A potpourii of nothing much

I havent been too blog because I have been a total slob (slobg?) I don't even have that much to talk about, but I am going to try to get some stuff out there!

*I have been listening to a lot of NPR lately while by computer was in the shop. I LOVE it! A) Because I feel so grown up, and B) I have so much more knowledge of the world.

*I have also been having some tentative adventures in cooking. Lets just say- its maybe not the happiest of endings, and I can only appreciate the patients and faked sounds of gastronomical delight of my favorite guy. How do you even cook anything?

*I am starting to feel the slow panic of Christmas shopping overwhelm me. I am so so so so behind (well actually im not behind at all, because to be behind i would have had to have actually started)

* This cold snap has made a little tuna head incredibly lovey and snuggly. Nothing puts a cat in a lap like subfreezing tempatures in an apartment warmed by a spaceheater

Reflections on Seeing the Pixies to-night

1. The Pixies are awesome
2. Doolittle came out a really long time ago (I was 7)
3. People who like the Pixies are really bad dancers

When all words fail she speaks, her mixtapes a masterpiece

I was recently talking to a friend of mine about how I wish there was a way to go back and see every song I had put on every mix tape I had ever made. Not even the love ones! The friendship ones, and especially the angry ones! I am sure it would range from the embarassing to the sublime, I had always fancied myself quite the mixtape master, but even going back and listening to tapes I made for myself cause me to squirm.

http://www.cassettefrommyex.com/

This is an awesome website where you can check out the track listing from mixtapes from all different decades, and also all different types of people and look at the "art work" but ALSO listen to them if you so desire. This is the next best thing since the demise of Mixwit !

The Golden Olive

What is the Golden Olive you may be asking yourself? It is nothing related to Tom Robbins magical golden ball, and it's no where near Golden Gardens. The Golden Olive is a wonderful Greek resturant in Wallingford. AND you may be wondering why I am blogging about a resturant. Well the reason is easy-- the Golden Olive is awesome and the owner ordered us to do after our meal!



Truthfully, we didn't even set out to eat at the Golden Olive! We didn't even set out to eat Greek food, we were trying to eat Japanese before a movie. However all the Japanese resturants in Wallingford were packed out or shady and it was pouring down rain and we were on foot-- so my much smarter companion suggested well why don't we just eat Here- which like most great discoveries was the happiest mistake.


We ordered appetizers, and a salad and main plate to share. I was a little nervous when I went in because Greek food is generally not very "veg friendly" and, but the menu had lots of options. Like a ton of options! We had a Spanakopita, Mediterrianian Shrimp Salad and the Pistachio Mushroom Spaghetti. Everything was delicious! The Spanakopita was flaky and light but still filling, and the Pistachio Spaghetti was salty and delicious. But the best was the salad, with fresh tomatos, mozzerella and basil- AND it really made me really appreciate the difference between good basalmic vingar and just regular type I buy at Trader Joes. The dressing was tart but also a little sweet and pinched the glads right between your jaw and your neck.



Also- all the employees were women! And really Greek! At the end of our meal we were thanking our waitress(slash owner maybe?) and she told us very sternly if we do not go on the internet and tell everyone about our dinner The Golden Olive would close. Rather than risk that- here you go! It's not often you get homework with your dinner!

Here is the website right HERE http://www.thegoldenolive.com/ but the website doesn't really do the place justice.

Yo! Ga!

OH! I have finally returned to Hot Yoga (Birkam). It was TOUGH after almost two months off. My goal is to start going at least twice a week- but neither of the studios I like have very easy bus access, and really who wants to ride the bus when you are so so sweaty! Bikram makes your body tempature so high, even a slight change in temperature is uncomfortable. I went for a walk after my most recent class, almost a half hour and a shower later and I was freezing!

Of course my worst pose (or as my yoga mentor JB would say "your least successful part of your practice, and thats why it is a practice Sarah), (but really worst pose) is Locust-- it looks something like this:

My version looks something like this:

I have absolute minimal sucess with this posture. I was looking up ways to improve this posture on a Birkam message board, and I found out that this posture is especially difficult for. . er. . . well endowed women, which is encouraging (aka I am not just a weakling)

I as much as I complain, I really love Bikram Yoga- I feel like it is the first type of excercise that I have tried that works for my body and brain. I know I have the capacity to do it very well, and my sucess depends on what I am willing to bring to each practice, and my ability to go deeply into the practice is a great evaluation of where I am in my life (mentally) at the time.

This is one of my favorite postures, I've never gotten my head to my knee but I can kick out (sometimes) likethe first picture:

Anyway- if you ever want to go (aka give me a ride there) let me know! Yoga is best when it is shared!

You guys! I can't believe it!

Lilith Fair is back! You may make fun of me for being so excited, but I have been looking forward to this day for a long time!! I was too little to go to Lilith Fair the first time around, but having been to many many many testosterone driven shows since then- I can't wait to go to a place made for women by women to celebrate music!

Worst story Evar

How could anyone be mean to this beautiful face!??!

(I can't find the picture of Aleistar in his Chicken Costume, or I would have posted that!)

According to this very sad article I saw in Jezebel this AM "Reports of deliberate cruelty to black cats rise especially in the weeks around Halloween in Britain"

Listen, Aleistar may be the naughiest cat in the entire world, and he did escape from Witch Mountain on the wings of a bat, but anybody who is mean in thought or action on purpose to black cats is instantly my enemy forever

This really creeped me out

Have you ever dreamed of this man?

From the website http://thisman.org

In January 2006 in New York, the patient of a well-known psychiatrist draws the face of a man that has been repeatedly appearing in her dreams. In more than one occasion that man has given her advice on her private life. The woman swears she has never met the man in her life.That portrait lies forgotten on the psychiatrist's desk for a few days until one day another patient recognizes that face and says that the man has often visited him in his dreams. He also claims he has never seen that man in his waking life.The psychiatrist decides to send the portrait to some of his colleagues that have patients with recurrent dreams. Within a few months, four patients recognize the man as a frequent presence in their own dreams. All the patients refer to him as THIS MAN.

The human mind is so incredible! From a purely scientific standpoint- what has encoded this image into thousands of seemingly unreleated peoples's subconcious. What would the benefit be?

Is this man God? Or Satan? The smoking man? It is like an episode of the Twilight Zone come to life? Do you want to see This Man, or is it a curse?

I can not even imagine the absolute terror of seeing something, thought to be exclusively in your imagination in a context completely outside of your control in real life.

I think I would faint.

It breaks myHeart-art-arrrrt-art-art- art!

I have been filing my nails like crazy trying to get them to look like Regina Spektor's




























Look how cute she is! I think the problem is- she just has little tiny delicate elf hands, where as I have tiny stubby hobbit hands with gigantic finger nails- so no matter what I do I will never have sick 50s fingernails and it breaks myHeart-art-arrrrt-art-art- art!

It's All Gone Peter Tong

RIP LITTLE ANCHOR

This morning I reached up to check in with my little friend- my little Microdermal Anchor and remembered all of the sudden that its GONE. We're going to need more :( . The piercing hasn't been right for awhile and so I had to go back to Slave to the Needle to get it out. (They are awesome there- they removed it for free and were so nice about it. For the record, it was through no fault of my piercer (Josh the piercing ninja- best RECOMMEND RECOMMEND RECOMMEND ) that I had to have it removed- everything he did was perfect. - I was drying my hair on a towel and I made a bad mistake. I thought I could maybe save it but it was no go.)

It was weird to hold my jewelry after it was removed- kind of like when your tooth falls out! I could not believe how small it was (since I could never see it but with mirrors)

I feel incredibly sad at the loss of my piercing. I loved that piercing- it just felt right where it was in my body- like this was how my body should be. I know that I can get it repierced in a few months- but I am not sure what I'm going to do. We had a pretty long run for the placement (9 months) I do know that how I am right now I do not feel complete.

Sonic Youth on Gossip Girl

I am not sure to be indignant or to laugh! Can this even be real? It's worse than I can even imagine

What the whAT?!?

The Mountain Goats were on the Colbert Report recently! And it was awesome- not only did they perform but Steven also interviewed John Darnielle and it was so wonderful! He is so smart- but also so dorky and sweet- it is just great and if you are like me you just cant help but feel so happy for him/them. Also - I love his talking about Mountain Goats the animal!

Ch-Ch-Check it out!

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
John Darnielle
http://www.colbertnation.com/
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Michael Moore

Yuck

I don't think I've ever been shy about my (personal) distaste with women who "Slut-it-up" for Halloween. The act of wearing revealing clothing in and of itself isn't offensive, but the fact that women need a "holiday" to be sexually liberated (a better way is express themselves freely in a sexual way) is an excellent example of the ongoing repression of women in America. Aditionally, I feel like most (not all) women are "naughty" on Halloween because it is an opportunity to gain power within our patriarical society-- my exception to this is because they are only creating frustration by exemplifing a male fantasy of women - this sense of power women gain is fleeting and in reality is harmful to women as a whole because men cease to be people but are transformed to two dimension beings who's sole secret desire is satify men. There isn't anything wrong with wanting to feel sexy and powerful, but as a society I think we should look at the reasons why October 31st makes women act this way.


Plus it's cold! Have some common sense ladiez!


But regardless of your opinons on the above, can we get together and adleast admit that THIS is harmful to women everywhere?

I have difficulty understanding what 9 or 10 year old girl would want to be a devil for Halloween and a slutty devil at that? This blog has an interesting article about it http://blogue.us/2009/10/08/slut-princesses-tricks-or-treats/






















Most people I know were a witch at least once when they were a kid- and the fun of being a witch is having a green face and an ugly nose. Even if you want to be pretty witch (totes understandable) -- seriously? High heels and fishnets? Halloween is about walking around in the dark for kids- is this even safe? Not to sound too much like Andy Rooney- but honestly- this just makes me sad.

LOOK at these SHOES

From Alexander McQueen Show in Paris today- how do these even work?!

Do you believe in GHOOOOOSSSSTTTSSSS

Because I do- because my apartment my sophmore year of college was haunted- and for other reasons too, that I don't want to list right now because this is just a quick blog. BUT anyway, I got all scared last night almost a full week after watching Paranormal Activity that something in the night was going to pull the sheets off me. All I could do is snuggle my small cat a bit closer.

This is a list of the 30 best/infamous ghost photographs of all time. It is funny how some of the pcitures GRAB and CHILL you, while others are clearly fake. Maybe they are all fake- and I am just silly but there are a couple that make ghost fingers crawl up and down my spine

I would like this

It's time for belt tightening- however I don't know if I can resist buying this!!
















A creeping, wet, slithering scent, dripping with seaweed, oceanic plants and dark, unfathomable waters.

How cool is that! I already smell like damp, oldman and paint because of my stupid moldy apartment, I feel like this could really compliment my scent story!

Dreams do come true!!

Here is yours truly on skinnygirlsbigsandwiches.com! I can't even believe it!!

Hmmm

Who does this remind you off: Rachel Zoe has Created a Monster

Emo like Brad Pitt

Is it nerdy that I find it comforting and awesome that Brad Pitt and me retreat in the same way when we are upset or sad ? From The Daily Mail:

In recent weeks there have been reports that the two are struggling to keep their relationship on track. Brad is reported to have moved into a separate two-bedroom house from the rented family home he was sharing with Angelina and their six children in Beverly Hills.
A neighbour of his new lodge-style home told Grazia magazine: 'He only moved in quite recently. There have been a couple of nights when we've heard him playing Nick Drake quite loudly.

(though truthfully my lonely mope-ing soundtrack is generally elliott smith, Nick Drake and I have cried it out more than a few times :))

Insanewiches

This website is awesome! It is all insane sandwiches! That is the Rubix Cube sandwich

Just Fantastic

HOLY SMOKES! A new Wes Anderson Movie, based on a Rolad Dahl novel, thats claymation! That IS fantastic!

The Quick Brown Fox Jumps Over the lazy Dog

FOR REAL!!

Hey! Remember when I blogged about my (unborn) children! Look! I ('m going to) have another kid!

Obesity is expensive

Not for nothing, but if obesity costs the US $147 billion per year in avoidable medical costs doesn't it make sense that those people should be charged more as smokers are? I'm just sayin' its sort of a double standard

From my new favorite site Everything is Terrible

The Future of The Left. . . Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Capitol Hill Block Party

So I normally don't like most stuff (by stuff I mean rock festivals everyone else seems to enjoy) but I had an awesomely fun time at the Capitol Hill Block Party this weekend, thanks in no small part to an incredible set by The Future of the Left, your new favorite band. It was so sweaty and fun and loud, it was everything rock should be, and what you want rock to be but never is. All I wanted to do was punch everything, my arms rotating like windmills with fists on the end. Why are other bands allowed to be? I feel like if the government feels permited to regulate things like whether or not I wear a seatbelt that the least they can do is stop shitty rock

It was so hot yesterday there was no choice but to spend the afternoon in a baby pool. It was delightful. Unfortunately I was without a bathing suit, so my male companion was good enough to loan me one of his swim trunks. I don't know how boys do it! Granted, I was also wearing a tank top (it was quite the 19th century swimming costume) and there is a natural (or culturally imposed) impulse to NOT sit in a pool of water fully dressed, but even factoring in that additional confusion- wearing big shorts makes it hard to swim! The extra fabric creates drag in the water and they take so long to dry making me so itchy! Also, the pant legs blow up like a balloon in the water. It is crazy. If I am ever a boy, I am definately going to be a bannana hammock type

ALSO! TO celebrate big season 3 of Mad Men AMC has a fun new game where you can create yourself as a charactor on the show

Here is me and Don Draper!

The Beautiful Horror

Ok everybody is up in arms about this bike that Damien Hirst constructed for Lance Armstrong that is covered in butterfly wings (actual butterfly wings that apparently he pulled off of living butterflies)

Here are a couple of things about this:

* It is pretty sick but in the best/worst possible way. I have a real framed butterfly in my room (but only one) because I love the idea of being able to catch and hold something light and beautiful and keeping it safe and perfect forever, but at what cost? And what makes us think we are the ones who can make such a decision?

*we carelessly kill animals (and people) everyday for certianly less noble purposes and the only reason this is different is because butterflies are beautiful- and what does this say about our athesetics based society?

*Lance Armstrong- kind of a jerk- no one can deny his accomplishments and his ability to inspire the peeps. still. . .

*Damien Hirst kills stuff all the time for art and i think he is quite good and thought provoking and regardless of what people say I like him very much

*That being said, this work isn't really any of those things, although I find the idea quite interesting. This looks like a little girls bike, the execution just wasn't quite there

I don't know if you heard but Michael Jackson Died . . .

I am remaining neutral on the subject.

I do find it interesting, (I have always found this interesting about the death of celebrities) what pictures different magazines and websites use to 'remember' MJ with. Almost all the tribute photos with the words Michael Jackson 1958-2009 splashed across were pictures of late 20s MJ, about half way through his transformation- like the Pepsi era. As some one who was famous for almost literally his entire life, and especially for someone who changed so dramatically over that much publizied life, how as an editor does one pick the picture that best represents Jackson as a whole?

Some other interesting things that have come to light today:

ONE: Michael Jackson effectivly stopped the internet: That is truly the most amazing thing (yesterday most news and psudo news websites crashed out because of public demand) is a way that was never seen before, not even September 11th. Bizzaro, that this wild nebulous thing "the internet" CAN be stopped, contrary to popular thought. (Which PS China has now effectivly banned google, so the free exchange of information can be stopped any old time the government likes, just keep that in your back pocket)

TWO: MJ left Paul McCartney the Beatles Catalog in his will This makes me very happy

THREE: Stars have taken to twitter or whatever to let us know what we think about all this. This is has always irritated me for some reason

FOUR: Perhaps strangest of all Lou Ferrigno was Michael Jackson's personal trainer?!!

Another important real news story

Here is another GREAT news story-hot on the heels of this breaking news from CNN- this time from MSNBC's front page (not the entertainment section or the lifestyle section) How as a nation will be continue on?

Woke Up This Morning Part II

Yesterday morning I woke up, got in the shower, washed my hair rinsed it out and did not even realize I had used liquid face soap instead of shampoo. DID NOT EVEN REALIZE!

Nothing is Really Free

Sometimes on the internets I read something really great- and in a way it makes me sad because on the internet, although everything will exist for ever at the same time it is all so fleeting and will be gone from our collective unconscious within hours (it’s a METAPHOR!)

Anyway you know one of my favorite blogs ever is Videogum (if you didn’t just look over at that side bar! It is number one on my favorite links) and it is usually snarky and funny and irreverent and etc. But today the boy writer of Videogum had a really great, reflective piece on a comedy show he got to go to free- but it isn’t really about that of course- its an examination of his (our) sense of entitlement and disillusionment and so many other things. And its funny and sad and so close to the EXACT same feelings I have had is similar situations and how much that sucks. And the desire to maybe not be snarky and funny and irreverent all the time but how that is impossible now as an adult, and also the strong desire to share this discomfort with others- but also an understanding of how futile that urge can be. I don't even know who Louis CK IS, but I could insert dozens of other names in there for an identical effect

It’s a little long, but I really recommend reading it-- here is a little taste! (Spoiler!)

. . . And so now you are basically not even enjoying this rare moment with a world-class comedian telling stories off the cuff because you're absorbed in this long-winded, self-absorbed interior monologue you've been having a lot lately about where your life is headed and what you really want and blah blah blah you are so pedestrian, seriously, get over yourself.

READ There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Louis CK Show

Debbie Does Salad

I have always mantained the food network makes cooking look like porno (the extreme lingering close ups, the lighting) and lo and behold: Someone else thought that too and probably before me!

http://www.harpers.org/archive/2005/10/0080776

This article is pretty long but you will get the idea - I always knew that Rachel Ray was a slut!

Woke up this morning

This morning I woke up, got in the shower, washed my hair rinsed it out and did not even realize I had used body wash instead of shampoo. DID NOT EVEN REALIZE!

2 Movie Things

The first Images from Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland were released today and it looks BEAUTIFUL! I am a big fan of Tim Burton but for a long time he has sort of stopped making real movies and has only been recreating old movies that people already like, with less than tantlizing result- so I was less than pumped for Alice in Wonderland- BUT it is allegedly going to be really really creepy and based on some of these images, it has a lot of promise!Thanks for the hot tip Catie! You can check out all the pictures here


Also, have you heard of this movie "All About Evil" Today I read the first article I have seen about it, but it looks bloody awesome!

Modern Cinderella

THis article is very interesting to me and hopefully to you! it is a photo series where disney princesses are taken out of their story and placed in a modern context. the images are jarring and thought provoking

I just got back from Bikram and feeling somewhat inspired I was looking up some postures on youtube. You don't have to watch the whole thing, but I find this to be quite beautiful, very different from the smushed up lump of bones and skin that I look like ha ha!

Eat No Meat

Remeber when just one blog ago I was like i don't care if you eat meat or not? Actually I do care a little bit, so would you mind reading this article? I is just one day a week, and I mean, he is a BEATLE after all!

As you may have heard (or read along the bottom your screen if you watch WHeel of Fortune)Thursday was the big day of the TV digital conversion! ANd if you know anythign about me, you will know that I am not very good at "things" like "this" and so naturally, I have not made any kind of conversion to digital.

Outside of my personality "quirks" that make it difficult for me in the real world, I have a lot of other better reasons to not make the digital conversion, that I have been thinking about for awhile now. I was TV free for years, but then when I started having roommates I sort of fell back into the habit. There isn't anything wrong with watching tv- except that I feel like it makes me (and I really do mean ME, the person I can barely control, sarah -this whole line of thinking is only about me, so no judgement. It's like being vegitarian, I don't think badly about anyone who eats meat, I just know for myself it is the right choice not too) OK with all that out of the way. I don't have TV anymore because i think it makes me really lazy and also we have all these amazing devices we use to save time (like cars and washing machines and microwaves) but what do I do with my extra time? I watch TV! That is dumb. So I will still be able to watch some tv on my computer, and I will still have a TV to watch movies on DVD but I am going to try at least for a little while to go tv free and see what I can accomplish.

OH yes one more thing! Recently I was lucky enough to be a back up dancer in a movie for the opening of the 20 Funny Festival and this is the movie! During the dance sequence you might notice one person sort of standing off to the side, and maybe not even really dancing the right dance with the group and it kind of looks like they just ran up and tried to join in- but it's not that! It's me! :)

And I thought the headlines on the Seattle Times were bad. . .

This is a real life screen capture from CNN.com, reporting on the 25 or so most important stories that are impacting our lives and our world right now. . . .

Sasquatch 1.67 Days in

PS Oh man, every person STINKS

Sasquatch 1.5 Days in

Does anyone really care about this event? I mean, obvs the thousands of peeps here and wanting to be here care, but do they care to read the recap? Not least of which my recap? My guess is likely no- but like it or not, indifference or difference

here

we

go


SATURDAY
Vince Mira was. . . awesome, so fun, kitch, cool

The Gaslight Anthem was. . . terrible, not the tight band that I saw at the High Dive last month, poor sound

Passion Pit was. . . ok from what I saw. I was distracted by sitting in the shade for most of their set and so I didnt see all of it but it sounded fun and dancey and in response the crowd was fun and dancey

King Khan and The Shrines were. . . it is pretty early in Sasquatch to call this but probably the best of the weekend (fully admiting I have yet to see my most anticipated band of the festival Murder City Devils who may blow this whole sentence out of the water)

Shearwater was. . .boring in passing but they really didn;t get a fair shake of me causually walking by

Animal Collective was. . . good. I really dug their scene for about 25 minutes before I lost interest. They sounded sort of like a water color painting

The Decemberists were. . . so wonderful, although have we come to expect anything different from them at this point? I was lured away about half way through their set by the promise of illicit beers, which honestly make them sound all the better

SUNDAY
Viva Voce was. . . beautiful but so dull. I love them and I have seen them bring it in other settings (even other festival settings)

Street Sweeper Social Club was. . . honestly, I had little to no interested in seeing this band, being a lukewarm at best fan of Rage Against the Machine. I was plesantly blown away by how fun and big Tom Morello's side project was. My favorite part, the lead singer (?) declaring "Street Sweeper Social Club is not a band! It's a social club!!" and their cover of MIA introduced "we have a new album coming out, and this song is NOT on it"

The Walkmen were. . . boring, and seemed disinterested in even being here despite their audience best efforts to like them.

The Red Wine Boys. . . were some bullshit in the comedy tent while I was waiting in like for the port-o-pottys and were not funny. However I will say that was probably the most plesant honeybucket experience i have ever had- way to step it up gorge!

Fences was. . .plagued by sound troubles and super fussy about it. That being said they were super pretty sounding, but it is difficult to remain engaged fully in the heat of the day through a set who's most memorable characteristic is a low pitched buzzng noise.

SO that brings us to 4:08 PM on Sunday.
Upcoming is . . . St. Vincent, The Wrens, The Murder City Devils, The Wrens and maybe a little Of Montreal although I would not mind being left the Gorge by then. . .tomorrow. . . The PICA BEATS! The cutest name band in all of rock and also hopefully Blitzen Trapper, GoGol Bordello, Girl Talk and some other little suprises too!

Some other things: Having a blanket has made all the difference! I know I am kind of a baby but bringing a little blanket has made this festival experience great.
Also. . . Wow, what a great, smootly run festival. It it is great the level of care/detail everyone invovled has put into Sasquatch, and how great it has been to work with the staff so far. And I'm sure there will be all kinds of kvetching about the cost of beer/booze/food and honestly it is out of control ($15 margaritia anyone?) BUT I have always been bothered by fellow patrons needs to get wasted. I love to booze but at the same time, that is something I could do anytime.

I had a Southwestern Salad from Wendys last night, and it had beef chili on it but I was so hungry I didn't even care! I had half a shot of Disarono and passed out. Awesome!

From the window I can hear the first few notes of The Builders and the Butchers, and they sound pretty ok.

Continuing F A I L

Dear writers,

Thank you for being so patient during the lengthy process of reading andselecting pantoums and senryu for our upcoming issue of McSweeney'sQuarterly. Unfortunately, we won't be able to include your poetry in ourproject. We received hundreds of submissions and could use only a handful ofthem, which means there are many excellent and wonderful poems that will notbeing going into the issue. That said, thank you for the enthusiasm andenergy you put into your work. It has been a true pleasure reading your poetry.

Sincerely, Graham W________ and Darren F__________
Assistant Editors, McSweeney's Quarterly Concern

This is what I imagine my kids to be like

I vant to suck yor bloooooddddd

HELLLOOOO SUPER NERDS!!

Get ready for a supernerdgasm. Hello nerds, party of one? Your wedgie is ready . . .and you will like it. . .

http://dracula-feed.blogspot.com/

Snap. Incase you may have forgotten Bram Stoker's Dracula is told in the epistlatory style, aka by a series of letters or diary entries. SOO Somebody (the blog above) is publishing the story in real time (the story starts on May the 3rd) so we can experience the book like the characters do! So neat!!

http://www.neatorama.com/2009/05/03/reading-bram-stokers-dracula-in-real-time/

A Hostel Witness

Oh Eli Roth! How I love your movies! Let me count the ways.

I watched Hostel Part 2 three times this weekend, the theatrical cut and two of the directors commentaries. It is great. It is so obvious how tenderly and absolutely Roth loves torture porn, how he believes in the genera as a metaphor for the modern condition, and how reverently he tributes the directors who inspire him.

I really liked Hostel, it was gross and fun and was so big but also so thoughtful. And believable (well sort of) and I loved Cabin Fever, which I thought was leggy and smart and it starred Ryder Strong from Boy Meets World. Eli Roth's movies work for me because uses horror as a commentary on our societies larger issues, a conscious cultural document.

Not just that but Hostel Part 2 was beautifully made. A) The lighting was beautiful, B) The set design was perfect C) The cinematography was great D) Every shot was thoughtful and well framed. All of which is rare in successful horror movies (um, have you seen the Saw Movies? Horror-able). It is pretty clear that this is his most expensive movie to date (which I learned later, it was over double the Hostel budget) Also like Cabin Fever, the ending is so twisty and smart! And as he says, it is a feminist picture, unlike most horror films (including lets be honest Hostel), the female characters were intentionally complex

I just love how nerdy he is!! The first commentary track on Hostel Part 2 is with his buddy Quentin Tarantino and they are just like "Oh i love your work" "No I love your work" "We love super obscure directors from the 70s in Italy." THe movie is full of secret jokes, self references and hidden messages to his friends. I'm super nerdy too, so I LOVE that stuff.

Anyway, Hostel Part II is great, and it is my understanding is Hostel 3 is currently in the works. This is awesome news and I can't wait to see

Cleveland Doesn't Rock

I have been begging to go to Cleveland for ever, maybe even before that 30 Rock Episode about how awesome Cleveland is aired ("you're basically a supermodel in Cleveland!). Because going to Cleveland is the ultimate anti-vacation, and all I want to do is drive there and stop at the Corn Palace along the way.

ANYWAY the Cleveland chamber of comerace has released a SECOND Cleveland tourism video, these make me lolumsh (that means laff out loud until my sides h hurt)



bum bum, take a look at both of our buildings. . .

AND NOW they have another one!! ha ha ha

The Daily Plate

Welcome to my new obsession: http://www.thedailyplate.com/

It takes a almost no effort and it tracks everything you eat in a day. It has the nutritional information on almost every kind of food imaginable, just type it in, and you can make sure you are eating a healthy balance of nutriants, carbs, protien etc everything! Plus it breaks down your exercise vs your food over time to help you see what you can be doing better (AND what you can cut back on :) to live a healthier life.

Maybe I'm the Biggest Loser

Inspired by the near finale Biggest Looser (and by the Buffalo Exchange Earth Day Sale)I made a good faith effort to go through half my clothes and throw away the stuff I don't or wont wear any more. (By throw away I mean donate). It is absolutely devastating for me. I am a very sentimental gal, as you may or may not realize and I put so much identity in the way I dress.



I mean not in a stupid Fashion is Art Top Model sort of way. But I mean in a I project everything I am into my clothes- the outward projection of my inner turmoil. Half of my closet is clothes that are too dear to even wear anymore (I won't get into the gritty details, but going through the shirts and jackets and faded dresses I was happy and sad and wistful, nostalgic to the highest degree, the feeling of the different fabrics so reminiscent of different times of my life.)



BUT anyway two big trash bags later, I am about half way through. It is so hard, I have to make a deal with myself that I A) can keep the clothes for a little while in the bags, to see if I miss them and B) that I don't have to throw the clothes away, I will donate them so they can go live happy second lives with someone else.



Does this make me foolish? Perhaps. But it is hard too, and perhaps it is not so bad to put trust and love into tangible things

You should have a press pass

It seems more and more often when something out of the ordinary happens (a car crash, a stampede, someone gets naked. . . whatever) they are immediately surrounded by a mob of people with cameras (or cellphones) standing with their shoulders back, arm outstretched to the full length something like this:












All the time! When someone famous walks by, at concerts, when there is a fire, when there is a baby deer. We have created a society of paparazzi but what are we documenting everything for? And why have we removed ourselves by the filter of the camera? We are no longer engaging in tragedy/adventure we are just documenting it. . .like a whole city of Lelaina Pierces.

this whole thing was inspired by the new Matt and Kim video which is awesome which you can check out here but at the end the gal gets thrown to the ground pretty brutally as it is captured by a fat lady with a camera phone

The Swine Flu Day One: A day in links

Kingsford Goes to the Beach - video powered by Metacafe

Every Body Panic

And Don't Go to Mexico

This whole thing reminds me of John Bevridge talking about THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC and holding his hands up and wide apart like he was reading the words in lights

Despite having a skelton made of adamantium, Wolverine cancels all appearances in Mexico

The Real World Cancun must shut down filming (so: Wilma, 9/11 and now the Swine Pandemic, does MTVs the Real World have the worst luck ever or what? OR is someone at MTV headquarters connected in more evil ways that we thought?)

We've been through this before

THe first pictures of the infected are released to the public

AHHHH! No! You think I'm kidding but I am not. I have been flipping out all day. It is like the begining of a movie, a terrible one at that :(

Inedia

You learn something new every day! This is a real thing!

My question is. . . why would you want to live that way!?

As you probably know Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch is being broken apart and sold in pieces at auction! What you may not know is that most of it is available for purchase by the general public via Internet auction! (Thanks Max for the link!)

And while I would probably never actually buy anything from the MJ auction, it is certainly fun to look at his extensive collection of creepy children statutes and baroque furniture. BUT if for some reason your name is Richard Branson and you are feeling charitable, please please will you buy me this Ripley's Believe it or Not PinBall table? As you know it is one of my life dreams to own a PinBall table, preferably this one once played by Michael Jackson

Lobsterfest

If you have talked to me in the last month, you may have been subject to my intoxicated late night phone calls attempting to persuade you to pick me up to go to Red Lobster with me for Lobsterfest.

SO I finally got to go. Red Lobster created lots of strong emotions in me, unexpected feelings of weirdness. Lobsterfest was in fact really delicious. Although maybe my heart was going to stop from total butter saturation, I ate so much cheddar biscuits and shellfish I felt like the lobster had come back to life and was going to claw its way out of my stomach.

HOWEVER, because I never have been to a red lobster (except for that one time ten years ago. . .so that doesn't count) I experienced something similar (parallel is maybe a better word) to culture shock. Something about the half full lobster tank , the dark wood paneling, and the artificially weathered nautical signs freaked me out. Mostly it was the idea that at each of 651 US (and 29 in Canada) everything was exactly the same. The same half full lobster tank witht he rubber ban claws, dark wood paneling, and artificially weathered nautical signs, bored looking hostess, elderly couple, stressed out family of five, second dates, silverware wrapped in paper napkins slightly worn carpet etc etc, perhaps varying slightly by ethnicity and economic class, but not by much I feel. Of course this is the experience at most resturants I go to, but I had not realized it in such a profound way until then.

As punishment for driving all the way to Lynnwood for this adventure, my friend assured me most of the way home that the lobster I ate was certainly from the tank at the front that I cooed at so intently while we were waiting for our table. Can you imagine what it would be like to meet your meat every time you ate?! Would you be able to stand it? Or would it become passe.

OH MAN and did I tell you I also saw Fast and Furious that same night!? IT was amazing. Truly fantastic. Vin Diesel was embarssingly muscular in shirts embarssingly small. Oh man, so so good.

Hit me baby. . . no really hit me. . . I want you to hit me as hard as you can

As you may or may not know Britney Spears was recently in Seattle and my office of "music aficionados" was divided pretty evenly between people who were against the show on principle that it was Brittney Spears OR people who went to the show and justify it as a so-called guilty pleasure. I side with Chuck Klosterman in the opinion that there are no such things as guilty pleasure.

As far as it is "punk rock" to make fun of people who enjoy Britney Spears music, if you feel your tastes are elevated to the point of doing this, you must surely then be able to recoginize her importance as a cultural icon and how her complete lack of talent is exactly what elevates her worship to the perfect example of what is post modern

Last Sunday, the glittered hoards decended upon the Tacoma Dome, the great tit of the Northwest to see a woman that while claiming to be a musician has never claimed to have any ability to perform music perform a concert where no effort is made to even conceal the fact that no musical instruments are being played or songs being performed in anyway. It is like a scene out of Brave New World (like the super groovy Made for TV version, with Lenoard Nimoy) or maybe some better example of a dystopic future that I can't think of right now. But you know what I mean. Anyway I find if fascinating and depressing all at the same time, not least of which because I was not one of the lucky ones to get tickets.

In the tradition of extreme home makeover

AND the Olympics I did not make it 1 minute into this video before I started to well up. . .



From the always excellent Videogum!

This is hands down my favorite picture of Kurt Cobain. I feel like it could easily be a picture of me.

never to be seen again, always to be seen again

I just finished reading this article, 11 Extinct Animals That Have Been Photographed Alive which I found to be incredibly lovely and sad

There is a store across from Alderwood Mall called H-Mart- that I visited recently. I was having dinner with my friend Kendra, who told me she had found a place to buy whole pheasant as a treat for her kitten Nagi. What she described sounded so wonderful that we adventured there that same night.





H-Mart is an "Asian Food" Grocery store that evolved into an enclosed mini-mall (would this just be a small mall?) There is a bank, a food court, a jewelry store, an event hall, a bank, etc although it is unclear to me if all these smaller stores are under the same ownership. We were there around 9:30 right when everything was closing and the proprietor did not seem pleased with our giggling exploration

The grocery store was the largest segment of the H-Mart whole by far. I was struck by A) how beautiful and bright the product packaging was and B) the incredible product variation.

For example SALT:

I was struck by how dreary the United States must seem in comparison to, if this store is an accurate sampling, someone from Japan who is visiting

CANDY:

Of course to my sheltered sensibilities the most amazing part was the meat and fish section which was huge and was where one could buy whole birds, freeze dried whole minnows, exotic mollusks etc. and most impressively an entire giant octopus for (we think) $40

I desperately wanted to buy this, but I could not figure out how that transaction would pan out once I was home. Most likely I would disect it and turn its limbs to art and then a cat snack

Lets get real

I am facinated by the idea of reality tv, but I am AMAZED at the juggernaut (I wanted to go with Leviathan, but that doesn't seem quite right does it?) it has become. I was just overwhelmed (and inspired!) by this website that organizes open casting calls for "reality tv show." It seems that reality tv participant may in fact be a viable option for a carrer path in the future if not now. Enjoy the appropriately named: http://orwellproject.com/

***

I read any article about a program called "Freedom" that disables the internet from your computer for a certian lenght of time of your choosing from five mins up to eight hours. How delicious. Her article is extremely great, self-reflective, funny and interesting my favorite line being: "I have found exactly how hungry -- and temporarily starved -- I've become for all the instant information I'm so used to having at my fingertips." Bingo

http://www.salon.com/mwt/feature/2009/04/01/freedom_traister/

***

I feel like I am about to go on the best blind date of my life. I have que'ed up a bunch of DVDs and documentaries by Earl Morris who I have never even heard of before Monday but now I am kind of in total love with and I am so nervous his 12 part interview series wont live up to my expectations! After all Roger Ebert has said, "After twenty years of reviewing films, I haven't found another filmmaker who intrigues me more...Errol Morris is like a magician, and as great a filmmaker as Hitchcock or Fellini"

http://errolmorris.com/

This Elvis Perkins Album is so good it makes my face hurt a Blog in two parts

Here are some old blogs that have been siting as drafts waiting to be finished but will probably never be finished:



March 18th, 2009

Over the weekend I watched for the first time in a long-ish time Reality Bites. I love that movie so much. When it first came out I looked up to the characters as these marvolus role models of what "life" was "really like" then when I was the same age as them, I took comfort at chacters who really were just like me, scraping by, confused, dislliusioned etc. Now, as adult-ish it is funny because I realize how much that movie makes fun of those small chacters just as now I would.

I am savagely unplesant today but unapologieticly so. Perhaps it is because I am just now coming to terms with the fact I will never be a hand model. I am greatful however (as you should be) that I don't have the psychic abilities of say Drew Barrymore in "firestarter" or any number of the X-(wo)men because i would be incierating nice folks left and right

March 21st 2009

I realized on my next birthday I will be 27. UNfathomable.

I have had a wonderful kind of day today. Have you been to The Ave lately? It's kind of awesome now. There are all kinds of wonderful stores, including a GoodWill (and if by chance you are reading this Tamar, I DID go to Crossroads but it wasn't nearly as fun this time!) and no one asked me for change, and only one or two people I passed had tattoos on their faces (neither of which I mind, but have been listed as draw backs in popular alternative publications) BUT anyway I have been saying this forever but no one will believe me!

And sorry independent record stores, I really tried to buy this record which I am listening to right now (Ash Wednesday by Elvis Perkins) at you, but I couldn't find it (although I did very much enjoy listening to your employees debating Rhianna vs. Non-Abba Swedish Pop, but alas there was no jar to tip them for this service)

On the bus today a man of questionable domicile began to hiss at the woman sitting across from him. It was clear that his sense of what was "real" in relationship to everyone elses notion had melted in a serious. As I watched the hissing and eventual swearing and menacing glances I wondered if he knew he was "crazy" in the traditional sense and I feel like the answer is no. This makes me wonder: How far could we all be from this "norm", after all we have no reality measuring stick with which we can compare our coordinates

February 28th 2009

http://io9.com/5162582/several-mysterious-human-placentas-found-in-illinois-sewer-system If that isn’t the first line of a short short story I am afraid I don’t know what is.

After my friend Brian’s Birthday on Saturday Night, perhaps early Sunday morning I was very hungry and stopped by the gas station near my house to pick up something. When I walked in, the store clerk (a large man with a large beard and a thick accent) greeted me “oH oh! Hello beautiful lady! You are a very beautiful lady” I thanked him and went about my business. While reviewing the options in the frozen burrito department some one tapped me on the shoulder, I spun around frightened. It was the clerk. He handed me a Snickers Bar and kissed my cheek, then wrapped his arms around me exclaiming “Hello Hello pretty lady! It’s is my birthday!” and asked me if I would like a beer. While I share excitement for birthdays all around, I am not a fan of anyone touching me; well basically ever. I pushed him off of me, wished him many happy returns and left

This is one of the best story I have ever heard http://jezebel.com/5162000/weta-workshop-designs-mermaid-tail-prosthetic-for-amputee


Footnote: Cheezy Rice! The spelling in this blog is appalling!

I thought this was going to be the best invention ever

BUT IT JUST MAKES ME FURIOUS!! I hate these guys now!!
..

THat is not a sandwich!! THat is nothing.

Octopus Doin'-It

The light switch in my bathroom is starting to falter and the other day my shower was plunged into blackness. Naturally I assumed it was someone arrived to kill me and the first thing that popped into my head was “Oh great the last song I am going to hear is this stupid SOS song by pop starlet now best known as a battered woman and when the police investigate the crime scene, one will have to reach over my hacked up body to turn off the shower radio tuned into generic, female-centric pop station. My secret would be out.

Am I the only person who thinks Anna Wintour’s wig is really bad? I feel like we should expect more. . .


It’s finally happened. After literally years of fighting instinct I have started avoiding social events because I am uncomfortable walking around areas of Seattle at night alone. I don’t know if it is because of the recession or simply because I am getting older or what but the heart of downtown, even areas that were once “ok” like the Nordstrom corridor, have become increasingly creepy. I feel like that goat in Jurassic Park.

After seeing the Audyre Sessions Last Sunday night (who were great by the way) I went to get cash out of the ATM and I got this message


Hey, thanks. Now even computers feel free to help me out only when they feel like it.

In other news, Aleistar the cat is (hopefully) in the height of his angst-ridden adolescence and has taken to spending long periods of time starring out the window like a teenage girl.


OH and let me tell you something else. I went to Octopus Week at the Aquarium on Sunday. It was fantastic if not packed (the highlight being able to use the MEMBER entrance and the MEMBER line as I am officially now a card carrying member of the Seattle Aquarium Society). Octopus week serves as a small example of what I love about aquariums. Each year the Aquarium raises a male octopus specifically to make him with their female Octopus on February 14th. They decorate the outside of the tank with hearts and flowers, play romantic music and in an unexpectedly kinky twist, they invite members of the public to come watch. Then on February 15th (and I saw this part!) they release the make Octopus into The Puget Sound (that’s the body of water I’m thinking of, right?) and escort him to an inviting rock pile under the aquarium where a veritable colony of jilted cephalopod lovers has sprung. How fantastic and. The ceremonial Octopus release is great two. They roll him down a long boardwalk in a decorated bucket past throngs of his adoring fans, down a gangplank and then . . . they just dump the bucket into the water SPLOOSH.

I think I am against Twitter, although I am not 100% sure yet.

And what is tumblr? Do I need one of those?

I tried two new foods in the last week, which is something I don’t get to say very often:
Bibimbap


And greek yougart with honey


And I am pleased to say I was simply delighted by both!

25 things I wrote for facebook

Once, you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things. At the end, you choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.

(To do this, go to "notes" under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.)

1. My patron is St. Patrick, who is also the patron saint of snakes and beers
2. I have reoccuring dreams of tidal waves
3. Like XXXtina, Heather and half of the Beatles, I am also left-handed
4. Pine trees are my least favorite tree
5. I’ve never cheated at a board game
6. I have been a vegitarian for 10 years, but the first thing I would eat if I stopped is Fried Chicken
7. I kiss my cat on the lips
8. I DO judge people by their musical choices
9. My idea of a perfect first date is going to Aquarium and the record store and then delicious food
10. I may pretend like I have elevated tastes, but the only thing I like to watch on TV is the trashiest trash
11. I’m a science fair champion (more than once)
12. I can knit, but only variations on square things (scarves, table runners, potholders, coasters etc)
13. I know all the dance moves to The Brady Bunch Family Song "Keep On!"
14. The most expensive article of clothing I own is my Doc Martin MONSTER Boots. the second most expensive article of clothing I own was only about $35 (My converse)
15. Sandwiches are my favorite food
16. I wrote and directed a full length play for children
17. Writing Blogs makes me feel less lonely
18. I don’t wear make-up because because I feel it gives girls an unfair advantage over boys in terms of being good looking
19. I am very impatient,but that’s only because I get so excited
20. One of my life goals is to walk across hot coals (and to climb out the top of a stalled elevator)
21. I was almost an anthropologist
22. I have no tolerance for rudeness
23. My ears are pierced eight times
24. I feel like I grasp the magic of both objects and spaces
25. Like Keith Richards, I understand that while the rock is important, of equal importance is the roll

Dear Marlin Fishermen (and women)

Fuck you.
I am going to start caring big fucking hooks around with me so that if I ever meet you I can hook your face.



I am not 100% positive this is true,by the way. I went to the website but I am not sure. Also, if anyone wants to buy me that tee shirt that would be pretty awesome!

Sweet Dreams

Do you, like me wonder how calendar stores stay in business February through November? Does this curiosity then lead you to wonder how inflated the cost of calendars must be?

If you are a nerd like me you will probably like this movie, it is a little long but a delight the entire time.

Ann Coulter is acting like a C word

C is for Crazy!

I try to stay apolitical (as a good anarchist) and so I title this without any liberal bias- that being said have you seen this video of Ann Coulter on the Today Show? I mean just watch a little of it:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

(full disclaimer: while not passing political judgement I am 100% team today show and had Ann Curry been conducting the interview I would wager that Ms Coulter would have to have her jaw wired shut again. Also for the record I have strong opinions about Ann Coulter politically that I will not disclose but feel free to contact me offline if you are really interested)
SERIOUSLY, are you Five years old Ann? Or worse 14? You are behaving like a rejected highschool student who when backed into a corner only talk louder, clinging and repeating a half-truth. She may be a genius in some regard because I can't stop watching this (in the same way that I can't stop picking at a scab) embarrassment for her washes over me.


I read an interesting article about a woman who's PMS is so severe that her husband of 17 years left her, citing that very fact as the singular reason for his departure. The woman claimed ignorance that anything was out of the ordinary with her until the very moment he left her, received treatment and six months later they are reunited and happier than ever. This story reads almost like a fortune cookie "An action you perceive as normalcy in actuality is devastating for everyone around you"

Unlike this woman I am very conscious of my own inability to contain my gloom, projecting a virtual little black rain cloud of despair. Guess what - I am unapologetic.

Speaking of being emo: This is a real website and I could not be more disappointed that I am only finding it now and NOT ten years ago when I was 16.

This makes my heart soar