Wednesday, December 31, 2008

It's New Years Eve and what am I doing? I'm loading up on celebrity gossip before the clock strikes midnight. That's my resolution for the year...no more celebrity gossip.

I've had multiple people ask what that means. Truthfully, I don't know. I do know it means I won't be watching ENews and I'll have to take eonline.com off the top of my bookmarks.

I also know that in the absence of celebrity gossip, I'll be ramping up my normal people gossip, so watch out!

;-)

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Let's get one thing straight, peeps...I iced my shins when I had shin splints and they hurt like mofos. It was a remedy that a trainer told me to do and it worked.
  + = relief

End of the Beginning

As we end 2008, here's a list of songs to put away the end of the first part of our lives and ring in the next part.

Yellow - Alex Parks
Pachuca Sunrise - Minus the Bear
Rock & Roll - Eric Hutchinson
Valley Winter Song - Fountains of Wayne
Neon Tiger - The Killers
The Bucket - Kings of Leon
Hey Me, Hey Mama - Ray LaMontagne
We Are Okay - Joshua Radin
Nothing Better - The Postal Service
I'm Not Over - Carolina Liar
Love, Save the Empty - Erin McCarley
Dream Catch Me - Newton Faulkner
Sing for You - Tracy Chapman
The Resolution - Jack's Mannequiin
Shattered - OAR
Kids - MGMT
Fall for You - Secondhand Serenade
Leavin' - Shelby Lynne
Ocean Floor - Audio Adrenaline
Lose Myself - Joy Williams
Go Go Go - The 88
Cheater, Cheater - Joey & Rory

Peace out Past!

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Intrigued...

I like to frequent Anne Jackson's blog. I think some of you read it as well. So I was catching up tonight and saw a question that got me thinking and responses that intrigued me. The question was What would you do if you were brave? Go here if you want to see the responses she got. I would like for you to answer it as well...make it anonymous if you need to on our blog. Would love to know what you processed while answering that question for yourself.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Erin McCarley

I've heard her twice at WORKPLAY...probably my new favorite artist. Her album actually comes out sometime in Jan. Check it out:

Monday, December 22, 2008

Word

So right now I am qualifying our database...which means I'm basically on church websites all day. Every once in a while I find a jem. Merry Chrima...

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Keepin them a Comin

This man always makes me laugh. He's full of entertainment, if I need my day to be brighter I just stop by his office or pass him in the parking lot...He loves Merry Michael, always complimenting her on her outfit or whatev it is for that day. We have two doors in the office that I share with her, one we keep closed by her and the other is open. The one by her always pops open, like every time someone walks by it opens. Well today this man fixed it...I'm telling you if you need something he'll take care of it. We also love him because he always has candy...very good for my budget to not have to walk to the "corner store". You can also always count on him to decorate his office and often times be dressed to match it. I had to take a pic so you could see for yourself. I promise this is something I just walked up on...normal day in the life of this man

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Cardio Crap

The Beals (aka. Lindsay) and I decided to do a little cardio class tonight called CardioCore at the Y. Neither of us have ever taken this class. Of course, I walk in straight from the apt. Lindsay walks in from the treadmill...but I digress.

There are only 5 of us in this class. The instructor tells us to get 2 lb balls to use. I mean, 2 pounds? Easy Breezy...So I gather one up just like everybody else does. Then we begin. I'm getting it. This won't be so bad.

20 minutes into the 45 minute class, my ears start ringing. I feel like I'm dying (or as Berge says, dieing.) The teacher keeps telling us that she's slowed it down since there are so many newbies. Thanks a lot! That doesn't make you feel good that you're about to pass out in a class that the teacher has dumbed down. 

So I stand by the wall for a few minutes. She's talking to me over the headset...telling me that the first time she took the class she wanted to leave. She said the 2nd through 5th times she took it, she felt the same way. After the 6th one, she wanted to teach it. I go by the philosophy "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." I'm no idiot. I will not be returning to cardio my core.

But I did get back in, after getting a weightless ball to use. I mean 2 pounds feels like 20 when you're moving and grooving. I got through the rest of the class and hated every minute of it. I don't have much will power (Dear Lord, Please grant me more will power. I'm begging.) and I don't need any reason to quit because I will. So we got finished with the cardio and moved to ab workouts...which were fine. I mean we were laying down a good bit of that and I'm all for that.

Needless to say, Beals fooled me once. I will not be gotten again. I'm willing to try other classes but this one shall never see me darken its door ever.

Is it bad that this makes me laugh?

Kins don't you have that vest in your closet?

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Thanks Han

this is amazing...

A Game of Chants

Lindsay and I braved the elements Monday night and returned to Yoga at the Y. We have both raved about it since we last went and said we wanted to go again. Lindsay actually works out before...I do not. 

So the class is smaller this time but given the bad weather, this was not unusual.

Enter heavy breathing pooter. She takes her place in the back corner. Lindsay and I put our stuff right in front of her for some reason. I can report she did not pass gas this session. She did breathe heavily. Lindsay later said that she breathes right along with HBP because she can't hear her own breaths.

Let me just say, whatever I thought yoga was last time was pushed out the window this time. I often times had to catch my breath. This is no good when you're trying to breathe on cue. I do love it though. It was quite the work out. 

The end of the hour was the interesting part. During our cool down, Yogi started chanting. Now, I had my doubts about yoga before we went. Last time did nothing to make me question the practice. However, a bunch of gibberish this week made me kind of wonder. I mean, was I casting out demons (thanks Cog)? I threw in a "Jesus", "Yahweh", "Ahamenahamena" in there. Lindsay said that it took everything in her to not laugh. Oh that's right...Yogi had us repeat after her. Weird.

Anyway, I'm still in it. I will not be converting to Buddhism. Don't worry, Kay. 

Monday, December 15, 2008

Thanks Drew

I can't stop laughing...


Thursday, December 11, 2008

Kay, I'm not in the Mississip anymore...


Outside my apartment this evening. It started snowing on my way home from work.

Whew!

Let me catch my breath. I am exhausted from running and jumping on the bandwagon.

Here are my top five lists.

Top 5 Musical Events to See Live
1. Garth Brooks in Central Park
2. Bon Jovi Unplugged
3. Dolly Parton (anywhere)
4. Elton John at Princess Di's Funeral
5. David in the field with his harp...BOOYA

Top 5 Movies to See Premier in Theatres
1. Gone With The Wind
2. Wizard of Oz
3. The Birds
4. The Godfather
5. Snow White

Top 5 Cities to See At Their Apex
1. LA during the big glamorous Hollywood years
2. Eden (DOUBLE BOOYA)
3. Paris in the 20s
4. Pompei before the volcano
5. Atlanta in antebellum times (minus the whole slavery thing)

Top 5 Biblical Events to Witness Live
1. The star over Bethlehem
2. Feeding of 5000+
3. Elijah's showdown
4. Burning Bush
5. John receiving the Revelation

And Andy's list...

Top 5 Historical Figures You Could Spend an Hour With, But You Can’t Say God or Jesus ‘Cause That’s Just Silly . . . I Mean, Let’s Just Assume, If You’re So Inclined, That They Are Number One
1. Vivian Leigh
2. Anne Frank (she was obviously pretty smart and could speak on my level)
3. Abe Lincoln
4. Ben Franklin
5. Jane Austen and Jesus


Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Yogariffic

You asked for it. Lindsay and I went to Yoga Monday night. That's right. 

We were a little nervous but our nerves were calmed when we walked into the zen-like room, filled with yoga mats and Indian-like blankets. Our teacher was a little bit of a thing and had a voice that is what you imagine when you think of a yoga instructor (yogi?)

We began the class. We've got this. I mean we're in there with one guy, a few girls our age and some women who are pushing 60. I'll be honest, some of the moves were harder than I thought they would be. My hamstrings are still hurting, two days later. It was hard to remember right from left, ask Lindsay about that one. I am going to have to work on my breathing techniques. 

The funniest two items of interest are:
1. The woman who pooted (or as Bob says, "shot a cat") during "upward facing dog." She also breathed heavily throughout the whole class. It was a bit distracting but I guess she needed to breathe so I'll cut her some slack.
2. During one of the poses, the instructor said, "Make sure you aren't clinching your rear." I'm pretty sure she was looking in my direction.

We're going back tomorrow. Can't wait. 

An iChat Conversation

sarah mcdonnell: you better be careful with your anti-alabama comments
erin moon : why?
sarah mcdonnell: those boys have shotguns
erin moon: alabama boys?
sarah mcdonnell: correctomundo
erin moon: yeah...i can probably outshoot all of them.
sarah mcdonnell: all it takes is one shot on you
erin moon: that's why we don't get drunk in texas
sarah mcdonnell: no drunks in tejas?
erin moon: and while they are loading their shotguns, i am shooting my pistol in their leg.
sarah mcdonnell: AHAHAHA; i'm doing karate
erin moon: no no...mississippi's gotta be doing something else.
sarah mcdonnell: we're getting drunk
erin moon: no guns...just drunk?
sarah mcdonnell: i think we fight; hand to hand; or hand to face is more like it
erin moon: with a bayonet?
sarah mcdonnell: no way
erin moon: your guns are empty...
sarah mcdonnell: fist; we don't need guns; bows and arrows and fists
erin moon: LOL

WWJPOHC?

I'm glad you asked...Jesus would probably not put many bumper stickers on his car. He might not even own a car if he were walking around in the flesh today. I don't know. Maybe he'd have a California Angels decal (definitely not a Tampa Bay Devil Rays one though.) I am sure that he would not have the bumper sticker I saw on the car in front of me this morning.
(except there was no donkey on it.) Seriously? Do you want someone to already have the idea that you're an idiot when they begin a conversation with you? Listen, driver, if you ever realize that people look at you weird, flip you off, spit on you, etc. maybe you should look at yourself. Perhaps you, my friend, are the jackass.

Friday, December 5, 2008

My Christmas (Song) List

Happy Christmas!!!! Here's the list of my favorite holiday songs for your enjoyment.

Little Town - Amy Grant
O Holy NIght - Celine Dion
Hard Candy Christmas - Dolly Parton
What Child is This? - Faith Hill
All I Want for Christmas is You - Mariah Carey
Silent Night - Sarah McLachlan
O Holy Night - Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
Do You Hear What I Hear? - Whitney Houston
Where Are You Christmas? - Faith Hill
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - U2
Glasgow Love Theme - Craig Armstrong
White Christmas - Otis Redding
Christmas Is All Around - Billy Mack

Thursday, December 4, 2008

December Playlist

I have two for this month...ohhh BONUS. The first is my Christmas Mix, the other is just a regular playlist of the month.

Christmas Mix:
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - Hanson
Christmas Is All Around - Billy Mack
Christmas Time - The Darkness
Christmas Time is Here - Rosie Thomas
Coles Corner - Richard Hawley
Hark, the Herald Angels Sing - Vince Guaraldi Trio
Liquid Sugar - Maps
That Was the Worst Christmas Ever! - Sufjan Stevens
022000miles - Coldplay
Just for Now - Imogen Heap
The Christmas Song - Catherine Feeny
I'll Be Home For Christmas - Holly Conlan
Last Christmas - Leigh Nash
Maybe This Christmas - Leigh Nash
Mistletoe - Colbie Caillat
Silent Night - Priscilla Ahn
Sleigh Ride - KT Tunstall
Winter Wonderland - Kate Havnevik
Wishing for This - Leigh Nash
Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella - Joy Williams
Auld Lang Syne (Artist Medley) - A bunch of people...its on the Hotel Cafe Presents Winter Songs

December Mix-
Silver Lining - Rilo Kiley
New Road - AM and Meiko
Shiver - Coldplay
August Moon (Live) - Sara Bareilles
Waking Life - Schuyler Fisk
Can't Stop the World - Gavin Rossdale
Crack the Shutters - Snow Patrol
Sparks - Coldplay
Where I Stood - Missy Higgins
Don't I Hold You - Wheat
MFEO - Jack's Mannequin (for Massie...i appresh ;))
The First Single (You Know Me) - The Format
Make You Crazy (feat. Femi Kuti) - Brett Dennen
I Met a Girl - Wheat
Spinning - Jack's Mannequin
Rehab - Rihanna
Miss Independent - Ne-Yo
Live Your Life (feat. Rihanna) - T.I.

Bet you didn't know this about Jason...

Its funny I read all the comments after this video and a lot of the people say I knew there was something different about him. Thats exactly what I thought when I watched this video.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Yoga, What?

The two pieces of bread in this picture are going to take a yoga class at the Y. Coggin is free to join us but as of now, she has not committed. We attempted to take the class last night but forces beyond our control prevented it. Keep tuned to TWSS for updates on the awesomeness that will be yogarificness.


Tuesday, December 2, 2008

You know your from Sylacauga when...

Now I'm not exactly from Sylacauga, AL but I lived there 8-12th grade so I tell people I am. I found this that somebody had posted and LOL'd I literally can testify or at least know about everything they are talking about. I added the part in parenthesis to better inform you. Your going to wish you had grown up there...

You know you're in Sylacauga when,
- You take all of your friends from out-of-town to Gravity Hill. (You literally pull your car up to this hill and put it in neutral and the gravity pulls your car back...its creepy there are videos on the youtubes of it)
- You smell chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream while sitting in class at either high school (Sylacauga or BBComer). (There is a Blue Bell ice cream plant by the high schools...your already wishing you had lived here)
- You look forward to riding the Ft. Williams strip on the weekend. (a street that everyone rode up and down, the turn around point was called 'riding the hump aka speed bump at arbys')
- You've seen a friend pulled over on the Ft. WIlliams strip by a police officer you know by name. (i got my first ticket there)
- Rival high schools share the same football stadium.
- There is a section of a major highway named after Gomer Pyle.
- Better yet, there is a museum dedicated to Gomer Pyle.
- If you live in Taylor Estates, you're considered upper class. (its huge...everyone grew up living there, not me remember didn't grow up there. I lived in the neighborhood across the 'highway' that was only cool because our preacher and his fam lived down the street. Also if mom and I were ever bored on our way home you would hear us say 'wanna drive through taylor estates'...it becomes engraved in you to be nosy once you have lived there for a little while)
- One of your classmates is the child of a car salesman. (HA...that was me)
- Fine Italian dining is experienced at Giovanni's, which is connected to a gas station.
- The local Mexican restaurant has a buffet.
- You are familiar with Smiley. (Smiley is a crazy man that walks all around Sylacauga, I had friends that would put him on the local radio station, you never knew what you were going to get but her sure could sing the mighty mouse song)

Monday, December 1, 2008

World AIDS Day

Want to know what you can do? Go here

The Single 7 Year Old

My little cousin Caleb is seven. He's a very inquisitive kid and pretty much asks what is on his mind. So Friday night he got to wondering about my love life.

Caleb: "Aren't you married?"
Sarah: "Nope."
Caleb: "Why not?" (while laughing heartily)
Sarah: "I'm just not. You're not married either."
Caleb: "But I'm only 7."
Sarah: "Yeah, well.."
Caleb: "I can't believe you're not married."

Friday, November 28, 2008

Look how far you've come...

While flipping channels at Kay and Bob's house this morning, I noticed a strange occurrence. Do you know what movie MTV was showing this AM? Rudy. That's right. Sean Astin...Notre Dame...you know. 

First of all, we can now say that MTV is no longer Music Television. I mean the last music show went off the air last week: TRL. I remember getting home from class in college (or high school too, sorry Mom) and turning it on to see what the new videos looked like. 

Secondly, I guess Rudy is a great, heartwarming story. I am glad that people who watch MTV now have the opportunity to watch this. Run's House is the same thing. Maybe this is what we need.

On another note, I just watched part of Kid Rock's Storytellers on VH1. It was filmed at The Factory, where I work. So that's pretty cool. Kid just turned into a Southern Baptist worship leader and had the audience turn around to say hello to the people around them. This is my least favorite part of a church service. And now it's making its way into concerts? Oh man...if this happens at a concert I attend, I might not be attending anymore.


Thursday, November 20, 2008

Coldplay

I had the privilege of seeing Coldplay in concert about 2 weeks ago. Sorry it takes me a little while to get videos uploaded. I really do not know if another concert will top this one. It was one of those shows where I was so concentrated and excited about the next thing they were going to do that I had no idea what my body was doing ha...I was probably bouncing up and down, I really have no idea. I wish I had gotten it on tape when they sang Viva La Vida, I had to call my friend Court and play it for us because it was kind of the theme song of our summer. It was incredible, Chris Martin could have basically stopped singing because the crowd was singing so loud, I got chills at that point. There wasn't a song that was a let down. If you get a chance to see them pay whatever you can because it was an experience I will never forget. I have some videos below. I'm a little sad tho because when I upload the videos to youtube the quality is not as good. Any suggestions on this bloggers?

Death and All His Friends...for Erin

PS there was a warning sign on the front row because of the lights that flash during this song. They were unbelievably bright, like I'm pretty sure if the front row went blind.

A personal fav. Lovers in Japan...they really pulled out the things in the video that depict Japan, I loved that.


This was when the entire band made their way through the crowd and into the balcony to perform two songs. Literally like a section over from us. People were leaping over seats...it was incredible

Kay and Kings of Leon

What do these two entities have in common? Both are Southern and damn proud of it. Both wear girl clothes. And....that's about it.

My warning to Kay is to never get anywhere near a KOL concert. There is nothing about it that will please her.

My warning is to everybody else out there is to run to your nearest KoL concert. They were AWESOME.

Last night, Erin, Lindsay and I bundled up and headed downtown to rock out. Let me first say that the crowd demographics at this concert were much different than what I have experienced in the past. First of all, I've never been frisked before a concert. I was. I've never seen beer cans so big. I've never seen so many pairs of girl jeans on non-girls. This was a night of firsts.

This could be considered my first rock concert. I made the comment to E & L that I have rock legs but a pop heart. My legs want to move to the beat, but I don't know what to do with the rest of me. I also am a snapper so I usually keep my hands in my pockets or clasped together.

(As an aside, the Nashville Municipal Auditorium has the softest bathroom tissue I've ever used at a public bathroom. No lie. The other two didn't notice...I did.)

We missed The Whigs, but made it just in time to hear We Are Scientists. It was general admission and the floor was packed out. We decided to stick it out in the bleachers. They really were perfect seats. We sat through We Are Scientists and saw everything and stood through KOL and saw everything. Perfection.

Highlights of the evening...

- Tight girl jeans
- Marajuana smoke
- Crowd surfers
- Crowd surfers who had one leg above their head and then fell on his head.
- Crowd surfers who didn't wear pants or underwear (yikes.)
- Woman standing in the entry (light) to the arena (dark) dancing so we saw her silhouette (can you say Stevie Nicks? thanks E.)
- The guy we thought was surely going to yell "Free Bird"
- The guys behind us who continually yelled "F__K Yeah!" and "This is my song!"
- My eyes watering from the smoke.
- The same guys behind us who said they were going to their car to get a joint.
- Oh, and the music was awesome.

So Kay, stay away from any KoL concert. I'm sure you'd classify it as Heavy Metal, because that's what you call any music with a beat. I'll take you to Celine Dion sometime. I mean she's borderline Metal.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Random Thought of the Day While Driving

When I was at school at MSU, there was this kid who would stand on a sidewalk in the main part of campus and wave to people as they walked or drove to class. There was really no reason for this act of friendliness. There was an article about him in our school newspaper and it was sort of cool to be friends with him. I wasn't friends with him but I'm cool enough.

So today I was thinking about random acts of kindness. I am not someone to do something like this. 

I also had a guy in New Orleans tell me it was National Give Someone a Kiss Day and he gave me a peck on the cheek. That's my kind of day!

Random I know. 

I have a confession...

So we all know that I love Maks...BUT I have to say I've developed a little crush on a little Derek Hough. Its true, I think he's presh. Maks will always be my #1, but look at Derek just look at him


Is it weird to anyone else that he dates Shannon Elizabeth?

Monday, November 17, 2008

The Break-Up

Can't we all just agree that THIS is not working? Let's put this show to rest.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

What's that smell?

Some of you may know about my fear that I could smell. I mean, who of you would ever tell me? It's one of those things that I fear, another one being that I may have a limp. From Mental_Floss I give you the 15 most famously filthy people in history:

Benedict of Aniane:
Saint Joseph once preached, “He who has bathed in Christ has no need for a second bath.” Early Christians took this literally and never bathed. Benedict was an odd monk that spent most of his life in rags, rarely eating, and speaking only in awkward outcries. He wascanonized for saving monasticism in the 8th century, through which he spread the idea that bathing was a vanity that facilitated sins of the flesh. This meme stuck with Christians until the 18th century.

Henry IV of France:
One of the most popular French kings, Henry tried to provide his citizens with a “chicken in the pot every Sunday.” Even though he believed in changing his shirt every morning, a rarity in 16th century France, he also loved hunting and refused to bathe or mask his odor with cologne afterwards. His mistress often told him he smelled like carrion. His second wife fainted from his stench the first time she met him and doused herself with perfume just to have sex with him on their wedding night.

Miyamoto Musashi:
The Japanese have a long  of promoting hygiene, but Musashi was a different story. He spent most of the 17th century wandering Japan as a vagabond warrior, sword fighting anyone he ran across. His fighting style involved wielding two swords above above his head and was so complicated that none of his pupils ever mastered it. He never married, cut his hair, or bathed unless he was visiting a feudal lord because he did not want to be caught unprepared. Besides, there were better things to do like sword fighting.

Louis XIV of France:
During the 72 year reign of Louis, France established an absolute monarchy, Versailles was built, and The Sun King waged war with everyone. Possibly hydrophobic, he refused to bathe unless his doctors forced him to and took two, possibly three, baths his entire life. He preferred to be dusted with scented powder and washed his face with a rag soaked in alcohol. Louis refused surgery on a gangrenous foot, leading to his death, and would lose chunks of it around Versailles.

Frederick II of Prussia:
Frederick transformed Prussia from a European backwater to a world powerhouse, and then spent the rest of his life shuffling around Sanssouci with a pack of Italian greyhounds, berating anyone that cleaned up the ankle-deep dog shit. Possibly insane, he started refusing to bathe and stopped changing his clothes for years. When he died, in 1786, the shirt on his back was so rotten with sweat that his valet used one of his own to bury the king.

Charles Howard
A staunch opponent of George III, the 11th Duke of Norfolk rebuilt and refurbished Arundel Castle. In a time when bathing was starting to gain acceptance, he never took a voluntary bath his entire life and became known as the “Dirty Duke” as a result. His valets would trick him into it by getting him drunk and then scrubbing him down. He once complained to Dudley North that he had tried everything to cure his rheumatism. North quipped, “Pray, my lord, did you ever try a clean shirt?”

Ludwig van Beethoven:
Influenced by the Enlightenment, a deaf Beethoven pushed Romantic music to the forefront in the 18th century. His refusal to bathe stemmed from the constant pain of lead poisoning. It also made him extremely crabby at concerts, he commonly threw things at  talking during his concerts. A speech impediment made it hard to understand Beethoven and often resulted in violent tirades if he was asked to repeat himself. The few friends he had would sneak away his clothes to wash while he slept.

Karl Marx:
As the mind behind Communism, Marx wanted the working class to rise up but instead helped totalitarian regimes justify their existence. He suffered from pus leaking carbuncles and boilsthat were worsened by chain smoking, heavy drinking, and belief that cleanliness was a bourgeoisie excess. Marx took pride in pages of the original manuscript of Das Kapital that were splattered with blood from his lanced boils, claiming that it proved he understood the plight of the proletariat.

Henrietta Green:
With an estimated net worth of $3.8 billion, Green became one of the richest women in through her extreme frugality. She avoided surgery on a hernia because it cost $150, ignored her son’s broken leg until it had to be amputated, and tried to swindle a dying aunt out of money. The few times she bathed, she did so without hot water and soap, and she spent her entire life in a series of black dresses that she wore until they wore out. In her later years she became extremely paranoid and died while arguing about skim milk.

Diego Rivera:
A famous Mexican muralist, Rivera helped bring art to the common Mexican by kick-starting the Mexican Mural Renaissance. He was also briefly married to Frida Kahlo and became famous for his constant cheating. Incredibly obese, often ballooning beyond 300 pounds, and avoided bathing (possibly because he didn’t see the point of if he could meet women without it). When one of his wives, Lupe Marin, met him for the first time she asked, “Is this the great Diego Rivera? He looks horrible to me.”

Chairman Mao Zedong
Mao’s harsh socio-political programs killed millions of his countrymen but helped turn China into a world power. He never brushed his teeth or bathed his entire reign. Instead, concubines were forced to scrub his body with damp towels while be chewed tea leaves to clean his teeth. When offered a toothbrush by one of his physicians, Mao refused on the grounds that tigers didn’t brush their teeth either. You can’t argue with that logic.

Geoffrey Pyke:
A British spy during WWII and an innovator, Pyke is best known for developing pykrete, a type of ice that is extremely slow to melt. He wanted to use this material to build a fleet of ships that were impervious to U-Boat attacks. A typical boffin, he abhorred wearing socks and usually presented himself in a rarely washed suit. Pyke also hated bathing, rarely shaved, and avoided cutting his hair. Conversations with Pyke were just as wild as his appearance, as he often launching into extremely technical diatribes when questioned.

Howard Hughes:
Hughes transformed from a polished, handsome aviator and movie producer to a 90 pound skeleton that only trusted Mormons. It started in 1957, when he locked himself in a studio with milk, chocolate, and Kleenex to watch movies completely naked. Upon emerging, he refused to bathe and trimmed his hair and nails only once a year. He became a recluse, living in Las Vegas and the Bahamas, and was so unidentifiable when he died that police had to use his fingerprints to make sure it was actually Hughes.

Ernesto Guevara:
The Argentine revolutionary, Che Guevara helped Fidel Castro bring Communism to Cuba. He loved rugby, cigars, and Rolexes, but hated bathing his entire life. As a child he was called “Chancho”, pig, by friends and took pride in wearing the same shirt for a whole week. He kept this trend going through most of his life, rarely bothering to bathe or change out of his olive green fatigues. He became one of the most famous t-shirts in history after he died.

Marilyn Monroe:
Considered an example of the feminine ideal, Monroe went through a long string of lovers that included Joe DiMaggio and John F. Kennedy. But according to a Clark Gable biography, Gable described her as extremely dirty, and not in the sexual sense. According to Gable she suffered from irritable bowel syndrome, rarely bathed, and ate exclusively in bed - shoving what was left under her bed.


Ooooo....that's a dealbreaker.

The other day, someone mentioned a person in a story who had a horrifically bad last name. It's the kind of name that makes you feel sorry for that person because they have to sign their name, introduce themselves, etc.

There are names that I say are deal breakers. These are the names that may hinder a relationship (romantic) with someone because of the terrible sound of the name. Some of these names are: Seaman, Butts (I know some really awesome Butts, but my opinion still is not changed), Choate. You get my drift. 

What are some deal breakers for you? You know you've got them. 

I know, I know...love conquers all. If you are really in love with someone, you won't care. But at the very least it will give you pause. I also know that I shouldn't be turning people down for something as ridiculous as a name. But I don't want to have to keep my own name upon marriage. A deal breaker name may cause this.

Friday, November 14, 2008

My cousin the hippy

I don't think I have ever talked about my cousin Brian on here. He's great. I just hung out with him tonight and felt the need to tell you about him. I think what I love most about him is that he reminds me of our grandfather and I miss him more than I could describe to you. Brian is very much so a hippy. I love having hippies around me, there is a part of me that would very much like to be one but I think we all know that is not really who I am...there is just that little spot in my personality that wants it to take over my personality ha. He made me want to go backpacking...I even tried on his old pack. Sadly it didn't fit, I have a very short waste.

He lives in Irondale, middle of nowhere but loves it. Always leaves his front door unlocked...knows all of his neighbors. Can walk to the city diner. I got a little nervous while I was there because of where we were and then realized hi I lived in Africa in the middle of nowhere...get over yourself.

He's really fun to talk to...you really never know what your going to talk about. He works for the railroad and has met some hobos that way because you know they travel by jumping carts on trains. He told me some of their stories and I loved it. He met this one girl from Uruguay that was an orphan and she was sold into slavery so she escaped on a ship and then finally made it to America and has lived on trains ever since. He had a picture of her, she was beautiful...he called her an angel :). Oh and he said she makes her own bow and arrows and kills what she is going to eat with that. I mean wow. There was another couple that he met and actually let stay in his house. He left to go fishing the next day and by the time he got back his house was completely clean with a note from them. Then when they got to Canada they sent him a card that he showed me. I was so interested in all their stories...I mean who knew, thats like an entire group that you just don't think about existing.

I cooked dinner and we listed to Neil Young and lots of blue grass Ha. While we were there he talked about making moon shine and I just laughed...later on that night he pulled out a diagram of how you actually do it that he had printed from the internet. I guarantee you he will find a way to make it in his basement.

I listened to M.Ward on my way home from hanging with him in honor.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Another one bites the dust.

There are quite a few things in life that make me smile. A great concert is one of them. Add on top of that being able to mark off one of your "concerts I have to see before I die" and I'm giddy. (This is a second thing in about a month that I've marked off the list...remember I have now shot a gun.)

So you can imagine the look on my face throughout last night's Coldplay concert in Atlanta. In honor of this momentous occasion, November's playlist will consist of Coldplay awesomeness. Enjoy 13 of my favorites along with the album they are on, in no particular order.

1. Fix You (X&Y)
2. The Hardest Part (X&Y)
3. In My Place (A Rush of Blood to the Head)
4. Daylight (A Rush of Blood to the Head)
5. We Never Change (Parachutes)
6. Shiver (Parachutes)
7. Viva La Vida (Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends)
8. Life in Technicolor (Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends)
9.  Death and All His Friends (Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends)
10. 42 (Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends)
11. God Put a Smile Upon Your Face (A Rush of Blood to the Head)
12. Green Eyes (X&Y and A Rush of Blood to the Head)
13. Only Superstition (Brothers & Sisters)

I promise the Coldplay hysteria will subside soon. For now, let me relish in the moment.

(I'll let Berge give her play by play of the concert. In the meantime, I'll post a few terrible photos from my iPhone. It's the only not awesome feature of the awesome iPhone.)

Lovers in Japan


That's right, they came and sang two songs just about 30 yards from us.


Viva La Vida (with all of Coldplay's friends)

Not at the show, but I'm sure he would have had a stellar time...Tim Gunn.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

I have failed as a blogger. Since my last post, Coggin celebrated a B'day. We elected a new prez. My computer's power cord started smoking. I found out my friend Becca likes the smell of skunk just like I do. I met Tim Gunn (well "met" is a relative term.) I haven't made a new playlist, but will soon. 

Life's been good. 

Sunday, October 26, 2008

October/November Playlist

All I Need - Mat Kearney
Keep Breathing - Ingrid Michaelson
The Fear You Won't Fall - Joshua Radin
Let Me Leave - Marc Broussard
The Chain(Live from Webster Hall) - Ingrid Michaelson
Come On Get Higher - Matt Nathanson
Sarah - Ray LaMontagne
Always On My Mind - Jon McLaughlin
Pitter-Pat - Erin McCarley
Hold On - Sarah McLachlan
Giving Up - Ingrid Michaelson
Pony(It's OK) - Erin McCarley
Take Back the City - Snow Patrol
Shake It - Metro Station
Dance Your Life Away - Jon Mclaughlin
Your Loving Arms(Radio Edit) - Karen Overton
Words - Anthony David
I Want Something That I Want - Grace Potter and Bethany Joy Galeotti
Silver Lining - Rilo Kiley
Lose Myself (Demo 2) - Joy Williams
Use Somebody - Kings of Leon
Dream - Priscilla Ahn
Love, Save the Empty - Erin McCarley

Lately...

Sorry I have not posted in awhile...just waiting on things to happen so that I can entertain you my friends, and let me tell you they are. Here a couple of stories from the past couple of weeks...

So I'm in Nashville visiting the Sass. One of our favorite coffee shops is Fido and I have to go there every time I visit. Its just a fun atmosphere, in a cool spot and you never know who you may see AHEM. So we are all shopping in the area and decide to pop in to get a drink. I'm standing there in line and as I'm looking up towards the door about to order Sass leans in and says there's Mat Kearney, I say shut up and as I'm looking up there he is walking towards me. Now I have imagined this moment many times in my head. Pretty much every time he notices me and we talk and of course fall in love. I have to admit people I let him pass by, I failed miserably at MY MOMENT. I got really nervous, started to sweat and placed my order. He walked right past me out to the back door...I'm sure avoiding all of the girls following him or something...BLAST. If I lived in Nashville I might as well rent space out to live in Fido because I would be there all the time for moments like these. But by then I'm pretty sure I would be better at MY MOMENT then the last time.



My next story happened while I was in DC. If you have been on the book I'm sure you've seen the pic so here is the full story...So I am with Cat and Me Mi touring the monuments. Cat's favorite thing to do is to take pics jumping in the air. Well you know people take them of her and its a pic of her in mid air. So all three of us decide to do it. We ask this man to take the pic that is with his son, daughter and wife. We notice the son is taking the pic too (WITH HIS OWN CAMERA). Note that we take the pic right in front of the reflecting pool. So as we are in mid air I realize that my shoes have flown off. There are lots of people on the steps in front of us watching this go down. I hear someone yell HER SHOE! I turn around and one of my shoes made it in the reflecting pool...classy. So I stand there for a moment in shear shock not quite knowing what to do and sort of hoping that the man that took the pic that was so concerned would go in for it. When I realize that he is not going for it and the wind is not blowing in our direction I roll up my pants and go in for it. I am sure this was not only our memory for the day...I'm quite positive that this moment will be in a lot of family photo albums of their DC trip. For the record it was not as glorious as Jenny made it out to be.


Thats the latest ladies and gents...I'm sure there are many more stories to come

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Did you know there are still pirates in this world? There is a group of Somali pirates that have overtaken a NATO ship and the ship is about to run out of food. They are demanding $20 million. When they were given $1 million, they scoffed saying that wouldn't even buy a couple of nights at a hotel. 

ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Maybe I should become a pirate. Seriously, they could at least stay a few weeks at a Hampton Inn on $1 million. Granted, they may have to sleep two to a room.

Also, I'm not taking you seriously as a pirate unless you meet the following conditions:
1. You wear an eye patch.
2. You obviously have to elongate your "r"s.
3. You possibly have lost an appendage, maybe even a limb. 
4. Your solution to lost of said body part is a wooden peg.
5. You swing a lot from ropes.
6. You approach the vessel you wish you take over in a huge boat with sails. 

Unless you meet all of these criterion, you are not a pirate. 

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Welcome Kay to TWSS.

This is a conversation Kay and I had tonight on Facebook Chat. She probably won't talk to me after she sees I'm posting conversations. It seems as if my lack of concentration comes honest.


Sarah

do you ever read my blog?

9:13pmKay

i don't know where it is

hey, did you see meredith's pictures of their trip to the beach. boy, is that ian good looking

and the twins are beautiful

9:13pmSarah

i am not friends with her

9:13pmKay

oh, she would love for you to become one of her friends

her girls were like you and could not believe she was on facebook

9:14pmSarah

it won't let me type in the name

Some content in this message has been reported as abusive by Facebook users.

http://babyberandsassymac.blogspot.com/

9:15pmKay

what? meredith o'leary

9:15pmSarah

no, my blog address

9:15pmKay

oh

just send it to me via e-mail

9:15pmSarah

i think it's because the address says "sassy"

ad it may read "ass"

Some content in this message has been reported as abusive by Facebook users.

"www.babyberandsassymac.blogspot.com"

crap!

9:15pmKay

hummm

9:16pmSarah

babyberands@ssymac

9:15pmKay

do the people in nashville call you sassy

9:16pmSarah

Some content in this message has been reported as abusive by Facebook users.

.blogspot.com

oh it's the other part

it's .blogsp0t.com

the 0 is really an "o"

some people do

i think you'd find it funny

amber and i both write on it

9:17pmKay

do you talk about daddy and me?

9:17pmSarah

all the time

kay and bob

9:17pmKay

whow

9:17pmSarah

?

9:18pmKay

i'm honored that you talk about us

9:18pmSarah

you should be

i love you

you and dad are characters

9:18pmKay

i assume everyone calls their parents by their first names, huh?

9:18pmSarah

well it's funnier and easier

9:18pmKay

of course we are

9:18pmSarah

everybody's got a mom and dad

9:18pmKay

yes i understand

9:18pmSarah

are you reading?

9:18pmKay

reading what?

your posts

9:19pmSarah

yeah

9:19pmKay

who was the guy who went to knoxville with you?

9:19pmSarah

ryan

9:19pmKay

did daddy and i meet him one time when we visited in b'ham?

9:19pmSarah

yup

9:20pmKay

oh....

what does he do?

9:20pmSarah

he's trying to make it in the singing industry

9:20pmKay

is he a tn fan?

oh my

9:20pmSarah

no...remember, he's from georgia

9:20pmKay

that could be rough

9:20pmSarah

i mean texas

9:20pmKay

no, i didn't remember

did he work for sl, too

9:20pmSarah

are you reading?

yep

9:20pmKay

reading what?

9:20pmSarah

MY BLOG!

9:21pmKay

no, i have not gone to it yet

9:21pmSarah

well you probably won't

you won't ever know the writer i am

what did dad want toknow?

9:23pmKay

ha! i just read some of the blog

see i do know what i am talking about sometimes.....you never know who you will see

always dress as if it will be someone special

9:24pmSarah

uh huh


The McDonnell Fam...Apparently I'm the only one who shows my teeth when I smile.



Oh, and we always wear white at the McDonnell house. Just like angels.