My roommate is the greatest and most talented non-tablet-computer-enabled artist in the whole entire world.
And my best friend.
Seriously, I love this painting site. So awesome.
3 years ago
Monday, August 25, 2008
Thursday, August 21, 2008
The way you make me feel
It might be a little pathetic, but I live for grocery shopping.
Not too long ago, my retail therapy used to consist of visits to Express and Ann Taylor. Crate and Barrel or Sephora if I really deserved it. After all, it's amazing what a good pair of jeans can do for your morale. And your butt.
But those days are long gone. Now, my motivation comes from food. If I'm good and finish this task, then I can reward myself and go to the store to buy some eggs. And then I can finally have that omelet I've been craving all week, instead of that same old bland yogurt every single morning.
It's also Back to School season. And during my off-task daydreaming, I'll think of what snacks I want to take to class with me. Granola. Broccoli. Maybe even some Monkey Munch.
Splurging used to mean buying a really cute dress that wasn't on sale. Splurging now means buying brand-name foods. (I don't care how you spin it - for some odd reason, store brands just don't taste the same. Or as good.)
So when my friend J called me up to hang out, I cheerily and excitedly asked if we could go to the grocery store.
"Uh, sure," he replied. Clearly his enthusiasm level was much lower than mine.
And after buying all the ingredients for my monkey munch, a dozen eggs, and 2-for-1 granola bars, I walked over to the cereal aisle.
"Hey, why don't you get this strawberry frosted mini wheats thing?" J pointed to a very pink cereal box.
"Is it good for you?" I was dubious.
"It's pink. Even the cereal is pink! And I bet it'll turn your milk pink too."
"..."
"It'll be mentally good for you. You'll start each day with a big bowl of pink."
I laughed and walked away. But five minutes later, I came back and grabbed that box of cereal. Because well, one, I needed a quick breakfast food, and nothing comes simpler than cereal. And two, his reasoning did make a lot of sense. Pink makes me happy. And it's good to start the day happy. Pink happy.
I may splurge on food instead of clothes now, but I'm still a sucker for anything pink.
Not too long ago, my retail therapy used to consist of visits to Express and Ann Taylor. Crate and Barrel or Sephora if I really deserved it. After all, it's amazing what a good pair of jeans can do for your morale. And your butt.
But those days are long gone. Now, my motivation comes from food. If I'm good and finish this task, then I can reward myself and go to the store to buy some eggs. And then I can finally have that omelet I've been craving all week, instead of that same old bland yogurt every single morning.
It's also Back to School season. And during my off-task daydreaming, I'll think of what snacks I want to take to class with me. Granola. Broccoli. Maybe even some Monkey Munch.
Splurging used to mean buying a really cute dress that wasn't on sale. Splurging now means buying brand-name foods. (I don't care how you spin it - for some odd reason, store brands just don't taste the same. Or as good.)
So when my friend J called me up to hang out, I cheerily and excitedly asked if we could go to the grocery store.
"Uh, sure," he replied. Clearly his enthusiasm level was much lower than mine.
And after buying all the ingredients for my monkey munch, a dozen eggs, and 2-for-1 granola bars, I walked over to the cereal aisle.
"Hey, why don't you get this strawberry frosted mini wheats thing?" J pointed to a very pink cereal box.
"Is it good for you?" I was dubious.
"It's pink. Even the cereal is pink! And I bet it'll turn your milk pink too."
"..."
"It'll be mentally good for you. You'll start each day with a big bowl of pink."
I laughed and walked away. But five minutes later, I came back and grabbed that box of cereal. Because well, one, I needed a quick breakfast food, and nothing comes simpler than cereal. And two, his reasoning did make a lot of sense. Pink makes me happy. And it's good to start the day happy. Pink happy.
I may splurge on food instead of clothes now, but I'm still a sucker for anything pink.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Change the world
If Jason Lezak can beat then-world record holder Alain Bernard, and come from more than 3/4's of a body length behind, to win the gold for the men's 400m freestyle relay...
And if Natalie Coughlin can win back-to-back golds for her 100m backstroke, smashing records at the same time, when everyone was convinced she was just another pretty face...
And if the U.S. men's gymnastics team - made up almost completely of Olympic rookies - can not only prove everyone wrong and qualify for the final, but go on to win an Olympic medal when commentators thought they were doomed before they even began...
And if Dara Torres, a forty-one year old mom, can come to her fifth olympics, and anchor the women's 400m free to a silver medal...
Then anything is possible.
Honestly, how can you watch the Beijing Olympics and not be amazed?
I've never been all too invested in the Summer Olympics. Remember Athens? Oh yeah, Phelps was a golden boy there as well, and there was a lot of hoopla over the Hamm brothers then, but eh. There were better things to do and watch on TV.
Yet, this year - this Olympics - is different. There have always been great stories, but never have I identified more with the athletes. Their successes mean it's possible for the rest of us to achieve dizzying heights, jump through hoops of fire, and play through the pain. Watching their feats makes me think that I can do anything. If they can do it, I can do it. Maybe not in the swimming pool, or on the balance beam, but in my own way, in my own things, I can do it.
I can rise through adversity. We all can.
So go on Michael Phelps. Win the eight gold medals you went to Beijing for. I'll be watching every moment of the way, cheering you on - armpits, elbowpits, and kneepits sweating the whole time from anticipation and excitement.
And Ian Thorpe and the Frenchmen can say whatever they want. Because that old cliche is true: sticks and stones may break our bones, but words will never hurt us. No, they'll motivate us to do better, to prove everyone wrong.
There's a little bit of Michael Phelps and Jason Lezak and Dara Torres in all of us. I know that there's more going on behind the scenes, more that happened in the last four years, than just what we're seeing on NBC tonight. It's all about hard work and determination and ambition. But it's reaffirming to know that all it takes to become something amazing is heart. A lot of heart.
It's the same old American dream, but the U.S. team is making me finally believe.
And if Natalie Coughlin can win back-to-back golds for her 100m backstroke, smashing records at the same time, when everyone was convinced she was just another pretty face...
And if the U.S. men's gymnastics team - made up almost completely of Olympic rookies - can not only prove everyone wrong and qualify for the final, but go on to win an Olympic medal when commentators thought they were doomed before they even began...
And if Dara Torres, a forty-one year old mom, can come to her fifth olympics, and anchor the women's 400m free to a silver medal...
Then anything is possible.
Honestly, how can you watch the Beijing Olympics and not be amazed?
I've never been all too invested in the Summer Olympics. Remember Athens? Oh yeah, Phelps was a golden boy there as well, and there was a lot of hoopla over the Hamm brothers then, but eh. There were better things to do and watch on TV.
Yet, this year - this Olympics - is different. There have always been great stories, but never have I identified more with the athletes. Their successes mean it's possible for the rest of us to achieve dizzying heights, jump through hoops of fire, and play through the pain. Watching their feats makes me think that I can do anything. If they can do it, I can do it. Maybe not in the swimming pool, or on the balance beam, but in my own way, in my own things, I can do it.
I can rise through adversity. We all can.
So go on Michael Phelps. Win the eight gold medals you went to Beijing for. I'll be watching every moment of the way, cheering you on - armpits, elbowpits, and kneepits sweating the whole time from anticipation and excitement.
And Ian Thorpe and the Frenchmen can say whatever they want. Because that old cliche is true: sticks and stones may break our bones, but words will never hurt us. No, they'll motivate us to do better, to prove everyone wrong.
There's a little bit of Michael Phelps and Jason Lezak and Dara Torres in all of us. I know that there's more going on behind the scenes, more that happened in the last four years, than just what we're seeing on NBC tonight. It's all about hard work and determination and ambition. But it's reaffirming to know that all it takes to become something amazing is heart. A lot of heart.
It's the same old American dream, but the U.S. team is making me finally believe.
Sunday, August 03, 2008
Say it again
You would think that playing Taboo with two of your best friends would be super easy. I mean, you can draw on inside jokes and shared stories. But apparently, all that friendship history goes out the window when I'm up to bat. Seriously, I have no idea where I get my so-called clues from. It's official, I'm the world's worst Taboo player. At least it's always amusing, even if we can only get through a maximum of two to three cards per round.
Michelle
Ahhhh, um, uh...the sound you make when you cough!!
Martin
ACK!
Neil
COUGH! EK!
Michelle
Um, final blank!
Martin
TEST
Neil
EXAM!
Michelle
This is a video game! Final BLANK!! It was a movie too with weird anime people characters.
Martin
TEST! EXAM! CHAPTER! STORY! END! LAST!
Neil
FINAL FANTASY!
Michelle
YES! Put them together!
Neil
LAST FINAL FANTASY. END FINAL. CHAPTER FANTASY. FANTASTIC CHAPTER. WHAT AM I SAYING?!
Martin
Put what together?!
Michelle
Cough sound and fantasy!
Neil
COUGH FANTASY?!?!
Martin
COUGH EXAM! ACK-EXAM! ACK-FANTASY!
Michelle
Shorter shorter! Put them together!! Forget the first syllable of fantasy!
Neil
COUGH-NAL! COUGH...COUGH-TASY!
Martin
(simultaneously)
ACK-TASY! ACK-FINAL! ACK-FAN!
Michelle
(throws card on the floor)
YES YES YES!!
Martin
Oh my god!
Neil
What was the word?!!
Martin
(picking up the card and reading)
Ecstasy.
