Feeling pretty/purchasing power/Stop breathing

This Sunday is Halloween of course, and while in the past that meant putting on my Flavor Flav costume and getting drunk on state street, this year I have to go to a hospital sponsored Halloween party. Worse yet, all costumes have to follow the theme of “broadway musicals,” which is the worst theme possible. So not only do I have to meet a million new people, but I’ll have to do it dressed as Maria from West Side Story. Actually, I guess my domestic partner and I are dressing as trees, which I guess has something or other to do with a musical I’ve never heard of. So that means brown pants, green shirt, and a lot of explaining. At least it’s an open bar, and I’ve been told I have permission to drink as much as I want. So that’s something.

Tomorrow we’re going to Milwaukee, staying over at her Dad’s, and I think going to another Halloween-themed party at night, thrown by med school people. I don’t know how that’s going to go.

Tonite I’m on my own, M is on call. I’m thinking about going to see a Fahrenheit 9/11 screening somewhere on the U of C campus, hopefully it won’t rain tonight. And hopefully I won’t be stabbed on the way home or anything. Actually, I’m not too worried, I won’t be out too late, and it’s not too far. Plus, I have my impeccable street smarts.

Today I exercised again, and now just got back from grocery shopping. The co-op is only about 3 blocks away, so I got all I could carry. Prices are eye-popping from what I’m used to, but today I realized something important. I absolutely rule at grocery shopping. It’s true. I know it’s not the number one thing on my list to brag about, but I just have to say it. I can spot a sale an aisle away. I know what’s needed and what’s frivolous. My primal hunter/gatherer instincts were at their peak.

Yesterday I tried to sell some CDs, but the ‘indie-rock specialist’ (read: white guy) hadn’t shown up for work. My pavement CD wasn’t there either, but I ended up getting it at stupid Borders anyway. I finished going through the paper for jobs and updated my resume on my computer, but haven’t sent anything out yet. I’ll worry about it Wednesday when DSL is here. In the meantime I’m kinda enjoying my week off. Today is warm but humid, I’ll take another walk this afternoon when the sun’s supposed to come out.

So, speaking of music, Pavement was a band that released 5 albums, not counting early EP’s and singles, and all of it was excellent to very good. All 37 bonus tracks on the new reissue certainly aren’t essential, and many aren’t even very good songs, but it’s nice to have a remastered version and fancy packaging, I must admit. As I wrote a while ago, I haven’t bought much new music of late, but was downloading a fair amount and reading up on things when I had the chance. But this year marks a momentous occasion for me because I’ve decided I’m not going to buy the new R.E.M. album. Now, if you don’t know, R.E.M. was my favorite band in high school, by far. Since the tail end of sophomore year, I was pretty obsessed, and this lasted into the first couple years of college even. My email address is the name of one of their songs, for Christ’s sake. And how could I not be obsessed? When I started listening to them they had been around for 13 years, and had all these songs and records I didn’t even know about. And, to make matters more interesting, their oldest albums were the best, despite the fact that I’d never knew of their existence. They were the band that got me into other music, Pavement and the Velvet Underground, Big Star and anything else that I could find in a magazine or online that sounded interesting. Before R.E.M. music was just something that played on the radio, filled in silences while driving. Now it became something active and involving. But, like the three bands listed above, it’s always better (though sadder) to burn out than fade away. R.E.M.’s last great record came out in 1996, and their best record is still the one from 1983. The new one I’ve heard the single from a bunch of times, and did download the record and listened to maybe once. I’m sure if I forced myself I could grow to like it, become convinced that it is a secret masterpiece. But I can tell it’s not. And sounded awful the first time around. I’d much rather buy a band’s first album in 2004, a band like Rogue Wave or the Arcade Fire, than a bands 13th (or 14th) just because I used to love them. So, I’m sorry R.E.M., but I’m just going to remember blaring “Monster” out of my car speakers in the high school parking lot, and getting Murmur for Christmas 1995. Those were some good times, man.

Goodnight to the Rock 'n Roll era...

First post in a million years, not because I haven’t had the time, but because internet access is scarce. Getting DSL here next week, but in the meantime have to use AOL dialup from M’s horribly defective computer, which means even checking my email is akin to pulling off an elaborate heist scheme, one last score, which upon completion leaves me exhausted and bathed in sweat. So this I’m writing on Word, then will attempt to dial up and copy it, but I’m not sure what my odds are. At the moment I’m sitting at the desk in Our Apartment (though it stills feels like just Hers, with me visiting), next to a window what normally would give a view of nearby rooftops and a distant view of downtown Chicago, but today due to fog I can’t see more than a few blocks away.

But, much has transpired that you don’t know about. For starters, about my car, whose untimely (or, possibly, incredibly timely) passing has saddened us all. Though I had to take a weeks worth of buses, had to get up nearly an hour earlier than usual, couldn’t work any overtime my last week, and was generally in a surly mood, it did kinda work out, and rather quickly. Once benefit of working at the same insurance company that covers both your car and the senile lady who hit you is that things get done pretty fast. The claim was officially filed last week Monday, I had to call the old lady’s agent myself. Tuesday someone from my same building came to give me a small check to cover transportation, which far exceeded my one cab ride and 13 bus trips. Tuesday after work I got a ride to the towing place and cleaned out my car, salvaging the new Saturday Looks Good to Me CD and an umbrella. Wednesday the adjuster called to say my car was indeed totaled, and gave me money, which happened to be more than I was planning on selling it for, since they couldn’t tell how bad the engine was, or that the AC was broke. So, all in all, between the two checks I got exactly 9 dollars less than the price I paid for the car. Which of course doesn’t include the 1400 dollars in repairs, plus other maintenance. But, overall, it worked out ok, and my neck pain went away after a few days. So hooray for that.

So now I’m here, the move on Saturday went OK, my parents came that same morning and took some things with them, everything else barely fit in M’s car, which I think is a major accomplishment. How many of you can fit nearly all your possessions in a Hyundai? So unloaded quickly, got takeout from the great Thai place a block away, and quietly began our life of sin. Sunday we began to squeeze my possessions into nooks and crannies, right now my socks and underwear are still in a pile on the closet floor, most everything else is crammed somewhere until we get some nice bedroom furniture. Monday night M was on call, gone all night, so I assembled the extra wooden CD rack we bought (we have two, each hold 500!) and got to ‘The Great Reorganization,’ first combining all the CDs we own together (now THAT means commitment!) and then alphabetizing by artist, plus sections for soundtracks and VA/Compilations, and then arranging each artist chronologically from past to present. So between us we have about 600-700 CDs, not counting the 100 or so burned ones in my CD binder, plus some questionable tapes of hers. She has very sporadic taste in music, I’m welcoming some into my collection, like 4 belle and Sebastian albums, elliot smith’s “either/or”, the first neutral milk hotel record, and some early cat power and modest mouse that I don’t have. But, at the same time, on my newly assembled shelf, what sits between Tiger Trap and Tortoise but Mr. Justin Timberlake, and between the aforementioned Elliot Smith and the first Sonic Youth record, 1983’s ‘Confusion is Sex’, but a CD by one-hit wonders Something Corporate (‘I woke up in a car’). I did manage to convince her to get rid of about a third of her tapes and a few of the more questionable CDs. I may go sell some today, there’s apparently only one decent record store in my ‘hood, besides the awful borders which sells CDs for 19.99. I went to this record store, which sells new and used CDs and Vinyl (I now finally have access to a turntable) on Tuesday morning as it opened, in giddy, childlike anticipation of buying the Pavement “crooked rain, crooked rain” double disc reissue complete with 62-page booklet, all at a regular CD price, but of course it wasn’t in yet, it should have been in and the dude tried to call the distributor but no luck, should be in soon. Maybe it’s there now. I would’ve taken a walk there yesterday, but my knee was giving me problems, second time in a month. It just started feeling better an hour ago.

So I’ve been running lots of errands, did laundry and cleaned the apartment, getting up early when M leaves for work, yesterday I went back to sleep for a bit though. Looked through the Trib for job listings, found a couple things to highlight, but haven’t got my computer hooked up yet to print off any resumes. Yesterday with broken knee and nothing to do I felt kinda awful and bored, made dinner for M when she got home. Last night: fish and potatoes. Tonight, possibly pasta, though I haven’t decided.

Last night we went to a movie though, to an indie-cinema in The trendy neighborhood just north of downtown, which involved a 30-minute drive and finally finding a parking spot. Movie tickets were 9.50 each, which I guess isn’t that crazy. We saw “Undertow,” of which you can read a very positive review of if you click on Roger Ebert’s link to the right, I’m in no position to create one for you here. The movie was directed by David Gordon Green, who I admire very much, his last was last year’s ‘All the Real Girls,’ which I thought was the best movie of the year, hands down. You can rent it anywhere. Undertow is his third film and he’s only 29, I thought a bit of a step down from his last but still very good. Best usage of freeze frame shots I’ve ever seen in a movie, ever. Unfortunately for my girlfriend, there is a rather violent scene in the first half of the movie, which made her reluctant to open her eyes for anything the rest of the film. Her loss, though. After the movie I limped back to the car and we drove around downtown for a bit, tall buildings still amaze me, from my apartment they are too far away to gasp at. Home in time to watch the last two innings of the World Series, then to bed. Today I’ll test my knee outside in a little bit, eat lunch here and do some job hunting, I may get dragged for furniture shopping this evening, we’ll see. It’s been an interesting week.

Make all elevators smell like your sixth-grade girlfriends and boyfriends

Thursday as i was leaving work, about 6:30 and already mostly dark, I marvelled at the fact that my car seems to be acting OK, and I only had 9 days left before I no longer had to worry about it. I wished I wouldn't have spent so much time worrying about it over the past few months, and instead concentrated my time on sometime worthwhile, like helping the poor or painting by number. I left the parking lot and went around the block backwards from usual, just because I never have before. I got on the highway and headed home. Traffic was moderate, so after the second stoplight on hwy 51, it took a while for the line to get going again. I crossed the intersection and had to brake slightly.

the next 5 seconds:
Though when i was at the stoplight earlier there was no one behind me, i looked in my rearview mirror as i was braking and saw a car approaching fast. I though, "Gee Whiz, that car is going to have to brake pretty hard, it looks like it's going pretty fast. I surely hope that it doesn't bump me slightly." Sometimes while driving I marvel at how much trust of strangers it requires. You trust that people are going to use their turn signals and check their blind spots. You also trust that when a car approaches you from behind, it will brake, instead of hitting you at full speed, pushing you for a ways before veering off to the left, finally coming to a stop 50 yards ahead. My car was spun to the right, nearly falling into the ditch, before the engine died.

I thought that I was pushed into the vehicle ahead of me, but it turns out we were the only two cars involved, with everyone ahead of me driving off. I tried to start my car to move it out of the road, but it wouldn't start. A woman thrust her cell phone in my face, where I told an unknown voice that I didn't think i was hurt but didn't know about the other person. Police came quick, followed by paramedics who checked on the other driver, who got a ticket, who I found out the next day was a 70 yr old woman who had also been in an accident early that day. i knew she drove a toyota, because the nameplate was lying on the road by my car. My car, in addition to not starting, was destroyed in the back, everything was pushed up and dented all the way around both sides, and the bumper was ripped into a few pieces scattered all over the highway, along with random pieces of brakelight glass and metal from wherever. It also looked like the back springs were broken, and the body was resting on the rear wheels. Over the next hour or so i froze myself standing outside, talked to a cop, talked to a tow truck driver who took my car away to sit somewhere while the insurance business was sorted out. I never talked to the lady who hit me, but the cop gave me her name and address, and luckily she has the same insurance company as i do. The tow driver and the cop both said they couldn't give me a ride, because the other side of town was outside their areas, or some shite, so the friendly cop told me to walk to the nearest gas station and call a cab. I did, and the cab ride cost 2 dollars more than i had in my wallet, so i had to run into my house and find some loose change. I talked to my girl, my mom, and my insurance company, and went to bed. Yesterday I woke up at 530 at took the 615 bus, dropping me off a 15 minute walk from work, got there at 715. Talked to more insurance at work, they all told me that they couldn't really do anything for me since i only had liability coverage, and they had to wait for the other lady to file a claim, which she hadn't done. When i got home from work, after an hour bus ride, I called the old lady and told her to contact them or I'd beat the fuck out of her (just kidding). Yesterday my neck and shoulders started hurting, and it's hard to lie comfortably. Today i walked to the nearest grocery store in the rain and bought food to last me for another week and some of those instant heating pads, which aren't really doing anything so far. I have to catch another series of buses tonight, all in the name of working for 2.5 hours at the parking ramp. Hopefully monday I can get things more straightened out, someone needs to look at my car and tell me it's totalled, and give me a big check.

Next week also I had to train my replacement at work, which will be, ha ha, a pain in the neck I'm sure. Last wednesday all the underwriters took me to lunch, where i had a chicken chorizo enchalada, which was great. Yesterday I absentee voted, after a lot of deliberation I decided to go for Kerry. This wednesday I'm supposed to go to some happy hour thing after work, which will be a lot more fun now that I don't have to drive myself home. Also, don't have to worry about gas prices for a week! hooray! Next weekend i'm moving to chicago, and hopefully can fit everything into M's car, otherwise we'll put stuff we can't fit and stuff that was supposed to go to my parents, along with my car, in storage at some friend's house for the time being.

I've gotta go make lunch now, but in the meantime here's a very short story by Dave Eggers. He's one of a few males that I have or have had a very intense admiration for, not in a man-crush, sexual way, but more in a 'i wish he was my big brother' kind of way, or first cousin or uncle maybe. I'm not sure if this is a common thing, but I remember thinking that it would be the coolest if, say, my big brother Jack White could teach me how to play guitar, and let me fool around on his equipment, and I've learned how to play 'moonage daydream' by David Bowie in a very bratty garage-rock way (for real) and would he like to here it. I borrow Spike Jonze's movie camera and uncle michael chabon would edit my stories. And when my car was smashed on the highway, I'd call one of them to come pick me up.

The Punch in the Face game

Yesterday I saw a Ford Truck commercial featuring Toby Keith, who in the commercial actually shouted the phrase: "Bring it on!" Upon seeing it I immediately thought up a new game for you to play with all of your friends. It's called the Punch in the Face game, and very simple, yet not as easy as you think.

All you have to do is make a list of the 5 people that you'd most like to punch in the face without any consequences. They could be famous people or people you personally know.

There's only a couple additional rules.
1. You can't put George W. Bush on your list, because everyone's going to do that. It's like on wheel of fortune, for the final puzzle, they now automatically give everyone the first five letters, because everyone always picked them. So that one's a given. You are, however, free to imagine punching W in the face anyway. Go ahead.
2. None of the people on the list can be female, because hitting girls is not cool, dude. However, if you yourself are a chick, feel free. But, remember, we are talking punches here, not limp-wristed slaps.

That's it, post yr list in the comments section. The best part about the Punch in the face game is that everybody wins! Good Luck!

Here's my List:
1. Arnold Schwarzenegger
2. Toby Keith
3. Warren Sapp
4. Jimmy Fallon
5. Ryan Seacrest

Like depressing things? Read on, friends!

My first post in over two weeks. I disappear for a bit and the public goes berserk; I receive constant emails and phone calls, fruit baskets and gift certificates for Applebee's, offers of cash and valuable gems. Finally, I emerge from my silence and give the screaming masses what they want: a disarmingly personal insight into my life without any strings attached, to be read by friends, acquaintances, and people I've never met.

Most of my posts, and most bloggy-type post in general, always go like this: today i didn't do much exciting, work, chores, etc, blah blah blah for 400 words later. Well, i've got plenty of material from the past 17 days, but most of it is too depressing for me to go into, since this is surely being read primarily for comedic purposes. So instead of wasting the past couple weeks writing about daily tragedies, I will instead condense everything into one small grammatically-unsound paragraph of concentrated grief. Here goes:

...milwaukee hospital room crowded with me and the family, no other visitors, prognosis changes everyday -months-weeks-days and suddenly my girlfriend's mother, who she literally talks to everyday of her life, dies on sunday night, sept 26, I'm in the room the whole time while her family loses it and i'm not sure if i should stay or go, despite a quick coma the family talks to her constantly for the last day, monica's dad cries more in an hour than i've seen my dad cry in my entire life, I do house chores and yard work, miss work every day but tuesday the next week, my only suit (sportcoat actually) isn't very somber but i'm a pallbearer anyway on the day i was planning on proposing (but cant think about that, much too guilty), stay with the family an entire week, my girlfriend pushes me out of her bed whenever she hears footsteps. we run depressing errands during the day and do forced fun activities (museum, zoo, 3-D creature from the black lagoon at the theatre) at night/late afternoons. I go back to work the next week and have mountains of stuff to catch up on, I tell my boss my last day is oct. 22, i have occasional brief but devastating panic attacks caused by thinking about death, friday she visits and we have a bed picnic (wine, multiple cheeses, fruit and baked fish) and it is fantastic, saturday my left leg isn't able to straighten for whatever reason in the morning, I hobble around the farmer's market using one crutch, afternoon i feel better, visit a friend and then we go out to eat (applebees, using a 30 dollar gift card from some of MY coworkers (thanks a million, people i'll never see again after two weeks)), and then go to a corn maze outside of town, which is highly recommended. today we stayed in bed til noon, our one year anniversary, and she leaves, the ring still sits in my desk drawer and i don't think she's ready for it yet. The plastic shower head in my bathroom broke today, just snapped off, I told my constantly stoned roommate (who i hate hate hate so much) and he doesn't seem to care, i've got at least 13 showers left to take, maybe i can rig it for that long...

There's more to write and some will creep out in the next couple weeks, though i think i'm losing DSL for real on friday or so. Otherwise, thanks to those who did send me a note or message of concern, sorry i didn't reply, I just didn't really feel like getting into it again. I'm pretty much ok now, mostly just worried about M. Things being normal seem a long way off.

...

My internet radio station is officially the greatest thing ever. You have to have a yahoo account to listen I think, but it's worth it. It's made the past few days of work go by fast, but I've had to fork over four dollars for the paid account, since you apparently only get 800 songs in a month, which I used up in four days somehow. But, anyway, I'm quite happy with it, all of my favorite bands plus some that I've wanted to hear more of. A big variety, and if anyone hears a song of questionable quality on it, I will pay them 5000 dollars and wash their car. Well, I'll tell my butler to wash your car anyway. I have a butler, his name is Jeeves, he's a bit uptight.

Sunday I saw the Fiery Furnaces play at a club, very unusual show. They played literally 45 minutes without stopping once, singer, guitarist/keyboards, bassist/keyboards, drummer, didn't play one song completely through, more like played a verse from one song and then a part of another, like a big medley, and everyone in the band constantly knew what was going on. It was fascinating and frustrating at the same time, but worth the 8 dollar cover for sure.

Tuesday I was lucky enough to be able to meet up with the prettier half of 'M/Andy', who was in town on business. I couldn't see her face that clearly, since I was blinded by the light reflecting off of her giant rock the whole time. We talked of insurance (of course!) and Andy's poor attempt at a romantic proposal (of course!), and drank a pitcher of wisconsin's own Spotted Cow, which is like liquid gold to anyone who leaves the state, on her company dime. The best time I've had all week for sure.

Otherwise, things aren't going too hot at the moment, Monica's mom is in the hospital since the beginning of the week, and it's majorly serious. I'll be going to Milwaukee tomorrow after work for the weekend. Next week's trip is definitely cancelled, everything else is up in the air for the moment. I barely slept all week, and don't quite know what to do with myself or how I can help anything.

Here comes my baby...

Thank God for the Department of Home Security, protecting us from the likes of aging pop/folksters. Click.

Walk, with your credit cards in the air. Swingin' nunchunks like you just don't care.

Oct. 26, 2004: Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain: L.A.'s Desert Origins

DISC ONEBack to the Gold Soundz
1. Silence Kit
2. Elevate Me Later
3. Stop Breathin
4. Cut Your Hair
5. Newark Wilder
6. Unfair
7. Gold Soundz
8. 5-4 = Unity
9. Range Life
10. Heaven Is a Truck
11. Hit the Plane Down
12. Fillmore Jive
======== end of original album =========
13. Camera
14. Stare
15. Raft
16. Cooling by Sound
17. Kneeling Bus
18. Strings of Nashville
19. Exit Theory
20. 5-4 Vocal
21. Jam Kids
22. Haunt You Down
23. Unseen Power of the Picket Fence
24. Nail Clinic
#1-12 from Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
#13-14 from "Cut Your Hair" released 1994
#15-16 from "Range Life" released 1994
#17-19 from "Gold Soundz" released 1994
#20 from "Gold Soundz" Australian tour ep released 1994
#21-22 from 7" included with Crooked Rain
#23 from "No Alternative" released 1993
#24 from "Hey Drag City" released 1993

DISC TWOAfter the Glow (Where Eagles Dare)
1. All My Friends
2. Soiled Little Filly
3. Range Life
4. Stop Breathing
5. Ell Ess Two
6. Flux = Rad
7. Bad Version of War
8. Same Way of Saying
9. Hands Off the Bayou
10. Heaven Is a Truck (Egg Shell)
11. Grounded
12. Kennel District
13. Pueblo (Beach Boys)
14. Fucking Righteous
15. Colorado
16. Dark Ages
17. Flood Victim
18. JMC Retro
19. Rug Rat
20. Strings of Nashville (instrumental)
21. Instrumental
22. Brink of the Clouds
23. Orange Black
24. Tartar Martyr
25. Pueblo
#1-21 previously unreleased
#22-25 from John Peel Session Feb 26, 2004

Wowsers!

Groovy hippy party

So today I woke up late, went to a library and got a few books, hung out in my room and created my own internet radio station here, as nate tipped me to doing. It's awesome. My roommate Jacob has lots of questionable friends, and by that I mean dirty dirty hippies, and they arrived here this morning in a big blue van (seriously) with their dog. Then my roommates when shopping, and the hippies just hung out on the front steps, drinking coffee and getting dirt everywhere, like Pigpen from the Peanuts comic strip. Paul knocked on my door and said they had food; they had a cookout of hamburgers and mac and cheese, all on a table in the front yard, which was actually pretty good though I had already eaten lunch, I had some of each along with a cheap beer. These people seemed OK, though one of them must be closing in on 40, and another was a girl I thought I knew but it turns out she was just wearing the same hippy girl uniform. Poor thing. So now its watch most of the badger game and the go to work. Happy Saturday.

TV vs. Film

I have to admit that the relatively recent development of issuing DVD box sets of TV shows has really changed my opinion of the medium. I've pretty much avoided watching TV since I started college, maybe catching some simpson's rerun or conan o'brien. There have been flirtations with South Park, Undeclared, and, currently, Scrubs, but for the most part there's been nothing that I really have to watch, and I've never had the luxury of HBO's commercial free shows. My problems with TV are obvious, especially when compared to film: the quality is poor, low budget, subpar acting, episodes are structural carbon copies of each other, having to wrap up in 22 or 44 minutes, with a commercial break every 12 minutes, there's no one auteur to guide the program, it always ends up being a more collective vision. Plus, especially when it comes to network TV, the lowest common denominator is the goal, always willing to sacrifice art for ratings.

So it wasn't really until two years ago that my opinion started to shift. It was then that I bought my first crop of DVD box sets: SportsNight, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Six Feet Under. These are all shows that I had seen one or three episodes of when they were on the air (the pilot of SFU I watched on the web), and did enjoy, but despite the critical acclaim for the shows I never could find the time to watch them. When I finally got the DVDs, I was surprised to find how much I liked watching the shows. Without commercials, each episode seems to fly by, and can be better appreciated. Even better, I finally understood the rather obvious advantage TV has over film: that the stories can go on forever. Awful sequels aside, a movie has to introduce characters, give them problems, and solve them all in a space of 90 to 150 minutes, which is the longest an audience can sit in uncomfortable theatre seats without going crazy. A TV show, while it has to work with the clunky 'episode' format, can develop characters that can grow and change over a long period of time, and feature storylines that unfold over the course of an entire season or more. Thus, the best DVDs sets to buy are of shows that best take advantage of this opportunity. I now regret ever buying the first season of south park; episodes are funny, but there's no real need to see every episode, I'm now content watching random reruns on cable. But I've really gotten into the aforementioned shows, along with Freaks and Geeks and The West Wing. When I get home from work late and don't have much free time, watching a 42 minutes episode is a lot more manageable than watching a movie, and you get a lot more entertainment for the price. Granted, TV shows don't quite have the replayability of a movie, but still.

I was thinking about when they make movies out of TV shows, and how everything changes, despite the same characters, when the format shifts. Examples include, of course, the ubiquitous star trek, along with the X-files and South Park movies. I can't really think of any other examples. There was a show on fox a couple years ago, which of course was quickly cancelled and then found sucess on DVD, that is now being made into a feature film, to be released next spring. The show was called 'Firefly,' the movie 'Serenity,' and I did catch about a half dozen of the aired episodes, and thought it to be pretty good. The movie is being made with all of the same actors, along with the series creator as writer and director. I'm very curious to see how it turns out, just to see how it adapts to the big screen. The show itself is kind of a weird outer space/sci fi meets Western (literally) and is created by Joss Wheden, who is probably the best tv writer ever, but also wrote lots of films as well.

Don't let our youth go to waste

Okay, sorry I ever doubted the packers on Monday. I still went 11-5 for the week, which was better than a lot of so called experts. I think anyone who's a paid 'expert' has to intentionally make a lot of questionable picks no matter what, just so they can try and pick upsets. All of the cbs sportsline people were no better than 9-7 for the week, and no one was better than 10-6 on espn. Surely all of these people spend more time researching these things than I do, it's their job. (Do you think that when these people get tired of researching football, they waste time by processing insurance applications?) But anyway, I'm still 3 games behind the week leader, who got incredibly lucky.

The rest of this week will go as follows: today work til nearly 7, go home eat, sleep, tomorrow work til 430, go home eat, work at ramp from 630-1030, go home sleep. Saturday wake up, eat, waste a few hours watching college football, go to work from 5 til midnite, sleep. Sunday football football football, and then Fiery Furnaces concert late that night. Which will leave me tired for Monday. Awesome.

Yesterday our man J.F. Kerry was in madison, the guy who sits in the cube across from me took 4 hours off of work to go see him. I didn't know about it until yesterday, but doubt I would've went anyway. Despite recent polls I remain optimistic, I think even with the lack of coverage from the media, the more people learn about the issues and the candidates, the better chance Kerry has. Even people who are Republicans should be alarmed with Bush and his extremist policies. My cynical side fears that Karl Rove has Osama bin Laden tied up in his basement, and our troops will miraculously find him in the hands of Iraqi insurgents in late October.

Big ups to Andy and Mandy in the MPLS, who I will hereby refer to as the collective entity 'M/Andy', for finally getting engaged, and a bonus for including me in the wedding party. Wedding's in a year, and will undoubtedly be a great time. Interestingly enough, M. is slated to be the maid of honor for friends of hers at a wedding during the same month. I'm reeeeeeealy hoping the dates don't end up being the same, obviously, because I think a) both weddings will be fun, b) it'll be a rare chance for her to meet some of my friends that she hasn't, and c) I'll get to see her all dressed up and gorgeous twice, instead of zero times.

Oh, happy Rosh Hashanah if you know what it is.

domesticate everybody c'mon

Another sleepy Monday, got talked into working at the ramp last night. So I got home from Chicago around 1, talked to my parents and made lunch and watched some precious football, and then to work at 5. Usually when I work Sunday I like to take it easy on Monday, go home early and get to bed, but tonight the Packers are playing so it's going to be a sleepy Tuesday as well.

For the second year in a row I'm in a football office pool. Not my own office, actually, but my cousin's in Appleton. My dad and I were invited to join last year, and we took 3rd and 4th place, respectively, out of 35. This year there are a few more entries, and I'm worried that with me losing DSL access in a matter of weeks, plus having a lot of other things on my mind, my results will suffer. This week, though, I'm doing OK, 11-4 before this evening (I've got the panthers). Usually when I'm picking I look at some 'expert' picks online, just to compare. Well, this week I'm beating all the experts at espn and everywhere else, even before tonight's game. I'm not at the top of my pool, but am ahead of my dad, cousin, and uncle. So that went ok. I know this is extremely exciting for everyone to hear.

So, remember, I told you I got a new roommate at the beginning of the month? Well, in the last eight days, I've seen him for a total of 3 seconds. Last week Sunday and then not again until yesterday, when he came out of his room in a bathrobe at 3 pm, and went out side to smoke one of his stupid small cigars with a plastic tip. I don't know if he seriously is addicted to those things or just thinks he's cool, but that's all I'm seeing him do. Sometimes I hear him coughing. Otherwise when I get home from work his door is closed and I don't know if he's home or not, but he must be around sometime after I go to sleep because I notice things moved in the bathroom. Speaking of, he doesn't have any shampoo near the shower, just a bar of soap, and I'm wondering if he's using mine. On Friday morning I took mine out of the bathtub and hid it in a cupboard, but there was still no shampoo there this morning. So is he not washing his hair, or does he have his own hidden source of shampoo? He's buying groceries and stuff, so there's no reason why he wouldn't have any. It bothers me more than it should.

But my roommate are OK, they don't create major problems, but I'm glad we are paying rent separately, and not paying utilities, because then I would be hounding them all the time. But now I don't have to worry, though things are still a little too disorganized and dirty, a little too collegiate for my tastes. Paul the DJ is ok, except when he spins he plays his records way too loud, even for me. Now, I like loud music, dislike simple background music, but Paul is in the living room, I'm across the house in my room with the door closed, and I can't have a conversation on the phone because things are too loud. That's too loud. And I'm not as impressed by his DJing skills as before. I mean, it does take talent to line up the beats and switch records and stuff, and sometimes he makes some cool scratches or something, but mostly he's just making a live mixtape. And, don't get me wrong, it probably would take me tons of practice to even be competent at mixing, and the records he plays are mostly decent, undie hip hop, but at the same time it's kinda the same thing over and over. And I don't see why it has to be so loud when he does it. It's not like guitar, when volume can change the sound.

So, anyway, what I'm saying is, I like my place OK, except that I like it best when no one else is around. I'm like that about most places I've lived I guess though. When I move I'm going to suddenly be the messy, irresponsible one, a role I haven't played in a very long time. Well, actually I am neater than M., but I usually don't have to be neat all the time. But we'll probably kill each other by Christmas.

Slipping toward the inevitable

Today I arrived to work at 6:44 am, just so I can leave early to head down to Chicago this afternoon, arriving right at the peak of rush hour traffic. I can't wait. The good news is, however, that this may be the last time I drive down there 'to visit.' It's only for a day and a half, as M. has to work sunday morning, but in a little over two weeks her vacation starts, which last for two whole weeks. She's coming here for a few days, will have to amuse herself when I go to work, but then we're taking a road trip to Louisville, KY on Sept. 30 - Oct. 3. Don't ask me why we are going there, she wanted somewhere we could drive to in a day, and I guess we'll just eat at Waffle House's and visit some caves or something. And the Maker's Mark distillery. Then she'll visit her parents for a few days, and come back to spend the last weekend with me. And, the way it looks like now, a mere two weeks after that I'll be changing zip codes, and, more gradually, every one of my personal habits.

I don't want to sound like a broken record, but...

OK, I promise I'll cool it on the political stuff, at least for a while...

But, first, here's a list of Bush "flip-flops". Granted, the site is pretty biased, and some of their examples lack merit (I never understood the whole hubbub over the 'we can't win the war on terror' thing), but most of them are true and very interesting.

You see, my October is looking to be pretty busy, and I don't know how much time I'll have then, so now I feel compelled to write about all this stuff now. If I had more time I could go on for hours.

Hot new toy for Xmas 2004

Yay! Next week I can finally get that Uzi I've always wanted!

Thanks G.W.!

"I voted for the 87 billion dollars, before I voted against it"

1. Half of the part of the 87 billion that went to Iraq Reconstruction aid would be a loan to Iraq, which would pay it back once it was stabilized and began to make proper money on its oil.

2. The 87 billion should come from rolling back the 2001 Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, earning over $400,000 a year.

3. The 87 billion would be divided about evenly between military spending, and reconstruction aid for Iraq and Afghanistan, instead of a roughly 80-20% ratio.

John Kerry supported each of these amendments to the 87 billion dollar aid package to Iraq and Afghanistan. #1 failed only because President Bush threatened to veto the bill if even 10 billion dollars came in the form of loans, see here. The bill including this provision actually was put to a vote in the Senate, where it passed, 51-47, supported by most democrats, including Kerry, plus 8 republicans. It didn't get voted on in the house, however, and died. #2 (which Kerry co-authored himself) and #3 were overruled by the Republican majority. Kerry was dissatisfied with the state of the bill and frustrated with the poor leadership and planning of the war thus far, and so cast his infamous 'no' vote. The bill passed 87-12. There was no flip-flopping, Kerry fought hard for the version he wanted, and he didn't get it, so he voted no on the version that didn't provide any way to pay for the bill. It's sad the Bushy has to resort constantly to these lowball tactics of reciting the infamous quote that we've heard too many times already. Politics are not that simple, are not in black and white, and are more complex than many voters (and quite possibly Bush himself) realize. The fact that this quote seems to be such a prevalent theme in the President's rhetoric suggests that manipulation and half-truths are the only way Bush can win. Furthermore, the fact that Bush threatened to veto the bill if the loan provision was included is a lot more frightening, and powerful, than Kerry's 'no' vote.

I'll use this weapon on the devil-horse if I have to.

Miss Will Ferrell's Bush impression?

click

Fair and balanced

In a show of non-partisanship, since I provided a link to Barack Obama's speech at the Democratic National Convention last month, I figured it was only fair to reprint a speech given at the RNC.  Well, here you go:

 

The complete remarks by Barbara and Jenna Bush, the daughters of President Bush, to the Republican National Convention, which was interrupted 27 times by laughter or applause.

JENNA BUSH: It's great to be here. We love Arnold. Isn't he awesome?

Thanks to him, if one of us ever decides to marry a Democrat, nobody can complain, except maybe our grandmother, Barbara. And if she doesn't like it, we would definitely hear about it.

We already know she doesn't like some of our clothes, our music, or most of the TV shows we watch.

Gammie, we love you dearly, but you're just not very hip.

She thinks "Sex and the City" is something married people do, but never talk about.

We spent the last four years trying to stay out of the spotlight.

 

Sometimes, we did a little better job than others.

JENNA BUSH: We kept trying to explain to my dad that when we are young and irresponsible, well, we're young and irresponsible.

BARBARA BUSH: Jenna and I are really not very political, but we love our dad too much to stand back and watch from the sidelines.
We realized that this would be his last campaign, and we wanted to be a part of it.
Besides, since we've graduated from college, we're looking around for something to do for the next few years.

Kind of like dad.

JENNA BUSH: Our parents have always encouraged us to be independent and dream big. We've spent a lot of time at the White House, so when we showed up the first day, we thought we had it all figured out. But apparently my dad already has a chief of staff, named Andy.

BARBARA BUSH: When your dad's a Republican and you go to Yale, you learn to stand up for yourself.

I knew I wasn't quite ready to be president, but number two sounded pretty good.

BARBARA BUSH: Who is this man they call Dick Cheney?

JENNA BUSH: I think I know a lot about campaigns. After all, my grandfather and my dad have both run for president, so I put myself in charge of strategy. Then I got an angry call from some guy named Karl.

BARBARA BUSH: We knew we had something to offer. I mean, we've traveled the world; we've studied abroad. But when we started coming home with foreign policy advise, dad made us call Condi.

JENNA BUSH: Not to be deterred, we thought surely there's a place for strong willed, opinionated women in communications. And next thing we know, Karen's back.

BARBARA BUSH: So we decided the best thing we could do here tonight would be to introduce somebody we know and love.

JENNA BUSH: You know all those times when you're growing up and your parents embarrass you? Well, this is payback time on live TV.

BARBARA BUSH: Take this. I know it's hard to believe, but our parents' favorite term of endearment for each other is actually "Bushy."

And we had a hamster, too. Let's just say ours didn't make it.

JENNA BUSH: But, contrary to what you might read in the papers, our parents are actually kind of cool. They do know the difference between mono and Bono. When we tell them we're going to see Outkast, they know it's a band and not a bunch of misfits. And if we really beg them, they'll even shake it like a Polaroid picture.

BARBARA BUSH: So, OK, maybe they have learned a little pop culture from us, but we've learned a lot more from them about what matters in life, about unconditional love, about focus and discipline. 
They taught us the importance of a good sense of humor, of being open-minded and treating everyone with respect.

And we learned the true value of honesty and integrity.

JENNA BUSH: When you grow up as the daughters of George and Laura Bush, you develop a special appreciation for how blessed we are to live in this great country.
We are so proud to be here tonight to introduce someone who read us bedtime stories, picked up car pool, made us our favorite peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and cheered for us when we scored a goal, even when it was for the wrong team.

BARBARA BUSH: Someone who told us we actually looked cute in braces, always welcomed our friends and was there waiting when we came home at curfew.

JENNA BUSH: Ladies and gentlemen, one of the two most loving, thoughtful people we know.

BARBARA BUSH: Your president and our dad, George W. Bush.

....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.