Over and Out

(originally posted at eclaircie.diaryland.com)

Well friends...I've done it. I've switched to bigger and better things. I now have a real live blog. This is the last time you'll hear from me here. It's been fun. And it'll be even funner from here on out: Bigger and Better Words from Andrea

Fashion Police: Emmy Edition 2006

Note: I've spent what feels like my entire life trying to get the pictures to line up with the captions. When I first put it together it was perfect, but then when I checked on it at work it was off, so I edited it there and then it was perfect. But then it wasn't at home again. I thought it was a computer difference, but I've just realized that the difference is that I use Firefox at home and Explorer at work. Because if I open it with Internet Explorer, it's fine on this computer. So if it's not working for you...open it with Internet Explorer.

I know it's an artificial and ridiculous world, but the red carpet is way too fun to ignore. So, without further ado...my thoughts on Sunday's Emmy Awards. Meaning the fashion, of course. Because I really don't care about the awards.



The biggest trend I noticed was purple was EVERYWHERE. It's a good color (rich and fresh, but not "I'm making a statement" bold) that we haven't seen much of in the last few years. And a color that I personally own none of though I would like to. I've been on a quest to find the perfect purple top for a few months now...but that's a different story. At the Emmys, the color is pulled off best by the gorgeous Evangeline Lilly.

Oh, Sandra Oh. At first I thought that I hated the ruffles at the top of her dress, but then I realized that without the chunky necklaces, the ruffles would be just fine. It's the over-accessorizing that kills her here. If the dress is frilly...don't put accessories with it...at all. Simplification, please!

Melanie Lynskey was just plain pretty. There was perhaps nothing terribly special about her outfit, but it was classy and feminine and flattering. And her hair looks fabulous and pulls together the whole look perfectly.

Now I realize it's a tough battle to dress yourself fashionably when pregnant. The world of empire waists is a tough one to navigate (I'm recalling a certain empire-waisted dress I wore in 10th grade to church and a little girl came up to me and asked me if I was pregnant because I "looked fatter than normal"). However...the empire-waisted Jedi robe is not the choice for you, Gillian Anderson. Please. Oh man...what a disaster.

Can someone explain to me the jeweled smiley face on Cheryl Hines' back? Perhaps if this were a figure skating competition, I could stomach it, but...

Now many will disagree with me when it comes to Jeremy Piven's outfit. I loved it. Men's fashion is a boring world, and sometimes a polka-dot ascot is just the spice needed. He's able to be different without going overboard. I will agree that the stubble and mussed hair is a little informal for the event, but he's just so attractive with the stubble that I'll forgive him.

Best Dressed award from me goes to Mary Lynn Rajskub. This dress is perfect: simple and pretty and flattering. Just different enough to be unique (texture!), but not weird in any way. My only complaint is she ought to have worn her hair down. It would've been a better match for the dress as well as added something to her bare neck and shoulders which ought to have something going on when the dress is so close to flesh-colored.

Vanessa Minnillo looked awful. Seriously...she must have a stylist out there...why wasn't this stopped? The Vegas showgirl look is only the beginning of her trouble here. The fit is horrid. Seriously...I'm sure she can afford better than this...and she can't possibly think that the tight around the thighs, but ballooning out from the stomach is a good idea...how did this happen?

Okay, well I keep on finding pictures of other outfits I want to talk about, but I really ought to go to bed now. So this will have to be it.

And I've just now noticed that the three dresses I've picked for the "good" category all have the same neckline...apparently I like that look. If I were staying up any longer, I would go find a couple more good looks that don't have that neckline to make things more varied and then I'd have to go and find a few more bad ones (and there are certainly ones I could discuss...bad fashion example standbys like Paula Abdul are always around)...and really I'm tired, so this is it.

I Just Want The World To Know That I'm Brave And Hurting

The nice thing about meeting new people is it's a chance to re-invent yourself. Moving is even better. I'm kind of glad that I have no close friends nearby these days...nobody knows me well enough to think it odd that I'm constantly inviting people over, going out of my way to converse with people, introducing myself to people and all of these very very brave things. I’ve been so brave. I’m an instigator of activities. I’m one of those that everybody knows. I’m a social leader in the small world of my single’s ward. I deserve your applause, thank you.

Except that it’s just me pretending to be brave when I’m actually just lonely out of my wits. I say to myself that I haven’t dealt with loneliness enough in my life that I can possibly dislike it. But it’s a lie. I don’t like it. And the trouble is (warning: an overused attempt at depth is upon us) surrounding myself with people doesn’t make me feel any less alone.

But I'm being brave and staying busy. It's not really that bad; I just like to be dramatic about it. Because another nice thing about this situation is I can cry as verbally as I want when I'm sad...there's nobody around to ask me what's wrong.

Electric Cars

I recently heard an interview on NPR (naturally) with Chris Paine, the creator of the new documentary Who Killed the Electric Car?. I've spent quite some time researching the subject since, and discovered a rather fascinating story that I don't think enough people have heard. The concept of electric cars is not a new one, certainly, but it’s always struck me as rather odd that there hasn’t been much conversation about them in the last few years.

Some indications that we live in a time that one would think electric cars would be on a lot of people's minds:

• It’s not uncommon to hear someone who never passed chemistry talk passionately about ethanol.

• Numerous SUV drivers have suddenly discovered that their one child AND four bags of groceries can fit into a car considerably smaller than the average three-bedroom house and have opted to trade in for a nice Honda Civic.

• Every single living American has made a minimum of four courtesy-laugh-inducing comments that sound something like “This meal’s only $7.00? Why, I pay more for a gallon of gas these days!” over the last few years. (Some people make this sort of comment at least twice daily and ought to be driven from society along with anybody who thinks it’s a good idea to wear a velour track suit outside of yoga class.)

But somehow it's not discussed often. People have their hybrids, but those still rely on some gas, and produce some emissions. I always assumed that the reason there aren't any pure electric cars out there is that car companies have never produced an electric car that was commercially viable. But that was before I'd ever heard of the EV1. There are many commercial attempts at electric vehicles, but GM's EV1 is in some ways the most successful and its story is fairly typical of other attempts, so it's a good one to look at.

Watch the trailer for Who Killed the Electric Car? to get a rough idea of the story of the EV1. Though keep in mind that Chris Paine most definitely had an agenda in mind while making the movie. Or don't keep it in mind. Because I think he's got a good point and if you're going to be brainwashed, there are far worse things to be brainwashed into believing.

The oil industry has one fatty tie to the government. That's been the case for quite some time now. I don't think people should go so far as insisting that President Bush himself actually hand-crushed all the electric vehicles out there (the man has made many a blunder, but I don't blame him for this one) (besides, production of EV1s stopped while Clinton was still president). However, I do think that the ties that the government has (on many levels) to the oil industry are a major factor why we don't see electric cars on our streets today.

GM, of course, doesn't like the movie. GM's Response highlights what one would expect: they put a lot of effort into marketing the EV1, no other car company is producing a pure electric vehicle, demand wasn't high enough for the EV1, parts weren't available for fixing the cars, etc. Though much of the response has more to do with new technologies that GM's working on, because they, of course, want to encourage people to buy their products in any way they can. Their arguments seem weak, and I think GM knows it. But what are they supposed to do? Say they cancelled the EV1 for political reasons?

I realize that the electric vehicle has not been perfected. Hybrids are more viable because they don't require a recharge every 100 miles. Batteries are heavy. I know this. And the EV1 was not a perfect vehicle. That's one of the reasons GM never sold it, but leased it instead: it was a new technology that would be changing rapidly, similar to early PCs, they would be outdated quickly. (Some argue that the lease program indicates that GM planned for the EV1 to fail. I don't buy that one even though they did in fact plan for the program to fail (a good sign of this is their scary commercials (watch)).) However, the EV1 worked and suited the needs of several people and that was in 1996! Technologies are improving rapidly in todays world, and I have no doubt that electric cars could be improved if time were just put into it.

And the thing that really kills me are the reports from EV1 owners that GM would send them information about how bad EV1s were. They'd discuss how hard parts were to find for them (which would be a problem at first, but as more people drove them, more people would provide the parts); they'd discuss how even if exhaust isn't coming out of their car, it's coming out of the smokestack of a powerplant (even though they had to have known that it's still not as bad for the environment...our current power systems didn't have to work any harder because people are driving EV1s and there are alternate sources of power like water and wind that don't hurt a thing); they'd discuss the limitations in range and speed (range is a problem, I'll give them that, but speed is not...GM purposely made the cars slower than they could go, probably for safety reasons). I really can't see any reason GM would've gone through such an effort to squash their own program, a program that I really don't believe is as unprofitable as they claim it is, if there was not a political motivation behind it. More people should be talking about this. We should have some better answers.

Almost all EV1s, except a few which are in musuems and such (including an exhibit in the Smithsonian that suspiciously disappeared shortly after Who Killed The Electric Car? came out, when you'd think interest in it would be at it's height and the musuem would want to promote it...right there in the General Motors Hall of Transportantion...), are now housed at the GM Desert Proving Grounds near Mesa:

Life in the Slow Lane

(originally posted at eclaircie.diaryland.com)

I'm dying to get some roommates. The joy of lounging around naked just because nobody else is around is starting to wear out, and I'd rather have people to talk to. The worst is I keep on catching myself commenting on things on TV out loud even though I know I'm totally alone in the living room.
I've never had this much personal space in my life. I have my own apartment to live in and my own cubicle at work. It's really nice to get to decide for myself where everything goes and nobody disputes it.
But what's there to do?

I read, but it's an activity that gets boring after about an hour. And currently on the agenda is this awful biography of Mary Baker Eddy that it seems like I'll never get through that I'm reading for my term paper.

I watch TV. Never been a huge hobby of mine, but it’s one of those things that keeps noise going in the room, and I’ve watched some fascinating things lately. I’ve been on a History Channel kick lately. Though I actually only have two TV phases, that I just alternate between: the educational one (History Channel, predominately, but some Discovery, some Animal Planet, etc.) and the style/celebrity one (Style Network, HGTV, E!, etc.).

I organize and decorate. All of this space to play with and limited resources to do it with makes for a lot of fun and chances to be creative. Tonight's projects were hanging up a Chinese lantern from the roof with disassembled bobby pins, redoing the order my t-shirts are in my drawers and cutting out stars from wrapping paper to tape onto the empty wall behind the sink.

I walk. It's about a 40 minute walk home from work. I've ridden the bus home three or four times, but most of the time I walk. And I walk up to campus a couple times a week, to buy things or use their computer labs and for church on Sundays. And there are lots of random walks with no purpose but to get out and feel like I'm doing something. It's a nice activity for thinking, which sometimes I think I do too much of lately. And while I'm walking I can't help but wish I was writing. Because the trouble with thoughts is they are gone so fast and only the ones that seem important enough to make a decision to remember at the moment they are thought are held onto.

But I don't write that much after all. A little bit, but…nothing worth mentioning.

And I’m of course pretending that I have absolutely no friends for the sake of making the situation seem that simple, but I do occasionally do things that involve other human beings.

Unfortunate

(originally posted at eclaircie.diaryland.com)

I haven't been sick for over a year. It's been really nice. I normally will be sick at least twice a year.

So it's been a very disappointing morning: I woke up with a headache and sore throat. Not too bad, mind you, but I'm definitely sick. I was beginning to think I was invincible...too bad.

And I think I'll be sicker if Adrienne listens to "You're Beautiful" one more time today (it's been three times this morning alone, not to mention at least four times yesterday). It's not a bad song, but certainly not the GREAT song that oh so many people have made it out to be for oh so many months now. I like the first little bit on the guitar; I think it's pretty. After that point, though, I'm ready for the song to end.

And I Think To Myself...What a Wonderful Word

(originally posted at eclaircie.diaryland.com)

When a terrorist attack is thwarted, I can't decide if it makes me feel better or worse about things. It's nice to know that we have people out there who can catch the bad guys, but it's also scary to know that the bad guys are out there and plotting quite cleverly. And I always wonder how the other bad guys take it when a plot gets caught. Do they look at it and say, "Maybe this isn't such a good idea; they'll catch us," or do they say, "What a brilliant idea, let's figure out how to do it in a way that we won't get caught"? My guess is, when we're dealing with people that are willing to give their lives for their cause, the latter is more common. And that makes things more scary.

Cheese Whiz

(originally posted at eclaircie.diaryland.com)

McKenzi and Johnny are the kind of people that everyone likes to have around because they are constantly complimenting others. It gets irritating from time to time and sometimes makes them come off as insincere, but in my experience, they truly mean it all and are just very happy people. Certainly good for the ego.

Oh, the year 2005

(originally posted at eclaircie.diaryland.com)

The Killers: As much as I wanted to hate them, I couldn't bring myself to do it. The songs are far too catchy and have just enough depth to them to be tolerable. Except "Somebody Told Me"...that song has been way too overplayed.

Maroon 5: Same story as above. (insert "She Will Be Loved" for "Somebody Told Me")

Can't live with 'em...

(originally posted at eclaircie.diaryland.com)

When two females get together and talk, two major topics inevitably come up more than any others: 1) Why all men are repulsive slimebuckets and 2) How to attract men.

You've Got Mail

(originally posted at eclaircie.diaryland.com)

I love the movie You've Got Mail and always will. I was worried about having a bored and lonely night, but an hour on the phone wandering the streets of Provo with Emilee followed by an hour on the phone wandering the streets of Provo with Nishi followed by an hour on the couch with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks watching select scenes will leave me going to bed feeling quite satisfied.

My favorite theme that runs throughout is the "I could never be with someone who..." theme. Frank says he could never be with someone who doesn't take politics as seriously as he does. And he's totally right. He's the sort that couldn't. But Kathleen says she could never be with someone who owned a boat, but it still plenty pleased that she ends up with Joe and suddenly a boat isn't that important. And of course there's the Kathleen and Joe hating each other because of their business, but then eventually falling in love even though they never dreamed that would've happened in the beginning. And all the things that people think should matter but don’t really (“Maybe he’s fat. Yep, he’s a fatty.” “I don’t care about that.”) Or how people are looking for different things (“I just need to find someone new, that’s all. That’s the easy part.” “Oh right. A snap to find the single person in the world that fills you soul with joy.” “Don’t be ridiculous. Have I ever been with anyone that fits that description? Have you?”)

Anyway, it may be a cheesy romantic comedy to most, but I’m always up for it. And I cry practically every time when Kathleen closes her store and then again at the very end when she finally realizes that Joe is NY152. Ah, what a movie.

Swaziland, among other things

(originally posted at eclaircie.diaryland.com)

We broke up last night. It's been coming for a while, so it certainly wasn't a shock. Matter of fact, this is definitely the least painful of the three break-ups we've had.

And then we went to Wal-Mart and I rode in the cart with a baseball helmet on in a shameless cry for attention. And Tim knocked a sign down that was hanging off the roof by throwing one of those big balls. And a bunch of footballs off the shelf by throwing a basketball. And we put his purchases on the conveyer belt with three of the dividers around them in a nice triangle and he said "It's like Swaziland." And I laughed and thought "I want to bear his children" because intelligent jokes from hot males tend to get that kind of reaction from me. But later it didn't sit right with me, and here's why (I looked it up this morning): Swaziland's totally not the one that's completely surrounded by South Africa, it was Lesotho he was thinking of! But I’ll forgive him because I completely understand the desire to say the word “Swaziland” whenever there’s even the faintest possibility of it fitting into the conversation. Such an awesome name for a country.

And please nobody say, “I told you so.” I’m trying my best not to regret anything. Because it’s been good. Really good. I love you, Timothy. Thank you for everything.

Shoes, Glorious Shoes

(originally posted at eclaircie.diaryland.com) 

I came to a dreadful realization a few days ago. I'm missing a pair of shoes. A pair of tan strappy heels, to be more precise. A pair of really great tan strappy heels that I can't believe I've been missing for so long and didn't notice because they definitely would've been a very nice addition to my summer wardrobe to be even more precise.

I have no idea where they could be. I'm pretty positive I lost them before The Great De-Shoeing of 2006 (June 20th), becaues I would've remembered them participating in that event.
The Great De-Shoeing of 2006 is when I got all of my shoes (total: 30 pair...which should've been 31...where are those shoes?) and got rid of half of them. That's right. Half. Some I was sad to see leave, but I'm doing fine without them all. And my closet is far less cluttered. And let's be honest, a lot of those I only wore a few times anyway. I can still account for the fifteen pair I got rid of:

5 to the trash
4 to Goodwill
3 to Jenny
2 to my mother
1 to Melissa

I would describe each pair (those gotten rid of and those kept) and the debate that went into each of them that day (it's a serious business okay?), but let's be honest, nobody but me cares.

Tim: I'll admit it, I'm obsessed with Cougar football.
Lady on the bus (looking at me): Is that okay with you?
Me: Well, I'm certainly not obsessed, but I enjoy it, so it's totally fine.
Tim: Now if only I felt the same way about shoe shopping.

Word of Wizzum is the Shizzum

(originally posted at eclaircie.diaryland.com)

The Subway on BYU campus calls the Bourbon Chicken Sandwich the New Orleans Chicken Sandwich.

Garrison Keillor last month during Prairie Home's broadcast from Abravanel Hall: "Salt Lake City is home to the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a productive and tireless people--12 million strong, with 52,000 missionaries around the world and 30 billion in the bank. They built the Salt Lake Temple and others with their bare hands and Brigham Young University. And you have to wonder: what would they have accomplished if they drank coffee?"