Wednesday Warriors

Today is Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday
It will be a so so day, so so day
All day long.

Welcome weary Wednesday Warriors!!

It's the middle of the standard work week. Are you ready for some more fun at the office? I know I am.
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Glacial Grafiti

A few days ago, AOL posted a story about an artist who painted a glacier red with lots and lots of red meat dye.

I've been trying in vain to find a photo of this that I can post or link to.

Here is why. I wanted you to see it so I can talk about the unusual choice of the artist. I do think it is strange that someone would take a piece of nature and try to improve upon it.

But that's not what I found weird about the story.

1) someone painted a glacier
2) he/she painted it with meat dye

Were you aware that there is such a thing as meat dye? Is the meat I'm buying in the supermarket dyed red to look fresher?

If I can find this image you will be the first to know.
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American Idol

My guilty pleasure. My reason to blow off a social activity I've been attending weekly for some time now.

I watched it last night. The guest judges were Ashford and Simpson. The theme was Motown. The teenager didn't fare too well. He sang MY GIRL entirely off key. I fear he will be voted off tonight. But the show was pretty great all around.

They have some good singers on the show this year.

Tuesday Troopers

For everyone who is sitting at a desk somewhere, sneaking a peak at the internet, to clear your minds for the next pile of shit to pass across your desk. . . I salute you.

For everyone who is working from home, taking a break from the mundanity of it all by perusing through your friends' blog entries. . . I salute you.

For anyone who doesn't have to work either at home or in some artificially lit soul sucking corporate office, I salute you too and congratulate you on being so lucky that you have the luxury to spend your time without the worry of earning money, raising kids or keeping house.

This Weekend

Well, I didn't quite make it into work on Saturday as planned. The life of Saturday took over. After having a nice morning with Jon, food shopping and then relaxing a little before making a nice dinner, I actually ran out of time to go into Manhattan to work.

Then on Sunday, I helped a friend move in next door which took the day and the evening was spent at a friend's birthday party. The time in between was spent getting ready.

This weekend took on a life of it's own that was almost spontaneous and unplanned.

That's the way weekends should be.

It was nice.

How was your weekend?

Okay. Just One More and Then I'll Move On.

Vidiot linked to a great article on The Nation website written by someone who attended the Radio and Television thing and here it is:

Capital Games by David Corn

I'm Not Alone

Apparently I'm not alone in feeling disappointed with Pres. Bush's seemingly "humorous" comments about the WMDs.

Not surprisingly Democrats are coming down hard on him, equally non-amused at the President making jokes about sending our troops to war under seemingly false pretenses.
=================================================
Democrats Call Bush's Comedy Skit Tasteless

Washington Post
Published on: 03/26/04
WASHINGTON -- President Bush's joking references to a search for weapons of mass destruction in the White House drew criticism from Democrats, who said the after-dinner remarks were tasteless and insensitive.

At the annual Radio and Television Correspondents Association event in Washington on Wednesday, Bush playfully provided mock captions to a series of photographs taken in and around the White House. The president's "White House Election Year Album" included pokes at himself, Vice President Dick Cheney and his presumed Democratic opponent, Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass.

Not funny

Remember this article the next time someone comments about how harmless Pres Bush's jokes were about not being able to find the Weapons of Mass Destruction.

Report Details Low US Army Morale, Suicide In Iraq

Presidential Humor

I was listening to the radio last night, to help quiet down my brain, so I could sleep. And before I nodded off, I heard a news commentator (not sure of his name on WOR am radio around 11) go off on President Bush's speech to the Radio and Television Correspondents Assocation Dinner.

The commentator was particularly non-impressed with Bush's jokes about finding weapons of mass destruction.

I have to agree that making jokes about sending people to war because you received faulty information is in truly bad taste. People are dying over there, at least 500 have died. People are getting wounded over there, at least 3000 or so. Getting wounded means anything from permanent paralysis, loss of limbs, getting hit my shrapnel, friendly fire or just plain old shell shock, the kind of injury that can't be seen but is just as permanent. I don't see any humor in that.

Here is the transcript of the President's speech which I found at the Town Hall News website. Tell me what you think.

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President's Remarks at Correspondents' Dinner(Editor's note: What follows is a transcript of remarks by President Bush at the Radio and Television Correspondents Association dinner in Washington on March 24, 2004, provided by the White House Press Office.)

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. Thank you. Thanks for inviting me -- finally. (Laughter.) And thank you for honoring David Bloom. It was a fantastic speech you gave for a man you loved.

I am sorry Laura couldn't be here. And I'm sorry Secretary Rumsfeld is not here, either. The guy constantly surprises me. Do you know what Rummy's favorite TV show is? "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy." (Laughter.) My Cabinet could take some pointers from watching that show. In fact, I'm going to have the Fab Five do a make over on Ashcroft. (Laughter.)

Anyway, it's nice to be with you. A couple of years ago when I was here, I read from my book of "Misarticalations." (Laughter.) Fortunately, my verbal phonation and electricution -- (laughter) -- have improved. So tonight I'm going to do one of my slide shows. These are actual, unstaged photos pulled from the files of the White House Photo Office. So, ladies and gentlemen, I present a White House Election-Year Album. (Applause.)

As you know, the contest with my opponent is going to be a slugfest. I'm feeling good. (Laughter.) I'm feeling ready. (Laughter.) I'm psyching myself up for the fight. (Laughter.) I knew it was going to be a tough campaign when Karl Rove started dressing like this. (Laughter.) And this is Condi Rice, of course. Here I am trying to explain John Kerry's foreign policy. (Laughter.)

I have to admit it really ticked me off when Democrats questioned my National Guard service in Alabama. Here's a photo proving that I was in Alabama fulfilling my duties. (Laughter.) Political campaigns always have their unexpected moments. This next photo is when I heard that Senator McCain said he was considering being Kerry's running mate. (Laughter.) The next one was taken a couple of months ago. I had just gotten word that Howard Dean had lost Iowa. (Laughter and applause.)

In addition to campaign calls, I also spend a lot of time on the phone listening to our European allies. (Laughter.) The conversation went like this: "Hey, John, Kim Jung-il here." (Laughter.) "Just wanted to call and let you know you're my guy." (Laughter.)

Those weapons of mass destruction have got to be somewhere. (Laughter and applause.)

As you can tell from the look on Andy Card's face, we've become a little concerned about the Vice President lately. (Laughter.) Whenever you ask him a question, he replies, "Let's see what my little friend says." (Laughter.) But we get along well. Here I am saying, "Dick, if the Hunan Palace doesn't get lunch here in four minutes, we're going out." (Laughter.)

Nope, no weapons over there. (Laughter and applause.) Maybe under here. (Laughter.) Oops, this photo wasn't supposed to be in here. This is the Skull and Bones secret signal. (Laughter.)

I'm not paranoid. (Laughter.) But it was at this point in my presidency that I had a strange feeling somebody was following me. (Laughter.)

One thing about being President is you get lots of advice. Yes, Mother. (Laughter.) Yes, Mother. (Laughter.) Mother, would you just listen to us for once. (Laughter.)

I like this next picture a lot. It's hard to get Rumsfeld to laugh, but when he does, boy, it is worth it. (Laughter.) This photo was taken down at the ranch, and as you can tell, Barney is not very happy with me. This is the day I told him he'd been neutered. (Laughter.) And this is the day that Barney got his revenge. (Laughter.)

Now, on long flights, the staff and I often play cards. The key to playing Poker is keeping a straight face and never letting your opponent know what you're thinking. (Laughter.) Actually, this is on the way to the G8 summit. Once I got these trading cards, it's easy to remember the names of the foreign leaders. (Laughter and applause.)

All Presidents have dreams and aspirations of what their legacy will be. Here they are measuring me for Mt. Rushmore. (Laughter.)

But I do have a few serious photos to show you, in closing. It's photos like these that mean the most to me. Some of our Special Forces sent me this last picture. The faces are blurred in the slide because they remain in harm's way. The photo hangs in my private study next to the Oval Office.

To honor those who died on September the 11th, and to make a statement of their own commitment to this country's security, these Americans buried a piece of the World Trade Center in a place in Afghanistan where the al Qaeda once ran free. They wrote that they held a ceremony, which was far more emotional than they had expected. The team leader wrote a prayer and a dedication. Let me read you one sentence from that dedication.

"We consecrate this spot as an everlasting memorial to the brave Americans who died on September the 11th, so that all who would seek to do her harm will know that America will not stand by and watch terror prevail."

We will not stand by. The greatest honor being President is leading such men and women. We have the freedom we enjoy tonight because they protect that freedom. And may God protect them.

Thank you very much. (Applause.)

Friday

Today is Friday, Friday, Friday
It will be a fun day, fun day all day long.

Welcome to Friday!!!

I am so happy it's Friday.

Hopefully, today won't feel too long. I'll just make myself really, really, busy so it goes by faster.

Do you think that will work?

How Did it Go?

How did trivia go last night? I know that's what you've been thinking about since you read that I was hosting last night.

Well. Not badly.

Something you should know about me. I used to have a fear of public speaking. I've done a little work to get over it. Supervising people and leading project meetings, acting classes and hosting trivia. Last night was one of those nights where I recognized how difficult it really is for me to speak to large groups. At other times I've enjoyed it. Last night, not so much. I had a hard time guaging whether or not people were enjoying themselves. There was never any moment of silence. I couldn't get the group engaged enough that they were hanging on my every word.

I realize that this is not a realistic expectation. I also realize that if people were talking a lot, it's most likely because they were conferring with their teams for answers.

The turnout was pretty good. 14 teams, at least 60 people although I didn't take a head count. Admittedly, some of my questions were pretty hard. I asked when the Hundred Years' War ended and where Princess Juliana was Queen. My co-host rounded out the difficulty of my questions with three rounds about TV. While his questions weren't exactly always easy, they were fun. But some people were clapping at the end so I guess we didn't do too badly. I just wish I could come away with that good feeling after a public speaking engagement. Then I will have truly overcome my fear.

I led the General Knowlege and Current Events rounds and Kory, my very able co-host led the Top Ten list, and the Audio and Visual Rounds.

Just so you know, we come up with the questions are selves. It is both challenging and fun.

Tuesday

I'm reporting live from Madison Square Park or there abouts.

How is everybody doin' today?

Ca va? Ca va.

So. . . .listen. . . tonight, I'm like hosting this like great trivia event with like my friend Kory and I'm like hoping you all can like make it.

It's like at the Baggott Inn and it starts at like, 7:30, you know?.
Click on the Baggott link to get more information.

It Wouldn't Be A Campaign Without Hypocrisy

(Via Vidiot - for complete article, click on the article title below.)

Bush Campaign Gear Made in Burma
His campaign store sells a pullover from nation whose products he has banned from being sold in the U.S.

BY LAUREN WEBER
STAFF WRITER

March 18, 2004, 9:49 PM EST

The official merchandise Web site for President George W. Bush's re-election campaign has sold clothing made in Burma, whose goods were banned by Bush from the U.S. last year to punish its military dictatorship. The merchandise sold on www.georgewbushstore.com includes a $49.95 fleece pullover, embroidered with the Bush-Cheney '04 logo and bearing a label stating it was made in Burma, now Myanmar. The jacket was sent to Newsday as part of an order that included a shirt made in Mexico and a hat not bearing a country-of-origin label. The Bush merchandise is handled by Spalding Group, a 20-year-old supplier of campaign products and services in Louisville, Ky., that says it worked for the last five Republican presidential nominees. Ted Jackson, Spalding's president, said, "We have found only one other in our inventory that was made in Burma. The others were made in the U.S.A." He said the company had about 60 of thefleece pullovers in its warehouse, and that a supplier included the Burma product by mistake.

The Friday Five

Here are the answers to the Friday Five, one day late.

If you...

1. ...owned a restaurant, what kind of food would you serve?
If I was interested in making money, I would serve the food that I think would sell the best - good ole fashioned comfort food. If I was interested in feeding people to make them healthy, I wouldn't own a restaurant, because less people want to pay for a bowl of lettuce than they do a big, sloppy slice of meatloaf or bowl of mac and cheese.

2. ...owned a small store, what kind of merchandise would you sell?
If I owned a restaurant whose primary focus was comfort food, I would also try to own a sporting goods store where people could buy the means to work off the food they ate at my restaurant. If I was interested in owning a store that didn't make any money I would sell parapsychology paraphernalia eg tarot cards and readings, candles, books of spells, spiritual readings and cleansings. I would also have a room in the back where instructors could teach lessons on how to read tarot cards.


3. ...wrote a book, what genre would it be?
TWO WORDS
1. Vengeance
2. Fiction

4. ...ran a school, what would you teach?
If I ran a school . . . . . I would teach . . . . . .manners and self-confidence, but I would never run a school.


5. ...recorded an album, what kind of music would be on it?
If I had the ability to compose music and then lay it down I would compose classical music, counterpoint style for 20 flutes, 10 each devoted to either of the two points of view.

Saturday Morning

Just woke up in my brother's fantastic apartment. It was like waking up in a house. My brother and his wife, have a huge apartment in an undisclosed section of Queens- two bedrooms, huge living room, dining room, kitchen, two bathrooms and a balcony. My studio apartment could fit in this one 2 and a half times.
Aside from enjoying the comfort of resting in this beautiful space, I am very proud of the two of them for how hard they work, for knowing how to live, and for being great parents.

It's weird when your younger sibling moves ahead of you. He is so far ahead of me right now, I don't know if I'll ever catch up. Am I jealous? Well, I used to be but that was a long time ago. I just love him too much to really be jealous anymore. As a couple, my brother and sister-in-law work well together and they work hard. They just seem to know how to figure things out better than I can. They work hard and move forward. I work hard and stay in place or move laterally in circles (literally). Well, hopefully one day I'll figure it out. I guess it doesn't hurt that they have each other to move each other forward. Yeah. They are really good together.

Snowy

It was a snowy week. Those of us in the know, were expecting one last blast of winter after our premature spring. I called in sick twice this week. Well, actually, Wednesday, I called in sick. Today, I left after a couple of hours. Just had to get something done so I went in, I did it and then I went home. I should have stuck it out though. We were probably going to get paid today. I think we were supposed to get paid yesterday but it's hard to tell. We usually get paid the Thursday, a week after the 15th and then after the end of the month. But this week, the 15th started the week...so, I'm not even sure we were getting paid this week anyway.

I'm feeling better, I guess. I worked pretty hard yesterday, pushing myself just a little too much, so I was feeling a little blah today.

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I'm at my brother's, cat sitting. Tried to meet a friend nearby to pickup something I need for Tuesday Night Trivia but alas, my friend was a no show. Too bad.

===================================================================

The Friday Five

The Friday Five

1. What was the last song you heard?
The last song I heard was the one in my head this morning on the Subway. It is one of those songs I used to sing playing one of those clapping hands games you play with other little girls. I used to sing it when I was eight on the playground in elementary school.

It goes a like this. (if you remember this one, join in at anytime):

UNA Dociana. HIT IT!
My momma told me six years ago
It wasn't too let me to let me go
She said
"Eeny meeny, disalini,
ooh ah thumbalini
Achi kachi Liberaci
I love you.

Take a peach, take a plumb take a stick of bubble gum
Not a peach, nor a plumb, nor a stikc of bubble bum.

I like coffee, I like tea
I like a little boy and he likes me
so step right up boy
you don't shine
I'll get another boy to beat your behind

Last night and the night before
My boyfriend took me to the candy store
He bought I ice cream, he bought me cake,
he bought me home with tummy I ache
I said momma, momma I feel sick
Call the doctor. QUICK QUICK QUICK.

Doctor doctor Will I die?
No my dear
Just close your eyes
and count to ten. . . .

2. What were the last two movies you saw?
Singin' in the Rain, Revenge of the Nerds

3. What were the last three things you purchased?
A pack of cigarettes, a grilled muenster cheese sandwich with bacon, a cup of coffee

4. What four things do you need to do this weekend?
Send my taxes to my accountant, my laundry, rest, and master the game ROLLER COASTER TYCOON

5. Who are the last five people you talked to?
Our sign vendor, my manager, our company's designer, a nice lady on the phone who had some information for my company, the teller at the bank.

It's Been a Few Days Since . . . .

Some of my friends have noticed that I haven't been blogging too much lately. I guess I've been kind of busy with other things and I'm a little bit overwhelmed with what's happening in this country. I've started providing some links to articles written by more eloquent writers that touch on what others and I see as happening in this country.

Since, the bearing of Janet Jackson's breast, I've noticed that I am living in an extremely conservative country, well hypocritically conservative anyway. I still can't wrap my words around what I see is going on but here are is a small list of items I feel are related and bothersome.

- the backlash AGAINST gay marriage.
Honestly, folks, why this is an issue? It's not like people are going to stop fucking and having kids. Leave these people alone!!!

- Janet Jackson's boob was accidentally exposed during the superbowl and caused serious backlash.
This was probalby due to the unexpected sex during expected and brutal violence. Is it really okay for people's children to watch a game as violent and bloody and full of war metaphors as football but really not okay for them to see a little nipple? Does anyone else find that hypocritical or contradictory?)

- high unemployment rates and a jobless economic recovery.
Does this need an explanation?

- FCC's attack against radio stations.
I smell censorship in the air.

- the ecstatic reaction of some who have seen THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST and believe it is GOSPEL
Some of the same people who are violently opposed to violence in movies and on television because it is bad for kids seem to be some of the same people who are making their kids watch an extremely violent movie about the death of their Saviour.

- the MARS expedition

- the lies about the war in IRAQ (still working on that one)

- our once again increasing national deficit
MARS plus IRAQ equals deficit

What do you think America? What's going on?

Conspiracy Theory My Ass

This is a very special story about religion and
politics blending in a most unnatural way.
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Fellowship finances townhouse where 6 congressmen live
By LARA JAKES JORDAN
Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Six members of Congress live in a million-dollar Capitol Hill townhouse that is subsidized by a secretive religious organization, tax records show. The lawmakers, all of whom are Christian, pay low rent to live in the stately red brick, three-story house on C Street, two blocks from the Capitol. It is maintained by a group, alternately known as the ''Fellowship'' and the ''Foundation,'' that brings together world leaders and elected officials through religion.

Click on any of the underlined above, for the whole article.

How The Sunshine State Was Won

Do you remember that Presidential election a few years back when the media announced the voting results from Florida too early, thereby misrepresenting the winner of that state and then erroneously predicting that Al Gore was President?
Well so do I. For the record, Florida, nobody really believed that the media was to blame for the wrong candidate being announced winner. And we also didn't believe that after years of voting in a certain style, that all of a sudden your residents didn't remember how to handle their ballots.

Grand Theft America

Right Wing

If a bird only uses his right wing to fly, the bird is going to fly in circles and eventually the bird will spiral down and crash.

It feels like our country is turning right wing Christian right under our noses. I have no problem with Christians and no problem with right wing hardliners but the combination is no good and goes against that belief that we shouldn't mix religion with politics. If we're not careful, we're all going to be transported back in time when women and minorities had little to no rights and gays and lesbians weren't even visible in our society.

Talk amongst yourselves.

Today is Tuesday. . .

. . . Tuesday, Tuesday.
It will be a fun day, fun day all day long.

Tuesday
n : the third day of the week; the second working day [syn: Tuesday, Tues]

That's a definition I can get behind.

Gotta' call from an old friend, we use to be real close.......

I received a phone call from a friend last night that I haven't spoken to in a long time. It was my turn to respond and I didn't. She took responsibility for the last correspondence by sending me photos from our last get together with a little note.

I haven't yet replied. She called me last night to scold me and rightfully so. I hope she is reading this because I am really, really sorry. And I am sorry I didn't feel like talking last night. Sometimes, it's just like that.

I am not so good at staying in touch with people.

Like White Out for Chocolate

While using White Out on some documents today, I managed to dribble some all over my clothes. I have worn the evidence of this clumsiness all day. I hope it comes out with water. Got a good laugh out of it........

The Friday Five

What was...

1. ...your first grade teacher's name?
I don't remember

2. ...your favorite Saturday morning cartoon?
anything Bugs Bunny, the Justice League, Shazam, Bullwinkle, Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse, Underdog, Tennessee Tuxedo, The World of Commander McBragg

3. ...the name of your very first best friend? Carmen

4. ...your favorite breakfast cereal? Life, Cinnamon Chex

5. ...your favorite thing to do after school? eat a swiss cheese sandwich with a lot of mayonaisse

Three Frog

Three Headed Frog Found in England

Frog Also Has 6 Legs

Wildlife experts in Britain are stunned by the apparent discovery of a frog with three croaking heads and six legs, Local 6 News reported Friday night.

Martha Stewart Found Guilty

Friday Delight

Today is Friday which means I survived my life another remarkably long week. The highlight of today has already been chosen. It will be later this evening when Jon gets off the plane and into a train back to the city. I'm looking forward to every warm snuggle.

Above I linked to the Encyclopedia Britannica's definition of Friday as the sixth day of the week. If Friday is the sixth day of the week how do both Saturday and Sunday become the week's end. If it is indeed the sixth day of the week then Sunday is the first day of the week. If it's the first day how does it become part of the weekend. We should probably have Friday's off from work and show up at the office on Sunday, since according to the Encyclopedia it's the first day of the week.

I think Monday should be considered the first day of the week which means most calendars should be reprinted. (it's less religious that way, shhhhh)

Talk amongst yourselves.

Sting was Playing the Hurdy Gurdy

Since my Oscar posting where I asked the question, "What instrument was Sting playing at the Academy Awards?", many people have been directed to my site as a result of doing an internet query worded similarly.

Amanda and Adam were kind enough to answer the question for me in my comments section. Adam supplied an answer and Amanda supplied a link to a picture.

Since so many people have been coming here looking for answers I am posting a picture of a Hurdy Gurdy and some descriptive copy. Link on the picture below for some more interesting pictures and to see from where I got the copy.

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The hurdy-gurdy is the first stringed instrument to which the keyboard principle was applied. The French name, Viella a Roue (wheel fiddle), describes the method by which sound is produced. The bowing action of the fiddle is replaced by a wheel cranked by a handle. The outer rim of the wooden wheel is coated with resin. When the crank is spun, the wheel turns and the gut strings vibrate.

Just as the bag of the bagpipe acts as a reservoir of air for continuous sound, so too the wheel makes possible continuous sound by avoiding changes of bowing. Both bagpipe and hurdy-gurdy use drones, provided in the former by reed pipes, and in the latter by strings which sound fixed pitches. Other strings tuned in unison provide notes of the scale. Tangents activated by keys press these strings at the appropriate points to produce different pitches.

There is evidence of the hurdy-gurdy in Europe in the twelfth century. By the end of this century, the instruments was highly regarded. Before 1300 the instrument was often long enough to require two performers, one to crank, and one to push the keys. Single player instruments developed in the thirteenth century when the hurdy-gurdy became the ideal instrument for dance music.

Musica Antiqua's hurdy-gurdy, really a four string symphonie or organistrum by Ellis, is based on a late fourteenth century Florentine marble fingure in the Vienna Leichtenstein Gallery. It has two unison chanterelles, two drones, and an interior pegbox. It is oblong in shape and has tuneable tangents and a range of two diatonic octaves with drones on g and d1. The gut strings are difficult to keep in tune when there are changes in temperature or humidity. Notice the cotton wrapped around the strings to keep the circular bow from wearing through the strings.

'cause he Rocks so Well

Did I mention my celebrity spotting last night on my way to trivia?

Last night, around 6:40, I was walking across West 3rd Street at Thompson, when who should I see but the amazing Sam Rockwell.

He is such a good actor and such a nice looking man.

Reason number 257 why I love New York - random celebrity spottings.

Familiar Faces

I watched Law & Order tonight and got excited because I recognized one of the actors in the show from my day to day life. The grocer who was in the first ten minutes of the show was played by an actor I've worked with at the Helen Hayes theater. He is a character actor who has been acting for years but also runs the bar with his wife at the Helen Hayes. Their son is the head usher. That was pretty exciting. Good people.

But even more exciting was the last actress that I recognized. Toward the end of the show, McCoy called a rebuttal witness, a hotel employee from New Mexico. That witness was played by the actress who plays Maria on Sesame Street. I actually thought I was watching someone I knew from day to day life. It was so amazing to see her acting.

I love Law & Order. It continues to be one of my favorite shows, definitely my favorite show on network television because you get to see people on TV that you know in NYC and that's usually where they show up. Law & Order is famous for hiring tons of working and not working so much actors from the town where it's shot. However, let me clarify thatit's my favorite n0n-reality TV show on network television. Other favorites include South Park, The Dave Chappel show, The Sopranos (back on HBO this Sunday night) Six Feet Under and basically anything on The Science Channel. Of course, The Apprentice and American Idol are up high on the list too.

Well, I guess the truth is out now. I'm a big geek.

Tuesday Night

Awesome.
Fun.
Amazing.

My favorite part was the Top Ten. We had to list the 10 states with the most crop land. So much discussion. As soon as Caren announced the room was buzzing with talk and arguments and laughs. When Caren announed the answers, people talked more. Even though my team didn't exactly win that particular round, we had so much fun listing the states we thought were right and then ordering them I couldn't even be upset.

The co-host was Michael Malice. For his first round, he chose the Devil as his theme? Did you know that the antiquated name for the molusk known as the Octopus is Devil Fish? Did you know that the name of the demon that possessed Regan in the Exorcist was Bazuzu? Did you know that before their executions during the Salem Witch Trials, "witches" used to confess that the Devil's semen was ice cold? Or that the Hebrew word Satan means adversary?

Very cool. Michael's visual round was identifying pictures of wives of political candidates that have lost major elections. That was challenging and fun.
The audio round, that was tough. I had two people on my team that were exceptionally good at music. We had name song artists and titles of songs from 5 second snippets. Very challenging.

Getting home, was the toughest part of the evening. I didn't get home until 11 even though trivia ended at 9:30. Why did it take me so long? Because the W train which is now local instead of express like it had been, was not running. Because there was no announcement I waited 45 minutes before finally getting on an R train and then meeting my N train at Lexington Avenue.

Boy was I mad. At one point I even went and yelled at the toll booth clerk that the W train wasn't running. He kept arguing with me that it was. I'll never know because I got on the R train as soon as it came.

I owe the MTA one angry letter.

There is no Race on the Internet

Due to some recent postings about skin color and humanity I thought I would share with you my favorite part about the interent and blogging. Appearance is not an issue. Fashions, looks, weight, shoes, skin color. . . not an issue. Religion, popular culture and politics are always an issue as that's generally what people write about but looks are not an issue unless someone writes about them. I never think about what somebody looks like when I'm reading what they write. I might think about what the people they write about look like but the author's. That's never a thought.

That's what I like best about the internet. Readers don't care if I lose or gain weight because they can't see me and unless I tell you I'm a big fat pig or I look thin and sickly they have no way of knowing.

In a way, the Internet is the great equalizer education is supposed to be in a way.

More later. Gotta' go to Trivia!!!

Tuesday Morning

Today is Tuesday, Tuesday, Tuesday...

I miss my boyfriend. (sniff).

Montserrat and Modernist Barcelona

Jon is still in Barcelona and my wanderlust is growing. Here is tour I would very much like to go on when I have a chance to go to Barcelona.

Visit one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Spain in its spectacular mountain setting, and then Gaudi and Picasso's Barcelona. Driving through picturesque little villages of the province, you come to the incomparable setting of the mountain of Montserrat, rising majestically to 1235 meters. You visit the Royal Basilica of Montserrat, which holds the famous 'Black Virgin', the Basilica has been one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Spain for hundreds of years. Attend a religious-singing performance by the "Escolania" children's chorus and enjoy free time for lunch and shopping.

At 3.30pm return to Barcelona where your Modernist tour begins, with a bus tour to admire world renown architect Antonio Gaudi's works such as Morera, Casa Batllo, Casa Mila and his Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) Cathedral. You'll also make a stop to visit whimsical Guell Park and then enjoy the Picasso Museum which exhibits works from the "blue" and "pink" periods of this world-famous painter

Basic information

Location: Plaça de la Sagrada Família, s/n. Barcelona

History: The Sagrada Família is the best known work of Gaudí, this huge project in which he worked all his life -in fact he lives inside until his dead- was started in 1882 by the architect F. Villar i Lozano with a project in neo gothic style. Gaudí undertook the work direction in 1883 changing not only the aesthetic of work, but giving to it a gigantic dimension with eighteen bell towers representing the Apostles, four towers Representing the Evangelists, one representing the Virgin Mary, and the biggest one with 170 meters high, crowned with the cross of four branches typical of Gaudí, symbolizing Jesus Christ. Every window, column, element and shape referrers to saints, institutions or mysteries of catholic faith. Today surpassing 100 years from it's start, the works follow with the timing of a medieval cathedral, not really too quick !!, nevertheless the optimistic think in a end of works into the first quarter of XXI century (??).

Description: At the present stage, only eight of the twelve bell towers for the Apostles are completely finished, and Gaudí only built before his dead -at the age of 74, trampled by a tram in 1926- four of the apostles towers , the apse, and the Nativity façade. The gothic plant of the church is a Latin cross with five longitudinal aisles and a large apse with six chapels. An external cloister enclose the ensemble. Three façades, (two of them finished and explained below -the Birth and the Passion ones-) have the mission to illustrate in an understandable way the mystery of the birth, passion and resurrection -glory- of Jesus Christ. The polemic on the works continuation from 1952, was due to lack of original drawings, mainly destroyed during the Spanish civil war (1936-1939).

The Oscars

I watched the Oscars alone. I was invited to an Oscars party, but I decided it would be better to view them alone so I could flip through the stations when the Academy Awards inevitably bored me to tears. Another benefit to watching alone is being able to fall asleep when the program invevitbably runs long.

Other than some spectucular dresses, the Oscars didn't provide too many surprises. I did the like the woman who went on stage with her producer unannounced and then insisted on making a speech. I thought that was very special. Did you ever notice that the people who are awarded for shorts always have the longest f-ing speeches? (snore)

What instrument was Sting playing? I've never seen that. He was winding one end while molesting the other but it didn't look like he was really playing anything. WHAT WAS THAT INSTRUMENT?

Also, if the producers of the show know the program is going to run long, why don't they cut the introductions. I, for one could have gone without looking at almost naked Billy Crystal. I threw up a little during the film montage/parody thing. The tributes to actors who have passed, they are nice but if I were producing a time sensitive show I would produce them right out of there.

By cutting the film montage introduction, that stupid song, and the nice but time consuming tributes to dead actors, I've already saved us an hour that could be spent letting people say thank you for receiving their well earned Oscars.

And that's all I have to say about that.