the year is off to a good start, no?
evie is four. beans is somewhat calm. i saw my first ever NHL game--rangers v blackhawks in chicago. jeremy and i are getting married. there's a new president as of this afternoon.
how many "when hell freezes over" benchmarks are we breaking already?
angela engaged, check.
minority president, check.
the dog, calm, check check.
happy happy joy joy!
1.20.2009
1.12.2009
monday, monday
i'm thinking about evie, about evie being born and evie wrapped in a small flannel blanket tucked into the crook of my arm while i sat on the couch of the old house on allen and watched the inaugration of GWB. she was less than a month old, and even in that moment i remembered sobbing at nearly 9 months pregnant, so full of defeat and disappointment when john kerry didn't win. to be fair, it isn't as though i was excited about john kerry. i had just seen a third friend off to the war in iraq and i couldn't vote for anyone who wanted to prolong it.
so there i was, on the couch and pregnant and in great pain after having taken a tumble down some steps while conducting election endorsement work with a non-profit, sobbing because i could not believe i could work so hard and lose. and then, a few months later, little evie snoring and me watching and telling her i couldn't believe her first four years would be like this, with this man.
i don't want to forget it. i don't want to become lazy and complacent just because the best of the bunch won. if anything, we've got to try harder now, right? if there's a lesson here. it's the same it was when the vote was certified for GWB in 2000: don't get cocky. you lose when you get cocky (see: Manny Ramirez, unable to secure MLB contract this off-season.)
obama has what they call, in the NBA, "tremendous upside potential." but it's out job, isn't it, to stay on his ass and get him there the way i imagine izzo did with the flintstones.
so that's it, that's my thought: let's all be obama's izzo. let's push him to win it all, not just to bask in what is an undeniably lovely narrative with a lovely first act ending.
so there i was, on the couch and pregnant and in great pain after having taken a tumble down some steps while conducting election endorsement work with a non-profit, sobbing because i could not believe i could work so hard and lose. and then, a few months later, little evie snoring and me watching and telling her i couldn't believe her first four years would be like this, with this man.
i don't want to forget it. i don't want to become lazy and complacent just because the best of the bunch won. if anything, we've got to try harder now, right? if there's a lesson here. it's the same it was when the vote was certified for GWB in 2000: don't get cocky. you lose when you get cocky (see: Manny Ramirez, unable to secure MLB contract this off-season.)
obama has what they call, in the NBA, "tremendous upside potential." but it's out job, isn't it, to stay on his ass and get him there the way i imagine izzo did with the flintstones.
so that's it, that's my thought: let's all be obama's izzo. let's push him to win it all, not just to bask in what is an undeniably lovely narrative with a lovely first act ending.
1.05.2009
just to be clear
i don't want tax cuts, obama. i want you to forgive all student loan debts. ALL.
how much would that cost, compared to 300 billion in tax cuts? (that number may be wrong, my coffee buzz is waning and i don't feel like checking my sources. the irony, i know.)
how much would that cost, compared to 300 billion in tax cuts? (that number may be wrong, my coffee buzz is waning and i don't feel like checking my sources. the irony, i know.)
12.29.2008
the year that was
1) Where did you begin 2008?
briarcliffe townhomes, jolly rd., with phil, lauren and avi
2) What was your status by Valentine's Day?
angry and ready to break things.
3) Were you in school anytime this year?
just schoolin' fools.
4) How did you earn your money?
hustlin'. ok, reporting, editing, etc.
5) Did you have to go to the hospital?
just for evie's stick-to-the-eye incident. phew.
6) Did you have any encounters with the police?
nope.
7) Would you relive 2008 over and over again?
no. that's what my steeltrap memory is for.
8) What did you purchase that was over $1000?
actually, nothing. i am poor.
9) Did you know anybody who got married?
scott and debbie, peter and randi.
10) Did you know anybody who passed away?
yes.
11) Did you know anyone who had a baby?
lots! but none more important than baby k :)
12) Did you move anywhere?
i moved like it's my fucking hobby. except i hate it, and i suck at it. the boxes give me hives, i never pack, etc.
13) What concerts/shows did you go to?
just tigers games.
14) Are you registered to vote?
since 2000, yo.
15) Do you still have the same job as you did in 2007?
essentially, yes.
16) Has anyone betrayed you in 2008?
yes. but i'm not mad about it. i would hate to be a person that sad and delusional and desperate to do what she did to me. luckily i don't have to be. she does.
17) Where do you live now?
in the present.
18) Describe your birthday (week)?
there was a great poetry reading the night before my birthday. amanda and barb were there, and mags and ben and ells. it was the best!
19) What's one thing you thought you'd never do but did in 2008?
let go.
20) What has been your favorite moment?
my favorite moment was when all the girls came to my house. i had all the important women friends in my life, from elementary school to present, and mikey there. it was a great weekend. (i agree...amanda's house, june.)
21) What's something you learned about yourself?
i can hit for power.
22) Any new additions to your family?
in march there will be.
23) What was your best month?
hm. no best months, but i'd say monday and thursday nights from the end of april through the end of october were pretty grand.
24) Were you in a relationship this year?
this is a hard question. let's talk about it over coffee.
25) What music will you remember 2008 by?
'read my mind', the killers; 'fire and rain', james taylor; 'karma chameleon', boy george.
26) Who has been your best drinking buddy/buddies?
debbie!
27) New friend?
kyle wins.
28) Favorite night out?
i'd have to say brannigan bros. with mags and ben and the work crowd. awesome.
29) Would you say you've changed since the beginning of this year?
yes. a helluva lot. and i like it.
like the lions'record, it can only get better.
12.14.2008
signs angela is itchy for softball
In the Sounds of the Game video, Detroit manager Sparky Anderson was seen in the dugout, yelling at Gibson, "He don't want to walk you!" and making a bat-swinging motion with his hands, the universal baseball gesture for "swing away." Gibson got the message, and launched Gossage's next pitch deep into Tiger Stadium's right field upper deck for a three-run homer, icing the game and the Series for the Tigers.
thank you, kirk gibson's wikipedia page.
thank you, kirk gibson's wikipedia page.
songs i loved as a child, pt. 1
heart, "alone"
wikipedia reminds me "alone" was released as a single in May, 1987, which meant i'd have just turned seven. and, i know, was listening to heart.
i remember being confused by the lyrics..."how do i get you alone?" now, my friends, i understand heart was working with what we call "multiple layers of meaning." how can i be with you if i want to be alone, how can i get you to be alone enough to be with me, etc. brilliant. sort of.
but the memory i associate most with this song (besides the sweet video and the "i'm rocking this guitar balls out but not really" interlude) is taping it from the radio. i don't know if i was taping that afternoon in the pink room i shared with my sister because i knew kirk gibson was going to be on the radio, or because i heard a song i liked.
at any rate, what i ended up with was "alone," with kirk gibson calling into the radio show just afterwards. now i can't hear this song without thinking of gibby, in his youth, the de facto leader of the tigers. the irony: i bet he HATES this song!
wikipedia reminds me "alone" was released as a single in May, 1987, which meant i'd have just turned seven. and, i know, was listening to heart.
i remember being confused by the lyrics..."how do i get you alone?" now, my friends, i understand heart was working with what we call "multiple layers of meaning." how can i be with you if i want to be alone, how can i get you to be alone enough to be with me, etc. brilliant. sort of.
but the memory i associate most with this song (besides the sweet video and the "i'm rocking this guitar balls out but not really" interlude) is taping it from the radio. i don't know if i was taping that afternoon in the pink room i shared with my sister because i knew kirk gibson was going to be on the radio, or because i heard a song i liked.
at any rate, what i ended up with was "alone," with kirk gibson calling into the radio show just afterwards. now i can't hear this song without thinking of gibby, in his youth, the de facto leader of the tigers. the irony: i bet he HATES this song!
12.11.2008
time waster..."House of Cards"
Directions:
1. Put your iPod, iTunes, Windows Media Player, etc. on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS.
IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?
"Silver Lining", Riko Kiley
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF?
"Soft Revolution", STARS
WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
"Drive On, Driver", The Magnetic Fields
HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
"The Woods", STARS
WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
"Summer Skin", Death Cab for Cutie
WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
"My Girl", The Four Tops
WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
"You Know I'm No Good", Amy Winehouse
WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
"Just One More Day", Otis Redding
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
"Iron and Wine", The Postal Service
WHAT IS 2 + 2?
"Hide and Seek", Imogen Heap
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
"Come to Me", Koop
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
"It's All Over Now, Baby Blue", Bob Dylan
WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
"Tonight I Have to Leave It", Shout Out Louds
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO WHEN YOU GROW UP?
"It's Over", The Fire Theft
WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
"Guess Things Happen That Way", Johnny Cash
WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
"Midnight Hour", Wilson Pickett
WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
"Hurry Up Let's GO" Shout Out Louds
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR?
"Piece of My Heart", The Killers
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
"Rue St. Vincent"
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
"Josephine", Tori Amos
WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
"House of Cards", Radiohead
1. Put your iPod, iTunes, Windows Media Player, etc. on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS.
IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?
"Silver Lining", Riko Kiley
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF?
"Soft Revolution", STARS
WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
"Drive On, Driver", The Magnetic Fields
HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
"The Woods", STARS
WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
"Summer Skin", Death Cab for Cutie
WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
"My Girl", The Four Tops
WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
"You Know I'm No Good", Amy Winehouse
WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
"Just One More Day", Otis Redding
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
"Iron and Wine", The Postal Service
WHAT IS 2 + 2?
"Hide and Seek", Imogen Heap
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
"Come to Me", Koop
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
"It's All Over Now, Baby Blue", Bob Dylan
WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
"Tonight I Have to Leave It", Shout Out Louds
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO WHEN YOU GROW UP?
"It's Over", The Fire Theft
WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
"Guess Things Happen That Way", Johnny Cash
WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
"Midnight Hour", Wilson Pickett
WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
"Hurry Up Let's GO" Shout Out Louds
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR?
"Piece of My Heart", The Killers
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
"Rue St. Vincent"
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
"Josephine", Tori Amos
WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
"House of Cards", Radiohead
12.03.2008
because i should be in bed
quick hits:
sean avery has ascended to a new level of punk. poor brett hull (le sigh) for sticking his neck out.
plaxico burress, wtf were you thinking? wasn't there a safety on that gun?
no news about joel zumaya is good news.
charlie weis scares me. that is all.
sean avery has ascended to a new level of punk. poor brett hull (le sigh) for sticking his neck out.
plaxico burress, wtf were you thinking? wasn't there a safety on that gun?
no news about joel zumaya is good news.
charlie weis scares me. that is all.
11.19.2008
11.15.2008
saturday evening special
Do you think you are pregnant?
no. i do not. do you think i am pregnant?
If the year consisted of only one season, which would you choose?
baseball season.
You have to get a facial piercing, what do you get?
i have the nose...can that count? i don't want another.
You have to get a tattoo, where and what do you get?
something delicate and not as painful as the last one ;)
When is the last time someone of the opposite sex gave you a hug?
yesterday?
Have you ever touched an elephant?
possibly. i'd much rather hug a penguin tho.
Plans for tomorrow?
worky worky worky.
Is anything wrong?
not particularly. except that there is something freakish and perhaps alien living in my ceiling.
Do you have a good relationship with your parents?
indeed.
Are your friends taller than you?
everyone is taller than me.
What were you doing at 5:30 this morning?
dreaming.
What were you doing 2 hours ago?
hitting the ceiling with a broom.
Do you like the ocean?
in theory.
How many windows are open on your computer?
one window, many many tabs.
Was the first person you talked to today male or female?
male.
Do you know anyone named Matt?
yes.
What color is your hair?
brown.
Do you wear glasses?
constantly.
Are you currently jealous?
no.
Have you ever in anyway, been betrayed by someone you trust?
see: april 2008.
Would you rather go to Greece or Hawaii?
greece.
Last time you worked out?
does walking count? then yesterday. if not, whenever the last soccer game was.
Did you have a good birthday this year?
meh. the night before my birthday was grand.
Could you cry right now?
if i had to, i suppose.
Are you a jealous person?
not particularly.
Ever go camping?
yes, but not in a while. i'd love to make time for it this spring.
Are you someones best friend?
i hope so!
Does anyone hate you?
maybe. but, as kanye would say, "take that....HATASSSSSSS."
If your best friend liked your ex, what would you say?
hahahahahahaaaaaa. you know why this is funny.
Who's the biggest bitch you know?
being a bitch isn't a bad thing.
Laughed until you almost cried?
wednesday, with ells and mags and ben, debbie, becky, et al.
no. i do not. do you think i am pregnant?
If the year consi
baseball season.
You have to get a facia
i have the nose...can that count? i don't want another.
You have to get a tatto
something delicate and not as painful as the last one ;)
When is the last time someo
yesterday?
Have you ever touch
possibly. i'd much rather hug a penguin tho.
Plans
worky worky worky.
Is anyth
not particularly. except that there is something freakish and perhaps alien living in my ceiling.
Do you have a good relat
indeed.
Are your frien
everyone is taller than me.
What were you doing
dreaming.
What were you doing
hitting the ceiling with a broom.
Do you like the ocean
in theory.
How many windo
one window, many many tabs.
Was the first
male.
Do you know anyon
yes.
What color
brown.
Do you wear glass
constantly.
Are you curre
no.
Have you ever in anywa
see: april 2008.
Would
greece.
Last time you worke
does walking count? then yesterday. if not, whenever the last soccer game was.
Did you have a good birth
meh. the night before my birthday was grand.
Could
if i had to, i suppose.
Are you a jealo
not particularly.
Ever go campi
yes, but not in a while. i'd love to make time for it this spring.
Are you someo
i hope so!
Does anyon
maybe. but, as kanye would say, "take that....HATASSSSSSS."
If your best frien
hahahahahahaaaaaa. you know why this is funny.
Who'
being a bitch isn't a bad thing.
Laugh
wednesday, with ells and mags and ben, debbie, becky, et al.
11.09.2008
you do the math
luckily the brits already did.
the top ten most irritating phrases....(drumroll, please)
the top ten most irritating phrases....(drumroll, please)
The top ten most irritating phrases:
1 - At the end of the day
2 - Fairly unique
3 - I personally
4 - At this moment in time
5 - With all due respect
6 - Absolutely
7 - It's a nightmare
8 - Shouldn't of
9 - 24/7
10 - It's not rocket science
11.02.2008
what campaign reporting and porn have in common
from michael hasting's stupendous GQ article:
perfect.
It occurred to me, as I sat there watching an interracial couple banging, that jacking off in a hotel room was not unlike the larger experience of campaign reporting. You watch two performers. You kind of like it when one of them gets humiliated. You know they’re professionals, so you don’t feel much sympathy for them. You wish you could participate, but instead you watch with a hidden envy and feel vaguely ashamed for watching. You think you could probably do as good a job or better. You sometimes get a glimpse, intentionally or not, of society’s hidden desires and fears. You watch the porn week after week, the scenes almost always the same, none of them too memorable. The best ones get sent around the Internet.
perfect.
10.25.2008
you are my sunshine
evie wanted to sleep in my bed and "look at the stars" before night-time song fun tonight. by look at the stars, she meant look at the glow-in-the-dark sticker that are on the ceiling.
at the same time i let her request songs.
along with the standards--"twinkle, twinkle little star", "the itsy-bitsy spider" and "the wheels on the bus"--she requested:
"fire and rain", james taylor
"someday god's gonna cut you down", johnny cash ("mom, he means god's going to cut down your tree")
"you are my sunshine", johnny cash & bob dylan
touching, swoon-tastic moment of the year: evie sang me her own version of "sunshine":
you are my mommy
my only mommy
you make me happy
when skies are blue
you'll never know dear
how much i love you
please don't take my mommy away
she then sang a song about seeing stars that are pointed like diamonds and holding them in her hands, and another about a door that opens and shuts in the sky.
i am lucky.
at the same time i let her request songs.
along with the standards--"twinkle, twinkle little star", "the itsy-bitsy spider" and "the wheels on the bus"--she requested:
"fire and rain", james taylor
"someday god's gonna cut you down", johnny cash ("mom, he means god's going to cut down your tree")
"you are my sunshine", johnny cash & bob dylan
touching, swoon-tastic moment of the year: evie sang me her own version of "sunshine":
you are my mommy
my only mommy
you make me happy
when skies are blue
you'll never know dear
how much i love you
please don't take my mommy away
she then sang a song about seeing stars that are pointed like diamonds and holding them in her hands, and another about a door that opens and shuts in the sky.
i am lucky.
10.07.2008
bad office romance
the bad office romance playlist. i love npr.
you know, in the military, when your boss comes onto you, they get court-martialed.
anyway. you know who i mean.
wink wink, nod nod, sometimes karma takes too damn long.
you know, in the military, when your boss comes onto you, they get court-martialed.
anyway. you know who i mean.
wink wink, nod nod, sometimes karma takes too damn long.
10.03.2008
this is just unreal
are you kidding me? i mean, really, really kidding me? i am supposed to take this woman seriously?
Sarah Palin exceeds expectations -- and still loses | Salon News
Sarah Palin exceeds expectations -- and still loses | Salon News
And the way she -- not Biden -- brought up his wife, Jill. "I know education you are passionate about with your wife being a teacher for 30 years, and God bless her," Palin said. "Her reward is in heaven, right?" (That was followed immediately by Palin giving "a shout out" to her brother's elementary school students.)
10.02.2008
sarah palin no speak-y the english
i don't know how my friend tim does it, but by the time i am just beginning to get my brain going, he has already read, digested and eloquently blogged all things of interest to me.
so it was one of tim's recent posts that turned me on to this slate.com article about trying to diagram sarah palin's sentences.
remember the charlie gibson interview, wherein he asked a question, she babbled, and he said something like, i'm sorry did you answer the question? i just heard a bunch of words...
bush in a skirt, indeed.
says the author, kitty burns florey:
and:
touche.
i'd like to have a contest where we all have a mock debate, wherein we answer the same questions as the candidates. the winner will be the contestant who actually answers the questions. clearly. deductions will be taken for any "well, yes and no..." responses.
so it was one of tim's recent posts that turned me on to this slate.com article about trying to diagram sarah palin's sentences.
remember the charlie gibson interview, wherein he asked a question, she babbled, and he said something like, i'm sorry did you answer the question? i just heard a bunch of words...
bush in a skirt, indeed.
says the author, kitty burns florey:
To me, it's not English—it's a collection of words strung together to elicit a reaction, floating ands and prepositional phrases ("with that vote of the American people") be damned. It requires not a diagram but a selection of push-buttons.
and:
Yet surely, more than most of us, politicians need to be able to think on their feet, to have a brain that works quickly and rationally under pressure. Do we really want to be led by someone who, when asked a straightforward question, flails around like an undergraduate who stayed up all night boozing instead of studying for the exam?
touche.
i'd like to have a contest where we all have a mock debate, wherein we answer the same questions as the candidates. the winner will be the contestant who actually answers the questions. clearly. deductions will be taken for any "well, yes and no..." responses.
political drinking games
i read a lot of news. sometimes i write news. i listen to news and watch it, too. and it seems every politician says the same thing. so let's start keeping score...here's what i hear all the time:
1. "Doing nothing is not an option."
2. "She's a heartbeat away from the presidency."
3. "Moving (insert state/ country/ company name here) forward."
i know i am missing some...so help me out :)
1. "Doing nothing is not an option."
2. "She's a heartbeat away from the presidency."
3. "Moving (insert state/ country/ company name here) forward."
i know i am missing some...so help me out :)
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