Krump

From a wire story:

"Rize" director David LaChapelle was impressed with the "incredible riches" he found in the kids' neighborhoods and homes.
"There's this sense of camaraderie, of creating families, kids taking care of each other. The joy, the sheer joy of dancing on the streets," he said.
"These are heroes because of their talent, their fierceness, their krumpness."

I myself am full of krumpness as evidenced by my high levels of krumpiosity.

I'M SO MAD!

I just got into a huge fight with my boyfriend, though he probably just thinks I'm being irrational.
He spent last night at dinner complaining how he thought he was getting a cold, then stayed up all night playing stupid "World of Warcraft." So he called in sick today. And I am sure he's playing the game instead of being in bed, or doing any chores, or helping at all.
Just two months ago, he did the same thing and spent the next day berating himself for not getting off the game and going to bed. But a guildie needed help, and obviously helping a complete stranger online trumps sleeping in bed beside the woman you claim you love.
I don't want this to be a make-or-break thing, but ... I just wish he'd get some effing perspective on the whole thing.
It's just a game!
What's really ironic is that he's busting his ass to get to level 60 (the highest) and so many boards I've been on say that there's really nothing to do once you hit 60 except roam around and get stuff.
The worst part is that I DO play the game (I have four characters I'm rotating play on) and DO understand how addictive it is.
I have enough other things going on in my life that an accomplishment in the game isn't the only thing I live for.
Maybe that's the problem: People who can't accomplish anything anywhere else treat the accomplishments in the game as things that really do count.
I know I sound bitter, but I'm furious.

"I Want to Be a Hilton" 2

Niki Pais, a woman from Riverside, was supposed to be on the show, so I watched it to see her and because I'm ending up doing an article on her (Tangent 1: If I can get ahold of her, that is. The NBC PR woman handling this isn't returning any effing calls or e-mails. It's really disheartening. Part of me wanted little Niki to get kicked off in the first week so I wouldn't have to bother. Tangent 2: This Niki's biography says that she's a synchronized swimmer, and a Nicole Pais was part of a Sealy mattress commercial in which synchronized swimmers are shown "swimming" in their sleep. I wonder if it's the same Nicole!).
Anyway, the Riverside chick was hardly on it at all! She was such a non-entity, I don't think they even introduced her!
I realize it's all in the editing and that the first episode focused on the two guys sent out to get the gifts for Kathy Hilton more than anyone else, but maybe Niki figures that by staying out of stage center and by keeping her nose clean, she actually stands a better chance of winning than, say, the loud bossy woman or the former beauty pageant winner.
Plus they had a really distracting narrator; I hope they get rid of him.
But mostly, it's interesting to see people who were raised, one has to think, pretty much like I was acting like they'd never heard of escargot or eaten seafood. I mean, c'mon, how sophisticated do you really have to be to go to Red Lobster?
Lessons for high-class wannabes:
Don't bring $100 worth of chocolate as a hostess gift and don't have the clerk hand-write "To Kathy Hilton" on it in black magic marker.
Don't bust out into song in front of your hostess.
Don't boss around people who can tell on you.
Even if you don't want to eat the snail, don't diss a meal being served to you.
Don't eat appetizers directly from the serving plate with your fingers.
Don't get drunk right before you meet Kathy Hilton. (That one seems really important.)

It will be interesting to see what lessons next week's show teaches.

"I Want to Be a Hilton"

I think it looks like a funny show, if for nothing else than to see how horrified an upper-class person will let themselves be ...

New breakroom people

At work, new people took over our breakroom on Monday, and while they seem slightly overwhelmed thus far, they've made some seemingly positive changes:
They've started offering two lunch specials a day, various specials like chicken enchiladas or BBQ pork.
They're stocking the fresh baked goods cabinet with fresh bagels, blueberry muffins, pretzels and churros.
They have new breakfast specials, including real ham steaks and banana pancakes.
And in yet more proof of the ambitions of the new breakroom people, they've started a salad bar!

One of my co-workers says that a salad bar is a neat idea, if only we could trust that our co-workers won't just go by and eat out of it with their fingers.

Homes Sweet Homes

I recently returned to Southern California from a visit home to the Midwest, where the highways are so straight, well-maintained and uncluttered, you can drive for miles with your knees.
Where a massive four-bedroom, three-bathroom house on an acre and a half of land costs less than $200,000.
Where an acre and a half of land actually means something, because it's beautifully, naturally wooded and landscaping means you mowed. And because your neighbor's house is on an acre and a half of land too, you're not hip to hip with your neighbors.
Where fluffy clouds dot the skies.
Where you can tell there are fluffy clouds in the skies because you can actually see the sky.
Where everything smells clean after it rains.
Where visitors to a college campus can wander as they see fit and even get invited to have sodas in the air-conditioned buildings.

Going home is like having my soul recalibrated; everything is more clear, not just the skies.