To Middlebury I go!

Hey all, so I am so super duper insanely excited right now. Like take my normal levels of excitement and ADD A LOT TO THAT. See, I'm so super duper insanely excited because tonight I'm on a Red Eye to VERMONT where I am going back to Middlebury for my five year college reunion. It will be my first time back at my beloved Alma mater since I graduated!

Here are I am being a dumb drunk asshole in college.

I wonder if I am going to cry being back on such sacred ground. I think I am probably just going to get really drunk and run around and hug buildings and stuff.

Why I Will Watch 'The Chicago Code'

Tonight you can catch the premiere of the new Fox drama The Chicago Code. Have you heard of it? Did you watch the Super Bowl yesterday? Are you an idiot? If you answered yes to the first two questions and no to the third, then you know what I'm talking about. 

Based on the advertising, and what I can gleam from the various trailers, teasers, and promos that have been filling the airwaves recently, I don't know that this would normally be a show that screams "must-see TV" for me (Why? Cops. Not really into shows about cops).  However, there are three reasons I will watch The Chicago Code:

(1) It's a pilot. I always like to watch pilots. I almost always watch the first episode of any show. Even if I don't think I will like it. Okay so maybe I didn't watch the pilot of Shit My Dad Says but that was out of principal.  But Blue Bloods? Not a show I would typically watch, and truthfully, that's a pilot I never watched until I was on a plane last week. But that show is GOOD.

(2) Matt Lauria. Also known as Friday Night Lights' very own Luke Cafferty, who is just an outstanding actor, and is one of The Chicago Code's regular cast members. And he's pretty nice to look at. And yeah, FNL. I'll probably watch anything that anyone from FNL is in from now on. (Except for Off the Map. Sorry Zach Gilford - I tried, I really did).

(3 - and this is the MOST important) Middlebury. I know you're thinking: um, Stamos? It's called The Chicago Code, not The Middlebury Code (which on a side note, could be a gripping CW drama about like, the ubiquitous dress code of polo shirts, Patagonia fleeces and gray New Balance kicks and the one student who dares to mix things up by maybe NOT popping his collar). But get this - the show's creator - Shawn Ryan (The Shield, The Unit, Terriers) - is one of Middlebury's most notable alums. Also an alum: me. (Less notable, but relevant, here okay?) So obviously I'm going to support any Middlebury alum (related - I'm apparently the co-president of the Los Angeles Chapter of Middlebury Alumni, a fact that entertains me to no end) and get real excited by my distant association with The Chicago Code. I mean, if at the end of every episode of a TV show I get to see MIDDKID pop up on my screen then I'm happy:

Screengrabbed from Hulu - hence the buffering.

Also? I'm going to watch the show because apparently it's really, really good. So that's something else to consider.


What about you? Will you be catching the premiere of The Chicago Code tonight? Did you know that Shawn Ryan went to Middlebury? Did you know that Middlebury has the same mascot as FNL's Dillon Panthers? Wait - before you answer that, did you know that Middlebury is actually a FOUR YEAR college in Vermont that is, kind of like, AWESOME? (Yes there's a need to insert FOUR YEAR college because I cannot tell you how many people in LA seem to think Midd is some community college in Fresno or something...)

Questions? Answers!

Still freaking out over the Lost finale? Not enough answers to your questions? Fear not... Read this because it’s SUPER helpful. I promise you are likely to breathe a big sigh of relief after reading. Seriously.

(I would be remiss if I didn't mention it was written by a Middlebury professor who is probably most famous for teaching The Wire to eager MiddKids every year. And he’s a rad dude).

Midd Kid Music Video

I don't know whether to be immensely proud of my Alma mater or further embarrassed.



Also, why did Quidditch have to become Middlebury's "thing." Of all the geek activities... at least it's offset with all the "Lax Bros."

You know what... I'm not going to lie. I like it. I really, really like it... Dammit!

I love KCRW so hard

I think one of the best things about moving to LA a little over two years ago was discovering truly fantastic public radio.

Growing up in Maine I always associated NPR with shows like "Car Talk," "All Things Considered" (gotta love that intro music) and drives home from Sugarloaf, the ski mountain we flocked to many weekends during the winter. So in other words, public radio lulled me to sleep over countless car rides from the age of 2 and on. (Yes, I learned how to ski when I was 2. What else do you think we did during Maine winters?)

However, I stopped listening to NPR on my own, in fact I never listened to the radio when I was at school at Middlebury - beyond random listens to a friend's show on the college station. I did have grand intentions of doing my own pop culture radio show with a witty friend, but that never came to fruition, and I ended up co-editor of the magazine Also instead (a sure sign I was a better writer than a talker? Maybe. Ironically, one of my favorite issues I contributed a lengthy article about Bob Dylan, music, and social movements - could have made for a great radio show, I suppose!).

Since moving to LA, however, I've rediscovered NPR. Now I associate NPR with KCRW - LA's fantastic public radio, and specifically with Jason Bentley's kickass music show "Morning Becomes Eclectic." Ever since the Indie channel here went under (boo) I pretty much stopped listening to the radio all together, but fortunately KCRW has Bentley's perfectly DJ-ed two hour show where I get to listen to some solid jams, whether I'm late to work, or streaming online once I've gotten into the office. It's the perfect way to start your morning. (Also, Jason Bentley sounds like he's hot. Something about that low, slightly monotonous voice... kind of like David Duchovny... and now I'm getting distracted...)

For those non-LAers who are interested, check it out for yourself at KRCW's website.

And don't worry, I make a point NOT to listen to NPR when driving home from ski trips nowadays. That's a recipe for disaster, no matter how interesting the the music or news topic!

Some Advice for this Holiday Weekend, and beyond

Don't get me started on my Middlebury commencement speaker because my class got completely screwed. Instead, let's marvel at the delight that is Ellen DeGeneres' speech to Tulane.

Keeper of the Kohn

I just wanted to alert EVERYONE to the fact that the amazing and inspirational film Keeper of the Kohn is available to view on Hulu. I watched it again last night and was reminded of what a truly special movie this is. (I've embedded the entire thing below, so you don't even need to go to Hulu--just watch it here!)



This film will make you laugh and cry and everything in between. I obviously have a personal attachment to the story as it's set at my alma mater, Middlebury College. Some of my close friends were on the lacrosse teams, and being an avid fan I even got to know Peter Kohn on a few occasions--a truly remarkable person. I don't care who you are, whether or not you care about college lacrosse or sports in general or anything like that. If you care about people and compelling stories, this is a must-see.

Cool it on the collar, Cindy.

Okay I pop my collar every now and then, I do. I won't lie. Blame it on my East Coast upbringing. Blame it on the ridiculous homogenous dress of my alma mater Middlebury College. Better yet, blame my mother who popped her collar since the day I was born (and long before that). Monkey see monkey do.

However, I do not, and would not, pop my collar in this fashion (thank you Cindy McCain):



You look like She-Dracula. Darth Vader also comes to mind... Seriously though, the Republican National Convention is not an audition for Blade Runner 2 (or is it? You know it could be...).

Oh and apparently that future-looking rain coat (or whatever) cost three hundred times more than my monthly salary (or something). Awesome.

Job Openings in Dubai?

I spent a little over an hour yesterday learning about Dubai. Yes, Dubai, as in that cool city in the United Arab Emirates you may have heard of because it boasts the world's nicest hotel (the Burj Al Arab)and has a bunch of artificial islands, including a whole bunch that from an aerial view resemble the world.

Anyway, I started poking around on Wikipedia yesterday, researching important trivia such as the World's Tallest Buildings and Highest Selling Recording Artists and along the way I started reading up on Dubai. I then remembered I knew of some fellow Middlebury alums whose American employers had stationed them in Dubai. This then led me to researching companies I might be interested in working for that also have outposts in Dubai. The results were... unclear. It would appear that the Google office only hires at very senior level positions and after much self-evaluation it would appear my job qualifications are equivalent to that of a secretary. Then I got distracted by stalking people on Facebook and forgot about looking at other places that might have some Dubai job openings.

I am nervous what this sudden interest in jobs in Dubai says about my current mental state... Maybe I just want to go there for vacation. Actually I definitely do and sent my Dad an email stating that I felt Dubai would be the appropriate choice for our next family vacation. Then I ripped on the Pistons for a while so he said that if were going to remain a Celtics fan then Dubai would never happen.

If anyone knows of any job ideas in Dubai or other foreign and exotic lands (the Middle East or elsewhere), let me know. Until then, it's lunch at my desk. Who knows what fun things I can find on the internet today!

My Nintendo Love Affair

Growing up my dad had one rule regarding cable television and videogames: Not allowed. My mom buckled when I was in eighth or ninth grade and not only did we upgrade to basic cable, but my brother got a Playstation (he was in college after all). However, since I can remember, both my brother and I watched a lot of TV and played a lot of video games growing up, thanks to all our friends who didn't have parents as strict as ours. (My dad even attempted to start a Dads Against Video Games group which I think had one other member, clearly a like-minded parent with a similarly suffering child.) I remember the original Nintendo, the first Gameboy, and of course the Nintendo 64. However, the first Nintendo that was ever in my possession (if only temporary because my brother let me borrow it for a few months), was the lovely but comparatively unpopular Game Cube.

I love the Nintendo Game Cube for two reasons, and two reasons only:

1) Mario Kart Double Dash
2) The Sonic Mega Collection

My senior year of college I spent the majority of Middlebury's winter term skiing, partying, and playing these two games on the Game Cube. (I also took a post-modern dance class. It was weird.) I drove my roommates crazy with my incessant howling at the TV or constantly spoken need to "re-beat Sonic 2 by February." Ultimately, the game cube was returned to its rightful owner (my brother), and I resumed my normal life (normal being a relative term), the few months of my Sonic obsession easily forgotten.

Last year when the Wii came out I was definitely interested in getting one. I logged a few hours in the Nintendo store in Rockefeller Center trying out the in-store demo of the new Zelda. FPS (first person shooter for non-gamers... gross, does this make me a gamer or can we just credit this to my wealth of knowledge?) games like Zelda were never my favorite, and I decided that the only thing that could drive me to purchasing a Wii (besides Wii Sports which is awesome) would be a new version of Mario Kart, at which I am phenomenal. Well, in late April Nintendo released Mario Kart Wii, and after spending the last half hour or so pouring over reviews, videos and user testimonials, I will admit it--I want a Wii.

I can never purchase a Wii. Nintendo, (Mario Kart and Sonic specifically,) holds a place in my life similar to that of certain television shows on DVD. I will obsessively devote unnecessary hours of time in front of the TV in what will ultimately be an unhealthy display of my strange love affair with specific video games. If I bought a Wii, not only could I pour my life into the new Mario Kart, but then I would play all the games I loved from my brother's Game Cube. No, I cannot buy a Wii, much like I cannot purchase the entire X-Files series on DVD, or upgrade my J. Crew card to "preferred member," or even even renew my college subscription to Us Weekly--it would suck my life away.

And thus I must suffer the consequences, getting by on fabulous reviews (like this one from IGN.com) and the occasional chance to play video games at someone else's house. I even gave away my old school Nintendo pack that my brother gave me last year to pass time after my jaw surgery--Duck Hunt, Super Mario, and everything.

The good thing about all this is I save a lot of money, and my nerd level decreases somewhat. I might love video games, but I don't actually own any. (Excluding the Sega Game Gear in my storage unit in Maine. I need to dig that thing up...)

Pet Peeves (Part Two of an Endless, Multi-Part Series)

Pet Peeve:
People who walk around with a constant, lingering smell of cigarette smoke. I mean, honestly. I almost think this smell is worse than fresh cigarette smoke. I can't stand walking to a room and my nostrils being bombarded with that awful, stale smell. I don't understand how anyone in their right mind could function with such an odor. It's called a shower. Or perfume. Or deodorant.

Pet Peeve:
People who dress up for the gym. I have witnessed this phenomenon in three places: (1) Europe; (2) The gym at Middlebury College (nowhere else have I seen boys working out in madras shorts or girls with ribbons in their hair while bopping up and down on an elliptical); and (3) Los Angeles. People here really go all out for the gym. A lot of spandex, but even worse--matching spandex. And unfortunately it isn't 80s spandex, which I would actually enjoy, but "I take myself seriously" spandex. Blech.

Pet Peeve:
My hair. Sometimes I want to pull a Britney and shave it off. It's so annoying. It would be a lot easier if I didn't manage to wake up every morning with a fresh rats nest and a few dreadlocks. It's actually impressive how I will go to bed with my hair perfectly straight and wake up in the morning unable to brush even a finger through it. One of life's miracles.

Self Googling

I seem to have run out of things to do at work to pass the time. So just a second ago I Googled my full name and in quotes, to make sure that I would get ONLY me. The following embarrassing four search results came up. Feel free to read them and then mock me, much like I mock myself. My categorizing as DWEEB is quite evident.


Mail/Pop Culture News/News & Notes/Entertainment Weekly
I've officially shared one of the most nerdy/embarrassing things I've ever done with the world

Search: JRR Tolkein/EW.com
Should I be embarrassed or excited that my name is now forever linked to all who search for JRR Tolkein on Entertainment Weekly's website? Probably embarrassed.

Thanksgiving Day 4-miler
My time? Also embarrassing

Cool Running: Portland Thanksgiving Day Race Results
And again.

Interestingly enough, if I Google my name and use my real name Ann, instead of Annie (again with my last name and in quotes), I get some very different results, but also quite entertaining.

Highbeam Encyclopedia - Search Results for "portland connecticut"
I don't actually see myself anywhere on this page, but I guess it has something to do with going to Middlebury?

COLLEGE NEWS - Portland Press Herald (Maine) - HighBeam Research
Ah, college announcements. The glory days.

Cool Running
For this race you'll note my cousin came in 13th while I placed a stellar 108th

My battle with Tanorexia

I know you think that your eyes have decieved you. You just read that title and you are thinking, "Huh, what? Tanorexia?" Well if you haven't been living under a rock for the past 5 years than you should be well aware that Tanorexia is a disease that afflicts countless Americans each year. The Tara Reids, the Paris Hiltons, and sadly, yes, the Lindsay Lohans of our great nation fall victim to this nasty predator all the time. And I myself can commiserate, for I too, understand this battle.

Since I was a wee little babe I worshipped the sun. I remember a vacation in Arizona with my mom in middle school when I declared I wanted a new bathing suit to fulfill my pursuit of the perfect "tummy tan." My love for the sun was certainly passed down to me from my own mother who would fondly impart stories of her boarding school days at Rosemary Hall when she would tan with baby oil; a method I later tried one spring at Middlebury.

In high school and college I will say that I was completely hooked on being tan. I am generally lucky to have a somewhat tanner skin tone anyways, but the discovery of the tanning both when I was 16 brought about a whole new world of indulgences. I was totally hooked on the fake'n'bake, and wasnt ashamed to admit it.

In recent years, I definitely have gone to the actual tanning booth less and less, but I can't deny that I love to be tan. I am also addicted to sunscreen--which is a good thing. I think I more fearful of being sunburned than I am pale, which is why I am obsessive about reapplying and sunscreen zoning. What is sunscreen zoning, you ask? Why it is the perfectly implemented technique of applying specific SPFs of sunscreen in very specific areas of the body. For example, SPF 30 goes on my face, while my stomach (which at the peak of my summer tan can in some light resemble a leathery object), I only need around an SPF 4. Then again, a lot of this depends on the time of year I am in the sun, length of exposure, geographical location, etc etc. Suntanning, you see is very scientific.

A great invention--and a healthy option--is the spray tan. I used to frequent the lovely Mystic Tan of Tanorama Suntanning in Portland, ME everynow and then. I was reminded of this earlier, when in a conversation with a friend, I broke down the very important need-to-knows of spray tanning. First of all, you absolutely need to have a base tan before you go in, otherwise you just look orange. It is important that when you shower beforehand (which I highly recommend) you don't use any products with oil in them because the spray tan is water-based. Furthermore, do not, repeat--DO NOT--shower or sweat for a minimum of 4 hours after the tan. I of course had some issues with the sweating bit. So, yes--that's the beauty of the mystic tan.

Before I moved to LA my brother said to me, "you'll love it--you can be tan year round!" Well maybe if I just surf and work at Barnes & Noble like he did when he was here. The way things are workig for me now is that tanning has been pushed to the sidelines, a weekend indulgence, if at all (and of course the occasional visit to the nearest tanning salon, of which LA has no shortage.)

Of course, it's healthier when you are not addicted to being tan all the time, but Tanorexia--it's real. I know.

The Rise and Fall of the Shimmy Split

Wednesday night I went to some "Young Hollywood" party that is essentially an opportunity for underpaid assistants to get really drunk and maybe win some raffle prizes. My intentions in going were to meet some people, maybe network a little, and yes, take advantage of the open bar. What really happened was a 4 hour dance party. I went with three other friends and we closed down the party. I am not at all exaggerating. I was not wearing shoes for the final two hours, had a dance-off with a Michael Jackson wannabe (that ended with me dancing on a booth at the E! table), and attempted to convince the raffle people to give me Guitar Hero 3 even though I hadn't actually won.

Early today, when recalling the hilarity of the evening (which also included my first late night trip to In-N-Out burger, where I was unable to eat any of the food I ordered because of my aversion to mayonnaise--I still have yet to eat this well known fast food delicacy) I was reminiscing about college and dancing at Middlebury's one bar Angela's, and how I would always get so sweaty (obvi) that while I might have started the night drunk and unruly I would end stone cold sober and in need of a shower. Ahh, those were the days.

And then I remembered the Shimmy Split. I am not going to go into a lot of detail about this unfortunate dance move, just to note how happy I am that it now remains retired from my sad collection of other unfortunate dance moves (yet to expire is the Punching Bag, Attempted Rave, or Awkward Robot. Oh and the Missy Elliot Running Man was a onetime event.)

In honor of the Shimmy Split, I am going to post a fake press-release email I sent to a bunch of people about a year and a half ago. It will probably only make sense to some, and for those who don't understand, you're probably better off.

The Shimmy Split, Age 1, Dies Unexpectedly
June, 16, 2006

Boston, MA--Just a week after its first birthday, The Shimmy Split died unexpectedly early this morning at an undisclosed location in Boston. In a routine appearance late last night, to the sweet melodies of Phil Collins, Huey Lewis and the News, and Queen, The Shimmy Split inadvertently injured an innocent bystander. The left thumb of a one Ann Palmer Stamell, age 22 of Falmouth, ME, was dealt a blow while The Shimmy Split was at its peak of motion. The thumb, no longer opposable, immediately lost several basic motor functions and increased in size due to a suspected sprain. While the swelling was thwarted by a bag of ice chips, the precise outcome of the medical condition is yet to be determined. Witnesses were unclear as to what exactly caused the injury. Stamell's roommate, Katherine O'Connell, age 22, also of Falmouth, ME, noted, "The Shimmy Split seemed to especially enjoy a song by Jefferson Starship, and I think that may have been when things got out of control." It was sometime following the injury, between the hours of 2 am and 7:30 am this morning, when Ms. Stamell discovered the death. "I'd say, from the looks of the things, that someone made the pro-active decision to end the life of The Shimmy Split." A police investigation is currently underway.

The Shimmy Split was born in early June of 2005, in a bar in Biarritz, France. During it's short life, The Shimmy Split traveled worldwide, visiting friends and locations across the globe. The Shimmy Split was an adamant music lover, especially in the genre of 80s rock, and was often most flamboyant when inspired by the tunes of Queen, Journey, Jefferson Starship, and Styx. Besides the specific bar of birth in France, The Shimmy Split had a fondness for many locations in Middlebury, VT, including a bar called Angela's, an apartment on Washington St., a residence known only as The Bog, and the living room of La Force Suite D (where The Shimmy Split made a rare duet with The Missy Elliot Running Man). The Shimmy Split often wore extra large t-shirts, and once bravely competed for a highly-coveted "Katrina Blows" shirt during the last week of May 2006. Those fortunate to have experienced the joy of The Shimmy Split are among the lucky few, as clearly, The Shimmy Split has left us forever.

In lieu of flowers, The Shimmy Split's only living relatives request that donations in the form of cash, check, or money order, be sent to 22 Knight St, Falmouth, ME 04105. The funeral is open to family and close friends only.

Inquiries after the formerly opposable thumb can be looked into at astamell@middlebury.com (207) 712 2306, or AStamell@WeberShandwick.com, (617) 520 7127.