Not much of a joiner

I've never been one for big groups. You can ask David, who frequently laments my tendency to "hide" when we "have people over" (quotes make everything sketchy), or even the athletic trainer at my high school, who, when I asked his opinion on whether I should go to Brown or UVA, pointed out that UVA has a very active Greek life and that I was "not much of a joiner."

I got indignant.

Then he pointed out that I was sitting on an overturned ball bucket, the same spot from which I had watched every home game in my three years of varsity play. And it was true. I hated watching from inside the dugout. Even when softball girls aren't being mean (I say that with love), they are chatty, and I don't like to be distracted.

So why am I telling you all this?

Because starting on Tuesday, I'll be reporting to you from the Democratic Convention. My boss is speaking there, and so we'll all be going down partially as support and partially to run some programs about social justice. We were supposed to go to the Republican Convention as well but we couldn't get credentialed. Words can not express my disappointment--- I have a feeling going to the Republican convention would be akin to when I visited Adelaida in Austin and people would eye-ball me and immediately ask where I was from. It was awesome.

Not that I'm trying to cast Republicans as the almighty Other or something. I've worked for Democrats for all of my professional life, but I've always been registered independent and I tend to cast a skeptical eye towards anyone (and there are many) who views party politics as a team sport. Or any type of sport. And with that as the criteria, I'm quite confident that the convention down in Charlotte will sport an enviable cast of normies and crazies.

Although perhaps nothing as amazing as Clint Eastwood talking to an invisible Obama.  A girl can dream.

Michael Higgins kicks some ass

This clip is a little old, but it's new to me and so I post it here. Not only is it nice to hear some cut-the-bullshit from a credible source, but it's done with such style.  Michael Higgins here is the current President of Ireland and also went to school in these United States.

 

Also, I love his Limerick accent. Dropping the "h" off of every "th" combo just makes me happy.

Fergaliciously Nostalgic

There has been a debate (with myself) on how to get back into guest blogging and what I could bring to TFLW. It is what would keep me up at night if I didn't pass out immediately upon getting in bed. I considered going the topical route and give my two cents towards the big or little issues of the day. This could be a soapbox to expound my views and attempt to justify those views. Or this could be an opportunity to pull a Seinfeld, and talk about nothing of importance.

About 2 weeks ago there was a trending topic on Google+, #TakeMeToYourChildhood,  which is a much creepier way of saying #Nostalgia. I can get very nostalgic (full disclosure - iTunes playlist with over 200 theme songs). I'm known to get nostalgic about Rumors (great D.C. hotspot by the way) and that place still exists. Idealized walks back down Memory Lane (no Minnie Ripperton) are the way to go. In my youth I was heavily exposed (indoctrinated) to Nickelodeon; PBS and other television programs geared towards my age group which leaves me with knowledge of cartoons, live action game shows, and educational shows that pass as game shows.

Ladies and gentlemen, for my first entry I've decided to talk about a show from 2 decades ago (late 80's - early 90's) when cartoons had implausible storylines, but just seemed better. I'm sure people of all generations will say the same thing, but guess what, this isn't their entry. Ladies and gentlemen, for your enjoyment, I present Denver The Last Dinosaur. How does a prehistoric guitar playing, english understanding human-size dinosaur seem so well adjusted to the 1990's... who cares, he is my pal and can be yours as well.

Oh those were the days, before cynicism kicked in and everything had to be examined. But really, shouldn't we care? After sharing this entry to the trending topic steam I received a comment from a random person which is what happens when you make things public, "He's my friend and a whole lot more.... hmm...wonder what they meant by that." I mean his point is valid by todays standards, but in yesteryear, we wouldn't even pause

.

So I say that to say this, listen to theme songs, talk about the shows you grew up on and remember them fondly, but under no circumstances really take the time to examine what you use to watch. It ruins things! Childhood is a magical time and we are really losing magic people. Kids are growing up too fast and arguably worse, the programming is terrible with the exceptions of Young Justice and http://www.tv.com/shows/the-avengers-earths-mightiest-heroes/. So in reviewing what was written, I did decide to make this a soapbox.

I'll leave you all with some theme songs to some random shows.

So audience of The Famous Last Word, has there been any nostalgia that has been ruined or almost ruined by going back and re-examining your past?

Please see HR to claim your boxers

Oh, you know, just another one of those days where you go to the ladies room and there's a random pair of men's worn boxers in the hallway.

Our HR girl has dreamt of this day since she began a career in this industry...

"Ensuing Company-Wide Staff Email

To: Office Staff

From: Lisa

Subject: Found

A pair of men's Tommy Hilfiger boxer briefs was found near in the hallway near the elevator. Please see me to claim them.

-HR"

It's the little things that make a day great.

Top 100 "challenged" books of 2000-2009 and why I've never done cocaine

The American Library Association publishes a list of the most banned/challenged books by decade.  (Side note: referring to a banned book as "challenged" is a bit like the Irish habit of referring to forty years of sectarian violence as "the Troubles," and World War II as "the emergency.")

I stumbled across the list during one of those Internet tangents that happen to the best of us.

Mary: I remember Go Ask Alice
Mary: Not a lot about the plot, but definitely remember that it was kind of "controversial" book and so we were all into it
me: there's a song by Jefferson Airplane called White Rabbit that came out in 1969
Mary: right
me: I was reading the lyrics, I think it's definitely where the title came from
Mary: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_Ask_Alice

Right.  So as long as I'm being all Captain Obvious-

-I'd like to point out that the only reason I read Go Ask Alice in the 7th grade was because it was banned, and that was reason enough for me.  In case you haven't read it, Go Ask Alice is the "diary" of a young girl who slowly becomes involved with drugs and eventually (spoiler alert) dies.  At one time, it was required reading in our public school.  It was banned, presumably because there is drug use, sex and rape.  Parents complained.    And I get wanting to protect your kids, but 1) I do not support banning books for any reason and 2) by the time we were in 7th grade, one of the hot topics was about how Eddie cheated on Meg with Nina and they went to third base, so unfortunately kids at that age are a little more aware than we'd like them to be, so throwing something like Go Ask Alice at them isn't exactly going to get the same reaction as when they found out about Santa Claus.  Granted, we were still using bases to talk about sexual acts, but hey, who doesn't?  

Anyway, Go Ask Alice is obviously much more of a warning against drugs than an advertisement, probably because, like another popular young adult book of our times, it was written by a Mormon With a Social Agenda.

Not that one.

There it is.  Stephanie Meyer, author of Twilight.  With Seth Green?

Which brings me to another ridiculous Young Adult series, Sweet Valley High.

I started reading SVH when I was something like 11 years old, and it featured all sorts of amazing story lines.  I mean, check out the mustache on this guy.  LOOK AT THE MUSTACHE:

The twins were kidnapped, solving murders and almost-raped at least 50 times through the series.  There was even an evil twin (triplet??) who shows up and tries to take over their lives.  (And yet, SVH has never made that banned books list.)  Anyway, in one of the books, deaf beauty Regina Marrow tries cocaine just once and dies due to an undetected heart murmur.  Dies on a couch, asking for stupid Elizabeth Wakefield who has eyes the color of the Pacific Ocean and all-American good looks.  Also, I think she had just become not-deaf like, the book before.

Yes.  Because she dies.

This book scared the crap out of me and hence I became the coke-free blogger I am today.  Thanks, Francine Pascal and your army of ghost writers.

So without further ado, I present the ALA's Most Challenged Books list of 2000-2009.  Use it as a check list.  (Particularly #34 and #35.)  I put a star next to the ones I've read so that you can compare, and also because I'm a show-off.

Davy Jones was the grooviest

Davy Jones 12/30/45 - 2/29/2012

Been working on other projects

Hang in there.