Thumbs UP for Clubbed Thumbs

One of my thumbs (right hand) has always been wider, fatter, uglier than the other. I always figured it was wider because I used to suck on my thumb when I was little. Seriously I thought this. It isn't such a stretch - especially if you've seen photos of me from when I was younger. I had AWFUL teeth.
How did I even get on this topic?
Well, today I was talking to Sasha about how I NEED a pedi. Basically, I have ugly toes (toenail fungus) and the second toe (on both feet) is shorter than my big toe and my middle toe. I used to have a serious phobia of showing my feet in public because of it. My friend, LG, taught me to embrace my uniqueness AND pedicures, so I haven't really thought about it since.
Until today. After talking about feet for so long, I had to find out if the internets had info on my ugly feet. First I searched on Google Images to see if I really do have toenail fungus. a) yes I do and b) GROSS. Then I searched for other people with my toe length issue. No luck. At this point, I start thinking about my thumb. So I searched. Yay! I found out my maladies have an actual scientific name and aren't just in my head. P.S. I am a FREAK!

So here's some info for all of you who care to know what a clubbed thumb is. I don't think any of you have a clubbed thumb... I would have noticed.
I heart Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clubbed_thumb
This dude is a freak: http://alfparelli.wordpress.com/

Draft on Taft 2009

GO!
Just...GO!

DRAFT ON TAFT

I had a dream last night...

About Tony. It wasn't a hot dream or anything, but I got to see him again and when I woke up I was elated for a good five minutes, but I got into the shower and started crying because...well...I'm not ever going to see him again. I hate it.
There are only two people on Earth that I want so badly to be friends with again.
Tony & Jocelyn.
GUH! What is wrong with me?

They babies on the bus go WAH WAH WAH!!!

I just wrote "Lola LOVES her niece + nephew, but will definitely NOT under ANY circumstance EVER have kids. EVER. Just so we're clear :)" as my Facebook status and have received tons of hate mail about it. Guess what?
My decision not to have children has nothing to do with my affection for little kids. I love little kids. I love the way babies smell and laugh and smile and coo and I love watching them discover. There is nothing like it.
I just know I don't want my own. Why? Because I am extremely impatient. I get angry very easily. I am too selfish. And also, I don't want to be a mother. You guys should be glad I know all of this about myself and spare the world a future fuck up. Seriously.
I've been in Arizona since Friday evening. Since then, I've been traveling to Sedona and back with my brother-in-law, my sister and their 7 month old (happy 7 month birthday, baby V!) baby girl since then (and my two huge canine nephews, i.e. small horses). Both of them are OUTSTANDING PARENTS. Truly, I can't think of two better parents. Especially my brother-in-law. My dad situation was never good. Baby V has an amazing dad. It really warms my heart to know she'll grow up with such an awesome father. BUT...
Every two hours, my niece has to be fed. So no matter where we are or what we're doing, we have to drop everything so she can get fed.
She cries a lot. I mean, I know babies cry and need to get fed, but I would rather avoid this situation since I have a CHOICE. She wailed on the 2.5 hour drive up to Sedona from Gilbert and she wailed on the way back down. FITS OF PURE ANGER! Is she hungry? Is she tired? Does she hate being in that seat? Probably all of the above. I just can't take the crying. Seriously, I found myself getting very angry. What mother does that?
We stayed in a hotel on Saturday and Sunday nights. I haven't been able to sleep more than 4 hours at a time. I am sleep deprived. I know my sister and brother-in-law must be too, but they chose that route. I don't have to.
So you see, it's good that I know motherhood isn't for me, but kudos to you if you do and/or if you have one now.

stomp clap stomp clap stomp clap

i am not doing any work

i'm not. i think all of us in the office are messing around on Facebook right now. For real. And none of us care.

I ALSO DON'T GIVE A FUCK ABOUT JON + KATE OR THEIR 8

sorry kids, i'm feeling fiesty tonight.
I refuse to read anything on jon, kate or their 8.
poor 8. they are all adorable but their parents are douche bags. TRUTH.

I DON'T GIVE A FUCK ABOUT AMERICAN IDOL

sorry for the vulgarity friends. but i really don't.
i watched american idol the first season when kelly clarkson won. she was terrific for a couple of years. now look at her.
i didn't watch american idol when carrie underwood was on, but i wish i had. i love her. serious girl crush.
since then... which one of the winners broke out big? hmm? and really...
WHO THE FUCK CARES?
there is a girl in my office that gives everyone who can hear (and only one of us cares and its not me) an american idol recap every Wednesday and Thursday morning. I might go in at 9:30am tomorrow to miss the rundown. It always makes my ears bleed.

Pig Gig 2009

I met my friends out last night in Candler Park at something called Pig Gig. It's a pig roast and all the proceeds (entry fee and raffle) go to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Atlanta. Great cause. Cray-Z won 2 business class tickets to anywhere AirTran flies... and some kids book & baseball...but he swapped the book and baseball for club level seats at a Braves game. Big win for Cray-Z and Pookie. WEEE!
Anyway, the big event for me wasn't the Pig Gig, it was seeing Jookie's sister and brother-in-law there. Apparently, by the time I got there I had missed her by 10 minutes. I'm not sure if she'd still ignore me like she did two years ago at the Inman Park festival, but I would have liked to have seen her. I miss her. A lot. I miss my friend. We were like sisters and now we don't talk. It was good to see A+R. They live down the street from the host of Pig Gig and use his law firm for their legal needs. I have missed them too. Jookie and I would go over there to hang out all the time. In fact, A was a little like an older sister to me. Really, all three of them (or 7 of them - Jookie, Jookie's sister, brother-in-law, mom, dad, and Jefferson and Belle (the labs))) were my first family in Atlanta. They were my family for a long time. A+R last night told me they missed me and asked me why I never visit and I said it just felt weird since Jookie now hates me (for no reason), but I promised I would stop by soon. Now that I've rediscovered my friends - I'm hoping we can get together soon.

Awesome Article

I am the Yones' laughing, eating and reading magazines and I found an awesome one. Enjoy!

Thursday, May. 14, 2009
When Gen X Runs the Show
By Anne Fisher
By 2019, Generation X — that relatively small cohort born from 1965 to 1978 — will have spent nearly two decades bumping up against a gray ceiling of boomers in senior decision-making jobs. But that will end. Janet Reid, managing partner at Global Lead, a consulting firm that advises companies like PepsiCo and Procter & Gamble, says, "In 2019, Gen X will finally be in charge. And they will make some big changes."

They'll have to, because the workforce Gen Xers will be leading will have altered almost beyond recognition. For one thing, Generation Y — the tattooed, techno-raised bunch born from 1979 to 2000 — is unlikely to follow in their parents' footsteps. They think putting in long years of effort at any one company in exchange for a series of raises and promotions is pointless — not that they'll get the chance. "Paying your dues, moving up slowly and getting the corner office — that's going away. In 10 years, it will be gone," says Bruce Tulgan, head of the consulting firm Rainmaker Thinking, based in New Haven, Conn., and author of a new book about managing Gen Y called Not Everyone Gets a Trophy. "Instead, success will be defined not by rank or seniority but by getting what matters to you personally," whether that's the chance to lead a new-product launch or being able to take winters off for snowboarding. Tulgan adds, "Companies already want more short-term independent contractors and consultants and fewer traditional employees because contractors are cheaper. And seniority matters less and less as time goes on, because it's about the past, not the future."

Superannuated boomers won't vanish from the workplace altogether: people in their 60s and 70s — because of either need or desire — will be among the 40% of the U.S. workforce that will rent out its skills. "Boomers will be working part-time as coaches, strategists and consultants," predicts Joanne Sujansky, a co-author of a book due out in June called Keeping the Millennials. "By 2019, there will be many more of those opportunities than there are now because boomers will need the income and companies will need their expertise." Says Reid: "We'll see an increase in job-sharing at very senior levels. You might have two boomers who share the job of chief financial officer, for instance, which lets them keep working and also have some leisure time."

The Gen X managers who will be holding all this together will need to be adept at a few things that earlier generations, with their more hierarchical management styles and relative geographical insularity, never really had to learn. One of those is collaborative decision-making that might involve team members scattered around the world, from Beijing to Barcelona to Boston, whom the nominal leader of a given project may never have met in person. "By 2019, every leader will have to be culturally dexterous on a global scale," says Reid. "A big part of that is knowing how to motivate and reward people who are very different from yourself."

They don't teach that in B school — at least not yet. In fact, Rob Carter, chief information officer at FedEx, thinks the best training for anyone who wants to succeed in 10 years is the online game World of Warcraft. Carter says WoW, as its 10 million devotees worldwide call it, offers a peek into the workplace of the future. Each team faces a fast-paced, complicated series of obstacles called quests, and each player, via his online avatar, must contribute to resolving them or else lose his place on the team. The player who contributes most gets to lead the team — until someone else contributes more. The game, which many Gen Yers learned as teens, is intensely collaborative, constantly demanding and often surprising. "It takes exactly the same skill set people will need more of in the future to collaborate on work projects," says Carter. "The kids are already doing it."

GOOP

You all know I subscribe to Goop. It's an inbox treat! Today's newsletter was all about music. Check it out!

Party Jams

For anyone in the mood for a spring dance party…I thought I would ask some super cool music experts for their ten favorite party tracks and thought the combined lists would make for a pretty great night. Looks good to me.

Get your mother lovin’ dance shoes on...

Love,

DJ AM’s Picks:
(DJ AM is one of the most well-known DJs in America; he makes wicked remixes and is a super nice guy.)

“Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’” – Michael Jackson “Into the Groove” – Madonna “Lovefool” – The Cardigans “Hypnotize” – The Notorious B.I.G. “Be Faithful” – Crooklyn Clan “Crazy in Love” – Beyoncé “One More Time” – Daft Punk “I Wanna Be Your Lover” – Prince “Jump Around” – House of Pain “Sweet Child O’ Mine” – Guns N’ Roses

Courtesy of Warner Brothers Records Courtesy of Sony Music

Guy’s Picks:
(Guy Oseary is the Maverick man and played the DJ in Charlie’s Angels.)

’80s Play List “Under Pressure” – David Bowie & Queen “Tainted Love” – Soft Cell “Let’s Go to Bed” – The Cure “Just Can’t Get Enough” – Depeche Mode “How Soon Is Now?” – The Smiths “Our Lips Are Sealed” – Fun Boy Three “Ghost Town” – The Specials “Blue Monday” – New Order “Burning Up” – Madonna “Bankrobber” – The Clash

Courtesy of Warner Brothers Records

Gabe’s Picks:
(Gabe Tesoriero is VP of Publicity at Def Jam Recordings. His iPod always makes it happen – he is the life of the party.)

“House of Jealous Lovers” – The Rapture “Paper Planes” – M.I.A. “One More Time” – Daft Punk “We Are Your Friends” – Justice “What We Do” – Beanie Sigel, Freeway & Jay-Z “Hey Ya” – OutKast “L.A. Woman” – The Doors “Feel Good Hit of the Summer” – Queens of the Stone Age “Heartbeats” – The Knife “Juicy” – The Notorious B.I.G.

Courtesy of Warner Brothers Records Courtesy of Jive Records

Samantha’s Picks:
(Samantha Ronson is America’s best-loved and most well-known female DJ.)

“Another Star” – Stevie Wonder “Stomp!” – The Brothers Johnson “Into the Groove” – Madonna “Can You Feel It” – The Jacksons “Big Pimpin’” – Jay-Z “Groove Me” – King Floyd “Toxic” – Mark Ronson feat. ODB “Electric Feel (Justice Remix)” – MGMT “Music Sounds Better with You” – Stardust “The Bomb! (These Sounds Fall Into My Mind)” – The Bucketheads

Courtesy of Sony Music

Phil’s Picks:
(Phil Harvey is the devastatingly handsome fifth member of Coldplay.)

“1 Thing” – Amerie “Groove Is in the Heart” – Deee-Lite “Cigarettes and Alcohol” – Oasis “Out of Space” – The Prodigy “1979” – Smashing Pumpkins “Superstylin’” – Groove Armada “Step On” – Happy Mondays “Doo Wop (That Thing)” – Lauryn Hill “Into Your Arms” – The Lemonheads “Sir Duke” – Stevie Wonder

Courtesy of Warner Brothers Records

William’s Picks:
(William Orbit is a Grammy Award-winning producer who did albums like Blur’s 13 and Madonna’s Ray of Light. He is a musical prodigy and lives in London.)

These are my top ten party favourites! I was visualising a party with a wide range of age and taste. They’re listed in order of play, not of preference.

“Car Wash (Shark Tale Mix)” – Christina Aguilera and Missy Elliott “Music” – Madonna “Don’t Stop the Music” – Rihanna “Rock This Party (Everybody Dance Now)” – Bob Sinclair “Wearing My Rolex” – Wiley “Jump Around” – House of Pain “Groove Is in the Heart” – Deee-Lite “I See You Baby” – Groove Armada “Filthy Gorgeous” – Scissor Sisters “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” – Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em

Courtesy of Island Def Jam Music Group Courtesy of Warner Brothers Records

Gwyneth's Picks:
(Gwyneth Paltrow is not a music expert but is an avid listener and knows how to get down.)

"You Only Live Once" – The Strokes "Time to Pretend" – MGMT "Let's Go Crazy" – Prince & The Revolution "Paper Planes (DFA Remix)" – M.I.A. "Someone Great" – LCD Soundsystem "Strawberry Swing" – Coldplay "Mr. Brightside (Jacques Lu Cont's Thin White Duke Mix)" – The Killers "Keep The Car Running" – Arcade Fire "Single Ladies" – Beyonce "Wrong Prayer" – Jaydiohead (Jay-Z & Radiohead) http://jaydiohead.com

Courtesy of Warner Brothers Records Courtesy of EMI Music Courtesy of Merge Records

Culture Wednesdays

In the continuing education of Lola, I am meeting my college buddy, McHokie, for a contemporary art lecture at 7 tonight at the High Museum. It's free, so please join us if you can. It's Culture Wednesday!

ART PAPERS LIVE! The Premier Contemporary Art Lecture Series Presents UTE META BAUER Scripted Spaces: The Exhibition as an Architecture of Discourse Wednesday, May 13, 7 pm Hill Auditorium, High Museum of Art 1280 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, Georgia 30309 The event is free, open to the public, and wheelchair accessible. Co-sponsored by the High Museum of Art and its "Friends of Contemporary Art". directions + parking info Ute Meta Bauer is an Associate Professor and the Director of the Visual Arts Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, MA. From 1996 to 2006, she was a Professor of Theory and Practice of Contemporary Art at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. For over two decades, she has curated exhibitions with a focus on transdisciplinary formats linked to feminist and socio-political contexts. Bauer was the Artistic Director of the 3rd berlin biennial for contemporary art and a co-curator of Documenta 11. Her curatorial credits also include section ?/NowHere at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebaek, Denmark, 1996; Architectures of Discourse, Fundació Antoni Tàpies, Barcelona, 2001; First Story—Women Building/New Narratives for the 21st Century, European Cultural Capital Porto, Porto, Portugal, 2001; Mobile_Transborder Archive commissioned by curator Osvaldo Sánchez for inSite 05, San Diego, CA / Tijuana, Mexico, 2005; and What's left? What remains?—SITAC VI, Simposio Internacional de Teoria Sobre Arte Contemporáneo, Centro Cultural Universario Tlatelolco, Mexico City, 2008. She is currently at work on Theatrical Fields. Theatricality as feminist practice in time based art, a research project that will be shown in 2010 at LABoral Center for the Arts and Industrial Creation, Gijon, Spain, and WKV, Stuttgart, Germany. Bauer has also served as the director of various institutions such as Künstlerhaus Stuttgart and the Office for Contemporary Art Norway. She is currently a member of the Governing Board of n.b.k. Berlin; the Scientific Advisory Board of the International Bauhaus Foundation Dessau, Germany; and LABoral, Gijon, Spain.

3 things

1. I created a blog for work and my blog and the work blog are both blogger blogs and up until now they were the same template so there was too high a chance I could potentially post something personal on the work blog and vice versa. I decided to change this blog up. Let me know if you like it. If you don't, I'll change it back and change the layout of the work blog.

2. I signed up to take pole dancing lessons at Pole La Teaz (pronounced like pilates except sub the pil with pol). I am so taken with Felix Cane that I want to be her! This will probably last until I actually get to class.

3. I love the smell of Atlanta late at night in the spring/summer. The air smells like magnolias. It's delicious!

okay, I lied. Four things.

4. WHAT THE FUCK? THE CVS ACROSS THE STREET IS REPAVING THEIR PARKING LOT. RIGHT NOW. AS IN 12:30AM. ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME? MOTHER FUCKERS! IF ITS NOT ONE ANNOYING NEIGHBOR, IT'S ANOTHER! I'VE HAD IT!

I Might Become a Pole Dancer

This woman is AMAZING.
I promise this video is safe for work. I mean...other than watching a video of a pole dancer, its harmless. No nudity.

Varasano's

So there is this dude in Atlanta, Varasano, who has basically dedicated his life to creating the best pizza in the United States. For years, he would host parties in his house where he'd test out different dough and topping combos. Recently, he opened up his first restaurant in the Mezzo building on Peachtree Street. We went today at lunch.

The verdict? While delicious, I still think the best pizza I've ever had is Humble Pie. I'm not into fancy pizza - I think it takes away from what pizza really is at its core. Pizza. It's not meant to be eaten on nice plates with silverware. You grab a piece and stuff it into your mouth. With bare hands. Pizza isn't fine dining and I feel like Varasano's tries to take it there.

It was good, but definitely not the best.

I have a craving for Humble Pie. Who wants to go camping? :)

Happy Mother's Day

No words will ever fully express how much I love you. You are my world. My love.

Happy Mother's Day, my beautiful mother.

mango made me cry

i recently sent off mother's day cards to all the moms i know and love: Mango, my sisters and Mama J...

My phone rang on my way to work, right as I was going to take a left onto North Highland Avenue. I was super annoyed. Mostly because I hate talking on the phone in the morning because I'm on my way to work and also because I was digging in my no-interior pocket purse and couldn't find my stupid phone. I finally found it but missed the call. I saw that it was my mom. I got more annoyed because she knows I hate talking on the phone in the morning. I was REALLY annoyed, but I called her back. Before I could say anything she says:

"HIYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! THANK YOU FOR MY CARD! It matches the flowers in the dining room. I'm going to put all my Mother's Day cards out today. I keep all of them! One day you'll see and know that I never threw away my Mother's Day cards! Thank you for mine. It's very pretty! I love you!"

I started to cry. Kinda like I am right now.

I can't believe I was so annoyed by her call when all she wanted to do was thank me and tell me she loved me. I got mad at myself. She didn't want to chat for hours. That is all she wanted to do and I was ready to be like "why are you calling me". I am such an asshole sometimes. I told her it was no problem and wished I could be there with her and then she says "well, you are probably on your way to work, so have a good day. I love you! Bye!"

I love you too, Mango. I love you too.

Chicken & Waffles

YAY! Texas and I are going to Gladys Knight and Ron Winans' CHICKEN AND WAFFLES!

Inspired by:

oh, is it Cinco de Mayo?

Tacos

+

Coronitas

+

Babies

+

Apples-to-Apples

=

TACO TUESDAY!

thanks guys for the best TACO TUESDAY EVER!

shout out (and a free high five) to:

Pookie

Cray-Z

G

H

Red

the Zzos

baby Zzo

and King & Griffin, too!

x

Horchata!

I wish I could tell you what I did Friday night, but I honestly can't remember. I had discussed walking up to Harry & Sons, parking my ass at the bar and eating sushi and maybe....MAYBE...meeting some cool new people. Yeah, that didn't happen. I think I ended up going to the gym for a bit. OOOOH YEAH. Yes I did go to the gym. I ran 3+ miles. Then I went to Target. I bought a tshirt, a bra, InStyle magazine, some face wash, a hair curler and some cards for my favorite moms. Came home, read some more of "Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man" and went to bed.

By the way, I was as skeptical as you when I heard that Steve Harvey (yes, the comedian) wrote a book called "Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man". In fact, I think I probably laughed. Had it not been for The Today Show, I would never have picked it up, even though its currently in the top 10 of the Bestseller list. On Thursday I went by Borders and picked it up and Bright Lights, Big City by Jay McInerney (a contemporary of Easton Ellis). Knowing how depressing Easton Ellis can be and having just watched The Informers, I opted to crack open Steve Harvey's book first. Its been fantastic before bed reading! 

I woke up at like 11 on Saturday. Rolled around in bed reading, listening to Metric, the thunder and rain. I didn't really get motivated to do anything until 5pm. At that point I got up to go to the gym, ran 3+ miles again and was on my way to Wal-Mart when Sasha called me. She invited me to go to her/our friend AJ and his girlfriend's Cinco de Mayo party - at least I think that was the theme. There were a lot of sombreros, Mexican food and margaritas for it not to be a theme party. Sasha scooped me at around 7:30 and we were on our way. The party was out on Buford Highway - for you non Atlantans, its like little Central America or little Mexico. We opted to stop for a host gift of liquor (tequila). While we headed up to the cashier, I noticed a bottle that said horchata. 

So I don't know if yall have ever had horchata but it is quite simply THE BOMB! I am too lazy to go look up what it actually is but trust me, its delicious. Its like chocolate milk, but less sweet. All I know is that back when I was little, my mom would make it once a year (because it takes so long). The day she made horchata was the best day of the year. Seriously. Delicious. Anyway, I'd spotted a bottle of horchata liquor. I had to buy it. Taco Tuesday/Cinco de Mayo here I come!

So the party was chill. I enjoyed drinking margs, eating bean burritos and chatting about important things like the swine flu and music with Sasha and folks. Goodtimes. I was kinda drunk by the end. Good thing Sasha drove. I'm glad I got out. 

This morning I had a little bit of a hangover, so I was looking forward to my Sunday tradition of Chipotle. I have Chipotle every Sunday, usually for dinner, but 1201am had planned a movie date and decided to do lunch first at Chipotle. I was starved. I didn't lick my plate clean, but I came close ;)! Prior to meeting 1201am, I stopped by Sephora to pick up a new Shu Uemura eyelash curler, since my mom seems to have yanked mine. Not being able to help myself, I picked up some Philosophy items - the coconut body butter (smells like a day at the beach) and the Falling in Love (favorite scent ever next to Trish McEvoy #9). Sephora is the devil!

So we had lunch and went over to the theatre which also happens to be in mall. Since we were early, we ended up walking the mall for a bit and I ended up buying the Ray-Ban classic aviators I've been dying to get. Guh, I know. I had to! They look good on me! 1201am bought a really hot (HOT!) pair of gladiators from Tory Burch. I know what you are thinking, when you think Tory Burch you don't think hot, gladiator shoe, but these are the least Tory Burch looking shoes ever. They are gorgeous! 

We watched Ghosts of Girlfriends Past - Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner. We almost watched 17 Again. Don't judge! 1201am is my chick flick friend. There is no shame in the chick flick and this one was really cute. And Matthew McConaughey is hot. I mean... do you need any other reasons? I don't.

We parted ways after the movie and I should have gone home, but instead I went to Dick's to pick up some needed workout apparel... shorts, t-shirts.... I've decided I'm not being janky with my workout gear anymore. I got rid of all my nasty ass tshirts with the stains at the pits and the ring around the collar. I'm also convinced that if you work out in nice, comfortable athletic gear, you workout better. And I did, so I'm happy.

I went to Publix after the gym to pick up dinner and I guess somewhere between walking in and out, Texas (yes, man, that is your nickname) spotted me and wrote me a text message about being proud of me for working out by not to double down on the chicken. I looked around me totally spooked and wrote back. Turns out Texas was in Publix checking out while I was waiting for my bologna and cheese. Nice... I bet you he thought I looked good in my workout gear! HA!

Now I'm out home and my cable is out. AGAIN. EFF.

Thinking of you, Mango

I love you, Mango x

Noah's Road

My thoughts and prayers are with you, little one. x

Noah's Road