I know as I get older, we will find that very close knit relationship that I wish we had now.

14. I love my name, and always have. I beam when people tell me how much they like it, because I think it is such a great compliment. Vivian is Latin for "Full of Life". I think it suits me, and fits well with my last name. I have many nicknames, and never have an issue with them. The obvious one is Viv. My parents and mom's family call me Vivi (pronounced ViVe). That is mainly because my grandmother has the same name, and they called her Viv. Some people from college call me Vivi (VeVe). And of course, thanks to Pretty Woman, I went through many years of "Yo Viv Babe". But, I always introduce myself with my full name Vivian Costello.

15. I hate mushrooms. Even the sight and smell of them makes me sick. I tell people I am allergic.

16. I have an irrational fear of being poor. I don't know why. I am deathly afraid of credit card debt, and have never had a balance on a credit card. I am terrified of living above my means, and have been really scared to make major purchases in my life, even ones I know I can afford.

17. The only real goal I have in my life is to visit all 50 states and all 7 continents. I have Montana, South Dakota, North Dakota, Alaska, and Maine left in the US, and the continent of Antarctica left.

18. I love to go to the movies. I could go everyday. I have been known to go to more than one movie a day. I have no shame about going to movies by myself, I do it all the time. I am also very interested in the economics and business of movies and movie making. I often track those details like how much money they take in compared to the production costs; how and where movies are marketed; the breakdown and percentages of studios vs. theaters. I think it is a very interesting world, and would possible enjoy a career in the movie production and studio industry someday.

19. I can't carry a tune in a bucket. But I love to sing! I do it all the time....in the car, in the shower, etc. I love to karaoke.

20. I think I have a very wide array of interests. It sometimes surprises people the random subjects I care about. I ask a lot of questions. If something peaks my query, I am the kind of person who has to research and get the back story. This happens in conversations, TV shows, movies, books....anything. Thank God for the Internet. This is also why I seem to know a lot of silly little trivia facts. And piggybacking on this, I am pretty good at faking an interest of things I really don't care about in casual convos and stuff.

A Little Segment I will Call......

2009-02-05T10:29:00.006-06:00

In the Pages of Us Weekly.

O.K. Trying something new here. I am going to flip through the February 9th issue of the magazine, and share my thoughts as they come up. This could be weird, but play along.

* When did Makeup at Target get so expensive. $12 for a lip pencil? At Target? Yeah...seems reasonable.

* Poncho sweaters make thin people (like Jenny Mcarthy and Lily Allen) look fat. I shutter to think what fat people would look like in them.

* I like the "Who Wore it Best" page, but I don't always agree with the majority.

* Kelly Osborne is so 2002. And she is entering Rehab again? SHOCKER.

* Kate and Leo should just sleep with eachother and get it over with. The sexual tension is so obvious. And at least they are the same age. No offense to Sam Mendes or Leo's model of the hour.

* They did an article called "Shakira's Inauguration Diary". Seriously? Shakira? And politics? WOW.

* I'm glad that all the oldies (sans Clooney) are coming back for appearances in the last season of ER. I will point out that I haven't watched the show since 1999, but still, its sad that it is ending.

* I want to watch that show United States of Tara sometime. I heard someone recommend it recently, and it was totally written by Diablo Cody of Juno fame.

* Dispite thinking that it is funny that Angelina Jolie wore her SAG Awards dress backwards, I thought she looked really pretty. Its a shame all the fashion commentators dogged her. And that is saying a lot for me, because I really can't stand her. The mag got a nice shot of Brad smiling at her. He really is in love.

* That chick from Slumdog Millionaire is absolutely gorgeous. I want her skin. Its radiant.

* Eva Longoria's SAG dress was a trainwreck stylewise, but I loved the unique color. I don't even know what to call it....maybe orangy pink? Fuchsiaish Red? It was showstopping.

* Josh Brolin and Diane Lane are cute together.

* It creepy to see Alex Balwin with his daughter Ireland. I keep thinking of that voicemail where he called her "a little pig".

* Anne Hathaway looks like a man trying to look like a woman. That may be below the belt, but I call it like I see it.

* I think Clive Owen is sexy ugly.

* Newsflash....Lindsey Lohan looks thin! I am so glad that Us Weekly is reporting on this, because it is just brand new information.

* I am saddened that Prince Harry and his girlfriend broke up. Again. For the third time. She's cute. A little generic, but cute.

* People I was just surprised to find out were younger than me:
Kate Winslet
Molly Ringwald's husband
Angelina Jolie
Alison Sweeney
Drew Barrymore

* Blast from the Past: Ione Skye (of Say Anything fame) and her wedding made the magazine. Random.

* Jen Aniston and John Mayer WILL NEVER MAKE IT!!! They need to just go their separate ways. Its getting old.

* The Obamas really are an adorable family.

* I like both the daytime and evening inauguration outfits on Michelle Obama. If I had to pick something to critique....it would be the green shoes of the daytime gold suit thing. And the fact that during the luncheon, she covered the dress with a cardigan sweater. I thought the white evening dress was beautiful.

* Jessica Simpson is not fat, she just looks really bad in super high waist jeans.

* I love anything that mentions Gossip Girl. Even if it is about Lilly Van Der Woodson's real life divorce. Yeah, I just read the whole 3 page article.

* Ellen Degeneres and Portia De Rossi are vegans. Good to know.

* Please, please, please let the skinny jean trend go away. Soon.

* Ditto for the shoes with stripper heels.

* Blue eyeliner is back! At least according to Jennifer Lopez and Amanda Bynes.

* Apparently there were a lot of hits at the (scaled down due to the economy) Sundance Festival this year. Nine of the films got picked up. I am really looking forward to seeing Adventureland and 500 Days of Summer.

* I heart "Fashion Police". The comments are hilar. They need to shake up the players a little though. Courtney Love and Linda Hogan seem to be in there an awful lot.

And that is the end the magazine. Thanks for reading with me!

Sometimes My Insticts are Correct

2009-02-03T12:20:00.006-06:00

So, I was flipping channels today, and I came across the show Jon & Kate plus Eight. Normally I would just have passed right by, considering my true loathing for most reality TV. However, I had already been through the channel lineup once. And also, just last week, a couple of my co-workers were discussing this show and saying it was really funny and entertaining, so I decided to give it a try.

Here's the premise for the uninformed: Jon and Kate are this married couple that have (I think) 5 year old girl twins, and 3 year old sextuplets - 3 are boys and 3 are girls. So in nutshell, they are raising 8 kids under the age of 6. It's a zoo.

Anyway, I should have gone with my first instinct. Let me just tell you what was happening in this particular episode I caught.....

Apparently Jon and Kate are in the middle of potting training the 3 year olds. They have like 6 different little kid plastic toliets in their bathroom, and all the kids are running around and jumping all over the place, while the parents are trying to get them to use said potties.

Then, one of the little girls actually does number 2 in her potty, and THE CRAZY MOM GOES AND GETS A CAMERA AND TAKES A PICTURE OF THE KID STANDING NEXT TO THE CRAP IN THE TOLIET.

Seriously. And it gets better.....

she labels the picture and puts in on the fridge. Apparently next to the picture of another one of the kids with their prize in the toliet also.

Iis this normal? To take a snapshot of your kids feces and hang it on the fridge? I really hope not. I don't think anyone involved thought this was normal, except for Kate.

Afterall, the afrementioned "poop" is fuzzed out on the video like it is a grownup part or something. So, that tells me that even the network thinks this is weird. Even Jon, the husband, started talking to the camera about how this whole picture thing is a bit strange.

So, I am someone who will admit when I am wrong about a show or something, but wow. This is not of those times.

it just points out again, the real reason that I don't like most reality TV. There are just some moments that people should not share with the whole country. I keep thinking that those poor kids are going to be made fun of like crazy at school in a few years.

So a big thumbs down to Jon & Kate Plus Eight.

Justifying my Current Obsession

2009-01-29T13:53:00.009-06:00

I just thought of this entry while I was mentally adding up how much my adoration of the Twilight nation has cost from the beginning. Afterall, you know me; can't just like something. Oh no....I have to completely engulf myself in the whole fan world.

Imitating a classic commercial series that I am sure everyone recognizes.....

My initial purchase of all four books: Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn : $55.oo

A Second Copy of the original Twilight because they published a smaller version and it would be easier to travel with: $8.00

My Edward Cullen Bookmark: $4.00

A Second Copy of New Moon because I left the first one on an airplane: $10.50

My "Team Edward" Tee-Shirt: $24.00

The Cullen Crest Henley I got Bridget for her Birthday: $29.00

The 3 Twilight Books I bought people as Christmas gifts in an attempt to get them as hooked as I am: $30.00

Seeing the movie 4 times in the theater (O.K. fine...I will finally admit that I saw it 6 times. Twice on programs by myself...I was bored and it was raining both times... what else could I do?) : $48.00

My Edward Cullen "I Like Boys who Sparkle" Key chain: $4.00

The Twilight Movie Soundtrack: $13.00

Pre-Order of the Twilight Special Edition DVD due out March 21st (When I'm in China, so I will probably end up buying it again there): $35.00

Every pop culture magazine purchase I made (US Weekly, People, Vanity Fair, GQ, Life and Style, In Touch Weekly, Teen Vogue, Seventeen) because Rob Pattinson or one of the other actors from the movie were on the cover: $30.00

Having something to obsess over and keep me from being bored......

* During the Christmas Season (that I hate)
* Since I no longer have cable or DVR
* When college football ended
* While its cold outside, and nothing fun happens in St. Louis
* On programs when so many travel directors are as into the series as me, and we have fun discussing and debating the story:

PRICELESS

Notice that it was me, and not my 16 year old alter ego, who usually writes the blog entries when I gush about the books, and the hoopla surrounding the books. She will still make guest writing appearances when I have more Bella and Edward gossip, but this particular entry is the real 34 year old Vivian. No shame.

I thought about if I should be embarrassed about all these purchases surrounding such a childish obsession, but then I decided....who cares? So, I spent money on my current hobby. People have hobbies a lot more crazy, a lot more expensive and in my opinion, a lot more pathetic than this!

Now if they decide to make bedsheets with America's favorite high school aged, self-loathing vampire, or if I, at anytime, say I want to go to one of the many Twilight conventions that are planned around the world....anyone reading this has my permission to hold an intervention. I will admit to my problem. And work to overcome it.

Well...maybe not if I buy the sheets. They might be cool in my spare bedroom!!!

Warm Fuzzy

2009-01-28T08:35:00.008-06:00

I first received this story in 2001. It warmed the cockles of my heart. Then, yesterday while I was working here in Scottsdale, someone passed it on to me again. Enjoy...I'll comment at the end.

KURTIS THE STOCK BOY AND BRENDA THE CHECKOUT GIRL

In a supermarket, Kurtis the stock boy, was busily working when a new voice came over the loud speaker asking for a carry out at register 4. Kurtis was almost finished, and wanted to get some fresh air, and decided to answer the call. As he approached the check-out stand a distant smile caught his eye, the new check-out girl was beautiful. She was an older woman (maybe 26, and he was only 22) and he fell in love.

Later that day, after his shift was over, he waited by the punch clock to find out her name. She came into the break room, smiled softly at him, took her card and punched out, then left. He looked at her card, BRENDA. He walked out only to see her start walking up the road. Next day, he waited outside as she left the supermarket, and offered her a ride home. He looked harmless enough, and she accepted. When he dropped her off, he asked if maybe he could see her again, outside of work. She simply said it wasn't possible. He pressed and she explained she had two children and she couldn't afford a baby-sitter, so he offered to pay for the baby-sitter. Reluctantly she accepted his offer for a date for the following Saturday.

That Saturday night he arrived at her door only to have her tell him that she was unable to go with him. The baby-sitter had called and canceled. To which Kurtis simply said, "Well, let's take the kids with us." She tried to explain that taking the children was not an option, but again not taking no for an answer, he pressed. Finally Brenda, brought him inside to meet her children. She had an older daughter who was just as cute as a bug, Kurtis thought, then Brenda brought out her son, in a wheelchair. He was born a paraplegic with Down Syndrome. Kurtis asked Brenda, "I still don't understand why the kids can't come with us?" Brenda was amazed. Most men would run away from a woman with two kids, especially if one had disabilities - just like her first husband and father of her children had done. Kurtis was not ordinary - - - he had a different mindset.

That evening Kurtis and Brenda loaded up the kids, went to dinner and the movies. When her son needed anything, Kurtis would take care of him. When he needed to use the restroom, he picked him up out of his wheelchair, took him and brought him back. The kids loved Kurtis. At the end of the evening, Brenda knew this was the man she was going to marry and spend the rest of her life with. A year later, they were married and Kurtis adopted both of her children. Since then they have added four more kids.

So what happened to Kurtis, the stock boy at a grocery store in Cedar Falls, IA and Brenda, the check-out girl?

Well, Mr. & Mrs. Kurt Warner now live in Arizona , where he is currently employed as the quarterback of the National Football League Arizona Cardinals, who he will be leading against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl on Feb 1st.

Is this a surprise ending or could you have guessed that he was not an ordinary person?

It should be noted that he also quarterbacked the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI. He has also been the NLF's Most Valuable Player twice, and the Super Bowl's Most Valuable Player.

I love this sugary sweet, cheesy story. Even though, it is a commonly held opinion in the 'Lou that Brenda Warner is certifiable insane. Its true. There were all kinds of crazy stories about her yelling at people at her kid's school, and calling into radio shows and complaining about the Rams coach.

But I digress..... Kurt Warner is an amazing person and athlete. Even though the Rams very stupidly let him go a few years ago, he still returns to St. Louis for various charity events he sponsors. And from what I understand, he is extremely popular in Arizona, and active in many charities there also.

This just occurred to me, but Kurt certainly knows how to resurrect a football team! He led the Rams to their only Superbowl victory ever, and he has the chance to do it again with the Cardinals this year.

So, for the first time since I was a child, and Bill "Asshole" Bidwell ripped the Cardinals from St. Louis and moved them to Phoenix, I will be rooting for the BIG RED. We have Kurt Warner to thank for that.

I hope he has an inspiring game on Sunday!

Bravo

2009-01-25T17:26:00.004-06:00

I totally saw the movie The Reader this weekend. One word.....

AWESOME!

So very worthy of the Academy Award nod. The story is gripping. The performances are amazing. We spent more than an hour discussing and dissecting each scene after it was over. And there are still more insights, and things to debate.

I want to go out and buy the book it was based on right now. Just to try to get an expansive take on the conversations and characters.

Run, don't walk to your local theater to catch this one!

I am predicting that my choice for best picture is going to be a tight race this year. I have seen MILK, The Reader, and Slumdog Millionare. If I were to rank now, before seeing the other two, It would look like this.....

1. Slumdog Millionaire
2. The Reader
3. MILK

But stay tuned. I will see Frost/Nixon and The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons. I am excited at the prospect that this will be the first year, in almost a decade, that I will have seen every best picture nominee.

Here's the long movie theater trailor if you are curious.....

Traitor of the Day

2009-01-24T13:52:00.012-06:00

I will start this blog by wishing a very Happy Birthday to Roe vs Wade. It turned 36 on January 22nd. Congratulations!

Now for the traitor......

So, I was wasting some time watching some TV this morning, and who do I see? But Norma McCorvey. (A.K.A. Jane Roe of the famed case). I was shocked to find out that she is now a dedicated prolife activist. Apparently, she is doing lame, religious-toned, anti-abortion commercials where she spews on about life, and the 3 kids she had after the case, and blah blah blah.

O.K. Here's my issue with this....

(Warning: Blog is about to get a little political and opinionated)

I respect the fact that Ms. McCorvey is now prolife and now personally believes that abortion is wrong. Where I have the issue, is that she is now actively trying to make abortion illegal for everyone else. Especially since there was a time that she was so in support of abortion rights that she was willing to take the issue all the way to the Supreme Court.

The complexity here for me is that she changed her mind. Clearly, as a younger woman she believed one way, and as she got older she decided to believe another way.

Isn't that the entire basis of the prochoice argument? We are not forcing the decision or even encouraging the decision. We are just allowing people the right to decide. Being prochoice covers all the situations.

It's murder, it's not murder....It's a child, its not a child....that is all coffeehouse debating bullshit. The nuts and bolts of the argument for me is that we are giving women choices. To do what they want about their pregnancies.

And I find it extremely hypocritical that someone who invoked that right, and changed her mind on the abortion issue feels entitled to actively campaign to try to take that right to choose from anyone else.

Hate to use a cliche towards Ms. McCorvey but, you decided you don't like abortion now? Then don't have one....you born again, small minded fascist.

You said yourself that people would probably condemn you for your new beliefs. Well, guess what? You're right. I am condemning you, but not for the reasons you assume. But, for being so self righteous and obtuse that you believe that you "saw the light" on the abortion issue. You didn't see the light. All you did was try to bring everyone else into your new found, pathetic, one sided darkness.

Here's the ad if you are curious.

Keep Abortion Safe and Legal in the US. Just like in every other 1st world country on the planet. Well, except for Ireland. But, whatever. That country didn't even make divorce legal until like 1997.

The Stupidest Stupid Idea Ever!

2009-01-23T19:26:00.012-06:00

DISCLAIMER: This blog entry was not written by Vivian, but by her 16 year old alter ego.

OMG........for reals?

I am so supersized p'ed off to hear that both Dakota Fanning and America Ferrera have talked to the peeps behind the 2nd Twilight movie, New Moon.

I mean WTF?

Apparently, the powers that be want Dakota to be Jane....the mega gifted vampire in the Voturi Clan. And they want America to be Emily.....Sam the Werewolf's disfigured girlfriend slash fiancee.

My opinion on this......STUPID JACKASS IDEA!

Summit Productions made the first movie with relative unknowns. And I think that was awesome. I mean seriously....the biggest star in Twilight was Peter Facinelli. Yeah, Peter Facinelli, whose claims to fame are being Mike Dexter in Can't Hardly Wait and a very short lived WB series about hottie street racers called Fastlane. So, I would hardly call him a big star.

The story can carry itself with unknown actors. It did in the first movie. Adding already famous people just undermines it. Its not like more people are going to see it because of Dakota "I have white trash teeth" Fanning or America "Whiney McWhinerson" Ferrera.

And I think its stupid to waste an already too small budget on paying these chickadees what they will want to be part of New Moon. Its crapola, I tell you!

Not to mention the fact that these are very small parts. Emily is barely in the story at all...maybe a scene or two. And Jane is only in the last 20 minutes...if even that. So why even bother???

Come on.....it seems to be that both of them just want to ride the Twilight bandwagon for the publicity, and that is so annoying to me.

Whatever....New Moon starts filming March 23rd. I'm thinking of trying to stalk the set. Anyone up for a road trip to Oregon?

I love me some Edward Cullen. And Emmett too. In fact, the thought of an Edward Emmett Sandwich sounds so good right now. Yum.

My Personal Shout Out to President Obama

2009-01-21T15:00:00.001-06:00

Congratulations to you on this historic event.

And I want to point out that I am not using the word "historic" like the masses of people seem to be throwing it around lately. And I am not using it to describe the fact that you are the first African American president of the United States. I honestly couldn't care less that you are black. And I wish we all could stop talking about your color. That to me would be proof that race relations in this country are getting better. When the fact that you are not white would not even enter the playing field.

My definition of "historic" is more close to home. You made me care about politics this year. You made me watch CNN on a regular basis. You made me want to knock on doors, and wear the buttons, and put a sign in my yard. You made me watch all the debates. I was always a democrat, but you kept me from blindly supporting Hilary Clinton just because my parents did. And because I loved Bill, and came into adulthood during the Clinton years.

You made me feel less sappy for being easily inspired by a speech or quote. Probably because your speeches were so much more than just political rhetoric. You truly believe that we, as a nation, are fully capable of the lofty goals you set. And throughout the campaign, you were not embarrassed to express your optimism or your excitement at the prospect of a better world. It may be childlike, and wide eyed, but you saw through the critics, and you continued to share your sometimes overly euphoric view of what could be at every opportunity. I admire you for that. Especially since I also want to believe that everything I want for myself in my own life is possible.

You made possessing vast intelligence an important factor in a candidate and a president. You made news commentators use the word "erudite" on many, many occasions. Some called you elitist, and shrugged off your Harvard Law Degree, your well written books, and your overall extensive knowledge on what seemed like every subject of which you were questioned. I saw it as a return to intellectualism after the unfortunate era of people wanting the president to just be a nice regular guy, and someone who thinks and acts just like they do. Call me crazy, but I want the president to be smarter than me. I want the president to have the insights and education to come up with the solutions that I could never think of.

You ran an organized, well oiled machine of a campaign. You fought the power to start a dirty, nasty race as much as humanly possible, only going negative when it was a reaction to your opponents words towards you. And even then, your statements still always had an air of respect for your fellow candidates. You embraced all the opportunities at your feet to win this election: especailly the internet, and the new media outlets. And you knew that you could win this without huge corporate donations. That citizens would be willing to give a little too. The proof was in your ability to raise $200 million just in donations of $100 or less on your website. People may say what they will about your limited political experience, but if you lead this country with the same level headed, dedicated presicion, and overwhelming success that you led your campaign, you'll prove them wrong.

You brought together groups of people who didn't care about politics. You made 50,60 year olds vote for the first time. You made women in their 20s and 30s want to know more about you than who Jennifer Aniston was sleeping with. You made urban youth take off their tee shirts of Nelly and Kanye, and wear ones with your picture instead.

You seem to have a very defined moral and ethical code. You are clearly a family man who truly loves his wife and daughters. You obviously have a strong belief in God and a true religious faith. However, I see that you also comprehend and celebrate those who think much differently than yourself. I respect the reverence with which you talk about all faiths, including non-believers. And the fact that you always recognize the gay community when you address the make up of this country. I admire your open mindedness, and your acceptance for all walks of life. So many politicians are afraid to alienate their base, but you have never had that fear.

Now in spite of all my congratulatory brouhaha, I do not envy you the road ahead. You have your work cut out for you. And after hearing your speech yesterday, you know it better than anyone.

I do, however, think you are on the right path. You have surrounded yourself with keen, experienced advisors. You are well aware of, and not sugarcoating, the number of hardships that you will need to address. And most importantly, I think you are serious about bringing this country together. Embracing the Republican leaders as well as Democrats to work collectively to find the best solutions. I am confidant that your charisma, earnestness, and obviously unwavering dedication to your goals will earn the support of your harshest critics. (Well, most of them....you'll never get Rush or Ann Colter!)

So, in conclusion, I have to say "Thank You". Thank you for making the success of the United States your personal agenda. Thank you for inspiring a people that had become cynical. Thank you for being willing to take on the leadership of this country under some of the worst conditions in our history, while the whole world is watching.

And a huge, warm, personal, and heartfelt congratulations on your inauguration as the 44th President of the United States of America.

Its Already Been Said

2009-01-21T11:45:00.006-06:00

So, this morning, I sat here at my computer to blog my thoughts on yesterday, the inaugural day of President Barack Obama. I was hopeful that I could find a way to express all that was going through my mind yesterday, and properly put into words my observations.

Then, in my online research, I came across Jon Stewart's thoughts in a video clip from the Daily Show last night.....

....And I realized that most of what I was going to say, had already been said! And it was a lot more entertaining than what I could come up with.

So, instead of boring the very few peeps that read this with my attempt at wit.....enjoy Jon Stewart's proof of it.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Changefest '09 - Obama's Inauguration

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

Jon Stewart....one of the arguably best political satirist of all time.

Overrated Old Hotels....

2009-01-16T10:12:00.005-06:00

I have a new one to add to my list.

The Arizona Biltmore.

It should not have the great reputation it has. It has, in my book, earned its place among the other expensive, famous, classic hotels in this country that do not live up to their name.....

The List
The Drake in Chicago
Waldorf Astoria in New York
The Breakers in Palm Beach

I am going to add a small disclaimer here though. Remember that I look at hotels differently than the average person. Being as I not only stay in them, I also have to view these places from a logistical and operational standpoint. Not just as Joe Schmoe on vaca.

Disclaimer 2: Please don't think I necessarily hate these places....I don't. (Well, actually I truly loathe the Drake.) I just don't think they are worth the money they feel they can charge because of their historical reputations.

And for the curious, here are the ones that I think earn their stripes as outstanding classic hotels:

The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, CO
The Greenbriar in West Virginia
The Lodge at Pebble Beach, CA
The Willard in Washington DC

Quickie: Quote of the Day

2009-01-15T10:24:00.004-06:00

"Luckily, Americans make much better movies than they do cars."

- Studio Executive Patrick Wachsberger (who I believe is French) on the number of Oscar worthy films and performances this year.

Wow. I know there were some fabulous movies out, but talk about hitting below the belt!

No Way!!!!!

2009-01-13T17:54:00.012-06:00

DISCLAIMER: This blog entry was not written by Vivian, but by her 16 year old alter ego.

L......OMG!

Stop all the super crazy rumors already. I am SOOOOOOOOO tired of hearing that Vanessa Hudgens of High School Musical fame, will be cast in New Moon (the second movie in the super fab Twilight series).

Everyone is talking about it. She is supposedly going to play Leah Clearwater....one of the werewolves in Jacob's pack. It's been on Perez Hilton. Its been on all the fan sites. It's been on MTV. I even saw an article in the LA Times. It seems like all of the entertainment cyber world is talking about this!

Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, and also to point out the obvious (well, it SHOULD be obvious for worshippers of the series, like me) but....

The character of Leah Clearwater is not even in New Moon.

We do not meet her until the 3rd book, Eclipse. Duh.

(Sidenote: she IS mentioned in a story that Jacob tells Bella in the second book. And there is a brief reference to her eating spagetti. But that's it. No speaking part at all.)

So, I hope this rumor gets put to rest pretty quickly. It would be kinda hard to cast a character that doesn't exist yet! No Vanessa Hudgens. At least not until they talk casting for the 3rd movie. Thank God cuz.....I can't stand that annoying little wench.

Twilght DVD out on March 21st! Afterall, the 4 times I saw it in the theater wasn't enough. Can't Hardly Wait.

I heart Edward Cullen.

Enough Aready

2009-01-08T13:23:00.008-06:00

I just watched a clip from a website called "HowObamaGotElected.com". Basically the site is the lovechild of sour loser Republicans and bitter Conservative conspiracy theorists that are still trying to blame the media biases for Obama's win.

The clip I saw was a Gov. Sarah Palin interview from 2 days ago where she is still stickin' to her guns (yes pun intended) about the evil Internet and the big bad bloggers.

Come On!!!!!

It's over. We got it. You think Obama was the media favorite and that is why he won. The argument is getting very stale.

However...here's a another theory for Conservatives to ponder......

Maybe, just maybe, if the Republican party and all of its candidates throughout the election had embraced the media, and the Internet and the bloggers, and tried to use them to their advantage (just like Obama and his peeps seemed to be very very good at) the media would have been a little more on the Republican side.

But, no...at every opportunity possible, Palin, McCain, and their teams decided to berate the media, call out the biases, and negatively label bloggers, popular political websites, and even respected journalist for their reporting of the campaign happenings. I mean hey... there's a good way to get people on your side...make fun of them, call them useless, and attack their motivations. I wonder why it didn't work?

I actually think the election results are a revenge for 6 or 7 years ago. I think the media back them had a very right wing leaning stance. How else would have all the Pre-Iraq war crap happen? it seemed like anyone who wasn't totally proWar and proBush was torn apart in the press and the court of public opinion.......

Or should I say....they were "Dixie Chicked"?

I don't remember any Conservatives or Republicans asking the mainstream media to back off, or accusing them of being biased them. Of course not, the press was the driving force behind the Iraq War buildup, and the Bush Administration was certainly enjoying the ride.

So, to end this...I just have to say that I'm tired of the argument. If the Repubs want to blame the media, that's their prerogative. I think the real problem is that this is the first election in awhile where the Republican PR machine wasn't able to scare the voters with their "attack the opponent" style of campaigning. That's how they beat Kerry. The press was an asset to them in the "Swiftboating" of that candidate. In this most recent campaign, no one was buying it. They tried: first with the inexperience angle...that failed. Then with the Rev. Wright thing...no on really cared. Then they tried the Elitist angle, the anti-American angle, and their last ditch effort - the fundraising discrepancies thing. None of it worked.

And I'm not surprised. Bush and GOP had gotten cocky about how they could use the press to their benefit for the last 7 years, and the American people finally saw through it. So with this election, it was a new breed of news and information. And since the Repubicans only had accusations, and nothing to back them up, the stagedy crashed and burned...and all they had left in their PR arsenal was to attack the press.

Combine that with the fact that Obama had been embracing all aspects of new media. He and his people knew how to get their message across in this age of 24 hour news, blackberries, and the Internet. He had lots and lots of very public rallies. He encouraged and supported Democratic bloggers and websites. Even his official website was so interactive and involving, that he was raising ridiculous amounts of money, and organizing thousands of volunteers without anyone even picking up a phone. He had a simple message. He got it out there. Through a lot of different forums. The media ate it up.

Say what you will about the campaign, but Obama knew how to use the press and play the game. And he won.

And that's all I got on this topic.

Personal Highlights (and lowlights) in 2008

2009-01-02T14:12:00.004-06:00

Another List....

I am going to put 10 minutes, and only 10 minutes into this. Here is all the things I can remember from 2008 that happen to or around me....in no particular order.

1. I got really political this year. More than I ever have in the past. I think that the election season this year will be the one I remember for the rest of my life. I doubt I will ever be as involved again. I think I have both Hilary and Obama to thank for that.

2. I was out of town for work more this year than any other year in the last 10 years. Very strange. I felt like "work" was the only constant in my life in 2008.

3. I did a lot of drinking this year. I know that sounds bad, but its not. It just means I was part of a lot of drinking occasions. I feel like I really branched out on the places I went, and the people I partied with. This is a good thing.

4. I got rid of cable, and starting reading again. It funny that those two things would be related, but I really think that they are.

5. I became a blogger. If you would have asked me in 2007 if that would have happen....I would have laughed.

6. I stopped caring about missing episodes of TV. Probably related to the no cable- no dvr thing. Might even be a product of the writers strike earlier this year. Or the working all the time thing, but I really stopped caring. I'm totally cool with the fact that I can catch up this spring and summer when the shows release their DVDs.

7. I embraced text messaging. And it is awesome. I don't know how I ever survived before.

That's it. I'm done writing this. It is starting to sound repetitive to a blog I wrote at Thanksgiving.

Happy New Year y'all.

Quickie: The (Cheezy) Quote of the Day

2008-12-31T13:53:00.004-06:00

"Love doesn't always come in convenient packages."

I have no comments, references, or stories to go along. Just wanted to let it marinate in your minds, at it did mine, for a minute.

Have a Happy New Years Eve. It's one of my favorite nights of the year, and I am definielty looking forward to drinkin', dancin', and enjoyin' being young and alive tonight!

See y'all on the flip side....

I Can't Think of Anything Cool to Write About

2008-12-29T14:21:00.010-06:00

Seriously.

I just decided right now that I would put some time aside to write a blog entry, and my mind has gone completely blank. It's actually weird. I got nothing.

So here's another of the jumbled lists of thoughts that have been showing up on this blog a lot lately. Clearly I need some inspiration to write something real.....

1. For the first time ever, I didn't want anything for Christmas from my parents, so I told them not to get me anything....and they listened. I got no Christmas presents from Connie and Dick except for 3 Christmas Cadbury Christmas Eggs and a nail file in my stocking. True story. I guess I learned a lesson there.

2. Tonight is the last MU football game of the season....and even though comparatively we had an O.K. year, I am disappointed with our record. Especially since, for the first time after graduating from college, I went to 4 games. Of course, my record for those 4 games is 1-3. Apparently I am a jinks.

3. Rob Pattinson cut his hair. And he still looks uberhott. That's all I am going to say about that....

4. My house is so messy right now that I have actual paths leading from the kitchen to the bedroom to the bathroom. I have been living like this for 10 days now. Yet, I've had plenty of time to clean, but have just chosen not to. Now all I need is a cat, and I can be crazy clutter lady.

5. There is a Psych marathon on USA network today. That show seriously rocks. I heart the main character Spencer. I would like to find a guy with his dry, retro, and quick wit. He is also very humorously self deprecating.....a trait I have often been drawn too.

6. I went to the annual Travel Director party (AKA Happy Birthday Jesus & Julie) this weekend. I was amazing at how many people I haven't seen in ages that were there! The funny thing is that TDs never really change. They may move out of town, or get different jobs, but essentially, you always end up having the same conversations about the same things. For some crazy reason, I find that very comforting. I had a really good time at the party, and I hope the girl who throws it every year keeps it up!

7. I have no idea what to wear for New Years. I want to go the dress route, but all my dresses are boring, or else I have been wearing them out for a couple years now, so not exciting. Maybe I will go to the mall later and try to find something new. I am excited about the New Years Party I am going to. Its one of those bar parties with the one price inclusive. I think it will be a really good crowd, since I know most of the people going. I only have one rule for NYE, and its...NO HOUSE PARTIES! I loathe NYE parties that people try to throw at their homes. They are never as fun as going out.

8. My friend just called me to tell me that all the seasons of Sex in the City on DVD are on sale at Target for $8.99 each. What a deal! I still don't own seasons 1-3. Maybe I will go buy them today. Funny that I brought up Sex & the City. This blog entry feels like the episode where Carrie can't think of anything to write for her column and she writes really sucky things about "Finding the Perfect French Fry" and "Comparing Men to Socks".

And...... that's all I got. Apparently, my life right now is super boring. I will write again when something interesting happens. Stay tuned......

What's Swirling in My Head

2008-12-25T23:31:00.006-06:00

This is RFD....(kudos to anyone who knows what that stands for)

......but here are 2 quotes that I read today. Totally pop-culture....not anything profound or the like. They just caught my eye....

1.
"Maybe it's maturity or the wisdom that comes with age, but the witch in Hansel and Gretel - she's very misunderstood. I mean, the woman builds her dream house, and these brats come along and start eating it"

-Miranda Hobbs (Sex and the City)

2.
"She did what many professed to be impossible: She persuaded millions of teens and tweens to read something other than a text message or a computer screen."

- Columnist Rick Bentley on Stephenie Meyer (Author of Twilight)

I hope everyone had a rockin' holiday today (or for the rest of week...) Peace Out!

Sellouts!

2008-12-18T22:28:00.005-06:00

I have just lost all respect for The Moldy Peaches. You know, that indie band that did all the fun songs in the movie Juno.

Well, I was just watching a little TV tonight, and saw a commercial for the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas. And the song in the background of the commercial was The Moldy Peaches song Anyone Else but You. It's not bad enough that the song was on an ad. Oh no....they had to take it one step further.

The tune was the same, and there was the whistling that is in that song but, THE WORDS WERE CHANGED TO DESCRIBE THE HOTEL!!!!

It was painful. Very, very painful to listen to.

After all, I hate the Atlantis. It is a huge ridiculous hotel that should be in Vegas, but is on an island. Its ugly. Impossible to work at. Too spread out. Very crowded. Obnoxiously overpriced. And it has the worst service of any resort hotel. I loathe it with the fire of a thousand suns.

What were The Moldy Peaches thinking? They just totally lost their street cred my friends. I will never listen their music again.

The Atlantis? Seriously?

My Dream Man Drives My Dream Car

2008-12-18T17:22:00.008-06:00

DISCLAIMER: This blog entry was not written by Vivian, but her 16 year old alter ego.

OMG!

I just watched a clip of Rob Pattinson ( AKA the one and only self loathing mchottie vampire Edward Cullen) leaving Il Sole in Hollywood last night. Yes....I do stalk him via celebrity sites, and watch all his video bits. I have become that girl. No judgements please.

And the super awesome part...HE GOT INTO AN AUDI A4 CONVERTIBLE!!!!

Is that fate or what? Its only my favorite car, and the car I have been talking about buying for 5 years now. His was even that delicious platinum color I want. I think we are meant to be together. I mean, its not that common of a car.

Destiny, I say!

Clearly on a Name Kick...

2008-12-15T08:00:00.000-06:00

After writing the blog before this one, I starting thinking about all the names I have loved for years. This is probably only a girl thing, but through my whole life, I have often mentally noted what I wanted to name my future children. I think everyone does this. The funny part for me is that I really never had any interest in actually having kids, but I still sometimes come up with names.

So...here are some of the names I can remember thinking awesome enough to bestow on my nonexistent imaginary spawn. Enjoy.....

(in no particular order as to timeline or preference. Also, some come with middle names, and some are middle name TBA)

Vera Louise - (Girl) this is a big one. I always thought there were not enough "V" names in the world, and I have always loved the name Louise. It's fierce and fun at the same time

Vivian Victoria - (Girl) Then she could be a true Vivi.

Vera Eloise - (Girl) The middle name for my favorite fictional character "Eloise at the Plaza". I like it better as a middle name, but it could possibly stand alone.

Elliott - (Girl) I went though this stage where I thought it was cool that girls had boy names like Madison.

Manhattan - (Boy or Girl) this is odd, but if the Beckhams' can name a kid Brooklyn, then I can go Manhattan. I think it works for a boy or girl

London - (Boy or Girl) Ditto as above. In fact, there are also 2 other cities that I think would make great names: Dublin or Melbourne. I don't think its weird....people name their kids Sydney and Austin.

Finnigan (Boy or Girl) I LOVED this name, especially for a boy. it was probably my #1 boy name for the longest. I got it from the movie Great Expectations, the one with Ethan Hawke. However, I have scratched it off the list because the show Grey's Anatomy used it for a character in seasons 2&3 and that ruined for me. Too pop culture now.

Gatsby (Boy) - this is actually the current favorite. I have never heard of anyone having this as a first name. Very original. It is based, of course, on one of my top 5 fav literary characters, Jay Gatsby from The Great Gatsby.

Barrett - (Boy or Girl) Another literary character name. (I am seeing a pattern here). After Oliver Barrett in Love Story. Apparently I am all about last names for first names. Would I dare name a child "Costello"?

Tiger - (Boy) Don't laugh. I know its strange, and it has NOTHING to do with Tiger Woods. I thought of this once, and decided it was creative. Tigers have been a constant in my life. They are my favorite animals. I think they are beautiful, intelligent, powerful, and graceful. All the traits I would want a child of mine to have. Also, I was born in the year of the tiger. The personality traits associated with that are right on for me. And, of course, it is the mascot of my Alma mater. Can't forget that. This would even work pretty well as a middle name....actually now that I think about it, it would probably be better as a middle name.

O.K. I am rereading this, and as much as I like these names, I think it is best that I don't want kids!!!! I shutter to think whether a son of mine would ever be able to get through childhood and adolescence with a name like "Gatsby Tiger". Wow.

What's in a Name....

2008-12-14T12:55:00.003-06:00

I have always loved my name.....Vivian. I think it is very fitting my personality and character. It is a Latin name that means "Full of Life". I someday want to own a boat and call it that.....Full of Life.

Anyway, I was a little bored today, and researching the origins of my nominer, and found out that there was a St. Vivian. She is also referred to as St. Bibiana in some languages. O.K., the funny part.....

Apparently she is the patron saint of the the insane, those suffering from hangovers, and epileptics.

True Story.

I don't really have a comment about this or anything. Just wanted to share.

What's Going on in this Head of Mine.....

2008-12-12T15:45:00.011-06:00

A Few Random Thoughts.

1. My Newest Obsession

I discovered a new website today that I will forever be addicted to. It's called Box Office Mojo. And its awesome. Basically it tells you everything you need to know about movies in the theater as far as how much money they have made, their opening weekends, and where they rank among other movies in all kinds of economic related categories. Trust me...its a time suck. Especially after I started putting in all my fav flicks. Here's the site.

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/

2. My Drink of Choice

I have been thinking about fountain soda a lot lately. Probably because I have been on the road for the last few days and have not had one. Totally jonesin'. As bizarre as this sounds.....the fountain soda has been a staple in my life for a lot of years now. It has been a part of some of my favorite memories, and some I would like to forget. Here is a list of whatnots about the relationship between fountains and me .....This is very geeky I know, but I decided to go with it.

I love QT gas stations. I will drive miles out of the way to fill up the tank at one. Do I think they have better or cheaper gas? No....its because they have Diet Caffeine Free Diet Coke on fountain, and the choice of crushed or cubed ice. Yeah. In the past, they have even had Diet Rite on Fountain, but that dream was short lived. Funny convo I had one with the manager of my local QT. Here's a transcript:

Me: So why don't you guys have Diet Rite anymore. I miss it?

QT Guy: So you're the one!

Me: The one what?

QT Guy: The one person who was drinking it. (He laughs).

Apparently it wasn't a good seller. What erks me is that they replaced it with that stupid Rooster Booster. Seriously?

Other Fountain Soda Memories:

The summer I lived at Mizzou and went to summer semester, I have fond memories of going to Sonic everyday between 3pm and 5pm for "Happy Hour at Sonic". They had 1/2 prize Route 44 Fountains. We would hop over there, and sit outside to talk about our day.

I don't think we have ever been on any of the now infamous stalking trips without a fountain stop first.

Once, on a particularly bad work program at the Breakers in Palm Beach, I was walking into the lobby on my way to the workroom with a Super Big Gulp. A bellman had the nerve to tell me that there was not any outside food and drink allowed in the hotel. I actually growled at him.
True story.
I stared at him...straw still in mouth... and truly growled from my throat. No words. He gave me the weirdest look ever, and said (sarcastically) "Wow, I guess you really need that caffeine." I just nodded and walked away. The funny part was that It was diet Sprite.

The best fountain moment:

Years ago, I meet a guy in Vegas from Wales. Long story short, even though I barely knew him, he decided to come to visit me. When I picked him up at the Chicago airport, it was really awkward. I was happy to see him, and he me, but it was so weird that we were doing this, that those first 30 minutes in the car were a little nerve racking.

Well, I decided I could not keep driving unless I had a fountain soda, so we stopped at 711 and I said I was going in to get a drink, and he came too. I got my fountain (44 oz Diet Coke with 1/3 ice). Then I watched in awe as he got his. He took a 20 oz cup, did NOT put ice in it, filled it with regular coke, and then stuck a straw in it without putting a plastic lid on top. I was mortified.

It was like he was blaspheming the fountain soda! I could not let this heinous action continue. I stopped him....took the cup out of his hand, dumped the liquid, and threw it away. I said "that is not how we get fountain sodas in the states." Then, I handed him a 32 oz cup (decided against the 44 ouncer for his first time, he might not have been able to handle it) and walked him through the ice, soda, lid, and straw. He stood there looking at me....and totally burst out laughing. And then I did too. It literally broke the ice. There was not another awkward moment in what turned out to be a fun visit.

So there you have it. I love fountain sodas. They are so much more than just a cool drink. They might be the magical cure all.

3. At the Theater

The movies I have seen lately:

Role Models - loved it. Hilar.

Four Christmases - hated it. It started out strong, but fumbled in the 4th quarter

Twilight - Loved it. Not anywhere as good as the book (not even the same species as the book, if you will) but I could be dazzled by Robert Pattinson all day. I actually have seen it twice, and a third time is planned. The soundtrack is pretty awesome too. Except for one song that sucks. And unfortunately is sung by my boy Rob.

The movies I want to see soon:

Milk

Rachel Getting Married

Slumdog Millionaire

The movies I have no interest whatsoever in seeing:

Seven Pounds - I'm over Will Smith. There I said it.

The Curious Tale of Benjamin Buttons - I don't think it will live up to the buzz.

The Day the Earth Stood Still - Another Disaster movie? Really?

Quote of the day.....

2008-12-08T13:18:00.006-06:00

I do not recommend conversing with me today. Apparently I am drowning in a shallow pool of depression, self loathing, and regret. Here's a quote to go along with my currently shaken spirit....

"Come on in now. Wipe your feet on my dreams." - Pulp

I hate being miserable. I like to live my life in a no judgement, no regret world. But, that doesn't always happen. I am doing a lot of both today.

Bear with me though. Knowing myself pretty well, it should pass in about 5 hours. Give or take.

A Monday Morning Funny......

2008-12-08T10:59:00.003-06:00

I just read this and it made me laugh. Here is a translation (if you will) of popular songs through the ages......

FIFTY YEARS
OF POPULAR SONGS
CONDENSED INTO
SINGLE SENTENCES.

BY MARC HAYNES
- - - -

The Beatles, "I Want to Hold Your Hand"

I want to do it with you.

- - - -

Marvin Gaye, "Let's Get It On"

I want to do it with you.

- - - -

Led Zeppelin, "Whole Lotta Love"

I want to do it with you.

- - - -

James Blunt, "You're Beautiful"

I want to do it with you.

- - - -

Sir Mix-a-Lot, "Baby Got Back"

I want to do it.

- - - -

Elvis Presley, "Hound Dog"

You're doing it with everyone.

- - - -

R. Kelly, "I Believe I Can Fly"

I believe I want to do it with you.

- - - -

Patsy Cline, "Crazy"

I want to do it with you so much I'm going fucking nuts.

- - - -

Frank Sinatra, "Strangers in the Night"

I'm drunk and I want to do it with you.

- - - -

The White Stripes, "My Doorbell"

Using metaphor, I want to do it with you.

- - - -

Little Richard, "Good Golly Miss Molly"

I'm doing it with Miss Molly, and she's totally into it.

- - - -

Duran Duran, "Rio"

I'd love to do that chick dancing on the sand.

- - - -

The Beatles, "Why Don't We Do It in the Road?"

I'd like to do it with you right now.

- - - -

Carly Simon, "You're So Vain"

We used to do it, but then you did it with someone else, and now I'm not going to do it with you, although I wish we were still doing it.

- - - -

Pulp, "Common People"

I once met a stuck-up European who wanted to do it with me.

- - - -

Radiohead, "Creep"

I'm filled with self-loathing, and, though outwardly I hate everything you represent, I want to do it with you.

- - - -

Kate Bush, "Wuthering Heights"

I'm an 18th-century fictional character and I want to do it with another 18th-century fictional character.

- - - -

Bob Dylan, "Blowin' in the Wind"

The Man is currently doing it to you.

- - - -

Elvis Presley, "Jailhouse Rock"

Incarcerated men will on occasion do it with each other.

- - - -

Meat Loaf, "I Would Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)"

Hey! You won't believe what this one chick said while I was doing it with her!

- - - -

Kings of Leon, "Sex on Fire"

I did it with you, and now it hurts when I pee.

- - - -

Céline Dion, "My Heart Will Go On"

Even your death has not stopped me wanting to do it with you.

- - - -

AC/DC, "You Shook Me All Night Long"

We did it yesterday.

- - - -

One of my Lists: Thanksgiving 2008

2008-11-28T14:52:00.005-06:00

I have decided to give myself exactly 10 minutes to think of, and write down here, what I am thankful for at this precise moment in my life.....enjoy.

The wireless Internet that I am stealing from one of my neighbors

That I have started reading on a regular basis again

The strange introspective internal examination into my life that has surfaced from my reading the "Twilight" series of books. Its weird but has been intriguing. I heart Edward Cullen.

My dog Stevie

Mizzou Football

Netflix

That I have started losing weight again

That I still have a job

That Connie's surgery went better than expected

That I am not disappointed by the decision to not have a birthday party.

That I have discovered a new group of friends to hang out with, that like to do the same kind of things I like to do

That I am still very close to people that I went to high school and college with

That I am not worrying about money right now

That my hair is again long enough to wear curly and not look like a mushroom head

That I am comfortable enough with my strange pop culture obsessions to not be embarrassed by them

That in just a couple of months, we will have a new president. And we will finally find out what kind of dog the Obamas decided on

That I don't have a problem with very last minute trips, or traveling alone

My awesome cell phone, and that I have embraced text messaging

That I am not more annoyed that I cancelled my digital cable and can no longer DVR my shows. I don't miss it near as much as I thought I would

That gas is cheaper

that I still believe in love

That I can say corny things like the above without a hint of sarcasm

That I have been mildly successful in my resolution to be less judgemental.

That I found a pair of jeans that I love and fit perfectly

That more and more places have started to have Caffeine Free Diet Coke or Pepsi on fountain.

So time's up and that's all I got...Happy Thanksgiving everyone. One more holiday I don't like after this (Christmas) and then its on to my 3 favorite...right in a row!

If you couldn't guess, they are: Mardi Gras, Valentines Day, and St. Patricks Day

WooHoo!

A Blog Entry directed at California's Mormon Churches....

2008-11-17T14:21:00.013-06:00

...or their Catholic Churches, or any religious organization that supported (either financially or vocally in their services) California's Prop 8......

STOP WHINING!!!!!!

If you have a problem with the gay rights groups that are picketing your churches, then you are welcome to shut down operations in the US and move to a country where free speech is not allowed. And good luck practicing your religion where ever that may be. Just because you might be a religious institution doesn't excuse you from the same scrutiny as ANY organization that takes a political stand on issues.

My quote of the Day comes from Dan Savage:

"When political attacks are launched from churches, political responses will be delivered to churches. If goddamned McDonald's had organized and paid for Prop 8, we'd be marching on goddamned McDonald's."

I have an offer for religious supporters of Prop 8......how about the critics of it will agree to stop protesting outside of churches, if you all agree to stop protesting outside of Gay friendly events. Or the Pride Parade. Or even abortion clinics and Planned Parenthood for that matter. Think you can do that? You want to be able to protest for your causes, but you don't want others to protest for their causes that are different from yours.

And you know what really makes me laugh? You won! You got the damn proposition passed. Now, thanks to you, certain people in your state will be considered less worthy than others. Congratulations. Now deal with the aftermath of your big victory.

It still amazes me when religious groups want to limit the freedoms of other citizens. Its not like any of their freedoms are being contested. The government is not telling a church they can't pray, or that they can't have certain beliefs. The government is not limiting in anyway what can be said inside the walls of the church. The government is not persecuting church leaders for their doctrines. The government even gives a tax free status to religious organizations. Which, rightfully, should be questioned on some of these churches, since the constraints on that status involves not endorsing political entities.

And just for the record, I believe in our electoral process. And as despicable a voice I believe it to be, the people of California have spoken. They do not want gay people to get married in their state. The proposition passed by a majority, and I accept it. It makes the entire state look like a bunch of hate mongering fascists, but I accept it.

Of course, the true beauty of American politics is that nothing is ever set in stone. Democracy is always moving and changing. I hope Californians who actually believe in a free and fair country can come together to get a repel of prop 8 on the ballot next time, and then show up to vote for it!

Why I Care....

2008-11-16T20:53:00.005-06:00

....what the rest of the world thinks.

Today I was talking about the election results with a coworker. I won't go into great detail about what was discussed but I will share one part.

We got on the topic of news coverage the day after the election. I mentioned a story that really intrigued me. CNN made a point to say that the day after every presidential election since the network was on the air, they have shown footage of some crazy people somewhere in the world burning an Amercian flag. Well, this year, they were unable to find any footage anywhere in the world where someone was burning an American flag. As random as it is, I felt that it meant that basically the whole world was rooting for Obama. Simplitic, I know, but being a world traveler, and having a deep appriciation for other cultures, I felt good about the possibilty of the United States redeeming themselves on the world stage.

The next thing my coworker said to me inspired this blog entry....

"Why should we care what the rest of the world thinks of us?"

Well......talk about opening the floodgates with that question! I got seriously fired up and started spouting off everything from.....

"Maybe because the United States is not as invinceable as we think we are, and someday we might need another country to be on our side."

to

"You know some of us would like to visit other countries in the world and not be afraid to be attacked or killed just because we are Americans."

and

"We better hope other countries like us, because the way this country spends money, we may need more than just China and Russia to lend to us!"

And this started me thinking about one of my favorite articles that I have ever read about American politics. And it was from a British newspaper. I'm sure many of you remember it from four years ago. It was the London Daily Mirror and they had a pic of Goerge W. Bush and the now infamous quote....

"How can 59,054,087 people be so DUMB"

It was a jab at the number of American who voted for Bush. I personally thought it was hilarious. And although the cover was on news shows in the US all over the place....I don't think very many people actually stopped to read the article. It'a a shame, because it really is a brilliant commentary, and a nice perspective on what foriegners thought of the re-election of Bush. The title was "God Save America".

An excerpt:

"They say that in life you get what you deserve. Well, today America has deservedly got a lawless cowboy to lead them further into carnage and isolation and the unreserved contempt of most of the rest of the world. This once-great country has pulled up its drawbridge for another four years and stuck a finger up to the billions of us forced to share the same air. And in doing so, it has shown itself to be a fearful, backward-looking and very small nation. This should have been the day when Americans finally answered their critics by raising their eyes from their own sidewalks and looking outward towards the rest of humanity."

Well, here we are four years later, and I feel like, with the election of Obama, we are finally going to do what we didn't four years ago....start rebuilding our relationships with the rest of the world. And just for the record, I get it that just electing Obama is not automatically going to fix our international relationships, but at least it puts us on the right track. I mean, can you imagine what would be written about us in other countries if the McCain/Palin ticket had won???? And I am sure CNN would have had all kinds of burning American flag images to air.

O.K. Just for fun, one more excerpt from "God Save America". This one about Bush himself.....

"America chose a man without morals or vision. An economic incompetent who inherited a huge surplus from Clinton, gave it in tax cuts to the rich and turned the US into the world's largest debtor nation. A man who sneers at the rights of other nations. Who has withdrawn from international treaties on the environment and chemical weapons. A man who flattens sovereign states then hands the rebuilding contracts to his own billionaire party backers. A man who promotes trade protectionism and backs an Israeli government which continually flouts UN resolutions. America has chosen a menacingly immature buffoon who likened the pursuit of the 9/11 terrorists to a Wild West, Wanted Dead or Alive man-hunt.... A RADICAL Christian fanatic who decided the world was made up of the forces of good and evil, who invented a war on terror, and thus as author of it, believed he had the right to set the rules of engagement. "

I read these angry words from four years ago, and I realize that this is what the US is finally walking away from. Its a new beginning. A new era. And as overused as this word was in this latest election, its still true.....a chance for change.

A Quickie Story about Drinking & Those who Judge....

2008-11-15T14:04:00.004-06:00

I am right now on the Island of Lana'i in Hawaii. We are staying at the Four Seasons Manele Bay. It is oh so very awesome, and I will be sure to write a blog about it this week.

However, I just have a little time now to share a funny that happen to me last night.

We went for a quick dinner, and a beer or 2, at a local little tavern and pizza place in town called Pele's. The joint was exactly what I was in the mood for: small hole in the wall, cheap, and not at the hotel.

Well, when we all arrived, I ordered a draft beer of Kona Ale (I'm on this kick to drink the beer of the land I am in) and some chicken wings. The waiter (who could have also been the manager/owner of the place) brought my beer and it tasted great. (Sidenote: I really enjoy the Kona Ale.) And I thought all was fine. Then about 15 min later when my food was ready, he brought the wings. Since I only had about 2 sips left in the beer I had, I ordered another. This is where it got weird....

The waiter asked (with a grimaced face, and clear disdain):
"Are you sure you want a second beer?"

I was so struck aback from this comment, I just stared at him and then said:
"Are you worried that I am going to drink too much?"

He replied:
"Well, its just that the police are tough here on drunk drivers."

Me: "It's my second and probably last beer. And I'm eating food also."

Smug Waiter/Manager: "Well, I'm just concerned. Are you driving?"

Me, getting a little annoyed that he singled me out of a group of 7 people: "No, I'm taking the shuttle. We are ALL taking the shuttle."

Smug Waiter/Manager (after a pause, by the by): "Well, OK then. I'll get you another beer if you are sure you want it."

Me, pissed at this point, but with a devious smile: "I want it. And I'll let you know when I want another after that. Thank you."

Smug Waiter/Manager left in a bit of a huff....and came back 2 minutes later with the beer. Said nothing while he put it down, and walked away.

What the F? It was 7:30 PM on a Friday night. I was sitting at a table of 7 people who all ordered drinks. And not the only one who ordered a second. Why was I the one he decided to drop his self righteous crap on on? It wasn't like I was visually drunk already, or falling over or something. That original beer was my first of the night!

Annoying...and intriguing at the same time.

P.S. We left on the shuttle at about 9:00 PM. And I did not order another beer after the 2nd one. Partly because I was tired, and partly because I thought he might spit in it.

P.P.S. My birthday is on Thursday, and since this is a small island, I was pretty excited to check out Pele's to go out there that night. Well, I guess we are going to have to pick somewhere else. Seriously.....If they are going to judge my getting 2 beers, I'm scared to celebrate there.

My Uber Random Thoughts on this Election and Its Outcome

2008-11-06T12:59:00.007-06:00

So much has been swirling around in my head since that moment around 10 pm Tuesday night when we learned the identity of who will be the 44th President of the United States. My mind is a flutter of excitement, fear, impatience, sadness, and most of all, accomplishment.

The only way I could think of to put my thoughts into words was through a list. So here it is. A list of all the election related emotions (in no particular order) going through my head.

1. Excitement

I went down to the Chase Park Plaza for the official Democratic Victory Party. First of all, I knew for 2 days that I was going, and during that time, I had a big issue calling it a victory party. I thought it was a little premature. But I digress.....

It was a beautiful moment being around all the people on the same side as me, with media everywhere, and people dancing, singing, crying, laughing, cheering. It was like when your college football teams wins a big game. And what struck me was, when I looked around the room and saw everyone. It was the whole picture of America. Old people. Young people. Black people. White people. All races. Even a couple turbans. I saw some Emos, cheering next to yuppies in suits. I saw young couples with kids. I saw girls dressed like they were at a club in Vegas. I saw old grey haired men clapping and smiling, while young black punks in saggy jeans and crooked ballcaps were chest thumping. I saw old women in ridiculous homemade hats and painted t-shirts, jumping up and down with college kids in the blue "official" Obama team leader T-shirt.

Republicans can say what they will about who makes up the Democratic party, but we are a true cross section of this country. To use a great line from Barney on HIMYM ......

"I gaze upon that crowd to see the face of America. And it is divine."

Muchos Cheesy. Especially since Barney was talking about The Price is Right when he said it. But I still love the quote.

2. Fear

This is not as warm fuzzy as the last emotion, but rings true. I am scared about what will happen to Obama in the next four years. Not fear for his life or anything like that. There will be plenty of hot hot Secret Service snipers to protect him. (sidenote: I LOVE me some snipers. They are so hot the way they wear all black with the cool sunglasses.) But, fear that the problems which this nation faces right now are not the type of problems that get fixed very quickly. I know he will try, and having the support of Congress is a good thing. However, I am afraid that the issues will be bigger than what any administration could solve in one term, and Obama will end his presidency being scapegoated. And it is not a president specific thing. I think anyone who is in office right now really has their work cut out for them.

The part that makes me really scared is that Obama was able to gather support and inspire people like I have never seem a politician do before. The jokes about him being Superman and the Messiah have a basis in the way that citizens were so enamored and adoring of him. Especially considering there are a lot of first time voters, who may not have paid attention to politics before, and don't understand that winning the election is just the beginning. With this kind of entrance, it will be a very loud thump when he falls, if he is not able to do everything that we expect of him. The bar is raised very high. I just really hope he lives up to the hype.

3. Impatience

I just so want it to be Inaugural day right now. I want to hear the speech, which, you know, will be one for the ages. I want to see what Michelle is going to wear at the Ball. Especially since the Grant Park victory speech outfit was a trainwreck. There I said it. I did not understand that getup at all. It looked like what a drop of blood looks like under a microscope. And what was with the wrap half sweater thing? She's a pretty lady, but that dress did nothing for her. Back to the point....

I want Obama to start doing all the things he has promised. I want to see the decor of the ballrooms on Inaugural Night. I wanted to see the Obamas dancing in the red, white, and blue balloons. And I think more than anything.....I want to see those children running around the White House with the new puppy. All the news stations have been talking about what breed it should be. You know what really would send a message? If they go to the pound for the dog, and get a mutt of some kind. That would do a world of good for the Humane Society and other stray rescue causes.

4. Sadness

It's over. No more waking up every morning eager to watch CNN to get the latest poll numbers. No more switching over to FOX news to laugh at how partisan they are, and how they don't even try to hide it. No more plotting how I can watch the debates when I have to work. No more religiously checking Cajun Boy in the City and Andrew Sullivan blogs to get the latest democratic political scope. No more far right winged, borderline offensive (but that I looked forward to reading for the perspective) emails from my good friend's very conservative girlfriend. No more very spirited conservations at the DD Lounge or whatever other drinking establishment, about the political parties, their intention, and all the conspiracy theories surrounding both candidates and their running mates. I'm really truly going to miss those. I dig me a good half drunk argument about politics. Especially when someone brings up religion, abortion or the environment. LOVE IT! I guess now our Thursday nights out will go back to karaoke and darts.

5. Accomplishment

I feel I really had a stake in this election. I was part of it. This is the first time I have been so involved. I volunteered for the campaign. I had signs in the yard. I bought the T-shirt. I collected a bunch of campaign buttons. I wore the official white rubber Obama "Hope" bracelet without taking it off. I went with the over 100,000 people under the arch to see Barrack Obama address the masses. And it was amazing!!!!

Sidenote: I found this out on Tuesday....that Obama rally was the largest gathering of any kind in St. Louis since the 1904 World's Fair. How flippin' cool is that!

I even took my mother to see President Bill Clinton on his Obama campaigning stop at Kirkwood High School. He made me cry, I was so entrhalled with what he was saying.

And days up to the election, and on election night, I was stratigizing like crazy. I was counting up electoral votes and forecasting states like I was picking my football teams in Vegas at the sportsbook. It almost became a game for me. I loved that when I was talking to all the other volunteers on our shifts the days before and on Tuesday, we all had different predictions as to how Obama was going to win (which states, whether we would know on election day or after)....but the important part....we all so deeply wanted to believe he was going to win!

What made this different for me personally from other elections where the democrats ran:

Clinton -Too young to really care that much when he first ran, and not very political when I was in college the second term

Gore - Voted for him absentee because I was in Hong Kong for the election and most of the crazy hoopla that was the 2000 election, so I never really felt a part of it

Kerry - Wasn't really crazy about him, just thought he was the anti-Bush choice when I voted ....absentee again. I was in Australia for that election.

So my involvement and passion this year definitely did feel like a new accomplishment for me. I was part of something and someone I believed in. A candidate I educated myself about, running in an election I obsessively followed. A candidate I worked hard campaigning for. And in the end, that candidate was the victor.

And when Obama stood there in Grant Park in Chicago, while I watched it on huge screens at the Chase in St. Louis, and he made it very clear that the supporters were the reason for his being there...I truly felt it was my victory also.

I am going to end this with my favorite part of his speech from Chicago on election night. I hope it does for you what it did for me that evening.....

A new dawn of American leadership is at hand. To those who would tear this world down - we will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security - we support you. And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright - tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from our the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity, and unyielding hope.

For that is the true genius of America - that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

On the Election Tomorrow....

2008-11-03T16:44:00.007-06:00

This is the best thing I have seen since all this election crap started. Through all the posts, pictures, buttons, emails and etc., this is so by far my favorite......

And I have never wanted anything to be more true!!!!!!

Barrack the vote tomorrow everyone. There's a lot riding on it. Obama 2008!

P.S. This is also the best motivation I've had to learn how to post pictures on this blog.

To Prove That This Blog May Lean "Blue" ........

2008-10-29T12:01:00.005-05:00

......but is not overwhelmingly one sided.

I have mentioned here before, even as recently as a couple days ago, that I am very nervous about Obama possibly losing this election, despite the polls. I just think there are too many factors to consider besides his obvious popularity, and current standing.

Well, I just read an article, on a very conservative website called REDSTATE no less, that summed up a few of my fears.

Disclaimer: I do not agree with everything this guy says....but I will have to admit that he is confirming a lot of the thoughts that have been swelling around in my head.

So, here's the link ......

http://www.redstate.com/diaries/dan_perrin/2008/oct/28/the-seven-reasons-mccain-palin-are-a-lock-to/

I want this article to proven crazy. And shown to be just a bunch of conspiracy theories. Here's hopin'.

And for the love of all that is right and just in this world.... SHOW UP ON TUESDAY AND VOTE! FOR OBAMA! PLEASE!!!!!!!!

New Orleans Charity Event: By the Numbers

2008-10-28T18:20:00.006-05:00

O.K. So I am in New Orleans for work this week. And this is a different kind of program.

Although it is a national conference for a client, they have taken on this enormous charity project where, by the end of the week, all 10,000 attendees will each have done 5 hours of community service here....painting flood damaged houses, landscaping yards and clearing and building neighborhood parks. It really is an undertaking. And something that I hope other companies start doing also. I love when they combine charity work into their meetings.

Well, our job here is logistical. Some duties: lunches, water, and snacks for staff. Busing everyone to the work sites. Organizing the police to close the streets where we are working. Organizing tool deliveries and portapotties. Basically all aspects that need to be done to allow the volunteers to just show up and work.

The main reason I am talking about this is that we just finished day 2 of the event. And I have to admit....a lot of strange things have happen. Now, my job as an event planner has always been to put out fires, and deal with the unexpected, but the last couple days have surprised even me.

The American Airlines Magazine does this cool thing where they share trivia facts by giving you numbers, and then explaining them. I thought that would be a fun way to describe some of the happenings on this New Orleans charity project so far. Some are hilarious, some are scary, and some are just plain weird.

And remember...this is just in the first 2 days. I have 3 more days of this......Enjoy!

Number of Hotels in New Orleans required for the Conference: 32

Number of Hotel that have had a fire in them in the last 2 day: 2

Number of feet between police officers in the Gentilly Area work event: 25

Number of total police officers it took to close the streets around that 9 block area: over 50

Number of people mugged while working in that same very patrolled area: 2

Number of times I went the wrong way on a one way street to get to my assigned location in the rental car: 3

Number of those times that ended with me swerving up on someone's lawn and getting stuck there to avoid being hit: 1

Number of portapotties required for this event placed various spots around the city: 150

Number of those I had to clean myself because someone doesn't understand the concept of using the hole, and not the surrounding rim of the toilet when using the porta, and the people we pay to service them would not be there for another 45 min, and I had a line of people to use it: 1

The "Number" I had to clean up in aforementioned portapotty: 2

Number of times I used the phrase "My job really sucks right now" while cleaning that portapotty: 20

Number of EMT Vehicles on standby daily for the event: 5

Number on EMT calls so far in the first 2 days: 14

Number of those calls that involved someone freaking out after being bit by a caterpillar, and insisting we get the bite checked out: 1

Number of grown men riding by on a bike with colorful ribbons coming out the handlebars, a 22 oz can of beer in the water bottle holder on the bike, and a full grill of gold teeth that asked if he could have one of the boxed lunches we were distributing for the volunteers: 1

Number of times that same man had to trade in his box lunch for another because he didn't like the sandwich flavor: 3 (he rejected chicken; vegetarian, and roast beef - ended up with turkey)

Number of people said bike rider came back with 30 minutes later to ask if they could have lunches also: 4 ( we gave them lunches too...and they did not dispute sandwich type)

Number of volunteers that completely ignored me when I personally asked them to not enter the abandoned house, next door to the one we were working in, that looked sketchy (she said she just wanted to take pictures): 1

Number of volunteers that fell through the withered wood floor of a house they were not supposed to be in, and broke their ankle, 5 minutes later: 1 (Coincidence??? I think not.....)

And the best one so far......

Number of dead bodies found in the work sites: 1

(FYI: A lady died of a heart attack while putting out the garbage. A trash man found her the next morning just as our buses were dropping the volunteers off at the house next door.)

You can't make this crap up.

I am going to add to this list after the program is over.....stay tuned!

Democrats are Pissing Me Off!

2008-10-26T18:00:00.006-05:00

There I said it.

I am completely over everyone saying this election is done, and that Obama is going to win, and he is going to win big. Clearly these are first time voters with this cocky sentiment.

Voters who don't remember the "Swift boating" of John Kerry in 2004. He was ahead in the poll with 10 days to go too. And that is when the Republican PR machine took off and managed to turn a decorated war hero into a Vietnam scapegoat.

Let's look at the reasons I think this is going to be a very, very close election. One where we will most likely not know the outcome to on election day. One where I am not completely convinced Obama is going to win......

1. The Bradley Effect.

No one wants to hear about it or talk about it. But its out there, and it makes me nervous. Google the concept if you are not familiar.

2. Past Voting Trends.

Another topic no one wants to admit to......

Unfortunately in this country, young people and minorities do not always seem to make it to the polls on election day. No matter how vocal they have been in the campaigns. Obama's supporters include a lot of young people and minorities.

3. Lines at Voter Spots.

I don't care how many new polling places, or new machines have been added, I fear its not going to be any different than four years ago. There will be multi hour long lines to vote, and you know that is going to dissuade a fair amount of people. Especially those who tend to vote in the evening. (I.E. Democrats)

4. The Silent Majority.

Unfortunately Nixon was right when he coined that phrase about 30 years ago. History does not always favor the candidate of radical change. I am still afraid that there are a lot of people who have not shown support for either candidate during this election. I am talking about more than just the "undecided" that the media seems to spotlight. I am talking about people who have kept quiet this entire election, and we have no idea what they are thinking.

So, I'm nervous. I want Obama to win so badly. I just feel like everyone is getting too confident. And if Obama loses, there will be a very loud thud when this all falls apart. I want this to be a warning. It is far from over. There is still time to volunteer. There are still doors to be knocked on, and signs to be placed. And most importantly, show up on Nov. 4th. Wait in those long lines. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't vote, or are not eligible. Or that the polls are closed. As long as you arrive by 7:00PM....no matter how long the line is.....You can still vote!

I would hate to think that Sen. Obama came as far as he did; had so many people gather around him at rallies; wrote so many speeches that moved me to tears; introduced so many new ideas; and brought such a new hope to this sagging American spirit....just to lose in the bottom of the 9th.

Believe. Act. Vote.

(I know, such a trite phrase, but I saw it on a Pro-Obama blog, and it made me laugh. Had to use it!)

The Last (WooHoo) Debate

2008-10-16T09:56:00.004-05:00

I don't think I would be doing my thoughts justice if I did not comment on Senator John McCain.

I have to say that I am saddened by what this man has been reduced to. Now, I don't want you to assume that this is going to be a bash on him, because I don't mean it to be. It just makes me angry at him, and his people, to see what he has transformed himself to be in an attempt to win this election.

And last night was the ultimate example of that.

I don't hate McCain. I never did. I said from the beginning of the primary season that I didn't have a problem with him as our president. I liked Hilary and Obama better, but I didn't feel that overwhelming fear and loathing that I had for Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, or even Fred Thompson. In other words, I liked him for a Republican.

Where I made my mistake was that the McCain I liked, was apparently the McCain of a few years ago. The one that the Republican party didn't want to have anything to do with. The one who both Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter said would make them vote for Hilary.

McCain of a few years ago may not have been full on ProChoice. But he was not in favor of overturning Roe v. Wade. He was definitely not that guy who accuses others of being "pro-abortion" and talks about stacking the Supreme Court with super conservative justices. Or panders to religious zealots by spewing on about Life, and the gift of Life from God.

McCain of a few years ago may not have been fully behind Gay Marriage. But he was for basic gay rights, and opposed a constitutional amendment stating that marriage was between a women and a man. He was not this bigoted, judgemental ass who wants to protect marriage, and sees the possibility of gay marriage as a breakdown of moral fibers in our country.

McCain of a few years ago was a respected and decorated war hero. He was an expert on Military affairs, who had bravely served our country and deserved our admiration. He was not this blubbery, crotchety old man who takes cheap shots at his opponents about issues and associations that he KNOWS to not be factual. He would not have rolled his eyes, and show such disdain for an opponent that except for a few issues, he used to hold the same positions on.

McCain of a few years ago would have picked a running mate that matched his level of intelligence, and could have appealed to the large number of Republicans in this country who are tired of their party being associated with radical right wing religious politics, like he used to be. A running mate who wanted to get back to the Reagan years of less government. He would have never picked an ignorant, super conservative christian creationist with basically no experience, and a resume of sketchy politics. Who is only around to blatantly try to steal the affections of disillusioned women voters and the fired up Christian zealots who are clinging to the idea that Muslims and anyone who doesn't think exactly like them are the enemy.

So I think it is sad. A once great and respectable man had to change himself so much. Present McCain is not even a shell of past McCain anymore. I was thinking that there was still a little of the old school Maverick around, and that if he did get elected, that he would revert back to his old likable self again. But after that trainwreck of a debate last night, all my hopes of that are over. He really is just a war mongering puppet of the extreme Christian right.

Even Obama knows that he is not what he used to be. I felt that when Obama made the comment about the fans at McCain Palin speeches who shout "Kill Him" about Barack and other death threats. And all New McCain could respond with was that he supports the people at his rallies.

Well, Senator McCain....I hope the transformation was worth it. Risking your reputation, and sacrificing your beliefs during the first 30 years of political service to be possibly elected president by the people you used to call extremists.

And if you lose, you will not go down in history as the war hero, and acclaimed Senator that you would have deserved. You will be the failed presidential candidate whose name will always be associated with Gov Palin, who we know, will not get out of Alaska. You will be remembered for comparing your opponent to Britney Spears, rolling your eyes with disgust at the debates, and calling another respected Senator, soon to be president "That One." And the sad part is that with your age, and health issues, you don't have a lot of time to make up for this.

So, congratulations on selling your soul to the devil. I hope it was worth it.

Random Quote of the Day

2008-10-15T10:04:00.002-05:00

"Instead of 'Stalker', I prefer 'Professional Crazed Fan'."

-Jack from Will & Grace

Yeah...It Sucked.

2008-10-13T14:38:00.004-05:00

There is my answer to everyone who wants to know from me, my thoughts on the big Missouri lost over the weekend....

It sucked really bad. And Chase did not look good. At all. They should now call him Chase Away. Because that is what he did to all his (and our) Heisman hopes.

Even the beer I tried to drink after the game tasted like defeat.

The interesting part is the many things that happen that brought me to be in Columbia, in pretty good seats, for this depressing game.

Here's the quick version of the story in bullet point fashion:

(It's going to seem like some of these points are way off topic, but it will all come together in the end. Promise.)

* I had tickets to the New Kids on the Block concert in Chicago.

* I thought the concert was on October 11th, which is the weekend I asked off for work.

*Originally, work forgot about my vacation time request, and scheduled me on a program.

*I fought for it, and eventually was granted the weekend of October 11th off.

*Around the end of September, I realize that the NKOTB concert is actually on October 4th.

* I am unable to go because of work, but still have the weekend of October 11th off, and I am looking forward to doing nothing that weekend.

* I get invited to a day at the Missouri wineries with a friend and his friends. I accept and plan on going.

* Around Wednesday of last week, I realize that this is the only weekend I will have to possibly see a Mizzou game in Columbia all season. I also realize that if I am at the Missouri wineries on Saturday, I will be less than an hour away, and it is a night game. Furthermore, I find out I know oodles of people who are going to the game and have tailgates planned.

* I decide I want to do both wineries and Mizzou game. However, the game is completely sold out and no one I know has extra tickets. I also think that since it is so last minute, no one is going to want to drive with me to the wineries and then Columbia to try to scalp tickets when we get there.

*On Friday, I find out that Tiffani also wanted to go to the game, but would only go if we had tickets for sure. She had also agreed to pick me up at the wineries on her way to Columbia, and we could ride the rest of the way to the game together. We scour Ebay; Craigs List; etc. to try and find any tickets at a reasonable price.

*By late Friday night, we could not find any tickets, and it looked like I was back to Plan A of driving myself, and hoping to scalp one ticket, and most likely sitting myself at the game.

*Miraculously Saturday morning, Tiffani finds a guy selling 2 tickets for a good price, but we have to meet him in Columbia to buy them. She agrees to go. I am psyched.

*I make the determination that since I did not get my act together early enough, I really don't have time to go to the wineries. Plus, the whole stress of how we are going to organize Tiffani picking me up was getting very confusing. I call my friend and tell him I am out on the winery and owe him a day of wine drinking.

*Tiffani and I leave for Columbia with the intent of finding two different groups of tailgaters, and then possibly meeting another couple of friends at Harpo's before the game.

*We get to Columbia, and amazingly, everything seemed very easy. We found a free place in park in a garage very quickly.

* We had a little problem connecting with the guy selling the tickets, because he was on a bike riding around campus. We couldn't seem to figure out where each other was. Then, very coincidentally, I see this dude riding his bike right down the street in front of us, think it must be him, and we end up with good tix on about the 30 yards line, only 33 rows up.

*Then we start looking for the 2 tailgates, and we basically fell into the first one, and then found the second one in about 2 minutes.

*The friends we were supposed to met at Harpo's, ended up being very close to us when walking into the tunnel to the stadium. So, we entered the game having seem almost all the people we wanted to, and, also being able to sneak all my mini bottles of alcohol in!

*So there we were. Everything had fallen into place, with the fact that we were even there, the tickets, the ride, finding everyone. Now we were in Columbia with the Tigers boosting a 5-0 record, and 3rd place ranking. We were among 68,000 screaming Mizzou fans dressed in Gold and black, all very hopeful. It was AWESOME! Then the game began........

* And it was all downhill from there.

*Not going to rehash the details, but it was nerve raking, and disappointing, and then inspiring for like 2 minutes, and back to nerve racking.

*Then when the game was over, it took us almost 2 hours to get out of the parking lot. A fitting end to a sad, sad game.

*The aforementioned beer, that tasted like defeat, was a 22 oz. can purchased at the gas station on the way home. So depressing. Yet so necessary after the carnage that I had just witnessed.

So, the question I have been pondering (and stressing myself out about) since Saturday night is ...

....Did I jinx the Tigers? Was I fated to see this losing game? Let's look at the evidence....

Afterall, I had written that crazy self serving blog a week before, about how awesome we were and everything (see 2 blogs back). I tried to make it clear that I was still going to be a fan, win or lose, but let's be honest.....I didn't really think we were going to lose.

And it did seem that despite all the roadblocks, I was able to make it to the game with little drama. Was it too easy? Did I think fate was on my side for working everything out and actually being in Columbia? Was I too cocky debating all week whether I wanted Oklahoma or Texas to win...very stressed about who I wanted to be the victor of that matchup, and how it would affect Mizzou. I never even stopped to consider the chance that Mizzou might actually lose.

Well, its done. We lost a game. We will not be undefeated. And unless everyone else loses too, we will not be in a National Championship game. Yeah, it sucks.

One of the blogs I read make a very good point about this game, and why we MU fans are all so depressed.

We lost a game we were supposed to win.

And that has not happen in over two years.

Now, we have won games we were supposed to lose. We have lost games we were supposed to lose. But, we had not lost a game we were supposed to win. And that is why it is so painful. It was unexpected.

So, time to move on. We have a big game against Texas in Texas to win this week. And we are not favored to. And I remember a certain game in Texas my freshman year at Mizzou where Texas beat us 73-0 that I would like to take revenge for. I want to kill the Longhorns on their own turf. I want us to play like the team I know we can be. I can't wait for my Tigers to shine again!

So, I will end this with the same way I ended my last blog on Missouri Tiger football, That blog was a lot more hopeful and confident than this one, but this one phrase still rings very true for me.....

Missouri Tiger Football.

That's MY team, and win or lose, it always will be.

Quote (with Hidden Message) of the Day.....

2008-10-06T19:09:00.004-05:00

.....Goes to Tina Fey. She is talking about how she feels about her very popular SNL portrayal of Republican Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin.

"I want to be done playing this lady Nov. 5. So, if anybody can help me be done playing this lady Nov. 5, that would be good for me."

Waxing Philosophical on Mizzou Football

2008-10-06T11:44:00.013-05:00

My Missouri Tigers destroyed the Nebraska Cornhuskers 52-17 on Saturday. Nebraska is a team that we have had a constant struggle against for basically my entire lifetime. The last time before last weekend that we beat Nebraska in Nebraska was 1978.

In fact, I was watching the game from the sportsbook of the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas, and when the game was over, a very overserved fellow Mizzou fan we met came back over to our table to show us his drivers license, and birthdate of 1979. He was all excited yelling out "Look....I wasn't even born yet the last time we won in Nebraska!"

My least favorite (and interestingly most favorite at the same time) Nebraska memory actually came in the late fall of 1997. Nebraska was ranked 3rd or 4th I think, and we were playing them in Columbia. It was an amazing game....especially since MU was halfway decent. But still, as per usual, no one expected us to actually give Nebraska a challenge.

Well, we held with them the entire game, only to lose in double overtime. The game should not have even gone into overtime in the first place because some crazy Nebraska guy kicked the ball while he had been sacked, and miraculously it was caught in the endzone to tie it up. I still don't understand how the refs allowed the play. The depressing part was that the Mizzou fans thought the game was over, we had won, and prematurely stormed the field!

Personal side story: I was actually in New Orleans for that game for vaca, and we went to a crazy little sports bar in the French Quarter to watch it. It is amazing what ended up happening. At the beginning, I was the only MU lover in the place. And the bar only had one small TV in the corner playing the game. The place was full of LSU fans. But as the game went on, and got more and more interesting, the whole bar started to root for Mizzou. And one by one, every TV in the place got switched to the MU / Nebraska game. This was mainly because the LSU game was over, and it was better for LSU if Nebraska lost. But whatever the reason, it was a blast to be out of town, and still have people cheering for your team. A trademark phrase of mine was born that day.....

"That's MY team!"

I was so thrilled that we had a chance of winning, that everytime the Tigers scored, or did anything right for that matter, I felt the need to shout out "That's MY team." Basically to inform all the LSU fans that I was a true MU Tiger supporter, and not just wanting the other team to lose. It seemed that the more overserved I got, the louder and more often I yelled out the phrase. My memory is a little fuzzy, but I may or may not have even jumped up on the bar and shouted it to all those cheering below me! For those of you reading, that recall me yelling the phrase at other MU games, now you know the origin.

O.K. , back to what provoked this blog on my relationship with Mizzou football. A friend of mine made a comment to me today about my excitement on our most recent game. It was a mocking comment. That friend (and you know who you are), tried to belittle our big Nebraska win by pointing out how bad all the Nebraska matchups have been in the past, and basically insinuately that dispite this particular game, our 1-30 record against the Huskers means Missouri football is not for real.

Even ignoring the misrepresentation of the actual record (its 5-28 since 1978), I got a little fired up, especially on a personal level. I know we have been bad in the past. It's not a secret. I'm not a bandwagon fan. I've been around awhile. In fact, I have a great quote that sums up my feelings on the last 15 years of following and routing for Mizzou football....

"Mourn the losses, for they are many. But celebrate the victories, for they are few."

After many, many years of mourning losses, now there are victories to celebrate. And celebrate them I will. I've earned it. All true Mizzou fans have. I stayed a fan though countless losing seasons. This is my time to celebrate my football team.

More about the comment (I can't seem to shake it) or what the comment represented......

My issue, on a broader scale, is the realization that it seems some are not taking Missouri football seriously. We may not have a tradition of being ranked or even having consistent winning seasons, but that doesn't diminish the Tigers accomplishments this season (or last season, for that matter). Mizzou is #3 in the country. We have the #1 offense in the country, and a very serious Heisman contender quarterback. We have yet to score less than 42 points in a game. We have already beat one ranked team this year. And we just turned the Cornhuskers into creamed corn in their house. We have proven ourselves worthy of our ranking and our hype.

I am reveling in the success of the Tigers. And I am enjoying the benefits that come with having a winning football team....the school has record alumni donations; the games are nationally televised instead of random regional coverage; and Faurot Field is packed with fans drowning in Tiger colors. I am also dealing with the sucky parts of having a winning team. For example, how hard it is, all of a sudden, to get tickets to the games we have always gone to.

Maybe 5 or 10 or 15 years from now, if we are again a second rate, unranked team who everyone laughs at, so be it. Hell, it could even happen next year.....and (knock on wood) this season is far from over. But you know what....even if and when it all falls apart, I will still be wearing the black and gold on game day. I will still try to make it to Columbia at least once a season. I will still get excited for the border war with KU. Plus, I predict, I will probably be boring everyone with stories about the glory days in 2008. Because.....

That's MY team.

And win or lose, it always will be.

Well, it's Done.

2008-10-03T12:42:00.006-05:00

The House just passed the $700 billion bailout bill......

And, in my view, we are now officially a socialist country.

Now, I know we were never a true capitalist ecomomy. I get that. But if we were ever close to one, we would ride out the bear markets, just like we revel in the bull markets. Not try to keep the recessions from naturally happening. Its all part of the system.

What have we learned?

In the future, we should continue to let financial institutions operate almost completely unchecked from the government. They should still be able to make profits for themselves for years. But, as soon as they manage to run themselves into the ground, like many did, good old Uncle Sam will be there to give them money we don't have, and pick up the pieces. Why?

Because we are so scared of the alternative. And what is the alternative....and I don't mean what all the politicians are saying it is and scaring everyone into hastily and foolishly acting.

The alternative is....

No one has any f'ing clue.

I have no idea what would happen if we didn't pass this bailout. However, I know what more ridiculous borrowing is going to do to our future.

And the question I have had since this whole bailout talk started...what is the damn hurry? Why do we have to rush this thing through so fast? Why don't we take a step back, make sure we fully understand the consequences, and what is happening. I think that is the biggest reason I am against the passing at the bill. Even more than the borrowing thing (see next paragraph). I want to know why we have to rush to make such drastic and expensive decisions.

So what to do now.....let's all start learning Mandarin Chinese. It's where we are getting the money from, and where we will be probably indebted for the rest of my life at least. That's the scary part for me....not us letting the financial world and those who invest, and take a risk, figure out their problems.

The United States is the financial equivalent to a 30 year single girl with a good job, a lot of credit card debt, and no sense. She may make 100 grand a year, but she spends more. she also has the best of everything....apartments, shoes, clothes, furniture. She goes to the best restaurants and clubs. From the outside, she is fabulous. On the inside, she can barely even make the minimum payments on her credit cards. What happens when she loses her job and the money stops coming in?

What gets me is that no one is talking about raising taxes. We can spend $600 billion on a war, $120 billion on a stimulus package, and $700 billion on a Wall Street bailout, and no one dares even mention the slight possibility that we may need to increase our income as a country? What is wrong with everyone? No one wants more taxes, but come on.....its Economics 101.

For the first time since this election started....I am disappointed with Obama. Don't take this the wrong way, because I still support him, and think he will make a great president, but I wanted him to be against this bailout. I wanted him to be, in my opinion, the one lone voice of reason talking out there.

Well, like I have said about most of my extreme opinions, I hope I am wrong. I hope this bailout fixes everything. I hope we did not borrow and spend that much money in vain.

And, I hope the American people realize that this is a problem that will not be fixed overnight. And this bailout doesn't mean all the money they lost in the market will instantly be back. And I definitely hope that we change the policies, and work on the deregulation that brought us to this point.

I willingly admit that I am not a financial specialist, but I am a citizen with a stake in what happens. And I know that this blog entry has been rambling and vague, but I'm mad. And this is what I am thinking and feeling at this moment. This is my outlet to express it.

Like I said before....I hope I'm wrong. I hope this bandaid on our bullethole fixes everything. But I'm not going to hold my breath.....

The Concrete Angel (or alternative title: Why My Neighborhood Makes me Laugh)

2008-10-02T18:23:00.007-05:00

Until this morning, I owned this random lawn ornament that was a concrete angel. It was about 3 feet tall and ridiculously heavy.

I had owned this thing for about 10 years now. How I came about said angel is interesting.....

My aunt bought this angel, along with a Mary in a Grotto, and a lawn jockey (all concrete) for her house (that's out of town) around 1998. I was living in my same house then, and since the place she bought them from told her they would not ship the lawn ornaments, she had them delivered to my house. Her plan was to make arrangements to have then shipped to her.

Well, the years went on, and I all but lost contact with my aunt, and the ornaments were forgotten. Except for the rare occasions when I would wander to the far side of my house and see the statues leaning against the brick wall.

We considered them abandoned, and around 2003, my mother had a friend who wanted to buy a religious lawn ornament for her backyard. My mother told her that if she could get some guys to come over and move it, that they could have one of the ones that had been leaning again my house unbothered for the last 4 years. They came one Saturday, and it took 3 men, but they moved and took the grotto and Mary.

And then there were two.

Around 2005, I had a tree that was just on the property line between mine and my neighbor's yard. Apparently my neighbor believed that the tree roots were growing under her sidewalk along her house. So, she aked that I have the tree cut down. Well, I came home after the tree guys had done the job, and I saw the funniest site. The guys had taken it upon themselves, after they chopped down the tree and left the stomp, to move and place the angel on the stump for all to see. I didn't really enjoy this, since I did not like the idea of a religious symbol being in my yard, but it was too heavy to move, so I dealt with it for awhile, and eventually hardly noticed it. Besides, where it was placed, most people thought it was actually on my neighbor's yard. So there it stood....for years.

And then there was one.

Around 2007, despite my many objections (sidenote: I personally believe that the lawn jockey is politically incorrect, so I had already made the decision that it would never grace my yard where the public could see it). I found I had a spot in my newly landscaped backyard for the lawn jockey. It was a very hidden spot, that you you could only see if you were in my backyard. I even found a lantern to hang from it. I had some workmen move it into place, and all was well.

And then there was none....or so I thought.

Last year, the stump that the angel was sitting on began to crack, and I noticed that very slowly, the angel was starting to lean. Then a couple of months later, it fell over altogether. I really didn't care, so I just left it lying in the plants. But, apparently the dudes who cut my grass noticed it, and picked it up, and put it back in place. Only for it to fall again....and again....and again. It seems that every other week, I would see it laying face down, and then after the grass was cut, I would notice that it was standing again. This went on for about 6 months.

Well, during this time, I got a new neighbor. A young guy, who really wasn't the type to have a an angel in the front yard, and since most people thought it was on his property, he made a comment to me about it.

It was actually funny.....my neighbor was half joking, but he said that the angel bothered him. He felt that every time he came home drunk, he would see the angel staring at him, and he thought it was judging him. And it made him feel uncomfortable.

I told my neighbor that I never liked the stupid angel, and that as soon as I could find someone who wanted it and could move it, I was planning on giving it away. This conversation was in June of this year.

The finale of the concrete angel....

Well, last night, I came home about 10:30 pm, having been slightly over-served. I saw the angel. It had fallen over again. And that was the last straw that broke the camel's back.

I WAS DONE WITH THAT DAMN ANGEL.

I don't know what got into me, but I decided right then and there that I was not going to deal with that concrete relic again. I went inside and put on some tennis shoes and jeans. Then, I started to move the angel.

Easier said than done.

The thing weighed a ton! So here I was, not completely sober, out in the dark, and straining to move the item. I finally decided that the only way I was going to get it anywhere was to roll it...which I did. It was even hard to roll. I ran over my toe in the process, but I kept on.

Eventually I got it to the curb. It took a lot of grunting and strength I didn't know I had, but I was able to stand the angel up. My plan was to just leave it on the curb, and hope someone would come and take it.

That may sound weird, but the next day was recycle day, and in my neighborhood on that day or trash day, you can pretty much leave anything out you like, and the city will take it. Even appliances, furniture, etc. That leads to people driving around, and checking what's there, and helping themselves to what they want before the trash or recycle trucks come. So my thought was that someone would just come by and take it.

So I felt a sense of accomplishment, and I went inside. About 10 minutes later, two things occurred to me.

1. People might not think I meant for that angel to be trash, since I was not leaving any bags or anything out there as well.

2. Someone may try to take it, and not realize how heavy it was, and hurt themselves.

So, at this point it was about midnight, and I came up with a plan. I grabbed some paper and a maker, and made a sign that said

FREE ANGEL! MOVE AT YOUR OWN RISK. IT'S VERY HEAVY!

I took a roll of packing tape and the sign outside, and wrapped it around the cherub. I felt good.

Jump to this morning:

I woke up at 4:30AM for my 6:55 AM flight to Vegas, (damn you ticketing people in my office) and looked out the window to see if my angel was still there. And low, and behold, it was gone. I knew it wasn't going to last long, but I was in a little bit of shock that some random person took it between the hours of 12:30 AM and 4:30 AM on a Thursday morning!

So that is the story of the concrete angel lawn ornament. It is a saga that has spanned over 10 years. I hope that angel is now in a good home...excuse me, lawn, and is blessing, if you will, the abode of whoever happened upon it in the middle of the night.

No Opinion here....just stating a fact.....

2008-09-29T14:24:00.002-05:00

I just read that this $700 billion bailout, that according to USAToday did actually pass, will be $100 billion dollars more than what the US has spent on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars combined for the last 7 years.

O.K. I tried, but I do have a little opinion. Can you blame me?

I never again want to hear republicans complaining about "tax & spend" democrats. Or talk about how welfare and social services are bad because people should be responsible for themselves and not rely on government handouts.

Go ahead....let's pass the biggest (and most expensive) example of socialist economic policy this country has ever seen.

And a big shout out to Russia and China for the loan to fund it!

On Being Uncool......

2008-09-28T09:00:00.001-05:00

A couple of nights ago, I could not fall asleep, and while flipping channels, I came across Almost Famous. I always loved that movie. Cameron Crowe's best work by far. I had forgot how many big stars were in that movie when they, themselves were "Almost Famous" if you will.

Phillip Seymor Hoffman
Kate Hudson
Jimmy Fallon
Anna Paquin
Jason Lee

Well, one of my favorite scenes is the conversation between the the main kid, and his mentor, the DJ. They are discussing how they will never be real friends with the rock stars, nor should they try, because are just uncool. They might know everything there is to know about bands and music, but unfortunately, they are just really uncool. It is a touching convo.

It has led me in the last couple of days to evaluate just how uncool I am. Especially because of my current program. And I don't even have the music knowledge to fall back on!

I am in San Diego right now at the super hip Hard Rock Hotel. It is very very cool.....

*Sleek and Modern
*Rooftop pool with sassy beds instead of sunchairs
*Loud Music piped in everywhere, and they have a DJ in the lobby on Saturdays
*the super hot club that has been featured on MTV
*All the employees wear all black, and are all good looking (some are tattooed, pierced, and very alternative, but I can't honestly say that any are ugly)

Oh, and they use music terms for everything...
*They call the hotel operator "ground control" and when you call, they say "You are on the air"
*The convention assists are called Roadies.

Everyone who works here has the name of their favorite band or singer on their nametag. I have enjoyed checking everybody's out. A few were obvious and generic...the metal lookin' bellman with Guns n Roses. The 18 year old popster girl at the desk with The Pussycat Dolls. The mid thirties Front Office manager with The Beatles. Others were more obscure.....our convention contact had two nametags and he said he switched them according to his mood (Rusted Root or Panic at the Disco)

Funny Story....and the first one discussing my true uncoolness.....

When I checked into the hotel a few days ago, the girl (about 20) asked me what kind of music I liked. Thinking that was a strange and random question, I stared blankly at her for a second. Now I am going to transcript form....

Girl at Desk: We ask everyone what kind of music they like, because we have it pumped in to the room for when you walk in.

Uncool me: Oh, that's fun. Well, my favorite singer is Tom Jones.

Girl at Desk: Who?

Uncool me: Tom Jones. you know..."It's not Unusual"

Girl at Desk: What kind of music is that?

Uncool me: It's 60s British pop.

Girl at Desk: (Pause) That 's not one of the music categories we have.

Uncool me: Oh okay...you want a category. How about 80s?

Girl at Desk: (long staring and clearly annoyed with me pause) How about Classic rock? Will that work?

You know, the more I think about this, the more reasons why I am just an uncool traveler surface in my mind. to list a few...

1. The suitcase I am using right now is so torn up, its hilar. Its a duffel style, bright red, humungoid bag, and all the straps have broken, so I just cut them off. Both zippers are broken, so everytime I open and close it, I have to attach a paperclip. Also, its not even really my suitcase. I borrowed it from a friend awhile ago when I had lost luggage with the airline, but still had to leave on a trip the next day. It was such a great bag as far as how much it held, that I asked if I could buy it from her (she very nicely said i could just have it! Rockin' friend) . I have been trying to replace it for about 3 months, but I just can't find one exactly like it, or one I like better. I guess I will use it until that moment when I am picking up my baggage after a flight, and I see my stuff coming on the belt one item at a time!

2. I have a set airport outfit. I wear the same thing everytime (both ways) for about 2 months or until I get a stain on it or rip it. Then I switch to a different outfit and do the same thing. It has occurred to me, that since I was usually at the St. Louis twice a week, the workers there who I see a lot must think I only have one outfit. Not really sure why I do this, but it has become a habit.

3. I go to museums by myself and I read all the stuff...like the posted background explanations and crap like that. I never realized how obsessive I was about this until I went to the Civil Rights Museum in Memphis one time with a friend, and she got very mad at me for taking so long at each display. I also love museum gift shops. They always have great books, and funky souvenirs. Best museum gift shops I have been to: The Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia & the Shop at Versailles outside of Paris. Actually, 3 way tie - I have to add the gift shop at the American Museum of D-Day in Normandy, France.

4. I like to go to fancy, trendy, often expensive restaurants by myself with an Us Weekly, and only order water, an appetizer, and a dessert.

This blog has gotten really rambling, so I will end here. I'm uncool, and it really shows when I travel, and usually in life too. I accept it.....

Oh....I do have to add one post script -

I went to Moonstone last night. It's the super sassy rooftop club at the Hard Rock Hotel. It was interesting...full of young beatiful girls in not very much clothing, and a lot of cheesy looking guys. So, I don't know how this came into my mind, but I was seeing all the really trendy, probably very pricey, and defintiely "Now" outfits. For some reason, I starting thinking, and mentally counting, the number of items that were on my body at that moment (clothes, jewerly, skibs, etc) that had come from Target. Let's just say that list was longer than I personally would consider cool....

Combining Two of my Favorite Topics.....College Football & Politics

2008-09-26T13:10:00.002-05:00

Big kudos to the website http://www.everydayshouldbesaturday.com

Read this article that they posted today. Hilar! Especially the bit about Notre Dame. HeHe.

(And to USC fans out there.....tough loss, my friends. Oh how the mighty fall sometimes.)

FEDS CALL FOR 38 POINT BAILOUT OF USC

WASHINGTON, DC (AP) –Doubts over the proposal to bail out the USC Trojan football program continue to slow the progress of the bill through Congress. Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers object to portions of the package, and are asking for more time to allow for further debate on the issue.

“I am ashamed it is taking this long to protect the American economy from a clear and dire threat,” said California Senator Barbara Boxer. The sponsor of the bill, Boxer says the bill would prevent American sports consumers’ already plummeting productivity from “cratering” by saving them the trouble of learning new teams’ names, uniforms, and style of play.
“For years, we have relied on the cornerstones of our sports economy like USC, the New York Yankees, and Bret Favre to help us keep our sports world clear, simple, and easy for the layperson to digest. They have served us well, and we owe them help in return when they struggle.”

The plan would award USC 38 points to be retroactively added to the score of the USC/Oregon State game played this past Thursday night, erasing a 27-21 victory by the Beavers and allowing USC to maintain their status as America’s most powerful and prestigious football team.
“This is a travesty of logic and a misuse of the American political system like I’ve never seen,” said Georgia representative Saxby Chambliss. “Instead of using the power of Congress to change the outcome of football games, maybe we should focus on keeping America safer, and they should focus on finding themselves a KNOWSHON MORENO OR TWO GO DAWGS AS HELL SIC’ ‘EM!”

Chambliss then made barking noise for two minutes straight to no one in particular.
The proposal is the second such bailout package proposed in the history of the United States Congress. The first, the King-Davie bill, was proposed by New York representative Peter T. King to award Notre Dame points to overcome all but three losses suffered during the Bob Davie era at Notre Dame. The bill made it out of uncompetitive voting in the House of Representatives, but was blown out in a landslide vote in the Senate.

Negotiations will continue into the night and throughout the weekend…

The Word on the Street...

2008-09-25T18:02:00.002-05:00

O.K. The talk in blogworld is that something big is going to do down in the next few days that involves Sarah Palin.

I heard this first from my favorite blogger...then checked some other links, and a lot of people are talking about it (whatever it is)

The conspiracy theorists out there are also saying that is why McCain said today that he wants to reschedule the Presidential debate for next week when the VP debate was supposed to be, and cancel the VP debate altogether.

I don't know what this "big thing" is, but I am getting the impression it has to do with one of her children, and is going to be as epic as the Edwards thing!

I am so curious........

Quickie: Political Deja Vu.....

2008-09-25T03:19:00.007-05:00

President Bush is trying to scare the American people into quickly and blindly accepting an expensive, far fetched plan of his that is based on questionable data, and has only a slight chance of actually fixing the situation.

When have we heard this before? And how did that work for us?

P.S. on another political note....McCain thinks he need to suspend his campaign, and skip the debate in order to assist with Wall Street bailout? Seriously?

Obama was right with his comment on this earlier tonight. McCain needs to learn to multitask. That's what Presidents do.

Super Quickie on the Emmys Last Night.....

2008-09-22T09:21:00.006-05:00

1. Josh Groban's TV theme montage was the only real highlight of the entire telecast. I didn't want it to end.

2. Eva Longoria's eggo is preggo. Nice try hiding it with the the big weird bow. And trying to detract the attention from the future spawn with the super short skirt. That was definitely not a food baby. (Random Juno reference)

3. Note to presenters & winners: Enough with the thinly veiled political statements. No one cares. Pick one...actor or politician.

4. NPH was robbed. Does Ari Gold really deserve a third emmy? Especially after the train wreck that was last season on Entourage. Barney is quite possibly the funniest, most refreshing character on TV right now. Give Doogie his props.

5. Loved the "smoky eyes" makeup look on everyone. File that under: looks good on other people, but if I tried it, people would think I experimenting with my Halloween makeup.

6. Heidi Klum is an idiot. Why do they let her speak?

7. Kyra Sedgewick looked gorgeous. And Kevin Bacon looked like an anorexic version of the weird gay brother in Wedding Crashers with that spiky hair, and all black look. And what was with the orange tan?

8. Julia Louis-Dreyfus looked good, but she had a weird pudge thing kickin' it in that strange dress gap just below her chest.

9. The women of Wisteria Lane looked AMAZING. Not one fashion blunder in the group. Well, maybe Eva with the dress, and her hair was a little flat. But she's knocked up, so I'm going to give her a little leeway. Those ladies prove that you can be fabulous in your 40s.

10. When did Betty White get so old?

11. Mary Tyler Moore should have been wearing a dress with sleeves. Her boney arms were scaring me a little.

12. Brook Sheild's entire look reminded me just how classic and timeless she is. Too bad, I don't really like her show.

13. Laura Linney looked the prettiest I have ever seen her. I usually think she looks a little off, and there is something wrong with her forehead.

14. Tina Fey is so talented, and I'm glad it was recognized many times last night.

15. I guess I should actually start watching Mad Men. I'm curious what all the hype is about.

16. Was it just me or did Tom Hanks hairline look really strange. Also, what was up with the frames on those glasses?

That's all I got.

Overall....I moderately enjoyed the show. At least they didn't do that stupid stage in the round thing they tried last year!

The Island of Capri (Part 1)

2008-09-18T05:54:00.006-05:00

The last stop on my Greek-Italian Cruise was Capri. And it was by far the best! I fell in love with the island.

We arrived there at about 11:00 AM, but the lead up to the island was part of what made it so awesome. That whole area in the Med Sea that we were sailing around was so beautiful. There are dramatic cliffs, amazing rock islands, and (I must mention this, because I am not always a nature person) some of the most awesome private yachts around. There was this one that was absolutely huge, and we got the pleasure of watching a helicopter land on it, and some very beautiful Eurotrash looking couples get off. I didn't recognize anyone....I was desperately hoping it would be some famous American or even Davie & Vicki Beckham or someone like that, but alas, even through the binoculars I borrowed from the yacht purser, I did not have a celebrity spotting.

The first plan of action upon our anchor just a few hundred feet from Capri, was a boat tour around the island. It was very cool. These little, wooden, completely open air boats came right up to the yacht and we loaded up. I lucked out in that, since I was in charge of this activity, I got everyone on the boats (each one held about 20 people) and then I was left with the last boat with only 8. So, our group had plenty of room to move around, very carefully because those of us in the front of the boat got splashed a few times, and snap pics, and just enjoy the scenery.

Our guide on the boat's name was Paulo. He was so typical Italian, it actual made me giggle a little. He was on the shorter side, a little pudgy, extremely dark skinned, had crazy afro-esque dark curly hair, talked very loud, used his hands when speaking, and was wearing a bright turquoise polo shirt, white linen pants, and very European looking suede shoes with the male version of the pointy toe. We were instant friends.

So, we load the little wooden boat, and start our journey. Being the conscientious travel director that I am, I, of course, asked Paulo where the life jackets were on the boat, and his response to me was...

"No need...no need...we have a great driver!"

And we are off. The ride was perfect. It was beautiful weather, albeit a little overcast. But, that actually made everything look even more impressive, because I snapped some great pics of the mountains and hills encircled by clouds. The ride made for a lovely breeze, and Paulo's commentary was priceless.

The island is pretty much all mountains, hills and cliffs. Breathtaking. I was trying to decide what the landscape reminded me of, but all I could come up with was that it resembled (on a much bigger, more awesome, and more exaggerated scale) the cliffs in Northern California around the 17 mile drive of Monterey & Peeble Beach.

There were all these gorgeous mansions hidden throughout the cliffs also. But, unlike a lot of other popular vacation home spots...they were so scattered that they actually fit into the landscape, instead of ruining it.

Another thing I noticed was the number of not just private yachts, but also just speed boats of all sizes anchored around the island. There were people swimming off the boats, and just relaxing in general on the decks. Paulo said that taking a personal boat or a rented boat with a driver out for the day is very popular because (and I did not realize this until it was mentioned) Capri has no beaches! It is all cliffs, and rocks. So, if you want to swim in the ocean, you have to do so from a boat.

This was another moment for me, when I was forced to consider that I was working, and not on vacation. Because, if I had been there on my own, I probably would have ditched the land part of the tour, gone straight to the dock, rented a boat and captain, and spent the rest of the afternoon doing cannonballs while it was anchored next to this picturesque island. It looked so refreshing, and fun!

As our tour around Capri continued, we saw some of the famous sites. Like the cliff that Emperor Tiberius used to throw slaves, and women who disappointed him to their death in Roman times. We saw the copper statue of the mermaid that is perched upon one of the rocks. And we also got to take the boat into some of the caves that line the cliffs of the Isle. Very cool.

One cave in particular had all this bright bright blue corral growing inside of it, and it was gorgeous. Seeing the blue corral mix with the reflections on the jewel like shades of the water swishing around was a memorable moment for me.

My favorite part of the boat ride was, of course, the little rock islands and the arches. There are all these small islands that just look like huge rocks in the water. The most famous of these, the Italian call the Faraglioni Rocks. They are awesome, and you can take the boats right up to them for photos and such. Then, the coolest part was when we boated under the famous Arch. It was just a little higher than the boat, you couldn't touch the ceiling despite my standing up and trying, but it was gorgeous, and the tradition associated with the arch is very sweet.

Paulo said that when going under the arch, the Italians believe that since it is so beautiful and romantic, you have to kiss someone. Well, we went under the arch, and all the couples on the boat kissed each other. The other TD kissed Paulo, the boat driver was too busy steering, and I, of course, sat there and stared into space.

I did decide that this arch is the new place where I want to be proposed to, if that day ever comes! it just seemed like such an amorous and awe-inspiring setting.

O. K. I am going to end this here, because it has gotten really long. There will be a part 2, and that will describe after the boat tour ended, and I actually explored the island.

Stay Tuned............

Clearly, I Don't Understand Corporate America

2008-09-17T04:19:00.004-05:00

So, this will be a quickie....

I won't say the name of the company for employment reasons, but one of the (many) failed companies in the news lately, that the government is bailing out, used to be one of my best clients at work.

Said company took AMAZING, very expensive trips. Examples:

1. Baltic Sea Cruise to Russia; Sweden; Copenhagen & Estonia on a very pricey cruise line

2. Trip to Germany & the Czech Republic

3. High end business meeting at the Bellagio in Las Vegas

4. Trip to Barcelona, Spain

These above mentioned trips were in the last 2 years alone, and only the ones that I was lucky enough to work. There was a lot of other incentive travel with this company and its subsideraries that I didn't go on!

O.K. The ignorance part.....

Explain to me, a lowly citizen with, admittedly, no real grasp on the inner workings on the American corporate economic ways, how said company is now in need of a MAJOR governmental buyout. And if this financial failure has been looming, why were they still spending millions and millions of dollars on incentive trips for their employees?

Just wondering.....

Quote of the Day

2008-09-16T04:13:00.002-05:00

Since I am still reveling in my Greco-Italian Cruise, I thought a quote from a famous Greek would be appropriate.

"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors."

-Plato
Circa 400 BC

A man ahead of his time.

Under the Tuscan Sun...or the Positano Sun

2008-09-16T04:06:00.002-05:00

Under the Tuscan Sun

I love that movie. I have loved that movie since the first time I saw it in the theater years ago, and I love it a little bit more every time I see it.

I’ll be honest, it’s not really the best movie ever made or anything, but I have always thought that there was something about it that just struck me. It took me a couple of viewings to put my finger on what that trigger was, but it was like light shining in when I figured out the one message, in that film, that put it on my list of favs.

The idea that you can fall in love with a place so much and so quickly that you just can’t leave.

Now, despite my vast portfolio of travel, that feeling hasn’t happen to me yet. I’ve gotten close…..(Argentina & Ireland) but I have never been unable to actually board a plane. Now I am going to talk about a city I went to today. I DO NOT WANT TO MOVE THERE OR ANYTHING, BUT…….it reminded me of the movie since a few scenes were filmed in the village.

So here goes…

My Lovely Excursion to the Picturesque Town of Positano, Italy

Now, it was not the town that Francis (Diane Lane in the movie Under the Tuscan Sun) bought the villa in. When Francis meets the hottie Italian Marcello in Rome, Positano is the town he is from, and takes her to. It is also the scene of the crime, for the heartbreaking part where she goes to visit Marcello and he is with another woman.

For those of you unfamiliar, Positano is located about 45 minutes outside of Sorrento, Italy. It is a part of Italy’s celebrated Amalfi Coast. Its claim to fame, if you will, is that it is basically a pedestrian city that is built entirely into a cliff. The streets wind around, and from a distance, it looks like all these houses are stacked on top of each other, when in reality there is a narrow sidewalk and staircases between levels. It really is breathtaking to see.

The road to get there is also breathtaking, but in another way…..you hold your breath the whole time because it is so scary! There is a tiny road that connects Positano to Sorrento, where our yacht was anchored. This road looks like it should be one lane one way, but of course, the Italians treat like a freeway just passing whenever they feel like it around the curves. I love how the fact that you honk when you cross to the other side of the road when you are rounding a corner. And that is supposed to be enough of a warning. I super enjoyed how our driver was honking on every curve, but I never saw anyone actually stop and pull over when we heard a honk from another car. Intriguing.

Anyway, the town itself was very pleasant. It has become the new refuge of the rich and famous. Mainly because they made an ordinance a few years ago that you could not build anything else in the town….just remodel existing buildings. So, of course that has driven the prices up, and all the Eurotrash “just HAD to have a place there” Then, it lead to any property that was not absolutely gorgeous get resold and restored. However, we were told that there are still quite a few very stubborn families that own homes there, and are just fine with their dilapidated villas with clothing on the hangline outside being next to some snotty French or Spanish movie star’s place. Its gives the village a lot of character.

My afternoon started with a glass of wine at the Hotel Sirenuse. They have a beautiful piazza that shoots out from the cliff. I will not even mention what that single glass of refreshing Italian white wine cost me, but it was well worth it to witness that view, which is probably the most beautiful possible looking down the mountain to the beach. I also enjoy that in Italy, when you order a drink at an upscale café, it is always accompanied with a small bowl of olives, and a small bowl of salted or candied nuts. Props to Richard from Cardiff, Wales who is part of the yacht crew, and who recommended I have a drink there. Even though I was forced to wander about like a lost American for about 30 minutes before I found the VERY hidden hotel entrance. I stole the drink menu to have as a memento.

Next, I decided to visit some of the shops that Positano is known for. Sandal shops are very popular. Of course, not just any kind of sandal shop…these have cobblers who measure your feet when you walk in, and made the sandals, flip-flops or clogs to your exact dimensions. After the measurement, you wonder around their shops and pick the leather or jeweled piece, color, and style that you want your sandal to be from a monstrous selection of everything from plain straps to choices with jewels or charms hanging off. Post-selection, you wait while the cobblers get to work hammering and stretching. The last step is the heel you want. The cobbler could do any height, and even put a wedge on the sole. It was really amazing to see the speed at which these cranky looking old guys worked. I decided not to have a pair made, but I did enjoy watching (and judging) the styles that I saw others pick out!

After exploring the walkways, unique villas, and galleries of the upper town, I strolled down to the beach area. It reminded me of a smaller Cannes, or Nice with the colored umbrellas of the beach clubs in perfect lines in the sand. But, unlike those cities, the beach only covered the crescent inlet, and there were only 2 umbrella colors. And that is where it looked like the beautiful people were spending their day. Then, unlike those cities, there was a fairly good sized public beach area, which I personally found very entertaining. There were all kinds of people on that part. It looked like locals, mixed with tourists, even backpackers just taking a rest. I also had to burst out laughing when I witnessed an older couple changing into their suits right on the sand, one at a time, while the other held a blanket over them folded so it looked like a tent. I really thought this was peculiar since there were free public changing rooms 100 ft from where they were standing!

O.K. I have to return to Under the Tuscan Sun again, because there is a quick scene in the movie where Francis is wearing her white dress, and walks on a stone pier where the water is crashing up by her feet. Well, I asked someone were that was filmed, and they directed me to the spot. I gotta tell ya, that had to be staged, because it is a lovely place where you walk on the pier, but the water is very calm there, with hardly even a ripple. I call BS on the producers…unless they happen to be filming during some kind of storm or something!

Now the last thing I did before my departure from Positano was totally geek out.

I decided to try and find, so I could photograph the balcony that Francis talks to Marcello from. Yeah…I’m that girl. All I knew was that it was a pink building with black railings. Can’t be hard, right? There were about a dozen pink buildings with black railings, so I spent an hour walking around, and taking pictures of all of them. Eventually I will rewatch the movie, and decide which pic is the right one.

So, it was a lovely day. I really enjoyed Positano, and would love to return to stay a night or two there.

Postnote:

I wrote this last week but was unable to post it until now. Also…stay tuned….I went to Capri the next day, and that blog is coming!

Champagne Dreams & Caviar Wishes

2008-09-08T15:34:00.006-05:00

Here's a quick funny.....

Today was the 2nd day on my Greek & Italian yacht cruise. We were in the port of Itea, and had a very educational tour of the Sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi. An awesome ancient Greek site to see.

Also today.....the activity director on the ship (sorry, yacht) decided to host a "Champagne & Caviar" Pool Party. True story.

I heard the announcement, and since I had a few minutes before I had to work for the day, I decided to wander to the pool and hot tub on Deck 3 and check it out.

What I witness was intriguing. It's 11:00 AM, and the yacht has an elaborate table set with flower arrangements and fancy silver buckets of ice and champagne. The attendents are in full dress ship uniform including white gloves. There is a multileveled, super fancy table of caviar and the accoutrements, if you will.

Then, I see about a couple dozen people in their fancy suits, hats, and sunglasses in the pool sipping thier crystal flutes of bubbly, and nibbling on their toast points of caviar. The waiters were standing at attention around the pool just wanting for someone's glass to get below halfway, so they could literally run over and refill. The guests just continue basking away on a pool deck, on a very pricey yacht cruise, in the Medeterrian Sea. Almost like this is the way they spend all of their Tuesdays.

It was really a site to be seen. So, that is what a few rich people were doing today. Makes you wonder what poor people were up to. Oh yeah.....we were walking up and down the very hot dock of the port sweating, swating off bees, and taping signs to the tour motorcoaches for the excursions this afternoon.

I love my job, and I am around a lot of glitz and glamour, but that does not mean I am truly part of it. A very humbling thought.

Deja Vu in Greece......Sort Of.

2008-09-08T10:49:00.001-05:00

I am at the beginning of a Greek and Italian island cruise for work. It is fantastic! I love these types of programs. We have chartered a very expensive, very small (only fits 100 people, but we are sailing with 70) yacht. There are more employees on this boat (sorry yacht…I keep getting corrected) than passageners. Awesome.

Well, the trip started in Athens,Greece and I got to fly into the city a few days beforehand, which rocked! I love Athens. It’s a great old city with a nice mix of ancient charm; modern pollution, scary streets with even scarier taxi drivers, and friendly, but crazy people.

I want to do a list of all the things that makes the city so interesting, but first, I have to tell a goofy story about what an idiot yours truly is. Enjoy.

So, I think I have to start on the airplane. When I got to the gate in Atlanta for my connection to Athens, I was already in a foul mood. First of all, my original flight on Delta (the bane of Airlines as far as cancelled flights out of the Lou is concerned) had cancelled and they had to reprotect me on an American flight. I had gotten a free upgrade from Delta for the STL to ATL portion, but on the American flight, it was a small plane with no first class (I know…whoo is me). Then, in Atlanta, I was supposed to have an exit row on the ATL to ATH flight.

Well, there had been an equipment change, and the newer plane had less exit row seats, so I got bumped into a suckass seat. Finally, after haggling with the gate agent, and playing the “siotic nerve” card, I at least got a bulkhead window on the two seat side, so I was a little happier.

It turned out that seat change led to another fun stranger moment. Don’t you just love great stranger moments? Sitting next to me was a pilot for Delta. He flies the smaller regional jets, and he jumped on this flight to go to Greece to visit friends and family. He was American, but very Greek origin.

We ended up talking for the entire 11 hour flight. Very interesting guy. It was funny that we both had a pretty good seat on the plane, but were mad about it. I, of course, wanted my exit row, and as a pilot, he would have gotten a 1st class seat, had it not been full.

So, we bitched about airline travel for awhile, talked about all the places we had been, had a sodoku speed contest with the games in the Delta magazine. We were having a great old time. We shared stories about adventures in drinking, talked college football, and all kinds of other crazy stuff.

It was one of those stranger encounters, where you know there is no love connection or anything (he was cute, but a little short and way to skinny for me) but the humorous conversations really helps pass the time! I will have to make a point to check out the pilots on all my small plane flights with Delta to see if it’s him from now on.

So, that now brings me to my arrival in Athens.

I had been talking to the other TDs on the layover, and while we were going through customs. I was saying that I loved Athens and that the hotel we were staying at, was the one I stayed at for 2 days 2 years ago, and that it was super cool. On that last trip, the hotel had been going through a renovation. It was still open, because the rooms were fine, but the lobby and front were behind this construction wall that had beautiful murals of Greece painted on them.

The one thing I remember from 2 years ago was the Presidential Suite. We had rented it for a cocktail party, and it had this GORGEOUS private infinity pool. It was on the 8th floor, and from the pool, you got the best view of the acropolis ever. So, when I arrived to Athens this time, I was telling my coworkers that we had to get the hotel to give us a tour of that suite.

So…me at the hotel this trip……

I was excited to see the lobby (since I had not before), and it was very classic and ornate. Then, when I got to my room….it looked completely different than I remembered, but that is not uncommon in these older european hotels. Commonly, all the rooms are very unique. Then, the next morning at breakfast, the breakfast room was on the 8th floor, like before, but it was totally redone. It had gone from a windowed room to completely open air restaurant, with a totally different set up. I really started to think that the renovations they had done were very extensive.

So…the kicker. I ask the hotel contact if I and the other TDs could go up and see the presidential suite. I told her I wanted them to see the pool….

She says “there is no private pool for the presidential suite.”

I was all “yes there is, I was here two years ago and we had a party in it.”

She was all “No, not here.”

I was all “Am I crazy?”

And then the realization….

She says “I think you were at the hotel next door. It has a rooftop pool for the presidential suite.”

Well, she was right. And I am an idiot.

.I had actually stayed at the hotel next door last time. It took me 2 days to realize that, and every sign that I got that I was at a different hotel was completely missed. It’s not even like the names of the hotels were similar. One was Hotel King Charles, and the other was Hotel Grand Beargne.

I was well made fun off by the other staff for that. Can’t blame me though…..it was under construction last time, and come on…..I stay in at least 40 different hotels a year….I can’t keep them all straight!

O.K. I promised you a list of interesting things about Athens (or Greece in general) and unfortunately I am now tired from writing the long story about how I am stupid.

So here are just two things. Deal.

1. The people are really fiery here. But not rude fiery like the Italians. They yell at each other, and it’s kind of funny, because 2 minutes later they are laughing. I was really entertained by the interactions of the hotel bellman, and the cab drivers for the a couple days. The bellman were yelling and banging on the cars of the taxis that were blocking the entrance, and then when the cars are moved, they walk up and shake their hands and chat. Hilar.

2. I don’t know what it is about Athens and dogs, but there are a lot wondering the streets. But not wild or stray dogs….dogs with collars, which look well fed. I guess there is no leash law in the city. I was really amused by this one fat lab who had decided that he was going to sleep by the door of the hotel. I asked the bellman about him, and they told me that particular dog comes by every day for a couple of hours and lies right by the door. Apparently the pooch gets little whiffs of cold air conditioning when people walk in and out of the lobby. It makes for a cool nap. I took a bunch of pictures of the doggy all spawled out. So adorable.

Today we were on the island of Hydra, which was very beautiful and scenic. I enjoyed a nice hike up the hilly coast. Very relaxing and serene. Tomorrow, we are off to Itea, and the sanctuary of Delphi. More to come……

Whether You Like Him or Hate Him.....

2008-09-03T10:11:00.006-05:00

You Have to Respect Him.

I am talking about Barack Obama. And yes, this post is about a week or so late. But, but the magic of tivo, I just watched his speech yesterday before I left for Greece.

Give me all the crap you want for this post, and I'll take it. But I haven't been more moved by a political speech since Micheal Douglas in "The American President". And that was not even real.

Obama hit it out of the park in Denver. There, I said it.

And for all the people that say he is nothing more that speeches...I would rather support someone is all speeches and ideas, then someone with actual actions that proved to be factors in jacking this county up.

At least Obama has the balls to admit that America has problems. Instead of celebrating the situation we are in, and vowing to continue.

And yeah, you could say that I have bought into the retheric. At least I am not buying into the lies, deceptions, and overstepping of the current administration and the promise of more of the same.

So, here it is, in its entirty, Obam's speech in Denver. Oh, and just try to compare him to Hitler. I love that one! "Hitler was a great speaker too".

The person who came up with that one was a real thinktank....

The Speech.....try not to jump up and cheer when you are finished reading (its hard!)......

To Chairman Dean and my great friend Dick Durbin; and to all my fellow citizens of this great nation;
With profound gratitude and great humility, I accept your nomination for the presidency of the United States.
Let me express my thanks to the historic slate of candidates who accompanied me on this journey, and especially the one who traveled the farthest - a champion for working Americans and an inspiration to my daughters and to yours -- Hillary Rodham Clinton. To President Clinton, who last night made the case for change as only he can make it; to Ted Kennedy, who embodies the spirit of service; and to the next Vice President of the United States, Joe Biden, I thank you. I am grateful to finish this journey with one of the finest statesmen of our time, a man at ease with everyone from world leaders to the conductors on the Amtrak train he still takes home every night.
To the love of my life, our next First Lady, Michelle Obama, and to Sasha and Malia - I love you so much, and I'm so proud of all of you.
Four years ago, I stood before you and told you my story - of the brief union between a young man from Kenya and a young woman from Kansas who weren't well-off or well-known, but shared a belief that in America, their son could achieve whatever he put his mind to.
It is that promise that has always set this country apart - that through hard work and sacrifice, each of us can pursue our individual dreams but still come together as one American family, to ensure that the next generation can pursue their dreams as well.
That's why I stand here tonight. Because for two hundred and thirty two years, at each moment when that promise was in jeopardy, ordinary men and women - students and soldiers, farmers and teachers, nurses and janitors -- found the courage to keep it alive.
We meet at one of those defining moments - a moment when our nation is at war, our economy is in turmoil, and the American promise has been threatened once more.
Tonight, more Americans are out of work and more are working harder for less. More of you have lost your homes and even more are watching your home values plummet. More of you have cars you can't afford to drive, credit card bills you can't afford to pay, and tuition that's beyond your reach.
These challenges are not all of government's making. But the failure to respond is a direct result of a broken politics in Washington and the failed policies of George W. Bush.
America, we are better than these last eight years. We are a better country than this.
This country is more decent than one where a woman in Ohio, on the brink of retirement, finds herself one illness away from disaster after a lifetime of hard work.
This country is more generous than one where a man in Indiana has to pack up the equipment he's worked on for twenty years and watch it shipped off to China, and then chokes up as he explains how he felt like a failure when he went home to tell his family the news.
We are more compassionate than a government that lets veterans sleep on our streets and families slide into poverty; that sits on its hands while a major American city drowns before our eyes.
Tonight, I say to the American people, to Democrats and Republicans and Independents across this great land - enough! This moment - this election - is our chance to keep, in the 21st century, the American promise alive. Because next week, in Minnesota, the same party that brought you two terms of George Bush and Dick Cheney will ask this country for a third. And we are here because we love this country too much to let the next four years look like the last eight. On November 4th, we must stand up and say: "Eight is enough."
Now let there be no doubt. The Republican nominee, John McCain, has worn the uniform of our country with bravery and distinction, and for that we owe him our gratitude and respect. And next week, we'll also hear about those occasions when he's broken with his party as evidence that he can deliver the change that we need.
But the record's clear: John McCain has voted with George Bush ninety percent of the time. Senator McCain likes to talk about judgment, but really, what does it say about your judgment when you think George Bush has been right more than ninety percent of the time? I don't know about you, but I'm not ready to take a ten percent chance on change.
The truth is, on issue after issue that would make a difference in your lives - on health care and education and the economy - Senator McCain has been anything but independent. He said that our economy has made "great progress" under this President. He said that the fundamentals of the economy are strong. And when one of his chief advisors - the man who wrote his economic plan - was talking about the anxiety Americans are feeling, he said that we were just suffering from a "mental recession," and that we've become, and I quote, "a nation of whiners."
A nation of whiners? Tell that to the proud auto workers at a Michigan plant who, after they found out it was closing, kept showing up every day and working as hard as ever, because they knew there were people who counted on the brakes that they made. Tell that to the military families who shoulder their burdens silently as they watch their loved ones leave for their third or fourth or fifth tour of duty. These are not whiners. They work hard and give back and keep going without complaint. These are the Americans that I know.
Now, I don't believe that Senator McCain doesn't care what's going on in the lives of Americans. I just think he doesn't know. Why else would he define middle-class as someone making under five million dollars a year? How else could he propose hundreds of billions in tax breaks for big corporations and oil companies but not one penny of tax relief to more than one hundred million Americans? How else could he offer a health care plan that would actually tax people's benefits, or an education plan that would do nothing to help families pay for college, or a plan that would privatize Social Security and gamble your retirement?
It's not because John McCain doesn't care. It's because John McCain doesn't get it.
For over two decades, he's subscribed to that old, discredited Republican philosophy - give more and more to those with the most and hope that prosperity trickles down to everyone else. In Washington, they call this the Ownership Society, but what it really means is - you're on your own. Out of work? Tough luck. No health care? The market will fix it. Born into poverty? Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps - even if you don't have boots. You're on your own.
Well it's time for them to own their failure. It's time for us to change America.
You see, we Democrats have a very different measure of what constitutes progress in this country.
We measure progress by how many people can find a job that pays the mortgage; whether you can put a little extra money away at the end of each month so you can someday watch your child receive her college diploma. We measure progress in the 23 million new jobs that were created when Bill Clinton was President - when the average American family saw its income go up $7,500 instead of down $2,000 like it has under George Bush.
We measure the strength of our economy not by the number of billionaires we have or the profits of the Fortune 500, but by whether someone with a good idea can take a risk and start a new business, or whether the waitress who lives on tips can take a day off to look after a sick kid without losing her job - an economy that honors the dignity of work.
The fundamentals we use to measure economic strength are whether we are living up to that fundamental promise that has made this country great - a promise that is the only reason I am standing here tonight.
Because in the faces of those young veterans who come back from Iraq and Afghanistan, I see my grandfather, who signed up after Pearl Harbor, marched in Patton's Army, and was rewarded by a grateful nation with the chance to go to college on the GI Bill.
In the face of that young student who sleeps just three hours before working the night shift, I think about my mom, who raised my sister and me on her own while she worked and earned her degree; who once turned to food stamps but was still able to send us to the best schools in the country with the help of student loans and scholarships.
When I listen to another worker tell me that his factory has shut down, I remember all those men and women on the South Side of Chicago who I stood by and fought for two decades ago after the local steel plant closed.
And when I hear a woman talk about the difficulties of starting her own business, I think about my grandmother, who worked her way up from the secretarial pool to middle-management, despite years of being passed over for promotions because she was a woman. She's the one who taught me about hard work. She's the one who put off buying a new car or a new dress for herself so that I could have a better life. She poured everything she had into me. And although she can no longer travel, I know that she's watching tonight, and that tonight is her night as well.
I don't know what kind of lives John McCain thinks that celebrities lead, but this has been mine. These are my heroes. Theirs are the stories that shaped me. And it is on their behalf that I intend to win this election and keep our promise alive as President of the United States.
What is that promise?
It's a promise that says each of us has the freedom to make of our own lives what we will, but that we also have the obligation to treat each other with dignity and respect.
It's a promise that says the market should reward drive and innovation and generate growth, but that businesses should live up to their responsibilities to create American jobs, look out for American workers, and play by the rules of the road.
Ours is a promise that says government cannot solve all our problems, but what it should do is that which we cannot do for ourselves - protect us from harm and provide every child a decent education; keep our water clean and our toys safe; invest in new schools and new roads and new science and technology.
Our government should work for us, not against us. It should help us, not hurt us. It should ensure opportunity not just for those with the most money and influence, but for every American who's willing to work.
That's the promise of America - the idea that we are responsible for ourselves, but that we also rise or fall as one nation; the fundamental belief that I am my brother's keeper; I am my sister's keeper.
That's the promise we need to keep. That's the change we need right now. So let me spell out exactly what that change would mean if I am President.
Change means a tax code that doesn't reward the lobbyists who wrote it, but the American workers and small businesses who deserve it.
Unlike John McCain, I will stop giving tax breaks to corporations that ship jobs overseas, and I will start giving them to companies that create good jobs right here in America.
I will eliminate capital gains taxes for the small businesses and the start-ups that will create the high-wage, high-tech jobs of tomorrow.
I will cut taxes - cut taxes - for 95% of all working families. Because in an economy like this, the last thing we should do is raise taxes on the middle-class.
And for the sake of our economy, our security, and the future of our planet, I will set a clear goal as President: in ten years, we will finally end our dependence on oil from the Middle East.
Washington's been talking about our oil addiction for the last thirty years, and John McCain has been there for twenty-six of them. In that time, he's said no to higher fuel-efficiency standards for cars, no to investments in renewable energy, no to renewable fuels. And today, we import triple the amount of oil as the day that Senator McCain took office.
Now is the time to end this addiction, and to understand that drilling is a stop-gap measure, not a long-term solution. Not even close.
As President, I will tap our natural gas reserves, invest in clean coal technology, and find ways to safely harness nuclear power. I'll help our auto companies re-tool, so that the fuel-efficient cars of the future are built right here in America. I'll make it easier for the American people to afford these new cars. And I'll invest 150 billion dollars over the next decade in affordable, renewable sources of energy - wind power and solar power and the next generation of biofuels; an investment that will lead to new industries and five million new jobs that pay well and can't ever be outsourced.
America, now is not the time for small plans.
Now is the time to finally meet our moral obligation to provide every child a world-class education, because it will take nothing less to compete in the global economy. Michelle and I are only here tonight because we were given a chance at an education. And I will not settle for an America where some kids don't have that chance. I'll invest in early childhood education. I'll recruit an army of new teachers, and pay them higher salaries and give them more support. And in exchange, I'll ask for higher standards and more accountability. And we will keep our promise to every young American - if you commit to serving your community or your country, we will make sure you can afford a college education.
Now is the time to finally keep the promise of affordable, accessible health care for every single American. If you have health care, my plan will lower your premiums. If you don't, you'll be able to get the same kind of coverage that members of Congress give themselves. And as someone who watched my mother argue with insurance companies while she lay in bed dying of cancer, I will make certain those companies stop discriminating against those who are sick and need care the most.
Now is the time to help families with paid sick days and better family leave, because nobody in America should have to choose between keeping their jobs and caring for a sick child or ailing parent.
Now is the time to change our bankruptcy laws, so that your pensions are protected ahead of CEO bonuses; and the time to protect Social Security for future generations.
And now is the time to keep the promise of equal pay for an equal day's work, because I want my daughters to have exactly the same opportunities as your sons.
Now, many of these plans will cost money, which is why I've laid out how I'll pay for every dime - by closing corporate loopholes and tax havens that don't help America grow. But I will also go through the federal budget, line by line, eliminating programs that no longer work and making the ones we do need work better and cost less - because we cannot meet twenty-first century challenges with a twentieth century bureaucracy.
And Democrats, we must also admit that fulfilling America's promise will require more than just money. It will require a renewed sense of responsibility from each of us to recover what John F. Kennedy called our "intellectual and moral strength." Yes, government must lead on energy independence, but each of us must do our part to make our homes and businesses more efficient. Yes, we must provide more ladders to success for young men who fall into lives of crime and despair. But we must also admit that programs alone can't replace parents; that government can't turn off the television and make a child do her homework; that fathers must take more responsibility for providing the love and guidance their children need.
Individual responsibility and mutual responsibility - that's the essence of America's promise.
And just as we keep our keep our promise to the next generation here at home, so must we keep America's promise abroad. If John McCain wants to have a debate about who has the temperament, and judgment, to serve as the next Commander-in-Chief, that's a debate I'm ready to have.
For while Senator McCain was turning his sights to Iraq just days after 9/11, I stood up and opposed this war, knowing that it would distract us from the real threats we face. When John McCain said we could just "muddle through" in Afghanistan, I argued for more resources and more troops to finish the fight against the terrorists who actually attacked us on 9/11, and made clear that we must take out Osama bin Laden and his lieutenants if we have them in our sights. John McCain likes to say that he'll follow bin Laden to the Gates of Hell - but he won't even go to the cave where he lives.
And today, as my call for a time frame to remove our troops from Iraq has been echoed by the Iraqi government and even the Bush Administration, even after we learned that Iraq has a $79 billion surplus while we're wallowing in deficits, John McCain stands alone in his stubborn refusal to end a misguided war.
That's not the judgment we need. That won't keep America safe. We need a President who can face the threats of the future, not keep grasping at the ideas of the past.
You don't defeat a terrorist network that operates in eighty countries by occupying Iraq. You don't protect Israel and deter Iran just by talking tough in Washington. You can't truly stand up for Georgia when you've strained our oldest alliances. If John McCain wants to follow George Bush with more tough talk and bad strategy, that is his choice - but it is not the change we need.
We are the party of Roosevelt. We are the party of Kennedy. So don't tell me that Democrats won't defend this country. Don't tell me that Democrats won't keep us safe. The Bush-McCain foreign policy has squandered the legacy that generations of Americans -- Democrats and Republicans - have built, and we are here to restore that legacy.
As Commander-in-Chief, I will never hesitate to defend this nation, but I will only send our troops into harm's way with a clear mission and a sacred commitment to give them the equipment they need in battle and the care and benefits they deserve when they come home.
I will end this war in Iraq responsibly, and finish the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan. I will rebuild our military to meet future conflicts. But I will also renew the tough, direct diplomacy that can prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and curb Russian aggression. I will build new partnerships to defeat the threats of the 21st century: terrorism and nuclear proliferation; poverty and genocide; climate change and disease. And I will restore our moral standing, so that America is once again that last, best hope for all who are called to the cause of freedom, who long for lives of peace, and who yearn for a better future.
These are the policies I will pursue. And in the weeks ahead, I look forward to debating them with John McCain.
But what I will not do is suggest that the Senator takes his positions for political purposes. Because one of the things that we have to change in our politics is the idea that people cannot disagree without challenging each other's character and patriotism.
The times are too serious, the stakes are too high for this same partisan playbook. So let us agree that patriotism has no party. I love this country, and so do you, and so does John McCain. The men and women who serve in our battlefields may be Democrats and Republicans and Independents, but they have fought together and bled together and some died together under the same proud flag. They have not served a Red America or a Blue America - they have served the United States of America.
So I've got news for you, John McCain. We all put our country first.
America, our work will not be easy. The challenges we face require tough choices, and Democrats as well as Republicans will need to cast off the worn-out ideas and politics of the past. For part of what has been lost these past eight years can't just be measured by lost wages or bigger trade deficits. What has also been lost is our sense of common purpose - our sense of higher purpose. And that's what we have to restore.
We may not agree on abortion, but surely we can agree on reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies in this country. The reality of gun ownership may be different for hunters in rural Ohio than for those plagued by gang-violence in Cleveland, but don't tell me we can't uphold the Second Amendment while keeping AK-47s out of the hands of criminals. I know there are differences on same-sex marriage, but surely we can agree that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters deserve to visit the person they love in the hospital and to live lives free of discrimination. Passions fly on immigration, but I don't know anyone who benefits when a mother is separated from her infant child or an employer undercuts American wages by hiring illegal workers. This too is part of America's promise - the promise of a democracy where we can find the strength and grace to bridge divides and unite in common effort.
I know there are those who dismiss such beliefs as happy talk. They claim that our insistence on something larger, something firmer and more honest in our public life is just a Trojan Horse for higher taxes and the abandonment of traditional values. And that's to be expected. Because if you don't have any fresh ideas, then you use stale tactics to scare the voters. If you don't have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run from.
You make a big election about small things.
And you know what - it's worked before. Because it feeds into the cynicism we all have about government. When Washington doesn't work, all its promises seem empty. If your hopes have been dashed again and again, then it's best to stop hoping, and settle for what you already know.
I get it. I realize that I am not the likeliest candidate for this office. I don't fit the typical pedigree, and I haven't spent my career in the halls of Washington.
But I stand before you tonight because all across America something is stirring. What the nay-sayers don't understand is that this election has never been about me. It's been about you.
For eighteen long months, you have stood up, one by one, and said enough to the politics of the past. You understand that in this election, the greatest risk we can take is to try the same old politics with the same old players and expect a different result. You have shown what history teaches us - that at defining moments like this one, the change we need doesn't come from Washington. Change comes to Washington. Change happens because the American people demand it - because they rise up and insist on new ideas and new leadership, a new politics for a new time.
America, this is one of those moments.
I believe that as hard as it will be, the change we need is coming. Because I've seen it. Because I've lived it. I've seen it in Illinois, when we provided health care to more children and moved more families from welfare to work. I've seen it in Washington, when we worked across party lines to open up government and hold lobbyists more accountable, to give better care for our veterans and keep nuclear weapons out of terrorist hands.
And I've seen it in this campaign. In the young people who voted for the first time, and in those who got involved again after a very long time. In the Republicans who never thought they'd pick up a Democratic ballot, but did. I've seen it in the workers who would rather cut their hours back a day than see their friends lose their jobs, in the soldiers who re-enlist after losing a limb, in the good neighbors who take a stranger in when a hurricane strikes and the floodwaters rise.
This country of ours has more wealth than any nation, but that's not what makes us rich. We have the most powerful military on Earth, but that's not what makes us strong. Our universities and our culture are the envy of the world, but that's not what keeps the world coming to our shores.
Instead, it is that American spirit - that American promise - that pushes us forward even when the path is uncertain; that binds us together in spite of our differences; that makes us fix our eye not on what is seen, but what is unseen, that better place around the bend.
That promise is our greatest inheritance. It's a promise I make to my daughters when I tuck them in at night, and a promise that you make to yours - a promise that has led immigrants to cross oceans and pioneers to travel west; a promise that led workers to picket lines, and women to reach for the ballot.
And it is that promise that forty five years ago today, brought Americans from every corner of this land to stand together on a Mall in Washington, before Lincoln's Memorial, and hear a young preacher from Georgia speak of his dream.
The men and women who gathered there could've heard many things. They could've heard words of anger and discord. They could've been told to succumb to the fear and frustration of so many dreams deferred.
But what the people heard instead - people of every creed and color, from every walk of life - is that in America, our destiny is inextricably linked. That together, our dreams can be one.
"We cannot walk alone," the preacher cried. "And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back."
America, we cannot turn back. Not with so much work to be done. Not with so many children to educate, and so many veterans to care for. Not with an economy to fix and cities to rebuild and farms to save. Not with so many families to protect and so many lives to mend. America, we cannot turn back. We cannot walk alone. At this moment, in this election, we must pledge once more to march into the future. Let us keep that promise - that American promise - and in the words of Scripture hold firmly, without wavering, to the hope that we confess.
Thank you, God Bless you, and God Bless the United States of America.

"Big Head...Big Head...Big Head...Whoa, Big Head"

2008-08-28T10:08:00.005-05:00

Recognize the quote??? It doesn't make sense until the end of this blog entry.......

I just finished watching the movie Smart People.

I thought it was amusing, and I quite enjoyed it. Don't take that as an endorsement (necessarily), because I tend to like very strange indie dramedies that most people think are odd. I.E. Be Kind, Rewind.

Anyway, not going to discuss the movie, but I do want to say a little tidbit about one of the actresses....Ellen Page. You might know her better as "Juno".

I read an article about her not too long ago, and one of the things the writer commented on is her affection for red hooded zipup sweatshirts. He was saying that she must really love them because she has worn on in every movie she has ever made, and the author had seen her in public many times in the red item.

I don't know why I even remembered that trivia, but I was thinking about it during Smart People. And I make the realization when the movie was over that there was a lack of red hooded zipup sweatshirts on Ms. Page. So, I thought, the writer was wrong....not in every movie.

Well, being the over analyser I am, I , of course, needed to watch all the bonus material. Low and behold, in one of the featurettes on the making of the movie, there is a shot of the director working with the star, and Ellen Page is shown in a costume from the movie. And over said costume, complete with hood on head, she is wearing a red hooded zipup sweatshirt.

Go Ellen.

Plus, had anyone ever noticed that her noggin is huge? She must have the strongest neck ever. She had this very tiny skinny frame, and his enormous head. I guess we didn't really notice it in Juno because she was prego for most of the movie, and that must have balanced it out. I have heard that there are a lot of actors with over sized heads, because a large melon films very well. I guess I would believe that.

I've been told that Kelly Ripa is big. Also (and I know this one from personal experience) Celine Dion had the most ginormous head ever. I saw here walking through a hotel lobby once, and for a second I thought she was wearing some kind of mask thing. Seriously.

One more....Jay Leno - looks like a bobble doll of himself. I was the green room contact for him during an event once, and we sat and chatted for awhile. I just stared at the huge rock of a face and head on that man during the whole convo. He must have thought I was an idiot!

P.S. Quote is from Chandler on Friends

Cool & Creepy at the same time....

2008-08-27T07:01:00.005-05:00

So, I was just thinking about "The Bodies" display that had been traveling around the world. For those of you not familiar, here's a little background.

This crazy German scientist started in the late 50s asking people to agree to donate their bodies upon their death so that he could use this strange plastic process to preserve the bodies and basically turn them into mannequins. He would then form, slice, peel back skin, and do all kinds of freakish things in the attempt to teach about the inner workings of the human form.

O.K. I tried, but that description did not do the man, or his hobby, justice, so here's the link.....

http://www.bodiestheexhibition.com/bodies.html

Well, this got me thinking of all the things in this world that are both cool and creepy at the same time. So, I am feeling a list coming on....

1. Kopi Luwak

That exotic coffee that is made from coffee beans that the Luwak (some weird animal) eat and then poop out. It's apparently a delicacy and very expensive.

2. The Vatican.

This one is a little random, but I am recalling the first time I was there in high school. I was so blown away by the size, the ornate buildings, and the majesty of it all. Then, it made me wonder about the exorbitant wealth of the Catholic church. And the years of slave labor on the backs of so called "heretics" that build it.

3. My friend from Wales who got his thumb cut off in a freak accident.

The doctors cut off his big toe, scaled it down, and sewed it on. Now he has a toe-thumb. It really looks cool, and unless you knew the truth, you wouldn't even notice.

4. Skydiving.

It was awesome. One of the greatest experiences of my life. The biggest high I have ever had. And I never want to do it again.

5. African Safaris.

Watching animals hunt down and eat each other from about 10 feet away.... Awesome. Having a lion stare right at you with bits of zebra skin hanging out of her mouth..... Scary.

6. Documentaries on Ants.

I know, sounds weird. I don't watch the Discovery Channel or National Geographic very often, but for some reason, I seem to catch a lot of ant documentaries, especially late at night. My 2 favorite are first - the one about the man-eating ants who move through the jungle in a complicated web of highways they dig and protect.

And second - the one where they take the natural factors that make humans stand out from other animals (ability to use tools; dominance over other animals; social organization, etc.), and show how there is a type of African ant that displays these traits also. Super intriguing.

7. Shooting a gun.

Disclaimer: I am not endorsing guns, or gun ownership. In fact, I am very much against handguns, and the trite, overused, so called "right to bear arms". I am just saying that a gun enthusiast friend of mine once took me to a shooting range. Since, as I have stated before, I do not like to condemn that I do not understand, I agreed to go. It was pretty exhilarating. But, after a round or two, I was done. It did start to make my hand shake, and scare me a little.

8. Movies that celebrate things the general public would consider taboo....where you are, sort of, routing for the bad guy.

Lord of War - I was totally wanting Uri Orlof, the gun runner arming crazy blood thirsty African gangs, to evade the American ATF Agent.

Matchpoint - I got behind the main guy who killed his pregnant girlfriend, excited he got away with it, and his wife never found out.

Little Children - I was hoping the 2 people having the affair both left their spouses to be together

The Shawshank Redemption - I was on the side of the inmates (I.E. convicted felons) over the wardens and prison guards

What is Wrong with this Country.....

2008-08-26T16:43:00.004-05:00

Don't worry - this is not political...at all!

So, I was bored just a second ago, and since I am in the hometown of a Mr. Chase Daniels (see previous blog entry), I thought I would try and find his home address online. Then I did what anyone who likes to stalk would do, I googled him.

Low and behold, what is the first thing on Google under "Chase Daniels"?

This video.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEW8_KVhDFE

Seriously?

He's a well respected big 12 college football quarterback. The guy was a Heisman canidiate last year, with a good shot of winning it this year. And I don't know this from experience or anything, but I have always heard that he is an all around good guy.

And the first thing I see when searching his name is a video of him eating his booger. Nice.

Too Busy to Blog...

2008-08-26T16:15:00.004-05:00

I will, however, quickly share a funny quote I read about here in Southlake, Texas today:

"I eat danger for breakfast."

Random. I usually eat oatmeal, but to each their own.

P.S. For you Mizzou fans out there.....Southlake is the hometown of QB1 Chase Daniels. If I have time, I might go and stalk his house. Maybe his high school, and look for pictures of him in the halls. Good Times.

Thanks for the info on CD and the suggestions Foof!

Two Things that Disturbed me Today

2008-08-15T10:24:00.005-05:00

#1. I am in Mexico in what one would consider to be an upscale vacation resort. Its not my favorite one in Cancun (although that's not saying much, because I am not really in Cancun's fan Club) but its fairly nice. I'm sure non elitist and non snobby travelers unlike myself would probably say it was fabulous.

The disturbing part: I just had a conversation with our hotel convention manager and we were making small talk about working in a hotel in Mexico. I was intrigued that he told me that a working week for salaried employees here is 6 days a week and 11 hours a day. And that is what they are scheduled....a lot of times they end up working more. What I find so interesting is that this is a college educated man, with impeccable English, and this is a pretty good job to have in Mexico. It really is a completely different world down here.

#2 I just read an article about Georgia and their Russian conflict (I guess that is what I will call it). I'm not going to get on a soapbox about what Russia did...but I am going to make a comment about the media on this one. The article I read on CNN.com referred to Russia as the "the ex-communist nation". Seriously? Do we have to go there?

Russia has not been communist for almost 20 years. It took us long enough to stop calling them the "Former Soviet Union". I may not agree with what is happening, but slipping incendiary labels in news articles is not cool in my book. This writer was from the Associated Press, and has written for such papers as the Chicago Tribune, and New York Times. He should know better. This is CNN, not some pseudo editorial on some blog somewhere.

Just because there are people out there who don't like the Russians, is no reason to play on stereotypes. What if we put those kind of labels on other news stories?

Ex-adulterer John McCain and his ex-prescription drug abusing wife.....

Ex-uppity black church member Barack Obama.....

Ex-slave owning Country of the United States....or even ex-British Colony, the United States

Ex-drunk driver President George Bush....

Ex-knocked up teenager Oprah Winfrey....

I'd like to see a news article from a ligitimate news site or newspaper that uses any of those!

A Quickie on John Edwards Part 2

2008-08-13T10:39:00.004-05:00

O.K. I am over this topic, but I have to point out 2 more things. And that's it, I promise.

1. The Quote

I think (he) has shown a remarkable disrespect for his office, for the moral dimensions of leadership, for his friends, for his wife, for his precious daughter. It is breathtaking to me the level to which that disrespect has risen.

Do you know who said this?

Answer: It was in a speech Edwards made in 1999. He was talking about Bill Clinton and his Lewinsky affair.

GD Hypocrite.

2. The Hillary Factor

Team Hil will not just quietly go into the dark night (not I think that they should). I am so enjoying that even though the Democratic people have spoken, and very clearly chose Obama to be our candidate, because of this Edwards scandal, it's still not over. We have to be subjected to all the Hillary supporters rappin' on about how if this Edwards thing has been announced and publicized in the media earlier in the campaign when it was first suspected....John Edwards would have probably been forced to drop out of the election. That meant that a lot of the support he got would have probably gone to Senator Clinton.

Do we really have to go there? Not only are there a lot of "ifs" in this theory, but this thinking is dangerously close to the pot calling the kettle black.

Example: If Bill Clinton had admitted to his sex addiction and numerous affairs (you know that Gennifer and Monica were not the firsts) during his presidential campaigns, he never would have been president at all and Hillary would still be obstructing Whitewater investigations, and either still hiding records, or recalling her jail time experiences with the McDougals.

People in glass houses........

Am I a Bad Person......

2008-08-12T17:54:00.004-05:00

If I thought this photo was actually a little funny?

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/beijing/blog/fourth_place_medal/post/Spanish-basketball-team-poses-for-offensive-pict?urn=oly,100152

O.K. It was a pretty stupid thing for the Spanish basketball team to do. And I got that it could be thought of as very offensive, but come on. It's a stupid ad picture for a courier company in Spain. Get over it.

This totally brings back memories of that (I know....very offensive) song we would sing, and have little hand actions for, as children.

"Chinese. Japanese. Dirty knees. Look at these!" Who remembers that?

Just a Quickie...Like what John Edwards would have with his video director

2008-08-09T15:50:00.011-05:00

John Edwards is a toolbox. There I said it.

You know what pisses me off the most about him.....the fact that he was part of the democratic Bill Clinton bashing. Family values, helping the poor, honesty in politics...those were his things. He has lost all credibility now. Say what you will about Clinton, he never got on any kind of high horse and preached morality like this Edwards butthole.

Plus, I have a real issue with that ridiculous apology statement, and his TV appearance. Could he have scheduled that at a time when less people were watching? John Poophead Edwards went on Nightline, on a Friday night, at the same time as the Olympic Opening Ceremonies. Seriously? Was there not a timeslot on Telemundo at 4am available?

And let's just talk about what he said. He even had the nerve to point out that other politicians have had affairs, including John McCain with his first wife. Can we get any less classy? Being a former presidential candidate himself, and in an attempt to justify his situation, he brings up a current presidential candidate's indiscretions. Jerkface.

My last rant on this issue has to do with the non reporting of the situation (except by the National Inquirer) and the backlash towards Democrats that will be sure to come out of this.

Since Edwards and his people were able to cover up this story for so long, and since although they are now saying that a lot of newspapers and other media knew about it, but choose not to report it; we are just going to open up a whole new can of worms about Liberal biases in the media. The Republicans will be able to refer to this for years to come. I'm sure Red Staters are just eating this up. Just waiting for the next Time cover with Obama on the front, so they can go on about the liberal media slant some more. Good times ahead!

O.K. I'm done with this topic, except for one thing. I want the DNA test on the bastard child of that skank Edwards was banging in the Red Roof Inn. I'll give 3/1 odds that its his. Yeah, keep denying Mr former Senator (and that's the only title he will ever have)......

What do Judd Apatow and John Hughes have in Common?

2008-08-07T23:47:00.007-05:00

...They both have an innate ability to take a simple, common stereotype to a new, unbelievably funny level.

John Hughes did it with high schoolers. The jock. The pretty popular girl. The outsider. The nerd. The rebel. And I know you read this list and assumed I was channeling The Breakfast Club, but, think about it for a minute, he had these characters in all of his movies. He also loved socioeconomic commentaries in his films. The rich kids who lived on the lake and had fancy cars. The poor kids from the wrong side of the tracks.

And tonight, I saw Judd Apatow's favorite stereotype characters. They are in their mid twenties, usually right out of college, and unemployed or in entry level jobs. They aren't afraid to say every single thing that jumps into their heads to their friends. They speak in this hilarious fast talking mix of dated and current pop - cultural references, and display the most ingenious and creative use of dirty words ever. Oh, and they love the pot.

Yes movie fans....I just saw Pineapple Express. And wow. I can't decide if I thought it was the funniest movie of the year, or one of the worst I have ever seen. It was this hodgepodge of marijuana, guns, freaky characters, weird cars, and blood.

Imagine if Quentin Tarentino had remade the movie Swingers into an action flick, and included all the male characters from Dazed and Confused. It would be a gross, violent, random movie with many hilarious quotable lines thrown in with a lot of endearing soul searchingeque man to man convos. And, everyone in the movie would dress like it was 1975, and be high all the time. Thats about how I would describe that awesomely strange experience that was Pineapple Express.

I can't decide if I recommend it or not. I definitely was entertained, but I feel that it was just too bizarre to merit a full on "Thumbs up". So, I guess...if you like Apatow, and you "get" (if you will) his blunt, introspective, and often perverse sense of humor, then go see it.

Call me after though. I will be curious what you thought.......

(sidenote: I want to point out that Judd Apatow produced this movie, but did not write or direct. It was written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. I was intrigued that the offical website did mention that the idea for the film came from Apatow.)

Warm Fuzzy

2008-08-02T22:50:00.003-05:00

Here's a feel good video for the day. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adYbFQFXG0U

Makes me what to to give my dog a big hug!

Just want to point out....I have been to Africa and stood about 10 feet away from a pride of lions. I don't care whether those boys knew that cat or not....there is no way I would have waited while one approached me. They are beautiful, but terrifying close up. Especially after watching a lioness devour a zebra down to the bones in about 20 minutes. One of the coolest things these eyes have seen though. Everyone should go on an African Safari once in their life. It'll ruin zoos for you!

Gimme a V! Gimme an OTE! What's that Spell?

2008-08-01T15:11:00.003-05:00

This is just a quickie blog to tell all the peeps out there who have a primary Senator, Representative, Governor; or local offices election on Tuesday.....GO AND VOTE.

You may not think that primaries are important, but they are. Just ask Hilary Clinton.

I don't care what you stand for, be it Blue side, Red side, the Libs, the Commies, whatever...just vote. And don't tell me that you don't know anything about whose running in the primaries. Whose fault is that? Educate yourself. You have 3 days to learn all you can about your local candidates. Might as well find a computer and get to it. It's 30 minutes out of your life; tops. What else are you going to do this weekend? Its really hot, and annoying outside.

Also...to those of you (like me) who will be out of town for the election, go get an absentee ballot. You have until Monday. I hope your polling place is better than the one I went to today....it ran out of "I VOTED" stickers. And I was laughed at when I was clearly disappointed by that fact. Judgmental government workers!

So, just vote. Just do it. It's easy and painless.

Plus if there are any propositions or the like on the ballot, remember this simple rule......Always vote "yes" to schools; sewers; roads; and Firemen! They are the things we can't live without.

"Who knocked up your Sister?"

2008-07-30T23:20:00.010-05:00

I know that everyone is totally over Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight, and the like, but I have decided that since the dude was on my top Five List, I am allowing myself one short blog entry on a fallen hero. This is probably going to be a little rambled, but whatever. No one is really reading this blog anyway. I will try not to be generic.

Three of my favorite HL performances (there is another one that I will mention later that I loved, but since I much more enjoyed the movie itself than Heath's actual performance, I am not giving it a paragraph here).......

1. I started thinking about the topic yesterday because Brokeback Mountain was on TV again. What I would consider to be his most amazing performance. What really struck me is that Heath was able to convince the audience of a 20 year age progression just through his voice. He made it scratchier and gruffer as the time went on. The motivation was probably the character's smoking, and just overall frustration with his situation, but Heath convinced me that he was a little older every time he was on screen... just by talking. Notice how they had to make a lot of changes to Jake G to age him: clothes; facial hair; etc. Clearly not as talented.

2. It's funny to think that the same guy also was in Ten Things I hate about You. Now, I usually don't give acting props to anyone in a cheesy teen movie (as much as I love that genre) but I want to comment on the performance that pretty much gave him his start in the USA. He was damn good. I felt that watching him in that was like watching him be his bizarro self. Especially that scene where he is dancing around the football field. Heath was always very private and standoffish with the media, and I would never have believed him to make a public spectacle in real life. However, the way Patrick Verona (and yes...that really was the dude's name in the movie) was a little alternative, and intuitive. That combined with the kept Aussie accent, made me think that character was the Heath Ledger you would talk to if he wasn't famous, and you just met him at a bar.

3. O.K. a little generic, but I don't think I can end this blog without talking about the Joker. He really rocked that Dark Knight role. I was terrified during the movie. I know everyone is talking Oscar, and yada yada, but there is merit to all that talk. Not to ruin it for anyone who hasn't seen it yet, but I think only Heath could have convinced us that the Joker was truly a psychopath while wearing a nurse's outfit. True Story.

And, I hope he does get nominated. Not only because I believe Heath to have taken that role to an unbelievable place, and the rest of the movie is awesome, but partly because it is a huge hit. It's time for movies that people actually see to get Oscar nods. There I said it. I enjoyed the Academy Awards last year, but I did have some issues with the nominees. I mean, I love great indies, and I do respect the performances, but, if we keep only celebrating actors in these little obscure films that only make 20 million, we are in danger of being prejudice against a movie just because it was a hit. And I say that if Heath Ledger does not get an Oscar nomination, that is exactly what has happen.

So to conclude, we did lose a legend in the making. I am not going to say that I feel sorry for him, because I don't. However you want to spin it, the guy was stupid and killed himself with too many drugs. Call it accidental. Call it whatever the hell you want. He got a bunch of prescriptions from a bunch of different doctors, but he was the one who took them all at the same time. Who I do feel sorry for is everyone, including myself, who was going to be waiting to see what was next. If he were still with us, that Joker performance would have shot him to the top, and his pick of roles.

Such a shame......so all that is left to say is good bye...specifically to Patrick Veronea, The Joker, Ennis Del Mar, Casanova, Sonny Grotowski, Gabriel Martin, and of course, my personal favorite character: Sir Urlich von Litchenstien. (Told you I would let you know...guess the movie)

P.S. Kudos to anyone who caught the quote in the title of this blog entry.

It's GossipGirl with a Conscience

2008-07-28T12:22:00.010-05:00

....and a Karaoke Machine.

So, I just watched (and rocked out to) High School Musical 2 this morning. And it was awesome. (reminder: I am 16 at heart).

Who could not love the campy, clean fun that is the most watched, non sports related cable television event to date? I got so into the shiny colorful setting of the cheesy New Mexico suburban country club, I was actually sitting up in bed, and swaying to the beat in this montage of broadway choreography, and early 'NSYNC channeling production numbers.

I may have enjoyed the first High School Musical. Not enough to watch this one on the day it was released, but enough to put it on my netflix list. However, the deuce was so much more everything for me. Maybe it was because I wasn't expecting much. Maybe it was that I already knew the characters. Maybe it is just because it was quite possibly the cheesiest movie I have ever seen that did nothing to hide its own ridiculousness. In fact it celebrated it....with boas and basketballs.

Guess what.......I feel a list coming on.

Here goes. The things I just have to say about my recent viewing of HSM 2. (Sounds like a cruise ship!)

1. It is just so damn blatant about its political correctness.

So much so, that it almost makes the movie politically incorrect, due to all the stereotypes. Disney made sure that almost every person in this country between the ages of 11-17 could relate to someone in this movie. We have the cute, white, popular basketball star, who is not as confident and self assured as he seems on the outside. We have the quite, meditative Hispanic girl with the heart of gold. We have the young blond fashionista, who starts out selfish, bossy, and overbearing, but alas, comes around at the end. We have the bespectacled fine arts focused, and peudohippy dressing piano geek. We have a few black basketball players, one of which had a huge afro-like do because, "hey, its O.K. to want to keep it real". Throw them all in with the gratuitous Asian girl in the background; the chubby girl; the athlete who loves to cook, the black girl who's all up in everyone's business , but makes it seem like she's just self assured and full of advice, and you've got yourself a 'Tween Disney family hit.

I was actually waiting for the Muslim guy and the Indian girl (dots..not feathers) to come strutting into a scene followed by a kid doing dance circles in a wheelchair, but I guess they didn't want to overdo.

I have to mention my favorite character though: The totally fashion forward, overly feminine brother character who choreographs for the group, and only wears pastels. Disney may not have come right out and said he was gay, but come on. Considering the lack of a love interest storyline for him, and the scene where he throws a fit upon learning that he cannot wear the sequins "tikki warrior costume", I get it. I especially enjoyed the entire musical number dedicated to the fact that everyone is super surprised that he plays a sport. And I must say, while dressed completely in white (including white sweater vest) for the baseball game extravaganza, he heats it up with the best post modern "Micheal Jackson meets George Micheal" heart attack of a dance riff I have ever seen. Well, have ever seen in a guilty pleasure teen movie that is.

2. This movie made me feel young and old at the same time.

The "young" part is obvious. I want to feel like I am still in high school again. Let me clarify, I don't want to actually "be" in high school again, I just want to feel like it. I gotta tell you, I would be scared to death if I were back in high school.

(Warning: Random social rant coming on for the next paragraph.)

Its a whole different world. As much as I condemn a lot of the choices that I see highschoolers making these days, (I am not belittling the fact that although I do think teens today are a lot more unfocused; disrespectful; and think they can go through life with less accountability than we did) but I do recognize how much more difficult both emotionally and socially, high school must be now than it was 15 years ago. It's harder to get into and pay for college than ever. In this world of Youtube; Facebook; and camera phones, these kids live under a microscope. Its hard to live your life and make the mistakes that young people are bound to make, when a lot of times, every misstep has a chance of being public knowledge.

Back to the point.

I think we covered the "feeling young" part. Now the feeling old......I so did not enjoy that the actor who plays Troy's (the main guy) father was born in 1970. Seriously. He's 38!!!! That would be less than 5 years older than me.
Sidenote: I IMDBed him today because I thought he looked like this character that used to be on Queer as Folk (he wasn't the guy) but that's where I noticed his birthdate.

Of course that makes him 21 or 22 when he would have hypothetically had Troy, but come on. I still curse the day when, for the first time, actors and actresses (and sports stars for that matter) were younger than me. It was an all of the sudden weird moment around my 30th birthday. I was flipping through US Weekly, and it occurred to me...not everyone, but a lot of peeps, starring in the current movies were in their mid to late twenties...and I was no longer!

I don't think I am ready for the actors that play the parents of the main characters to be my age yet. But I guess it's next..........especially if I continue to watch a lot of teen movies.

Scary piece of trivia: Did you know that when Anne Bancroft starred in "The Graduate" she was only 36? I know she was playing a much older character, but wow. Mrs. Robinson was 3 years older than I am right now.

3. I bought into this movie because I love love.

(Shoutout to Ramsey's Friend Jamie for introducing me to that phrase. )

It's true.....I really love love. I get totally excited when people find eachother. (Well, when I like both the people...but that's another blog) Be it in real life, or on the big screen. Despite my sometimes seemingly cynical and occasional judgemental tendencies, I am a hopeless romantic at heart. Flowers; fireworks; grand gestures....bring it on.

Another sidestory: I am laughing at myself today because I may or may not have been slightly overserved this weekend, and I was hanging out with an old family friend of mine. Well, he introduced me to his new girlfriend, and the chick was pretty flippin' cool. In my state, if you will, I felt the need to tell her that they seems perfect for eachother, repeatedly saying (and I quote) that I "Loved love". Yeah. I also fell asleep on the chaise lounge outside on my porch waiting for the dog to do his business. I really hope neither of my neighbors saw.

Back to the latest point...High School Musical 2 is all about love: sweet, predictable, and simplistic. It's the singing and dancing side of love. What we all think 17 year old summer romances should be. Cosy picnics and innocent night swims. There was no sex, no drinking, and no screaming fights. There is a nemesis for a little drama, but she sees the light just in time to join the big show. It's corny, but I ate it up. Maybe because (to quote a cheesy romantic comedy from a couple years ago) "I'm looking for corny in my life."

I think I'll go to Target today to buy the HSM 2 soundtrack. These are just the type of songs that its fun to blast when driving around with the convertible top down.

High School Musical 3 comes out in October to the big screen. See you there.

A Sucker at Heart

2008-07-24T09:44:00.007-05:00

So I have an obsession.....

Inspirational sports commercials.

Love them. Get totally drawn in by them. They sometimes make me tear up a little.

Let's go a couple years back to the World Cup 2006. Gotta tell ya.....those were the best inspirational commercials I have ever seen. Especially the ESPN ones that U2 (particularly Bono) narrated. Every time I saw that ad about the Ivory Coast, I wanted to jump up and cheer, then go to The Sports Authority, buy a football, excuse me, soccer ball, and start training. (You know what....I am going to use "Football" instead of "Soccer" for the rest of this post. Makes me feel very international, if you will)

If you haven't seen it, or don't remember it here's the gist.....

They show a bunch of local people from the Ivory Coast gathered in a tiny building. They are clearly poor. The background and the people are looking a little war ravished. Then Bono starts talking about how there has been a civil war in the Ivory Coast for more than three years. However, this is the first year that the country has qualified for the World Cup. So, (and this is true, I remember looking it up when I saw the ad for the first time) in honor of this feat, and probably because none of the soldiers were going to want to fight, because everyone would want to watch their team play, the country did negotiate a ceasefire for the duration of the World Cup. Then, after explaining this, you see why all the people are gathered. They are waiting to watch the World Cup Team board the plane. The crowd is smiling, screaming in delight, and waving flags. Bono comes on and says "Everyone knows that a country united makes for better cheerleaders than a country divided" Awesome. The whole "Unites a country" thing because a theme for the entire series of ads. The only thing that would have make that story more moving is if Ivory Coast had won more than one game, or totally won the whole thing! Then it would have become a Disney movie.

I loved that commercial!!!! I have to be honest, not sure if it aired that much in the US, but I was in Canada and Poland for the majority of the World Cup. In Canada, the world cup ads were about every 4th commercial. In Poland, the only English channel we got (except for the Porn channel) was Eurosport. The football ads were every other commercial on that station. So, I saw a lot of them, from a lot of countries, and it was inspiring.

Here's a link to the whole series of ESPN ads that ran.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/archive/onegame/

Then click where it says ENTER. Then "view world cup ads". You can watch each of the 5 ads by clicking at the bottom.

My Favs....

1. Of course, the Ivory Coast one. You are made of stone if it doesn't bring a little tear to your eyes.

2. The "Anthem" one. It's overly dramatic, but I still love it. "All it takes is a ball" I have always believed that sports were a uniter. Be it between factions at war - The Ivory Coast example. A Country so divided they just need a common belief - Anyone heard of the US Hockey Team of 1980? Or just fathers and sons who have nothing in common, but a sport they can talk about. (Got this from City Slickers)

Now to the reason I started writing this blog today. I saw a commercial for the 2008 China Olympics. It sucked. There I said it. Morgan Freeman narrated it. Seriously? Is he the best we could do? The World Cup got Bono, and all the biggest sports festival in the world could get is the guy who drove Miss Daisy?

On the topic, why is this the only Olympic commercial I have seen? I want to see them all the time. I want to be moved to tears by the inspiring story. I want to be so rapped up by an amazing backstory that I learn about in a 30 second spot, that I want to watch the rifle shooting, or the badminton, or other lame events that call themselves a sport just to root on the underdog with the fight in his eyes put there by the last dying dream of his polio stricken formerly estranged, but now he's biggest fan, father. Where are those ads?

I'm a little disappointed. It's a huge sporting event. Where is the marketing? I know this sounds very generation X, American dream believing, need to be entertained every minute, and can't just be happy with the reporting and airing of the events, but I do love when I am inspired. I want to get behind an athlete, and I want to know his (or her) whole story. If it takes a commercial blip to make me google it, then so be it.

And I'm not alone. Others out there want to feel that inspiration, with its great rallying music. Afterall, think of Jerry Maguire. Everyone loved that movie. It was about sports, true, but was it really? That movie was about marketing. One of my favorite realizations in that film is what you are rooting at the end is not that Cuba Gooding Jr.'s team will go to the Superbowl, or even just win the game. You are rooting for him to personally have a great play on national TV, be a crowd favorite, then get a big contract, and some endorsements. But, everyone cheered when it happen. We don't even know if the Cardinals won the game or not. But, I was eating it up.

And you would think that this is the perfect time to play off our country's desire to be inspired. We need it right now. A well marketed US Olympic team could get everyone's mind off gas prices; the stock market; the morgage and foreclosure mess, and what is sure to be a brutal upcoming election season. What's a better time to be seeing that flag wave, and to come up with catchy slogans to get behind? Let's do what "One Game Changes Everything" did for the World Cup 2006.

So, people behind ads for the Olympics (NBC, Coke, and every other "official whatever of the Olympics")........ Time to move me. I want to care enough to tune in. Give me a reason to find a hero.....

P.S. Have to add this. Another World Cup commercial that I thought was so very creative was the Gatorade American World Cup Team ad. Terrific, and very topical for 2 years ago.

Summary: The song "take me out to the ballgame" is playing. They show all these images of Team USA. One of them is the team forced to have a security escort when they go through a city surrounded by protesters. Then, shots of all these Europeans with signs saying things like "Yanks Go Home". There is also this scene of the American team, in their uniforms, walking into a booing stadium with fans throwing things at them. The tagline at the end is "It's a whole new Ballgame." Loved it. Kudos to Gatorade.

The Ulimate Movie Soundtrack

2008-07-21T00:37:00.000-05:00

I totally saw this on another blog (the link is "Foof's Friend Justin" on my blog list...check it out) and thought I had to make my own.

Pretend that your life was a movie....what would be on the soundtrack?

Now, music is not really my thing. I'm more of a movie buff. What I mean is that I don't follow a lot of artists, I don't have an Ipod, and I tend to just listen to the radio more than CDs or anything. But, when I hear a song that catches my attention or my heart, I do tend to remember it. A lot of those songs that struck me are on this list.

The soundtrack took me a long time to come up with, and to be honest, I'm still not completely happy with some of the choices, but here it is.........

Opening Credit: Read My Mind; The Killers

Waking Up: I'm Coming Out; Diana Ross

Average Day: Free Falling; Tom Petty

First Date: For You I Will (Confidence); Teddy Geiger

Falling in Love: I'll be There; Sade

Love Scene: When you Say Nothing At All; Ronan Keating

Fight Scene: Holding out for a Hero; Bonnie Tyler

Breaking Up: Breathe (2am); Anna Nalick

Getting Back Together: Home; Micheal Buble

Secret Love: You are My Joy; The Reindeer Section

Life's Okay: Proud; Heather Smalls

Mental Breakdown: Cruel Summer; Bananrama

Driving: These are Days; 10,000 Maniacs

Learning a Lesson: In the Sun; Coldplay

Deep Thought: Bittersweet Symphony; The Verve

Flashback: Reflections, The Supremes

Partying: Ice Ice Baby; Vanilla Ice

Happy Dance: Shook Me all Night Long; AC/DC

Regretting: Time to Say GoodBye; Sarah Brightman & Andrea Bocelli

Long Night Alone: Sometimes We Cry; Tom Jones

Death Scene: Hallelujah; Jeff Buckley

Closing Credits: Save the Last Dance; The Drifters

If you enjoyed my choices (and even if you didn't) ...make your own soundtrack. It was fun to do!

The Creation Museum...The Final Chapter

2008-07-20T08:46:00.002-05:00

So, I decided today to sit down and finally write, like I promised, my account on the experience that was the Creation Museum. However, as I started to outline my thoughts, I came to a realization.

There is no way I can discuss that day in the detail that is necessary without doing two things.
1. Seriously offending people with alternative beliefs than my own.
2. Firing myself up to the point that this blog is nothing more that a rant, and therefore will sound completely one sided, and I will become what I accuse extremists of being: Self Righteous.

Point #1 is a factor, but not really a huge concern. I am a big believer in the mantra that you can only be offended by something if you let yourself. It is not my fault if others are offended. If I was really worried about it, I would stick to blogs about movies, beaches, and bars, and never touch on politics, religion or the like.

But #2 affects me, and my personal internal struggle to stay open minded despite my overwhelming tendencies to judge and be very opinionated.

So....I have decided not to give the detailed account of the whole experience that I had planned. Instead, i will just list(I love lists) a couple of points that I really think need to be mentioned.

Here we go.....

1. I was very intrigued by the fact that the building itself was very "secure".

What I mean by that is there were 3 sheriff deputies on duty: one in the parking lot and two in the courtyard by the building. There was a gated entrance from the road. Plus, the windowed wall that spanned the entrance front doors of the building had those huge concrete round barriers that you often see in front of airport doors. Airports have them to stop the possibility of a truck or van plowing through the entrance with a bomb or something. I guess the Creation Museum could have the same concerns.

2. The museum was set up like it was ready for an argument.

Every possible example that scientists and scholars have ever posed to try to discredit the theory of Intelligent Design was very blatantly turned into an exhibit. There was one dedicated to why the modern method of dating fossils is incorrect, and that all fossils were created because of Noah's flood. One exhibit was only about the reasons why it is possible that dinosaurs and humans could coexist. My personal favorite was a presentation on the idea that since God created everything to be good originally (in Garden of Eden), there were no "bad" animals. It was not until man's original sin did some animals get evil traits. I.E. poisonous snakes; man eating sharks; evil insects like fire ants and scorpions.

3. The gift shop was the size of a department store.

It was huge, and I'm sure it had every piece of fundamental literature that had ever been written. There was an entire section of religious coloring books. There was a CD/DVD department where you could sample (with headphones) a CD before you purchased it...much like a Virgin Megastore. I also have to point out that there was an entire room dedicated to materials for home schooling....talk about reinforcing a stereotype. There was even a book signing the day I was there!

Also, I picked up a couple of little booklets that peaked my curiosity (though it make me a little ill to give that bookstore any money, even the $1.50 that together they cost) One of the booklet's was a biblical and religious explanation why gay marriage and homosexuality was dangerous, and how to talk to your non believing neighbors about the topic. A gripping read.

O.K. I am done on this topic, except for one thing. No opinion here or anything, just an observation. I noticed on the Creation Museum website that there was a "jobs" section. My curiosity about what kind of jobs they were advertising for won out, and I checked it. It wasn't the jobs available that struck me, it was the agreement you have to sign in order to be considered for a position. it's called the "AIG (Answers in Genesis) Statement of Faith" .

Here's a link to it....... Enjoy.

http://www.answersingenesis.org/about/faith

Overall, I was glad I went to the Creation Museum. It didn't change my mind on anything, but it was interesting to see some of the arguments on the topic.

And it reminded me just how many crazy people there are in this world. There, I said it!

Cette Bud pour Toi

2008-07-19T07:09:00.014-05:00

I'm not going to rehash what happen with InBev, Anheuser Busch, and the world headquarters in St. Louis. We already know what unpleasant things are in store.

What I am going to do is examine (in my own thought process, not that of an economist or business analyst, which I am neither) who is at fault.

Americans love to play the blame game. Why do you think there is so much civil litigation? I'm generalizing here, but as a whole, we never want to believe anything is our own fault. Now, I'm not saying Joe Schmoe American is to blame for the AB merger.....don't get that idea from this blog, but I am going to entertain myself today, while I am stuck at a hospitality desk in Haliburton, ONT, by discussing possible people to hold accountable.

Disclaimer: Please remember this is the rambling of my mind, and not any kind of political statement. I'm going to try and have fun with this sobering (pun intended) topic. In fact, just keep the phrase "tongue in cheek" in your mind as you read this.....

1. First, let's start with InBev.

They are certainly hated around St. Louis. It's an old story, the big bad corporate giant comes in and takes over the little guys. Sounds very Walmartesque. Except that AB is not exactly the little guy. And how do you think AB became the huge successful brewer they were, until about a month ago, when this all started? They bought up other breweries (and farms, and packaging companies, and theme parks, you get the idea) around the world.

Let's look at InBev's recent history.

In 2005, when Carlos Brito took over as CEO, the company was a mess. In fact, this article I read yesterday in a Canadian paper (I was intrigued with reading about the merger from a source without an indignant American spin) said that when he took over InBev "he installed some harsh Brazilian financial discipline on a bloated company of French-fry-eating Belgiums." In a very short time, he turned things around, and made InBev very profitable. I'm not condoning his tactics, but bottom line, he is successful as a CEO. In my opinion, if InBev were an American company we were talking about, and not the evil raper of Americana, they would have been at the top of Fortune Magazines "Movers and Shakers" list.

2. Let's blame Anheuser Busch

After all, the Busch family is who sold off so much of the stock for capital a few years back. Also, the company has not been overly successful (if you measure success in terms of growth) or profitable since 2000. The stock price has been stagnant, leaving major holders with 8 years of nothing more than meager dividends. In fact, government bonds have had similar returns as AB stock in the millennium. Anheuser Busch has not really been able to lower operational costs, which is usually a company's prerogative when growth is minimal. Which brings me to the next player in my blame game......

3. Let's blame all the AB unions!

Everyone's favorite target. The big communist unions. Keeping operational costs high. When every other worker in the US is dealing with no raises, higher copay health care costs, and uncertain job security in this economy, the unions are still insisting that their employees are above all those effects. Now, AB was always very good to their employees, especially their union employees. I am not an expert on union relations, or labor law, but I will say that in my experience, the AB packagers, line employees, and pretty much all brewery workers had a pretty good deal. They were well paid. There were very few, if any, layoffs. They never actually had a good reason to strike for at least 8 or 9 years, and the last time a strike was eminent, it was not about pay, working conditions, or pensions....it was about the increased hiring of part time workers. And everything settled, the strike never happen. So, here's the unsaid assumption turned into a question...if the unions were not so strong at AB, would costs have been significantly reduced, and the company more profitable? But then again, a very simplistic question, would St. Louis people (or people in the 12 other cities with AB breweries in the US) have been so ridiculously and emotionally supportive of a company that wasn't really that great to its employees?

O.K. Who's next......

3. The American Drinker.

Americans are just not drinking as much beer anymore. This never really occurred to me until I was talking one day to a cousin of mine who works in marketing for AB, and he pointed it out. Then I realized, at least in my experience, he was totally right.

When we were in college, everyone drank beer. At frat parties, in the bars, at sporting events, for the most part, we, and everyone around us, were drinking beer. Yes, we would do shots sometimes....and drink fancy cocktails on occasion. And yes, there were those few people (mainly girly girls who we made fun of) who didn't like beer. However, beer was always the staple. It was cheap, easy to transfer, came in its own container, and you always knew what you were getting. (no complaints about bars making it too weak or too strong)

After college, I started noticing a change to that. The TV networks started letting liquor advertise, so it was not all beer ads anymore. The vodka companies starting making their own bottled, flavored drinks that were heavily promoted. Old school, old fashioned, more grown up cocktails like gin and tonic, and martinis were trendy again. I know it's weird to think of a martini as old fashioned, but before the late nineties, early 2000s, the only people drinking them were ladies lunching, and business men in suits at a bar after work.

The biggest change in drinking habits I saw after college, and in the past decade, was the popularity of wine. People were drinking it a lot more, and everyone was trying to educate themselves at least a little. Before, you drank wine when you were out to a nice dinner, or at a wedding. Now, people were drinking it at bars and clubs.

Little did I know that the changes in drink choices I saw in my generation were actually a reflection of the changes in drinking habits of the entire country. Well, Anheuser Busch has seen, and is still dealing with, the fallout from the reduction of beer drinkers, and beer consumption in the US.

This is where I think common sense is missed with the American consumer. To put this very simply, we want iconic American companies to be successful, but a lot of us are choosing not to purchase their products. I equate this to the collapse of the American car industry....no one wants the American car companies to go bankrupt, and layoff thousands and thousands of people, but when we go to buy cars, we are not, for whatever reasons, choosing Fords, Chevys, or Chryslers.

And my next victim of the blame game on this issue.....

4. The Current Administration and its Economic Policy

Why not blame W? He's an easy target for anything these days. Now I know that presidential administrations are not necessarily responsible for recessions and economic turns that occur during their tenor. I know that there are a lot of economic issues and decisions that could go back years and decades to bring us to where we are now, but let's face it, that is not how the American public thinks.

History has proven that we credit, or blame, the economic situation of the country during a certain era on the president who is in power at that time. That is why Clinton is credited with balancing the budget, and a healthy, booming economy. We still refer to the wealth of the eighties as "The Reagan Years.", and we blame Carter for the economic disaster that was the late seventies.

That said, I want to point out the main reason that InBev was able to even attempt the takeover of Anheuser Busch: the devaluing of the American Dollar. It was cheap in Euros. And like it or not, in the 7+ years that Bush has been in power, the US dollar has been on a tailspin, and nothing has been done to stop it. Instead we have spent billions on an unnecessary war. We have borrowed ridiculous amounts of money from countries like China to fund an obscene governmental spending spree. And, I know this will make me unpopular, but what do we do when we have this unbelievable deficient, and the fear of radical inflation looming?....... we borrow even more money to fund the economic stimulus package that has no chance of actually stimulating our economy.

I don't mean for this to sound conspiracy theoryish or anything but, sometimes I feel like our country's economic house of cards could crumple at any time. In fact, a few cards have already fallen: skyrocketing gas prices, devalued currency, the bursting of the real estate bubble, and now the vulnerability of our most treasured American owned corperations.

5. When all else fails, lets just blame the French.

We hate them anyway. I know that Belgium is a completely different country, but let's face it.....it's near France. They speak French. I say we just blame those stupid, snobby, self righteous, never wanting to fight, but always expecting us to bail them out people of France. Flambe that, Mon amis.

O.K. This is the end of my fun blame game....I think I have made my point about some of the possible factors that brought St. Louis to the confused, post-AB city we will now have to just wait and see what happens to. The end of an era, if you will.

The scary part is that this is just the beginning. I heard something the other day that Coca Cola Inc. is in a similar financial situation as AB was. Definitely not losing money, but not making as big a profit margin as they had in the past. They have been very slowly losing market share. Oh, and their stock had been pretty stagnate for the last few years. Wow, this end of an era could reach further that just St. Louis........

So now that I have thoroughly depressed everyone, lets end on some lighter news....

Isn't it rockin' that Brad and Angelina named one of their kids Vivienne!!!! I was so excited when I heard that. Awesome!