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Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Small Town Texas

I saw Varsity Blues for the first time last night and have to say - it made me afraid of small towns in Texas. I love the show Friday Night Lights, but there is something about Coach Eric Taylor and the quaint town of Dillon with it's lovable yet troubled youth that make me feel inspired as opposed to afraid like James Van Der Beek and his teammates did.

I also found myself imagining that new Ke$ha video with James Van Der Beek in it - laughing and mumbling to myself "don't slanderbeek the Van Der Douche."

If you haven't seen Ke$ha's video featuring the former Dawson Leary - you should do yourself a favor and watch it. Just to laugh. How could you go wrong with James Van Der Beek and unicorns tripping on acid?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFWX0hWCbng

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Libraries

Who decides what books are brought in to a library? Who's the book "talent scout?"

Does this scout read reviews religiously and decide what to order? When do you order an author's entire anthology instead of their best sellers?

Do best sellers determine if you should order? Or are libraries more quality driven?

I like to believe that some libraries are quality focused and others consumer-focused - depending on the library's talent scout.

These scouts have an underground society where they debate the merit of new authors. Like a verbal fight club. But instead of meeting in parking garages or warehouses, they meet in abandoned coffee shops and Subaru dealerships. (Library talent scouts drink great coffee and drive Subarus)

The library scout with the most street cred gets a bumper sticker with the mysterious acronym "LBR" stamped on it. LBR standing for Library Bragging Rights. That way every other Subaru driving Library Talent Scout knows who's boss.

Monday, April 25, 2011

Haunting Harmonies

The Fleet Foxes have become a staple in my musical life. NPR just released a preview of their entire album, and I highly recommend giving it a listen - at work, at home, at the coffee shop. I'm headed to their show on May 11th, and can't help but assume that I'll be swaying to their tunes in the arms of my significant other, wondering if I ever have to move from that very spot.

Word of caution though - if you are already feeling apathetic to the world this album may not be the most appropriate remedy.

http://www.npr.org/2011/04/25/135550848/first-listen-fleet-foxes-helplessness-blues?sc=fb&cc=fp

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Mom made it

A few days ago my Mother made it on whenparentstext.com. As mentioned a few posts ago, it has quickly become one of my favorite websites.

The Mother in questions described it as the perfect snapshot of family life. "People try to write these long, meandering stories about their family - and the relate-able dynamics get lost. But with these - family life is confined to the limited characters allowed for a text. It's brilliant."

I agree. And with no further adoooo. Mi madre's text - quickly becoming a top wpt post:

http://whenparentstext.com/vacation-3

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Twinners

Imagine if I had been a twin?

Can't?

No problem. Check out this link. This would have been my Mother's life.

http://www.twinmamarama.com/

Friday, April 15, 2011

New favorite website

I may not have written anything in a long while - but I'm keeping this short and sweet and simultaneously changing your life for the better.

Assuming you have a sense of humor at least remotely similar to mine. http://www.whenparentstext.com/.

I can't handle that website. These are things my parents would absolutely text me. I laughed so hard in my office this morning that I started crying.

Note: WPT (whenparentstext) is a work hazard.

Use with caution.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

The Troll

I recently came to an agreement with the unreasonable anti-gym troll who lives in my brain.

For 2 years this troll managed to convince me that the gym was an evil place filled with judgmental blondes with perfect legs and sculpted arms. It seemed likely, considering TCU is filled with some of the most beautiful young women I have ever seen. Also, given my cankel situation it was likely that they would have no choice but to judge the state of these not-so-hot-to-trot legs.

But a few weeks ago the troll and I had a discussion... where was this strange fear/loathing of the gym coming from? Why couldn't we be friends with the gym? Try a lunch date and then decide if it's relationship material maybe?

He was pleased with my step by step approach and agreed to a lunch date. 20 minutes of cardio, on a machine, surrounded by other normal looking people.

I am happy to say that the gym and I are now dating. I like his temperature control and fancy equipment.

I even ventured into the weight room yesterday.

Suck it troll.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

The ball will go in

Last night I watched the championship game as the culmination of my March madness - but compared to what may have been one of the most exciting national championships of my lifetime last year, this year was painful to watch.

It doesn't matter if you love basketball or not - when a team that came this close to winning the national championship in a Cinderella run that will go down in history - last year and then again this year - you want them to win.

I just kept thinking "the ball will go in... it has to go in..." but when a team misses 22/23 shots in a row... and just keeps missing...

That team shoots 18.8% in the national championship game and your heart breaks for them. And when their sweet as sugar 12-year old looking coach chokes up trying to talk about one his seniors and how hard he worked every day of his 4 years at Butler - you just want to shake your fist at the universe.

Sometimes things just aren't fair. They don't seem to make sense, and they suck.

War in the Congo for over 15 years isn't fair.
Paper cuts right before you are supposed to run a home-made lemonade stand aren't fair.
8.9 earthquakes in Japan aren't fair.
Getting stuck with the bill on a bad date isn't fair.
Budget cuts affecting life saving programs and policies isn't fair.

There are a lot of things out there that are simply unfair.

And I'm not the kind of person who buys "it all happens for a reason" hook line and sinker. I want to believe that the world will keep spinning and we'll find growth amidst the rubble - but I don't want to think there was growth thanks to destruction.

There was growth in spite  of destruction.

So from basketball to earthquakes to paper cuts  - screw you unfairness. I choose to see the sunshine today.

Friday, April 1, 2011

Giggles

I remember in high school when I would find myself debilitated by a severe case of the giggles. History class, Biology tests, communion at church... no one was safe.

I had a morbid theory that I had a tumor on my brain that caused the release of abnormal amounts of serotonin - and that is why I would descend into a fit of laughter and semi-hysteric euphoria.

Today, I don't giggle as much... but I do laugh. Two days ago I was told that I have a "laugh without pretense." Hearty, shameless, reckless even.

Why would anyone be pretentious about laughter?

I've come to believe that we convince ourselves life is less funny than it truly is.

Today, Susan and I decided that sometimes you find yourself giddy and giggly simply because you remember how nice it is to stop being so damn depressed.

Let's not be depressed and down trodden today - let's laugh.