Canada 2006

I have pictures of our trip to Canada on the internet. There were a ton more pictures on the camera than I put up, but these were the highlights. If you are truly interested in seeing the other pictures, just imagine more of the same and then just add 3 feet of snow.

Canada 2006

The Trifecta of Fashion

In high school, I watched a lot of Fashion TV on VH1. I knew what real fashion was then. I don't know a good pair of Jimmy Choos from Payless anymore, but if Fashion TV was still on, I think I'd be the chic-est girl on the block.

There were 3 people on that show that guided me to expensive taste:
Elsa Klensch
Andre Leon Talley
Anna Wintour

They made me wish I could afford a John Galliano or a Badgley Mishka. They made me wish I was Eva Herzigova in a slinky Herve Leger. They made me believe that the models were from another planet.

Quick. Name All the Hip Hop Groups You Can.

Remember back in the 90's when you could name all the hip-hop acts on 2 hands? There weren't enough acts that they had only a one hour show dedicated to hip hop (Yo! MTV Raps, for those of you who don't remember).

Today, there are literally as many hip hop acts as there are rock acts. Way too many to keep track of. And now they have their own channel.

You know what - good for them. I'm glad that they've come into their own and became legit. They even have different styles of rap. Like how rock could be broken down to modern rock, alternative, goth/industrial, etc. There's like gangsta rap, old skool...different sub-genres. It's crazy.

The Mozzer Finds a Reason to Live

Is anyone else here as surprised as I am that Morrissey is still alive? When I was about 14, I was so sure that I'd see a tribute article in Select magazine celebrating the genius of a guy that is possibly the most miserable git on the face of the planet. Of course, it wouldn't be an easy death. Morrissey is the type of guy that would go for the suffering. Something like hanging or drowning would only do for the Mozzer.

[I am also surprised that Dave Gahan has narrowly escaped death by his own hand on several occasions, but that's a whole other blog all together.]

And yet Morrissey this time around has finally found a reason to live. And then decides to sing about you-know-what. Yeah. I can't believe it either. Never in my lifetime would I peg Morrissey for being happy or finding sex. Yeah, the most asexual guy on the planet sings about a good old romp. Who would ever guess? But he did it on his newest album, Ringleader of the Tormentors, due out in 2 weeks. You can actually preview the entire album right now on MySpace.

I've never been a big Morrissey fan. I like the radio singles and that's about it. Although I'm happy for his newfound happiness and love, I think I'm just gonna wait for his greatest hits album.

New Goal

Ok, so I've failed miserably at completing my goals from the beginning of the year. I just haven't had time to devote space to Cutlery Corner or post pictures (mostly, I just don't have any worthy pics to post). So it's time to state some new things to accomplish for the summer.

Create Summer Concert Series 2006 (aka Peepo Stock)

I've just had a craving to go to shows lately. Something I really enjoyed doing back in the day that I haven't been doing lately. I haven't been listening to cool new music lately, mostly because cool new music is near impossible to find on the radio or on TV. But since Joe got Sirius, I've been hearing some decent stuff. So I guess I was wrong about the state of affairs in the music industry. There's stuff out there, you just have to find it. Plus, the bands I like are either aging or becoming irrelevant or breaking up. So let's get started.

* Gogol Bordello play at the Troc in April. Aaron and Alisha love them, so this is a likely starter for the summer series.

* Fall Out Boy, Hawthorne Heights, All American Rejects play in Hershey in May. Yeah, these are C-list bands right now. Yeah, the concert is on a Wednesday. So a more likely choice for May could be...

* HFStival. This year this concert is allegedly at Merriweather, which is cool. I like Merriweather. Line-up is still in the rumors and wishlist phases, but this would be a great opportunity to see some great favorites and some new up and comers. Some of the rumored include Smashing Pumpkins or Chili Peppers or Dave Matthews. But on the more interesting note, Angels & Airwaves, Depeche Mode, The Strokes are also rumored to be there.

I haven't seen any interesting bands playing out towards June and July, but I'm looking. I'm getting excited about the prospects of making this a fun summer.

Out of Office Assistant

We're off to Canada next week. Take some time to soak in some cool clean air. Taste some glacial water. Relax in a remote town where no one speaks English. We'll get a chance to head up to Saint Sauveur for some snowboarding and see how much I've really learned this year.

This will be the first time we'll see little Isadora. Play with Gabby and see how the barn is coming along. We're going to have lots of fun.

I always always always freak out before a trip. Even though it's no big deal if I forget something and I can always just go out and buy an extra pair of pants or something, I feel like there is never enough planning to do ahead of time. Right after this I'm going to start putting together mix-n-match outfits for the week, so I can save space in my duffle. Toiletries. Sleeping clothes. Snowboarding equipment. Clearing out the fridge. Getting the cats' stuff packed for boarding. Light cleaning (I like coming home to a clean apartment). Charge the batteries. Pick out CDs. Launder clothes I want to bring.

Ugh, I gotta go. I gotta get started.

Sushi

Sushi eaters in my area are funny. They still treat it as a novelty instead of just going somewhere to eat food. This is usually how an outing goes:

First you need a group of people, but there are times I've seen just 2 people at a table. One person out of the group is the designated sushi expert and within 5 minutes becomes the designated Japanese culture expert. The only apparent qualification to gaining this designation is that you have eaten sushi at least once before. The expert makes suggestions as to what is good to eat and what things are probably most like regular American food. The rest of the group listen attentively and then start discussing the menu choices they are about to make. And then comes the safety net.

Typically, newbies are unsure they will like salmon and tuna in their raw form. So they also ponder the hibachi choices. You know, just in case.

When the food comes out, this always happens. Everybody asks what everyone else ordered and then stares at it. But let me make the distinction here between this situation in a sushi restaurant and this situation at an American restaurant. At your common steak house, you may ask your friend what they ordered and you may even ask if it's good. But you never ask if it's good and then watch them take a bite to see if they go choking out of their chair. That's the difference. At sushi restaurants, people here watch the expert eat their piece first and wait to see if everything is ok before they attempt their own piece. It's just a look on their face that makes this situation different.

The rest of the meal also usually incorporates more conversation about the food (at the steak house, you ask if it's good and then you move on to normal conversation topics) and then here is where the expert whips out Japanese culture as if they used to live there.

"You're suppose to eat the beans, not the whole pod, silly."
"Wasabi is pretty strong so be careful. It's actually a vegetable, did you know that?"
"There's tofu in your soup. It's really good though, you should try it."
"You just put it in your mouth and it clears your palate for the next piece. That's how the Japanese use it."

This goes on throughout the entire meal until they leave. I've been witnessing this over and over again to the point of wondering when people will ever just get over it and just eat the stuff.

Random Shite #7

One time my mom told me about a party she went to and they served slices of ham and cheese rolled together, cigar-style. She explained this to me with such zeal that you'd think she invented it. Joe tried really hard not to laugh.

Watching Jimmy Roberts' Olympic Moments is pretty much the same as watching Oprah. They're all sad stories that end up making me shed tears. Today's tear jerker was that of a young Turkish figure skater and the major sacrifices her parents made for her to pursue skating. Sniff sniff.

It ended up that the new job thing didn't work out. The money wasn't there and I can't really switch jobs for less money. We agreed to look at the opportunity again further down the road.

New Strategy for Shutting Down Wal-Mart

If you still shop at Wal-Mart for whatever reason (it's convenient, they have everything I need, it's affordable), there may be a reason to stop. If the fall of America isn't from the war, there may soon be a new reason. See if you can follow me on this.

Human cases of the deadly H5N1 virus (bird flu) has been documented in Iraq. Human cases, people! And how many American troops do we have in Iraq? Thousands? Well, every plane full of returning soldiers holds the potential of carrying those buggers back to the USA. And where will the virus show up?

Wal-Mart

Let's think about this for a moment.

When an American soldier returns to his home, what is the first thing he will do? The most American you can do, of course. Go to Wal-Mart. Any day now, bird flu will be tranmittable from human to human. And when that day comes, Wal-Mart will be teaming with virus within hours. And how many people walk through the doors of Wal-Mart on an hourly basis?

You get the drift.

Let's all do our part and stop going to Wal-Mart. The economy...and your health may depend on it.

CONSPIRACY!!

Something very strange happened to my blog about Wal-Mart. It mysteriously disappeared.

I will try to re-create the blog and re-publish. Damn you, censors!

Moving Up the Corporate Ladder

I'm totally stressed out lately. I have a major work dilemma. Never in my life have I ever had to quit a job because I had options. Usually I was being let go because of a merger or I had to leave because I was going away to college. You know, there were outside factors leading to my change in jobs. But I never left a job because I could. Well, that's my dilemma.

A former co-worker has offered me a position to work with her. She's in charge of way too many departments at the new place and needs help. This would normally be an easy decision but the problem is that I've begun to like my job and I really like my boss. There's a good bit of convenience since there is an office for me to work in across the street. Plus, it took a while to finally feel comfortable at my job and I would hate to uproot and try to fit into a new place. Yes, change scares me.

So that's my dilemma and I don't know what I want to do. I don't want to pass up a can't miss opportunity but I also feel like I'm not done with my current job yet.

Macarena is listed...TWICE!!!

If you ask me, this list is way lame. But here goes...

The Rules:

For this one, you need to go to musicoutfitters.com and type the year you graduated from high school into the search box.

Click on the link “Top 100 hits of… (your graduation year)” and cut and paste the results into your blog.

Bold the songs you like, strike through the ones you hate and underline your favourite. Do nothing to the ones you don’t remember (or don’t care about)

Top 100 Hits of 1996 / Top 100 Songs of 1996

1. Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix), Los Del Rio
2. One Sweet Day, Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men
3. Because You Loved Me, Celine Dion
4. Nobody Knows, Tony Rich Project
5. Always Be My Baby, Mariah Carey
6. Give Me One Reason, Tracy Chapman
7. Tha Crossroads, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
8. I Love You Always Forever, Donna Lewis
9. You're Makin' Me High / Let It Flow, Toni Braxton
10. Twisted, Keith Sweat
11. C'mon N' Ride It (The Train), Quad City Dj's
12. Missing, Everything But The Girl
13. Ironic, Alanis Morissette
14. Exhale (Shoop Shoop), Whitney Houston
15. Follow You Down / Til I Hear It From You, Gin Blossoms
16. Sittin' Up In My Room, Brandy
17. How Do U Want It / California Love, 2Pac
18. It's All Coming Back To Me Now, Celine Dion
19. Change The World, Eric Clapton
20. Hey Lover, LL Cool J
21. Loungin, LL Cool J
22. Insensitive, Jann Arden
23. Be My Lover, La Bouche
24. Name, Goo Goo Dolls
25. Who Will Save Your Soul, Jewel
26. Where Do You Go, No Mercy
27. I Can't Sleep Baby (If I), R. Kelly
28. Counting Blue Cars, Dishwalla
29. You Learn / You Oughta Know, Alanis Morissette
30. One Of Us, Joan Osborne
31. Wonder, Natalie Merchant
32. Not Gon' Cry, Mary J. Blige
33. Gangsta's Paradise, Coolio
34. Only You, 112 Featuring The Notorious B.I.G.
35. Down Low (Nobody Has To Know), R. Kelly
36. You're The One, SWV
37. Sweet Dreams, La Bouche
38. Before You Walk Out Of My Life / Like This And Like That, Monica
39. Breakfast At Tiffany's, Deep Blue Something
40. 1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New), Coolio
41. The World I Know, Collective Soul
42. No Diggity, BLACKstreet (Featuring Dr. Dre)
43. Anything, 3t
44. 1979, The Smashing Pumpkins
45. Diggin' On You, TLC
46. Why I Love You So Much / Ain't Nobody, Monica
47. Kissin' You, Total
48. Count On Me, Whitney Houston and Cece Winans
49. Fantasy, Mariah Carey
50. Time, Hootie and The Blowfish
51. You'll See, Madonna
52. Last Night, Az Yet
53. Mouth, Merril Bainbridge
54. The Earth, The Sun, The Rain, Color Me Badd
55. All The Things (Your Man Won't Do), Joe
56. Wonderwall, Oasis
57. Woo-hah!! Got You All In Check / Everything Remains Raw, Busta Rhymes
58. Tell Me, Groove Theory
59. Elevators (Me and You), Outkast
60. Hook, Blues Traveler
61. Doin It, LL Cool J
62. Fastlove, George Michael
63. Touch Me Tease Me, Case Featuring Foxxy Brown
64. Tonite's Tha Night, Kris Kross
65. Children, Robert Miles
66. Theme From Mission: Impossible, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen 67. Closer To Free, Bodeans
68. Just A Girl, No Doubt
69. If Your Girl Only Knew, Aaliyah
70. Lady, D'angelo
71. Key West Intermezzo (I Saw You First), John Mellencamp
72. Pony, Ginuwine
73. Nobody, Keith Sweat
74. Old Man and Me (When I Get To Heaven), Hootie and The Blowfish
75. If It Makes You Happy, Sheryl Crow
76. As I Lay Me Down, Sophie B. Hawkins
77. Keep On, Keepin' On, Mc Lyte
78. Jealousy, Natalie Merchant
79. I Want To Come Over, Melissa Etheridge
80. Who Do U Love, Deborah Cox
81. Un-Break My Heart, Toni Braxton
82. This Is Your Night, Amber
83. You Remind Me Of Something, R. Kelly
84. Runaway, Janet Jackson
85. Set U Free, Planet Soul
86. Hit Me Off, New Edition
87. No One Else, Total
88. My Boo, Ghost Town Dj's
89. Get Money, Junior M.A.F.I.A.
90. That Girl, Maxi Priest Featuring Shaggy
91. Po Pimp, Do Or Die
92. Until It Sleeps, Metallica
93. Hay, Crucial Conflict
94. Beautiful Life, Ace Of Base
95. Back For Good, Take That
96. I Got Id / Long Road, Pearl Jam
97. Soon As I Get Home, Faith Evans
98. Macarena, Los Del Rio
99. Only Wanna Be With You, Hootie and The Blowfish
100. Don't Cry, Seal

And The #1 Reason to Have A Camera Phone...

Just a few minutes ago, Joe and I were driving on Tyler Run Road when we saw flashing lights. Police Activity. But it's not what you think. A limo got beached on an incline trying to pull out of a driveway (or back into it, whichever).

Just when you think having a camera phone was a complete waste. We would've drove through extra slow and made sure those people saw us take their picture while laughing hysterically.

But alas, no camera phone, so I can't share with you the true hilarity of the situation. Sorry folks.

TNG

As in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Duh.

I was totally into TNG in my high school years. Every single episode was awesome in an after-school special kind of way. And who couldn't resist all those kick ass characters?


Who was the genius that told LeVar Burton to wear a banana clip over his eyes? BRILLIANT! I was so fascinated by the huge hive of hair the counselor had on her head, I would mentally debate whether it was real or just a wig. I was totally into Data, of all people. He was so smart and had such a curious personality. Warf was cool with his weird butt-like forehead. And of course, Capt. Jean-Luc Picard. He was the ultimate in sultry leadership.

This show rocks!

Pop Culture Files: Case Number 001

You might remember the totally heinous album by Stone Temple Pilots called Purple.

What you might not know about the cover art is that it was nicked from a Chinese red envelope given to children during Lunar New Year.

The Girl Who Spelled Freedom

When I was in 6th or 7th grade, I really related to this movie. It's about a girl from Southeast Asia who comes to America and becomes a spelling bee champ. I'm not FOB, but I am Asian and I did win some spelling bees in my day.

These Things Actually Happened to Me

While in Italy, a trio of Italian strangers asked if they could have a photo with me in front of the Spanish Steps. They obviously thought I was another famous movie star...ha!

Joe's off kilter uncle, upon meeting me, asked me what the exchange rate with the yen was nowadays.

A complete stranger attempted to speak Chinese to me at a bar, in front of a bunch of people. I had the dubious honor of telling him I had no idea what he said.

A crazy guy on a bike stopped me during my lunch time walk to ask me whether I was half Mexican.

Those Germans Have the Right Idea

While beer may be regarded in the USA as a drug just a few notches down the intoxicant ladder from heroin, it is more or less considered a soft drink in Germany.

Witness the hearty German construction worker knocking back a can of Pilsner on the underground on the way to work, having another with lunch, then celebrating the end of the working day with a third (brought along, with admirable foresight, in his knapsack) on the way home.

Expatica

Movie Review: The Station Agent

This was a good movie Joe and I rented thru Netflix and we were pleasantly surprised. It's about a midget named Finn who inherits an abandoned train depot. He tries to live a quiet life but ends up meeting a hot dog vendor and an unhinged artsy lady. That's about all I can tell you, there isn't really much more to the movie than that. But don't take it as though it's a boring movie, it's actually very good and you'll grow to like Finn as a person instead of treat him as a novelty.

This movie gets 4 eggrolls out of 5.

Random Shite #6

Harrisburg is the capitOl of Pennsylvania. Not the capitAl. That misspelling is all over Harrisburg (yes, even highway signs) and it drives me nuts!!!!!

I'm changing my movie review ratings. After hearing a story from Joe about Sirius radio's Wiseguys, I'm going to start using eggrolls to rate movies. Stay tuned for my review of The Station Agent.

MySpace is a bunch of crap! And yet there are a lot of people that use it. They just don't know the true power of Blogger. On a side note, I've added Joe's MySpace site to my links. Eh, go and see for yourself. Crap I tell you!

I have off for Martin Luther King Jr day and I plan to help Jules move apartments. If she so wishes for me to help her, that is. Other than that, possibly snowboard on some patchy hills and hopefully not bust my ass again. I took a nasty face plant on Monday.

Also, I'm blowing the cover and letting everyone know that there's a surprise birthday party for Manoni on Sunday. Expect a motley crue of folks coming by and partying on a Sunday night. I just noticed how old that makes me feel.