Hangover Daze

This is the perfect song to that cold Saturday morning to combat that headache, cottonmouth and general stupor. Especially after the night I had where my mind was blown by making a new friend, and finally seeing an old one. And by the morning's burst of surprise productivity. Playing hard must always be balanced with an extra measure of hard work.

Throwback

How you know you're getting older...

Lately, my friends and I have been compiling a list of how to tell you are getting older. Feeling ancient in our mid-to-late twenties we've observed the passing of the calendar mostly with comments about how we can't party like we used to, and (my personal favorite) hangover arthiritis. But I've been noticing a another side to aging, and it has nothing to do with liver spots.

I've really only noticed this in the context of television shows. Freaks and Geeks was something I always wanted to watch all the way through, so I did. **SPOILER ALERT** In the final episode the main character goes to follow the Grateful Dead around the country instead of a prestigious summer at a top university with other leaders and CEO's and such, and I was so disappointed in her I felt like my mother (before therapy). Even two years ago I would have thought it was awesome, but this time I thought it was lame.



Last night, on America's Next Top Model, one of the contestants admitted to wasting $25,000 tuition for school to be on the show. This time I was with a group of people and we were all horrified. Admittedly this time there was a hefty price tag included, and we naturally assumed that she didn't throw away her own money, but her parents hard-earned dough (although she was a pageant girl and if it was from pageant-winnings, we would feel much better about it). Still, people need to take huge risks to succeed, and they need to fail horribly to do so, learn from missed opportunities, why does it feel like we understand that better when we're younger?



While stuck in jury duty hell yesterday, I found this great article of successful people and their earlier pitfalls. My favorite part was when Warren Buffett got rejected from Harvard Business School and was terrified of how his parents would react, but was met with "unconditional love" from his father. Reminded me to try and start feeling excited for people who do something completely insane but completely liberating. It's all part of growing up.

-Kastoory

Choose Your Own Religion

This group at
University of Texas giving out porn in exchange for Bibles, seems to be the typical: recovering Catholic sort. Rebelling hardcore against a faith they didn't choose. I get the rationalization there is a lot of violence in the Old Texts, but is it smut?

I have had the luxury to choose my own religion, literally. As a child who made a leap to faith even after my mom
handed me "The God Delusion" and told me religion was child abuse. Dad gave me a small mazeltov. My sister is a practicing Tibetan Buddhist and the other is a Pagan holiday Christian. I am still informing my faith, but I'd say I am a spiritually seeking Jew who's into yoga.

What it always comes down to, is let people choose. Condemning porn is just as bad as condemning religion, which is what this "atheist group" is doing. Not as rebellious as they thought.


-MIss A

Story Pirates Part 2

So the Story Pirates event was yesterday, and the founder was gracious enough to speak with me about his organization and allow for me to cover the event. The comedians were funny as is to be expected, Jon Stewart and Todd Barry worked the crowd. While Kristen Schaal and Jack McBrayer played in skits for the afterdark special (not for kids), and John Oliver MC'ed.





There was a balloon raffle (where yours truly won an awesome book about the transformative powers of karaoke), and an open bar with a classy food spread, so the Story Pirates know how to throw a fundraiser. Proceeds go to public schools underfunded in arts programs, a very serious problem with the recent threat of budget cuts.

The joy of theater is definitely something the Story Pirates express in every skit and sketch. Since Pomp is doing a longer print feature on the social business aspect of what they do with much more information... for now, all we can say is that a lot of cynics had their hearts melted yesterday, it didn't look comfortable but they sure looked touched. Do yourself a favor and let your heart get melted here (better than a facemelt... swear).

International Obscura Day

Live near the Atlantic Ave subway tunnels in Brooklyn but never been inside? What about the musical ringing rocks in Montana and Philadelphia? Haven't you wanted to delve into the curious and strange places to visit all around the world? Well thanks to Atlas Obscura (winner of SXSW best new website awayrd!) there is a day dedicated to going and seeing all the strange and wondrous places around the world.
Find out details here: Pomp editors and Pomp team members will be splitting their time between Atlantic Ave Subway and the Vanderbilt Museum in Long Island. *Important note: MUST RSVP for Atlantic Ave tour.
Obscura Day info here.

-Kastoory

Sunny Afternoon

Ahhhh it's so nice out! This is ridiculous and much-needed, and if you know me at all you know that I can talk about the weather, pretty much forever. It ebbs and flows like my moods, like the times. And I love when it matches my inner landscape perfectly.
I'll curl up in the sunshine and listen to this song over and over, you are welcome to do the same.