Every time I watch this my black black heart explodes.
This is the amazing Brian Gaynor on the Park/Blankenship's most favoritest show ever, So You Think You Can Dance.
The flip side, now there's an Owl City song I like. Drat.
The 40th birthday summer travels have been keeping me busy and I just had a little mini vacay with Pooch and Denise at The Gorge. Oh, and that My Morning Jacket band played, too. I'll post pictures of that... later.
In the meantime, I've been glued to the tely for the French Open. It's been a pretty lifeless affair so far. Wimbledon better deliver, methinks.
I hope you will forgive my prolonged absence after you see this photo of a bear doing a belly flop into a lake. Also, I've been saving up my writing power for the upcoming MTV Movie Awards. Okay, that's just an excuse, but I will be doing my usual awards-show-I-hate-myself liveblogging this Sunday. Dreading it already!
See you peeps Sunday eve.
Oh oh, I started a Formspring thingie because... you know... I'm not on the internets enough these days. You can ask me anythinghere. I am afraid.
One of these days I'll get my life back, but until then, my hat (actually, I don't wear a hat, although I'm considering it because I'm planning a second career as a hobo and don't they wear hats?) goes off to my new fave tennis player, Marin Cilic. He beat Juan Martin Del Potro and Andy Roddick in full on nail-biter five set matches.
I think it's partly due to the magic of the tree kangaroo. Although last time I went on a Marin Cilic tree kangaroo spree he lost to Del Po at the US Open. Sadly, I don't have high hopes for him against Andy Murray, but we'll see. None of you know what I'm talking about, do you? I live alone in my grand slam tennis fan world. Tear.
I used to sort of poo poo the Australian Open as the slam that didn't really matter, but I've come around and seen some of the best matches at Melbourne Park via my tv... at 3 am...
In other news, I'm in Austin. Sitting in an office. Well, sitting in a laundry room that is now a cave that doubles as an office. I have lava lamps, though, and that makes all the difference.
Lately I've been having this discussion with Tom, wondering if, when I'm on my deathbed will I regret the many hours I spent online, weeks watching tennis, days spent reading trashy books and watching Project Runway?
Well, now I am guilt free, ladies and gents, because my answer to this be NO.
I also remarked, as a rationale, that it's not like if I wasn't watching the VMA's I would be in Peru scampering around Machu Picchu (which I really want to do someday, just not right at this moment).
Anyway, as I was going through Google Reader (the greatest invention ever) this morning I found this share from my pal Beth (original post here), and it was a real Oprah A Ha! kind of moment. I enjoy being a homebody, I like watching too much So You Think You Can Dance, I don't mind spending long hours IM'ing with friends. I'm going to run with the theory that maybe if I feel less stressed out about not being productive I will actually be more productive.
Fittingly, as I sat down to write this post I closed my eyes and clicked on a random song in iTunes...
Mmm, love this song. A favorite at the disco... back when I did that sort of thing.
In other news, this week's Twitter Poll, "Who had the worst outburst and why? Joe Wilson, Serena Williams or Kanye West?" was probably the most popular yet. In the end Joe Wilson won it by six with Serena Williams coming in second. True to history, Kanye just can't win at anything. There were a lot of "We expect athletes and musicians to be jerks" comments. This is sort of refreshing because I also expect politicians to be jerks, as well.
Don't you want to answer my dopey questions, too? Follow along @mspark. Fair warning, I post comments and links to Twitterers in my reportage. So really, this is a good opportunity for you to see your name on the internets!!!
I'm sitting here watching the US Open Women's Doubles Final where Venus and Serena Williams just won. Oh yay. Mary Carillo said last night that she was shocked (and seemed dismayed) that they were even letting them play. Well, I guess Serena's winnings will more than cover the measly $10,500 fine levied on her after her major spazz out in the Women's Semis. But you know, apparently Serena has apologized now so we should all move on. Nevermind that it took her two days, a press conference where she said, "Who? Me? Apologize?" and an appearance at the VMAs for her publicists to come up with it.
Speaking of the VMA's... I've updated my post to include links to many of Lady Gaga's fabulous outfits. I'm definitely revising my opinion about LG. I would never have the guts to wear a bird's nest to an awards show. Maybe I should try it when I run my errands tomorrow. I bet the other housewives at the Springhurst Target will be muy impressed.
I'm a little baffled over all the Kanye West outrage. Yes, Kanye made a lame move taking the mic from Taylor Swift and crapping all over her teenage dreams, but really... this is the VMA's we're talking about, people. It's not the Grammys... it's not even the People's Choice Awards (do they even still have those?). I find it hard to believe that young Taylor's soul is seriously wounded over Kanye telling the world that Beyonce's video is the best ever. As my internet friend Phil Looney says, "When Kanye drops a new single with Taylor Swift singing the hook, don't act surprised." Also, Whitney Pastorek coined the phrase #kanspiracytheories and it's taking off. It will be interesting to see what West's reception is on tonight's Jay Leno Show.
Anyway, I've included Taylor Swift's winning video in this post. Decide for yourself if it beats Beyonce's rope climbing. I think not.
(The above is proof that the internets now move faster than the speed of crappy pop culture. Thanks to Yael for this find.)
Why am I doing this to you, you might ask? Why am I doing this to myself is the better question. Blogging is pain, people.
9.00 pm This show gets more and more ridiculous as each year passes. I'm sure 2000 and fine will be no exception. I think I'm only doing this for Russell Brand and certainly not for...
MADONNA(!!!!), who kicks off the show looking Botoxed to the max. Maddy's weaving a fascinating (not really) tale of how Michael Jackson's life was just like hers... or something. I guess she had dinner with MJ and held his hand? And there's crotch grabbing and moonwalking going on in her house? People are crying... or pretending to. MADONNA, YOU ARE SO FULL OF GRAVITAS I BET YOU WOULD CRY, TOO, IF YOUR FACE COULD MOVE!!!
9.08 pm Okay, Madonna finally stopped talking about herself and now a bunch of dancers are doing a Michael Jackson montage. I get why we're paying tribute to MJ and everything, but I'm sort of oh please at the fauxness of it all. However, I will say it's pretty kick ass that Janet Jackson is there lip synching away as Beyonce goes wild.
9.13 pm Part of the reason I love writing about shows like this and the Teen Choice Awards is so I can find out just how out of touch I am with what's going on in pop culture. Like now, who is this chick singing, "We Will Rock You?" Katy Perry? I mean, I know who Joe Perry is at least. Hey, I was right! It is Katy Perry. Is she related to Joe? I bet she's his long lost sister.
9.16 pm Russell Brand hasn't been onstage more than ten seconds and he's already said something disgusting although I'm not quite sure what. Something about a hole/entrance (sorry). Russell implores us all to love each other because Robert Pattinson and P Diddy are in the house. I thought he was just Diddy now? See, I know nothing.
9.18 pm "The Jonas Brothers have to forgive me, they're Christians." Best line of the night so far.
9.20 pm I'm not even going to hang my hat on this Lady Gaga hermaphrodite bit.
9.21 pm "I suppose English people are a bit different than you... instead of letting people die in the street we have free health care." Zing!!
9.23 pm Shakira and Taylor Lautner go through some stupid she-wolf banter and present Best Female Video to Taylor Swift for "You Belong with Me." I've never heard this song and now I realize what's been missing in my life. I bet Beyonce is pissed.
9.25 pm OH MY GOD. Well, that happened. In the middle of Taylor's acceptance speech Kanye West burst onstage, took her mic from her, and yelled out "I'm really happy for you, I'm gonna let you finish, but Beyonce has one of the best videos of all time. OF ALL TIME!!" I totally wrote that Beyonce joke before this happened so I'm not taking it out. I never thought I'd feel sorry for Taylor Swift but, well, apparently now I do. People are standing and cheering and booing. It's mayhem! Stay classy, Kanye!
9.27 pm I really feel like I should stop watching now because where can the show go from here? It's all downhill, I'm sure.
9.34 pm Jack Black asks everyone to pray to the devil with him while Leighton Meester looks mildly disgusted. They give Best Rock Video to Green Day for "21 Guns." I guess praying to the devil really works because Kings of Leon did not win.
9.38 pm Taylor Swift is busking at the 42nd Street station. Kanye killed her career superfast. I'm impressed. Here I was thinking he wasn't that relevant anymore.
9.48 pm Pete Wentz is really short.
9.49 pm Lady Gaga's mask makes her look both cross-eyed and like the guy from Flock of Seagulls. An impressive feat. Given her almost complete lack of clothing I'm pretty sure we can safely say she is not a hermaphrodite. This "Paparazzi" song is ridiculous but since Lady Gaga is an Illuminati puppet I kind of dig her. Apparently playing a horrible piano solo will kill you because inexplicably she's covered in blood now. Man, I hope she doesn't die or anything.
9.55 pm I just realized this show is two and a half hours long. I thought it was only two. I am now inconsolable.
10.00 pm I think Russell Brand just said he wanted to slip a roofie to Megan Fox. Euw.
10.03 pm Best Pop Video goes to Britney Spears. Umm, wha? Geez, where's Kanye now with the outrage??!!
10.05 pm Green Day are playing. Katy Perry's rocking out. This is a good time for a pizza break.
10.16 pm Be still my beating heart, it's R-Patz and the rest of those Twilight people. I'm sooo Team Jacob. Oooh it's an extended look at the New Moon trailer. Dakota Fanning is creeeeepy. God, I remember what it was like to have tons of feelings as I tried to save my one true love... I felt just as confused as Kristen Stewart generally looks.
10.20 pm Oh goodie, Beyonce's here. I super hope she does the rope dance. Please do the rope climbing dance, B! It sounds like she's about to cover Phil Collins' "In The Air Tonight." I'm so glad she's bringing leotards and lasers back. Someone needed to. YES!!! I swear that rope climbing gets me every time. I actually just exclaimed and Tom's like, "What is wrong with you?" Poor Tom. He suffers for my art, too. Cuz yeah, this is art. Holy crap there's like fifty leotard ladies on stage now. If they all rope dance I'm going to explode. Drat. Denied.
10.32 pm Diddy (or P Diddy?) and Jamie Lynn Sigler give Best Male Video to TI, who is apparently in prison on a federal weapons conviction. Well, that's the cleverest excuse I've heard for skipping this crappy show. Thank God Kanye didn't win. He was roundly booed when they announced his name as a nominee and I was feeling totes uncomfortable about what would happen if he took the prize. I'm too delicate to witness a tween riot.
10.38 pm Apparently Muse is big here now. Thanks a lotStephenie Meyer. I liked them better when they were ALL MINE.
10.40 pm Cyndi Lauper, Tracy Morgan and Eminem are doing a video skit together. Never thought I'd write that sentence.
10.43 pm It's hard to be funny every two minutes so if part of this sucks, sorry.
10.49 pm J-Lo presents Best Hip Hop Video to Eminem. First Britney, now this... MTV is sooo ten years ago.
10.51 pm I wondered when the DJ AM tribute was coming (some rapper, I have no idea who, is doing a song). It's interrupted by shots of Jay-Z's motorcade. I see.
10.57 pm I defended Russell Brand last year, but he's sort of bombing. At least his hair looks normal. I can live without hearing about his erections, though.
10.58 pm Tracy Morgan sings "Time After Time" while Eminem gives Best New Artist to Lady Gaga. Her outfit is making me seriously LOL. It defies description. She says her award is for "God and The Gays." See, she's awesome.
11.00 pm Serena Williams introduces Pink and makes a joke about stepping over lines. I guess most people did not see her hideous freak out at last night's US Open. Or maybe they did and are cheering anyway. Oh God, I can see Pink's boob. When is this show over, again? Pink is singing (read: lip synching) while upside down. This reminds me of Tommy Lee on the Motley Crue Theatre of Pain tour (except he was actually playing).
Okay, I find it oh so fitting that as Serena was busy making stupid jokes at the VMAs, Kim Clijsters was busy kicking ass in the US OpenWomen's Final. So... you know... joke's on you Serena.
11.11 pm Only twenty minutes left! w00t! I don't even want to know how long this post is.
11.12 pm Gosh, it's Andy Samberg and Jimmy Fallon. It's Video of the Year!! It goes to Beyonce for "Single Ladies" (I told you the rope climbing was powerful). Vindication for Kanye! Lady Gaga has a bird's nest on her face (see, what's not to love?)!
Okay, Beyonce just let Taylor Swift have her acceptance speech. And Taylor just happened to be right there. With a mic. Wearing a cute red dress just like Beyonce. Sorry, but I think I have to call BS. Does this make me a horrible cynic? Good.
11.20 pm I think all that's left is Jay-Z and his motorcade arriving and blah blah blah. I feel cheated just like at the Movie Awards when I believed in Eminem's outrage over Sacha Baron Cohen's crotch in his face. Fool me once, MTV!!! Now the shame is all on me..
How awesome is this? Thanks to Yael for sharing this on our favorite thing ever, Google Reader.
And then there's...
Told you I was going to get as much mileage as possible out of this tree kangaroo. I'll be rooting for Marin Cilic all the way over Juan Martin Del Potro tomorrow so I can keep posting little buddy here.
I told Tom he should get a furry cape with horns and he agreed this is a good look.
In other news, I've started up the Twitter Polling again because certain people really seemed to miss it and after reading the three millionth item about Jon and Kate (but what about the eight, I wonder), I had to know... Team Jon or Team Kate?
So far I've only received three votes for Jon (two unenthusiastic), none for Kate and most answers run along the lines of, "Team Neither" @theotherjeff, "Team Birth Control" @beaucoupkevin, and "Team Child Protective Services" @lyngay. Where do you fall in the great Jon and Kate debate? Play along on Twitter @mspark. Also, people like to poo poo the Tweetdom but there's some really funny stuff on there... like this.
In other other news, Marin Cilic is busy kicking Andy Murray's butt. I think it's because he has tree kangaroo power. If Cilic wins, I'm going to find some way to link to that picture every day he stays in the Slam.
Isn't this picture pretty? Soothing, even. (You can see loads more excellent images at pixdaus.com.)
I'm using it to erase the past couple of hours where I made the unwise decision to read the crazy people reaction to Obama's education speech and watch the crazy people reaction to Obama's speech (did you know it was illegal to have lesson plans where kids talk about what they want to be when they grow up?).
It's so unsettling to me, this fear based Feary McFearystein loony bin rhetoric. Would someone please explain to me how it was okay for Bush to do warrantless wiretaps, but it's NOT okay for Obama to tell kids to set goals and step away from the XBox?
Somehow I am missing the logic.
In other news, I would love to see Georgia native Melanie Oudin step in and win it all at the US Open. That would be pretty delightful. Did anyone else see Novak Djokovic call John McEnroe down for a quick game last night after his match? That was super cute. Looking forward to Marin Cilic vs Andy Murray later this afternoon and would like to see Cilic pull off the upset if only because of this photo.
Okay, I confess this post is targeted specifically to two people, namely my husband and our friend Shane. I could have just shared it on Google Reader but figured why not spread the joy around?
In other news, I am super pleased that the US Open has started. I used to watch only Wimbledon but now follow all the Slams. Of course, I'm all w00t! that Rafael Nadal is back but bummed that both Ernests Gulbis (who didn't stand a chance against Andy Murray) and Janko Tipsarevic went out in the first round. I don't know if one of my other faves, David Ferrer, is even in the draw. You know who I'm not rooting for? Andy Roddick. Yeah, I said it. The ladies are disappointing. I spent years actively disliking Maria Sharapova, but she's ditched her creepy dad and for God's sake, at least she doesn't cry during matches. Ana Ivanovic seems like a sweet girl, but as Lleyton Hewitt would say, "Come on!"
However, I will mitigate the complaints with some Roadside Romeo. I saw his videos at DakShin one night and haven't been the same since.
I just have to say between the dust that gets kicked up by packing and the emotional upheaval of finding remnants of one's past, tucked away in filing cabinets and hidey holes, moving really BLOWS! This is my third time in five years. We better stay at this house for a while, and I think we will. It does, after all, have a hot tub.
I also have to say that I'm in complete and utter shock watching this fourth round match between Rafael Nadal and Robin Soderling at the French Open. It's almost as upsetting as finding pictures of me when I was 30 and thin!
I'm sitting here watching The Craft (Fairuza Balk = super creepy) and working in the cozy confines of my office at home. I'm still relishing the joy of electricity, even turning on a light feels luxurious and magical.
The Australian Open men's final was an exciting few hours of my yesterday, and I'm thrilled that Rafael Nadal has his first hard court Grand Slam win but sad that Roger Federer was denied equaling Pete Sampras' 14 Slam titles. This is mostly because I can't stand Pete Sampras, I will freely admit. He once nearly mowed me over at a party and I just... haven't been able to move past that. Just kitten. Though that story is true, what really bothered me about Sampras was his robotic roboticness and lack of personality. Anyway, I hope Fed can pick up Wimbledon or the US Open this year... or even the French so he can get a career slam, but I don't have much hope for him there.
Anyway, to celebrate my good fortune (and the fortune of all of us with power - my thoughts go out to those of you surviving without!), here's a Song for a Day... fittingly... The Delgados' "Coming in from the Cold."
This was the view from my front door this morning. Though I've been (possibly unduly) suffering at the hands of the cold, I can still appreciate good light and the romance of snow and ice.
Showering and sitting in a warm room shouldn't be a luxury, but I guess they are. I've thought about my dependency on all things modern lately and feel a bit guilty. I tend to be self-reliant to a fault (see: staying in a house by myself with no power in sub-freezing temperatures for three days), and when Tom's gone I spend the majority of my time alone. However, I'm never really alone with the TV and internets going 24/7, right?
I haven't watched the telly in three days and now don't want to. I saw that Serena Williams won the Australian Open and didn't much care, but then I wouldn't, anyway. If Dinara Safina had pulled it off, I would be pretty sad to have missed that.
However, tomorrow Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer meet up for the first time in a hard court Grand Slam final so, you know, I really really want to see that, but I don't want to impose on anyone to do so.
So, from my keyboard to the God of LG&E's ears, may I please have my electricity back for the Australian Open Men's Final? I'm not asking for much, I don't think.
Okay, I confess, Tom isn't the only man I love that's in Australia at the moment. Though my excitement over Rafael Nadal is waning now that he's number 1 (I heart an underdog), I was excited to find that he's blogging again. You can keep up with it here and gosh, he's just precious. I dare you not to have a l'il crush after reading.
It will be interesting to see if Roger Federer can regain his footing - and I love how Fed losing his footing means not winning every darn thing. I kind of liked Novak Djokovic for a while but until he fixes his atititude, he can suck it. Hee hee.
I confess my attentions have turned to Ernests Gulbis, the Latvian up and comer who... still has some work to do, but is quite promising, and purty fun to watch.
Anyway, while I am waiting for someone in Oz to send me some new pics, I wanted to do an Australian Open post because I'm psyched about Grand Slam season starting again.
However, I still miss Justine Henin. The WTA pretty much blows without her.
It was one year ago today that I started this little blog and my :sniff: how you've grown!
I looked at my first few posts last night and way back then I was watching the US Open and talking about gay marriage.
In that time, things have changed in both tennis AND gay marriage! Has any other blogger tied the two together, I wonder? Methinks not!
These changes have been positive and so today I celebrate both Rafael Nadal taking over the #1 spot from Roger Federer AND California's legalization of gay marriage. Hurray for progress!
However, I think after watching last night's match between Andy Roddick and Ernest Gulbis I may have a new favorite. The young Latvian is scrappy, adorable and hits some amazingly impossible shots down the line.
Here's some vid of Nadal vs Gulbis from Wimbledon.
Unfortunately, Roddick prevailed but not before being pushed to four sets. Though I heart Lacoste, I do not heart AR. On that Mandy Moore and I have something in common. Or maybe it's Zach Braff she doesn't like anymore. Well, me either so score on both counts.
I've also spent the last year talking about politics, and we've had a historic little week here in America with Barack Obama's nomination and McCain's choice of Sarah Palin for VP (I love how they'd met ONE time before he picked her and that she has a son called Van Palin). I think it's going to be another nail biter in early November. I maintain that the person best suited for this job will never run.
I think the following picture best describes my current feelings about the state of politics:
And that makes me sad, really, because I should care and am a self-confessed political junkie type. However, the whole dog and pony (or elephant and donkey?) show has worn me out. They really need to cut back on these long election seasons. This country has ADD, what the heck were they thinking?
Alright... Happy Anniversary to me or something. Hope you all are having a fab holiday weekend.
Gossip Girl starts on Monday! W00t!
Maintaining my love/hate relationship with the internets, Ms. P
I've watched every Olympics since 1976, and this was by far the most spectacular Opening Ceremony I've seen (my second fave is probably Albertville in 1992).
Some random thoughts...
Zhang Yimou did an amazing job with the artistic portion of the program blending high tech graphics with the power of the people.
Who doesn't love Yao Ming? I love how they gave him way more screen time than that loser Kobe Bryant.
Didn't Rafael Nadal look adorable walking into The Bird's Nest? Glad to see Lindsay Davenport there. I wasn't sure if she was going to make it or not.
Is Matt Lauer really tall or is Bob Costas really short?
While I understand there are myriad political reasons to have problems with the Chinese government, the very tiny idealistic part of me wants to believe that since we only have so many opportunities to come together like this, we should maybe take them where we can get them.
I would probably have more to pontificate about, but it's 7 am, and I haven't really slept yet. Oops.
On another note, the tiny idealistic part of me was bummed to learn that John Edwardshad an affair in 2006. Then again, I'm probably the fool for thinking politicians (nevermind lawyers!) are any better than the rest of us. It's not so much the affair, really, it's the circumstances, the lying, the running for President with a skeleton like this in the closet, the hubris, etc etc. Why on earth did Elizabeth stand by him for this? I've been soured on politics lately, though. Gee, I wonder why.
I was going to write this whole post about how my iPod is a genius, how when it's set to shuffle it dazzles me by going from Duran Duran to Cyndi Lauper, etc etc. And then again, maybe not because Phantom Planet into Donna Summer doesn't really make sense...
I was also going to marvel at my ability to sing along to over 150 songs in the course of a night painting my mother-in-law's house... how I can remember all those lyrics but cannot remember Tom's birthday or our wedding anniversary.
I've always been amazed at how my brain only wants to retain useless information.
Anyway, all this stuff happened over the weekend and now feels very uninteresting. It was probably uninteresting at the time, too, but after huffing paint for a million hours and getting very little sleep it seemed compltely fascinating.
So did listening to Big Country (see above)...
I'm still excited about Rafael Nadal's big win over Roger Federer, though I did feel a bit sad for Fed. You could tell he was heartbroken. However, it's impossible not to love Rafa, and I've been following him (and his capri pants) for a few years now. He has mucho heart. He wrote a Wimbledon blog for ESPN.com. It's pretty cute... just like him.
And finally, I'm so glad my friend C shared this amazing invention with me (even if she did send it with a note saying whoever made this needs to get laid)...
Go to Make:Blog to see details on this fine achievement in geekery. I'm so lobbying for MMJ to take this out on their next tour.
I'm fond of reporting embarrassing Kentucky stories, and this was about to go right up there with the best of them, but now I'm thinking Angela Eversole might be pretty enterprising trading sex for a $100 Speedway gas card. But maybe she's selling herself short with the rising cost of fuel.
In other news...
They say you can get anything in New York and apparently now you can even go to a vagina spa. I confess I can think of about five million items on my list of things to do before visiting a vagina spa. But that's just me. Apparently one of the services is called the Lazy Susan.
Jesse Helms died today. Well, technically yesterday. Either way he's still a racist.
Christopher Hitchens tried waterboarding. This made me laugh for some reason. I wonder if he saw God.
Venus and Serena Williams meet in the women's final of Wimbledon tomorrow morning. Rafael Nadal faces Roger Federer on Sunday. Go Rafa!! I don't care which Williams sister wins although I guess I favor Venus. Women's tennis is really going into the toilet now that Justine Henin retired. I'm a little bummed.
And finally, last night I watched the 80s gem Streets of Fire starring Michael Pare (whose picture I had on my wall when I was 13 or something), Diane Lane, Rick Moranis, Amy Madigan, Willem Dafoe, Bill Paxton and Deborah Van Valkenburgh (who I used to think was so purty). Seriously, what were all these talented actors thinking? Okay, I'm not sure Michael Pare was that talented since like Eddie in Eddie in the Cruisers, he pretty much disappeared only to resurface briefly in The Virgin Suicides.
I couldn't tell if this movie was set in the 40s or the 80s or both simultaneously. What was director Walter Hill thinking? I love The Warriors, though, and can sort of see SOF as a strange extension of that gang classic. I mean, who else would put Willem Dafoe in patent overalls with no shirt?
The film did spawn the hit "I Can Dream About You" (performed in the movie by some moonwalking African-American dudes, but in real life it was the super white Dan Hartman), and also featured appearances by The Blasters and several Ry Cooder tracks.
Anyhoo, please enjoy this clip of Diane Lane lip-synching to Fire, Inc's "Tonight is What it Means to be Young." I love how this is the dubbed version (see the end). What a hot mess.
Of course I own the soundtrack.
Aww yeah, Coyote Ugly just came on! I'm totally not going to admit how many times I've seen this movie.
I have long admired French women for their effortless style and beauty. For this reason I am shocked to see Amelie Mauresmo at the French Open looking tidy in a navy blazer but wearing a scrunchy... on her wrist. Globalization is really screwing things up, let me tell you.
In other French Open News, Bjorn Borg (who's looking quite distinguished as the years go by) will be on hand Sunday to watch Rafael Nadal defend his title and possibly match him in the history books as he faces off with Roger Federer for the third year in a row. Go Rafa. I like Fed and all, but I'd like to see Nadal take a fourth consecutive title more than I want to see Federer get a career slam. Of course I'd like to see RN do almost anything (tee hee).
Tomorrow morning new World #1 (I'm still reeling from the absence of Justine Henin) Ana Ivanovic goes for her first title. Can she beat the spitfire Dinara Safina? Those Russians are fierce. I'll be happy to see either win but am rooting for Safina.
The BBC website has French Open Quotes of the Day including this gem from Michael Stich, "At the moment, I like the latest James Blunt; when I listen to him, I don't think of anything." I remember watching a bit on what music the top players like and being a little disappointed (a lot of "whatever's on the radio" type answers), but this guy should start reviewing for Pitchfork.
Wimbledon will be upon us before you know it. I've come to enjoy the French and US Open tournaments, but my heart will always belong to the All England Tennis Club.
My favorite female tennis player (by far) retired unexpectedly this week (full story here).
Justine Henin, the 25-year old Belgian world #1, said, "I always based everything on this motivation - this flame - that was in me. And once I lost that, I lost many, many things. I decided to stop fooling myself and accept it."
"I had reached my limits, and I feel strong and relieved that I could take this decision. There are plenty of things that I can do. There are no regrets. I did everything I had to do in tennis."
The French Open, which she won the last three years, won't be the same without her and neither will the sport.
I will confess that Maria Sharapova has impressed me more lately, but still, this is a giant hole to fill and I don't think Sharapova or the Serbs will fill it easily. Nevermind the Williams sisters.
I guess this will free up some time for me this summer since I'll likely only watch the men with Henin gone. She was a class act.
To read player tributes to Henin, check out ESPN.com.
