Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Bret and Jemaine in T-minus 24 hours!

Yes, that's right. The inspiration for this blog's title, Flight of the Conchords, are coming to Chi-town tomorrow!!!

I actually saw a tour bus go through the historic neighborhood that I happen to work in. I bet it's them and their manager wanted to take them on an architetural tour.I can't figure out what in the hell to wear, as I do not want to appear lame as they clap eyes with me in the very last row of the theater. Yeah.

Blogging + Blackberry = huge nerd

Bye, Bret.

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Car Talk: Seal

The following is a paraphrased conversation held between the two writers of this blog driving home from a nice afternoon at the Chicago Botanic Gardens and a scenic drive through the North Shore at approximately 8:45 p.m.:

[ Song starts up on the radio]

alex: Do you know what song this is?

Laura: Yes.

alex: What song is it?

Laura: It's that one from the thing... I know it!

a: It's "Fly Like an Eagle" by The Steve Miller Band.

L: Yeah, I knew that... only I preferred the Seal version better, which is why I couldn't come up with it right away.
[Sidebar: I could not actually identify the song, but alex likes to push you in to admitting that you don't know something he knows everything about, hence the above artful dodging]

a: From the Space Jam soundtrack??

L: Yeah! My sister loved that soundtrack when she was younger, and I really liked that song.

a: And R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fl--"

L: STOP!!! I hate that song.

a: Apparently, Seal has a large package... Apparently....

L: ... Obviously.

a: I'm just saying, that's what I hear...

L: I don't think that was ever really in question. Seal is hot -- I think so, because Laura Winslow thought so in that episode where she goes to the Seal concert and remarks how "Fooooiiiine" he is. Since we have the same name, I agree.

a: Yeeeah. Remember "Kiss from a Rose"?

[Long story omitted about how my local morning zoo show would play the same line up every morning and I woke up to aforementioned song almost every morning of sixth grade. Actually, that's pretty much the story...]

L: I still really like that song, even though it makes me remember almost every article of clothing I had in sixth grade.

a: I loved when he harmonized....

L&a in perfect harmony: "I.... IIIII've been Kissed by a rose"

a: "On the grave" L: "On the flame!"

L: .... Hmmm, it's probably on the grave. I honestly don't know any for the words from that song... just the melody.

a: Me neither.

L: "Theeeere's a leaning tower on the wrong side of me" wait... or maybe it's "Lonely Tower" [Totally wrong. Totally, totally wrong]

a: I really don't know...

[Silence follows then we both shout in perfect unison]

My power, My Pleasure, MY PAIIIN!

a: BAYYY A BAAAAY

L: Shooba dooba lone addiction skibaskiba ba bam... A Did you know... that when it snows... my eyes become wide and the light that you shine can be seen?

a: I think it's "My eyes become large"[He's right, once again]

L: Ew, that sounds weird... Welp, I just figured out what you'll be spending your last four dollars in ITunes on...

a: Heidi Klum's one lucky bitch.

L: He's totally Foooine.

[Fin]

You don't know the words either, so just watch the awesome ass video!



Seal: Totally Foooine

Thursday, May 1, 2008

World Issue Alert: Congo

Today's World Issue is brought to you by the Diane Rehm Show from WAMU in Washington. I started listening to Diane Rehm on the world's tiniest NPR Station in Oxford, Ohio. Don't get me wrong, I love me some Chicago Public Radio, but I miss Diane's book reviews and Friday news round up... (Don't we all?)

I miss, therefore I podcast. Diane went for the serious issues on Monday, tackling Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and the terror that is everyday life for women in the Congo. John Prendergast and Linda Jackson were featured as her guests and, while I had hear whisperings of the atrocities, Linda's new film The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo is telling the story of survivors who have been abused and mutilated in a war that has claimed over five million lives. We can contribute by informing ourselves about what's happening to these woman and the context of all of this violence. Listening to the podcast is a great place to start - both panelists offer a concise history of the problems in Congo and refer to additional resources and NGO's that are working for these women and children.

Organizations to Look Into:

Women for Women International


ENOUGH Project

Amnesty International

I know that this blog is all over the place, but that's how life is. I might work in the non-profit sector and lean to the left politically, but I can also be frivolous, into material things and have a weird hobby. I think that's the paradox of being an informed individual in Western society. I've spent years feeling guilty, but now I just try to do what I do when I can and I'll try to work it all out into a nice little package later.

From Women to Women's Mother's Day Card Campaign