shuggilippo

Arachnidman

2012-01-26T13:04:00.001-07:00

It only took two years for him to want to play in the costume intended for Halloween.

However, world be damned if you think he’s going to put that face mask on. “It is angry, man.”

Drinkify

2012-01-23T20:39:00.001-07:00

Have you ever wondered what sort of libation companion you should be enjoying while you listen to your favorite jams? Fear not my little leaf, for now there is a solution to this lonely dilemma of yours. Behold, Drinkify.

I know that whiskey goes with everything, but now I have an internet tool to validate that statement.

“the no-personal-space close standers”

2012-01-20T22:33:00.001-07:00

I have to agree with Adam on this one.

While not my today, it definitely epitomizes how I feel on some days.

“Today I’m sick of the wishy-washy fencesitters, the flakers, the mid-chat disappearers, the age-regressing drinkers, the hollow promisers, the hacks, the blind glass-is-half-fullers, the fundamentalist disagreers, the revisionist rememberers, the liars, the teasing self-esteem-builders, the unrepentant misspellers, the constant show spoilers, the moron-pandering creators, the haters, the only-when-convenient prayers, the gender-destroying misogynists, the colluders, the vicious schadenfreudophiles, the my-shit-doesn’t-stinkers, the inequality-supporting apologists, the tree-hugging crazies, the system abusers, the never-acting complainers, the emotion avoiders, the sarcastic deflectors, the jealous-but-unwilling-to-providers, the inferiority-complex bullies, the mumblers, the inconsequentially meticulousers, the oblivious inconveniencers, the conscious choice slackers, the hot-tempered projectors, the deriders, the always-promising inactors, the no-moderation never-againers, the vacuous space-starers, the gullible never-researchers, the gender-lumping assumers, the movie-watching chatterers, the uggos, the rabble-rousing hiders, the chest-bumping cavemen, the race-betraying steretoype-perpetuators, the raucous color wearing lazy-boy-athletes, the no-personal-space close standers, the arbitrary rulemakers, the emasculation-fearing controllers, the personal property disrespecters, the cheapskates, the like-and-yanno overusers, the blindly-unquestioning followers, the trying-too-hard pretenders, the unapologetic shit-stirrers, the cowards, and, more than anything else, the fat hairy internet whiners.”

This excerpt has been lifted directly from this post on Adam’s site. He is the bee’s knees.

An Etta Kind of Love

2012-01-20T13:27:00.001-07:00

Timeless. Beautiful. Etta James.

May she rest in peace.

Barely.

2012-01-19T00:34:00.001-07:00

I barely survived today with the shopping and exercising and playing with my child and eating meals at a table and going outside.

I will now retire my unnecessarily emo outfit until the next internet bandwagon rolls into town.

Mourning #SOPA

2012-01-18T16:19:00.001-07:00

This is literally what I wore today because I’m melodramatic.

Now I KNOW I’m doing this all wrong.

#MyBaristaMoment – Peppermint Mocha Nut Butter Cookies

2012-01-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

When I was given the opportunity to share in spreading the Ambiance coffee love again, this time via a recipe that can be perfectly paired with the line, I gave a rousing, “Hell yes!” to the fabulous folk over at Collective Bias.
Now I am going to share with you a double whammy of coffee-infused recipes: Peppermint Mocha Nut Butter Cookies & Homemade Caramel Kicker.
Peppermint Mocha Nut Butter Cookies – Yields 4 dozen

Ingredients:
1 cup First Street brand butter, unsalted
1/2 cup First Street brand granulated sugar
2 teaspoons Ambiance French Vanilla coffee grounds
1 tablespoon water
1 cup First Street brand sliced almonds, finely chopped
2 teaspoons First Street brand vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups First Street brand all-purpose flour
1/4 cup peppermint hot chocolate powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Dissolve Ambiance French Vanilla coffee grounds in water; stir into creamed mixture with vanilla extract.

2. Sift flour, hot chocolate powder, and salt into creamed mixture, beat until smooth. Blend in finely chopped nuts.

3. Shape dough into 1 inch balls – place on generously greased baking sheet.

4. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Enjoy!
Homemade Caramel Kicker Coffee

Ingredients:
1/4 cup of Ambiance Kona Style coffee, brewed
3/4 cup of milk
1 tablespoon Irish Cream Torani Syrup
1 tablespoon caramel syrup
Directions:
1. Mix ingredients together and enjoy with your cookies!
Now that you can be doubly hopped up on caffeine when you start your day, Smart & Final is giving everyone the chance to stay perky when you switch to Ambiance brand coffee. Simply make the switch and head to www.smartandfinal.com/Ambiance2012, enter the code from your receipt and be entered to win some of these amazing prizes over the course of three weeks:

Three grand prize winners (one per week) will receive a DeLonghi BCO264B Cafe Nero Combo Coffee/Espresso Maker ($200 value)
Six winners (two per week) will receive a $50 SmartCash card

And, just for visiting the site, whether you make the switch or not, you’ll have the opportunity to vote on your favorite recipe (this one included), for your chance to win one of two $50 SmartCash cards per week over the course of three weeks. There will be six winners total. Pro tip: If I win the recipe contest, there’s some pretty rad prize business in it for me too. You know, so everyone wins here. Everyone.

Checkout my shopping trip for supplies (and some extras) here.

This project has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for#collectivebias #CBias. All opinions and adoration for the brands mentioned are my own.

Going black against #SOPA.

2012-01-17T22:59:00.001-07:00

What do you think of the color?

Something tells me I’m doing this wrong…

No but really, I covered my grey roots today. What do you think?

Also? Flashlight-lit netbook pictures are the shit.

Fashion: If I’d Been Invited to The #GoldenGlobes

2012-01-15T21:15:00.001-07:00

This is what I would have strutted my sweet little ass in down the red carpet tonight if I’d been invited to the Golden Globes.

Ricky Gervais be damned.

Fashion Dig: In Skinny Color

2012-01-13T00:38:00.001-07:00

I never thought I’d say this out loud, but I think I’m feeling the colored skinny jean trend. ::quinces::

Outfit designed using Polyvore.

A beautiful day in the inter-hood.

2012-01-12T23:02:00.001-07:00

Hmm, that title seems a bit misplaced seeing as how my little post here is going to be all about how I was not on the inter-hood for much of the day.

There was the part of the day when I checked my email first thing in the ~~afternoon~~ morning and realized I missed an html submission deadline because I pay attention very well to correspondence emails.

Which led to the part of the day where I was forced to haul the child to the grocery store where I needed to take a gratuitous number of photos while also distracting said child from complete meltdowns. I have a feeling that boiling my nipples in acid would have been much more entertaining. Like a spa day of sorts.

Next you could find me making an intentional detour to listen to a song that came on the radio. As if there is no such thing as iPods or the internet or Spotify to allow me the privilege of listening to that song at my will and leisure when I got home. Erroneous.

Speed baking and photo documenting and uploading and blog drafting at its finest happened next. Don’t worry. You’ll get to read all about it next Wednesday. The suspense is killing you. I can feel it through the computer. Hint: it has to do with coffee and impending love handles.

Then shit got real when the show, I probably shouldn’t love this much but still do anyway because it’s obvious there is not a shred of female, twenty-something appropriate television programming in this first world, came on and sucked me into its teen drama vortex. I watched, I gasped, I conquered my embarrassment. Not only have I started watching the show, I decided to start following the writers, a handful of the cast, and some of the shows critics on Twitter. There’s just something about familiarizing yourself with the people who puff the smoke and angle the mirrors that gives me giggle bumps in my pants. I call it genuine interest while others may call it a “condition.” You say tomato, I say go fuck yourself.

What did you get into today?

The end of the era that started it all.

2012-01-12T00:05:00.001-07:00

This week it was announced that my old home, 103.9FM, would be changing formats from alternative rock to classic rock. My heart is broken.

Becoming a member of The Edge 103.9 family in Phoenix changed my life forever.

I met my best friend who would later become the father of my child.

I was mentored by some of the greatest personalities in the industry.

I had the opportunity to make some long lasting friendships with talented co-workers and musicians alike.

I played a part in organizing and executing some of the greatest musical events that valley music fans had ever experienced, from Edgefest to epic meet’n’greets to private listener shows.

I got to prep for interviews and entertain label reps. Run boards and schedule jocks. Program music and organize the shit out of an ADD boss’ schedule.

We already know that I miss the hell out of it.

Here’s a sneak peek at just some of the unbelievable experiences I was blessed to have during my time in The Biz:

RIP Alternative Rock. You will be sorely missed.

Outfit of the Week: Rusty

2012-01-11T23:05:00.001-07:00

Theresa inspired me to put together an outfit that speaks to the way I’m feeling this time of the year. While today we hit a whopping 70 degrees in my neck of the inter-woods, I’m holding on to the glimpse of fall type weather in the Valley of the Sun.

So here’s a rusty little get up for the boots-and-legging-lover in all of us:

Bookworms unite.

2012-01-09T20:48:00.001-07:00

How rad is this video?!

The word nerd in me is very giddy.

Global Roots in Eight Minutes

2012-01-09T14:23:00.001-07:00

Because I just cannot get enough of happening upon Global Roots, I would like to share with you the story of how this diligently focused organization, aimed at aiding existing humanitarian efforts, came to be and the miraculous places that they are going.

It is not often that there is 100% transparency from the organizations in which we donate our time and excess funds. Global Roots provides that clarity in everything from how they spend donated monies to who has volunteered their pro bono assistance to developing the exposure that their efforts so deserve.

Without further ado, I bring you the story of Global Roots:

Some like it ha.

2012-01-09T00:22:00.001-07:00

There’s a hidden dynamic to the world of social networking. The dynamic that some attempt, few succeed at gloriously, and at which most fail miserably when at their hand they try: Humor.

There’s a trick to being perceived and referred to as a humorous social amoeba. People have to know you to get it. I mean it seems pretty cut and dry, but it is way more sticky than that. And the stickiness will make you neurotic.

Take for example this recent Twitter exchange between myself and Schmutzie:

At first I was like, “High five, self! You are on one today!” But then? Then the neurosis kicked in. And while I know that Elan is a steaming pile of curt and generously dry humor, I started to convince myself that maybe she really thinks that I’m psycho. That perhaps, she’s not equally educated on my flavor of disturbingly misplaced humor. And in that moment I made the discovery that it is tough to communicate the funny if someone knows you only by one exchange, outside the context of your typical banter, and, therefore, may perceive you as real-life-murderous psychotic instead of pretend-on-Twitter-for-laughs psychotic. There is a fine line between the two, I now realize.

I am assuming this is why celebrities only randomly respond to fan birthday shout out requests instead of non-doting commentary on what it is they are sharing with the interwebs. I suppose the same approach goes for the mass of us interweb laypersons.

All this to share that I think we need to be more mindful, delving, and, gasp, social in this digital age. With so much accessibility comes the opportunity to expand our interaction with those feeling what we’re laying down. I challenge you to take the time to get familiar with one person (if not a few) this week that you may be seeing but to whom you’re not paying much attention.

Famous Objects From Classic Movies (dot com)

2012-01-06T17:22:00.001-07:00

This? Sheer brilliance.

Five Feet Ten Inches of Pure: Confidence

2012-01-06T16:46:00.001-07:00

It’s not even one whole week into 2012 and I am already loving my physical self more and more every second. Here’s to taking on the gym. ::clink ya whiskey::

This physical manifestation of love may very well stem from an inward confidence I can attribute to something really, really amazing that I am in the final-detail-sorting stage of embarking upon. In other words, I am thisclose to being able to tell all of you lovelies about it and the anticipation is killing me with joy and squeals and heel clicks!

Happy Weekend, freaks!

Video: The Holstee Manifesto Lifecycle Video

2012-01-05T13:06:00.001-07:00

Thanks to Steve Godwin for passing this along on Twitter.

The Holstee Manifesto Lifecycle Video from Holstee on Vimeo.

New Music: Jessie Baylin, Little Spark – January 17, 2012

2012-01-05T12:47:00.001-07:00

She is, by no means, new to the music world and with her Stevie Nicks-esque, she-crooner style, there’s no reason not to fall madly in love with the beautiful music Jessie Baylin creates.

There is something to be said about a musician who harnesses more soulful power in her right pinky than some manage to produce throughout their entire career. Not to mention her stunning ability to captivate an audience. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing her perform live on a few occasions, and with the company of some great friends, and can attest to the magic that experience holds.

Enjoy this little trailer for her upcoming album, Little Spark, set to release on January 17th.

Now head on over to her place to better acquaint yourself with her awesome and pre-order the album.

Happy listening!

I work out.

2012-01-02T23:08:00.001-07:00

The familiar ding of the Android turned my attention to a text message from my older sister.

“Going to do a double tomorrow morning at the gym – pump and attack. Want to join me?”

In less than one minute I found myself replying with an unidentifiable fervor. A resounding “yes”.

The overwhelming anticipation left little room for an evening of rest. From what I assume to be a combination of the failed effects of cold medication and excitement, left tossing and turning into the wee hours of the morning, I arose without hesitation at the sound of the alarm.

And then, as if the promise of determination and accountability were assembling to plot my imminent demise, I almost ralphed. Everywhere.

It was in that revelatory moment that I decided:

#TDPC–Day 14–Eyes

2012-01-02T10:00:00.000-07:00

‘Nuff said.

Farewell. Welcome.

2012-01-01T22:38:00.001-07:00

Another year has come and gone and before taking a peek back at the year behind me, I was convinced that 2011 was somewhat of a dud. A blur of unmemorable events that could have very well been skipped. Then, I realized everything that the past 365 days have done to shape me into a being, ready to conquer the following year. So, without further ado, here is a makeshift, wrap up, post/list/whozeewhatsit to satiate your year-in-review craving:

I decided to take care of myself. In turn, I was diagnosed.

I found myself a best friend.

I helped with a huge conference. I even co-hosted one.

I loved a broken friend; losing a few in the same breath.

I took the mini human to Disneyland.

I reconnected with my father.

I worked with some great companies. And some not so great clients.

I lost my voice. But then I found it.

I became an aunt. Twice.

I rediscovered my passion for literature.

I popped my anti-vampire cherry (and I kinda liked it). Two fold.

I reacquainted myself with independent films and documentaries.

I let something great speak to me.

But most importantly, I let everything I just listed (and more) mold me into who I want to be moving forward. I won’t sit here and make any empty declarations or resolutions that will fall by the wayside before January ends. Instead, I’ll vow to keep moving forward, allow things to speak to me, be open to growth and opportunity, and give with my heart and soul because, at the end of the day, that’s all we can really do. Promise to be the best we, we can possibly be. To measure that possibility by our own scale of acceptance and not by that of another.

Raise your glass, put on your big kid underpants, and make it count. All of it. Every last second.

Happy New Year you crazy freaks!

#TDPC–Day Eight–Bad Habit

2011-12-27T16:18:00.001-07:00

Since I’m taking a hiatus from my bad habit for the next few months, I figured I could still participate in the challenge with a submission of a bad habit…right?

#TDPC – Day Two - What You Wore Today

2011-12-21T16:14:00.001-07:00

Megan has done it again.

Passing along the challenge to take a photograph of something daily. There are prompts and stuff and while I missed day one (self-portrait) for still being on the fence about taking it on, I’m going to hop into the madness with the prompt for day two: what you wore today.

The reason I opted to hop into the do-it-yard from my fence was Megan’s inspiration to just take the photos with your phone. I mean, I always have it on me so it’s merely a matter of knowing what to take a picture of that day. That seems easy enough, right? I’m also going to take Megan’s cue to do a weekly summary of my photos (along with the daily post).

So, for the day dedicated to the post office, The UPS Store, and general, pre-holiday errand running, I rocked the sweats today. Because I’m sexy and I know it.