www.lialia.tumblr.com

As Kaplan pointed out, I'm terrible about following up on blog posts. It's mostly because composing them here on blogger can be a pain in the ass. I recently discovered a new way to blog...so visit my new page at www.lialia.tumblr.com.

It's a lot faster and let's me share a lot quicker...which hopefully means I'll be better. Since there was a follow up to the worst day ever, i'll post tonight on the shenanigans...but a sneak preview is that it involves the high drama and adventure accompanied by thinking you got your friend's car stolen in queens. marinate on that for a bit.

Miley Cyrus

I just read that now the Christian Coalition of America (CCA) wants Miley Cyrus to be held accountable for the semi-topless photos she just had published in Vanity Fair.

Okay, people, let's just hold on a second. Yes, Miley is 15, yes she is topless, okay, BIG HUGE DEAL, I GUESS. But the photo only shows her back. Is this really such a huge issue? Or am I really missing the point? Did anyone watch her writhing around on stage during Idol Gives Back? I found that much more sexual than this photo.

I just had the worst day ever (more on that later) so maybe my patience is a little thin, but Jesus H. Christ are we really that bored as a nation that this is national news of such epic proportions?

Recently, the New York Times broke a story about how the analysts for the government that we see on TV, the generals marching us into war, are actually PAID by the government to distribute the Bush administration's propaganda. This was picked up by a small handful of the news media, mostly the Sunday morning types. I would say this is a tad more important, don't you think? I probably should blog on this for HuffPo..but I don't have the energy. Instead, I'll complain here. But seriously...let's all really focus on the real issues of this world, shall we?

Not Something You Want to Happen to You

Anyone who has ever lived in Florida or visited Florida - or hell, if you've ever just watched the Discovery Channel - knows that this had to be terrifying. Poor lady!

There's An Alligator in My Kitchen!

This is How You Blog

I recently found the blogs of some of my editors/co-workers at Radar and realized how horribly my blog sucks in comparison. This, my friends, is how you manage to be snarky yet endearing, funny and relevant - all at the same time. I am resisting the urge to erase everything I've ever written on here, and instead, vow to do better. Check them out here and here.

Yeahhhh

Finally, spring is here. You can go out with a light jacket at 7 p.m. and not regret that decision at 2 a.m. There's nary a hat or scarf to be found on anyone, anywhere. I actually wore flip flops to the grocery store on Sunday. Sweet delight!

With the return of the warm weather is the ability to enjoy the parts of New York that are free, read: outside. No more rushing from house to cab to warm bar. As much as I love me a cold beer in a warm bar, I'm ready to venture out a bit.

GC and I took advantage of the now-warm weather with a really fun Saturday night that involved only a pint of ice cream, two spoons and a $2 subway ride to the South pier. I highly recommend this spot for its cop and homeless people-free environment, as well as an amazing view of the Statue of Liberty in front of you and the lights of the financial district behind you. There are plenty of benches and it's just a nice place to chill out and remember that even the biggest city in the world has its little hidden corners. Guys, if you're looking to get all romantic with your lady of choice, this would be the place. Ladies, if you just feel like having an estrogen-filled moment of reflection about why you moved to New York, look no further. Just take the N/W to Whitehall Street or the 6 to Bowling Green.


On a separate note, my little fledgling communications business is doing quite nicely. I'm writing for one magazine, hopefully learning tomorrow if I get to write this summer for another, and freelancing for 3 different agencies to make ends meet. I haven't seen a paycheck in nearly 45 days, but am picking up the first tomorrow so maybe I can finally have creditors stop calling me no matter how many times I assure them that I've never been late on a bill before and am just waiting for my windfall. Yes, I'm talking to you Verizon and American Express. Sigh. I really need that multi-million dollar book advance to come in. Lately, I've looked to this look to this lady for inspiration.

I Forgot How Fun Intellectuals Can Be

Saturday night I ventured out with my friend Skee and her friend C. for an art gallery opening. It's been a long time since I went to a gallery - I'm pretty sure the last time I went was a Terry Richardson photo exhibit, pre-Belevedere vodka ads (here and here) for the movie Brown Bunny, which you may only know as the movie in which Chloe Sevigny gives a real blow j. on camera. The exhibit was gross - it was comprised solely of photos of Richardson being serviced in various ways by boys, girls and tranny combinations thereof. As I watched the hipsters and downtown scenesters - some with their KIDS!- pretend like there was artistic merit in any of it, I decided once and for all that I wasn't cool enough for this crowd and gave up trying to expand my horizons, in this direction anyways. (Though, I do have to admit it feels good when Terry Richardson's name comes up in conversation and I can offer an informed opinion on his work. Full disclosure, this has only happened two times.)

In any case, Saturday night, this trauma firmly behind me, I put on a hiatus on my hiatus and ventured to Soho's Feldman Gallery to view the opening of its Alexander Brodsky exhibit. To my surprise, I actually liked it. It wasn't weird for the sake of being weird, there were cool paintings on put up on light boxes and a few installations. I won't attempt to describe anything here because a.) it wouldn't be intelligent and b.) clicking on Feldman Gallery a few words back will lead you to people who can. In any case, there was free wine and champagne (always a plus) and I got to talk to quite a few cool people, compliments of my friend Skee, a master at the art of introduction.

All that art and conversation got us fired up in the hunger department, so we headed over to Lupe's where we chowed down on Mexican food in the heart of SoHo. Between the frozen mango margarita and the awesome beef enchiladas, I'm afraid that my Mexican food obsession has alive and kicking once more - which means I'm going to be murdering a lot of avocados in the next few weeks as I try to satisfy a never-ending guacamole craving that only stops so I can eat rice and beans in some kind of combination with beef, cheese and tortillas. There's a few more weeks yet til bathing suit season right?

Anyways, thanks to Skee and C. for reminding me how fun SoHo is...I vow to go out there more. And for the reminder that not all art exhibits have to be weird or porn-tastic to be interesting.

Things That Are Never Underrated

So, on Wednesday night I did something I never do - I took myself out to dinner. Nothing fancy, just a glass of red wine and an onion soup (my fave!). I had signed my very first contact for an article in a print magazine and I felt proud of myself and wanted to celebrate in a tiny way. In a crowded restaurant, I sat all by myself, eating my food and drinking my wine and I got to thinking about life's small pleasures - the ones we forget to enjoy while we worry about everything else. Here's my list of 50 Things That Are Never Underrated - literally the first 50 things that came to mind. Feel free to slap on any additions.

1.) Taking yourself out to dinner (obvs)
2.) Getting a massage
3.) Smelling saltwater air
4.) Writing down something you'd rather yell at someone to make yourself feel better
5.) Crunchy leaves under your feet
6.) Having a night of fun that was completely unplanned
7.) Sleeping in
8.) Getting/giving a hug
9.) Putting colored paint on a blank wall
10.) Getting a big, fat check
11.) Feeling like you've got the hang of something
12.) Letting go of something that has made you mad for a long time
13.) Wearing new clothes for the first time
14.) The perfect comeback (during the argument)
15.) Getting the "question" right on Jeopardy
16.) Winning a board game
17.) Cheese!
18.) Making a recipe you found and having it come out right
19.) Being really thirsty and finally getting a sip of water
20.) Just-washed sheets on your bed
21.) Keeping whites white
22.) Getting a new haircut
23.) The first sip of a cold beer
24.) Receiving real mail
25.) PJ's straight from the dryer
26.) Screaming the F-word when you're frustrated
27.) Indulging in a new obsession
28.) Bowling a strike/picking up a spare
29.) Boozy brunch
30.) Laughing uncontrollably at something ridiculous
31.) Reading a book you can't put down
32.) Falling asleep on a full stomach
33.) A cool new pair of shoes
34.) A good hair day
35.) Watching a movie that makes you think for days after
36.) Really nice hotel rooms
37.) Something made of carbs dipped in something else (chips and salsa, pita and hummus, chips and guacamole)
38.) Pizza just the way you like it
39.) The way babies smell
40.) Crying at Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
41.) Finding something you were sure was lost
42.) Sitting by a fire
43.) Hearing the song you want to hear on the radio
44.) A really good steak (or tofu, I guess, if you're a vegetarian)
45.) Making a new friend
46.) Mini anything
47.) Feeling sleep and finally laying down
48.) Realizing you wasted X hours watching your favorite guilty pleasure TV show
49.) Spending a night pleasantly buzzed, not drunk - and no hangover!
50.) Being the first to know something

Highly Uncomfy

I did not watch this because I don't currently have volume but if it sounds like it looks, it's probably pretty bad.

Jay Leno Continues Downward Spiral