Beer Coozies vs Beer Cozies

So which one is it? Is it Beer Cozy? OR Beer Coozie? And then do we get into spelling differentials: Beer Cozie, Beer Koozie, Beer Coozy, Beer Coozey? As a Seattle-ite by birth, I grew up with the use of Beer Cozy. But after years of living in New York, I am tongue-tied and often say, Beer Coozy. I will have to conclude it is a colloquial slang word that depends on the area you are in. Does this problem happen in other languages...German? Spanish? etc...

I have somehow gotten it in my head that for my next birthday I want to make beer coozies with something on them in honor of the event! But as I looked at prices, I realized it might not make the birthday budget.

As I looked through the Google search options, I discovered another exciting development! I have been on a quest for over two years now to find time to learn to knit, and I found the perfect knitting project:

Knitting Pretty



But maybe the easiest thing to make is found here: They Look Yummy!

What I forgot for my Buenos Aires trip

It's funny when one prepares for a trip, you go over the list in your mind. Over and over. You write it down. But usually there are always items that will be labeled: The Forgotten.

My Forgotten:

• Hair rubberbands
• the usb/firewire chord from my camera to computer
• sunscreen
• mosquito repellent

Then there are the overnight trips, the ones where you pack an overnight bag? Well, my dad and I went to the beautiful, charming Ombu Estancia for an overnight. AND would you believe it? I went to all the trouble to pack a bathing suit for the trip to Buenos Aires (just in case) and lo and behold... I forgot to pack it on my overnight trip! And not only was it hot and beautiful but there were two pools to swim in! In retrospect I should have definitely completed a daring midnight skinny dip in the second pool, far removed from the rooms, however some sort of modesty must have overtaken me. No swim in the country for me!

Willem Dafoe, Red Meat, and traveling by taxi

Our first night, my dad and I journeyed in a taxi to La Cabrera, a lovely restaurant in Palermo. Its the kind of restaurant that just does it right. My dad and I went twice on our first trip. I really liked it, and evidently so do a lot of people. It's always busy, but the thing that I love is while you wait outside they feed you appetizers and give you free glasses of wine or champagne. Who wouldn't like that? We were somehow magically seated right away. I like to think it was my amazing charm when I spoke to the host, or it was the respect for my father as an elder/senior "padron" (my dad's words) or it was because we were only 2, and the people waiting were all large groups (most definetly the latter). When you order the beef entries they bring them out on a cutting board along with small little dishes of various things. Kind of like when you get Korean food and they bring you all the dishes, but its Argentinian style. I do love the little dishes of all cultures! So, yes my vegetarian and vegan readers, I am sorry to admit I ate meat!

And Willem Dafoe was there! Very Handsome! He was eating there too! Most recently known as the Green Goblin in Spiderman/Norman Osborn, although he has an extremely extensive resume.

I awoke the second day in Argentina to my dad's voice in the other room, it was time to wake up. We had met a lovely taxi driver the day before and arranged to meet him at 9:30 am outside of the building of the apartment we are staying in.

We went to Tortoni, were fortunate to arrive before the hordes of tourists unloaded from the buses.

There was nice light, old photos covered the walls and we had a traditional Argentinian breakfast. Un Cafe doble, jugo de naranga, y un medialuna (double espresso, fresh squeezed orange juice, and a small croissant).

Mmmm. I will have to say my favorite traveler's breakfast was in Spain: pan tostada con tomate (toasted baguette style bread with tomato that has been grated through a cheese grater with olive oil poured on top, then salted and peppered- yummy!).

Scandal makes us question a leader

On Moblogic.tv Lindsay discusses the woman's side. Judgement is made. Scandal is among us!

On Amanda's blog she also commented on the subject and questions Lindsay. click here.

(and ah, extra marrital crap/scandal/mishap-I always have an opinion!)

Here we have a well crafted hypocritical situation, man cheats on wife, breaks laws, we judge man, man goes from governer to just another slimey politician, man resigns, wife stands by man, we criticize her for doing so. We judge: Cry! stay home! Just don't do, uh...that! ...is there anything right to do in this situation?

I am so frustrated and I keep going around in circles. I think the issue is not with Silda the Mother nor with Silda the wife or Silda the political figure, nor even with the Silda the Leader/ role model. The host of Moblogic.tv, Lindsay Campbell does bring in an interesting dialogue, however I think the problem is with the frustration that this strong women is made to deal with her husband's scandal. She is a powerful women and her husband is weak and trying to bring her down with her. We are sick of the scandals, we are tired of men pissing on the trees, getting the blow jobs, taking the bribe, sleeping with the prostitute. We want women in that position. We want the woman running the scandal. HA- we want women not running the scandal, that sounds better, can we handle it, ladies? We want more women on the other side of politics. Not just the first lady and not just the wife.

Well, I think that is happening...just taking a lot longer than some of us may want or like.

Check out some facts about Silda on http://www.ny.gov/governor/firstfamily/sildabio.html
She is way more than just a wife. She doesn't seem very weak.

More Questions:
As a wife, I say wow, how big of you to forgive your husband for such a scandal (if that were the case then she is a sacred healer and ready for enlightenment?).
On the other hand...As a ROLE MODEL... I say what kind of example are you giving us? Suck it up ladies?
As a ROLE MODEL how are you helping women that are in similar situations be strong and leave their husband?

As a MOM, I say good for you. As a mom, I think did Silda know about the affair? We simply can hypothesize all we want but ultimately we will just wait and see what truth unfolds, only Silda knows that one... on a positive note at least we weren't talking about Britney for a day! :) But lets be real here for a moment. No matter what Eliot Spitzer did, he is still a dad. He may not be the best dad, but he is the only dad those children have. His name is already being thrown all over the paper, his children will not spared from knowing of his father's scandal. Does there mom need to make it worse by shutting herself off from her children's dad? A lot of men "can't keep it in there pants" but can still be there as a dad. Dad's are not perfect, and Eliott Spitzer is definetly not so. He has proven this since he royally f*!#ed up in such a major way...it's obvious to all of us, but remember he can't be fired or resign from being a dad.

As women, we have always worn so many different hats, we are caregiver, mother, daughter, wife, lover, proffessional, and more all at the same time. Here is a woman who's husband just f*!#ed up, and he f*!#ed up everything. She had to be bigger than him, and bigger than us. She has kids to think about. Next she has her career to think about, and then journalists to think about, and finally us. She is on a stage in front of journalists, cameras, television audiences, and she is standing there facing us all, knowing our judgement hovers, will leap out any minute - only momentarily held in from our pursed lips. She didn't hide inside, she faced us, she stood up to our judgement, because no matter what she did, we would be there, waiting. BUT it is also not her mistake, it's his. HIS mistake. HIS crime. HIS resignation.

And she has to clean up the pieces with him or without him.

SO....I don't know, a woman shows tears on a campaign (ahem...Hillary) and she is weak? A woman stands by her man and she is weak? When is a woman strong?

Photoboothgirl Arrives in Argentina

I have arrived in Buenos Aires with my dad. We met up at in the Atlanta airport, having traveled from our respective homes- my dad, from Seattle and me from Brooklyn. The flight from Atlanta to BA is a nine or so hour flight. As I realized I was not only in the center seat of a center section, with a giant man on one side, my father on the other, I was shocked to encounter the child behind me. Its true! All of it. What they say about children. The plane flight sitcom joke of the kid driving the person crazy because he is constantly kicking the seat in front of him! I was an unfortunate victim of this unneccessary torture. His parents, not only oblivious, but equally as annoying as they talked loudly throughout the flight, amidst a plane full of sleeping travelers. On a NIGHT flight, as in the airline gives us earplugs (I tried them) and a sleeping mask. As in shut up and sleep flight!

Needless to say, I survived. Barely.

Not knowing the lack of sleep in store for me, I was happy to watch the free movies on the small screen nestled into the seat in front of me. After much deliberation I decided on American Gangster for the first two hours. After dozing off for a few hours I was jarred awake by the mother's voice behind me-oh so painfully shrill seeming- and even more so by the subtle constant kicks from behind by the menacing small child. I needed to seek solace, I was angry, sleepy, and weak; they did not respond to my requests to subdue their child (did I make it worse I wonder?). I needed comfort, fluff, a feel good movie would make me better, and so it was that I watched Being Jane. Aw, I do have a soft spot for James McAlvoy. He is dreamy. AND I was a wounded bird soaring somewhere above South America. I was too tired for substance. In the end a story of Jane Austin ended up not being the go to for a feel good movie- but I did guiltily enjoy it.

What shall I do in Buenos Aires? Well, my dad and I have yet to carve our itinerary in stone, blood, or even pen...so I will have to report back. So far, my spanish vocabulary is creeping back into the spanish speaking section of my brain. Lights are being turned on, and I imagine I will be more fully functional tomorrow on a good nights sleep.

On another note: Kelli is married! Congratulations Kelli!

Into the Blogosphere she goes!

Aghast at the expanse of the Internet. I am, are you? There is no reason to leave your house, what would I do without all my friends at my fingertips, an encyclopedia to look at whenever I want, a database of people's birthdays, eye colors, lipstick shades, lowest price of the whatsamacallit that i need so much, embarrassing moments captured on film of people I have never met but evidently should care a great deal about when they were caught at the supermarket without makeup! Egads. Basically, what I am trying to say, is I have been expanding my "online identity" and woo! it is exhausting at times. Names, passwords, emails, projects, contacts, resumes, listings, updates, photos, etc. Hopefully, all for a reason and not in vain.

I am working on making my own webshow, possibly with a personal vlog on the side. Knowing the amount of work it is, I continue on my quest for Internet domination me style. I am going into the unknown- what domain name do I want, how do I create a website? Did I pick the right name? On and on it goes. In the end I have picked two names for my website. Its all a learning process. Admittedly, I feel like all I want to do is get someone to do all this for me. But, I also want to try to understand all of the terms, packages, hostings, designs, etc of this expansive grand world of the Internet.

I am now on Friendster (although so two years ago), Myspace (so last year), Facebook (so right now), and Linkedin (so professional). I have joined Twitter and del.ic.ious. I have a flickr page. I am checking peoples blogs regularly (Yes Bill, I have read yours). Its almost time to admit to others that I have my own blog, that I actually want to share my innermost rambles with others. Well, lets not go all crazy, how about- 'some passing thoughts that get me through the days', that I want to share with others. AND... not just share with others- potentially share with the WHOLE WIDE WORLD because it is the World Wide Web! Remember: this should not be mistaken for a private online world* (Hi to all my fans in Japan and Brazil!). I will put a list of blogs I like on the side soon. Little by little I am making my way into the blogosphere.

*unless you are password protected!

The Oscars, Can What is Old be New Again?

The sun is shining brightly overhead. The smudges on my computer remind me of another day. Everyone is a blogger these days, its the thing to do. I, as the trendsetter I like to imagine I am, better get on this bandwagon and start blogging.

Ah to be a filmmaker, receive an Oscar, the prize of prizes for one's resume. Evidently, the Oscars were watched by 32 million people (NY Times, Business, Mon, 3/3). Now outloud that seems like a lot of people. In the same article by David Carr of the NY Times he continues, "...fewer than tuned in for the debut of the American Idol in January." Were the Oscars even trying this year? In this day and age why aren't they being more innovative? Why don't they have new commercials like the Superbowl. Better yet, why don't they feature filmmaker made commercials?