The Kid in the Back

The Movie Game

2011-03-01T11:41:00.005-05:00

There's a new movie game called "Famous Objects from Classic Movies" that I've been playing here and there -- it's actually really fun. It can be easy, but there have been a few that have totally stumped me.

My family is obsessed with movie trivia. We play the all the time in the car on long trips -- this would be fun if someone brought along an iPad.

I also love all the pictures that represent each movie -- the images remind me of the Lost posters I adored back in the day.

So Bad, Yet So Good

2011-01-26T09:57:00.003-05:00

I have seen some fun baking blogs around the web lately, and decided to pick a few recipes to try to expand my repertoire. I'm also testing out a few different Super Bowl snack ideas and I think that I found a winner. I present to you oreo-stuffed chocolate chip cookies. I think the picture says enough.

Rozie, a Model Dog

2011-01-25T14:44:00.006-05:00

Photo by Shaina Fishman

A good friend tipped me off to a very talented animal photographer who was looking to build up her portfolio and was having an open photo shoot one weekend in the city. Obviously I signed Rozie up right away -- turns out she was born to model!

Shaina just uploaded Rozie's pictures -- they will be available for viewing for a month, so get 'em while they're hot!

See the full album here: http://www.shainafishman.com/Rozie

What's Up With That?

2011-01-06T13:56:00.005-05:00

This infographic displays some of the bizarre animal deaths that have been taking place all over the world in the short month of January.

I'm not sure what's happening, but it's freaking me out. Especially the dead fish that washed up on the shores of New Zealand -- most of them missing eyeballs. What's up with that?

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-17T10:13:00.005-05:00

Artist Christoph Neimann created this awesome holiday story using cookie dough. I think it's great -- it will make you smile.

Take a few minutes to check out "Let it Dough!"

Happy holidays!

This Little Piggy Got Braised

2010-12-13T17:02:00.003-05:00

Can we talk about this sandwich for a second? It looks like something I want to eat. Right now.

According to NY Mag: "The squishy, slightly sweet pizza-dough bun is baked in-house. The tomatoes are roasted, which means the T is available year-round. And the one-two punch of applewood-smoked bacon and thick braised pork belly makes this our favorite BLT in this BLT-saturated town."

There's a lot more where this came from -- for more of the best pork in town, click here.

The 30 Most Important Dogs of 2010

2010-12-10T15:20:00.003-05:00

Some people count down the greatest songs, movies or pop culture moments of the year. For me, this is the most important list of 2010 that you need to read.

Enjoy.

Jozie Fetches the Paper

2010-12-02T14:59:00.001-05:00

Jozie is one of the smartest, sweetest dogs in the world. Watch the video of her fetching (and unwrapping!) the paper for my dad at 6am.

Ch-ch-ch-changes

2010-10-25T16:57:00.008-04:00

Two weeks from today, I'll be changing jobs to work in the digital department at Fast Company.

For those of you who don't know, Fast Company is a magazine and website that's "charting the evolution of business through a unique focus on the most creative individuals sparking change in the marketplace."

If that's not clear -- this might help: When I interviewed, I was told that the magazine was started because there was no Rolling Stone for people in business (and you can only imagine how much my ears perked up at that statement). Usually we only see celebrities and musicians on the cover of magazines and the people in corporate offices don't get the recognition they deserve for creating new ideas, innovative technologies and solutions to global problems. Fast Company sees people, such as the CEO of Nike, as a different kind of "rock star" and wants to give these individuals a platform that shows off their talents and what they are doing to change their industry and the world.

Although I'm sad to be leaving RollingStone.com (it was an incredible experience and I honestly can't believe I had the chance to work for such an iconic brand with such such good people), I think Fast Company will be a great next-step for me. I believe that their web strategy is extremely forward-thinking and I'm very excited to be continuing my career with a team of smart and driven people.

Animal Haven Update

2010-10-14T17:42:00.004-04:00

I've been going into Animal Haven a couple times now, and I am already a really big fan of the place. The people are very nice and motivated. The animals are adorable and very well taken care-of and I'm really happy that I get to be surrounded by such loving dogs for a few hours each week.

On Monday I spent a couple hours of my Columbus holiday volunteering, I didn't know what I would be helping out with that day, and I was ecstatic when I was placed on "Puppy Duty." A staff member brought me upstairs and I literally yelped with delight when I walked into to find a pen of SIX puppies, all about two months old.

The puppies were brought up to Animal Haven from down south - they weren't sure if they were all from the same litter, but they all seemed like best friends. I thought I was in heaven, but was very quickly put into my place when I realized that my sole purpose that day was to clean up puppy poop and pee. Since the animals were all in one pen, it was important that someone was there to clean up after them so that their space wasn't dirty for when potential adoptive parents came to check them out -- and so that the puppies didn't stumble into their own waste and get themselves smelly and dirty.

In between mopping up a ton of messes (honestly, these dogs went to the bathroom 20 times each), I did get to spend some one-on-one time with a few of the pups. I fell instantly in love with a small little white and tan girl named Christine. She was so sweet and soft and licked my cheek when I held her.

After two hours of play time, lunch time and clean-up time, the puppies FINALLY fell asleep. The picture above happened when they all passed out.

I'd say it was a day well spent.

A Baking Mishap

2010-10-05T16:53:00.006-04:00

Photo by Emily Murphy

Over the weekend I was in Green Bay, WI with a bunch of friends to attend the Packers v. Lions game at Lambeau Field. This annual event was marked by another occasion -- my best friend's little sister's 20th birthday.

I've known Anna since she was a a little kid -- we always joke that she's "four years old," but it turns out that she's actually an adult no longer in her teens. She is a beautiful, fun and smart girl and watching her grow up has been a pleasure. (I know I sound like I'm a mom right now and I'm embarrassed, but I'm also tearing up at the idea of Anna being so old!)

So, for her birthday, I decided I would make her a cake. Not just any cake, but my mom's special chocolate cake recipe. I had just made this same cake on Thursday of the same week for my co-worker who recently departed to a bigger and better job, and it came out great. Fluffy, moist -- and best of all, it looked beautiful. I iced it well, shaved dark chocolate on the top. It wasn't too difficult, but looked like a million bucks.

So I set out to make the same cake for Anna, and the picture above was the finished product. I don't know what I did wrong or how one cake could look so beautiful and same cake made two days later could look like a pile of dirt, but it happened. The funny thing was, however, the second cake still tasted delicious, even though it didn't look like it would. So we served it right up for dessert after dinner. Very classy.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, don't substitute skim milk for whole milk when a recipe calls for "milk." Cake simply needs a little fat to hold everything together.

Justin Timberlake and Jimmy Fallon perform "A History of Rap" on Late Night

2010-09-30T11:01:00.002-04:00

This only makes my love for Justin Timberlake that much stronger.

On Jimmy Fallon's Late Night show, Jimmy and Justin performed "A History of Rap" together with great backup acoustics from The Roots. They started with "Rapper's Delight" and then went on to include some Snoop Dogg, Kanye, Missy and Eminem, The Beastie Boys, Soulja Boy and of course Biggie and Jay-Z. I'm impressed by Jimmy Fallon's talent! I've appreciated Justin Timberlake's mad skills for years -- but Jimmy! Who knew?

Also -- Justin: PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS GOOD, PUT OUT ANOTHER ALBUM.

Pitch

2010-09-29T12:21:00.006-04:00

Image courtesy of Emily Murphy

In high school, my friends and I were addicted to Pitch -- a partner-based card game you play til the first team wins 21 points. We played it in school whenever we had a free period (and sometimes when we didn't...), after class, at parties, on long bus rides to sports games. It was a huge time suck -- and we loved it.

I'm a lucky person, and a few of my best friends from high school live in NYC. Last night we got together and resumed playing our favorite game from 10 years ago. And it was awesome. I am fully addicted once again.

A lot of people don't know how to play Pitch, and sometimes we think Hamilton is where it was conceived (along with Raider Ball -- a game you will only know how to play if you went to HCS and had Mr. Blackford as your gym teacher.) However, according to Wikipedia, the game started in London pubs. Believe what you want -- Wikipedia is written by a bunch of thugs.

NYC Tournament to be announced shortly. Get your game faces on.

Extreme Dogs

2010-09-27T10:15:00.003-04:00

A Puli, a Hungarian sheep-herding dog (name: Andy).

This slideshow about purebred dogs on moreintelligentlife.com is fascinating. I know I post a lot of dog pictures, but these photos show how purebred animals have been impacted by domestication and it's really worth viewing. It's truly bizarre what we do to certain breeds so that they will look a specific way.

One of the photos in the slideshow is of a pack of Huskies. The writer tells us that it was difficult to get the shot of the dogs because, "Huskies are so competitive that they will resist arranging themselves in a line: there is no clear pecking order."

Crazy. I love these animals.

A New Soon-To-Be Family Member!

2010-09-24T16:19:00.004-04:00

My sister Ilana got engaged two weeks ago to a really great guy named Jason. I'm super excited for them and the awesome future they will have together. I'm also extremely excited for their wedding this summer!

Jozie and Rozie were also reunited that same week that Jay and Ilana got engaged (dogs pictured above, eating bones) -- it was a week of true love.

Things That Bite in the Night

2010-08-31T09:48:00.003-04:00

Fun fact of the day: I learned from The New York Times that if you feed a bedbug AIDS, the virus, not the bug, dies.

WTF.

Read the cringe-worthy piece here.

Play Dead

2010-08-26T17:19:00.001-04:00

Baily masters the art of playing dead on Letterman.

The First and Only Time I will Feature a Cat on This Blog

2010-08-03T17:22:00.001-04:00

Doggy War Heros

2010-08-02T17:25:00.004-04:00

Boston.com posted an interesting slideshow that captures the country, the people and conflict in Afghanistan.

I really liked the photo above and especially the story behind it. Click the photo to enlarge the image -- it says the following:

Sgt. Christopher Duke and wife Lauren Duke greet Rufus at PetAirways on Thursday, July 29, 2010, in Atlanta, Georgia. Rufus and two other dogs saved Duke's and other soldiers' lives while serving in Afghanistan when on the evening of Feb. 11, 2010, the dogs attacked a suicide bomber trying to enter their barracks, forcing the bomber to detonate his explosives in the entry corridor. Though five of the 50 soldiers present sustained injuries, none died that night thanks to the three dogs. One of the dogs was killed, the other two later recovered from their injuries. Sgt. Duke wrote to a veterans assistance group called "Hope for the Warriors" asking for the dogs to be brought to the United States, and $21,000 was raised in less than 3 months enabling the dogs to leave Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Atlanta Journal & Constitution, Johnny Crawford)

Click here to view the full gallery.

Animal Haven Volunteer

2010-07-29T11:34:00.005-04:00

I'm not sure if you know this, but I love dogs. I know -- it may come as a surprise to most of you, but dogs are animals that make me happy every day. I see them walking down the street, and they make me smile. I hear them bark and look around to find out what breed it could be. They are great animals and being around them makes me a calmer, happier person.

I don't have a dog of my own mostly because I work too much, go out too much and live in a very small apartment. I want to be able to give a dog a really great life -- so until I can give myself a really great life, I think I'll wait to get a dog.

I do struggle with the fact that there are plenty of animals in New York City that are sitting in shelters, wishing for a good home and someone to love and play with them. I've been considering volunteering at these shelters for a while and finally took the plunge and applied!

I'm extremely excited because I was accepted as a volunteer at a little shelter called Animal Haven. I'm going to begin my 2 hours a week in September. I think it's going to be difficult to see all the dogs and cats without homes - but I'm going to try to make their lives a little bit better by taking them for walks, cleaning their cages and scratching them behind their ears. It's the least I can do for animals that give so much to us every day.

Dogs Eating Ice Cream

2010-07-22T17:21:00.000-04:00

Happy Summer!

100 Greatest Movie Insults of All Time

2010-07-01T11:58:00.002-04:00

I think this is awesome, albeit, missing a few favorites below:

"Park it yourself, Metallica breath." - Don't Tell Mom The Babysitter's Dead

and

"You taste like a burger, I don't like you anymore." - Wet Hot American Summer

On Hashtags

2010-06-30T10:08:00.002-04:00

Susan Orlean, author of Adaptation and The Orchid Thief, wrote a great essay in the New Yorker about the "semiology and phenomenology of hashtaggery" as it relates to Twitter.

If you are a user of Twitter, you'll find this to be an excellent, funny and very well written piece. (I also like that she uses Sarah Palin as her example of choice.)

Read "Hash" here.

Thanks, Em, for the tip!

Creepy Stuff

2010-06-17T16:49:00.004-04:00

Creeposity by David Bickle is a book that highlights things in our society that are "unintentionally creepy."

Nerve.com featured a slideshow of creepy images based on this book -- which cracked me up, because a lot of them are true. Including the above image of Blowy Guy you see in front of car dealerships.

I'm intrigued to see what else Bickle came up with -- I might have to pick up a copy of Creeposity.

Really, Urban Outfitters?

2010-06-03T17:59:00.001-04:00

Assholes.

The Dove Story by Richie April

2010-05-11T10:27:00.023-04:00

Last year it was Blue Jays, this spring, it's a family of Doves!

A Dove family built a nest in an empty planter on my parent's back porch. The planter was right by the kitchen window, so my parents were lucky enough to watch the cycle of a Dove's early life -- from hatching to flying the coop.

Below is the story, told through pictures and images from my dad. I think he captured it perfectly.

April 25th:
Picture of our new tenant (morning dove) on the back porch.
Nest is in a planter Mom left out over the winter.

Updates to come. Love, Dad

April 27th:
Mr. Dove takes a stand between bird feeder and Mr. Squirrel. Mr. Squirrel had to take a different path to the feeder.

Mr. Dove keeps watch over the Misses, still in her windowsill nest. Love, Dad.

May 2nd:

The baby doves hatched today.

Mom and babies doing fine.

Need names. Love, Dad

May 4th:
The Family -- Day 4.

May 6th
Baby Doves -- Day 6.

May 10th:
Today (Monday) one of the baby Dove's flew the coop.

The mother Dove sat on the garage, calling for the babies to fly.

One baby flew out of the nest and landed in a tree in the backyard. She did great!

The other baby decided not to try flying, yet. So, the mother came back to the nest to sit with the baby, probably for one more day.

We'll see what happens tomorrow.

Love,

Dad

Email #2 from Mom:
The best part is that Dad and I got to watch the mother Dove coo to encourage her babies to fly. We watched the one take off and land safely in a tree (phew!). We grabbed Jozie and went inside so the mother could come back to the baby still in the nest. We all know what it's like to take a risk and try something so hard and scary.....(you need your Mommy!). I'm sure all will be fine, in the end.

Love,
Mom

Email #3 from Dad (Still May 10th):
One baby bird left in the nest at 7:00 pm, Monday evening.

The Mom came back and told the baby to jump. The baby jumped out of the nest and onto the porch. Only the Mom was left in the nest.

The mother Dove watched the baby Dove walking on the porch and coaxed it to fly away.

The baby watched the Mother bird fly to the nearest tree, and minute later the baby took flight.

We watched the Mother and baby sit on a branch for a few minutes, then they both flew away, together.

Now we have an empty nest, but nice memories, left on the windowsill.

The End.

Love, Dad

Kanellos the Greek Protest Dog

2010-05-07T14:45:00.003-04:00

I know I write about dogs a lot -- but this is a slide show you really should see.

The Guardian produced a gallery about this amazing hound and writes the following:

"A dog that has been seen at nearly every demonstration in Athens over the last two years has turned up again during the recent protests against new austerity measures."

These pictures are really fascinating. What a good dog.

View the shots of Kanellos here.

Television As Art

2010-04-28T12:16:00.008-04:00

"Georgia-based artist Gideon Slife loves Lost, and has decided to make a movie poster for every episode, from every season, leading up to the finale. As of this article being published, he has created minimalistic poster designs for every episode up until mid-way through the fourth season. That is 78 posters thus far and counting." -- Peter Sciretta

These posters are fantastic -- and it's a testament to both Slife and Lost that when I look at certain designs in this gallery, I get chills up my spine. What a great fucking show.

View the entire gallery of LOST posters here.

A few of my favorites are below:

Thanks, Erin, for the tip!

"This is my failing."

2010-04-27T12:52:00.004-04:00

-- Silda Wall Spitzer

Jezebel.com posted this quote today with no other commentary, and I completely understand why. There are no words for a statement like this from a public female figure. This is depressing.

Jimmy Fallon Spoofs Glee

2010-04-16T12:42:00.002-04:00

I know Glee isn't for everyone -- but it's pretty funny most of the time. This Jimmy Fallon spoof is great -- mostly because Amy Poehler is in it.

"This doesn't matter. None of this matters. All that matters is we felt it."

2010-04-08T11:55:00.003-04:00

Desmond and Penny will forever have my most favorite love story. I don't care that it's not real, and if it spans multiple "timelines" and electromagnetism.

My Favorite New Website

2010-03-29T14:59:00.004-04:00

Whoever is building Michael Buble Being Stalked By a Velociraptor should stand up and take a bow.

It makes me feel good to know that someone can spend a lot of time on Photoshop just to make people like me really happy.

p.s. Keep checking out the site -- the photos get better every day.

Nice Little Sunday

2010-03-22T14:46:00.003-04:00

Rozie enjoying her shopping cart. Photo courtesy of proud dog father, Ben April.

The Great Thing About the Health Care Law That Has Passed? It Will Save Republican Lives, Too (An Open Letter to Republicans from Michael Moore

2010-03-22T09:54:00.001-04:00

Monday, March 22nd, 2010

To My Fellow Citizens, the Republicans:

Thanks to last night’s vote, that child of yours who has had asthma since birth will now be covered after suffering for her first nine years as an American child with a pre-existing condition.

Thanks to last night’s vote, that 23-year-old of yours who will be hit one day by a drunk driver and spend six months recovering in the hospital will now not go bankrupt because you will be able to keep him on your insurance policy.

Thanks to last night’s vote, after your cancer returns for the third time — racking up another $200,000 in costs to keep you alive — your insurance company will have to commit a criminal act if they even think of dropping you from their rolls.

Yes, my Republican friends, even though you have opposed this health care bill, we’ve made sure it is going to cover you, too, in your time of need. I know you’re upset right now. I know you probably think that if you did get wiped out by an illness, or thrown out of your home because of a medical bankruptcy, that you would somehow pull yourself up by your bootstraps and survive. I know that’s a comforting story to tell yourself, and if John Wayne were still alive I’m sure he could make that into a movie for you.

But the reality is that these health insurance companies have only one mission: To take as much money from you as they can — and then work like demons to deny you whatever coverage and help they can should you get sick.

So, when you find yourself suddenly broadsided by a life-threatening illness someday, perhaps you’ll thank those pinko-socialist, Canadian-loving Democrats and independents for what they did Sunday evening.

If it’s any consolation, the thieves who run the health insurance companies will still get to deny coverage to adults with pre-existing conditions for the next four years. They’ll also get to cap an individual’s annual health care reimbursements for the next four years. And if they break the pre-existing ban that was passed last night, they’ll only be fined $100 a day! And, the best part? The law will require all citizens who aren’t poor or old to write a check to a private insurance company. It’s truly a banner day for these corporations.

So don’t feel too bad. We’re a long way from universal health care. Over 15 million Americans will still be uncovered — and that means about 15,000 will still lose their lives each year because they won’t be able to afford to see a doctor or get an operation. But another 30,000 will live. I hope that’s ok with you.

If you don’t mind, we’re now going to get busy trying to improve upon this bill so that all Americans are covered and so the grubby health insurance companies will be put out of business — because when it comes to helping the sick, no one should ever be allowed to ask the question, “How much money can we save by making this poor bastard suffer?”

Please, my Republican friends, if you can, take a quiet moment away from your AM radio and cable news network this morning and be happy for your country. We’re doing better. And we’re doing it for you, too.

Yours, Michael Moore MMFlint@aol.com MichaelMoore.com

When in Roma

2010-02-22T14:46:00.006-05:00

I traveled to Rome with my mom and sisters last week. What a beautiful city and a great trip we had! Below are a couple highlights.

Dinner at an Illegal trattoria.

The Colosseum

YUM.

One Of These Things Is Not Like The Other....

2010-01-29T16:59:00.005-05:00

Click to enlarge this image and study it carefully.

Visit this link on Kayak.com: http://www.kayak.com/r/QDMFX8 go to page 20 and click on the 3rd to last flight.

Amazing. This is why Lost is the best show on TV.

The Best Birthday Card

2010-01-27T16:40:00.001-05:00

The iPad

2010-01-27T16:30:00.002-05:00

I don't think I have a really great reason to buy one of these, but I still want one. It's awesome, it's pretty and it looks like something that would be really fun to play with.

"Travel as a family"

2010-01-27T16:23:00.001-05:00

Will Ferrell's Parenting tips, as told to Parade Magazine in 2008:

"Don't let them play in old, abandoned refrigerators. If you're flying with your children, it's better to book them on the same flight as you and not on a separate one, just so they can have more legroom or something. Travel as a family."

Jozie and the Ice Puck

2010-01-27T09:54:00.001-05:00

Happy birthday to me! As a birthday gift, I am posting this video because it's adorable. Enjoy.

The Health Benefits of Dogs

2010-01-26T13:46:00.004-05:00

"Serpell is most excited about new studies on oxytocin and dog ownership. Oxytocin is the most important social-bonding hormone, present notably between mother and child but also in just about any interaction involving pair bonding, social affiliation, and trust. More specifically, it’s involved with the gaze between infants and mothers. Researchers at Azabu University in Japan found last year that the dog’s gaze at its owner increases the owner’s oxytocin level."

I often gaze into the eyes of dogs and I can confirm that it puts me at ease.

This is a great NY Magazine Cover Story: The Rise of Dog Identity Politics -- New York Magazine

What I Would Wear to an Awards Ceremony

2010-01-25T15:49:00.004-05:00

Click image to enlarge
Lots of pictures are floating around the internet of dresses from the Golden Globes and the SAG award shows and I haven't been super impressed with many of the choices this year.

I never really thought about what I would wear to one of these shows -- and I never really discuss fashion on this blog, but I saw a slideshow of a collection of John Galliano designs for Dior and fell in love with the number above. I'm sure it would cost a just mere bag of shells.

There are plenty other stunners in the slideshow -- check them out.

The Definition of Dignity and Class

2010-01-25T11:56:00.003-05:00

Conan O'Brien recently ended his 7-month run on The Tonight Show and his 20-year relationship with NBC last week after a nasty public battle with the network. He took the high road when saying goodbye on his final show -- giving a great speech to his audience and playing Lynyrd Skynyrd’s "Free bird" with an amazing band behind him. Below is part of the speech he gave on air -- it was an extremely classy, dignified and eloquent way to end his short tenure:

“Before we end this rodeo, a few things need to be said. There has been a lot of speculation in the press about what I legally can and can’t say about NBC. To set the record straight, tonight I am allowed to say anything I want. And what I want to say is this: between my time at Saturday Night Live, the Late Night show, and my brief run here on The Tonight Show, I have worked with NBC for over 20 years. Yes, we have our differences right now and yes, we’re going to go our separate ways. But this company has been my home for most of my adult life. I am enormously proud of the work we have done together, and I want to thank NBC for making it all possible.

Walking away from The Tonight Show is the hardest thing I have ever had to do. Making this choice has been enormously difficult. This is the best job in the world, I absolutely love doing it, and I have the best staff and crew in the history of the medium. But despite this sense of loss, I really feel this should be a happy moment. Every comedian dreams of hosting The Tonight Show and, for seven months, I got to. I did it my way, with people I love, and I do not regret a second. I’ve had more good fortune than anyone I know and if our next gig is doing a show in a 7-Eleven parking lot, we’ll find a way to make it fun.

And finally, I have to say something to our fans. The massive outpouring of support and passion from so many people has been overwhelming. The rallies, the signs, all the goofy, outrageous creativity on the Internet, and the fact that people have traveled long distances and camped out all night in the pouring rain to be in our audience, made a sad situation joyous and inspirational.

To all the people watching, I can never thank you enough for your kindness to me and I’ll think about it for the rest of my life. All I ask of you is one thing: please don’t be cynical. I hate cynicism — it’s my least favorite quality and it doesn’t lead anywhere. Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you’re kind, amazing things will happen. As proof, let’s make an amazing thing happen right now.”

Left Laughs

2010-01-15T17:45:00.000-05:00

The Basic Table

2010-01-15T16:06:00.006-05:00

Living in New York City gives you access to everything in the world except space. Because of this, I have a soft spot for innovative furniture design.

Almost every friend I have in NYC eats dinner at their coffee table -- mostly because they don't have space for an actual kitchen table. The creation above is a perfect solution to all the "coffee table dinners" I've attended over the years. I want this.

Circus Dog

2010-01-15T12:39:00.003-05:00

A dog is on the back of an eared seal during the opening ceremony of the 34th Monte-Carlo International Circus Festival in Monaco, on January 14, 2010. (LIONEL CIRONNEAU/AFP/Getty Images)

Honestly, what do you think is going through the dogs head right now? Regardless, that pup is really cute.

Starting off 2010...The Same Way I Start Off Most Days

2010-01-13T17:35:00.003-05:00

....Checking out the Daily Puppy.

I found the dog I want. My birthday is approaching quickly. That is all.

"I have successfully privatized world peace."

2009-12-17T12:36:00.004-05:00

I'm just gonna go ahead and say that this will be my favorite movie in 2010.

Eight Crazy Nights

2009-12-11T14:48:00.001-05:00

Happy Hanukkah!

In Defense of Gay Marriage

2009-12-08T14:35:00.002-05:00

"That's what we've done to marriage in America, where young women are socialized from the time they're five years old to think of being nothing but a bride. They plan every day what they'll wear, how they'll look, the invitations, the whole bit, they don't spend five minutes thinking about what it means to be a wife. People stand up there before god and man...they swear to love honor and obey, they don't mean a word of it. So if there's anything wrong with the sanctity of marriage in America, it comes from those of us who have the privilege and the right and have abused it for decades."

-- Senator Diane Savino

Watch Savino's full speech on Jezebel.com

"You guys wouldn't know what to do with The Beatrice Inn if it crawled up your nose in a $100 bill."

2009-11-23T16:31:00.003-05:00

Gawker's rebuttal to the British journalist who thinks New York has lost its "edge" is quite funny.

The main point of the Gawker piece is that New York's "got better stuff than everywhere else in America." This is 100% true.

Whenever people ask me why I love New York, that's about all I can say as well. We have the best food, the best shopping, the best people, the best grid, the best entertainment -- the list goes on. London, as romanticized as it can be, just doesn't have the kind of awesome crap we have.

Read the full Gawker article here.

Rozie Warhol

2009-11-16T11:56:00.001-05:00

Courtesy of Ben April

Bids start at $10 million.

Who You Gonna Call? Geesebuster!

2009-11-16T11:50:00.002-05:00

Among some of the crazy things my parents have taught our dogs (growling when a person says "Gaaa," hunting cats when my mom throws the back door open and screams "pussy cat patrol!" and hunting squirrels and chipmunks like a panther), they have added "Geesebuster" to the list.

Jozie has been instructed to speed as fast as possible into a about 50 Geese across the street, chasing them as they angrily honk and fly away.

As always, its extremely entertaining.

Follow That Bird!

2009-11-10T10:13:00.005-05:00

In the New York Times blog "Arts Beat", Big Bird, from the Sesame Street fame, responds to questions from his loyal fans.

I think my favorite part is when they address the "rumors" that Snuffy was an imaginary friend of Big Bird's. Not only does Big Bird answer the question, but so does his puppeteer, Carol-Lynn Parente -- just to make sure the issue is fully cleared up:

Hello Mr. Bird,
Snuffy was always a figment of your imagination. After revisiting the show during a wave of nostalgia, I noticed everyone is now friends with Snuffy. How did the change come about?
—Janis Haddock

BB: “Snuffy’s my best friend, he was never imaginary! It was just a matter of poor timing. Sometimes I would ask Snuffy to wait for me in one spot, then while I was away he would leave to go put on a tie or brush his teeth. And then when I came back he would be gone! But then one day he finally stuck around, and everyone could see that my friend Snuffy was real after all. I was so glad that day, because then I knew that my grown-up friends on Sesame Street would always believe me when I told them something that unusual but still true.”

CAROL-LYNN PARENTE: “It was always unclear whether Snuffy was real or just conveniently absent when anyone other than Big Bird was around. We decided to confirm that Snuffy was in fact a real friend of Big Bird in the mid ’80s when there were several incidents of child abuse in the news and there was some concern whether the investigations done with children could be believed. We didn’t want to model the adults in the community not believing Big Bird and an episode was written for his big reveal.”

Read the full interview at Arts Beat on the New York Times website.

"The Poison Pill"

2009-11-09T14:53:00.006-05:00

I was excited to hear that the US House passed the Health Care Reform Bill last week. I was disappointed, however, when I read about the Stupak Amendment (which Rachel Maddow lovingly refers to as the "Poison Pill"). The Stupak Amendment is a part of the Health Care Reform Bill that could qualify as the biggest restriction on abortion funding since the Hyde Amendment and the biggest restriction on abortion access this generation has seen.

Probably the scariest part of the bill for me is the fact that it would only support a very narrow selection of cases:

"Plans in the Exchange can only cover abortions in the case of rape or incest or "where a woman suffers from a physical disorder, physical injury, or physical illness that would, as certified by a physician, place the woman in danger of death." Given insurance companies' dexterity in denying claims, we can predict what they'll do with that language. Cases that are excluded: where the health but not the life of the woman is threatened by the pregnancy, severe fetal abnormalities, mental illness or anguish that will lead to suicide or self-harm, and the numerous other reasons women need to have an abortion." -- Jessica Arons

As much as I support Obama, and understand the importance of universal health care -- I believe that health care reform without comprehensive women's health care is in fact NOT health care reform. Adding that amendment to this bill is a sad and insulting breach to women's rights. It gives me a flash of a world that I see as scary, unsupporting, misogynistic and backwards.

Read the article at the Huffington Post for the reasons why the Stupak Amendment is a monumental setback for abortion access.

Life Shouldn't Be What Happens When You're Waiting For a Table

2009-11-05T16:38:00.005-05:00

Today in the New York Times, Bruce Buschel wrote the first installment of his post, "100 Things Restaurant Staffers Should Never Do." Having worked as a waitress for many years, I'm just about inclined to agree with all of them, but the rule below really stands out:

3. Never refuse to seat three guests because a fourth has not yet arrived.

This is one of my biggest pet peeves in New York City. JUST SEAT US. We're obviously going to eat at your restaurant and the table size from 3-4 will not change. In fact, if you seat us, you will probably make more money because we'll order a round of drinks while we wait for our friend. Not seating me will make me grumpy and that will not lead you down a path to a good tip.

And sometimes, life happens, and people are late. Why should I suffer if I'm on time for my reservation? And even once a while, friends want to show up to a meal half-way though just to talk and have a drink. LET IT HAPPEN, NEW YORK. PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS GOOD, LET ME SIT DOWN.

Read numbers 1-50 on the staff rules here.

Money Can Buy Everything

2009-11-05T16:18:00.003-05:00

"Goldman Sachs and Citigroup have obtained a total of 1,400 doses of swine flu vaccine from the city of New York, while many pediatricians wait for doses. On the other hand, money is more important than babies." -- Gawker.com

Regardless of how true this really is, since Gawker is known, to you know, slant their reporting, the best part of this post is the comments that appeared after it went up. My favorite "conversation" was this one:

uncivilly obedient: If everyone at Goldman Sachs got sick from the flu or died, this country would collapse.

Beau Nerd: @uncivilly obedient: If that's the case, everyone at Goldman Sachs has been sick with the flu or dead for years now. Which renders the vaccine pretty much moot. So wasteful, these bankers!

Art For Whose Sake?

2009-11-04T10:00:00.004-05:00

Last night I went to an art "happening" at a friend's gallery . There were a few components to the show, all centered around cake.

The first was a group of topless models, walking around with trays of cake to the tune of "Hey Mickey." If you walked up to a model and asked for a piece of cake, she would refuse to give it to you. If you walked up to the model and said, "Hey Mickey you're so fine, you're so fine you blow my mind," the cake was yours to enjoy.

No, this is not a joke.

The second part of the exhibit was a room, where a man sat in a chair with a book, and woman dressed in a scantily-clad maid's outfit, stood as well, staring at a painting. In the room with them was a chaise lounge -- but this wasn't any old couch. The chaise was actually made completely out of cake, and later on in in the night, patrons of the gallery could go into the room and eat the couch. Why there was a man and a maid in the room, I can not tell you.

The third piece of the night was a movie projected on a large wall right when you walk into the gallery. It was meant to be demonstrating some experiment where people were being fed cake that had a gold foil on it. The gold would get all over their lips, and then all the people who ate the cake would get their photo taken.

The entire night was completely ridiculous. It was funny, and I guess entertaining. Maybe that's the point of art -- to stimulate some type of feeling. But this...I wouldn't consider it "art" as much as I consider my brother's dog a work of art. (Ok, bad analogy, Rozie is CUT from MARBLE.)

But you know what I mean -- at the end of the night, how can these artists take themselves and their craft so seriously? And can someone please tell me what it all means?

True Legends Don't Wear Purple

2009-11-03T17:07:00.006-05:00

My parents, sister and I went to Green Bay, WI this past weekend with a bunch of friends to watch the Packers take on Vikings at Lambeau Stadium. Brett Favre was back in town, this time wearing a purple uniform and getting booed by the same fans who used to adore and and worship him. It was a great trip -- and a really cool event to witness, even though the Packers fell short a few touchdowns.

I think my favorite part was seeing fans wearing Green Bay jerseys with the number 4 on the back -- but instead of the last name "Favre" above the number, it said, "Judas."

Packers fans pretending they don't remember his name.

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

2009-10-28T14:44:00.003-04:00

I'm pretty sure that for as long as I've been able to eat solid food it has been safe to say that my favorite dish is easily "Hamburgers and french fries."

I'm proud to say, almost 27 years later, my taste buds have not changed. Living in NYC I have had the opportunity to sample some of the world's best hamburgers. I've savored them, written about them, talked about them and dragged my friends and family high and low across this city to try all the "it" burgers of the moment. I have never really set out, however, to try specific french fries at other establishments. What's funny about this is that I truly love french fries. Maybe even more than hamburgers. I would eat them every day if I could. I think I've been so concerned about finding the best burger, that I'm not paying enough attention to the fries. They just seem like an added bonus to my meal.

This is all going to change.

I read an article today in New York Magazine about Alain Ducasse sampling and judging some NYC fries, and now I feel like I need to do the same. I owe it to..somebody.

I've had a few of his top picks, and he's very much right on his descriptions of the ones I've tried. I think some of my favorites come from Pomme Frites -- a place where I have in fact made the journey just to sample some fried-potato goodness.

From his list, I do see that I need to try a few more restaurants in the city. I don't think that will be too much of a problem.

Halloween Dog Parade

2009-10-23T16:25:00.003-04:00

I will be attending the Halloween Dog Parade in Tompkins Square Park this Sunday, October 25th at 12 noon.

I have been waiting to attend this event for YEARS. For some reason every year I'm away from the city the weekend of the Parade and I am always resigned to look at photos of the event in my office on the following Monday. There was never a sadder sight.

I would like to dress up Rozie, but she hates costumes, so we might have to bring her as she is -- a little package of pancake mix.

A Single Soul Dwelling in Two Bodies

2009-10-19T17:26:00.007-04:00

My mom wrote a beautiful article for my Aunt's new website, Not Done Yet, clothing line she started for the "generation that dreams big, works hard and lives a spirited and healthy lifestyle." My mom's contributed a piece on why she is "not done yet" and chose to write about her dear friend, Carla, who passed away this year after a long, hard battle with cancer. We all miss her terribly -- and I think my mom does a wonderful job explaining why Carla was so important to her and my family:

Carla was my best friend for almost 32 years.

When asked of Aristotle, “What is a friend?” he replied, “A single soul dwelling in two bodies.” This defined the friendship between Carla and me, one that was true, deep and rare.

Carla and I met, fittingly, at childbirth classes. She was the teacher; I was her student. She coached me through the labor of my first child, and her husband, our family doctor, delivered my daughter, and later delivered my son and another daughter. Thus began a beautiful and lasting friendship between our families, and a relationship between Carla and me that became so much more than just a friendship.

Carla and I were, in almost every sense of the word, sisters. Both of us raised three children (supporting each other all the way), we taught in the same school (even walked to work together every day), shared a love of the outdoors and a passion for cooking (and eating!).

Carla and I were inseparable exercise partners. We walked between three and five miles, six days a week, and made a stop along the way at our local gym four days a week. Living in upstate New York means that we walked in rain, shine, cold (below zero!) or snow. Mother Nature couldn’t stop us.

Carla died in May, losing a long and hard fought battle against cancer.

Her absence has left a hole in my heart and a void in my life. But, I am NOT DONE walking. I continue to walk every day, but where there was one partner for me, there are now three. Her daughters relocated here two years ago so they could be close to their ailing mother. They have taken their place beside me. We need each other now, and our daily walks have helped us begin to heal. We laugh, we cry, we talk about Carla, we talk about the young children they are now raising in the same small town Carla and I raised our families. Being with these young women keeps me close to Carla. As it was once said, “When it hurts to look back, and you’re scared to look ahead, you can look beside you and your best friend will be there.”

Carla, and now her three beautiful daughters, will always be there, right beside me.

Things That Go "Bump" In the Night

2009-10-15T11:47:00.004-04:00

Last night I learned two things about myself.

1. I am really afraid of the dark.
2. I still believe that my bed will protect me from everything that is evil.

I woke up around 4am to a very large crash in my apartment. My heart was racing, I started sweating -- but still, I sat in my bed. I felt like I was 8 years old again, where the bed was a safe haven from the snakes underneath it and the monsters outside the blankets. I honestly believed last night if a burglar was in my house, somehow I would be just fine as long as I stayed under the covers in my bed, pretending to be asleep. Just like I did when I was a kid.

Obviously, my bed kept me safe as I am sitting here today, typing this post. It turns out that no one was breaking into my apartment through the front door (or the balcony.) What actually happened was that I packed my poor little NYC closet so full, that the entire thing came crashing down. At 4am.

I lived to tell the tale -- thank you bed, for always being there to protect me.

New York, I Love You

2009-10-09T11:51:00.006-04:00

I will definitely be seeing New York, I Love You -- you just can't beat the scenery in a flick like this.

I will probably cry like I do when I watch Love Actually. Maybe I'll even have a moment.

Watch the trailer.

Pretty Sure That's Not Ok

2009-10-06T09:59:00.004-04:00

It's been reported over the past week that David Letterman was blackmailed for $2 million dollars because of multiple sexual affairs he had with his staff over the years. We've heard this story many times before -- with politicians, actors and businessmen. It's another high-powered man who took advantage of the women working around him. What I find strange about this story, however, is that so many people are extremely quick to forgive David and defend his honor.

Craig Ferguson defended Letterman on his late night show. He said, "If we are now holding late-night talk show hosts to the same moral accountability as we hold politicians or clergymen, I'm out," he said. "I'm gone."

If I understand this correctly, if you are not a politician or a clergyman, it's cool for you to have an affair?

Letterman's guests are also making an attempt to show some sympathy. On his show last night, Steve Martin told Letterman that the incident "proves that you're a human being. And we weren't really that sure before." Sure, it's a joke -- but why does taking advantage of women and cheating on your wife and family prove that you're a "human being"?

Last time I checked, it proved that you were a schmuck.

“When it's three o'clock in New York, it's still 1938 in London.”

2009-10-02T14:38:00.004-04:00

Living in New York City, I find that at the strangest times I feel so lucky to have made it my home. I'm sure other people feel the same sense of happiness about where they chose to live -- particularly people who live in beautiful places. I'm sure people in Colorado walk out of their house and stare up at gorgeous mountains and say, "Man, I love living here." They're right -- but that's obvious. Of course it's great to look at something beautiful and feel lucky.

The other day I was walking out of the subway. I took a really crowded 4 train to Union Square, and while anchovied between 100 other people, tried to climb a very narrow staircase to the daylight. At that moment, I was like "Man, I can't believe I live here!" What's funny is I actually laughed at myself for choosing that exact moment to think about how much I loved New York. If using dirty, overcrowded and abused public transportation makes me feel great, then so be it.

A week later I felt the same sense of luckiness when I was biking up the West Side Highway. Granted, this is "beautiful" in a sense -- at least to New Yorkers. If we see a patch of pavement dedicated to doing activity and not to be used by cars, we consider this our "Rocky Mountain." Regardless, as I shared the path with the other bikers and runners, and inhaled the exhaust from the rush hour traffic, I felt great.

I think that's what makes New York so unique. If anything, it's hard to not have a sense of pride about living in it, regardless about how lucky you feel about taking the subway.

"I Love the Weather and Opera Section"

2009-09-23T10:50:00.002-04:00

Corn Muffin With Butter

2009-09-15T16:35:00.003-04:00

We've been calling Rozie "muffin dog" for a while now, because quite frankly, she looks like a little corn muffin. Sometimes we even go so far as to say that she's made of things like Bisquick and rainbows, because we're just not sure what other type of ingredients could make something so cute.

And sometimes, people think my family is insane.

While walking around Martha's Vinyard a few weeks ago, we saw a sign that HAD to be about her. I think she agreed.

Good Eats With Frank Bruni

2009-08-27T11:27:00.006-04:00

Frank Bruni gives a few last dining "tips" in the New York Times this week that I found really fun to read. My favorite question would be "What is the best way to navigate a menu?" This is something I struggle with often. When I go out to eat, I want to try something that I would never-- and could never -- make for myself. Sometimes I go too safe, so I liked Bruni's advice on how to avoid your go-to foods and really find something special to try. The question and answer is below. Click here for the full Bruni/Times Q&A.

IS THERE ANY BEST, SAFEST WAY TO NAVIGATE A MENU?
Scratch off the appetizers and entrees that are most like dishes you’ve seen in many other restaurants, because they represent this one at its most dutiful, conservative and profit-minded. The chef’s heart isn’t in them.

Scratch off the dishes that look the most aggressively fanciful. The chef’s vanity — possibly too much of it — spawned these.

Then scratch off anything that mentions truffle oil.

Choose among the remaining dishes.

Puppy Chat

2009-08-25T11:55:00.003-04:00

Eric took this photo of Rozie and Jozie talking the other day, via video chat. They might live hundreds of miles apart, but they can still see each other from time to time!

The Best Medicine

2009-08-13T17:42:00.004-04:00

My brother has been flat on his couch for the entire week after messing up his back something special.

Rozie has been more than thrilled with his company, finding new places to sleep on him throughout the day.

He sent the above photo today -- his "view" from the couch. This settles it -- Rozie is the cutest dog ever.

And oh yeah, feel better Ben.

Kathy Griffin Says What Everyone Else Wants To

2009-08-11T12:11:00.003-04:00

Kathy Griffin hosted Larry King Live last night, and besides Levi Johnston (her most recent date to the Teen Choice Awards), her guests included pageant kids from Toddlers&Tiaras.

Has anyone ever watched that show? It's horrific. There are so many messed up people in this world, and of course this particular brand of crazy has their own television show.

The girls on the show taught her how to do their walk, and then she asked them if they wanted her to make a call to Child Protective Services.

Watch the clip of Kathy and the girls over at Jezebel.com.

Hilarious.

Big Man is BACK

2009-08-06T12:00:00.002-04:00

"Even Kim Jong Il can't keep Bill Clinton from coming home with 2 women."

Dog Tired

2009-07-27T11:23:00.003-04:00

This weekend Jozie and Rozie were reunited in NYC. After sparring around Ben and Sam's apartment for hours, they finally collapsed -- together.

This is a pic of two of the cutest dogs I know spooning. Nothing is better than this.

Typical Day in the Office

2009-07-16T16:35:00.003-04:00

There was a baby lion cub in my office today, cause that's how Us Weekly rolls. She was beaautiful and SO cute. I got to pet her little paws and they were so soft. I want one.

This is officially the only kind of cat I would ever get.

Attention Dogs

2009-07-15T14:56:00.003-04:00

My brother sent me this today and I figured it was appropriate for my blog, which has basically turned into a place where I post photos of Hamburgers and dog-related news.

Quality journalism right here.

Me and My Buddy

2009-07-15T08:58:00.005-04:00

The food festival in Madison Square Park last night was absolute heaven. There were tons of stands from some of the best restaurants in the city just handing out delicious food. There were no lines, great cocktails, dogs for me to pet and some great "foodie" eye candy. Besides for Tom Colicchio (above) I ran into Leah from last season's Top Chef, and spotted Josh Ozersky -- burger expert extraordinaire.

I think my favorite "bites" were the lamb ribs from CraftBar as well as the Belgium waffles from Resto. I went back for seconds for both.

New York's 82 Most Notable Burgers

2009-07-13T13:04:00.004-04:00

"In alphabetical order, our Burger Guide gives comprehensive details: meat composition, patty weight, bun details, topping options, preparation, prices — all presented with lustrous, appetite-whetting photographs for your viewing pleasure. Consider it our road map to the revolution, a labor of love, and — until next week's crop of haute burgers pop up — the definitive burger guide." -- New York Magazine

New York Magazine posted a slideshow today of New York's 82 most notable burgers.

It's a beautiful masterpiece -- and I highly recommend you check it out. It's missing JG Melons, which is slightly unforgivable, but the rest of the list looks amazing. There are a lot of burgers on there that I haven't had and need to taste test. Who's with me?

Get In My Belly

2009-07-13T12:35:00.003-04:00

Eric and I are going to the food event, "Celebrate Flatiron Chefs" tomorrow in Madison Square Park for his birthday and I am so excited for the lineup that will be awaiting my mouth.

Besides for food, there will be great cocktails and dessert to enjoy.

Below are some of the restaurants participating -- if you're interested in checking it out, get details here!

The Price of Quality

2009-07-09T16:56:00.004-04:00

B loomberg reported today that The New York Times is considering charging a $5 monthly fee for access to it's website, www.nytimes.com.

I'm sure a lot of people will be outraged by this, but it's a necessary move on the company's part to keep it in business, and I wouldn't be surprised if this began to be the trend for other online news sites as well.

I'm not opposed to paying for good journalism and I think $5 is fair for a subscription to one of the best newspapers in the world. I believe I paid $52/year for a subscription to Us Weekly in the past (now I get it for free because I work there...suckas.) I pay $15/year for a subscription to New York Magazine mostly because I want to do the crossword puzzle each week. I paid $1 for year-long Glamour subscription...because it cost $1. So, taking all that into consideration, $60/year to read solid reporting so that my mind doesn't go numb reading blogs that basically rip-off the solid reporting seems reasonable to me.

Would you pay?

Independent Mutts

2009-07-09T12:52:00.003-04:00

I spent the 4th of July in my hometown of Hamilton, NY. We had a full house -- including three pups running around our backyard at all times. Rozie and Puffy -- the two dogs on the ends -- are city dogs. Jozie, in the middle, is a country dog. She spends all her time outside in the backyard, only coming inside to sleep and eat at night. She never wants to be in the house!

My dad took this great shot of the three stooges -- I can't wait until I have a backyard someday so I can have a few dogs running around at all times.

"Palin is quitting as governor because she’s not a quitter."

2009-07-06T13:59:00.005-04:00

Gail Collins wrote a great op-ed piece for the New York Times this week about the resignation of Sarah Palin as the Governor of Alaska.

Collins writes, "Truly, Sarah Palin has come a long way. When she ran for vice president, she frequently became disjointed and garbled when she departed from her prepared remarks. Now the prepared remarks are incoherent, too."

It amazes me that this woman is still in the public eye and considered a possible candidate for President in 2012. Not only is she incredibly stupid, but she has poor values, plans and has experienced an extremely rocky political career in the public eye. Why the Republicans would want to provide her with a platform is beyond me. I don't believe she'll be able to succeed -- because of what I mentioned above -- but it scares me that there are plenty of people in this country who are very much in control of the polls during elections who ignore the important facts about the candidates and instead focus on things like, "Sarah sounds like a regular joe" or "is an every day woman." Please. She's an every-day crook.

Read Gail Collin's full op-ed here.

The World's Ugliest Dog Show

2009-06-30T11:57:00.005-04:00

Time.com
View photos from the World's Ugliest Dog Show, an annual competition in California that celebrates all types of dogs -- from the hairless and blind, to the one-eyed and 3-legged.

I really like the fact that beauty is in the eye of the beholder -- and all these dogs are truly loved by their owner, despite their awkward appearance. I also just really like the fact that all the "ugly dogs" have their tongues sticking out the side of their mouth.

View the full slideshow from Time.com here.

Who Killed Michael Jackson: An Answer and a Poem

2009-06-26T12:11:00.005-04:00

Alex Balk wrote the following poem on the Awl today regarding the passing of Michael Jackson. I think it's awesome, so I'm sharing it here:

Who Killed Michael Jackson?
By Alex Balk

"Who killed Michael Jackson?"
"I," said the Doctor,
"From my needle he got that last Demerol shot.
I killed Michael Jackson.”

"Who saw him die?"
"I," said TMZ,
"Well, either it was me or the guys from ET.
I saw him die."

"Who spread the word?"
"We," said the Herd.
"We Tweeted it along—
although we spelled his name wrong.
We spread the word."

"Who'll make the rounds?"
"I," said Corey Feldman.
"It’s a sad day for me, but I’m pretty much free.
I'll make the rounds."

"Who'll dig his grave?"
"We," said the Papers,
"It’s rough and unsteady, but we’re down here already.
We’ll dig his grave."

"Who'll gather the eulogies?"
"We," said the Larry King Bookers.
"In this chaotic scene we got Cher and Celine.
We’ll gather the eulogies.”

"Who'll shed the tears?"
"I," said Madonna.
“It might seem insincere
But I’ll cry for a year.
(Point that camera here.)
I’ll shed the tears.”

“Who’ll settle the estate?”
“We,” said the Lawyers.
“There’s not much to seize, but we’ll still bill our fees.
We’ll settle the estate.”

"Who'll sing the song?"
"We," said the Siblings.
"While we’re clearly much grieved, we are also relieved.
We’ll sing the song.”

"Who'll toll the bell?"
"I," said the Blogger
"Though I’m kind of irate that it carries such weight
There’s no way to pass up this much traffic linkbait.
I’ll toll the bell.”

And the folks on the web kept their posts right on top,
When they heard the bell toll for the poor King of Pop.

1958-2009

2009-06-26T11:46:00.005-04:00

"Michael Jackson, whose quintessentially American tale of celebrity and excess took him from musical boy wonder to global pop superstar to sad figure haunted by lawsuits, paparazzi and failed plastic surgery, was pronounced dead on Thursday afternoon at U.C.L.Medical Center after arriving in a coma, a city official said. Mr. Jackson was 50, having spent 40 of those years in the public eye he loved." -- NY Times

The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From the Tree

2009-06-24T17:37:00.005-04:00

If you were ever wondering where my love of dogs comes from, above is your answer. That's my mom, in Switzerland, where she found a sign of a dog, and took the time to point to it and take a picture of herself doing so.

And in case you think your parents are cute -- I've got you beat.

Just sayin'.

This Week's Fail

2009-06-18T14:05:00.008-04:00

"Yesterday afternoon, Michigan congressman Pete Hoekstra, after what must have been deep contemplation, tweeted: "Iranian twitter activity similar to what we did in House last year when Republicans were shut down in the House." Yep, he's comparing that time Republicans tweeted a bunch after Nancy Pelosi prevented a vote on an energy bill to the Iranian protesters who are tweeting about the beatings, murders, and overall oppression from their government." -- NY Mag Daily Intel

The best part of this mishap was the influx of sarcastic twitter comments in response to Hoekstra's comment. NY Mag rounded up some of the best "@petehoekstra's" which reminded me of the Chuck Norris-isms one of the last sarcastic "memes" to float around the internet (i.e. If you have $5 and Chuck Norris has $5, Chuck Norris has more money than you.)

A few of the best Hoekstra jabs below:

mike_bosworth @petehoekstra I got a sunburn last weekend. Makes me think of Hiroshima.

KyleOrl @petehoekstra My softball game was rained out today. Now I know what Hurricane Katrina felt like.

stealingfrom @petehoekstra Sitting in a chair, feeling a good deal like Stephen Hawking. #GOPfail

benhuh @petehoekstra I had to sit in the last row of our corporate jet this morning. This is what Rosa Parks must have felt like.

Read more (and check out some of the attempts in the comments as well) here.

Zack Morris is Back

2009-06-09T10:21:00.004-04:00

Last night on Jimmy Fallon, Mark Paul Gosselaar went on the show as his famous alter-ego, Zack Morris from Saved By the Bell. This 10 minute clip is amazing -- Gosselaar never breaks character, has a few "time outs" and even winks and raises his eyebrows at the camera. The show concludes with The Roots playing, "Friends Forever." Stay tuned -- Fallon is trying to get the entire cast together for a "reunion" special.

Baby Blue Jays in the Backyard

2009-06-04T12:57:00.009-04:00

Beginning on May 19th and continuing through June 1, I began to receiving updates from my dad regarding the "Baby Blue jay nest in the backyard."

A mommy Blue Jay made a really beautiful nest in the backyard of my parent's house, in a big strong tree, right near the back porch. She laid four eggs, and three hatched. We named them Huey, Dewey and Lewis.

Apparently Blue Jays are only in the nest for about two weeks before they fly away -- luckily, my dad was able to document their short stay at our home (click on the images to see larger pictures):

As my dad said in his final email update about the birds: "Au revoir, bon chance little Blue Jays!"

Summer TV Guide

2009-06-02T17:36:00.005-04:00

In case anyone cares, I will be watching the following shows this summer on my brand new 42" LCDHD Sharp Aquos beauty in real time and Apple TV style. I know it looks like a lot, but I'm up for the challenge.

Real/DVR:
Top Chef Masters

True Blood

Mad Men

Fake Time:
Mad Men (Seasons 1&2)

Rescue Me

The Tudors

Where Will Women Go Now?

2009-06-01T17:28:00.002-04:00

"The stories are painfully similar: A couple is thrilled to be expecting a baby, only to see a doctor's face turn grim during a routine ultrasound. Something is terribly wrong. And whatever the specific diagnosis is, the prognosis is essentially the same: If your baby lives, it will suffer constantly and die young." -- Salon.com

Read this important article.

"If you've got no arms put your hands in the air."

2009-06-01T10:10:00.005-04:00

MTV Shows

I probably haven't watched the MTV Movie Awards since I turned 18, but this year I was enticed by the idea of Andy Samberg being the host. He's hilarious -- and I was hoping for a couple "unreleased" digital shorts to pop up throughout the show.

I have to say - I wasn't disappointed. I was laughing out loud for a good portion of the broadcast -- mostly due to the pretty decent celebrity lineup, Andy's hosting skills and the fact that the show was short and sweet. The speeches were quick (and sometimes funny -- Jim Carry!), there was never a dull moment (the Oscar-type tribute to Ben Stiller) and Twilight totally cleaned up.

The clip above was probably my favorite part of the show -- fast forward to about 2:20 and watch until the end. You'll see Andy Samberg send Fred Armisen to rehab.

Je vais vous manquez.

2009-05-26T21:05:00.003-04:00

Pros/Cons

2009-05-12T12:05:00.004-04:00

I'm moving out of my apartment in the next few weeks, and have slowly been cleaning things out and trying to minimize the junk I carry to my next abode.

For about the past eight years, I've been carrying around this plastic bin of "stuff" that I've collected throughout college. I've always been somewhat of a pack-rat, but this takes it to a new level. There are old batteries, shot glasses, pieces of newspaper clippings that my mom sent me from the local paper -- all of which were about dogs we didn't know. There were floppy discs, CDs, wires that had no home. Candles, old computer speakers, frames and random pictures.

The most priceless item I found, however, was the item pictured above. It was a Pros/Cons list that I made with my girlfriends in college. We think it must've been in the winter, due to "Snow" on the con list. We were obviously sitting around our rooms, debating if we should go out to the same bar that we had frequented about five nights a week for the past four years. Obviously, one of us had a boyfriend that had broken up with us, hence the "CRYING" (underlined twice) and the "CHEATING" (also underlined) in the con section.

I can't tell you if we did end up going out that night -- we probably did, most likely due to the fact that "Allie will kill you" was written on the bottom of the paper (a sign that someone was definitely eager to go and needed wingmen.) I can tell you that it reminded me why I do save so much stuff -- because when I do find it again, it will make my day.

"This is the second best idea we've ever had."

2009-05-11T09:54:00.003-04:00

So true.

Turkey Burgers Don't Count

2009-05-06T14:39:00.002-04:00

I should probably join this club.

The 2009 Time 100

2009-05-01T10:54:00.003-04:00

Time Magazine's "World's Most Influential People" list is out this week, and it's extremely fascinating.

I often find these lists somewhat boring -- the choices are usually obvious and the write-ups are so praising, you'd think these people paid good money for their description.

For some reason this year, I found myself glued to the list, almost reading all 100 posts. Sure, the list was still obvious -- Oprah was on there...again; Brad Pitt -- yeah, he's good looking and does a lot of charity. But there was also a terrific write-up of Bernie Madoff by Michael Moore, and Zac Efron by Claire Danes. I even found the one on Joaquin Guzman, the most powerful drug-smuggler in Mexico, who tops both the FBI's most wanted list -- and Forbe's billionaire list, facinating.

I highly suggest you take a look -- you might even learn something!

Polo Confidence

2009-04-29T10:27:00.003-04:00

If you can believe it, this commercial was one of the most complained about ads of 2008.

Personally, I think it's hilarious. (Probably because the main character is a dog.)

The reason it was controversial, according to the Guardian UK:
"The advert featured a dog singing its heart out when it was sat in the front passenger seat of the Volkswagen but shivering and cowering when it wasn't. Viewers were concerned about the dog's welfare during filming and claimed the ad condoned animal cruelty. Others said it broke the highway code. The ASA was assured a vet was on set during filming and the dog had not been harmed."

NY Mag's Guide to Tweets Worth Following

2009-04-28T16:43:00.005-04:00

I love New York Magazine's Approval Matrix, printed in the back of the rag every week. It's hilarious, I almost always agree with their placements and just to prove it's worth -- many other magazines and websites have since copied it's simplistic, but brilliant format since it started.

I was psyched today when I saw that they made a Twitter Approval Matrix. Not really because I love Twitter that much, but because it's another variation on something I do love -- combined with something I'm mildly interested in.

As usual, I agree with their choices and placements, having "followed" a bunch of the people on their list. But I REALLY agree with their conclusion on Ana Marie Cox. I haven't been able to decide how I feel about her -- and they really nailed it.

Take a look -- you may want to add some new people to your "Follow" list and possibly delete a few that don't deserve your attention.

Jozie and Rozie: BFFs

2009-04-23T16:48:00.001-04:00

Jozie and Rozie are best friends and it makes me so happy.