No locusts!

Summertime, and it’s hot, hazy, and humid. Typical. BUT. Summer also means it’s time to break out the skirts! Now, here’s the thing. I don’t really mind wearing skirts, they keep you cooler and can be fun, but I look better in pants. I’m just saying. When you’ve got pudged legs and calves, you look better in pants. So I tend to not wear skirts until it gets really hot.

This usually inspires people to say “you’re wearing a skirt!” in a shocked manner when they see me. This usually surprises me, because while I was working at the bookstore in Williamsburg in the summer I always wore skirts. In fact, if I wore pants people would be in shock about that. Either way people are surprised. But here we are on Wednesday and I have worn a skirt everyday this week.

Oh, and one thing that really annoys me about skirts. If you sit in any kind of leather or plastic seat, you get that nasty back-of-thighs-sticking-to-chair syndrome. Ick! And then you get the indentations of the chair on your legs and that is not a good look on anyone. This is just another one of the myriad reasons why I don’t really like the summer. But my chair at work has a fabric seat, so woot! No worries!

Mom’s Quote of the Day: “Every time I call King David [our family’s Jewish cemetery] and tell them my name is Rachel Riley, they tell me I must have the wrong number. They say ‘you must want the protestant memorial park.’ Marg, when I die, you go over there and make sure they’ll let me in!”

Currently Watching: The PBS Frontline special on AIDS. It is amazing.

Currently Reading: “Scruples” by Judith Krantz.

Spring Cleaning, er, NOT

When I was younger and bored, my idea of a good time was to declutter my room. Not necessarily clean (too many chemicals, blech!), but really get into the far recesses of my closet, root around under my bed, and go through old school papers, photos, and assorted crap. It occurred to me this morning that I have not done this in a long time. Probably due to the fact that most of my stuff is currently sitting in a storage unit in downtown Alexandria, but also due to the fact that I have managed to purge myself of a lot of baggage in the past couple years.

For once I am not speaking of emotional baggage, but the actual physical unloading of the crap I carry around. Moving out of my townhouse after law school had a lot to do with this. I HATE moving, probably due to the fact that I never did it before (that’s right, I still live in the same house I grew up in) and having to pack up and hit the road immediately after graduation forced me to quickly ascertain what was coming and what was going. If it looked like it would gather dust, I pitched it. If it was easily and cheaply replaceable, I pitched it. If I hadn’t worn it in two years, it got donated.

Which means, despite the fact that I am older now, I probably own less stuff than any other time in my life. Which = whoo! I always had this kind of fear of becoming like the creepy baglady woman in the movie Labyrinth. You know who I mean. The one who tried to get Sarah to stay in her old bedroom with all her stuff piled up on her back.
But now, everything I own in the world can fit in an 8 x 4 room. And by “fit” I mean, be stacked to the ceiling. But still. That’s pretty impressive.

I’ve always been a firm believer in the idea that when your living space is not cluttered it helps your mind become not cluttered. So that means I have no excuse. Ready mind? Get decluttered!

Attack of the Andibear!

Yesterday I was lucky to have dinner with my old pal, Andi. Also known as Andibear and the Worst Lesbian Ever. I got to meet her boyfriend (hence the nickname) and we had dinner at a restaurant in Union Station downtown. It was a beautiful evening (we sat outside) and talked about what we were watching, reading, and also made fun of Nebraska. Because, you know, we could.

I haven’t seen Andi in almost a year, in fact, the last time we hung out was in Roanoke last summer the night before I took the bar exam. And that wasn’t exactly an environment conducive for fun and hijinks. Although she does exhibit a great calming force. There is something very nurturing about Andi.

She and Jeff are oh so very cute and make me want to gouge my eyes out from the cuddliness, or maybe that’s the jealousy. I mean, my GOD. The LESBIAN finds a boyfriend and I am still waiting for that train. But, I digress.

Andi and Jeff were headed back to Boston after a wedding-filled weekend, and I was lucky enough to snag them for a few hours. The good news is they will be coming back to the DC area for a conference in November, which is like 6 months from now, but beggars can’t be choosers.

Oh, and I did my best to convince Andi to make guest appearances at bridge club. The truth came out that on Monday nights when she claims to be “writing papers” she is in fact “watching 24.” But I think she is afraid I will hassle her if she comes once and then never comes back. Where would she get that idea? COME BACK ANDI. We miss you! And we promise not to boot you from the table even if you take forever to decide what to play. And, hello, summer = reruns. So you are good to go.

Currently listening to: For Andibear, “Whiter Shade of Pale.” It’s our song.

Currently Reading: “The Book Thief” by Marcus Zusak

Alias Drinking Game

After five years of watching Alias, I have devised a clever (yet obvious) drinking game. Just follow these simple rules...

Take a drink everytime:

-someone says the word "endgame"

-someone mentions Rambaldi

-Victor Garber does something badass

-Marshall dorks out

-Sloane is a jackass

-Rachel is useless

-you doubt Amy Acker could ever be a super-spy since the chick is so thin she can barely carry the weight of her own head

-Sydney cries

If you follow these simple steps, you should be pretty much good and wasted by the end of the teaser.

Random Musings

I saw a woman in the lobby of my building this morning wearing a pair of cow skin clogs. Like, seriously wearing them. Not in an ironic sense. What would make you think that was a good look?

It's now official, Veronica Mars and Supernatural will be coming back for the 2006-07 television season on the CW. *cubicle dance* At least the new network is doing somethings right. A lot of people have been kvetching about Everwood not getting picked up, but I have never seen the show. Maybe I can catch up over the summer with Netflix. Not like I don't have 45 things on my que right now...but you never know. There might be room for more.

This week has been so long and, to be honest, kind of crummy. I've just been making some dumb mistakes at work, and I am trying really hard to build a good reputation. I just keep looking forward to the weekend as this far off dream-land castle where free-range ponies frolic around and they have big chocolate fountains everywhere. Mmmm...chocolate.

I came to a resolution on Tuesday. Next time I want to see a movie and can't find someone to go with me, I'm going by myself. I've never been to a movie by myself, and I don't really know why. It doesn't have the same stigma as eating alone in a restaurant, but maybe I was worried people would judge me or something. Anyways, I promise. Next time, I'm striking out on my own and going to whatever craptastic film solo. I'll take me out for a date. And I guarantee I'll get lucky at the end of the night. *wink wink nudge nudge*

Currently Listening To: Jewel, "Goodbye Alice in Wonderland"

Currently Reading: "Middlesex" by Jeffrey Eugenides

I Don't Wanna Make You Sway

Last night after getting home from the Washington Whedonites meeting (what? I told you I was a dork), I downloaded the Veronica Mars Soundtrack onto my Ipod. Smack dab in the middle of the Album is the song "Sway" by The Perishers. Folks, it is gorgeous. A mellow, dreamy song about lost love. Here's a lyric sample

I talk to you as to a friend
I hope that’s what you’ve come to be
It feels as though we’ve made amends
Like we found a way eventually

It was you who picked the pieces up
When I was a broken soul
And then glued me back together
Returned to me what others stole

I don’t wanna hurt you
I don’t wanna make you sway
Like I know I’ve done before
I will not do it anymore
I’ve always been a dreamer
I've had my head among the clouds
Now that I’m coming down
Won’t you be my solid ground?

Sigh. So awesome. Fans will remember this is the song playing when Logan and Veronica dance at the Sadie Hawkins Dance in Season 2. But even if you don't watch the show, this is a great album. It also has "I Turn My Camera On" by the Spoons which I think has been in some car commercial and The Dandy Warhols "We Used to be Friends." Get your ass to ITunes people!

Mom's Quote of the Day:
Me: "What do you want to do for Mother's Day?"
Mom: "I'm the Mom. I don't have to plan anything. That's your job."
Da-um.

Currently Listening to: Dude. Did you even read the post?

Currently Reading: "Haunted" by Chuck Palahniuk

New TV Blog!

Caroline and I have joined forces and in a bid to ensure world domination have created a television blog: TV Sluts

If you like us, you will like this blog. And if you don't like us, what the HELL are you doing reading my blog anyway? Oh, and we don't like you either.

So come one, come all, join us in the blogosphere for some in-depth conversation about your (and by your, I mean our) favorite shows. Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section over at TV Sluts.

Ripped From the Headlines

I don't usually use this blog to respond to news items, but as I was riding the Metro to work this week and reading my Washington Post Express, some of the articles really got to me. To wit:

The Spanish National Anthem Controversy. Are people really pissed off about this? Here we have a group of people who originally hail from other countries, who want to celebrate how much they love America. And because they haven't learned English yet (and seriously, English is like THE most difficult language to learn) they have to sing it in Spanish. Shouldn't we be happy that immigrants love America? Shouldn't we be happy that they don't want to blow up buildings? Let them sing about loving this country in any language they want. Maybe we should learn how to sing it in Spanish too.

Palestinians Face Financial Crunch. This makes me laugh. Here is a government that was elected on the platform of wanting to wipe Israel off the map and has known terrorist ties. And then, when the international community, including America, cuts off their aid money, they whine about how they can't pay their employees. Umm, hello? Palestine? This is called biting that mouth that feeds you. Do they really want to bitch about how Israel stopped collecting tax money from Palestinian nationals? You can't run around telling people you want to nuke your neighbor and then expect your neighbor to pay for your government. While not everyone in Palestine voted for Hamas, I can't drum up a lot of sympathy for the people who did. You made your bed, now you gotta lie in it.

Overheard on the Metro: "This train smells like chicken! It takes a black person to know. Who's got that chicken? Can I get some?" (the young lady in question then went on to describe how she fashioned weapons from her toiletry items while at Juvenile Hall)

Currently Watching: Sideways

Currently Reading: "Under the Banner of Heaven" by Jon Krakauer