How did the not interrupting people or finishing their sentences go for you women? I found it excruciatingly hard. Not finishing others' sentences was especially a challenge; I discovered that I love to find words for people to describe their feelings (the writer in me), and if they're struggling, I jump in with a "labryinthine!" or "robust" or whatever. But if I think about it, finishing other people's sentences probably also ties to my anxiety. If I weren't anxious to please and move the conversation along, I would be much more likely to relax and wait for the other person to complete her or his thought. I will definitely keep working on that one.

<b>8. Do Something Nice for Someone Else--and Don't Tell <i>Anyone</i> About It</b>

While many of us frequently do nice things for others, we are almost certain to mention our acts of kindness to someone else, secretly seeking their approval.

When we share our own niceness or generosity with someone else, it makes us feel like we are thoughtful people, it reminds us how nice we are and how deserving we are of kindness.

While all acts of kindness are inherently wonderful, there is something even more magical about doing something thoughtful but mentioning it to no one, ever. You always feel good when you give to others. Rather than diluting the positive feelings by telling others about your own kindness, by keeping it to yourself you get to retain <i>all</i>the positive feelings.

It's really true that one should give for the sake of giving, not to receive something in return. This is precisely what you are doing when you don't mention your kindness to others--your rewards are the warm feelings that come from the act of giving. The next time you do something really nice for someone else, keep ti to yourself and revel in the abundant joy of giving.

It's harder than it looks! . *Use the 1st letter of your last name to answer each of the following... *they have to be real places, names, things...nothing made up! Try to use different answers if the person in front of you had the same 1st initial

1.
Wolverton

2.
A 4 letter word:
Wham

3.
Vehicle:
Wagoneer

4.
City / Neighborhood:
Woodburn

5.
Boy Name:
Will

6.
Girl Name:
Wendy

7.
Occupation:
Wet nurse

8.
Something you could wear:
Wig

9.
Food:
Watermelon

10.
Something found in a bathroom:
Water

11.
A reason for being late:
Woke up late

12.
Something you shout:
What the fuck!

13. An animal:
Whale

14.
A body part:
Womb

15.
A word to describe yourself:
Whimsical

Dear Ankle Wound and Ankle,

Ankle Would: Wow, has it already been over two months since you arrived? It's hard to believe since part of you is still a scab that sticks out from the surrounding and healed skin! But I know that you were serious business; the regimen and pills I was given are evidence enough of that. And I don't want to dwell on the negative anyway. I'm here to thank you, Ankle, for getting me through this.

You are the epitome of human elegance and grace. You fought off two infections and an allergic reaction to an antibiotic. You hardly complained except to warn me that you were literally on fire trying to beat the bacteria that had festered on you. You even brought a little humor by resembling a bloody yolk sitting within the lesser red albumen of skin. Or simply looking like a bullet hole wound to impress young'uns who think violence is cool.

I am blessed and extremely lucky to have a body that cooperates with me through all the shit I put it through. You have not been the first to receive such treatment, Ankle; no, there have been countless burns, bruises, scratches, and a concussion brought about by smacking my head on a stone fireplace after falling from a fort made of cushions. But you fought the strangest and in some ways deadliest of fights for me, and I want to do you good because of it.

Sincerely,

The Rest of Your Body (aka Molly)

In honor of my new icon, I will at least say that I am fantasizing nonstop about an upcoming event. It is the Comicon (sp?) festival in San Diego, and it is going to feature what is essentially a full MST3K reunion. That means Mike, Joel (Mike and Joel together! No, not since Soultaker!)., and old and new Crows being geniuses in one large room. What would happen if they actually somehow riffed together? My heart would pretty much stop beating.

It is next week. And will take around $300 to travel to. And I have barely $300 to put toward my new apartment that I'm supposed to find in 15 days.

They better YouTube this shit, s'all I'm saying.

Current Music: parts: the clonus horror

Entertainment Weekly's list of the top movies of the last 25 years.

- Bold the ones you have seen.
- Put an asterisk after the movie title* if you really liked it.
- Put an X after the movie title if you saw a film and really disliked it.
- Underline the ones you own.


1. Pulp Fiction (1994)*
2. The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-03) (I've seen one of the movies. I disliked it but not a LOT).
3. Titanic (1997)*
4. Blue Velvet (1986)
5. Toy Story (1995)
6. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
7. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
8. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)I need to see this again. I've only seen it in big chunks.
9. Die Hard (1988)
10. Moulin Rouge (2001)
11. This Is Spinal Tap (1984)*
12. The Matrix (1999)X
13. GoodFellas (1990)*
14. Crumb (1995)
15. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
16. Boogie Nights (1997)
17. Jerry Maguire (1996) (Didn't even finish it, so I don't count myself as having watched it).
18. Do the Right Thing (1989)
19. Casino Royale (2006)
20. The Lion King (1994)*
21. Schindler's List (1993)
22. Rushmore (1998)*
23. Memento (2001)
24. A Room With a View (1986)
25. Shrek (2001)
26. Hoop Dreams (1994)
27. Aliens (1986)
28. Wings of Desire (1988)
29. The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
30. When Harry Met Sally... (1989)*
31. Brokeback Mountain (2005)*
32. Fight Club(1999)
33. The Breakfast Club (1985)
34. Fargo (1996)*
35. The Incredibles (2004)
36. Spider-Man 2 (2004)
37. Pretty Woman (1990)
38. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
39. The Sixth Sense (1999)*
40. Speed (1994*
41. Dazed and Confused (1993)
42. Clueless (1995)*
43. Gladiator (2000)
44. The Player (1992)
45. Rain Man (1988)*
46. Children of Men (2006)
47. Men in Black (1997)
48. Scarface (1983)
49. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
50. The Piano (1993)
51. There Will Be Blood (2007)
52. The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad (1988)
53. The Truman Show (1998)
54. Fatal Attraction (1987)
55. Risky Business (1983)
56. The Lives of Others (2006)
57. There’s Something About Mary (1998)
58. Ghostbusters (1984)
59. L.A. Confidential (1997)
60. Scream (1996)
61. Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
62. sex, lies and videotape (1989)
63. Big (1988)*
64. No Country For Old Men (2007)*
65. Dirty Dancing (1987) *
66. Natural Born Killers (1994)
67. Donnie Brasco (1997)
68. Witness (1985)*
69. All About My Mother (1999)
70. Broadcast News (1987)
71. Unforgiven (1992)
72. Thelma & Louise (1991)
73. Office Space (1999)*
74. Drugstore Cowboy (1989)
75. Out of Africa (1985)
76. The Departed (2006)*
77. Sid and Nancy (1986)
78. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
79. Waiting for Guffman (1996)
80. Michael Clayton (2007)
81. Moonstruck (1987)
82. Lost in Translation (2003)
83. Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn (1987)
84. Sideways (2004)*
85. The 40 Year-Old Virgin (2005)
86. Y Tu Mamá También (2002)
87. Swingers (1996)
88. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)*
89. Breaking the Waves (1996)
90. Napoleon Dynamite (2004) *
91. Back to the Future (1985)
92. Menace II Society (1993)
93. Ed Wood (1994)
94. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
95. In the Mood for Love (2001)
96. Far From Heaven (2002)
97. Glory (1989)*
98. The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
99. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
100. South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut (1999)

Seriously? Why can't I wash my travel coffee mug with the dishwasher? It's really durable and not made of the thinnest of plastic.


And anyway, I already did it.

Current Mood: embarrassed

This is what is beautiful about music, and Stevie Wonder specifically--notice how Glen is positively lifted right through his body and his soul seems to be bursting with joy. I can only imagine what being that close to Stevie's voice and presence would do to one's spirit. Two amazing musicians coming together.

June 23 * Confused about Carbs?

( Read more... )

Current Mood: bitchy

So I guess there is an extra long Office episode tonight, something about "Women's Appreciation." That sounds VERY promising. But what the f time does it start? Does it start early again, which is weird, or does it start at the normal time and then go for 40 minutes?

Helllllllllllp!

Seven years old, I take the Kansas record from a plastic crate and stare at the cover. There is a picture of an old man writing something, his head aching in frustration. I am riveted by the familiar cartoon imagery, but I don't understand what the hell is going on.

This is my first memory of discovering music.



For God knows what reason, I started listening to these records. My favorites were Joe Walsh's Seems to Me, to which I made up a dance, and this particular dark and scary Steely Dan album:



I loved Black Cow the most.

Music, to me, is pure bliss. I don't like the work of discovering music, but I enjoy the experience of listening and especially singing and dancing. It makes me happy to think back on how much music was a part of my childhood experience.

For instance, singing with Joanna and Ben in Joanna's room, perfecting the harmony to "Let's Go Out to the Kitchen." When you are with people you love, making something beautiful that is uniquely your own, that is bliss.

Or calling in to radio stations to sing and laughing hysterically over how my voice would crack on the Beatles' "If I Fell." Or singing Boot Scootin Boogy with the sibs, only to have the radio announcer say, "Nice job, ladies!"

Probably the longest stretch of music came from spending time in our basement with records and the Super Nintendo. This is the definitive Joanna/Molly/Ben album:



My God, so many hours of hearing "Strawberry Fields," "Penny Lane," "Sgt. Peppers," and everything else. But it was wonderful to have your heart be carried away by music day after day. It was lifesaving, in fact.

Current Mood: creative