The Times New Roman

Word of the Week: Ebullience

2012-02-27T02:25:00.000-05:00

The word of the week for February 27th through March 4th is...

Ebullience
n.

Definition:
Overflowing with enthusiasm, enjoyment, exuberance or approval.

Example:
The Oscar winner's ebullience was evident in her acceptance speech.

Now Playing: "Fool In The Rain" by Led Zeppelin

Music Monday

2012-02-27T00:01:00.002-05:00

"I Want It All" by Huey Mack.

He's a fellow WVU Mountaineer from Morgantown, WV. While many will find this tune a bit ridiculous (he sounds 14, no?), any party song with mention of champagne sells it for me. Gotta support the fam. And if the beat sounds familiar to you, it's sampled from Blink 182.

Oscar Fashion Prediction

2012-02-26T16:17:00.001-05:00

A fashionable starlet will wear a gown from Zac Posen's SS 2012 RTW collection; if not one of the dresses below, one of his other beautiful designs.

Now Playing: "The Greatest" by Cat Power

One Kind of Spirit or Another

2012-02-25T16:41:00.001-05:00

My first "Blackout Poetry" piece. This is pulled from an independent spiritual book entitled, "Perfect Together- Astrology, Karma & You" by Alice Loffredo. I receieved it when I worked for the author's publisher. I really love doing these; it's a good examination of my subconscious and a creative form of self-expression.

Now Playing: "On Your Way" by Alabama Shakes

Blackout Poetry

2012-02-25T00:28:00.000-05:00

I really love this form of expression. I've created a few of my own and will likely share it both here and on my tumblr page but for now, here are just a few that I enjoyed from the minds of strangers...

Now Playing: "Wake Up" by Paolo Nutini (Arcade Fire cover)

Flashback Friday

2012-02-24T00:01:00.001-05:00

"Days Go By" by Dirty Vegas, 2001.

High school dances, learning to drive, crushes...

Fill In the Blank Friday: The Hipster Questionnaire

2012-02-24T00:00:00.003-05:00

1. Do you own a Mac?
No, hp.

2. Do you regularly drink PBR?
No.

3. Do you regularly wear scarves even when it’s not cold?
Only when it's chilly or cold.

4. Do you have an iPhone?
No but I plan to finally make the switch from BlackBerry this year.

5. Do you wear Ray-Bans?
I have aviator and wayfarer style shades but not actual Ray-Bans. I don't want to spend $100+ for sunglasses because I have bad luck with them getting stolen, broken or lost.

6. Do you own more than three plaid shirts?
I know I have at least 4 but it's been a couple years since I wore one.

7. Do you own a pair of Tom’s?
No. Not my style at all.

8. Do you wear Converse All-Stars with skinny jeans?
No. I don't own Converse and I would never wear skinny jeans with tennis shoes.

9. Do you wear any denim clothing other than jeans?
I have a cute denim button-up shirt that I got a couple seasons ago.

10. Do you own any ironic T-shirts? For example: “Draft Beer, Not People.”
Maybe a few sleep shirts but nothing I would wear out.

11. When you talk about music, do other people have no fucking clue what you’re talking about?
Sometimes. Example: My favorite band is Portugal. The Man but the only person I actually know of who also listens to them is a girl I met at one of their shows.

12. Do you have glasses that look like Buddy Holly?
No but I am legally blind.

13. Do you brew your own beer/other form of alcohol?
No, I'll leave that to the pros.

14. Do you own a cat with an unconventional name?
I have two cats but their names are pretty standard- Sasha after President Obama's daughter (we found her on election night) and Katarina. When I was little, our cat was named Lemieux.

15. Are you against marriage, period?
No but it's not in my near future. I'm only 26!

16. Do you have three or more tattoos?
I don't have any and don't want one.

17. If you are a man, do you have a moustache?
N/A but I do like facial hair on some guys.

18. Are you politically liberal?
Very.

19. Are you a coffee snob?
I don't drink coffee- yuck!

20. Do you drink soy milk despite not being lactose intolerant?
I must be lactose intolerant because milk makes me gag. Don't drink any of it.

21. Do you frequently bike places?
Not since '94 and if by places you mean down the street to catch the Ice Cream truck.

22. Do you listen to public radio?
Sometimes.

23. Do you eat quinoa or have a membership with a CSA?
I have no clue what either of those things are.

24. Have you ever brought a child to a bar?
No but I think the drinking age should be lowered.

25. Do you still have a Member’s Only jacket in your closet?
Never had one to begin with.

26. Do you live in Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Bushwick, Park Slope, Crown Heights, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, or Bed-Stuy?
I live in Pittsburgh- North Side.

27. Ladies: do you buy things on Etsy?
No but I would. I have considered making wall decor signs and selling them on there but I'm afraid it's illegal to sell lyrics and quotes that are copyrighted.

28. Do you shop at thrift stores?
Yes, always have. My parents pretty much only shop there... got it from them.

29. Do you smoke?
No! Yuck! My parents are big smokers and it always disgusted me.

30. Are you vegan/vegetarian?
Practically a vegetarian. I'll occasionally eat something like a chicken tender or pepperoni but the thought of 99% of it makes me sick. I've always been this way. I personally don't like the idea of killing animals for food but I would still prepare it for family and friends if they loved it. This makes no logical sense, I know.

31. Do you like the movies Donnie Darko, Juno, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Royal Tenenbaums?
Yes, they're good flicks.

32. Do you wear skinny jeans?
Yes.

31. Are you creative/artistic?
Yes or at least I hope so.

32. Have you read The Perks of Being a Wallflower?
Yes, it's set in my city. I love the way Chbosky describes driving through the Fort Pitt tunnels... beautifully written and completely accurate. But that kid cried way too much for a teen boy.

33. Were you a geek/dork/nerd/emo/goth/weirdo when you were younger?
Maybe a little bit of a weirdo from time to time but no on the others.

34. Do you use words like rad to describe something?
No. I feel like gnarly and rad are west coast terms.

35. Do you wear band t-shirts?
No.

36. Do you own vinyl records?
Yes but not exclusively- mostly oldies and some of my favorite new stuff.

37. Do you do drugs?
No.

38. Do you like sports?
Yes! Football and hockey are my favorite but I also get into March Madness. I love miniature golf which totally counts as well.

39. Do you like expensive cars?
Yes. I love cars and the nicest ones (sports cars, classic cars, etc.) tend to be expensive.

40. Are you lanky?
Not at all. 5'4" with the bod of a woman.

41. Do you enjoy indie music, art and/or fashion?
All of the above.

42. Do you tend to be ahead of the pack on trends?
Usually. That's the Aquarian in me.

43. Do you have a unique name?
I'm pretty sure I'm the only "Krista Selene Roman" in the entire world (Google it). Krista isn't extremely common but it's not unusual either.

44. Have you ever been to a music festival?
Yes- Bonnaroo. I'm considering Lollapalooza this year. I wish there was one outside of Pittsburgh in the mountains near Somerset or even a smaller one at The Point downtown. That would be unbelievable.

45. Do you like birds?
Yes.

46. Are you sarcastic and/or enjoy irony?
Very, yes.

47. Do you have a blog or tumblr?
Obviously both. I don't necessarily consider tumblr to be a blog. It's my virtual picture book.

48. Do you have any friends or ex-lovers who are hipsters?
I have a few acquaintances that are but no true friends. My best friend, Valerie, is the same as me. We're about 15%-20% hipster.

49. Do you read Pitchfork?
Sometimes to see what's new but my taste is a bit different. I think they can be pretentious pricks in their reviews. It's a turnoff.

50. Do you like furniture from Ikea?
Nope! I like the look of quality antique or vintage furniture- real wood, made the right way.

Now Playing: "Feeling Good" by Nina Simone

XOXO

2012-02-23T16:32:00.003-05:00

I enjoy being single but it's been so long since I had a good kiss.

Now Playing: "Cosmic Love" by Florence + The Machine

Quoteworthy

2012-02-22T23:17:00.005-05:00

“We are all alone, born alone, die alone, and — in spite of True Romance magazines — we shall all someday look back on our lives and see that, in spite of our company, we were alone the whole way. I do not say lonely — at least, not all the time — but essentially, and finally, alone. This is what makes your self-respect so important, and I don’t see how you can respect yourself if you must look in the hearts and minds of others for your happiness.”
—Hunter S. Thompson 1937-2005

Now Playing: "Air" by Bach

Get Lit: New to the Bookshelf!

2012-02-22T15:54:00.011-05:00

I Don't Care About Your Band by Julie Klausner
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
One Day by David Nicholls
White Girl Problems by Babe Walker
My Boyfriend Wrote a Book About Me by Hilary Winston
Normal Gets You Nowhere by Kelly Cutrone

I'm the type of reader who will get through multiple books in a month but then go an extended period of time without opening anything. At the moment, I'm on a reading kick- specifically chick lit. My recent purchases are far from pretentious but they're what I enjoy and actually similar to the material that I love to write about.

Now Playing: "Fake Plastic Trees" by Radiohead

Happy Mardi Gras!

2012-02-21T00:51:00.000-05:00

In observance of Fat Tuesday, I thought I'd share some of my indulgences. For Lent, I'll be writing every day and more active. I'm also going to attempt a water fast or two like I did last year.

As the fine people of New Orleans would say, "Laissez les bon temps rouler!" Let the good times roll...

THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS

Lust... So many good looking men in the world. Not all of them are available.

Gluttony... Pizza! I love it.

Greed... See lust.

Sloth... I could spend all day in bed and have done so.

Wrath... Certain parts of my book.

Envy... See my Luxe Living posts.

Pride... 200+ bottles of nail polish probably aren't necessary.

Now Playing: "Best I Ever Had" by Drake

Music Monday: Pet

2012-02-20T13:18:00.000-05:00

"Wear Black" by Pet

I'm really feeling this song and video! Pet is an ambient group from Edinburgh, Scotland.
petpetmusic.com

Word of the Week: Licentious

2012-02-20T11:57:00.000-05:00

The word of the week for February 20th through the 26th is...

Licentious
adj.

Definition:
1. Lacking moral discipline or ignoring legal restraint, especially in sexual conduct.
2. Having no regard for accepted rules or standards.
3. Sexually promiscuous.

Example:
He would have made for an excellent boyfriend but his licentious behavior could not be trusted.

Now Playing: "You Got Me" by The Roots

The Full House House!

2012-02-19T17:52:00.000-05:00

My sister is out in San Francisco this week (so jealous). She just sent me this shot of the "Full House" house! I wish I was there with her. San Francisco is at the top of my list of places I want to visit.

Now Playing: "Michicant" by Bon Iver

Found on Tumblr

2012-02-19T17:20:00.000-05:00

I don't care if this is real or not. lol!!!

Now Playing: "A Sunday Smile" by Beirut

Justin Timberlake as Bon Iver, Blue Ivy Carter and more...

2012-02-19T12:36:00.000-05:00

I don't really watch SNL because frankly, I rarely find their material funny but this skit is actually good. I'm a big Bon Iver fan (if you haven't noticed already), so I really enjoyed Justin Timberlake's portrayal.

Quoteworthy

2012-02-19T03:48:00.000-05:00

"A single dream is more powerful than a thousand realities."
-J.R.R. Tolkien 1892-1973

Now Playing: "How Soon Is Now?" by The Smiths

It Is at Moments After I Have Dreamed by e.e. cummings

2012-02-18T08:55:00.000-05:00

Now Playing: "Starry Eyed" by Ellie Goulding

The Artwork of Lori Earley

2012-02-18T07:55:00.001-05:00

I really like this particular artist's work. Her images remind me of Pleiadian-like super models. It's quite interesting.

Now Playing: "Icarus" by White Hinterland

RIP Zelda Kaplan

2012-02-17T07:50:00.000-05:00

On the secret to keeping young and feeling good...

"One must be interested in the world, not in one's self only."
-Zelda Kaplan 1916-2012

Because she was a free-spirited woman who didn't wake up until the afternoon, loved fashion and exclusively drank champagne, I feel a sense of kindredness to Zelda Kaplan and wanted to honor her memory.

Advanced Style's Interview with Zelda:

Now Playing: "Steve McQueen" by M83

Fill In the Blank Friday

2012-02-17T00:01:00.008-05:00

One Word to Describe Yourself: Openhearted or Strong-Willed

Parents Names: Ernie and Mary

Siblings: Natalie (she'll be 28 on May 28th)

Astrological Sign: Aquarius (Sun) Scorpio (Moon) Cancer (Rising)

Your Name Spelled Backwards: Atsirk Namor (It sounds like a foreign computer code)

Pets: Shih-tzu, Ireland (2), Cats, Sasha (4) and Katarina (~9 months)

Ireland as a young puppy

First 3 Digits of Your Cell Phone # (after the area code): 600

Favorite Season: Fall! I love October, Halloween, leaves, the weather, football...

Celebrity Crush: I have quite a few; Sidney Crosby and Bill Maher are two among many.

Religion: Catholic; I went to Catholic school from K-12. I like a lot of its traditions (albeit totally disagree with others) and definitely identify myself as one but I'm much more spiritual and open to a broader creed. I spend a lot of time thinking about the universe as a whole.

What Books are You Reading: I finished Bill Maher's The New New Rules yesterday- very funny. Currently reading "Life as I Blow It" by Sarah Colonna- also funny. Just ordered "Normal Gets You Nowhere" by Kelly Cutrone and "Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of St. Therese of Lisieux." I also have a towering stack of magazines that I really need to catch up on!

Something You Easily Forget: Lately, what day of the week it is.

Something You Always Remember: People's birthdays. I don't need the facebook notification. I remember people's birthdays whom I went to grade school with but haven't seen in 15-20 years. If you tell me your's, I probably won't ever forget it.

Your Dream Life: Knowledge, travel, experience, true love, family, friends, children, home, successful career (author), help others/make a difference...

How Many Children Do You Want: At least 2 but it depends on the timing and everything else... No more than 5. I like to give a lot of attention to the people I care about. Too many kids could be problematic.

Tattoos: None.

Piercings: Just one in each ear.

Right-Handed or Left: Lefty

Do You Have a Lot of Friends: No. I have a few best friends and a ton of acquaintances. Like I said above, I like to give a lot of attention to the people I care about. I don't see how people who have 100s of close friends can genuinely have a vested interest in others' lives. I'd personally get overwhelmed. I also like to be by myself a lot.

What do you have at your bed side: A candle, a couple books, cell phone, lip balm, a couple bottles of nail polish, usually water

Favorite hangout: Jack's Bar on the South Side of Pittsburgh, Concerts

Favorite TV Commercial:

I don't think there is a full length recording of this cover out there which saddens me deeply! I love it! The commercial is also pretty cool...

Early Bird or Night Owl: Night Owl!

What do you find attractive in the opposite sex: Intelligence, humor, kindness, shared interests, dark hair/light eyes... On the random side of it, I like necks, hands and voices.

Nicknames: Kristalena, Binky, Red, Roman, Krista Star, Kris, Krissy (the last two are only allowed by those closest to me... not a fan, not used often)

Now Playing: "Afraid of Everyone" by The National

Flashback Friday

2012-02-17T00:00:00.006-05:00

"Here I Dreamt I Was an Architect" by The Decemberists, 2002.

I've been watching a lot of old episodes of How I Met Your Mother on Netflix. The show started when I was in college; that was a time in my life when I watched very little to no television at all. I have a lot of catching up to do to say the least. This song was used very nicely in one of the episodes. When it began to play, it instantly clicked with me. The sound of The Decemberists takes me back to the early-to-mid-2000s. It just has that familiar, laid back vibe which I began to appreciate through working at a radio station at the time. The lyrics are full of tremendous imagery and it's a really beautiful song. While the sound speaks to a specific period in my own life, the song itself more so reminds me of my Dad (he was nearly killed in Vietnam yet remains quite the craftsman).

Luxe Living: Eastern PA Mansion

2012-02-16T02:01:00.001-05:00

Located 22 miles outside of Philadelphia in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, this 40-thousand-square-foot modern home boasts 8 bedrooms and 8 baths. It was designed by world renowned architect, Rafael Vinoly, and sits on 70 acres of land.

• Indoor clay tennis court and outdoor tennis court
• Pool and pavilion house
• Two guest cottage style houses
• Safe room
• 4,000-bottle temperature-controlled wine cellar
• Climate controlled ventilation system for the of maintenance art collections
• Exercise room

$30,000,000

Now Playing: "Sunny Road" by Emiliana Torrini

Quoteworthy

2012-02-15T20:21:00.000-05:00

"The great art of life is sensation, to feel that we exist, even in pain."
-Lord Byron 1788-1824

Now Playing: "Candy" by Paolo Nutini
*One of my favorite songs/music videos ever!

Best In Show!

2012-02-15T07:12:00.000-05:00

4-year-old Pekingese, Malachy, was named Best In Show at the Westminster Dog Show. He's a Pennsylvania pup and will retire here as a champion! So cute :)

Now Playing: "Push Me Away" by The Dukes of Brooklyn