can't take my eyes off you

Finally, someone else understands the importance of a mixed tape and the lost art! (Read my original post here.) Just as I had discussed the emotions and memories that can flood back just by hearing a particular song from your past, Pajiba complies a list of the most memorable songs associated with movies and television clips. The list ranges from Damn, It Feels Good to Be a Gansta for Office Space to Don’t You (Forget about Me) for The Breakfast Club. Climatic scenes from Donnie Darko, Varsity Blues, and Magnolia are included plus several more. The comment section below the post alone has many more submissions that are sure to jog the reader’s memory of those unforgettable scenes!

Best part: Pajiba has included all the movie clips from youtube for your viewing pleasure. Check it out here.

However, I feel I must also include my own submission to this list. I have chose “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” for Heath Ledger’s awesome serenade scene in 10 Things I Hate About You. While this may not be a universal clip that people remember, I certainly have a soft spot in my heart for it as well as all my girl friends. Maybe because we always wish it was us Heath was singing too! That and I absolutely love the flick for all its cheesy high school value. Check out the clip here.

now I can cancel my gym membership!



While perusing my daily pop websites, I read that HP has introduced a new “slimming feature,” which promises to trim pounds off of photo subjects using image special effects on a number of its new digital-camera models. source It’s basically taking photoshopping and airbrushing to a whole new level while making it easily accessible to the masses. As stated on the HP website, “With the slimming feature, anyone can appear more slender – instantly!... They say cameras add ten pounds, but HP digital cameras can help reverse that effect. The slimming feature, available on select HP digital camera models, is a subtle effect that can instantly trim off pounds from the subjects in your photos!” HP promises the effect is subtle so subject still look like themselves, but can also be adjusted for a more dramatic effect. For more information and a video demonstration, visit HP’s website here.

Not sure how I feel about this. I am sure this will be a handy feature when I am having those ‘fat days’ that require sweatpants, a box of cookies, and lounging on the couch while watching horribly addictive reality shows…and Brian sneaks up to take a snapshot. Or to alter those always unflattering super drunk poses I do when hanging out with the girls at the bar (I should learn to never let people take pictures after 6 shots of Jäger).

But I also see the repercussions. Now 14 year old teeny boppers can alter their myspace pics even more allowing them to look like super hot 17 year olds dressed in low cut tank tops showing more cleavage than I have even today (as a bonus the picture caption will still read: ‘being silly with the girls’, ‘trying out the camera’, or ‘funny face!’ trying to insuitate that they aren’t trying overly hard to impress… but they are.) Or what happens if people try this effect on pictures of Nicole Richie or Kate Bosworth? Will their frames disappear completely? Will only a skeleton remain?

However, the choice is yours. Not all pictures have to be altered – it is an option. And it might just be a handy option to have (like if I forgot that Jäger rule again). If you are interested in viewing a list of HP cameras with the slimming feature included and where to purchase them, click here.

quality television programming

I truly am a product of the MTV generation. As I walk thru the door, I will throw my keys on the table and pick up the remote to instantly turn to MTV. (VH1 is my back up channel). Rarely do I sit on the couch and actually watch the programming; it mostly is around for background noise. In the off chance there is nothing on television (or more likely it’s a rerun that has been replayed a million times; it MTV’s calling card…), I plug in my ipod and blast the latest pop hit sensation. I don’t even try to hide the fact I enjoy blasting Justin Timberlake, Ashlee Simpson, Nelly Furtado, or even (God help me) Fergie.

So it should be no surprise that my newest obsession is a product of pop culture: MTV’s newest show Little Talent Show. Each episode begins with seven performers who demonstrate their skills in three rounds of the competition, including singing, dancing and acting and are judged by a rotating panel of celebrity judges. All the performers assume they have talent… but they are sadly mistaken. Basically, it is like those painful auditions in American Idol where the auditions are so bad, they are funny. You almost feel guilty laughing at these hopeful performers since you are using their embarrassing auditions as amusement… but you still can’t turn the channel. You feel compelled to watch the train wreck.

Dying to see the show for yourself? Never fear, Addy’s got you covered! I have spent a greater part of today scouring youtube compiling a few great clips to get you started. I recommend beginning with a promotional trailer for Little Talent Show; it is basically a two minute video highlighting the best of the worst performances this season. I had already watched this clip twice by 9am this morning with tears rolling down my face.

Now that you and MTV’s Little Talent Show have become acquainted, let’s further your research with these gems.

Watch Darren seduce you with his sexy jazz hands and ‘come hither’ looks.

This clip of Tomas may be a bit long, but the ending is completely worth it. If impatient, fast forward until about 1:55 into the video; that’s when the magic begins.

Wow. Rainbow Brite became a stripper and auditioned on MTV.

My personal favorite: Trevor. He rules, simple as that. I am inviting him to my next party.

something for nothing: come on, who wants to trade?!

There's truth behind the saying "Nothing is ever truly free." Most great deals actually turn out to be scams or can require extensive amounts of your time and energy. Some freebies require that you register your address, which may bury you in junk mail, emails, or those damn telemarketer phone calls. Others promote their product as “free” but turn out to merely be a rebate offer that will be redeemed months after the purchase causing most clients to never even bother with the hassle. But maybe I am just jaded. Maybe there is a way to truly get something for free; people just need to learn to get creative.

I was involved in a youth group that planned weekly activities and games for all the high school kids in town to enjoy. However, since I grew up in a small farm town, they had to get creative. You can only tip cows so many times. So, they created “Something for Nothing.” The concept is simple: which team can get the best item traded for their ‘nothing’. The ‘nothing’ was always a rock picked up off the ground; you really couldn’t get anything worth less than a crappy rock. The teams than ran around to nearby businesses and neighborhood houses to ask the question, “What will you trade us for this rock? The only thing we ask is that the item you trade us is worth the same or more than the item we give you.” People would usually give teams a pen, paperclip, something still deemed pretty worthless. However, the teams would continue to the next destination and ask what they could trade for the NEW item and thus would get another item now worth even more than the second. This would continue for the allotted one hour until all teams returned to compare their loot and decide a winner.

The items the teams would end with were pretty incredible. We received an old car that didn’t run (the team pushed it to the finish line!), a matching set of four pint and shot glasses from Germany (great to give to high school aged kids), two garbage bag full of used clothes (surprisingly in good condition), and even a ten dollar bill (the person really wanted what they traded for I guess). Best item I ever traded for: a large pepperoni pizza fresh out of the oven. Sure these items aren’t great – but they are sure better than a rock! And they were truly free.

I often find myself telling my current friends about this game and get inspired to play again. I want to see what I can get for my nothing! However I am often held back by the fact that my receiving would be less welcome as I am now a 23 year old girl not affiliated with any youth group or children’s organization trying to get people to trade me something for a rock. It’s like I would be that 20 something trick or treater on Halloween without a brother or sister to accompany trying to score free candy. So it truly seems the days of getting something truly free is over for me; I have missed my window of opportunity. Or have I?

Kyle MacDonald created a blog, http://oneredpaperclip.blogspot.com/, to capitalize on the ‘Something for Nothing’ game but with a new twist. He traded his items via online to gain a broader audience (as well as to avoid those crazy stares from his neighbors when he tried to trade them a rock I am sure!). He started with a simple red paper clip and was determined to eventually trade up for a house. It seemed to be an impossible feat, but one year and 14 trades later, Kyle received his house worth $119,000… all for free. Sure, it involved time and energy on his part, but I think it was obviously worth the effort. He got creative and it paid off.

Matthew Tobey, another blogger, is now trying the concept again on his latest post found here. Well, not really but he as at least posted a similar proposal. Even if Matthew’s idea is for humorous purposes only and his goal a bit far fetched, it really would be interesting to see what he could trade up to. If nothing else, it gets my mind cranking into gear: what could I trade for nothing? Could I work my way up to a plane ticket home to visit friends? A ticket is worth only about $500 dollars, a seemingly much easier goal considering a house is worth 238 times that. So let’s start these negotiations: who wants to trade for my fabulous Pilot G-2 07 Black Ink Roller Ball Pen? Sounds fancy doesn’t it?!

dirty little secrets...











Imagine your deepest, darkest secret. Imagine that you couldn't tell a soul. Now imagine a website that can display your secret anonymously for the world to see. There is such a website, PostSecret, and has been my online obsession for years.

I look forward to checking the website every Sunday to indulge in the new postcards. The concept and rules are simple: “You are invited to anonymously contribute your secrets to PostSecret. Each secret can be a regret, hope, funny experience, unseen kindness, fantasy, belief, fear, betrayal, erotic desire, feeling, confession, or childhood humiliation. Reveal anything - as long as it is true and you have never shared it with anyone before.”

I highly recommend checking out PostSecret immediately by visiting http://postsecret.blogspot.com/ or clicking here. The site publishes new postcards every Sunday as well as posts emailed comments about specific cards through out the week. (My only gripe is there are no archives to the site so once a new week’s secrets are posted, the previous postcards are inaccessible. Just be fair warned.) It is an extremely emotional and powerful site, just see a few of the comments left on PostSecret:

“When I read these, I don’t feel so alone.”-Calgary

“I wish I could give all these people on the site a hug and tell them it’s ok to be human.”-Washington DC

“Your site is truly inspirational, I’m left feeling full of compassion for my fellow human beings - We’re the same the world over.”-England.

“I cried when I saw your site. It’s truly amazing that so many people have so many secrets like mine. I wish I could just tell most of these people it will be ok, because I myself have never had anyone tell ME that…and it would help.”-West Virginia

“So many of my secrets are there, without even sending a card.”-Mexico

If you fall in love with this website as I have, you can also check out the published book, PostSecret: Extraordinary Confessions from Ordinary Lives, available on amazon.com. It features hundreds of the postcards sent in to PostSecret, many of which have never been seen online before. The day I bought it I couldn’t put it down; I read it from front to back without stopping.

Lastly, All American Rejects used the concept of, and actual postcards from, PostSecret for their Dirty Little Secret music video. “The clip features performance footage of the Rejects interspersed with images of people holding up postcards with messages as innocuous as "I pee in the sink" and as wounded as "Three years ago, I tried to kill myself. Now I'm 18 and people say I'm happy. But I still want to die."

Naturally, the Rejects compensated the site's owner for the use of the postcards. That money was then donated to the Kristin Brooks Hope Center, a Virginia not-for-profit organization that funds a suicide hotline for teens; some of the postcards from the video are also being auctioned on eBay, with proceeds earmarked for the same charitable cause, Ritter said.” source

To check out the awesome video, click here.

i swear that minutes really make a difference!

I went to the gym yesterday and scanned thru the magazine rack before hopping up on an elliptical machine to give my brain a distraction for 30 minutes. Magazine selections are always limited at the gym and they never seem to stock up on any reading material I would chose for myself on a normal basis. I guess Gold’s Gym’s clientele aren’t too interested in a subscription to Jane or Cosmo like me. Anyway, I finally settled on an old Shape Magazine and hurried to my machine.

I planned to just flip thru and feel unfulfilled with my choice in about 10 minutes but was pleasantly surprised to run across an article that seemed written just for me. It was titled “How I Learned to Slow Down.” A woman named Jane had written about her own “patience” issues and finally learned how to slow down to start enjoying the little pleasures in life, as well as relieve herself of unneeded stress. I still was unconvinced this article would keep my interest until the end… until I read the first sentence. It described me perfectly, better than I could have described myself. Read for yourself:

“Until recently, I was the type of person who would honk if another driver didn’t hit the gas immediately when the light turned green or roll my eyes if anyone dared to enter the supermarket express line with 11 instead of 10 items in her shopping cart. These people were holding me up – and I had places I to be…Just the thought of precious time wasted turned me into a foot-tapping picture of frustration, even if the slowdown was as minor as getting stuck on the voicemail merry-go-round or behind a poky person on the sidewalk.”

The article continues, she eventually had her “aha” moment and tried a new trick to relax: “Instead of fretting about how this was going to hold me back, what would happen if I just accepted the delay?” She learned to appreciate slowing down on the sidewalks, in traffic, in pharmacy lines, etc. because it allowed her time to de-stress and to even daydream. Besides, how much change could a few minutes truly make?

By the end of the article, I was annoyed. It had taught me nothing I don’t already know! Will honking at the car in front of me to speed up to dash thru the next stop light before it changes red really make all the difference in the long run? Does walking very briskly (and looking annoyed while doing so) around people who walk aimlessly on the sidewalk do any good to my schedule? If the lady hadn’t decided to write a check at the grocery store making seven people wait behind her, would I have had all the time in the world? The answer is no. I realize this. I know that truly those minutes don’t seem to make a difference. They are just minutes. But what if those minutes add up? That can equal fifteen minutes and I can do a lot with those. I can watch half a television show, start cooking dinner, throw a load of laundry in, etc. Those are precious minutes!

Okay, okay so maybe those minutes wont add up, wont make a huge difference, and will most likely be wasted with me just plopped on the couch eating Cheeze-its and playing with the puppy. Maybe I should learn to calm down and honk less, flip off drivers less, toe-tap in anxiety less, or simply be less impatient. But I like feeling rushed. I hate to casually stroll and day dream when I am out and about running errands – if I want to relax, I can do that at home! I like feeling hurried and don’t feel I should need to slow down simply to accommodate the rest of the world. Sorry, just isn’t going to happen when I am 23. Let’s give it another try when I get older, like when I am 52. But I expect to be a busy grandma by then dashing around town to make it to the Senior Citizen brunch at Old Country Buffet…

bloggers most 'hated' celebs

i found this article on popbytes.com and it made my day. However, a more appropriate name for this list would have been 'most annoying or overrated celebs' because 'hated' doesn't seem to work. even if it does, don't most people love to hate them? anway, as popbytes puts it: "i don't 'hate' any of the people below - strong dislike is a better word (britney does receive a 'get off the list' card from me) if i was forced to pick the most 'hated' celebrity in reality i would have to go with oj simpson although you could hardly call him a celebrity these days - i prefer the word murderer! anyways check out the list below - rock & blog on" if nothing else, this list can serve as a small distraction from the work you should be doing... just like i am doing right now.

1. Paris Hilton
"Hollywood's most famous slut and quite possibly the most famous slut of all-time. Paris continues to baffle not only us but herself as well. The only true debate that lingers is if more people have stayed at Hilton Hotels or in her own bed. Hilton is a rare person who is actually safer drunk than the rest of us are sober. Here are some of the things Paris is known for: sex video, pantyless crotch shots, over-sexed commercials, hacking Lohan's sidekick, stealing her own sex tape from a convenience store, infecting half of Hollywood, DUI arrest, and hooking up with some of the biggest losers." - Bumpshack

2. Lindsay Lohan
"If Lindsay wasn't famous she would have been arrested for public indecency months ago. The non-stop party girl is drinking/smoking/snorting her career into the ground. All of her co-stars agree that burning the candle at both ends will be the fall of her. At this point, there's really no difference between Lindsay, Paris, and one of those 'blow up sex dolls'. Hopefully, Linds will stop the partying and focus on her career because she is truly talented. She can sing and act very well, but we usually know in the end what usually happens with child stars." - Allie Is Wired

3. Tom Cruise
"Another given. I must say though, I never have liked Tommy boy or thought his looks were anything spectacular. Even when I was in junior high and Top Gun was out, all the girls had pictures of him from Tiger Beat in their lockers. I preferred Val Kilmer. Tom's recent know-it-all attitude and control-freak tendencies have only made me dislike him more. He needs to stop hopping on couches and instead visit one for some much needed psychotherapy. It does seem that since Paramount terminated him that he has tried to appologize to Brooke Shields and with Katie's parents. He also released photos of silent-birth Suri as well in the past two weeks." - Celebrity Smack

4. Kevin Federline
"It is easy to diss K-Fed, but someone has to eventually give this guy some credit. Kevin was never going to go to Harvard, but he was smart enough to marry one of the richest and sexiest (at the time) women in the world. He has the Midas touch where everything he touches turns to cheetos. Kevin is no different than your average Cali thug, but he is hated for ruining Britney Spears and her career, no matter how polished and over-produced it was." - Bumpshack

5. Brandon Davis
"This guy is much like Hooker Hilton and actually is her #1 sidekick. I don't get why this guy thinks he is such hot shit. He is a dopey looking dough boy with too much money for his own good. He must also be quite insecure if he must resort to publicly degrading people like a second grade bully would tease on a school bus. Davis did give Lohan a nickname that she will never outlive. 'Firecrotch' is classic and fits her too well. Lohan must have some class because I am sure she could fire back at Davis even further below the belt." - Celebrity Smack

6. Britney Spears
"The one celebrity we all love to hate. She spends entirely too much time defending her gangsta husband K-Fed and setting herself up for publicity nightmares, then claims the media haunts her. At any point in your life, have you ever thought Britney Spears... wasn't insane? However, the more children she pops out the less people hate her because her babies are so cute and adorable." - Allie Is Wired

7. Star Jones
"I think Star(zilla) Jones got herself caught in the midst of dislike-hood by making a LOT of foolish choices and dumb ass moves...all her promotional grubbing...the wedding fiasco to gay Al...not admitting to how she lost weight...and finally being a pussy by running in the other direction from Rosie O'Donnell while burning the bridge laid out for her by Barbara Walters. Plus in the end she has no talent! I wonder when & where she'll pop up next...if at all! Who in their right mind would want to deal with her?"- Popbytes

8. Jessica Simpson
"This woman starves for attention. Jessica goes everywhere with her stupid hairdresser. She then boasts to major magazines about her relationship with John Mayer only to have him come out and decry it as being untrue. Considering her rock hard understanding of canned tuna, it's pretty clear Jessica has never shopped for groceries in her entire life. Most women usually get one shot with a really good guy in their lifetime. Jessica blew it with Nick and now is finding out that men in Hollywood only want in her Daisy Dukes but not her heart."- Gone Hollywood

9. Tara Reid
"She is famous for being drunk 24-7 and being paid to party all over the world. She makes headlines now for her saggy boobs and botched tummy tuck instead of her mediocre acting abilities. She has become so hated even within Hollywood that she is unable to get into all of the A-list clubs like she use to be able to. Lohan can drink and party all she likes, because she continues to at least act in decent films. Taradise might have been the begining of the end of a once promising career." - Hot Momma Drama

10. Michael Jackson
"Need I say more"- Nosy Snoop

*For the full popbytes article, click here.

quote board

Back in college, my friends and I had a white board dubbed for the simple purpose of showcasing stellar quotes that highlighted our witty repartee. (Well, that and our drunken nonsensical ramblings!) The board was constantly updated and became a hilarious pit stop for all our guests to read and always invoked laughs. It seemed to cement our friendship and remind us of our hilarious hi-jinks. Everyone loved that white board.

I also had jotted all the featured quotes into a journal which just seemed like a good back up procedure at the time and not much more. However, I stumbled upon that journal recently and reading those quotes brought back all the memories that I had forgotten. The white board has long been since packed up and all of us have moved on but the memories and quotes remain. Finding that journal made me nostalgic and I actually called most of those friends right after my find to not only catch up, but to remember the old days. Most didn’t remember those quotes, but everyone laughed after being reminded.

That white board has inspired me to do two things:
1. Turn this blog into a new quote board. I will post humorous quotes as they come for all to enjoy… but must also warn you that the witty banter and drunken evenings has tapered off since moving away from my friends. To fill that void until I move back to Seattle, I will also post awesome quotes from movies, magazines, celebs, etc. that I can not take credit but tickle my fancy.
2. To post the old quotes again for all to read. The names have been omitted to protect my friends and give them privacy… except for my quotes which are put out there loud and clear. Hey, I take responsibility for my drunken ramblings!

Enjoy the New and Improved More Tech-Savvy Quote Board!

O: Hey how come there are three variables in this problem? What does the 't' in the middle stand for?
D: Dude… that’s a plus sign.

J: Want to bring your laundry over and we could fold clothes together?
Addy: I don’t have any laundry to fold...
J: Yah but if you come over and take off your clothes, we can fold those!

Addy: [After falling in a puddle] My clothes are soaking wet. I could have an aquarium in my pants.

J: He thinks he is a mad player but he isn’t. He looks all good but as soon as he opens his mouth his game falls apart. He would be better off just standing around looking pretty.

C: I don’t see a problem. I mean she is both fun and easy.
Addy: You mean 'easy going'?
C: Oh well, yah that too

Addy: [super drunk rambling] People with penises just don’t understand!
D: you mean boys?
Addy: No! Don’t put words in my mouth! I said people with penises!

A: Thanks for watching porn with us and whatnot. It would have been pretty gay to just have five guys sitting around watching porn. You made it legit.
Addy: Hey no problem. You know me, I am one of the guys!
A: Damn. Now its like six guys were sitting around watching porn. Super gay.

A: She looks like a shining beacon of "super fly"-ness

D: [about the dorm cafeteria salmon] You know they just drained Drum Heller Fountain right? They just fed you a giant goldfish because there was no fucking way that was salmon!

N: On a scale from one to ten... I am drunk as fuck!

M: Just throw a condom at his forehead... that should be straight forward enough.

Addy: [about the Nutcracker play] Someday I wish the Mouse King would win.

M: You live on a quiet floor?!? I bet you can’t even spell quiet!
Addy: Yah I can! q-u-e...damn it.

J: He is the kind of guy who would poke a retarded kid and laugh.

P: [on the phone with his girlfriend] No! Cause no! Why? Cause the word no means no! [pause] I'm a bitch? You’re the bitch, bitch! No cause no cause no means no! [pause] Yah love you too. Later.

Addy: His penis apparently has an English accent; it’s a surprise no one ever knew...”

M: We need a big fucking hill and burgers and a fast sled and burgers and some fucking snow and fucking burgers. Burgers and sledding. That’s a winning combo!

Addy: If you take a hoe to a hotel, what do you take to a motel?
J: A mouse!!
M: Damn. That’s sick dude.

D: You can't even pretend to deny the growth potential of my wang!

Addy: I like my drinks extra slutty... you know, not virgin.

my comfort outfit wasnt designed with the south in mind...

Baggy jeans, hooded sweatshirt, t-shirt, and flip flops. This is my ‘comfort outfit’. I wear it when I have had a bad day, feel over whelmed because my brain is running a mile a minute, or just when I feel the need to escape on the couch for a while. It is like a bubble, an extremely comfortable bubble, where the rest of the world melts away and I instantly feel better.

There are even little subtle details within the outfit that make all the difference. The sweatshirt must have a hood but can not have a zipper down the front. It must be a pull over hoodie sweatshirt. Bonus points if the sleeves are a bit too long causing only my fingertips to hang out. The jeans need to be baggy - not tight jeans designed to make my butt look better. The jeans need not to have rips but having them be worn in is preferable. The t-shirt portion of this outfit is pretty interchangeable and doesn’t need to meet any criteria other than to be an actual t-shirt and not some designer baby doll shirt. To have it be a bit baggy is best. Almost always it will be my heather gray t-shirt from middle school that still fits today. The green lettering has completely worn off, there are holes from constant wear and maybe even a few stains, but I can not bring myself to throw it out. It has been my favorite t-shirt for over a decade. Finally, the flip flops. I usually only have one pair at a time so whatever is in my closest does the trick. However, I am not a fan of foam bottoms and rubber tops nixing most popular brands and styles immediately. This is a shame because Old Navy always has the coolest colors for flip flops.

This outfit has been in rotation for over ten years and has become a staple of mine since high school. Even on a day where all I had done so far was roll out of bed and all I had to do was go to class, I knew I would need that outfit. My friends had become conditioned to know that if I arrived to first period in a light gray hoodie with the ripped front pocket, Lucky Brand ‘Baggy Fit’ jeans, and black Reef flip flops – I was going to need that extra hug (or cafeteria knock off Pizza Pocket!) at break.

Most people will read this and laugh pointing out that I wear this outfit almost 365 days a year… and they would be right. I am a slave to the staple of t-shirt and jeans fashion. However, I am not wearing ‘the’ outfit that often. The subtle details of the completed ensemble, like the extra baggy and more worn-in/well loved articles of clothing, make all the difference.

Yet, moving to the South has made this outfit basically extinct. The 100 plus degree weather makes it impossible. I have tried variations such as the baggy jeans worn with a tank top. An old ratty t-shirt with a pair of shorts. Flip flops at work. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. If the outfit is not in its entirety, it doesn’t create the bubble effect I so desperately need. I have totally went out on a limb and even opted for baggy track shorts and ratty t-shirts as my new pajamas (instead of the usually naked as a jaybird approach). I thought the extra material that I was not used to while sleeping would create a bubble and I could feel comforted. Believe it or not, it did actually help. As I would drift off to sleep, I would feel better in my odd little bubble. However, this was short lived. When I woke up the next morning, I’d feel sticky and sweaty. I guess its even hotter at night here than I expected.

So, apparently my comfort outfit is unfathomable in the summer months in the south. Damn. Looks like I will just have to move back to Seattle… as if I needed another reason.

apparently i am a babysitter

I have a new pet peeve. Well, no, let me take that back. It has always been a pet peeve but lately this minor irk has begun to appear in my daily life turning it from a simple annoyance to a full blown irritation. I have been constantly bombarded in movie theaters, grocery stores, malls, and even my place of work with this growing aggravation: the number of parents who allow their children to run wild with no regard to the other people around them have seemed to increase dramatically.

Last Friday, I was trying to enjoy a movie while four unsupervised children ran down the aisles, yelled at each other, and threw popcorn from the back of the theater. Where were the parents? Asleep in their minivan waiting for the children to appear at the end of the movie. Apparently, it has become the movie staff and other patron’s responsibility (and burden) to watch these children since the parents felt it unnecessary to hire a babysitter for a few hours of peace or to simply watch the movie with them.

Or better yet, a month ago while I am getting a manicure, a young three year old girl ran around the nail salon with her mother simply sitting in the back, getting a pedicure, and reading a magazine. This little girl actually pushed my chair away from the manicure table in the middle of my appointment and demanded the lady paint her nails immediately. The lady and I looked at each other in amazement while the little girl stamped her foot continuing her demands. The mother finally looked up from her Redbook to only say, “Stop Lisa. I am trying to read”; so the young girl continued to run amuck while jumping in the pedicure tub, knocking over a display nail polish, and rip out magazine pages. Again, the staff and other patrons have become the babysitter.

The list of examples continues. I had a young child climb on my work desk and knock over my water bottle… all while in front of his parents. Back in college when I worked at a thrift store, a young boy was climbing up the clothing shelves. I finally picked up the young toddler off the shelves and brought him over to his mother only to have her look annoyed with me, putting the boy back on the floor, and telling him to “go explore and stay out of mommy’s way.”

It is a no-win situation for the other people. Commenting to the parents only results in indignation. “How dare you tell me how to raise my child?” “You have no idea what it is like to be a parent.” It is a vicious circle. These parents have no respect for their surroundings and in turn, teach the child the same. The world becomes their playground. Everyone else has been hired as a babysitter with no pay.

I am sure I will hear those comments on how I am not a parent, have no understanding in the process of raising a child, my expectations are unrealistic, blah blah blah. But just because I am not a parent, I am not allowed an opinion on the subject? I understand it must be stressful to have children and I am sure that I can not fathom the amount of time, energy, and patience it must take. However, that still does not allow parents to force the rest of us to bow at their nurturing feet and disregard the child five feet away knocking over store displays.

The answer is simple. Either keep your child in check or keep you child at home. If you don’t want to hear complaints, teach your child some discipline. Either that or pay me since I apparently I am your babysitter. I only accept cash.

a decade of music

I find music and song lyrics to be a powerful and therapeutic form of expression. Each person can relate a song to their own life and interpret it to create an individualized meaning for themselves. A song can boost a good mood blaring from a car stereo with the windows rolled down or can comfort and soothe someone in a time of stress or disappointment. Lyrics can express an individual’s feelings and emotions he or she could never put into words before. Music sticks with people; it can inspire, instill emotions, change moods, and even move them, deeply.

I also associate songs with specific moments or friendships in my life. For each prolific time in my life, I can tell you a song that accompanies that memory. Every boyfriend and lover I have had has their own song dedicated to them. I remind friends of obscure memories that I simply remember because of the association to a song or lyric that I heard. A simple joy in my life is making mixed tapes (well, now cds or ipod play lists) that serve the purpose of reminding me of specific people, places, and periods of time. I have stacks of cds with titles like Soul Mates Mix, Roommates Road Trip, California Living, Tappa Kegga Therapy, and dozens more. It is like a scrap book of memories when I play each music mix helping me never forget the little moments that so often pass by quickly in life. These simple play lists are reminders of memories I never want to forget; those experiences have shaped me to become the woman I am today – and the lessons I have learned will help me become the woman I want to be.

So here I present my latest mix titled: Soundtrack to a Decade of Addy. These are some of the highlighted moments, friends, memories, and relationships from the past ten years that deserve their own track. However, it was hard to narrow it down to just one cd so this has become a two disk set. Soon, I imagine it will become a collection with a separate volume dedicated to every few years of my life... which of course would be fine by me because every time I pop that cd in my stereo, I won’t ever forget my past.

Soundtrack to a Decade of Addy

Disc One: Duvall to California
1. Dammit by Blink 182: this cd never left my stereo for a year. It helped me thru a very difficult time in my life and it began my obsession with music.
2. Washin’ + Wonderin’ by Stroke 9: my best friends in high school sang this song to me when I needed cheering up.
3. If You Could Only See by Tonic: for my first love.
4. We Like To Party by Vengaboys: my best friend and I had this song blasting from the stereo with the top down on her jeep in the rare Seattle sunshine during a road trip.
5. Super Trouper by ABBA: reminds me of a great friendship that ended abruptly and can never be repaired.
6. Every Monday by Marvelous 3: dedicated to all the high school parties in Snoqualmie at J’s house.
7. The Cars that Go Boom by LeTigre: for my best friend who I will always think of as a sister.
8. Motivation Proclamation by Good Charlotte – played in my car stereo on a ferry ride; it was the first time I truly felt independent
9. Big Spender from the Fosse Soundtrack: for my favorite Fourth of July celebration ever.
10. Furious by Ja Rule: for my Muck-town crew.
11. I’ll Make Love to You by Boyz to Men: the song my sophomore college roommate and I were blasting during finals week which prompted us to get written up for in the dorms.
12. Hot in Herre by Nelly: for that crazy hot tub party at the Austin house with my girls.
13. Get Back by Zebrahead: signifies a situation in my life that showed me who my true friends were… and those who weren’t.
14. Inaudible Melodies by Jack Johnson: dedicated to the summer I lived on the beach in Santa Barbara with my California crew.
15. Be Like That by 3 Doors Down: represents a time of huge personal growth; it was time to change my behavior or face the consequences.

Disc Two: Seattle to Alabama
1. Waiting on an Angel by Ben Harper: for a relationship that ran its course months before it was ended.
2. Staring at the Sun by The Offspring: dedicated to the perfect ‘best friends with benefits’ situation; we partied hard, loved deeply, and were never jealous.
3. Sunday Bloody Sunday by U2: reminds me of a college friendship and fling that was disappointing and ended suddenly.
4. It’s My Life by No Doubt: reminds me of my 21st birthday and the craziness that ensued.
5. All Along the Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix: for the boyfriend that I wish I could say I knew better.
6. Number One Spot by Ludacris: dedicated to my boy’s on 47th and 21st that partied hard and treated me like a princess for four years. They are rock stars and I miss them greatly.
7. Culo by Pitbull: reminds me of dancing with my fellow interns in my little Honda during rush hour traffic.
8. Gossip Folks by Missy Elliot: for my fashionista friend who shares a mutual love for coffee.
9. Chocolate by Snow Patrol: reminds me of my best friend who has moved across the country; I think of her everyday.
10. Gold Digger by Kanye West: for a road trip to see my friend when I needed to escape reality for a weekend.
11. What U Do 2 Me by Boomkat: for ringing in the new year in New York with my best friend
12. The Way You Move by Big Boi: reminds me of driving around downtown with friends wasting time and getting into mischief.
13. Out In the Parkin’ Lot by Brad Paisley & Alan Jackson: dedicated to the HHA and the Little Red Hen both of which I miss.
14. Three Days by Pat Green: for the man in my life I realized I couldn’t live without and wanted to move for.
15. Summertime by Kenny Chesney: reminds me of the many road trips to florida with my best friend driving his pick up truck, my feet on the dashboard, the windows rolled down, and soaking up the sunshine.

addy 101: karaoke, Egypt, girl scouts, mochas, and bob dylan (old myspace blog re-posted here)

1. I feel most comfortable and content in a baggy pair of jeans and a t-shirt (and a hooded pull-over sweatshirt if cold).
2. My favorite author is Brett Easton Ellis. I have read The Rules of Attraction four times and plan on starting it again soon. (The movie didn't do the book an ounce of justice.)
3. I have won every limbo contest I have entered.
4. I have taken the equivalent of three years of Spanish and three years of French – but can barely form a sentence in either.
5. "When one door of happpiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see that one which has been opened for us." Helen Keller - I always try and look for that open door.
6. I have always wanted to write a book about my own life – but feel egotistical to assume that my life is of enough greatness to warrant writing a book about, let alone people being interested enough to read it. Besides, I am only 23 – maybe I should live thru a few more chapters before contemplating a memoir.
7. I am completely attached to my cell phone. If I leave it at home, I actually feel lost without it.
8. My middle name is Mae and all the women in my family for at least the past four generations have it as well.
9. I can't stand ignorant and inconsiderate people. I don't mind if a person has a different opinion than my own if they are willing to be respectful about it.
10. I thought about being both a mathematics and dance major in college. In the end, I earned my bachelor's degree in women studies.
11. I have to balance my checkbook daily.
12. I named my first pet, a hamster, Teeka. Her actual name was Teacup but I couldn't pronounce it correctly.
13. I told my first grade teacher that when I grew up, I either wanted to be a mud wrestler or a rock star.
14. I have never had a relative pass away.
15. I am addicted to reality television shows, especially the ones on MTV or VH1.
16. I love making collages out of pictures, magazine clippings, stickers, ribbon, paint, etc.
17. Ever since the 5th grade, I have wanted to travel to Egypt and touch a pyramid.
18. Someday I hope to have one of my original paintings hang in a gallery and/or sell one to someone who is not a friend or family member.
19. I want to be the leader of a Girl Scout Troop.
20. My biggest phobia is slugs.
21. My biggest fear is letting others down and failure.
22. I still have my childhood Strawberry Shortcake blanket and take it with me every time I move.
23. I truly believe that one person can make a difference.
24. My first car was my dad's in college: a white 1972 Volkswagen Beetle with green shag carpeting and an eight-track player. The gas gauge didn't work so I had to count my mileage – which I miscalculated twice, leaving me stranded.
25. Ever since tenth grade if I have had to sit on Santa's lap and tell him what I want for Christmas, I always tell him I want bigger boobs. So far, he hasn't delivered.
26. Thanks to my college days, I can now no longer eat a Jolly Rancher candy without it tasting like vodka.
27. I hate condiments. I don't eat mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, salad dressing, etc. The only one I really like is Barbeque Sauce.
28. I really enjoy playing video games… but am terrible at them. I will gladly join in a round or two if invited, but it's usually by the third round I am kicked off by my competitor. Only games I seem to be pretty good at are Tetris, Dr. Mario, and Mario Party.
29. I absolutely believe in karma. Treat others how you want to be treated.
30. I think that music and lyrics can touch every person.
31. My favorite quote: "Every passing minute is another chance to turn it all around." Vanilla Sky Every moment in your life can completely change your future.
32. People who talk during movies in the movie theater really aggravate me – especially the ones who answer their cell phones!
33. I think schools should make children take life-skills classes each year. Learn how to do everything from home improvements to auto repair, to learning about their legal rights and the voting process and how to pay taxes, buy a house, and balance a checkbook. I find it asinine that schools don't prepare kids for life. I plan on teaching my children how to do everything they need to do to feel empowered and self-sufficient. (I had to steal this one from my fellow blogger Shannon because I couldn't agree more!)
34. I love sushi. I have even learned how to roll several kinds thanks to my Japanese Grandmother.
35. When I was in elementary school, I hated my first name. So I asked my mom to address me as Clarissa (from the Nickelodeon Show) and Stacey (from the Baby Sitter's Club) for several months each. And bless her heart, my mom did both times
36. My parents met at a Garage Sale.
37. I want to design and make my own clothing. Not for a profession, but just as a creative outlet.
38. I love to play board games or cards. From Pictionary to Jenga, from Cranium to Monopoly, from Five Card Stud to Black Jack – you need another player, count me in! You won't be turned down.
39. I tell people I am most like the Friends' character Rachel…
40. But I am truthfully most like Monica.
41. I almost always wear flip flops. Even in the pouring rain, I will be wearing them. I am more comfortable with my baggy jeans getting soaked from the puddles and my bare feet getting drenched than when wearing tennis shoes!
42. I have always wanted to own a Jeep Wrangler – even though sunshine is rare in Seattle. Some of my favorite memories from high school were driving around in my best friend's jeep with the top off, blasting music, and enjoying the sunshine.
43. I am an extremely loyal person... almost to a fault.
44. The only cars I or my family has ever owned have been stick-shifts.
45. I make it a goal to drink two or three Nalgene water bottles of water everyday. I fail at this daily goal 80% of the time.
46. I think personalized license plates are cheesy. My mom just got one earlier this year. I still think they are cheesy.
47. I tried out for the Washington State's Women's Soccer team and after several cuts, I was finally offered a position on the team. However, the offer was rescinded at the last minute because they decided against having someone so young on the roster. The cut off age is usually 16 years old – I was only 14.
48. I had a pet chicken named Cordon Blue.
49. I get annoyed at people who don't take me or my ideas seriously because of my age. I shouldn't be discredited just because I am 23 years old.
50. I love Starbuck's double tall flavored mochas; my favorite flavors are orange, raspberry, and peppermint.
51. As cliché as this sounds, my mother is my hero. Her passion for life and determination to achieve her dreams, no matter the obstacles, is not only amazing but inspiring. I know she has changed many people's lives, not just my own.
52. At least once a day, I dance. While cooking, in the living room, on my way to work, in the shower – it doesn't matter. I will dance at least once.
53. I have never had a cavity.
54. My father taught me how to change a tire and even timed me when I practiced. I thought he was being overbearing until the day my date got a flat tire. I was able to change the tire in less than ten minutes in my dress and high heels while my date couldn't even find the car jack.
55. I am horrible at giving directions. I don't think I even have a sense of direction.
56. I love fashion. I know all the latest trends, upcoming designers, thousand dollar purses with month long waiting lists, etc. However, I don't look or dress the part. I just can't justify purchasing clothes that cost more than my monthly rent or shoes worth more than a monthly health insurance payment.
57. I always sing in the shower.
58. I have to have my clothes folded at all times. Even if I am 'throwing my jeans in the corner', they have to be folded. This is one of my many symptoms of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder).
59. I used to love Scratch and Sniff Stickers. But I was always disappointed because they smelt as good as I had expected or the smell would be completely gone a minute later.
60. I am fascinated with books, movies, documentaries, anything on the addiction and debauchery of the drug scene and culture.
61. I have wanted a tiny Yorkshire Terrier since high school. I am so happy I finally have my dream puppy, little Skeletor, but am annoyed that people assume I only bought him because small puppies are trendy right now.
62. I have been pulled over about 15 times... but only gotten three tickets. But I am not bragging - three tickets aren't good. It's no wonder my car insurance is so high.
63. My brain soaks up song lyrics like a sponge. I can listen to a song once and sing it almost word for word the second time it plays.
64. I worked at a fireworks stand for two summers in high school. I was the top seller both years.. but had never lit a firework in my life. I still have only once.
65. The first CD I ever bought was Dookie, by Greenday, back in Middle School. My dad had recommended it to me.
66. I love to smoke big cigars.
67. My best friend in high school and I bought matching rings and we wore them on our left thumb. We go for months, or even years, without speaking now but I still have never taken that ring off. I still think of her and all those wonderful memories when I look at the ring.
68. I have never broken bone but always wanted to as a kid because I wanted to have all my friends sign my cast.
69. My karaoke songs of choice are Don't Stop Believing by Journey, Here I Go Again by Whitesnake, and Baby Got Back by Sir Mix A Lot.
70. I love to give presents.
71. I have a new fascination with Edie Sedgwick, the muse of Andy Warhol and Bob Dylan. I suddenly have been reading every article I can find about her and want to read her newest biography, Girl on Fire, as soon as it is published this November.
72. I think roses are overrated. I would much rather have a bouquet of colorful and funky flowers like Gerber daisies, lilies, gardenias, or orchids. I especially love the bouquets at Pike Place Market.
73. I have always wanted to see Marvelous 3 in concert, but it will never happen – they broke up in 2001.
74. I love costume parties. I have a huge box stuffed full of costumes I have collected over the years. I think people who come to the parties without a costume are lame. Most of the time I feel they don't dress up because they think it's silly and will be embarrassed. I think they stand out more not being dressed up.
75. I believe the separation of church and state is crucial. Religion principles should not govern national politics.
76. I love cooking, but I am not very good at it… yet! I am practicing and enjoy testing out new recipes. So far the damage has been minimal – I have only shattered one glass pan.
77. My grandpa served in the infantry in World War II, Vietnam, and Korea.
78. I love to spontaneously jump in a pool, lake, ocean, river, etc. with all my clothes on… especially if my friends will join me.
79. I am a bit rusty with my outdoorsman skills, but eventually I want to go backpacking and rock climbing more often.
80. I love balloons. I think they are completely underrated.
81. I have one 'American' shaped eye and one 'Japanese' almond-shaped eye.
82. I love when a movie quote can be thrown in a perfectly good conversation to emphasize a point or to create a well-timed joke. However, this usually only works with friends who have the same taste in movies you do.
83. I am extremely ticklish. I become helpless when I am getting tickled.
84. When I am on a plane, I hate bothering the people around me by getting up to use the bathroom. Everyone has to shuffle around the cramped space just for me and I feel like such an inconvenience. Because of this, I usually drink as little as possible and hold it for as long as I can.
85. I enjoy watching football.
86. I love picnics, even if they're just on my living room floor.
87. I want to learn how to barbeque. First step – I need to get a barbeque.
88. I rarely ask for help. I like trying to learn how to do things on my own. Because of this, I often get frustrated but feel such a sense of accomplishment in the end.
89. I want to eventually teach a yoga class where I play punk, pop, and/or alternative music instead of the usual soothing background music. I feel not everyone relaxes to Yanni or Deep Forest and changing the tempo may change the rigidity of traditional yoga and make it more modern.
90. I love haunted houses. I try to go to at least one every Halloween.
91. Throughout high school, I only wore colored socks. Like the ones kids wear with the cartoon characters, fun patterns, argyle patterns, etc. I wouldn't wear plain white socks. I have no good explanation for why; I guess it was just a phase.
92. I love to read the Sunday Comics.
93. I have all the notes my friends and I passed in class from Middle School and High School in boxes.
94. I started training to be a massage therapist but quit to go to college. Now that I have my degree, I think about going back and finishing the training.
95. I want to learn how to play the guitar.
96. Checking luggage always stresses me out because I always fear my bags will be lost. I worry about it until I see my luggage again at baggage claim. Knock on wood – I haven't lost anything yet.
97. I love to make snow angels. No matter what I am wearing or where I am, if it starts snowing I get an urge to drop to the ground and make one.
98. I enjoy running… but only if I can listen to music while I run
99. Once I found a clover patch and I picked about 20 four leaf clovers. I still have everyone of them saved. I have never found a four leaf clover since.
100. I believe best friends are brought into your life when you least expect them. Yet somehow, once you have met, it seems to be perfect timing and they change your life.
101. I never want to become complacent with a mediocre life that I just settled for because it was easy. I always strive to be a better person, learn new skills, take on new challenges, and have faith to take risks.

observations on Alabama living (old myspace blog re-posted here)

I have begun to collect mental notes about the bitter sweet observations i make about my new surroudings. These have started to teach me little life lessons about living in the south. To say the least, it has broadened my horizons in realizing the entire nation doesnt run like Seattle. So for this post, I present to you my new found observations about very Southern living (some of which I shouldnt have been that shocked by) intermittent with simple facts about my daily life here in Alabama.

- It takes twelve minutes to make me a knock-off Frappacino unlike the three or four minutes it would take back home. Even though I was the only patron in the café and they only use a premixed powder and ice blend to create the drink. Seriously twelve minutes.

- I have been called "one of those big city folk" more than once.

- I havent been able to buy all the ingredients I have wanted and needed to make several recipes. Apparently Enterprise, AL doesnt have a large enough clientele demanding Sesame Oil, Pearl Onions, Couscous, Edamame beans, and Non-Minute Made Rice to justify in stocking their shelves with such products. (Again, I shouldnt have been surprised by this) However, they do have a variety of brands of grits I can choose from.

- People actually stop at the little Boiled Peanut stands religiously. However, so far all I can see is that they are basically just vendors selling soggy peanuts from the back of their trailer.

- It is a valid excuse to be late to work because there was a chicken in the road. Seriously. And no I dont work on a dirt farm road; I work on the main street in the biggest town around for hours. Yet there was still a damn chicken walking in the road between Krispy Kreme and KFC. I hope for his sake he decided to walk towards Krispy Kreme.

- I shouldnt have expected my latest hair cut to be phenomenal considering another patron was getting his mullet trimmed and another shaving a horseshoe on the top of his head.

- Checks are the preferable payment method. A radio station DJ even promoted boycotting businesses who no longer accept checks because it is offensive to imply a customers checks would bounce. But then a woman called in, listed several reasons why debit cards were great and mentioned, "Besides, the rest of the nation has moved on to debit." She was informed that "even though the rest of the nation has adopted debit cards, Alabama doesnt have to. We do what we like down here and dont feel we have to change." I havent listened to morning talk radio in Alabama since.

- My best girl friend down here actually used the phrase "crazy as a run over dog" and was being serious.

- It is pointless to shop for music. I have asked for help in finding Dashboard Confessional, Ringside, Angels & Airwaves, and Gym Class Heroes all to be given a blank stare in return. Itunes and Amazon.com have become my new best friends.

-42% of the office staff is pregnant. I pointed this out to a co-worker who simply replied, "There isnt anything else to do down here."

- Just like in any normal doctors office or hospital, paintings and posters decorate each wall. However, each of these has Jesus in the background watching over the patient, waiting with the family, or assisting the surgeon. Even though the hospital is considered non-denominational, I detect an underlying theme and subliminal message. Hopefully you arent offended by the artwork there is no other hospital in town.

- The 'Fast Lane' on the highway still means cars will drive five miles under the speed limit. What are we driving slowly for?! We are surrounded by fields!

- While at work I have watched an entire season of Daria, Laguna Beach, The Hills, Making the Band 3, and Project Runway via Youtube. This sounds like an awesome job until you realize I am making the same hourly wage as I did at my first job back in high school. Having a college education and making very little over the federal minimum wage is disheartening.

- Beer on tap just became legalized a few weeks ago. But the selection of beer is still limited. No matter - Bud light on tap never tasted so good.

- The entire town cannot function when it rains. It becomes chaos. My colleagues will even order lunch and have it delivered so they wont have to bother getting wet. I have seen three car accidents happen in the past month due to rain. And this is not during those famous Southern thunderstorms; it is simply drizzling.

- Everything shuts down on Sunday. Everything. People wont even have Garage Sales on Sunday. Apparently selling junk on your lawn doesnt qualify as a 'day of rest.'

- Apparently sitting in a man made 'shed', putting deer food out in a field, waiting until the deer comes to eat peacefully, and then shooting it is considered hunting. It is too much work to actually go into the forest and work for the kill I guess.

- My boss, who is a lawyer, recommended crying whenever I get pulled over my a police officer. Why? "Because no decent man wants to see a Southern belle crying. My last girlfriend had been pulled over 13 times in one year and never gotten a ticket." Wow.

However, after reading my observations, it may now seem I am very bitter and having a horrible time adapting to my new Southern Belle lifestyle. This is untrue. I may be having a harder time adjusting to my new surroundings than I expected, but I am enjoying this experience. Besides, it isnt all bad. Its only a few hours drive to some of the most beautiful beaches in Florida and lying out in the sun isnt a bad way to spend a weekend. The Southern Hospitality isnt a myth; most people I meet are very friendly and quick to help when needed. And living with the love of my life and adorable puppy doesnt hurt either, right?

my newest guilty pleasure or maybe better titled as 'a way to waste time at work'... (old myspace blog re-posted here)

here I present a pleasant distraction for your mind. Mindless entertainment if you will. Pitchfork Media has recently posted their list of 100 Amazing Music Videos including each individual video from youtube.com for your viewing pleasure. The videos were chosen for various reasons (because they're so good, because they're so bad, because they feature the Jacksons imagining themselves as gigantic golden gods sprinkling gold dust on humanity, etc.) and there is no winner (they are listed alphabetically) but I highly recommend you check it out! For the sheer campy and cheesy factor, this list has become my new guilty pleasure.

This list offers something for everyone; you will not be disappointed! From the Super Bowl Shuffle to Snoop Doggy Dogg, from Lionel Richie to Ludacris, from the Chemical Brothers to Cyndi Lauper, this list covers a wide range of guilty pleasures and nostalgic sentiments. Watch Busta Rhymes rock a yellow top hat while rapping, David Hasselhof fly with angels and puppies around a lake, Andre 3000 run away from a horde of over-caffienated fourth-graders over a field of purple grass, Jay Z rock out on a yacht with a hundred scantily clad women drinking Cristal, or DAngelo (almost) naked for three minutes. Meet Bone Thugs N Harmony at the Crossroads, play air keyboard with Journey, Relax with Frankie Goes to Hollywood, or simply refuse to take it anymore with Twisted Sister. My personal favorite music video for the past few years, Move Your Feet by Junior Senior, made the cut making me fall in love with this list even more.

However, if I was to announce one winner, list one recommendation, I choose: Sex Over the Phone by the Village People. This video is not only 80s-tastic, the lyrics are blunt and crude making it the icing on the cake for this video. The cherry on top? They have a choreographed routine to dancing with red plastic telephones. Check out the 100 Awesome Music Video list here.

My only disappointment in the list: a dancing Christopher Walken for Fat Boy Slim wasnt included and I feel that is an injustice. Because of this, I am including this particular video for your pleasure rounding out the list to a cool 101.

Music Video:WEAPON OF CHOICE (by Fatboy Slim)

Music Video Code provided by VideoCodeZone.Com

dancing on treadmills - genius! (old myspace blog re-posted here)

You can always count on me for pointless pop trivia, random music videos, and plenty of ways to distract you from work! This post is no exception...

Many of you might not know OK Go's music or heard much about this band, but their music videos often get heavy rotation on MTV or VH1 due to their sweet music videos! Check out their brand new video for Here It Goes Again. It blows my mind to watch this... I would have eaten it off these treadmills about ten seconds into the song.

Music Video:HERE IT GOES AGAIN (by OK Go)

Music Video Code provided by VideoCodeZone.Com

Here is another music video of theirs from a year or so ago. Its for A Million Ways to Be Cruel and they did the entire video in one take. Love it!

Music Video:A MILLION WAYS (by OK Go)

Music Video Code provided by VideoCodeZone.Com

my journey into becoming a southern belle... yah right (old myspace blog re-posted here)

First, Brian and I have moved! We still live down here in Southern Alabama so dont get too excited. But we moved from a two-bedroom apartment in Enterprise to a two-story town house in Daleville, which is only the next (very small) town over. I will spare you the gory details of why we left the old place, but lets just say it was infested with cockroaches. Now, I understand that living in the south will bring a certain level of bugs that one just has to become used to. But this was on a whole new level. Basically, the man living below us dug through all the local dumpsters and collected trash and cans to sell for a living. Thus, his entire apartment was filled with items found dumpster diving which encouraged bugs for miles to come and live in his (and our) lovely abode. Needless to say, the move was necessary.

The new place is fabulous. It has a little yard out front and a little fenced in yard (massive jungle of weeds) with a patio in the back. The first floor has a full bathroom, kitchen, dining room, and living room; the second floor has two bedrooms and a joint bathroom between the two. The only negative thing about the move is that we are no longer across the street from the two popular bars everyone (seriously its the whole town hang out) goes to on Friday nights. Now we must plan ahead instead of stumbling home. However, we did move closer to the sweet karaoke bar where I hope to be showcasing my lovely vocals while belting out Journey hits this very weekend. Poor Brian.

Second biggest update: We got a puppy! Llittle Skeletor Scruffles is doing fantastic! However, he did overshadow the purchase of our other two pets, which was a month ago and old news now, but Brian and I had bought two Beta fish before Scruffles in an attempt to see if the fish would fill our need for a puppy. As you can tell, it didnt work. But our two fish, Johnny and June (Cash and Carter if you didnt catch the reference) WERE doing well until yesterday when June went belly up. So basically, now I live in a house full of boys: Brian, Scruffles, and Johnny. I can just see a house mutiny ensuing soon where the boys take over for good and dub me merely house wench.

Lastly, my job as the Yoga Instructor has been going pretty well. I am super pleased with my class turnouts so far although they arent very consistent. For the population of the city and the size of the gym, I have heard that my class sizes are either average or a bit above which is encouraging. I am still adjusting to being a twenty something teaching a class to fourty somethings, half worried one of them will pipe up and ask if I am really qualified. I have gotten some very surprised looks when I introduce myself as the instructor but by the end of the class, I have heard nothing but positive feedback so I feel I am able to prove that I deserve to be up there. I am really looking forward to gaining a year of this valuable experience and hope to be able to teach in a studio when I come back to Seattle. We will see; the competition out there is much more stiff then here in Alabama...

an addy countdown... (old myspace blog re-posted here)

now while most surveys people fill out ask the standard questions of favorite color and last person on your missed call list, i actually found this 'survey' to be quite interesting and thought provoking. if you read it, you will probably find out something new about me and if you take the time to fill it out yourself, you might find it pretty inspirational too. at the very least, it might spark you to start crossing off items from number eight!

TEN - Random things about me.
10. I met Run DMC backstage at a concert in 2000.
9. I have taken a year of Spanish and a year of French but can barely speak either!
8. I won the second grade class spelling bee.
7. I thought about being both a mathematics and dance major in college.
6. I have to balance my checkbook daily.
5. I won a disco costume contest on a cruise in college. (I was wearing a purple paisley one-piece jumpsuit with white platforms!)
4. I named my first goldfish pet Tomato.
3. I told my first grade teacher that when I grew up, I either wanted to be a mud wrestler or a rock star.
2. I love Jenna Jamesons Biography and am currently reading it for the third time.
1. I always wanted to compete in Nickelodeons GUTS or Legends of the Hidden Temple. Those game shows ruled!

NINE - Ways to win my heart.
1. Make me laugh
2. Be sincere and romantic
3. Be spontaneous
4. Want to meet my friends and family
5. Be able to talk about anything and everything
6. Surprise me with a little something now and then (my favorite candy, flowers, a card, a backrub) a little goes a long way and it is noticed
7. Listen
8. Go on adventures with me even if Blockbuster is the adventure
9. Love me for who I am and everything I do and have done

EIGHT - Things I want to do before I die.
1. Travel to Egypt
2. Sell one of my original paintings
3. Have a career
4. Run a marathon
5. Get married
6. Design and make my own clothes
7. Have a child or two
8. To be a Girl Scout Troop Leader

SEVEN - Things that I believe.
1. One person can make a difference
2. That believing in yourself and standing up for yourself are the most important things
3. Being honest to others is essential
4. In karma - treat others how you want to be treated
5. That music and lyrics can touch every person
6. Everything happens for a reason "When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us." - Helen Keller
7. "Every passing minute is another chance to turn it all around." - Vanilla Sky


SIX - Things that aggravate me.
1. People who talk during movies in the movie theater (especially when they answer their cell phones!)
2. People who drive under the speed limit in the fast lane
3. Ignorant and inconsiderate people
4. Fair-weather friends
5. Being taken for granted
6. People who dont take me or my ideas seriously because of my age

FIVE - Things that I am afraid of.
1. Slugs
2. Failure
3. My mothers multiple sclerosis getting worse
4. Brian being deployed
5. Letting people down

FOUR - Of my favorite things in my home.
1. My Tappa Kegga Handbook
2. My Strawberry Shortcake blanket
3. My collection of letters and cards from family and friends
4. My paintings and artwork

THREE - Things that I do every day.
1. Check my email
2. Sing out loud and dance around in my apartment
3. Tell Brian I love him

TWO - Things I need to do right now.
1. Start looking up case numbers for work
2. Go grocery shopping

ONE - Person I want to see right now.
1. My mother so I could hug her and congratulate her on winning the Mrs. Washington Pageant. Oh, and wish her luck on Mrs. America!