Dear No One in Particular,
This is just too awesome. Add Doris Probst to my list of heroes, if only for her moxie. It takes some guts to get up on that stage and just hog call like there's no tomorrow. Congrats, lady!
In other news, I really want to try hog calling. I figure I can yell really loudly and can squeal so loudly it throws the neighbourhood dogs into a frenzy (wish I was kidding). I wonder if it works on Olympic swimmers ....
--amanda
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Get in Line
Dear No One in Particular,
I tried to resist, I really did. But I have to admit: I am fan of Michael Phelps.
Mmmm...Olympic Rings tattoo
Jesus Almighty, what living woman wouldn't be? I believe his goofy smile is adds to his overall deliciousness, but I know that "butterface" has been used quite often to describe Phelps.
So yes, I am one among many, many "Phelps Phans" (gross term, IMO) , and apparently, the New York Times is also a devotee.
Oh, and NYT? Thanks for the opening photo. Really -- thank you.
--amanda
I tried to resist, I really did. But I have to admit: I am fan of Michael Phelps.
Mmmm...Olympic Rings tattooJesus Almighty, what living woman wouldn't be? I believe his goofy smile is adds to his overall deliciousness, but I know that "butterface" has been used quite often to describe Phelps.
So yes, I am one among many, many "Phelps Phans" (gross term, IMO) , and apparently, the New York Times is also a devotee.
Oh, and NYT? Thanks for the opening photo. Really -- thank you.
--amanda
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Service Announcement!
Quick change of the website address!
Blog For No One in Particular is now settled at http://www.dearnoone.blogspot.com/
The old www.blogsfornoone.blogger.com is defunct. But you knew that, didn't you? I don't know how to redirect from the old address, but since no one reads this, it doesn't really matter.
Blog For No One in Particular is now settled at http://www.dearnoone.blogspot.com/
The old www.blogsfornoone.blogger.com is defunct. But you knew that, didn't you? I don't know how to redirect from the old address, but since no one reads this, it doesn't really matter.
Piece of Cake
Dear No One in Particular,
As a child, "fancy" cakes -- a.k.a. professionally decorated cakes -- were kind of a big deal. My favourite bakery had some great children's cakes: for my second birthday, I had a huge sheet cake decorated to look like Disneyland. There was a paper castle in the centre and miniature princess dolls and balloons artfully spread about. It was boss.
And then there's Cake Wrecks. Showcasing some of the worst-decorated cakes, Jen writes some biting commentary that encourages laughter to stifle the gag reflex.
Cake Wrecks is seriously one of the funniest, most disturbing blogs out there, and I'm currently combing the archives, giggling at each entry and picking out the Boy's next birthday cake. My personal (current) favourite is this one. What's yours?
--amanda
As a child, "fancy" cakes -- a.k.a. professionally decorated cakes -- were kind of a big deal. My favourite bakery had some great children's cakes: for my second birthday, I had a huge sheet cake decorated to look like Disneyland. There was a paper castle in the centre and miniature princess dolls and balloons artfully spread about. It was boss.
And then there's Cake Wrecks. Showcasing some of the worst-decorated cakes, Jen writes some biting commentary that encourages laughter to stifle the gag reflex.
Cake Wrecks is seriously one of the funniest, most disturbing blogs out there, and I'm currently combing the archives, giggling at each entry and picking out the Boy's next birthday cake. My personal (current) favourite is this one. What's yours?
--amanda
Be A Man
Dear No One in Particular,
I stumbled across this intriguing video on feministing.com deconstructing Disney's portrayals of masculinity.
I recently did a somewhat related project for one of my classes last Spring. Comparing and contrasting two films (Kiss of the Spider Woman and Desperado), I studied popular depictions of "machismo", and came to a similar conclusion. While my project was specifically related to Latin America and Latino men, it is quite obvious that this insistence on dominant men -- physically and mentally -- is tormenting children worldwide.
--amanda
P.S. The related section is also worth a gander, especially this video on racist themes in Disney movies. I do feel that it bears pointing out that while the crows in Dumbo is widely known as a nod (of sorts) to minstrelsy and other such vile caricatures of black people, the ape scene in The Jungle Book -- in my opinion -- is not. Louis Prima (aka Cousin Louie) was an Italian-American Big Band singer and trumpeter. I feel that his ethnicity bears explanation because, while the song "I Wanna Be Like You" could be read as an African-American wanting to be more white, I feel, this is not the case. Yet perhaps the similarity between Prima's voice and that of another, more famous singer/trumpeter contemporary, Louis Armstrong, coupled with the depiction of orang-utans and other primates speaks about ongoing latant American racism? I really am not trying to shit-stir with this incredibly long-winded post-script, but it is an idea that bears full thought.
I stumbled across this intriguing video on feministing.com deconstructing Disney's portrayals of masculinity.
I recently did a somewhat related project for one of my classes last Spring. Comparing and contrasting two films (Kiss of the Spider Woman and Desperado), I studied popular depictions of "machismo", and came to a similar conclusion. While my project was specifically related to Latin America and Latino men, it is quite obvious that this insistence on dominant men -- physically and mentally -- is tormenting children worldwide.
--amanda
P.S. The related section is also worth a gander, especially this video on racist themes in Disney movies. I do feel that it bears pointing out that while the crows in Dumbo is widely known as a nod (of sorts) to minstrelsy and other such vile caricatures of black people, the ape scene in The Jungle Book -- in my opinion -- is not. Louis Prima (aka Cousin Louie) was an Italian-American Big Band singer and trumpeter. I feel that his ethnicity bears explanation because, while the song "I Wanna Be Like You" could be read as an African-American wanting to be more white, I feel, this is not the case. Yet perhaps the similarity between Prima's voice and that of another, more famous singer/trumpeter contemporary, Louis Armstrong, coupled with the depiction of orang-utans and other primates speaks about ongoing latant American racism? I really am not trying to shit-stir with this incredibly long-winded post-script, but it is an idea that bears full thought.
Friday, August 1, 2008
By a Thread
Dear No One in Particular,
I love Yelp. Really, really love it. There are a lot of reasons why I am so enamored with this website that I want to marry it, like Pee Wee did with fruit salad. First, there is the totally selfish aspect, the fact that I can find and review various businesses in a given area. I am extremely opinionated, yet I always feel better trying out something new if other people have given it their seal of approval. But more on that later.
The other reason why I think Yelp is the greatest is the fact that its real people -- or at least it was for a little while -- giving real opinions. Websites like Yelp, Chowhound, that hotel reviewing one -- they define how our computer-loving generation communicates. Previously, if I wanted to know about, say, delish Ethiopian food, I would have to rely on word-of-mouth. But now -- but now! -- there is yelp, offering me myriad choices, all rated and reviewed by curious people like me.
This is not to say that word-of-mouth is obsolete. Of course it's not. But I feel as though I can broaden my horizons with websites like yelp; I can look up bizarre foods and check to make sure certain restaurants are worth my time. Sometimes, word of mouth -- for whatever reason -- fails. In which case, yelp is there to help. (Hee!)
Well. Yelp was my saviour this week, when I realised that my previously preferred hair removal method (wax) was no longer viable, yet my brows were unruly. I hate tweezing with the fire of a thousand suns -- appropriate, since that's what it feels like every time I accidentally yank at my skin instead of my hair. I had heard of threading before, and decided now was the perfect time to try it, especially since "brows are the new lips."
Yelp wisely guided me to the M & M thread salon, where I had an absolutely amazing experience. I believe that the girl who did my brows was new to the salon -- yet not new to threading, natch -- so it wasn't exactly a 10 minute session. It wasn't a huge ordeal, either; it lasted about 20 minutes, and while it was more work than I had originally imagined (threading is all about teamwork), I now have some great brows. The owner (I believe) was very concerned about my brows being cleans, which I appreciate. I've had one too many aestheticians send me packing with clumpy brows. While it was a bit painful, it was no where near the level of tweezing, and it was a mite less than waxing. It was also dirt cheap, which everyone can dig.
If you have a thread salon near you, go! It's a wonderful option for hair removal. Just be sure to yelp it first.
--amanda
I love Yelp. Really, really love it. There are a lot of reasons why I am so enamored with this website that I want to marry it, like Pee Wee did with fruit salad. First, there is the totally selfish aspect, the fact that I can find and review various businesses in a given area. I am extremely opinionated, yet I always feel better trying out something new if other people have given it their seal of approval. But more on that later.
The other reason why I think Yelp is the greatest is the fact that its real people -- or at least it was for a little while -- giving real opinions. Websites like Yelp, Chowhound, that hotel reviewing one -- they define how our computer-loving generation communicates. Previously, if I wanted to know about, say, delish Ethiopian food, I would have to rely on word-of-mouth. But now -- but now! -- there is yelp, offering me myriad choices, all rated and reviewed by curious people like me.
This is not to say that word-of-mouth is obsolete. Of course it's not. But I feel as though I can broaden my horizons with websites like yelp; I can look up bizarre foods and check to make sure certain restaurants are worth my time. Sometimes, word of mouth -- for whatever reason -- fails. In which case, yelp is there to help. (Hee!)
Well. Yelp was my saviour this week, when I realised that my previously preferred hair removal method (wax) was no longer viable, yet my brows were unruly. I hate tweezing with the fire of a thousand suns -- appropriate, since that's what it feels like every time I accidentally yank at my skin instead of my hair. I had heard of threading before, and decided now was the perfect time to try it, especially since "brows are the new lips."
Yelp wisely guided me to the M & M thread salon, where I had an absolutely amazing experience. I believe that the girl who did my brows was new to the salon -- yet not new to threading, natch -- so it wasn't exactly a 10 minute session. It wasn't a huge ordeal, either; it lasted about 20 minutes, and while it was more work than I had originally imagined (threading is all about teamwork), I now have some great brows. The owner (I believe) was very concerned about my brows being cleans, which I appreciate. I've had one too many aestheticians send me packing with clumpy brows. While it was a bit painful, it was no where near the level of tweezing, and it was a mite less than waxing. It was also dirt cheap, which everyone can dig.
If you have a thread salon near you, go! It's a wonderful option for hair removal. Just be sure to yelp it first.
--amanda
Thursday, July 31, 2008
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