Happy Hour and Mindball

It's official, I cannot relax to save my life. My uptight norm was proved today during a strenuous game of Mindball at the Bakken Museum (a electricity museum founded by Earl Bakken, creator of Medtronic). Mindball is a fascinating game. You sit across from another person, you both put these headbands on, and then you try to relax. There is a ball in the center that moves with your brainwaves, so, whoever is more stressed draws the ball towards them, and loses. I lost hard core. No competition. My roommate, Molly, however, surprisingly beat numerous people. I had no idea she was so relaxed!!!

The reason we went somewhere as geeky as the Bakken today, is because we wanted to check out its "Bakken Night Out," which happens every second Tuesday of the month. It was sweet actually. We had buy one get one free coupons to get in. Thus, it was $2.50 to go, and once you got in, you got free wine and appetizers, plus free reign of the museum. So we played Mindball and watched a play about Mary Shelly -- the author of Frankenstein. It was pretty interesting. Do you know, Frankenstein is actually the creator of Frankenstein (Victor Von Frankenstein), and who we call Frankenstein today was actually called "The Monster" in the novel.

Who knew?

Only those who have actually read the book --- or those who, like me, go to science museum's for happy hour. Hey, sometimes, you just gotta live a little.

Saving Lives - Glamorously.

Last night I went to this charity fundraiser at Seven downtown. Seven is one of the swankiest spots in the Twin Cities. It’s a side of Minneapolis I barely knew existed. I love Minneapolis because of its unpretentiousness. At Seven however, pretentious is the soup du jour, or rather, soup toujours. People were dressed up. And that’s an understatement. Holy crap did I feel weird, and I was even dressed up. I mean my whole outfit did only cost $25 (shoes included!), but my shirt was originally $60 people! That has to count for something! Ha.

I felt particularly weird last night because we were there for this clean water fundraiser. (One lesson learned: Stay away from bottled water.) We watched a documentary and then went to a reception – that included a professional hula-hooper. Sweetness. Additionally, I sat in front of Vita.mn's "hottest female in the Twin Cities." Ha. I recognized her from a few issues back - mainly because we talked about that particular issue all day at J-School.

It’s just weird to get all dressed up and go to this fancy place to watch and learn about people suffering in the third world. I felt weird. However, I’m not sure it’s necessarily a bad thing. I mean, these kind of fundraisers raise awareness of issues among groups that would otherwise (in my prediction) remain oblivious. Plus, it generates money for causes in need. So even though I felt like a poser, I probably shouldn’t judge. All in all it was an okay time. There was free wine and free entertainment. I partook all for the sake of the children. Who knew saving lives could be so glamorous…. and, well, fun?

Pop Culture Pluses

Today is a great day in my dimension of pop culture for two reasons:

1) Kelly Clarkson's new album was released. Yeah!! Although I appreciated the effort behind her 2007 attempt to enter into the world of rock with My December, the actual results weren't that great. I missed the pop Kelly of 2005's Breakaway. Alas, in 2009, she is back. Score.

2) Vitamin Water 10. Wandering through the little market at school today, I noticed a new product next to the Vitamin Water. At first, I thought perhaps some generic brand was trying to oust the original from its glory. Boy was I wrong. Curious, I slid up to the cooler to discover what exactly, this new product was. "Vitamin Water 10. Ten Calories, no artificial sweeteners. Yes, really."

What!!! This is great news. I checked the labels, and indeed, it is all natural. I would explain the ingredients, but I am way too tired to function at the moment so it will have to wait. ciao.

Everything's Amazing, and Nobody's Happy

This is a great video. Hilarious - and relatively true. Well, if you consider "today's generation" as all of modern day America, and not just Gen Y. No more dissing Gen Y. We rock. Many of us want to change things for the better. As opposed to wanting things to change for the better. There's a difference. Anyway, watch the video. Thanks CB for the pointer.

Best Ecards This Side of the Moon

This is the best Someecard EVER. Well, one of the best. Another good one was "Sorry you're an atheist and have no one to thank on Fridays."












Another good ecard would be "Thanks for letting me know of your grandfather's death by inappropriately posting a picture of his open casket on your facebook profile."

Any other suggestions? I love Someecards.

Wedding Donkeys

I just finished watching Mamma Mia, the movie. I have decided that if I ever get married, I will ride up to the church on a donkey. Well, if in 2040 my joints still allow the range of movement required for riding donkeys.

That movie was pretty good stuff. Thankfully I won't have to deal with that whole "who is my dad" issue during my potential wedding ceremony however. That could really kill the scene set by my donkey-riding entrance.

Segue: My room is so clean it is unimaginable. Before and after photo to follow shortly.

Lose Some Magic Pants?! No Problem. Just Fly to Greece and Find Them!

Send in the clowns! Thanksgiving break has arrived and I have nothing due for six whole days! Consequently, I didn’t do any homework last night, and tonight I decided to mindlessly enjoy watching Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Part Two.

I know, I know, many people would celebrate this six-day jubilee with, oh I don’t know, drinks, other people, dancing, etc… I however, know how to really celebrate; watching cheesy teen movies, by myself, in bed, with wine.

Oh what, you think I’m a loser? Ah, well before you judge - hear me out, because it gets worse.

About....maybe halfway through the movie, my roommate (who had already seen it) decided to text me. She had to text me, since she was so far away – and by so far away I mean six feet away in the room next to mine. What can I say, new technology breeds laziness. So this is the text I received: “Isn’t that art guy hot?” (she was referring to the guy in the movie that falls for Alexis Bledel)

I text back: “Omigosh yes, ah. His eyes." Her text: “yeah, everything about him.”

Hahaha, we are losers. Think the text convo ended there though? Oh you of little faith. Towards the end, I decided to text her – again - instead of yelling. This time, I needed to discuss the characters’ decision to go to Greece to find their “Traveling Pants.” At first, one girl went. The rest of the girls went a few days later to surprise her. Just you know, dropped everything and took off.

The convo:

My text: “Oh, no problem I’ll just go to Greece and find some pants.”
Her: Can I go too? Wait I’ll surprise u there.
Me: “Ummm….with a hot man.

(Slight break in text conversation)

My text (again): Oh! Actually, you totally came to Greece to help me get back together with my hot Greek ex?? That is so uh, manipulative of you! I am so pissed, I am going to go make out with him in a boat on the Mediterranean under a full moon.

Her: “I knew I could force you into his arms.”

Now, the end of the movie arrives. I celebrate:

My text: “What we shared is all the magic we’ll ever need.”

Her: “So true, hug me.”

Ha! We are a special duo. Really, this text sequence doesn’t make sense unless you see the move. So I’m going to say that we are cool through irony. I can’t believe I’m actually sharing this story, I think I’ll lose many friends. Or not, since my friends already know of my “quirks." And they love me anyway, because what we share, is all the magic we'll ever need. Thank you, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. I am inspired.

Slavery

Today I learned that there are more than 27 million people in the world who live in slavery.

In 2007, it's estimated that slave traders made EIGHT TIMES the amount of the annual U.N. budget.

And more than 1/3 of sex slaves in South and East Asia are children.

That's crazy. This modern-day slavery includes sex slaves, labor slaves and child soldiers, to name a few. Despite images of third world countries most likely popping into your head right now, slavery is actually super prolific right here in the good 'ol USA.

I went to see this "rockumentary" called "Call and Response," and it was awesome. The best part about it, is that it didn't dump all this hopeless information on me about how there are all these millions of slaves in the world and it's hopeless and we're all going to die. It was actually part kind of like, benefit concert; they featured all these musicians like Matisyahu and Natasha Bedingfield and Nickle Creek, singing for the benefit of the new abolitionist movement. Plus my favorite journalist EVER was on too, Nick Kristof. Holler. Anyway, please please try and see the movie if you can. Even though it's only in Mpls. for two more days. And CHECK OUT THIS SITE. There is so much that can be done. For instance, I may have to stop buying stuff that I don't know where it comes from. Boooooo for my overabundance and yeah for children now enslaved (KIDDING).

Ok ah salaam alaykuhm, and remember: "All that is needed for evil to triumph is for good men and good women to do nothing." - Edmond Burke