Proud Auntie-to-be

Look at my sister!!!! She is so pregnant! I LOVE IT!

Lori is just passed the 6 month mark and she looks fabulous! I am such a proud auntie-to-be!!!! You can keep up with Lori's pregnancy at her blog - Soul-Full Living.

Quote

"It is absurd to divide people into good and bad. People are either charming or tedious."
- Oscar Wilde

Where The Wild Things Are

The classic children's book, Where the Wild Things Are, is currently being moved to the big screen with live actors. The book is being brought to life by the very talented Spike Jonze. (Wiki for the movie)

The film is still many months away (estimated release - October 2008) - but here is a (very) little taste of what is to come:


(Check out bigger version here)

The Beastie Boys

Ever wonder how the Beastie Boys roll while touring? Now you can check out their Flickr page which has pictures from their most recent tour for their instrumental album - The Mix Up.

(From Boing Boing)

Quote

"My life has no purpose, no direction, no aim, no meaning, and yet I'm happy. I can't figure it out. What am I doing right?"
- Charles M. Schulz

Medical Future

The American Medical Association is proposing a new plan, which is backed by many doctors, to inject a tiny implant which will store a person's medical history. The implant is the size of a grain of rice and emits a radio frequency. This article says that companies like Walmart use this technology in their shipping systems.

So what are your thoughts? Is this going too far? Part of me thinks this would be a good thing for people with severe illnesses because if something happened to them the Doctor wouldn't have to guess their history. But then I also think that this is crossing the privacy boundary because it might be too easy to read the radio frequency or alter the information. It would have to be a highly regulated practice.

Song of the Day: The Nature Anthem

I wanna walk up the side of the mountain
I wanna walk down the other side of the mountain
I wanna swim in the river, lie in the sun
I wanna try to be nice to everyone

-thanks Elad & Shawn :)

Quote

"Nothing changes your opinion of a friend so surely as success - yours or his."
- Franklin P. Jones

Carbon Bigfoot

There has been a lot of talk lately about a person's "carbon footprint" but not a lot of people actually know what it means. According to Wikipedia it means:

Carbon footprint is a measure of the amount of carbon dioxide or CO2 emitted through the combustion of fossil fuels; in the case of an organization, business or enterprise, as part of their everyday operations; in the case of an individual or household, as part of their daily lives; or a product or commodity in reaching market.

Now there are a bunch of websites out there than can calculate your carbon footprint. You should check out the sites and maybe learn a few tips on how to reduce your impact.

What's Your Life Impact?

CarbonFootprint.Com

An Inconvenient Truth - Carbon Calculator

Flight of the Conchords

You know just a few weeks ago I was saying there pretty much was nothing worth watching on TV during the summer. But over the past few weeks I have totally been proven wrong. As you have seen in earlier posts, I have been watching "The Starter Wife", "Big Love" and "Making the Band 4" but now I have come across a show that has given me some good laughs for the summer.

Flight of the Conchords is a show on HBO (Sunday night at 10:30) about these two guys in a band (title of show is name of band) from New Zealand. They are trying to make it in NYC but are having little success.

Bret McKenzie and Jermaine Clement are actually a real band who even performed at Bonnaroo this year. They have a quirky indie-rock style. With songs like "You could be a part-time model" you know you are in store for laughs. The writing on the show is hilarious as well.

And honestly, the first episode still has me quoting lines and imitating Jermaine's dance moves. The second episode wasn't as much of a hit in my book, but I bet after a second watch I will pick up on more jokes.

So if you like shows like Arrested Development and think music by people like Weird Al or Tenacious D are funny - then check out this show!

You can check out some clips on HBO's website. You can also check out Mel's video blog (vlog?) on HBO's website. Mel is their "fan base" - or their only fan.

UPDATE: Thanks Elad for giving me the link to the video of "Most Beautiful Girl in the Room" or as I like to refer to it - "Part Time Model" - check it out!!!!

Quote

"In our daily lives, we must see that it is not happiness That makes us grateful, but the gratefulness that makes us happy."
- Albert Clarke

Making the Band 4

You all probably remember my love for the last Making the Band - aka Danity Kane. So it is natural that I would get dragged into Making the Band 4 - the all boy group!

Diddy is back and the premise this season is for an all boy band (a la Bel Biv Devo, Boyz to Men, N'Sync). The guys picked for this R&B group will have to know how to sing and dance. So far the show has focused on Julius, Willie, Tyrice, DeAngelo, Dan, Michael and Sam (an Asian guy! I think Korean) - among many others. Sadly, Sam was cut even though he might have been one of the best singers in the bunch. I think they cut him because he didn't fit the "look." Right now the group has been cut to 20 and this is when the competition really begins.

Next week, Diddy shows the boys how serious he is when he (almost?) cuts a guy based on what he ate for breakfast. Seriously, this is why I love Making the Band.

Question - why weren't there any guys from the West Coast picked for the band? I only saw guys from DC, Orlando, NY, Atlanta, Detroit (Houston?) - but nobody from California. I have read that there was an open audition in LA around the same time as the rest of the open auditions around the country. Maybe because the girl group (Danity Kane) is oversaturated with California girls? Perhaps - or maybe Diddy just has something else up his sleeve (remember he can always go back and bring in new guys).

A Map of the Internet

I bet you haven't really sat down and thought - what is this internet thing really about? How does it work? Where are all the websites?

Well, someone has made a funny map of the internet which should help you navigate around.

Click on image for larger version.

Do you see the little dot (city) of Postsecret in the Blogipelago?

My question - where is Google in all of this?

(Picture from Boom or Bust: Miami, who linked from Strange Maps, who found the map at its original location - xkcd)

Quote

"There is no cure for birth and death save to enjoy the interval."
- George Santayana, Soliloquies in England, 1922, "War Shrines"

Postsecret

I hear ya!

Check out more - Postsecret.

Happy Birthday Getting to Maybe

It is Getting to Maybe's 2nd Birthday!

I want to thank all the many readers and contributors for sticking with us! Hope you have enjoyed the past two years.

Quote

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it may be necessary from time to time to give a stupid or misinformed beholder a black eye."
- Miss Piggy

Recommended Blogs

I am in need of some new blogs to check out. A lot of bloggers seemed to have slowed down their blogging lately and the celeb blogs are starting to bore me.

So I will share some new (to me) blogs and hope that some of you respond with some great blogs that I should be checking out.

The [fill in the prefix]est thing I saw today - It's a new blog that is off to a great start. Somehow this gal sees some strange things everyday. (This one wasn't so much a "stumble" but she was a previous commenter on this blog)

Atom of Eve - Three women in different stages of marriage - one girl will hopefully be engaged soon - one woman is a wannabe bride and wannabe wedding planner - and the last is divorced. They all have interesting views on marriage and weddings in general.

Jezebel - from the people who brought you Gawker, this new blog focuses on gossip, fashion and all types of girly stuff. Of note - one of the writers has agreed to be a guinea pig and take the new diet pill Alli to see what kind of (orange?) effects it has on her. She is brave.

Also noteworthy from Gawker - the Consumerist. It's an old blog but for some reason I have been running into it a lot lately. It focuses on things consumer related - like how people are treated by companies who just want your money.

Anyone have some blogs they would like to share?

Or maybe I should break my addiction and actually follow the tips in this article to break my Internet ADD.

Quote

"I myself am made entirely of flaws, stitched together with good intentions."
- Augusten Burroughs

39 Ways to Live

Sometimes we need to be reminded that we don't just exist on this earth - but we also live. And here are 39 ways you can do that (go to the website to read more about each way you can live - I shortened the list below):

1. Love. It doesn't have to be romantic love. Love all of humanity, one person at a time.

2. Get outside.

3. Savor food. Don't just eat your food, but really enjoy it.

4. Create a morning ritual. Wake early and greet the day. Watch the sun rise. Out loud, tell yourself that you will not waste this day, which is a gift. You will be compassionate to your fellow human beings, and live every moment to its fullest. Stretch or meditate or exercise as part of your ritual. Enjoy some coffee.

5. Take chances. What do you have to lose?

6. Follow excitement.

7. Find your passion.

8. Get out of your cubicle.

9. Turn off the TV.

10. Pull away from Internet.

11. Travel.

12. Rediscover what's important. Take an hour and make a list of everything that's important to you. Add to it everything that you want to do in life. Now cut that list down to 4-5 things. Just the most important things in your life. This is your core list. This is what matters. Focus your life on these things. Make time for them.

13. Eliminate everything else. What's going on in your life that's not on that short list?

14. Exercise.

15. Be positive.

16. Open your heart.

17. Kiss in the rain. Seize the moment and be romantic.

18. Face your fears.

19. When you suffer, suffer. Life isn't all about fun and games. Suffering is an inevitable part of life. We lose our jobs. We lose our lovers. We lose our pets. We get physically injured or sick. A loved one becomes sick. A parent dies. Learn to feel the pain intensely, and really grieve. This is a part of life -- really feel the pain. And when you're done, move on, and find joy.

20. Slow down.

21. Touch humanity.

22. Volunteer.

23. Play with children.

24. Talk to old people.

25. Learn new skills.

26. Find spirituality.

27. Take mini-retirements. Don't leave the joy of retirement until you are too old to enjoy it. Do it now, while you're young.

28. Do nothing. Doing nothing as in sitting there, doing nothing. Just learning to be still, in silence, to hear our inner voice, to be in tune with life. Do this daily if possible.

29. Stop playing video games.

30. Watch sunsets, daily.

31. Stop reading magazines.

32. Break out from ruts.

33. Stop watching the news. It's depressing and useless.

34. Laugh till you cry.

35. Lose control. Not only control over yourself, but control over others.

36. Cry. Men, especially.

37. Make an awesome dessert.

38. Try something new, every week.

39. Be in the moment. Instead of thinking about things you need to do, or things that have happened to you, or worrying or planning or regretting, think about what you are doing, right now. What is around you? What smells and sounds and sights and feelings are you experiencing? Learn to do this as much as possible through meditation, but also through bringing your focus back to the present as much as you can in everything you do.

(Via Digg)

Quote

"The secret of being a bore is to tell everything."
- Voltaire

Eleven Minutes

There is a new documentary coming out about Jay McCarroll from the same people who brought us Project: Jay.

From the website:

"It’s been two long years since the sharp-witted Jay McCarroll was dubbed “the next great American designer” on season one of reality TV’s Project Runway, and he’s anxious to finally show his first line of clothing. The feature documentary, “Eleven Minutes,” chronicles his year-long journey preparing his first independent runway show for New York’s Fashion Week in Bryant Park and the subsequent selling of his line to stores. The result is an in-depth, painfully raw and humorous exploration of the creative process and the constant conflict of balancing commerce with art, fame with talent, and reality-TV with actual reality."

Oh I LOVE JAY! I hope this gets some type of general release where I can actually get to see it. It should be interesting to see the fashion industry in the world of Jay. You know he thinks all the industry people are nuts (including himself) and he has that whole art v. commercialism struggle going on inside. Should be interesting!

(From Project Rungay)


***UPDATE***

Eleven Minutes is playing in Miami on Saturday April 26 at 4:30pm at the Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. (Playing at Regal Cinemas 17, 1100 Lincoln Road, South Beach). Go to the website to buy tickets and to get more information.

After the film there will be a fashion show at the Dorset Rooftop (at 7pm). (You need a separate ticket to get into the fashion show and tickets are limited.)

There is an open casting call for models for this fashion show -
CASTING DATE: Saturday, April 19, from 12-5 PM
LOCATION: Lobby of the Maxine Hotel, 1756 Collins Ave., Miami Beach

(Check out Dan Renzi's blog for more information)

Isn't the Poster Supposed to Make You Want to See the Movie?

This poster is for the movie Good Luck Chuck and gives us absolutely no clue what this movie is about. According to Wikipedia:

The story of the unlucky-in-love, Chuck, (Dane Cook) who breaks up with his longtime lady, and is then shocked when he hears she is engaged to her next boyfriend. He finds himself repeating this pattern, and is hopeful that single women will seek him out as a date, so they too will soon find Mr. Right. He then meets Cam Wexler (Jessica Alba), a lovable, but clumsy penguin trainer, who changes his outlook on love. However he finds himself in a pickle as she constantly tries to convince him to have sex and he doesn't want her to marry someone else.

LAME.

All I know is that this movie poster looks so fake that it annoys me. Do you think they actually posed together or they just photoshopped two pictures together?

They are supposed to be imitating this famous John Lennon/Yoko Ono Rolling Stone cover:
But considering the movie has nothing to do with Lennon/Ono, why spoof it? Otherwise, it just comes off as cheap and pointless. Hey, kinda like the movie!

Looking for a New Job?

The European Space Agency (ESA) is looking for 12 people willing to take part in a human experiment - 17 months in an isolation tank on Earth. The experiment is meant to simulate what it is like to be on Mars. The pay is 120 Euros (or about $158) per day. You won't get much glory or rich by joining this crew. Your contact with the outside world is limited to a radio signal that is on a 40 minute delay.

If any space agency is going to send a group to Mars they first need to know if it is physically and psychologically possible. This simulation should help figure out if one could stay healthy and sane while doing tasks in a tight confined space for 17 months.

Hmm 520 days away from all this? Tempting...

If you are interested check out the application here.

The 10 Commandments - of Driving?

The Vatican has issued the "Guidelines for the Pastoral Care of the Road" where they highlight the joys of driving and the sins of driving.

Drivers use their cars to show off; driving "provides an easy opportunity to dominate others" by speeding; drivers can kill themselves and others if they don't get their cars regular tuneups, if they drink, use drugs or fall asleep at the wheel.

They forgot to mention that driving is a good way to show what an idiot you are! Seriously someone yesterday started honking like crazy at me and cut me off because I let a pedestrian cross the street while he had the walking signal. Are you kidding me?

Well, here are the "Drivers' Ten Commandments" and just like the other 10 commandments, let's try to not break all 10 of them. (Oh wait, I'm a Jew - I guess the Vatican laws don't apply?) In my opinion the Vatican could have dumbed it down a little bit because you know those real asshole drivers don't know what most of these words mean.

1. You shall not kill.

2. The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm.

3. Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen events.

4. Be charitable and help your neighbor in need, especially victims of accidents.

5. Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an occasion of sin.

6. Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are not in a fitting condition to do so.

7. Support the families of accident victims.

8. Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness.

9. On the road, protect the more vulnerable party.

10. Feel responsible toward others.

And my #11 - Don't be a jerk! Oh wait, I mean: You shall not be a jerk.

(News story from Yahoo)

Quote

"The universe doesn't recognize the difference between small goals and big ones, it responds to your emotion and intent."
- Peggy McColl

Gossip Addiction

Finally the NY Daily News figured out what is wrong with all of us gossip hungry addicts.

We sit online all day clicking the celeb internet sites and then going home to watch Access Hollywood and then later read Star Magazine because we don't have a life!

***

"I know people who are checking the blogs compulsively all day to see if there's any new news," she said. "Celebrity news gives you a kind of high. It feels like something exciting happened to someone you know. You feel like 'I'm in the know, I'm cool too because I'm keeping up with it.'

"Underneath these soft addictions, there's often a greater need - a hunger to be important, to matter, to belong, to be part of something," she said. "It tells you there's something missing in your life."

"You need to add things to your life that meet your deepest needs, replacing your celebrity addiction. By letting go, you gain back a sense of intimacy and closeness, more time, less mind-numbing activity," she said.

***

Wow and I thought I was using celeb gossip to escape the insanity of my life. Now I am supposed to realize I actually have no life and that's why I am addicted? Geez this is hard to keep up with....I wonder what's going on with Britney right now....(clicks on DListed.com)

The Sopranos - How Did It End?

The debate over how The Sopranos ended has been a heated one over the past week since the finale. It has gone from anger (due to the black screen ending) to convictions that Tony is Dead.

And someone had the time to sit through that last episode and pull it apart - scene by scene - color by color - close up by close up. And the end result? Tony is dead.

Check out this great article that will hopefully give you some closure.

David Chase did, after all, insist: “Anybody who wants to watch it, it’s all there.”

And if that is not enough - check out Tony is Dead.com

UPDATE - Oh wait there is more - today via Best Week Ever. Half the stuff it says at BWE is made up - but hey, it's still fun to read :)

Food Network Junkie

For someone who loves food it is very easy to get drawn into watching the Food Network. Lately I can watch it for hours and hours and hours (yes I have even hit the point where I have to stop watching because there are repeats).

Yesterday I got to watch a few shows which even pulled in Elad - Dinner: Impossible, Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, and Ace of Cakes. Oh and there was some BBQ cook-off show that really got us craving BBQ.

So of course we had to go out immediately and eat everything we saw on TV. There should be a name for this reaction to watching the food network. I can't tell you how many times I saw a dish on the food network and that determined what I would eat for my next meal. And yes, I would even drive out of my way to get it.

Damn you food network and your yummy treats!

Sicko

Michael Moore's new documentary - Sicko - is about to hit theaters on June 29. It is about the problems in the American health care system - and digs deep into the behavior of the insurance companies and the lack of universal health care coverage in one of the richest country in the world.



Are you going to see it?

Moore is currently under investigation by the Office of Foreign Assets Control because he took a trip to Cuba to film a scene with World Trade Center survivors who tried to get medical treatment at Guantanamo Bay - where the prisoners ("enemy combatants") are apparently given all types of medical treatments at no cost.

Question - does anybody know why the film is referred to as SiCKO (with only the "i" in lowercase?)

English as a Second Language

This morning on my drive into work I heard a local news story on NPR (WLRN in Miami) about summer school for kids in elementary school (I believe it was 3rd grade). Thousands of children failed the reading comprehension portion of the FCAT. Most of these children come from homes where English is a second language. The children in this summer program scored a 1 (out of 5) and should be at around a level 3.

And it got me thinking...why are so many children failing these FCAT tests? Is it simply because the parents don't speak English? When I grew up in NY most of my friends were first generation American. Their parents were from Colombia, Israel, Korea, Thailand, Taiwan - I mean you name the country and I had a friend from there. But somehow we all excelled in reading comprehension despite the fact that our parents spoke a language other than English in the home.

So what is the difference? Is it simply that these kids aren't forced to speak English enough? Growing up in NY we didn't have an opportunity to use our parent's first language outside of the home - but I know that in Florida the case is exactly the opposite - you are encouraged to use Spanish every where you go.

So now that kids are being "left behind" and can't pass reading comprehension exams - is it time to make some changes? Change the test? Change how kids are raised?

Quote

"The only normal people are the ones you don't know very well."
- Joe Ancis

PostSecret

Father's Day at PostSecret.

The Starter Wife (Episode 3)

I have to admit the show is growing on me. At first all of the story lines seemed random and too much for this little show. But they work well together. Of course the story lines are a little out there (Molly has fallen in love with a homeless guy, her other love interest faked his suicide and a whole crew of rich and poor people are living in this beach side mansion).

But even though the story is a little "out there" it still seems half-real. Like the people are really going through these crazy things in their life and somehow they have this random support group to get through it.

Well, like I said in my first reaction - it isn't the best show out there but it is definitely enough to get me through the summer.

And if you need to take some frustration out today - go over to the Starter Wife's website and play the game - Whack an Ex.

You can upload a picture of your ex and just start whacking.

Quote

"Success isn't permanent, and failure isn't fatal."
- Mike Ditka

Top Chef 3

So I checked out Top Chef 3 last night. I kinda felt obligated because (1) it's in Miami and (2) it's on Bravo. And actually, it was pretty good. I say Hung for the win. He was born in Vietnam and he is an Executive Sous Chef at Guy Savoy in Las Vegas.

He seemed to have the most technical skill and knowledge. Sure he was a little cocky but I won't hate on him (yet) for that.

I wasn't a fan of Clay and I thought his elimination was right. But, you know the hard thing about food competition is that the tv viewer can't really judge what the Chef is doing on anything besides how it looks on a plate, the description of the food and the reactions. That is how it differs from shows like Project Runway - because we can see the design and judge how it looks in our own perspective. It's too bad there isn't a tv function to smell or taste the food they are cooking.

Anyone else check it out? What are your thoughts on the chefs?

As If There Was Ever a Question...

I am an emotional eater.

Today was another hard day. Full of battles in the legal field. And the only way to make me calm down? A very large piece of cake.

The House that Cannabis built

Ok so maybe just the walls...
The Rokeby-Thomas house on Saltspring Island, Canada was built with hemp-bale walls on the main floor.

If this house ever caught on fire I'm sure they would have some party.

Ok so hemp itself is not a drug, but it's a funny thought.

source

Quote

"The less routine the more life."
-Amos Bronson Alcott

Katie's New Look

Kate Holmes (it is so hard not to say Katie) is sporting a new haircut that resembles the Posh (Victoria Beckham) look.

Thoughts? I kinda like it even thought she is probably spending way too much time with Posh.

(DListed)

Rumor of the Day: Shar Jackson Pregnant with K-Feds 5th Baby

Shar Jackson (the momma of Kevin Federline's first 2 children) is rumored to be pregnant with Kevin's 5th kid (he had 2 with Britney). You may recall, Kevin left Shar for Britney while Shar was pregnant with Kevin's 2nd child.

Via DListed: “Shar wants to tell Kevin, but she keeps getting cold feet! She’s really scared of what he’ll say – if he’ll be excited or furious. What if he doesn’t want another kid?’ After all with her two, and Brit’s two, he’s got his hands full already! It would be Shar’s dream for them to get married and have another baby. She’d love to be living the family life with Kevin.” (from Star Magazine)

(This picture was taken during Thanksgiving 2006)

Oh, and Shar is now on a tv show called "Ex-Wives Club", where her, Marla Maples and Angie Everhart help women get over their ex-husbands. If this rumor is true, is she really the right person to be giving out advice to women still stuck on their ex's?

This probably happened while Britney was in rehab....oh so much drama!

UPDATE: Hmmm...Shar is denying it. Not true?

Guess This Image

Answer in the comments section.

Doesn't He Have Security?

You would think that someone wouldn't have the balls to steal a watch off the President's wrist...but you were wrong. Check out this video in Albania where President Bush had his watch stolen while he was greeting a crowd. (article in Dutch, but you will get the drift)

(From Boing Boing)

Quote

"One should count each day a separate life."
- Lucius Annaeus Seneca

HELP

You guys, I'm gonna be honest with you - this has been a shitty past few days. I have no inspiration for blogging and I am just loaded with stress and sadness. As an update from my "mixed emotions" post the other day - my dog didn't fare so well after the stress he went through. I ended up coming home early from my trip to attend to him at the vet. I won't get into details but just know that the ending is sad.

And on top of that I feel like there is just no relief from all these other constant stresses in my life. After finally getting rid of my old piece of shit washing machine from months ago - I got a new washing machine and it has only given me trouble. I have had to deal with already 5 service calls and the machine still doesn't work. And guess what - they came by today to change another part - and a half hour after they leave my machine starts beeping this error code. Seriously - does it end?

Then on top of that my A/C situation is just dismal. Last week a repair guy came out and gave me the highest quote so far. I will hopefully get another person out here soon to give me another quote - but seriously I can't even afford it anyway.

And why can't I afford it? Well thanks to many increasing bills and a property tax situation - I owe a lot of money. You know that saying "buyer beware"? Well, when I bought my condo I had no clue that the former owner would lose his homestead tax exemption and I would end up paying for it. So guess what - I now owe some major big bucks to the property tax world which I have to sort out this summer.

Oh and did I mention I have to soon decide whether to trade in my car (Mini) or pay up money to continue keeping it? I really love my car. But I have this financing plan called a "balloon payment." So let's just say the car costs 20k. I financed 10k 4 years ago. Now the "balloon" of the other 10k is due. I could refinance the remaining 10k and keep my car or trade it in for a newer model. So the pros - I love the car. Another pro - it might be a little cheaper to refinance - but I am still not sure about that. The cons - it is a 4 year old car that is likely gonna need random repairs that will all be out of pocket. More cons - I am not a huge fan of the newer models but the gas mileage is a little better. I have gone back and forth about this for months now and I just can't decide what to do.

Oh and I think I am getting a cold. And my diet? Down the drain.

So with this ever shrinking bank account (soon to go into the negative) and just this general sadness I really don't know how to even think straight. So excuse me if there are no witty posts for awhile - maybe some other contributors can step up and help me out?

Quote

"The one serious conviction that a man should have is that nothing is to be taken too seriously."
- Nicholas Butler

The Sopranos is Over

The Series Finale aired last night and many Soprano's fans are angry. The show ended with Tony and his family sitting around a diner eating onion rings, all while Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" played in the background. As Meadow walked into the restaurant the screen turned black for maybe 30 seconds and then the credits rolled.

Oh, and Phil Leotardo was killed. So Tony won?

What are your thoughts?

Check out this interesting reaction via the Village Voice.

"Even if David Chase, who wrote and directed the final episode, was demonstrating the existential and endless loop of Tony's life or the moments before the hit that causes his death, it still robbed the audience of visual closure."

Quote

"To err is human--and to blame it on a computer is even more so."
- Robert Orben

Postsecret

(When I was a kid, I thought I was a superhero.)

(Okay. Still do.)

Mixed Emotions

Today I'm gonna get a little personal on the blog. This coming weekend is supposed to be one of celebration. Elad and I are celebrating our 3 year anniversary by taking a weekend cruise to the Bahamas. We have been so excited about this cruise on Royal Caribbean (Majesty of the Seas) and have really been in need of this little break.

But lately I have been under a great deal of stress. Mostly because of money issues and really because I have had a busted Air Conditioner for the past few weeks. It works for only a few hours a day. I have had a really hard time trying to find someone who is wiling to replace my A/C for less than $3000. Can you imagine - I live in a condo that is 770 square feet and I can't replace my A/C for a reasonable price.

So this isn't really where the "mixed emotions" have come from. My dog has started to pay the price for the lack of A/C. Last night he had extreme heat exhaustion which honestly scared the shit out of me. We were able to calm him down and get his temperature to a normal place (put him in the bath and sprayed cold water on him and then had him lay on wet towels). And then as we thought he was getting better he started to feel sick again. We took him to the emergency vet and they ran a blood test. He wasn't in such bad shape - just a tiny bit dehydrated. The vet said that he should stay somewhere with A/C and be given pedialite. My loving sister and brother took him to my mom's house where he is hanging out right now. They told me he had a rough night and I ran to be by his side this morning to see how he is feeling.

And now I am supposed to get on a fun cruise for the weekend and all I can feel is guilt and sadness. I want to be excited for the weekend but I just can't stop thinking about my dog.

But I know my mom, sister and brother are fully capable of taking care of my little doggie. They stayed up all night with him and are continuing to keep a close eye on him.

I need to appreciate the help I have, the love I am celebrating and the wonderful dog I care so much about. Reinforce the positive and it will all work out...

Quote

"With Epcot Center the Disney corporation has accomplished something I didn't think possible in today's world. They have created a land of make-believe that's worse than regular life."
-- P. J. O'Rourke

The Adventures of Mr. Lee

Mr. Lee is a cat in Germany whose owner strapped a camera to his neck to see where Mr. Lee goes during the day.
The results are interesting and sometimes beautiful...

Check out a day in the life of Mr. Lee on Mr. Lee's CatCam.

(From Boing Boing)

Quote

"Middle age is when your broad mind and narrow waist begin to change places."
- E. Joseph Crossman

My Opinion: The Starter Wife

So Elad and I finally sat down to watch The Starter Wife (with Debra Messing) and on a scale from 1 to 10 I would give it a 6. It was good enough to make me want to watch it once more, but I cannot make any guarantees about the next episode.

So it was kind of light mostly because it is about Hollywood. Debra Messing plays a woman named Molly. Molly is dumped by her husband who is in the biz. After she is dumped the Hollywood community (including one of her best friends) turns their back on her because her husband is the one with the power in the industry.

Molly gets to shack up in one of her friend's beautiful ocean front homes from the summer where she meets a mystery man that we can't really figure out. At the same time it looks like there is another man interested in her (a man who holds more power in the industry than her ex) but then out of nowhere it seems like he kills himself.

And of course, her ex finds a new young star (Shoshana) who will likely break his heart and send him running back to Molly (is it that predictable?).

So, I will give the show another week and see what I think. Hopefully the story will get a little more interesting. But for now, the outfits are great, the homes are fabulous and Debra Messing is cute. That's enough to get me through a summer of TV.

Quote

"A hug is a great gift - one size fits all, and it's easy to exchange."
- Unknown

Vancouver

I know we keep on posting the wise words of Transit Miami here - but we just can't agree more with what that blog has to say!

And this week Transit Miami has put a spotlight on Vancouver and how it is a successful city that refuses to focus on automobile transportation. It manages to be free of high volume car congestion but still has a high volume density population at the street level.

I have actually been to Vancouver and was impressed. The mass transportation system was easy to use and took us to all the places we wanted to go. On top of that, the city was clean, easy to navigate and still hip and fun. And you would never guess that a city like Vancouver is just about the same age as Miami. It is amazing what a good city plan can do.

Little Kid Post of the Day

I am a huge fan of cereal. I will eat it any time of the day. But now that I'm getting older I can't indulge in the Cocoa Pebbles or Cinnamon Toast Crunch, which I loved so much as a kid.

But fortunately, there are some good "big kid" cereals that have a great taste and are still good for you.

Kashi has come out with some excellent cereals like Kashi Go Lean Crunch - Honey Almond Flax.
It reminds me a lot of Honey Smacks (another favorite as a kid - remember the "Dig Em" Frog?).

Kashi has the puffed wheat and honey goodness but on top of that it has protein, fiber and Omega-3 (which I have no clue what they are).

Kashi also has a cereal called Organic Promise Cinnamon Harvest

It brings me back to the good old Frosted Mini Wheats, except there is no yummy layer of sugar on the outside.
But just because there is no sugar layer doesn't mean it isn't sweat and yummy. Kashi uses Evaporated Cane Juice and you still get some of that fiber goodness that us old folks need.

So I can't be a little kid anymore - but I can at least pretend for a few minutes each day.

Quote of the Day

"When you look at yourself from a universal standpoint, something inside always reminds or informs you that there are bigger and better things to worry about."
- Albert Einstein

Graduation

The time is here again for the grads to put on their colored robes and walk down long aisles to pomp and circumstance.

And there is no better time than now to talk about all the bad advice that is given to graduates every year. Because really, how many 20-something year olds are investing in their 401k or kicked their expensive latte habit yet?

What would be some good advice for grads?
- Enjoy your possible last summer vacation while it lasts!
- Start planning your next vacation now, before it's too late
- Try to see as many places as you can before your full time career gives you only a one week vacation a year
- Buy some really great clothes now because you are going to be wearing those same outfits for at least the next 6 years
- Don't move to Florida. Just trust me on that.
- Love your email because that will be your only means of contact for most of your friends
- Get a hobby - you don't want work, the internet and TV to run your life
- Sharpen up on your random history/sports/political facts because you may end up at lunch with your 65 year old boss and he could care less about Paris Hilton.

Do you have any good advice for those leaving school behind?

(Thanks Pinc for the NY Times article)

Quote

"My wife and I were happy for twenty years. Then we met."
- Rodney Dangerfield

Postsecret

Maybe we all need a little break from "maturity."

Check out more from Postsecret.

As If You Needed A Better Reason

The First Friday in June is National Donut Day - so eat up!

Check out the history of the holiday.

Is it Donuts or Doughnuts?
Either way - try these recipes to make your own.

Quote

"Football is a mistake. It combines the two worst elements of American life. Violence and committee meetings."
- George F. Will