Why Everyone Should Love the Oscars

Academy Awards on display at WB Studios, 2005

Last night marked an event way better than the Superbowl or any of those other big events that take place at night: the 84th Academy Awards.

I love the Academy Awards. I love the Golden Globes. I love the movies and the TV shows and the everything else when it comes to Hollywood. Granted, I still haven’t seen a lot of movies that are must-sees (and I’m watching Father of the Bride II on my now working Roku box while writing this, a movie I have seen 1,000 times), but I have a freakish capability when it comes to connecting movie actors to other movie actors and what movies/TV shows they have been in. Really, it’s frightening, and almost obsessive. If I could free up that brain space, I would probably be way smart. But, in a way, I like knowing all that stuff, even it does nothing to help me in my graduate school career.

High school performance of Crimes of the Heart. I was Lenny, played by Diane Keaton (who reminds me of my mom) in the movie version. Oh, and clearly we are not in costume in this picture.

Occasionally I’m overtaken by a spontaneous desperation to be a movie star and wish that I could move to Hollywood or NYC and make it big. Which I could probably do (the moving part, I mean), but I don’t think I have the heart to transition my focus completely from writing to acting and would never make it (yeah, that’s the biggest issue here with this plan). But, my middle and high school life was marked by the plays I was in every year, starting as an Indian in Peter Pan in 6th grade and ending with a 1-act play a friend of mine directed my freshman year in undergrad where I had to (somewhat awkwardly) kiss someone on stage. I don’t blame that kiss or anything for ending my theater life. I just simply grew too busy and by the time I refocused after an insane freshman spring semester, I was moving steadily down the writing path instead of splitting my time between both.

"Ah, Wilderness" my senior year. I had four children. My dad was also in this play with me, but my favorite performances with him were Hello, Dolly and My Fair Lady. It's an interesting experience to help your dad put on eyeliner.

But, that never changed my affinity for Hollywood and everything related to it. And, because of that, I love watching the Oscars and seeing the very best that Hollywood has to offer that year. Sure, sometimes random people get nominated (I was thrilled Melissa McCarthy was nominated, forever Sookie in my mind, but I never would have called that), but for the most part it’s a glittering, fascinating, awe-inspiring show that leaves you with a greater faith in the movie industry than existed before the award ceremony began. Seriously! If you’ve ever watched it, you know how inspiring those speeches about the magic of the movie industry can be—especially when it’s coming from someone who has been in it for a long time, like precious Christopher Plummer talking to his Academy Award as if it was a she. Or even the mini blurbs from well-known actors about their first movie experience, or the experience of performing in a movie.

The costume they tried to make me wear in My Fair Lady. Um, NO.

So that’s why everyone should love the Oscars, no matter what you think about the movie industry or your opinion over the movies nominated, or the actors that win. Even though this year The Help was a big controversy among social groups, I still champion the movie (and the book), not just because one of my old theater directors appears in the movie—she’s the woman reading the book in the grocery store scene—but because I think it’s an inspiring story and was extremely well-acted. You can fight me on that all day long, but I won’t budge.

But, I’m getting sidetracked. Have I not convinced you why you should love the Oscars? Other reasons:

• Octavia Spencer’s acceptance speech.
• The star-studded crowd. But Angelina?? Come on, put that leg away.
• The show’s host. Anne Hathaway and James Franco are not good examples of this, beyond the opening spoof they had put together prior. But Billy Crystal—yep, he will do.
• Emma Stone = girl crush. Enough said.
• Reactions to the announcement of winners.
• Reactions to other things. This calls for a game of “Who’s the Most Bored in the Audience?”
• Speaking of boredom—Stacy Keibler’s face during the Cirque du Soleil performance. She’s crazy, because that performance was freaking amazing. And a major testament to the magic of movies. Think Annie! Seriously.
•  The montage of great movies over the year and the montage of the year’s nominated movies.
• Meryl Streep’s acceptance speech, even though I was totally rooting for Viola Davis to win. And, Jean Dujardin’s acceptance speech, even though I was rooting for George Clooney.
• Even though the show is pitting actors against each other, everyone seems to put aside their disappointment over not winning for the night and just enjoy that they’re there. Plus, I have to imagine just getting nominated is baller—this is something I would known by now if I had moved to Hollywood and made it big. Plus plus, the Hollywood community is a community like any other, the Academy Awards providing a chance to catch up with old friends/fellow actors. For some reason, this fascinates me—as if actors/actresses are a breed all to their own. Which, some might say, they are.

The "Friends" coffee shop! Not the movies, but close! I have a lot of other pictures from WB Studios (like the Ghostbusters steps!), but they're not as clear.

Finally, the biggest reason I love watching the Oscars: the ballot Rahul and I create beforehand and keep a tally of while watching the show. I’ve beat him two years in a row (NBD) but, really, the best part about it is that he wants to watch it with me in the first place. He makes me laugh during the show, lets me get competitive about who’s winning, and appreciates my star-struckness and obsessive need for Hollywood knowledge. For that, I’ll watch any sports shindig big event hooplah he wants me to.

Oh, and before I forget, I was actually impressed by Justin Bieber in Billy’s opening spoof. Not a lot. But enough. More than I was by Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Lopez. Come on ladies. What happened to letting Nicolas Cage present an award??

Just in case you missed the Oscars, find the winners here.

15 Reasons You Should Visit the Newseum

Newseum Opening Day 2008. Credit to some of these photos goes to Harrison Keely.

I purchased a $10 Newseum ticket on Groupon a long time ago because: 1. the Newseum is my favorite D.C. museum; 2. a normal ticket costs $21; 3. do I need any more reasons?  I didn’t have a visit planned for the foreseeable future when I purchased it, but I figured I would think of a reason eventually. Of course, when I got the “Remember to use your Groupon” email, I had forgotten to use my Groupon. So, having Mondays free, I rallied this past Monday and headed into D.C. to USE MY GROUPON.

HUGE museum!

I justified this by thinking I would read on the metro and then at the museum when I tired of exhibits, so I got some schoolwork done as well. Yeah, that didn’t happen. I immediately got caught up in the museum and, next thing I knew, it was closing time. Typical Katherine museum experience.

Newseum Opening Day 2008 on the Pennsylvania Terrace--amazing view, right? (HK)

Opening Day 2008, me, Jessica, Ashley, and Jez with the Berlin Wall. (HK)

I have a special connection with the Newseum. If you’ve been reading, you know that I have a background in journalism. It was one of my majors in undergrad, and it led me to freelancing for several newspapers, traveling to South Africa to write stories on poverty/AIDS, co-managing my college newspaper, and interning for a semester in D.C. For a while, I thought journalism was “it” but, as I began applying to journalism grad schools, I was majorly dragging my feet and I realized why: I didn’t want to do it anymore. I was frustrated, fed up, and just plain tired of journalism, and I hadn’t even graduated with my Bachelor’s! I figured this was probably not a good sign, so I switched paths.

Compare the emptiness of the Pulitzer Prize Exhibit in 2008 when we got in early to... (HK)

...the not so emptiness of it earlier this week.

But, this blog is not about that. Let’s talk about Opening Day at the Newseum, 2008, as I had the good fortune of being in D.C. the spring the Newseum had its grand opening. Our teachers gave us a free day and my whole program (all 9 of us) trekked to the Newseum to experience it. We were met with an OVERWHELMING crowd on Pennsylvania Avenue. After waiting in line for a bit, we learned that one of the guys had gotten an early admission by saying he was a journalist, as they had been letting in journalists since 6 a.m. Since we were technically journalists, we tried our hand at doing this and succeeded! The museum employee totally knew she probably shouldn’t let us in, but gave us a one over, shook her head, and said “You all seem like good kids. Just this once.”

The Newseum's huge glass elevators. (HK)

The Pennsylvania Terrace again.

So that’s how I was able to experience the Newseum almost totally empty and silent for the first 30 minutes before it opened to the public. I think this is why I love the Pulitzer Prize winning photos exhibit so much, because I experienced it before the flocks descended. Plus, we saw white-suit wearing, legen-DARY Tom Wolfe! It was fantastic.

Since then, I’ve been back to the museums three times—two of them this week, as my ticket was good for two days and I wasn’t going to waste that.

So here are 15 reasons why you should add the Newseum to your D.C. experience:

1. It’s ENORMOUS. You could literally spend an entire day there.

2. It has a variety of exhibitis that make it family-friendly and people-friendly in general. You can wander from the Berlin Wall exhibit to the interactive reporter experience to the “History of Journalism” floor, where you’ll find old newspaper clippings, the famous Watergate door, and more.

Freedom of Press map.

3. A few of the exhibits change regularly, providing a new exhibit almost every visit. For example, when I went there over the summer, the top-floor exhibit was dedicated to Hurricane Katrina. This time around, it was “Every Four Years,” an exhibit dedicated to presidential races that had bowling pins signed by Obama and SNL memorabilia from the 2008 campaign.

WEEKEND UPDATE STUFF! I only wish Tina Fey and Amy Poehler had actually been there....

4. PHOTOGRAPHS AND VIDEOS. Oh my goodness, I love this in museums. The Pulitzer Prize winning photographs are amazing and a must-see. They also have a large screen set up on one floor that screens clips from Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, and SNL’S Weekend Update. Any museum that makes me laugh is A-OK with me.

5. The 9/11 exhibit. No matter how many times you visit this part or how many years pass, it will still make you cry. Trust me: when you watch the video feature they play non-stop, your eyes will at least tear up. This exhibit also features newspaper clippings from 9/12/01, a timeline of the day’s events, and the crushed remains of the North Tower’s antenna—which a kid, this last time, asked his mom if it was a “rocket ship.”

A must-see in the Newseum.

6. SO MANY EXHIBITS! You won’t believe it. And they have an incredibly impressive collection of artifacts, ranging from the aforementioned things to news helicopters, presidential memorabilia, possessions of well-known journalists, to the Uni-Bomber’s cabin. That’s right! It’s crazy. It’s not disappointing, like the CIA Museum.

Presidential stuff! Obama bowling pin, Hillary's red jacket, and other stuff.

7. An awesome gift shop. I know this will interest some people. Me included.

8. Amazing views from the two available balconies—the top one provides a clear picture of the Capitol and features a timeline of events that have taken place on Pennsylvania Avenue. The lower balcony has chairs and tables and makes a perfect reading spot—thus the reason I returned a second day.

I love this patio. A must-see part in warm weather visits.

9. Plenty of staff members.

10. Today’s front newspaper pages, featuring the front pages from a newspaper in every state and various countries around the world. I looked at Memphis’s this last time: both days, the top story was about something drug related. AWESOME.

The patio again with museum in background.

11. The museum is enormous, and can be confusing if you don’t follow the “Begin here” signs and do your own thing—which, let’s be honest, is what I always do, not because I’m super rebellious, I just have a problem with signs. But, if you really do “Begin here,” the tour starts on the lower floor, then takes you to the top floor before winding all the way back down, and it makes PERFECT SENSE.

Another shot of the group I studied with and miss dearly! (HK)

12. HUGE CAFETERIA. I’ve never eaten there, but I know that must be a bonus for some people.

13. The museum will totally confirm your faith in journalists, if only for the foreseeable future. Since you’re able to see journalism’s long history, and the good it has done in the past, you’ll almost forgive some of those channels and shows today that call themselves journalists. I’m sorry, but Nancy Grace??

The walk to the Newseum.

14. It provides what a museum dedicated to news SHOULD provide—the history of news, journalism, and journalists.

15. It’s an incredible learning experience that doesn’t feel like a typical museum or a classroom. That’s how I would sum up the Newseum overall, and what makes it so much fun. You may spend an entire afternoon there, but you won’t leave drained of energy, or feeling as if your brain is fried from reading too many tiny plaques on museum walls.

There you have it, folks. Don’t let the $21 ticket scare you away, or the hoards of school groups that are flooding D.C. this spring for the routine “7th Grade Trip to the Capital” field trip. Just do it, you’ll thank yourself later.

The Little Roku Box that Couldn’t

Tired of seeing this message.

This is the story of the little Roku box that couldn’t.

You see, I bought this handy little box back last August because I was excited about all the media possibilities that it would make available for me. Netflix? Hulu? Pandora? Other stuff? And all from the same place!?!?!? I was pumped.

But then I ran into my first road bump: the UMD internet. Turns out, when you have a secondary device like this one, you have to register it online. No big deal, right? Except, for some reason, the university IT wasn’t recognizing me as an on-campus resident. Awesome, right?

NO. This little hiccup began the biggest headache of my life. Okay, that’s an exaggeration, but it was annoying for sure. I needed to be recognized as a university resident to even complete step one on this process, which meant I had to call the IT Department for their assistance. And that right there poses a problem.

The only way I can currently get my ethernet cable to reach the Roku....

I hate, HATE, making phone calls, especially to annoying departments with people I don’t know who make you stay on the line for sometimes up to 30 minutes and then get frustrated with you within the first 10 seconds as if YOU were the one keeping them on hold for 30 minutes.

Not that that has been my personal experience, or anything.

The first few times I tried to coordinate with IT to fix my problem, the process always failed, or the IT person never followed through. So I went through one semester without being able to use my little Roku box. And I had pretty nearly forgot about him until….

Last time I found a creepy crawler in my apartment...nice surprise right? I wasn't even scared after the initial shock of opening my drawer and founding him there, just curious as to how he got there in the first place.

Rahul subtly brought it up in conversation, motivating me to finally follow through with IT. They finally recognized my resident status, and I was finally able to register my computer and Roku box. And then….

MY ROKU BOX STILL DIDN’T WORK.

So now I don’t know what to do. I guess it’s Netflix on my computer for the time being. But if anyone knows why, when I plug an Ethernet into my Roku box and the Roku completes all the set-up before telling me “Try again,” then please, please help me. Rahul is going to try helping me too, and he’s a pretty big genius when it comes to matter of technology. But if I keep getting the failure message, this might happen.

In other news, I have some kind of scary bug-mouse-uncertain-what-it-is living in my radiator. AWESOME.

Ebenezer’s (without the Scrooge)

Ebenezer's.

On Monday, I had big plans to visit a new coffee shop in D.C. that a friend in my program recommended, Big Bear Café. But I had to make an unplanned visit to the Verizon store to get my phone replaced (fun times) and, when I left 30 minutes later with a phone that still wasn’t working, I decided to skip navigating a new part of the city on my own, as I’m terrible with directions (East, North, West, South, what??), and went back to one of my favorites, Ebenezer’s near Union Station.

Ebenezer's.

I’ve mentioned Ebenezer’s before, but I’ll spend more time on it this time. I was introduced to Ebenezer’s in spring 2008 while studying at the Washington Journalism Center. Our teachers took us there for coffee every Friday, which proved the positives to having a regular spot to continually return to (the “Friends” cast really was on to something). We spent our Friday afternoons talking about our internships, journalism classes, and our lives in general, before jetting off to free taco night at the National Press Club—damn, I miss that semester long pass.

I come back here from time to time because it’s familiar and they make a delicious toffee nut latte. Plus, they have lots of space (two floors), different kinds of seating, and FREE STICKERS. Oh, and free wi-fi.

Where the yummy stuff is made.

I claimed a cozy chair that looked out on 2^nd street and got a little writing and reading done—you know, the good ol’ stuff. After I left, I walked up 2^ndstreet by the building where I used to intern before

My cozy spot.

making the short journey back to Union Station. At first, I was preoccupied with playing with my replacement phone (I finally got it working) until I remembered something the main speaker at this Student Affairs conference I attended last Friday said. I usually try not to name drop, or make cheesy connections like this, but I like something this guy, Kevin Carroll, had to say: that we are the generation that pays more attention to our electronics when walking then the rest of the world.

The walk back, who would want to miss this?

Union Station under construction? And with a Potbelly? Two very exciting things to learn.

Oh, man, I am so bad at this. Don’t get me wrong—when I’m just walking, sans electronics, I am guilty of wanting to know everything that’s going on around me. But when I’m tuned into my phone, or iPOD, I risk the chance of missing things like this, or Pete the Homeless Guy, who lived on the street corner just up from Ebenezer’s back in 2008, and would always tell us how many days there were till the weekend, or “No skinny dipping”—which we never really got to the bottom of in terms of understanding his message. But, point is, since a big part of going to D.C. for me is the whole D.C. part, I put my phone down and just enjoyed my walk.

Would have missed this sunset on campus after D.C. if I hadn't noticed this man taking a picture of it.

Valentine's for the PSK's, just like elementary school!

House Mom love.

In other news, VALENTINE’S DAY! This is holiday everyone should enjoy, no matter if you’re in a relationship or not. Everyone has someone they love, even if it’s not romantic love. I don’t see this as the holiday to get all pessimistic over your life. In fact, I have a small theory that the only reason people react that way if they’re single is because  Hollywood has conditioned us to react that way…I know, deep, right? Anyway, I love sending out Valentine’s love to the people important to me in life, and getting a little love back in return. Plus, like Carrie has the day that will forever be known as “the day I got arrested for smoking a doobie,” this day will forever be known as the day my wonderful boyfriend sent me VALENTINE’S CUPCAKES FROM SPRINKLES and then Sprinkles messed up and delivered the order twice. That’s right, folks. TWENTY-FOUR CUPCAKES.

CUPCAKE LOVE. You can obviously tell which ones I have been eating. And my three week old flowers from Rahul are still looking good!

Life is good.

10 Ways I’m Going to Enjoy My Life More

For this post, I looked through my pictures and picked random photos from times when I've really enjoyed my life. So, the time I went to South Africa.

Yesterday, I finally got to do three things I’ve been waiting to do all week: vacuum my apartment, read “Newsweek,” and go to Target.

I know these are all extremely simple things, but they were also things I had been waiting to do since Monday. Why? Because the spring 2012 semester snuck up on me like an trenchcoated villain and demanded all my time before I even had the chance to turn around and see him hiding in the dark shadows.

The time I lived in D.C. in undergrad and learned lots of important life lessons, such as how to enjoy your life.

Okay, so maybe not that dramatic, but something close to it. I got tricked by the long break before the start up of the spring semester, to the point that on my first day of classes, I didn’t even have all my books ordered—which has never happened. This wasn’t aided by the fact that I put in the completely wrong address on my Half.com order. Not just the wrong address, but an address that doesn’t even exist.

So, I just completed my second full week of my second semester of my MFA and something occurred to me—I’ve almost gotten to the point where I don’t let myself enjoy school anymore.

The time I went to Italy with my family and we met lots of fun people and our bus driver, Libario aka Mr. Shiny Pants, dressed like an Italian model.

Let me explain—I love school. I love the program I’m in. I mean, I get to read and write for a degree (and obviously also because it’s what I love to do). I feel like reading and writing are two things people take time off work in movies to do, and I’m in an opportunity where I get to do those things everyday.

But something frightening has been happening to my brain—I’ve let the “Must read this for school” component take over the “This is actually enjoyable” one and now I live in a world where I’m stressed all the time.

The time I lived in Missouri and had some of the most amazing friends I will ever, ever have.

There are other factors that contribute to this too.  But the main point is that I’ve begun to treat my two favorite activities as chores.

The time Rahul and I went to D.C. for his sister's wedding.

Maybe this is because I’ve been in school for nearly 20 years. Maybe it’s because I’m hyper-organized to the degree that sometimes I panic even when I forget something as small as writing “Go to Target “ in my planner. Or maybe it’s simply because I’ve forgotten how to enjoy doing the things I love, letting myself live in a world where I’m “too stressed” or “too busy” to do anything else or enjoy my free time. And those excuses right there are things I hate, hate to hear out of other people’s mouths—so why am I letting myself say them?

The time my grandmother came to visit me in Missouri for the first time and I turned 24 and placed first in a 5k in my age group all in the same weekend.

So, in the spirit of February Resolutions (forget New Year’s), I’m going to try and do all the things in my everyday week that I always think I’m too busy to do. When, in reality, it’s because I’ve made myself too busy. If I want them to happen, I can. So here goes:

1. Write more and enjoy it. Write without a purpose. Just write.

2. Stop fretting over every, tiny, insignificant detail. I have a tendency to over-worry and OVERREACT (think Nicolas Cage, National Treasure 2).

The time we had the Great East Coast Adventure where we visited six cities in under two weeks.

3. Enjoy my class reading. I get to read novels. That shouldn’t be hard, except sometimes I let my “stupid brain” take over—you know, the brain that functions when you’re so focused on soaking up every single word you read you actually do the complete opposite.

The time I went to New Orleans with friends and wondered around on my own why they went to a conference and I had a baller time, even when I got shooed out of an art gallery for taking a picture.

4. In the same strain, talk in class! I usually don’t speak in class because, you know, the stupid brain syndrome (SBS).  I get scared, thinking I don’t have anything of quality to say, which is just silly. Even if I did say something off-based, I doubt my classmates would remember for longer than a day. But side note, the exception to that rule:  the guy I had class with over a year ago that kept referring to the “Llama” in class about a book we had read. Come to find out, he wasn’t talking about the furry animal at all, but, in fact, the Dalai Lama—because, you know, “everyone calls him Lama.”

The time I went to INDIA. I chose this picture because I just wrote a story based there and looked at this picture to remind myself what Old Delhi was like.

5. Live in my current moments, whatever they may be. Stop letting my brain obsess and wonder and thing about all the other things I could be doing. I’m especially bad at doing this when I end up in an unplanned conversation with someone and then I miss the enjoyment of the conversation because I’m thinking of the things I need to do. If I make the choice to have the conversation, then actually have the conversation.

The time Rahul and I went to Pangong Lake and learned how to pronounce the name of the lake and fell lots more in love.

6. Furthermore, listen to people! I’m so bad at this. You know those kids in class that get excited about something they want to say to the class, so they essentially miss everything else because they’re waiting to include their thought. Yep, I was that kid, and still am.

7. Stop making excuses for not exercising.

8. Take time to do the little things that always get pushed to the side. The big things—talking to Rahul, my friends, my parents, watching my current TV obsession (right now How I Met Your Mother), writing this blog, etc.—always happen. But

The time Rahul SURPRISED me for the Christmas holidays.

the other things—reading my magazine subscriptions, buying groceries, keeping in touch with old friends—tend to get pushed to the side and it frustrates me. Thus why, yesterday, I took an hour and read my Newsweek. And now I know stuff about the Mexican drug cartel.

9. Improve my attitude. Not that I have a bad attitude. But sometimes I let it be bad, and I have no one to blame for this but myself—even though it’s easy to blame other things.

The time PSK moved in and our eyes are all nearly closed in every picture because it was so bright outside.

10. Enjoy where I am in life right now! I don’t want to look back on my MFA and think “Oh, yeah, I did that. Stuff happened.” I want to look back and think “Yeah, that DID happen, and it was awesome.” That’s how I look back on my two years in Missouri, and I want to be able to do the same for this time. I mean, when else will I: 1) Be surrounded by such an incredibly supportive writing community that gives me the chance to grow my writing everyday, 2) Live near my FAVORITE American city, 3) Hang out with undergrads all the time as a fraternity House Mom? After the next few years, probably never again (except for the writing community thing).

So, as Barney Stinson says, I need to SUIT UP and enjoy this time in my life before it’s gone.

Super Bowl Cool Club

So, there was a big football game on last night that’s kinda of a super huge big deal to Americans: the Super Bowl. You know, that thing.

Even though I constantly get asked if I’m a Titans fan just because I’m from Tennessee, I don’t really get the whole football thing. If you think about, its really just a bunch of big dudes in padding throwing themselves at each other. To me, it just looks like a shit show. A big pile of confusingness with a football involved.

We went to lots of Nats games when I lived in D.C. as an undergrad because 1) the stadium opened that spring 2) the games were fun in groups and 3) the tickets were FIVE DOLLARS. One of my favorite pictures.

My dad claims the reason I’m not a football fan is because he didn’t have enough conversations with me as I was growing up about sports. I dare to believe that even if we had talked about sports everyday, I still would think that the whole idea of sports is sometimes silly. Oftentimes so. I know I’m stepping on dangerous grounds making these assertions, but let me just give you an idea of how well I understand sports:

• I thought the AL was a team, until I was informed it stands for the American League.
• I then had to ask what the American League was.
• On my church league basketball team, I received the award for “Most Spirited.” Just the nice way of saying “We would rather have you cheer than be on the court.”
• I often get the terminology mixed up. Oh, you’ve never heard of a basketball field? Or a football court?
• My hand-eye coordination sucks. I’m also notorious for falling up stairs. Yes, UP.
• I didn’t attend a SINGLE sporting event while at Southeast Missouri State University. I also didn’t know that Patriots player Dan Connelly went to SEMO until yesterday.
• I still have no idea what’s going on during a football game. I muted the Super Bowl during the game and turned the volume on during commercials. Plus, it’s long! Did you know how long it is? Someone should take care of that.
  

  I brought DeShawn out of his box just for this picture. The other one lives with Rahul.

• Basketball is the most fun game to watch in my mind. At least that’s simple.
• Hockey=fights. The guys in my house are determined to turn me into a hockey fan. I just laugh.
• I won 2 (2!) DeShawn Stevenson booblehead at a work White Elephant exchange. I told Rahul I thought they were broken because the hand was in two pieces. He then informed me it’s because that player likes to wave his hand in front of his face after he does well in a game. Who knew.

There are plenty more of these, but I’ll stop. Attending a large state school has at least provided the opportunity to attend large games, such as the UMD v. UNC men’s basketball game on Saturday. But that’s just cause it’s free. And, as I mentioned above, I like basketball best.

Anyway, back to my original point. I was thinking about it, and I think one of the biggest things that makes the Super Bowl a big deal is the “Cool Club” factor. Think about it: other than New Year’s Eve and Mardi Gras and St. Patrick’s Day and Halloween and Independence Day (and the others I forgot), this is one of the biggest nights where it’s guaranteed thousands of parties are being held. Everyone is watching the Super Bowl, even if they don’t enjoy it. Why? Because it’s a “thing.” It’s a party. And, as you grow older, it becomes a sign of your social status.

I went to a Cardinals game once. Annnnd was the only person not wearing a Cardinals shirt....

I know that last sentence sounds like a college kid talking, but just wait. If you asked around, you would surely find at least five of your friends who were holding a Super Bowl party. And that’s just holding! Then you add in all the friends who attended one and it gets exhausting. The real question is who’s holding what party? And where do you go to watch the big event?

Growing up, I always attended a church party or family event, which is why I remember so clearly when Janet Jackson had her little slip up, as my dad and one of our neighbors both yelled “Did I just see what I thought I just saw?” and ran into the living room to confirm that yes, they did just see what they thought they just saw. But, my family having parties is not unusual. I grew up with Miss America Pageant Parties (so fun), New Year’s Eve bashes, 4th of July family celebrations. We get together a lot.

Rahul and I at a Caps game. We were excited but...

Which is maybe why, as I got older, it became less important to me where I watched the Super Bowl, as I had already had my fair share of gathering together just to watch guys prance around with footballs in their hands. This may also explain why I literally can’t remember what I did last Super Bowl, or if I even watched the game. This shows you just how important this football showdown is to me. But, if you think about it, the Super Bowl can potentially turn into a sign of your friendships instead of your commitment to football. If you don’t get invited to a party, what does that mean? That the Super Bowl is too cool for you?

...not as excited as this guy.

I’m more inclined to think it means nothing. Or that all your friends are uninterested in football. Either way, while it could be perceived as a big deal, it’s just like any other weekend night—you either find something to do or you don’t.

To stop me before I ramble, I’ll mention I watched the first part of the game by myself while also doing homework. I bought one slot in the guy’s bet-score-thing, but I also had to look on TV Guide for what channel the game was even on. Carmen, our chef, had left out food for us, and the guys had ordered pizza, so we were set on that front. I could hear them in the chapter room watching the game, but I only went out a few times before visiting a few other friends/girls I work with to watch the halftime show and second half (quarter?). You see, the terminology.

And, after a few hours, the thing was all over. The night moves on. I had a happy belly full of seven-layer dip and ice cream and enough socializing to make me feel cool enough for the Super Bowl. I’ll catch it around next year. I guess. At least I have my Dad to interrogate me beforehand if I know what teams are playing and where they’re from. He keeps me on my game.

PUN INTENDED.

Oh, and just saying, best commercial ever.

Proof that I have gone to a UMD football game (and my mom too, which is also a miracle).

10 Songs You Should Add to Your Running Playlist

So lately, I’ve been trying to become more consistent with my exercising again after becoming pretty much lapsed toward the end of the semester last fall and also just being a bum in general. One of my big problems in the Fall was adjusting to a new schedule that effectively included exercising as just another thing I needed to do that day, like homework, instead of viewing it as something to brush off for the next day. This was something I got really good at doing while living in Missouri, like really good. Part of it was due to finally becoming 100% comfortable living on my own and finding the joy in bike riding (it’s almost like a spiritual experience); the other part, one that really kicked into high gear last spring, was that I trained for and ran my first half-marathon.

Before my half. The race started on my undergrad campus, thus the picture with the bell tower (thanks, Dad!).

Now, that’s definitely not something that’s on my horizon for the foreseeable future, but integrating exercising into my daily schedule again is. Let me do say that right before I started writing this, I was eating out of the gigantic bucket of cheese balls a friend gave me but, regardless, I’ve still been doing good so far (as in the past two weeks) in making exercise part of my life again.

My favorite is running. It’s the best way to relieve stress, enjoy the weather, and work out the legs. There are definitely runs that make me hate my life but, usually, I find them to be the best parts of my day.

So, to encourage all you other runners or new exercisers out there, enjoy.

10 Songs You Should Add to Your Running Playlist:

Run, Forrest, Run! (Jackson Marathon & 1/2 Marathon)

1. “Party Rock Anthem” by LMFAO: I don’t care how old or overplayed this song is. Every time I hear this song, I think of the hamsters dancing in the KIA commercial and it motivates me to keep running, no matter how tired I am. It also motivates me to start shuffling, which I usually have to save for after the run. Let’s call that my cool down.

2. “Transformers Look at Me Now Dubstep” by Ember Waves: I don’t know if there’s really an official song title for this mix. But it takes a song I have a guilty pleasure for, Chris Brown’s “Look at Me Now,” and turns it into a badass song to run to. And just to listen to in general, as the fact that it also incorporates “Here’s Johnny” from The Shining and David after Dentist saying “Is this real life?” make for a good laugh. And if you like laughing, watch this literal paint version of “Look at Me Now.” Seriously. Do it now. You’ll thank me later.

3. “We Found Love” by Rihanna: If I have to convince you to run to this song, than you obviously haven’t listened to it yet. Also, any Rihanna song in general. “S&M,” “Hard,” “Only Girl (In the World),” “Disturbia,” and “You Da One” are excellent as well.

Spotted: My weapon-of-a-ponytail in the crowd of runners.

4. “Something Good Can Work (The Twelves Remix)” by Two Door Cinema Club: I’m so obsessed with this song lately. It’s kind of ridiculous. And worthy of the running playlist.

5. “Good Feeling” by Flo Rida: The random dupstep toward the end of the song is kind of a downer, but the rest of the song makes you want to kick up your feet. And also sing out loud.

6. “Wonderman” by Tinie Tempah: I don’t really know anything about this song other than that Rahul recommended it to me as a good running song. Oh, and that it’s AWESOME. Seriously. I run to this song nearly every time I run because it picks up in just the right times.

7. “Sleepyhead” by Passion Pit: I will always love this song. If you haven’t heard it yet, shame on you. It serves multiple purposes, by waking you up in the morning, energizing a long drive, or perking you up while running. And just for being badass in general.

Rachel and I after a 5 mile race this past October.

8. “Stereo Love” by Edward Maya & Vika Jigulina: I can’t describe it, but the first time I heard this song I knew I wanted it on my running playlist. You know, like when something other than yourself moves inside of you. Okay, so maybe not that romantic but still—follow your instincts. It has not let me down since.

9. “Sprawl II” by Arcade Fire: This is just an absolutely beautiful song to run to, especially outside on a really nice day. In the countryside. When the weather is PERFECT. Hint: the song reaches its amazing peak at 2:57. Almost makes you want to cry.

10. “Festival” by Sugar Ros: EXCELLENT song if you need to slow down for a few minutes during your run, as the first 4:38 of the song is slow, melodic, and relaxing. After 4:38, the beat literally makes you want to jump higher than the sky, especially if you’ve seen 127 Hours.

Runner Ups:

“Give Me Everything” by Pitbull: I love this song, not just because “Kodak” is rhymed with “Kodak,” but because it makes life fun. And speeds up your run.

“Hey Daddy” by Usher: Need I say more? Perfect running beat. I thank Rahul for introducing me to this one.

The entire Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack. Seriously, all of it. I jammed this soundtrack so many times when I picked up running again in 2009. Sometimes it was the only way I could convince myself to make it through. Of course, it probably also had something to do with the fact that I was running inside on a gross treadmill all the time. I’ve linked the first song on the soundtrack for you to check out.

Enjoy. This is just a sampling, as my running playlist reached 300 songs today (I’m all about the even numbers), but they’re some of the best, in my opinion. As the weather warms—I’m beginning to think we’re never getting a winter, it was 66 degrees here today—add these to your iPOD and rock out while enjoying a little run in the great outdoors.