Day 5 in Colorado

~ I woke up first and opened the curtains to see a white wonderland. The weather gods were cooperating, giving us gorgeous weather on the driving days and a beautiful six inches or so of fresh white stuff on our full no-driving day in town.
~ Relaxed, stopped into Starbucks for a "reliable" java, and had breakfast at the very busy Poppycock's (French toast, nomnomnom). It seems every place here is busy; I won't attribute that entirely to it being high season, because everyplace we went was a nice mix of delish and friendly.
~ Walked around, shopped, took photos, threw snowballs (OK, that was just me, the tropi-chick), and relaxed until our final (sniff) Big Head Todd show.




~ We decided tonight to have a "nicer" dinner, so we followed the recommendations of several friends and visited two places for supsup. Social was cool, but it felt more like a NYC lounge than what we were looking for and the menu wasn't entirely up our alley. (That said, the scallop/brie/honey appetizer was scandalous.) Next stop was J-Bar at the Hotel Jerome. I particularly wanted to stop here as it was a haunt of Hunter S. Thompson (seems he had several faves; the man liked the drink), and we did find a "Hunter S. Thompson for Sheriff" sign behind the bar. It's lovely there, cozy and warm (figuratively speaking only, unfortunately, as there was a mean draft by the window seats), and the menu was comforting. Our salads, burgers and chicken pot pie hit the spot, and my pretty-dern-local Blue Moon was ace. (Oh, and yeah, what they say about being able to drink much less at altitude is true!)
~ Again, we got to the club just after the doors opened, but tonight we had a two-hour wait until the show started. Last night, a DJ took over the club after the BHTM show, so they only played two hours and we all had to clear out right after. Tonight there was no after party and we'd heard from a crew member that the guys might play a longer set, so we were hopeful and didn't mind waiting two hours for the show to start. Football, beer and war stories commence...
~ Here's what I posted to the BHTM boards:

Wow. This weekend has left me at a loss for words (and for those of you who know me, you know that's a rarity). Our second night here in Aspen was outta sight. The guys seemed to really be having a great time, and a little musical birdie told me they were stoked to see people showing up at all the CO shows night after night.

How could we not? This place is a gem of a venue; I can't stress that enough. The guys never cease to amaze me with their friendliness and down-to-earth attitudes; they always make you feel like you're an old friend. Aspen is crazy beautiful, especially while decorated for the holidays and covered with a dusting of the nice white stuff, and the people here have all been really nice. And the energy and set lists... man oh man... let's just say that both nights we all left a lil' bit worked over.

What a weekend! I'm sad to see it end, but I must head out into the 3 degree weather and back to Boulder now. In the meantime, chew on this setlist:

Monument in Green (just Todd and Jeremy)
Friend of the Devil (that's the Dead, baby!)
Cruel Fate
Neckbreaker
Blue Sky
It's Alright
Moose
Riviera
Sister Sweetly
Mona Lisa
Strategem
Tangerine
VOJ/Leaving
Heart of Wilderness
Love Transmission
Magdelina (with a horn)
Ever Since Ya Pulled Me Under (with horns)
James Brown Medley (with horns)
Beautiful World (with horns)
Runaway Train
Come On
Encore: Circle, Rocky Mountain Way (!!!)

~ I should add to the above post that I danced more than I think I may ever have at a show; perhaps it was the set list, maybe it was the fun produced by being surrounded by more friends than I usually am at a show, likely it was simply the perfect circumstances of the weekend. It truly was a perfect weekend.




~ Oh, let me not forget to mention that after the show we hung out BS-ing with the merch guy, who is a friend of the band, while my lil' cousin bought some goodies. Jeremy came out to chat with us and we got some photos of him with the kid and some of the girls. He was his usual sweet, funny self. When we finally left, we bumped into Brian, who was helping load some equipment into the trailer; he, too, was his usual friendly, twinkly-eyed self, and the kid got another photo.

P.S. PER YOUR REQUESTS, I'LL POST LOTS OF PHOTOS AND VIDS ON FLICKR AND MYSPACE IN A BIT. GO TAKE A PEEK!

Day 4 in Colorado

~ We checked out of our hotel in Westminster, drove to Boulder to pick up my friend, and got on the road.
~ We stopped in Breckenridge so the friend could get her hair cut; her hair dresser moved from Boulder to Breckenridge not too long ago, and this all-important primping session was scheduled weeks ago. While that was happening, the youngin and I walked around, had lunch at a teensy tiny pizzeria, and stopped into a shop so she could buy a T-shirt she'd spotted from the car window on the way into town. It reads "Dude, I think this whole town is high! Breckenridge, altitude 9,600." Funny.


~ We slipped and slided our way back to the car, and tried to find a Starbucks on the way so the driver could get her caffeine fix, but we didn't have much luck. When we found that the S'bux in Glenwood Springs' Safeway sported a broken espresso machine, we gave up hope; surely there would be a place to sate our cravings in Aspen.
~ There was, but not until tomorrow morning...
~ Meanwhile, the drive to Aspen was gorgeous. Not only are the views phenomenal (I know, I'm full of mammoth adjectives and convenient superlatives, but if the shoe fits...), but the weather was perfect for travel: dry, sunny and still.


~ After trying to find a place to park the car outside our hotel (the roads were narrow, parking is on-street, and the snow plow had left pretty large berms), we were assisted inside by a friendly, chatty hotel staffer who was very interested in going to one of the shows we effused about. (A convert? Perhaps; I never did see him at the Belly Up, but then, I was certainly distracted.)
~ The hotel is really beautiful, two-and-a-half blocks from the Belly Up, all restaurants, Starbucks (!!) and the base of Ajax Mountain. So convenient; the weekend felt like a cruise, in that you could party all night and schlep back to your room with no worry of car keys and DUI check points. Well, this wasn't exactly that kind of weekend, but I thought it worth mentioning for those of you planning a ski trip. Enjoy. ;)


~ Wash, dress, primp, loudly sing along to BHTM, excitedly dance around the room, take a final five (or ten) looks in the mirror, stop for an "ooh I forgot my scarf", and out the door we went to dinner at Little Annie's, which we'd heard and read many good things about. Our cheeseburger, BBQ chicken and grilled turkey sandwich were all great, especially since they were all accompanied by lumpy, peppery mashed potatoes of a divine nature. The woman who runs the front of the house (owner?) moved like a NYC diner hostess but had the personality of a Midwesterner: perfect. The place is cramped, bustling and affordable, and our booth in the front window was chilly but cozy. Note to self: Go back, if only for the mashed potatoes and the Tootsie Roll Midgies (or are they Minis? I'm never sure which are which.) that come with the check.
~ The Belly Up was only a couple blocks from the restaurant, it wasn't bitter cold, and the town is a storybook fantasy, so the walk to the show was enjoyable.
~ The venue is tiny but beautiful, the sound and lighting were great, the coat check not only exists but is free (wow), and the audience is permitted to stand right up against the stage. I'm unsure how the band feels about it (they didn't seem to mind us being right up in their faces), but I know we all were crazy for the set up. It's the best place I've seen a concert yet, and I've seen many.
~ The doors opened an hour before the show started, and we got there just a few minutes after doors for fear of a cramped space and no spots near the boys. But it worked out great. Everyone was watching college football and nursing their adult beverages while waiting for the show to start; there's a large, roll-up movie screen rigged in front of the stage, and it wasn't lifted until just a moment or two before the guys came on stage. But our group of six or so waited by the corner of the stage, chatting and taking turns refilling our water cups and emptying our bladders, until the screen was rolled up. Then we quickly scooted into position (with me dead center at Todd's toes, naturally), while everyone else jostled in behind us.




~ The show was perfect. Here's what I posted on the BHTM boards.

Last night's show was incredible, just incredible. The energy was crazy - both the guys' and the audience's. The set list featured a nice mix of old and new, including some great surprises, like a horn section and Clapton's "Forever Man". This was a BHTM show as I know and love them - outstanding!

Cherries on top: the venue is great (with a capacity of only 400 or so), the stage itself is pretty tiny so all the guys were within view, we were so close that my water bottle was on the stage at Todd's feet, and this was my teenage cousin's first show and she's officially hooked (Yay!). She's crossing her fingers that she gets to meet the boys tonight.

What was actually played varied a tad from the set list taped at Todd's feet; for instance, "Stategem" was on the list but wasn't played, and "Boom Boom" wasn't planned but made it into the encore. Here's the set list I jotted down over the course of the night:

Broken Hearted Savior
All the Love You Need
City on Fire
Resignation Superman
Again and Again
I'll Play the Blues For You
Fortune Teller
Dirty Juice
Bittersweet
Under a Silvery Moon
In the Morning
Forever Man
These Days Without You
Juliana
Dinner With Ivan
Please Don't Tell Her
Wishing Well
Cashbox
Spanish Highway
Kensington Line
Beautiful Rain
Encore: Conquistador, Boom Boom, Her Own Kinda Woman

~ After the show, we walked around town, trying to figure where to go; that chatty hotel staffer had suggested a locals' bar called Zane's but it was too close to last call to make the trek over. We ended up making it nowhere, wandering in circles and giggling our heads off. It's that giddiness that comes only from a stellar BHTM show. We eventually walked off some of our natural high and stumbled back to bed, where we lay talking for hours.

Days 2 and 3 in Colorado

My efforts at creating maximum mountain/music/metro time have minimized my wifi time. So this update will be abbreviated. (And please excuse any typos; it is about 4 a.m. eastern time, after all.)

Day 2
~ Drove deep into suburbs at the foot of the mountains, just poking around.
~ Picked up a quick lunch and another bottle of water. I can't seem to get enough water these days - cotton mouth and dry eyes!
~ Made my way over to downtown Denver to see where the Ogden Theatre and The Irish Snug are located. Noticed the city, especially along Colfax, is teeming with interesting signs; I'll post some pix later.
~ Went into REI (Recreation Equipment Inc.) in the city. It's an outdoor-equipment store in what looks like a huge, old brick warehouse (could be a new building for all I know), with a rock climbing wall about three stories tall and enough snowboards, fleece hoodies and mountain bikes to outfit the entire city, methinks. Pretty cool. Sadly, I bought nothing; no immediate need and no room in the suitcase.


~ Rode with a friend to our hotel in Denver, checked in, and ogled the dozens of Widespread Panic fans drinking cases of Pabst Blue Ribbon and noshing Skittles in the lobby, elevators and halls (the band played the Pepsi Center on 12/30 and 12/31, so the city was oozing hippies).
~ After some primping, we met more friends in the hotel lobby and drove over to the Irish Snug for dinner and a beer. It has the feel of a true Irish pub in a northern city (Manhattan or Boston), with wooden walls, all Guinness products on tap, and stuffed full of Christmas flocking, New Year's Eve decorations and local revelers. Unfortunately, we didn't find the folks we were hoping to meet up with until after we'd paid our tab; so we stayed for another beer, then walked the two blocks over to the Ogden.
~ Doors were slated for 8:30, show at 9:30, so we didn't expect much of a line at 8. We were mistaken. There were easily 50 people there ahead of us and security got a bit pushy with everyone at one point (wanting us to reform our queue across the street, but none of us budged for fear of losing our place), but we still staked our claim on a nice piece of real estate at the railing in front of Todd's mic. Perfect!
~ The band had announced that they'd play two 90-minute sets, but it turned out to be one hour-long set, followed by a 30-minute intermission and another two-hour set. My favorite Led Zeppelin song, Tangerine, was interrupted by the stroke of midnight, but we didn't care. Todd seemed awfully eager to end 2008 and start a fresh new year; we all agreed and toasted 2009 along with him, thanks to the champagne the band gave to the lucky front-rowers. Cheers! (More/better pix to come...)




~ All in all, BHTM played more old stuff than new, along with a few favorite covers (James Brown, Johnny Cash, Zeppelin), and were accompanied by a two-man horn section in parts. I got two full beers (cheap, stinky, sticky beers) down the back of my silk blouse, but I (almost) didn't notice, because the music was great and the boys were as adorable as ever. Sadly, my request was, for the first time in 16+ years, not played, but I think this weekend's shows in Aspen will be even better than yesterday's. Can't wait!!
~ Here's what I posted on the BHTM boards.

NYE was really fun! It was great to meet some of you folks I've been chatting with here for the last year or so; thanks for being nice! The set list was very cool, with lots of older stuff, which is just fine by me. And I agree, 422phos, that Todd's hair looks great short; and he seemed eager to shake off 2008 and start a fresh year. My view was great (though I wasn't able to get very many good photos), I had wonderful people all around me (including some new friends!), and it was a great way to ring in the new year.

Here's the set list I jotted down throughout the evening:
Turn the Light Out
Love Transmission
Come On
Please Don’t Tell Her
How Easy
Runaway Train
Bittersweet
Helpless
Heart of Wilderness (Todd rocked it so hard he broke a string)
Angela Dangerlove
Blue Sky

Intermission

Caroline
Midnight Radio
I’ll Play the Blues For You (with horns)
Freedom Fighter
Fortune Teller
Spanish Highway
Circle
Mona Lisa
Cruel Fate
Tangerine (interrupted by the stroke of midnight)
Auld Lang Sine
James Brown Medley
All the Love You Need
Ever Since You Pulled Me Under
Her Own Kinda Woman (with horns)
Conquistador (with horns)
Boom Boom (with horns)

Encore: Beautiful Rain, Broken Hearted Savior, Folsom Prison Blues
(By the way, who threw their panties on stage during the show? Come on, fess up!)

~ For now, we walked several blocks back to our hotel, and after a hot shower and second look at the city view, I sunk deeply into my cozy bed.



Day 3
~ After some shuffling of cars and a trek to the airport, I dropped off some friends at the terminal and then headed inside to collect my lil' cousin. Yay! (Note: Picking up an "unaccompanied minor" at the airport isn't convenient; plan into your schedule at least 30 minutes more than you think you should.)
~ The kid and I made a beeline for Morrison; I couldn't show her Red Rocks quickly enough. But, I suppose hunger gave us enough pause, because we stopped for a Mexican lunch at Morrison Inn; we chose not to partake of their (in?)famous margaritas, being as it was too early in the day for me and she's, ya know, only 14 years old. Small details. :)
~ After rolling ourselves out of the restaurant, we walked around town a bit, took photos, went into a new-agey-type store (you know the kind: reeking of incense and selling many hand-knit anoraks, but cute nonetheless). A few other places looked quaint but were closed, and we weren't really in the mood to shop. Give us fresh air and sunshine!


~ On the way to Red Rocks Amphitheatre, I regaled her with my "huffed and puffed all the way up the stairs" story from my Tuesday visit to the park, and she laughed at her old, sad cousin. Yeah, well, she laughed even harder when, after ambitiously heading down to see the view from the stage, we had to make the trek back up in increments, conquering 20 or so steps at a time. Her panting and grunting made me feel a tad better about my own physical fitness; it seems working out four times a week at 13 feet above sea level does not adequately prepare one for a few flights of stairs at 6,200 feet. ;)


~ We spent a few hours driving around Denver, and I showed her Invesco Field, the Ogden and Fillmore, the funny signs on Colfax. We stopped into Twist & Shout record shop for some used CDs and to take a gander at the posters and other artifacts on the walls, including items from both Big Head Todd and Kiss (For a prize, can you correctly match each cousin with her favorite band?). The adjacent Tattered Cover closed pretty early and we missed out, which was disappointing for us book buffs. On our way to dinner, we stopped for photos at the state capitol and the city/county building, which is beautifully decked out for the holidays.




~ Later, we walked down the 16th Street Mall, had dinner at the Rialto Cafe (nice but casual), and checked into our hotel for the night. Tomorrow will be a big day: a drive up to Boulder to meet a friend, then back on the road to Aspen, with a pit stop in Breckenridge for lunch. Oh, and don't forget the Big Head Todd show at the Belly Up tomorrow night - the kid's first!

Day 1 in Colorado

After two peaceful flights from Fort Lauderdale to Atlanta and Atlanta to Denver, I picked up my silver Dodge Caliber (cute, large trunk, and pretty good clearance for a compact) and set off.

I made my way through the eastern and southern suburbs, oohing and ahhing over the view of the Rockies at every turn. Once I made my way to Morrison, I spent a couple hours at Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre. It's probably the most magnificent thing I've ever seen; photos (even those better than mine) could not do it justice. It's overwhelmingly mammoth and gorgeous. The air is pretty thin at 6,200 feet, so the other tourists and I were so winded that we had to stop every few steps while walking up the amphitheatre; the local joggers, most of whom were accompanied by their large dogs, didn't seemed fazed at all. But by the time I left, I was completely exhausted. After trekking around the park, you can rest your lungs and quads by walking through the visitor's center, where they have on display concert posters, signed guitars and other memorabilia from bands that have played there through the years (Big Head Todd included, of course).







Not too exhausted to head north to historic Golden, which has a western flair (possibly manufactured, but cute nonetheless). This town is also seated right at the foot of the Rockies, so the land is hilly and the views are great. (It's worth mentioning that the sun seems much bigger here in Colorado than at home, not to mention stronger and brighter; I suppose that's because I'm a mile closer to it! :P Anyway, this seems to have created a hazy effect in most of the photos I took today.) The town is adorable, it's full of bronze sculptures, and the creek is populated by what look like Canadian geese; oh, and it has an indy bookstore. Yeah! The Coors Brewery was closed for tours today for some reason, so no free sample for me; ho hum.







I checked into my hotel, took a power nap, and went for dinner at a local brewery called Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery. It's a pretty cool place, full of TVs showing college ball games, a very nice cobb salad; their homemade Red Rocks Red was creamy (if you like Smithwick's, you'd dig this for sure). Nice touch: You can see the big beer kettles (is that what they're called?) from the street through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

I capped the night off with a decaf by the (faux) fire at Caribou Coffee. Now I'm going to bed, if I can - seems some of the folks in my building are fond of screaming, running up and down the halls and slamming doors. I need my rest, right? Tomorrow will be a long day, what with the Big Head Todd and the Monsters New Year's Eve show and all. :D

The mountains' call

The mountains are calling, and so here I am, packing for a nine-day trip to Colorado. I'm not all that experienced with dead-of-winter vacations in the Rocky Mountains, so filling the suitcase has been interesting. But I haven't had too much trouble creating a Wish List of places and things I don't want to miss during my stay.

I'll be spending most of my time in the Denver/Boulder area, winding my way through the surrounding towns of Morrison, Golden, etc. There will also be a two-night side trip to Aspen, with stops in Breckenridge and Vail on the way in and out. I was hoping to visit the Garden of the Gods and ride the cog railway up Pike's Peak, and maybe take a drive up over the Wyoming line to Laramie; but if the weather is as snowy as it's been lately, my lack of winter driving skills will preclude me from taking those side trips this time around. I'll just have to come back during the summer sometime soon - perhaps in early June when Big Head Todd and the Monsters open the concert season at Red Rocks Amphitheatre!

All in all, I won't be taking as many "chances" as I normally would, because I will have my 14-year-old cousin with me and have to play "grown up" - that means a skiing lesson is likely out, too. But that's all OK with me, because, as most of you know, I'm not terribly adventurous when it comes to activities that could, ya know, compromise the integrity of my spinal cord, and I'm really stoked about spending tons of one-on-one time with my favorite mini-me. :)

I'm bound to miss some of these things and discover places I didn't plan on, but here's what I've got so far...

I'll keep you posted with photos, videos, and updates here throughout my trip.

WISH LIST

Denver
Tattered Cover bookstore
Colorado History Museum
Mt. Evans Scenic Byway
16th Street Mall
Larimer Square
State Capitol
Blue Bear at the Convention Center
Molly Brown House Museum
Twist and Shout record store
REI Outlet (namely, the mammoth rock climbing wall)
Denver Museum of Nature and Science (only for the view from the 3rd floor)
Coors Field (perhaps best left for the summer trip)
Invesco Field at Mile High (unfortunately, I'll be there just days after the Bronco's final home game)
El Chapultepec restaurant and jazz venue
Herman's Hideaway (this likely won't happen - no shows are scheduled during my trip)
Mezcal restaurant
Cry Baby Ranch store
Common Grounds coffeeshop
Spicy Pickle Sub Shop (OK, some things on this list are based on friends' recommendations)

Boulder
Hotel Boulderado
Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse
Leanin' Tree Museum of Western Art
Pearl Street Mall

Aspen
J-Bar
Woody Creek Tavern
Funky Mountain Threads store
Silver Queen Gondola (if non-skiers are allowed in the winter)
The Popcorn Wagon
ride in the Ultimate Taxi

In general
try buffalo meat
take a horse-drawn sleigh ride
go snow tubing
ride the Pike's Peak Cog Railway
climb around the sandstone at Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre
get a photo at the Continental Divide
dinner at The Fort in Morrison
tour the Coors Brewery in Golden
shop at Weber's Books and Drawings in Breckenridge
make a snow angel :P

Holiday lights!
Union Station
Brown Palace Hotel (the huge tree in the lobby)
D&F Tower
the city and county building
pine trees in the mountains!

Say it loudly and proudly

And he doesn't succumb to the soup

Crazy. Remember Point Break? "It's not tragic to die doing what you love. If you want the ultimate, you've got to be willing to pay the ultimate price."

I believe

I came across this quote today, and it struck me as so true that I thought I should share.

Who so loves, believes the impossible.

-- Elizabeth Barret Browning

Yet another reason to love those Coloradans

...especially the ones in Boulder!

Seems the students at University of Colorado at Boulder worked together to make the Buffaloes' homecoming game 90% waste free. I find it incredible that this goal was important to enough people to make it happen. But I shouldn't be surprised; health, fitness, environmental concern and a love for the outdoors seem almost to be requirements for living in that part of the world. A lazy litterbug? Stay in Virginia, or Alabama, or whatever state happens to be the least "green" (I'll research that and get back to you in a later post).

Anyway, here's what Ideal Bite (a super-cool Web site that sends a very do-able "go green" tip to your e-mail box each day) has to say about it:

Can't get all excited over draft picks and dream teams? Bet (C)U can: Even if you go just for the tailgate party, you'll have a good time knowing tomorrow's homecoming Buffs game'll be 90% zero waste. All the nachos, burgers, and pizzas sold at FF now come in eco-friendly containers with biodegradable utensils - and huddled around 50 stadium spots are recycling and composting bins, with signs and student volunteers showing you what to drop-kick where. The new program will keep more than 54 tons o' garbage outta landfills this season - and put the black gold, er, compost, back on CU's campus. Stat.

Wanna Try? CU Buffaloes homecoming game; Oct. 4, 5 p.m. Folsom Field, Colorado Ave. & Folsom St., Boulder; Tickets, $50-$95.

An afterthought: Seems you can tell a good college football team by the cost of their tickets. The Buffs charge at least $50 a ticket. It costs as little as $5 to see my Owls in action. (That's Florida Atlantic University for your folks living north of the Florida/Georgia border, and no they're not having a good season so far, but there's time for redemption!)

How to choose a favorite hockey team

Well, perhaps it's not the best way, especially when it comes to fantasy play (trust me!), but it is an option for you serious boozers out there. :)

Puck Daddy's (sometimes amusing) blog reported today on the average cost of an evening of hockey fun. As P.D. states, most of us don't fit under that "typical family night" umbrella of four hot dogs, two ball caps, two small beers and so on for $288.23.

Most folks just want the beer, and lots of it. And if they can't afford what's sold at the arena, they'll pre-drink in the parking lot - or avoid the crowd entirely, enjoying the game at home with a remote in one hand and a 12-pack in the other. (This makes me wonder if the arena owners wouldn't make more cash by making beer affordable for the heavy-drinking masses, rather than only to a small few. But, anyway...)

So, what's the going rate for Panthers fans? It seems those money-hungry bastards at the BankAtlantic Center charge $7 for a 20-ounce beer - that's 35 cents an ounce. No wonder I don't booze it up when I'm at the games! (The 40-minute drive home has something to do with that, too.)

Based on this list, I'm thinking I oughtta start traveling to games in Pittsburgh ($0.25/ounce) or Washington ($0.28/ounce).

Can you afford to take a date to your next home game?

She kicked my butt tonight!

This was much too advanced for me, as evidenced by the ruby red color of my face and the heels of my palms, not to mention the nausea caused by my quivering abdominals. But I was able to tailor it by modifying the asanas, the amount of time I held them, or both.

For instance, I just can't hold the plank for more than a few seconds, especially after I've attempted it a few times, so I replaced it with downward dog once in a while as a "break". I'm not yet able to even get into the tree pose let alone hold it, so I twisted from plank and from warrior. And don't even get me started on jumping through!

The 15- to 50-minute window was the toughest, and I absolutely had to take a 3-minute water-and-breath break around the 25-minute mark. But please don't misunderstand. This post isn't meant as a complaint; on the contrary, I was thrilled with this session, and it was far from a complete failure.



I can't remember all the asanas, but I felt a happy mix of challenge and accomplishment with the warrior (1 and 2, I think), chair and triangle. I have trouble getting into navasana (the boat pose) because it hurts when I press my lower back into the ground; but I really like how I immediately feel my core muscles. And I certainly perfected the savasana (corpse pose) at the end! :)

I'm just happy to have found a great core-strengthening, heart-rate-hiking yoga workout - just what I need. She kicked my butt, and I loved it!

Check out YogaToday.com, where you'll find a new, hour-long (or so) yoga workout each day. Not only are they shot outside in soul-stirringly (so what if it's not a word) gorgeous Jackson Hole, Wyoming, but it's free! Try it; you'll really like it.

Question of the Day: Characteristics (a work in progress)

This post will be a work in progress for a day or two, as today's a fairly thought-provoking question born of a "What IS it you like about him?" conversation.

What uncommon characteristic or often-unnoticed habit would pique your interest in a stranger, romantic or otherwise?

My answer:
I noticed that I liked that a certain guy said "Right on" all the time; don't know why, since that repetition would otherwise be annoying to me. I'll update as I think of other (hopefully less ridiculous) instances...

(C'mon, you aren't intimidated by a somewhat uncomfortable question, are ya? Post your answer as a comment...)

Recent findings: moose, blues and silent films

I'm about to share with you some sweet, funny, amazing things that some fine folks recently shared with me. Enjoy.

Mama moose and her twin babies
Anchorage, Alaska
June 2008



Matt Anderson
Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival
Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
September 2008



"Bangville Police"
Keystone Cops silent film series
Keystone Film Company
1912 through 1917

Question of the Day: Backstage

If you could go backstage to any concert, which would it be? Why? (You can be specific about venue, opening act, etc., if you like.)

My answer:
Big Head Todd & the Monsters, featuring Hazel Miller. Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, Colorado. Maybe David Gray or Iron & Wine as the opener. They'd do a pretty good job of easing ya into a night of Todd's beautiful chaos. (Anyone surprised by my answer? I'm nothing if not predictable.)

(Come on, now. Post your answer as a comment!)

Big Head's captured on video again

Here are few videos of Big Head Todd and the Monsters in action. They never cease to amaze me. Just genius.

This year's Red Rocks show, which I sadly missed:





Minnesota State Fair:

(I love me some Cash, especially when Todd's chaneling him.)


And finally, a back-stage look at the band prepping for a gig in their home town of Boulder this spring:

Question of the day: Drinking

After a not-necessarily-necessary hiatus, Question of the Day is back and (probably not) better than ever! Ya hoo!

Here goes: They're thinking (don't ask who "they" are, just go with it) of lowering the legal drinking age to 18. Some argue that if someone is mature enough to vote for our leaders and fight in our wars, he's surely mature enough to do all other "adult" things, like drink alcohol. What do you think?

Answers so far:
~ I think that they should make the age 18, because I believe that when you are an adult you can make your own decisions.
~ Allow 18-year-olds, but only if they're enlisted in the service.
~ I think it should be 45, but look who's talking, right?!

My answer:
I'm not convinced that the majority of 18-year-olds are mature enough to drink, but then, I'd say the same for most 21-year-olds. Truth is, it does seem only fair and logical to declare a certain age that is "THE passage into adulthood." If it's 18, then it's 18 - or 21, or 35, or whatever. But military artillery, ballots and 40s of cheap beer should become accessible at the same time - whatever time that may be.

(Wanna answer? Create a comment!)

The perfect man?

While walking along the boardwalk at the beach the other night, as I usually do in the evenings, I made my way through the sometimes-heavy maze of families with strollers and skipping toddlers, saw couples canoodling on park benches, and heard bicyclists whizzing by.

Eventually I made my way to the southern tip of the mile-long stretch, a lovely place to walk out to the point and watch the last of the day's orange light illuminate the white edges of the sea's chop.

The sound and smell are meditative and good for all that ails me, an unlikely panacea. I digress...

My point is that, while looking out over the ocean's frothy edge, I noticed a young man sitting on a picnic table (actually on the table itself, with feet resting on the seat, the way young men often do). He was reading a small book that almost disappeared behind his large palms. He was the guy I'd seen skateboarding up the coast a few moments ago, something that almost always catches my attention.

So, that evening, as I walked away from the boy reader I wished I was brave enough to interrupt, I wondered if perhaps he wasn't the perfect boy reader for me? A man (not a boy at all, really) of about my age who still skateboards (but clearly these days for his peaceful enjoyment rather than to showboat for girls) and spends the beginnings of his evenings in the shadow of a few tall palms at the end of the coastline reading a tiny jewel of a book no doubt full of lovely phrases. I wanted so much to read over his shoulder for a bit, to know those phrases.

For a moment, I felt as though I was in one of those movies in which two people, fated to fall in love, first encounter one another in an odd way at a strange place for only a second. And so, because they didn't really meet at all, they're forced to find one another again via the "Missed Opportunities" section in the newspaper's classified ads.

Life should only be so romantic. In the end, I'm pleased simply to know such people exist. It was a lovely night.

What's coming up?

Spring is the time for fairs and festivals in South Florida - we only hang outside during the winter here, hibernating in the 95-degree summer like northerners do in the dead of winter. But summer is time for air-conditioned entertainment. I just started running that beloved a/c in the car this weekend, so I'm already looking forward to some indoor fun (no, not that kind, piggy):
~ Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull comes out this Thursday. 'Nuf said.
~ Florida SuperCon runs this Friday through Sunday. It's for people who dig comics, manga, anime, cosplay, and actors from "Harry Potter," "Clerks," Cartoon Network, etc.
~ A craft fair will run at the Coral Ridge Mall in Fort Lauderdale Saturday through Memorial Day. I haven't been able to find any details about this fair, so I'm not sure if it's a Granny's-crocheted-tissue-box-cover-type event or something younger, funkier and punkier, a la Craft Mafia. (Don't get excited by that last statement; it's definitely NOT a snazzy mafia get-together.)
~ The Strangers and Sex and the City opens next Friday, May 30. Acquaintances who saw an early release of "Sex" say it's everything it ought to be. I just fear the variety of trailers that've aired on TV have given away entirely too much of the movie. "Strangers" looks like it might be a satisfying thriller, for a change.
~ Kung Fu Panda opens June 6. Kick ass! Animated critters AND Jack Black... I'm hopeful, but a little voice in the back of my head warns me to not get my hopes up. Whattaya think?
~ The Fort Lauderdale Home Design & Remodeling Show should be really cool - not nearly as cool as a car show, but perhaps on par with a boat or RV show. Yes, I'm a geek. What of it? I'm also hoping to buy a home in the near future, so I'm hoping to stumble across a useful tip or two while drooling over remodeling marvels that are out of my financial reach: marble countertops and showers-made-for-five, for instance.
~ The Incredible Hulk AND The Happening open on the same day, June 13. OMG OMG OMG. No one will see me outside of a theater that weekend. (Yes, I realize this has devolved into a list of upcoming flicks, but trust me, there are plenty I'm planning to see that you didn't have to suffer through here. Bear with me and read on...)
~ We're celebrating one of my bestest girls' 24th birthday at Off the Hookah, a Middle Eastern restaurant in Fort Lauderdale. Yes, you'll find belly dancers and hookahs, plus hummus and alcohol and US! Oh yeah.
~ Here comes more ass kicking... The Broward County Derby Grrls is having two bouts on their home turf (that is, at the Gold Coast Roller Rink in Fort Lauderdale) on June 15 and July 13 before several months of "away" carnage. A friend and I watched these girls in action this weekend, and they definitely deserve their own post - hang tight; it's coming.

Question of the Day: Services

What single service is most worth paying for?

Answers so far:
~ Driver
~ Somebody to drive me around and then do my laundry, so I guess a maid/driver.
~ Car wash

My answer:
My initial thought was to choose something extravagant, but of course it would be something I don't actually currently pay anyone to do for me. So, I started thinking of the services that I either now pay, or have in the past paid, someone to do for me. Having the house cleaned gives me more free time and thus sanity. Having my car detailed does the same, as well as spares me from that hard work in the hot sun, but I invariably regret "my laziness" when I see spots I'm sure I wouldn't have missed if I'd just done it myself. So, I'll go with a haircut; it's the single thing I really, truly know I wouldn't have - couldn't have - done better myself, and not walking around with a butchered mullet (self-inflicted, no less) is worth every penny.

Question of the Day: Books

What's the last book you read?

Answers so far:
~ "Kitchen Confidential" by Anthony Bourdain (Me, too! Loved it!)

My answer:
I'm in the middle of "Desert Solitaire" by Edward Abbey. It's atmospheric, ponderous, funny, sensual without being sexy, quite beautiful. It's a classic nonfiction, part of the birth of the environmental movement. You should read it. I have to finish it before my book club meets next week, but I've not been in a rush; I'm relishing each page, carrying the mental images with me for a few days before I lap up the next chapter.

Here's how Amazon describes it...

With language as colorful as a Canyonlands sunset and a perspective as pointed as a prickly pear, Cactus Ed captures the heat, mystery, and surprising bounty of desert life. Desert Solitaire is a meditation on the stark landscapes of the red-rock West, a passionate vote for wilderness, and a howling lament for the commercialization of the American outback.

And from The New York Times Book Review...

Like a ride on a bucking bronco...rough, tough, combative. The author is a rebel and an eloquent loner. His is a passionately felt, deeply poetic book...set down in a lean, racing prose, in a close-knit style of power and beauty.

Question of the Day: Gas

How much does it cost to fill your car's gas tank?

Answers so far:
~ $50
~ I'm not sure, 'cuz I don't remember the last time I filled it all the way. But almost $40?

My answer:
$30. Just five years ago, when I bought the car, it cost $15 to fill it. Then, I thought that was great; now, not so much.

(What about yours? Post your answer as a comment.)

Question of the Day: Clothes

What are you wearing?

Answers so far:
~ Boxers and work pants and shirt
~ Orange tank, grey lil' sweat shorts, HOT babe
~ My uniform, and my Batman Underoos

My answer:
Jeans with the cuffs turned up, brown Reef flip flops, a pink Life Is Good tee with a lady bug on it.

She'll kick your ass

People Clutter

[Warning: Today's QOD post very quickly led to a rant about People Clutter. Consider yourself warned.]

Actually, now that I think about it, what's been most genuinely disturbing of late is what I'll call People Clutter - the unending disruption to my concentration, and thus productivity, caused by people:
~ streaming in and out of my office and sitting down without asking, often just to BS or to eat from my candy dish
~ calling multiple times without waiting for a return call, sometimes without even leaving a voice mail, or worst, alternating between my desk and cell phones until I'm concerned or annoyed enough to pick up
~ hitting "Reply All" on every group e-mail so that a small afternoon project creates 50 messages, only one of which pertains to my department (if I'm lucky)

This noise, this People Clutter, is ridiculously disruptive. E-mail and text messaging is wonderful. Send me a message saying you need 10 minutes, or 2 minutes, or 2 weeks from me; suggest a time to chat about it; I'll get back to you as soon as I'm finished what I'm doing. See, some of us are able to prioritize our daily duties, and it isn't usually in anyone's best interest for us to break our focus to discuss your issue, let alone work on it, right this very second.

Think of it this way, if you needed to borrow sugar, you wouldn't just walk through your neighbor's front door, open the cupboard and take the sugar without asking. Well, maybe you would, but the rest of us wouldn't. Maybe she was planning on making a pie for the fam tonight and doesn't have any sugar to spare today; but she'll have more tomorrow if you can wait 'til then. Or maybe she can lend you some, but not all that you need. Or maybe she can lend you brown sugar; would that work for your recipe? You have to ASK her, compare what you need with what she can give. It's not all about you and your sweet tooth, buddy!

Time and focus are precious resources, just like anything else.

This is particularly important for someone with a sizeable team working on a variety of projects, and that's me. Heck, aren't most of our plates piled high? This is not to say that "I vant to be aloooone" all the time. I just don't want to hear you grouse about your shitty Saturday night date through a mouthful of my M&Ms, while I'm scrambling to put out the mini fire to which I've been assigned by the company president. Instead, regale me with the gritty details of your love life while we wait for fresh decaf to brew in the break room. (In the same vein, do NOT come looking for me in that break room to talk about work. Do NOT.)

Comprende? And, si, I promise to try and do the same, as I readily admit I'm not always innocent of these egregious offenses.

Author Tim Ferriss is a great resource for tips on streamlining your workload and schedule, and much more. A funny, insightful, useful read.]

Question of the Day: Disorganization

What one thing/place do you hate to be disorganized?

Answers I've received so far:
~ The food bins at work. [Restaurant worker]
~ My life!

My answer:
I despise clutter. It's disquieting and distracting, and drives me utterly insane. If I had to choose one place where it bothers me the most, I'd say my desk. Work is the place I absolutely have to be in control and productive, and I certainly can't be when I'm engulfed by crap.

(Second would be my bedroom - clothes on the hook over the closet door and over the back of the chair, shoes kicked in the corner, stack of reading material by the bed. That keeps me up at night. But, I'm not pretending to be Ms. M. Stewart, 'cuz I wouldn't have to straighten up if it didn't get rowdy in the first place.)

Leaving my mark: Reality TV

My comment in response to Newscoma's post about our fascination with reality TV and how it benefits the GLBT community:

Ahh, Pedro Zamora. How I remember him.

I was a young’un when he took MTV by storm. I was enthralled by “The Real World,” and all that it was then, not what it is today.

Of course, I loathe today’s most popular reality shows, those prime time hits discussed over the water cooler the next morning. I much prefer such gems as “The Girls Next Door,” “Dress My Nest,” “House Hunters” and “Ace of Cakes.”

This most assuredly reveals too many of my secrets. But guilty pleasures, when outed, tend to do that.

(Ohhh, and P.S. Does anyone remember Eric Nies in the first season of “The Real World” in NYC? I was about 13. *swoon*)

Check out Newscoma's post and leave your mark.

Leaving my mark: Litter and reusable bags

My comment in response to Sarcatic Mom's post about how we can all make a difference in our communities by simply picking up some litter while out for a walk or carrying reusable bags when shopping for produce.

Thanks for posting the link to the OneStringBags. I love love love my reusable shopping bags and am always looking for more for myself and loved ones. Plus, I happen to adore sewing and making bags, so this is right up my alley! Can’t wait to try making some.

Regarding trask pick up:
Every time I sit at the red light at my community’s entrance/exit, I glare at the trash people’ve dumped in the landscaping. It’s always irritated the poop out of me, but this last month or so it’s really gotten my blood pumping. You see, our neighorhood association applied for and received a beautification grant from the county to help pay for pretty, drought-resistance shrubs, trees, etc. And some folks took the time to dig out the old stuff and plant the new. And what do these ungrateful idiots do? Within two days, there were cigarette butts, soda cans, beer bottles, etc., scattered throughout the new plants.

Anyway, the solution? I’ve gone, and will again go, up the street (just a little farther than I normally go with the dogs anyway), place these “trashables” in a garbage bag, and take them home. Neighbors look at me like I’m That Crazy Plastic Bag Lady, but I don’t care. Maybe I’ll guilt them into helping, or at least littering less.

Check out Sarcastic Mom's post and leave your mark.

Become a Millionaire in Five Easy Steps

I was originally drawn to this article because its headline caught my eye; I wondered what silly (or ridiculously impossible) things it might list. But upon reading through it, I found the steps to be reasonable - things we likely should be doing regardless of our financial goals - and so a nice reminder, and the information about who's happiest really pleased me (see the italicized bit at the end of the article). Can I get some applause for all the bright women who bust their butts for their families and careers!? I've pasted the entire piece here for your quick perusal.

Five Habits of Millionaires
by Barbara Reinhold
Monster Contributing Writer

According to a study of college students at the Ernst & Young International Intern Leadership Conference in Orlando, Florida, 59 percent of these young leaders expect to be millionaires within their lifetime. What's more, 5 percent of them expect to hit the million-dollar mark while in their 20s.

And the super-rich are a growing group. The top 0.1 percent of the population's average income was $3 million in 2002, up two and a half times the $1.2 million, adjusted for inflation, that group reported in 1980.

Earned Money vs. Easy Money

Easy money usually comes from inheritance or luck, such as winning the lottery. The track record of people who get their money through the lottery or other windfalls is usually very different from those who created their wealth themselves or who planned for an expected inheritance. Lottery winners are often a sorry lot; more than 90 percent use up their winnings within 10 years -- some go through their money in weeks or months.

But there are some consistent patterns among those people who earn or plan to inherit their money, and these five strategies may be worth emulating.

1. Avoid the Earn-to-Spend Mentality

Michael LeBoeuf, author of The Millionaire in You, points out that to increase wealth, it's essential to emulate millionaires who view money as something to save and invest, rather than income to spend. Many wealthy people live quite simply, he points out, choosing less pretentious homes than they could theoretically afford and opting for financial independence over material showmanship.

2. Focus

LeBoeuf also counsels resisting the impulse to be scattered in your efforts and interests: "Winners focus; losers spray." And goals that are clearly written down are easier to keep in focus.

3. Do Whatever Is Necessary to Meet Your Goal

People who earn their millions are able not only to focus but persevere in the pursuit of their goals. One single mom entrepreneur, Melissa Clark-Reynolds, started her first business, a health and safety consultancy, when she had a young son. En route to her goal of being a millionaire by age 35, Clarke-Reynolds and her son ate lots of pizza, did homework late at night and often slept at the office. She is now a chief executive mentor for Empower New Zealand, a global business consulting firm headquartered in London.

4. Take Calculated Risks

You have to take strategic risks to earn and grow money. And a little rebelliousness seems to help too. One interesting study found a majority of male millionaire entrepreneurs had been in trouble with school authorities or the police during their adolescence.

5. Be Generous

And why doesn't it surprise us that millionaires are often very generous? Sometimes it's for the tax breaks, obviously, but often it's not. One Jewish Swiss millionaire, for instance, flew to Israel to give $5,000 in cash to a waiter at a Jerusalem café who foiled a Palestinian suicide bombing. Among the most generous of millionaires are those from North America, who are, according to a Merrill Lynch Cap-Gemini report, two to five times more likely to give to causes they value than their European counterparts.

These five habits are a pretty good prescription for living happily even if you're not a millionaire.

But LeBoeuf insists it's not so unusual to be a millionaire. As of 2004, there were 8.2 million households with a net worth of more than $1 million. And are the folks in those households happy? Yes, says professor Andrew Oswald of the University of Warwick in the UK. After studying more than 9,000 people over eight years, Oswald concluded that people who come into money are happier. The happiest among them, he says, seem to be "highly educated, well-paid women who have jobs."

And how much money does the professor say it takes to be happy? "About $1 million, give or take a little."

Contract HIV via kissing?

Reuters reported today that HIV can be passed to babies through pre-chewed food. I know it sounds gross, but hang in there with me for a minute more.

...In developing countries, some mothers pre-chew food for babies. These women may lack access to packaged baby food or may not have a way to blend baby food...

The researchers said HIV transmission appears to have occurred when the children ingested pre-chewed food that contained blood from the bleeding gums of HIV-infected women, and this entered the children's bloodstreams through a cut, sore or inflammation of the mouth or digestive tract...

This is RIDICULOUSLY SCARY because it begs the question: What if a guy with gingivitis makes out with a girl prone to canker sores?

Does this mean what many of us have feared all along -- that you can, in fact, contract HIV by French kissing?

Have any of you read more about this? Can you chime in here -- freak me out further or assuage my fears? What do you think about all this?

The things left behind

We all find other folk's belongings, whether it be litter, a rumpled newspaper on the train or a sweater forgotten in the lunchroom.

While walking along the sidewalk at the beach tonight, I came across several things that'd been left behind by their owners. There seemed to be more abandoned goods than usual, but you can be damn skippy sure I wouldn't have found an orphaned twenty if I'd been out scouting around for one.

Anyway, were they simply forgotten? Or did their owners decide they were no longer needed and that those particular places were ideal for their disposal? How do these things happen?

~ A white bath towel over the fence surrounding a very expensive condo building on the ocean. It appeared stiff and a bit sandy, leading me to think it'd been used at the beach today, draped over the fence while its owner was readjusting her sarong, and was sadly forgotten. [Expect the towel's former owner to miss her, as she served the family well, but not enough to return to the beach to look for her. So sad. Can we have a moment of silence for hardworking, underappreciated towels everywhere?]

~ A single brown thong. No, not the underwear kinda thong; that woulda been even less hygienic but even more humorous. It was the flip flop kinda thong. And it was large with a thick lug sole, so I'm sure it was a man's shoe. It was sitting nicely, in a well-behaved sorta way, upright and clean-looking, at the edge of the grass surrounding a parking area. I envision some fella sitting down in the passenger seat, his legs out of the car, trying to get the last of the sand off his feet to avoid the wife's wrath (the Audi is new, after all). But the ungrateful witch just keeps rushing and nagging him, rushing and nagging, and tells him to get the damn door closed 'cuz she's a-peeling out! "Um, honey. My shoe. I've only got one..." [Don't think this dude's coming back for his lost item, either, only because I don't think she lets him out without a leash.]

~ A pair of filthy dirty white socks underneath a bench that faces the ocean from the sidewalk. These weren't just sorta dirty. Not even hella dirty. These were the kinda dirty that can only be accomplished by that 10-year-old boy who deliberately ran around outside in the rain after his mother told him not to in his brand new socks. Surely, he stashed them under the bench while she was loading up the SUV, in a clever attempt to hide the evidence. "I just don't understand why you never have any socks, Jimmy! I buy them almost every time I'm at Wal-Mart. What are you doing with them?" In a few years, Mom won't wanna know what he's doing with his socks or how they're getting so dirty, but anyway... [Little Jimmy's pretty swift; he has no plans to return for those socks. They'll get picked up by a city employee - the kind who wears a green polyester uniform and weilds one of those long-armed litter grabber thingies - and quickly dumped into his black bag-o-nastiness, alongside the cigarette butts, smashed soda cans and used rubbers.]

Oh! And this whole train of thought, lost and found items, was sparked this weekend when I found an iPhone in the ladies room at the bookstore. Man, I sure would like me an iPhone. (And I've already got AT&T service!) But, of course, I took it straight to Customer Service [note the foreshadowing], and explained to the man/twit behind the counter where I'd found it and that I'd probably have no luck finding the owner because there was no number labeled "Home" in the Contacts list. As I was mid-sentence, he took it from my hands, walked away, handed it to a coworker, told her to lock it up by simply grumbling "Safe," and never returned or looked my way again.

Now, I didn't expect a cookie or anything for my good deed, as it's not really a good deed at all but simply something you just do. But, if for no other reason than good customer service, I would've liked a "Thank you" outta that schmuck. Even eye contact and a nod. Look me square in the eye and belch. Whatever. Something. Anything to let me know I was, in fact, dealing with a human being. I want my existence acknowledged, damnit! [Insert foot stomping here.] The poor "customer service" really has zilch to do with the business of me finding the phone. If I'd been up there to tell him anything at all - maybe I was pleased with the service I'd received from one of his cohorts, or maybe I just wanted to tell him I fancy purple teacups - he should've looked me in the eye and said, "Thank you, crazy lady." Where are the manners?

Question of the Day: Lost

What's the last thing that you lost?

Answers I've received so far:
~ My ID badge
~ My mind!
~ Reading glasses. And, of course, I found 'em right where they were supposed to be.


My answer:
I've been thinking and thinking, and am just stumped for an answer. (Perhaps more than anything, it's my memory that's lost.) Meanwhile, let's hope this doesn't mean I'll be losing something soon, just to provide blog fodder. Ahh!

Question of the Day: Super Bowl XLII

Roll call: New York Giants or New England Patriots?

Answers I've received so far:
~ Pats. Historic. They earned it.
~ Giants.
~ Patriots! Are you kidding?!

My answer:
I have no vested interest in either team. That said, I'm rooting for the Giants for two reasons: 1) I like to support the underdog, and 2) I'm from New Jersey and it's all about proximity.

(Which team jersey are you sporting today? Post a comment.)

Where my mouse has taken me

Here are a few places my mouse has taken me today:

I'm about to start reading The Emperors of Chocolate: Inside the Secret World of Hershey and Mars for my book club. Looks like a interesting inside look at the world of chocolate companies, much like Fast Food Nation was an inside look at the world of fast food companies. I really enjoyed that book, so I'm hopeful about this one.

Backpacker Concierge helps travelers looking for bang for their buck in Egypt. Nubian guesthouses, sailboat cruises on the Nile, desert safaris. Pretty cool.

A group of hackers and activists calling themselves Anonymous has shut down a Scientology website and is working to disseminate information that will, they say, show the religion for the dangerous joke it really is. Meanwhile, they accidentally shut down a Dutch school's server, too. This all began after the church tried to take down all online versions of the leaked, four-year-old video of Tom Cruise extolling the virtues of the religion.

The One City One Book idea -- that the local library can get the whole city reading and discussing a single book at once -- has expanded to a police force. Perhaps these books are worth checking out?

Got the movie times for Cloverfield, which was pretty good but I was pretty immobilized by the motion sickness caused by the HandyCam effect. Similar to watching Blair Witch Project all over again -- ugh.

Browsing

Here are a few interesting nuggets I stumbled across while browsing the Net tonight.

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I wonder what they would deem appropriate. What do you think's a fair punishment?

Food fight fallout lingers
Parents question 15-hour community service sentences
By Jolie Breeden (Contact)
Monday, January 21, 2008

BROOMFIELD -- Parents of students sentenced to 15 hours of community service for a food fight at Aspen Creek K-8 said the school disciplined their kids too severely -- even if the form of punishment is a well-meaning one.

About 20 eighth-graders took part in a 30-second food fight at the Broomfield school on Nov. 8, said Briggs Gamblin, spokesman for the Boulder Valley School District.

School officials would not comment on any punishment, citing student privacy laws. But several parents of the students involved said they were sentenced to community service on top of writing essays and cleaning the lunchroom...

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We all know I have a soft spot for community news in general. I particularly like to check out news or neighborhood sites from places that interest me. This photo is today's cover shot for the online Delta Discovery in remote Bethel, Alaska.

Nicholson Brink of Bethel thoughtfully contemplates the beauty of the spinning Star during Slaaviq last week during observance of Russian Orthodox Christmas at the home of Theresa Nick and family. photo by Greg Lincoln

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The Delta Discovery site also has a section called Elder of the Week. I think it's super cool how these Alaskans respect and honor their seniors, as we all should. Check out these cool dudes.

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And who doesn't find stories about the Yakuza sexy? :)

Side note: I didn't realize Japan's preferred method of execution is hanging. Seems a bit old-fashioned, which I suppose is aligned with that love affair the Japanese have with all things old and new.

Third mobster faces gallows over Gunma bar shooting
MAEBASHI, Gunma Pref. (Kyodo)
The Maebashi District Court sentenced a gangster to death Monday for killing a mobster and three bystanders in a shooting at a bar in 2003.

Relatives of people slain in a 2003 bar shooting in Maebashi, Gunma Prefecture, face reporters Monday after a yakuza was sentenced to hang for the crime...

According to the court, Yamada and another member of the gang, Masato Kohinata, 38, opened fire at the bar in Maebashi on Jan. 25, 2003, killing three bystanders and seriously wounding another as well as the 60-year-old former boss of a rival group. They then fatally shot the bodyguard of the mob boss outside the bar.

Yamada and Kohinata were involved in the shooting under orders from Osamu Yano, 59, head of the Yano Mutsumi-kai, the court said.

The shooting was part of a turf war between the rival Sumiyoshi-kai and Inagawa-kai syndicates. The Yano Mutsumi-kai was affiliated with the Sumiyoshi-kai, and the shooting in Maebashi was targeted against the rival group member as a reprisal against the murders in 2001 of two Sumiyoshi-kai members in a funeral house in Tokyo, according to police...

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This is my favorite song today.



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Thanks to Cute Overload for my daily dose. That's right! It's four kitties in a Kleenex box, people!
Wait for it...
Wait for it...
Here it comes...
Awww!

Question of the Day: Fame

If you could be famous for something, what would it be?

Answers I've received so far:
~ World peace and a cure for addiction.
~ Writing a really cool story which would then be turned into a movie starring Johnny Depp.

My answer:
I'd like to write something useful or of substantial interest; things like that are written so rarely nowadays. In my next life, I'd like to be musically inclined, maybe play an instrument or sing. That'd be fun!

(What're you going to be famous for? Post your plans as a comment.)

Question of the Day: Relocation

You're moving to a place you've never before visited. Where is it?

Answers I've received so far:
~ Tokyo, for two years. Makes you learn, and leaves a window to return.
~ Canada

My answer:
Domestically, I'd choose Colorado; even though I've never been there, I've always thought of it as a place that would really suit me, and I'd not be afraid to move there blindly. Internationally, I've been wanting to live in Japan for years and years, so that's my top choice. (Of course, my wanderlust makes this list quite long, so there aren't too many places I wouldn't visit or move to on a whim!)

(What about you? Post your answer.)

Question of the Day: Craving

What's the last food craving you had?

Answers I've received so far:
~ Chili dog
~ Pizza with everything on it

My answer:
Right now I could go for a popsicle. Remember the kind that came as an attached pair, and you'd break it in half and eat each stick sepatately -- or (horrors!) share the other half with someone? I know, it's not exciting, but it would feel good on my sore, raw throat right about now.

Question of the Day: 9:23 p.m.

What were you doing at 9:23 tonight?

Answers I've received so far:
~ Sitting at the bar!

My answer:
Driving south on the Sawgrass Expressway to pick up a friend, who then helped me purchase a memory card at Best Buy and showed me how to use the new digital camera he gave me. Yay! I'm all set now, armed with two digital cameras (one in each hand) for this weekend at Disney World (with my best friend who's visiting from Indianapolis) and my Groupie Road Trip Around the South (to see several Big Head Todd and the Monsters shows with that Camera Gifting Guy). *excited*

(Y tu? Post it.)

Question of the Day: Cold

It's unusually cool in South Florida, and likely wherever you are, tonight. Will you warm yourself by turning up the heat, piling on extra covers, or dragging a friend into your bed?

Answers I've received so far:
~ Covers. Boring, yes.

My answer:
Blankets, book, bed. Tonight is not my night for excitement. Sweet dreams, all.

(What's happening in your bed tonight? Tantalize us via comment.)

Question of the Day: Resolve

What resolutions did you keep (or changes did you make) in 2007?

Answers I've received so far:
~ It wasn't a resolution I made on New Year's Day, but mid-year I decided to get healthy and lose weight, and I've been doing it.
~ I know which I didn't keep: to stop talking to "him," but here we are, best buddies. I don't know how that happened.

My answer:
I'm not sure that I'd really defined any resolutions for myself last New Year's Day, perhaps for fear of not being able to answer this very question today. But I can say that I've tried putting into practice some lessons I learned about who I am and how I tick. I also made some significant changes in the ways that I take care of myself -- working out several times a week (and truly enjoying it), drinking tons more water, giving up caffeine almost entirely, and slowly convincing my taste buds that healthier food really is tastier food.

That said, self-improvement (physical and otherwise) is an ongoing effort, and I certainly aim to improve further in 2008 -- fitting in more physical activity with a focus on cardiovascular endurance, devoting more time to shopping for and cooking healthy and yummy food, getting a full night's sleep every day, giving myself permission to work on crafts and other projects that bring me joy, believing that it's really OK to stay home some nights and do absolutely nothing, etc.

I've a few other goals -- be more patient, make travel happen (some way, some how), read more, curse less, save money for a down payment on some real estate, spend more time with my family, take my pups to the dog park more often, etc. I believe these are all completely reasonable, feasible goals; and I especially like that there is no set quota (say, "dog park every Saturday morning," or "dinner with Mom two nights a week"), as quotas almost always forecast for me unmet goals. I'm learning that constant, incremental improvement is the best we can ask of ourselves. After all, didn't we learn as children that slow and steady wins the race?

I wish each of you all the self-love, motivation and support you could possibly need to keep the promises you make to yourself this year.

Viva la buffalo!

This video is absolutely unreal. You just have to watch it.



Here's how Time.com/CNN describes it:

Revenge, Buffalo-Style
Well, reality sure beats the crap out of The Lion King. In an astonishing video shot by a tourist in South Africa's Kruger National Park, a baby Cape buffalo is attacked by several lions and dragged into a watering hole, where a crocodile latches onto the still-struggling prey. The 8-minute video, referred to as "Battle at Kruger," shows the big cats winning this tug-of-war, only to be defeated by dozens of buffalo, one of which flings a lion into the air with its horns. And the kicker? The baby buffalo gets up and returns to the herd.

Free is good advertising

It's true. If you let them try it for free, there's a chance they'll love it and become repeat customers.

That's what Todd Park Mohr and his monsters are hoping to do by giving away half a million copies of their newest album, "All The Love You Need."

Of course, I'd pay for their albums many times over, play them 'til they couldn't play no more, and follow their tour around the country, seeing them play two, three, 10 nights in a row. (Oh wait, I will be doing that next month! So stoked!)

Yes, Radiohead did something similar a few months back, and it sparked a lot discussion among music fans, mainly online. But they only gave away a download of their new album (not a physical CD), and they asked for donations at the fans' discretion -- sounds a lot like busking to me. But, whatever it takes to build your fan base and make a living doing what you love, I guess.

Me, I'll keep giving BHTM free plugs. Visit www.bigheadtodd.com to listen to their music! Go! Do it now! Guaranteed you'll be glad you did, and you'll definitely wanna meet me at one of the nearby shows... or all of 'em. Whatever. :)

(And yes, I'll post pix from those shows in Atlanta, Birmingham, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, etc. Stay tuned.)

Here's what PollStar had to say about Big Head Todd and the Monsters giving away their new CD.

Love, Big Head Todd & The Monsters
Monday, Dec 10, 2007 4:16AM

Hard-touring blues-rockers Big Head Todd & The Monsters, who will hit the road again next month, are spreading the word about their latest release, All The Love You Need, by giving it away.

The band began the giveaway on its web site, where 25,000 fans signed up and were sent the CD, and has grown to include several major radio stations.

KBCO in Denver, the group's hometown, will mail 75,000 CDs to its subscriber list. Other stations like KGSR in Austin, KPRI in San Diego and KTBG in Kansas City, Mo., will do the same.

The album will also be available as a free download in early 2008 through the band's web site.

The band will play a two-night stand December 29-30 at John Ascuaga's Nugget Hotel and Casino, before officially kicking off what is expected to be a 60-city U.S. trek January 10 at House of Blues in New Orleans.

Other stops on the schedule include the Coca-Cola Roxy Theatre in Atlanta (January 12), Culture Room in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (January 17), NorVa in Norfolk, Va. (January 24), the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. (February 15), Paradise Rock Club in Boston (February 21-22), Bowery Ballroom in New York City (February 27-28), and Mountain Stage in Athens, Ohio (March 3).

Tickets for many shows are available at Ticketmaster.com.

Frontman Todd Park Mohr, who started Big Head Todd & The Monsters in 1986 with high school friends Brian Nevin on drums and Rob Squires on bass, said giving the album away makes perfect sense to the band.

"We see the record as our main marketing tool," Mohr told the Denver Post. "It's no longer a source of income - not that it ever has been for me, given the way major labels work."

Hillary and Todd, sitting in a tree...

Denver's Westword recently posted this article about Hillary Clinton's camp choosing Big Head Todd and the Monsters' "Blue Sky" as its campaign song. This is like Oreos and milk for me -- what a sweet combination! I couldn't be happier to see a great candidate give my all-time favorite band some amazing (and well overdue) exposure.

Of course, there's icing on those Oreos, as this song has taken the place of the original campaign song: some airline jingle by Celine Dion, "You and I." CNN isn't sure if this was a smart move for the campaign -- check out the news clip. But I am. :)

Big Deal for Big Head Todd
The Hillary’s suddenly alive with the sound of good music.
Published: December 13, 2007



After Big Head Todd and the Monsters kicked off Senator Hillary Clinton's appearance at Auraria in October, she added "Blue Sky" — the song that Todd Park Mohr and company had written at the request of members of the Space Shuttle Discovery for their 2005 mission, the first since the Columbia disaster — to her campaign playlist.

And now the former University of Colorado at Boulder boys have really taken off, because "Blue Sky" has replaced "You and I" as the official sound of Hillary. In a much-publicized online vote in June, the people picked that saccharine Celine Dion tune (a former airline jingle) as the campaign's theme, and it was announced during the Clintons' famous Sopranos commercial. But that was then, and Big Head is so now, as an alert ABC reporter blogged in revealing the switch in tuneful allegiances.

Is the Big Head flip-flop a risky move with only a few weeks until the critical Iowa and New Hampshire caucuses? Probably not. Dion hails from Canada, while Mohr and his bandmates still live in Colorado (when they're not touring), and this state will be Democrat Central come August and the party's national convention. In fact, the selection could be a nod to the importance of the Rocky Mountain West in the Democratic game plan. Mining that same vein, Off Limits noticed that Hillary was sporting lovely turquoise earrings and a matching necklace at an appearance last week — a sly way, perhaps, to split some of that all-important New Mexico vote away from presidential rival and current New Mexico governor Bill Richardson.

From here on, it's nothing but "Blue Sky."