#89

I've moved to: katietothemax.tumblr.com

It's been real, Blogspot.

#88

For some reason I’m really digging this book of complied Nick Hornby columns from The Believer. I guess it’s kinda weird to be reading a guy’s reviews on books that I mostly haven’t read – but interesting none the less.

In honor of Bracketology season, he compared literature to a Cultural Fantasy Boxing League.

Hornby says:
"Go on, try it. “The Magic Flute” vs. Middlemarch? Middlemarch in six. “The Last Supper” vs. Crime and Punishment? Fyodor on points. See? I mean, I don’t know how scientific this is, but it feels like the novels are walking it. You might get the occasional exception – “Blonde on Blonde” might mash up The Old Curiosity Shop, say, and I wouldn’t give much for Pale Fire’s chances against Citizen Kane. And every now and again you’d get a shock, because that happens in sport, so Back to the Future III might land a lucky punch on Rabbit, Run; but I’m still backing literature twenty-nine times out of thirty. "

But, one month later he changes his tune….
"So, there we are. Books: pretty good, but not as good as other stuff, like goals, or bootlegs. "


So, there we are. Book are infact pretty rad but lots of things beat them.

Like, gratutious Jordan Farmar sizzle reels

And Replacements' cover songs.

#87

Quote(s) of the week from SXSW:

"I've worked at a club for 15 years. The Who could be playing the Triple Rock and I'd still be upstairs smoking butts and looking at Suicide Girls." - Patty, D4

"Which bottle of Jameson do you want?... The 1 liter or 1.75 liter 'hopeless romantic' sized one?" -Ed Hewitt

Re: #86

Oooh, and here's another good one from the archive...

PG: http://hoopshype.com/salaries/la_lakers.htm
PG: i should marry luke walton
KB: can farmar be the groomsman to my bridesmaid?
PG: obviously
PG: well, technically he would have to be the best man... or you can take a demotion to match up with him
KB: he doesnt have to hold my arm down the aisle as long as he holds the key to my hotel room
KB: i mean, uhhhh...
PG: HAHAHAHAHA

[circa February 20, 2009]

#86

A typical afternoon conversation...

PG: someone beat you to it...
PG: http://lakers.freedomblogging.com/2009/03/15/devotion-for-farmar/13375/
KB: oh man... "yeah, i saw it"
KB: if it was me, he'd be like "yeah, i hit it"
PG: haha
KB: file this one under: why i don't have a boyfriend
PG: HAHAHA
PG: that file would be really large... for the both of us!

#85

Remember when I trekked to Houston and the West Side Highway like a handful of times to do this?....  Yea, me neither.

FINALLY went to play field hockey again today and already feeling the burn.  This is what I get though for choosing cold frosty beverages, hot wings, and watched televised displays of men in spandex (and more recently, mesh) get all up on each other over physical activity for the past six months.

I wish my bed was a little higher off the ground because I'm going to need a rolling start to get out of it in the morning.  Awesome.

Debating whether or not to fill out an NCAA (formerly NAACP, whoops!) bracket.  I'm really terrible at things like that and I know I will have Maryland advancing to a ridiculously unreasonable round in the hopes that I'll get to cheer for them longer.  But damn, I do reeeeeally want a virtual trophy for my Yahoo! Fantasy Sports profile... and more and more it looks like the WereNot(James)Worthy's are going to shit the bed all the way into 8th place.

Hm...

#84

While I was super stoked on Wednesday night to watch (and hear!) the Lakers v. Rockets game at Standings, I was a little bummed that we didn't get the audio on the obvious trash talk between KB24 and Ron Artest.

With my main mic'd man Lamar Odom out of the game, it seemed that the likelihood for aural pleasure was not good...


Kobe and Artest: The 'Lost' Trash Talk from The Basketball Jones on Vimeo.

"Paperclips!  Sundials!.... Hey, nice shot."

If there was some sort of 'Mic'd Up' NBA League Pass, I would totally subscribe.  No questions asked.

Re: #83

FAIL.

FAIL.

FAIL.

Getting TSwift pre-sale tickets on Wednesday, fail.

Getting TSwift tickets this morning at regular on-sale, fail.

Oh, I will find a way to get them (don't you worry, Carly!) but  I was just really hoping I wouldn't have to call in any favors on this one.

I woke up at 9:30am, logged onto Ticketmaster website at 9:45 and patiently refreshed my browser until 10.  When the 'more info' link changed to 'find tickets' I immediately clicked it and attempted to purchase 2 tickets from the 'best available' pull down menu.  I then immediately got the 'we're sorry but...' page... at 10:01.  WTF?!  Repeat steps 2-5 over and over until 10:20.

Ugh, what a shitty start to the weekend.

Making myself feel temporarily better by watching the TSwfit youtube channel...

...before, you know, moving onto something to better. 

Converge, WIN.

At The Gates, WIN.

#83

I spent the better part of my morning losing my mind over the McSweeney's sale.  Seriously.  Got 11 books for $56 (and that's including shipping!).  For those who care, I picked up McSweeneys Quarterly Concern issues 13 through 18 and 23, two collections of columns by Nick Hornby, 'Maps and Legends' by the same guy who wrote The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay and a book that is CLEARLY a must-have called "All Known Metal Bands".

Taylor Swift wins the award for worst admat ever... but I will be logged in at 10am sharp EST tomorrow morning buying a pair of pre-sale tickets to this.  Show's not until August 27th but that just gives me plenty of time to get fuckin' stoked!

SXSW is just around the corner!  I'm pretty excited about the discontinuation of Sparks.  I don't think my heart/liver/other internal organs could handle another Sparks open bar music industry douche bag event.   If you'll be in Austin, come visit me at The Souls/D4/DH show.  The bands promise to slay.... and you'll help fight breast cancer too!

Aaaaaand Fringe, where the hell have you been?  I miss Walter Bishop and the Lance Reddick face.  Please return to my Tuesday nights to be enjoyed later via DVR....ASAP!

#82

If you're not one of the 3.8 million people who've already watched this... then do so now.




The kids in VersaEmerge had the good fortune of meeting Sammy Stephens face to face a couple days ago. Fun ensues.

OH YEA!

#81

The constellations remind me I am home.

#80

Does anyone know why this is broken and/or how to fix it?  I don't understand why my links/twitter/etc are at the bottom instead of in the right-hand column.  :::sad face:::

#79

I need to read more. I’m currently part way through 3 books but making no progress.
-Victoria Finlay's "Colour"

-Ovid’s “Metamorphoses”
-Howard Zinn’s “A People’s History Of The United States Of America”

Do need/want to get around to the following sooner than later….
-Ann Patchett's "Bel Canto"

-McSweeney’s #30 reader
-re-read “Nine Stories” for the 4291876539872195th time (on a related note: my future daughter – or, more realistically, future puppy - will be named Esme)

I have spent a bit of time this weekend reading all 3 T Swift cover stories that are currently on the newsstand. No joke. Rolling Stone > Self > Teen Vogue.

On the computer this afternoon, I also unearthed a folder of poetry from a workshop that I HAD to take in college. Oof. I was/am so incredibly lame. Seriously on a scale of 1-10 of lameness, many of these are 13/14/15 level status. I think my ‘travel’ poems are much more sucessful my ‘love’ poems. Here’s an example of each for you, my faithful blog readers.  Now you can share the burden of my embarrassment. 

“ORD” (11/13/05)

no one has suitcases anymore
just nylon and canvas on wheels
rolling behind their burberry lined coats
and pocohontas boots
backpacks with gel padded straps
bobbing along
attached to the pint-sized

no one has suitcases anymore
except her
here

shabby converse shoes
black horn rimmed glasses
a shy arrogance
a confident innocence
a smirk of ennui
a small suitcase of…
it harks back to days past
when flight attendants were stewardesses
with their towering teased hair-dos
and bona fide smiles

the fighting irish family
all dark blue and gold
dad diligently helping son with fractions
from a text book labeled in fair condition
fair condition like at LGA
in an estimated one hour and thirty-four minutes
fifty-six degrees in mid-november

a man on stand by is
standing by the suitcase girl
wearing his too short suit pants
revealing his mismatched socks
one argyle navy, one argyle black
his hereditary colorblindness
is much like the male pattern baldness
perched upon the head of another man
waiting for his first class boarding call
with only his mother’s father to thank

“The Experiment” (10/1/05)

Here I am
amidst
the crowded cafeteriaauditoriumgymnasium

Tri-fold cardboard
displays are scattered atop the lunch tables with their adjoined
benches, lining the perimeter of the room

My blood once raged in anticipation,
as unpredictable as the vinegar and baking soda lava
threatening to erupt from the papier-mâchéd mountain

The electricity between us
could have held balloons to our untamed hair or woolen sweaters

The coat hanger solar system,
a reminder of the moon you once promised me.

Marigolds grown to a soundtrack of Mozart and Bach are vibrant
Those grown to ‘our song’ shrivel, wither, wilt

I stand beside my project,
Carefully decomposing:
The corsage from the winter formal
A teddy bear
Notes passed behind the teacher’s back
Your favorite sweatshirt that was always two sizes too big
Prepared to explain my predictions, procedure, and conclusive data.

I am deserving of first place recognition.
You award me with only a ribbon of participation.

Seriously.

SO BAD!
I’m going to go on record as saying the only reason I managed to eek out a decent grade in this class is because I actually did all the work but mostly because my professor took pity on me for my seriously shitty poetry. Thank you for that Prof. K. Brown. (I’m also sorry for any emails you inadvertently received that were intended for me between 2002-2006.)

#78

Blogging is hard without reliable interwebz at the apartment. My LA trip was mostly fun and definitely makes me want to go back again sometime (and stop hating on it so much).

{PLUS}
+ Coffee Bean double vanilla tea lattes [Exhibit B]
+ Seeing political celeb (Arnold), celebuspawn (young Fonz) and tv celeb (Rachel Bilson)
+ Baltimore's Patrick Martin [sidenote: ....has a blog now!]
+ Venice Beach in the sunshine
+ "that street with all the palm trees"
+ Tim rides the bull!
+ Amanda rides the bull!
+ In N Out cheeseburger
+ Eating my way through the farmers market in Pacific Palisades
+ Avocados
+ Watching the slam dunk contest and 3 point shoot outs twice
+ The Lakersmobile with Stick Figure Phil and Kobe
+ Crashing an important lawyer/artist/label meeting
+ Being in a car (yay!) and listening to "California" music
+ Playing catch in the driveway
+ Drinks with cucumber [Exhibit A]
+ Amanda is 2nd Runner Up in 'Best Chest' contest

{MINUS}
- The group of 30 junior high kids speaking (or yelling) in Hebrew for the whole flight there
- Getting a cold
- Ears not popping on the whole flight back
- Doubled over in pain from ears not popping
- The getting-blood-drawn fiasco
- Jet lag determining a new 10pm bedtime (and 7am wake up time)
- Aileen getting caught up at work and not being able to hang in Huntington Beach
- Being too busy to meet Aileen in HB even if she hadn't been busy


Exhibit A:



Exhibit B:

Oh, and more pictures here and here.

#77

So this has basically taken over my life...  

"I got my swim trunks and my flippie-flops"

"I'm on a boat and

It's going fast and

I got a nautical-themed 

pashmina afghan"

I mean, since when does 3OH!3 participate in SNL skits?  And thanks to Stephanie, Camille and I can now be part of this internet sensation.  Plus, it better than a(nother) parody of Christian Bale freaking out.

I think Camille makes an amazing T-Pain.

#76

Last night began on the couch with Perry and Erica and the NASCAR Budweiser Shootout on the tv.  Unfortunately for Erica, Biffle biffed out on like, the last lap.  Kasey Kahne finished pretty well... I hope he has a great season and the only thing that consistently beats him across the finish line is 'Bud'.  (Get it?)

Well, 10:30 rolled around all too early this morning when I had to pry myself from my bed to get to the Fanboys matinee on time with Jessica, Jesse and James.  Fanboys was a great movie!!  I went in with low expectation and was pleasantly surprised.  So, so many Rush references and music!  And as someone who grew up with a mother who LOVED Harrison Ford, I could totally appreciate lines like:

"Nobody calls Han Solo a dirtbag!"

Definitely go see this movie if its in your city!

And now for some observations on my day:

...on the Lakers game:

-Lamar Odom was 'wired' - his commentary is the best thing in my life

-Jordan Farmar STILL needs a haircut, hopefully he gets one when they get back to LA

-Fuck you KG for giving Kobe the plague!

...on the Pro Bowl:

-John Harbaugh trick play to Le'Ron McClain, yes!

-Raven's mascot Poe in a Hawaiian shirt, yes! 

-boo! to Cutler throwing an interception instead being a man and taking a sack 

-boo! to missing Ray Lewis telling the sideline reporter to go screw herself

-AFC > NFC no matter what the scoreboard said

...on the Grammys:

-TI looks damn good on the red carpet, his baby momma not so much

-Is that Matty G on drums during Coldplay?

-And Taylor Swift on guitar for Carrie Underwood?

-And the page from 30 Rock playing ukulale during T. Swift?

-Who tricked Stevie Wonder into playing with the Jonas Brothers?

-"Blink 182 is Back!" - ap.net is boards are probably blowing up now (and this ranks like Lost-level in my life - a.k.a. it doesn't)

-I don't like Coldplay.  Stop. It.

-MIA totally snubbed for Record of the Year

Favorite performances - as of 9:51pm EST

1. Estelle and Kanye

2. Taylor Swift (yea, yea and Miley)

3. The 'Rap' Pack  - I love you TI!

#75

Birthday week was without a doubt a total blast! An Aileen friend came from Carlsbad and even a Sean Palmer friend made his way into my snowy city from even snowier city of Toronto.

______________________________

PG managed to score her uncle's season tickets (7th row!) for the game as well as a pair from Jordan Farmer (I don't even know how! Does this mean we're only at like 3 degrees of separation now? Me-PG-whoever PG knows-Farmar.... FUCK YES!)

The LAKE SHOW at MSG was freakin incredible. Kobe basically ran a clinic for the Knicks, scoring 61 points... even if he earn most of those going 20-20 from the line. To say I was beyond stoked to see my little Farmar in the flesh would also be an understatement. M-V-P Chant status from the garden. AWESOME!



I also made Ali take my picture in front. I give no fucks - besides, I am a girl and can get away with obnoxious things as sporting event (i.e. refering to Farmar almost exclusively as the 'cutie with the big ears') even if I know better.

______________________________

Thank God this movie is finally coming out!
Kristen Bell + Science Fiction theme = WIN.

______________________________

Oh yea, and see you in a week LA (and surrounding area)!  I wonder how much In-N-Out one can consume in 3 1/2 days.

LAX - Hot Snakes

#74

Long time, no blog!

Since my last post, Aileen came and visited us for a whole week (yay!) and there were many birthday celebrations and fun and food and little sleep.  All of which has been well documented via facebook and twitter and other people's blogs.  I'll get some stuff up here over the weekend, I hope.  

In the meantime, I'm looking towards the future.  Since my team did not make it to the Superbowl, I will be rooting for Bruce Springsteen's halftime show.  THE BOSS > Ben Wrecklessbiker.  And, in all honesty, the real 'big game' coming up in life is the Lakers v. Knicks at MSG on Monday.  

How stoked am I?!  Jordan "Cutie With The Big Ears" Farmar. IN. THE. FLESH.

Also, these now exist in my life:

#73

If you're in NYC and not busy this Friday night, come on out to Hi-Fi (Ave A between 10th and 11th) for what will likely be a complete Aileen Burns and Katie Brown takeover (a la 2007). Bring some change for the jukebox and dollar bills for the slightly skewed screen-ed Photo Hunt machine in the back corner.

Get stoked!

Re: Re: #72

And, as Erica Dagley might say... "Less than a month until NASCAR kicks off!"

Re: #72

So, this’ll likely be my last blog about football for a long while and what can I say about the game last night that hasn’t already been reported/blogged/twittered… As much as it fucking sucks to have half of our losses for the entire SEASON at the hands of the Steelers, if you want to play in the Super Bowl you’ve got to beat the best and they weren’t playing recent typical Ravens ball last night. They also haven’t had a week off since Week 2 and there’s a lot to be said for home field advantage in Pittsburgh and all those goddamn terrible towels.

-Willis McGahee was a thorn in the side of my fantasy football team. Most of his regular season games were mediocre at best but then as the post-season neared there was an added spring in his step. Glad the Steelers saw it fit to permanently remove him from the game after he scored 2 touchdowns.  I sincerely hope he’s doing okay.

-Le’Ron McClain… um, was he even in the game? What the hell! I don’t understand why they weren’t giving him the ball. He’s a big dude and can run through a pack of defenders better than McGahee. We could’ve used a little depth in our running game.

-Ed Reed… a name we didn’t often hear last night. But can you blame him? Samari Rolle didn’t even play and then his replacement and his replacement’s replacement both hobbled to their locker at points during the game. He is just one man.

-Matt Stover – This was a bummer of the game for him to end his career on. How much would I have loved to see a like 58-yard Stover field goal to send the game to 17-16. Yea… didn’t happen. Thanks Flacco for throwing that interception.

-Joe Flacco should be happy that his team isn’t from the New York metropolitan area… I can see the headline already “Flaccid Flacco Fails“. We don’t deserve to go to the Super Bowl if our quarterback rating is in the 20’s. Joe The Unflappable got flapped.

-Hines Ward. He got his. I hope he misses the Super Bowl.

When it’s all said and done, I should be so lucky that the Ravens had the season that they did. Only 2 teams seasons are lasting longer, and one of those will undoubtedly end in heartbreak.

There were so many great moments this season that I don't want to forget. McNabb getting his ass benched, beating Dallas at their last game at Texas Stadium, seeing them secure their wildcard spot in the flesh, TWO post-season wins… I just would have preferred for the season to not end with this:

But, with Flacco and Ray Rice and McClain and the amazing defense, I'm looking to the future and expect great things from this team next season. I also now have 8 more months to perfect my version of the Ray Lewis dance and now I get to play field hockey again on Sundays instead of being glued to the TV at a bar with a cold frosty beverage in hand. 

And, as Shane Told says, "That's why there's basketball." ...yes, except if the Lakers lose again tonight while I'm watching, Perry is banning me from the games.

#72

What's our name?

RAVENS! 

Sooooo excited for the game tonight!  Already suited up in #52.

Re: #70

My hair and outfit inspiration for this past Saturday's Mad Men party.   Not that anyone cares...

#71

(via Postsecret)

#70

This weekend's Mad Men party was an overwhelming success!!  Thanks to anyone who reads this who came out.  I think our floor is still sticky from spilled Maker's Mark and my Sunday morning headache definitely lingered until Monday afternoon.  Lots of time period appropriate Polaroids were taken... though some of questionable content.  

I hope everyone readies their livers for Aileen and my joint 50th birthday party.  Coming soon to the East Village's Hi-Fi Bar.   Pictures from our "46th" birthday still haunt me on Facebook.  Should be fun!

More pictures from Saturday are here.

Re: Re: #66

PLAYOFFS STATUS via iDagger this past Sunday.

#69

BIG IN '08

I don't need to make a TOP TEN list for my favorite music from 2008.  It's easy.  Taylor Swift and Gaslight Anthem, in all incarnations - EPs, new albums, old albums, whatever.  I don't need to listen to anything else...ever.

Best shows of 2008 (in chronological order):

-Hot Water Music -- Starland Ballroom -- January 25th

-Lucero -- Austin, TX -- March 15th

-Estelle -- Highline Ballroom -- April 28th

-Silverstein with The Stick Up -- Hamilton, ON -- May 2nd

-Gaslight Anthem -- Asbury Lanes -- May 30th

-At The Gates with Darkest Hour -- Irving Plaza -- July 10th

-Rancid -- Irving Plaza -- August 13th & 14th

-Paramore -- Central Park -- August 28

-Hayden -- Bowery Ballroom -- September 12

-Drive By Truckers with Hold Steady -- Terminal 5 -- November 6th

-Owen -- Mercury Lounge -- December 6th

Best show in '08 that I missed:

-The Souls with Gaslight Anthem -- Asbury Convention Center -- December 28th

#68

Happy [semi-belated] New Years!  

Things I Love:

#1. 

Partini - the best game ever as long as I don't draw the stupid clay sculpture cards!

"Peeking duck.... Poo poo platter!!"

#2. 

Dancing/Skanking/Laughing to No Doubt's cover of The Vandals' "Oi To The World".

"On the roooof with the nunchucks Trevor broke a lot of bones... but Haji had a sword like the guy on Indiana Jones!"

#3 and #4.  

-Not smiling in photos.  My mom always warned me that my face would get stuck that way.

-Also, wearing scrunchy socks like I'm bring 1993 back.

#5. 

Deviled eggs... some with bacon, some without.

#6. 

Jiscilla... for being lovely as always and documenting the whole damn thing.

Things I Absolutely Do Not Love:

#1.

The realization that I'll be 25 in four short weeks.  

"Are you there, quarter-life crisis?  It's me, Katie."

#67

Safari Perry has returned from the bush... and brought me a baby hippo!