Wednesday, February 28, 2007
From the Borowitz Report:
Supreme Court Gives Gore’s Oscar to Bush
Stunning Reversal for Former Veep
Just days after former Vice President Al Gore received an Academy Award for his global warming documentary “An Inconvenient Truth,” the United States Supreme Court handed Mr. Gore a stunning reversal, stripping him of his Oscar and awarding it to President George W. Bush instead.
For Mr. Gore, who basked in the adulation of his Hollywood audience Sunday night, the high court’s decision to give his Oscar to President Bush was a cruel twist of fate, to say the least.
But in a 5-4 decision handed down Tuesday morning, the justices made it clear that they had taken the unprecedented step of stripping Mr. Gore of his Oscar because President Bush deserved it more.
“It is true that Al Gore has done a lot of talking about global warming,” wrote Justice Antonin Scalia, writing for the majority. “But President Bush has actually helped create global warming.”
In another setback for the former vice president, a group of scientists meeting in Oslo, Norway today said that Mr. Gore was growing at an unsustainable rate.
“The polar ice caps may be shrinking, but Al Gore is clearly expanding,” said Dr. Hiroshi Kyosuke of the University of Tokyo.
The scientists concluded that if Mr. Gore continues to expand at his current rate, he could cause the earth to spin off its axis by 2010, sending it hurtling into the sun.
“Here’s an inconvenient truth,” Dr. Kyosuke added. “Al’s got to stay away from those carbs.”
Elsewhere, after foreigners received a record number of Academy Award nominations, CNN anchor Lou Dobbs proposed building a 12-foot high fence around the Kodak Theater.
Monday, February 26, 2007
Stuff to do!
Since I am moving out of the area soon, I'm making a list of activities and places in the DC area that I haven't done/been to yet, but always wanted to.
-I just realized the the Air & Space Museum not only has an IMAX, but they have a Planetarium too (duh)! From the sounds of it, its quite a nifty planetarium too :)
-Go to Ben's Chili Bowl. Its infamous and in DC and I've never been. Shame on me. (Plus I gotta see if it beats Vienna Inn's infamous dog, I've heard mixed reports.)
-Def need to hit up Eastern Market. I've kinda wanted to do some meat and cheese shopping, but I've been waiting for a nice day. Of course, when it is nice out I'm broke and I figure, whats the point?!
-Have high tea at the National Cathedral.
-Go to PX. An unmarked bar in an old speakeasy fashion with what sounds like a terrific bar menu.
-And the Eighteenth Street Lounge. Another hidden hangout.
-Go to Hains Point and see The Awakening sculpture.
-Hit up Tryst for a full afternoon of coffee shop atmosphere.
-Skyline Caverns (or some sort of cavern), Monticello, Natural Bridge, Natural Chimneys to name a few things down south. Realistically, these trips won't happen before I leave.
-Drag Bingo!
Okay, thats all I got right now. My head is starting to hurt. Any suggestions?
Since I am moving out of the area soon, I'm making a list of activities and places in the DC area that I haven't done/been to yet, but always wanted to.
-I just realized the the Air & Space Museum not only has an IMAX, but they have a Planetarium too (duh)! From the sounds of it, its quite a nifty planetarium too :)
-Go to Ben's Chili Bowl. Its infamous and in DC and I've never been. Shame on me. (Plus I gotta see if it beats Vienna Inn's infamous dog, I've heard mixed reports.)
-Def need to hit up Eastern Market. I've kinda wanted to do some meat and cheese shopping, but I've been waiting for a nice day. Of course, when it is nice out I'm broke and I figure, whats the point?!
-Have high tea at the National Cathedral.
-Go to PX. An unmarked bar in an old speakeasy fashion with what sounds like a terrific bar menu.
-And the Eighteenth Street Lounge. Another hidden hangout.
-Go to Hains Point and see The Awakening sculpture.
-Hit up Tryst for a full afternoon of coffee shop atmosphere.
-Skyline Caverns (or some sort of cavern), Monticello, Natural Bridge, Natural Chimneys to name a few things down south. Realistically, these trips won't happen before I leave.
-Drag Bingo!
Okay, thats all I got right now. My head is starting to hurt. Any suggestions?
Linky Goodness!!!!
Anyone stay up for the Oscars last night? I did. It was mildly entertaining (as usual), but I joined an Oscar pool this year so I had an invested interest in this years winners. The only movie I saw that was nominated was Little Miss Sunshine so my picks were random and I lose. I'm used to never winning these pools anyways. I don't know why I keep throwing my money away...especially when I'll be unemployed in less than two months!
Anyways, heres some links to different things I found interesting:
-I love a band that names itself Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin. Btw, that link will take you to a great music site that isn't blocked from my work computer :)
-Who knew charts and graphs could be fun?!
-Virginia sort of apologizes for slavery.
-Speaking of Virginia (haha...isnt this a blog about growing up NoVA?), Jamestown (and the rest of America) is celebrating its 400th anniversary this year. You can be a part of the American Extravaganza...woo hoo!!!!
-There are the Oscars and then there are the Razzies. Both entertaining.
-This story is just bizarre.
-Great Rolling Stone article about John Stewart and Stephen Colbert. Its pretty old (October), but I just got around to reading it last week. A couple parts I liked:
-Political cartoon of the day:
Thats it for now...if I find something interesting later, I'll add it.
Anyone stay up for the Oscars last night? I did. It was mildly entertaining (as usual), but I joined an Oscar pool this year so I had an invested interest in this years winners. The only movie I saw that was nominated was Little Miss Sunshine so my picks were random and I lose. I'm used to never winning these pools anyways. I don't know why I keep throwing my money away...especially when I'll be unemployed in less than two months!
Anyways, heres some links to different things I found interesting:
-I love a band that names itself Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin. Btw, that link will take you to a great music site that isn't blocked from my work computer :)
-Who knew charts and graphs could be fun?!
-Virginia sort of apologizes for slavery.
-Speaking of Virginia (haha...isnt this a blog about growing up NoVA?), Jamestown (and the rest of America) is celebrating its 400th anniversary this year. You can be a part of the American Extravaganza...woo hoo!!!!
-There are the Oscars and then there are the Razzies. Both entertaining.
-This story is just bizarre.
-Great Rolling Stone article about John Stewart and Stephen Colbert. Its pretty old (October), but I just got around to reading it last week. A couple parts I liked:
A fake news show, "The Daily Show," spawned a fake commentator, Colbert, who makes his own fake reality defending the fake reality of a real president, and has government officials on who know the joke but are still willing to be mocked by someone fake. Your shows are like mirrors within mirrors, using a cycle of fakery to get to the truth. You've tapped into a sense in society that nothing, from reality shows to Bushworld, is real anymore. Do you guys ever get confused by your hall of mirrors?-St. Patricks Day recipes? I guess theres an appropriate dish for all occasions...I assume the standard ingredient is whiskey.STEWART: I didn't know we were going to have to be high to do this interview.
And.....
STEWART: The other night -- this I loved -- O'Reilly said, "Here's why Kim Jong Il did the nuke test: He's trying to influence the American elections, the same reason Iran is ratcheting up." And I just imagine Kim Jong Il, in all his craziness, going, "Claire McCaskill's down by three points to Jim Talent. Launch the nukes! " O'Reilly's problem is not his ability to form rational arguments, because he's a very smart guy. It's his ego.
-Political cartoon of the day:
Thats it for now...if I find something interesting later, I'll add it.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Best political cartoon from yesterday:
For more information visit www.tysonstunnel.com
UNDER NOT OVER!!!!!!
For more information visit www.tysonstunnel.comUNDER NOT OVER!!!!!!
Monday, February 19, 2007
I suppose the reason I haven't blogged much recently is that I don't have a whole hell of a lot to talk about. I haven't been going out too much recently and when I have, its usually a disaster (don't ask). For the last few months I was taking over for my co-worker whos been on maternity leave plus still doing all my work, and while that still leaves me some time for internet goofing off, I had moved from my cushy office to a more open area and haven't wanted to risk being caught *gasp* blogging! I'm usually too lazy to blog when I get home cause I'm trying to catch up with the ridiculous TV shows that I let take up about 10-12 hours of my week, time I could be doing something much more proactive, but fuck it, I'm tired and want to invest myself in the characters of The OC rather than have to deal with my own crap.
Its the usual ups and down that I suppose (and HOPE!) many people go through. One week you've been in such a great mood. You get your bills paid on time, you return phone calls, get out of the house and experience something new, put your clothes in the hamper and wash them when it gets full. Then there are those days where you might not feel like getting out of bed so you just lie around watching kiddie and tween movies all day, you put your phone on silent, and go invisible on instant messenger, and the only person you talk to is your cat.
I digress....
I don't know if I really have a point here other than just ramblings. I like to think of myself as being pretty proactive, the kind of person who likes to go out there and try and make a difference instead of just waiting for someone else to do it. Other times, I feel like the rest of my generation. Apathetic to just about everything and "waiting for the world to change" on its own.
Well, we probably have Nirvana and the whole rest of the Grunge phase to thank for that.
Now I must heat up my Minestrone Soup and hope that something exciting and news worthy happens while I'm in my afternoon meeting so I have a reason to watch the evening news. I'm sick of all this Anna Nicole BS.
Its the usual ups and down that I suppose (and HOPE!) many people go through. One week you've been in such a great mood. You get your bills paid on time, you return phone calls, get out of the house and experience something new, put your clothes in the hamper and wash them when it gets full. Then there are those days where you might not feel like getting out of bed so you just lie around watching kiddie and tween movies all day, you put your phone on silent, and go invisible on instant messenger, and the only person you talk to is your cat.
I digress....
I don't know if I really have a point here other than just ramblings. I like to think of myself as being pretty proactive, the kind of person who likes to go out there and try and make a difference instead of just waiting for someone else to do it. Other times, I feel like the rest of my generation. Apathetic to just about everything and "waiting for the world to change" on its own.
Well, we probably have Nirvana and the whole rest of the Grunge phase to thank for that.
Now I must heat up my Minestrone Soup and hope that something exciting and news worthy happens while I'm in my afternoon meeting so I have a reason to watch the evening news. I'm sick of all this Anna Nicole BS.
Friday, February 16, 2007
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Friday, January 19, 2007
I'm running out of time in the work day so I'm just going to post a few quickie links of interest. There isn't much going on this weekend that I know of. I have Happy Hour in t-minus 60 minutes(or less) at Fridays and Saturday night I'm going to my friend Megans birthday party. On Sunday my roommate and I may hit up the infamous Ben's Chili Bowl in the U Street Corridor. I've only been in that area to go to Black Cat which was formerly The Cage. Ahh...The Cage. I have found memories of using my fake id to get in there on Friday nights back in high school. I probably never even had more than half a rum and coke when I went there (the only drink I knew cause my parents drank it), but it was the thrill of getting into a 21+ club at age 17.
-Coincidentally, the ever wonderful Middle Distance Runner is playing at the Black Cat Saturday night on the main stage. They just got a bunch of their equipment stolen in Brooklyn recently so they could really use your $$.
-Read a great blog earlier about a squirrel sneaking into a DC house scarring the bejezus out of one of the tenants.
-I didn't realize Obama was a smoker. I also heard something about him confessing about substance abuse in his book. Can anyone confirm or deny this? I wouldn't be surprised if he did have an issue in the past. Cause you know, all of us cigarette smokers are secretly heroin addicts as well. At least every non-smoker looks at us like we're shooting heroin when we light up within 10 feet of them (especially at Sweet Water Tavern in Merrifield).
-The Real World DC style.
-My mom will be very upset to hear that Passions has been cancelled.
Ok well thats it for this week folks, unless I get the urge to post something this weekend (highly doubtful). I'm off to my Happy Hour(s) at Fridays. Oh and thats Fridays IN Tysons, not the Toilet Bowl one, cause if you didn't hear, that one closed last week. Its amazing. It was my favorite place to love to hate (besides Clarendon Ballroom). I will always remember how no matter what day of the week or what time of day, I always recognized a fellow high school classmate or other random person I knew from a friend of a friend. There was always someone talk to there and catch up with. Aaaaand....I'm over it :) The new Fridays in Tysons is so much nicer and well lit. And you can't beat the Happy Hour(s) specials!
$2 draft beers
$3 cosmos, LITs, mojitos, margaritas, rum & cokes, and some other mixed drinks
1/2 price appetizers
ROCK!
Have a fab weekend :)
-Coincidentally, the ever wonderful Middle Distance Runner is playing at the Black Cat Saturday night on the main stage. They just got a bunch of their equipment stolen in Brooklyn recently so they could really use your $$.
-Read a great blog earlier about a squirrel sneaking into a DC house scarring the bejezus out of one of the tenants.
-I didn't realize Obama was a smoker. I also heard something about him confessing about substance abuse in his book. Can anyone confirm or deny this? I wouldn't be surprised if he did have an issue in the past. Cause you know, all of us cigarette smokers are secretly heroin addicts as well. At least every non-smoker looks at us like we're shooting heroin when we light up within 10 feet of them (especially at Sweet Water Tavern in Merrifield).
-The Real World DC style.
-My mom will be very upset to hear that Passions has been cancelled.
Ok well thats it for this week folks, unless I get the urge to post something this weekend (highly doubtful). I'm off to my Happy Hour(s) at Fridays. Oh and thats Fridays IN Tysons, not the Toilet Bowl one, cause if you didn't hear, that one closed last week. Its amazing. It was my favorite place to love to hate (besides Clarendon Ballroom). I will always remember how no matter what day of the week or what time of day, I always recognized a fellow high school classmate or other random person I knew from a friend of a friend. There was always someone talk to there and catch up with. Aaaaand....I'm over it :) The new Fridays in Tysons is so much nicer and well lit. And you can't beat the Happy Hour(s) specials!
$2 draft beers
$3 cosmos, LITs, mojitos, margaritas, rum & cokes, and some other mixed drinks
1/2 price appetizers
ROCK!
Have a fab weekend :)
Belated Martin Luther King Day tribute doubles as the Political Cartoon of the Week.
This week I was a complete stress ball and I'm really looking forward to the weekend. Not that work is stressing me out right now, actually it's been pretty quiet with people being in and out of the office a lot this week. Its just personal crapola that's got me stressin. I'm a believer that negative things occur in threes (with me having three strikes in the last three months or so), but add life altering decisions to the mix and you've got the weight of Chicago Bears linebacker on your shoulders. Miraculously, I'm having little to no back problems.
I just received an email from the Arlington Young Democrats in the form of a State of the Union watching party. I love it when people have a sense of humor about politics (see left).
I was excited to hear that Senator Jim Webb will be delivering the Democratic rebuttle to Bush's State of the Union. It is the second year in a row a Virginia Democrat has been chosen to give the rebuttle, with Governor Tim Kaine being the first to do so last year. There are talks that Virginia could become a swing state in the 2008 election, which would be pretty exciting. The usual Right-leaning state has elected two Democratic Governors in a row and just put a Democrat in the Senate against all odds. Could Virginia being turning Blue???
I'll leave you with this Public Service Announcement and be back later with linky goodness:
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
For this weeks "whats happenin" I'll just start off with an email that I sent to a few friends about our weekend activities:
Hey guys! Just wanted to holla and wish you all a Happy Hump Day :)
What are your plans for this weekend? Friday night I'm going to TT's to see Rachel's first performance with her new band Full Minute of Mercury (you can find them on The Space). The show starts at 9 (supposedly) and is $5 to get it. I know Ashley and Lindsay already expressed interest in going....Derin, Jesse...you down?
She also has a show at DC9 on Saturday which is an EXCELLENT venue kinda close to the 9:30 club, but I'm not sure I want to hit that up two nights in a row. I was thinking it might be fun to go to the Draft House or something though. Little Miss Sunshine & Stranger Than Fiction is playing on Saturday night. ALSO.......if I'm feeling adventurous I may hit up Iota during the day (around 2ish) to see a couple bands, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin and Harry and the Potters. Uff.........I just saw that one is $10 so I may not go, but who knows.
I guess that's it. Anyone want to join me for any of these events or have some other super plans? I'm not really in the mood to work today (as you might be able to tell!). Have a lovely day all!
XOXO
Lucy
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So anyways, that's what I plan on doing this weekend. If any of it actually gets done will remain to be seen. If Rachel reads this, please don't think I don't WANT to hear your beautiful voice two nights in a row...I just need to watch the cash flow and I know TTs will be a show in more ways than one ;)
Some other stuff going on in the aire-uh (in gangstah voice):
-Bush is making a televised speech tonight to allegedly unveil his plan to increase the number of US troops in Iraq. Obviously, there is going to be protests going on...this is DC. Heres a list of from the emails I've gotten so far (I don't think I'll be attending any of them, but I support their causes):
Pennsylvania Avenue & Jackson Pl, NW
11 Jan 06:00 PM
MoveOn will be holding signs that state "NO ESCALATION IN IRAQ" and "Wrong way to bring our troops home". We will be chanting "no escalation" themes. If you attended the event last week and kept your signs, bring em' back!!! DC for Democracy is also sponsoring a candlelight vigil to oppose President Bush's call for a troop surge in Iraq. There will be a reading of the names of Iraq War casualties from the DC area, some brief speeches, followed by the candlelight vigil.
Monday Jan 15 -
* Protest the War Mongers at Lockheed Martin with Peace Action and others
Jan. 15 12:00 pm - 2:30 pm | WHERE: Meet at Davis Library, 6400 Democracy Blvd. Bethesda, MD 20817 | FMI: Larry Callahan 240-888-8947
Protest and Action against Lockheed Martin Manufacturing of Weapons that Primarily Harm Civilians and the Environment. Lockheed Martin's neighbors demand they Stop Making Cluster Bombs, Depleted Uranium Weapons, Advocating for War and Get out of the Neighborhood.
-There's still time to take advantage of DC's Restaurant Week. I've never been able to take advantage of this since I'm usually poor when it's going on and it seems this year is no different. None the less, some people who have a greater income and are in less debt may enjoy :)
-Cartoon America: : Highlights From the Art Wood Collection of Cartoon and Caricature exhibit at the Library of Congress. Its free and going on through Feb. 24. Sounds like a must for comic fans.
-David Lynch will be in town at the Round House Theatre in Bethesda at 6pm. He will be discussing his new book, "Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness and Creativity." The event appears to be sold out. For some fun watch David Lynch's daily weather report on his website.
-In case I forget to tell you next week, on Thursday Jan 18, Bill O'Reilly and Steven Colbert will be appearing on each others shows. Can't wait to see it! That's something I'll be DVR-ing for sure :)
Thats all I'll post for now.....back to the grindstone :(
Hey guys! Just wanted to holla and wish you all a Happy Hump Day :)
What are your plans for this weekend? Friday night I'm going to TT's to see Rachel's first performance with her new band Full Minute of Mercury (you can find them on The Space). The show starts at 9 (supposedly) and is $5 to get it. I know Ashley and Lindsay already expressed interest in going....Derin, Jesse...you down?
She also has a show at DC9 on Saturday which is an EXCELLENT venue kinda close to the 9:30 club, but I'm not sure I want to hit that up two nights in a row. I was thinking it might be fun to go to the Draft House or something though. Little Miss Sunshine & Stranger Than Fiction is playing on Saturday night. ALSO.......if I'm feeling adventurous I may hit up Iota during the day (around 2ish) to see a couple bands, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin and Harry and the Potters. Uff.........I just saw that one is $10 so I may not go, but who knows.
I guess that's it. Anyone want to join me for any of these events or have some other super plans? I'm not really in the mood to work today (as you might be able to tell!). Have a lovely day all!
XOXO
Lucy
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So anyways, that's what I plan on doing this weekend. If any of it actually gets done will remain to be seen. If Rachel reads this, please don't think I don't WANT to hear your beautiful voice two nights in a row...I just need to watch the cash flow and I know TTs will be a show in more ways than one ;)
Some other stuff going on in the aire-uh (in gangstah voice):
-Bush is making a televised speech tonight to allegedly unveil his plan to increase the number of US troops in Iraq. Obviously, there is going to be protests going on...this is DC. Heres a list of from the emails I've gotten so far (I don't think I'll be attending any of them, but I support their causes):
Wednesday, January 10 8:30pm
Code Pink and DAWN will be sponsoring demonstrations against the speech that will stupify most Americans and even military folks about increasing the amount of troops in Iraq. WHERE: Lafayette Park - in front of White House WHEN: 8:30pm
Bring your noisemakers!
Thursday January 11 - Major Anti Torture Events
Witness for Torture | Code Pink | DAWN and many other groups and concerned folks will be demanding the closure of Guantanamo and the end of torture as a method of interrogation throughout the world. Click on the website links above to get details.
Pennsylvania Avenue & Jackson Pl, NW
11 Jan 06:00 PM
MoveOn will be holding signs that state "NO ESCALATION IN IRAQ" and "Wrong way to bring our troops home". We will be chanting "no escalation" themes. If you attended the event last week and kept your signs, bring em' back!!! DC for Democracy is also sponsoring a candlelight vigil to oppose President Bush's call for a troop surge in Iraq. There will be a reading of the names of Iraq War casualties from the DC area, some brief speeches, followed by the candlelight vigil.
Monday Jan 15 -
* Protest the War Mongers at Lockheed Martin with Peace Action and others
Jan. 15 12:00 pm - 2:30 pm | WHERE: Meet at Davis Library, 6400 Democracy Blvd. Bethesda, MD 20817 | FMI: Larry Callahan 240-888-8947
Protest and Action against Lockheed Martin Manufacturing of Weapons that Primarily Harm Civilians and the Environment. Lockheed Martin's neighbors demand they Stop Making Cluster Bombs, Depleted Uranium Weapons, Advocating for War and Get out of the Neighborhood.
-There's still time to take advantage of DC's Restaurant Week. I've never been able to take advantage of this since I'm usually poor when it's going on and it seems this year is no different. None the less, some people who have a greater income and are in less debt may enjoy :)
-Cartoon America: : Highlights From the Art Wood Collection of Cartoon and Caricature exhibit at the Library of Congress. Its free and going on through Feb. 24. Sounds like a must for comic fans.
-David Lynch will be in town at the Round House Theatre in Bethesda at 6pm. He will be discussing his new book, "Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness and Creativity." The event appears to be sold out. For some fun watch David Lynch's daily weather report on his website.
-In case I forget to tell you next week, on Thursday Jan 18, Bill O'Reilly and Steven Colbert will be appearing on each others shows. Can't wait to see it! That's something I'll be DVR-ing for sure :)
Thats all I'll post for now.....back to the grindstone :(
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Friday, January 05, 2007
New Years Resolutions for 2007
1. Update this blog more often! I found I was a lot more in the "know" about DC happenings when writing this blog just from looking up material. A lot of times I've heard or read about something and think it would be great material for a blog here, but I'm too lazy or too busy to write one out and then I forget about my brilliant idea(s).
2. Try to do one new thing a week or at least twice a month. There is so much to experience in this great world other than lying in bed watching reruns of The Office or going to the same old bar every Saturday night.
3. Quit smoking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I tried this in the fall and was pretty successful with a little wonder drug called Chantix. Then back in November, I ran short of money to buy my perscription and the shit hit the fan in my personal life so I'm back to a pack a day. It disgusts me. If I have to get a second job just to pay for those pills it will be worth it!
4. Quit spending $$ on frivilous things...try to save. This means no more impulse shopping at H&M and Forever 21. No $50 tabs from a night out in Arlington. No cabs when I can just as easily walk or take the bus. And finally, getting a bank account! (no I dont have one...dont bug me about it please.)
5. Keep in touch with people outside my small social circle. Normally, I only hang out with about five different people or so and I've been totally ok with that for quite some time now, but I'm starting to feel guilty about those I've caught up with from MySpace, but have neglected to try to get coffee/a drink/see a show/whatever with any of them. Also, I'm getting bored (not with my friends...just in general). I need new experiences to keep me on my toes (preferably cheap or FREE experiences!)
5. Read more. Right now I'm finishing up The Devil in the White City which was quite a page turner. It made me remember how much I love to read and why I've been wasting my weekend afternoons watching reality shows on MTV. Also on my list of books to read is Special Topics in Calamity Physics, Marie Antoinette: The Journey, Isaac's Storm, and many others.
6. Take my career more seriously. Figure out what the hell I REALLY want to do and take some classes at NOVA to get on track for an Associates Degree (at the very least). Dr. Phil says: "I want you to get excited about your life!"
7. KEEP AND ACCOMPLISH THESE RESOLUTIONS! If Dwight can do it 8 years in a row, I think I can accomplish six goals in a years time.
1. Update this blog more often! I found I was a lot more in the "know" about DC happenings when writing this blog just from looking up material. A lot of times I've heard or read about something and think it would be great material for a blog here, but I'm too lazy or too busy to write one out and then I forget about my brilliant idea(s).
2. Try to do one new thing a week or at least twice a month. There is so much to experience in this great world other than lying in bed watching reruns of The Office or going to the same old bar every Saturday night.
3. Quit smoking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I tried this in the fall and was pretty successful with a little wonder drug called Chantix. Then back in November, I ran short of money to buy my perscription and the shit hit the fan in my personal life so I'm back to a pack a day. It disgusts me. If I have to get a second job just to pay for those pills it will be worth it!
4. Quit spending $$ on frivilous things...try to save. This means no more impulse shopping at H&M and Forever 21. No $50 tabs from a night out in Arlington. No cabs when I can just as easily walk or take the bus. And finally, getting a bank account! (no I dont have one...dont bug me about it please.)
5. Keep in touch with people outside my small social circle. Normally, I only hang out with about five different people or so and I've been totally ok with that for quite some time now, but I'm starting to feel guilty about those I've caught up with from MySpace, but have neglected to try to get coffee/a drink/see a show/whatever with any of them. Also, I'm getting bored (not with my friends...just in general). I need new experiences to keep me on my toes (preferably cheap or FREE experiences!)
5. Read more. Right now I'm finishing up The Devil in the White City which was quite a page turner. It made me remember how much I love to read and why I've been wasting my weekend afternoons watching reality shows on MTV. Also on my list of books to read is Special Topics in Calamity Physics, Marie Antoinette: The Journey, Isaac's Storm, and many others.
6. Take my career more seriously. Figure out what the hell I REALLY want to do and take some classes at NOVA to get on track for an Associates Degree (at the very least). Dr. Phil says: "I want you to get excited about your life!"
7. KEEP AND ACCOMPLISH THESE RESOLUTIONS! If Dwight can do it 8 years in a row, I think I can accomplish six goals in a years time.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Washingtonpost.com site rocks!
I was just searching through the City Guide section for possible things to do this week/weekend and found some really cool stuff:
-Everything...but the Turkey where a few hundred volunteers get together and make Thanksgiving dinner for various homeless shelters in the city. It takes place at the District of Columbia Community Center, but you don't have to be Jewish to get involved.
-Food Network hottie Dave Lieberman will be co-hosting the Capital Food Fight 2006 tomorrow evening at the Ronald Reagan Building. It looks like it will be kind of a live Iron Chef. Tickets are kinda pricey, but it looks like a really fun event!
-Drag Bingo at Chaos on Tuesday nights. Their tagline: 'Bingo like you've never seen it.'
-I didn't even know Swing dancing was still in, but Clarendon Ballroom holds a swing night from 9-11 on Tuesdays...if you're not into the drag bingo. You can find a bunch of other Swing events here.
-Ok Go will be playing at the 9:30 Club this Sunday, but unfortunately tickets are sold out :(
If I find anything else, I'll let you know
I was just searching through the City Guide section for possible things to do this week/weekend and found some really cool stuff:
-Everything...but the Turkey where a few hundred volunteers get together and make Thanksgiving dinner for various homeless shelters in the city. It takes place at the District of Columbia Community Center, but you don't have to be Jewish to get involved.
-Food Network hottie Dave Lieberman will be co-hosting the Capital Food Fight 2006 tomorrow evening at the Ronald Reagan Building. It looks like it will be kind of a live Iron Chef. Tickets are kinda pricey, but it looks like a really fun event!
-Drag Bingo at Chaos on Tuesday nights. Their tagline: 'Bingo like you've never seen it.'
-I didn't even know Swing dancing was still in, but Clarendon Ballroom holds a swing night from 9-11 on Tuesdays...if you're not into the drag bingo. You can find a bunch of other Swing events here.
-Ok Go will be playing at the 9:30 Club this Sunday, but unfortunately tickets are sold out :(
If I find anything else, I'll let you know
Friday, November 10, 2006
Is it just me or does it seem like there hasn't been a lot going on recently? It probably is me since I can't seem to find the time to research happenings in the area and nothing is jumping out at me. So instead of telling you all the awesome things I'm doing this weekend (nothing) or what is going on (...) I'll just ramble :)
LOVES
-I've been a big fan of the website Overheard in New York for quite some time now and wondered why we don't have our own official Overheard in DC, but in the meantime I'll make do with this site.
-Beach hair some how it makes messy hair look sexy.
-Benefit's line of products. Too bad I'm broke and can't afford anything.
-Being a democrat!!!!!!!!
-Avocados. In a sandwich, on a salad, pizza, or just by themselves with a little bit of salt. YUM!
HATES:
-Everything I want being so damn expensive!!!!!!
-Owing people money. If I can get away with never having to borrow money again I would be very happy. I seem to be needing help a lot lately and I HATE that.
-Being in charge of my office football pool. Its proving to be a lot more of a responsibility than I initially thought it was. Seven(ish) weeks left. I hope I can win one, it would make it all worth it!
-My cat waking me up at 5am.
Okay..........I lost my focus somewhere in the middle of working on my loves.
Have a good weekend!
LOVES
-I've been a big fan of the website Overheard in New York for quite some time now and wondered why we don't have our own official Overheard in DC, but in the meantime I'll make do with this site.
-Beach hair some how it makes messy hair look sexy.
-Benefit's line of products. Too bad I'm broke and can't afford anything.
-Being a democrat!!!!!!!!
-Avocados. In a sandwich, on a salad, pizza, or just by themselves with a little bit of salt. YUM!
HATES:
-Everything I want being so damn expensive!!!!!!
-Owing people money. If I can get away with never having to borrow money again I would be very happy. I seem to be needing help a lot lately and I HATE that.
-Being in charge of my office football pool. Its proving to be a lot more of a responsibility than I initially thought it was. Seven(ish) weeks left. I hope I can win one, it would make it all worth it!
-My cat waking me up at 5am.
Okay..........I lost my focus somewhere in the middle of working on my loves.
Have a good weekend!
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
The past few weeks I've been busy, busy at work and socially so I really haven't had the time to blog at all. The couple times I was about to write the phone would ring or the stupid Blogger site was under maintenance. So here's a few things I've done or wanted to talk about:
-Went to Graves Mountain in Syria, VA for Rachels bday celebration which was tons of fun. We were supposed to go apple picking there, but I guess we were a little late in the season and there were no apples to be picked left in the trees so we picked them out of large wooden boxes instead. I still have a bunch leftover so if you have a good apple recipe (pie, strudel, whatever), please let me know!
-Went to see the premiere of the film 11 that my friend Neil wrote and directed at the AFI theater in Silver Spring. Movie was really great, I was very impressed even the second time around. Then we went to the after party and the after-after party. Many miller lights and tequila later Ryan and I were stuck outside Brions Grille in Fairfax at 2am waiting for a cab that never came. Luckily I ran into a friend from HS and he gave us a ride home. Damn Yellow Cab!!!!!!!! I LOATHE that company.
-Also went to a couple rallies for Jim Webb in Annandale last weekend. First one was a union rally which was a lot of fun and the other was a general rally with Mark Warner, Tim Kaine, and Jim Webb. In between the rallies we hit up the Annandale Halloween parade which I can describe in one word: Pathetic. That and sitting in lots of traffic on Little River Turnpike made me remember why I really dont like that town.
-Work has been pretty good. Im moving away from data and starting to work on show operations which is way more suited to my personality and work style. I guess I dont officially get my title changed till next year and until then I am impatiently waiting, but trying to work as hard as I can to show my stuff.
-Tomorrow I'm going to the MACE! 2006 to learn some stuff about show operations then I will be attending a fundraiser at Clarendon Ballroom for Jim Webb attended by Michael J. Fox and Gen. Wesley Clark. I'm super excited to go to that....it should be a lot of fun!
Ok........so I think that pretty much brings us up to speed. I'll try to get something together about events for the weekend either later this afternoon or Friday. As my 2W bus driver would say......Hello Lovelies and have a Lovely Day!!!!!!!!!!!!
-Went to Graves Mountain in Syria, VA for Rachels bday celebration which was tons of fun. We were supposed to go apple picking there, but I guess we were a little late in the season and there were no apples to be picked left in the trees so we picked them out of large wooden boxes instead. I still have a bunch leftover so if you have a good apple recipe (pie, strudel, whatever), please let me know!
-Went to see the premiere of the film 11 that my friend Neil wrote and directed at the AFI theater in Silver Spring. Movie was really great, I was very impressed even the second time around. Then we went to the after party and the after-after party. Many miller lights and tequila later Ryan and I were stuck outside Brions Grille in Fairfax at 2am waiting for a cab that never came. Luckily I ran into a friend from HS and he gave us a ride home. Damn Yellow Cab!!!!!!!! I LOATHE that company.
-Also went to a couple rallies for Jim Webb in Annandale last weekend. First one was a union rally which was a lot of fun and the other was a general rally with Mark Warner, Tim Kaine, and Jim Webb. In between the rallies we hit up the Annandale Halloween parade which I can describe in one word: Pathetic. That and sitting in lots of traffic on Little River Turnpike made me remember why I really dont like that town.
-Work has been pretty good. Im moving away from data and starting to work on show operations which is way more suited to my personality and work style. I guess I dont officially get my title changed till next year and until then I am impatiently waiting, but trying to work as hard as I can to show my stuff.
-Tomorrow I'm going to the MACE! 2006 to learn some stuff about show operations then I will be attending a fundraiser at Clarendon Ballroom for Jim Webb attended by Michael J. Fox and Gen. Wesley Clark. I'm super excited to go to that....it should be a lot of fun!
Ok........so I think that pretty much brings us up to speed. I'll try to get something together about events for the weekend either later this afternoon or Friday. As my 2W bus driver would say......Hello Lovelies and have a Lovely Day!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
I just got this email of a list of fun things to do in the DC Metro area this Fall/Halloween. Thanks to Derin, Megan and Jen!
Apple-picking at Homestead Farm in Poolesville, Maryland - It isn't too far of a drive (and the drive is beautiful!), and they have apples, pumpkins, squash, etc., as well as sheep, turkeys, chickens, and roosters for the kids to visit. They are also very reasonable in price.
Driving up Skyline Dr.
Cox Farms and Burke Nursery, both in VA
Butler's Orchard Pumpkin Festival in Maryland - really fun and very child-focused
The Ranvensworth-Bristow Civic Association in Annadale has a great (and FREE) Halloween parade for children -- families gather along the route and pass out candy to the children. They even have some pets dress up! It's held on the Saturday before Halloween at 4 p.m. on the corner of Erie and Newcastle Sts.
Rock Creek Park's Nature Center in DC has a costume party on October 29 at 2:00.
Croyden Creek Nature Center in Rockville, MD has Croyden Creep events with an animal show, graveyard tour (totally not scary), climbing wall, drive-in movie with a kid friendly movie (last year it was "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown"). Last year they had a little "bat cave" and talked about and showed a bat. Everything is free, except for the movie (I think).
Burke Lake Halloween train ride is great. We also go to Boo at the Zoo every year.
Halloween Fashion Show at Babies R Us in Falls Church.
DelRay Halloween Parade in Alexandria - It's usually held the Sunday before Halloween on Mt. Vernon Avenue at 2 p.m. There are awards for best costumes.
We love Cox Farm for preschool through elementary-age children. They have mazes of baled hay, rope swings, gigantic slides, farm animals, fresh applesauce and grilled hamburgers, and on the weekend they have terrific folk-rock performers on an open air stage. You can also take a tractor-drawn hayride through a ridiculously silly haunted field (painted cartoonish signs) and get a small pumpkin from the patch.
Brookside Gardens in Maryland has a pumpkin patch for toddlers - Sign up early!
Belvedere Plantation in Fredricksburg seems to be the favorite for taking children to a real pumpkin patch for parents that live in Woodbridge, VA.
Greenbelt, MD has an annual costume contest and parade at the Roosevelt Center. This year it's October 27 at 4 p.m. (registration starts earlier). Costume contest is for ages 18 mos. through sixth-graders.
There is a vendor who sells his fresh farm produce in Tenleytown Saturday and Sunday. Last year he sold pumpkins. So far, I've only seen gourds this year.
There is a patch in Upper Marboro that had assorted pumpkinsn and corn last year. It is way laid back and a lot of fun.
The Leesburg Animal Park has a great pumpkin patch with a petting zoo, puppet show, hay rides and a host of slides and other activities that promote a family fun-filled afternoon. There is an admission fee of $10 per person on the weekends and holidays. It is less during the week. Leesburg Animal Park, 19270 James Monroe Hwy., Leesburg, VA 20175.
Turtle Park in NW DC (the AU Park neighborhood) has a great costumed kids' Halloween festival each year, with a costume parade and a children's musician or performer. This year I believe it's the morning of Saturday, October 28, starting at 10:00.
Burke Nursery's "pumpkin playground" is the "closest in" one we go to -- it's really great for small children as they have few "big slides" like the pumpkin patch at Cox Farms. But the Cox Farms one is great now that my oldest is in elementary school.
There's a pumpkin patch near the Blockbuster Merchants Starbucks on Rolling Rd.
In Alexandria, we love the annual pumpkin patch on the grounds of Immanuel-on-the-Hill Episcopal Church, near the intersection of Quaker & Seminary Ln. The pumpkins are brought in from a Navajo farm in New Mexico, and there are also some great seasonal soups and baked goods for sale. They have an annual children's Halloween costume parade through the patch each year - This year it's on Sunday, October 22 at 12:30 p.m., and all are welcome. You don't have to be a church member.
In Arlington on October 28 at 4 p.m., Westover Baby-Toddler Halloween Parade. Starts at intersection of Kennebec and N. 11th St, at the pavilion. Mr. Don will perform.
Cox Farm is a drive but it is the BEST!! We go every year. Take a picnic lunch and make a day of it.
Cox is great, but it has crowds on the weekends. Go during the week, when it first opens.
My own sideposts:
I just learned about a fun and free Halloween party for the little ones at Jonah's Treehouse in DC on October 27... more details coming soon in a blog post of its own!
And as I've mentioned previously, my best tip is this: For many more great Halloween events appropriate for children ranging from toddlers through school-age, be sure to check out the fabulous Our Kids seasonal event list, which covers the District, ALL of suburban Maryland, and ALL of the NoVa suburbs.
Apple-picking at Homestead Farm in Poolesville, Maryland - It isn't too far of a drive (and the drive is beautiful!), and they have apples, pumpkins, squash, etc., as well as sheep, turkeys, chickens, and roosters for the kids to visit. They are also very reasonable in price.
Driving up Skyline Dr.
Cox Farms and Burke Nursery, both in VA
Butler's Orchard Pumpkin Festival in Maryland - really fun and very child-focused
The Ranvensworth-Bristow Civic Association in Annadale has a great (and FREE) Halloween parade for children -- families gather along the route and pass out candy to the children. They even have some pets dress up! It's held on the Saturday before Halloween at 4 p.m. on the corner of Erie and Newcastle Sts.
Rock Creek Park's Nature Center in DC has a costume party on October 29 at 2:00.
Croyden Creek Nature Center in Rockville, MD has Croyden Creep events with an animal show, graveyard tour (totally not scary), climbing wall, drive-in movie with a kid friendly movie (last year it was "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown"). Last year they had a little "bat cave" and talked about and showed a bat. Everything is free, except for the movie (I think).
Burke Lake Halloween train ride is great. We also go to Boo at the Zoo every year.
Halloween Fashion Show at Babies R Us in Falls Church.
DelRay Halloween Parade in Alexandria - It's usually held the Sunday before Halloween on Mt. Vernon Avenue at 2 p.m. There are awards for best costumes.
We love Cox Farm for preschool through elementary-age children. They have mazes of baled hay, rope swings, gigantic slides, farm animals, fresh applesauce and grilled hamburgers, and on the weekend they have terrific folk-rock performers on an open air stage. You can also take a tractor-drawn hayride through a ridiculously silly haunted field (painted cartoonish signs) and get a small pumpkin from the patch.
Brookside Gardens in Maryland has a pumpkin patch for toddlers - Sign up early!
Belvedere Plantation in Fredricksburg seems to be the favorite for taking children to a real pumpkin patch for parents that live in Woodbridge, VA.
Greenbelt, MD has an annual costume contest and parade at the Roosevelt Center. This year it's October 27 at 4 p.m. (registration starts earlier). Costume contest is for ages 18 mos. through sixth-graders.
There is a vendor who sells his fresh farm produce in Tenleytown Saturday and Sunday. Last year he sold pumpkins. So far, I've only seen gourds this year.
There is a patch in Upper Marboro that had assorted pumpkinsn and corn last year. It is way laid back and a lot of fun.
The Leesburg Animal Park has a great pumpkin patch with a petting zoo, puppet show, hay rides and a host of slides and other activities that promote a family fun-filled afternoon. There is an admission fee of $10 per person on the weekends and holidays. It is less during the week. Leesburg Animal Park, 19270 James Monroe Hwy., Leesburg, VA 20175.
Turtle Park in NW DC (the AU Park neighborhood) has a great costumed kids' Halloween festival each year, with a costume parade and a children's musician or performer. This year I believe it's the morning of Saturday, October 28, starting at 10:00.
Burke Nursery's "pumpkin playground" is the "closest in" one we go to -- it's really great for small children as they have few "big slides" like the pumpkin patch at Cox Farms. But the Cox Farms one is great now that my oldest is in elementary school.
There's a pumpkin patch near the Blockbuster Merchants Starbucks on Rolling Rd.
In Alexandria, we love the annual pumpkin patch on the grounds of Immanuel-on-the-Hill Episcopal Church, near the intersection of Quaker & Seminary Ln. The pumpkins are brought in from a Navajo farm in New Mexico, and there are also some great seasonal soups and baked goods for sale. They have an annual children's Halloween costume parade through the patch each year - This year it's on Sunday, October 22 at 12:30 p.m., and all are welcome. You don't have to be a church member.
In Arlington on October 28 at 4 p.m., Westover Baby-Toddler Halloween Parade. Starts at intersection of Kennebec and N. 11th St, at the pavilion. Mr. Don will perform.
Cox Farm is a drive but it is the BEST!! We go every year. Take a picnic lunch and make a day of it.
Cox is great, but it has crowds on the weekends. Go during the week, when it first opens.
My own sideposts:
I just learned about a fun and free Halloween party for the little ones at Jonah's Treehouse in DC on October 27... more details coming soon in a blog post of its own!
And as I've mentioned previously, my best tip is this: For many more great Halloween events appropriate for children ranging from toddlers through school-age, be sure to check out the fabulous Our Kids seasonal event list, which covers the District, ALL of suburban Maryland, and ALL of the NoVa suburbs.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
-There will be an official dedication to the new Air Force Memorial (see picture) Saturday, October 14 beginning at 1:30. I had no idea this was being erected until I was on my way back from a Nats game recently. I didn't even know what those pointy things in the sky were supposed to be until today. In any case if you dig the military, or more specifically, the Air Force you'll probably find this mildly interesting. Keep an eye out for Military groupies...I'm sure they will be out in full force.
-The Small Press Expo is being held this Friday and Saturday (Oct. 13-14) at the Marriott Bethesda North. SPX hosts independent comic artists and writers to exhibit their material to comic book and graphic novel fans. Seems like comics are making a comeback, but I haven't jumped on that bandwagon myself. I never really got past the Betty & Veronica comics.
-I can't remember if I already mentioned this, but Night Dreams in Bethesda will be hosting a "Sexiest Costumes" fashion show Saturday, Oct. 14 from 6-8pm. This looks like a great opportunity for men to openly oogle women in skimpy outfits pre-Halloween. Have at it.
-I will be attending the Green Festival this Saturday at the DC Convention Center. The Green Festival is a joint project hosted by Global Exchange and Co-Op America. I'm looking forward to being surrounded with earth conscious folk in patchwork and hemp. There are some interesting panels, speakers, and movies on the schedule. Come out and learn a bit more about saving our Earth!
-James Blunt will be at Merriweather tomorrow night Oct. 13. Even though I can't really stand the guy, a lot of people seem to like him...
-I don't really like all these suggestions for stuff to do in Maryland, but it appears to be the hot spot this weekend. The Maryland Brewer's Oktoberfest will be held Saturday (Oct. 14) at the MD State Fairgrounds (in Timonium, MD...wherever that is). From the looks of the website, this seems to be a pretty cool event. Admission is $17 and you get three free beer tokens if you come dressed in German attire. There will be over a dozen brewers with over 70 kinds of beer, but, the Beer Belly Contest looks like it might be pretty entertaining!
-I think I might have found the greatest thing ever. There will be an event entitled Don't Hassel the Hof Brau at Rustico in Alexandria on Wednesday, Oct. 18. The idea is you drink Oktoberfest beers and listen to the music of the lovely Mr. Hasselhoff. Starts at 6pm. I don't think I've ever seen such a good reason to go to Happy Hour.
-Tonight is the kick-off for the 16th annual Reel Affirmations Gay & Lesbian film festival which will be going from Oct. 12-21. Tonight they will show the film Shortbus which is directed by John Cameron Mitchell, of Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Shortbus features actors engaging in real life sex in the film so its pretty risque (I'm not sure if its ever been done before...) but I've heard great things about this film. The schedule is jam packed with movies being shown at Lincoln Theater, Goethe Institute, and the Landmark E-Street Theater.
-DC Hunt 2006 will be taking place next Saturday Oct. 21 so register now if you would like to participate. The location this year will be in the U Street Corridor. I don't know what this is all about cause I've never done it before, but it looks fun. If anyone is interested in creating a team, let me know...I dont think I have anything to do that day.
-My friend Lindsay is going to the Markoff's Haunted Forest tomorrow night. AOL City Guide rated it in the top 13 haunts in the USA so I guess that means its entertaining and hopefully scary.
-Last on my list (but certainly not the last thing going on in the area this weekend) is Minus the Bear playing at the Black Cat Saturday (Oct. 14). I'll be there!!! Hopefully my foot will bear with me while I dance to Pachuca Sunrise :)
Have a great weekend people!
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Sometimes when I'm reading my daily news and blogs I find a subject that I find particularly interesting and start researching it. Today my interest was in the DC grafitti artist Borf. I had kind of been following the story after the artist got arrested last summer, but lost touch with it after that. Today I went into more detail about the message that "Borf" was trying to get out. Turns out, "Borf" is an anarchist (a philosophy which seems particularly popular with todays youth). The image of a young boy that is often accompanied with the Borf name is actually the image of a friend the young man who got arrested who had commited suicide several years ago. According to "Borf"'s mother, he saw his friends image as portraying everything he felt was wrong in this world.
Personally, I don't agree with anarchy, but I do admire these people who feel so strongly against our government that they choose not to follow any of its rules. Though a bit of graffiti isn't really going to do much rebelling, it is a unique way of getting out a message and catching people's attention.
Anyways, within the whole Borf search I found an article entitled We're All Borf in the End by Oxford student Claude Willan. The article talks about how the youth of today (Gen X, Gen Y, whatever you want to call us) don't have a single voice representing their generation. Perhaps thats because we are all so different in our ideas or that we have each able to represent ourselves through the power of the internet. I'm not sure if it actually means anything that we can't point to a guy like Abbie Hoffman or Jack Kerouac and say, "See what this guy is saying? THIS is how we feel." So what is really better? To have one person speak for millions or to have millions speak for themselves? Which is the better way to be heard and understood? Its much easier for one individual to be a kind of poster boy or girl for a cause...someone charismatic, good-looking, and well spoken that the press loves to interview. But as we can see more recently, people are paying attention to the blogs...a collective group of anonymous voices. Maybe not having one person represent, but all of us speaking out has and will make the difference that we long for.
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