....like it's 1999

Last Friday I did something that I haven't done in about a year and a half: went to a house party. It wasn't a huge, elbow your way to the beer in a damp basement with a five foot ceiling kind of party, but a lot closer to that than most of the parties I've been attending in the past year. Most of those parties have dips and assorted snacks. Real parties don't have snacks, because all the stoned people would eat everything. Real parties just have alcohol, and lots of it. This one featured 5 dollars for all you can drink, which included both a keg and an admirably stocked bar. I went to this party with my roommate, who seemed to know many of the people there. I had planned on spending my friday watching the packers and keeping to myself, but after a horrible martini (too much vermouth) my roommate arrived and tried to teach me how to mix records on his turntables, and persuaded me to go out. I did so since I just haven't done anything like that in so long, and at 10 pm was surprisingly awake yet. So we took a bus to the center of town, then walked a block in the rain to the house, which had a pool table in the middle of the living room. That was cool, 'cept my roommate, Paul, and I both sucked that night, losing every game we played. But it was still fun, and i chatted with some cool people.

The problem is, with going to a party, especially without knowing anyone, is that while I used to frequent parties of this nature in the past, my main reason for attending is no longer relevant. Meaning, uh, I have a girlfriend, and am not looking for a replacement. When i was 19 (and 20,21,22, 23, and part of 24), parties were spent checking out girls and plotting something natural but sinister while I idly chatted and drank up courage. Time flew by when this was happening, and regardless of the end result I often had a good time. Now, however, its all just idle chatter. While I met some people and talked for a bit I knew that I wouldn't be seeing any of these people again, and if I did we wouldn't be able to pick up where we left off. So, as I realized this I soon became rather tired of it. I had had two drinks before we left, then two gin and tonics and then started on beers, passed (almost arrogantly) on pot, and didn't flirt back. Around 130 or 2, I started getting pretty tired and ready to go, but Paul was chatting up some chick. Paul, by the way, knows nothing about women whatsoever, he's the classic nice guy who will talk to someone and do everything they ask for months, and then finally reveal his feelings in a long email and wonder where he went wrong. So i'd check to see what he was up to, and then have another beer to pass my time. Worse yet, was somewhere around this time the stereo was switched from it's good mix of indie rap (blackalicious, the roots) into a jam band festival. As i mentioned there were a few people passing around a joint and stuff earlier, but all of a sudden some Phish kicks in and nearly everyone starts doing that lame noodly hippie dancing. Wha happened? I think I spent the couple hours after this arguing about music with a couple people, but it was no use. I even tried to find some decent music myself when the stereo was unoccupied, but all the good music was hidden, and only countless CD-Rs scribbled with names and dates of horrible live shows. So finally the chick my roommate was talking to split, and we caught a cab home. He made some awful breakfast (eggs w/ carrots anyone?) and I threw up. Got in bed at 5:30 am.

Saturday I saw a matinee of "Garden State" down the street. It was pretty great, awesome soundtrack (the Shins, Coldplay). Kind of a funny/sad movie about the early to mid-20s identity crisis everyone goes through, and I'm still going through I think. But I highly recommend it. This saturday I think I'm going to see the newly released Director's Cut of Donnie Darko. Rad.

Sunday I rode my bike for an hour, worked at the ramp til midnite, and wrote a cover letter for a job at the Art Institute of Chicago, in the Film dept. I still have to finish updating my resume tonight, I'm having trouble describing what I currently do.

Movie Fever!!! or "I have a fever, and the only prescription is more great movies"

This fall/winter is going to be great, maybe on par with 1999 (being john malkovich, american beauty, three kings, fight club).

First, the movie I'm most excited about is "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou", Wes Anderson's latest, which won't come out until December. He has a different writing partner this time, and when I first heard about the basic plot, I thought it might be a major departure for him. However, upon viewing the trailer, I was glad to find that it looks and feels like a Wes Anderson film. I've vowed not to watch the trailer again until I see the movie, because there a bunch of hilarious scenes I'm trying not to spoil. Maybe you shouldn't watch it either.

Also, after five long years, "Three Kings" director David O. Russell finally has a new film coming out in October, called "I Heart Huckabees" (Heart is actually the little drawing of a heart, not the actually word, as in "I heart NY"). I haven't watched the trailer yet, but you can find it, along with a plot synopsis, on this page. Existentialist detectives? Department Stores? Jason Schwartzman? Sounds weird for sure. Before "3 Kings", Russell basically dealt in wacky comedy, and in "Flirting with Disaster" pretty much invented the Ben Stiller neurotic-guy persona we've seen a billion times since then.

Plus, new movies from David Gordon Greene (director of "All the Real Girls") and Alexander Payne ("Election") this fall. And for home viewing, "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" comes out on DVD in September.

Until then, the balcony is closed.

A list of things I would buy right this minute if were rich, which, unfortunately, I never will be

1. A New Car. Even if I had all the money in the world, I wouldn't spend too much on this. Just something that runs well, looks good. I don't need a BMW or Mercedes.

2. A New Stereo. My last stereo was purchased in 1996, and while its 60-CD changer has served me well over the years, the tape player is broken and the sound quality could be updated. A nice surround-sound receiver I could hook up to my tv/dvd player, and a simple CD changer. or a dvd/cd changer combo maybe.

3. A fully-stocked bar. This isn't terribly important, and I rarely drink anymore (compared to a year ago, when I would drink lighter fluid if you put an toothpick-speared olive in it), but I grow tired of having only a half-full (plastic) bottle of cheap vodka in my 'liquor cabinet'. In my new house I found a mostly full bottle of vermouth, so that means I can make screwdrivers and vodka martinis, which are both kinda bad. I should at least buy some gin.

4. A new TV. see #2, my TV was a high school graduation gift, and its 20" screen can't do justice to a 2.35/1 screen ratio on a dvd.

5. A new wardrobe. I get only a handfull of new clothes a year, and most things are looking pretty shabby. I remember annaul 'school shopping' with my mom when I was a kid; I'd have outgrown all of my old clothes, so would get a complete overall. Now I've stopped growing, and my mom no longer buys me anything. This means that I was more hip at 11 than I am at 25.

6. A new guitar. I still have a miniscule bit of hope that the reason I suck at playing guitar is because I have a really crappy guitar, instead of the obvious reason of me having no talent. Better throw in a new amp, just to eliminate all excuses.

7. Books, CDs, DVDs. I'm falling way behind. I just need a quick shopping spree at the exclusive company and barnes & noble. I could get a hundred of each.

8. Bye, Bye, student loans! I'll cover my girlfrend's as well, if i have the extra 180 grand.

Hmm.... none of these things are very creative, I know, but I'm just talking about the basics. This was kind of a waste of time. Stupid lists.

Call me Maverick

The day is moving at a reasonable place, but I'm quite exhausted from the weekend. It was a good time, my car made the trip fine, I checked the transmission fluid level when I arrived (a feat that I'm quite proud of, by the way) and it hadn't lost any. The power steering sounds screechier than ever though. So the trip there took 3 hours and 20 minutes from work, and the last hour and a half was spent driving the last 30 miles. Stupid traffic. But then we had Thai take-out from the place a block over and it was delicious. Saturday we went to the museum of S & I again and saw an IMAX movie, and rode in a flight simulator together. THis was interesting, cuz it was more like a giant video game than anything educational, except we got strapped in this little box and could do actually barrel rolls and crash into mountains without consequence. My main goal was to make my girlfriend nausious, which failed, though I did cause my chapstick to fall out of my pocket and hit me on the head. And we could shoot things, too, but that was largely unsucessful. Entirely unsuccessful, actually. Then in the late afternoon we filmed somethings around the neighborhood/campus for the next years resident recruitment video, felt good to hold a camera again, but the best part was filming a crazy squirrel that ran up to us and danced. I doubt the University of Chicago is going to devote 90 seconds of it's recruitment video to a dancing squirrel, but it was too good to pass up. Then Sunday we went to Chicago's Chinatown, which was very interesting and much cooler and more authentic than i'd imagined. Lots of seafood, bakeries, and bootleg dvds. Catwoman for only 6 dollars, people!

Today I'm going to leave work at a more reasonable time than usual, go home and take it easy. I'll have time to eat a decent dinner for a change, which is important since I'm wasting away as we speak.

More to come...

Roadrunner, roadrunner

So two days ago I noticed a dark spot underneath my parked car, about the size of a football or so, I took it last night to the Instant Oil Change place which checks and fills fluids for free.  I mentioned the possible leak to them and they found out what it was right away:  transmission fluid.  Super.  They didn't sound that concerned, said it was a tiny leak, and my transmission fluid was actually full.  But it still worries me, because obviously when the transmission goes i'm screwed, replacing it would cost more than I originally paid for the car.  I've only got a few months to go, but I drive a ways to work everyday, and plan on going down to Chicago at least a couple times, not including the final move.  I'm going to go this weekend actually.  And my transmission's bad enough already, at certain speeds it lurches wildly (especially when i coast down to around 50-55 mph, i nearly get whiplash sometimes) and never smoothly accelerates.  I don't really know what exactly to do, i'm going to buy some fluid and one of those long stemmed funnels so i can check it halfway to chicago, making sure i haven't lost a quart on the highway.  Maybe i'm overreacting, but this is all too dramatic for my tastes.  Another couple thousand miles is all I'm asking for here.  That's not too much.  After that I'll walk to the grocery store and take trains.

Moral Dilemmas

At work again, this time I managed to change my email font to match the one on the rest of the page, the other one was too small and I wouldn't want anyone to strain their eyes trying to read, it could lead to bigger problems down the road, and discourages further reading.  Anyway, I've been having some issues, things that I think about during the days and nights, puzzle over at every available opportunity, and no clear answer is apparent.  So, I figure, why not share them with everyone?  And, by everyone I mean the one or two people that read this blog intentionally, and anyone else with a computer, internet connection, and the bad luck to end up on this page.  Most of these people are fans of "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure", and, therefore, are extremely high right now.

 

Anyway, it's going to feel great to get this all off my chest.  Here goes:

1.  The Work Issue.  I'm not a big fan of my job, it's only temporary and offers no future, thanks to me leaving in a few months.  In the past I had a lot to keep me busy, and would put in about 46-47 hours a week, and I get time and a half after 40.  Now, though, the past few weeks things have been slowing down slightly.  I don't have to rush every minute of the day to finish my work, instead I can pace myself, and still easily finish everything.  But, because of habit, I'm still staying later, still working the long hours, even though I don't need to.  I wish I did have more work to do, actually, the days go faster.  So should I stop working long unnecessary hours, or keep doing what I'm doing?

 

2.  The Politics Issue.  Obviously I'm rather involved in the upcoming election, and in politics in general.  My position is clear, but it differs from that of many people, including some I consider friends.  I also happen to believe that anyone in their right mind would vote for John Kerry if they knew all the facts and issues.  Bill Clinton said the other day on 'The Daily Show' that "democrats only win when people think."  I agree with this completely.  It seems the majority of Bush supporters, not including the filthy rich, are NASCAR-watching flag-wavers whose concepts of politics are simple and mislead.  I find it hard to believe that most people don't care about Health Care, most people don't care about Education or the Environment.  I'm baffled that the country is split on giving Equal Rights to minorities.  "Hmmm... so we'll take away the giant tax cuts Bush gave to the rich so we can pay for health care and educational improvements?  I don't know, how about we deregulate industries to allow giant corporations to become richer instead?"  Even Bush is avoiding the issues, all his commercials simply state that he was President during the 9/11 attacks, and how his stubborn nature is a good thing.  We have the slowest job growth since the '30s, and somehow that means that "we're turning the corner".  His economic plan basically says:  Let's just wait another month for those tax cuts to kick in.  It drives me crazy.  So, my problem is, should I just keep my opinion to myself, avoid confrontation and losing friends, or should I keep writing and talking, hoping to convince one more person?  Actually, I think this isn't much of a question, because there's no way I'm going to shut up about this.  So, never mind.

 

3.  The Marriage Issue.  This one has sprung up in the past month or so.  No matter what I'm planning on moving to Chicago soon, and I don't have any doubts about the future of our relationship.  But, am I just being naive?  With all the divorce and unhappy married couples out there, is it really a good idea to get married?  And, should I be doing it, or proposing at least, so soon?  I don't want to do it just so we can be engaged when we're living together, but I don't really see the point in waiting either.  Half of me is prepared to go ring shopping next month, I already know exactly what to get.  But it's such a huge deal, and part of me just wants to not worry about it for awhile.  And, if I do go through with it soon, the thought of talking to her dad about it scares me to death.  Why does that incredibly patriarchal tradition still exist?  I'm considering skipping that part, actually.  The guy likes politics, sports, movies, and has a bigger record collection than I do, and yet we can't have a conversation, just because I'm, well, you know.  So that part of it makes me nervous, and I wonder if that's influencing me more than it should.  Happily married people:  let me know when you knew.

 

As always, comments are welcome.

It wouldn't be prudent to call it a comeback.

Yo bitches, guess who's back in the hizzouse!

DSL is finally working as of today, so this is my first post from home in a while. I was foolish to doubt my computer skillz, cuz the problem was all with those SBC bitches, who owe my two hours of my life from last night.

Anyway, tonight was used to clean the kitchen with my roommate, or at least most of the kitchen, excluding the refridgerator. Great times. And now it's pretty late and I have to go to bed, so I'll save my comeback speech for another day.

You're a glass-eyed tiger, I'm a rusty fire hydrant

So I've been at work about two hours and have gotten only about 20 minutes of work done.  A case of 'the Mondays' if I ever saw one.  Weekend was good, mostly just stayed in, which was great except my landlady started tearing apart my bathroom, so I now have to use the one in my roommate's bedroom for a couple days.  We saw 'before sunset' at the theatre down the street, ate out 3 times (bagel sandwiches, nepali food, chinese takeout), went to the farmers market but bought nothing, re-registered to vote with my new address, had a martini at a downtown bar with friends of hers, and ate sunday breakfast of donuts in bed.

 

Last night the punk kid roommate moved out, which is great, but he left the annoying cat, and I think probably forgot to feed it.  Friday, when I got home after cleaning up my old place there was a note from SBC that my internet was hooked up, but I couldn't for the life of me get it to actually work.  I'm not sure if my account isn't activated until today, or if my computer skills have deteriorated so much, since their peak at age 17, that I can't figure out a simple task.  What's 'double-clicking' again?  Maybe I'll figure it out tonite while watching the packers, I haven't had a chance to look at it since Friday.

No, Kitty, that's my Pot Pie!

As I mentioned before, one of my new roommates is leaving this weekend.  I'm pretty happy about that.  This dude is only about 18/19, he has people over every night, isn't very neat in the kitchen and bathroom, and I think he's the one who's been eating some of my food.  Today I was making sandwiches and there were gobs of peanut butter inside my jar of jam.  Have you no decency, sir?  I'm not sure what kind of drugs he does.  I think he's also taking away the annoying cat, whose one mission in life seems to be to find a way into my room and hide.  The other night I was in bed when the cat, who had secretly been hiding underneath the bed, emerged and attempted to burrow under the covers.  I've always considered myself a friend to all animals, but some of the tosses of the cat out of my room have been slightly less than gentle. 

 

Today after work I'm going straight to my former apartment, clean for a few hours, wash my hands completely of the place, after two years.  Then M. will arrive late, probably after 9 pm, assuming she survives the Chicago traffic.  Then the weekend will be fun, with things that don't involve cleaning, packing, roommates, or work. 

Local News

I finally have internet access at home, though it's only dial-up.  It's shockingly slow.  Last night I went out with my friend Jackie, dinner, too many drinks, and an eyebrow piercing.  Not mine.  It was a pretty good time.  Today I'll work late and then do a million things at home, Friday I'll finish up cleaning the old apartment and then M. is coming to visit for the weekend, which i guarantee will be the most fun I'll have had for a few weeks. 

 

Random thought, a couple weeks later:

After John Kerry's speech at the DNC, Bush was asked what he thought of it.  He replied that he did not stay up to watch it, and had to be filled in by his advisors.  Now, Kerry's speech ran from about 9:10 to 9:55, Central Time (Bush was in Texas at the time).  Now, and I'm trying to be non-partisan about this, but this means that Bush went to sleep by about 9 pm.  He also said something to the same effect during the 2000 campaign, when asked if he saw his portrayal on SNL.  While i agree that plenty of rest is important, I always thought the President was too busy for sleep, which always contributed to the rapid aging that takes place when the office is held.  I always figured the Prez would finally be rid of advisors and finish reading that last report sometime around 2:30 am, and then would catch a few restless winks while dreaming of how to improve the economy, and wake at 5 with a busy agenda.  Bush on the other hand, is on vacation constantly, apparently sleeps like a newborn baby, and does not watch the TV news or read any newspapers, as he also has admitted.  Draw your own conclusions.

Let's Get to Work, People!

So at the moment most people in my area at work are at a meeting that I'm not important enough to attend, so I figure this is as good of time as any to update my happenings.  I'll save my comments as to why I don't trust John McCain for another time.

 

Friday I moved into my new house.  My parents hauled away most of my furniture, and I slept at the new house for the first time.  My room is OK, not too big but a large closet, lots of outlets, good windows.  I have free cable; my TV is set up on the upper shelf of the closet so I can watch it in bed.  Unfortunately, the rest of the house is not as nice.  There is a cat, who is leaving within the month, living there, and so lots of this smell like bad cat smells that probably shouldn't.  The bathroom is kinda junky, linoleum peeling back.  The kitchen and living room have lots of clutter, lots of things that don't really belong to anyone, so why would you put them away?  The garage is someplace I'll never visit, filled with old furniture where my parking spot should be, and an old car that's leaking oil that hasnt been driving for months.  There's another broken down car in the driveway, and I'm still not sure who's it is.  The basement is scary as well, so much junk furniture and stuff just thown down there; there's a bit of a path through the mess to the washer/dryer, the washer seems to leak out the bottom whenever i use it.  Great times.

 

Saturday morning I woke up and drove to milwaukee, just missing a major accident, for my girlfriend's graduation party.  I was astonishingly social.  I talked to relatives no one liked.  I talked to everyone else.  No one escaped my charm.  As the party wound down, I was incredibly exhausted for my efforts.  The rest of the night past in a blur of tv and sitting on a couch.  Her family has seemed to accept me, though her father still doesn't address me directly, if at all.  I slept in the guest room alone and the next day we went out for breakfast and saw "The Village", which you should avoid at all costs.  I haven't met a single person who's enjoyed it yet.  The first half is good.  Then I drove back here about 5 o'clock, and unpacked some more, hung with my new roommate a bit. 

 

Yesterday was working/packing, my phone is working and I set up a network of cords cords cords all around my room connecting my computer, phone, internet, etc.  Also bought some actually food, which I've heard is all the rage.  Tonight will be more of the same.  I don't get DSL back until next monday, but hopefully I can get my roommate's username/password to connect to the university server. 

Sports

The Olympics are just a few days away, and that means what exactly?  That all the nations of the world will join together in harmony and watch the greatest athletes in the world compete?  NO! 

 

It means two weeks of pure Bob Costas!  Since baseball moved to FOX, and basketball moved to ABC, I've been going through some major B.C. withdrawal. 

 

Also, tonight is the first preseason football game.  MNF has thankfully replaced annoying idiot who knew nothing about football Lisa Guerrero with someone, Michelle TaFoya,  who actually knows what she's talking about, even if she won't be posing in Maxim anytime soon.

 

Oh, this is my first post I've attempted from work.  More to follow.  No internet at new home for another week, unfortunately.

do it!

I was supposed to finish the packing tonite, mainly dishes and stuff for my parents to take home, but I was too lazy to do it. I figure tomorrow when my dad and I are loading things my mom can pack that sort of thing. Whatever, I don't care. Yesterday I brought nearly the last of my stuff to my new house, only to find that my room was a mess due to painting and renovating going on, so i just had to stuff more things in the closet. It's going to be a major pain getting things straightened up, I have more stuff than I bargained for, and limited space. My one roommate seems cool, he's a DJ and is very anti-CD, which is kinda stupid. Another roommate is moving out in a week, and then we get someone else a few weeks later. Hopefully in a week from now everything will settle down a bit. I'll be without internet access from monday til thursday or so, so no updates likely unless I start posting from work, which is a possibility. Despite the fact that I keep getting more work dumped on me, I keep finding myself keeping up rather easily.

So tomorrow my parents will come, hopefully we'll get everything taken care of rather early, so i can have time to sort of get myself settled at the new place. Then saturday morning I'll wake up and drive (gulp!) to Milwaukee, for my girlfriend's slightly belated graduation party, at her parents house. So hurrah for having to look but not touch (as much as I'd like). I'll probably end up staying overnight, and then drive back sunday afternoon, and start really getting myself together. I'm not sure what that entails, exactly.

Politicks

Worst. President. Ever.

For all you wars out there, are you turning into another Vietnam? Take the quiz here.

Reason #88 on the Dispatch Bush list is particularly shocking.

Read a story about a new Anti-John Kerry commercial here I read that it's going to be airing here in Wisconsin. Are people really that gullible? The one man, Perry, contributed about 2/3 of the groups funding. If i had 100,000 dollars, I'd put an ad out that says Bush is a space alien. It's about the same thing.

I'm curious to see people that are still undecided about this election. Especially the ones that don't know the difference between the two candidates. They are the ones who stupid commercials seem to be going after, they see something in the middle of "Fear Factor" that influences their thoughts about a candidate, and that's that, four years of hell.

Interestingly, according to USA today, about 80% of people who make over $100,000 a year vote, while only 40% or less of people who make less than $25,000 a year vote. yay capitalism!