~~~Lara Zielin~~~

STATUS: Just me and the puppy tonight. Rob’s off doing more movie stuff, which is good because he and his flick-partner start filming in a few weeks. I know I sound like a clucky hen saying it but I don’t care: I’m proud of how much he’s getting accomplished and how hard he’s working. 

FAVE LINKEY-POO RIGHT THIS SECOND: A YouTube clip of Salvador Dali on “What’s My Line.” For those of you too young to know what “What’s My Line” is (which sort of includes me since I only know it as a pop culture reference), it’s a famous game show from the 50s. (Please note: There is a 15-second commercial of sorts at the beginning; after that, the fun really starts.) 

So, I just happened to Google Rachel Ray (reason for that in a moment) and it turns out that Ms. Ray recently got in some hot water for a Dunkin Donuts ad that apparently featured her in a Muslim scarfy-thing — like the kind worn by terrorists.  It might not have been a literal shout-out to jihad, but no matter. It incensed enough people that Dunkin Donuts pulled the ad.

Here’s why I’m not sad about that. 

Dunkin Donuts coffee sucks.

I don’t say this lightly because I wanted to love it for many reasons. The fact that I don’t love it is … well, sadder than a frosted donut with no sprinkles. Here’s why I really hoped I’d dig the brew:

1.) The colors and font for the Dunkin Donuts brand are adorable. Pinks! Browns! Oranges! Cuuuute! I saw it on the shelves and it called to me.  It said “I match your purse. Buy me.” So I did.

2.)  That book I’m writing? The one about donuts? This coffee would match my book. It’s all about the coordination, people. 

3.) Dunkin is the underdog. I’ll root for the little guy anytime, and Dunkin has its work cut out for it against Starbucks. Heck, even Maxwell House has more space on the grocery store shelves than Dunkin does. I wanted to be on the team that had a little bit more to prove.

4.) Their logo and tag line can be summed up in symbols. It may reflect the dumbing down of America (and perhaps an impending apocalypse), but I think it’s neato.  

5.) Rachel Ray, while annoying to me on many levels, wasn’t odious enough to keep me away from the brand. I know some people say she’s ruined “good taste” in America, but I wanted to believe her when she told me, in that husky voice, that it was the coffee more than the donuts, that really made Dunkin (and America) run.

So, $9.00 later, I’m back to my old faithful: Starbucks. I wanted to love you, Dunkin, I really did. But in the end, you were a bitter (literally) disappointment.  

STATUS: In Florida. It’s not all it’s cracked up to be. The Sunshine State is kind of depressing, actually.

FAVE LINKEY-POO RIGHT THIS SECOND:I don’t know if I’d call it a *fave* necessarily, but it’s interesting at least. Scarlett Johansson made an album, and it’s online. I don’t hate it; I don’t love it. It’s just …. there.

So, I hear the new Indiana Jones movie is kicking butt at the box office. I haven’t seen it, but I’ve heard mixed reviews. Great beginning, then a bit of a plotless meander. What I love about the movie, though, is its continued promotion of Shia LeBouf. Not that I love him as an actor. I don’t. But what I do love is his breakout role (apart from a Nickelodeon show) in a little movie titled Holes. It’s based off the book by Louis Sachar, and it’s definitely on my list of top ten books of all time. I know I say I like things a lot, but this book? Amazing. And the movie? It’s awesome. It got the total shaft at the box office, which is a shame because it rocks so hard.

Anyway, now that Shia is a bona fide A-list star, lots of channels are playing Holes on the tele, and I think this is a very, very good thing. If you channel surf and happen to hit it, pause a sec and watch. You won’t be disappointed.

STATUS: Sore.

FAVE LINKEY-POO RIGHT THIS SECOND: Here’s a link Drew sent showing Bill O’Reilly flipping out over a teleprompter glitch. It’s a gorgeous meltdown that someone later set to music in a separate video.  

On Sunday, I ran the Dexter-Ann Arbor half marathon — all 13.1 miles of it. I ran it with my friend DeDe, and I can safely say that if it wasn’t for her, I never would have made it to the starting line. Or the finish line, for that matter. I am in green below on the top, crossing the finish line; DeDe is in yellow on the bottom.

Next year, we are going to copy the cover of Meg Cabot’s fabulous novel, Size 12 is Not Fat, and put it on our running shirts. I think lots of people believe you need to have a svelte runners’ physique to attempt more than 2 miles, but that’s not the case at all. On a sort-of-related note, I watched America’s Next Top Model last night (yes, I love the show, I admit it) and a “juicy” size 10 won, and everyone kept saying how voluptuous she was. Um, okay. I guess it just goes to show how completely relative weight is, no matter what a person does. You don’t have to be size 4 to run a marathon, and DeDe and I are living (and hobbling, at least for today) proof.

Speaking of eating, here I debate whether or not to chow on my medal, or on my water bottle. If I look tired, it’s because I am. Plus my legs hurt quite a bit at the time of the photo.