"The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what you share with someone else when you're both uncool."

Betsy:
i can't believe we stayed out that late and were dead sober

i can't believe how crazy that club got as we were leaving

i can't believe how uncool we are

Last night was one of those great New York City nights. Actually, this entire week has been one of those amazing weeks when I have to stop, take a breath and realize that I am one lucky little lady.

In the past few days, I was taken to an unbelievable restaurant by my unbelievable boyfriend, went to the New York City Ballet with my sister where I had the privilege to sit in the middle of the second row and watch Wendy Whelan dance -- nay -- melt on the stage. And, last night, I got to go to a sold-out Kings of Leon concert at Madison Square Garden with 4 of my best friends, hit up the after-party with the band, make friends with random acresses and rub shoulders with the cast of Gossip Girl.

I don't get to do these things because I'm cool, as Betsy pointed out above. I am just extremely, extremely lucky. And I just needed to document and recognize it here so in 20 years, I can look back and smile.

And yes, Ed Westwick really is that good looking in person.

Pucker Up

Via Gawker.

A satellite image from the National Weather Service shows a storm system—maybe caused by our ladyfriend La Niña?—that appears to be giving us here in the Northeast a big, lipsticky kiss. [via Gothamist]

It's My Birthday, So I'll Post What I Want To

Looking at them, I can't help but be happy.

Why Do I Feel Sympathy?

Today I had the pleasure of reading the New York Time's photo analysis of President Bush titled, "Mirror, Mirror on the Wall" with Errol Morris. He asked the head photo editors of the AP (The Associated Press), AFP (Agence France-Presse) and Thomson Reuters to "pick the photographs of the president that they believe captured the character of the man and of his administration." The results were interesting. Some photos overlapping -- some were simply different images capturing the same moment.

After going though the essay, I felt an increasing pang of sadness -- and even worse, sympathy. To me, a lot of these photos show a man who was put in a race with one leg. He'll never ever be able to win the race, he'll never catch up to the other runners -- in fact, he might never finish. All the photos seem so fruitless, and depressing. Sometimes I even felt badly that Bush had to deal with all the horrible press he received, but then I needed to remind myself that there was a reason for the negativity. He does deserve the terrible legacy that will outlive him.

I think in the back of my mind, I'll always remember what my government college professor told one of my law classes. He claimed that Bush never really wanted to be president -- he simply wanted to be baseball commissioner, and somehow got caught up in his father's dream -- not his own. After seeing these photos, all I could think was that Bush would never get to just live out that dream. Instead he will be tortured by the past 8 years of his life -- throughout his lifetime and then well after. I think these photos did something for me that I've managed to forget through the rich commentary and propaganda that made the most recent presidential election one of the most interesting in history -- they reminded me that Bush is a tangible human being.

Reading the commentary from the editors is also very interesting. I don't think everyone will walk away with the same feelings that I had -- however since Obama has taken office and the "hope" has died down a bit, it's a sobering way to look at person who was just recently in the same seat that our new President has assumed. I am firm believer in photographs speaking "1000 Words" and these do the saying justice.

I strongly urge you to read through the entire analysis here.

Mondays Made Worse

BUT WHY?!?

Bless the People With Too Much Time on Their Hands

My friend Vanessa sent me to this website today. It's half disturbing, half hilarious, with a dash of obsessive compulsive.

Here's a little taste of what to expect:

What do Christian Bale and Kermit the Frog have in common? More than you might realize...





There's a LOT more where that came from.

Gmail: It Keeps Gettin' Better

Today I discovered that you can now watch YouTube videos within your Gmail window if they are sent to you via gchat. I tested this out with my coworker by sending her a lovely hedgehog clip this morning and voila! Both of us are watching a small video in the same email window on which we recieved the link. This doesn't work for other video streaming site, such as Hulu, but this is probably because Google owns YouTube, so it would make sense that they would develop between their own products.

I love Gmail. I love products and services that work perfectly and keep improving in ways that are so simple -- yet so brilliant.

Barack Obama: 44th President of the United States of America

"This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath."

Thank God You're a Man

100% truth.

“Lawmakers on Friday voted 114-1 to impeach disgraced Gov. Rod Blagojevich.”

Really, "one" guy? You had to vote "nay"?

Close! But No Cigar.

"Investigators found 100 signed checks worth $173 million in Mr. Madoff’s desk that were ready to be sent to family members and friends on the day of his arrest...The only thing that prevented the defendant from executing the plan to dissipate those assets was his arrest by the F.B.I on Dec. 11.”
- The New York Times reports on Bernie Madoff and his attempt to try to give away the loose change he found in his couch.

Actual Craigstlist Posting is Actually Hilarious

Reply to: sale-945361858@craigslist.org [?]
Date: 2008-12-04, 5:15PM MST
OK, let me start off by saying this Xterra is only available for purchase by the manliest of men (or women). My friend, if it was possible for a vehicle to sprout chest hair and a five o'clock shadow, this Nissan would look like Tom Selleck. It is just that manly.

It was never intended to drive to the mall so you can pick up that adorable shirt at Abercrombie & Fitch that you had your eye on. It wasn't meant to transport you to yoga class or Linens & Things. No, that's what your Prius is for. If that's the kind of car you're looking for, then just do us all a favor and stop reading right now. I mean it. Just stop.

This car was engineered by 3rd degree ninja super-warriors in the highest mountains of Japan to serve the needs of the man that cheats death on a daily basis. They didn't even consider superfluous nancy boy amenities like navigation systems (real men don't get lost), heated leather seats (a real man doesn't let anything warm his butt), or On Star (real men don't even know what the hell On Star is).

No, this brute comes with the things us testosterone-fueled super action junkies need. It has a 265 HP engine to outrun the cops. It's got special blood/gore resistant upholstery. It even has a first-aid kit in the back. You know what the first aid kit has in it? A pint of whiskey, a stitch-your-own-wound kit and a hunk of leather to bite down on when you're operating on yourself. The Xterra also has an automatic transmission so if you're being chased by Libyan terrorists, you'll still be able to shoot your machine gun out the window and drive at the same time. It's saved my bacon more than once.

It has room for you and the four hotties you picked up on the way to the gym to blast your pecs and hammer your glutes. There's a tow hitch to pull your 50 caliber anti-Taliban, self cooling machine gun. I also just put in a new windshield to replace the one that got shot out by The Man.
My price on this bad boy is an incredibly low $12,900, but I'll entertain reasonable offers. And by reasonable, I mean don't walk up and tell me you'll give me $5,000 for it. That's liable to earn you a Burmese-roundhouse-sphincter-kick with a follow up three fingered eye-jab. Would it hurt? Hell yeah. Let's just say you won't be the prettiest guy at the Coldplay concert anymore.

There's only 69,000 miles on this four-wheeled hellcat from Planet Kickass. Trust me, it will outlive you and the offspring that will carry your name. It will live on as a monument to your machismo.

Now, go look in the mirror and tell me what you see. If it's a rugged, no holds barred, super brute he-man macho Chuck Norris stunt double, then contact me. I might be out hang-gliding or BASE jumping or just chilling with my ladies, but I'll get back to you. And when I do, we'll talk about a price over a nice glass of Schmidt while we listen to Johnny Cash.

To sweeten the deal a little, I'm throwing in this pair of MC Hammer pants for the man with rippling quads that can't fit into regular pants. Yeah, you heard me. FREE MC Hammer pants.



Rock on.

Unconditional Love: Animal Edition

I'm a sucker for the "animals in love" videos -- especially the ones that show one breed of animal loving a totally different breed of animal.

Vanessa sent me this video, and it's certainly now a favorite, especially because it involves my favorite animal to love -- dogs.

You will definitely tear up watching this one -- especially at the end when they are paw to...trunk.

Small Rant: I Don't Think You're Pretty

One of my biggest pet peeves in the digital world is when people post numerous photos of themselves on their Tumblr (yes, I'm talking about David's brilliant idea for a GPOYW) or Twitter accounts and the photos are neither humorous, include a celebrity or have any meaning to the post. These photos are usually "pretty" and the writer always says something like, "Oh weird, I just found this photo in my archives." Yeah -- I'm sure you just found a really attractive photo of yourself and you needed to tell everyone that because it's really important. Just say it how it is, "Hey look at this really great photo of me. I want you all to swoon and tell me how great I look because I have no self-esteem."

I feel like there are appropriate places for these photos -- make them your profile picture on Facebook or post them to your Flickr account. If people want to look at you, they'll go there. I didn't choose to read your blog because I think you're attractive (or not). You probably write well, make me laugh or alert me to interesting things on the web and in the world. But if you post a stupid picture of yourself that has absolutley know meaning except you might be skinny or having a good hair day in it, then honestly, you are an extreme narcissist and it makes me not want to follow you anymore.

Best, etc.

Jess

Starting the New Year Right

Twitter accounts were hacked today -- and it was hilarious.

Valleywag has a solid report on some of the famous names that fell victim, including: Facebook, Barack Obama, Huffington Post and my personal favorite, Fox News: