Fertile Meterologists

Has anyone else noticed that the weather folk around here are all having babies? Keith Marler recently had a baby (I think his name is Jack). Belinda Jenson is preggers; she's quite far along, but for some reason she always dresses so well she looks super-thin (I think she must have a personal shopper). There is someone on the weather channel as well, but I am sure she is not local. Anyway, my point is this: Sven could be next. We shall have to watch and wait.

We're Practically Best Friends Now

Well, it happened. We saw Sven. We attended the White Bear Avenue/Ramsey County parade Thursday, and Sven was there. Here is proof:


The parade was great. It was long with lots of things in it, but it moved fast so we didn't get bored waiting for it to be done. By comparison, the 4th of July parade in Afton (which we attend yearly) is SUPERLAME. The floats here were fun to see, and lots of groups (bands, dancelines, etc) were performing. People threw lots of candy, and even some creative things, like 100 calorie packs. And, of course, it featured Sven. He was the highlight. As his car approached, I ran with my baby out into the street and screamed, "Hi Sven!" to which he responded, "Hello." It was great! So, we're pretty much best friends now. I kid. But it was pretty cool! So, if Sven ever googles himself, and he reads this blog, he will now know that he talked to one of the contributers (along with hundreds of other people, who may or may not have blogs named for him).

Fun, Free Summer Entertainment

This time of year, many people get bored. There is more free time for many of us (school employees and students, anyway). We are always on the lookout for fun, free stuff to do. Well, I have the solution to eveyone's problems: Big Brother 8!

I have resented reality tv for years now, but I am not above watching it every now and again. Usually, I will watch one episode of something and score points on it with Pacifist Viking. But such is not the case with Big Brother. There is something truly addictive about this show. I like that the audience doesn't get to vote people out. I like the obvious reference to 1984. I like the fact that it is on 3 nights a week, with online episodes in case you miss one (not to mention the 24 hour live feed). I like that people have to eat nothing but slop for weeks on end. I like the 'friendships' I formed last season with Mike Boogey and Dr. Will. I like Big Brother.

Season 8 kicked off last week. It is already pretty awesome. Jen is the craziest freak I have ever met and I will continue to scream at the tv every week she doesn't get evicted. Oh, and Nick is from here (although not here--Kimball, MN). Things are pretty sweet. You all should watch it, if you need something to do this summer.

Identity Theft

Pop culture is committing a serious crime against me--it is attempting to steal my identity. Growing up, I was the only kid in the class (in the school, in the town, etc) named Sadie. I was special. I was unique. People commented on my name all the time. "That's different!" they'd say. "My great-grandmother was named that," they'd mention. "That's a dog name..." they'd quip. Did I care? Not one bit. I was a special, individual person. In high school, nobody except my close friends even knew my last name. Why would they need to? Sadie is Sadie. I was almost like Prince (but less sexy, less musical, and less popular).

Recently, there has been an alarming trend: more and more people are naming their daughters Sadie. This is terrible news. It really makes me sick to my stomach. When I was born (1980), Sadie was the 657th most popular name in America, and in 2006, it was the 157th most popular (according to the Social Security Administration). This is no fluke. This is an epidemic.

To make matters worse, Hollywood is doing its part to further popularize my name. There are two movies in theatres right now with characters named Sadie--Knocked Up and License to Wed. To the makers of these films, I say: WORLDS ARE COLLIDING! YOU'RE KILLING INDEPENDENT SADIE! I bite my thumb in their general direction.

I strongly feel like my name, and particularly the fact that it is unique, is part of what makes me who I am. I have always felt really bad for people who have common names. And now I am going to be one of them. I wonder how Sven would feel if all the little boys in town had his name. The only other Sven I have ever heard of was Sven Sundgoat, the beloved pet of a fair-going pre-teen boy. I bet Sven loves having a special name. Enjoy it while you can, Sven. It may not last.

Law & Order Rule

While the police are investigating the crime, if you see any actor or actress you recognize, that person probably did it.

I've seen this rule proven again and again. The police interview all sorts of people, most of them once in a short scene. If they interview an actor that you recognize, it's probably somebody that will get more than a one-minute scene. If the person isn't the actual perpetrator, he or she will come back in a significant way during the trial.

Try the rule, see what happens.

Public Appearance

News Alert!!

Our very own Sven Sundgaard will be the celebrity grand marshall at the White Bear Avenue parade this Thursday. The parade runs from Ivy to the fairgrounds (Frost). I am very excited! Not only is this a free entertaining event with the potential of candy, Sven will be there! I hope we see him, and he takes a picture with us, and we can post it here.

What will this entail? I have never been to this parade before, so I don't know the role of the grand marshall. Does he march in front of the parade with a big sceptor, lifting his knees high and stomping proudly while wearing a big smile? Does he ride atop a magnificent float, waving at us rubes (elbow, elbow, wrist, wrist)? Does he sit at a booth of some sort with a microphone and act as emcee, telling the crowd what is happening in the very parade they are watching? I really have no idea. I hope he is on a float or marching, though, because if he is at a booth, there is potential for us to not see him. I would rather not have to walk all the way down the parade route--I plan to sit at the corner of Ivy. Or maybe cottage.

Nobody knows what the future holds (and by future, I mean 3 days from now). But one thing is sure: Sven will be at the parade. And so will I.

Cruelty-Free Mommy used to be called Possible Flurries. I pulled a Gatz.

Marta 2

On Arrested Development, two different actresses played Marta. Leonor Varela was Marta 1 and Patricia Valasquez was Marta 2.

Today, Cruelty-free Mommy, Fox, and I were walking around the Rosedale mall. I'm starting to really love malls: on a hot day, it is pleasant to walk in big open spaces in air conditioning with people and bright colors all around you.

Walking past New York & Company, I stopped, dumbstruck. On the giant posters and ads in New York & Company, there was Marta 2! She was on about four different posters posing in different outfits. Actually, if you go to New York & Company's webpage, you'll see Marta 2, posing and smiling at you.

Advertising for Law & Order Marathons during back-to-back-to-back-to-back episodes of Law & Order

Today at 5:00 I was watching Law & Order on TNT. During a commercial, I was told that tonight there would be back-to-back episodes of Law & Order starting at 7:00. At 6:00, there was another episode of Law & Order. This is in addition to regular episodes of Law & Order on at 1:00 and 2:00 every weekday. During all of this, TNT has been advertising the Law & Order marathon on July 4th.

Here's two things I've learned from the actual episodes:

1. If you are a cop, and somebody won't tell you what you want to hear, you can just threaten the person with a subpoena, and you will hear what you want to hear.

2. If you are a trial lawyer, during the trial you are allowed to say absolutely whatever you want as long as you say "Withdrawn" immediately afterward.