The October 19th episode of Man v Food was shot in Rochester (which is where I live). The challenge was from an *awesome* BBQ place down the road from my house. I was there for the taping but you can't see me since I was wwwwaaaaaayyyyy in the back of the crowd. My friend was interviewed at first restaurant but who knows if she'll make it on TV.
So watch it and you can see one of my favorite places to eat.
I couldn't decide which quote I wanted to put up today, so I just did both. The first one is one of my all time favorite quotes and the second is kinda how I've been feeling lately.
Ok so this post is not really about how bitches be crazy, it's about my crazy mother (who is totally not a bitch).
One example of why my mother is crazy:
I almost always have my nails painted. It stops me from biting them. I rarely choose my color based on the season. I'll look to see what's "in," and if I like it then I'll do it. I typically like darker-ish colors on my nails and brights on my toes. So this summer I was on a pink kick and I was on a mission to find the right pink. I've had the same issue with red. I was looking for a particular red but I had no idea what exactly that was. There was a lot of trial and error. Whenever I found one I like, it was discontinued. But don't worry (and I know you were) I found one.
OPI's Affair in Red Square
So anyways I was looking for a pink that I loved. And the only way I can describe it is a dark shade of bright pink or a bright shade of dark pink. I wore something like it to my brother's wedding and loved it.
OPI's Pink Flamenco
So at some point this summer I had casually mentioned to my mom that I was looking for pink nail polish. She had an Avon book and I saw a color that looked nice. Two-ish months, in September, she comes over to visit and brings me two new nail polishes. Both are pink. One is really bright with orange undertones and the other is the one I had mentioned. Now, don't get me wrong, my mother's heart is totally in the right place but it's so not summer anymore and I'm kinda "meh" about the pink mission.
Another example of why she is crazy: So yesterday on the way home from class I call her and we're chit chatting as I walk into my apartment-Ya know the one with the awesome windows? I go get me mail (still on the phone) and I notice there is a post card with my mother's hand writing on the back. I say "where'd *you* go? Oh no where." To clarify that odd answering-my-own-question statement I just made, my mother, the crazy one, sent me a postcard from my home town. She wanted me to have some real mail.
Because I love quotes, I've decided to make my Friday posts all about my favorite quote. I'm probably stealing this idea from someone, so go ahead and take some credit, I don't mind.
It's fall and you know what that means! New TV. . .yay!!
So one of my all time favorite sitcoms is How I Met You Mother. If you've never seen it- here is my attempt at a synopsis. It's about a guy named Ted who is telling his kids the story of (you guessed it) how he met their mother. Although we are on season 7 and we have yet to actually meet her. In his life are his two friends from college, a couple named Marshall & Lily; Barney, a womanizer and Robin, a TV reporter from Canada. One of my favorite things about this show is that there are so many inside jokes and foreshadowing. So if you are like me and you've seen every episode, there are a lot of little things that you will find funny that a casual viewer might not get. For example (with no major spoilers) in the beginning of one episode Ted mentions a goat was in the apartment. At the end of the episode, he goes back to it and then says something like, "oh wait, that wasn't me whatever-whatever birthday. That happened on my whatever-whatever plus one birthday." And, yep that's right, the following year there is a plot line involving a goat. There is another **hysterical** sub-sub plot line that has been going on for about 3 years! And just when you forget about it- BAM!- there it is. The thing that made me want to write about HIMYM was that Katie Holmes is going to play a character that was mentioned in an episode in THE 1ST SEASON!! This character has not been actually seen yet, only mentioned and - BAM- she's back 6 years later. Love it!
So I would totally recommend trying to catch up and watch HIMYM because it's awesome!
Man oh man!! Yesterday was Talk Like a Pirate day and I forgot!!! You probably don't know this but I love pirates. Not really sure why. I just do. My 30th birthday party was a pirate themed bowling party (how white am I??). And, yes I realize that they don't really go together, but I like pirates. It all started the year that 2nd Pirates of the Caribbean came out. I was working at a summer camp the day it came out in theaters, and we had an impromptu pirate day. We made swords and bandannas and painted the kids faces. It was so much fun. Another counselor and I attempted to talk like pirates the whole day. And if you've never attempted to go an extended period of time talking like a pirate then you just haven't lived. So for the rest of the summer, I would randomly talk like a pirate. It tended to happen when I under the influence of a certain beverage. And from then on pirates were my thing. So I have *always* celebrated Talk Like a Pirate day with gusto. Until, that is, this year.
So for school I had to get the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, which is in its 4th edition with a text revision. All the cool kids call it DSM-IV-TR. But I have a close, personal relationship with it so I just call it the DSM. Basically for all you non-psych majors, this book is how clinicians, psychologists and psychiatrists diagnosis mental disorders (duh-like I really had to tell you that). It is a list of all the recognized disorders and what criteria one most have in order to receive a diagnosis. So for the next two years I will be carrying around this baby and learning everything inside. I will probably end up memorizing some of the diseases and the associated criteria (or symptoms).
Just so you have some reference, this book as big as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
I have normal-sized girl hands
It's going to take some work to learn this freakin' thing. Would you like to hear the best part about it?? Oh, did I hear say yes? Great!! Currently, as you read this, they are working on the DSM-5; it will be published sometime in 2013. Are you kiddin' me???!!! And from my understanding there are going to be some major changes. So in two years (TWO YEARS!!) I will kinda, sorta need to re-learn it all.
It's Sept 11th. Our parent's (or at least my parent's) generation had the assassination of JFK, we have 9/11. Everyone remembers where they were when they first heard the news. When my family talks about JFK's assassination, I honestly can't connect with the sadness the country had. I know that future generations will feel that way about 9/11; that feels so wrong to me.
So here's my story of 9/11:
I was a junior in college. It was the first year we lived off campus and since school had just started we did not have cable yet. I used the radio function on my clock as my alarm then and I use to lay in bed and listen to the radio for awhile until I was ready to get up. I remember waking up and hearing the news that a plane had crashed into the Wold Trade Center. At this point is was a terrible accident. I remember really waking up and going out into the living room where 2 of my roommates were getting ready to head out the door for class.
Me: Oh my God, did you hear that plane crashed into the World Trade Center??!!
Then I kept listening to the radio, since we didn't have cable, and heard that there was an "explosion" at the Pentagon. Then I called my mother at work and asked her what the hell was going on. Then I heard about the second plane. Luckily one of my roommate's TVs was hooked up to the downstairs neighbor's cable. I went into her room and watched the rest of the horror. So I did, unfortunately, get to see the towers fall. I got ready and went to class. The teacher told us that it was ok to be upset and that if we had to make/take phone calls to do so outside the class, but that she understood. Then someone came in and said the rest of the day's classes were canceled. And then I remember some douchey baseball player had the nerve to ask if that meant that baseball was canceled too. And, on a side note, I "dated" said baseball player 2nd semester senior year.
But there are also things I want to talk about on this 10th anniversary of 9/11. I am not an emotional person. I very rarely cry about things. My mom jokes that I have a heart of stone. But I cannot talk about 9/11 without tearing up. And it's not the loss of life that I get upset about - but please don't think that I'm not upset about that. No, it's the wonderful selfless acts that so many people did. Even now I'm getting slightly teary. The stories of the first responders who ran into the towers to save strangers? Yes, I realize that's their job. But when all human instinct tells you to run away from what will be almost certain death, these amazing people ran towards it. And there were all the stories of normal everyday people that helped each other get down the stairs of the towers. The people who went to NYC to help. Even if that help was to hand out water. Yep more tears in my eyes. The compassion and empathy that we, as Americans, had was amazing. Yahoo! has had all these "Remembering 9/11" articles on their news feed (and I use the word news pretty loosely there). I have a hard time reading them, I get teary every time. I read this article yesterday and I had to literally walk away from my computer a couple of times.
Another thing that I never really thought about until this year- every time I see a plane that I deem to be "low flying" I always watch it and wonder if it's going to crash or explode. I never did that before and that, too, makes me sad.
I love this song and I like the video that this person did for it.
I would like to leave you on a more cheerful note: everyone is so excited about Starbucks coming out with their fall flavors. Pumpkin Spice Latte to be exact. Well I've discovered that at Dunkin' Donuts if you add pumpkin AND cinnamon flavoring to regular coffee you get a wonderfully similar taste that is so much more easier on the wallet. Just sayin'.
Totally a Train wreck! I've been reading a lot out there in the blogisphere (is that spelled right??) about Toddlers & Tiaras and I want to throw my two cents in. You might not be aware but I really don't watch much reality TV. Jersey Shore? I've only seen two episodes. And the only reason I've seen those are 1) my friend JG loves that show and waited to watch it on her DVR for me to get to her house so she could *make* me watch an episode and 2) I was in Boston visiting a friend and her and her roommate watch it and I am pretty much go with the flow while on "vacation." Bachelor and Bachelorette? Same thing, I've only ever seen them when I'm at some one's house and they watch it. Soap box moment: I can't stand it when someone gets "famous" for being a bouche (which is my polite way of saying d-bag). At least the Kardashians are some what productive members of society. I mean they have their own store. I *will* watch a reality show that has something to do with talent (real talent, not Dancing with the Stars talent). Idol and So You Think You Can Dance? Oh yeah, love 'em!
With all that being said, I love me some T&T!! It really is like a train wreck. I know how awful it is but I just. can't. look. away. OMG those parents are a mess!! Those poor girls are insane! How can they stand themselves?
The first time I ever saw T&T, I was wedding hungover. And I feel as though that type of hangover deserves its own category. I was able to function properly but I also needed to lay on the couch in comfy clothes all day. My cousin and I were being hung over on the couch when, lo and behold, there was a MARATHON of T&T on. That is some great hungover TV watching! We were, sadly, hooked. There might even be some footage of us doing "routines" at her wedding. And by "might" I mean there totally is.
So the moral of this story is: no, it's not ok to dress your 3 year old like a prostitute. But if you do, I will totally watch it.
As you've read (over and over and over again) I'm going back to school. Tomorrow. And from my understanding, this semester is going to be all about digging into myself and my feelings and emotional issues that I may have. However, I have a really hard time even being honest with myself when it comes to how I am *really* feeling. So I have decided that this is the place to start with honesty. Y'all don't really know me. I can really say whatever I want and I'll never have to look in you in the eye knowing that you know how I really feel about something. And I can say that with absolute assurance- other than Michelle who I actually know and will actually see. Ya know how when someone says something "bad" or negative about themselves or their lot in life you always feel obligated to reassure them. I am giving you an open ended out. Please don't try to give me any positive anything if I happen to say something about any negative emotions I'm having.
K? Awesome!
With all that being said: I've never really failed at anything. Ever. In my life. Other than my driver's test, which I did fail the first time I took it. What if I fail at school? And I don't mean what if I fail a class (although that would suck). I mean what if I'm just no good at all of it? What if I can't handle going full time while working full time? What if I just can't handle any of it?
And like I said, I don't want any "you can do it" comments; I'm just trying to get use to the fact that I'm going to have to spill my guts to people and learn to be honest with myself.
I have realized that I am "that girl;" but I am a good "that girl." Whenever I see someone (i.e. a stranger) with a cute hair cut or hair color I always try to tell her that I think it's cute. If another someone is trying on cute shoes while I'm shopping, I tell her their cute. If you read Jessica, why are you so bossy?, then you'll know that I change my hair a lot. And not to toot my own horn, but some of my cuts have been freakin' adorable (beep beep). And people would sometimes come up to me and tell me I had a cute hair cut. And let me tell you, nothing makes you feel better than when a perfect stranger compliments you. So I always try to pay it forward.
So yesterday I went to the mall. Normally, I don't really like shopping. I don't know why but I really don't like malls. But I had a 40% coupon for The Gap and a free pair of undies for Victoria's Secret. I also had a $10 off a bra at VS, too; but I don't wear their bras - I'm a Maidenform kinda gal. So there I am in VS, when i notice the girl next to me is getting a bra. As she's checking out, I hand her my coupon for $10 off and tell her I won't use it.
Lately I have been obsessed with the group Vitamin String Quartet. If you haven't head of them then you need to go to iTunes right now and check them out! Go! Now! I'm not going anywhere; I'll be here when you get back.
Long story short, they are a cover band that is (duh) a string quartet. They cover *everybody*. Seriously, name a band. Betcha they have a cover of them. Lady Gaga, The Beatles, Metallica, The Eagles, Paramore, Fallout Boy, Phish, Madonna, Janet Jackson...the list goes on. If I didn't name someone you were slightly interested in hearing, then you are nuts.
