Oma's Awesome Shortbread Cookies

Best Shortbread Cookies EVER.

These are best made in the month of December. In large double or triple batches, and decorated w/ Oma's AWESOME Royal Icing.

Ingredients:
1 lb of Butter (if using unsalted, add a pinch of salt too) softened
1 1/4 cup of Icing (Confectioners/Powdered) Sugar
1 Whole Egg
2 Egg Yolks
1 tsp Vanilla Extract (or other extract of your choice, Lemon and Peppermint are tested alternatives)
4 cups flour (with another 1/2 cup standing by for rolling out the dough)

Mix all ingredients together. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until edges start becoming golden brown.
Allow to cool before decorating.


Oma's Royal Icing:
1 lb (one full bag) of Icing/Confectioners/Powdered Sugar
2 Egg Whites
1/4 cup water (standing by to add if needed)
(optional: food coloring, sprinkles/jimmies)

What's in the oven for tonight....

Tonight I've got some major baking to do.

On the docket tonight...
-Baking the Chocolate Chip Biscotti
-Baking the Garlic/Cheese Doggie Biscuits
-Decorating the Gingerbread Cupcakes
-Oma's Shortbread recipe (w/ Lemon extract instead of Vanilla - since I'm running a little low)
-Mexican Wedding Snowballs
-Dipping The Chocolate Cocoa cookies in something minty...may or may not help save these Martha-horrors

Homemade Doggie Treat Recipes

• Peanut Butter Pooch Cookies
• Coco's Cookies
• Cheddar Cheese Garlic Biscuits
• Holiday Delights
  

Is it weird?

Is it weird that I sometimes get frustrated with not being able to read about a single person's whereabouts/thoughts online?

Or that I get angry or disappointed when a single call is not returned?

I think there's something wrong with me.

Some people completely frustrate me. Which is why I should give them up all together, so as not to frustrate my mental state.

Sometimes....sometimes!

Baking up a Storm!

I've been baking up a storm and want to kind of keep track of the recipes that I find online.
Martha's Sugar Cookies


Minty Chocolate Wafers

YUM!

YUM! Pumpkin bread just out of the oven! But it is still too hot to eat.

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade...in the Caribbean?

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Wait a minute...today's Thanksgiving Day? No way...oh, there's the parade, I guess it is.

Bamboozd Wrap Party Part 2

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Bamboozd Wrap Party Part 1

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Band of horses show

I had no idea about this band but so far i dig it. Pretty good just how i like it.

Almost Complete Mission

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Passport Control in Miami

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Well, I didn't take a video of the Passport control area, just the LOOOONG walk across the terminal/concourse in Miami to get to Passport Control.

Leaving on a Jet Plane

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My special-super-secret mission...fly to Miami and back in one day.

PLS to MIA, MIA to PLS

I went to Miami yesterday for a few hours.

We started to run low on Tape Stock, so I had to go and pick some up, because of course no one on the island uses the kind of tapes we do.

I have video proof of my trip, but it's in my video camera that is hanging out in my hotel room. It's not with me in the garage production office.

Jason's Van Art as Admired by the Man who Inspired it...

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My Pseudo-Job Title

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Since my actual job title is "Executive Assistant", when I'm on set here in Turks and Caicos, I wear a few different hats.

-Information Technology Coordinator: When a computer ceases to recognize the wireless signal, or anyone else has other computer-related problems...I'm the one they call on. Setting up wireless networks and ensuring the production has wireless internet available in both production offices.

-Craft Services: Picking up lunch, taking lunch orders, setting up lunch, taking care of snacks and requests

-Release Coordinator: Asking people to sign releases, keeping track of our releases and the release binder.

-Tape Courier: Flying to Miami to pick up Tape Stock, and then back.

-Driver: Driving crew/cast/Executives/Producers around the island

-Production Coordinator: Assisting the Executive in Charge of Production, and Site Line Producer do their jobs. 

Jason's Van Art

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Jason (our Tech Supervisor) takes Washing the Production Van into his own hands, or well...almost.

JZ and Nutrasweet introduce Turks and Caicos

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Lattes Make Me Happy

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Who knew a flavored Latte could make me so happy. mmmmmmmmm

Let me tell you about this Tape Situation

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Working Hard or Hardly Working

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These are the Executives hanging around...while the crew was shooting or lighting.

Murphy's Law

Mur·phy's Law (mûr'fēz) pronunciation
n.

Any of certain humorous axioms stating that anything that can possibly go wrong, will go wrong.

Ah Murphy's Law; that age-old saying that seems to always ring true. Some days it seems that more things than not go wrong. Like today, well...this morning mostly.

One person accidentally overslept, another was missing? And happenstance will have it, we're running out of ink in our inkjet printer. Someone needs to come up with a laser printer that travels well, prints quickly, and faxes or scans. That's what I really need.

Things are shaping up here for us though. Slowly but surely we're embedding ourselves in the garage of this huge house. Folding tables and white rented wedding chairs in all.

Picking up lunch today for 15 different people was a task and a half. The first restaurant wasn't open at Noon...it opened at 3pm. The second restaurant didn't have everything ready until about 30 minutes after I arrived and then they only had 13 of the 15 meals I needed. Hmmm...who's not getting lunch/dinner today?

Tour of the Shore and Ocean

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I took a walk along the white sandy beach before I was due in to work this morning. I thought I looked kind of funny without my bathing suit on, holding my shoes and a video camera in my hands. Don't forget the still camera in my back pocket (photos of flora and fauna to come).

I looked crazy.

The View From My Balcony

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Welcome to the Atlantic Ocean

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This is what the Atlantic Ocean looks like when you're not caught up next to New York City, or Boston, or even Baltimore. This is the clear ocean, the only kind you can get when you're on an island in the middle of the ocean!

Tour of my Royal West Indies Resort Hotel Room

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Take my video tour of my "way-too-big-for-just-me" hotel room. There's a full kitchen!

I think I want to live in this room. 

A Dark Miami Airport

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Sitting on the plane at Miami Airport on the way to Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands. 

Leaving miami

I am on the plane bound for turks! Filling out customs paperwork is fun! Soon i will actually be there. Hopefully i packed the right things thats what i am most worried about.

My new suitcase

I thought i was traveling heavy apparently not. The other crew people had large suitcases stuffed to the brim. We checked about twenty cases of equipment and paid a huge overage charge. But i already messed up and didnt rent tables and chairs when i thought i had! Ugh! And now i am seeing that this will be no picnic on the beach. I will be lucky to see the sunset on the ocean i will be so busy.

Miami airport

Have i already screwed up?

OMG the glass broke!

Yes sometimes i am a pyromaniac

This is what happens when candle wax burns off of burnt matches without a wick. Its been going this strong for about half an hour. I almost wish i had another candle to burn up

Writers on Strike

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The Writer's Guild of America (WGA) is currently on strike. They picket lines started Monday, and caught me quite by surprise. I don't know what I was expecting, but I guess it only makes total sense for them to be outside the Warner Brothers Lot.

What i do sometimes at work

Catching up on my reality shows with one ear on the office

Outside

Outside during the fires in la

a cloudy day in Los Angeles?!

I don't even know what to write here...I've been thinking I should write something.

This past week-ish, it's been mostly cloudy here. Which is odd for Los Angeles, normally, it's bright, sunny, cheerful. Like anyone would imagine Los Angeles, well that's how it normally is.

The first night it was almost raining, I twirled and stretched my arms out. My tongue, up and open to the damp air.

It's kind of refreshing for the weather to reflect my insides. It's not quite sunny, but not quite raining either. A weird mix of in between.

That's probably why I've gone to see a few movies on my own recently. I really need to get myself a chick-flick movie partner, otherwise this might turn into an unhealthy obsession with accumulating AMC movie rewards points. Two more and I get a free small drink!

I think I might start at movie point rating system...Reward Points!

-Becoming Jane: Has begun a new love of James McAvoy. Seriously, ladies...go. see. this. movie. Just because of him. Oh yeah, Anne Hathaway's in it too.
9 out of 10 reward points (7 for James McAvoy + 2 for the chemistry between James & Anne)

-Feast of Love: A decent movie about love at different stages in relationships. Morgan Freeman, still amazing and worthy of a vote for US President, still. Greg Kinnear also, totally sweet and naive as the "nice guy". Don't take your parents to this one...there's nudity...lots of it actually...it comes at you from all angles. A little too much for my liking, but it can be appreciated in a European kind of way.
6 out of 10 reward points

-The Jane Austen Book Club: A chick flick about the original chick flicks, Jane Austen's books. This one takes on themes that originate from Austen's books, putting new modern spins on all of them. Emily Blunt is fantastically French in this movie. A great sister/mother/daughter relationship movie all generations will enjoy. It's The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants for adults. Almost.
6 out of 10 reward points

Knitting to do list...

I'm keeping myself REALLY busy with my knitting...here's what I've got in the works...

1. Finishing up a sweater vest for Heather, it's pinky-purple-ish
2. Starting a sweater vest to match for Madison
3. Black hat with NY Giants logo for my man Big Ben...I think it's going to be This One.
4. Car seat covers to add some spice to my dull Nissan Sentra...more on that later...definitely.

**edited: add...#5. Scarf for Nic, something earthy-toned

random bits of information, at hand

Sometimes you need random information like...
-Ashton Kutcher's Cell #
-Nicholas Cage's Office #
-Fred Durst's E-mail address...personal.

of even

Joey Fatone's home address and phone #.

Sometimes, this place just amuses me.

and back again..

So here I am,
back on this blog. With probably a good month, month and a half between this and my last entry (I'll call them entries).

Things have been busy, working on something like 2 different shows at work. Seeing one of them off to travel and shoot, the other to complete and shoot with me as the one and only Key PA. That was a little scary, but nothing I couldn't handle.

I feel really blessed. Mainly because I feel as if I'm in a really great place in my life. I've got 3 of the best roommates anyone could as for, and we get along like gravy. I just got a new job that I started the day after I interviewed, which was a whirlwind that's come down to me just being bored on my first "real" day. I say that because my actual first day was basically just shadowing the current--scratch that--old assistant, and filling out paperwork.

Today, as my first official day on my own (without Jonathan), I've managed to confirm at least one meeting, still waiting on the next one. And I've updated the calendar with some travel-date information.

While I sit and think about life, love and my own happiness a little tooooo much, I'll leave my lone reader (maybe Courtney, or Tina) with a few articles I'm reading to pass the time.

• Collegespeak: Apparently someone lame came up with adorkable...and it wasn't me.
• Best Week Ever tackles last weeks Office episode
• 
  

Jelly donut

Holy

Holy cow

You know you're in LA when...

You Kow You're From L.A. When...
You're driving on the 101 and see a clear cut definition of where the smog begins and ends

You go to a karaoke bar and battle with seven year old divas-in-training who are trying to steal your thunder

You begin to "lie" to your friends about where you are (i.e. "Yeah I'm like 20 minutes away") - when you know that it'll take you at least an hour to get there).

You eat a different ethnic food for every meal

You look around at the nice cars around you during traffic, thinking it'll be your favorite Laker or WB star.

You make a conscious choice to watch Jay Leno over David Letterman

You know it's best not to be on the 405 at 4:05 pm.

Getting anywhere from point A to point B, no matter what the distance, takes about "twenty minutes".

You've inadvertently learned Spanish.

You've got to bring the cat/plants in when it drops to 55 degrees.

In the "winter", you can go to the beach and ski at Big Bear on the same day.

You've bumped into a celebrity at El Pollo Loco.

You know what "sigalert", "PCH", and "the five" mean.

Your pizza delivery guy is also on contract with Warner Bros.

If your destination is more than 5 minutes away on foot, you're definitely driving.

You have a gym membership because it's mandatory.

Your TV show is interrupted by a police chase.

You can't fall asleep without the lull of a helicopter flying overhead.

When tourists ask where they can get souvenirs, you direct them to Venice Beach.

You know someone named Freedom, Rainbow, Persephone or Destiny.

You've trespassed through private property to get to the "Hollywood" sign.

You've partied in Tijuana at least once.

You know Hollywood has a "lake".

You don't stop at a STOP sign, you do a California Roll.

You've lost your car in the Century City Shopping Center parking lot.

You've ever bought oranges, flowers, cherries or peanuts on a freeway off-ramp.

You think that Venice is a beach.

You drive next to a Rolls Royce and don't notice.

You've started crossing a street and returned to the curb when the DON'T WALK sign started flashing.

You've never listened to NPR.

Calling your neighbors requires knowing their area code.

You have a favorite Thai restaurant.

You think Johnnny Rocket's is an accurate depiction of a diner.

You think Manhattan is a beach.

You eat pineapple on pizza.

You've been to Disneyland more times than Downtown.

When giving directions , you follow up with the phrase: "With/Without traffic."

You classify new people you meet by their Area Code. An "818" would never date a "562" and anyone from "323" or "213" is ghetto/second class. Best area code: "310."

You know that if you drive two miles in any direction you will find a McDonald's or a Starbucks.

Your cell phone has left a permanant impression on the side of your head.

You never, ever go into the water at the Beach. You barely touch the sand.

Everyone you know has 3+ phone numbers. Home, Office, mobile, pager, two-way, voicemail.....

It is not unusual for your waitress at a restaurant to have blue streaked hair, a dragon tattoo and tounge piercing.

You are awakened in the middle of the night by a moderate earthquake. Your reply: "That ain't even a 5-pointer" and go back to sleep.

You think you are better than the people who live "Over the Hill". It don't matter which side of the hill you are currently residing, you are just better than them, for whatever reason.

You live 10 miles from work. It takes you 60 minutes to get home.

Walking out of Jamba Juice, you see that a movie is being shot on-location across the street.

You are not happy, or even slightly exited that there may be a movie star there. You just say, " They f*ckin better not be blocking my parking space."

You have to yell at your bank teller through a 2 inch thick wall of plexi-glass.

That last one goes for your local convienience store man, too.

You go to Las Vegas for a weekend getaway and the whole trip cost you $50.

You personally know at least 5 people with agents.

You personally know at least 3 people who have been in a movie or TV show.

You know what In N Out is and feel bad for all the other states because they don't have any.

You know that not everyone in Beverly Hills is a millionaire.

You've done something on a street corner in an attempt to get money (i.e. sang, tap danced, told jokes).

You've gotten parking tickets from parking in the red zone in front of your house.

You say you live in LA when really you live in a subsection of a subsection of a subsection of southern LA.

Any major movie star is picking out the best portobello mushrooms next to you at the grocers and you don't notice.

The guy at 8:30 in the morning at Starbucks wearing the baseball cap and sunglasses who looks like George Clooney IS George Clooney.

You really can never be too rich or too thin.

The gym is packed at 3pm...on a workday.

The workday starts at 10am...or whenever you get out of your therapy session.

Any invitation comes with, "Starts at 8pm or as soon as you can get through traffic."

You have never met a waiter that wasn't really an "Actor."

You never go to a coffee house without a copy of a script - any script.

It's sprinkling and there's a report on every news station about "STORM WATCH '99"

You call 911 and they put you on hold.

You have to leave the big company meeting early because Billy Blanks himself is teaching the 4:30 tae-bo class.

The three hour traffic jam you just sat through wasn't caused by a horrific 9 car pile-up, but by everyone slowing to rubberneck at a lost shoe lying on the shoulder.

A nurse can look at you in all seriousness and ask, "you don�t drink or smoke, right?"

All the "cool gyms" allow pedestrians on the street a full-view of those working out. Literally, you can�t drive by Wilshire without staring into L.A. Fitness. Perhaps a new form of window shopping?

The waitress asks if you'd like "carbs" in your meal.

Bars card. For real.

You've been passed by a bus at a busstop

You've gone to a store only to realize it's closed (during store hours) for a celebrity to shop

Like, totally, and tight are part of the average teen's vernacular.

You know that "Tight" means awesome (even thought it means angry in NY)

Parts of the beach are closed off to surfers

"Winter" is when it rains a lot

You or someone you know has a pool

You know Hollywood isn't actually glamorous at all

you and everyone else you know wear chucks. and yes, they’re called 'chucks'.

you know what 'spanging' is

diversity is something you’ve actually experienced

you pass at least 5 insane people (that are usually yelling incoherently) every day, and for some reason it would feel wrong if they weren’t there

at every major intersection, someone either tries to sell you something while you’re in your car, or there’s a bum with a cardboard sign asking for money

you keep a bathing suit in your car/purse at all times... just in case

the only extra article of clothing you’ll ever need is your hoodie, and you don’t even own a raincoat

When you know who the bearded man in black spandex rollerblading around third and robertson is.

Every single substitute teacher under the age of 35 is an "aspiring actor." Some over 35 too.

You can easily find a nail shop, fast food spot, or mini mart/ liquor store on every corner, gas station, and/or 7-11 on every corner

You pronounce Rodeo Dr. ro-dee-o or ro-day-o.

You call Target tar-zhay.

You shop at Whole Foods

Jamba Juice, Starbucks, and bagel shops are always in the same shopping center.

It doesn't surprise you to see someone carrying their dog in the grocery store or mall

Its common for dogs to have an outfit with matching hair accessories and nail polish

You hardly know anyone that hasn't had some type of plastic surgery work done.

When Coffee Bean is next to every Starbucks

You actually get these jokes and pass them on to other friends from Los Angeles.

friday's short list

1. NOO!!! I wanted Kathy G! Boooooo...maybe Barbara really doesn't like her...

   
   Never shying away from a woman with a point of view, The View is in the final negotiation stages of making Whoopi Goldberg a full time panelist. According to Variety, the negotiations with Whoopi are ongoing, as well as with standup comic Sherri Shepherd, and ABC could end up making an announcement it has signed both women to the show, which would bring it back up to its original complement of four plus Barbara.

2. Some bad news for NASA continuing missions. Aren't Astronauts super-humans?
   
3. A Note to Politicians...America is made up of Snowmen, embrace it. We're a goofy country. Do you want some votes? Then answer our questions that are presented in a creative way.
4. Marijuana increases risk of being a schizo?
   
5. I need to watch me some Freaks and Geeks.

I'm keeping this a short list for now, until my caffeine kicks in and I wake up a little more.

Thursday's List

1. Courtney and Pat are brilliant geniuses...
   
   




2. 
   It's not my fault I gain some weight. I'll just blame it on my friends!
   
3. David Beckham, not just another soccer player? Or is that a good thing?
4. Time to buy some stock in Apple, Computers!
   
5. The Grammar debate rages on, and on.
6. Another kind of shock and awe in Oakland, CA
7. Photosynthesis is a favorite word of mine to say when speaking about science.
8. Who the hell is Sherry Shepard anyways? I want my Whoopie and Kathy G!
9. In cased you missed it on CNN. Why would you miss Anderson Coop, the man, the mystery...
10. eh...here it is again.
    

Maggie's Top Ten Morning Links

1. Women riding Harley Davidsons? Hellz yeah! That's what I'm talking about. If Harley's were more affordable, sleek, small, and easier to ride I'd totally consider that among my list of brands to look at.
2. Were expectations a little high for the iPhone? Eight million new subscribers? Really? Do you know 8 million people with $500/$600 to blow on a phone? I didn't think so.
3. Watch your iPhone's back! Just because it's an Apple product, doesn't mean it's immune to hacking, or successful hacking.
4. Amazon.com can do no wrong. You wouldn't either if your profits tripled this quarter.
5. BIG, BIG is all they can do for this yellow family of five. Watch for the end of the article...it turns from the Simpsons to Anna Nicole Smith. Smooth USA today, Smooth.
   
6. Is Hilary Clinton funny? How about Obama?
7. Jay Leno makes some cracks at Lindsey Lohan's expense...well hey...she did leave him high and dry, well not so much the dry part.
8. 
   
9. 
   
10. 
    

I'm going to leave these last 3 open for the rest of the afternoon to fill.

To Do list

There are a number of things I've been meaning to blog about here....

• Transformers - Shia Leboeuf, strong female characters, and Optimus Prime
• Hairspray - John Travolta, Zac Efron
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - meh...I saw it in IMAX...with 3d glasses
• Drew Carey/Price is Right - wrong, wrong
• My new Job!
• Victoria Beckham: Coming to America
• America's Next Producer

Oh...annnnd I want to completely change the look of this blog. I think it could be more fantastic than it already is.

Superstar Golfers

After Maryland, Ashley and I hit the road once again and stopped in Nashville (see facebook for photos) and then were off to Texas!

We stayed with my Aunt Karen and her family. And thought we were arriving early enough to stop at their house before a soccer game.


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This visit also involved an early morning trip to a golf course near Waco, Texas for the Starburst Junior Golf Classic to see my Cousin play. The plan was to not make so much noise or make a big fuss about my being there so as not to distract her from playing.



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The Little Twins and an Annika

While on our way out West to Los Angeles and Sunny Southern California, we stopped to visit a few of my relatives.

At my Aunt Monica and Uncle Mark's we spent an overcast (when we arrived) Sunday afternoon at their club's pool. After a while the kids got a little bored in the cold water and to keep the peace and keep them busy, I pulled out my video camera and let them take turns playing the reporter.



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Moving In, Out and On

I've moved...it's official. My zip code is now 91505! I live in Burbank, CA!

More exciting news will come tomorrow, I'm in the process of putting all my videos online from the trip Ashley and I took across the country and across a border. There was a 5 or 6 year-old there to wake us up at every stop that included my family. Well, I guess, except for my own house.

It was action packed. But there's lots of video. I'm thinking I might make a mash-up/music video too to the best parts. For now, the goal is to just get the body of it online and up.

You can watch the progress at this link

http://roadtriptola.blip.tv

I'll post the highlights up here though. Go there for the raw footage I guess.

I have some funny stories to tell...here's to-post list:

• Ms. Kay the Old Time Photographer
• Karaoke (x2)
  
• Annapolis and the Schultz's
• New Jersey and Judy
• Alan Jackson
• Nashville (hotels, karaoke, and bars)
• Golf/Snow Cones/Clubhouses/Ellie-monsters
• Midland, Texas and "The Hold-Up"
• Arizona/New Mexico/El Paso and Riverside-Red-Light
• Redheads and Idaho
• Kathy Griffin
• Carson Daly
• $1 Comedy Shows
• The Getty Center
• $10 Haircuts
• Moving furniture
  
• Temp Agency
• Reality Show
• The Apartment
• The Job Search

I will address all of the above in a later post...or probably in multiple, for now, that's where they are. Some of those I have video/photos of so I'll post that where appropriate. I've just got to get my stuff together and put it all together.

Could take me some time.


Be patient.

What AM I waiting for?

That PostSecret pretty much sums it up here. What AM I waiting for? Why shouldn't I move to the City of Angels and pursue this crazy dream I have of producing TV shows? What's holding me back anymore?

Nothing.

And I'm outta here. I'll be departing on my cross-country adventure on Saturday and I couldn't be more excited (ok...I probably could). It hasn't quite hit me yet. I know it'll be a while before I see my family again (probably like Christmas) but I'm not all teary about it or anything, I mean I have left them before. And I've always come back. They'll be fine. I know it. But I'll pray for them just in case.

Tonight, it's off to Canada to visit my Grandparents and to see some family. After that, we're picking up Ashley at the Train station and leaving. She's not staying out in California (yet), but she'll be traveling with me, which I am VERY excited about.

This is a trip we've been talking about since we were in Middle School, which is pretty ridiculous. I think it is anyways.

Ok...I've probably got to go and pack the car.

I bought a nifty little digital web camcorder, so I'll podcast some stuff here. Be on the look out for links to Videos of my travels. :)

Peace out for now.

Humbling Experience

I graduated from College last weekend.

And while I'm proud of what I've accomplished, I can't help but be humbled by how so many people have helped get me where I am today.

It takes a village to raise a child and I am indebted to all of them for giving little pieces of themselves. Little seeds that have grown into the larger whole of my person.

People like my High School AP History teacher who made me work hard for that A. My AP English and Literature teachers whom I loved and taught me how to search for a deeper meaning in everything.

My Broadcast and Band Directors in High School who never let me settle for second best.

The College professors that opened my mind to whole new disciplines of study, like Anthropology, Theatre, Acting, Sociology, Writing, Music and others.

Professors for my minor course of study, especially Anne Applin, who encouraged me as a female in the field.

Professors in my major course of study that showed me I did have a passion for it, like Sue, T-Nick, Nonas, Meghan, and Johanns.

My extended Aunts and Uncles and cousins who always lent support, and let me make a few videos of them.

My friends who have given me pieces of them as they have come and gone, in and out of my life. Those really awesome great friends who have done nothing but been positive forces in my life.

My less-than-extended family, like Aunt Karen, Oma, Opa, Grandma, Grandpa who had major impacts on my life and I couldn't tell you how much ya'll have meant to me.

How could I forget my Parents? My siblings? I feed off of these people. It has been really humbling for me, to see exactly how they all are responding to helping me achieve my goals.

It's not an easy thing, you know, to move out to a new city, to the complete opposite coast/ocean from 95% of your family. But I am thankful that they are all so supportive and I feel like I might be ready to take this leap.

I think this village has done well by me. I think I could be ready to let the real world take me on.

So thank you.
Need to raise a child? Need me as part of your village? I'll be there in a heartbeat.

Another jem...ok really...I'm going to work on this paper now...

Here's one more ...and then seriously, I'm going to work on this paper. Really.

Bob Saget + Conan O'Brian + San Francisco = procrastination

This is great...you've got to watch it.



Conan out on the street is just the funniest thing ever. He's in his element. I was never a huge fan of his monologues...mainly because he sways so much and I get seasick watching him. But this is what he should do instead of monologues...in my opinion. ;)

enjoy another you tube goody.

Zach Braff on The Tonight Show

This guy (Zach Braff) is pretty much 12 years old in this interview. It's kind of amazing, while also hilarious at the same time. And boy...I want to watch reality tv with him. haha

May Sweeps Stunt #1

Tonight it was...

How I Met Your Mother

Sweeps Stunt #1...

Bob Barker.
He's retiring and he's just so hot right now.
Barney (played by Neil Patrick Harris) is convinced that Bob Barker is his biological father. He decides its time to tell reunite with his father on nationally syndicated television and practices TPIR endlessly to achieve the perfect game. Hilarity ensues...but no mothers are found...yet

6 hours worth of reflections in 6 minutes...

So I went home this weekend. Which was fun, and pretty uneventful in itself.

But, to me, what was eventful was what I did with myself over the 5 and a half hour drive from Upstate New York to Mid-Massachusetts. I listened to NPR podcasts. Newsmagazines, most e-mailed stories, the interviews from the day, a quiz show even, and one thing I noticed...it really kept my brain active. Once I arrived in Massachusetts I felt so much more learned and much more up on current events than I had in a long time.

Something was different, I felt than the news reports or news magazine shows on television. These reporters and interviewers could create a completely different world. I felt so much more a part of the worlds for each individual story than I really can say I have for any television story I've seen.

With a television news report, there's the video, which I think we can tell, because it's not our own eyes, that we have absolutely no control over it. We can only see what the camera shows us. But I think with a radio news story or a podcast one, the audience gets a chance to imagine the scene a little more fully. It becomes more vivid in our imaginations than a story in print because of the sounds and descriptions come to life in the voices of those that lived something tragic, extraordinary or fantastic.

That's what hits hardest to me. I can imagine the scene that envelopes my person as a whole, while a television image is flat and 2 dimensional.

So do your ears a favor.

Download an NPR Podcast

my favorites:

-NPR: Day to Day
-NPR: Fresh Air
-NPR: Most E-mailed Stories

click on the title

Click on the title of this post and scroll down...you will not be disappointed.


A little fancy editing and you have the brilliance of Oprah vs. Tom Cruise.

Thank you Best Week Ever.

Another reason to love Alanis

Need a bed time story or a live version of a song?

Sooo...I found a few gems of websites this evening...and well, this week.

First.
http://lullabyes.net/blog/

This guy sees a few shows in Texas and posts his own live recordings of them. I downloaded KT Tunstall, Matt Wertz and Justin Rosolino. There's lots of other stuff there too, some old old John Mayer stuff, along with Of Montreal, Rilo Kiley too.

Second.
http://www.archive.org

There are TONS of Matt Wertz shows up for downloading. It's ridiculous. I downloaded the most recent Dave Barnes show I could (it's from 2005...but what they hey). Lots and lots and lots of other stuff. There's a whole archive dedicated to Grateful Dead live recordings.

Third.
http://librivox.org/

This is an archive of audio books that are in the public domain. Come here for a bedtime story from the Brothers Grimm or else...Dante? Homer?

Matt Wertz and I'm embarrassed like whoa

I have severely been neglecting this particular blog...I sincerely apologize.

Just like I apologized to Matt Wertz on Myspace for my almost-drunk-but-a-little-too-excited behavior...here's how it went.

Hey Matt,
I don't know if you are the one that actually checks this myspace...but what the hell. I don't know if you remember me or not, but again...what the hell?
I was the girl in green from Texas that talked about how we were supposed to have an interview. Upon waking up the morning after that show, I was thoroughly embarrassed about my somewhat drunken behavior on Tuesday night. So, I wanted to apologize first of all, and second of all thank you for being nice to me regardless of how ridiculous I was.

Well...I'm a DJ and webmaster and keeper of the podcast for VIC Radio, Ithaca College's premiere (well...to us) Internet radio station (www.vicradio.org). We love your stuff and we're currently spinning "The Way I Feel".

We were trying to set up an interview for on-air purposes as well as our podcast. If you're at all interested or have time, let me know and we'll find time to do it over the phone or something.

-Maggie
(Green/Texas/Ithaca/Interview-type person)

I seriously doubt he'll write back...he's a busy guy and he's got lots of tour dates. But it's worth a shot...I'd still like the interview, regardless.

Review of Castaways Show 4/3/07
Jon McLaughlan
I'll be honest...I didn't listen to much of this guy. I don't think I really paid a lot of attention, well at least not while he talked between songs, mainly because I didn't realized until my sister in Connecticut told me that he was the Free Single of the Week on iTunes. Dude...this guy's going places. He's signed to Island Def Jam (Hanson's former label) and they're starting to push the guy marketing wise, he's up for voting on AOL's page as a "New Music Breaker" or something like that, and he's on iTunes.

Dude.

His album doesn't even come out until May 1st. For a whole month! Which artists do you know were getting press and a push a month beforehand? Not many, unless they're decently good, which Jon is. He's great. Nice guy too. Really nice guy. Even if I was a bit buzzed from the 2 beers I had, he treated me nicely and even took a picture with me! YAY!

So keep an eye out for this guy. He's going to be the next James Blunt...but I'm going to hope for a less annoying song and more staying power.

Thennn (the extra Ns are necessary) there was what I had been waiting for...

MATT WERTZ!

I'm going to tell you this was an amazing show. Even from the start it was. And I'm not just saying that because I got a bit tipsy at it either. Matt rocked the house. He had a band (which I wasn't expecting) and Jon McLaughlan took over the keys for his band and sang, which was great!



He seriously rocked our faces off. Or...well...mine anyways.

I loved the renditions of "The Way I Feel" and "5:19" he did. Fantastic...the end. LOOOVED it.

If you haven't heard much of Matt go to his website, now. This is an order. www.mattwertz.com
or
myspace/mattwertz



I went and talked to Matt after his set and he was super nice. He remembered that I had shouted "Texas" at him...

He said that he was glad that someone knew his music in Ithaca. Uh...duh...he rocks...everyone should know about him.

So...dear Matt...thank you for a great show.



thennn....

STEPHEN KELLOGG AND THE SIXERS!

I knew I had seen this band before...I didn't really remember them. I remembered them playing and it being a rockin' fun good time. But I had no idea it was such a rockin' good time listening to this band playing a show!

Drop whatever you're doing now...and go see this tour. IT"S AMAZING. These guys put on a show like no other. There was a song with multiple quotes from such movies as Wedding Crashers, Anchorman, etc.



There was also a section where the guys came down into the audience and played a song semi-acoustically surrounded by a circle of us that kind of resembled a break-dancing circle...you know. You know what I'm talking about. Yes...you've been to that Middle School dance.



Whatevs...good show.

Go see this if you're in an area they're traveling to. It's totally worth it. Trust me.


And Jared Campbell came and hung out. I'll blame him for one of the 2 drinks that got me semi-plastered that night.

Maggie + some alcohol + little dinner + awesome concert = a little too loud for her own good