Eh, so what. I love drama.
Enjoy.
I haven't been everywhere, but it's on my list. Susan Sontag
Posted by Decade Four at 11:00 PM 0 comments
This morning's topic: Weddings, Engagement, et al.
Since I became engaged, it hasn't all been bliss and budding roses. The first words out of my mouth when DSF presented me with the ring and proposal were, "It's so pretty!" but that wasn't the whole story. I was critical of the ring, even though I was quick to accept and put it on my finger. I felt happy that such a kind man would want to marry me but ...
Posted by Decade Four at 10:12 AM 0 comments
I'm cranky today. :(
Still obsessed with Te Lo Agradezco (below) - just spent the last hour pouring over each syllable to perfect pronounciation/timing/lyrics, etc... Type A anyone? I just can't tolerate loving a song and not being able to sing each part of every word.
Anywhooo, I'm totally not feeling Halloween. At All. I was so into my costume last year but this year.............. can't even pretend I care. Not wanting to join in the Outslut The Next Slut Costume Game (a.k.a. Pick A Theme, Make It Slutty And BAM! You've Got A Female Costume) thought about us dressing up as Night and Day ... felt much I like I should've graduated from an all girls college to come up with that one. DSF wasn't exactly into that one, though not as opposed to the Spice Girls costume idea I had floated for him. Another one I thought of for myself was to carry a garden hoe with a 99 cent tag - voila Cheap Hoe without all the ass-freezing, fishnets and high-heels for a body that should probably be a little more demurely dressed... I nixed busting out my past years' costumes again (Wonder Woman and 80's Madonna... is there something going on with me that slutty was Oh so fab for me in the past but now... not so much?)
None of these seemed to happened though. And now even buying an insta-costume means fighting crowds for a place that I wrote a review for... the line is down the street :(
Ohhhhh what to do. My problems are sooooo important. Pooooor me.......
Ugh, my phone is buzzing, probably someone who wants me to get into the Halloween spirit. Maybe I should go as a bubonic, puss covered, bloodsucking zombie.
Posted by Decade Four at 3:57 PM 0 comments
Posted by Decade Four at 11:16 AM 0 comments
Okay, it's not disturbing that body burden testing is being conducted, but the results of such testing are disturbing. Body burden is the amount of a harmful substance that is present in a person's body.
I heard about this issue for the first time today through a report on CNN.com. I'm sure many people will be disturbed by it. The first thing I thought was, "Okay, what health implications are there for me, my future (yet to be conceived) children and my partner?" With autism and other ailments in children reaching staggering rates, I'm particularly interested in avoiding assaults to my biology that could be passed on to my children.
I tried to find places where I might be able to get such testing completed. Unfortunately, it appears this is a general impossibility short of seeking out physicians conducting research on the matter.
My next thought turned to the things I have in my home. Plastic containers, pots & pans, cleaners, cosmetics, etc etc etc. Poking around on the web resulted in some interesting finds. This tool, Skin Deep's Cosmetic Safety Database let's you search by the cosmetics you have to find out what kind of chemicals they contain. Sadly, I found that the product line I've been using for at least 10 years, Clinique, received a generally mediocre to poor score. I learned about this Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and was very disappointed to find that, even though the Compact has been signed by 600 companies, Estee Lauder (manufacturer of Clinique) has not signed the Compact. The compact can be signed by companies who meet or exceed current EU formulation standards. "Why EU standards," I asked? "What of US standards?" Well, my assumption here is that the US standards are lower. (Still working on the proof for that assumption but this reminds of me of another one of my favorite topics, the myth of the American Dream. How is it that this is still perpetuated by the way?).
Apparently, in 2003, the European Union passed an amendment prohibiting the use of carcinogens, mutagens and reproductive toxins from cosmetics. Signatories of the Compact "pledge not to use chemicals that are known or strongly suspected of causing cancer, mutation or birth defects in their products and to implement substitution plans that replace hazardous materials with safer alternatives in every market they serve." Who hasn't signed? OPI, Avon, Estee Lauder, L'Oreal, Revlon, Proctor & Gamble and Unilever.
I did discover that the Body Shop scored alright on these charts and that they signed the Compact in 2004. Serendipitously they are located a few short blocks from my apartment. Looks like I'll be ditching my beloved Clinique Stay Ivory oil-free formula in favor something a little more face friendly.
Now, about the rest of the toxins in my environment ...
More reading:
Oct 11, 2007 Boston Globe: Lead tests raise red flag for lipsticks
Posted by Decade Four at 1:19 PM 0 comments
Posted by Decade Four at 2:47 AM 0 comments
Yes, that would be me. Okay, I'm not really an alcoholic but somewhere in the infinite wisdom I possess, I found it justifiable to split two bottles of wine with my former roommate last night. Effectively each drinking our own bottle.
Today has been a relative disaster. Unable to rouse myself to any passable state before 2pm, I had to cancel a hair appointment. I don't even want to go into all of the gory details of what was taking place during the time I was supposed to be getting pampered by my French stylist, Francis. ("frawn cease" for those of you who care). Suffice it to say, I only managed to be at peace with three small pieces of tofu and a quarter cup of Sprite. This modicum of success came only after I was forced to implement a tofu eating strategy. I cut small slices and ate one, slowly. Then, I set my microwave timer for ten minutes. Once a full ten minutes passed with relative calm, I gave myself permission to pursue further consumption. Like this, I managed to take 30 minutes to eat three very thin slices of tofu.
You know you're a dork when after getting sloshed on wine in a chic bar, all you want is to tell people about your blog. Ouch. That is a cold harsh reality. I was surprised to be so... committed but then again, what I love about blogging is how much you get to talk about yourself so maybe this is not so inconsistent after all.
The alcoholic part comes in the form of pissing off DSF rather profusely by insisting I speak to all passersby on the way home and ask them the all important question, "Do you think the Sox will win or lose tomorrow?" Now, I know I have a problem when I don't give a rats ass about sports and I need to talk to cab drivers and whomever else to get to the bottom of this question. The results of the survey were in favor of a loss. I'm thinking this is because people assumed I was a fan (who else but a Red Sox fan could be capable of such jackassedness right? I mean, it was a Wednesday night...). Put out by my insistence they answer the question in some fashion their answer necessitated falling on the side of whatever answer would be negative in my eyes. Maybe. Or maybe they really thought the Sox would lose.
So, though I had the brilliance to combat the nausea with Dramamine, I'm feeling rather dull now (don't you think it's ironic that the word drama is embedded in that name - like, it actually says, "Drama, mine." My drama. How fittingly ironic. What a cruel joke. Eh... I deserve it). By now you're probably thinking DSF is a saint, and you know what? I'm pretty sure he is. He even has the same birthday as Pope John Paul. Put that in your all knowing pipe and smoke it bitches.
Posted by Decade Four at 11:36 PM 2 comments
Posted by Decade Four at 2:33 PM 0 comments
Posted by Decade Four at 12:34 PM 0 comments
I love this nifty tool from Trip Advisor. You can pinpoint all the locations you've been to on a map and then sit back and tell yourself how astute and fabulous you are for having traveled to them. It is also a great self help tool for the times when you've got wanderlust but can't get a fix.
In case you are wondering how astute and fabulous I am... which I know you are... see below :)
Have to point out the obvious here. When my glass is half full, I see all the places I've been. When it's half empty, I see all the ones to which I haven't been... Africa? South America? Far East? :( :( :(
Posted by Decade Four at 12:02 PM 0 comments
Posted by Decade Four at 6:08 PM 1 comments
Posted by Decade Four at 6:00 PM 0 comments
I just had the unfortunate experience of hearing something strange, only to realize it was a fly... I turned my head toward the sound and realized it was buzzing around my light. I then realized it had flown into the light fixture, outside of my line of vision.
All was said and done in a matter of moments when there was an abrupt cessation of noise and a well illuminated puff of flysmoke ...
R.I.P.
Posted by Decade Four at 1:03 PM 0 comments
Posted by Decade Four at 12:58 PM 0 comments
I know that ever since my post stating the BBC bought out a managing stake of Lonely Planet (here) you've been chewing your fingernails to rather unattractive bits. I know the future of travel guidebooks weighs heavily on the minds of most Americans, especially given their propensity to seek out many viewpoints before jumping to shallow and baseless conclusions ... okay, that was a little mean ... but anyway...
Because I am aware of the angst ridden nights so many of you have spent and what great good this will do for so many, I happily report at least one person, other than myself, still finds guidebooks to be superior to travel websites.
Here is a great article (Testing Out Wikitravel) discussing two interesting emerging travel sites, wiki travel and travelfish.org.
Personally I think what Wiki Travel is trying to do is a wee bit ridiculous as I assume they intend for people to use this for the majority of their travel needs. Wiki Travel needs to choose its identity as this is a huge undertaking. Are they a guidebook or an encyclopedia? The answer matters very much both for how the information should be organized and how people will physically use the material, which is very relevant when traveling.
I suppose it is possible to use the internet for a trip, provided you either:
a) have a computer & internet connection at your disposal during the majority of the trip,
b) don't mind constantly going internet cafes, or
c) can print out all of this stuff and bring it with you.
You had just better make sure you print out where the internet cafes are located if you go with b.
I read through some of the information on Paris and actually, it wasn't terrible but there is so much detail - too much? I dunno - I like detail - it's just hard to think you will want to print all of this out. Not to mention this project has been in the works since 2003 and it is not anywhere near usable. A good guidebook would say all of this much more concisely.
Here's is what it said regarding English speakers in the city.
English Speakers
For most people English is something the Parisians had to study in school, and thus seems a bit of a chore. People helping you out in English are making an extra effort, sometimes a considerable one. Younger people are much more likely to be fluent in English than older people.
Complicating things a bit more for visitors from North America is the fact that the French generally learn British English, as all in the European countries, in the "received pronunciation", aka "the Queen's English". Since most people in the US speak in this manner one will need to put effort into avoiding all slang and speaking clearly.
Likewise, the French taught in schools in English-speaking countries tends to be written French which is quite different from spoken French. Indeed, French spoken by native English speakers tends to be really hardly understandable by the French - do not be offended if people ask you to repeat, or seem not to understand you, they do not act out of snobbery. Keep your sense of humour, and if necessary, write down phrases or place names. And remember to speak slowly and clearly.
So, if it's your first time in France you will have some problems to understand what people are saying. They talk very fast, swallow some letters and make it all sound like beautiful music. So unless you have an advanced level and can at least sort of understand French Movies you should also assume that it will be difficult for people to understand what you are saying. Your French will grow when you have been a while in this amazing country and a glass of red wine will surely help the language to flow.
When in need of directions what you should do is this: find a younger person, or a person reading some book or magazine in English, who is obviously not in a hurry; say "hello" or "bonjour"; start by asking if the person speaks English (even if he/she's reading something in English), speak slowly and clearly; write down place names if necessary. Smile a lot. Also, carry a map; given the complexity of Paris streets it is difficult to explain how to find any particular address in any language, no matter how well you speak it.
What you should not do is this: stop a random person in the métro (like, say, some middle-aged hurried person who has a train to take), fail to greet them and say "where is place X or street Y". This will not go down well.
Now if you do speak French, remember two magic sentences : "Excusez-moi de vous déranger" and "Pourriez-vous m'aider?" —use them liberally - especially in shops; they will work wonders. However, in the parts of the city that tourists frequent the most (Tour Eiffel, Le Louvre, Champs-Elysées), the shopkeepers, information booths attendants, and other workers are likely to answer you in English, even if your French is advanced. These workers tend to deal with thousands of foreign-speaking tourists, and responding in English is often faster than repeating themselves in French. This is not the case in the rest of the city.
Posted by Decade Four at 8:24 PM 0 comments
Posted by Decade Four at 12:15 AM 0 comments
Posted by Decade Four at 11:32 PM 0 comments
Posted by Decade Four at 9:38 PM 0 comments
With so much in the press about sadness and badness I thought I would take a moment to emphasize the goodness of people. This will likely be to the chagrin of Dear Sweet Fiancé ...
DSF (get tired of typing it all out, plus adding the accent mark is a real pain in Blogger...) and I may or may not have been way too drunk last night ... and DSF may or may not have forgotten his laptop bag (with his work laptop in it!) at the bar ... the second bar that it is... When the realization came to him amid a morning hangover my first thought was, "Crap they're going to mad at work when they find out your laptop got stolen because you left it in some bar." He called but of course most bars aren't open at 9am and so he was stuck leaving messages.
Imagine my surprise when I came back home shortly thereafter, armed with a day's worth of hangover remedies, to find that a dear friend had actually had the lucidity of mind to take it home after we had left! (thank you by the way CEW!) Further surprise came just moments ago when the bar called back and apologetically told me that they hadn't found the laptop - boy were they relieved when I told them what happened.
Maybe I'm too much of a cynic (or maybe I've just been stolen from one too many times!!) but I wasn't feeling too optimistic this morning - I'm glad I was wrong. I love it when things like this happen and remind me the goodness of people is alive and well in the world.
Posted by Decade Four at 3:49 PM 0 comments
Is drunk posting as bad as drunk driving? The likely answer is no.
What do you post when your drunk? Not much. My creativity is zapped, my hands feel like i have plasticine in them adn my view includes dear sweet fiance prostrate and snoring. Not exactly the stuf of great posts. Ugh.. it's taking me forever to type. I keep having to delete typos and it takes f'n forever.........blha..............................
xo
Posted by Decade Four at 2:17 AM 0 comments
Posted by Decade Four at 12:37 PM 3 comments
Okay, I think I need a 12 step program to hep me cope with my travel addiction. My fiancé
What!!! You mean put practicality before a trip??? I dunno... sounds so... mature. Not sure if I can commit to that. [Yes, I hear your collective groan.]
The truth is that in order to save face and prevent him from thinking, "She is completely out her mind! By what cruel twist of fate did I get myself into this - this woman is going to make me penniless and yet I'm not sure I can find the strength to quit her... " Yes, in order to prevent things from going down that ugly path I agreed and, because I value my relationship, I actually agreed with just a small squirm of discomfort, instead of the out and out knock down, drag out fight that I fantasize about from time to time. That style of fight would be justified in my warped mind by the old "it's no good keeping things bottled up, gotta get 'em off your chest" philosophy, which I would of course manipulate to my advantage as a further justification of taking it from a simple expression of emotion to a dramatic display of defiance against those thousand injustices which one must defend themselves in this heartless and chaotic world.
Wooo. All this was inspired by that damn Travelzoo email I get every Wednesday at 11 am tempting me with the latest and greatest in Travel. Tempting me with its evil, cost conscious ways. Deceiving me, seducing me... "Come little one," the newsletter says, "Come and fulfill your heart's desires! It's time for another voyage my pretty!! And your little fiancé
No STOP! Leave me you evil witch of air travel!! Leave me you disgusting vulture of culture!! I can't -- I must fight your wiley ways! I must be strong! By the power of my skull I will not let you in - you vicious temptress of low fares and airline wars!!
And then... at last, there are the first signs of peace. I begin to breathe calmly, slowly. I look back through my digital camera, trip receipts and restaurant cards. I check my frequent flyer points again. It was real. I did travel, maybe even multiple times. I check my bank account. Oh yes, I took a trip. With the undeniable truth of my luggage tags and half unpacked suitcase staring at me from across the room, I regain a sense of a purpose. It was all real and it can happen again. I WILL GO on another trip!!!
Now ... back to that business plan ...
Posted by Decade Four at 11:20 AM 3 comments
I saw this on a site called flux and it took me forever to figure out what it said:
!'M W@!+!N6 4 U 2 COM3 @ND G3T !+....WH@+ R U W@!+!NG 4* ! !
UPDATE: ***THIS JUST IN***
Dear Sweet Fiance is telling me that that this is actually "l33t speak" which is used by hackers/mega geeks who want to use a secret language to avoid having what they are saying detected by whomever's website they've put it on.
He even indicated to me to check it out here:
Wiki on Leet Speak
Apparently, those who are into videogames also love to use it because they think it's cool to be able to write something really incomprehensible to another person.
Hmm, I guess this assumes one is using a videogame in which you type to other people.
Just the fact that I have to write a blog entry about this is evidence of how hopelessly out of touch I am with the times!! OMG! Help!!!
Posted by Decade Four at 12:01 AM 0 comments
Posted by Decade Four at 4:08 PM 0 comments