Quidditch World Cup [102]

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PLEASE WATCH IN HIGH QUALITY!

10/26/08: BROOMS UP!  

The 2nd Annual Quidditch World Cup was held on the Middlebury College campus this weekend.  Teams came from across the country (and even from Canada) to compete for the prestigious title.

Whether you come to it for your Harry Potter fix or treat it as a legitimate sport, quidditch is a jolly good time for all.

Featured:
http://www.collegequidditch.com/
http://midd-blog.com/2008/10/26/liveblogging-quidditch-world-cup-2008/
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=33823486919

Location: Middlebury College, Middlebury VT

Intercollegiate Quidditch Association

Middlebury Musings

Whenever I go to Middlebury, I can't help but think about Nicholas Garza.

I wonder if in some alternate universe Nick is still alive and it is his sophomore year. And as I am going around interviewing kids at the Quidditch World Cup, he is there in the crowd somewhere having a good time with his friends. Laughing jauntily and eating a crepe, watching the matches from the sidelines, throwing out sarcastic remarks and strolling to the library later to study.

And the beauty of it would be that I would never know him. His name would not have been splashed all over the TV and internet. Nick would just be another intelligent, motivated Middlebury kid starting out on his life's adventure.

I prefer to imagine him there still, walking to classes, enjoying the change of seasons, DJing at the local radio station and entertaining others with his wit. In a way, a part of him will always remain at Middlebury, even if his body is gone.

Nick's memorial is 4pm, November 8th at Middlebury College. He is very loved and very missed.

Motherfracking Madonna

Kat and I made the trek up to Montreal for Madonna on Thursday. In all of the many, many years that I have been listening to her, imitating her and shaking my butt to her music, I never once got around to seeing her live. WTF???

Luckily for me, I never throw ANYTHING away so it only took a little bit of digging to come up with my lace black cut off gloves (my sister got these for me in Paris when I was a freshly converted Madonna-phile), striped slutty mall dress (and yes, I can still cram into it), bright orange hair bow (the one they made fun of me for wearing to a Lamoille HS dance) and ripped up Sex Pistols t-shirt.

When she first came out on stage, my heart almost stopped. Then I recovered and danced the rest of the show which was a blur of colors, spectacle, poorly remixed old hits, crotch shots and a musty walk down memory lane.

That chick is 50. Seems like only yesterday I was mesmerized by her gyrating on Night Tracks and copying every move she made.

Love you Madge, more pics on Facebook.

James Kochalka [101]

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10/16/08: Local artist and rock star James Kochalka has been drawing his daily comic book strip, American Elf, for 10 years this Sunday.

American Elf is about James' daily life so we went to his house and followed him around for a day to see how his characters behave in real life.

Editor's Note: James Kochalka was the main feature of the very first Stuck in VT vlog.  It seems fitting that he should be both the 1st and the 101st Stuck in VT.

Featuring:
http://www.americanelf.com/

Music: James Kochalka, http://www.americanelf.com/

Location: Burlington, VT

Editor's Note: James Kochalka was the main feature of the very first Stuck in VT vlog.  It seems fitting that he should be both the 1st and the 101st Stuck in VT.

Pillows for VTers

Lovely Parisa of Pillows for the People fame brought the sassy charms of Manhattan to VT this weekend. We zombie walked, drank lots of strange elixirs, ate food from many countries, consumed massive amounts of Halloween candy, visited Howard's End, soaked up the scenery and talked a blue streak.

WHo would have thought I would ever meet someone more energetic and expressive than me and with a similar quirky boho style (not to mention dark curly hair!?)?! Nick of Shelburne Orchards was sure we were sisters and I wonder if he is right?!

Fly safe Miss P and come back soon to visit your family in VT!

"BRAINZZZZZ, WE WANTZZZZ BRAINZZZZZ!!!!"

100th Episode of Stuck in VT

Last week was sort of like Stuck in VT's birthday. To celebrate, I threw a party for myself which, as my friend Freddy pointed out, can seem both "lame and desperate," but also very, very fun.

Thanks Seven Days for giving me a job AND these colorful happy flowers! I'm not worthy!!!

My Ideal Man

Just equal parts of each please.

Lord, I do love to procrastinate!

Lovely Lesh

What is the best remedy for a broken heart? Her name is Lesh and I wish she could have stayed longer. I will be knocking on your door real soon sweet sister. Thanks for letting me cry buckets about my dead baby mouse. You are the best of the best and my Mac misses your Mac.

Tigger Dearest

Today I fell in love again.

On our trip to Johnson, we went walking at what was once called Married Student Housing near JSC. This was our first home in VT when we moved here from NYC and I was 7. Luckily, the craptastical apartments are surrounded by wild massive woods which we loved exploring as kids.

On our way into the woods we met this little flea of a cow cat who looked like Crawford's body double.

He bounced along after us into the woods and followed along side at an erratic pace.

We were being stalked! Hunted by Tigger!

He bounded up trees, bunny-hopped to keep up and dive-bombed us out of nowhere.

I have heard of these kind of dog-like cats that follow you around on walks but never had the pleasure of meeting one until today.

By the time we got back we were both smitten. Tigger had no collar but he looked fed and cared for. I asked some people if he had an owner and they were clueless. So we left Tigger in his woodsy paradise. I hope he has a warm home. What a champ.

Pretty Day

Today was just what I needed.

Nothing says Fall to me like a relaxing drive down Route 15 to my hometown of Johnson, Vermont. My sister was my co-pilot and we stopped at old haunts along the way to do some filming for my 100th episode of Stuck in VT.

Hearty lunch in Johnson, a cemetery stop over, a woods walk at our old apartments, apple cider and donuts...it just does not get any better.

If you wanna see more foliage, check it out on Facebook!

Sept Stucks on VCAM

Stuck in Vermont
VCAM, Channel 15
Mondays @ 8:30pm
Tuesdays @ 9:30am

September Stucks include the Art Hop, the Burlington Book Fest, the VPR Listener Picnic and Langdon St Cafe's Army of Fun. Music vids of Amadis and The Smittens thrown in for fun.

Goodbye Fezzik

Fezzik the Mouse
RIP
9/23/08 (?) - 10/6/08

I only knew you for 4 days Fezzik but considering your youth, these past few days were a big part of your short life.

When I heard you chirping in the curtain with Crawford lording over you, I wasn't sure if you would live longer than a day. You lived all weekend but you got smaller and weaker without your mom here to care for you.

I was so glad to know you for that little bit of time. I wish I could have done more for you and I wish you could have lived longer. I was getting used to having you around little one.

I miss you and our hourly feeding sessions. I miss filling up jars with hot water so you could stay warm and cuddly. I miss your little whiskers tickling my nose and your greedy mouth licking up milk remnants off my palm. I miss your tiny little paws with miniscule nails clacking over my arms and your tiny nose always sniffing.

I loved watching you try to clean your belly and then get off balance and tumble over. Or the times you tried to itch your ear with your back paw but couldn't quite reach. You were so small and fragile, I was always afraid of crushing you. You trusted me and I wish I could have saved your life.

Thank you for staying alive until this morning so I could say goodbye one last time. Your last little big breaths are something I will remember a good long while. I hope you went to a far better place than this one and that someday your brothers and sisters will join you there.

I know it is silly to miss a rodent that you only knew for 4 days but I guess I just have to accept that is just me (this lioness understands). Now if only I could stop crying.

Meet Fezzik

Fezzik is about the size of my thumb, he likes to cuddle up in warm dark nooks like my pocket, has an unusually loud chirp and suckles my finger fat. And damn it, I think I love him. Please pull through little mouse.