Don't think you're better than me, Harvard!

I have to figure out how to post videos and not have them be microscopic.

Don't let that prevent you from seeing this video.

Amy Poehler is a delight.

"Green With Envy" Trailer/ YOU GUYS, IT'S THE 'MUPPET MOVIE!!!!

KAPOW! I WIN!!

I have a crappy graphic now for every occasion. YES!

Here are three things that will enhance your life.

You're welcome.

Flavorwire's collection of Literary Mixtapes

Every so often, Flavorwire takes a famous literary character and crafts a playlist around it. If you scroll through the collection, you can listen (for free) to all the playlists. There are some pretty credible tunes on the lists. Don Quioxte has songs like "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times" and "Blowin' in the Wind." I have been listening to Jay Gatsby's playlist for the past week.

The "New Girl" trailer

At this point, Zooey Deschanel playing an awkward hipster shouldn't really be exciting- but this trailer is amazing. Hysterical! Fox News might be an abyss of evil and misinformation- but they seem to consistently have an awesome line-up of shows.

Articles on "The Hairpin"

Edith Zimmerman is my new hero and her site "The Hairpin" is probably one of the best sites ever. Most (if not all?) of the writers are ladies. It isn't totally a humor site but it is hilarious. I found this site a week ago and I've dedicated hours combing the archive. Here are some highlights.

- DIY article: How to make the creepiest wineglass ever (only ingredient: dollheads). Read the actual steps and laugh your ass off.

- Nine things to name your Oregon Trail Family

- Who will you meet on an Ayn Rand dating site? People in control of their destiny!

- Netflix instant for every situation

- Ever wonder what reality tv would be like in the middle ages? Answer: Just as bad as it is now

- Please watch this video of an adorable girl teach you how to put on make-up. She has a bunch of videos but I posted the one of her teaching you how to put on an eye-patch. Watch it.

- Medical advice for the ladies (or just me?)

- This article is just called "What ABC's 1997-1999 "TGIF" lineup taught me about dudes". Just read it. Hilarious.

Nerds!

As an out and proud nerd, I try to celebrate all things nerd.

So here is part of my small (but ever growing) collection of nerdy science music videos!

"El Corazon" by Hard N' Phirm

"Elements Song" by Tom Lehrer

"Climate Scientist Rap" [NSFW]

Comics have 100% more stories about people punching sharks with hammers

I saw "Thor" last night and it was awesome.

Frankly, my expectations were quite low, because even though the amazing Kenneth Branagh was directing, there were so many things that could have gone wrong.

- He travels to earth via the bifrost-- which is a rainbow bridge. That could have looked ridiculous. Instead, it was epic and I want one.

- As hilarious as old-timey viking language is, it could have been over done. It turns out that I never get tired of Thor calling everyone around him a puny mortal.

- I thought that Natalie Portman was a bizarre choice. Didn't know if she would add anything to the movie. I was wrong to doubt her.

I really liked "Thor" and I think other people will find it just as epic.

If I can nerd out for a second, though, I just want to say that comics are awesome. In Hollywood's recent rush to cash in on the comic industry, some of the adaptations have been pretty awful. You would think Hollywood could produce a basic hero movie (especially given the budgets some of these movies have) but clearly that is not the case.

There are all kinds of comics (or graphic novels if you are a snob) and there is some great storytelling that just flourishes in the comic medium. Recently, I've been obsessed with Marvel and which just looks at every possible variation of the heroic struggle. One of the best stories I have ever read, however, is "Y the Last Man." I recommend it to everyone.

Even those who don't think they like comics, when they look deep within their heart--they find that there is something. If you like snark, underdogs, wonderdogs, justice, philosophy, heroes, romance, robots, or laser beams-- then you probably like comics.

Also, "Thor" reignited my excitement for "the Avengers" movie. Thor, Hulk, Iron Man, and Captain America come together and battle some epic baddy. What is even better is Joss Whedon not only wrote the script-- but is directing the movie.

Whedon was behind "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", "Firefly", and "Dr.Horrible's Sing-a-long Blog." The man has a knack for storytelling and creating amazing characters.

He also has a reputation for killing those amazing characters.

And getting fired.

(if you can't read the comic, click here to go to the original)

True Tales of Success (that sound like horrifying stories of failure)

I am exhausted.

So far, I have done stand-up comedy at two open mics here in North Carolina and I'm going to do another tonight. This is the first night where I don't have to drive an hour or more to get to the venue.

In order to prepare for success, I took the set that I had practiced and memorized the week before and threw it out.

So on the three hours car ride up to Asheville I memorized completely new material.

Asheville's hippie reputation is pretty well-known but I was unprepared for how hippie it was. The first people I saw after parking my car were three guys playing hacky sack in the parking lot. I planted myself at the bar and watched the Asheville hipsters mill about. There was an adorable chap who literally had a feather in his cap. Asheville, you are in a league of your own.

I sat by some great (older) guys who gave me some jokes that I could use.

I did not.

Maybe next time.

(Nope. I won't.)

When I finally got up to do my set, I clutched the microphone stand the entire time. My smart idea to look at my watch and gauge my time (so as not to go over) evaporated as soon as I got on stage. I timed the set when I was in the car and I nailed it each time. Five minutes exactly. My time at the mic could have very well been under one minute.

I'm pretty sure that I said words but I can't verify that. I blacked out and don't remember details. I pretty much just stared into the spotlight and blocked out everything.

People laughed, though.

It could have been pity but let me be clear-- that is fine with me. At first I debated whether I should say that this was my first time doing stand-up. Before I got up on stage, self-righteous Jenny decided "No. I won't say that-- because that would be pandering."

At the end of the set I was just like, "Screw it-- I am not above that."

Die a slow death, high-minded ideas.

Three hours later I arrived back at home. The above details the stress and nerves I experienced doing stand-up but it was really one of the best nights of my life.

My second set was in Chapel Hill. The goal for the previous night was to get through the set regardless of the audience's reaction and not cry (set achievable goals) and my goal for Chapel Hill was this time I was going to take the microphone out of the stand.

Like I said previously, in Asheville I clutched the mic stand the entire time. It is because I had (have) a fear of breaking the microphone. Either I can't navigate the mic out of the stand or the stand falls or just the whole thing bursts into flames.

For the record-- I totally did break the microphone.

True story.

As soon as I touched it, the chord dropped out of the mic (which was still firmly in the stand). So I had to take care of that mess before I started. It went well, though.

So, in summary, all of my dreams are coming true-- some of those dreams just happen to also be nightmares.

Lily Tomlin

In some ways, I wanted to just communicate something about humans in general. Perhaps I wanted people to see them as affectionately and as sympathetically as I did...

....All that creates a compassion for, and understanding of, people. You see them at their highest and lowest; you know that for people who put up a good front or are high and mighty all the time, they’re not. They’re all pretty fragile.

Lily Tomlin

(from Sataristas by Paul Provenza)

"Lily Tomlin"

by Jenny Chalikian