My Favorite Two-Word Sentence

"Riots ensue." Click here to read more . . .

Two Laundry Stories

(This is why I tend not to blog about my actual life much. Because the most bloggable thing I did today was . . . laundry.)

Story 1: A Magical Laundry Miracle!

I have these towels my mom bought for me before I left for college freshman year. When we got them from the LaCrosse, Kansas, Duckwall's variety-type store, they were lavendar. It took them until roughly November of my freshman year for them to turn a sad, washed-out pink.

But today, I washed one with a blue blanket and a maroon blanket (both of which I thought I had washed before) and--voila!

As you can see, Towel on the Left has been rejuvenated to its original color!

And there was much rejoicing.

Story 2: An example of my mental prowess

I was digging load #2 of 6 (I set a new personal record!) out of the washer, and I noticed that a very long string was entangled over everything. Nervous, I tried to trace it to its source. This may have happened to you before--some part of one of your garments starts to unravel in the wash, and it may or may not be signify real damage. However, I separated the entire wad--not an inconsiderable amount of string--from everything and, relieved, put all my clothes in the dryer. Doing a last check of the washer, in case of renegade socks, I noticed a small black cylinder that I quickly recognized.

I washed a spool.

So much for being able to match any white thread the next time I need to mend something. Click here to read more . . .

I Have a Question for You

Do you think I should get Netflix? Think of how much tv on DVD I could watch, for much cheaper than going to Blockbuster or, of course, purchasing $40 DVD sets. Of course, on the one hand, it might mean my wasting more time in front of the tv. On the other hand, I already like to watch stuff while I eat, and I gots to eat, right?

Discuss. Click here to read more . . .

Overheard in the student union today

One fifty-five year old man to another: "She's all about that."
I don't know who "she" was, or what she is "all about," but does it really matter? Click here to read more . . .

A Review of The Queen

I went to see The Queen this evening, and I was extremely impressed. There have only been a few times I can remember leaving the theatre and having a feeling of, "I can't BELIEVE how good this movie was," but this was one of them. It's not a big dramatic thing, it's just very well-written and exquisitely acted. Obviously, Helen Mirren is getting a lot of attention for it, but the guy who plays Tony Blair also does a fantastic job. And it really took me back to the good old days when I like Tony Blair, back before I knew was a tool. Almost every person in the entire cast manages to portray really believable, nuanced, sympathetic characters, and that's what drives the movie.

So, even if you're not a British history nerd, I advise you in the strongest possible terms to see this movie when you get the chance. It will be well worth the rental fee. Unless of course you're somewhere in my vicinity, and you can borrow it from me after I buy it--the day it comes out.

That is all.

Click here to read more . . .

My Top Three Favorite Adverbs

1. clearly

2. moderately

3. über Click here to read more . . .

A Review of the Broadway Revival of 1776

I'm used to listening to the original Broadway cast version of the 1776 soundtrack. It stars almost all the people who were in movie, including (most importantly) William Daniels as John Adams. (Foxy!) It is, of course, wonderful.

My friend Lindsay owns the Broadway revivial version of the 1776 soundtrack starring . . . Brent Spiner as John Adams. She very kindly lent it to me, and I know that I can't expect it to be the same, and I should try to tolerant of things that are new and different.

But my overall assessment of the Brent-Spiner-revival version? Well, once on Friends, Phoebe told Joey that someone he had auditioned for had said, "He is not believable as a human being." And, listening to the entire cast's performances on this album, I now know how that's possible.

Actually, Brent Spiner merely chewed the scenery. It was his supporting cast that was . . . breathtaking. In a horrible, horrible way.

The moral of the story is--if you're going to buy a 1776 soundtrack (which you should!) be very, very careful.

Click here to read more . . .

I Own a Scanner!

Now, I have no pretensions to having any kind of artistic skill per se. But I do think I'm a pretty fair doodler. For instance, once, in response to someone's statement that "Puritans were popping up everywhere," I drew this:

However, the one I'm most proud of is my sketch of Charles II. Not because it's artistically accurate, but because it captures his essence: he had FABULOUS hair and quite a way with women.

I didn't draw one in, but it's safe to imagine a fine foxy lady over there to his left.

Click here to read more . . .

My Mind is Completely Boggled Right Now.

So my roommate brings me her laptop and says, "This is what your baby is going to be like." And then showed me this video on YouTube. Click here to read more . . .

Ridiculous Boyfriend Spotlight On . . .

John Adams!

But first, some explanation about the Ridiculous Boyfriend Spotlight. Each week, I will bring information to you about someone ludicrous that I have a crush on. It will be ludicrous because said person and I are in different places, different times, or different planes of reality. There are three basic categories:

1. Celebrities

2. Fictional characters

3. Historical figures

As you may have noticed, the very first Ridiculous Boyfriend hails from category 3, subcategory: American presidents. Now, John Adams--let's be real, here--didn't really do that much earth-shattering while he was president. I'll admit that. I'll also cop to his responsibility for the Alien and Sedition Acts. (In his defense, though . . . Abigail wasn't there to tell him what a dumb idea that was.) Once you get past that, though, and especially if you look at his pre-presidentin' (and pre-vice-presidentin') record, John Adams was totally awesome!

Short version: wrote the Massachusetts constitution, the oldest still-used written constitution in the world and the blueprint for much of the US Constitution; was on the Declaration of Independence committee (and, according to his version of the story, got Jefferson to write it); nominated George Washington to lead the Continental Army; was integral in getting the Treaty of Paris signed; single-handedly secured important loans and official governmental recognition from the Netherlands (which was the first place to recognize the US as a nation); acted as the defense lawyer for the British soldiers in the Boston Massacre, because no one else would and he believed everybody deserved justice; was the first ambassador to Britain.

Plus, he and Abigail could not have been ANY cuter a couple. (If there's one thing I look for in my historical crushes, it's . . . ok, it's unbending principles or determination or an efficient wielding of vast amounts of power. But if there are four, then the next one is the adorable doting on of the wife. It shows an underlying squishy cuteness.)

As John Adams himself claimed, he was kind of an obnoxious guy. Also vain and arrogant, but underneath it all was insecurity and a longing to do the right thing. As Thomas Jefferson told James Madison (I say as if I know, like James was all, "Hey, Rachel, did you hear what Tom said about Adams? Dude."): "He is vain, irritable, and a bad calculator of the force and probable effect of the motives which govern men. This is all the ill which can possibly be said of him. He is as disinterested as the Being who made him. He is profound in his views and accurate in his judgment, except where knowledge of the world is necessary to form a judgment. He is so amiable that I pronounce you will love him, if ever you become acquainted with him. He would be, as he was, a great man in Congress."

My John Adams love is often spurred on by watching my fav-o-rite movie, since William Daniels did a very accurate (and foxy) job of portraying John Adams on stage and screen in 1776. Do I love 1776 so much because of my undying affection for John Adams, or do I love John Adams so much because of my undying affection for 1776?

Actually, that's a really easy question. Undying affection for John Adams, hands down.

Woo!

Click here to read more . . .

As You May Have Heard, I Dislike Texas Tech.

I had the "pleasure" of listening to the Aggie basketball game tonight as called by Texas Tech's "announcers."

OK, that last set of sarcastic punctuation was a little uncalled for. One should not expect too much from local college sports guys; this I know. Still, the play-by-play guy said several ridiculous things, only three of which I decided to jot down for my own amusement.

"He's one of our most prodigious free-throw shooters . . . ."

I think you meant prolific, buddy. (But I like to think he was using the obsolete definition and that whichever guy it was shoots free throws ominously.)

When Acie Law was trying to shoot a free throw on the end where the Tech students sit:

“He makes the free throw, even though the student body is holding up sheep posters . . . I don’t know what that’s about.”

Well, sir, if you don’t know, I’m not going to explain it to you.

Talking about the Aggies' tough defense:

"Jones and Kavaliauskas are really fighting them hammer and sickle down there!"

Yes, the reports are true. The Aggie big men play such good defense, it's practically . . . communist?

Click here to read more . . .

Keeping up with my Correspondence

Dear Undergraduate Female Population of the University of Wisconsin-Madison,

Leggings? Really? The high temperature for the week was 28. That's Fahrenheit, mind you. WEAR PANTS.

Love,
Rachel

* * * * *

Dear Men with Comb-Overs,

I don't understand. It's not like anybody is fooled by a comb-over. We all know what it is; we can all tell you're bald anyway. Just embrace it! The comb-over, after all, is less hilarious but just as easily mockable as the mullet.

Love,
Rachel Click here to read more . . .