Question of the Day

We have to ask: What are you going to be for Halloween this year? And can we see a picture?

I don't love Halloween. I don't hate Halloween. I...I nothing Halloween.

Even as a kid, it was never my favorite holiday. Even though I can tell you that my all-time favorite costume was when my brother and the two kids from across the street went out trick-or-treating as a box of Crayola crayons (yours truly was purple, of course). As I was running down the steps of a stranger's house after snagging some candy, I tripped and fell and ripped a big old hole right in the middle of my crayon costume.

I also remember my brother and I dressing up as toothpaste and an Oreo cookie. But for the life of me, I can't remember who was the toothpaste and who was the cookie.

But either way...since "growing up," I don't really celebrate Halloween. I don't need a reason to eat candy whenever I want nor do I need a reason to play dress up.

So this year, I'm just me. And no, you can't see a picture.

Question of the Day

30 Rock returns to television today. Should Tina Fey's striking resemblance to Gov. Palin become part of this season's storyline?

No.

And as fucking hilarious as Tina Fey is, she should stop having to play her.

So for the sake of Tina's sanity, my sanity, and the sanity of everyone in the world, please do not help elect the vapid, incompetent woman.

Thanks.

Question of the Day catch-up

With Halloween on the horizon, burning questions about the undead need to be answered: Can being a zombie be considered suffering?

I generally believe suffering to be entirely subjective. Much like most of life, I can relate it to Buffy. After his gypsy curse, Angel walked around with a soul, forced to recall and live with the memories of all the vivious things he did as Angelus. Suffering. Spike, having no soul at all, dug his ability to walk around sucking the life out of people until The Initiative implanted the chip (die, Riley, die!!) He only suffered after being rendered inable to live life the way he was used to. It's all about circumstances. Some zombies probably dig it, some probably don't.

Everyone enjoys a ghost story. Or at least knows one. What is the scariest ghost story you've ever heard?

I'm not sure I've really heard a lot of true ghost stories. I've read plenty of creepy, scary stories (hi, Stephen King) but ghost stories, not so much. When I read it in school, I remember thinking almost anything written by Edgar Allen Poe has a genuine fright to it (moreso the prose than the poetry) and just the other day, I picked up The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allen Poe. So far, I've only read my all-time favorite, The Cask of Amontillado, but as I read some this week, I'll let you know if they're as scary as I remember.

Happy birthday, Internet! The Internet, of course, has changed many things for the good. But is it all good? What is the biggest problem the Internet has created for you or the world?

Nothing in life is all good but I definitely say the internet has been more beneficial to me than it has been detrimental. The biggest problmem it's created is probably the huge amount of time that's dedicated to it on a regular basis. Although it's usually used for reading and learning crap so, ya know...that's a good thing.

a joke

Joe took his blind date to the carnival. "What would you like to do first, Kim?" asked Joe. "I want to get weighed," she said. They ambled over to the weight guesser. He guessed 120 pounds. She got on the scale, it read 117 lbs. and she won a prize.

Next, the couple went on the ferris wheel. When the ride was over, Joe again asked Kim what she would like to do. "I want to get weighed," she said. Back to the weight guesser they went. Since they had been there before, he guessed her correct weight and Joe lost his dollar.

The couple walked around the carnival and again, he asked where to go next. "I want to get weighed," she responded. By this time, Joe figured she was really weird and took her home early, dropping her off with a handshake.

Her roommate, Laura, asked her about the blind date..."how'd it go?"

Kim responded, "Oh Waura, it was wousy!"

my current obsessions

I'm so very smitten.



And look how beautiful!




And look how beautiful!

a PSA

Any change in tax code is a redistribution of wealth.

That $700 billion bailout for Wall Street? A redistribution of wealth.

Palin's taking of oil profits and giving them to fellow Alaskans? A redistribution of wealth.

The simple fact that we pay taxes is a redistribution of wealth. We make money, the government takes it, and redistributes it. The simply price we pay for living like civilized people with roads and schools and stuff. Pretty straight forward, no?

So enough with the "Barry's a socialist who wants to redistrbute the wealth" argument, mmmkay?

Thanks.

Question of the Day

I don't care for some of the Question of the Day questions so when that's the case, I'll pick something from the archive instead. This shall be one of those times.

Everyone knows having a crush at the office or in class can make the time pass a little bit quicker. Is it better to keep your crush a secret or tell them how you feel?

"Depends on the situation" definitely could apply to this question but generally, I think that by nature, crushes aren't intended to develop into significant, intimate relationships and having genuine feelings for each other is much different than feeling infatuated and / or having a crush on someone. For me, there's no hidden agenda behind a crush or secret longing.

If it's a crush on someone I barely know, chances are, I'm going to keep my mouth shut because, "hey, we don't know each other but I have a huge crush on you" would make me feel a bit awkward so I assume it would for others as well. But if it's a co-worker or a classmate I'm friends with...I say definitely own up to the crush.

Question of the Day

When it comes to making a difference, some people donate money and others volunteer their time. What cause gets your time or money?

Few things get my money, simply because I don't have the kind of disposable income I'd like to have in order to donate money and not feel like I'm putting myself further into debt. But through my workplace, for Christmas, we sponsor families through Christopher House and my money goes toward clothing and toys for families who need them.

If I ever win an assload of money in the lottery, my money shall go to my parents and brother to pay off their bills and have some fun money, some more for my brother so he (and hopefully my father) can open a restaurant, a college fund for my brother's girlfriend's daughter, and some friends so they can have some cash to make whatever they want happen for themselves. After that, I would most definitely donate to Just Detention International (an organization focused on ending sexual abuse in all forms of detention), the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago, the Human Rights Campaign, and I would hopefully find some more local organizations to help.

My time, on the other hand, is much more readily available than my money and it's mainly donated to the Chicago Rape Crisis Hotline. A few months after starting my shifts, my parents asked on the phone one night how it was going and I told them that even after those few months, I couldn't imagine not working there.

I still can't. Can't really imagine I ever will.

Question of the Day

Imagine a world without Star Trek. Is it a world you'd be very happy to live in, or a dark and terrible place?

Well, considering I've never once seen an episode of Star Trek and couldn't tell you a single thing about it, I'm going to say it'd be the exact same kind of world I'm living in now. The one in which I'm pretty happy.

That question sucked.

what a maverick!

My friends, I'm broke and I'm going to lose anyway.

Can I start singing, "nah nah nah nah...nah nah nah nah...hey hey hey...goooooooodbye," now?

i love the 80s

A blog I regularly read has an "FYI" series in which they post these little gems for a variety of awesome 80s tunes.

I listened to this song this morning and it's one of my favorites in the series.



And a few of my other faves...

inaugural "Question of the Day" post

From here on out, I'm going to take the Live Journal Writer's Block question and use it as my Question of the Day in this ol' blog. And depending on how bored I am today, I may just scroll back through past ones and answer some. So beware possible over-postyness.

As my brother used to say when he was younger: ready...go...set!

'Tis the season for scary movies. Some rank The Evil Dead as the best horror film of all time. What is your favorite scary movie?

I've never been a huge fan of scary movies but I'm definitely going to have to go with The Shining.

I hate films that are full of blood and guts and gore simply for the sake of being full of blood and guts and gore. None of those things scare me and none of those things are what The Shining is about. It's about the entirely plausible reality that a man could go crazy due to isolation. Sure, you've got to somewhat believe in the power of a haunted place to affect a guy and his family but you remove someone from society and stick them in a place where they start believing something or someone is fucking with them and shit's bound to get creepy.

Every time I read the book, I'm freaked out. And every time I've watched the film, I've been sure to leave a few candles burning for some comforting light.

It doesn't hurt that Jack Nicholson is just plain creepy as fuck.

just one of the many reasons behind my vote this year

Joe Biden and the VAWA (Vioelnce Against Women Act)

possibly the cutest photo ever

Adorable and so incredibly moving.

i am a girl without a subject

It feels kinda funny to say it (rather, to write it) but I'm kinda glad my traveling for the year is almost done.

While in Mexico, my mom offered to pay for me to come back to New York for Thanksgiving but after checking out Amtrak (flights are always too ridiculous), even the train would cost over $200. Eff that. I'm thankful for my family every day and although I'd like to someday spend Thanksgiving with them again, I'm okay with not heading back to New York. My plan is to stay at home and take some hotline shifts so the awesome staff ladies can have some much-needed holiday downtime.

I did, however, book my $130 train ride home for Christmas, which will hopefully be the last travelling I'll be doing until next summer when the parentals and I are hoping to get back to Portland (Maine). Both to and from New York are night trips so it's not like I'm wasting any time since I'm gonna get on the train, sleep, and wake up in a different place. So for $130, you really can't beat that.

Mexico, as expected, was mucho bueno. I tried to upload my photos last night but for some reason, can't. So I'm going to mess around tonight and see if I can't figure out the problem so I can make a proper post, with photos and all.

But for right now, I'm going to continue to do a big fat nothing for the next two hours until my ass gets to go home!

I think today is a "create-your-own" title day

Along with what seems like the majority of women in Chicago, I went out with my best friend bride-to-be Saturday night for her bachelorette party.

We started at her friend's house with snacks and wine and an employee of Tulip, selling some of us some goodies, before we headed out for more alcoholic treats.

The limo dropped us at Bootlegger's because as we were strolling by, a guy said he'd give us a bottle of free champagne if we came in, so...that's just good sense. We had a few drinks, played a a fun, little, let's meet some people in a crazy way!" game, and eventually headed to Hangge-Uppe, which is generally too crowded and obnoxious for my liking but after many beers and 3 shots (which is 3 too many), I didn't much care. That is, until the limo picked us up and about and half-way back to the North Side, kindly pulled over for me so I could get sick. Always a pleasure. I give it until about Noon before the whole office hears about that.

He then continued on to drop us at Golden Angel, where we indulged in cheap, tasty eggs and coffee, before taking cabs back to our respective apartments. At home, I was greeted by a pleasant 3 a.m. surprise in the form of a phone call with a friend whose voice I hadn't heard for far too long, and then peacefully drifted off to sleep until about noon Sunday. Productivity resumed and here I am, back at work for a 4-day week before heading off to Mexico for a much-needed family (most of us) vacation.

Good times abound.

dude, seriously?

I love discovering new and fascinating douchebags to read. Even if it does scare me to know they actually exist.

regarding last night's VP debate...

A very wise TV executive once told me that the key to TV is projecting through the screen. It's one of the keys to the success of, say, a Bill O'Reilly, who comes through the screen and grabs you by the throat. Palin too projects through the screen like crazy. I'm sure I'm not the only male in America who, when Palin dropped her first wink, sat up a little straighter on the couch and said, "Hey, I think she just winked at me." And her smile. By the end, when she clearly knew she was doing well, it was so sparkling it was almost mesmerizing. It sent little starbursts through the screen and ricocheting around the living rooms of America. This is a quality that can't be learned; it's either something you have or you don't, and man, she's got it.

Credit for who actually wrote it because I wouldn't dream of taking credit for this crap.

I think Mr. Lowry needs to hurry up and stroke one off to fantasies of his dream girl and call it a day.

Project Runway - Episode 12

Episode 12: Challenge: "Create an evening gown inspired by nature."

For this challenge, the designers headed to the Bronx, where they visited The New York Botanical Garden, snapped a bunch of photos, and headed back to Parsons to choose one photo from which they drew inspiration for their gown.

I think nature is wildly inspiring and this was another one of my favorite challenges.. Even though the designers have semi-sucked and the judges and their decisions have semi-sucked, I've really loved the challenges this season.

The Official Winner

Designer: Jerell
The more I see from Jerell, the more I love him. Although part of me wanted to pull the dress up a few inches and part of me thinks, "this would look so much better on a woman with bodacious tatas," I adore this dress. Hell, I have bodacious tatas. I wanna wear it!


Designer: Leanne
I'm almost always bias to anything purple but even if it had been a different color, I'm fairly certain I would have still loved the dress. It's pretty and flowy, which makes up for the aspect of it that says, "look, someone just took a can of Reddi-Whip and sprayed it all over me."


Designer: Korto
I think this is possibly the worst thing Korto has created so far. I don't like the color, I don't like the fit, just...blech.


Designer: Kenley
Not only are you a complete bitch and rude to everyone, including the judges, this dress is just plain fugly. This isn't Splash. Go swim away.

Once again, the judges didn't think Kenley deserved to go home so the four of the designers got to go home to create their line for Fashion Week but only 3 of them will actually go (which we know is a lie because Joe was a plant when he showed). And there are photos out there of everyone's line so not much of a surprise is left other than who the last plant is and who the winner is.

My money is on Leanne.