All the Morning talk shows (I'm working from home this AM) are going on and on about how to make your Super Bowl party super with healthy snacks and entertainment ideas. Everyone's all excited about the game - the possibility that the Patriots could could go undefeated and win the whole shebang.
Unfortunately, I'm not a fan of either the Patriots (Tom Brady doesn't do it for me - at all) or the Giants (one of the Cowboys' division enemies) - so I have no interest in the game...really.
I am attending a Super Bowl party - and I'm in it for the commercials at this point. Not excited about the game, not excited to be pigging out. I'd better hit the gym Saturday AND Sunday before the game!
Friday, February 1, 2008
Thursday, January 31, 2008
State Names
I wonder, not often, about the people within a state and what you call them. For example, if you're a native to Indiana, you're usually regarded as a 'Hoosier.' From Wisconsin? Generally, you're considered a Cheesehead, whether you like cheese/football, or not. If you're from Texas, you're a Texan - not a Longhorn...that would just make all the other non-UT people pretty angry. (Side note: if you went to Baylor, apparently, you're just from Baylor - not from Texas or a Texan - just Baylor.)
Like Texas, a states' people can be called by some form of their state name - Californian, New Yorker, Floridian, Georgian, Virginian, Washingtonians (from DC, not the state)...but what about those other states that are not so obvious?
Let's take my home state: New Jersey.
We're not New Jerseyians. Although we're the Garden State, we're not Gardeners. Stereotypically, we've got a lot of guidos....but you can't classify everyone in the state as a guido. Others just refer to us as jerks - thanks Jerky Boys - but we're not all jerks. So who are the people from New Jersey?
I'm sure people from New Mexico wouldn't like to be referred to as the New Mexican....sounds like a new breed of our friends from the south (of the border). Do all people from Wisconsin want to be known as Cheeseheads?
How about people in the middle - Iowans? North Dakotans? Kansanites? Utes? What do we call you besides Middle Americans?
Maybe there should be an effort to try and give nicknames to each state - or maybe someone should just point me to a place where I can see how each states' people are referred to.
Wait - a late post script - I was just informed that the following states have the following people:
New Jerkians = New Jersey
Massholes = Massachusetts
Mainiacs = Maine
Lovely.
Like Texas, a states' people can be called by some form of their state name - Californian, New Yorker, Floridian, Georgian, Virginian, Washingtonians (from DC, not the state)...but what about those other states that are not so obvious?
Let's take my home state: New Jersey.
We're not New Jerseyians. Although we're the Garden State, we're not Gardeners. Stereotypically, we've got a lot of guidos....but you can't classify everyone in the state as a guido. Others just refer to us as jerks - thanks Jerky Boys - but we're not all jerks. So who are the people from New Jersey?
I'm sure people from New Mexico wouldn't like to be referred to as the New Mexican....sounds like a new breed of our friends from the south (of the border). Do all people from Wisconsin want to be known as Cheeseheads?
How about people in the middle - Iowans? North Dakotans? Kansanites? Utes? What do we call you besides Middle Americans?
Maybe there should be an effort to try and give nicknames to each state - or maybe someone should just point me to a place where I can see how each states' people are referred to.
Wait - a late post script - I was just informed that the following states have the following people:
New Jerkians = New Jersey
Massholes = Massachusetts
Mainiacs = Maine
Lovely.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Beggars Can't Be Choosers
Panhandlers can be found just about anywhere - in the capital city, near city hall, around monuments, over train/metro grills on the sidewalk (for warmth), in strip mall parking lots and outside the 7-11.
Last night, after dance class, Amanda and I proceeded to our usual post-dance Slurpee spot and found a panhandler standing outside asking for spare change. Amanda parked closest to him, but we both approached the entrance at the same time and Amanda, in all her coolness, just passed by and said, 'No.' Me? I didn't say a word - I just followed Amanda inside...I guess I could've thrown out a 'What she said' but I didn't.
When we were getting our Slurpees, I asked Amanda how she usually confronts beggars - especially since I know she runs into a lot of them during work hours in DC. She basically says, 'No' and moves on. I'm always looking for new ways to avoid the beggars or turn them down politely. My current method is to say, 'Sorry - I don't have spare change.' I don't know why I'm apologizing but I do. Don't get me wrong - I have given money to homeless - I think the most I ever gave was a $20 bill at a rest stop! But maybe in my crabby old age, I don't feel much like sharing.
And after running into a lot of them in NYC, when I worked there, I know that many people opt not to give them currency knowing that they'll only go and buy booze with it. Those that do want to help bring them into a 7-11 or buffet and buy them food to eat - so they're in control the whole time. I noticed that when we were leaving the 7-11, a woman bought a snackables meal (with cheese, crackers and processed ham) for the pandhandler and even gave him the receipt. Of course he thanked her but she wasn't even five steps away before he walked back into the 7-11 to try and return it and get something else. I didn't stick around to see what he exchanged it for (looked like he was having trouble even returning it) but I got to thinking - can beggars really be choosers?
Last night, after dance class, Amanda and I proceeded to our usual post-dance Slurpee spot and found a panhandler standing outside asking for spare change. Amanda parked closest to him, but we both approached the entrance at the same time and Amanda, in all her coolness, just passed by and said, 'No.' Me? I didn't say a word - I just followed Amanda inside...I guess I could've thrown out a 'What she said' but I didn't.
When we were getting our Slurpees, I asked Amanda how she usually confronts beggars - especially since I know she runs into a lot of them during work hours in DC. She basically says, 'No' and moves on. I'm always looking for new ways to avoid the beggars or turn them down politely. My current method is to say, 'Sorry - I don't have spare change.' I don't know why I'm apologizing but I do. Don't get me wrong - I have given money to homeless - I think the most I ever gave was a $20 bill at a rest stop! But maybe in my crabby old age, I don't feel much like sharing.
And after running into a lot of them in NYC, when I worked there, I know that many people opt not to give them currency knowing that they'll only go and buy booze with it. Those that do want to help bring them into a 7-11 or buffet and buy them food to eat - so they're in control the whole time. I noticed that when we were leaving the 7-11, a woman bought a snackables meal (with cheese, crackers and processed ham) for the pandhandler and even gave him the receipt. Of course he thanked her but she wasn't even five steps away before he walked back into the 7-11 to try and return it and get something else. I didn't stick around to see what he exchanged it for (looked like he was having trouble even returning it) but I got to thinking - can beggars really be choosers?
Monday, January 28, 2008
The Morning After....
Why can't they make a morning after pill for drinking? You know - for us old folks that can't handle the hang over like we use to?
Needless to say, I drank a little too much this past Saturday night! But after working 12 days straight with a business trip and delayed train towards the end of that streak, I was ready to let loose, kick back and enjoy Saturday night with my friends. And let loose I did. Unfortunately, the timing of letting loose was probably not the best since I had a noon volleyball game on Sunday AND I had to book it to the dance recital right afterwards.
Although volleyball was fun and we won our first game of the season, it wasn't fun for me, because I was still fighting the hangover. The lineup? It came out like this, 'You three and you three - get out there - and you can figure out where to play. The rest of you - rotate here - and figure it out for yourselves.' My stellar coaching skills shined through and I'm sure I made a wonderful impression on the new people!
Then heading to the dance recital, I was tired, sweaty, still had my knee socks on from volleyball and just completely lazy. All I wanted was my bed. Our recital consisted of our dance instructor's four other classes - one of which is jazz/hip hop for girls....little girls....screaming, little girls. As each class practiced, I sat there, watching, in a daze, wishing for home and bed. I also had to constantly remind Amanda of how I appalled I was upon hearing about a drunk girl 'dropping trou' (that's de-pantsing for those of you not familiar with the lingo) and peeing on the stairs at the bar we were at the night before. Thankfully I pulled it together for the actual recital and it went well - but I was ready to bolt it out of there after the performance.
I did take two advils before leaving the house on Sunday morning - but I wish there was like some kind of super-pill that we could take on Sunday and just not feel a thing the rest of the weekend....a cure-all for hangover. Because I'll tell you, my hangover recovery time is nowhere near what it used to be in college. I am getting OLD!!!!
Needless to say, I drank a little too much this past Saturday night! But after working 12 days straight with a business trip and delayed train towards the end of that streak, I was ready to let loose, kick back and enjoy Saturday night with my friends. And let loose I did. Unfortunately, the timing of letting loose was probably not the best since I had a noon volleyball game on Sunday AND I had to book it to the dance recital right afterwards.
Although volleyball was fun and we won our first game of the season, it wasn't fun for me, because I was still fighting the hangover. The lineup? It came out like this, 'You three and you three - get out there - and you can figure out where to play. The rest of you - rotate here - and figure it out for yourselves.' My stellar coaching skills shined through and I'm sure I made a wonderful impression on the new people!
Then heading to the dance recital, I was tired, sweaty, still had my knee socks on from volleyball and just completely lazy. All I wanted was my bed. Our recital consisted of our dance instructor's four other classes - one of which is jazz/hip hop for girls....little girls....screaming, little girls. As each class practiced, I sat there, watching, in a daze, wishing for home and bed. I also had to constantly remind Amanda of how I appalled I was upon hearing about a drunk girl 'dropping trou' (that's de-pantsing for those of you not familiar with the lingo) and peeing on the stairs at the bar we were at the night before. Thankfully I pulled it together for the actual recital and it went well - but I was ready to bolt it out of there after the performance.
I did take two advils before leaving the house on Sunday morning - but I wish there was like some kind of super-pill that we could take on Sunday and just not feel a thing the rest of the weekend....a cure-all for hangover. Because I'll tell you, my hangover recovery time is nowhere near what it used to be in college. I am getting OLD!!!!
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