CONGRATULATIONS TO JACKIE!!!!!

On her recent engagement to Stephen... on a walk... at night... on the beach... in Cancun... SIGH.

Love you Twin!!

This Makes Me Smile

' "Well," said Pooh, "what I like best," and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called...'

:)

Bahh, Humbug!!!

I canNOT get into holiday spirit this year. I have no idea why, either--I have relatively less family drama than usual, a delightfully brimming social calendar, friends, and a fabulous Pandora Christmas station playing at work. I've even caught all the classic holiday TV specials I usually miss due to final exams, and will finally see The Nutcracker at Warner Theater next week after years of missing it. But, I still am feeling kinda sad and dull and even decided to cancel my upcoming birthday bash.

Why am I being such a Scrooooogeeee?

Blonde Addiction

I have come to the realization that I... am addicted to Blonde. 

I was born a blonde, have always been a blonde, and although it's darkened considerably over the years, I have maintained a delightfully sunny shade thanks to the magical peroxides used in foil highlights ("Enhanced Blonde," as I call it.)

I had a brief respite during my junior year of college, when I thoughtlessly volunteered for a hair show and dyed my locks an alarming black and white (the Cruella de Vil jokes were endless). I then had it emergency modified to an ultra-cropped, dark brown 'do.

After this unfortunate misadventure, I swore I would never abandon my Goldilocks ever again. And the more I highlighted, the lighter I wanted it. It was truly addicting.

But lately, I've had a hankerin' for brunette... and even for redhead... and a couple of weeks ago I opted for some "beige" lowlights... and then added a few more gold ones. 

My hair is definitely still blonde. But to me, it seems SO dark. I wanted dark, and I thought I wanted darkER. Brunette is so pretty. Brunette would look healthier--flatter my complexion better--make my eyes pop more. But I can't get over the fact that it's not bombshell blonde anymore. 

I've always been the Token Blonde. It's always been my ticket. My biggest attention-getter. My excuse for the occasional not-so-bright moment. It's probably become far more a part of my identity than it should... but I feel I'll lose a part of Nikki if I go brunette.

Ahhh why does it matter?! It's just HAIR for goodness sake. 

Wayyy addicted to blonde :(

Post-Election Thoughts

We finally wrapped up one of the most exciting elections in American history yesterday. By "exciting," I mean tumultuous and divided, but also very progressive--given that both black and female individuals were among the candidates, opening a whole new socio-cultural dimension to further explore.

Americans elected our first African-American president, an enormously symbolic step in the assertion that all men (and women) ARE created equal and can achieve anything in this great country. I did not vote for Obama for a number of reasons, but I have to say I have not seen Americans (not to mention the whole world) so mobilized, inspired, and hopeful since September 11th... and that was unification over tragedy. So this is pretty damn exciting, no matter where you fall on the political spectrum. It is refreshing to see patriotism and positive energy fill our citizens again. It is also apparent we are about to enter a new era--both domestically and internationally. The impact is truly global, and I am inspired and proud to be an American too! I wish I did trust and agree with Obama more, because I like the way he talks :)

That being said, I am a little put off by two things.

• The over-emphasis on race ("Don't worry McPalinites, at least he's half-white," "Finally, a BLACK president!", "Proud of my country for the first time in a long time, my president is black!", "McCain followers = Lynch Mob 2008" etc. etc).

I don't think I need to tell my particular audience here that my not voting for Obama had NOTHING to do with him being black. I also don't need to tell anyone how incredibly significant this event is, in a historical and cultural context. However, I feel that some of the hype is actually distracting from what's important...like... ummm... the issues? Obama as a leader? Because seriously, in the big scheme of things, who cares? It's not the color of the skin that matters, or your religion, or your middle name... it's the mind and the spirit! It's your agenda. It's your plan. The focus on race actually detracts from why I personally believe (or at least hope) that Obama won: he inspired a new hope in the American people with promise of a new direction. The old direction turned us sour. Obama has promised us a solution. 

One commentator on the omnipresent discussion forum that is Facebook posed the interesting question: "How much different would a presidential race be if you never saw the candidates on TV before the election, but you just heard their issues?

The insinuation that those who did not vote for Obama are upset because there is a black man in the White House is just ludicrous. (I mean, I know they are out there, but odds are most of your Facebook friends reading your attacks are not those people.)


Troubling topic 2:

• The near deification of Obama, and the certainty that he will "save" the country from the "dark era" of the Bush Administration.

Now, I'm all about giving the man a chance. I don't agree with many of his policies or feel comforted by his background, but I'm more than willing to support him as our Commander in Chief and see what he can do. I know he will do both good and bad things, just like all the other Presidents. They are human and do the best they can with what they've got--a complex and diverse superpower to run, with an even more complex world to somehow fit into and often take care of.

But the level of adoration makes me a little nervous. I mean, let's be honest here... he hasn't even DONE anything yet. His previous political record is too new to really show much. I feel we may be getting ahead of ourselves. Overconfidence is as dangerous as excessive cynicism; giving too much credit is as bad as casting all the blame on one person. I'm not sure how he handles the pressure! He's got a lot of people counting on him to fix things.

Let's hope this "new era" is a good one, and extends beyond the rush everyone is experiencing right now.  

Anyhoo, those are just my random reactions. Definitely an exciting race, full of fascinating and frank discussions, crazy feuds, and intellectual musing. Gotta love being in a country where you can do that though, right? :)

Yayy USA!

Yayy President Obama!

My Economic Crisis... Federal Bailout, Please!

During my entire time of unemployment, I have managed to keep my checking account stable and relatively full. 

But in a VERY poorly timed moment of weakness (rent, car payment, and other bills just officially deducted from my account), I allowed myself to enter a shopping mall... and the rest is history.  I almost overdrew my account. 

In an even worse timed moment of weakness, I opted to take 66 home instead of 495, and walked right into a 2nd offense HOV violation ticket.  The cop was just chillin' there at the exit, waiting for us poor unsuspecting fools. Ugh. I call it entrapment.

So now, I have a really expensive ticket, an almost-empty account, and only 2 paychecks coming my way before a five week period of no income (before my new job kicks in). I am now faced with returning all the delightful things I just bought (most of which WERE necessary, I might add.) 

I am in the depths of despair.

I Got a Job!!!

Booz Allen Hamilton offered me a very well-paid position and I couldn't be more relieved! Finallyyyy a job offer! 

I'm waiting on one more potential offer from a law firm, then I'll make the decision in the next couple of days. My plebe days are numbered! :)

California Girl at Heart

It has always been one of my life goals to live in several places before I settle/start a family. I wanted to follow that mantra: "Live once in New York, but leave before it makes you hard. Live in California once, but leave before it makes you soft."

Now, having visited both places, I decided that I only want to live in California, and I don't care if it makes me soft!

One of my best friends lives in NYC, so I get to visit basically whenever I want (thanks Wendz!) Thus, I feel I've gotten a taste of the New York experience, and I can safely say I won't be disappointed if I never get to live there. It's a fun and exciting place for sure, but generally too noisy, smelly, financial, and chaotic for my taste. Plus, everyone wears black and eats bran, and I just can't handle that.

I also recently visited Miami, and had an unforgettably amazing time. I initially added it to my list of places to live one day, but then snapped back to reality and realized it's too trendy, muggy, and even pretentious for me to like in real life.

But THENNNN... I visited Los Angeles.... and completely fell in love <3.

First off, the weather is absolutely perfect, but that is no secret. Warm, dry, breezy, sunny. They even party outside. Partying outside is now my new favorite thing. And where else can you do it, practically year 'round?

Secondly, I have honestly never felt so comfortable in a "strange" place. I was there for only 2 and a half days, but I made friends that I am still in touch with, and would actually call up if I need a place to stay or someone to hang out with. And the best part of it all is that they were all completely different people. Almost everywhere else I've been has had strict divides between social groups... certain groups of people just don't hang out with other groups of people. I know I have a certain stereotypical image, and that drives some people away. I hate that, because like all kinds of people and want to be friends with everyone. DC's culture is particularly political and judgmental. In LA, however, people who normally would never be friendly to me would talk to me like we'd been friends all along. Girls who you'd think would be competitive and bitchy were super sweet... and hey, maybe it was superficial, but they did a great job of acting the part, and I can appreciate at least that much. :)

Thirdly, Rodeo Drive > 5th Avenue.

Fourthly, the guys are confident, beautiful, and comparatively less predatorial. They are confident enough to approach you and talk to you, but down to earth and chill enough to set you at ease, give you some space, and not give you the creeps. They play fewer games and are considerably more straightforward. I never meet normal boys in DC. During my weekend in LA, I met at least 5 that I would have gone out with in a heartbeat.

Fifthly, you can't beat California style! I love the loose fitting clothes, the denim, the flip flops, the wavy loose hair or the messy ponytails... everything is just so much less..stuffy.

Sixthly, everyone is SO relaxed. Even rush hour had fewer honkers.

Finally, everyone is happy to call LA home... and it shows. :)

The only downsides... It is definitely a place where people go to make it big and make connections. This of course is partially where my Perk #2-- Friendly People-- likely comes from (in addition to the constant sunshine). But it could also get really exhausting in the long run... and perhaps even more damaging in terms of friendships (where almost everyone has an agenda!)

Plus, LAX security lines are a b*tch. But hey, if you are only there for a year or two, who cares!

So, who wants to go with me?!

Poor Britney

Has Lynne Spears learned nothing?! Why is she STILL selling out her kids with that ridiculous new book? If my mom wrote a book about me and told everyone my secrets, I'd be so upset. Seriously, who tells the world when their daughter lost their virginity? Ewww. 

I Knew This Would Happen!!!

I'm about to get on my feminist soap box again, folks. 

John McCain recently selected his VP running mate, Alaska governor Sarah Palin, a woman who (despite your political leanings, you must admit) has accomplished a great deal and established herself in the political community (my sister even studied her in her left-leaning Psych of Women class.) 

And yet, already, Sarah has been plastered all over tabloid magazines and trashy blogs as if she was Lindsay or Britney. I know that all the candidates have made appearances in these publications, but to my knowledge, few have been accompanied by such cheap sensational headlines like "Mother of Five: New Embarrassing Surprises," or "Sarah Palin: Babies, Lies, and Scandal." Not to mention the casual and lascivious remarks about her boobs, her "sexy" factor in general, or even the college photos of her looking like "white trash." (She looks like a normal college kid in a tee shirt to me!!!) The news about her daughter's teen pregnancy, and now her own apparent shotgun wedding, are more expected in a presidential race of course, but nevertheless still loaded with sexist implications.

First, this proves the point that attractive women will never be taken seriously and viewed as human, rather than a sex symbol, a bitch, or a trainwreck. Hillary Clinton knew this enough to minimize her own femininity, even going so far as to turn down a cover shot for the classy and iconic Vogue Magazine in an effort to distance herself from anything typically feminine. Palin was a smiley beauty queen. Let's face it... she's doomed.

Second, anything from a woman's past WILL haunt her more than anything from a man's past. People are scandalized by pictures of Palin basically wearing jammies in her college dorm room... wait till they find a picture of her in her swimsuit on spring break... OMG!!! I have a hard time thinking of any intelligent, upstanding girl from my generation who will successfully run for president unless she has avoided ever being photographed in a bikini, or even, say, a pink sundress. Why does a female leader have to look and act like a man? 

Not to mention, premarital affairs and pregnancy are death sentences, making a woman "trashy" and "loose." But of course, our male presidents and wannabe-presidents never had such indiscretions *insert sarcasm here*. And if they did, luckily for them they didn't have uteruses to broadcast this to the world. Women always bear the brunt and win the "slut" title, even though it takes two to tango. It's a shame that women have to de-feminize in order to keep a man respecting her... and to help him keep his pants on.

I think the fact that Palin has accomplished so much without the privilege of having done everything perfectly, without the elitism and the wealth, and with the burdens of young pregnancy, disabled children, etc, makes her even more impressive. The fact that she also practices what she preaches and actually lives by her standards instead of just forcing them on everyone else (whether you agree with her beliefs or not), is a positive attribute I can give to very few politicians at all. She doesn't even try to cover it up. (And I give Obama, who was the product of a teen pregnancy himself, major props for standing up for her and her family, and for pointing out that those types of issues do not reflect your parenting or presidential capability.)

Sadly, many men and women still associate females with sex, emotion, vulnerability, and scandal.  And they usually pay the higher price for all of the above than men do, whether it's reputation, babies, career--you name it.  CNN recently published an article about the culture's obsession with female "trainwrecks," and how we love to watch women go down... especially publicly.  Unfortunately, I feed into it too, reading the blogs and magazines that make their money off of women in trouble. But all it does is keep us in this rut where we will never be taken seriously as leaders, as professionals, or even as mothers. Everyone is seriously waiting for these women to fail, and hoping it happens in the most titillating way possible.

So far, it seems that Sarah Palin is their next victim.

My Life = ADHD

I am so frustrated with myself! I am in this awful funk where I can't focus on anything, and all I want to do is either sleep, eat junk food, or play on the computer. I have so much to do, and so many things to think about, but I keep pushing them aside to fret about but not actually deal with. 

I used to be so motivated and focused and energetic! I've lost it for a while now, yet I am so restless and antsy and distracted. How do I get it back?! :( :(

This Will Be Annie...

... when I finally bring a boy home. 

Better view here

Just My Luck

I have had the worst luck this year. I don't know what it is, but something whack is always happening to me. In less than a year, the following have managed to occur:

~ My 3-month old, $2,000 Mac computer's hard drive crashes and I lose thousands of pictures, music files, and documents.

~ I get into 2 car accidents, both my fault.

~My camera gets stolen in LA.

~ I get my first traffic ticket EVER, a stupid HOV violation, since 66 is HOV only during rush hour. Stupid stupid stupid... and $250.

~ My car's emissions equipment (O2 sensor, air flow thingie... ugh don't even ask me because I don't know...) totally break and cost me $1,261.

~My bag of personal items (toothbrush, CHANEL body wash, shampoo, etc) gets stolen in Miami.

~My camera breaks one day before going on vacay in Miami.

~ My purse gets stolen and I lose my cell phone, driver's license, keys, credit card... and I'm stranded in the middle of the city, with an appointment the next morning.

~ My car gets towed out of my own neighborhood.

~ I delay one hour to buy a flight ticket and the price goes up $100.

Not to mention the times I got sick while in between jobs with no insurance. Not to mention the fact that my mom's dog chose to have accidents on my bedroom carpet only. That's not even all of it. I need something lucky to happen, dammit!!!

ADDENDUM: Please add that I spent 130 dollars on a fabulous portable dance pole that is apparently 4 inches too short for my ceiling. Add that I can't get a refund because it qualifies as an "adult item."

Also add that a big fat bitchy SUV shoved me into a corner of my parking garage at work and now I have big white paint marks and scratches on my right door. 

So, my luck is not getting any better :(

An Ode to Lacey

"You want Number 3?" the breeder asked incredulously, as we stood over the litter of animated, rolly-polly golden retriever puppies. "She is a pistol!" Number 3 trotted over with her tail wagging high, three nail polish marks on her rump. My mom picked her up one more time and set the wriggling ball of fluff with dewy chocolate eyes in the yard, where Number 3 promptly found a stick three times her size and trotted proudly towards a hill where she could chew her prize in private.


"Yes!" we squealed. "We're sure." Dad signed the papers, and we spent the weeks leading to Pistol's ready-date deciding on names. Her fancy pedigree puppy name just wasn't going to work.

Two weeks later, Countrylane Cornucopia (I kid you not...she was born on Thanksgiving Day) became Lacey Delilah, and we drove home with a vivacious ball of joy, ears freshly tattooed with her name and ID number to prevent theft, green ink residue staining her silky little ears. Ever since, Lacey has been a ray of sunshine that I think I can safely say is one of the best companions to have ever walked the planet. I realize I may be slightly biased, but I have never known an entire neighborhood to be in tears over the loss of a dog. This unfortunately happened in our lives on Wednesday, July 2nd, when Lacey died at 14 years old.

Lacey lived up to her Pistol namesake, whether she was playfully harrassing the cat, or chewing up red pens and dying our carpet, or bolting for murky black swamps for a swim, or begging shamelessly for our dinner. But every ounce of her boundless energy was worth it. Lacey was the kind of dog that every person should aspire to be. She always had a smile and was everybody's friend. She wagged her tail so enthusiastically I thought it would break, even if she was tired or sick.

Kids who grew up in intense fear of dogs were found using Lacey as a pillow in the front yard on a warm summer day. Lonely neighbors found their days a little brighter when Lacey made a daily ritual out of running to greet them as they checked their mail. Lacey would bound up to greet babies in particular--Lacey loved babies. But when they cried in alarm over the big furry cream ball bounding towards them, Lacey softened with concern and learned to approach gently, and lick their hands, not their faces. Instead of crying, they laughed with delight.

Lacey was the kind of dog to play with a gopher, then drop it apologetically when it squealed with fear. She was the kind of dog to whimper and cry when we brought out a fly swatter, prancing around and wagging her tail in an effort to change our mind and spare the fly's life. She was the neighborhood catalyst--kids who refused to be seen with each other suddenly became friends, because no one could resist afternoons in the park with Lacey. Even cats loved Lacey. (They wouldn't often admit it, but I caught my cats inching closer to her on more than one occasion...)

Lacey would cry when we cried, and set a loving paw on our arm when things were bad. If someone fought, she would bark and whimper and sometimes move in between. She couldn't stand to see anyone unhappy or distraught, and would do everything in her power to make them feel better.

Even her death brought people together. A pair of feuding best friends in the neighborhood were reunited by their distress over the loss of Lacey, and they attribute their reconciliation to her.

Everyone should be like pretty, sweet Lacey. It's surreal not having her around anymore, but if dogs do go to Heaven--and I choose to believe that they do-- I have absolutely no doubt that Lacey is their #1 angel. If any dog had a pure soul, it was her.

Plus, she could "praise the Lord" on command... just one of her many fabulous tricks :)

R.I.P. Lacey. We will never forget you!!!

*5 kisses on the snout*

Love,

Everyone,

but especially Dad, Mom, me, and your chew toy Bonni

*Lacey* November 23, 1994 ~ July 2nd, 2008

Sex Just Keeps Getting Better... for MEN

I was watching the news today, and there is this new study that says if men have lots of sex, they have a lower risk of erectile dysfunction and other ailments in old age.

Am I the only one noticing that all the benefits from sex in these studies are for men and not for women?! What the heck... men who masturbate more reduce their risk of this... men who have sex frequently have a lower risk of that... blah blah blah.

I hope I'm just missing all the reports that say women who have lots of sex will live longer, too. Because now allll these guys are having more and more excuses to get more sex.

"C'mon honey, if we do this I won't get prostrate cancer and I'll live to be a hundred!!!"

Grrr. What's in it for us?!

Obama Love

Hrrmmm...

Fidel Castro hearts Obama

Hamas hearts Obama

Louis Farrakhan hearts Obama

Hugo Chavez hearts Obama

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sorta hearts Obama

Looks like worldwide positive opinion of U.S. leadership may go up if Obama is elected! But, I might be a little more nervous taking public transportation, or flying near large important buildings... 

The Beautiful and the Damned

This morning, Fox News discussed a new study stating that girls who are pretty are more likely to be "bullied," or treated unfairly, by adults (teachers) as well as peers. On the other hand, attractive guys are supposedly less likely to be bullied by both peers and adults.

A not-so-subtle detail is that these were guys and girls who perceived themselves as attractive. I'm not sure how much that actually matters, but I'm going to assume they actually were attractive, and that they are confident rather than cocky. (For a little perspective: when I say "pretty" or "attractive" in this post, I mean well above average!)

Anyway, the whole thing got me thinking back to the story about those college girls who got kicked off a Florida flight for some altercation with another passenger, who was not kicked off the flight. They argued this disciplinary inequity was because they were "too pretty," and that the flight crew discriminated against them because of this fact.

While I thought that was amusingly unlikely (they looked like the obnoxious type), I do know there are plenty of cases where individuals will automatically respect pretty girls less, and thus treat them unfairly as a result. I see that as more likely with female teachers, peers, etc, than males. I can also see female teachers, peers, etc treating an attractive male better. So, it may all go back to the jealous-stereotyping approaches that many women (and some men) take towards attractive women.

Men look at them and think sex. Women look at them and think "bimbitch." (Bimbo + bitch, and yes, I made that up.)

I don't know... I'm not sure I will ever believe it is tougher being the pretty girl in school than being the chubby, frumpy girl in school... but does being too pretty have risks of its own? Ugly girls get taunted and rejected, and pretty girls may never be accepted for more than just that. Beautiful people are often misunderstood, I know that much: bitchy, dumb, conceited, shallow...

Maybe being average is the best way to go. Maybe then, people can't really hate you, hurt you, use you, or even accept you due to assumptions based solely on looks (whether good or bad.) You can't be hated or loved for all the wrong reasons. I read somewhere that pretty people have a higher risk of long term unhappiness, though they may be "happier" in the short run---basically, while their beauty lasts. Like fame and riches, is beauty falsely equated with happiness?

Thoughts???

A Love Explained

There are CATS in every variation I can find of my family crest/coat of arms. My cat obsession is clearly in my blood. No wonder!!! And who knew there were leopards in Europe? :P

(Of course... this is assuming I am a noble Taylor... which is actually pretty inprobable, but still... UNcanny!!)

TEAM BARBIE!!!!

I was watching the news the other day, and apparently Barbie doll sales are on the decline, thanks to the rise of a new fashion doll: the seriously unfortunate and trashy looking Bratz dolls.

I am well aware that Barbie has had her own share of controversy--unrealistic body proportions and whatnot--but seriously, get a grip people. Bratz dolls actually look like skanked out teenagers, sporting micro- mini skirts and obnoxiously huge lips. The barely-legal looking dolls look like they are about to hit the club and snort some coke. They look like inflatable sex dolls with seriously bad attitudes. Even the name--"Bratz"--is not a term I would want my daughters associating with something cool or fashionable.

Barbie, on the other hand, is a classic fashion icon that goes back generations. She has evolved with the culture and spends a large portion of her free time outside the club. Barbie goes to the beach. She plays tennis and walks her dogs with her younger sisters, Skipper and Stacie. She has a diverse group of friends and has picnics with her boyfriend, Ken. She is a doctor, a teacher, an astronaut, a ballerina. She embraces all cultures and has even spent time being Italian, Chinese, or Native American. Barbie cruises town in a hot pink corvette and lives in a luxurious mansion, both of which she presumably paid for herself. She represents fashion on all levels--cute to sexy to trendy to haute couture. What a travesty that parents are choosing Bratz over Barbie.

And on a more superficial note, Bratz dolls have to be about the ugliest toy I have ever seen (aside from Cabbage Patch.) There really is no comparison--the pictures below explain it all.

VS.

For further Barbie browsing, visit http://angelicdreamz.com/store/barbie.html and http://www.barbiecollector.com/. They sell so many of the vintage, special edition, and designer Barbies, and there are plenty of pictures!

This is why I'm single

*This is actually a post I started back in November, that I just found saved in my drafts section. I am publishing it now because it is HI-LARIOUS in hindsight.*

11/14/07

So today, I walk into the hotel for this conference I have to help run for work, and immediately this GORGEOUS guy starts eyeing me. Dark hair, bright blue eyes, Air Force uniform, Air force body...HOT. And he is like, glancing up and smiling at me every time we pass each other.

Then my bosses are like, "Okay, you can go home now, Nikki." So I go to the bathroom to pee one more time before my long metro ride back home, and on my way back, he catches up with me and starts talking to me. He is even more gorgeous up close, and his name is Trent. We are chit-chatting: "Where are you from? What do you do? Etc, etc." And then he's like, "So what is fun to do in DC?" After I give him some ideas, he says, "Too bad you're leaving... do you think you would want to come out tonight? Dinner or a drink or something? I need a guide in DC!"

I immediately get all shy and flustered, and for some ridiculous reason I say no! "I have to go back home actually...I'm having dinner with my sister."

LAME. Such a lie. A lame lie. The poor thing had a hard time asking me in the first place. I kept telling myself that saying yes would be dumb, because what if he's some charming serial killer just in town to do his work and then jet back to Boston? I should have at least asked for his number so that I could call him if I changed my mind--once I stopped being shy. Ugh. I'm so sad. I suck. I fail. I can't even accept dates from guys I'm actually attracted to.

And this is why I am single.

Olympics in China ...?

Everyone is all aflutter because of the upcoming Olympic games in Beijing, and with good reason, thanks to China's vile human rights record.

Some individuals, including presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton, are calling on the President to boycott the opening ceremonies, and others are even urging Americans to boycott the games altogether as a sign of of solidarity against Chinese policies. I'm not so sure that's a great idea. Why would we shun our very own hard-working athletes like that, at a world-recognized event that supposedly transcends politics? We showed up for the 1936 games in Nazi Germany, and again for the 1980 games in Soviet Moscow, and kicked some serious ass both times. Let's do it again! Somehow I doubt that China gives a flip if Dubya shows up anyway.

AND... if we really want to send the world a message and take a stand against China's horrific record, maybe we shouldn't be carrying out such extensive economic business with them, right...? What about THAT, Miz Clinton?!

**CORRECTION** Woops... Apparently we DID boycott the 1980 Olympics... my bad.

My Big Secret

...

I HATE SHOPPING!!!!

I don't mind browsing... and of course I love having new things. But the actual process of trying things on, finding things to match, deciding what is affordable/practical/good quality/etc. is absolutely exhausting and stressful and I hate it. It doesn't help that the air is always so dry and my vision blurs, or that the automatic toilet flushers in all the restrooms have have the worst timing ever. Then I get even crankier. Ugh.

My other secret, on a sidenote: Spice World and My Little Pony are quite possibly the best movies ever made.

Resolutions for the New Year

I usually don't do the New Year's Resolutions thing... but this year I'm feelin' the need for some change. ;) Let's see how long I can keep these!

~ No more personality wear till summer. And even in the summer... mega moderation! I need to maturize and wholesomize my image--and get back in touch with my inner good girl... just a little! ;)

~ 2 drinks max per outing. Two will get me pleasantly tipsy. More than that will have me falling over/doing splits/lap dancing/pretending I'm a Rockette/flashing my Bad Kitty panties/thoroughly embarrassing myself. Not to mention I look uglier. Special occasions may call for exceptions. :P

~ Find a good church. I tried going once last year but the pastor basically wanted to have sex with me. But that was just once. I need to try again and get in touch with my spiritual side.

~ Focus more on being productive at work, and finding what I really want to do. Right now I'm basically all over the place, distracted, and have no direction. And that in and of itself is exhausting.

~ Find a way to get some exercise!!! My life is becoming more and more sedentary, but I hate the gym. Bad combination. I don't really want much muscle or lose weight... but a healthy heart could be good!

~ Tan less, embrace my pallor more. I need to kick this expensive insecurity in the ass!!! Especially since it's winter for goodness sake.

~ Get involved in the community. Do more outdoorsy things, or basically anything other than just big city style partying. I need to broaden my horizons. Life needs to be more than working and partying and sleeping. I need some unique experiences, and I need to meet more people.

~ Be more open minded about dating. HAHA. I'm 23 years old and don't know how to date. Sigh.

~ Be nicer. I have released my inner b*tch this year. Not out of control, but enough to make people go "NIKKI! YOU just said that?!". And I don't want people to think I'm a mean girl. ;)

~ Start saving money. Reality hits... :(

~ Stop acting naive/oblivious and punch guys in the face when they get sketchy! Flirting is fun, but certain things should never be said or done.

Ok that's it. Let's see how it goes!

ADDENDUM: Get on a normal sleeping schedule!!! 11 p.m. on weeknights. And no more sleeping till noon on weekends!

HELLO 2008!

Words can't describe how phenomenal New Year's Eve in NYC was. Can it get any better than partying with your favorite people in the world, who love you no matter what, with limitless cocktails, delicious hors d'oeuvres, party horns, chocolate covered strawberries, scandalous dancing (and dance-offs), kisses galore, and and a swanky Manhattan lounge? I think not. Great way to close out an even greater year. On to a bigger and better 2008!

I love you guys!! :)