Take five Wednesday.

Project go vegetarian for a week is complete. I stuck to it (although on Sunday, I got a soup with a base of chicken broth, which I felt bad about later) and had some brisket for lunch. Not really that exciting. I do think I'm going to be eating less meat for awhile. Wow, that is a completely uninteresting topic. 5 of your favorite blogs. 1. Amalah (yeah, I stalk them. she has beautiful kids.) 2. What I'm Seeing (daily photo blog in SF) 3. DC365 4. Line Cook 5. Laura Anne Benson's blog 5 things you bought recently. 1. Ski goggles. 2. McDonalds fries (this kind of grosses me out but we were in the middle of a 6 hour car trip. you do what you have to do) 3. Helium tanks (just two small ones) 4. 1000 cotton candy cones (#3 and #4 were for an event that we held in my unit this past weekend. i am now a master of making cotton candy) 5. Pita chips (so addictive!) 5 of your favorite words. 1. Waffle 2. Gymnastics (i like to write it in cursive) 3. Farfetched 4. Naptime (just becuase of what it implies) 5. Muffin (i've taken to calling my cats this) 5 of your favorite quotes (#4 and #5 are from the West Wing. I don't have 5 favorite quotes) 1. Your silence will not protect you - Audre Lorde 2. We are the ones we have been waiting for. We are the change that we seek. - Obama 3. When we walk to the edge of all the light we have and take the step into the darkness of the unknown, we must believe that one of two things will happen. There will be something solid for us to stand on or we will be taught to fly. - Patrick Overton 4. "Anyway, Helena Hodworth Hooter-Tooter of Braintree wants to organize a boycott of the reception, and... Well, there it is. Yes, Mrs. Bartlet descends from quite the murderous band of ruffians, and her membership in the DAR is suspect on those grounds, or so believes the Boston Globe." - CJ 5."A little thing called team morale, Josh, you gotta make people feel good about themselves. All right, shut the hell up, everybody, I've fired more people than you before breakfast." - Leo **You get SO MANY bonus points if you can tell me what's going on in the episodes I quoted from** 5 things you like about blogging, (or the internet in general) 1. I get to write ridiculous things like this and people actually read it 2. For curious folk like myself, endless opportunities to learn false information 3. The stay connected with other people you love piece 4. It feels SO MUCH EASIER than writing a letter for some reason 5. It has the same mind numbing effect as TV, which you need sometimes

Favorite West Wing episode?

I'm not sure about my favorite episode ever, but Noel is definitely in the top three. It's a combination of the fact that it's about Josh (love!) and it's some of the best writing in the series, and Yo Yo Ma is on it, but wow. Everytime I watch it I get goosebumps. As I write this I'm thinking that I even might have writted pretty much this exact same spiel at some other point on this blog. Oh well. At least I'm consistent. Anyway, do you have a favorite episode? If not, make one up.

As a side note to that, Missy got to meet Bradley Whitford. OMG. He told her to call him "Brad." OMFG. Envy. I am green with it.

To answer some questions from the last post, Outside Lands is a huge three day music festival going on in Golden Gate Park August 22-24 with a whole bunch of bands/artists that I would love to see. More info here: http://www.sfoutsidelands.com/

And Laura, I actually saved my stimulus check. It's crazy I know, but I'm trying to save again since I used a lot of my savings recently to pay off all my credit card debt. I know it was the adult, responsible thing to do. It is CRAZY how much more fun the beginning of the month is without worrying about credit card bills.

I'm going to a wedding in Ohio this weekend for a friend from grad school. Thinking about the number of my friends who have gotten married since I graduated from college is kind of mind-boggling. First, Kelley and Mike (they should get some sort of first place prize) Then Tommy and Kristen, Mer and Geoff, Matt and Katie, Nikki and Ted, Jean and Lee, Holly and Chris, Dana and Larry. And now Candy and Matt. (Worth nothing that Kel is also in the lead with children! Seriously, she needs a ribbon or something)

Also, it is ridiculous that Erin Lancione, and Jenny Hansen (have you seen Jenny's pictures on Facebook, she looks stunning!) got married recently and this weekend Lisa is also getting married. (I mean, there are countless other people from SLHS that are also married, we don't need an exhaustive list or anything...but if you want to try and make one, I encourage you to do so) Is something in the water? Geez.

Goal: I'm hoping to have something else to talk about besides the West Wing in the next post.



That's Candy and Matt on the left (their wedding this weekend), Dana and Larry in the middle. This was taken graduation day from grad school - seriously, we'd been trying to get our men in the same place for two years. This is the first time it happened. This weekend will be the second.

Weekend recap

Well, Dan kind of wrote an entry about our weekend. We all went ahead and had a social life, which was a new and exciting feeling. Saturday, REM was playing on campus in the Greek Theater, which is effectively a big ampitheater. One of the RD apartments is as close as you can get to the theater without actually being inside the theater grounds, so all the RDs get to "go" to all the concerts that come to campus, without having to pay. So, REM was there Saturday night and they're great live. I, personally, really enjoy Michael Stipe, not because he's a little out there, but because he's a little out there and puts it out there anyway. I admire that. Anyway, they played "Losing my Religion," "What's the Frequency Kenneth," "This One Goes Out to the One I Love," and "Man on the Moon." They played a lot of other songs, but those are the four I know. I was pretty happy about it. Today, we had tickets to see Audra McDonald sing - we had no idea who she was before this year, but she's the actress who plays Naomi on Private Practice. We had no idea she was also a classically trained opera singer. Today, however, she didn't sing any opera but sang a lot of contemporary songs, from musicals and other stuff. She has a lovely voice and is funny funny funny. She apparently released her fourth album (not opera) recently, just as a random infobit. After her show, I went with some of the other RDs to go see the Sex and the City movie. Now, I'm not overly attached to the show but I was curious enough to see what happened. I left afterwards pretty much the same way I went in. Not excited or riled up about it, but happy I knew how everything ended and that was it. I did enjoy the scene with the flowers in the middle of the street. I could also be pretty non-affected because I've never liked Big. Not ever. So anyway. That's my confession. But the movie did make me miss all of you back in DC. This week starts a new two week stint of Dine About Town in San Francisco...cheap meals and all. So, of course, Dan and I will be going out to enjoy it. Hopefully I'll be getting to it on the other blog, which I still have some old posts to write anyway. In the interest of full disclosure, Dan and I were inspired by Laura's profession of love for the West Wing have started watching the series over again. We're almost done with Season 1 and it's STILL an amazing show, even the fourth or fifth time around. I really owe Kevin a drink or two for introducing me to it. In case you didn't read the discussion board today, please go to YouTube and watch the NumaNuma video. That is all.

Long weekend...what did we do with it?

All this free time on a three day weekend and I couldn't really tell you what we did. Nothing too exciting...no BBQs, no hanging out in someone's backyard to celebrate the kick-off of summer. But I will recount it for you anyway in thrilling detail because...we thought blogging would be a good idea. Definitely did some sleeping in on Saturday, after the long day of closing happened on Friday. We did our weekly grocery shopping (not at the Farmers Market this time) and as far as we can tell we finally watched the Grey's season finale - which was awesome. Sunday we woke up even later and made brunch. Dan is usually in charge of the pancakes, and I take the bacon and eggs. This week, we had chocolate raspberry pancakes, which were phenomenal - it was a good experiment. After brunch, we decided to maybe actually work on some of the DIY projects we've been saying we're going to do, so we broke out the paint and painted some picture frames to put up some old-time postcards of DC that I found in an antique store. And then we painted some paintings. The backstory on this is that my second year of grad school, we opened a new student center, and so the organization I was in (Graduate Student Senate) got a brand new office. It was pretty barren. Our very creative VP went out, bought some blank canvasses and some paint and printed off some abstract posters that we copied from and voila - art for our new office walls. So, we're basically doing the same thing here. While we did buy a gorgeous photo in Monterrey, and Dan has some great art from Cuba that we framed and hung, we have some big blank spaces we need to fill. The paintings we did Sunday were minis, working up to the big canvasses. They'll be up by the time many of you visit in September and the rule is no laughing. Also, while we painted I think we watched no less than 8 episodes of the West Wing (season 1). Seriously. Today, we took a walk and I talked to my mom and Dan bought some books and we rented a movie (Rendition with Jake Gyllenhaal and Reese Witherspoon - has anyone seen it?) and yeah, we're incredibly boring. In more exciting news, however, summer should be a good time. My mom will be out to visit in early June, and then Dan and I will be travelling to Ohio for a wedding. I think in early July I will be home visiting (maybe possibly...more definite plans to come). Near the end of July, my work will start gearing up again, August will be exhausting and then in September almost everyone I love will be out here. So, I know things will be moving along. Also, I highly recommend the book Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. Really, really good. End of most boring post ever. Meghan - will you be in Oxford on June 15? HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAURA!!

Updates

*We finished Season 7 of the West Wing last night. We're both kind of sad actually. I know, it's not like we can't just watch the whole series again (since we now own the complete series) but it'll be awhile before that happens I think. You know who I still don't like? Amy. *Our cats have started sleeping curled up together on the couch at night instead of sleeping with us. I can't decide if I'm happy or sad about it. *Dan is leaving tomorrow to go to New York for a week to put on this big important event he's been working on. I will have an enormous bed all to myself for a week! Also, I'll miss him and stuff. *Ro - I fully intend on actually taking 12 pictures of my life on the 12th. It will not be nearly as exciting as yours. But, I will try it out anyway. ***jk, as Dan will have the camera in NYC. His 12th will be more exciting than mine though. *It's 60 degrees here today, and will be all week. *sticks tongue out in a very immature fashion* *Haven't posted pictures in awhile. Some to come soon.

Late night random thoughts, volume 2

*We're working through West Wing season 7 and I honestly forget sometimes when I turn off the show that the characters aren't real candidates. When I remember and figure it out, I get sad. No seriously, I would vote for Martin Sheen every election for the rest of my life if I could. *So, we've been enjoying restaurants in San Francisco and around the rest of the Bay Area since we've been here. And, you know, some wine. Since some people (i.e. Rosa) want to here what we have to say about them, we're going to potentially start another blog linked to this one about restuarant reviews, maybe wineries we've enjoyed. However, while you are, as our friends, required to read this blog, the other blog will be optional reading, as I can't imagine WHY you would care about restaurants in San Francisco. *Dan is still kind of sort of sick. He hadn't been coughing at all today, and then we went and had frozen yogurt for dessert. Remember how when you have lots of phlegm and mucus and junk your mom told you that you shouldn't have dairy? Yeah, I forgot. *Our car gets turned in this Friday. Sad about it. Anyone have a scooter I can buy from them? *Can anyone else believe that it's already February? Also, it's a leap year. I think I should look into why leap years exist. I think I have a general idea, but yeah. Note to self. *Last weekend, we went to a Wii playing party at one of the other RD's apartment and she also has Guitar Hero. So, everyone is struggling with the game, trying over and over to get through one song. So, Dan picks it up and of course, sails through one song one the first try. Yeah, this is why we never get invited to do anything fun. I kicked serious ass in bowling though. Franklin would be proud. *I can not stop watching the West Wing. It's right at the part when Josh and Donna start getting togther and I'm completely addicted.

Random late night thoughts

*I had my first meeting with my new supervisor today, which was great. I think I'm really going to enjoy working with him. We talked about how I would like to work for Semester at Sea soon. He's going to help me out I think. Excitement. *I finished my non-fiction book of the month tonight, which is exciting, I actually met my first goal for the year. Let's see how January goes. Meghan picked my Feb. book and Ro picked my March book, so I guess I have to at least finish those two. *For my birthday, Dan got me Season 5 of the West Wing, and then we got Season 6 for Christmas/Hanukkah. You'll never guess what I got him for his birthday!!! Well, he also got Rollercoaster Tycoon - a NEW version! Can you even believe they still make that game? Anyway, he was upset he never got to play it. I'm pretty sure I'll be regretting that purchase this time next week. *Our cats will not stop trying to eat our food. It's like they're puppies who beg all the time who just also happen to fit in our laps. Also, James=attention whore. For serious. *Dan has this nasty cough/chest congestion thing that makes him sound like a really old man because he's trying to cough stuff up all the time. We've been sleeping in seperate beds because ew. No one wants to wake up to that. *We went out to dinner on Monday and I easily had the best dessert of my life at dinner. It was amazing amazing amazing. Dinner was just good, but who cares? *Seriously, no one suggested any good movies (Kevin Romano, what the heck??) *Have you heard that Britney Spears is only speaking in a British accent in public now? *sigh* I still love "Piece of Me" and I won't deny it. *Currently, it sounds like Dan is coughing up a hairball in the shower. Be jealous.

Putting it all out there.

So remember the other day when I told you that I got Season 4 of the West Wing for my birthday from Dan? It's now almost 4 in the morning, and I've been up watching episode after episode. In my defense, I feel like I haven't seen these episodes in a really long time. And also, if you think I'm crazy, which I kind of am, you feel free to blame, well a couple of people. First, Aaron Sorkin for being so amazing, and then blame one Kevin Patrick Romano who got me addicted to the show in the first place. And then maybe also the executive at Bravo whose idea it was to have West Wing marathon Mondays.


Anyway, since all I want to do is ramble about Zoe and Jean Paul, and Andy and Toby's baby, and Sam's running for congress I think I'm going to go to bed instead, because I suspect that if I do talk about those things, you'll just shake your head sadly and wonder if I know they're not real people. I do know, but I have to admit it's just a little disappointing.


Tomorrow (Sunday) is Nikki and Ted's one year anniversary. Talk about time flying.