Lip Tint

Might I rave about a product? My hippie sister gave me Hemp Organics organic lip tint in my stocking last year in an attempt to wean me off red lipstick that may or may not be giving me lead poisoning. I threw it in a draw. I mean, that hippie shit usually either smells weird or doesn't work or both. Fastforward to almost a year later and I finally tried it. It rocks. The color is fabulous and it feels like chapstick and doesn't dry out like my regular lipsticks. You have to reapply with some diligence, but it's worth it not to have that cakey mouth by the end of the day that lots of other lipsticks give me. It costs about $6 and you can get it at Whole Foods and online. Try it, you'll like it.

Gang Printing

When I was doing a little research for the last post, I accidentally typed "M-13" into the google search box, and I mostly got astronomy hits:

If you look more closely, though, the third hit was for a graphic design firm:

Gang run printing business? Umm, I hope by gang they mean a group of very good friends.

Murder, Inc.

The recent shooting death of a 9-year-old boy through his apartment door on the 1400 block of Columbia Rd. has understandably left the neighborhood shocked and rattled. I understand, I live on the 1700 block and ours has not been a neighborhood without violence. However, I wanted to underscore that this year has seen a downturn in homicides so far, as is displayed in this chart of the city's statitstics:

I'm not arguing that this isn't a tragedy, nor am I arguing that the police should do nothing, but I would say that given the unique frictions in our neighborhood caused by rapid gentrification and the impact of the current economic climate, I would not have expected at -22.8% change in homicides over last year. The gang component of this crime, especially given how virulent and widespread this particular group is, is another matter.

Contribute Early

Every source I've ever read has agreed that the best thing you can do to ensure a comfortable retirement while not sacrificing your life today is to contribute starting as early as you can. I thought I'd drive home this point by showing you graphs of what saving 10% of your salary looks like if you start at 25, 35, and 45. Keep in mind that this is, in my opinion, a very rosy outlook calculator from MSN Money.

Here we go at 25:

Starting at 35:

And starting at 45:


It isn't ever too late, but obviously the sooner the better.

Blog 2.0

I've decided to relaunch and redirect the blog. Past posts have been scuttled in order to make room for the new, including a new focus on investing, savings, and all things money related. As a liberal arts kind of gal, it's a bit surprising to find myself as money obsessed as I've become, but I realized while sitting through a retirement seminar that I could have taught that I have something to share on this topic. Hopefully, these posts will provide a little information and resources that will point you in the right direction. I am in no way a professional and any ideas I throw out there should be vetted for stupidity. Now on with the show.

Calculators

You may notice that I've rearranged the links on the right. I've added two retirement calculators that I really like. I linked to both because one usually calculates high and one low, so when the market tanks the optimistic one makes me feel better, and when I've frittered away my money on malt liquor and playing the ponies (paint for my house and shoes) the other worries me back on track. Hope you find them helpful.

401(k) Contribution Limits

Tip for today:

401(k) contribution limits do not include your employer's contribution. In other words, you can put money up to the match ($16,500 for 2009-2010) and your employer can contribute matching funds on top of that. For example, if you make $100,000/year and your employer matches up to 5% of your salary, if you contribute the maximum of $16,500 and your employer matches $5,000, the total amount that will go into your 401(k) account for that year will be $21,500. You can read about it on the IRS' website here.

New Pic

Somebody has talent in the ole neighborhood. I just saw this new stencil this morning in the same spot as I saw the octopus. It's interesting because the artist puts the stencil on a piece of brown paper, then pastes it to the old signboard. I should emphasize that this is an old, abandoned signboard and said artist isn't hurting anyone for those of you who are anti-graffiti. I'm hoping to see more from this person.

Help Iranian Protestors

Switch your twitter location to Tehran (+3:30 GMT). It gives the government more accounts they have to comb through to figure out who to shut down. It's a little thing, but anything to help.

Proxy Server

Setting up a proxy server is a way to get around the Iranian government's web censorship, and it's worth thinking about doing.

Infinite Workout

This blog is encouraging people to read David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest this summer. They're not asking so much, starting June 21st it's a mere 75 page per week commitment. The problem? As I discovered this morning while hauling it to work, the book is very very heavy and printed in very very small type.

Invisible Car

This is so cool.

Marriage Rights For DC!

Yay! Now, let's not stop at recognizing, let's give everybody the right to marry here. Oh, and special note to Hizzoner: screw you.

Pig Flu

Now, I understand Mother Nature being a tad grouchy about the current state of affairs and the role humans have played in it. However, I'm going to have to give her a yellow card for pig flu and its means of transmission. I mean, at least mad cow was equitable in that it took down the meat eaters and passed the rest of us over. This may be too much of a peek at my humanitarian side, but is it too much to ask that the innocent not get lumped in with the guilty? I'm good with a little nature strikes back on the factory farm front, but this is like going to your room because your sister got bad grades. Not cool nature, not cool at all.

Goat Button

D'oh

Do you ever pin your bangs back in a very unattractive manner just when you're alone and just to get them out of your face? And do you ever have to give papers to a new coworker and forget your bangs are pinned that way when he comes to your office and only remember an hour later? Yeah.

TOURISTS!!!

Argh!!!

Performance Art

I will simply quote my brother's email:

"First the anti-stimulus people held up this sign,

now the marriage people named their group this.

At what point do we have to seriously consider that the entire conservative movement might be performance art?"

5-2-1-0 Plan

I was reading this article about childhood obesity, which is obviously distressing just to read about let alone live through, and I was struck by this advice:

He recommended the 5-2-1-0 plan. Eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables, cut screen time down to two hours or less, exercise at least one hour, and have zero soda and sugary drinks.

Is it just me or does this make a lot of sense? Call me Occam, but it seems like very straightforward advice that would be easily transferable for educational campaigns, school initiatives, etc.

Secret Agent Man

I am not James Bond. But even I know to carry the secret papers in the folder and not on the folder when you get out of the car.

Happy Passover!

I've been wanting to go to a Passover Seder for a few years now, and yesterday my friend Seth invited me all last minute like. The thing is, even though I love him, he is not a planner. So, we're going to an orthodox congregation to have dinner with about 260 people. Having been born and raised a heathen, this meant nothing to me until about 20 minutes ago when my friend Steve said, "Oh, you're screwed." Now I'm getting kinda nervous, and it doesn't help that Seth isn't exactly the touchey feeley type who would be a good tour guide for this type of thing. Luckily, I'm guessing my freckled, green-eyed, extremely Irish looking self will blend right in. Shit. I'd been looking forward to it until my friend freaked me out. Well, if nothing else it'll be a good story . . .

DC to Honor Gay Marriage . . .

. . . or as I like to call it "marriage" which I define as, "You two crazy kids go on now and enjoy the honeymoon." I am very proud of the city council, even if they took their sweet time.

Panhandler

A special note to everybody panhandling today: I've got change, sometimes I've got mad change, and I can imagine what it's like to really need a meal and frankly I'd be glad to give you a little change to make my purse lighter. The thing is, if you have time to pause your workday in order to hit on me, it makes me think you don't really need the change. Also, it creeps me out. So let's make a trade, I'll give you my change in exchange for you not hitting on me like a creepster. Okay?

'08 Book List

For those of you (both of you) who read the blog and for those of you (none of you) who have been eagerly anticipating the list of books I read last year, I'm finally getting around to posting it. As always, let us not be all judgey about some of my more craptastic reads. This year was a bit hectic so the list is a bit short, but here ya go:

1) French Lessons
2) Darkmans
3) Shopgirl
4) Jazz
5) The Memory Keeper's Daughter
6) The Sound and the Fury
7) A People's History of the United States
8) The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
9) Fight Club
10) Invisible Monsters
11) New Moon
12) Eclipse
13) In Cold Blood
14) Marley and Me
15) Breaking Dawn
16) In Defense of Food
17) Love Walked In
18) Watchmen
19) The English Patient
20) Brisingr
21) The Motorcycle Diaries
22) Dune
23) The Road
24) Bonk
25) Rant

Nice Tag

I had to take a picture of this when I saw it around the neighborhood. Picture this guy meeting another artist, "So man, what's your tag?" "Crotch Rot."

Kinda Morbid, Guys

I was minding my own business, reading an article on the Washington Post's website, when up pops this ad:

Can you read it? It says: "Life insurance . . . for the ones you leave behind" with a picture of a little kid crying at a grave. Yeesh. Kinda morbid, don't you think, fellas? The article was about Maryland's new death penalty law. Double morbid! But funny!

And yes, I've clearly just learned how to take screen shots. Should be mastering the keyboard shortcuts for cut and paste any day now.

Kinda Morbid, Guys

I was minding my own business, reading an article on the Washington Post's website, when up pops this ad:

Best Headline Ever

No, no, thank you BBC for giving us the best headline:



As one Slog commenter said, "He won't give one, but if you slip him $50 . . . "

Get Some

Here's a chart depicting virgnity rate by major at Wellesley College. If you're a Math/Chem major, apparently you'll be a virgin well into your 50s. Surprising? Um, no.

Nightside

Do you ever shame read? You know, the type of book they sell at the grocery store that you can finish in a couple hours? I really try not to because I think it's the equivalent of eating a bag of popcorn over the sink for dinner, and most of the time with a beer. I am less ashamed of this practice of mine than of the book I am currently reading. My brother gave me the first in the Simon R. Green series about the Nightside. These books are terrible and repetitive, and yet I cannot stop reading them. I'm on number six. This is my last one, I swear, because at this point I really am having trouble doing simple math. They must sprinkle crack in the binding. If you're interested, check out this link. I warned you.

Environmental Film Festival

The next two weeks will be filled with free film, and given the economy I figured everyone could use a little free film in their lives. So, check out the Environmental Film Festival. Friday night I will be at the Embassy of Argentina to check out Cartoneros. My friend Alethea has been studying in Buenos Aires the past year and she's promised to do any necessary language or cultural translating for me. I mean, anything to see the inside of another embassy, right?

Hiatus

Looong time no see. This has been quite a hiatus, even for me, but I'm back! To make up for it I thought I'd share the newest artist that I dig, K'Naan. I just missed his free performance at the Kennedy Center (dammit!), but I am thoroughly enjoying his new cd. Check it out.