triumph of the day:
not buying $270 boots!
hooray!
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
Wedding dresses:
This is one of the few I've seen that I really think looks right for me:
I like this one too, but it's hard to see in the photo (would you really pay $1000 for this dress without a better image?), and also I kind of like the fact that the first isn't strapless, which seems to be kind of a convention to excess these days. Not surprisingly, I don't spend a lot of time looking for wedding gowns, but you can't really help it if something jumps out at you. I also found a four-leaf clover today. Good luck? I've found about four four leaf clovers in my life total, I think. Does that square itself, so now I might get 16 four leaf clovers of good luck?
Actually when you get down to it I wouldn't want to buy either of these dresses (from Victorian Trading Co) without having more pictures or knowing the designer, you know?
Actually finding a vintage dress is probably asking too much. . .
This is one of the few I've seen that I really think looks right for me:
I like this one too, but it's hard to see in the photo (would you really pay $1000 for this dress without a better image?), and also I kind of like the fact that the first isn't strapless, which seems to be kind of a convention to excess these days. Not surprisingly, I don't spend a lot of time looking for wedding gowns, but you can't really help it if something jumps out at you. I also found a four-leaf clover today. Good luck? I've found about four four leaf clovers in my life total, I think. Does that square itself, so now I might get 16 four leaf clovers of good luck?
Actually when you get down to it I wouldn't want to buy either of these dresses (from Victorian Trading Co) without having more pictures or knowing the designer, you know?
Actually finding a vintage dress is probably asking too much. . .
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
How to combine the two WORST things ever: Politics and Healthcare. (I suppose there's something I hate more than politics. And I hate no healthcare more than I hate healthcare itself, though I'd prefer simply not to need it altogether. FAR prefer.)
That all said, I actually READ this email from MoveOn. Sounds valid to me.
Top Five Health Care Reform Lies—and How to Fight Back
Lie #1: President Obama wants to euthanize your grandma!!!
The truth: These accusations—of "death panels" and forced euthanasia—are, of course, flatly untrue. As an article from the Associated Press puts it: "No 'death panel' in health care bill."4 What's the real deal? Reform legislation includes a provision, supported by the AARP, to offer senior citizens access to a professional medical counselor who will provide them with information on preparing a living will and other issues facing older Americans.5
Lie #2: Democrats are going to outlaw private insurance and force you into a government plan!!!
The truth: With reform, choices will increase, not decrease. Obama's reform plans will create a health insurance exchange, a one-stop shopping marketplace for affordable, high-quality insurance options.6 Included in the exchange is the public health insurance option—a nationwide plan with a broad network of providers—that will operate alongside private insurance companies, injecting competition into the market to drive quality up and costs down.7
If you're happy with your coverage and doctors, you can keep them.8 But the new public plan will expand choices to millions of businesses or individuals who choose to opt into it, including many who simply can't afford health care now.
Lie #3: President Obama wants to implement Soviet-style rationing!!!
The truth: Health care reform will expand access to high-quality health insurance, and give individuals, families, and businesses more choices for coverage. Right now, big corporations decide whether to give you coverage, what doctors you get to see, and whether a particular procedure or medicine is covered—that is rationed care. And a big part of reform is to stop that.
Health care reform will do away with some of the most nefarious aspects of this rationing: discrimination for pre-existing conditions, insurers that cancel coverage when you get sick, gender discrimination, and lifetime and yearly limits on coverage.9 And outside of that, as noted above, reform will increase insurance options, not force anyone into a rationed situation.
Lie #4: Obama is secretly plotting to cut senior citizens' Medicare benefits!!!
The truth: Health care reform plans will not reduce Medicare benefits.10 Reform includes savings from Medicare that are unrelated to patient care—in fact, the savings comes from cutting billions of dollars in overpayments to insurance companies and eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse.11
Lie #5: Obama's health care plan will bankrupt America!!!
The truth: We need health care reform now in order to prevent bankruptcy—to control spiraling costs that affect individuals, families, small businesses, and the American economy.
Right now, we spend more than $2 trillion dollars a year on health care.12 The average family premium is projected to rise to over $22,000 in the next decade13—and each year, nearly a million people face bankruptcy because of medical expenses.14 Reform, with an affordable, high-quality public option that can spur competition, is necessary to bring down skyrocketing costs. Also, President Obama's reform plans would be fully paid for over 10 years and not add a penny to the deficit.15
We're closer to real health care reform than we've ever been—and the next few weeks will decide whether it happens. We need to make sure the truth about health care reform is spread far and wide to combat right wing lies.
Can you forward this email to your friends today? And remember, also post it on Facebook by clicking here: http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51746. And on Twitter, by retweeting: @MoveOn Check out the Top 5 Health Care Lies—and How to Fight Back. http://bit.ly/Bncs5
Thanks for all you do.
–Nita, Kat, Ilya, Michael and the rest of the team
That all said, I actually READ this email from MoveOn. Sounds valid to me.
Top Five Health Care Reform Lies—and How to Fight Back
Lie #1: President Obama wants to euthanize your grandma!!!
The truth: These accusations—of "death panels" and forced euthanasia—are, of course, flatly untrue. As an article from the Associated Press puts it: "No 'death panel' in health care bill."4 What's the real deal? Reform legislation includes a provision, supported by the AARP, to offer senior citizens access to a professional medical counselor who will provide them with information on preparing a living will and other issues facing older Americans.5
Lie #2: Democrats are going to outlaw private insurance and force you into a government plan!!!
The truth: With reform, choices will increase, not decrease. Obama's reform plans will create a health insurance exchange, a one-stop shopping marketplace for affordable, high-quality insurance options.6 Included in the exchange is the public health insurance option—a nationwide plan with a broad network of providers—that will operate alongside private insurance companies, injecting competition into the market to drive quality up and costs down.7
If you're happy with your coverage and doctors, you can keep them.8 But the new public plan will expand choices to millions of businesses or individuals who choose to opt into it, including many who simply can't afford health care now.
Lie #3: President Obama wants to implement Soviet-style rationing!!!
The truth: Health care reform will expand access to high-quality health insurance, and give individuals, families, and businesses more choices for coverage. Right now, big corporations decide whether to give you coverage, what doctors you get to see, and whether a particular procedure or medicine is covered—that is rationed care. And a big part of reform is to stop that.
Health care reform will do away with some of the most nefarious aspects of this rationing: discrimination for pre-existing conditions, insurers that cancel coverage when you get sick, gender discrimination, and lifetime and yearly limits on coverage.9 And outside of that, as noted above, reform will increase insurance options, not force anyone into a rationed situation.
Lie #4: Obama is secretly plotting to cut senior citizens' Medicare benefits!!!
The truth: Health care reform plans will not reduce Medicare benefits.10 Reform includes savings from Medicare that are unrelated to patient care—in fact, the savings comes from cutting billions of dollars in overpayments to insurance companies and eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse.11
Lie #5: Obama's health care plan will bankrupt America!!!
The truth: We need health care reform now in order to prevent bankruptcy—to control spiraling costs that affect individuals, families, small businesses, and the American economy.
Right now, we spend more than $2 trillion dollars a year on health care.12 The average family premium is projected to rise to over $22,000 in the next decade13—and each year, nearly a million people face bankruptcy because of medical expenses.14 Reform, with an affordable, high-quality public option that can spur competition, is necessary to bring down skyrocketing costs. Also, President Obama's reform plans would be fully paid for over 10 years and not add a penny to the deficit.15
We're closer to real health care reform than we've ever been—and the next few weeks will decide whether it happens. We need to make sure the truth about health care reform is spread far and wide to combat right wing lies.
Can you forward this email to your friends today? And remember, also post it on Facebook by clicking here: http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51746. And on Twitter, by retweeting: @MoveOn Check out the Top 5 Health Care Lies—and How to Fight Back. http://bit.ly/Bncs5
Thanks for all you do.
–Nita, Kat, Ilya, Michael and the rest of the team
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
New procrastinating tool (or maybe everyone else already knew about it):
Item Not As Described
(yes that is a link)
Item Not As Described
(yes that is a link)
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
The infamous video from Kamala, one of my hoop instructors. . . you know I don't get what's SO provocative about it (except, actually I have to retract that when I see the still image below), and so I can see why she didn't either (she told us about this in class because she was teaching us this move and said she'd been silly enough to put up a video of it WITHOUT the hoop, which. . . well. . . go to the youtube page and check out the comments. Or just imagine what they say, it's not too hard). I think it's far and away their most viewed video. youtube is hilarious.
I mean seriously. She's wearing way more clothes than she usually does in class. ;-)
I mean seriously. She's wearing way more clothes than she usually does in class. ;-)
iTunes
I assume other people also check out their iTunes Top 25 Most Played on occasion to see what, apparently, their favorite songs are? There are a few that are always up there, though they shift around a little. I thought I'd share mine, along with who led me to the music. I'm curious--do my readers know these songs? I kind of have no idea how this fits in with what other people listen to. Also, given this information, what should I tell people when they ask what kind of music I like?
These are the top 10, in order.
1) "True Affection," The Blow
Credits to: Elizabeth
I don't know quite how this made it to #1--I think I just add it to a lot of playlists and so it plays through a lot; I rarely actively "go after" it to hear it, but it's always welcome, you know? The video, btw, REALLY creepy.
2) "Mistress," Inara George
Credits to: Frank
This song encompasses more of my love life than I'd like it to. Or at least the angsty bits. I really like the part about her hair; it's just very sad but resigned? I often feel compelled to cut off my hair when I'm sad, and there is something about wanting the person who has hurt you to finalize that pain in a concrete way. This is going to go too far into my psychology if I talk about it more.
3) "Little Bit," Lykke Li
Credits to: Bill
Just LOVE. And how I feel all the time, about all sorts of people. And LOVE Lykke Li, though will eternally regret my mishap at her concert. I need to see her again--actually is it tonight she's in LA??
4) "You Turned My Head Around," Dean & Britta
Credits to: Bill
Dunno Bill, I hear you've dedicated this one to people other than me, but it seems I like it anyway ;-). And you took me to my second concert ever!
5) "Ceremony," New Order
Credits to: Dan
Again, LOVE. Just the first chords make my heart feel lighter. I have no idea what they're saying in half of it.
6) "Archipelago," Mirah
Credits to: Anthropologie
Makes me think of Phedre and the pirates :-D.
7) "Gone Under Sea," Electrelane
Credits to: Dan
Another like "True Affection"--not explicitly a "favorite song," but always fits nicely, so I suppose, again, have added it to a lot of playlists.
8) "Love Song," Lindsay West
Credits to: Dan
This is from an artist on a podcast by Tom (?) Ravenscroft, John Peel's son, which I downloaded from its website. She doesn't have any albums or really presence at all, as far as I can tell, but I love the three songs I have.
9) "Poker Face," Lady Gaga
Credits to: Sally
I am so embarrassed this is in my top 10. CURSE YOU, 39B! I know I listen to it a lot, but it's definitely 39B that tipped it over the edge, every time I read a paper about it I had to listen to it five times to get it out of my head. I can't believe it even beat out Shakira to get on this list.
10) "Meaningless," Magnetic Fields
Credits to: Jason
Yes Yes Yes, it was totally meaningless. I knew it.
I assume other people also check out their iTunes Top 25 Most Played on occasion to see what, apparently, their favorite songs are? There are a few that are always up there, though they shift around a little. I thought I'd share mine, along with who led me to the music. I'm curious--do my readers know these songs? I kind of have no idea how this fits in with what other people listen to. Also, given this information, what should I tell people when they ask what kind of music I like?
These are the top 10, in order.
1) "True Affection," The Blow
Credits to: Elizabeth
I don't know quite how this made it to #1--I think I just add it to a lot of playlists and so it plays through a lot; I rarely actively "go after" it to hear it, but it's always welcome, you know? The video, btw, REALLY creepy.
2) "Mistress," Inara George
Credits to: Frank
This song encompasses more of my love life than I'd like it to. Or at least the angsty bits. I really like the part about her hair; it's just very sad but resigned? I often feel compelled to cut off my hair when I'm sad, and there is something about wanting the person who has hurt you to finalize that pain in a concrete way. This is going to go too far into my psychology if I talk about it more.
3) "Little Bit," Lykke Li
Credits to: Bill
Just LOVE. And how I feel all the time, about all sorts of people. And LOVE Lykke Li, though will eternally regret my mishap at her concert. I need to see her again--actually is it tonight she's in LA??
4) "You Turned My Head Around," Dean & Britta
Credits to: Bill
Dunno Bill, I hear you've dedicated this one to people other than me, but it seems I like it anyway ;-). And you took me to my second concert ever!
5) "Ceremony," New Order
Credits to: Dan
Again, LOVE. Just the first chords make my heart feel lighter. I have no idea what they're saying in half of it.
6) "Archipelago," Mirah
Credits to: Anthropologie
Makes me think of Phedre and the pirates :-D.
7) "Gone Under Sea," Electrelane
Credits to: Dan
Another like "True Affection"--not explicitly a "favorite song," but always fits nicely, so I suppose, again, have added it to a lot of playlists.
8) "Love Song," Lindsay West
Credits to: Dan
This is from an artist on a podcast by Tom (?) Ravenscroft, John Peel's son, which I downloaded from its website. She doesn't have any albums or really presence at all, as far as I can tell, but I love the three songs I have.
9) "Poker Face," Lady Gaga
Credits to: Sally
I am so embarrassed this is in my top 10. CURSE YOU, 39B! I know I listen to it a lot, but it's definitely 39B that tipped it over the edge, every time I read a paper about it I had to listen to it five times to get it out of my head. I can't believe it even beat out Shakira to get on this list.
10) "Meaningless," Magnetic Fields
Credits to: Jason
Yes Yes Yes, it was totally meaningless. I knew it.
Music
I do really want to know if there's a tool to upload songs by themselves on here--I often want to share music. . . I suppose Blogger can't deal with the memory required to actually upload the song? Is there a website that hosts music, like youtube? I suppose I should go to help or something and look this up myself. . .
I do really want to know if there's a tool to upload songs by themselves on here--I often want to share music. . . I suppose Blogger can't deal with the memory required to actually upload the song? Is there a website that hosts music, like youtube? I suppose I should go to help or something and look this up myself. . .
Sunday, August 02, 2009
Saturday, August 01, 2009
Do you know the Muse song, "Time is Running Out"? It popped into my head today as, I think, a result of severe hypochondria (is it hypochondria if it turns out you really DO have something wrong with you?). Anyway I realized this both pretty much epitomizes the way I frequently feel about 1) relationships; 2) life; and 3) well, exams, kinda :-P.
I'm too lazy to look up the dates, but I'm thinking definitely pre-2005 at least. It's hard to take this song super seriously when I feel like it kind of reeks of teenagerhood, but you know, I think it took me about five extra years to become a teenager, which means I'm like, 21 now or something. Anyway so below are 1) the lyrics; and 2) the video. You'll prob remember the song.
What confuses me: HOW does this video have ANYTHING to do with the song? I should show this to my students as proof that a music video (e.g., Shakira) does *not* actually explain a song.
Secondly, the comments on youtube link it to TWILIGHT. And it's true the lyrics are super vampiric and Bella-like, but it's kind of hilarious that people grab a song from however many years ago and appropriately miss-apply it (in that it has nothing to do with Twilight literally, but it does thematically). Or maybe it's in the new movie or something, what do I know?
Actually, as I reread the lyrics and think "Twilight," it's kind of impossible *not* to see the connection. . . but seriously when it popped into my head I wasn't even thinking about vampires! Not literal ones anyway. . . (but love is vampiric read my undergrad honors thesis e.g. jane eyre + dracula symbolism blah).
"Time is Running Out"
I think I'm drowning
Asphyxiated
I wanna break this spell
That you've created
You're something beautiful
A contradiction
I wanna play the game
I want the friction
You will be the death of me
You will be the death of me
Bury it
I won't let you bury it
I won't let you smother it
I won't let you murder it
Our time is running out
Our time is running out
You can't push it underground
You can't stop it screaming out
I wanted freedom
Bound and restricted
I tried to give you up
But I'm addicted
Now that you know I'm trapped sense of elation
You'd never dream of
Breaking this fixation
You will squeeze the life out of me
Bury it
I won't let you bury it
I won't let you smother it
I won't let you murder it
Our time is running out
Our time is running out
You can't push it underground
You can't stop it screaming out
How did it come to this?
Oh
You will suck the life out of me
Bury it
I won't let you bury it
I won't let you smother it
I won't let you murder it
Our time is running out
Our time is running out
You can't push it underground
You can't stop it screaming out
How did it come to this?
I'm too lazy to look up the dates, but I'm thinking definitely pre-2005 at least. It's hard to take this song super seriously when I feel like it kind of reeks of teenagerhood, but you know, I think it took me about five extra years to become a teenager, which means I'm like, 21 now or something. Anyway so below are 1) the lyrics; and 2) the video. You'll prob remember the song.
What confuses me: HOW does this video have ANYTHING to do with the song? I should show this to my students as proof that a music video (e.g., Shakira) does *not* actually explain a song.
Secondly, the comments on youtube link it to TWILIGHT. And it's true the lyrics are super vampiric and Bella-like, but it's kind of hilarious that people grab a song from however many years ago and appropriately miss-apply it (in that it has nothing to do with Twilight literally, but it does thematically). Or maybe it's in the new movie or something, what do I know?
Actually, as I reread the lyrics and think "Twilight," it's kind of impossible *not* to see the connection. . . but seriously when it popped into my head I wasn't even thinking about vampires! Not literal ones anyway. . . (but love is vampiric read my undergrad honors thesis e.g. jane eyre + dracula symbolism blah).
"Time is Running Out"
I think I'm drowning
Asphyxiated
I wanna break this spell
That you've created
You're something beautiful
A contradiction
I wanna play the game
I want the friction
You will be the death of me
You will be the death of me
Bury it
I won't let you bury it
I won't let you smother it
I won't let you murder it
Our time is running out
Our time is running out
You can't push it underground
You can't stop it screaming out
I wanted freedom
Bound and restricted
I tried to give you up
But I'm addicted
Now that you know I'm trapped sense of elation
You'd never dream of
Breaking this fixation
You will squeeze the life out of me
Bury it
I won't let you bury it
I won't let you smother it
I won't let you murder it
Our time is running out
Our time is running out
You can't push it underground
You can't stop it screaming out
How did it come to this?
Oh
You will suck the life out of me
Bury it
I won't let you bury it
I won't let you smother it
I won't let you murder it
Our time is running out
Our time is running out
You can't push it underground
You can't stop it screaming out
How did it come to this?
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