Saturday, November 30, 2013

1234

Well, I failed in the final stretch of the month. I wasn't able to blog yesterday, but I've always thought blogging should be secondary to actual life activities, so I don't feel too bad. There was a lot of life happening!

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Let's start with Thursday.

Thanksgiving for my family means driving up to New Hampshire for a Parker reunion. Family members fly out from all over the states and it usually reaches upwards of fifty people. And this time we brought Jaime, and I did my best to warn her. She was greeted with lots of welcomes, as Parkers always do.


There were a lot of families with all their kids looking so much older than the year before and as always, lots of dogs. We had our grand feast which takes up four long tables in the house. Jesse and myself (like we do every year) strategically placed ourselves in the alcove that also had a television that would play the football game.


After the meal, the bravest of the attendees changed into their athletic gear for the traditional annual football game. Jaime and myself simply drove up to the field in the car and watched from the front seats - heated front seats. We did not envy those playing out there in 20 degree weather.



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That evening we returned to my parents home to let the tryptophan sink in and watch a movie, like we do. However, the quiet evening and great day ended on a sad note when we learned of the passing of the wonderful Miss Louise. She is at peace now, and she fought to the last, but she will be tremendously missed. Missed especially during these holidays, when we would see her most.

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The day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday to most, but Rhode Island Thanksgiving to us! Yup, we do it all over again the next day. But with a much more intimate crowd that just includes my Uncle Arthur and Tia Kim and their son James. My aunt always makes a grand meal, and this year the meal even went on under the news of the previous night; Miss Louise was Uncle Arthur's mother. But he and the rest of the family did not want to break tradition, because Miss Louise would have wanted it to go on.




The second part of Rhode Island Thanksgiving after the meal includes the rest of my Uncle's family gathering at the house for libations and good conversation. Given the news, the gathering was a bit more subdued without the presence of Miss Louise, but it was still a lovely evening in which we caught up, and mostly reveled in the good memories of this most outstanding woman.




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You can see now, I think, why I didn't take the time to sit at my iPad for a long stretch of time.

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One of my "cousins" (we feel like cousins though we technically aren't - she's my Uncle Arthur's sister's daughter), just returned from a semester in Ireland and brought back with her a liking for Jameson. So last night Katie was greeted we a giant bottle of it for the festivities. And everybody drank to the memory of Miss Louise, her grandmother.

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It was awesome to see and talk with everyone; the room was alive. 

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The ride home was raucous as well, what with my Rdio account streaming the hits, like Harry Belafonte's "Jump in the Line." The whole car was dancing the way back to  Massachusetts, some of us with Jameson to help.

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Only two more days left of this vacation! Today is the last day of November, and though I didn't reach my goal, I definitely got back into the swing of blogging. I will continue, but posting a blog a day may not be feasible with all the December activities!


Thursday, November 28, 2013

1233

Cool I just spent some time writing around 8 paragraphs about yesterday and then the Blogger app on this ipad quit without saving my post. Since blogging shouldn't deter one from their valuable time, especially doubly, I've decided not to rewrite it. 

So it was a really fun and cheeky post and also included a paragraph about how un-charismatic Charlie Hunnam is because we watched him be a dud in an otherwise decent movie Pacific Rim, but it's all been lost in the technology.

Happy Thanksgiving - back to the festivities!

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

1232




Hello from my new iPad mini! Jesse was supposed to give me his old iPad when he returned from tour because he got a Mini. But then he surprised me and didn't pull out his old iPad but a new Mini for me! It's like an early Christmas present! He didn't wait until Christmas because he says I would've been angry from now until Christmas that he sold off his iPad when it was promised to me. He's probably right.

Now we are on a train with Jaime heading towards Massachusetts for the long weekend! Hurrah!

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

1231

Sometimes you spend all day at work staring at a computer screen so much that your eyes hurt and the last thing you want to do when you go home is get back on a computer -- especially if your husband just got back from tour last night.

Monday, November 25, 2013

1230

Mike, Amber, hostess Erica, Kells, Jon (and gravy love).

Me, host David, Tyler, and Jiscilla
Yesterday began a new tradition among my best friends: Friendsgiving. Erica and David invited us to their Clinton Hill apartment where they provided the feast, and the rest of us the peripheral accoutrements like appetizers and drinks (I'm not even sure if that is the right word). I decided to make Jesse's famous deviled eggs as an appetizer, as we were meeting at noon so it would be a little breakfast before the large lunch. (I would post a photo, but I avoid unprofessional photos of food.) The eggs were proven a hit once again, as we gathered around the living room sipping on hot cider and catching up. Even the vegan among us ate a couple!
 
Erica carved her first turkey with aplomb and we settled at the table. There were many jokes, praise of the food and hosts, and ghost discussions. I'm not sure why most Curbside gatherings devolve into conversations about ghosts, but I'm not mad at it. Mike's old band apparently used to play a song about sexytimes with a ghost, and he also believes his apartment with Amber might be haunted. He insisted that one time when he was changing, a ghost de-pantsed him. This led our host David to tell one of his legendary 'dad jokes,' something along the lines of "Was it the Ghost of Christmas Pants?" I photographed this exchange:

David standing up, setting up, and delivering his joke. (Tyler reaching for food)
David and Tyler quite satisfied with the dad joke.
David watching NFL Red Zone alone post-joke.
The meal was truly fabulous, and we were all murmuring about being stuffed and the effects of tryptophan. Jon even tried to make a joke, but it lacked David's dad joke presentation skills. He's working on it, though, and one day he threatens to create a joke blog. He's like the Jack Handey of our friends, and we love his jokes. Some more photos 'round the table:

Tyler and Jiscilla, telling it like it is.
Mike and Amber, always looking like they freshly murdered someone.
Kelly, Jon, and my semi-permanent third wheel self.
After the meal we played our long-standing tradition of Celebrities, or Notables. This was the first time, however, we were playing Women vs Men, which we gave them an out, but they took the challenge. We knew we would beat them, so we gave them a handicap of longer time by double. We still beat them.
 
Tyler didn't even know many celebrities and just put in the members of Black Eyed Peas over and over and over again. I now know all the members of Black Eyed Peas and I feel cursed.
 
One strategy to get points when you might not know who is written on the paper is to rhyme. The boys were given Zac Efron and the best rhyme was played: Snack Jeffroni. Another rhyming clue for Tiffany Amber Theissen began with Timberly. You can see why they lost, right?
 
The last slip of paper left in the bowl was a name I put in: Idris Elba. And nobody could guess it! How do people still not know who Idris Elba is? You might be reading this and not know. But he's a great actor, and I even discussed his good-lookingness with Amber a few weeks ago. She relies less on names than on images, I guess. He'd be my vote for the next Bond post-Daniel Craig.

Kelly's delicious cake, Amber's cookies, cider, Celebrities playing, and the scoreboard.

This is what happens when you ask the men to take a picture of the women.

The only non-blurry photo from the thirty they took.
 
My friends are the best! I'm always amazed and grateful to have these wonderful women in my life! They are as close to sisters as I've ever had, considering I don't have a biological one. My love for them is endless.
 
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After a hearty goodbye and thanks, we parted ways and I headed home to hang with Pee Wee, Frito, and the end of Greenberg with my friend Adam. By the way, I really didn't like it.
 
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Next up was the Patriots versus Broncos game, Brady versus Manning(face), and by the looks of the first quarter I started interchanging that disaster with another one depicted, Apollo 13. The Patriots managed to turn it around and then the game had my rapt attention. I scared Pee Wee a few times with my yelling, as he was curled up in my lap. I had a stress headache by the end of the game, and erupted with glee when the Patriots clinched the win. PHEW!
 
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Tonight?!?! TONIGHT?!!? WHAT AM I DOING TONIGHT?!?! I SHALL RETURN HOME TO JESSE BACK FROM TOUR!!!! He's been gone a full three and a half weeks, which is one of the longest times we've gone without seeing each other. It's exhausting. But I will see him SO SOON!

Sunday, November 24, 2013

1229

I spent most of yesterday waiting for the superintendent to come fix the toilet. I watched four movies and made deviled eggs at one in the morning for Friendsgiving.

Only God Forgives - maybe the worst movie I've seen this year. I couldn't even finish it. I don't get people's obsession with Drive, but at least it was okay. This movie's from the same director, but somehow Ryan Gosling has LESS lines. OGF was garbage and Gosling should know better. Utter crap. It's been a bad year for Gosling what with this, that gangster movie, and that overly ambitious but wanted-to-like-it movie about boys and their fathers? I can't even remember the names of these (something about Pines?), they were so forgettable.

Arbitrage - I'd heard many good things about this film during the 2012 Oscar race but I don't think it was nominated for anything. I don't really like Richard Gere but I gave this a chance and I liked it a lot. (Or perhaps after OGF I was thankful?) It's a good little movie with intricate storytelling. Thoroughly enjoyed.

Dredd - my friend Adam came over and we had a good time with this one. Honestly it was a little obtrusive how many shots were ONLY good for 3D versions of the film (something I don't have on Netflix Instant!) and the fact that the drug at the center of the story was called "Slo-Mo," aka actually a film technique was a bit hokey. But it was straight action and good action. Also, gross (slo-mo death scenes galore).

Greenberg - after recently obsessing over Frances Ha, I decided to watch another Baumbach/Gerwig collab (she didn't write this one though) and though I fell asleep watching it, I'm not so sure I'm going to like it. Ben Stiller is really good at being unlikable, right? I just don't know if I want to continue seeing Stiller being a neurotic asshole. Maybe I'll finish it before this Pats game starts...

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Today was Friendsgiving but, you know, tryptophan and whatnot makes me not want to sit on my computer and write about it. I'll write about it tomorrow with photos...

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This post a day thing is getting exhausting, sorry to say.

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Jesse's back tomorrow!

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PS the super finally made it this morning of course as I was getting ready to leave the house. OF COURSE.

Saturday, November 23, 2013

1228


I accomplished the feat of cleaning my closet last night! In the middle of the activity, with Jaime over for moral support and also so that she could finally see Thor because she hasn't, I found a bag of catnip. I decided to pour some in the foot of some tights I was throwing away and create a little playtoy for Pee Wee. Little did I know how crazy he was going to get. I decided to take away the toy, but that didn't deter Pee Wee from continuing to go nuts on the bed. See video above.

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In other news, the toilet broke and I've spent most of today waiting for the superintendent. EXCITING!

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Tomorrow is Friendsgiving with my Curbside family. I've been looking forward to it for weeks!

Friday, November 22, 2013

1227



I'm resisting the urge I have to delete the last post. But, that's my stream of consciousness. Experimental blogging!

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Obviously: last night was fun.

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The similarities between Scandal and ALIAS continue... S6-13 = SD6, their fathers, their mothers (maybe?), etc. You know, except Sidney Bristow was a spy. I'd really love Jennifer Garner to show up in spy-costume (like, as the red-wigged sister of Bradley Cooper's character) and trade a line with Olivia at a coffee shop.

Again: my brain.

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Tonight I'm going to continue the great winter clean-out. It's like a life cleanout. I just have far too many clothes in my wardrobe that I don't wear. Why do I need clothes I haven't used in over a year? Exactly. I'll be filling up donation bags!

Perhaps I'll take some pictures of the things I haven't worn in years; could get scary. I have a tendency to keep things with "emotional value" that I don't use. I need to seriously get over that. Sadly that means all those Monty Are I shirts I kept for posterity's sake are probably going to be donated. I also get sad when I've been gifted something that I simply don't wear. I think I have a few shirts from over 10 years ago that I can safely donate now...

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Jesse gets back on MONDAY!!!!

Thursday, November 21, 2013

1226

I'm late! I'm late!

But still under the wire!

Work today was a bit hectic; and I have a standing every-other-week happy hour with my best gal pals (haha, "gal pals") that I just returned from.

[Ending a sentence in a preposition (almost said proposition!), still makes me cringe!]

Needless to say, I've had one martini.

Last night I cleaned out my closet. Not in the Eminem way, but in the for real way.

This is a stream-of-consciousness post and I think I'm doing okay so far.

In a few minutes my friend Jaime will be coming over to watch this week's episode of Scandal.

Yeah, I can still remember to italicize in my state. And also, spell the word italicize without help.

Did you know that Seth Cohen and Blair Waldorf were dating? I didn't and was somewhat blindsided by the fact that they just got engaged. Obviously this news affects me greatly.

[How do I feel about ending a sentence with an adverb?]

Last night Pee Wee scratched my wrist with four distinctive scratch marks because he freaked out for a reason unbeknownst to me. I felt like co-workers might think I'm a cutter and made sure to wear long sleeves.

But last night I was watching Thor and then The Avengers and then I thought this could be Spiderman-like and I'd turn into a cat-powered woman. Like Catwoman but not. Also, Spiderman is not in either of those movies. Also, last night I was not drinking. That's just my brain.

My cat is a dick. Sometimes.

Perhaps I'm manic right now because it's been three weeks since I've seen Jesse.

Where is Jaime? This post is getting long and I should stop before things get dangerous and also that door buzzer will surely make me stop and press "publish" no matter the resistance I feel in the back of my brain.

Here is me right now:


Still no buzzer, but press publish I shall.

[Who still uses "shall?"]

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

1225


Last night I had a wonderful evening catching up with Zan, and our conversation of course ran the gamut from the pros/cons of living in New York, movies, television, and most importantly: books!

She just finished Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch and I am about 25% into it. I love it so far. We started talking about the way Tartt writes, how no matter the story she has a way of enveloping the reader in the atmosphere at hand. I read The Secret History earlier this year and remember vividly the clobbering cold, the corduroy-clad haughty students on a Vermont campus. It's the same with The Goldfinch, except it's set in New York. The main character at one point walks the same stretch of a block that I do most days and it's on point. I'm engrossed.

Zan also informed me that the titular piece of art is an actual painting and happens to currently be displayed at The Frick. I mistakenly thought it was a piece of fiction since it's so central to the novel, but Carel Fabritius and "The Goldfinch" existed! I plan on buying a ticket to see the collection soon; the tickets are already sold out for the times I can go this weekend.

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I came home after our great martini meet-up and flipped on Netflix to watch Frances Ha which I had just added to my queue. And Zan had just highly recommended. So I delved into the black-and-white indie and, quite honestly, fell in love.

Here's a film about a woman in her twenties trying to figure it out. And not through men. Most movies about young, straight women seem to think that if she can just find a good relationship she'll be fine. Not this one. This movie's about a woman coming-of-age these days and also about her best friendship.

Try as I might to be annoyed by Greta Gerwig for the hype, she's just too charming. She's lovely. I loved the character Frances through all of her messiness and mishaps and "undateable!" I find it impressive how she played a character that could you could so easily be angry or annoyed with at points - but you're still rooting for her. I'm not sure who else could play the character. It wouldn't fit. Greta co-wrote the film with her reported boyfriend, director Noah Baumbach. Good job, you two. GOOD JOB.

The film will probably be near my top 10 of the year, if not in it. I highly recommend it if you're in the mood for something interesting and unlike most of the formulaic stuff out there.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

1224

Oof. It's already been a trying day. It's always a trying day when you have 10am appointment to fill a cavity! Half my face is still numb; even one of my nostrils, which hasn't happened before. By the way, I get a lot of cavities. Whenever I look in a mirror with this numbing I expect to see half of my face slack, just a little melted-looking like my nerves are taking a rest. Thankfully I look normal, but I keep thinking people are staring at my drooping lip...which is not drooping.

Hey, people, what are you looking at?

Okay, does novacaine affect the brain?

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LET'S NOT TALK ABOUT THAT PATRIOTS GAME LAST NIGHT.

Except that I was super excited (by myself on the couch) when I heard Motion City Soundtrack's "Inside Out" play during an outro from the game! Hurrah ESPN! Way to go! Woo!!! I said to myself, last night.

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You'll be happy to know I found my sweater! It was shoved in the back of a sweater drawer that was being used for--you guessed it--Jesse's stuff. All of his wonderful glasses and lenses and cases. I think he was trying to hide it from me. I shall wear my man-repellent sweater and care not! MARRIED, DEAL WITH IT.

By the way, Jesse, if you're reading this all the way out there in California, I'm wearing a new dolman sweater today that you've yet to see! Mwahahahaha!

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Obviously that is the only way I can address Jesse at this point in time since I am going crazy (not novacaine related, hopefully) missing him. Last week he played a show in New Mexico and sent me photos from Breaking Bad filming locations! And so now I share them here with you because sometimes all I do is look at pictures of the mister:

At Walt's car wash
 
Better call Saul

In front of Walter White's house; I'm thinking of the pizza

He grabbed some coffee at Tuco's lair
So if you're ever in Albuquerque (which I hope never to spell again), the fictional meth-laden locales are there for you to enjoy!

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Tonight my friend Zan is visiting from Ohio and I'm so excited to catch-up! We used to do a happy hour every once in a while when we worked blocks from each other, and we'll be heading back to our haunt after work, even though now she lives miles away. Yay!

Monday, November 18, 2013

1223

Here are some important footnotes from the weekend that Blue is the Warmest Color probably took off my mind...

My brother Travis and my dad went on a The World's End-like pub crawl in my dad's hometown for his birthday. Ultimate bro-down it would seem. During the night (probably towards the end I would gather from the non-photo texts I recieved...) they sent me the following picture:


True to my best friend Kelly's nature, we did our best to recreate it at the housewarming to send back in playful, gentle mocking:


My brother was none too pleased, I quote: "I do not quite understand this photo nor do I approve of it. That is all." Um, bro we're just imitating you. He then texted, "False, we look like studs, not sketchy tools, fact, maybe a little bit tools, but that's not Dad's fault."

There you have it, my brother thinks Kelly and I look like "sketchy tools."

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I'm getting a little nervous because I can't find my favorite sweater of all time. Coincidentally, it is also Jesse's least favorite sweater (he doesn't get dolman-style) and I'm wondering if there has been some sort of sinister masterplan at work in the sweater-offseason among our things. I plan on doing a full-out search this evening before the Patriots game.

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Here is how Pee Wee has been reading with me of late, with his head buried in my armpit:
 

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Tonight: Go Pats!

Sunday, November 17, 2013

1222

I spent most of yesterday reading S. It's become a loving weekend ritual to wake up, cuddle with Peesy, and delve back into the mystery at hand--in my hand. It's a book necessary to read slowly, but I think I'm also reading it slow deliberately, because I'm not sure I want to reach the end. It's good that the novel is something with a high re-readability factor. Halfway through, and I know there are things I've missed.

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Last night, Kelly, Jon, and I ventured out to New Rochelle to visit Mike and Catie's new apartment. To say 'apartment' is probably misleading -- they live on the top two floors of a house, but it has five bedrooms and more space than two ex-city-dwellers know what to do with. They each have an office. There was definite storage envy among those of us that traveled north to take in their new place. We had a nice time and I was home by 10pm; like we're all adults or something.

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Today's ritual of reading continued, and then I traversed rainy, humid Brooklyn via shuttle buses to make it to a viewing of Blue is the Warmest Color with Amber and Jaime. My hair grew in volume three times over by the time I reached the theater. We were seeing it at one of my favorite venues, Nitehawk, which you can order food and beverages during.

The movie itself is heartbreaking. It's a French film, notorious because of it's central lesbian romance, the sex scene, and the actresses feud with its director. The film won the Palme d'Or at Cannes, and it was the first time the award went not only to the director but also to the two stars, Adèle Exarchopoulos and Léa Seydoux. Completely deserved; those actors were superb. It may be about a lesbian romance, but the coming-of-age and first love relationship qualities can be understood universally. Jaime, Amber, and I discussed much of this on the way home.

Every relationship has their dramatics in different ways, and love intensifies them all the more. The initial throes, the comfort, the usual jealousies. Have you ever predicted, at the end of a relationship, the next person the other would be with? We (Jaime, Amber) all have. I've seen it happen a few times. All too predictable, and oddly, made me relieved--I felt less crazy and glad I was out of that.

Of course, there was that one time that we hadn't ended it yet.

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Tomorrow is Monday, how depressing!

Saturday, November 16, 2013

1221

Loki also enjoys reading
Yesterday was, thankfully, Friday. It's been quite a week at work!

On Thursday evening I finally saw Thor: The Dark World and loved it. There's just something about those characters and actors - I love them all. Especially Tom Hiddleston's Loki! No surprise there. It seemed the entire theater was really only there for Loki...I counted four Loki shirts, but then, this could have been a Loki lovers meet-up of some sort because there was a lot of people introducing themselves to each other. Plus, I'm pretty sure this was their 6th or 7th viewing of the movie.

I have to say, I love the Iron Man and Avengers and Thor films, but the Captain America movie and storylines (and, let's be honest, actors) bore me to bits.

So, let's put Loki in every movie, shall we? Not just Marvel movies. I mean...every movie. He's just so entertaining! He's like the Justin Timberlake of the character world! That movie I saw last week, About Time, wouldn't it have been fun if Loki just showed up and played some tricks on that time traveling family? Think about it.

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Fridays are usually the days I'm most tired, when the last week has culminated in a general fatigue. I met up with Jiscilla for dinner after work and then we proceeded to our favorite guilty pleasure: America's Next Top Model. It was the finale, and we were both rooting for Marvin, me, mainly because he reminds me of my little brother.

**SPOILER ALERT** (even though I know Jiscilla and I are like the last three people who watch this show. I mean, I've watched all 20 cycles. I KNOW THERE ARE 20 CYCLES. I know Tyra calls her seasons CYCLES. The shame! The horror!)

Marvin lost. We were both sad. He did say some endearing things as the loser.

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This morning I read for a few hours - still loving S! Later I'm heading to the suburbs for a couple of friends who've moved on from the city life. They've escaped into an area with grass, closets, and general space!

Friday, November 15, 2013

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!


On my birthday, my dad loves posting tons of photos of me throughout the years. WELL NOW I GET TO DO IT! With the added knowledge of GIFS!!!!! TODAY IS HIS BIRTHDAY YAY!

Let me explain the gif above: my awesome father is a diehard Red Sox fan (where do you think I got it from?!) and during this past playoff season, he took a photographic journey of his playoff beard from start to finish. Basically, he posted beard selfies every day. I always looked forward to them (as did my friends!) and I just had to slice them together for an animation of his journey, which, might I add, TOTALLY PAID OFF. (Yes, it's his birthday, so I'll bestow upon him and his beard the Red Sox World Series win. All the magic of his beard!)

And so, here are a few photos of my wonderful, caring, genuinely amazing father. He was a military career man, and his life shaped my life in the best way possible. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. I'm grateful, lucky, and proud. And I am constantly admiring him as a role model. He's someone I always eagerly look forward to visiting with or just having a conversation. (Usually about movies!) Love you, Dad!





With my brother and me: our annual photo tradition

He let me tell him ALL ABOUT New Kids on the Block back then
Mom and Dad, military ball style!
My dad and I last month on our fall foliage trip

Thursday, November 14, 2013

1219

I knew last night was going to be great, but I didn't realize how spectacular. A spectacle in every sense of the word...

A couple of weeks ago, David (also known as the husband of my bestie Erica) wondered if me and a few friends wanted prime seating to the Hellogoodbye/Metric/Paramore tour at Madison Square Garden. David's a booker and not only did I want to see the tour, but I couldn't help but want to see him that night since he kind of orchestrated the whole thing. I am a proud friend, because David books a couple of the tour's bands, and he booked them at Madison Square Garden. Huge. HUGE. Congratulations, David.

I absolutely loved Hellogoodbye's last album, Would It Kill You? and they are a charming bunch with a new album (admittedly: I haven't had the time to listen to it yet!). I can tell you it is called Everything is Debatable and it's revvin' to go on my Rdio account.

Metric was next, and, as always, brilliant. I often think about Emily Haines' swagger and varying ways I might attain it. The same conclusion is always drawn: Jessica, you could never be Emily Haines. Last night she took the stage in a silver sequinede SUIT. Not pants though, oh no, a suit with SHORTS. She was a beautiful, icy glitter bomb and she looked damn cool.

Photo via
They ended their set with one of their best songs, "Stadium Love." There was a time in my life where I would get up in the mornings, put on that song, and get pumped on life in front of the mirror by bouncing up and down and singing along with the "ooooOOoohoohhhs" and I'm UNASHAMED.

Photo via
The last time I saw Paramore live was when they opened for No Doubt a few years ago, and they were pretty good back then, but damn! Consider me blown away. They've grown into real performers, commanding attention. I remember, I think it was 2004, when I was watching them on the Shira Girl stage at Warped Tour and my boyfriend at the time leaned in and said: "This band is going to be huge. That girl...she's got it." And he was right... they just played a giant show at Madison Square Garden. If that's not huge, I don't know what is.

Everybody was on their feet, including Jon Cheese who was dancing next to me the whole time even though he didn't know any of the songs. There were some real memorable moments, like when Hayley sat down at the keyboard to play "My Only Exception" and the phone lights came on and it looked like a star-dappled nighttime sky in MSG. It was wonderful, no joke --


When they were ending their pre-encore set with "Misery Business," Hayley handpicked a fan from the audience to help sing the breakdown and she might have picked the best human in that place last night. His name is Christian Brown, and not only did he know every single lyric, Hayley stage move, and had great charisma -- he ended the song BY DOING A SPLIT. The crowd went wild, including me and everyone around me. People started chanting Christian Brown after they left the stage. I mean. You have to see this guy; his singing portion starts around 5:40 of this video, but the whole thing's great:



And then, finally, the moment I had been waiting for: "Still Into You." I'm not going to lie, it may be my favorite song of this entire year. I don't think they've written a better song. Erica and I jumped around, screamed the lyrics, and held each other as the balloons and confetti flowed down from the ceiling.

Hey you guys, it was a good show.

Afterwards, I stayed up way too late at the afterparty, but it was so worth it. Thank you to David and Erica for inviting me!

Me and Cheese
Man of the hour, David, and Erica
Besties forever