the latest news
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[07.27.09]
A&A are planners. We love to plan, to organize, to piddle, and in piddling, discover and complete new projects. Unfortunately, I have recently found my penchant for planning disrupted and weakened by the lazy days of summer, while Anne's jet-setting life has forced her planning into overdrive. She's gotten so good at it, she could easily moonlight as a travel agent. I could really use her help in planning my life, or at least in planning a vacation. But I think if I asked her to plan one more thing, she might lose it. When I mentioned her upcoming birthday recently, she seemed more willing to forgo any kind of celebration than to commit to something that will involve planning. Granted, her birthday is six months away, so I might have been jumping the gun. On second thought, maybe even my weakened planning ability is in hyperdrive compared to the rest of the world. I only look like a planning slacker when compared to my mom, Nanna, and Annie D. Although in terms of outfits, I might have them beat. I plan my ensembles months in advance for upcoming events. However, in the immortal words of Death Cab for Cutie, "Every plan is a tiny prayer to Father Time." You never know when a new outfit from Forever 21 might bump the queue.
Speaking of outfit planning, one last thing before I go:
Juniper Lane, at Iota on Friday, July 31. PLAN ON IT!!!
[07.20.09]
This year, instead of regaling you with tales from Havre de Grace's July 4th celebration, I'll leave you with some photos: woman on a horse (who fell right immediately after the photo was taken), some sweet views from the ferris wheel, patriotic old men and seven baby boomers on a bike, plus Maksim and the crazy poodle, taking in a view of the carnival from Nanna's backyard. You'll have to imagine the deviled eggs, crabs, and fireworks over the bay for yourself. Oh, and the snickers ice cream bars. Can't forget those.
[07.09.09]
BULLETS for your long weekend reading pleasure!
***Check out this great essay by a W&M alum about going back to the 'burg for a visit. I love the ending. I even registered on the Burlington News Times' site so I could note its awesomeness with a comment that reads, "This is awesome."
***As alway, Jon Stewart frames it best. The Examiner asks, is it too soon to laugh about MJ's death? Well, maybe, but it's NOT too soon to laugh about the ridiculous "news" coverage.
***My favorite part of the Washington Post is its Free For All section, wherein letters and emails are printed that comment on (berate) the paper for poor coverage, ill-conceived placement, or improper spelling and grammar. The indignation is hilarious. Here are some recent faves:
(1) Smoking makes you a bad person?
(2) Dissed for a KidsPost article
(3) A 12-year-old responds
(4) Just some general nerding out
(5) Nerding out with a rhyme scheme
(6) And for the final entry, I will copy and paste the letter in its entirety. This has been my fave Free For All submission in a while:
One More Dimension
The June 12 article "History, Experience Favor the Red Wings," previewing Game 7 of the National Hockey League's Stanley Cup finals, described one aspect of the Red Wings' locker room: "On another wall hang one-dimensional replicas of the franchise's Stanley Cups." One-dimensional objects of any kind are not visible. Just like the editing in that sentence.
-- Morton Rubinger, Reston
[07.02.09]
But my biggest take-away from the whole night was a little monologue that Emily Haines, the lead singer of Metric, gave during their performance. It was inspiring without being cliche or relying on an over-active optimism. At a time when our generation is reaching the point of life where we say, Is this it? Is there more?, Haines offered the rational position to which she and her band have arrived: "We just decided to keep dreaming. It seems so weird to stop now."
[06.25.09]
Happy Seersucker Thursday, dear A&A readers! I just learned what that is, and that it exists. Had I known about it before, I might have participated, although I would've had to go shopping first. It just goes to show that, yes, D.C. can be fashionable, even if it's in our own lamentable way. (See green box to the left.)
Some of my lucky subscribers will be getting a double disc summer mix in the mail this week. Many thanks to Meg, TheThayde, YBK, and T-Diddy for their inspiration. This is the first double disc in five-and-a-half years. Much like the look of this website, I like to keep the artwork for the mixes low-budget. I think it adds a certain something. Guitar Boy recently asserted that I probably had little experience making mix tapes, as I must have had a CD burner as early as elementary school. No no, my friends! The last mix tape I made was in 1999, and the first CD I burned (Rotation I!) was in 2000. And even THAT was done on someone else's computer. It wasn't until I interned at AOL that my nerd alert colleagues retrofitted my "Campus Computer" with a bigger harddrive, more RAM, and a trusty CD burner. I've never looked back. So, lucky listening club, let me know what you think! I'll be rocking out to the double disc with the top down all summer long.
[06.18.09]
The D.C. metro area is a-buzz with a new viral video straight out of Yuppieville, USA, also known as Arlington. I've been emailed, IMed, and Twittered the link many times now, but it was my Republican peep, Jim, who got it to me first. (He's got a lot of free time, what with not being able to govern and all.) The video is SWEET and everyone's got their favorite part. The footage and references pertain mostly to North Arlington. Now if you really want ghetto, you're not going to find it in our county. But if you want to dip your toe into some diversity, you can head to my 'hood in South Arlington. In fact, the 9th Starbucks shown in the video is known as the "Qatarbucks," and is near my hizzy. If Arlington's latest rap star had ventured below Route 50, he might have added this verse:
When I say meet you at the crossroads, I mean Bailey's, of course
You'll be feeling thuggish ruggish at Pier One Imports
You got a job? You need a hand? Hire laborers for the day
While we're at the Beanie Weenie, grab a dog and a shake
Or if you're missing all the yuppiness of Clarendon
We can get organic lattes in Shirlington
Yeah, we got dog parks, we got wine bars, we got Maggie Moos
But we also got more Ethiopians than Ethiopia do
Remember, A-Town, the orange line ain't the only deal
Slip below Route Fiddy if you wanna hang for real
[06.12.09]
The longer I'm in the D.C. area, the more this city feels like a small town. I've been living here as an adult for over five years, which means I'm inching closer to matching my childhood stint of seven years--that golden K-6 era of elementary school. The difference is that I drive now, and the daunting thoroughfare of 395 has become my main street. Why, just the other day, I noticed by way of some high-beam flashes and a friendly wave that a peep of mine was alternate- merging in behind me. Then, next thing I know, I pull up next to Viv on the five-lane highway. Needless to say, my honking and flailing was a bit more spazzy the cool wave I got from my first friend in the Audi. However the icing on the cake this week was a very pleasant (albeit nerve-wracking) experience I had the next morning, when I, um, sort of rear-ended somebody. I had been distracted by the VERY unnecessary horn-honking next to me. Thinking it was someone warning his fellow drivers of an impending accident (or possibly that it was another friend saying, "WHAT UP!"), I looked over just in time to miss the car in front of me slowing down. A break-slam and a car bump later, we'd pulled over to the shoulder. The other driver jumped out of his car, took a quick look at his rear bumper, and with a wave and an "It's okay!," got back in and sped off. Now THAT is what I call neighborly. (P.S. - Never to fear, dear readers, the MINI is fine!!)
[06.04.09]