Let the Picking Begin
I’ve sent out the brackets, y’all! If you think you should have received one and didn’t, please please let me know. We need all the trash talking losers we can get, but in this age of contact autofill and whatnot, I can no longer remember phone numbers or email addresses very well.
Ok, as a reminder, as if you need or care for them, here are the rules (credit to Todd):
- Pick the winners of all 63 non-play-in games. The scoring will be: 1 pt for each first round game, 2 pts for each second round game, then 3, 4, 6, and finally 8 pts for the championship game.
- The tiebreaker will be the total number of points in the championship game. Please please please please remember to include this.
- Entries are due by 12 noon EDT/9 am PDT (it’s D right? we’re done with S for a while?)
- Winners will receive a miscellaneous prize, maybe. But you’ll be listed in yearly as a previous winner, definitely. All for about five minutes of your time! (I figure that’s the average time people spend on this.)
Free hint:
- Don’t pick a 16 seed over a 1 seed. It will probably happen one year, but it hasn’t yet!
I know, I am so arrogant, giving out free hints like that! :)
The Selection Has Happened
Today was the day! Yup it was Selection Sunday! I know most of us are thinking, “Oh wow it’s that time of the year again!” or something like that, which is why we’re perfect for the Know-Nothing-No-Downside-Not-Much-Upside Pool or Contest or Whatever. Ignoramuses with infallible systems involving much guesswork only may apply! I’ll email the brackets when I have it, due by early Thursday morning, like 9am Pacific.
Previous Winners (this yearly congratulatory listing is part of the upside, such as it is)
2011: Seth
2010: K
2009: YB
2008: me!
2007: Yut
2006: Yut
2005: misa
Congratulations to all previous winners! Good luck to everyone, especially me!
Awkward
I went in to get my annual pelvic exam. So there I was, sitting naked but for a paper vest on top and a large paper towel around the bottom, and she told me to put my feet in the stirrups, lie down, relax, etc. I’m about as ready as I can be, but instead hear, “Do you lotion your feet? They are really dry!”
I have been lotioning my feet more regularly since.
Mascara
I like to start these posts, the ones where I give my opinion about makeup, with a caveat: I don’t know much; I’m no expert. In fact, prepare to be not edified! (Too much? Mild harhar? No?)
Regardless, this is about mascara. I like mascara, but I don’t like to spend a lot on it. I mean, you have to throw it away every three to six months (delicate eye area, bacteria etc). So no matter how often I hear about Dior, Lancome, Givenchy, whatevers, I look at the $20+ price tag and I just don’t wanna. So I’m always buying drugstore mascara. Some are good, some are bad, some are indifferent, of course…
The Neutrogena Healthy Lengths Mascara didn’t work for me. It was just never better than meh, and also somewhat clumpy. I didn’t like it! But I did buy it on sale, so maybe they were getting rid of old stock. I dunno, I wouldn’t buy it again, overall.
In case you’re curious, I generally like CoverGirl LashBlast, and generally don’t like Maybelline Great Lash. LashBlast seems all around good, while the Maybelline always ran into my eyes. I kind of have oily lids? Leaf almost always has a spare tube of LashBlast in one form or another when I visit, and I almost always toss whatever mascara I bring and snag it. So why don’t I buy them myself? Well I always sort of mean to, but when I go to the drugstore, there’s almost always some mascara I never tried before on sale! I take it as a sign; I am supposed to buy this.
This is Fluffleupagus. Instead of jumping into the litter box, then eating hay out of her hay box which we have conveniently placed right next to the litter box, sometimes she jumps on the hay box then bends way down to eat hay. But she’s kind of too big so it looks so awkward, and her butt hangs over the edge.
And then she drops poop. And it drops all the way down. And bounces.
Ticket to Ride Pocket
Ticket to Ride Pocket is free right now! It’s a relatively light fun board game made into an app for the iPhone although Yut got it for the IPad and it works fine. Anyway it’s super fun! And includes multiplayer! So even if it’s not free I’d recommend it but it’s a no brainer at free. Go get it!
We started playing right after dinner; so far I’ve lost twice and won once. Boo! Wait that sounds lame… right after dinner, each of us on our iOS device to play games “together”. Well I still had fun.
Sunday 12 February, edited to add:It’s 99 cents now (still on sale but no longer free), still totally worth it. Good implementation and love the multiplayer.
Live blogging the Super Bowl (Ads)
3:43p I just thought of this so we missed some. There were vampires in a car ad (Volkswagon?) Something about their headlights being like the sun? Maybe they’re full spectrum? I guess we could all kill vampires with the right kind of lamps? Also, aren’t we past vampires yet? It’s been done to death. Anyway just ok and confusing. And then kind of a fairy tale styled Pepsi ad with Elton John and Flava Flav — fairy tales are having a cultural moment now it seems. Also just ok, but less confusing. Another car ad erm… Audi vs cheetah? Except a cheetah’s top speed is like 75mph, so I’m not getting it; they thought we needed to know Audis can go faster than 75?
3:50 Giants touchdown, Victor Cruz salsa’d. I’m eating TJ’s Chunky Salsa, quite good.
3:51 Bud Light party, dunno. M&M’s commercial for the tan ones. v. Cute, made me laugh! Best so far. Celebrity Apprentice, dunno.
Short football break then coke! A polar bear has his paws stuck together? Drinks coke through straw… Cute-ish but not making sense. GM truck, disses Ford, by name! Is that like 1/2 point for Ford? Also, is a crossover ad for Twinkies (at the end of the world, only GM trucks and Twinkies I guess).
3:58 More football.
3:59 END OF 1st quarter? Already? Barely any football. Giants 9, Pats 0.
Bridgestone something about performance. Godaddy, annoying. Lexus, shiny. Battleship the movie, lots of robots, thought it was Transformers again.
4:04 Pats score, now more ads.
End of Prohibition, it’s the Clydesdales! Cute! I like it! Doritos, clever dog bribing human! Cute, I like it! Chevy Camaro, not a graduation present, but fun.
4:07 Another few seconds of football reminding us of the score. GE and Bud now having a crossover ad. GE makes the turbines that makes the beer… well ok. John Carter movie. TaxAct, kid has to pee, bathroom full, jumps in the pool ah relief, not bad. Reminder that Madonna is in the halftime show, ok we know.
4:10 hey look, we’re watching football! Travis Beckham hurt? Ad time.
The Lorax! But wait, we don’t need jaw dropping blah blah… The Lorax awesome just the way it is. Cute Beetle ad with a fat dog exercising to get slim, all new Beetle. Something with Star Wars I dunno. Howard Stern joining America’s Got Talent, shrug.
4:15 I don’t get football, they play a teeny bit then show 5 replays of what they just did then there’s a penalty, then much standing around and then a bit more football then standing around, repeat, then ads! And that’s a long segment of football.
4:18 Ads! David Beckham in his own underwear for H&M, nice, I guess. Polar bears for Coke, sliding on the ice trying to save bottle of Coke, cute! Better than Beckham!
4:22 Jason Pierre-Paul’s dad is Jean… That’s a lot of apostles in 1 name.
4:23 Travis Beckham from before torn ACL.
4:29 We Are Young, like the song, Chevy Sonic intro. Star Wars like you’ve never seen it before… In 3D, but we all know every time he gets, George Lucas makes sure it’s Star Wars like you never seen it before. Madonna! In the halftime show!
4:34 Avengers movie. Chick getting ready to go out, Valentines quid pro quo Teleflora. Blech. Dog wearing shoes, I didn’t even catch that it was Skechers. Cars.com, weird.
4:38 Penalty then penalty. Hernandez! He was on my fantasy team (Thanks Al)!
4:41 Annoying kid taunting about having Doritos, clever grandmother wins by slingshot baby. ETrade creepy baby. Summer GI Joe movie…seems whatever, but wait, it’s The Rock!!!
4:46 Pats touchdown now tied. Kick good now NE 10 NY 9. Now Bridgestone Halftime Show feat. Madonna.
4:50 Something about live like a millionaire. Citibank something about eggs and omelets… Didn’t they get bailed out? How do they spend 3.5 mil in 30s? Xfinity fastest house something, Round Table Pizza. More Citibank. Blech.
4:53 I always think Bob Costas looks like a camel. Cute sorta. More analysis. Gob for Hulu Plus.
5:00 The halftime show. Madonna does walk like an Egyptian Vogue. Guessing she’s not singing. Looks nice though. Segued into Music… I think? LMFAO mashup with a bouncing tightrope dude! I thought she said I’m 60 and I know it but Yut says it was sexy. Oops. Now Gimme all your luvin’. Oh a drumline, always fun. Ceelo? Nice effects. OMG Like a Prayer! Maybe she is singing? Love this song. Choir too. “world peace” heavy handed but overall not gonna be cynical that was great. :)
5:14 The voice after the SB. James Gale (random kid) delivered the game ball to a ref.
5:16 More football talk with Tony Dungy and 2 other dudes.
5:19 Chrysler: America is tough feat. Clint Eastwood, good choice.
5:23 Back to football, mostly.
5:28 Td patriots
Smash, you had me at Angelica Huston… Seems like a Glee type show? Local affiliate ad. Xfinity add again with the racing houses. Chase quick pay, hey didn’t these people get a bailout?
5:31 Football, nice run.
5:37 Gasping from the violence. Geez.
NYG 12 NE 17
5:38 Fiat 500 abarth=sexy confusing woman. Someone wins free Pepsi Max for life, Regis jumps in to announce.
5:41 Football.
My bad 1 kick later, back to ads. Toyota something or other. Polar bear is sad then he yells, they hear it all the way in the south pole (hence penguins) gets coke. Eh. Dannon Greek yogurt. John Stamos(?) gets headbutted for yogurt. Injury timeout. Jerry Seinfeld wants an NSX gets beat by Jay Leno. Not bad! GE hires Americans!
5:46 Football, JPP, bad hit, dude kid is only 23, ouch poor kid. Football is nuts.
5:48 Back to ads. Budweiser through the decades, and all the trends therein. I like this one! Bridgestone performance this time with Tim Duncan (previous was Aikman and Sanders I think).
5:50 football! Petting Hellspawn!
5:59 football through the ages? Yeah NFL ad. eBay, kind of mean spirited? Not really but anyway whatever. Toyota. Jack in the Box marrybacon.com ha!
6:02 football OMG interception! Dude who was a teacher last fall intercepts Brady to Gronkowski throw.
6:05 Ferris Bueller grows old, takes day off, drives CR-V. Navy SEALs make a movie. Classic cartoon characters! MetLife. Smash.
6:08 football. Injury! Geez, this game!
6:11 Genesis car. Bud light rescue dog gets beer for everyone. Pretty good.
6:13 football.
6:19 Mr. Sandman wait cars and skimpily clad women and classic rock and bucking rhino Kia Optima. Career builder chimp. NBC comedies. Football
6:24 more injuries!!!
Standing in line is boring. Samsung is trying to bring back styluses to touchscreens? Another The Voice ad.
6:24 football. Dude, is that a cheat sheet on Brady’s wrist? Nice catch by Manningham(?). It’s feeling like it’s getting more exciting. 2 minutes left. NE 17 NYG 15, Giants ball.
6:38 Cadillac ATS built to beat BMW 3 series? Swamp people on History channel. Godaddy again. Awake new show with B.D. Wong and Cherry something … President Taylor from 24.
6:42 football. 6:43 Giants td! But supposedly it’s not even what they should’ve done! The guy was trying to stop himself but fell in to the endzone by momentum. The Patriots just let it happen, maybe. I do not understand this game. I mean they are explaining it and ok it is sort of making sense but still what the heck?! NYG 21 NE 17. At least it’s not boring?
Giants win Super Bowl XLVI!
6:55 game’s over, this is the most attention I’ve paid to a Super Bowl in 20 years! Maybe ever?
Last month I splurged and got myself a new hair dryer. There wasn’t anything wrong with my old one, exactly, but it’s over ten years old — Yut noticed rust on it once I started talking about how old it is. And also, I got bangs this winter, and now I have to at least blow dry my bangs because otherwise they tend to flip up. I guess I was thinking maybe a new blowdryer with all that ceramic tourmaline ionic blahblahblah technology would be helpful. And also, Folica had a $40 off coupon (which is still on I think). And also, my mother got a T3 Featherweight a while back and when I tried it, it was the lightest and fastest drying thing I had ever used even though before she got it she debated for a bit about the price. Anyway, so after much thinking, I bought a Sedu Revolution 4000i, in pink. As Leaf says, pink makes everything nicer. And obviously, I am still justifying the buying of a new hair dryer.
Besides it being available in pink, I picked the Sedu because it was listed first on Folica’s Top Ten Professional Hair Dryers list, and got overall good reviews, and Sarah at Hair Thursday likes it. She’s the one who ages ago recommended Fekkai Glossing Cream which I tried and never stopped using. I didn’t do much more thinking about it than that, because I am so not an expert on beauty products. All the other thinking was should I or shouldn’t I. But anyway!
Ater using it once I thought it definitely dried faster but it wasn’t any easier to wield, and I thought it dried nicer… like my hair felt softer and smoother. But it’s hard to tell if that’s just more of my brain justifying my purchase, so I thought I had better compare the stuff that’s more objective. You’re thinking, what are you talking about? Well I timed myself blow drying my hair. Yes, I did! This would be more helpful if I had my mom’s blow dryer to compare as well, but whatev, do what we can, right? In both cases, I towel dried my hair, then applied KMS Flat Out Hot Pressed Spray (heat protectant). My hair dresser told me to buy it, I don’t think she cares which brand just said to use something, here, buy this, sort of thing. Then I blew dry my hair in the normal random way I do it.
Results:
Time: The Sedu took a bit over 6 minutes, but it was my second time using it and I spent some time fussing with the controls. The old Conair took a bit over 8.5 minutes, but afterward it felt like I might’ve semi missed a spot, nothing that required more drying though ’cause I didn’t notice ’til I was applying the Glossing Cream. On both I was fumbling around with my phone to time it so both times may be longer than it actually took.
Weight: The old Conair is lighter! I had Yut hold them without looking at them and he agreed.
Noise: Both somewhat noisy, the Conair is more annoying because in addition to the sound of wind, there was a high pitched whine.
Size: Sedu is smaller, but has a cord that’s close to ten feet long (I measured 117 inches, but I wasn’t pulling taut and I figure it makes more sense for it to be ten feet than almost ten). The Conair cord was more like eight feet.
Other random facts: The Sedu is made in France, the Conair in China, if that matters to you. The Sedu also has a matching pink flat iron if you think you might be needing or wanting a flat iron. The Conair has lasted ten years and probably cost a lot less! The Sedu comes with a two year warranty. Both have cleanable lint catchers in the back. The Sedu came with two concentrators (or I think that’s what the little flat pointy plastic attachments in the front are called). One of them seems wider than the other but I honestly don’t know how to use them very well and don’t know the different utility of each.
I can’t say that I am unequivocally saying that the Sedu is the best thing ever, but I still think it’s pretty good. But my old Conair was not bad! Still if 25% less time drying causes a bit less damage to my hair, and if the ions and ceramic and tourmaline or whatever are better for my hair, then I am satisfied. Anyway, I’m not returning it. :)
Rabbit Poop
My feet are rabbit poop magnets. If there is rabbit poop on the floor, I will step on it. If I am picking up rabbit poop, one of them will somehow roll out of my hand and hit my foot. Not the floor, my foot!
Kingdom Rush
We bought Kingdom Rush for the iPad and this weekend we have been totally addicted! It’s a tower defense game, which we like, and it’s on sale, so we figured why not. Compared to The Creeps!, which I have previously recommended, I think Kingdom Rush is more polished, and there’s kind of a story. Yut thought maybe deeper too. But it’s shorter, only thirteen levels, The Creeps! had lots of levels for the free version with lots of in-game purchase levels; I haven’t totally finished all of the included levels yet. We’ve played through all thirteen levels in Kingdom Rush at least once on Easy, but haven’t gone back to look at the other modes for each level. This game also has a building with units to guard and stop the creep which was somewhat reminiscent of Ninja Town which was one of my favorite Nintendo DS games (seriously you should pick that up if you have a DS whatever), so I was extra predisposed to like it, I think. Anyway, I liked it! If you like tower defense games and want to play one, I am recommending this. (And also The Creeps!) [via Tools & Toys]
By the way, I wrote this post on an iPad, using the WordPress app. I think if I was on a computer, I probably would’ve linked to the Kingdom Rush and The Creeps! websites. And the specific post wherein I wrote about the Creeps, but it just felt like kind of a pain. The plan is, I’ll edit and add those in later. :) I mention this ’cause it kind of clarifies how I feel like the process is convenient enough to mean the difference between blogging and not blogging, but isn’t really great yet.
Edited: I added in some links! Also, you can try Kingdom Rush, there’s a free Flash-based version. I still think it’s worth getting. Playing TDs (tower defense games) on the iPad is a nice experience — the touchscreen is a good interface, and it’s nice to play wherever.
