Trying to help

Just changed some settings to be neighborly.

Have not been posting much here.... I have things to say -- but apparently my twitter sucks the 140 characters out of me first.

Office remixed

Seven signs you may have stumbled upon a conservative talk radio show.

1. Your dial is on AM.
2. You hear lines like: "To anger a conservative, tell them a lie. To anger a liberal, tell them the truth."
3. The majority of the ads are about retirement plans or timeshares.
4. When a caller with an opposing view calls in - it is often the equivalent of watching some one be blindfolded and spun around to play pin the tail on the donkey - when really they thought they were going to play checkers.
5. 98% chance you are not listening to a woman's voice.
6. The host is described as: a hard hitting investigative reporter, quick witted, ahead of the curve in politics, or a modern day story teller.
   
7. You may never hear the word "fabulous".

Dollhouse - Theme song & video

Star Wars Retold by someone who has never seen the movies

Star Wars: Retold (by someone who hasn't seen it) from Joe Nicolosi on Vimeo.

Let it be known....

Discussing The Cabin in the Woods with Torrey

Torrey: Joss is smart to hitch up with Drew Goddard, though, after Cloverfield's success
Me: Well they were hitched up before -- too. He [Drew] wrote for his shows
Torrey: Yes I know that! I'm saying it's a good time now because Goddard got some primo attention from Cloverfield. Particularly in the genre of horror
Me: Exactly. It will be interesting to see what this is like
Torrey: How could I not know that Drew wrote for Buffy? you mention it every 45 minutes
Me: And he was Fake Thomas Jefferson in Dr. Horrible
Torrey: You told meeeeeee!!
Me: I know. And I am telling you again. I am preparing you for Cash Cab
Torrey: omg
Me: These things might come up
Torrey: If Ben Bailey ever asks "who portrayed Fake Thomas Jefferson in Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog?", I will buy you a new car
Me: Oh my god. It would be a great day. And I want a Prius


Just letting everyone know -- so if this question does get asked on Cash Cab, please inform me, so I can get a new car.

Things of note and interest from 2008

Now, many things on this list were not “new” in 2008, but were at least new or I became more interested (some might say obsessed….) in 2008.

*Ingrid Michaelson, Erin McKeown, & Kelli Rae Powell
Folky women who are twisting lyrics, using different genres to influence their voices. And ukuleles!

*Bones and House
Addictive with fun dialogue and relationships. They may be formulaic, but they offer what the repetitive Law & Order/CSI/NCIS are lacking for me. Plus, who can resist the marathons on USA…. Not I!

*Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog
I am not sure I need to go on much more here. Which leads me to my undying love of…

*Neil Patrick Harris
If he ever needed a marriage of convenience to stay closeted, I would be that woman. Granted, he does not need that now… so I would settle for best friends or even second cousin. My god I love this man! I already had a man-crush – well wait, what is the female equivalent of a crush where there is no sexual attraction but you obsessively love them to bits? Men use the word man-crush…. Gaycrush? Plutonic crush? Pluto-crush? That last one works fairly well. If you have not listened to the music from Assassins – whoa doggie – what are you waiting for? Different side of the NPH – but a great demonstration of his musical prowess.

*The Bonnie Hunt Show
I am usually not a fan of day time TV. Sick days are full of DVD’s for me… not being schilled dish detergent or diapers every 10 minutes. But, oh Bonnie! I have always liked her quite a bit. And her show feels comfortable and casual. Plus her accent sounds a bit like home!

*The Song of Ice and Fire Series by George R.R. Martin
I had not really dived into the world of the fantasy novel before. I am intentionally excluding the Harry Potter series here and the like – they are a bit main stream and not quite given the mantle of geekdom the fantasy novel is. This series had me hooked this summer. Strong female characters, twists in plot that kept me guessing. Characters I thought would be the centerpiece of the work killed unexpectedly. No clear lines of good and evil, you are not sure who to pull for. It was thrilling – and he does a great job with color and symbolism with the banners of the houses and who they represent. A very rich and textured world.

*YA novels
I am really itching to write one… so why not do research. Scott Westerberg is an author that I recommend and does not disappoint. But I think that YA novels get a bad rap some times. Yes, some of them are vapid fluff, but so are some ADULT novels! I started getting into them last year, and have been really enthralled by what they can do.

*Jonathan Coulton
Not only is he the kind of 90’s geeky cute I miss (occasional flannel with longish hair and a beard and GLASSES… oh glasses), but he writes a mean pop song that takes you by surprise. And his cover of “Baby Got Back” brings ghetto booty to us folksters. Yes, I want to be soft rocked by him.

*My disillusionment with the Twilight series
I am not going to lie, they entertained me at first. I was hooked. But as the series went on, I just felt that Bella was lacking. She felt too blank, too weak, and was just reacting to what was around her. The idea that any girl could insert themselves into her shoes because of that blandness is both genius and sad. It made Meyer a lot of money. I wanted her to be stronger, more kick-ass. And Edward was not all that dreamy to me. He was not flawed – or he was because he was traditionally “perfect”. Gag. Call me cynical – but I want more out of this crazy idea of love. A friend once called me picky – and I realize she may be right!

*Spring Awakening
On a spending whim, I picked up the soundtrack when I started my travel season, and the disc did not leave my car once. I was hooked, and I sing it all the time. The story is amazing, the songs are catchy and poetic, and some songs make me cry even after the 864th listen. And I am amazed that this play written in 1891 is still relevant and crucial today. It blows Rent clear out of the water.

*NPR and embroidering
Much of my time in the fall was listening to NPR in the parked car and embroidering like a little grandma while I waited for my next appointment or college fair. It was one of the few ways that kept me sane in the election madness. I did not spend much time in front of the cable news shows – other than my pals Jon and Stephen --- so I was able to strip away some of the sensationalism. NPR is not perfect, I know. But it suits my needs well – and just feels more organic.

*Olives
I love them now. We were once foes, but now, I adore their salty brine, their pleasant earthiness… the unassuming ovalness of them.

I may tack on more later… retrospection is wonderful! But this is what I can think of right now in the last day of 2008!

Quiz!

Smart Girls at the Party

No joke, where were these women when I was a kid?! I laugh, I tear up a little, and I just want to be at that dance party. And once again, Amy Poehler... I love you. Be my sister? I will totally babysit.

Oh, wow... you actually say "Whedonverse" in real life...

Prop 8 the musical

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die

Its kinda sad that something that sucks donkey balls brought together some of my favorite people. NPH! Alison Janney! John C. Reilly! Jack Black! Plus, it says something I have been saying for years -- boost the economy - do not deny bridal registry to anyone!

Seven things that let me know its the holiday season

1. I am madly trying to figure out what to make for presents... and maybe finishing two of the twelve I had planned.
2. Massive amounts of cookie baking and potlucks
3. I take a break from thinking lots of lights on are a waste of energy and see the twinklies and think.... oooooh pretty!
4. I answer questions about my birthday being so close to Christmas and lie through my teeth saying, "Well, its not that bad."
5. I am spending 9 hours in a car heading west.
6. Sometimes there is this vibe from a crowd of people. One that is not unkind, and I like to think they are thinking about others... what they can do for other people. And I want to hug them all. This one is a little more intangible... but it happens and I can't help but smile a little.
7. Everything is better when its scented with cinnamon, ginger and pine. Both real, no fakies allowed.
   

Seven pleas from a retail worker at a high end kitchen goods store

1. The definition of a sample of food: a free small taste of a product that we sell, may not be more than one or two bites/sips. A sample is not your dinner, nor am I a short order cook. Given that they are also free, don't get pouty and huffy with me when we might not have anything ready for you.
2. Samples part 2 - We have a trash can for your plate/cup/napkin. It might be hard to find, but sneaking behind me and slipping it into my apron pocket or leaving it hidden on the shelf is inappropriate.
   
3. I have to greet you and ask you if you need help. Its part of my job. I am totally willing to leave you the eff alone. I would rather wander the store waiting to be asked questions, but I have to be positively proactive. Its part of the package. Nicely saying: "I am good, just looking around." is fabulous. Its all good. Transaction done.
4. I am just a lowly worker for a multi-billion dollar corporation. I do not have any say in the prices things are set at. I think that some of them are outrageous as well. Please don't berrate me when you find that something is too expensive and ridiculous. I have no control, nor can I dicker over the price. Its just the way things are.
5. Just be civil and kind.
   
6. Gift wrapping -- it might take an hour. That is why its free. I am sorry you came here before going to a wedding in two hours for your gift. Your poor planning is not my problem.
7. I will help you out almost everyway possible. I don't work on commission, so I do it because I really like food, cooking and helping people. I appreciate when a customer asks for me to get credit on a sale. Its sweet. But I am not being pushy.... I just like what I do even if I don't get paid well to do it and I am doing this to get out of the monumental debt most people have. Like one of my co-workers says: It would not be called work if it was fun.
   

Heroes may bite it right now....

....but this picture makes me giggle a little. It might be a full on fan girl squeal if I loved it more.

The political situation even effects wankers

You need at least one of these seven for a successful Halloween costume

1. Cape
2. Makeup - the more outrageous the better
3. Tiara
4. Crazy glasses - I have some a la Dame Edna
5. Weapons - of the plastic variety
6. Something hand made
7. Enthusiasm -- you have to love your costume so much that you just giggle and are excited to put it on.
   

Ladies and Thieves....

My Halloween Costume this year is:



NINJA NANA!



When the Neighborhood Crime Watch was just not enough....

Hurry up! I need to lower my cholesterol!

Sarah Haskins is brilliant. I want to be her college roommate!

An accurate quiz!

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Inland North   You may think you speak "Standard English straight out of the dictionary" but when you step away from the Great Lakes you get asked annoying questions like "Are you from Wisconsin?" or "Are you from Chicago?" Chances are you call carbonated drinks "pop."
The Midland
The Northeast
Philadelphia
North Central
The South
The West
Boston
What American accent do you have? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

Long live POP!!! Thanks to Jay for this!

Seven things that make me fidgety in my desk chair

1. Vampire Weekend - seriously - how can you not do a little chair jig in this?
2. Mapping out my driving directions for travel. Oh let me on the open road!
3. Thinking about pumpkin goodies: beer, bread, whoopie pies, curry, soup, pie, cookies. The last of which I might just make Torrey make over and over again.
4. Thunder. I just want to look out the window and try to find the flashes.
5. Diet Coke with Lime. Is it becoming harder to find to anyone else? Cause if it disappears I will not be pleased. I might have to go back to drinking water.
6. A chair that swivels and rotates really fast. I just want to spin.
7. Work in general. Some days it makes me twitchy.

The Omnivore's 100

Instructions: Copy the list from Very Good Taste's The Omnivore's 100 and post it to your blog, bolding the items you've tried and striking through any you would never try.

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

Only one I am not willing to try.... though I might bend in a survival situation. I have tried 29. Hmm.... I have a way to go.