Airhen

Goodbye, Old Friend

Sun, 13 Dec 2009 11:16:06 -0500

I finished “The Power Broker,” Robert Caro’s biography of Robert Moses, this morning after reading it on and off since I moved to New York in January. I’m just glad I didn’t carry it into to 2010 with me.

[S]o many of the dominant features of the landscape are [Moses’]—and those features are likely to endure indefinitely. Some of his highways will probably be covered with housing—the sale of air rights above them, just beginning in the 1970s, seems an innovation likely to gain favor—and thus invisible, no longer part of the landscape. Some may be rerouted or widened beyond recognition, although, given the cost and complexities of condemnation, the length of time it would take to reroute or reshape even some substantial fraction of the 627 miles of these arteries would have to be calculated not in decades, but in generations and perhaps centuries. The roads of Rome stood for two thousand years and more; who would predict less for the roads of Moses? Who would predict less for his Shea Stadium, a structure consciously shaped to resemble Rome’s Colosseum because he was afraid that his convention center-office tower “Coliseum” didn’t make the comparison clear enough?

Because I can’t get enough urban planning Jane Jacobs, with a much more reasonably sized book, is up next.

Jon Stewart interviews Miss Piggy in 1999.

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 19:27:08 -0500

Jon Stewart interviews Miss Piggy in 1999.

When Bros Sign off their Emails with "Cheers"

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 14:35:43 -0500

tylercoates:

natashavc:

This is something men in their twenties do and it reminds of the cuntish 5th grader who would say ‘present’ instead ‘here’ during roll call. Like, knock it the fuck off and say ‘best’, ‘thanks’ or ‘<3’ like an adult.

Uniquely,

Natasha

I once worked at a paper where it was customary to sign your e-mails to foreign correspondents with “cheers.” I always felt a affected doing it, but I did it.

Waiting unpatiently

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 21:01:03 -0500

cakeordeath:

I am sitting at home, waiting for my new MacBook to arrive, and it feels like Christmas morning. I run to the window every time I hear an engine; every vehicle that comes by could be my MacBook sleigh! A large, brown UPS sleigh, pulled by 200 horses, driven by Santa, who has trimmed his beard and goes by “Tony” and wears shorts year round.

Maybe Tony’ll be wearing a Santa hat because he’s feeling jolly.

I’m feeling jolly, but also scared to take a shower (don’t want to get stuck in there if the doorbell rings) and afraid to eat my cereal (what if I don’t hear the ring over the snap-crackle-pop?).

My bike got home from Iowa while I was in the shower. The FedEx guy got a show, and when I apologized, he told me it happens all the time. Who knew?

A million years ago, before Sarah Palin and “30...

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:24:48 -0500

A million years ago, before Sarah Palin and “30 Rock,” a friend told me that he liked to think that it was offbeat to have a crush on Tina Fey but that he knew deep down that it wasn’t an original crush. It’s the same for me with Ira Glass. Not only is he married, too old and out of my league, but it doesn’t even make me unique.

gracecatherine:

(via fuckyeahiraglass)

Dear fuckyeahiraglass moderator,
Please update more often.
Thanks,
Grace

Fluffy toilet paper is bad for the environment

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 10:17:12 -0400

Fluffy toilet paper is bad for the environment:

People seem to be of two minds about toilet paper:

“I’m using it on my butt, so I don’t care if it’s soft and expensive.”

“I’m using it on my butt, so it better be soft and expensive.”

"I always took great pride doing deliveries to House and Senate buildings dressed like Boba Fett...."

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 06:52:29 -0400

“I always took great pride doing deliveries to House and Senate buildings dressed like Boba Fett. Without the messengers, these people might take themselves too seriously and implode.”

- Matthew Ayers, who worked as a messenger briefly after finishing law school at American University, in a Washington Post article about the dwindling need for bike messangers.

crumbler: (via) So how come all the gay dudes I know are always...

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:11:08 -0400

crumbler:

(via)

So how come all the gay dudes I know are always complaining about the lack of nice, smart, handsome guys?

Bizarre Tongue Eating Parasite Discovered off Jersey Coast

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 10:40:32 -0400

Bizarre Tongue Eating Parasite Discovered off Jersey Coast:

joecarryon:

Holy SHIT that’s creepy & disgusting. BE AFRAID. BE VERY AFRAID. Don’t worry, guidos…this is not the NEW Jersey shore, but rather a small coastal island near England. Your orange tans will glow another day.

How do you know my people so well???

photofriends: Myke sprints to the finish of his first road race,...

Sat, 29 Aug 2009 16:28:07 -0400

photofriends:

Myke sprints to the finish of his first road race, where he took third in his category. -Mary Vale

Reblogged for Myke’s awesomeness. I’m awed by anyone who races on a bike. If I were on “Made,” that’s what I would be made into, and there would be a lot of tears. I had to indentify him by the bike shop kit.

Your Bat/Bar Mitzfah: Reviewed 12 Years Later

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 09:09:41 -0400

I went to a college where a only small percentage of people could relate to this. I think that’s why I opted for an early graduation.

I still can’t believe my friend Merav didn’t give me a candle to light, considering whom she did give a candle to.

natashavc:

J. Edwick

Sect: Reform

Location: Chatsworth Equestrian Center

Theme: Horseback riding

Lowlight: the entire 7th grade figuring out that I was wearing a padded bra.

Highlight: nice candles, scented oil, SWAG

* * *

M. Rothman

Sect: Reform

Location: Marriot, Woodland Hills

Theme: Shopping

Highlight: keepsake credit cards that had our name and seating placement. I was seated at the ‘Wet Seal’ Table

Lowlight: Ryan threatening never to speak to me again unless I gave him a handjay in the bathroom

* * *

E. Woods

Sect: Conservative

Location: Temple Aliyah

Theme: Musicals. (I was seated at “Guys and Dolls”)

Highlight: Flirting with your insanely hot older brother who drove a mustang.

Lowlight: Not getting a shout out during your candle lighting ceremony.

* * *

B. Haft

Sect: Reform

Location: Calabassas Country Club

Theme: Punk Rock. I was seated at ‘CRASS TABLE’

Highlight: Being allowed to smoke cigarettes in front of the adults.

Lowlight:There were many high school girls there. They wore lots of eye make up and were unquestionably super bad ass shikas.

* * *

A. Newman

Sect: Conservative

Location: Service at the Temple, Party was at YANKEE DOODLES SPORTS BAR

Theme: McDonalds (she was photoshopped into pictures of her sliding down the golden arches)

Highlight: Codified my reputation as a MUST HAVE guest to the rest of the B-Mitzfahs

Lowlight: Seeing my best friend’s mom work her day shift as a cocktail waitress at the bar we were partying in.

From today's "Vows" column

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 16:15:22 -0400

What seemed a promising turn in their relationship was dashed when he began introducing her to his friends as his godsister. “Oh, he does not think of me as a potential dating person,” she recalled thinking.

Ew.

Biking the 50 States

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 17:50:38 -0400

Biking the 50 States:

joecarryon:

I’m going to read this entire blog the next time I’ve got a sick day. It gives me seriously itchy feet.

Are they riding a recumbant bike?

It's my birthday

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 01:00:00 -0400

I’m 29 now, and until I turn 30, I’ll take a picture of one person every day and have them* tell me about their most-memorable birthday. I’ll post on my shiny new blog, Hello, Birthday.

*I am totally aware that my pronoun should be singular, but I couldn’t do it gracefully.

"With nothing more than a phone book, a nail file, and a few hours at her disposal, my mother, like..."

Sun, 16 Aug 2009 20:52:49 -0400

“With nothing more than a phone book, a nail file, and a few hours at her disposal, my mother, like all mothers in the area, could quite effectively have arranged the fate of the planet.”

- From “Made in Detroit,” by Paul Clemens (via cakeordeath)

Mary finds the one good line in that book.

"I wish they would just fabricate the news entirely, and make something that at least reads like it's not an insult to the customer."

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 20:48:05 -0400

"I wish they would just fabricate the news entirely, and make something that at least reads like it's not an insult to the customer.":

(via alexbalk)

This is about The Baltimore Sun, which makes me sad. I don’t think it’s that reporters are lazy, though, just that they’re writing too many stories every day.

Service-y

Sun, 02 Aug 2009 18:38:23 -0400

Inspired by Sezarac Attack to add comments and an e-mail address. The comments might get embarrassing once I realize they’re stuck at 0 forever.

sazerac: Meet the peanut butter/jelly/chocolate chip/banana...

Sun, 02 Aug 2009 17:50:27 -0400

sazerac:

Meet the peanut butter/jelly/chocolate chip/banana panini. File under: disgusting meals dreamed up in the final miles of a long bike ride.

I believe that sandwich (non-panini style) is pictured, with the addition of pretzels, on the Peanut Butter Jam Web site.

Also, on Ragbrai you would never have such a fancy beer option at a stop.

"Oh, Jake,” Brett said, “we could have had such a damned good time together.” Ahead was a mounted..."

Sun, 02 Aug 2009 14:57:27 -0400

““Oh, Jake,” Brett said, “we could have had such a damned good time together.”
Ahead was a mounted policeman in khaki directing traffic. He raised his baton. The car slowed suddenly pressing Brett against me.
“Yes,” I said. “Isn’t it pretty to think so?””

- The end of “The Sun Also Rises” popped into my head while running in a thunderstorm this afternoon. I could barely see through the raindrops on my glasses and was feeling unmoored trying to recognize my life. I stopped at a light and thought up some lies to tell myself.

"Chartreuse is famously made from a secret blend of 130 herbs, plants and flowers, and the full recipe is known only to two Carthusian monks who have taken a vow of silence."

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 08:28:54 -0400

"Chartreuse is famously made from a secret blend of 130 herbs, plants and flowers, and the full recipe is known only to two Carthusian monks who have taken a vow of silence.":

From a Washington Post story on spirits (the alcohol kind).