On Michael Jackson...

I remember the day I learned to moonwalk like it was yesterday. I was 12 and my dance teacher, Anthony, an MJ fanatic, had incorporated the moonwalk into our routine for that particular class. We took off our dance shoes, and did our best to press the balls of our sock-clad feet into the floor, trying to be as Michael-like as a group of little 12 year old girls could.

Because dance was such an influential and formative aspect of my life, Michael Jackson was also a formative part of my life. As I went on to be Anthony's assistant for all of his Saturday dance classes throughout high school, I listened to Michael Jackson pretty much all Saturday, every Saturday for nearly 4 years.

I've been a fan of the classics, Thriller, Bad, Blood on the Dance Floor, Billie Jean... but the album that really conjurs up the most memories is the most recent, Invicible. Released October 2001, Unbreakable, 2000 Watts, and You Rock My World were the soundtrack of my sophomore year of high school. That same year a group of girlfriends and I did a dance to a collection of Michael Jackson songs (one of the MANY Michael mixes we made over the 4 years) for our school talent show. The main song in the dance was Morphine (unedited!SHOCK!)... and to this day remains one of my funnest memories.


I could go on and on about the impact Michael Jackson and his music have had on my life. I could write the memories for hours, but I won't. We all have our own MJ memories, the songs that meant something to us, what we were doing when we first heard Thriller, and so on. For so many of us though, we will also remember today, the day he died, and how we felt when we heard about it.

Although controversy has surrounded his most recent years of life, the positive contributions he's made to music, dance and the performing arts has been unparalleled. Thank you for the music and the memories, Michael.

On the hills of Santa Barbara...

A fire is blazing in Santa Barbara - again. There are consequences for the delightfully warm, rainless weather we've had this year.

As the hills of Santa Barbara are quickly consumed by flames, and helicopters water bomb from above - it good to see that the firefighters in my neighborhood have their priorities straight.



Yes - those are surfboards on the fire truck. However, this display seems consistent with their apparent "let it burn" philosophy down here in Summerland.

Let's hope the winds don't change, my insurance hasn't kicked in yet.

On a yoga mat... with my dog?

Is it just me, or does this dog look like he wishes he were having no part in this activity? Clearly he doesn't want to be sitting on his owner while she practices her wheel. If he did, the instructor wouldn't have to hold him there.

Doga, as this Yoga with Dogs (get it?) is called, was featured in today's New York Times. My dad sent me the article - in jest- suggesting that perhaps my dog, Lily, and I partake. Surprisingly enough, Doga is not yet being offered in Santa Barbara, although I'm sure it will be made available soon!

I love my dog, but I just can't see any joy in incorporating her into my athletic and relaxing practice. Furthermore, there is no way I could a)get her into any of the poses or b)get myself into any of the poses without her licking my face.

Obviously, though, some dogs are just born Dogis:

Doga Downward Facing Dog for Dogs -- powered by ExpertVillage.com

On the phone, and in my inbox, and in my text messages...

That's right. It's Google - again.

In my last post (from about a month ago - sorry), I shared how to be sassy with Google. I have still yet to be sassy with Google, but I'm fairly confident it will happen soon enough.

However, now I'm going to share how Google can slowly take over your life. Please note, although I am prone to exaggeration, this is actually not an exaggeration. I'm serious.

For starters, I Google nearly everything. I use Gmail. I use iGoogle, and Google Reader, and a Google calendar, and Google maps. I also get my weather updates via Google and my news updates via Google. I chat with my friends through Gchat and I video Gchat with my mother-in-law. So in case you couldn't tell, I've fully integrated Google into nearly my entire life... or should I say I've fully integrated my life into Google.

Well, now Google will be butting in just one step further with Google Voice. This is an integrated phone service that allows the user the need for only one phone number for all aspects of their life. They can have this one number forwarded to multiple phones simultaneously. For example, I could have my Google-phone-number-for-my-life forwarded to my landline for work and my cell phone. So if anyone called my Google-for-life phone number BOTH phones would ring.

Now, let's say, perchance, I am near neither phone when they are simultaneously ringing. In this case, I will receive a digital voice mail that can also be transcribed (if I choose) and sent to me via SMS text message or in a Google Voice Mailbox (which will SO be integrated with Gmail... even though they haven't said it will be yet). Also, I can have personalized voice mail recordings for different callers.

Of course, some people think this smells like world domination. But let's be honest here - this is a great tool and it will fit nicely into my Googlicious life.

On Google...

I'm sure you've all had the experience of having a family member or co-worker ask you a question that can easily be answered quickly and efficiently through a Google search. Of course these individuals asking the question have a computer, and know what Google is, yet still rely on you to provide them with the answers they need. I'm sure you know that this is annoying. Why can't they just google it themselves?

Well, I've had this happen to me on occasion (ok, a lot), and for this reason I was really excited to hear about letmegooglethatforyou.com. This sassy-pants website provides a link to the animated step-by-step process of how to google something, as well as providing the results to the search.

I have yet to use it, but I'm looking forward to the time when I can.

On my hold list...

Here's my recession confession: I don't love the Santa Barbara Public Library, but I'm trying to learn how to love it.

The truth is that my decision to embrace the Santa Barbara Public Library has nothing to do with the recession. We're always trying to be frugal and as part of my personal efforts to stay on budget I eliminated by book fund, therefore forcing myself into communion with the public library.

Now, I am not universally averse to public libraries. In fact, I generally love the public library. When I was 16 I even applied for a job at the public library. It's just that I'm not particularly fond of the grungy vibe I get from the SB Public Library. Sure, it's beautiful from the outside...but the inside...no thanks.

Of course, I grew up in a town that was home to one of the United State's top 10 public libraries. The Wheaton Public Library consistently boasted of their "Top 10 Again" status, as evident by the banner waiving above the front entrance. The town of Wheaton tends towards being rather like Pleasantville, so I'm sure it comes as no surprise to learn of their superior library status. Unfortunately for me, I was completely spoiled and am now loathe to enter in to substandard libraries.

However, the Santa Barbara Public does have a particularly wonderful feature of which I am growing increasingly fond: the online hold. In recent weeks I have started searching the online book data base, taking advantage of the inter-library loan system, and putting my books on hold online. With this lovely online system, I don't have to spend too much time actually in the public library. Rather, I just have to enter, quickly retrieve my books, do the self check-out, and get out. Brilliant. I currently have 8 books on my hold list and will be able to check-out at least 3 of them by Friday.

It may not be a Top 10 Library, but the online perks are growing on me.

On January 20, 2009...

Today was like a holiday. Kiah worked from home this morning with me. We made coffee, cinnamon rolls, and watched inaugural coverage (with our computers in our laps - diligently working, of course). Delightful.

I loved it all, from Rick Warren's prayer, to Aretha Franklin's hat, to the verbiage confusion of Obama's swearing in, to the inaugural address. It was so great that I'm going to watch it all again tonight with my informed ladies, only this time with takeout and champagne - and a toast to you, Barack Obama: Here's to a great 4 (or more) years!

I really love the way Michael Franti and Spearhead rocks out on this one - just gets me in the celebratory mood: