Category Archives: thoughts

by | March 17, 2009 · 7:56 pm

the white house goes shamrock green!

 

White House fountains run green for St Patrick's Day at Michelle Obama's request

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, everyone!  I’d say something cool and witty in Gaelic, but guess what, I’m too lazy to look it up!  Anyway, St. Patrick’s Day is being celebrated at the White House this year Obama style.  Meeeesh had them dye all the fountain water green!  Love her.  

And now, perhaps for the first time ever, a SWTCTW repost.  Dearest Madeline found this gem and posted it awhile back, but I think today’s as great a day as any to show it again.  I present to you the song “There’s No One As Irish As Barack Obama”!

It’s no “Danny Boy”, but I think I love it.  Have a fantastic St. Patrick’s Day!  Do something Irishy!  Drink something Guinnessy!  Get lucky…in the Irish sort of way.  

PS- Found this article to make us all sophisticated while celebrating St. Patrick’s Day.  (It’ll tell you what Erin Go Bragh actually means, so maybe you should check it out.)

[Posted by Kathleen]

Leave a comment

Filed under blogging, crushes, definitely not politics, drinks, family, history, humor, news, politics, pop culture, random, thoughts

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | March 13, 2009 · 2:15 am

turn it up, turn it up.

I am in a MAJOR Van Morrison phase right now. Which maybe sounds lame, like “Oh, hey, way to be a few decades late.” But whatever. Van Morrison is summer music for me, and so the second it was nice out, I was cranking that shit up. Maybe if I keep listening for the next few weeks, I can trick myself into thinking it’s not still see-your-breath weather. I’ll let you know how that works.

[Posted by Mallory]

Leave a comment

Filed under music, pop culture, thoughts, YouTube

by | March 6, 2009 · 5:50 pm

when our work’s done for us.

Here is a story from the NYT:

“For Young President, Flecks of Gray“

Naturally, I think B looks fantastic.  While the article makes it seem like it wasn’t necessarily a campaign decision to let him go gray, I think it was.  Every detail of that campaign was discussed and analyzed.  They wanted him to have a more experienced look, and it works for him.

Who is this Walt Frazier “No Play for Mr. Gray” joker anyway?  Pssh.  B is still foxy.

[Posted by Kathleen]


Leave a comment

Filed under blogging, celebrities, crushes, fashion, news, politics, pop culture, random, thoughts

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , ,

by | March 4, 2009 · 5:18 am

denver: last frontier of…unusual sculptures?

As I’ve mentioned a few hundred times on this blog, I’m from Denver. I’m pretty obsessed with my hometown and am quick to brag about it. Until recently, and besides Tom Tancredo, there wasn’t much about Denver that I was ashamed of. 

Then last year, “Blue Mustang” made its way to the entrance to Denver International Airport. If you’ve ever flown into or out of DIA, you’ll remember this mustang, although you may only remember its “I-will-eat-your-soul” red-eyed death stare:

In that picture, it may just look ugly, but take my word for it: those eyes are downright terrifying when it’s pitch black outside and you’re on your way to a 5 a.m. flight.

As if the basic aesthetics of the mustang weren’t bad enough, there’s a horror story behind the making of it. The artist DIED when the mustang’s TORSO fackin’ FELL ON HIM:

Haters of this work say that “Blue Mustang,” as it is formally known, by the artist Luis Jiménez (killed in 2006 when a section of the 9,000-pound fiberglass statue fell on him during construction), is frightening, or cursed by its role in Mr. Jiménez’s death, or both. [NYTimes]

That mustang is a murderer! It’s even spawned a Facebook group supporting its removal. I mean sure, you could argue that the sculpture gets people talking, and that it’s bold. But in a city that’s not exactly, er, known for its art, do we really want this to be what people associate with Denver? (Not to mention one of the first or last things they see in the city.) I’d much rather my beloved Mile High City be known for one of its less creepy — but equally wacky and conversation-starting — sculptures. Here’s “Dancers,” which sits outside our Performing Arts Complex:

And my personal favorite, titled “I See What You Mean,” which is outside the Convention Center:

So, dear readers, what do you think?

[Posted by Mallory]

4 Comments

Filed under animals, dance, the arts, thoughts, weird

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

by | March 3, 2009 · 3:51 am

kathleen and mallory now twitter. tweet?

200804231

Honestly, I don’t understand Twitter at all.  I’ve been wrestling with it for AT LEAST 30 minutes trying to get it to show up on this here bloggy.  Ugh.  But hooray!  Mal and I are now joining the rest of society and Twittering (tweeting?) on the Interwebs.  So follow us!  See how I’m picking up on the new lingo?

http://twitter.com/swtctwkathleen

http://twitter.com/swtctwmal

Do it.  Everyone else is.  All the cool kids are.  Peer pressure!

[Posted by Kathleen]

3 Comments

Filed under adventures, blogging, definitely not politics, news, pop culture, random, thoughts

Tagged as , , , ,

by | March 2, 2009 · 3:38 pm

my my, dr. seuss is 105!

dr-seuss-birthdayPerhaps some of you care, perhaps you’re just looking for another reason to party– an alcoholiday, if you will.  (I came up with that on Fat Tuesday, appropriately enough.  I’m sure someone else has thought of it before.  I’d never heard it.  I want credit.)  As if a snow day wasn’t enough of an excuse, I’m pleased to tell you that it’s Dr. Seuss’ birthday!  The king of the AABB rhyme scheme, whose real name was Theodor Seuss Geisel, would be 105 today.  I’m sure if he were here with us, the Great Birthday Bird would pay him a visit.  Heavens to Betsy!  You don’t know about the Great Birthday Bird?  Well, I’ll let the good Doctor do some explaining:

The Great Birthday Bird!  And, so far as I know, Katroo is the only place Birthday Birds grow.  This bird has a brain, he’s most beautifully brained with the brainiest bird-brain that’s ever been trained.  He was trained by the most splendid Club in this nation, the Katroo Happy Birthday Asso-see-eye-ation.  And, whether your name is Pete, Polly or Paul, when your birthday comes round, he’s in charge of it all.

So now you know!  Seuss-style rhetoric is the best.  You can read more Seuss quotes here.  Even though I get older, his books never get old.  Oh, and check Google.  Their page is really cute today.  Oh, and if you want to be RESPECTABLE and not use Dr Seuss’ birthday as an excuse to drink but still want to celebrate, you should, at the very least, make yourself some green eggs and ham.

[Posted by Kathleen]

Leave a comment

Filed under adventures, blogging, celebrities, definitely not politics, history, humor, news, pop culture, random, thoughts

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | March 1, 2009 · 5:01 pm

reasons why we love making lists.

One time, in a real life professional job interview, I actually uttered the words, “List-making is my jam.” REALLY, MALLORY?! You’ll be shocked to hear that I did not get the job.

But list-making really IS my jam, and I probably wouldn’t be capable of getting anything done if not for my beloved lists. For all you haters out there who’ve ever made fun of my ridiculously detailed lists, or of my love for lists in general, know that I am not alone. Leave it to NPR to intelligently analyze my neuroses. In “10 Reasons Why We Love Making Lists,” Linton Weeks makes a list of ten reasons why we all love making lists. (So meta.) For instance:

6. Making lists can help make you famous. Notable list makers include Thomas Jefferson, Peter Mark Roget, Martha Stewart and Benjamin Franklin. “A methodical and wry man,” wrote Franklin biographer Walter Isaacson in Time magazine, “Franklin loved making lists. He made lists of rules for his tradesmen’s club, of synonyms for being drunk, of maxims for matrimonial happiness and of reasons to choose an older woman as a mistress. Most famously, as a young man, he made a list of personal virtues that he determined should define his life.

Though Mr. Weeks failed to mention this, lists are also great for keeping you busy when you’re really, really bored. Just ask my dear friend Amanda, who made lists of all of her high school teachers and all of the people she’d ever hooked up with while bored without a computer at her internship. (These lists, by the way, did not overlap). Maybe list-making should be EVERYONE’S jam.

P.S. Someone should buy me one of these books. Thanks. 

[Posted by Mallory]

1 Comment

Filed under news, politics, random, thoughts

Tagged as , , , , ,

by | February 1, 2009 · 5:23 pm

odds and ends for sunday afternoon.

Greetings, earthlings.  After the most exciting Saturday night ever (I ate half a block of cheese, apple slices, 3 pickles, a piece of pizza, BBQ chips, and a bowl of chili.  Don’t act like you’re not impressed.), I find myself slothing on the couch of fellow blogger Mal and dear friend Ms. Potter.  Naturally, I have been catching up on all the interesting news that I missed whilst stuffing my face with high sodium foods.  Here we go:

*Michael Phelps smoked a bong, oh my!  AND THERE IS PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE!  I’m not surprised.  He swims fast but in his spare time, he likes to move slooooooooooow.  Here’s the best quote from the story:

“He looked just as natural with a bong in his hands as he does swimming in the pool. He was the gold medal winner of bong hits. Michael ended up getting a little paranoid, though, because before too long he looked like he was nervous and ran out of the place.”

Haha.  Five bucks the kid who said this quote was stoned out of his mind and giggled for hours after saying “the gold medal winner of bong hits”.  Here’s the picture.

phelps_516_0102_25518a

Whoopsies!  But in all honesty, this guy takes six drug tests a day, I hardly think he’s a pothead.

*Lisa Loeb got mawwwwwwwied!  She married Roey Hershkovitz, a teevee producer.  You can read the cute NYT announcement here.  Oddly enough, there’s no mention of her E! show, “#1 Single”, which chronicled her miserable dating life and her never-ending, desperate quest to get married.  Funny they didn’t mention it.  Eek.  Here’s a video of her actual number one single, “Stay”.  LOVE THAT SONG.  It’s so 7th grade angsty.  But congrats to LL and her man!

* If you watched the inauguration, you saw Aretha Franklin and her [insert adjective of choice] hat.  Her hat is historic enough on its own, apparently, because the Smithsonian Museum has requested it.

“I am considering it. It would be hard to part with my chapeau since it was such a crowning moment in history,” says the Queen of Soul. “I would like to smile every time I look back at it and remember what a great moment it was in American and African-American history. Ten cheers for President Obama.”

And then she went on about being a natural woman and all that jazz.  What do you think about her hat?

Inauguration Arethas Hat

So no SERIOUS news, just things I find interesante (that’s Spanish for “interesting” FYI).  I need to go eat sodium free foods.  I’ll post more exciting things later, I promise.  Happy Superbowl Sunday!  GO CARDINALS!  Honestly, I don’t care, but I’m rooting for them because running back Tim Hightower is a RICHMOND SPIDER.

[Posted by Kathleen]

3 Comments

Filed under adventures, blogging, celebrities, definitely not politics, fashion, food, history, music, news, pop culture, random, sports, thoughts, TV, YouTube

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | January 30, 2009 · 8:18 pm

the shoe heard round the world.

Remember that Iraqi reporter who threw his fancy footwear at the (former!) leader of the free world’s head?  Ahh yes, Muntazer al-Zaidi!  That silly prankster!

Now, as you could have gathered from my liberal bleeding heart wimpy sappy Obama obsessed blog,  I wasn’t W’s biggest fan.  But, to quote Austin Powers (and I will NEVER EVER quote it again, by the way.  I promise.), “Who throws a shoe? Honestly?!”

To commemorate the Muntazernator’s horrible aim (or W.’s cat-like reflexes, which no doubt are a result of his frequent cat naps), the Iraqis in Sadaam Hussein’s hometown, Tikrit, have unveiled a six-foot statue of a shoe.  Cool?

Now that is CLASSY.  One and a half tons of pure class with a tree sticking out of it.  Just in case you are dumb like me and can’t read Arabic, the inscription says “Muntazer: fasting until the sword breaks its fast with blood; silent until our mouths speak the truth.”

Ah, now that is poetry.

Muntazer, by the way, is in jail.  He is facing charges of assaulting a visiting head of state.

And please note about the title of this post, I KNOW that you can’t hear a shoe around the world.  I’m only making a nerdy historical reference to “the shot heard round the world”.  It’s a line from a poem written by Emerson about the start of the Revolutionary War.  WOOO LIBERAL ARTS!

[Posted by Kathleen]

3 Comments

Filed under blogging, history, humor, news, politics, pop culture, random, six word memoirs, thoughts, travel, TV, weird, YouTube

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | January 29, 2009 · 11:51 pm

i voted for a republican today.

Having been accused of only seeing things as a Democrat, I’d just like to announce that I transcended party lines today (take THAT, Mike.) and voted for a Republican.  This was a very serious and thoughtful vote that I took, and I stand by my decision.  I voted for Republican Congressman Aaron Schock as the hottest Congressional Freshman.

The choices?

Glenn Nye of Virginia, Aaron Schock of Illinois, Jim Himes of Connecticut, Tom Perriello of Virginia, and Jared Polis of Colorado.  Nye has solid good looks, and Himes is pretty foxy.  But Aaron Schock? RAWR.  Very, very…pretty.

See?

And he’s only 27.  True story, he’s the first member of Congress to be born in the 80s.  Thanks, Huffpo, for the factoid.

Vote for yourselves!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/29/whos-the-hottest-congress_n_162076.html

[Posted by Kathleen]

2 Comments

Filed under celebrities, crushes, news, politics, pop culture, random, the hill, thoughts, Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , ,