Bjork - Joga

Bjork - Joga

Movies this Week

Thank You for Smoking - It was funny. It shows what a smooth talker can do, I still don't like smoking.

The Darwin Awards - I like Winona Ryder and she's good in this, but the film itself could have been better, but there were some laugh out loud moments.

Meet the Robinsons - Disney's first animated feature in a while was good, not their best. It had a good message and unexpected twist, but sometimes I can be slow.

Slutty Summer - Poor acting and off writing, but something about it stuck in my mind. Not as visually slutty as the title.

M.I.A. - Sunshowers

M.I.A. - Sunshowers

Tori Amos - Precious Things

Tori Amos - Precious Things. An amazing momentum building song. The syncing is a little off in the video.

Fiona Apple - Fast as You Can

Fiona Apple - Fast as You Can

New David Sedaris

David Sedaris has a new essay out on the New Yorker website. Always an exciting day when there is new humor about. It's called Journey into Night.

The Cardigans - Favorite Game

The Cardigans - Favorite Game. Going for some focused, nostalgic, do something music this week.

Movies this Week

Every Friday I'm going to give short little reviews of the movies I've watched that week. Yay for Netflix. This week will have a few extras in order to catch up from where I started.

Knocked Up - I thought it would be funnier but I guess I'm not a stoner, I haven't knocked anyone up and I don't have kids.

Stranger Than Fiction - It was sweet and I really enjoyed it up til the end.

Marie Antoinette - I loved it. I loved the pace, visuals, music, the whole thing.

Idiocracy - It was funny, it was done a disservice by the way it was released.

Borat - I enjoyed the Ali G Show and the film was such a success that I was a little let down.

Casino Royale - I liked it. Slower than expected but Eva Green was sublime and beautiful. Craig was very convincing and gave bond an edge.

The Strokes - What Ever Happened?

The Strokes - What Ever Happened? So I am on a Marie kick. everyone should watch it.

TORI AMOS!!!

Okay, so, this is a little late in posting, but I saw Tori in West Palm on Nov 21st. I decided to go on the day of the show. I went all by myself because my friends flaked and I got an amazing seat in the seventh row. But Tori fans flock together so I wasn't alone for long. The girls next to me were drunk and loud during the opening act but behaved for Tori or else they would have been hit up side their collective heads. She came out as Santa in a light colored, form fitting, party dress. Santa is a fun and boozy and sexy blond. And then out came Tori in pure glitter or rather a jumpsuit with one sleeve and one sweetheart cut in copper sparkle. She was amazing. She sang Amazing Grace because her parents were there, that minister father of hers ( oh, and when they came into the theater they said hi to me and the other few around). Here's the rest of the set list. I'm sooo happy I went, even on my own.

Populous - Breathes the Best

Populous - Breathes the Best

Yay movies!

I never actually go to the movies even though I follow them all the time. So, to remedy this situation I have joined Netflix. One of my old roommates had Netflix and I used it all the time. I checked out the deal at Blockbuster but you have to pay extra to exchange them in store and for the same price you can add a DVD at Netflix. Right now I am watching Idiocracy, so far so good. I love Maya Rudolph. I recently watched Marie Antoinette, it immediately went on my Christmas list, it's soo lush and visual. A film that has to be watched. So far Netflix has been a success. Maybe I'll write one or two lines about each movie I see.

Editors - The Racing Rats

Editors - The Racing Rats

December here I come.

So, I didn't do so hot last month or October for that matter but I am going to try and get back on top of things here. I have a few things that I have done and current events to add. I'm working it all out in my mind to get it down on the screen. Well, then Happy Holidays and here's to a great December.

Dolly Parton - Better Get To Livin'

Dolly Parton - Better Get To Livin'. Amy Sedaris is in this video and I love her, hher book is on my christmas list. And Dolly is at her positive, dolled up best.

Seabear - I Sing I Swim

Seabear - I Sing I Swim

Jape - Floating

Jape - Floating

Kate Nash - Foundations

Kate Nash - Foundations

Amy Winehouse - You Know I'm No Good

Amy Winehouse - You Know I'm No Good

Tori Amos - Bouncing off Clouds

Tori Amos - Bouncing off Clouds

The Cacaman -Ain't Got Much of a Smile

The Cacaman -Ain't Got Much of a Smile

Puffer Vest

I was at Target today and found a very stylish puff vest from the Bowie by Keanan Duffty for Target collection. It has a high collar that looks good and it is cut slim so that the small actually fits. It also has a Union Jack quilted onto the back. I wish that I had somewhere to wear it to so I could buy it.

Judy Henske - Wade in the Water

Judy Henske - Wade in the Water. Growing up in the church I have always a thing for spirituals and gospel.

Amy Winehouse - Tears Dry on Their Own

Amy Winehouse - Tears Dry on Their Own. She must have been having a very insecure day judging by the size of the beehive.

Yay! My first Comment!

I got my first comment yesterday, but I think that it was a thinly veiled ad for an author. Unless it was a super fan (I wouldn't want to alienate a reader) like me with David Sedaris, but I don't think I would list his book price and publisher. Who knows, I don't.

Lily Allen - LDN

Lily Allen - LDN

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Cheated Hearts

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Cheated Hearts

Wristcutters. How pleasent.

I just saw this trailer for Wristcutters: A Love Story and now I want to see it. It looks fun, quirky, and amusing.

And I have to say I've liked Shannyn Sossamon for a long time now, despite her naming her child AudioScience, especially because of The Rules of Attraction. And it has Will Arnett (Arrested Development, Amy Poehler) and Leslie Bibb (Popular) in it. It comes out Nov 2.

Shout Out Louds - Impossible

Shout Out Louds - Impossible

"I Will Always Love You"

Porter Wagoner died on Sunday. While, I've never been been a big fan of country, I have been a big fan of Dolly Parton ever since my mom played her tapes on errands in the van. And, if you've watched any Parton/women in country music behind the music sort of thing, you'll know that Wagoner's show was what launched her career. She even wrote I Will Always Love You for him. The subject wasn't covered in TV biographies, but Wagoner was experiencing a career renaissance of sorts at 80. Below I've added some clips of his show.

Porter and Dolly duet on Run That by Me One More Time.


The two of them singing a sad, sad story song, Jeannie's Afraid of the Dark.


My favorite, a toe-tapping rendition of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot sung by Dolly.

CSS - Let's Make Love and Listen to Death From Above

CSS - Let's Make Love and Listen to Death From Above. Note: Don't send to someone with a crush on you.

Yum! Broccoli

This Broccoli Stir Fry with Ginger and Sesame Recipe looks quick and simple and yummy. It would be a good side dish with roasted chicken. Enjoy

Hot Chip - Over and Over

Hot Chip - Over and Over

Laura Veirs - Don't Lose Yourself

Laura Veirs - Don't Lose Yourself

The Funny Mr. Sedaris

I love David Sedaris. I first started reading his books after hearing him on NPR in high school. I couldn't stop laughing through Barrel Fever (my first book). I was lucky enough to see him during college and even met him and had him sign my copy of Corduroy. This interview shows he's still as funny as ever. But why has he left America, the land of the mishap? I guess he hasn't been here for a while and his France stories are funny. Oh well, at least Amy is still ours. (via Pop Candy)

Rilo Kiley - The Moneymaker

Rilo Kiley - The Moneymaker. I like the harder edge.

Veronica Mars!!!!

Today the third and final season of Veronica Mars comes out on DVD. Once again we can watch as she solves the case of the Hearst serial rapist, the amazingly appropriate use of a Fatboy Slim song, her sleuthing out a murderer, a few odd psa eps, and the ambiguous but captivating ending. I can't wait to get my hands on it. We miss you Veronica Mars.

But not all is lost, (it is for Lost because she didn't go there)Veronica was on Heroes last night!!! Yay! In true Veronica fashion she went around asking questions and didn't stop til she got what she wanted, well, she stopped but she couldn't go any further. And true to her first ep, she got into the a car late at night but called her "Daddy" instead of meeting up with bikers. She did talk to her dad a lot before, too.

Fiona Apple - Not About Love

Fiona Apple - Not About Love. I saw her live and she was absolutely amazing, entertaining, spontaneous, and alive.

Halloween Pumpkin Punch

This punch looks super cute and fun for a Halloween Party. There aren't that many steps and the final product is completely festive. It seems to be actually healthy and delicious. They don't mention it, but I'm sure it can be irished up a bit to suit your liking.

Feist - Sealion

Feist - Sealion

M.I.A. - World Town

M.I.A. - World Town

Ben Lee - Love Me Like the World is Ending

Ben Lee - Love Me Like the World is Ending. I really want to have a giant water balloon fight.

Vandals at the Museum

Some drunkards broke into a museum and punched a hole into a Monet painting. CNN reports: "A surveillance camera caught a group of four to five people entering the museum, which houses a major collection of Impressionist art on the Left Bank of the French capital along the Seine River. An alarm sounded and the group left, but not before damaging an invaluable painting, "Le Pont d'Argenteuil," Culture Minister Christine Albanel said."
What is it that people get of destroying other's property? Do they feel so little that the only way they can gain a sense of self worth is by hurting others? What do they have to prove?

Tori Amos - Big Wheel

Tori Amos - Big Wheel. Some Tori for a Monday morning.

Hot Chip - Boy from School

Hot Chip - Boy from School

Ingrid Michaelson - Keep Breathing

Ingrid Michaelson - Keep Breathing.

LCD Soundsystem - All My Friends

LCD Soundsystem - All My Friends. It's not a nostalgia song, it's just about nostalgia. "If i could see all my friends tonite," it would be awesome to see all my friends back on the dance floor.

This Facebook thing.

Apparently facebook leaves people so incapacitated of their social skills that journalists have to pick up the slack and inform the masses on how to interact. Recently, Slate posted The Facebook Commandments which addressed the proper way to delete friends, deny friends, and other things that should be self-explanatory, just do it. The article was so successful that there was a follow-up question and answer session with the author. People that have this much trouble with the site shouldn't be using it. And for those that want to extract themselves from it all together wikiHow has a useful how to. It really shouldn't be as hard as all this, people.

Frou Frou - Let Go

Frou Frou - Let Go. The song is set to someone's vacation which is pretty cool.

Rilo Kiley - Portions for Foxes

Rilo Kiley - Portions for Foxes. It's a gap song and it's in my head all the time. And I've decided use the artist an track as the title instead of just the generic title.

Piñata Time

Lately, I've really wanted a piñata for no other reason than they are super fun. I keep passing them at Wal-mart and Target and such and I stop and stare and try to decide which one I want to smash open and what kind of candy I want to have fall out. It must be the morally sanctioned destruction and sweets that attract me to them. It was one of the few times in childhood that it was okay to destroy property.


I went in search of piñatas on the web and found a local producer that specializes in knock-offs of your favorite copyrighted, animated characters, such as "Cute Blue Monster" shown here who bears a striking resemblance to a little space alien who favors Elvis Presley. Not only does the spelling challenged producer make piñatas but they also offer BBQ. Score.


For a more hands on approach there are a few sites with instructions on how to make your own piñata. The trusty wikiHow has step-by-step intructions on how to make a simple round one. Now, the most suprising how-to was by Cheveron. There example is done in tastful, of the moment gray, pictured here. Apparently they have a whole kids site, nothing like earning brand loyalty from an early age, but will there be any oil left for them to buy?

After looking through pages of children's piñatas, I started to wonder what kids really want to destroy their favorite character. They are supposed to love this character and then delight in its complete destruction. It just seems odd, oh well.

Song of the Day

Paradise Boys - The Young and the Guestlist. And my month of nostalgia is over. I'm sure I'll do it again since songs keep popping into my head that I loved to dance to.

Yay!! My Model Postcard!

So, I sent Elyse Sewell a postcard two weeks ago and today I got her response. Yay, dreams do come true, um ..but it's a nice little postcard with a note and a pasted photo on it. I officially think "It's cute."

Song of the Day

Le Tigre - Deceptacon. Here's a fast-paced, dance floor stepper and a cool video.

1968 DNC Photos

Slate has a really stunning collection of photos from the 1968 Democratic National Convention to mark the the trail of the Chicago Seven Trial. Slate:"Today marks the anniversary of the start of the infamous 1969 to 1970 trial of the Chicago Seven, charged with conspiracy to cross state lines in order to individually incite riots at August 1968’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The seven, prominent radical activists Jerry Rubin, Lee Weiner, David Dellinger, Rennie Davis, Tom Hayden, John Froines, and Abbie Hoffman, displayed outrageous and distracting behavior during the trial. All but Froines and Weiner were convicted, but none served jail time, as they were later acquitted. The DNC in question attracted protesters of the Vietnam War and political and civil rights activists who were confronted by Mayor Richard Daley’s brutal police force. Magnum and Slate present Magnum’s coverage of the events surrounding the symbolic convention."

Song of the Day

Bloc Party - Banquet. She don't think straight.

DIY fun

Here are some fun things I've seen to do yourself.


The highlight for me of going to a Thai resturant is the Chai Iced Tea. Well what could be better than Chai Ice Cream. It loks super rich and creamy. I need to buy a machine to try this. Back in gainesville I had some friends that would through homemade ice cream parties. They were super cool and fun.


Second, here are instructions on how to develope your own style of defacing public property or maybe just your own property, we can't all be Banksy. How to Draw Graffiti Names gives step by step directions to get you going.

Conversations with Natalie

I talked to Natalie over the weekend and decided that the Andrew Meyer aka "Don't tase me, bro!" incident was a combination of police inexperience and douche baggery (thanks Jon Stewart). Meyer was resisting arrest and causing a scene, maybe he didn't need to be tasered, but he didn't do anything to prevent it such as cooperate. And last night was the premiere of Heroes which we enjoyed. It raised questions gave very few answers and didn't even get to some characters. Highlights: Sark is on Heroes and Peter/Jess's hair cut. A little creepy that Claire's new boyfriend was hoovering outside her window, peeping toms are never cute, plus who didn't see that coming, "alians, robots, blah blah blah." And what is Maya's power? Mass murder?

Song of the Day

Gwen Stefani - What You Waiting For? I know I already posted a mash up with Hung up by Madonna but I love this song. I wish it was played every time that I went dancing.


This is a remix with a mash up video feturing Gwen's video and Disney's Alice in Wonderland.

Song of the Day

Basement Jaxx - Hot n Cold.

I want a Cupcake.

I love Amy Sedaris. That's not a whole post. But this mini-article made me love her more. She kills cockroaches with her bare hand, it's kind of ewww, but so fitting and she makes David put stuff together for her. And if you've ever read him, you know that is not wise.

Be a Good American.

I found the American propaganda posters. FirstWorldWar.com as many pages of posters, including the one featured here with books, because I love books. Then, The National Archives has an online exhibit entitled Power of Persuasion featuring posters of the patriotic efforts at home and fear of the menace abroad during World War II. I like that The National Archives highlights the use of propaganda in by the government, it's one of the many exhibits that they have but it's good to acknowledge the effort to sway the public's opinion and emotions.

Song of the Day

Interpol - Obstacle 1. There's always an obstacle and here you can stomp it out.

Song of the Day

The Faint - Paranoiattack.

Leading the People.

A Soviet Poster a Day, found via AdFreak, is exactly what it says. The blog features a different propaganda poster everyday, often accompanied with the back story. The picture featured here reads "Long live everlasting, indestructible friendship and cooperation between Soviet and Cuban nations!" Well, one of them kept that promise. Poor Cuba an island a drift in a sea of "democracy". The posters show a past that has now been replaces with PSAs and Fox News here in the US. I'll look for the American version of proaganda posters.

Song of the Day

LCD Soundsystem - Daft Punk is Playing at My House. This song gets your body moving automatically.

Taser/Police Brutality '08

In alma mater news, Andrew Meyer, 21, was forcefully arrested and tasered at a John Kerry speaking engagement at the University of Florida.


There are several videos of the event on YouTube. And it is being covered both far and wide by the media, from the local student paper, The Alligator to international news, BBC. This one of the good things about UF, with such a large campus something is always going on. John Kerry's visit wasn't even a big draw from the looks of the auditorium. He was a blip on the crowded radar. And this is just another rough spot for the political speaking engagment set, poor old McCain.

Song of the Day

Avenue D - 2D2F. A little obscene but I love it.

Veronica Mars

It's actually about Kristen Bell, but Natalie and I have decided to call her Veronica Mars from now on. So, not only did Veronica look super hot at the Emmys, she also had a prime front row seat with her new cast mates from Heroes before she has even appeared on the show. This week Gossip Girl premieres Wednesday at 9pm on the Cw, and why do we care? Because Veronica is returning to her former network, the one that stupidly canceled her namesake show, as the narrator of Gossip Girl. So it's a good week to be Veronica.

Art Resurrected

I have decided to continue/restart my art blog. There is work that I did at the end o last year and I'll add what I have done through out the year til now. It'll keep me producing if I have somewhere for it all to go. I have linked in the distractions section under the archives.

Song of the Day

Muse - Time is Running Out. One of my favorites. I think that most of these are, hmmm.

Postcard Exchange

My favorite contestant from America's Next Top Model, Elyse Sewell, is holding a postcard exchange while she is in the US. I'm totally sending her one. I haven't made it yet but I'll scan it before I mail it and post it. Elyse has a livejournal that covers her modeling career and life in general. It's quite entertaining.


update: Here's the postcard I sent Elyse. It's a tribute to the mermaids of Weeki Wachee Springs. Yay.

Song of the Day

Hot Hot Heat - No Not Now. This is a middle of the dance floor stomper.

Life List

I have decided to create a life list. I've always had things I've wanted to do swirling around my head.Now I've put pen to paper and set down what I am going to do in life. It's not a comprehesive list, just goals and experiences I want to have. i have already mentioned visiting all four tennis majors and possibly take up ballet but I don't see that happening before swimming again. There was an article in the New York Times about life lists (it's now a pay-per-read article). There is even a social networking site on the topic, Super Viva. Googling the term "life list" brings up all sorts of individual's goals. Even Ellen Degeneres has a life list. I wont give away my full list now, but I will update periodically and if I accomplish anything I will tell.

Song of the Day

Richard X ft. Kelis - Finest Dreams.

Fact of the Day

In the process of looking for information on Nureyev I came across an elusive term. I've never known what to call a male ballet dancer. I've been told that men are also called ballerinas, but I've found the real term, danseur. Now I am just waiting for a time to use it in conversation.

Nureyev

The other night, while watching my good PBS station, I saw two documentaries on ballet. The first one had me rapt to the TV, I'll come back to that one, the second one had some interesting tidbits but really lost me when it came to the actual ballet performances. Traditional ballet does nothing for me, no matter how well the New York City Ballet is preforming. But the first one, entitled NUREYEV: THE RUSSIAN YEARS, was spellbinding for me. It chronicles the life of Rudolf Nureyev prior to and right after his defection from Russia. Through interviews with friends and fellow dancers from the period, it opens up his life and shows how driven and special he was. I was amazed at his dedication and determination. Ballet was his life. Then, his defection was quite dramatic. He hadn't planned it and he stood in a place where if he went back to Russia he knew he would never leave again but if he didn't he would never go back. It's such a huge choice.

Now, I'm debating whether or not to add ballet to my life list, because they were in some serious good shape.

Song of the Day

Elictric 6 - Danger! High Voltage. The song makes a perfect excuse to touch and kiss.

Haute Couture

I have four pbs stations, three for sure, but I am pretty sure it's four. One of them is actually very good and doesn't just show kid's cartoons, Antiques Roadshow, and random concerts. WLRN has some very good documentaries, I recently saw one on haute couture out of the BBC entitled Secret World of Haute Couture. It was a very interesting look behind both the creative side and the consumer side of high priced clothing. Margy Kinmonth interviews Karl Lagerfeld and other couturiers and the customers that go to the shows and purchase these extravagant items. It was quite interesting to see the process go from sketch to closet.

Portrait Party

I did a portrait swap with my friend Jeannette, where each one of us drew the other. Once we were finished she submitted them to a blog that focuses on swapping, The Portrait Party. If anyone else is interested in swapping let me know, it was fun.

Song of the Day

Metric - Combat Baby. This has to be one of my top five favorite songs to dance to. I wouldn't stop requesting and the dj got sooo annoyed with me.

Song of the Day

The Postal Service - Brand New Colony. Brand New Colony/Brave New World is the same thing, I love the book and I like the song. This isn't The Postal Service's most dancable song or most popular but I really like it and for here, that's what matters.

Song of the Day

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Y Control. Love this song. It's amazing to let go to.

Yay! America!

So, America did really well at the world championships in gymnastics. The women won the gold while the men placed forth. now, I say women's title because that's what it's called, but they aren't really women so much as girls. With tremmendous pressure. And scary, scary dads. Well, at least for Liukin. She has one crazy, scary, eastern-european dad. When she didn't win last year at nationals he barely congratualated her. She didn't even look at him until after she found out she got second place. All after a minor mistake caused point deductions. I wonder if she or the others are having the times of their lives or just going through the motions because they have trained so hard. The men on the other hand are actually men, little men.

Song of the Day

The Stills - Still in Love, just like I am still in love with gville dancing.

US Open.

Last night was a good and not so good night at the Open. Good because Nadal and his wedgie issues are now gone. Go Ferrer. On the not so good side Serena lost once again to Henin. It's odd because Serena beat Henin in the Sony Ericsson final earlier this year but has lost their three meetings since. Serena will have to figure out what it is that Henin does that's gotten to her recently because she has to defend her Australian Open title. Tonite is Venus versus Jankovic. here's to hoping that Venus can come out the winner and avenge Serena's loss and win the Open for the third time. After that match is Federer and Roddick. My patriotic side is for Roddick but my fan side is for Rodger. And speaking of Rodger, I think, despite what the messages boards may say, that his night outfit is cool. I love the tuxedo shorts. There is no logical reason why he can't dress up nice or wear something different and special. And so what if he celebrates his past wins on his shoes, he did win them. The picture posted doesn't clearly show his shorts but does show the black ensamble he is sporting to his night matches.

On a slightly related note, I have started a life list of sorts. One of my goals is to visit every slam. I suppose I'll start in the US and work my way around the world.

uggh. part two.

I feel that I was completely unfair to Harper's Bazaar in my critique the other day, because I didn't attack Vogue, too. Now, Vogue, "the fashion bible", has an awful September cover featuring Sienna Miller. First, why the hell is she famous? She slept with Jude Law but that's been over for some time. She should be a good pointless blond and go away. Anna Wintour most have a girl crush on Sienna because I have no other idea of why Anna continues to try and shove Sienna down our collective throats as a fashion icon. She's 25, fashion ICONS are not 25. Sienna is a poorly dressed hipster that has over stayed her welcome, let her go Anna.

Song of the Day

Phoenix - Too Young. This was one of my first and favorite songs from going out.

Song of the Day

The Walkmen - The Rat. It reminds me of Heather and Kevin and whamming my head into some random dancer on the side stage near the stripper pole. And the bridge was our mantra once our gville stay was coming to an end and all our friends were leaving us behind.

uggh. Kate Hudson.

I, belatedly, received my Harper's Bazaar from my old address and, disappointingly, Kate Hudson is on the September cover. Why is she on the cover? She's pretty, true, but not a striking beauty for the ages. She lacks any discernible personality and has little to offer. Kate hasn't done any recent work of note, either. She was acclaimed in Almost Famous, but that was seven years ago. You, Me, and Dupree really isn't quality... anything. She does not require 16 pages of pictures and story plus a cover to display her blandness. For his or her part, her publicist should be paid big dollars to promote her so shamelessly. This issue, being the top fashion issue of the year, should have had someone relevant on the cover or possibly, god forbid, an actual model. I'm sure a model would appreciate the novelty.

Song of the Day

Cut Copy - Saturdays. I've decided that September is going to be nostalgia music month. All the songs are going to be from my favorite days dancing in gville. It's going to be super fun!

The Cheryl

I've holed myself up, sorta, in creating a new bag. It's not for me, my sister, Cheryl, has laid claim to it, so I named it after her. My sketch is totally different than the final product but I think I can get it closer. It was a process of experimenting and fixing unforeseen issues with the style. And as for the bow, I love it. It was part of the original design. It took me entirely too long to make it and would be completely impossible to make a living off of. I'm thinking of starting an online store at some point. But I'll have to build up some inventory.

Conversations with Natalie.

Natalie is a good phone talker and we cover much ground in our all too infrequent chats. We mostly talk about our current favorite TV shows and pop culture. It's like a book club without the need for too much depth or symbolism. We recently decided that it would be sooo much cooler if Heroes was to keep Kristen Bell as Veronica Mars. She could be a non-mutant and solve stuff, she's already a super sleuth. Veronica moves to New York to work with the FBI and gets caught up with Clea Duval and the mind reader and, well, they could figure it out from there, but it would totally kick ass.

Song of the Day

Peter, Bjorn & John - Young Folk. The one of the many songs that has popped up on commercials lately that I used to dance to. The live version was also a Gap song.

mmm, Pizza.

I buy and eat too much pizza, but it's so easy to make. I buy cheese pizzas when they are on sale at Publix and then I add my own toppings. Sometimes, I just buy the crust and and add everything. But do not buy the Pillsbury crust because that stuff is nasty. I wasted some good toppings on that stuff. Today I had some good pizza, see, what I did was cut the frozen, cheese pizza in half (I don't need a whole pizza, it's called portion control). Then, I piled it up with the yummy goodness that is tomatoes, onions, banana peppers, black olives, feta and habanero cheddar. I enjoyed it immensely. The picture isn't the prettiest, but it should convey the totally delicious nature of my dinner.

Song of the Day

Come Around by M.I.A. and Timbaland. This is the last track on her album, Kala, which is where it belongs because it doesn't fit with the rest of the album. The first time I heard it, I was quite unimpressed. The only thing that has me coming back is the, I guess, what would be called the chorus and M.I.A.'s verses. I know Timbaland is the second coming in the beat world but I'm wholly unimpressed. In Come Around, his verses is all about hooking up which doesn't go with the album or M.I.A.'s message/verse either. He seems to bland everyone down. I'm really happy M.I.A. wasn't able to work with him as much as she had wanted to for Kala, because it's a good album with an authentic feel that Timbaland lacks. He's so plastic. He didn't add anything to Bjork's latest that she couldn't have achieved with her own team. And Nelly Furtado sold her soul to him for fame, boring fame. Her first two albums had a definite identity, now she's interchangeable, but famous.

US Open

The US Open started on Monday but my lack of cable has resigned me to viewing updates on their website. They have this section where you can see who's serving and it gives real time scores. I find it odd that there is no late nite network coverage like there is for Wimbledon. So, this is my lot. I'm routing for a Williams sister or anyone that isn't Henin or Sharapova. And Roger on the men's side. I know, I know, it's the US Open and I should be routing for an American, but I really like the favorite.

Judi, I mean Judith

I just read an article in Vanity Fair about Judith Giuliani, wife of Rudy, and man is she scary. (On an aside, I bought VF because Gisele was on the cover but then there was only one more picture of her inside, oh well.) I'm trying to figure out who she'll try to social climb marry if he actually becomes president. You can't get much higher than the leader of the free world, but it probably won't be enough. But her as First Lady is quite unappealing. If people thought Jackie went all out with redecorating, Judith won't leave a fabric unturned and will probably take it all with her when she leaves. And when she leaves office, Rudy will magically become former ruler of the world in her seemingly hazy memory, just like her "well-off" second husband, the wall paper salesman. Meanwhile, she's doing all she can to keep her claws in him, but she shouldn't worry, he's the faithful type, right?

In other crazy, old woman news: Leona Helmsley has left $12 million to her dog, Trouble. But she has a mausoleum, I'm jealous.

Song of the Day

Bjork - All is Full of Love. A beautiful song with a mesmerizing video.

Broiled Tomatoes

Tonite my family had dinner at my mother's house and I helped. I went onto some recipe sites to find her something to make but of course she had no input and I have little focus, so it took a while but we found an appetizer/side dish, Broiled Tomatoes with Feta and Fresh Oregano . We already had plenty of tomatoes in the fridge and all I needed was more feta and fresh oregano. I actually bought an oregano plant because it was cheaper than the stuff in the package, now it's the challenge of keeping it alive. I cut the tomatoes thinner than the recipe and used less. It had called for a tomato per person but that wasn't about to happen. I stood there and worked really hard on chopping the oregano off the plant and into little bits, but it was in vain sinceit ended up clumping together. My mom came along and just torn little pieces off the plant and placed them on top off the feta to much better effect. In the end they tasted really good and my sister is going to make them this weekend when she is visiting my other sister. Oh, and we had chicken and beef satays with couscous for our main plate.

Brave New World

Ahh a brand new direction for this still young blog. I have decided that, while I did like the old stuff that I did, I want to do something more personal. I'll still put up some of the stuff that I did before but it may not be daily. The posts will have my voice, whether or not that is a good thing is yet to be seen. I plan on covering my own art and that of those I like as well as food, fun, pop cultue, and just random things I learn. I know entirely to much about things that are not of use to me and I am willin to share that. Thanks for listening, hopefully this works, bye.

Song of the Day

Daft Punk - Digital Love, because I did have a dream last night.

Daily Round Up

* Yay! The Simpsons Movie is cleaning up around the world.

* 100 children does not seem like a sane goal. People aren't collectible and they shouldn't be brought into the world for a trivial goal.

* At least they're not having babies. Just creepy, expensive group sex. Who knew swinging would be the next golfing or scuba diving?


* If you can still eat, here's a delicous looking Spicy Grilled Turkey Burger with Coleslaw Recipe.

* Here is a great "how to" for cat owners, putting them on a leash. There are leash laws and dogs shouldn't be the only ones that they apply to, especailly when one is walking his or her dog and then a cat comes along and causes trouble. Just saying.

* So, can Kris Van Assche escape the shadow of Hedi Slimane at Dior Homme?

* If Perez Hilton had a conscience or a soul (he has sold it for a bad dye job and minor fame, he should have gotten lypo in the deal, too) he would be grappling with the implications of outing celebrities.

Veronica Mars can fly!!!

Well, that's not clear yet but Kristen Bell will be adding some form of power to her sleuthing abilities. Variety is reporting that she has been signed for a multi-episode arc to the hit NBC show Heroes. All that is know is that her character is mysterious, sexy and "has ties to the supposed death of Peter, H.R.G.’s past and the future of Claire." All sounds very intrigueing. The report also mentions her other projects and I am very happy to see her getting so much work. I still wish Veronica Mars was still on the air but at least I'll get to see Kristen Bell other places.

Today in History

1643 - Puritan preacher Anne Hutchinson dies. Now we know why America is so prude.

1920 - The first commercial radio station, 8MK, begins operating.

1940 - Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky is fatally wounded in Mexico City. He dies the next day.

1942 - Singer Isaac Hayes is born.

1946 - American news reporter Connie Chung is born.

"Shouting at Cutlery!"

I was looking through YouTube for a song of the day and came across the randomest thing. It is Tori Amos on a British morning show being interviewed by two large, loud puppets, Zig+Zag. For once Tori isn't the looniest one in the room. She does quite well for herself. I couldn't stop grinning through the whole thing. She explains out of body experiences quite well. Unfortunately, the poster disabled the embedding function, so you have to go to YouTube to actually watch them.
1994 interview promoting Under the Pink.
Part 1 of 1996 interview promoting Boys for Pele.
Part 2 of 1996 interview.

Song of the Day

Interpol's lastest video for their single, The Heinrich Maneuver, off of Our Love to Admire.

Tisk, tisk, language.

Here's a nifty little YouTube video. It's about The Simpsons.


Now, once you've watched it, go to the actual YouTube site (by clicking on the embedded YouTube icon on the video screen) and read the comments. People have some serious anger management issues. And by people, I mean 14-year-old boys.

Song of the Day

Bjork - Innocence. This video is the winner of the fan created music video contest.

Daily Round Up

* "Dirty bomb" suspect Jose Padilla was found guilty of supporting terror and plotting to kill people overseas.

* In sad news, suicides have hit a 26 year high in the US army.


* The conservation group BirdLife has launched a program to protect 189 birds from extinction.

* So Apple may not be such a bad name. A couple from Chine have tried to names their child @. They claim that phonetically in Mandarin is means "love him".

* Who would have thought the wholesome, singing Mormons had been around this long?

* Eating right isn't always the easiest thing to do (ahem, Ben and Jerry's for breakfast) but here are a few simple tips, and recipes to boot, that make it easy.

* Here's a round up of the last day of the World University Games for swimming. The US came out with a leading 26 medals and 10 gold.

* The Daily Intelligencer has fun with Brooke Astor's will.

* They have to make up for their teeth!

Today in History

1868 - Arica, Chile is hit by a tsunami that killed a possible total of 70,000 people.

1888 - T. E. Laewrence, known the world over as Lawrence of Arabia, is born.

1948 - The Great Bambino, Babe Ruth dies.

1958 - The MaterialGirl, Madonna is born.

1969 - Police raid Spahn Ranch and arrest Charles Manson.

1991 - Shamu the Killer Whale, one of SeaWorld's biggest attractions dies.

Water Cube and Bird's Nest

The Beijing Olympics are less than a year away and already they have given us some wonder and excitement. The National Aquatic Center, aka the Water Cube, is an enchanting cube made of what appear to be bubbles. It's very fluid and clearly represents what is inside. The swimmers are sure to be struck by the grandness of the occasion from just the structure itself. The Water Cube's neighbor is the Bird's Nest, formally known as the National Stadium. The name is derived from the way the ouside support beams are curved to form a nest of sorts which holds all the goings on inside. China has created some marvelous venues to stage such a sporting extravaganza and the Olympic spirit is sure to be soaring. All this though has not come without a few detractors.

Song of the Day

Some end of summer, short shorts, Wet Hot American Summer style fun courtesy of Hello Goodbye.

Daily Round Up

* Everything is traceable. A wikipedia scanner has revealed interesting edits to wikipedia entries including ones done by the CIA and Diebold, the company in charge of the voting machines involved in controversy, to their own profile trying to diminish their link to President Bush.

* Dean's got a girlfriend on the gulf coast, Erin. Hopefully they don't decide to go on a date in Florida.

* You can now get your Lennon fix, if not quite a full Beatles fix, on iTunes.

* Here's a little how to for your next exploration into a Farmer's Market.


* Some yummy, yummy stew: Brazilian Black Bean Stew.

* Um, she kinda brought this on herself. So what's going to happen to Amy's whole shtick when she's sober? Will people care when she's not a train wreck, wasn't that the bad girl appeal?

Today in History

1519 - The place of my birth, Panama City is founded.

1769 - French Emperor Nepolean Bonaparte, he of the height issues, is born.

1909 - Brazilian sociologist and writer Euclides da Cunha dies.

1965 - Writer and creator of Veronica Mars Rob Thomas is born.

1969 - Woodstock Music and Art Fair begins.

And Happy Mother's Day to all the Mom of Costa Rica!