Saturday, June 14, 2008

The Midwesterner's Guide to Living in L.A. by Katie Martin

Wow, it's amazing how talented my friends are! :~) I'm feeling very fortunate these days.

Another friend has completed another book. My long-time friend Katie Martin has written a book called The Midwesterner's Guide to Living in L.A.

To give you a little background on this, I grew up with Katie in Oklahoma. We became friends in middle school and have kept in touch over the years. Just by chance, we both happened to be living in L.A. at the same time a few years ago; both struggling.

Living in L.A. can be like living on another planet at times, and Katie's book does a great job at preparing you if you're thinking of taking the plunge. I had the good fortunate of reading The Midwesterner's Guide to Living in L.A. before it was published... that's what makes me so sure you're like it. :~)

One example I always think about when thinking of the differences between L.A. and other cities is finding an apartment. Finding an apartment in L.A. can at times be about as hard as finding a job in other cities. When I moved there, I wanted to live in either Santa Monica or Malibu.

The process turned into a job interview. I was asked to send my resume, credit history, photos of me with my little brothers. I had to fly down to meet the renter to see if they liked me and would choose me. The fact that I could pay the rent had very little impact to whether I would get an apartment. Luckily, after scouring the city, I found a great place where I lived for two years. But never the less, Katie's book would have prepared me. It was definitely a lesson I learned the hard way!

To get a copy of Katie's new book, check out the Tate Publishing website and search for The Midwesterner's Guide to Living in L.A. by Katie Martin.

Friday, June 13, 2008

The Promise of New York, The Raul Productions

A good friend of mine from college, Raul, recently called from NYC to announce that after years of hard work, his feature length film, The Promise of New York, is complete! I have known Raul since 1997, when we were both studying at Rensselaer in upstate NY. We have stayed good friends over the years, and I'm so excited about his film!

The Promise of New York is about a 3 guys who compete against one another and rival incumbent Michael Bloomberg for the position of New York City mayor. As ordinary (and less wealthy) citizens, the movie looks into the meaning of democracy.

This is the perfect time for such a film!

The film can be viewed in June at the Hoboken International Film Festival and at the New Jersey International Film Festival.

Raul has also submitted his film to the Indie Memphis Film Festival that occurs every October in Memphis. I would love to see his film be shown at the Indie Memphis Film Festival. On top of seeing the film, it would be great to see Raul and to meet the rest of the folks he's been working with on it.

Please check out The Promise of New York web site here.

Feel free to link to this post about Raul's new movie, or pass along any information to Indie Memphis. :~)

Thanks for your help!

Angie

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Anybody Want to Go to a Cub's Game Saturday?

Do you ever exchange emails with groups of friends? This is an actual group e-mail I received this week:

------------------------------------------------

From: Dave
To: Sasha, me, Todd, phil, dharshan, jason, jenny, Julie, neil, ryanleib

Date: Mon, Jun 9, 2008 at 10:25 AM

Chicago Cubs are in town this weekend. Anybody interested in heading to the game on Friday night?? Let me know. I plan on picking up tickets on Friday at lunch. Just the cheap seats, $9. We can always move around to better seats. I assume we would drink beer at an event like this?? So, it could be a good time.

Come on!

Dave

------------------------------------------------

From: Julie
To: Sasha, me, Todd, phil, dharshan, jason, jenny, Julie, neil, ryanleib

Date: Tue, Jun 10, 2008 at 7:35 AM

Paul and I got tics over the weekend, see you there if you go!

------------------------------------------------

From: Vickery
To: Sasha, me, Todd, phil, dharshan, jason, jenny, Julie, neil, ryanleib
Date:
Tue, Jun 10, 2008 at 10:44 AM

Hey Dave – Brent and I are in. Let us know the meeting time and place.

------------------------------------------------

From: Angie
To: Sasha, me, Todd, phil, dharshan, jason, jenny, Julie, neil, ryanleib

Date:
Tue, Jun 10, 2008 at 1:28 PM

Hi guys--

I think you may be trying to email someone else... I'm Angela Copeland in Memphis, Tennessee.

Thanks,
Angie

------------------------------------------------

From: Neil
To: Sasha, me, Todd, phil, dharshan, jason, jenny, Julie, neil, ryanleib
Date:
Tue, Jun 10, 2008 at 1:47 PM

Memphis? Do you want to come to a baseball game in Toronto this weekend? You can stay with Jenny!

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Anybody Want to Go to a Cub's Game Saturday?

Do you ever exchange emails with groups of friends? This is an actual group e-mail I received this week:

------------------------------------------------

From: Dave
To: Sasha, me, Todd, phil, dharshan, jason, jenny, Julie, neil, ryanleib

Date: Mon, Jun 9, 2008 at 10:25 AM

Chicago Cubs are in town this weekend. Anybody interested in heading to the game on Friday night?? Let me know. I plan on picking up tickets on Friday at lunch. Just the cheap seats, $9. We can always move around to better seats. I assume we would drink beer at an event like this?? So, it could be a good time.

Come on!

Dave

------------------------------------------------

From: Julie
To: Sasha, me, Todd, phil, dharshan, jason, jenny, Julie, neil, ryanleib

Date: Tue, Jun 10, 2008 at 7:35 AM

Paul and I got tics over the weekend, see you there if you go!

------------------------------------------------

From: Vickery
To: Sasha, me, Todd, phil, dharshan, jason, jenny, Julie, neil, ryanleib
Date:
Tue, Jun 10, 2008 at 10:44 AM

Hey Dave – Brent and I are in. Let us know the meeting time and place.

------------------------------------------------

From: Angie
To: Sasha, me, Todd, phil, dharshan, jason, jenny, Julie, neil, ryanleib

Date:
Tue, Jun 10, 2008 at 1:28 PM

Hi guys--

I think you may be trying to email someone else... I'm Angela Copeland in Memphis, Tennessee.

Thanks,
Angie

------------------------------------------------

From: Neil
To: Sasha, me, Todd, phil, dharshan, jason, jenny, Julie, neil, ryanleib
Date:
Tue, Jun 10, 2008 at 1:47 PM

Memphis? Do you want to come to a baseball game in Toronto this weekend? You can stay with Jenny!

Monday, June 02, 2008

Memorial Day Trip to Florida

It's been a while since I've posted much. I guess it's time to start up again...

Last weekend for Memorial Day, a little group of us drove down to Destin, Florida. We rented a little condo that sits right on the beach and basically just either went to the beach or cooked at home.

One day, we went shopping for an hour or so. Another day, we checked out a local restaurant / dance club.

There were four of us; three guys and me. Don't ask how that happened, but it worked out very well. I ended up cooking for most of the weekend which I really enjoyed. One morning though, I stayed in bed for a few additional hours and got up around 10 AM. Right away, I realized something had been burning, and the dishwasher was overflowing with bubbles. Breakfast had been burned and liquid dish soap had found its way into the dishwasher. Too funny.

We had such a great time that we're going to try to go back soon if possible.

Sunday, June 01, 2008

Launch Memphis: Beta Testers Needed

Help needed! I've been working on a new business idea this weekend, and we need help.

A group of entrepreneurial Memphians has gathered this weekend to launch a business.... 100 of us from programmers to designers to biz dev types. Amazingly, after vetting 30 ideas last night
we have honed in on the ultimate frisbee community for an initial offering. We have a bunch of ideas to enhance the ability to get games, rank players, etc. Can any of you - or others to whom you might forward this - point us to players who i) be interested in this concept and ii) test the application as we get it done? Our basic idea is to create a means for Ultimate players to find each other, get games together, and rank each other after a game - currently operating under the banner SpynR.... Pronounced "spinner." Those interested in beta testing should email UltimateFrisbeeRocks@gmail.com with your contact info (name, email, and optionally a phone number) to be included in the beta.

Thanks for your help!!
:~) Angie

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Angie's Brothers Graduate

My little brothers are graduating from high school. It's amazing how time flies by! Fortunately, I've been old enough to remember every step of the way....

They used to be tiny enough to carry one on each hip, and now they're big enough to carry me!

They have finished up their high school career famously. They end it all as Eagle Scouts, Valedictorians, and as top players in Oklahoma Tennis.

But, they've also had a little fun along the way. Recently, they taught me a new concept that I wish I could go back in time to try out. They say they "post-it-ed" a car. They get approximately 20 packs of 100 sheet post it notes and completely cover a car, top to bottom. It doesn't do any damage to the car, but it does give the owner a huge suprise.

Anyway, I've been traveling around non-stop lately and today is no exception. I'm back in Oklahoma again for their graduation. Last night was the pre-graduation church service and tonight is graduation.

For a few photos, click here.

I'll be back on Wednesday afternoon and will remain in town until Friday afternoon. I may have to hibernate until then to get everything out of it that I can.

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Memphis BBQ Fest

My very first real Memphis in May Barbecue Festival experience has been GREAT!

I went down with the Dirty Dozen on Thursday and Friday nights and had lots of fun each time.

Here's a photo of me and Edison on Friday.

Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Memphis, You Had Me at To-Go-Cup!

This weekend, among other things, a new funny saying was born. It's so perfect in fact that it needed a t-shirt. Thanks Dustin!

Check out the t-shirt below. It's available in my Cafe Press store, and I just ordered mine. :~)

Monday, May 05, 2008

The After Party

Alright, well The After Party went off without a hitch. It was what one might call FABULOUS.
As a matter of fact, I'll tell you a little secret... The South Main Dirty Dozen may just start to make a habit of this whole party thing over the summer... so watch for more... :~)

To fill you in on the details... we rented out the back of Earnestine & Hazel's downtown on Saturday night. Super 5 played and did a great job! Thanks guys! Last but not least, we also had a great open bar. Not bad at all.

Here are a few photos below. Also, feel free to check out other collections of photos:

Robbie's: TBD... check back. :~)





Monday, April 28, 2008

Don't Forget: Ben & Jerry's Cone Day

Don't forget: Tomorrow is Ben & Jerry's annual Cone Day!! Stop by your local B&J for a free cone anytime tomorrow!
:~)

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Congrats to Chris & Nick!

Congrats to my little brothers Chris and Nick for continuing to keep their tennis game strong through the end of their senior year! Below is an article that appeared about them in today's Daily Oklahoman newspaper. :~)


Sunday, April 20, 2008

Vacation to Memphis

I just got back home-- after going on a mini-vacation this weekend. You'll never guess where I went-- Memphis!

The rules were simple: no driving, no going home, and all tourist attractions.

Last night, I had an early dinner at Grill 83. I had a tasty goat cheese salad, and a wonderful duck entree. I've always liked Grill 83. They're never too full... the food is great... and the people are laid back.









After dinner, we headed to Ballet Memphis to see their production of Under the Sea. Under the Sea is the story of the Little Mermaid. I'm a big supporter of Ballet Memphis-- they have great choreography, wonderful music, and creative costumes. I'm never disappointed when I go and this weekend was no different. Thanks also to Arts Memphis for the wonderful tickets!





After Ballet Memphis, we headed to Val's going away party. Val is moving back to Boston and we'll miss her. Best of luck!

Last, we stayed at the Madison Hotel. I was incredibly impressed that such a great hotel is right near my house. The room was very nice and they have a cool pool and workout room- not to mention the wonderful view of the river. I felt very welcome and that the experience was top notch.

My only complaint is this: this morning was alarm HELL. First, the alarm clock started playing music (progressively louder) at 6 AM. Then, at 8:00 and 8:10 AM, we received two unscheduled wake up calls. Then, around 8:30 AM, the alarm started making some kind of duck noise. UNBELIEVABLE!

So much for sleeping in.

Needless to say, we were over an hour early to brunch at the Peabody. Brunch at the Peabody is always tasty. I had 3 courses-- breakfast, seafood, and a dessert. And of course, I had champagne- the best part about brunch!

We spend today cruising up and down the Mississippi on one of the Riverboats. We had a nice time, and got a few good laughs in. Be prepared: The tour guide knows the history of Memphis AND he's opinionated. :~) It was one of the most random and humorous tours ever.

Now, I'm back and home and enjoying a beautiful sunset over the Mississippi. Speaking of which, I've gotta run or I'll miss it!

Talk to you soon.

Friday, April 18, 2008

Weird Things Go Bump in the Night

This is going to sound strange, but here it is: I woke up this morning at around 4:20 AM (5:20 AM EST) to shaking. My entire apartment was shaking, just a little. I was very calm and lie thinking about the after effects of earthquakes that I used to feel when I lived in LA.

When I woke up, I wrote down the time and date of the shaking, so that I could compare notes in the morning with the Center for Earthquake Research and Information (located in Memphis!).

This morning, I checked online and learned that just before I woke up to the light shaking, there was in fact an earthquake a few hundred miles away in Illinios. So far, people have reporting feeling its after effects as far down as St. Louis, MO so, I documented Memphis too.

Let me add that for some reason, I'm pretty sensitive to this sort of shaking. When I lived in LA, I'd wake up to a tiniest earthquake, and my next door neighbor would sleep right through it. We'd have a disagreement about whether or not it had even happened, and I'd have to pull up the earthquake site to prove my point. :~)

Here's the map of the tremor that I felt last night.

As you can see, it happened early this morning and the magnitude was at a 5.2 -- pretty strong.
























Update: The Wall Street Journal has an article today detailing the quake. They say it was actually a 5.4. Check out the article here (or read it below).

Update 2: One of my neighbors also woke up to the earthquake this morning. SO glad it wasn't just me! :~)
WEST SALEM, Illinois -- An earthquake struck the U.S. state of Illinois early Friday, and it appeared to rival the strongest temblor ever recorded in the country's Midwest region.

The quake jolted residents in several nearby states as well, but no injuries or significant property damage were immediately reported.

The quake, measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale, hit just before 4:37 a.m. local time (1037 GMT) and was centered six miles from West Salem, Illinois.

"It shook our house where it woke me up," said David Behm of Philo, Illinois. "Windows were rattling, and you could hear it. The house was shaking inches. For people in central Illinois, this is a big deal. It's not like California."

The jolts were felt in a region that included parts of the states of Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri and Arkansas, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Its Web site said earthquakes seldom occur in the area, and that the largest recorded earthquake in the region -- also a magnitude 5.4 -- caused damage in southern Illinois in 1968.

Friday's quake shook buildings in central Chicago and the cities of Indianapolis, Indiana; Cincinnati, Ohio; and St. Louis, Missouri.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Blake Loses at Ping Pong

Check out my neighbor Blake losing at ping pong: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cm2Ja9oqbM

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

It's Official: NWA and Delta Merger

All I can say is, I hope Delta decides to keep the Memphis hub...

Here's an e-mail I received this morning about the merger:

As a valued Northwest Airlines customer and WorldPerks® member, I wanted you to be among the first to hear that we have announced a merger with Delta Air Lines. Subject to regulatory review, our two airlines are joining forces to create America’s premier global airline which, upon closing of the merger, will be called Delta Air Lines.

By combining Northwest and Delta, we are building a stronger, more resilient airline that will be a leader in providing customer service and value. Our combined airline will offer unprecedented access to the world, enabling you to fly to more destinations, have more flight choices and more ways than ever to earn and redeem your WorldPerks miles.

You can be assured that your WorldPerks miles and Elite program status will be unaffected by this merger. In addition, you can continue to earn miles through use of partners like WorldPerks Visa®. And once the new Delta Air Lines emerges you can look forward to being a part of the world’s largest frequent flyer program with expanded benefits.

The combined Delta Air Lines will serve more U.S. communities and connect to more worldwide destinations than any global airline. Our hubs – both Delta’s and Northwest’s – will be retained and enhanced. We will be the only U.S. airline to offer direct service from the United States to all of the world’s major business centers in Asia, Latin America, Europe, Africa and around North America.

Both airlines bring tremendous strengths to this new partnership. Our complementary service networks form an end-to-end system that is truly greater than the sum of its parts. This is a merger by addition, not subtraction, which means all of our hubs – both Northwest’s and Delta’s – will be retained. In addition, building on both airlines’ proud, decades-long history of serving small communities, we plan to enhance global connections to small towns and cities across the U.S.

All of these positive benefits of our combination mean that we can:
  • Offer a true global network where our customers will be able to fly to more destinations, have more schedule options and more opportunities to earn and redeem frequent flyer miles in what will become the world’s best and most comprehensive frequent flyer program.
  • Continue to serve our current roster of destinations and to maintain our hubs in Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York, Salt Lake City, Amsterdam and Tokyo.
  • Improve our customers’ travel experience, through new products and services including enhanced self-service tools, better bag-tracking technology, more onboard services, including more meal options, new seats and refurbished cabins.
While we work to secure approval of our merger, which may take up to 6 to 8 months, it will be business-as-usual at both airlines. We will continue to operate as independent airlines and the people of Northwest will remain focused on providing you with the very best in safe, reliable and convenient air travel. At the same time, both airlines will be planning for a seamless integration of our two airlines, one that delivers to you the enhanced benefits that will earn – and retain – your preference.

As we work through this process, we will keep you informed at every step along the way. Thank you for your business and we look forward to serving you on your next Northwest flight.

Sincerely,

Bob Soukup
Managing Director, WorldPerks



Big Recap - The Last Week in Review

The last week was another busy one. I flew around, trying to remember what timezone I was in and what the weather would be like from day to day.

My schedule:
Tuesday afternoon - Flew from Memphis to NYC
Wednesday - Spent the day in NYC for work
Thursday - Spent the day in NYC for work; met up with RPI friends Andy Andyland, Raul, and Adam Garrison for dinner
Friday - Flew from NYC to Memphis in the afternoon; went to the gym; went home to work and shower; went back to the airport; flew to Denver
Saturday - Snowboarding in Denver in the morning; visited Memphis Rob in the evening
Sunday - Flew back to Memphis
Monday - Survived Monday

That brings me to today-- It's Tuesday again (tax day in fact); the day I go horseback riding, and generally the day the weather is bad. Like clockwork, there was a freeze warning last night. Weather.com is reporting a high today of 63 degrees. Let's hope they're right.

On the topic of horseback riding-- A few weeks ago, I was checking the mail in my building after horseback riding. I was wearing riding gear and a neighbor stopped to say, "wow- cool outfit!" My response was along the lines of, "Thanks... I'm wearing this because I was riding horses."

But in NY last week, women everywhere were wearing riding boots as a fashion statement! It seemed that at least 1 in 4 women I saw were wearing them-- along with the tight looking riding pants. One woman was even wearing a spur to work. This is a style I haven't seen in LA... or in the middle of the country, so it was quite a suprise. I guess I'll be in style tonight during my horseback riding!


Memphis Apartment for Rent

A friend of mine here in Memphis is trying to rent out her South Main apartment. Check out the listing below and email her at hous-641183873@craigslist.org if you are interested.
OLD MEETS NEW!!! All the modern amenities in this historic warehouse conversion. 36 luxury condominiums, exposed brick, 14 ft. timber ceilings, hardwood floors, custom cabinetry, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, dishwasher, washer & dryer in unit, gated parking, and controlled access. Steps away from riverwalk, trolley and entertainment venues.
This 4th floor 1 bed/1 bath condo directly overlooks the Mississippi River and has a rooftop deck with incredible river and city views. Non-smokers preferred. Looking to rent for May 1, 2008 and ready to show asap so please call now! (901) 569-4234





Thursday, April 10, 2008

TN Tax Free Holiday









For more details, click here: www.tntaxholiday.com.

Thanks Edison for this tip!