I don't know what happened. I can't explain where I've been, but it obviously wasn't here. And now I have to pay the price. And you do, too, if you choose to read my blog. But I am going to try to catch up without torturing you. So here's the goal: condense a month of lessons learned into one-liners. This is going to be very hard for a long-winded chick like myself, but I'll take the challenge. I can't promise the sentences will be short. And I'll break it into a couple of posts so it's not too painful.
The first installment is my week in New York. This is tough because I did so much out there and had a ridiculous amount of new experiences (Thank you, Laura & Rick!!), but here I go:
Wednesday, February 25:
In New York, if you live in an apartment without laundry facilities nearby, you can hire a laundry service to come pick up your laundry, wash it, and deliver it back to your apartment for a dollar per pound.
Thursday, February 26:
At the Carlyle Hotel in Manhattan, there is a piano bar called Bemelman's Bar, which was named after the author & illustrator of the 'Madeline' children's books because he hung out there and painted murals on the wall.
Friday, February 27:
I discovered H&M- a store we don't have in Colorado, but is absolutely my new favorite place to shop.
Saturday, February 28:
St. Paul's Chapel is a church located across from the WTC site (which is still basically a large hole), and it is the oldest public building in continuous use, and dates back to colonial times.
Sunday, March 01:
There is a restaurant in SoHo named Public that serves a brunch dish called Turkish Eggs (Greek style yogurt with poached eggs, butter, and spices on top, and toast for dipping), a must-eat if you ever go there.
Monday, March 02:
New York City has the rudest Starbucks baristas I have ever encountered.
Tuesday, March 03:
Touristy attractions that are worth the time and/or money include: Lady Liberty (she has man hands), Ellis Island Museum (history nerds, unite!) and Wicked on Broadway (campy and delicious).
Wednesday, March 04:
I love coming home, no matter how great my vacation was.
Showing posts with label History. Show all posts
Showing posts with label History. Show all posts
26 March 2009
17 February 2009
I am no longer apologizing for the lateness of my posts.
I've just accepted it. I will not be a daily post kind of girl. So here's your taste of the last week of my life:
Tuesday, Feb 10:
You know the phrase, "under the bus?" As in, "He just threw you under the bus?" Well, I learned that the origin of the phrase is, in part, attributed to my very own hometown newspaper! There are a few ideas of where the phrase came from- ranging from Cyndi Lauper in 1984 to Minor League baseball slang. But there is mention that one of the first citations for the phrase in text is from a 1991 article in the Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph (currently The Gazette). Who knew? To read more on the origin of the phrase, click here.
Wednesday, Feb 11:
I had some girl-time with my friend Rochelle. We had popcorn and watched The O.C. on DVD (yep, I'm serious. We are unapologetic about the quality of television we enjoy). I leanred that Ro has a horrifying habit. She eats unpopped popcorn kernels. She has no explanation for why. I don't even know what else to say, but if you've been wondering what to do with the kernels in the bottom of the bowl, just invite Ro over. They'll mysteriously disappear before you realize what has happened, because of course, you'd never believe a human would eat them. But it's true. And I saw it. And heard it.
Thursday, Feb 12:
I went to court today. I attended a hearing. It was actually incredibly interesting. I learned that some lawyers will use "objection" very liberally in the hopes that the judge will let something slide. I learned that we have at least one magistrate in Colorado Springs who is not all that dissimilar to Judge Judy. And I like her for it. I also learned that if a particular residence has a large number of police/911 calls, the police will assign an officer to check on the residence and try to figure out why the pattern exists.
Friday, Feb 13:
I learned that Anne Boleyn made a joke about having a small neck on the day of her death. For those of you not as obsessed with Tudor England as I am, Anne Boleyn was an English Queen who was executed. She was the second wife of King Henry VIII, and he had her tried for treason and sentenced to death by beheading. On the day of her death, it is said that she joked about her own impending death, saying, "I heard say the executioner was very good, and I have a little neck." She then reportedly put her hands around her neck and "laughed heartily."
Saturday, Feb 14:
I learned something I may never have to use in my entire life. On the original Mario Brothers Nintendo game, there is a place where it is (theoretically) possible to earn 99 lives. If you already know this, you are a bigger nerd than I thought (and you join the ranks of some of my best friends). Anyway, this marvelous opportunity is in level 3-2. At the very end, when you are hopping up the pyramid to get to the flag, there are two turtles walking down the pyramid toward you. You have to jump on one of them, knocking him into just a shell, and then jump up on him again, knocking him against the stairs, and then keep jumping up right as he is bouncing off the stair wall and toward you. If you do this with just the right timing, you keep knocking him against the stair wall every time you jump, which earns you points. If you do it repeatedly in rapid succession, your point values increase by doubles until you are earning 1ups every time he hits the wall. Apparently you can do this 99 times (if you have cat-like reflexes and the patience of a snail). And truly, I suppose you could do it more, but since the original Mario game was pre-Y2K, it didn't foresee such things as triple-digit life counts, therefore, Mario or Luigi can only have up to 99 lives before the game would not track it.
Use this knowledge wisely, folks. With great power comes great responsibility.
Sunday Feb 15:
I learned once again that the logic of children is neither sound nor complicated. My little cousin, Isaiah, is three. I got to see him on Sunday. We were at my friend's photography show (which was awesome, by the way), and there were fruit trays all around. I helped him get some snacks, offering him grapes and melons. He wanted grapes. About halfway through a nice-sized bunch of grapes, the following exchange took place:
Isaiah (holding a grape in his hand after taking a bite of it): "I throw up grapes."
Me: "What?"
Isaiah: "I throw up when I eat grapes." (He pops the other half of the grape in his mouth.)
Me: "Then why are you eating them?"
Isaiah: "I like grapes."
Me (turning to his mom): "Does Isaiah throw up when he eats grapes?"
Isaiah's mom (looking at his plate with more grapes on it): "Yeah."
Awesome.
Monday, Feb 16:
This lesson was learned somewhere between Sunday and Monday, I can't be sure. Some friends and I went to Cripple Creek on Sunday afternoon. We spent time in the casinos Sunday night and into Monday morning. I can sum up the Cripple Creek gambling experience with the following:
-People under age 40 do not fit in.
-People who can breathe without the aid of medical equipment may or may not fit in, depending on which casino you are in and what time of day it is.
-'Restaurant' is a term used very loosely in Cripple Creek.
-And finally, be careful to look closely at the denomination of your money when tipping cocktail waitresses.
Tuesday, Feb 10:
You know the phrase, "under the bus?" As in, "He just threw you under the bus?" Well, I learned that the origin of the phrase is, in part, attributed to my very own hometown newspaper! There are a few ideas of where the phrase came from- ranging from Cyndi Lauper in 1984 to Minor League baseball slang. But there is mention that one of the first citations for the phrase in text is from a 1991 article in the Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph (currently The Gazette). Who knew? To read more on the origin of the phrase, click here.
Wednesday, Feb 11:
I had some girl-time with my friend Rochelle. We had popcorn and watched The O.C. on DVD (yep, I'm serious. We are unapologetic about the quality of television we enjoy). I leanred that Ro has a horrifying habit. She eats unpopped popcorn kernels. She has no explanation for why. I don't even know what else to say, but if you've been wondering what to do with the kernels in the bottom of the bowl, just invite Ro over. They'll mysteriously disappear before you realize what has happened, because of course, you'd never believe a human would eat them. But it's true. And I saw it. And heard it.
Thursday, Feb 12:
I went to court today. I attended a hearing. It was actually incredibly interesting. I learned that some lawyers will use "objection" very liberally in the hopes that the judge will let something slide. I learned that we have at least one magistrate in Colorado Springs who is not all that dissimilar to Judge Judy. And I like her for it. I also learned that if a particular residence has a large number of police/911 calls, the police will assign an officer to check on the residence and try to figure out why the pattern exists.
Friday, Feb 13:
I learned that Anne Boleyn made a joke about having a small neck on the day of her death. For those of you not as obsessed with Tudor England as I am, Anne Boleyn was an English Queen who was executed. She was the second wife of King Henry VIII, and he had her tried for treason and sentenced to death by beheading. On the day of her death, it is said that she joked about her own impending death, saying, "I heard say the executioner was very good, and I have a little neck." She then reportedly put her hands around her neck and "laughed heartily."
Saturday, Feb 14:
I learned something I may never have to use in my entire life. On the original Mario Brothers Nintendo game, there is a place where it is (theoretically) possible to earn 99 lives. If you already know this, you are a bigger nerd than I thought (and you join the ranks of some of my best friends). Anyway, this marvelous opportunity is in level 3-2. At the very end, when you are hopping up the pyramid to get to the flag, there are two turtles walking down the pyramid toward you. You have to jump on one of them, knocking him into just a shell, and then jump up on him again, knocking him against the stairs, and then keep jumping up right as he is bouncing off the stair wall and toward you. If you do this with just the right timing, you keep knocking him against the stair wall every time you jump, which earns you points. If you do it repeatedly in rapid succession, your point values increase by doubles until you are earning 1ups every time he hits the wall. Apparently you can do this 99 times (if you have cat-like reflexes and the patience of a snail). And truly, I suppose you could do it more, but since the original Mario game was pre-Y2K, it didn't foresee such things as triple-digit life counts, therefore, Mario or Luigi can only have up to 99 lives before the game would not track it.
Use this knowledge wisely, folks. With great power comes great responsibility.
Sunday Feb 15:
I learned once again that the logic of children is neither sound nor complicated. My little cousin, Isaiah, is three. I got to see him on Sunday. We were at my friend's photography show (which was awesome, by the way), and there were fruit trays all around. I helped him get some snacks, offering him grapes and melons. He wanted grapes. About halfway through a nice-sized bunch of grapes, the following exchange took place:
Isaiah (holding a grape in his hand after taking a bite of it): "I throw up grapes."
Me: "What?"
Isaiah: "I throw up when I eat grapes." (He pops the other half of the grape in his mouth.)
Me: "Then why are you eating them?"
Isaiah: "I like grapes."
Me (turning to his mom): "Does Isaiah throw up when he eats grapes?"
Isaiah's mom (looking at his plate with more grapes on it): "Yeah."
Awesome.
Monday, Feb 16:
This lesson was learned somewhere between Sunday and Monday, I can't be sure. Some friends and I went to Cripple Creek on Sunday afternoon. We spent time in the casinos Sunday night and into Monday morning. I can sum up the Cripple Creek gambling experience with the following:
-People under age 40 do not fit in.
-People who can breathe without the aid of medical equipment may or may not fit in, depending on which casino you are in and what time of day it is.
-'Restaurant' is a term used very loosely in Cripple Creek.
-And finally, be careful to look closely at the denomination of your money when tipping cocktail waitresses.
02 February 2009
January is over and my blog is overdue.
It's been one long week, my friends. But I did keep track of what I learned. So here goes:
Monday, Jan 26:
My friend Sheonaid taught me what a yurt is. It's like a hut/tent that is semi-permanent. When I looked it up, I found out they were originally used by nomads in Central Asia. But we also have them here in Colorado in the mountains, if you ever want to use one for camping.
Tuesday, Jan 27:
My sister is doing a report on Ella Fitzgerald, and she taught me some of what she has learned. Ella Fitzgerald had a troubled childhood and an amazingly successful career. But the thing that stuck out most that I didn't know before was that she had both of her legs amputated due to complications with diabetes. I might be a little out of the loop not knowing that, but I'll admit my ignorance anyway.
Wednesday, Jan 28:
Wednesday was a re-learn day. Most of my friends know I'm not a big fan of the being in the gym. I like to exercise outside in the sun and wind and nature. But in Colorado, there are times of the year that it's the gym or nothing. So I was at the gym on my lunch hour, which is unfortunately a pretty busy time for my YMCA branch. And I re-learned another reason why I hate that place.
IT STINKS. Yes, running makes me feel healthy, but exposure to the smell of sweaty people in close proximity is a definite temptation to join the ranks of the sedentary. At least the odor suppresses my appetite, so even if I have to cut my workout short in order to breathe, I can make up for it by skipping my dinner.
I can't wait for spring.
Thursday, Jan 29:
My friend Laura is one of my favorites. She lives in NYC and I am staying with her when I go out there at the end of February. We were talking about all the things to do in New York, and I learned one thing I am unapologetically excited about (in all my nerdiness): The Tenement Museum. I love history. I love learning about the day-to-day in different periods of history. I love seeing old furniture, clothing, houses, and buildings. I love learning about the way things were. So the Tenement Museum is a must-see for me. They conduct tours of an old tenement building. It was built in 1863 and housed thousands of New York immigrant families until it was vacated and boarded up in 1935. It was untouched until 1988 when the Tenement Museum discovered it and restored it to its former glory. I'm probably more excited to see that than I am about seeing Times Square.
Friday, Jan 30:
I learned a few small lessons from a night with friends:
1. The proper pronunciation of the word Curaçao is "cure-a-so," like this.
2. Some people aren't cut out for card tricks.
3. It is possible to spend time with Jared Harp without witnessing a Chris Brown dance routine.
4. Best in Show is still hilarious.
Saturday, Jan 31:
I learned the joy of answered prayers. I had a date with my sister. If you are not a girl with a sister, I'm sorry you'll never know the pleasure of a sisterly bond, but it is a beautiful thing. There are ten years between me and my sister, so when she was little, our relationship was atypical. I was more of a babysitter/third authority figure. But now, she's a teenager. She's heading into high school, and over the past few years, I've been praying about how to navigate the transition between authority-type and sister/friend. It's not been that easy, but it has been worth it. Friday was a really sweet time. We had dinner and a movie and talked about boys and school and real life. I realize I might be biased, but I'm pretty sure I have the best sister ever.
Sunday, Feb 1:
I learned that some things are still embarrassing, no matter how old you are. On Sunday we had fantastic weather, so I went for a run outside. At least, I made it through most of my run. But on the last block back to the house, I definitely took a nice, classic, completely ungraceful face plant. I am blaming it on the downtown sidewalk that is cracked and broken. But I had just run on such a sidewalk for 20 minutes, so there might be more to it. Like me not picking up my feet. Or the gods being against me.
Anyway, I definitely scraped a nice piece of skin off my knee. And I definitely looked around immediately afterward (you always do the look-around when you're embarrassed). The only thing that saved me was the complete state of desolation that befalls most of America from 4pm-9pm on Superbowl Sunday. So there was basically nobody around to see it. Although I'm sure some CC student was looking out the window of their apartment and had a good laugh. All I know is, it still hurts, and I still feel like a kid. Your pity is welcomed.
Monday, Feb 2:
I learned that my friend Allison is now LEED-accredited! Allison is an architect and she has been studying like crazy for the test she took today. The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) accreditation demonstrates a knowledge of green building: environmentally friendly design and construction with an emphasis on sustainability. Last week, Angela, another good friend of mine, also became LEED accredited. Congrats Al and Angela! I'm proud to know you both. I'll take you out for a celebratory drink at the next possible time. Ange- that means we should wind up in the same state again sometime. ;)
Monday, Jan 26:
My friend Sheonaid taught me what a yurt is. It's like a hut/tent that is semi-permanent. When I looked it up, I found out they were originally used by nomads in Central Asia. But we also have them here in Colorado in the mountains, if you ever want to use one for camping.
Tuesday, Jan 27:
My sister is doing a report on Ella Fitzgerald, and she taught me some of what she has learned. Ella Fitzgerald had a troubled childhood and an amazingly successful career. But the thing that stuck out most that I didn't know before was that she had both of her legs amputated due to complications with diabetes. I might be a little out of the loop not knowing that, but I'll admit my ignorance anyway.
Wednesday, Jan 28:
Wednesday was a re-learn day. Most of my friends know I'm not a big fan of the being in the gym. I like to exercise outside in the sun and wind and nature. But in Colorado, there are times of the year that it's the gym or nothing. So I was at the gym on my lunch hour, which is unfortunately a pretty busy time for my YMCA branch. And I re-learned another reason why I hate that place.
IT STINKS. Yes, running makes me feel healthy, but exposure to the smell of sweaty people in close proximity is a definite temptation to join the ranks of the sedentary. At least the odor suppresses my appetite, so even if I have to cut my workout short in order to breathe, I can make up for it by skipping my dinner.
I can't wait for spring.
Thursday, Jan 29:
My friend Laura is one of my favorites. She lives in NYC and I am staying with her when I go out there at the end of February. We were talking about all the things to do in New York, and I learned one thing I am unapologetically excited about (in all my nerdiness): The Tenement Museum. I love history. I love learning about the day-to-day in different periods of history. I love seeing old furniture, clothing, houses, and buildings. I love learning about the way things were. So the Tenement Museum is a must-see for me. They conduct tours of an old tenement building. It was built in 1863 and housed thousands of New York immigrant families until it was vacated and boarded up in 1935. It was untouched until 1988 when the Tenement Museum discovered it and restored it to its former glory. I'm probably more excited to see that than I am about seeing Times Square.
Friday, Jan 30:
I learned a few small lessons from a night with friends:
1. The proper pronunciation of the word Curaçao is "cure-a-so," like this.
2. Some people aren't cut out for card tricks.
3. It is possible to spend time with Jared Harp without witnessing a Chris Brown dance routine.
4. Best in Show is still hilarious.
Saturday, Jan 31:
I learned the joy of answered prayers. I had a date with my sister. If you are not a girl with a sister, I'm sorry you'll never know the pleasure of a sisterly bond, but it is a beautiful thing. There are ten years between me and my sister, so when she was little, our relationship was atypical. I was more of a babysitter/third authority figure. But now, she's a teenager. She's heading into high school, and over the past few years, I've been praying about how to navigate the transition between authority-type and sister/friend. It's not been that easy, but it has been worth it. Friday was a really sweet time. We had dinner and a movie and talked about boys and school and real life. I realize I might be biased, but I'm pretty sure I have the best sister ever.
Sunday, Feb 1:
I learned that some things are still embarrassing, no matter how old you are. On Sunday we had fantastic weather, so I went for a run outside. At least, I made it through most of my run. But on the last block back to the house, I definitely took a nice, classic, completely ungraceful face plant. I am blaming it on the downtown sidewalk that is cracked and broken. But I had just run on such a sidewalk for 20 minutes, so there might be more to it. Like me not picking up my feet. Or the gods being against me.
Anyway, I definitely scraped a nice piece of skin off my knee. And I definitely looked around immediately afterward (you always do the look-around when you're embarrassed). The only thing that saved me was the complete state of desolation that befalls most of America from 4pm-9pm on Superbowl Sunday. So there was basically nobody around to see it. Although I'm sure some CC student was looking out the window of their apartment and had a good laugh. All I know is, it still hurts, and I still feel like a kid. Your pity is welcomed.
Monday, Feb 2:
I learned that my friend Allison is now LEED-accredited! Allison is an architect and she has been studying like crazy for the test she took today. The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) accreditation demonstrates a knowledge of green building: environmentally friendly design and construction with an emphasis on sustainability. Last week, Angela, another good friend of mine, also became LEED accredited. Congrats Al and Angela! I'm proud to know you both. I'll take you out for a celebratory drink at the next possible time. Ange- that means we should wind up in the same state again sometime. ;)
25 January 2009
Five new things
I am not doing well at keeping up! Sorry! I'll catch you up on where I am lately...
Wednesday, Jan 21:
On Wednesday some of my friends noticed flags around Colorado Springs were flying at half staff. So I found out that the Colorado Governor ordered all flags to fly at half staff in honor of a fallen U.S. Army Staff Sergeant from Colorado. SSgt. Bauer was killed on Jan 10 in Iraq when an IED detonated near his vehicle. He had earned a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, and an Army Commendation Medal. He was 24 years old.
It left me sad, speechless, and humbled.
Thursday, Jan 22:
Thursday I had a dinner party for a dear friend of mine. Danny went to college with me and he lives in Africa right now, but was back for a visit over the last month. We had a little reunion of KU alumni and it was a lot of fun. And as is the case with most reunions, the conversation covered a wide range of topics. So during the evening I witnessed a lively little argument about rabies. Allison and Danny argued about whether or not rabies is fatal, until they realized they were both arguing the same point: rabies is fatal unless someone has been vaccinated previously or receives a vaccination very quickly after becoming infected. I looked it up later and found out that there have actually been two documented cases of survival where the patient did not receive any rabies-specific treatment. Also, it is suggested that inducing a coma in infected patients may allow someone to survive. In 2005 a girl from Wisconsin received the treatment (called the Milwaukee Protocol). The theory is that being in a coma protects the brain from damage while the body builds up an immune response to the rabies. The girl was hospitalized for 76 days, 31 of which were in isolation, but she recovered.
Friday, Jan 23:
Friday was part 2 of a girls' night that my friend Suzanne hosted. We watched Anne of Green Gables, which I had never read or seen before. So I finally learned how the story turns out. But I did enjoy it. I think deep down all girls love the guy-gets-girl storyline, no matter how predictable or unrealistic it is.
Saturday, Jan 24:
Elisa and I were discussing the origin of Obama's campaign slogan, "Yes we can." We have been talking about how it's basically the English translation of Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers' "Sí se puede" from the seventies. So Elisa googled "Yes we can" and found this: Yes We Can (Hold Babies). I cannot explain the laughter that ensued. At first we thought it might be a joke. But the more you look at the site, the more it looks sincere. Amazing.
Sunday, Jan 25:
Today I learned that a group of porcupines is called a prickle. I also learned that baby porcupines are extremely tiny and cute in a semi-disgusting way.
See?
That picture is not mine, by the way. I found it online.
Wednesday, Jan 21:
On Wednesday some of my friends noticed flags around Colorado Springs were flying at half staff. So I found out that the Colorado Governor ordered all flags to fly at half staff in honor of a fallen U.S. Army Staff Sergeant from Colorado. SSgt. Bauer was killed on Jan 10 in Iraq when an IED detonated near his vehicle. He had earned a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, and an Army Commendation Medal. He was 24 years old.
It left me sad, speechless, and humbled.
Thursday, Jan 22:
Thursday I had a dinner party for a dear friend of mine. Danny went to college with me and he lives in Africa right now, but was back for a visit over the last month. We had a little reunion of KU alumni and it was a lot of fun. And as is the case with most reunions, the conversation covered a wide range of topics. So during the evening I witnessed a lively little argument about rabies. Allison and Danny argued about whether or not rabies is fatal, until they realized they were both arguing the same point: rabies is fatal unless someone has been vaccinated previously or receives a vaccination very quickly after becoming infected. I looked it up later and found out that there have actually been two documented cases of survival where the patient did not receive any rabies-specific treatment. Also, it is suggested that inducing a coma in infected patients may allow someone to survive. In 2005 a girl from Wisconsin received the treatment (called the Milwaukee Protocol). The theory is that being in a coma protects the brain from damage while the body builds up an immune response to the rabies. The girl was hospitalized for 76 days, 31 of which were in isolation, but she recovered.
Friday, Jan 23:
Friday was part 2 of a girls' night that my friend Suzanne hosted. We watched Anne of Green Gables, which I had never read or seen before. So I finally learned how the story turns out. But I did enjoy it. I think deep down all girls love the guy-gets-girl storyline, no matter how predictable or unrealistic it is.
Saturday, Jan 24:
Elisa and I were discussing the origin of Obama's campaign slogan, "Yes we can." We have been talking about how it's basically the English translation of Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers' "Sí se puede" from the seventies. So Elisa googled "Yes we can" and found this: Yes We Can (Hold Babies). I cannot explain the laughter that ensued. At first we thought it might be a joke. But the more you look at the site, the more it looks sincere. Amazing.
Sunday, Jan 25:
Today I learned that a group of porcupines is called a prickle. I also learned that baby porcupines are extremely tiny and cute in a semi-disgusting way.
See?
That picture is not mine, by the way. I found it online.
20 January 2009
Ruins, Gentlemen, and the Career I Wish I Had
Ok, here is the last trio of lessons:
Sunday, Jan 18:
I went for a walk last Friday with Elisa on Cascade Avenue. Cascade is one of the streets in downtown Colorado Springs that has beautiful, old, huge houses. So we passed one of the houses and it caught my eye because it was bright pink. On the front of the house was a plaque that said, "Hungo Pavi 1922." So Sunday I looked it up. Hungo Pavi is an ancient great house ruin located in Chaco Canyon National Historical Park in New Mexico. It is un-excavated and much of the ruins are now covered by desert ands and vegetation. It had over 150 rooms in it. Chacoan people occupied Hungo Pavi beginning around 1000AD. There are some cool pictures here.
I haven't figured out why the pink house has the plaque on it, or what the significance of the year '1922' is. Some things are just a mystery.
Monday, Jan 19:
Monday was a really great day. I spent time outside in the Colorado sun with my mom and my dogs, and then I went to Denver with some of my favorite people. We went shopping and ate dinner at Casa Bonita. While shopping, I received a bit of cultural education about cuff links. I have always known that they are meant for cuffs, of course (I'm really good with contextual clues), but I had never actually seen someone wearing them and didn't really know how they worked. I saw a bunch of cuff link sets at Banana Republic and it prompted the question. My friend Toby told me that they work with a specific type of shirt- one with French cuffs. He demonstrated how they work on a shirt in the store. It's a small thing, but I feel better for knowing it.
There are definitely some cheesy cuff links out there, even in Banana Republic stores, but I still think I like the idea of them. They're classy. The only downside to cuff links is that they prevent the wearer from doing the masculine after-work sleeve roll. Ladies, you know the one- where they unbutton their cuff and roll it up to about the elbow? I have a thing for the sleeve roll. And I have it on good authority that I'm not the only girl who does. So guys, here's a lesson for you: The question of cuff links is a win-win. Choose cuff links and you are a gentleman. Choose against cuff links and do the sleeve roll, and you're golden.
Tuesday, Jan 20:
Today was inauguration day. Like many people, I listened to our new president address the nation for the first time in his post. I'd love to hear your reactions to the speech, by the way. But I am not going to blog about politics. It's not my bag. I did learn something interesting, though. One of Obama's top speech writers is 27. You read right. He's TWENTY-SEVEN. And pretty Gap-chic, judging by the picture. But the point is- I think I'm in the wrong field. This guy writes speeches that the world hears. He gets paid to craft ideas into words to reach the masses. And he apparently does it in marathon sittings fueled by coffee and Rock Band video game intermissions.
I am totally in the wrong field.
Sunday, Jan 18:
I went for a walk last Friday with Elisa on Cascade Avenue. Cascade is one of the streets in downtown Colorado Springs that has beautiful, old, huge houses. So we passed one of the houses and it caught my eye because it was bright pink. On the front of the house was a plaque that said, "Hungo Pavi 1922." So Sunday I looked it up. Hungo Pavi is an ancient great house ruin located in Chaco Canyon National Historical Park in New Mexico. It is un-excavated and much of the ruins are now covered by desert ands and vegetation. It had over 150 rooms in it. Chacoan people occupied Hungo Pavi beginning around 1000AD. There are some cool pictures here.
I haven't figured out why the pink house has the plaque on it, or what the significance of the year '1922' is. Some things are just a mystery.
Monday, Jan 19:
Monday was a really great day. I spent time outside in the Colorado sun with my mom and my dogs, and then I went to Denver with some of my favorite people. We went shopping and ate dinner at Casa Bonita. While shopping, I received a bit of cultural education about cuff links. I have always known that they are meant for cuffs, of course (I'm really good with contextual clues), but I had never actually seen someone wearing them and didn't really know how they worked. I saw a bunch of cuff link sets at Banana Republic and it prompted the question. My friend Toby told me that they work with a specific type of shirt- one with French cuffs. He demonstrated how they work on a shirt in the store. It's a small thing, but I feel better for knowing it.
There are definitely some cheesy cuff links out there, even in Banana Republic stores, but I still think I like the idea of them. They're classy. The only downside to cuff links is that they prevent the wearer from doing the masculine after-work sleeve roll. Ladies, you know the one- where they unbutton their cuff and roll it up to about the elbow? I have a thing for the sleeve roll. And I have it on good authority that I'm not the only girl who does. So guys, here's a lesson for you: The question of cuff links is a win-win. Choose cuff links and you are a gentleman. Choose against cuff links and do the sleeve roll, and you're golden.
Tuesday, Jan 20:
Today was inauguration day. Like many people, I listened to our new president address the nation for the first time in his post. I'd love to hear your reactions to the speech, by the way. But I am not going to blog about politics. It's not my bag. I did learn something interesting, though. One of Obama's top speech writers is 27. You read right. He's TWENTY-SEVEN. And pretty Gap-chic, judging by the picture. But the point is- I think I'm in the wrong field. This guy writes speeches that the world hears. He gets paid to craft ideas into words to reach the masses. And he apparently does it in marathon sittings fueled by coffee and Rock Band video game intermissions.
I am totally in the wrong field.
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