You're a Big Girl, Hold ItSunday, February 29, 2004
Philly's Finest
Each year, the Philadelphia Horticultural Society sponsors its Flower Show at the city's Convention Center. These are high-power names in the flower industry: the people who decorate weddings and other parties for Philadelphia's society types.
But for flower enthusiasts (or anyone looking for something different), the Flower Show features every kind of flower from the locally grown to the exotic.
Each year, the Philadelphia Horticultural Society sponsors its Flower Show at the city's Convention Center. These are high-power names in the flower industry: the people who decorate weddings and other parties for Philadelphia's society types.
But for flower enthusiasts (or anyone looking for something different), the Flower Show features every kind of flower from the locally grown to the exotic.
Philadelphia Flower Show Preview
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Improvising
So on the second day with no hot water, I decided to suck it up and take a cold shower. The pot just wasn't going to cut it. I was starting to stink.
More accurately, I lathered up with soap and shampoo, set the shower on quarter strength, and then did a bunny hop into and out of the stream. By the end, I think my senses were so jangled, I would have told you the water was warm.
But it's not. Believe me, it's most definitely not.
I also don't expect the water heater to be fixed on a Sunday. Sigh. Well, at least I'm not this girl.
So on the second day with no hot water, I decided to suck it up and take a cold shower. The pot just wasn't going to cut it. I was starting to stink.
More accurately, I lathered up with soap and shampoo, set the shower on quarter strength, and then did a bunny hop into and out of the stream. By the end, I think my senses were so jangled, I would have told you the water was warm.
But it's not. Believe me, it's most definitely not.
I also don't expect the water heater to be fixed on a Sunday. Sigh. Well, at least I'm not this girl.
Saturday, February 28, 2004
Longest Weekend Ever
The hot water is out again ... I'm really looking forward to Monday.
The hot water is out again ... I'm really looking forward to Monday.
PATCO Deco
The respective train stations of South Jersey are competing for best decorated -- and helping to promote the annual Philadelphia Flower Show to boot.
I figure it's a (free) chance to explore the many towns that make up South Jersey. And, honestly, I don't have anything better to do.
The respective train stations of South Jersey are competing for best decorated -- and helping to promote the annual Philadelphia Flower Show to boot.
I figure it's a (free) chance to explore the many towns that make up South Jersey. And, honestly, I don't have anything better to do.
Spring in South Jersey
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Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy
Update: There is hot water again.
Thank god for small miracles.
Update: There is hot water again.
Thank god for small miracles.
Cold Shower
Nothing is more depressing than not having any hot water ... and management not answering its 24-hour "emergency number."
My "shower" this morning was actually a pot of boiled water and a washcloth.
It's been that kind of day. Hell -- it's been that kind of weekend.
Nothing is more depressing than not having any hot water ... and management not answering its 24-hour "emergency number."
My "shower" this morning was actually a pot of boiled water and a washcloth.
It's been that kind of day. Hell -- it's been that kind of weekend.
Walk Through Town
I started walking today. I walked until I reached a sign that said, "You are now leaving --." The edge of town. I found things, though. I found a bank, a coffee shop, yet another pizza place, a water ice stand (closed till summer), an upscale seafood restaurant and a store that sells Chinese slippers. Oh, and a bar. With Blue Moon and Hoegaarden on tap.
New stores and restaurants are also moving into the places I already know.
Spring.
I started walking today. I walked until I reached a sign that said, "You are now leaving --." The edge of town. I found things, though. I found a bank, a coffee shop, yet another pizza place, a water ice stand (closed till summer), an upscale seafood restaurant and a store that sells Chinese slippers. Oh, and a bar. With Blue Moon and Hoegaarden on tap.
New stores and restaurants are also moving into the places I already know.
Spring.
Friday, February 27, 2004
I Can't Do This Any More
I didn't get paid today. It was payday, but somehow with the stressful day I was having, I didn't even notice that no one came by with my check. I'm so scared that I'm going to go into work on Monday, and they're going to tell me they lost it or some other godawful thing. And then I'm not going to be able to pay this month's rent on time and I will be destined to a life of bad credit.
I don't want to be an adult anymore. It's too hard, I can't do it. How do I go back to being 16?
I didn't get paid today. It was payday, but somehow with the stressful day I was having, I didn't even notice that no one came by with my check. I'm so scared that I'm going to go into work on Monday, and they're going to tell me they lost it or some other godawful thing. And then I'm not going to be able to pay this month's rent on time and I will be destined to a life of bad credit.
I don't want to be an adult anymore. It's too hard, I can't do it. How do I go back to being 16?
Bad Drivers
Electronic frowns are chastising British motorists when they speed by designated radar-monitored checkpoints.
There's actually a similar practice at one intersection in South Jersey. Except instead of a frown, it's a big red flashing strobe light attached to a large screen that displays your speed in big numbers.
Electronic frowns are chastising British motorists when they speed by designated radar-monitored checkpoints.
There's actually a similar practice at one intersection in South Jersey. Except instead of a frown, it's a big red flashing strobe light attached to a large screen that displays your speed in big numbers.
Mature Men
Today on the radio, a morning show host asked women to call in and share which male (stereo)type is most appealing to them.
The choices were:
rugged (as in Harrison Ford)
baby-faced (as in Leonardo DiCaprio)
expressive (Keanu Reeves)
groomed (Tyson Beckford)
mature (Michael Douglas)
Apparently the type of man you prefer says loads about your personality.
Now it might make sense for a woman to say she likes mature guys ("oh, old guys," the DJ said, comprehension dawning) if she were older herself. But does it make a difference if you're a young girl who likes older men? Like, say you're 22 and you like guys who are, say, 36? What does that say about your personality?
No reason. Just wondering.
Today on the radio, a morning show host asked women to call in and share which male (stereo)type is most appealing to them.
The choices were:
rugged (as in Harrison Ford)
baby-faced (as in Leonardo DiCaprio)
expressive (Keanu Reeves)
groomed (Tyson Beckford)
mature (Michael Douglas)
Apparently the type of man you prefer says loads about your personality.
Now it might make sense for a woman to say she likes mature guys ("oh, old guys," the DJ said, comprehension dawning) if she were older herself. But does it make a difference if you're a young girl who likes older men? Like, say you're 22 and you like guys who are, say, 36? What does that say about your personality?
No reason. Just wondering.
Chef Dana
My bruschetta was a hit ... or else my coworkers overheard me confess to my cubicle-mate that I had been stressing over what to bring for a week. I felt like everyone went out of her way to tell me how good it was. Maybe I should be suspicious -- but they ate every last drop, and didn't even leave me any.
Everyone brought professional-looking dishes, the sorts of dishes they bring over to their in-laws on holidays, and as we sat there eating, I thought, here we are, just a bunch of adult women sitting around discussing recipes and where to buy hand lotion. It should have depressed me, but it didn't. I even liked it.
Our next random potluck is going to be a Mexican theme. I volunteered to bring homemade salsa. I can be the chopped vegetable girl.
My bruschetta was a hit ... or else my coworkers overheard me confess to my cubicle-mate that I had been stressing over what to bring for a week. I felt like everyone went out of her way to tell me how good it was. Maybe I should be suspicious -- but they ate every last drop, and didn't even leave me any.
Everyone brought professional-looking dishes, the sorts of dishes they bring over to their in-laws on holidays, and as we sat there eating, I thought, here we are, just a bunch of adult women sitting around discussing recipes and where to buy hand lotion. It should have depressed me, but it didn't. I even liked it.
Our next random potluck is going to be a Mexican theme. I volunteered to bring homemade salsa. I can be the chopped vegetable girl.
Thursday, February 26, 2004
My Attempt at Food
So I have to cook for tomorrow. One of my colleagues had this idea for a potluck lunch. Just a random potluck on a random Friday. These are mothers I have to compete with. Anyway, I'm bringing something easy: bruschetta.
And at the very least, the ingredients smell wonderful. (Even though I'll be cooking with fresh basil for a week ... you can't buy just a teaspoon of fresh basil.) But at least my food will smell good.
If this recipe turns out OK, I'll be forever indebted to some guy named Matt.
So I have to cook for tomorrow. One of my colleagues had this idea for a potluck lunch. Just a random potluck on a random Friday. These are mothers I have to compete with. Anyway, I'm bringing something easy: bruschetta.
And at the very least, the ingredients smell wonderful. (Even though I'll be cooking with fresh basil for a week ... you can't buy just a teaspoon of fresh basil.) But at least my food will smell good.
If this recipe turns out OK, I'll be forever indebted to some guy named Matt.
Wednesday, February 25, 2004
Haddonfield, NJ
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Tuesday, February 24, 2004
What Other People Know
I get tingly when people talk about the things they're really good at. That rush, like in action movies, when the music is galloping and people are running and -- "let's do it!" -- they're off to get the bad guys. And you can't help but think, Good Ol' U.S. of A., even if it's just a movie like The Rock.
I got chills today when a friend started explaining the ins and outs of copyright law. The same way (OK, not exactly the same way) I want to jump my boyfriend whenever he starts talking about digital pagination. I think this is why I used to indulge in dramatic crushes on bosses at my respective summer internships; they knew everything, really.
I want to know what other people know. Maybe it's the journalist in me.
I get tingly when people talk about the things they're really good at. That rush, like in action movies, when the music is galloping and people are running and -- "let's do it!" -- they're off to get the bad guys. And you can't help but think, Good Ol' U.S. of A., even if it's just a movie like The Rock.
I got chills today when a friend started explaining the ins and outs of copyright law. The same way (OK, not exactly the same way) I want to jump my boyfriend whenever he starts talking about digital pagination. I think this is why I used to indulge in dramatic crushes on bosses at my respective summer internships; they knew everything, really.
I want to know what other people know. Maybe it's the journalist in me.
Not a Blog about Fat Chicks
Hold-It has received its first taste of bad publicity ... from the guerrilla XXL crowd.
A visitor from MSXXL, intrigued by the "big girl" reference in "You're a Big Girl, Hold It," were disappointed to find out that we just "basic" sized. (And, for some reason, that we have a boyfriend.)
"Disappointed" might be an understatement. As if in a blog about growing up, we had some nerve calling ourselves "big."
We're not changing the name.
Hold-It has received its first taste of bad publicity ... from the guerrilla XXL crowd.
A visitor from MSXXL, intrigued by the "big girl" reference in "You're a Big Girl, Hold It," were disappointed to find out that we just "basic" sized. (And, for some reason, that we have a boyfriend.)
"Disappointed" might be an understatement. As if in a blog about growing up, we had some nerve calling ourselves "big."
We're not changing the name.
I Feel ... Yucky
And I think I may have split my shins in aerobics yesterday.
I could use a sick day.
At least the Sarasota weather forecast looks heavenly.
And I think I may have split my shins in aerobics yesterday.
I could use a sick day.
At least the Sarasota weather forecast looks heavenly.
Deep Breath, New Jersey is Not So Bad
The boyfriend is suddenly a New Yorker. Invited recently to a party out of state, he said that people should just get over themselves and move to New York.
Hold-It is going to storm up to Morningside Heights and demand our zip code back. It's not fair -- when did this happen? We were supposed to be New York snobs by now!
The boyfriend is suddenly a New Yorker. Invited recently to a party out of state, he said that people should just get over themselves and move to New York.
Hold-It is going to storm up to Morningside Heights and demand our zip code back. It's not fair -- when did this happen? We were supposed to be New York snobs by now!
Monday, February 23, 2004
High on Love
Sample Questions from a Teen Advice quiz:
Q: Has your love interest ever given you an ultimatum in order to get you to do something you did not want to do, something that would harm you, another person, or is just plain mean?
Yes
No
Sometimes
Not Sure
Q: Which of the following is NOT an example of pressuring somebody for sex?
Threatening to break up if they don't give in.
Asking more than once.
Joking that everybody already thinks you are doing it so you might as well.
Saying, 'if you love me you would do it.'
Making the person who is not ready feel like they are immature, a 'baby' or not serious about having a 'real' relationship.
Q: Which of the following best describes the way you feel when the two of you kiss.
Turned on like crazy.
Totally breathless and euphoric.
Worried that I am doing it wrong.
Panicked that s/he will want to go father than I do.
Q: When you see your love interest unexpectedly how do you feel?
Very happy and excited.
Like life makes sense again.
Surprised and not always pleased.
Suspicious, like s/he is up to something that they don't want me to know about.
Then, the verdict:
Lust and love are easy to confuse. The biggest difference, love is kind, lust is intoxicating.
Sample Questions from a Teen Advice quiz:
Q: Has your love interest ever given you an ultimatum in order to get you to do something you did not want to do, something that would harm you, another person, or is just plain mean?
Yes
No
Sometimes
Not Sure
Q: Which of the following is NOT an example of pressuring somebody for sex?
Threatening to break up if they don't give in.
Asking more than once.
Joking that everybody already thinks you are doing it so you might as well.
Saying, 'if you love me you would do it.'
Making the person who is not ready feel like they are immature, a 'baby' or not serious about having a 'real' relationship.
Q: Which of the following best describes the way you feel when the two of you kiss.
Turned on like crazy.
Totally breathless and euphoric.
Worried that I am doing it wrong.
Panicked that s/he will want to go father than I do.
Q: When you see your love interest unexpectedly how do you feel?
Very happy and excited.
Like life makes sense again.
Surprised and not always pleased.
Suspicious, like s/he is up to something that they don't want me to know about.
Then, the verdict:
Lust and love are easy to confuse. The biggest difference, love is kind, lust is intoxicating.
Show Us Your ... Cake
I had my first taste of Mardi Gras king cake today and felt extremely festive and cultured. One of the physicians on our editorial board sends one each year from Louisiana. This one came topped with beads and a gold crown, and was frosted in the traditional colors of purple (symbolizing justice), green (faith) and gold (power).
Tradition also mandates that a plastic baby be baked inside the cake; the finder of the baby is granted a year of good luck (and, in some circles, has to bake the cake the following year.)
Alas, no baby for me this year ...
I had my first taste of Mardi Gras king cake today and felt extremely festive and cultured. One of the physicians on our editorial board sends one each year from Louisiana. This one came topped with beads and a gold crown, and was frosted in the traditional colors of purple (symbolizing justice), green (faith) and gold (power).
Tradition also mandates that a plastic baby be baked inside the cake; the finder of the baby is granted a year of good luck (and, in some circles, has to bake the cake the following year.)
Alas, no baby for me this year ...
Sunday, February 22, 2004
PATCO
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Sex Too
How does Hold-It feel about the end of Sex and the City? Well, nothing really. OK, warm and cozy inside because the last episode was so romantic. But other than that, nothing. As far as we're concerned, Sex and the City did not define our generation.
Sex and the City defined the generation that used to be more widely known as Generation X. (We were heartbroken when we found out in high school that we are, in fact, too young to be part of this generation. "Are we Generation Next?" Hold-It asked the bearer of this news. "No," this person replied. "That's Pepsi.")
So we say -- out with the old and in with us! Now, all we need is a defining name for our up and coming generation. (The "Information Generation" just doesn't cut it.)
How does Hold-It feel about the end of Sex and the City? Well, nothing really. OK, warm and cozy inside because the last episode was so romantic. But other than that, nothing. As far as we're concerned, Sex and the City did not define our generation.
Sex and the City defined the generation that used to be more widely known as Generation X. (We were heartbroken when we found out in high school that we are, in fact, too young to be part of this generation. "Are we Generation Next?" Hold-It asked the bearer of this news. "No," this person replied. "That's Pepsi.")
So we say -- out with the old and in with us! Now, all we need is a defining name for our up and coming generation. (The "Information Generation" just doesn't cut it.)
The Many Ages of 22
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Yesterday, I wore a backpack to Philadelphia. Jeans. Diesel sneakers (my "elf shoes"). At the bank, I took a red lollipop. I easily looked 16.
I marveled at the strangeness of it as I passed University of Pennsylvania students on the street. They looked older than I did.
When I was 16, I couldn't pass for 12. But now, not only could I pass for 16, but I could probably pass for 28, if I had to. Especially at work, in a suit and high heels. Holding a briefcase.
Sometimes I try to pretend I'm 16 again. I try to see the world as innocently and fearlessly as I did then. Then I feel guilty, of all things. And I don't know why.
Yesterday, I wore a backpack to Philadelphia. Jeans. Diesel sneakers (my "elf shoes"). At the bank, I took a red lollipop. I easily looked 16.
I marveled at the strangeness of it as I passed University of Pennsylvania students on the street. They looked older than I did.
When I was 16, I couldn't pass for 12. But now, not only could I pass for 16, but I could probably pass for 28, if I had to. Especially at work, in a suit and high heels. Holding a briefcase.
Sometimes I try to pretend I'm 16 again. I try to see the world as innocently and fearlessly as I did then. Then I feel guilty, of all things. And I don't know why.
Saturday, February 21, 2004
Reading Terminal Market
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Philadelphia, PA
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The chipmunk, or whatever, was wrong about six more weeks of winter.
Today was Collegetown Bagels weather.
As in sitting outside CTB lazy April afternoons of senior year with Matt and Gideon, taking turns buying pitchers of Labatt Blue.
Gideon would have his digital camera and take pictures of fat girls. Then, when we were drunk enough, we'd go to Plum Tree for dinner.
Now it's CTB weather and I'm sitting in my apartment next to an open window, drinking white wine. Almost the same thing.
Today was Collegetown Bagels weather.
As in sitting outside CTB lazy April afternoons of senior year with Matt and Gideon, taking turns buying pitchers of Labatt Blue.
Gideon would have his digital camera and take pictures of fat girls. Then, when we were drunk enough, we'd go to Plum Tree for dinner.
Now it's CTB weather and I'm sitting in my apartment next to an open window, drinking white wine. Almost the same thing.
Friday, February 20, 2004
Must Share Moment
At dinner tonight, my mother revealed that she once dated a ventriloquist.
But she said it was all over after she went to one of his shows. The whole situation was way too creepy, she decided.
I once dated an oboe player. But a man with a wooden dummy is definitely worse.
At dinner tonight, my mother revealed that she once dated a ventriloquist.
But she said it was all over after she went to one of his shows. The whole situation was way too creepy, she decided.
I once dated an oboe player. But a man with a wooden dummy is definitely worse.
Mullica Hill, NJ
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Flights of Fancy
I've always wanted to visit lots and lots of places -- just to say I have. I don't think I'm well traveled -- and who ever heard of a pretentious person who isn't well traveled? My entire life has been a lie.
But at least I can pretend with some credibility, thanks to Sperling's Best Places. Now with 3,000 city profiles. Pick two and get a side by side comparison. (The site will tell you how many Starbucks locations each city has, right next to population size, time zone and county.)
I've always wanted to visit lots and lots of places -- just to say I have. I don't think I'm well traveled -- and who ever heard of a pretentious person who isn't well traveled? My entire life has been a lie.
But at least I can pretend with some credibility, thanks to Sperling's Best Places. Now with 3,000 city profiles. Pick two and get a side by side comparison. (The site will tell you how many Starbucks locations each city has, right next to population size, time zone and county.)
Thursday, February 19, 2004
Before there was the H-Bomb ...
Long before current Harvard undergraduates proposed publishing an erotica magazine feature nude photographs of students, young men and women who attended Ivy League and Seven Sister schools had to submit to something called "posture pictures."
In short, the photos were part of the research of Columbia University Professor W.H. Sheldon, who tried to prove a link between body type and intelligence. But many students -- who must have equated the "posture pictures" with their finishing school backgrounds -- were none the wiser.
Famous people rumored to have had their "posture pictures" taken include Hillary Rodham Clinton, Diane Sawyer, Bob Woodward, Meryl Streep and Nora Ephron. Sylvia Plath wrote about the practice in The Bell Jar.
Long before current Harvard undergraduates proposed publishing an erotica magazine feature nude photographs of students, young men and women who attended Ivy League and Seven Sister schools had to submit to something called "posture pictures."
In short, the photos were part of the research of Columbia University Professor W.H. Sheldon, who tried to prove a link between body type and intelligence. But many students -- who must have equated the "posture pictures" with their finishing school backgrounds -- were none the wiser.
Famous people rumored to have had their "posture pictures" taken include Hillary Rodham Clinton, Diane Sawyer, Bob Woodward, Meryl Streep and Nora Ephron. Sylvia Plath wrote about the practice in The Bell Jar.
Slippers
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Leaving on a Jet Plane
Today begins the countdown for my trip to Sarasota. I wanted to pass along some of my excitement by sharing this heart warming story about 16 sea turtles that were rescued from Cape Cod and are now recuperating in Florida.
Today's random fact about Sarasota is that it's the "circus capital of the world," where John Ringling lived with his wife and housed his elephants during the winter. It's also home to the Ringling Brothers' Clown College.
As a child, I had always wanted to be a tour guide in my spare time. (That, and a writer, and a pediatrician, and a lawyer, and a flight attendant.)
Today begins the countdown for my trip to Sarasota. I wanted to pass along some of my excitement by sharing this heart warming story about 16 sea turtles that were rescued from Cape Cod and are now recuperating in Florida.
Today's random fact about Sarasota is that it's the "circus capital of the world," where John Ringling lived with his wife and housed his elephants during the winter. It's also home to the Ringling Brothers' Clown College.
As a child, I had always wanted to be a tour guide in my spare time. (That, and a writer, and a pediatrician, and a lawyer, and a flight attendant.)
You Suck Again!
For some reason, I received a second rejection letter from a job to which I applied last year. I got the first rejection letter within weeks of applying -- and now another one.
Perhaps my application was so bad that they want to discourage me from applying again by sending me a friendly reminder that they really don't want me. Just in case I was considering wasting their time this year.
This is almost as bad as the time I received a rejection letter with someone else's name on it.
For some reason, I received a second rejection letter from a job to which I applied last year. I got the first rejection letter within weeks of applying -- and now another one.
Perhaps my application was so bad that they want to discourage me from applying again by sending me a friendly reminder that they really don't want me. Just in case I was considering wasting their time this year.
This is almost as bad as the time I received a rejection letter with someone else's name on it.
Wednesday, February 18, 2004
Train to Nowhere
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Exit 18, I-295
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Culture, Cars
Someone we know from Brooklyn made an off-hand remark about South Jersey being devoid of culture. And we actually felt defensive. Who was he calling devoid of culture? After stewing for a day, however, we decided that most culture we get around here is our monthly trip to the Asian market. So maybe he had a point.
Although we must say, more than the lack of culture in South Jersey proper (because there is Philadelphia across the river), what really depresses us is driving. Driving is so much effort. And having a car is so expensive. We'd like work so much more if we didn't have to drive there each and every day. Although there's a bus stop in front of our building, we've never actually seen a bus. Moreover, our office is located in what should be known as The County Without Sidewalks.
Someone we know from Brooklyn made an off-hand remark about South Jersey being devoid of culture. And we actually felt defensive. Who was he calling devoid of culture? After stewing for a day, however, we decided that most culture we get around here is our monthly trip to the Asian market. So maybe he had a point.
Although we must say, more than the lack of culture in South Jersey proper (because there is Philadelphia across the river), what really depresses us is driving. Driving is so much effort. And having a car is so expensive. We'd like work so much more if we didn't have to drive there each and every day. Although there's a bus stop in front of our building, we've never actually seen a bus. Moreover, our office is located in what should be known as The County Without Sidewalks.
Battle of the Pretentious
Another example: Favorite book
Good Pretentious: One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Bad Pretentious: The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
Another example: Favorite book
Good Pretentious: One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Bad Pretentious: The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand
Tuesday, February 17, 2004
Generation Pampered
Too Much Positive Reinforcement describes many people we had the un-privilege to meet while attending an Ivy League university. They are what we like to call Bad Pretentious.
The yuppies of the 80s, simply put, have been bad parents. Everything their child does is praised as close to godliness, even when it barely passes as mediocre.
"There’s a whole generation of young people who think they can make top dollar when they walk in the door [of their first job]—and they don’t want to do certain things," says Ann Pleshette Murphy, parenting correspondent for ABC’s Good Morning America and a columnist for Family Circle.
And it starts in grade school, she adds.
"The extreme obnoxious example is the child who has a fit when she doesn’t get an A, and the parents go to the school and raise hell about the teacher’s unfairness and the grade gets changed," she says.
Ah yes. We New Yorkers all know people like this. Put another way: Good Pretentious are the people we know who have book deals from Random House. Bad Pretentious are the ones who have vanity published.
Too Much Positive Reinforcement describes many people we had the un-privilege to meet while attending an Ivy League university. They are what we like to call Bad Pretentious.
The yuppies of the 80s, simply put, have been bad parents. Everything their child does is praised as close to godliness, even when it barely passes as mediocre.
"There’s a whole generation of young people who think they can make top dollar when they walk in the door [of their first job]—and they don’t want to do certain things," says Ann Pleshette Murphy, parenting correspondent for ABC’s Good Morning America and a columnist for Family Circle.
And it starts in grade school, she adds.
"The extreme obnoxious example is the child who has a fit when she doesn’t get an A, and the parents go to the school and raise hell about the teacher’s unfairness and the grade gets changed," she says.
Ah yes. We New Yorkers all know people like this. Put another way: Good Pretentious are the people we know who have book deals from Random House. Bad Pretentious are the ones who have vanity published.
My Apartment
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Intercom System; Lamp
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Shower
Intercom System; Lamp
Shower
Flying High
So I booked a flight to San Diego today. The west coast is on sale this week and I found a great deal on a direct flight. So I'm happy and the company travel agent is even happier.
Business travel. It's going to be a ton of work; several of the company bigwigs are traveling with me, meaning that I'm going to need to be at maximum functioning capacity at all times.
But that's for when I take off. Because suddenly I love work, I love ophthalmology and I even love South Jersey.
So I booked a flight to San Diego today. The west coast is on sale this week and I found a great deal on a direct flight. So I'm happy and the company travel agent is even happier.
Business travel. It's going to be a ton of work; several of the company bigwigs are traveling with me, meaning that I'm going to need to be at maximum functioning capacity at all times.
But that's for when I take off. Because suddenly I love work, I love ophthalmology and I even love South Jersey.
Monday, February 16, 2004
Thorofare, NJ
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Get a tan and have a burger at the same location.
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Church and steeple
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In South Jersey, fruits and vegetables are sold on the side of the road.
Get a tan and have a burger at the same location.
Church and steeple
In South Jersey, fruits and vegetables are sold on the side of the road.
Tummy Aches
All this time, we thought cyberchondria was what happens to you six months after you graduate from college, when you're living on your own for the first time and you're marveling at how time is a sneaky little devil.
Because up until now, you always thought growing up was something that happened to other people. In high school, college, you never really believed gray hair could happen to you. That wrinkles could happen to you. After all, you were a good person. Most of the time. Certainly better than that witch of a social studies teacher, Mrs. Hampton, who probably deserved to look the way she did.
But then you graduate and you begin to wonder: could getting old happen to you too? Growing up has happened. Entering the real world has happened. Taxes have happened. Being broke has happened. Could turning 30 be next? Middle age? Retirement? State-run nursing facility? Matching his and her tombstones?
And suddenly the future is like a bad accident on the freeway: you don't want to look but you can't turn away.
Aerobics was canceled tonight. We are in dire need of entertainment.
All this time, we thought cyberchondria was what happens to you six months after you graduate from college, when you're living on your own for the first time and you're marveling at how time is a sneaky little devil.
Because up until now, you always thought growing up was something that happened to other people. In high school, college, you never really believed gray hair could happen to you. That wrinkles could happen to you. After all, you were a good person. Most of the time. Certainly better than that witch of a social studies teacher, Mrs. Hampton, who probably deserved to look the way she did.
But then you graduate and you begin to wonder: could getting old happen to you too? Growing up has happened. Entering the real world has happened. Taxes have happened. Being broke has happened. Could turning 30 be next? Middle age? Retirement? State-run nursing facility? Matching his and her tombstones?
And suddenly the future is like a bad accident on the freeway: you don't want to look but you can't turn away.
Aerobics was canceled tonight. We are in dire need of entertainment.
Sunday, February 15, 2004
Finally ...
A picture of Hold-It and the boyfriend:
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A picture of Hold-It and the boyfriend:
How Did You Do?
Women rate what they really wanted for Valentine's Day.
And a woman after my own heart told The Guardian that her idea of romantic is: "When he cleans the bathroom unasked."
Women rate what they really wanted for Valentine's Day.
And a woman after my own heart told The Guardian that her idea of romantic is: "When he cleans the bathroom unasked."
How We Spent the Weekend
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The boyfriend on Saturday.
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The boyfriend on Sunday.
The boyfriend on Saturday.
The boyfriend on Sunday.
Friends and Family on Hold-It
Friend on the weekend's sexual escapade: "Now I guess I have to worry about [you] writing about it on the Internet. I hadn't thought of that before."
My mother on my new digital camera: "Don't put any pictures of yourself on the Internet."
Friend on the weekend's sexual escapade: "Now I guess I have to worry about [you] writing about it on the Internet. I hadn't thought of that before."
My mother on my new digital camera: "Don't put any pictures of yourself on the Internet."
The Marrying Age
So yesterday, my boyfriend's sister lamented over dinner how difficult it is for women in their 30s to find men. (The sister happens to be married, but she has single friends and coworkers.)
During the cab ride back to the boyfriend's apartment, I told him that I refuse to be one of those 30-something women for whom everyone feels sorry. "That's not going to be me," I said. "I'm getting married in my 20s. After all, I was the first girl in sixth grade to be asked out; I'm not going to be the last one to get married."
The boyfriend became huffy. He doesn't like schedules. He doesn't like to be rushed. He's afraid he's going to have to choose between me and bachelorhood.
Well, eventually, he is. I need to find a man while the finding's still good. I'm quickly moving away from the "barely" in "barely legal."
I don't see a problem with setting goals. The boyfriend, however, is still sort of angry.
So yesterday, my boyfriend's sister lamented over dinner how difficult it is for women in their 30s to find men. (The sister happens to be married, but she has single friends and coworkers.)
During the cab ride back to the boyfriend's apartment, I told him that I refuse to be one of those 30-something women for whom everyone feels sorry. "That's not going to be me," I said. "I'm getting married in my 20s. After all, I was the first girl in sixth grade to be asked out; I'm not going to be the last one to get married."
The boyfriend became huffy. He doesn't like schedules. He doesn't like to be rushed. He's afraid he's going to have to choose between me and bachelorhood.
Well, eventually, he is. I need to find a man while the finding's still good. I'm quickly moving away from the "barely" in "barely legal."
I don't see a problem with setting goals. The boyfriend, however, is still sort of angry.
Saturday, February 14, 2004
Broken Hearts
We're heartbroken after hearing that Barbie and Ken have decided to call it quits. And right before Valentine's Day too. True love does die. She left him for an Australian boogie boarder.
He hinted that he's really interested in men.
The couple, however, "will remain friends." (Sure, as if that ever happens.)
This is really going to mess up my generation.
We're heartbroken after hearing that Barbie and Ken have decided to call it quits. And right before Valentine's Day too. True love does die. She left him for an Australian boogie boarder.
He hinted that he's really interested in men.
The couple, however, "will remain friends." (Sure, as if that ever happens.)
This is really going to mess up my generation.
Political Backstabbing
We read about John Kerry's alleged infidelity with immense sadness. After all, the Democrats seemed to really have it together this year. They were so organized; there was so much momentum. But there it is. A wedge for George W. Bush.
We respect Matt Drudge; we really do. But we're also hanging our heads, thinking: why, why, why? Why is this story newsworthy? We're still not sure.
We read about John Kerry's alleged infidelity with immense sadness. After all, the Democrats seemed to really have it together this year. They were so organized; there was so much momentum. But there it is. A wedge for George W. Bush.
We respect Matt Drudge; we really do. But we're also hanging our heads, thinking: why, why, why? Why is this story newsworthy? We're still not sure.
Happy Valentine's Day!
The boyfriend bought us a digital camera! Not a disposable one, but one that will actually take pictures. Once we figure out how to use it, we'll be on our way!
We love the boyfriend THIS much!
The boyfriend bought us a digital camera! Not a disposable one, but one that will actually take pictures. Once we figure out how to use it, we'll be on our way!
We love the boyfriend THIS much!
Thursday, February 12, 2004
On a Happy Note
I will be spending Valentine's Day in New York, N.Y. (a wondeful town). Actually, what we're celebrating is my boyfriend's birthday. His parents are taking us to see Avenue Q and then to 21.
We're going to see puppets.
I will be spending Valentine's Day in New York, N.Y. (a wondeful town). Actually, what we're celebrating is my boyfriend's birthday. His parents are taking us to see Avenue Q and then to 21.
We're going to see puppets.
The Philadelphia Complex
For the record, Philadelphia's own entertainment newspaper -- for at least two weeks in a row now -- has decided that the city is a big minus. And that's the difference between New York and Philly (I know I've got to stop comparing them, but ...) New Yorkers have New York pride. Philadelphians (ah, you see, there's the problem right there -- sounds like a some kind of sea creature) have middle child syndrome.
P.S. I think this guy has my life. (I know I say that about everyone, but I can't help it. Since I moved here, I'll catch someone in the corner of my eye, turn around quickly, point my finger and accuse, Do you have my life? Give it back!)
For the record, Philadelphia's own entertainment newspaper -- for at least two weeks in a row now -- has decided that the city is a big minus. And that's the difference between New York and Philly (I know I've got to stop comparing them, but ...) New Yorkers have New York pride. Philadelphians (ah, you see, there's the problem right there -- sounds like a some kind of sea creature) have middle child syndrome.
P.S. I think this guy has my life. (I know I say that about everyone, but I can't help it. Since I moved here, I'll catch someone in the corner of my eye, turn around quickly, point my finger and accuse, Do you have my life? Give it back!)
Lifestyle Choices
So we swear that we didn't see this article yesterday, but apparently we're not the only ones thinking that sex has gone beyond hobby and procreation status. Sex (or as we put it yesterday, sexuality) is now a lifestyle choice, and couples in Philadelphia are gathering together to try on new hats.
And that's where Club Kama Sutra comes in -- where couples and single people can meet others with similar tastes, so to speak. Whether you want to introduce another partner into the equation, get out of the master bedroom rut, or watch other people in action -- sex clubs offer a (relatively) safe and legal environment to do just that.
But something still feels wrong about it.
Because part of us really does buy into the fairy tale fantasy about sex being a special moment shared between two people who love each other. Or who have at least flirted with each other for awhile and now want each other very, very badly.
And, if you are going to have sex with someone you've just met and may never see again, it probably should be done far away from your hometown. And that person should speak a different language. Then it's acceptable. Then it's still romantic.
So we swear that we didn't see this article yesterday, but apparently we're not the only ones thinking that sex has gone beyond hobby and procreation status. Sex (or as we put it yesterday, sexuality) is now a lifestyle choice, and couples in Philadelphia are gathering together to try on new hats.
And that's where Club Kama Sutra comes in -- where couples and single people can meet others with similar tastes, so to speak. Whether you want to introduce another partner into the equation, get out of the master bedroom rut, or watch other people in action -- sex clubs offer a (relatively) safe and legal environment to do just that.
But something still feels wrong about it.
Because part of us really does buy into the fairy tale fantasy about sex being a special moment shared between two people who love each other. Or who have at least flirted with each other for awhile and now want each other very, very badly.
And, if you are going to have sex with someone you've just met and may never see again, it probably should be done far away from your hometown. And that person should speak a different language. Then it's acceptable. Then it's still romantic.
Wednesday, February 11, 2004
Pizzagra
The feel-good story of the week might just be the news that pizza is poised to become the next edible aphrodisiac.
Unabashedly called "pizzagra," the food actually doesn't actually resemble the Italian cuisine staple but features toppings that are "renowned for their ability to lift the libido in both men and women including artichoke, asparagus, ginger, chocolate and banana," according to a CNN report.
The pizzas will be sold at the Iceland supermarket chain in the United Kingdom.
We're not sure if horny is the right word after reading this story ... but we do feel are warm and cuddly inside (where's that boyfriend of ours for some cuddling?)
The feel-good story of the week might just be the news that pizza is poised to become the next edible aphrodisiac.
Unabashedly called "pizzagra," the food actually doesn't actually resemble the Italian cuisine staple but features toppings that are "renowned for their ability to lift the libido in both men and women including artichoke, asparagus, ginger, chocolate and banana," according to a CNN report.
The pizzas will be sold at the Iceland supermarket chain in the United Kingdom.
We're not sure if horny is the right word after reading this story ... but we do feel are warm and cuddly inside (where's that boyfriend of ours for some cuddling?)
Naked or Harvard?
First it was tell-all sex columnists. Then word leaked that the Cornell University health center would carry vibrators in its dispensary. Now two universities (Harvard and Vassar) are unveiling erotica magazines.
And so the sexual revolution of our parents' generation has been one-upped again. Because now the message is not just about sex but about sexuality. The 1960s prompted Americans to talk frankly about sex -- but in a mostly general, mechanical way. The late 1990s brought the nitty-gritty into focus -- the details and color of our sex lives.
But all that is secondary. Because, at its heart, this story is not really about undergraduate nudity at all --it's about Harvard (after all, who among us even knew that Vassar College was the first to introduce an erotica publication?)
More specifically, it's about Harvard breaking some sort of age-old code. Harvard still has a strong aura of pretentiousness surrounding it. And don't try to tell us that erotica is a high art form. We all know that pretentious people don't take their own clothes off. They watch other people take their clothes off, smoke their pipes, and then pontificate on the issue.
First it was tell-all sex columnists. Then word leaked that the Cornell University health center would carry vibrators in its dispensary. Now two universities (Harvard and Vassar) are unveiling erotica magazines.
And so the sexual revolution of our parents' generation has been one-upped again. Because now the message is not just about sex but about sexuality. The 1960s prompted Americans to talk frankly about sex -- but in a mostly general, mechanical way. The late 1990s brought the nitty-gritty into focus -- the details and color of our sex lives.
But all that is secondary. Because, at its heart, this story is not really about undergraduate nudity at all --it's about Harvard (after all, who among us even knew that Vassar College was the first to introduce an erotica publication?)
More specifically, it's about Harvard breaking some sort of age-old code. Harvard still has a strong aura of pretentiousness surrounding it. And don't try to tell us that erotica is a high art form. We all know that pretentious people don't take their own clothes off. They watch other people take their clothes off, smoke their pipes, and then pontificate on the issue.
Tuesday, February 10, 2004
Office Romance
Single on Valentine's Day? Look no farther than the cubicle adjacent to yours. In fact, two-thirds of employees in the United Kingdom admit to having had a rendezvous with a coworker.
The tourism industry's exotic locations and romantic hotspots incite the amour of not only guests but also employees, who are most likely to be caught kissing someone wearing the same uniform (and why not? The beds are an included perk.) But not all beds are created equal, it seems, because doctors and nurses are least likely to engage in workplace romances.
Hold-It (smirk) has actually locked lips with a handful of editors who have gone on to make big names for themselves in the publishing world. If we were low enough, it might just have been our ticket out of this town. (But, oh no, we plan to make a name for ourselves the old-fashioned way -- lying, cheating and stealing.)
Single on Valentine's Day? Look no farther than the cubicle adjacent to yours. In fact, two-thirds of employees in the United Kingdom admit to having had a rendezvous with a coworker.
The tourism industry's exotic locations and romantic hotspots incite the amour of not only guests but also employees, who are most likely to be caught kissing someone wearing the same uniform (and why not? The beds are an included perk.) But not all beds are created equal, it seems, because doctors and nurses are least likely to engage in workplace romances.
Hold-It (smirk) has actually locked lips with a handful of editors who have gone on to make big names for themselves in the publishing world. If we were low enough, it might just have been our ticket out of this town. (But, oh no, we plan to make a name for ourselves the old-fashioned way -- lying, cheating and stealing.)
It's Raining Men
Meteorology is no longer a man's job. These days, an increasing number of women are not only filling in for their male colleagues, but they're also receiving the necessary certification to lead the coverage.
And, having a woman lead the weather team can be an effective strategy for some networks in attracting more female viewers.
One female meteorologist told the News-Press that "a woman might describe a forecast’s impact in terms of its effect on activities such as gardening or picking up the kids from school. A man, she added, might instead mention its impact on golfing or washing the car."
We'll hold the jokes about bad hair day forecasts. But feel free to add your own.
Meteorology is no longer a man's job. These days, an increasing number of women are not only filling in for their male colleagues, but they're also receiving the necessary certification to lead the coverage.
And, having a woman lead the weather team can be an effective strategy for some networks in attracting more female viewers.
One female meteorologist told the News-Press that "a woman might describe a forecast’s impact in terms of its effect on activities such as gardening or picking up the kids from school. A man, she added, might instead mention its impact on golfing or washing the car."
We'll hold the jokes about bad hair day forecasts. But feel free to add your own.
Flounce, Flounce
One of the nice things about living in South Jersey is that the weather always seems to be warmer than in New York City by a noticeable amount. Today we flounced around in a skirt and we got all dolled up in pink and the day was almost good for awhile (until we checked the mail -- apparently we're still paying for this pretty pink outfit.)
To cheer ourselves up, we hereby name the following headline the most absurd thing we've read today:
"Cold weather slows advance of woolly adelgids that kill hemlocks"
That kind of thing reminds me of my college newspaper days when we liberally ran headlines that read, "Awakening with Sachs" and "Graduate Student Dies." Ah, youth.
One of the nice things about living in South Jersey is that the weather always seems to be warmer than in New York City by a noticeable amount. Today we flounced around in a skirt and we got all dolled up in pink and the day was almost good for awhile (until we checked the mail -- apparently we're still paying for this pretty pink outfit.)
To cheer ourselves up, we hereby name the following headline the most absurd thing we've read today:
"Cold weather slows advance of woolly adelgids that kill hemlocks"
That kind of thing reminds me of my college newspaper days when we liberally ran headlines that read, "Awakening with Sachs" and "Graduate Student Dies." Ah, youth.
Monday, February 09, 2004
Bored to Death
On Sex and the City last night, a drugged-up, has-been eighties socialite proclaims, "I'm so bored I could die," before she trips on the high heel of her Manolo Blahnik and crashes through a floor-to-ceiling window. These are her parting words to New York City, a place which she bemoans as just no fun any longer.
So has New York City lost its appeal? Has it become too stuffy? Has the high cost of living driven all the artsy, underground folk to ... Philadelphia? (Yeah, we can only hope.)
Then again, maybe it's not girls but gay men who just want to have fun. As strange as that sounds, we believe that may be what this man is trying to say ... (Otherwise, what is he trying to say?)
On Sex and the City last night, a drugged-up, has-been eighties socialite proclaims, "I'm so bored I could die," before she trips on the high heel of her Manolo Blahnik and crashes through a floor-to-ceiling window. These are her parting words to New York City, a place which she bemoans as just no fun any longer.
So has New York City lost its appeal? Has it become too stuffy? Has the high cost of living driven all the artsy, underground folk to ... Philadelphia? (Yeah, we can only hope.)
Then again, maybe it's not girls but gay men who just want to have fun. As strange as that sounds, we believe that may be what this man is trying to say ... (Otherwise, what is he trying to say?)
Yay, We Made a Friend
So we started a blog and already we've been invited to our first party. That's right, we received our first invitation to a blogger bash. This one is ... let us just find the e-mail ... ah ... International Blog Meet-Up Day. Unfortunately, we are otherwise engaged that evening, but here are the details:
Wednesday, Feb. 18, 7 pm, location TBD (but there's a vote!)
We are popular people. Stick with us.
So we started a blog and already we've been invited to our first party. That's right, we received our first invitation to a blogger bash. This one is ... let us just find the e-mail ... ah ... International Blog Meet-Up Day. Unfortunately, we are otherwise engaged that evening, but here are the details:
Wednesday, Feb. 18, 7 pm, location TBD (but there's a vote!)
We are popular people. Stick with us.
Speaking of Foreign Countries ...
Once again, the world is laughing at Americans. Not only that, but this time it's the British who are telling Americans to get a sense of humor.
One British tabloid columnist, for instance, called U.S. outrage over Janet Jackson's exposed breast a tempest "in a D-cup."
"You have got to remember there is a long tradition of Americans being a tad more starchy about nudity than the Europeans," Patrick Tyler, London bureau chief of the New York Times, told Reuters. "There is something 'Mom and Apple Pie' about Super Bowl night. There is a standard adhered to that is particularly Middle America."
So, compared to Europeans, are Americans more modest, more prudish, more sexually repressed?
Maybe they're just more greedy. One Tennessee woman is suing Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, CBS, MTV and Viacom, claiming she was forced to witness "lewd conduct." We're not quite sure how she plans to prove that there were actually monetary damages inflicted. In fact, we're embarrassed to share a nationality with this woman. Is there a greater marker of how cheap and tawdry our country has become than these carpetbaggers coming out of the woodwork hoping to profit off of any and every opportunity?
We better be careful. This Tennessee woman might try to sue us next for hurting her feelings.
Once again, the world is laughing at Americans. Not only that, but this time it's the British who are telling Americans to get a sense of humor.
One British tabloid columnist, for instance, called U.S. outrage over Janet Jackson's exposed breast a tempest "in a D-cup."
"You have got to remember there is a long tradition of Americans being a tad more starchy about nudity than the Europeans," Patrick Tyler, London bureau chief of the New York Times, told Reuters. "There is something 'Mom and Apple Pie' about Super Bowl night. There is a standard adhered to that is particularly Middle America."
So, compared to Europeans, are Americans more modest, more prudish, more sexually repressed?
Maybe they're just more greedy. One Tennessee woman is suing Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, CBS, MTV and Viacom, claiming she was forced to witness "lewd conduct." We're not quite sure how she plans to prove that there were actually monetary damages inflicted. In fact, we're embarrassed to share a nationality with this woman. Is there a greater marker of how cheap and tawdry our country has become than these carpetbaggers coming out of the woodwork hoping to profit off of any and every opportunity?
We better be careful. This Tennessee woman might try to sue us next for hurting her feelings.
Sunday, February 08, 2004
Our Take on Sex and the City
If some rich, romantic, wordly Alexander Petrovsky asked us to move to Paris with him, we would in a second. Make that a a nano-second.
And, really, we think Paris is an excellent choice for a writer. (Takers, anyone? Our passport is current.)
If some rich, romantic, wordly Alexander Petrovsky asked us to move to Paris with him, we would in a second. Make that a a nano-second.
And, really, we think Paris is an excellent choice for a writer. (Takers, anyone? Our passport is current.)
Around Town
Speaking of this town, the weekly town newsletter arrived in the mail this weekend. Under the heading "What's Hot" is the following list:
* Vegetable Soup Luncheon
* Pork and Sauerkraut Dinner
* Royal Tea Party
* Cartoonmania Fair
* Over 50 Computer Club
Should those events be too hot to handle, the New Jersey State Aquarium in Camden is hosting Monte Carlo Night on Feb. 21 from 7 to midnight. "It will be an evening of fortune and fun -- surrounded by mystical marine life!" proclaims the newsletter.
Oh, and something interesting: a new website that features art events across the South Jersey region. It's a short list. But well over-due.
Speaking of this town, the weekly town newsletter arrived in the mail this weekend. Under the heading "What's Hot" is the following list:
* Vegetable Soup Luncheon
* Pork and Sauerkraut Dinner
* Royal Tea Party
* Cartoonmania Fair
* Over 50 Computer Club
Should those events be too hot to handle, the New Jersey State Aquarium in Camden is hosting Monte Carlo Night on Feb. 21 from 7 to midnight. "It will be an evening of fortune and fun -- surrounded by mystical marine life!" proclaims the newsletter.
Oh, and something interesting: a new website that features art events across the South Jersey region. It's a short list. But well over-due.
Photography
Hold-It walked around town taking pictures of things today. Suddenly everything looks like a photograph.
Hopefully, we'll have some pictures to upload in the next couple of weeks.
Hold-It walked around town taking pictures of things today. Suddenly everything looks like a photograph.
Hopefully, we'll have some pictures to upload in the next couple of weeks.
Dating Past Your Prime
A 27-year-old colleague at work asked last week whether I had ever thought about what age I wanted to be when I get married.
"No," I lied, alluding to the other factors complicating the issue (the long distance relationship, the job in South Jersey, the five years until my boyfriend's degree.) To change the subject I asked whether she had thought about it, but then quickly added, "Well, I guess you really haven't been going out that long."
I think I insulted her. She proceeded to tell me that at 27, a 11-month-long relationship is more intense than my two-plus-year relationship at 22. Since 27-year-olds know exactly what they want, they don't waste all that beginning time figuring stuff out.
So what I want to know is this: if by 27 you know exactly what you want, why are so many 30 year olds still complaining about how they'll never find a man? Are they just too picky? Have men of their generation really deteriorated to unmarriable proportions? (I have a theory about this: men of their generation were raised by old fashioned folks who taught them old fashioned ideas about what impresses a woman. But all this knowledge meant little to their socially liberated co-ed counterparts. So men and women of Generation X are hopelessly mismatched.) Which reminds me: Sex and the City is on tonight.
A 27-year-old colleague at work asked last week whether I had ever thought about what age I wanted to be when I get married.
"No," I lied, alluding to the other factors complicating the issue (the long distance relationship, the job in South Jersey, the five years until my boyfriend's degree.) To change the subject I asked whether she had thought about it, but then quickly added, "Well, I guess you really haven't been going out that long."
I think I insulted her. She proceeded to tell me that at 27, a 11-month-long relationship is more intense than my two-plus-year relationship at 22. Since 27-year-olds know exactly what they want, they don't waste all that beginning time figuring stuff out.
So what I want to know is this: if by 27 you know exactly what you want, why are so many 30 year olds still complaining about how they'll never find a man? Are they just too picky? Have men of their generation really deteriorated to unmarriable proportions? (I have a theory about this: men of their generation were raised by old fashioned folks who taught them old fashioned ideas about what impresses a woman. But all this knowledge meant little to their socially liberated co-ed counterparts. So men and women of Generation X are hopelessly mismatched.) Which reminds me: Sex and the City is on tonight.
Saturday, February 07, 2004
Readers Beware
We just read an entire article about how dorky guys too can score hot women. April Masini, the author of Date Out Of Your League insists that any man can date a beautiful woman ... with some positive thinking, that is.
Yet only in the last few paragraphs do we learn what really attracted Mrs. Masini to her shy, socially awkward hubby. The secret to his success? Money, of course.
Long story short: don't waste your money on this book.
We just read an entire article about how dorky guys too can score hot women. April Masini, the author of Date Out Of Your League insists that any man can date a beautiful woman ... with some positive thinking, that is.
Yet only in the last few paragraphs do we learn what really attracted Mrs. Masini to her shy, socially awkward hubby. The secret to his success? Money, of course.
Long story short: don't waste your money on this book.
What the Afternoon Has Been Like
The boyfriend tries to guess his birthday gift:
boyfriend: what you doing?
Hold-it: writing
boyfriend: you find a present?
Hold-it: lots of presents
boyfriend: ?
Hold-it: well, I couldn't decide on just one thing
boyfriend: ?
Hold-it: you'll just have to wait and see
boyfriend: no fair
Hold-it: of course it's fair
boyfriend: tell me tell me tell me
Hold-it: no no no
boyfriend: yes yes yes
My friend on spelling:
friend: and it's lego, as in the toy. Not leggo, as in the waffle in france.
friend: my god, I can't believe I typed that.
Same friend on a second date:
friend: I've been throwing random quotes into these emails. She's picking up on most of them. I wonder if she's using google or if she knows.
Hold-it: you two are meant for each other
Hold-it: I can tell
The boyfriend tries to guess his birthday gift:
boyfriend: what you doing?
Hold-it: writing
boyfriend: you find a present?
Hold-it: lots of presents
boyfriend: ?
Hold-it: well, I couldn't decide on just one thing
boyfriend: ?
Hold-it: you'll just have to wait and see
boyfriend: no fair
Hold-it: of course it's fair
boyfriend: tell me tell me tell me
Hold-it: no no no
boyfriend: yes yes yes
My friend on spelling:
friend: and it's lego, as in the toy. Not leggo, as in the waffle in france.
friend: my god, I can't believe I typed that.
Same friend on a second date:
friend: I've been throwing random quotes into these emails. She's picking up on most of them. I wonder if she's using google or if she knows.
Hold-it: you two are meant for each other
Hold-it: I can tell
Picture This
Hold-It was almost happy today walking around the Rittenhouse Square area of Philadelphia. We even took a picture of the view from the PATCO train when it goes across the Ben Franklin bridge. (There's something about rushing full speed ahead along the outer edge of a bridge, with no railing, no support system, no back-up plan, nothing, that gives us the heebie-jeebies. So we photographed it.)
Some passengers stared when the camera came out. But we think it's OK to hint in little ways that you're not really from New Jersey.
Hold-It was almost happy today walking around the Rittenhouse Square area of Philadelphia. We even took a picture of the view from the PATCO train when it goes across the Ben Franklin bridge. (There's something about rushing full speed ahead along the outer edge of a bridge, with no railing, no support system, no back-up plan, nothing, that gives us the heebie-jeebies. So we photographed it.)
Some passengers stared when the camera came out. But we think it's OK to hint in little ways that you're not really from New Jersey.
Weird Science
We're not saying that there's such a thing as pointless scientific research but here is the random, useless fact of the day: fingernails are self-trimming. A team of investigators has discovered that fingernails are twice as strong along their length as along their width. In short, this discovery explains why nails break easily but never tear down the center.
Ugh. Just typing that gives us the same chills as hearing nails scratch across a blackboard.
(We're sure there's some wiseguy in the audience waiting to jump up and yell, hey my grandmother once slammed my finger in a door and the nail split! She did it on purpose, dude. Just keep it to yourself.)
We're not saying that there's such a thing as pointless scientific research but here is the random, useless fact of the day: fingernails are self-trimming. A team of investigators has discovered that fingernails are twice as strong along their length as along their width. In short, this discovery explains why nails break easily but never tear down the center.
Ugh. Just typing that gives us the same chills as hearing nails scratch across a blackboard.
(We're sure there's some wiseguy in the audience waiting to jump up and yell, hey my grandmother once slammed my finger in a door and the nail split! She did it on purpose, dude. Just keep it to yourself.)
Friday, February 06, 2004
Hold-It recently received a lecture from friend "Guess," who we hope won't kill us for posting part of her diatribe.
"i really don't think you're missing that much in new york. i mean, there are a lot of interesting people there, but you never meet those ones anyway. if
you meet anyone, it's always the ... yuppies, doing their status things.
leading their "quietly desperate" lives, just like everyone in the rest of
the country, except they think they're so ... special because they live
in williamsburg. in a loft. cherry hill is not new york, you know? it is
what it is. ... i think these places really
have stuff to teach us, too. or, speaking for myself, charlotte has really
been a great place for me to live. i never would have traveled to the south,
let alone lived here. ....charlotte certainly doesn't have what
new york's got, but that doesn't make it empty.
Well. As it turns out, right around the time when we moved here, Philadelphia had just been voted the number one city for singles by Forbes readers. Funny. Funny also that Austin topped the list of editors' picks. (Austin? Must be all that Texas pride.)
"i really don't think you're missing that much in new york. i mean, there are a lot of interesting people there, but you never meet those ones anyway. if
you meet anyone, it's always the ... yuppies, doing their status things.
leading their "quietly desperate" lives, just like everyone in the rest of
the country, except they think they're so ... special because they live
in williamsburg. in a loft. cherry hill is not new york, you know? it is
what it is. ... i think these places really
have stuff to teach us, too. or, speaking for myself, charlotte has really
been a great place for me to live. i never would have traveled to the south,
let alone lived here. ....charlotte certainly doesn't have what
new york's got, but that doesn't make it empty.
Well. As it turns out, right around the time when we moved here, Philadelphia had just been voted the number one city for singles by Forbes readers. Funny. Funny also that Austin topped the list of editors' picks. (Austin? Must be all that Texas pride.)
'Tis the (Romantic) Season
More rejected gift ideas for the significant other:
* Personal grooming kit
* Silver ID bracelet
* Board game about wine (although I would like one for myself)
* Early morning lovemaking (who writes this stuff on iVillage?)
* Bath oils
* A little ladybug broach?
More rejected gift ideas for the significant other:
* Personal grooming kit
* Silver ID bracelet
* Board game about wine (although I would like one for myself)
* Early morning lovemaking (who writes this stuff on iVillage?)
* Bath oils
* A little ladybug broach?
Thursday, February 05, 2004
The Newest Name in Couture is ...
Barbie?
That's right. Japan-based Sanei International is capitalizing on the flaxen-haired, tight-waisted doll's mystique -- particularly the idea that Barbie represents a sort of aesthetic perfection -- by selling "Barbie Couture" at hundreds of dollars an item.
"She's slim, she's blond and she's just a dream," 22-year-old Kumiko Suzuki says of her childhood toy. "I want to be just like her."
Although Barbie Couture is only sold in Japan, Sanei hopes to eventually bring the clothing line to Europe. Of course, not everyone agrees that Barbie-wear has universal appeal.
The clothing line "might work in Japan but I would see it as very challenging in the rest of the world," says Margaret Mager, an apparel and retail analyst at Goldman Sachs. "Being American doesn't help in Europe. And in the U.S., Barbie is too associated with toys and juvenile products to do well in the high-end apparel market."
Barbie?
That's right. Japan-based Sanei International is capitalizing on the flaxen-haired, tight-waisted doll's mystique -- particularly the idea that Barbie represents a sort of aesthetic perfection -- by selling "Barbie Couture" at hundreds of dollars an item.
"She's slim, she's blond and she's just a dream," 22-year-old Kumiko Suzuki says of her childhood toy. "I want to be just like her."
Although Barbie Couture is only sold in Japan, Sanei hopes to eventually bring the clothing line to Europe. Of course, not everyone agrees that Barbie-wear has universal appeal.
The clothing line "might work in Japan but I would see it as very challenging in the rest of the world," says Margaret Mager, an apparel and retail analyst at Goldman Sachs. "Being American doesn't help in Europe. And in the U.S., Barbie is too associated with toys and juvenile products to do well in the high-end apparel market."
Oh no, not the Tamagotchi!
Tamagotchi pets are back and they're horny little devils. Life's no longer eat, poop and die. Now there's flirting, dating and procreating.
And they compete in eating contests.
But hey, if you can't beat 'em, sing along!
Tamagotchi pets are back and they're horny little devils. Life's no longer eat, poop and die. Now there's flirting, dating and procreating.
And they compete in eating contests.
But hey, if you can't beat 'em, sing along!
Wednesday, February 04, 2004
P.S.
We now have a digital camera. A disposable digital camera, but a digital camera nonetheless.
We now have a digital camera. A disposable digital camera, but a digital camera nonetheless.
A (Long) Political Manifesto
Ask me what I think of Howard Dean. Go on, ask me. I can tell you now. I know now.
I suppose you could say that I was a late political bloomer. I blame my father, in a lot of ways, for not fostering my political consciousness. My father is a staunch Republican. He indoctrinated us with the mantra, "Republicans want to bring poor people up, and Democrats want to bring rich people down," making us repeat after him at the dinner table.
At first, I could take it in stride. After all, we lived on Staten Island, the Republican stronghold of New York City. And furthermore, the Republicans of New York weren't the Republicans of Texas or South Carolina; they were Time Man-of-the-Year Giuliani Republicans. Socially liberal, fiscally conservative, tough on crime and strong on defense.
Then came George W. Bush. To my father, one of the great Republican leaders. (My little sister is so brainwashed, she expressed shock that I was even toying with the idea of voting for a Democrat.)
In the other camp, my boyfriend casually drops remarks such as, did I know that under the current administration, single women who head their households have the greatest tax burden relative to income? (No, I did not.)
I avoided politics because they made me schizophrenic, the voices pounding in my head, telling me I must do this thing or that.
I'm not sure when the turnaround began. Maybe I realized that single women who head their households do have a disproportionate financial burden. Maybe the issues on the table -- universal health care, the economy, gay marriage, homeland security -- finally became issues in which I feel personally invested.
All I know is that I'm addicted to CNN. I may even -- gasp -- change my party so I can vote in this year's Democratic primary. But please don't tell my father. I don't know if I can stand the yelling.
Ask me what I think of Howard Dean. Go on, ask me. I can tell you now. I know now.
I suppose you could say that I was a late political bloomer. I blame my father, in a lot of ways, for not fostering my political consciousness. My father is a staunch Republican. He indoctrinated us with the mantra, "Republicans want to bring poor people up, and Democrats want to bring rich people down," making us repeat after him at the dinner table.
At first, I could take it in stride. After all, we lived on Staten Island, the Republican stronghold of New York City. And furthermore, the Republicans of New York weren't the Republicans of Texas or South Carolina; they were Time Man-of-the-Year Giuliani Republicans. Socially liberal, fiscally conservative, tough on crime and strong on defense.
Then came George W. Bush. To my father, one of the great Republican leaders. (My little sister is so brainwashed, she expressed shock that I was even toying with the idea of voting for a Democrat.)
In the other camp, my boyfriend casually drops remarks such as, did I know that under the current administration, single women who head their households have the greatest tax burden relative to income? (No, I did not.)
I avoided politics because they made me schizophrenic, the voices pounding in my head, telling me I must do this thing or that.
I'm not sure when the turnaround began. Maybe I realized that single women who head their households do have a disproportionate financial burden. Maybe the issues on the table -- universal health care, the economy, gay marriage, homeland security -- finally became issues in which I feel personally invested.
All I know is that I'm addicted to CNN. I may even -- gasp -- change my party so I can vote in this year's Democratic primary. But please don't tell my father. I don't know if I can stand the yelling.
Like My Style
I always get excited when I hear about something cool happening in Philadelphia. It's like discovering that my socially inept child made a friend. So apparently my little city is now getting props from the hip-hop fashion elite. The T-shirt designs, seen left, have been sported on stars like Wyclef, P.Diddy and 50 Cent, and are choice threads for photo shoots. Score.
Tuesday, February 03, 2004
Service Changes
The nice people at Blogger have recently upgraded Hold-It's account to allow image hosting. Yay for the nice Blogger people!
Hold-It is still working out a few glitches. Please excuse our appearance during this transitional time.
In the meantime, we leave you with this picture of a stuffed toy wearing a sock. Why? Well, it's the last photo anyone sent us.
The nice people at Blogger have recently upgraded Hold-It's account to allow image hosting. Yay for the nice Blogger people!
Hold-It is still working out a few glitches. Please excuse our appearance during this transitional time.
In the meantime, we leave you with this picture of a stuffed toy wearing a sock. Why? Well, it's the last photo anyone sent us.
It's My Party
I have less than two weeks to buy my boyfriend a birthday present. I am really bad with gift giving. I once made a birthday basket for my father complete with drawings, a drug store variety pen, two of his favorite cookies, and stickers. My father ate the cookies and put the basket in a corner of the living room until my mother yelled at him to clean up his mess. And that was a better year.
So I'm making a list of gifts for my boyfriends that I've rejected so far:
* Cookbooks (would never use them)
* Gym membership (might be offended)
* Maid service (too expensive)
* Threesome
* Coach wallet (yawn, cliched)
I think I should just get him something really absurd like over-sized fake money and try to pass it off as something really meaningful. That might work.
I have less than two weeks to buy my boyfriend a birthday present. I am really bad with gift giving. I once made a birthday basket for my father complete with drawings, a drug store variety pen, two of his favorite cookies, and stickers. My father ate the cookies and put the basket in a corner of the living room until my mother yelled at him to clean up his mess. And that was a better year.
So I'm making a list of gifts for my boyfriends that I've rejected so far:
* Cookbooks (would never use them)
* Gym membership (might be offended)
* Maid service (too expensive)
* Threesome
* Coach wallet (yawn, cliched)
I think I should just get him something really absurd like over-sized fake money and try to pass it off as something really meaningful. That might work.
Bored with Boobs
Jokes about breasts hijacked the radio shows this morning. Y100 asked listeners to share a moment when their own boobs popped out unexpectedly (the summer when I was 16, going under a waterfall during a "river" ride at an amusement park) and then directed listeners to check out pictures of girls flashing roller coaster cameras.
In the newspapers, the Philadelphia Daily News ran a piece about nipple rings ("ohmygod, they're so two years ago!")
I don't like celebrities, I really don't. It makes no sense to me why CBS would allow MTV to produce the half-time show in the first place and then complain when things get out of hand. That's like putting a bull in a china shop and telling him not to break anything. Like giving my boyfriend food from McDonald's and telling him not to eat it. Like putting a dog near a fire hydrant and ... well, you get it.
The truth is, I'd be more likely to be star struck meeting Jake Dobkin from Gothamist than Janet Jackson. But I'm also a dork at heart ("ohmygod, he went to my high school!")
Jokes about breasts hijacked the radio shows this morning. Y100 asked listeners to share a moment when their own boobs popped out unexpectedly (the summer when I was 16, going under a waterfall during a "river" ride at an amusement park) and then directed listeners to check out pictures of girls flashing roller coaster cameras.
In the newspapers, the Philadelphia Daily News ran a piece about nipple rings ("ohmygod, they're so two years ago!")
I don't like celebrities, I really don't. It makes no sense to me why CBS would allow MTV to produce the half-time show in the first place and then complain when things get out of hand. That's like putting a bull in a china shop and telling him not to break anything. Like giving my boyfriend food from McDonald's and telling him not to eat it. Like putting a dog near a fire hydrant and ... well, you get it.
The truth is, I'd be more likely to be star struck meeting Jake Dobkin from Gothamist than Janet Jackson. But I'm also a dork at heart ("ohmygod, he went to my high school!")
Sex and the Folks
I'll never understand parents. How do we expect children to have an enlightened view on sex and anatomy if we condone suggestive lyrics, dancing and scatological humor but then express complete shock and outrage over the image of a woman's breast?
This is the reason, frankly, why I've been forcing myself to have open conversations with my parents about sex. Not me and sex, necessarily, but sex in a general way. Like whether what former president Bill Clinton did with Monica Lewinsky was sex. I can even almost manage to watch Sex and the City with my mother. (I did manage, but it was dark and I made her swear not to laugh at any sex jokes.)
Honestly, if I were a parent, I would simply take a deep breath and then impart the carefully chosen words my parents expressed to me in these delicate situations: "We catch you doing that and we'll kill you."
I'll never understand parents. How do we expect children to have an enlightened view on sex and anatomy if we condone suggestive lyrics, dancing and scatological humor but then express complete shock and outrage over the image of a woman's breast?
This is the reason, frankly, why I've been forcing myself to have open conversations with my parents about sex. Not me and sex, necessarily, but sex in a general way. Like whether what former president Bill Clinton did with Monica Lewinsky was sex. I can even almost manage to watch Sex and the City with my mother. (I did manage, but it was dark and I made her swear not to laugh at any sex jokes.)
Honestly, if I were a parent, I would simply take a deep breath and then impart the carefully chosen words my parents expressed to me in these delicate situations: "We catch you doing that and we'll kill you."
Monday, February 02, 2004
Buns of Steal
This just in: there are yuppies in my Cardiosculpt class. The spring session started today and, lo and behold ... not everyone is old!
Better yet, I'm not the worst one anymore. The old ladies may have had a head start last session, but the yuppies have a lot of catching up to do.
Yep, this constitutes excitement in post-college suburbia. Some might call this the "quarter-life crisis". But I usually try to run from any association with middle aged men.
This just in: there are yuppies in my Cardiosculpt class. The spring session started today and, lo and behold ... not everyone is old!
Better yet, I'm not the worst one anymore. The old ladies may have had a head start last session, but the yuppies have a lot of catching up to do.
Yep, this constitutes excitement in post-college suburbia. Some might call this the "quarter-life crisis". But I usually try to run from any association with middle aged men.
Riding Pretty
On to more important things. South Jersey is less than two weeks away from introducing a light rail connecting Trenton and Camden, where riders can then transfer to the PATCO Speedline for service to Cherry Hill, Philadelphia and Atlantic City. Which means that I can now get from my apartment in South Jersey to New York City without any driving whatsoever. To someone who once thought that learning to drive would be a complete waste of energy, this arrangement sounds pretty good.
Of course, it does require an extra 30 minutes of travel time (more if you account for delays) but saves $0.40 in travel costs (cost of parking minus cost of light rail ticket).
So it's a toss-up. Assuming the NJ Transit department can ever get its act together in time for the big launch.
On to more important things. South Jersey is less than two weeks away from introducing a light rail connecting Trenton and Camden, where riders can then transfer to the PATCO Speedline for service to Cherry Hill, Philadelphia and Atlantic City. Which means that I can now get from my apartment in South Jersey to New York City without any driving whatsoever. To someone who once thought that learning to drive would be a complete waste of energy, this arrangement sounds pretty good.
Of course, it does require an extra 30 minutes of travel time (more if you account for delays) but saves $0.40 in travel costs (cost of parking minus cost of light rail ticket).
So it's a toss-up. Assuming the NJ Transit department can ever get its act together in time for the big launch.
What's in a Boob?
I have one thing to say about this Janet Jackson incident: Who cares? Does this mishap -- or publicity stunt or what have you -- really represent the moral failings of our nation? Are we really that shocked to see a celebrity bare a breast, albeit on network television? Is it really today's most significant news item?
She really does look embarrassed in the photos, clutching her malfunctioned costume.
And please, your kids have seen worse. And if they haven't it's about time they learned.
OK, I'm done.
I have one thing to say about this Janet Jackson incident: Who cares? Does this mishap -- or publicity stunt or what have you -- really represent the moral failings of our nation? Are we really that shocked to see a celebrity bare a breast, albeit on network television? Is it really today's most significant news item?
She really does look embarrassed in the photos, clutching her malfunctioned costume.
And please, your kids have seen worse. And if they haven't it's about time they learned.
OK, I'm done.
Sunday, February 01, 2004
All Bets Are Off
Believe it or not, there's something called the Super Bowl on TV tonight (Philadelphia fans are trying to block out this bit of programming.)
Although many young men (and women) see this annual event as an excuse for boozing and partying on a Sunday night, others are hoping to make a grand or two off the evening. So reads an away message on my AIM Buddy List:
I have the following bets on today's game:
Panthers winning
Panthers covering +7
The over of 38 points
Tails on the coin toss
Longest field goal will be over 44 yds
Shortest touchdown will over 2 yds
Panthers will get first penalty
Pats Tight End will catch a TD
Brady will be MVP
Last digit of score in a quarter will be Pats 3 and Panthers 0
I have issues................... and I'm gonna be rich or poor after today
And, you know, three other friends have recently confided -- or unsuccessfully tried to hide -- a newfound addiction to gambling. While the realization somewhat surprised me, what was really upsetting was the intensity of the addiction -- the frequent betting and the large sums of money wagered and lost.
My friends aren't the gambling type. They certainly chose security for their first jobs out of college: fancy names, nice perks. They chose long commutes, arrogant coworkers, 65-hour work weeks and brainless assignments. They want to try something new but they can't because they have bills, commitments. They don't want to run home to Mom and Dad; they still care what people think of them.
In short, they're scared of everything.
One friend admitted that gambling gave him "backbone." The conflict and suspense, fast pace and tidy resolution -- winners and losers -- is what was missing in day to day living. The stuff life is made of.
Or maybe it's the stuff life isn't made of, not anymore.
But I think the gambling phase is transient. After all, many twentysomethings I know (present company excluded) now have more money than they know what to do with.
It's not gambling if you can afford to lose.
Believe it or not, there's something called the Super Bowl on TV tonight (Philadelphia fans are trying to block out this bit of programming.)
Although many young men (and women) see this annual event as an excuse for boozing and partying on a Sunday night, others are hoping to make a grand or two off the evening. So reads an away message on my AIM Buddy List:
I have the following bets on today's game:
Panthers winning
Panthers covering +7
The over of 38 points
Tails on the coin toss
Longest field goal will be over 44 yds
Shortest touchdown will over 2 yds
Panthers will get first penalty
Pats Tight End will catch a TD
Brady will be MVP
Last digit of score in a quarter will be Pats 3 and Panthers 0
I have issues................... and I'm gonna be rich or poor after today
And, you know, three other friends have recently confided -- or unsuccessfully tried to hide -- a newfound addiction to gambling. While the realization somewhat surprised me, what was really upsetting was the intensity of the addiction -- the frequent betting and the large sums of money wagered and lost.
My friends aren't the gambling type. They certainly chose security for their first jobs out of college: fancy names, nice perks. They chose long commutes, arrogant coworkers, 65-hour work weeks and brainless assignments. They want to try something new but they can't because they have bills, commitments. They don't want to run home to Mom and Dad; they still care what people think of them.
In short, they're scared of everything.
One friend admitted that gambling gave him "backbone." The conflict and suspense, fast pace and tidy resolution -- winners and losers -- is what was missing in day to day living. The stuff life is made of.
Or maybe it's the stuff life isn't made of, not anymore.
But I think the gambling phase is transient. After all, many twentysomethings I know (present company excluded) now have more money than they know what to do with.
It's not gambling if you can afford to lose.
Watching What You Eat
A friend of mine went on a first date this weekend. When my boyfriend and I asked him what he thought of the girl, he admitted that he was annoyed that she did not finish her dinner.
Since I can be a ... particular ... eater, I conferred with my boyfriend on this one.
"Sure I watch what you eat," he said. "A couple of times when you ate less than half of what you ordered, I began to take notice."
He then confessed that he's been starving me before meals.
In other words, we eat late dinners followed by later brunches. We always skip lunch. (His deviance has backfired at least once when he had to listen to a whining monologue of "I'm hungry" for nearly two hours while he read the newspaper. I now go out and get breakfast without him in the mornings.)
I argued that sometimes portion sizes in restaurants are just too large -- and doesn't he know that there's an obesity epidemic in this country? I can't keep up with his penchant for fried hot dogs and barbecued ribs and bacon.
So we compromised. I have to eat a "reasonable amount" when we go out to restaurants together (especially if he's paying). He keeps track too.
A friend of mine went on a first date this weekend. When my boyfriend and I asked him what he thought of the girl, he admitted that he was annoyed that she did not finish her dinner.
Since I can be a ... particular ... eater, I conferred with my boyfriend on this one.
"Sure I watch what you eat," he said. "A couple of times when you ate less than half of what you ordered, I began to take notice."
He then confessed that he's been starving me before meals.
In other words, we eat late dinners followed by later brunches. We always skip lunch. (His deviance has backfired at least once when he had to listen to a whining monologue of "I'm hungry" for nearly two hours while he read the newspaper. I now go out and get breakfast without him in the mornings.)
I argued that sometimes portion sizes in restaurants are just too large -- and doesn't he know that there's an obesity epidemic in this country? I can't keep up with his penchant for fried hot dogs and barbecued ribs and bacon.
So we compromised. I have to eat a "reasonable amount" when we go out to restaurants together (especially if he's paying). He keeps track too.
A Room of One's Own
"I am 31 years old and live alone. I do not have a dining room table and I believe that I am still single because no one understands me except IKEA."
Jamison Maeda, United States
Singledom has become a booming industry in the United Kingdom, according to the BBC. This boom is evident in everything from pre-packaged dinners for one to books and movies that celebrate the single life. And singledom is being blamed for things like soaring housing costs (demand out-pacing supply) and the growth of Internet dating.
But according to this young chap, the rise in people without partners may be the logical reaction to the peace, love and rock & roll of the 1960s.
"So much for us sixties types who thought we would be living in communal settings. Perhaps people are less forgiving of a partner's faults and quirks these days than in the past. Polygamy and polyandry could become the vogue. You get tired of one, move on to the next, or you get them all ganging up on you."
Nick Bell, US
"I am 31 years old and live alone. I do not have a dining room table and I believe that I am still single because no one understands me except IKEA."
Jamison Maeda, United States
Singledom has become a booming industry in the United Kingdom, according to the BBC. This boom is evident in everything from pre-packaged dinners for one to books and movies that celebrate the single life. And singledom is being blamed for things like soaring housing costs (demand out-pacing supply) and the growth of Internet dating.
But according to this young chap, the rise in people without partners may be the logical reaction to the peace, love and rock & roll of the 1960s.
"So much for us sixties types who thought we would be living in communal settings. Perhaps people are less forgiving of a partner's faults and quirks these days than in the past. Polygamy and polyandry could become the vogue. You get tired of one, move on to the next, or you get them all ganging up on you."
Nick Bell, US
Roughing It in Williamsburg
Sure, Brooklyn living is all fun and games until the L train is shut down for maintenance. Then you realize you have no food, no heat and no entertainment and your life pretty much sucks. It's tough being a hispter when your lifeline is cut off.
What people will do to live near Manhattan. At least we can say that New Jersey Transit is running on or close to schedule.
Sure, Brooklyn living is all fun and games until the L train is shut down for maintenance. Then you realize you have no food, no heat and no entertainment and your life pretty much sucks. It's tough being a hispter when your lifeline is cut off.
What people will do to live near Manhattan. At least we can say that New Jersey Transit is running on or close to schedule.
