Aimee and Scott get married

This weekend, I made a quick trip down to Nags Head, North Carolina to attend the (second) wedding of my friends Aimee and Scott. Not second as in second marriage, they actually had two separate weddings- a traditional one in New Jersey for the families and a fun one on the Outer Banks for the friends. I went to the fun one, (obvs) and it was marvelous! The weather was perfect, the ceremony was beautiful, and the bride and groom both very attractive. Best of all, I got a much-needed dose of friend time: I really am fortunate to have such an amazing group of people in my life. We celebrated, we laughed, we danced, we drank, we drank more, and next thing you know, it's 3AM and you're standing in a pool in your dress as both a participant and a spectator of a belly-flopping contest, the highlight of which was Scott doing a simultaneous flop with his brother and sister. Here are some nice pictures:

Followed by a couple of goofy ones: Me feeding Jon and Heather's baby a bottle while Ern feeds me a beer (babysitting is fun!), and Buddah and I after we decided to swap outfits. Hmm, I wonder why I wasn't invited to the formal wedding?

I was hoping to post some belly flop pictures, but upon review, light colored, chiffon sundress + water + flash photography = unsuitable for public viewing.

I had such a great time and I'm glad I was there to watch two wonderful people get hitched in a style that was all their own- thoughtful, unique, and fun as hell. Congratulations, Aimee and Scott! (I know you're reading this, you lurkers, you.)

Friday Fun

So strange. So hilarious.

Manbabies.com.

Oye como va...mis zapatos

It took me a while to find gold shoes for my sister's wedding. Some were too trampy. Some were too ridiculous. I finally found a pair that were just right:

The odd part is that they're made by Carlos Santana. I mean, I could see him coming out with a line of floppy hats or bandanas for men, but women's footwear strikes me as an unexpected choice for a classic rock guitarist.

Lipstick on a pig = tempest in a teacup

If you follow the news, I'm sure you're aware of the whole lipstick on a pig brouhaha. First of all, I don't think the remark is sexist, but c'mon now, it's obviously a dig on Palin. The most memorable quote from the RNC involved Palin, lipstick, and animals, and we're supposed to think that another lipstick-animal combo is purely incidental? Nearly everything politicians say in public is carefully scripted, and I'm sure this remark was planned. And since when is "putting lipstick on a pig" a common phrase? Since never. Or maybe since John McCain said it in reference to a Clinton health plan. I kinda wish Obama had been all "Yeah, I meant it. Oink, oink, Palin!"

Anyways, if you're looking for real dirty politics, take a gander at this ad from McCain-Palin:

A new 30-second TV ad attacks Barack Obama's record on education, saying that Obama backed legislation to teach "'comprehensive sex education' to kindergartners." The announcer then says, "Learning about sex before learning to read? Barack Obama. Wrong on education. Wrong for your family."

Turns out that bill mandated age-appropriate education, and here's what the Obama camp had to say about it: “Barack Obama supports sensible, community-driven education for children because, among other things, he believes it could help protect them from pedophiles. A child’s knowledge of the difference between appropriate and inappropriate touching is crucial to keeping them safe from predators.” So the legislation wasn't about showing five year olds how to put a condom on a banana, it was about trying to protect kids from sexual abuse.

Barack Obama, wrong for your family? I don't think so. Trying to paint Obama as some sort of deviant trying to sex up kindergartners is both a ridiculous accusation and an obvious scare tactic. And way more offensive than a comment about makeup and our barnyard friends.

Priceline: Yay or nay?

Hello all!
I need to rent a car this weekend and am considering trying Priceline for the first time. I was planning to lowball them- like $15 a day. Or is that too low? The normal rate would be around $30 a day.

Has anyone used Priceline before, and was your experience good or bad? Basically, I am arriving to a small airport in Virginia on Friday night and really don't want to end up with A. no car or B. something freaky like "Here's your car you reserved on Priceline. And your passenger, too! Don't worry, Vince looks kind of surly but he's a great navigator."

Secret Recipes

I thought that this article about the security surrounding Colonel Sanders' original handwritten KFC recipe was interesting. Pretty amazing that no one's figured out the 11 ingredients, isn't it?

The story reminded me of the Seinfeld episode in which Elaine finds the Soup Nazi's secret recipes in a used bureau, which was one of my favorites. But it also reminds me of the time I asked one of my sister's friends for a carrot cake recipe and she refused to give it to me, saying that it was a secret family recipe. I was annoyed- I mean, really, people actually do that? I like to cook, so if I'm at a party and someone brings a dish I like, I'll occasionally ask for the recipe. And no one has ever refused before. It's not like I was planning to go into the carrot cake baking industry and reap profits, and I find a scenario in which she and I are going head to head in a carrot cake baking contest highly unlikely, so what's the big deal? So, to summarze: corporate secret recipes good, sitcom secret recipes good, pot luck party secret recipes BAD.

TGIF

This entry from indexed made me chuckle. Well, I'll say this about Sarah Palin: she surely has made this election interesting.

In other news, less daunting than the fate of our great nation, it's time for some FOOTBALL!

My college (Notre Dame), NFL (Patriots), and fantasy team (Randy's Moss) all kick off this weekend. Wooohoooo!

Muy Cansado back in Boston

My friend Chris' band Muy Cansado recently released a new album and have just returned from their big tour. They have two upcoming local shows: tonight at O'Brien's in Allston and next Thursday at the Plough and Stars in Cambridge.

Muy Cansado rocks, and I will be in attendance at both shows, so that's like an axis of awesome, right there.

Sarah Palin: Creationist

Okay, here's what I have to say about Sarah Palin. I don't care that she was a beauty queen, or that she has limited experience, or how many kids she has, or that her daughter is pregnant. She's a creationist. McCain's a gambling man and this pick may or may not work out for him, but don't kid yourself that he's trying to poach disgruntled Hillary supporters. He's not. He's giving the fundamentalist Christians a reason to vote for him. As an American scientist, I'll tell you this: our country has the best science in the world. The best. Why do you think people from all over the world come here to do research? Because we're the best. The best funding, the best facilities, the best people, making the best discoveries are all right here in the good old U.S. of A. The administration plays a significant role at the National Institutes of Health and in how much funding is directed towards researching treatments and cures for cancer, diabetes, and infectious disease. Do you really want someone who rejects the basic tenet of biology in charge of our country? I hope not. And I really hope her kids are vaccinated, because if not, I'm really gonna lose my shit.

And while we're on the subject of Vice Presidents, could we please retire the phrase "a heartbeat away from the presidency?" We get it. If the Pres dies, the VP takes over. No need to get overly dramatic about it. At least mix it up a bit; the other organs are getting jealous: "Two functioning kidneys away from the presidency."

Collection Confessions

Yesterday, during lunch we had a conversation about items that we collected as children. Collecting things seems to be an inherently nerdy sort of activity, so it wasn't very surprising that most of the science crew had been gathers in their youth. However, I apparently took things to a new level: not only did I collect rocks, but I also owned a rock tumbler to polish them (and damn that thing was noisy!) and was completely obsessed with geodes, even though the only geodes I acquired were big disappointments- not a single one was filled with glimmering purple quartz. Oh, and I had a portable UV lamp I could shine on my rocks to see which ones were phosphorescent. Yep, pretty high on the nerd scale right there.

I also collected stamps and was in a stamp collecting club. I think I'll shut up now.

Survey time: What did you collect as a kid? Leave your answers in the comments.

Recent Raves

Here are some things I've been enjoying as of late:

• WERS.org, Emerson College's radio station, which you can stream online for free. It's a great mix of modern indie rock with college favorites like Bob Marley and The Allman Bros. tossed in. Essentially, if took my iTunes catalog (um, and got rid of the Guns n' Roses and 80s music, which I would never do) and made a radio station out of it, it would sound like just like WERS.
  
• Plum Island, Massachusetts. Here's the Google map. I had never been there before, and drove up on Sunday with a few friends to check out the beach. It was great! Only a little over an hour's drive from Boston, easy and cheap to park, and the beach is enormous, beautiful, and not crowded. It's my new favorite north shore beach.


• Polenta. Yeah, it comes in a plastic-wrapped tube, making it seem like sausage's lame vegetarian cousin, but slice that bad boy up, add some toppings, and throw it under the broiler and you've got an easy and delicious meal. I made this Smoky Shrimp and Parmesan-Polenta Cakes recipe from Cooking Light. It only took about 15 minutes and was super tasty.

• Spanish Table. For several years now, a group of Spanish-speaking scientist friends have gathered together once every couple of months for food, drinks, and conversation en español. Last week some friends from Argentina had us all over for delicious empanadas and an assortment of grilled meats. Here are some photos:

And just for fun, two of my partners in crime (um, if grad school were a crime...maybe "fellow indentured servants" would be a better description) are currently sporting very similar hairdos. Carolina and JR: who is who?

The Best Sandwich in Boston

My friend Justin recently moved to Boston, and in payment for helping him during the apartment hunt, he owed me a sandwich. Specifically, the Best Sandwich in Boston: the Tuscan Chicken Sandwich at Francesca's Cafe in the South End, conveniently located right near my lab and Justin's new apartment. It is soooo good that I will even forgive them their lack of a website (but c'mon now, Francesca's, get with the program!).

Gaze upon the delicious combination of warm and toasty pesto, grilled chicken, provolone, prosciutto, roasted red peppers, and spinach:

And here's Justin feasting upon the Tuscan goodness:

These pictures were taken with my cell phone- not bad, eh?

Happy Friday, everyone. May your work day be short and your sandwiches tasty.

And while we're on the subject of food, check out these gourmet meals you can make in your toaster oven! I definitely want to try these out.

Odds and Ends

Hasbro has updated the classic boardgame Clue. The characters now have first names and professions: Colonel Mustard is now Jack Mustard, a retired NFL player. And some of the weapons and rooms have been altered. Pity, I was always partial to the wrench in the billiard room. Now that you think about it, the whole premise is rather macabre for a game played by children- oh yes! Slain by a candlestick, in the parlor! But maybe that was what made it fun.

In other news, over one hundred college and university presidents have issued a statement urging lawmakers to lower the drinking age, their point of view being that the 21 age limit doesn't prevent underage drinking and encourages the culture of college binge drinking. I mean, binge drinking in college is fun and all (scientists have even proven it), but I can see their point. I realize that the age limit was originally raised to combat drunk driving, and yes, drunk driving has decreased since the age limit was raised, but the work of advocacy groups like MADD certainly plays a role in that statistic. I'm on the side of the presidents with this one: 21 seems like an arbitrary number, and rather absurd one at that, considering 18 year olds are deemed old enough to vote, marry, and join the military.

Finally, I saw Tropic Thunder last night. Mildly offensive, but mostly in the Borat oh-my-gosh-I-can't-believe-they-just-said-that sort of way, and funny as hell. Really hilarious. And, it may even make you like Tom Cruise again. I actually think it's one of those movies that the less you know going in, the better, but in case you want to read a longer synopsis with commentary, check out Kevin's review.

The Phantom Ring

Do you ever hear your cell phone ringing, like, we're talking crystal clear rings, only to discover that it's not ringing, and the sound is your own imagination?
Gah! I hate that.

Hail to the Champions!

Last night, my co-ed soccer team won our league championship in an exciting 2-1 match. I forgot to take the required team photo at the field, you know, the one where everyone poses in two lines and the goalie lies across the front holding the ball, which is sad, because our uniforms are bright pink. So this shot of us celebrating at the bar will have to suffice. We were supposed to be making our tough faces, but apparently the group on the left did not get the memo.

And, just because it's fun: Star Wars Alpacas. (Make sure your sound is on.)

Review Roundup

Here are some brief reviews of some things I've watched/read/attended recently and been meaning to post about, but haven't.

• As mentioned below, last night I saw Wilco play at Tanglewood out in western Mass. It's funny, although Wilco's been around for a while, I only got into them a couple of years ago. I loved their most recent album, Sky Blue Sky, but I wasn't sure how they'd be live. I caught them on Saturday Night Live a couple of months ago, and lead singer Jeff Tweedy looked like he'd been ridden hard and hung up wet. The guy has been through a lot- chronic migraines, drug rehab, etc.- but he remains the heart and soul of the band and, as I can now attest, puts on a fantastic live performance. Wilco sounded great, both on their guitar heavy rock songs as well as the lighter ones that feature Tweedy's vocals. He played up the location as well, making references to James Taylor and asking the crowd if they shout out requests at the BSO. They played a satisfying mixture of old and new songs, including my two favorites from their newest album: Hate it Here and Walkin. It seems like Tanglewood might be testing the waters for more rock concerts, and I did like the venue- it's like a nicer, more distant version of Great Woods (or whatever they call it now). We sat in the shed, which puts you a lot closer to the stage, but they do allow people on the lawn to bring in their own food an alcohol. So if you're willing to take a gamble with the weather, lawn seats could be a lot of fun. Here's a review of the show.
• Last week, I caught Gnarls Barkley at the Wilbur Theater. They sounded good live and played a high-energy set full of songs from their first two albums, and even threw in a Radiohead cover. Here's the Globe review. Only one complaint- no alcohol sales at the Wilbur. Dude! Gnarls Barkley plays party music! The people want beer! So, a solid B+ for the show with a D (needs improvement) for the venue.
• Onto movies...while I was recovering from my mystery cold/flu illness, I watched two DVDs. The first was All The Pretty Horses, Billy Bob Thornton's 2000 adaptation of the Cormac McCarthy novel. I've definitely covered this on DCoE before, but Cormac McCarthy is one of my favorite authors, and the border trilogy, of which ATPH is the first installment, is my absolute favorite of all of his works. Best books ever, people. So, even though the movie got crappy reviews, I still wanted to see it. And it was actually pretty good. A lot better than I had expected. Set in the 1940s, young Texas cowboy John Grady Cole heads to Mexico with a buddy looking for ranch work. Matt Damon does a fine job as the lead, and Penelope Cruz plays the rancher's daughter/love interest. Maybe some audiences found the plot confusing or thought it moved too slowly, but I enjoyed it. If you like Westerns or are a fan of the novel, it's worth checking out.
• Next up, Dan in Real Life stars Steve Carell as Dan, a widowed father of three girls who writes an advice column, even though his own personal life is a mess. His daughters can't stand him, and when he finally meets a woman he likes, she turns out to be his brother's new girlfriend. This movie isn't one of Carell's typical comedies; if anything, it's a family drama with a few funny bits mixed in. You know when a friend who you honestly like is acting like a big jerk, and you're all "geez, what is his problem lately?" That essentially sums up the movie: Dan is acting like a jerk and his whole family is wondering what the deal is. Good acting, good cast, realistic interactions, fairly predictable.
• Lastly, a book. March, a novel by Geraldine Brooks, gives a fresh perspective on a familiar family. Louisa May Alcott's Little Women tells the story of a mother and four daughters whose father has gone off to fight in the Civil War. March tells the story from the point of view of the absent patriarch, Mr. March, focusing on the harsh realities of slavery and combat in the South during the Civil War. The book won the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for fiction, but I think the committee must have a soft spot for Civil War era historical fiction (see my review of The Known World). I liked March and found it an interesting read, but didn't love it. The appearance of actual historical figures like John Brown, Emerson, and Thoreau fluctuated between intriguing and gimmicky, and honestly, I could have done without the Marmee and Mr. March love scenes. But it is well-written and informative. I guess after the Known World, Cold Mountain, and now this, I've had my fair share of Civil War fiction. (FYI, of the three, I definitely recommend Cold Mountain.)

So, let me know if you've seen, heard, or read anything good lately!

Olympic Links

Despite my initial passiveness (passivity?), I am loving me some Olympics!

In case you missed the Opening Ceremonies, The Big Picture photography blog has an amazing set of photos. Seriously, check them out. I especially liked the last one.

Also, is it wrong that this photo series of President Bush looking drunk at the Olympics makes me like him a little bit? Fun fact: he's the first US President to attend an Olympics on foreign soil. (link via Freakgirl)

Related- Reason #312 that I would make a lousy President: Would spend an inordinate amount of time representing the United States at awesome sporting events and concerts.

Ticket Giveaway!

My friend Carolina and I have tickets to Wilco and Andrew Bird at Tanglewood tonight, but we are both sick and not feeling up for making the 2.5 hour drive.

Anyone want 'em?

Drop a line in the comments.
Should be a great show.

San Diego

So, I went to San Diego for a weekend earlier this summer, and despite the fact that we went out to dinner twice and went to the beach twice, the only pictures I have on my camera are of karaoke. (Okay, so we also did that twice.)

Trivia question of the day:

Can you guess what song this is?

Insult to Injury

Being sick on the weekend sucks double. My throat feels like I'm continuously swallowing broken glass. And I have to wait until tomorrow to get a throat culture because my crappy insurance doesn't allow me weekend doctor visits.

Ain't no party like an Indian party

A word of advice: if you ever get invited to a party by your Indian coworker, by all means, go! Last night, I attended the graduation party of our coworker Ajit's son, and it was a blast.

Let's see...my high school graduation party? Burgers, hot dogs, chili, and a case of Red Dog in my parents' backyard.

Last night's party? Rented hall, catered Indian buffet, open bar, and lots and lots of dancing.

Picture time!

Hey, it's Friday afternoon! Who wants to look at pictures from a wedding? (Someone just emailed them to me today.) My friends Jen and Mike got married in July and my sister Eri and I were both bridesmaids. Here are some shots of the bride with dad, us in our bridesmaid getup, and the happy couple.

08-08-08

Happy Friday, everyone!
The Olympics start today- maybe I've just been wrapped up with other things, but I haven't really gotten into this year's summer games yet. I'll probably catch a few events over the weekend, though.

Things that I am into:
The Clark Rockefeller case. Rich divorced dad (with no custody rights) kidnaps daughter during a supervised visit in downtown Boston. Father and daughter found several days later in Baltimore. Here's where things get interesting....Rockefeller appears to be a classic con man. The reason why he wasn't granted any custody rights is that he refused to prove his identity in court. Now he's linked to the murder of a California couple back in 1985....they disappeared at the same time as their socialite tenant, whose story bears a striking resemblance to Rockefeller's. Here's the Globe page with all of the links. And here's my favorite sentence written about the case:
"In Cornish, N.H., where he and his wife lived, he appeared to many as a man of leisure, who often could be found gliding down his street on a Segway, dressed in gray slacks, blue shirt, and a bow tie. "

Whaaaa?

Also obsessed with: the anthrax case. Suspect microbiologist Bruce Ivins killed himself before he was arrested, so I guess we'll never really know if he did it or not. Looks like he did, though. But then again, the FBI was wrong once before, and the government ended up paying out $5 million in a lawsuit to a previously accused microbiologist.

Distraction of the day

How many of the 100 most common words in the English language can you guess in five minutes?

I got 46 of them. Care to give it a try?

via Kris, who beat me with a 52.

P.S. Don't read the comments until after you take the quiz, in case people leave some hints.

I'm just not that into...celebrity baby photos.

It seems like the past couple of years, celebrity baby photos are all the rage. I like babies, and I fully admit that I am not above following celebrity gossip, but celebrity babies just don't pique my interest. Celebrity wedding photos? Sure. Celebrity mug shots? Oh hell yes. But celebrity babies? They just look like...other babies. Except with more eccentric names.

Like, when everyone was all "Suri Cruise is sooo cute!" I didn't get what the fuss was all about. Maybe people were expecting a harelipped thetan or something, but, to me, she just looked like an ordinary baby.


On the opposite side of the spectrum is my friend Carolina, who has been vigilantly scouring the internet for photos of the Pitt-Jolie twins for days. I'm tempted to buy that new People (or Hello!, were I British) and paste the pictures all over her lab bench. But I'm too busy reading stories about the Canadian bus beheading.

Gone Manny Gone

After weeks of speculation, Manny Ramirez has been traded to the L.A. Dodgers.

I'm disappointed. I've always been a big fan of Manny's and believe that the majority of criticisms stem from minor misunderstandings and media hype.

Goodbye, Manny. Thanks for the hits, the memories, the fun, and the World Series victories.

Is there anything more annoying....

that having an eye twitch? Especially if, like me, you have a weird eyeball phobia. Opthamologist or wearer of contact lenses I will never be.

I might have to start wearing a patch, though, if my eye twitch doesn't stop soon. It's driving me crazy!

Here's a link with everything you ever wanted to know about eye twitches, a.k.a. blepharospasms.

Sunday Stories

Since I've recently curtailed most of my blogworthy activities, I've decided to delve into the past for new posting material. Every Sunday, I'll share a story about a hilarious, bizarre, or otherwise memorable incident. Obviously, I can't compete with Dave Secretary, but we'll start out this with a bang:

The Strangest Thing I've Ever Seen
I spent a little over two years of my life as a Peace Corps volunteer in rural Nicaragua, during which time I saw a lot of crazy-ass shit. The following may have been the most shocking incident of them all.
One day, I'm at home with my host family, and the five year old grandson, Wilder, has something in his eye. A piece of dust, or something, and it's scratching and irritating him. He complains to his grandmother Chila, who instantly comes up with a remedy: we need to "echar una leche," the literal translation being "pour some milk." Sure, yeah, pour some milk. I don't really get what she means, but it sounds innocuous enough. They're going over to Rosa's house so she can echar una leche. Do I want to come? Curious, I decide to tag along. Wilder, meanwhile, doesn't look so thrilled about the plan. He knows what echar una leche means, and he wants no part of it. We tromp over to visit the neighbor Rosa, a big, loud, buxom woman who had a baby a couple of months prior.
Chila explains the purpose of our visit: Wilder has something in his eye and could you please echar una leche?
I still have no idea what is going on.
Rosa: "Ven, niño, y te voy a enseñar la teta!" Translation: "Come here, boy, and I'm going to show you my titty!"
Wilder: looks terrified and starts crying.
Me: Whaaaaaa?

Next thing you know, Chila grabs Wilder, drags him over to Rosa, who promptly lifts up her shirt and squirts breast milk in his eye.

Echar una leche. So that's what it means.

A savory confession

When people describe something as tasting "savory," I have no idea what they mean. In my mind, it's sort of become a synonym for "meaty," but I think that's just because I've heard people describe meat pies, but not fruit pies, as savory.

Apparently when it comes to taste buds, I only possess the Big Four.


These are the sort of posts that happen when you drink a margarita and then start reading Cooking Light.

Na na na na ....Batman!

Took a break from all the science to catch The Dark Knight. I liked it- spooky as hell. It's funny how Batman has been done in so many times, but in so many different ways: campy, cartoony, Tim Burtony, poorly, and in the latest, darkly.

I mean, just compare this:

to this:

I'll skip the plot summary as to not bore those of have seen it and spoil things for those who haven't. Heath Ledger is tragically excellent, and Aaron Eckhart is great as well- that guy just exudes charisma, no matter whom he's playing. Weird that they replaced Katie Holmes with Maggie Gyllenhaal and gave it the Two Darrin treatment, just pretending like nothing had happened.

I enjoyed The Dark Knight, but I must say, I liked Iron Man better. Anyone else seem them both?

And now for something cheerful and bizzare

If you're a fan of Found Magazine, you'll probably enjoy this portal from Houseplant Picture Studios. Click on an individual book to glimpse the set of described photos, many of which were purchased at swap meets. My personal favorites were the Photos of an Unknown Family Who Probably Owned a Liquor Store, The Player, and the one on the very bottom. Phyllis Diller's wig room? Crazy awesome.

And I need to check out a swap meet one of these days.

I'm back! Well, sort of.

Okay, so earlier this week I had an important thesis committee meeting (For you non-academics, the thesis committee is a group of faculty members in charge of overseeing my thesis project and scientific development. We meet every six months.), and I thought that things would lighten up after that. In fact, the exact opposite occurred. I thought the last meeting was bad, but apparently I had no idea how much worse things could get. To make a very long story short, they are unhappy with my progress and are considering kicking me out of the program. I have until September to complete a specific set of experiments, at which point we'll reconvene and they'll reevaluate my status.

Balls.

I'm not ready to give up, so my only option is to work as hard as I possibly can to generate data and rectify the situation. So, I just wanted to let you all know that I'll be slowing down to one post a week for the foreseeable future, and for those of you who know me IRL, I'll probably be MIA for a while. (and yes, the overuse of acronyms is a side-effect of stress.)

I'll definitely pop in time to time, because where else can you satisfy your craving for interspecies friendships, polygamyst fashion, and bizzare canned goods? Nowhere.

We interrupt this hiatus to bring you an important announcement

Remember those crazy broads from the Texas polygamist cult? They've started their own clothing line. I shit you not. FLDSdress.com. OMG.

Well, other than that, things are still busy busy over here, mostly in a stressful sciencey sort of way, with a couple of weddings sprinkled in. I'll be back in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, have a happy 4th of July, everybody!

On Hiatus

Hi all,
Just wanted to know I won't be posting much over the next few weeks. I'm swamped with lab work and various other commitments, so I just don't have the time and energy to work on the blog right now. Don't worry, though, I'll be back soon enough, especially considering that this is my main avenue of communication.

Cheers!

Restaurant Review: The Mission

Several years ago, I worked in the Longwood Medical Area. Since that time, the smattering of bars and restaurants in the Mission Hill area has grown. Last night, I decided to check out one of the new (to me) places with some friends. We met for food and drinks at The Mission on Huntington Ave in Brigham Circle. I really liked it. The room itself has an brick and wood yet airy design, and it was busy but not crowded on a Tuesday night. The beer selection was quite extensive, which inspired me to order 4 of them (oops!). I had the Steak N’ Bleu Salad and enjoyed it, and everyone else seemed pleased with their meals as well. The staff members were all very friendly and the bartenders seemed knowledgeable about the different beers. The only downsides were that they were out of a few of their draft beers, and that it's a little bit of a trek for me to get there now that I don't work across the street from Brigham Circle. Oh, and JR was sitting directly under an air vent, but the rest of us (including the doorman and the owner) had a good laugh about his conflict with the "pillar of arctic wind". I would definitely recommend checking out The Mission if you're in the area, or in the mood to for some good food and beers at a place a little hipper than the Sunset.

More music

Hey all, I made a new mix on muxtape.com....listen to it here. I threw in a couple examples of my musical guilty pleasure: duets.

Also, for those of you in Boston who like rock and roll, and like free stuff, The Hold Steady (and awesome band...how can you not appreciate lyrics like "She was a really cool kisser and she wasn’t all that strict of a Christian." ) are playing at the Paradise this Thursday night. The show is sponsored by Miller Lite and you can get in free by signing up for the guest list here. Let me know if you register, because I am planning to attend.

What Scientists Read

These two magazines were sitting side by side on the table in our break room. I enjoyed the disparity.

Weekend Report

Friday- Lab happy hour, then I headed out to Johnny D's in Somerville to check out a potential band for my sister Eri and Ryan's upcoming wedding. Since they live in San Diego, I've been recruited to scout out entertainment. (I'm really tempted to make a casting couch joke right now, FYI.)
So if anyone in eastern MA knows of a fun wedding band, let me know!

Saturday- My mom's birthday was last week, and as a present, I took her to the Red Sox game. Unfortunately, they lost, but it was a beautiful day and we had a great time. Except for a couple of incidents. I spotted a bum peering through the windows of the women's bathroom. I entered the stall and just happened to glance up, only to see a man's face looking at me through the window (luckily before I got down to business). I shouted at him to go away- something like "Hey you! What are you doing? Get out of here!" and he did, but of course I told my mom, who freaked. Oh, and my mom cut herself on a screw sticking out of the back of the seat in front of us, but the first aid people were really nice and helpful. But other that that, no other strange incidents. I was impressed by the number of Cardinals fans at Fenway. All so cheery and midwestern. After the game, we went out to dinner at the Farragut House in Southie. I can't believe I had never been there before! I really liked it. Normally, I turn my nose up at the hundreds of fake Irish bars in Boston- I mean, they're fine, but they're all the same. Same menu, same prices, same phony antiques covering the walls, and most of them are owned by the same restaurant group. Farragut House seemed much more authentic- it's small, independently owned, good food, good prices, and a definite neighborhood vibe.
The I went home and watched 3 episodes of Lost.

Sunday- Worked in the lab, then watched the Spain-Italy game with friends. It was not the most exciting game, but Italy lost, so I was happy about that. Italy: lovely country, vile (albeit very, very good-looking) football team. Later on, I watched more Lost and started the vampire smut book that my sister Kerry lent me.

One last Celtics photo

Here are Dennis and I on the floor of the Boston Garden, shortly after the trophies were handed out. Pretty awesome, huh?

Shortly after this picture was taken, I stood on top of a folding chair, the seat of which promptly flipped up and sent me crashing to the floor. Not so awesome. I was really embarassed, until I saw the exact same thing happen to like eight other people.

Happy Friday, everyone!

And for you non-NBA fans, I promise that this will be my last Celtics post for a while.

And now for the post required by all female bloggers...

My Sex in the City movie review!

Yes, I finally saw it. In sports-speak, it was what I thought it was. I won't say much, because basically, everyone who was a fan of the show probably saw it weeks ago, and for anyone who didn't, I'll avoid the spoilers.
If you liked the show, you'll like the movie. It's fun, cute, very predictable, and my lord, those outfits are atrocious! Charlotte is still my favorite; she just cracks me up.

You know what I find strange? I've heard several men go on about how they would never go to see that, no, not in a million years. I wouldn't go ever go see Alien Vs. Predator III, but I don't feel the need to make a big production about it. Methinks thou dost protest too much.

Links!

Slate starts a whole bunch of hilarious Obama rumors. This one's my favorite: " He travels mostly by FORKLIFT."

If you thought KG's postgame interview was strange, check out this one with Big Baby. I have the feeling Disney won't be airing that as a commercial. According to all reports, he's the locker room clown of the Celtics. And this picture flat out kills me. The pose reminds me of those ridiculous casual shots people took as part of their senior pictures in high school.

via Basketbawful, my new favorite basketball blog.

The story of a basketball team and the girl who loved them.

I grew up in a basketball household. My dad loves the game and played in high school and college (Cal Tech and UC-Riverside). He had high hopes for his three tall, moderately athletic daughters. He took us to the park and had us shoot free throws. He sent us to boy's basketball camp. (Note to parents: never do this to your 12 year old daughter who has braces, a mullet, and stick legs.) Unfortunately, we are all inexplicably terrible at the sport of basketball. But we still loved watching it. Specifically, watching the Boston Celtics. Larry, the Chief, McHale, DJ, Ainge, KC Jones, Red, etc. We used to gather around the tv in the den while our parakeets chirped like mad because they liked the sound of the squeaking sneakers on the parquet. A couple of times a year, we all headed in to the Garden, the hot, steamy old Garden and watched from our rickety obstructed view seats, ducking down to see the court around whatever overhang or pole was in the way. Sometimes, come playoff time, I couldn't even watch the end of close games. I'd leave the room because my heart felt like it was going to explode in my chest.

As I got older, the Celtics weren't a dominant force in the NBA anymore, but I still loved watching them. Players came and went, sometimes tragically. Paul Pierce joined the team in 1998, breathing new life into the franchise. I watched him and Antoine Walker advance two rounds in the 2002 playoffs by sheer heart alone. After that, there were a few dark years. I admit that I didn't like the way Danny Ainge was running things. Jim O'Brien was one of my favorite coaches, and Ainge pushed him out of town. I also didn't like the fact that he blew up that successful 2002 squad to bring in young, unproven players. But that's water under the bridge now. I still watched them, I still cheered for them, and I still went to games. I also kept following some of my favorite players on other NBA teams, like Kevin Garnett. He first showed up on my radar when I tuned in to the 2003 All-Star game. KG was the MVP of that game, scoring 37 points and playing like a fucking madman. Players aren't supposed to try their hardest in all star games, but that's the essence of Kevin Garnett. He always plays his hardest, no matter what the circumstances.

This summer, things started happening. The Celtics traded for Ray Allen. I liked the move. A month later, they acquired KG. I was ecstatic. When tickets went on sale, I bought a 12 pack. For cost reasons, I needed to find someone to with whom to share it, and after all of my friends who live in the city of Boston and claim to be sports fans said no (and you know who you are. feel the shame. feel it!), I contacted my high school friend Dennis, who lives an hour outside the city but absolutely loves the Celtics. He had also been going to games this whole time, as evidenced by past emails saying things like "Hey, my dad saw you and your sister on the Jumbotron." I believed that the new Celtics were going to be the best team in the East, and perhaps in the entire NBA. And I was right. When they made the playoffs, Dennis and I had the option to purchase one round of playoff tickets. We chose the finals.

Now, onto last night....it was absolutely amazing. Dennis and I headed in early, and got to our seats around 8:15. Very few people had arrived, so we sort of sat there for a while soaking it all in, and then I went to meet my friend Jen who was at the game with her fiance. The Garden was filling up. Green, white, everywhere. The good part about sitting in the balcony is that there are only real fans up there. Not corporate guys who came in their button-downs only so they could tell everyone that they went to the NBA finals. Celtics fans. Families, couples, old friends, gathered together to watch their favorite team compete for a championship. All of the people who were sitting near us in Game 1 were in their same seats. The Garden was getting louder and louder. The chants started. "Let's Go Celtics!" and "Beat L.A.!" Screaming, clapping, jumping, shouting. The team was introduced. The anthem was sung. The crowd was whipped into a pure frenzy. There was no way the Celtics were losing this game.

The whole thing is sort of a blur, impossible to describe, and I'm sure most of you watched it on tv. The game started out fairly even. Kobe hit some big shots in the first quarter. The Celtics remained poised. Notably, Rajon Rondo, who had looked tentative in previous games, poked and prodded and stole the ball over and over and over and went to the basket. It seems like throughout the playoffs, the wins were the result of one player (usually Paul Pierce) having a huge night. Did you ever wonder what would have happened if all of the Celtics, the Big 3 and the bench, all had their huge nights on the exact same night? Well, now we know, and it's called a blowout. They made the Lakers look like a JV squad. Over and over, the Celtics got stops on defense- stealing the ball, pressuring, forcing a turnover or a rushed shot- only to storm down the other end of the court and score. And the crowd ate it up. At one point in the second quarter, Paul Pierce hit a shot and the Lakers called time out. A "Beat L.A." chant rose up from the crowd. Louder, and louder, and louder. The building shook. I honestly have never heard such a thing in my life. At that moment, everyone knew what was happening. The Celtics were going to win their 17th NBA Championship, and we were all going to be there to see it. The Celtics never looked back, continued to play tough defense and to score, score, score again. Every single player except Sam Cassell (I think it was the only time I actually wanted Doc to put him in!) contributed on the court. Pierce went to the line, invoking MVP chants from the crowd. Meanwhile, Kobe headed to the bench. The clock ticked down, but the Celtics didn't slow down. Soon enough, it was Gino time. Even Paul Pierce started dancing when the don of disco appeared on the screen. Celtics win 131-92. Confetti. Celebration. Trophy. Championship.

It was AWESOME.

Some pictures. Unfortunately, my camera battery ran out during the game, so I'll post some more once Dennis sends me his.

Game 6

In a few short minutes, I'm going to leave work, change into my jersey dress and lucky socks (one of which is still dirty), and head to the new Boston Garden, where I will watch the Boston Celtics play the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA finals. If the Celtics win tonight, the 17th banner is ours!

At first, I was incredulous (Wait, I have tickets to the NBA finals? To watch the Celtics? That's impossible.)...then I was nervous (OMG what if they lose what if they lose Rondo's ankle Perk injured Ray's kid is sick Kobe ref conspiracy foul trouble). But now, I'm just very, very excited.

GO CELTICS!

BEAT LA!

Weekend Report

Better late than never, right?

Friday- Had friends over for tapas and sangria to celebrate Ern's birthday. With the help of a hardworking team of chefs (Meg, Lisa, Carolina, Pat, and Ern...yes I made the birthday girl cook at her own party. No one is exempt from food prep. NO ONE!), we served olives, almonds, spicy potatoes, Spanish tortilla, garlic shrimp, dates wrapped in bacon, chickpea salad, toast with prosciutto and cheese, sauteed mushrooms, and bruschetta. And lots and lots of sangria. And dumpcake. I hardly took any pictures, but here's one of the finished product. The food, drinks, and company were all splendid, but I must confess that dumpcake was too sweet for my tastes.

Saturday- Slept in, did some cleaning, then had a lazy day of movie watching and leftover tapas consuming. I watched Sling Blade (depressing) and The Savages (even more depressing).

Sunday- My friend Yuki and her fiance Jonathan were in town, so we met up with our friend Dennis and his pregnant sister and his pregnant wife (two separate people, you sickos!) for lunch at Wagamama, which Yuki informed us means "crybaby" in Japanese. Yum! Yuki, Jon and I hit the Freedom Trail for a while and walked around the North End, and managed to catch the exciting second half of the Turkey vs. Czech Republic Euro Cup game. That night, I went home to Framingham to cook a Father's Day meal for my parents. Ah yes, and the Celtics didn't clinch the series in L.A. which means that I have a couple of more days to stress out, lose sleep, and generally fret over my favorite team. And also that I will be able to use those Game 6 tickets tomorrow night. Fingers crossed for the good guys! In case you don't follow the NBA, the good guys wear green.

And now for something not related to the NBA

For those of you (and you know who you are) who became fans of modern creative genius Dave Secretary after I linked to his hilarious stories, well, I've done some Google stalking. Because, based upon what I've read, I sort of want to marry him.

Looks like he's also dabbled in art, specifically, poorly drawn comics that he overexplains in the captions. Not as glorious as RIDICULOUS STORIES WRITTEN IN ALL CAPS, but entertaining nevertheless. Time for some comics.

In other news, I've slowly been working through the Modern Library's list of 100 Best Novels. The Board's List, not the Reader's List, because apparently the readers surveyed included an overabundance of scientologists and Ayn Rand fans. Ick. I just finished Go Tell It On The Mountain by James Baldwin. Published in 1953, GTIOTM is the story of a black boy growing up in Harlem in the shadow of his bullying father, who is the worst sort of religious man: one who mistakes his own arrogance for righteousness. The book is interesting from a historical perspective, and I was impressed by how Baldwin transitions through different character's viewpoints (son, father, mother, aunt) with ease and believability. However, I've never been a big fan of religious-themed literature (think The Scarlet Letter and Sinners in the Hands on an Angry God and all those other books you had to read in high school, oh, wait, you never had a crazy Puritan for an English teacher?) and this book is absolutely chock full o' Christianity. Like, pages on pages of sermons and psalms and speaking in tongues and whatnot.

Anyways, I'm now looking for a new book to read (I like to alternate the classics with more modern fare), so please let me know if you have any recommendations. I'm also considering giving the DCoE Book Club another go, so if you're interested in participating, drop a line in the comments.

I promise, no Salman Rushdie complicated 800 page novels this time around!

Have a great weekend, everyone. We're celebrating my roommate Ern's birthday tonight, and I'm making a special dessert. Hint: starts with dump, ends with cake.

YEEEEAAAH CELTICS!

Celtics come back from a 24 point deficit to beat the Lakers, 97-91.

Just one more win to go.....

BEAT LA!

For the record

You know how when you're a kid and you get a cone at the ice cream shop, and it falls on the floor, they give you another for free? Well, if you're an adult and you buy a six pack of beer at the liquor store and on your way out the bag breaks and the beer falls, shattering two of the bottles, you don't get new ones for free. Even if you make a Sad Face.

And the parade of strangely named food products marches on...

mmmm...dumpcake!

Odd canned goods are the new interspecies friendship.

Are you neurotic?

I'm currently fascinated by the website i am neurotic, where people submit their neuroses for posting. Some weird, some mundane, some crazy.

A lot of these make my own neurotic habits seem rather dull in comparison. For example, when at the grocery store, I absolutely must walk through the produce section first. I don't like to venture to new grocery stores because I am unsure of where the produce section will be.

If you have any strange habits you'd care to share, comment away!

Busy, busy

So much to post, so little time.

• Celtics win again! 108-102. Let's just pretend that scary Lakers comeback never happened, mmmkay? Way to go, Leon Powe! I've liked his play all season long, and he really had a breakout performance last night. Paul Pierce looked great, too. Oh, and Curt Shilling agrees- Kobe's a jerkface.
• Phil Jackson possesses a talent that I've always envied- the ability to stick a couple of fingers in your mouth and produce an ear-piercing whistle. Here's a nice little article on Jackson's whistle.
• Hillary Clinton drops out. Here's the text of her concession speech, in which she thanks her supporters and throws her full support behind Barack Obama. I been fairly mum on politics lately, mostly because the democratic infighting left a bad taste in my mouth, but I'm glad that everything is settled and that Hillary made a graceful exit. Now, let's go Obama!
• I had a busy weekend- bridal shower, lab work, crawfish boil, soccer, sushi, and Celtics. Oh, and it's currently 1000 degrees in Boston.
• Perhaps the most significant discovery of the weekend was learning that Whole Foods sells Snickerdoodle flavored soy ice cream. And it's delicious! Since I'm lactose intolerant and allergic to chocolate, the dessert category is almost completely eliminated, so it's nice to find a new one.
• Lastly, the New York Times covers the microeconomy established around the Chinatown to Chinatown discount bus lines. Fung Wah 4 Life!

For the scientists!

Hilarious new commercial for automatic pipetting from Eppendorf. No, really. Okay, maybe it's only funny if your daily life is exactly like the girl in the video, complete with pain from "pipettor's thumb."

Celtics win Game 1

That. Was. Awesome. Pierce's amazing comeback from injury. KG's monster dunk. Bench players playing killer defense and snatching up rebounds. Ray-Ray knocking down shots. Randy Moss on the jumbotro, fist bumping an old man in an argyle sweater. Kobe missing shots. Celtics defeat Lakers, 98-88.

Photos from the game: James Taylor sings the anthem, tipoff, Kim, me, and a whole lot of foam finger.

I liked what ESPN's J.A. Anande had to say about Boston and Celtics fans:

"I don't like being in Boston. I think it has the worst weather in the country (that's coming from a guy who lived in Chicago for 6 years). The street layout is a mess; terrible drivers. But I have to respect the Celtics fans, particularly when I was sitting in the lower bowl in the second half. They're into the game at all times. Not talking on their cell phones or making plans for afterward. Every word I heard throughout the second half involved the game, strategy, etc. They were on their feet about half the time. But man, I wish I had the alcohol concession in that building. Every time they showed a fan on the scoreboard screen, he or she was holding a beer."

Although due to the late start time, I think it was the first time in history the coffee lines were as long as the beer lines at halftime.

FAAAAAAANTASTIC!

I'm a sports fan, but basketball is my favorite sport, and the Boston Celtics are my all-time favorite sports team, and always have been.

As a kid, my parents used to take us to watch Celtics games from obstructed view seats in the old, sweaty Boston Garden. We could never get Lakers tickets, so we often ended up seeing the Clippers, who, by my mother's logic, were the closest substitute. If you had told me then that someday I'd watch the Celtics play the Lakers in the NBA finals, I never would have believed you. But tonight, I'm going to be there. And I can't wait.

BEAT LA!

Time to come clean

Did you hear about the guy from Somerville who was pretending to be a former NBA player?

"A man in the Boston area who has been passing himself off as a former NBA player and Sonics front-office employee told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer he is an impostor.
Ronnie Craven of Somerville, Mass., went by the name Jeff Turner. When contacted by the Seattle paper he says he misrepresented himself on an online dating site and lied to women for sex."

Heh. I guess now's a good time for me to make a similar revelation: I'm actually not a Miami Dolphins cheerleader. I'm a model/flight attendant.

The Boston Globe goes all Life Magazine on us

Check out the new Boston.com feature: The Big Picture.
Basically, they post one huge photo from the news each day, and the photos of choice are amazing. I love the shot of the indigenous Brazilians on the bus.

Hi

Nothing much to say, I just wanted to bump the spotted dick down the page a bit. I'm at a microbiology conference (a.k.a. Nerd Convention) all week. The new convention center is really nice, in case you were wondering, and as a bonus, it's a short walk from my apartment.

Unappealing Product Name Hall of Fame

New inductee:


















I saw cans of spotted dick (link surprisingly SFW) on the shelf at the Stop and Shop in Southie. Gross.