DCU v LAG - PHOTOS!

Probably one of my favorite signs ever --a great play on the LoLcats 'I can has cheez burger' --though I feel sort of bad we went as low as to make fun of Posh for no real reason (but not that bad. funny is funny): Landon and Gallardo (i think) chasing down the ball:

Beckham blow-up doll:

The man, the myth...

Con, Web, Nick:

Tailgating:

'It don't mean a thing...if it ain't got that swing!'

I was sitting here in the coffee shop (Port City Java on 7th St.), contemplating what music to put on to get me in the mood for a couple hours of solid work. Pop gets kind of tiresome, Rap and Rock can both be kind of distracting if they're too hardcore, and Classical can be boring at times. It then hit me -- of course, SWING! Because of the quick tempo, it's completely motivating and energizing, but since most of it doesn't have lyrics, it doesn't get too distracting (and onces that do have lyrics are often sung with the cool, relaxing, round voices of 40s greats like Ella Fitzgerald).

I only had a few swing songs on my computer, so I just downloaded the Benny Goodman's greatest hits off iTunes, as well as Count Bassie's single 'In the Mood' (which you probably don't realize you already know... it's used in a lot of movies -- The Notebook comes to mind off the top of my head.)

I'm not sure when I first fell in love with swing, but a few contributing factors are the movie Swing Kids, which I saw when I was in elementary school about underground jazz and dance clubs in WWII Germany, and doing swing dance for SING! at Stuy. My favorite swing song is also probably the most famous, Goodman's Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing) which we performed, ironically enough, for Junior SING!. I would almost guarantee that if you listen to that song, you'll be a swing fan forever -- it's intoxicating.

Happy Birthday Krista!

krista, me, jim, alli, alyssa at 18th street lounge

WaPo: 'Brain Study Shows Differences Between Gays, Straights'

Just read this really interesting article in the Washington Post which discusses brain differences between gay people and straight people. The main finding of the researchers found that:

"Gay men tended to have brains that were more like those of straight women than of straight men -- the right and left sides were about the same size, the researchers found. Gay women's brains tended to be more like those of straight men than of straight women -- the right side tended to be slightly larger than the left.

Next, the researchers used positron emission tomography (PET) scans to examine how a part of the brain involved in processing emotions -- the amygdala -- was connected to other brain regions. Again they found that gay men tended to be more like straight women, with a stronger link between the amygdala and regions involved in emotions. Gay women tended to be more like straight men, with stronger connections to motor functions."

It got me thinking about a sociology class I took freshman year at Georgetown called 'The Social Construction of Sexuality.' The premise of the class was that differences in sexual orientation, as well as people's perceptions about those differences, are solely determined by social factors, ie: environment and behavior, not biology. I totally understood the theory that since we are inundated by so many heterosexual images and pressures throughout our lives, then that would account for why most people in the world are heterosexual -- they are conditioned to be that way. If you grow up thinking that Barbie and Ken go together and not Ken and Ken, then you're more likely to follow that livestyle yourself. But the part I never understood was, if we are constantly presented with all these heterosexual images, then what societal factors will determine whether a homosexual person is homosexual. The fact that I didn't understand probably explains why I got my worst grade ever at Georgetown (a B - gasp!) in that class.... but really, I don't think she ever fully explained it. She always completely dismissed even the notion that biology could play a role, and was downright offended when someone brought up the fact that in nature it takes a male and a female of the species to reproduce, and might that influence why heterosexuality is perceived as predominant in society.

ps- I'm still bitter about the grade.

Bend it like...

I'm unbelieveably excited for the DC United vs LA Galaxy game next week. Although I'll be rooting for DC overall (obvi.), I can't say I'm not going to swoon over Beckham. Judge for yourself:

I'm not usually into tats, but for him, I'll make an exception:

He even has a nice smile (though to be honest, i think he sounds a little dorky when he speaks... his voice is unexpectedly high for a "macho" athlete).

Looking for fun people to do this with!

DC Screen on the Green Schedule - 2008

July 14 - Dr. No (1962)
July 21 - The Candidate (1972)
July 28 - Arsenic and Old Lace(1944)
August 4 - The Apartment (1960)
August 11 - Superman (1978)

I've never seen any of these movies, and actually haven't heard of some of them (Arsenic and Old Lace?), but they usually only show time-honored classics at this thing, so I'm sure they will be good.

Alli and I caught 'Casablanca' last summer, and it was a fun experience. This time around, I will

• get there earlier to ensure better viewing and hearing
• bring more/better snacks and drinks (wine, anyone?)
• put on bug repellent
• have some sort of pillow-like device in case i want to lay down (instead of using my pocketbook

E-mail me if you wanna go to one!

mmmm...bear grylls

Netflix thought I would be interested in the Man vs. Wild collection (which seems to have just been released on DVD otherwise I would have surely known about it sooner). Netflix is so smart. I <3 bear grylls.

Save the bananas!

Just read this short op-ed in the NY Times about bananas and how in 5-20 years a tree fungus called Panama disease could wipe out the banana crop in Latin America. yikes. it also explains why bananas are still so cheap compared to other fruit, which i've always wondered. okay, maybe not always... but several times.

quote of the day

Happiness is not achieved by the conscious pursuit of happiness; it is generally the by-product of other activities.
- Aldous Huxley

Typical.

Been thinking about...

cur·ric·u·lum [kuh-rik-yuh-luhm] –noun, plural -la

1. the aggregate of courses of study given in a school, college, university, etc.
2. the regular or a particular course of study in a school, college, etc.
[Origin: 1625–35; <> Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

1824, modern coinage from L. curriculum "a running, course, career," from currere (see current). Used as a L. word since 1633 at Scottish universities. Curriculum vitæ, lit. "course of one's life" is from 1902.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper

my new love, Soccer!

went to the DC United game last night. it was amazing. got to see Emillio complete his first hat trick (3 goals in 1 game) and they won 4-1 vs NY. after the game went to down to the field to try and see the players. my new favorite = santino quaranta. he's hot (even hotter in person than in pics), and has made it through a tough drug addiction to get back into top form and back to DC.

i then spent this morning cheering on my own personal soccer star, the up-and-coming nicolas michiels. he's even hotter than quaranta:

i want a puppy....

for the past several years, since my Baci passed away, i've been really wanting to get a dog. I know that i absolutely do not have the time, space, or money to get one now... but it doesnt make me want one any less. the dating columnist and fellow gtown alum Julia Allison (I used to read her column in The Hoya, and now she writes for Time Out NY) whose blog i follow, has an adorable little shih-tzu and whenever i see pics on her site I get so envious.

When I'm able to, I hope to a doggie that needs a home. I checked out the washington humane society adoption page today for the first time. It's sad how many pitt bull-terriers are without a home, because they obviously have a bad reputation. i know that wouldnt be the dog for me, so maybe i'm being hypocritical, but it's still sad.

Listen to the bells of the Brugge Belfort

Nick and I climed something like 600 steps to get to the top of the belfrey while in Brugge (Bruges to all you frenchies), and were lucky enough to be greeted with the ringing of the bells while we were up there.

From the top, you also get an amazing view of the main square, the Markt:

What I wouldn't do to be back in Belgium right now...

Guilty as charged

I am a blogging slacker!

I wanted to try this and see how it would turn out, but I just don't see how people have the time to commit to blogging on a regular basis. The past few months have been so busy and so much has happened -- no need to try and play catch up on all of it, but I'll try and post some pictures from Belgium and other important events.