Earth Day and Everyone in da Driveway Getting Tipsy
I participated in Volunteer in the Park Day also known as VIP Day. It's organized by NYU, and students, faculty and residents volunteer to plant flowers, pick up garbage and paint benches. I did an hour and a half in Washington Square park doing all those things. I'm proud to say that a green garbage can and the two big black urn-like flower pots in front of the famous arch, were painted by moi! So that's my NYC claim to fame. Just think of all the people who take photos in front of the arch and thus also with the big urns. And to think I painted them ;)...and practically most of my sweat pants in the process too, haha. It was a beautiful day so I was glad I was able to be out to enjoy it and to do something nice for Earth Day.

later that day... in Connecticut...
Have you ever been drunk with your family? And then try to pretend that you aren't by covering up and using big words like "decor." And whenever you say something that you think sounds intelligent your mind is saying "Yay, decor, that was perfect! You are so great Tara, you have them all fooled and you are so freaking drunk, and they have no idea, lol!" Then you have to bite down on your smile due to your own self congratulations and laughter that is going on in your head.

Well, this evening wasn't too bad, because no matter how tipsy I was from some red, red wine that was making me feel real fine, I still ended up the designated driver. After all, my mom and her friend were doing martinis and were definitely beating me.

While I was dropping off our friend and temporarily parked in her driveway, my mother goes "I love this song" and flips up the volume on the radio, blasting Hall & Oates "I?ll Be Around." There was some clapping, snapping, pointing, crazy arm-waving dance moves, leading up to all three of us girls putting our faces near each other and screaming "Whenever you need me, I'll be there!" lol, good times!

PS: I walked by Tyne Daly on Bleeker Street!

Article: The Lying Game: In an Internet-hookup culture, even sensitive guys think they?re players. By Amy Sohn in New York Magazine

It's Balloon Time, Boys and Girls
Just as I was swiping my pass for the subway, I heard my train arrive at the bottom of the steps. I sprinted down them, but the train carts that were closest too me were already filled to capacity. So, I ran further down the platform until I saw one with enough space for me to jump in, but then I noticed that people were fleeing it and running for the more crowded parts of the train. Finding this weird, but having no time to think since the doors were about to close, I jumped in. I figured I?ve ridden with drunks and panhandlers before, what could be the big deal?

I was totally surprised when instead of seeing a guy mummbling out loud or smelling some foul odor, two dozen helium balloons came floating towards me, whopping me on the head. No, I was not on a circus train with Bozo or Coco the clown and I was not dreaming this. It was either a haggard father or some party planner, trying his best to reel in silver and gold ribbons that held an assortment of helium balloons, which were rapidly engulfing the passengers in the seats. I swear this is true. He held the bunched together ribbons like a bouquet in his hands, wrapping them around his fists. I have no idea how this man was able to stuff all the balloons onto the train before the doors shut on him. Better yet, I don't know how he?ll ever get them off safely. Thankfully none of them popped during my two stops because I know I would have been the girl who screamed and jumped like a freak.

When I got off at my stop a few minutes later, my hair had enough static electricity to jump a stalled car. See, these are the many things that happen to me that make me believe that I?m on some reality show that is unbeknownst to me ;p

News Story: Aww! TKTS Booth Becomes Surprise Wedding Proposal Site

Ashes and Snow
First The Gates, a large scale public art project, overtook Central Park. Now, Ashes and Snow, a photography exhibit, literally sits atop the Hudson River on Pier 54 near West 13th Street. It is also the largest temporary exhibition space ever created in Manhattan.

Built on an abandoned waterfront pier, the Nomadic Museum, a 67-foot-wide by 672-foot-long, privately-funded traveling museum is made of 148 stacked steel cargo shipping containers. Designed by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban, the exhibition, Ashes and Snow, consists of portraits taken by Canadian-born artist Gregory Colbert.
Elementary school teacher, Heidi Laudien, 38, said she plans to bring her students to the sight.

?I love the idea of a museum made from recycled materials and I want my kids to see that creative part of the exhibit and how it illustrates the transience of the space,? she said.

The exhibit and the museum will be displayed through June 6 in the 45,000-square-foot temporary structure. Afterwards, it will be dismantled and resurrected in Santa Monica, Calif, then off to the Vatican City in 2006, as it continues on its nomadic adventure.

(Read More)

Link: www.ashesandsnow.org

Odd talents that I wish I could do
* A kartwheel. I never could do one, instead I end up doing one of those wheelbarrow-like flips.

* Know the different cars that are on the roads. My friends Massiel and Jacquie are like 'did you see the s70 blah blah' and I'm like 'um, is that a car or a truck?'

* Tie a man's tie, beacuse it looks so cute in the movies when a wife or girlfriend fixes her man's tie. I know it's corny. I can actually tie them, but only on myself--I went through a brief Annie Hall inspired period or something, lol.

Odd Talents That I CAN Do

* Arch my left eyebrow, up and down, in a very Chandler Bing-esque movement. I love when my friends try to do it and their brows do not even move or just plain wiggle.

* Tie a cherry stem with my tounge. Yup, and as annoying Paris Hilton would say "That's hot!"

* Tell anyone what movie won Best Picture the year that they were born. I'm the year of Ghandi and wish I was a little younger so I could be the Terms Of Endearment year instead.

How about you? I'm talking odd talents though, otherwise I wish I could carry a note and speak several languages too.

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Also the blog A Blasphemy of Sanity had a link to the latest M&M marketing scheme with Star Wars Episode III. Watch the video, it?s very clever and funny:
http://us.mms.com/us/mpire/wm_large.jsp I can't wait to buy the dark side chocolate m&m's!

So apparently I'm dead
Because for some reason no workout machine can read my heart rate.

No matter what gym I go to or how long I hold onto the stupid sensors, none of the machines can read my HR. I've tried the treadmill, elliptical, and stair master and nada--no heart rate. Yet, my friends can use the same machine, hold the handles the same way and get a read out just fine. For me, it keeps blinking messages that read, "hold onto sensors" "cant read HR" or "heart rate, heart rate," etc. Usually after 15 mins of blinking at me, even the machine gives up trying.

A cautionary tale
This cartoon keeps making me laugh, so I borrowed it from my friend Karen's Live Journal.