I Will Survive

Tonight I plan to watch Survivor and I am very excited about it.

That is all.

Ellen's Wedding is Still News to Me

Okay, I know it's been a while since Ellen got married, but I haven't really had a chance to talk about the amazing singer that she had come perform, or what a grand romantic gesture it was. I am quite interested in grand romantic gestures, so obviously when combines with pretty lesbians and glorious music, it's got me.

Okay, first, you must watch this:



Yeah, I know. If you didn't cry just now, you have no soul.

Also, though, I just want to point out the singer in the background. He's Joshua Radin, and he just fucking rules. Best part, though, is that he's Portia's favorite and Ellen brought him as a surprise. Yeah, how's that for grand gesture! I tried to find the video of him actually playing at the wedding, but didn't see it anywhere (although I know it exists because I've seen it before).

Good times.

I Need to be a Clean Person

I've been trying really hard to keep my apartment clean these days. I am not a necessarily a neat person, but I really want to be, so GF and I decided that we should just do it as opposed to always complaining that our house is messy. So while watching the most adorable niece ever today, I did some of our laundry and planned a delicious dinner of meat loaf, squash and fresh green beans to have tonight. I figure it will be pretty awesome, if only for the fact that it has little to compare itself to.

I don't know why keeping my house neat is so difficult for me, considering my level of neuroses about other things. It's like, when it comes to the way I organize school stuff or outline or whatever, it has to be just so but when it comes to my apartment, it's totally fine to just have laundry all over the floor. Like I said, it's something that I'm changing because I'm annoying myself.

Law school finals studying is starting for real now, which is one-half awesome, one-half panic inducing. Whatever, though, I know I just have to get it done. Plus, then I will be halfway done with my J.D., which is sort of totally awesome.

Debate Judging on a Friday Night

So I'm judging debate this weekend with my sister, which is actually way more fun than it sounds because it involves mostly listening to hilarious ninth graders go back and forth about environmental policy and playing with Kiernan, my adorable and hilarious niece. It went kind of late last night, and I was crabby, but really I don't mind being here, especially considering I get paid for it.

In other news, there's only about three weeks until finals and that means I better start getting on the ball if I think I'm going to have any semblance of success this time around. I'm so ready to be done with school that it clouds my judgment into being lazy and playing nintendo too much, but I'm confident I'll figure it out.

Okay, yeah, this one has to be short because it's too late.

Could the neighbors downstairs please shut up?

So I live in an apartment building with 5 other units in it. Until recently, we have had lovely neighbors who are considerate of the community. We would open doors for each other, occasionally take out each other's trash if we encountered it waiting in the hall, and just generally treat each other with respect. However, one of our best neighbors recently moved out, and we got new people in the apartment directly below me.

It has been more than a week now, and they have been pretty much yelling non-stop since they moved in. Maybe not yelling as much as just talking super loud ALL THE TIME and never going to sleep until at least midnight. Now, I know that I have a loud voice and I know that not everyone should have to conform their schedule to my grandma-esque 10 o'clock bedtime. However, this has gotten out of effing control. It's like, these kids NEVER SLEEP! They're constantly slamming doors and coming inside and outside and propping the door open. Not to mention the overwhelming smell that comes out of their apartment. Again, I'm not one to judge anyone else's behavior, but OH MY GOD it's like Cheech and Chong moved in downstairs. It's madness.

I've already called the building manager once, but they're still totally intolerable. GF and I talk every night about how we should just hook up our ovaries and go downstairs and ask them nicely to shut the fuck up, but for some reason we can never bring ourselves to actually go. I mean, actual confrontation and resolution of the problem? Too much!

What should I do? I mean, I can't just let this annoyingness continue for however long we continue to live at the apartment. I know I should just go down there and talk to them, but isn't there any other way?

Law school isn't good for blogging

I totally almost forgot to post today. That would have really pissed me off, considering I've made it this far with NaBloPoMo. Ug, blogging everyday is WAYYYYYYY harder than it seems.

Also harder than it seems? Law school. First semester of my second year has been going well, but I came to the realization today that I better get my ass in gear if I think that I'm going to be successful. I like the classes that are graded pass/fail way more than I like any of my other classes, so that provides little incentive to, you know, study for classes that I'm just not that into. I mean, Wills and Trusts is actually pretty interesting, but compared to the orders I get to write for the Judge? Just can't compete.

So yeah, hopefully I can finish this month long blogathon, but I didn't really realize that it would be running right into good old law school studying. Barf.

Keith Olbermann Says Just What I've Been Waiting to Hear

A lot of people that I really like to read have written about this already today, but it's poignant enough that I'm gonna write too. I've put links to other people's thoughts on the subject at the end of this so you can check them out, too.

When I was a kid, I used to watch Sportscenter on ESPN religiously. As soon as I got a TV in my room, and even before that, I watched Keith Olbermann and Dan Patrick recap the days athletic happenings every single night, mostly because these guys were hilarious and they made sports about so much more than box scores.

Eventually, Olbermann left ESPN to get a "real" news job, and I have watched his show on MSNBC sporadically for years, mostly because he's an unapologetic ultra-liberal badass and while sometimes he says stuff I don't agree with, you can always tell that he genuinely believes in what he's saying.

So, when all the blogs this morning started popping up with "Can you believe what Keith Olbermann said last night?!" I knew that it was going to be good. However, I had no idea it would be this powerful, this right on. I beg you to watch the whole thing, as it is exactly what the gay rights movement has been trying to figure out how to say for years.



Allies always ask me how they can be more involved, how they can make this issue one that they have ownership of. Well, Mr. Olbermann has just explained why it matters to everyone, and that every person is important in the campaign to increase understanding and acceptance.

Here are some other people's thoughts:

Information Access Avenger
Bitch, Ph.D.
Jezebel

Sundays are for playing video games

This weekend posting is the hardest to get used to so far. I guess you can tell my level of productivity by the amount of times that I looked at my computer, which was a big ZERO. Good thing I've got the Blackberry, I guess.

I downloaded Mario 3 and Tetris to my Wii, so I don't know how successful this coming week is going to be in terms of anything productive. Mario 3 is by far the best of all the Marios, so you understand my difficulty.

This coming week should be much more optimistic compared to last week's pessi-fest. Law school is heating up, too, so it should be an exercise in time management and focus, two things I'm not very good at.

Obama and Ellen's Rescue Plan

Two things to think about that have made today a little bit better than yesterday.

First:

Obama's mention of gay people in his acceptance speech is the one of the only times (certainly the only instance I've seen) where a major party candidate mentioned us in a major speech. His inclusion of our community opens the dialogue for things like Proposition 8 to never happen again, and allow me to work towards moving on from the hurt of its passing to a place where I can work for change.

If Obama has taught us anything, it is that normal people really can make a difference, and his election has reminded me that these anti-gay measures are not the same as those in 2004 because at that time, there was no prospect for a fundamental shift in political ideals. Now, regardless of how much change we're able to actually pass, I can rest assured that my president respects my humanity and believes in my contribution to society.

Caveat: I realize that Obama doesn't support marriage equality at an optimal level. However, as we've seen, chances are good that if he would have come out as pro-marriage, he would have had a harder time getting elected. I'm all for political pragmatism, and I think Obama has earned the benefit of the doubt.

Second reason today is better than yesterday:

Ellen understands my hurt, and agrees with my resolve. I say that as if I asked her while talking on the phone this morning (oh my god, how awesome would that be?!) but really I just read her statement:

"Watching the returns on election night was an amazing experience. Barack Obama is our new president. Change is here. I, like millions of Americans, felt like we had taken a giant step towards equality. We were watching history.

This morning, when it was clear that Proposition 8 had passed in California, I can’t explain the feeling I had. I was saddened beyond belief. Here we just had a giant step towards equality and then on the very next day, we took a giant step away.

I believe one day a 'ban on gay marriage' will sound totally ridiculous. In the meantime, I will continue to speak out for equality for all of us."

Okay, so I know that I love her at a level that is unnatural, but for some reason everything sounds a bit more hopeful when Ellen says it. I'm ready to work for the things that I want to see, and I'm excited at how many people sent supportive words yesterday to remind me of what's at stake.

Tomorrow, we talk about something light, like puppies or peacock babies. Even I can't stay downtrodden for this long.

Ain't No Party Like an Obama Party

More on the best day ever in a while.

Today is the best day in a long time

Wow.

I wish I had more time and sobriety to explain how I'm feeling right now but suffice it to at that this is one if the most exciting and important events that I've witnessed in my life.

I believe in democracy and I believe in Barack Obama. Thank goodness that they came together today.

More on this historic event tomorro.

A Girl's Guide to Voting (As Long as that Girl is Me)

Since it's the day before the election, I've decided to compile a handy voter guide for people who a) live in Precinct 13, Ward 3 and/or b) people who have the exact same political views as I do. I realize how helpful this will be for all, so I'd like to graciously thank you in advance. ;)

I looked up my sample ballot at the Star Tribune, which has an awesome site telling you where your polling place is and everyone who's on the ballot. Just make sure you don't put the name of your street in the "House #" box because it took me three attempts to figure that out.

Anyways, I thought I'd go through each contested race and explain why I'm voting for who I'm voting for, half for your benefit, half so I can decide exactly why I'm going the way I am. I'll start with the bottom of the ballot and make you wait until the end for the biggies. Otherwise, how do I keep your interest piqued?

Soil and Water Supervisor, Seat 3

Do people really know about these candidates? It's kind of surprising that there are three challengers to the incumbent for this seat, considering I don't really know what this person does (I mean, they supervise soil and water, I get it). However, when you go to that Strib site, you can click on all the candidates to get a little bio, which rules. In doing so, I realized that the incumbent, although a woman, is not who I will be voting for. Anyone who lists "fiscal conservativism" as their most important issue is going to have a hard time getting my vote. So instead, I'm voting for Mara Magnuson Humphrey. She's endorsed by the DFL, plus her most important issue is the protection of natural resources, so she's the one for me.

Soil and Water Supervisor, Seat 2

Again, who gets to be soil and water supervisor isn't exactly my most important issue this campaign, but I believe in the system so I believe that these seats are important to making sure Ramsey County (and thus, Minnesota) maintains the right view on natural resources. This race was a bit harder to choose on its face, as there are no women running, but I'm voting for David Bogue. He has a degree in Environmental studies, and he lists some great issues (including decreasing runoff of surface contaminants and improving groundwater) as important. Plus, the other guy with a profile, Nick Quade, was a state delegate for Ron Paul, which is an automatic disqualification for all votes cast by me.

2nd District Court, Seat 21

This race is a really difficult choice for me because both candidates are great. It's between Gail Chang Bohr and Howard Orenstein, and I'm voting for Gail Chang Bohr. If I'm being honest, her gender is probably what pushed me over the edge, but I don't usually like to use that as a sole determining factor. She is the Executive Director of Children's Law Center of Minnesota, and used to be a social worker, so in my house that's a enough to get my vote. However, Orenstein got pretty much all the DFL bigwig endorsements, which is also a good thing in my book, so read their profiles and decide for yourself what's most important.

Minnesota House, District 64B

This is an easy one, as I've met both candidates. I'm voting for Rep. Michael Paymar because he's genuinely cares about Minnesota and the district, and has proven that fact by his years of service in the Minnesota House. Plus, Emory Dively was really rude to me personally during my days at St. Kate's. I realize that my district is distinctly democratic, so the candidate knows they have little chance of winning, but he treated me as though my (and a group of other college students I was with) vote didn't matter to him, and that was a major turnoff. Rep. Paymar is a nice guy with great experience and a genuine interest in the lives of his constituents and I'm excited to get to vote for him.

United States House of Representatives, District 4

The choices get easier and easier for me as we move up the ballot, but this one is kind of ridiculously easy. There are some decisions that Rep. Betty McCollum makes that I don't agree with (for example, her stance on music/video game censorship really bugs me), but in the end I am a die-hard Betty! advocate. I'm voting for Rep. Betty McCollum because she has proven through action that she cares about all members of the community, not merely those in the DFL. Really, though, I'm voting for Betty because she's a Katie (read: she went to the College of St. Catherine) and has lived the lifethat I am striving to create for myself. She came back to St. Kate's a number of times while I was the Senate President there, and the way she talks to students makes her both a fantastic advocate for the area and just an all around great person. Plus, who's even heard of this Matthews guy?

Constitutional Amendment: Increase state sales tax by 0.375% to pay for environmental and cultural programs

This has been by far the most difficult decision for me this election season. We talked about this amendment extensively in my caucus during primary season, and my team decided that it was not a good idea. Still, i've decided that I'm voting YES because although I don't necessarily agree with the manner in which the money is being obtained, I believe strongly in the programs and services that it's going to.

My main concern is that sales tax, by definition, is recessive, which means that people with less money end up paying more of their income. In one informational pamphlet I read, it was estimated that the increase would cost Minnesota families about $1 a week, which doesn't seem like much, but when you only get $200 a month in food stamps and WIC benefits, each dollar is extremely important. Sales taxes are not the right way of getting money to pay for things, and a constitutional amendment is a particularly extreme way to go about raising funds. HOWEVER, after learning that the money will be spent specifically on programs that assist the low-income community in accessing the arts and environmental resources, I changed my No vote to Yes. I would love to hear more reasons for or against this amendment, because this is really the only issue in which my mind is not completely made up.

MN Appeals Court Judge, Seat 16

Here, I'm voting for Hon. Terri J. Stoneburner because she's the incumbent, she's been a judge for 18 years, and her opponent has given no legitimate reason to vote against her. Plus, as I said, I'm always going to err on the side of the woman, so without a reason to vote for the other guy, Hon. Stoneburner wins it for me.

MN Supreme Court Associate Justice, Seat 4

Both candidates here seem as though they would be good for the Court, but I'm voting for Hon. Lorie Skjerven Gildea . My sister got to hear her speak, and said she had some really great things to say. Plus, retired MN Chief Justice Kathleen Blatz endorsed her, and I respect Hon. Blatz immensely, so Gildea it is.

MN Supreme Court Associate Justice, Seat 3

Here seems like as good a place as any to voice my disdain for the voting for judges system we have in the great state of Minnesota. In this race, I'm voting for Hon. Paul H. Anderson because I've met him and he's really nice, plus his voting record is one of a fair and impartial guy who cares deeply for justice. But, it totally bugs me that he has to run in the first place, as he's been on the Court since 1994. He's a competent, impartial judge who deserves to keep his seat. Plus he went to Macalester, so my family would hate me if I voted against him.

United States Senate

This race is perhaps the most important one that Minnesotans have to vote for. Forgive me for my bluntness, but Norm Coleman is a total tool and the thought of him continuing as the Senior Senator from Minnesota makes me want to barf. Although it took me a second to get as excited about Al Franken as I am now, I caucused for him in the primaries and have heard him speak three times now. I'm voting for Al Franken because he's passionate about grassroots change in a way that I haven't seen since Sen. Paul Wellstone. He excites the people into believing in the political process, and anyone that knows me knows that I'm passionate about such things too. If you want to hear just how excited I am about Al, you can go on over to MPR and give it a listen. However, if I can convince you Minnesotans of one thing throughout this entire diatribe, let it be that Al Franken is exactly what this state needs.

United States President

It wont come as much of a surprise after this here rant that I'm voting for Sen. Barack Obama in tomorrow's presidential election. Besides the fact that I pretty much hate every single policy stance that Sen. John McCain holds, his entire demeanor throughout this election process only cemented my disdain for him as a candidate. There has been much talk about things not related to policy (his refusal to combat the racist comments coming from his supporters, his support for fabricated tales of terrorism in the Obama campaign, his inability to say S's correctly, his neck skin...) however I am much more interested in the actual reasons that Obama is better for the United States than McCain.

A short rundown:
- He's better on economic policy (unless you're a facist free-market libertarian, in which case you better be voting for Bob Barr because McCain ain't so free market either)
- He's WAYYYYYYYYY better on women's issues. If you want a more in depth analysis of that, go here
- He's better on foreign policy, and chose a running mate that can at least decipher who is and is not the President of France
- He cares about health care and the ability of low income people to access it
- He doesn't hate gay people
- He's a dreamboat.

Okay, this has got to be the longest post I've ever written, but it's doubtful that I have ever been as excited to vote as I am for tomorrow's big day. Even if you disagree with every single thing I've written, PLEASEPLEASEPLEASE go vote because otherwise all those fucking political ads were for naught and that seems like a big waste. There are a lot of candidates that I care about that I won't get to vote for (the joy that will ensue if Elwin Tinklenber wins the 6th District is unreal) so make sure to do your own research at the Strib website above.

I'm such a political science nerd that I doubt I'll sleep at all tonight.


P.S. - I have never had as much trouble posting a blog as I did today, so if you've read parts of this throughout the day, I appreciate your tenacity in accessing the whole thing. Happy voting!

Ben Harper Softens the Blow of Law School Papers (but they still sure blow)

The Get Out the Vote concert with Tenacious D, Ben Harper, and the Beastie Boys did not disappoint. We arrived about 3 songs into the D, which was disappointing, but I caught "Fuck Her Gently" so all was right with the world. Bharps played a lot of new stuff that I enjoyed, but I doubt a novice listener would really dig the foray into the deeper tracks of his yet-unreleased album.

However, The Beastie Boys were fucking ridiculous. I hadn't ever seen them before, which is somewhat surprising considering the volume of shows I attended in high school, but I guess when you just go see the same three bands over and over again, you're gonna miss something. Still, it was well worth the wait because I can't imagine them being any better than they were last night.

One of the best parts was how awesome they still look:




MCA was my favorite because he's totally rocking the salt and pepper 44 year old dude hair. They all sound exactly like they did on Paul's Boutique and the venue didn't suck at all so I could totally see even though we had like the last seats in the place.

I had to write a paper for international law today, which didn't actually suck as much as I thought it would. I picked a sort of interesting topic about an international treaty about women's rights, so you know that was exciting in a land where feminism doesn't exactly come up very often. Good times.

Okay, I'm gonna go watch The Wire now. Kari and I have started watching it and I don't think we'll be able to stop until the whole series is finished. That's quite a lot of drug dealer and cop lingo to pick up between now and the end.

Since voting is only 2 days away, I'll probably write something about the election tomorrow. It's my last chance to convince that random guy in his basement scanning through weird blogs, you know?

Get Out the Vote = Best Concert of the Year

I don't really have time to write a legitimate blog today, but I don't want to be disqualified on my very first day of NaBloPoMo
so here's a short little note for good measure.

I'm going to perhaps the most exciting concert of the season tonight. The lineup includes Beastie Boys, Tenacious D and, most importantly, Ben Harper in a Get Out the Vote party. It promises to be as awesome as possible, and I will certainly update tomorrow with good times and perhaps some pictures stolen from Wanda's iPhone. Hopefully there wont be too many frat boys at the concert to interrupt my beer drinking and general rabble-rousing, but that remains to be seen.

Okay, yeah. Have a super great Saturday!

Al Franken and ice cream? Count me in!

Ug. Law school has me all sorts of busy so the blog has fallen to the wayside. In order to thwart that problem, I've decided to join National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo). My sister does it every year, and it's just a blog sharing event where you have to post every day for the entire month of November. I encourage you to join, too, as it's pretty fun and forces you to think about things and write them down. Good, good times.

In other news, the most exciting show will soon be on Showtime. Written by Diablo Cody? Starring Toni Collette? Produced by Steven Spielberg? (Okay, he's not as exciting as the first two, but whatevs). It promises to be AWESOME. Too bad I don't have Showtime...

You know what's fun? The election. I try not to think about it that much, but let's be honest. It consumes my thoughts. I went to a Franken rally the other day, and ended up on MPR, a fact that I find way more exciting than need be. I'm still pretty worried Franken actually winning, but the more I hear from him (and talk to his awesome wife, Franni), the more excited I am about him as a candidate, and his dedication to the legacy of Paul Wellstone. Plus, Norm Coleman is just gross on so many levels that it's not difficult to rally against him.

I really think that the Dean Barkley component of the Senate race will end up helping Al, more than they're even counting on. You heard it here first: if Barkley gets more than 17% of the vote, Franken wins. Man, I hope I'm right.

In related voting news, I'm totally in favor of places offering free stuff for voters. Both Krispy Kreme and Ben and Jerry's are offering free goodness, and although I don't think I'll be able to find a store for either, I like the idea of rewarding people for the civic duty. I mean, if there are people that don't really care about voting, but really love ice cream and doughnuts, why not push them over the voting edge by giving it free?

Okay. Prepare to live because this witty repartee will be continuing every single day for the next month. You're welcome!

This just in: The internet is way neat-o!

Ever think about the size of the internet? I mean, obviously you think about it whilst enjoying unnecessarily illegal hallucinogenic smokables, but ever really think about it? I'm an anxious person (rrreeeeaaaaalllllllyyyy???) so I can't ponder it for long, but if you make an attempt to traverse the internet, then you'll realize just how big it really is.

I'm trying to become more literate in such things, mostly because I don't like it when other people are significantly better at things than me and Wanda and Katie are way better at the internet than me.[1][2] In that quest, I learned how to use a blog aggregator (Google Reader rules my life), have returned to Twitter (okay, that just happened yesterday, but the interest is high!) and have generally just tried to learn what the heck is going on in the internet.

Did you know that sometimes even liberals do things that I don't agree with? Did you know that there are gays who have shitty politics? Did you know that there's an alternative to pretty-much-downright-misogynistic Perez Hilton?

Now, all you real live internet knowers out there, don't make fun of me. I realize that these references are a mere primer to what the internet actually holds for me. Like I said, I'm just starting. But, for now, it makes life so much more interesting! Random news from random news sources (some more reputable than others) is a great way to acquire knowledge, and I'm excited to have hitchhiked onto the internet superhighway.[3]


[1] I'm going to just feel free to refer to "the internet" in whatever noun form I feel like, whether it be person, place, or thing. I realize how it sounds, and I suppose that not everyone can hear the weird ironical tone that I'm taking in my head each time I use the term. Thus, I felt the need to lay out my sense of humor here.
[2] I'm also really into footnoting right now. It's not news that I'm nerdy (ooh! alliteration!) so effing deal with it. If you know how to make these hyperlinks, pleeeeeese tell me. I looked for like an hour.
[3] There was no way I was going to get through an entire post about the internet without making a cheesy internet superhighway joke.

Do I look like I drive a jeep cherokee and shop at abercrombie?

I've decided to pause my Pandora obsession for at least a little while. Instead, I'm going to stream the Current, mostly because I've now been listening to the same 10 or so albums for the last 3 years and am in desperate need of something new. That and Pandora is seemingly obsessed with the idea that I love jam bands and Jack Johnson, two things I quasi-enjoy but certainly not at the level Pandora expects. Reminds me of the kids I went to high school with, who referred to Dave Matthews Band as simply "Dave" and talked pretentiously about music with "soul." Barf.

In other news, I'm researching for two professors which is actually pretty fun. It's also an excercize in concentration and time management, which are two areas that could use a little refining. I just realized that it's less than a month until school starts, which is embarassingly exciting. I remember a couple years ago when Snoobs would talk about how much she wanted to go get her textbooks as soon as she could, and I'm in that exact spot. I don't know what I'll do with them once they arrive, but I'll be ordering them soon so that they can rest peacefully in the garbage dump we like to call "the office."

Also, I'm sure you all know this, but cable and internet is effing RIDICULOUSLY expensive. I'm trying desperately to save money, so cable was the first to go, and it has been all good, but the lack of internet is something that I cannot deal with. When I looked up Comcast's "deals," I was met with 6 month "promotional" pricing, followed by at least double the price after that. What really pisses me off is that my stupid apartment building wont allow satellite dishes (because it apparently ruins the aesthetic, a hilarious notion for anyone that knows the place) so its either Comcast or nothing. Fascists.

Okay, I'm going to go research unfair trade practice now. Gooooood times.

Blackjack, Biscuits, and Betting

I promised Wanda probably a week ago that I'd write a new blog, but then promptly forgot in the whirlwind of coffee aroma and online scrabble. Shoot.

Last weekend we went to Turtle Lake for Polkey's birthday. We decided on that casino for the sole reason that they serve alcohol, but I think our reasoning was misguided and I doubt that I'll patronize that place again. Not because we were treated poorly or anything, actually the people were really nice. This one guy we were playing blackjack with actually made a sort of affirming, "I know you're all lesbians and I'm okay with it" joke, so that ruled. Especially considering his Cabela's hat and marlboro reds. Not usually the kind of guys that take a liking to me...

Anyways, the only reason that Turtle Lake is a ridiculous place to travel is that its less than half the size of Mystic Lake and is farther away. Granted, it has craps and roulette while Mystic does not, but I'm sort of a die hard blackjack gal anyways so it makes little difference. I did, however, call the bet on the first roulette number that we saw, so I made a 35-1 return on my first action at the casino. So, you know, that ruled.

So you all know that I get obsessed with playing things correctly, so all week before we were going to go I read blackjack strategy books trying to get the exact balance between smart betting and playing the odds. I even handmade a chart which I synthesized from about 10 charts that are available, making the one TRUE strategy chart that I will stick with from now on. It seemed to work pretty well once we got there, as all of us were up at least double at some point. Sadly, we did not follow the one rule that EVERY strategy book pretty much plasters on its cover: leave when you're ahead. I still made a little money in the end, but jeez could I have made out like a bandit if I was just a bit more frugal.

In that same obsessive vein, I've become obsessed with the idea of playing golf. Most of you know that I enjoy really anything that makes a person pretentious or high brow, so I feel like golf and I would be great friends. This obsession is compounded by the fact that I don't have golf clubs, so I don't have to actually do anything except dream about how great a golfer I would be if only I got to practice.

I'm so weird.

I did have biscuits and gravy at the Louisiana Cafe before we left for the casino, and while they were good, they're certainly nothing to write home about (especially to my home, where the biscuits and gravy made by my mom and grandma would win any contest in which they were entered, hands down). Still, worth ordering again if you're ever in the mood for 28 grams of fat in one sitting.

Okay, I'm going to research some stuff now.

Sex and the City

Okay, so thinking up correlative song lyrics every time I want to write a blog is perhaps one of the major things that prevents me from writing more often (pathetic, yes, but true) so I've decided to switch to more descriptive titles. If you didn't notice that they were song lyrics before, then you wont be missing much.

So, as the title indicates, I went to Sex and the City (SATC) this weekend with Kari, her sister Sarah, law school compatriot Tracy and her BFF Rachel. A great group, I must say.

The movie was perfection. I know that they New York Times wrote this article, and although I usually agree with most things the NYT has to say, this time they're WAY off the mark. Anyone that loved the movie will certainly love the film, and the comedic timing is just as good in the film as the show. There's a chance that we'll actually go back and see it again in the theater before all's said and done, and we'll definitely be buying it when it comes to DVD, so, you know, keep that in mind.

I still have so much to do, but little drive to actually do anything. Kari and I went to look at open houses today. One of my favorite hobbies, especially because I usually get to get ice cream or some other delicious treat while we're out. Awesome.

I think I may add sesame chicken to my food review list, but we'll see. Also, the Uptown Diner (not to be confused with the Uptown Bar and Grill) has proclaimed on its sign that they have the best biscuits and gravy in the city, so I'll definitely be going there ASAP.

Other than that, I must get something done today because I've been wildly unproductive thus far. Hopefully I'll be getting a job SOMETIME but for now I'll just sit at the greatest coffee shop ever and try to complete this task.

True for you and truth will lead you

Okay, so some people I really love are either already in a foreign land or will be arriving shortly. Thus, I have decided to perhaps make my blog into more of a land where domestic goings-on can be displayed so that the CorpsKids can keep up.

In that vein, I wanted to discuss Lindsay Lohan. Rumor has it that she's been carpet-diving with Samantha Ronson. While this is not new, I heard on the radio this morning that there is marriage talk now that California has decided to live up to its LiberalerThanThou reputation. My guess is that the paparazzi has just got nuts with the actual pictures of the two making out and have jumped to the wedding talk because its sexy.

Speaking of the pictures, all the paparazzi folk have been touting this one as the best evidence of Linds' lesbot tendencies:



However, don't you think this one is a better indication that Linds and Sammy are in true love?:




I know that the whole "true love" vibe is not necessarily what the press is going for but don't they look downright precious in this one? I also know that there are some Sam-haters out there, but it seems (from my intricate and personal knowledge) that Linds is happy with her dirty DJ and there's no reason to hate on what seems like a sort of normal relationship.

However, obviously, attractive women must be involved in torrid affairs instead of it being actually legitimate, so pictures serve a much better purpose when they show her doing something naughty. Still, I'd say those two getting married would be one of the most exciting pop culture happenings in a long while. Not to mention, it would totally fulfill the lesbian u-haul stereotype, which is always a good time.