Dreamgirls

rating: BRAVO (rating system)

Now you may have heard the hype on this flick. But I am here as your faithful yet random movie critic to certify this movie as a MUST SEE. Don't wait for the DVD or cable release for this one. This all star cast does an amazing job. You get the broadway musical feel along with acting that dare I say is shockingly impressive. Of course I expected good acting and even singing from Jaime Fox and Eddie Murphy (who can forget that 80s hit 'my girl likes to party all the time'?). Beyonce's acting was surprisingly convincing, quite an improvement from the Pink Pather. But that Jennifer Hudson is THE SHOW STOPPER. She was no less than totally amazing. There is this one scene where she belts out a song that will make you tear up if not weep outright. I love a good Cinderella story. This movie is a Cinderella story within itself. You can't help but watch the movie and cheer for Jennifer the whole time thinking silently to yourself, "that's right Jennifer... show Simon Cowell he was wrong wrong wrong about you... you are a STAR! sing it girl". Seriously random fans, listen to me now and thank me later... go see this movie!!!

The Good Shepherd

rating: BRAVO (rating system)

This is a good movie, however, I will forewarn you that it is slow moving in building the plot. You really have to pay close attention to details that would ordinarily seem innocuous. Its very well written story about the early days of covert CIA-esque operation with the back drop of historical events from WWII through the Cuban Missle Crisis. It was quite intriguing for this lay historian to consider yet another perspective on very well known events in American history. If you are into thinking while you watch a movie and have some basic (maybe 6th grade level) of american/world history you will enjoy this flick.

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Enjoy!

Bobby

Rating: BRAVO (rating sytem)

Okay.. first things first. I 'saw' this movie the other night, however I fell asleep after the first 40 minutes and woke up in time to see the last 20 minutes. Now, please understand, my blissful slumber is no reflection on how good or bad this movie is. If anything, its more of a reflection of the fact that I truly cannot be awake for more than 16 hours at a time on any given day. Okay, so all this aside, from what I saw of the movie I can confidently say that this was a quality film. Excellent story line, excellent acting, excellent cinematography. I wouldn't steer you wrong. Trust me on this.

Deja Vu

Rating: BRAVO (rating system)

Now I don't know much. But I know a good movie when I see one. This movie was awesome!!! Its a bit slow to start but pay attention the plot twists will leave you guessing. I personally liken the plot to Law & Order meets Back 2 the Future (specifically the 2nd in the the triology for plot complexity.) All in all very good date movie. Gives you plenty of stuff to talk about post movie. Go out and see it... I highly recommend this flick!

file complaints here!

Okay.. I'm am an online shopper extraordinare, however, I take personal offense to the common practice of many online retailers.

Here's my gripe, when I go to your brick and mortar store you give me FREE gift boxes. (yes you Nordstrom, Banana Republic, J Crew and the rest) . So, WHY in the hell do I have to pay for the same freaking gift box when I shop at your on-line stores? Especially during the holiday season.

That practice really pissses me off.. Is my money less green on-line therefore I don't deserve the same service? If anything from an operational cost perspective its far cheaper for you retailers when I shop online. Therefore shouldn't there be MORE benefits to me as a consumer?? AT the very least I deserve equitable treatment e.g. freaking gift box for FREE like you can get in the retail outlet.

Is any one else outraged by this common practice or is it just me??

TODAY IS THE DAY!!!!

Yes.. today is the day...

Now, don't get it twisted. I am by no means an overly zealous patriotic political maven. However, I do firmly believe, that voting is a right that should NEVER be treated with apathy.

Is the system perfect? No.

Is there a perfect candidate that genuinely respresents all of your fundemental values and beliefs? Hell NO.

However, the right to vote is a right for which people worldwide throughout history and still to present day, have fought and died. This fact alone makes it a personal imperative for me to fully participate in the voting process. Its my right and duty as a responsible adult.

So ramdon fans... I submit to you again that... today is the day...

make your voice count...

...if you don't vote don't complain.

Question of the day

butterrfly: Question of the day... what is the minimum amount of money (after taxes) that you would need to have in order to quit your current job and leave the working world?

O.Gee: the cost of car fare home.

Marie Antoinette

rating: Eh (rating system)

This movie is not at all what I thought it would be. I guess I'm a purist in some sense. I like a movie that based on a speicfic time period, to I don't know make me feel like I'm back in that time period. I think the modern day music throughout the movie is was ruined that effect for me. The fact that this movie was about a nortiorious historical persona and her life, is what leaves me bothered by this movie. Throughout the movie I was waiting to learn more about Marie as a person, the intricacies of the French politics leading up to the French Revolution.... *sigh* I was left to fill in the historical blanks myself. In short, if you have a deep interest in French culture or history and are looking to learn more, then this movie isn't for you. Although the movie did give you a good sense of the opulance of the french monarchy, I would recommend that you visit Versailles yourself rather than see this flick.

Oh, and did I mention, that they don't even speak french in this movie? qu'est-ce que c'est environ ? comment insultant!

** boggle **

Ya know.. at first it was mildly amusing, but now its just plain annoying. My curent phone number is similiar to the local WOK express therefore I am tortured DAILY with calls through out the day for orders of wonton soup, general tso's chicken and moo goo gai pan. **boggle**


Thanks to modern telecommunications technology, I actually recognize the names/phone numbers of certain take out diners that repeatively disturb the tranquility of my home and answer the phone, "You have the wrong number. This is NOT Wok Express". Do you know on occassion some of these patrons actually have the nerve to argue with me and insist that they DID dial Wok express and that I am wrong? **double boggle**

ALERT: Thieves among us!!!

Hey ramdon fans. This is actually a more serious blog entry for you guys. Over the past year, I have had friends and colleagues who have been pickpocketed in different places across the americas, in eeriely similar circumstances....

SCENARIO #1: Denver, Colorado
My colleague was enjoying a quick lunch at a local baja fresh. Her purse was placed "securely" on the back of of her chair.When she got up to ready to leave the resturant her purse felt significantly lighter. She looked inside to find her wallet missing!
moment of opportunity: In retrospect she remembers feeling a slight bump and her purse moving ever so slightly while she was eating.

SCENARIO #2: Washington, DC
A good friend of mine stopped at Quiznos in the middle of her day to have lunch. Her purse was positioned "securely" on the side of her chair. Some men came in and tried to strike a up a conversation with her and thereafter seated themselves uncomfortable closely to her at the very next table. Later, she looked in her wallet realize that ALL of her credit cards and bank cards had been stolen.
moment of opportunity: She felt her bag move ever so slightly while she had lunch. She got up for a brief moment to refill her drink.

SCENARIO #3: Ontario, Canada
A colleague of mine was working on her laptop at a local starbucks coffee shop just the other day. At one point she realized that her purse that was "securely" hanging from the back of her chair, underneath her coat was in fact missing. When she noticed her purse was missing she immediately asked questions to the people around her, notified the manager and searched both the men's and women's restrooms to see if her purse was dumped in either one. Minutes later she stepped outside to use her cellphone to notify the authorities and deactivate her credit and bank cards. When she walked back in, the manager in charge informed her that her purse had been found in the ladies room. **boggle** yes, as I said, she had only moments before checked the ladies room. Clearly the thief was still in her midst the very moment she realized her purse was missing . Moreover, that theif was able to fly under the radar of suspicion the entire time she was in the shop searching for her missing bag.
moment of opportunity: she got up momentarily to say hi to a friend who walked into the coffee shop.

Here's what I have assessed. From each of these scenarios there are a few commonalities about the way these pickpockets operate:
1. they are watching you closely and KNOW where your wallet is located.
2. they are professional opportunists and extremely patient, waiting for the few brief seconds that your guard may be down
3. they need only seconds to rip you off - they move quickly when in the act of stealing..
4. they frequent the quick stop places where your guard might be at its lowest, e.g. the comfort of a coffee shop.

With that in mind here are my random tips to help ward off the potential of being the prey of a pickpocket.

1. Take the extra few seconds to put your wallet away safely and securely. Ladies, for you that means, zipping, buckling or snapping your purse completely shut!
2. Keep your purse/wallet keenly on your person and in your line of sight at ALL times.
3. Be aware of your surroundings, I'm not suggesting that you be paraniod, but the people who are pickpockets are experts at blending into their environments.
4. Have a ready and accessible list of the #'s that can call to immediately turn off your credit and bank cards.

No, I am not an expert in criminology, but I watch A LOT of Law & Order so that must count for something. But, here is some more official documentation for your reference...

How Pickpockets Work http://travel.howstuffworks.com/pickpocket.htm

http://www.abroadviewmagazine.com/archives/fall_01/pickpocket.html

idle time

okay... I'm publically embracing my inner geek. As many of you may or may not know I am a geography afficanado!

....and thanks to O Gee, fellow blogger and ramdon fan, I have a site to prove my citizenship in map-loving-geekdom!

http://www.pibmug.com/files/map_test.swf

not surprisingly, I recieved a perfect score every time with plenty o' time to spare! ;-)

Enjoy!!!

you know you are cheap when....

... you realize you have coupons for everything... I'm talking everything people... for example... I recently took a flight where I sincerely relishled my cheapness. Why prey tale? I had a coupon, yes a coupon, for a free drink on my flight with Delta.

Long story short, I saved myself 5 bucks and put a Cheshire cat like smile on my face the whole way down. Gotta love it!

The Departed

Rating: BRAVO (rating system)

This movie stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg AND Martin Sheen. Its about loyalty, treachery, family, love, greed. I don't really want to get too much into the story line. I don't want to spoil it for you. I will say that if mind seeing people get brutally killed and/or if you are sensitive to foul language you might not be too keen on this flick.

Sidebar: Leonardo somehow relinquished his elfin magic looks and turned them in for a very mansculine mystic. Yeah.. he's pretty darn hot. excuse me HOT yeah.. with a capital H in this movie.

Okay.. back to the review. The storyline..let's say there are enough twists and turns to keep you fully engaged and thinking. I won't tell you much more than, you have to see this movie and share your review with us when you do!

Little Miss SunShine

rating: BRAVO (rating system)

This movie is funny. I mean really funny, laugh out loud funny. That is of course if the span of your sense of humor extends to finding humour in the misfortunes of others. The movie is about an exceedingly dysfunctional family and their encounters as they travel to California have the youngest of the clan compete in the "little miss sunshine" paegent.

Sounds lame, but trust me, the level of dysfunction is both heartwarming and hiliarious.

The Black Dahlia

The Black Dahlia

Rating: PEE-YOU (rating system)

Yeah it stank. Too many twists. Too many turns. A plot overlaiden with too many details.

Sorry to get this review out so late.. but if you love yourself you will not waste your time OR money seeing this movie.

at the movies... butterrfly style..

that's right ramdon fans you got it. We will now be featuring movie reviews on your favorite blog site. So.. get familiar with the rating system.. and if you have any reviews of your own feel free to send them to me.

4 tier: rating system (from low to high)
PEE-YOU - Yeah .. as in it STANK...Never watch this movie.. not even if someone else is paying... not even when it shows up on cable.. did you hear me? NEVER!

eh -Matinee material at best, but you can definitely wait for the cable release on this... not pay per view.. premium station release.

BRAVO - Definitely worth the premium movie ticket plus popcorn and/or nachos. Quality entertainment! Good date movie.

CLASSIC - Not only should you pay for premium tickets and snacks, but you might feel compelled to pay to see it again in the theater not to mention buy the DVD when it comes out.

(CLICK HERE FOR RAMDON MOVIE REVIEWS)

THIS JUST IN!!!

Okay folks. It looks like Target was selling bootlegged Coach purses and wallets. As a result, Coach is suing Target for $1million. (read about it)

In a word,

Hallejulah!

I have some recent purchases that I was contemplating on donating. Back into the rotation they go!

Message to Coach: official respresentives from ramdon will be by shortly to retrieve your undeserved jack*ss award. You have our sincere apologies for this mixup.

Message to Target: there will be a temporary delay as we transfer the jack*ss award to your name. we need to take some extra time to spray paint it platinum... you got it.. Target you've been upgraded to the ever exclusive platinum business edition jack*ss award. Congratulations!!!

and another one..

T-money: Deal or No Deal is on ... do you watch??

Butterrfly: nah.. too stressful for me.. I don't like to watch anything that involves people winning money.. it makes me really jealous.. can't explain it.. I can't even watch the favorite things episode of Oprah.. it pisses me off.. . personality defect of mine.

rogue random musing...

Friend: Yeah so I really like him.. The only thing is when I met him he was wearing a pair of leather pants. What do you think about that?

BUTTERRFLY: Let me tell you what I know. No MAN should own a pair of leather pants... unless, of course, he makes his living singing on stage with his 5 brothers.

Jack*ss awards… business edition…

… the winner is… COACH!!!

Yes, the maker of handbag, luggage and other accessories. How did Coach earn this distinction you ask? Well.. I was strolling through my neighborhood Target (tar-zhay) the other morning and to my horror, saw a COACH display in the purse section. Yes.. you connected the dots correctly they are selling COACH now at your local Target.

I know what you are thinking. Why the hell would they COACH do that?

Well, for us learned business people this is a classic business mistake that high end brands seem to repeat. For example, BMW did it with the BMWti… remember those.. long story short, BMW wanted to expand their market reach by appealing to a lower end of the car market. Viola they came up with the more affordably priced BMWti complete with cloth interior. Guess what? The BMWti sold very well. However, the much higher end BMW’s (e.g. 7 series) dropped off in sales.. Why, because people who spend 80K+ on a car don’t want to be associated with those who spend 18K on a car.. sounds harsh but hey.. its true.

All that to say, “Coach, you can’t be all things to all people”. No Coach, you aren’t Prada or Tod’s in the realm of high end luxury.. but you certainly cannot keep a customer like myself interested nor increase your floundering cachet sandwiched between the feminine products and pet food aisle.

you know what really fries my bacon?

... a foiled plan to be a cheapo!

At my local starbucks, every 8th coffee you purchase is free. So as a miserly practice I get the cheapest coffee (house blend drip) for the first 7 and a super duper starbucks classic fancy coffee as my 8th. Today, I swore this was my 8th coffeee.. so being the cheapee that I am and needing to maximize the free-ness.. I ordered the biggest most expensive coffee on the menu only to learn that I bought my 7th freaking coffee not my 8th and a vanilla biscotti to boot.

Total damage: $4.99

damn... damn.. double damn!!!

PROOF: there is something out there for everyone...

Yeah.. I finally DID IT!!! I joined a fantasy celebrity league!!!

That's right... uh huh..you heard me.. It works just like fantasy sports leagues, but instead of your players scoring points for a touchdown or homerun, they score points for crazy outbursts, divorces, new boyfriends, or whatever other crazy BS these celebs get into.
Pretty fun huh? I thought so too...

So while the lot of you are flipping stations sunday and monday nights trying to keep a tally of all of your different players, lamenting over your draft picks and trades, I'll be flipping casually through my US Weekly, Star, In touch, .. ya get the picture...

I'm part of the "team firecrotch league" (FYI -- for you lay celebrity gossip followers that's a dig at Lindsey Lohan. )

My manager alias: "Scoop" tee-hee ;-)

Check out my team.. big pimpin' huh?

gripes.. thoughts.. assorted quotes, musings and truths

"I'm like 30 years old & make decent coin.... I should be able to live in a place that I don't have to see everything I own every morning"
-- on studio apt living in NYC

"me: ugggh.. I have so much work to do... I was really hoping to get out of here early today...
friend: what are you talking about? Get out of where? YOU WORK FROM HOME!!!
me: details, details"
-- convo on working overtime

"Of course work is not fun, that's why they call it work. If work were supposed to be fun they would call it play"
-- my uncle on dealing with the 9 to 5 blues

"If you can't wake up in love with yourself everyday... how the HELL do you expect someone else to??"
-- thoughts on self-love, HLee

"friend: If you didn't spend your money on shoes, waxing, spa appointments, what would you spend your money on?
me: huh? I don't understand the question? **boggle**
friend: what else would you spend your money on?
me: umm.. I heard you.. but I don't udnerstand the question.. its like saying if you didn't spend your money on bread and water ...."
--recent convo on spending priorities

"aunt: where are your priorities?
nephew: ummm... I left them at home antie.."
-- my nephew and sister in active debate

"vee text msg: hmm.. he looks kinda cute from here
bee text msg: oh really?
vee text msg: eew no retract that, he looks crazy in the eye
bee text msg: so essentially, he is cute from far but far from cute"
-- random bee/vee digital convo

undeniable truth

"If you obey all the rules ...

you miss all the fun."

~Katherine Hepburn

HAPPY LABOUR DAY!!!!

random self portrait

Yeah.. this is pretty much my uniform.. toss some more random papers on the floor and you have my office....just thought I'd share...

I feel like I've been stabbed..

Canyon Ranch Project On Hold - Developer Cites Market and Costs

A Tysons Corner developer is reevaluating plans for the $1 billion Canyon Ranch Living project in North Bethesda because of the slowdown in the real estate market and rapidly increasing construction costs, according to a letter received yesterday by buyers who have made deposits on the luxury condominiums...Canyon Ranch, a renowned spa with resort locations in Arizona and Massachusetts, .... more

Expectation is the root of all heartache.

~William Shakespeare

I'm not one to brag but...

.. you know your alma mater is hot when...

Brooklyn Tech.. that's right... if you don't know now you know!

more awards..

... Every now and then I came across a news story that makes me wonder about the true IQ of the average person. This week I have been presented with not one but TWO phenomenally idiotic news stories that deserve this special random distinction.

Without further adieu, I present this week's jack*ss award winners...

Headline: Heat poses danger at playgrounds

Summary: A 2-year-old boy was hospitalized Friday with third-degree burns after he stepped on a metal maintenance cover [manhole] at Lippert Park in south Oklahoma City.

My thoughts: Okay, the temperatures lately have been so hot that I can feel the scorching heat rise through my flip flops. It is the sort of heat that makes you randomly swear and curse out loud. Which leads me to ask, with a heat index of 100+ degrees Fahrenheit, why would you allow a child to walk BAREFOOT in such heat?.. Its the park not the freaking beach!!! I first heard of this story watching the news the other day, the person taking care of the child at the time of the incident said something like, "I was watching him play and he was laughing and having a good time. Then he stepped on the manhole cover and all of a sudden started to scream and cry..." ** duh **

The woman who was caring for this child deserves a slap in the face and is clearly a top graduate with honors from the donkey school of childcare.. I know its Oklahoma, but seriously, barefoot on a manhole cover? What the hell? Seriously, why would that seem like a good idea? ** boggle ** I'm sure some inane, greedy attorney will work with the family to figure out some way to place a bogus suit against the city for not having warning signs placed. In which case said attorney would also receive a handsome jack*ss award courtesy of yours truly.

Honor: Grand Jack*ss Award

**************

Headline: Waitress checks customer's ID, discovers self (nominated by Paolo, avid random fan and fellow blogger )

Summary:A bar waitress checks to see if a customer was legally old enough [over 21 years old] to drink looked down to see yes.. her own driver's license staring back at her. Apparently the waitress had lost her wallet the previous week. wait for it... that's not the kicker, the customer in question was 23 years old!!!!!!

My thoughts: Do I need to really even vent on this one? ** boggle ** ... Lady you are truly a donkey's backside!

Honor: Golden Jack*ss Award

have a jack*ss award contender? I wanna hear about it.. submit your entries here.

cause and cure

things that make my bum itch! >:-O
10. People who answer "huh" in response to someone calling their name... -- insert rolling of eyes here --

9. Pretentious DC folk (aka Washingtonians) that ask what I do for a living before they ask my name. a--holes

8. Those fishbowl like smoking rooms in selected US airports. For the untraveled, at selected airports across the nation have smoking rooms that are glass walled on all sides. Kinda bizzare to see in person because you really can't see past the smoke more than about 3-4 feet in. Who knows how many people may be heeled over in there suffering some sort of emphesyma attack?

7. Redskins fans... especially as they cheer for the sorry redskins. helloooow... you read it here folks.. the Redskins suck! :-P

6. LIFETIME MOVIES.. ALL OF THEM.. especially the ones with the plot in the title, "my daughter the call girl","She's too young", "my son is now my daughter", "Meth is destroying my life, my husband left me, and my house is burning"

5. People who call and don't leave a message yet get annoyed with me when I don't call them back. --> Boggle <---

4. Vegetarians who show up to a BBQ hungry.

3. Women who show up at the gym in full makeup, hair sprayed hair, and couture work out gear.... idiots

2. Any drivers who thinks 60 miles an hour is an appriopriate speed for the far left lane on the highway.. a--holes.. stay in your lane!!!

1. Muffin tops! (link)-> insert look of disgust <-

things that always make me smile (a.k.a "BUM Itch Relief Balm")
10. Any situation where the underdog prevails.. just love good cinderella story

9. Unsolicited chivalrous act with no expection of returns... I have grand appreciation for a true gentleman

8. A nicely orgranized wedding AND reception with meticulous attention to detail.. shameless shout out to my sis-inlaw

7. A well wrapped thoughtful gift.. especially when my name is on it. :o)

6. A child with good manners... a well placed "I beg your pardon sir/ma'am..." never hurt anyone

5. Fresh floral bouquet special delivered to moi!

4. Unexpected coupon from DSW. tear..sniff..sheer nirvana I tell ya!

3. Frasier ... love the reruns.. don't know why I was NOT hooked on it while it was on primetime... don't know what you got till its gone

2. Uncommon words used appropriately in a sentence that the average person has never heard of...for example...

• obstreperous \uhb-STREP-uhr-uhs; ob-\, adjective:Noisily and stubbornly defiant; unruly.
• grandiloquent \gran-DIL-uh-kwuhnt\, adjective:Lofty in style; pompous; bombastic

1. Prada

New day.. new look..

Hey Random fans..

I thought we could use a random facelift. Just seemed like the right thing to do... more entries coming soon.. in the meantime I'm working on balancing my chi...

Back to reality...

Okay.. all of the popculture hype currently fixated on superheros from Superman to Nacho Libre has got me thinking.

"Isn't everyone a superhero in their own right?"

In my opinion, everyone, well almost everyone, has a special natural ability or skill that makes them well 'unique'.

So I thought about it and came up with my own superhero profile.... so... without further adieu...

Name: BeeButterrfly
other super names considered but not selected:
** She-Ra (already taken)
** SuperGifter
** Moesha Stewart

Secret Identity: Corporate Schmoe

Notable powers or abilities:
** superior ESP-like intuition
** incredible long term memory
** witty sense of humour
** unsurpassed gift giving abilities

Secret Weapons:
** Glue gun
** killer smile

Weakness: ummm.. krispy kreme donuts!

Arch enemies:
>> Doubters, haters, and pessimists alike...
>> Stilt walkers, clowns, anything in masquerade

okay.. so that's my superhero profile.. what's yours?

Introducing..

THE 2006 BUTTERRFLY AWARDS!!!

So I was thinking I have my own blog. Why not have my own awards show (featuring totally random catergories of course)... okay.. you may not see what a blog and an awards show has to do with anything.. but therein lies the point.. duh.. ('its all random' -- for the slow wits... keep up!)

So here we go.. oh and please hold your applause and commentary until the end of the program... now where was I? oh yes...ahem...

Best customer loyalty program goes to... DSW (a.k.a. "my mother ship")They know me well.. 10$ off coupon for my birthday, 15% 'we miss you' coupons when I've been away too long, 25 bucks every few months.. ah.. match made in heaven.. *sigh* we have some good times together.. good times..

Best Battlecry... "By the power of grayskull... I have the power" that's He-man for you unforunate ones (e.g. born post 1980 and/or deprived of cheesy day time cartoonage)

Biggest advancement in apparel design goes to.. all retailers featuring tagless tee's and undergarments (e.g. Banana Republic, Gap, Hanesetc...)In a word, "genius"

Best superbowl win of all time... Superbowl XXV: NYC Giants vs. Buffalo Bills! Haters be silent...especially redskins fans! :-P

Best nightlife... NYC hey... its the only city I know of that literally does not sleep... not that I take advantage of it whenever I'm there...

Best ice cream... Maggie Moo's I know some of you may be annoyed, bewildered or otherwise dumbfounded that cold stone creamery didn't make the cut. While I do appreciate coldstone for their couponing strategy (free cones on your b-day, discounts on cakes for holidays, etc).. I had one bad experience with a ice cream cake wherein I bit into a giangtic ice crystal.. yikes... yeah.. let's just end that there.

Best airline... Delta! say what you want, who cares if you are ever on time, once you hit gold medallion status its smooooth sailing with upgrades galor.. you can't beat that.. if you don't have gold status.. well.. it sucks to be you... :-P

Best bargain for cheapos like me... H&M Specifically the NYC stores.. they have H&amp;M Couture, H&M Baby, H&M maternity,... I'm just waiting for H&M home.. then its all over!!!

Best TV theme song.. "This is it.. this is it.. this is life.. the one you get so go and have a ball.." this is the theme song from one day at a time -again for you unfortunate ones (e.g. born post 1980 and/or deprived of 70s/early 80s prime time TV)

Most fantabulous 'every woman' woman goes to.. OPRAH!! C'mon...no explaination necessary... she's a modern day superhero!

Smartest president of my lifetime goes to.. Jimmy Carter before you under informed history hoi polloi try to argue with me.. read up.

Dumbest president of my lifetime goes to.. well.. let's save that one for off line convos.. :o)
Best Law of the Land goes too.. any state, city, county, local juridication that has employed public no smoking laws. I believe that includes LA; NYC; Mont. County, MD; P&G, MD;.. DC is soon to follow I believe. My clothes, hair and lung thank you Mr and Ms. Lawmaker!

**************************************************************************************************
Disclaimer.. don't be upset if you didn't get an award this time around... remember its an honor just to be nominated.. not that there is a formal nomination process.. if at first you don't succeed.. eh screw it **************************************************************************************************
Best next 'it' phrase goes to.. Vee Gee! phrase: "stay in your lane"... oh its not just for your everyday traffic snafu... it can and should be used to reprimand anyone of inappropriate behavior.. e.g. a size 26 wearing woman in a string bikini.. ugh..for the love of ... please stay in your lane and don a skirted onesie... or a size -4 wearing woman in a string bikini... please do us all a favor, stay off the beaches and stay in the fast food lane supersizing all the way... lest we be cut by one of your protuding bones from your gastly skeletal frame...go eat a sandwich, with extra mayonaise!!!

Best high rolling-vegas trippin-texas hold 'em gambler... Paolo! hey.. he's the only person I know that has been in the ESPN World Championship of poker... cue to music: We trying to stay alive, wyclef jean and the fugee all star version

Coolest job... E-ROB! Designing marketing events where the pussycat dolls are the headliners... it really doesn't get better than that.. ;-) singing to myself.. don'tcha wish your girlfriend was hot like me.... don'tcha?

Shame less plugs....
Hippest artsy/urban/psuedo hip-hoppity website..

http://www.dorkmag.com/
Hottest promoter .. www.myspace.com/thesispromotions
Best botox fix... www.dermacareusa.com/loc-brooklynheights.html How do you think I keep my fresh vibrant youthful look? Just jokes, its all in the DNA folks!

Best Blog... beebutterrfly.blogspot.com c'mon! ya know this!

That concludes the awards show program... thank you and good day!

..so.. I might be converting...

That's right!! You read it here first folks!

After years of scoffing at the clown-like styling and dorky appearance of DaimlerChrysler's Smart Car and more recently, risking my life in the hills of Mykonos, Greece in that semi-automatic monstracity... I must admit, they have finally come up with a model that is toooo cute for words... and could sway.. even the likes of me!

Now.. don't get it twisted. I am not suggesting that I'm rushing out today to do a trade in... but let's just say when or rather if my granola-save-the-earth persona ever kicks into 5th gear, I might be more than tempted to pick one of these cute autos up. C'mon.. its PINK!!!

Back on the grid!

Yes you read that correctly! I have a new cell phone. Its sleek, cute and so very pink. Oh, and it plays iTunes too. I feel so futuristic. But most important of all it fits in any purse weightlessly. I can't help but love this phone!!! I'm armed and dangerous now. I won't be carelessly dropping this phone.. yeah.. I didn't even believe that.. how about I'll try harder not to drop this phone as much I did with my dearly departed RAZR. yeah.. I'll buy that.

So that was the good news. savour it... done? okay onto other matters..

The not so good news is that apparently my former cell phone in its mangled state, could not be resuscitated long enough to load my address book onto my new phone. *sigh *

Okay, so what does this mean for you? Hmm.. well its actually quite simple. If you would like me to have your number stored on my cell phone, or rather if you do not want me to have a really good excuse that I will use profusely for never calling you, call my cellphone over the next few days from your various phone lines and leave a quick message so that I can save off missed calls to my address book. As an added bonus the first 10 callers will get a personalized ringtone (iTunes baby) of their choice on my phone.

(Hey, I work in marketing,so I can't help but throw in an extra incentive of some sort! Don't judge me! :-P)

when 1 becomes 2...

Freedom means choosing your burden. ~Hephzibah Menuhin

As many of you may or may not realize... my sleek yet highly abused Motorola Razr phone is defunct, kaput, finito --I'm talking smithereens people (evidence featured below). Yeah.. the short story is that the other day it slipped out of my hands for the upmteenth time, hitting the ground sending pieces everywhere.

This poses a few issues for me...
1. I am forced, or rather more than moderately behooved, to be on time or close to one time since I do not have the ready ability to call in route to say "hey I'm running late..."
2. I have very few phone numbers memorized thanks to the modern technology of my cell phone's digital address book. Hence if you haven't heard from me within the last week, this debacle is likely the culprit.
3. While I can still check voice mail, alas, I cannot track missed calls.. so for those of you who have been cursing my name for unacknowledged miss calls.. well shame on you... my cell phone as you can see is not in peak condition.

Surprisingly, the absence of a cell phone in my daily routine has been quite, shall I say liberating? As I'm not worried about making sure its gets charged up at night or whether its in close proximity to me so that I can answer when it rings, or whether the ring tone set to silent, vibrate or my classic "1000 miles" (Vanessa Carlton).

So its been almost 1 week since my phone went out of commission. Part of my delay in ordering a replacement is the labour I must exert to renegotiate the terms of my new phone. But the other side is that, I am not quite sure that I am ready to give up my new found freedom. Which is ironic all in itself as wireless telephone service is thought to be an ultimate freedom of sorts... Eh, who I am to go WITH the grain? :-) Another few days off the grid won't hurt.

We must be free not because we claim freedom,
but because we practice it. ~William Faulkner

.... a different perspective..

Typically, my blog posts are relatively light hearted musings from my random thoughts.. but fans, today I'd thought I'd share an e-mail I recently recieved from my friend Tam who is currently working in Iraq. It truly gave me a different perspective on life in Iraq.

***************************
Hello! I finally got a chance to come up for air. I am in Northern Iraq- Kurdistan right now.

My flight was cancelled so I had an entire unplanned day. I thought I would write you an email to tell you about Northern Iraq because if you watch the news- you would think the whole country was a bomb.

Iraqis take Fridays off-- the stores close and up here they all drive to the country and picnic. So yesterday It was beautiful Friday in the Spring- no shopping- no stores were open. In the North there are beautiful grassy mountains, flowers, streams, not unlike the US.

So we drove to the country to see these famous picnickers. I had always heard about this- but until I saw it for my own eyes- I had no idea. All of Erbil was out in the country having a picnic! Seriously every patch of the road side and country side was full of families picnicking. Their picnic include dancing, drinking tea, eating, playing games, children playing etc.

We went to this beautiful gully and crashed someone’s wedding. They made me Dance the Kurdish line dance and I am now in someone’s wedding video. “Oh who’s that- some American that showed up out of the blue”. They love Americans more than Americans do.

They salute us- they tell us how much they love us because we freed them from Saddam. So as an American- you are like a celebrity. We then found another picnic in a different area- and the guide decided we should invite ourselves for tea. Again- you would have thought I was Royalty- or president Bush himself- they made a huge deal about catering to me, preparing a special carpet and pillow for me to sit on etc. They took photos, video taped me etc. Maybe it was the red hair—who knows.

Today I helped the military hand out candy to kids on the street. This was my first experience walking around with the military- the Kurds love the military! Everyone came out to the street to wave and say hello. We were offered rides by everyone. What an experience! I had no idea that America was actually appreciated! and these military guys really do want to help the people here. They are here not because they are forced or because they have nothing else to do, but because they truly want to help the people here. It is refreshing. I've met so many military that are highly educated and left their jobs to come to Iraq because they believe in the cause.

After being in the North and seeing these people who were once tormented by a dictator- dancing around and eating Dolma in peace-- does give hope to the rest of the country.

Anyway- just thought I would share a few tid bits-other than the car bomb stories and civil war that you hear on CNN- hope all is well with you all!

... its a holiday damn it!

Happy Birthday to me!
How joyous it be
To party like a rockstar
& still look 23! ;-)

In case you didn't know, April 24th is an official unofficial holiday recognized by uuber cool people ALL around the globe!!! Be sure to take your well deserved time off and enjoy the day!

Things I know for sure...

- House plants of any type will commit suicide when in my care (yes this includes cacti).

- Karoyoke is the BEST contribution modern society since the phonograph.

- Winter months are too damned long.

- Pajama pants in public are not cute.

- Working out is NOT fun, but necessary.

- When you shoot someone accidentally regardless of who you are there should at least be police led investigation.

- Sharpies are the BEST markers ever...and they smell really good too!

- Laws should be applied equally for all citizens.

- It is generally not a good idea to drink and hunt... you might accidentally shoot a friend.

- Oprah Winfrey is a superhero.

- Nate Berkus is a hottie.

- Curling is NOT a sport!

nothing tastes as good as being skinny feels...except

have you heard that saying before? Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels. I think its complete bullsh@*!!!

First of all, only an overweight or morbidly obese person who becomes suddenly skinny could truly feel this way... or maybe not maybe its more of a battlecry for those on the other side of the eating disorder community. I contend that there must be plenty of things that taste as good as skinny feels if not we wouldn't have an obesity epidemic here in the good ole USA.

ahem.. so I have for you a list...

Things that probably taste as good as skinny feels...

• A fresh out the oven Krispy Kreme glazed donut
• A jumbo slice of authentic NYC pizza complete with extra cheese
• Fresh from the oven, piping hot cinnabon with extra icing
• Baked macaroni and cheese (made with 3 or more cheeses)
• Hot apple pie with large scoop of natural vanilla ice cream
• Candy Corn
• Hot corned beef/pastrami sandwich from Katz Deli with half sour pickles on the side
• Birthday Cake (whether its a costco sheet cake or a gourmet creation its always delish)
• Cheetos
• Fresh from the oven chocolate chip cookies
• Fried calamari
• Starbucks cinnamon dolce latte ~grande, whole milk, extra whip (I have yet to have one but it just looks like its worth the extra 20 minutes on the treadmill)
• Hot, fresh baked bread of any kind with butter ...real butter not that butter like spread crap
• Strawberry lemonade

My skinny and not so skinny blog fans please feel free add to this list...

disturbing trend..

Here in the greater Washington, DC metropolitan area I have noticed a very disgusting trend. At first, I thought it was just something that the teens were into, but I have noticed that the 20 somethings seem to ahere to this practice as well... "wearing pajamas in public". ***boggle***

Now I know some of you are rolling your eyes with your fingers on the key board ready to blast me and saying something to the effect, "ummm.. Bee...didn't Michael Jackson walk into court a few months ago wearing his ...ahem...pajama bottoms?" To all of you out there you are thinking that I say, "just because I groove to the hip melodic beats of Michael Jackson and the extended Jackson clan doesn't mean that I condone him or anyone else leaving their home in david and goliath pj bottoms. Its just not right even when the King of Pop does it". But I'm still a fan .. so there. :-P

I just don't get it. Its bad enough that you obviously rolled out of bed and into the public domain. But is it really necessary to exclaim to the world that you did so. I was especially disgusted at the gym the other day when I looked up the from the hip adbuctor weight machine to be eye to eye with this grunting, sweaty, overgrown teen who was yes, working out in his pajama bottoms. eewwww. I seriously had to quickly divert my attention to the television monitors to avoid gagging from the site. eewww.

Pajama bottoms in public.. I dunno...it just bugs me. What's so hard about slipping on a pair of jeans or sweats to give the illusion of cleanliness and proper hygiene? Its just another thing to add to the list of depictions of sheer laziness at its best...

this man scares me..

THIS MAN SCARES ME!!!

You may recognize him from those late night infomercials where he is shouting excitedly about millions of dollars of government money that's allegedly yours for the taking.

As many of you know I have a STRONG adversion to people in costume, stiltwalkers, clowns, Elmo, Big Bird... live & in person they all freak me out. This guy is no exception. He frequents my local coffee shop quite often, and yes each time I have seen him he is wearing one of those crazy question mark outfits. HE FREAKS ME OUT. He even has a mini cooper that he parks outside of the coffee shop... its pimped out in orange with black question marks all over it. **boggle**

The last time I went to get coffee and saw him in there, we made eye contact and he raised one of his bushy eyebrows at me. I got scared and ran out burning myself with the hot coffee that splashed on my hands accordingly.

Could it be I stayed away too long?

Hey Folks! I'm still here.. alive and kicking.

Ahem.. I am forced make a special shout out to kgreen who introduced me to a very cool, yet addictive web treat. Seriously, if you are a music lover or even a music liker you will quickly become addicted to this site. But please, finish reading my entry before you skip over there... its been a while since you've heard from me. :-)

So anyway, don't let this part of my writings dissuade you, but while fooling around on the aforementioned site I couldn't get my ultimate favorite song to play.

"Hold On" by Wilson Philips.

I absolutely love this song! It is truly the best song ever written. Every hero needs a theme song. "Hold on" is mine. I play it before I go to the gym... I play it in my mind to talk me out of a tasty starbucks grande caramel latte.. I play it in my mind every morning before I start working... If I were Popeye that "Hold on" would be my spinach. If I were Superman.. "Hold on" would be red kryptonyte... If I were a big mac.. yes you got it.. "Hold on" would be that very special sauce.. you get the picture.

Actually don't really sing it that often, I was more than mildly exaggerating there. I truly only sing/listen to it maybe a few times a year. But I think I might be more motivated and productive if I did incorporate it into my daily ritual. I'll get back to you on that.. I'll let you know how it goes.

Okay enough about me.. not really.. but I'm sure you are ready to check out the site.. here it is.. enjoy.. let me know what you think!

www.pandora.com

For those of you not familiar with "Hold on" by Wilson Philips.. SHAME ON YOU... here are the lyrics so you can get your "slamming, classic, hits from the early 90s merit badge"...

I know there's pain

Why do lock yourself up in these chains?

No one can change your life except for you

Don't ever let anyone step all over you

Just open your heart and your mind

Is it really fair to feel this way inside?

Chorus:

Some day somebody's gonna make you want to

Turn around and say goodbye

Until then baby are you going to let them

Hold you down and make you cry

Don't you know?

Don't you know things can change

Things'll go your way

If you hold on for one more day

Can you hold on for one more day

Things'll go your way

Hold on for one more day

You could sustain

Or are you comfortable with the pain?

You've got no one to blame for your unhappiness

You got yourself into your own mess

Lettin' your worries pass you by

Don't you think it's worth your time

To change your mind?

(Chorus)

I know that there is pain

But you hold on for one more day and Break free the chains

Yeah I know that there is pain

But you hold on for one more day and you

Break free, break from the chains

Some day somebody's gonna make you want to

Turn around and say goodbye

Until then baby are you going to let them

Hold you down and make you cry

Don't you know?

Don't you know things can change

Things'll go your way

If you hold on for one more day yeah

If you hold on

Don't you know things can change

Things'll go your wayIf you hold on for one more day,

If you hold on

Can you hold on

Hold on baby

Won't you tell me now

Hold on for one more day 'Cause

It's gonna go your way

Don't you know things can change

Things'll go your way

If you hold on for one more day

Can't you change it this time

Make up your mind

Hold on

Hold on

Baby hold on