Gasp. I Like a Kelly Clarkson Song. And, Is That A Grande Or Venti ?

Howdy, fine readers and GENTLE readers:


Much to my disbelief, I really like a Kelly Clarkson song. I am waiting for the alarm to subside.
As I just
discovered,
it is called Mr. Know It All.

I can't help emitting a subtle "Yeah! YOU GO GIRL," When she states, "That's Why I'm Leaving You Lonely, Lonely."
THEN I say, "Yeah! SING IT, KELLY!!" until whoever is around me stops staring at me.

Perhaps I Am Becoming Anti Starbucks

I visited a Starbucks store today.
I have not been there in a while... (In fact, Starbucks is not what it was in its heyday of 1997 or 1998.)

Ha ha. The picture is not really from Starbucks.

I paid $4.60 for a medium drink. Pretty high for a silly little "iced coffee."

So I will just address the store directly. Starbucks: you seem to be the last "refuge" for people who want desperately to look cool while on a laptop.

Also, a bunch of people were chatting in separate intimate conversations.
I could not tell if they were ACTUALLY doing something important, or if they each were lucky enough to have the glow of looking cool.

As I zig zagged through the outdoor tables, not making eye contact on purpose (I wasn't one of them!), I found myself thinking, "am I now Anti Starbucks?" I am not sure.
But, at least I know how to say "grande" and "venti."

Coldplay has a new album. Please buy, or expect future reprimands.
Goodbye,

Alice

or, north dallas homegirl

My Poor Face, And God Bless Jessica Simpson's Poor Child

It's Wednesday, and that mean's it's time for some wildly unimportant news.

Jessica Simpson is pregnant.

God bless that poor child.

Part 1. Am I Too Culturally Sensitive
The following is not meant to offend anyone. But, as usual, I tell it like it is.

I stopped at a nail salon today. My intention was to mostly get EYEBROWS waxed. The salon is called "Envy." It is on Preston Road in lovely Dallas.
"Tina" did the waxing, if you can call it that. She had a strong accent and not a firm grasp of the English language.

Not only did I get the eyebrows and one other area that I wanted waxed... Tina poured wax on the lower half of my face... places where I do not even have hair.. she created a thick wall of wax, like an unnecessary TORTUROUS mask.

We were having a small conversation (am I married? No) and for some reason I was afraid of offending her, or maybe of being a self-righteous english speaker. If not, I would have sat up on the uncomfortable waxing table, pointed at my face, and said "NO! Don't Wax Here!" (Followed by me pointing).
"WAX HERE!" (Please visualize me pointing again). Maybe that would have made a better blog post !!
Darn my cultural sensitivity.
Also: during my trip to the nail salon, I overheard a woman... possibly in her late 30s, I am being generous, and with very big hair... speaking about a guy she met online who ended up blowing her off. Apparently they "went on a couple dates" then they "texted" and then all of a sudden he was nowhere to be found. According to the Big-Haired Blabber, she texted him on Friday, then on the following Sunday, he wrote or contacted her and said,

"I got my phone wet on Friday. I am just going through all of the messages now."

Despite the annoying big hair, I found myself being mildly (and I emphasize "mildly") sympathetic. Why is this such common behavior for some men? Do guys have a disturbing handbook called The Art Of The Perfect Blowoff?

More to the point, WHO GETS THEIR PHONE WET ?
Well the above was a true story.

Check out this blog by Stephanie Klein.

Believe it or not, Young Readers... her blog was the first inspiration for me to start blogging.


Stay loose. Stay Hungry and Stay Foolish,

Alice
or

n.d.h.

Just the other day

Just the other day.
My cousin, Rafael, age 29, a fan of the blog, said something interesting and blog-worthy.

"Can you spontaneously rap?"

I pondered for a minute, then said,

"No, Not really!"

I don't know where the "not really" came from.

Actually, I cannot spontaneously rap AT ALL.

I viewed a movie recently, called Margin Call.See this movie. The movie shows how a large Wall St. firm falls to its grave.

My
Summary: I like movies that encourage you to think. If actor Paul Bettany isn't enough... just go see the movie because you will have something new to think about.

Yours Truly,
(and please please check out THE MAGNET PROJECT ).

Alice

(ndh)

Sponsored by Q Tips.

Reboot? Start Over? Go Ahead. What You Need Is An Intervention Girl

--Preface--

This link is good for rejuvenating your life ( I have not figured out all it's uses yet, however, I know that women have many reasons for wanting to REBOOT their lives... therefore I am sharing. REBOOT Away.) Kick Ass Here.

goodnight.. may you worship Kim Kardashian.

(NO, please don't.)

Alice

... ndh

From "Reality Show" To Reality Blog.

As a self sacrificing gesture to the readers of the blog,

I attended the Casting Call for The Real World, season 27 in Dallas.

News 2 You: The blog is really a Reality Blog.

In light of that... I am posting a picture from the Casting Call today at a local "Hooters." I secretly and sleuthfully took this picture :

The picture was skillfully taken about 10:30 a.m. The girl in the blue dress told me, "I'm not doing this!!!!!!!!!! I just came with a friend."
It is totally fine, to NOT try out for the Real World ... as I said, I did it as an experiment for the blog ... but why was she wearing that dress?
The restaurant was not even open.
She could not even get some wings.

Another fun photo...
At the Guadalajara, Mexico, airport:
your choices to eat are the Very American ... California Pizza Kitchen, and next to it, Johnny Rocket's.
Something does not compute.


Yours truly, if you read this blog,

(Also, more to come...)

Alice
(ndh)

A Series Of Sentences, Which Will Allow You To Have A Fretful Amount Of: Fun

My preface is please do not forget to go to The Magnet Project. It is my 'other' page, which raises awareness about homelessness.
It is also located on the right hand column of the page.

Hello:

A Thrilling Update from the file, My Traveling News: I recently traveled to Mexico and as such, was required to pass through security at the Dallas airport.

While there, I was required to pass through the Explosive Detecting Booth (My words, not the Transportation Security Administration's)... which looks both scary and disconcerting.

As I stood awkwardly in the contraption, a jovial T.S.A. agent, who was in his 30s, instructed me to: "Put your hands up like a:


ballerina."
It just made me feel more awkward. I am wondering if it is the T.S.A. agent's favorite line, and if he uses it 700 times a day.

In other news... I visited a restaurant in Guadalajara, Mexico. I was in a large group. We had an over-attentive waiter:

His name is Abraham. Due to his waiter-ing skills, he even took away a couple of items that I STILL NEEDED.
However, he let me take his picture... and laughed when I said I would not post the picture on facebook.

Finally... last Saturday (the 8th) was the big University of Texas / University of Oklahoma football game. As evidence, witness the skating rink at the Galleria mall in Dallas :

(Kids, skate over the team you hate the most!!!! Don't skate over the other team.).
Every year I go through the same thing. Should I pretend like I care???
While not a difficult decision, this year I decided not to care too much about EITHER team.

While I saw ... to my dissatisfaction, mobs wandering proudly in their school colors, I was not a big fan of either mob.

In Music Highlights... I am re-visiting a Beyonce classic album, the one which contains "Crazy In Love."

Goodnight,
Have a "badass" night ...

Alice, or (n.d.h.)

Foster The People And Foster Your Love For This Blog. Thanks...Gentle Readers

GENTLE READERS:

Part 1."Sinkie" news.

I first reported HERE about an African man who works at an area Chevron who was also speaking Spanish one day (BTW ... I was only making the point that it was a little unexpected that he quickly said "veinte en once," or "$20 on Pump 11," not saying he was not smart or could not learn)...
Well, ANYWAY, I stopped at the same Chevron recently and saw "Sinkie" again (he is probably in his 60s). (Picture to come!).
I asked if he spoke Spanish... he shook his head: Sadly, no he does not. But, Sinkie said he knows the basics. He said he is from Ethiopia, and, asked if I knew where that was. I said yes. Because I go there regularly.

Part 2.
I recently mumbled about this band. Here they are seen, sitting: Indian Style

Foster The People.

I just found out as of late, the song that I wrote about liking, "Pumped Up Kicks," is actually about a shooting rampage.

While this greatly bugs some, and sticks in their craw or craws, I think the group from Los Angeles did it to Foster Understanding.

Part 3.You may go to this hot, and sweaty group of concerts.

I am sorry for my tardiness in talking about this. Austin City Limits Music Festival was held, I think, on Sept. 16, 17, and 18. I did not go, but Eckhart, a "random guy I know," went to the festival.
Some musical acts that he witnessed were Foster The People (again!), Kanye West, and Stevie Wonder. He said that Stevie Wonder seemed like he was getting annoyed at the crowd, for not singing along.

Part 4.
The author of the book, "North Dallas Forty"Peter Gent, has just died recently. While Peter Gent was obviously way ahead of me in using North Dallas as a theme... that annoys me a little... you should still check out the book, circa 1973.

Part 5.

There is now a Selena stamp.

I think it is a new issue for 2011...

YAY! And I mean this,for real.

goodbye,
Alice

Here is a poem I saw on a documentary while on vacation, in 2008:

Calm Down
What Happens
Happens Mostly
Without You.

Author Unknown.

A Classic Post

Dear All,
Here is my very first blog post.

A review of Black Tie Dynasty (Now defunct?? Not really sure) at a place in Austin, The Parish.

I am highly embarrassed at my use of the word "fave" and shortening the word definitely to "def."

Thank you, to my 2 readers

in Morocco.

Alice

(ndh)

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Black Tie Dynasty at The Parish


Okay, typing this for the third time...

"Cory Watson's hot," someone shouted during Black Tie Dynasty's set at The Parish July 21 on Sixth Street in Austin. I believe dees ees called stating the obvious.

There was nothing unusual about BTD's set in Austin--except for how few people were there. There was a good crowd--its' not like the place was bare--just not as many as there would have been at a Dallas show. Where's the love, Austinites????????? Cory, Brian, Blake and Eddie put on a good show. Not bad for a band that grew out of humble beginnings at a Lewisville sports bar. They had a few core fans in the front (incl. me) screaming their asses off; they also had some cool-looking fans in the back just taking it all in.

The crowd was a good mix--both trendy Austinites and preppy-looking guys and gals made an appearance. Hal Samples was snapping individual and group photos which he later put on his web site.

Back to the show: the band played mostly songs from their latest album, "Movements." Blake McWhorter played bass like there was no tomorrow. Most fans in the front seemed like longtime fans who had come specifically for the show. The ones in the back had yet to know BTD's greatness.

Shanghai 5, who went on right before BTD, had a few good songs. I had never seen them before. Their music was sort of fun, blues-y and ballad-y all at once. I took a business card with their myspace page on it but was too cheap to buy the album.

The Tah Dahs, who went on right before Shanghai 5, were goofy and silly. I don't remember too much about the act itself--I was too busy looking at lead singer Roy Ivy's sexy chest.

I had a blast at the show--my fave cut during BTD's set was "Tender." I would def. visit The Parish again--its a great place to worship your favorite artist.

NDH