I am trying to figure out when I went from having a new hairstyle every 6 weeks to the same one for 8 years. I have decided it was one of these options:
1. When my mother stopped paying for haircuts every six weeks
2. When I no longer lived with women who would do my hair for me
3. When I moved to a place where the only person I could find to cut my hair was a guy who once professed to me, "I don't even like hair. I'd rather do facials."
It was probably number 3, which resigned me to two hair cuts a year when I would go home to Montana for visits. Yeah, I said it... I had to wait to get out of my rural town to the big city, fashion capital of the Central Plains, Billings, Montana.
So today I decided to go get a cut. It took a while to randomly select a salon. For a brief moment I was almost on my way to Mee'Lee'Sa's House of Weaves and Multicultural Salon, but settled on Prive. when I walked into Prive Salon at Silo Point (maybe the rural name made me feel comforted), I explained all of the above to Lisa. She took one look and said, "So you want to do something new?"
Now, I have tried 8 or 9 times to cut my long hair, and every stylist has talked me out of it. Lisa talked me into some bangs and said, if you like it, just come back, and we'll cut the rest off. I like Lisa. She is my kinda stylist. But, I am accepting opinions. Tell me what you think about Lisa. Keep her, or dump her. I did my best to emulate a real/sultry before and after:
Here are some things that are (so far) different about the holidays on the East Coast, Teach For America Holiday Event Edition:
1. Alcohol served at event
2. Butlered Event
3. Held in the Dino Exhibit of the Science Center
4. Staff/Sig Oths Do not have to set up or clean up... weird
I couldn't help but feel, this time of year, that this video is what plays through my head every time I look out the window of an airplane accelerating off the Rims and headed far away from home. And, it isn't because my family is versed in ballet, but because (confession:) I've never left home without crying, and I might have some watery eyes right now.
Awesomely making up for a meh day at work, was the fact that I won Jackyl ticket for knowing that the band once played 21 shows in 24 hours. I was so excited to get the tickets from 98 Rock and the Queen, Sarah. A'las, the concert is on Saturday, and so is my birthday trip to DC to see the Caps-Avs game. So, the one time I win something and... here it is... can't use it. It was going to be the perfect marriage of my butt-rock MT roots, and my new home.
Anyone in B'more want to go see Jackyl? Hit me up... I got two tickets.
When we moved we brought all of our Direct TV equipment with us, anticipating that we would hook it up and continue on our normal ways with Sunday Ticket and 3AM viewings of Ace of Cakes (Sorry Duff, that you aren't getting renewed I will forever love parking in front of the shop when we go to The Dizz). Anyway, we just never hooked it up... and now, why should we, after hearing this news:
Via Marketwatch:
Netflix Inc. said Wednesday that it has cut a deal with movie distribution, production and financing company FilmDistrict to stream first-run films over the Internet shortly after they are released on DVD.
Movies that are distributed by FilmDistrict will be licensed to Netflix for streaming a “few months” after their release on DVD. Under terms of the pact, motion pictures that are now licensed to premium cable channels will go from FilmDistrict to Netflix instead.
“Broadening the variety and timeliness of content available for Netflix members to watch instantly is among the company’s highest priorities as it rapidly transforms itself into a service focused on streaming movies and TV shows over the Internet,” the company said.
Among the first films slated for the program, set to start next year, are “Drive” and “Lockout.”
...That the reason I didn't get sick was because i was exposed to lots of germs as a kid. I think that this theory moves forward into my time in the classroom. I was sick a couple times each year as a teacher. My last year in the classroom was 2006, and, no exaggeration, I haven't been sick once. Ok, so I have had The Cocktail Flu a few times, but not so much as a cold since then. You know what I didn't do in that time? Shy away from snot-layered Kindergarteners, douse my hands in sanitizer, or segregate the sick kids. So here is my mom's lack of germophobia and all you dirty, dirty kids that have developed my super-immune system!From Slashdot.org:Young people who are overexposed to antibacterial soaps containing triclosan may suffer more allergies, and exposure to higher levels of Bisphenol A among adults may negatively influence the immune system, a new University of Michigan School of Public Health study suggests (abstract, full paper [PDF]). Triclosan is a chemical compound widely used in products such as antibacterial soaps, toothpaste, pens, diaper bags and medical devices. Bisphenol A is found in many plastics and, for example, as a protective lining in food cans. Both of these chemicals are in a class of environmental toxicants called endocrine-disrupting compounds, which are believed to negatively impact human health by mimicking or affecting hormones."
Here are two facial-hair-relate posts to help you get in the spirit of giving for Movemeber. You can donate to Alan's page by clicking the widget on the side of this page. Click the bottom image for a beard vid that is by far worth at least $5!
Or, well see. In case you didn't know, Alan is in the Movember Mustache drive, raising money for Donor's Choose. This is a great organization that allows teachers to supplement their funding by creating project proposal requests. Then you can donate to projects that you think are worthwhile. The most worthwhile this month is Alan (Al B. Sure)'s mustache page. You should give. These famous mustaches approve this message.
Meet Melissa Lee Williams. The West Virginia woman, 41, is facing assault and weapons charges after allegedly waving a knife at two men who declined her demands to engage in sexual conduct at a West Virginia motor inn.
The October 22 incident is detailed in an amusing/gross Jackson County Sheriff’s Department report excerpted here.
According to investigators, Williams--who lives four doors down from her estranged husband at the 77 Motor Inn--showed up at his door and asked Danny Williams and another man to “eat my pussy.” At this point, Williams, pictured in the mug shot at right, “commenced to undress herself,” reported Deputy Ross Mellinger.
While Danny Williams “declined said invitation,” the other man, Adam Watson, told cops that he “agreed to perform at her request.” However, as Watson approached Williams, “he became overwhelmed by horrible vaginal odor emitting from Melissa Williams.” Watson, understandably, “declined to proceed any further.”
This is when Melissa Williams allegedly “produced a lock-back folding knife,” opened it, and pointed the weapon at her estranged husband. She then reportedly uttered a line never before memorialized in a police report: “Somebody is going to eat my pussy or I’m going to cut your fucking throat.”
When Deputy Mellinger arrived on the scene he observed Williams--who, like the two men, appeared to be intoxicated--nude from the waist down. After pocketing a knife that was on the coffee table in front of Williams, Mellinger arrested her for domestic assault and brandishing a deadly weapon.
Williams, who was released from jail after posting $3000 bond, is next due in Jackson County Magistrate Court on February 16.
Saturday was, I am fairly certain, the largest crowd I have ever been a part of. The estimates said 215,00 people, which seems pretty much underestimated to me. Then I thought about that being every person that lives in my home county (Wha! Yellowstone, MT!) gathered on the mall in D.C. and it seems right. I mean... that's a lot of people. But, the fact is that I waited in a line almost a mile long just to get on the Metro, and well... look at the pics and tell me what you think. Easily there could have been more.
As Do I!
I wont recap, because you can really watch everything on TV or the web... which I am hoping to do soon, so here are my pictures of the rally (you can see some cool photos I didn't take) and some cool vids (I didn't take). It was oddly entertaining and, yet, inspiring. I can't wait to see what is was like from the TV perspective!
And now I thought we might have a moment, however brief, for some sincerity. If that's okay - I know that there are boundaries for a comedian / pundit / talker guy, and I'm sure that I'll find out tomorrow how I have violated them.
So, uh, what exactly was this? I can't control what people think this was: I can only tell you my intentions.
Totes Agree!
This was not a rally to ridicule people of faith, or people of activism, or look down our noses at the heartland, or passionate argument, or to suggest that times are not difficult and that we have nothing to fear--they are, and we do.
But we live now in hard times, not end times. And we can have animus, and not be enemies. But unfortunately, one of our main tools in delineating the two broke.
The country's 24-hour, political pundit perpetual panic conflictinator did not cause our problems, but its existence makes solving them that much harder. The press can hold its magnifying glass up to our problems, bringing them into focus, illuminating issues heretofore unseen. Or they can use that magnifying glass to light ants on fire, and then perhaps host a week of shows on the dangerous, unexpected flaming ants epidemic. If we amplify everything, we hear nothing.
There are terrorists, and racists, and Stalinists, and theocrats, but those are titles that must be earned! You must have the resume! Not being able to distinguish between real racists and Tea Party-ers, or real bigots and Juan Williams or Rick Sanchez is an insult--not only to those people, but to the racists themselves, who have put in the exhausting effort it takes to hate. Just as the inability to distinguish terrorists from Muslims makes us less safe, not more.
The press is our immune system. If it overreacts to everything, we actually get sicker--and, perhaps, eczema. And yet... I feel good. Strangely, calmly, good. Because the image of Americans that is reflected back to us by our political and media process is false. It is us, through a funhouse mirror--and not the good kind that makes you look slim in the waist, and maybe taller, but the kind where you have a giant forehead, and an ass shaped like a month-old pumpkin, and one eyeball.
So why would we work together? Why would you reach across the aisle, to a pumpkin-assed forehead eyeball monster? If the picture of us were true, of course our inability to solve problems would actually be quite sane and reasonable--why would you work with Marxists actively subverting our Constitution, and homophobes who see no one's humanity but their own?
We hear every damned day about how fragile our country is, on the brink of catastrophe, torn by polarizing hate, and how it's a shame that we can't work together to get things done. The truth is, we do! We work together to get things done every damned day! The only place we don't is here (in Washington) or on cable TV!
But Americans don't live here, or on cable TV. Where we live, our values and principles form the foundation that sustains us while we get things done--not the barriers that prevent us from getting things done.
Most Americans don't live their lives solely as Democrats, Republicans, liberals or conservatives. Americans live their lives more as people that are just a little bit late for something they have to do. Often something they do not want to do! But they do it. Impossible things, every day, that are only made possible through the little, reasonable compromises we all make.
(Points to video screen, showing video of cars in traffic.) Look on the screen. This is where we are, this is who we are. These cars. That's a schoolteacher who probably think his taxes are too high, he's going to work. There's another car, a woman with two small kids, can't really think about anything else right now... A lady's in the NRA, loves Oprah. There's another car, an investment banker, gay, also likes Oprah. Another car's a Latino carpenter; another car, a fundamentalist vacuum salesman. Atheist obstetrician. Mormon Jay-Z fan.
But this is us. Every one of the cars that you see is filled with individuals of strong belief, and principles they hold dear--often principles and beliefs in direct opposition to their fellow travelers'. And yet, these millions of cars must somehow find a way to squeeze, one by one, into a mile-long, 30-foot-wide tunnel, carved underneath a mighty river.
And they do it, concession by concession: you go, then I'll go. You go, then I'll go. You go, then I'll go. 'Oh my God--is that an NRA sticker on your car?' 'Is that an Obama sticker on your car?' It's okay--you go, then I go.
And sure, at some point, there will be a selfish jerk who zips up the shoulder, and cuts in at the last minute. But that individual is rare, and he is scorned, and he is not hired as an analyst!
Because we know, instinctively, as a people, that if we are to get through the darkness and back into the light, we have to work together. And the truth is there will always be darkness, and sometimes the light at the end of the tunnel isn't the promised land.
Police say first-degree murder charges are filed against 25-year-old Sian James
Police identify the deceased detective as Brian Stevenson
The officer was out celebrating his 38th birthday
He was bludgeoned with a piece of concrete, police say
RELATED TOPICS
Baltimore
(CNN) -- First-degree murder charges have been filed against a man who Baltimore, Maryland, police believe killed an off-duty detective by striking him in the head during a dispute over a parking space, authorities said Sunday.
Sian James, 25, is suspected in the death of Brian Stevenson, an 18-year police veteran, who was out celebrating his 38th birthday with a friend late Saturday night when an argument ensued over a parking spot outside a restaurant, police said.
According to witnesses, James picked up a piece of concrete and threw it at Stevenson, hitting him in the head.
The attack occurred around 10 p.m. Stevenson was rushed to Johns Hopkins hospital, where he died.
Police say James fled the scene and was apprehended later at a nearby night club.
"Dozens of officers, investigators and civilian personnel put their lives on hold and worked throughout the night to identify Mr. James as a suspect and bring him to Justice. I'm very proud and honored to lead such a dedicated group of public safety professionals," said Baltimore Police Commissioner Frederick Bealefeld.
He described Stevenson as a "fantastic" detective.
"To lose his life in this manner is senseless," Bealefeld said at a press conference early Sunday morning.
"Detective Stevenson was a good man, a good investigator and a great public servant to the people of Baltimore," he said. "His death is an incredible tragedy to not only his family, but to the entire city and to every man and woman who wears the police uniform."
It was not immediately clear whether the attacker knew Stevenson was a police detective.
Texting teens get the wrong number -- a REALLY wrong number
September 06, 2010|By Gabriel Falcon, CNN
Two Montana teens mistakenly texted a local sheriff about buying some marijuana.
Two Montana teenagers texting in search of some marijuana got the wrong number. Seriously wrong. They wound up messaging the local sheriff, and he messaged right back.
"They were one number off," Louis and Clark County, Montana, Sheriff Leo Dutton told CNN. "Luck of the draw."
Dutton said the 15- and 16-year-old boys mistakenly sent him a text message on August 25 that read, "hey dawg, do you have 20 i can buy right now?" At first, Dutton said he "thought it was a joke" but decided to continue the conversation by replying, "how much we talking?"
"I need 20 right now do you have any?" the teens allegedly texted back, unaware that the person they were communicating with was the chief law enforcement officer in the area.
Dutton said he handed the case over to a narcotics officer who arranged to meet the two teens later that day. After the officer showed his badge to the teens, one of the boys "got white and his knees started wobbling," Dutton said.
Although the teens were on record with their pot purchasing attempt, the sheriff says they won't face any charges.
The parents of both of teens "took immediate action" which played a big part in the decision not to charge the two, Dutton said without offering specifics of the parental punishment.
"If your goal is to put someone into the system and not try to correct the behavior, it seems like you are fighting the tide," Dutton told CNN. "The parents were going to do more to change their behavior than a criminal record. Changing behavior and making this a better place is what we're all about."
"We all make mistakes," the sheriff added. "Hopefully they'll use it as a stepping block instead of a stumbling stone, and they'll be better off in life."
An official thank you to Cristina and Amanda for meeting up in DC. It was so much fun it made my head hurt this morning. Some highlights:
1. Georgetown Cupcake. Christina and Amanda were dolls to wait in line for 45 minutes to get us treats. I guess there is a TV show here. Cupcakes were phenom.
Ravens kickoff party. Free bands, including Buckcherry and Charm City Devils. Might drink a beer.
So I was off by a night. Concert is tomorrow. Luckily, I still found a way to have a good time. Inner Harbor, dinner, drinks, walk through downtown. I'll try again tomorrow night. : )
So after a weekend home in Montana, I have to admit, returning to the East Coast was tough. I might be a lot weaker than I want to lead on. Mostly it was spurred on my this mind-fucking horror that is Aracade Fire set to HTML 5. Enjoy or don't, either way.
As a hint, it will freeze up if you use a location that isn't viewable on Google Street View. However, the result, if not tear-inducing, is that you have a heart made of used petroleum products.
For some reason, much like schools, all of the fire and safety crews outside of the metropolitan areas here have to raise their own funds. This turns into a giant country folk-fest, called Carnivals. They are like real carnivals, but without rides, and, from what I can tell, without corn dogs. But it is amazing to see a whole community come together to have fun in the name of building a better place to live. This one was the Rocky Ridge Carnival, which supports Alan's hometown, of which the only business of any type that exists is the Volunteer Fire Department. Click here for the full album.
I finally got around to making chili. The results were good enough to cure my extreme need for some spice. To see how its done, click here for the visual directions.
Well, the Rocky Ridge carnival didn't turn out to be the good times I remember it, or maybe made up in my head. But, that could have been due to injuries sustained. Granted, I am not the kid that got impaled with an 8-inch piece of wood on the "big sliding board", but I did manage to slice two fingers to the bone on a broken bottle in a cooler. You would think at a fundraiser for a volunteer fire company I would be tended to, but I did the doctoring myself, then promptly drank 3 beers to ease the pain. I know it doesn't look that bad, but 1. I am a pretty good doctor. 2. In my attempt to "ease" my pain I became a horrible photographer and got one one of the giant blood stains that now consume my favorite jeans. Maybe I'll show the wounds tomorrow.
The most delicious week of the summer in Baltimore, this year running August 13-22, and from what I understand there are usually a few other weeks the pop up in the fall and spring. During restaurant week patrons get to enjoy a three-course dinner from special prix-fixed menus for just $35.10. This is probably a little more than you would spend on a single course at many of the restaurants, but if you choose wisely, you get a fantastic deal.
We chose Blue Grass, a pretty high-end Bourbon bar that has only a rotating menu, just a block down the street. It is so close that I have considered asking the valets to park my car for the entire night. The only think that stays the same around here, aside from wine and cornbread, is the natural beauty of the staff. I've never seen a male server, but I might not pay attention when you have a woman that bares striking resemblance to Famke Jansen waiting on you. And not just by their looks, but their knowledge of the food and their pleasant attitudes, do the waitstaff here only add to the atmosphere.
Our Menu Options (click here for the full album):
I started with the scallop ceviche.
Second course: Watermelon salad and chilled corn bisque.
Alan's third course, the hanger streak and roasted potatoes.
I had the Rockfish with sweet corn flan.
I started out with cucumber gin martini.It was the prefect refreshment for our outside seats.
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