For the Record....

I'm as against them as ever....

Sex and the City's 'Taxi Theory'

Yet more wonderful words of wisdom from Sex and the City.

So, according to my cynical counterpart, Miranda Hobbes:

"Men are like cabs. When they're ready to get married, they turn their light on. The next woman they pick up, boom! they marry."

Agree or disagree? It's kind of a blanket statement and I definitely know it's not true of all men, but I think there can be a little truth to this with some men. The counter argument, I suppose, would be that women are just looking to get married and will just marry any guy who asks them. Which, I will say, again, is certainly not true of all women, but I can see some truth to it.

Anyhow. I find both sides to this a little depressing. I am a closet hopeless romantic. I almost secretly want a guy who claims he'll never get married (although I'd never date a guy with this attitude) to propose to me, so I'll know it's me and not just that 'the timing is right'. Conversely, I am not all that interested in getting married. I would want a relationship that could potentially lead to marriage, but I don't just date people for the sake of 'having' or much worse 'needing' someone. I am holding out hope for not just someone but 'the one', if you will - which realize might not always be realistic.

Your thoughts?

Guilty Pleasure - Dance Movies

So a friend of mine and I have plans to go see the above movie. Well, the remake. I am super excited about it. However, it is not getting good reviews. However, I didn't expect it to. It's a guilty indulgent dancer movie. Much like:



Which I have to admit - I love it but it's baaad. I think the critic who said 'There are some amazing dance sequences in this film. However, in between these dance sequences, the actors are allowed to talk - this is where the problems come in," hit the nail on the head. Also, the jazz class is painfully bad/unrealistic. Note to any of my readers who are not familiar with what a jazz class consists of - it is not supposed to mirror the "Call on Me" music video. Just sayin'.

Random Inquiry

Ever notice how there are some people who are fans of what seem to be completely random sports teams from other parts of the country?! Like, I get it when people are fans of a team from the state they grew up in, or something to that extent. However, I know there are others who have huge allegiances to teams with not personal ties to the city or college associated with it. Now, I get it if there's a certain player or certain team dynamic that a person can appreciate - however, these things often change over from year to year. I dunno, maybe this just has to do with me not being very into team sports to begin with. In the words of Jerry Seinfeld - are we cheering for the clothes?

Expressions I am Sick of....

Cash for clunkers.

I know it was a government program and not just an expression. I am sick of it, nonetheless.

P.S. Henry the Honda does not now, nor has he ever, qualified as a 'clunker'. Just sayin'.

The 'Supermodelquins'?

No they're not. No. They're not.

An Important Holiday is Coming....

...quite possibly my favorite holiday, well, after Christmas. And my birthday. And April Fools' Day. And Black Wednesday. Anyhow.

Halloween. I LOVE dressing up for Halloween. It's the best. I'm like an overgrown kid. Whatever.

Two years ago, I was Pam from NBC's the office. Last year, I was Sarah Palin. Both were huge hits, let me tell you. This year, I can't be off my A-Game. I need another grand slam.

I am now taking suggestions. I have two ideas, but I don't think either of them will be the success that the previous two were.

Your input is greatly appreciated.

My Dirty Secret Around the Office is Out....

They all think I'm a genius. I shouldn't ruin the illusion....

Something New I Learned Today....

"Do you want a scone with your latte?" is the new "Do you want fries with that?"

As in:

The graduate with a physics degree says, "How does that work?'
The graduate with an engineering degree says, "Why does that work?"
The graduate with a technical degree says, "I can make that work?"
The graduate with a liberal arts degree says, "Do you want fries with that?"

I will try to appropriately update my personal joke repertoire.

I Can't Believe This is Actually up for Debate....

Reid Scott's hotness....

Apparently, not all my readers are unanimous in my feelings on him.

Thoughts? Do some of my readers disagree? Do some of my readers need glasses? Honestly, I think he can wipe the floor with Mr. McConaughey....

Shoutout!!

Brian. Thanks for reading, and thanks for the new CD!

A little something to keep you interested in said blog....

In the Market for....

...something for people to sit on when they enter my apartment. New. I do not want to think of what could have potentially happened on a used couch/loveseat, no matter how decent-seeming the previous owner is. Preferably under $300. Preferably delivered up to my third floor apartment (no elevator).

Anyone have any leads?

Another Random Question

Does anyone use this new search engine? How does it stack up against google? Better? Worse? Different HOW?

Second - what did we do before we had google? When there was a question of how to cook/bake something? Where to buy something? A questionable song lyric?

All I know is that google's rise to power/popularity came just slightly after I could have really used it - when i was in high school/college and I needed to look up the answer to something. Granted, I did use it/"the internet" quite a bit for help on these matters, but not to the full extent that I can/do now.

Anyone else with me on this one?

Koo Nuptials!

It was a grand event!

Someone's Approval Rating Just Went Up in MY Poll

Obama calls Kanye a jackass. Awesome.

Let's see his result next week....

Some Testesterone to Help Balance Things Out....

If anyone could get me this last one's phone number, I'd appreciate it greatly. Thank you.

Another One I Just Don't See it With....

Jessica Alba. Sorry, Jess, I just don't see it. Not bad looking; just not smokin' hot. Again, not bitter or jealous....


See it.


Totally see it.

Something I Very Randomly Discovered....

My blog is linked on a random website. I do not know how or why or when it got there, but, three words:

I. LOVE. IT.

Said website.

(The bottom left corner, under the heading 'blogs')

Just a Question....

Why is this sport so popular? Now, this has nothing to do with being bitter about the Bears' loss. I'm not a huge football enthusiast to begin with. I realize my sports of choice, figure skating and gymnastics, don't quite hold the interest of the general public (this would be a whole other story if we were in China, Japan, or Russia right now).

Anyhow. What has made football America's sport of choice? (Even though, supposedly, baseball is America's favorite pastime.) Is it the violence? The complicated rules? Someone please enlighten me.

Memories/Shameless Self Promotion

My college dance team - the Illinettes. I'm in the front row - third from the left.

Two Women I Don't Find Attractive

So, I got this month's issue of Cosmo - it has Maxim's 'sexiest woman' (or something like that) Megan Fox as the feature interview of the issue. I'm sorry; I really just don't see it with her. I also don't see it with the one she is often compared with - Angelina. I know a lot of men find these women to be 'hot'. Now, I know what you're going to say - something about bitter jealousy or something like that. Alas, no - there are plenty of actresses that I will admit are drop-dead gorgeous. Since I figured you'd bring this up - I came up with a list of women I feel should have higher billing than these two on the looks roster (at least in my book). Drumroll please....



Penelope Cruz

Keira Knightley

Natalie Portman

Keri Russell, who will forever be 'Felicity' in my book

Reese Witherspoon

Your thoughts? Anyone in agreement with me about the first two? A man's opinion? Does anyone else NOT find Angelina Jolie attractive? What about this one:

Help a Sista Out....

So, my friend Laura, a non-blog reader (GASP!), is in need of some possible help. I know what you're thinking; she doesn't read the blog, is she living in some third world country where internet access is not available? If the answer is no, then how am I even friends with her? Well, she's a good person and she has helped me move, multiple times. Anyhow, she is raising money for fighting heart disease. See below:

You can join our team OR donate at: www.advocateheartwalk.com
To Donate (In 3 Easy Steps):
1. Scroll down under "Advocate Lutheran General Hospital: Operations-Professional Services" (Gray Heading)
2. Click on "ALGH Rehab Services"
3. Scroll down and click on my name to donate!

To Join:
1. Follow step 1 from above
2. Look for "ALGH Rehab Services" and CLICK on "Join Team" (next to my name)
3. Click "I agree"
4. Fill out the form and starting getting donations!

Some stats to consider:
- Every 37 seconds, someone in America dies from heart disease
- In the next 30 days, we will lose 73,235 men, women and children to heart disease
- In the United States, total cariovascular disease is the leading cause of death. Looking at specific age groups, CV disease is the number 2 cause of death for people ages 25-74


If you are interested in helping or know someone who might be - please pass the info along. Thanks a ton!

Good Will Hunting....

Ok, so this movie came up in a discussion with coworkers over lunch today. A lot of people would rank this in their top ten movies ever; both my coworkers said they would. I remember liking it at the time; however, I have not seen it in a good six years or so, so I can't remember it super clearly.

However, here is what I do remember most distinctly about this movie - it was my first date, EVER. Which segued into my first boyfriend. A rated-R movie at age 14; I was super-scandalous back then.

Fast-forward a couple years later - I'm a sophomore in college, and on a first or second date (I can't remember at this point; and honestly, what constitutes a 'date' in college - but that's another can of worms) with the person who turned out to be my second boyfriend - we are watching TV and he flips through the channels to discover Good Will Hunting and suggests we watch it.

Fast-forward a little over a year - I am hanging out with the person who turns out to be my third boyfriend for one of the first times. He invites me to watch a movie. He pulls out his collection of DVDs - only ten or so. "I don't have too many," he explains, "but I do have 'Good Will Hunting'" (which was the most dignified choice of bunch). "NO. Not that movie." Instead, I opted to get to know 'Van Wilder' a little bit better; for better or for worse.

Anyhow.

I Screwed Up....

Ok, speaking of posts everyone HATES - I'm sorry I haven't blogged in a while. I'm still setting up my new apartment - and yes, I'm going to ride on this excuse for the next couple months. But I will try to blog more often in the meantime.

Health Care

So there has been a rampant facebook status over the past couple days:

"No one should die because they (sic) can't afford healthcare and no one should go broke because they (sic) get sick."

It is posted mostly by people in regards to the debate over the debate over universal healthcare (presumably coming from those in favor of a government-run healthcare system).

I have a couple issues with it (grammatical issues aside). Now, I am not sure where I stand on the issue of universal healtcare. And, I am in 100% agreement that our current healthcare system needs some serious help.

However.

This is a blatantly over-simplified statement to appeal to emotion that is impossible to argue. Is anyone out there going to say 'no, people should die because they can't afford healthcare?' No one should die because he or she can't afford food, and that happens somewhat regularly. This statement doesn't argue the merits of whether or not a universal healthcare system would actually work.

That, and I feel this largely discounts a simple fact: good healthcare is expensive. Good, qualified doctors are not easy to come by. Medical school is expensive, and, more importantly, a large, taxing time commitment. There has to be some form of a reward (i.e. a decent salary that will, at the very least, one day pay off the debt accrued) in order for enough qualified individuals to follow through with it. Medical supplies and machines are expensive. Medicine itself is expensive. Sure, there may be some 'price gouging', if you will, but at the base of it all, there's still a decent cost to everything.

Now, if everyone in America is going to have good healthcare, the money to cover these costs is going to have to come from somewhere. Whether it be each individual, employers, the government, or someone else entirely is quite the debate. However, if it is the government, simply, the money is going to have to come from somewhere (read: a large tax). Whether or not that is the only right way to go is another debate entirely. Another thing to consider - despite how many people there are in America without health insurance right now, it is not easy to get into the doctor's office. I am definitely all for everyone having health insurance, however, we are going to need more qualified individuals in the healthcare field when this happens. Anyhow - the bottom line - the idea that we could possibly get 'free healthcare from the government' is simply an illusion.

I know this is one of those boring posts that no one likes or is interested in - sorry. Anyhow.

Juliet Balconies

Ok, I have one of these. It's basically a small slab of concrete the size of a curb and a (scarily short) fence.

I remember the first time I viewed this apt, the landlord told me there was a "little" balcony. Then she opened the door to it. My only thought was "are you 'bleepin'' kidding me"?

Ok, so I have, needless to say, warmed up to the apartment. However, I am not sure what to make of the balcony yet. What do I do with it? Romeo is not at the bottom waiting for me; I have already checked. (P.S. By the way, he is soooo not my dream 'prince charming' male suitor from a love story. But that's a whole other blog in and of itself.)

Anyhow. Does anyone else out there have a Juliet Balcony? What should I do with it? What do you do with yours?

The Pot...the Kettle....

http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/people/1751626,chris-brown-rihanna-oprah-090309.article

In short, Chris Brown feels Oprah was a little 'harsh' with him. "It was like a slap in the face", according to him.

Yeah, that sounds about right.

Getting Political For A Second

Americans’ approval of Congress stands at 31% (per Gallup)


Keep up the good work!

Traditions I Don't Like....

When the guy asks the girl's dad for her hand in marriage.

Now, don't get me wrong, this tradition is fine for others. I'm not criticizing other couples for having done it this way. However, I will not be having it.

First off, if I'm gonna spend the rest of my life with a guy, that's my decision and my decision alone (I get it that the asking of the dad is in addition to, not instead of asking the woman, but still). I know a lot of girls who have said they will be very upset if the guy does not ask her father. They feel it's tradition and it's cute and charming and will make the whole family happy. Fine for them. Not for me.

Second - the Jessie Spano in me does feel there's a slightly sexist component to this tradition. I don't know for sure, but I'm guessing this originated in a place where dowries were the thing and a man's wife was considered his 'property'. Why the father? Why not both the parents?! What is the old-fasioned thought at the base of this? One man has owned me thus far, now another man is asking to take me over, in a business-like transaction (in the same way one would buy or sell of a piece of a company to another)?

Perhaps a man sitting down both my parents asking them for my hand in marriage is a little more settling to me, but still, I am not a minor. It is my decision to make and their vote in the matter, is, in theory, moot point. Sure, if my parents really didn't want the guy I was dating in our family, it might affect my opinion, but if I had my heart set on him, it would not.

Anyhow. I know there's a lot of room for debate on a lot of these points and that some people just see this as cute/traditional/harmless. And, I suppose, it is all in the eye of the beholder. However, for me personally, as I said earlier - I will not be having it. If a guy were to ask my father, it would be an automatic no on my end. It would show to me that this guy doesn't really know me. It would also say that he cares more about following some soceital tradition than making me happy, which is a red flag to anyone. Actually, it would pretty much say he doesn't care about flat out pissing me off at a moment when he is supposed to be going out of his way to charm me and win me over.

However, as I said earlier, I know several girls who will be very upset/disappointed if their guy does not ask his future father-in-law's permission. Your thoughts? Does anyone else feel the same way I do on this tradition? Are there any other Jessie Spanos out there?