Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Not a title: Zip, Zilch, Zero, and the downfall of American literacy
This story on CNN was rather disheartening.
Apparently, 1 in 4 American adults didn't read a book last year.
Really?
To someone who's read at least 10 books since May, this news is sickening. No books? None? How do you survive? How do you educate yourself? I can't even process this. But it shows just another way that Americans are lacking.
Currently reading: Eat Pray Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert.
[Also, the story could've been helped greatly by a CNN unofficial poll at the bottom of the story asking the audience about their reading habits.]
Apparently, 1 in 4 American adults didn't read a book last year.
Really?
To someone who's read at least 10 books since May, this news is sickening. No books? None? How do you survive? How do you educate yourself? I can't even process this. But it shows just another way that Americans are lacking.
Currently reading: Eat Pray Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert.
[Also, the story could've been helped greatly by a CNN unofficial poll at the bottom of the story asking the audience about their reading habits.]
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Three plays
bobrauschenbergamerica - Splashes of lives, like Rauschenberg's paintings. Random rubber chickens falling from the sky, audience participation like wearing smocks, playing duck-duck-goose in the middle of the show and joining in the dance finale, plus a girl on rollerskates. All in a 40-seat art studio/gallery with the director in the front row. Good fun. The definition of an art 'experience.'
Romeo & Juliet: A Crime Scene Investigation - A high school production of Romeo & Juliet, with weird inclusion of two Juliets and a narrator who was supposed to be investigating but really just intro'd the scenes they had chopped out of the original. Blech.
Death before Dying - Cool East-West interpretive dance. Didn't get why there was two East and four West, and the dancing was obviously amateur-ish, since it was not really varied. The live band of 7 to 12 was awesome and I want their CD.
Romeo & Juliet: A Crime Scene Investigation - A high school production of Romeo & Juliet, with weird inclusion of two Juliets and a narrator who was supposed to be investigating but really just intro'd the scenes they had chopped out of the original. Blech.
Death before Dying - Cool East-West interpretive dance. Didn't get why there was two East and four West, and the dancing was obviously amateur-ish, since it was not really varied. The live band of 7 to 12 was awesome and I want their CD.
Three books
HP 7 - The older I get, the more I appreciate J.K. Rowling's sheer literary genius. She can make you get into the book and FEEL HP & Co.'s trials and triumphs in real time. Tolkein-genius? Possibly, but without the years of experience developing a whole literary alter-world.
Herman Hesse's Siddartha - Like reading a meditation exercise. Helps put things in perspective. Helps small discomforts feel ... small. Quick read, but very good lessons. Also, Hesse is classic.
The Namesake - Everyone should own and cherish and pass on all of Jhumpa Lahiri's books. Brilliance. A warm blanket on a cool night; ice cream on the patio with fireflies. Cozy, human.
Herman Hesse's Siddartha - Like reading a meditation exercise. Helps put things in perspective. Helps small discomforts feel ... small. Quick read, but very good lessons. Also, Hesse is classic.
The Namesake - Everyone should own and cherish and pass on all of Jhumpa Lahiri's books. Brilliance. A warm blanket on a cool night; ice cream on the patio with fireflies. Cozy, human.
And I said
What about, breakfast at Tiffany's? She said I think I remember the bell hop ...
This weekend I ...
In the last week I ...
This week ... (and next)
This weekend I ...
- Went to three plays
- Got accidentally drunk on five full glasses of chardonnay on my BF's friend's roof after not eating lunch, dinner, or intending to drink that night
- Bought Harry Potter 7 drunk after said roof escapade
- Finished it by Sunday afternoon
- Found a wallet while drunk (after buying HP7) turned it in and got e-mailed by the owner saying she'd retreived it!
- Sat by the pool for 9 hours (while reading HP7)
- Was solicited for help on a screenplay that centers around a character mourning the tragic death of ... yes ... Barbara Streisand.
In the last week I ...
- Wrote 5 stories, the most since I've started work again
- Read three books, a total of 1135 pages
- Was inspired to cook new & interesting things again (Asian Noodle Salad, etc.)
This week ... (and next)
- I should get a lot of story time, because Congress is wrapping and they need help
- My dad is in town Sunday thru Thurs next week and I get to live in his hotel, which offers free breakfast buffet, free happy hour, and, oh yeah, is literally across the street from work: 40 min commute now = 40 seconds. All right dad! :)
Thursday, July 12, 2007
And she said
Bon jour,
I am still alive, faithful fans ;) It's been officially two months since I've been in D.C. I've gone through a whole bottle of shampoo already. That's a weird realizations that kind of says you've settled.
My days focus on working out, reading, saving money, doing what I call "cultural" stuff. That means attending as many events and lectures and museums as possible, although I don't do nearly enough.
I slipped from my previous stellar diet & exercise plan for about 3 months, and it was starting to show. So I joined DC's rather posh Y on 6/26 for cheap on CQ's discount, and have been running 3-5 days a week, plus going to this awesome gym class. I can really start to feel it if I slack, so that's good! :) This awesome gym class is
Had a problem with my stomach after I moved, some IBS/ulcer/couldn't eat raw spaghetti noodles w/o burning pain. I saw a doc & started listing off possible factors (moving, graduating, starting a new job, etc etc etc) and he actually stopped me and goes, "Yeah, you're giving yourself an ulcer." Oh, and the week before I saw him, I spent 3 straight days drinking on a camping trip. And when I say straight, I mean case/day. Yeah.
So I'm ruined on caffeine, alcohol, most dark chocolate, most Indian food (my fave!), most spicy food. It's been an adjustment, possibly a healthy one but I'm not so sure about that no-Indian-food thing.
Mentally, I've been interested in things like global warming, investing and as use, Congressional drama & gossip. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is by far my favorite governmental body in the world (after Kofi Annan's UK and Greenspan's fed, natch.) I've covered some of the Sci&Tech comm.ee, which has been v cool because they do some very cool things, even if they are like a year or two being CW.
I'm also reading the WSJ twice a week (Sunday & usually Weds.) I picked it up because I was interested in every single story on last weekend's edition. It's actually, by far, the best journalism in the world. It's some of their story subjects that don't interest me, like insider-baseball WallSt. stuff. But today they have a great article about Haute Couture, and a hilarious article about the Whole Foods' CEO going on Yahoo on an anon. handle, dissing a competitor & lovin' on WF. Who does that!?
Reading, omg have i been reading. 40+ pgs a day. There's a little coffee shop in the residential (think tree-lined streets, townhouses with stoops) neighborhood I work in that has a little sidewalk patio overlooking a park. The owner's real cool, real SanFran (he's from there) with organic-dominant menu and a v. chill attitude. I MUST recommend What is the What. Every human being who has money to spend should read that book & redirect a tiny amount of money towards darfur. Joan Didion's "the year of magical thinking" is an amazing tale & analysis of loss, grief, and moving on. I read "all the president's men," such a natch for DC. Now I'm about 348 pgs into a compilation of Edith Wharton's short stories, letters, non-fictions, and part of her novels. Ethan Fromme is a must, soon!
Uhm, what else? Tim & I took a day trip to the beach Sunday, v. spontaneous after his appearance on MSNBC. Been to a few good house parties. Had the camping in West Virginia, which I survived! :) Was in Delaware with the beaches! Awesome. Must get to NYC soon, as CHo has a job there (finally!) Afraid to go because I'm afraid I'd never leave [/kill him in jealousy & steal his ID ;) ;) I kid ... sort of ...] My parents were also in town for the Fourth, which was a very good time.
Love, lovers.
I am still alive, faithful fans ;) It's been officially two months since I've been in D.C. I've gone through a whole bottle of shampoo already. That's a weird realizations that kind of says you've settled.
My days focus on working out, reading, saving money, doing what I call "cultural" stuff. That means attending as many events and lectures and museums as possible, although I don't do nearly enough.
I slipped from my previous stellar diet & exercise plan for about 3 months, and it was starting to show. So I joined DC's rather posh Y on 6/26 for cheap on CQ's discount, and have been running 3-5 days a week, plus going to this awesome gym class. I can really start to feel it if I slack, so that's good! :) This awesome gym class is
Had a problem with my stomach after I moved, some IBS/ulcer/couldn't eat raw spaghetti noodles w/o burning pain. I saw a doc & started listing off possible factors (moving, graduating, starting a new job, etc etc etc) and he actually stopped me and goes, "Yeah, you're giving yourself an ulcer." Oh, and the week before I saw him, I spent 3 straight days drinking on a camping trip. And when I say straight, I mean case/day. Yeah.
So I'm ruined on caffeine, alcohol, most dark chocolate, most Indian food (my fave!), most spicy food. It's been an adjustment, possibly a healthy one but I'm not so sure about that no-Indian-food thing.
Mentally, I've been interested in things like global warming, investing and as use, Congressional drama & gossip. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is by far my favorite governmental body in the world (after Kofi Annan's UK and Greenspan's fed, natch.) I've covered some of the Sci&Tech comm.ee, which has been v cool because they do some very cool things, even if they are like a year or two being CW.
I'm also reading the WSJ twice a week (Sunday & usually Weds.) I picked it up because I was interested in every single story on last weekend's edition. It's actually, by far, the best journalism in the world. It's some of their story subjects that don't interest me, like insider-baseball WallSt. stuff. But today they have a great article about Haute Couture, and a hilarious article about the Whole Foods' CEO going on Yahoo on an anon. handle, dissing a competitor & lovin' on WF. Who does that!?
Reading, omg have i been reading. 40+ pgs a day. There's a little coffee shop in the residential (think tree-lined streets, townhouses with stoops) neighborhood I work in that has a little sidewalk patio overlooking a park. The owner's real cool, real SanFran (he's from there) with organic-dominant menu and a v. chill attitude. I MUST recommend What is the What. Every human being who has money to spend should read that book & redirect a tiny amount of money towards darfur. Joan Didion's "the year of magical thinking" is an amazing tale & analysis of loss, grief, and moving on. I read "all the president's men," such a natch for DC. Now I'm about 348 pgs into a compilation of Edith Wharton's short stories, letters, non-fictions, and part of her novels. Ethan Fromme is a must, soon!
Uhm, what else? Tim & I took a day trip to the beach Sunday, v. spontaneous after his appearance on MSNBC. Been to a few good house parties. Had the camping in West Virginia, which I survived! :) Was in Delaware with the beaches! Awesome. Must get to NYC soon, as CHo has a job there (finally!) Afraid to go because I'm afraid I'd never leave [/kill him in jealousy & steal his ID ;) ;) I kid ... sort of ...] My parents were also in town for the Fourth, which was a very good time.
Love, lovers.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Tenleytown
At 1:36 p.m., I moved away from Michigan. Permanently. No internship circuit anymore, folks, this chick has left the barn for good.
My new place, Tenleytown, is so badass. Lots of green and big houses. And they're well kept, not like Old 16th Street Heights, where I lived. As I was walking to the Whole Foods, conveniently next to the Metro, a convenient 10 minute walk (uphill there! hello exercise) from my place, I saw a restaurant, Neiga (Japanese, likely?) and heard music on the patio. That nice, summer nights music. Another glance, and it turns out our music was coming from non other than a live band! Sigh. Love.
There's also so much history where I live now. What used to be a reservoir for Georgetown was turned into a huge underground complex, rumored to be the place they send C.people when something bad happens. It's this huge (3 football fields +), flat, grassy plain that has hatches and a huge, impenetrable fence. Badass. Also, and sadly, I live 3 blocks from where former NYT editor Daniel Rosenbaum was murdered 2 years ago. He might have been okay after he was randomly attacked, but the 911 system fucked everything up.
What else? I live in one room with two windows, a dresser, desk, bookshelf, bed (obvi), stereo, rocking chair. Wood floors. Share the bathroom with Will, yet to be met. 24-y.o. architectural student on his 2nd semester with the G.Mans, my landlords. MG is sweet, and Mrs.G is the main renter contact and is pretty cool but away in Asia on assignment until mid-June.
My veggie pizza is almost done, and I've got two more bags to unpack, so I better ghost.
Holla! ~<3~
My new place, Tenleytown, is so badass. Lots of green and big houses. And they're well kept, not like Old 16th Street Heights, where I lived. As I was walking to the Whole Foods, conveniently next to the Metro, a convenient 10 minute walk (uphill there! hello exercise) from my place, I saw a restaurant, Neiga (Japanese, likely?) and heard music on the patio. That nice, summer nights music. Another glance, and it turns out our music was coming from non other than a live band! Sigh. Love.
There's also so much history where I live now. What used to be a reservoir for Georgetown was turned into a huge underground complex, rumored to be the place they send C.people when something bad happens. It's this huge (3 football fields +), flat, grassy plain that has hatches and a huge, impenetrable fence. Badass. Also, and sadly, I live 3 blocks from where former NYT editor Daniel Rosenbaum was murdered 2 years ago. He might have been okay after he was randomly attacked, but the 911 system fucked everything up.
What else? I live in one room with two windows, a dresser, desk, bookshelf, bed (obvi), stereo, rocking chair. Wood floors. Share the bathroom with Will, yet to be met. 24-y.o. architectural student on his 2nd semester with the G.Mans, my landlords. MG is sweet, and Mrs.G is the main renter contact and is pretty cool but away in Asia on assignment until mid-June.
My veggie pizza is almost done, and I've got two more bags to unpack, so I better ghost.
Holla! ~<3~
Saturday, February 03, 2007
So Sufjan tho
Growth. Advancement. Working on it.
The past week has been full of growth.
The boy left on Sunday, and since then it's been a lot of deep talks and serious things, but all good. A fight that left us about 10 steps further ahead. A convo that had to be had, and I'm glad when it was.
Working out was another challenge this last week. Well, it killed me. 45 minutes, 3 Days, Cardio Pace. Monday, Weds, Thurs. My legs still slightly burn. I tried starvation, it barely worked. Left me dehydrated and fuzzy and tired at best. However, it was necessary to speed over that hump. Even I was laid out at the bottom of it. After a weekend of really good restaurants and drinks, and a week of leftovers, it was so necessary tho. Weight-check next week, obviously I can "weight" (get it!?) or I'd've done it by now.
Making good progress on my HW for next week. Since I did none last week, I was screwed occas. (like for PoliPhl, again.) That sucked. Esp. after getting my Noir paper back and not doing swell. Hopefully that will change ...
Here's to next week.
The past week has been full of growth.
The boy left on Sunday, and since then it's been a lot of deep talks and serious things, but all good. A fight that left us about 10 steps further ahead. A convo that had to be had, and I'm glad when it was.
Working out was another challenge this last week. Well, it killed me. 45 minutes, 3 Days, Cardio Pace. Monday, Weds, Thurs. My legs still slightly burn. I tried starvation, it barely worked. Left me dehydrated and fuzzy and tired at best. However, it was necessary to speed over that hump. Even I was laid out at the bottom of it. After a weekend of really good restaurants and drinks, and a week of leftovers, it was so necessary tho. Weight-check next week, obviously I can "weight" (get it!?) or I'd've done it by now.
Making good progress on my HW for next week. Since I did none last week, I was screwed occas. (like for PoliPhl, again.) That sucked. Esp. after getting my Noir paper back and not doing swell. Hopefully that will change ...
Here's to next week.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
What goes around comes around ...
Anyone else find it odd that after 4 or 5 years together, Justin & Cameron only break up *after* Britney's divorced? Hmm? Hmm? Hmm? Yeah, I should be an investigative celebrity journalist. Hahhahahahahhahhaa. But seriously, Dirt magazine. Anyone have Court's number?
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