I [Heart] Jon Stewart

I [Heart] Jon Stewart
Caught a back-episode of Daily Show last night when I probably should have been studying. I loved Jon Stewart's take on the appointment of Tony Snow as White House Press Secretary. It was something to the effect of

The long-rumored merger between Fox News and the White House was made official this week! ... The new company will be called Integralux. 'A new way to govern.' It will go public ... never.

You can catch it in the "Global Political Stock Market" clip on the Daily Show website. It's a good clip.

Yeay!

Yeay!

What horrible Edward Gorey Death will you die?

You will be sucked dry by a leech. I'd stay away from swimming holes, and stick to good old cement. Even if it does hurt like hell when your toe scrapes the bottom.
Take this quiz!

Lifted from MoDigli.

Good (Journalism) Stuff

Good (Journalism) Stuff
Here's a story that tries to get through the numbers and statistics of the homicide rate in New York City, from the New York Times.

Statistics and numbers in any field can be misleading when not reported properly. The problem is exacerbated in health/medical reporting, I think, b/c people don't really understand what a 1% chance of getting cancer is, or what not. But people will react very strongly, even when it turns out that whatever the risk is is completely negligible and less harmful than that second cup of coffee they're about to drink.

Anyways, it's a good story.

In Preparation

In Preparation
About six weeks ago, the firm I'm working for this summer sent me their dress code. Since then, I've kind of been freaking out that I'm not going to have anything to wear or will show up to work dressed inappropriately. No, I'm not going to go to work in a tube top, flip flops and nylon running pants, but I don't want to appear unprofessional. I also haven't dressed up for work on a daily basis in ... crap, 3.5 years. When I graduated from graduate school, Dec. 2002. Crikey! Clearly, I'm not counting the year I taught taekwondo, b/c wearing a uniform that's as comfortable as pajamas doesn't count as dressing up. And I'm also not counting the 10 days I worked at Target. Because I like to pretend that didn't happen.

Anyway. My closet is full of flip-flops and t-shirts and crazy skirts. So I've been working on stocking my wardrobe while studying for finals and such. Oh, the glorious internet! In addition to clothes, I decided to buy myself a nice bag to bring to work, because I hate the one I used for interviews, and a dirty, ratty messenger bag seems inappropriate. So I bought, from eBags ...



That's my crappy camera phone for ya. Anyways, it's hot. So hot, the bag came with a bag. That's the gray smudge in the background. Except, I think the bag-for-the-bag doesn't serve its purpose if it comes INSIDE the bag.

In other news ...

I was walking to taekwondo class from the t station and there was this very cute little boy, about four or five, handing out flyers. His dad was standing right next to him, but the kid, he extended a card out to me and asked in his cute little voice, "Do you want one?" How could I resist?! Sure, I said, Thank you! I looked at it ... it was for a psychic. Hmph. I felt kinda jipped. But as I was walking away, he exclaimed in his whispery excited voice, "She took one!"

Disturbing?

Disturbing?

From the Washington Post:

Fox News commentator Tony Snow agreed last night to become White House press secretary after top officials assured him that he would be not just a spokesman but an active participant in administration policy debates, people familiar with the discussions said.

Does anyone else find this disturbing? That Snow's allegiances are so obvious. That the White House couldn't find anyone who was not from the fourth estate to serve in its administration? Oh wait, I forgot, this is the same administration that put journalists on its payroll to tout its programs and services.

BTW, the title of this post, lest it now show up, is "Disturbing?" Stupid blogger.

Update: I've decided to go back to the old format

Minor Redesign

Minor Redesign
I've decided to revive the title bar. Maybe it's so I can exert a little control in my life. Because right now, I'm a slave to law school and to my GPA. I wish I didn't care. But I do.

I can't wait until next Thursday, cold beer in hand, after my last in-class final. Oh, and I can't wait until next Friday, either.

(Yeah, this was a rather obligatory post. I have nothing to say. Nothing at all. I'm going to bed.)

Update: I can't seem to get the title to show. I'm too tired to fuss with blogger and html.

Substance

"One of the benefits of being a messy person is that your life, in a condition of irretrievable disorder, is full of surprises."
-- From New Yorker article "On the Bay" by Bill Buford

Today's NY Times Magazine has an article about the huge segment of the wine industry that puts an animal, or "critter," on its label. Better than feet, I say.

Compulsion
I feel a compulsion to write something. I'm not sure why, and I'm not sure what, but here I am. Maybe this paper I'm working on has something to do with why I'm here.

Here's something superficial ... I think Jeffrey Dean Morgan is pretty much the hottest actor around right now. If you watch Grey's Anatomy, he's the heart patient that Izzy is like totally in love with. Mr. Morgan also happens to play the dad (to two very fine looking sons) on Supernatural, which is a WB show. I was watching it tonight while I was enjoying my dinner break and as the last scene was unfolding, I actually got giddy. Because the dad on the show was talking about how yes, it's true, the three of them are stronger as a family and can kick more evil supernatural spirit ass. And do you know why I got excited? Because he was basically getting at that they *should* stay together, which means Mr. Morgan will be in the next few episodes leading to the end of the season. No, seriously, the prospect of seeing this hot actor on some juvenile not-even-that-scary show got me all excited. I was all going to not record tonight's episode b/c my tivo is kinda filling up, but when I saw he was going to be on, I left it on my to do list.

No joke.

And yes, I know I'm pathetic.

Observations from the Weekend
I spent the long weekend at my parents' house. Sat-Mon. Monday was Marathon Monday and a holiday in the city. And it was my birthday weekend, and with finals coming up, I needed one more break from this place. So I went home. A few observations, some surprising.

1) My parents have wireless. No joke. *I* don't even have wireless.

2) My dad wrote his first email. And then forgetting to ask a question, he promptly wrote his second. Except, he writes in Chinese and it took him tortuously long to write what would have taken him 30 seconds to say over the phone. But as my mom put it, just let him do it. He's got nothing else to do. And, he'll get better with time. (Let's hope!)

3) I visited my uncle at the hospital. It turned into a mini-family reunion. My father was remarkably composed given that his mother spent a lot of time in a nursing home that did not smell much worse than this hospital. He was also really patient with my uncle, who was slurring his speech from the surgery/accident, and is a person my father usually has no patience with. He really surprised me.

4) Hospitals, at least the ones I've been to, are never as shiny and clean as they are on TV.

5) At what point am I supposed to act old enough so that I can fully participate in conversations with my relatives? I still feel like a child who sits in the corner and doesn't talk, but is just looked at while my parents show me off. Umm, the language barrier probably doesn't help.

6) The superfine weather made me quite nostalgic for my parents' house, and a former time of my life. I was driving everywhere I could with the roof open. And I'm pretty sure I went to the local Starbucks every two hours.

7) Spent a brief time shopping for work clothes for the summer. Current fashion trends are butt.

8) Rent is the best soundtrack to drive to ever. I should really consider digging up some other old musical soundtracks to pass the time ... Joseph, Chess, Titanic (the musical, not the movie), 1776...

9) I think I'm a manipulative person. Who is easily disappointed.

Good Things

I've decided to take this post down b/c it's kind of personal. And it makes me feel naked. If you want to know more, see here and be my friend. But seriously, you can't want to spend that much time reading about me.

"Long-time lurker, first time commenter?"
Courtesy of H, here's a link to a blog that, despite its multitude of references to the HO-C, is fantastic for its links to free, downloadable mp3s from some great tv shows with great music. Like Grey's Anatomy. Good God, I love that show. If you love that show, I should recommend the podcast -- features writers, producers and actors. Subscribe to it on iTunes, or download them here.

And starting May 1, ABC will have next-day free downloads of some of their shows -- Lost, Desperate Housewives, Commander in Chief and Alias. Which I'm going to stick out and watch b/c I want to see how it ends. I freaking love sweeps.

My Life, On Repeat
Sometimes, when I find myself in situations I've been in before, it's hard to remember that just because it's happened before, doesn't mean it's going to happen again. I'm different. My surroundings are different. The people involved are different. But my little heart is weary and like a red-headed stepchild, it flinches.

I need a fire lit under my ass. I have zero motivation for finals. Maybe it's because my finals are all so far away. But it's hard not to feel like I *need* to be motivated. Blah! The birthday festivities continue all week long! Hell, I only turn 18 once or twice!!!

Perseverate Lite
I'm in a good mood. Freaky.

Ahh, I've finally found how to backdate entries. I've just put my first entry from my original blog up -- dated 4/11/2002. Which means I'm nearing my 4-year anniversary of blogging. Freaky.

Just the Facts, Please
I might be good at accumulating letters after my name, but I'm not very good at my personal life. I'm tired of that fact. But I'm working on it.

Hmm.
I've been awake since 3:30. I had like 10 glasses of wine, or some other obscene amount. I haven't done my homework for class, so I'm going to start that now. I'm pretty sure I'll be crashing later today.

I'm considering this all part of my week long birthday celebration. That, or I'm chalking it up to my falling apart.

Last night, had a alcohol-soaked discussion of the discovery of the "Gospel of Judas." For some reason, this blows my mind. I'm not sure if it's the religious aspect or just the thought of some ancient manuscripts being "surfaced in the sands of Egypt." Very Indiana Jones.

Recap of the day so far:
1:30am: I go to sleep out of sheer exhaustion.

6:30am: alarm goes off and I unknowingly turn it off.

8:45am: wake up and realize it's way too late for me to make my 9am swim class across town.

10:15am wake up and decide to sleep some more.

11:00am finally roll out of bed and brush my teeth and check my email.

11:01am find out that I've won $250 in a contest at school sponsored by a legal research service.

11:03am look out the window and see snowflakes.

11:03:30am frantically IM friends that it's snowing.

11:04am look out window and see EVEN MORE snowflakes.

11:06am start writing this post and get back into bed.

-UPDATE-

11:46am get out of bed again and discover there is almost no running water in apartment.

11:48am whimper some, and decide to get over it and get ready for school with what water there is.

A Vomiting of Thoughts
I just got back from my second taekwondo class at the new school. Scoped out the competition team training, which looks good and intense. I think I might like it. If I ever get around to going. Things are only going to get busier as the month progresses. And by busy, I mean I'm going to spend more time sitting on my ass in front of this computer.

In taking a nearly two year hiatus from taekwondo (those sporadic practices with the university team don't count), I have forgotten something about taekwondo. And that is: just how type A taekwondoists can be. Sure, I should be used to them, since I'm in law school and all. But it's different. And the same, at the same time. I guess there aren't as many type A people in taekwondo as there are in law school. I mean, in law school, 100% of the people are type A. In taekwondo ... well, it's less. But when they're type A, they're really type A. Oh I was this super awesome black belt and back home in no man's land I was so awesome and blah blah blah blah blah. Blah. Blech. Type a-ers. Type a-ers who do the accomplishment-dropping like it's going out of style. Can't live with 'em. And you can't leave yourself at home.

Oh, excuse me, mmmf, I'm feeling another thought come up...

So there's this girl I know from school and it's weird, but every time she pipes in on my private life, it totally throws me for a loop. I think it's because I really respect her opinion and she often points out the negative of what's going on. Hmph. I think that's all I'm going to say.

I'm sweaty and need a shower and a second dinner.

Katie Spew-ic
CBS is off its rocker if it thinks that after 10+ years as the cheery but god-awfully annoying face of NBC's Today Show that Katie Couric would make a good nightly news anchor. Unless CBS wants the nightly news to be full of nothing but fluff. Well, crap, that's what we have local news for -- fluff and murder. Don't even get me started.

Surely this is a hold over from April Fools that someone has slipped into the NYTimes.com web page redesign. (Which is quite flash, by the way. Now NYTimes.com is finally ready for the 21st century instead of being stuck in 1998.)

Antithesis
Grey's Anatomy is the opposite of Desperate Housewives. I love the show. It is probably one of two or three shows I actually look forward to during the week. Although the characters' lives are a little over-dramatic, as in, my life is never that interesting on a weekly basis (which is why there is no tv show about my life), it explores realistic feelings and topics, rather than insipid melodrama. And although characters are slightly predictable (ok, we get it, Dr. Yang is type-A and super competitive), they keep ending up in unique unpredictable situations. And often, hilarity ensues.

Furthermore, although everyone on that show is HOT, they are also real. Not everyone on the show is stick thin, and the cast is pretty multi-ethnic. E.g. Sara Ramirez, formerly of Spamalot! fame, who's Latina and plays George's love interest ... and apparently lives in the basement of the hospital. Anyways. Another favorite is Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Yumm. But I digress. Really, the show is enjoyable, although the tasty actors are like icing. Icing on an already very tasty cake.

On one final note ... all the surgeons on the show, as surgeons in real life are kind of meant to be, are all type-A overachievers each in his/her own little way. Umm, kind of like law school, no?

I Am in Love With Your Baby...
Yours, yours, yours, and yes, yours already, and yours when it comes, as one day it will come. I am in love with all of them.

Since the new year, I have had three friends tell me they are having babies. Two of them are my age exactly and have told me in the last month. Congrats to all! So very exciting!

Hmm, that is all.

Ki-hap!
Yesterday, I had my introductory private lesson at the new taekwondo school I joined. I'm not sure what I've gotten myself into. I like the school because it is well run and offers classes morning 'til night, which works with my wonky schedule. However, it's a completely different system than I'm used to!

I'm no historical expert, but as Taekwondo developed over the centuries, it has fragmented into many different styles and sects. Today, there is at least two styles -- ITF and WTF. And then a lot of schools that run around saying they teach Taekwondo but really are more into sport karate or some such thing. And then everyone's master says he trained with some guy who started Taekwondo, even tho' the art is like over 2000 years old. I digress. My point is that the system at this school is totally different than everything I'm used to. They do the blocks differently. They do different forms. No one seems to ki-hap when they kick. And I think they call a back kick a turning side kick. Jury's still out on that one.

At the very least, the school does have a competition team, which I think is exactly what I'm looking for. Even then, I think they use funny gear -- like the clown shoes and pseudo-boxing gloves... we'll see. I don't really have time to go back right now. I've got a note deadline on Monday. Blah.

Oh, and yes, of all the many ways to write "ki-hap," I chose the one with my nickname in it. :)