incipit vita nova

I Missed The World's Biggest Margarita!

Jimmy Buffett and the Wounded Warrior softball team celebrated the opening of Jimmy's Margaritaville Casino at the Flamingo Las Vegas on Friday.

I can't believe I missed it, because they also made the world's largest margarita, which was certified by the Guinness Book of World Records!

This big baby is an 8,500 gallon margarita that will serve over 180,000 people called "Lucky Rita" and it's still on sale to the public: it's going to last a while. It was mixed up in a casino-sized container. For ever gallon sold, Margaritaville Casino will donate $5 to the Wounded Warrior softball team. All of the team members have suffered an amputation from being wounded in Afghanistan or Iraq. But they look extremely happy in this picture, which is the point of the Wounded Warrior project.

Life is AWESOME!

I've been working on a project related to adult learners and strengths assessment and reviewed several strengths assessment surveys and products recently. I even took the VIA character assessment - it is a 240 question survey that will give you a basic character strengths report online, with an in-depth profile for $40. For free, it told me that my #1 character strength was creativity, ingenuity and originality. Number 2 was zest, enthusiasm and energy, and #3 was curiosity and interest in the world.

So, I took advantage of all three this evening and had an awesome dinner at the Vintage Steak House at the San Juan Capistrano train depot! I saw not one, but two, big Santa Fe trains! Not Metrolink trains - real trains! With lots of cars!

 My fourth character strength, according to the survey, was industry, diligence and perseverence. I was not always this way, of course, but developed this over time. And my fifth strength was love of learning - also true - I am happiest when I am learning something new.

I hadn't been to the actual train depo in Capo since I was a little girl. It is very beautiful and nice. The Vintage Steak House was like what Pacific Dining Car should be - and at much better prices, with much more laid-back and friendly servers. It had an almost central coast feel to it, which is a good thing. 

There was a "count your blessings" aspect to the VIA character survey. I would recommend it to anyone, by the way. It is very important to focus on our strengths and, when life gets us down, remember that we all do have them! And - blessings. When I think about the little things we take for granted, or the fact that I have the opportunity to drive my beloved Land Rover to the beautiful Santa Fe depot in San Juan Capistrano to have a great meal and have tons of fun - and then come home to Mr. Badger, and get smothered in doggy kisses . . . and think about how fortunate I am to have Meredith and to have all my friends and my students and the truly awesome life I've had . . . 

It's very hard to feel down. Life is awesome.

Oh! Levi's Superlow Bootcut Jeans: Awesome. My soft white Nollie t-shirt: Awesome. Shopping in my closet: Awesome. Green Dragon yoga pants: Awesome. XCVI sweater: Awesome. 2 Wacom tablets: Awesome. Doing what I wanted to do all my life even if not all clients pay on time: Awesome!

Atlanta Nights: Help Make TOTAL DRECK!

Unfortunately, I'm sad to say that I was unable to contribute a chapter to the immortal fiction masterwork that is Atlanta Nights.  I'm sure that's all to the good. From page to film, filmmaker Rachael Saltzman has launched a Kickstarter campaign to make this amazing tale into the world's absolute rottenest, worst, drecktastic and wretched feature film ever to darken our theaters, home screens and other digital media.  Just click - if you haven't done a Kickstarter campaign before, now is definitely the time to start! 

 

 

Shopping: Groupon and Blank Jeans

I have been a Groupon member for ages now, and was a little put off when I saw that they were going to be bought by Google.  But . . . that hasn't happened yet!  If it does, I really hope that Google won't mess with the Groupon style, which is light, interesting and often hilarious!

This morning, they were selling a $10 for $20 Groupon for The Candy Chef in Alhambra.  The first sentence almost made me want to buy it even though I don't need a candy bouquet . . .

"Like most branches of the government, candy bars are rich, often split in two, and contain a few nuts that may or may not be covered in goop."

Hilarious!

* * * * *

Friday's Loehmann's find (on the 40% off rack + 25% coupon and 10% Insider Gold Club discount) was Blank Skinny jeans in a size (cough cough) 30 that almost exactly duplicate a favored pair from the 80's that was about the same size and fit.

The jeans I got are this style, but a much lighter gray wash.  Total 80's.

A feature of Blank Jeans is that they all have red zippers or red zip flies.

I decided to go for the designer jeans because I suddenly became able to stylishly wear a pair of Whitley Kros jeans that I'd bought almost 2 years ago . . . then later discovered that the cute WK white button and white tag on the rear was the LA-based brand worn by celebrities, Whitley Kros.

Also these new Blank Jeans were discounted to a ludicrously-low price . . .

* * * * *

Boot-O-Rama.  I've been really into boots lately, while following my new dictum that for every new pair of shoes or pants I get, I will donate or dispose of 2 . . .

A standard boot calf for women is now 15 inches, which should accommodate most calves of women within a normal size/weight range.  However, I've been really into ankle boots, which I guess I like because you can wear them with both pants and skirts.

I bought these guys in "Wine" color at another (cough) discount store.  The Loehmann's competitor is often horrible, but every once in a while, you can hit some awesome brands there . . .

OK, these are "Jessica Simpson" brand shoes.  In an ordinary world, I'd rather die than wear a "Jessica Simpson" brand shoe.  In fact, when her line started, I thought they were the cheapest-looking things ever - seemed to me they were ultra high-heel patent leather platform pumps exclusively.  But her line has totally branched out and there are some really great-quality looks, styles and shoes . . . case in point, these wine-colored "Minas" ankle boots, which get me several complements from all ages and types of people every time I wear them.  They're also a perfect match for my new "suit," which is my wine-colored Adrienne Vittidini skirt, long, straight Russian wool gabardine coat that's at least 10 years old, and some type of textured tight.

 

Amateur Cake Wrecks

I know that nothing can top the carrot-riding babies, but there were some pretty gnarly cakes in the WalMart SuperCenter in Lynchburg.  I don't know which of the two WalMart Supercenters in the area this was, so the two of them can argue as to which one's bakery excreted these "special" items.

 

 

 

 

Even though this looks like the "Lawnmower Man" cake, it was actually supposed to be a dog.  I think the 2 blue splotches are "eyes".

 

 

 

 

 

Meredith wanted to include this one due to the appearance of the black item on top of the dog's head.  I think either "coiled licorice wheel" or "Mary Poppins Hat" would be the nicest explanations for this.

  

 

 

 

I thought of a name for this one.  It's "Someone stepped on My Little Pony."

 

 

 

 

 

The Jimi Hendrix Experience Cake (this picture was taken on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - which in no way excuses it). 

Beautiful Nashville!

I managed to . . . wait for it . . . leave Los Angeles.  This is the first semi-vacation outside the state in like, forever, or it feels like forever.  That's not true of course, but it has been a while.

My cousin Beth is a Naval physician living with her family in Nashville and will be deploying to Afghanistan very soon.  She and her twin sister Sarah are my "sisters," i.e. the sisters I never had, and I love them so much.

Sarah graduated from nursing school at Vanderbilt University in Nashville and hasn't been back there since her graduation . . . some time ago!  We took Sarah by Vanderbilt and she was able to go by her sorority house and other areas.  Nearby is Centennial Park, with the world's only complete replica of the Parthenon.  Beth lives in West Nashville and I am going to put some of the gorgeous pictures of white Nashville.  It doesn't often snow to "stick" in Nashville.  It's not that cold here (mid-20's) but the White Christmas came to stay and it has been snowing lightly ever since . . . 

This is the Parthenon and memorial statue in Centennial Park, which is right by Vanderbilt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I noticed there was a gryphon on each corner of the south side of the building (could not see on the other side, which features the biggest bronze doors in the world!).  The Parthenon was built in 1897 for Nashville's Centennial celebration.  I wondered if a gryphon was an authentic Athenian decoration.  Maybe it is a winged lion?

 

 

 

 

Beth's back yard has quite a bit more snow than other areas of Nashville - some school districts are closed here and some are not. Those are river birch trees, and I think elms.  The pool is in great shape!  Somehow I don't think I'm up to a swim . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

After we went to Vanderbilt we ate lunch at Rotiers which is a tradition for Vandy students and grads.  I was really impressed by the ladies room, which is covered in mostly g-rated graffiti.  This is the SOUTH.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is probably why I have what few good looks I have . . . Sarah, and Beth.

 

 

 

By the Power of Grayskull!

75 million years ago, this very wicked spaceman murdered BILLIONS of innocent people with horrible hydrogen bombs.

His evil is clearly evident here, from his hideous Skeletor mask to his vile arched brows and bald pate. 

If this were a better-resolution picture of a BBC television depiction, clearly the boils on this horrific villain's pate would be more evident.  However, the neck roll is clearly demarcated by the broad, dark line running from his patchy Fu-Manchu beard to the back of his fat-mottled neck.

You can see the intergalactic power belt restraining his massive, wicked gut, and the old-style analog record so ingloriously decorating his villainous wrist.  Death, death and destruction for this horrible egotist's power-mad visions, harming our lives and psyches to this day.  Where is He-Man when you need him?

Les Grossman's Back!

I was so excited to see that Les Grossman is working again - what an amazing show last night at the MTV Movie awards!

Watch the 2010 MTV Movie Awards at MTV.com!

Oh - just in case you're worried that anti-Semitism is far too rampant, I am pretty sure Les is supposed to be of the Hebraic persuasion.  And can he dance?  Oy!

Hot Orson Welles

That's tough . . . crumb crust coating . . . We know a certain fjord in Norway . . . we know a little place in the American Northwest where Charlie Briggs chops up . . . this is a lot of s*** . . .

I wouldn't direct any living actor like this in Shakespeare!  . . . Now what is it you want - in the depth of your ignorance.  What is it you want??

So, in answer to the question, "Orson Welles Hot" - yeah, he sure was something in his heyday.

Before my time, but you're just not breathing if you don't love Orson Welles, even big old Falstaff Orson Welles wearing the Liberty Bell as armor (see last picture).  

 

And . . . the famous Frozen Peas commercial -

Great Book and Blog for Moms and Kids Alike

I want to give a shoutout to my friend Laura Diamond, who I know from Beyond Shelter.  Laura is Beyond Shelter's current board president and she's been an amazing volunteer and supporter as long as I've been there.

Laura has her own blog and a great book that she edited of true essays on parenthood called Deliver Me. Laura's got a great voice and everything she writes rings very true.

If you're a parent or a child, you can't go wrong reading Laura.  I think that covers just about everybody out there.  Funny, bittersweet and insightful - this describes Laura's writing.

So go go go!!  Take a few minutes to read and discover a great new voice!  I recently heard from my friend Susan Koppelman, the literary historian, again after a several-year hiatus.  I think Laura's writing would fit right in if you enjoy the many books that Susan has edited of writing from women.