Thursday, June 30, 2005

Just Can't Get Enough

More Britney.

Wednesday, June 29, 2005

Freedom

The new plans for the Freedom Tower have been unveiled. It's a shame that there's been so much fighting about this thing--it sort of defeats the spirit of the building. Regardless, I like this design better, because the one before this looked like a skyscraper on crack.

Britney

I love me some white trash.

The Fellowship, Otherwise Known As Me Being Materialistic

He amazes me at every turn. Ron got a cardiology fellowship spot. They're nearly impossible to get and the spot he was offered is in the middle of NOWHERE New Jersey. Seriously, in the middle of nowhere. Homes in the area start at $70,000 and just 8% of the population there has college diplomas, just to give you an idea. Obviously, Ron will be commuting.

He'll start next summer, after this residency. I know it's what he's always wanted to do, so I'm really happy for him. Of course, it means being poor for another 3 years but....sigh. They say the payoff is big after that.

My man is going to be a cardiologist. I'm so proud of him.

Tuesday, June 28, 2005

Free Katie

This is fantastic. I'm totally getting a shirt.

Posed

Sure. It's not a publicity stunt.

Live 8

I'll probably wind up going to Live 8. Because honestly, what else am I going to do? It's not like I could even get out of the city if I wanted to--too many roads will be blocked off. And this Live 8 thing is only about 8 blocks from my apartment.

The thing is, I'm not even sure I believe in the cause. I mean, yeah, yeah, end poverty in Africa. I get it. And series of concerts is going to convince world leaders at the G8 Summit to do that? Right. It's a concert, people, and as much as Bob Geldof would like to believe that the awareness level of millions of people will be affected enough to change the world, the reality is people are going to see Jay-Z or Dave Matthews or Maroon 5. They'll remember who they saw at a free show. If they were selling tickets to this show and the artists waived their fees and donated all the money to Africa, maybe that would be a different story. But I just don't see how anyone in Africa is going to benefit from this.

Also, there will be riots. I've been to a lot of these all day concert things. There is almost always some sort of destruction. With the exception of Lillith Fair. This isn't Lillith Fair. This is not Woodstock circa 1969 and it's not even 1985 when the first Live Aid took place. Since the mid-90s on large concerts with multiple musical acts breed anger for whatever reason. Particularly when there's no crowd control. Too many people, it gets too hot, people go nuts. A million people on the Parkway in July? Even though most of the musical acts are somewhat tame (um, Jovi? Sarah McLachlan?), there are also acts like Jay Z and Linkin Park that might breed a bit more excitement. The good news is that the event is scheduled to be over at 6 p.m., because people like to light stuff on fire when it gets dark.

I would be surprised if this isn't a disaster. But that doesn't mean I won't go.

Monday, June 27, 2005

Party Like It's 2005

This past weekend was Heather's bachelorette party. We went here for the weekend and stayed here. It really wasn't as bad as it looks, although our room was right over the nightclub, so we had no choice but to party every night until 3 a.m. There was much drinking, dancing and getting up on stages. Also much sunning oneself on the beach and laughing until our bellies hurt.

Surprisingly, no one was arrested.

Saturday night we went to a bar called The Ketch and saw a band, Saturday Nite Fever--as you might guess, a 70's cover band. Heather, and her white feather boa, loved every second of it. Actually, we all had a good time. With enough gin, even I can love 70's music. Later that night--well, actually, early the next morning, we went here because everyone needs cheese fries after a night of drinking. Also, other customers randomly break out into dance (including 'the worm' )throughout the restaurant.

There's nothing better than eating jalapeno poppers at 4 a.m., drunk, watching some dude do the worm past your table.

The Casual News

It seems by the oh-so-casual comment left on the post below this one, that Michael and his wife are expecting their first child. Congratulations, my friend. I would have said that before, had I known, but SOMEONE doesn't do a good job of updating his blog, eh?

Thursday, June 23, 2005

Conversations

A conversation involving myself, Ron, Ron's best friend and his wife. Despite what you may think of this conversation, they really are very nice, decent people.
C: You know what people are going to start asking you now right?
R:What?
C:When you're going to have kids.
Me: We just got engaged--they won't ask that yet.
M: You'd be surprised. People ask all the time.
C: People have stopped asking us. It's been five years, I guess they're tired of asking.
Me: I think it's rude to ask people that. I mean it's annoying when people ask "When are you going to get engaged?" Like you have a crystal ball and know that. But to ask when you're going to have kids is just rude. You never know what people are going through.
M(with an evil smile): You know what I'm going to start telling people when they ask when C and I are having kids?
R: Oh this is going to be good!
M: I'm going to say that my wife likes it up the ass. And it's hard to get pregnant that way.
C: Oh my God, you better not!
Me: You can't say that!
M: Seriously, think about it. Someone gets all up in your grill about having kids, just say, "Sorry man, my wife likes it in the pooper."
R (hysterical laughter): That's great.
Me: You're not nice.
M(to his wife): I can't wait to say that at a cocktail party. In front of your dad.

Wednesday, June 22, 2005

Sigh

The thing about being estranged from your family is that it's always there. The estrangement, that is. You can fool yourself into thinking it's not there, but once you have it, you're stuck with it. You may be able to be civil, you may even be able to have very pleasant conversations or visits, but when push comes to shove, the broken places of a relationship manifest themselves. Clearly manifest themselves.

Wedding planning is going as well as can be expected when it's being done by someone who is indecisive and has some, ahem, "family issues." It's down to either having a reception in one particular place in Jersey or having it in Philly where 3 locations are still in the running. There are pros and cons to all and the real wildcard is the fam.

This weekend is my friend Heather's bachelorette party and it will be nice to be at the beach and focus on someone else's wedding.

Tuesday, June 21, 2005

Blood Diamonds

Or "conflict stones" if you prefer. My friend Heather has been yammering about "conflict-free" diamonds ever since her fiance bought her conflict-free diamond last summer. She's all about the Canadian diamonds now.

This morning I was watching MTV and saw Kanye West's video for his song, "Diamonds (from Sierra Leone)". It features shots of African children mining diamonds, along with narrative about how awful the circumstances are. The video shows these diamonds being sold to greedy white jewelers and then bought by greedy, white clients whose hands begin to bleed when they put on diamond rings. Because, you know, young black rappers don't wear any ice. Apparently, it's just a white thing. Whatever. I have about enough of Kanye West and his soapbox.

It's not that I don't care. I do. Do I like the fact that I could be supporting terrorist by having diamond jewelry? No, of course not. I know that the rock on my hand could have been mined by someone enslaved by rebels. Does that bother me? Of course it does. I don't want to think of anyone being enslaved. But I also know that most of my clothes have labels on them that say "made in India" or "made in Bangledesh" and somehow, I don't think the people who made the clothes have it so hot either.

Heather's right: it's an awful thing that's happening in Africa. What do you do? Do you investigate every product to find out where it came from, how it was made? Because if you did, you'd likely be very disappointed in how the United States economy stays on top. And you'd drive yourself crazy.

So you do nothing. Like me.

Monday, June 20, 2005

Why CNN Sucks Now

For those that don't know, Bill Hemmer of CNN fame, is my would-be husband. As in he "would be" my husband had he and I ever met. I love him. I love CNN's "American Morning" because of him.

Bill Hemmer is gone. Moved on to greener pastures. Has been replaced by this guy. I have no problem with Miles O'Brien, but face it, he's not as easy on the eyes as Bill. Also, CNN moved Jack Cafferty, who I love for his sacrasm not his looks, off "American Morning" to his own show. Good for Jack. Bad for me.

Aside from "90 Second Pop" there's almost no reason to watch "American Morning."

And if anyone knows where Bill Hemmer went, please let me know. So I can watch that station.

Squirt

Ha, HA! Sucker.

Friday, June 17, 2005

Come Here

If you're my friend and I'm supposed to have called you back by now and haven't, I apologize. Please don't hate me. I'm swamped, both at work and at home. I promise I will resurface.

A story for you all:
Last night I went to a hospital-related event. Ron and I were socializing in different circles and he called me over to meet one of the doctors--an older woman. It was sort of loud where we were all standing, so when Ron called me over, I couldn't hear exactly what he was saying. I looked at him quizzically and then he motioned for me to come over to his group--you know, motioned with his hand to come over. He introduced me to this female doctor who leaned over to me and whispered, "You better tell him that no man can make you come with one finger."

WOW. That's professionalism at it's finest.

I Can't Even Find the Words

For the love of Scientology.

Thursday, June 16, 2005

Deer Stuck In Headlights

Jennifer Wilbanks, aka "Runaway Bride" (or as I like to call her "Deer Stuck In Headlights"--honestly, what's up with those eyes? Do you think it's a thyroid problem?) gets on my nerves more and more every week. Now she's going to make money on her pathetic stunt?

Healthy?

Shocking to me that Philadelphia didn't make the top 10.

Loose

We all knew it was just a matter of time. It looks like my ring is already going in for repairs. The center stone seems to be loose in the setting, no doubt because I've wacked it against every hard surface I could find over the last 10 days.

Tuesday, June 14, 2005

Kwelvis

For the sake of accuracy, since there has been so much interest in him, "Quelvis" is actually "Kwelvis", which stands for Key West Elvis. Because we were in Key West for Pridefest, Key West Elvis wanted to be known as Queer Elvis, in the spirit of the week.

Just to clarify.

Lest you click on Kwelvis's site and really start to wonder about how ghetto our vacation was, this is the hotel where we stayed. Please take the photo tour--our room really did look like that and the last photo is of Sunset Pier where Ron proposed. And yes, it really is that beautiful.

First Debate

The first debate in the wedding planning process--oh, other than the one about how we're going to pay for a $30,000 wedding--is whether his sisters should be bridesmaids. I know it's in the spirit of family and all, and I really like both his sisters, but it just seems kind of corny to me. Etiquette books, of which I have received many over the last week, go both ways on this issue. I really wanted a small wedding party and his sisters would definitely do something, like the readings at mass, if they're not bridesmaids. Oh, by the way, I have a brother, so if his sisters are on my side, he has to ask my brother, who he's never met, to be on his side. Which seems ridiculous.

The voting begins: what do you think?

Annoying Me

I feel strongly about many things. One of them is that it should not be 80 degrees when I go to the gym at 6 a.m. What the hell?

Friday, June 10, 2005

Yes!

Ha, HA! It was a TRICK question!

ALL of the answers are TRUE:
Yes, I went to Key West; yes, I am engaged; yes, I woke up at some ridiculous hour to go crabbing (only to find out I was actually getting on a plane); and yes, I met Quelvis.

More details to follow....

Thursday, June 09, 2005

Quizzical

Okay, kids, pop quiz:

Which one of the following things actually occurred since the last time I posted?
a. I spent the weekend in Key West.
b. I got engaged.
c. I woke up on the first day of my vacation at 3 a.m. to go on some ridculous Maryland crabbing boating trip.
d. I met "Quelvis", which if you must know if short for "Queer Elvis", a gay Elvis impersonator.

Friday, June 03, 2005

Ooooh, Pretty

I think I may have to go shopping at lunch.

Vacation All I Ever Wanted

I have that Go-Go's song stuck in my head. Tomorrow, I head to the trailer park, down by the river. I'm looking forward to being away from the office for a few days, even if it does involve drinking a 30 pack of canned beer in a trailer, down by the river. Because the big thing to do down there is go watch the sunset over the river (which really is pretty) with your can of beer. Or a 40, depending on how much of a man you are. There's a TV down there, which I doubt we'll watch and there's no computer. I'll twitch a bit about that at first, but after awhile, it'll be relaxing. And for the first time ever, I really don't need to worry about what to pack. Just one nice outfit in case we go out to dinner, which I'm sure we will, and then nothing but shorts and T-shirts.

It'll be back to work on Thursday, but next Friday is my birthday and next weekend we're going to Baltimore for an Italian festival, the St. Anthony Festival actually, which we attend every year. It involves $1 beers, old men playing bocci ball, and lots and lots of food served by nuns and little old ladies. Go, if you're able to--it's a great time. Overall, the next week or so should be fun.

In case I don't post again until I get back--have a great weekend!

Thursday, June 02, 2005

Live 8

So Live 8 is going to be a complete mob scene, but I feel like I have to go. I only live about 8 blocks from the action. I'm inviting some friends down (who won't come because they have lives and already have 4th of July plans) including Heather who would feel right at home here with her conflict-free stones.

Is it just me or does Bob Geldof annoy anyone else?

Yesterday

Yesterday was the kind of day when I left work feeling completely overwhelmed. That I left lots of projects until this week when I knew I was going to be on vacation next week, did not help. Deidre made the mistake of answering the phone when I called her last night and probably has hearing loss this morning from the amount of ranting I did. The kind of ranting that's high-pitched and occurs at such a rapid pace that I'm winded by the end of the rant. She's a good friend.

Today will be a better day.

Wednesday, June 01, 2005

The Low End of a Decade

In nine days, I will be 30 years old. Considering the hissy fit I threw last year at 29, I'm suprisingly unaffected by the big 3-0. In fact, I'm kind of embracing 30. I think I like being at the low end of a decade. Twenty-nine seemed...pathetic somehow, a number desperate to cling on to the 20s. Hardly even worth saying you're "in your 2os" when you're 29.

I think I'm going to like 30.

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