New blog wherein I take a jab at my narcissism

Yes, folks, it's the end of a sensationalist burnt-mustard-colored era. Maybe?

Tired of logging into my old Gmail account to blog here, I created a new one.

But really, we all can gather it was to further enable my social media narcissism.

So I made sure the title took a jab at media, society, and most of all, myself.

"More Talk, Less Walk"

Still tinkering with the blog template, but everyone reads blogs in Google Reader now anyways, right?


Again, follow my self-absorption here (journalism professors everywhere are beaming).


TEASER FIRST POST: "Pray for the computer literacy of Burkina Faso"

Stay sensational,
Alex

'Nothing' vs. 'nothing much'

Dear sweet, wonderful, hilarious Kiwis,

'Sweet as' things like this make me miss you heaps!



Sidenote: I drank L&P (it's like a really good ginger ale) when I got food poisoning in NZ and it was 'helpful as' while I was lying in bed for a day and a half doing......sadly, nothing.

The emotional rollercoaster of Project Runway

Oh Project Runway. You make me laugh, you make me think, you make me cry - yes, cry - with happiness and anguish.

I think this season was particularly emotional.

The life of an artist is so fraught with risk, and it comes across in the show down to where every last seam and pleat seems to bear consequence to a designer's life trajectory.

And when there is success it is incredibly gratifying to watch.

I liked pieces from all three of the final collections. Also, I really identified when Gretchen said something along the lines of "being a confident woman often translates into bitch"...

because I've totally been accused of one as I've come into my own...

even though in my opinion, Gretchen did cross the line of bitch a few times, but I think she was humbled in the end.


And of course, where would we all be without Tim Gunn. I think he is the only 'celebrity' that, should I see him around town here, I would break calm, cool, collected city slicker cover to adoring, gushing fan. I love that man.

How hilarious was he on Gossip Girl this week? I'll link the NY Mag recap here. Hilarious as always...

I love this guy

Not so secretly, my dream job is to be on SNL. I've been told impersonations are my X-Factor.

When they announced the new cast members this season, it stung.

But alas, I'm too tall for television, and I'm reassured that it would probably be a life riddled with textbook showbiz substance abuse. And, uh, that would kind of be counterproductive for what other things I want to do with my life.

And, I am also known for laughing hysterically before I can finish telling a joke, something that may be problematic if I were performing full character impersonation sketches.

But I am really in love with SNL newbie Jay Pharoah. His imitations of Will Smith and Denzel Washington are SPOT ON!

He's only a month younger than me.... ah, now that stings....:)

Head of the Charles Regatta

My mom was in NYC last week and we had so much fun walking around, eating seafood at every occasion (sea urchin, scallops, oysters, shrimp, bouillebaisse, sole all within about 2 days!), seeing Billy Elliott and In the Heights, and going to Eataly a couple times.



Then we headed to see one of my sisters and the Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston. A festive, glamorous, very East Coast event.

I had never been before, but it is an event of special significance for my family- both of my parents competed in the race at one point or another, and it is officially where my brother and sister-in-law met the first time (Apparently, she was sitting on a blanket reading a book, and was about to leave for home to finish reading, but my brother persuaded her to linger a while longer and chat. AWW.)

My dad, at 6'4" at one point had to make a 150 pound weight requirement for the lightweight crew, subsisting on jello and gum for days on end. Yeeeah, he is where I get my intensity.

versus my mom: "Rowing hungry would be a total dealkiller for me."

Them, in a nutshell.


I was so inspired! Of course it doesn't hurt that the mens' rowing teams are all so tall and handsome. ;)

And of course, you can't ignore the reality of knowing there were innumerable unglamorous, very cold, very sore, very tired 6 am morning rows and lifts and runs.

Both my sister and I admitted we were on the verge of tears when we thought of our mom coming to visit! And here we thought we were so tough forging around on our own across the country. Miss you already, mom!

In support of Park51

I can't even believe there are people, like Bill O'Reilly, in this country who believe that Islam is to fault for hijacking the planes on 9/11/01. Utterly disgusting.

In case you have been living under a rock the last 9 years, Islam is a religion of PEACE. Islam detests the Taliban and for the way they twist compassionate Islamic teachings into terrorist acts against humanity.

I really find all arguments against Park51 aka 'the Mosque,' which is more like a very modern Islamic Community Center that financially and ethically improves a once abandoned and seedy block of the Financial District downtown, appallingly un-American and anti-democracy.

To hear more about the people behind the mosque, watch this 60 Minutes segment.

I greatly respect Islam. Of all places, Islam should not be met with animosity in the USA.

I care. That's all.

I haven't been able to run or yog (a self-created verb for "do yoga") lately because for some reason my lower back has been killing me, so when not on the job hunt or not watching Jeopardy or not exploring this glorious glorious city which I am so familiar yet so foreign to, I can be found nose deep in lots of sobering trafficking and poverty literature for reasons of
- staying humble - i.e. realizing that, say, the money used for a cab ride home from a night out is more than what a girl halfway around the world is sold into prostitution for
and
-being informed on how I can make a difference here or how I could one day.

BUT ENOUGH WITH MY NARCISSISM.

A week or so ago, 60 Minutes profiled the famously press shy Bill and Melinda Gates and their eponymous Foundation (highly recommend click on that link to watch the footage), and I was left so in awe of their incredible generosity. My brother, who worked for Microsoft a while ago, has only the highest regard for them, but the 60 Minutes team really brought The Foundation's work to life.

"All lives, no matter where they are lived, have equal value." -Melinda Gates

Wouldn't it be the ultimate dream to build a fortune with the eager desire to give it away? That would really be the most satisfying thing in the entire world.

The other week I went to a lecture on poverty cleverly titled '1.4 million Reasons' at NYU by a gung-ho Aussie Hugh Evans, with Hugh Jackman headlining. Cool to use his celebrity to draw people in to be informed on the issue, although I admit, I was feeling quite "rah rah BYU!" after because even though Provo doesn't reel in lots of 'sexy' headlining speakers, the information presented was nothing new to what I had studied in a global issues-type classes. Hurts to admit, but point Cougars and your excellent use of your painfully frugal budget.

Anyway, the main takeaways from the presentation were that with persisting efforts of existing organizations poverty can and WILL be eradicated within the next 20 years. Mind blowing. We can be hopeful!


I Google Buzz share a lot of lowbrow humor from Fail blog, which is purely mindlessly silly in a 12-year-old humor kind of way... but this is especially apropos for this post!

"Empathy Fail"

I'm so inspired. More to come on this front soon...if I can only be a little less anxious about how I'm portrayed on this blog. Sometimes the angst is crippling. Thanks for reading, reader!

"Immappacy"

To all fellow map fetishists, geek out on this:

The True Size of Africa

Thanks for Buzzing this, Biggins!

Becoming my grandparents

Today I beat my financial analyst friend at Jeopardy!

It's the little things.

I'm seriously 80 years old sometimes...eh, everyday. It's a routine.

I'm going to post. Then tweet. Then link to FB. Then RT. Then 'Like.'

Not.

I was going to make the title of this post "Zuck on this" but I knew my mom wouldn't appreciate it.

I saw The Social Network last Friday night and I really liked it. Yes opening day. I say day because I went Ali who had gone to the midnight showing just 20 hours prior. Yes.

Even though it was a frenetically told story (down to Zuckerberg's character's voice, which was perfectly apropos but also perfectly annoying - I was definitely ready for the movie to end when it did), it had a real Shakespearean simplicity I found ironic- that the themes behind an invention so revolutionary are as simple as ancient love, lust, greed, power...
kind of like how people argue whether Facebook promotes interconnectivity and or pure egoism...
or that the founder of a medium all about social interaction is socially inept himself.

Perhaps that is a credit to the screenplay and the directing, but I thought it was great.

I also thought it made sense to cast Justin Timberlake in a role that is similar to his life- the way JT is to the masses is how Sean Parker was personally to Zuckerberg. At first, I think the character owned JT, but then I saw it as a clever directorial decision that they didn't cast someone with a lesser profile.

Although, maybe I was totally geeked out leading up to it. I read reviews and editorials and little videos here and there, even one being of the score writers talking about their methods for putting sound in the movie.

Did any of you see it? Make sure you don't miss the opening scene- it perfectly bookends the closing.

MINE, all MINE

Indulge this Veruca Salt-esque post:
I have a New York Public Library Card (my grandma, great-aunt, great grandparents would be so proud - long story short, I am fuzzy on details but they spent time and were good friends with many people affiliated there, among them being the first US children's librarian, after whom my aunt and sister are named).

(yes that is my french manicure necessary for THE...to be unnamed.... interview. went swimmingly, thanks.)

As well as 'my' library, I have also found 'my'

-Trader Joe's.
- Starbucks.
- laundry place
- yoga studio
- sporting goods store
- shops for the essentials. Louboutin is not in the budget yet, not that I'll ever need a 5 inch lift ;)
-dermatologist (to live in NYC blemish-free is to have a relationship with prescribed benzoyl peroxide-based topicals)

but maybe most important, an authentic French Macaron place just 4 blocks from me! Good thing they're kind of expensive so I can't go everyday and/or buy 10 at a time. ;)

(grossly vainglorious but you needed evidence, right?)

Ah, I love living within a 15 block radius of everything I'd ever really need in the city-slash-in the entire world.

Except maybe a gooood waterfall.

Parakanui Falls, (Southland, Catlins National Preserve), New Zealand.

But for now concrete is just as delightful!

Sukkah-Cycle!

The weather today was kinda bleak. But I navigated my way to the Brooklyn Ikea, which wore me out (I hate. yes, hate. decorating, it's overwhelming). But thanks to some friendly and funny MTA operators (The subway lady on the return trip was cooing, like a female Marvin Gaye - "I sure hope you're having a great afternoon, this monday afternoon" over the loudspeaker) and my Dragon Tattoo book, it was a pleasant trip.

Happy autumn everyone! Yesterday I went on a run on the hudson river and saw a guy pedaling this, his compadre asking me if I was Jewish.

via here.

A "sukkah-cycle?" It's love. Oh yeah, this is why I live here.

A public declaration solidifies a goal

This is going to happen:

NYRR Joe Kleinerman 10K.
December 5.
8 am.
Central Park.
10 kilometers.
A group of 5 so far... we tweet and email our progress to each other.

Anyone want in, too?

Let's applaud James Franco. No, let's applaud ourselves.

James. James Franco. got a D. in an NYU acting class.*

*due to missing class for filming a movie.

*Insert the universally embraced mantra of, among others, college freshmen and the iconic SOLO red cups, "Never let learning get in the way of your education." (-Twain)

*The only other fabulous example I have to discuss on this matter is how my friend chantelle was taking 16 credit hours while at her job, having to explain to her French teacher that she was missing class for a bi-annual (quarterly?) work trip to, among other places, Paris.

But we are all done with that 'college' business now.

J'adore ma petit chantelle! How much do you love her new short hair? Thought so!

credit shipwrecked and smirking ;)

Come visit me soon, Telly!

*The one class I took at NYU I received a grade higher than a D, so I guess that's something working for me ;)

No, not irrelevant

My friend Jacque: "Is Gossip Girl irrelevant now that you actually live there?"
Me: "Ha! Absolutely not!"




From the last episode: "We don't need tickets. I'm Chuck Bass."

Best "I'm Chuck Bass" ever, agreed with Daily Intel recap- maybe even better than the actual show.

Recycling in Manhattan/My head is going to explode

I've always thought recycling to be a noble cause. And I feel like recycling centers are usually pretty gracious with what they accept.

Recycling in Manhattan, on the other hand, is QUITE the endeavor.

You must put the following in clear plastic bags:

Cleaned narrow-necked plastic and glass bottles in their own bag.

Paper in it's own bag. But NOT take-out trays or any other plastics.

All other is considered TRASH and MUST go in BLACK bags.

And don't worry, apparently there's a quota of bags per building you're allowed to set out on trash day. Uh?

My favorite rule:
Cardboard must be broken down and wrapped in twine. Like a Christmas package. Or Hannukah. I feel like I should light a menorah on the street to greet the recyclers...sheesh.

A couple calls to 311 to very pleasant but very confusing operators further complicated our predicament for large items that do not fit in black/clear bags. We wanted to know if we could dump a mattress and bedframe on the street. We could dump the mattress on TRASH DAY, but we can't dump the metal bedframe until RECYCLE DAY.

AND THE KICKER:
Apparently you are FINED around $200 for making an error in your recycling. Apparently, there are ticketers.

Is anyone else confused? I'm getting used to the routine of all of it, but not without several eye rolls.

And to think some people here compost ... makes my head spin.

A preview

Many stories to come, including...

-A solid minute my breath was taken away, from something viewed inside an Amtrak car.

-The hell that is Bed, Bath and Beyond and decorating (what I consider a nightmarish experience).

-The painting at the Met today that brought me to tears.



Thanks for all your comments- calls, texts, emails, gchats, comments- that tell me you enjoy my little musings from this isle formerly known as "New Amsterdam."

Also, I turned 23! YAY. Finally an age where the real world takes you seriously.

The latest

"Well you're very ambitious, unlike a lot of Mormon girls. And I can tell you're very smart. And if you look anything like your parents, you're pretty."

Ohhh phone interviews-slash-introductions.

JUST HIRE ME ALREADY. Pretty please. Pun intended.

Creating

My mentor who I can't name because she's too fabulous and well-known in these parts, said to me last week after I sent an email with the wrong wording (she's understandably tough on me, which I am SO grateful for), and I was calming myself down verbally and she said, "We have to CREATE our destinies."

I am a Christian, a 'Mormon,' a believer in God, but He is not going to create what we want for ourselves. He will help us, He will assist us in our pursuits, but we have to be the ones to explore our options and forge ahead.

Or maybe I'm just the product of a very proactive family with an individualistic slant toward religion- you must create create create, THEN check in with Him to see if you're on the right track. Usually you are. And if you aren't, then it becomes apparent, you rally and get out. Basically.

Maybe that's not news to many of you, but I met some people in Utah who were passively waiting for mountains to be moved for them, and it was odd to say the least. Or maybe they didn't dream in the realms of extraordinary like me. Probably the latter.

That is all for now. Go out and CREATE and believe in yourself, men are that they might have joy.

NYC Juxtaposition

Juxtaposition, paradox, and irony are synonymous with 'New York City.'
It's a huge part of why this place is so intriguing to me.

Take for instance:


Via Sartorialist.