Facebook In Real Life

Yes, another Youtube video. And, yes another Facebook post. Couldn't resist. Credit goes to Wendy T for this one. Love it.

Onslaught

Sorry about the onslaught of You Tube posts of late, but its a haven for funny stuff, great memories, and mindless escapes. But today my aunt Jan introduced me to a powerful video on You Tube.

It's actually from Dove..as in the soap. I'm sure you are all aware of their unprecedented Campaign For Real Beauty launched in 2004 that showed real women, real beauty, real life. It was launched to "serve as a starting point for societal change and act as a catalyst for widening the definition and discussion of beauty." The Campaign also has focused on "raising the self-esteem of girls and young women through the Dove Self-Esteem Fund." I think what they are doing is incredibly important, so I wanted to share the video that my aunt Jan shared with me today. The video is called "Onslaught."

Funny stuff

I kind of want to kill everyone today. Having one of those days. But thanks to a couple of my co-workers, I was able to muster a couple of laughs on these youtube videos. Thought I'd share. Happy Friday.

I Wanna Talk About Me

Sometimes I just don't have anything to say. So, when in doubt...talk about me. After all it is my favorite pastime. This is one of those email quiz thingees. I got it a while back and never actually completed it, so what better time than the present. I present to you...all about me:

1. Name: Leigh
2. Birthday: Nov. 2
3. Birthplace: Dallas, TX
4. Eye Color: Blue
5. Hair Color: Blonde
6. Height: 5'6
7. Ethnicity: Caucasian
8. Weakness: food
9. Most missed memory: Camp Longhorn
10. Thoughts first waking up: already?!?!?
11. Last time you cried: not much of a crier
12. Song title that currently says how you feel: “I Wanna Talk About Me” Toby Keith
13. What is the perfect day for you: I've got 2.... (1) lounging on the beach with a frosty beverage drink that is being replenished by a "little man" (2) on the back porch of the Amini house in Bigfork, Montana just "generally kickin' it"
14. Ever been asked for an autograph: Yep…back in the days when I was working for Young Country radio station
15. How do you vent anger: I bitch…mostly to my mother
16. Who do you talk to most on the phone: Ashley...or my mom
17. As a kid, were you a lego builder: not that I recall
18. Do you chew on your straws: nope
19. Do you sing in the shower: always…but sometimes only in my head
20. Who's the last person you stayed up late talking to on the phone to: not sure, but prob Ash
21. The last place you went to in a plane: Montana
22. Do you cry at weddings: sometimes
23. Are you afraid of the dark: nope
24. What are you addicted to: Fresca, Aquaphor, my iPod
25. Crunchy or creamy peanut butter: crunchy, although I'm not a big PB eater
26. Who do you fight with the most: I don’t really fight with people
27. Who can you tell anything to: just about anyone....I don' have much of a filter
28. Who can't you get enough of: My fam
29. Who makes you laugh the most: Rusty, Lizzie, or Alicia
30. What is the worst feeling ever: hangovers
31. How many pillows do you sleep with: two
32. How many rings before you answer your phone: as soon as I can get to it…unless of course I’m screening
33. How many times do you press the "snooze" button: as many as I can
34. How do you sleep: on my back, arms above my head (makes it easy to twiddle my hair)
35. Last time you laughed: I'm quite the laugher...not sure about this one. I can say the last time I laughed so hard I peed in my pants, but since that's not the question I'll leave that one alone.
36. Ever looked at someone ugly and said EWWWW: umm, yeah
37. What is your favorite color: don't really have one fave, but I like greens, black, pink, white, and brown
38. What is your favorite state: Texas

Tuning into TV

As I'm sure you know last night was Prime time Emmy awards. Of course everyone is abuzz about the winners, the losers, the fashion hits, the fashion misses, those horrible hosts, and more....but I want to talk about something much different.

My favorite part of the night was Josh Groban's TV tune medley. This really hit home for me since TV tunes are a staple in the life of us Round Tablers. My iPod is loaded with just about every TV tune of yesteryear and more often than not we can be found round a table playing name that TV tune. I've even got a video of us belting out a TV tune from a late night Sushi & Champagne gone bad.

Last night's TV tune was great, but I couldn't help notice some of the best ones we missing. So it inspired me to share some of my faves here. Josh remembered some of the classics like....Cheers, MASH, the Love Boat, Gilligan's Island, and other common faves, but he forgot some of my personal pics. The songs he forgot also brings up another memory that I'm tentative to mention, but here goes....

In college, during the annual spring Greek Week celebration, sororities and fraternities were paired up and one of the "competitions" was a musical type of show. I can't quite recall the jest of the show, but all I know is that for some reason Mallory and I (along with two other culprits that I can't remember) preformed out very own interpretive dances to none other than TV Tunes. Sadly there were no scouts in the audience to offer us gigs on Broadway, but it was certainly a performance that we'll never forget. Below are some of the songs that made it into the Leigh and Mallory TV Tune performance....

The Facts of Life - probably my all time favorite TV tune. Oh how I wanted to be (and thought I was) Blair.

Diff'rent Strokes - I'm thinking just about everyone loves this one and I'm pretty sure anyone who's a product of the 80s knows every word of this one and probably has said "what you talkin' bout Willis" a time or two in their life.

Silver Spoons - how cute was that little Ricky Schroder

Growing Pains - I'm brave enough to admit I had a Tiger Beat with Kirk Cameron on the cover.

One Day At A Time - This one's up there with Fact of Life as one of my top faves tunes. Loved the show too. I was partial to Schneider in his killer denim vest and never ending key chain.

The Jeffersons - A classic...enough said.

Gimme A Break - GMB had two different theme song versions. I prefer the faster version (and that's the one we performed to), but sadly I could only find that version with a stupid still picture slide show. So the first one here is the musical version I prefer and the second is the other, slower version but with the actual video intro.

and 227 - the TV Tune with the best ending (btw - sorry about the shady porn-like commercial at the beginning of this one - only one I could find)

Of course there are other faves that didn't make Josh Groban or the Mallory/Leigh medley...but certainly deserve some honorable mention here. 90210, Duke's of Hazzard, Alice, Charles In Charge, Perfect Strangers, My Two Dads, Family Ties.

It wouldn't be Leigh Leigh Land without a good rant, so I'll take this time to rant a bit about the lack of good TV tunes these days. Hardly any of them have words and so many of them are really just plain forgettable. What a shame.

I'm sure I'm forgetting some of the greats, but I feel as if I've rambled on enough. Here's to the TV tunes of yesteryear.

Ayyyy, matey!

Believe it or not today is a day to celebrate.....celebrate what you ask? Well celebrate International Talk Like A Pirate Day. Seriously...I can't make it up.

I found out about this just under a year ago...a few days after last year's Talk Like A Pirate Day. I was devastated to realize that I had missed 2007's celebration, so I quickly put it into my BlackBerry for safe keeping. And now...today's the big day.

I'm not quite sure where my obsession with pirate's came from...maybe Johnny Depp...

....maybe those Pirates of Penzance...

I don't know....but what I do know is that I love them. Love to talk about them. Love their outfits, accessories, and accouterments.

One of Fredgar's favorite jokes even has to do with pirates....
What's a pirates favorite fast food joint?
Arrrrrrrby's

Hahahaha. Love it.

I highly encourage you all to visit the International Talk Like A Pirate Day website and to incorporate this into your day today. Here's a bit of lingo from the "How To" portion of the website to get you started, but you'll have to waste your afternoon away by checking out the rest of the site for more advanced lingo, advice on "how to pick up a pirate" and to check out photos from last year's celebrations.

The website states that "pirate lingo is rich and complicated, sort of like a good stew. But if you just want a quick fix, a surface gloss, a "pirate patina," if you will, here are the five basic words that you cannot live without. Master them, and you can face Talk Like a Pirate Day with a smile on your face and a parrot on your shoulder, if that's your thing."

Ahoy! - "Hello!"
Avast! - Stop and give attention. It can be used in a sense of surprise,
Aye! - "Why yes, I agree most heartily with everything you just said or did."
Aye aye! - "I'll get right on that sir, as soon as my break is over."
Arrr! - This one is often confused with arrrgh, which is of course the sound you make when you sit on a belaying pin. "Arrr!" can mean, variously, "yes," "I agree," "I'm happy," "I'm enjoying this beer," "My team is going to win it all," "I saw that television show, it sucked!" and "That was a clever remark you or I just made." And those are just a few of the myriad possibilities of Arrr!

Don't forget to take the quiz and find out "yer inner pirate." I'm the Cap'n. Shocker!
http://www.talklikeapirate.com/piratehome.html

A Diva In The Making

I'm starting to think if I were a celebrity....I might be a bit of a diva. Might be? Ok, pretty much guaranteed. But I contend I would never even come close to the Diva queen...Mariah Carey (and I mean the real one, not Ashley's dog). I started thinking about it after watching a tv show on celebrity riders.

What's a rider you ask?

Well it's a section in the celebrity's contract that "includes specifications on stage design, sound systems, lighting rigs, as well as an artist's wish list--from transportation and billing to dressing room accommodations and meals." In most cases, celebs usually get what they want....an arrangement of tulips, roses, gardenias, and lilies (Janet Jackson); a box of Montecristo Cuban Cigars (50 Cent); a white room, white flowers, white tables and/or table cloths, which drapes, white candles, white couches (Jennifer Lopez).

One of my faves comes from Snoop. He requests...

VERY IMPORTANT: Snoop's dressing room should have one (1) complete Sony PlayStation with miscellaneous 1999 sport video cartridges (Madden 99, NBA Live 99, NCAA College 99, Triple Play 99, and 4 controls). and an appropriate video screen. This must be rented and should be included in hospitality as a minimum show cost but will not be allowed as a show cost if purchased. Please trust that this will be some of the most important money you spend.

Now that's some funny stuff. Click here for some fun time reading of other celebrity's riders.

I have a bit of experience with riders. Back in college when I worked for Young Country (a country radio station that used to air in Dallas), I would often have to fulfill riders for miscellaneous concerts and the like. Interesting stuff.

Like any normal person I decided to draft my rider should Leigh Leigh Land really hit it big. So without further adieu I present to you some of what would be on the rider for Leigh Edgar...the celebrity.

• One 6 pack of 32 oz Evian bottled water (room temperature)


• One 12 pack of Fresca (cans, original citrus flavor, cooled at least two hours prior to arrival)


• There is to be NO deli meat of any kind.


• Two bottles of Veuve Clicquot champagne


• Four champagne glasses (glass or crystal - no plastic)


• 24 Styrofoam cups (20oz, imprinted in brown ink with the Miss Edgar's initials in the following order, LEL, with the E larger than the Ls)


• The temperature in the room must be cooled to no higher than 64 degrees in the summer and 74 degrees in the winter unless otherwise requested by Miss Edgar.


• One iPod docking station/speaker set that will fit the iPod Classic (80 gig). Docking station much be wireless, must be fully charged and come with a remote control.


• Please provide a variety of fresh fruit excluding bananas and any melons. Berries and pineapple is preferred.


• Queso, chips, and salsa from Mia's (Dallas, TX). Queso must be warmed upon Miss Edgar's arrival.


• One 12 pack of 16oz Gatorade (orange flavored)


• One gallon of fresh brewed iced-tea (from Bubba's in Dallas). This should be accompanied by sweet n' low, lemon wedges cut into quarters (not slices), but , and at least one dozen 32 oz styrofoam cups with lids and straws.


• 2 mid-sized portable floor fans (Voronado brand)


• For every chair there must be an accompanying ottoman.
  
• One handle of Tito's Vodka.
  
• 12 limes, quartered into wedges (not sliced)


• Two mid sized hydrangea floral arrangements (pink, white, and/or green...no blue)

I think I just made Jennifer Lopez look low maintenance. Yikes. As most of you know....some of these aren't all that far fetched, but before you go thinking I'm a total bitch....in my real life these are what I'd call preferences....not requirements and I think that's what separates the me from the Divas.

So...what about you? Any diva demands?

RIP to MTV's TRL

What's a teeny bopper to do? (Do "they" even call them teeny boppers anymore?). Today I read the sad news that MTV's long running music video countdown show Total Request Live (TRL) will come to an end in November. I'm sad about this for two reasons....

(1) it brings back great memories of my Backstreet Boys obsessed years (and they really weren't that long ago). I used to record TRL every day to see where the newest BSB song fell and if by chance they were popping by for an interview. I have even been known to vote on a BSB song a time or two. Sadly, that's not the most embarrassing thing I've ever done regarding my favorite boy band...but that's another post. TRL was the show where we all learned that our beloved AJ had checked himself into rehab. I remember it like it was yesterday...

(2) I'm thinking that with TRL off the air, MTV may not actually air any music videos at all. Am I right? Between My Super Sweet 16, A Shot At Love With Tia Tequila 2 (btw - are two seasons of this really necessary?!?!), and Paris Hilton's My New BFF I'm just not sure there are any shows that actually show music. Doesn't music put the "M" in MTV....isn't music the defining factor of MTV. This is certainly not a new complaint about MTV, but I think our last bastion of music on the Music Television network will soon be no more.


The truth is, it has been the same since Carson Daly left. I was never really a card carrying member of the Carson Daly fan club, but he was arguably the best host of the show...back when they showed the entire length of the videos (or most of it anyway) and when there weren't a whole bunch of mind-numbing games.

I'm proud to say I have grown up (yeah right) and moved on from my days of TRL....but I do admit that I am sad to see it go.

Fun With Flair

Here I go again with my Facebook fanaticism. I'm sure all you Facebookers out there will agree that there is much fun to be had with Flair. All you have to do is add that little Flair Application and in an instant time is sucked out of your day.

We all have that cult classic Office Space to thank for our obsession with flair. Here's a great scene where flair goes awry...

Office Space put flair on the map, but it was Facebook who took it to a new level. There is so much you can do with flair....use an existing one, make your own, steal a friends, etc. Seems like everyone is getting sucked into the fun. I have even seen my pal Mal succumb to the power of flair...so much so that I've decided to give Mal the flair award. She wins the award for sending the most appropriate flair. Here are four of my faves from Mal...she knows me so well...

2Pac - b/c I love me some 2Pac (and yes, I think he's still alive)

Blisters - b/c I am the blister queen and she can attest to my situation
after trekking through the streets of NYC and Europe with me

Tab - b/c a few years ago I decided I was going to "bring back Tab"...
little did I know I didn't actually like it

Evian - this one goes without saying

So, here's to flair. May you all have as much fun with flair as I do. And, I have to say I'm particularly proud of this one I made for one of my friends. Guess who?!?!?!

My New Addition

We've talked about Top 5's before, but I have a new addition....Henry Cavill. Who? Henry Cavill. He plays Charles Brandon, the Duke of Suffolk on Showtime's Series The Tudor's - - - which I'm totally obsessed with in itself. But Henry Cavill...what a doll. See for yourself....

Save the.....

I've recently been made aware of a new movement. Ok, it may not be new....but it's new to me. It's the Save the Prairie Dog movement. Are you freaking kidding me?!?!? I had heard about it and sort of forgot, but was reminded of it while on Facebook this evening when I came across this ad...

No, I can't make it up. In case you can't believe your eyes...yes it does ask you to sign a petition to stop cruelty to prairie dogs. After googling it, I found many more madness....The Prairie Dog Coalition whose mission is...and I quote..."dedicated to the protection of imperiled prairie dogs and restoration of their ecosystems", Save The Prairie Dog Inc, End Groundhog Day whose goal is have Groundhog Day "rightfully" changed to Prairie Dog Day, to "give our rodent residents the recognition they deserve." Since I am a gun-toting, meat eating kind of girl I'm thinking I may not be their target audience...but are you FREAKING kidding me. These people have too much free time on their hands. I mean...how do you even think this stuff up.

I think I may have just turned into Denis Leary - - -my favorite ranter - - - but I couldn't help myself.

Ok, save your stinkin Prairie Dogs people...I think I'll stick to the protection of imperiled people.

Where does it end?

I'm beginning to think it doesn't....end that is. Hear me out.

Did you know that among several of my friends I am known as the "technical advisor." Some of you may have just fallen out of your chairs, but its true. While I do not pretend to know everything, I am pretty good with iPods, cell phones, web stuff, and the like.

We all know that I'm a fan of Facebook. In fact, I'm obsessed. If I haven't hazed you into joining Facebook yet, consider yourself warned....you are next. It's life changing! And if you haven't noticed, even the news media (everything from CNN to local stations) are utilizing Facebook. If you aren't a Facebooker you are truly out of the loop.

So obviously I'm on board with Facebook...I have drunk the proverbial kool-aid and I'm all in, but...I'm not so sure about the Twitter thing.

Do you know about Twitter? Just in case you don't....it is what "they" are calling a social networking and micro-blogging site where the only thing you do is update what you are doing. Kind of like your status updates on Facebook. It took me a while to get into the status updates on FB, but now I can't be stopped.....although I have learned to edit when and where I am since my boss is one of my friends on Facebook....not sure I want him to know when I have a "meeting" or "appointment" and scoot out early (or more importantly come in late after Sushi & Champagne night).

Truth be told I joined Facebook initially for work...hence my boss being one of my "friends." There is quite a movement for non-profits to jump into the social networking world. We do it to find supporters, find out opinions on certain issues/topics, post pictures and "share the face" of our respective missions, help out "link juice", etc....and it's free. Everyone who is anyone in the non-profit world is on Facebook, but this Twitter thing is really starting to take off as well.

So...Twitter. I'm just not sure I get it. I mean, I love to talk about me more than just about anyone I know...but even I wonder why anyone would "follow" me on Twitter. Could you possibly care what I'm doing all day, everyday? The non-profit and media world are using it big time. Even NASA, JetBlue, Austin American Statesman are on Twitter. So, I gave in and am officially on Twitter (circa last month) and I do "tweet" (the verb meaning to post to twitter). I'm constantly on the lookout for info on social networking and have found much research on Twitter, but I'm still not convinced.

Click here to read a pretty good article on the success of Twitter. And watch below to learn more. Kind of interesting.

So I ask you...faithful Leigh Leigh Landers...do you tweet? And if you do....for the love of God...why and what about??? Is there any real benefit to tweeting? Any insight would be much appreciated. Ohhh...maybe now I'll tweet that I'm blogging about tweeting. Where does it end?????

Everyone's favorite zipcode

The orignal 90210ers

The phenomenon is back. Tonight is the series premier of the new 90210. Now I've got mixed emotions about this, but I'm willing to try just about anything (well any TV show) once. It does seem like a lifetime ago that I would watch those original West Beverly Highers go through the trials and tribulations similar to teens everywhere. Oh how I remember the nail biting episodes wonder whether or not Donna Martin will in fact graduate and the one where we wondered who Dylan would choose....Kelly or Brenda. I can even admit that I shed a tear or two on the night the gang from West Beverly High graduated and vowed to be friends forever. I even remember that after just about each and every episode Jenn and I would quickly call each other for a dramatic recap. Can you say DRAMA!!!!

Here's a scene from the memorial "Donna Martin Graduates" episode...one of my faves...



So in an effort to totally relive my glory days my DVR is set and ready to record the new series and new generation of 90210. The theme song may be the same, but the names and faces have changed. I'll miss Mr. and Mrs. Walsh, Nat, and the whole original gang...but I'm excited to meet all the new faces as well.

The new 90210ers

Happy watching to all you die hards out there. I'm sure we'll have much to talk about tomorrow. And for those of you who have been hiding under a rock and have no idea what I'm talking about...here's a promo of the new series....