Dearly Beloved,

I'm not doing a thesis for my master's program. But if I were, I think I would do it on the new culture of communication technology, i.e. Instant Messenger and text messaging. Think about it: How many times do you say something online or via your cell phone that you could never say in person? I once broke up with a guy through text messaging. Shitty, I know. And what about these people who put very personal information in their away messages, or even their blogs or MySpace profiles, for the entire world to see? Is that some kind of reverse voyeuristic thing? Our own personal online version of a reality show?? Let's call it, "Who's The Biggest Train Wreck." Sometimes it feels like the whole point of our culture right now is to turn everything inside out and expose the "truth," like wearing your skeleton on the outside of your skin. But half the time, it's not even real truth. I would go so far as to argue that there is no "real" truth, only your own construction of reality. Which leads me to my point (and yes, there is one). Sanity lies in the ability to completely distance yourself from reality. So go ahead, start running. I'm right behind you.

Kaiser Happy

A-mazing!

Last night was a downtown summer reunion of sorts. Wynter, Tina and I were on a rampage!

Today was so incredible. ACL. For my viewing and listening pleasure it was:
1. Rachael Yamagata
-saw the end of the show, not bad, not bad
2. Kaiser Chiefs
-camped out in front of the stage for an hour for a good view, the show was off the hook
3. The Arcade Fire
-very impressed, especially with the fact that the band lived through the show, they are from Montreal, some were in long sleeves, some were in jackets
4. The Decemberists
-right up front, loved it
5. Jack Ingram
-have yet to be impressed by his shows, I think he played the exact set list from last year
6. The Black Keys
-front and center, absofuckinglutely amazing, they finished when Cold Play came on, no one left, we begged for an encore but instead ended up booing the crew for crating the gear
7. Cold Play
-I left the Heineken Stage where The Black Keys played to find Dez and Alicia in the crowd, in the dark, in what was being called the Dust Bowl. I know that's my idea of fun. How I couldn't find them given Dez's directions is beyond me. "Go to the long row of potties. See the tree with the light? We're about 10 yards in from that." Sure, I'll be right there. Searched forever, phone wouldn't work, every orifice full of dust, gave up trying to find them, couldn't see the stage or even the screen, fuck it. I went home. At least I beat the crowd.

Some other general happenings from today:
The meat slicer at Texadelphia got the best of Matt. He nearly lost his finger. Fortunately for him, I am an expert at repairing slightly severed digits, so I saved it.
Da Crew decided on our Halloween theme. Not gonna spill the beans, but it is going to be unbelievable.
I managed to send everyone on my buddy list a really annoying virus. If you clicked on it, I am truly sorry, but cussing at me isn't necessary. If you didn't click on it, lucky you.
I continue my refusal to give in and join myspace.com.
I finally caught the baby lizard that has been sharing my apartment.

ACL

When I finally saved up money to get tickets to ACL, Saturday, the day I cared about most, was sold out. No Death Cab for Rachael. I can hear them play from my bedroom. What a tease.

Death Cab plays at Stubb's November 5. My birthday is Nov. 2. Hint, hint.

Since I neglected blogging for a few days...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEZ!
A really cute picture of a hipo is supposed to accompany this late b-day note, but for some reason blogger doesn't want to post my pictures tonight.

Don't you wish you were so lucky?

So I was supposed to pick Alicia up from the airport tomorrow, and she asked if I'd make her a sign so people would think she's a celebrity. Of course I was already planning on it, so I asked who she wanted to be. To my amazement she replied Sky Bennington, and after poking fun at her I realized she was serious. So here it is for all to enjoy. It took me 2 hours. I'm not sure what kind of celebrity people will think she is though.

Emancipating Mimi

Something has really been bothering me...in Mariah Carey's song "Shake It Off" she says in the chorus, "Just like the ___ commercial, I really gotta get up out of here and go somewhere..." That one word was driving me crazy! Cowgone? Cowgirl? Cowbell? Finally I couldn't take it any longer and Googled it. For those of you who were wondering as well, here's what I found:

"Calgon is a brand registered trademark of two different corporations.
Calgon water softener is owned by Reckitt Benckiser. Calgon beauty products are owned by Coty, Inc.
In North American Pop Culture, Calgon's advertisements have generated several popular catch phrases and/or definitions.
In one advertisement a woman is seen in a chaotic home scenario. As her tension rises she utters her famous line "Calgon, take me away!", and is then seen relaxing in a luxurious bath in a quiet room. Despite being viewed as somewhat sexist (ie. that women need to rescued from chaotic situations), the commercial is viewed as having been a success since people still remember it even though it has not been aired in many years. Even today, a difficult day or situation is often referred to as a Calgon moment.
In "Shake It Off", the third single from Mariah Carey's 2005 album The Emancipation of Mimi, Carey sings "Just like the Calgon commercial, I really gotta get up out of here..."

Make sense now? Go ahead, turn it up and rejoice in your newfound knowledge.

Missing In Action

Wow...so tonight I went to see M.I.A. play a show at the 40 Watt Club in Athens, Georgia. For those of you who don't know, she's some amazing mix of hip hop with socially conscious lyrics that you can literally dance your ass of to. Hails from Sri Lanka by way of London, and let me be the first to tell you she is THE NEXT BIG THING. I have been to many a concert, but this was by far one of the best. Imagine being shoved into the same club where R.E.M. got their start with hundreds of other sweaty people while this girl just GOES OFF on the mic, everyone touching, everyone dancing, everyone singing...for the sake of this blog we'll just call it two hours of communal orgasm. Seriously, I was blown away. Pull up your preferred method of illegal file sharing and immediately download the following three songs to get a taste of what's to come...I dare you not to dance!

1. Galang
2. Sunshowers
3. Bucky Done Gun

Thanks, and you're welcome.

UPDATE: Pay attention to the new Honda commercial. The song playing in the background is M.I.A.'s "Galang." Told you she's gonna be big...5 bucks it's in the next iPod commercial

Jackpot

So it had been an hour since I posted about wasting time looking at other blogs on the internet, which is what I had been doing since that post went up, but I found a really awesome blog. Very much worth your time to check it out if you are even moderately interested in photography or just like looking at beautiful photography.

Photos By Tim Halberg

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICKAYLA!

This is why I don't get shit done

I waste so much time doing unproductive things on the internet. My latest addiction is looking at other blogs. On the blogger home page there are links to the most recently updated blogs, and it changes every minute. Granted most of the blogs I look at are pretty lame, but every once in a while I come across something interesting. There is also a list of blogs of note, and these are usually moderately interesting. I'll see a catchy name, and my curiosity gets the best of me. Damn you blogger.com.

Ah Tailgating

This has got fun written all over it.

Can we get a ruling on that? I say drink 'em all! What are the odds? I mean, the cups weren't exactly set up good but still.

Last night, Tina and I had the game of our lives. She sunk the first three shots, all in the back row. I had two shots bounce off empties and into full ones then blew out a spinner. We were up 9 cups to 3. We somehow lost, and it still baffles us both.

On the way home today I saw a bumper sticker that said, "Eve Was Framed." Not gonna lie, it made me feel a little bit better about religion.

I'll get over it

Yesterday the love of my life walked out of it, and all I could say was, "Oh My God." Needless to say, I'm a little depressed.

Cosmic Coincidence

So I pulled up Facebook today, as usual wasting time when there are 10 million other things I should be doing...and I had a friend request waiting. But this was no ordinary friend request...it was a friend request from MELANIE JARRETT. What, you ask? Well apparently there is another girl out there, same age, etc. with my EXACT name. And to top it off, she just moved to Atlanta. How fucking weird is that? I almost feel kind of violated...but, the point is, I urge you all to go to Facebook and global search your name. Who knows, you might have a twin out there too...

Doesn't look like a Mel Jay to me...

Here's to you

I don't buy the notion that things are predetermined and have never considered myself as having particularly good luck. With that being said, I have no idea how things worked out for me to come to Texas. All I can say is that it was by chance that I got recruited here. Not a week before I was offered a spot on the team, I was told that they were finished recruiting my class.

It seems like the longer I'm here, the more amazed I am that it happened. With the exception of Jac, I don't think you guys realize the kind of town I came from. Not to say that there aren't people there who are going places, but it just seems to me that it is kind of hard to get out. After being at Texas for a year, I am beginning to realize how much I have here. I mean, UT and Nike are paying me to play for one of the best schools in the nation, and there are people who I have never even met making sure that I have the best of what's to offer.

But more than any of that, I love you guys. Technically, I have met all of my best friends because of softball. I have met lifelong friends and people who have changed my life. And no matter how much I have been given, it wouldn't mean anything if it wasn't for y'all.

HOOK 'EM HORNS

I don't know, I think Bevo can take him...

We asked for it

Who said that Bush isn't helping hurricane victims? That fish can feed thousands right?

Thanks Matt

How I Study Sign Language

We were just wondering

So Dez and I were talking politics tonight, and the question arose as to whether or not Bill should have gotten the axe for his affair with Monica. Now don't get me wrong, I like Hillary, but Bill landed a chick some 20 years younger and had sex all over his office. Who can blame him? That's what everyone wants right? And I'm sure that afterward the White House had never been so white.

Touché, Bill. Touché.

Catch Phrase

My clue: He's on a spaceship, he's got that little thing on his head (use both my hands to recreate his helmet), and he goes spew spew (my hands form space pistols).

Another random ass question

If you could fill a swimming pool with something other than water, what would it be? Email, IM, text, tell me your answer.

Rachael: C-notes
Matt: Spaghetti noodles
Jac: Dos and lime tablets
Tina: Her favorite candies-Reese's Pieces, Whoppers and Raisinettes
Joe: gravity defying fans
Shannon: fine men
Chez: Tropical Punch Kool-Aid or grape drink
Lexy: jello, of the lime persuasion
Mel: Tito's (the vodka, not her and Devan)
G Love: vanilla pudding, but he meant to say peach cobbler with ice cream.
Cat: Chocolate Teddy Grahams and milk, not chocolate

Mel Jay

Just a little update to let you know that I, Mel Jay, have signed on as Managing Editor and Contributing Writer for this kick ass blog. If Rachael wouldn't make so many typos I wouldn't have to do this, but hey, someone's gotta help out! (Just kidding LeCook) Anyway, you can now look forward to twice the sarcasm and general bullshitting. Be on the lookout..."we're gonna be big."

Today

Describe you life in one word.

Send me your word.
rachael_cook@hotmail.com

G Love: "SEXXXY"
Why yes you are!
Joe: "What?"
He thinks he's Lil John.
Cullen: "success"
You have yet to disappoint me.
Shannon: "drifting"
She's everywhere.
Chez: "drunktastic"
And I am your prodigy.
Me: "quaddamn"
"Hhm Rach, how long did it take you to think of that one?"
Tina: "AMAZING!"
How cliche.
Matt: "fanFUCKINtastic"
That was my word first.
Kelly: "hiccup"
How annoying, no really.
Mel: "journey"
Don't you ever stop believing Mel.
Cat: "hard-earned"
Does the hyphen make it count as one word?
Jac: "inimitable"
McDaniels, did you use your thesaurus?
Lexy: "hardcore"
Hardcore days and softcore nights.