I Just Want to, Like, Work for a Magazine

The following is my paraphrasing of part of an interview between one of my magazine's managing editors and a potential intern, as told to me by one of our graphic designers:

Managing Editor: So, how proficient would you say you are in working with computers?

Intern Candidate: Um, I don't know, I've never been tested.

Managing Editor: Okaaay ... Well, your application says that you'd like to write some articles for us. What kind of topics would you be interested in writing about?

Intern Candidate: Um, I don't know ... I just want to be like, the next Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City, you know?

All I Could Think Of Was Jack Black Saying, "Get Ready to Feel the Thunder!!!"

So I know there are other important things going on in the world, like the fact that Barack Obama just gave his acceptance speech last night, and also, the fact that John McCain has chosen a woman from Alaska that no one has ever heard of before to be his running mate ... but put all those political questions you're mulling over on hold and check out this storm we had last night.

It's still monsoon season in Arizona, and last night Mother Nature reminded us just exactly what that means. Several thunderstorms merged into a single superstorm over the Phoenix metro area and gave locals an incredible light show.

Less like lightning, actually. More like a strobe light. Check it out:

Have you ever seen anything like this in your life?

It's like God was having a disco party or something...

Ladies and gentlemen, proof that it does, indeed, rain in the desert from time to time. And when it rains, it pours.

And then an actual news report covering the storm:

This is the part that's really going to get you, though:

This year, Arizona State University (in Tempe, Ariz., just south of Phoenix) erected what it calls a "bubble dome" on campus for the football team to practice in. The 103,500-square-foot, climate-controlled facility was just completed this month and cost a total $8.4 million to install.

Well guess what. The bubble was not built to withstand 70-100 mph winds. And last night, it deflated.

It used to look like this.

Now it looks like this.

Ready? All together now...

HA!

Now That's True Love, Folks

I Don't Believe My Ears

You know what's entertaining? Finding YouTube videos of bands covering songs that you would never expect them to cover.

For example, British band Travis covering Britney Spears' "Hit Me Baby One More Time"...

Or rock band Switchfoot covering Beyonce's "Crazy in Love"...

Or bluegrass band Nickel Creek covering Britney Spears' "Toxic"...

Or punk band New Found Glory covering Justin Timberlake's "Cry Me a River"...

Or another punk band, Bowling for Soup, covering Fergie's "London Bridge"...

But this has got to be one of the weirdest of them all -- New Found Glory covering Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On"...

Aloha

This is the novelty license plate on the front of my car. I've had it for a long time; it was a gift from my dad when I first started driving.

Understand that I'm originally from Oklahoma, and now I live in Arizona, and although I have been there, I have never ever in my lifetime lived in, or driven a car from, Hawaii.

But I keep the plate because it makes people say funny things.

Recently, some dude gave me the "hang ten" hand in the parking lot of Home Depot.

And there have been other moments, too:

"You don't see many cars from there around here."

"How much did it cost to ship your car over?"

"Surf's up!"

I think some people would become a teeny bit embarrassed or disappointed when I had to explain, "Oh, my license plate? Oh, no, sorry, it's just for fun."

But no more. At some point I began playing along.

"You don't see many cars from there around here."
"I know! This one's a long way from home, huh?"

"How much did it cost to ship your car over?"
"Nothing, actually. My family owns Hawaiian airlines."

"Surf's up!"
"Yeah! Hang ten, man!"

So basically, what I'm saying is that novelty state license plates are good conversation-starters and you, too, should get one in order to witness an interesting experiment in social science firsthand.

Photo by Sway Sovay

Direction

Robin: Come on, a wine tasting? What's the big plan for next Saturday -- Scrabble night?

Lily: Don't check your e-mail.

Robin: Why are you becoming this person? I heard that in college you once flashed the campus tour group on a dare.

Lily: Once, on a dare! (Pause) The other times were just for fun ...

But I'm not in college any more. I'd love to go back and be that person again, but you can't go backward, you can only go forward.

Robin: Um, false. You can go wherever you want. I guess the question is, where do you want to go?

From How I Met Your Mother, Season 1, Episode 5: "Okay Awesome"

The Frugal Fashionista

I discovered the Frugal Fashionista's blog earlier this week, and I'm already addicted.

The site features photos of stylish celebrities with an accompanying breakdown on how to get the same look for far less $$, and even includes small snapshots of the look-alike items.

What is not to love?? 

Need vs. Want

I think healthy relationships are the kind where you don't need to be with the other person, you want to be with the other person.

Sea World: Miscellaneous Animal Photos

More photos from my trip to Sea World on August 9, 2008, but this is the last set, I swear.

Click on any image for a larger version.

All photos by Sway Sovay

Sea World: Penguins

Some of you may be thinking, "Man, this is a lot of photos of friggin' penguins," but there's no way I'm apologizing, because trust me, this is probably not even half of the number of photos I actually took of the penguins at Sea World on August 9, 2008.

And can you blame me?? They're so. damn. cute.!

Click on any image for a larger version.























All photos by Sway Sovay

Sea World: Dolphins

Here are photos of the dolphin show at Sea World, San Diego, on August 9, 2008.

Click on any image for a larger version.





















All photos by Sway Sovay