Monday, July 27, 2009
Poof
As of this post, I'm taking a sabbatical from having any sort of online presence. Facebook, myspace, blogging---all this virtual socialization is leaving me feeling very empty. It's not socialization, it's just all pretend. I need to either focus on making real-life friendships, or just come to terms with the fact that I am a social retard.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
MJ VIDS part II
I thought, should I really make a second blog of good Michael Jackson videos? Or will people think I'm a freak? Answers? Yes and Yes. So here goes:
1. Michael Jackson doing the robot over and over again. Enough said. It's awesomeness. He is the only person to ever actually do the robot and look like a robot.
2. Michael Jackson with an insane fan. Anyone else would have knocked this weirdo off the platform. Best part is at :53 when MJ changes the lyrics of the song to "Get this boy down please!"
3. Okay, break from MJ. This isn't Michael Jackson. I don't only watch Michael on youtube. I like to salivate over the Beatles. This is awesomeness. I want to see another remake of Lady Marmalade with Pink feat. Mya. feat. Christina. feat Missy. feat John Lennon
4. While we are on the subject of the Beatles, let's keep rolling with it. This is amazing. There are people today who still honestly, honestly, honestly think that the REAL Paul McCartney died in 1966 and was replaced with a body double. McCartney was on Letterman the other night and joked about it, but some people took the joke very seriously. (For the record, I totally think this is stupid, but even IF Paul is dead---and he's not--- and there's been this fake guy pretending to be paul for the last 40 years---and there hasn't---it would be okay by me. Post-1966 Paul is a way better musician and songwriter than pre-1966 Paul)
5. Back to MJ. Cute, embarassed MJ has his fly open onstage and has to do a quick fix (at 1:26) He freaking blushes! So cute! Plus I really like this song. Why is this song not more famous?
6. I don't even really know what's going on here, except that MJ has a bad case of the giggles
I think he's laughing at the guy's accent.
7. Kind of like here:
8. Pretty much worth it for Michael Jackson doing the robot to grocery store Muzak, and lusting over Elizabether Taylor---"That's what I'm talking about"
9. Aw! so sad!
10. Again, I feel like I should have 10 things in my list. Let me go find some awesomeness for you...
Like I said, awesomeness.
1. Michael Jackson doing the robot over and over again. Enough said. It's awesomeness. He is the only person to ever actually do the robot and look like a robot.
2. Michael Jackson with an insane fan. Anyone else would have knocked this weirdo off the platform. Best part is at :53 when MJ changes the lyrics of the song to "Get this boy down please!"
3. Okay, break from MJ. This isn't Michael Jackson. I don't only watch Michael on youtube. I like to salivate over the Beatles. This is awesomeness. I want to see another remake of Lady Marmalade with Pink feat. Mya. feat. Christina. feat Missy. feat John Lennon
4. While we are on the subject of the Beatles, let's keep rolling with it. This is amazing. There are people today who still honestly, honestly, honestly think that the REAL Paul McCartney died in 1966 and was replaced with a body double. McCartney was on Letterman the other night and joked about it, but some people took the joke very seriously. (For the record, I totally think this is stupid, but even IF Paul is dead---and he's not--- and there's been this fake guy pretending to be paul for the last 40 years---and there hasn't---it would be okay by me. Post-1966 Paul is a way better musician and songwriter than pre-1966 Paul)
5. Back to MJ. Cute, embarassed MJ has his fly open onstage and has to do a quick fix (at 1:26) He freaking blushes! So cute! Plus I really like this song. Why is this song not more famous?
6. I don't even really know what's going on here, except that MJ has a bad case of the giggles
I think he's laughing at the guy's accent.
7. Kind of like here:
8. Pretty much worth it for Michael Jackson doing the robot to grocery store Muzak, and lusting over Elizabether Taylor---"That's what I'm talking about"
9. Aw! so sad!
10. Again, I feel like I should have 10 things in my list. Let me go find some awesomeness for you...
Like I said, awesomeness.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
So for the last few weeks, I haven't been doing any sort of blogging. Or facebook quizzes or any of the other time wasters that I usually like to do on the internet. And that's because all of my spare computer time has been devoted to obsessively watching old Michael Jackson videos on youtube.
I'm really mourning way too much. I couldn't figure out why I was so sad, but then John Mayer put it in to words for me. He talked on Larry King about how for his (and my) generation, we were incredibly lucky to have Thriller be the first music we were introduced to. In his twitter updates, he wrote "I think we'll mourn his loss as well as the loss of ourselves as children listening to Thriller on the record player." And that just struck me as why I'm sad.
In 1983, Michael Jackson WAS music. And when you're 4 years old, just learning about music, and culture and the world, Michael Jackson was amazing. He had a chimp for a best friend---what 5 year old wouldn't want that? He got to wear sparkly outfits and costumes and dance around like a maniac. I totally remember thinking that someday I'd get to go to Neverland and ride the rides, kind of like I fantasized about going to Disney World (still never been there!)
We didn't have the Thriller album at our house (I don't even think we had a record player until 1988, even)but that music was the soundtrack of my early childhood. And then Bad came out at a stressful time in my life and was a nice distraction to be able to listen to it, and read all the tabloid stories about Bubbles and the hyperbaric chamber and all that. Dangerous came out when I was in junior high and I loved all the crazy videos for it. (Although I watched the "In the Closet" video and was mortified and horrified to realize I was very attracted to Michael Jackson there. I didn't admit this secret for 15 years.)
But then he stopped making music, and our generation grew up and we kind of didn't need him. So when he died, it kind of does feel like he was truly Peter Pan. He was there for our childhoods, and kept trying to lure us back, but we grew up and didn't need him anymore. And like Peter Pan stopped coming to Wendy's window, Michael Jackson is gone and isn't coming back. So it's sad.
Anyway, like I said, I've been watching MJ on youtube. I've found some good stuff that I want to share.
This is actually a three parter, but this is the cutest part. He just seems so relaxed and sweet here.
This one is really cute too. I don't know the real story, but I'm guessing Diana Ross was teasing him about having bad breath, and Stevie Wonder offered him a mint, and Michael Jackson said "I can't eat a mint right now because there's a camera" but then he went for it. I don't know. Whatever. He's so adorable here
Again, with Diana Ross. I love this because he is so cute and embarassed about the word "sexy". I'm the same way. I can't use that word without giggling.
Start watching this from about 3:25 Being a very naturally shy person myself, I really think shy guys really are the cutest on earth (I used to be so shy that I barely spoke. When I went to my high school reunion, several people said "I've never heard you talk before." Now I overcompensate for my shyness by talking too much)
Watch this from 2:42 to 3:13. I love his laughing here and finding the humor in the situation. In no way does he seem to be making fun of his fan, but the situation obviously cracks him up. Even with his weird looks here, he's adorable when he laughs.
You already know how I feel about this one:
Ow!
I totally love to dance and sing along in the car to the radio. Can you imagine the pressure if you were dancing and singing along with the radio with freaking Michael Jackson in the car?
So corny and fake, but funny anyway
This song is kind of addictive. I don't even want to tell you how many times I've watched this trying to copy the moves. Plus, BEST COSTUMES EVER.
This one makes me laugh every time
So there we go. That's how I've been spending my internet time lately. My husband is feeling very threatened by my renewed love for MJ, I think. I have to watch this stuff on the sly, or he gets very irrated with me (but he gets irritated by 90% of the things I do/like so nothing new there.)
I'm really mourning way too much. I couldn't figure out why I was so sad, but then John Mayer put it in to words for me. He talked on Larry King about how for his (and my) generation, we were incredibly lucky to have Thriller be the first music we were introduced to. In his twitter updates, he wrote "I think we'll mourn his loss as well as the loss of ourselves as children listening to Thriller on the record player." And that just struck me as why I'm sad.
In 1983, Michael Jackson WAS music. And when you're 4 years old, just learning about music, and culture and the world, Michael Jackson was amazing. He had a chimp for a best friend---what 5 year old wouldn't want that? He got to wear sparkly outfits and costumes and dance around like a maniac. I totally remember thinking that someday I'd get to go to Neverland and ride the rides, kind of like I fantasized about going to Disney World (still never been there!)
We didn't have the Thriller album at our house (I don't even think we had a record player until 1988, even)but that music was the soundtrack of my early childhood. And then Bad came out at a stressful time in my life and was a nice distraction to be able to listen to it, and read all the tabloid stories about Bubbles and the hyperbaric chamber and all that. Dangerous came out when I was in junior high and I loved all the crazy videos for it. (Although I watched the "In the Closet" video and was mortified and horrified to realize I was very attracted to Michael Jackson there. I didn't admit this secret for 15 years.)
But then he stopped making music, and our generation grew up and we kind of didn't need him. So when he died, it kind of does feel like he was truly Peter Pan. He was there for our childhoods, and kept trying to lure us back, but we grew up and didn't need him anymore. And like Peter Pan stopped coming to Wendy's window, Michael Jackson is gone and isn't coming back. So it's sad.
Anyway, like I said, I've been watching MJ on youtube. I've found some good stuff that I want to share.
This is actually a three parter, but this is the cutest part. He just seems so relaxed and sweet here.
This one is really cute too. I don't know the real story, but I'm guessing Diana Ross was teasing him about having bad breath, and Stevie Wonder offered him a mint, and Michael Jackson said "I can't eat a mint right now because there's a camera" but then he went for it. I don't know. Whatever. He's so adorable here
Again, with Diana Ross. I love this because he is so cute and embarassed about the word "sexy". I'm the same way. I can't use that word without giggling.
Start watching this from about 3:25 Being a very naturally shy person myself, I really think shy guys really are the cutest on earth (I used to be so shy that I barely spoke. When I went to my high school reunion, several people said "I've never heard you talk before." Now I overcompensate for my shyness by talking too much)
Watch this from 2:42 to 3:13. I love his laughing here and finding the humor in the situation. In no way does he seem to be making fun of his fan, but the situation obviously cracks him up. Even with his weird looks here, he's adorable when he laughs.
You already know how I feel about this one:
Ow!
I totally love to dance and sing along in the car to the radio. Can you imagine the pressure if you were dancing and singing along with the radio with freaking Michael Jackson in the car?
So corny and fake, but funny anyway
This song is kind of addictive. I don't even want to tell you how many times I've watched this trying to copy the moves. Plus, BEST COSTUMES EVER.
This one makes me laugh every time
So there we go. That's how I've been spending my internet time lately. My husband is feeling very threatened by my renewed love for MJ, I think. I have to watch this stuff on the sly, or he gets very irrated with me (but he gets irritated by 90% of the things I do/like so nothing new there.)
Friday, July 3, 2009
More MJ
I just wanted to add a few more random Michael Jackson thoughts to yesterday's blog. Not that the world will really benefit from my thoughts on Michael Jackson or not, but I really don't have anything else to write a blog about!
1. Michael Jackson is the first musician I really remember being aware of. I think I was about 4 when Billie Jean came out. Because we lived in a little hick town with no ability to get cable, I can't reminise about watching Thriller on MTV and trying to memorize it or anything, but I did like to play with my cousin's Michael Jackson Barbie doll.
2. Billie Jean is a really great song to play in Spinning class. When I was instructing Spinning classes, I always tried to get the members to request or suggest songs. I love music and really liked putting together fun and motivating playlists (or at least attempt to have fun and motivating playlists) I loved getting suggestions. Anyway, one lady asked that I play more Michael Jackson. I went over the MJ in my music collection and discovered that Billie Jean is the most perfect song ever for Spinning class. I used it as often as I could get away with and it always got the class going.
3. In kindergarten, I got yelled at my the playground aide for pretending to be Michael Jackson. It was snowy and cold, but a bunch of us were running around with one glove (or mitten) on so we could be Michael Jackson.
4. When I'm working out, my hair gets really sweaty. It also gets really curly, and I have a weird widow's peak that makes big strands of hair fall right in the middle of my forehead. All of this means when I work out, I look like I'm wearing a jheri curl Michael Jackson "Bad" era wig.
5. Vitiligo---Michael Jackson said he's white because he has vitiligo. I can see that. My mom has vitiligo, and it causes white patches on her skin. But not so much an issue for her since she's already white with pale skin. It's not even noticeable. But I can see how for a black person it would be very traumatic. Google images of vitiligo. It's really sad.
6. Nosejobs--I was watching the Martin Bashir documentary of Michael and he was talking about how his dad always made fun of his nose, and it made him self conscious and that's why he got a nosejob (or 17). I can totally relate to this. EVERY.PART.OF.IT. (well, except for the 17 nosejobs. I stopped at one)
7. My mom's conspiracy theory. Again, if you've read my myspace blog, or know my mom, you've already heard this theory. My mom has a foolproof theory about what made Michael Jackson go crazy: castration. Her theory is that when he was a little boy, he was such a huge moneymaker for the family that Joe Jackson didn't want to let his cash cow grow up. Back in the day, they used to castrate opera singers so their voices never changed. My mom thinks they did the same thing to Michael Jackson and that's why he had the high voice, no body hair, and was built like an 11-year old. Also, a castration would kill a sex drive, so maybe we can take his word that his sleeping with little kids was completely innocent (still, I wouldn't send my kids to Neverland for a sleepover). My husband scoffed at this theory the other day, saying that the autopsy would have shown that he had no balls, but my mom clarified her theory, saying he was "chemically" castrated---given female hormones. Who knows? But I do think there are a lot of good points to this theory. Also, Liza Minelli said something very cryptic the other day about how his friends all knew a secret about him and that once the autopsy was over, the shit would hit the wall (so to speak) Who knows? My mom's pretty smart. I believe her on this.
8. I'm going to become Joe Jackson. My son Quinn is a good dancer. I think I need ot make him the new Michael Jackson. In the Michael Jackson documentary, he talked about how his dad Joe would watch the Jackson 5 rehearse with a belt in his hand. If anyone messed up their dance moves, they'd get their ass kicked. Quinn's a really good dancer. He doesn't know any official dance moves, but he moves like Michael Jackson---like he doesn't have any bones and is made of rubber bands. It's pretty amazing. I think I need to get all Joe Jackson on him and make him learn some dances and then he can go be the new Michael Jackson and make me a gazillion dollars.
In fact, it's in the card that Quinn is destined to be the new Michael. His middle name is Michael, named after Michael Jackson.
(I'm kidding. His middle name is Michael, but he is so not named after Michael Jackson. Also, I'm not going to beat him. Please don't report me to the authorities.)
9. That's really all I have to say about MJ right now, but I feel like I should offer a solid 10 random thoughts so I've got to come up with two more. Let me think...
Oh yeah! My favorite Michael Jackson video! Definitely, definitely, definitely his duet with Paul McCartney---"Say Say Say"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gWvBXS2t4A
Mostly I just love it because I lust for Paul McCartney (what I wouldn't give to be Linda McCartney here), but it is good on the Michael Jackson front too. He's so normal looking here, but there are a few little pieces of weirdness. For one, the video is set in the 1910's, but MJ somehow got a Cosby sweater from the future. Two, LaToya Jackson plays his love interest. Three, Michael Jackson gets his first lesson in how to paint his face white from Paul McCartney.
Paul McCartney also dueted on "The Girl is Mine" with Michael Jackson around this era. That song kind of sucks (especially the spoken word portion. Cheesy fries), but still it's nice to see them being good pals. Which makes it really annoying that Michael Jackson went and bought the Beatles song catalog right out from under Paul McCartney. That was kind of a jackholey thing to do.
10. Weird Al Yankovic---I bet he's really sad about Michael Jackson. His career was built on "Eat It" and "Fat". Fat is one of the best videos in all of video history. Sometimes when I start to eat too much crap, I imagine that I expand just like Weird Al, gaining 200 lbs in 30 seconds. I love this video It's so wrong.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqz1ojIQTBk
1. Michael Jackson is the first musician I really remember being aware of. I think I was about 4 when Billie Jean came out. Because we lived in a little hick town with no ability to get cable, I can't reminise about watching Thriller on MTV and trying to memorize it or anything, but I did like to play with my cousin's Michael Jackson Barbie doll.
2. Billie Jean is a really great song to play in Spinning class. When I was instructing Spinning classes, I always tried to get the members to request or suggest songs. I love music and really liked putting together fun and motivating playlists (or at least attempt to have fun and motivating playlists) I loved getting suggestions. Anyway, one lady asked that I play more Michael Jackson. I went over the MJ in my music collection and discovered that Billie Jean is the most perfect song ever for Spinning class. I used it as often as I could get away with and it always got the class going.
3. In kindergarten, I got yelled at my the playground aide for pretending to be Michael Jackson. It was snowy and cold, but a bunch of us were running around with one glove (or mitten) on so we could be Michael Jackson.
4. When I'm working out, my hair gets really sweaty. It also gets really curly, and I have a weird widow's peak that makes big strands of hair fall right in the middle of my forehead. All of this means when I work out, I look like I'm wearing a jheri curl Michael Jackson "Bad" era wig.
5. Vitiligo---Michael Jackson said he's white because he has vitiligo. I can see that. My mom has vitiligo, and it causes white patches on her skin. But not so much an issue for her since she's already white with pale skin. It's not even noticeable. But I can see how for a black person it would be very traumatic. Google images of vitiligo. It's really sad.
6. Nosejobs--I was watching the Martin Bashir documentary of Michael and he was talking about how his dad always made fun of his nose, and it made him self conscious and that's why he got a nosejob (or 17). I can totally relate to this. EVERY.PART.OF.IT. (well, except for the 17 nosejobs. I stopped at one)
7. My mom's conspiracy theory. Again, if you've read my myspace blog, or know my mom, you've already heard this theory. My mom has a foolproof theory about what made Michael Jackson go crazy: castration. Her theory is that when he was a little boy, he was such a huge moneymaker for the family that Joe Jackson didn't want to let his cash cow grow up. Back in the day, they used to castrate opera singers so their voices never changed. My mom thinks they did the same thing to Michael Jackson and that's why he had the high voice, no body hair, and was built like an 11-year old. Also, a castration would kill a sex drive, so maybe we can take his word that his sleeping with little kids was completely innocent (still, I wouldn't send my kids to Neverland for a sleepover). My husband scoffed at this theory the other day, saying that the autopsy would have shown that he had no balls, but my mom clarified her theory, saying he was "chemically" castrated---given female hormones. Who knows? But I do think there are a lot of good points to this theory. Also, Liza Minelli said something very cryptic the other day about how his friends all knew a secret about him and that once the autopsy was over, the shit would hit the wall (so to speak) Who knows? My mom's pretty smart. I believe her on this.
8. I'm going to become Joe Jackson. My son Quinn is a good dancer. I think I need ot make him the new Michael Jackson. In the Michael Jackson documentary, he talked about how his dad Joe would watch the Jackson 5 rehearse with a belt in his hand. If anyone messed up their dance moves, they'd get their ass kicked. Quinn's a really good dancer. He doesn't know any official dance moves, but he moves like Michael Jackson---like he doesn't have any bones and is made of rubber bands. It's pretty amazing. I think I need to get all Joe Jackson on him and make him learn some dances and then he can go be the new Michael Jackson and make me a gazillion dollars.
In fact, it's in the card that Quinn is destined to be the new Michael. His middle name is Michael, named after Michael Jackson.
(I'm kidding. His middle name is Michael, but he is so not named after Michael Jackson. Also, I'm not going to beat him. Please don't report me to the authorities.)
9. That's really all I have to say about MJ right now, but I feel like I should offer a solid 10 random thoughts so I've got to come up with two more. Let me think...
Oh yeah! My favorite Michael Jackson video! Definitely, definitely, definitely his duet with Paul McCartney---"Say Say Say"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gWvBXS2t4A
Mostly I just love it because I lust for Paul McCartney (what I wouldn't give to be Linda McCartney here), but it is good on the Michael Jackson front too. He's so normal looking here, but there are a few little pieces of weirdness. For one, the video is set in the 1910's, but MJ somehow got a Cosby sweater from the future. Two, LaToya Jackson plays his love interest. Three, Michael Jackson gets his first lesson in how to paint his face white from Paul McCartney.
Paul McCartney also dueted on "The Girl is Mine" with Michael Jackson around this era. That song kind of sucks (especially the spoken word portion. Cheesy fries), but still it's nice to see them being good pals. Which makes it really annoying that Michael Jackson went and bought the Beatles song catalog right out from under Paul McCartney. That was kind of a jackholey thing to do.
10. Weird Al Yankovic---I bet he's really sad about Michael Jackson. His career was built on "Eat It" and "Fat". Fat is one of the best videos in all of video history. Sometimes when I start to eat too much crap, I imagine that I expand just like Weird Al, gaining 200 lbs in 30 seconds. I love this video It's so wrong.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqz1ojIQTBk
Thursday, July 2, 2009
I would be sadder if Paul McCartney died...
But I'm still pretty freaking sad about Michael Jackson dying.
I just want to share my Michael Jackson story. Those of you who followed me on my old myspace blog have heard this, but I'll share it again.
I went to Exeter, England with my husband on one of his business trips. We were signed up to meet in front of the big cathedral for a "ghost tour"---a walking tour of all the haunted hotspots in Exeter. Sounds pretty great, right? Yeah, I know.
Anyway, we were waiting for the tour to begin. We noticed that a big crowd of people was forming in front of a hotel next to the cathedral. (The hotel's claim to fame---according to the ghost tour lady---was that the Beatles stayed there once. I love me some Beatles, so I loved that hotel)
Anyway, we saw this crowd so we went over to see what was going on. We asked someone and they said Michael Jackson was going to be coming to the hotel. Michael Jackson? What? Why would Michael Jackson be in rinky dink little Exeter? It sounded kind of unbelieveable, but we joined in the group to wait around and see if the King of Pop actually showed up. The ghost tour lady was very irritated that her tour was being held up by Michael Jackson and said if he wasn't there in 15 minutes, the tour would begin anyway. (The English are very efficient and like their shed-jules)
We waited for about 14 minutes, and a big black car rounded the corner, with bodyguards jogging alongside of it. We in the crowd got very excited and lo and behold, the car stopped in front of the hotel and out came Michael Jackson.
I think I was about 10-15 feet away from him. My main impression was that he completely looked like a cartoon character. He didn't even look real. Maybe it's just that I'd seen him in so many videos and tabloids that it was just surreal, or maybe it was because his face was made of plastic. Probably a little of both.
He was very happy and smiley and waved at the crowd and went in the hotel. There was another guy that started waving at the crowd too, like he was famous, but no one around me knew who he was. He totally acted like he thought he was a celeb---we later found out that it was David Blaine. I don't know why David Blaine was hanging with MJ, but I've always kind of been annoyed at David Blaine since then. He really had a big ego to wave at Michael Jackson's crowd like we actually knew who he was, or cared who he was. (Sorry, I get really annoyed at egos)
So that's my Michael Jackson story. I wish I had photos, but I forgot my camera. That sounds like I'm making up this story, but seriously, who would make up this story? It's pretty random. Here's my proof that Michael Jackson was in Exeter.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/news_features/2002/michael_jackson.shtml
I guess I can't really prove I was in Exeter. Whatever. I saw Michael Freaking Jackson.
I just want to share my Michael Jackson story. Those of you who followed me on my old myspace blog have heard this, but I'll share it again.
I went to Exeter, England with my husband on one of his business trips. We were signed up to meet in front of the big cathedral for a "ghost tour"---a walking tour of all the haunted hotspots in Exeter. Sounds pretty great, right? Yeah, I know.
Anyway, we were waiting for the tour to begin. We noticed that a big crowd of people was forming in front of a hotel next to the cathedral. (The hotel's claim to fame---according to the ghost tour lady---was that the Beatles stayed there once. I love me some Beatles, so I loved that hotel)
Anyway, we saw this crowd so we went over to see what was going on. We asked someone and they said Michael Jackson was going to be coming to the hotel. Michael Jackson? What? Why would Michael Jackson be in rinky dink little Exeter? It sounded kind of unbelieveable, but we joined in the group to wait around and see if the King of Pop actually showed up. The ghost tour lady was very irritated that her tour was being held up by Michael Jackson and said if he wasn't there in 15 minutes, the tour would begin anyway. (The English are very efficient and like their shed-jules)
We waited for about 14 minutes, and a big black car rounded the corner, with bodyguards jogging alongside of it. We in the crowd got very excited and lo and behold, the car stopped in front of the hotel and out came Michael Jackson.
I think I was about 10-15 feet away from him. My main impression was that he completely looked like a cartoon character. He didn't even look real. Maybe it's just that I'd seen him in so many videos and tabloids that it was just surreal, or maybe it was because his face was made of plastic. Probably a little of both.
He was very happy and smiley and waved at the crowd and went in the hotel. There was another guy that started waving at the crowd too, like he was famous, but no one around me knew who he was. He totally acted like he thought he was a celeb---we later found out that it was David Blaine. I don't know why David Blaine was hanging with MJ, but I've always kind of been annoyed at David Blaine since then. He really had a big ego to wave at Michael Jackson's crowd like we actually knew who he was, or cared who he was. (Sorry, I get really annoyed at egos)
So that's my Michael Jackson story. I wish I had photos, but I forgot my camera. That sounds like I'm making up this story, but seriously, who would make up this story? It's pretty random. Here's my proof that Michael Jackson was in Exeter.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/news_features/2002/michael_jackson.shtml
I guess I can't really prove I was in Exeter. Whatever. I saw Michael Freaking Jackson.
Friday, June 19, 2009
There hasn't been an exercise blog for a while, so you know it's coming.
Every so often, I just like to write a blog about what I'm doing on the exercise front at the moment. It changes pretty much from month to month. I don't have a very good attention span. If you don't like exercise, then stop reading right now. This will be very boring for you.
This year, I started out wanting to run a marathon. I shelved that plan because, well, pretty much I don't like running enough to devote all the time needed to training runs. I love to run, don't get me wrong, but I've found that any distance over about 7 miles feels like torture. I can do it, as I found out when I misjudged the distance of a new route I took and accidentally ran 10 miles (I walked the last mile) but it's just too freaking boring. I can run for about an hour and then my brain wants to do something else. A marathon is not in my future any time soon. Someday, just to say I've done it, but not this year. I read somewhere that the average first time marathoner is a 38-year old woman, so maybe in 8 years I'll lose my ADD and be able to concentrate on marathon training. The longest distance I'll be doing this year is the Bix race---7miles. The first Bix at Six training run was last night. I made the mistake of going to yoga class first, so I was completely worn out. I ran up the first big hill, then ran into my mom and ran back with her. I was tired and it was a humid 90 degrees out. It was miserable, so I feel no guilt about wimping out. (Also, I've already ran the Bix route about 6 times this year, just for fun, once when it was ten degrees out)
Then I thought, maybe a triathalon would be fun. Running a short distance, biking for a part of it, and swimming. I took swimming lessons for a while but just kind of hated it, for various reasons. One, I was looking up my Y on Facebook and came across my swimming instructor's blog and it turned out she is a rabid, Ann Coulter-worshipping Republican, and I don't spend time with Republicans and I certainly don't trust Republican lifeguards. If she found out my political persuasion, she'd probably try to drown me. I realize this is a completely ridiculous reason to 99% of people, but some of you get me on this issue. Swimming just isn't my thing for other reasons too, like I could never figure out floating (lead bones), the chlorine was messing with my hair and skin, and you can't listen to an Ipod while swimming laps. Lastly, I seemed to notice a lot of fat swimmers. I'm so not saying this from a mean place, but I just seemed to notice that maybe swimming isn't really the best form of exercise for weight loss since 75% of the people in the pool were morbidly obsese.
So triathalon is out.
A new sport I did start up is kayaking. My mom, my cousin Michelle and I tried out kayaking in Galena a month or so ago and it was a lot of fun. I don't get out on the water much yet, but I've been hitting the rowing machine at the Y and totally love it. My mom liked kayaking so much that she bought a couple of kayaks, which I will be borrowing. I signed up for an "Adventure Triathalon" Adventure Triathalons are perfect for non-swimmers like me. It's a run, and some biking, and some kayaking instead of swimming. I'm pretty excited about that, although I'm sure I'll come in last place. I looked at last year's results and it was pretty much all guys.
So I will be working on the kayaking, in preparation for this, and also the biking. I was taking Spinning classes all last year and they were huge in my weight loss. I liked it so much I got certified to teach classes and I really enjoyed it. I attended a few cycling classes but once you've taught your own, it's really hard to go to others (mostly because of the music. Obviously I like my own cycling playlists better than anyone else's) So I don't go to classes anymore, but I do my own Spinning class about twice a week.
I have also actually started to ride a real bike. I bought a mountain bike a few months ago to start riding around the Sylvan Island trails (where my adventure triathalon will be). I haven't actually done that yet, I'd unhappy to report. Sylvan Island is a really neat spot---it's an island on the Mississippi that's a mixture of forest and abandoned factories, with trails throughout. Unfortunately, there are a lot of creeps there. The weirdo river rat fishermen kind of make me nervous to go out there alone. Once I buy some mace, I'll start riding out there or once I find a riding partner.
So I've been using the mountain bike on the bike path, and to ride around town a little bit. It is definitely too much bike for those purposes. So I decided I wanted a road bike. As I researched, I found that they are pretty expensive, but I lucked out. My aunt gave me an old road bike she had in her garage. It's a 1980 Schwinn but was in good shape. I brought it in to the bike store to be tuned up and the guy said it would be a good bike so yay! I have a road bike and didn't have to spend $800.
I'm testing it out this weekend. I'm doing the "Ride the River" bike ride. It's not a race, just a ride, but I pretty much signed up for it because they're opening up Arsenal Island (which is usually government restricted space). I've wanted to run on Arsenal Island for a long time. One time I tried to run there, and the security guy said I totally could----if I enlisted with the Army. So Ride the River is a good way to explore without having to attend boot camp.
As far as what else I'm doing, I've been taking lots of Zumba classes. It's just like a dancey aerobics, but it's fun and I usually burn a decent amount of calories. I've also gotten back in the weight training habit. I go the Y almost everyday, and lift a little before getting in my cardio. I love love love "the burn" I feel after lifting weights, although the activity of lifting weights bores me silly. Walking lunges, in particular, are really super boring but the ouch! factor you get the next day is amazing. I'm kind of a masochist when it comes to this. Exercise soreness is a great feeling. It makes me kind of understand cutters. Cutters should just try some walking lunges instead. It's a lot less messy.
I've also been trying to fit in yoga, but it frustrates me. I can't get up early in the morning to do it because I am a zombie all day long if I'm up before 6. I can't do it at home because I can't do anything that requires any concentration at all with the kids around. The Y doesn't offer many classes at a time when the childcare is available during the day, and I'm beat by the end of the day, so going to the yoga studios at night requires more motivation than I generally have left over by that time of day. So many excuses, right? I actually went last night, and it was not pretty. I totally sucked at it. If I don't do yoga pretty much every day, I tighten all up and lose any ground I've made. The biking, and the weight training and the rowing are so good for so many reasons, but not so good for flexibility. It's like one step forward and two steps back with yoga. So it's frustrating. But I do like it a lot and will keep plugging away at it.
I'm actually going for a Yogafit certification next weekend. When I was teaching fitness classes, I signed up for a Yogafit certification class. Then when I quit, I cancelled it and lost my $50 deposit. Then a few weeks later, they sent me a postcard offering me 25% off the certification, which is a good deal and would make up for the $50 I lost, and then some. So I wanted to take a little trip away on my own at some point this summer anyway, so I'm going to the Yogafit certification. I don't plan on pursuing teaching right now, but it will be good to have on my little fitness resume. I totally want to get back into teaching fitness classes once the kids are in school because I really love it, so it will help if I have this training.
So that's where I'm at on the exercise front.
This year, I started out wanting to run a marathon. I shelved that plan because, well, pretty much I don't like running enough to devote all the time needed to training runs. I love to run, don't get me wrong, but I've found that any distance over about 7 miles feels like torture. I can do it, as I found out when I misjudged the distance of a new route I took and accidentally ran 10 miles (I walked the last mile) but it's just too freaking boring. I can run for about an hour and then my brain wants to do something else. A marathon is not in my future any time soon. Someday, just to say I've done it, but not this year. I read somewhere that the average first time marathoner is a 38-year old woman, so maybe in 8 years I'll lose my ADD and be able to concentrate on marathon training. The longest distance I'll be doing this year is the Bix race---7miles. The first Bix at Six training run was last night. I made the mistake of going to yoga class first, so I was completely worn out. I ran up the first big hill, then ran into my mom and ran back with her. I was tired and it was a humid 90 degrees out. It was miserable, so I feel no guilt about wimping out. (Also, I've already ran the Bix route about 6 times this year, just for fun, once when it was ten degrees out)
Then I thought, maybe a triathalon would be fun. Running a short distance, biking for a part of it, and swimming. I took swimming lessons for a while but just kind of hated it, for various reasons. One, I was looking up my Y on Facebook and came across my swimming instructor's blog and it turned out she is a rabid, Ann Coulter-worshipping Republican, and I don't spend time with Republicans and I certainly don't trust Republican lifeguards. If she found out my political persuasion, she'd probably try to drown me. I realize this is a completely ridiculous reason to 99% of people, but some of you get me on this issue. Swimming just isn't my thing for other reasons too, like I could never figure out floating (lead bones), the chlorine was messing with my hair and skin, and you can't listen to an Ipod while swimming laps. Lastly, I seemed to notice a lot of fat swimmers. I'm so not saying this from a mean place, but I just seemed to notice that maybe swimming isn't really the best form of exercise for weight loss since 75% of the people in the pool were morbidly obsese.
So triathalon is out.
A new sport I did start up is kayaking. My mom, my cousin Michelle and I tried out kayaking in Galena a month or so ago and it was a lot of fun. I don't get out on the water much yet, but I've been hitting the rowing machine at the Y and totally love it. My mom liked kayaking so much that she bought a couple of kayaks, which I will be borrowing. I signed up for an "Adventure Triathalon" Adventure Triathalons are perfect for non-swimmers like me. It's a run, and some biking, and some kayaking instead of swimming. I'm pretty excited about that, although I'm sure I'll come in last place. I looked at last year's results and it was pretty much all guys.
So I will be working on the kayaking, in preparation for this, and also the biking. I was taking Spinning classes all last year and they were huge in my weight loss. I liked it so much I got certified to teach classes and I really enjoyed it. I attended a few cycling classes but once you've taught your own, it's really hard to go to others (mostly because of the music. Obviously I like my own cycling playlists better than anyone else's) So I don't go to classes anymore, but I do my own Spinning class about twice a week.
I have also actually started to ride a real bike. I bought a mountain bike a few months ago to start riding around the Sylvan Island trails (where my adventure triathalon will be). I haven't actually done that yet, I'd unhappy to report. Sylvan Island is a really neat spot---it's an island on the Mississippi that's a mixture of forest and abandoned factories, with trails throughout. Unfortunately, there are a lot of creeps there. The weirdo river rat fishermen kind of make me nervous to go out there alone. Once I buy some mace, I'll start riding out there or once I find a riding partner.
So I've been using the mountain bike on the bike path, and to ride around town a little bit. It is definitely too much bike for those purposes. So I decided I wanted a road bike. As I researched, I found that they are pretty expensive, but I lucked out. My aunt gave me an old road bike she had in her garage. It's a 1980 Schwinn but was in good shape. I brought it in to the bike store to be tuned up and the guy said it would be a good bike so yay! I have a road bike and didn't have to spend $800.
I'm testing it out this weekend. I'm doing the "Ride the River" bike ride. It's not a race, just a ride, but I pretty much signed up for it because they're opening up Arsenal Island (which is usually government restricted space). I've wanted to run on Arsenal Island for a long time. One time I tried to run there, and the security guy said I totally could----if I enlisted with the Army. So Ride the River is a good way to explore without having to attend boot camp.
As far as what else I'm doing, I've been taking lots of Zumba classes. It's just like a dancey aerobics, but it's fun and I usually burn a decent amount of calories. I've also gotten back in the weight training habit. I go the Y almost everyday, and lift a little before getting in my cardio. I love love love "the burn" I feel after lifting weights, although the activity of lifting weights bores me silly. Walking lunges, in particular, are really super boring but the ouch! factor you get the next day is amazing. I'm kind of a masochist when it comes to this. Exercise soreness is a great feeling. It makes me kind of understand cutters. Cutters should just try some walking lunges instead. It's a lot less messy.
I've also been trying to fit in yoga, but it frustrates me. I can't get up early in the morning to do it because I am a zombie all day long if I'm up before 6. I can't do it at home because I can't do anything that requires any concentration at all with the kids around. The Y doesn't offer many classes at a time when the childcare is available during the day, and I'm beat by the end of the day, so going to the yoga studios at night requires more motivation than I generally have left over by that time of day. So many excuses, right? I actually went last night, and it was not pretty. I totally sucked at it. If I don't do yoga pretty much every day, I tighten all up and lose any ground I've made. The biking, and the weight training and the rowing are so good for so many reasons, but not so good for flexibility. It's like one step forward and two steps back with yoga. So it's frustrating. But I do like it a lot and will keep plugging away at it.
I'm actually going for a Yogafit certification next weekend. When I was teaching fitness classes, I signed up for a Yogafit certification class. Then when I quit, I cancelled it and lost my $50 deposit. Then a few weeks later, they sent me a postcard offering me 25% off the certification, which is a good deal and would make up for the $50 I lost, and then some. So I wanted to take a little trip away on my own at some point this summer anyway, so I'm going to the Yogafit certification. I don't plan on pursuing teaching right now, but it will be good to have on my little fitness resume. I totally want to get back into teaching fitness classes once the kids are in school because I really love it, so it will help if I have this training.
So that's where I'm at on the exercise front.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
I would so live on Gilligan's Island
Are there other people like me? Who grew up hoping they'd get stranded on an island somewhere and have to forage for themselves and create their own new society, a la Gilligan's Island?
I bet there are, the proof being the fact that Survivor is now on about season 73.
I would so live on Gilligan's Island. I would totally share a coconut hut with the Professor. I heart smart guys.
Actually, this blog isn't really about survival skills on a tropical island, but since I started with it I have to get a few more Gilligan's Island thoughts out of my head first. One, did you know I'm related to the guy who played Thurston Howell III? He's my great-grandma's first cousin. He kind of looked like my grandpa, even. Definitely a family resemblence---and since my son Heath kind of looks like my Grandpa's baby pictures, that means that Heath also looks like Thurston Howell III (and Heath TOTALLY makes this face when he's thinking about whether or not he should start to cry).
And two, if I was setting up my new society on a secluded island, you know what societal custom would be the first to be tossed out the window? Shaving legs. I really hate to shave my legs, but society says I have to, so I do. When I get stranded on a desert island, or start a commune (it's really only a matter of time before the latter), shaving legs will be verboten. Seriously, I really hate to shave my legs.
Okay, on to the real subject of this blog: coconuts.
I have been preaching about my new discovery to people in real life, so I'm going to do it here in virtual life too. Coconut oil is AMAZING!
I bought some coconut oil because it's supposed to help with eczema, and my son Heath has a horrible case of it. I got it to lather on him, and to feed him (it's supposed to work from the inside and outside)
But I started messing around with it myself and made some great discoveries (with help from google and the search phrase "benefits of coconut oil".
1. You will have the softest hair ever if you soak your hair in coconut oil. Well, first you will have the greasiest hair, but then it will be soft after that. I rub a little bit in my hands to soften it up, then run my fingers through my hair. It makes my hair really greasy, but I leave it in for a few hours (tied up in a bun if I'm out running around or working out---and it smells delicious) When I shampoo it out, my hair is like silk afterwards! Much better than any conditioner I've ever tried!
2. Best. moisturizer. ever. I am not really into moisturizers and cleansers and all that. I was my face and that's kind of it (besides makeup) I just don't like the smell and feel of the chemical moisturizers. But I've been putting rubbing coconut oil everywhere, and my skin is so soft! Face, body, everywhere. Also, because I've been eating the coconut oil, I think my skin is already soft from the inside. For a few days, I didn't rub any of the coconut oil directly into my skin, but I noticed that my skin was way softer than it's usual dried out state.
3. Candy bar on a spoon. I read that cocout oil is a good appetite suppresant and can help in weight loss. It's totally just a bunch of fat, but apparently it's a special kind of fat---it makes you feel full, like fat is supposed to, but it isn't as easily stored in the body as other fats. I've been eating a tablespoon of coconut oil before meals to fill me up. To make it really yummy, I've been eating it in a form I call "candy bar on a spoon". I take a tablespoon of coconut oil, and then put some pieces of dark chocolate (which is good for you too) and like 5 almonds (protein and more healthy fats) on the spoon too. It totally tastes like an almond joy candy bar, and completely fills me up. It kills my craving for sweets too. It's kind of crazy, but it works.
All of this advice pretty much goes out the window, if you hate coconut, like 90% of the population seems to.
I bet there are, the proof being the fact that Survivor is now on about season 73.
I would so live on Gilligan's Island. I would totally share a coconut hut with the Professor. I heart smart guys.
Actually, this blog isn't really about survival skills on a tropical island, but since I started with it I have to get a few more Gilligan's Island thoughts out of my head first. One, did you know I'm related to the guy who played Thurston Howell III? He's my great-grandma's first cousin. He kind of looked like my grandpa, even. Definitely a family resemblence---and since my son Heath kind of looks like my Grandpa's baby pictures, that means that Heath also looks like Thurston Howell III (and Heath TOTALLY makes this face when he's thinking about whether or not he should start to cry).
And two, if I was setting up my new society on a secluded island, you know what societal custom would be the first to be tossed out the window? Shaving legs. I really hate to shave my legs, but society says I have to, so I do. When I get stranded on a desert island, or start a commune (it's really only a matter of time before the latter), shaving legs will be verboten. Seriously, I really hate to shave my legs.
Okay, on to the real subject of this blog: coconuts.
I have been preaching about my new discovery to people in real life, so I'm going to do it here in virtual life too. Coconut oil is AMAZING!
I bought some coconut oil because it's supposed to help with eczema, and my son Heath has a horrible case of it. I got it to lather on him, and to feed him (it's supposed to work from the inside and outside)
But I started messing around with it myself and made some great discoveries (with help from google and the search phrase "benefits of coconut oil".
1. You will have the softest hair ever if you soak your hair in coconut oil. Well, first you will have the greasiest hair, but then it will be soft after that. I rub a little bit in my hands to soften it up, then run my fingers through my hair. It makes my hair really greasy, but I leave it in for a few hours (tied up in a bun if I'm out running around or working out---and it smells delicious) When I shampoo it out, my hair is like silk afterwards! Much better than any conditioner I've ever tried!
2. Best. moisturizer. ever. I am not really into moisturizers and cleansers and all that. I was my face and that's kind of it (besides makeup) I just don't like the smell and feel of the chemical moisturizers. But I've been putting rubbing coconut oil everywhere, and my skin is so soft! Face, body, everywhere. Also, because I've been eating the coconut oil, I think my skin is already soft from the inside. For a few days, I didn't rub any of the coconut oil directly into my skin, but I noticed that my skin was way softer than it's usual dried out state.
3. Candy bar on a spoon. I read that cocout oil is a good appetite suppresant and can help in weight loss. It's totally just a bunch of fat, but apparently it's a special kind of fat---it makes you feel full, like fat is supposed to, but it isn't as easily stored in the body as other fats. I've been eating a tablespoon of coconut oil before meals to fill me up. To make it really yummy, I've been eating it in a form I call "candy bar on a spoon". I take a tablespoon of coconut oil, and then put some pieces of dark chocolate (which is good for you too) and like 5 almonds (protein and more healthy fats) on the spoon too. It totally tastes like an almond joy candy bar, and completely fills me up. It kills my craving for sweets too. It's kind of crazy, but it works.
All of this advice pretty much goes out the window, if you hate coconut, like 90% of the population seems to.
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