A hop, skip and a jump over the pond

Today I leave for London and Paris! While most of the week in London will be spent doing actual work, we should have some time to enjoy the food and sights. Paris is purely for fun. I figured I flew 7 hours to get to Europe, I might as well enjoy things while I'm there.

The exciting thing is that the Tour de France will end in Paris on Sunday. I'm sure it'll be a mad house, but I'm thrilled to be able to watch it. We'll be squirming our way through the crowd, with cameras held high to catch the bikers on their final push home. Hopefully I'll get some good shots.

It's amazing, but it's been 7 years since I've been to Europe (wow, that makes me sound old). When I graduated college, my friend, Lindsey, and I backpacked for about a month through Europe, starting in London, circling around, and ending in Paris. My French has definitely rusted since then so I'm a little nervous about navigating around Paris, but I'm also excited to be back in two of my favorite European cities!

Enjoy the week!

SOS

In business school, Finance was never my strong point. There were concepts I found fascinating, but they seemed very nebulous to me, and lacked that concrete feel that you could wrap your brain around.

Last week, I received an e-mail from 12 airline CEOs, asking me to pressure congress to Stop Oil Speculation (SOS). Their argument: speculators have put upward pressure on oil prices, thereby causing their operating costs, and costs to the everyday consumer, to skyrocket. At the time, I didn't pay it much mind and deleted the e-mail.

But I came across it again this week. And I wondered if they had a point. Then I had a chance to read the counterargument by Walter Williams and all those lectures in Finance class came back to me. His argument: speculation allows for the distribution of resources over time. While speculation may increase prices a bit now, curtailing speculation now may decrease supply available in the future, thereby increasing prices by a lot more.

I think I have to side with Williams on this point. Yes, increased gas costs suck right now, but those prices will (hopefully) cause us to decrease demand (consumption) for oil, thereby increasing supply available.

Williams goes on to say that by drilling for American oil, we will effectively decrease the price of foreign oil. Even if we aren't able to realize the efforts of that drilling for another 5-10 years, OPEC will see the writing on the wall: increased supply will decrease prices in the future, so it's better to sell now while the cost per barrel is high. I agree, but...

Now we throw the environment into the equation. I do think we need to decrease our dependence on foreign oil, but I don't know if that means drilling at home. The implications mean a continued dependence on oil and the destruction of our environment. But Williams' construct should still hold true if we invest and invent new ways of creating energy - wind, solar, bio, nuclear. Some of these new ways means changing our infrastructure - wind power grids, more hydrogen fuel stations, easier access to biofuel - which could be costly and time consuming at the front end. But, like speculation, we have to look towards the future. The upfront cost now means a much lower cost for energy all around, including oil, in the future.

So increasing regulation on speculation isn't our answer. It's looking for alternatives at home and changing our mindsets as consumers. The higher prices supposedly caused, in part, by oil speculation may be the best thing that happens to this country.

And I like it

It's a guilty pleasure. I really like "I Kissed a Girl" by Katie Perry. It has a really good beat. And it's kind of a fun, naughty song.

The problem is, I find myself singing it softly in the grocery store, in the airport security line, in Starbucks. Then I realize that I'm singing, and what I'm singing, and I look around frantically, to see if anyone has heard me and mistaken me for, er, a girl who kisses other girls...and likes it.

The funny thing is, this song would never have made it on the radio if the genders were reversed and if it was sung by a boy:

I kissed a boy and I liked it
The taste of his cherry chapstick
I kissed a boy and I liked it
I hope my girlfriend don't mind it

Why is that? Why can a girl sing about kissing another girl and we love it, but no one would ever - has ever - heard a song about a boy kissing another boy. I don't know whether I should be insulted from a feminist point of view (is it OK for a women to be an object, a plaything and not for a man?) or a social one (do we favor lesbians over homosexual men?). Maybe I'm reading too much into the song.

In the meantime, I'll continue singing it (softly) to myself and hope no one comes to conclusions about my feminist or social points of view, based on the song I'm singing.

The best movie of all time?

I'm going to call it. Best movie. Hands down. And yes, it's an animation.

It's true, though. Pixar has given us another gem that is not just clever, not just creative, but pure genius. The movie has so many meanings on so many levels that it's something you can turn over again and again in your mind and find a new nugget to consider. On the surface, the movie is about a robot that follows his love to explore new things. But there are so many other things that it touches on - mainly a call to take our heads out of the sand and make a change. That change can be to reach out to humanity or reach out to our planet or discover a world outside of the one we know.

And it's moving - after the movie was over, not one moviegoer left their seat. We just all sat there, taking in what we just saw. Who would have thought that the greatest love story this year would be between two robots? And that that love could be conveyed with only three words spoken between the two (Wall-E, Eva, Directive)?

The animation is incredible - the moment the movie started, I forgot I was watching a cartoon; everything is so realistic. I can't believe that the animators can create humanity in a pair of two-dimensional robot eyes.

So if you're looking for a good place to plop down $9 this summer, go see Wall-E. It's an incredible movie and you won't be disappointed.

California or Bust

We had a terrific time on our vacation! Between drinking lots and lots of wine, we also went up in a hot air balloon, canoed the Russian River, went horseback riding through Jack London's Park, squirmed in mud baths, biked across the Golden Gate Bridge and ferried to Alcatrez.


Of the eight wineries we tasted at, our favorites were Kunde and Benzinger. We found some amazing "winery only" wines at Benzinger. Can't wait for our UPS shipment to make it's way to our front door so we can relive the grape adventure.


The vacation, of course, wouldn't have been quite the same without our friends Abby and Nathan. This marks our fourth annual vacation with them and we can't wait for next year. Now we just have to find another location that starts with a "C" (we've done Charleston, Cape Cod, Costa Rica and California).

The view from our balloon...Before the big climb to the Golden GateGrowing baby grapesThar she blows! Old Faithful Geyser near Calistoga

Why, you don't say...

Last week, I zipped off to Boston and Chicago for a project (I landed in Raleigh on Saturday night at midnight from vacation in California and then boarded a plane at 2:00pm the next day to Boston for work).

While there, I was working with an external consultant for the client. The consultant and I chatted during our few days together, but I never once told her about my love for New York or my stint up there one summer. She had no back story, no idea what New York meant to me.

We were in Chicago one afternoon and were walking from the facility to the hotel. In the middle of the sidewalk, some "kids" decided to form a circle to better talk to one another. In the middle of the sidewalk.

So my colleague and the consultant paused and walked around the circle. I just walked through the circle. The consultant said to me, "You negotiated that like a New Yorker."

I glowed for a full day. I think I still may be glowing.

In the Valley

We leave tomorrow morning for our long-awaited vacation to Sonoma Valley. We're joining our friends Abby and Nathan out west: two days in San Fran and then the rest of the week in Sonoma. I'm really excited about our adventure...we even have a hot air balloon ride planned!

Have a wonderful week and I'll be back soon!

Evangelize Me!

Driving to work today, I saw this license plate on the car in front of me:

LUV GSOS

It took me a moment. I even had to say it out loud to figure it out. But when I did, I had to chuckle.

I'm not a big fan of people evangelizing on license plates, bumper stickers, cars or billboards. In fact, I detest it. Somehow, I don't quite think God is looking down, proud of the fact that he is plastered on such things. That's not what religion and beliefs are all about. And does putting a fish icon on your car or a bible verse on a billboard really convert the masses? I can't quite imagine a non-Christian driving down I-40 and seeing this license plate and thinking, "You know, I wasn't sure before, but now I'm convinced. I love Gsos, too."

But I do have to give this guy points for creativity. Sadly, LUV JESUS was probably already taken. So he did the next best thing. I'm sure God is quite pleased.

It's a girl!

Meet my new baby. She's a girl and her name is Weber. Isn't she beautiful?
Ever since our yard was landscaped, complete with a real live back patio, I've been wanting a grill. The debate was between a gas and a charcoal grill. I have a few reasons against gas grills:

• Back in high school, I had a scary encounter with a gas grill that landed me in the emergency room. My tip to all gas grill owners: always open the cover of the grill when you turn on the gas and attempt to ignite it. Fortunately, that encounter left me with no permanent scars, except for a general skittishness around gas.


• I have a problem leaving a gas tank outside of my house. Granted, this is a very safe neighborhood, but there's something unsettling about harbouring a large tank of fuel that could burn down your house.

But I think the biggest reason of all - and, ultimately, the reason that I prevailed in my campaign for Weber - is the taste. What you gain in the convenience of gas you lose in flavor. No matter what you do, you just can't replicate the charcoal taste. Food is just so much better on a charcoal grill.

Tonight Weber got her first test run - turkey burgers, corn on the cob and roasted tomatoes. Man, that girl can cook! I'm in love with my new baby.

Let the mud-slinging begin

Now that there are unofficially two candidates running for president, I'm a much happier person. I haven't decided for whom I'm voting - that's what the next several months of debates and speeches are for. But knowing that there is plenty of time for candidates to make their case is a good thing - we, as a nation, will have the ability and time to research and make up our own minds.

Every morning, I go to CNN to check out the goings-on in the world. And, as much as I'm sick of the presidential campaign, I will occassionally click on the Politics page to get a quick synopsis. This morning, I did just that and found this page:

Now, I understand that the ad on this page is paid for by Obama. And I also understand that Obama is all up in the news right now because of the recent primaries. (Every link on the page is about Obama, along with the ad about Obama. Only one link mentions McCain...in respect to Obama). However, I also believe it is the responsibility of a new organization to watch its content and ensure that no wrong perceptions are made. When I was business manager of the student newspaper at Wake Forest, we constantly checked to make sure ads were placed correctly and that the overall look of the page didn't portray an unintended message.

When I clicked on this page, the unintended message was the CNN had placed its vote - for Obama. Of course, being who CNN is, I'm absolutely sure who they want to win this election. But as a reputable news organization, they need to make sure that their content, advertising and layout doesn't give away their intentions - explicity or implicitly. This isn't the first time I've found some biased reporting on this site, but the first time it struck me enough to get upset about it.

I don't know who I'm voting for in November, and I want to make an informed and educated decision based on my values and where I'd like to see this country go in the next four, eight, twenty years. I get especially stubborn and upset when I feel someone else is trying to make that decision for me.

Sweet Land of Liberty

I believe I saw my first plateau today. It’s strange to use the word plateau outside of a business setting - in recent history, I have used it to describe an area of a graph, a condition or state of being of particular business matters. But it’s been quite a long time since I visualized an actual plateau outside of the business setting.

Flying to California today, I looked out of my airplane window and marveled at the land below. I’m always in awe whenever I fly over the western part of our country. The land takes on different shapes and colors and few highways and cities mar its beauty. In a world of overpopulation and pollution, it’s refreshing to know that land exists that is still – somewhat – untouched by human hands.

Among the wrinkled mountains, snaking rivers and isolated lakes, I saw the first plateau. It looked as if a knife had horizontally cut off its peak, its sides rising from the dusty ground, only to be abruptly sliced flat. The last time I truly thought of a plateau in its most essence form was middle school social studies, learning about different land forms along with Native Americans and cloud formation. But it wasn’t until today when I really saw one in person – or maybe took the time to really notice.

And then I saw another one. And another. Each one took on a slightly different form, one was small and contained, another much larger. And then the mack-daddy of all plateaus – one whose sides rose from the ground, but the flat top extended for as far as I could see from 35,000 miles in the air.

On these western trips, I am constantly amazed by the vastness of our country. And while there are politics in this country that enrage us, war that fractions us, racism that divides us, and miles that separate us, we should all be united in that we are Americans, in that we live on and share this beautiful land. This land is our country and knowing that should bring us solidarity as a common people, as Americans. That no matter how different we are or how much we disagree or how many mistakes we sometimes make, we share this journey, this culture and this land together. Maybe if we embraced that solidarity more, embraced the pride in our patriotism, we would feel more like a family that argues and less like a garment that is ripping apart at its seams.

Sex comes to the city

Tonight was the Raleigh premiere of Sex and the City and I got to see the sneak peek! Special thanks to Alison who won two free tickets on the radio and brought me along. A little dinner beforehand with a glass of wine and then a special screening of the greatest movie to hit the streets of New York...kinda.

I did win a shirt before the movie started. They were giving out shirts to people for random things, and one of the things was having something from NYC in your purse. I, of course, had my MetroCard with me. Who knew it would come in so handy in NC?

Overall, I would give the movie a B+. The movie had its cute moments and its share of witty - and hilarious - dialogue. Every one of the characters are still true to form and it maintains a pretty good clip, despite the movie clocking in at 2.5 hours. Like hanging out with four of your best girlfriends, the time really did fly.

The biggest thing missing was that sparkle that came with the series. It seemed as if the actors were trying too hard to make this into something it wasn't. At times, it felt that the acting was a bit strained (I think Kristen Davis - Charlotte - did the best job of everyone). Even Oscar-winning Jennifer Hudson didn't seem to quite fit in. The plot was a bit thin; I had a hard time buying that Carrie would have done what she did. The movie didn't do much to develop the characters, which I realize is probably because it's aimed at a certain target - those women who followed the show for six seasons. But, being one of those girls, I still had a hard time emotionally connecting with some of the characters and their predictaments. Don't get me wrong - I laughed, I cried, I cheered. The movie was just missing that frosting on the cake. I would have just liked to see SATC go out with just a little more style.

But the point of a good chick flick is to get away. To escape into a fantasy of New York City for a few hours. And the movie did a good job of that. The fashion was fun to see, the city was fun to see, and the denouement of the show was fun to see. And, of course, seeing the movie with my good friend made it fun to see. Thanks for the fun girls night out, Alison!

On a random note, I just read an article in The New Yorker about Pascal Dangin, who is this world class retoucher of fashion photographs. Apparently, he's so good that photographers actually have him on set to help them with their photos. Well, he had a cameo role in the movie. He was on screen for all of three seconds, but it was so fun to see him and know who that crazy hair belonged to. And it made some of the movie make sense. Random to have just read that and then to have seen him in the movie.

A new milestone reached

I stopped at the gas station today to fill up my tank, and saw that the inevitable milestone has finally come to Raleigh: gas is $4/gallon.

So this is the first time, that I can remember, that a gallon of gas is officially more expensive than a gallon of milk. I don't know whether I should say "It's about time" or "Holy monkeys."

If Ford's announcement this week means anything, then maybe this means smaller, less-polluting, more-efficient cars are finally in our consistent future.

All in a wave

The human tendency (at least, I think it applies to all humans, although I haven't tested this theory among all the world's cultures) is to wave to a video camera. It's almost instinctive; as soon as the camera begins to whir, the jazz-handed wave greets the viewer.

We seldom sporadically wave in other parts of our lives. When driving down the road, we don't wave to fellow passerbyers. We don't wave to others on a train or if we see another plane crossing air space, miles away.

But, I noticed this weekend when vacationing at the beach, that we do wave to other boaters. I felt as if I was on a parade float, waving to people as we zoomed by each other. On almost every boat we passed, the passengers waved to us...and we waved to other passengers, sometimes instigating the acknowledgment ourselves.

And it made me think of other times that we wave to people. And I think that we have a higher tendency to wave to people when there's a personal contact made, like eye contact. In a boat, you can't help but see the other person coming towards you, and once that personal connection is made, it's rude not to wave. Maybe it's a way of embracing our humanity, sharing our collective sameness, acknowledging each other, especially when you have no other choice but to. In a car, we're distracted; we have an excuse not to wave and the person never really knows if we saw them or not. But out in the open - whether it's on a boat, or walking down a neighborhood sidewalk, or passing someone on a carriage ride - things become a little more personal.

Maybe we should all wave more, even when we're in our cars, or in a place where we normally don't wave. If anything, it's a friendly gesture, even if you do start to feel like you're in a parade.

Going Down?

I came across an interesting factoid in The New Yorker the other day ("Up and then Down", April 21, 2008): since the 1990's, the "close door" button on elevators doesn't actually work. The only person that can activate that button is a fireman with a key that he or she uses in the event of a fire or emergency.

How many times have I pressed that key impatiently, smashing it again and again to get a door to close, usually when the elevator has stopped nonsensically at a floor where no one is present? That button almost acts as a valve, releasing the rising anger and angst of frustration. As if pressing it again and again - even though the doors still don't seem to immediately close - helps keep our temper in check.

Or maybe we use that button as a signal, a way of letting others in the elevator know that we are in a hurry, need to get somewhere, frustrated that the elevator is taking it's sweet time to get to the next floor.

Now that I know that this button doesn't actually work for us common folk, I'm going to more carefully watch how other passengers use this button. I'd like to see how many times they punch the button and what makes them believe, as I did, that their actions actually have some sort of consequence. And maybe, if I'm feeling particuarly punchy - or brave - I just might share the insight of the dummy button with them.

What's Love Got to do with It?

When I was five or six years old, I would prance around the house with my favorite red purse, belting out the words to "What's Love Got to do with It?" My dream was to be Tina Turner - complete with the crazy hair - and marry Michael Jackson.

Well, some dreams don't quite come true. Alas, marrying the King of Pop was not in the cards, and neither was pulling off the crazy Tina hair - or getting the fabulous Tina legs, for that matter.

But dreams can come pretty close - in October, Abby and I will rendez-vous in Chicago to see Tina perform on her last tour ever! I'm pretty excited about the whole thing and just hope that Tina is prepared for me to sing with her on stage. Oh, Tina, you're "Simply the Best!"

By the way, do you know that Tina is 69 years old? I just hope I can age as gracefully as she has.

Yo Momma!

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there! As a special treat, I have a very fun blog that just about everyone can relate to. It's a website that invites people to send in their crazy e-mails that their mothers send them. You know the ones - the nagging ones, the unintentionally funny ones, the ones where your mom is trying to let you know she cares about you but it's just coming off as her being psychotic.

Before I saw this website, I thought it was just me. Now I know that I'm just one of a multitude. The Newsweek article about the blog is here.

And you can check out Postcards From Yo Momma here. Let the hilarity ensue! Thanks to Elizabeth for cluing me in and saving my sanity!

Commoditized

In the Dallas airport this morning, I walked by a vending machine. It didn't dispense candy bars or soda pop, but iPods. Press E3 for a blue iPod Nano. Or press A8 for an extra set of ear buds. A simple slide of the credit card makes the sale complete.

Amazing. Even iPods are becoming a commodity. Soon we'll be trading iPods on the Stock Exchange, right along with orange juice pork bellies.

Note: I actually found an image online of the exact vending machine at DFW so you can revel in the experience. Apparently, I'm not the only one completely amazed.

Voting Time

In just a few short days, North Carolina will be heading to the polls to cast its vote for a democrat presidential candidate. When news first broke that it may be North Carolina and Indiana - two states thought to be voting too late in the process to make a difference - who may determine the candidate, everyone here was all a tither.

But then it became the only thing we ever heard about. Now, I feel like North Carolinians are haggard and war-torn, tired of the pandering and ready for this whole thing to be over with. I concur. I'm ready for just two candidates.

Next Friday, North Carolina will also be holding other primaries other than the presidential one. Based on the signs I've seen at intersections, there's School Board, County Commissioner, Governor and State Senate. What exactly is a County Commissioner, anyway? And does anyone really care?

And the signs! I feel like we're running for high school Student Body President again. Colorful signs at every intersection shouting "Vote for me! Vote for me!" There are so many, I can't even remember who's running. It's all just a popularity contest, especially when no one even knows what your office does.

I'll be so glad when all this is over and the real fun begins!

Monday Laughs

Happy Monday!

Q: What did 50-cent say to his friend who knitted him a sweater?

A: Gee, you knit?

Oh, New York

I was in NYC this past week/weekend. I worked during the week, and then extended the trip to the weekend to see my sister, grandma and friends. Every time I go back to the city, I realize how much I miss it. It's like meeting a friend you haven't seen in awhile - at first you have to remember which way is North, that avenues go from East to West, and then you're back in your comfort zone again. It's like you never left.

It's strange that I find comfort among so much chaos. I guess the rest of my life is kind of the same way...I thrive in chaos. But what's great about New York is that, just when the chaos and the crowds may be getting the best of you, you can duck into a museum, or a book store, or a coffee shop and escape for a bit, find a bit of quiet and comfort amid the storm.

I've written before about how my infatuation with New York. I guess I thought that that preoccupation with the city would die down over time, that I would become one of those people who say they love the city, but could never live there. I guess you don't know until you're actually stuck there (yes, in the tiny, cramped apartment). Maybe I see the city through rose-colored glasses (that's my specialty, after all), but there is still something that draws me to the city, that fits me just like an old friend.

Happy Earth Day!

Hopefully everyone will do one great thing to help the Earth today. Our firm encouraged everyone to work from home today, to help keep 40 cars off the road. So I'm sitting on my porch, typing out a report and reducing my carbon footprint, while enjoying the beautiful weather we're having here.

In honor of Earth Day, and in the spirit of bringing the Earth to the forefront of our everyday thoughts and actions, here are 10 Ways to Go Green!

Happy Earth Day!

Pope Mania

I've been surprised by the amount of news coverage that the Pope's visit to America has received. As a Catholic, I know the Pope is a big deal to our religion, but I'm not used to everyone being as interested in him as we are.

JP2 had a big following, and I guess I could understand why he was so popular among Catholics and non-Catholics alike. He had charisma, he did a lot to bridge gaps between religions and countries, and he appealed to a lot of young people. Up until now, I thought if people liked the pope, it had more to do with JP2 than it did with the position itself.

Now I'm not so sure. Every major news channel, including CNN, broadcast the entire Papal Mass yesterday. That's several hours of continuous coverage on just one event. That's amazing to me. Why the interest in the Pope? Why are people from all religions and backgrounds interested in his visit to America? No other religious or political dignitary has ever gotten this kind of press or coverage. No president, no religious leader, no one. What gives?

Maybe it's a mystique around the office. Maybe it had something to do with the sex scandals in the Church. Maybe there's just nothing else going on in the world at this moment.

What is it about a Pope that garners so much interest? Yeah, the Catholic religion is one of the oldest and there's a lot of history (good and bad) with the religion and its leader. Maybe it's that few other religions have a head person like this, but still...there were CNN reporters - non-Catholics - who attended the Mass in Yankee Stadium and whose responses were those you'd expect to hear from someone who was Catholic. What is it about this one man - about this office - that generates this excitement?

It sounds like his visit went really well, and hopefully the first steps were taken to really heal the wounds of those victims and those of US Catholics. It will be interesting to see how his visit energizes our faith. And, it will be interesting to see if this visit will energize the rest of America, even those who just see him as a Pope.

Look Ma, no helmet

In anticipation of the warming weather, Scott and I had our bikes tuned up. New tires, new tubes, new brakes.

So I went out for a ride this afternoon and felt a bit naked. I didn't wear a helmet.

See I grew up in the generation that never wore bicycle helmets. My sister (six years younger) started wearing one when she become of bike-riding age. So I guess I just missed it. Since it was a foreign concept to me growing up, it just seems weird to wear one now. So I zipped around the neighborhood and felt a bit out of place. I felt that people were judging me because I wasn't wearing a helmet.

I can't help but think that riding a bike would be a whole different experience with a helmet on. No wind rushing through your hair, decreased field of vision, a strange balancing act, now that there's extra weight on your head. Not quite as carefree as careening on your bike without a helmet.

I guess we should probably get helmets, since it seems the vogue thing to do now. But it doesn't mean I have to like it.

When did I become old?

Reason #6: I was reading CNN.com today and came across the following story: New Kids on the Block Reuniting. In a nutshell, the NKOTB (New Kids on the Block) are getting back together, creating new music together. That, in itself, wasn't such a big deal, but the following statement in the article turned my blood cold:

The boy band New Kids on the Block, which sold 70 million albums in the 1980s and early '90s, has reunited and plans to release a new album and go on tour. The reunion comes 20 years after the release of the group's multiplatinum album, "Hangin' Tough."

I bolded the phrase in question. Twenty years? They had to be mistaken. So I quickly did the math...I'm 28 years old (going on 29), which would have made me eight or nine when the album came out, which would have put me in 4th grade. Yep, that's about right.

Twenty years? Seriously? I feel so old.

A few of my favorite things

Like the rest of the country, and especially those in North Carolina, I've been glued to the TV, watching March Madness. North Carolinians go crazy over their college basketball, and having gone to an ACC school, I've now become a part of this culture. I love Wake, hate Carolina, and am indifferent about Duke. It doesn't help that most of the people at the firm I work in graduated from Carolina. My week would be complete if Carolina lost today...

...but I digress. Because I'm glued to the TV, I've watched a lot of commercials. Some of them aren't confined to the March Madness season, but I just haven't seen a whole lot of commercials until now. There are two that stick out: the new Marine commerical and a Nike commercial, both of which are below.

I like the Marine commercial (other than the bias of my father being a Marine Colonel) because it's moving and inspirational. And every time I watch it, I notice something different. It wasn't until the third time that I realized they are spanning the United States, from Times Square, the mid-America, to San Fran. And it's not just the big cities, it's the small towns. The music, the uniforms, the landscape. It's just a very effective commercial. I've read somewhere once before that the Marines have the smallest advertising budget of the branches, but are the most effective in recruiting, dollar for dollar. I don't know who their ad agency is, but I think they put out some great stuff, overall.

The Nike commercial is kind of similar to the Marine one. I'm probably biased again because Chris Paul is in the commerical. But it really speaks to hard work and dedication of teams and individuals. The idea that, while everyone wants to win, it's those who put in the blood, sweat, and tears that are able to overcome even those favored to win. And that that work starts at an individual level. What's effective about this commercial is that there is no voice-over - just the chiming and the images.

Enjoy!

New US Marine Corps Commercial - 30 Second Version

Air Jordan XX3 - There are no Cinderellas

Give my regards to Broadway

The Wedding Singer. Legally Blonde. Spamalot. Titanic. Footloose. The Rocky Horror Picture Show. All these titles have something in common: they are movies that have been made into Broadway musicials.

I am bothered by this trend. Broadway has a certain mystique, a class about it that has created classical musicals. To bring a movie script onto the stage seems demoralizing and almost sacrilegious. I don't see Legally Blonde worthy of sharing the same circle as Andrew Lloyd Webber. Making a movie into a musical cheapens the value of Broadway.

(The Disney movies weren't included in my initial list. The Little Mermaid and The Lion King have made their debuts onto Broadway, as well. But Disney is in a different world, and almost shares that same mystique as Broadway. For some reason, I'm not as bothered by these animated movies becoming singing and dancing numbers on stage).

Could it be a societal issue? Are we becoming so secular that we are disinterested in those shows that we haven't already seen on the big screen? Are we trading the classics for the best sellers? Are we in danger of those famous Broadway musicals going dark, only to make their appearance again in brief revivals, a la Cats? What happened to the "good ol' days" when it was the silver screen that was honored to host a Broadway musical, and not the other way around?

I refuse to support any musical that has it's roots in a movie. I'll still go to Broadway musicals, but to see the quality shows, not just one that's hoping to extend its commercial value on 42nd street.

Money, Money

I just couldn't do it. I was in a small boutique in Wilmington, hoping to find a few new additions to my wardrobe. With the warm weather, I've been itching to update my wardrobe and buy some new clothes.

So I picked up a soft t-shirt, with a pretty neckline and in a dark fuschia. Pretty and feminine. And all mine for a mere $72. For a t-shirt. I just couldn't do it.

I always asked myself if one day I would make enough money where I could stop looking at price tags. Where spending a few extra $50 on a t-shirt would be beans to me. The answer is...no.

Luckily, Scott and I are in a position where it wouldn't hurt us to spend $72 on a t-shirt. But I still can't bring myself to spend that much money on a t-shirt, or much any other piece of clothing. I think, no matter how much money I make, I will always look at the price tag and think twice about how much something is worth.

Maybe that makes me cheap (it probably does). But I can also think of many other things I'd rather spend that extra money on - things that are much more valuable to me than a soft, pretty t-shirt.

Quote of the Day

I stopped by Starbucks again this morning (tall, vanilla latte, skim milk) and came across this quote on my cup.

"In a world where celebrity equals talent, and where make-believe
is called reality, it is most important to have real love, trust and
stability in your life."
--Bernie Brillstein
Film and television producer

I really like that quote. And it got me thinking about how often television and make-believe can take center stage to those real relationships. I think about the times where Scott and I eat together in front of the TV, instead of sitting at the table without the distraction of the TV. Or how we can even get engrossed in the internet, surfing the web for celebrity gossip, instead of talking to each other.

Of course, there's a balance, right? For example, we're currently watching the John Adams mini-series on HBO, which is not only educational, but inspires conversation between us about that time of our country's history. But I think we need to be careful - we all need to be careful - that our relationships in the flesh and blood always trump our relationships with a 2-D image.

Mr. Photogenic

I haven't really been following this whole Spitzer thing, other than what I've read in the headlines. I don't really care about it all that much, other than I think people in power tend to do really stupid things that they wouldn't otherwise.

However, I think it's absolutely hilarious that every picture I've seen of Spitzer and this ordeal has been less than flattering. I don't know if Mr. Spitzer is just not very photogenic or if it's that every newspaper photographer has a gentleman's agreement to make Spitzer look as comic as possible. Just a few of my favorite photos:

That's quite a face, Spitzer!

No more wisdom teeth

On Wednesday, I had all four of my wisdom teeth removed. Do you think I'm any less wiser, now?

It was a much less painful experience than I anticipated. That's the worst part, I think - the anticipation. And then when it's all done, it doesn't turn out to be that bad. That's what they say about childbirth, too, but I'm not sure I'd take it that far.

No dry sockets. No excessive bleeding. Just mushy baby-like food and careful, careful brushing. I'm so ready just to bite down on a carrot or something! The crazy part is that the doctor told me no popcorn, sesame seeds, poppy seeds or peanuts for four months. Four months?! It takes that long for everything to completely heal? Wow. This was just four wisdom teeth coming out - imaging if it was much more serious surgery. Now I see why recovering takes so long. Scott, of course, is loving the no popcorn part because now he is justified in not sharing his popcorn with me at the movies!

So everything is good, which is great, because I'm leaving Sunday for a cross-country trip: New York City for the first half of the week and LA for the second half.

Airplane Etiquette

Give. Me. One. Damn. Minute.

Poison-head arrows were shooting out of my eyes at the suit behind me. It's not that I'm a mean person, it's just that I can be passive-aggressive when I need to be. I wish it were different. I wish I could have looked this jerk in the eye and told him to "Give me a damn minute."

I'm a pretty light traveller these days. I can fit one week's worth of business casual outfits, workout clothes (with gym shoes), casual clothes, fun clothes (if it's a fun city and we'll have time to go out to a bar or two), toiletries, hair brushes, and a good book into a carry-on luggage. I just bring that and my laptop bag with me when I travel because there's no way in hell I'm checking anything (too many pieces of luggage have been lost for me not to have learned that lesson).

But what kills me is that people on the airplane won't budge an inch to let you pull that luggage down from the overhead compartment.

First, I'm amazed by the lack of courtesy people will afford each other when exiting the airplane. There seems that there should be a natural order to things: each row has it's turn to empty into the aisles, with the back rows waiting until it's their turn to go. Instead, it's a mad dash with everyone out for themselves. We've been on the plane 2 hours. Another 3.6 seconds isn't going to kill anybody.

Then, it seems that as soon as you leave your seat, you're expected to make a beeline for the cabin door. Nevermind that you might have some luggage to pull out of the bins. There's the silent impatient scowl from the people behind you, as if they are saying "Look at this conceited passenger. You just HAD to bring your luggage on board and ruin it for the rest of us, didn't you?"

Every time I'm on the plane, I feel like I'm rushing to pull down my luggage, and that I should be apologizing to everyone behind me. And these people don't give even an inch of room. I literally almost took three people out with my luggage on my last flight. It's simple physics, really. The luggage is going to make a downward trajectory arc when I pull it down and anything in the way of that arc is going to get smashed. So if you're breathing down my neck, you better step away.

Now, I'm taking my time. If people aren't going to be courteous to me and other passengers, then they can just wait. I'm going to be more assertive. The next time a passenger is breathing down my neck, I'm going to stop, turn to them and very nicely ask them to back that ass up.

I want my Girl Scout Cookies!

I finally got my four boxes of Girl Scout cookies today. Two boxes of Thin Mints, one Carmel deLights and one Peanut Butter Patties. I was talking to the Cookie Chair and apparently, there's a bit of cookie unrest in the area.

This year, the NC Girl Scout Council switched bakeries (there are two bakeries in the US that are licensed to produce Girl Scout cookies: one in Louisville, KY and another in Richmond, VA). This year, the council chose to go with the one in Richmond, and apparently people are tasting a difference in their cookies...enough to elicit a front-page newspaper article about it. Apparently, the flavors just don't "explode in your mouth" the way they used to.

Customers are upset. They are demanding their money back and there is a hotline dedicated to taking customer complaints and issuing refunds or new boxes of cookies.

News flash: these are COOKIES we're talking about. I know we get excited about our Girl Scout cookies. They are limited in quantity. You don't get to eat them everyday. But, seriously. I can understand if you got a damaged box of cookies (as some people did, due to a leak in one of the warehouses). But a slight taste difference? Come on.

I did my own taste test of a Thin Mint. It tastes pretty darn good. True, it doesn't seem quite as minty as before, but I don't know if that's because I was looking for it or because there really is a difference.

Some people get upset over injustice in their country. I guess injustice can even take the form of a Girl Scout cookie.

Crazy. Ness.

Scott and I have never made a big deal about Valentine's Day. To us, it's an artificial - and superficial - holiday that carries no meaning to our relationship.

After work, I stopped by Whole Foods to pick up a few items. Complete mobscene. I circled the parking lot about twelve times, finally resigning myself to "stalk" a leaving customer so I could confiscate his spot. Then I elbowed my way past the swarm of people hovering around the 12,589 rose bouquest on sale at the front of the store. (That doesn't count the 1,476 bouquets on sale throughout the rest of the store).

The dairy section was sparsely populated - good news for me, as I scored a gallon of milk - but the meat, wine and cheese sections were all a-tither. Seriously, people.

On my way out of the store, I happened to walk next to a man who started laughing. I gave him a quizzical look. "All together now, let's say 'I love you.'" Nicely put. Somehow, we have all got it in our heads that we need to do the same thing as everyone else in this country, to tell the people we love that we love them. Crazy. Ness.

Of course, Scott and I are not completely exempt from the madness. I did receive roses from him today, which was a bit out of the blue (he has also been out of town for the past two weeks, so that might have something to do with it). And I succumbed to the peer pressure at Whole Foods and bought a bottle of Scott's favorite wine.

I am a fifth grader

So tonight I checked out the game show that everyone's been talking about - Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader? I love this show! It's fun because it's not just random trivia, but stuff that you should know and it forces you to reach back in the annals of your mind to remember some of this stuff.

What's neat is that you realize how much more you know now than you did in 5th grade. Sure, maybe it's hard to remember off the top of your head which element, besides Bromine, is a liquid at room temperature. But most people can reason it out (Mercury). It's neat to see how you use other knowledge you've gained over the years to apply it back to the basics. It's not just regurgitation anymore.

On another fifth grade note, I need some advice. Is it so wrong that I love Miley Cyrus' new song "See You Again?" I'm going to be honest. It's been stuck in my head all day and I'm not upset about that. I'm thinking about downloading it from iTunes but am a little worried I may be end up on 20/20. I happened to run across Hannah Montana on TV the other day, and I found myself watching the entire episode. Miley's really cute and it's a pretty good show - for a 10-year-old.

See? This is what happens when writers go on strike!

When stupid parents do stupid things

Many of you will recall the MySpace Suicide Hoax last year, where a 13-year-old girl, Megan, committed suicide after being taunted by a boy she liked on MySpace. It turns out that this "boy" was a fictional profile created by her friend (and her friend's parents) to find out what Megan might be saying about this friend behind her back.

This story has made the secondary headlines again because the sherriff of the town (which isn't too far from where I grew up) kept the case open to see if he could charge the friend's parents with anything. The case recently close because it was decided these parents hadn't broken any laws...besides just being stupid and callous.

Now, of course, I'm sure that these parents never imagined that their actions would cause the suicide of a girl. But at what point do parents bow down to the level of their 13-year-old child?

I'm not a parent, and probably won't be for a while, and I know how much parents hate it when non-parents parent. But I think it's one of those scary things you consider when you think about raising a kid in today's world. You want to be a "friend" to your child, but you have to draw a line at indulging your child's every wish. How would things have been different if those parents stood up to their child and said "No," no matter how much they wanted to protect their child.

I think that's the problem today. We want to over-protect, we want to indulge - but at what cost? And what's the line that separates having a relationship that goes beyond parent-child and becoming a 13-year-old yourself? I think it must take a lot of self-confidence to be a parent - to not worry about what your child thinks of you, especially when you have to make those tough and unpopular choices.

Maybe these parents werent' self-confident enough. They got caught up with living in their child's world and not think about the consequences that grown-ups - and parents - should think about. Kind of makes the thought of raising a kid a little scary.

Mark of Time

We measure time by events that happen as a group. We graduate college together, then we get invitation to weddings, to baby showers and, eventually, to those baby's graduations and weddings. Those are the happy (or bittersweet) ways we mark off time. There are other, sadder, ways.

The time now is that of grandparents dying. I have several friends who grandparents have died recently, and Scott's grandfather and grandmother are not doing well, either. A few weeks ago, I found out my grandmother had a bad fall and broke several bones, sending her to the hospital.

She's not in rehab and, I think, doing better. But, as we know with old people, once a major fall like this happens, it doesn't take much to topple to apple cart again. I have a sinking feeling that this could be the beginning of the end.

It's sad because she's my last grandparent. Both my grandfather died when I was two, and my other grandmother died when I was in college. But she was much older - 99 years old - so it was somewhat expected. And I wasn't as close with her as I am with this grandmother.

I guess that's how time marches on, and how it leaves its wake. Amidst the weddings and births also comes the deaths. It's strange to be at that point in our own lives where we see that exodus among ourselves and our friends.

I'm sure I'll be taking a trip to New York in the coming month to go see her and check up on Nanny. I'll keep you posted on her progress.

The Way I See It #290

This little quote was greeting me on the cup of my Starbucks latte (tall, vanilla, skim milk) this morning:

"On the battlefield of ideas, winning requires moving toward the sound of the guns."

-Newt Gingrich

I like that.

Operation Cookie Drop

It's that time of year again. Just when the slow winter depression starts to set in and the realization that the best of the holidays are over and the cold weather has just begun, a cheery girl in a green vest comes knocking on your door with the promise of hope.

A girl scout and her girl scout cookies.

The Girl Scouts have come up with an ingenious plan. For a mere $3.50 a box (when I was a girl scout, I believe they retailed for $1.75 a box), you get the joy of a limited edition cookie. Now's the time to stock your freezer with boxes of Thin Mints and Samoas (at least, that's what they were called when I was a girl scout), to be later enjoyed the other 11 months of the year.

This year, a little girl scout came knocking on my door, and I bought two boxes of Thin Mints, a box of Samoas and a box of Peanut Butter something-or-others. And one box for the troops.

Operation Cookie Drop is apparently the girl scout's way of spreading cheer and good will to our soliders overseas. Each person can buy a box of cookies for the troops. So I put myself down for a box - I figure it's the least I can do. I'm sure they would appreciate a box of girl scout cookies. I didn't get to specify a particular cookie, though, and I just hope that the troops don't find themselves with 10,000 boxes of Shortbread Cookies. Because, let's be honest, not all girl scout cookies are quite as wonderfully delicious as others.

I imagine boxes of Thin Mints being dropped from airplanes like manna from heaven, each with it's own tiny parachute to bring it safely and gently down upon Iraq and Afghanistan. Troops looking up to the skies cheering and dancing around as the minty goodness rains around them. Newspaper headings proclaiming "Girl Scouts boost Troops' Morale!" and "Osama gets a beating thanks to the Girl Scouts!"

I wonder if the troops, like me, are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the middle of February, when my four boxes of cookies will be delivered to my door, in exchange for $17.50. I wonder if brave girl scouts and their leaders will be traveling to the Middle East to set up cookie tables, selling the extra boxes of cookies to the troops who were not as fortunate to grab a parachuting box of Thin Mints. I wonder if they, like me, are debating if they should have ordered that extra box of Thin Mints and Samoas, just to fortify them through the dreary winter months.

After all, it's not every day that you can enoy a Girl Scout cookie.

Bumper Sticker Time!

On my drive home today, I saw this bumper sticker:

Don't Steal.
The government hates competition.

What? Now I'm not claiming to be a flaming liberal, but seriously?

Jigga what?

Raleigh is currently under voluntary water restrictions. Apparently, we only have 60 days of water left. After that 60th day, I'm not really sure what we're going to do, but Scott and I have been very conscious about the amount of water that we use. I've even gone so far as to save any excess water we have (the water that runs when you're waiting for the hot water to start) and using it to fill our toilets, so we don't use water when we flush! Extreme, I know. But it's actually kind of fun!

I went to Panera today to grab lunch and was greeted by this sign on their door. (My real-time thoughts are in italics).

Dear Valued Panera Guests, (that's me!)

As part of our ongoing water conservation (Awesome! Even Panera is conserving water. Love it), we have switched to disposable tableware. We apologize for the inconvenience. (Jigga what??)

So now they are substituting one evil with another? It's a tough call, I know. Save the water or save the landfills? How about we just come up with a more efficient way to clean dishes with less water?

I guess the only thing to do now is what our parents always told us: bring your lunch.

A slow and painful death?

"Reading is that fruitful miracle of a communication in the midst of solitude." -Proust

I have always loved to read. I was the kid who would read the cereal box and the milk jug as I ate breakfast in the morning. And I am the geek who can spend hours, unknowingly, in a bookstore or library. For me, it's more than just the story. It's the sentence structure and form that I love, that inspire me.

In last week's issue of The New Yorker, an article horrified me (Twilight of Books by Caleb Crain). In the article, Crain give supporting evidence that reading is on the decline, not just in the US but across the world. Among the statistics is the main finding: "Between 1982 and 2002, the percentage of Americans who read literature declined not only in every age group but in every generation - even in those moving from youth into middle age. We are reading less as we age, and we are reading less than people who were our age ten or twenty years ago".

Many sociologists believe that reading books for pleasure will one day be some arcane hobby. So what's the big deal?

There have been numerous studies showing that that readers and viewers (those who primarily watch TV in this case) actually think and view their world differently. Readers remember more, are able to note inconsistencies, are better at critically thinking. Viewers of TV programming are less likely to remember facts and, because TV is more visceral and emotional, are more likely to tune out shows that present a conflicting viewpoint (which affects critical thinking ability). Apparently the Internet falls in-line with reading, but there is fear that if more of the internet turns to the YouTube model, it will soon evolve more towards television. Crain writes:

"It can be amusing to read a magazine whose principles you despise, but it is almost unbearable to watch such a TV show. And so, in a culture of secondary orality, we may be less likely to spend time with ideas we disagree with. Self-doubt, therefore, becomes less likely. It is easy to notice inconsistencies in two written accounts placed side by side. A comparison of two video reports, on the other hand, is cumbersome. Forced to choose between conflicting stories on TV, the viewer falls back on hunches, or on what he believed before he started watching. He thinks in terms of situations and story lines rather than abstractions."

Crain also points out that the decline of reading could change the fabric our country. Readers are more likely to play sports, visit art museums, attend theatre, take photographs, volunteer and vote. "Perhaps readers venture so readily outside because what they experience in solitude gives them confidence. Perhaps reading is the prototype of independence. No matter how much one worships an author, Proust wrote, 'all he can do is give us desires.' Reading somehow gives us the boldness to act on them. Such a habit might be quite dangerous for a democracy to lose."

I agree. And I understand that there is probably a strong correlation between higher socio-economic status and readers, which give us the time - and money - to visit those museums and volunteer. But I wonder if there is also a strong correlation between reading and being successful, no matter what your socio-economic background. I think reading makes you think outside of yourself, gives you the tools to write better, and allows your mind to work in a different way than just watching TV. It would be a terrible thing for our culture to lose that.

So the question is now, what do we do about it?

Holidays on Ice

Happy New Year!

The holidays have flown by. And even though it's not officially the end of the holiday season (that doesn't happen until January 6th), it's strange how the New Year caps off the celebrations. With no more holiday parties planned (I think it's only Americans who don't make the big fuss about the Epiphany) and all the presents opened, we now hunker down for the long, drab winter ahead and pray for Spring. Of course, North Carolina hasn't seen temperatures below 45 degrees yet, so winter hasn't officially started for us.

It's strange, isn't it? That the best part of the winter season is behind us and New Years has kicked off the start of No Man's Land. There's really nothing to look forward to, save a Valentine's Day here and a President's Day there.

We hosted the whole fam for the holidays this year. And it was fun (it's strange how time, even just a week, can erase the pain and discomfort of being around family 24/7. Maybe that's why women keep having babies). To my mom's credit, I think it was strange that this was the first year that her daughter hosted the holidays. And that's hard for someone who likes to be in control. She kept "suggesting" ways to cook, how to clean my house, and when to rake my yard. And when I ignored her, she "suggested" these things to Scott, hoping that there would be a trickle-down effect. Let's just say there was a lot of drinking going on.

I think everyone had a good time, though. And no matter how painful or uncomfortable being around the family can be, there is comfort in having them around - comfort in the chaos and frustration. I think, for awhile at least, we'll be leaving the holiday hosting to our families, though. We never realized how much work - and food - it entails!

Here's hoping that everyone had just as comfortable of a holiday season and is looking forward to 2008!

Rudolph, the red-nosed Jeep?

First it was a wreath on the grill. Then it was Christmas lights on the bike rack. And now, it's just a full-fledged reindeer.

Why do people feel the urge to decorate their cars for Christmas? I drove by a Jeep the other day decked out with antlers and a red nose. And just today I saw a minivan with the same getup. Are we rolling in the dough that much that we can spend out excess cash on costumes for our car? And nothing celebrates Jesus quite like a car in a Rudolph disguise. I'm sure God's looking down on us right now, rolling his eyes.

If we've got all this excess cash, how about we spread it around a little. Maybe help out a child in need. Or give to a soup kitchen. Or support a homeless shelter.

After all, I can think of so many better ways to spend money...especially during this season that's all about giving to others.

A Sign of the Times

Flying often (very often, these days), I've noticed that some airlines are upgrading their fleet. You can tell because the seats look different, the overhead bins are smaller and the carpet is newer.

There's also another change: no more "No Smoking" signs. You know the ones...the space above each seat where two lights are illuminated - "Fasten Your Seatbelt" (also communicated with a simple seatbelt illustration) and "No Smoking" (also communicated with a cigarette with a red line through it). The "No Smoking" light has now been replaced by the "Turn off Electronic Devices" light (no cool graphic to go with this one).

I don't actually ever remember being able to smoke on a flight, but it's strange to see this icon be updated. It's what I've always seen on a plane - a bit of comfort and familiarality replaced by something new.

At the same time, it's exciting to be part of two eras - and be aware of the change. I don't think any other generation has seen - and been a part of - such rapid technological change. After all, this week marks the 25th anniversary of the Commodor 64 - I was three when it debuted, but I've watch computers change (remember DOS?), digital music descend upon us (remember Napster?), and now seen it become so embedded in our culture that it has found its way even in the small space above an airline seat. My kids will never see the "No Smoking" light on an airplane; although I'm sure the old comfort of "Turn off Electronic Devices" will one day be replaced with something newfangled.

It's pretty exciting.

Only in America...or, at least, Kentucky

I'm in Cincinnati this week, on a research project for Sears. Some of the research brought me just over the river into Florence, Kentucky. To be exact, I was at the Florence Mall.

As I drove into the city, I noticed a big, red-and-white striped water tower with "Florence Y'all" written in big block letters. I thought this was just a little southern charm. After all, Kentucky's motto is Unbridled Spirit.

Or maybe it should be Bridled Budget. One of the local Cincinnati-ites told me this trivia jewel: several years ago, the water tower actually read "Florence Mall". But then a city ordinance was passed that basically prohibited commercial names being advertised on public property. This applied to the Florence water tower. So to save a little time - and paint - they simply changed the "M" to a "Y" and added an apostrophe. Hence, "Florence Mall" became "Florence Y'all".

Pretty darn clever. And just a little darn ghetto.

So that's your trivia for the night. Enjoy!

The Windy City

I just got home from a week in Chicago (which capped off the end of our US ethnography research - yay!). Every time I go to Chicago, I realize how much I really like the city. It has such a different vibe than New York. As you walk down the street, you see people walking together, talking together. Colleagues and friends are huddled together, scurrying off to lunch. Other groups are standing outside, giving hugs and kisses goodbye or hello.

New York is so different - no groups of people, no hugs and kisses. Just people alone, scurrying off to lunch by themselves. No one looks at you. There's really no relationships, at least in the street, like there are in Chicago.

What gives a city it's own vibe? How is it that each city has it's own trademark, it's own personality? How does that get started, and how does it perpectuate itself? Is it a cycle, where once the vibe is established, it attracts people who enjoy and seek out that environment? But there's got to be more to it than that, because people move to cities for jobs and families, external reasons besides being attracted to a lifestyle.

It reminds me of a house smell, in a way. Ever notice how different houses have different smells? And even when you move into a new house, eventually, it'll take on your smell. You can identify people by that smell. How does that smell get started and what contributes to it? And despite bringing more stuff into the house, or having more people in a house, the same smell lingers.

I like Chicago. It's vibe, it's personality, and yes, it's smell.

No friend of mine

In a previous post, I mentioned the boyfriend who left my mother-in-law, and how we referred to him as our "stepfather". Just for the record, we no longer consider that person a "stepfather". If I passed him on the street, he would be just another stranger to me.

People are so predictable

I've heard a quote before. "There are no innovative ideas. Just the same old ideas put together in new ways."

Now that I have a true commute back and forth to work (although, I'm sure, commuters in other parts of the country would probably laugh at my use of the word "commute"), I'm amazed to be able to judge human behavior through traffic patterns. And I've decided that no one is really that unique. Collectively, we have the same behaviors and the same thoughts that drive those behaviors - at least when it comes to commuting.

For example, I usually don't have much traffic in the morning. This is probably because I don't have to be at work until 9:00 am. However, I've found that on Mondays and Fridays there isn't as much traffic in the morning. Perhaps because people are less motivated to get to work on Monday and Friday mornings, or perhaps more people don't work on those those. Whatever the reason, collectively, fewer people are on the road on those mornings.

And the commute back on those days has a similar pattern. It doesn't matter what time I leave on Mondays because I never hit traffic - perhaps everyone is busy on Mondays and leaves work at different times. On Fridays, I'm lucky to make it home in 40 minutes if I leave at 4:45 pm. Everyone is ready to get off work and start the weekend.

I left at 4:00 on Wednesday, thinking I would beat traffic home. Nope. Everyone had the same idea.

Whatever the reasons, we seem to have similar behaviors. We go to work around the same time. We leave around the same time. Around the holidays, we have the same idea about "beating traffic". I guess as humans, we don't have much of an original thought in our heads - we're pretty predictable.

Now I just need to find a new way of putting together those same ideas so I can beat the rush hour traffic on I-40.

Babies, babies everywhere and not a bite to eat

Why is everyone suddenly mating?

Two of my high school friends had the fruits of that mating come into the world recently, and I have to say, they are pretty cute babies. First came Martha and Patrick's baby (and who even knew that she was carrying a baby because she gained, like, 0.56 ounces during her entire pregnancy?). Here's a picture of Baby Owen:

And then came Baby Xavier, Jeff and Karen's baby. He's pretty precious, too, wouldn't you agree? My friends make pretty cute babies.

Too bad I'm not around these little babies, because they are so cute, I want to eat them up (see previous post). Yes, they are that yummy.

And now my friend, Alison, just told me that her sister is pregnant!

That brings me to reason #486 that I'm getting old: What is that wise proverb? Oh, yes. First comes love. Then comes marriage. Then comes the baby in the baby carriage. The wedding crush is peetering out, and now the crush of little babies is making its way. Pretty soon, we'll be getting graduation announcements from these babies!

Congratulations to X and O and to the four proud new parents!

It's all about the Benjamins' Benjamin

Have you ever noticed how 99.9% of all songs ever recorded are about relationships? It's either about falling in love, falling out of love, or wanting to fall in love. Basically, it's all about sex. Very few songs you listen to have to do with anything other than that. One that comes to mind is "Unwritten", but that's really about it. Of course, there is that 60's and 70's genre that dealt primarily with the war. But again, it was all about making love.

A quick peak at the iTunes Top Songs should help clarify the point:

1. Kiss Kiss
2. Apologize
3. Crank That
4. Bubbly
5. No One
6. How Far We've Come
7. Cyclone
8. Gimme More
9. Hate That I Love You
10. Stronger

Of these, only "Crank That" and "How Far We've Come" don't mention anything about the opposite sex. (And you could argue that "Crank That" ...see me bouncing on my toe...is just a veiled mating dance).

If you continue down rest of the popular iTunes list, you'll see just how obsessesed we are with relationships. Why is that? Could it be that, evolutionarily, that's our whole point of being (or one of them) and it's so ingrained in our being that it comes out in song? Or could it be that it's something that we all can relate to, in one way or another, and so makes the artist more marketable? Or maybe we just don't have anything better to sing about?

It's also strange that all songs have exactly the same format: verse - chorus - verse - chorus - bridge - chorus. Sometimes a song might start off with a chorus and then go to a verse. Or maybe it ends with two choruses. But listen next time. Every song is in exactly the same format. There is always a bridge (the part of the song that sounds just a little bit different, or is in a slightly different key).

Interesting. Perhaps we are a lot more predictable than we'd like to think.

Babies are good to eat

My co-worker brought her new baby into work the other day. She was pretty cute...all chunky and giggly. As the baby was passed around from girl to girl (because, let's be honest, those were the only people interested in holding her), everyone was nuzzly with the baby and some people even nibbled on her. Especially on her little fat thighs.

And there were several comments of "You're so cute, I want to eat you up." It's not the first time I've heard that. When someone wants to take a little bite of baby thigh. Or just swallow a baby whole because it's so cute.

What is it about eating babies that we like to do? Why is it that we want to eat something that's really cute? Why do we want something cute inside our belly? Do other animals do this, as well, in their own animal way?

Mammals in general tend to stare at a new baby. How many times have you walked into a mall and craned your neck to gander a look at a baby in a stroller? It's like we're checking it out because we know it's going to be pretty cute (most of them, at least), and we want to take a look. Even monkeys and other mammals seem to do this...when a new baby is born, they all gather around to look at it. We're curious and want to see what it looks like.

But I'm still wondering why we want to eat them.

Moving must be a lot like childbirth

We finally moved into our new home this weekend! It's strange, because even though we're in, it doesn't quite feel like it's really ours yet. Maybe because everything is new - new furniture, new sheets, even new food (now that I'm shopping at a different grocery store, I have to adapt to their offerings).

It occured to me last week and this weekend that moving must be a lot like childbirth. It seems like a great idea until you've packed your 85th box, and then you realize that this was the worst idea ever. But by then, it's too late to do anything about it. And then you have to unpack all the boxes you just packed. And you have stuff lying around for days. And somehow, five years later, you forget all the pain and agony of moving and you want to do it all over again. And it seems like a good idea until you've packed your 85th box....

In short, I'm never moving again and I'm never having kids. Unless someone comes and it does it for me (the moving and the kids).

I really love our house and can't wait until all the furniture finally arrives and we get everything settled and decorated the way we want. My goal is to be live-in ready by the Christmas holidays. We'll see how I do!

Monopoly's back!

Monopoly is back at McDonald's! Throughout the years, it has made an appearance, and it must be a money-maker for the food chain, otherwise they wouldn't keep bringing it back. The amazing thing is that this is such a testament to the power of the game. I remember when McDonald's first came out with Monopoly (or at least I think it was the first time) - I had to be about 6 years old. That means that this game has been going on at McDonald's for over 20 years.

What is it about Monopoly that makes it popular throughout the generations? Is it the ability to go from pauper to prince in one deft move? Is it the ability to play the game for 5 hours straight and still see no end in sight? Or do we find it appealing because it's a game that mimics reality?

I'm a huge Monopoly fan, so I'm glad to see it come back to McDonald's. Of course, I don't like McDonald's, so I won't be helping its business decision, but it's nice to have a bit of nostalgia. And to remember some good memories from playing the game.

What a month!

I'm glad October is finally here. September was quite a month! I was in the office for 6 days last month, and at home for 9 days. The rest of the time was spent in St. Louis, Atlanta, Indianapolis and Savannah.

Well, Savannah was for fun. A bunch of girls had our first girls weekend. Every year, we usually see each other because someone is getting married. This year, however, we realized that no one was getting married, so we decided to have a "No Wedding Weekend". It was a lot of fun - all of us were in the same sorority and get along fabulously.


Saturday, Jen and I did a cooking class at the 700 Cooking School, which was fantastic. It was, quite possibly, the most delicious food I've ever put into my mouth. Here's a picture of us with Chef Darrin...he's been featured on The Food Network and HGTV, and his shrimp and grits were voted best in Savannah, so I felt like we were in the presence of a celebrity!
Sturday night was a bit crazy. It's been awhile since I've had that much fun, or gotten that drunk! Lots and lots of fun. And then we had hangover food at The Lady and Sons, which was equally delicious. So now, after all that food, it's time to hit the gym again!

If September was that much fun, I wonder what October has in store!

At least he has a fun name to say

Nothing like a dictator to incite the American public.

Our Iranian friend, President Ahmadinejad, made his appearance today at Columbia University. There seem to be people on both sides of the fence, with most Americans protesting his invitation to speak at the university.

I'm a bit torn on the subject. On the one hand, what he has done - and what he does - is despicable. On the other hand, we should allow ourselves to hear what he has to say. Freedom of speech has nothing to do with it, per se. It's more of the opportunity to hear differing perspectives and to open our minds to what is out in the world.

I won't go into all the details, but back when I was at the Old Gold and Black at Wake (the student newspaper), an advertising insert went into the paper. It turned out to be a pamphlet called "The Revisionist" which said, in a nutshell, that the Holocaust was a figment of the Jewish imagination. Some students on campus were outraged (most didn't care either way, unfortunately) and censored the insert.

But here was the perfect opportunity to talk about that. To talk about revisionism and what it means in history. To open our eyes to beliefs that exist beyond our limited view of the world and to understand what they are and why we should disagree. Should we give ignorance, give evil a chance to be studied and talked about? Yes. Simply because ignorance and evil exist and without knowing the foundation of why it exists or what the underlying beliefs are, then we can never attack it at the core and disband it forever.

I think Ahmadinejad should have been given the opportunity to speak. I want to know what he's all about and to understand that foundation of his evil regime. Because then we can tear it apart, bit by bit, and educate others on why it is wrong. And only by that education can we perhaps prevent another dictator like him from doing the same thing.

Knowledge is such a powerful instrument. But to use it to our greatest advantage means that sometimes we have to hear what we don't want to hear, open the wounds and allow ourselves to be pained in order to stem the infusion of hate and outwit the spread of ignorance.

I lead a boring life

Every year, my firm does an off-site, where we spend three days talking about the firm and having fun. And every year there's this tradition where they do "fun" (note the quotation marks) with the new hires from that year. One of them being the game "Three Truths and a Lie". This is the inane game some evil person made up, where you state three truths and a lie about yourself and everyone tries to guess the lie.

I say an evil person made it up because I can't think of one damn interesting thing about me. I lead a very boring life. I haven't done anything spectacular. No drama. No crazy adventure in Tibet. No skydiving over the hills of Kentucky. No chase from the KGB out of Russia. Nothing. Just a little piano. Some travel. And a random meeting with Tammy Faye.

At this same off-site, everyone tells a funny travel story (since we travel a lot). And they award a prize to the best/funniest travel story. Again, not a damn thing interesting has happened while I traveled. No crazy dash for the airplane. No being tagged as a security threat. No parachuting off of a plunging plane.

I got nothing.

Just shut up and deal with it

I was on a flight this afternoon (I was a bit nervous about flying on the day-anniversay of September 11th, but everything turned out fine, obviously) from Indianapolis to Atlanta. Once we pushed off from the gate and made our way to the runway, the pilot came on to tell us that there was a weather system over Atlanta and we would have to wait until it passed over.

I don't have a problem with this. Whenever possible, I like to avoid flying into potentially hazardous weather. I have a hard enough time as it is, dealing with a little turbulence in the air. The last thing I want is to hit some crazy air pocket and dive nose-first into the ground. (OK, so maybe I'm being a bit over-dramatic).

At this time, the pilot said we could use our cell phones while we waited the 40-minutes or so to get clearance. As if on cue, everyone's cell phones popped open and people started dialing. They dialed their loved ones. They dialed their friends. They dialed anyone that would listen to them complain. Because that's exactly what everyone proceeded to do for the next 40 minutes.

"I'm sitting here on the tarmac and of course we haven't lifted off yet..."
"It's going to be 40 minutes before we leave..."
"With the day I've had, this just tops it off...."

I just did my crossword puzzle, trying to think of an 8-letter word for "a paycheck deduction, for some". (The answer is State Tax, in case you're wondering).

You know what? We can't control the weather. We're just sitting here for a few minutes. And they are even allowing you to use your cell phone. Why do you have to use it to complain?

Especially on the 6-year anniversary of one of the biggest tragedies our nation has face. On an anniversary of a day when people lost their lives and their loved ones in the blink of an eye. All we have to deal with is sitting on a plane for an extra 40 minutes.

So shut up. And deal.

When did I become old?

Sign #5: We are doing some research for American Eagle, whose target market is girls ages 15-25. Part of the study required the girls to test some new underwear fabric and they had to go online to rate the different undies that they tried. In order to increase the number ofrespondents who took the online questionnaire, we gave them a call to remind them about the study and to encourage them to go online.

The first number I called didn't ring. No, it played. That's right, I finally got to experience the new cell phone hype of having a song play to the dialer, instead of a ring tone. Avril Lavigne was the artist of choice. I almost hung up, totally confused, until I suddenly put it all together. Then I dialed another number. This time, a message came on, at least warning me to "enjoy the music while we connect your call." Then a band came on that I never even heard of.

Ah yes. The digital age, where not only do we have to wear our ipod headphones while walking from the car to the mall entrance, but we also get to hear music while we dial our friends' cell phones.

The Flexin' Tightends

Somehow, I got roped into playing in my work's Fantasy Football League. Well, it was probably my own fault. You know, being the new girl and not wanting to seem like I'm not "with it."

Except I'm not. At least, not when it comes to football.

So now I'm scrambling, reading up on FFL picks and analyzing the expert's picks. My co-workers have created spreadsheets and multiple regressions (I'm not even kidding) and I'm sort of thinking of just creating a really hot team. As in: picking all cute players. After all, my team name is "Flexin' Tightends."

I did attempt a spreadsheet, but I really don't know what it means. Heck, I'm not even sure I know what a Tight End is.

So if anyone has any good picks or strategies, please help!

My favorite birthday present? A new house.

It's official...Scott and I are finally homeowners! I felt like a celebrity this morning, with so many people wanting my signature.

And, to celebrate, I'm finally posting a a few pictures of the house. We're really excited and Scott is already talking about what kind of lawn mower he wants to buy from Lowe's. For my part, I've made friends with the folks at Pottery Barn. I really should get a part time job there to help pay for all our too-near-in-the-future purchases.

We're celebrating my birthday in the new house (get your mind out of the gutter). Since all our furniture to date has been either hand-me-downs or cheap buys (which have all done their part well), we need to get all new furniture. So we have a date with some newspaper, measuring tape and scissors, to cut out furniture shapes and arrange them in the room. Happy 28th to me! :)

That being said, if anyone feels so inclined to send money as a housewarming gift, you can use our current address. We also accept PayPal.

Cheers to new homes and lots of debt! It's the American way, right?

Where the corn is as high as an elephant's eye

Well, almost.

Our weekend took us on an adventure to Cedar Rapids, Iowa. More specifically, Waverly.

It started at 5:30am on Friday, where we were greeted at the RDU airport by a 40 minute security line, which is unheard of here. After spending 10 minutes in line, Scott realizes that he has forgotten his ID. (how does someone forget their ID, you ask? It was an honest mistake...he had to make photocopies of it for our mortgage). So he runs home to grab his passport, but by the time he gets back and we try to cut in the security line, we miss our flight.

And all flights to Cedar Rapids, Iowa are full until 10:00 pm. Go figure.

The airline guy is trying to help us get as close to Cedar Rapids as possible. And throughout this whole ordeal, I felt like I was on an episode of Jaywalking. First, he spells Iowa "IHOWA." Then he suggests Akron (Ohio), Detroit (Michigan) and Cheyenne (Wyoming) as plausible alternatives to Cedar Rapids. Hmmm....

So we settled on Chicago, rented a car and drive five hours to our final destination. After a little tiff with the car rental agency, which I won, along with a free upgrade to a Lexus SUV.

We did get to really see a part of America that we otherwise wouldn't have, had we flown.

The family reunion (the whole point for this trip) was awesome. My dad is one of six and his oldest sister had 12 kids, so I have tons of first cousins I haven't even met, not to mention tons of second and third cousins. We got to see a milking operation, a tractor pull and some great fireworks. The weather was awesome and everyone had such a great time. Lots of fresh air, drinking, and just hanging out. Oh, and lots of fresh corn...delicious!

Lies, all lies!

I'm traveling again for work this week, spending time in good ol' Rockville, MD. In my hotel bathroom hangs the following sign:

Dear Guest,
Hilton Family of Brands is committed to conserving our country's natural resources. Every day, tons of detergent and millions of gallons of water are used to wash towels which have only been used once. Here's how you can help:

• A towel on the rack means "I'll use it again"
• A towel on the floor means "Please exchange"

Doing my part to "conserve our country's natural resources," (what about the planet's resources??) I hung my towel on said rack. That day, I found a brand new towel (and bath mat and washcloth) in my bathroom.

So I went to the front desk that night, explained the situation and said that I wanted to reuse my towels. They made a note to housekeeping.

The next morning, I once again hung my towel on said rack. Once again, my towel (and bath mat and washcloth) were replaced with new ones.

I guess that's about all you can expect from the family that produced Paris Hilton.

Losing our independence

I was flipping through the channels the other day and came across the movie "You've Got Mail." You remember this one - the romantic comedy that reunited "Sleepless in Seattle" stars Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, who fall in love over the internet, only to find out they are bitter business rivals - he the owner of the big box book store chain and she the owner of the small, independent children's bookstore.

In the end, love - and big box - prevail. Whether this was an economic statement made by the writers, or just a statement of reality, I don't know. But it got me thinking of consumers, the discrepancy between what we say and what we do, the Wall Street Journal and Seven Jeans.

Rupert Murdoch has purchased The Wall Street Journal. The wires are all a-buzz about whether the paper will maintain its editorial independence or if Murdoch will use it as another one of his mouthpieces. It's really quite sad that a paper with this kind of credibility will potentially be tarnished by bias. (I don't blame Murdoch, per se...I blame the Bancrofts for getting it in this situation.)

And earlier this week, Seven Jeans (Seven for all Humanity) was purchased by VF Corp - the same company that makes Wrangler. Not quite the same cache. What will the new owner mean for the designer jean brand?

Everywhere we look, it seems like the independent companies are being gobbled up by bigger companies. And I wonder, what does this mean for quality- for the quality of our newspapers, the quality of our jeans, the quality of our bookstores? Economically, I know that this is not all bad...with consolidation we get economies of scale, which means quicker service and cheaper prices for consumers, not to mention a friendlier effect on our environment. It means more exhaustive distribution and potentially better management.

But what do we lose? Do we lose editorial independence (the right to think for ourselves)? Do we lose brand prestige and uniqueness? Do we lose customer service and comfort?

And maybe we, as consumers, as to blame for the loss of independence. What are our demands, and can small business keep up with them? Do we demand that the Dow Jones, despite being a small company, keep up economically with -er- the Jones's? Do we demand that our small bookstores carry the latest titles and be open at our fancy? Maybe our big box ideals are driving the smaller businesses into the ground. We say we want independence to prevail, but do we really?

We can only wait to see what happens with the Wall Street Journal and Seven Jeans. I hope that a new kind of hybrid could emerge - one in which both strengths are leveraged. Maybe these newly purchased companies will prove that.

After all, it all turned up roses for Tom and Meg.