Wrong Side of Happiness

2004-08-14T19:05:00.000-04:00

2004-03-21T14:33:00.000-05:00

Making a move

It's been a great year here at Wrong Side, but it's time for something new and different. Come visit me over at Malaland.

I'm keeping this site live because I can't figure out how to move the archives from Blogger to Typepad and don't want to lose this last year (yes, I'm an accident waiting to happen).

If someone out there knows how to transfer the files, email me at malaland at yahoo dot com.

2004-03-21T14:32:00.000-05:00

Random, but cool

create your own personalized map of the USA

create your own visited country map

To create your own map, click here.

2004-03-19T15:12:00.000-05:00

Edible art by M&Ms

What can I say .... it's Friday.

2004-03-19T13:18:00.000-05:00

You learn something new everyday

Just in from the Institute of Physics:

Scientists calculate how high heels can go

Sex and the City stars stay upright because h = Q.(12+3s/8) say scientists.

As Sex and the City's Carrie finally wanders off the UK's television screens, physicists at the Institute of Physics (London, UK) have devised a formula that high-heel fans can use to work out just how high they can go. Based on your shoe size, the formula tells you the maximum height of heel you can wear without toppling over or suffering agonies.

h = Q•(12+3s /8)

h is the maximum height of the heel (in cm)
Q is a sociological factor and has a value between 0 and 1 (see below to work this out)
S is the shoe size (UK ladies sizes). This factor makes sure that the base of support is just good enough for an experienced and sober, high-heel wearer not to fall over.

"Although at first glance our formula looks scary" said Dr Paul Stevenson of the University of Surrey who carried out the research for the Institute, "It's actually pretty simple as it's based on the science you learnt at school and which you never thought you would use in real life, in this case Pythagoras' theorem 1 Applying this to shoes can tell us just how high the heel of the foot can be lifted above the ground."

Dr Stevenson went on to describe how 'Q' – the essential sociological factor had been worked out.

"Essentially this part of the formula explains what women have always known – that you don't buy shoes just because they are comfortable, you can afford them and they look good – many other variables come into play"

'Q' is defined as follows:

p•(y+9)•L
Q = ----------------------------------
(t+1)•(A+1)•(y+10)•(L+£20)

The variables are:

p – the probability that wearing the shoes will help you 'pull' (in a range from 0 to 1, where 1 is pwhooar and 0 is stick to carpet slippers). If the shoes are a turn-off, there's no point wearing them.

y – the number of years experience you have in wearing high heels. As you become more adept, you can wear a higher heel. Beginners should take it easy.

L – the cost of the shoes, in pounds. Clearly, if the shoe is particularly expensive, you can put up with a higher heel.

t – the time since the shoe was the height of fashion, in months (0 = it's the 'in thing' right now!). One has to suffer for one's art, and if the shoes are terribly fashionable, you should be prepared to put up with a little pain.

A – units of alcohol consumed. If you're planning on drinking, be careful to give yourself a little leeway for reduced coordination.

So using this formula, if Carrie Bradshaw, who is an experienced high-heel wearer (let's guess at 5 years experience) wears her latest drop-dead gorgeous designer originals when sober, she can cope with a heel height of a staggering 12.5 centimetres (just over 5 inches) [See footnote 2]. However, if she over-indulges in cocktails, the 'safe' heel height (and perhaps also Carrie) plummets. Using the same example as above, if she consumes 6 units of alcohol she would be better advised to stick to shoes with only 2cm heels. [See footnote 3].

Laura Grant, a physicist from Liverpool University welcomes the Institute's new formula commenting, "many of my physicist colleagues have no trouble understanding quantum mechanics but can't figure out how women can wear high heels. Now I can explain to them how I minimise the probability of tripping up".

The Institute of Physics has more fascinating facts on the physics of shoes, including high heels. Just type 'high heeled shoes' into the enquiry box.

Footnotes:

1 Pythagoras' theorem: In a right-angled triangle the square of the hypotenuse (longest side) is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides.

2 In this example, shoe size (s) is 6
p = 1, y = 5, L = £300, t = 0, A = 0 giving a Q factor of 0.88
so heel height is 12.54 cm

3 As above but with A (alcohol) = 6, Q factor falls to 0.15, giving a heel height of 2.01cm

2004-03-18T10:06:00.000-05:00

Nothing like a long walk

People have taken to the streets of DC. Every cab is packed with two or more passengers. Figures on the one day I'm running late for work, there's a fire on the red line. So I walked.

I used to walk to work all the time, but this last year I've taken the metro. I'm turning into a wuss.

How do you get to work?

2004-03-16T10:12:00.000-05:00

Family

Isaura writes me monthly. I immediately recognize her familiar scrawl on envelopes crushed between issues of the New Yorker and Vanity Fair. Sometimes a card flits out and a sober saint will stare up at me off the hardwood floor. Other times I'll find a $10 bill carefully folded in the note. Always her correspondence conveys news of my parents or brothers or distant cousins.

When we speak, the conversation never alters. She asks me how I'm doing. We quickly move on to work. Then she provides an update about her day and news of our relatives. She worries about how much my long distance charges cost. I inform her that the call is free, but she doesn't understand calling plans that provide unlimited minutes after 8:00 p.m. As we say goodnight, her voice thickens with emotion.

I don't phone her enough, although I think of her often. I'm Isaura's only granddaughter.

Today is her 80th birthday. My last surving grandparent is a fount of valuable information - stories of growing up in the Azores, recipes to exotic Portuguese meals, the answer to the confusing maze of our family tree.

When I call later today, I'll dig through the treasure of her memory and encourage a story about a place long gone and its people long past.

2004-03-12T16:19:00.000-05:00

8 Ball

I wish I had the ability to predict the future by asking the right questions.

2004-03-12T12:39:00.000-05:00

Hot off the Presses

Courtesy of TheHill.com tipsheet

The silent treatment

Now that a majority of the Senate went on record supporting the federal assault weapons ban, the focus turns to what House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) will do.

So far, the Speaker has punted to President Bush, who supports extending the ban, but has not publicly called on Congress to act. Hastert aides have suggested that unless Bush does so, there will be no vote on the floor before the 10-year ban expires in September.

Bush is seeking the coveted endorsement of the National Rifle Association (NRA), which declined to endorse then-GOP presidential hopeful Bob Dole in 1996. The NRA stayed neutral in 1996 because of Dole’s shifting stance on the assault weapons ban. Extending the ban may work politically with independent voters, but Bush seems more interested in keeping his conservative base intact.

Look for Bush to secure the NRA’s endorsement by remaining silent on the assault weapons ban.

2004-03-12T11:37:00.000-05:00

Luck of the Irish

What is it about emails that promise financial windfalls that convert reasonable people into morons?

The Irish Friendship Wish has been forwarded to me 11 times already today. And out of those 11 people, only one is an idiot. Truly.

How do these messages permeate cyberspace? WHY do people insist on forwarding these messages? It's a nightmare.

I remember the microsoft email hoax... and the Disneyworld win-a-free-trip message .... and countless others.

Please stop forwarding these chain letters. At the rate I'm going, I'm already guaranteed bad luck for the next 11 years.

2004-03-11T11:10:00.000-05:00

Like a kid in a candy store

I was up til 1:00 a.m. playing with my new toy... ahem, I mean laptop. I downloaded songs off of my favorite albums and burned a few CDs.

I know how I'll be spending most of my time this weekend.

This is going to seem like a really stupid question but:
Why can I listen to the music off my Cd-rom at work, but it won't play on my Discman?

I know there's an obvious answer to this question - either I'm saving the music files with the wrong program or bought the wrong type of CD-R.... but if someone can help, I'll be eternally grateful.

The other day, Jules wrote the greatest post about music. How true she is....

There are specific tunes that cause physical reactions in the listener. And sometimes it isn't a hip song, or a cool band, but something like "Buffalo Stance" by Neneh Cherry.

Who needs a photo album or image gallery when you can have a song?

2004-03-11T09:40:00.000-05:00

Word of the day

Apocryphal adj. 1. Of doubtful authorship or authenticity 2. not genuine; spurious; counterfeit.

I've been under the misconception that the word apocryphal had something to do with the apocalypse (noun: any of Jewish and Christian pseudonymous writings depicting symbolically the ultimate destruction of evil and triumph of good; Specifically the Book of Revelation.) Don't know why aside from the "apoc" start.

These last few days especially, I've felt like a poor imitation of... well.... something... can't quite put my finger on it, but apocryphal seems fitting.

Isn't it funny how, when you're desperately searching for a way to describe something, the perfect word will pop up out of the blue?

My love affair with words began when I heard apropos (adv: at the right time; by the way; used to introduce a remark OR adj: fitting the occasion; relevant; apt) for the first time. The silent "S" thrilled me (yes, I was, and to some extent still am, a geek!). Could any other word ever be as fun to say? Would any other look as lovely?

I've since been enamored by many others. Another favorite is the Portuguese word "saudade" - a word without an exact English translation, but could mean to miss; to pine for; to be sentimental or nostalgic; fate.

Saudade - a beautiful word... such a puny group of letters to embrace a world of meaning.

What's your word-of-the-day? Do you have a favorite word - either because of its meaning or sound?

2004-03-09T11:45:00.000-05:00

Cable vs. DSL

So I finally stepped into the 21st century. I bought a new laptop and am ready to go wireless.

So here's the big question - do I order Cable Hi-Speed Internet OR DSL?

What do you use? Which do you prefer? What do you recommend?

2004-03-05T10:14:00.000-05:00

Things some people do at 2:00 a.m.

This morning, I woke up and groaned, loudly, when it hit me that:
1. I was going to be an hour late for work.
2. I neglected to eat anything last night.
3. I made a date with a random guy I met out at a bar to go see The Passion of Christ (so wrong on too many levels to count).

For 30 seconds of blissful ignorance I was too disoriented to remember that I'd even gone out the previous night.

I tried hard to figure out how I overslept. Did the three alarms not go off? Nope, that's not it - I vaguely recalled slamming my cellphone against the night stand to stop the beeping. Did my subconscious think it was Saturday? No, that's not right either. Was I too tired to care? Yep, I think that's the culprit.

I plodded to the bathroom, and slowly, painfully, accepted the flashbacks of conversations I'd had, and people I'd met, and drinks I'd drunk. Fifteen minutes later, standing in the shower, I felt an urge to pound my head against the yellow tiles lining the walls.

I really am getting too old to get away with rip roaring drunk behavior.

(winces as another snippet pops to mind)

How can something that causes so much fun and joy in the moment, bring on so much regret the next day? And how do I get out of this date without coming across as a total bitch?

2004-03-03T14:44:00.000-05:00

Location vs. size

Congratulations - you're getting a new office!

You have a choice between two lovely spaces at the end of the hall. Do you move into:

* the smaller corner office with windows along 2 walls.
OR
* the supersized office with fluorescent bulbs to provide most of the light.

Does bigger or better situated equate more power? Why?

2004-03-01T17:10:00.000-05:00

Sometimes it's easier to beg forgiveness than it is to ask permission

My grandfather taught me that.

From one week to the next... he was hospitalized, stabilized, and, early on a Tuesday morning, at the age of 85, he died.

I flew cross-country to be with my family for the services. It was astonishing to see so many people, from so many walks of life, come to pay their respect.

I spoke with a frail, elderly man who met my grandfather way back when at the lycee in Portugal; second and third cousins flew to the States from Canada; a group of neighborhood teens sat in a corner, sharing their condolences with my grandmother; the Mayor dropped by for a few minutes and said some words; Catholic priests milled about the funeral home, murmuring prayers in English and Portuguese. At the cemetery, a hundred people stood graveside... I'd only seen so many people at one other funeral - that of a sweet, 23-year-old friend who succumbed to Hodgkin's.

For the first time, I got it - I finally understood the point of a wake. I'd always found the practice disturbing - dressing the dead body in finery, announcing the time and place of the services for anyone to read, and then putting the person on display. It was comforting. And oddly enough, the only time I cried was when my friends appeared, showing their support for my family. I never expected that to happen.

In three weeks I flew to Seattle, flew to Providence, back to Seattle, then returned to DC, only to pack up for Massachusetts to spend time with my grandmother. They were married for 58 years. It's amazing.

2004-02-04T10:47:00.000-05:00

Kids think the craziest things

When I was 5, sitting in my aunt's yellow bright kitchen, I learned a horrible truth - twins shared the same mother, no exceptions.

See up until that day, I thought I was part of a pair.... a twin... and we were special. Walking through Zayres or Almacs grocery store, strangers would stop my aunt or my mom and comment on how cute the twins were.

We dressed in identical outfits - right down to the lace on our bobby socks..... we wore our hair the same way - if my hair was in a long braid, so was hers; if my hair was in ponytails, so was hers; if my hair was in... well you get the picture.

And to top it all off we looked alike, really looked alike - same long brown hair, same brown eyes, same nose, same mouth.... the possibility that we weren't twins was unfathomable.

As I was saying, up until the age of 5 I thought I was a twin. We looked alike, dressed alike, danced to the same music, liked the same Disney cartoons, and even developed a sort of secret language.

But we were very different.

I am older and wiser by three months.... the mastermind. I was the troublemaker, egging her into a life of mischief, all the while turning on the "Who Me?" innocence when questioned by adults. She was the affable, shy one - the sweetie with a heart of gold. I planned our great adventures; she often took the fall.

She has a memory - of us at a wedding - we were flowergirls. I kissed the ring bearer, and gave him my flowers (I guess a sign of my devotion?!?!?!!) but then I desperately wanted my flowers back so I smacked her in the face, grabbed hers, and blamed the ring bearer for the commotion.

I don't remember that incident - but I've seen the pictures.

My grandfather was hospitalized a couple days ago. I leave for Seattle on business this Saturday. I won't return to the east coast for two weeks. I keep thinking, if she were in my shoes, she'd get on the first flight to Massachusetts and sit by his side day and night. If it were her, she'd make family the priority and not work. If she were me there would be no question.

2004-02-02T12:15:00.000-05:00

Prioritizing priorities

You have five workdays. There are four items that absolutely must be complete by 5:00 p.m. Friday. A month ago, you bought tickets to three events scheduled after work this very week.... one of those is a date.

The phones ring continuously - you let all of your calls go to voicemail as you sit at your desk, typing away, while speaking with a co-worker.

Three of those messages are from your mother - she sounds worried because you haven't called in two weeks. But you don't have time to call her back right this second. Maybe later... this afternoon... or after you get home... when you should have more time... if you don't cancel your plans and work late instead.

This last month has been crazy. I haven't felt organized at all. And somehow I've let 1,000 important deadlines pile up and EVERYTHING is due this week (and I mean e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g!).

How do you keep your life in order? I swear I don't know how working moms do it. I'm just taking care of me - flying solo - and I'm buried.

How do you prioritize?

As an aside - here's a big SHOUT OUT to the Patriots for providing suspense and heartstopping anxiety throughout that magnificent Superbowl game! I was hyperventilating and freaking out in those last 10 seconds. Adam Viniatieri ROCKS!

2004-01-30T18:22:00.000-05:00

Blogger credentials

So... part of my job includes credentialing reporters for press passes to cover press conferences and other media events.

This year a lot of "Bloggers" have tried to sign up as reporters, but our criteria doesn't allow for the editor of a personal online website to qualify.

Have any of you fellow bloggers successfully registered for press passes? And if so, do you know where I can find a copy of the credentialing criteria?

It's been the source of a HUGE headache this month - one I'd prefer to eliminate for the rest of 2004.

THANKS!

2004-01-30T12:49:00.000-05:00

Rent in the Big Apple

Did you know it is impossible to find a decent one-bedroom apartment in New York City?

Calling all New Yorkers.... a really good friend of mine is starting a new job in February. He was hired by a financial consulting firm and making lots of $$$$. So what's the problem?

He can't find an apartment.

He relocated from Philadelphia to his family's home in Connecticut. He is desperate... read D-E-S-P-E-R-A-T-E... to find a one bedroom apartment in Manhattan. He's ready to move in immediately.

He's got a realtor and is faithfully reading ads in the Voice. He's also joined some Yahoo Groups, but I thought I'd make a plea on his behalf here.

If you know of anything open, please email me at wrongsideofhappiness AT yahoo DOT com. OR if you have any ideas where he might go for leads... let me know. Thanks!

2004-01-28T17:48:00.000-05:00

Patriots or Panthers

Who's going to win on Sunday night?

My money is on the Pats!

2004-01-28T10:43:00.000-05:00

Weather paranoia

I'd only been living in DC for 6 months when I experienced my first Winter Storm Warning. My then roommate, a senior at George Washington University, phoned into the weather hotline and learned that all classes were canceled the following day. Lucky for her too, since she had an exam scheduled in the morning and had spent the night partying at Tequila Grill instead of studying.

I woke up the next day to bright sunshine. An inch of snow had fallen overnight and the entire city shut down. It was amazing to me - the threat of a snow storm had canceled classes and shut down the city and federal government.

Those were the good ol' days of city government led by Mayor Marion Barry.

I laughed at these silly Washingtonians. These people who, upon hearing of a threat of snow, stampede to grocery stores and clear out water, milk, bread and toilet paper in minutes. I used to giggle at those empty store shelves.

What was the big deal? It's just a little snow.

Eight years later, the city has finally gotten to me. I've turned into one of *those* people. Bob Ryan hints at a swirl of flakes and I start to pray for a snow day. Yes you read correctly - the people of Washington DC are accustomed to snow days.

At the very least, I can count on sleeping a little late and getting into work at 10:00 a.m. instead of 8:00 a.m.. Like today.

Nothing shuts down the government quicker than the threat of inclement weather.

And I wonder, what happened to the girl who drove through inches of gray sludge to get to work in Boston? The girl who faced the angry winds of Syracuse and trudged between 12 foot snow drifts to get to class? I'd look out the window, visibility barely 2 feet, and throw on party clothes for a night of dancing.

Late yesterday afternoon, sitting with friends in the warmth of Biddy Mulligan's, I watched as the pavement went from slick, to icy, to slush. People in parkas and wool hats scurried across and around Dupont Circle - everyone in a hurry to get out of the nasty weather. By 8:00 p.m. the streets were deserted.

What is it about snow that sends everyone home in a panic? And why is a person's first instinct to run to the grocery store and pickup water, milk, bread and toilet paper? I mean, do they REALLY think they'll be snowed in for days and days?

2004-01-27T10:53:00.000-05:00

Taking all bets

The Oscar nominations are in. Who do you think will win on February 29th?

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Johnny Depp - PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL
Ben Kingsley - HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG
Jude Law - COLD MOUNTAIN
Bill Murray - LOST IN TRANSLATION
Sean Penn - MYSTIC RIVER

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Alec Baldwin - THE COOLER
Benicio Del Toro - 21 GRAMS
Djimon Hounsou - IN AMERICA
Tim Robbins - MYSTIC RIVER
Ken Watanabe - THE LAST SAMURAI

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Keisha Castle-Hughes - WHALE RIDER
Diane Keaton - SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE
Samantha Morton - IN AMERICA
Charlize Theron - MONSTER
Naomi Watts - 21 GRAMS

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Shohreh Aghdashloo - HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG
Patricia Clarkson - PIECES OF APRIL
Marcia Gay Harden - MYSTIC RIVER
Holly Hunter - THIRTEEN
Renée Zellweger - COLD MOUNTAIN

DIRECTING
CITY OF GOD
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING
LOST IN TRANSLATION
MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD
MYSTIC RIVER

BEST PICTURE
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING
LOST IN TRANSLATION
MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD
MYSTIC RIVER
SEABISCUIT

WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)
AMERICAN SPLENDOR
CITY OF GOD
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING
MYSTIC RIVER
SEABISCUIT

WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)
THE BARBARIAN INVASIONS
DIRTY PRETTY THINGS
FINDING NEMO
IN AMERICA
LOST IN TRANSLATION

Here are my picks:
Johnny Depp or Sean Penn for Best Actor; Tim Robbins for supporting actor (although Mystic River is not his finest work); Charlize Theron for Monster; Marcia Gay Harden for Mystic River; Peter Jackson for Lord of the Rings; THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING for Best Picture; Seabiscuit for adapted screenplay and Lost in Translation for original screenplay.

And that's all I have to say about that..... for now.

2004-01-27T09:25:00.000-05:00

Lo-Fat vs. Lo-Carb

I've been to Weight Watchers meetings and listened to the propaganda about points and low-fat.... I've read Dr. Atkins's treatise on the benefits of Low-Carb. Dr. Phil is out there telling us all to "just use some common sense." At work, I've interviewed nutrition experts - each defending his or her camp. Is the USDA food pyramid really making us all fat?

What do you think?

Should humans be watching fat intake? Carb intake? Is the weight problem really a matter of physical fitness and not food? What have you tried? What worked? What abysmally failed?

A few years ago when I joined Weight Watchers, I actually GAINED 10 lbs. Although Atkins works for me, it doesn't seem to be the natural way to eat for life. And no matter how I eat, the key to maintaining a normal,healthy weight has been exercise.

2004-01-26T15:44:00.000-05:00

Lost translation across the pond

What does it mean when a British guy describes a female as "cheeky?"

2004-01-26T10:25:00.000-05:00

Predictions on target

Last night I hosted a Golden Globe party. The glittering stars and starlets resembled the decor of the Beverly Hilton - a bit cheesy. Where's the hollywood glam? What the HELL were J Lo's and Nicole Kidman's stylists thinking? And what happened to the tuxedo? Only 1/3 of the men present wore traditional monkey suits.... and too many mimicked Keanu Reeves's mortician look - you know, black shirt, black tie, black suit.

I mean, where was Sting's shirt? Not that the man doesn't look sexy shirtless, but it's supposed to be an honor to be nominated and win one of those golden balls. Al Pacino looked like a little rat with that teeny tiny ponytail and all the whiskers on his face.

But I digress....

2003 was a sad, pitiful year for film. There really weren't many standouts last year. I suppose that's good for Peter Jackson - whose work was FINALLY recognized with two awards: Best Director and Best Film.

The Academy Awards are one month away. Who will walk away with the Oscars? Who were you rooting for last night?

The following is a list of nominees in their respective categories. The winner is highlighted. Did your picks win?

Motion Pictures:
Best Picture, Drama:
Cold Mountain
Mystic River
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Seabiscuit

Best Actress, Drama:
Cate Blanchett, "Veronica Guerin"
Scarlett Johansson, "Girl With a Pearl Earring"
Nicole Kidman, "Cold Mountain"
Charlize Theron, "Monster"
Uma Thurman, "Kill Bill - Vol. 1,"
Evan Rachel Wood, "Thirteen"

Actor, Drama:
Russell Crowe , "Master and Commander: The Far side of the World"
Tom Cruise , "The Last Samurai"
Ben Kingsley , "House of Sand and Fog"
Jude Law , "Cold Mountain"
Sean Penn , "Mystic River"

Picture, Musical or Comedy:
Bend It Like Beckham
Big Fish
Finding Nemo
Lost In Translation
Love Actually

Actress, Musical or Comedy:
Jamie Lee Curtis , "Freaky Friday"
Scarlett Johansson, "Lost In Translation"
Diane Keaton , "Something's Gotta Give"
Diane Lane , "Under The Tuscan Sun"
Helen Mirren , "Calendar Girls"

Actor, Musical or Comedy:
Jack Black , "School of Rock"
Johnny Depp , "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of The Black Pearl"
Bill Murray , "Lost in Translation"
Jack Nicholson , "Something's Gotta Give"
Billy Bob Thornton , "Bad Santa"

Director:
Sofia Coppola , "Lost in Translation"
Clint Eastwood , "Mystic River"
Peter Jackson , "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King"
Anthony Minghella , "Cold Mountain"
Peter Weir , "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World"

Which movie is your frontrunner for the Oscar nod? Is there an amazing film you saw last year that isn't being considered for any awards, but should be? Will Johnny Depp EVER win an award?

2004-01-23T12:12:00.000-05:00

Is there or isn't there?

The President says, "Have no fear, there is no such thing as global warming. It's all a bunch of hooey by tree-hugging, paranoid environmentalists trying to scare the citizens of the world. Look at the northeast - getting the coldest temperatures on record in decades!"

The scientists say, "It's already too late. Global warming is occuring. Now all we can do is lower our carbon emissions and make changes to better manage the rising temperatures."

Who do you think is correct? And why is it turning into a such big deal? Who cares, right?

2004-01-21T19:13:00.000-05:00

Roots

As a little girl, I envied classmates who could trace back their families for generations. The blond with silky long braids lived in a brick house that had been in her family for centuries. She boasted that it was haunted. I would sit at my small wooden desk, chin braced against my palm, and wonder how one person could get so lucky!

All I wanted was to claim a little history of my own... a little American history that is. I could care less about the Portuguese folklore and traditions and festivals. I wanted none of that heritage... what with the shiny shoes, the statues of Mary, the funny food, the heavy red capes worn in processions. I longed for silver tea sets and Pilgrim ancestors, yellowed charters and a past with a lurid tale of passage to the new land on the Mayflower.

Sometime around puberty, I got over it. I had more important things on the brain like boys, cars, parties and getting into college and far, far away from my small-town life in Massachusetts.

One of my colleagues is dating a Portuguese boy. She's meeting his family for the first time and popped into my office for some advice. I called an old friend, put her on speakerphone, and we proceeded to give this poor girl some advice.

Advice like:

Pay lots of attention to the grandmother. She is key to getting in good with the family.
Don't be startled by the shouting and yelling. This is a typical conversation. Get used to it.
The family is close. Trust me - I moved 500 miles away and they STILL manage to know whether I'm having a good day or bad.
The green soup? Go ahead, try it. It's good.
Do not mention that you're an independent, educated, Americana. Instead focus on that time you spent in Portugal when you backpacked through Europe after college.
Better to save all public displays of affection til you're out of eyeshot of the family.
What? You're Episcopalian? Even if his family isn't religious, they're Catholic. Here, tuck these rosary beads into your coat pocket.
When the guys start talking football, they mean futbol - as in Benfica, not the Superbowl.
Better arrive on an empty stomach. Be prepared to consume enormous amounts of food. You don't want to mortally offend your hosts.
When in doubt, smile, nod and keep quiet.

Part II of roots to come tomorrow.

Do you have any quirks that are peculiar to your family or culture?

2004-01-20T13:14:00.000-05:00

Get up and go

I should be raring to go after a relaxing extended weekend. Instead I feel myself shutting down as my fingertip moves down a list of deadlines, people to call, interviews to conduct, reports to write. It's crunch time and I feel like crawling under my down comforter and sleeping for 2 weeks.

Some call it lethargy... others, laziness or procrastination.... Do I call it winter-time blues?

How do you energize when it feels below zero outside? When the assignments are due and presentations are 2 days away, how do you raise your energy level? Caffeine has not been working for me. Any ideas? Is the drop in energy and sense of dread physical? Or is it all just in my head?

2004-01-16T15:58:00.000-05:00

That just about sums up my day

My staff is out sick today. I'm the proud owner of a corner office..... a corner office on a very busy corridor. I typically shut my door when I'm on the phone, but not today. The five offices beside and across from me are empty. They're all home with the flu.

That said, it's been a pretty shitty day. I never realized all the insane requests we get throughout the day.

So it's time for me to count my blessings and cheer up:

a thermomenter in my office to regulate heat
utilities included in my rent so I can sit in an 80 degree room with all the lights on
Lindt hazelnut chocolate balls
Friday Happy Hours - Warming up with martinis and scotch before running home.
the three-day weekend.... thank YOU Martin Luther King, Jr!
the Diet Coke that infuses my veins with caffeine
I'm not sick (I think I'm the only person in my building and the blogosphere that isn't)
ALIAS is finally airing its new episodes
BB King is in DC on Sunday (Let the Good Times Roll)
since no one is in the office today, I can crank up Depeche Mode without being called a bad influence

What are you grateful for?

2004-01-16T11:52:00.000-05:00

Freezing Friday

I'm developing an idea for a heist. Those movies got me thinking.... I mean, I've got a B.S., am relatively savvy, have access to invaluable information on the internet thanks to Google. There's got to be a site on "How to Hack" and "Schematics to Bank Vaults".... it's only a matter of being just a little creative.

Anyway - Why I Hate DC just about killed me this morning with this cartoon. Go say hi to James!

2004-01-15T13:55:00.000-05:00

What color is your parachute?

While Londonmark searches the job market for a position as Jewel Thief Trainee, scientists in France create a new test to foil gem smugglers. Well, not all gem smugglers.... only those individuals looking to illegally import and export emeralds.

I never did like emeralds. If I were to adorn myself in precious stones, I'd go with blue, blue, blue - blue diamonds, sapphires, and lapislazuli.

I own The Italian Job. I bought the DVD for the cars - the adorable Minis that zig and zag across the film. I also like the heist concept.... $27 million in gold bars. If I only knew how to crack a safe.... set an explosive charge.... download schematics to ancient Venetian buildings.... read a map. I'd do it. I'd be a thief by trade.

With the know-how.

Which leads me to - WHERE do you learn this stuff? And do thiefs really go through the elaborate plans we see in movies? I mean, really! Do they?

Think Thomas Crown - he created an elaborate diversion (hired a bunch of Czech thugs, created a Trojan Horse, had it delivered to the Met, stole a helicopter, provided the thugs with explosives) to yank one Monet painting off a wall.

Stupid Question of the Day: Are the heists we pay $10 to see at the cinema based at all on any real-life attempts to steal? Do thieves really go through all of that trouble?

And if you had the know-how, would you turn to a life of crime? Keep in mind, I'm talking elegant robberies here people, not petty crime.

2004-01-14T15:16:00.000-05:00

What's NASA done for me lately?

NASA- someone says NASA and you picture astronauts, vivid images brought to you by the Hubble Telescope, rocket launches.... you may also remember the destruction of space shuttles Challenger and Columbia, the failed Apollo mission, and million dollar satellites that failed to respond to commands from Earth.

I want to take a moment to thank NASA for making my life simpler. Here's a list of items that I can't live without, but don't get much publicity for being associated with the space agency:

the microwave (I'd starve without mine)

smart appliances like automatic coffee makers, blood pressure monitors, and any modern electronic home wiring

smoke detectors

vaccuum cleaner

digital imaging

wireless tools (phones, drills, dust busters, etc.etc.)

handheld calculator

the VCR, CDs, DVDs

miniature electronics components (for cameras, cars, pacemakers, teeny tiny cellphones, PDAs, etc.)

my remote controls (and for you Game Cube players - the joysticks)

the GPS system

Velcro

DirecTV and other TV dishes

equipment used by fire fighters

lasers (now used in laser angioplasty and vision corrective surgery)

Teflon

advanced fabrics (like heat resistant, fire-resistant nonwoven materials)

advanced plastics (used in everything from medical equipment to GLAD food containers)

advanced robotics (some modified to improve mobility for people with disabilities)

For all this and so much more, thank you NASA!

2004-01-14T12:30:00.000-05:00

The heavens above

For as long as I can remember, I've loved the night sky, the stars. Orion is my favorite constellation, followed closely by Cassiopeia.

This week I've been inundated with talk of the Mars Rover Mission and President Bush's big space announcement at 3:00 p.m. EST today. The press conference will reveal Bush's new plan for space exploration - just another clip to add to the stories already on the net.

Who has noticed that Bush's *new* plan is just a revival of his dad's space plan?

My phone's ringing - so I've got to run... but will be back with another NASA post. For the record, I'm all for an increase to NASA's budget.

Who here supports space exploration? Who thinks it's a bunch of hooey? And if so, which government agency would you give NASA's annual $15 billion budget to?

2004-01-13T18:46:00.000-05:00

No

A colleague told me something in confidence today.

She mentioned that, in general, whenever there is unpleasantness that needs to be dealt with, the senior staff tend to toss it in my direction because they know I'll handle it.

An image of a mafioso hitman popped to mind.

Does my employer really see me that way? I had no idea. And is it a good thing? Bad?

Personally, I despise confrontations. Hate them. I like to negotiate and work things out until everyone is happy.

I have, on occasion to enforce work policy, put my foot down and just said "No."

"Sorry, but, NO."

I really, REALLY, wish she hadn't mentioned it.

Is that a good thing or a bad thing? And why didn't I notice it on my own? Is my impression of myself off? Really off? And WHY, of all things, am I really sweating this?

2004-01-13T09:26:00.000-05:00

The 10-minute nosebleed

What's wrong with this conversation?

Blah, blah, blah
Like, your hair is like so straight.
Yah, it's like just like yours.
Like yah, but like darker.
Like, um, so did you like, um, break up?
Well, like, we did for today. Like who knows?
Blah blah blah blah.

Please shoot me and put me out of my misery! How do teachers put up with this nonsense?

I stood beside these two girls on the metro - visions of smacking their heads in an attempt to knock some sense into them floated through my mind. I gratefully exited the train after the second stop.

Guys don't speak like this!

Granted - some guys use a foreign, obscure lingo to communicate, but that male dialect doesn't include the ubiquitous "Like."

Why and how did this word grab such a hold of everyday language?

I'll admit, I'm guilty of scattering "like" throughout a conversation, but not more than once in the same breath!

Anyone out there got a clever strategy on how to eliminate "like" from the English language?

Blah blah blah

2004-01-09T16:47:00.000-05:00

The ultimate saleswoman

On Monday morning I noticed I had just enough blush left in my compact to last the week. On Friday - today - I knew my first stop had to be the Lancome counter at Hecht's.

A handful of flurries swirled in the air at lunchtime. I went out in the bitter cold, ran two blocks and burst through the glass doors of the behemoth downtown store.

Behind the glass cosmetics counter, a woman greeted me with a bright smile.

Lancome Goddess: "Hi. You look different. Did you cut your hair?"

Me: (trying hard to mask my confusion) "Yes I did. I wanted a new look for the new year."

Lancome Goddess: "Well, it looks great. I knew there was something different about you."

Me: Smiled awkwardly and desperately tried to remember the last time I stopped in to buy cosmetics.

Me: "Umm... I'm actually here on my lunchbreak and need to pick-up some blush. Miel Glace?"

Lancome Goddess: "Oh right. I know you won't need any foundation, but how are you doing with pressed powder?"

Me: "Just the blush today, thanks."

I probably visit the Lancome counter once every four months, not often by any standard. Not only did the Lancome Goddess remember my name, she knew the products I used and the colors. Photographic memory? Or perhaps the BEST customer service I've ever encountered.

I walked out of that store feeling like a V.I.P. The little things really do make a huge difference. I felt important, taken care of, and more than a little ashamed for not remembering her name in return.

Have you ever had a salesperson surprise you? Are you accustomed to being ignored and brushed off by salespeople? Or do you get treated like a V.I.P.?

The last time a salesperson paid so much attention on me, I was dropping a small fortune at Best Buy - so I felt entitled to a little kid-glove-treatment because I was paying for it.

I only bought a compact of blush, but the extra thought has turned me into a lifelong customer. I'm going to make sure all my friends visit the Lancome Goddess at the Hecht's store at Metro Center.

2004-01-09T12:53:00.000-05:00

An arthouse all our own

I'm a film junkie.

Shorts, full length feature films, blockbusters, indies, foreign language movies with subtitles, silent pictures, animation - I'm no connoiseur. I love them all.

Today is the grand-opening of Landmark Theatre's eight-screen arthouse on E and 11th Streets, NW.

How excited am I?

I used to watch movies at the Biograph in Georgetown. But CVS bought the building and the theatre closed amid rumours that a cineplex devoted to independent films would open in 2001.

While I patiently waited for the promised arthouse to open, I was stuck viewing artsy-fartsy films in small rooms while squinting at the miniature screens of the Dupont Circle movie theatre. No stadium seating. No surround sound. No extraordinary film experience.

But today, TODAY, three years after the first announcement, it's here! The E Street Theatre is finally open.

And I'm going to see Big Fish.

2004-01-06T12:59:00.000-05:00

Is there anything more beautiful?

I'm definitely a dog person. My childhood includes fond memories of German Shepherds, Saint Bernards, and Siberian Huskies. Even now, I prefer big dogs to tiny, ratlike miniatures - breeds like Akitas, Rottweilers, and Samoyeds.

Definitely a dog person.

Except when it comes to big cats. Years ago, I visited the Secret Garden and White Tiger Habitat at the Mirage in Las Vegas. Instead of buying tickets to the Seigfriend and Roy Cat Extravaganza, I saw Cirque du Soleil and have been kicking myself since.

Getting back to my point - the white tigers are gorgeous creatures. And thanks to Bety, there are 6 more of these rare cats walking the planet.

Are you a dog or a cat person?

2004-01-06T10:34:00.000-05:00

Resolutions

This year I decided not to make any resolutions. I mean, I've had the same list for the past three years: eat healthy, exercise daily, save money, publish something, etc.etc.

See - 2004 is going to be different. If I have to consciously alter the way I'd normally react or break my routines, I want my life to change.

I've always worn my hair long. With the exception of my junior year of college when I kept it in a chin-length bob, it's always been straight, thick and long. A dramatic change for me would be to allow the stylist to cut bangs.

Keeping in the spirit of shaking things up, as I walked to my salon last Friday, I wondered how I'd look in short hair. Before I could change my mind, a cobalt blue ribbon held the 14-inches of hair I was donating to Locks of Love.

I guess it's safe to say that I've resolved to go against the grain, to modify my routines, to change the norm.

What are your resolutions for 2004?

2004-01-05T16:06:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year!

I've got a great feeling about 2004. There is little doubt in my mind that this is going to be one memorable year. Just call it female intuition.

How did you bring in the new year?

Tired of the quiet and low-key house parties of years past, I motivated my friends to get dressed up and party at a gala event. Such a fantastic time.... good food, lots of bars, manageable lines, fun music... there was something for everyone.

People behave differently when they're dressed up. Less debaucherous, more sophisticated. Well... up until 2:00 a.m., when the dance floor shook with men in tuxes and women in gowns boogying it up to Britney's "I'm a Slave 4 U."

Then, on January 1st, a woman from work offered me tickets to Saturday evening's performance of Swan Lake at the Kennedy Center. Free! I'd been trying to buy tickets to that ballet for months!

The costumes were exquisite, the sets were whimsical, and Tchaikovsky was brilliant - as always.

Like I said, I have a feeling this is going to be one hell of a year. At least it's off to a great start.

Did you watch the big apple drop on Dick Clark's Time Square special? Or did you host a soiree for close friends? Or perhaps you decided to go all-out and attend a mega party like me?

2003-12-30T10:14:00.000-05:00

Happy holidays

Sometimes I feel like I have two lives. There's the independent, self-sufficient me that resides in DC, enjoying work, travel and friends. Then there's the me I turn into when I stay with my parents - the dependent me frantically trying to fulfill obligations and unrealistic expectations. The me plagued by guilt.

Is this normal?

You might ask - what has she done to feel guilty about?

Weeeeellllll... let me count the ways....

1. Abandoning my family to pursue a career.
2. Enjoying my work.
3. Not traveling "home" often enough.
4. Not spending enough time with my grandparents.
5. Spending too much time with my grandparents.
6. Missing the opportunity to visit old friends.
7. Visiting with old friends and not spending that time with family.
8. Spending too much money on presents to assuage my feelings of guilt.
9. Not meeting their expectations.
10. Ignoring their expectations.
11. Resenting that I always travel to see them but they never travel to see me.
12. Voicing the unthinkable - I will never, ever return to the "homeland."

That just about covers it.

I had a great time in Massachusetts. I met the newest addition to the family.... my new baby cousin Marissa who is the cutest baby alive. I managed to visit and hang out with 9 of my 21 cousins. I spent quality time with my brother and the folks. I bought my bridesmaid dress. AND hung out with friends.

Was Santa good to you? How was your holiday?

2003-12-19T13:00:00.000-05:00

T.G.I.F.

This week has been hell. Pure H-E-L-L! Everything that could go wrong, did. And for some ungodly reason, all of the pesky little problems managed to land neatly on my lap.

I am ready for a little relaxation.

Maybe in March.

I fly north tomorrow. For all my New England buddies, the plan is to kick off the week in Newport. So if you haven’t made plans for Saturday night, a crew of us will be gallivanting up and down Thames Street, drinking heavily and annoying the natives.

I love traveling to Massachusetts for the holidays. In a seven day period, I manage to visit with over a dozen cousins, do some serious bonding with my brothers and parents, spend serious quality time with my grandparents, and usually get into at least three debates over what I am and am not doing with my life (always fun!). There’s a lot of last-minute treks to the malls (bleagh), last-minute wrapping, and last-minute cooking.

I also get to hang out with old high school friends and college buddies. Always a T-R-E-A-T!

I’m praying to the weather gods to keep Massachusetts and Rhode Island dry for the next week. Send those nasty noreasters elsewhere. At least until I return to DC in 8 days. I’m really not in the mood for a blizzard. Any accumulation over 2 inches is just too much.

2003-12-15T09:46:00.000-05:00

Time to make the big switch

Less than a year after buying my Samsung super-duper camera-phone, it broke. The hinge snapped, disabling the entire phone (shoddy plastic crap exterior that costs $350).

ANYWAAAAAY... I've noticed that other people get phone calls in elevators and subway tunnels, but I never do.

I'm a Sprint customer. Have been for 4 years now. And in general I have no complaints... it's not like I often travel to West Virginia where I get no signal at all. I would like to get a signal in the subway though.

So I'm looking to switch providers.

I've heard so many rumors about who provides the best coverage (Verizon? AT&T?), the best phones (T-mobile), most options (Nextel) - it's a confusing place, this mobileland. So I thought I'd go to the source - the users.

What service do you have? Are you satisfied with it? Would you recommend it? Right now my phone does everything but cook - camera with flash, internet access with a bright color screen, assigned rings for particular people. Should I stay with Sprint? Should I suck it up and replace my superphone with another Samsung? Or is there a better service company out there?

2003-12-11T15:50:00.000-05:00

M.I. Incorporated

My friend Patrick covered the white walls of his studio apartment with copies of Edward Munch's work. The reproduction of The Scream hung above the plaid Ikea couch.

That couch... we would waste a cloudy Saturday afternoon drinking Harp on M Street. Then, hours later, would return to his apartment where he'd encourage one of us to lie on the couch and reveal some imaginary problem to the "Good Doctor." He named his practice M.I. Incorporated.

Funny how we have so little control over the random memories that pop into our heads.

2003-12-11T11:53:00.000-05:00

Global warming

Six years ago this month, more than 150 countries agreed to control the Earth's greenhouse gases at a conference in Kyoto, Japan. One of Bush's first moves as President was to withdraw the United States from the treaty.

Despite reports released by Environmental Protection Agency, the World Health Organization, environmental groups and scientific organizations, The White House denies that human interference is the cause of an increase in the Earth's temperature.

In fact, although the US has no federal policy on global warming, the States have taken matters into their own hands.

Here is a sample of this week's headlines:

* Global Warming Threatens World's Ski Resorts

*Climate Change Blamed for some 150,000 Deaths

* A Flake-free Christmas

* Inuit People Launch Human Rights Case Against Bush Claiming Extinction Because of Global Warming

* Insurer Warns that Premiums Will Rise as Global Warming Continues

* Global Warming: 2003 Blows Hot - 3rd Hottest Year on Record

* US Researchers Try to Bury Gas Causing Global Warming

* Will Global Warming Cool Europe?

Should the United States have a federal policy regarding global warming? Or is this campaign the result of a bunch of fatalistic wackos making a mountain out of a molehill?

2003-12-11T11:28:00.000-05:00

Car alarms

Raise your hand if those annoying sirens interrupt your day? Raise your hand if you live in New York City?

The New York City Council will hold a hearing early in 2004 to determine whether or not to silence those pesky bells and whistles for good.

I'm hoping Washington, DC has the good sense to follow suit.

I can deal with fire trucks tooting horns (god speed); ditto with ambulances and police cars.

But those bloody car alarms.... every night, one or two car alarms go off around midnight and it drives me crazy. In the summer, I'll have friends over up on the roofdeck. We'll enjoy a lovely supper and swim in the pool. And just when everyone's relaxed and happy, an anti-burglary device will shatter the tranquil atmosphere.

And they don't work. Who has ever dialed 9-1-1- upon hearing a car alarm go off? What's the point?

All those in favor of tossing all car alarms in the Pacific, say Ayyyyyyyyyyyye!

2003-12-10T19:16:00.000-05:00

Wishlist

My friend J is being shipped out right before the Christmas holiday. Another friend, working for a defense contractor, left before Thanksgiving. That brings the total count of people I know in Iraq to a baker's dozen. I'm afraid before this mess is over, everyone I know will be working in the Middle East in one capacity or another.

Somewhere between breaking the news of his assignment and our saying goodbye, the topic of Santa Wishlists came up.

Santa, if you can hear me, or if you read blogs, this is what I want for Christmas this year:
1. An unlimited pass to fly anywhere in the world free of charge. To expire Christmas night of 2004.
2. The courage to leave my job so I can use my unlimited flying pass to visit all of my loved ones who live so far away.
3. Resolve to finally replace all of my bad habits with less-bad habits.
4. The audacity to attempt a living as a photographer and exhibit my photos *somewhere*.
5. The ability to think of a person and relieve them of their anxiety or fear or doubt for a 24-hour period. (this gift would also expire on Christmas of 2004 because I'll probably be worn out by then and I'm sure someone, somewhere will request this superpower)

Oh - and if there's any room left in that bright red bag of yours, a loft-apartment in downtown DC would be really SWEET!

Anyway - what do YOU want from Santa? Better yet - do you think you've been more naughty, or nice this year?

2003-12-08T17:48:00.000-05:00

Noise control

The condominium I live in was built in 1963. There are about 25 residences on my floor - 250 apartments in the building. Although the walls are constructed with reinforced concrete, people are fairly considerate about noise - forewarning neighbors if there's a party planned, keeping the volume down after 10:00 p.m., that sort of thing.

I sleep with the window open. Police and fire sirens lull me to sleep. By summertime when noisy, drunk, 20-somethings, coming from or going to Georgetown, yell back and forth to each other at 3:00 a.m., the window is shut and I'm breathing to the hum of my air conditioner. So it's no big deal.

Last night, I had a rude awakening. My new neighbor started yelling (berating, criticizing, screaming) at his significant other at midnight. MIDNIGHT! The argument didn't die down until after 3:00 a.m.

Of course, the most troubling part, is that this brute verbally crucified his lady friend for the better part of THREE hours. She never once raised her voice to him. How do human beings put up with verbal abuse?

Then there's the whole sleeplessness on my part - lieing there; hoping he'd just shut up or she would get fed up and leave or kick him out; praying he wouldn't hurt her in a fit of rage; wondering whether or not I should phone the security desk downstairs; wondering why no one else had notified security as I pondered the best move.

This couple moved into that apartment a month ago. I haven't formally met either of them, but think I've seen him in the elevator a few times.

If they go at it again, do I notify security? Do I buy ear plugs?

I don't want to turn into some nosy neighbor, but the guy is LOUD.... three hours of angry screaming loud. And I certainly don't want to turn this into a tit for tat - because I tend to throw soirees in the summer and things occasionally get loud.

What would you do?

2003-12-08T11:43:00.000-05:00

Change

This past weekend, a man I consider to be wise and sensible, told me that -

Great change can only come from great conflict.

I'm sure he borrowed this axiom from someone else... it just sounds like a phrase that has been around for a while. But is it true?

Is it possible for a person to wake up one morning and change overnight .... just as a matter of course? On a whim? Do struggle and stress have to be a part of the equation?

And does a great conflict necessarily guarantee some kind of change?

2003-12-05T16:09:00.000-05:00

Secret Santa

The division I work in is a lot of fun, with lots of uber-creative and generous people. This year, in addition to our own private holiday party; volunteering with local shelters and food kitchens; and the annual Christmas Gift exchange, we're doing "Secret Santa."

I need some help.

The dollar limit is $25. Meaning that over the course of 2 weeks, I'm supposed to bring holiday cheer and inspiration to a fellow employee with a budget of $25!!! TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS!

I can't properly decorate an office on $25 much less make it stretch over 10 workdays.

The purpose of "Secret Santa" is to spread cheer, joy and happiness through *small* gifts and gestures without revealing who you are to said individual. The big unveiling occurs at the Holiday Party.

To kick things off, I'm going to come in on Sunday to put lights and tinsel in her office. (she's an early riser and gets into work by 6:30 am each morning... there's NO WAY I'd beat her into work.... and I'm not a huge fan of working too late - can't let my other co-workers witness my covert decorating.) If I'm feeling overly ambitious, I'll wrap her door in holiday scenes, topped off with a huge bow. Believe it or not, I already have most of this stuff at home.

So I've got Day 1 all set.

And am feeling entirely uncreative.

My colleague is stressed out right now with multiple deadlines coming up at the beginning of January. She's mid-30's, married with the most adorable little boy.

I was thinking little aromatherapy candles, some nice lotion and maybe bath oil/salt. But with a $25 budget, that would be difficult to pull off without completely blowing the bank.

Any suggestions from the peanut gallery? Why am I being so lame? I can't think of anything!

2003-12-05T10:37:00.000-05:00

Who's got it easy?

Last night, following the lighting of the National Christmas Tree, a crew of us got comfortable on some plush velvet sofas and dished on the sexes over scotch and martinis.

Two of the guys were recently dumped (OUCH!) and feeling a little shy about diving back into the single arena.

We broke into two camps at the end - those who thought it easier for a girl to ask a boy out. And those of us who felt the guys had a far greater chance of successfully asking a girl on a date.

The debate went on and on and on - with no camp declaring victory.

What do you think?

2003-12-04T13:12:00.000-05:00

Loose lips

My best friend recommended I read Claire Berlinski's first stab at a novel, Loose Lips. It was okay - not great, but not bad ... a quick read.

She raved about it, in part, because I'm a huge fan of the spy/espionage genre.

Alias is one of my favorite television shows. I'm embarrassed to admit that I make a concerted effort to be home in time to watch it - thank god it's on a Sunday and not at 9:00 p.m. on Friday.

I'm the proud owner of the entire James Bond 007 Collection (even the crap "unofficial" versions), as well as numerous spy movies like The Avengers, Mission Impossible, The Saint, The Spy Game, Bourne Identity, Hunt for Red October, Clear and Present Danger, and The Man Who Knew Too Much, among other classics.

I get into a mood and will devour books by Dan Brown, John le Carre, Catherine Coulter, Clive Cussler, Jack Higgins, Iris Johansen, and Daniel Silva. It's my guilty pleasure.

And, here in DC, I laugh - when I'm out with friends, sitting in a bar, and overhear some schmuck dressed in a cheap JC Penny suit say that he works for the "Department of State".... all the while knowing that the naive interns sitting at his table are now under the impression that he's CIA. Life just isn't that glamorous. I wish - but it just ain't so.

Why do people impersonating agents always say they work for the State Dept.? Why not Transportation? Or Labour? At least Berlinski got creative and placed her agents at the Department of Agriculture.

And why do we get a thrill, a charge, when we think there are agents among us? In reality it's a messy business. What exactly is it that captivates us?

2003-11-26T10:53:00.000-05:00

Giving thanks

For everyone hitting the road today - please drive safely and get to the airports early. Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Most of my extended and my immediate family live in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. I'll be in DC tomorrow because I decided to splurge my accrued vacation days on the Christmas holiday instead.

While my aunts and uncles, first cousins and their spouses, brothers, grandparents and parents join together for what is sure to be a sumptuous meal of turkey and traditional Portuguese fare, I'll be chatting with them on the phone while I make my rounds here.

Far from what one thinks of when Thanksgiving pops to mind - I'll be arriving to a brunch armed with mimosas and eager to watch the Macy's Parade; then riding the metro to Bethesda for a Thanksgiving lunch of Chinese delicacies; wrapping the day by meeting some friends from NYC out for drinks. Far from traditional, but guaranteed to provide the requisite holiday cheer.

It can't compare with joining my brothers in cheering my cousin on as he leads his team to football victory tomorrow morning. Or helping my grandmother make her famous turkey stuffing. Or setting a dining room table with the *good China*. Or sitting beside my grandfather on the couch, stroking his hand as he recounts stories of growing up in Portugal.

But it will be special.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

2003-11-25T12:16:00.000-05:00

Remembering a birthday

John F. Kennedy, Jr. would have celebrated his 43rd birthday today. Tonight I'll toast his memory with a glass of scotch.

An alternate reality might find the heir to Camelot celebrating over a quiet dinner with family, or perhaps, hosting a campaign fundraiser, raising money for his Presidential campaign. After all, his dad was 43 when sworn in as the 35th President of the United States.

Meanwhile, this past weekend, thousands of people commemorated JFK's assassination by gathering where his motorcade wound through downtown Dallas 40 years ago. What is it about those Kennedy's that still stirs so much interest?

For me - the answer is simple. Teddy has been my Senator my entire life (until I recently relinquished my cherished Mass. State license for its DC counterpart). Growing up in Massachusetts, the family always fascinated me.... a kind of morbid mystique.

Just for fun, out of curiosity, do you think John John would be running as a democratic hopeful? How would that have changed the face of the campaign - if at all?

2003-11-24T13:05:00.000-05:00

Hitting the pavement

Unemployment is not a funny business. Daily, I listen to reports on improved consumer confidence, decreased unemployment, a new-and-improved economy.

What do you think about that?

I have a temporary position available in my department that pays about $10.00/hour. The individual that fills this opening needs to be proficient in Photoshop and various graphic arts/database computer programs. It's an administrative position.

I've interviewed three people this morning. One woman, graduated from an Ivy League school the year I did, has an advanced degree, and is interviewing for a data entry temp. job?

Most of my friends and family are employed. Some aren't thrilled about the positions they're in and the lack of mobility in their areas, but the paycheck comes in every Friday. I also know people who have been unemployed for over a year, and not for lack of trying to find a job.

I wonder which is more true - the statistical reports touting a revived economy or the pile of resumes from candidates overqualified for the position available.

2003-11-21T17:35:00.000-05:00

Reward if Found

I didn't know it was missing, until I realized it was gone. Has anyone seen my sense of humor?

2003-11-21T15:11:00.000-05:00

Just another theory

Kathy Fowler of WJLA TV - ABC News 7 here in DC reported on a new disorder yesterday named, "Sleep Eating."

These people go to bed with a refrigerator full of food, only to wake up and discover they've eaten a frozen turkey while they were sleeping.

"Frantic, uncontrolled eating in the middle of the night, while you're still sleeping. Millions of Americans sleep eat. A person can have several episodes in one night and not remember a thing."

What's up with this? Is this just another excuse for over-eating? Do any of you suffer from an as-yet-undiagnosed eating disorder?

I'm addicted to mini-M&M's. I just can't. say. NO! What would I call that? What would you call that?

2003-11-21T11:40:00.000-05:00

The twilight zone

The alarm rang at 5:45 a.m. I hit snooze, dozed for 15 minutes, and the clock went off again at 6:00 a.m. Very routine - this scene occurs every weekday morning.

So imagine my surprise, when I rolled on my mattress to look at the time, aware that the room was bright and toasty warm, to see the numbers 9:24 flash before my eyes. (INSERT HERE: The scene from Home Alone when Macauley Culkin splashes after shave on his face).

I woke up convinced it was Saturday and arrived to work 3 hours late. I've never done that before.

It's just going to be one of those days!

2003-11-20T11:42:00.000-05:00

The master and the apprentice

I commiserate with Luke Skywalker.

In 1st grade, I was terrified to string a series of original words together. I preferred to copy out of a book or to use my parents' suggestions. By the 4th grade, I dreaded the creative writing class that occurred once a week, replacing reading comprehension lessons.

I was fearless in the face of many assignments - make me diagram a phrase on the chalkboard in front of 30 classmates (no sweat), ask me to identify the theme of a short story (piece of cake), assign ten pages to copy as a penmanship exercise (a snap).

But invite me to create a scene that's all my own - to create a character and put him or her or them in a setting of my choosing and then make them do something? It was so overwhelming, the choices, the decisions, the assignment was daunting. I would agonize over how to start, how to end, where to go, what to name. It was too much!

I'd slide low in my seat, praying- begging- negotiating with God that I'd do ANYTHING if Mrs. Squawker would pick the student in front of me, beside me, or behind me instead.

This dread feeling stayed with me through elementary school (I can't write), through junior high (when there's always the one girl in class who steps up and claims the title "writer" for herself - surely there can be only one), through high school (my aunt would harass me to stop filling my journals with nonsense and encourage me to write for the school paper or the church newsletter or an award-winning first novel) and into college.

Until a work-study job had me mail tear-sheets of the student newspaper to advertisers. I read the drivel the student writers published day-in-day-out and spent my 3 work-study hours criticizing every article on every page. My supervisor bet me that I couldn't do better. Never one to back down from a challenge, I accepted (well.... I was a poor college student and it was easy money in my eyes).

I wrote. I was published. I was proud. I was in awe that I'd wasted so much time worrying about how I'd ever string together the right words to create something someone else could read and understand. Now don't get me wrong - it wasn't Pulitzer Prize winning material, it wasn't great, hell- it wasn't even very good. But it was a start.

Now, almost 14 years later, I spend most of my waking hours writing. I fill the blank pages of journals, the virtual page of the internet, and meet deadlines for work everyday.

This is where Obi Wan comes in - my brilliant editor. Every time I feel a little high and mighty, like I've reached that mythical point where there's nothing left to edit, she swings, she hits and I fall back down where I belong. It's a humbling experience. But I learn more from her than I ever did from classes or the writing books that line the reference section of Barnes and Noble.

I hope you all find a wise Jedi knight to guide your way. The person who reminds you of your strengths, while pointing out your faults. May the force be with you!

UPDATE
And then I read someone like the brilliant Jules and hope that someday I'll come up with something half as good.

2003-11-19T13:11:00.000-05:00

Clearing the fog

Last night I watched Donnie Darko for the first time. It wasn't what I expected at all. I enjoyed it - a lot - though I hadn't the foggiest idea what the film was about. Was the rabbit a figment of his imagination or a person? Did he really travel through time or was it all a dream? What was the point of Drew Barrymore's character?

I reacted this same way to one other film - 2001: A Space Odyssey. I've seen this movie so many times and always come away feeling like there's a towel over my head. The cinematography is fantastic, the score is wonderful, but I still have no idea what it's about. Who is the baby at the end of the film?

Does anyone want to shed some light on my confusion? Do any of you have any theories or ideas about the meaning of these films? Am I being dense?

2003-11-18T09:16:00.000-05:00

What is happiness?

What makes you happy? What would make you happy? How do you know when you're happy?

How do you define happiness?

UPDATE

Hap' pi ness noun 1. favored by circumstances; lucky; fortunate 2. having, showing, or causing a feeling of great pleasure, contentment, joy, etc.; pleased 3. exactly appropriate to the occasion, suitable and clever; apt; gratification; felicitous.

Last night, the phone rang as I tossed and turned in bed, trying to fall asleep. For all of 5 seconds, I considered letting the caller go to voicemail, but then thought "I can't sleep anyway so I may as well see who it is." Phone calls after midnight were once a common occurrence. But not anymore. Not lately.

It was an old college friend of mine. He'd been out with clients, gallivanting in NYC causing all sorts of mayhem, and decided a late-night-dialie would be the best way to end the evening.

We spent an hour talking about ... happiness. Was I happy? Was he happy? Did our work make us happy? What was happy? He reminded me that I was so far removed from where I thought I'd be today. So far.

I remember climbing the three flights of stairs to the top apartment of a townhouse I shared with my best friend. Well, climbing is the neat and tidy version... crawling is probably more accurate. I'd enter the railroad apartment, turn right into the spacious living room and collapse on the ratty blue loveseat. Four hours later the sunlight streaming through the bay window would pierce my eyelids. I'd become aware of a dull ache that would soon turn into a jackhammer throbbing headache.

By 9:00 a.m. I'd be seated in front of a computer monitor, reading an email detailing the evening's upcoming activities, popping Advil like candy and drinking from a super tall paper cup filled with steaming hot coffee. I'd think that there had to be more to life than going out to bars with friends, party hopping, then showing up at work each morning to do "nothing important" only to collect a pay check that I'd spend on rent, student loans and going out with friends. I enjoyed going out, getting calls, being a serial dater, labeled the social director, but I'd be really happy when I finally got the opportunity to do meaningful work.

Now I do meaningful work. I work a lot - no more 9 - 5 (10 - 4) hours. I paid my dues and now love what I do. But last night I was thinking, gee I want to shake things up. Enter the vortex of chaos again. I'd be really happy if I could get the crew together again and go out on the town the way we used to. We had so much FUN! I was so happy back then.

And then he reminded me that I hadn't been. I kept longing for the routine life I have now.

Is happiness real or a figment? Do we have vague impressions of what happiness is? Or is it just me? Will I ever be satisfied?

Which brings me back to - what is happiness? Maybe it's just a moment. A moment of clarity... a moment of sharing... a moment of being loved unconditionally... a moment of feeling the wind whip your hair back, your stomach drop, the speed of the ride you're on turn your body this way and that. Maybe it's not a state of mind, or a life condition.

Maybe I need to settle for the moment that pops up every now and then, instead of the state of being I've been striving towards. Or maybe some people just aren't capable of being happy. Ever.

2003-11-14T16:10:00.000-05:00

Choice picks from the blogosphere

Thank you, thank you, thank you all for making such wonderful suggestions! After work today I'm stopping at the Barnes and Noble in Georgetown to pick up some of these reads.

Readers' Recommendations
J. G. Ballard, Super Cannes
John Barnes, Finity
John Barnes, One for the Morning Glory
Sylvia Browne
Bill Bryson, The Lost Continent: Travels in Small-Town America
Bill Bryson, In a Sunburned Country
Bill Bryson, The Mother Tongue
William S. Burroughs
Raymond Carver, Where I'm Calling From
Jennifer Crusie, Fast Women
Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
Jonathan Edwards
William Gibson
Glen David Gold, Carter Beats the Devil
Shirley Hazzard, The Great Fire
Shirley Hazzard, The Transit of Venus
Bill Holm, The Heart Can Be Filled Anywhere on Earth: Minneota, Minnesota.
Anne Lamott
C.S. Lewis
Ian McEwan, Atonement
Kent Meyers, The River Warren
James Morrow, Only Begotten Daughter
James Morrow, Towing Jehovah
Kathleen Norris, Dakota: A Spiritual Geography
Tim O'Brien, The Things They Carried
Daniel Quinn, Ishmael
Mary Doria Russell, The Sparrow
Carl Sagan, Demon haunted world: Science as a candle in the dark
Leonard Schlain, The Alphabet Versus the Goddess
David Sedaris, Holidays on Ice
David Sedaris, Talk Pretty One Day
Simon Singh, The Code Book
Rex Stout, The Doorbell Rang
Mark Twain, The Bible According to Mark Twain
Kurt Vonnegut, Cat's Cradle
Sarah Vowell
Connie Willis, To Say Nothing of the Dog
Alex Witchel, Me Times Three

2003-11-14T15:22:00.000-05:00

The problem with boredom

I've been bored all week. My posts reflect that.... you know, that general feeling of ennui and lethargy.

There's no cause... no specific event that turned on the sluggishness.

In fact, I've been working out, spent a relatively active week meeting new people and have been busy with work. But there isn't anything I want to capture, nothing special to be recorded, no presumption that needs testing.

I promise I'll do better next week. I'll try a little harder and write something worth reading. Or else, what's the point?

2003-11-14T13:57:00.000-05:00

SPAM

Each day, I visit my email inboxes and delete, on average, between 150 - 500 emails a day. A DAY! It's such a waste of time.

Why does spam exist? Don't these marketing geniuses realize that most people, 99% it seems, DON'T read their messages.

Who has a solution that will eliminate spam forever?

Below is a random sample of the goodies that populate my emailbox.

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2003-11-14T11:47:00.000-05:00

Wackos who populate the planet

The Raelians claim to discover the secret to eternal youth.

Raelians? you might ask.

You know, the wackos that announced to the world they had cloned a few human babies, only to refuse independent physicians to examine the pregnant women or the "cloned humans."

I guess on the bright side, CNN has stopped reporting on this controversial cult's discoveries. For a full report, go visit This is London.

Here's a question for you - would you want eternal youth?

2003-11-14T11:24:00.000-05:00

The unconscious

Leapfrog::plastic children's pool
Co-workers::camraderie and support
Mustang::1967 Shelby GT 500
Wafer::Vanilla Wafers
Nicotine::Marlboro Ultra Lights in a box
Fast food::McDonald's happy meal toys
Suffocate:: gagging on a plastic bag
Myth::Avalon
Lane::Underwood - my first home
Unexpected::a surprise party

How do these associations pop to mind? How do words and phrases have power to trigger a snapshot, a snippet of memory, a distinct flavor or aroma?

2003-11-13T16:43:00.000-05:00

What's better than....

Pictures of You by The Cure?

2003-11-13T10:17:00.000-05:00

Do you believe in magic?

I grew up watching televised specials of Doug Henning's magic tricks. Mom would make jiffy pop and we'd settle around the tv and see *magic*.

Then came the brooding, dark haired David Copperfield. I was distraught when he made the Statue of Liberty disappear, thinking I'd missed my big chance to visit the famous landmark. I gasped when he tackled the Boeing 747 - one second it was there, the next second *poof*. Gone.

Now here's David Blaine and I just don't get it. He's been buried alive, encased in ice, then stood on a platform in Central Park. How is this magic?

Oh, but he does levitate.

Blaine's last stunt, hanging out in a suspended glass box for 44 days in London, didn't go over so well with those Brits. Now doctors are using his case to study the effects of malnutrition and starvation .

Professor Jeremy Powell-Tuck of the London Independent Hospital says, "Blaine said that the trick was in there being no trick. I was cynical but when I saw the phosphate drop, I was pretty convinced. I don't think any illusionist can fake that."

Is that stunt really considered *MAGIC*? I think magic, I think of a disappearing act, a miraculous escape, objects flying through the air unaided by string or other visible devices.

What is magic to you?

2003-11-12T13:35:00.000-05:00

Some days I can be such a bitch

Everyone of my friends and family know I write. They know in addition to writing, I edit. So, there are days when I'll open my inbox to find a research paper written by my 17-year-old cousin that needs proofreading. Or a mid-term report from my dad that needs to be edited down and reformatted. Or a story that needs to be fleshed out before the "real writing" begins.

One thing I hate, truly despise, is getting a message that reads "Tell me what you think" with an attachment that is not only incomprehensive, but runs rampant with factual error. The unspoken assumption is that I'll rewrite it... because I care about the person.

WRONG

A few emails shoot back and forth. Instead of responding in a calm and mature manner, I completely lose my head and write back that not only is the paper a piece of trash, but the individual is stupid. STUPID! A fourth grader could do a better job.

I don't offer much in constructive criticism - preferring to cover the word document in bold red marks, slashing out words and paragraphs, before sending it back with the message, "Don't waste my time."

And now I feel awful - although I don't understand why the person lied to me, saying the attachment was a 3rd draft (when it so obviously was thrown together without making any sense).

I could have handled things better. I might have taken the high road. I should have stopped at the fourth email reply.

I know my friend thinks I completely overreacted... that I was way out of line for making it personal by throwing insults. I did apologize for the "Stupid" remark - but it doesn't help that I know I never should have made that comment in the first place.

(insert intense frustration here)

Tell me something came up. Tell me you didn't understand the assignment. Tell me a study buddy didn't do their share of the work. Tell me anything but "that's the best I can do."

Because that's an insult to you and me.

2003-11-11T16:49:00.000-05:00

Who puts these lists together?

The staff at Men's Journal compiled a list of the 50 Best Guy Movies of All Time.

In the top 10 are (borrowed from the Men's Journal site):

1 DIRTY HARRY 1972
Clint Eastwood shoots first and asks questions later, creating the most politically incorrect hero in movie history. With his ever ready .44 magnum, Clint brings unreconstructed frontier justice to criminal-coddling San Francisco, becoming a role model for law-and-order conservatives everywhere. Ronald Reagan even took his best line ("Make my day") from Sudden Impact, a later Dirty Harry film. Best Line "You have to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?"

2 THE GODFATHER 1972
"What is it with men and The Godfather?" wonders chick-flick princess Meg Ryan in You've Got Mail. Tom Hanks responds for us all: "It is the I Ching. It is the sum of all wisdom." Francis Ford Coppola's mob opera is the modern guy's indispensable guide to surviving with honor in a dog-eat-dog world. Key Scene How can anyone choose? The horse head in the bed? Sonny's murder? Michael shooting the cop in the restaurant? We know every one backward and forward. Best Line "Don't ever take sides with anybody against the family again." "I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse." "Leave the gun; take the cannolis." There are millions of them.

3 SCARFACE 1983
An unapologetic assault on everything decent and honorable -- and that's why we love it. Al Pacino's Tony Montana makes his Michael Corleone look and sound like Mr. Rogers. Nothing beats the film's coke-fueled mobster wisdom. Lines like "First you gotta make the money... then you get the power, then you get the woman" set the tone for a whole generation of gangsta rappers. Key Scene One word: chainsaw. Best Line "Say hello to my leetle friend."

4 DIE HARD 1988
Forget all the great action scenes this film has -- the best moments are when underdog Bruce Willis kicks the snobby Eurotrash villains' asses without ever losing his all-American sense of humor. The scene where the German villain gets his comeuppance for trying to use the word "cowboy" as an insult resonates more today, though it'd be even better if the guy were French. Key Scene Bruce crashes through the window hanging from the firehose. Best Line "Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker!"

5 THE TERMINATOR 1984
Arnold Schwarzenegger was originally offered the human lead, but he realized that a killer robot from the future was the role he was really born to play. "There is a little bit of the Terminator in everybody," director James Cameron observed. "He operates completely outside all the built-in social constraints." Key Scene Any qualms about rooting for a malevolent robot vanish when he vaporizes a tacky L.A. dance club. Best Line "I'll be back."

6 THE ROAD WARRIOR 1981
Along the endless highways of the Australian outback the loner hero of western and samurai fame gets a futuristic face-lift from Mel Gibson's leather-clad Mad Max. The film has it all: punk-rock marauders, a razor-edged boomerang, postnuclear angst, and high-speed demolition-derby car battles, plus just the right amount of mythic uplift to put it over the top. Key Scene When Wez, the deranged Mohawk man, erupts over the hood of Max's truck, it's a "boo" shot for the ages. Best Line "You want to get out of here, you talk to me."

7 THE DIRTY DOZEN 1967
Forget Catch 22: World War II gets its true sixties makeover when Lee Marvin trains a bunch of prison rats and turns them into a squad of stone-cold killers tough enough to make Americans, whether redneck or hippie, proud as hell. The cast is a macho who's who: Jim Brown, Charles Bronson, Ernest Borgnine... Telly Savalas! A true believer is anyone who's seen it a dozen times. Key Scene Jim Brown's heroic death sprint, a feat of open-field running -- while tossing hand grenades -- that beats anything he ever did with the Cleveland Browns. Best Line "You've got one religious maniac, one malignant dwarf, two near-idiots, and the rest I don't even wanna think about!"

8 THE MATRIX 1999
This cyberpunk epic signaled a new kind of male hero, the tough-guy computer geek, and Keanu Reeves makes a most excellent digital superdude. By setting the nonstop action in cyberspace the Wachowski brothers are able to supercharge all the fights with gravity-defying wire fu and some amazing breakthrough CGI. Key Scene Neo's airborne subway station showdown with the heinous Agent Smith. Best Line "There is no spoon."

9 CADDYSHACK 1980
Rodney Dangerfield, Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, and an animatronic gopher named Chuck E. Rodent make mincemeat of your old man's snooty pastime. It took 20 years and the arrival of Tiger Woods to make the game seem cool again. Key Scene Rodney in excelsis at a high-tone country club soiree bellowing "No offense!" to the horrified diners. Best Line "Hey, everybody, we're all gonna get laid!"

10 ROCKY 1976
A blue-collar anthem for the ages, as lunkhead from the neighborhood makes good because he can absorb a surreal amount of punishment. The sequels fudged the fable with too many sappy clichŽs, but the original lays it on the line. Working guys embraced Sylvester Stallone as a punch-drunk Great White Hope, often bloodied but still unbowed. Key Scene Sly on the steps of Philly's Museum of Art, doing his bouncy victory dance. Best Line "All I wanna do is go the distance."

What else do you predict will appear on the Top 50 List? Is there a film that SHOULD have made the Top Ten and didn't?

For the complete list of movies, you'll have to pick up the December 2003 issue on newsstands.

2003-11-11T09:59:00.000-05:00

Reading recommendations

There are 8 bookcases in my apartment, overflowing with books. I've read most of them.

There's a tottering stack of unread novels and biographies beside my bed. Ahab's Wife, Moby Dick, Girl With A Pearl Earring, The Misunderstood Presidency of Bill Clinton, Natural-Born Cyborgs, The Trust, America's First Multimillionaire, The Red Dancer, ..... Last night I wasn't in the mood to read any of them.

I'm looking for some fresh story ideas. What are some of your favorite books? Have you read something that stayed with you for a long time? What was it? What authors do you cherish?

I desperately need reading suggestions!

2003-11-10T13:11:00.000-05:00

Random argument on a Monday morning

So... I'm drinking my coffee, reading the news, sifting through emails, and half listening to a pal of mine when I catch the words, "the potato famine was one of the most important events in history."

To prove a point, I was wondering how many of you could tell me (without Googling it):
1) When the potato famine occurred?
2) What WAS the potato famine?
3) Whether or not you believe it was one of the top 25 events in all of history.

2003-11-10T09:42:00.000-05:00

How is this not a gender issue?

Angela Anthony and Iesha Miller have been best friends since they "were knee high and do everything together." Everything, including ruling over the Homecoming Court as King and Queen of Hayward High.

Isn't the whole point of the "court" to recognize an outstanding female and male? Why are people compelled to make political statements out of EVERYTHING? How did tradition become such an ugly concept?

Isn't the whole point of the exercise to honor a female (the Queen) and a male (the King)?

KING: noun. Son of noble kin; a male ruler of a nation or state usually called a kingdom; a man who is supreme or highly successful in some field; a male supreme in his class.

A disservice was made to the boys of Hayward High School. They were beaten by popularity.

The administrators of that school aren't doing Angela Anthony any favors. In real life, exceptions to the rule are rarely made.

Perhaps one of the biggest problems with American youth is that they expect to have everything handed to them in life. And when they don't get it, they throw violent tantrums and break down.

2003-11-07T12:05:00.000-05:00

Friday five

Answer the following friday five questions in your weblog or journal. Make sure you leave a comment here with a link to your post (or just leave your answers in the comments section here).

1. What food do you like that most people hate?
I savor octopus. Everytime I travel to Massachusetts, my first stop is lunch or dinner at a Portuguese restaurant for polvo cozido com batatas e cebolas.

2. What food do you hate that most people love?
I’ve never been fond of coconut. I love the scent in suntan lotion or body crème, but can’t stand the texture in desserts. The flavor does nothing for me.

3. What famous person, whom many people may find attractive, is most unappealing to you?
Justin Timberlake. He looks like a girl. I just don’t understand how anyone can mistake this guy for a sex symbol.

4. What famous person, whom many people may find unappealing, do you find attractive?
I think Patrick Stewart is so handsome. In 1997, Stewart portrayed Othello at the Shakespeare Lansburgh Theatre here in DC. With the tattoos and the costumes, I found him too sexy for words. I saw the show three or four times and paid a small fortune to attend a lecture where he explained how bizarre it was to be the only white member of a black cast.

5. What popular trend baffles you?
Reality TV Shows. I don’t understand the popularity of these programs. Each season the show concepts get more degrading and bizarre. I don’t watch them, but unfortunately am unable to tune out the promos and trailers.

For example: Just an Average Joe – what man would volunteer to be on a program where he is publicly humiliated for being human? The program is essentially saying – “Dudes we want YOU because there’s nothing extraordinary about you. You’re not good-looking, you’re not wealthy, you’re not talented…. There's nothing special about you."

We’ve digressed… becoming entertained by the misfits and dwarves that once amused the courtiers of the dark ages. Civilization is in a sad state when the most-watched programs on television involve human beings insulting and degrading one another for public pleasure.

2003-11-07T11:06:00.000-05:00

Movie night

I'm going to the movies tonight. It's my turn to select the flick, but I'm torn - so I'm asking for feedback to help me make a decision.

It's between:

The Human Stain

Intolerable Cruelty

Lost in Translation

Love Actually

The Singing Detective

So what do you think?

2003-11-07T10:54:00.000-05:00

Lunar eclipse scheduled for tomorrow night

People in North American and Europe will be able to see a total lunar eclipse tomorrow night. Yahoo provides 10 cool facts about the moon and her disappearing act.

Anyone planning a party to celebrate this occurrence?

2003-11-07T09:00:00.000-05:00

What do we learn from ancient civilizations?

I have always enjoyed reading about ancient ruins and discoveries. Or "rediscoveries" - as the case may be. In fact, if I had the freedom to do anything, I'd become a globetrotter, visiting these sites and join the select club of individuals who photograph and write about these civilizations.

Not quite an archaeologist - I'd slowly lose my mind bent over a mound, patiently brushing away centuries of dirt to reveal a broken arrowhead or splint of bone - but more like a travel-reporter-anthropologist.

The American/Britain team led by Gary Zeigler and Hugh Thomson have discovered their second Incan city in two years.

Llactapata is located 50 miles northwest of the Inca capital Cusco and aligned with Machu Picchu. This alignment encouraged the expedition to consider the city's ritual significance as a ceremonial site.

What do we learn, if anything, when these cities are rediscovered? Has anyone ever visited Peru's Incan sites?

Machu Picchu is a favorite with the Today Show team, sending Matt Lauer there during his annual "Where in the World" series. Unfortunately, the ancient site is showing signs of wear and tear from the significant increase in tourism. I've decided this moment, that I will visit next year. I'm going to plan a trip to Peru. And while I'm there, I'll be sure to fly over the Nazca Lines.

Does anyone have any theories on how these supposedly unsophisticated, ancient people drew enormous pictograms in the sand? My inquiring mind wants to know.

2003-11-06T10:14:00.000-05:00

A brilliant diversion

I'm swamped at work today and won't have time to come up with something original. So I'm sending you over to London Mark for his Deleted Scenes from the Matrix series.

Hope your day is swell!

2003-11-05T09:51:00.000-05:00

And then life happens

What a morning!

It started off as I planned... I woke up early, worked out, ate breakfast (is there a blue moon coming up?), and took off for the Red Line. There was drizzle in the air, but for the first time in months I was early and impressed by how much I'd already accomplished. I bought today's Post and headed toward the platform.

Two surprises:
1) a mass of people stood, sat, leaned... all waiting for the next train.
2) there were a lot of beautiful people scattered through that crowd.

A quick glance at the time read 7:52 a.m. The few times I'd made it to the station that early it was empty... or barely empty. And the people waiting with me were usually older and still half asleep or enthusiastic but at the dorky end of the spectrum.

I leaned against the wall and watched this threesome standing in front of me. A tall Adonis with black curly hair, still damp, and ice blue eyes, wearing a niiiiiiiiice pinstripe suit was talking to a girl with honey blond hair that fell in cascades down her back. She looked as if she'd stepped out of an ad for Chanel suits. I immediately coveted her burgundy and bisque Mary Jane heels. A towering blond guy with dimples completed this lovely trio.

Had I slipped through an alternate reality? Guys in DC just aren't *this* goodlooking (no offense to my fellow Washingtonians. Guys, you've got charm, charisma, intelligence, and most are very, very cute - but few are Hollywood gorgeous).

The lights blinked letting everyone know the train was arriving. And it was packed. People were squished into those cars like human m&ms in a mega tube.

I turned up the volume of my discman, determined to wait for the next train, and spotted some more uncommonly beautiful people.

Thirty six minutes and four packed trains later, I hit the escalator, left the station and started looking for a cab. I should have been at work 5 minutes ago.... and I had started off so well.

I hailed a cab, got in and the driver starts chatting away. He takes the scenic route, turning a 5 minute ride into a 15 minute drive through the city. I asked if anything special was going on in DC. Not to his knowledge. And he starts going on and on about how he could tell I was from Massachusetts because people from California and Massachusetts are the friendliest in the country.

Did he just compare California with Massachusetts?

A huge grin spread over my face as I imagined the protests from my friends and family in Massachusetts. "Warm? Friendly? Who was he kidding? Has he ever BEEN to Massachusetts? We're cold. We're mean. We're not warm and friendly. And we're not loonies like those wackjobs on the west coast."

It's 9:30 a.m. and I feel as though I've already lived through a couple adventures. I wonder what else the day has in store for me. Because I honestly believe, it's going to be one of those days.

2003-11-04T13:32:00.000-05:00

Signs

I used to be a huge believer in signs. It's only in retrospect that I see the strong confidence I placed on fate... in destiny. At the time, I didn't realize I was allowing random occurences to influence my decisions in the negative or the positive.

To me the signs weren't random at all. They were attempts by a divine power to help guide me on my predestined path by helping me make decisions along the way.

Hitting three green lights in a row - a clear sign that I should stay the course. Flipping heads 7 times in a row - I'm definitely on the right path. The flight that cost $99 yesterday is $350 today - hmmmmmmm.... better postpone that trip.

I don't do that anymore, but was reminded of a time when I did.

How many of you believe in or rely on signs? Do you follow them or purposely ignore them? Or do you forget about signs and just live day-to-day come what may?

2003-11-04T09:59:00.000-05:00

The power of song

I'm going to hire a harpist for an event scheduled for February in Seattle. So I'm sitting here listening to the CD's the event company sent me, trying to select one to provide entertainment.

All of the music sounds religious to me .... well, actually, that's because it is - "Ode to Joy," "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring," and numerous songs usually played at Easter and during processionals. Sometimes the harpist is solo, other times accompanied by a piano, but mostly with an organ.

Isn't it curious how a song can change your mood? How music has the power to transport you to another time and place? How a once familiar tune can trigger memories long buried?

2003-11-03T18:47:00.000-05:00

What's better....

than Istanbul by They Might Be Giants?

I once waited through five hours of subpar bands to hear them play this one song live.

2003-11-03T18:25:00.000-05:00

It's a question of faith

I loaned The Da Vinci Code to a friend of mine. That's how it all started.

He soon moved on to Dan Brown's Angels & Demons. Which led to some research into the Illuminati, then secret societies in general, to the Freemasons, culminating in The Hiram Key.

Now, for those who've never read The Hiram Key, it links ancient religions with secrets about the "true" life of Christ to the Knights Templar and finally to Freemason ritual. It's theory and conjecture written as fact and certainty. It's perfect for anyone who relishes the good conspiracy theory (and who knows? it could even be true).

He's now convinced that his religion, Christianity, is a sham. That the Bible got the history all wrong, therefore the entire establishment is false.

I just finished reading Saramago's The Gospel According to Jesus Christ and was eager for just this sort of debate.

But do the facts of what occurred in a 35 year span, thousands of years ago, REALLY matter? Christianity has been around for over 2000 years. Isn't the religion better defined by how the scripture is interpreted by its followers now? By the actions of the Church now? By the faith of its followers?

Am I the exception in feeling that the absolute infallibility of the "historical facts" have nothing or little to do with faith? Does it matter whether or not Jesus was an only child or had a brother or a twin or a dozen brothers and sisters? Does it matter whether or not he was married? Does it matter whether or not he had children?

Isn't the point to learn the scripture and the lessons of the parables and strive to be the best person you can be? And to follow the laws of the Church (regardless of the historical accuracy of the beginning)?

2003-11-03T16:32:00.000-05:00

Pure genius

Buy your Ann Coulter action figure today. Illustration compliments of Andrew Furdell.

2003-11-03T16:04:00.000-05:00

Parallel reality

So.... hypothetically, let's say that Karl Rove approaches you to replace him at the White House. You've now got the ear of the President. Some say you're his premier advisor, his right-hand (wo)man, the administration master mind.

If you could guide White House policy - what would be the first thing you'd change?

2003-11-03T13:08:00.000-05:00

Time flies

Someone once told me that the older I got, the faster time would pass. At the time, I nodded and grinned thinking, "Yeah, whatever."

I've officially joined the Rapid Passing Time Continuum (RPTC). Can someone please tell me what happened to October? Typically one of my favorite months, I barely found time to enjoy it. One second I was on a plane flying to Seattle - I blinked - then I was entertaining guests and looking forward to seeing Cats - I yawned - next thing I knew I was leaving the theatre, blinking in the unusually sunny and warm day - and now it's NOVEMBER!

I know since I've entered the RPTC, tomorrow I'll be writing about how I celebrated Thanksgiving. I'll blink and will be on a flight to Massachusetts for the holidays. And before I know what's happened, I'll be standing in a long line, shifting from foot to foot, waiting to get into one of the DC bars on St. Patty's Day.

It's disconcerting.

Yet somehow, I manage to make time to go to work, meet friends out, speak with family, read, go to lectures, visit museums, and travel. I guess I wish I could find more time to sleep and get through my "To Do List."

And maybe get rid of this dreadful feeling that there just isn't enough of it left.

2003-10-31T09:29:00.000-05:00

The stupidest girl in DC

I stayed home yesterday.... spent most of the day lounging on the couch, reading Jose Saramago's most controversial novel, O EVANGELHO SEGUNDO JESUS CHRISTO.

At 3:00 p.m., imagine my surprise when I turned on the boob tube to catch Dr. Phil, to find breaking news and Capitol Hill in chaos. Apparently, some brainiac of a staffer decided to bring a toy gun into work.

When do those Darwin awards come out? I have a nomination.

The gun was part of a "Sydney Bristow" costume. Ordinarily, no. big. deal..... ordinarily as in PRE-2001. Security is everywhere - not only visible throughout Washington, DC, but most U.S. cities. We've grown accustomed to a lower tolerance for what is and isn't considered a possible threat.

WHAT was this moron thinking when she decided to pack her toy gun for work? And did the Capitol Police overreact by sending in SWAT teams and evacuating the building floor by floor? Could the situation have been handled differently or is everyone satisfied with the way the authorities handled the situation? Did this make national news or did it just permeate the District airwaves?

2003-10-28T13:59:00.000-05:00

Attention Washingtonians

Capital Action is organizing the Third Annual Alternative Gift Fair. They're looking for volunteers to plan the event over the next couple months. They also need people to help with advertising near the event and to help on the day of the event. Volunteers are needed to:

* Contact and arrange for a venue to host the event

* Contact and set up organizations to attend (they need to create items for their "shopping lists" which people can purchase and provide informational materials for display and a representative to volunteer to educate people at the event)

* Advertise through appropriate event calendars, listserves, websites, etc.

* Gather volunteers for the evening of the event to set up, work the event, collect money, write cards.

If you're interested in helping out, please contact Sat Jiwan Khalsa, Capital Action volunteer, at satjiwan@newdream.org and let him know how you'd like to help out. Include name, preferred role and level of organizing you can commit to (ie. day of only, some organizing (5-10 hours), a lot of organizing (15-20 hours), etc.)

2003-10-28T13:01:00.000-05:00

Unconscious Mutterings

Roadtrip::cross-country
Honey::sweet and golden
Flanders::ceramics
Vampire::Anne Rice
Justice::scales
Marine::biology
Protractor::architect
Rubber::burning
London::dirty, cold and wet
Jerry::Seinfeld

2003-10-28T10:27:00.000-05:00

Trick or treat

I can't believe Halloween is this Friday! Where did October hurry off to?

So does anyone have freaky Friday plans for Halloween? Is anyone dressing up? I've decided to cause havoc and mayhem dressed as a naughty Catholic school girl.

Are you planning to have fun or are you leaving all the tricks and treats to the kids?

2003-10-27T12:24:00.000-05:00

Directions

My weekend was jam packed with sight seeing, poking fun at protesters and Cats.

Sprinkled throughout all of this fun, were hour-long conversations on career choice and life-long goals.

For the most part, I'm a planner. If there is something I want to accomplish or purchase, I research what I need to acquire it, learn the best and/or fastest way of obtaining it, and then come up with a plan based on my research. Of course, there's always room for modification, but I have some kind of sketchy idea of where I want to end up and how I'm going to get there.

My friend is not a planner. She has a destination in mind, but no concept of the best way to get there or what alternatives are out there. That may work for some people but it drives me crazy. Especially when she asks me for advice.

I try to help, but I think I confuse her - throwing out lots of ideas, providing options and different scenarios. And at some point, she always looks to me and asks, "Well, which is the best route to take."

And of course, I can't provide her with one answer because hell, it all depends. Does she want to take the scenic route, enjoying the sights along the way? Maybe she's in a hurry, perhaps to arrive at the destination in four days and go 5-star all the way, even if it means accumulating debt? Or maybe she's still at a point in her life where she can strap on a backpack and hitchhike from one place to another, limited to a strict budget but no time constraints?

And the destination is a little fuzzy - she tells me, hypothetically - "Well I want to end up in California." Well... is she going to Sacramento? Or maybe she's thinking Los Angeles? Or perhaps she wants perfect weather all the time and is thinking more of southern California. To me there is a big difference between planning for a trip to San Diego and a trip to San Francisco.

I'm really at a loss on how best to advise her. How can I best be a true friend and help her? I'm at a loss..........

2003-10-24T16:13:00.000-04:00

Unconscious Mutterings

Country::air travel
G::string
Offer::job
Connection::reach out and touch someone
Quest::for happiness
Lighthouse::New England
Sycamore::tree
Inhumane::Chinese water torture
Sneer::Colin Farrell
Weapon::words

2003-10-24T15:43:00.000-04:00

A big mistake

Everytime I read about how Abe Pollin let the greatest basketball player on earth go, I want to hit something (or someone) HARD!

Thanks to James over at Why I Hate DC for bringing it to everyone's attention today!

2003-10-24T14:59:00.000-04:00

It's another gorgeous day in DC.

2003-10-24T10:53:00.000-04:00

Spontaneity

I subscribe to over a dozen bargain travel e-letters including one for every airline, Expedia, Priceline, Orbitz, and site59 among others.

This little deal arrived in my inbox today via USAirways:

ROUNDTRIP
FROM: TO: FARE*:
-------------------------------------------------------------
Boston, MA Paris, France $209
Charlotte, NC Paris, France $269
Columbus, OH Paris, France $269
Hartford, CT Paris, France $249
Los Angeles, CA Paris, France $309
Philadelphia, PA Paris, France $209
Pittsburgh, PA Paris, France $209
Richmond, VA Paris, France $249
Rochester, NY Paris, France $249
San Francisco, CA Paris, France $309
Washington National, DC Paris, France $209

I just paid almost $300 to fly roundtrip for the Christmas holidays from National to Providence Greene airport. For a little over $200 I could be in PARIS! Of course, there ARE restrictions ..... I must depart Fridays through Wednesdays, between October 27 and November 16, 2003. Return travel is Mondays through Saturdays, between November 3 and November 22, 2003. Departing travel is not permitted to Paris October 31 through November 2, 2003 and tickets must be purchased by Wednesday, October 29, 2003.

Hmmmmmmmmmmm.... tempting. I could always leave on a Friday night - say November 7th - arrive on Saturday morning and stay through... how many days can I afford to take off (?)... Wednesday the 12th.... Four full days in Paris. And I know of this cute little hotel right by the Eiffel Tower - one night is the equivalent of US$60. Definitely doable.

How many of you travel on the spur of the moment? Or do you prefer to make detailed plans?

2003-10-23T15:30:00.000-04:00

Tired of subtle

Went to the ATM at lunch and got my first stack of new US$20's. The new look wasn't a big surprise - bloggers have been writing about it and posting pictures of the new bill way before the October 9th rollout date.

But they're already counterfeiting the counterfeit-proof bills!

I am disappointed by how subtle the coloration is. You would think that if the US was going to redesign its money, it would use something flashy, patriotic...... why not something in red, white and blue? WHO decided that this pond-scum shade of green was the way to go in the first place? Other countries have *pretty* and FUN paper money. Why can't we?

2003-10-23T15:05:00.000-04:00

You learn something new everyday

I was over at Driving with Dawn where I learned about illegal restaurants.

Does anyone know of any underground eating establishments in DC or Boston? Or how about in Seattle?

Maybe I'll start one of my own..........

2003-10-23T12:53:00.000-04:00

Things we talk about at work

Ulrich Weiser of Tuebingen University is a member of the German research team that discovered the secret of ancient Egyptian mummification.

The team successfully replicated the mysterious concoction which includes "cedar-wood juice."

This got a group of us thinking.... will this become a new funerary option here in the States. The few times the topic had come up, Id always advocated donating my organs and then settling for a traditional burial. Lately I've considered the benefits of cremation.

Oddly (?), most of my colleagues were opposed to cremation. Two were visibly excited about this new discovery (excited at the prospect of modern day mummification?). Three were sure cryogenically freezing their heads was the way to go. (Are you getting the gist of the type of people I work with?). And the rest seemed most comfortable with a regular burial (with no organ donation).

Do you ever think about it? If you could instruct your loved ones of your preference, what would you tell them? Are you an organ donor or opposed to the concept?

2003-10-23T11:24:00.000-04:00

My best friend

It's been almost one year since she moved from DC and this weekend she's visiting for the first time. I'm so excited to see her tomorrow night!

A crew of friends are meeting us out at a trendy new bar tomorrow night. The theme of the weekend is to acquaint her with all of the novel, new venues in DC. She's never seen the new Georgetown cineplex with stadium seating, or the addition to Hecht's and new H&M store at Metro Center. Over the weekend we plan to make appearances at Zola, Zatinya, Ceiba, and Degrees.

We're also catching the matinee performance of Cats - which closes this weekend.

With my partner - in - crime back in town, I'll have lots of stories to post about next week!

Is your best friend local or long distance like mine? Do you have a best friend - or many people who fit the bill?