friday XIII

I didn't realize today was "Friday the 13th" until the internet told me (we're tight like that). Though not one for superstitions I was reading an article on Huffington Post concerning some of the various legends around the number 13. And then I came across this one:

"Blame your parents: If you have 13letters in your name, you're said to have the devil's luck. Like [Charles Manson]."

Hmm. Let me count.

[holds up fingers and spells name]

Yup, 13. Thanks, mom and dad.
 

just can't handle it

I know I already posted today, but I just saw this video over at dooce and I cannot handle the cuteness. The fear-turned-laughter. The dramatic expressions. Ah!

I'm going to go watch it a few more times.

hedgehog-podge

I often find myself "singing" a song in my head or counting while I walk. To amp it up though, if I notice that I'm not walking with my left foot on the down beat (or an odd number) I stumble-step to make it right. Not only do I momentarily look like a fool, but it's a constant reminder that I'm a band dork.

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I ordered 2dresses online for the previously-mentioned wedding and they have arrived! They arrived early, right before I left for work, so I haven't had a chance to try them on yet. Guess what I'm doing when I get home...

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Things I find immensely, if not unnecessarily, satisfying: 

1. Peeling off nail polish and face masks in one piece.

2. Being the first person to watch a Netflix DVD.
3. When playing a computerized game, attaining a score that ends in 00.

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I will never - ever - leave a toaster plugged in. Remember that show Rescue 911? As I kid I watched an episode in which a family went on vacation and their toaster burned the house down. [I'm now having visions of a personified toaster - ala The Brave Little Toaster, though malicious - laughing maniacally while it starts crumb fires all over the kitchen.] Now I don't leave toasters plugged in. Just in case. And this behavior was only reinforced when my toaster caught on fire in grad school. I was there, no big deal. But it just confirms that they are dangerous contraptions out to get us.

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Last night I heard Lisa Cortes, a producer from Precious, speak. It was framed as a talk about social change/activism through film, which it wasn't. It was more about her journey to becoming a producer and a tiny bit about the creative process behind Precious. I was hoping for more, but still an hour well-spent.

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Tomorrow night I'm going to see A Midsummer Night's Disco Dream. My only desire is that there be copious amounts of glitter.

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Apparently I have a pathological need to hyperlink today.

choose, II - response

The correct answer is Cheese Nips, by the way.

snapshots

I went to The MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival on Sunday. There were 10short films from all around the world, shown in over 200cities. Shockingly, Waterville was one of those cities. DC? Not so much. I find that odd. They announce the winner this upcoming Sunday. I voted for Watching.

**

Thursday nights a local pub has trivia night. Last Thursday a bunch of us from the department decided to have dinner and play. Our team name was "The Maine Effects." If you get that joke, you are a statistics dork and I love you for it. Anyway... it costs 2dollars/person to play, and the winning team gets all of the evenings entrance fees. 30questions later you turn in your tickets. We got 24correct and apparently that was enough to win. I got enough money (11dollars) to cover my dinner. WIN. Who would have thought that 7people, 6 with PhDs, could beat Waterville locals?

**

And with that last sentence I became an elitist jerk. Sarah Palin must hate me.

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My last post clearly outlined that I'm going to OH on Friday. Last night I looked at my ticket confirmation and it showed that I was going to IAD. Oh shit! I'm going to VA at the end of August, did I confuse the dates!? F! Upon further inspection, I am indeed going to IAD, but only for a layover. So close, yet so far... See you all at the end of October, though!

**

Netflix got confused and sent me 2movies this past weekend. Thank you, Netflix.

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I've started applying for jobs again. That's all I want to say about that.

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Saturday I started and finished The Hunger Games. Such a good book. I'd heard of it before, and found it in the Young Adult section of the bookstore, but that's only because it's main characters are teenagers. It's about 24children being thrown into a pit and needing to battle it out - to the death - until only one remains. How young adult is that? There are some serious themes in this book... I read it 4days ago and I can't stop thinking about it. It's a trilogy, and I'm desperately looking forward to reading the other 2. I'm even delaying my purchase of them because I know how much I will immediately devote myself to them. Must. work. first. I'm so responsible.

choose, II

Not quite sure what my point is with these "choose" points, but I suppose I was just curious. My iTunes was on shuffle and Rent's La Vie Boheme came on. Those of you familiar with the show will know that there's a part in which someone screams "wine or beer?" And thus, the question was born. 

For the record, I would choose beer. It's not that I don't like wine - Well, there's definitely some wine I don't like or rather, that don't like me, but to be fair, the same applies to some beer - but, if given the choice, I will most likely choose beer. Look in my fridge, though, and you'll see both. Truthfully, wine also affects me more than beer. I get headaches sooner and more often. Cheap wine? Probably. But I feel the same quality of beer is just an overall better value... and it doesn't leave me with a headache. Plus it just tastes better (on average).

I'm obviously in the minority here, but really, if my 6years of graduate education have taught me one thing it's that 3people do not make a representative sample. Maybe there will be more participation in the future. But for now, I guess I'll have to concede that wine is the more popular choice.

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So... CHEEZ-IT or Cheese Nips??

choose

Beer or wine?

lazy morning

I'm moving ridiculously slow this morning. I got enough sleep, but I can't seem to get motivated. As a result I can't really focus. Therefore, you're getting a lazy post related to TV.

• Over the past few weeks I've been watching 24, from the beginning. What I have learned from this is that one should never live in LA. Too many terrorist attacks.

• Last night Ashley and I Skyped while watching TV. It was kind of awesome. Very When Harry Met Sally for the internet age. But you know, with a friend. And no Billy Crystal. Or Meg Ryan. Though, we quickly discovered that Ash's broadcast is well ahead of mine. It was a challenge to get them to sync up (she has DVR). Many jokes about Maine being so far away that it just takes FOR. EV. ER. for the signal to get here. Anyway, it was a nice way to stay connected with friends. We're hoping we can get more people involved next week. 

• Something I don't understand about action TV/movies: How come when people are hiding, and they are panting heavily due to the running and the adrenaline and the not wanting to die thing, the bad guys, when only 10feet away, can't hear them?! This bothers me more than it should. But come on. Quiet it down.

• For the most part, I need TV to fall asleep. It's not that I'm not tired, but I guess I've just conditioned myself that way after years of falling asleep in front of the TV. Now, instead of falling asleep on the couch, waking up a couple of hours later and then going to bed, I bring my laptop into my bedroom and start some show. Lately it's been Mythbusters. Not that I actually watch the show. I'm asleep in 10minutes.