Back to Back

Ok I KNOW it's a lot of videos lately, but I've been just going crazy, and Palin is driving me crazy. Here's a little back-to-back SNL-to-real-interview action for you. See if YOU'RE not terrified. Or disgusted. Or both.

Tina Fey = Brilliance

More McCain/Palin BS

Ok, I know it's a lot of video posting today, but here's one more:

Ok, so I guess this Android thing is pretty sweet.

I have a hard time accepting new technology (I know, I know, "but you work for Google!!!"), and I've been resisting this new Google phone for a while. After watching this video though, um, well, I might end up getting one at some point. The only problem is I don't think it will ever be on AT&T because I'm pretty sure the iPhone has exclusivity with them. It'll be a while before I get rid of my trusty, basic, simple-to-use, no-fuss LG flip phone, but if I ever do upgrade to a fancy "it's a computer! no, it's a phone!" type device, I'll probably go with this one.

Project 10^100

In honor of Google's 10th Birthday, the company is launching "Project 10 to the 100th" (www.project10tothe100.com.). Check out the video, and check out the site.

Reinventing the Table

The area behind my couch has gone through many stages since I moved to this apartment in July of last year. None of the behind-the-couch storage solutions felt permanent; they all seemed like temporary solutions to a problem that wasn't too terrible.

A few weeks ago, I received a coffee table that was once my grandmother's, and has been living at my cousin's house for the last several years. I've told him forever that if he ever gets rid of it, I absolutely want it -- and somehow, he forgot that and gave it to my little sister who just moved into her first off-campus house (she's a sophomore in college). Alas! However...it turned out that her new place already had coffee tables, and into my car it went. Sadly, it is just too big for the space my apartment has for a coffee table, and besides, I already have a coffee table (also from my grandma). What to do???

I decided that I would find new legs for this grand table, and use it behind my couch. And today, that's what I did. The original legs just screwed off, and I was hoping to find new screw-on legs but was having a lot of trouble. Then I found this trestle thing at IKEA. It took a lot of tries to figure out how to get the table top situated, but several grunts and groans and a bit of blue painter's tape later, I had it all worked out. And I have to say, I really really like it. And I'm proud that I did it all by myself. Like a big kid.

Oh, I also (because I'm just that creative) turned the white cubicle things on their sides and used them as shelving. Genius? You decide. Pictures below.

Stage 1: before I had the new couch...note the three ugly white cube things.

Stage 2: brown bookshelf...new couch...still two ugly white things.

Stage 3: Awesometown.

Gratuitous shot of my neighbors' cutie-pie puppy, Daisy.

Mmmmm Tuna

The Boy and I made some delicious tuna tonight, and I thought I'd share. I wish I had taken a picture of the tuna before we cooked it because it was just gorgeous. Anyway, we just pan-fried it in a grill pan with salt and pepper. Serve with thin-sliced tomato and avocado, rosemary potato bread, and a delicious salad (mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, yellow bell pepper, four-pepper goat cheese, TJ's marinated baked tofu, zucchini and broccoli with my secret balsamic dressing) and it's a dinner for royalty! Or for us, while we watch last weekend's SNL (thank you TiVo!).

We'll be making dessert soon...probably fresh-sliced strawberries with chocolate ice cream. Mmmmmmm.....

I hope everyone's Wednesday nights are as relaxing as ours is tonight!

More Obamania!

Remember when I mentioned that I went to that Obama rally by my house? Here's more info about it. If you're in the East Bay, come on by. I'll probably be volunteering at some point...

More Palin Blah

Being interviewed by Charles Gibson.

Perez Hilton says:

Did you watch part one of Charlie Gibson's interview on ABC with Sarah Palin on Thursday night????

If you missed it, click here to see video excerpts or click here for the transcript.

We felt like we were watching a lady version of George W. Bush, only she's more eloquent and fuckable.

Like many politicians, instead of giving straight answers at times, Sexy Sarah would just jibber jabber.

In fact, at one point during the interview, Charlie Gibson said to the GOP VP pick, "I got lost in a blizzard of words there. Is that a yes?"

If the GOP somehow manages to snag the presidency, let's hope that John McCain stays well.

With Sarah in power, looks like there's a chance that 'God' could will us to go to war with Russia, Iran and Pakistani terrorists all at the same time.

Some of Palin's friends don't want to vote for her...

Kind of interesting...

http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=5750475

Oh barf.

Candidate action figures? Sarah Palin's looks very slutty.

Also, McCain's daughter admits that her dad is old. Well, duh.

Church and State? Let's combine them, Sarah!

Whoopi is "really aggravated" -- me too.


This election is increasingly frustrating.

Obamania!

On the shuttle on the way home tonight, I noticed quite a commotion at the Obama Headquarters down the street from my house. The shuttle had to stop directly in front of my apartment - because of the crazy amount of cars parked in the neighborhood, some not-so-legally, there wasn't anywhere else for it to pull over (oh darn, poor me). Anyway, I put my stuff down and walked down the street to check out the scene. Apparently it was some sort of Grand Opening party type thing (same night as McCain's speech? coincidence?), complete with jambalaya (unfortunately, the line was crazylong and I wasn't in the mood for a long line, so no jambalaya for me)! Some photos below...

so many people! such a pretty sunset-on-building!

The HQ

Cop car in the middle of the crowd

Yet another crowd shot...I hope they didn't want to get that car out of there any time soon!

Parking illegally for Obama!

And I think that's the quickest event-to-posting turnaround EVER on my blog.

Emergency Supply Kit

No, I'm not talking about emergency supplies for a *real* emergency, like an earthquake or flood or something, though everyone should have something like this.

What I'm talking about, though, is something completely different. Something much more dorky, and something I will absolutely have once I have kids. I'm well on my way there now, although I really have no good reason to. Ladies and gentlemen, I am referring to an Emergency School Supplies Kit. Paper, pens, glue...all the things necessary to make sure last-minute school projects will be almost as awesome as projects we knew about weeks in advance. Plus, you always have supplies on hand if you want to just do an art project! Genius! My parents' house always had craft supplies, and I think it's just a good idea.

I currently have a wide array of pens and markers, a ream of printer paper (aka: paper for making birthday cards), a small paint set, and all the gift-wrapping supplies you could ask for (yes, I have a plastic container filled with various bows). I even have spare 2-pocket folders and 3-ring binders...all remnants of my over-preparedness in college I suppose. Oh, and (just like my mom) I have a place in my linen closet known as "the gift shelf" where I keep spare things such as soaps, lotions and picture frames that could be used for last-minute "oh crap, I forgot that co-worker's birthday" or "I just need one more little thing to throw in with this gift" type presents. Secret's out folks...the gift shelf is a thing to behold.

Anyway, I am not at all ashamed of my mom-like collection. I like being prepared, and this stuff comes in handy all the time. It's great, and I highly recommend it if you have the space and the desire to be a total nerd.

L'Adrienne

My wonderful friend Adrienne is spending the year in Lyon, France, studying literature and soaking up the culture (granted, she spent her childhood in France...doesn't that sound so posh?). Oh, and did I mention she and her fiance are getting married while she's there?

Like any modern woman, she is also blogging and posting pictures online (all photos in this entry are hers), which of course serves not only to document her trip, but to make us all jealous. I loved the 3 or so days I spent in Paris...even though that was over three years ago, I still think about it and remember how much I just loved it. The beautiful buildings and lovely cafes...the cobblestoney streets and just listening to the French speak...I just remember feeling like everything around me was beautiful.

I was only in Paris, and some day I want to go back to France and spend some time in the South, but I just have such lovely memories of it all. I remember stepping off the train and seeing my first whitewashed building with wrought iron window boxes filled with red flowers and just falling in love.

I'm not saying I'd want to live there...that would just be crazy - I've only spent a few days in one city, I don't speak the language well, and, well...I'm not moving to France. But I absolutely want to go back to visit. Perhaps I will save up my money, the dollar will stop being so weak, and I will be able to afford it next year. Perhaps not. Either way, a girl can dream.

And until then, I'll just keep living vicariously through Adrienne...

Ballet Body

On Tuesday night, I took a class called Ballet Body at my friend Laura's gym. It was part ballet class, part pilates, and was actually pretty good. I was nervous at first, since it's been about 5 years since I took classes regularly, but it was a gentle class, and the instructor was very nice (he even said I can come back as his guest - aka for free - any time!). I probably won't be going every week, since it's all the way out in the Marina (it took me an hour plus to get home, and the class itself is only an hour long!), but it's something I'll probably do a few times a month (Laura - time for a sleepover!).

I don't so much care about getting the "ballet body," although I certainly wouldn't mind, but I really liked getting back into the ballet movements. It felt really good to port de bras and pique turn, even though I did get dizzier than I'd like to admin. Ah, these things were so much easier 5 years ago! :-) And it was fun putting on my leotard and tights -- but my leotard somehow does not offer as much support now as it did then (go figure), and I had to pull the old sports bra-under-the-leotard trick. Oh well.

There are a few beginning/intermediate adult classes at Berkeley Ballet that I'd like to try as well, though those aren't free, and will probably be more difficult. Maybe I'll start out with one and see how it goes...

Anyway, that was Tuesday night. I woke up on Wednesday morning feeling a little bit more sore than I would have liked, and wondered how the heck I was going to make it to Pilates at noon. BUT, I made it. I forced myself to go, and it was a good decision. While I can hardly move today (no really -- it was painful to bend down to put on my shoes), it's a good feeling. I never used to get this sore when I was dancing regularly, and I'm looking forward to building myself back up to a place where *real* workouts (as opposed to plugging away unenthusiastically on the elliptical) don't hurt so badly the next day.

Hooray for ballet!

(PS - lots of parenthesis in this post. sorry.)

She knows me so well...

My friend Laura sent me this card from someecards.com today...She knows me so well.


PS - I promise...meatier post to come.

Google Docs in Education

I tried to post this directly from YouTube over a week ago, and apparently it didn't work. Sorry to just post another video (Mom commented that my blog is getting "boring" -- I'll be writing more substantial posts soon, I swear!), but I thought this was nice...and especially for those of you who are teachers or students, it's good stuff!

Rainn Wilson = funnyman

As I've mentioned before (though maybe not, since I can't find where), Rainn Wilson is doing a semi-hilarious promo for his new movie, The Rocker, which involves the pretend kidnapping of Jenna Fisher. This video was up on the site recently, and while it is not part of the Jenna story, it's pretty great. Backstage footage of people sucking up (mostly) to Rainn. Makes me want to see the movie, because I hadn't realized how many awesome people are in it.

Untitled. Take That, Internets!

Wow. It's been almost a week since my last post. Sorry 'bout that. It's been busy at work. And at life. Mostly because I've been obsessed with the Olympics and have been barely making it through each day, what with the lack of sleep and all. I hate to say it (no I don't), but I'm kind of glad the craziness is almost over. I didn't watch anything last night, and while I wish I could have seen Misty May and Kerri Walsh win the gold, it was really nice to just relax on the couch -- even though I didn't go to bed until almost midnight (damn these messed up sleeping patterns and Chelsea Lately!), passive TV-watching alone was a little less intense than the usual craziness of watching the Olympics with The Boy and his roommates.

In other news, I just saw this Obama commercial on this website. I really like it.

They're just so good.