I Would Rather Sleep

The Oscar are on tonight. In the past i have been known to record them and jump up and down energetically when i wanted someone to win. This year can't say i'm too excited. I actually gave up on the Oscars when Titanic won for best picture. I'm sure i'll watch the first monologue by Chris Rock but then turn it off. I went to bed late early and so sleep looks more inviting than the predictable winners and the coddled stars.

Some observations:
Did they have to pan to every black actor in the audience while Chris Rock was talking?
Beyonce, when singing, learn to stand still.
I still love Robin Williams.
I wanted Clive Owen to win.
It's annoying how the Oscars tend to give awards not for the actual performance but for a career of greats that has never been rewarded.
I hate how all the "lesser" nominees are hoarded on stage.
I need to check out The Pawnbroker.
Love that Scorsese cries. He and i can get together and be all emotional.
Sean Penn officially has no sense of humor.
Is that Billy Crudup in the Mastercard Commercial? Cause i find it hilarious.
Also, Barbara Streisand with the whole "I'm the most important person out here routine." Not cool. And the whole directing Hoffman and then forgetting her glasses. Bleh.
I forgot to comment on Selma Hayek's annoying speech. It's not a big deal when the Oscars nominate a Spanish song for the first and stop glamorizing and pandering to Che, at best he was a murderous thug.

Did I Mention I Got A New Camera?

On my way.


I Spy The Gates.


Look No Hands! (This a serious piece of Art (with a capital A!) Work...Must look serious. Not allowed to smile.


Safron or Orange? You Decide.


More Safron. (I guess i decided.)


Favorite Shot. I Can Still Hear The Jazz.

Get Fuzzy Gets My Life

I love Bucky. Although i found myself being Satchel most of the time. Seriously, how many times have i found myself doing mental gymnastics while listening to another predictable and awkward conversation? Too many.

This also explains the painful truth about my ability to tell jokes/stories.

I got out and did some Single-Girl in NYC behavior. After reading too many blogs and staying in doors far too long. I lazily left the gorgeous apartment. The sun was shining and i was looking for a place to purchase new headphones. (I have the worst luck with those things. By my last count three headphones have magically gone to headphone heaven in the last two months.) With my purchase in tow i headed towards the Frick, in the wrong direction.
When i finally reached the place of destination, i was seduced by all the orange curtains hanging in Central Park otherwise known as The Gates. Although i think the whole installation is overrated (see Daily Show for appropriate analysis) i did feel the Gates gave people an extra sense of excitement and wonderment. Something was going on, they were part of it. Which explains that every time i observed a person walking by s/he were holding some sort of camera, because our society (me as well) cannot enjoy anything anymore without recording it for posterity (pictures will be up tomorrow).I found myself strolling slowly around the park sitting down to allow the sun to shine on my face. The highlight was the saxophonist playing light jazz. I even turned off my Nomad Jukebox to enjoy some real live music. I enjoyed it so much that i decided to record my phone greeting with the jazz in the background. So now if you call my phone you'll get the beautiful music/noise of Central Park. What i found ridiculously tacky were the people who dressed in orange. Um, it's not cool that you're blending with the scenery.Then it was off to the Frick Collection. It's small and intimate how a museum should be. My favorite room included the four studies by Whistler. Specifically Symphony in Flesh Colour and Pink: Portrait of Mrs. Frances Leyland i found it very touching and the balance of the woman's profile with the flowers exquisite. The other portrait that struck me was the portrait of Valerie, Lady Meux. I found her look hurt, defiant, and passionate. There were others worth noting (Rembrandt, Ver Meer, Corot) but i won't bore you.

I Feel Great

Since people like the links so much here's another fake commercial (i think). The woman scares me. A lot. Maybe it's because i'm also lazy that i'm not posting a real post. But it's gorgeous outside, i got my little ELPH, and i went home early from work. Life is more important.

Favorite Body Part /Flower (aka A happier more fun post than the previous one)

I was wondering what everyone's favorite body part is? Just for the clarification i'm not trying to be peverted (but if people want to go there we can). If you don't want to divulge your own body party, you can do a body part of a potential lover, or if you're even uncomfortable with that concept how about your favorite flower. You can leave anonymous posts if you so desire, i'll go first.
My favorite wild flowers are blue bells and lilly of the valley. My other favorite flower is the peony. My favorite part of the body is the collar bone.

Clarification: The body includes the head as well. My second biggest like about myself is hair. (Thanks Candy Girl).

Untitled*

Sometimes there are moments in your day where you just want to climb somewhere small and dark and have a good cry. But you can't so you sigh and write a meaningless blog post about it.

Update: My horoscope today: Everything is about to change. Whether it's for the better is up to you. No shit Sherlock!? Really, things are going to change? No way! And it's up to me to make it good or bad?Phenomenal power of predicting the future! How specific of you. Sheesh.

* I love when artist title their work "untitled" sometimes it's has a deeper meaning. However, most of the time they are just lazy bastards. Guess which one i am?

File This Under: WTF?

I don't think i needed to see this picture ever. I was looking for a photo to give to my hair stylist so he can get the right look. And for some reason Mary Tyler Moore's hair in the Dick Van Dyke show struck me as a good start. So i typed "Mary Tyler Moore" into Google Images and this is the disturbing photo (click on Kinky Dick Van Dyke/Mary Tyler Moore pic) i found.
Don't get me wrong i always thought Laura and Rob got on pretty well behind closed doors. There was definitely some PG-13 heat emanating from their banter. But seriously, there was no need.

A Little Vain Survey

I might be getting a haircut today. I'm not sure if i should just trim, because the hair needs serious trimming. Or, should i go for a full real haircut, maybe do a little bit of bangs? I think i'm keeping it long for now. But i don't want to be some hipster wanna be chick so who knows. I will promise that mo shaving of the head will take place. Let me know.

So Wrong...

I saw this add over at Dooce that said:

Thong Bakini Sale
New & used Thong Bikini. Check out the deal now! (emphasis mine)

This is so wrong on so many levels. Even if i'm dead broke i will go commando before i buy used underwear. Dear Lord.

Oedipus Revisited

Every stoner's dream paper and every English professor's (without a sense of humor) nightmare. I loved the third page and the rest of it is hilarious as well.
Enjoy the silliness it's Monday Tuesday morning, so silliness is in high demand.

It’s Gotten So Bad I’m Quoting Pretty Woman

The day started inauspiciously i slept through my alarm. Then i couldn't contact my condominium's maintenance guy who has my UPS package containing the precious ELPH. The little wondrous toy I've been waiting for what seems like forever (and yes I attend to deluge this blog with hundred of photos but only till the fever breaks). Then i'm packing my things: cell phone: check, The Satanic Verses: check, keys: check, wallet: WHERE'S MY WALLET? This was followed my five minutes of defeatist activity and the result was nada. Then in the car i was listening to NPR, the radio station i was in love with for so long. I even forgave it bad coverage of Israel. But this morning i couldn't take it. They were interviewing some professor from Harvard and how offended she was over President Summer's remarks . Comparing him to some quack scientist a hundred years who used quack science to maintain the theory of women's unteri shrinking when the female uses her brain too much. I was so frusterated with this woman, she was demanding him to resign or to kill his first born, i wasn't sure which. And there was no one to show another side to put his words into a little thing called context. So here I am wondering if I lost my wallet, will I get my digital camera ever, will i ever learn to love NPR again, and how exactly am I going to go skiing this weekend when I don't know when and where things are going to take place?
Arriving at work i was hopeful that being busy would get my mind off things. No such luck. I've been wondering the office picking up one project after another, only to let it go a few minutes later. I perfected the art of looking busy so well, my has no reason to complain or give me a dirty look.

And the reality of it is this: i'm angry, with who and what i have no clue. This is the kind of anger that sweeps over me from time to time, i keep imagining a huge oceanic wave of anger gliding over me every few minutes. Or remember the scene in Pretty Woman when the hooker and the millionaire are lying in a bathtub waxing about their pasts and getting all emotional? There's a line that Richard Gere's character says: " I was very angry with my Father. It took me $10,000 to able to say it." It's the way Gere delivers word "angry" that keeps running through my head. "I'm very angry." The anger wouldn't be that bad if i knew why i was angry; its illogic is making me even more angry. So here i'll sit huffing away and pretending to work. Until life will get back in its proper prospective and i realize for how much i should be thankful for.

Update: Feeling a little bit better. After two phone calls, a little bit of sun on my face and Ghost by Indigo Girls (which fetures one of my favorite images - the mississippi's mighty but it starts in Minnesota at a place where you could walk across with five steps down and i guess that's how you started like a pinprick to my heart but at this point you rush right through me and i start to drown). Yes i admit to liking Indingo Girls, judge me if you want for that and the fact that like a depressed adolescent i just posted their lyrics, remeber i'm having a bad day.

When Are Jewish Girls Going To Be A Fetish?

This post made me both laugh and cringe. No matter how much one might dislike this phenomena it exists. I have my own opinions why lots of Jewish guys go for Asian girls, and it's not because they are "really into family" quite the opposite. But i think just to be on the safe side, for once, i'll keep them for myself.

Dating in NYC: A Short Story

Asian chick #1: The thing is, he's a Jewish guy? And like, ya know, a lot of Jewish guys are in to Asian girls?
Asian chick #2: Yeah?Asian chick #1: Yeah. I think it's like because, like, both cultures are so, like, into family? Like Jews are really into family and Asians are really into family?
Asian chick #2: Yeah.
Asian chick #1: But also? I think he kind of has an Asian fetish?
Asian chick #2: I hate that. Asian chick #1: Yeah. He's like...ya know. A nerdy Jewish guy who likes to date Asian girls?
Asian chick #2: Yeah.
Asian chick #1: Yeah, but he's really cute in that way that he's nerdy but he loves Asian girls?
Asian chick #2: Yeah.

--N/R 8th street station

Update: My Theory On The Matter:
Over the years i have observed many stereotypical and nervous Jewish mothers and a lot of times the stereotype held up pretty well. I'm not saying all Jewish women act this way, but many tend to be the kind of women you want to run away from as soon as you can (especially if you're the child of said woman). There's a smothering quality there. Many Jewish boys feel threatened or at least resentful of their mothers overbearing behavior and I think in Asian women, especially young, petite, and quiet Asian women, they find anti-thesis of this behavior. I feel Jewish guys perceive being with an Asian girl as a way of being more in control in the relationship. Whether Asian women are more subordinate than Jewish women is not the point, i know many Asian girls that are wild and not afraid to tell ayone their opinion, but from the point of attraction it's what one appears to be rather than what one is in reality. Maybe the theory is crude and simplistic but this what i have observed. On a side note the part about sharing strong family ties - the fact that a Jewish guy will specifically look for an Asian girl, does not constitute in my mind strong family type, quite the opposite. Ok, end of rant.

Jason And Me

Wow, it's surprising how much you can have in common with a pre-adolescent comic character.

White Not Puke Pink?

Walking up to my aunt's apartment downtown Boston. I thought, "do all apartment buildings have to have low lighting, smelly dark carpets, and puke green painted doors?" Seriously, how does one pick such horrendous colors? Do they feel bad for the ugly paint that no one in their right mind would ever paint anything with?

Overheard

Two women were sitting next to me waiting for T to come.

[Birds chirping loudly. ]

Lady #1 : "With it being so warm, poor birds are probably very confused."
Lady# 2: "I'm the one who's confused. I keep thinking my cell phone is ringing. It's set to bird chirp!"

Discrimination at its best.

If i was designing my own restaurant i would make the women's bathroom twice as large as the men's.

What It's All About

Yesterday i went out with three friends for dinner to a romantic Spanish restaurant. All around us were tables filled with couples (i think besides our table there was only one other table not taken up by a couple). Our conversation, like the delicious sangria we were drinking, was flowing easily. Looking around at the serious faces of the couples (half of who weren't even looking at each other, not to mention talking to one another) i couldn't help feeling that i was getting the better deal here.
This post is not to say i hate Valentine's day ( i might even catch the History Channel's Valentine's special tonight). It just to say it's better energy spent to tell people who you love how you feel than to bitch and moan or to go into a spastic Valentine's tizzy. Besides, as Dead Serious points out, if you don't want to celebrate St. Valentine's Day you can always be happy withNational Ferris Wheel Day.
P.S. I actually wore a semi-red outfit today. Ok, it was burgundy cardigan but it's better than an all black get up.

Update: My inner English geek is enjoying this valentine's day cartoon. She says it like it's a bad thing!

Obligatory Valentine's Post

Um, i was going to write this long winded b.s. of a post. But then i decided fuck it. Not enough energy for this. Ofcourse i can write about the saga of breakups that have occurred and the annoyance i have with so many little stuffed teddy bears (i hate those things!) all around me but i won't because it's boring and predictable.
On Monday i'm planning to go see Before Sunrise/Sunset i guess it's on the 28th., maybe The Princess Bride? at the Coolidge Corner Theatre alone, and the couples all around me can suck it. Anyways, i don't give a rats ass about VD. But i love this link (via Small Victory). I can't even pick my favorite card they are so damn good.

Is She Here Yet?

Jessica is coming this weekend (although she's not staying at my place
:( (she's forgiven this once)!
So i'm expecting some quality time with my favorite gal. It's pretty here in Boston. There was a light snow storm last night so the tree branches are elegantly covered with snow. (Again the lack of digital camera is causing me pain.) And the snow is perfect; it's the sticky variety that clumps almost all by its self. And this can only mean one thing: SNOW FIGHT.

Get Thee Some Poetry

I'm enjoying the two poems by Kovrov. The man has guts to post his own poetry and it is well written poetry as well. Awesome.

What He Said.

Dead Serious has an excellent post on how Ward Churchill should be dealt with. Dismissing the incident as the need for "Protection of Free Speech!" becomes an oversimplified gimmick. Just go read DS.

Resolutions

Today is the Chinese New Year! The year of the cock! (I hope so... ok bad dirty joke). So i thought since i never got around to making resolutions on my New Year's i'll do it now. (Better late than never.)

1. Drink more or appear to drink more. Try to convince your sister you're on a fast track to becoming an alcoholic by posting quotes such as this:

Sometimes when I reflect back on all the beer I drink I feel ashamed. Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the brewery and all of their hopes and dreams. If I didn't drink this beer, they might be out of work and their dreams would be shattered. Then I say to myself, 'It is better that I drink this beer and let their dreams come true than to be selfish and worry about my liver.

2. Go to the gym and take up Bikram Yoga again. No really. I'm going to do it.

3. Go to more concerts.

4. Learn a craft. Although i swore as a future librarian archivist never to take up knitting or owning a cat, both look like good bets in the future. Ok, maybe i'll actually take up guitar.

5. Fix my bike and go bike riding every chance i get.

6. Organize photos and papers. Make my desk manageable. Post photos of Scotland. Clean out my closet.

7. Be nicer to my grandmother(s) and other relatives.

8. Try to ignore the impulse of imagining future babies every time your eyes meet a cute guy.

9. Save money for a grand vacation.

10. Post more often with fewer grammar mistakes. (Ya right.)

American Beauty Says It Better

When American Beauty came out i was enthralled. I loved Spacey's performance, loved the little comebacks, "the floating bag" spoke to me. What can is say i was a disillusioned kid and here was The Graduate for my generation. I remember feeling like i got "it". My friends and i quoted the movie all the time. We would mock our teachers and other adults, incorporate lines when stressed about a test, basically the movie became part of our everyday vocabulary. ("I will pass this test today" a la "I will sell this house today," the Carolyn Burnham mantra). So instead of actually writing my post i'll let Lester and Carolyn do the talking.

What my mother would like to say every time she sees me :

Carolyn Burnham: Are you trying to look unattractive?
Jane Burnham: Yes.
Carolyn Burnham: Well, congratulations. You've succeeded admirably.

Hmm, this would be nice from time to time:

Ricky Fitts: So, do you party?
Lester Burnham: Excuse me?
Ricky Fitts: Do you get high?

Why i go am going to go to the gym:

Lester: I figured you guys might be able to give me some pointers. I need to shape up. Fast.
Jim #1: Well, are you just looking to lose weight, or do you want increased strength and flexibility as well?
Lester: I want to look good naked.

Nerd Alert!

Via Alisa.

I also wished i scored higher. Just toprove to you how seriously i take this "nerd" phenomena, i'm renting Real Genius tonight. Val Kilmer is actually watchable in this.

Short Takes

Saturday:
I ended up working most of the weekend. But i did have a chance to take a long walk stumbling around the forest at a nearby town. I so regretted not ordering my digital camera sooner. So, because i can't show the glory of Carroll Forest or convey how i couldn't walk a straight for the life of me i decided to draw you a picture to capture this moment:

The green dots represent my disasterous attempt at walking. The orange dots describe my wrong turns. (Someone has too much time on their hands.)
One the most beautiful spots in the forest is a small resovoir. One end of which ends in a small waterfall. It seems that at one point there was a a large stone cottage buitlt right nearby. The waterfall falls into the ramnants of the buildings foundation. On a ordinary day it's a beautiful sight, but this time the waterfall was covered in a sheet of ice while the water flowed underneath. Since i was alone and thus easily bored i made up a game of throwing snow balls into two small holes in the sheet of ice! (I'm telling you i'm the height of excitement.) Then a young attractive couple passed by me on their uber-cool looking snow shoes. I think i saw a look of pity in their eyes. So i promptly stopped my childish escapades and continued stumbling for another three hours.

Sunday:
Had a few hours from work. Went to see Sideways The Wedding Guest with my mother. The flattest movie i have ever seen, up there with the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and other bullshit movies that don't know if they are comedies or dramas and end as total shit. Debra Messing does a good job hamming it up except for one little problem: the material and the actors around her are all in alternative movie where there are no punch lines and no one knows where the script is going. Basically she's neurotic but no one knows why, the "all wise" hooker (with a degree from Brown! get it? his smart and accomplished, but chooses to be a prostitute!) falls in love with Debra Messing after sex (um, him being a prostitute and all, seems a tad unlikely that after a good f#^k he would suddenly fall in love). Anyway, i didn't laugh once. I would have prefered instead to watch the most overated movie of the year. It least it would been a good movie.
To end the long day (and night) i ended up dancing like an ADD child without his ritalin to this song (via C). Because after spending a day with a terminally ill woman who has everything going for her: a loving husband, two delicious children, and financial security, i have to remind myself it is good to be alive and every day counts. So i'm planning to live it up. Won't you join me?

Holy Sh*t!

Yesterday i was scheduled to attend a Super Bowl party. It was a frat party. I'm not usually into the fraternity scene, but one of my closest friends since high school is brother at AEPi and i've become good friends with a lot of the guys in the house. Most of them are serious, ambitious, well rounded, easy going guys.
Anyway due to some unforeseen scheduling conflicts i wasn't able to go. I wasn't too bummed out, Superbowl for me is at most about the commercials and the game is secondary. It would have been nice to drink a little and revel in the carefree atmosphere, missing in my life at the moment, but life sometimes gets in the way. So i was really shocked to get an e-mail from my friend saying that the house got raided by the cops for underage drinking.
So this is the part where i rant about the stupid underage drinking laws and the uselessness of police in these situations. The articles make the guys sound like irresponsible as assholes. Oh dear a bunch nineteen-year olds and twenty-year-olds drinking, what should we do?! Our society is going to hell! There have been five murders in Boston since January, there are serious crime out there, underage drinking in a frat house is not one of them!
I don't understand a law that limits adults who can serve in the army and vote in national elections from drinking alcohol. You can't solve a problem by just closing your eyes and stinking fingers in your ears screaming "lalala" really loudly. Because as i see it, this is the equivalent of our underage drinking laws. We rather say drinking is bad and expect kids to nod there heads in agreement and never let alcohol touch their lips till they are twenty-one. I come from a culture known for drinking. I realize there are vast differences between Russia and America, namely the use of cars as a major factor when it comes to drinking. However, in Russia and other European countries drinking is not demonized like it is here. People acknowledge the dangerous effects and try to regulate it as best as they can. Teenagers are going to always drink alcohol and we need to acknowledge this and make laws that help instead of taking precious resources to police this "huge problem."
One last point, the Harold article seems to ridicule John Karr, the president of the fraternity, for listing ``pledge class paddle'' among his accomplishments. For your information Boston Harold the paddles are amazing, they are well designed and they guys even used lasers to make them, a lot of work goes into them. So yes it is a big accomplishment.

My Mom Doesn't Like Cats,

And dogs are forbidden in the building i live in. So what do you guys think if i got a porcupine or hedgehog as a pet? They're cute and i had one as kid at our summer house. Only one day he mysteriously "left" i have a feeling either my mom or dad delivered him to his freedom. But seriously i don't want a rodent and i don't want a bird. Your suggestions on a new animal are welcomed.

State Of The Union

Random thought - sometimes the applause are appropriate. Sometimes they are just too damn frequent and annoying, every three words there were cheers. Ok, let the man finish a sentence.

I am too lazy to actually write my own (real/worthy) thoughts. But i see a lot of things similar to Steve Silver so i'll just link to his post and let him to the talking

Life Or Something Like It

I'm getting myself some vodka and grapefruit juice. It has been that kind of day, that i can't even drink straight vodka (dear lord). There are two e-mails i have to write and everytime i start i sound like a freaking idiot. I feel sad. I feel happy. Who writes like this? I guess i do. Jeebus! The worst part is tomorrow is Wednesday and for some of you it's Wednesday already....and here's to happy drunk dreams.