What american city am I?

You Are Austin

A little bit country, a little bit rock and roll. You're totally weird and very proud of it. Artistic and freaky, you still seem to fit in... in your own strange way. Famous Austin residents: Lance Armstrong, Sandra Bullock, Andy Roddick

What American City Are You?

Funny, considering I'm planning a trip to Austin in the near future.

Your Power Color Is Red-Orange

At Your Highest: You are warm, sensitive, and focused on your personal growth. At Your Lowest: You become defensive and critical if you feel attacked. In Love: You are loyal - but you demand the respect you deserve. How You're Attractive: You are very affectionate and inspire trust. Your Eternal Question: "Am I Respected?"

What's Your Power Color?

Totally amazing get-down party action.

The dap-kings are the new sound of funk & soul.

So read the sticker on the packaging of "Dap-Dippin' with Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings". I ordered the cd and did not get the pleasure of reading said sticker until I already owned it, so it did not sway my purchasing decision, but how could one not buy an album advertised as "totally amazing get-down party action"?


I must say, it lives up to the hype.

Antarctica

Yesterday afternoon I found out that I was not selected by the board to go to Antarctica. This is mildly disappointing, but I'm not heart-broken. The possibility of going to Antarctica was, like other actually significant events in ones life, a unique opportunity for introspection. The chance that I might leave my current life behind for a year in one of the most remote corners of this beautiful planet made me think about what I'd be giving up. In, short, I like it here. When I was about to rotate off the ship and into my first land assignment I fought to get here (Boulder, the Space Environment Center, Colorado, all of the above) and was given my first choice of assignments. For this I am thankful. Also, I've been planning fun trips and stuff for this summer, and if I had been selected to go to Antarctica I likely wouldn't have been able to do any of them. Of course, I would have had adventures of a different sort.

I am also thankful for all your support and concern as I was making the decision as to whether or not to apply for Antarctica and as I was awaiting the board's recommendation.

This is from Slate's coverage of the olympics, or rather their ongoing discussion of said olympics.


Seth Stevenson had this to say:

This morning, I watched the U.S. men's curling team pull off a stunning win over the Swedes. My boys are still in medal contention, and I could not be more excited. Meanwhile, it's come to my attention that there is a curling movement right here in D.C., where I'm writing from. A group of folks has realized that U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico and Guam get their own Olympic teams, but that D.C. (which, like those territories, has only a single, non-voting delegate in Congress) has no team of its own. So (mostly as a protest over voting representation), they've formed a curling club and have demanded Olympic recognition. I am strongly in favor of voting rights for the D-dot-C, and also strongly in favor of curling. Thus I wholeheartedly endorse this mission. Let's go for the gold, and also for a senator.

I love it. That's exactly the kind of non-traditional protest I love.

Icebound

My mom's been reading Icebound, the book by the physician stationed at the south pole who had to operate on herself due to breast cancer. The book is relevant in that a) I'll likely be going to the south pole (stop asking me about it, I'll let you know when I hear) and b) my mother is a brave and courageous breast cancer survivor herself.

She just sent me the following in an email:

I just have to let you know what Dr. Nielsen says in her book. "Very little about any of us was conventional. If there was, we wouldn't be here." I just thought that sounded like you. You always wanted to do the unusual or something different than anyone else. I think that is a good thing and I am proud of you for that.

Love ya mom.

East Coast vs. West Coast

If you haven't seen the SNL chronicles of narnia rap yet, check it out right now.

Then watch this.

Ok go

This is the best music video ever.

Edit: Also, check this out.

My sister rules.

I added a link to my sister's blog over on the left. Check it out.

Gotta take the bad with the good...

An example of a good thing about being a NOAA Corps officer: Being offered the chance to go to Antarctica.

An example of a bad thing about being a NOAA Corps officer: Having my boss tell me I'm due for a shoe shine after a visit by a VIP.

oops.

I am the arbiter of funny.

In the world of humor, McSweeney's is consistently funnier than even The Onion. As proof, I present these as exhibits A, B, and C.