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!