Many thanks to Alison, who found this. Check this out if you want to see why we all lost our minds when Alex Wong kicked off Vegas Week, and why we were so disappointed that he won't be able to compete in this Season's Top 20.
Gorgeous.
Friday, June 05, 2009
Less crying, more cutting!
VEGAS, BABY: PART 2
Why this show needs a whole damn hour to show us which 20 people they chose is beyond me.
Janette is first and she’s going through. From everything I’ve seen, she’s an excellent salsa dancer and should be good for the competition.
Diana is next and I’m not interested in her at all, and she’s cut.
And if they’re going to do a whole weepy package for all 32 dancers, now I don’t know how they’re going to get through them all in one hour. Less crying, more cutting!
Vitolio is next, and we haven’t seen much of his dancing so far, but the clips they show us here are amazing, as is his life story. So of course he’s in the Top 20.
The next guys who get cut, evidently, do not deserve names. Bad dancer! No name for you!
Kayla is a tiny blond contemporary dancer—Nigel’s favorite—and she has adorable grandparents, so of course she’s in. I haven’t seen enough to know if she deserves the tongue bath Mia just gave her, though.
Kupono is next and the judges give him a bunch of notes, joke about his name and put him in the Top 20.
Paris, aka Chin Implant, is put in the Top 20. Ugh. I have no idea how I’m going to look at that chin week after week.
Jeanine, from whom we haven’t seen …anything? Gets in. She must not have a dramatic story OR cute grandparents. Stupid boring plain ol’ good dancers. Others who get in who we may or may not have seen who you may or may not remember include Ade, Karla, and Jonathan.
Brandon, and all the drama that comes with him, is next. Mia says, for some reason, “I can’t take you, as an artist, for what you bring to the floor. It annoys the shit out of me.” Mia: I can’t take what you’re bringing to the table, right now, as a judge, and don’t understand why you can’t articulate why you don’t like him more specifically or constructively. It annoys the shit out of me. Same with Lil C, he doesn’t like Brandon and can’t explain why. Mary goes nuts and actually says she can’t listen to their crap anymore. I’m SO CONFUSED. Is he being a giant dick off camera? Is there a question of his sincerity, or something? We have at least one week to figure it out, because he’s in the Top 20. And he handles Mia & Lil C with humor and grace, so good for him.
Tony, who for me is all personality and not enough dance, tells us a story about his brother in Afghanistan, and is put through. Nigel holds up a giant sign that says “We’re casting a TV show here, people, we need personalities and underdogs!” Not really, but he might as well. He admits that they’re going out on a limb for him. I’ll say.
(At this point, my laptop informs me that it is almost out of power and needs to be plugged in asap, and I find myself hunting around my bedroom for an outlet at 2:00 a.m. because that’s how crazy I have become. I decide a little bit of juice is better than none and opt to plug it into the power strip behind the TV, hoping to get it just enough juice to get me through the show… and accidentally turn off the power strip. Which turns off the TV and the TiVO. So I’m basically sitting on the floor typing this, waiting for it to boot up again. Hi, I’m a winner.)
Back to the other winners this week. Some guy named Maxim is in, despite wearing a leather vest over a bare chest: honey, no. Caitlin-the-mouth-breather’s-sister is in. Melissa, a ballerina we haven’t seen much from, is in even though she’s wearing the Worst Tutu Ever. Jason, whom I haven’t seen dance much but who seems to have impressed all the judges, is in. I was psyched to see more from him until his dumb victory dance in the hallway.
Ashley has auditioned for this show FOUR TIMES. That’s some serious determination, yo. She’s in the Top 20. Randi, on the other hand, succeeds in getting Mia to say “unitards” no less than FOUR TIMES. And in getting in the Top 20.
Alex, of the amazing first dance of Vegas, is next, and he walks with his feel turned out and absently rolls his foot on and off point while he waits. He even fidgets with grace and strength. Love! However, he is also under contract with a company in Miami and they won’t allow him out of it to do the competition. Weak. I love this guy. I love how hard he wants to try all these other styles, and he would have been such a strong competitor this season. “You have the appetite of a true artist,” Lil C says. Beautiful. I hope he comes back in a future season, ‘cause I don’t see myself getting to Miami anytime soon and I want to see him dance some more!
After all that, four more dancers you may or may not remember who evidently don’t deserve names are cut. I recognize one of the crybaby girls from the group choreography bit, and the hot Asian salsa dancer guy.
Phillip is next and is in the Top 20—duh. Which brings us to the final four, where they have left the two Broadway brothers for Maximum! Dramatic! Effect.
Deena (Deanna? They pronounce it both ways, which is annoying) and Asuka go first, however, and Asuka gets in. Deena is devastated. And between Evan and Ryan, the brothers who can’t stop hugging or crying, the judges choose Evan. Considering the talent of both, I’m going to assume it’s because he’s slightly younger and has more hair?
And with that, we have a Top 20: Ade, Ashley, Asuka, Brandon, Caitlin, Evan, Janette, Jason, Jeanine, Jonathan, Karla, Kayla, Kupono, Max, Melissa, Paris/Chin Implant, Phillip, Randi, Tony, and Vitolio.
Let the games begin!
Why this show needs a whole damn hour to show us which 20 people they chose is beyond me.
Janette is first and she’s going through. From everything I’ve seen, she’s an excellent salsa dancer and should be good for the competition.
Diana is next and I’m not interested in her at all, and she’s cut.
And if they’re going to do a whole weepy package for all 32 dancers, now I don’t know how they’re going to get through them all in one hour. Less crying, more cutting!
Vitolio is next, and we haven’t seen much of his dancing so far, but the clips they show us here are amazing, as is his life story. So of course he’s in the Top 20.
The next guys who get cut, evidently, do not deserve names. Bad dancer! No name for you!
Kayla is a tiny blond contemporary dancer—Nigel’s favorite—and she has adorable grandparents, so of course she’s in. I haven’t seen enough to know if she deserves the tongue bath Mia just gave her, though.
Kupono is next and the judges give him a bunch of notes, joke about his name and put him in the Top 20.
Paris, aka Chin Implant, is put in the Top 20. Ugh. I have no idea how I’m going to look at that chin week after week.
Jeanine, from whom we haven’t seen …anything? Gets in. She must not have a dramatic story OR cute grandparents. Stupid boring plain ol’ good dancers. Others who get in who we may or may not have seen who you may or may not remember include Ade, Karla, and Jonathan.
Brandon, and all the drama that comes with him, is next. Mia says, for some reason, “I can’t take you, as an artist, for what you bring to the floor. It annoys the shit out of me.” Mia: I can’t take what you’re bringing to the table, right now, as a judge, and don’t understand why you can’t articulate why you don’t like him more specifically or constructively. It annoys the shit out of me. Same with Lil C, he doesn’t like Brandon and can’t explain why. Mary goes nuts and actually says she can’t listen to their crap anymore. I’m SO CONFUSED. Is he being a giant dick off camera? Is there a question of his sincerity, or something? We have at least one week to figure it out, because he’s in the Top 20. And he handles Mia & Lil C with humor and grace, so good for him.
Tony, who for me is all personality and not enough dance, tells us a story about his brother in Afghanistan, and is put through. Nigel holds up a giant sign that says “We’re casting a TV show here, people, we need personalities and underdogs!” Not really, but he might as well. He admits that they’re going out on a limb for him. I’ll say.
(At this point, my laptop informs me that it is almost out of power and needs to be plugged in asap, and I find myself hunting around my bedroom for an outlet at 2:00 a.m. because that’s how crazy I have become. I decide a little bit of juice is better than none and opt to plug it into the power strip behind the TV, hoping to get it just enough juice to get me through the show… and accidentally turn off the power strip. Which turns off the TV and the TiVO. So I’m basically sitting on the floor typing this, waiting for it to boot up again. Hi, I’m a winner.)
Back to the other winners this week. Some guy named Maxim is in, despite wearing a leather vest over a bare chest: honey, no. Caitlin-the-mouth-breather’s-sister is in. Melissa, a ballerina we haven’t seen much from, is in even though she’s wearing the Worst Tutu Ever. Jason, whom I haven’t seen dance much but who seems to have impressed all the judges, is in. I was psyched to see more from him until his dumb victory dance in the hallway.
Ashley has auditioned for this show FOUR TIMES. That’s some serious determination, yo. She’s in the Top 20. Randi, on the other hand, succeeds in getting Mia to say “unitards” no less than FOUR TIMES. And in getting in the Top 20.
Alex, of the amazing first dance of Vegas, is next, and he walks with his feel turned out and absently rolls his foot on and off point while he waits. He even fidgets with grace and strength. Love! However, he is also under contract with a company in Miami and they won’t allow him out of it to do the competition. Weak. I love this guy. I love how hard he wants to try all these other styles, and he would have been such a strong competitor this season. “You have the appetite of a true artist,” Lil C says. Beautiful. I hope he comes back in a future season, ‘cause I don’t see myself getting to Miami anytime soon and I want to see him dance some more!
After all that, four more dancers you may or may not remember who evidently don’t deserve names are cut. I recognize one of the crybaby girls from the group choreography bit, and the hot Asian salsa dancer guy.
Phillip is next and is in the Top 20—duh. Which brings us to the final four, where they have left the two Broadway brothers for Maximum! Dramatic! Effect.
Deena (Deanna? They pronounce it both ways, which is annoying) and Asuka go first, however, and Asuka gets in. Deena is devastated. And between Evan and Ryan, the brothers who can’t stop hugging or crying, the judges choose Evan. Considering the talent of both, I’m going to assume it’s because he’s slightly younger and has more hair?
And with that, we have a Top 20: Ade, Ashley, Asuka, Brandon, Caitlin, Evan, Janette, Jason, Jeanine, Jonathan, Karla, Kayla, Kupono, Max, Melissa, Paris/Chin Implant, Phillip, Randi, Tony, and Vitolio.
Let the games begin!
shenanigans
VEGAS, BABY: PART 1
I LOVE Vegas Week on So You Think You Can Dance. It’s like the whole season boiled down to 2 hours of hardcore, intense dancing and choreography, and RUTHLESS cutting. Ideally, by the time the judges arrive at a Top 20 they’ve got a crème de la crème of dancers, and if there’s any erroneous picks (ahem, Susie), then we the viewers can just vote ‘em away next week. It’s all about Excellence and there’s no room for any shenanigans whatsoever.
Or at least, that’s what I was thinking when this episode started.
About halfway through I was calling shenanigans all over the damn place, but we’ll get to that in a bit. The show kicks off with Alex Wong, who is HOLY BUCKETS OF AMAZING. Strong, precise, musical and those push-up/splits thingies he did at the end blew my mind, and the judges’. The next guy is all comedy and no dance. Yawn. Then, after a montage of Amazing! Dancing! (Yay!!!) the judges get right to the ruthless cutting. YES. DO IT. EXCELLENCE ONLY PLEASE.
Next it’s hip hop to the Black Eyed Peas “Boom Boom Pow” which was promptly purchased by me and dropped into my workout playlist because this show is how I get all my fun summer dance music. That Gaby Rojas the judges are all sprung over is a MESS. It’s so awful and hard to watch. But because Nigel doesn’t like to be wrong, she gets to stay.
Then the dancers try to get through the jazz round with Sonya, and we’re treated to clips from Brandon and Natalie’s solos from Denver. The two of them also perform as Sonya’s examples during rehearsal. The two BFFs are clearly extremely comfortable dancing together, and they attack the number with precision and style and it’s awesome. But then, when Natalie dances with a different partner during the audition, it’s lackluster and stiff. Whether because of nerves or switching partners or whatever, she just lost it, and is cut. Sad, but fair.
Brandon’s jazz audition is, I think, fantastic. Mia & Lil C are not at all impressed and they rip him a new one, but Nigel sticks up for him so he gets to stay.
But then Gaby Rojas does her jazz audition and it sucks almost as much as her hip hop. It’s also worth noting at this point that it is also MUCH WORSE than Natalie’s jazz audition. But they let her dance for her life, so of course her pre-prepared solo that she’s had however many months or whatever to rehearse is wonderful. And while I’m sitting on my couch going, “Yeah, but isn’t learning a variety of different kinds of choreography quickly—which she clearly can’t do at all—kind of, I don’t know, INHERENT TO THE VERY PREMISE OF THE SHOW?!?”, they let her stay.
Shenanigans.
Now it’s time for the group choreography project. This endeavor is a disaster every year, and a great way to identify Drama Queen jackasses and eliminate people en masse. At this point I’m hoping that pageant girl with the ginormous chin is finally cut. You know the one I mean. I’ve just started calling her Chin Implant.
And the crappy dancing and ruthless cutting begins. Like, there’s a montage of what I’m sure the judges were just thinking was total bullshit. The “Nerdography” bit was admittedly extremely cute, well rehearsed, and well-performed.
When Mia’s choreography starts, we’re supposed to care about some girl who dances with her mouth open, and she’s allowed to stay but her sister is cut because she can’t dance with her group/to the music or do a solo better than your average football cheerleader. Psych. They let both sisters through and I call shenanigans.
At this point, Mac notes how he loves how gleefully the judges drag out the verdicts and just torture the dancers. I note that just want Day 3 to be over so these fools will get some sleep and stop freaking crying.
Tasty Oreo shows up and I appreciate him just so much more as a choreographer than as a catty judge. We see a snip of him dancing and it makes me want to see more. Instead we see all the girls try & keep up with “America” from West Side Story, some more successfully than others. Gaby is finally cut, as well as that Priscilla girl I didn’t love and the mouth breather. Chin Implant is still around, however, which doesn’t bode well. The guys dance to “Cool” next, which is just fast and crazy. Again, some successfully, others way not, and the judges ruthlessly cut them. They’re down to 16 each girls and guys, with 12 more cuts before we get a Top 20. The montage of the best of the best 32’s solos is, of course, amazing, and now I’m going to have to stay up even later to see the results. Damn.
I LOVE Vegas Week on So You Think You Can Dance. It’s like the whole season boiled down to 2 hours of hardcore, intense dancing and choreography, and RUTHLESS cutting. Ideally, by the time the judges arrive at a Top 20 they’ve got a crème de la crème of dancers, and if there’s any erroneous picks (ahem, Susie), then we the viewers can just vote ‘em away next week. It’s all about Excellence and there’s no room for any shenanigans whatsoever.
Or at least, that’s what I was thinking when this episode started.
About halfway through I was calling shenanigans all over the damn place, but we’ll get to that in a bit. The show kicks off with Alex Wong, who is HOLY BUCKETS OF AMAZING. Strong, precise, musical and those push-up/splits thingies he did at the end blew my mind, and the judges’. The next guy is all comedy and no dance. Yawn. Then, after a montage of Amazing! Dancing! (Yay!!!) the judges get right to the ruthless cutting. YES. DO IT. EXCELLENCE ONLY PLEASE.
Next it’s hip hop to the Black Eyed Peas “Boom Boom Pow” which was promptly purchased by me and dropped into my workout playlist because this show is how I get all my fun summer dance music. That Gaby Rojas the judges are all sprung over is a MESS. It’s so awful and hard to watch. But because Nigel doesn’t like to be wrong, she gets to stay.
Then the dancers try to get through the jazz round with Sonya, and we’re treated to clips from Brandon and Natalie’s solos from Denver. The two of them also perform as Sonya’s examples during rehearsal. The two BFFs are clearly extremely comfortable dancing together, and they attack the number with precision and style and it’s awesome. But then, when Natalie dances with a different partner during the audition, it’s lackluster and stiff. Whether because of nerves or switching partners or whatever, she just lost it, and is cut. Sad, but fair.
Brandon’s jazz audition is, I think, fantastic. Mia & Lil C are not at all impressed and they rip him a new one, but Nigel sticks up for him so he gets to stay.
But then Gaby Rojas does her jazz audition and it sucks almost as much as her hip hop. It’s also worth noting at this point that it is also MUCH WORSE than Natalie’s jazz audition. But they let her dance for her life, so of course her pre-prepared solo that she’s had however many months or whatever to rehearse is wonderful. And while I’m sitting on my couch going, “Yeah, but isn’t learning a variety of different kinds of choreography quickly—which she clearly can’t do at all—kind of, I don’t know, INHERENT TO THE VERY PREMISE OF THE SHOW?!?”, they let her stay.
Shenanigans.
Now it’s time for the group choreography project. This endeavor is a disaster every year, and a great way to identify Drama Queen jackasses and eliminate people en masse. At this point I’m hoping that pageant girl with the ginormous chin is finally cut. You know the one I mean. I’ve just started calling her Chin Implant.
And the crappy dancing and ruthless cutting begins. Like, there’s a montage of what I’m sure the judges were just thinking was total bullshit. The “Nerdography” bit was admittedly extremely cute, well rehearsed, and well-performed.
When Mia’s choreography starts, we’re supposed to care about some girl who dances with her mouth open, and she’s allowed to stay but her sister is cut because she can’t dance with her group/to the music or do a solo better than your average football cheerleader. Psych. They let both sisters through and I call shenanigans.
At this point, Mac notes how he loves how gleefully the judges drag out the verdicts and just torture the dancers. I note that just want Day 3 to be over so these fools will get some sleep and stop freaking crying.
Tasty Oreo shows up and I appreciate him just so much more as a choreographer than as a catty judge. We see a snip of him dancing and it makes me want to see more. Instead we see all the girls try & keep up with “America” from West Side Story, some more successfully than others. Gaby is finally cut, as well as that Priscilla girl I didn’t love and the mouth breather. Chin Implant is still around, however, which doesn’t bode well. The guys dance to “Cool” next, which is just fast and crazy. Again, some successfully, others way not, and the judges ruthlessly cut them. They’re down to 16 each girls and guys, with 12 more cuts before we get a Top 20. The montage of the best of the best 32’s solos is, of course, amazing, and now I’m going to have to stay up even later to see the results. Damn.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Eeeeeee! Yay dancing!
I started writing this last night at the end of my work day being all, "You guys, I know you want So You Think You Can Dance blogs but I'm SO BUSY and these first audition shows are SO LONG and I just don’t know if I’m going to be able to do consistent blogs this year, okay?”
And then I fired up the TiVO and the opening shots of dancers came on and I was all, “Eeeeeee! Yay dancing! I LOVE THIS SHOW!” all over again. At which point I proceeded to watch six damn hours of So You Think You Can Dance. I was up until 1 a.m. Yes, I am tired this morning.
As for recapping, I thought about taking notes but decided I’d rather just watch & enjoy, so that’s what I did. I don't typically recap the audition shows anyway, if you recall. I mean, why a person would spend even a second of their "15 Minutes" dancing like an elephant just to get chewed out by Nigel Lythgoe is BEYOND me, but whatever. I don’t care for the manipulative biography packages terribly much, nor do I enjoy watching some jackass get all pissy when they’re cut or critiqued. People, for God’s sake, you watch the show, right? You’ve seen the caliber of dancer on here, and yet you think you’re good enough to go through? To the point that you’re going to get all tantrumy about it? No. I don't need to see your meltdown, honey. Dance well, or get the hell off my TV.
So yeah, no, those jerks don't get covered in my blog. Here’s what I will say about the first six hours:
I love seeing good dancers come back, especially some of those who made it to the final rounds in Vegas before being cut from the Top 20. I’ve seen recaps where people have referred to them as “Season 4 Rejects,” but with at least four of them, I’ve seen serious improvement, and the fact that these dancers can take a rejection and turn it into something fabulous on stage is inspiring. That guy Brandon, who moved Mary to tears, was dazzling. Quiet or not, I want to see more of him on the show. Natalie was also sensational, and all those goofy adjectives that Sonia & Mary were using—organic, sincere—were spot-on. I also loved Evan, the Gene Kelly guy, as well as that tapper Bianca. Season 4 rejects or not, I’d love to see them on the show.
There were some new dancers that I’m very excited about as well. Not as excited as Nigel was, I’m sure, to see so many tiny blond 18-year-old contemporary dancers flit across the stage in front of him. At a certain point Mac was like, “How many is that, now?” And I was like, “Not enough for Nigel.”
Speaking of the judges I would like to invite them to get over themselves before the season goes much further. Maybe they should take a note or two.
Nigel: Anyone who watches the show knows that you’re shockingly homophobic for a man who works in the dance industry, but you can’t keep trying to pass it off as legitimate critique. If you’re struggling to find a way of saying a dancer isn’t “masculine” enough without being a dick, maybe that’s a hint that what you’re really trying to say is, “I don’t like how gay you look,” and is therefore a comment you should keep to yourself.
Mary: I’d love to hear a little more originality in your critiques rather than the same words over and over again. Also, backhanded compliments are actually insults. They’re fairly easy to spot and it doesn’t make you seem nicer just because you tried to veil them with insincerity. I respect you more when you just speak honestly.
Tasty Oreo: OH MY GOD honey put a sock in it!! I like a bitchy queen as much as the next person, but enough already! Yes, there are some delusional jackasses on that stage wasting your time, but calling them out so extensively doesn’t teach them anything and only makes YOU look like an asshole.
Sonya: An orgasm every time a good dancer takes the stage? Actually, it bugs Nigel so much that it kind of tickles me, so knock yourself out. But maybe a few less drugs before judging next time, okay?
Lil C: I love you. Sometimes I wonder if you’re reading critiques that someone fed you? Like, it doesn’t seem totally real, but maybe that’s the whole “unreality of reality TV” messing with my head. Even so, I love you.
Adam: Even though the whole bit went on for too long, I really appreciate that you got up and danced for us. You showed us what the natural, instinctive carriage of a dancer looks like, even when he’s goofing around, and it helped convince me that you know your stuff. And your critiques are generally spot-on for me, I just feel like they would carry more weight if you were a little less full of yourself. You’re a famous director with some hit movies; you didn’t solve world hunger or anything.
Mia: If you stopped taking this all way too seriously you wouldn’t be you, and that would be tragic. Don’t change a thing, you fabulous, intensely scary diva, you. MWAH.
Finally, a note to our favorite host Cat Deeley: Please, for the love of all that is good and holy, please stop drinking the blood of kittens in order to stay so freaking beautiful, darling, and sweet. Surely no human can maintain that consistent level of sincerity and kindness, nor that perfect hair, without some kind of sinister ritual to make it work. Right? I am consistently delighted by you without fault, and it’s starting to make me worry. So maybe a little less kitten and your hair can go in a ponytail and you can be a little crabby for a couple seconds? I won’t hold it against you.
Next week: Vegas. I’m rather excited to see what happens, aren’t you?
And then I fired up the TiVO and the opening shots of dancers came on and I was all, “Eeeeeee! Yay dancing! I LOVE THIS SHOW!” all over again. At which point I proceeded to watch six damn hours of So You Think You Can Dance. I was up until 1 a.m. Yes, I am tired this morning.
As for recapping, I thought about taking notes but decided I’d rather just watch & enjoy, so that’s what I did. I don't typically recap the audition shows anyway, if you recall. I mean, why a person would spend even a second of their "15 Minutes" dancing like an elephant just to get chewed out by Nigel Lythgoe is BEYOND me, but whatever. I don’t care for the manipulative biography packages terribly much, nor do I enjoy watching some jackass get all pissy when they’re cut or critiqued. People, for God’s sake, you watch the show, right? You’ve seen the caliber of dancer on here, and yet you think you’re good enough to go through? To the point that you’re going to get all tantrumy about it? No. I don't need to see your meltdown, honey. Dance well, or get the hell off my TV.
So yeah, no, those jerks don't get covered in my blog. Here’s what I will say about the first six hours:
I love seeing good dancers come back, especially some of those who made it to the final rounds in Vegas before being cut from the Top 20. I’ve seen recaps where people have referred to them as “Season 4 Rejects,” but with at least four of them, I’ve seen serious improvement, and the fact that these dancers can take a rejection and turn it into something fabulous on stage is inspiring. That guy Brandon, who moved Mary to tears, was dazzling. Quiet or not, I want to see more of him on the show. Natalie was also sensational, and all those goofy adjectives that Sonia & Mary were using—organic, sincere—were spot-on. I also loved Evan, the Gene Kelly guy, as well as that tapper Bianca. Season 4 rejects or not, I’d love to see them on the show.
There were some new dancers that I’m very excited about as well. Not as excited as Nigel was, I’m sure, to see so many tiny blond 18-year-old contemporary dancers flit across the stage in front of him. At a certain point Mac was like, “How many is that, now?” And I was like, “Not enough for Nigel.”
Speaking of the judges I would like to invite them to get over themselves before the season goes much further. Maybe they should take a note or two.
Nigel: Anyone who watches the show knows that you’re shockingly homophobic for a man who works in the dance industry, but you can’t keep trying to pass it off as legitimate critique. If you’re struggling to find a way of saying a dancer isn’t “masculine” enough without being a dick, maybe that’s a hint that what you’re really trying to say is, “I don’t like how gay you look,” and is therefore a comment you should keep to yourself.
Mary: I’d love to hear a little more originality in your critiques rather than the same words over and over again. Also, backhanded compliments are actually insults. They’re fairly easy to spot and it doesn’t make you seem nicer just because you tried to veil them with insincerity. I respect you more when you just speak honestly.
Tasty Oreo: OH MY GOD honey put a sock in it!! I like a bitchy queen as much as the next person, but enough already! Yes, there are some delusional jackasses on that stage wasting your time, but calling them out so extensively doesn’t teach them anything and only makes YOU look like an asshole.
Sonya: An orgasm every time a good dancer takes the stage? Actually, it bugs Nigel so much that it kind of tickles me, so knock yourself out. But maybe a few less drugs before judging next time, okay?
Lil C: I love you. Sometimes I wonder if you’re reading critiques that someone fed you? Like, it doesn’t seem totally real, but maybe that’s the whole “unreality of reality TV” messing with my head. Even so, I love you.
Adam: Even though the whole bit went on for too long, I really appreciate that you got up and danced for us. You showed us what the natural, instinctive carriage of a dancer looks like, even when he’s goofing around, and it helped convince me that you know your stuff. And your critiques are generally spot-on for me, I just feel like they would carry more weight if you were a little less full of yourself. You’re a famous director with some hit movies; you didn’t solve world hunger or anything.
Mia: If you stopped taking this all way too seriously you wouldn’t be you, and that would be tragic. Don’t change a thing, you fabulous, intensely scary diva, you. MWAH.
Finally, a note to our favorite host Cat Deeley: Please, for the love of all that is good and holy, please stop drinking the blood of kittens in order to stay so freaking beautiful, darling, and sweet. Surely no human can maintain that consistent level of sincerity and kindness, nor that perfect hair, without some kind of sinister ritual to make it work. Right? I am consistently delighted by you without fault, and it’s starting to make me worry. So maybe a little less kitten and your hair can go in a ponytail and you can be a little crabby for a couple seconds? I won’t hold it against you.
Next week: Vegas. I’m rather excited to see what happens, aren’t you?
Thursday, May 14, 2009
when geeks & jocks interact
I've been dining out on this story for months, so it's only right that I finally record it here.
I've been seeing a personal trainer for a few months to help me out with some weight training and general accountability ("If you pay him, you will get your over-scheduled ass to the gym"). His name is Troy, and he used to play Division 1 football for UCLA until he broke his back. Today he's a web designer and personal trainer and kind of the quintessential Popular Jock--handsome, easy-going, way into football. I figured out early on in our trainer/trainee relationship that we didn't have much in common. In fact, were I not paying him to help sculpt my arms, shoulders & abs into the toned limbs I now possess (ha), we would never have met, never hang out. We have very little in common, aside from a shared desire to turn my fat into muscle.
Anyway, one day we were in the weight room and I was lifting free weights while he was regaling me with one of his stories from the Good Old Days of college football. I'm listening and trying to follow along--I'm not really a football fan, so a lot of his story is new information to me. Anyway, he's telling me his football story, and about halfway through, he asks me in what I presume to be a very weird question, and this is what went down.
Him: "You know what the Red Shirts are?"
Me (confused): ".... You mean from Star Trek?"
Him (more confused): "...No. From football."
Both of us, looking at each other, totally confused: " . . . . . ?"
This is what happens when geeks & jocks interact. You can become friends, but you might not always speak the same language.
I've been seeing a personal trainer for a few months to help me out with some weight training and general accountability ("If you pay him, you will get your over-scheduled ass to the gym"). His name is Troy, and he used to play Division 1 football for UCLA until he broke his back. Today he's a web designer and personal trainer and kind of the quintessential Popular Jock--handsome, easy-going, way into football. I figured out early on in our trainer/trainee relationship that we didn't have much in common. In fact, were I not paying him to help sculpt my arms, shoulders & abs into the toned limbs I now possess (ha), we would never have met, never hang out. We have very little in common, aside from a shared desire to turn my fat into muscle.
Anyway, one day we were in the weight room and I was lifting free weights while he was regaling me with one of his stories from the Good Old Days of college football. I'm listening and trying to follow along--I'm not really a football fan, so a lot of his story is new information to me. Anyway, he's telling me his football story, and about halfway through, he asks me in what I presume to be a very weird question, and this is what went down.
Him: "You know what the Red Shirts are?"
Me (confused): ".... You mean from Star Trek?"
Him (more confused): "...No. From football."
Both of us, looking at each other, totally confused: " . . . . . ?"
This is what happens when geeks & jocks interact. You can become friends, but you might not always speak the same language.
Monday, May 11, 2009
It's a weird world
Last update April 3. My goodness.
I've started to wonder if my life is really happening if I'm not posting about it on Twitter/Facebook. I just spent 45 minutes reading all my people's updates on Facebook from the weekend (300+ people, 3 days worth of updates) and actually felt bad that I didn't post something for Mother's Day. I called my mom, and sent her a present and a card that showed up ON TIME for once. Is it enough if I didn't post it on Facebook too? It's a weird world we live in these days.
I haven't been blogging in months mostly because I've been very short on time. Also because as I've been sitting here trying to compose my thoughts, I forget what I was going to write just as soon as it pops into my head. Let's assume it was brilliant, shall we?
This past weekend we celebrated the 2-year anniversary of our company, Click Communications. When Mac and I started this gig, it was just the two of us and our one client. Today we still have that client, as well as two others, as well as 6 full-time employees, 3 part-time contractors, and 2 advisory board members. Our press list, and the strength of the relationships that go with it, has more than doubled. I feel anxious sharing our success because I constantly feel, every second, that there's still SO MUCH MORE TO DO. Do more! Be better! But we'll get there, and in the meantime, I feel very lucky and grateful to see our hard work pay off this way. There are many hard-working people in our country right now who are not enjoying as much success, and we will not take this for granted.
We celebrated with a party here at the house on Saturday, a day that started with coffee and watching Friday's Dollhouse finale. [Sidebar: Friday we were discussing Dollhouse with our friends, and I said to Mac, "Remember that episode that got all surreal and rapey?" His response: "You mean all of them?" I'm intrigued by this show, but he's not wrong, and it bums me out. I love a Joss Project, but I'd prefer to see his next one with a little less rape. Is that too much to ask from the guy who's all, "I'll quit writing strong female characters when everyone keeps asking me WHY I write strong female characters"? I think not.] The party was a fabulous success, which I say myself because I know we could not have pulled it off without Mac's sister, our dear friends visiting from Seattle, and our rock star staff helping set it up and make everything go smoothly. The night ended with me getting a face full of veggie burger juice, which made me very cranky, and also made me realize A) throwing a party for 10+ hours after two weeks of Work Insanity is Exhausting, and B) sobering up and cleaning while your friends are still drunk & partying is no fun. I think the solution is maybe to stay drunk? A theory to test at the next party, perhaps.
In other news, Captain Awesome has a gimpy leg from jumping on the fence trying to catch squirrels/our neighbors and has been limping around for a week. I thought it would heal on its own but it hasn't, and it just breaks my heart and I'm taking him to the vet today. Both of our dogs have been extra cuddly and clingy lately, I think because of our recent Hawaii trip. I would take them with us if I could. Penny would love chasing geckos.
Now that I'm thinking of taking Captain to the vet, I'm reminded of preparations I need to make for a meeting tomorrow morning, and all this other work I have to do. I think I'm a little rusty at the blogging, but I think I could fit it back into my life. This took 15 minutes to write, as opposed to the 45 I spent on Facebook, which is supposed to take less time. It's a weird world we live in these days.
I've started to wonder if my life is really happening if I'm not posting about it on Twitter/Facebook. I just spent 45 minutes reading all my people's updates on Facebook from the weekend (300+ people, 3 days worth of updates) and actually felt bad that I didn't post something for Mother's Day. I called my mom, and sent her a present and a card that showed up ON TIME for once. Is it enough if I didn't post it on Facebook too? It's a weird world we live in these days.
I haven't been blogging in months mostly because I've been very short on time. Also because as I've been sitting here trying to compose my thoughts, I forget what I was going to write just as soon as it pops into my head. Let's assume it was brilliant, shall we?
This past weekend we celebrated the 2-year anniversary of our company, Click Communications. When Mac and I started this gig, it was just the two of us and our one client. Today we still have that client, as well as two others, as well as 6 full-time employees, 3 part-time contractors, and 2 advisory board members. Our press list, and the strength of the relationships that go with it, has more than doubled. I feel anxious sharing our success because I constantly feel, every second, that there's still SO MUCH MORE TO DO. Do more! Be better! But we'll get there, and in the meantime, I feel very lucky and grateful to see our hard work pay off this way. There are many hard-working people in our country right now who are not enjoying as much success, and we will not take this for granted.
We celebrated with a party here at the house on Saturday, a day that started with coffee and watching Friday's Dollhouse finale. [Sidebar: Friday we were discussing Dollhouse with our friends, and I said to Mac, "Remember that episode that got all surreal and rapey?" His response: "You mean all of them?" I'm intrigued by this show, but he's not wrong, and it bums me out. I love a Joss Project, but I'd prefer to see his next one with a little less rape. Is that too much to ask from the guy who's all, "I'll quit writing strong female characters when everyone keeps asking me WHY I write strong female characters"? I think not.] The party was a fabulous success, which I say myself because I know we could not have pulled it off without Mac's sister, our dear friends visiting from Seattle, and our rock star staff helping set it up and make everything go smoothly. The night ended with me getting a face full of veggie burger juice, which made me very cranky, and also made me realize A) throwing a party for 10+ hours after two weeks of Work Insanity is Exhausting, and B) sobering up and cleaning while your friends are still drunk & partying is no fun. I think the solution is maybe to stay drunk? A theory to test at the next party, perhaps.
In other news, Captain Awesome has a gimpy leg from jumping on the fence trying to catch squirrels/our neighbors and has been limping around for a week. I thought it would heal on its own but it hasn't, and it just breaks my heart and I'm taking him to the vet today. Both of our dogs have been extra cuddly and clingy lately, I think because of our recent Hawaii trip. I would take them with us if I could. Penny would love chasing geckos.
Now that I'm thinking of taking Captain to the vet, I'm reminded of preparations I need to make for a meeting tomorrow morning, and all this other work I have to do. I think I'm a little rusty at the blogging, but I think I could fit it back into my life. This took 15 minutes to write, as opposed to the 45 I spent on Facebook, which is supposed to take less time. It's a weird world we live in these days.
Friday, April 03, 2009
my new favorite dance video
I know I hardly write here any more, which means I'm sure I've totally lost all my readers. And, well, I'm not writing in here today either because I'm super short on time, but I really wanted to post this, my new favorite dance video.
How rad is THAT????
How rad is THAT????
Monday, February 09, 2009
a person's ability to Change
Wow, it's been awhile. I'd get you caught up on what I've been doing, but it's mostly been a lot of work stuff that's either boring to anyone not directly involved or, like, confidential.
I did sign up for the Danskin Triathlon in Austin again, so I'm training for that again. I also ran/walked my first 10k yesterday (about 6.2 miles). I kind of thought I'd walk most of it, but I ran a lot! I couldn't believe it! Especially since the course was filled with hills, and I'd only ever jogged a 5k before. My race buddies Emily, Danielle and I finished at EXACTLY 1:27, which isn't bad for a non-runner's first 10k, I say.
I've gotten a lot of support and congrats for this race, for which I am so grateful. I have amazing family and friends, and I love them. It's also made me realize something:
If you want people to be impressed with your athletic prowess, spend a lifetime being a lazy-ass couch potato first.
Because, after all, I have plenty of friends who do races, and when they finish them and tell me about it, I always offer support and congratulations. But they don't always brag about it first of all, so I don't always know about it. But mostly, the friends I know who do races are kind of jocks already. So when they finish a race, it's kind of like, well sure. Of course you did that. Well done.
But I've realized that when I finish a race people are like, Wow! Good for you! I'm so impressed! It's awesome, amazing support and encouragement and, I'm not gonna lie, a big factor in deciding to do more races.
That said, it has occurred to me that all these encouraging people may not be solely impressed at my ability to clock a 14-minute mile. I'm thinking that perhaps that nagging doubt that I can't possibly keep this up when there's so much good TV on is a very real factor. People are inspired by the transformation from Couch Potato to Race Finisher.
And if you are, I say again (like I always do): If I can do it ANYONE can do it. Seriously.
As I continue to do more races, I expect the enthusiasm will die down, and that's fine. Much like I think of myself as a Short Hair Girl going through a Long Hair Experiment, I still think of myself as a Non-Athletic Woman Who Sometimes Does Races. As long as I, and others, still think of me that way, every race I take on will be impressive. (Hell, as long as there's always good TV on, I'll always be impressed with my ability to stick to a training plan.) When the people around me start responding to my endeavors, however, with "Well sure. Of course you did that. Well done," then I'll know that I have truly changed.
And by the time that point in my life rolls around, who knows how long my hair will be?
I did sign up for the Danskin Triathlon in Austin again, so I'm training for that again. I also ran/walked my first 10k yesterday (about 6.2 miles). I kind of thought I'd walk most of it, but I ran a lot! I couldn't believe it! Especially since the course was filled with hills, and I'd only ever jogged a 5k before. My race buddies Emily, Danielle and I finished at EXACTLY 1:27, which isn't bad for a non-runner's first 10k, I say.
I've gotten a lot of support and congrats for this race, for which I am so grateful. I have amazing family and friends, and I love them. It's also made me realize something:
If you want people to be impressed with your athletic prowess, spend a lifetime being a lazy-ass couch potato first.
Because, after all, I have plenty of friends who do races, and when they finish them and tell me about it, I always offer support and congratulations. But they don't always brag about it first of all, so I don't always know about it. But mostly, the friends I know who do races are kind of jocks already. So when they finish a race, it's kind of like, well sure. Of course you did that. Well done.
But I've realized that when I finish a race people are like, Wow! Good for you! I'm so impressed! It's awesome, amazing support and encouragement and, I'm not gonna lie, a big factor in deciding to do more races.
That said, it has occurred to me that all these encouraging people may not be solely impressed at my ability to clock a 14-minute mile. I'm thinking that perhaps that nagging doubt that I can't possibly keep this up when there's so much good TV on is a very real factor. People are inspired by the transformation from Couch Potato to Race Finisher.
And if you are, I say again (like I always do): If I can do it ANYONE can do it. Seriously.
As I continue to do more races, I expect the enthusiasm will die down, and that's fine. Much like I think of myself as a Short Hair Girl going through a Long Hair Experiment, I still think of myself as a Non-Athletic Woman Who Sometimes Does Races. As long as I, and others, still think of me that way, every race I take on will be impressive. (Hell, as long as there's always good TV on, I'll always be impressed with my ability to stick to a training plan.) When the people around me start responding to my endeavors, however, with "Well sure. Of course you did that. Well done," then I'll know that I have truly changed.
And by the time that point in my life rolls around, who knows how long my hair will be?
Friday, January 09, 2009
finding poetry
Hey, check it out, y'all: my mom is a published poet!
Time in its Flight, featured on FoundPoetry.org.
My friend Susan introduced me to this site, and I just love this project. I love the idea of finding poetry in surprising places, and collecting them like this. They're looking for more submissions to get the site off the ground, so be sure and send them your submissions as well!
And, yes, I do know how lucky I am to have a mom who is an artist and poet and also has great taste in music. And who shares all three of those gifts with her kids on a regular basis. Thanks, Mom!
Time in its Flight, featured on FoundPoetry.org.
My friend Susan introduced me to this site, and I just love this project. I love the idea of finding poetry in surprising places, and collecting them like this. They're looking for more submissions to get the site off the ground, so be sure and send them your submissions as well!
And, yes, I do know how lucky I am to have a mom who is an artist and poet and also has great taste in music. And who shares all three of those gifts with her kids on a regular basis. Thanks, Mom!
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Only in fiction
Dear Film and Television Writers everywhere,
Excuse me while a pick a nit, but this has been bothering me for years--nay, decades!--and I need to get it off my chest.
There is a phrase that I hear ALL THE TIME in movies and on my shows, that I have NEVER ONCE heard someone utter in real life. I don't know why it keeps showing up on screen, except that I think writers are watching a lot of film and TV, and their ideas about What People Actually Say are being fed by fiction in some kind of vicious, weird meta-cycle.
What is this phrase I loathe so much? The phrase that makes me wince at the uncreative weakness of the writer that wrote it and generic blandness of the actor that uttered it?
"I'd like that."
Not as in, I'm at a bakery and I see a fresh batch of jumbo chocolate chip cookies come out from the oven and placed in the case and the mere sight of them makes me drool all over the glass and lose my ability to speak politely so that when it's my turn to order all I can do is point to the cookie and say, "I'd like THAT."
No, no. It's more like, the couple has cute-met at the bakery and she spilled her coffee on him and after splitting a cookie and arguing sweetly over the merits of Scrabble, or something, he gets up the nerve to ask her on a date, and she responds, "I'd like that."
Only in fiction to people ever respond to an invitation with, "I'd like that." In real life, people say, "Sure" or "That sounds fun" or even, "I'd love that!" (Even though, "I'd love to!" is far more likely.) I've never once heard anyone I know utter the response, "I'd like that."
The first time this got under my skin was in the movie Heathers. (Oh, Heathers. You beautiful masterpiece of noir teenage comic camp. I love you so much.) The dialog in this movie was so creative and fresh that it created its own lexicon of words and phrases that are still in heavy rotation today. And then, Veronica blows up the school and her boyfriend, steals the almighty red scrunchie, plants a sooty kiss on Heather Duke's bewildered mug, invites Martha Dumptruck to hang out, and what does Martha say?
"I'd like that."
Even at 14, when I first saw this movie, I was like, ...Really? Not that Martha wouldn't want to hang out with a sooty Veronica, but who says that?? (You'll note that I easily believed that teenagers in high school said all the other crazy stuff that was in the movie's dialog; this was the only bit that rang false. You'll also note that people today will still throw out lines about Diet Coke-heads, or eating a brain tumor for breakfast, but no one, I swear, ever says the other thing.)
Now, nearly 20 years later, it has become (or still is, I don't know how far back this goes) this over-used crutch meant to indicate that the person saying it is, or has recently become, warm and receptive to the person with the invitation. Or something, I honestly don't know why it's used so over-much. All I know is, I would enjoy all the myriad movies and shows I watch a hell of a lot more if you would knock it off with the weak "I'd like that" response, and start writing the way people actually talk.
I would love that, in fact. I really would.
xoxo
D
Excuse me while a pick a nit, but this has been bothering me for years--nay, decades!--and I need to get it off my chest.
There is a phrase that I hear ALL THE TIME in movies and on my shows, that I have NEVER ONCE heard someone utter in real life. I don't know why it keeps showing up on screen, except that I think writers are watching a lot of film and TV, and their ideas about What People Actually Say are being fed by fiction in some kind of vicious, weird meta-cycle.
What is this phrase I loathe so much? The phrase that makes me wince at the uncreative weakness of the writer that wrote it and generic blandness of the actor that uttered it?
"I'd like that."
Not as in, I'm at a bakery and I see a fresh batch of jumbo chocolate chip cookies come out from the oven and placed in the case and the mere sight of them makes me drool all over the glass and lose my ability to speak politely so that when it's my turn to order all I can do is point to the cookie and say, "I'd like THAT."
No, no. It's more like, the couple has cute-met at the bakery and she spilled her coffee on him and after splitting a cookie and arguing sweetly over the merits of Scrabble, or something, he gets up the nerve to ask her on a date, and she responds, "I'd like that."
Only in fiction to people ever respond to an invitation with, "I'd like that." In real life, people say, "Sure" or "That sounds fun" or even, "I'd love that!" (Even though, "I'd love to!" is far more likely.) I've never once heard anyone I know utter the response, "I'd like that."
The first time this got under my skin was in the movie Heathers. (Oh, Heathers. You beautiful masterpiece of noir teenage comic camp. I love you so much.) The dialog in this movie was so creative and fresh that it created its own lexicon of words and phrases that are still in heavy rotation today. And then, Veronica blows up the school and her boyfriend, steals the almighty red scrunchie, plants a sooty kiss on Heather Duke's bewildered mug, invites Martha Dumptruck to hang out, and what does Martha say?
"I'd like that."
Even at 14, when I first saw this movie, I was like, ...Really? Not that Martha wouldn't want to hang out with a sooty Veronica, but who says that?? (You'll note that I easily believed that teenagers in high school said all the other crazy stuff that was in the movie's dialog; this was the only bit that rang false. You'll also note that people today will still throw out lines about Diet Coke-heads, or eating a brain tumor for breakfast, but no one, I swear, ever says the other thing.)
Now, nearly 20 years later, it has become (or still is, I don't know how far back this goes) this over-used crutch meant to indicate that the person saying it is, or has recently become, warm and receptive to the person with the invitation. Or something, I honestly don't know why it's used so over-much. All I know is, I would enjoy all the myriad movies and shows I watch a hell of a lot more if you would knock it off with the weak "I'd like that" response, and start writing the way people actually talk.
I would love that, in fact. I really would.
xoxo
D
Thursday, January 01, 2009
I actually accomplished a lot
I'm currently enjoying our New Year's Day tradition of Egg Dish and horror movies with good friends. Since I don't love horror movies, I thought I'd get caught up on the past year at the same time. To say 2008 was busy would be a ridiculous understatement. I actually accomplished a lot of the stuff I wanted to do, including:
Threw our most kick-ass Oscar party yet in February.
Saw the dogs get cuter, and eat the eyes out of a bee.
Rocked St. Pat's with my favorite Scorpios.
Hiked up Runyon Canyon with Amy & Chip on Easter Morning.
Went to Medieval Times for the first time.
Bought my first bike in many, many years.
Went on a fabulous Hawaiian vacation; swam laps in this body of water.
Watched the dogs get even cuter.
Celebrated the one-year anniversary of Click.
Became a triathlete.
Enjoyed Minnesota in summertime, visiting Amy & Chip over 4th of July weekend.
Celebrated nephew Rusty's 1st birthday in Santa Barbara with the entire McLean clan.
Watched my little family get even cuter.
Met Mia Michaels.
Went to San Diego Comic Con for the first time, followed by a trip to the San Diego Zoo. (Got Nerd Flu.)
Celebrated Kristin & Mark's marriage with good friends outside of Boston.
Reunited with my UNC Crew in Greeley Colorado; danced and danced.
Ate a delicious peach from Mom's tree in her backyard. (Also went to my first water aerobics class.)
Threw a Valley Girl Slumber Party Bridal Shower for Amanda, and had attendees do 80's makeovers for fabulous prizes.
Bridesmaided for my dear friends, once in September, once in October. Thanked God my friends have lovely taste in bridesmaid dresses.
Worked my ass off, rubbed shoulders with celebs, and pissed off Victor Garber at the Runway for Life event.
Threw the Halloween Cocktail Party I've wanted to throw, oh, forever; discovered black vodka.
Met one of the funniest women alive, Amy Sedaris.
Voted in one of the most important elections of our lifetime; wept with joy on Election Night.
Gardened! I finally populated the little garden in front of our house with herbs and flowers, I planted three rose bushes, and we had a tree planted in the front yard.
Learned how to weave a lattice pie crust and baked the world's most beautiful (and delicious) apple pie for Thanksgiving.
Bought the prettiest white winter coat just before our trip to Seattle, where we got to see some fabulous friends, and got a truckload of great business accomplished. (Also, note how long hair has gotten!)
Took formal family portraits with the McLeans at Sears.
Sent out beautiful Click holiday cards to our clients and press.
Enjoyed a lovely, low-key Christmas in Santa Barbara.
And, finally, watched the dogs get even cuter.
- Run a mile.
- Visit the San Diego Zoo
- Take the dogs for walks in Runyon Canyon and Fryman Canyon
- Plant a tree in our front yard
- Present a full-on summer season of Tiki Theater
- Grow my hair past my shoulders
Threw our most kick-ass Oscar party yet in February.
Saw the dogs get cuter, and eat the eyes out of a bee.
Rocked St. Pat's with my favorite Scorpios.
Hiked up Runyon Canyon with Amy & Chip on Easter Morning.
Went to Medieval Times for the first time.
Bought my first bike in many, many years.
Went on a fabulous Hawaiian vacation; swam laps in this body of water.
Watched the dogs get even cuter.
Celebrated the one-year anniversary of Click.
Became a triathlete.
Enjoyed Minnesota in summertime, visiting Amy & Chip over 4th of July weekend.
Celebrated nephew Rusty's 1st birthday in Santa Barbara with the entire McLean clan.
Watched my little family get even cuter.
Met Mia Michaels.
Went to San Diego Comic Con for the first time, followed by a trip to the San Diego Zoo. (Got Nerd Flu.)
Celebrated Kristin & Mark's marriage with good friends outside of Boston.
Reunited with my UNC Crew in Greeley Colorado; danced and danced.
Ate a delicious peach from Mom's tree in her backyard. (Also went to my first water aerobics class.)
Threw a Valley Girl Slumber Party Bridal Shower for Amanda, and had attendees do 80's makeovers for fabulous prizes.
Bridesmaided for my dear friends, once in September, once in October. Thanked God my friends have lovely taste in bridesmaid dresses.
Worked my ass off, rubbed shoulders with celebs, and pissed off Victor Garber at the Runway for Life event.
Threw the Halloween Cocktail Party I've wanted to throw, oh, forever; discovered black vodka.
Met one of the funniest women alive, Amy Sedaris.
Voted in one of the most important elections of our lifetime; wept with joy on Election Night.
Gardened! I finally populated the little garden in front of our house with herbs and flowers, I planted three rose bushes, and we had a tree planted in the front yard.
Learned how to weave a lattice pie crust and baked the world's most beautiful (and delicious) apple pie for Thanksgiving.
Bought the prettiest white winter coat just before our trip to Seattle, where we got to see some fabulous friends, and got a truckload of great business accomplished. (Also, note how long hair has gotten!)
Took formal family portraits with the McLeans at Sears.
Sent out beautiful Click holiday cards to our clients and press.
Enjoyed a lovely, low-key Christmas in Santa Barbara.
And, finally, watched the dogs get even cuter.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Xmas mix CD
I've been mixing/ burning my Xmas mix CD for years now, and it morphs and evolves every year. This year, I thought I'd distribute it online. So, for one week only, get your very own copy of my Xmas 2008 mix right here!
The folder also includes a CD case with a track list in a powerpoint file that you can print out and insert into a case, should you want a hard copy. But if you just want the tunes, those are there too. If you've gotten a copy of this mix from me in the past, then you already have most of the songs. But, like I said, it changes every year, so there could be some new treats on there for you.
Enjoy! Merry Christmas!
The folder also includes a CD case with a track list in a powerpoint file that you can print out and insert into a case, should you want a hard copy. But if you just want the tunes, those are there too. If you've gotten a copy of this mix from me in the past, then you already have most of the songs. But, like I said, it changes every year, so there could be some new treats on there for you.
Enjoy! Merry Christmas!
I'm a mess. Ho ho ho.
It's been almost a month since my last entry, so first I'll do a quick list of bullets of what we've been up to, for those of you keeping track of my life (ahem, Mom). Then we can talk holidays.
Thanksgiving 08: What a fantastic holiday. We hosted members of our "chosen family" at the house this year, and it was just wonderful. My friend Tony the Chef did the most amazing things to our turkey--brining in brandy, shoving garlic & rosemary under the skin next to the meat, stuffing with apples and oranges. It was one of the most moist and delicious turkeys I've ever tasted. All of our friends brought delicious sides and snacks, actually, because they are classy like that. For my part, I baked 2 loaves of dill bread and 3 pies: pumpkin, pecan, and apple with a lattice-top crust. I hope to get caught up on photos over the next week or so, but suffice to say they all came out gorgeous! Good food, good wine, great friends--GREAT holiday.
Seattle Trip: The first week in December Mac and I went to Seattle to visit friends, do some business, and enjoy some proper chilly weather. Not that I'm complaining about our fabulous SoCal weather, but it's hard to get into the holiday spirit when it won't stop being 80 degrees outside (the weather has since changed, thankfully). This trip was PACKED, and as usual we ran out of time before we got to do everything or see everyone. We got a lot of great business done, striking up some fun partnerships and strengthening our Seattle press relationships. We got to see some of our favorite people on the planet. And we ATE. Oh, my God, we ate our way through that city. Someday I'm going to write the Mac & Dinah Guide to Seattle, with a list of must-sees, must-dos and must-eats. The newest revelation was The Black Bottle in Belltown. YUM.
Family Portrait Time: Yet another separate blog post in the making, we took family portraits with Mac's family at Sears the second weekend in December. We wore coordinated outfits and posed uncomfortably (at one point I was laying on my stomach). Mac's family all look happy and natural in all of these photos. I look like a robot.
Which, okay, I'm actually checking my calendar to remember what all we've done this month. We took the LA division of our awesome staff out to a holiday dinner, after video chatting with Scott and his lovely wife. The whole team chipped in and got us a Wii Fit. I'm choosing not to take this as a personal commentary on my need to lose weight, but as an amazingly intuitive and thoughtful present that we actually had every intention of buying for ourselves. They also got us a game that you play with your butt. Awesome. Seriously, we employ the best people on the planet.
We also hosted a holiday party for one of our clients, which went off perfectly and inspired a separate blog I need to write about throwing parties. Because, for real, I pulled that thing together in about a day, had tasks for everyone to help me with, and did the whole thing BEAUTIFULLY and under budget. I'm not bragging; I'm just good.
Everything else has just been a mad scramble to get prepared for the holidays. I always stress out about Christmas, every year. What do I get? Is it too much, not enough? Why do I put it off every year? Christmas cards still haven't gone out--it might be a New Year's/Wrap Up card this year. Plus I'd love to do a "Best of 2008" mix... but I never even finished or mailed out my Summer 08 mix. Oh, I'm a mess. Ho ho ho.
So that brings me up to date. The checklist of future blogs I just mentioned includes: photos, Seattle guide, family portraits, how to throw a fabulous party, and Best of 2008 mix. Yeah, we'll see.
Thanks for checking back on me, even though I haven't been updating. I appreciate everyone who reads Puffpiece, and hope you're all enjoying a fabulous holiday season!!
Thanksgiving 08: What a fantastic holiday. We hosted members of our "chosen family" at the house this year, and it was just wonderful. My friend Tony the Chef did the most amazing things to our turkey--brining in brandy, shoving garlic & rosemary under the skin next to the meat, stuffing with apples and oranges. It was one of the most moist and delicious turkeys I've ever tasted. All of our friends brought delicious sides and snacks, actually, because they are classy like that. For my part, I baked 2 loaves of dill bread and 3 pies: pumpkin, pecan, and apple with a lattice-top crust. I hope to get caught up on photos over the next week or so, but suffice to say they all came out gorgeous! Good food, good wine, great friends--GREAT holiday.
Seattle Trip: The first week in December Mac and I went to Seattle to visit friends, do some business, and enjoy some proper chilly weather. Not that I'm complaining about our fabulous SoCal weather, but it's hard to get into the holiday spirit when it won't stop being 80 degrees outside (the weather has since changed, thankfully). This trip was PACKED, and as usual we ran out of time before we got to do everything or see everyone. We got a lot of great business done, striking up some fun partnerships and strengthening our Seattle press relationships. We got to see some of our favorite people on the planet. And we ATE. Oh, my God, we ate our way through that city. Someday I'm going to write the Mac & Dinah Guide to Seattle, with a list of must-sees, must-dos and must-eats. The newest revelation was The Black Bottle in Belltown. YUM.
Family Portrait Time: Yet another separate blog post in the making, we took family portraits with Mac's family at Sears the second weekend in December. We wore coordinated outfits and posed uncomfortably (at one point I was laying on my stomach). Mac's family all look happy and natural in all of these photos. I look like a robot.
Which, okay, I'm actually checking my calendar to remember what all we've done this month. We took the LA division of our awesome staff out to a holiday dinner, after video chatting with Scott and his lovely wife. The whole team chipped in and got us a Wii Fit. I'm choosing not to take this as a personal commentary on my need to lose weight, but as an amazingly intuitive and thoughtful present that we actually had every intention of buying for ourselves. They also got us a game that you play with your butt. Awesome. Seriously, we employ the best people on the planet.
We also hosted a holiday party for one of our clients, which went off perfectly and inspired a separate blog I need to write about throwing parties. Because, for real, I pulled that thing together in about a day, had tasks for everyone to help me with, and did the whole thing BEAUTIFULLY and under budget. I'm not bragging; I'm just good.
Everything else has just been a mad scramble to get prepared for the holidays. I always stress out about Christmas, every year. What do I get? Is it too much, not enough? Why do I put it off every year? Christmas cards still haven't gone out--it might be a New Year's/Wrap Up card this year. Plus I'd love to do a "Best of 2008" mix... but I never even finished or mailed out my Summer 08 mix. Oh, I'm a mess. Ho ho ho.
So that brings me up to date. The checklist of future blogs I just mentioned includes: photos, Seattle guide, family portraits, how to throw a fabulous party, and Best of 2008 mix. Yeah, we'll see.
Thanks for checking back on me, even though I haven't been updating. I appreciate everyone who reads Puffpiece, and hope you're all enjoying a fabulous holiday season!!
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