Elliptical Contest Standings Update

Through seven rounds:

Ericka - 11
Tex - 5
Birgit - 2
Nikki Haley - 0

There are five rounds remaining, with three points per round.  So the U.S. Ambassador to the UN still has a chance, as does anybody else who hasn't scored yet.  

An Elliptical Contest: Round Seven

For this round, I want your Mt. Rushmores. But instead of dead presidents, please pick four Americans who were not President. Living or dead is acceptable.  Please include a brief explanation of why you chose each person.

Three points for a valid entry.

Deadline: July 8

The First Collection of Criticism by a Living Female Rock Critic: A Review

 

She's a talented writer.  But the problems start with the title itself.  As Hopper admits, it's not even true.  The highest profile piece in the collection seems to be Hopper piggy-backing on the work of a man.  Two of the back cover blurbs are from subjects of her articles.  She was employed by another.  She also worked for Pitchfork, which presents more ethical problems (see: R. Kelly).  She seems more interested in making bank off feminist credentials than actually earning those credentials.  Perhaps the saddest part is that she has enough skill as a writer to make it on her merits.  

"It's a song of failure.  It's realizing that sometimes the best you've got to give isn't much of anything at all."  (re: Van Morrison's "T.B. Sheets")
- "I Have a Strange Relationship with Music"

"I want it. I need it. Because all these records, they give me a language to decipher just how fucked I am. Because there is a void in my guts which can only be filled by songs."
- "I Have a Strange Relationship with Music"

"Emo's yearning doesn't connect it with women - it omits them."
- "Emo: Where the Girls Aren't"

"I've never seen a woman so naturally give less of a fuck."  (re: Anya Davidson, of Coughs)
- "Viva La Filthy Noise! Coughs' Secret Passage"

"A lot of art, great art, is made by despicable people." - Jim DeRogatis
- "Conversation with Jim DeRogatis Regarding R. Kelly"

"So we're not talking about rock star misbehavior, which men or women can do.  We're talking about predatory behavior.  Their lives were ruined." - DeRogatis
- "Conversation with Jim DeRogatis Regarding R. Kelly"
 

"She's playing it like a rebel, but she's simply being who we've goaded her to be."
- "Miley Cyrus / Bangerz"
 
   

An Elliptical Contest: Round Six

June is GBT Pride Month.

In a strange coincidence, round six is all about famous peeps of the g, b, or t persuasion.

Identify the people in the pics. First with a perfect score earns three points. If no perfect score, the first entrant with the most right gets the points.

Deadline: June 15

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14 and 15

16

17

18

 

April Recap

I only read 4 books in April.









I participated in the A to Z Challenge again.  Tried to double dip, with mixed results.

Cruised Earth Fair one weekend and Art Walk the following weekend.  Bought Britt a birthday gift at the latter, so I'm prepared for September. :)

The madre visited.

Received a free book from Australian Erin, as well as a bookshelf animal. First, I thought it was a kangaroo. But it's tailless, so then I thought it's a koala. But the face really looks like a kangaroo, so maybe they just left the tail off for kicks and giggles.  The book is the first one above. I liked it, but it's not for everybody. 

Couldn't get the wrapper off a plastic egg full of candy, so I used the cork screw part of a Swiss army knife. It worked, but I kind of sliced my hand open.

Nobody entered Round Four of my contest.  I guess nobody wanted to dye eggs pretty colors. :(

The NFL draft happened. Now I need something else to pointlessly obsess over to fill the void.

Anyway, if you're interested in visiting Australian Erin:

http://texerin-in-sydneyland.blogspot.com.au/
  

An Elliptical Contest: Round Five

 
It's Kentucky Derby time. So place your bets.

Pick one horse. 

Win - 3 points
Place - 2 points
Show - 1 point

Long-shot Bonus: One additional point for a top-3 finish.  Long-shot will be defined as a horse with 20-1 odds or longer. 

Bets are due by 3:30 PM Pacific Time, Saturday. 

If you're of legal age:

A to Z Challenge: Bookish Thoughts: Z

Z Is for Zimmerman, Robert

In 2016, Mr. Zimmerman (Bob Dylan) stormed the castles of Sweden and returned home with the Nobel Prize in Literature.  It is now back in the United States, where it belongs.