may heart the GMU band

The George Mason marching band plays Rage....hot:

oscars picks the oscars

Soooo cute:

sharing our work

This is what I do, every single damn day.....look at my boss/PI, knocking that shit right out of the ballpark....it is not just about standardize testings folks:

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I can't get enough

I just can't get enough of my current (for the last 6 months) music of the moment, the a-mazing Mumford and Sons. The irish feel, the british accents, and thoughtful lyrics....yes please. I feel like I'm back in Ireland, drinking my dinner and getting caught by the garda on a roof of a bar:

a weekend rewind with leftovers

Had a wonderful time with a shit-ton of people visiting the big VA this weekend. We ended up throwing an impromptu BBQ which was sort of like how-many-people-can-we-fit-into-a-clown-car type of event. Here are some highlights:

• McBetty is confused about her carbs, saying "I don't want to eat pasta, but I'm totally in the mood for noodles." Wow, maybe we should go get a burger.
  
• The big B showed up for a day and ended up drinking most of the beer....he even took a growler home with him. However, he did man the grill like a pro learning to love electric charcoal starters (how can you be from MN and not know about these?)
  
• Brian cannot remember his shit when he leaves my house. Things I received this time: his cell phone charger and a knife. Totally planning to floss my teeth with the pocket knife.
  
• Easter came early as we decided to hide clementines throughout my place and then go on a hunt later, they were in lamps and candle holders. We got grapes too.
  
• McBetty and I toured a couple wineries and left with 2+ cases of wine....I believe that is close to 25 bottles of booze after multiple tastings. No really, we aren't alcoholics, my mother had me tested when I was little.
  
• I truly love my home-brewing friends, especially when they bring and leave the leftovers of homemade kegs at my home.
• Going to chinese buffets on the weekend is like people watching at an amusement park or Nascar. There are lots of different people there, let's just leave it at that.
  
• I laughed alot at the horribly labeled buffet of food, for example it would say "salmon" but it was clearly stuff mushrooms, or it was labeled "mayonnaise chicken" (mcgross) but clearly was shrimp. Definitely not the place to go to with food allergies.
• We rented "catfish" the movie and I will never get that 2 hours of my life back. Horribly fake documentary involving all the crazies in MI. Made Salt look like an academy award winner.
• I don't like it when people screw with my electronics....there is a reason why I don't set the clock on my mircowave and that is because it confuses me, OK? I need to unplug that thing to reset it wrong again.
• Got to hug Mr. & Mrs. Bling Bling, but need to get up to B-more for some quality time. Soon. Soon.
  

we're getting slizzard

So I always wonder how companies or non-profits or other organizations man their social media accounts. You know, does one person have access or do a group of people? Well it turns out that the Red Cross needs to change the password on their twitter account. This week their was a rogue tweet that went out to all 200,000 of their followers:

Wowsa. That sucks. Red Cross responded immediately and took it down, but not before some clever bloggers got screenshots. I mean, who doesn't love Dogfish beer??? But seriously, you people are handling donated blood and perhaps you shouldn't be getting crunk at the office. For crying out loud, you're already so drunk you didn't even spell slizzard correctly! I feel as if the Red Cross owes me an apology for not being able to properly spell pop culture slang. Now go get in your G6....

There is an upside to the situation and Dogfish brewery jumped on it. They began promoting the mistake on their website and with their fanclub, suggesting people should give the gift of life. Great. So instead of having two drunks working for the Red Cross, we have thousands of drunks donating their alcohol-infused blood to the Red Cross. I'd be on board, except that don't like my universe blood anymore--damn autoimmunity.

This weekend, I'm #gettingslizzard

things that made my day

Well today was a good day and there were plenty of things that made me happy:

• Watched the sunrise early this AM.
  
• Had 70 degree weather all day (downside=the big ball of death in the sky is coming back in full-force).
• Attended a s-m-r-t working-in-progress meeting on grounds over lunch with some people who I truly admire.
• Got a shit ton done in the office today! Check and check.
  
• Toured a new house tonight in anticipation for the big move of 2011. Please God let me have a vegetable garden.
  
• Tonight there's a full-moon and I'm sitting on my patio for the first time of the season.
• Slow cooked some pork chili verde all day. Is it sad that a good burrito totally makes my night?
• Some random guy said to me today: "Let's face it, I'm a fat bastard." How do you respond to that?
  
• Preparation for a visit-heavy weekend with McBetty, the big Brian, and Mr. & Mrs. Bling Bling. There is a good chance that someone will either be sleeping with me, on my couch and in my guest bedroom for the next 3 days. Phattie brunch at LL's B&B? Yes please.
• Helga surfaced in California and turns out she was in LA with no phone service. A visit to San Fran in March? OK, let's do it.
• A spirited MN-themed conversation (does 180 character posts count as a conversation?). I totally got 5 1/4 points....maybe!
  
• BBT is on tonight! Woot woot. I'm going to turn on my TV for the first time in 2 weeks tonight.
  
• Is almost Friday!!!
  

tiny tods of tyranny

Now this is a good report. If this happens, I definitely would not have a job anymore. As I've said, just through them into the school system and forget about preschool:

taking it back to the cold(er) days

Sooo last weekend I felt as if we had a throw back to the good old MN days when some friends and I went snow tubing. These are the types of winter activities we used to do in the frozen tundra, ya know, back when I was mitten in the Winter Carnival parade. This year I hear the St. Paul ice and snow sculptures were a-mazing but still dangerous to put your tongue on.

Apparently right here in the big central V-A there is a "mountain" where snow is made for skiing and some tubing hills/lanes. I was pretty impressed with the degree of safety employed here, considering I'm used to be strapped to tray and pushed sideways down an icy hill praying I don't break my butt or get whiplash. Not in Wintergreen, no sir, it is all about safety first. Although it was starting to get icy fast where I did crash once into the end barrier throwing my legs over my head!

Luckily there are two microbreweries on the way to and from this mountain, and if you know me at all, you know I don't like driving by anything booze related ending in -ery (i.e., wineries, breweries, etc.). We stopped by Backbone Brewery where I had the best BBQ sandwich ever, some good beer, and listened to some live music. I also had a bonding moment with my friend M when I stripped down naked to change my clothes amidst the moonlight in the parking lot. It was soooo romantical.

Would definitely go back to both places, and soon.

Haven't been able to download the pictures yet, but here are a couple good ones:



I was a fan of the non-spinning two-sies, especially since the first round when I couldn't get in my hole fast enough and almost flew out (don't worry I reformed my technique after that).



This is where I normally spend most of my time on the ski slopes....drinking in the clubhouse by a toasty fire! There is less of a fear of falling down an icy hill to my death and then having to ride in the body bag behind the snow mobile. True story.



Again, do I sense a beer theme here? And PS, is it just me or do my boobs look huge??? Seriously the girls look a little out of control or maybe my friends are just short, OR maybe it's a combination of both.

finally a toilet for the partier

Sooo I read recently that they have finally come out with a new toilet for the partier, for the drunky mcdrunk, for the person who can't hold their booze. This combines both the sink and the toilet all into one. Now you don't have to worry about the awkward oval toilet shape, where you fear you might hit your head. Now you don't have to worry about the chucks (post-blown) getting stuck in your sink drain.

Enter, the flushing puke sink:

Annnd just in case there is any confusion, there is also a pictorial reference guide for what you should do here above it. This isn't the average toilet, or bidet, or sink, but one "non-classy" combination of all three. I say we install it in every dorm and frat house across the country. Long live the flushing puke sink.

Brilliant.

I'm not sure I know what this is

OK so here is another picture of the day and it is leaving me alittle giggly and confused all at once:



What does this mean? I mean, I'm a self-proclaimed enthusiast of dance parties (aka, alone, 1-minute in the office, or late-night) but I don't know what a "vag-jay-jay" on fire dance party would be like. Would you turn on romatical music? Would you spray water down there? Would you just shake what yo momma gave ya? Plus I don't want the goodies on fire. That doesn't sound like fun.

Frankly, I need more information. This bumper sticker is leaving more questions than it is answering. Although I do like it's eye-catching nature.

PS, I wonder what type of car this was on? Probably somewhere in Europe too.

picture of the day

Browsing some of the Grammy photos and ran across this one of Nicole's lonnnngggest. arm. ever.

Case and point:



Mohahahaha

performance of the night

Nope it was Gaga and her egg, or Christina and her fall, or any of the noteable upsets....instead a major tip of my hat goes to the 8 minute performance by my fav Brit band, Mumford & Sons (although I do love Muse too and they staged a revolution). Mumford performance by themselves and then brought out the Avett Bros (GO COCKS!!!) and the legendary B-O-B. A-mazing:

(sorry for the pink, it was the only full video posted the day after)



PS, on the awards upset note, look at Arcadian Fire beating Lady Gaga and Esperanza Spalding beating the Bieb. Wowsa. Never would have guessed that.

PPS, I can honesty die happy after hearing this performance, listening to all the instruments, the cellos, and lyrics. Love it. Brings me so much happiness.

I need some princess lessons too

Sooo the world is in big preparation for the royal spring wedding, and I absolutely love it. As you know, I heart me some brits...the music, the accent, the culture....so of course, I'm interested in the royal event. Just think of the hats, oh the hats!

Well I just read that the bride-to-be Miz Kate has to take "princess" lessons, you know so she knows how to sit properly (crossed at the ankles) and how to wave (elbow, elbow, wrist, wrist). I guess she will also learn matters of charity work, and how to escape out the back door (of restaurants, not after late night visits--this is the royal family for christsake not the Hiltons).

I'd be happy to take some princess lessons and put my pirate/sailor talking days (years? entire life?) behind me. Sign me up bitches!

how to decode your first date

Well for those of you who are all happy and coupled up already, the rest of us are still dealing with the wonders that is dating. Good thing we have websites like this one, where it outlines what the hidden messages of your conversation on the first date really means. For example:

• "Do you like the taste of Beer?" might actually mean "Will my date have sex with me on the first date?" Apparently, beer-lovers are 60% more likely to be okay with sleeping with someone they've just met. What if I like all alcohol equally?
  
• "Do you like horror movies?" might actually mean "Do my date and I have long-term potential?" Hmmmm, I just don't see it.
  
• "Do spelling and grammar mistakes annoy you?" might actually mean "Are you religious?" OK this one I have to give you, that might (might) be true.

Wow the nature of this a-mazing correlational research just astounds me. WTG OkCupid, good research, and wayyyy to present your findings in a fun, not logical way. I could totally work for you.

an open letter to IN

Dear citizens of IN,

I've heard that you all are voting on what and how to name your new "government center" in Fort Wayne. Apparently, the options are waiving between two legendary local mayors:

• Harry Baals
• Eugene Johnson

Well I happen to think that either of these two chooses would be great options. The Harry Balls or Mr. Big Johnson center works great for me. I would totally want to go vote there, attend meetings, and be proud to live in that town.

Love,
LL

PS, here is some local coverage just so you know I'm foooor real:

(billion dollar) strongest beer ever

Welllll some brilliant folks in Scotland have created the strongest beer in the world, weighing in around 41% alcoholic content. It goes a little something like this: take a sip, and hello I'm drunk. I would totally be up for trying this, but it cost close to $75. Holy balls with that price I better be drunk after one sip, and apparently they are telemarketing it that way "one drink and you're over the legal driving limit." Crap, that is strong.

I wonder if something like this would actually taste good. I would have to confer with my beer making friends/family, but I would imagine that this would be diffcult. Sure, I'm drunk after one sip but does it taste like acid going down my throat! Well if it is an IPA, I probably already feel that way :) Only kidding. I love beer. Beer and dragons alike.

music of the moment

Nicki Minaj has been running through my head lately. Tune up the bass:

OK let the cheese jokes begin

Congrats to those Packers.....now let's begin all the midwestern/cheese/snow bad puns:

• "Cheese stands along"
• "Pack where they belong"

There will be more tomorrow...

Also notable was this awkward moment in the first quarter, really A-Rod, really?

favorite VL telemarketing

First, tell me why 45 is XLV??? Why is it not just VL??? Anywho thoughts to ponder.

Here is LL's best superbowl telelmarketing of the night (we are the motorcity, this is what we do--imported from Detroit bitches):

photo feeds

I've become a fan of these odd Tumbr photo feeds. I have run across a couple of these feeds, for example jumping twi-hotttties added all kinds of other photos. Recently, there has been one with Tom Hanks as animals (well duh because "he is the greatest actor ever") and he tweeted how honored he was. I guess I particularly enjoy when the subject's of photo feeds find them, and make comments. People actually do spend their time with editing photos??? Totally funny. Makes me giggle. There are always some good ones.

I need connections to more feeds, where from my understanding anyone can post a picture and if tagged properly will also appear on the site feed. Loves it. Suggestions?

one way to stay warm

Here is some advise for all of you stuck in cold weather:

parking lot movie

Sooo we've been hearing some buzz lately about a new documentary coming out that was filmed for three years in good old Cville, called "The Parking Lot Movie". The movie is about a famous parking lot near the "corner" or what is also known as the epicenter of drunken UVA douchery. Here is one of the film's descriptions:

• "Over the course of three years, filmmaker Meghan Eckman tracked the comings and goings of a solitary parking lot in Charlottesville, Va., chronicling the lives of the attendants who were working there. This inspiring documentary is the result. Hanging tough as they navigate the range of human emotion -- from hope to frustration, from a sense of limitless possibilities to stagnation -- the film's subjects embody the pursuit of the American Dream."

I watched this (streaming live on Netflicks) last night and thoroughly enjoyed it! There were many times that I was laughing out loud, like when the hipster attendents would ask for 50 cents and some bitchy frat guy or middle-aged alumni dad driving a $50,000 Lexus with a pink popped collar would argue with them. Seriously? I think their point is that while idling to be a dick, you just wasted more than 50 cents in your gas guzzling gigantic car.

I've parked here before, and on principle always ALWAYS try to be nice to all people (of varying status, colors, genders, etc.). I never knew that it was known to be a philosopher post, where people would go to think about the larger world. As one of the attendant's said, "This is my job, it's not what I do". Ultimately, most of the attendants move on to bigger and better things, and some jobs are just a stop on the way to that. My favorite quotable line was:

• "What if Rosa Parks drove a car?" Orrr better yet, what if it was an SUV? What if she never got on that bus?
  

Things to think about this hump day.

picture of the day

LMFAO, still giggling over this one:

a nutball with psycho nails

OMG, this is just 22 years of nuts: