Brown paper packages tied up with string

Classical Music
It invokes a picture doesn’t it? Is it almost impossible to imagine a beautiful green field in England with budding spring blossoms on the horizon? Maybe a horse drawn carriage taking some forlorn young maiden away from her summer house and back to the city, where she has to return to living the life of a simpleton. It’s beauty and it’s sadness. But mostly beauty.

Indie folk music, Western music
Any type of music that tells a story, a voice that carries with it the weight of meaning. Whether it’s a song talking about a lost bike or a cowboy asking not to be fenced in. If it can create a story in my head that I can follow, if it talks about the realities of life then I’m sold.

Jane Austen
I think it’s funny I like Jane Austen. Everything about my character and what I know about who I am (how do we really know ourselves, do we ever truly discover our genuine self?) says that I should not like the women in Jane Austen—Women who let societal rules dictate their behavior. I know what part I would play in a Jane Austen novel. I would be Mariah Bertram, I would do what society told me to then I would do whatever the hell I want. Or I would be Lucy Steele, secretly planning and plotting my entrapment of a man who probably didn’t want me. Would I ever be the heroine of these novels? Absolutely not. To be a heroine in a Jane Austen novel (including Elizabeth Bennett) you have to learn to restrain your corporeal desires. You have to have patience and the ability to act on what is best for your family and status rather than doing what you want. I would fail in Jane Austen’s world—or I would end up a spinster like Jane herself. So, in that regard, I guess I would triumph in Jane Austen’s world. Her real world anyways.

Science Fiction and Fantasy Novels
Oh god knows why I like to escape into a world of make believe. When I was little I loved fantasy. I ate it up like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. And now I read and re-read every fantasy and sci-fi book I can get my hands on. Everything from Harry Potter to the world of Vampires to tales about philotic connections with Ender Wiggin, I can’t help myself. The funny thing is nothing truly connects me to the story. I don’t relate to the characters, I read them to know the resolution of the conflicts in the plot. It helps that the landscapes of the stories are so vivid and intriguing. Could it be the desire to imagine these worlds in my head? To escape to the planet of Lusitania and build in my own mind the forest that holds the trees of Human and Rooter? To be sure I don’t imagine what the main character’s faces look like—they’re just faceless, featureless bodies that play out the scene on the stage that is my imagination.

I love all these things but funny enough this is not the stuff I choose to write. Not for lack of trying—my attempt at a children’s fantasy novel seems to be failing miserably. I hope that with the help of my mother (who is far more inventive and creative then me) that we might be able to slop something together that is somewhat digestible.

I almost think it’s unfair of me to write about writing when all I have been doing recently is reading. Consuming stories and books without even the desire (I would say at this point I am more repelled by the idea) to write. I can’t even get myself to write blogs here or at work. I just read and read and watch and consume and my brain lays dormant like a sponge sunk at the bottom of a full bath tub. What’s the use?

These are a few of my favorite things. They beg the question, what do the things I like say about me? I don’t relate to them in that I’m not like any of the books I read or the music I listen to, but something draws me to them. Which means I have to, in some way, be like them right? Is it intrigue with the unknown or sentimentalism?

One step on the road of learning more about myself. The more I know the more I will be equipped to write I think. I hope.

What is it about today?

Well I shouldn't ask, I know exactly what it is about today that is making me nostalgic. But I'm not sharing =)

What I will share with you is what I've been listening to all morning--a blast from my adolescent past. I felt like watching some music videos this morning, and this is what I stumbled upon. Enjoy!

The Hippy Acid Induced, Cars channeling chaos that is Of Montreal

The unique blend of musical influences that make Of Montreal is quite stunning. You don't know what you are listening to when you first plug in their album "Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer," and it might even take you awhile (as it did me) to absorb, understand and appreciate their style of music.

I downloaded the album on my emusic account last month, and have been trying to listen to it for some time. After much trial and tribulation they eventually grew on me and I love it! I can't get enough! Some of my favorites on the album are Gronlandic Edit, Sink the Seine, Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean, A Sentence of Sorts in Kongsvinger, and Bunny Ain't No Kind Of Rider.

You can listen to Gronlandic Edit below. Try not to pay too much attention to the video. It's a Yellow Submarine, LSD inspired, seizure inducing type of music video.

It gave me nightmares.

This is why it seems impossible to make a living working as an editor

via the Ed2010 Email Newsletter this week...the tear inducing factoids are highlighted in red.

************
Whisper Jobs
************
Ed hears ......that a women's romance magazine based in NYC has an opening for its associate editor position. The associate is responsible for reading all incoming manuscripts, contracting stories, managing all correspondence with writers, and doing some light administrative work. This entry-level position involves a lot of copy-editing, so candidate should have an excellent grasp of the English language and an acute eye for detail. Perfect for a recent college graduate with an English or Journalism degree. The starting salary is $25,000, non-negotiable, with dental and health benefits. Please email cover letter and resume as attachments to gportfolio@dorchestermedia.com. (OK to mention Ed)

For even more jobs, go to http://www.ed2010.com/jobs/whisperjobs or click here.

$25,000 for an Associate Editor's position? How is anyone supposed to pay rent let alone eat, drink and buy cigarettes on that salary? Now I understand why people sell out and become Account Executives.

U.S. Passports, Not Made in the U.S.A.?

"The United States has outsourced the manufacturing of its electronic passports to overseas companies — including one in Thailand that was victimized by Chinese espionage — raising concerns that cost savings are being put ahead of national security, an investigation by The Washington Times has found."

Are you serious? They outsource passports to Thailand? Really?

The Washington Post is doing a three part series on the outsourcing of passports.

You can read the whole gag-inducing tale here.

When did Mitch Hedberg die?

Why wasn't I informed? Mitch Hedberg made my sophomore year of college, how could he die without me ever knowing it happened. What kind of fan am I?

I had discovered his demise from a youtube comment of all things. I thought at first, maybe the commenter was being sarcastic because the clip wasn't some of his funniest lines but then just to be sure I checked his wikipedia page. Sure enough it gave a birth date and death date.

But THEN I thought to myself, Wikipedia isn't reliable. What if someone had changed his info to propagate some sort of prank in which everyone thought he was dead (like tupac and elvis, right?)?

So THEN I went to his website to see his "club dates" and noticed that nothing had been updated since 2005.

It was only until I found the article from the Associated Press about his death that I was convinced.

So I guess I have to concede to the fact that Mitch is dead, and it is sad indeed. Can we all just agree that mixing drugs is a bad business and stay far far away from it?

Image of the Day

Although "Nom of the Day" is more like it.

This is Joseph Gordon-Levitt, he was in 3rd Rock from the Sun and Brick. I've seen him in westwood a few times. Anyways, this is one hot pic and I had to share. You can click on the image for the super-sized version. Go ahead, you know you want to. Or can also see more of Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Claudia Schiffer here.

Oh! Yea, and I also was standing about 2 feet away from James Franco yesterday at Elysee. But that's neither here nor there. Sorry Britta, I didn't give him your phone number.

Au Revoir Stephanie!

So last Friday Boyan and I made the trek all the way to Venice Beach to say goodbye to our dear friend Stephanie, who is moving cross country for bigger and better things in the big apple. Please note that makes 2 friends moving to NYC in one month. No, I'm not bitter. I'm happy for you guys. Really, I am...

We grabbed a drink at James Beach first (I had a Whiskey Highball with Bushmills yum...) and watched UCLA dominate USC in March Madness. Afterwards we headed over to C & O's for some dinner and light political debate (as is always the case with me and Steph). The night ended amicably enough, but Stephanie will be missed.

Now, I know you guys hate my candid photos, but screw you all I think they turned out well.

And Britta, I apologize in advance for the last pic. Love you guys!



Ugg. I take back my previous statement. Britta, could you photoshop my face so that it doesn't look like a pork chop? And maybe paint on a cuter outfit for me?

That's the last time I dress casually to a "dinner-drink" thing for friends. I look like a turd.

I Am Baking Goddess (And you can too!)

Inspired by Nanette, the Cupcake Queen I made cupcakes for our St. Patrick's day potluck. They turned out uber-delicious (although obviously not as delicious as Nanette's) and I thought I'd share them with you!

Some I decorated with Shamrocks, some I added cream filling, some I put extra baileys (yum!) and some I dyed green! Enjoy! I know I did (I ate three, but you know what they say, never trust a skinny chef!)

St. Patrick's Day, Pistachio/Bailey's Irish Cream Cupcakes

You will need:

24 Paper Cupcake Liners, 2 1/2" size

1 Package 18.25 oz Plain white cake mix
1 Package 3.4 oz Pistachio Instant Pudding Mix
1 Cup Ginger ale
1 Cup Veggie Oil
1/2 Cup (or more, depending on how much you like the taste of baileys) of Bailey's Irish Cream
3 Large Eggs
5 drops green food coloring

Directions:

1. Place rack in the center of the oven, pre-heat to 350 degrees

2. Prepare cupcake batter:

-Add together cake mix, pudding mix, ginger ale, veggie oil, bailey's irish cream, eggs and food coloring in large mixing bowl

-Blend mix on LOW for 30 seconds

-After 30 seconds scrape bowl with rubber spatula

-Increase mixer speed to MEDIUM, beat 2 minutes more (Pistachio pudding mix has nuts in it, so the mix will have some bumps)

-Spoon batter into each lined cupcake cup, fill 3/4 full

3. Bake 18-22 minutes, until lightly golden and until they spring back quickly when lightly pressed, Remove and cool

(They will fluff up then fall when they cool--also, when you test them they will be very moist, almost wet looking, this is normal)

4. Cool 15 minutes before frosting

Bailey's Irish Cream Frosting

You will need:

2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream (liquid form in a carton)
Confectioners Sugar
3 Tablespoons (or more...again depending) of Bailey's Irish Cream

Directions:

1. Wash and dry mixing bowl and mixers, place in freezer for 3 minutes or so until chilled

2. Pour cream into chilled bowl and beat with electric mixer on HIGH until cream thickens, 1 1/2 minutes

3. Stop, add confectioners (powdered) sugar (The recipe called for 2 tablespoons but it was not nearly enough. Start with 2 tablespoons and keep adding and beating until the cream thickens to your preference).

4. Fold in Bailey's Irish Cream, at this time you can also put green food coloring if you want green frosting.

You can also choose to put cream filling inside the cupcake
To do this get a small spoon and press halfway into the cupcake making an incomplete square, lift up the cake put cream inside and press cake back down into hole. Do not remove any of the cake.

Good Luck!