My summer obsession

So, last summer I became unapologetically obsessed with "So You Think You Can Dance" (is anyone surprised?). Mia Michaels (one of the choreographers) has always been hit or miss for me, but I was blown away by her, and, of course, the dancers last night with a piece that represented the devastation of addiction. Don't get me wrong, I still love Jeannine and Phillip, but, for me, this was the best dance of the season so far.

If you don't watch this show, WATCH THIS SHOW. Hailey and I have perfected the ability to watch the entire show in less than 45 minutes, so it's not even a time commitment. And it doesn't make you feel dirty when you watch it, like Dance Your Ass Off or NYC Prep. Or, you know, Daisy of Love...but that one is totally worth it.

Happy Birthday America: You're fat.

I don't usually soap-box about these things, but I find it completely unacceptable that I live in a state that is ranked 37th in adult obesity (not great, but not horrible) but 18th in overweight and obese children. We as a society can continue to create and watch shows such as "The Biggest Loser," "Dance Your Ass Off," and "More to Love," we can continue to poke fun at the dangerous direction our nation is heading, but we CANNOT ignore the health threat this poses to those who can't make educated choices. If an adult wants to have an extra piece of cake or an extra bucket of fried chicken, that is their prerogative. But the idea that these habits are being passed on to children without the OPTION of fresh fruits and vegetables is, I believe, a national tragedy.

This is not an aesthetic issue, it's a health issue. It's not just that future generations will look like the human beings in Wall-E...it's that those people attached to their motorized chairs will also have heart disease and type II diabetes by the time they are 20. It's not a future that I want to imagine.

I realize that I am either preaching to the crowd or to those who won't have to worry about teaching their children proper dietary habits for many years to come, but I just needed to vent. Sadly, beyond teaching our own children (or children with whom we have regular contact) healthy habits, there doesn't seem like there is much we can do individually to solve this problem. Unless someone wants to help me green light a "Dance Your Ass Off: Children's Edition." Something makes me think that Fox would pick it up.

Update!

Ok, so I've been lame lately, but I don't really feel like writing a blog post to catch up. So, here is a list of some awesome things that I've done in the last few weeks, and I will try to get back to the witty social commentary soon.

1. Finding a new apartment! Finally a big girl and living on my own (well, as of July 16th). And I'm moving to Queens, so I get some street cred ;-)
2. Drinking in a canoe in Seattle, Washington (and seeing some of my favs on the West Coast!)
3. Hiking to the top of this waterfall
4. Getting back in the SYTYCD groove. LOVES (favorite dance so far):

Every New Yorker's Dream (or nightmare?)

Well, you know you've made it big when a party you helped put together is kind of mentioned on Page 6. I now feel like I, vicariously, have also adorned the pages meant for Madonna and the Real Housewives of NYC.

How's that for Odd Day?

Happy Odd Day!

Well, I can't mention Pi Day without giving a shout out to Odd Day (5/7/09) as well!

I haven't done anything Odd yet today, but I'll work on it and keep you updated!

Have any of you found an interesting way to celebrate being Odd (come on math people, I know you are out there!!)?

So I would be king...if the world was crazy

As a professed hypochondriac, even I can't really understand why everyone is so worried about what is essentially the same flu we each get once a year (I know, I know, there are intricacies...but 331 cases out of 6 billion people? There is a much better chance that I will be stuck by lightening! Hm. Note to self: purchase lightening rod.).

But I'm going to roll with it. I like to be organized, so I've helped to create a contingency plan. I'll avoid the subway as much as possible by imbibing enough alcohol (which kills germs!) to make paying for a cab a good idea (swine flu vs. recession?). I'll also do my best to track down this (adorable, yet disgusting) small child. It's the least I can do.

Fight or flight

This weekend I took a trip back in time. I spent two lovely days in Lewisburg, doing all of the things I loved to do in college -- walking to the Freez, enjoying a few beers at the Bull Run, and wandering aimlessly around Arts Fest while soaking in a beautiful Pennsylvania day. Absolutely zero stress.

Fine, I'm remembering college with rose colored glasses (it's finals time, right?). But New York punished me for letting my guard down just the same.

The worst part is, it led me into a false sense of security. I had a delightful walk through the park and a picnic dinner when I returned home after my lazy Pennsylvania weekend. "Maybe New York can offer me the same relaxation as Central PA," I foolishly thought.

Nope. First off, I wake up to find (forgive me, I've been ignoring the news this weekend) that I have willingly returned to the scene of a Stephen King novel. We all know how well I deal with any sort of medical scare, and at the height of allergy season, my crazy is on high alert.

Couple this with the fact that someone thought it would be an excellent idea to pilot a low flying jet plane around lower Manhattan this morning. Without informing anyone. This may seem odd to those outside the city, but we are a paranoid people. The last time Will Smith filmed a movie in New York, half the town was calling 911 over helicopters surrounding the Brooklyn Bridge. We will go "War of the Worlds" on your ass if we aren't informed of these things several times, with many well posted signs. Needless to say, the building across the street from mine was evacuated this morning. All because someone wanted a photo op of an Obama-less Air Force One.

So thank you, New York, for returning my adrenal glands to their previous gigantic size. I don't know what I would have done if I had to survive one more day of being completely relaxed.