shoe of the day...

shoe of the day...

Saturday, March 31, 2007

march madness, baby.

i love march madness. love it. love. it. there's a scene from annie hall that has woody allen saying, "love is too weak a word. i lerve you. you know, i lo-ove you. i luff you. there are two "f's." i have to invent... of course i love you." that's exactly how i feel about college basketball and, more specificaly, march madness. there is something so pure, so passionate, so real about the sport. i'd rather watch a college basketball game that do almost anything else. as i type this i'm watching the second of two semifinal games in this year's tournament (ohio state -- the team i picked in my bracket to win it all -- won earlier today. hee.) and i can scarcely contain my glee. i don't even really care who wins this game, and i'm still paralyzed by the action on the tv.

when i was in high school (the waning years of my athletic self) i always dreamed of playing basketball for duke; but not on the women's team. i wanted to play for mike krzyzewski. point guards for duke were idyllic. it was the dream position on the dream team. and i was an indiana fan, so it took a lot for me to want to play for duke. i went to the opening round of the tournament this year, during which i saw the now-infamous duke vs. vcu match, which duke subsequently lost. the loss was disappointing, no doubt, but seeing coach k. in person, on the floor, talking to his boys was beyond exciting. is that vaguely crazy? possibly. we were up in the third tier where the air is thinner... but still. swooning.

why do i love college basketball? it's hard to summarize, but among the reasons: i love the defense. i love the offense. i love the freshman point guard and center who can read each other like a book after having played together in high school. i love the players who are 5'6" and the players who are 6'6". i love the alley-oop, in a forum where it's still thrilling. i love the mistakes and i love the hustle to correct them. i love the lack of names on backs of jerseys. i love watching a point guard take it to the hole. i love three pointers. i love how famous and important alumni come out to support their teams. i love that coaches are more like parents and less like glorified towel boys. i love the respect and i love the commitment. i love the unadulterated joy after a win, and the agony after a defeat.

it. is. beautiful.
go buckeyes.

Friday, March 30, 2007

meh.

bloc party just performed on letterman.
i'm not sure what i hate more: the fact that they all look younger than me or that their waists are significantly smaller than mine.

Thursday, March 29, 2007

webster rolls in his grave.

i work at a bookstore part-time; last night, no fewer than seven customers (in a 4 hour shift, during which i attended to approximately 40 customers) purchased oprah's latest book club selection -- in addition to at least one or two previous selections. now, i do a lot of reading and i take a lot of suggestions and recommendations for books; i am a big proponent for furthering literacy (my advocacy does not, i stress, include this, the thought of which makes me retch.) HOWEVER.

statements such as the following....

In selecting "The Road," not only will Winfrey meet with an author who, according to Bogaards, has given just two interviews in the past 40 years, but she has taken on a novel with little of the uplifting spirit she often favors. (By HILLEL ITALIE, AP National Writer)

...are mind-boggling. "the uplifting spirit she often favors"? now, is the author of this article referring to the uplifting tale of anna karenina? or elie wiesel's night? both revered pieces of literature, but certainly not what anyone would qualify as "uplifting." white oleander? a million little pieces (which i'm honestly surprised is still listed on her website as an official pick)? the deep end of the ocean? house of sand and fog? NOT UPLIFTING. and of the titles that i've not yet read there are certain to be more examples of oprah's "uplifting" slant.

point being: i've read many comments regarding her latest selection as a departure of sorts and i think that either (a) no one has actually been reading the books (maybe they're buying them to appear intelligent and/or "with it" or (b) there are a preposterous number of incorrect dictionaries floating around.



Saturday, March 24, 2007

sleeping. or not.

things with which i am currently obsessed:
  • march madness
  • cupcakes
  • friday night lights
  • goat cheese
  • the fact that hoegaarden beer is pronouced WHO-garden
  • the "upgrade" of my local wegmans (am not pleased)
  • shorts - specifically my hatred of them
  • insomnia
  • the reason(s) why mel gibson has yet to be muzzled and/or have his voicebox removed

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

runaway stains.


i got to work this morning thinking it was a good day. i have no reason to think this other than (a) it was free iced coffee day at dunkin' donuts and (b) i did not lose a hubcap on the way to work. (reason (b) may not seem cause enough for elation, but i looked out the window last week while working job #2, spotted an hideous eye-sore of a vehicle in the parking lot, cracked a joke about it's vacation from the junkyard, only to realize - seconds later - that it was, in fact, my car. so, clearly, every day that i keep my three current hubcaps is a good day. and it was really early and i was caffeine-less so shut up about not recognizing my own car.)

so i'm at work. checking my email. drinking my decaf iced coffee. i look down at the keyboard and notice that my shirt of choice is sporting two rather large, amoeba-esque shaped stains of unknown origin. this is upsetting for two reasons; reason one: i have plans after work and no time to change. reason two: this shirt is dry-clean only. how did this happen? the following conversation ensued via email with a friend of mine:

kc: morning to you.
jl: anything good?
kc: not at all. you?
jl: nope. although, i just looked down at my shirt and found two spots that i don't ever remember seeing. not cool.
kc: haha, i hate when that happens. i am soooo freaking tired.
jl: me too.
kc: can't deal.
jl: watch idol?
kc: nope.
jl: am really bothered by these spots <<attaches picture of spots>>
kc: haha, i can see that. i can't really tell what i'm looking at in this pic though.
jl: can't you see the spots?
kc: not sure.
jl: <<attaches new picture of spots, encircled a la the commentators from monday night football>>
kc: hahaha, you have a stain telestrator.
jl: YES.
kc: hee hee, that's a little crazy.

Thursday, March 15, 2007

dream dates.

i had a dream two nights ago that went something like this:
i was on a date with jake gyllenhaal. am fairly certain we started at some outdoor cafe, typical of a cheesy paparazzi photograph seen on people.com. in fact, i'm positive there was a picture of him and natalie portman at this exact same cafe not too long ago when they were non-dating. so, we're on this date, laughing, chatting, marveling over how incredible his career has become at such a young age. we finish eating, leave the cafe (i'm sure we paid, but if i get chased down by the proprietor in my next dream i'll know that we scammed out on the bill) and start walking down the street. next thing i know, i'm in my kitchen -- same outfit, same hair - presumably the same day -- with tobey maguire (wearing the same outfit that j.g. had on earlier.) tobey then proceeds to offer me some sort of drug. i assume they were drugs, but looked an awful lot like blue sweet-tarts. it was all very alice in wonderland ("drink this."; "eat this.") and it's too bad that not one of those psa's i saw as a kid taught a lesson on what to do if a celebrity offers you an illegal substance because i clearly took the sweet-tart/hallucinogen. and then i woke up. sadness. my one date with jake is interrupted by spider-man? has spider-man not seen my car, with it's spider-man mats and steering wheel cover and (partially melted, broken) bobblehead? he has nothing to be jealous of. there's no need for the drug, tobey.

Thursday, March 8, 2007

the dip.

i realize that in the grand scheme of commuting, i have it pretty easy. with minimal traffic and non-intrusive weather conditions i can make it to work in under 14 minutes. i think that's why it's so painful and so frustrating to be stuck in the car for upwards of 40 minutes - which is what happened this morning due to some (more) snow. because of the not-so-optimal driving conditions i had the radio on, scanning for a traffic report. in the midst of my scanning i stumbled across the following - things that i can only classify as what i don't need to hear on the radio in the morning. or ever.


  • freebird. being stuck in traffic is bad enough without feeling like you're stuck in traffic because you've been listening to the same song for 48 minutes.
  • hotel california. radio programmers? are you listening? i appreciate the warm weather reference, but i can think of at least 4 other songs that mention 'california' that don't have me favoring a walk to work over listening to them.
  • the station i normally listen to interrupted the decemberists with a run of 5 techno remixes. too. early.
  • rob thomas. no. i'm not kidding. am thinking of filing a musical restraining order.
  • sugar ray. i would have forgotten about him if he hadn't hosted some vh1 countdown special a few years back. but why is he still on my radio?
  • OLIVIA NEWTON JOHN. i hate grease. i've always hated grease. it's the movie/musical equivalent of 'the dip' from who framed roger rabbit? - have seen the stage version too many times to count (that's what happens when you date an, ahem, "actor"...and i use those quotes for FULL effect.) that new grease reality show? hate it. so, when i hear 'hopelessly devoted to you' on my radio at 8:45 before my coffee (shut up. i know it's decaf.) i become very, very ornery.

also:
last nite while working job #2 i was talking to a coworker of mine who is constantly being asked if he's gay. if you know me, you know this: i love the gay men. (this will be addressed in a future post when i highlight the brilliance of manchattan, run by my best friend and his three friends-- until then, check out the link.) so, anyway. i was talking to this coworker who is constantly puzzled by this line of questioning. so, he asked me to make him a list of reasons why people might think he's gay. clearly, i have a penchant for making lists, so i gladly accepted the assignment. it didn't take me very long (coworker, "get back to me in an hour." me, "will have it for you in 15 minutes.") and once i gave it to him, i immediately felt guilty. would it hurt his feelings? had i been too harsh? he reassured me that he wasn't offended; in fact he agreed with most of my observations (it's had to argue with facts, such as 'favorite movie is a knight's tale.) and, besides: he owns a hello, kitty! t-shirt. methinks he brought this upon himself.

Thursday, March 1, 2007

video killed the radio star (but made it possible for us to remember what he looked like)



mini-list of bands that i forgot existed until i heard them on the radio this week:


  • everclear (a boy once pre-broke up with me by emailing the lyrics to one of their songs. something about a chair. it made me hate music for a long time. and email.)
  • collective soul (quick. name one of their songs. HA.)
  • bush (i swear to you, i totally forgot that gavin rossdale was once his own person, let alone part of a band.)
  • matchbox 20 (i know. i'm radio stalked by rob thomas. he follows me from station to station -- even stations that shouldn't be playing him. and, granted, it's nice to know we have an institution to blame for his being famous. but who remembers the band? you remember rob thomas with santana. you remember him wearing a kilt to his own wedding. but you don't. remember. the band. except now that i'm thinking about it, i remember both of matchbox 20's album covers being mildly disturbing -- especially the first one, which looked like a picture of the lead singer from barenaked ladies. note: mb20 apparently released three albums. when was this?!)
  • creed (methinks they're trying to forget their band ever existed as well.)
  • eagle eye cherry (was it a band? was it a man? i won a free cd off the radio in 1999 and that's the one i chose. the only other one i remember being offered was, oddly enough, matchbox 20. so, in hindsight, it was wash either way.)
  • barenaked ladies (they performed on letterman last week. they look exactly the same as they did 7 years ago. that's good for them. nice preservation skills.)
  • sixpence none the richer (they had two hit songs that i can recall. one of them was a remake. that basically disqualifies you from having a place in musical history.)

disclaimer: i listen to this station 99% of the time and it plays none of the above, which means the above trip down memory lane happened in an extremely short and random period of time, which just goes to show that i have really bizarre radio karma. the radio gods are smirking.