Best. Salon. Ever.

Have I mentioned lately how much I love my stylist?

I also love my salon. I love my stylist and my salon enough to go way out to Adams Morgan (home of no nearby Metro stop) to get there. Which I did on Tuesday.

Tuesday was a long day. I worked for 10 hours and then rode Metro to a bus stop to the salon, and then had to wait a bit for my stylist. While waiting, I flipped through a highly amusing coffee table book called Bad Hair, and then leaned my head back on the chair and closed my eyes a bit.

And then the receptionist offered a beer to the other person in the waiting room.

Huh?

I opened my eyes and blinked. Then the receptionist said, "How about you? Can I get you an Amstel Light or a Perrier?"

If I hadn't been so exhausted (or had any idea what Amstel Light tastes like -- I'm not much of a beer connoisseur), I might have taken the beer. But instead I took them up on the Perrier, which, despite my general aversion to fizzy plain water with no sugar involved, was admittedly pretty refreshing.

I said to the other customer, "I should come to the 7 o'clock appointments more often!" to which she replied, "Nah, I've been here at 10 in the morning and they've still offered me a beer."

I have to say, that's pretty phenomenal customer service...and it fits right in with the edgy, alternative feel of the place (where you can get your hair dyed any color of the unnatural rainbow as Swedish death metal plays on the loudspeakers).

Why we're psyched about CONvergence 2008!

1. Two words: Peter Mayhew (and an additional acronym and word for those who aren't as geeky as we are: AKA Chewbacca)
2. Two full floors of Cabana Room parties each night (Annie's hoping for the return of the Dystopia Party that was so awesome in 2005)
3. 99 percent likelihood of multiple Rock Band setups throughout the event (and admittedly, 99 percent likelihood only those who arrive three days early to sign up will actually get to play them)
4. Checking out all the cosplayers - like in 2005 when we saw this guy dressed like the prince from Katamari Damacy
5. The rooms that run nothing but Buffy and Firefly 24 hours a day
6. Getting to chill out in Connie's Space Lounge again...hopefully this time without an obnoxious 10-year-old throwing rubber balls in our faces
7. Getting to see our awesome friends (Minnesota) Matt W. and (hopefully) Evan
8. Cinema Rex, the big room with the big screen that shows sci-fi movies 24 hours a day
9. It's four days long this year, in honor of the 10th anniversary of the con -- that's 33 percent more fun!
10. Guests of honor Len Wein (creator of Wolverine) and Marv Wolfman (creator of the New Teen Titans and Blade), who hopefully will participate in a return of the Superhero Smackdown panel
11. The possible inclusion of some of our friends from DC and other parts of the country (come on, guys...eh? eh?)

More info about CONvergence can be found here.

Can I just say...

We're barely into the Academy Awards show, but Tilda Swinton just gave the best acceptance speech of the evening, if not in the history of Oscar. Comparing the buttocks of the Oscar statuette to those of her agent AND inferring George Clooney still wears the Batsuit and "hangs upside down at lunch"...more than a decade after the horror that was Batman and Robin? Gutsy and hilarious.

Bendis?! Jim Lee?!

On a lark, I toodled over to the Baltimore Comic-Con website, to see if they had any information on this year's event. Much to my surprise, they are listing the following people as guests (who were not guests last year, so I assume this is information for the forthcoming con in September):

Brian Bendis (I assume there should be a "Michael" in the middle there)
Jim Lee
Geoff Johns
Tim Sale

When I saw "Bendis" on the list, I had to scoop my jaw up off the floor. If there were one comic writer I'd ever want to meet, it would be him. He wrote Ultimate Spider-Man, which single-handedly got me back into comics and showed me comic writing could actually be GOOD. He's nothing short of a marvel (ha!) in the industry, a shining beacon in the midst of, let's face it, a lot of crap. Honestly, if I'd never read Ultimate Spidey, I probably would have liked the Spider-Man movies an awful lot better -- Bendis just set the bar way too high. I honestly prefer the short-lived CGI Spidey series (which Bendis produced) to the films.

The other names are interesting, too. Josh hopes to have Lee sign his Batman "Hush" books. Geoff Johns "single-handedly made DC worth reading," Josh tells me. And Tim Sale, who I hadn't heard of before, drew the famed "Batman: The Long Halloween" series Josh enjoyed.

Needless to say, we're excited for this year's con. And it's seven months away!

Find and rate playspaces near you!

In every community, there is probably at least one playground, skate park, athletic field, or public ice rink. But how do you know where to find them?

KaBOOM! has an awesome utility called the Playspace Finder, which allows you to find playspaces near you, rate them, and even add additional ones. Currently, the database contains over 6,000 playspaces -- most of them with photos.

Ultimately, this database can be used as a tool to advocate for better playspaces in your community. If you notice that you have a lot of low-rated playgrounds in your area, call your park and rec department to ask why. Push for more funding to improve and renovate playgrounds that are in disrepair. Studies show that the unstructured play kids experience on the playground is vital for their physical, cognitive, and emotional development. In other words, play is not a luxury -- play has purpose.

I'll bet everyone reading this has some memory involving a playground, where they learned something important that shaped them. As for me, I remember the first time I got up the courage to try sliding down the fireman's pole. I had been eyeing it for a year, and finally climbed up to the platform, tremulously reached out my arms, and quickly wrapped my legs around it and slid down. When I got to the bottom, I was shocked -- this was fun! Why had I been so afraid of this? I learned that taking risks and confronting your fears pays off.

What's your best playground memory? Post it in the comments!

(And if you have a little extra time, rate the playgrounds near you and add the ones that are missing to the Playspace Finder.)

Yes, this is what I get to do at work.

We had a 3-day staff retreat for work this week, which was actually informative, inspirational, and a ton of fun (as could be expected from an organization like KaBOOM! - btw click that link and check out who's so vain as to put herself on the front page this week). One of the fun team building exercises we got to do was a relay race in which we had to build and then ride tricycles around a track, stopping to do things like play hopscotch, hula hoop, play ring toss, and use comically-oversized plastic golf clubs to hit comically-oversized plastic golf balls into comparatively-undersized plastic cups taped to the ground. Our group was one of the few who made a trike that didn't break during the relay race. I had fun riding it while the other groups were doing a tricycle grudge match race in the background. (And as our computer specialist, Thor, laughed at me.) Check it out:



Have I mentioned lately how much I love my job?

DiCaprioooooooooooooo!

For those who enjoy having their brains feel like eggs that have been beaten, scrambled, fried, put in a blender, and then shoved down a disposal while some guy screams "TETSUOOOOO!" over and over (in other words, Akira fans), here's a fun news tidbit for you...

"According to The Hollywood Reporter Warner Bros. and Leonardo DiCaprio are joining forces to produce a two-part live action adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo's anime classic Akira. Ruairi Robinson has been tapped to direct the films from a screenplay/adaptation by Gary Whitta.

"Akira has been in development in Hollywood as a live action film for years with producers such as Jon (Shampoo) Peters and Basil Iwanyk involved along with directors Steve Norrington and Pitof. Warner Bros. originally had the rights, then let them lapse, and finally reacquired them for the new Robinson project. The studio hopes to release the first Akira film in 2009.

"In 1988 Katsuhiro Otomo directed the Akira anime, which was based on his manga. With its post-apocalyptic cyberpunk narrative and its incredibly fluid animation (the film utilized more than 160,000 cels), Akira demonstrated conclusively that animation wasn't just for kids and was one of the key films in the development of anime fandom in North America."

We do own the original Akira film on DVD, but I've never fully understood why. Something to do with that last paragraph, I guess. Personally, I find it creepy, trippy, and nonsensical...but to each their own. Akira fans, you may want to start your screams of "DICAPRIOOOOOO!" now, just in case he messes it up.

The shirt everyone needs to own.

There's no such thing as free money

Remember those checks that President Bush and Congress are dolling out to jump start our ailing economy? Be careful with them, because they're more important than you might realize.

An associate of mine who's a certified public accountant has verified the checks we'll receive in May are not "free money," but essentially advances on next year's federal tax rebates. So if you, as a single woman with no children, would get back $850 when you file your taxes in April 2009, you would instead get back $250 because you already received $600 of that $850 this year as part of the economic stimulous plan. Seriously. Check for yourself.

It boggles me that the Associated Press and other news outlets have neglected to publicize this aspect of the plan. (Conspiracy theorists, start your engines!) You can see a fairly good explanation, though, here at BankRate.com. Begin reading at the second question, the one concerning your 2008 taxes.

So remember: As much as politicians would like you to believe otherwise, there's no such thing as free money.

Somebody shouted "MacIntyre..." "MACINTYRE!"

This post title won't make much sense unless you've spent some time at Piratz Tavern...

But I just had to share the good news -- our favorite Pirates for Sail, The Drunken Ferret T'Barnacle Choir, have just released their first CD! And to celebrate, they're hosting a lovely party on March 22 at Piratz Tavern in Silver Spring.

I love the Drunken Ferret T'Barnacle Choir. No matter how bad my mood, it's nothing a good, rousing rendition of "Charlie Mops," "The Scotsman," or "MacIntyre" can't cure. Last night, I took my new coworker/friend Nicole there, and it was so fun to watch her crack up as she heard the warmup song for the first time ("Dough, the stuff that buys my beer...Ray, the guy who pours my beer...Me, the guy who drinks my beer..." etc.). These guys make a bar experience what it SHOULD be -- a communal experience full of drunken song (speaking of which, I'm going to a piano bar with some friends tonight -- it's got a lot to live up to, that's all I'm going to say!). I've gone to Piratz for my last two birthday parties, and the players of the Drunken Ferret have always made the experience extra special.

The CD is available for purchase now -- $15, I understand, and being sold where they perform (which is Piratz Tavern on Friday and Saturday nights). I would've bought it last night but I lacked the cash, sadly. (But another tidbit for fans -- "The Scotsman" is on the CD, and it's sung by our favorite cycloptic server, One Eye'd Mike.)

So anyone who's able should turn out and support them for their big CD launch parrrty next month. Who's with me?

Some questions for you, our readers!

So this blog has readers (amazingly). And while I think I know most of you in person, I thought a random quiz would be fun to find out what makes you tick. No need to identify yourself -- just post your answers to these questions three in the comments if you feel so inclined. And to make it fair, I'll post my responses, too.

Question #1: What is your favorite TV show of all time?
Question #2: What famous person (living or dead) would you most love to have coffee with someday?
Question #3: What is something you've always wanted to do, but have always lacked the courage to do?

So here are my answers:
1. Firefly (cop-out geek answer, I know...but it was awesome!)
2. Neil Gaiman. I want to find out what makes him tick, and what the HELL happened to Beowulf. A close second would be Jim Cummings, the voice behind almost every animated character I loved as a kid (Darkwing Duck, Don Carnage, and Winnie the Pooh, to name a few). And Jim Henson. And Jasper Fforde. OK, so that's more of a "list" answer, but oh well.
3. Getting a tattoo. (And lacking the courage to do that is probably a good thing.) But if I ever did get one, I think I'd get this symbol on my lower back.

Mom, Dad -- it's time to go to the playground!

England opened its first playground for seniors this month.

"Instead of slides and roundabouts, it is equipped with machines specially designed to provide gentle exercise for different parts of the body such as hips, legs and torso. ... There are also stations for pull-ups, push-ups and pedalling and, to stretch the mind as well as the body, engravings of quotes from famous philosophers dotted around the park."

I don't know...when I hit that age, I hope I'm too busy playing with whatever the latest video game console is to actually GO OUTSIDE.

On why Valentine's Day is a bullshit holiday

I know, last year I wrote a sweet, touching tribute to my favorite Valentine's Day memory.

Well, this year I've decided to write about the OTHER side of V-Day: namely, the pain it causes.

Valentine's Day started out as a cool holiday in school. Everyone made their little shoe boxes covered in foil and construction paper, and everyone got Valentines from everyone else in the class. Some classmates even included chocolate candies along with the little cardboard Valentines featuring pop culture icons (I vividly remember receiving at least one New Kids on the Block valentine in my childhood).

My co-worker Nicole was recalling these Valentine's Days of yore this week, and saying that's how Valentine's Day should be for adults, and I agree.

I admit I'm one of the lucky ones, writing this from the vantage point of a good, solid relationship with a man who actually remembers and acknowledges holidays like Valentine's Day. I'm not a bitter old woman, I'm someone who genuinely enjoys celebrating the the love I share with my husband.

But now I'm starting to feel like a hypocrite for doing so. Because I look around me and I see what the day does to other people. I see people, who are normally completely confident and comfortable in their singlehood -- as they should be -- suddenly get into a cycle of self-doubt and misery for not having a partner to share the day with.

Valentine's Day upholds the false promise that life is always better when you're in a couple. While I have to say my life has been way better as a result of having Josh in my life, a great many of the relationships I see around me prove that adage simply isn't so.

A holiday that makes my friends feel bad about who they are or about their life situation is not a good holiday. And I have to believe that the day ultimately makes more people sad and depressed than happy. And that just SUCKS.

So this year, Josh and I aren't celebrating it, beyond a simple exchange of cards. We're no longer comfortable celebrating a holiday that is built upon false pretenses, a holiday that, more than any other, makes people sad. We can't lift up the greatness of our love at the expense of those who aren't experiencing happy, solid couplehood. It's just not right.

So what I WILL do is send e-cards to all my friends -- single or in couples -- to bring back just a little of the magic the holiday had in elementary school. Because celebrating all the good relationships in our lives is what Valentine's Day really should be about. I encourage you to do the same!

And this week's menu includes...

	Tonight: Montana Panini
	Tomorrow night: Caesar Tortellini
	Wednesday: New England Pot Roast

iTunes purchases are go!

It took me longer than I'd anticipated -- okay, much longer -- but I've finally made use of the iTunes gift card that I received for Christmas.

Using as my starting point the suggestions that Think Lynsen readers made, I found several songs to buy. I purchased the eloquent "Adagio for Strings" that Susan suggested, and "Sooner or Later" from "Dick Tracy," as suggested by Quinn. I also purchased the two other songs Madonna sang for that film: "More" and "What Can You Lose." I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed those songs.

Inspired by Tony's suggestion to grab some cartoon favorites, I found two songs from the animated "Transformers" movie that weren't in my collection. I now own "Unicron Medly" and "Megatron Must Be Stopped." I also stumbled across an inspired, a'capella rendition of several Nintendo game themes: "Nintendapella" by Reverse Osmosis. If you like Mario or Zelda games, it's definitely worth a listen.

As I continued shopping, I remembered that Metallica finally brought its extensive catalog to iTunes, so I purchased "The Unforgiven" and "Nothing Else Matters." I also grabbed two other songs that my friends enjoy. The techno-riffic "Flaming June" by Blank & Jones & Robert Smith was recommended by Emily, and badass "Bleed It Out" by Linkin Park is one that Matt enjoys. Now I, too, am rockin to those selections.

Rounding out my $15 worth of purchases were three songs by "Nightwish," which has a great sound, and "All My Life" by Foo Fighters, for Annie. It was an immensely fun shopping spree, and I thank my parents for the gift and my friends for the many great suggestions!

Thumbs up, thumbs down: the Annie edition

Thumbs up to cooperative play. I just cashed in my Christmas Best Buy gift cards to buy a new wireless guitar for my Guitar Hero games. The freedom of movement is awesome, and the bonus is that, with the addition of this second guitar, Josh and I can now play the games cooperatively. He can rock out on bass while I play the melody. Lots of fun!

Thumbs down to the high cost of Mystery Science Theater 3000 DVD sets. I also used said Best Buy giftcards to purchase the Mystery Science Theater 3000 Collection Volume 8, which is great but retails for a steep $45 (SRP $60). You get four episodes in there, not like a whole season. I hope now that Shout! Factory has purchased the license, costs will come down to make these great shows cheaper to own (perhaps by releasing individual episodes on DVD again, instead of just offering the sets?).

Thumbs up to Z-man Games, producers of the interchangeable B-movie card games that gave us great amusement last night. We and our friends mixed up cards from our three sets, which include "Bell-Bottomed Badasses on the Mean Streets of Funk," "Berzerker Halflings in the Dungeon of Dragons," and "Kung Fu Samaurai on Giant Robot Island," and had a ball coming up with the weirdest movies you can imagine, including one that featured an Uzi-wielding dwarf in a police station. These games are fun, easy to learn, and the interchangeability gives them even more depth and excitement.

Thumbs down to persistent illness. Seriously, can I be done with this flu already? It's been eight days.

Thumbs up to the game "Left, Right, Center" -- or as we now play it, "Left, Right, Wa-sek!" We've created a variation of this fun and fast-paced dice game that requires you to assume the "Wa-sek" Kung Fu pose (basically a standing squat) until you run out of chips (but then if you receive more chips, you have to get back into Wa-sek). It's a fun game AND a good workout for your thighs!

Thumbs down to how very, very bad I am at the N64 game "Goldeneye." FPSes are not my friends.

But rest assured...

I will NOT be blogging anything about the forthcoming G.I. Joe movie. Ever. Cross my heart.

Yeah, so, apparently, I DON'T have better things to blog about...

(See previous post.)

Super Smash Brothers Brawl trailer! W00t! (E-mail subscribers, visit the blog to see.)



All I have to say is..."Metal Gear!?" Oh heck yes.

Yes, this is where I get to work every day.

On Saturday, I came down with a wicked flu that I'm only now starting to shake off. It's been miserable -- nasty cough, fever/chills, congestion, sinus pain, stomach problems...the works.

And yet I've just started a new job and had orientation this week; and lacking sick time, I've had to sally forth with my best "game face" through the week regardless of the havoc said virus has been wreaking on my body.

But you know what? I get to work in a freaking AWESOME office with freaking AWESOME people. That goes a long way in taking the edge off the misery.

Here's a fun little tour of the office where I work. Prepare to be jealous.

	This is what greeted me at my desk on my first day. A huge welcome sign that was signed by the majority of the staff. They even used glitter!
	This is the main hallway that runs past where my desk is located. Check out the cool leaves and the bright colors.
	This is the kitchen, where we can help ourselves to a PB&J or a cup of hot chocolate at any time.
	And here's what I know you've been wondering about...the infamous front office, complete with slide and tire swing. Yes, I've been on the tire swing, and yes, it is awesome.

(Did I mention they're hiring?)

(For what it's worth, Josh has also been awfully sick since Wednesday. He was sick for a few days, got better for a day, and then got sick again with something different. Our theory is that I managed to catch both his viruses and mutate them into something even more horrible. I feel like something out of an Invader Zim episode.)

So, all y'all in the blogosphere...what's the coolest thing about where YOU work? Post it in the comments!

Who wants my old job?

The opening has been posted online -- for anyone who wants to apply, or is curious about what exactly I did for the past two years. Enjoy.

What's for dinner tonight, Annie?

It's two of my favorites...Hot Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches and Double Stuffed Potatoes with the Works!

Thank you, Rachael Ray!

Save the Coral Reefs in 2008

2008 has been declared the International Year of the Reef. As someone who has had the immense pleasure of snorkeling in Australia's Great Barrier Reef -- twice -- and regularly watches a fantastic National Geographic video on the coral reefs in the Caribbean, this issue is near and dear to my heart.

Coral reefs, sadly, are in great danger due to the abuses of humankind. I'll let the experts explain why they're important, and why they're in peril.

With the majority of humankind living in coastal regions, many people depend on living coral reefs for food and protection from storm surges and erosion, as well as the additional benefits of medical research, tourism and aesthetic beauty. Coral reefs contribute about 25 percent of the total fish catch in developing countries, providing food for one billion people in Asia alone. The calmer area behind a reef can shelter sea grass beds and mangrove forests that service as important nurseries for the young of even more fish and shellfish. - World Wildlife Federation

However...

Coral reefs are being degraded by an accumulation of stresses arising from human activities. In simple terms, stresses can be grouped by the actions of people extracting material from, and placing materials upon, coral reefs. Over-fishing, pollution and coastal development top the list of chronic stressors. In many situations chronic stresses are overwhelming the resilience, (or the capacity for self-repair), of reef communities. Some coral reefs are covered with sand, rock and concrete to make cheap land and stimulate economic development. Others are dredged or blasted for their limestone or to improve navigational access and safety. In addition to this, long-term changes in the oceans and atmosphere (rising sea temperatures and levels of CO2), and acute stresses from highly variable seasons, severe storms, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions also affect coral reefs. -International Year of the Reef

I encourage you to take a little time to learn more about coral reefs, consider how our energy use is perpetuating the changes in the Earth's climate that are endangering them, and maybe even make a donation to those organizations working to save them.

Very short, and very cool

Here's a fun web goodie for y'all to finish off the week.

Very Short List is a listserve I've been subscribed to for several months now, and it's pointed me toward new musicians I never would have discovered, random Internet clips (several of which have been featured on this very blog), and more. It's a quick and easy read with something cool to check out every day. That "something cool" may be a movie from the 1950s, it might be a new paperback, or it could be a random web site.

Some of my favorites have been:

Just the sort of quirky good humor that’s always made us like the Dutch

A wholly original sound and album from Iceland, the new hipster epicenter

If Rube Goldberg had grown up in Tokyo

How the young Trey Parker and Matt Stone turned Universal Studios into South Park

A clever, technically awesome music video, just like the ones they used to make

Sociology in the guise of baby-naming

Check it out!