Blog | Alison Rosen

Sneezes that sound like primetime

By Alison Rosen on March 12, 2009 in Uncategorized

Does something bloom at about 10pm in NYC because this is the second night in a row my allergies are acting up at night. And by 10pm I guess I mean what feels like 9pm. In fact when I sneeze it’s really a nine o’clock type sneeze. It sounds like the theme song to Grey’s Anatomy, not Perfect Practice, if you know what I’m saying which I doubt you do. It also sounds like Frasier which I’m pretty sure was on at 9pm at some point. Maybe?

So why am I writing about my 9pm-but-it-was-really-10pm sneezes at three-in-the-morning- which-is-really-two-in-the-morning? Because my friend Scott who is a super duper computer guru helped me with some stuff and took control of my screen and said “Are you sick?” (we were ichatting with audio which I didn’t realize was a viable option because I’m still living in the past of one hour ago) and I explained that no, I’m just experiencing the kind of allergies one has when cats spontaneously bloom at 10pm. Cats and dust apparently. And those dander bushes, too. But the computer stuff took awhile. And then I wasted time doing I’m not even sure what.

So I’m tired is what I’m saying. And stuffed up.

Adorable Tobey shots

By Alison Rosen on March 11, 2009 in dogs, photos, Tobey

My mom just sent these to me. In other news I cooked bell peppers tonight and now my whole apartment smells really bell peppery. Ok fine, I actually also cooked them the night before and the night before. I’m not one for variety. For example, I was hoping all my clothes, like every last garment would smell like a bell pepper and I’m pretty sure I got my wish.

30 Seconds On…

By Alison Rosen on March 11, 2009 in 30 Seconds On, dustin, video, vlogs

Wendy's about to drop and go viral

By Alison Rosen on March 11, 2009 in Uncategorized

You can read about it here: http://alisonandwendy.tumblr.com/

Looks like we all need a pick-me-up

By Alison Rosen on March 11, 2009 in war on un-cute

A commenter on my previous post said it looked like I needed a pick-me-up and I should look at puppies at a pet store. So true! But since I don’t have time to go to a pet store I thought I’d post cute photos instead. And then since I was posting cute photos of course I had to include some of myself because anything else? Criminal!

Here is a duckling.

Here’s Tobey looking scruffy.

Here’s me at The Gates a few years ago. It was orange and yet unspectacular.

Here’s Woofie when he was a puppy with his toy.

Here’s Tobey looking all smushed.

Here’s me on CNET’s The 404 which I’ll be back on April 10.

Here’s a cute kitten and duckling.

Here’s me with rollers stuck to a hat. (If you haven’t checked out the video of Anna, Natali and me discussing this hot trend, you should totally do so. It’s somewhere on youtube. Happy hunting!)

Here’s me on Red Eye last week.

News and couches

By Alison Rosen on March 11, 2009 in couches

I was thinking this morning about people who decide not to watch the news or read newspapers because it’s too depressing and how I find, in general, that’s a pretty irresponsible stance. But then I was thinking, WHY do I feel that way? I mean, what good does it do me to know that 16 were killed in a school attack in Germany and the police who are called something other than police in German killed the attacker? It’s not like I was about to go to school in Germany. You know?

I mean I guess it’s just best to live in reality. That’s something I’ve felt for a long time. But then there are people who would say that reality is somewhat subjective (I would argue that’s semantics and that it’s really not that subjective) and then there’s a whole industry that’s cropped up around this idea that you can forge your own reality by just shutting it all out and la la la la la happy thoughts la la.

Sorry, I’ve been bad at posting the last couple days and then I drop this not-very-fun bomb on you guys.

Love me anyway?

Ok thanks.

Also: new couch arrived today! It already has a piece of my hair on it. And how do I feel about the fact that I chose a light colored couch even though everyone told me not to? I feel like… everyone was right! I mean, I like how it looks but I’m already afraid to sit on it or stain it in any way. Yay for me!

I guess you just sometimes have to do the things that everyone tells you not to do. And sometimes you have to always do them.

New posts up on AlisonAndWendy

By Alison Rosen on March 10, 2009 in wendy molyneux

How excited are you?

1. Very
2. Super
3. Sooooooo
4. Incredibly
5. Totally
6. Freakishly
7. Unbelievably
8. WOOHOOOOO, I’m so

go here to read: Alison And Wendy

My residual high five injury and worst job ever

By Alison Rosen on March 9, 2009 in dustin, video, vlogs

Something of note in this video?

1. I’m wearing a hat. It was cold on this night.
2. I think I might have been wrong about which hand I high fived with. We’d know if I had the ability to do slow motion.
3. Um, what else? I forget.

Why I'm a bad photographer

By Alison Rosen on March 9, 2009 in photos

Every now and then I’m forced to confront what a truly horrible photographer I am—usually when looking at pictures I took. Here is the thing, as a writer I rely on indirection. Rather than just come out and say some guy is a douche bag I would likely get at that point by noticing some offhand exchange or moment which I would then weave into the story. I tend to notice the things that other people don’t notice. It’s my THING. Except not always. I mean, occasionally I would start a story with “So-and-so is a gigantic douche bag.” But So-and-so is the exception that proves the rule. I mean: That guy? He really is off the charts douchey.

But back to the photos. Instead of just taking a photo of the surface beauty, or even the thing I’m trying to take a photo of, I always do this thing where I try to get some kind of weird angle or weird juxtaposition or something and I imagine that it’s going to magically turn into awesomeness between the reality which I’m seeing with my eyes and the alchemy of the camera. It never does. I remember taking some pictures at the beach with my sister who happens to be a really great photographer (she’s shot some pics that have run alongside some of my stories) and she said, “pay attention to the light.” Then she pushed me into the water and when I got out I noticed my wallet and keys were missing.

So anyway, all that is a caveat about the below horrid photos.

So, back to the story of this weekend. I woke up on Saturday wondering who the fat ass in my apartment was and upon realizing I was alone, decided to go to the gym. Then I remembered I no longer belong to a gym so I thought it might be a good day to join one. Then I decided instead, since it was a nice day out, why not jog around Brooklyn and by jog I mean walk fast except for ten feet here or there where I decide to jog? So I embarked on a three hour power walk. It was pretty awesome and now I’m even more in love with Brooklyn than I was before, not counting the years I held a Brooklyn grudge which is a detail not germane to this story.

Whilst powerwalkjogging around I listened to my semi-buddy Doug Benson’s I Love Movies podcast. I recommend this if you like things that are funny involving movies that aren’t Dustin and my reviews.

Here is Grand Army Plaza. I’m totally going out of order, by the way. My dad grew up right near here.

Here is the bridge over the Gowanus Canal. It’s no Goldenrod footbridge, that’s for sure. [update: now I’m wondering whether that’s actually the canal or just Gowanus. You’d think I would know. But then you’d realize that there’s no reason you should have thought I would know.]

Here’s the view of lower Manhattan from the Promenade.

Here’s another Promenade shot. The promenade is really beautiful—something not really captured in this shot.

Another Promenade shot.

A water taxi. You know what I don’t like? Water taxis. Also, water ferries. Basically if you are relying on some kind of public transpo seafaring vessel to convey you from one place to another, I’m not into it. Do you hear me, Venice?