Weekend Report

Friday- Met up for drinks at my most hated bar in Boston, Harvard Gardens. I’ve hated that place and refused to go there ever since they wouldn’t serve me a few years ago just because I was wearing a blinking visor, tank top, flip flops, and shorts. Hey, it was 4th of July and about 105ºC out. And I’m a sucker for the glow necklaces and blinking accessories that are generally available for purchase during celebrations of our nation’s independence. So shiny and bright! Harvard Gardens snubbed my patriotism and I’m still angry. Grrrrrrr. Anyways, I was tricked into going there, proving that not only am I gullible, but also that I have no integrity.

Saturday- After spending the good part of the morning freeing my car from a sheet of ice (it required three persons, a burlap sack, and a file folder to get it out), I drove down to Newport and to meet a psychic at Applebee’s. No, I am not kidding. I’ve always wanted to go to a psychic, for pure curiosity’s sake, and one was recommended to me by a friend in Newport. Perfect excuse for a day trip. The psychic’s name was Darlene, she’s Cape Verdean, and she communicates with angels, who apparently suggested Applebee’s. The other two friends I went with (with whom I went….oh, proper grammar is so laborious sometimes) enjoyed it a lot more, and definitely had a few “how did she know that?!?” moments of amazement. Mine, however, was a bust. The couple of times she tried to guess things about me, she was way off. Like “You work in an office.” “No, I work in a laboratory.” “Well, to me, it looks like an office.” Her predictions were on the vague side. Changes are coming, you will be happy, etc…So, my curiosity has been satisfied, but I don’t think it’s something I’ll ever spend my money on again. Maybe I’m just disappointed that she didn’t predict that I was destined for greatness.

After the psychic readings, we tooled around the city a bit, and although it was cold, it was a beautiful, sunny day. I love going to the beach in the winter. New England winters are much more tolerable than those I spent in the Midwest; they aren't any warmer, but at least the sun comes out every once in a while. I hated the months of gray, bleak skies in Indiana.

I played soccer Saturday night and I'm still sore today from getting slammed into the boards. I can't complain, because I do it to people ALL THE TIME. Slamming people into the boards is the best part about playing indoor soccer.

Sunday- I woke up early, finished a book (I Capture the Castle….it was great; I’ll write about it later.), watched a German movie about a neurotic cook called Mostly Martha, made myself a pancake breakfast, but still couldn’t shake the blue feeling I had from the book’s sad ending. The main character reminded me a little of myself, in that her reality rarely lives up to her imagination. I got in the car and turned on the engine, and the song "Everybody Plays the Fool" was playing on the radio (here's the original Main Ingredient version...did you know that Cuba Gooding, the father of Cuba Gooding Jr., was their lead singer? Yeah, me neither.), which struck me as rather appropriate.

However, spending the afternoon with my adorable nieces cheered me up. Even though I almost accidentally killed one of them in front of my sister and brother-in-law. Oops. Babies are squirmy and unpredictable.

Later on, Ern and I met up with Maria at the recently remodeled Playwright and then hit Tom English’s when the crowd got too much for us.

V Day Party Recap

Due to the shite weather, we had a lower turnout to the party than we expected, but still had a good time. A bunch of my coworkers came, along with several friends of mine and Ern. For no good reason, Ern and I decided to dress like 50's housewives. We kept to the pink and red theme by serving rum punch, cosmos, and a delicious and easy-to-make champagne punch: 1 bottle champagne, 2L ginger ale, 1 package frozen strawberries, and a splash of grenadine. Guests entertained themselves by performing magic tricks with beer bottles and teaching the forgein scientists the middle school baseball terminology for makeouts (second base = boob touching, etc...).

The highlight of the party was the no hands cupcake eating contest, which was much more difficult that it sounds, especially if you start laughing and chunks of cupcake fly out of your mouth and you have to locate and continue eating them. Team Chocolate won, but they cheated, so Team Vanilla captured the true championship.

And because it's Friday and I'm in a good mood, here's a delightful love song for your downloading pleasure.

Queen of the Surface Streets, by Devotchka:

I don't need the money
I couldn't care
'Cause everything I want is standing right here
I would live on the street in a cardboard shack
Just to worship your feet and the curve of your back
You'll be my only preoccupation on a permanent vacation
Now I will move these rocks for you my love
I will tear them up out of the Earth
And I will bend my spine 'til it's quitting time
'Cause I know what your love is worth

Another Fung Wah bites the dust

The Fire Bus crashes again, this time on an icy highway.

Hey, as long as they keep charging $15 for a ride to New York City, I'll keep putting my safety in jeapordy.

via Universal Hub

Dogs and cats living together!

It's been too long time since an interspecies friendship made the news. Here's the latest- mama kitty adopts puppy Rottweiler.

Not quite as exciting as "hog befriends antelope." Nevertheless, it warms my cold little heart.

NFL Pro Bowl Photos

I'll get some Valentine's party photos up soon, but for now, here are some sweet pictures my friend Buddah took at the Pro Bowl in Hawaii last weekend. Looks like having a press pass gets you pretty close to the action.

The Love Mix

For the underlined tracks, left click and save to download. Enjoy!

1. The Beatles - All You Need Is Love
2. Al Green - Love and Happiness
3. Barry White - Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe
4. The Partridge Family - I Think I Love You
5. The Arcade Fire - Crown of Love
6. Bloc Party - This Modern Love
7. Fleetwood Mac - Say You Love Me
8. Jamiroquai - Love Foolosophy
9. Madonna - Forbidden Love
10. Pearl Jam - State of Love and Trust
11. Talking Heads - Love-Building on Fire
12. Frank Zappa - Dirty Love
13. The Pixies - La la Love You
14. Beck - Think I'm in Love
15. The Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
16. Pat Benetar - Love is a Battlefield
17. LL Cool J - I Need Love
18. Stevie Wonder - I Just Called to Say I Love You

Special thanks to Mr. Jinxy for technical support. Let me know if you experience any problems with the downloads- this whole music hosting is new for me.

Happy VD

I was going to write this long post about why I didn't have a boyfriend (you know, with reasons such as "general weirdness," "frequent public consumption of hot dogs," and "when the rest of you were passing notes and holding hands in the hallways, I looked like this, so let's just say I got off to a late start when it comes to romance.") but it was starting to sound more sad than funny, so I bagged it.

Plus, I was too busy preparing for tonight's party, which was finally dubbed "Love Potion No. 597: Valentine's Day Cocktail Party, a couple-free event." Or something like that. Ern baked about a thousand mini cupcakes last night, and I contributed by making a kick-ass mix tape ("mix CD" just doesn't have the same ring to it) and working on some games and decorations. I hope the crap weather won't keep people away.

So, Happy Valentine's Day to all the lovers and the loveless out there.

A lifetime in cakes

Check out this hilarious photo series of homemade cakes that a guy's mom created for his birthday every year- it's like an 80's time capsule. I especially like the South Korea one.

via Freakgirl

Weekend Report

Friday- Got a haircut. Nothing drastic, but the dry, cold weather coupled with the fact that I hadn’t had a haircut in six months meant that I had some major frizz going on. Total scientist hair. Needed to be remedied. Here’s the result:

I kinda look like I have man hands in this picture. I don't. Honest.

After the haircut, I met up with Ern and the recently engaged Jon and Heather for margaritas. Here they are (okay everyone, say “Awwwww.”):

Saturday- Work, errands, soccer. I got home to find a rowdy game of Trivial Pursuit taking place in the living room, so I joined in.

Sunday- Spent all day cleaning my apartment, then Caro and I went to see The Cat Empire at the Paradise. They're an Australian rock group that plays an upbeat, funky, ska and Latin influenced pop. I heard the song "Sly" on the radio and bought their latest album, Two Shoes, a couple of weeks ago. I brought it into the lab to listen to, and it became popular among my co-workers, especially a middle-aged man from India: "What is this music? It is cool!"

The concert was so much FUN! If you ever get a chance to see them live, do so. They have a gorgeous and charismatic frontman, a trumpet player who also sings wonderfully, and a stand-up bass, as well as a drummer, keyboardist, and some dude with turntables and giant headphones. They'll make you want to pound beers and jump on the dance floor with a bunch of sweaty Australians. (Apparently, they are quite popular in their homeland, because the Paradise was packed with Australians who were going nuts through the whole show.)

Southie backyard of death

This afternoon, I saw a hawk eating a seagull it had killed in my backyard. Simultaneously gross and fascinating. I crept as close as I dared and took a picture with my zoom lens. I was afraid that if I got any closer, the hawk would think I was going after his lunchtime snack and try to gouge my eyes out.

I wonder if the hawk had already found the previous deceased resident of the backyard.

Book Review: Me Talk Pretty One Day

My non-fiction kick continues. I have always heard good things about David Sedaris, but had never read one of his books before. Me Talk Pretty One Day is a collection of humorous anecdotes from the author’s life, and the casual, conversational writing style make it feel more like a series of articles or long blog post (albeit a very well-written blog without any pictures of cats or babies) than a book. It’s a quick and highly entertaining read. I liked the chapter in which Sedaris joins a crew of movers in NYC that is composed of a schizophrenic Russian, a paroled murderer, and is led by a communist boss, who tells his new employee “Sure, I might happen to own the truck, but that doesn't make me any more valuable than the next guy. If I'm better than you, it's only because I'm Irish.”

However, the best section of the book and the inspiration for the title, details Sedaris’ attempts at learning to speak French while living in Paris. Anyone who has suffered the frustrations of learning a foreign language can easily relate. The class is discussing Easter traditions, and a Muslim student from Morocco announces that she doesn’t know what Easter is. The teacher asks the class to explain. Because no one knows the French words for crucifixion and resurrection, they tell her things like “the son of your father died on two morsels of wood.” Her confusion grows when she learns that, in addition to the whole death thing, a rabbit brings chocolate eggs. The author himself is stunned to discover than in France, instead of the Easter bunny, a bell flies in from Rome to deliver the chocolates.

Overall, I don’t think Sedaris’ life is that much funnier than anyone else’s, he is just more astute at noticing the everyday absurdities and portraying them in a comical light. For example, yesterday, my roommate and I were running some errands in Framingham and stopped by my parents’ house. “Hey, there’s a Busch Light can in your front yard,” she observes. “Oh, that’s where my dad lines up the recycling and sometimes he misses a can or two,” I explain. We open the door, and are immediately greeted by the family dog, who is wearing one of those enormous conehead collars and keeps slamming into furniture. It’s late afternoon, but my mother is still in her pajamas. I offer my roommate a snack, and, naturally, the first thing I pull out of the fridge is covered in mold. So yes, upon closer examination, my family, and I suppose all families, are equally ridiculous to the Sedarises, which likely explains the popularity of his writing.

Oscar Contest

My former roommate and keeper of the first blog I ever read has posted her annual Oscar contest. Which I will surely lose.

My two cents re: The Oscars.....

So happy Mark Walhberg got the nomination!

I wonder if Eddie Murphy regrets making movies like Norbit, or if he sits on top of a big pile of money and laughs.

As for foreign films, I think Pan's Labyrinth will win, and I did like it, but I'm very pleased that Water was nominated. It didn't get much press in the United States, but seriously, people, rent it. It is an amazing film that will break your heart.

An unfortunate bet

Have you heard about the Bears fan who promised to change his name to Peyton Manning if the Bears lost the Superbowl? Well, he did it. Talk about adding insult to injury. So awful! Poor bastard.

In other NFL news, my friend Buddah (It's a nickname, people. A while ago, I told a story about "my friend Buddah" to a new coworker, and he later confessed that he thought that I was a Buddhist referring to this guy, the way a born-again Christian might talk about "my friend Jesus.") is a reporter for the Army newspaper in Hawaii and has a press pass for the upcoming NFL Pro Bowl. He asked me if I wanted any autographs, and since I'm not much of an autograph hound, I requested a photo of his hand on Tom Brady's butt. And if Brady isn't there, it will have to be Belichick.

Anyways, back to betting. The most memorable bet I ever lost took place during college. For some reason, I was under the impression that Rob Lowe played the brother in the classic television series Mr. Belvedere. No one believed me. Mind you, this occurred in the time before cell phones, when the internet was a novel phenomenon, and no one had heard of Google, much less IMDB. Thus, it was practically impossible to verify my claim. The more everyone objected, the more adamant I became that I was, indeed, correct. Any small seed of doubt in my mind had long been erased. (For this reason, if it wasn't for the Catholic guilt, I would make a pretty good criminal. I could proclaim my innocence with such fervor that I myself become convinced.) Weeks later, someone happened to flip through a TV guide, and noticed that Mr. Belvedere, suprisingly, still aired weekly on a local cable station. Plans were laid. Bets were made. On that fateful day, a crowd of about fifteen dormmates huddled around the TV in the lounge. My palms were sweaty, my heart beat rapidly, but nevertheless, I was convinced that victory would be mine. The opening theme began....the credits flashed on the screen....Christopher Hewett.....
Ilene Graff....and...wait for it...

Rob Stone.

NOOOOOOOOOOO! The room erupted in cheers. I hid my face in my hands to hide the shame and agony of defeat. For losing, I think I had to buy everyone pizza or something inocuous like that. Well, at least I didn't have to change my name to Peyton Manning.

List # 32....Memorable Television Episodes

The other day, my sister casually mentioned the Cosby Show episode in which all the men are pregnant. I hadn't thought about it in years, but I instantly recalled it in detail (Hah! That Elvin! In hindsight, I think he was the inspiration for Carlton). I then recalled some other memorable episodes.

1. The Wonder Years pilot. Before today, when I found the entire episode on YouTube, I had only seen it once, years ago, when it originally aired. And still, I remembered everything- the car up on bricks, Winnie's brother getting killed in Vietnam, Winnie and Kevin's kiss. I loved that show. I used to watch it every week with my dad. Kevin, Paul, and Winnie were the exact same age as me, and I think he liked it for the 1960's setting and soundtrack.

2. The Wonder Years "Friends? I'll give you friends!" episode. Kevin dumps Becky and she punches him in the stomach. Then, in a dream sequence, he and Paul are Star Trek characters investigating the alien life forms known as girls. Brilliant stuff.

3. Punky Brewster- Cheri gets stuck in the fridge. This episode possibly saved the lives of hundreds of curious children, who learned that playing in an abandoned refrigerator can be very, very dangerous. Don't do it, kids. Fun as it may seem, you might get trapped inside, and you could run out of air.

4. The Cosby Show- Theo's dyslexic! In my house, this episode caused led to: "Mom, you shouldn't nag me so much about my homework. What if I'm dyslexic like Theo? Then you'll feel really bad later. I'm telling you this for your own good."

5. The Brady Bunch- Hawaiian Vacation. I always liked the double episodes, and the Bradys' trip to Hawaii was the best of them. The cursed tiki doll? Greg's surfing accident? A tarantula? Forever burned in my memory.

February: a haiku

cold and hard to spell
you're my least favorite month
please go away soon

Rumors...confirmed?

So, I was checking out WFNX's concert list because I'm going to see the Cat Empire (a really fun, energetic Australian band) and I couldn't remember when the show was, and I just so happened to scroll way, way to the bottom of the schedule. Something caught my eye.

The Police, at Fenway Park, July 28 and 29.

I'm so effing there.

Weekend Report

Friday- Took a relatively uneventful ride to NYC on the Fung Wah- no fires, but my seat was stuck in the fully reclined position, so the guy behind me could have easily performed dental work had he so desired. I headed straight to my friend Amanda’s apartment in the financial district, where I met up with Ern, Liz, and Beth. We ordered pizza and sat around talking and catching up for a long time. I then snuck out to meet up with a couple of Peace Corps friends, Rich, and Dan, who I found in a Japanese restaurant in East Village, accompanied by a dog and a mandolin. Here they are with some dude named Mario who told me several times that I was “muy bonita.” I should have taken another photo, because Dan bears a strong resemblance to Ignacius Reilly in this one.

We moved on to a coffee shop and hung out there for a while, and at 1AM (only in New York does one actually go out at 1AM. Boston is still very puritanical in some respects), I left to meet back up with the Notre Dame girls, who had joined Ern’s brother Timm and two of his buddies at a bar.

These are the kind of guys who, when buying a round of drinks, buy two drinks each for the girls and three drinks each for themselves. Which translates to lots of alcohol. Here's a picture of us, and a normal picture of Ern and Timm:

Here's another picture of Ern and Timm, in which Timm looks like he's a character in a musical saying "Oy! Is that a newsie?" in a British accent:

Saturday- Slept in late, then Liz, Amanda, Ern and I went to a Scandinavian restaurant for brunch. Fittingly, the restaurant played nothing but Rod Stewart for the full two hours we spent there. At one point, we were discussing a very intellectual subject and Amanda paused and asked “When we were nineteen, did you ever imagine that ten years later, we’d be sitting around debating whether it’s better to throw up the night of or the morning after a night of drinking?” Hmmmm….no. Walking home from brunch, we suddenly noticed that the narrow, cobblestone street would be perfect for a newsie-inspired dance number, and amused ourselves with moves like jumping in the air and clicking our heels, twirling around a street sign, and leapfrogging a fire hydrant. (I have the feeling that this is one of those "had to be there" stories that sound plain retarded in the recount. Blast!) Due to the cold weather and our general laziness, we ditched our plan of walking around the city and went back to Amanda’s apartment to hang out and watch The Office.

For dinner, we met up with Beth and Diane at Eight Mile Creek, an authentic Australian filled with Australians, and with a menu that offered such delicacies as emu, kangaroo, and kiwi martinis. I did try the kangaroo and found it to be similar to venison. We did some bar hopping with a couple of Liz’s friends from business school, and had an impromtu extended photo shoot. We decided to pose for mug shots…mine came out very Courtney Love-ly.

Afterwards, we met up with Timm and company again at his friend’s apartment. Instead of taking two taxis there, Amanda convinced a limo driver who was idly waiting for his passengers to drive us there for a small fee. He accepted, and it was a bit odd to ride around in a limo filled with strangers’ coats. At the apartment, the good times and goofy antics lasted way into the early morning.

Sunday- Woke up after what seemed like a brief nap and rushed out the door to catch the bus back to Boston. Slept for the entire ride. So yes, I spent an entire weekend in New York without doing one remotely cultural or touristy thing, but since my objective was to spend time with friends, I was quite satisfied.

I went to Framingham to watch the Superbowl at my sister and bother-in-law’s place, which was fun, although they game itself wasn’t too exciting. I was hoping that the Bears would crush Indy, but it seems that a functioning quarterback is indeed mandatory for success in the NFL. I liked Prince’s show, but I did think the Foo Fighters cover song was an unusual choice. Well, there’s no predicting when it comes to the prince of purple. As for the commercials, I didn’t think they were that great this year. I had already seen most of the Coke ones, and the only other ones that stuck out were the men stripping for the Chevy (hilarious) and the CareerBuilders.com office survivor ones- loved the man covered in yellow sticky notes blowing a horn to start the battle.

Happy Groundhog Day

Spring is just around the corner.

I am headed to NYC this afternoon to visit friends for the weekend. Yippeee! I'll be riding the Fung Wah, which, contrary to popular belief, is Cantonese for "Magnificent Wind," and not "Fire Bus." (The other day, someone told me it meant Fire Bus and I totally believed him. Because I'm THAT gullible.)

And lastly, Go Bears! I have forgiven them for spanking the Patriots way back in 1986. How could I stay mad at a team that made one of the most ridiculous videos in history? The Superbowl Shuffle, a true 80's classic.

Idiots!

Yesterday, I arrived to work and spent my day perched in my scientific lair high above the city, blissfully unaware of what was going on below. Late in the afternoon, I clicked on Boston.com and AHHH BOMBS FOUND ALL OVER THE CITY!!! EVERYBODY PANIC! (oh wait, did we say bombs? oops.) I then checked my favorite site for local news, Universal Hub, to learn the whole story.


To sum it up, someone spotted one of these:












at Sullivan Station and was freaked out by a strange, electronic device placed in an area of mass transit. Alert sounded, station closed. 37 more found, many around subway stations and bridges, and the city was essentially shut down. Attack of the killer Lite Brites! Turns out the electronic devices were nothing more than an advertising stunt to promote the Cartoon Network show "Aqua Teen Hunger Force." Turner Communications says "Whoops." Furious, Mayor Mumbles shakes his fist and shouts "You will pay! You will pay!" Here's the full story.


So, who are the bigger idiots? The city, for freaking out over a bunch of blinking cartoons, or Turner Communications, who devising an advertising scheme in which electronic devices will be placed in public areas without any official permission. Both look foolish, but I say Turner deserves the blame. Hopefully, this will be a learning tool.


Lesson 1: Viral/guerrilla advertising is f-ing annoying. In general, people don't like the feeling of being tricked. Remember a few years ago when a mystery Santa was seen giving out money all around the state, and it turned out to be a promotion by WAAF and everyone was all disappointed and stuff? I'm also not a big fan of commercialized graffiti, another common tactic. Hopefully, this incident will nip it in the bud. Cause, yeah, viral marketing does have the potential to go very, very wrong.


Lesson 2: Those of you who know me already know that I abhor this whole "culture of fear" phenomenon that is so prevalent in modern American society. Especially when it comes to science, but that's a story for another day. Yes, terrorism does occur, but fear of terrorism, or bird flu, or any other theoretical worst-case-scenario shouldn't dictate how we go about our daily lives, or how we vote. Face it, people, you are far more likely to perish due to heart disease, cancer, or a car accident than in any doomsday disaster. Now, isn't that a cheery thought to start the morning? Yesterday's events showcased the overreactions that such a state of paranoia can cause.

Movie Review: Pan's Labyrinth

Last night, I saw Pan's Labyrinth, and whoa, it was DARK. Good, but really, really dark. The main character is Ofelia, an imaginative girl who loves books and fairytales. She is thrilled to encounter an actual fairy, who takes her to a labyrinth where she meets Pan. She learns that she is the reincarnated princess of an underground kingdom, and Pan gives a her series of tasks to complete that will allow her to return to her kingdom. In the real world, however, Ofelia's life is more nightmare than fairytale. Spain's Civil War has just ended, and Ofelia's ailing mother is married to a brutal and vicious fascist captain. He is the leader of a military unit charged with destroying the rebels hiding out in the mountains, unaware that two of his own employees are aiding them. So, basically, it's Jim Henson's Labyrinth meets For Whom the Bell Tolls. In Spanish. With amazing special effects. I just hope that no one brings a kid to see it, thinking it's a fantasy film, because there are some very graphic, violent scenes. Frankly, I'm a bit surprised that the movie has become so popular, because it's both unusual and foreign, but I guess I'm not the only one who liked it.

Rumors confirmed

The Police reunion is really going to happen, folks. They are slated to play at the Grammy Awards, and may be going on tour. I'm a bit worried, I mean, the Grammys (Grammies? whatever.) are so LAME! You're the frickin Police! King of Pain! So Lonely! Couldn't you have made your big comeback at the closing of CBGB or something, I don't know, a little edgier? What, are you hoping that John Mayer will jump up on stage and join you? (Ew. That thought almost made my head explode.)

On the other hand, there also exists the potential for huge amounts of awesomeness, and if they do come to Boston, I will most certainly buy a ticket.

Refugees on the pitch

This New York Times article about a soccer team of teenage refugees in Clarkston, Georgia has been getting a lot of press. It's on the long side, but worth a read.

Davis Square

I decided to make Davis Square in Somerville the first stop in my Boston Neighborhood Project. It turned out to be a two-parter. On Tuesday, I went to dinner at the Burren and drinks at the Joshua Tree with Ern and Debby. I liked the Burren a lot, but thought it looked oddly familiar, until I figured out that it is a sister restaurant to The Skellig in Waltham, where I’ve been several times.



Since the whole point of the project is to try new things, I went back on Sunday to walk around and check out some of the local shops and restaurants. Ern and I had a delicious Indian lunch at Diva- the buffet was around $12, a great deal. I tried goat meat for the first time and it was much more tender and flavorful than I had expected.











We then met up with friend and Somerville resident Chris and wandered around checking out a couple book and music stores.












Lastly, we stopped for tea and cider at Diesel Cafe. The place is more of a west-coast style coffee shop (East Coast = they put the sugar and cream in your coffee for you, West Coast = You do it yourself), packed with college students and hipsters on their computers. The high point of the day was discovering the old-time photo booth at Diesel, which led to this example of photographic excellence:

The Sunday afternoon trip was exactly what I had in mind- I had fun exploring a different neighborhood and going to some new (to me) places. I would definitely go back to Davis Square, and I'm looking forward to my next stop on my tour of Boston.

Weekend Report

Friday- After work, I went with a few friends to Pho Pasteur- an enormous bowl of spicy curry soup hit the spot on such a bitterly cold day. Next, we stopped by a crazy Chinese restaurant with a Nicaraguan bartender for a drink. My friend and former roommate Jossy was in town with her cousin Natalie from Scotland, so a group of us met up at Kennedy’s and then moved on Beantown Pub. So yes, basically, an impromptu Asian restaurant/ Irish bar pub crawl. We had a great time catching up, and in the process, consumed, oh, approximately one zillion beers. Here are some photos from the evening: don’t we look like a bunch of A-holes?


Saturday- Woke up A. wishing I had a time machine to take me to a point in the future in which I wouldn't feel hungover and B. wondering if I was ever going to grow up and behave like a responsible adult. A bacon and egg sandwich cured both the hangover and the self-loathing. I Went to the New Balance outlet to buy some new running shoes. Played soccer. Went to a birthday party in Worcester for my friend Karen, who is a post-doc at the UMass Medical Center. Since the party was full of scientists, conversation focused around themes like publications, conferences, and favorite pathogens.

Sunday- Spent the day in Davis Square, which will get its own post. Then, I drove Jossy to the airport and went over Jamie and Maria’s for dinner. Our friend Lauren was on a show on the Food Network (her boss is a chef and she appeared on an episode with him), and Maria taped it so we could enjoy Lauren’s television debut together.

Also, congratulations go out to Roger Federer for winning the Australian Open. I watched the women’s final, and man, Serena absolutely destroyed Maria Sharapova.

Name our party

My roommate Ern and I have decided to throw a Valentine's Day cocktail party on February 14th. One rule, though: no couples allowed. Only single people and people whose Very Important Others are out of town (Carolina once told me "I like that term Americans use for boyfriends and girlfriends. What is it again? Very Important Other?"). Anyways, the party needs a name. I am bad at naming things. Leave your suggestions in the comments, and maybe you'll win a prize.

I'm a believer

Last night, Ern, JR, Neal, and I went to a Guinness Believer tasting at Boston Center for the Arts. No, it wasn't as good as Meg's recent trip to the brewery, but we did get free beer. I learned a couple of things, too. Guinness is nitrogenated, not carbonated, so that's why the bubbles are tiny and flow downward. Also, founder Arthur Guinness was so certain that his brewery would be a success that he signed a long-term lease, for nine thousand years. (Perhaps the true apocalypse will come when said lease expires.) We ended up sitting at the worst table ever, with four Eastern European men who wouldn't talk to us and kept trying to hog the free beer, but other than that, it was fun.

Here's a photo of JR with the Guinness girls and the MC, who later expressed annoyance at JR's appearance in the photo. And a photo of the contents of my purse, which was a handy vehicle for smuggling out pint glasses.

Book Reviews

Over the past month, I’ve read three books.

1. Anna Karenina, by Leo Tolstoy. There are two types of books that I generally avoid: 1. Non-Fiction, and 2. Eastern European literature. I tried to read Crime and Punishment a few years ago but abandoned it after reading some 200+ pages that never piqued my interest. I even felt a bit intellectually inferior due to my strong distaste of these renowned classics, until a very intelligent former coworker confessed to me that she also harbored a hatred for the Russian masters (like, OMG, I totally hate those books too!). I decided to give it another go and selected Anna Karenina, and guess what? I liked it. The novel follows two central characters... Anna Karenina (well, duh) and Konstantin Levin. The story flips back and forth between the two protagonists… Anna is a beloved member of high society, married to a prominent politician, whose world unravels when she falls in love with a handsome military officer, Count Vronsky. Levin is a wealthy landowner who eschews politics and city life, preferring to devote his time and energies to managing his farmland. He is considered shy and awkward by aristocratic society, but is liked and respected by those who know him well. Although Anna is the title character, both protagonists are given equal page-time by the author, and I found Levin a much more captivating and sympathetic character. Anna, whose affair with Vronsky, essentially consumes and ruins her, is to be pitied, whereas Levin is to be admired. One striking note of Tolstoy’s novel is how, to a modern reader, it is so obviously apparent that Russia was ripe for revolution. The wealthy live in such extreme excess, in such marked contrast to the pitiful lives of the (much more numerous) peasants, one can’t help but think “Didn’t they see it coming?”

2. The Magician’s Assistant, by Ann Pachette. I LOVED Pachette’s novel Bel Canto, so I was looking forward to this one, and although I liked it, I didn’t love it. Twenty years ago, Sabine was working as a waitress when the handsome magician Parsifal called her up to the stage. She becomes his assistant, and falls in love with him. He’s gay, but eventually marries her so she will inherit his fortune. After his death, she finds out that his family, whom she had believed had died in a car accident in Connecticut during his youth, is alive and well, living in Nebraska. She visits them, and learns about the events that drove Parsifal away from his past, and forms a strong bond with his estranged family.

3. Sweet and Low, by Rich Cohen. Yikes! Non-fiction! This book tells the story of the sugar substitute Sweet and Low, invented by the Eisenstadt family from Brooklyn. One catch- the author is the estranged grandson of the inventor. Overall, the book contains some interesting history about the sugar trade and the development of artificial sweeteners. However, I had two major problems with it. The author holds a major grudge against the rest of the family because his mother did not inherit any of the family fortune in the will. In my opinion, that’s not a valid gripe. She married young, moved away, and never worked for the company. Besides, she grew up wealthy, they paid for college,…didn’t they do enough for her? An inheritance is a voluntary gift, not a requirement. She isn’t owed an inheritance and shouldn’t be resentful because she didn’t receive a gift that she was in no way obligated to receive. It’s hard to feel sorry for the author who whines about his comfortable upper-middle class lifestyle. Also, my major complaint about non-fiction is that some authors, including Cohen, use an overly didactic tone. They present their opinions as if they were proven facts. And footnotes? Ugh. Please use sparingly. Cohen also frequently alluded to certain events and people with a “to be explained later” tag, making the entire book feel like an introduction. A heavy-handed editor could have improved the book immensely.

More evidence that I am, indeed, a weirdo

Occasionally, I have to do something in the lab that requires me to wear a face shield, and when I put it on, I like to make Darth Vader breathing sounds.

Maybe I shouldn't have shared that.

I'm with the airline on this one

Read the article, then decide. I think they forgot a sentence at the end. It should read like this:

"But that's too little, too late for the Kuleszas. The father said they would never fly AirTran again. The other 112 passengers stated that they would never fly with the Kuleszas again."

In the news

Q: What cartoon, named after a scatline in a Frank Sinatra song, was created by a Japanese-American who learned to draw in an WWII internment camp?

A. Scooby Doo. Illustrator Iwao Takamoto died earlier this month.

And now for something completely different...

While I was in Colombia, a kidnapped government minister escaped after being held captive for six years. Six years! That's more like a jail sentence. It was a huge news story that also received some coverage in the U.S....here's an article about Fernando Araujo's experience.

Weekend Report

Friday- Went to the Cetlics game with my dad. They lost to the Sacramento Kings, but we still had a good time. Most of the Celtics veterans are currently injured, so the lineup was entirely rookies and young players. Delonte West and Al Jefferson both looked great, so that’s a small ray of light for the C’s, provided that Danny Ainge doesn’t do anything dumb like trade them. They should definitely get rid of Sebastian Telfair; he isn’t bad, but isn’t getting many minutes and would probably be a better fit elsewhere. I wasn’t too impressed by Rondo or Green either. As for the Kings, Ron Artest is sporting a sweet mohawk and a one-legged tights Florence Griifith Joyner look. Dude is crazy. He handles the ball a lot more that I expected, too. The Kings also have a sophomore named Kevin Martin who is nasty good- I hadn’t heard much about him, but he’s their leading scorer. He reminds me a lot of Tayshaun Prince- skinny and quick with a smooth shot.

Saturday- Worked, played soccer, and went to the Middlesex Lounge in Cambridge to celebrate Lisa’s birthday. I hadn’t been there before and I liked it- good crowd, great music, including lots of early 90’s middle school favorites. Trendy, but with normal drink prices, and beer on tap. There’s nothing I hate more than fancy bars that charge $7 for a beer and only carry Amstel Light. (Okay, I hate racism and injustice more. And Carol of the Bells.) The only complaint is that every time someone walked in through the giant glass door, a strong gust of bitter cold air followed. Until it got crowded, half of the patrons were still wearing their winter jackets inside. They need to put up one of those velvet curtains or something. Nevertheless, I had a fun time catching up with friends and celebrating with the birthday girl. I also got a bit drunkies and gave my number to a young little architect from Jerusalem. I wanted to ask him if he was Israeli or Palestinian, but decided that it might not go over well.

Sunday- Attended a Red Egg and Ginger Party for baby Maya, daughter of my friends Kim and Mike. In Chinese culture, red eggs and ginger symbolize luck and fertility. It is also customary to shave the baby’s head at the Red Egg and Ginger party, but they skipped that one. Basically, I chowed down on Chinese food for a couple of hours. I tried some interesting fruits called lychee and rambutans. Later on, I watched a certain football game that will shall never be mentioned again.

Not the best way to start the day

I'm headed out the door this morning, with a hundred thoughts running through my mind...I need to set up one more rack of tubes for my experiment....going to the Celtics game tonight...I love my new bracelet and purse I'm wearing...they're orange...oh good, here comes the bus...remember to UV crosslink the Northern blot....when WHOOSH, BAM! I hit a patch of black ice and go down hard. On my hands and knees. In front of an entire bus stop of people.

Don't try this at home, kids.

Three "urban explorers" sneak into the century-old tunnel system behind Niagara falls and live to post about it. Unreal.

via W-G

Spacy and irrittable...

...is what I become in the absence of caffeine. For the past, um, three years or so, my daily beverage intake has looked like this:

Coffee, coffee, coffee, soda, soda, coffee, beer, beer

Or occasionally, this:

Coffee, coffee, coffee, soda, soda, coffee, wine, wine, wine

(Water used sparingly.)

This week, I decided to try to make it look more like this:

Water, coffee, water, water, water, water, wine/beer, water

The results?

Tuesday: Forgot my cell phone, mild headache all day.

Wednesday: Forgot my lunch and my new CDs I wanted to listen to. Forgot to add a key ingredient to one of my experiments. Threw a hissy fit at a coworker (a supervisor, nonetheless) because he moved a shelf in front of a piece of equipment I use. Apologized later, but still felt bad about it all day.

Thursday: Realized that lack of caffeine turns me into a brainless twat. I’m still going to cut back, but I started off the day with a giant cup of hot tea, and not of the decaffeinated kind.

Football and science

This evening, I was waiting for a gel to run and decided to check out the online NFL coverage. I started reading this article on ESPN.com, and I mostly agreed with the assessment of the Charges-Patriots game. Despite the turnovers, Tom Brady is an excellent quarterback, and appears to thrive on the stress of playoffs. The Patriots can fall behind, but as long as there’s time on the clock, they know that the game is not yet over. My MVP for the day was Troy Brown- a true team player who forced the crucial fumble. Although I do adore LDT, he lost his cool, and all the griping about the Patriots’ celebrations made the Chargers look like sore losers. Oh, they made fun of your teammate’s dance? What are you going to do about it, challenge them to a dance-off at the mall? Anyways, on to science…. early in the article, the author comments on how a recent Science article had 67 authors, which is common when a genome sequence is published. Reading this, I thought “Huh, it’s really odd to see Science (arguably the most important publication in scientific research) mentioned in an article about the NFL.” Then, I hit this section of the article:

Coming Soon -- Drive-Through DNA: "RheoSwitch -- precise, variable control of mammalian gene expression." Haven't you always dreamed of precise control of mammalian gene expression? Buy it here. Hmmm, wonder if they will send me a free sample of this pMYB5 control plasmid so I can try manipulating a little E. coli at home. Welcome to the world of the gene-device ads in Science magazine, which has been taken over by advertising for genetic materials and gene-manipulation laboratory devices. All of the full-page ads in the front of the magazine in a recent issue were for such products. (Advertising in the front of a magazine costs more than in the middle.) "Ambion's MagMAX delivers high-quality RNA to maximize the success of your gene expression studies," one ad says. "Achieve excellent transfection efficiency in some cell lines," a Roche ad promises. "One reagent convenience for DNA and RNAi transfection," an ad for Invitrogen proclaimed. "SpeedStar DNA Polymerase is a convenient, efficient DNA polymerase specifically
designed for fast PCR," Takara Bio promised. I liked my polymerase convenient! "Enter the world of reliable gene silencing," Qiagen's ad headlined. "Our next generation of high-fidelity Pfu-based fusion enzymes sets a new standard for PCR performance," Stratagene's inside-cover ad proclaims. OK, medical laboratories need to shop for products just like everybody else does. What's spooky is that these are slick ad-agency ads with graphics and sell lines. "MessageAmp II -- Biotin Enhanced!" cries an ad for Ambion, whose Web site promises, "Scale up easily to acquire more RNA." The magazine ad for Ambion has flowers and looks for all the world like a prescription-drug sales pitch. "DNA Sequencing for $2.50 per reaction," with "plasmid and PCR purification available" and "no charge for standard sequencing primers" proclaimed a recent ad in Science, while "Simplify Gene Silencing Experiments with Pre-Designed RNA -- Fast! Easy! Guaranteed!" declared another.

Looks like the author was totally freaked out by the biotechnology ads. It’s weird to think that something so commonplace and boring (polymerases? biotin? I use that shit every day.) is so strange and fascinating to someone outside the field. I don’t mean to be all “silly laypeople,” but Science is a trade magazine. If you were reading Auto Mechanics Weekly, you would expect to find ads like “Most Efficient Carburetor!” and “Smooth-gliding fan belt!” The products he listed are all standard tools of the trade, not used for creating fantasy hybrid organisms. And $2.50 isn’t even a good price for DNA sequencing.

Boston Neighborhood Project

When I was a kid, I thought people made New Year’s Revolutions. You know, lose weight, overthrow the government. I generally do not make New Year’s resolutions but create less stringent categories of “things I’d like to do better this year.” This year’s list is fairly typical: drink more water, save more money, pay down credit cards, get in shape, floss, stand up straight, and try new things. Try new things? A little vague. I am a creature of habit. In my leisure time, I hang out with friends, I play soccer, and I go out to bars- almost always to the same old places. In order to inject a little more spice into my life, I came up with the Boston Neighborhood Project. Once a month, I will spend a day in one of the many neighborhoods in Boston that I rarely frequent. For example, although I live in Southie, I hardly ever go over to the Fort Point Channel area. I could check out the new harborwalk, go to the ICA, and then get something to eat and drink at a nearby café or restaurant. Here’s the list of neighborhoods I came up with (I excluded places that I’m very familiar with, like downtown Boston, Brookline, and Harvard and Central squares in Cambridge.):

1. Fort Point- South Boston
2. East Boston
3. Dorchester
4. Jamaica Plain
5. Inman Square, Cambridge
6. Somerville
7. Charlestown
8. Brighton Center
9. Chinatown
10. Revere Beach

I’m still missing two months, so I could try two different neighborhoods of one the bigger places on the list (like Dot). Also, if anyone knows of interesting things to see or places to eat or drink in the areas I listed, or can recommend a neighborhood I left off the list, please let me know in the comments. Apologies to all of you non-Massholes for this Boston-centric post.

Tales from the airport

I know I already wrote all about my trip to Colombia, but I thought I'd share some stories about people I met at the airport. First off, a complaint: Why am I always the one who everyone tries to cut in front of in line? Do I not stand close enough to the person in front of me? Do I look too docile to tap someone on the shoulder and tell them to get to the back of the line and wait their turn? Because I'm definitely not. "Excuse me, but the end of the line is back there, jerkface." Okay, so I don't say "jerkface," but I do think it really loudly.

On my flight from Miami to Medellín, I somehow ended up with a first class seat. I definitely didn't choose it when I booked my flight, and I don't think I paid anything extra, and I didn't even know about it until I picked up my boarding passes. I always scope out the people sitting in first class when I board a plane. Rich people intrigue me. However, I'm beginning to suspect that most of the people who are sitting in the big, cushy seats are not among the fabulously wealthy, but are in fact lowly economy class travelers like myself who lucked into an upgrade. I sat down next to a corpulent, middle-aged American man. Shortly into the flight, he tells me that he's going to Colombia and hoping to meet someone. I am confused. He explains. A wife, he is looking for a wife. Apparently there is some sort of tour in which a group of around twenty American men go to Medellin, stay in a hotel together, and attend events where they meet hundreds of potential Colombian brides. (I check on the internet, and yes, it's true.) The man explains the whole system to me, oblivious to the incredulous and somewhat aghast look on my face. One would think he would be a bit more discreet about his plans. Doesn't he realize that many people find this sort of thing, um, in poor taste? I asked him "Well, aren't you worried about marrying someone you don't know? And are you concerned at all as to how she would adjust to living in a country in which she doesn't speak the language or have any family or friends? " His response: "Well, my first wife is from the Phillipines, and I got her out of a catalogue." No joke, people.

Fast-forward to the flight home. Carolina and I were one the same flight, and in one of the many long lines leaving Colombia (My luggage got searched TWICE. No internal body cavity searches, though. Phew.) we met a American guy. I asked him what he had been doing in Medellín (not your typical tourist destination, or so I've heard) and he told me that he was supposed to get married the week before but the wedding had been called off. In the next breath, he added "No, I'm NOT one of those sleazy guys who comes down here to marry an eighteen year old! My ex-fiance and I met in business school in the states and we dated for four years." We ran into him again at the Miami airport during a long layover and had lunch together. He told us the whole tale of his failed romance- turns out that a few days before the wedding, he found out from the bride's brother that she had been cheating on him. Very telenovela, no? He had already bought a house in Medellín and sold his business, and was still planning to move there. This surprised Carolina. "Aren't you worried about safety issues?" His answer: "Oh, I am half-Israeli and was a combat instructor in the Israeli army for three years, so no, Colombia doesn't scare me at all."

The last encounter was more of an observation. At Logan airport, in front of the baggage carousel, a couple was loudly conversing. Well, not exactly conversing. An American guy, who obviously didn't speak Spanish, was trying to explain to a Colombian girl, who obviously didn't speak English, how to make a phone call with a calling card. "NO.....DIAL ONE....FIVE....SEVEN...." Then, she sat down on the edge of the luggage carousel "DON'T SIT THERE....WHEN THE BAGS COME OUT IT WILL START TO MOVE....LIKE THIS.....BRZZZZZ...MOVE...NO SIT...." Hey, here's a little tip: If someone doesn't understand your language, talking slowly and extremely loudly is not going to help matters. It will, however, alert the rest of the passengers awaiting their luggage that you found yourself a teenage bride via a Colombian dating service.

Best in 2006

Here is my very belated end of the year wrap up post.

Favorite Movies of 2006:

1. The Departed. Not just because I'm from Boston, this movie kicks ass. Killer soundtrack, too- I loved the opening scene with "Gimme Shelter" and the Dropkick Murphy's I'm Shipping Up To Boston made my heart pound. For those of you who attend my annual St. Patrick's Day party, prepare to hear it about a thousand times that day. I'm crossing my fingers that Mark Walberg, whose performance was entirely believable, subtle, and hilarious, gets the Best Supporting Actor nomination over of Jack Nicholson.
2. Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. Brilliant, shocking, and so f%^ing funny. Just thinking about the naked scene makes me cringe and laugh simultaneously.
3. Volver. A well-crafted story from a master storyteller. Spain's legendary director Pedro Almovodar at his finest.
4. Casino Royale. Daniel Craig breathes new life into the Bond franchise.

Favorite Music of 2006:

1. Two enjoyable bands that I discovered last year: Band of Horses and Scissor Sisters
   
2. New album by and old favorite: We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions, by Bruce Springsteen

Men I wanted to bang in 2006 (because, yes, women are pigs, too):

1. Daniel Craig

2. Zinedine Zidane












3. Roger Federer












4. Clive Owen

Becks headed to the US

David Beckham just signed a huge contract to play for the L.A. Galaxy. I think it's great for MLS and will generate a lot of interest in the league. Plus, he's wicked hot, and I'd love to get a chance to see him play. Even if he does have a girly voice.

Back in the USA

After a very long day of travelling, I made it back to Boston late last night. The last couple days in Medellin were a blur of shopping, packing, and saying goodbyes. This photo of the city was taken from Caro's father's balcony. Unfortunately, the down side of living high enough up to have a nice view is that it's incredibly noisy. It's as if all of the noise from the streets of the entire city is caught, amplified, and funneled into the windows of the apartment. We did manage to relax and drink some beers in a patio lined with coffee trees before leaving town.
















Overall, I had a great trip, and I'd love to go back, especially to the Pacific coast. To end, here are some facts from Colombia:

1. Questions I was asked most frequently:

a. So, what do you think of Colombia?

b. Hey, where did you learn Spanish?

2. Colombia is composed of the following groups of people, in the following order:

a. Military
b. Police
c. Nuns
d. Unordained civilians

• 3. Medellin has Dunkin Donuts! Yay!

4. Colombia is as safe as the United States (well, at least according to this poll).

5. The national liquor is an anise-flavored spirit called Aguardiente. I wasn't a huge fan of the taste, but I liked the fact that it doesn't cause hangovers.

6. Instead of tortillas, Colombians eat arepas, which is similar to a corn tortialla, only larger, thicker, and crispy. I'm a fan.

7. Colombians are crazy about Christmas. Lights, EVERYWHERE. Nativities, EVERYWHERE. But instead of Santa bringing presents, baby Jesus does.