Food Diary

Dear Diary-

Today I ate:

1 M&M Kudos Bar
1 piece Dove Chocolate Dark
10 French Fries
1 snack size bag of Gardetto's Original Recipe Snack Mix

Let's go to a ... MOVE, E!

After a quick glance at the movie trailer page (and I do mean quick) these are the movies I'm excited to see in the next little bit. Some, I hope, will actually be good, some I think will be mildly interesting, and one (I'm sure you can guess) is entirely guilty-pleasure-I-know-it-won't-be-a-masterpiece-but-I'm-going-anyway. In no particular order:

The Dark Knight
The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything
The Bucket List
Vantage Point
The Great Debaters
Get Smart
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

And while I'm on the subject of music...

I would like to say that I also love John Mayer's newest song: "Say." I loved it the first instant I heard it. (Sure, the chorus is a bit repetitive, but it's just good.)

I've been impressed, again, lately by the power of music to bring us together. I think it was Beethoven who said, "Great music begins and ends with silence." I like to think that's because of the power music has to take us somewhere else, to feel something beyond ourselves. And even if we're all going to different places within ourselves, that silence comes when we all, as a group, come back from our transcendental, ethereal experiences. And all of us provide that experience for each other -- as musicians playing together or as a receptive audience. I guess you can tell that I've been missing playing with an orchestra or singing in a choir.

It's just amazing that we are all so different, but in those moments, we all take our varying talents and viewpoints and make something beautiful. I wish I had that gift in me to a far greater extent. But, today, I will just be grateful for the artists who create these experiences for me.

At least sheep are wooly and cozy

I have to say: I am a Radiohead fan. And I wasn't always. And it took a little time before I realized how much I like them. Many have followed my friend's passionate love for them like sheep (I guess myself included), and there's good reason. (Oh, so many reasons.) Take a minute, spend some time with this video, and if you still don't see it, we need to talk.



*Updated: In happy news for you, Radiohead recently (as in today) made their iTunes debut with "In Rainbows," the album they released last October. Yea for Radiohead on iTunes! This is a surprising step for them.

Maybe this is why I don't like artificial Christmas trees?

One of my biggest weaknesses is: I really, really dislike artificiality. In fact, I may go so far as to say I hate it. And the problem with that is: I'm not very good at lying or disguising my thoughts sometimes.

I really have a hard time with people that say one thing and do another; that pretend you're their best friend when you're around and do just the opposite when you're not -- or really couldn't care less if they see you ever again (as evidenced by the fact that you never do); that ask you a question and don't really care to hear the answer; that do everything so they appear a certain way; who are entirely different depending on who they are with; who let their lives be defined by being anti-something and never pro anything. How does anyone know who these people really are? What do these people stand for? And, lately, I feel like that's how most people I know are. Even people I thought weren't. And, sometimes, that makes me discouraged.

Maybe I'm artificial, too. I'm sure I have my moments. And maybe that's why it bothers me so much -- you dislike most in others what you dislike in yourself. So, New Year's Resolution 2: become less artificial. Maybe that will help. Because I don't like disliking people.

So, if you want to help me out, I'm up for it. Don't feel like you need to barrage my blog with suggestions, but I guess you can if you want.

I was reading a blog today...

that a friend wanted me to read and one of the posts was titled "no one wants to be e".

One can't help but think, "Fabulous. And what does that mean about me?"

I can't drink.

That's all.

I think that at least once a day for something like the last two weeks, I just spill all over myself. And, there's really no excuse. I mean, I haven't even been to the dentist since August -- no numb mouth.

Maybe it's good. Maybe it's an Ela Woman moment, and my water would be poisonous if I actually figured out how to ingest it, and... um... maybe the dust on my skirts is trying to kill me, so it drowns. Ok. I'm stopping now. Before I hurt myself.

I am woman; hear me roar!

Yesterday, I overheard this conversation about "Wicked:"

Kate: You know that song "Defying Gravity," when she's up in the air? How do they get her in the air?
Emily: On a string.
K: But, what if she breaks the string?
E: She won't break it! She's a woman!

On holiday

Sometimes, it amazes me how beautiful some places can be.

Ode to Strawberry Water

So deliciously
Refreshing and brisk, your stream
Of flavor delights.

Sorry, OJ; I still love you, -- greatly -- but I think my favorite drink has changed.