Quiz Time!

So, since I've only just realized how to really use google, I've decided to celebrate by having a quiz! Yay! Whoever can name the people in these photographs first gets one of these. Yeah, suckas. Don't worry, I'll make it more money when the questions aren't so darn easy.

1.


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11.


Updated: An extra dollar for anyone who can guess both people in photos #1, 2 and 7

This brightened my day

As previously mentioned, I loved Julie Powell's book, "Julie & Julia". I read it and I felt so inspired that I wanted to do my own thing. I never really wrote about it on here - I'm not sure why - but there are plenty of notes in my pie book about the small disasters that have taken place in the kitchen many a saturday morning. I have a great respect for Julie (and Julia) and I'm really excited about her movie, which should be coming out soon!

Happy Place

The Larrabees' party. "Have I changed, have I really changed??"

Sabrina fair
Listen where thou art sitting
Under the glassie, cool, translucent wave,
In twisted braids of Lillies knitting
The loose train of thy amber-dropping hair,
Listen for dear honour's sake,
Goddess of the silver lake,
Listen and save.

I know you guys

are falling all over yourself to see a picture of my new haircut. The haircut that you didn't know I was getting. And since there's a high demand for visual confirmation (this is BIG, guys. bigger than SURI, big.) I've decided to give my 3 readers the exclusive first picture.



Yeah, it looks basically the same. But I like it better.

I'm so FREAKIN' excited.

like, this excited.

Why, you may ask?

Ridley Scott.

I know what you're saying. Oh, Ridley Scott... so overrated... oh, you know, yeah.

I don't know what I'm saying.

But I do know that I'm like all OVER this Robin Hood stuff. ALL OVER. And I have a few reasons why:

Is it weird...

that I'm a little more turned on by this guy



than Chris Pine (and what's with the Star Trek jammies...)?

I'm just saying, that he looks a little bit like this O Chem prof that I kind of loved. That's all I'm saying.

Kate Schutt

I can't find her cd anywhere (besides Amazon, but where's the fun in that?), so I guess it's time to make another trip to Amoeba. "Wrecking Ball" is a nice little pre-WWII influenced jazz song, if you wanna have a listen.

Happy Birthday to the Bard!

And to celebrate, here's part of Act IV, scene i from one of my favorite Shakespeare plays, As You Like It

ROSALIND
Why, how now, Orlando! where have you been
all this while? You a lover! An you serve me such
another trick, never come in my sight more.

ORLANDO
My fair Rosalind, I come within an hour of my promise.

ROSALIND
Break an hour's promise in love! He that will
divide a minute into a thousand parts and break but
a part of the thousandth part of a minute in the
affairs of love, it may be said of him that Cupid
hath clapped him o' the shoulder, but I'll warrant
him heart-whole.

ORLANDO
Pardon me, dear Rosalind.

ROSALIND
Nay, an you be so tardy, come no more in my sight: I
had as lief be wooed of a snail.

ORLANDO
Of a snail?

ROSALIND
Ay, of a snail; for though he comes slowly, he
carries his house on his head; a better jointure,
I think, than you make a woman: besides he brings
his destiny with him.

ORLANDO
What's that?

ROSALIND
Why, horns, which such as you are fain to be
beholding to your wives for: but he comes armed in
his fortune and prevents the slander of his wife.

ORLANDO
Virtue is no horn-maker; and my Rosalind is virtuous.

ROSALIND
And I am your Rosalind.

CELIA
It pleases him to call you so; but he hath a
Rosalind of a better leer than you.

ROSALIND
Come, woo me, woo me, for now I am in a holiday
humour and like enough to consent. What would you
say to me now, an I were your very very Rosalind?

ORLANDO
I would kiss before I spoke.

ROSALIND
Nay, you were better speak first, and when you were
gravelled for lack of matter, you might take
occasion to kiss. Very good orators, when they are
out, they will spit; and for lovers lacking--God
warn us!--matter, the cleanliest shift is to kiss.

ORLANDO
How if the kiss be denied?

ROSALIND
Then she puts you to entreaty, and there begins new matter.

ORLANDO
Who could be out, being before his beloved mistress?

ROSALIND
Marry, that should you, if I were your mistress, or
I should think my honesty ranker than my wit.

ORLANDO
What, of my suit?

ROSALIND
Not out of your apparel, and yet out of your suit.
Am not I your Rosalind?

ORLANDO
I take some joy to say you are, because I would be
talking of her.

ROSALIND
Well in her person I say I will not have you.

ORLANDO
Then in mine own person I die.

ROSALIND
No, faith, die by attorney. The poor world is
almost six thousand years old, and in all this time
there was not any man died in his own person,
videlicit, in a love-cause. Troilus had his brains
dashed out with a Grecian club; yet he did what he
could to die before, and he is one of the patterns
of love. Leander, he would have lived many a fair
year, though Hero had turned nun, if it had not been
for a hot midsummer night; for, good youth, he went
but forth to wash him in the Hellespont and being
taken with the cramp was drowned and the foolish
coroners of that age found it was 'Hero of Sestos.'
But these are all lies: men have died from time to
time and worms have eaten them, but not for love.

ORLANDO
I would not have my right Rosalind of this mind,
for, I protest, her frown might kill me.

ROSALIND
By this hand, it will not kill a fly. But come, now
I will be your Rosalind in a more coming-on
disposition, and ask me what you will. I will grant
it.

ORLANDO
Then love me, Rosalind.

ROSALIND
Yes, faith, will I, Fridays and Saturdays and all.

ORLANDO
And wilt thou have me?

ROSALIND
Ay, and twenty such.

ORLANDO
What sayest thou?

ROSALIND
Are you not good?

ORLANDO
I hope so.

ROSALIND
Why then, can one desire too much of a good thing?
Come, sister, you shall be the priest and marry us.
Give me your hand, Orlando. What do you say, sister?

ORLANDO
Pray thee, marry us.

HAHAHAHAHA

Here's a higher res

Take that, conservative right wing!

Not that it'll change anyone's mind, but it is a very accessible way of understanding gender relationships in the bible.

*click on it to make it big*


(that's what she said)

After loading a webpage that I frequent

I noticed that they'd redone the layout (way better, btw). And I ALSO noticed a cute little animation that they'd thrown on there. Guess what it was?? A cute little anteater!! Eating something, which I guess would be pirated files.



Because you need a close-up of the cuteness:

I have a midterm on monday, which means... time for a blog post!

It's not hard to figure out what my favorite things are... for the most part they're decorating my room in one way or another.



SO, basically, and for no real, concrete reason, Les Miserables is and will always be my favorite musical. And it's not as though I don't really love other musicals: Wicked is fantastic, The Lion King made me cry like a baby (Seriously. Uncontrollable, gasping sobs. I wept. Publicly.), The Wild Party (Lippa's version, though I haven't actually heard the LaChiusa one), etc.

But Les Mis is just different. It was the first one that I was really obsessed with. It was the first one that I saw (that I can remember). I was in high school (sophomore year? anyone?) and it was perfect. I went out with a big group of friends, we ate at CPK (I don't know why I remember that), then skipped over to the Pantages and it was phenom. I mean, god, it was Les Mis. On stage. With real people singing. And they were good! They were great!

I sat next to Adrian and Teresa, I think. Leila took her camera and made a bootlegged video of Eponine singing "On My Own" (my favorite song from the musical), which I was later able to split into just an mp3 audio clip and put in my itunes. I lost that file when my external broke last year.

I mean, it probably hasn't won the most Tony's of all of the musicals I've seen or heard. It certainly doesn't have a lot of crazy dance numbers, or costume changes or hard physical activity. It's also a little morbid. And most of the characters are really, really terrible people. In fact, it's probably not most people's favorite...

But. Since this post is about how much I love it, I can tell you that it's also about redemption and compassion and forgiveness and love (read: unrequited).

Because I feel the need to plug Susan Boyle yet again, here's that amazing clip from Britain's Got Talent. The thing that I think is so amazing about this is... well, it's just... better than Patti LuPone. Which in itself is kind of ridiculous. But I really feel like the tone and emotion Susan uses is more appropriate to the character that I'd always envisioned for Fantine.

Britain's Got Talent: Susan Boyle from Nucro on Vimeo.

Just for comparison.


And now, Eponine. Because, seriously, what girl doesn't relate to this character at some point?? And we already know how most guys feel. I mean, I know we're supposed to be all happy because Cosette is grown up and she's healthy and happy and gets everything that her mother wanted her to get... but, somehow we can't. Because... taking everything from one person and giving it to another just doesn't feel right. An eye for an eye really isn't justice at all.
Hugo's vision of this character is actually pretty different from her musical persona, but whatevs. We love her feisty street smart ways. And, even though she (spoiler alert!) dies and her love is never returned, we all kind of still wish that we were her. Her passion is just so all-consuming... it's like... she doesn't want money even though she's dirt poor, she doesn't want food even though she's starving, she doesn't want things at all. She just wants love from the one person who will never be able to give it. It's terrible for her. And like I said earlier, it's hard not to want her to succeed.

So, without further ado, here's Frances Ruffelle (OLC, OBC) and Lea Salonga (from the tour, also this). Personally, I like Lea's rendition better... I just prefer her singing and character. I never really pictured Eponine as being whiny and helpless, and that's how I think Frances plays her. But don't let me make up your mind for you.

Pictures and videos

I saw that Molly posted this video and I thought it was a great idea, very well executed. I liked the music a lot, too:

Notte Sento (English subtitles) from napdan on Vimeo.

That style is very reminiscent of one of my favorite Sia videos, "Breathe Me":

sia from plusquamperfectum on Vimeo.

And just for hell of it, here's the final scene of Six Feet Under aka the best ending to a TV show to ever have been made. Ever.

The Neti Pot Question - To irrigate or not to irrigate?

Having never actually tried a neti pot, I really am no authority on the matter. There are claims that they help some people with allergies. I am not one of these allergic people to which they refer, and hence see no reason to irrigate my nasal passage with salt. Well maybe if I had a cold. MAYBE.


I'm pretty sure that I wouldn't use one based solely on this video.


Or was it this one?

Happy Tax Day!

In celebration of this momentous occasion, here are 10 Republican Tax Day lies:

1. President Obama will raise taxes on small businesses.
2. The estate tax devastates small businesses and family farms.
3. 40% of Americans pay no taxes.
4. Tax cuts always increase revenue.
5. The GOP is the party of fiscal discipline.
6. Ronald Reagan was the greatest tax cutter of all time.
7. FDR caused the Great Depression, or at least made it worse.
8. Obama's cap-and-trade plan will cost each American family $3,100 a year.
9. Obama's tax proposals will undermine charitable giving.
10. The rich pay too much in taxes already.

Noooooooo!

The world can often be a cruel place for a second-hand bookstore.

I wish thee well, and I thank thee for thy discounts. Please GOD, don't let this happen to Camelot Books. PLEASE.

Continuing the love affair...

...with Michelle Obama's fashion. Because that's how I roll.

1. Leaving the US. This cute Thakoon coat is very 50s, and I love the brooch. I was so sick of always seeing our previous First Lady in bland, androgynous clothes, this is like a breath of fresh air!


2. Arriving in London. Dress by Jason Wu and coat by Michael Kors. I really love it when she wears yellow. And green. Oh, and don't even get me started on combined.


3. Meeting the Browns, rollin' in the J. Crew. I like the cardigan, because hey, we're Americans. We can make bold statements like wearing glittery things to meet the Brits. And I'd also just like to note that Sarah Brown is NOT unattractive... I would even venture to say that she is above average, even pretty. So why, for the love of god, is she wearing ALL black?! Even dark nylons? Really?



4. Jason Wu. Again. Can the man do no wrong? Well... Okay. Nobody's perfect. But I love the coat. Dress underneath is Isabel Toledo. It's eh. Conservative, appropriate. She looks great in pearls. But you know what? It doesn't matter, because she gets to hug the queen.



5. With Mrs. Brown again. Finally the woman wears some color. I think the Jason Wu dress is phenom, but the cardigan (Junya Watanabe) is a little out there. Teal badass dress? YES. Asymmetrical cardigan? Not so much. And the Jimmy Choos? Need I say more?


6. What did people expect? A cat fight? Oddly enough, they actually dressed rather similarly the whole time... These jackets are fairly similar in construction (Mrs. O in Thakoon and Carla in Dior), but I always think patterns are more fun, so I'll let you guess which one I like better. And the dress she wore underneath was way sexy!



7. This cute little dress is so great (Azzedine Alaia). The shape of it just draws your attention to her immediately. The silhouette is perfect for her, and she is much more noticeable than Carla Bruni-Sarkozy. For some reason I just get the feeling like Carla doesn't fit in with this crowd... she seems like she's overacting her conservatism. I mean look at the way she's standing compared to these. Obviously, the woman is not shy.




8. Very nice coat (also by Azzedine Alaia). I love the tailored look of it, and the fact that the collar is big and sort of looks like a pea coat without having the whole thing look too bulky. And can we just spend a second looking at Carla's coat? Please?? Is that thing not to die for??


Seriously. I think I would kill someone to be able to have that purple coat (I'd kill two people if I could look like that in it, too). Seriously, adorable.


9. Landing in Prague. Please tell me somebody got some. How could you not when you're wearing a dress like that? My god.

Someone buy me Slings & Arrows. Please.

Also, just wanted to say that I updated my Amazon.com wishlist.

I Just Wanna F***ing Dance: Theater Version

Now I feel weird

Have only just made connection between Carla Bruni on my iTunes



and the First Lady of France

My First Lady Gets to Hug the Queen

Yes, she does.

OMG Baby Elephant

Ko Raya at Berlin's Zoologischer Garten zoo. 5 days old!

Barack & Michelle's Royal Encounter

I know that it's hard to hear what they're saying, so I'll write out the transcript for you if you want to know. But seriously, even without it, you can still tell that Her Highness and the Prince have been at the sherry again. God, I love Brits.



The Queen: So... you arrived last night?
Michelle: Yes, last night. We're still trying to stay awake.
Prince Philip: I was just going to say... ha...ha...
The Queen: Yes, that's a horrible time lapse.
Michelle: It is. But he's been busy in meetings, and I've been a little less busy.
Prince Philip: Trying to stay awake...ha...
Barack: I already had breakfast with the Prime Minister... I had meetings with the Chinese, the Russians, David Cameron... and I'm proud to say I did not nod off in any of the meetings.
Prince Philip: Can you...haha...tell the difference...haha...between them?!
Barack: It's all a blur...
Prince Philip: How about turning around?
Barack: Of course, of course.
The Queen: It's always the same thing, isn't it?