Jelisa Castrodale is a freelance writer who has covered sports, technology and the poppiest of pop culture on both sides of the Atlantic. She is a columnist for NBC Sports and writes for MSN’s recently-launched, always trendtastic msnNOW. She is also a recent Jeopardy! champion who should probably stop mentioning that in polite conversation.Tumblr (3.0; @gordonshumway)http://jelisacastrodale.com/<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4j88meGvJ1qzvotao1_500.png"/><br/><br/><p>Obviously there are exceptions <a href="http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/23672107493/today-is-my-16th-birthday-how-very-old-that">to every rule</a>. </p>http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/23672694302http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/23672694302Thu, 24 May 2012 10:57:58 -0400“Today is my 16th birthday! How very old that sounds. Mamma got up soon after and gave me a lovely broach made of her own hair […] From dearest Feodore a lovely enamel bracelet with her’s and the children’s hair…”<br/><br/> - <em><p><a href="http://www.queenvictoriasjournals.org/search/displayItemFromId.do?FormatType=fulltextimgsrc&QueryType=articles&ItemID=18350524&volumeType=ESHER">Queen Victoria’s Journal</a>, May 24, 1835</p> <p>Dear Everyone: My birthday is next week and I would appreciate if you DID NOT GIVE ME JEWELRY THAT YOU MADE FROM HUMAN HAIR.  Thank you.   </p></em>http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/23672107493http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/23672107493Thu, 24 May 2012 10:39:03 -0400<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4j0niTm8m1qzvotao1_500.png"/><br/><br/><p>—via <a href="http://jreiss.net/">Jeremy Reiss</a></p>http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/23668046429http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/23668046429Thu, 24 May 2012 08:14:06 -0400<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4hkxa1FJG1qzvotao1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><strong>GPOYW: Neoprene edition</strong></p>http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/23615879712http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/23615879712Wed, 23 May 2012 13:36:45 -0400<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4hejoMsAh1qzvotao1_500.png"/><br/><br/><blockquote> <p><em>…”You play (or run or swing or kick) like a girl” isn’t deployed as an insult anymore. But, at least to this woman, “I play like a girl” doesn’t feel empowering either. It feels like a limitation, one I hope won’t be a screenprinted slogan for another generation.</em></p> <p class="textBodyBlack"><em>I play, period.</em></p> <p><em>We’re not there yet, but we’re getting there…</em></p> </blockquote> <p>This week for NBC Sports, we talk about Title IX’s upcoming 40th anniversary and how an 8-year-old inadvertently taught me everything I need to know about its impact and importance. Click <a href="http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/47534249/ns/other_sports/">HERE</a> for the rest.</p>http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/23610610954http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/23610610954Wed, 23 May 2012 11:19:00 -0400<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4g20saEbr1qzvotao1_r1_500.png"/><br/><br/><p>I’m a little unnerved that my middle-of-the-race picture is actually better than most of the pictures that have ever been taken of me.  Apparently my face looks the best when the rest of my body is trying desperately not to throw up.</p> <p>But no, seriously, my boyfriend and I went to a swank party <a href="http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/22419853035/any-time-i-dress-like-an-adult-i-feel-obligated">a couple of weeks ago</a> and got a publicity-ish shot that a for-real photographer took of us.  He looks like he fell out of the Brooks Brothers catalog.  I look wild-eyed and unkempt, like I’d arrived at the party by clinging to the bottom of a car, all ‘Cape Fear’-style.</p> <p>Next year, I’m obviously going to get a six mile head start and run straight at the guy’s camera.  Oh, and I’ll wear that super sexxxy bandanna too. </p>http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/23565913791http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/23565913791Tue, 22 May 2012 17:50:00 -0400<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4dg8qNRiI1qzvotao1_400.png"/><br/><br/><p>This time yesterday, I was at about the 8.25 mile mark.</p> <p>This time today, I’m chewing my own limbs off. </p>http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/23476232360http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/23476232360Mon, 21 May 2012 08:05:14 -0400<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4c06arRHI1qzvotao1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>My sister PR’ed in the marathon, my bro in law survived the heat and we’re going to get pizza before going home to incinerate our clothing. A good day, all around. (Taken with <a href="http://instagr.am">instagram</a>)</p>http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/23423171332http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/23423171332Sun, 20 May 2012 13:20:33 -0400<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4ajvzfito1qzvotao1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>The grab bag of tampons might be the least-inspiring part of the Cleveland Half-Marathon race packet.</p>http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/23375578874http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/23375578874Sat, 19 May 2012 18:31:10 -0400<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m48ezxzFla1qzvotao1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>All packed for race weekend. CARRY-ON ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED.</p>http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/23300741573http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/23300741573Fri, 18 May 2012 14:50:21 -0400<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m472h6z7Sy1qzvotao1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Pop Music Trivia Night. We’re going to crush it. (Taken with <a href="http://instagr.am">instagram</a>)</p>http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/23264250973http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/23264250973Thu, 17 May 2012 21:22:18 -0400<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m46c8jdkMv1qzvotao1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>—<a href="http://bustedcoverage.com/2012/05/17/is-this-tv-station-serious-with-this-metta-world-peace-lakers-idiot-idmorning-twitpic/">via</a></p>http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/23231993150http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/23231993150Thu, 17 May 2012 11:55:31 -0400<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m461pcGKxE1qzvotao1_500.png"/><br/><br/><p>—via <a href="http://www.hulu.com/dragnet">Dragnet</a></p>http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/23225157708http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/23225157708Thu, 17 May 2012 08:08:00 -0400<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m44dpdyu2x1qzvotao1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>—<a href="http://www.condenaststore.com/-sp/Nutritional-chart-that-contains-levels-for-Pizza-The-Alcohols-the-Nicot-New-Yorker-Cartoon-Prints_i8544588_.htm">via</a></p>http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/23165592847http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/23165592847Wed, 16 May 2012 10:32:01 -0400TRUTH<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4465m89HB1qzvotao1_500.png"/><br/><br/><p>I’ll just leave this here.</p>http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/23161165195http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/23161165195Wed, 16 May 2012 07:48:00 -0400CumberbatchSherlockLOOK AT HIS BIRD SHORTS“Ever had sex with an incredibly skinny person? It’s like fighting a deck chair.”<br/><br/> - <em>Charlie Brooker</em>http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/23135697378http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/23135697378Tue, 15 May 2012 20:35:54 -0400<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3yw6iSfNv1qzvotao1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><a href="http://shirtoid.com/67875/not-a-snowballs-chance/" title="Not a Snowballs Chance&">Add. To. Cart. </a></p>http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/22973038027http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/22973038027Sun, 13 May 2012 11:25:00 -0400Monty Python and the Holy Grail<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3t21qxJIM1qzvotao1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>What are the odds that they’re just writing to tell me that they really like my new eyeshadow? </p>http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/22775263207http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/22775263207Thu, 10 May 2012 07:46:00 -0400<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3symzLeys1qzvotao1_500.png"/><br/><br/><p>—<a href="http://www.natsnq.com/?p=7642">via</a></p>http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/22773607791http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/22773607791Thu, 10 May 2012 06:32:59 -0400<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3sxtq3QoA1qzvotao1_500.png"/><br/><br/><blockquote> <p><em>Bryce Harper is 19 years old. That explains why he has a dog named Swag, a truck that’s one American flag decal short of a Toby Keith wet dream and a patchy haircut that looks like what would happen if you attacked Rod Blagojevich with a weed whacker.</em></p> <p class="textBodyBlack"><em>It also explains why, just eight games into his major league career, he’s quickly becoming the most polarizing player in baseball.</em></p> </blockquote> <p>This week for NBC Sports, I wrote about shiny new Nats slugger Bryce Harper. Click <a href="http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/47336935/ns/baseball/">HERE</a> for the rest and SPOILER ALERT! I’m pulling for him.</p>http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/22773259581http://jelisacastrodale.com/post/22773259581Thu, 10 May 2012 06:15:00 -0400BAYSBAWLBryce HarperNBC Sports