Happy 101st Birthday, Grandma Evelyn. The Boyfriend had the distinct pleasure of his first trip into the Bronx, NY today to visit my grandmother, Evelyn. Evelyn has lived in this house since way before I was born - my mother grew up there and her bedroom looks exactly the same as if you were waiting for a 7 year old girl to come home from school. In fact, the thing I like best about this home is that everything looks exactly the way it probably looked in 1945. There is a full dental office upstairs with ceramic models of people's teeth in one cabinet and a complete general doctor's office downstairs. I learned today that my grandmother received a Master of Arts from Columbia University. She was a teacher back in the day and a very smart lady. To be there to celebrate her 101st birthday was wonderful. We were there with my parents, my sister, her husband and their 4 kids. Quite a commotion. I hope I have that much family surrounding me if I make it to 101.
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Friday, April 10, 2009
Da Bronx
Happy 101st Birthday, Grandma Evelyn. The Boyfriend had the distinct pleasure of his first trip into the Bronx, NY today to visit my grandmother, Evelyn. Evelyn has lived in this house since way before I was born - my mother grew up there and her bedroom looks exactly the same as if you were waiting for a 7 year old girl to come home from school. In fact, the thing I like best about this home is that everything looks exactly the way it probably looked in 1945. There is a full dental office upstairs with ceramic models of people's teeth in one cabinet and a complete general doctor's office downstairs. I learned today that my grandmother received a Master of Arts from Columbia University. She was a teacher back in the day and a very smart lady. To be there to celebrate her 101st birthday was wonderful. We were there with my parents, my sister, her husband and their 4 kids. Quite a commotion. I hope I have that much family surrounding me if I make it to 101.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Happy Passover and Easter!!
I hope you all are enjoying the holidays. I found out, happily, the my office is closed tomorrow for Good Friday. For all of you who attended Passover seders last night and who plan on attending them tonight, I hope you are enjoying those first couple of days of matzah love. A couple days from now, you'll start with matzah lasagna, matzah pies, matzah pizza and of course, matzah brie (which is like French toast, using matzah). The food we ate at our seder last night was from Whole Foods. They make a mean brisket.
To all of you celebrating Easter, enjoy!!
To all of you celebrating Easter, enjoy!!
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
DWTS - Viennese Waltz and Bull Rider and La Mujer
At around 11:45 PM last night, I decided that I better watch Dancing With the Stars, or I'm going to be too far behind on my shows. Now that The Hills is back on MTV and we started taping the Ellen DeGeneres show (which I absolutely love), the DVR is filling up fast.
Once again Gilles was en fuego. I loved when he started off the dance with his upper body completely bare. I think they must have waxed him - he was way too smoothe and glistening for any other explanation to make sense. He is definitely in a class of his own. I love that the audience gave him a standing ovation - and went crazy for him before, during and after his performance. You never know what Gilles and Cheryl will do next. Their dancing is exciting, full of passion - and I am always wondering whether his wife likes watching him dance like that with another woman. Especially when the judges open comment that Gilles and Cheryl have hot "sexual chemistry." How awkward is that? One other point - I like that Gilles brought his son with him to rehearsal. It showed a different side of him - a family man. Not just a sexual object with a waxed chest.
David Alan Grier was starting to bother me. I know he's the funnyman and everyone is supposed to laugh at his jokes, but it was definitely his time to go, so I'm ok that he got the boot last night.
I really like Steve-O and his entourage that comes every week. I absolutely loved Lacey's purple dress and hair last night - had a very French theme to it, and it was great. Steve's got a great following, so I'm hoping he'll stick around for a bit.
Julianne's pink flowing dress was beauitful, but I often have a hard time noticing Chuck because Julianne is so incredible to watch. Their Viennese Waltz was elegant, like Barbie and Ken go to prom elegant, but Chuck was not standing out too much ahead of the crowd. He's still cute, and these two get by equally on the fact that they are a real life couple, that all females in their teens and 20s want to be Julianne and date Chuck, and for the country music vote.
Speaking of country, Ty Murray and Chelsea also have that chemistry thing going on. He took her to see some bulls and then she actually got on his back and rode him. Jewel was smiling away in the audience, but she can't be thrilled about this. Ty is still kind of awkward out there, but I think he's a good ole country boy and giving it his best shot.
I can't really remember Lawrence Taylor's performance, but I do remember Edyta's insane outfits during dress rehearsal. She loves showing off her legs. Of course if I had her body, I'd walk around naked all of the time. LT didn't score so well, and ended up in the bottom two. He may be next to go after Mr. Grier.
Prince Romeo and Lil Kim had a decent night, tying for second place. They still look so odd together, like an acrobat and hula dancer. Oil and water, but they seem to be doing ok in the rankings.
People keep saying that Melissa had an off night, because she was trying too hard to focus on her facial expressions, but I thought she still did great. There was one point where she messed up and started smiling, but I actually thought this was charming, rather than an error. It showed her human side. She was great.
Shawn, Shawn. I hope they did something really bad to the guy who was going to torture you. You are sooooo cute, and there's no room or judge you couldn't charm once you flash that adorable smile of yours. I like the Viennese waltz on her - and she definitely completed it in a very graceful and simplistic style that the judges liked. They always put her in these romantic / almost kiss / positions with Mark Ballas, which feels kind of like a babysitter making out with the kid they are sitting for. It feels a bit strange, but anything that Shawn does, I'm ok with.
Let me hear your thoughts on last night's show!
Once again Gilles was en fuego. I loved when he started off the dance with his upper body completely bare. I think they must have waxed him - he was way too smoothe and glistening for any other explanation to make sense. He is definitely in a class of his own. I love that the audience gave him a standing ovation - and went crazy for him before, during and after his performance. You never know what Gilles and Cheryl will do next. Their dancing is exciting, full of passion - and I am always wondering whether his wife likes watching him dance like that with another woman. Especially when the judges open comment that Gilles and Cheryl have hot "sexual chemistry." How awkward is that? One other point - I like that Gilles brought his son with him to rehearsal. It showed a different side of him - a family man. Not just a sexual object with a waxed chest.
David Alan Grier was starting to bother me. I know he's the funnyman and everyone is supposed to laugh at his jokes, but it was definitely his time to go, so I'm ok that he got the boot last night.
I really like Steve-O and his entourage that comes every week. I absolutely loved Lacey's purple dress and hair last night - had a very French theme to it, and it was great. Steve's got a great following, so I'm hoping he'll stick around for a bit.
Julianne's pink flowing dress was beauitful, but I often have a hard time noticing Chuck because Julianne is so incredible to watch. Their Viennese Waltz was elegant, like Barbie and Ken go to prom elegant, but Chuck was not standing out too much ahead of the crowd. He's still cute, and these two get by equally on the fact that they are a real life couple, that all females in their teens and 20s want to be Julianne and date Chuck, and for the country music vote.
Speaking of country, Ty Murray and Chelsea also have that chemistry thing going on. He took her to see some bulls and then she actually got on his back and rode him. Jewel was smiling away in the audience, but she can't be thrilled about this. Ty is still kind of awkward out there, but I think he's a good ole country boy and giving it his best shot.
I can't really remember Lawrence Taylor's performance, but I do remember Edyta's insane outfits during dress rehearsal. She loves showing off her legs. Of course if I had her body, I'd walk around naked all of the time. LT didn't score so well, and ended up in the bottom two. He may be next to go after Mr. Grier.
Prince Romeo and Lil Kim had a decent night, tying for second place. They still look so odd together, like an acrobat and hula dancer. Oil and water, but they seem to be doing ok in the rankings.
People keep saying that Melissa had an off night, because she was trying too hard to focus on her facial expressions, but I thought she still did great. There was one point where she messed up and started smiling, but I actually thought this was charming, rather than an error. It showed her human side. She was great.
Shawn, Shawn. I hope they did something really bad to the guy who was going to torture you. You are sooooo cute, and there's no room or judge you couldn't charm once you flash that adorable smile of yours. I like the Viennese waltz on her - and she definitely completed it in a very graceful and simplistic style that the judges liked. They always put her in these romantic / almost kiss / positions with Mark Ballas, which feels kind of like a babysitter making out with the kid they are sitting for. It feels a bit strange, but anything that Shawn does, I'm ok with.
Let me hear your thoughts on last night's show!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
DWTS Recap - Later, Emory Softball 10 Year Reunion
I returned to Atlanta, GA this past weekend, 10 years after I graduated from Emory University. The occasion was that the Emory Varsity Softball Team was having its 10 year reunion. I was a senior when the administration finally determined to add softball as a Varsity sport. It was a combination of Title IX, a federal law mandating that the number of female Varsity athletes needs to be within 5% of the female population. At the time, the female population of Emory was 55%, whereas the number of female Varsity athletes was only 45%. As a freshman, I had created the Softball Club and by Sophomore year, we had recruited over 60 students to attend our first meeting. We had practices twice a week and played on the lower fields of Emory University, called Candler Field, as there was no softball complex at the time. The Varsity baseball team had a beautiful stadium with a state of the art sound system, batting cages, locker rooms, bathrooms, etc. but softball had not followed at the same pace.
My junior year of college, we contacted another local softball team in the area and challenged them to a game. On March 30, 1998, Emory University played in its first ever fast pitched softball game against Agnes Scott College. Emory won, 10-1, by the mercy rule. With the success and popularity of the Softball Club, the administration went forward with its decision to create the Varsity program. I sat in on several interviews with potential coaches, the last of which is where we met the current coach, Penny Siqueiros. Penny was hired and the process of tryouts began. We started holding tryouts the fall of my senior year. They were held in the Woodruff PE Center. Practices were still held at Candler Field, but the school broke ground on creating an Emory Softball complex, right next to the Varsity Baseball stadium. The company who designed and built the softball complex was the same company that built the Atlanta Olympic Softball complex. I became a Captain of this historic team and loved that roll. We didn't know it at the time, but we were making history.
Rising from Softball Club status to Varsity was a huge transition. Many of us had not had regular intesive physical training - and the beginning was rough. The only available group timeslot to use the weight and machine area was in the early morning. As a senior, this meant a lot of lost sleep, as I would go out to parties that ended at 2 or 3 AM, get home, put on my uniform, and fall asleep. I set the alarm for 3 hours later, woke up in the dark, brushed my teeth, and got in the car to pick up some of my teammates. We were not allowed to be late, and I can still remember getting to every practice 15 minutes early (around 6:30 or 6:45 AM) just to make sure I wouldn't have to run an extra mile or do suicides if I was in fact late. I would go straight back to bed after. Every time.
By the time our first game rolled around in the spring of 1999, we were ready. And so was the softball complex. Opening day was freezing cold. We were all in our winter coats, wearing gloves and hats in between innings. We won that game anyhow against Brevard College. That season was tough. We struggled against more experience teams. We won some and we lost some. In the end, we knew that we were a part of something unique, that would be remembered in the years to come.
Going back to Emory this weekend, I saw that my initial work of getting a Varsity Softball team at Emory had really paid off. We watched them participate in a double header and you could see how strong the talent of my Emory Eagles is. These girls work hard, love to play, are disciplined and committed to being the best they can be. It was extremely satisfying to see what the program has become. Even The Boyfriend appreciated the incredible caliber of the program.
We learned that Emory is now interested in building a $1.2 million stadium for this team which will be the best Division III Varsity Softball stadium out there. I have no doubt it will get done. I wish the Emory Softball program nothing but success and can't wait to go back and visit.
My junior year of college, we contacted another local softball team in the area and challenged them to a game. On March 30, 1998, Emory University played in its first ever fast pitched softball game against Agnes Scott College. Emory won, 10-1, by the mercy rule. With the success and popularity of the Softball Club, the administration went forward with its decision to create the Varsity program. I sat in on several interviews with potential coaches, the last of which is where we met the current coach, Penny Siqueiros. Penny was hired and the process of tryouts began. We started holding tryouts the fall of my senior year. They were held in the Woodruff PE Center. Practices were still held at Candler Field, but the school broke ground on creating an Emory Softball complex, right next to the Varsity Baseball stadium. The company who designed and built the softball complex was the same company that built the Atlanta Olympic Softball complex. I became a Captain of this historic team and loved that roll. We didn't know it at the time, but we were making history.
Rising from Softball Club status to Varsity was a huge transition. Many of us had not had regular intesive physical training - and the beginning was rough. The only available group timeslot to use the weight and machine area was in the early morning. As a senior, this meant a lot of lost sleep, as I would go out to parties that ended at 2 or 3 AM, get home, put on my uniform, and fall asleep. I set the alarm for 3 hours later, woke up in the dark, brushed my teeth, and got in the car to pick up some of my teammates. We were not allowed to be late, and I can still remember getting to every practice 15 minutes early (around 6:30 or 6:45 AM) just to make sure I wouldn't have to run an extra mile or do suicides if I was in fact late. I would go straight back to bed after. Every time.
By the time our first game rolled around in the spring of 1999, we were ready. And so was the softball complex. Opening day was freezing cold. We were all in our winter coats, wearing gloves and hats in between innings. We won that game anyhow against Brevard College. That season was tough. We struggled against more experience teams. We won some and we lost some. In the end, we knew that we were a part of something unique, that would be remembered in the years to come.
Going back to Emory this weekend, I saw that my initial work of getting a Varsity Softball team at Emory had really paid off. We watched them participate in a double header and you could see how strong the talent of my Emory Eagles is. These girls work hard, love to play, are disciplined and committed to being the best they can be. It was extremely satisfying to see what the program has become. Even The Boyfriend appreciated the incredible caliber of the program.
We learned that Emory is now interested in building a $1.2 million stadium for this team which will be the best Division III Varsity Softball stadium out there. I have no doubt it will get done. I wish the Emory Softball program nothing but success and can't wait to go back and visit.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Goodbye to Megan, the Gorgeous Squawking Bird
Did anybody else wonder what the hell Megan Joy Corkery was thinking when she squawked like a bird to the "bottom 3" chairs on Idol last night? Her singing awkardly was one thing. At least it could sometimes pass as unique. But the strange dance moves she attempted combined with the bird thing was downright on another level.
Only more strange than Megan was that punk rocker blonde chick who played the piano full of bubbles and had a leather eye patch with a zipper opened over one of her eyes. I have no idea what she was trying to prove, but I can definitely say she was trying to hide her face. I could not get a clear view of it no matter how many angles they showed her from. Where did they find this girl? David Cook was a thousand times better - and all he did was sing his song, dressed like a human being (and by not wearing an alien outfit like the blondie zipper eye patch girl wearing an aluminum foil bow for a top).
Also - did anyone else think it was kind of mean when they were all imitating each other at the beginning of the show? It was kind of tense - and actually kind of mean, I thought. They all tried to laugh it off, but I am sure the competition is heating up and there are some jealousies going on.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,512145,00.html
Only more strange than Megan was that punk rocker blonde chick who played the piano full of bubbles and had a leather eye patch with a zipper opened over one of her eyes. I have no idea what she was trying to prove, but I can definitely say she was trying to hide her face. I could not get a clear view of it no matter how many angles they showed her from. Where did they find this girl? David Cook was a thousand times better - and all he did was sing his song, dressed like a human being (and by not wearing an alien outfit like the blondie zipper eye patch girl wearing an aluminum foil bow for a top).
Also - did anyone else think it was kind of mean when they were all imitating each other at the beginning of the show? It was kind of tense - and actually kind of mean, I thought. They all tried to laugh it off, but I am sure the competition is heating up and there are some jealousies going on.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,512145,00.html
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
The Woz, Barbie, 24 and Idol
Holly Madison and Steve Wozniak not suprisingly got the boot on last night's Dancing With the Stars. We know the Woz will go back to tinkering with gadgets, but I wonder what Holly will do. Last I heard, she broke up with that freaky Criss Angel guy who performs magic tricks in Vegas. That was after she dumped Hugh Hefner and her life as a playmate.
Huge has not sat quietly since breaking up with Holly. He is now after Melissa Rycroft. Not romantically, however, he just wants her to pose naked for Playboy for $500,000. Melissa is legally unable to accept Huge's offer, even if she wanted to. Her contract with ABC for DWTS forbids her to pose naked now and for 3 months after the show ends. Protecting her good girl reputation is top priority (at least that's what it sounds like). http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/report-dancing-bachelorette-melissa-rycroft-offered-500k-pose-8694.php
In other new, I came home last night from work to find that The Boyfriend had picked up dinner, did the laundry, emptied the dishwasher and set the table. I almost fainted. It was not a dream. We ate a delicious meal and then retired to the couch where we got to speed plough through our DVR. First on the list - 24. Poor Jack!! I can't believe he's infiltrated with the biochemical that will ultimately lead to his death. How is he going to get himself out of this one?? I thought Renee was going to make out with him when she had him alone while debriefing him. Not sure if biochemicals are contagious though, like a cold or mono. Hmmm.
On last night's episode of 24, Jack is quarantined by CDC after being exposed to a biochemical weapon he manages to steal from the arms of a huge military contracts company called Starburst, or something like that. Starburst has been testing their biochemical weapon of mass destruction on helpless civilians in Africa (Bush was right, it DOES exist afterall, but hey - it's the Americans that are responsible for creating, testing and bringing it on US soil - how ironic?). Meanwhile Tony Almeda - the rogue ex CTU hottie is being beaten to death inside the headquarters of Starburst. The 2nd in command eventually frees Tony Almeda, tells him he wants immunity in return for telling him where the weapons are. The President grants #2 immunity, the FBI swarms in on the scene at Starburst to get the weapons, and wouldn't you know - #2 has tricked them - the warehouse he leads everybody to is empty. This gives Angelina Jolie's father (the CEO of Starburst) more time to hide the evidence of this weapon or do something really bad with it (we can't be sure what is really going on or what Mr. Jolie's intentions are). Really, I'm just wondering how he made one of the most incredibly looking females in the world right now (Angelina). She probably takes after her mother. Whatever.
The FBI head, Larry, gives the command to search the rest of the headquarters which is massive. Just as they are about to divide and conquer, they get surrounded by bad guys with guns. The bad guys with guns threaten them and so it looks like all is lost. Meanwhile, back at the White House, President Allison Taylor makes her daughter, Olivia, the acting Chief of Staff until a more permanent solution can be devised. Taylor is very upset. There is a 80:1 chance that she will answer every telephone call with the word, "WHAT????" whenever she received news. She can't believe that the US allowed such a stupid situation to occur. I agree. Pretty stupid.
So Jack, who is at FBI headquarters waiting to see when this dementia and certain death will reach him after being exposed to biochemical warfare, is almost certain to go out and take care of business himself. Go Jack!!! I'm guessing that there will be someone who can cure him of his certain death in the next episode. The CDC actors looked far too competent to let our hero die. Til next week...
American Idol was a bit on the boring side. Contestants are either AMAZING (Danny Gokey, Kris Allen, Adam Lambert) or SINKING (Megan Joy, Anoop, Lil Rounds). They need to step it up. Allison Iraheta definitely needs a makeover. She looked like a cross between an oompa loompa and Rainbow Brite. Scott McIntyre was pretty good, but I think he does the same kind of performance each week and I just don't think he's better than good. As The Boyfriend said - he'd be great playing in the lobby of Nordstrom's. Perfect assessment. I'm guessing Megan Joy may get the boot tonight. She sang a Bob Marley song last night and murdered it. I could totally have seen her doing Amy Whinehouse's "Rehab." No such luck.
Huge has not sat quietly since breaking up with Holly. He is now after Melissa Rycroft. Not romantically, however, he just wants her to pose naked for Playboy for $500,000. Melissa is legally unable to accept Huge's offer, even if she wanted to. Her contract with ABC for DWTS forbids her to pose naked now and for 3 months after the show ends. Protecting her good girl reputation is top priority (at least that's what it sounds like). http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/report-dancing-bachelorette-melissa-rycroft-offered-500k-pose-8694.php
In other new, I came home last night from work to find that The Boyfriend had picked up dinner, did the laundry, emptied the dishwasher and set the table. I almost fainted. It was not a dream. We ate a delicious meal and then retired to the couch where we got to speed plough through our DVR. First on the list - 24. Poor Jack!! I can't believe he's infiltrated with the biochemical that will ultimately lead to his death. How is he going to get himself out of this one?? I thought Renee was going to make out with him when she had him alone while debriefing him. Not sure if biochemicals are contagious though, like a cold or mono. Hmmm.
On last night's episode of 24, Jack is quarantined by CDC after being exposed to a biochemical weapon he manages to steal from the arms of a huge military contracts company called Starburst, or something like that. Starburst has been testing their biochemical weapon of mass destruction on helpless civilians in Africa (Bush was right, it DOES exist afterall, but hey - it's the Americans that are responsible for creating, testing and bringing it on US soil - how ironic?). Meanwhile Tony Almeda - the rogue ex CTU hottie is being beaten to death inside the headquarters of Starburst. The 2nd in command eventually frees Tony Almeda, tells him he wants immunity in return for telling him where the weapons are. The President grants #2 immunity, the FBI swarms in on the scene at Starburst to get the weapons, and wouldn't you know - #2 has tricked them - the warehouse he leads everybody to is empty. This gives Angelina Jolie's father (the CEO of Starburst) more time to hide the evidence of this weapon or do something really bad with it (we can't be sure what is really going on or what Mr. Jolie's intentions are). Really, I'm just wondering how he made one of the most incredibly looking females in the world right now (Angelina). She probably takes after her mother. Whatever.
The FBI head, Larry, gives the command to search the rest of the headquarters which is massive. Just as they are about to divide and conquer, they get surrounded by bad guys with guns. The bad guys with guns threaten them and so it looks like all is lost. Meanwhile, back at the White House, President Allison Taylor makes her daughter, Olivia, the acting Chief of Staff until a more permanent solution can be devised. Taylor is very upset. There is a 80:1 chance that she will answer every telephone call with the word, "WHAT????" whenever she received news. She can't believe that the US allowed such a stupid situation to occur. I agree. Pretty stupid.
So Jack, who is at FBI headquarters waiting to see when this dementia and certain death will reach him after being exposed to biochemical warfare, is almost certain to go out and take care of business himself. Go Jack!!! I'm guessing that there will be someone who can cure him of his certain death in the next episode. The CDC actors looked far too competent to let our hero die. Til next week...
American Idol was a bit on the boring side. Contestants are either AMAZING (Danny Gokey, Kris Allen, Adam Lambert) or SINKING (Megan Joy, Anoop, Lil Rounds). They need to step it up. Allison Iraheta definitely needs a makeover. She looked like a cross between an oompa loompa and Rainbow Brite. Scott McIntyre was pretty good, but I think he does the same kind of performance each week and I just don't think he's better than good. As The Boyfriend said - he'd be great playing in the lobby of Nordstrom's. Perfect assessment. I'm guessing Megan Joy may get the boot tonight. She sang a Bob Marley song last night and murdered it. I could totally have seen her doing Amy Whinehouse's "Rehab." No such luck.
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