Pittsburgh: City of Champions

God bless this city, ya know? And not for our technology, sports, or medicine... no, God bless the freaking weirdos I get to see on a daily basis.

I swear I'm on a candid camera show right now. This large black woman rolls into Caribou coffee, sits at a 2 person table with this poor sorority girl who's working on her Econ homework that's probably taken her a week and a half. SHE LIGHTS UP A CIGARETTE (I kid you not), catches on to the inappropriateness and heads outside. When she returns she asks this other girl where she got her boots cause they're "kick" (whatever that means). Then she shouts, "u think they have 'dose in a 14?" haha, love it. The girls all awkward and says, "I'm sure they do".

She's gone now :-(

Back to work.

Not helpful...

So I am realizing that many times when people are trying to be helpful, they turn out to be a big pain in the ass. And you can't blame them, but really it's just annoying. I do it all the time - try to be nice and fail, this is what I realized today.

I am always in the habit of holding the door for people. They don't need to be old, or handicapped, or right behind me - basically, if they are human and in my periphery, I hold the door. So today I realized how rude I am for doing this. People like their own pace... say, for example, it's a Monday, start of a week, you have your coffee and bagel and you are casually walking into work. But, oh crap, here's some ass 50 yards ahead holding the door. Better run! Better spill your coffee and get schmear on your hand just so this person feels like they are helping! Not helpful.

I find it very nice to allow pedestrians the right of way. I try to do this every opportunity I get. But guess what, not helpful. Scenario: you are walking from class or work or what have you and you are about to cross a 4 lane street. Oh how nice, this freckle-faced girl in her car is waving for you to pass in front of her. Better get to walking! Oh whoops, looks like the other cars didn't share this girl's same thought and you are now dodging vehicles in the middle of the road. Whoops! Not helpful.

Do the right thing. Just look out for #1.

Death of Androgyny

I was riding the terribly nauseating 40A shuttle to work this morning when to my delight, "Killer Queen" came on the radio. I smiled and giggled a little into my Starbucks cup while I thought to myself, "this bus driver is tooootally not a Killer Queen..." And my thoughts just flew on from there. I began thinking how pop music and pop culture today are so preoccupied with black and white terms of sexuality that there's no more of that crazy, freaky deaky, androgyny anymore.

Rock gods like Freddie Mercury, David Bowie, Morissey, Prince, etc. were never really questioned about their sexuality; at least not in the way pop stars are today. Of course, there was speculation regarding who was sleeping with who and which ass the coke was being snorted off of but most of the time the ambiguity just passed over the heads of their loyal following. Though Freddie Mercury was quoted saying things like, "I am as gay as a daffodil, dear" and sleeping with nearly every thing that moved, it wasn't until he died of AIDS that his homosexuality became the focal point of his character. The other guys (Bowie, Morissey, Prince) have managed to escape today's labels and most likely have a past clouded with mixed sexual episodes that even they couldn't define.

Now I don't know if the music and the aura of this time reached its level of spectacular because of the ambi-sexual undertones or if they were just a plus. But anyone can agree that this level of performance and character is clearly absent from today's music scene.

I mean, granted, you have your "Scissor Sisters" and your "Of Montreal" but these aren't the blockbuster bands that changed history with their power ballads. Instead the front runners are either tittay and ass-loving hip hoppers or teary-eyed teenagers. And just to be clear, side-bangs and guyliner DOES NOT an androgynous rock god make...

Let's talk Adam Lambert for a few lines...

So I like this guy alot, he's got the pipes and the look to correspond with this lost art of androgyny I'm speaking of. And it doesn't hurt that he's dabbled in drag, either. He has that glammed-out Elvis Presley look that I think is really original. Too bad the second he hit star power, the tabloids and news shows went on an all out witch hunt to out him as homosexual. He clearly wasn't hiding his sexuality, the dude has facebook pics of him making out with drag queens, but for whatever reason the press NEEDED him to state, "Yes, I am gay." This literally consumed the tabloids for months. LGBT advocates (I'm thinking specifically of Perez Hilton here) spoke that Glambert "shouldn't be ashamed" to come out and should "join the movement". I'm under the impression, what's another gay pop singer gonna do to help the movement? Ambiguity in this case would have been funner. Adam should have held out.

It's not the flamer performers that need to come out to send a message, it's the doctors and lawyers and business executives (Weeds reference, anyone?).

But anywayyyy... moving on. So we have Glambert as our most androgynous pop star?? Really?! That's as good as it gets? He's more "Fall Out Boy" than boy/girl. Who else?

There's Rhianna - she's taking some edgy steps in the right direction:
But its too inconsistent, sometimes she's a pop princess.

Gaga is kind of androgynous, she is after all speculated to be a hermaphrodite:
But she's been quoted many time saying how she loves the peen, so not questionable enough for me.

So basically, I am using the death of androgyny as a means to explain why pop music today is lackluster and trite. Maybe there's a correlation, probably not... Even the new indie movement is more lumberjack, bearded dudes or flourescent-clad hipsters. Where's the Mick Jaggers?? The Elton Johns?

Who do you think is the most androgynous pop performer today? Do you think music is taking a hit because performers feel the need to be politically correct and pick a side? Comment!

Tell me what's your Fan-ta-ta-sy?!

Ugh, I hate that I picked that title - song's gonna be in my head all day...



Anyway, happy September, everyone! It feels like fall already here in Pittsburgh - the air at a crisp 42 with talks of Halloween, dem Stillers, and... Fantasy Football! I've never participated in the excitement of FF outside of a few family pick'ems (which I won in 2007, thank you kindly) but this year I'm really gonna go for it.

I've signed up for one league but I'm gonna see if I can get in on a couple more while I'm feeling HOT! First things first though - learn what the hell fantasy football is.

I hope you learn a thing or too, as well. My goal for this blog is to provide you (and me) the business savvy, football knowledge, and competitive strategy to impress even the beefiest of football meat-heads this winter. Hoo-raa!!

Ok, let's start with the basics. FF is a way of using actual team and individual performances in a virtual environment where you control the team setup and starting lines. So ideally, having all the best players starting every game would rack in some serious points. But like real life, it's not that easy - there's first a draft where you have to pick your team in rotation and allow other competitors their choices as well. Also, huge letdowns like injuries can really throw off your strategy. Ooohh, starting to get interestingggg ;-)

FUN FACT: Did you know that fantasy football was originally created by an associate of the Oakland Raiders in 1962 and it was called: GOPPPL which stands for Greater Oakland Professional Pigskin Procrastinators League. Haha, I like it, I think I'll call my team that. DON'T STEAL IT!!

Let's address some drafting FAQ's shall we?

1. How do you get placed for your draft position?
Well, different strokes for different folks. Usually you'd have a "draw straws" kind of method or random order. But it can vary by professional clubs or groups of friends. Also tricky players can trade their draft positions for leverage later in the season.

2. What draft positions are the best?
You'd think that 1st pick is the holy grail of fantasy football drafts, and it basically is, but there are exceptions. For example, if you're in a group of 12 and you don't get first nab, you're better off at the end. Here's why - picks go in what I will call "slithery snake" rotation. First through 12th, then back again, so 12th gets 2 picks in a row. And in the first round, these will still be great players and basically equal is skill.

Next topic - picking your boys.

Now this is where the serious research comes in (much more serious than the biomedical research I should be doing now...), time to analyze the available resources. Now, I will say that the amount of time and energy going into these resources is beyond laughable, and there's a ridiculous number of websites dedicated to this. So here are my favorites for me, a first timer:

1. Fantasy Football Calculator - These guys are so so in love with this. They make mock drafts for every possible scenario you could find yourself in. 3rd pick in a 12 person league, 50th position in a 430 person league, etc. You can print some of these out to see what the "professionals" did in your situation.

2. Who doesn't like cheatsheets? I love em! Try this site of cheatsheets of all the players rankings and projected FF points.

3. I hate FOX, but they have a pretty sweet draft guide going on right now. Check it out.

You must keep in mind 3 things regarding the offseason when picking your team: What offseason trades have happened to benefit the team? Did your team have a good NFL draft? Who is or was injured on your fantasy football team?

See, I told you this was serious.

This all depends on the type of game you're in too. There are Salary Cap leagues where you act as an owner and can only spend an allotted amount of money on your team (or embezzle it and sell all your good players like the Pirates).

Next up - scoring and impressing your friends:
Here's a sample scoring guide I found online


Here's where the strategy comes in. Each week you pick your starting line and rack in the points throughout the week. Trades are allowed, and encouraged. Pay attention to the players and team news and if you feel like it, you can watch the actual games. I think they show them on Sundays?

Basically, there's a sick amount of information to make you a proficient "Pigskin Procrastinator", but hopefully, what I've provided here helps.

Final Tips:
1. Bring an outdated list of suggested draft picks to lend to the wandering pair of eyes sitting next to you. Haha, evil.

2. Never draft a backup QB that has the same bye week as your starter, it defeats the purpose of drafting him and pegs you as a total amateur.

3. It's much more important to get your third RB before a kicker. Draft your best picks first, not in the typical order (QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, TE, K, D, QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, K).

4. Trade wisely, and often. Even at the draft consider trading your next 2 picks for a higher pick.

5. Use your last picks to take chances on rookies or sleepers.

You all owe me for being so informative.

I'll keep you posted throughout the season on how my team's looking.

20 Facts about the G-20 Summit

Good day Pittsburghers! That phrase has 20 letters and starts with G. Hmm... know what else is made up of 20 characters and starts with G?? OH!! The G-20! For some unknown reason, the Group of 20 (or G-20) is hosting their annual summit here in Pittsburgh, PA. Like many Pittsburghers, I was coming down from my Super Bowl/Stanley Cup Championship high when I got word that the city would again be in the national press. But I couldn't conceal my WTF-esque attitude toward this new, much more political "win" of ours. Smiles on the faces of city officials hinted to me that this was, in fact, a good thing; but my ignorance on the meaning of G-20 led me to just shun the news all together. Until now... Now that I'm hearing about protests and university closings, and secret service I'm beginning to grow intrigued. Hence, a blog to enlighten us all on the what's what of this surprise summit that we've been so blessed to host this year.

20 facts about the G-20

1. G-20 was initiated in 1999 as an attempted solution to the financial and economical inconsistencies that exist between the global financial leaders (Luxembourg, US, UK, etc.) as well as developing economies. The goal was to collect the financial ministers from 19 countries (and European Central Bank) into a forum that promotes constructive exchange of information. Clever.

2. Discussion topics may include (but are not limited to): crisis-control, combating terrorist financing, reducing abuse of the financial system, estimating the girth of Sidney Crosby's thighs, etc.

3. The organization is led by rotating chair positions. 2009 is chaired by the United Kingdom. Cheeky.

4. The United States has not been offered the chair position yet. Perhaps it's because of our failed economy, I don't know?

5. The G-20 is not to be confused with the G-7, G-22, or G-33. They are separate associations that all just happen to do the same thing.

6. It's been reported that President Obama suggested hosting the summit in Pittsburgh to highlight the city's continuing financial recovery... Is that really your reason, Obama??



7. For the last meeting in London, the Metropolitan Police, the City of London Police and the British Transport Police, as well as over 3,000 extra police officers were called into action to control protest riots.

8. Pittsburgh can handle it.





9. This will be the first "green" political summit, thanks to the David L. Lawrence convention center which is the first certified and largest green convention center in the world.

10. Other venues for the convention are scheduled at Phipps conservatory, the Andy Warhol museum (?? haha), CAPA - Creative and Performing Arts high school, and Rosemont Farm - Teresa Heinz's place.

11. PITT chancellor, Mark Nordenberg, was not invited to attend the summit, despite his damnedest efforts.

12. Protests generally arise from public anger over recession, bankers' pay, loss of jobs, and capitalist mentality. Some people just throw stones over group think. I, personally, think violent acts of protest are neanderthalic and malproductive (both made up words).

13. The G-20 divides into two camps: the trade surplus nations and the trade deficit nations. Both camps agree that global trade imbalances lie at the root of the economic collapse. They encourage increased domestic consumption from countries like China that rely heavily on exports.

14. G-20 MVP may be a tie: some say Brazil with its rising financial status and hotshot President Lula, but others say China because of the ball-vice they have on the US debt. Think Vito vs. Michael Corleone circa Godfather II.

15. Obama's secret service codename is "Renegade". Coincidence that that's the Steeler's fight song??? I THINK NOT!



16. Duquesne, Robert Morris, Point Park, CMU, CCAC all closed for the G-20. University of Pittsburgh is holding strong.

17. Protesters allegedly plan to throw water balloons filled with decomposed roadkill juice, urine, and feces (ok, this may not be a fact - my nasty friend told me this)

18. Dinners will include Primanti's sammiches, pierogies, n'at warshed dahn wit dat der Ahrn City.

19. An event will be held on Sept. 18 at Carnegie Music Hall called: "Challenges for G-20: Is the City of Champions the Black and Gold Standard for Recovery". Sounds pretty sweet.

20. The meeting promises to end with nothing exciting.

Overall, I think that the G-20 is an excellent idea - after all many economic mistakes arise from poor communication. All this jibber jabber about Pittsburgh being a success story of financial regrowth is a bit of a stretch to me, though. NOT because Pittsburgh isn't a success story, NO I BELIEVE IT VERY MUCH IS, however, I don't think it owes its success to a government recovery plan. I think Pittsburgh thrives because of its hard-working, down-and-dirty locals (and the UPMC); and if Obama is looking to make a business plan to translate to other fallen blue-collar economies (like Detroit), it won't be easy.

Further reading:
Official Pittsburgh G-20 site

Action plan from 2008 meeting in Washington

What the health?!

To say that I am politically conscious sounds more like the punch-line to a joke than anywhere near a reality... but I must admit that I am passionate about human rights and equality and have a strong interest in the field of medicine. So the current interest in the government's plan for health reform has crept its way into my field of view, despite my best efforts to avoid it. Let me highlight the 3 quick anecdotes that have led me to forcefully educate myself on this reform:

1. This American Life - July 24th 2009 - In Act 3 of the podcast Ira Glass hosts a story about a woman who fell victim to her health insurance's fine print. After finding out she was in terminal stage for breast cancer and needed an emergency double mastectomy she was also informed that her insurance would no longer provide her coverage. The fine print of her policy, known as rescission, cited that omission of any previous medical condition is grounds for cancellation. When they flagged her for review they found a previous record of something ridiculous like acne treatment and called that an omission that rendered her ineligible for coverage. With no other way of paying for her procedure she was forced into a 4 month lawsuit against the insurance providers, in which time her tumor doubled, so she could finally get coverage. The podcast reported that insurance companies make nearly 300 million dollars through rescission (either when direct fraud is present or when there is no evidence of fraud, just an ambiguous omission, usually by oversight - like the one in the cancer victim's policy). And when 3 insurance CEOs were asked if they would agree to revoke the rescission policy unless there was definitive evidence of fraud, they all said that they would not.
I like Obama's strong statement that no insurance plan "would be able to deny coverage on the basis of pre-existing conditions." But he didn't explain how he would force insurance companies to insure people with pre-existing health problems.

2. There is no set price for doctors and their services. This is the fundamental separation criteria between quality health care and accessible health care. Dr. Gupta cited that "We asked the White House specifically about that and we were told no, there is no plan in any of the bills so far to set prices across the board, across the country." On the other hand, the AMA is pissed because they claim that the government's view on the price of health care (Medicare reimbursement costs for example) is outdated and that if a nation-wide health care program develops the doctors won't be able to pay their rent or electricity (watch around the 5:25 mark).
I guess I think that doctors could endure a small pay cut for the overall improvement of the system. However, I do agree with Dr. Nielsen that in order for compliance on behalf of the AMA, considerable attention must be paid to the well being of the doctors and the up-to-date costs for medical practice.

3. It just blows my mind that there are so little health benefits for gay and lesbian couples. Could you imagine not being granted family medical leave from work to spend with your loved one during their final days? Or not being able to collect survivor benefits if, god forbid, your partner passes away leaving you to support yourself and any dependents. It's awful and completely unjust. I, among the millions of LGBT and equality advocates, was relieved when the health benefit revisions were passed for gay federal workers. While it's a huge step for gay rights, it also draws more pressure for overturning the Defense of Marriage Act that is standing in the way of true equality.

So, basically, if there are facets of this bill that have awakened a little sleeping political advocate within you, I encourage you to get the facts. There's so so so much information to sort through but it's out there, waiting for you. You can start here. Let me know if you have anything interesting to add!

Make it Easy

There's alot of information out there in the world and I find that it's extremely difficult to deeply understand or explore a given topic when extraneous tangents are present to steer you away from the point. That's why I am introducing a new segment to my blog called, "Dumb Down". It's purpose is two-fold, by preparing the "dumb down" versions of complex issues I'll be learning what's really going on and also you, my reader, can benefit from the easy to follow, list-view, 101 style of the information.

Today's topic:

TWITTER dumbed down
Disregard this post if you are a twitter pro, or even better, feel free to add your 2 cents. But I must admit, I registered for the site when its popularity grew and since then I've tweeted a handful of times and still feel lost with the concept. So my goal today was to figure out some of the best uses for twitter, how to tweet effectively, and what those crazy @names mean. Enjoy.

So twitter "tweets" are text fashioned messages of max 140 characters that can be sent to "followers" or through open access. What I found interesting is that while twitter is the 3 fastest growing social network, it only has a 40% retention rate.... hmm... guess this how-to blog isn't too pointless after all! My guess is that people ask or "tweet" themselves, "what's the point?"

Some of the best uses for twitter that I have found include:
1. Getting feedback - twitpic a new haircut, or a car you are thinking about buying. Or post a link to an article you found intriguing. The mass of "followers" you have accumulated now have an opportunity to act as your council and supply advice or criticisms. I think alot of times people's arguments with twitter are, "why not just text your friends?" Well in this case, you can get opinions from people outside your direct network without mass-texting or not having contact info.

2. Give warning - if there's a huge traffic issue on the parkway and you know alot of people in your network take that route it could be very beneficial if they knew to take an alternate route. Of course this brings up the "text while driving" issue but let's just sweep that under the rug for now, shall we?

3. News tweets - this is probably the primary reason why I would enjoy "following" a twitter. It's nice to get up-to-the-minute reports on current events. News and celebrity twitters have become very popular as the give people a personal connection with the tweeter. Imagine the feeling that Anderson Cooper just personally texted you to tell you about the latest riot over the health care reform. Sexy.



4. Live twittering - recording your impressions of current art gallery exhibits, or concerts, or a sporting event can be fun and interesting to your followers. But eh, this one doesn't impress me too much.

Overall, I feel like, yea twitter is a cool idea. But my qualms are this: 1) I'm going to forget to tweet when something interesting happens which voids the purpose, and 2) I'm not gonna wanna read my friends dumb tweets so why would they want to read mine? Well regardless, I'm gonna give it a shot when I get my new blackberry ;-). CLICK HERE to follow me on twitter!

Lastly, what's up with these @name things? If I had to guess I would think its like a reference (think pointers in C++ code, all you nerds out there). But I don't know if I'm right. And do you have to type that in on your phone? Where even is the @ sign? Let's find out... I found this little helper on the WSJ blog:

Twitter Glossary
@: At reply. A public tweet directed at a fellow Twitterer, such as @Barack Obama, that shows up in their Twitter stream.
DM: Direct Message. A private message that appears in a Twitter inbox. You can only direct message people who follow you.
RT: Retweet. A tweet that you like so much that you are resending to your followers. Usually includes credit to original tweeter, such as RT @BarackObama, followed by the tweet.
Whale Icon: The iconic blue whale that pops up when Twitter is down. It appeared frequently in Twitter's first year and a half.
#: Hashtag. Used to designate a topic such as #SanDiegoFire so that people can easily search for tweets on a topic. (It is totally unnecessary, though, because a search on a keyword without the # returns the same results).
Nudge: A feature that lets you send a note to a Twitterer encouraging them to tweet more frequently. You can only nudge people who are tweeting from a mobile phone.

You can also use outside applications like Twitpic and TinyURL to add pictures and URLs, respectively, to your tweets.

Side notes to keep in mind:
- "followers" are not like facebook friends. It is not a two way street. Just because you wanna read their tweets doesn't mean that they are interested in yours.
- the best way to gain followers is to tweet more
- no one expects you to read all the tweets that roll in. Just enjoy it as good people watching.

Live long and twitter.

I move fast, but I talk oh so slow

You know how I all raved about my amazing experiences on the 54C, well those days are sadly behind me. I have a new apartment so that means I'm on a new busline - the 71A Negley. I was sad about leaving my "bus crazies" but after a few rides, I've come to realize it's all the damn same.

Here's a little taste of what this summer's 71A travels have in store for me:



Yea, that's the good stuff.

Live Above the Influence

Hi all, I don't know where my blog is going these days. Without sounding too much like a comb-over wearing, eyeliner coated, razor-toating Emo, I must say I feel like I have lost some direction :-/

Not with life, or school, or mah man (the important things) but with my essence. Haha, "what the hell is your essence?", you ask? I would define it as the driving force behind my interests, the endeavors I take on, the reasons for the choices I make. Lately I have had the feeling that every single thing I am involved in (outside the importants, of course) is entirely under someone's influence. Yes, I am under the influence... BIG TIME. And my philosophical struggle here stems from me wondering, "is this a bad thing?" and furthermore, "is it even avoidable?"

Let me give you some examples:
- I'm training for a triathlon. Wow cool huh? Well see, I decided to do it after I became impressed with my friends who ran the Pittsburgh marathon. And while I already ran, biked, and swam regularly, I never actually thought of racing until they inspired me. So now I feel less than original on the athletics front. And as part of all this training, I bought a new bike and am starting to get really into cycling. Too bad Craig's been cycling for years and everytime I make a choice regarding my new cycling lifestyle I realize he's already done that too, and that's most likely where I got the idea....

- 90% of the songs on my iTunes were recommended to me by Craig, my brother, music blogs, or Spin magazine. And I know that that's typically how music trends spread but maybe I should be more actively involved in the stuff I enjoy - like learn the band's history or maybe see more shows instead of just taking someone else's word for it? Oh, and the other 10% is showtunes - and that I can't really blame on anyone but myself.

- I like buying handmade goods for like jewelry or home stuff so naturally now I want to start crafting

- I even started this blog cause my other friends were!

So I ask you, is this the natural progression? To influence and be influenced in return? If it is, why do I feel so lame about myself?? Maybe it's all the indie music...

Other people are guilty of it too. Definitely. Yesterday I was looking at art from one of the coolest graffiti artists, Banksy (who I got into from Craig, of course), and my awesome google engine suggested I may also like Blek le Rat who was a graffiti artist 20 years before Banksy! Their work is nearly identical. They both even focus on rats to portray urban animals. Banksy has even said, "everytime I think I've done something original I find out the Blek le Rat did it 20 years ago"

Can you tell the difference?


First one's Banksy, second is le Rat.

So maybe imitating is only bad if you do it intentionally? But I doubt that cause when I tell people about things I like, I tell them because I really do want them to get into it and enjoy it as much as I do! So where is the line, when are we being open-minded and when are we conforming?

So so deep.

Also, why does Hollywood keep remaking movies and TV shows?? Where's the creativity there?? Indiana Jones, Rocky, King Kong, 90210, Melrose Place, Silence of the Lambs, Footloose...

This isn't a rant so much as just the beginning of a search for personal assurance that I'm not a poser in a world where everything's been done already. Thoughts??



I added some new jams, I don't blame you if you don't listen to them though for fear you are being influenced by me ;-)

In Lieu of Hockey Season

Don't you think my brother, James, looks JUST like Sergei Gonchar??

Oh yea, GO PENS!

Waiting

I'm waiting for Craig to come meet me at work so we can go for a bike ride. Here's how I am filling my time:

Finals

Finals suck, they don't just take front burner, they take all the gas out of the stove making it impossible to light any other burner! Whoa, metaphor!

This week had potential to be so fun: Christy's engagement celebrations, new apartment move-in, sunny days! But noooooooo I'm inside writing about how to identify heterodimers by immunoprecipitation and programming Rock Band on Labview. Haha yea, this is legit, stay tuned for a video if/when it works.

Anyway, I wanted to post a song, for no other reason than to listen to it myself, cause I know nobody cares or listens to my playlists :-(
Ra Ra Riot - Can You Tell

Dear, dear friend

No time to post today, plus nothing too interesting is happening in my life lately...

Oh, except I got a $125,000 grant from the National Science Foundation.

Oh and my dear, dear friend Christy got engaged!

YAY!

I really just posted so I could add a good song to the list - check it out: Regina Spektor - Hotel Song

En-white-enment

It's been a while since I have posted, I realize this, and apologize. As far as updates go, April finds me well showered and in a crunch to finish the semester off right. Lots to do and not all together too much time to do it in. I enjoy the busy-ness though and feel satisfied in my directions.

Ok, boring shit aside. I decided to introduce a new segment into my blog entitled, "En-white-enment". For those of you who don't know, I am a "big sister" for Big Brother Big Sisters of Western Pennsylvania. My little sister, Nikki, is awesome and we hang out about twice a month. Our meetings basically consist of me picking her up, buying her some god awful food (McD's, Wendy's, Pizza Hut) and doing some activity. In the driving to-and-fro interim she has a habit of ripping me a new one about how white people just don't get it. Sometimes its heated, sometimes its funny, but its ALWAYS educational. Oh, and of course she doesn't offend me, because as she says, I'm a "white black girl"... clearly.

Lesson #1. Your birth name sucks... fix it up
Nikki was born as a Lauren. But hell if she was "keeping that white girl name." So her, self-claimed ghetto name became, "Nikki" (that's Nicky spelled the ghetto way). So I asked her what my ghetto name would be and she said since I've had my name so long I couldn't change it, but I could make it ghetto by spelling it Jaymi. Haha, YES! New license plate?? I think yes!

Lesson #2. Black fashion >> white fashion
Who here knows what a "swagger rag" is? Anyone? Anyone? Yea, didn't think so, that's because not only is this wayyyy too cool for whiteys, but its also wayyyy too cool for "punk blacks". Basically, only Homewood pips rock the swagger rag. So I'm like, what the hell, Nikki? What's a swagger rag? Where can I get one? And she says basically you have to be given one and they have all sorts of diamonds and stuff on it. I was like, "is it a necklace?" and she's like, "no" so I say, "is it a scarf" and she's like, "no". ???!!? I'll let you know if/when I ever get my eyes/hands on a swagger rag. Also, I promise not to use so many forward slashes in subsequent sentences.

Lesson #3. The four most famous black people
This lesson is my favorite. The day before the presidential election, me and Nik were hanging out and I was like, who do you want to win? And she's like, "duh, Obama". So we get to talking about it and she's like, "when Obama wins, I'm going to wear my shirt that shows the 4 most famous black people in history." "Cool", I retort, "who's all on it?" And here they are, in no particular order:

1. Martin Luther King, Jr.
2. Rosa Parks
3. Barack Obama
4. The lady who invented hair gel

I AM NOT EVEN KIDDING YOU. These are the people on Nikki's shirt. I have no comment, just consider me educated.

Ahhh, I love it. I really really do. Her life is awesome, she's constantly surrounded by family and friends and they are all so enthusiastic about everything. I don't compete at all, haha, but for whatever reason, she loves this little, white, black girl. Probably cause I buy her bacon double cheeseburgers.

Check out today's song (notice... April means new playlist!) it's from Okkervil River, just bought the CD after hearing many accolades.

Toodles.

S-U-M-M-E-R

Summer-like weather has fallen upon the great city of Pittsburgh and that's reason to celebrate!! I picked G.Love - Holla to get you in the summer mood and also inspire you to come to the concert with me next week! But anyway, summer means many things to me and I will *spell* them out for you in this elementary school exercise:

S - shoes! I finally get to wear my summer shoes, which are basically my winter shoes without socks! Today for example, I am wearing a very faboosh pair of black shoes that Craig bought for me 2 years ago. I've gotten 2 compliments and saw many people look at them, so I know it's the real deal. My toes are bleeding, however, and I did a minor Tokyo drift when turning the corner at work because they are slippery as hell.

U - University move-outs! Yayyyy! Finally all the annoying young kids leave the city! And when they depart, they leave all sorts of cool stuff for me to buy or take. Also this means the busses become less crowded which always pleases this girl!

M - Movies in the park. Love it! Love the idea: picnic with entertainment and beer.

M - My bike! Well this doesn't make me too happy since last time I took Connie out in the summer, this was the result:

But I'm still looking forward to riding around with Craig every now and then and putting the old hunk-o-junk to work. I can't believe I haven't talked about Connie more on my blog. Amazingly fantastic stories have come out of that bike. Did I mention I built it? If you know anything about my engineering skills you know this thing is a death trap. More to come...

E - Everyone comes out in the summer! Prepare for the return of the Bus Crazies, they all come back out in the summer.

R - Reading! Gotta start up that book club again. I guess I'll consider having more that 2 people in my club this time around. Here are some books I want to read:
- Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
- 1984 by George Orwell (read it once and hated it, I'd like to try again)
- The Dice Man by Luke Rhinehart (about a guy who lives his life by the roll of a die)

What does summer mean to you??

Where oh where is summer?

It's supposed to snow tomorrow...

In hopes of summer, I have added a song by my favorite summertime band, The Replacements. Enjoy... The Replacements - Can't Hardly Wait

If I was a bum...

First of all, damn you all for not telling me it was my 50th blog yesterday! I missed it! Now I have to wait till the centennial.

Over the last day, I found many ways I could benefit from being homeless. Let me rephrase that, I could benefit IF i was homeless. And by many, I mean two.

1. I went to Wendy's for a twisted frosty last night (chocolate and oreo) and as i was ordering I dropped my quarter but was like, "eh, forget it, here's another dollar." I looked down tho to see where my quarter fell and there was like $6 worth of change down there!!! Attention all hobo's get to scrounging at the local fast foodery!

2. As I was waiting for the 54sizzle today I was reading the headline of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette through the little newspaper trap. A guy came to buy one and he dropped in his 50 cents and as he opened the door of the newspaper iron maiden, I saw that there were like 50 in there for the taking! If I was homeless I would deposit 50 cents, take all the papers and sell them for a quarter! I know this is illegal and really effed up, but I think if I was homeless I wouldn't care about that so much.

Mouse Trap

Well ladies and gentlemen, I hate to spoil my pristine self-image of cleanliness and class but here's the truth.... I HAVE MICE!!!! Craig and I found mice (not a mouse) in our house today. Oh god, I'm getting the J-naus just thinking about it.

Here's what happened, a couple weeks ago when we took out the garbage (yea we're bad about that) I noticed a little hole in the bottom of the bag but didn't think too much of it since our Giant Eagle trash bags cost 29 cents for 100 so I couldn't imagine them being high quality. I also noticed some little black specks on the floor and showed Craig but we both agreed it was coffee grinds and i vacuumed em up and that was the end of it. We both acknowledged that it COULD be mice but just didn't want to accept that so, like other household problems, we just ignored it!

We took the trash out last night and didn't replace the bag in the kitchen trash can. When Craig went downstairs this morning to put the bag in, I just heard a high pitched squeal from him with some whimpers and tears. Haha no, just kidding, he was like, "Hanerz get down here, I found our mouse!"



Well, there were actually 2, see em? Frankly, I am perplexed and impressed as to how they got in there! Can mice climb walls? There was nothing near the trash can for them to climb up on. Here are my theories:

1. There's a hole in the bottom of the trash can. I don't think this is the answer because after Craig and I let the miceys (which were actually kinda cute) outside we filled the trash can with soap and bleach and no liquid ran out the bottom.

2. The mice kamakazi'd from the counter top into the can. This is sorta more likely except then I don't know how they got up on the counter? Unless maybe the mouse hole is higher in the wall? But after we let them outside, we watched them run around and the one got to the top of another houses cellar steps (ha-hah) and was afraid to jump down so what the hell? If it's a scaredy mouse how did it jump into my can?

3. They can climb walls. This seems to be the only answer and frankly, it scares the shit out of me.

Space Cadet

Monday evening - in LabView class - dozing off as usual. I have been really spacey lately, it probably somehow goes back to my compulsive drinking. This weekend was looney, here are the details in staccato (feel free to snap in rhythm as you read): Craig's List flakes wasted my time . Pitt wins in two stupidly close games . Fuel and Fuddle . Absinthe . Carter and Bonasso . Bootlegger's . Drunk driving with Craig . Howler's . Pabst . last call . Saturday hangover . More Craig's List flakes standing me up . Chipotle . Sitting in my lab twiddling my thumbs . red wine . Brillobox . standup comedy . Dallas and LP bail early . HaNeRz (blackout, overly confident version of me) . Stoopid . last call . Hitching a ride from a comic . late night wardrobe malfunction . Sunday hangover ...

What am I? 19? I should be able to handle myself better by now. Eh well, I'd say it was worth the memories but there's very few of those.

Let's switch gears... Isn't that a good cliche? I love commonplace phrases...

Some phrases I really like:
"The squeaky wheel gets the grease" - haha, be annoying and get your way!
"I need to blow off steam" - gives me a fun characture picture of me as a teapot
"Use it or lose it" - applies to just about everything (except body fat)

Some phrases I don't get:
"Held with kid gloves"
"Thanks, but no thanks"
"Bite the dust"
"Go for broke"

Comments??? I can't post a song right now cause I'm in the BIOE lab and everything is blocked cause they think its porn.

Sex in the media makes me smile

Headline of Note in the Pitt News today:

Background - it's an article discussing the government's attempt to lower birth control pill prices and the amazingly appropriate title is....

MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK

haha, yes!

So in honor of blatantly obvious sexual innuendos today's song is Brazilian Girls - Pussy

(Oh PS. my awesome daily playlist is growing and you may need to scroll down to see/hear the S.O.T.D.)

Mac is Back is the Ack Ack Pack

Has anyone ever played Fusion Frenzy for XBox? I love that game and I wish they had it for PS3. Anywho, that's were my title today comes from, if you were wondering. But also, my title reflects the glorious happenstance that my Mac has returned from repair!!!

He was probably so sad to come home. Fat Crook Joe (my nickname for my Mac Book Pro) was probably loving all the attention he was getting from trendy Emo-haired Mac techs. I bet they laid him down in sheets of linen, like the tiny dancer he is. But none the less, he's back and better than ever.

Buying AppleCare was the best use of $300 on top of the $100,000 I had to put into this computer. I have been able to replace the following free of cost:

1. Disk writer (after burning many many Netflix DVDs)
2. Battery (after overheating to the point of buckling)
3. Top case (after oilifying the mouse pad with my greasy fingers to the point of disfunction)

But yay! Good as new!

Song today is an oldie but a goodie - Gorillaz - Last Living Souls

The People vs. Sodexho

So really, WTF is up with the attitudes of Sodexho workers? I get it, you have to deal with snot face college kids all day everyday, but so do I!! And I'm not being a big ole biotch.

Obviously I had an altercation this afternoon with a deadbeat-good-for-nothing Sodexho employee. For those of you who aren't aware, high schools and universities hire employees from this food company Sodexho to work cafeterias and coffee stands and such. These people act like I'm asking them to perform freaking nuclear fission while standing on their heads when I'm just asking where the hell I can get a coffee stirrer. Jesus.

There's no better way to ruin a cold, stale cup of coffee then serve it with a side of unnecessary tude. When I was in San Francisco last week, we ate a restaurant that doubled as a half-way house for reverted criminals (probably from Alcatraz) to learn how to get back into the workforce. They were our servers and they were as sweet as day. Not a negative quip once, so WTF is wrong with Sodexho?!?

Anywayyyyy, song today - Joe Strummer - Coma Girl

YAY FOR PITT BEING #1 NCAA SEED!

De-Mac'd

I had to send in my Mac for repair. Devastating. Actually its kind of liberating. I have done NOTHING productive all weekend, simply because I can't! I have no means! So instead I fixed my hunk o' junk bike (named Connie) and rode with Craig to some St. Patty's festivities downtown. We flasked some Absinthe and had a couple beers then went to linner (lunch+dinner) with Micky and her college cronies. Now I know how John and Patrice must feel when they hang out with us little kids.

Today I plan to finish a blanket I started my freshmen year of college and hang outside in the nice weather. I kinda hope my computer never comes back :-)

Enjoy today's song: Scissor Sisters - Better Luck

Goals. Goals. Goals.

Yesterday was like a black hole of productivity. The only good thing that happened occurred to me around 11:30 and I think I may have just invented the next big thing... stay tuned for more details.

Today I HAVE GOT to get my work done. Here are my goals:

0. Make coffee
1. Finish Cell Bio take home midterm
2. Write up project proposals for both LabView class and Cardiovascular Modeling
3. Create a custom ringtone

I made coffee the zeroth law of today. So I better get on that, I'm already behind.

Enjoy today's song choice, it's a lovely little ballad from Band of Horses - no ones gonna love you. I think its my lucky song for today cause it came on my jPod while I was driving into the parking garage where I have no permit for but still park in everyday because the entrance arm is broken and I saw repairmen trying to fix it but when I walked past them I overheard one say, this is going to take more than what we brought today. YES! Another day of free parking!!

New Gadget

I added a daily playlist to my Blizzog on the right. Check it out and comment. It's still kinda kinky, meaning I gotta work some stuff out. But stay tuned (iTuned, that is) I'm going to add 1 song everyday for a month and then start a new list. Yay, so all of you can hear many many of my favorite songs based on my mood and such.

;-) Enjoy my March Madness playlist!

Today I added The Black Keys - Act Nice and Gentle because I have NOOOO motivation at all today but I actually got a lot done when I was listening to their album, so Yay!

Recent Updates in a Run-On Sentence

I got home on Tuesday night and didn't feel jet lagged but woke up at 11:30 on Wednesday morning so the day kinda led on from there, Craig and I ran errands and he ended up buying a really sweet bike (I looked at some too and I really liked this one, I even had the store order it for me, but I don't think I can afford it) and I got nothing at all done with my day, but that's okay cause its spring break after all and I will do work for the rest of the week.

I got a parking ticket on Thursday morning.

My Mac is being a big idiot and I have to mail it in so I won't have a computer for 7-10 days which is like apocolyptic because I won't get to blog or watch amazing You Tube videos like these (courtesy of Patrice and John):

Is this Pink Eye?

Leap of Faith

It's been a rough week kids. I've gotten some pretty bad blows regarding the income situation but I'm working on it. So for now, that's all I wanna say. And I don't want to talk about it anymore.

SMILES!!! SMILES ALL AROUND!!

But what IS exciting is that I bought my first very own apartment! It was scary since my financial future is somewhat uncertain. But that's right, I got a nice little place that I can call my own. I'm so excited and i LOVE it! I start moving in April 15th (which is great cause my other lease ends on May 1). Here's what my plans are in the lovely new apartment:

- actually not suck at maintaining house plants
- decorate
* this will involve actually buying new furniture, YAY!
- set up an area where I can keep all my art supplies (not shoved in some corner) to reawaken my talented side
- get nice smelling candles and such and keep them lit

hmm.... does it sound like maybe I'm a little fed up with sharing a place with a boy? Haha, I kid, Craig was the bestest roomie and I hope he gets to stay around to have some time with me in my new place :-)

Here's some pictures in computer terms:

Fireplace and windows in living room:
-------------////////////////----------------
-------------////////////////----------------
-------------////////////////----------------
--{.......}--////////////////--{.........}---
--{.......}--////////////////--{.........}---
--{.......}--////////////////--{.........}---
--{.......}--////////////////--{.........}---
--{.......}--////////////////--{.........}---
--{.......}--//[.......]/////--{.........}---
--{.......}--//[.......]/////--{.........}---
--{.......}--//[.......]/////--{.........}---
----------//[.............]//----------------
----------//[.............]//----------------
----------//[.............]//----------------
----------//[.............]//----------------
----------//[...oooooo....]//----------------
----------//[..oooooooo...]//----------------

God I am so done with that, use your imagination for the rest.

Bad day for parking

I just couldn't get it right today. I left my house at 9:20 am to get to work to catch the 9:45 shuttle up to campus. Traffic was unavoidable and I was heading down Bates, crossing the street to my building at 9:40 when who comes barreling past me headed up the hill, but the 40A. Ya know, eff that driver. He leaves early from that stop everyday and it really sucks.

So I pull a 4-lane U-ey and basically trail him all the way back to campus. Of course there was no meter parking to be found so I had to park in the garage which cost 8 bucks. So freaking stupid.

I leave campus at like 1:30 to see some apartments and that was fun (more on the apartment situation later) and I parked my car outside my house by a meter. I put a quarter in and it only gave me 8 minutes when its supposed to give me 30. So I put another couple quarters in and left a note that the stupid meter is ripping me off. Welp, asshole parking police gave me a ticket (and took the note). The ticket was $11, bringing me to a $20 day of parking. What a waste.

The mousepad on my mac hasn't been working at all, it just like freezes, so I took my computer into the apple store and, of course, when I'm telling the trendy mac employee what my problem is, the mouse works good as the day I bought it. Typical. So he very "genius"-ly runs an update on my computer and basically tells me to get the hell outta there. Whatever, it's working now so I can't complain.

So all in all, it was a weird day. And work and money are stressing me out so I'm just so-so. Here's a video to remind me of better days (and show Beyonce what's up).

A Sci-Fi Story Break

Day in and day out, a beautiful princess would travel from her lovely home across mountains and rivers to her humble scientific research laboratory. Just like every other day, she entered the fluorescently-illuminated lab, rinsed her coffee cup of yester-residues, refilled, and carried on with the days tasks. When the digital clock tolled 6pm, like so many days before, she gracefully dislodged her ass from her swivel chair and departed for home.

This particular night, however, was like no other.... For you see, what the otherwise impeccably hygienic princess neglected to mention to anyone is that when she "rinses" her gilded UPMC mug, she is doing little more than splashing out leftover liquid. What harbored beneath was something much much worse. Something not prince nor pauper, not knight nor ogre, not samarai nor Karate Kid could have ever anticipated. On this night, something was born, yes BORN, right there in that coffee mug, and the fate of the beautiful princess and her lovely Land of Oak were in grave danger.

That evening, a force of pure evil erupted from the mug in a form that could only be described as fungal in nature. Lord Mocha-Molda had arrived, bringing with him a gang of Coffee-Mates who swore to act on their vendetta against the princess and her mighty weapon of running tap water. Destruction ensued that night and the caffeine charged vandals sacrificed nothing - they ran high and low to stain every important document the princess had ever produced. Satisfied with their work, the gang of java warriors returned to their hiding place at the bottom of the coffee mug.

The sun rose, yet again, and the princess greeted the day with a strange new feeling. She was tired, and tired she had been many times before, but this tired, this was a tired that was oh so new. As she showered and prepared for her daily journey she couldn't get past the extreme sleepy that had fallen upon her. When she arrived in her lab, she filled her mug as usual, unknowing to the fact that an army of cruel and toxic coffee militia were awaiting her to drink them in where they could launch an all out attack on her innards.

Just as our beauty was about to take her first ill-fated sip, she was interrupted by the charging in of a crew of shady figures dressed in full white suits.

"PUT DOWN THAT GOD DAMNED COFFEE MUG, LITTLE LADY" shouted the IACUC official, "DON'T YOU KNOW THAT FOOD AND BEVERAGE CONSUMPTION IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED IN LABORATORY ENVIORNMENTS???"

IACUC, or the Institution Animal Care and Use Committee, had unknowingly become the knights in white for our poor, rule-breaking, young researcher.

"WE ARE INCINERATING THIS MUG!" they shouted... "AND DON'T THINK WE DON'T SEE THAT CHIPOTLE BAG IN THE TRASH!"

Slightly embarrassed but thoroughly relieved to have lived to research another day, the princess laid a tender kiss on the cheek of IACUC official and assured him that no more snacks would be enjoyed in her laboratory.

And they lived happily ever after...

Back to the Blog (Part II)

Guys, I know I have been blog slacking. But that last one was a doozy and I just haven't had the time to commit to make another post of its caliber. When the bar gets raised too high for me, instead of shaming myself by falling just short, I usually like to fall WAY short and set a new, low ass standards bar (think slipped-disk-LIMBO-level type of low).

So I have to get Back to Work now, but here are some "Back to the Future" quotes I like to throw into random conversations and see if people pick up on the reference. Try it yourself:

"You're a slacker, McFly, just like your old man"

"Now we can watch Jackie Gleeson while we eat!"

"Mayor Goldie Wilson, now I like the sound of that!"

"You're my density"

"Get your ugly, yella, keister off my property before I pump your guts full of lead!"
(...hmm not the right movie, but equally quotable)

"Maybe you guys aren't ready for that yet, but your kids are gonna love it"

25

So I'm sure everyone has noticed the little facebook and blogger phase that's been going on where so and so shares 25 random little life tid-bits about themselves. Well that's all very fun and cute, but I think information should be *informational* ... call me crazy! I have thus opted to share 25 of my life lessons in hopes that they may, in some way, benefit you someday.

1. Never turn down anything that's free. For whatever dumb ass reason, when I bought my MacBook, I was like, "Nah, I don't need that free printer, the computer was enough of a deal! I already feel like I'm robbing you blind, Mr. Jobs!" I was an idiot.

2. Life's too short to deny yourself things that make you smile. This includes pizza, vacations, and beer.

3. Just because your friends enjoy your quirky innuendos doesn't necessarily mean that job interviewers will.

4. Don't ask questions at the end of lectures that you slept through. The speaker usually has 3 or 4 slides that covered that exact question.

5. If you find yourself in China. Don't go to the Summer Palace, it's a waste of time.

6. Don't post movies starring yourself on YouTube unless you are mentally prepared to be completely made fun of by strangers.

7. Always have a standby joke ready in case someone asks you to tell them a joke. For the life of me, when that happens on the spot, I act like I've never heard a joke in my whole life.

8. Write things down so you don't forget them. If I had a nickel for everything I forgot, I don't know how many nickels I'd have because I forgot.

9. Save your receipts. All of em. And keep in mind, people you rip off are probably saving their receipts too, so beware.

10. Don't pet Craig's dog, Roger. He mauled me in front of the whole family during our first meeting.

11. Avoid lending people pens or hairties - you won't get them back.

12. Don't miss out on opportunities just because you are afraid. I hate hate HATE flying on airplanes, but on average, I use them 10 times a year. Also, I stutter like a crazy person when I give presentations, but I would never turn down a chance to talk about my research.

13. I wouldn't recommend randomly surfing the web at work. I stumbled on one web site just as my boss came in to talk to me. I turned my chair to address him and when I turned back around toward my computer screen, the word "NEUROTIC" was flashing fluorescently in huge letters.

14. When someone on the street holding a microphone asks you how you feel about "the G7 conference on globalization" simply say, "I don't know what that is." Don't go on for 8 minutes trying to pull something out of your ass.

15. Never volunteer to work as a ghoul at a haunted house. Unless you are willing to lose a contact, sweat yourself stupid, and sit on a rusty nail.

16. If you are now or have ever been in the habit of double spacing after you end a sentence, I would suggest dropping it. Nothing matters less in the world of punctuation and it's a bitch when you have a space limit.

17. When someone promises you something important, always get it in writing. Don't wait to learn this the hard way.

18. If you drunkenly drop your phone (this can apply to cameras, too) and the battery comes out, IT IS NOT DEAD FOREVER. Do not throw it away.

19. Egg drop soup is not good. It looks and tastes like spunk (that's what I heard anyway)

20. Either always hit on 16 or never hit on 16. Blackjack is all about consistency.

21. Lying isn't worth the energy it takes.

22. As much as it sucks, when jeans are too old just throw them away. Don't chance accidental public rippage.

23. If Kid n Play stop you on the streets of Hollywood and perform a magic trick on you on live TV, pretend like you're impressed - don't just stand there and stare at them.

24. When you work a 9-5, search for a way that your work directly impacts people. It might be diluted, but it will make you happy to know. This may not apply to people who study rocks, I have no idea what good that does for mankind.

25. Approach life like you're waiting for a 54C. If you don't run out in front of it waving your arms around, it'll just pass right on by.

I see London, I see France

Hey duders,

I need to keep up with my blog more in the new year. Let's add it to the list of resolutions, k? K, done.

So I have been what some would call a "globetrotter" these past couple of weeks. It may seem frivolous the amount of time and money I have given up for these experiences, but the way I see it - I don't own an expensive car, fancy schmancy clothes, or an iPhone, so I think I can afford it. Plus my rent is dirt cheap and I'm living in 50 degree conditions.

Dec. 28th - Jan. 5th: London, England and Paris, France
This was a little tripsy to go see a very very dear friend. The kid jumped town after graduating from Pitt. We saw all the predictable sights (Parliament, Big Ben (Roethlisberger), Tower of London, London Bridge (terrible bridge), and the British Museum). Our pal was a great host and his Europop friends were awesome. We brought in the New Year at a chic bar called "Bedroom" with an Indian/Sex theme and the alcohol and champagne flowed like water. Needless to say, in typical Jamie fashion, I was running my mouth and making a fool of myself... how else to start a new year!? Flashback to last year:

Jamie: "Gary! Gary! Gary, you think I'm drunk! Give me an integral, I'll solve it!!
Gary (Craig's father): "I don't even know what an integral is, calm down."

Anyway, we stopped by Paris for 2 days and saw the Eiffler, Lourververevre (or however its spelled), Arc d'Triumph, Champs Elysees, and blurreee blauaau bleu (that's "blah, blah, blah" in a French accent). Paris was beautiful, but the people... kinda douche bags. Douche is french afterall, isn't it? Don't answer that. I don't care.

I rode the New York subway, the London Underground, the Paris Metro, and a Greyhound all in a matter of 6 days... WOW! Greyhound was the best, naturally. Have I ever shared my Greyhound experiences via blog??? We'll save that for a Jamie Neutron Exclusive.

And most recently, I just returned from fabulous Las Vegas with the siblings (minus Micky, the youngin' who is Barack-ing out in DC). We went to celebrate Alyssa's 21st, Carolyn's 30th, and James' 27th. Needless to say, it was a shitshow and I loved every minute of it. Vegas is phenomenal, I love it... the raunchiness, the desperation, the buffets. It's my happy place.

And how bout dem Stillers?? I made a bet with myself in Vegas (well actually I made a lot of bets, but this one is legit) that if the Eagles didn't clench this SuperBowl, which they didn't, I would officially become a PRIMARY Steelers fan.

NOW I KNOW THIS WAS BIG NEWS TO SOME PEOPLE...

Take a breath and listen to my logic -
1. I have been an Eagles fan for 22 years and NEVER seen a Super Bowl win
2. I know its not about winning, but let's face it, I'm tired of being let down
3. Any person would agree that when you've stopped getting enjoyment from a relationship, it's time to cut ties
4. I have lived in Pittsburgh for 6 years and will now see 2 Super Bowl games!
5. Plus I grew out of my McNabb jersey

So all I have to say is.... HERE WE GO, STEELERS, HERE WE GO!!!!

I lie for money

Here's hoping for another $50!

One of those days

Do you ever have one of those days where everything is just so annoying. Like every little thing plays on your last nerve. Well that's me today. I'm not grumpy or in a bad mood its just like "WTF" moments keep happening.

Examples:
- My dumb ass MacBook was frozen for a day and a half and I could see things updating so it was alive, but I couldn't operate the mouse pad or keyboard. I took it to the Apple store and
- Got a parking pass valid for 1 hour but had to wait in line for 45 minutes and ended up getting a ticket. At least AppleCare covered the problem with my Book and they replaced the battery free of charge
- It wasn't really free though since I got that ticket.
- And did some interim shopping at Victoria's Secret.
- My house is freezing since Craig and I have resorted to corporal punishment to cut down on the gas bill, hence when I was enjoying my lunch of spaghetti, I got sauce all over my new scarf which was keeping me warm.
- I went to the library to rent a textbook so I could do my Stats HW without buying the book but it was checked out. Guess till when? APRIL.
- I had to come into Benedum to work on my homework since I don't want to spend $80 on the software I need, but of course the computer I chose to settle into (bring out all my supplies, plug in iPod, remove shoes) is the only PC that the program wasn't installed on
- I gathered my belongings and changed rooms, no biggie, but my dumb new backpack's velcro attached to my sweater and when I dropped my backpack it yanked my sweater and pulled my earbuds out and I wailed a silent yell.

All of these problems are resorting from my being cheap, I've noticed.

It's just lousy, ya know? But I'm still cheery for the most part. Oh, nice, there's a class in this room and I have to leave now. Wonderful.

Later,
J

The End of the Beginning

OK, be warned, you are about to read a MeganBoerio-esque blog where I plan to pour my bleeding heart out on this digital canvas of sorrow. In my own witty, bullshit way of course.

I have come to realize that while all fun and fancy free life has been up to now, it's very very quickly approaching a change. And NO this is NOT THE CHANGE WE NEED!

A New Year's list -
People I love who may be leaving me soon:
1. Craig
2. LP
3. Vedururu
4. MeganBoerio

What the hell is to become of me?!? These people have made me, they are my besties, and now I'm without.

I know what you're thinking, "Ok, Lady Drama, chill out." Ok, I'll chill out. I mean, how exciting it's going to be to live alone and pay a full gas bill, and get a cat that I can talk to every night, and play Rock Band alone, and drink PBR alone in my living room with no furniture cause Craig took it all, and hang out with Dallas all the time (hehehe just kidding!)

Ugh, this is terrible. I'm going to Chipotle....

A song to lift my spirits: Easy/Lucky/Free by Bright Eyes:

"Honey, don't you weep...
Don't you weep...
There is nothing
as lucky,
as easy,
or free."

2008

...cheers to another fantastic year :-)