schmoovenet

I should probably talk about Paris. Part Ib: Disneyland photos!

0 | February 22nd, 2012 | Posted in paris, travel, vacation

At the Earl of Sandwich (again, shut up) jetlagged but not caring. Over my left (your right) shoulder you can see the Sequoia Lodge where we stayed. Super compact. Photo by Brent.

Arcades
One of the Arcades that runs behind Main Street. Simple, but definitely in my top five attractions.

Castle
The Castle. There is a dragon underneath but he was closed when I was there. There was a weird moment when a family asked me in French to take their picture in front of the castle. Their French wasn’t much better than mine. It was an interesting moment. Also, I had to retake their pic a couple of times.

Just like in the US parks, if you stand in the alcoves off of Main Street you hear “conversations” that pertain to the businesses around you.

Phantom Manor. Gloomy and creepy! Photo by Brent

Studios
After you walk into the Studios you go through this night scene. It’s fun and old-Hollywood style.

There is something similar in the Orlando Studios park, only it’s Singin’ In The Rain themed. In France of course it is Les Parapluies De Cherbourg themed.

I should probably talk about Paris. Part I: Arrival and Disneyland

0 | February 19th, 2012 | Posted in paris, travel, vacation

It’s not that I don’t enjoy talking about it, I do. In fact, I might be one of those annoying people who says that I can’t find a good macaron in town (Laura’s home-made ones are the exception as they are incredible) and I’ve actually said aloud that Coach bags are dead to me now that I’ve found Lancel and Longchamp. Look, I don’t have a good reason other than my love/apathy relationship with blogging. Also, microblogs and social networking have killed blogs for the most part. Whatevs.

The start was slightly rough. Not literally, but the Atlanta plane’s takeoff was delayed by about 30 minutes. I immediately flashed back to horror stories I’d read of people being stuck on planes for hours without food, water, or toilet. Not to mention arriving late and missing the plane to Paris and the meet-up time I’d set with Brent and Aubrey at Charles DeGaulle. Apparently delays were built in to the flight time so we actually arrived on time. I’m not going to complain about Atlanta’s airport because they had free wifi, plugs for charging, and excellent food court choices.

On the plane I sat next to a man who spends 28 days on, 28 days off as a trainer of international fire fighters somewhere in Africa. He complained about it, but come on. I would love a job that involves travel to exotic places with long spans of off time. Plus all the frequent flyer miles! I’m not young forever. I’m not young now.

I am a sucker for on-board individual entertainment units. I will spare you the details and say that I fell asleep during movies I hadn’t seen (Back to Square One/Case Depart, Cedar Rapids, Little Miss Sunshine) and was wide awake through one I had seen (Bridesmaids). I also managed to stay awake through Midnight in Paris which was better than I anticipated.

Also, yes, we started at Disneyland. Wouldn’t you want to ease yourself into the Parisian experience by starting with the most American part of France? We are Disney people. Disneyland Paris is very American–particularly western/frontier-y. We met up at baggage claim and made our way to the Disneyland bus. It was rainy and gross and we sped toward the park watching the on-board video. In one scene they showed the Sequoia Lodge (our hotel) and a happy child running in and jumping on the bed. Of course when I attempted to do so once we arrived the bed was so hard I didn’t bounce one bit.

We pushed through our lack of sleep and hit the parks right away. It’s familiar yet new. Here’s a picture to break up the wall of text.

By 6 pm we were starting to crash so we went back to the room. I slept for more than 12 hours.

I’ll spare you Disney details so I’ll switch to round-up style:

Good things:

Cinemagique is one of those movies-with-bonus attractions that Disney does well and I wish they would bring it to the US–maybe when they finally get rid of the dated-looking Captain EO. Martin Short, Julie Delpy, and Alan Cumming are involved.
Crush’s Coaster is a great indoor coaster experience. It’s a sort of wild mouse with controlled spin.
Behind the Main Street shops are these Arcades with display cases and cafe tables. It’s a nice quiet area and provides a conduit to get to the meat of the park.
Phantom Manor is legitimately creepy. Not scary, but definitely a Memento Mori.
Discoveryland has a fun Jules Verne feel.
Lots of walk-throughs.
The most handsome man I ever saw was at the Starbucks in Disney Village. Honestly. I was there with Brent and while the barista had stepped away from the register I said in English that he was very, very good looking. Brent gave me a weird look and didn’t respond. As we walked away Brent commented that the barista knew English and heard what I said. I said I don’t care if he heard me. In fact, he should thank his parents for me.

Bad things:

For the most part roller coasters were ROUGH. Aside from the Crush Coaster and Big Thunder I felt in danger of getting a concussion.
No mickey bars
In fact, not a lot of great food options.
No duelling pirates in Pirates of the Caribbean. I guess they took it out?
Missed the dragon under the castle because it was closed.
The Rock N Rollercoaster pre-show isn’t about Aerosmith recording an album but Aerosmith the roller coaster designers. You read that right.
Smoking everywhere. Now, before you say anything, know that before we left we were assured that smoking was limited to designated areas and that it wouldn’t bother me. Oh, it did. and at the entrance of every attraction there was a no-smoking sign.

Next up, Disney pictures!

Tagged in: travel paris

Keeping the world grammatically correct

0 | December 7th, 2011 | Posted in Uncategorized

I appreciate good grammar. Mine isn’t perfect but I do have my pet peeves. Misplaced apostrophes really set me off. The Old Navy near my house has signs in all the dressing rooms with this error. I spotted it, fixed it, and sent it to Apostrophe Catastrophes. Well, I spotted it, fixed it, then went into empty dressing rooms and fixed those, and then sent it; this Old Navy often has no fitting room attendants so it’s a cheap clothing free for all.

Tuesday is what, exactly?

Well, I graduated

1 | July 31st, 2011 | Posted in celebrations, school

I posted it on the various social media forums in advance but wasn’t sure myself that it would happen. My blog goes back far enough back so that you can track and see my progress, but here’s the quick run down on why:
commencement begins

All of the SEC are represented with flags but UT’s color choice is easily the most noticeable.

I finished in August 2009. I was one of the last classes in my program to not require a thesis project so it was just nine semesters of varied classes (mostly in Creative Arts for which I earned a CERTIFICATE). My last class ended with a campus scavenger hunt that finished in a TGIFridays (say what you will, they make fancydrinks like no other). I did not walk at the end of summer because my school, Vanderbilt University, only has one ceremony a year and let me tell you, they TURN IT OUT (more on this later).
I was late filing my intent-to-graduate form so I didn’t officially graduate until December 2009, twelve years after I got my BA. At this point I was planning a trip to Zambia and I think this was about the time I realized the two conflicted, I would be in Zambia in May 2010 when most of my school friends would walk in Commencement. I wrote the proper authorities and they consented to let me walk in May 2011. I continued to get mailings, brochures, and frantic emails asking why I hadn’t ordered regalia yet. I emailed the proper authorities and they assured me that it was a mistake and I was due to walk in May 2011. As it turned out, my name was in the big program of graduates. Uh oh.
I followed up in January 2011. They had me on the list but hadn’t sent me any of the stuff they’d sent the year before. So they sent me two Commencement guides. I ordered my regalia and later got an email asking why I hadn’t and I needed to get this done and omg omg omg but it was all sorted out in the end. Regalia ordered, later picked up and ooohed over.

regalia
Yeah, we fancy.

Let’s get to the day of (how’s THAT for Master’s level grammar?). I had planned to take the bus to the gathering place to avoid parking. Of course it rains, which means the glorious lawn ceremony moves into the cramped gym. As noted on one of the Overheard at VU sites “only public schools graduate indoors.” So I have to drive. I decide to leave an hour earlier and park in my regular work lot but that was a mistake. I was stuck in traffic and let me tell you, nothing makes me Hulk out like traffic. I get there with barely any time to spare and don’t even have my regalia on yet! I run through the gym’s lobby putting the stuff on and shouting “Move! Graduate coming through! Running late! I’m actually graduating and have to be somewhere! MOVE!!” I get to my gathering point and my hood is on upside down, apparently. They’re complicated, you see. Luckily, my friend Bates is there and he calms me down and gets my hood going the right way. Oh, they make you rite SOOOOO many papers but can they take five minutes to explain this? They answer is no, they do not, but they do give you a picture that’s incorrect.

So now we wait. They had us pretty high up in the gym which seems like a slight but was actually to our benefit. See, I don’t think this place is air conditioned. They hand out fans and water because of this. Up in our perch we had room to spread out and since we were in the upper atmosphere it was much cooler. My friend Laura shows up (she’s the PHd pictured above and NO this does not make her Dr Laura, do not even ask) and gets to sit next to me since we are both in The Graduate School even though she’s getting a REAL degree and I’m getting a personal enrichment degree (Fancy phrase for “no, this degree will not get me a better job, but thanks for asking”).

We are awed during the touching parts of the ceremony, we giggle during the other parts. I kept wanting to yell “10 points to Gryffindor” except Laura tells me she’s Hufflepuff (we still talk but the damage can’t be repaired). Then it’s time for us graduate students to go.

See, if it hadn’t rained we would be on a giant lawn and then we’d go a few feet to a different lawn for the conferring of degrees. You might think since it’s raining they’d keep us where we are, but no, we still go to the different lawn even though it’s now significantly further away. It’s drizzling but nothing that will kill us so we head off. It’s amazing how few cars wanted to stop for this giant line of folks in heavy gowns but whatevs, they just jealous.

filing in
After the agony of getting my hood wrong and the glory of finally getting it right we have to take them off and carry them in.

We get line up according to degree conferred (we’re behind the MFAs, those lucky ducks) and march in. Another program is handed out and I look up my name and Laura’s to get an idea of where she’s sitting and how long after me she gets hooded. Fun fact: Laura’s sitting two seats over from an ex-boyfriend. Someone I don’t want to deal with at all on this wonderful day where I actually feel hopeful! But we all get hooded, we all clap, and I get my picture professionally taken but never get a copy. Then the food.

First, the Graduate School has its own reception with delicious tartlets and melt in your mouth macarons. Tiny sandwiches. Fancy foods! But this is not what I was looking forward to.

STRAWBERRIES

Strawberries and champagne! I’ve never had strawberries as good as they serve at commencement, I don’t know where they come from but they have many tables like this. Champagne at a nearby table. It was crowded as hell so we got in and got out. You could tell the undergrads from the grad students: The undergrads were quick to get out of their gowns and had them draped over arms or over parents’ arms. Grad students were sweating it out with heavy hoods around the necks.

“Oh yeah. I guess I should’ve gotten dad a glass of champagne. These are mine, though.”

I turned in my regalia (dropped unceremoniously in a box) but kept the hat and tassel. As I was leaving the drop off point I saw this:

Comanche Empire
A sign of things to come?

And later had a nice facebook post from my friend Mary who told me to stop by Ben and Jerry’s, there was a graduation present waiting for me!

YUM

Spring running wrap up

0 | April 17th, 2011 | Posted in training

I said this wouldn’t become a training blog and it won’t, but I feel like I should at least talk about something that’s been a big focus for the past few months. I’m taking a few weeks off and then half marathon training starts. Good times? Let’s hope so.

The first race of the season was the Resolution Run, previously reported here. It’s a nice run through downtown and over the river. Rating: 8/10, because coming down the slope of the pedestrian bridge on a drizzly day is ROUGH. The black eyed peas were a nice touch.
Early in the season I got some compression shorts. It’s exactly what it sounds like. I tried running in them and they certainly compress appropriately, but the first time I used them they, um, didn’t stay where they needed to. The first run was essentially me vs the compression shorts on the battlefield of the indoor track at the YMCA. I figured out the issue, all is well.
The Predators Fangtastic 5K was the February race. Also through downtown, at times it seemed like it was uphill both ways. A nice challenge. The Girls on the Go water station kept me going. Rating: 7/10, lots of hills, kind of expensive, but fees included a ticket to a Predators game. Only food after was crappy, cold bagels.
I was told that the Tom King Classic 5K was cool because you run around LP Field and see yourself on the jumbotron and afterwards they had a huge breakfast buffet. Sure enough, all these things were true and the course was nice and flat, although the scenery wasn’t that great at times. Rating: 9/10. They also have a half-marathon which I might consider depending.
First non-chip timed race was the Shade Tree Trot 5K. Easily the poorest planned race of the season. I was treated somewhat shabbily at packet pick up. Race day the start line wasn’t clearly marked (they had a sign and cones on the ground, but with the crowds I couldn’t exactly see them. Lots of volunteers along the way which was nice. I understand that the course was partially on a busy road but please, either close the road or move the course onto the beautiful Vanderbilt campus, I shouldn’t have to run on the sidewalks for a competitive event. At the end were donuts (hell yes) and a wayyyy too loud cover band. Rating: 6/10.
My last race for a little bit was the Purity Dairy Dash 10K. Mostly flat, partially scenic (along the levee at Metrocenter), mac and cheese and ice cream after. However, I didn’t see a single volunteer, although there was a paramedic or something at one point with a nearby ambulance. That’s nice and appropriate but the water table was decimated by the time I got there, no volunteer to keep things neat and tidy and you had to actually stop and fill up your own water cup. Rating: 8/10, next year maybe have two water stops and a few volunteers along the way.

North Carolina Wrap Up

0 | January 30th, 2011 | Posted in travel

I kept getting the question “why are you going there?” I guess people don’t go to anywhere in NC except the coast, and in January even the coast was cold. The main reason I went was to see some of Mingering Mike’s original artwork at the Nasher museum on the Duke University campus. I won’t recount the whole story here, you can read the book if you want to know more. Anyway, it’s a fascinating story and this is the closest it would be to me. The plan was to go last year in the fall but it didn’t work out.

Because people don’t go on vacation in January I was able to use my meager Hilton HHonors points to stay at a very nice Doubletree. I looked up other sites along the way and planned it all. Some of the highlights:

My friend Tamara took me to her weekly swing dance lesson. I had taken lessons when I was 15 so I had a little knowledge but needed a refresher. I apparently remembered more than I thought because the teacher asked me to slow down.
When I was a teen I went to a Presbyterian youth retreat in Montreat, NC, not far from Asheville, but never actually saw Biltmore. One time we drove to the now non-existent Biltmore dairy bar even. It was nice to see it with so few people crowding the joint, even though there were lots of seniors who just stood in the middle of walkways making it difficult to get by.
Speaking of Montreat, I made a quick drive through for the first time since I was 19. It has not changed a bit which is how it should be.
Buying wine in grocery stores only makes sense, but you still can’t do it in TN. You can do it in NC, and I was surprised to find that there was a Costco house brand champagne.
If Charlotte can have an Ikea why can’t Nashville?
I also saw some old derby friends in Durham. It was a fun, low key night.
I had sushi three times, twice were in converted fast food restaurants. Progress!
Seeing the Mingering Mike exhibit was wonderful. Worth the trip. Some of the rest of the stuff? Well, it was hit or miss.
On my way back I decided to stop in Pigeon Forge. I didn’t have trouble finding a hotel with a vacancy, I did have a hard time finding a hotel with more than one car in the lot. It was weird to see this tourist town almost totally dark. I eventually found a place where I could watch Mean Girls while relaxing in a jacuzzi tub. I did not stop at the Grand Hotel, but considered it, and the next day found out it was the dirtiest in the US.

How did you start your 2011?

0 | January 1st, 2011 | Posted in good times, health, training

Let me state straight off that I don’t like New Year’s Resolutions. If you want to change your life do it when it needs changing. Not that changes are ever bad, mind you, but do them when you feel the need to change.

My last attempts to run for exercise ended poorly, with me getting annoyed by the whole thing and quitting. I got the itch to try again a few months ago but was troubled by a calf injury that had me restricted to bike riding and elliptical (I even had to minimize walking, if you can believe that). I had to wait patiently and then started up with intervals. I’m coming along slowly but I’ll get there.

After it was posted on our derby league’s blog I signed up for something called the Warrior Dash, essentially a 5K with some obstacles thrown in for funzies. I’ve got a ways to go, so to start out my year I signed up for the Resolution Run 5K through parts of downtown Nashville. I’d done it in 2004, so I kind of knew the course and got periodic updates by email.

Before the race our group gathered and decided to keep warm and dry in the lobby of the Hilton. All of a sudden my friend Amy starts pushing me out the door saying “look, look, look, over there, trust me.” I never saw anything, so she kept pushing and pulling me to find out where this guest had gone.

It was Little Richard. I yelled “I love you!” and he yelled back “thank you.”

And thank you, Amy.

Remember, if it weren’t for Little Richard there would be no Prince.

PS I don’t want this to become a training blog, but perhaps I’ll post interesting events that occur as I get ready for the Warrior Dash in September.

Chicago Wrap Up

0 | December 30th, 2010 | Posted in roller derby, travel

Sadly, I have no pictures for you. I took one at a friend’s request, but deleted it. Quelle dommage!

I went for derby but ended up exploring the hell out of Chicago. I completely fell in love with the city.
Trader Vic’s was far better than I expected. Not the food, definitely don’t go there for the food. The drinks. They’re incredible. So well crafted. I thought there was no way they could live up to the hype but BOY do they.
Everyone was pleasant. Not sickly sweetly nice like they are here, but nice when the situation called for it. And so, so normal. Just folks. I’ve never felt more welcome than I did in Chicago.
Our first night was a free night at the Art Institute. WOW. I could’ve spent days there. All these wonderful classics in the same building. I was able to see “Sunday at La Grande Jatte” and BOY was it great. I had to look at it both from as far away as I could (it is HUGE) and up close to take in all the detail. My favorite piece was “The Portrait of Dorian Gray” by Ivan Albright. Go ahead, google it! We also found out from a docent about the Thorne Rooms, a collection of miniature rooms. I wouldn’t have known about it, and it made my visit better!
The Museum of Science and Industry is an all day thing. Seriously. Plan ahead. We spent maybe two hours there and could’ve easily stuck around. The Coal Mine was super cool, but the best was the Henson exhibit (not there all the time, ends in January I believe). We also saw the lady who won the Month in the Museum contest but didn’t get a chance to chat.
Watching derby was great. I saw the best teams in the world compete. I missed parts because of my explorations, but what I saw was amazing. I hope to make it to Denver next year, and hope that Nashville will be there to compete.

Movie catch up: Easy A and Machete

0 | November 13th, 2010 | Posted in movies

Dear Lindsay Lohan,

Hey! Sorry I didn’t get this to you sooner, but for a while there none of us really knew where you’d be. Hey, hang in there. One day at a time, right?

I saw this movie last month and it made me think of you. It’s “Easy A” and it stars Emma Stone. She plays a high school student who creates a fake reputation in order to improve her school status. As one might think it builds and gets out of her control. It’s a fun movie. But why am I telling you about this? Because I think there was a time you could’ve taken this role and done a great job.

IMDB tells me you’re only two years older than Emma Stone. Now, don’t get me wrong, Emma Stone is a great actress. She really did great at this role (as well as Zombieland, which I also recommend). However, I think she’s walking in your footsteps, taking roles you could’ve handled easily. Sure, at 24 you’re hardly high school age, but look at Ian Ziering (it’s a little before your time, honey, so wikipedia might be your pal in this situation). He played high schooler in his 30s with a receding hairline!

“Easy A” reminded me so much of “Mean Girls” in the sense that it was a teen movie that wasn’t preachy, wasn’t out of touch, and was enjoyable for all audiences. I went into both without the highest of expectations and I came out of both pleasantly surprised. They should BOTH be required viewing for girls turning 12. Hell, I wish they’d been around for me. I was kind of a bad person back then but highly susceptible to pop culture.

We all make bad decisions, but yours are public. I saw Machete (mainly because I’m afraid Danny Trejo would slit my throat in my sleep if I didn’t) which you were in. I thought your role could’ve been better defined, but it wasn’t bad. What’s terrifying are your lip implants. Honey, I don’t begrudge anyone a little bit of plastic surgery, but you look OLD. Plastic surgery is supposed to do the opposite. I’m about to turn 35 and you look as old as I do. Take a break. Step away from everyone in your life because clearly they have no good advice for you. You’re no Elvis, but think how much longer he could’ve lived and how much better his quality of life would’ve been if he had NOT followed the Colonel’s advice? You’re still young. No need for fish lips. Do they go away? Can you get them taken out?

There was a time people told my sister that she resembled you. It used to be a compliment, but it isn’t anymore. Please make it a compliment again! Many of us are rooting for you. We know you have talent, you can do this.

Meanwhile, I hope your character from Machete gets a spinoff or a bigger role in the sequel.

This week in movies: Catfish

0 | September 20th, 2010 | Posted in movies

I had the opportunity to attend n advance screening of Catfish last week. If you’re not familiar, here is the trailer. Go ahead watch. This isn’t going anywhere.

It looks intriguing, doesn’t it? Almost like a thriller? They bring up HITCHCOCK for cryin outside! I’m not immune to online hype and trailers like this. So I for sure decided to go to the free screening.

And I’m not going to spoil it. Mainly because you probably already know what happens. You can easily figure it out, but since it’s a documentary it is still shocking. There is interesting editing too–scenes that at first seem like throw-aways end up being important to the eventual revelation.

It’s worth seeing. We all live online. Many of my friends use social media as a substitute for actual interaction. If you ask me what a certain person is up to, in most cases I can point you to a service that will answer that question. I have friends who I have known exclusively online and have never met in person. I have no reason to doubt these people are who they say they are. We transfer the level of trust we have in those we meet face to face to those we meet online. Is this a good thing? I can’t answer that, but I can point you in the direction of Catfish.