calling all nerd fighters

Stuff like this harshes my mellow something severe.

Go on with your fine self, John Green. We got your back.

i’m so weird

So I was at the Container Store on a weekday afternoon when there was no line and endless aisles of sexy organization-type things for me to get. Because who doesn’t need to get at least one organization-type thing? But I walked right out of there without so much as a hook for my new eye of the future dream catcher. Knowing that I had the whole place to myself and it was ridiculous to walk out with nothing.

Obviously, the next day I thought of about 73 different things I needed from the Container Store. And I needed them right now. So I went back on Saturday at the busiest time, when it was so crowded I couldn’t even squeeze into the travel aisle and the checkout line was wrapped halfway around the store and everyone was snarly and impatient and the whole production took a million times longer than it would if I just went back when the place was empty again.

Why do I do things like this?

tgim

Your TGIM thought of the day is brought to you by the astounding Meg Cabot. Her blog entry totally explains Why Tim Riggins Didn’t Ask You Out.

I knew there was a reason.  Thanks, Meg!

And here’s a bit from Gawker’s Friday Night Lights and the Stupid People Who Don’t Like It.  Nice.

random

So I was at the gym this morning watching The View on my elliptical monitor, with the girls talking about this new reality show where people have to tell the truth for money.  And this one guy was asked if he’s reluctant to have kids with his wife because he doesn’t think they’ll be together forever and he answered, “Yes.”  Which was true, so he won.

Um. Is anyone else horrified by this?

In brighter news, I’ve been able to hold my #2 ranking on the Facebook Dawson’s Creek Trivia Challenge for a while now.  That’s number 2 out of 25,394 players.  It’s kind of like weight training:  Once you get to a certain level, you can maintain your strength by investing a minimum amount of work each week.  Of course, the amount of time I put into this to get to #2 is embarrassing, but now I can kick back and enjoy the benefits (which, by the way, are none).  My knowledge of Dawson’s Creek is scary.  But not as scary as the girl who’s ranked #1.

If you’re looking for a sweet Valentine’s Day card, check out Papyrus.  Love them.  They have puffy pink heart ones and glittery romantic ones and ones with charms on them.  I love the one SP gave me last year with a matchbook on the cover:

How much am I loving Gilmore Girls?  Except this is my first time seeing the show and I’m only up to season 4, so no spoilers, please (like how Lorelai finally gets together with Luke or something).  The writing is totally brill and Lorelai and Rory are the most amazing TV mother and daughter anywhere (followed closely by Friday Night Lights).Both Juno and The Savages so deserve their Oscar nominations.  Ellen Page and Laura Linney are incredible.  My fave quote from The Savages was by Philip Seymour Hoffman:  “We’re not in therapy right now.  We’re in real life.”  And from Juno:  “But then you were like, “Oh, no, we should just make out instead,’ la la la.”  Confetti for both of these immensely talented ladies.Starting March 31, restaurant chains (with at least 15 locations) have to display the calorie content of everything they serve.  You can read the New York Times article here.  I hope that people will run screaming from McDonald’s (if Super Size Me didn’t already do it for them) when they find out that a triple Whopper has 1,230 calories.  Be afraid.  Be very afraid.

home sweet home

Anyone who knows me knows that I don’t do winter.  I’m just not interested.  These are the days when you need to put on a big-ass puffy coat and three scarves just to go around the corner for a Coffee Crisp.  That so does not work for me.  Not that I even have a big-ass puffy coat.  Because I don’t have a closet to put it in.

Okay, I have one closet.  I had to pull a Bob Villa and make a bedroom closet for my clothes out of a cut-out space in there, so my apartment only has one official closet.  But it’s extremely small and holds everything that would normally take up the space of four closets.  So there’s no room for a big winter coat in there.   I’m aware that I could move out of Greenwich Village and have more space.  But where’s the fun in that?  Ever since I moved to NYC in 1996, I’ve had this insane obsession about living in this neighborhood.  Real estate brokers told me there’s no way I could afford to live here.  They told me to give up.  They recommended living in places like Queens and Montana.  But I was determined.  I was passionate.  And I made it happen.

Here’s the thing.  When I visit friends who live in houses, they don’t believe that my entire apartment could fit inside their living room, especially since I have a nice one-bedroom for this area.  So I thought I’d share a few more fun facts about my abnormal life for your entertainment.

1.  I don’t have a freezer.  Believe me, you don’t know how much you miss the basics like ice and waffles and popsicles (ooh, and Quorn, which is an essential protein source for vegetarians and darn tasty – but is, alas, a frozen food) until you no longer have access to them.  My refrigerator isn’t as pathetic as one of those college dorm deals, but it’s close.

2.  Another thing I’m mad at winter about is the lack of fruit available.  I have an affinity for fruit and feel extremely fruit starved.  It’s this intense craving that just keeps getting more extreme.  I can get the basic fruit, of course, like apples and oranges and pears, but in the winter you practically have to take out a small loan to buy any of that stuff around here.  However, yesterday I had a minor meltdown and ventured into Whole Foods (which I love and would love even more if I could actually afford to shop there), where I purchased three oranges.  Three oranges for $5.53.  And they were on sale.  Now, these are the especially tasty Cara Cara oranges, so I can deal.  But still, is that a normal price for these things, or is it just me?

3.  The last time I drove a car was fifteen years ago.  I’ve never owned a car, don’t know how to parallel park, and can’t remember which pedal is the break.  I have no idea how I got my license.

4.  My downstairs neighbor wakes me up at night with his snoring.  Which I can hear.  Through the floor.

5.  The closet situation has already been explained.

I love my neighborhood, so it’s all goodness.  I wouldn’t trade what I have for anything.  Not even a big-ass puffy coat.

tgim

Your TGIM thought of the day is brought to you by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

That is all.

these books rule

Yay, ALA’s Best Books for Young Adults 2008 list!

There’s something fun about making lists from other lists.  So here’s my Top Five Fave Books from the ALA list:

5.  The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

4.  Dramarama by E. Lockhart

3.  Slam by Nick Hornby

2.  Boy Toy by Barry Lyga

1.  Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson

Glittery congrats to and shiny confetti for all of the honored authors.  You guys rock something extreme.

i’m rubber, you’re glue

Item #1:  Hillary Clinton and Tracy Flick have some things in common.

Item #2:  Rowdy sports fans

So I was at the Rangers vs. Canadiens game on Saturday.  It was way more civil than the game between them two weeks ago.  During that game, these Rangers fans kept giving us the evil eye.  They looked really mad that we a.) dared to attend and b.) even existed.  How rude is that?  We were sitting in a group of other Canadiens fans.  I had on my toque (tiny red hat, pom-pom on top, looks as dorky as it sounds) and these Rangers fans were glaring at me and yelling, “You suck!  Go back to your country!”

Um…yeah.  I live six subway stops from here?  But thanks for the advice.

See, this is what I don’t get.  Why do rowdy sports fans have to hate other people watching the game, just because they’re fans of the other team?  We’re all just there to watch some hockey.  I get how fans can be mad at the players, but why do they have to direct their anger at other people watching?  Because we’re closer?  Those of you out there containing significantly more testosterone:  Please explain.

But this Saturday’s game was much better.  The Canadiens were playing such a lacking game that this guy next to us (in the same toque) jumped up and did a little ironic dance when they scored their only goal.  There’s no way he’d get away with that in the upper seats.  Seat level and rowdiness are directly proportional.  And when it’s out of control, people get smacked.  I even had someone throw a cup at me.  Where’s the love?

tgim

Your TGIM thought of the day is brought to you by The Compulsive Reader.  Her blog has cool features, like Book of the Month and author interviews.  I’m stoked that Take Me There and When It Happens will both be featured as a Book of the Month in May!

You can read her review of Take Me There here.

Read on, Tirzah.

breaking snack news

We interrupt the progress of this third draft to bring you important breaking news.

So I was in the corner card shop looking for heart glitter (why am I always running out of that?) and I go up to the register to pay and you know how some places have those candy racks under the counter?  A box of Lemonheads caught my eye.  And then wham!  I saw them!  Coffee Crisps!  Sitting right there in the corner card shop!  Which means, and this is major, that I can have a Coffee Crisp anytime I want.  That’s deep, yo.

Do you have zero idea what I’m talking about?  Well, I first discussed the Coffee Crisp problem in this journal entry, about how they are like the best candy bar ever and you can only get them in Canada.  And how you can complain at their website if your state doesn’t have them.  I mean, it’s a Nestle product, I really don’t see what the problem is.  But!  Nestle is now marketing Coffee Crisps nationwide after a six-year persuasion campaign, so be on the lookout.  According to the Coffee Crisp blog, where you can report sightings, they’ve even been spotted in the remote Dandy Mini Mart upstate.  Righteous!

Now here’s the thing.  You know how sometimes when you can’t have something you want, it makes you want it more?  And when you finally get it, you don’t want it as much?  For me, a lot of this has to do with anticipation.  The anticipation builds excitement and that makes the Coffee Crisp, in all of its coffee creme filling / light crunchy wafers / smooth chocolate coating glory, taste even better.  I mean, how could you not want a delicious Coffee Crisp?  But now that they’re just around the corner, my longing isn’t as intense.  Like, I can have them anytime I want?

Where’s the fun in that?