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

I'm going to break this stuff up into two separate entries.

But...

You've got to watch this first.



And then read this...
Ithacan Blog About it

Ok...now I can talk about it.

There are two reasons this whole thing offends me.

1. The news coverage attached to it. Dear Fox 61...you are channel 61 for goodness sake...why do you have a newscast at all?! No one does news coverage past channel 21! Even if you have American Idol...you've lost the ratings war. You are NEVER going to be the number one station in your market. No one can find you between Spike and HGTV.

But that's not all. They have to go and suck at their jobs. Have these people never seen the news before? They could really learn something. Here are my lessons for you Fox 61 and Eric Zager...pay attention.

1. Headroom -- that means, when interviewing someone...leave an inch or two above their head on the screen.

2. Reading Quotes -- actually read what's on the screen why don't you?! "Benefits" does NOT equal "Beautifies"

3. Lady Walking down the hall --Where the hell is she supposed to be? Did you shoot this package in a prison? Why are all the walls white everywhere? Wow....she turned a corner, I'm going to go to her when I'm sexually assaulted. C'mon. Show her at a computer, show her consulting someone or sorting her brochures.

4. Interview Over-the-Reporter's Shoulder shot-- what the hell? Mr. Reporter, excuse me... Mr. Eric Zager...your tripod is too low. There are a few things wrong with this shot. Namely, you are too big in it, your tripod is set too low. Two, the editor is too small in the frame, it belittles him. Granted...he should be belittled, but it's not your place to put visual judgement on him.

5. Another things about this interview...get him to take out his gum. He's smacking it too much.

6. And lastly...cut out the "ummmmmm....uhhhhhs" geez whiz

Special.

Now the 2nd reason this offends me.

Dear Mr. John Petroski and Mr. Mark Rowan...you disgust me.
Have you ever seen Law and Order: Special Victim's Unit? Have you ever known anyone who was raped? Do you have any idea about what that means? Have you noticed that in parts of the world there are people, currently...as I write this, that are using Rape as a weapon of war and fear??

I feel that if you understood these things you wouldn't have chosen such a topic to be "satirical" about. And your piece, I read it, it wasn't all that satirical.

Not that I'm an expert, but I looked up what it's supposed to be...

satire |ˈsaˌtīr| noun
the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues. See note at wit .
• a play, novel, film, or other work that uses satire : a stinging satire on American politics.
• a genre of literature characterized by the use of satire.
• (in Latin literature) a literary miscellany, esp. a poem ridiculing prevalent vices or follies.

The thing is...for some people in this world I think what you wrote was a true opinion. For some twisted, sick people in this world, that's ok. That's not a necessarily ridiculous thought or really even an exaggeration of anything, that's how some people think. They think that rape is ok. It's ok, this girl's ugly anyways.

That is where your piece lacks serious consideration on your part, as a writer and as an editor.

I think the thing that makes satire, satire, is the absolute ridiculousness of it. Your thoughts on that page, really, aren't that ridiculous. Period. Likening yourself to Jonathan Swift is absolute ludacris (not the rapper, the adjective). The difference between you and Swift is that Swift's "Modest Proposal" to the Irish was completely ironic. No one in their right minds, as far as I know, was actually eating their own babies or selling them as stew. Whereas, rape happens, the attitude you portrayed in your article I know all too well as a female college student. As the news story from Fox 61 (God Help them) stated 1 in 5 college females are raped in their college career. While I may not be one of them, I know a great deal more than 5 other women.

That is where your article cuts deep.

If anything, you only made fun of women who are raped and further objectified and cut further into psychological and emotional wounds that may never fully heal. Post-tramatic Stress Disorder is on the rise in this country, not only because of soldiers coming back from war, but because of hatred, sex crimes, and horrific events I can't even begin to describe. You'd do well to not add to the misery this world can bring.

I suggest that you, yourself, Mr. Petroski, visit a therapist and talk to them about your own issues on this subject. Or visit a support group for those that have been raped, and see for yourself.

What I watched tonight

The Office Season 1 DVD, all of the commentaries...and I mean all of the commentaries

---

My computer broke. Well...I broke my computer. I managed to spill Hot Tea all over it, so it's making sounds and doesn't do anything past making a low whirring sound. So I have to send it into Apple to have them fix it. This might take a little while, so I won't be updating as much as I have been.

The spontaneity of my posts will be lost. I usually write whenever I get bored or I need to vent or come across something hilarious, so unless I'm sitting in a computer lab and that happens...this will be a lot less spontaneous.

I also have some weird music on my iPod that I wouldn't normally have on there, but for some reason I'm crazy. So now, I'm stuck with what's on there until I get my computer back. Which means I can't really listen to my podcasts. I'm going to miss them...ahhhh babies come back.

In other news...
Steels and I (plus Pat) went to Jared Campbell's last show at his old church in Endicott. It was awesome. We taped it for our Video Workshop project, and I think it went pretty well. I was the backstage camera, and Steeley did the stationary performance camera. It was really dark in some of the backstage areas. I had to get creative about finding my angles. There were a few spots where he was standing that I could get him against one of the screens on the stage, so he was backlit in blue. I hope it translates well on the tape, because it looked pretty cool from where I was standing.

We're meeting up with Jared, and I think Meridee too sometime later this week. No word yet when, but shouldn't be a problem.

I should see if we can edit any of the footage yet.

Classes started today...YAY for school. Advanced Web and Acting should be the only really difficult classes I'm taking. Well...besides Workshop.

But off to Park!

What I watched tonight

SuperTroopers

The Office

Scrubs Re-runs

Scrubs Primetime

30 Rock

I Love NY

---

So it's my friend's birthday today, and I am a horrible person and I started getting jealous of all the Happy Birthdays he had on his facebook wall. And then...I went and counted the ones that I had had on my birthday, and I damn well near came close. Look at that.

I thought I was this horrible person, but maybe not so much. Kick youself out of it, girl. Kick, kick. Done. Out...no more negativity. This will be a positive final semester of fun.

the end.

What I watched tonight

No Direction Home: Bob Dylan Documentary...well, we fast forwarded through the middle of it. Research for Video Workshop.

American Idol...the last 15 minutes or so. I probably only saw the people they were hyping up for the first 45 minutes of the show.

Boston Legal...always hilarious, and for some reason, I love Craig Bierko. I don't understand exactly why...but he's awesome.

Campus Ladies...meh...i wasn't as amused as I thought i would be. Maybe it was just too hyped by Court. Maybe I didn't see the right episode. I did see Rob Riddle(?) though. He's good.

Fashion Police: Golden Globes. Even though I didn't actually watch the Golden Globes, it's good to catch up for the Fashionista in me.

---

I knit a lot tonight. I finished one of Courtney's socks though...and I kind of love it. I love the color work I've done. I'm just proud of it. I think I've come a long way from the crazy-ridiculous sweater I made for Amanda forever and a day ago. For now, I like the more instant gratification something small like socks (although there are two to make which can be troublesome), scarves, headbands and hats.

It's kind of special...me and my knitting. I'm realizing that I haven't really learned how to practice at anything. I want to learn so many things, but I have little to no drive to actually practice them. I want to learn how to play guitar better, but I don't push myself to practice. I want to sing better, but I don't practice. I'm not studying any of those things. But maybe it's a good thing, because what I am practicing right now is how to be a student. I am good at that, as my grades from the past semester show. I can handle that responsibility.

I'm hoping that I can learn to practice more. I need to not focus on the instant gratification anymore. I'm taking more interest in knitting gauges. For you non-knitters, gauges help you determine sizing, finding out how many stitches you knit per inch is important in deciding how many stitches you need to make a whole hat that will fit a 24 inch head, or to fit around a sweater or something like that. It's very important for sweaters and other tops. I just need to do a little better at the practicing part, outside of knitting or school.

I really want to learn guitar, but I'm not going to get any better if I continue to only pick it up once every 3 months. I should ask Rebecca about her practicing strategies. She's a piano major, she's got lots and lots of practicing to do, maybe she can help a little. I think I just don't know how to approach it all. Hopefully, she can help me come up with a plan.

We'll see.

What I watched tonight

nothing...haven't watched TV today...

---

I am just bad at being aloof and mysterious. I should just give up now...I can't do it.

Bedtime.

Remember when I used to use the word Figilicious....that was special. It kind of looks like refridgerator, but different. Ok...it's 3am and I should really be sleeping. Tomorrow's yet another day, for watching EVERYTHING on the DVR. ;)

Lots of catching up to do.

Broke in Gogal's hot tub tonight. It's pretty much pimp. I'm jealous. Love that guy.

sleeeeeeep

I'm blogging to you this evening from the Hostelling International New York Hostel on Amsterdam Avenue. YAY!

It's pretty exciting. The girl on my right has an Australian accent and the boy to my left has a british one. I'm pretty sure that the girl on the bunk above me is from the UK. Sweetnesss...maybe I can make some new friends. That'd be nice.

Today I took the Commuter Train into Boston and then walked right onto the Fung Wah bus. It's good timing, is all. I waltzed right past a lot of forlorn looking people in the line for the Greyhound bus to NYC right to the eager arms of the Fung Wah girls already ready with change for my $20 bill. It's pretty fantastic like that.

Once I got on the bus and was being driven on the Manhattan Bridge into Manhattan itself, I realized...oh no...where am I going? I whipped out my subway maps and found out that there is more than one way to skin a cat...but I think I found the right way. It just took me a few trains to get uptown to my hostel and welcoming bed.

I had just enough time to get settled and stuff my suitcase into my locker before I headed back downtown to Midtown Manhattan. I was on a mission, to find a certain Diane...from Jersey. So off I went, searching, searching for that elusive subway station that should have been down this block, but was infact down that one. I found the uptown side of the station...no...I want to go downtown. hmmm. I circled the block to find nothing but street. Maybe this is the only side of the station? Meh, whatever, I've got time. So I took the train up to the next station and then made the cross to the downtown train. Funny.

That wasn't enough though. Diane and I had a nice stroll down 5th Avenue and to Tiffany's (which was far too busy to actually consider buying something), into the new Apple Store by the FAO Schwartz. Circling back to her office, we stopped at Starbucks where I paid $.65 for a Grande Latte and a Parfait (everybody loves parfait)...thanks for the giftcard Mom and Dad...err...Santa! Up to the office we went to say hello to Diane's Dad and I hung out for probably another hour or so, just chillin' and eating my parfait, drinking my Latte...just enough to get hyper again. oh geez...When I had first arrived Diane had been the enthusiastic and bubbly one, when I left I was the one that was bubbly...she was just plain tired after working all day.

Once I left I headed towards Rockefeller Center. YAY for skating in the winter and the big Christmas Tree was still up. It was fantastic, absolutely awesome. I took photos...sweet. Then I was headed in the general direction for scoping out where I need to be first thing in the morning tomorrow, but I got distracted and ended up in St. Patricks Cathedral first. Said a prayer, a decade of the rosary and lit a candle in memory of Erich. Then it was off to H&M...which would probably be my favorite store, except that I don't have ready access to one in Ithaca. Boo. Anywho...

That's when I started to circle. I would go down 6th Avenue and think I was going down 53rd or vice versa. I just kept going in circles and getting sidetracked, not remembering exactly where I had been coming from.

It was confusing. But I made it back alright. Fantastic. Now I'm going to crash and probably just sleep the night away, or knit. One of the two.

More on this adventure later! Next time I decided to pay for internet service.

So all I have are questions right now. Well, and a to do list.

To do...
-Knitting Scarves and Headbands and Scarves for various amazing people
-Editing reality show with hours of footage to comb through...damn I should have logged all that
-Uploading video to internet/podcast
-Uploading audio to VIC's podcast
-Changing VIC's website to be AWESOME...the end.

hmmm...big projects...so little time

So much TV to watch and waste time in front of! Damn. I'm so screwed. ;)

I should get going on some of that and stop pretending like I should be translating a song's lyrics into Sign Language. Because really, I have no business doing it. I can pretend like I know what I'm doing, but I don't. Like how I pretend to play guitar.

I thought this was hilarious...



enjoy.

Happy finals week.
Fun for sleeping in and stressing out. Staying up late and turning it in early...who am I kidding?!

Friday:
1-4pm --Edit/Read Paper thingy for ethics class
4pm -- meet with Nic for Ethics paper thingy that's due way too early
6-7:30pm -- clearing off my car/eating/getting ready for Jared Campbell
7:30pm -- Jared in 'Cuse

Back at like 2am

Saturday:
Wake up -- Shower/Work on Ethics paper (ACM Code paper)/Senior Seminar Presentation....
12pm -- Lunch and Senior Seminar
2pm -- put the remote down...and work on power point
3pm -- no, seriously...put the remote down

probably 8pmish -- get dolled up for Semi-Formal (providing the dress arrives in the mail before then...otherwise...I'm so screwed)
back home 1amish

Sunday:
9am -- Mix Tape w/ Steeley and Dunkin' Donuts or CTB! YAY!!
1pm -- Soul-savin' with JC himself
3pm -- Library/Pub with some coffee...I need something to keep me awake.

Side note: I'm getting more dependant on stimulants like Tea and Coffee...this is no good. And I like the big stuff like Lattes that cost like $3...my bank account will not like this.

Ok...seriously, back to working and reading.