Short post today, I have a lot to do. And that's because we're hosting a major bash on Saturday. The reason: Halloween. The event: a Disney-themed party. That's right, costumes, decorations, jack o'lanterns, the whole thing has a bit of a Disney twist. Some guests have mentioned that they've made costumes from scratch, some have bought costumes in stores or online, and others have used old costumes and just added a few props to make them Disney-esque. As I have a rather ridiculous Disney vocabulary, I've been helping on and off.
Tonight a few of us will be doing some pumpkin carving. I thought I'd share a few of the links of patterns we'll be using, in case you'd like to carve one of your own in the spirit.
This one has some great designs, but the difficulty is a little much.
Easy and a little lame, but Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather make a cute pumpkin.
Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto have some cute designs here.
Simple, but classic patterns.
Some good, some bad, and all classic Disney.
This one is difficult to navigate, and the patterns are not free. But the examples are amazing, and if it was a SuperHero themed party, I'd definitely be doing the Spiderman pumpkin!
This site was wonderful, but the Disney links are not there this morning. Not sure if they'll return, but I sure hope so!
Fox and the Hound. No lie. If I'm feeling bold, I may try this one.
Captain Jack Sparrow. But reallllly detailed.
An ADORABLE Lady & the Tramp. Another one I'd love to be able to pull off... (and if you click 'next,' you'll see a Mickey!)
I really with PumpkinGlow was working right now, their selection of villains was wonderful, especially Hades and Maleficent, from what I remember... :-\
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Fun with Words
One of my greatest hidden talents is knowing random (and often useless) facts. And since I was able to utilize one today, I figured I'd mention it here. Category: Words. (Today I explained to someone that a pangram was a sentence that included every letter of the alphabet)
Typewriter: the longest word you can type using just the first row of letters.
Reverberates and Stewardesses: twelve-letter words types with just the left hand
Authenticity: each letter alternates the hand that types it.
Verisimilitudes: a long word (not sure if it is the longest) written in alternating consonants and vowels
lillypilly: the longest word written with only letters that are ascenders, descenders, and dotted letters.
gyp: the shortest word written in all descenders.
Sequoia: a word that uses all five vowels.
Facetious: uses all five vowels in alphabetical order. ;)
Facetiously: even tags on the 'y' for super alphabetical order!
Uncomplimentary: a word that uses all five vowels in reverse-alphabetical order.
Spoonfeed and Sponged: two of the longest words with their letters arranged in reverse-alphabetical order.
Rhythms: a fairly long word that includes none of the major vowels.
Strengths: a nine-letter word (I think that's pretty long) with only one vowel.
Uncopyrightable: a fifteen-letter word where no letter repeats. I know there are a few words out there that fits that description, but this is the only one I can ever remember.
Catchphrase: has six consonants in a row! (can you beat that?)
couscous/COUSCOUS: visually, you can't tell the difference between the upper and lowercase versions. any longer ones you know of??
Ushers: contains 5 personal pronouns! (he, she, her, hers, us)
Finally, you have probably known that "the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" is a pangram since you were ten. BUT, that sentence has 33 letters. you can do it in less with "Sphinx of black quartz, judge my vow!" (29 letters)
Amaze me with your word trivia!
Typewriter: the longest word you can type using just the first row of letters.
Reverberates and Stewardesses: twelve-letter words types with just the left hand
Authenticity: each letter alternates the hand that types it.
Verisimilitudes: a long word (not sure if it is the longest) written in alternating consonants and vowels
lillypilly: the longest word written with only letters that are ascenders, descenders, and dotted letters.
gyp: the shortest word written in all descenders.
Sequoia: a word that uses all five vowels.
Facetious: uses all five vowels in alphabetical order. ;)
Facetiously: even tags on the 'y' for super alphabetical order!
Uncomplimentary: a word that uses all five vowels in reverse-alphabetical order.
Spoonfeed and Sponged: two of the longest words with their letters arranged in reverse-alphabetical order.
Rhythms: a fairly long word that includes none of the major vowels.
Strengths: a nine-letter word (I think that's pretty long) with only one vowel.
Uncopyrightable: a fifteen-letter word where no letter repeats. I know there are a few words out there that fits that description, but this is the only one I can ever remember.
Catchphrase: has six consonants in a row! (can you beat that?)
couscous/COUSCOUS: visually, you can't tell the difference between the upper and lowercase versions. any longer ones you know of??
Ushers: contains 5 personal pronouns! (he, she, her, hers, us)
Finally, you have probably known that "the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" is a pangram since you were ten. BUT, that sentence has 33 letters. you can do it in less with "Sphinx of black quartz, judge my vow!" (29 letters)
Amaze me with your word trivia!
Sunday, October 26, 2008
"Parents Weekend"
The topic of this post is not my own, but I thought it was very amusing, and deserved my mulling.
Yesterday was a home football game in Tallahassee, so my husband and I made a daytrip of it, to watch the Seminoles take on the Virginia Tech Hokies. The game was good, although there were some strange calls ("illegal snap" comes to mind, for one), and no huge plays. Both Ponder and Richardson had some playtime, and I'm proud to say that our defense forced VTech to use their third-string quarterback, as they injured the other two.
This was my seventh Parents Weekend in Tallahassee, although two slipped by without causing me much notice. At Florida State, Parents Weekend is marked by a circus show, a big football game, a BBQ lunch on the Green, and some sort of philanthropy event. Of course, fraternities and sororities have all sorts of activities going on, especially for their legacies, but that's besides the point. To someone coming into town for the game who did NOT know that it was Parents Weekend, the most noticeable difference: girls' attire.
Granted, it was a sunny 71 degrees out at 2:30 in the afternoon yesterday, but the throngs of young ladies walking across campus and meandering around the stadium were dressed very differently than they had in weekend home games past. There were no short skirts and midriff-revealing tops on every fifth girl you passed. No deep-cut v-necks and re-designed t-shirts with rips, tears, and knots. No mesh tank tops with scanty lingerie underneath. In fact, many of the girls wore polo shirts, dresses, and khaki pants this week. My husband noticed the odd aura of outfits first, and we were both puzzled as to what was going on. Haha, turns out all the little girls and boys were just being on their best behavior in front of and Mommy and Daddy. It makes me laugh, and I love it.
But at the same time, doesn't it make you laugh to consider that a typical outfit to see at a home game is (lefts), and on Parents Weekend it turns into (rights)? Seriously.
Yesterday was a home football game in Tallahassee, so my husband and I made a daytrip of it, to watch the Seminoles take on the Virginia Tech Hokies. The game was good, although there were some strange calls ("illegal snap" comes to mind, for one), and no huge plays. Both Ponder and Richardson had some playtime, and I'm proud to say that our defense forced VTech to use their third-string quarterback, as they injured the other two.
This was my seventh Parents Weekend in Tallahassee, although two slipped by without causing me much notice. At Florida State, Parents Weekend is marked by a circus show, a big football game, a BBQ lunch on the Green, and some sort of philanthropy event. Of course, fraternities and sororities have all sorts of activities going on, especially for their legacies, but that's besides the point. To someone coming into town for the game who did NOT know that it was Parents Weekend, the most noticeable difference: girls' attire.
Granted, it was a sunny 71 degrees out at 2:30 in the afternoon yesterday, but the throngs of young ladies walking across campus and meandering around the stadium were dressed very differently than they had in weekend home games past. There were no short skirts and midriff-revealing tops on every fifth girl you passed. No deep-cut v-necks and re-designed t-shirts with rips, tears, and knots. No mesh tank tops with scanty lingerie underneath. In fact, many of the girls wore polo shirts, dresses, and khaki pants this week. My husband noticed the odd aura of outfits first, and we were both puzzled as to what was going on. Haha, turns out all the little girls and boys were just being on their best behavior in front of and Mommy and Daddy. It makes me laugh, and I love it.
But at the same time, doesn't it make you laugh to consider that a typical outfit to see at a home game is (lefts), and on Parents Weekend it turns into (rights)? Seriously.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Halloween Horror Nights
Another 'pro' to living in Florida: Halloween Horror Nights. One of the largest Halloween events in the United States, HHN has been going on annually for 18 years now. For the past few years, it has only been in Universal, although the last time I went it was a dual-park event, spanning Islands of Adventure as well.
My first trip was in 2000 (HHN X), when the theme was "Not Afraid of the Dark? You Don't Know Jack." Jack was a clown, so there were a lot of scary clowns roaming the park. The only haunted house I vividly remember was 'Dark Torment,' where you rode Earthquake, then wound up walking in (what seemed like) circles through tunnels of demons. There was also a Festival of the Dead parade. But honestly, what stood out the most to me about that trip was what my friends and I did on the way up... we styled each other's hair in crazy 'dos. I had about fifteen tiny ponytails all over my head (which looked even more exciting since my hair was about 5 inches long). I did another girl's hair in spiraled coils. I thought they looked amazing, she was all but completely embarassed, LoL.
Two years later, for HHN XII, I went with a different group of friends. "Islands of Fear" was the theme, and it was a very interesting night. Originally, a little demented girl was the icon, and her playthings were going to control the houses. But, after a string of child abductions in Central Florida, the icon changed to a Caretaker. The villains ruled Superhero Island. There was a house of humanoid dinosaurs. 'Maximum Carnage' was also a memorable house, with superheroes dead at every turn. We also went to Bill & Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure, which was the highlight of the night for me. I think I'll always remember The Green Lantern ride in, and then use a remote to "lock and arm" his flying thing.
This past weekend, a mixture of the first two groups (plus some) went to HHN XVIII, "Reflections of Fear." As we entered the park, we walked through 'The Path of the Wicked' ScareZone. First we went to 'Creatures,' which was some sort of backwoods hillbilly house. It was a good first house.
Then, 'The Rocky Horror Tribute Show.' We were herded into the amphiteather and told where to sit (which I did not appreciate), then squished in uncomfortably. There was supposed to be on-stage guest involvement, but there was not. :( The typical audience shoutbacks were in place, and there was a large section of the audience down front who knew all of the lines. Unfortunately, where I sat, nobody seemed to know the show, so I was alone yelling "slut," "asshole," "you have no neck" and the like. As could be expected, they cut "Sweet Transvestite" and the Brad-Frank sex scene. I was actually surprised with how many people left mid-show, considering how NOT over-the-top this rendition was. From there, we hit up Interstellar Terror, which was the least exciting haunted house. Then we walked through 'American Gothic' to get to Mel's Diner. After a quick dinner stop, we cut across the park, through the ScareZones 'The Skoolhouse' and 'Fractured Tales,' both of which were pretty good. 
I wish we would have had time to go to all of the ScareZones (and Bill & Ted's for that matter), but alas, not this time. We waited for an hour to see 'ScaryTales: Once Upon a Nightmare,' but it was easily the best house of the night. Amazing attention to detail, and some pretty graphic scenes. Plus, the Wizard of Oz room was amazingly fun, except I got a stream of water to the eye that knocked me down. It was nearing midnight as we got in line for 'The Hallow,' but it was a good time.
The main thing that's changed (to me) are the lengths of the events. I remember going from like 7pm -2am the first time. But this year, it was just 6:30-midnight. But maybe that can be attributed to the different nights that we went. Also, now there are texting games you can play while waiting in the lines, giving you a heads-up on the house and its backstory. Lastly, I sort of wish the ScareZones would stay open a little later... we walked through 'Asylum in Wonderland' on our way out of the park, but since it was after midnight, there were no more 'scare actors,' so the park looked a little plain. Can't wait for another year!
My first trip was in 2000 (HHN X), when the theme was "Not Afraid of the Dark? You Don't Know Jack." Jack was a clown, so there were a lot of scary clowns roaming the park. The only haunted house I vividly remember was 'Dark Torment,' where you rode Earthquake, then wound up walking in (what seemed like) circles through tunnels of demons. There was also a Festival of the Dead parade. But honestly, what stood out the most to me about that trip was what my friends and I did on the way up... we styled each other's hair in crazy 'dos. I had about fifteen tiny ponytails all over my head (which looked even more exciting since my hair was about 5 inches long). I did another girl's hair in spiraled coils. I thought they looked amazing, she was all but completely embarassed, LoL.
Two years later, for HHN XII, I went with a different group of friends. "Islands of Fear" was the theme, and it was a very interesting night. Originally, a little demented girl was the icon, and her playthings were going to control the houses. But, after a string of child abductions in Central Florida, the icon changed to a Caretaker. The villains ruled Superhero Island. There was a house of humanoid dinosaurs. 'Maximum Carnage' was also a memorable house, with superheroes dead at every turn. We also went to Bill & Ted's Excellent Halloween Adventure, which was the highlight of the night for me. I think I'll always remember The Green Lantern ride in, and then use a remote to "lock and arm" his flying thing.
This past weekend, a mixture of the first two groups (plus some) went to HHN XVIII, "Reflections of Fear." As we entered the park, we walked through 'The Path of the Wicked' ScareZone. First we went to 'Creatures,' which was some sort of backwoods hillbilly house. It was a good first house.
Then, 'The Rocky Horror Tribute Show.' We were herded into the amphiteather and told where to sit (which I did not appreciate), then squished in uncomfortably. There was supposed to be on-stage guest involvement, but there was not. :( The typical audience shoutbacks were in place, and there was a large section of the audience down front who knew all of the lines. Unfortunately, where I sat, nobody seemed to know the show, so I was alone yelling "slut," "asshole," "you have no neck" and the like. As could be expected, they cut "Sweet Transvestite" and the Brad-Frank sex scene. I was actually surprised with how many people left mid-show, considering how NOT over-the-top this rendition was. From there, we hit up Interstellar Terror, which was the least exciting haunted house. Then we walked through 'American Gothic' to get to Mel's Diner. After a quick dinner stop, we cut across the park, through the ScareZones 'The Skoolhouse' and 'Fractured Tales,' both of which were pretty good. 
I wish we would have had time to go to all of the ScareZones (and Bill & Ted's for that matter), but alas, not this time. We waited for an hour to see 'ScaryTales: Once Upon a Nightmare,' but it was easily the best house of the night. Amazing attention to detail, and some pretty graphic scenes. Plus, the Wizard of Oz room was amazingly fun, except I got a stream of water to the eye that knocked me down. It was nearing midnight as we got in line for 'The Hallow,' but it was a good time.The main thing that's changed (to me) are the lengths of the events. I remember going from like 7pm -2am the first time. But this year, it was just 6:30-midnight. But maybe that can be attributed to the different nights that we went. Also, now there are texting games you can play while waiting in the lines, giving you a heads-up on the house and its backstory. Lastly, I sort of wish the ScareZones would stay open a little later... we walked through 'Asylum in Wonderland' on our way out of the park, but since it was after midnight, there were no more 'scare actors,' so the park looked a little plain. Can't wait for another year!
Friday, October 17, 2008
Aquariums
When Disney's Finding Nemo came out, there was an exponential increase in small saltwater aquariums sold. Why? Because every little child believed that he could care for a clownfish. In reality, they are quite the needy little species, and many parents had the unfortunate responsibility of flushing a little Nemo or Nema down the toilet.
I'm not quite sure why, but watching little fishies and other marine animals swimming around in a glass tank has always amused me. Maybe it's the bright colors, or the variety of body shapes, or the modes of locomotion. Until I was nine, my parents had a 55-gallon freshwater tank, but there were only a few fish, a red-tailed shark, and a suckerfish. But there were plants, rainbow-colored rocks, and the standard castles and shipwrecks that were popular at the time. Now, a roommate has a 35-gallon saltwater tank, and it's a focal point in our living room. The fish are active, and we've had a variety of different specimens in there. Currently we have a shrimp, two clownfish, a blue one, and a black-and-white-striped one. Fun to look at, but not all that exciting in the long run, LoL.
Living in Florida for the past fifteen years, I have come to take places like SeaWorld for granted. The amazement of the fish in those aquariums is only fascinating for so long. On the other hand, the fish you can see snorkeling never seem to get old. Even if you swim along the same reef or in the same cove, the marine life can be so distinct and beautiful. Still, the San Francisco aquarium was pretty neat, and I wouldn't mind visiting it again, the next time I am in the Bay Area.
I'm not quite sure why, but watching little fishies and other marine animals swimming around in a glass tank has always amused me. Maybe it's the bright colors, or the variety of body shapes, or the modes of locomotion. Until I was nine, my parents had a 55-gallon freshwater tank, but there were only a few fish, a red-tailed shark, and a suckerfish. But there were plants, rainbow-colored rocks, and the standard castles and shipwrecks that were popular at the time. Now, a roommate has a 35-gallon saltwater tank, and it's a focal point in our living room. The fish are active, and we've had a variety of different specimens in there. Currently we have a shrimp, two clownfish, a blue one, and a black-and-white-striped one. Fun to look at, but not all that exciting in the long run, LoL.
Living in Florida for the past fifteen years, I have come to take places like SeaWorld for granted. The amazement of the fish in those aquariums is only fascinating for so long. On the other hand, the fish you can see snorkeling never seem to get old. Even if you swim along the same reef or in the same cove, the marine life can be so distinct and beautiful. Still, the San Francisco aquarium was pretty neat, and I wouldn't mind visiting it again, the next time I am in the Bay Area.
Monday, October 13, 2008
ICEBAR Orlando
This past weekend, I had the pleasure of heading out to Orlando's newest club, ICEBAR. It's near Pointe Orlando, almost across the street from WonderWorks. It's a pretty chill place, not as exciting as other clubs, but with the right crows, it's a great time. It's free to get in and hang out in the Chill Lounge, where they have some tasty drinks. The prices are a bit high, but they do have specials on martinis, if you're a fan of the flavor of the day. If you want to experience the 27-degree Fahrenheit room, it'll cost you $35 ($5 off promo codes available on MetroMix) for 45 minutes. You'll receive a light-up lanyard (pictures left) noting your Ice Time, which you'll trade in to get your thermal cape and Magic Stretch gloves.
Once inside the room (maximum capacity 50 people), you can see ice carvings of different shapes and sizes, with the theme changing every six months. Currently, "The Snow Queen" is the motif, and the room features a throne, a polar bear (seen left), a fireplace (LED logs, of course), and several encased stars, moons, and globes. There are multiple photo opportunities with the in-house photographer, or feel free to snap your own (somehow in an hour I managed to take about 150 photos!). After taking in the ambiance, you can sit on ice benches (topped with fur to keep you dry) and enjoy some drinks. Grey Goose is the official liquor, and you can enjoy several flavors (lemon was my favorite, although most of my group preferred the pear or cranberry-orange) in glasses made in ice molds. But be careful! If you hold the class for too long without rotating it or putting it down, it will melt to your glove!
The song selection during the time we were in the ICEBAR was a little weak. "Yeah" and "The Cupid Shuffle" were among the bigger hits played, and although it was nearly all "newer" music, the choices were just strange. Hardly any music worth dancing to was played in the first half hour we were there (could just be that the 10:15-10:45 part of the playlist was lame), but it was still a great time that livened up when things got hopping. Overall, some of our group (12 of us) thought it was just too chilly to be a great time (although a few of us weren't cold at all), but everyone agreed that it was well worth the price, and definitely worth doing again!
Thursday, October 9, 2008
I Think Peeps are Fun!
Peeps. You know, those marshmallow-and-sugar confections that have become synonymous with yellow chicks and pink bunnies. Over the years, they have become a year-round thing, with pumpkins for Halloween, snowmen for Christmas, and even hearts for Valentine's Day. I'm personally not a big fan of eating them (not a fan of that much sugar!) but I sure think they're neat and fun to play with (you know, like silly putty). And they've been around for over 55 years (take a look at their website).
And I'm not the only one who thinks about peeps. Ten years ago, Peep Research was apparently popular. These guys even got an article on CNN's website mentioning their attempts at Peep destruction via boiling, liquid nitrogen baths, and more. While part of their research is clearly hilarious (like observing the effects of a Peep smoking a cigarette), other parts make for an interesting read. I think my favorite part is the Lit Review.
This group is pretty goofy, but it makes it all the more amusing. The "researchers" are both now professors at other universities, which makes me think my own work might entertain someone enough to hire me someday as well. What is my research about? Yeah, that'll come in time. ;)
And I'm not the only one who thinks about peeps. Ten years ago, Peep Research was apparently popular. These guys even got an article on CNN's website mentioning their attempts at Peep destruction via boiling, liquid nitrogen baths, and more. While part of their research is clearly hilarious (like observing the effects of a Peep smoking a cigarette), other parts make for an interesting read. I think my favorite part is the Lit Review.
This group is pretty goofy, but it makes it all the more amusing. The "researchers" are both now professors at other universities, which makes me think my own work might entertain someone enough to hire me someday as well. What is my research about? Yeah, that'll come in time. ;)
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Political Recruitment
Both of the major political parties have tried exactly once each to win me over for voting purposes in this year's Presidential Election. But they've tried in quite different ways, and that amuses me.
Yesterday, around 5pm, the doorbell rang. I assumed it would be FedEx, as they had already visited once that morning, and we're almost always expecting something. But instead it was a gentleman in his fifties, greeting me with "good afternoon madam, I am here campaigning on behalf of Barack Obama." He had my name printed on his sheet, and asked if my household would be voting Democrat or Republican in the election. I kindly informed him, "we have decided not to disclose our voting preferences to anyone." He seemed shocked, and after a moment replied, "so you're undecided then." I said "sure, put that down." He handed me a short and useless handout, and thanked me for my time.
Two weeks ago, the Republicans tried to win me over, via the internet, and through Sara Palin. I'm a big fan of Twitter (check it out at twitter.com), and I was surprised to find that "SaraPalinPalooza" was following me one afternoon. I took a glance at the profile and tweets, and promptly decided that I would not prefer to have this group reading my status updates each time I post them. It appeared that they looked at what people were posting about, and matched Pain/McCain's stances with yours to make it seem that you were on the same wavelength. So I blocked them completely.
With the election now four weeks away, I wonder if any other attempts will be made. More importantly, I'm interested in the method in which they'll appear...
Yesterday, around 5pm, the doorbell rang. I assumed it would be FedEx, as they had already visited once that morning, and we're almost always expecting something. But instead it was a gentleman in his fifties, greeting me with "good afternoon madam, I am here campaigning on behalf of Barack Obama." He had my name printed on his sheet, and asked if my household would be voting Democrat or Republican in the election. I kindly informed him, "we have decided not to disclose our voting preferences to anyone." He seemed shocked, and after a moment replied, "so you're undecided then." I said "sure, put that down." He handed me a short and useless handout, and thanked me for my time.
Two weeks ago, the Republicans tried to win me over, via the internet, and through Sara Palin. I'm a big fan of Twitter (check it out at twitter.com), and I was surprised to find that "SaraPalinPalooza" was following me one afternoon. I took a glance at the profile and tweets, and promptly decided that I would not prefer to have this group reading my status updates each time I post them. It appeared that they looked at what people were posting about, and matched Pain/McCain's stances with yours to make it seem that you were on the same wavelength. So I blocked them completely.
With the election now four weeks away, I wonder if any other attempts will be made. More importantly, I'm interested in the method in which they'll appear...
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Entertaining Events
While I don't live in NYC, I am far from living in a small town. And THANK GOD, because the wretched city I call my hometown boasted nothing to do throughout my teen years (it has since gotten much better, but now there's nothing to do for twentysomethings).
This anecdote revolves around what I've had to eat in the past few days. Why? Because several meals have led to entertainment, or vice versa.
Yesterday, because there was a *major* football game on, we spent a couple hours at Uno's Chicago Grill, feasting on quesadillas and pizza. My husband and I happen to be on the "exclusive insiders" list, so we were able to sample their new Chicken Parmiagiana pizza which will premiere next week. The food was great; we were stuffed when we left. But I sure am glad that we chose to watch the first half at the restaurant, because I don't think we would have been able to tear our eyes away from the screen during the second half long enough to take a bite! What a crazy game it was, but it was by far the most entertaining of the season, thus far.
Last night, in honor of Iron Man coming to DVD recently, a couple friends came over to watch it on the projector in high-def. Of course, this meant an emergency trip to our local Burger King, in order to have "American Hamburgers" to eat along with Robert Downey, Jr. at a specific point in the movie. Oh, and I should add that we went all-out on variety: 3 hamburgers, 3 cheeseburgers, 3 Whooper Juniors, and a Spicy Chicken sandwich came home with us, only to be arranged in a burger mountain on the coffee table.
For lunch this afternoon, my husband and I had a hankering for sandwiches. And, often as the case is on Sundays, a friend planned to meet up with us at a local Jewish Deli. We drove out there only to find that it had closed down, so after alerting our friend to this fact, we headed over to the Meat Market. Apparently they're not open on Sundays, so that plan fell through. We then headed downtown to a small, Mom-and-Pop-type place simply named, "Downtown Hoagies." While it was certainly entertaining to drive halfway across the city (frequently consulting to make sure all parties were headed to the same location) in search of a delectable lunch, we stumbled upon a little afternoon entertainment on accident.
The "big" art festival is early in the year, but we found out today that there's another Art Fest that takes place in October. So, for a little less than an hour, we were able to wander around the various booths throuhgout the streets of Downtown. Jewelry made from antique buttons, geodes and other rocks turned into oil lamps, driftwood carved into a variety of shapes, paintings, sketches, artistic photography, and metal work were among the beauties that we examined. We also discovered a local popcorn shop, specializing in seasonal flavors (today they had pumpkin popcorn!).
Tonight's dinner will consist of leftovers (both pizza and sandwiches), but I am certain that it will become entertaining in some way. Why? Because my life is hardly ever boring when it comes to meals!
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Political Parties
So I'm not big on politics, mostly because of the heated debates over who believes what and why so-and-so is an idiot. But at the same time, I do love to volunteer, and have spent some time working on five local campaigns over the past three years. I also love parties in general, especially themed ones.
Tonight, for the Vice Presidential Debate, we had an impromptu party. And by that I mean my most-political friend texted me at 1:30, alerting me that he was coming over at 5 to start Moose Stew. Shortly thereafter I found out I was charged with finding red and blue shot glasses. Well, by the time things were rolling, we had a pack of 36 Americana temporary tattoos, a 6-pack of red, white, and blue glow sticks, moose stew, Palin Punch, and 14 different BINGO cards (tracking phrases and keywords from both Palin and Biden). Oh, and noise squawkers to sound each time you cross something off your BINGO card or when you particularly agree with a point made during the debate. And since the others are all techy, we had Twitter Election scrolling on the wall via LCD projector, catching a few witty comments here and there.
Because of the short notice, the party was only five people, but intriguing nonetheless. Lots of laughs, horn-blowing, and faces made over the taste of the stew. Nobody got BINGO, Twitter Election had to quit due to an overwhelming number of related tweets, and "maverick" was used a few too many times.
I'm sure looking forward to our Election '08 party though, that's bound to be a night to remember...
Tonight, for the Vice Presidential Debate, we had an impromptu party. And by that I mean my most-political friend texted me at 1:30, alerting me that he was coming over at 5 to start Moose Stew. Shortly thereafter I found out I was charged with finding red and blue shot glasses. Well, by the time things were rolling, we had a pack of 36 Americana temporary tattoos, a 6-pack of red, white, and blue glow sticks, moose stew, Palin Punch, and 14 different BINGO cards (tracking phrases and keywords from both Palin and Biden). Oh, and noise squawkers to sound each time you cross something off your BINGO card or when you particularly agree with a point made during the debate. And since the others are all techy, we had Twitter Election scrolling on the wall via LCD projector, catching a few witty comments here and there.
Because of the short notice, the party was only five people, but intriguing nonetheless. Lots of laughs, horn-blowing, and faces made over the taste of the stew. Nobody got BINGO, Twitter Election had to quit due to an overwhelming number of related tweets, and "maverick" was used a few too many times.
I'm sure looking forward to our Election '08 party though, that's bound to be a night to remember...
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