Friday

This Friday, anyone anywhere near Richmond, VA needs to make their way to Turnstyle at 102 W. Broad Street for their 3rd Anniversary Celebration! It's going to be an awesome night of music, fun, and art and it's completely free to come out and enjoy! There will be DJs and bands as well as street performers and art exhibits all up and down Broad Street. And somehow (because my brother can do anything), he has gotten both sides of Broad Street closed off from 7-10pm on Friday to help with the partying. It's going to be a lot of fun and so go if you can! There is also an after party at Hyperlink on Grace Street afterwards.

Check out this article in Style Weekly about my brother and the photographer showing his work that night. This is NOT to be missed! If you have any questions, just ask!


XO,
DJ SVR (hahhaa yeah right, I've tried to spin records and it's pretty embarassing.)

Shake It Off

I do not get nervous about playing the clarinet. I may worry about my reed effing up or tripping while walking onto stage, but I do not get nervous about playing the clarinet. I wasn't nervous for my senior recital or to play at Carnegie Hall (ok ok, I was a little nervous there but come ON, it's to be expected there) and I've played in a million concerts where I was fine. So imagine my surprise when my hands started SHAKING while playing my impossible solo tonight in rehearsal. Well, actually my hands started to shake right after I got through the impossible part and proved my worthiness by not screwing the part up like I did last week when I forgot how to play. I just really wanted my part to sound okay so noone would be thinking the dreaded, "Hope she doesn't blow it" because that sentence and Scarlet do not go together. That sentence would go with the violas. Or the second violins. But not me!

Anyway, nothing else too exciting tonight, just an extra long, rough rehearsal since it is our last one before the weekend of concerts. My favorite part of the night was when the two opera singers came up on stage to sing one of their duets. They shared a water bottle and Clarinet Dude and I immediately looked at each other in that knowing, "they're sleeping together" way. I mean, what? No no, we did not look at each other like because that would be weird. He did joke about them sharing bodily fluids. Saliva, people. Saliva!

So I'm glad I played my solo well. I need to play it louder but that will be a piece of cake.

Always

I just had one of those 'wind knocked out of me' moments when I saw news of an old friend online. Someone I tried so hard to stay in touch with but finally just put out of my mind because of emails way too few and far between. Some people can't just be acquaintances. Even if it doesn't go both ways, sometimes a person means more than an email here and there.



/heartfelt


OK Today is a high of freaking 96 degrees!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When did it go from mild, "Ok I can sort of handle spring" to hot and humid? I don't do hot and humid. I get angry when it is hot and humid. I am going to start a countdown to fall. I am also going to attempt to write sentences longer than 10 words at some point. Yes, I have a college degree (NOT English, though) and am able to write long sentences. Not Proust long, but not 5th-grade short, either.

Beautifully Broken

IF YOU HAVE NOT SEE BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN AND DON'T WANT TO KNOW LITTLE THINGS ABOUT IT, STOP READING........ (Although nothing I'm saying really gives away anything at all.)


I seem to rarely go to the movies anymore and Brokeback Mountain JUST stopped being "Long Wait" on Netflix so while the buzz about it is long gone, I just watched it and have a few things to say. Nothing of the obvious (good cinematography, acting, etc.) but just a few things were I was like, "Hmmmm."

1.) I thought it took place in the 19th century. But what, 1963 through 20 years later? What? That totally threw me. Maybe I just assumed that because all of the trailers and pictures I saw were just of them on the mountain and I never saw the cars, TVs and other non-19th century things.

2.) When this movie first came out, it was all about, "Oh my gosh Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal (sp?) kiss!" and "Their big kiss is [fill in the blank]." So color me surprised when they get it on A LOT. Not that I had a problem with the Heath on Jake action in a "tsk tsk" way or anything, I was just surprised because I could have sworn it was just one kiss in the movie. I kept thinking they fell in love but nothing was physical until they kissed once or something.

3.) Jake's mustache in the movie makes him look creepy.

4.) Michelle Williams DID do a great job and that pisses me off because I am still not over how much I hated Jen on Dawson's Creek.


And in other news, non-Brokeback Mountain related:


1.) The French Open is on! I'm not picking winner just yet but stay tuned.

2.) Laguna Beach has sucked me in. I resisted for so long but damn MTV and their marathon and me with my TiVoing capabilities.

3.) Related to #2, The Hills comes on Wed.

4.) It's looking to be a long, quiet day. The long part is awesome and the quiet part isn't really bad either but maybe the part I would change if given the option.



XO,
SVR

Alone + Easy Target

My sister is home for the summer from college which is fun because I like to hang out with her. We get along really well and she definitely knows me better than anyone. I have been impressed with how many friends she kept from high school though. They have a good group still together even though they all went to different schools. I, on the other hand, didn't talk to most high school friends soon after graduation. I'm not really sure why, I kept in e-touch with some of them but even my best friend, who I went to college with (well, not WITH but we both went there), and I quickly drifted apart soon after starting college. And now that I think about it, it seems like I had a different core group of friends each year in college. I didn't lose friends though, I just met new ones and added them to my circles.

But I digress...(did I have a point at all for this?) I guess just that in my current living situation* I don't really know anyone closer than about 35 miles away. There's nothing else I can say that hasn't already been said before.



*School. Not that I live at a school, but I need to be close to it and wait until I am done with it to know where I am moving.

The Circus Is Leaving Town

The lovely Barmaid tagged me (does she know my love of all things meme?) for the List 6 Wierd Things About Myself...Honestly, this is going to be difficult and not because I'm not weird (ha!) but because I need to think of things that aren't TOO weird so you get scared and worry about me eating glue, but weird enough so this isn't a waste of time. I'm also afraid some of my things I could share would come across as OCD-like or something.

1. OK, so I couldn't really type fast until I was thrown into the IMing world that is college in 1998. I learned quickly to either type fast or go home and since the internet was fairly new to me, I was quickly obsessed with it. I'm not sure WHEN this tendency (aka OCDness?) comes out but sometimes I mentally think how a word would be typed out and sort of tap it out. Now that I think of it, I bet this could be blamed on some past jobs I had: cashier and lifeguard, both of which involve long periods of not doing much. In my boredom I think I got certain words or phrases stuck in my head and would move on to "typing" them out. I don't do it much anymore...I SWEAR!

2. Now I feel like you all think I'm crazy. Oooh yeah, I'm crazy about backwashing...or, NOT backwashing. I gave my younger sister lessons on how NOT to backwash when drinking from a bottle because when she was little she would ask for a sip but didn't realize she was doing the kid sip where 1/2 of the bottle goes in the mouth but only a tiny bit stays, the rest is mixed with saliva and goes back in the bottle-BLECH!

3. I am unable to take trash from my car inside to throw away. I only throw this trash away when I get gasoline. (Note: It's not nasty stuff, usually just tons of water bottles.) Even if I have nothing to carry inside I can not pick those bottles up to throw away inside.

4. I'm a little (a lot) obsessive about certain (a lot) TV shows. Like, I want to BE in them (not Lost though, I just want to watch that one from afar) like Friends, My So-Called Life, Alias, The O.C., etc.

5. I can't wear just 1 shirt. I always wear at least two-one is usually just one of those thin tank tops. Maybe I just want to be extra prepared in case I get stuck in an elevator for 3 days and it's stifling hot or something;)

6. Last one? Man, I could go on and on;) Ooooh, I know. If I don't know how a certain situation should go (like riding the bus in DC which I just recently did for the first time with Serena) I won't do it. Or, if I HAVE to do it, it will cause a lot of stress and anxiety. I try to avoid any situation where I will look like I don't know how something is done or don't know what's going on. I wouldn't go to a Starbucks and order something weird until I worked at one (well, I worked at Barnes and Noble but we had to start in the Cafe and believe me, I was terrified) and learned about the drinks and lingo. But I don't want it to sound like I'm scared of new things, I'm not. I like change, I do. It's usually stupid, everyday things I will stress about. I'm fine with not knowing how to do something complicated and tackling it (and succeeding!) but get takeout at a new place? send something insured at the post office? make an appointment at a new dr? NOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


OK um...Please don't think I'm crazy:)


UPDATE 25 May 2006 6:55pm:

So I wrote this wicked fast earlier and now feel the need to expand upon a few things.

1. The typing thing isn't something I *have* to do at all. I don't lose control or anything like that. I really think it stemmed from learning how to type and being bored at work.

4. What I mean is that I want some of those scenes I see on TV to happen in my own life: the boiler room with Jordan Catalano, a perfect first kiss like Ross and Rachel, falling in love with a friend like Chandler and Monica, having some Seth and Summer scenes, telling off someone like Meredith Gray in the stairwell, etc.

Like Dylan In The Movies

So, I haven't seen the Beverly Hills, 90210 pilot in what has to be at least 10 years but I needed something relatively short and easy to watch from Netflix so here we are: Me and 90210, Together Again! Here are my thoughts, as I watch it:


1. ZACH MORRIS PHONE!
2. I love how Brandon and Brenda practically dress the same on the first day of school
3. Awww, Scott! Stay away from guns, man.
4. Brandon and Brenda should be careful or people or going to think they're dating. Ewww!
5. OK I'm making a blanket statement on the clothes because if I comment every time I laugh out loud, this list is going to be very, very long. Basically, fashion in 1990 was funny.
6. The music sounds like it was made on my MIDI keyboard.
7. Ooooooh so that's what jeans were like before low-rise
8. I just remembered that Dylan isn't in the pilot, is he? UGH!
9. Do people really have curfews? I never did. And 1230, Mrs. Walsh? LAME!
10. MULLET!
11. 1 more fashion comment: Kelly is wearing polka dot biker shorts over turquoise leggings. Seriously.
12. Is that Djimon whatshisface as the doorman?
13. Go Brandon in the hottub! Ew, he has a mullet, too.
14. Ew, the old guy Brenda GOES HOME WITH is so creepy. He winked and I threw up.
15. You know, if they don't want their mom to know they got home so late maybe they shouldn't slam the door when they go inside.
16. Andrea likkkess Brandon, Andrea liikkeesss Brandon!
17. Loose lips sink ships, Brandon.
18. Brenda is actually a really good liar: "4th dimensional geometry"? Awesome!
19. Andrea is wearing Guess jeans! I used to wear those. Haha!



So when are they releasing 90210 on DVD? I need it. I need Dylan.


(P.S. I haven't forgotten about the CD project of listening to them all, I just got behind with updating them on here so I'm taking a break.)

We Are The Sleepyheads

For awhile I have been doing this trick where I set my alarm for wicked early (like 4am) so that I feel like I'm getting to sleep more. At first I was trying to time it for the recommended 90 minute REM cycle but now I just set it for "ass early". I am now convinced this trick works though. I guess after setting my alarm last night, I forgot to turn it ON (oops) but miraculously, this morning I woke up at 6:57am which gave me just enough time to arrive to work my usual 15 minutes late.

But holy hell, I am seriously tired. I've got that dehydrated, eyes-hurting, groggy to the max feeling like I used to always have when I was working during the week at Barnes and Noble and getting home at 1am a few nights a week.

Caffeine won't help. I know my body and if I were to drink soda right now my teeth would hurt and if I drink coffee and just sit here, I won't feel more awake but WILL feel gross. HA, I just remembered part of my dream where someone was making fun of people who drink water to stay awake and I sheepishly said that I do that. Then, later on in my dream I was drying my hair and for some reason threw the dryer in water then asked if I should pick it up-weird.

Anyway, this is my "I'm so tired I can't think post"...maybe if I wake up I'll do more;) Oh, and praise Allah for the 3 day weekend!!!!

The Night I Lost My Head

Last night I forgot how to play the clarinet and how to read music. This was most unfortunate as I was at a 2.5 hour long orchestra rehearsal when it happened. All was fine as I warmed up* and practiced my solo. I played through the tough passage at least 15 times which should have been enough to ingrain it in my memory. Then, we played a super easy piece so I thought all was good.

But then...then it was time for Carmen and my solo. I may as well have been playing with my feet while my eyes were closed. I played a D as Eb! My fingers wouldn't move! The entire passage I had just played 15 times in a row? I played it so badly I started laughing. And then, of course, I got the giggles and was a mix of embarassment and apathy so the rest of the song just went downhill. Clarinet Dude kept teasing me and saying, "We stopped because you messed up" which, of course, wasn't true because the stopping was for the choir. I think Maestro ignored my sudden inability to play because he heard me practicing it before rehearsal and it sounded good. And besides, tons of people were messing up last night. Even the oboe ringer funked up a solo and in Carmen one of the flutes played most of their soli parts like she was back in 6th grade. It does bother me when I mess up but at the same time, I know it will be fine on the day of the concert.

Last night was still fun though because my sister, Ali, came and watched. She sat in the audience within my direct sight and we texted the whole time. She made me laugh out a few times with the following:

"I bet "the wife" is pissed she didn't get this solo"

"Bless you!" (I sneezed)

"OMG Lame. I'll clap if she does a backward flip" (When I texted that they will clap for the cello solo-ANNOYING)

"I hate the cello. So did Dvorak"

"You have a really bad staring problem"





*I don't warm up like a "real" player would. I don't do scales and long tones and all that crap. I put my reed on, play a note, and if it comes out to my satisfaction, I am "warmed up."

I Want You

OMG!




Me looking up dogs is such a bad idea. I am in love with the Yorktese. I do want one from a shelter though. Maybe there's a slutty Yorkshire Terrier out there getting it on with a Maltese and they'll have to give the puppies up for adoption because she's still in school or something.


XO,
SVR

Doggz Gonna Get Ya

Did anyone watch Oprah today? What kind of puppy was that little guy (Scooter?), the one Nate's dogs fought with.

And while we're on the topic of puppies, I WANT ONE SO BADLY! What kind to get though? This is what I want:

-adorable
-small to medium size
-preferably short hair but I like Maltese puppies-but not the frou frou 8 inch long haired kind with bows
-I can't have one that needs a ton of walking/exercising/running


Ideally my puppy:

-would fit nicely into one of those adorable bags in Target*
-doesn't bark a lot
-likes kids because well, eventually there could be one, (hint hint**)
-does not have anal glands***


I have had my puppy's name picked out for years. I NEED a puppy.


If you have a dog, what kind do you have? Tell me allll about them!



*Yes, I want one of THOSE dogs. Whatever!
**OMG just kidding
***Did you see that episode of The Simple Life? OMG, EW! But just kidding on this one, too because, of course he/she will have those. Ew.

Parade Of Punk Rock T-Shirts

So I didn't even go to the DC101 Chili Cook-off this year (I hate Hoobastank so much I don't even want to be near them), but I still have some thoughts:


1. Crowd Surfing Is Annoying: Elliott this morning kept saying how awesome it was that so many people crowd surfed. Now, I have never crowd surfed (because it's dumb) so maybe I'm being hypocritical here but, what is so great about it? It's not like the band thinks you're cool and is going to invite you on stage. It's not like anyone in the audience is saying, "Gee, this guy is AWESOME!" Once you crowd surf to the front of the crowd the bouncer dudes yank you down and make you go to the sides/back. You could get dropped. HELLO! You could fall from the air, about 6 feet up, onto concrete. How is that fun? Now, at a hardcore punk show, I will condone it but it's totally different because a) it's expected and b) it goes along with the energy of the show, blah blah. But I've seen people crowd surf at Jimmy Eat World. JIMMY EAT WORLD!? They sing a song called, "Sweetness" and people are crowd surfing to them?

2. Showing Your Adult Parts: I hate hate hate hate hate it when chicks get on guy's shoulders and pull their shirts up. First of all, it is usually really awkward because generally, clothes and undergarments aren't made to me pulled up like that gracefully. And what makes a person think that anyone wants to see them take their shirt off? I have to say I love it when a chick flashes her boobs and the band singer says something mean to her. Dave Grohl did that once, "Oh God! Put those away!" And guys-is it really so great to see someone's girls? It's not like you get to do anything more than see them (unless of course she crowd surfs and then you get to grab them bc crowd surfing=grabbing.) I just don't get it.

3. Moshing: Moshing is a lot like crowd surfing where it is NOT always appropriate. I went to the Chili Cook-Off when Jimmy Eat World and Cake played and the crowd FELL ON ME at one point because the moshing was so crazy. These bands and moshing Do Not Go Together. AND that's not even what moshing should be. If you've ever gone to a punk show then you've seen how people rarely get hurt and they watch out for each other. Now yes, quite a few times I've been hit by a mosher or been stepped on by a crowd surfer but that's when I'm risking it to be at the front of a show. If I go to the sides or back, I'm safe. That is what these people moshing to non-moshable bands don't get-it's not about just flailing around and hitting people, it's actually dancing and as Johnny said, "This is my dance space. This is your dance space. I don't go into yours, you don't go into mine. You gotta hold the frame."

4. Smoking Weed: I will never understand being ballsy enough to do that outside and in a crowd of people you don't know. What if some pissed off duty cop is next to you? What if an on-duty cop sees you? Correct me if I'm wrong but, isn't marijuana still illegal? And throwing smoking into this category-please be aware of your burning cigarette/joint and where it is in relation to those people nearby. Besides clowns, there is nothing scarier than a drunk guy and his flailing cigarette.

So did anyone go to the Chili Cook-Off? Was it fun? Did you see that prick Flounder and was he an ass?

A Lack Of Color

Normally I wouldn't put up a meme-like survey like the following but 1) I've never done this one, 2) Not much else to report on right now and 3) why not? Maybe you'll learn something about me;)


1. If you could live in another era, what would it be? Just tonight, at dinner, the question was posed, "What is your favorite period in history?" The four answers were, "I don't know," "The '60s...1960s," "the Bubonic Plague time period," and then something like, "1450-1800" that my crazy history major sister said. Guess which one is mine! But to live in? Hmmm, I could say a few: the 1920s because I imagine I would party a lot and wear hot dresses, the Civil War (not the actual war, but the time period) because I've always had a soft spot for Scarlett O'Hara and hoop dresses, or maybe the Elizabethan Era if I was rich and got to go around enjoying art and theatre and stuff. By the way, I haven't taken a history class since 11th grade in high school so my memory for actual facts is kind of blurry.

2. If you got paid $200 million per year, would you be an Alaskan crab fisher (keep in mind this is one of the deadliest jobs)? Definitely. But I'd be a crappy Alaskan crab fisher because whenever it got dangerous I'd stop. I could totally live in Alaska, too. Maybe I could live in Anchorage the majority of the time and them make my millions on a few days out of the month or something. What exactly makes this job so dangerous, anyway?

3. Did you eat glue as a child? Uhh, no. I remember this girl on my bus doing that and I assumed she had, how do I say it, special needs.

4. If you could be in a movie, what would it be and why? Well, I would need a good leading man: Brad Pitt, Clive Owen, Ben Affleck, etc. I would need hott clothes. I would need to be kept interested. (I'm assuming this is not "What movie would you want to "live" in" and just what movie I would have wanted to act in or something.) Ooooh Mr. and Mrs. Smith! Hottttt!

5. If you could set up your own mafia ring, what would you call it? It would have no name. It would be so deadly and powerful that noone would want to call it by name.

6. If you had the choice between meeting David Hasselhoff or Tom Cruise, who would you choose and why? SRSLY, I wouldn't care although as long as I had someone to make sure I hadn't been brainwashed, I would want to meet Tom Cruise, I guess. I imagine him as having a nervous tick because he is so obsessed with Scientology and trying to convert people over. His eyes would never blink and he would be half my height.

7. Would you ever fly Hooters Airlines? Wings instead of peanuts? YES!

8. Would you rather hear no evil or see no evil? Don't actions speak louder than words?

9. If you started a search engine, what would you name it? Scarlet. Because then people would say, "Man, Scarlet is awesome! She knows everything!"

10. If you had the ability to see five years into the future, would you do it? No way.

Open Your Eyes

And the award for Best Band used in May sweeps/season finales?


SNOW PATROL!


ER just ended (awesome episode, by the way) and what do I hear in the background?


all this feels strange and untrue
and i won't waste a minute without you
my bones ache, my skin feels cold
and i'm getting so tired and so old

the anger swells in my guts
and i won't feel these slices and cuts
i want so much to open your eyes
cos i need you to look into mine

tell me that you'll open your eyes

get up, get out, get away from these liars
cos they don't get your soul or your fire
take my hand, knot your fingers through mine
and we'll walk from this dark room for the last time

every minute from this minute now
we can do what we like anywhere
i want so much to open your eyes
cos i need you to look into mine

tell me that you'll open your eyes

all this feels strange and untrue
and i won't waste a minute without you



I love them. And before I sit here for any longer trying to figure out a way to say what I want to say without it being too, um, blunt...I'm going to sleep.

Oh but not before I mention The O.C. and its CRAZINESS. But craziness I love and will miss until the fall. Please, let's discuss.

XO,
SVR

Espionage

Dear CIA,

You may or may not already know who I am. Several things could have led you to me including a simple internet search as well as my many attempts to bring your attention to me. But just in case, I wanted to let you know what's been going on with me and most importantly, what I did today and why you should care.

Since I refuse to believe NO ONE at the CIA uses google when they're feeling lazy about their research, it is quite possible for an agent to have happened upon this blog. Say one of them is supposed to be profiling a Russian spy but instead is distracted by their upcoming blind date that night and can't concentrate on their translations of the newspaper. Instead, they open up Firefox, head to Google and enter, "SVR spy," maybe hoping to happen upon a Russian spy who dabbles a little in writing, or a Sluzhba Vneshney Razvedki (SVR) agent who can't keep his or her mouth shut. Whatever his hopes, the search yields some interesting results. And there you go, way number one for the CIA to have found me.

Also, in the past, I have taken any and every opportunity for you to become aware of me. These times include when my sister took me back to the CIA site near Warrenton after learning about its location when she delivered flowers there one day last summer. We drove by and I yelled my Social Security Number out for you along with my full name, both of which I am certain were recorded on some sort of listening device disguised to look like a tree or something. Another day, some friends and I made a movie. Maybe you've heard of it, Reader's Advantage? Anyway, the film is not only all about espionage but we even drove by Langley for inspiration and I took the opportunity to once again yell out my name and Social Security Number. I'm sure the guard has my picture on file somewhere, too.

I believe you may also have come to know me through my emails. There have been many news stories in the past few days about the NSA collecting phone calls so it's entirely possible you're in my gmail, too. (It's fine, though, I don't mind.) If so, there is no doubt in my mind you have read the countless emails talking about my love of America, the CIA, and again, my SSN dropping when deemed timely.

So why am I writing you, CIA? Because today I was a hero in my office and not only did I show bravery but I also displayed what can only be described as innate spy skills. You see, the women's upstairs bathroom was compromised at roughly 1100 and with no one else to call, I stepped up to what I considered my duty (not to be confused with doodie.) Somehow the door was locked with no one on the inside and an office full of water-drinking females had already begun to sweat at the thought of using the "other restroom" which is synonymous with gross and/or males.

I have some experience with picking locks, though. Back when I worked at the swim club I routinely broke into the anonymous suggestion box to remove all of the nasty comments my sister and I left about our horrible manager, written in the heat of the moment but obviously a potential detriment to our jobs (anonymous or not.) So I used my previous experience combined with what I believe is my innate spy knowledge to skillfully use an extended paperclip to pick the lock. It only took a few moments after my initial assessment to bring our bathroom freedom back and as one of my coworkers said, "God bless you, Scarlet. God bless you."

So, CIA, I write to you today to make certain you are aware of me and also to bring your attention to my obvious lock-picking skills and desire to use them for good and not evil. So, if you have any locks that need picking or packages picked up overseas, or maybe something translated (but you'll need to teach me the language first), then please, give me a call. I am confident you already have my number...*wink**wink*


XO,
SVR (not the Russian spy agency, but you already knew that, right?)

Buttons

Orchestra was mostly uneventful last night in terms of my fellow musicians*. For me, though, it was exciting as we received a new piece and I am playing the first part for it. This is exciting because...drum roll, please...there is a solo! It's not huge or anything but it's tough and an interesting part. It also has a part that is sort of impossible to play. Let me explain. (AKA, put you to sleep with my explanation)



OK, so that picture freaks me out a little but it mentions interchanging little fingers and that's sort of what I will be talking about. As far as I know (and I am waiting for confirmation from Steven), there is no alternate fingering for Eb, 4 spaces up on the treble staff (I tried to find a picture but a google image search of "Eb" came up with porn-what?) At certain points in the clarinet range, notes in succession all use those little finger keys (kind of where the clarinet dude is pointing to in the picture) and 99% of the time it works out quite nicely. A good clarinet player avoids playing two notes in a row that will require the same little finger to play a different key. In these cases, alternate fingerings are used and often, if you look at a clarinet player's music you might see pencil markings of "R L R L" to remind us which side to play a note on, Right or Left.

For instance, whenever an Eb is preceded or followed by a C natural (middle of treble staff), the player knows to use the alternate, left hand fingering for the C natural. This may or may not sound confusing but after playing for awhile it's second nature to look out for these instances.

Anyway, so this solo I have, in Bizet's Carmen, isn't big or the main part of the piece but it's exposed and tough because it has the ol' impossible part and all. See, it has a short little passage that would require me to play L R R L because of the Eb. So basically I have to play the Eb and then flop my finger to the key sort of below and to the side of it. It is the opposite of ideal, especially when playing alone and quickly and in a concert. It would be one thing to be playing long tones and take a split second to move the little finger in order to play the awkward fingerings but I only have a split second to get that whole little run out!

It just bugs me. I hate not being able to do a proper R L R, etc. for a passage. It also bothers me that I'll have to practice this=/





*A questionable term for some.

Chasing Cars

What perfection! Grey's Anatomy is perfection! And the season finale cliffhanger was just enough, it was almost subtle but still perfect. Not shove it in your face, "OH my gosh, did he die?" kind of cliffhanger but the kind that that had been building for so long and is more than just throwing a situation together to bring viewers back in the fall. I love it so much!

And I hate people who turn their noses at TV, like it's beneath them and rots brains or something. I assure you, my brain has not been affected by enjoying Greys Anatomy (I got my grades today! 4.0!). I've never understood how somehow watching a movie isn't the same as watching a TV show but I guess, to each their own, eh?


Oh, and they used Snow Patrol...I <3 Snow Patrol:

We'll do it all
Everything
On our own

We don't need
Anything
Or anyone

If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

I don't quite know
How to say
How I feel

Those three words
Are said too much
They're not enough

If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

Forget what we're told
Before we get too old
Show me a garden that's bursting into life

Let's waste time
Chasing cars
Around our heads

I need your grace
To remind me
To find my own

If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

Forget what we're told
Before we get too old
Show me a garden that's bursting into life

All that I am
All that I ever was
Is here in your perfect eyes, they're all I can see

I don't know where
Confused about how as well
Just know that these things will never change for us at all

If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

Exit Music (For A Film)

Serena and I were just discussing series finales and how we want our favorite shows to end. The most immediate is Alias where if anything but SydneyAndVaugh together 4 eva doesn't happen, we're finding JJ Abrams and the writers and burning down their houses*. I used other shows as examples of the writers doing what is right and ending a show correctly: Friends (Ross/Rachel), Dawson's Creek (Pacey/Joey), Sex and the City (Carrie/Big-although I didn't want that until the very end). Can you think of a show where the series ending just sucked? And not the ones that got cancelled and have no resolution or real ending (My So-Called Life, American Dreams, Freaks & Geeks-even though I haven't gotten to the end yet). I can't remember how 90210 ended (Can't believe I'm admitting that) or Full House (!!) or Felicity even.

But the point of this wasn't to discuss awesome TV shows**...My hazy, early-morning thought process led me to wondering what my own "finale" would be. Not in the morbid sense as I'm realizing it sounds but just if I had writers and producers, what would they have in store for me. What is in the works to up ratings of Scarlet. It's May sweeps, people! Noone wants to watch as I go to work every day and then go home to watch TV and play the bassoon, maybe throw in a trip to Starbucks*** here and there. Maybe the viewers are hoping for a romance, do they see something they want to blossom? Are there polls to see what should happen with me? Wouldn't it be funny if my life were in fact a TV show? A la The Truman Show or that one on MTV where they caught people singing along to music in the car. My sister and I, when we're at our goofiest and cracking up, always say that we must be on a reality show. Our moments in the car, driving somewhere, are just too good to waste on just us. Every once and awhile, one of us will say, "REALITY SHOW!" and then we both crack up, thinking about our imaginary viewers constantly being entertained by us (Ha, remember EdTV?) and laughing along.

So what do the viewers want? What's in the coming weeks for Scarlet? I was thinking about common season finale events:

Love/Romance:
-A marriage of some sort, usually eloping or going to Vegas-nothing really planned
-Someone professes love
-A pregnancy-But who is the baby's daddy!?


Job Related:
-A job offer which would require a move
-The main character sleeps with his/her boss/higher up


Friend/Family Related:
-One of the above happens to a friend/family member and it directly affects the main character(s)
-A long lost sibling/biological parent/wealthy, dying aunt enters the picture


So, writers and producers, what is in store for me? Anything crazy in the works? Let's make things exciting!



*OK, I always worry when I say things like that because what if someone does burn their houses down and some bored detective on the case googles: "Burn JJ Abrams house down" and gets this blog and practically has some premeditated plan? Grrreat! I HAVE AN ALIBI, DAMMIT!
**OK it is, a little
***I am accepting sponsors.

Crash

OH.MY.GAWD.


I know I just blogged like A second ago but Grey's Anatomy just ended and HOLY HELL I gasped! SO GOOD!


Please, I must discuss. And 2 hours tomorrow. Whoa!

Soul Meets Body

At the risk of sounding INCREDIBLY narcissistic, the thought crossed (and then occupied) my mind last night of crushes. And unlike usual, it wasn't about those on my radar but the radars I might have been a blip on.

I kind of have an all or nothing mentality when it comes to this. The majority of the time I know I'm awesome and have all the self-confidence a person needs yet have no faith in the opposite sex to realize it. I guess if I have to lose faith in someone I would want it to be them and not me. It's their own fault if they don't recognize what they're missing out on;)*

I think my moments of doubt come when someone actually tells me or makes it clear they want my sass. That's the point when I figure I must have heard wrong or am reading every situation incorrectly.

Of course (like I've said countless times), I'm not really sure where I'm going with this. I don't have a point or some big revelation, it's just some of my my most recent thoughts.


Cause in my head there’s a greyhound station
Where I send my thoughts to far off destinations
So they may have a chance of finding a place
where they’re far more suited than here



*I sound like such a snobby bitch, I'm not. Really.

Secret Sharer

How does an evening get to the point of asking, "Have you stuck your tongue down anyone's throat lately?" I mean, that question is a golden gem and one I hope to not only keep in my arsenal but to also have an answer for asap. This supreme work of questioning wasn't my own though. That honor goes to Serena and I give her full props.

We realized that since we email often (!), we cover a broad range of topics before we even get to the point of hanging out. For instance, tonight, before we had gotten to the meet up time, we had already talked about what we did during the day and discussed the night before. Now, this wouldn't be a problem if it was just us two as we would then hang out and talk about annoying people or discuss our plans for taking over the world or something. Tonight though it was me, Serena, and Steven and as we sat there at the coffee shop we started to struggle for things to say. It's not like we don't have enough in common but like we realized, Serena and I had already talked about it all. So then we get to one of those little lulls in the conversation and I find my mind immediately going to the more risque topics like, "Who is the last person you dated?" "If you had to kiss one person in this room, who would it be?" "Do you still talk to your ex?" And really, Serena problably knows my answer to all of those questions and me, her's. So we both turn to the third person in the group because we realize we don't know every detail about him (or her in other scenarios). Usually we catch ourselves and realize we're venturing down the "Super Nosy and Annoying Path" but sometimes it is after the questions are posed. I guess I'm writing this as it's a recent realization and also for anyone who ends up being the 3rd person in our group when hanging out. Just be warned that at some point in the evening you may get your very own, "Have you stuck your tongue down anyone's throat lately?"

5 Minutes Alone

This may or may not come as a surprise to some people but, I love Pantera. )No, not Pan(t)era although I also happen to be a big fan of theirs, too.) I'm talking about the band. I wish I could put them on right now but alas, I am at work and I don't think my coworkers would appreciate songs with titles such as, "Cowboys From Hell," F***ing Hostile," and "Suicide Note, Pt. 1."

But oh how I love them and I can't even pinpoint what it is that actually makes me HAPPY (see song titles above and understand my confusion) when I hear them. Maybe part of it is a nostalgia thing, as I link Pantera with my junior year of college and the addition of a whole new group of friends** and partying. Without risking losing future jobs from prospective employers googling my name, finding this blog, and reading about my college adventures, suffice it to say that I had a lot of fun*.

So last night was VH1's Behind the Music on Pantera and I was literally glued to my seat watching it. Phil Anselmo freaked me out because at certain times he looks identical to a friend of mine who would probably be ecstatic to hear that but shouldn't be since Phil was (is?) an alcoholic heroin addict***.

Anyway, I know this is probably boring many of you but until I think of something more entertaining, it's all I've got. Oh and the blog title? I had a radio show in college and my senior year it was all dedications. I dedicated "5 Minutes Alone" to someone once.


*Really nothing illegal or anything. But details aren't important:) If anything, I maintined my status of nerd always, just sometimes while double fisting it at a kegger.
**I realized that I should clarify that this wasn't some weird, metalhead group I started hanging out with. Really, only one person in the group liked Pantera and noone drank Black Tooth Grins, but the band always reminds me of those times. And I also think I may be the only person to make mix CDs with both Pantera and Britney Spears.
***My friend doesn't do heroin. I've only known one person who did heroin and the story doesn't end well...

The City Is Here For You To Use

A few people lately have written about their love of living in the city and how they were meant to live there. From the time I even knew what a city was and realized I was NOT living in one, I knew that I would one day reside in a "concrete jungle." I had not even been to New York City yet when I declared my love for it and stated that I would move there after college. Noone doubted me and after visiting for the first time (when I was 21! can you believe it took that long?) I knew my mind and body were meant to be there.

After college I moved to Richmond which, although a gazillion times smaller than NYC, was a vast improvement from the 2 stoplight town* I grew up in. I lived there for almost two years and while I love Richmond, it wasn't enough "cityness" for me. I lived in The Fan which is cute and all but for the most part all residential. I wanted to be able to walk a block or two to Starbucks or ride the subway** down to The Gap. It's not like that though (at least where I lived). Sure, I was spoiled by having Sticky Rice*** two blocks away but what about my daily caffeine needs!?

Anyway, Fast forward to now when I'm having the great Country Mouse Vs. City Mouse debate. I'm not moving anytime soon, or at least until I finish Grad School, but I constantly think about it. I still absolutely love cities and know I would be super content to live in one (Dc? Philly? Chicago? NYC?) but part of me is so in love with small towns. The Stars Hollows of the world, if you will. And before you laugh and think I'm crazy, they are out there. Warrenton is one of them. It has an amazingly cute and charming downtown. I always go home via Main Street even though it's not the fastest way. I can picture myself living in one of those side street houses and walking to Main Street to get coffee and a bite to eat from a Cafe. It is so damn charming! I am in love with it. And take me to a town like Warrenton that is in Connecticut? Where the winters are cold and I'm a train ride from NYC? I think my elation meter would be off the charts.

I want to live somewhere where the trees change color in the fall, it snows and is cold in the winter, the summers aren't absolutely miserable and the springs are chilly enough to warrant a jacket. I want to live somewhere where I can walk and get food/coffee but also am not a trek away from good stores. I want to be close enough to a city that I can go there for the day/night without necessarily packing an overnight bag or having to get up at the crack of dawn. I want a Starbucks AND an independent coffee shop. I want wifi. I want there to be a library with a fountain out front. I want a bakery that makes whole grain bread and sugary cakes. I want to be close enough to the ocean that I can get there without having to fly or drive more than 5 hours. I would prefer to live near a pier to keep my boat. I want to be able to go skiing in the winter and swimming in the summer. I want to wear a lot of cashmere. I want to have a puppy named Calculus. I want to live near a symphony (preferably one I play in). I want to live near a music venue.

OMG I'm so excited, I want to live there NOW!





*It's not so much a town but an intersection and although I did spend most of my growing up time there, I consider myself from Norther VA since I'm so not a country bumpkin and was going to DC before I could even walk.
**Richmond's only public transportation is the bus. I'm not the biggest fan of busses (I refuse to spell that "buses", it looks stupid)
***Most amazing sushi ever! AND TOTS! But those asshats wouldn't let us in on Monday. Ugh!

Owner Of A Lonely Heart

Orchestra last night was amusing but really, when isn't it? Our concert in June is all opera but as I explained in our staff meeting yesterday, it's "just a bunch of loud, high arias. Not boring opera!" So the soloists came last night to rehearse with us and holy hell are they good. In college it used to freak me out when my music major friends who were singers would open their mouths to sing and this gigantic voice would come out. I didn't understand how I have a weak and warbly range of about two and a half notes* and they can break glass and sing notes higher than I can even imagine. And with gusto!

Vizzini reminded me of the guy from The Princess Bride (hence his nickname) and was really, really good. I almost missed a few entrances in "Nessun Dorma" (the piece Pavorati sang at the Olympics) because I kept imagining him singing it to me. But what is it about songs sung loudly and in Italian that cause a balding man who looks like the smart guy from The Princess Bride to look appealing**. I think Maestro hit the nail on the head though when he lamented that he wished he had a voice like Vizzini's so he could say good morning every day to his wife with an aria. And by the excitement that arose from practically every female in the room (while the guys just sat there and shook their heads), I knew not only how right Maestro was but also that Vizzini must get a lot of chicks...


*Except when singing "We Belong Together", in which case I can totally hit her high notes;)
**Not so much appealing in a hott way but more of a, "Sing to me!" way.

Can't Stand It

A Few Things That Annoy Me:


1. Unnecessary Talking- Short and sweet is my motto. (See, I'm not even elaborating!)

2. When people let their bad moods/health/etc. affect their interactions with other people especially those they work with. (Barnes and Noble doesn't count)

3. When people paraphrase when they are reading something other than their own words.

4. Not using adverbs!

5. Loud eaters/drinkers

That's all for now.

Demon Days

Starbucks may run through my blood but I never say no to free coffee. Today I got my free drink after previously buying 9 at the little coffee kiosk near my job. This free grande (their large, gotta make things difficult, eh?) nonfat white mocha (with whip, duh) is going to be the catalyst for a good day. It's the little things that can turn an increasingly bad Monday morning around.

First, I wake up in what must have been the middle of whatever part of sleep is most important for feeling rested because my body was NOT happy to hear the alarm at that point. Just five more minutes-Please!

Then I can't find ANYTHING I want to wear and am having the pressure of trying to find something comfortable AND hott since I'm going to Richmond tonight to have sushi with Ali (the sister). I gave up on that though and will just have to change when I get home.

Then, on my way to get my coffee my gas light comes on. Not getting gas before my gas light comes on is maybe my worst habit. When I first got my car I was so good about never letting it go under the halfway point but now, with wicked high gas prices and my lack of punctuality when it comes to work, I have developed the bad habit of waiting until the light comes on. Tsk Tsk.

At the first pump, though, it didn't work and with the minutes ticking by I pulled around to another to be greeted with the message, "Sale Declined" after putting my check card in. Ouch! Thank goodness I had another card with me or I would have been SOL with no gas and no money. But why was my sale declined? My first thought was that I had overdrafted on my checking account somehow which is NOT the best thought on an early Monday morning.

I was slowly slipping into a horrible mood on my way to work and decided free coffee was definitely still on the agenda whether or not I was going to be 15 minutes late to work. But being 15 minutes late ended up being the only real bad thing this morning (and really, it's more of a shock around here if I manage to get here on time or *gasp* early.) I didn't overdraft! Must have declined the sale because I tried to run the card after the faulty pump try. And I have free coffee...


Coffee. The Good Day Catalyst.

Don't Ask Me To Dance

I'm obsessed with this song, by Arab Strap:

You know I've felt like this before
I know you have felt it too
But maybe I don't want to dance
Cause I've not had as much as you

Our lives did not begin
The very moment that we met
I don't want to hold your hand
There is so much that I'll forget

You're no angel from above
You're the last girl I will love

And maybe I'm not very vocal
Cause I've used the words before
And the more they were repeated
The more they were ignored

But the ears my whispers fell on
They weren't deaf, they were bang on
Cause they knew I didn't mean it
I just wanted to hang on

But the world has changed, and how!
And I know I mean it
So let's toast the last romance
But just don't ask me to dance


Maybe I should start believing in past lives because I connect way too much with songs concerning things I've never experienced. But don't go thinking I've gone all Shirley MacLaine on you or anything...

All The Money Or The Simple Life Honey

For almost my entire life, my grandmother on my mother's side would give each of her grandchildren "allowance money" and she always said to, "Save it for a rainy day*." We all knew that at almost every family get together if Gram asked for someone to bring her purse to her that we would be getting rainy day money. The cutest part is that she would always ask if we had a purse with us to put it in as to not lose it on the trip home. I, and the other grandkids, learned this part of the process early on so we would always be sure to have a purse or wallet with us. When my sister (who is seven years younger) was too young to remember her purse I would always assure my grandmother that I could take both of ours and the money would reach our piggy banks safely**.

Anyway, I was thinking about this because lately I have been feeling poorer than poor after some bad timing of bills. Summer grad school tuition, car payment, student loan, car insurance, effed-up Verizon bill***, and as always my 300 mile, at least, weekly diving bill. Now, people who have only known me recently probably think I am a horrible saver and just buy whatever I want, when I want. I don't. I swear. Back when my grandmother used to give us those rainy day allowances my mom would have to practically force me to spend it! Later on, once I started working she would see me pick something up in the store, set it down and move on and she would say, "Just buy it!"

During college I made all of my money for the year working at a pool during the summer. I worked insane hours and and did everything under the sun (ha, literally) to make more (mowing the lawn, swim lessons, extra shifts, etc.) Then I moved to Richmond after graduation, couldn't find a job and was so poor I would look for change on the street while walking to class**** to put in Coinstar to get gas money*****. I went for quite awhile being the most frugal person ever (shopping in my parents kitchen? oh yeah.)

When I moved back to this area I had fewer expenses and a job (I did get a job in RVA, it just took awhile, actually I had 3 jobs!) and eventually got my current job which made me feel like I was rolling in the dough. So yeah, I bought a lot of stuff but I needed it all (seriously). Laptop, CDs, camera, clothes:) I even had my savings built back up and looking nice. But then I bought a car. And then I started grad school. And then somehow I started feeling like I was working part-time at a minimum wage job just trying to make it by.

The point to all of this is that I hate HATE HATE taking money out of my savings account. It bothers me to no end to make transfers over to checking but I keep having to do it and it's hard to remind myself that it is for good reasons: car, school, etc. So, I think I am ready to look at my other options so I can quit my job and be worry free when it comes to the dinero:

1. Be a kept-woman. Marry rich and then my greatest worry will be the color of my checks and not whether or not they will clear. No, I will not get bored not working because I will fill my time doing better things like listening to Tchaikovsky, playing tennis, and baking oatmeal cookies.

2. Win the lottery. If I won the lottery I could make "wise investments" (whatever those are) to live off of while I spent my time playing in orchestras, writing screenplays, and taking pictures. I would probably also bake oatmeal cookies. I really like oatmeal cookies (no raisins!)

3. Rob banks. I look good in black so the outfit would work but I'm convinced everyone gets caught (thanks to CSI and Patricia Cornwell) and that combined with my twinge of paranoia would be bad.

4. Marry Tom Cruise to be guarenteed 25 million. I'd consider it but I would also be terrified of the brainwashing, clams and leather jackets.



*Cute story of my oldest cousin, Noelle, saying to my grandmother, "But mom doesn't take us shopping when it's raining!"
**Yes, I gave it to my sister when we got home. I wouldn't keep money from my own little sister! How dare you think such a thing.
***I'm still IRATE and not giving up!
****I took a year of "extra" classes at VCU after graduating from MWC. Long story, I'll tell it later.

A Question Mark

Usually I would post a meme on Room For Answers but this one is music related so it's going here. (I got this from CBK.)

Random Music Meme:

Put your music player on shuffle. Press forward for each question. Use the song title as the answer to the question. Post on your blog. No comment regarding whatever songs that might come up (Yeah right!).

Question 1: Where is your office located?
Answer: "Gone" Kanye West (yikes!)

Question 2: What happens when you drink too much?
Answer: "When It Started" The Strokes (maybe the band name is more appropriate, haha)

Question 3: What are your feelings about President Bush?
Answer: "Curius Phantasm" Paper Airplanes (Hmmm, does that mean I think he's adorable? ok!)

Question 4: What's your latest blog obsession?
Answer: "Nobody" Tocadisco (Haha, this is from a CD I for free from my brother's store.)

Question 5: How do you feel about your separation? (from what?)
Answer: "Pure Trauma" Downset (I've never heard this song before in my life)

Question 6: Name a topical song.
Answer: "Flawless" Superchunk

Question 7: Give me the obligatory cleavage quote.
Answer: "Hell Yes" Beck (CBK, This meme is WEIRD!)

Question 8: Fantasy Song #1.
Answer: "Always On My Mind" Ryan Adams (the first decent one in a few)

Question 9: Fantasy Song #2.
Answer: "Precious Metals" The Russian Futurists (mmm, I'd love a hott Russian)

Question 10: Describe your sex life.
Answer: "I Know It's Over" The Smiths (oh, great.)


Hmmm...Basically that was:

1. Boring (bad iTunes shuffle luck)
2. Not indicative to what I listen to AT ALL!

Tell Me What You See

Just like when reading a book, when I read blogs I create an image of what the characters look like. And just like when I see the movie based on a book, when I see the actual picture of a blogger, sometimes it's like my world is turned upside down and sometimes it is just as I imagined.

Brad Pitt as Tyler Durden- Oh yes! (in more ways than one;)

Emma Watson as Hermione Granger- I think she's a good choice but many wanted her to have huge teeth and hair

Michelle Pfeffier as Ingrid Magnussen- Perfect! She was made for that role.

Robert Duvall as Boo Radley- OK, somehow I was led to believe that Boo Radley was black so I pretty much hate this movie and book because it was all a lie to me once Robert Duvall was shown on the screen.

I'm hesitant to put examples of bloggers and how I imagine them because I don't want it to be misread that I sit around thinking of bloggers (I don't). But many blogs are either very anonymous or have no pictures associated with it so my mind has to create some sort of image as I read about their daily stories. And this is fine, I go along imagining someone as a non-descript, sort of faceless person and then BAM! they put a picture up and I realize they look entirely different than I had imagined. It's almost disconcerting but sometimes it's a relief if I've been assuming so-and-so, super-dater and winner at life is also a super model but then he/she puts up a picture and I realize he/she is just a normal person.

I think that's why I have a picture on my blog. I don't want people reading about my awesome live and incredible luck in matters of money and love and to also assume I'm totally hott. I want people to read about my awesome life and KNOW I'm totally hott;)


XO,
SVR


P.S. Apologies to Kathryn for editing this blog after publishing it. It was a moment of hitting "Publish Post" too fast.

Quiet

Orchestra was amazing last night.

I really had not been looking forward to it because I was tired and I was afraid I would be meeting up with The Bassoon Lady after rehearsal which would really put me home at a late hour and I still had pizza to order and an exam to work on. But things worked out PERFECTLY and she arrived at about 745pm so I got to quietly leave rehearsal to do the exchange* which ended up taking almost 30 minutes. I came back in and was pleasantly surprised to have missed one of the more boring pieces on the evening's schedule.

Added into the Cast of Characters is Clarinet Dude who is the Clarinet section leader. He's been there since the beginning so I don't mind that he sits higher than me. And also, he's HILARIOUS and totally makes fun of people in a voice that is sometimes not a whisper. He HATES Oboe Girl and last week said he would, "shoot her if she was [his] daughter." Last night she started to play the tuning note but it sounded like a duck with bronchitis and he winced and said something about her being worthless. She never plays our tuning note which is RIDICULOUS. How difficult is it to play an "A" each week in tune? Isn't one of the first things learned in band how to play a sustained note? Did she miss that day or something? She also must have missed a few more days when kids learn social skills because her's are a struggle.

I also had a fun time last night joking with Clarinet Dude about becoming Maestro's favorite orchestra member. I think I can do it! He now knows me by name and last night noticed when I walked back into rehearsal holding a new instrument case. I was a little embarassed though because he asked about it, "Bring the wrong instrument?" and about 30 heads swiveled around to watch me answer. It's like buying a new computer though and I don't want to have 30 people asking me how much I paid or what kind it is and then giving me advice. Advice AFTER the fact is no good to me and I don't want it. I have an HP laptop and I love it! But I digress...

Later on in rehearsal he reminded us of the concert he's playing in this Saturday and Clarinet Dude and I took the chance to speak up and ask a few questions. CD asked if he has his music memorized (he does). I asked if he's played it before (he has), if he'll say hi to me if I come (he will), if I can take my picture with him afterwards (yes), and if he'll be signing autographs (yes, with a laugh). Maestro LOVES me now!



*Not so much an exchange though since I left with a bassoon and she left with a promise to call her on Sunday about the dinero.

Beautiful Love

It's no secret I love 8th & Ocean. If I believed in guilty pleasures then it would be one. It is also no secret that I love awesome 'pop'* songs and am at this moment working on my Summer Anthems of 2006 list/blog. But to combine two of my loves: MTV reality shows and awesome 'pop' songs I bring you this:

"Beautiful Love" by The Afters


Wow, I must have been hanging around Serena too much because I just went to type: "I'm fixin' for some beautiful love" but then laughed at my inclusion of what I guess is Texan slang? Although I guess it could be anywhere slang/accents, right? Oh and to clarify, any beautiful love I am looking for would be from the hott male variety, not Serena. Not that Serena isn't a good friend, she is, but I didn't want to leave the connection between "Fixin' for some beautiful love" and Serena and have people get the wrong idea. Also, don't forget that all sick-like symptoms are actually from POLLEN and I am germ-free for any potential beautiful love. Bring it.

Whoa, and get this: The Afters are from TEXAS (no wonder I said "fixin'") and some of the members worked at Starbucks (another love). Oooh and they're playing Connecticut in August (another love-CT, not August). I can't wait for the next 8th & Ocean!




*'pop' in the "popular music" definition not the Britney/Christina/Pink variety even though I love that stuff, too.

As The Doctor Talks

What I learned at my doctor's appointment, aka my 3.5 hour lunch:

1. Apparently, at age 26 I have grown an inch. I'm not quite sure how this happened since a) I'm 26, b) I drink a lot of coffee and I used to NOT drink coffee for fear of stunting my growth and c) I'm well past puberty. I am wondering if maybe this is payback from rounding down on my height ever since I had a crush on someone slightly shorter than me. But 9 sounds so much shorter than 10 and I tilt my head usually in my perfected Olsen pose so I figured I appeared shorter anyway. But nope, the nurse announced me as an inch taller. Oh and I was wearing flip flops so no added height there.

2. My recent Old Man Sickness (wheezing, coughing, sore throat, congestion, and losing of voice) is most likely due to satanic levels of pollen in the air. I am now the proud owner of Allegra (although I've taken it before and I swear it didn't work) and get this: nasal spray AND an inhaler.

3. So these past few weeks have just been allergies and not something contagious to others?! I could have been making out with people but instead have wasted three weeks of my early, er mid, twenties trying to keep others healthy. oh wait, I'm the tall girl with an inhaler. The tall girl with an inhaler who is about to buy a bassoon. I am a lost cause on the nerd-o-meter.

4. Yeah right, even when wheezing and being tall and talking about my almost new bassoon I'm still awesome. Stay tuned for my "Summer Anthems of 2006" Blog!


P.S. The inhaler is just for immediate relief and breathing. It's not something for always a la Thomas J.