Who's comin with me?

To see Edward Scissorhands as a live musical?

Chicago, it was fun

I never fully blogged about my Chicago trip, but suffice it to say, it was fantastic. Fantastic enough to pretty much convince me to move there. You can take a gander at pictures from the brief but best trip to the windy city up on Flickr. Incentive: several pictures of this guy.

Man Candy

In a display of truly magnificent time management skills, I put together this little collage yesterday ranking my top picks for celebrity dream dudes. Who would you totally bang if you had the opportunity? Suddenly I feel weird about using the word "bang" in that context.


I'll try and have some content that takes more than a middle school thought level soon.

Hey, this song's good!

Go to YANP and check out the latest from Andrew Bird. You can skip the new Bright Eyes, as far as I'm concerned. Well, mainly because it sounds like most* Bright Eyes and therefore makes me stabby.

*Very distinct exceptions for "Arc of Time" and "Lover I Don't Have to Love," which I actually like quite a bit.

Veronica Mars!

Without spoiling anything, I'll just say, it's good to have you back. A very fulfilling episode all around. My favorite part, however, involved this guy and a polaroid camera. I know some of you out there missed it because of BFF's birthday, so I'll cease any other discussion there.

I've made a decision

I am not going to watch 24 this year. And I am going to stop watching Prison Break. I need room for things like a social life*, and laundry. I just can't take it anymore. Oh, and, just like the past several years, I'm not watching American Idol either. Sorry.

*Notes and pictures on my trip to the greatest city ever soon to come. Moving to Chicago to come in 2008.

Head Scratcher of the Day

Sure it's just the makeup category, but, really?

It Is On

Off to Chicago!

I plan on returning with evidence supporting the valid or eroneous nature of the city's nickname. And lots of pictures of baby Jack and Annie doing cute things, and Matt and Joey getting into trouble. Have a good weekend.

and

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DREW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Best eBay Post Ever

New Life for Sale!


I think the sweetest parts of the deal are the handstand skills, "training in becoming me," the childhood photos, the birthday party and the nice lamp from an ex-girlfriend. Worst part: the 2 nemeses.

Out of Office

I'll be away all day kids, but here are two things that made me laugh this morning. Enjoy!

Pictures of baby animals make everything better

VMars Teaser

Via

"Paul Rudd has agreed to play a big role in Episode 17. He'll play past-his-prime English rock star Desmond Fellowes, who is touring American college campuses. Piz, as part of his radio-station duties, will be his host. It'll play as sort of a My Favorite Year-style story. Naturally, this being Veronica Mars, Desmond's suitcase containing many essential items will go missing. Piz will ask Veronica for help." Also, Rob teases that "despite his on-screen death, Ed Begley will reappear during the Who-Killed-Dean-O'Dell mystery."

Dressing, by the (approximate) numbers

Months ago I bought the dress I wore yesterday: 4
Times I've worn it since I got it: 10
Compliments I received on my appearance yesterday: 47
Expressions of concern from my boss that I might be going on job interviews as a result of my appearance: 3
People I've seen wearing my exact dress since last night: 2

Absolutely Not

It's called the SuperBowl, not the "football finale."

Upon this tidal wave of crap

• Shut up. Shut up , shut up, shut up. I enjoyed the first album, though not the lives show, but within moments of clicking to hear your new tracks, my ears bled and my skin crawled.
  
• I love Battlestar Galactica. I love it, I love it, I love it. Plan to be caught up with current season by the middle of next week. Starbuck is officially invited to join my girl gang (current members: Buffy, Veronic Mars, Cordelia).
  
• Stereogum speaks the truth. Seriously -- "In the air tonight" is beyond badass.
  
• Work: yikes. If you don't see me anytime soon, that is the cause. Also, cause I'll be in Chicago this weekend, romping with the cutest human alive (Annie), and an adorable baby (Jack). Oh, and like, my friends and stuff.
  
• Instead of being here to celebrate the births of Drew and The Squirrel Survivor. Dang.
  
• My hands are shaking as I'm typing. Note to self: three cups of coffee is too many.
  
• I've been DVRing 24 so far, but have yet to watch it and... well, I might not start. The shine's come off the pearl a bit there for me. It's TBD. How is everyone enjoying this season so far?
  

Picture This

So, conjur up a mental image. Of four kids in middle school. These boys are not in the in crowd. Though they're not big losers, they may sway to the band geeky side of things. Now, picture these four lads forming a band. And making tshirts for that band. And taking a promo picture for that band. While on a class field trip to... hiroshima. They've got to keep it real -- so each one holds their instrument on display for the shot. And just to be clear -- the lead singer holds a microphone. As the camera goes "click," thoughts of myspace profiles, rolling stone cover articles and scoring some grade A 12 year old booty dance in their heads. Got that mental image? Behold.

Thanks Turok.

This May Be Blasphemous

But, I'm not all that impressed with the new Arcade Fire tracks. I keep trying to get on board and feeling pretty "oh. meh." about both of them. Anybody else feeling this way? Or am I officialy tendering my resignation from the music blogger sphere?

Courtesy of Reed

Irony

In the most commonly used meaning of the word (cough -- that one's for you, Liz), can be really funny.

If you're looking for a day-makingly adorable link

To assuage the ails of, say, your boss being too "busy" with "work" to cook and therefore cancelling Waffle Wednesday, then go hither. Warm up your cooing muscles first.

Every "cool" person on the internet already knows this, but

Grizzly Bear is totally awesome. I saw their name on pretty much every best of '06 list, and much like every just about every other band on there, shrugged without recognition as I watched my days of hip in-the-knowness pass me by. But I picked up a copy of Yellow House when I was in Austin and yowza, I'm really glad. It's kind of like Animal Collective, Sufjan Stevens, The Beach Boys and CSNY rolled into one. So, not thronging rock, but if you like your melodies and haunting orchestration, check this one out.

Is it just me...

Or does "How I Met Your Mother" get funnier and funnier each week?

I really hope you're all right about Battlestar Galactica

Because I just ordered the miniseries, season one, season 2.0 and season 2.5 on DVD off of Amazon. I'm not sure what kind of brain hemmorage I am having that makes me think this is the best plan, but, my rationale goes something like this:

• Many many people whose opinions I respect absolutely love this show. So, I probably will too.
  
• When I watch TV on DVD, I consume it really, really quickly. So if I do, in fact, enjoy the first bits, having to wait for more would likely kill me.
  

So yeah... I'm gonna like it, right?

Hot Hot Hot

I've said it before (perhaps not here... but at least, verbally), and I'll say it again: The Office is the show I look most forward to, week in and week out. It's just so brilliant -- not only in its comedy, but in its plot lines too. The acting and writing are above and beyond most everything else. When Michael said, "you complete me" last night, I nearly spat out a mouth full of beer. And, there aren't many other characters on tv who I empathize with more than Pam. When she was crying... oh come on, that was just heartbreaking. If you didn't have a visceral reaction to that scene, your heart is offically two sizes too small. Anyway, all this blathering is purely to direct you to Dwight's blog entry listning his past and present new year's resolutions, and this blog, written by the prop guy from The Office. After each episode, he runs down what went into setting it up. Pretty cool.

What Do You Think?

I need to gather some opinions. The topic: roller shoes. Those things kids slide around on in airports, malls, etc. What do you think? Over the course of our otherwise completely placid, argument-free Austin trip, this is the one topic that broke us off into factions and got us really, really fired up. Without revealing my stance or reasoning, I just want to get a general sense of what you, internety people, think of these things. Please discuss.

I'm fine, I'm fine, and I hope that you are too!

Part of the intro to today's DCist morning roundup had a very familiar cadence and sent my mind rushing back to the hallowed halls of my elementary school. Every rainy day, the principal would say (during the morning announcements), "Whenever it's rainy outside, it's always..." and everyone would respond together, "sunny inside Louise Archer!" Now I'm being sort of flooded with LA memories -- the way certain administrators smelled of alcohol and/or cigarettes, the bunny rabbit we kept in the courtyard, the "hello, hello, hello and how are you?" song in music class, the annual book fair and spaghetti dinner. Anybody remember the name of Mr. Stanton's cockatiel?

What's '07 got in store?

I've got a couple awesome things to look forward to as I mourn my favorite sun-drenched drama's coming to a close:

1. Spontaneous trip to Chicago in two weeks! Annie, Matt, Joey, Spillman clan -- see you soon!

2. The Walkmen in DC on 3/23! At the R&R Hotel!

3. Dinner at 1789 with the girls in a couple weeks!

4. Hosstin slideshow at Sam's tonight!

5. Discovering how absurdly cheap everything is at Magruders, and how absurdly close it is to my house! Only 2.5 years after I moved in!

6. Overusing exclamation points!

RIP, O.C.

I should probably write a lot about the cancellation of The O.C. just as it's gotten really truly good again. But all I really have to say is:

:(

Austin Proof Rolls In

First, my pics are up on flickr. Second, please enjoy this video -- not for the stupid hott 9th grade dance stylings of myself and Reed (prom king, class of '99, jmhs), but for the final freeze frame shot of Sam. He pretty much looked like that the entire trip.

Austin Highlights I Previously Didn't Mention

(to be continually updated as people send me photographic evidence and the "oh yeah!"s set in. co-austiners, please chime in in the comments)

• Seeing Zack from Gilmore Girls in REI and Book People
• Learning that Saddam Hussein had been killed from the announcer at the Yellow Rose
• Running into Chris Snyder in a random bar downtown
• Cooking a traditional New Year's Day feast for everyone for good luck in 2007
• "Angel Crotch opening up for the Faceless Cocks" and the plethora of other band names developed and album covers shot throughout the weekend
• Joey -- soberly -- jumping into the hot tub, fully-clothed
• The Day of Four Burns, a Rope Burn, and Many Side Burns
• Distgusting facial hair and gradual isolation levels by most of the guys, culminating in the cermonial burning of Reed's and Sam's 'staches in the bonfire
• The misinterpretation of my "my mouth is full" sign language as, "I have already cried enough tears for all of Austin"
• Front rolls with big finishes
• Fergilicious
• Peppermint Ice Cream
• T Shirts
• "I miss Annie," "Annie's so nice," "What's Annie doing?"
  
• Everything associated with everything Stegmaier did on New Year's Eve
• Intentional and unintentional matching outfits that cropped up throughout the trip
• Countless hours spent dancing and singing in Chris' pool room
• Sequined speedos
• Chris' ribs (like, bbq ribs, not like the part of his body)
• Emo's new years party with Starlight Mints, Black Lipstick, Octopus Project,Flametrick Subs + Satans Cheerleaders, and Hotrod Hillbillies
• The Co Op
• $0.50 CDs
• Classified Parking

Back in Business

Well, for business, I suppose. I am in a full scale post-vacation depression at the moment, but that's only because Austin was an amazing, amazing vacation. It doesn't get much better than putting a dozen people who've been friends since before "teen" was part of their age together in one house in an incredible city for several days.

Though happy to be awoken by snuggling from Stinker, I was sad not to open my eyes today to see one of my best friends, then proceed to group coffee time, breakfast cheffery, afternoon strolls, the first round of drinks for the day, and whatever else antics we could find our way into, culminating each day in hot tub time with at least one bottle of champaign.

Aside from the horrifying cockroach crawling up my pant leg incident at Sol y Luna, every place we went and everything we did in Austin was absolutely awesome. And CHEAP! I bought 3 mixed drinks and a shot -- specifying liquors, not just getting whatever was call there -- at a fancy downtown bar one night for a grand total of $14. And two overflowing shopping carts full of grocieries for a massive New Year's Day bbq cost $150. Unbelievable.

The reams and reams of pictures are sure to start flowing in shortly (mine whenever the apple genius bar has an opening and fixes my damn computer), so you'll soon have visual aids. But until then, I'll sit here longingly wishing I was sitting by a fire pit while a train goes by.