Flossing

I usually use Oral-B Satin Floss, because it really does slide through my teeth like satin. And that's important, as I don't have very big gaps between my teeth. They are instead rather close together. Last night I realized that I hadn't flossed in a while, since the boyfriend (who flosses every night no matter where he is) had used the last of my Satin wonderfulness. So I borrowed, nay, stole some regular Mint Waxed floss from my cousin/roommate. I think it was Johnson's, but I can't be sure.

I hadn't realized how spoiled I'd gotten with my Satin. While using Oral-B's floss, I could vaguely remember my dentist always telling me that if floss got stuck between your teeth, don't yank--slide it out. That's mad!, I thought. My floss doesn't get stuck between my teeth!, I thought.

The regular waxed floss reacts badly when it touches water and teeth. It does not slide between my teeth; rather, it jerks up to my gums, moves a millimeter back and forth, then gets stuck on the way out. And I mean STUCK. It got so bad a couple of times that I had to freak out, calm down, remember what the dentist said, then find creative ways to manuever it out from between my teeth. Because there was no sliding. The wax acted like a glue rather than a lubricant. My teeth are still a little sensitive today, especially the ones that I got close to pulling out while trying to dislodge the demon floss.

Listen to me people. Buy the Satin floss. Your life will change. But you'll never be able to use another floss again.

Back at home

I'm sitting at home in my dad's reclining chair watching news anchors talk about the Navy's 231st birthday. My plans for this weekend changed a few days ago, and I thought I'd just be sitting around alone at home tonight. But I'm at home home now, the house I grew up in, due mainly to a slideshow emailed to me by my mother that contained pictures of my youngest niece and nephew. How can one not come home after seeing adorable family like that?

My mom and I played a stirring game of jacks tonight, which she won of course. Last weekend we had a quick challenge, and she beat me pretty handily. Tonight I gave her a run for her money, but of course she remains "the champ" (her term).

In case anyone has a hard time recalling what jacks look like,



Now we're watching If Looks Could Kill. Richard Grieco. Enough said. Well, not enough. This movie also stars the Sheriff of Rottingham.

What I Did At Work Today

Stole this picture from Party City's website:





Scanned this picture of my Driver's License:




And put the two together. Because of copyright reasons (and also because it's already on the door to our office) I can't show you the end product. But trust me, it's good.

Kinky, ACL, & Baseball (American traditions)

Kinky Friedman is a candidate I'm supporting. I know the people who take the time to read this aren't all Kinky fans. So if you're not, the next paragraph might just be scanning material.

First off, Kinky will be at UT this Wednesday. He will be in the Texas Union Ballroom beginning at 11. I'm going to take an early lunch, but I doubt I'll make it in time to be able to see the man. Hopefully they'll have their sound system blaring so those of us who are short and in the back will be able to hear him. It's officially 11-1, so if you have the time, please make it out there to hear him.

Second, I got an email from the boyfriend tonight that stated this:

"We are less than a week away from the only televised debates of this gubernatorial election. That's right: the only chance you are going to get to see the people vying to lead Texas for the next four years going head-to-head will be this Friday night, before the UT-OU football game.

Democracy! The debate's going to be an hour long, without commercials, and will run from 7pm-8pm (central time). In addition to the statewide cable channel TXCN, the following stations will run the debate:

In Dallas WFAA
In Houston KHOU
In San Antonio KENS-TV
In Austin KVUE-TV"

Even if you're not a Kinky believer, I think this debate is worth your time. Come on guys, this state just isn't getting it done anymore (the country's not doing so hot lately either). Please do something...vote.

I've finally uploaded my very lame collection of ACL pictures to Flickr. I forget that I have my camera when I'm having a good time. My Cowboys pictures are still coming...

My 'Stros aren't in the running anymore. So I'm giving my allegiance to (gasp, sigh, hanging of head) the St. Louis Cardinals. If anyone SHOULD win, it should be them. I'm not taking into account the recent slip and slide they had, mind you. But this is a good, solid team. They only thing that could hurt them (and probably will) is their lack of good pitchers. Let's hope Pujols, Edmonds, Carpenter, and the boys can pull them through. Good luck guys. This is the one time I'll be rooting for you.

Picture Essay

This is how I feel when people talk about how bad SHSU is going to lose this weekend.


On a completely unrelated note, I saw a shirt today that said on the back, "Mom. Dad. I'm Gaelic."

A hippopotumus is just a really cool opotumus.

I've come to the conclusion that I probably shouldn't read my blog. Every time I do, I wonder why I write it. I used to do that with my diaries too. Like I need to impress myself with my diary.

Last night I watched some YouTube of Mitch Hedberg. I'd never really seen him or heard his stuff, but a lot of my friends love him and I now see why. Maybe you recognized his joke in the title line.

I've grown to have a love/hate relationship with this time of year. Here's why:

The weather is beautiful. I still break a sweat walking to and from work, but it's not the kind that soaks through my shirt and makes me feel like I've just been to the sauna. The wind is blowing cool air for a change, and even the squirrels and birds seem to be more chipper. Plus, it's just a matter of time until I get to dress up in my Fall/Winter wardrobe. I probably shouldn't call it a wardrobe so much as "the few sweaters and long sleeved shirts I own," but it also includes my awesome collection of coats and jackets. Which I won't need until...well, I probably won't need any extra layers in Austin. Bummer.

But this time of year also means that almost all of the people around me are in school. Which means they have homework and exams. Which means they can't just up and go to a Shostakovich recital with me. I'm not really complaining--I have something taking up my evenings these next few months as well. But it is sad to not have those carefree nights anymore.

I think a friend of mine is angry with me, but as she's not returning my phone calls, I can't be sure. Stinks.

I think a cold's comin'

Really, I think I might be getting sick.

I want to upload my ACL pictures on Flickr, but I'm not at home right now (The horror! I'm at work!), so those will have to wait.

There's some office drama going on right now, but thankfully I'm not involved in any way. I'm just a spectator. With ring-side seats.

The Science of Sleep is coming out tomorrow. The boyfriend doesn't know it yet, but he's going to go with me to that movie. I don't think he's going to mind. I also want to see Jet Li's "final martial arts epic" Fearless, but I have a feeling that's one I'll have to see on my own. By the by, has anyone heard why this is his "final martial arts epic?" I'm desperate to know. I dig the Jet Li.

The comic at the beginning of the post was just too good not to share.

Just go here

Bush v Bush

America, the treehouse

Just read a New York Times article about the debate of the army's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. To refresh, the Armed Forces won't allow openly gay men and women to enlist. They will, however, allow high school dropouts and some convicted criminals. Am I missing something here? There are homosexuals trying to get into the Army, Isn'trying! And they're being turned away for the alternative--someone who most likely doesn't have the same drive or ambition.

The claim is that allowing openly gay individuals will cut into morale and 'cohesion.' One supporter of the ban says that "people should not have to expose themselves to other persons who are sexually attracted to them." I'm sorry, but when were straight men and women not sexually attracted to the opposite sex? Aren't they all in "conditions of forced intimacy"? If straight men and women can learn to keep their hands off each other, I think gay men and women can learn to do the same.

I also find it odd that a country that seems to support equal opportunity employment, punishing discrimination to the point where a person who makes a derogatory joke is ostrasized, is having trouble with discrimination in a field of work that arguably needs all the people it can get. And it has citizens volunteering, citizens it's turning away because of a sexual preference.

Some people would tell me that if I hate things here (in America) so much I should just go somewhere else. But this isn't a treehouse in a backyard. It seems like a lot of people think of this country as such--a treehouse with a sign that says "No foreigners, gays, or critics allowed." Hey Bush administration, if you don't have those, you don't have a damn country to run into the ground. Remember that.

Sorry for politics again. I'll be out cavorting with the masses the next three days. Whoo! I know you care, so I'll tell you who I'll probably be seeing (bolds are ones I'm dying for):

The Dears
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
deadboy & the Elephantmen
Wolf Parade
Gnarls Barkley
Okkervil River
Cat Power & the Memphis Rhythm Band
Thievery Corporation
Ray Lamontagne
Van Morrison (let's hope he plays some old songs)
Murder by Death
Ben Kweller
TV on the Radio
The Shins
Calexico
Aimee Mann
What Made Milwaukee Famous
String Cheese Incident
Kings of Leon
Iron and Wine
Willie Nelson
Kathleen Edwards
Jose Gonzalez
Buckwheat Zydeco
The New Pornographers
Son Volt
The Flaming Lips
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

YAY!

ACL mothas!

I'm posting this entry mainly for my friend Marci who can't seem to remember that I'll be rocking my booty off this week at the festival whose babies I'd like to have. I realize that sentence went a little far, but I don't care. I'm psyched.

Austin City Limits is this weekend, and I will be there. Every day. Until my limbs can no longer move and my ears can no longer hear. I will probably be blowing weird things out of my nose for a week afterwards, if the last two years are any indication. Again, too far. Sorry.

Please go here if you are interested (or want to tell me which bands to see for you): ACL Festival.

I realize this was full entry was full of gloating. To make sure I don't seem like I'm totally self-centered, I'll give you this as well, courtesy of Cute Overload:

Work & Play

Today we were finally able to drop students that did not meet a requirement of a particular class. There were only 4 total spots freed out of 5 sections. 4 spots. Over this last week and a half, we've had more than 4 people come in and call wanting to know if there were open seats. Now we wait and see if those people have given up on their quests or if they will persevere after all. Wish them luck.

Walking into work yesterday morning, I passed a group of four men who looked a lot like contractors. As I approached, I heard one say "Excuse me for what I'm about to say, but those guys are assholes." I heard 'assholes' the moment I passed. There was a beat, then three other men said things like "That's what I've heard" and "Well, I'm sure you know what you're talking about." There's nothing extraordinary about this story, but I love (LOVE) that awkward moment after someone says something like "those guys are assholes" when everyone else is trying to figure out how they should react. Even when I'm in the same predicament and I feel incredibly nervous, I still get a rush. It's when the listeners of the group are actually communicating through ESP. "What should we say? Who should speak first? Is he just saying this out of spite or does he know what he's talking about?"

Yesterday afternoon I went to my old work building. It was odd, especially the difference in how I felt walking in there. I didn't feel like there was a chance of me tearing my hair out at the thought of stepping onto the elevator.

UT plays Ohio State tomorrow. I don't care who you are or where you graduated from, I think it's almost impossible to live in Austin and not care even the tiniest bit about football season when it rolls around. Even if all you are concerned with is the lack of parking or the influx of outsiders, you're still engaged in this mammoth thing most of us call heaven. I don't have any tickets to games, but I do have a TV and a few bars within walking distance. I'm still a Bearkat at heart, but I can't help but root for the hometown boys.

Political Fridays

OoooK. I admit I'm not a political scientist major, and I truly am not the most informed person in the world. Most of the time I don't care very much about politics, but lately (with the high temperatures all over the world, the war that was 'won' but is still taking lives, the continued terrorist threats...) I've been thinking more and more about our government, it's reputation, and it's personal history.

Heading through my daily dose of blogs, I came across the following video on Blurbomat. The video was a reaction to this speech by Donald Rumsfeld.



Assuming you've skimmed the speech and watched the video: I looked up the term fascism just to better inform myself of it's true definition. I find that since it's more of an abstract description, it's hard to pin down the true meaning.

I looked at Wikipedia:
"Fascism is also typified by totalitarian attempts to impose state control over all aspects of life: political, social, cultural, and economic. The fascist state regulates and controls (as opposed to nationalizing) the means of production. Fascism exalts the nation, state, or race as superior to the individuals, institutions, or groups composing it. Fascism uses explicit populist rhetoric; calls for a heroic mass effort to restore past greatness; and demands loyalty to a single leader, often to the point of a cult of personality."

Dictionary.com:
"1.(sometimes initial capital letter) a governmental system led by a dictator having complete power, forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism, regimenting all industry, commerce, etc., and emphasizing an aggressive nationalism and often racism.
2.(sometimes initial capital letter) the philosophy, principles, or methods of fascism.
3.(initial capital letter) a fascist movement, esp. the one established by Mussolini in Italy 1922–43."

Remember.org:
"Fascists particularly loathed the social theories of the French Revolution and its slogan: "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity."

*** Liberty from oppressive government intervention in the daily lives of its citizens, from illicit searches and seizures, from enforced religious values, from intimidation and arrest for dissenters; and liberty to cast a vote in a system in which the majority ruled but the minority retained certain inalienable rights.

*** Equality in the sense of civic equality, egalitarianism, the notion that while people differ, they all should stand equal in the eyes of the law.

*** Fraternity in the sense of the brotherhood of mankind. That all women and men, the old and the young, the infirm and the healthy, the rich and the poor, share a spark of humanity that must be cherished on a level above that of the law, and that binds us all together in a manner that continuously re-affirms and celebrates life.

This is what fascism as an ideology was reacting against_and its support came primarily from desperate people anxious and angry over their perception that their social and economic position was sinking and frustrated with the constant risk of chaos, uncertainty and inefficiency implicit in a modern democracy based on these principles. Fascism is the antithesis of democracy. We fought a war against it not half a century ago; millions perished as victims of fascism and champions of liberty."


I know that's a lot to read; apologies. But taking from those three places (I'm at work, so I can't do a true library search), I've pretty much figured out what facism is. I guess the statement "fascism is the antithesis of democracy" speaks loudest.

I understand that our current administration believes that fascism is what we are fighting when we're fighting the 'War on Terror.' But I find it increasingly hard to believe that the current administration doesn't see that they themselves are giving off the aura of "forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism." God forbid a newspaper or magazine criticize the government's job; of course that means they (the newspaper) don't have the nation's best interest in mind. "Liberty from oppressive government intervention in the daily lives of its citizens, from illicit searches and seizures, from enforced religious values, from intimidation and arrest for dissenters." By all means, Government, please tap whatever you'd like, and make sure you keep those crazy homosexuals from marrying--they can't be serious anyway, since the Bible says it's wrong.

I have several people in my life who are conservatives, and that's great. An all liberal government can be just as harmful as a our current conservatively biased one. I think the answer is to get some moderates in power--at least they're used to hearing both sides of a story before making a decision. I know I'm not the first to say any of this, so I know you may feel like you've heard it all before. But since I usually keep my mouth shut about these things, I thought I could snag a little air time.

You can probably tell that I'm not politically minded, but is that such a bad thing? I only speak up every once in a while; I'm more concerned with whether or not my Astros or Cowboys are winning.

I decided to post all of this mainly because Keith Obermann's speech moved me--even when I had my 'work' face on.

I promise my next post will be more entertaining.

Hilarious

So I went to my very first Dallas Cowboys game this weekend, and I have some pictures, but for now I just want to send you here: Star Trek sings Knights of the Round Table.

I promise it's worth your while.

Oh what the heck, here's one picture from this weekend.

My city

My city
Originally uploaded by ihearttheastros.

I got this lucky shot tonight.



We walked to campus for some exercise, and decided to go to the capital too. Unfortunately I forgot my camera.

If you live in Austin, be sure you visit this city once in a while. Remember why you moved here (or have stayed here) in the first place. It's pretty amazing.

Casey bartends

Casey bartends
Originally uploaded by ihearttheastros.

Just found this. Casey majored in bartending for the ladies.

No Joke

This is a true story. I finished my lunch today and opened one of my drawers to put my extra napkins away. I discovered that I had some bite size chocolate treats left from the Office Depot thingy about a month ago(that's another story altogether), so I decided to eat them before they got too old. These treats consisted of a)tiny bite-sized Snickers, b)tiny bite-sized 3 Musketeers, and c)small Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate.

I kid you not, after eating those I am in a much better mood. I'm not depressed about my job; I'm seriously thinking of applying for some classes (something I've been putting off for a while); I'm excited about the prospect of cooler weather in a few months (tell me I'm crazy now). Chocolate is amazing.

Now let's just hope I don't want to kill someone when I inevitably come down from my small chocolate high.

NYT

I have a rant. Here it is:

I found this New York Times article through Gawker in which the author (Stuart Elliott) writes about his surprising discoveries when he traveled outside of New York: On the Road, an Ad Landscape That Is Increasingly Familiar

Call me...whatever you want to call me, but I couldn't stand it. I'm tired of being stereotyped by the New York media. We don't all ride horses or farm in the rest of the country. Goodness! This was the email that I wrote to the editor:

"NYT,

I realize that it's a slim chance this email will be read, and I also realize that it won't matter to many at the New York Times what some random Texan thinks about your articles. I am only writing this to make myself feel a little better; like I've at least tried to right some kind of wrong today.

Stuart Elliott's article, "On the Road, an Ad Landscape That is Increasingly Familiar," has to be the funniest thing I've read today. Is it really true that people in New York don't realize that the rest of the country is living with the same things they are? Yes, we drink overpriced coffee; yes, we pay too much for gas; yes, we actually have the amazing internet--not just in our homes (egads!), but also in our hotels. Motels, even. Is it any surprise that a national chain such as Starbucks or Cingular would make their services available to those of us in the middle of the country? Doesn't "national chain" mean that it will be in places other than New York?

Wait, maybe I should just feel sorry for you guys. Visiting New York, we were hard pressed to find Lone Star or Shiner, two of the best reasons to live in Texas. You don't have HEB or Central Market, great grocery stores with low prices and high quality. You have to have Blue Bell ice cream shipped to you, when we can just walk to the nearest convenience store to find pure ecstasy in gallon form.

I find that we as Americans in general tend to be naive and think we're incredibly special, and some New Yorkers (some, mind you) tend to live in a bubble. While I love Austin, I realize that others might not be able to stand the heat (100 degrees is a norm, guys) or might not find Alamo Drafthouse (voted Best Theater in America by Entertainment Weekly) that exciting. And while in my previous paragraph I listed things you don't have in NY, I certainly wouldn't be surprised to see a presence of any of those items in your stores or streets. Maybe that's because I realize there's a world outside of my city limits."

Is that too....ranty? I don't know. I read over it a few times and edited a lot, and I don't really care if it's published. I just wanted to make sure I did something about the way I was feeling as a result of that article.

Whew!

Rant, cease.

Useless Information

My friend Marci has forced me to do this. Not against my will, mind you, but still...

Four jobs I have had in my life:

1. Convenience store (Citgo)
2. Blinn Junior College Theater student worker
3. Tour Guide, SHSU
4. Administrative Assistant, UT

Four Movies I would watch over and over.

1. The Princess Bride
2. Shakespeare in Love
3. Spaceballs
4. Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade

Four Places I have lived

1. Burton, TX
2. Huntsville, TX
3. North Austin, TX
4. Central Austin, TX

Four TV shows I love to watch

1. House
2. Gilmore Girls
3. Project Runway
4. Right now, Sports Night

Four places I’ve been on vacation

1. Germany
2. Cozumel
3. California
4. London

Web sites I visit daily

1. Page 2
2. Dooce
3. Email sites
4. Myspace (hangs head in shame)

Four of my favorite foods

1. Chocolate anything
2. Lime & Black Pepper chips
3. Tuna sandwiches
4. Trudy's queso

Four places I’d rather be right now

1. Bed
2. Beach
3. London
4. Somewhere where I make more money

Four friends I think will respond

1. Casey?
2. Rebecca?
3. Random reader?
4. Stalker?

Have at it, kids!

Adorably sweet

If you are allergic to cuteness, I don't think we can be friends.

Or we can, but you'll have to watch videos like this with me when we hang out, so get used to it.

Sports Night

If you love (or even like) sports and/or TV, you owe it to yourself to watch this show. I saw it for a while when it was new on ABC, and then I religiously watched the reruns on Comedy Central at midnight. Now I'm pretty sure I'm going to buy the DVD.

If you're cynical as a means of existence (like the boyfriend can be sometimes), you might find the show a little cheesy at times. You might think the stories are a little trite, or predictable. But I still maintain that as long as predictable stories are well told and well acted, they'll always be worth your while. Always. Transamerica was pretty predictable, but it was still a good movie. (Coincidentally, same female star.)

Do yourself a favor and rent this show. Or add it to your Netflix queue. If you hate it, I'm sorry. If you love it, let's discuss.