republicans are ruining the world

This is so $%*&ing ridiculous...for lack of more eloquent words. I'm referring to this article about House Republicans wanting cuts in environmental regulations: Dumb Republicans
Their motive is clear, their intent is clear, their agenda is clear. This only benefits a few big companies and the sold souls of Republicans who are puppets to these companies. And will these companies create more jobs with their increasing wealth? Based on the recent job numbers, probably not. On another note, those getting tax cuts are NOT creating more jobs, contrary to what these assholes are claiming as their reason for resisting any tax raises...but I digress. But no, I don't, because this is all related to how the Republicans consistently act on behalf of their own agendas, NOT that of their constituents. They use "the American people" (to borrow their favored term) - nee they bank on the apathetic and uninformed population (uninformed because people are probably too busy working their asses off than to follow this disaster in Washington - which by the way is caused by this economic situation created by Republicans), to keep them in office then vote in favor of none of these people to whom they owe their employment. It's criminal. They don't listen to their constituents. As elected officials, they should vote on behalf of the people. These jerks should be the people's puppets. But alas, that's not the case. If Republicans get their way, they and their spawned offspring of future generations will enjoy their comfortable lifestyles in a depleted Earth, surrounded by sick and unemployed people, with the blood of tax-payer dollars on their hands and at the expense of everyone else. How sick and wicked is that.

Sorry - this post was a complete diarrhea-of-the-mind gush...similar to a rapid emptying of intestine-wrenching pathogens, which in this case, are bits of knowledge of what the Republicans are up to. So sorry for this post of tired and mangled thoughts and language. I'm as sick of it as you are.

worth a thousand words

It's from here.

BON VIVANT BRUNCH CLUB Schedule

As promised, here is the schedule of brunch days (they're all Sundays, at 1130am, unless otherwise noted):

July 31
September 25
November 27 (but probably not because this is Thanksgiving holiday weekend)

...what? Only 2 for-sure brunch days for the remainder of the year? Hmm... we may have to consider making this every month. If so, here are the other days:

August 28
October 30

sweat, sweat, and sweat

I realized that I have never posted about running. I suppose I don't have much to say, but rather, I just do it.
So as a first post about running, I'll share this link that G just sent me about the race we did this past weekend in 98(?) degree heat: Pacers Crystal City Twilighter 5k. It was not a race that either of us planned to gun and get a PR ... we just didn't want to die. We both did relatively well (and survived), beating our times from last year (me, by over 2 minutes).

my best friends club

Larry David
Sloane Crosley
Jay+Be (even though Be didn't know, until recently, what a scone is)
Frank Bruni
Rachel Maddow
Anthony Bourdain

I just think we'd all really get along.

grad school

There's a special section in the Times all about grad school, and I've only managed to read one article, which posed the question - is a master's degree the new bachelor's? After reading it, I couldn't decide whether the article validated my decision to go to grad school, or completed devalued my degree. Given my discouragment in my job hunt as of late, I'd go with the latter...but remembering that without it, I would not have my current job nor would I have had some awesome work experiences in the past, so I guess it was worth it...right?

Well I guess it all may depend on any or all of the following: the field or industry, eventual career choice, immigration status, economic environment, networking ability...what else?
The last sentence of the article gives me indigestion: "Will the Ph.D. become the new master’s?"

Read the article here: The Master's as the New Bachelor's

REintroducing the BON VIVANT BRUNCH CLUB

OK - so planning brunch isn't so easy. Here is the update terms and conditions. Thanks for bearing with us while we figure it out.

The BON VIVANT BRUNCH CLUB

For those of you who received a coveted invitation, welcome. The Bon Vivant Brunch Club (BVBC) is an invitation-only gathering of convivialists who share an appreciation for good food and good times (and the joy of going home to a nice nap afterwards). 

You will find all the terms and conditions in this posting. Confirmation for the first gathering will be distributed via email.

How this is going to work:

1. BVBC will be held every last Sunday of every other month unless noted by me or G (ie if we're busy, out of town, lazy, etc..). I'll work out the schedule and post and/or email it.

2. BVBC locations will be determined by a vote.  Suggested locations (chosen according to number of people expressing interest) will be sent to those who have expressed interest..  The place with the most votes wins. Suggested additions to the list will be considered, but selection is not guaranteed. (Disclaimer: most of the restaurants chosen will be new to us, so if they suck, you can't blame us.)

3. BVBC will convene around the same time every brunch day - 1130am. If reservations are not taken on a particular week, an earlier arrival time may be needed and will be noted in the email of details that will go out before brunch day (see 4. below).

4. Reminder emails will be sent out every first Sunday of each brunch month (with the exception of the first gathering). These emails will ask for a head count of those interested. RSVPing to these emails guarantees a seat. Details regarding arrival time, reservations, price range, gratuity charges, crowd conditions, back-up plans, RSVP deadline, etc will be in this email.

5. RSVP by email by the Sunday before brunch day (one week before brunch day - this is subject to change depending on popular places that require booking weeks ahead). RSVP only if you are attending - no need to let us know if you can't make it (hope to see you next time!).

6. Depending on the restaurant, there may be a maximum number of people. This is due to the desire to keep brunch day intimate. It would also be easier to get a table at places that don't take reservations with a smaller group. 

7. Post-brunch reviews are welcomed.

Did I leave anything out? If so, let me know! Also, email me or G if you don't want to partake in the fun that is BVBC (our feelings won't be hurt, but we'll miss you).

OK - fingers crossed! I hope this works!

gulp

...aight, so I have to eat my words. I just watched my recorded episode of SYTYCD last night and must have watched this Christopher Scott routine three times. The moves, the story line, the musicality - all worked. So so good. As mentioned here, this choreographer hasn't always done so well. Earlier this season, I dismissed him like a fat kid does brussel sprouts and was really missing NappyTabs. I now sheepishly swallow my words.

"...the heat! My God, the heat!"

The current heat index says it feels like 112 degrees. I've never felt this hot before. While walking outside, I felt like my skin was either going to start melting off me or start frying ... like chicharrones.

reggie watts

Not sure if you all are familiar with the hilariousness that is Reggie Watts, but G and I will be seeing the Aug 25th show. Posting this in case you're interested!

http://woollymammoth.net/performances/show_reggie_watts.php

sprouts

Do not eat Evergreen Produce brand alfalfa sprouts or spicy sprouts – FDA is advising consumers not to eat Evergreen Produce brand alfalfa sprouts and spicy sprouts.  The sprouts are possibly linked to 20 reported cases, including one hospitalization, of Salmonella Enteritidis in Idaho, Montana, New Jersey, North Dakota and Washington State.  The strain of S. Enteritidis is rarely seen at this frequency.  The pathogen associated with this outbreak is different from the pathogen associated with the outbreak in Europe.  For more information, please visit here.

(Reference: FDA announcements)

you go, boy

Holy moly, Nic Kristof is really putting his neck out there! I've always enjoyed reading his columns but he's been really stickin it to the Republicans lately (as I'm sure you can tell by reading my previous posts). The problem is classic, though: he's preaching to the choir. If only the Republicans knew how failed their logic is...but then again, morons never do...

Read the latest Kristof column here: Bonuses for Billionaires

todd kliman is an idiot

Just read on Eater that Washingtonian food critic Todd Kliman will be writing his review for America Eats, but he divulged a few thoughts before release of his review here. I think he's an idiot. I think his comments, particularly regarding the pot pie and key lime pie, completely invalidate him and I'm reconsidering renewing my subscription, considering the food section is a big reason why I subscribe, though I have found the reviews to be bland and late. And yes, I admit I read the reviews mostly for self-validation ("Hey I ate there already!...and yup, I ate there, and there..."). Does he not understand that the concept of the restaurant is lost American classics, reinvented? It even says on the restaurant website: "... America Eats offers a new take on American classics and celebrate native ingredients and some long forgotten dishes, from burgoo to oysters Rockefeller." Did he even attend Jose Andres' pre-opening talk at the Archives? Because if he did, he would have grasped that the food was going to be a bit deconstructed/reconstructed.

ack i'm getting distracted from working

Lookie lookie: Slate's Special Weddings Issue!
The source of that article I posted the link to in a previous posting about engagement rings, but this article about wedding websites is just as good.

YET again

...the party of hypocrisy. The party of no. The party of me. Those damn Republicans. Read more here.
Oh, and really quickly: 

This is what's wrong with so many people in this country: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/18/us/18voices.html?hp

They don't care to follow what's going on in Washington, they're mis- or uninformed, they're apathetic...so when it comes to election time, they don't vote in their best interest. They're not following how their congressperson is or is not acting in the interest of their jurisdiction.

the shady chinese

...can't write much now, but this article validates, to a certain extent, my thoughts on why Chinatowns are in such bad condition (to put it nicely), more so than even the hutongs of Beijing: moonshine
(and here's a supporting background piece: Fujianese immigrants)

introducing the BON VIVANT BRUNCH CLUB

For those of you who received a coveted invitation, welcome. The Bon Vivant Brunch Club (BVBC) is an invitation-only gathering of convivialists who share an appreciation for good food and good times (and the joy of going home to a nice nap afterwards). 

You will find all the terms and conditions in this posting. Confirmation for the first gathering will be distributed via email.

How this is going to work:

1. BVBC will be held every last Sunday of every other month unless noted by me or G (ie if we're busy, out of town, lazy, etc..). I'll work out the schedule and post and/or email it.

2. BVBC locations will be drawn from a predetermined list of restaurants.  Suggested additions to the list will be considered, but selection is not guaranteed. (Disclaimer: most of the restaurants chosen will be new to us, so if they suck, you can't blame us.)

3. BVBC will convene around the same time every brunch day - 1130am. If reservations are not taken on a particular week, an earlier arrival time may be needed and will be noted in the email of details that will go out before brunch day (see 4. below).

4. BVBC locations will be revealed every 1st Monday of a BVBC month by email (with the exception of the first gathering). Details regarding arrival time, reservations, price range, gratuity charges, crowd conditions, back-up plans, RSVP deadline, etc will be in this email.

5. RSVP by email by the Wednesday before brunch day. I may or may not send out a reminder email. RSVP only if you are attending - no need to let us know if you can't make it (hope to see you next time!).


6. The maximum number of people per brunch day is 12. This is due to the desire to keep brunch day intimate. It would also be easier to get a table at places that don't take reservations with a smaller group. 

7. Post-brunch reviews are welcomed.

Did I leave anything out? If so, let me know! Also, email me or G if you don't want to partake in the fun that is BVBC (our feelings won't be hurt, but we'll miss you).

OK - fingers crossed! I hope this works!

insert bad words here

Republican lawmakers hate poor people. They hate the middle class. Though, it's still puzzling why Republican constituents vote against their own financial interest.

Excellent Nic Kristof column on the contradictions of the Republican party.

awww

...because I'm pretty sure even less people pay attention to my +1s on Google+ than the two people who read this blog, I'm going to share this video here too.  You're welcome, you two.

mr. andres

We ate at America Eats this past Saturday, and we spoke to Jose Andres. I said "Thank you, Chef." He told me to "come back." So I will.

a weekend of history

Moments ago, Atlantis blasted off for the last time.
The Republic of South Sudan will become the world's newest nation when it declares independence on Saturday.  Since it's the weekend, I'm feeling optimistic. I hope, for the sake of future generations, that the new nation will find security, will develop and flourish and that its rich natural resources are protected and used wisely to help its people rise from decades of marginalization and violence. I wish I knew more to say more, and hope that it wasn't unwise to say what I just did.

ring me

To use some of the lingo favored by fashion bloggers: I am completely 'obsessed' with this ring, now on sale at swell.com...though I wouldn't wear it while putting on any knit or crocheted tops or scarves.

being chinese ... and tasty bits

...probably the best line I'll read all day:
"I’m proud to say I’m Chinese, and I’ll always be Chinese in the sense that I prefer soy over dairy and beer makes me fart. " Eddie Huang for Eatocracy

...and while we're in the food mindset, holy moly! EATALY IS COMING TO DC?! what!
What next? A David Chang establishment? Eh. Perhaps an offering from Keith McNally? Maybe...but I'm hoping for something a little more down the price point scale. ...oh please oh please be X'ian.

i don't even know what to call this

What's with engagement rings? Why are men pressured to feel that it's the proper way to ask for a hand in marriage? What's this fixation on expensive jewelry? Can love really be bought/bribed? Why must women wear something that tells the world they're taken, yet men don't have to wear a similar flirt repellent?  Why couldn't the norm be something more egalitarian like getting each other Lasik? Or, as practiced by some South Americans, both the groom- and bride-to-be wear plain bands on their right hands, then after the wedding, the bands move to the left hand.

I've had my ring for about a week now. I'm completely grateful for it, though feeling a bit guilty. It could have paid for a Harley. Or probably Super Bowl tickets. Definitely a new and much-needed desk and desk chair. I've been wearing it on my middle finger for about a week now, not out of rebellion, but thankfully, out of necessity, as it's too big. Not wearing it at all would be wasting it, and wasting the time and thought that went into building it just as G wanted for me. The same could be said for why I won't/can't give it back. I say 'thankfully' when referring to its size because I feel much more comfortable wearing it on my middle finger. Some may say doing so would belittle the ring's significance, but it doesn't as long as I know what it symbolizes. It also hasn't changed my daily life, for which I am very glad. I've managed to go a whole work week without my officemate asking about the lovely sparkler on my finger, which I'm sure she would have noticed, given her numerous statements about how I should "start thinking about getting married soon." 

Both G and I have the same sentiment about weddings. We both dread having attention drawn unto ourselves and we both strive to live a life free of contradictions (this last point is relevant when you consider our stance on same-sex marriages and the position of the Catholic church on certain social issues). Needless to say, we're dreading the impending process that lies ahead to solidify our union. I am a reluctant bride, not a reluctant wife/life-partner.

I'm aware that many will say a wedding is not about me or my future husband, but our parents. Isn't there something else a person could do in life that would show your love and appreciation for your parents other than throwing a wedding??

Perhaps this is our moment to be the unconventional, innovative and creative people we wish we were. Stay tuned to see if we seize it or not!
(No fiance feelings were hurt in the writing of this post. Views expressed in this post are agreed upon between the author and her future husband.)

UPDATE: Came across this gem of an article - SO on point. Read it here.

hear, hear

Thanks to G, my attention was brought to David Brooks' column that was published in yesterday's Times about the Republican Party's inability to act on a good deal - to compromise - to put the nation's needs ahead of their own selfish agendas. Read it here.

hey, yay area. i miss you.

Oh man! While watching part of the A's game today, I noticed a sign behind the plate advertising this! And the A's are playing the Angels! Wish I was able to go...
Beside that sign, was a sign advertising THIS. Say yuck all you want, naysayers, I keep it real with my McDonald's, Doritos and Jack in the Box tacos (oh how I miss them!).

nickledYME!
(image credit http://blak4rest.com/2011/06/hammer-time-must-have-bobblehead/)