nataliepo

The Quintessential Guide to Commenting

NYMag posted a story earlier this summer about a chandelier and two actors' engagement.

And there's a comment.
 

There aren't any more comments.  That's really all that needs to be said.

G. I. Joan

It would be an understatement to say that America is starting to pick up on the decadent portrayal of 1960's big-city realism in Mad Men.  Not only are they drooling over the characters and their fab threads, people are actually understanding the deeper plot elements, notably the darker feminist undertones that leaves a few of my friends "depressed" after watching the relentless struggles of the second season. 

Of course, ladies, we know it gets better. But like the chauvinist advertising industry of the 60's, I can think of one huge American corporation who has regarded men as loose cannons around smart, capable women for far too long: the US Military.

Luckily, today's New York Times top story sheds some light on the advances of women in the US Military -- and the timing could not be better.  

My brother married a Hermione Granger lookalike.

I just watched Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, overall my 3rd favorite HP movie in the series, so I'm all jazzed on the topic of those magical teens and their silly banter.

Watching Hermione on screen looked...a little more familiar than usual.  Then I finally put it together:  my younger brother's wife, Kimi (left), looks very similar to Emma Watson (right).

Pretty cwazy, right? But I know the difference between the two, since Kimi is currently kicking ass in nursing school and once kicked ass in UMBC's CompSci 201 class where we met when she was my student. *Swoons over olden days and women in my C class*. I miss her and Mark terribly and will likely owe her a fancy drink this weekend for this silly blog post.

Apologies in advance to my brother Mark, whose right four fingers are visible although his face was cut out. Mark, you're awesome in your own ways and I might just blog about you one day.

Slow Loris: Watch and Learn.

WARNING:  You will get The Giggles from watching this.

Local Contest Winner has a Rock&Roll Soul

Recent contest submission form, whose author won Art Brut tickets at the Mercury Lounge for tomorrow night.

"My wife and I just had a baby and it is fucking impossible!

It is so hard, in fact, that we are leaving our "hip" Brooklyn "lifestyle" and moving to the suburban midwest, where our souls will die, but at least we can fob the kid off on the family once in a while.

Art Brut is one of my favorite bands, but I have not ever seen them. My wife has never been to the famed Mercury Lounge, and now fears she never will.

Please let us feel like real people just for one night, and let us enjoy an evening of rock and beer and independence and youth!

Sweet baby Jesus, Eddie! If you have one shred of compassion, you'll make this happen for us.

Thank you, sir. Now that I have shed my dignity, I bid you good day."

Josh Boelter, ladies and gentlemen.  *Applause*

What the World Needs Now

...is puppies, more puppies.  Meet Raven!  Rocky IV, 8X the size of Raven, is the sniffing monster.

Tracie's Cupcakes: A Review

Here's a review of cupcakes from one colleague to another.

Tracie,

This batch of cupcakes was a true triumph. The icing was haughty, even arrogant, yet the cake itself was forgiving and supple. The combination was Wagnerian yet approachable, with a tangy middle and a finish that left me in a newer, brighter world than the one I was in before I entered the kitchen.

Regards,
Jim

I love my job.

Happy Ada Lovelace day!

To celebrate women in technology, i'd like to share a geeky source of inspiration of my youth:

Goodbye, Anthropologie Emails

Two words: Hammer Pants.  UN. SUB. SCRIBE.

Island Makeup

If you've googled my name lately, you'll see that Michael Sippey spoiled my google results and outing my love for Lost.    Great show, crazy suspense, unbelievable mysteries, yadda yadda yadda, but really...sup with dem lady habits?

You know what I'm talking about.  Armpit hair and "Island Makeup".

Yes, I'm picking on repeat offenders: Juliet, the secret ninja assassin; Claire, whose accent is real according only to Anil; and Kate, who merits more than just three adjectives.  Some of the strandeds are innocent from my criticism:

Yes, Dirty Kate is on the innocent list.  She looks almost like a real person when Dirty.

But seriously, Lost Stylists, they're on a deserted island.  Stop making their hair, faces, and armpits so damn pretty.  You're ruining my standards for becoming one with nature one day when I crash on my Oceanic flight and land on a time-travel-enabled island.