Archive for May, 2008

a day in his pants: the posh deluxe interview with anthony moody

Published by
Sarah
May 30, 2008 in day in the pants. 13 Comments

hallo ladies and gents!

for this week’s interview, i chose someone who frequently comments on this blog. however, unlike all of the previous interviewees, i met him just a few years ago, and i frankly don’t know much about him!

but i can tell you that his name is anthony moody (i call him moody, although i should probably ask him if he prefers anthony), and i don’t know anyone else quite like him.

i met moody at some point, probably in 2005 (maybe 06?), at videoke, a show henri used to host at the alamo village on fridays at midnight. it’s just like karaoke, but you act out movie scenes (with the actual scene and subtitles on a TV) instead of singing a song.

to be honest, i was never a big fan of videoke, in part because if i sit in a chair at midnight on a friday, i will most definitely fall asleep, and also watching the same scenes from “pulp fiction” and “glengerry glen ross” (don’t even get me started on “monster’s ball”) acted out by hyperactive teenage boys and drunken sorority chicks pretty much loses its charm after, oh, the first ten minutes.

however, moody was an exception. i remember LOVING it when moody signed up for a scene, because he usually performed… with a muppet accent. sometimes he sounded like fozzy, other times he sounded like kermit, but regardless, even that “pulp fiction” scene became awesome again, even, dare i say, inspiring when channeled by moody and his muppetry.

nowadays, i usually run into moody at the alamo, but a few months ago, i encountered him in his natural habitat– karaoke night at beerland. as you’ll see, moody is WAY into karaoke, and from what henri and i have heard, he’s made quite a name for himself!

so, let’s see what else we can learn about this charmingly eccentric pants.

 

moody! you are the first person i have interviewed on this blog that i actually don’t know v. well. so this will be, like, a real FACT FINDING interview. let’s start with the basics– give me a bio of yrself, but a bio like i would find on wikipedia or in a playbill.

I was born and raised in NC. I’m a southern boy who has, through the magic of TV watching, nearly gotten rid of his southern accent. It comes back every now and again. I went to and graduated from a Community College in Wilmington, NC. For those that don’t know it is where they filmed Dawson’s Creek and currently film One Tree Hill. I moved out to TX on whim from one of my best friends it felt like the next step in my
evolution as a creative individual.

OMG. did you ever see or meet anyone from dawsons?!!!!

I was an extra for a couple of episodes and prior to that I was a manager at the best theater in town we
sometimes saw them and their friends. Everyone that I met from the show was nice to me even though there were stories of them being not so nice. It’s funny that I have met more celebrities working at that movie theater than I have met since living here and when I visited L.A. If you were a fan of the show during the
last season you would know about the bar they frequented Hell’s Kitchen and after the show ended
someone bought the bar space and kept it just as it looked on the show. It’s still there today. You would
never know a street in Wilmington doubled as a street in Boston.

how did you get interested in acting? tell me about some of yr experiences thus far.

When I was younger I wanted to be a scientist, policeman, a lawyer, and a psychiatrist. Not at the same time mind you that would be a bit insane. I one day realized that the reason I wanted to do any of those professions was because of a TV show or movie. I wanted to be that inspiration for other people to figure out what they wanted to be when they grew up. I never looked back since. That is the Tonight Show answer. The Late Night with Conan O’Brien answer is that one of the first plays I was in I accidentally saw an actress’s Golden Globes while she was changing her wardrobe and I never looked back since. Of course being the fair person I have always been I decided “eye for an eye” so I lifted my shirt and showed her my chest. I’d say that made us even.

what are the worst and best roles you’ve ever played?

My worst acting experience happened in my Junior year of High School. It was the worst because I wasn’t as prepared as I thought I was or should have been. It was a play called Rest Assured. I played the main guy who is like Scrooge so he is visited by a ghost who tries to make him see the light before he dies. Our first show we did in front of some elementary students and I fudged up a line to the point of skipping to a scene from Act I to a scene in Act III. Yikes! Let’s just say I got a tongue lashing from my “wife” and the rest of the production I ended up having the director speak the lines into an ear piece. It has been a block in my acting ever since. I keep fearing it will happen again. My Best acting experience has to be the time I accidentally walked in on an actress. Kidding. My all time favorite acting gig was the time I played the Traveler in Picasso at the Lapin Aguile by Steve Martin. Basically the Traveler is Elvis from the future. It’s a real funny play if you ever get a chance to see it.

moody channels The King.

i happen to know that you are a Major Player on the austin karaoke scene. tell me about a few of the songs in yr repertoire.

Yes ever since I sang Blink 182’s Dammit at Karaoke 8 years ago (has it been that long ago. Wow doesn’t really seem like it) I have been going to karaoke rather regularly. I try to make it at least once a week if not more. I think my record is something like four nights in a row or something. My repertoire has changed over the years. I still do some pop punk, pop rock. I had always wanted to tackle Justin Timberlake for fun and then I went to one of Henri’s Boy Band Sing’a'Longs and was inspired to go through with it. I listened to all of JT’s songs and realized I was a fan. I have been one ever since. I was actually surprised at how well received JT at karaoke turns out to be. I also sing some Bon Jovi Livin on a Prayer and some Bryan Adams Summer of 69. And I love singing Coldplay.

check out moody singing the JT classic, love stoned:

are there any songs that you tried once and will never, ever try again?

No matter how hard I try I cannot do Like I Love You justice. As for one I have tried and will never do again? None come to mind but I am sure there is one.

what or who is yr karaoke muse?

I would have to say my muse is singing in front of a crowd. Having said crowd have a few people I don’t know come up to me and tell me I did a good job. It’s also a good way to meet new friends. I would say that I have more friends through karaoke than anything else.

in yr opinion, what makes a good karaoke night? what are the top venues in austin?

A good night at karaoke for me is one where there are a lot of people there but most are just there for the atmosphere and don’t really sing. When it takes 3 hours to get a song in I don’t have a good time. And oddly enough singing with friends at the Karaoke booths doesn’t do that much for me. I always have a good time there but I like the element of possibly meeting new people through karaoke.

As you may or may not know my stomping ground is Beerland on Monday nights. It is the first place I went to karaoke in Austin. I have been there through a few hosts and a changing of the regulars. I feel like that one guy on ER who has been there since the beginning and just hasn’t moved on yet. I recently sold out and joined the Karaoke League that was started in Austin. I’ll see how that plays out starting next week.

ooh! what is the karaoke league? tell me about it.

It’s a league where you play on teams and they do different style competitions every week. Like best duo, group, kind of things. I have only seen it done once and it seemed like it may be fun. But I am not a very competitive person. I karaoke for fun.

check out moody tackling incubus… you can FEEL the angst:

one of the first things i discovered about you is yr deep and abiding love for superman. when did this love first spring forward? how did this relationship evolve?

My earliest memories are of the Super Friends Super Powers show and having a Superman shirt at at least 4 years old. I also watched the Superman movie on HBO every time it came on. I watched the Superboy TV show in the late 80s. It stayed with me through High School in the form of Lois and Clark the New Adventures of Superman. I loved that show so much I wouldn’t dare watch anything that would come on against it. Even if I recorded it. I had 9 different Superman shirts in High School. Still have most of
them and 4 more today. I loved this show so much I dressed up for the wedding episode. And the real wedding episode as well. I even shed some tears when I saw the last episode. Today I watch Smallville and the Bryan Singer movie. I also read a lot of the comics but since I’m more about the stories than about collecting them I just wait for the Graphic Novels. The best being Birthright which is a re-re-telling of the origin of Superman that is very brilliant.

in yr opinion, which actor has made the best superman (besides yrself, of course)?

Christopher Reeve will always be my favorite Superman but I always liked how they portrayed Clark Kent in Lois and Clark and Smallville. Where it seems Superman
is the Secret Identity and not the other way around. Brandon Routh did an excellent job I thought in Superman Returns.

if you were given the chance to play superman in a film, what would you do to prepare?

What’s funny about you asking me that question is that I was toying with the idea of bulking up and trying out for Superman when they were casting. But I like who they eventually chose.

moody, doing what he does best, wearing what he wears best.

so you currently work in a grocery store. i know that it’s a job for you, but can i just say I LOVE GROCERY STORES. what do you do at the store? do you get a discount on food? cos that would be awesome.

I work in the Customer Service booth at Randall’s. That is where the little old ladies who can’t get their kitties to eat a certain can of 32 cent cat food wait in line for 15 minutes to return their 32 cent can of cat food (that happened once). I didn’t realize how much and how little people return things until I started working there. As for discounts I get 10% off the Safeway brand products, which is pretty cool sometimes. I like their store brand stuff. And those chocolate cookies that think they are brownies I shared with you and Jessica that time.

 

what is yr secret power?

I have a secret identity known as the Pun-Issuer. (It’s a pun on the Punisher) There is not a pun I wouldn’t make. Yet I have never been to the O. Henry Pun-Off. Weird.

do you sleep in jimjams? what kind?

I have a rotation of gym shorts, black and blue pajama bottoms and of course Superman pajama bottoms. I even have a Superman Alarm Clock that wakes me up to the sound of the Superman theme every morning.

what is yr #1 favorite food?

I am a huge Italian food fan.

what is yr top restaurant recommendation in austin? what’s the best thing on the menu?

I would have to say Magnolia Cafe. The main reason for me including this is for the Mag Mud queso. And I love their Eggs Benedict if I am there early enough to eat it.

I am pretty good at useless entertainment trivia. At Mother Egan’s Trivia night I once answered the question about Paris Hilton’s middle name. (It’s Whitney.)

anthony’s homage to justin.

what was yr favorite item of clothing as a child?

Any and all Superman shirts I had. (Suggestion: Maybe you could include a favorite stuffed animal as a child question as well. To which I would reply Scrappy Doo. Of course when I was a child I felt sorry for the other stuffed animals who weren’t sleeping with me so I would outline my body with all of the stuffed animals so they wouldn’t feel left out.)

what do you plan on doing when you’re 80?

Whatever it is I do when I’m 80 I hope capes have come back in style for me to do it in.

if you could assemble yr own ocean’s 11, who would you pick and why?

I would pick the Bandit, the Indian, The African, the Munitions expert and Charles Darwin from the movie The Fall. Only because I want everyone to see the movie The Fall. In theaters today. Check local listings. I had nothing to do with it but I saw it in L.A. last week and thought it was brilliant. Of course me praising it so much might have the opposing effect for some people to where they can’t enjoy it so maybe you should just see it if you can.

what is yr best karaoke song?

Cry Me a River. Every time I sing that song something weird happens. Like getting tips. And having random people giving each other lap dances. And having someone ask you to sing it to them outside because she got there too late to see it. I also get told I sound just like Weezer when I sing their songs.

do people ever tell you that you look like someone famous? who?

Yes. People always tell me I look like Val Kilmer. Once I went to LensCrafters and the eye Dr. asked me if anyone has ever told me I looked like Val Kilmer. When I came back in about an hour to pick up my glasses the lady fitting them asked me the same thing. And recently a new co-worker said it.

tell me something scandalous!

I was once banned from the Alamo. The actual Alamo not the Drafthouse. My brother and I were there and my brother wanted to take a picture that mimicked Ozzy Ozbourne peeing on the wall of the Alamo and out of nowhere a park ranger came and kicked us both out. Fortunately my dad wasn’t kicked out so he got to see the Alamo. I’m sure had he been banned it would have made the rest of the trip maddening instead of the funny that it was. And also it seemed like everywhere we went after that security was keeping an eye on us. When we went to the tower a guard came up the elevator with us and after an hour and a half of reading the history we went back downstairs and there was the same security guard following us out. Oh by the way this happened last August.

ok, that is spectacular. i wish you’d been able to take the photo before you got kicked out, cos that would have been SO worth it.

***

well, moody, it’s been a pleasure finding out more about you, esp. cos it proves what i already know: you are totally unique, and definitely awesome. perhaps we can put together a pants world outing to enjoy yr karaoke stylings this summer!

p.s. i’m sorry to tell you this but… i like batman way more than superman. i’m sorry, i just have to be honest.

LINKS

david byrne transformed an abandoned new york building into an instrument. because he is can.

carter sent me this v. v. good piece of news today: starting june 1, weekday shows outside at the mohawk and deville will be over by 11 PM. i know it automatically makes me lame to say this, but, HALLELUJAH!

there is now a catering company in austin that solely provides desserts. it is called the cupcake bar. and yes, i should be the owner.

carrie brownstein discusses this year’s prom themes, including “a night to shine” and “don’t want to miss a thing” (note: wow. do people still like that song?!!). it made me recall my own prom theme, which was… eh, i can’t remember. so i really hope it wasn’t “a night to remember.”

“no one is going to hold me back except for me”

Published by
Sarah
May 29, 2008 in growing up. 8 Comments

today i read an article in the onion entitled, “report: women increasingly choosing dead-end careers over dead-end relationships.”

i recommend reading the entire piece (which isn’t long), but here are my favorite parts:

***

According to a report published Monday in The Journal Of Gender Studies, many American women are bucking centuries of traditional gender roles by placing stunted, emotionally unfulfilling relationships on hold in order to pursue mind-numbing careers devoid of any upward mobility.

-

“Technical and repair professions with zero prospects for advancement are no longer viewed solely as the realm of males,” Detweiller said. “Women have proved that they are just as adept as men at frittering their lives away in soul-crushing vocations.”

While the number of women entering moribund, male-dominated careers continues to approach parity, the longtime wage gap between men and women has been slower to catch up.

“Women still average a 7 percent more abysmal salary than the already pathetic income of their male counterparts,” Detweiller said.

-

Lillian Taylor, a recent graduate of SUNY- Purchase in New York, said that without her undergraduate business administration degree, she would never have been able to entrap herself in a go-nowhere human resources position instead of a love-bereft relationship.

“So many of my friends ended up centering their lives around uncaring deadbeats,” Taylor said. “I’m not saying that I won’t date a series of emotionally distant men in the future, but for right now, I prefer to focus on carving out a solid career rut for myself.”

“No one is going to hold me back except for me,” Taylor added.

***

first of all, this article is hysterically awesome.

and you know, those sneaky onion writers actually made me THINK (after i stopped spraying my keyboard with laughter spit). and i continued to THINK as i read this article in the ny times, about how job seekers are growing increasingly desperate in their attempts to get the attention of future employers.

and since i’m feeling generous, here’s ANOTHER excerpt! for free! lucky you!

***

The posting jumped out from the thousands of others in the résumé section of Craigslist/New York City.

“I will give you more than a million dollars for a well-paid sales job,” it all but screamed. I clicked on that and read more. “If you are willing to employ me in a position in Manhattan with a strong salary, I am willing to draw up a legal document making you my sole heir when I die.”

The writer (who turns out to be a real estate salesman named James Kellogg) told me that he owns an Upper East Side apartment worth “slightly more than $1 million” in addition to “more than $800,000 in cash.” And suppose the taker of this deal dies first? No worries. “If I outlive you,” Mr. Kellogg explained reassuringly, “my assets can be left to your family.”

Desperate times make for creative measures, and in the current job market a melee of electronic job boards, résumés sent by e-mail and lots of applicants for limited openings, work comes to those who scream loudest.

***

so, neither of these articles are the kind of thing a girl wants to read when she’s looking for jobs.

i mean, there’s a guy in the times article that makes his business cards look like pizza and then, on the back, offers a free pizza to the first company who contacts him for an interview.

WHAAAAAAAAA

well, people DO like pizza. including me. i wish i had one right now!!! dude, i’ll interview you!

so, if i don’t have a million dollar house, and i don’t really want to make pizza business cards, what can i do to avoid a future of dead-end jobs?

yeah, that’s a dramatic question, and i’m half kidding. i think?!

but i *am* seriously asking: “how am i holding myself back?”

i’m pretty sure i don’t have enough ambition, but then again, it’s probably cos ambition comes from passion, and my passion is kind of all over the place. i also wonder if i need to get a little more business savvy, like maybe i need a pair of networking pants. but… um… those pants are FUGLY.

i think back to how i’ve landed other jobs, and at least half the time, it’s been through people i know.

so come on, guys. what are you waiting for? GET ME A JOB!

ha ha that would be awesome if you guys actually did. then my story could be an addendum to the times piece: “girl finds job via personal blog about food and squee.”

seriously, though, how have you guys gotten jobs in the past? if you have a job you like, how did you land it?

it can’t be as bad as the summer in high school when i walked around downtown houston with jennifer (and keriann? leanna? who else was there?), clutching my pansy resume and walking cold turkey into monotone offices to ask, “will you hire a high school kid who looks like she’s 13? i mean, hey, she’s an honor student! and she’s the president of drama club! FUTURE EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR, right here!”

it’s funny how, even with a masters degree, some feelings just haven’t changed.

LINKS

this piece about the patricia field payless party cheered me right up after all of this job gloominess. metallic heels! trannies! partricia field’s loft! and the jezebels even went home via wheelchair, which, as meredith knows, is the sign of a good party.

squee of the day: a doggie mama and her baby bunnies!!!!

interesting article about how portland is trying to educate people about the effects of gentrification.

jezebel reviews the j. peterman catalog. which is actually real. REAL AWESOME.

sex and the city races: survival of the glammest

Published by
Sarah
May 28, 2008 in alamoing, culturelux and squee!. 14 Comments

check out this AWESOME sex & the city song henri found, i.e. the official theme song of the pre-show

as anyone with estrogen in their pants knows,

THE SEX & THE CITY MOVIE COMES OUT THIS WEEK!!!!!!!!! AIEEEEE!!!!!

mega, mega, MEGA squee.

of course, the alamo drafthouse is giving the movie the special treatment it deserves, and since it’s summer, that means… PRESHOW TIME!!!!

some of you may recall the preshows of yore, involving a kiddie pool filled with nacho cheese, a bathtub packed with ice and plates full of communion wafers. this summer will be no exception, esp. with movies like batman (OMGGG) and the hulk coming out.

but before we get all comic-y with superheroes, we had to get FABULOUS.

on monday, i gathered together the finest foxes in austin to participate in some contests inspired by the Glamorous Life. before the competitions could begin, however, we had to get TARTED UP. cos every girl knows you can’t survive in the lipstick jungle without yr fancy pants!

we headed to goodwill and savers and found some major finds. MAJOR finds, you guys. after a little make-up and accessorizing, we were READY FOR BATTLE.

when you look up “fierce” in wikipedia, you will now see this picture.

i’d like to point out that becky gave me that rhinestone cross as a funny “thank you” gift for officiating at her wedding, and i’ve been WAITING for the perfect moment to wear it. this was that moment.

so, let’s introduce our contestants.

amber is a formidable opponent with her sequined breastplate, which i do hope to see at beauty bar some time this summer. also? she already owned that hat. thankyouv.much.

erica, rocking her power “chanel” suit, is such a hoss, she would probably even intimidate samantha. note that the bling comes from her own private collection.

teresa is so extreme, she even tried on a matching neon halter top/pant set that was most likely donated by a nascar show girl (it even had “flame” monogrammed on the top). sadly, it didn’t quite fit, but i think this sophisticated evening gown proved to be a good bit of stategery, cloaking her cunning with elegance.

erica, also known as barbie, apparently came out of the womb in heels. when i found this out, i felt IMMENSE relief… FINALLY! now i understand why some girls can walk in heels like it’s a dr. scholl’s commercial while i hobble in pain for five minutes before throwing back on my flip-flops.

henri was the mastermind behind the filming, but he soon realized he didn’t need to do much directing. these girls were BORN to be stars.

the first competition was a high heel race between erica f. and teresa, and the tension between them was more intense than that time carrie tried to confront natasha at the restaurant. SPARKS FLEW (and not the romantic kind).

the ladies, of course, did some stretching before the race. because this was serious business.

i won’t reveal who won the race at this time, since i want you to be surprised when you see the pre-show, but i WILL say that it was a v. v. close call. there were no injuries sustained, since these women are professionals, but a shoe was tragically lost in the process.

the next contest was a cosmo drinking game, involving amber, myself, and two straws. the object of the game was to transfer the cosmo from the shaker to the glass, using only a straw, and the first glass filled to the top wins the contest.

before the race, amber and i totally got our straw faces on.

i’ll admit that moving liquid with only a straw and yr sucking ability is a challenge, but amber and i, of course, performed in an utterly cosmopolitan fashion, handling ourselves with grace and ease.

afterwards, we all drank a real cosmo, no straw, which is definitely my preferred method of handling beverages.

as for the third race… well… i’ll let you find out about that one later. suffice it to say, teresa and erica g. know how to, er, protect themselves.

i’ll post the videos after the movie comes out, so you can experience our FABULOUSNESS for yrselves and discover who would rule the lipstick jungle.

we had a total blast filming the races, and when henri showed us the finished product last night, our squeals of delight could be heard from a mile away. seriously. i’m surprised there was any testosterone left in henri’s body after he endured our squee.

I CAN’T WAIT TO SHOW YOU THE VIDEOS!! ok but i will.

for now, just to get myself more amped up than i already am, i ask you: which character on the show do you most identify with?

(my apologies to those people who don’t watch the show. and wait, i’m NOT sorry! you should watch this show! even if you’re a boy! it’s hilarious and AWESOME and yeah, no apologies here)

i’m pretty sure i’m a charlotte.

(i tried to find a picture of her doing a shocked face, and this is the closest thing i could find)

a few of my friends have a theory that every women is a combination of carrie and another character on the show, and i definitely see some truth to that. but at the same time, i… kinda hate carrie. a lot. she’s so NEUROTIC and self-obsessed and she freaks out about EVERYTHING and she LOVES to show the world that she’s wearing a bra. woman! we (we being ladies) all wear bras. it’s not a fashion statement!

anyway

i often relate to charlotte, mainly cos she’s naive and super duper cheesy. charlotte is constantly proclaiming things like, “YOU GUYS ARE GONNA GET MARRIED!” or “YOU GUYS ARE TOTALLY FALLING IN LOVE!” which reminds me of my tendency to shriek, “I LOVE YOU GUYS!” during moments of squee. she also gets grossed out easily when samantha talks about sex/body stuff, which i can totally understand, cos hello, this conversation is happening over breakfast, and someone grossing me out when i’m trying to eat is truly an Unforgivable Sin. plus whenever i tell people that i “used to be as naive as charlotte,” they get this look in their eyes and ask, “used to be?” and i’m pretty sure that means i’m charlotte.

LINKS

speaking of SATC, check out the fashion from last night’s premiere!!

you guys. we are SO having a flavor tripping party. as soon as i can figure out what that berry is…

just cos i love previews, here are some trailers for a few movies i’m looking forward to this summer:

towelhead

he’s just not that into you (featuring, like, all of hollywood)

monster camp (watching this trailer totally reminded me of the role playing convention at rice… yowza)

american teen

rocker (featuring dwight schrute! in a hair metal band!!)

zipping up my indiana jones pants

Published by
Sarah
May 27, 2008 in alamoing and extravaganza. 11 Comments

hey guys! did you enjoy yr three day weekend?

if you didn’t have one, i’m sorry, but… i went tubing for the first time in 2008! woo-hoo! this is a Major Milestone, esp. cos now the tubing gates have been opened, allowing river water and beer-filled coolers to flow freely and plentifully ALL SUMMER LONG.

but i’m not writing about that today, cos i have to catch you up on the MARVELOUS adventure i had last wednesday night. to celebrate the release of the fourth indiana jones movie, the alamo put together an excursion that included ziplining and a snake show!!! and i got to go!! yay!!!

the adventure began in the parking lot of the south lamar theater, where we donned fedoras and waited for our bus to show up and whisk us away.

it’s amazing how dashing people, even the non-swashbuckling types, look in fedoras.

caitlin and henri are ready to swing from vines, crawl into cobwebbed caves and kill some germans! i mean, russians! i mean, insert historical cliché villains!

zack was also along for the ride, as was thomas, who captured everything on film (you’ll see his video later). he inexplicably began videoing people getting their faces punched, so henri followed suit with his camera.

look at zack, taking it like a man. indiana jones would be proud!

finally, our bus arrived! it was 45 minutes late, but you know, i’m sure indy has to deal with this kind of stuff all the time. i mean, when you’re in the middle of a third world country or the depths of the jungle, you can’t really expect *reliable* transportation.

but you CAN expect air conditioning. cos hello, this is texas. i need to be AC-ed if i’m supposed to exert myself, ok?

we sat in the back of the bus, cos we’re the cool kids. and also cos no one else wanted to sit by the bathroom. here’s thomas, who sat in front of me and spent the bus ride making people say and do random things for the camera (but the man had a plan! as you shall see!).

after a near-death experience involving a sharp turn and an unforgiving curb, we arrived at the cypress valley canopy tour facility. everyone hopped off the bus with their fedoras on, making us look even cuter than a  groupof grannies touring italy.

here’s the platform where we (eventually) started zipping. the line goes to the left, into the trees, not to the right (although that would’ve been cool). i think they are afraid people will try to unhook themselves and fall into the water (”people” being henri).

before we could start zipping (<– new favorite verb! holla!!), we had to get suited up, which involves an adorable red helmet and some v. unflattering straps that are dangerously close to le private parts. no one, not even natalie portman, would look good in this gear.

ok, well, yeah, she probably would.

all i’m saying is, indiana jones NEVER had to wear a harness. or if he did, it was under his clothes so as to fool the audience, so that doesn’t count and anyway i don’t want to know about it cos ALL OF THOSE STUNTS ARE REAL, OBVIOUSLY.

still, i think caitlin and i pulled it our ensembles with fashionista flair:

here’s henri, totally giving harrison ford a run for his money in the “come with me… we might die, but it will be sexy!” department.

before you zip, one of the “tour guides” hooks you up to the line and shows you how to brake by using yr left hand (gloved, thankfully). you’re not supposed to GRAB the line, you’re just supposed to press yr hand down on it. otherwise you might get stuck… in the middle. which wouldn’t be that scary but WOULD be horribly embarrassing which is even worse.

i actually wasn’t too nervous about the prospect of flying through trees, in the dark, depending solely on some unflattering straps, a metal hook and my ability to stop myself before crashing into one of the platforms. i guess i just really trust people’s fear of getting sued or something.

so i jumped off the platform and WHIZZZZZED THROUGH THE AIR!!!!!!!!!!

look!! that’s me, zipping!!! zip zip ZIPPITY ZIP PANTS!!!!!!

you guys zipping is AWESOME!!!!! it is officially my favorite sport (besides tubing). it takes NO physical effort (except putting yr hand down to stop) and allows you to soar through the air, covering great distances at breakneck speed. forget about biking to work… i wanna ZIP!!! talk about funnest commute EVER (although helmet hair is definitely an issue).

we were the last group to zip, so it was starting to get dark, but i didn’t mind. the darkness made everything seem more mysterious and exciting. and then the fireflies came out, and i’m pretty sure we entered a magical swiss family robinson land where we all live in trees and make incredible clothes out of woven grass and feast on tasty berries and learn to communicate with the creatures of the forest.

i really DID feel like indiana jones, like a hero zipping in to save the day. esp. when i walked across the rope bridges!!!! i even did one with my eyes closed, cos it made me feel v. v. brave (obviously, the knowledge that i was safely hooked to the line had nothing to do with it).

look at me! i’m brave zippy pants!

after only a few zips, we were total pros, ready to take on the world in our helmets and harnesses! we can rescue innocent villagers and discover ancient artifacts and bring down oppressive regimes through the power of our ZIP!!!

eat yr heart out, indiana jones.

to see all of this awesomeness IN ACTION, check out the video thomas made:


Indiana Jones Adventure from Henri Mazza on Vimeo.

after conquering the zip line, we made our way to the next thrilling adventure: SNAKES!!!!!!!

the alamo hired two snake guys to perform for us in this warehouse-y studio on east sixth street, where we also feasted upon ALLIGATOR AND CROCODILE FLESH!! because we are HARDCORE!!!

ok actually i’m not hardcore. when i saw this box of rattlesnakes– yes, a BOX of RATTLESNAKES– i totally shrieked like tim lott, that is to say, like a little girl:

sorry the picture is blurry, but i think it’s easy to see all of those POISONOUS SNAKES WRITHING inside that box!! holy crap!

the ringleader of the operation, jackie bibby, looked like a cross between a rancher and a carnie– texas twang mixed with a bowler hat and an earring.

this guys is REALLY proud of his feats with snakes, which he made known to us by repeatedly saying that he has FIVE (or was it six?) guinness world book records.

what, you may ask, are those records? well, two include a sleeping bag filled with rattlesnakes (foot first AND head first), and another involves sitting in a bathtub with rattlesnakes. another he actually *demonstrated* to us… holding rattlesnakes in his mouth. I KNOW. HE IS CRAZY. but he’s done it… with ten snakes. for ten seconds. you can see a picture of this INCREDIBLE (i.e. psychotic) feat on the guinness site.

here’s a v. blurry picture of him doing it at our show, except with a few less snakes (still, it was impressive).

it kinda looks like he’s throwing up the snakes, doesn’t it? now THAT would be an impressive world record.

apparently jackie has only been bit about five times, with the only permanent damage being his TOTALLY CREEPY AND GROSS THUMB GAAAHHHH.

seriously. i cannot STAND to look at that photo. it gives me the heebie jeebies!!!!!!!

you know what else gives me the heebie jeebies? A RATTLESNAKE RIGHT NEXT TO MY FACE!!

i hide my panic well, don’t you think? WAY better than indiana jones, if you ask me.

one brave volunteer even HELD a rattlesnake in her BARE HANDS then THREW IT to the other snake dude!!! she is sooo ready for the temple of doom.

for the last act, they brought out a cobra!!! cobras are WAY intense in person, sort of like smokey the bear (<– a little mitch humor for ya). when their flaps (what are those called?) open and they slowly raise up, you start to feel like they could probably lunge towards you and sink their venomous fangs into yr sweet sweet skin, even though you’re 20 feet away and there are snake professionals present.

these guys, BECAUSE THEY HAVE A DEATH WISH, performed what’s called “the kiss of death,” which means they kissed the top of the cobra’s head.

THEY KISSED THE TOP OF A COBRA’S HEAD. A LIVE COBRA. THAT COULD KILL THEM.

i’m sorry, but no amount of zipping could embolden me to try this.

i don’t feel bad, though, cos indiana jones wouldn’t get NEAR a cobra if he could help it. in fact, while these guys are busy making out with snakes, he would be cracking some 1,000 year old code and discovering the Lost Golden Treasure of the Mighty Incans or whatever.

i think indiana jones and i share the same priorities. at least, when it comes to snakes.

after the v. exciting snake show, we headed back to the south lamar theater to catch the first screening of the movie… which was bad. i’m sorry guys, but it was terrible. and hey, i’m just as offended as you are! indiana jones should be battling ancient mysteries and awesome booby traps, not a crappy script and some CGI prairie dogs!

all i can say is, maybe indiana jones should’ve done a little bit more zip lining in the movie. that would have automatically made it a hundred times more awesome. and, yeah, what the heck, throw in a “kiss of death” or two while you’re at it.

LINKS

everyone has bad yearbook pictures, but what about yr head being placed on the body of another person? or yr shirt just… missing? yeah, i’d feel bad for these students except for the fact that this is AWESOME.

OMG! have you guys seen gin the dancing dog?!!!!!! i seriously TEARED UP while watching this clip. i am not kidding. that’s how amazing this dog is.

matt sent me this AWESOME video of a cell phone in a microwave. you have to enter yr birth date to watch it for some reason, but it is totally SFW.

eye candy for the day: christian bale on the cover of details.

the lady from “french laundry at home” finally cooked a pig’s head. and got her own show! which she totally deserves after having to crack the skull. not to mention shave the ears GROSSSSSS.

a day in her pants: the posh deluxe interview with rebecca schmitt root

Published by
Sarah
May 23, 2008 in day in the pants. 16 Comments

mike myers: this poem sucks <– from “so i married an axe murder.” you have no idea how many times becky and i performed this poem.

for today’s interview, i am happy to present another illustrious pigbutt: rebecca schmitt root.

that’s becky on her wedding day (duh). doesn’t she look fabulous?!!!

i’ve known becky since the seventh grade (errr, right?), when talena introduced her to our circle of friends. back then, she was kinda quiet, even shy, but i liked her immediately. for one, she was super artistic, and i’ve always admired artistic people. becky was like my own claudia kishi. once, she made a paper maché combination of a pig and frog known as “prog,” and it’s still one of my favorite pieces of art of all time. two, she struck me, from the get-go, as a person with a strong sense of loyalty, which i have to say is not exactly a common trait in the treacherous hallways of middle school.

i always loved going over to becky’s house… her parents, like mine, were incredibly friendly and welcoming, and her family, compared to my only child status, was HUGE! there were five kids total, which meant there was always something going on (usually loud) at the schmitt house. the constant activity and, well, chaos made it easy for me and the rest of the pigbutts to feel like we were a part of the family.

in high school, becky was involved with art, talena with choir (well, she later switched to theater) and i was involved with theater, but our friendship never wavered. we spent hours watching “the mickey mouse club,” together and rewinding all of the parts where JC or tony looked particularly hot. becky and i had a penchant for quoting our favorite movies– i particularly recall watching “clerks” and “so i married an axe murderer” over and over and WRITING DOWN certain lines so we could memorize them.

becky is famous in the pitre household for claiming a certain green chair in the living room. to this day, it is still known to as “becky’s chair,” and i’m pretty sure my parents have legally willed it to her.

our sophomore year in college, i visited becky in boston, where she was attending boston university. i have extremely vivid memories of that trip, not just because it was awesome (my first time to boston), but also because i was just so *impressed* with becky’s independence. she was the closest thing to felicity for me, a girl who had moved across the country (although not for a boy) and was making a life for herself in a big city. i’ve never forgotten the strength and determination i saw in her… esp. because it’s still there, forming her into a fantastic art teacher and amazing aunt/mother.

two year ago, i was honored when she asked me to officiate her wedding (i got ordained online, holla!). i can’t express how wonderful and AMAZING it feels to be a part of joining one of yr dearest friends with a man who deserves her. plus, i’m pretty sure the mickey mouse club and “newsies” have never been mentioned together in a wedding speech before.

becky and her kickass husband, raymond, at the cy-creek reunion.

so becky, let’s start off with yr career as an art teacher. what’s it like to teach art to middle schoolers? what are the best and worst parts?

This is the WORST time of year to ask me that question, because right now, teaching middle schoolers sucks since neither them nor myself want to be there.  I’m going to forget that I had a student rip off part of the table today, and the 3 students that got written up for hitting one another, and focus on the good ones…  I love teaching art because I get to see my art students grow up through their 3 years in middle school.  Since I have my fantastic students that stick with me more than one year, I really get to know them and they get to know me, so by the end of 8th grade they know that whenever they need help in high school they can contact me.  I’m super excited about my group of 6th graders this year since they are talented, bright, helpful and all around fabulous.  It means that the next two years will be great.  The worst part about middle school students is the attitude and sense of entitlement.  For example, I have one student who says that I never help him.  It is not that I never help him, I just won’t do his work for him.  This coincides with the worst part of teaching art in middle school, the idea by the students and public that the fine arts, not just art, are not “important.”  This is compounded by the fact that students do not need to make a passing grade in their elective course in middle school to be promoted and the high emphasis placed on TAKS testing.  I am extremely lucky that I have a great principal that supports me and gives me technology to work with and money to purchase supplies.  Not all art teachers, not even all of the art teachers in my district, have it so good.  Here is a shameless plug for my website for school.  The sixth graders animations are online right now and they are fun to watch.

why do you think it’s important to teach art in school?

I personally feel that it is important since the first language we really learn is a visual one.  We start with picture books before we ever read books with words.  Unfortunately our society concentrates much more on verbal literacy that visual literacy.  I feel that I could communicate with anyone who did not speak English because I can draw to get my point across.  This is why I have often had students in my room who have just arrived from other countries and do not speak a lick of English, but speak Spanish, Chinese or Russian.  The second reason art in schools is important is because the students do not realize how much art is around them every day.  If I’m not pointing it out to them they never think twice about who designed the background on MySpace or the T-Shirt they are wearing.

do you still make time to create yr own art? what sorts of pieces are you working on?

We just talked about this at our last district art teachers meeting since we all felt it was hard to find time during the school year for your personal art.  During the school year I focus more on photography since it is a little faster and more instant gratification.  Every once in a while I will get my classes working so well that I have some time where I can work on projects with them, but that really has not been the case this year since my classes are 26-28 students.  During the summer I try to stick with my school year hours for as long as possible and wake up at 6 each morning to work on oil paintings in the garage before it gets too hot outside.  Last summer I was really fascinated by clouds and I painted lots of skies… I’m not really sure where this summer is going to take me yet.  I’m going to be teaching some summer camps in watercolors, digital photography and bookbinding, so I am sure I will at least be working in those mediums!

one of becky’s pieces, entitled “new mexico highway”

how/when did yr passion for art begin? how did you (and/or yr parents) cultivate it?

I have always loved art.  I can’t remember when it started, but when we lived up in Colorado they had a great parks and recreation department so I can remember getting to take art classes through there.  I also took part in some sort of “pull out” type program in 4th grade where I got to leave my regular class and go do extra art class during school.  My elementary school was great.  They had a darkroom, so the first time I developed and printed film was in 5th grade.  Ever since then, I’ve just always been a really crafty type person.  I truly did not learn to draw, in my opinion, until college.

while most of us stayed in texas after high school graduation, you moved to boston to attend BU. why did you make that decision?

I knew that I wanted to study art education, and so I looked for schools that had a program.  I knew that I did not want to attend UT or A&M since I did not want to go someplace where it would feel like high school again.  My thoughts were confirmed when I went to help Talena move in at UT and Se was across the hall, and someone else I knew was down the hall, and someone else I knew was one floor down.  I felt I would have had all the same friends and not had the opportunity to meet new people.  I never went to BU before I decided to go there and I had never even been to the East coast.  I went to their college program at a hotel in the galleria area, I knew they had art education, and they gave me the best deal financial aid wise out of all of the private universities I applied to.  It had the possibility to be a bad decision, but it ended up being an excellent decision (and I remind myself of that every month when I pay the loans).

talena and becky, looking gorgeous at our prom dinner (in a restaurant that later became mark’s).

how did yr college experience, esp. being so far away from home, shape and influence you? what sort of things did you learn about yrself?

It really made me to grow up fast and become very independent.  I was so homesick that first semester, but after Christmas break I realized that I really had become an adult.  So that was the big life lesson I learned at college: how to take care of myself.  I was on my own, and while I could call for advice, ultimately I had to make all of my decisions for myself.  I also had to support myself, and with the exception of a few plane tickets here and there, my parents did not pay for my school, which really forced me to be responsible.  Art supplies are expensive! 

tell me about yr favorite places in boston!

First, I love Dunkin” Donuts coffee so it is great that you can find them all over the place.  Finale is the best dessert place ever, which is why on my 21st birthday I went there with one of my friends and we spent way too much money on desserts.  Newberry St is awesome for people watching and shopping, plus some of my favorite stores are available in Boston but not here in Houston like Paper Source and H&M.

shifting gears again, i know you and raymond spend a lot of time taking care of mason, your sister’s son. how has his presence affected your life?

Well, since we have him stay with us almost every weekend, we have quickly learned what it is like to be a parent and have to tell our friends “no, we can’t go party with you.”  Since we only have him one or two nights, it feels wrong to have a babysitter.  That’s not the point of having him stay with us.  But, it is an amazing feeling to feel that unconditional love.  Also, I now watch a lot more Thomas and Friends and have learned what it is like to feed a growing boy.

raymond and mason, being awesome (photo by becky!).

how has mason influenced your perspective on parenthood? do you feel like a parent? is that weird, ever?

I do feel like a parent, and there is a point now where ½ the time I refer to him as my son to my students and ½ as my nephew.  It’s just easier than trying to explain the whole story to 7th graders.  I think that my perspective on parenthood has been influenced more by the parenting (or lack thereof) that I see at school than by Mason.  He’s a pretty good kid, but he is trying at times.  He can be so hyper and then the minute you want to go someplace he moves slower than molasses.   

tell me a funny mason story!

I have two recent ones.  Last weekend we went to the Zoo, and we were looking at some African cattle that have really large horns.  Raymond asked Mason “Do you see their horns?” and Mason replied “I see his butt!”  Pretty much from there on out, Mason talked about every animal’s butt. “The monkey has a red butt!”  The other one involved my parents.  Mason, who is 4, came home and ate a whole box of kraft mac and cheese, and then they all went out for dinner.  As he was eating his dinner he got full and said “Ohhh.  My tummy is big.  Just like Grandma and Poppy’s.”  My Aunt turned to my mom and said “Did he just say what I think he did?”

i can’t resist asking you about the mickey mouse club. you, talena and i all watched it, but i think you were always the most devoted. who were yr favorite mouseketeers? what were yr favorite moments from the show?

My favorite mouseketeers were JC, Tony and Keri (totally jealous of her!), which is why I am really excited that Tony Lucca is going to be playing some shows in Texas again finally.  I can actually do a video clip of one my favorite moments:

I actually like the Tony and JC version of More Than Words better, but the clip on youtube has the video and the audio out of sync and that annoys me.  I had tapes and tapes and tapes of clips from MMC.  Now I just find them all on youtube.

becky, with JC (n’sync, holla!) and jennifer from the MMC. the existence of this picture rules my universe.

since it was so fun to dig through talena’s memories, i’m going to ask you the same question: tell me one of yr favorite stories from high school!

Well, there is the memory of when we used to go on trips various places and since there were so many of us we would have to take more than one car.  Since this was before we all had cell phones we would write notes on whatever was handy and hold them up in the windows.  One of the signs said “in the trunk” and so we would hold that up with whatever else we had…  We’ve got Keanu…in the trunk.  We’ve got Spot… in the trunk.  We’ve got Christian… in the trunk.

Also there was that time in 10th grade English where we were reading Much Ado about Nothing, and of course, our presentation was a abridged version of the play in which you played Beatrice.  The entire time you were practicing you would get to “Kill Claudio” and crack up laughing.  I think Claudio was played by Seth.  Fond memories from 10th grade English!

Remember when we died our hair blue for homecoming?  I had green hair for weeks.  But one of my most favorite memories that I have of you is actually from middle school when Se had her pool party and we had a soda fight and there was so much soda in the pool.  Her parents were really calm about the whole thing.  We tried to recreate that “food” fight so many times at so many other parties and it was just never the same.

becky and me, complete with blue hair, on our way to the homecoming game in 1996. that’s my old volvo, maurice. rest in peace, homey.

what is yr secret power?

My secret power is my ability to see colors no one else sees…  To this day, my mom and I still argue over what color our old couch was: Green or Brown.  Other people see white clouds, I see tints of violet and orange.

do you sleep in jimjams? what kind?

Usually an old t-shirt and some pajama pants.  I have a harlem globetrotter circa 1983 and a pink shirt from my dance recital in 1990.  The pajama pants are Strawberry Shortcake.

what is yr #1 favorite food?

That is a hard choice… probably crème brulee.

what is yr top restaurant recommendation in austin? what’s the best thing on the menu?

Juan in a Million is awesome.  We go there for breakfast every time we are in town.  We always order a Don Juan taco with extra tortillas.  I actually wanted to have brunch there the Sunday after our wedding, but they would not host a large group like we had on a weekend.

thank you, becky, for scanning our senior group portrait. because its awesomeness must be known throughout the internets. i mean, my khaki pants alone… wow.

tell me about yr top area of expertise.

My top area of expertise is in making gaudy earrings out of recycled items.  I used to sit around and make the BIGGEST pairs of earrings in the early 90s.  My jewelry tastes are now much more refined.  I think Jennifer’s younger sister actually wore one of my creations last year though.

what was yr favorite item of clothing as a child?

I was looking through pictures to figure this one out.  It has to be either my collection of Strawberry Shortcake clothing or the violet and yellow cheerleader outfit (complementary colors!).

what do you plan on doing when you’re 80?

It will be 2059 and who knows what the world will be like, I’ll probably still be teaching since they will have raised the magic number that allows you to retire as a teacher in Texas…  I’ll say making an art hover car for the art hover car parade.

remember the titanic halloween party talena mentioned in her interview? here’s a few of the passengers, including becky (i love that viola was the cook, btw).

and, because i can’t resist, here’s the captain (christine), the captain’s wife (talena), and of course, the iceberg (known as rachel).

if you could assemble yr own ocean’s 11, who would you pick and why?

Well, you of course, and Talena and Raymond.  I would also have Seth since he would be our engineer guy, and my friend Anna since she is all around a renaissance type person and good at everything.  Phillip would add to the brains of the group.  My friend Amy would help in building anything since she is the shop teacher and Leigh Ann and Jason would be our Furia bodyguards.  For my last spot, I’ll say Mason…  he does his own stunts.

what is yr best karaoke song?

Ummm.  I don’t usually karaoke.  There is a reason that I teach art.  I did just sing Dead or Alive on Rock Band and I didn’t do too bad.  Probably after that it would be Ice Ice Baby or Baby Got Back.

do people ever tell you that you look like someone famous? who?

I used to get Shandi from America’s Next Top Model whichever season that was.

tell me something scandalous!

I don’t really like cupcakes.

WHAT?!!! i think that is the most scandalous thing that has EVER been said on this blog.

in spite of that comment, i think you’re awesome, becky. thanks for letting me interview you!

now, just one more question: can i trade you the green chair for the prog?

officiating becky and raymond’s wedding, i.e. one of the specialist things i’ve ever done. photo by heather mabry, eclectic images.

LINKS

ZOOMGGGGGG THIS IS THE CUTEST THING I HAVE EVER SEEN AND I REALLY MEAN IT THIS TIME!!!!! MINIATURE PIGLETS!!! i want one SO BAD. please. someone. 30th birthday. next year. pretty please.

“runaways,” one of my favorite comics, is gonna be a movie!! yesss!!!  i can’t WAIT to see who they cast… (thanks, hilary, for the link).

jack black, ben stiller and robert downey, jr. = the new pips. that’s all fine and good, but uh, can anyone tell me why gladys knight hasn’t aged since 1968? girlfriend looks GOOD.

did you guys know that the founder & owner of urban outfitters is a huge republican? well, you know, hipsters love their irony.

josh m. sent me this video of a super cute little baby penguin! oh hai!

 

book club meeting, reconvened!

Published by
Sarah
May 22, 2008 in reading rainbow. 10 Comments

ok guys. even though we just had our first meeting yesterday, we’re reconvening for two reasons.

1) i was going to write about my indiana jones “experience,” which included zip lines and a brush with death in the form of a rattlesnake (SRSLY), but the pictures aren’t ready yet. so that will be a post for next week. let me assure you it’s worth the wait by giving you a little spoiler: i saw a man hold six rattlesnakes WITH HIS MOUTH. I AM NOT LYING.

2) there was some confusion about whether or not you guys are supposed to start recommending books. some of you did, some of you didn’t. please use this post to leave yr recommendations, if you haven’t already. and when you’re thinking about what to read, don’t forget to check the comments from yesterday, cos there are already some excellent recs.

i will take this opportunity to add a non-YA rec to the list:

“the wonder spot” by melissa bank

i think i maybe did a review of this book, but again, i can’t find it (something might be wrong with my search function, but it’s more likely that it’s just my faulty memory). i read it about two years ago, and i still find myself thinking about it from time to time, which obviously means that it left a deep impact on me.

some of you guys may have read it already, esp. cos melissa bank got famous for writing “the girls’ guide to hunting and fishing.” basically, this book is about twenty-something named sophie who is trying to figure out her life. if you’ve ever had a quarter-life crisis, you will totally identity with this book. and if you’ve ever had any kind of romantic drama or heartbreak, you will REALLY identify with this book. there’s something about melissa’s style of writing… it’s simple and succinct and yet really emotive. here’s an example… at this point in the book, sophie has fallen for a guy named bobby, but after an awesome date, he stands her up and won’t call her back:

***

On Sunday, I left another message for Bobby.

Whenever the phone rang, I ran for it.

Both my brothers offered to kill Bobby, and I thought what fine men they’d grown up to be.

Late Tuesday night I finally told myself, Enough. Even if I had said something wrong, it probably wasn’t what I would guess.

Replaying everything was just like what I did when I got a shot: I’d pinch myself so I could feel like I was in charge of the pain.

***

there are lines in this book, like that last one, that force me to stop and just take a breath because they hit me so pointedly, not with brute force but with tiny tugs on specific heart strings.

as kathleen kelly would say, “read it. i KNOW you’ll love it.”

welcome to the poshdeluxe book club

Published by
Sarah
May 21, 2008 in reading rainbow. 15 Comments

so yesterday’s post (and the subsequent comments) got me really excited about summer reading.

like, REEELAAAY.

in fact, i got SO excited that i have decided to start a book club!!!!!

it’s called the poshdeluxe book club!!

cos it’s on this blog!!

here is the logo, because it can’t be official unless there is a logo:

look how fun that is!! a book is like a spaceship!! there is so much to explore!!

ok, before you tell me that you don’t possibly have time to join a book club,  HOLD UP.

this is not that kind of book club. i’m not interested in forcing people to read the same book at the same pace and then meet to have annoying discussions where one person hogs the floor and everyone else wonders why there aren’t better refreshments.

this is more like an independent kind of book club. it’s, like, DIY (<– that makes it sound cool, doesn’t it?).

all you have to do is recommend a book. leave a comment with a brief description of the book and why you recommend it… and that’s it!

well, that’s not *really* it. i’m hoping that, after leaving yr own rec, you’ll read someone else’s comment and think, “wow, i have never heard of this book, but it sounds AMAZING. i am SO GLAD that i’m in the poshdeluxe book club!” and then you will go to the library or a bookstore and read it and then you will post about it the next time i do a book club entry.

here is why i think this will be fun:

1) the variety of interests and perspectives represented by the commenters on this blog should translate into quite a spectrum of books, esp. books that many of us haven’t heard about or thought to read.

2) reading a person’s review of the book you recommended will both feel satisfying (cos they trusted yr judgment enough to read the book! go you!) and enriching, cos they might have a different take on the book that you never considered. oh and if they hate it, you can’t take it personally. ok? ok.

3) discussing the books with each other will help everyone get to know each other! we’ll be book pals!! yay for friendship!!

so, who wants to join? membership is free!! there are no annual dues, and you don’t have to attend any meetings or mingle with people who are annoying.

i’ll get it started with my own rec:

king dork by frank portman

so, this book has been out for a while, and i think i wrote a review of it (but i can’t find it on this blog?). but i’m still going to recommend it to you, cos it is THAT GOOD.

i know i talk a lot about young adult books, and many of you may  not be convinced that they are actual Literature. well, read this book and be AMAZED. the story centers on a teenager named tom henderson who is totally unpopular, wildly smart and obsessed with girls and bands… *his* band, in particular, which really only consists of himself, his one friend and lots of potential band names. one day, he finds a copy of his father’s “catcher in the rye,” a book he really really hates. but, since his father was a detective who died under mysterious circumstances, tom decides to comb through the book for clues– clues about his dad, his death, anything.

it’s hard to describe this book, actually, because it’s a weird mix of mystery and social satire and hilarity. the way tom plays his AP teachers and dreams about girls and hates on the jocks…  i have *never* read a YA book with such a realistic male voice. i honestly felt like i was inside of a high school boy, which is uh really gross. but awesome.

anyway, if you’re interested in checking out some YA that is realistic, clever and well-written (did i mention hilarious? i did? ok good cos it’s HILARIOUS), read this book. i give it four out of four pants!

ok, new book club members. now it’s yr turn!

LINKS

have you guys seen the guy who lives in a nest on a skyscraper? need i say more?

the betsey johnson resort collection is out, and yeah. WANT. as usual.

i totally love the regina spektor song for “prince caspian.” it’s disney, so i feel kinda wrong, but i can’t help it.

matt sent me this TASTY BUSINESS review of uchi, cos i can go there and he can’t. MUHAHAHA.

if you like the book cover i used in my “logo,” you can see more of them here.

i guess i’m just a sucker for a good vampire love story

Published by
Sarah
May 20, 2008 in reading rainbow. 12 Comments

the posh deluxe reading rainbow report

today, i’m going to talk about a series of YA books that, as a teenager, i would have read and re-read and sighed over and dreamed about until my binders were covered with “i heart edward” and my journal filled with fervent thoughts of loving a vampire.

i read the first book, “twilight,” about a year and a half ago, and to be frank, i thought it sucked (no pun intended, but HAR HAR). the premise of the book was compelling: an ordinary girl named bella and a hot teenage vampire, edward, fall in love, in spite of the fact that he wants to drink her tasty, tasty blood. i’m no goth pants, but i admit i’m a sucker for handsome, dangerous vampires (did someone say spike?). but the writing?! the writing was TERRIBLE. GAH. by the end of the book, i was actually ANGRY at the author, stephenie meyer, for taking such a promising plot and turning it into melodramatic drivel. it was such a literary waste.

then, a few weeks ago, jessica sent me this email:

***

so i started reading twilight by stephenie meyer, and it’s really really addictive. two of my girls are reading eclipse right now, and a few teacher friends have burned through all three books already. it’s a well-written vampire love story, TOTALLY the kind of book i loved when i was in middle school. i haven’t stayed home to read for an entire evening in a long time, but i did tonight.

now that you have time to read it, read it! i have no idea why it’s so addictive, but it IS.

***

even though i told jessica that i wasn’t at all impressed with “twilight,” i agreed to read the next two books, since she, by that point, had transformed into a crazed, wild-eyed addict. she was no longer responsible for her actions, so i figured i would accept her drug just to keep her calm.

after reading all three of the books, i have to agree that they are certainly riveting. i don’t want to give away too many plot points, in case any of you are planning on checking out the books (ahem, talena, becky), but i couldn’t seem to turn the pages fast enough! hot vampires! psycho hunter vampires! really old and powerful vampires! school dances! awkward boys! mean girls! parents that just don’t understand! there’s even hot werewolves!!! this book pushed ALL of my teenage buttons.

i can actually picture my fifteen year old self, curled up in an easy chair, devouring every word, stopping only to breathe during the parts that are just plain TOO HOT.

there’s a great article in time magazine about the series and author stephenie meyer. the writer of the article, lev grossman, discusses how meyer manges to bring the chemistry between bella and edward to a boiling point without them ever making it past first base:

“It’s never quite clear whether Edward wants to sleep with Bella or rip her throat out or both, but he wants something, and he wants it bad, and you feel it all the more because he never gets it. That’s the power of the Twilight books: they’re squeaky, geeky clean on the surface, but right below it, they are absolutely, deliciously filthy.”

when i read the article, i found out that meyer is a mormon housewife who woke up from an intense dream one morning, sat down at a desk with her babies all around her, and proceeded to create a series that has spent 143 weeks on the ny times bestseller list.

obviously, i hate her.

ok, no i don’t, but seriously, that’s cray. i can’t help it if i’m rife with jealousy. she’s like the new j.k. rowling, except with poorer writing skills and a more gothic sensibility.

her mormon background does help to explain her decidedly unliterary style (she does not actually claim to be a writer– she says she’s a “storyteller”). even more, it sheds light on the one thing that really IRKS me about these books… the victimization of the heroine. bella is painted as a charming but clumsy damsel in distress; she is constantly being rescued by edward, who always ends up carrying her like a baby. the carrying thing REALLY got on my nerves. by the end of the third book, i felt like bella was a sweet porcelain doll being tossed between two v. manly men (i won’t spoil the plot, but surprise! the other dude is also “not of this world” and super hot!). both of bella’s love interests are literally a thousand times stronger than she is, and both have the bad habit of referring to her as “mine.”

it got me thinking about the kind of romance i craved as a teenager. sure, the “bad boy” is always appealing, but did i feel the need to be rescued? did i want my weakness to amplify his strength?

i’m not denying that ladies, even modern, feminist ones, like to be swept off their feet now and then. but now that i’m reading these books as an adult, i worry about things like gender roles. i can’t help it.

then again, maybe i’m being too uptight. we all need to indulge in fantasy from time to time and, as the times writer reminded me, it’s easy to forget how ridiculously dramatic teenagers can be:

“… Meyer’s books are full of gusting emotions. Bella never stops gasping and swooning and passing out and waking up screaming from nightmares. Her heart is always either pounding or stopping. (Bella’s histrionics don’t feel at all unrealistic. When you’re writing about adolescents, melodrama and realism are the same thing.)”

maybe i’ve forgotten about what it’s like, to feel yr heart drop out of yr body when that cute boy passes you in the school hallway, or to cry a thousand tears when you hear that yr #1 crush has a new girlfriend (that’s not you). the “twilight” series takes those feelings and elevates them to an even more extreme level– the supernatural, life and death, eternal love kind of level. and for teenagers, above all other life forms, life really IS that intense. every day, you can die from embarrassment, rage, sadness… death by vampire is just another addition the list.

that realization softens my critical eye, esp. when i think about my favorite books from ninth grade, which involved a psychic vampire and an evil “shadow man” who happened to look like a super hot cyberpunk (ok, now i’m *definitely* reviewing those books this summer).

not to mention the fact that they’re making a movie about of the first book, and edward is HOTTTT (hello, cedric diggory!). i mean, if this trailer doesn’t call to yr inner fourteen year old girl, then you’re probably a boy, and reading this post was probably a colossal waste of yr time.

um… ZOMG.

officially, i give this book two and a half pants out of three.

unofficially? I CANNOT WAIT FOR THIS MOVIE. EDWARD & BELLA 4-EVER.

so yeah, in spite of my reservations, i think i’m officially become an addict.

jessica, wanna go to the bookpeople party for “breaking dawn” in august? i think i’m gonna wear a shirt like this:

LINKS

buffy the vampire slayer, my #1 hero, continues to inspire women around the world, including this NPR report in baghdad (thanks kristen, for the link).

as holly golightly would say, i’m too young for diamonds, so i think i’ll just take this exquisite cupcake charm from tiffany’s instead.

you guys. i just downloaded the coolest web browser application EVER– it replaces ads with art. try it!! now, i just wish they made a program like this for highway billboards.

i love baz luhrmann, i love nicole kidman, i LOVE hugh jackman… so why is the trailer for “australia” kinda meh?

my kind of cap & gown

Published by
Sarah
May 19, 2008 in alamoing, family, growing up, pantship and tasty business. 15 Comments

as you all know, i have now officially graduated.

there are a lot of benefits to finishing graduate school, like being able to put yr shiny new degree on yr resume and NEVER HAVING HOMEWORK AGAIN and people calling you “master.”

wait, people don’t call you “master” when you have a masters degree?! are you serious? WHY DID I WASTE ALL OF THIS TIME?

anyway, all of these benefits are great, but my favorite part is CELEBRATING THE FACT THAT I’M DONE.

cos i am reeeeally good at celebrating things. so good, in fact, that i managed to pack ALL of my favoritey favorites into one weekend. read this list and be amazed:

1) my parents

2) my friends

3) tasty business

4) alamo sing-alongs

5) radiohead

this was no cookies and punch reception, people.

friday night, my parents took henri and me to a posh dinner at mars on south congress. i’d never been there before, so it was even more exciting!

we started off with the tuna tataki, which was EXQUISITE.

for the entree, i ordered the butternut squash gyoza with sake cream sauce. IT WAS AMAZING. OMG. looking at this picture makes me want to lick my monitor. and that is gross.

of course i saved room for dessert, cos hello, it wouldn’t be a poshdeluxe celebration without baked goods!!!! although i will forever love the donut holes at parkside, these glazed donuts (with espresso gelatto) absolutely took my breath away. LOOK AT THEM.

ok great now i’m starving. thanks for nothing, lean pocket from lunch!

it’s been so wonderul to have my parents close by in round rock, and on friday, i was especially grateful for their presence (and not just cos they bought me food). they’ve always been so supportive of me– honestly, i’ve never met two people who are more encouraging, to *everyone*, than my parents. when i saw the pride and happiness in their eyes, i felt like a million buckaroos.

yay, now all three of the pitres have masters degrees! we are, as meredith likes to say, so freaking scholarly!

since i knew i’d be seeing many of my VIPantsers over the weekend, i decided to ask them for advice, cos their opinions and perspectives mean the world to me.

i started with mom and dad:

see? aren’t they the best?!!

then i asked henri, cos i think he is v. v. smart, and he’s also business-savvy, which i am not.

i’m starting to feel like a children’s book character, gathering advice from adult figures, but ha ha i’m an adult, too. i just forget sometimes.

josh met up with us at the stephen f. austin for a drink so my parents could ask him a billion questions about his new job and his engagement (another great thing about my parents– they are like second parents to all of my friends). josh has been there for several major milestones in my life– the first day at rice, the first day in austin (he helped me move, bless him) and now graduation– and i feel lucky to have a person like him as a constant in my life.

plus, he totally knows how to enjoy a sing-long, which is where we went next.

thank you, josh, for always letting me take ridiculous photos of you and then singing to weezer’s “buddy holly” at the top of yr lungs.

the alterna-90s was the perfect theme for the night, considering the nostalgia invoked by songs like “mr. jones” and “smells like teen spirit.” as i danced around and sang angst-filled lyrics, i thought about how far i’ve come since seventh grade slumber parties and late night journaling sessions at dietrich’s.

the show ended with “it’s the end of the world (as we know it)” which was, well, wildly appropriate.

afterwards, i asked josh for advice, which he gave while wearing his glasses.

the next day, henri and i drove to houston to see RADIOHEAD!!!!!!

not only is radiohead (still, after all these years) my favorite band, but they also happen to be intrinsically connected to graduation for me. back in may of 2001, i ran back to my dorm room after the rice ceremony to sit at my desk, still wearing my cap and gown, and buy a ticket online for the radiohead concert later that summer.

and so, of course i had to see radiohead after graduating from grad school. it’s just in the stars.

i don’t usually like “big” shows, but there’s something so fitting about seeing radiohead in a place where you can sit comfortably, surrounded by yr friends, and let the music wash over you.

note my awesome new bling, a graduation gift from my parents. cos P stands for pitre, poshdeluxe, pants, pretty much everything that is awesome in the universe!!!!

while we were waiting for the show to begin, it started to sprinkle, so henri, matt, meredith and i took shelter under a blanket. it totally felt like an elementary sleepover where everyone gets under the bed sheet and tells ghost stories with a flashlight.

i realized that all i need are these faces, cos even under a blanket in the cold rain, i had the time of my life. some people throw massive catered parties to celebrate their graduation, but i’ll take my best friends and a blanket any day.

josh, erica and teresa showed up to join our little party, which just made me happier. yay!! radiohead with people i love!

and THEN mark lewis came! i sweart, it felt like, “POSH DELUXE, this is yr LIFE!!!” the best part was that mark and meredith finally met in person… it’s the greatest feeling, when two of yr most cherished friends meet each other with wide smiles and outstretched hands and say, “i recognized you from the blog!” ha ha.

the radiohead show did not disappoint. LIKE I NEED TO TELL YOU THAT. it was AMAZING. first of all, the sound was incredible, and i give radiohead’s engineering skills full credit, cos the acoustics at the woodlands pavilion aren’t always that great. second, they had INCREDIBLE LIGHTS!! WOW!!!

look!!!!!

and they changed colors!! and displayed designs! look!!!

the colors would change in time with the music, so the show was a feast for both the ears and the eyes.

even though i love ALL of their albums, i was especially gratified when they played not one but TWO songs from “the bends.” here’s a video of “planet telex,” which was part of the encore. you can see the lights go CRAYZEEEEE.

when i listen to radiohead, my mind reels… sometimes just about life, sometimes about specific memories attached to songs. every track from “amnesiac” reminds me of falling asleep in european hostels, cos i bought it when kendall and i were in london after college graduation. “the bends” takes me back to freshmen year, when life was exciting and scary and frankly, overwhelming.

as i stood there and let the music seep into me, i thought so much about that summer, seven years ago, when i saw radiohead for the first time. i had just come back from europe, rented a house in montrose with mary, and had absolutely no job prospects. i didn’t have a clue about my next step, and somehow, i found that exhilarating. the music soared around me, and the world was open to receive it, open to receive *me*.

and even though so much has happened since that concert, i felt the same way as i stood there, a girl with a master’s degree but no master plan, a girl with a lot of possibilities and a lot of (sometimes conflicting) directions. but i’m not really the same… i’ve learned things and made mistakes and collected even more incredible, amazing people in my life. and that realization made me feel a little bit stronger.

i looked up at the moon as the music and sounds of the crowd rose up into the sky, and i felt precious in my insignificance.

as the crowds streamed out of the gate, i took advantage of mark’s concert attendance to ask him for advice.

the next day, a group of us accompanied matt to st. arnold’s brewery to support him in a beer brewing contest he entered. his final score was incredibly high, and all of us practically exploded with pride (meredith especially).

go matt! you are a master brewer, and i will enjoy the fruit of yr labor anytime you need me.

i love that my graduation celebration included celebrating someone else for their fantastic achievement, esp. because it makes me appreciate the support of my friends and family even more. in fact, the weekend went from a celebration of graduation to a celebration of ALL of the wonderful things in my life, and for me, that’s even better than a new diploma.

before we left, i asked one more friend for advice: meredith.

after gathering all of this advice, i feel like the richest girl on the planet.

because yes, meredith, the world IS my dance party. and i’m going to enjoy the pants out of it.

LINKS

have you guys seen the new trailer for joss whedon’s “dollhouse”?!!! ZOMGGGG. (thanks erin for the link!)

no matter who you’re voting for in the presidential election, i think we can all agree that misogyny in this country has yet to be conquered.

becky sent me this link about meatloaf cupcakes. i’m not sure how i feel about that.

she also sent me this kool-aid, like, database. remember saving kool-aid points?!! so you could get awesome kool-aid prizes?!! yeah!

a day in his pants: the posh deluxe interview with winston liaw