2006 Predictions: Right or Wrong?

At the beginning of this year I asked my friends to complete a survey about predictions for 2006. Since the end of the year is almost here I went back and reviewed everyone's predictions to see who was right. Here are the results (11 people total participated)
1. Who will win the SEC Championship (Football)? Answer: Florida. 27% correct
2. Who will win the NCAA Tournament (Basketball)? Answer Florida. 18% correct
3. Will you still be living at the same address? 100% of the participants got this one correct
4. Will you (or your spouse) get pregnant/have a baby? 91% correct
5. Will you get married (answer is yes if you are already married)? 91% correct
6. Will President Bush be impeached? Answer: No. 100% correct
7. Will Osama be captured and/or killed? Answer: No. 82% correct
8. Who will win Americal Idol? Answer (I think): Taylor Hicks. 0% correct
9. Will Pam & Jim get together (for you Office fans)? Answer: No. 45% correct
10. Will Britney & Kevin still be together at the end of this year? Answer: No. 73% correct
11. Who will win the ACC Championship? Answer: Wake Forest. 0% correct
12. Who will win the Nascar Nextel Championship? Answer: Jimmie Johnson. 27% correct
13. Will Michael Schumacher reclaim his title as World Champion in Formula 1 racing? Answer: No. 64% correct
14. Will you still be with your currect employer? 91% correct
15. Who will win the gubernatorial election in your state? 45% correct
16. What movie will win the Oscar for Best Picture? Answer: Crash. 9% correct
17. Will the Dow be above 11,000 at the end of the year or below 9,000? Or in between? Answer: Currently above 11,000. 64% correct
18. Will Hillary Clinton announce her candidacy (for the 2008 Presidential race)? Answer: Not yet, still waiting. 18% correct.

Any suggestions on questions/predictions for next year?

Gift Ideas for $50 - Help!

Here's the deal: our office is having a holiday party and we're doing a gift swap (like White Elephant, or Bad Santa or Yankee Swap). The gift should be $50 and there is a prize for whoever's gift gets grabbed or "stolen" the most. Any ideas?
Here's what I have so far:
1. Movie/Entertainment Basket:
1 tub of popcorn (the kind you get at blockbuster) filled with
1 DVD
a $10 gift certificate to Blockbuster
The Film Snob's Dictionary and
other movie-type candy
2. Food lovers basket:
$15 bottle of wine
Good cheese (something imported, probably from Whole Foods)
Good crackers
Maybe some kind of pate or olives
Chocolate
$20 or $25 gift certificate to Atlanta Bread Company

Any other gift ideas? Remember they have to be AWESOME & LEGEND-(wait for it)-DARY!

Update Mac vs. PC

I have decided to get a Mac laptop. Mostly because of the cool points associated with a Mac. That and the fact that it is supposedly more stable than a PC and less susceptible to viruses. I haven't actually purchased it yet - I'm waiting until after Christmas when I have some money and also to see if there are any good deals. But I've noticed that Apple doesn't really ever put their stuff on sale so waiting probably won't make any difference.

What is the big thing you want this holiday season? Mine is an outdoor firepit. My parents have one and I really enjoy sitting outside by the fire (as long as it's not too cold). I think Abbey would enjoy a firepit too because it would get us outside even in the cold weather.

A (Very) Guilty Pleasure

I like one of Paris Hilton's songs - I must confess. It's called "Nothing in this world". I saw the video first, which is pretty cute. I think that's a big part of the reason that I like the song. I feel really awful about liking this song because I really don't like Paris Hilton. So when I listen to the song I just try to pretend it's some other dumb, manufactured, overprocessed person "singing".

Mac vs. PC

I hope this post generates a lot of comments because I need some advice. I am going to buy a new computer in the very near future, a) because my spacebar only work intermittently and it's really slowing me down, especially at schoo, b) my laptop crashes every time I switch from my home wireless network to my school wireless network and c) my laptop is just old. In terms of processing and memory it's a dinosaur and I'm ready to upgrade.

So I'm trying to decide between a Mac and a PC. Here's what I've come up with in terms of Pros and Cons for each
PC Pros:
1. I know how to use it
2. They are cheap
3. All the software I currently own will work with a PC
4. I can use a PC to take exams at my school. The program you have to run to take an exam doesn't work on a Mac.
PC Cons:
1. They crash. And can crash a lot. Then you get those weird errors that say "Error 3223454123xkldks: Field overrun". What??
2. They are more susceptible to viruses & spyware than Macs. This may change in the future but it's true at least for now.

Mac Pros:
1. They are more stable than PCs, i.e. won't crash, freeze, or automatically reboot on you. This is what they claim and what I've read on the internet backs it up.
2. Having a Mac has a certain cache.
3. My dad owns Apple stock, so in a small way I would be supporting my Dad.
4. They have better software for manipulating pictures, music and videos.
5. It comes ready to turn on, no installing windows, or downloading drivers.

Mac Cons:
1. They are a lot more expensive than PCs
2. The model I'm looking at only has a 13" screen, which is kind of small - but I'm not sure I want/need anything bigger.
3. I just got Adobe Photoshop and I'm not sure it will work on the Mac, not a big deal but it's kind of a bummer that I wouldn't be able to use my brand new software.
4. I can't take my exams at school on a Mac.

I am leaning towards the Mac, mostly because it is supposed to be more stable than a PC and it's less susceptible to viruses. I mentioned my current problem with my computer above. And I've had to reinstall Windows twice because of viruses and spyware.

Comments? Personal Experience? Advice? Other websites I should check out?

Am I a Socialist?

Two notes before I start this post. Given the title of my blog I expect two comments; one from Bob telling me that he thinks socialists are stupid and he can't believe I would even say something like this and another one from leeroy saying he couldn't believe I would blog about something like this because I will get marked by the government and they might start spying on me. :)

I don't really think I'm a socialist (see the definition here) but I agree with some of its principles. After doing a little reading I think I lean more towards market socialism since it applies some principles from capitalism. I do believe in private property, and different wages for different kinds of work (meaning the garbage collector shouldn't make as much as a surgeon), but I believe our current economy is pulling society as a whole down. The economic gap between the rich and the poor is steadily widening and there are no signs that it will stop. I think individuals have an obligation, and an interest, to see that the economic well being of our society as a whole (including and especially those at the bottom of the economic pile) improves. When we act with the best interests of our society at heart, we will benefit. That is why I believe it is right that the richer you are, the more your societal obligations should increase (i.e. taxes). I don't mean that the rich should have to give up their Mercedes or BMWs and be content to ride around in Hondas and Toyotas (or even a Chevy). It is important to retain incentives and rewards for working hard (such as salaries). And we should view taxes not as a burden but as an investment in society so that as society improves so does our quality of living (I believe that if you invest in education for everyone our social "ills" will decline, such as teenage pregnancy, crime, and drug use which is better for us all).

I am also starting to wonder if the stock market is really a good thing. I know it has been a good investment vehicle for many Americans (and foreigners) but is it really good for our workforce? CEOs look to the stock price to guide their decisions because the board members look to the stock price in judging the CEOs performance. Many executives have their pay tied to stock performance so they have an even greater personal incentive to do whatever it takes to drive the stock price up. I know boards are starting to tie executive compensation to the long term performance of the stock but I don't believe it's enough. Take outsourcing. At my company we moved some manufacturing operations overseas to take advantage of a huge tax break that country was giving us. It increased our profits on those parts but it put many people out of work here locally. I believe most were able to find work again but it wasn't work that paid the same, or required the same skill, as my company. Now these employees have less income with which to buy products that support our economy (including products made by my company). With outsourcing it seems like you are increasing profits for the company, but decreasing the buying power of those employees who were employed domestically. I know there are arguments that outsourcing is absorbed by our economy and it is better for our national economy but I am not convinced (I would like to understand these arguments better so if you have a link to an article online put it in a comment so I can check it out). This is why I'd like to try working for a privately owned company and see how operations are different, if they are, when management is not pressured by the stock market and Wall Street and the profits stay with the company.

I think this is one of my longest posts, a record! Seriously this is an area I would like to understand better - I know enough to have an opinion but not enough to debate the merits of one economic system vs another. Comments? Thoughts?

It's always SUNNY

When Friends and Seinfeld ended I never thought I'd see a good television sitcom again. Thank goodness I was wrong. NBC has given me The Office and CBS has given me How I Met Your Mother (aka HIMYM). Now FX presents It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Actually I think the show got its start on Fox but didn't do so well there. FX picked it up and I hope it stays on the air. The show is in its second season and it is HILARIOUS. The show is about 4 friends and their bar (Danny Devito is also on the show but I think he's there just to give a little star power to the cast - he doesn't have a main role). Two characters, Dennis & Sweet D, are part owners of the bar (and also siblings), and the other two characters, Charlie & Mac, are their friends who also work at the bar. The show is almost always about some taboo or inappropriate topic and, since the show is on cable after 10, they use adult language. About the only thing they won't say is the f-bomb. It's hard to describe the show, or even some of its funny parts so I encourage you to watch one episode and judge for yourself. Where I live its on Thursdays at 10 pm. Here's the link to the show's webpage: http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/sunny/

I'll leave you with a quote from Charlie:
"If I'm in love with Jesus does that make me gay? Am I gay for God? Yes I am"

My Biggest Fear

My biggest fear is public bathrooms. Obviously I'm talking about the biggest of my "silly" fears (not fear of dying or losing a limb or anything like that). I hate using public bathrooms, especially ones where there are no stalls and you have to lock the door to the outside. Those are the worst because every time the door handle jiggles you freeze whatever you're doing and make ready to slam the door shut if need be. I get paranoid even in bathrooms that have the door lock and the slide lock, even with this double protection I try to get in and out as fast as possible. And then there are the bathrooms where none of the stalls lock. Either the lock is broken, or it the sliding part doesn't match up with the other side. I think I have posted about this before but one of my ideas for a new business is to hire myself out as a bathroom consultant. I would go around a make sure all the female restrooms had stalls with locks that work properly. I have been in places that have brand new bathrooms where the locks don't work. Talk about sh**y construction - if you are installing the door to a stall in a bathroom how hard is it to double check that the lock works? (Don't get me started on the crappy construction in Georgia, we have several outlets in our house that are obviously crooked, and the mirror in our downstairs bathroom is completely off center)

The second part to my fear of public bathrooms is that I am also terrified of walking in on someone. I knock, jiggle the door handle a few times, make a lot of noise before I walk in, open the door very slowly, etc. I don't know why this particular thing frightens me - I can't remember any horrible experiences from my childhood that may be affecting me now.

How much is a margarita pitcher worth?

So we went to Pappasito's tonight (Party on the Patio, 5-7, with free appetizers!!!). Seemed like a good idea. And it was, until we got the bill. My friend S and I split a "Wave" pitcher of margaritas. When we got ready to pay I asked the waiter how much our pitcher was and he said "$29.95". I said "No we only got one, how much for just one?" and he said "$29.95". I said I didn't believe him so he brought us the bill. Sure enough one pitcher of margarita was $29.95! Do you know all the things you could buy for $29.95 (for example 4 combo meals from Chick-fil-A, 3 bottles of wine, 1 pair of Reef flip flops, or 2 eye shadows from Urban Decay)!!!!!!!!! Things that are better than just one pitcher of margaritas? Now I will grant you that a pitcher of margaritas is pretty damn good, but not $30 good, more like $15 or $20 good.
This is just another good reason to only drink BEER!

Slacker!

I have been a slacker lately - it's been more than a month since my last post. I haven't felt particularly inspired lately so here are some miscellaneous thoughts:
1. "Peruse" - this word actually means to read carefully. My boss says it a lot but he uses it to mean browse. I haven't told him that he is misusing the word because I feel it would sound precocious.
2. Nelly Furtado - I think this might be THE CD of the summer. It is the kind of CD that makes you nod your head and bounce to the rhythm. Definitely a great CD to plug in while getting ready for a night out on the town.
3. Kathy Griffin - I'm so glad a new season of "My Life on the D-List" has started up again! She cracks me up.
4. My Motorola Razr Phone - This is one of my favorite new things. I especially like downloading ring tones for my friends. Except I have to remember to set my phone to vibrate during the work day. Otherwise my colleagues are treated to snippets of "Pour Some Suger on Me" and the University of Florida fight song.
5. My wish list - if I had an extra couple of thousand laying around right now I would buy 2 things. 1) A GPS wristwatch device. Garmin makes one that has GPS capabilities and allows you to download your workout information to your computer and then analyze it. If you're feeling really rich you can also buy one with a heart rate monitor to see how many calories you burn. 2) A nice, semi-professional camera. I like taking pictures and would love to have a camera that allows you to adjust the light settings & speed. This might be my graduation present to myself when/if I ever get done with law school.
6. Pirates of the Caribbean - Can't wait for Dead Man's Chest to come out. Why don't more guys wear eyeliner???
7. MySpace aka CrackSpace - I think I am the only person I know who doesn't have a myspace page. And just for that reason I refuse to create a page. I have a hard enough time keeping this page updated!

Two Funny Videos

Here's something to make you laugh
Tom Cruise proves he is a white boy
Check out this video here (at youtube.com). It's a clip of Tom on BET's 106 & Park doing his version of Yung Joc's It's Going Down dance. Everytime I watch this it makes me giggle. Not that Tom Cruise is a horrible dancer but he looks a little awkward and uncomfortable - more like the rest of us and less like a mega-movie star.
Quick movie review note: Mission Impossible III is AWESOME. And I am not a Tom Cruise fan, I think he's strange, conceited, and out of touch with the real world but that doesn't stop this from being one of the best movies I've seen in a while. I spent almost the entire movie at the edge of my seat. It was exhausting! At the end I felt like I needed a nap because it was such an intense 2 hours. It might be better than even Batman Begins which was my last favorite action movie. This is definitely going on my To Buy DVD list.

Colbert roasts the President
This might be funny to only certain people - you have to like Stephen Colbert's style of comedy. He held nothing back in his speech and said things that made me gasp and go "Did he really just say that???". I like the fact that Stephen was true to his style but I'm sure the planners of next year's White House Correspondents will think twice, maybe even 3 times about who they ask to attend.
See the video here (one note - it's kind of long, about 24 minutes)

Mother's Day Gift Idea

If you're like me you always struggle to come up with ideas for a gift for your mom on Mother's Day. Well, problem solved! I just heard about this great new product that anyone would love. It's The Beer Belly (check it out here). Here's what their website says:
The Beerbelly: Is made up of a neoprene “sling” and a polyurethane “bladder” with a tube for dispensing. The bladder is held in an insulated pouch in the sling which is worn under your clothing for concealment. When worn, it looks just like a beerbelly. And it’s high-quality!Just think of the possibilities: Your favorite brew at the ball game instead of what they happened to be serving at seven bucks a pop.
And it's only $34.95
I never thought I would want my stomach to look bigger but here is one occasion where I just might!
(p.s. Do you think their best customers will be Nascar fans?)

Restaurant Recommendation: Pao de Mel

There is not an Atlanta Bread Company (my favorite "fast-food"/lunch type restaurant) near my work so I am forced to venture to other destinations for lunch. I go to lunch about once a week and every week, usually around 11 am the inevitable question pops up "Where should we go for lunch?". It's always the usual suspects - Moe's, Jason's deli, Moe's, Mellow Mushroom, Moe's, or sometimes Willy's. Today I found a new place called Pao de Mel. Its a Brazilian bakery serving breakfast, lunch, & dinner (but the menu is always the same). I tried the ham & cheese sandwich, which doesn't sound especially exciting but this wasn't your ordinary ham & cheese. It was on a yummy, fresh baked roll, with 2 slices of thick cut ham and melted cheese. It was served warm and it didn't take long for me to eat the whole thing. And it was only $1.50! We also tried the hot dog stuffed roll. Next time I want to try the cream cheese stuffed bulgar wheat roll and some of the delicious looking desserts. And the rolls stuffed with mozarella and sprinkled with parmesean. And the sweet pastries. And also the brazilian hamburger:)

p.s. a friend just reminded me about Scalini's and now all I can think about are their garlic rolls drenched in butter! YUMMMMMMMMMM

Weird Fact

Did you know? I just found out that Screech from Saved by the Bell (and Saved by the Bell The College Years) is Mike D's brother (Mike D from the Beastie Boys). I guess it makes sense, Dustin Diamond (Screech) and Mike Diamond (Mike D) but I never put two and two together. However, they are NOT related to Neil Diamond.

It's Great to be a FLORIDA GATOR!

GO GATORS!
I wnat to say CNOGRATLUATINOS to the Gator baksetabll taem. It wsan't the bset gmae I've seen them paly but who cares!!! They won!
Here's waht else is giong on this week:
Dogwood Festival - Looknig froward to enojying the sun & hnaging out with the puppy at the prak (sans alcohol unforutnately)
Registration for Fall Semester - Tihs is relaly the frist time I've had to comepte with other stduents for classes and it's annoying. Even thuogh we are techincally the same rank I feel lkie it shuold count for something that I've been at GSU for 2 yaers (vs their one).
How I Met Your Mother - Will Ted & Robin fianally get toegther! Unlkie Friends or The Office it looks like the wrtiers of this show are going to gvie us an anwser instead of stringing us alnog for 9 seasons.
11 more days until I can drink - enough siad
2 more weeks of classes - Don't reimnd me (Finals are amlost here!)
(Side bar - someone in my ofifce just cooked popcorn. It is toatally unfair to do taht and not offer it to your cowokrers. Buttery popcorn is like crack - easily addictive and bad for you.)
Cynthia McKinney - Will she be chraged? Waht will she be chagred with? I am resevring judmgent until I hear her side of the stroy.
No New Office - Boo
p.s. this psot has been an expeirment. I ocne raed that as long as the frist letetr and lsat letter of all the words in a sentecne were corrcet then the sentnence would still be readalbe. Do you agree??

Random bits for the week:

1. A lot of people have asked me how I’m doing on my Lenten sacrifice. So far so good. I did have one (and only one) Guinness on St. Patrick’s Day, but I figured if the Catholic Church issued a dispensation saying it was OK to eat meat on Friday, then it would be OK for me to have one tiny beer in celebration of my heritage. When I did have my first sip of Guinness I was immediately reminded of Frank the Tank, “Once it hits your lips, it's so good!”
2. Check out http://www.frankcaliendo.com/. I think I am a little late in jumping on the bandwagon for this guy, apparently he’s been on MadTV and does Madden impressions for Monday Night Football. But I just discovered him and he does the most dead-on George Bush impression. Gobble Gobble!
3. I LOVE THE GATORS! They have been playing awesomely (is that even a word) during the tournament and I can’t wait to watch the NCAA Final Four game on Saturday. I also have a lot of respect and admiration for Billy Donovan. I think he should be Coach of the Year.
4. Happy Birthday to my puppy Abbey who turned 1 year old last Friday.
5. Spamalot is one of the best pieces of entertainment I have ever seen. We saw this musical in NYC and it was a laugh-a-minute, non-stop riot. The songs really add to the Monty Python style of humor.
6. Jeff Gordon shows his competitive streak. The 24 car was in position to take 3rd at the Bristol race on Sunday but was spun out on the last lap by Matt Kenseth. I am normally a MK fan but this was really uncalled for. When Kenseth tried to apologize after the race JG gave him a hard shove backwards. While I don’t condone violence I was glad to see JG let his emotions show. He almost always takes the high road, refusing to comment negatively on his fellow drivers, but this time he really showed his frustration. MK should just be glad it wasn’t Tony Stewart that he spun out. If he had bumped the 20 car he’s probably be in a hospital right now.

Hard core Natalie

For all you Star Wars geeks you are going to LOVE this video of Natalie Portman. It's the Digital Short from SNL. It's Natalie like you've never seen her. This video is awesome - it must be by the same guys behind Lazy Sunday. Check out the Natalie Portman video here. And you can see more from the guys behind Lazy Sunday here.

Atlanta Traffic subject of student comedy

Update!! Click here to watch the whole video (~5 mins)
Did you ever think you could make a short film, and a comedy at that, out of driving the speed limit? Sounds crazy to me but that's exactly what these Georgia State students did. See the story here. We all know that the speed limit on Atlanta highways means nothing. It's a guideline more than a law. But these students took the speed limit to heart. A group of them got together and drove the speed limit in all 4 lanes of I-285 simultaneously. I'm trying to find a copy of the actual video they made. When I do I'll post a link to it here.

Fans of The Office Unite!

Check out
http://www.supersizedoffice.com/

What would your reason be? Mine would be: I've given up alcohol for the next 40-something days and The Office is all that's keeping me going!

The Season of Lent is here

I am giving up alcohol this year for Lent. (insert sounds of shock and awe here). Yes, I said alcohol. I am nervous about giving this up because it's going to be hard! Which is no excuse of course, being that the point of Lent is to sacrifice for Christ and remember his journey in the desert. I have been telling people about giving up alcohol because I think it will help keep me honest. I know I am up for the challenge (and it is a challenge) so I will keep you posted as to how I do.

What are you giving up for Lent?

Take my 2006 Predictions Survey!

What are your predictions for 2006? Who will win the ACC Championship in football? Will Britney and Kevin still be together? I put together 20 questions for you to answer regarding what will happen in 2006. At the end of the year I'll go back and send your answers back to you so you can see if you were right! Please put your name in the last question of the survey so I'll know who to send the results to in December. Click here to take the survey or visit
http://www.zoomerang.com/recipient/survey-intro.zgi?p=WEB2252WP5VZNQ

Blargon by William Safire

I always like reading William Safire's On Language in the NY Times. This week's was about jargon used in the media and in relation to blogs. Check it out here

James "Fake" Frey

When I first heard about the allegations against James Frey I dismissed them as minor embellishments. But then I read the report on the Smoking Gun (read it here) and now I doubt everything James Frey says. And I am not going to read My Friend Leonard. At first I thought, "Well it's such a good book, who cares of some of the details were altered, as long as the heart of the story is true". But now I doubt anything in the book is true, except for the fact that he was actually in rehab. I think James Frey has always been someone who wanted to be bigger and badder than he really was and his image of himself in the book reflects that. But now, when the heat is on, he won't step up and say "I lied, most of the book is false". I think if he did that I would respect him. I still might not like him, but I would at least respect him. And I would be able to believe things he said in the future. As it stands now I wouldn't believe anything he said.

Top 10 Delights

To balance my top 10 pet peeves I decided to write a top 10 pleasures list (Webster’s Dictionary lists “pleasure” as an antonym to “pet peeve”). These are not in any particular order:
1. Dinner and drinks with friends. Especially at a good restaurant like Tacqueria, Tijuana Garage, or Pappasitos (notice a theme here?).
2. Friday. Everything about Friday is good. I can’t remember having a bad Friday. It is easier to get up in the mornings, the sun seems to shine a little brighter, the only negative is that time seems to slow on a Friday. 5 pm can’t get here soon enough!
3. Hanging out at Atlanta Brewing Company on a warm, sunny, Friday afternoon. So really this encompasses #1 and #2, but it’s still worth mentioning. $5 for an all-you-can-drink brewery tour, with your friends, is unbeatable.
4. Road trips! (aka Vacations) Going anywhere, as long as it’s out of Atlanta. I love the A-town but everyone needs to escape once in a while and remember there are places that exist sans traffic jams!
5. Football season. Every year I look forward to the start of football season. There’s the hope of a national championship, tailgating with your friends, and parties to watch the away games. This year I’d like to combine #1, #4, and #5 by planning a road trip to watch a GT football game (in an RV would be even better!).
6. Laughing. I laugh easily and sometimes as silly things. These things have recently made me laugh: Wait, Wait, Don’t tell me! (NPR’s weekly quiz show), Waiting (the movie, it was hilarious! but crude), How I Met Your Mother, The Office, and trying to imagine how you tape a groin injury (seriously, think about it! If anyone knows how this is accomplished, tell me!).
7. Email. I would not classify myself as an email addict (I don’t check email on the weekends) but I am an addict-in-training. I wonder if I would be able to stay in touch with high school and college friends as much without email.
8. Abbey. Coming home and seeing my puppy Abbey almost always puts a smile on my face (except for that one time she ate the mail and destroyed a Tears for Fears CD). Her tail wags so violently that she goes into a full-body shake.
9. Accomplishments. They can be big or small but I love the feeling of achieving something. A good grade on an exam, or just cleaning up the house. It’s such a satisfying feeling. Makes me understand why people like to keep “to-do” lists.
10. Reading. I can get lost in a book, so much so that I am able to completely block out the outside world. I am currently reading (well, really listening to) The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I just finished Scarlett (which I loved!) and next I want to read The French Lieutenant’s Woman.

Top 10 Pet Peeves

I stole this idea from Aisha's blog. And I only have 9 pet peeves, but you get the idea. Not in any particular order:
1. People who say "Taking a half day?" when I leave at 5 pm. This joke is old. And not funny. And I've heard it about 100 times already. I believe a lot of people put in the hours just for the appearance, not because they are actually that busy.
2. Baby strollers - I am not totally anti-baby stroller, just when they are used in a store. Most aisles in the store aren't big enough to move through without hitting something anyways. I don't need to navigate around your stroller too. I especially hate it when people leave their stroller in the aisle and wander off. I'm sure I'll sing a different tune when it's me lugging around a 30lb sack of kid, but for now it annoys me.
3. Annoying people in my law school class. There are really only 2 main people who bug me. One guy likes to hear himself talk and the girl, well, she likes to hear herself talk. They ramble on pointlessly or just reiterate what someone else has said. Shut up already.
4. I have one professor at law school who insists that we are all in class on time (or we're humiliated and marked absent). I am fine with this policy except that he regularly goes over our scheduled class time. Class is supposed to end at 8:45 and for the 1st 3 classes we did not get out on time. My time is just as valuable as yours so if you want me to respect your schedule then you should respect mine.
5. People who don't write notes on their christmas cards. Really, just drop me 2 sentences about how you're doing. Even my parents are guilty of this. This year I just got a card that said "Love Mom & Dad". I know we probably email all the time but there's something special about a handwritten note.
6. Rappers who thank God at awards cermonies. Especially those rappers whose songs have especially violent, drug-related, or chauvinistic lyrics. I think it was Oprah who said "Don't thank God for music you can't sing in church".
7. Cyclists who do not say "On your left". I frequently go running/rollerblading/biking on a paved trail near by house and I hate to be taken by surprise by a bike rider whizzing past me. It makes me want to stick out my arm or leg and make them fall. But then that would hurt, so I don't do it. If I am with someone else I usually make an obnoxious comment like "Brooke, watch out for the rider COMING UP ON YOUR LEFT" or "On your left a-hole". But I stopped saying that last one because one time I caught up with the guy at a stop light and it was a little uncomfortable.
8. Bars where the music is too loud. I am probably showing my age but I hate having to scream at my friends at a bar. After a while I get tired of the effort and just stop talking, which makes me want to leave. I don't mind some background music, but I just want to be able to hear and speak to my friends without shouting.
9. Bars that still allow smoking. I am ready for GA to outlaw smoking indoors altogether. I have stopped going to certain bars that allow smoking indoors because I hate the smell that gets into my clothes and hair. I'm fine with other people's right to smoke, but I have a right not to smoke with you!

Westminster Dog Show

Online Poll: Do you think the Bull Terrier deserved to win Best in Show at Westminster? See the picture. I was really disappointed to see this dog win. I am a dog lover but I don't find anything attractive about this dog. The quote about this dog was that his head was perfectly egg-shaped. I don't want that to be the highlight of any dog I own. Of course I am partial and think the Springer should have won (one note, I can't tell the difference between the male & female springers that won best in breed. They look exactly alike!).

Seinfeld

Jerry Seinfeld is coming to my town soon! It looks like we have good tickets, fairly close to the stage. Close enough that if we shout I think Seinfeld will hear us. He usually does this bit at the end of his shows where he takes questions from the audience. SSSOOOOO if you have a question for Jerry Seinfeld let me know and I will ask him (or at least try). Only 1 rule, it can't be stupid (like "Will Jerry & Elaine ever get together?" they aren't real people). My bf suggested "When was the last time you saw Kenny Cramer (the real Kramer)?" and "What do you think of Curb Your Enthusiam?") Note: Shout out to Aisha for liking Curb. That show is hilarious.

For all the ladies in the house

I got this list in an email today, rather than do a mass forward I thought I'd post it for all my female readers (all 3 of you:)). It's a list of things to do to protect yourself and ways to be aware. I'm not sure if the crying baby thing is true, but I think the rest of the tips are valid & helpful.

After reading these 9 crucial tips, forward them to someone you care about. It never hurts to be careful in this crazy world we live in.
1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do!
2. Learned this from a tourist guide in New Orleans. If a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you....chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you, and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!
3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won't see you, but everybody else will. This has saved lives.
4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc. DON'T DO THIS!) The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE. a. If someone is in the car with a gun to your head DO NOT DRIVE OFF, repeat: DO NOT DRIVE OFF! Instead gun the engine and speed into anything, wrecking the car. Your Air Bag will save you. If the person is in the back seat they will get the worst of it. As soon as the car crashes bail out and run. It is better than having them find your body in a remote location. 5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage: A.) Be aware: look around you, look into your car, at the passenger side floor, and in the back seat. B.) If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars. C.) Look at the car parked on the driver's side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.)
6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot. This is especially true at NIGHT!)
7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times; And even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN, Preferably ! in a zig -zag pattern!
8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP. It may get you raped, or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked "for help" into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.
9. Another Safety Point: Someone just told me that her friend heard a crying baby on her porch the night before last, and she called the police because it was late and she thought it was weird. Th! e police told her "Whatever you do, DO NOT open the door." The lady then said that it sounded like the baby had crawled near a window, and she was worried that it would crawl to the street and get run over. The policeman said, "We already have a unit on the way, whatever you do, DO NOT open the door." He told her that they think a serial killer has a baby's cry recorded and uses it to coax women out of their homes thinking that someone dropped off a baby. He said they have not verified it, but have had several calls by women saying that they hear baby's cries outside their doors when they're home alone at night. !

Guilty Pleasures

I have 3 new songs that I am really into. And really embarrassed to admit it
I'm in love with a stripper (shout out to Brooke for turning me on to this song). I doubt this is the actual spelling, it's probably something more like I n luv wit a striprrrrr
Grillz Call me George Foreman cause I'm selling everybody grills.
L-O-V-E I really hate ashlee simpson, so when I hear this song I just pretend like its someone else.

Brokeback Mountain

I saw Brokeback Mountain yesterday and I was surprised to discover I really liked the movie. It is definitely going on my DVDs to Buy list. Sometimes dramatic movies that get a lot of Oscar Buzz just turn me off. I'm not sure why, but it was true, especially in this case because I didn't think Heather Ledger was capable of truly good acting. But he was. The 4 main actors in this movie all delivered perfect performances and I hope the film and its actors receive Oscar recognition. Check out the movie website here and a review of the movie in the New Yorker here (you may have to do a search for the article in the New Yorker, its called New Frontiers by Anthony Lane). At the end of the movie I felt sad for Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger's character), but I realized I probably wouldn't feel the same way if this story was about a heterosexual couple. Both Ennis & Jack were cheating on their spouses, but because their love was forbidden and homosexual it made me feel sad for them rather than mad. I thought that was interesting.

Some other movies on my To See list are Capote, The Family Stone, and Pirates of the Carribean 2 (but it doesn't come out until this summer).

What's on yours??

More Pics of Abbey

Over the Christmas break Abbey went swimming for the first time. Check her out!

TV Time

Have you checked out The Office or How I Met Your Mother? For extra amusement check out Dwight's blog and Barney's blog. I am sick of reality TV and these shows provide an excellent break from the brain drain shows like Survivor and especially American Idol. Why don't they just change the format of American Idol from searching for America's best singer to just embarrassing all those people who think they're the next American Idol.

Go Gators!

Check out my 17-0 Florida Gators (click here). They are currently ranked #2 so let's see how long they can keep it going!