Under SOPA or PIPA, my using a pic like this simply as a visual to a post I write could cause my blog to be blocked.

So…the halftime show. Thanks to my amateur sociology degree that comes from watching people on Facebook, I’ve concluded that there are three schools of thought about the halftime show..

1) It should always be an exciting pop music extravaganza, filled with as much excited dancing and as little clothing and as many acts that have released new music in the last 3 years as possible.

2) It should always be a classic rock (meaning acts where the lead singer is older than 60) act, a classic three-song set and the audience classically holding up lighters and some 65 year old guy yelling FREEBIRD in that classic rock way.

3) It should be nothing but marching bands.

Although I’m in the first camp, I think it should be an even 2/3 split — two years of pop and one of rock. I need something to complain about.

So…the halftime show. It’s the only part I watched, plus the last minute of the game itself. This is because of the internet! Instead of dying of boredom through the entire 8 hours of the game, I can check the score merely by typing “giants game” into Google. I keep an eye on Twitter to see when it’s halftime. I tune in just in time for the show, then I go away. I go back into Google, find out the Giants are about to humiliate the Patriots with a minute left, and then watch the end of the game. Later that night. I watch the ads on Hulu. I love the Internet.

So…the halftime show. I really really enjoyed it. I think Madonna pulled together the perfect show. It had some old material, some new material, some artists for the next generation forward to recognize and a lot of crazy theatrics. The theatrics could have been dialed back a few. I know, Madonna, you’re very fit. We can see that and we know what your arms look like under those sleeves. But you don’t have to do very slow assisted cartwheels during the show.

I enjoyed the marching band and cheerleader overtones. It’s a football game, after all, and that’s a nod to the marching band population.

Nicki Minaj (whom I only know of because of the mom who made her 8 year old sing a slutty Minaj song on YouTube for 3 2/3 minutes of fame) looked absolutely THRILLED to be there and I loved seeing that. When I saw LMFAO I was hoping Madonna would attempt the shuffle, and she did. If I didn’t live on the 8th floor, I’d have learned that dance by now.

When Madonna and Cee-Lo began Like A Prayer, I knew the controversy had to be coming. I thought those robes would come off and they’d be wearing LED-embellished fig leaves. I thought they’d haul Cee-Lo up on a cross and Madonna would kiss his feet. But no. Those days are decades ago, and the song just turned out to be a lovely Gospel-tinged song to wrap up the show with. And the only controversy came from the non-Minaj girl who couldn’t stay classy for 2 1/2 minutes and had to flash the middle finger.

I knew people wouldn’t like it but I’m shocked at all of the cuts at how Madonna looked old. I think she looked great. Yes, there’s been some work done and she kept the imperfect parts covered. It seems unfair because she seriously does look better for her age than past “classic” acts have.

I wonder if it’s just a reaction to people digging on the Who and McCartney and the Stones both being and looking old. Part of the “you pick on my fave, I’ll pick on yours” culture.

Tl;dr : I enjoyed the halftime show. Too bad I’m not even close to being the target audience for the Big Game. Also, I loved the M&Ms ad.

Young people in Philly protest Corporate Greed. Again. Still.

Hark, now hear the angels sing, a king was born today,
And man will live for evermore, because of Christmas Day.

Merry Christmas!

Secular, for those who Deck the Halls with Silver Bells but don’t much care what happened in that Little Town of Bethlehem.

Religious, for you “o NIIIIGHT DIVIIIIIIIiiiiIIIIIIIiiiiiNnnneeee!!!!” types

And both combined into one playlist!

And after listening to the Glee Holiday album, I’ll reiterate my opinion that these Glee albums are KidszBop for grownups.

I bought a handful of silly things, and this gorgeous hat.

You know how I love my hats.

I brought that lovely home and tried it on in the mirror and yes, there was preening. Then as I was about to rip off the tag, I saw it:

30% rabbit fur. Ugh.

I don’t wear fur. I don’t buy leather. I will *wear* leather if it’s bought for me as a gift (I have Uggs and various leather trims on purses) but I won’t buy it myself. Plus, it was made in China, so the fur could be dog or cat or dissident hair. And if I’m squicky about wearing cat hair, what makes wearing rabbit fur any different? I don’t judge YOU for wearing leather or fur, either.

But I still eat meat. It’s a strange code of conduct but it’s mine.

So back to Target I go at lunch today to sadly the delightful hat.

*I LOVED Black Friday back when the stores opened at 6am and they gave away little trinkets like snowglobes, free shopping bags and $10 coupons. I HATE current Black Friday, where the stores open at midnight or 3am and offer cheap TVs and cheap laptops, but only stock 2 of each. I hate how competitive we’ve become as a society, where lining up days in advance of a sale and pushing people aside to get a cheap-quality electronic earns you a badge of honor. It’s ruined all the fun.

Come on, swing it.

The celebrity spokesman for Graduate to Go is Mark Walhberg, whom I like because of his NKOTB connection, his lovely underwear ads of last century and the song Good Vibrations, which is part of my summer playlist.

As Marky Mark menacingly stared at me from the Taco Bell window I realized that while he brings the starpower, he’s probably not the BEST spokesperson for staying in school. Mark Wahlberg dropped out of high school and after a REALLY rough period of time*, evolved into a Hollywood super-player — an Oscar/Golden Globe/SAG nominated actor and producer — with a fat bankroll and gorgeous wife & family. So obviously, the lack of a high school education didn’t hold him back much at all. (Yes, he got a GED later, but I don’t think that opened any doors for him.)

I think a better spokesperson for staying in school would be “Itchy” Bob the hobo.

“Hi, I’m Robert. I dropped out of high school and now I live on the corner of Cuthbert Boulevard and Hampton Road. I bet if I stayed in school, the guys at the soup kitchen wouldn’t call me Itchy Bob. Please give $1 to this program and can I have half of your burrito?”

* Not defending Chris Brown at ALL, but look at Marky Mark’s past and tell me if people aren’t a BIT too angry/grudgy at Chris Brown.

On Monday night as I was doing my face cleansing routine (wash, 2.5% benzoyl peroxide, moisturize – found at acne.org) I got a schmear of Cetaphil moisturizer (with a few drops of jojoba oil mixed in) in my eye. It hurt! I rinsed my eye out but it still stung. It took ’til Friday night for the irritation to subside. Now I’m fine.

So here you go, Google. Moisturizer in your eye? You’ll be okay in a few days.

May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields
And until we meet again
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.

(and may your Guinness be at the perfect temperature!)

Me: I’m trying to remember – do I have dumb St. Patty’s day things to wear tomorrow?

WM: Hrm. Not sure. You could always hit up Spencers or Target for props.

Me: Ugh. Not Spencers. I’d get “Ye Crust” from there.

WM: *laughs* Well, something like that, anyway.

Me: “Here’s your Shamrock deely-boppers, light up earrings, sample d1ld0 and some crabs. Can I have your email address for our mailing list?”