Hotlanta

So, this past weekend, I drove down to Greenville on Friday night to have dinner with Bruce and Gail. (Saturday was Bruce's birthday.) We had a great meal at Stax's Omega, and sat there for like two hours catching up. It was awesome; I'm really going to miss them!

Saturday, I got up and met Tessa Lynch at Thaicoon for lunch, then we took off for the mall, where I bought a big-band watch (on sale at the Belk). Then I went to Furman and met Philipp - everyone's favorite German, and my awesome "ehemaliger Mitbewohner." We had dinner at Irashiai, then went downtown for drinks, where Sara met us.


Sunday morning, Sara and I got up and had breakfast with Jimmy and Jason, before getting on the road for Atlanta. We left early, so that we could have lunch with Ryan Whicker - who i LOOOOOOOOOVE - before the wedding. We had a really chill lunch with Ryan at the California Pizza Kitchen at Atlantic Station, and then spent some time, walking around leisurely, looking in stores, etc, because the wedding didn't start until 3pm.

... or so I thought. Actually, Sara and I rolled up at 2:55, and were like, "Awesome, we JUST made it!" only to realize that the wedding had actually started at 2. We walked in and were like, "Why is everyone eating already?" I felt like SUCH AN ASSHOLE. But we did get to see Ben and Sarah, who are the most precious people I know, and who are going to be amazingly happy, and are just generally good at life.

Anywho - drove ALL THE WAY back to Gastonia last night (not fun - my ass STILL hurts), and now I'm at work.

OH! In other news, I took an apartment this week! I'm going to be living in the place with the english teacher and social worker, and I'm SO EXCITED. I got really good vibes from that place, and it felt like a real grown-up apartment. I've even looked at it on google maps - on the satellite feature, you can zoom in enough to see my porch! I can't wait to move in. (Mostly because living at home is fucking miserable, haha.)

So that's about it for today. Holla.

Glitz and Glamour - Miss Universe Style

So, I finally watched the second episode of Project Runway on my flight from Boston to Baltimore Monday. My oh my, where to begin?


I felt SO BAD for Malan Breton. He should've stayed on the show, simply because his name rhymes. And because Angela is a crazy bitch. I mean, I thought Vincent's dress this week was WAY less tragic than last week's endeavor, but because she wasn't in charge, she wanted nothing to do with it. And what was up with her distracting Kayne during their brief sketching time? I would've told bitch where to get off, for real. This isn't survivor, you rude bitch - it's not about forming alliances. And, of course, now nobody would ever work with her again.

So here are my highlights.

Laura Bennett: Yet again, Laura gives us a design completely her own. And I love her reasoning for choosing Michael as her partner. She wanted him to challenge her to step out of her normal design box. A healthy view of one's own work is a great thing. I think Laura is going to be here for awhile.

Deutscher: (aka Uli) Her dress was great this week, really pretty and flowy with the layers. But it seemed a little casual for Miss Universe.

Vincent: Vince makes the list, but not for a good reason. The dress would've been really pretty, except for the sleeves, that looked like Shrek-ears. This man is a fool. He's just treading water.

Kayne: Again, love the queeny confidence, but I didn't really like the dress this week. But you know, good for him; he won the challenge because it was his field. We'll see how long he can keep this up.

Keith Michael: Don't remember the dress, but he's still a douchebag.

So, I drafted this posting yesterday, but have since seen episode 3 of Project Runway: The Dog Challenge. First off - I thought surely when they said it would be utilizing "today's hottest fashion accessory," that they meant children who are already worth more than I will make in my entire life, but who society pities, because they are named after fruit ... or the bearer of the Ten Commandments. Oh well ... can't win 'em all.


Anyway, I'm SO GLAD that Uli finally won a challenge! At first I only liked her because she's German, but I'm starting to feel her "voice" - she's showing consistently good work.

Kayne's dress was really cute, as was Alison's. I thought that Allison had this challenge in the bag, but was pleasantly surprised by Uli's win. I also thought that Michael's dress and Laura's were great this week. I'm surprised that neither of them has been asked to "stay on the runway" for the best/worst segment yet.


In other news, ANGELA IS STILL AN IRRITATING BITCH. I fucking hate her and her clothes. And Keith Michael's prissy arrogance - not to mention his blatant lie on the runway ... "I made like four outfits for the dog, and decided to leave her without one" ... should have been enough to send him packing. I liked Katherine alot, though. I wish she hadn't been sent home. Allison and Keith both had it coming.

Anyway, that's all I have to say for today.

Holla bye.

A weekend in the Country

So, in my first step toward becoming instantly hotter than you, if only by virtue of location, I went to Boston this weekend (July 21-24) to attempt to secure housing for the fall. This was a stressful venture for me, given that I was spending an inordinate amount of money to come meet people from the craigslist to look at apartments. But I took that leap, and ended up seeing five places this weekend - and that includes taking a side-trip out to Lenox (and Tanglewood) to visit Katie Woolf, whom I love.

So first things first - actually pre-first-things-first, I should apologize for the diva fit I threw in regards to the wedding last weekend. It was a great event, they both looked happy and were very nice, and I should never have said those not-nice things. I apologize. (Write this down, bitches, it's historical in scope - it's like the Halley's Comet of etiquette).

Anyway, back to first things first. My introductions to fun new people started the day before I left, when Katie's roommate Kathryn called my cell phone to offer to pick me up at the T-stop when I got into Boston. Quite possibly the sweetest person alive (especially given that I was a perfect stranger). She welcomed me into her home - stifling b/c there's no air-conditioning in New England ... nobody told me this when I signed up - and showered me with keys to the place, fans for the bedroom, and free reign to the apt. She rocks. She then made one of many "strange requests" for the weekend (the rest of which I'm too much of a gentleman to mention here, haha), so I took digital pictures of her in a possible costume for her ballroom dancing. (Her dance partner was out of town, and she was up against a return deadline, so I was happy to oblige.) Blackout on day one.

Day 2 (Friday July 21)

So I wake up - Kathryn is long gone b/c work for her starts at 7:30pm, blech - and get ready at Katie's. My first appointment is at 10am to see my first apartment. The prospective roommates are a social worker and a high school english teacher. I'll take "Altruistic People Out to Save the World" for $300, Alex. ;) They were super nice, very chill and low-key. Definite possibilities. I then took the train into town - well, as far as BU - to go to the bookstore and explore. Then I took the T to the bus station, and took a bus out to Lenox (where Tanglewood is) to visit Katie and catch a concert. We saw Susan Graham do a concert aria, and Richard Good do a piano concerto on the all-Mozart program. Then a little "Jupiter" symphony action after the intermission. It was good times. Got to meet two of Katie's BUTI friends - who were really nice, and one will be a second year grad student at BU next year, so yay!

Day 3 (Sat July 22)

A full day in Lenox consisted of a lazy morning, and lazy afternoon. But what happened in between was oh-so-sublime. We ate lunch at the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge. The food was simply amazing. I had been sick for a long time, and hadn't had much of an appetite, but by Saturday, I was HUNGRY and ready for a MEAL. Mine was incredible. And while I wasn't as inspired as the lady across the dining room, who was actually photographing her food, I was quite thrilled. ;)

So during lunch, I'm in the middle of telling a story, and the other three people at the table all look at each other and started giggling. I'm like, "Shit. I'm that guy," because I was afraid that I was sharing too many stories that I thought funny but everyone else found boring. (That's sort of my function in all my social circles - to tell useless stories.) Anyway, they motion for me to look behind me, and lo and behold ... at the next table over (within arm's reach), James Levine has taken a seat for lunch. Yeah - THE James Levine. It was surreal. And awesome, haha. So that brings the talley of brilliant minds I could've touched but didn't to 2. (For more info, ask me to relate my Toni Morrison story. It's useless, but that's my spiel.)

Day 4 (Sun July 23)
We get up relatively early, and Katie, Justin Blackwell, and I drive back to Boston from the Berkshires. (Katie wanted to get some things from her apt, and Justin wanted to meet someone for lunch - but both went back to Lenox the same day.) Anyway, I met Megan and her friend Nathan (who has been really nice and helpful in my apt search) at Trader Joe's and chilled around Coolidge Corner for awhile. Then Megan went with me to see the first of the three apartments I had arranged to see that day. It was a great place at a great price, so hopefully it'll come through. The other two places were slightly less desirable. To be honest, the last place was a complete shit-hole. It was in a beautiful neighborhood, full of magnificent family homes, lots of trees, really lovely. I'm greeted at the front door by Barry - the man I had emailed, and who had replied that he, too, was a singer and voice teacher. Although I should've been tipped off when I told him I was going to see Susan Graham and he said, "I'm not familiar." Anyway, the apt was a dump - really dirty. And there was a strange woman in the living room, sitting in one of those fold-up camping chairs watching Sybil. (Yeah, the movie, not the sitcom - although either would've been pretty disturbing, let's be honest.) Anyway, she's sitting in this chair with a blank stare - you know how you can have your face pointing down, but be looking up toward your eyebrows? Yeah, it was very, "The cold is coming from inside the house." Anyway, Rebecca (after some coaxing by Barry - who ended up being around 60 years old, with bad teeth and a lazy eye) introduced herself, and as she reached out to shake my hand, I noticed one of those bracelets with her name on it, that was no-doubt left from her stint in the "nervous hospital." Yeah, so the bedroom didn't have a door, and opened onto the kitchen. It was absolutely not gonna happen. Then Barry tried to take me downstairs to show me the basement. I thought, "Right ... So that I can reach the bottom of the stairs, only to be clubbed over the head by no-longer-lethargic Rebecca, who will, no doubt, make herself a prairie skirt out of my skin." I got the hell out of that creepy dump as quickly as possible. Thank God that wasn't the first place I went to see, because I would've been weeping on the next flight home. It was terrifying.

Anyway, after that debacle, I had dinner with Megan, her friend Nathan, and her roommate Valerie, who is an amazing mezzo, and is French Canadian - double fun!

Monday (July 24)
I flew home and updated my BLOG.

So I know this was a long entry, but there was just so much to say about my amazing weekend. I had forgotten just how much I love the handful of people I already know in Boston. It's gonna be an amazing year - I can't wait.

Stay tuned for my rant on last week's Project Runway - hopefully to be posted before the next installment.

Blame it On the Bravo

So, since the advent of DVR, I've become more of a TV nut than I ever expected. I mean, considering that we didn't have Cable at my house for the first three years we lived there, I've really come along way. But I blame it on the Bravo network, for it's enticing programming. Now, in addition to the existing addictions to Desperate Housewives, Lost, and Grey's Anatomy, I can sport brand new unhealthy obsessions with Kathy Griffin's My Life on the D-List and Season 3 of Project Runway. Not to mention the running affinity for the Food Network. Luckily with DVR, it's easier to justify my jonesin' because I don't actually plan my eating-, sleeping-, or peeing-schedule around said programs. I can chill with Paula (Dean) or Ina (Barefoot Contessa), Bree and the girls, Jack and the Losties, Meredith and Dreamy, Kathy and Matt, or my girl Heidi, any time I want. That way, it's not really an addiction ... because I'm in complete control ... errr ... right ... nervous twitch ... eyes bloodshot, pupils in shape of fabric scissors ...

Anywho, at this juncture, I think it's important to discuss the events of the season premiere of Project Runway. I was excited to see a German lady on there, and though her design was forgettable, I found myself hoping she'd be eliminated simply so she could beat Heidi to "Auf Wiedersehen." Haha, wouldn't that be awesome?! If Heidi was like, "Deutscher, that means you are out," and the German was immediately just like, "Auf Wiedersehen, bitches." Or maybe "Auf NIEDERsehen." (That's a little pun for all you German-speakers out there.)

Anyway, regarding the actual designers, my standouts are:

Laura Bennett - this bitch is awesome. Not only does she look like a drag queen (C'est fabuleuse!), but I thought her design was the most representative of her own personal style. She rocks this week. (See Nikel's blog for pics of Laura's design.)

Douche Baggins - I mean Keith Michael. The blue dress was beautiful, but I didn't think it was really that creative. He took a sheet, which might as well have been a twin-size piece of fabric, you know? And although it's impressive that he'd never made a dress before, and his focus has always been menswear, I'm getting a douchey arrogance that's irritating.

Kayne Gillaspie - this guy is the Prairie Princess who thinks that because he works in a prom-dress boutique, he has what it takes to do couture. I love the red-dirt queeny confidence. His dress was pretty cute though. We shall see, my fairy friend, we shall see.

Uli Herzner - who will heretofore be referred to as Deutscher. I love her just because she's German. That's all. The only reason I need. Viva la Deutschland.

Anyway, sorry this post is almost a week late. Perhaps I'll have more to say about PR tomorrow. In the meantime, checkout bloggingprojectrunway.blogspot.com

It's pretty sweet.

She works hard for the money

So work has been really busy this week. I sort of thought that with all the ladies out of the office, that things would be quieter, but whoa damn. I've had stuff to do every day this week. Yay!

So I really don't have alot to say today. I found this really funny posting on iwatchstuff.com. (It's a "companion-site" to the Superficial.)

Randy Quaid To Wear Cowboy Hat, Stupid Glasses
To the joy of America's white trash community, the writers of Glory Road are said to be scripting a biopic on NASCAR legend Richard Petty to be played by Randy Quaid. Petty is best known for his seven championship wins, 700 top ten finishes, and looking like a cowboy unibomber. Upon hearing the news, NASCAR fans celebrated the only way they know: with racial intolerance.

Beautiful. This guy is a genius. I'll holla at you tomorrow. (Or possibly tonight after I finish watching the season premiere of Project Runway, which is burning a hole in my DVR. - Get it? Like money burning a hole in one's pocket? Not sure that little word-play makes sense. Oh well.)

Holla Boston

So, my friend Katie called today to say that she had reserved seats for us to see Susan Graham while I'm in Boston next weekend!! And I may stay long enough to see a concert Don Giovanni the next night. So that's awesome. I'm getting more and more excited about this trip. I've got several apartments lined up to go check out, so hopefully at least one group of strangers will let me move in with them. Cheritta from work said, "Well as long as you have your car you'll be fine." And I was like, "But I'm not taking my car! Eek! I have to find a place." Luckily, Katie's letting me stay at her place while I do my searching, and Megan will be back in town by the time I get back from the Berkshires, so I should get to see her before I fly back home on Monday morning. Really looking forward to this trip.

Also, my new voice teacher said that he would be out there teaching that weekend, so hopefully I can meet him before I actually move up there. I mean, I'm definitely going to BU, but it'd be nice to meet the man I'm studying with before my first lesson, haha. He seems like a really nice guy, from the handful of times I've spoken to him on the phone.

So yeah, I've got to go to a wedding this weekend featuring two people that I knew (but didn't really like) in middle school. The groom went to Asheville with Sara and Hannah, at least for a couple years. I think he transferred to USC eventually. Whatever. He's a bit of a douchebag, and the bride's an irritating heifer, so should be a great shindig! I'm only making a cameo at the reception - just long enough to have a glass of champagne and a piece of wedding cake. As the late, great Maria Callas once said, "Don't talk to me about rules, dear. Wherever I stay I make the goddam rules." I love being able to invoke my inner Diva when I need. ;)

(Callas also said, "I will not be sued! I have the voice of an angel!")


SO you know what? Here's my quote for all of posterity, "We've all got an inner diva - own it, bitches." Or how about, "Being a Diva means never having to say you're sorry." That's got a nice ring to it. I want that one on my tombstone. Viva La Callas.

Taskmaster

So, I haven't updated in the past several days, because I actually have STUFF TO DO AT WORK! Woohoo! I've got several small projects going on right now, which is great, because the days here were getting awfully tedious.

This weekend was probably the most uneventful of my entire existence. I went to the YMCA after a small dinner at home, and then Sara came over and we watched Arrested Development and Kathy Griffin stand-up. Then Saturday, I slept wicked late, then got up and loafed around for awhile. Ashley and I went to Target, then cooked dinner for the fam. Then Ashley and I went over to Grandma and Grandpas to play Rummy. I wanted to get out of the house, but not spend money. So that was fun. My grandparents are precious. Plus, me and Grandma kicked major ASS.


Anyway, the only other thing of note worth mentioning is some sad news I got from a friend last week. It seems Lorraine Hunt Lieberson - great mezzo - just up and died. No one knew she was even sick, but people are speculating that her death was related to either her previous battle with breast cancer, or more recent lower-back troubles. Really sad stuff. She was a great artist and innovator, known for amazingly moving performances. Check out a disc sometime - you won't regret it. My favorite is her Bach disc with BWV 82 and 56 ("Ich habe genug" and "Mein Herz schwimmt im Blut"). Hott stuff. Major loss.

This article is also pretty great, comparing Hunt Lieberson's emotive singing to that of Callas! http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/?040105fa_fact

Kelly Delivers Like DOMINOS

So last night was Kelly Clarkson at Verizon Amphitheater. One word: PHENOMENAL. It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen. I've never seen a pop music performer so in-tune with her instrument. Switching from chest to head voice seamlessly and effortlessly. And every note was pitch-perfect. It's realy mind-blowing that she can be that dead-on for that long. Top-notch - there's no one like her in pop music today. PLUS, she sang like 5 new songs, from an upcoming album - which promises to be even more amazing than the last two, if that's possible. Also, her voice sounded even better than on the recordings. Higher notes were more solid, everything was just flawless. Kelly rocks, and there's nothing more to say.

Not that I could say much today - I don't have much of a voice left after screaming, singing, and yelling through the entire Kelly show, haha. I told Nikel, normally we sacrifice for our art, and do not scream or yell at concerts or football games, but when Kelly comes to town all bets are off. Just try and stop me from yelling and screaming, bitches.


Anyway, before the show, I met Tessa and Nikel at Concord Mills to see "The Devil Wears Prada." (Also amazing, though very different from the book.) Nikel and I agreed that all the things that were irritating about the book were fixed in the movie. NOTE, SPOILERS COMING. For one thing, Meryl could never have played the 2-dimensional pure embodiment of evil (but not much else) from the book. There was a back-story and sympathy, not to mention that third dimension, added to Meryl's character, and it was one of her most delicious roles to date. What an artist. Also, they made an easier choice out of Andi's big moral dilemma (choosing between wholesome Teach-for-America boyfriend and dreamy wunderkind author). NOTE, MORE TO BE SPOILED. Namely, they turned the wholesome teacher into a nice-guy chef (less of a martyr), and made him unbelievably hotter than the author, who ended up being a little old, not that hott, and a bit of a douche-bag. Definitely more of a clear choice than what the novel gives us. And less gray area = more like real life, right? Anyway, it was great. Stanley Tucci was comic genius, Princess Mia (I mean, Anne Hathaway/the girl whose boobs we all saw in Brokeback) was sufficiently precious. Good times all around.

Anywho, I'm at work, still penniless, but about to go ask when the F I can expect some money in my pocket in this, my fifth week of employment. Not a happy camper, my friends. If I weren't riding the waves of a Kelly induced, toe-curling Eargasm, I would've slept in and said screw work. But alas, today, all's right with the world!

What I Learned in Church This Sunday

So, apparently I suck at this already, b/c I haven't updated in over a week. As an apology, I will share with you the kernels of wisdom I picked up at church with the fam this Sunday. And if this sunday's congregation were any indication, these puppies will either make you shout "Amen," (as per the ignorant redneck bastards) or leave you seething and exasperated in the back row (yours truly).

So without further ado, here are some of the things I learned this sunday in church:

along with some of my responses ...

1) "Students at UNC Chapel Hill were forced to read the Qu'ran before going to college, but try to make them read the word of God and every ACLU lawyer in the nation would be in North Carolina."

... Not sure what he meant by "word of God." I'm guessing that if he meant "the B-I-B-L-E" he would've said, "that highly ambiguous and often oppressive volume, at the very least edited by rich white men interested more in preserving their own sense of power than spiritual nourishment." Lemme know if you can figure out what he meant by that archaic reference. Also, the Qu'ran was incredibly relevant in current events at the time, and most rich white kids (descendants, no doubt, of aforementioned "editors") have already read the bible, and committed every hate-filled sentiment to memory - while, of course, conveniently forgetting, oh i don't know, the teachings of love and acceptance that were the pillars of Christ's message ...

2) "There is nothing civil or American about the American Civil Liberties Union."

3) "The 'tolerance' they preach is inclusive of the very evils the church is fighting today"

I'm guessing that by "the very evils" he meant that pesky little bill of rights, which can, absurdly enough, be used to protect the rights of non-christians as well. What the f**k were our forefathers thinking?

4) "Nations of western Europe want total paganism and total annihilation of the Christian church."

5) "The Supreme Court today makes decisions, not based on the constitution, but rather, on what other nations are doing." (see #4 for relevance)

6) "Pro-choice equals pro-murder."

7) Although I can't seem to find it in my dictionary, apparently "corruptedness" is a word, especially effective when used by bellowing red-faced hate-mongers.

So yeah, since when did being a Christian have to mean being a socially/culturally unaware f**kwit, who doesn't understand simple logic or American history and government. Things like the fact that prayer in schools is not opposed because it is specifically Christian, but because NOT ALL STUDENTS ARE CHRISTIAN? And since when were the framers of the Constitution and those who fought for independence the same as THE PILGRIMS? I'm pretty sure the major issue in the revolutionary war was taxation, not whether or not Ben Franklin could post the 10 commandments in Poor Richard's Almanac and use it to proselytize.

So yeah, long story short: I won't be going back there any time soon.

Tomorrow is "Devil Wears Prada" with Nikel and Tessa, followed by KELLY CLARKSON. Oh yes, I could just wet my pants.

Holla back.