For the love of...

Tuesday was a very rainy, miserable day in Boston so my co-worker and I decided to go to the movies. I hadn't read a movie review in a couple weeks so we unfortunately ended up seeing Vantage Point. Wow was that a mistake. It was laughable to say the least. I actually was laughing through the last scene, obviously a scene that was supposed to be a touching moment between William Hurt and Dennis Quaid. Sigourney Weaver was completely miscast as a no-nonsense network news producer. It might as well have been Kirsten Alley as we never saw anything below Sigourney's chest the entire movie. Is Sigourney going to be hawking Jenny Craig Soon? What's goin' on? Then you have Forrest Whitaker who, I am sorry to say, I just don't understand his appeal. It looks like his droopy face is as pliable as play-doh. For that reason alone, I can't take him seriously. AND THEN you have Matthew Fox. Please, Jack- Go back to LOST. The island needs you. And PLEASE don't ever try to pass off speaking some line in Spanish as credible acting. Oh you were atrocious.

Phew... sorry that has been building up for a couple days. Please don't see Vantage Point. We should have seen The Spiderwick Chronicles- Freddie Highmore can't do anything wrong in my mind.

Today's song: Unison by Bjork

Confessions of a Tricky eater

I'm not the world's biggest eater. Not to say I don't enjoy food, I do. I could eat steak, mashed potatoes, and asparagus every day for the rest of my life and die a happy man but most of the time, I eat because I have to. Sometimes I am able to get away with not eating for a day because I find other things to occupy my time like work, running, television, talking, not talking, etc.

My family has always had a small concern for my lack of appetite but has come to accept it and poke fun at it. My mother celebrates everytime I come home and look like I have gained a pound. When asked by my sister "If you could choose to have three meals a day or three pills a day to replace those meals and reap the same nutritional value from those pills as you would the meals, which would you choose?", my answer was an obvious no brainer: the Pills!

Why am I telling you all of this? Because I think this might be getting out of hand*. While I don't enjoy eating per se, there are certain things that I absolutely love eating. I just got back from the little convenience store in my building and take a look at what I bought:

DiGiorno's Pepperoni Thin Crust Pizza
Lactaid Reduced Fat Milk
Cherry Pomegranate Power Naked Energy Smoothie
Tostitos Hint of Lime Tortilla Chips
Captain Crunch
2-liter Bottle of Coca-Cola Classic

These six items will last me a couple days (I know this because I have done it before). I think my eating habits have reached a new level of unhealthy especially when you add in the Tostitos Queso that I have waiting for me in the fridge. That queso is to die for.

But now I'm starting to think that maybe my eating habits aren't necessarily bad**-certainly unhealthy, but not bad. I am just enjoying what I like because I can and I whether or not I go a day without eating, I know that I am going to be ok because I'll always have my DiGiorno and Queso waiting for me on the other side until those pills are approved by the FDA. And that makes me happy...

Today's song: Come on Closer by Jem


*Do I really think this?
**Yeah, I didn't think so.

Clickity Clack

I've recently realized I'm the click-clack guy you hear walking down the street. The heels on all of my shoes (the exception being my new driving mocassins which are amazing btw) make incredibly loud clacking noises on the sidewalk, asphalt, grass, etc. No matter how lightly I try to walk, people turn around expecting to see a 5-inch-high stiletto wearer and instead fine me, clacking away in one of my many pairs of loafers.

When/how did this happen? I know that I have always been a 'heavy walker' as my mother always said and I did get that complaint from my downstairs neighbor for 'excessive heavy walking noises' but I can hear my steps even when I am listening to my iPod. This is becoming serious. very serious.

Today's song: Cruel Summer by Bananarama

Quick travel note..

Because I travel almost every week for work, I have almost memorized Delta's little safety schpeal at the beginning of each flight. I can't help but chuckle each time the flight attendant gets to the "And, in case of an emergency, your seat cushion can be used as a floatation devise!" part.

They always say it with such cheer, as if they are selling the cushions on an infomercial, "Well, isn't that neat!"

But when you think about it, it's not that cheery of a thought.


Today's song: California Dreamin'- The Mamas and Papas

I think I'm in the mood for Chinese

What really gets me goin'...

I just got back from a 10-mile run and I feel fantastic. I mean, my legs are killing me, I'm still panting and I'm probably not going to be able to ice skate very well tonight, but I FEEL FANTASTIC.

I took a different route today and at around mile five found myself down by the tidal basin. I overcame my fear of falling into the Basin and decided run along the path right beside it. Except for the geese droppings it was an excellent decision. Watching the sun break through the clouds above the Jefferson Memorial just as Madonna's Sorry comes on is a moment that I can't truly describe.

I hadn't been running in a couple of days and when I started this morning I wasn't really into. What made all the difference is my running playlist that I have fine-tuned over the past couple months. I've decided to post it here because I think I'm doing a disservice to my fellow runners/exercisers by keeping it to myself. I catch myself laughing, singing, and doing a little dance while running listening to the majority of the songs. When you see the list below you will understand why. Here you go!

Apocalypse Please- Muse (Muse, in general, makes awesome music to work out to)

Call My Name- Charlotte Church (fan-freakin-tastic song)

Escape- Enrique Iglesias (no list is complete without Enrique)

Gone- Kelly Clarkson (awesome one from start to finish)

Happier- Guster (just like the title indicate, a happy song)

Holding Out for a Hero- Bonnie Tyler (no song makes me run faster)

It’s Raining Men- Geri Halliwell (or the weather Girls, but Geri’s is a little faster)

Music is the Victim- Scissor Sisters (love it)

Rainy Monday- Shiny Toy Guns (not the fastest song, but a good one none-the-less)

Something to Talk About- Bonnie Raitt (always good to cool you down a bit)

Stockholm Syndrome- Muse (will have you running FAST)

Starlight- Muse (almost as fast as Stockholm)

Cuz I Can- Pink (really good one to get you started)

Waterloo- ABBA (really good around mile 8 or 9 when you really need to smile)

Get Me Bodied (extended remix)- Beyonce (hilariously awesome song)

Just Like Jesse James- Cher (best.cher.song.ever.)

Sorry- Madonna (You have to keep running to this song otherwise you stop and dance)

Crazy Chick- Charlotte Church (ah, I love me some crazy charlotte)

Don't Stop Me Now- Queen (Cheesy but AWESOME)

You Can't Stop the Beat- Hairspray Soundtrack (this is where I start to dance a little bit)



If you ever see me running down sixteenth street or through Rock Creek Park and I'm smiling, it's not because I'm crazy. I've just put together the best work-out list ever! Now you can enjoy it! YAY!

Today's Song: All of the Above!

Thanks for the memories

It is amazing that after 11 years, I'm able to hang out with folks I knew when I was 15 and it is as if not a day has passed.

Tonight was wonderful ladies (and Kevin)- thank you. Can't wait to do it again. Divers really do do it better!

Goodnight!

Over it

I am in Boston awaiting my flight back to DC and CNN (which is BLARING throughout the airport) decides it is appropriate to headline their segment with the following statement:
"New video is out of Britney Spears buying a home pregnancy test!"

I couldn't control the "Are you kidding me?!" that came out of my mouth, at a volume that made my fellow travelers sitting around me snicker and nod in agreement. Seriously? That is the story you think we all care about? (OMG. There's another announcement about Britney RIGHT NOW!)

I'm done with you CNN. We are officially over.

Thank god for 60 minutes so that I don't have to break up with Anderson. That would be too much to handle in one day.

Today's song: Not While I'm Around from Sweeney Todd

Give me a D!

After a wonderful Christmas holiday home with the family, I'm back to traveling, this time to Boston. The trouble is my flight has been delayed for about two hours, I left my blackberry at home, and season one of It's always sunny in Philadelphia is taking forever to download on Itunes. Lord.

I normally take the time that I have in Airports to people watch because I don't like being that guy on his laptop who is obviously too important to be waiting for a plane. He has work to do, important work. I, on the other hand, did enough work while at home so I am stuck sitting next to no less that six people eating their freshly ordered Five Guys, one incredibly miserable looking 13-year-old girl with a spiffy laptop, and a 75-year-old woman who keeps calling her family, telling them that it isn't worth it to come pick her up when she gets to palm beach because she is sick and doesn't want to get them sick. She seemed confused as to why she was sick because she took more than the appropriate amount of Airborne before getting on the plane. I know this because she said so, right before she coughed in the direction of my soft pretzel. Lord.

So, on this second day of 2008, I hope you are all enjoying a wonderful day, at least better than mine.

Today's song: Never Going to Give You Up by Rick Astley

While Anthony Is Away...

...I thought I'd break the silence and guest blog for him.  ;)  Yup, that's right -- this is Ray-Ray reporting straight from my 'hood out in Old Town Alexandria.  Gangsta, clearly.

Anyhoo...Antwaan gets back on Wednesday night -- just in time for the Yankee Swap that he's organized.  It should be tons of fun.  I never thought that shopping for a Yankee Swap gift would be so difficult, though.  Today after work, I stopped by Pentagon City to look for something.  I thought, heck...it shouldn't take me more than an hour, right?  WRONG-O.  I was there for like 2.5 hours, rummaging through every store.  I guess part of the reason why it's so tough for me is that I know everyone at the swap will bring something really clever and/or hilarious.  Everyone is so witty and dry and sarcastically funny, and I know that will translate into absurdly awesome gifts.  And I don't want to be the one to disappoint.

There were so many ideas that I decided against.  Harry Potter action figures?  Meh, too obvious.  High School Musical 2 Calendar?  Not ridiculous enough.  The new Jordin Sparks CD, since she needs all the help she can get after having the dubious distinction of being the lowest first-week selling Idol winner of all time?  Ugh, booooring.  

After some more thought (and almost buying the Soulja Boy album for the swap, since pretty much all of us tried to do the dance at Michelle's birfday bash last weekend), I finally settled on something.  I like it.  :)  I mean, I would keep it for myself...srsly.  Will the others want it?  Probably not, but I'm pretty sure they'll get a good chortle out of it.  (I like the word chortle. It's so funny!)

Ok, it is waaay past this gramp's bedtime, so I'mma hit the sack.  Oh, I almost forgot a song!  Let's see...

Mmm, got it.  Anthony, this one is for you, mister.  ;)

Esthero - “Believer” Feat. Brandy

(Courtesy of A Hot Mess Blog)