It's that time again, we're revisiting some more pieces that went out into the world with grammar mistakes!
First up, a New York Magazine article about James Franco. What tense is going on here?
Swifties, the newest album from Taylor Swift is here! Midnights is an ethereal, fall-filled medication on the things that bother us late at night. On first listen, I would say this album has taken the energy of the song The Archer, from the Lover album. Join me in the Lavender Haze and let me know which of the 4 album covers you have! I have the "midnight" blue one.
I'll be the first to admit it, a quick text response does not always get my full concentration, but my eyes sometimes make up the difference in a missing character. But there are many times when a spelling error is glaringly wrong (and public), so we'll take a look at some of those examples today.
1. Macys website: Color Names
Second, these pants are waiting on my doorstep, so we will have a full report on the color tomorrow.
Third, I know I and l can be confused, but it's the face that they're all lowercase i and l's that does not give any passes for this common error.
2. Oven Cleaner Package
I view a lot of packaging elements as part of my job. Whoever made the notes on this package will not be making a sweet Scrabble score because all I'm seeing when I look at the package is a misspelling of the band INXS... I can't remember which store I found this gem circulating around, but I would be wary of their products.
3. Menu Mix-up
I loved going to Disney on ice as an adult. The skating in those shows is really fantastic and we went to a weekend matinee, so we grabbed a a cocktail far away from the little princes and princesses asking for cotton candy, light-up hats, popcorn, Icees, ice cream, and anything else that's overpriced or will be regretted at the end of the day.
The bar had 4 themed drinks for the occasion and I got the "Little Mermaid" themed margarita. It tasked great, but I was laughing pretty hard as I took the fruit out. They advertised the strawberry topper as Sebatian, which I had to read again a few times (to rule out they were putting a big batch of wheat (Setian) I think Sebastian would have some things to say about this personal insult.
I love Andrew McCarthy. Maybe it comes from his somewhat aloof but secretly sweet persona in all of those 80's movies, but I have always wanted to know more about his life. Whether it was confessing to Ally Sheedy he was secretly in love with her in St. Elmo's Fire, or charming Molly Ringwald in Pretty in Pink, he seemed like an old soul. What's his story? At the end of the day, McCarthy's story is like many of his era- kicked out of high school, some teen movie era fame, some bad press, some drinking, more adult roles and a turn on Broadway, a few marriages, a stint as a travel writer, a Hollywood comeback story, and finding bliss in directing and booking tv roles in some of the hottest shows, like 13 Reasons Why and The Resident. It's the typical story, right? Yoga is both a popular workout for all ages and a technique to calm the mind. There are two basic types of yoga. We will review the more active style first, which is called a vinyasa flow. During this style of yoga practice, a teacher will guide you through several poses, or movements for your body. One flow contains a series of poses on the floor, rising up to standing, and as you get more advanced, balancing on sides of your body. This style of class moves quickly and gives the yogi a more aerobic pace. For yogis that do not want to commit to a full class, a quick internet search for “yoga videos” can provide a number of free options to try.
Most yoga classes require nothing more than a
mat. According to online yoga hub Yoga
International, the mat not only helps yogis to be more comfortable
during class, but it serves as a physical reminder that the class is a break
from a busy day. Vinyasa flows can be invigorating and are great exercises to
begin the day, according to John Hopkins Medicine’s website.
Balance is a key part of yoga.
According to Yoga
Journal, regularly moving your body helps to strengthen your overall
balance. Each pose must be done equally on both the right and the left side of
the body to achieve muscular and spiritual balance. Poses that stretch the
limbs are done both ways, like the popular “Cat-Cow
Pose” for the back. In this pose, the yogi gets on his or her hands and
knees with their back long, imagining a table with a flat back. As the yogi
rounds the shoulders and pulls in the stomach to the back like a cat, he or she
holds the position. The yogi releases the position after a breath into the
starting hands and knees pose with a neutral back, like the cow. The repeating
of this pose assures the back and spine get a stretch in two different ways. Vinyasa
classes incorporate breathing into each of the poses. You may inhale in for cat
pose, and release the breath as you move into cow pose. There is another form
of yoga that relies more on breathing techniques to achieve balance.
Breathing is the main focus in
Hatha yoga. The breath, or “pranayama”
as it is called in its original Sanskrit, helps the yogi achieve balance in
poses. You will of course use breathing to count out the length of the poses
and breath will strengthen the connection between the body and mind. Over the
course of a Hatha class, a yogi will move at a slower pace and control their
in/out breath, which can help calm the parasympathetic nervous system. This
regulating part of the body controls things like pulse and digestion. The
body’s slowdown in breathing will help a yogi relax in as little as five
minutes, according to The
Himalayan Yoga Institute.
Hatha classes spend more time
meditating in each pose. You may find mental balance while working on your physical
balance. People without yoga experience are encouraged to do their best and
make modifications to their poses as they go through each gentle flow. This
style of yoga focuses more on the journey than on the end result. A popular
pose in Hatha classes in “Legs up the
Wall,” also known as Viparita Karani in the Sanskrit language. This pose is
best done before bedtime, according to wellness website MindBodyGreen.com.
The yogi should lie on the floor next to an open wall with a mat for support,
and walk the legs up the wall until the body is in an “L” with the arms resting
comfortably at the sides. This pose raises the legs over the head for an
extended time, helping the body power down into a meditative state. As always, modifications cane be made for this
pose. A yoga block (about 2” x 5” and made of foam) may be a good option to
place at the base of your spine if you do not have a wall available to lean
against. Home staples such as towels, blankets, or an extra yoga mat can be
placed under the bottom of the spine to alleviate pressure on the back and
hips, according
to Dr. Andrew Weill, an integrative medicine doctor at the
University of Arizona.
As with all yoga classes, Hatha and
Vinyasa classes end with a rest period called a “Savasana.” Many yogis enjoy these last 5-10 minutes of the class
more than the poses. Instructors will dim the lights during this time and guide
the yogis through a meditation or “scrunch and relax” exercise with each region
of the body. The yogi lies in the “Corpse Pose,” flat on the back with arms and
legs stretched out on the mat. A small yoga block or rolled up piece of fabric
can be a helpful cushion for the head in this pose. The yogi takes this time as
a meditation to clear the head and absorb what has been done in the class. This
could be taking in the physical benefits of stretching, or enjoying the metal
benefits of quiet time spent focusing on the breath. Peloton Yoga instructor
Kristin McGee suggested on her blog
that a meditation can be as simple as repeating,” Breathe in, breathe out,” as
a mantra. In conclusion, yoga is a fun, free, and beneficial way to exercise
both your body and mind.
Figure 1:
Cat Cow Pose, as Demonstrated in PopSugar article.
Figure 2:
Legs up the Wall from Yoga
Journal article.
I was delighted to find a link to a new "ballad" arrangement of John Mayer's "Last Train Home. It takes the bouncy 80's style pop song and mellows out to perfection. This song is equal in epic grandeur with "Gravity" and "Come Back to Bed," but still with a synth-lightness that reminds me of Mayer's earlier work in Room For Squares.
Check out the live video of the new arrangement of "Last Train Home" here.
https://youtu.be/yT8SYItNvKg
The below piece is something I wrote a decade ago, when I worked in downtown NYC, just blocks away from the slowly rebuilt World Trade Center. We will never forget the day of 09/11/01...
Barclay Street is Broken
I was sitting in freshman biology when my high school principal
announced the attack on the World Trade Center. It was an uneasy day living 30
miles from New York City, where frantic kids tried to reach their parents. My
dad took hours to get home from Manhattan, but all was fine in my world.
September 11th became present in the community, with memorials built
to honor people that were lost that day. I never really felt the effect until
2010, when I began working around the corner from the World Trade Center site.
The blocks surrounding the World Trade center site, mostly
filled with financial companies, government agencies, and small businesses,
appear fine today. Lower Manhattan has made continuous improvements in safety
in the past few years and I’m comforted to see the heavy police presence on
nearby street corners and surrounding subway stations. But underneath the
surface of downtown New York, I see a lurking fear in the eyes of my sidewalk
sharers. It’s a common bond we are all united by. As a 9 to 5 resident of the
area, I have a weary vigilance. I could never be completely comfortable being a
few hundred feet from what is essentially a mass grave. It’s the announcement
on the downtown E-train that gets me every time, last stop, World Trade
Center.” The finality of that announcement stays with me because on September
11th, that was the last stop for some people.
I’ve spent the last 18 months watching the construction of
the new World Trade Center, along with hundreds of tourists. The tourists shock
me. They come off the subway or the downtown sightseeing buses and flock toward
Church Street, eager to snap a few pictures of the Ground Zero for their
friends or the bent metal cross outside St. Peter’s Church, across from the WTC.
The eagerness of the tourists reflects the country’s view of these events. They
flock to this site, forever tied into history, with smiles on their faces, and
it seems like another stop on the NY sightseeing tour. It minimizes the fear
and unease that New York feels, but I’m not sure that is a good thing.
In some ways, the effects of September 11th have
helped offer more flashy buzz for New York, Batman-style, like the week after
Osama Bin Laden died. For 4-5 days, I found it impossible to get to the doors
of my office because of news crews and tourists packing the surrounding
streets. People ran through the streets with American flags on their backs in
an attempt to show US pride, but also to attract the attention of news
producers. And attract the attention they did, feeding to a media circus that
New Yorkers do not want or need as we continue to heal and feel at home again.
I have to give my book club friends full credit for this pick. We have gotten to know each other's individual interests so well that I was handed this book to read. I've long been a fan of Candace Bushnell's other books such as "Sex and the City" an "One Fifth Avenue," but this novella has 4 individual stories of 4 powerful blondes in NYC. I hope this book's salacious tales of Hamptons hobnobbing and mentally ill princesses lives up to the hype of the upcoming SATC reboot.
NYC/Hudson Valley Region
You know those Brits- always perviously involved in the previous...
3. Local Congresswoman's Email Title-
Public Health vs. Pubic health and the difference in meaning
4. Home Renovation Article
BUYing FIXTURES?
I cannot remember the last time I've been reading lines from a book out loud to my boyfriend. He really started to enjoy some of the stories and passages, many of which I had heard outlined in Casey Wilson's podcast, Bitch Sesh: A Real Housewives Breakdown Show. Wilson discusses parenting, Real Housewives, getting fired from SNL, and shares many cringe-worthy stories about her beloved father, Paul. 
The most straining part of this story was to see two people that seemed like they used to be so in love, now so broken. When reading about their heartfelt calls and visits at the Danbury correctional center, when compared to the reality of their draining separation, I felt like I was missing a piece of the puzzle. Granted, both have served prison sentences, lost parents, and Joe was deported back to Italy by ICE since he was technically an illegal immigrant as a child and never got a green card. I really have to thank Co-author K.C, Baker for whatever she did for this book, which I suspect is turning it from half sentences and incorrectly used phrases, and making it easy for a human to understand. Watching her speak to her friends and family on TV can be a stressful experience if you like to hear people speaking the Queen's English, but I digress..., I now can see some shred of humanity to this woman that I hadn't seen before. She cares deeply for her friends, her kids, and her family. She also believes in the importance faith, fitness, and being a polite housemate. I think her time away taught her some humility and patience, which she was in short supply of up until that point. After all, she did almost black out in rage and flip over a table in the middle of a restaurant... As Countess Lu says, "Money can't buy you class."
I give it a 4 out of 5! Minus a point for Juicy Joe, just as person.
I began following/stalking @Ginger_Zee on Twitter early in the pandemic because she seemed like a relatable person on-air. I quickly learned that people direct message and @ her daily, dumping on her fashion and hair choices (as Stephanie Tanner says, "How Rude!") She takes this abuse with grace and poise, reaching out to the fans and defending herself and her fashion choices. She wants to make every hater into a follower, and she does this well.
In early Winter 2020, I discovered the Narcolepsy 360 podcast, where a recent guest was, you guessed it, Ginger Zee. I learned she has suffered from the disease since her teen years, and had battled it while working through on-site storm coverage and 10+ weekend shifts earlier in her career. I immediately ordered myself this book, which catches us up to the present.
Through reading this story, I learned about a courageous woman whose love of storms in her childhood propelled her to study meteorology in college. I had no idea schools offered degrees in meteorology. The chapter about her work covering Hurricane Katina is heartbreaking, and shows her heart and courage. I give it 5 out of 5!
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| Kelly's husband Mark jumps in as co-host and guest (4/20/20). |
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| At home haircut lessons with the Live Team (04/30/20) |
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| Zoom prom with DJ Pauly D (05/29/20). |
We catch a rare glimpse of the Ripa-Consuelos home in June before they move to former producer Albert's guest house in the Hamptons for the summer. We learn this is because their wi-fi connection is not very strong and is making the zoom feed skip. Photo 1: (07/09/20).
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Both Andys celebrated the holiday season and talked endlessly about their new dad lives. For Bravo exec Cohen, it was the struggle to find the correct car seat for his upcoming trip (with his son) to host the the Atlanta housewives reunion. News reporter Cooper spoke about his son's top clappy the bear and the toy's demeaning chant to "clap your little hands." Both Andys went on to host their own NYE program a block apart from Seacrest, and their program was far more entertaining.  |
| Andy gets deep into a viewer's holiday traditions. |
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| (Holiday sweater party with Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn (12.18.20) |
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| EP Art Moore spins the holiday trivia wheel. (12.2020) |
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| Ryan laments about hosting NYE in a mostly empty Times Square (12.30.20). |
One major thing happened at the 2021 Grammy Awards. I know what you're thinking. No, it's not just the first time Trevor Noah dressed in more than a hoodie and left his house in months. No, it's not the random appearance by a very tired-looking and grammy-less Beyonce and Jay-Z.
I'll tell you what happened: Music was actually celebrated on music's biggest night!
Yes, most music award shows these days are glorified over-the-top performances that look like they belong at halftime of the big game. With a small, intimate audience outside the STAPLES center in a still locked-down Los Angeles, artists could have been left scrambling. Some of them haven't performed in the last year and now they're relegated to a closed indoor set without the limited show audience to cheer them on. What's a musician to do?
They had to perform for (brace yourself) each other. Performances and interview videos of the most nominated artists of the year went in a round-robin style, 2 to 3 in a row. Artists sat near their performance spaces after, often with drinks in their hands, making eye contact with their fellow nominees, making me believe that is is just an honor to be nominated. Gone are the days of Taylor sitting front row and dancing with her model BFF's like they're at the club. Gone are the days of people wiping tears from their eyes while they pretend to be moved by an Adele song. And I'd like to think that with this new feeling of inclusion, there will be less camera catching Chrissy Tiegan falling asleep during the Oscars. Here was a night of actual human connection, and about 4-5 televised awards. We may still be in the middle of the pandemic, but this was more of a real celebration than any other awards show I've seen.
