Lindsayism.com

"The Circle City" Will Soon Encircle Me

I'm going to Vonnegut's birthplace this weekend to visit John and Sarah Green. One of my friends who doesn't know them asked me why I would choose to spend Labor Day weekend in Indianapolis and I said "Because John and Sarah Green are THAT AWESOME." (I guess any attempt at a "no offense, Indianapolis" would sound hollow. I have never been there, and I have heard it sucks. Prove everyone wrong this weekend, "Naptown"! )
Also, John and his brother Hank are really super-famous now for their Brotherhood 2.0 project and have a worldwide following of people of all ages, races, and ethnicities called "nerdfighters" who sent John hundreds of videos for his birthday, and also there is a charitable foundation involved: Swear to god.  Somebody should write about this phenomenon for The New York Times or another high-circulation national media outlet.

I will report on my awesome Two Day Indianapolis Adventure when I get back, possibly.

oh yes, there will be charades

I'm leaving the city for the first time since Christmas for the fourth annual trip to Jen's place in Vermont. I'm gonna get me some nature! Embarrassing photos (of me) on (other people's) flickr TK. (This year I think I'm going to just try to look as ugly as possible on purpose and cut out the middle man.)

Also, chapter 2: Emily gets the last word.

"30 and Flirty and Thriving"*

(I'm 30 today, hence the Google-inspired header. Thank you to my friends for all the fun last week!)

Moving on: Three reasons Jimmy Kimmel is Cool:

1. Sarah Silverman

2. 'The Week in Unnecessary Censorship'

3. His dead-on description of Jared Leto in Page Six today:

"He was so insufferably satisfied with himself that I wanted to strangle him."

It's like he knows it's my birthday or something...

* That's from 13 Going on 30. I would never actually say-that - say-that.

The Roast of AJ Daulerio: Best. Thing. Ever.

The coolest thing ever happened last Friday. Because our friend AJ Daulerio is moving to Philadelphia, Will Leitch and Aileen Gallagher organized a surprise roast for him. For over a month, we had to keep it secret, but it was all worth it when it went off without a hitch (AJ was surprised, tons of his friends came out, we were funny, and he loved it). Gawker videographer Richard Blakeley was there to capture AJ's speech at the end of the roast:

One of the best nights of my life! (Note: if only ONE other roast takes place in the next six months, this will officially qualify as a Sunday Styles trend piece.)

Some photos after the jump. (UPDATE: NINE MINUTE long video on Deadspin. Unfortunately, technical difficulties prevented Eric Gillin's roast from being included, which sucks since he was hysterical.)

adult continuing education humor

Here's one for the Scared of Santa gallery.

And this is my favorite. Look out, Paul Rudd!

John Darnielle is God

Here are some things about Saturday night's Mountain Goats show at Bowery Ballroom that made it one of the best shows I've ever seen (and I've seen him at least ten times):

1. It was The Mountain Goats! My favorite band. The "best...lyricist in America." - Sasha Frere Jones, The New Yorker. (The ... stands for "non-hip-hop" but I'm leaving that out out of protest.)

2. Despite the sold-out crowd, you could hear a pin drop during the quiet songs. No cell phones rang.

Hint: I'll Take Lebanese Capitals For 2000

Today's guest-posts on the Jane Blog:

• All Aboard the NIGHT TRAIN, or Why I'm Not Drinking This Week* (a must-read for haters!)
• And Links of the Day: Open Your Heart to Love

*except in extreme moderation. (antioxidants!)

senseless acts of beauty

(photo of rough drafts of charades lists by Jen.)
Quick Vermont Highlights:

1. You know how they say you should find the thing you love the most and that you're best at and then figure out a way to get paid for it? Well, unfortunately for me, it appears that my thing is "Charades."
7 people. 4 hours. Most. Fun. I've. Ever. Had. In. My. Entire. Life. Solemn vows have been made about making it a "regular thing", which would improve my life 100%.

2. You know what's fun? Going to the Applebees off exit 26 of I-91 with your friends on a Saturday night and sending a round of drinks over to a (slightly bewildered) random table.

3. You know what's supremely dorky but also worth a year of therapy? Going off by yourself at 3 am on a mountain and looking up at the stars while listening to In the Aeroplane Over the Sea in its entirety. I was having such a great time I threw on some On Avery Island (Song Against Sex, natch) and Mountain Goats at the end. It was enough to make me almost want to ditch the city for the land of Cars 'n' Stars.

Okay, now some value-adding links. You've suffered enough:

* I thought the headline was funny, but then two separate people urged me to read the entire thing, and they were right: When This Meth Thing Blows Over, You'll Come Crawling Back, by Cocaine

* Kids steal fake pot from billboard promoting Showtime's "Weeds":

(via Golden Fiddle)

* THE comprehensive analysis of the famous self-regard of aforementioned blogger Jaqueline Mackie Paisley Passey. (Includes a photo of her most recent bullet-dodging boyfriend!)

It's Friday, I'm In Love

*My friend Stephanie has a website now called Drinking Stiff ("Stiff" is one of her nicknames, along with my special nickname for her, "Private Dancer") There's a funny thing up there called the "Parent's Worst Nightmare Interview Series". First in the series is "Kid Out Of Wedlock vs. Gay"

*I found this really old really funny article from ReadyMade Magazine: "How To Seem Smarter"

*I'm really excited about the next Little Gray Books Lecture, because it will feature readings by Starlee Kine of This American Life, and Tom Perrotta, who is basically my favorite working fiction writer right now. Ten thousand of his literary babies I want to have.

*There was apparently a very fun party last night at the Slipper Room that I was going to go to, but after happy hour with coworkers I put myself down for "a little nap" at 8:30. Bad idea jeans. I was awakened every five minutes by Sweet Home Alabama (yes, that's what my phone plays, and you thought it would be Bittersweet Symphony, didn't you? didn't you?) as the people I'd talked into going to the party angrily demanded to know where I was. Julie the Coworker called to get directions and in my halfasleepness I said "Stanton and Ostrich. Ostrich. Ostrard. Orch. Orchard. Stanton and Orchard." So this morning I was awake by 6, hence this early-for-me posting.

*Date My Friend #2: Bryan The Hottie, will be coming on Monday, for sure! So hot girls take pictures of yourselves over the weekend in preparation.