Learn Something New Every Day...

You have no idea how fun this is for me - just discovered this website and its fun widget tool. This is something that I would probably wear to work - what do you think?

I would wear this during the weekend....

This is a fun, casual "going-out" look...

And I just like this look as a general summer outfit...

Post your thoughts on my style choices! :)

Tongue-Tied

The thing that seems to be the hardest thing about blogging is that I don't have to much to say or write about. I seem to have a problem when it comes to things having to do with words, like talking or writing - I am so much more content to listen to other people or read what other people are thinking and/or doing in their lives. I know conversations are supposed to be two-way streets and I do that well at times. But at other times, I would just rather clam up and listen and think about what other people are saying.

The other thing that makes writing and/or carrying on a conversation difficult is coming up with a good question to ask. I generally just have random thoughts that come and go (and often make me laugh and leave other people thinking, "What a strange person..."). I wish I was one of those people that comes up with a good question to ask at a moment's notice. But unfortunately quick-thinking verbalization does not come easily to me. Even now, as I am typing this, I'm sitting here thinking, what in the world do I have to say and should I say it out on the world-wide web?

What is a remedy to help this? And what are ways to be sparked creatively?

So until the creativity is sparked, some random thoughts:

1. What a week in sports - from Tiger's heroic and dramatic US Open win to the Celtics completely annihilating the Lakers in the NBA Final Championship game, it has definitely been an awesome week for sports. The display of athleticisim, determination, and competitiveness was something I had not seen in a long time. (*Note - With all the controversy surrounding NBA officiating these days, I wouldn't be surprised if the Lakers are accused of throwing the game. On the one hand, it would make sense why they played so poorly. On the other, you would think they would have tried to make the game look more close than it did!)

2. Offshore drilling - Good idea or bad idea? Though I have strong environmental leanings these days, I tend to think that this actually wouldn't be a bad idea, especially after reading George Will's editorial column in the Post a couple of weeks ago which cited a fact that there are more foreign countries and oil companies drilling for oil in our offshore waters than US companies. And who gets those royalties? The foreign companies. Doesn't make much sense to me. On the other hand, I don't understand the reluctance to build nuclear power companies - if Americans really are serious about changing our energy habits, forget the corn and vegetable oil - that's not going to power your laptop, cell phone charger, flat-screen TV, HD-DVD player, lamps, surround-stereos, and hairdryers - we need a real energy solution, and France of all places has demonstrated that nuclear power is indeed a real solution for clean energy needs. I am looking very much forward to the release of Thomas Friedman's new book that talks about the need to change our energy consumption. His article in the New York Times is what convinced me that going green is a responsibility that we all must take, and that now is the time to take that definitive steps towards being environmental conservationists.

3. The platypus is one of the most venomous mammals in the world. Did you know that? I did and thanks to Wikipedia, that little fact let me prove to my family that I am indeed one of the smartest people that they know. Justification never feels so good than when you are proven right in the face of all the doubters and naysayers, especially when it is your family (or maybe, it's just my ultra-competitive family....And no, I don't remember why a platypus came up in our family dinner conversation) :) :)

Hilarious

This is why I love John Stewart and Co.

Nerd at Heart

I'm a techy nerd at heart - which is why all the cool improvements and enhancements that Blogger makes to its blogs are so fun to explore and try out.

You'll see a new page element on my sidebar called a "Blog List". Turns out that Blogger was having the same thoughts as I was about broadcasting to the world some different blogs to hang out at. I like going to all the blogs listed from time to time to see what's new with both my friends and strangers, because some are inspirational, some are challenging, and they all remind me that we are each a unique individual with our own individual thoughts trying to scrape our way through our own individual lives.

I'm going to keep trying out some new things here - experimenting with videos and slideshows courtesy of Picasa and other cool techy, html-y things that I can experiment with. I don't claim to be an expert at any of this - I just love exploring all the cool, fun possibilities of Web 2.0! Also, any recommendations that anyone has for my blog, please, send them on!!

A Sad Realization...

Sometimes I have the unfortunate realization at just how sad my life is at times. Most of the time I just live in blissful ignorance, ignoring the facts that I know about myself. And one of those facts is that I do like watching dating reality shows.

This hit me like a mac truck though last night when I ended up watching the re-run of Trista and Ryan's Wedding, the first Bachelorette to grace our television sets. The thing is, I watched this seminal television event the first time 5 years ago with a bunch of friends at college. I can clearly remember us all gathering together in our little living room on the worst couches in the world watching the blessed event with snacks and snide commentary. It was hilarious then and it was just as hilarious last night (if not more so) to watch it again last night.

But for some reason, in the midst of my laughter, I had the realization of just how many reality dating shows I have partaken in - The Bachelor (many seasons), The Bachelorette, Joe Millionaire, Average Joe. And I do have to admit that from time to time I will also willingly subject myself to an episode of the complete trash realm of reality dating shows - Elimidate, Flavor of Love, Rock of Love, MTV's Next. Then there are the random ones that I sometimes catch an episode or two of - Farmer Wants a Wife, Outback Jack.

It was then that I realized that I have spent more time WATCHING people on dating shows than actually GOING on dates. Is that sad? It seems like that should be a sad fact. And it could be that I should be more depressed about that than I am, but with so much else on my plate at this time, I don't think I have the capacity to be depressed about it right now.

So for now, I'm just going to laugh at my memories and good times of Trista and Ryan, Joe Millionaire (who could forget the closed caption incident??), Andrew Firestone, Bachelor Bobert (ick), Adam from Average Joe, and my new fav, DeAnna and her posse of men chasing after her (and ps, cannot believe that she intentionally staged falling off the bucking cow to see who would come help her first, AND that she eliminated my science nerd teacher, AND that mullet karate kid is still around, AND that she bought a star for the single dad's kid - so ridiculous, but oh so awesome!!).