Getting to Know You . . .

1. FIRST NAME? Justin
2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? No
3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? Probably some stupid movie
4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Yes
5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? turkey
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? I like to think so, but there would probably be a conflict of some sort
7. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? Just this blog
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? I already have - twice, in fact
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? I really liked French Toast Crunch
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Dress shoes, yes; sneakers, rarely
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Yes
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? Tart frozen vanilla yogurt
14. WHAT IS YOUR SHOE SIZE? 8
15. RED or PINK? Red
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOU? That I had to go to the Crayola website to research my answer to No. 22, infra. And the fact that I use “infra”.
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My great grand-parents
18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? Only if they feel moved to do so.
19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Khaki chinos and red shoes
20. WHAT IS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Kashi cereal
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Co-workers chatter outside my door
22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON WHICH COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Silver
23. FAVORITE SMELL? Freshly showered man - just kidding, slcup; really, it's linden blossom
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? B-Lo
25. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO? Eyes
26. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Yes
27. FAVORITE DRINK? Water
28. FAVORITE SPORT? Boat races
29. EYE COLOR? Cerulean*
30. HAT SIZE? 7 1/4"
31. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? No
32. FAVORITE FOOD? Italian
33. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDING? Scary
34. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Sky Blue*
36. HUGS OR KISSES? Let’s shake hands first
37. FAVORITE DESSERT? Some type of coffee with liquor(s) in it
40. BOOK YOU'RE READING? Lonely Planet Guide to London
41. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? WOW!PAD
42. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? The Office and two episodes of Nip/Tuck season 1
43. FAVORITE SOUNDS? Slot machines, airplanes taking off (if I’m on it and departing SLC) and landing (if I’m on it and arriving somewhere besides SLC), cork popping out of champagne - this list is not exhaustive, of course
44. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles
45. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME? Greece
46. WHAT'S YOUR SPECIAL TALENT? You know that snippet of a song you heard in the background of a tv show - and you really liked the song, but don’t know the name or artist or even if it is available for commercial purchase? I can name it, find it, and download it in less than an hour; is that a talent?
47. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? SLC, UT
48. WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Shelly
49. DID YOU REALIZE THAT THERE WAS NO NUMBER 35? Yes - and I deleted 38 and 39 too.

*The Crayola research really served me well.

Today's Song: I Confess, English Beat

tomKAT

Today's Song: She's In Love With The Boy, Trisha Yearwood

I Love A Before and After . . .

makeovers like this really make me wonder what a Hollywood stylist would do to me:

I'm Not Buying.

Three ad campaigns that do not register with me:

1. Anything Carl's Jr. Their advertisements have actually kept me out of their store.

2. The Slurpee ads that say "Next time let her drive." I just don't get it. And I've tried. Can anyone explain?

3. Any campaign, particularly radio, with a husky voiced woman talking like a dude. Who is the target audience for these?

This tv commercial did register with me. I liked it a lot.

Today's Song: Half Acre, Hem

I'm Not Proud,

I'm just honest: Evidently, I will see any movie that is set in London. To wit, this film. It wasn't half bad. In fact, it led me to ponder a career change. But only for a brief moment. I thought to myself, Dermot Mulroney's character has a pretty good gig here as a male escort. He gets to go to a proper British wedding with Debra Messing, and when he's not escorting her, he's probably accompanying a Jennifer Aniston character to a work function, or a Renee Zellweger character to a big society do. And making $6,000 a go! If he only went on three dates a month - he'd be making close to $200,000 a year. Wow. But then I remembered that in real life, Debra Messing, Jennifer Aniston, and Renee Zellweger characters rarely, if ever, need to hire male escorts. The people hiring male escorts are, I believe, men. And the escorts are called "rent boys." And there are no proper British weddings, transcontinental flights on Virgin Atlantic upper class, no work functions, and no society do's. So no career change for me.

And speaking of rent boys, how about the article about Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy in the current issue of Vanity Fair?! Really? Huh. News to me.

Today's Song: Rapper's Delight, Sugarhill Gang

It was one of those weekends.

And fortunately, what happens in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas.

Today's Song: She Let Herself Go, George Strait ("Who exactly is watching the babies? That woman is always gone." - Katherine)

Multimedia message

You Tube

Some Jim and Pam highlights from You Tube.





Today's Song: All I Need, Matt Kearney

10 Things I Learned in Esquire Magazine; Sept 06

1. In her 10 Things You Don’t Know About Women article, Jenna Fischer showed she’s kind of, um, risque (or normal). Some highlights:

“We can make a celebrity ‘safe list’ if you want. But I am way more likely to get Patrick Dempsey to fu$% me in a bathroom than you are to get Lindsay Lohan to suck you off in a car.”

“If you act excited about the bath mat we bought at Target, you will get laid.”

“When we say, ‘I don’t feel connected,’ the only appropriate response is, ‘I feel it too. Let’s go out for a nice dinner and reconnect.’ Try it. You will get laid.”

“If you can locate the following items in our home – tape, casserole dish, Christmas ornaments – you will get laid.”

2. I want this. It recommends distilling a 12 pack of Budweiser, adding juniper berries, allspice, and orange peel to get 10 ounces of “Bud gin.” Sounds delicious.

3. You cannot gauge the size and color of a woman’s nipples by looking at another of her body parts.

4. Daniel Craig is only 37 years old. He looks like he’s in his forties, I think.

5. Brooks Brother has updated and is reintroducing its “No. 2" suit that was big in the 50's and 60's. The suit has a “suppressed waist, narrower pants, and a slim two button jacket.” Sounds good to me.

6. Wine distributors will not distribute wines with nipples on the label. Former Italian pornstar and new vintner Savanna Samson learned this the hard way.

7. Stephen Baldwin found Christ after 9/11 and is now an evangelist.

8. A joke from a beautiful woman:

This woman goes in for a face-lift and the doctor says, “We’ve got this new method: I put a knob in the back of your head and every time you feel like you need a lift you just turn.” She gets the knob implanted and is beautiful for five years. But one day she notices a problem and returns to the doctor. “I’ve got these huge bags under my eyes,” she complains. The surgeon replies, “Those aren’t bags; those are your breasts.” “Ah,” she sighs, “that explains the goatee.”

9. Eva Gabor used to put red lipstick on Merv Griffin’s horses.

10. Sean Preston Federline was named worst dressed man for 2006.

Today’s Song: Raspberry Beret, Prince

Grey Wednesday

I tried this wine in Phoenix, and I am sure a number of you would buy it for the name and bottle alone.

Did anyone else read the Q&A with Jenna Fisher in last month's Esquire magazine? I read it in the lazy river this weekend, and it caught me really off guard. I'll post it tomorrow - provided I remember to bring in the magazine.

Congratulations to Jim and Susie: new baby yesterday.

Watching an episode of Nip/Tuck last night, I concluded that I will never let myself be tied up. And I can't be trusted to tie anyone else up either.

The past two Tuesday evenings, I've driven by Northern Exposure (strip club) on Beck Street in SLC. And both weeks there were limousines in front of the club. The first Tuesday it was a stretch Hummer and last night it was a white stretch Lincoln. Why Tuesday? What's going on? I want to find out. Go ahead and judge.

Today's grey weather is sucking the life blood out of me. No. Energy.

Today's Song: 88 Lines About 44 Women, The Nails

The Off License

This is one of my favourite locations in London. It is an Off License just across from Hyde Park and only a couple blocks from my old flat. I would often pop into the place for a bottle of wine, some Haribo Tangfastics, or a Time Out magazine when I lived there. I first went there with SJ the night my roommates and I hosted a party for our fellow students at Flat 6. We ran out of wine and SJ and I ran to this Off License to get a few more bottles. On the way back, she told me about an obscure 80's song called The Rain, by Oran "Juice" Jones. I'd never heard of it, but SJ knew almost every word. Thereafter, we often quoted heavily from the song. It wasn't until well after I'd arrived home from London that I found an 80's compilation CD that had the song on it. The song was everything SJ told me it was. To this day, whevenever I hear that song, I think of this Off License.

I came across this photograph while looking at London hotels on-line.

Today's Song: The Rain, Oran "Juice" Jones

Some key lyrics from the song:

Hey hey baby how ya doin' come on in here
(Walking in the rain)
Got some hot chocolate on the stove waiting for you
Listen first things first let me hang up the coat
(You were holding hands and I'll)
Yeah how was your day today
Did you miss me
(Never be the same)
You did? Yeah? I missed you too
I missed you so much I followed you today
(I saw you)
That's right now close your mouth
'Cause you cold busted
(Walking in the rain)
Now just sit down here, sit down here
I'm so upset with you I don't know what to do
(You were holding hands and I'll)
You know my first impulse was to run up on you
And do a Rambo
(Never be the same)
I was about to jam you and flat blast both of you
But I didn't wanna mess up this thirt-seven hundred dollar lynx coat
So instead I chilled -- That's right chilled
I called up the bank and took out every dime.
Than I cancelled all your credit cards...
I stuck you up for every piece of jewelery I ever bought you!
Don't go lookin' in that closet 'cause everything you came here with is
packed up and waiting for you in the guest room. What were you
thinking?
You don't mess with the Juice!
I gave you silk suits, blue diamonds and gucci handbags.
I gave you things you couldn't even pronounce!
But now I can't give you nothing but advice.
Cause you're still young, yeah, you're young.
And you're gonna find somebody like me one of these days . . .
Until then, you know what you gotta do?
You gotta get on outta here with that alley-cat-coat-wearing,
punch-bucket-shoe-wearing crumbcake I saw you with. Cause you
dismissed!
That's right, Silly rabbit, tricks are made for kids, don't you know
that. You without me is like corn flakes without the milk! This is my
world. You're just a squirrel trying to get a nut! Now get on outta
here. Scat!
Don't touch that coat

I miss the lazy river.

Friday after work, I flew down to sunny Phoenix. I spent Saturday and a portion of Sunday at the pool/lazy river:

I almost didn't come home because I was informed that it was 45 degrees and hailing in Salt Lake City on Saturday - and that is not my style. But, there is only so long one can stay in the desert. So I went to the airport early yesterday afternoon to catch my flight. I was uncharacteristically early for my flight (over an hour!), and as luck would have it, my flight was delayed. Inevitably, if I am early for a flight, that flight will be delayed. If I am running late for a late, that flight is running right on time - if not early - with the gate agents overeager to close the flight and send it off early. With the extra time on my hands, I went to the news agent. I thought I would get a book or a magazine to pass the time. I saw the typical wall of magazines. Here it is:

And I couldn't help but wonder . . . WHO BUYS THE PORN AT THE AIRPORT? You know the magazines in the picture that are covered by the black plastic squares. The same squares that are used in "family friendly" grocery stores to shield young eyes from the assault of Lindsay Lohan on the cover of Elle or Kate Moss on Vogue or Molly Sims on Cosmopolitan. Seriously, I've never seen anyone buy Penthouse in the airport, and I've certainly never see anyone casually flipping through Playboy in midflight. (Though I wouldn't mind seeing it.) Faced with a 2 hour wait for my flight, I debated whether I was bored enough to buy some porn and read it at the gate. I imagined the looks of horror I would receive, but also liked the idea of people giving me PLENTY of personal space. In the end, I bought Augusten Burroughs' Running With Scissors and embarrassed myself by laughing out loud as I read it while waiting for the plane, during the flight, and while waiting for my baggage. I'm looking forward to the movie.

Anyway, who is buying the airport porn? At first I assumed people bought it like Time, Mens' Fitness, and People - for inflight reading. But then it occurred to me that people (lonely business travelers, maybe) buy it for after they land - for use in their hotel room. That makes alot more sense, doesn't it?

Today's Song: Move Along, The All American Rejects

Caption This

Today's Song: By The Time I Get To Phoenix, Glen Campbell

C'est si bon

La Caille is widely regarded as the best restaurant in Salt Lake City. Not for the food, but for the atmosphere and scenery. I was there for a reception last night. The outdoor scenery and atmosphere was awesome, however the interior was lacking. Specifically, the mens' room. Take a look:

The rubbish bin overfloweth! Dee-scuz-ting.

I talked to Michelle King for awhile. (Does everyone remember when she and Randall anchored together at KUTV? Another reason I miss the 80's.)

The highlight of the evening was assisting Sterling Poulsen with the KUTV/KJAZZ weather report for the KJAZZ channel, or as I called it - "the ghetto news."

Today's Song: Boston, Augustana

Ralph Waldo Emmerson said,

"Self command is the main elegance."

Big party at La Caille tonight. KUTV will preview their new Fall line-up. I don't watch any CBS shows.

I read an article about George Bush Sr. and George Bush Jr. in Vanity Fair this month. People in their inner circle refer to them as 84 because elder Bush was 41st President and the younger was (wishful thinking) - I mean IS - 43rd. So together they are 84. The elders favourite joke on the '88 campaign trail:

"What's 14 inches long and hangs in front of an asshole?"

"Dukakis' tie."

What a cut-up.

Today's Song: When You Were Young, The Killers

Girls, Girls, Girls

I wish I could remember why I have this picture saved on my computer:



I should have this picture on my computer. RUDY!

And finally, I'm quite certain she wasn't worth it. And I truly wonder if for the past four years, Stella McCartney has teetered on the brink of insanity because she could not scream: "I WAS RIGHT ALL ALONG!" to the rabid British media.

Today's Song: I Still Believe, The Call

Hair Today

gone tomorrow.

Fearing that I was starting to look too much like Dennis Cole (maybe you remember him from old episodes of Charlie's Angels - and one of Jaclyn Smith's ex-husbands), and inspired by Justin Timberlake's Sexy Back video, I cut my own hair.

I went to the Utah State Fair yesterday. I highly recommend the "Zipper" ride. I am told that the Aussie Lamb pie was quite good, and I know a certain someone that tucked into an "elephant ear" while sitting in the front row of a cover band composed of Navy fellows in town from San Diego. Interestingly, there was a large group of police officers surrounding a woman that was playing a guitar and singing. B-lo said, "What the hell? If they don't like her playing are they going to arrest her?!"

I got an African dwarf frog at the Avenues Street Fair on Saturday. So I am now a pet owner. I hope I can keep this frog alive longer than my previous frogs. They unfortunately died all too soon.

Go Utes.

Today's Song: Love is in the Air, John Paul Young

A Runner Up

in the favourite summer picture contest:



Okay, and one more:



I am still working on getting clearance to post pictures of other people so you won't have to keep seeing me.

And I have a request, dear readers, I hope by now that you have all seen the comments that Deanna posts on my blog occasionally. She gets it. She makes points, and adds to the discussion. Follow her lead, please. Love you all.

Today's Song: Too Much, Too Little, Too Late, Johnny Mathis and Deniece Williams (I bet you forgot about that great song - I had)

NOTE: I PROFUSELY APOLOGIZE to anyone and everyone that may have seen the initial picture I posted today. That was completely unintentional and oh so inappropriate. Send me your opthamology bills. Seriously.

Jumping Into Fall

After careful consideration, I think I am calling this my favourite picture from Summer 2006. I like the action, I like the color - admittedly, I don't like the parking lot - and I like that when I look at the picture I can feel the sun and water.



Photo Credit: b-lo

Note: I've plenty of pictures of other people that are much better than those of me, however I do not have clearance to post such pictures. Perhaps they do not trust me.)

Yesterday, I watched the Season 4 premiere of Nip/Tuck. I am new to the show. I read alot of buzz about it last year on PopCandy, others' blogs, and print media. Because the buzz was so positive, for Christmas I gave my mom the seasons 1 and 2 on dvd - even though I hadn't seen a single episode of the show. I gave them to vt as well. And I learned a very valuable lesson: do not gift a tv series until you have seen at least three episodes of the show. The gifts were disatrous in part, but a success in part. You see, my mom was not impressed with the show and she promptly returned Season 1 (opened) and Season 2 (unopened) to me. So the gift gave back! (Always a winner in my book.) But when I watched the first couple of episodes of the first season, I was mortified that I had given it to my mom. Seriously, I know the show is on F/X and all so there isn't any nudity and the language isn't that bad, but day-um, when did non-HBO/Showtime/Playboy channel get so nasty. Nasty good, but still a bit uncomfortable. And vt also recently confessed to not liking the show. Not. At. All. So I was a poor gift giver Christmas 2005.

So anyway, I am 6 episodes into the first season, 1 episode into the fourth season, and some crazy action evidently happened in between. Some people like to watch television shows linearly, but I don't mind going back and forth. The show is more that plot to me, I like the scenery, the music, the dialogue. Each episode can stand on its own as far as I'm concerned. I started all the HBO series in the middle of their runs and had to go back and watch the first couple seasons.

And now I am boring myself with this post.

Can anyone teach me how to (a) make a pattern, and (b) sew? VT started me watching Project Runway when we were in Laguna Beach in July and I've watched every episode since. I think I am ready to create an "international jet setter" outfit for myself. But I need to get some "mad skills" first. And then I am trying out for the show because I am in love with Heidi and her "Hello!" at the beginning of each episode.

I fear I am watching too much television. (Two episodes of Footballers' Wives yesterday as well. The show is trashy good.) I guess it's my way of jumping into Fall.

Today's Song: Omerta, The Belles

Over-caffeinated

Earlier this summer I changed my "usual" Starbucks order. Before I was a grande, percent, extra-latte. I switched to iced venti Americano. Some days, the venti is the perfect size. Other days, like today, it is way too much and I'm a manic mess. During such manic episodes, I simulataneously read every blog, news story, and e-mail I can pull-up all while downloading song after song on iTunes. And somehow manage to work at the same time. Unfortunately, I perform none of those tasks very well. Maybe because I neglected to eat anything with the venti caffeine potion.

Shout out to my favourite chef, Stella, for a great dinner last night: thanks.

I don't care about Suri Cruise, didn't know Steve Irwin was so beloved, am happy that Rosie is getting more attention than Star these days, am barely into Season 1 of Nip/Tuck but am nevertheless going to watch the season premiere of Season 4 that aired last night, am really enjoying Season 3 of Footballers Wives, plan to read Rupert Everett's new book (did he really meet Madonna in 1985 because Sean Penn flagged Rupert and his friend Mel down on a So Cal road?), am looking forward to a fundraiser tomorrow night, am not thrilled with the fact that my gym permanently closed last week and now, for the first time in three years, I don't have a Wednesday night class to go to, am looking forward to a return trip to Las Vegas later this month with an old friend, and finally am wondering how the hell I got to be such a fan of bloody Rascal Flatts. That's all.

Today's Song: William, It Was Really Nothing, The Smiths

What Happens in Las Vegas

stays in Las Vegas. Except for a few details.

Number of meals at McDonalds: 4
Favourite Sirus satellite radio station: Tie between Shuffle and CoffeeHouse (mainly acoustic covers)
Number of pony kegs consumed: 1 (Grolsch)
Number of Long Island iced teas consumed: .5
Average bed time: 10:30pm
Average wake time: 7:00 am
Amount spent gambling: Approximately $20 (not including the $50 bet I placed on the Utes against UCLA for Jim - sadly, he lost)
Average drink price at the Bellagio: $12
Average drink price at the Casino Royale: $1
Percentage of drinks consumed at Bellagio: 90%
Percentage of dirnks consumed at Casino Royale: 1%
Official Trip Song: I Wish I Was A Punk Rock Girl, Sandi Thom
Number of documentary news programs about Las Vegas viewed while sitting in a hotel room in Las Vegas: 1
Number of times I viewed the fountain show at Bellagio: 0

And some photographs:

View of LV Strip from room 28-106



Views of Bellagio pool from room 28-106





The kegger:



And last but not least, the chauffeur:



Today's Song: Man in the Mirror, Michael Jackson

What About Prom, Blane?!

Last night, I went to dinner at Zola. I highly recommend it. They serve "small plates" almost like tapas. I call them "little dinners." The drinks are good and the atmosphere is great. Give it a go.

Yesterday, I purchased two dvd's: The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink the "Everything's Duckie Edition." The special features are great. Who knew the original ending had Andie and Duckie getting together? But it had to be rewritten because Molly didn't have the right chemistry with Jon. And in the prom scene, Andrew McCarthy is actually wearing a wig. There is a song featured in the extras that isn't in the soundtrack that is driving me crazy. I don't know the name, the artist, or even a snippet of the lyrics, but I know that I know the song and I have to have it. So I'll be burning up the internet trying to find it this afternoon.

I leave for Las Vegas tonight. A weekend at the Bellagio. I opened the summer by spending Memorial Day weekend at the Bellagio, so it is only fitting that I close the summer there as well.

Today's Song: Viva Las Vegas, Elvis Presley