My best friend Jessica is in labor. Right NOW. I'm going to be an auntie today!!!!!!!!!!! Now I know how all you peeps with nieces and nephews felt. Oh, except Team Clayton has ipads to make sure I meet baby Olivia within 6 hours of her birth. I WIN!
Good luck guys! I love you!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Sunday, September 18, 2011
In Search Of: Healthy Snacks
So, I told yall a few weeks ago about this summer's re-evaluation of my fitness goals, and I am proud to say I have had a fantastic fall thus far- I'm one month into the most epic (and so do-able) half-marathon training program, and I have really made an effort eat good things- like, I keep trying to eat so many carrots that I don't have room for the bad tasty stuff like sodium-encrusted wheat thins and ice cream. Feeling pretty good- no, scratch that,
Feeling FANTASTIC!
So good, I might have bought myself a little red dress from Calvin Klein (via Marshall's- $50 for a $230 dress, yeehaw!) to reward myself. I've always wanted a va-va-voom red dress. :) It's now hanging in my closet where I can see it. It keeps me motivated to keep running (Gotta EARN it!)
My biggest set back, that keeps threatening all my progress, is snacking. Dang it, I get HUNGRY at 10:30 am and 3 pm... and 4 pm and 8 pm! So I've been looking for healthy snack ideas.
This one's pretty good. -> (4 hard boiled egg whites plus 1/4th an avocado plus pepper on toast)
So's this one. ->
(1/2 a sweet potato, baked, mixed with a lil non-sweetened applesauce and walnuts)
And I've eaten this super fast Pesto chicken salad 3 times this week. ->
But I need more! Any suggestions?? These need to be FILLING snacks. I can eat like a man.
In other news, our ward went on a camping retreat all weekend and it was AMAZING! So many fun things to do, and I feel like we all really got a chance to meet new people and strengthen friendships with... well, not OLD people, but you know what I mean. I finally went to Gettysburg and toured the museum there, which all the nerds in my museum circles keep rhapsodizing about. My verdict: it was SO worth the money! The exhibit and the cyclorama were FANTASTIC!!!! So well done. I was geeking out to my friends the whole time, and they were nice enough to feign interest in 19th century theories of optics and visual culture for my sake.
At the end of the movie they show that teaches you all about the battle, the narrator (Morgan Freeman, aka The Voice of God in my imagination), gives the most poignant thought: "And now we too are met on this battlefield." or something like that... basically the thought was, the racism and division that were the root cause of the horrific bloodshed over a hundred years ago continues today in its own way. How will you fight for the cause? Will you?
Pretty touching.
PS-- GIRLS ONLY--Read this on one of my fitness blogs and pretty much felt an AMEN:
Feeling FANTASTIC!
My biggest set back, that keeps threatening all my progress, is snacking. Dang it, I get HUNGRY at 10:30 am and 3 pm... and 4 pm and 8 pm! So I've been looking for healthy snack ideas.
(1/2 a sweet potato, baked, mixed with a lil non-sweetened applesauce and walnuts)
But I need more! Any suggestions?? These need to be FILLING snacks. I can eat like a man.
In other news, our ward went on a camping retreat all weekend and it was AMAZING! So many fun things to do, and I feel like we all really got a chance to meet new people and strengthen friendships with... well, not OLD people, but you know what I mean. I finally went to Gettysburg and toured the museum there, which all the nerds in my museum circles keep rhapsodizing about. My verdict: it was SO worth the money! The exhibit and the cyclorama were FANTASTIC!!!! So well done. I was geeking out to my friends the whole time, and they were nice enough to feign interest in 19th century theories of optics and visual culture for my sake.At the end of the movie they show that teaches you all about the battle, the narrator (Morgan Freeman, aka The Voice of God in my imagination), gives the most poignant thought: "And now we too are met on this battlefield." or something like that... basically the thought was, the racism and division that were the root cause of the horrific bloodshed over a hundred years ago continues today in its own way. How will you fight for the cause? Will you?
Pretty touching.
PS-- GIRLS ONLY--Read this on one of my fitness blogs and pretty much felt an AMEN:
During a Period
- Uterus: I hope you didn't like your underwear.
- Stomach: EAT ALL THE THINGS!
- Emotions: I don't care that you were crying your eyes out ten minutes ago, that was freaking funny! Now go act like you're high until I see something that pisses me off.
- Stomach: ESPECIALLY THE CHOCOLATY THINGS!
- Uterus: Also I've decided to act like something's constantly punching me. I hope you don't mind.
- Thighs: I'm just gonna go ahead and feel like I'm made of lead, cool?
- Body: Oh all your clothes are going to look like crap and probably not fit.
- Me: Why??????
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Funnier than adding "In the Bathtub" to the title
So I'm preparing a lesson for my singles ward Relief Society right now on... Eternal Marriage (sigh). Aka the same thing we've been talking about for 6 years (but I'm not complaining! Got plenty to learn!). I am, however, throwing in a twist today for my own sanity. I'm making it a rule that no one can say the words "single" or "dating" in their comments. We're just talking the bare-bones principles of the essential ordinance of marriage today here, ladies.
Also, I found out that the teacher gets to pick which hymns are sung at the beginning and end of her lesson. My roommate and I got a great kick out of debating which hymns would have the most thematically inappropriate undertones at the end of a marriage lesson amongst older single girls. My favorite rejects:
Does the Journey Seem Long?
I Need Thee Every Hour
The Happy Day At Last Has Come
Did You Think to Pray?
Praise to the Man
Silent Night
I Have Work Enough To Do
Father, Cheer Our Souls Tonight
The Time is Far Spent
And, the ultimate winner:
Tis Sweet to Sing the Matchless Love
Also, I found out that the teacher gets to pick which hymns are sung at the beginning and end of her lesson. My roommate and I got a great kick out of debating which hymns would have the most thematically inappropriate undertones at the end of a marriage lesson amongst older single girls. My favorite rejects:
Does the Journey Seem Long?
I Need Thee Every Hour
The Happy Day At Last Has Come
Did You Think to Pray?
Praise to the Man
Silent Night
I Have Work Enough To Do
Father, Cheer Our Souls Tonight
The Time is Far Spent
And, the ultimate winner:
Tis Sweet to Sing the Matchless Love
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| This is the place. |
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| This is the stuff. |
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| This is the end goal. |
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| This is precious. |
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| This is just because. |
Back to the Future... for Parkinson's Disease!
This week shoe fans everywhere have been buzzing as the following clip was released (directed by Robert Zemekis himself and starring Christopher Lloyd and Kevin Durant!). The rumors have been circulating about the futuristic Nike shoes once worn by Marty McFly in Back to the Future II, known til now as "The Greatest Shoes Never Made," and they have all proven to be true! The shoes are real! The future is now! Named the Nike MAGs, only 1500 have been created, and they are going up for auction over the next ten days, 150 pairs per day, to benefit the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.
Here's the auction, live from eBay. If I were $3,000 richer... I'd own those babies. Best of luck and thank you to everyone of those blessed shoeholics who bids for them.
My mom was diagnosed with early onset Parkinson's disease in 2005. It's hard to believe it's been six years. Six years of holding mom's hand and teasing her when her "momometer" goes off. She's doing great, in case you're all wondering. She even picked up a design commission this week (she's a painter)! I love you, mom. I'm proud of everything you do, for yourself, for your students, and for your family.
It's Septemeber 11th, I'm well aware of that. I don't feel like recounting where I was when I heard or what my day was like ten years ago. That seems too self-oriented. It was a national event, an international tragedy. Yes, it changed my life too. But today, I chose to render my moment of silence next to the Pentagon, and to listen to words of remembrance, mourning, and fortitude from the mouths of our leaders and our plain and simple countrymen at Ground Zero early this morning. I choose to remember those whose lives were monumentally, tragically changed by the 9/11 attacks, and then I chose in the next moment, this moment, to celebrate the loved ones in my great life, and by so doing, express my thanks for the freedom, love, and blessings I have been given. I love my country, and I love the people in it. Here's praying for a renewed outpouring of unity, courage, faith, and love amongst my countrymen on this historic day.
And happy birthday, beautiful Maggie Leak! If you know Maggie or if you appreciate inspiring, intelligent, empathetic and funny people, hop on over to her blog and wish her a happy birthday, too!!!!!!
Here's the auction, live from eBay. If I were $3,000 richer... I'd own those babies. Best of luck and thank you to everyone of those blessed shoeholics who bids for them.
My mom was diagnosed with early onset Parkinson's disease in 2005. It's hard to believe it's been six years. Six years of holding mom's hand and teasing her when her "momometer" goes off. She's doing great, in case you're all wondering. She even picked up a design commission this week (she's a painter)! I love you, mom. I'm proud of everything you do, for yourself, for your students, and for your family.
It's Septemeber 11th, I'm well aware of that. I don't feel like recounting where I was when I heard or what my day was like ten years ago. That seems too self-oriented. It was a national event, an international tragedy. Yes, it changed my life too. But today, I chose to render my moment of silence next to the Pentagon, and to listen to words of remembrance, mourning, and fortitude from the mouths of our leaders and our plain and simple countrymen at Ground Zero early this morning. I choose to remember those whose lives were monumentally, tragically changed by the 9/11 attacks, and then I chose in the next moment, this moment, to celebrate the loved ones in my great life, and by so doing, express my thanks for the freedom, love, and blessings I have been given. I love my country, and I love the people in it. Here's praying for a renewed outpouring of unity, courage, faith, and love amongst my countrymen on this historic day.
And happy birthday, beautiful Maggie Leak! If you know Maggie or if you appreciate inspiring, intelligent, empathetic and funny people, hop on over to her blog and wish her a happy birthday, too!!!!!!
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Sports proposals: yea or nay? YAY!
I don't care how much Richard Gere derides them in Runaway Bride (Julia Roberts had to propose to HIM at the end of that movie!)- proposals at sports venues have always made me smile. This one's EPIC. I love how much he makes her laugh. Best of luck to them both!
Proposal: Matt and Jennie (part 2--full version) from Emma Patti on Vimeo.
PS If I were him I'd want to beat the crap out of Teddy first, too. I always cheer for Lincoln when I'm at Nats Park. Teddy's so smug.
Proposal: Matt and Jennie (part 2--full version) from Emma Patti on Vimeo.
PS If I were him I'd want to beat the crap out of Teddy first, too. I always cheer for Lincoln when I'm at Nats Park. Teddy's so smug.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Lake Days... the most wonderful time of the year!
Three day weekends mean one thing to us East Coasters: LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL!
And this Labor Day weekend was no exception. This year's festivities took place at Deep Creek Lake in Maryland, where they filmed What Lies Beneath. In my younger, scared-ier days, this random piece of trivia would have defeated me. I would have stayed in rainy DC with my homework and my netflix rather than risk showering in a haunted bathtub.
But that was old me. New me is braver. And new me knew Deep Creek Lake comes with access to a ski boat. Again, let the good times roll!!!!!!
And this Labor Day weekend was no exception. This year's festivities took place at Deep Creek Lake in Maryland, where they filmed What Lies Beneath. In my younger, scared-ier days, this random piece of trivia would have defeated me. I would have stayed in rainy DC with my homework and my netflix rather than risk showering in a haunted bathtub.
But that was old me. New me is braver. And new me knew Deep Creek Lake comes with access to a ski boat. Again, let the good times roll!!!!!!
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| Welcome to Rivendell! 14 friends and I rented it for the weekend. It had doorknobs in the middle of its doors, hence the name. On the left is the home of our passive aggressive neighbors who I'm pretty sure woke their rambunctious kids up at 6:30 am just to annoy us. |
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| The View From Rivendell. Bottom Left corner is our dock and friends taking it all in. |
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| Saturday morning we awoke to a beautiful but freaky golden mist that covered the whole lake AND the sun! No one got a pic of it, but it reminded me of this J. M. W. Turner nautical painting so I'm putting it up. You get the idea! |
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| 10:30 am Saturday: Mist gone, people anxiously wait as Ryan and I fetch the rented ski boat. Ps all my pics have been stolen from Spencer's camera. Many thanks for documenting the trip, boo! |
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| Turns out, only Ryan, our house "dad," and myself know how to drive boats. This is the start of my very long but very rewarding stint channeling Uncle Gene, Lake Mead Ski Captain extraordinaire! :) |
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| So, East Coast lakes are SKETCHY! They don't enforce flag laws. With the heavy lake traffic roughing up the waters and being the safety Nazi that I am, I enlisted Nick to alert other boaters when we had a downed skiier. No injuries were sustained. Way to be, Team-Nick-and-life-vest! |
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| I think I might be whistling in this pic. |
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| At one point it was me and 7 first-time wakeboarders aboard. Everybody got up, though- I'm so proud of my crew!!! |
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| Steph was a trooper- popped up smiling even after a faceplant! |
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| Eric got up on his first try. It's cuz it was his birthday. |
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| Cheesy lake grin. I wub boating sooooooo much! And it was SUCH a beautiful day to be out there! |
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| Oh, except at one point the engine wasn't turning over and we had to get towed back to the marina and swap out boats. I learned I have a lot to learn when it comes to negotiating a discount with boat rental coordinators (aka pirates!) |
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| And after a sweet sweet 8 hours on the sunny, perfect lake, we retired to Rivendell for an epic massage train and watched BYU clinch its season opener v. Ole Miss!!! |
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| After that we celebrated Eric's bday at the Santa Fe Grill, where we met Elder Gerard, an area authority who saw our BYU shirts and wanted to celebrate with us. He sprang for all 15 of our meals!!! I love kind people! What a treat! |
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| Eric and his ladies |
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| Birthday boy eats REALLY slow. |
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| Hoover and I ride the bear. <3 |
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| Awwwwww yea. How every singles weekend should end. There may have also been a midnight skinny dip off the dock... |
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Visual "-ism" Reader and a Challenge
LOVE this- how many of these "-ism" illustrations can you explain to yourself?
No worries. I'm a lil rusty, too. :) Solipsism??
Good thing grad school started back up again this week!!!! My last year! The end is in sight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! T-minus twelve months and counting! MORE exclamations!!!!!!!!!!!
If there were a "mormonism." illustration included up there, what do you think it'd be? How about this:
No worries. I'm a lil rusty, too. :) Solipsism??
Good thing grad school started back up again this week!!!! My last year! The end is in sight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! T-minus twelve months and counting! MORE exclamations!!!!!!!!!!!
If there were a "mormonism." illustration included up there, what do you think it'd be? How about this:
I will send 8 fresh fluffernutter cookie bars to whoever can tell me where this emblem is located! :) Hint: there are literally thousands of them just north of me.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Weekend Thoughts on Romance (written backwards)
In the spirit of 500 Days of Summer, I'm going to relate my developing thoughts about romance to you, backwards, starting with my much-older-and-wiser thoughts of today.
----------------------------------------------------------
(Monday) Yesterday was a day of reckoning... not really, but it felt like it. We had a combined meeting about dating (quel suprise.) and for once this subtle monster of a topic pricked, not amused, me. I'm feeling the strange need to change the way I think about love and romance. Does anyone feel like they've successfully done this before? During the talk they advised us to throw away the "high school and college rules" about dating. Yikes. To me, that means setting aside dreams of falling in love like all my friends fell in love. They got married at age 21 and 22 and 23. I know I won't have a 21 year old's love story, I'll have at least a 26 year old's love story. I just don't think I know what that looks like, or how to prepare for it. I got the message yesterday in church that such preparation should include not getting excited about dates 1, 2, and 3 and to start dating your friends? Mmm ok. Overall the talk made me kinda sad, which means I'm probably immature. So sue me, I like my little romantic dreams of man sees girl, man chases girl, woman and man fall in love, have a few mishaps on the way but ultimately become beaming man and wife and endure to the end (very important last step).
(Sunday) The question burning in my soul as I go to sleep is, what romantic dreams do you retire over time, and which do you retain?
(Saturday) It was probably on a Saturday just like this one, three or four years ago, that I was sitting on Jessica's bed, strolling through facebook, when I suddenly came across a new, darling picture of our friend Genna and her then-boyfriend-now-husband Andrew. She has ahold of his suspenders, looking flashy and sly in high heels, while Andrew displays his characteristic sarcastic smirk that clearly says "I'm whooped and I'm happy... but if you ask me I'll deny everything." I cheered out loud for their cuteness, and Jessica looked at me with the strangest smile and remarked, "You get crushes on couples. You love couples!!!!" And I guess I do.
(Friday) In the car on the way to the outlets, I discover that my friend Summer also gets crushes on couples. I'm glad I'm not alone. I shouldn't be alone. True love gives off more love, and it's good to bask in it. It's called empathy. It's enjoyable! It's hopeful! It's energizing! Etc. (Fast-forward to Monday: I think I need new, older couples, or a new, older boyfriend, to show me what to be excited for anymore?)
(Saturday night) As a 26-year-old Mormon, I have seen good friends make great matches hundreds of times over! I still love their stories, I don't think I'll ever get tired of them. I know some of you might be rolling your eyes at me, thinking, "Linds, it's not all fun and games, this marriage. Get over it." Got it. Heard the spiel. Yes, marriage is hard, all of life is hard. But that's not what I'm blogging about today. I'm talking about that adorable energy, that synchronization that real love turns on between two people. I REVEL in that stuff! I REJOICE in it! I even get SQUEALY for it! It gives me hope. I have the audacity to hope for real love, even as the statistics of failure come crashing down over my head.
----------------------------------------------------------
(Monday) Yesterday was a day of reckoning... not really, but it felt like it. We had a combined meeting about dating (quel suprise.) and for once this subtle monster of a topic pricked, not amused, me. I'm feeling the strange need to change the way I think about love and romance. Does anyone feel like they've successfully done this before? During the talk they advised us to throw away the "high school and college rules" about dating. Yikes. To me, that means setting aside dreams of falling in love like all my friends fell in love. They got married at age 21 and 22 and 23. I know I won't have a 21 year old's love story, I'll have at least a 26 year old's love story. I just don't think I know what that looks like, or how to prepare for it. I got the message yesterday in church that such preparation should include not getting excited about dates 1, 2, and 3 and to start dating your friends? Mmm ok. Overall the talk made me kinda sad, which means I'm probably immature. So sue me, I like my little romantic dreams of man sees girl, man chases girl, woman and man fall in love, have a few mishaps on the way but ultimately become beaming man and wife and endure to the end (very important last step).
(Sunday) The question burning in my soul as I go to sleep is, what romantic dreams do you retire over time, and which do you retain?
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| (Blurred for her privacy, trust me, it's darling!) |
(Friday) In the car on the way to the outlets, I discover that my friend Summer also gets crushes on couples. I'm glad I'm not alone. I shouldn't be alone. True love gives off more love, and it's good to bask in it. It's called empathy. It's enjoyable! It's hopeful! It's energizing! Etc. (Fast-forward to Monday: I think I need new, older couples, or a new, older boyfriend, to show me what to be excited for anymore?)
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| Adorable card I found on some blog somewhere... Yep that's as rigorous as my attempts to establish copyright go. Oops. |
(Saturday morning) The fabulous blog A Cup of Jo featured two adorable engagement videos sent to her by readers- of course I eat them up. I used to not be a fan of people taping their engagements (I liked the idea that such a moment is meant to exist in the couples' memory alone), but these two tapes have me singing a different tune. These videos get me started thinking about how I always get crushes on couples...
(Monday night) I return to my new question: how do I change my ideas about love for the better?
[Enter an earnest, outgoing, Mormon Joseph Gordon-Leavitt look-alike. Problem solved.]
(Monday night) I return to my new question: how do I change my ideas about love for the better?
[Enter an earnest, outgoing, Mormon Joseph Gordon-Leavitt look-alike. Problem solved.]
Friday, July 22, 2011
Blatant steal, the heat made me do it.
Re-posting from my friend Lauren's blog:
Yep that's us DC-ites, the hottest spot in the United States. Hey, THAT must be why the debt ceiling debate continues- NOBODY on the Hill can write a coherent compromise with sweat pouring into their eyes!
When I saw this, my eyes went straight to Vegas, because whenever the weather sucks here, I like to comfort myself by remembering that at least I'm not stuck in that perma-oven... oh wait. 75 DEGREES IN VEGAS!?!?!
BLAAAAAAAAAHHH!
TGIF.
TGIHAVEAC.
Pool this afternoon, mais oui.
You should follow my friend Lauren and her other blog, thingsiwouldsendlisa.blogspot.com. I'm kind of obsessed with it. She has impeccable taste in everything I care most about: baked goods, romantic/funny videos, girly accessories, traveling to GOOD places, etc.
In other news, my obsession with Twitch from So You Think You Can Dance made me do something last night I swore I would never do: sign up for Twitter. His "LiveTweet" session with Lauren Froderman was indeed worth it! After, I realized that since I crossed over the dark side into the Twittersphere, I might as well follow all the writers and museums whose Twitter feeds I've been Googling for the last 6 months anyways. Chuck Klosterman! The Whale at the Natural History Museum! Niall Ferguson! (His take-down of Mika from Morning Joe on MSNBC is the one video I turn to for solace when the Obama administration and Congress make me want to bang my head against the Washington Monument) If you are a Tweeter, follow me @SerendipLC. I can't guarantee I will tweet about anything other than the idiosyncrasies of my little life, but isn't that the whole point?
Yep that's us DC-ites, the hottest spot in the United States. Hey, THAT must be why the debt ceiling debate continues- NOBODY on the Hill can write a coherent compromise with sweat pouring into their eyes!
When I saw this, my eyes went straight to Vegas, because whenever the weather sucks here, I like to comfort myself by remembering that at least I'm not stuck in that perma-oven... oh wait. 75 DEGREES IN VEGAS!?!?!
BLAAAAAAAAAHHH!
TGIF.
TGIHAVEAC.
Pool this afternoon, mais oui.
You should follow my friend Lauren and her other blog, thingsiwouldsendlisa.blogspot.com. I'm kind of obsessed with it. She has impeccable taste in everything I care most about: baked goods, romantic/funny videos, girly accessories, traveling to GOOD places, etc.
In other news, my obsession with Twitch from So You Think You Can Dance made me do something last night I swore I would never do: sign up for Twitter. His "LiveTweet" session with Lauren Froderman was indeed worth it! After, I realized that since I crossed over the dark side into the Twittersphere, I might as well follow all the writers and museums whose Twitter feeds I've been Googling for the last 6 months anyways. Chuck Klosterman! The Whale at the Natural History Museum! Niall Ferguson! (His take-down of Mika from Morning Joe on MSNBC is the one video I turn to for solace when the Obama administration and Congress make me want to bang my head against the Washington Monument) If you are a Tweeter, follow me @SerendipLC. I can't guarantee I will tweet about anything other than the idiosyncrasies of my little life, but isn't that the whole point?
Saturday, July 16, 2011
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