Friday, August 21, 2009

A Message from the NSCS

The National Sushi Consumption Service has issued this warning:

The following is a Stage 5 Sushi Emergency. These members are under a severe sushi sustenance warning, if they do not consume sushi within 48 hours their mind will slowly deteriorate into a state of insanity and, if left untreated, their head will explode. If you see these members, the NSCS warns to not even suggest dinner at a restaurant that does not serve sushi. The members will not be able to be held responsible for the results of their actions in a court of law.


WARNING LIST:

  • Morgaine
  • Gilly
  • TheGilly
  • Morgagod

Thank you for your time and attention, and now, back to your regularly scheduled program.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Last Call!

Next Monday I will be starting my coursework, and the window of availability for random adventures, without at least a week's planning in advance, is rapidly dwindling.

If, perchance, you prefer to enjoy my company without scheduling conflicts, I suggest you make plans with me before my life is irrevocably changed.


That is all.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Twenty-five Going on Two Hundred and Twenty-six

I was in my car on a Wednesday afternoon, on my way to pick up some lunch.

Contestant on the radio: Well, blah-blah ba-blah-blah, And I play a mean didgeridoo.
Guy on the radio 1: Do you have one with you?
Contestant on the radio: Yes, as a matter of fact.
Guy on the radio 2: He didgeri-does, Bob.
All: (smug old man laugh) Huh-Huh-Huh-Huh!
Guy 1: Well let’s play our Piano Puzzle. (guy on the radio 2) will play a song in the style of a piano composer, and you can figure out what song it is, and what composer he is imitating. I don’t know what we are going to hear, so we can work together to figure it out.
Contestant: All right.
Guy 2: (begins to play a song)

Me: (in my head) Oooh, pretty….. Wait! I know this style! It was on that CD of classical music that my mother got for free, and I wouldn’t let her throw it away. It was gray. What composer is this?

(20 seconds later)

Huh. This sounds exactly like Some Enchanted Evening…

(Singing) you will see a strangeeeerrr aaaaaacrooooosss a crrrroooowwwwded roooooom…. And once you have found her- never let her gooooooooo once you have found her neeeeeeeeeeeeeveeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrr leeeeeeeeeeeeeeetttttttt heeeeeeeeeeeerr gooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Guy 1: That was cute.
Guy 2: (rich old man chuckle) I know, we don’t often get to play cute pieces.
Guy 1: Mmm-Hmmm, Do you have any guesses?
Contestant: The style was Chopin.
Guy 1: That is correct.
Contestant: And the song was Some Enchanted Evening.

Me (talking to the radio): Of course it was.

Guy 1: Wow, that is amazing. You answered that very quickly. Any other information you have?
Contestant: From South Pacific by Rodgers and Hammerstein.
Guy 1: Will you tell us how you blended this piece?
Guy 2: Well, Some Enchanted Evening, has a very early 19th centrury drawing room feel, and Chopin’s minute waltz, which is actually Mi-nute not Min-ute, blended quite nicely if you take the intro (plays intro) and play some of the notes backwards (plays again).

Me: How fantastically clever!

Guy 1: Well, we have some time left. Could you delight us again?
Guy 2: Of course!

(plays song again)

Me: (Continues to sit in car, rather than go in to the resturant, to hear song a second time with a big stupid grin on her face)

Song ends.

Contestant: Bravo!
Guy 2: Thank you.

Me: Well I am definitely enchanted. (smug old lady chuckle)... (Realizes she is alone in her car) ::clears throat and looks around:: Ugh. I need a shot of 93X stat.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!! EEEEEE!!!!!!

My stomach is in knots, and I am doing my best not to simultaneously burst into tears and crap my pants. I make no promises about vomit.

Oh, here come the tears.

No wait.

::Deep breath::

Just a little misty eyed. Success.

My hands are still shaking, but my voice did not shake. I made the phone call, and paid for the Coaching Academy. Until now I was able to postpone it should I need to. It is the difference between being engaged, and setting the date with the security deposit.

My palms are sweaty and my breathing is rapid and shallow. This is REAL. Finally. I am overcome with emotion. Damnitall.

Damn, tears again.

::deep breath::

A little more misty, but I still had to wipe my eyes so none fell. Damn.


I feel like I should celebrate, but I don't want to jinx it. I am too close to making this happen, I refuse to let it be ruined.

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Do you like it a little saucy?

The PLAN

Me: Tomorrow will be 07/08/09. Why do I feel like I should do something special? … and by special I mean ridiculous and nonsensical.

Jams: Wednesday will be 07/08/09 today is the 6th. Something ridiculous is fun for any day, but it might be extra fun that day.

Me: I have a feeling Rainbow Food may or may not need to be involved. Or Nachos. GASP! Rainbow Nachos! (going through food colors in my head) Um, what is purple and goes on Nachos?

(the final list)

White-Sour cream
Red- Tomato Salsa
Orange- Bell pepper
Yellow- Corn cake
Green- Guacamole, lettuce, Jalapeno
Blue-Corn chips
Purple- Onions
Brown-Meat
Black-Olives, beans

For the nacho meat, do you want it saucy or not saucy?

I suppose we could mix it in to the cheese…but then we would need brown beans and black olives. And you don’t like olives, so you would be without black, and that just won’t do at all.

Jams: A little saucy, is that an option? I prefer black beans over brown ones. Well, if it is too much we can have it not saucy. It will probably be fine if we are putting on liquid cheese

Me: I like it a little saucy.

Jams: I like it a little saucy also.


The DAY

After hunting down elusive ingredients at four different grocery stores, we finally started cooking. I had every burner on the stove going at the same time, the corn cake in the oven, things were being chopped, rinsed, strained, spiced, and stirred. As the timer for the corn cake was counting down, we were in a frenzy to make sure everything was ready to eat at the same time.

Me: (empties onions out of pan and rinses it to add peppers, then stirs meat. Gets out lettuce and begins to rip off stalks to rinse. Then to the beans to stir and check temperature of burner) I feel like we are in kitchen stadium!

Jams: We should have a cooking show. (picking up rinsed lettuce out of the strainer to chop) How thin do you want to slice the lettuce

Me: Very thin strips (pulls the dish of Velveeta cheese sauce out of the microwave after it beeps) Well...(pulls spoon out of dish after stirring and lets cheese drip) maybe not quite kitchen stadium.

The MEAL

BEHOLD: RAINBOW NACHOS!



















The ULTIMATE BITE!

















Me: This is so good.

Jams: I think I have nachos all over my face...and I don't care.

Me: I think these are the best nachos of my life.

Jams: I don't know if I can eat any more... I want more corn cake.

Me: I am full. I can barely finish what is on my plate.

Jams: (refills her bowl) Just so you know you better get some more now, if you want it, otherwise there won't be any left.

Me: (takes last big bite) I don't think I can eat anything else, except more corn cake.



The ENTERTAINMENT

Me: I have a surprise for you... (plays song) It might be our theme song for the night...

1 2 3 4 more makes 7
and 6 is afraid of 7
'cause 7 8 9

9 was minding his business,
talking to 10 about Gordie Howe's clothes,
why 7 8 9,
nobody knows

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 10
what about 9?
7 8 9!

...

Jams: I like it.



Movies:

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog.

We both loved it. What a random crazy happenstance.

Willow.

I hadn't seen it in years, it was still good.

Me: MMMmm Madmartigan.

Jams: I know.

Me: She is totally going to leave her mother for him. Would you betray your Queen and Mother to be with Madmartigan?

Jams: (with a look) Do you even need to ask?




Code of Morgagod, Rule number 789: No reason, is still a good reason to celebrate.


Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Lunch Time

I was sitting at my desk, looking at my lunch. Leftover Bar-B-Que chicken, one boneless skinless chicken breast and one chicken thigh with skin and bone intact, were on a plate and the coleslaw was still in the container it came in. With Back up Ken Davis within reach, I was ready to eat.

Less than 4 and a half minutes later, I was eating the last bite of coleslaw.

My inner thoughts rattled in my brain "Huh? That's it? It's gone? Am I sure?" I glanced around "Wasn't there something else I was supposed to eat? I'm so confused."

After the third recounting of the food I had eaten, well it was gone I don't quite remember eating it, I decided there was nothing else I planned for lunch and went to the kitchen to throw the plate away.

From the disaster of chicken pieces left on my plate, I came to the conclusion chicken thighs are completely wasted on me, I prefer my chicken sans slime.

Also, I might have discovered a new disease: Bar-B-Que deficiency. You never know how dangerous it is, until it strikes.

Monday, June 15, 2009

To be Continued...

If you haven't heard already, Sarina and I are concocting an evil plot together. To get myself in the mood I went shopping...at half price books.

I have it all planned out, and I am looking at my next blog post. It's evil green glow has convinced me it must be next. This is of course Some Like it Wild, the sequel to the book Sarina and I picked out however long ago, Some Like it Wicked both by Teresa Medeiros (her full review can be found at http://www.pajiba.com/book_reviews/some-like-it-wicked.php I don't know how to make it a fancy button, yell at Sarina to teach me).

In the grand tradition of romance novel blurbs, I will give you the details of what I am about to read:

Needs a man
Highland brute
more brawn than brains
save her sister from selling her virtue
resourceful beauty
strapping specimen
duke's long lost heir
collect generous reward
brazen beauty
seductive silver-eyed highwayman
restoring his clan's honour
plucky Englishwoman
risky charade
never resist a challenge
devil's bargain
highwayman and the hellion
nothing to loose but his heart

It has twice as many romantic cliches on the back. In the immortal words of Sarina, "Buckle your chinstrap, bitches."

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Yesterday: Partly Cloudy With a Chance of Alien Invasion

I had big plans yesterday. They involved brownies, and the newest Antia Blake adventure.


I couldn't remember if I used all of the eggs for Danger Carrie's birthday cake or not, so I called Puppy to ask him to check out our egg situation. The conversation some how ended up with me going to the grocery store to pick up vanilla bean ice cream, cherries, cool whip and other assorted things I didn't really need.

In the check out lane, a man commented on how he and I bought the same brand of ice cream. You know, the one on sale. Evidently he thought it was Fate. He was mildly upset with himself that he forgot cool whip when I, genius that I am, remembered to put it in the cart. He mumbled his half-hearted rant on non-dairy whipped topping without eye contact. I responded to the cashier, but not to him. When I reached the end of the belt, I noticed he hadn't even started bagging his groceries, and was still talking.

Guy: I have never had this kind of ice cream before, my roommate recommended it.
Me: My roommate recommended it to me as well.
Guy: Small world.
Me: Yes, quite the coincidence.

See, soul mates.

I managed to bag my eight items faster than he could bag his four items and as I bent over to grab the bag, I looked down. Oh. Hello girls. Somehow my wrap had fallen open and the top I was wearing under it had slid down to reveal about an acre of pale, freckled cleavage. Soul mates indeed.


When I finally got home I reheated spaghetti sauce on the stove, boiled fresh noodles, and made garlic toast. Puppy and I sat down and devoured all of it while watching the last 10 minutes of X-Men. When it was over, I refused to watch Jumper and we put in the second disc of Firefly. (Which, I have fallen in love with howevermany years after everyone else.) I realized at 8:30 after an episode ended, a new Anita book came out and I was supposed to go to the book store, and instead I went home to have dinner with my roommate. I was nearly stupefied. How could I let this happen? How could I do this to Jean-Claude? How could I do this to Micah...and Nathanial... and Asher... and Jason... and Cookie? Do I have a fever? What's wrong with me? Edward would be so dissapointed.

I asked puppy to come with me to the book store, well, I bribed him with Jamba Juice. On the way there, I pointed out the scary Cub Foods. Every time I go in there, I swear more than half of the people are aliens. It is indefinably creepy. He told me he never had that experience, that everyone seemed normal, and some of the cashiers are actually cute.

Suspicious, I know.


We picked up the book (and I met a woman who was wearing my cardigan and had also been to the RT convention, Squee!) and just as I was about to hide under the covers and read the book, he insisted we finish that disc of Firefly, and I did. When the disc finished, it was nearly midnight, and I was exhausted. I went to bed and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the mountain of pillows that is my bed.

I have had a Laurell K. Hamilton book for hours and haven't read a single paragraph. Of course, I fully plan on eating ice cream (and possibly brownies) for dinner tonight and reading until I pass out. I am on alert for any suspicious behaviors by myself or others. I checked the back of my head today, to see if I have an alien parasite controlling my brain. I can't feel one, so I am pretty sure I am safe....or am I?

Sunday, May 31, 2009

I'm not the Asshole!

This is my first in medias res blog. We shall see how this goes.

Presidents and Assholes is going on, I am on a team with Jenni because I don't care, and she is a little too in her cups to really pay attention. We had been playing Rummy 500, I beat her three out of four so far.

Tonight is Jesse's last night living in Minnesota, and both Sarah and I have foregone our plans to be sober enough to drive home in order to hang out with him and give him a last all nighter in MN.


Jenni: This song is making me have a seizure.
Jesse: This song makes me want to move like a cyclone.


I haven't quite figured out the entire contents of the concoction we are all drinking, however Casey made it, and everyone drinks when Casey is the bartender.

Jesse: You should have played that earlier.
Casey: You would have won!
Sarah: No one told me.
Jenni: You gotta use a little of your noggin.


There is a ridiculous conversation about texting brad, to tell him we drank all of his alcohol, and could he please bring some more....there was too much for me to catch it all.

Sarah (from the balcony): She licked an ashtray and knocked over a Christmas tree.

Jenni has swiped Sarah's phone, I am pretty sure she is impersonating Sarah on Twitter.

Jenni: I really like dot dot dots.
Sarah: Ellipses.
Jenni: No dot dot dot, ellipses are the dot comma.
Sarah: No that's a semi colon.
Jenni: Oh. (to me in a whisper) Is she right?



Jenni (about Sarah's missing cat): Oooooh, that's so sad. MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!


Jesse: Where did Casey go?
Jenni: Poop.
Jesse: Oh.

Casey called brad to covertly get him to bring more alcohol.

Casey (on the phone with brad): No we aren't asking you to come over just to bring more alcohol.

Jesse (about brad): Where is he? Is he at a bar?...Is he having fun?

Jenni: Is he Yogging?
Sarah: Is he Yogging? Maybe he is having Yell-O shots.

Sarah: Is he coming over now? How about now?... and now? ....what about now?..... now? now? now? now? now?
Casey: No more now-ing from you!

Jesse: brad, it's Saturday night, don't be a tool.
Me: Isn't that a little redundant?

brad finally agreed to come over with more booze.

Jenni: This might be one of those nights when you sleep on the table.
Jesse: And you sleep under the table.
Jenni: BUNK-BEDS!
Jenni and Jesse (High-Five)

Sarah: The roof of my mouth itches. I'm allergic to life on planet Earth.

Jenni:... and that's how I got hooked on gin and tonics.

Jesse: Why would you need immediate Alpacka assistance?

Jenni: If Jesse was here [in front of me] I would hit him like this!

Sarah: Can we please paint our nails?
Jenni: Tomorrow when we are sober!
Sarah: Do you remember when I was drunk as hell, and I colored that asshole chicken? I did that well!

Jenni: A: you are spitting on me...B: I have no idea what you are talking about.

Jenni: This tastes like cinnamon streusel.

Jesse: BRADATOULLIE!

All: SOCIAL!
Jenni: I am only drinking juice right now.
Jesse: Get some alcohol in that.
Jenni: I don't have the means.

Sarah: I gotta pee.
Casey: I love that song!

Jenni: I'm PRES!
Jesse: That means I am vice Pres!
Jenni: I'm like Sarah Palin!
Jesse: You can see Russia from your house?

Me (while looking at the Cracker Barrel website): Fun and Games?
Jenni and Sarah: MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Sarah: I think I liked you better when you were trying to set me on fire.

* * *
Earlier that evening in the car...

Jenni: Is that guy wearing a tux?
Me: No.
Jenni: I think that guy is wearing a tux.
Sara: A tux on him.
Me: A tux on you, sir.
Sara: A tux on the phony king of England.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

An Evening with My First Love

Jams and I decided to watch a movie.

James (listing movies): Which one?
Me (in the mood for a movie adventure): I will watch the last Harry Potter movie, the last Lord of the Rings movie, either of the last two Pirates of the Caribbean movies, or any of the Indiana Jones movies.
Jams: Pick one!
Me: I narrowed it down! Any of those would be fine.
Jams (picks up the last Harry Potter movie): This one or an Indiana Jones movie...which one?
Me: Don't make me choose between Professors, that's just mean.
James: Fine, I just watched the Harry Potter movies. (holding the Indiana Jones Trilogy): Which one do you want to watch?
Me (blissfully covered in puppies): Whichever one he is teaching in.
Jams: I think that is the second one.
Me: Okay.

While watching Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom:

Me: OOooh, I forgot she sings "Anything Goes!" I love this song. I even like it in Chinese.

Me: Is it wrong that I secretly love that Red and gold dress?
Jams: How is it a secret if you just told me?
Me: Meaning that I should hate it, but I really love it.
Jams (blinks and turns back to the screen)

Jams: That chick is annoying.
Me: Aww I like her, well I liked her as a kid.
Jams: I did too, then I watched it as an adult and I can't stand her.

Me: MMmmm Dr. Jones in a Tuxedo.
Jams: I know. I think the teaching thing is after this.

Me: Wow, that chick is annoying.
Jams: I told you. (mocking) Oh, I can't stand it, I am going to drop the gun, because I am an idiot!
Me: (mocking) I broke a nail!
(both mocking everything she says)
Jams: It must not be this one he teaches in, they are with that chick the entire time.
Me: Ugh.
(a minute later, Loud screeching of the blonde chick): INDEEEEEEEEEEE!
Me and Jams (Cringe)
Jams: Do you want to watch the other one?
Me: Yes.

(Changes movie to Raiders of the Lost Ark)


(Marion Ravenwood punches Indiana Jones)
Me: I like this girl much better.
Jams: Me too. This is the one that comes back in the fourth one.
Me: I haven't seen it, I was told not to, that it is awful.
Jams: It is faith full to these movies.
Me: I heard that it was all "I'm too old for this shit," jokes.
Jams: It was all right until the Aliens showed up.
Me: ALIENS?!
Jams: Yeah, it was pretty bad.

Me: OOoh, he is so sexy in his three piece suit and glasses... then changes into his adventure wear with his gun and whip. They don't make men like him anymore. It almost makes me want to live in the '30s. Would you want to live in the '30s?
Jams: There were fewer rights for women.
Me: Sure, but the men weren't useless.
Jams: Hmm... (contemplates)

Me: That hat is sexy.
Jams: I know.
Me: How does a hat make a man sexy? I don't even mind his hairy chest. I might even like it on him.
Jams: He is such a virile man.
(a moment of silence to enjoy a half naked Indiana Jones)

Me: I really like that nightgown/dress thingy.
Jams: Me too.
Me: She changes clothes a lot for this amount of time.
Jams: She can't keep her clothes on when she is around him.
Me: I don't blame her. Would you be able to keep your clothes on around him? I wouldn't.

Jams: Ew, I can't watch this part!
Me: Where they open the Ark?
Jams: That piggy man is disgusting!
Me: His face melts off, it is awesome!
Jams (covers eyes): Ick!

I hadn't seen that movie in probably 10 years, and I still love it.


Code of the Morgagod, Sign # 198 of a good movie: The theme song has been stuck in my head for three days. It still isn't annoying.



do do-do DOOO! do-do Dooo! do do-do DOOO! Do-do DO_DO_DOO!
do do-do DOOO! do-do DOOO!
Na Nunh-Nunh-Na-Nunh-Nunh-NA! Nunh-Nunh-NA! NA-NA NunhNA!
do do-do DOOO! do-do Dooo! do do-do DOOO! Do-do DO_DO_DOO!

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

And the award, for Best Compliment of the Year goes to...

My classmate in History class!

::crowd cheers/wipes tears away::

I was wearing my fabulous headband with a bow on it, in history class today. My seat neighbor turned to me and touched the bow.

"I love this."
"Huh?" I replied.
"This," touching the bow again, "I love it."
"Oh, the bow."
"It's so Jane Austen."


I giggled and told her how I found it at at the fantastic and trashy Forever 21 accessories store, and that it was so cheap and I had one in gray as well. She was impressed.

When she came back from having her cigarette, I opened my laptop screen to show my background of Mr. Darcy. It was still up from the previous week when I had a heated discussion over the newest incarnation of Mr. Darcy, and how he was inferior to the A&E+BBC version.

"Oh, I love him!" She squeaked.
"Me too! Isn't this the greatest picture of him?"

The conversation jumped to ludicrous speed from that point and only every 5th word was discernible, "Jane Austen... favorite... Mr. Darcy... Squee!... Special Edition... Me too!... Squee!... Emma?... YES!... Squee!... Sunday Afternoon... hors d'oeuvres... prosciutto... Squee!... isn't it always red wine... cheese snob... Gouda ::chuckle::... Jane and Lizzy... Squee!" until class started again.

My neighbor on the other side leaned over and asked "Do you sometimes have your lap top open, just to look at him?"

"I plead the fifth."

Contimplations on Grocery Items

I just realized something. I went grocery shopping, a rare event these days, and bought some French bread because it was a dollar. I then proceeded to buy butter and cheese to make garlic toast. These items were not on my list. This may not seem so important, but just wait- it gets better. The items that were on my list were things for me to make quesadillas, burritos and taco salads for the next week. I know what you are thinking, “Really? You will only eat three different things for the entire week?” (Not just three, I bought two frozen pizzas because they were on sale.) The realization, the epiphany, the point where I fling open the window and shout “EUREKA!” came with this thought: Taco Toast!

I know Taco Toast is still a shade controversial. I have complete respect for your beliefs in the anti-TT camp, however, I firmly believe that we can expand our horizons and try new things. Sure it is unnatural at first, especially when we have tortillas in the house, still, I am sure that stringing cat guts on some hollow wood was a little odd at first too. Think of all the places we can go from here! Oh, the possibilities!




Code of the Morgagod: Open your mind to new food! Eat a bug at least once in your life time! (If you haven't reached the bug eating stage yet, start with Taco Toast!)

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Quotes

People I know are unconsciously funny. They crack me up, then give me the Mysterious Face of Mars look when I laugh. These are some of the things people have said to me in the past few weeks.


"And everyone knows, you always take Aristophanes with a grain of salt." - History Professor


"The weather has just been really up in the air lately." -Yolandi


"I have just eaten too many bad bunnies!"- Jams


"If I had a dollar for every time I had to break up with a girl because it was physically impossible to have sex with her- I would have four dollars." - Guy I know


"Quick! Does anyone have a binary decision maker?" -Dr. Lake


"Shouldn't short plus short make you shorter?" - Classmate in crime


"I need water ASAP before I totally kill the teacher!"- New BFF


Of course, I was guilty of the same thing, the following made my Composition professor crack up:

"Damn you F. Scott Fitzgerald! Damn you and your nuances!"



These I said today and made other people crack up:

"You need to brush up on your Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm."


"I say 'foo' on your two 'B's.'"



Taken out of context, most things can be funny, still I appreciated these sentences this last little bit.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Pixar: A rebuttal

A short time ago during a discussion of Pixar movies I admitted that I did not see the allure, and several of the films they have produced elicited no more than a so-so expression. I was then immediately attacked with the accusation "You just don't like them because they don't have princesses in them!"

I honestly at the time could not respond to this, I was stunned at the statement and I couldn't recall most of the Pixar movies right off the top of my head.

This is not the first time something like this has happened. It bothers me more than I care to admit that several different people that I call my friends (or have in the past) don't know me at all. They see one part or side and fill in the rest with assumptions. It comes across as a lack of interest in me as a person, a general neglect, and lack of respect.

I looked up the list of Pixar movies, and other animated films that do not include princesses to dispel this preconceived notion of a princess exclusivity.

Pixar movies I could watch over and over again, Exhibit A:

A Bug's Life

Sorry, that is all I have.

Finding Nemo made me sleepy, and Monsters Inc. took a fantastic premise and let me down. I did laugh a few times, however this was more the effect of the comedian voicing the character than the movie itself. I haven't seen WALL-E and I have heard great things, still I am not motivated to spend money on it. I did love the first short film Pixar produced with the lamp, so I can guess that it will not be horrible. The short animation of the old man playing chess against himself for his own teeth made me smile, and and For the Birds, made me laugh until I cried. I did mildly enjoy Cars, however it was simply a re-hashing of Doc Hollywood which I enjoyed as a teenager. I absolutely hated Toy Story, just as I would start to care about the plot or character, they would shove in a song with the most obnoxious sounding voice I could imagine and I would loose interest, well except for the little three eyed aliens I loved those things.


In further evidence, Disney movies without princesses I loved, Exhibit B:

The Nightmare Before Christmas (I know every damn word)
Lilo and Stitch
The Emperor's New Groove
The Sword in the Stone
101 Dalmatians
Lady and the Tramp

Robin Hood (maid Marian was not a princess)
The Rescuers Down Under
Hercules
(even though it completely ignored the mythology. Megara was an anti-princess and her song is the one I sing the most!)
Mulan
Tarzan
The Lion King
DuckTales: The Movie

Bedknobs and Broomsticks (half of it was animated and that was the part I liked)
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (even if it was inaccurate)
Winnie the Pooh
The Aristocats

I don't remember if Fantasia has a princess in it... I remember liking The adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, however I haven't seen it in over 15 years so I am not sure if it counts.


Compare these to the Animated movies I like that have Princesses:

Sleeping Beauty
The Little Mermaid
Beauty and the Beast
(Belle was not a princess, but she is always included in the list of them)
Aladdin
Cinderella III: A Twist in time
(simply for the line "Ooooh, a stick! Let's beat her with it!" by a wicked step sister)


The argument could be made that I simply like specific animation styles or certain composers and lyricists. The music makes up a significant part of the film. I found out that my favorite song (One night in Bangkok) was written by Tim Rice, guess what? So were lyrics to songs in Aladdin and The Lion King. Alan Menken wrote lyrics for The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Pocahontas (I don't watch the move but listened to the soundtrack) and Hercules. See a pattern here? (he also wrote for Enchanted, but I am not counting that as animated)


The fact remains that movies without princesses far outnumber movies with them and there is much more to me than my tiara(s). Every time people (you know who you are!) pigeonhole me into one category it hurts and it is an entirely unfair assumption to make. So the next time you feel like making generalizations about my character and personality without paying attention to who I really am, I suggest your time is better spent banging your head against the wall, you shit munching cock face.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Good News!

I heard the most spectacular news today.

First, to understand why the news is so important, I need to explain something.

As a teenager, I decided to read more classic literature. I picked up Jane Eyre, thinking it was a good place to start, and it was the first leather bound tome I had. I believe I was able to make it about 12 chapters in before I threw it across the room.

This experience led me to avoid classic literature written by women of that era, the mere whisper of the Bronte name would send me into fits of frothing fury.

It wasn't until in my 20's that I was convinced, to watch BBC edition of Jane Austen Theatre by Danger Carrie. This was the presentation of Pride and Prejudice. I fell in love. I am not sure if it was the wine, or the food, or Mr. Darcy, or some magical combination of it all, I loved this story. I bought the collector's edition of Pride and Prejudice on DVD and have made everyone who hasn't seen it watch it with me, eliciting many sighs and new appreciation for Mr. Darcy (and Colin Firth).

Since I have had this experience, I have proceeded to compare every man I meet to Mr. Darcy. This has spared me from any painful crush or awkwardness as every man has failed to spark my interest in a significant manner. It has been a blissful few years.

I received a book called Me and Mr. Darcy (Alexandra Potter) for my birthday.

A summary of my review of this book:

This novel began delightfully. I did my best to overlook the obvious errors in speech patters of the American narrator. There are some very accurate and humorous portrayals of single men that Emily dates. She believes no one will win her heart because she compares all men to Mr. Darcy (don't we all?). Witty and charmingly flawed our protagonist sets out to England for a literature tour, whereupon she promptly begins a Pride and Prejudice parallel journey. As delightful as this may sound, the story deteriorates as our most beloved hero Mr. Darcy (who shows up because of unexplained paranormal events) behaves remarkably out of character. Eventually our drunk and stoned (yes stoned) heroine decides that poetry is no longer romantic. She vastly prefers someone she can text message (where r u?) and a man who insists on sleeping with her on the second date. She returns to London to shag a scruffy, dirty, fat, fashionably challenged journalist, who in fact hates Mr. Darcy and everything he stands for. This was an intense relief. In no way does Emily deserve the attention of Mr. Darcy, and I was very glad when this poor telephone version of a timeless example of male perfection was no longer plagued by a gauche caricature of a literature loving modern American woman. Needless to say, I would not recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Jane Austen.


After reading this book I have sworn to never read another Pride and Prejudice derivative novel again.

Today I am excited to inform you that I will proudly eat my words. It has come to my attention that a book I will not be able to resist, is being released this spring.

Drum roll please?


Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Written by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies features the original text of Jane Austen's beloved novel with all-new scenes of bone-crunching zombie action. As our story opens, a mysterious plague has fallen upon the quiet English village of Meryton--and the dead are returning to life! Feisty heroine Elizabeth Bennet is determined to wipe out the zombie menace, but she's soon distracted by the arrival of the haughty and arrogant Mr. Darcy. What ensues is a delightful comedy of manners with plenty of civilized sparring between the two young lovers--and even more violent sparring on the blood-soaked battlefield as Elizabeth wages war against hordes of flesh-eating undead. Complete with 20 illustrations in the style of C. E. Brock (the original illustrator of Pride and Prejudice), this insanely funny expanded edition will introduce Jane Austen's classic novel to new legions of fans.

Have a moment to savor this news (and squee appropriately).

* * *


Two of my favorite topics together in one book? I have a difficult time thinking someone could know me so well. It is a little terrifying. There is no way this book will not be fantastic, this proves there are exceptions to every rule.

Jams and I have decided that the only appropriate costumes for the Zombie Pub Crawl this year are Zombie Jane and Zombie Lizzie. Last year there was only one Zombie Mr. Darcy and I was in a tizzy. I can't begin to imagine how fantastic dozens of Zombie Mr. Darcys would be! I will be in Zombie Heaven!

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

There are no words.

I have started school. I should have blogged about this earlier, except I haven't. I may or may not in depth at some point, however today was a particular adventure I feel the need to share it at once. Instead of doing my homework, meaning I get less sleep.

You see the importance of this.

My History Professor is Crazy. Mad as pants, "lets have a tea party" crazy. A spastic and random lecturer. A non-working knowledge of the intricacies of what she teaches and a complete nut job. Everyone in the class dislikes her, myself being possibly the only exception. (She is a derivative of my kind of crazy and I happen to completely enjoy her eccentricities) Our class has dropped about a dozen people. In a class of 42, that is quite a bit.

It doesn't help that the book wasn't in and we have no reference to what she is talking about. When people would ask her to clarify things in short stories we were assigned or references she has no idea. Then the next week happens and it is a new region of the world and we have new questions she can't answer.

This week it was Egypt. We were separated into small groups to discuss short stories we had read from the prior week. Stories not in the book, that she presumably selected for significant reasons. This is not so. These were love poetry, hymns, and short stories. She couldn't answer the simple question of who a character was (what is Nut goddess of?). I can understand if it is some obscure question in the book, but this is a story she picked out for us to read, and presumably has read herself. She should know these things.

Other than her odd lecturing method " Um, uh, incomplete sentence, um, change topic incomplete sentence, random opinion, uh, first topic complete sentence. " which forces us to write notes in circles, I must address her choice in wardrobe:

The first night of class, she taught in a teal sweater and black yoga pants with the jolly roger on the thigh. Her hair was in a long braid and an absolute mess. Which was casual, unprofessional, yet somewhat explainable.

The second class she was wearing a grey sweater and a broach (or Broooch for more refined readers) her hair was neat and in a bun. Then she walked out from behind the podium and she was wearing black cargo pants with straps and buckles on them. You know... bondage-casual.

Today there are no words for what she was wearing. A cable knit sweater. A blue one. That's it. It started at her shoulders and touched the floor.

My partner in crime in the class, and I busily discussed the possible names for whatever it was that she was wearing:

Me: That is an overaggressive sweater... Sweatress?....dreater?...Snuggie ("soft over sized fleece blanket with sleeves") 2.0?
Her: Polyester Robe?
Me: Was she shopping at the tall girl shoppe? How much did she pay for that?
Her: I hope not much... Hopefully it was from good will because I don't know where else you could get something like that.
Me: Maybe 15 years ago....

Then it struck me. The name descended like manna from the ancient gods she knew nothing about:

Me:UBER TUNIC!
Her: HA!... You know, I don't want to sound mean, but she reminds me of someone who might work at the Renaissance festival.
Me: I have been there enough times to know she is too strange for Ren-fest.

Me: I never thought I'd say this, but I wish I had a camera phone right now.

At near the end of class:

Her: (tap tap tap)
Me: (sees sketch of the Uber Tunic) you did record it for posterity!

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

I hate you all.

Hair-

I hate you. I hate every single strand of you. I hate the strands that curl one way, and the strands that curl the other. I hate the strands that start to curl, then stop half way through and the bastards that don't curl at all. I hate the blonde ones, I hate the dark ones and I hate the red motherfuckers that make me feel the need to dye the rest to match. I hate that you grow at the speed of tectonic plate movement. I hate that the half ponytail I put in my hair this morning is just a nub. I hate the little baby hairs that stick out in all different directions no matter how much pomade goo I use. I would shave you off if it wouldn't make me hate you longer. You are the bain of my existence and I hope you feel pain every single time I use the curling iron to tame you.

The END.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Haircut $35, Postage $6, the smile of a child- priceless.

Other titles for this post:

me - 12 inches = new me


I get the cut


Little Orphan Gilly


As most, if not all of you, know on Friday January 2nd. I got a hair cut. (Jesse: "Finally you damn hippie!") I cut one foot of hair off my head to donate to locks of love.


Jenni reccomended an amazing stylist by the name of Jackie, who also has curly hair and completely understands my frustration with stylists, and my involvement in taking care of my hair. She was very pregnant and it made me a little nervous to let her wait on me. I felt the compulsion to make her sit down, get her a cup of herbal tea, and a foot massage. Despite her (not so) little bundle, she was fantastic at what she does and I couldn't have been more pleased.

Since Jenni was the one that gave me the phone number, she knew the day I was going to cut my hair. Jenni told Sarah, and she was so damn excited a girls night was planned for afterward. We went to the Chinese Buffet and ate ourselves sick with wontons and General Tzo's chicken, and those sesame jell-O things that we found out are sweet potato. Then went to the grocery store for snacky things for later. We proceeded to drink entirely too much fancy pants gin and be loud and obnoxous for the neighbors, using obscure words and claiming Metro Transit as a distant cousin.

I have had some time to get used to my hair. My conclusion: It is dramatically easier to take care of and dramatically less pretty. I am relearning how to take care of short hair. As the last time I had hair this short, I was 10 years old and probably didn't take care of it at all. This is the challange of my life. I finally had my system down on how to make my long curly hair pretty and WHAM! I am starting from scratch and learning an entirely new system. I found one very pretty style, but to achieve this it requires more time and effort than I can allow, about 24 hours.

I may be over sensitive, but I hate that I don't have luxurious hair anymore. I tried on all my hats and my fedoras looked very nice now that my hair is 1940s short. For the real test: the Tiara. I have had princess length hair for so long I couldn't imagine a tiara with shoulder length hair. I put it on, took a deep breath and opened my eyes. It didn't work. AT. ALL. I tried pinning parts of it up and it still didn't work. I pinned it all up and let the illusion of curls at the top frame the tiara, that kind of worked but the curls weren't quite tall enough to make it complete. I didn't cry or throw things, but some small part of me wanted to. My princess hair is gone, as I slipped the tiara off and on between styles, I noticed that my tiara fits like it always did, effortlessly, weightlessly, perfectly. Which was a comfort knowing the tiara still knows me, despite its lack of hair to decorate it. And of course, my hair can grow back.


Until then, Queen for a day, will be for a different day as I open a new chapter to the book of looks: The femme fetale.


Code of Morgagod Tidbit 1,240: Hair may come and hair may go, the shape of your head lasts forever.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Happy Birthday Paul!

It was December the 30th. A cold winter day, when Jenni, Casey, and myself went out to visit Paul for his birthday. Bowling, Ugh. I hate bowling. Not only am I spectacularly bad at it, every time I am at a bowling alley I attract the dumbest, drunkest person there. "Blah-blah-blah you are tall, blah-blah-blah I am a moron," and so on and so fourth. To complete the trifecta of the fucktardary that is bowling, you have to wear someone else's shoes, there seems to be something fundamentally wrong with that. So I abstain from the act of bowling and two of the three irritants. Thus making it a tolerable once in a while event.

When we arrived we met Paul and the rest of the group in the bar. While the boys played pool, the girls sat around and tried very hard not to pull out each other's hair.


IN THE RED CORNER: THE CRAAAAAAAAZY TAXI, THE REIGNING CHAMPION, JEEEEEEEEENNNNNNNNIIIIIIIIII!


IN THE BLUE CORNER: THE CHALLENGER, THE TINY SLUT, KKKKKKKKKAAAAAARRRRRIIIIIIII!

These two have been duking it out for years. This year, I was called in as backup to prevent some cataclysmic event from happening. As Kari tends to attempt make out with/hump anything that stands still long enough (men, women, curio cabinets) I was a shade apprehensive about being the referee. At a Halloween party she was so wasted she started grinding on some one's leg while sitting on the ground. This person was having a conversation with another person at the time and not paying attention to Kari at all, which did not seem to thwart her plans. I quite literally picked her up by the seat of her pants, and helped her stand so she could be in a safe place because 1) I felt a little bad for her, 2) I was helping Jenni keep tabs on the drunkies at her party. She turned around and stuck her tongue out at me and played with her tongue ring in what I would guess she thought as an enticing manner, it was certainly suggestive, I ignored it (this memory affirmed I was safe, as there was no way she could reach me). I began to steer this tiny person to a place for a glass of water because she obviously would need it in the morning, when she fell to the ground towards the bathroom and told me she had to go. At this point I left her to her own devices. I had a cemetery cake to cut. Yes, I did wash my hands first.

I did not know what to expect, had she matured at all? Was she still humping people that weren't paying attention to her/random objects? I knew I was more of a backup than an actual enforcer, Jenni could take care of herself, she already super glued this girl's fingers together when they briefly worked at the same place. I was mainly there to be extra bitchy on Jenni's behalf, and finally see August after I don't even know how many years, oh and be there for Paul on his birthday.

Fortunately Tinfoil is not 21 yet. So we had an opportunity to be "forced" to move away from the tiny slut and the people unfortunate enough to sit next to her without causing much of a stir.

We dined alone and had fantastic sandwiches and fries with good company (I don't count brad as good company, although I mostly do my best to ignore him, and at that point he was heavily medicated and a sort of null entity, so he doesn't count when tallying people). The gossip was mostly hair related. Kari is a professional hair stylist, and somehow always manages to have hair that looks awful. This time it was dyed black (the color Jenni mostly dyes her hair), but unevenly so, as if she tried a different color and failed, which was then over processed and still different colors in certain places, and cut choppy but had no movement. Little wisps were pulled in front of her ears in an attempt to create an elfin look (or at least we think so). However, her hair was so thin her ears just looked like they were sticking out at an unnatural angle. It was, well, a little sad.

Finally it was time to bowl.

Casey: I am so excited, this will be just like Wii bowling, only real!
Me: Yes, one step up from virtual reality, actual reality.
Me and Casey: (grin)

I sat with Bob and Tinfoil and chatted while everyone else was bowling. I filled Tinfoil in on the gossip about all of our former close friends and the schism that makes Paul's birthdays a little awkward.

Bob was zoning out, most likely tired because he has an early start for his job. So, I tried to bring him back into our conversation.

Me: That's the story Bob.
Bob: Huh?
Me: I was filling her in on the story of the tiny slut.
Bob: Who?
Tinfoil: The Witch with the big nose.
Bob: Oh, her.


We talked about other things, the housing market, 401k investments, the way brad kept chest hitting Casey after every single time he knocked a pin down. I attempted to win a hippopotamus (for Christmas) out of the claw machine about 6 times and failed, stupid new-fangled claw machines.

Finally August acknowledged me, with a real smile and a greeting. We didn't have a chance to talk much, but our one conversation was playful and reminded me of all the good times we had staying up all night talking until we could hear the birds start to chirp, then fall blissfully asleep despite the relatively uncomfortable place we were about to pass out (usually the floor).

Jenni gave up bowling after the third game or so, and sat with us. Then, Kari came over to the table.

Kari: What are you party poopers doing?
(crickets)
Jenni: Sitting up here. (takes off her hat)
Me: Your hat messed up your part (reaches across the table to fix it)
Jenni: (sakes her hair) There?
Me: (reaching again, just out of my reach) ::sigh:: No, that didn't work.
Kari: No it didn't Morgaine, GOD! (stomps away)
Me, Bob, Tinfoil: (bewilderd looks)
Jenni: (rolls eyes) UGH.

(previous conversation continues)

At the end of the evening Paul claimed to have a very happy birthday even if there was a little tension. It might have had something to do with the amount of alcohol he consumed. He gave everyone hugs goodbye about six times, but we weren't complaining.


After we left Jenni filled us in on some of the very immature and inappropriate things Kari was doing when people weren't around, like rubbing herself against Jenni when she was turning in her shoes and saying "God, Jenni don't be such a perv!" to which Jenni replied "Whatever, psycho." and walked away.

Unfortunatly, sitting around holding a gossipy conversation about a person while in the same room with them, with the occasional break of a video game, or decent conversation was by far the more mature behevior between the two.

THE WINNER AND STILL CHAMPION: JEEEEEEEEENNNNNIIIIIIIIIII!

Oh, and Happy Birthday, Paul!