The List

Remember that Friends episode? The one were everyone gets to make a list of the people that, if the moment arises, the person is allowed to sleep with without their significant other getting upset? (That's Wikipedia's description -- I tried three times to describe it in a way that made sense and didn't put the word "without" right after "with" but if wikipeidia thinks it's still clear that way . . . )

I love lists. I love countdowns. I used to listen religiously to Rick Dees and Casey Kasem. I heart a good spreadsheet.

And pop culture. If there's one thing I know so far that I'm interested in outside of work, it's all kinds of pop culture -- tv, movies, celebrity gossip.

So maybe it's no surprise I'm all about The List. Even though, since I'm single, my list is technically infinite.

According to the Friends original, the list is five names, and they called it the Freebie List. So I try to keep it to five (I'm a rules kind of gal), but the bottom three rotate a lot (I'm also flexible -- or indecisive). And among my friends, lower-case f, it's just called The List. So here's a good way to get to know me -- my five, and alternates.

1. George Clooney -- Clooney owns the top spot. He's talented, funny, cares about politics and making good movies (Now that he's bankrolled himself with crap like Batman and Robin. Which he'll admit -- another reason to dig him!), and a dead sexy voice. I've asked a lot of people for their lists and one thing I've noticed, Clooney and Matthew McConaughey never share a list; I'm a Clooney girl.
2. Jon Stewart -- Smart. Funny. Liberal. Smart and funny when his liberal sensibilities are incensed. Jon Stewart's only flaw is that he didn't wait for me. Yeah, okay, Tracey seems cool. Whatever.
3. Christopher Eccleston -- ah, the entry that reveals my level of geekiness! If you're living in the UK, this one's self-explanatory. The rest of the world (with some notable Canadian exceptions) will need to be told that Christopher Eccleston was the Ninth Doctor Who. And before that makes you run for the hills, watch this video!
4. Hugh Jackman -- Hugh has come on and off the list a lot lately. He replaced Russell Crowe as the Australian on the List. Not because Hugh doesn't throw phones, although that's a bonus, but mostly because Russell keeps growning out his hair! Stop that, Russell!
5. Ewan MacGregor -- No, not because he was Obi-Wan. The sexiness far predates that. I'm talking Brassed Off, Velvet Goldmine, Emma. Heck, I even Netflixed The PillowBook, and that Peter Greenaway stuff freaks me out!

Alternates:

• Eric Bana -- I've never seen Troy, though I hear he was luscious (what can I say, I'm not a Brad Pitt fan). This is mostly on the basis of Munich, and then on seeing Bana in his native Australian accent at red carpets and such. A surprisingly funny guy (he was on a sort of SNL show in Australia) which just makes him hotter. Hugh better watch out, the List's Aussie slot may be in play!
• Steve Jobs -- finally, a non-actor, although I guess he is now a Hollywood figure because of Pixar and Disney. Steve is still hot, but you should also see this pic of him from 1984. Mmmm, doing his part to make geeks sexy! One of the main characters in this romance novel was inspired by Steve.
• Ioan Gruffud -- I've been watching a lot of Horatio Hornblower. I think there's a sex joke in there, but it would work better if I were a guy.
• Clive Owen -- broodier than my normal type, but he just smolders. Hello!

Is there a pattern? Sometimes I see one -- I mean, dark hair, smart (or seem to be), lots of accents and sexy voices, funny's important but not enough to put Will Ferrell or a Wilson brother on there. And that there are mostly actors, if you count Stewart that way (he'd insert a Death to Smoochy joke here).

What does my List say about me? Take it as you will.

Stuff I Like #1: Bazeball . . .

has been good to me.

I grew up in a football obsessed house. I remember, when I was six or seven, being quizzed at family events on matching up pro franchise names with their host cities. Every Saturday in the fall was spent at Virginia Tech college games, long before they were the powerhouse they are today. I have a second cousin who coaches high school ball in Texas (yep, second cousins count, if you're Southern).

I moved to Seattle in 1996, a town that had just experienced its first real taste of baseball success and obsession in 1995. The pro football team was sucking, and I couldn't seem to get into PAC-10 style college football. But the Mariners were beloved, many of the games were on a station I could get without cable, I wanted something other than grad school to think about in the afternoons, and the announcers discussed the game at a level that I could use to learn the basics.

As I became a bigger fan, I went to a game at the old King Dome (not a pretty spot for baseball). I was at opening day of Safeco Field. The picture is the view from the best seats I've ever had, 30 rows directly behind home plate. I'm writing this while the game is on (top of the 6th, a 2-2 tie with Arizona). I've been to games in San Francisco and Anaheim; it's funny how both their stadiums reflect their locations so well.

But the M's were so bad the last couple of years that I became a fair weather fan (the kind we made fun of when I was a kid, like the folks who leave a football game when there's two minutes left so they can beat the traffic). Then I went to a game with some coworkers about a month ago (the seats weren't NEARLY as good as in that picture) and remembered how much I like the rhythm of the game. My football-loving family always dismissed baseball by saying "nothing happens" or "it moves too slow" but if you're paying attention, baseball is a game of strategy, of possibilities. It's not what happens, it's all the things that COULD happen each time the pitcher goes into his wind-up. It's a game of finesse and inches. It can be almost miraculous the way two curved objects (the ball and the bat) meet to create a line drive (think of the physics and geometry of that!).

Yep, I should spend more time with baseball again. I have a good friend and former co-worker who taught me a lot about the game. She needs to be coaxed back to it so we can obsess together again (the doping scandals have driven her away). Here's something I know I like, let's see what I can do with it. Stay tuned.

Grand Plans

I could have called this entry "My First Blog." After thinking about this for awhile, and admiring lots of interesting and creative folks who blog (i.e., wasting lots of time on their sites!) I've finally decided to take the plunge myself.

In an effort to give my blog some focus, I'm going to try and use this blog to document a particular project, or maybe it's better described as a process. Like a lot of people, I work a lot, and I think about work even more. I used to have interests, and occasionally even hobbies. This blog will be about my efforts to get a life outside of work -- the projects I try, the issues and questions I'm thinking about. I used to be interesting -- I will be again!

eta. but for the first few days, I may also just throw out some random thoughts so anyone who happens across this can get to know enough about me to maybe care if I get a life.