Puzzle

Puzzle, originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

This puzzle is exactly as difficult as it looks. Thanks for nothin Kratzsch's!

Famous

My big sister is famous, which means I'm awesome! Everyone follow?

See here is Ms. Hollie Larkey being my big sister in my sorority:

















Here she is being famous in a national print campaign in Real Simple:















Seeing as how I was also published in Real Simple in their "Your Words" section, I think we have to assume it runs in the family.

Christmas in Kentucky 2007

Christmas in Kentucky 2007, originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

We had a very happy holiday. We drove straight through to Kentucky Friday night. Saturday was Allen family Christmas which went swimmingly if you don't count the dog fight and the small fire. ;) We had Skidmore Christmas on Sunday and chilled out on Christmas Eve. Santa was good to us on Christmas morning. I got my face scrubber from Oprah's favorite things list and comfy heels and a non-iron shirt for work (both essentials I assure you). Nicholas got several cookbooks and a new fishing rod he is very excited about. We drove all the way home on Wednesday and got home around 1am.

We had a great visit, yummy food, awesome presents, and safe travel. Can't ask for much more I suppose. :)

Visitin'

Next Day Brunch
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

The thing I miss most about home is visitin'. Luckily, there was lots of visitin' when I was home recently for the wedding tour of Kentucky. Visitin' is when you come over to for a breakfast and stay till 3:30 (like we did at the Staffords) or when you go over to someone's house only to hang out and enjoy their company (like we did with Timily). When I'm home in Paducah, my grandmother often comes over to visit and the visitin' is so good, we end up "playin' all day long" as my mother says.

Of course, some of my best visitin' is always done with my beloved friend Annie and her husband Kyle. When the four of us get together, we have such a blast it is hard to put into words. Now, when it comes right down to it, Kyle and Nicholas are amateurs and Annie and I can stay up talking late into the night. If I had to make a list of my favorite people to visit with, Annie would definitely be in the top 3. :)

Wedding Duty Complete

Erin's Wedding
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

So, my first (and last) foray into wedding planning is now complete. Erin and Seth got married in a beautiful and pretty much mishap free ceremony on Friday night. Then, we celebrated the happy event at Glassworks, where we danced our booties off all night long.

Erin looked absolutely gorgeous and held up admirably despite a pretty strong case of nerves. Everyone else also held up well considering I was bossing anyone within a 6 foot radius to any number of tasks that popped into my head. I was extremely happy with how the reception site turned out and I think all my added touches (snowflake ornaments, adding machine grooms cake, Golden Girls serenade) were a big hit.

The most important thing is one of my best friends in the world married the man she loves and I couldn't be happier for her. :)

One down one to go

Lauren's Wedding
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

Last night my maid-of-honor Lauren Johnston wed her longtime boyfriend Clay Wallace. The wedding was really beautiful and the reception was a blast. I think it is an under appreciated joy in life to dance your booty off with your high school friends AND their parents (including your own). ;)

Christmas in New York

We had a fantastic time in New York this weekend. We got in later Friday evening and had a great dinner with our friends Laura and Dan. We were able to stay in my friend Lindsey's apartment, since her and her fiancé recently bought a country home in Connecticut. Her apartment was absolutely adorable and very conveniently located.

On Saturday, we woke up bright and early to go ice skating at Rockefeller Center. The early wake-up was totally worth it because we walked right onto the ice (after a hefty price tag) and skated our hearts away. It was so fun and I couldn't believe I was actually on the famous rink! Afterwards, we walked up Fifth Avenue and checked out all the festive windows while doing a little shopping.

We met my good friend Dave for lunch and then he graciously agreed to go over to Rockefeller with us to help us take our Christmas card picture. We did some more shopping and had delicious pizza for dinner. Then we met back up with Dave to go see an improv show at the Upright Citizens Brigade.


On Sunday, we woke up to SNOW! Y'all I love Christmas in New York. The only thing I love more is snow at Christmas. Combining the two about make my head explode. I kept saying, "I can't believe it snowed!" We went over to Central Park to check it out and went to the Natural History Museum to see their origami tree, which was really beautiful.

Nicholas met some high school friends for dim sum, while I went to my friend Laura's wedding shower at Lady Mendl's. The place was absolutely gorgeous and we had like a six course, completely mind-blowing tea. A wonderful time was had by all.

Nicholas and I met back up later that evening for a lovely dinner at this darling cafe on St. Marks Place. We then took our happy little butts to Penn Station to catch our train home! It really was a completely wonderful weekend.

You decide

That's right! We're off!
We'll be back late Sunday night and promise lots of pictures sometime Monday. :)

No Country for Old Men

Javier Bardem makes me uncomfortable.

I wouldn't say fearful or anxious, just extremely uncomfortable. And that's how I felt throughout this entire film. Extremely uncomfortable. There was not one moment that the Coen brothers allowed you to settle or passively watch. When you thought there was going to be intense confrontation, the moment passed. When you thought everyone was safe for the moment, the moment shattered...usually with the blast of a cattle gun.

So many films have been praised for excellent pacing, the gradual building of suspense that's supposed to drive the viewer crazy. However, I never really understood what people were talking about. I've seen films that were scary all the way through or had intensely suspenseful parts scattered throughout but never one like this. I finally understand what people were talking about. I felt like there was a metronome on my shoulder the entire time.

Javier Bardem was a huge part of this of course, but Tommy Lee Jones, brilliant as usual, really contributed to the intensity. He wasn't rushing back to the crime scene or chasing down the bad guy. His main job seemed to merely ponder the situation. In fact, the only person with a real sense of urgency was Josh Brolin's character, who you follow the entire time only to be absent from his final showdown.

Now, in full disclosure, Nicholas was not as big a fan as me, which is pretty surprising since that usually only happens with romantic comedies. He said he liked the movie but "didn't care about it." Neither of us are really sure what that means. However, with a 95% on RottenTomatos.com and a glowing recommendation from me, I think we can safely assume he's probably a little wrong on this one. :)

O Christmas Tree

O Christmas Tree
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

I would have put it up sooner but the tree shop wasn't open. In fact, we almost missed it yesterday but I threw myself on the workers mercy and appealed to their Christmas spirit. It worked! :)

Thanksgiving Weekend

Thanksgiving
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

We had a wonderful time in Atlanta over the Thanksgiving holiday. We arrived Wednesday morning and filled four days with lots of food and family. As always, my amazing sister-in-law prepared a delicious feast (including a tofurkey for us!) all by herself. We all sat at a long table straight out of a Hallmark card.

It was a special holiday because this year Nicholas's grandparents joined us for the first time in many years. They recently moved into a retirement community in Atlanta from Texas and we were all very glad to have them here with us.

A message from us to you

If this doesn't say Happy Holidays, nothing does.

Thanksgiving at Thanksgiving

I GOT A JOB!!!!!

I can't thank all of you enough for your love and support. It was really hard for me at times and I wouldn't have made it through without all of you. A couple very special send ups go to the following: my loving husband who assured me I could be a stay-at-home wife a la Charlotte York Goldenblatt if I really wanted to; my most encouraging, supportive friend Kirsten whose vision for my potential and future is so crystal clear it scares me a little; and, last but not least, my friend Keri who - HELLO! - sent me the job listing and gave me a ton of Hill job advice and support.

Now, all y'all's congratulations presents can sent directly to our house. Here are some suggestions! ;)

Too Cool

A Confession

I've started listening to my Christmas music.

There. I said it.

It's November 14. A good week before Thanksgiving but I don't care. I usually try to wait but I don't want to. I love Christmas. It's my favorite time of year by about a mile and Christmas music makes me happy.

So there.

Don't judge me.

Starbucks Song of the Day

Starbucks Song of the Day
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

So remember how a couple posts ago I told ya'll about my love of completion - how I love finishing a list (or a bottle of shampoo as the case may be) or collecting all of something. Well, the only thing I might love more than that is free stuff, specifically free samples, corporate give-aways. I mean I don't want free junk. I want the good stuff.

Anyway, imagine my excitement when Starbucks announced it had teamed with iTunes to give away a free iTunes download everyday for a 5 weeks, especially when coupled with those fateful words..."collect them all." Needless to say, I was obsessed and I drove myself and whoever happened to be with me all over South Carolina, Texas, California, and DC making sure I didn't miss any.

One stupid Starbucks gave me the wrong song for one day so when that song showed up as scheduled I was thrown off. However, I think I dealt with it quite well considering I stopped myself from emailing Starbucks to complain. The other major accomplishment was that I went in Starbucks so often without spending a dime. I just got my little card and went.

The best part is they really weren't just passing out crap. I am greatly enjoying my special Song of the Day playlist and have even discovered some new artists I really enjoy. :)

There were only two songs I already had and the codes are posted below to whoever gets there first!
ytw9erel37mm
33p3jyffrlkw

Ok, listen up

I'm going to make this easy. Stop what you are doing. Stop. Right now. Got to nbc.com and watch Friday Night Lights. All of it. The whole season.

Here I'll even provide the link.

It is the sweetest, most affecting show since The West Wing. It's not the hard brilliance of The Sopranos or the political genius of Battlestar Galactica. But I laugh out loud every time and end every episode in tears. I cannot put this too strongly. This show is the most authentic, yet still entertaining portrayal of small town life I have ever seen. If you don't watch this show - you WILL watch this show.

I'll give someone else a try. From Salon, "If only more people knew what a rare and beautiful thing they're missing: a drama that sets the bar much higher than it has to, daring to take on the romance and heartbreak of being a teenager with honesty, compassion and wit. The writers don't take shortcuts with pointless fisticuffs and cliques and ironic asides; they stick to the emotional center of the story at all times. As a result, over the course of its short season (which ends on Wednesday, April 11 -- well before May sweeps, which isn't a good sign for its survival), "Friday Night Lights" has evolved from a strikingly original, lively little story about a football team to an evocative portrayal of life in a small American town, a narrative with so much sweetness and authenticity to it that, once you abandon yourself to its undeniable charms, you'll find it has the power to make you cringe and grit your teeth and laugh and cry each week, without fail."

Or how about The Sports Guy, "If you do give it a shot, let me recommend the impeccable acting, the lively football scenes (although they tend to go overboard on exciting finishes), the risky story lines and especially Coach Taylor's family, the most authentic household in recent TV history. Every nuance is nailed, every hug seems genuine, every fight makes sense, every sarcastic barb and flustered reaction ring true. If there are better TV actors than Kyle Chandler (Coach) and Connie Britton (Mrs. Coach), I haven't TiVoed them. Pay particular attention to the astonishing two-parter in which an older assistant sets off a racial powder keg before a big playoff game. If FNL were Michael Jordan, Lyla Garrity's slam-page episode would be the 63-point game in Boston (the coming-out party), and the two-parter would be the 1991 Finals (the moment considerable potential is realized)."

You don't have to know or like football. Ya'll my hatred of football is well-documented. You don't have to have grown up in a small town either. You just have to have a heart and a brain. And if you don't, you will also need protection because I will hunt each and everyone of you down if this show is canceled.

Ya'll have a great day now!

UPDATE: Oh my God! Yes, Dylan told me about this show and really let's be honest - all that growing up together, going to high school, loving me despite how I acted in high school only gets you so far. Now, NOW, that he has give me Friday Night Lights - well it's just taken our friendship to a whole new level. (And cost a ton in text messages, since about every 5 minutes it's "OMG! I love Buddy Garrity!" or "I want Tami Taylor to adopt me!")

Me and Stacey London need to have a talk

Ok, look. I like patent leather. I have two pairs of patent leather flats right now that I love. However, I am getting really sick of it being passed off as "classic." It's not classic. It is the major trend of the moment and it will go out of style. The last time I bought patent leather was for my high school holiday dance in 1995!!! So, stop. You are not fooling anyone.

New Collar

New Collar
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

We went with the blue and brown diamond. I liked it from the beginning and, when everyone was behind the diamonds, I knew we had a winner. :)

WHAT THEN!

BTW

I am now officially famous.

Sweetest Movie Ever

As many of you know, I have this sort of obsession with completing lists or actually completion in general. I even like finishing a bottle of shampoo. No joke. I don't know where it comes from, but I just love it.

So, ever since I completed the AFI Top 100 list (for the second time), I've been working on Best Picture Winners. I'd already seen pretty much everything past 1970 and most of the 1960s. There are about 20 I haven't seen so I've been slowing watching them mixed in with documentaries and more recent films so my husband doesn't kill me. ;)

Recently, I watched Marty, the Best Picture Winner for 1955. It's the story of an unlucky in love butcher, played by Ernest Borgnine, who lives with his mother. He meets a lonely schoolteacher and everything changes.

Ernest Bornine is really the key to the whole film. I felt such heartbreaking sympathy for him I was pushed to tears several times. He played Marty with such earnestness, such genuine decency that I wanted to reach through the screen and hug him. When he finally meets Clara, played by Betsy Blair, you are rooting for both of them so intensely that I almost couldn't bare it. More than I rooted for Sam and Annie in Sleepless in Seattle and even more than I rooted for (and this is big) Noah and Allie in The Notebook.

The whole movie was so precious and endearing I can't recommend it highly enough.

If you didn't think we'd have the last laugh, then you haven't been paying attention

Poll Time!

Which collar do you like best for Maggie? Keep in mind her spunky cuteness. She's not a particularly girly dog so nothing too cutesy though.

1. Diamond















2. Houndstooth















3. Bandanna

New Favorite Website

Ok, so I'm spending a lot of time at Goodwill's new online auction site. It's SO fun. Not only because I feel like there are a lot of good deals, but also because it's completely fascinating to see what's out there.

Like this.

Or this.

I highly recommend it, unless you start bidding against me. In that case, I know were you people live. Never forget that. ;)

L.A. Weekend

L.A. Weekend
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

We had a fabulous time in L.A. this weekend. We got to visit with my amazing friend Haley Goo and her new fiance Brian. They put us up Friday night and served us some awesome chocolate fondue.

On Saturday, we went on a sort of eating tour of some places I wanted to try. We had donuts at Fritelli's, which were fantastic! I'm a pretty big donut snob. I think nothing compares to Red's from Paducah, but I have to say their glazed buttermilk donut came pretty freaking close.

Then, we had authentic Mexican at Guelaguetza. I had this amazing pizza like dish, which had black bean smeared on a toasted tortilla with all these veggies. It was like nothing else I've ever had at a Mexican restaurant and really great. I also got to have one of my favorite Latin drinks - Horchata, which I haven't had since North Carolina.

That night we ate an amazing meal at Cafe Pinot near the Nokia LIVE Theater where we saw the Chicks and the Eagles. The concert was really fun. The Chicks were as entertaining as ever and I was totally impressed by the Eagles. My dad has been talking about how great they are forever and he was really right on the button. There was nothing like hearing Don Henley sing Hotel California live - I'd rate it right up there with Paul McCartney leading the entire Verizon Center in Hey Jude. :)

On Sunday, we just hung out and did some shopping, after breakfast at the Hollywood institution Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles. I didn't partake in the chicken but the waffles were yummy.

My sorority big sister met us for dinner and took us to the airport for our flight home. We had such a great time with her. She is the most amazing person, who is in LA following her dream of becoming an actress. (You Kentuckians might have seen her in a Fazoli's ad recently!) I have always been and continue to be inspired by her passion and I'm just happy for her.

So, despite the jet lag today, the great company and awesome music was totally worth the trip across the country! ;)

Deceptive and actually Delicious

Deceptive and actually Delicious
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

So we gave old Jessica Seinfeld another try and it went MUCH better this time. I made the tofu nuggets and macaroni and cheese for dinner on Thursday night and they were both really good. The nuggets had spinach puree and the mac and cheese had cauliflower puree in it. The mac and cheese, in particular, was really really good.

The next morning I made scrambled eggs also with cauliflower puree and they were delicious. I think the cauliflower puree really adds a nice texture and flavor. Big fan!

Just in case there was any confusion on who the couch actually belongs to...

Couch
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

Huh?

Now ya'll know I don't usually criticize Oprah, but I'm a little confused by today's show. The show was titled "How to be a star at work or at home" and featured Cathie Black, the CEO of Hearst Magazines. The first 1/3 of the show featured Cathie's advice on work and life. I was really impressed by her and even put her book on my amazon wishlist (for those of you who forgot to give me a law school graduation gift!) ;)

However, the rest of the show was basically a big old fashion show. At first, I was excited. I like fashion as much as the next girl and I don't think it is necessarily a frivolous topic. How you look makes a difference in work and life. Period. But the fashion just kept going and I started to think, "Wait, is this the only thing women in the work force should worry about? How we look?" I couldn't help but think if Warren Buffett or Jack Welch had been on the show they wouldn't have spent quite so much time on day-to-evening wear transitions.

Towards the end even Cathie Black looked a bit uncomfortable. I can't blame her.

Email Exchange

Me: I just bought Carrie Underwood's new album. Am memorizing the
awesomeness right now. :)

Nicholas: ohmigod

Requested Cooled Brownie Update

Nicholas said they were "better." My friend Dylan liked them. I still could only handle one bite.

I'm still holding out hope for the desserts with purees that make a little more sense - like pumpkin or sweet potato.

Wow

This lady is my hero.

Deceptively Delicious

Deceptively Delicious
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

So this should come as no surprise - what Oprah says I do. Jessica Seinfeld was on a couple of weeks ago promoting her new cookbook. Unless you've been living under a rock, you know the premise is to hide vegetables from your kids in foods they enjoy.

While I don't have kids, I decided the concept of including vegetable purees in everyday food was a good one. I've also wanted some healthier baking recipes so I decided to give it a try.

We stocked up on some purees and made the brownie recipe, which includes carrot and spinach puree. Now, she warns you not to eat them until they are completely cool - pretty much impossible right? But man she better be right about the taste of spinach disappearing because so far...yuck!

My favorite conversation with David

David
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

Me: Do you know what the White House is?
David: Yeah
Me: What is it?
David: I don't know.
Me: It's where the President lives. Do you know who the President is?
David: Yeah
Me: Who is the President?
David: I don't know.

Back from Texas

Momma and Baby
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

I am now officially home from my many travels (until next weekend when I go to L.A.). I had a wonderful time in Texas with my friend Elizabeth and her two little boys. We hung out and chatted most of the time, went out to eat, and had cake with some of her neighborhood friends. Overall, just enjoyed each other's company. :)

Three words ya'll...

Purse
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

Kate.

Spade.

Outlet.

Maybe Texas ain't so bad after all. ;)

Reality Check

To me, this is the ultimate point of the abortion debate. However you feel about abortion, I think we can all agree we want to reduce the number of abortions and the way to do that is not making it illegal.

Some much needed perspective

More and more people think they’re entitled to the right not just to ignore or disapprove, but to veto and banish.

Cupholder

Cupholder
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

Maggie enjoying some Muttlicks dog ice cream.

Happy Gotcha Day!

Maggie
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

We got Maggie four years ago. She is still one of the best decisions we've ever made and we couldn't ask for a better dog. :)

Travels

Alright, kiddos, I'm off to South Carolina for the campaign. I won't be back till next Saturday. Then, I leave on Monday for Texas to visit my good friend Elizabeth. So, posting might be sporadic so bear with me. :)

P.S. I got an extra Song of the Day code if anyone wants a Keith Urban song. It's CTLSLCRCRTXR

High Horse

Listen, I don't want to say I told ya'll so but I told ya'll so.
"Flexitarianism
Like vegetarians, "flexitarians" eat a primarily plant-based diet composed of grains, vegetables, and fruits, but they occasionally obtain protein from lean meat, fish, poultry, or dairy. A quarter of Americans fit the description, consuming meatless meals at least four days a week, according to the American Dietetic Association.
Why it's here to stay: Flexitarianism is exactly what dietitians, nutritional researchers, and public health advocates have been recommending for years. "It's about eating a varied diet that's low in saturated fat and high in fiber," says Milton Stokes, M.P.H., R.D., chief dietitian at St. Barnabas Hospital in New York City, and an ADA spokesperson. Because the emphasis is on produce rather than protein, flexitarians are more likely than most Americans to meet the recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables and the vitamins and minerals they contain.
What it means for you: Studies show that people who follow this approach to eating generally weigh less and have lower rates of hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, and prostate and colon cancer. In one large study from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, researchers tracked the eating habits of more than 9,600 people over a 19-year period and found those who consumed fruits and vegetables at least three times daily lowered their risk of stroke by 42 percent, and their risk of cardiovascular disease by 27 percent."

Dove Does It Again

Amazing

Grrrr...

People who pull their cars into the crosswalk make me want to resort to violence.

Just thought ya'll should know.

I don't know if ya'll know this...

Hillary & Me
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

but I'm sort of important ;)

See...

I know this is confusing for the White House but real journalists actually set the terms for their interviews. I know this is difficult to comprehend after 7 years of kowtowing by the media but at least it's just ONE more reason to love NPR.

P.S. Don't miss that a certain Senator from NY respects journalistic integrity ;)

The Best Hillary Moment in the History of the World

Not to overstate it or anything. Russert had just asked her a hypothetical torture question. She stated that torture isn't the answer. This is what happened next.

Will Work for Blog

So I just love these interactive posts don't ya'll!?!

Well, this time I think everyone should take this quiz and then posts their scores in the comments. I got at 85% and Nicholas got an 82% but that probably shouldn't surprise anyone since I am WAY smarter than he is. ;)

P.S. I was thinking Pamela shouldn't be allowed to play because I resent her and her brain enough already, but since it doesn't involve word play at all I guess I'll let her participate.

The Best Comedy EVER!

First, let me be clear, the best comedy of all time is Designing Women. Period. However, since it wasn't on the bracket, I guess we'll be naming the second best comedy ever.

We're going to ignore Erin and Pamela with their Golden Girls and Wonder Years, because that's just silly talk. ;) Annie isn't too old because my final two were The Cosby Show and Seinfeld. The reason I excluded Arrested Development is because I think historic importance and mass appeal are incredibly important and in both categories it falls short. Like Nicholas said, without Seinfeld there would be no Arrested Developments. I think there is a solid argument that The Cosby Show is more historically important, mainly because of the barriers it broke down. I also think The Cosby Show was a bigger accomplishment because of the freshness it brought to family sitcoms and the fact that it is still funny and entertaining after all these years. BUT then again Seinfeld was completely groundbreaking and deserves so much credit because of what it made possible (Arrested Development, The Office, and of course Curb Your Enthusiasm).

So, in other words, it's a tie.

Chicago...

Chicago
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

was awesome! This is me in the reflection of the Cloud Gate at Millennium Park.

Three in a row...

Seriously...
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

We took this in a Dunkin' Donuts parking lot. I am not kidding.

Hello from Chicago!

Let's put it this way - I'm glad New Hampshire didn't work out. :)

This should be fun

Ok kiddos I just had the best idea! Everyone is going to do this and THEN post your winner in the comments section. THEN we can watch all sit back and enjoy the ensuing fisticuffs. ;)

The Boss Queen

For those of you who read The Sweet Potato Queens books, you are surely well aware of the author Jill Conner Browne's love of all things bacon. Well, I just stumbled upon this little bit of bacon memorabilia and knew she had to know about it. I just shot her a quick email through the Contact Us link on her website yesterday, not expecting much from it.

But ya'll she totally wrote me back!

"BWAHAHAHAHA! Thanks so much for thinking of me, hunny! I was tempted to order it until I read that it resembled a LEANER cut of bacon--because, of course, I prefer the FATTEST I can find!

Be Particular--jillconnerbrowneTHEsweetpotatoqueen"



P.S. - For those of you who DON'T read The Sweet Potato Queens, take your sorry butt down to the bookstore and pick up a copy real quick like. There are six different books to chose from (and by chose I mean which order to read not which one to buy!) ;)

Liveblogging the VMAs

9:00 - Britney, oh god I'm scared...
9:03 - Well, she didn't fall off the stage. So that's good - but she seemed so half-ass. I don't even know why she bothered lip-synching. Anyway, she survived but it wasn't Britney's comeback.
9:05 - Sending Sarah Silverman out next? This is not going to be good for her.
9:07 - Ok, wrap it up Sarah. I'm getting bored.
9:08 - "Jews are like snowflakes" Ha! Who's the live band?
9:09 - NO RERUNS!?! What?!? They should have made that more clear beforehand.
9:10 - I want to go to JT's party!
9:11 - Hey that chick from Pussycat Dolls stole Amy Winehouse's hair.
9:12 - Holy crap how many nominees are THERE!?! I don't like that Umbrella song, but you know what I do like? Rihanna's dress - she looks like Barbie :)
9:15 - It's officially times for someone to explain those glasses everyone at Kanye's party is wearing. I don't get it.
9:22 - I knew this text thing was too complicated. I voted for the wrong one. Damn! I think that officially makes me too old for this.
9:23 - They texted me back the opportunity to buy Britney ringtones. No thanks.
9:24 - I really hate the way they are presenting the nominees. Although the winner is clear: Justin Timberlake! ... THAT'S RIGHT! Look how cute he is! I think he's drunk. Still cute but drunk.
9:25 - These little mini-party/performances are lame. I want big stage productions. I don't feel like I'm there. I feel bored.
9:27 - God I wish I was watching The Hills instead.
9:33 - Oh!!! Kanye and 50 on one stage. What could happen!?! I'm guessing awkward jokes and stares.
9:34 - Again, the winner is clearly Justin Timberlake...WHAT!?! Beyonce and Shakira over Sexy Back. Are you freaking kidding me?!? At least, I was wrong about the Kanye/50 awkward jokes.
9:35 - Holy mama! I think her boobs might fall out. She seems one tuck away from disaster.
9:36 - Adam Levine is sexy. I wish he wasn't wearing a vest but he's still sexy.
9:37 - Jeez another commercial.
9:41 - Nipple alert!
9:42 - False alarm - they were pasties.
9:43 - A real performance. Thank God.
9:44 - Chris Brown?!? Really? I do love those little kids he dances with. They're amazing.
9:45 - Something tells me the Charlie Chaplin reference is going to be lost on this crowd. The dancing on the tables is kind of cool though, wouldn't want to be the ones they were jumping over but still.
9:46 - Someone actually singing - that's a nice change.
9:47 - Ok Billy Jean. I can get down with this and he really can dance.
9:56 - WHAT no Heidi! LOL! If JT doesn't win, I'm going to throw something.
9:57 - YEAH!!!! He is the hottest. Seriously, hot. I lose my language skills, all I can say is hot. See - mumbling, not making sense, still hot! It's like magic.
10:00 - The lead singer of Gnarls Barkley is really fat. Just sayin.
10:04 - When is the pole dancing going to be over? I'm so over it.
10:05 - Timbaland has some serious guns.
10:06 - The only thing lamer than Shia Labeouf's mustache is his name.
10:07 - The winner is Amy Winehouse. Come on! .... FERGIE! Seriously! - Actually who am I kidding? I have Glamourous as a ringtone. I can't lie.
10:08 - I thought Pamela had her boobs taken out. They don't look any smaller. Also, I think Nicholas has bowed out for the evening. He's disappeared.
10:10 - Oh that helicopter shot is cool.
10:13 - I'm all over Pageant Place. Believe that.
10:19 - A place we've never been before? We'll see.
10:21 - I've been here before. Fog and lazors? It was called Stone Mountain.
10:24 - I love the White Stripes. I hope they win ... Fall Out Boy - right, why am I still watching?
10:34 - I like Alicia but I'm not feeling this.
10:36 - Don't drag Stevie into this! Oh hell no! I know she's not dragging my favorite song of ALL TIME into this. Please god, leave it alone. I'm begging you.
10:37 - Stop it. Stop it now. Before I beat you with your sparkly boots.
10:44 - Pudgy pale guy taking his clothes off would definitely NOT be a good time.
10:45 - Tommy Lee and Kid Rock fought?!? Now that would have been worth seeing!
10:46 - Someone save Jennifer Garner. Quickly.
10:47 - You've got to be freaking kidding me. Amy Winehouse is hands down the most creative, real thing to come out of the music industry in like years. I know she's a hot mess but she's still crazy talented.
10:48 - Miss Teen South Carolina!!! ha! Props to the girl for showing her face.
10:55 - Mary J. Someone with talent.
10:56 - Dr. Dre, even more talent. Maybe he can save this sinking ship.
10:59 - Great the song I don't really like beat out two songs that I loved. With that I think it's time to call it a night.

Thanks for nothing MTV. I thought after the Movie Awards this might be decent. I was wrong.

11:05 - JUST KIDDING! More JT. I'm still here. And I love Nelly.
11:06 - Now this is more like it. I really like the Vegas showgirl feather send up.
11:07 - Seriously, Timbaland is like RAMBO. I can't get over his massive arms.
11:08 - Justin!!! Hot. Hot. Hot. Love the disco ball. Watch him move.
11:10 - I love the three of them together. See now, these last five minutes have been awesome. Too bad the rest of it sucked.

Intolerance

D.W. Griffith's 1916 silent behemoth Intolerance was a response to criticism of his previous film Birth of a Nation and its racist overtones. Griffith set out to tell the story of "how hatred and intolerance, through all the ages, have battled against love and charity" through four different mini-plays: The "Modern" Story, The Judean Story, The French Story, and The Babylonian Story.

The sheer scale of Griffith's film-making is incredibly impressive. He basically built a full-scale city of Babylon on the corner of Sunset and Hollywood Boulevard that is the inspiration for the gates of the new Hollywood Highland Center. You can also see the influence of this film in any epic battle scene from Lord of the Rings to Braveheart.

However, much like Birth of a Nation, his heavy-handed moral tone seems dated and ignorant, apparently audiences of the time agreed and Intolerance was a huge flop. Its historical importance might be that it was the first massive spending spree by a self-important director that turned into a tank at the box office (think Ishtar, Waterworld, Battlefield Earth). Either way I'm not really sure why Birth of a Nation was removed from the list and this was added.

Tubing at Harpers Ferry

Tubing at Harpers Ferry
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

After much cajoling and a successful bid on priceline.com, I convinced Nicholas to take a tubing trip down the Potomac as a last goodbye to summer. We set out on Saturday morning, after a quick trip to Target for water shoes (that's right I now officially own Crocs!), and arrived at Butt's Tubing - really that's the name - at around noon.

The shuttle bus driver dropped us up the Potomac, after dire warnings not to go past the green bridge if we wanted to be picked up because he "could not help us." We parked our butts in our butts tubes and started floating. The trip was really nice - flat and lazy in parts with just enough rapids to make it interesting. I even got tipped over once. However, the water was only about three feet deep so it was always easy to get back on course.

I was covered up in my standard all-day-in-the-water attire: long sleeved black t-shirt and black swim trunks. I still got a little red on the top of my knees but nothing too bad. Nicholas, however, applied Neutrogena spray sunblock that had lost some of its aerosol and kind of splattered all over. He ended up with a very weird splotchy sunburn.

Despite the sunburns, we had a really wonderful day floating down the river and can't wait to go again.

Dirty Dancing UK - Julia and James First Dance

Nicholas should wake up every morning and thank God I didn't think of this.

Air-adding

So, here's the thing. I like Mary Louise Parker. I liked her in Fried Green Tomatoes. I LOVED her on The West Wing and I watch Weeds religiously. She's smart. She's sexy. She's funny. You know what she's not? Voluptuous.

Mary Louise Parker is a skinny bitch. Nothing against skinny bitches - I've made friends with some recently and they're not that bad. And, in all fairness, she hasn't always been a skinny bitch. Remember when she thanked her newborn son for her bodacious breastfeeding boobs at the Golden Globe in 2004? But now? Now, she's a skinny bitch.

That's why I find the above picture so angering. It's one thing to airbrush out fat. But to add it back in! That's just not fair. If us normal size girls have anything, it's our curves. There's something to be said for a little extra padding. Marylin Monroe had padding. So does J-Lo and Beyonce. However, you take away a little of our pride, our specialness when you can just give Kate Moss a Queen Latifah makeover. Not cool.

Seriously, not cool.

Ah ha Moment

I have a friend at work. Let's call him Matt because that's his name. Matt and I spend a lot of time talking about relationships. In particular, I spend a lot of time trying to convince him it's not near as complicated as he's making it. Today he had a breakthrough:

"So, maybe girls aren't crazy. They just think differently."

God bless him, it only took him 24 years.

Labor Day Weekend
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

We had a fabulous weekend in Atlanta for the first annual Holland*Con. All the Holland siblings were there, along with Lynn's sister Pam and her son Josh and his family. Needless to say, it was a wild weekend. I got there on Thursday and hung out with the babies. We also made a Dairy Queen run where the above picture was taken.

On Friday we did some eating and some shopping. I had told my sister-in-law Jenn that for my last 10 trips to Atlanta I'd only eaten at The Varsity and Athens Pizza. She made it her personal mission to change that and I'd say she did a pretty dang good job. Over the course of weekend, I tried Taqueria Del Sol, Crescent Moon, Brick Store, and Canoe and engaged in some chocolate decadence at Fritti and The Chocolate Bar.

Nicholas arrived late Friday night and we awoke early on Friday morning for a trip to the new Georgia Aquarium. It was pretty amazing, although the babies largely lost interest after about 15 minutes. We had big family dinners on Saturday to celebrate Elizabeth's first birthday and Sunday night for the Holland*Con family portrait. A grand time was had by all, especially the kids who all ate more sugar, watched more TV, and stayed up later then they would have normally been allowed.

Of course, I have a little baby hangover - known better as a cold you get from the little petri dishes - but it was worth it. We had a great time with all the family and it was over way too soon.

POLL TIME!!!

I've got about 20 free downloads from that new emusic.com website and I'm sending out an APB for music suggestions.

Any CD that you couldn't stop listening to recently? A new artist that you're smitten with? Let me know in the comments!

Sullivan's Travels

Charming comedy about John L. Sullivan a successful comedic director ready to take more serious turn. When his bosses inform he's never experienced any suffering that could inform a more dramatic turn, he sets on the road as a hobo...hilarity ensues.

Overall, I thought the film was very cute and entertaining. I'm not sure if it is any better or worse then some of the comedies that got kicked off - African Queen comes to mind. Again, the mere fact that is remains cute and entertaining almost 70 years ago is a testament but I'm beginning to realize that the movie industry loves nothing more than a movie about itself and that might be the real secret to this movie's critical acclaim.

Tuesday: Barbefu

Tuesday: Barbefu
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

Monday: Tacos

Monday: Tacos
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

Saturday: scallops and spinach fettuccine with red bell pepper cream sauce
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

The past few weeks have been crazy so Nicholas and I really enjoyed our nice weekend. On Friday, we went on our first date night in several weeks. We had a great dinner at Palena Cafe and went to see The Nanny Diaries. Despite the mediocre reviews, I felt required to see it because I'd read the book. Unfortunately, the reviews were correct, although Laura Linney was really great.

We had our friends Chris and Alice over for dinner on Saturday night. Chris and I were Moot Court partners this year and we both brought our significant others to the competition in Colonial Williamsburg. Needless to say, hanging out together was the highlight of our trip. So, we had them over for a little post-bar dinner for scallops and spinach fettuccine with red bell pepper cream sauce (recipe linked). Nicholas really outdid himself with this one. However, Chris and Alice were most excited about being featured on the blog. So, everyone wave to Chris and Alice! ;)

Sunday was for shopping. We went to C-Mart to get Nicholas some new shoes. Then drove all the way to Potomac Mills so I could finally see Sarah Jessica Parker's new clothing line. I bought a couple of cute things and was pretty impressed overall. We also stopped by my friend Guinevere's house where she was having her own little clothing sale and I got some great new work clothes.

The reason we had a car to drive all over God's creation to go shopping was we rented one to go see the Indigo Girls at Wolf Trap last night. This is my sixth time seeing them (counting performances at marches and on the Hill) and they never disappoint. This was our first time sitting on the lawn at Wolf Trap and it was really nice. We were a little late and had to squeeze in between a couple of other people. Nicholas was cursing me under his breath for being late, but then my stellar luck kicked in and we got a big patch of lawn after people went to their actual seats at the beginning of the concert. :)

I can NOT stop listening to this song

Cat Power – The Greatest

!!!!

Holy Ginger, Batman!!!

Little Rock, AR
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

Last week I traveled to Little Rock, AR, to work on the campaign's advance team. The team was preparing for the Senator's trip to Little Rock this past Monday. I was only a trainee, but it was a great experience. One I hope to replicate, which is why I won't be blogging in great detail about it. ;)

The best part of the trip was Mom and Mema drove down from Paducah to hang out in Little Rock with me over the weekend. We got VIP tours fo the Clinton Library and had birthday cake in celebration of the President's birthday, which was Sunday. We also went over to Central High School to learn about the desegregation battle there in the late 1950's. Pretty fascinating stuff I have to say. We had a great couple of days together and I'm so glad they were able to drive down.

What is the What

I just finished Dave Eggers's brilliant novel What is the What, based on the story of one of the Lost Boys of Sudan, Valentino Achak Deng. While the book came highly recommended from Nicholas and my good friend Dylan, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to connect to the story and might not finish it. I looked only at the surface and thought I could not relate to the story of an African male escaping genocide. This was not the only preconceived notion this book blew right open.

Now, after finishing the book, I've realized I was more afraid of connecting with the book then anything else. It is not an easy story to hear - the murder, the deprivation, the invisibility - and I think on some level I was really scared to hear it, scared of feeling helpless in the face of it. However, Eggers did a really brilliant thing by beginning the book with Valentino already in America. While his problems don't disappear once he's on American soil, as becomes abundantly clear in the first couple of pages, on some level you know he survived - you know he made it out of Sudan.

Of course, another perception the book destroyed is that escaping Sudan was the only goal for most refugees. Whatever the circumstance, home is home and it holds a powerful pull for all the characters in the book. The book not only shifted my perception of Sudan but also my perception of the refugee camps so many Sundanese live in to this day. The book makes clear that these are not temporary camps but permanent settlements where people live out their lives. It's not surprising I suppose but distressing all the same.

The book not only shifted my perceptions of the places in a refugees life but the refugees themselves. Either because of my own prejudices or what I believe would be my own reaction to the situation - I expected the Sundanese refugees, including Valentino, to be more than willing to ask for and accept help and aid where ever they could. But, of course, this was not the case. Just like any other group of people - some were embarrassed to ask for help, while others were willing to exploit it.

I suppose this was the ultimate lesson of the book. By telling Valentino's story with such honesty Eggers does an excellent job of illustrating that, despite everything, the Lost Boys are just human beings. Human beings put through an extraordinary situation - some survived, some didn't, some thrived, some didn't. But at the end of the day, they are just like us and we have a larger connection then I expected.

WHAT THEN!?!?!

Much better...

Thanks to all of you who reached out to me after my down in the dumps "Confession" posting a week ago. I can't tell you how much it means to me to have such an incredible support group of people who love me so unconditionally. It felt so good to hear your words of encouragement and, not surprisingly, your reassurances that things would eventually change were true. Almost a week after I wrote that post a really exciting opportunity opened up at the campaign and I am currently out on the road. I promise to post all of the details when I get home on Tuesday. :)

Mindblowing

Every time you think this administration can't possibly be more ridiculous...

The Return

It is so WRONG how much joy I get from The Hills. I mean this show is just too wonderful. Their clothes, their jobs, their apartments. Yet, beyond all that, the same struggles we all face. Career insecurity, psychopath boyfriends, cat fights! I mean MTV has really raised the editing hear to an art form.

But what I love the most are the little pearls of wisdom that manage to escape their mouths. Lauren - "I think every girl wants to be that girl - the girl he changes for."

Whew! - truer words were never said.

Holy crap!

This dude cut his iPod in half!

The General

This film was amazing. Most of the oldest films on the list are interesting only because of what they contributed. They don't really entertain on their own. They are only interesting for their historical importance.
However, this film was both - interesting for it's historical importance AND entertaining in its own right. Buster Keaton is amazing. It's amazing how much humor he portrays with no sound. The most impressive part is not his face but the stunts. The whole time I kept thinking, "He did this with no stunt man! No CGI!" Actually now that I think about, maybe it's historically important because it's still entertaining.

Thursday: Rolling Lettuce Tofu

Thursday: Rolling Lettuce Tofu
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

Monday: Gnocchi in Pesto with Tomatoes

Monday: Gnocchi in Pesto with Tomatoes
Originally uploaded by SarahorNicholas.

Confession

So here it is...

My one major flaw...

What keeps my from the perfection of personality we all strive for (and my mother claims she's achieved)...

I suck at transitions. S-U-C-K. I can't handle it. They transform me from a strong, confident woman into a big ole weepy ball of confusion. And it happens every stinkin time.

You'd think I'd be better at it by now. I mean I've spent almost my entire life as a student, where transition is the name of the game. But no.

Now, for example, I am interning at Hillaryland and trying desperately to find a job. And frankly, it's not going so well. I try to tell give myself little pep talks. "I am employable. I will not work for free forever." I ask myself, "What would Oprah say?" And I know what Oprah would say. She'd probably have Dr. Robin give me a good dose of "get over yourself" - followed up by a solid helping of "get going."

My logical self knows all that. However, my illogical self worries that I'll never get a job, that I've messed up my life, or (the scariest one of all) that this "transition" will never transition and that I'll be stuck here forever.

Big Surprise

You Are 96% Feminist

You are a total feminist. This doesn't mean you're a man hater (in fact, you may be a man). You just think that men and women should be treated equally. It's a simple idea but somehow complicated for the world to put into action.

Are You a Feminist?

It's a cruel, cruel summer...

Seriously, this heat is oppressive!