people stepping up

first, thank goodness andy pettitte has decided to return to the yankees. we really need his arm, and he's just adorable!

second, today, kofi annan took bush and the u.s. to task for failing to work with other countries in their war on terror. i think it's unfortunate that he's saying these things as he leaves, rather than actually pressuring the administration more during his tenure. but then again, between bush and bolton, the u.s. basically disregarded the u.n. as a useless entity on the global geo-political stage. annan said that we can't muscle our way through the world without adhering to some sort of international standard, because we'll lose our credibility. what he's saying has basically already happened, but still, i wish something could be done about that.

third and final. there's an absolutely amazing article in vanity fair this month about neo-conservatives who say they're disappointed with the way the bush administration handled itself in this war. coming from people who helped structure and orchestrate the war, this is something. several of the sources criticize bush for failing to fully comprehend the situation. again, a relatively duh! critique, but a critique nonetheless. i also liked it because it mentioned a basic neo-con tenet, which reminded me why i disagree with them. they believe it's fair to use our military power and economic supremacy to enforce our idea of morality. that kind of thinking kills me. anyways, the article is fairly long, but if you get a chance, read it.

"handbag with a heartbeat"

is how one person described the mini "dogs" that are so ubiquitous these days. they're everywhere! i even have friends that have them, one of which is a relatively non-yappy, though the other, deserves to be tranquilized... perhaps permanently. i can't, in true honor, call these animals dogs - they are in fact, rodents. dogs run around, slobber, and have enough force to knock you down, or at least, make you jump backwards with their bark. these "dogs" are simply showpieces, accessories for people.

this one's for you, p.

i may be a little late in reacting to this story, but george clooney as people's sexiest man alive 2006 is simply put, a travesty. how could they? as someone i know opined - "Clooney is an old fart - handsome yes, sexy no!" i couldn't say it more eloquently.

as for my picks - jd tops the list. mcdreamy for sure. hmm, maybe jake gyllenhaal, but he's more cute than sexy. josh lucas - definitely. any other ideas?

nostalgia lane

i learned a few weeks ago that my friend p. was a closeted hindi movie fan... she had outdone even me by watching like three hindi movies in a week (actually, my record is three hindi movies in theaters and one at home all in one day). but yesterday, i found out, she even keeps some at home! we watched maine pyar kiya and for me, it was a total trip down memory lane.


i think i scared p. cuz i knew most of the lines, even though i tried to refrain from quoting too much! it's just that, that movie, along with a few others, were the first hindi films of "my generation", and they're directly responsible for my love of bollywood movies today. it's a pretty typical young love story, but it was salman khan's first big movie and it was a huge hit. at diwali the next year, my friends and i danced to all of mpk's songs, which are terrific. we even tried to imitate the costumes, including salman's famous jacket. i went on to love salman for several years, but soon shahrukh came and it was over, no contest. still, to think of the salman of those days, sigh...

but he was always political

there's been a storm of controversy surrounding michael j. fox's appearance in several political ads supporting democrats. fox is visibly suffering from the effects of his parkinson's and he goes on to say that not all politics are local, and that a vote cast in any state for a congressman who is against stem-cell research is a vote against millions of americans. i'm not sure i agree with his sentiment that not all politics is local, because i think he misunderstands the essence of his argument. all politics is local, that's why it does matter in a larger sense that we choose our votes wisely.

he has been criticized by that idiot rush limbaugh for faking his illness and for exaggerating his disease, which i truly think is despicable and disrespectful. but i think what is interesting is that people are blaming him for sensationalizing his disease by schilling for candidates. i have to say, i am biased because i have admired him for years and i agree with stem cell research, but more power to you. if you have the power to sway public opinion for a cause that you care for, amen. add to the fact that he's not asking for money, he's asking people to think and make an informed decision in a few days. so many americans are blind to the realities of illnesses like parkinson's, and if they are shocked by his appearance, maybe they would be moved to consider how much we need medical advancements in research.

if you look at in in the bigger context, michael j. fox has always been political. he started lobbying for stem cell research very early into his public outing as a parkinson's patient. and finally, join me for a stroll down memory tv lane, alex p. keaton on family ties was always passionate about politics.. sadly, as a republican... but, it's okay, the mistakes and innocence of youth!

democrat's destiny?

is barack obama truly the democratic messiah? everyone has been singing his praises for several years, and the new time magazine has him on its cover. now, i haven't followed his politics or voting record, but it seems to me he is genuine, if somewhat of a please-all (which may be par for the course in today's political environment). there's no denying his popularity, and if he is successful in the future, he could be a sign of changing times and voter biases. still, i fear that something will happen, or some fact will be uncovered, or maybe just long-held political truths will prevail, and the great non-white hope of the party will fade away. but, for people like me, who truly hope that politics can find their way to effectiveness and splendor (best seen in the west wing!), maybe obama will be the man who can straddle the political divide and find a way to accomplish something.

ridiculous...

yet mesmerizing.

i had to work early today, but luckily, johnny depp's "inside the actor's studio" was on bravo when i got in. of course, i just had to watch to get a glimpse inside the person who has created such memorable characters (and is sooo hot). i liked all his insights, and i know you have to ask good questions to get great answers, but still, james lipton has become such a caricature of a person. obviously, i'm not the first to say this, but he just gets to me. his whole, 'i'm not allowed to get a tattoo' shtick with his wife may have been funny ONCE, but now it's just whiny.

other random musings of the morning:
1. bono looks much better with the haircut. the greasy, longish hair was due for a year or two off.
2. fergie looks like the girl from "my girl" just grown up and hyper-sexed out.
3. kids cartoons are too scary for me to watch.

double dose of entertainment

yesterday was a fun day. first, i went to a taping of celebrity jeopardy. our contestants were harry shearer, isaac mizrahi, and soledad o'brien. while i'm sure it's easiest to guess who was the most fun (and who seemed to have the greatest trouble with the buzzer), 1,001 points to the person who guesses the winner (and remember, this is jeopardy). alex looked good, though i'm saddened by the loss of the stache, even though he says he can grow it back anytime he wants...

and then last night i went to see "the departed" with the same friend that saw the original "infernal affairs" with me. while i definitely preferred the original, i really enjoyed this movie. obviously, it's an unfair bias, since the suspense of the story was already known to me, the original was a tighter film. but, all the actors were good (and, for a non-leo-lover to say that, is something), but mark wahlberg completely stole the show for me. his character was written with the most fun, so that's one thing, but he just played it with so much joy! the other thing that got me was the amount of gore and blood in this one... yes, it's a movie about the mafia, but still, it was a bit gratuitous.

ps: i realize i didn't mention the yanks... too disappointing to even think about, esp. now that they're saying torre is gonna get sacked...

one down

the yanks won the first game of their post-season yesterday, in totally convincing fashion. jeter was amazing!! he went five for five, with a home run at the end. he had the crowd on their feet, it so made me want to be there. unfortunately, they got rained out tonight, but hopefully they'll be able to make it up tomorrow afternoon. and sadly, the mets won today as well, but that's okay, i'm not sure they're going to be able to go the distance without any depth in the bullpen. they're seriously in trouble without pedro and hernandez... small yea!!

oh my goodness, oh my goodness

hp5... yee-haw!! i can't wait to see this movie, though i've heard that possibly hermione wont come back for the next ones... which would be wrong. i'm all about loyalty to the project that made you famous, particularly when the project has not lost its quality and direction. countdown... nine months and counting!!




the pics are courtesy warner bros. pictures via comingsoon.net

complete world domination

is the only thing left for oprah to do. today, she launched her own radio channel on x-m radio. while she's only doing one weekly show by herself, it still needs her guiding hand on a regular basis, i'm sure. and even though she doesn't want to run for president, i think she's totally creating an empire that could rival the romans. i like her and all, but still i'm scared.

must-see thursdays

i think that phrase is finally true again... though sadly, not just for nbc. the office premiere was great. the whole premise of the show was funny, and as usual, very smart. of course, the pam-jim resolution was not quite what i wanted, i think it will set up some interesting stuff in the future. my favorite part - meredith taking a quick "fix" from the hand sanitizer... absolutely hilarious! and of course, grey's. no resolution for the triangle, but i think that was obvious. mcdreamy was again mcselfish, and chris o'donnell ruggedly handsome. i fear my interest in the triangle is going fall second to george and izzy. i think they both will undergo way more interesting story lines this year. i know, it's just a tv show, but it's my vicarious life.

indian maestros

one legendary indian classical musician played at carnegie hall, and i was lucky enough to volunteer for the concert. hari prasad chaurasia was absolutely wonderful. he plays the bansuri (a wooden flute), and his music was amazing. he first played a raag, which was playful and solemn at the same time. of course, the jugalbandi - the playback between the main instrument and the tabla - was a huge crowdpleaser. but my favorite was a pahadi that panditji played at the end. it was a village-countryside sort of song, and it immediately transported me back to india, to a simpler, sweeter place. i also had the opportunity to meet him, and he was extremely gracious. it was a very good evening.

a sign in the night

i volunteered at a reading during a playwrights week tonight. the reading tonight was about four people, and their exploration into language and interaction. the play used sanskrit, english and sign language as secondary characters... looking into how meaning is lost through translation. i don't know if i'm explaining it correctly, but it was very interesting, as one character said that he loved sanskrit as it was the root of most modern languages. the play's deaf character argued that sign language pre-dated sanskrit because it was based on gestures and non-verbal communication. it was an intriguing point, especially after another character said that she preferred sign language because it was very direct method of communication. she said because of it's nature, asl is forced to be very simple... with the burden of modifiers (adjectives, adverbs, phrases) falling to the gestures, facial expressions and movement of the body and face. i honestly never put much thought into it, but it was a fascinating thing to think about. because it wasn't a full production, it was a little difficult to envision the writer's final package, since it involved some multi-media aspects to convey the silent, asl conversations, but overall, a very thought-provoking piece.

ps: i think i had an arrested development sighting today... i think mama bluth or jessica walter as she is more commonly known was on my bus. it seemed somewhat unlikely, but she looked very much like her... it was fun though, i kept looking around for buster! :)

so long, old friend

so, the wb signs off tonight - ending a decade-long friendship with teen-angst-loving tv viewers... including me. the network gave us a lot of fun entertainment from the start of my college days - buffy, dawson's, felicity, gilmore, everwood, smallville and one tree.... and most importantly, who can forget the men - pacey, spike, clark, bright, and jess... oh the many memories... i know it was childish, unnecessary-drama tv, but i loved almost every minute of it!!

go slater

i LOVE dancing with the stars. luckily, i've managed not to become an addict, but if i get the chance, i'll definitely watch. last night was the premiere of the third season, and let me just say, a.c. slater totally rocks. mario lopez is on the show and he was great last night, though i admit i'm slightly prejudiced since i will always root for the boys from saved by the bell. i think he has unfair advantage, because he is a dancer, as evidenced from the many moves he busted on sbtb, in wonderful spandex glory! but still, he was fun to watch... and though i'm not sure what side he bats for, his dimples are still so cute! ;)

scenes from ireland

part of the reason i didn't update for so long was that i was luckily on a trip to ireland for a week. i'll keep it short - we had a great time and the country is absolutely beautiful. to prove my point, here are some pics from the trip:

believing, cheering, worshipping for two decades

i've been a tennis freak this past week, traveling to the us open for five sessions already. obviously the obsession centers on it being andre agassi's final tournament. i watched both of his first and second round matches and was impressed by his ability to play at a competitive level with kids so much younger than him. his enthusiasm for the game shined so brightly, as well as his emotion at being near the end. as he came out for the first match, his unshed tears nearly did me in. he played very well and the crowd was just unbelievable. you literally felt like they would will him to win with their cheering. i was also there for the final match on sunday. it was apparent from the start he just was not moving at the same speed and was in obvious pain. still, he played with all his heart, somehow pulling out a set. but in the end, amid a standing crowd, agassi lost his final game, and my heart literally broke. he sat there and cried for minutes on end, which was just too much. finally, when he got up to speak, with his voice faltering, i lost it. this is what he said:

"The scoreboard says I lost today, but what scoreboard doesn't say is what it is I have found. Over the last 21 years, I have found loyalty: you have pulled for me on the court and also in life. I have found inspiration: you have willed me to succeed, sometimes even in my lowest moments. And I have found generosity: you have given me your shoulders to stand on to reach for my dreams; dreams I could never have reached without you. Over the the last 21 years I have found you and I will take you and the memory of you with me for the rest of my life."


so what i say now may seem cheesy and a bit psycho, but i have watched and loved agassi since i was 8 years old. i drove my dad crazy to get tickets to see him when we were at the 1989 french open, and that memory is one of my fondest. for me, tennis wont be the same without him. i've said it before, he's the last of my "generation" of tennis players, and he will be truly missed. thanks, andre, for all the memories.

karma's a b*(&#@

poor boy george. how much enjoyment did i get today from watching the former culture club frontman sweeping up garbage. the man knew he was going to be on trash duty, and he still showed up in capris and without socks.... ewww. anyways, i know it's mean, but it was funny to see him with a broom and shovel in hand, pushing around a garbage can. and can i just say, my mom would not be pleased with his sweeping style, WAY too much flyaway dirt. ;) he's got four more days to go, so the warm-up band hasn't even left the stage yet.

a whole new world

went to the east village today, ooooh. it is so far from my neighborhood, i might as well have been in jersey. j/k! anyways, so p. and i went to s'mac - a restaurant devoted to the deity that is mac and cheese. let's just say, they stepped up to the altar, and forgot how to kneel in reverence. it was good, just not the best mac and cheese in the world. i was disappointed, i wanted it to be the best comfort food that just completely hit the spot. oh well, almost proves the point that i don't really need to leave my area, so ha!!

superman, does indeed, return

went to see superman returns earlier today. i thought it was okay, slightly long, but overall a good film. the story was decent, it was filmed beautifully, even though there were times when i felt it was very obviously cg, especially during the flight times. there was a certain deliberateness to the flight scenes that was almost annoying, in that i would expect superman to enjoy flying a little more during the fun times. anyways, kate bosworth was utterly useless, truly didn't like her, brandon routh was okay, very christopher reeve-ish. and the little curly que - it never left the middle of his forehead (except when he was clark kent). i wont spoil the whole point of the movie, but it's an interesting development.

i've been a superman fan since high school, when the oh-so-cute dean cain took over the blue tights. i obsessed over that show, and when tom welling came aboard in smallville, my interest in the comic returned. i admit i've never read a superman comic, so i'm not up on the whole mythology, but the man of steel remains my favorite superhero. and for my brother... superman can totally kick batman's ass, anyday, anytime.

movie remakes

i just watched a trailer for the departed... a new scorsese movie starring leo, matt damon and jack nicholson. it's a remake of the asian movie "infernal affairs" which i saw last year and absolutely loved. that movie was just very well made, with a great script and relatively good direction. i really like both the main actors in it - tony leung and andy chau - they've done solid work in the movies i've seen. i really like matt damon and can stand leo, so i'm hoping this movie does the original justice. i don't know about jack nicholson though, i hope he can avoid his same old shtick....

the war, or should i say, the fighting

as someone who writes the news, it continually surprises me how quickly i get bored with events which involve armed fighting. the hezbollah-israel "war" is no different. pretty much into the 3rd day of active bombing, i was over the story. not to be callous, but when you have producers freaking out over the latest bombing, when there's only more to come, it can get old, fast. the situation continues to boil, all three sides (lebanon) seem determined not to allow any sort of a cease-fire or compromise agreement. this worries me. civilians on both sides are dying, and as one u.n. official put it - "There is something fundamentally wrong with a war where there are more dead children than armed men." this sentiment exactly captures my frustration with the events/story. hezbollah is a terrorist organization, they will attack innocents who they see as their enemy to get their work done. israel wants to target hezbollah, but is also killing hundreds of uninvolved lebanese. lebanon doesn't seem to know whether it wants to try to maintain this farce that it doesn't support hezbollah activities. it's everyone being extremely stupid, but in the end, it's creating a human crisis. i'm not sure where i'm going with this post, it just bothers me that the whole thing is happening, with a slim chance of an end in sight...

betcha didn't know

that the average american uses 51 sheets of toilet paper daily. i was reading a mcdonald's kiddie magazine this weekend, and this was one fact i couldn't get over because i just thought it was a gross magnification. after discussing it with my fellow diners, we realized that two things come into play: 1. how many times during the day you visit the little men's/ladies' room, and 2. whether you're using 1 or 2-ply tissue.

so of course now, we've been counting the number of individual sheets we use, and i gotta say, it really does depend on the quality of the tp. bet you're wondering if you fall within the national average, aren't you? ;)

too sad to think about

the news a couple of weeks ago that jk rowling was going to kill 2 major characters in the final hp book was too much for me. of course, i immediately started debating who was susceptible and who wasn't. i refuse to think it's harry, i really hope she wouldn't do that, but who knows?

anyways, saw this article tonight about the bets people are laying down on who it could be and it made me sad to read the pros and cons of each character, because some of it is so true. hagrid's chances especially scare me.

that other borough

we took a trip to staten island a few weeks ago as part of our ongoing plan to expand our experience as manhattan girls. i've been remiss in posting about it, partially because i was traumatized after the outing. staten island is interesting. it has some nice things, mainly south beach, but overall it's just a very residential area. it's honestly one place i'll never feel the need to go to again. so much so, that i found an express way off the island that involved the wrong bus which took us to brooklyn, rather than the ferry terminal. regardless, here are some scenes from staten island:

characters welcome

p. and i ventured to the bronx yesterday, it was quite a commitment for her, since going past 86th st. is going into dangerous area... no, i've got to hand it to her, for a girl raised in a mets household, she put up with a yankees game for me. and i gotta say, what a game!


yanks won 14-3, it was almost sad. but, as much fun as the action on the field was, let's talk about the fun going on in the stands. we had some interesting people sit in front of us, and by interesting i mean annoying. these women were so not concerned with the game, they clearly were dragged here by their husbands/sons when they would have preferred to go shopping. then there was the case of the great peanut flood of 2006. someone accidentally dumped a brand new bag of peanuts that didn't even belong to her. evidence a:


now, the perpetrator (sp?) behind the flood shall remain nameless, as is the policy of absolute bakwas. there were other interesting people of the day as well - an italian patriarch who was a big spender and a roly-poly boy who was the best dancer to ymca that i've seen in years. we also went to little italy on arthur ave. which was very cool. we ate at dominick's, a real family-style restaurant with no menu, no prices, just good food. it was there that we met the most interesting father-son couple. the son had a one-side staring contest with the dad, kept kicking him under the table. mind you, this kid was a teenager, not some 2-year old. the dad kept yelling at him to stop, to grow up, how he was ruining his dining experience. i don't think either of us has ever been as uncomfortable as we were, unwillingly overhearing their entire aggravated conversation. but whatever, seems fitting - a visit to the bronx wouldn't be complete without some shadiness!

off the wagon

i had made an unofficial oath with myself that i would not watch any reality shows on television. after several seasons of the real world and the bach, i just decided i needed to go cold turkey. all was well for almost three years, when one morning this week at work, i flip channels to a show on a&e, which follows customer service reps at southwest airlines. let me tell you, this show is addictive. i've only seen one episode so far, so it's not a full blown obsession yet, but it easily could be. drunk passengers, crying passengers, faking mental-illness passengers, meeting-their-internet-love passengers, it's all there in glorious shaky-camera footage.

rollin' with my homies

so jeremy sisto was shooting in our office yesterday. he's on some new show called kidnapped that just got picked up for the fall season. they converted our main office area into a fbi office for the day, it was interesting to see. i never realized how many people it takes to do a simple one day shoot. there must have been at least 50 people going back and forth all morning long. anyways, another pop-culturally aware coworker was like - omg, billy from six feet under just passed us. and my only reaction was - c'mon, he's elton from clueless. that will forever be jeremy sisto's place in my recognition dictionary.

bombay bombs

i was at work today when news of the explosions on commuter trains in bombay came in. my producer said, somewhat sarcastically, what enemies does india have besides pakistan? and my reaction was - there are outside enemies of india, but india has enough internal issues for these bombings not to be outside interests necessarily. so it got me to thinking... it's sad to say that, while there is a lot of national pride in india, there is also a tremendous amount of strife in the country. many of the differences center around religion, but of course, historical, geographical and political issues come into play. there are so many forces looking to subvert indian authority because of long-standing issues that have no resolution in sight. the communal differences that continue to fester are based on decades old british intereference that left the region with more problems than it could handle. this is rambling, but it just honestly makes me mad to think of this.

and now, when i look at iraq, and the american insistence to keep the country together, i just wonder if we're trying to impose fake borders on regions and communities that were never meant to be together. i don't know the history of iraq, whether it was consolidated sometime in the past, before saddam hussein started his regime, but what if these groups should be allowed to create their own autonomous states? yes, i take the stance that we shouldn't leave this country is turmoil, but maybe we should listen to these groups and see what the solution should be. maybe a central iraqi government isn't the best way to restore this country to peace.

a good day

allright, so italy won, and i can say, i'm happy about it. though yesterday after the game, i just didn't have the feeling of elation that i did with the win against germany. i think i was just extremely disappointed that zidane left the game as he did, with a head butt and a red card. i don't think it will hurt his legacy in the long term, but it will be an image that will not fade. and more importantly, italy just didn't play that well. they weren't cohesive, they weren't energetic, france completely outplayed them. still, i was impressed with the azzurri throughout, so i'm glad the title came their way.

also, federer finally found a way to beat nadal pretty well. it counts, but not as much as if he had figured it out for the french. let's see... the open is next, and you all know my thoughts about that.

lastly, johnny totally solidified his crown as the pirate prince of hollywood. pirates 2 took in 132M dollars in one weekend, the new record. i haven't yet seen it, which kills me, but it'll happen soon. i'm glad for him, but i hope he keeps his eccentric side firmly in check. with depp, i don't think it'll be a problem, because he's such a rebel, but you never know.

are they blind or just stupid?

so the emmy nominations came out yesterday, and i've got to say, i'm totally bewildered. some of the nods i don't disagree with, arrested development, jeremy piven, the office, grey's, kiefer, kyra... but the fact that they once again overlooked lauren graham of gilmore makes me see red. and kristen bell, jason bateman, hugh laurie, and maybe even the adorable patrick dempsey. i think the comedy actress and actor categories were just completely random, they just really found a way to screw up a bad process even more. oh well, a rant on this is ridiculous, but these shows and the characters remain the primary source of entertainment in my life. sad, i know.

heartbreak hotel

today was not a day for my sports favorites. brazil lost, england lost with becks in tears, and most crushingly, andre agassi fell to nadal in three straight. i didn't get to watch the match, though i'm taping a rerun right now. i heard he was crying as he addressed the crowd afterwards, and i know it'll be too much for me. my dad called afterward to console me, it was the nicest thing.

well, i'm now officially throwing my vote behind italy in the long run, france in the interim, and r fed at wimbledon. let's hope the next week brings better luck for these guys!

dos reviews

i went to see two movies on my two days off in a really long time, well, at least it feels like it! first, a prairie home companion, which was decent. the movie is actually a pretty tiny movie, mostly it feels like a character study in a way. i mean the whole movie is driven by the characters and their eccentricities, and not really the story itself. luckily, all the actors, save lindsay lohan, were up to the task. it's not that lohan was horrible, i just think any other starlet could've done the job as well. i don't listen to the radio show, but i enjoyed watching the various show performers and listening to good midwestern-style music.

the second movie was pure indulgence - the lake house with my friend p. yes, keanu reeves and sandra bullock in a romantic drama. i actually had few expectations for the movie, just wanted to see both of them, but it actually surprised me. if you're able to suspend disbelief and accept the reality the movie offers, it was a cute story. those two definitely have chemistry which is why i wish they were on screen together more. there were some moments where keanu pulled out all his signature ticks and moves, which made me laugh, but a good movie nonetheless.

next up perhaps... the non-man wonder himself, superman returns

oh johnny boy

i've been a not-so-secret admirer of john cusack for years now, and yesterday the man turned 40. happy birthday! i'm sure you all know, but lloyd dobbler is perhaps the greatest romantic hero of all time - who could resist the gloves, the hammer pants, and the trench? but in all seriousness, who could resist a man who realizes he loves the school nerd and drops everything, including a cute nephew, to be with her. anyways, this article encapsulates my love of all things j.c. much better than i have time to do!!

black day

i haven't been able to blog about this, probably cuz it just saddened me too much. agassi announced saturday that he will be retiring after the u.s. open this year. i don't think the news shocked me as much as it truly disheartened me. i was at the final last year vs. federer and i seriously thought he had so much left in him. well, i should say he had all the excitement and thrill of playing, you could just see it in his game.


i don't know if i wrote about it before, but it broke my heart to see him so dejected after the loss. he just went and sat down, covered his head with a towel, and it seemed like, cried all the frustration out. i have to admit, i had tears in my eyes during the award ceremony, because he expressed so much appreciation for the crowd, but also for his recognition of his dwindling competitive days. agassi's been my favorite for years, since his acid-washed denim shorts, bleached straggly hair, one earring and neon shirts days... ahh the memories. my love for him has just increased after seeing him use his celebrity for such good in las vegas. i knew the injuries have been hampering him, but still, the realization that he's at the end kills me because it means the last of the players i grew up watching is hanging up his racquet. well, i wish him the best in his remaining tournaments, hopefully he can spin some magic yet.

universal language

my cabbie two nights ago was also one for the books. he was speaking some sort of south asian language, though i couldn't understand a word of it. all i could decipher - football, world cup, brazil, goal, urgent and "mamu" which could translate as maternal uncle or police perhaps. i think he and whoever he was talking to were maybe arguing over a little side action on the world cup results of the day. either way, i had a great time trying to figure out the point of the conversation... what else are you going to do on your way to work at 4 a.m.?

i admit it, i've got it

world cup fever that is. i'm addicted. it all started last week, i just couldn't stop watching for fear that i would miss that one perfect goal. let me just say, in my initial opinion, germany, brazil, argentina and italy are playing very well. brazil and italy have had some rough spots, but all in all, i think they've got a good thing going. i'm not so sure about the americans. they got lucky against italy and at this very moment, they're playing ghana in a do or die situation. i haven't been impressed with their play, for goodness sake, not a single player has put a ball in the net! well, ghana just scored, so they're up one on the americans now... let's see what happens.

but turning to the more important question, who are the hottest players? well, italy has the hottest team overall. seriously, they're gorgeous, AND they're soccer players? c'mon! spain isn't bad, some of the u.s. players aren't shabby, and of course, david beckham, who despite the fact that his voice isn't wondrous, is just too pretty.

what, no entourage?

i saw adrien grenier in the lobby at work monday. in case you don't know, star of entourage and yes, the melissa joan-hart starrer, drive me crazy. he didn't really have anyone with him, just one woman, whom i'm assuming was probably his publicist or assistant. but funnily enough, he looked exactly like he looks on the show, the same clothes - blue dress shirt, striped suit pants and sneakers. curly hair and startling blue eyes. i'm not a huge fan of his, but it was a good start to the day!

cabbie, my cabbie

once again, i attract the weirdest cabbies in the world. coming back from work tonight, i thought i was lucky to get a cab right outside the building... well, the cabbie was some sort of a calypso music aficionado, because he spent the entire ride giving me a cliff notes education on it. in between blaring the music and lowering it so he could yell back at me, i learned about the caribbean, about calypso superstars, about lyrics meanings and how girls dance when they're trying to attract a guy.... no, i'm not lying. why, people, why?

cleveland continued

okay, so i'm finally getting a chance to finish posting about my cleveland roadtrip. sadly, it's been a week and my brain just doesn't remember things like it used to, but luckily, my friends wont get off quite that easily. as usual, time with my friends meant uncovering deep, dark secrets that will always come back to haunt them. exhibit a: jesus cereal.

a. - who likes to pretend she isn't religious - was outed when we discovered her favorite early morning snack: biblically-correct cereal. don't worry, we wont tell your mom!!

we also got to experience the many wonders of cleveland, you could barely turn around without running into another one - yes, i'm talking about midges. these tiny bugs were EVERYWHERE... i'm sure i broke my veggie status more than i care to think about. but we survived - even though i made b. run through a field of them near the rock and roll hall of fame - to actually see what cleveland has to offer: nice restaurants, a cool farmer's market, and the famed nightlife on west 6th street. oh wait, lest i forget, saturday also brought an unforeseen miracle: p. wowing us with her grill skills.


no excuses - now that i know you wont hurt yourself (or kill anyone else) if you come near a fire, i demand a home-cooked meal!!

i was also lucky enough to see one of my best friends from college. u. lives about an hour away and she was wonderful enough to brave missing call - and an overzealous police officer - to visit on saturday night, it was great. all in all, i guess it's unfair to continue calling cleveland "the mistake on the lake" but still, how can one resist?

p.s.: this is my 100th post, i can't believe it!! thanks to everyone for their encouragement and comments - me love feedback, mmm....

cleveland: the road trip

my friends and i decided to finally visit our friend a. out in cleveland this weekend. she moved there a while back, but we have been somewhat slow to accept the idea that there is actually civilization out there. left the city on thursday afternoon, piled up in a crv. three girls in a single vehicle can be an interesting experience, and luckily, we do not disappoint. just to mention a few - my friend b. trying to seduce a trucker by eating strawberries (needless to say, she succeeded). she then went on to say --- "guys, i don't know why, but i think i'm scared of white people...." it was truly hilarious. my other friend p. was busy driving, but did manage to eat animal crackers with dropping them on the floor, quite a feat. luckily for her, i'm a human vaccuum!! more cleveland adventures to come...

gag me

that's the only way to describe my reaction to the overblown, saccharine-filled farewell to katie couric on today yesterday. it truly killed me. disgustingly, i watched the entire thing at work, it was quite sad. like a thousand montages of katie's styles, accomplishments, athletic prowess, dancing skills, goofiness... you name it, they covered it. i don't mind katie couric, i think she made a great morning show host. i think her work to advance colon cancer is remarkable. i just wish that she and her execs would have realized how excessive all of yesterday seemed. i understand maybe devoting the last hour or a part of each hour, but all three hours!! katie actually described it best - ad nauseum

can you spell?

i watched part of the spelling bee at work today.. it's just so cute how nervous/disappointed/ecstatic these kids get. sadly, i knew only one of the words right off the bat - raita. yes, an indian yogurt dish that i've been eating since i was a baby is the only word i knew i knew how to spell... the others were just guesses, not so much educated ones. i love how much attention it all has started to get though. but one question... how was the runner-up a girl from alberta, canada? is that allowed? i don't have anything against the canucks, but isn't this the national spelling bee?

beantown 2

spent a wonderful weekend in boston at my friend n.'s place. my friend p. and i took the chinatown bus up, and can i say, had the weirdest guy sitting behind us. he talked on his cell in a booming voice... about his "recovering junkie" friend and how he "loved to quit jobs"... the man was cracked. but boston was a lot of fun, because we did absolutely nothing, just chilled in the city. we went to hay market, which is a great outdoor produce market. they sell all sorts of fruits and veggies at ridiculously low prices - 2 boxes of strawberries for $1.


i would cook like crazy if i lived near there! we walked around the pier and even saw a somewhat horrible hindi movie. and of course, we ate wonderfully - italian in north end, a buffet brunch, and excellent thai near newbury street. we had such great weather while we were there, and the minute we enter new york, we're accosted by severe rainstorms... it just says something. mainly, that i need to get out of the city more often!!

unleash your inner ari

that's one of the tag lines for hbo's ads for the new season of entourage. i saw a set of posters as i was walking down the street the other day. one of the other ones says "in a town full of sharks, it's nice to have a turtle by your side"... i love it. i absolutely love entourage. it just cracks me up because i love to see guys acting so guy-ish, albeit within the very unreal world of young, rich hollywood. the new season starts in about two weeks and i am psyched!

america at its worst

well, that may be a little bit of hyperbole, but this story really gets to me. it's a weird story to begin with, but americana's reaction to it is even more annoying. basically, a group (some would probably call them a cult) founded by a rishi is starting a "town" in the middle of kansas. they plan to do transcendentalist meditation from there and sent out "peace waves" to all of america. the surrounding town is upset and wants to run them out. they fear that the group is trying to get the souls of the local people. now, i'm the first person to flee from most organized religion, especially any sort of master, guru, or leader. i've just seen enough of it to not like the idea personally. but still, if these people want to send out good thoughts, what's the problem? as long as they're not knocking on your door and condemning you to hell for not joining them, let them do what they want. and i especially think any sort of preemptive action against the group is unwise. be vigilant and watch out for any shadiness, but don't automatically assume the worst.

it's funny, i grew up not far from the famous hare rama hare krishna temple in wv. we'd visited numerous times as kids, and of course, we all heard the news about the murders and weirdness that happened there. i'm a skeptic when it comes to these groups, but if it makes those people happy, good for them, just as long as it doesn't infringe on my life in any way.

network news shakeup

it's not quite as dramatic as it sounds, but abc announced today that it's replacing elizabeth vargas (a fellow mizzou alum) with charles gibson as its evening news anchor. vargas started months ago, but she is pregnant, and when she comes back from maternity leave, will work for 20/20. gibson will leave gma at the end of june where, as of now, diane and robin will continue on. it's been an interesting couple of years for evening news... what with the three veterans leaving, replacement anchor bob woodruff being seriously injured, and couric becoming the first solo female evening news anchor. i will be curious to see what happens along the way - gibson obviously has the gravitas to pull off the job, and he will be the most experienced newsman of the anchors. i would think the segment of society that still religiously tunes into the nightly news would want to watch him and not katie... it could create an interesting ratings race. also, the highly-coveted morning news will also be a different ballgame now... gma, which has been threatening today, may see a momentum change once gibson leaves, all those women may turn to matt lauer for company during their morning coffee now!

here's your chance

fidel castro has created an opportunity for all those seeking to remove him from this "throne." Forbes reported that castro is the 7th wealthiest ruler in the world, with a personal fortune of $900 million. castro denied the claim, going on tv to challenge forbes to prove it. and if they did? castro said he would step down. now, the story isn't radically interesting, yet to me, this information is. castro claims he has no foreign bank accounts, has no personal net worth and is paid about $40/month. now, i would never call castro crazy, because i don't think he is. but perhaps the world deluded could apply? and another question, assuming he is worth somewhat more than his own estimation of his wealth, where will all that money go when he finally, you know, dies?

you say mcdreamy...

i say mcselfish. i was screaming at the tv last night during grey's. i truly think mcdreamy (who is still as cute as ever) is losing his appeal as a character. make up your mind, you cant have the cake and eat it too! and the ending, a literal triangle, frustrated me to no end. and is meredith crazy for temporarily forsaking chris o'donnell? i thought it was an okay season finale, wasn't too crazy about the prom storyline (c'mon, give us a better excuse for them to dress up), but i will continue to watch in the hopes that george gets recognized for all his loveliness..

another one bites the dust

i swore i wouldn't write entries about my descent into debauchery and drunkeness... mainly because i think a lady should never boast of such things. and yet, once again, i find the need to document an interesting occurrence: the hangover. i think i experienced my first one today. i've been drunker than i was last night, so i don't think it was actually the amount of alcohol that did it. maybe the type or the sequence of drinks, but i think it's more likely the fact that i had also gone out drinking the night before, and two nights in a row is a rare one for me. anyways, had to work on top of it, so it was just all around a bad thing. but now that i've popped that cherry for lack of a (truly) better term, let's all pray that it doesn't happen (too often) again.

one to go

as i write this, barry bonds has not passed ruth's 714 career homeruns. somehow, he has been thwarted in his last several attempts. i'm resigned to the fact that babe's record is probably a thing of the past, but it brings me much satisfaction to know it hasn't happened yet. i detest bonds. i believe he represents all that is wrong with sports today - ego, money, and of course, drugs. yes, it's been going on forever, but bonds stands out to me as one of the worst offenders (well, he and mark mcgwire, palmeiro, canseco... hmmm). he shows so little true joy in the game anymore, strutting up to bat, rarely smiling, barely interacting with fans, as if his only reason to play is to for posterity's sake.

but coming to posterity, let me just say that when bonds reaches 715 and beyond, i don't believe his record should be marked with an asterisk. it kills me to admit it, but i actually think, that if baseball is going to let him play, then whatever he achieves while he's playing is fair game. there's a great movie out there 61* about the race between roger maris and mickey mantle for single-season home run record. once again, the man to beat was babe ruth, and when maris did pass his record, baseball officials put an askterisk by his name because of all the public pressure. the public argued that because the season was longer, it wasn't a fair comparison. in the movie, maris says that they have other things to deal with, such as night games, coast-to-coast flights, and other natural progressions in any sport. so, the separate records stood for many years, even until after maris died. on the same basis, i don't think you can do it to bonds. as bad as he is, it's up to baseball to intervene on all his play, not just his records.

batting against breast cancer

this is a great story. several professional baseball players will use pink bats during games this week, as a fundraiser for breast cancer. the mlb allowed the louisville sluggers to be dyed light pink for the cause, so players will bat with them for a week, after which they'll be auctioned off. i just love the idea of a player like big papi going out there with a little pink bat. but just this once, i hope he does he hit one out of the park.

goodbye to the real gilmore

okay, so last night's episode of gilmore truly, truly infuriated me. that show has been a weekly constant in my life for several years now, and to see them mess with luke and lorelai in such a serious way, makes me want to puke. (for those sane ones out there who don't waste as much time on tv as i do, lorelai called off the engagement and then proceeded to sleep with christopher, who is rory's father (but not the right man for lorelai!)) i know it's fake, but still, i've been living vicariously through this show for a while now. anyways, the creator and main writers of the show have left, and they left it on this note, so i'm wondering what will happen next season. i worry about the tone of the conversation and of course, how they'll reverse this situation. and luckily for me, i have months to wait to find out.

celebrity sighting

okay, so i was heading home from work today and i saw liv tyler sitting at a table, feeding her son. or should i say, trying to feed her son, because the poor little kid was in one horrendous mood. he just did not want to do anything the easy way. but she was persistent and kept on trying to get him to take just one more bite. it was cute.

feeding the frenzy

so i've become a 24 fan over the past few years. i didn't watch it in its infancy, but i enjoy it now. but, as cool as jack bauer is, he is one trigger-happy govt agent. just in this season, he's harshly tortured a suspect, shot an innocent woman, and finally, hijacked a plane... all in his quest to protect america. now, i realize this is a fictional show, but it represents a key dilemma in this country's current affairs. jack always acts first, thinks later. whether you can call it acting on the side of caution, he basically sidesteps all the conventions that try to protect people until proven guilty. guantanamo bay and abu ghraib are simple examples of the same thing. we've locked up these people in horrible conditions all because someone defined them as an "enemy combatant". no trial, no jury, no verdict and all their rights as human beings are stripped away. and of course, the entire war in iraq is applicable as well, only our actions are much more morally reprehensible for the large of "collateral damage."

now, don't get me wrong, i root for jack all the same, because i understand the basic premise behind the show. that a series of decisions and actions within 24 hours will determine the history of america forever. i do support agents who have to make split second decisions to save lives, but at the same time, i just think the show perhaps reinforces the gung-ho thinking of many americans.

and on a side note, can i just say that i love curtis. i just love it when he pulls out his authority voice!

no grace under the lights

i've been volunteering for the tribeca film festival for almost two weeks now, and i have to say, i've been amused by the degree to which new-to-even-mild-fame directors handle themselves in public. many of them seem to have a you-know-what stuck up their you-know-where, all because their precious little movie is screening at tribeca. i understand the pride they must feel, and yet, i feel somewhat disgusted by them. most, not all, acted as if they were the end all and be all of the festival, that without them, how did this festival ever get anywhere. as a lowly volunteer, it actually made me sad to see the way they treated everybody on my level. okay, end of virtual venting.

now, on to the show. i saw some really good movies, not nearly as many as i wanted. my favorite of those i saw was eden. it's a small german movie about an overweight chef whose professional life is in order, but not his personal one. when he meets a married woman with a somewhat-mentally challenged daughter, his life turns upside down. it sounds sort of weird, but it was very charming actually. sounds of silence is a documentary about the underground hip-hop scene in iran. the regime doesn't allow any music that isn't religious or traditional to be played or distributed publicly, so all these modern groups have taken to the internet to dispense their music... it's was pretty good, but as usual, needed editing! then yesterday, i snuck into see "the tv set".. about a writer whose tv pilot is getting shot, and then follows through the process by which a show gets picked up for the season. it was very funny, but only if you enjoy poking fun at showbiz. overall, it was a great experience, hopefully i'll be around to do it next year!

place your bets!

the kentucky derby is tonight, and i'm actually excited to see what happens. i went two years ago, and ever since, i take a passing interest in the race. the day was actually great. there are tons of smaller races preceding, and i actually won some money on those races. i did NOT however, win any money on the actual derby. but, it's such a great atmosphere. all these women wear outlandish hats and men look somewhat old-time charming. the mint juleps are actually pretty good, but more fun for me were of course, the souvenir glasses! but the best has to be the infield. it's one giant party. i mean it, drinking, smoking, eating, dancing, you name it, you saw it. and the minute we stepped in the infield that day, a deluge of rain for like a half hour. we were truly soaked through and through, it was hilarious in a non-funny way.

but tonight, even though i'm not putting any money on it, my picks are sharp humor, point determined, barraro, and brother derek. i'm a "the name speaks to me" sort of girl, so you can see why the first sparked my interest. barraro continues in my tradition of backing spanish-sounding names, though borrego did shun me in 04. and brother derek, well, he seems to be the odds on favorite, so why not. we'll see, it's like a couple of minutes to glory, but it's great.

garage band

so, one of my new-ish friends invited me to go see a band from nashville, "everday atlas". she knows these guys from college days, and i was excited to see that they were pretty good. they have a slightly rock-pop vibe, but i am very bad at describing music, so i'm sure that's a somewhat insulting description. but it was actually a fun night, had to schlep down to the LES to see them, but it was worth it. it felt like college again, seeing people play for the true love of music. not that i doubt famous bands don't still love the music, but there's a purity to people who aren't playing for the money and continuing fame. (but maybe they wouldn't mind that either!) ;)

nuestro himno

there's a growing debate surrounding a spanish version of the national anthem, the star-spangled banner. a british producer made the track, which he says honors immigrants in America. immigrants say it gives them a way to further participate in this country, but in their native language. when asked about it, president bush said he was against the song, because he felt that people who wanted to become citizens of this country need to learn english and need to learn how to sing the national anthem in english. i'm not sure where i stand on the issue, it seems okay to me to have the song, but at the same time, there's something to be said about a national anthem that needs to be sacred. as long as the english version remains the predominant one, i think the spanish version is okay for fun.

in a rush to get high

little mr. rush limbaugh was arrested earlier today on his prescription drug abuse situation. unfortunately, i enjoyed the headline a little too much, before i realized that these were technically old charges and that he hadn't been booked twice. but still, it made my day just to see the words "rush limbaugh arrested" wonder what his little chickadee daryn kagan has to say about it!!

to serve and ridicule

we covered a story today about a policeman and 2 firefighters who were fired in 1998 for their part in a labor day parade float that mocked stereotypes of blacks. well, they've been appealing their firing under the argument that their right to speech was violated by the city. today, the court upheld the city's decision, ruling that the city's interest in protecting the public and deflecting possible backlash was greater than the individual's right to expression. i have to say i agree with the court, but my reasoning is also tied to the fact that this type of behavior was habitual. i can't describe their previous efforts, so i'll let the words of the judge speak instead:

"Each year, Broad Channel plays host to a loosely organized Labor Day parade. The parade features, among other things, floats with varying themes and of varying degrees of sophistication. Local politicians award prizes to floats designated, for example, “prettiest,” “most original,” and “funniest.”

In each of the nine years leading up to 1998, the prize for funniest float was awarded to a particular group of individuals who entered floats that often, but not always, featured racial, ethnic, or other stereotypes, and that played off themes from popular culture. In 1994, for example, this group entered a float entitled “Hasidic Park,” a play on the film Jurassic Park, that featured stereotypes of Hasidic Jews living in prehistoric times. The group’s 1996 float, called “Gooks of Hazard,” depicted Asian stereotypes. Another year, the float styled itself “Happy Gays” and made fun of gay men. Steiner and Walters participated in each of these floats, and Locurto in the 1996 and 1997 floats. There is no evidence that any of the previous floats generated any substantial contemporaneous controversy or public attention.

For the September 7, 1998 Labor Day parade, the group, which included the plaintiffs, decided to enter a float called “Black to the Future – Broad Channel 2098.” The conceit, a play on the 1985 time-travel film Back to the Future, was to depict how Broad Channel would look in 2098 when, presumably, the community would be more integrated than it was in 1998. Each of the float participants, including the plaintiffs, covered their faces in black lipstick, donned Afro wigs, and accompanied the float along the procession in attire ranging from overalls with no T- shirt underneath, to cut-off jeans and ratty T-shirts, to athletic pants and sweatshirts. The float itself featured two buckets of Kentucky Fried Chicken on the hood of a flatbed truck.

One of the participants (not a plaintiff in this case) ate a watermelon and at one point threw the remains into the crowd. The float participants engaged in various chants, including, “No Justice, No Peace,” “This isn’t Johannesburg,” and “We didn’t land on Broad Channel, Broad Channel landed on us.” Plaintiffs Steiner and Walters yelled to the crowd, “Crackers, we’re moving in,” and Walters simulated “break dancing” alongside the float. Near the end of the procession, and apparently without the others’ knowledge, Walters held onto the truck’s tailgate, pretending to be dragged by the truck, and yelled, “Look what they did to our brother in Texas, we would not allow them here . . . .” The scene was intended to invoke and parodically recreate the dragging death of James Byrd, Jr., an African-American man who had been murdered months earlier outside of Jasper, Texas after being chained to the back of a moving pickup truck by three white men.

The float never reached the viewing stand to be sized up for the annual funniest float prize because a thunderstorm ended the parade early."

need a reality check?

i've never actually liked michelle rodriguez, and now, i know she is someone i wouldn't respect. initially, i didn't buy her whole acting thing, with the whole scratchy voice, squint and lopsided smile deal. but now, she obviously has a lack of common sense in the real world and that just makes me mad. i don't know why this story makes me so mad, it just does.

further proof they are EVIL

so, there's news that a fox news anchor is going to be the next bush press secretary. !?!?!?! well, i guess it wont be much of an adjustment for him, since he was already a mouthpiece for the administration as a fox man. but still, this is journalistically a little ambiguous for me. i admit, i can't watch fox news for more than a few seconds at a time, because i want to throw something at my roommate's 42 inch flat-screen wall-mounted h-d tv, and it's just too pretty to do that. but he was already a political analyst for fox? what the hell? that's really blurring the lines. i can only take solace in the fact that generally speaking the people who watch fox for its "news" content aren't too worried about the morals of journalism.... since they probably can't even spell the phrase. ;)

light bulb

it's bad enough to be at work at 9p on a sunday, but to be surrounded by giggling middle-aged men is worse. the family guy just came on and every few seconds, i can hear little male giggles coming from the control room, the newsroom and graphics. now, maybe this show is funny, i've not really watched it, but it suddenly dawned on me that boys really are on a different plane than women. they find this stuff laugh out loud hilarious and i'm just not sure that it warrants it.

don't wake me up...

if i'm dreaming, california... sorry, american dreamz... and that's dreamz with a z. i watched the movie friday night and i loved it. i couldn't stop laughing, they made a wonderfully great satire. the characters are very interesting, i mean yes, they are filling stereotypes, but that's sort of the point of the movie. you definitely have to enjoy both pop culture and politics to get the movie, because if you hate them, the mockery... which is hopeful at the end... will seem flat. i think the writer presented a relatively acute and astute picture of today's world and how sadly, it all interplays somehow. i liked hugh grant, dennis quaid, and the dude who plays omer. but i adored the kid who plays iqbal... he was great as the ambitious, frustrated, rich, gay kid. and it's better if i don't mention mandy moore, does she think we think that she's not this conniving, blonde, pop star just because she played one on-screen? (seriously, zach braff, i trust your judgment, but mandy moore?)

go mountain state

i can't believe i claim west virginia as home:

http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/5527078

i sat through so many freezing games to cheer on marshall and wvu, but in a smackdown, i'd have to go for marshall.

reality far from bites

now, i would normally not be heard saying that sentence, because let's face it, i was born on the wrong side of the bed. but today, on my way to work, who passed by me in the subway, but ethan hawke. now, i admit, i normally don't find grungy white men attractive, but something about hawke in reality bites just got to me, and ever since, i've been mildly interested in his career/life. thankfully, i can report he looks pretty good right now. he wasn't trying too hard to go incognito, just a hat and sunglasses, but he kept fidgeting with his mustache. anyways, i totally tried not to stare and failed miserably.

and just in case you also know and love the movie, let me share my fave line. it does reveal me to be a slight cheese, but whatcha gonna do?

Troy Dyer while speaking about Leilana (sp?) - "I love her. She breaks my heart again and again but I love her."

talk on the street

was standing on the corner when i heard a guy walking down the street talking on his phone. the only part of the conversation i heard was this one line - "it's so hard for people to come to terms with their self-identity." initially, i was like what? what a totally "this day and age" comment to make. but then i thought, actually, there are so many people that have trouble accepting who they are. now, just by the intonation of the dude on the phone, i don't think he was really grasping some deep explanation of a friend's problem, but still, it was an interesting thing to just hear while standing around. i sort of felt like a fly on a therapist's wall.

could double as a boy band name?

it was a gorgeous day in new york today, i mean crazy pretty. i had the day off, so i spent half doing lame chores and the other half sitting and chatting in a plaza. i was going to meet a friend for coffee, but i saw a little cart with those flavored ices. i got one and my friend p. wanted one too. i was trying to figure out how to explain them, when the words "hispanic ice" popped into my head. now, maybe you know what i'm talking about, the little kiddie-cup size ices that are often popular in hispanic communities. you've heard of italian ices, now i think i'm going to call them "hispanic ice". maybe it could be taken as a little racist, and that's probably why it won't fly in the world at large, but it's gonna be my own little nickname!

yet another case of sexism...

though this one definitely tilts in favor of women. there is a list of the 100 most unsexy men going around the internet. i've tried linking to it, but the site is acting sort of funny, so be warned. now, maybe it's out there, but i've just never seen a list of the 100 most unsexy women in the world. i have tons of ideas on both sides of the aisle (lil' jon and shannyn sossaman, for one), but why isn't there a list for women? are people really afraid that such a list would minimize women to a degraded status by just focusing on their looks? (sarcasm should be seen from a mile away). or maybe they're just afraid of the insane amount of celebrity ass they'd have to kiss afterwards.

in fact, i think it's funny that people's sexiest man alive issue is one of it's top sellers every year, and yet, they haven't done a sexiest woman alive. yes, people's fan base is predominantly more interested in male bods, but still, i think they could guarantee another profit maker with an issue devoted to sexy women. i wonder what's stopping them... (once again, i presume it would be the utter insanity of the behind-the-scenes campaigning and then later, cajoling of celebrity pr people)

brown v. board 2?

nebraska is dividing Omaha's school system into 3 distinct districts, and the division will be based upon race - 1 white, 1 black, and 1 hispanic. the officials say the move will help districts tailor education needs and level resources. i'm not so sure. the idea of busing people to forcefully segregate is funny now, and the truth is neighborhoods are becoming less and less racially diverse, so at first glance, the idea doesn't seem like such a big deal. But i think perhaps it misses the essence behind the law. i worry that in our rush to take racial and cultural differences into account in all areas of life, we will create a world where it becomes even harder for us to cross those barriers because we were never forced to, rather than not being allowed to.

anyways, check out the full news article.

it doesn't just suck....

it blows!! that's what i want to scream at the tv every time i see a dyson commercial. seriously, who do these people think they are? their ads are so pretentious, and their vacuums... sorry, dysons... are so expensive, they should only be advertising in "home ec for the rich and famous." my friends have had philosophical discussions about how they would own a dyson if they could, but really, has anyone ever seen or tested one of these things? i don't know why dyson... with all his accented-yuppiness annoys me, but he does. growl.

disclaimer: this post is in no-way the ranting of a bitter and broke SIF....

the new map

the red and blue states map from the 2000/2004 elections spawned an entire classification method for the country. now, this map shows another similar breakdown of the country. it's based on probable abortion allowances if roe is overturned by the new scotus. i found the map a pretty good indicator of the way things could turn, though of course, it is educated guessing. i wish i weren't surprised by the amount of light blue on that map.

can i get a what, what

http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2006/04/brass_vs_rumsfe.html#more

evil, evil spawn of the devil, who has skin so thick, no amount of criticism or truth can get him to admit reality.

flower petals keep falling on my head..

as i was walking home tonight, i crossed the street i cross every time. but tonight, a thousand white little flower petals rained down as i passed by. i don't even know what type of tree it is, but it was a totally beautiful experience, which can be rare in new york city.

"she's a moron"

that's what emily gilmore calls an 8-year old kid in tonight's ep. it was great. i love that luke is such a great dad, withouth having much practice. i love that jess was back, even for a few minutes, though i hated that rory was tempted to use him. i love that lane said "it's all about the benjamins baby", and i love that lorelai dumped coffee on the wedding dress from hell (though i do question how much enjoyment she got out of it). i love that i'd actually been to the cities mentioned today, courtesy of a trip my friends were willing to take last fall, and i love that philly was featured tonight. please let this show be worthy of its audience for the rest of the season.

woo hoo!!

okay, so i watched the entire yankee home opener at work today. luckily, that's one of the perks of working in news. so, i definitely thought we were slowly losing our grip through the innings today, and then comes DJ to the rescue. what a hit - bottom of the eighth, two outs, we're down 6-7, jeter comes to bat, homers a fly ball to left field and bernie and cano trot home. it was wonderful, everyone in the newsroom was cheering. so, l., hopefully this means our boys in stripes are turning things around....

happy birthday, mrs. cleary

i just saw that one of my favorite childhood authors, beverly cleary, turns 90 years old this week. i loved the ramona series, the books were just great. i can remember the adventures of this skinny, stringy black-haired, girl who was the happy go-lucky kid, that i always wanted to be. anyways, NPR interviewed her to celebrate, and i found it to be a fun trip down memory lane.

is dysfunction fun?

would that explain why so many movies seem to focus on the weird and sad quality of the lives of people who don't totally have it together? i went to see friends with money with my friend p. yesterday, and i have to say, it's not the greatest movie. in the quest to portray the ups and downs among four girlfriends, the movie just lost me. i just didn't see the point to the film. why would i care about these people? the director offered no explanations for the "conditions" that were affecting these people, just that they were the way they were, and you had to accept them with their flaws - because their friends didn't even point out their problems, let alone try to change them. i guess it depends on whether you believe in interventions - do you have the right to take it upon yourself to interfere in your friend's life when they haven't asked for your opinion or counsel?

sadly, jennifer aniston was once again slightly miscast. maybe it's because i can't disassociate her with rachel, but i just didn't believe her character. i loved frances mcdormand, she really was hilarious and quite good in her role. catherine keener is always understated and believable, but for once, i wasn't completely in sync with joan cusack. i love her (and her brother), but she looked interesting.

and i thought hp was the coolest

i already think of her as a cool person since she created the harry potter world, but today j.k. rowling totally blew me away. she decided to speak out against the current culture of super-thin, publicity-thirsty famous girls. if she reaches the minds of even half of the teen and pre-teen girls who read hp, maybe she'll make even more of a difference in the world.

and secondly, i LOVE that she writes long-hand. i find myself needing to do the same thing to actually get a real feel for a piece. there's something about feeling out the words that lets you think. it's probably more that you slow down when you write, rather than type, but like i said before, i truly love the feeling on ink or lead against paper.

if only...

they could come up with a way to take the filling out.

oblong oreos??

vermont will not apologize for it's cheese

i went to see thank you for smoking today, and i really liked it. the movie has several laugh-out-loud moments and is a clever take on the world of lobbying. my friend a. might not like the movie because it does somewhat show the evil side of big tobacco, but since i happen to share the view that cigarette companies are a little evil, i had no moral objections.

the movie did have one interesting statement that stood out. the main character, lobbyist nick naylor, played by aaron eckhart, says something to this effect to his son: "the beauty of an argument is that if you argue correctly, you're never wrong." i loved the dialogue because it truly distills the idea of spin and politicking in today's world.

i liked eckhart and william h. macy, who portrays a vermont senator trying to change the labeling on cigarette boxes. both play their characters believably and are funny as well. but, i wasn't too crazy about katie holmes. first, i will never be able to disconnect her from the brainwashed pregnant bimbette to tom cruise's desperate middle-age mania. and second, she still suffers from the joey potter head-shaking syndrome. on the creek, holmes' only mode of acting was a constant shake of the head will every word. it drove me crazy then and it's driving me crazy now. and finally, rob lowe, who is just so funny in one scene that everyone in the theater was laughing. anyways, go see the movie, it's a good time.

A's got schooled

so, i didn't write about this yesterday but monday, the yankees totally killed oakland in their season opener. i think the final score was 15-2, with the new york sluggers taking control of the entire game. a-rod grand slammed, damon was 3 for 7, and matsui homered. i'm excited to see the rest of the season and i miss you paul o'neill!!

french fry

so, the gators won last night. i didn't get to watch the game since my roommate wanted to watch her tivo-ed charmed rerun (no, i'm not bitter at all). i've been reading all the reports today, and it seems like joakim is the man. this weekend, i was telling my friend about this guy, you really can't take your eyes off of him. i didn't learn until later that he was yannick noah's son, one of my dad's favorite tennis men. i don't think so much for his skill as for his presence, which seems to have passed down to joakim. either way, this guy is positioning himself as an athlete to watch.

going to the chapel...

to see my friend get married. i went home last week for one of my best friends' wedding. it was a great time. i was so happy for n. and v. they're both wonderful people who truly deserve immense happiness with each other. i was so honored to be a "bridesmaid", it was a fun experience, though i have to say, i now know why most bridesmaids hate their outfits - they are not meant to be flattering or comfortable in any way! most everyone we grew up with came to the wedding so it was fun celebrating with them, great mini reunion for us. some of the most touching moments in the wedding - during the toast, v.'s dad had us all participate in wishing them the fulfillment of all their dreams and aspirations. and n.'s aunt wrote a beautiful poem which had a line that said, if i held the world in the palm of my hand, i would give it to you. but, i'll admit, the whole time i was a little sad that i wouldn't be in her shoes any time soon, unless a miracle somehow happens in the next few months! either way, it was a great weekend and i wish them both a wonderful life together.

lock and key

dude, i think my roommate is stealing my chocolate!! i came back from several days away and i found half my reese's mini peanut butter cups gone. so, i tried to act all chill and was like, "whoa, i ate way more of these than i realized last week!! the bag's half empty" and she tries to pretend she doesn't know what i'm talking about, saying "oh, thank goodness i didn't know they were in the cupboard. i was on a total binge this weekend..."

now, for the key question, how do i know she stole them? well, to give you that answer, i have to acknowledge my own OCD tendencies. i hate the color pink. and since these candies are easter-themed, all the wrappers are pastels. now, i was trying to get rid of the pink ones earlier, so that my bag would have all the pretty blue, green and gold ones left. well, when i came back, guess what, there were only pink ones left in the bag. therefore i conclude that my roommate is responsible for sabotaging my candy fun. grump.

fare thee well

so, there's news today that arrested development is most likely not coming back. the series creator, mitchell hurwitz said this in an interview: "The fans have been so ardent in their devotion and in return ... I've given everything I can to the show in order to try to live up to their expectations," he told the mag. "I finally reached a point where I felt I couldn't continue to deliver that on a weekly basis."

money may have been a major sticking point for a new contract. i wouldn't want this show to be done unless it was at its highest quality, so i'll bid goodbye to the bluths. i'll miss you all, though i hope to see you all in other worthy projects soon.

why i oughta...

now, i'm not a big fan of the current supreme court. even though this scotus is new, many of the members are people on my blacklist. one of the headliners: antonin scalia. this dude is scary and perhaps, a little crazy. no, that's unfair of me, obviously, he's a great political mind, but he veers so to the right that i almost can't identify with him as a person. and now, he goes and does this. i know he's not from italy, but as the saying goes, you can take a man out of italy, you can't take the italy out of the man.

from the mouths of babes

"i've read the constitution. there's nothing in there protecting ugly people." or something to that effect. that's from gabrielle on last night's desperate housewives. i just thought it was a great quote, and since i firmly believe there are ugly, not just un-attractive, people out there, had to blog about it!

git along, little dogie

so, there's news today that actor randy quaid (best known for flying up an alien spaceship ass) is suing the producers of brokeback mountain for money. he claims he cut his seven figure asking price to play a part in what he was told is a small artsy independent film. he says he thought the movie was a gay cowboy movie, so he agreed to cut his salary because director ang lee told him everyone was making a sacrifice. now, after the movie won numerous awards and became the talk of the nation, he suddenly decides to sue them. i just think that's despicable. be proud of the fact that you were part of this watershed movie and use it to bump up your profile, instead of sinking to this low. i know he's not the first to take such action, but it just seems like he wasn't the most sellable actor in the movie anyways. but then again, it would explain why he would take such steps, since he has nothing better to do. anyways, shame on you, brother of dennis, don't you realize this makes people like you even less!!

subway people

just remembered that i saw an interesting man on the subway this morning. he came into the car and started playing what looked to be a recorder. not a true clarinet, but one of those plastic recorders everyone gets in the first grade. he proceeded to play a few notes and then started saying loudly -- the arab race of new york is being destroyed, being destroyed by african music. he kept repeating some version of that line while interspersing it with more music. when no one responded, he sat down and then got out at the next stop. i didn't know what to make of it. not that it was any weirder than other people in the subway, but i had to wonder what he meant. maybe there was no larger meaning, but i'm still thinking about it...

ncaa craziness!!

so, the ncaa tournament this year has been crazy. after having a totally blank look on my face when two of my friends were talking about the games earlier this week, i decided to pay a little more attention. things have been a little psychotic this week, so i've tuned out to anything that hasn't been essential to my existence. but how sad, that the first game i actually saw was the wvu-ut game. what is the deal with the last minute shot? c'mon!! well, even though i'm not a huge wv fan, it was sad, more because i know my brother is totally disappointed that we lost to texas (i'm sure my cousins are lording it over him again!) and then villanova vs. bc - what an insane final 7 minutes! i'm not sure villanova won that game, more than bc just losing it at the end. let's see how the next week proceeds. i'm attending a wedding during the final four and the championship, i'm sure we'll sneak contraband scores in somehow!

god, grant me..

the serenity to accept the things i cannot change. no, i haven't quite yet joined AA, but this quote was on this week's grey's anatomy (praise be to patrick dempsey), and i need to make it my new mantra. i have discovered that i'm ill equipped to deal with the ins and outs of "dating"... such as it is in my life. it takes too much work and i'm tired. i realize i'm throwing a little virtual hissy fit, but how much longer can this go on? seriously.

paradox?

so i accidentally came across bush's press conference today on my way to the gym. and even though i only caught a little of it, he said something that stuck in my mind. he made some comment to the effect of: can you imagine that there are enemies out there who say they will kill innocent people because they want to spread freedom. and i immediately thought: yes, yes i can. even though our military doesn't expressly name it as their objective, the death of innocent people has been a huge by-product of our action in iraq. and, that toll was calculated before we invaded, so, in a way, it was accepted as a means to the ultimate goal - which is exactly what insurgents are aiming to do.

but i've thought about the war a lot lately, just because the debate over withdrawal seems to be intensifying. i find it hard to believe, but i currently admire bush for sticking to his plan to keep troops in iraq. though people want to now say that we've accomplished our goal and the country needs to deal with its own internal civil war, i believe that would be reprehensible. rummy wrote an op-ed in the wp that said leaving now would be like leaving post-ww2 germany to the nazis, and i have to agree. we have a responsibility to stay in iraq until the country is really on its way - economically, politically, socially. after what we did, we owe it to them.