Family Holidays

I feel I may need to attach a flow chart later to explain this, but I hate, hate, HATE family holidays. I wasn't a big fan when my parents were still married, but since they've gotten divorced, and remarried/re-partnered, every frickin' holiday has the same divisive tendencies.... and now its gotten worse. I always have to divide one-day holidays into two drop-ins... one visit to my mom's side, one to my dad's... never eating, always getting to one before dinner, and one after dessert...
My father, since his non-Jewish step-family wasn't invited to his mother's Passover Seder, has boycotted, creating an additional option in my already convoluted holiday planning. He is having his own seder, despite the non-Jewish step-family not having an interest in attending. So it will be my step-monster, my dad, their next door neighbors who are Jewish and have a 6 year old and a 6 month old, my non-Jewish boyfriend, and me (who is now thinking of becoming less than a secular Jew, and creating a non-holiday having religion... Jillism, perhaps... no holidays, one law - don't harm others).
I have not actually eaten at a holiday dinner in 10 years, and this is shaping up to be the same.
So Passover being a 2-night holiday, you would think it would work out? Not anymore... thanks dad.
P.S. The end result is 1st night = dad's for seder, dad's extended family for yeast-free desserts 2nd night = mom's best friends for seder, mom's other friend's for yeast-free desserts...
P.P.S. The boyfriend's step-mom is Jewish, and despite no invite this year, I have a feeling we may be at their seder next year.
See y'all on Saturday... my last brief moments of no family. Ahhh. Oh, and don't forget your scissors!!

Holy Cow! I'm going to the Colbert Report!!!

I just took the day off of work, and I can't believe I'm going to get to be in the audience!!! Wow! I've actually never been an audience member... My dad has. Every time my brother works on a new show, my dad flies out to L.A. and sits in the audience, even when he isn't interested in the shows content. To date, that I know of, my father has participated on Whose Line Is It Anyway?, G4's Attack of the Show, a series of shows from QTN, a now defunct LGBT network, and possibly In Living Color, although again, I'm unsure about that one.
Regardless, I have to inform my three cohorts for our ridiculously awesome trip to NYC thats approaching. I wanted to post it here first... Woohoo!!!

Did anyone else have a bad dream?

Since I didn't have to wake up for class today, I totally slept in, but at 10:00 woke up from a nightmare where my iMovie was supposed to be posted to some server and completed by today!
Yikes! Needless to say, it has led me to spend today going over revisions and whatnot.
Hope you all are enjoying your spring break day too!

Before I forget...

Im archiving past PR Kits I've designed, and I came across the Rolling Cube dieline, which I had promised to post.
Just a warning, it's HUGE! If anyone would like it as an eps, email me.
And here is the link to see it in action: Structural Graphics

Sick Kitty

Anyone know of a good Vet in the city? I usually go to Mt. Washington Animal Hospital (NOT Falls Rd. - not after the one $750 night my last cat spent there, which nearly killed him!), and a friend just recommended Aardmore, but I figured since you are all cat folk (except Jared) someone may have a suggestion.
Thanks!

Words

After the fact, as always, I stumbled upon an excellent source of words on the web. World Wide Words provides the origin of certain phrases we all use, like "fell swoop". Check out the weird words section. That could have provided some excellent additions to our favorite words lists.

Watch the Battle to the Death!

Who will win in the battle of the millenium?
Helvetica vs. Arial

More interesting typography

So maybe it isn't gorgeous, but as a born and bred Smalltimoron, I love to see my city exemplified in any manner! Especially when that is one of the lovely items Charm City is renowned for, like the beautiful marble steps, instead of the urban decay!

Interesting Typography

I love how the text demonstrates the message, and the break of the
baseline on some of the characters. Veddy interesting...
This was attached to a very risque ad, so I didn't attach it, but I did link it.

A Call To Action, Through Minimal Action

I wish I had seen this before I decided on my SPCA campaign...

Click Here for Details

Adderall is wearing off...

so i took this online test... and, well, duh!

In Homage to Emily

While I've included some invented words in my favorite words list below, I forgot the most recent addition to the lexicon of jill.

In response to all the Jewish stuff Wes has been forced into since we began dating, he developed a musical niche which I assured him, has not been filled.
The world is lacking a Jewish Black Metal band. My suggestion for song names have ranged from the ridiculous to the sublime, but my favorite two are:
Descent from Abraham
& (the one this post was originally about... I hope I haven't built it up)
ANTISEMANTICS.
Dammit. I just googled the term to see if it had been used, and not only is it ubiquitous, but it is also used in the same context as I wanted to.
Ah well.

Words, words, words are just that, if you say them JUST that way

I can't find the spoken word artist online who said the line that is now the title of my blog post, but that line has stuck with me since I was 14. At that same awkward age, I participated in a spelling bee at school. I waited and whittled through the competition of my 128 classmates, eventually placing second after misspelling vacuum (I went with 2 c's over 2 u's). I was a bibliophile even back then, which is the only factor that could account for my runner-up-man-ship, as the only word I practiced repeatedly was (thank you for reminding me Jared) antidisestablishmentarianism. I had daydreams of winning the spelling bee with that humonstrous term, affirming my scholastic value among the classmates who knew me best for burgundy hair and the unequivocal certainty that I would not arrive prepared for class...EVER. So, my study habits have changed a bit, sadly, I still tend to procrastinate, but not as badly.
Ooh, that rhymed.
So the reason this falls in line with the Show and Tell, is I've italicized some words I love.
Obvious, no?
Oh, some off the top of my head: languid, cellar, grocery, feline, occasionally, chutzpah, accoutrement (pronounced "accoutremond"), amuck, archetype, serendipity (which I often replace with the yiddish be'shert or 'blessed') synchronicity, ubiquitous, transmogrifier, and umm.

While Searching for a free Haggadah

I came across this GREAT cartoon. I Heart Vegans, and am, like many Jews, lactose intolerant, so this appeals to me. Plus, I found it on a secular Jewish website, jewschool.com, which is almost as cool as the place I found an inflatable Matzoh Ball.
Sucks that I have 4 seders to attend in only two nights this year...
Why can't my family just get along? Then again, ma nishtanah, why is this night different from any other night?
Oy!

Business Speak Words/Phrases I HATE (in honor of this week's assignment)

"Some businesspeople use 50-cent words to make a 5-cent point because they think plain language makes them look less intelligent. That's why we say things like 'initiate project action plan' instead of 'let's get started,'?" - Jon Warshawsky, co-author of Why Business People Speak Like Idiots.

Moving Forward
Push Back
First Final (if it's not a FINAL FINAL...)
Final Final
Input (only when used in place of criticism)
Paradigm (when tossed in to a sentence needlessly)
Bench Marking
Best Practice
Synergy
Directive
Restructuring (that meant layoffs of over 3000 people last quarter)
Disconnect
Download (as in "Give me the download from your meeting" which actually means, 'Tell me what you talked about in the meeting')
Leverage (instead of USE)
Metric
Action Item
Value-Added
Had to come back and add one I just overheard - Blackanddeckerized.
Oy!

The Contents of My Freezer

Im sorry to do this, but being a huge Daily Show/Colbert Report nut, I had been craving the moment when Stephen Colbert's new flavor, Americone Dream was released by Ben & Jerry's (mentioned in a previous post). Not only did Wes return from the grocery with the last 4 pints of Americone Dream, but also the Pancakes and Sausage on a Stick as seen on the Daily Show. Yes, the ice cream will most likely never be eaten by me, and yes, the Pancakes and Sausage are delicious stomach-churning monstrosities, but the motivation and thought behind this act of generosity is just astounding to me. I shouldn't be surprised though, as this IS the man who left his holiday party at the Science Center to get me Astronaut Ice Cream and a Penguin purse!
I am such a fan girl.
Oy

Synonyms: assort, class, classify, group, identify, peg*, pigeonhole*, rank out, tab, typecast

This article creates names for categories that needed them: Inner Fatties and Inner Skinnies. Not only did this clearly define "Inner Fatty", it also gave us sample celebrities who fit these categories (to help us identify), made lists of common characteristics in the two categories, and finally divided real celebrities, fictional celebrities, political figures, cartoons, companies and products into the Inner Fatty and Inner Skinny Halls of Fame. Don't worry. I'll bring this to class for y'all to peruse on Saturday. It's pretty cool.



This categorization just defines the objects and attitudes one must have to fit into this one class of hipster. Not on par with our assignment, but still interesting.



Not something I'd normally learn about, but this dissected who designs what for whom in hollywood for the awards circuit. I guess you're supposed to be able to tell what the actor is looking to portray on the red carpet based on which overpriced designer outfit she borrows for the evening.
(Did I mention I'm grumpy today?)



Just some things that caught my eye.... thats all.

I just found these

I found these today, while sorting through my stored files at work. I think they are a hoot. I hope you aren't easily offended!