Creative Minority Report!

In the rural hills of Tennessee, it's been raining all day, so I've been writing letters and posts, reading books, and watching the endless number of checkers games between various members of my family. (Another perk of a big family: so many contenders!)

I, of course, found a way to pick up the internetz and wandered over to my blog. Once there, I found I was getting traffic from one of my favorite blogs, Creative Minority Report. Not that I mind, but my curiosity was piqued.


Heidi says, inquiring minds want to know!


That's when I found the source of the increased traffic: CMR has picked up my blog and put it under their "Some of Our Favorites" section.

Pat and Matt, I'm geeking out. Truly honored. Thanks, guys!

And to everyone else who lists me and whom I've failed to give personal shout-out to: I know who you are, and I thank you. It's so rewarding having such great folks to write for!

Here are five more things to geek out about:

1. I'm meeting B.'s entire extended family tomorrow. On our way home from Tenneessee, we were going to stop by and have dinner with his immediate family. Now, the entire extended family is in town to visit before the end of summer/ school starts. In fairness, my immediate family about doubles his, so now it's a bit more evened out/ my family will be outnumbered for once.

2. My brother turned 19 a few days ago. There was a birthday party for a little boy at the table next to us, so after we loudly (obnoxiously) sang happy birthday to him, this older lady came over and sweetly asked who was having a birthday. Mikey said it was him, and the lady gave him two pieces of cake and a happy birthday napkin. Now, isn't that Southern hospitality!


Mike wore the napkin as a hat, obviously - what else are napkins for?


3. Fellow upholders of good grammar, behold- my friend Z. sent this to me today: "The Alot is Better Than You At Everything" by Hyperbole and a Half.



Who needs a grammar nazi when you've got an ALOT?



Lookin' good!



4. The Post Office has new American Scientist stamps. I bought two sheets and am celebrating by writing letters to friends. The stamps feature four scientists:

--Severo Ochoa (biochemist): first to synthesize RNA and complete the race to decipher the genetic code)

--Maria Goeppert Mayer (physicist): developed a theoretical model that helped explain the structure of the atomic nucleus)

--Asa Gray (botonist): one of the first professional botanists in the U.S., where he advanced the specialized field of plant geography) and

--Melvin Calvin (chemist): the first scientist to trace in detail the process of photosynthesis AND conducted pioneering reseach using plants as an alternative energy source).

I like being on vacation, I like new stamps and I like having time to write letters! I've been naughty about sending them, especially in these past two months since coming back to Asia. When's the last time you've written someone an honest-to-goodness handwritten letter? Go write one and then support another monopolistic branch of the government: they're millions of dollars of debt and only commercialized holidays and avid epistolary communication can save them now!

5. In a strange turn of events, my baby sister and I were researching chocolate and found out that chocolate was not invented in its solid form until 1847. Does anyone else remember the scene in Ever After where the prince gives the girl a piece of chocolate and said it was from monks? LIES, HOLLYWOOD. And bad history.

Exactly one month till I leave for Germany with my sister Kato. Oh, another game of Crazy Eights is starting. Ciao!

On Puncutuation, and Other Civilities

"On Punctuation" by Elizabeth Austen

not for me the dogma of the period
preaching order and a sure conclusion
and no not for me the prissy
formality or tight-lipped fence
of the colon and as for the semi-
colon call it what it is
a period slumming
with the commas
a poser at the bar
feigning liberation with one hand
tightening the leash with the other
oh give me the headlong run-on
fragment dangling its feet
over the edge give me the sly
comma with its come-hither
wave teasing all the characters
on either side give me ellipses
not just a gang of periods
a trail of possibilities
or give me the sweet interrupting dash
the running leaping joining dash all the voices
gleeing out over one another
oh if I must
punctuate
give me the YIPPEE
of the exclamation point
give me give me the curling
cupping curve mounting the period
with voluptuous uncertainty

You are Precisely My Cup of Tea

Last night, I helped out at Cast Your Nets, a high school event put on by the Vocations Office of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. I was put on PowerPoint duty. My finger performed exceptionally well tapping the arrow keys. I think I might have found my true calling in life!

Fr. Kyle asked if I went to Franciscan University of Steubenville, a Catholic college in Ohio and I replied, Nope, I went to Hillsdale College in Michigan. Not as exciting in Catholic spheres, but that hasn’t been the first time someone has thought I went to a Catholic college. Nope. I didn’t even look at Catholic colleges, unless they had a lacrosse program.

My alma mater's religious ratio is (about) 60 percent Protestant, 40 percent Catholic (with about 1300 students in toto). I was blessed to graduate with many friends on campus, but, of my top ten closest friends, seven are Protestants and three are Catholics. (I know, the numbers are so Biblical!)

Welcome to the Dork Side

My siblings and I are pretty nerdy, which isn't particularly surprising considering our parents are too.


What exactly does that mean? Well, just as Doctor Who's timey-whimey detector goes ding! when there's stuff, we too get really excited about... stuff (like anything British or snarky, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, quoting Disney movies, etc.).


More recently, my sister Kato introduced the family to the Vlog Brothers, two brothers who communicate through video blog posts, and we have been laughing our way through their videos all week. The Vlog brothers are YouTube sensations John and Hank Green. They have been doing this for three years now; their followers are the "NerdFighters" and their goal is "to fight world suck." They are from "NerdFighteria." I think that is also their catch-phrase (from what I can tell), which was also just featured on the movie 'Dispicable Me,' which is pretty awesomely nerdy. In real life, John is actually a published author who wins fancy book awards, etc. and, from what I can tell, lives in Indiana. He also has a super adorable son named Henry. No one is really sure what Hank does, besides wear funny t-shirts.


Since I am overly enthusiastic about correct grammar, spelling, etc., here are my four favorite vlogs concerning such errors. Even if you are not as enthusiastic about The Element of Style-esque problemos most people commit (or not enthusiastic in the least, which is sad, because you really should care more about the quality of language), these videos are solidly hilarious.


#1- Hank's post, "Stop Embarrassing Yourself," is all about common mistakes English teachers everywhere should have fixed/ made clear; I love the comment about Frankenstein best.



#2- John's Response, "My Friend Chester," is equally hilarious and because he mentions The Avett Brothers, he received 1,042 Julie points.



#3- Hank's "I Hung out with Snookie... Accidentally" vlog is classic pop culture clash example; also, his guitar makes an appearance. Check out the hilarious writing on the body.



#4- John's response, "Grammar School with Snooki," is possibly my favorite vlog. I know there's a lot to choose from, but it made me laugh the hardest and good points are made.



Last night, my cousin and I saw a sneak preview of the film 'Life As We Know It,' which I thought was going to be a typical, wah-wah chick flick, but this film surprised me with decent character development, quirky side characters, believability and the number of times I laughed out loud. It comes out in a week, and I would not be opposed to seeing it again. That was my first early showing of a movie, which is neat. A manager came out beforehand to give a spiel about the film, including telling us there would be a free showing of 'The Legend of the Guardians' afterwards. But anyone who thinks I am going to sit through a movie whose protagonists are owls is sadly, sadly mistaken.  


To close, I really don't think this nerdy post would be complete without a couple Pinky and the Brain quotes. In every episode, Brain asks Pinky the question "Are you pondering what I'm pondering?" Pinky's various responses include:
--"Wuh, I think so, Brain, but burlap chafes me so."
--"I think so, Brain, but culottes have a tendency to ride up so."
--"I think so, Brain, but if we covered the world in salad dressing, wouldn't the aspargus feel left out?"
--"I think so, Brain, but if they called them 'Sad Meals', kids wouldn't buy them!"
--"I think so, Brain, but this time you put the trousers on the chimp."
--"I think so, Brain, but isn't that why they invented tube socks?"
--"Well, I think so Brain, but what if we stick to the seat covers?"
--"I think so Brain, but if you replace the 'P' with an 'O', my name would be Oinky, wouldn't it?"


Happy Sunday! Spending the next few hours celebrating my grandparents' anniversary with my mom's side...


NERDFIGHTERIA!

Thank You! from the intern

I would just like to thank all the writers out there: people who can't remember comma placement or how to write a sentence properly or do not know that all prepositions are not created or used equally. --Thank you for giving me a job and the hope/ knowledge that I'll have a job in the future!

Today is an editing-filled day, along with plenty of phone calls and e-mails to publishers. There is this book/ publisher we have been trying to track down and get a hold of for a while now, so I feel a sense of accomplishment that I am finally getting this book off to the reviewer. I love, in general, my TWT e-mail box filled with responses from publicists saying yes, the book has been sent, is there anything else we can do for you?! ...Ah, glorious.

I went to IHOP with Aaron and Krudy for lunch today; it was delicious, but too filling. Krudy won the eat more food than everyone else award, closely followed by Aaron. I enjoyed my buttermilks quite nicely, thank you!

I saw on the news that Frank Ricci is going to be sitting in as a witness for the Sotomayor Confirmation hearings. That should be interesting!

Going out to dinner with Jason and Hunter at Froggy Bottom tonight, so that should be fun. J-Babe and I went last week and highly enjoyed the $5 pitchers of American beer and edible pizza. This is going to be a busy week, so I'll enjoy the downtime tonight.

Just got an e-mail from Mrs. O'D (the mom of the twins, two good friends from home) and it absolutely made my day. I talked to Davey yesterday afternoon, which was great, and hearing from his mom today is just delightful. I have a couple friends at home where I can go over to their house and talk to their parents instead of hanging out with my friends and be perfectly happy about it. The O'Donnells, the Besls, the Bromleys and the Malloys were four of the pseudo-families who fed me during lacrosse seasons and continue to let me come over at all hours of the day/night. I think I miss them just as much as my extended family; they are, after all, a type of extended family.

I'm getting called "the intern" and "our intern" now. I like it; when the men in the office say it, it has an endearing quality to it. (I say men because the only woman is my boss and she calls me by my Christian name!--like the rest of the world haha.) The managing editor said "Good Morning, Sunshine!" to me again: love love love it. He is the nicest man, and very smart; I would adore working for him. Or my editor--I would probably pick her first :)

Can't believe how fast the day has gone.