the not so scientific science of the way i look

first go read here.

then look at how ellen page's character dresses in whip it.

(btw- this picture doesn't even begin to give you any idea of how horribly this girl dressed.)

the first is an example of people trying desperately to be beautiful and all end up looking the same. and the other is an example of someone wanting so desperately to not look like everyone else that they end up looking ridiculous.

my goal isn't exactly something i think about every day, but it certainly is to walk the line between the two. as much as i can't stand looking like everyone else, combat boots, clothes that don't match and an inch of eyeliner is not the right kind of fashion statement. everything about the girls in the front of the club screams "trying too hard." and the ellen page girl would say, "look at them trying so hard." but at the same time i look at the ellen page character and think, "trying too hard."

i can't stand the thought that anyone would ever look at me and think, "trying too hard." which is why my clothes always end up being on the safe side and i almost never wear makeup. nothing i ever wear looks like i take a chance. i walk the safe middle ground. makeup makes me feel like i'm asking for attention.

i think this is why i have red hair. it's my one way of standing out without looking like i've tried too hard. it looks real, and no one can accuse you of trying too hard with your real hair color.

Blogject!

I've been looking for a blog project for awhile now. They're all the trend (projects, not necessarily promoting them on the web.) Julie cooking all of Julia Childs' recipes. AJ Jacobs and the bible. AJ Jacobs and the encyclopedia. Terminal Man and the Jet Blue pass. Dave Gorman and the Dave Gorman project. Danny Wallace and the "Yes" project. See, projects are all the rage.

I found mine. I'm not unveiling the details to the masses yet. A few people know it, and think it's pretty good.

I'm thinking I'm going to start October 1st. Right now I'm working out the details. And trying to come up with the name. I almost wish I could unveil the details to get help with the name.

I'm actually really excited about this.

The Informant!

I saw The Informant! today.

I left the house intending to see Bright Star, but was thwarted at every turn. Literally, all the streets were shut down. I got to the theater just in time to get in for The Informant! and unfortunately saw it from the 3rd row and now have a nasty crick in my neck. On one side of me was a man with no respect for personal space and the other side was a very obese woman. Despite all that, I loved the movie.

I knew nothing about this movie going in to it except that it was a true story and that the guy went to jail (thank you Jon Stewart.) I'm so glad I didn't, because it was hilarious.*

So, I'm not going to say anything, except that it was hilarious and I loved it. As usual, it probably could have been 15 minutes shorter, but oh well.

On a separate note... this ceiling system is driving me crazy...

I know I don't know every ceiling system out there, but I should have seen this one. This office is supposed to be circa 1992. I started working in commercial offices in 2000. It would still be out there, somewhere, in 2000. I say it needs to make a comeback.

*A Beautiful Mind was ruined for me because I knew they had changed all the facts for the movie. The movie isn't as good if you know he's insane and that he doesn't actually think he's cracking war codes but alien codes.

my picks for the emmys

i forgot all about the fact that i touched a real life emmy award last weekend. some guy at the short stop had won one (they did the awards for the technical stuff and reality programs last weekend) and was out celebrating. he worked on project runway doing something. i didn't ask too many questions. they're big awards.

anyway, i was going to do this whole elaborate "my picks for the emmys" post, until i realized i haven't watched half the shows that are nominated.

Comedy

alec baldwin- you deserve to win for jack on 30 rock. you, hands down, have the best character on television right now. and you play him to absolute perfection.

tina fey- you just rule. i love watching liz try to control the crazy every week. i love watching her struggle with trying to maintain friendships with people she's supposed to boss around. i love watching her deal with an insane boss. i would be lying if i said i couldn't identify a little (okay a lot) with liz.

30 rock- hands down the funniest show on TV right now. some weeks the office is a little stronger, but overall 30 rock wins.

supporting actor in a comedy series- here's where the office beats 30 rock. where would the office be without dwight? and who could play dwight better than rainn wilson? nowhere and no one. watching him fight andy for angela has been a treat.

supporting actress in a comedy series- kristin chenoweth for pushing daisies. i loved watching her this past season in the habit, having to keep the secret of lily being chuck's mom, in the baking competition, wanting to be emerson cod's sidekick, trying to be chuck's friend while still loving ned, and so much more. she was just perfection.

Drama

Mad Men- absolutely excellent in every way. the men are all so smarmy and such pigs. you hope they're really good actors and that men have evolved enough and that in 2010 (almost) they don't really think/act the way they do on that show. thank god the workplace has evolved, at least as much as it has.

which also leads me to follow up with saying that elizabeth moss NEEDS to win for peggy on mad men. the only female character on the show with strength (which is kind of the point) and so much fun to see a woman breaking in to the mens' workplace.

anyway- those are the the people/shows i pick. of course i haven't seen the past season of weeds, big love, the big bang theory or flight of the conchords. i'm a little behind on my netflix (what with catching up with 7 discs of gossip girl and all.)

i knew i liked method products

I have a migraine. Not the kind that knocks you out. Just the annoying kind where you can't sleep. So here it is 3:30 on a friday night/saturday morning and I'm doing web research on soaps and cleaning products.

I stumbled across this on the method soaps FAQs and got a kick out of it. I'm almost tempted to sign up for the "email me if this answer is updated" option.

Anyway, it all started with research in to dr. bronner's magic soaps after seeing them mentioned in the comments section on Terminal Man's blog. I think they might be a little too hippie for me. So I started researching the savon de Marseille I used to use after my mom found it in Ashville. I think I still like it the best, but it's hard to find. I switched to the Olive Leaf soap made by Method, and am quite happy with it. (I went to their website to check out the environmental/organic aspect of it. It isn't listed as organic, but at least it doesn't have any parabens. For someone who eats as much fast food and drinks as much coke as I do, you think I wouldn't be that concerned with what goes ON my skin.)

Step by step I try to be a little more environmentally friendly. I guess cleaning products and health and beauty products are going to be my new thing. Yes, I feel insanely guilty every time I use the swiffer and the swiffer wet jet. But at least I use the broom and dustpan first to get the first layer of stuff. Plus, I tell myself that washing reusable pads uses water AND soap. (flimsy excuse I know.)

Sometimes I feel like environmentalism is too ridiculous and people take it too far, but for the things I can do, I will. I recently started timing my showers, and honestly I will never be able to take a 5 minute shower. I think the people who have come up with the 5 minute shower idea are men who don't have to shave their legs. So far I've gotten it down to 7 minutes. At least that's something.

Next up- the magic eraser. Obviously don't let your kids rub it all over their skin, but is a little elbow grease really going to kill anyone? (I really don't know that I'm ever going to be able to give up the magic eraser. But we'll see.)

this doesn't exist!

There is a new Harry Potter theme park in Orlando, Florida. It will open next year.

Apparently "Magical instruments and equipment are available at Dervish and Banges, including everything needed to play Quidditch — a game like soccer played on flying broomsticks."

You can't buy Quiddich supplies! Golden snitches do not exist; nor do quaffles, bludgers, and least of all flying broomsticks. So no, everything needed to play quidditch is not available at Dervish and Banges.

This doesn't mean that I don't want to go to the Harry Potter theme park. I would love to go and not be a muggle for a day. But there has to be some reality. Especially when writing a news article for the AP.

light my fire

some pictures from the AP and Reuters of the fires. scenes from my world.

From south of downtown looking North towards the Station fire. My neighborhood is slightly northwest of the last building to the left. On any other day, you'd be able to see hills and mountains. Today, those hills and mountains are on fire.

looking south into downtown. see, just gross. not even close to what you're typical smog day is like.

smoke from the Station Fire rising up from behind the Hollywood sign. the smoke from this fire started rising up about 15 miles east of here, and every day it's further and further west. at night, i can see the flames from these fires as i'm driving home from work.

more of the smoke rising up from the Station Fire. how more people aren't having breathing issues i'll never know.

and no- this isn't a scene from my world... but the phrase "resistance is futile" comes to mind. this is a firefighter driving away from the Station Fire.

right now they're trying to protect Mount Wilson. We lose that cell signals will start going. TV signals start going. plus, some really cool astronomy stuff. And the JPL facility is closed (and potentially threatened) due to the fires too. i guess at some point this all has to end, but i don't know if they even see the light at the end of the tunnel.