Pi Girl

There’s new research out that late-night tv viewers know their political news, even more so than non-late-night tv viewers. You can read the story from CNN.

They’re saying viewers of The Daily Show scored the best on a political quiz. Not wanting to let my Jon down, I took the quiz and scored a 6 out 6. Take the quiz.

I find it interesting that it takes an official research study to convince people that despite its claims to being a fake news show, The Daily Show is the smartest news show one can watch to get the real deal. I just hope that this means all those viewers are going to vote in November. Otherwise, why are we containing all this knowledge?

At our last rehearsal of Crystal Chords, we got our riser positions for our upcoming competition for Harmony Inc. International. I got the top riser, which is higher than I like and I’ve been having nightmares ever since of tipping the risers over or falling off.

But as I looked to the left and right of me, my mind temporarily drifted from the height. I was placed between the 2 best leads in the choir. They are the ones the section leader is always singling out so we can learn from their example.

So I thought to myself, was this planned? Do I need the help that badly? Or am I considered of their caliber? And about the time I was scolding myself for these thoughts being way too high school, one of the high ranking leads asked The Question of the choir director.

“How did you come up with this arrangement?”

Of course, the director copped out with a general answer of finding the best blend of voices. But then a murmur in the crowd said loudly for us to get it - the best voices are in the back, the best dancers are in the front.

Yup, it’s high school all over again. I get that secret thrill of being considered among the best. I get that nice boost to my self-esteem. And my little competitive antennae go up. Ooh, I got this far in only 3 months, where will be in a year? When will I be singled out to be the example?

At least it’s the part of high school life I enjoyed. Music was my safe haven at school. I had church and youth group and my friends after school, but during school, I had chorus, and vocal jazz, and band, and madrigals. That was where I shined and for a brief moment, people wanted me to be next to them or part of their group to help them out or make them sound good.

I love being in the Crystal Chords. I love how I feel when I’m there. I love how relaxed and happy I am afterwards. I love being with a group of women who are fun and talented and create the perfect line between work and play. And I love that I finally found a group of people who feel the same way about music as I do. And I cannot wait for our next rehearsal!

I learned an important lesson last week. Even though I am no longer in school, I can still make myself sick from sleep deprivation. Maybe, just maybe, I have added just a little way too much to my schedule.

On top of wedding planning, the Yea-Erin-and-Jason-are-getting-married party planning and wine tour planning, I have youth group, children’s choir, Crystal Chords, a break-off quartet, Vocare #5, oh and that thing where I earn the money to do all this stuff…you know, a job. I really want to do all of this, why else would I have signed on for it? But, damn this mortal human body, it can’t be done!

That migraine last week sure took care of that.

So, this week, I am making my apologies to all of my various activity groups. It goes something like, “I’m sorry, I cannot make my top priority for another month. I want to, but I can’t. I trust that will run itself while I am gone for 2 weeks. And I can only give about 50% effort until those 2 weeks that I will be gone. I promise you I will throw in my everything for when I am a married woman and my life, as I know it, is forever changed.”

Ok, now I just have to hold myself to it.

On a side note, we received our first gift addressed to Jason and Erin Whong this week.

Oh crap, is that migraine coming back?

Ok, this multiple hurricane thing is getting really scary. I hate worrying about my friends and family down in Florida every week, wondering how their homes are holding up and if they’re ok.

Normally I don’t even notice all the hurricanes every year, unless they hit land. But the wind patterns this year is just crazy. I will admit I am fascinated by what hurricanes can do. And I’ve become addicted to tracking the storms on NOAA. If you do check out their site, I encourage you to visit the photo gallery of the pilot flying into the eye of a hurricane.

And then there are the reporters and weatherpeople who try to out-macho each other by throwing themselves into the elements and reminding the viewers at home to not try this, evacuate and they will stay on air until the power goes out! Oh, the crack is flowing …

I can only selfishly hope that an active hurricane season is not indicative of an active nor’easter season or lots of of lake effect snow this winter.

And Janice, I expect you to call me the second Ivan leaves Tallahassee!

In case you haven’t seen the show on E!, Dr. 90210 follows the life and work of plastic surgeons in Beverly Hills. In the most recent episode, they featured a woman who wanted her hymen sewn together so that when she gets married, her husband will think she is a virgin. To add to her situation, if her husband’s family were to find out she had this surgery, she could be beaten to death for deception. She would only appear on tv with her identity concealed.

So, of course I feel so bad for this woman and go through the usual rant. How can a culture treat women so horribly … I know we should respect our differences but what can we do … when will women be treated equally anywhere … can’t she just shun her culture and not go back and stay where she can embrace her sexuality … and so on.

But an interview with a women’s studies professor kind of stopped me. She said that this woman “regaining” her virginity was no different than the other women on Rodeo Dr. walking into that same dr’s office to get breast implants. Those women are giving into their cultural pressure to look perfect.

Oh yeah. Why else are we watching this show about a self-centered narcisstic dr and his dream to make every woman’s breasts bigger than her head? Maybe because we want to see how the better-off live. Maybe because we can’t understand how these people would subject themselves to that pain and suffering for beauty. Maybe because we are fascinated with surgery itself. Oh, that hypnotic tv and the media whores who will stop at nothing for ratings and advertising dollars!

Which just leaves me feeling sorry for all of us more than the woman who got her hymen sewn up.

Well, more like an arm’s length away.

Cyndi Lauper played at the NY State Fair yesterday. She was definitely in rare form on stage, as fiesty as you’d expect. Her voice was strong and I didn’t know most of the stuff she played, but when she sang the faves, she sounded good. Of course, everyone’s favorite moment happened when she yelled at the state troopers for trying to keep people from dancing. She seriously stopped a song to straighten the situation out. Go Cyndi! I admire the chick who wants her fun and will kick some ass to get it.

And like any artist, she needs to eat. So she went to the Dinosaur BBQ tent to get some grub. And passed right by our little gathering. And let me tell you, she is tiny. No wonder she wears such loud clothing; noone would see her otherwise!

*sigh*

The State Fair was a great way to chill out from all the wedding stress. Between the fabulous weather, mullet-hunting, and guys handing out swigs from his special whiskey to strangers, how could one not have fun?

And now it’s back to the panic table. It’s just a good thing I decided to look up the requirements for a marriage license, because I realized I need my birth certificate and Jason and I need to carve out time from our work day at the same time to get to the County clerk’s office. Oh man, there goes my blood pressure.

I’ll just have to ask myself, what would Cyndi do?