rock me amadeus!!

One of the songs I got put on to my iPod was Falco's "Rock Me Amadeus". I mean, of course it's on there. That is a MUST HAVE 80s track. I had the Pod (still no proper name for it yet...though I'm considering Georg after the VonTrappe pater familias) on shuffle and aforementioned song came on, and it moved me to track down the music vid on YouTube.

Maaaan! I had totally forgotten how awesome that was!! It seems so LURID!! Even in the crazy 80s (days of Madonna & all) this seems a smidge risque.






There's something inherently lurid about 18th century garb anyways. The powdered wigs, for one. The men and women had virtually the same hair...there is a unisex uniformity in that that rings kinky somehow. Male attire was benign enough, but the dresses!! Those corsets that make your boobs overflow all over the place (forget "muffin tops" --think popovers!). And hoop skirts-- yowza. You can fit all kinds of debauchery under there.

I do not have this mix of "Rock Me Amadeus" -- mine does not have the guitar riffs, nor the "Sug-sug-sugah sweet. Sugar Sweet". I also recall listening to a version (different from this in the video & different from the one on my iPod) that has a timeline in it. I should like to possess all possible variations of "Rock Me Amadeus" . Also I remember a song he did called "Vienna Calling" which I'd also like to get my mitts on.

It makes me sad how Falco died so prematurely (car accident in 1998). Maybe he woulda made a comeback, maybe not. Even if he didn't, he has irrevocable cool points for all time just for that one song. I am grateful though, that he's not buried in the US... 'cause I was reading the wikipedia write-up on Falco and it featured a pic of his grave and --yeeeesh--- it has got to be the CREEPIEST "resting place" ever!!

Indiana wants me!!

First of all, lemme kvetch that this new internet moderation movement in my office is KILLING ME! Ok, well that's overstating it a smidge, but it ain't easy for me to abstain from 'net surfing when I get downtime.


So I was trying to be good and reading The Language of Doors --this book I bought for cheapie-cheap at Home Goods on my last Burlington trek. This book is more or less about different elements that comprise certain residential architectural styles (keeping its focus on the entry way) . The Richardson Romanesque style featured in the book intrigued me and it got me to thinking on other styles I dig-- Tudor revival, bungalow. And then I was lamenting the loss of this book I had -- Storybook Style about these really enchanting storybook style houses (think stone work, arched doors, exposed timbers, wonky pitched roofs). I was thinking I really HAVE TO re-acquire that book. I loved that book! Suddenly I felt certain that if I didn't add it to my Amazon wish list RIGHT NOW I would forget all about it forever.



So yeah...that's when I went renegade and popped online for totally nonprofessional reasons. Said coffee table book is added to my wish list. Pisser of it is, is that Amazon has it at a low low price of $23.07....and I know I paid $10 when I bought it before. Waaah. But anyways...



Now I was online, was thinking about storybook homes, it was a foregone conclusion that I would try to find some sites about storybook architecture (there aren't any good ones, I'm afraid) or just some photos. In this quest I happened upon Simpler Times Village.



Simpler Times Village is slated to commence construction in 2008, somewhereabouts in Indiana. Well, they do specify Southern Madison county Indiana, but uhhh, I know SQUATTYSQUAT about Indiana geography so to me-Southern Madison county ="somewhereabouts" .



So yeah, I may just move to somewhereabouts Indiana and buy me a Simpler Times Village cottage (humor me for a spell, ok? Let's just make believe like I have the ability to save up $$) These are the house plans that intrigue me--



THE GWYNDOLYN--

Tremendously cute (thought that gingerbread cornice work is a bit much for my liking) but I don't know if I could deal with only 1196 sq ft and only one bedroom (that's NUTS). Needless to say, we are now disregarding the truth that I live in...ohhh, a 10 sq ft apartment (somethin' like that) right now. I remind you that this is make-believe dream house shopping, mmm kay? Let's continue on to the other plan that appealed to me...
THE LAMPLIGHT COTTAGE--


Just lovely. I love me an arched door.

Also I had to throw in a page from the site that just amused the hell outta me. Aside from *suggested* house plans, they have early plans for village businesses. A Detective business in Simpler Times Villages? WTF, folks? Anyways, they have a prospective Mexican restaurant on the horizon (possibly)...
I probably couldn't live in a village without Mexican food, I so love my guac & frijoles refritos , but I can think of about 100 restaurant names (if not 1,000) better than THE PAINTED TACO. That is just weird.

Direct your attention to that "What's Your Dream?" section where they're soliciting folks to volunteer ("Yes, I would very much like to own and operate The Painted Taco. Sign me up, mammy!") "I am a future customer, send me coupons!" Huh? It's a bit premature to start amassing Painted Taco coupons, am I right??
I adore the third, totally off-the-wall bulletpoint there, which is- "I LOVE flan!" That's terrific. Very comical in an end credits of Letterman ("Worldwide Pants!") kind of fashion, right?


I have never had flan but I quite enjoy a good churro.

Ok, as intrigued as I am by Simpler Times, I also watch a lot of movies... That is why a part of me wonders if there isn't something sinister...something "Stepford-esque" going on behind the scenes here. Oh wait, no..."The Village". It's sort of making me think of that movie. You know the one...directed by M. Night Shammalammalakem (whatev) the acting debut of Bryce Dallas Howard. But even if there were no secret sinister goings-on...there's still a high probability of having fruity, irritating neighbors.. . .ones that homeschool their kids and keep milking goats.

So I've decided... I'll not write off Simpler Times Village entirely, but I'm not moving out there unless I can get someone to come with. . .

Anybody game??

other atrocities of the day....

I was actually running early this morning (shocker!!) and so I had time to zip thru the McDon's drivethru to grab coffee & an Egg McMuffin (subbing bacon for the standard ham...as is my wont) . I always --when rhapsodizing over breakfast sammies-- enthuse that McDonalds' offerings are vastly better than what they sell at Dunkin' Donuts. I would prefer to champion the little guy (DD in this case) but I just cannot. And I guess I still stand by this assertion, but I feel a bit betrayed that after years of my extolling the virtues of the McMuffin (whether the McHonchos know it or not) I was this morning sold an Egg McMuffin WITH EGG SHELL in it. Ewww.
Ok, so I have no call to be as affronted as like, the lady who got a partial rat in her McRib (but really, who orders a @#$%ing Mc Rib ? Those things are revolting, even when constructed properly) and I suppose I should be thankful for the reassurance that yes, they do in fact, use real eggs. But it ruined my whole breakfast damn it!!

I don't know if you've been informed- but breakfast is the most important meal of the day!!

Do you really want to hurt me? Do you really want to make me cry?

Holy Hell, Boy George! I mean, it's really no big for you to rack up the occasional drug charge (that's to be expected) but this new quandary is exceedingly bad behavior (even for a celebrity!)

Although I should mention this is no music history precedent, this. I believe that is what the late Rick James did a stretch in the hoosgow for--having a sex slave (I oughtta clarify: an involuntary sex slave) But Rick James...he was a super freak, super freaky (yow! Temptations--sing!) But Boy George , I had thought, was all about colorful gayness and karma. Well, pardon me for pointing out the obvious, but this is not going to incur you any good karma. Quite the opposite, Georgie. Quite the opposite...

low key dokey Smokey

Had a pretty chill weekend, and after the surprise parties and extensive shopping of the prior weekend, I think a chill weekend was most definitely in order.

Lemme see...I babysat the girls on Friday night while Laura, Greg & Seth took in the Div.III Championship football game in Brattleboro. Right after returning from the game, Greg headed off to camp so I spent all of Saturday and some of Sunday hanging with Laura & the kids. Not like she can't hack it solo...she does about 90% of the time. I just thought it'd be nice for her to have a bit of back up. Just a little bit. I mean, truthfully, I spent a goodly chunk of time on her computer ripping songs off CDs onto my iPod. I've gone from 165 songs to 1002 songs. And I did download 1 podcast (Flight of the Conchords)too! Ohhh, but there is still more to add...

Saturday we went shopping. I didn't do a lot of spending ...I had a ten dollar credit at Encore books and I grabbed 3 books that came to a total of $10.97. I opted to skip Kohl's and sit in the van with Lucy & Sadie. I found a box of face paint crayons in the van (Laura's sister-in-law had had her buy 'em & bring to the Fri night game) and doodled all over the girls' faces. Hey..I get bored waiting in the van! Laura didn't really care...I think she just appreciated the chance to shop without anyone whining and/or swiping things off the shelves. Later she bought me dinner at Gusanoz (mmmmm!! burritos) So I spent a grand total 97 cents this weekend. Ohhhh, if only I was always so thrifty!!

Yesterday I went for a pre-church walk w/ my sister & the 2 little muffins (the mini-muffins..as I sometimes call them). Laura --who is infamous for her speedwalking-- was actually keeping a reasonable pace because she was pushing the girls in a double stroller. Sadie is getting too old (and a bit too heavy) to be pushed around in that thing. I was musing during our walk... isn't it less work to pull something than it is to push it? And if so, why don't they make rickshaw style strollers?? But I digress. After church, I watched Greg cut the innards out of a deer (he got a 10pointer early Sun morning). Then after lunch, I went to my parents' house...took a long nap, cooked a cabbage and a butternut sqash.

And that was my weekend. Unbelievably thrilling, yes?

New Heroes on tonight. Y'know I don't know why everyone is so down on season 2. I am still utterly devoted to the show. OK, I concede that the inky eye twins from S America are a lame addition, and I am quite relieved that the 17th century storyline is at long last over, but there are lots of other things about the show that are great. I guess I'm saying the pros outweigh the cons...

musicology

Among a bevvy of other purchases I made this weekend, I acquired a "Jaw Harp" also called a "Jew's Harp". From what I have gleaned so far, the instrument has nothing to do with the Jews and hardly anything to do with the jaw. So it feels more befitting to me to call it a "twanger". And so I have been. This is the instrument I mean, by the way---

Sadly, I do not have a Snoopy brand harp (I would be BEYOND ELATED) , it is Toysmith brand, but the harp looks identical to this.

Now although this was primarily a Christmas shopping trip, this harp was actually a purchase for yours truly. I know, I know , you're thinking "Great stocking stuffer for the nephew/one of the nieces!!" But..au contraire mon frère !! I snatched up the thang for me own personal, musical enhancement. I thought it would be such fun to master some folky, old timey instrument such as this. I'm already a whiz at playing a jug. Ok, well I'm somewhat proficient and it's not really a jug, but an empty 20oz Diet Coke bottle. But I'm SURE if I had a proper jug I'd pick it up with the greatest of ease. After I master the Jew/Jaw/twanger harp, I might try learning to play washboard or the spoons. Then I could quit this FOOL job and join Emmett Otter's band. I know they got somebody on washboard, but I don't think they have anyone playing the twanger or the spoons. Awwwww YEAH.

OK here's the problem...

I can't play this damn thing. I persist in trying...but it's not so easy as you'd presume. I even looked it up on Wikipedia (Oh here's a neat-o quote from that article :"Since trances are facilitated by droning sounds, the Jew's harp has been associated with magic and has been a common instrument in shamanic rituals. " no wonder I was inexplicably allured by this instrument!! How RAD is that??) and then on YouTube (for a sort of vid tutorial) even though we were recently warned that the co. has stepped up supervision of our net activity. I couldn't resist looking it up. I am super duper determined to figure this sucka out!! Do you think studying JawHarpery online will be an extra-nefarious red flag for the corp IT spies?? We shall see, amigos...

Check this dude out. He is my HARP IDOL. He makes it look damned easy but believe you me, it AIN'T. I will keep on workin' at it... will let you's all know if I progress at all...

Holy schnikey ...IT WORKED!

Oh, it was garlic-dill Havarti, in case y'all were curious. I am going to now partake of a smallish mound of Smartfood and then desist stuffing my face...

Haven't posted one of these in a while...thought I'd give it a shot and see if I could make it work (work= expand when clicked on) . We shall see....

I don't know really why I still obscure the last names...I'm sure y'all know my name. But I don't exactly get my office mates permission to post these things on my blog (they don't even know I have a blog, I don't think) so on principle I render them all anonymous-like...

Oh that mention of baby haters is an inside joke. One of our coworkers...from the accounting dept ...brought in her new li'l granddaughter. And Robin was not appropriately schmoopy over it (neither was I, actually) so I IMed her "WHY DO YOU HATE THE BABIES??" or "Why are you against the babies?" something like that. She's not, really, but it amused me to make it a running gag that Robin is "ANTI babies".

SooooooPRIZE, SooooPRIZE!!

That's supposed to be ,like, a typed impression of Gomer Pyle. I dunno if that came across or not. When I walked into a surprise 30th bash on Friday night, though I was surely proved a real schmendrick, I didn't sound like Gomer Pyle. I don't think so anyways...

So I thought that Laura might throw something together (I put her through it, after all) but with the 4 anklebiters taking up her every free minute, I woulda certainly understood if she couldn't find the time. In early Oct, both she and my mother had asked me questions (oh-so-nonchalantly) about some of my friends' last names...THAT I took to be a red flag. And then she happened to say "We should do something for your birthday on the following Friday"(meaning the Fri after my birthday). And I thought to meself "Oh, that's when the surprise party's going to be" So, I was absolutely on to the whole scheme.....but then I got "thrown off the scent" so to speak. My friend Roxanne emailed me "Let's go to Salt Hill on Friday night and celebrate your birthday!" and it was a very cas., off-the-cuff seeming invite. So, I thought, I'll run this by Laura and how she responds to this will prove/disprove once and for all if a surprise party is in the works or not. I said to her "Roxanne wants to know if I want to go to Salt Hill on Friday night. I haven't gotten back to her just yet..since I thought we had something tenatively planned. Should I tell her I'll give her a raincheck??" and Laura was all "No, go ahead. Go with Roxanne" and when I invited her to come with, she said "Well I'm going to be gone shopping aaaalll weekend....so I should probably stay in with Greg & the kids on Friday" " (this is true, I should interject, we had already scheduled a Christmas Shopping Season Kick-off Trip to Burlington for Sat & Sun with our friend Kristi....which we did go on) Now this response had me thinking she is either in cahoots with Roxanne and still has something up her sleeve, OR is being totally honest here, is staying home, and in that case there was nothing in the offing for Fri night, and if it wasn't happening on Fri night it was *probably* not happening at all. So I DID (for the record) entertain the notion that Roxanne & Laura were conspiring, but I dismissed it for 2 reasons:

a) Laura is too much of a control freak to delegate and...

b) I speculated that Laura considered me easy to fool on account of self-absorption and my head being perpetually lodged up my arse. Now , I'm not quite so bad, but I thought that that is how L had me pegged. Therefore, I didn't think she'd employ such complex subterfuge.

I stand corrected.

If I'd known that I'd have an audience of 30 + people awaiting my arrival, I might've gotten to Salt Hill by 6:15 (as promised) and not 6:25. OOoopsie. Although my tardiness was partly due to me doing hair & make-up before I left work....can't say as I regret that, considering how many TRILLIONS of photos were snapped of me. A picture frame was passed around where everybody signed the matte...we'll definitely have a pic to put in there. Hopefully it won't be the one my Uncle Chuck took of me RAVAGING a buffalo wing. Not the most flattering way to be captured on film, that.

It was a really good time and I actually had one of those schmaltzy Hallmarky rushes of warm fuzzies-- gratitude mostly --that I was so lucky to have been born into such a wonderful family and have managed to accrue such awesome friends. I suppose I could've been moved to make some heartfelt and appreciative speech/toast/whatev but I'm just not like that. I kind of wish I was like that and had given such a speech but.... I dunno, on the other hand, I don't express myself so well when I'm emoting, so I probably would've botched it utterly. I did make the rounds dispensing a lot of hugs and "Thank you so much for coming"s /"I'm so glad you came!"s.

If I get any good pics sent my way, I'll be sure to post 'em... (I know, I know, I NEVER post pics. Case in point...my vainly promised vacation snaps)

stuff about today

Remember, remember, the fifth of November

The gunpowder, treason, and plot

I know of no reason why the gunpowder treason

Should ever be forgot

It's Guy Fawke's Night!! I don't know why I find Guy Fawkes intriguing but NOT scornworthy... I mean, noble goals or not, blowing up Parliament is kind of an act of terrorism. But still, the guy seems like he was a good egg to me. I could be biased (I'm Catholic & ol' GF was workin' for the Catholic cause). Also I come on the scene well over 3 centuries after the fact...so uhhh, that could certainly skew my perspective. I think, after such time has passed, he's morphed into a sort of a general romantic, fight-the-power figure (a la Che Guevara or Jim Morrison...though I'm not really up on all the Che lore...so no, I don't have one of the Tshirts). At least he has in my 21st century history-dabbling (NOT specializing in history, you see ) mind.

Y'know, the fact that it was only *politicians* he meant to blow up make his intended deeds feel somehow less reprehensible(don't fret people...my rational brain knows how wrong that is)

Also Guy is somewhat of a looker if this ubiquitous portrait of him is to be believed . I mean, amongst the wearing-lace-collars-and-kooky-Pilgrim-hats set, he's fairly foxy.

I WOULD wear a T-shirt with him on it..

Another thing I read about today was ambergris. I think it was the MSN homepage that sported the curious "How will Whale Vomit Help me to Early Retirement?" headline. Now that is some TOP SHELF headline writing right there. Pulled the reader (ie : MOI) right in with a confounded sense of "WTF is this jibba jabba all about? I gotsta read this..." What I found most fascinating was all the many& varied uses for ambergris. Food flavoring, jewelry, perfume preservative....it truly is a magical substance. Miracle puke!! Or, as the Germans call it... Wunder YARRRF (forget the Germans...**I** wanna call it that!)

I have this "Forgotten English" desk calendar that has a word every day that was used back in the day (anytime between Guy Fawkes times and the early twentieth ce) but has fallen into disuse and been , for the most part, obsoleted . For some reason, this has not entertained me in 2007 as much as it did when I last got this desk calendar (that'd be 2004). It was interesting, somewhat, up until mid February, but then the novelty wore off. Or maybe , it's not really the premise that has lost its charm, only that they just ran out of good words for '07. I think this may be the case, because I find myself rather smitten with today's offering--

I was a big user of the word "ginormous" waaaay before it was annexed by lexicographers nationwide . Even before it was made bona fide. Before that...before it was even hip, man. But now it's popular parlance, and I'm feeling the need for new synonym for "huge" ...something obscure that everybody's not poachin' already. This may just fit the bill, friends....

nippytucky

I forgot to mention how ELATED I am that FX has commenced the new season of Nip/Tuck. OF COURSE I tuned in Tues night!!
Some highlights--
I looooved the sequence of Christian & Sean prepping for a night out clubbing. I concur with the wise gents in ZZ Top: every girl *is* crazy 'bout a sharp dressed man. Those dudes can dress-- seriously!! It could be that is a happy side effect of them being a small percentage gay for each other. Also muy caliente? The new McNamara/Troy offices. This makes me think they must have had a nice fat start-up "egg". Although the scene with the fish repo dude suggests otherwise.
The "Hearts 'n' Scalpels" show-within-a-show thing was damned funny...in especially Bradley Cooper deadpanning "I'll be there in 10. . . . .10 orgasms" Oliver Platt was amazing too. Thinking back on it, they sure as hell packed in as many guest stars as they could for the season premiere. Quite near maximum capacity, I'll bet. Oh, and I felt awful for Daphne Zuniga's character ... that scene with Christian scrawling all over her photo with lipstick....that just killed me.

Speaking of TV (and revisiting the top topic du jour), I guess I can download podcasts on to my iPod. I already feel the need to call it something other than iPod. I sense that I will be using it super often, and in that case, I don't want to just call it iPod like ALL of them are called. So I think I am going to have to name it. That's one to mull over. A good name for my iPod. Oh, right-- don't you look at me like that (as if I've gone bat guano loco at long last) !! People name their flippin' cars don't they? Oh , anyways, I was on about podcasts, si? It occurred to me: this would be a way I could catch up on all those HBO or Showtime shows that I always think look neat but I've dismissed as forever unattainable because I have no intention of paying for cable (ever!!). The Tudors, for instance, looks very promising. Is that getting renewed for a 2nd season? I wonder... Also, I would check out Flight of the Conchords, get a peek at Reaper (although I think I do get the CW..it's just hard to locate amongst my channels). Yessss, that would be good.

I had this in mind when I checked out the iTunes site. I figured that had to be the go-to site for such a thing since Steve Jobs and his iBastards seem to rule with an iRon fist (haa)... I was skeptical that I could find usable downloads elsewhere, y'know? It seems though, you cannot even browse if you don't have the iTunes player installed? Whyever the fuck not, I ask you? I happen to be a big fan of browsing--both in actual real life stores and in the online shops. But I can't even peruse the fucking wares if I don't install this hella-invasive install on my work PC? Damn youse guys!! Of course, I installed the iTunes player on my home (aka Laura's) computer, but I would never do that on my office PC (and probably I'm barred from doing so anyways...)! So my dream podcast roster waits to be compiled some other day. Waaaah....

iRule

I got a smattering of lovely gifts for my birthday. But the most preoccupying one , the BIG TICKET item..is an 80 gb iPod Classic.

Don't get me wrong...I do love it. But I am having the damnedest time getting my music onto it. See I have a BUTTLOAD of music on my sister's PC. Some of the songs I've ripped off of CDs when making mixes. Those (165 songs) I've been able to sync to the iPod. HOWEVER, there are lots and LOTS and LOTS of tracks that I've downloaded via Puretracks.com that are giving me trouble. The simplest (and PRICIEST) solution would be to re-buy all these tracks from iTunes but uhhhh..no fucking way am I doing that! There's gotta be another way!! The weird thing is...none of these download tracks show up in my iPod..and yet when I connected the iPod to my work PC and right clicked on the device, selected "Explore" ALL THOSE TRACKS SHOWED UP !! I wasn't able to play any of them...they simply aren't there when I navigate around on the iPod, and when I tried to play them on the PC it gave me an error message....some twaddle about licenses (whatev!!). But the confounding fact remains: they ARE fucking in there somewhere!! Right?? Ugggh!! The whole deal is frustrating me big time. And I find Windows Help & iPod/Apple Help to be...anything but helpful. I need LIVE assistance. I need . . .I need THE NERD HERD.

I've really been dwelling on the negative side o' things--namely these 300+ kick ass songs that I can't play on my new iPod. Why does the iGestappo have to make this so g.d. hard for me, huh? But what I **should** be doing is saying-- Hooooraay, I have this shiny new toy. It has cool games on it and 165 very fine songs.

At present, I am thankful that I was able to get some Beastie Boys up in this thang. I have 4 Beastie tracks on the iPod:
1.Brass Monkey
2.Triple Trouble
3.That's It That's All
4.The Brouhaha

I am right now rocking out to #4 on this list. Never really got any Top 40 Radio airplay but believe you me, clown, it is a DAMNED enjoyable 2minutes and 13 seconds.
Y'know when discussing the Beastie's canon, music nerds are usually all "blah blah blah..Paul's Boutique..yadda yadda.." I guess that's their most pioneering & most critically acclaimed album, but for me "License to Ill" & "To the 5 Burroughs" are the must-haves. And I do have them. Those 2 along with "Hello Nasty" (but strangely, I never listen to that one) Before long, I will never handle any of those CDs ...they will all just be tracks on my iPod. I'm suddenly very sentimental about my ol' mountain of CDs. Sentimental about CDs in general, really. It seems a foregone conclusion that they WILL go the way of the Dodo, but it seems strange to think on a whole type of store being wiped out, nationwide. I wonder if it would work if CD stores evolved instead...they could become a place where you came in with your iPod or equivalent device, hand it over to the staff after choosing songs off a sort of menu and then the employees would do all the tiresome techno-grunt work for you. This type of establishment would be handy for folks who either: a) possess outmoded equipment not in keeping with the high tech times OR b) possess outmoded skills not in keeping with the high tech times. I know it's hard to believe (in light of this post) but I do fall more into category a than b.

OK so I've beaucoup download frustrations, and glum reveries on the eventual demise of the music store, but aside from all that, I'm quite happy with the new iPod. I'm sure I'll rally and become truly assimilated into the iPod nation before long, right? I am pretty smitten with the whole clickwheel dealie. That's good fun. Y'know, owning this is apt to bump me up into a whole new technological caste. And that means that I MUST now obtain that laptop that I've been passively pining for forever. But first, all the must-have i-Pod accoutrements....

Happy Birthday to meeeeee

...and John Keats, and Dan Rather, and one of the Beastie Boys (not my favorite one, but still, Beastie Boys are AWESOME) and Vanilla Ice. Bonus-- I am the youngest of this birthday crew (unless you consider Keats to still be 25 yrs old as he was when he died in 1821)

So yeah, happy damn b-day to me. I'm still rather vexed by that figure--the big 3-0-- but it is undoubtedly better than the alternative (that'd be the dreaded dirt nap)

I wore my costume to work today. I am oscillating between congratulating myself on my bravado and, at other times, feeling like a massive tool. As a...uhhh...vampiress cryptkeeper, I guess is what I am... I have this long black wig on. It keeps getting in my face and getting caught on stuff. I must keep brushing it aside in a very Cher -like fashion. Going to the bathroom, incidentally, was no easy feat.

RIP Goulet

I was very sad to read this a.m. that Robert Gooouleeeeeet had passed awaaaaaaaay while he was awaiting a lung transplant.

Ok to be totally honest, I wasn't a fan of Goulet's music, though I did like his recent Emerald Nuts commercials. What I really fell in love with was the Will Ferrell version of Bob Goulet. This here is some of the funniest funny shit ever (100X better than his Neil Diamond schtick, by the way)

Heroes last night..

HOLY HELL, HRG!! I do like you when you're a badass (like when you nearly broke the hand of that snotty manager at your fake job-- that was terrif) but that was excessively harsh!!

When HRG blew away his ex-mentor I did a double take--an actual, physical double take(blink & a head shake). Had I been enjoying a beverage at that moment, I mighta even done a spit take. Nothing says "Thanks but no thanks on that job offer" like a bullet to the head, right? I hope they're not taking HRG back into evil bastard territory. I only started liking him mid season 1. But after "Company Man" (I think that was the episode) I was very pro-HRG. If they are making him evil again, I don't think I'll be able to withstand the emotional roller coaster ride (j/k---I AM aware it is just a show). Claire is starting to lose trust in HRG again, and if he keeps on this course it should be easy enough for West to drive a fat ol' wedge in that daddy-daughter relationship. HRG has seemingly concluded that Clare having a boyfriend would mean his DEATH, but I don't think that painting necessarily says that. It only establishes that after he's killed, Claire & some dude will be making out in some shady corner near his dead body. There *may* not be a cause-effect relationship there. Claire could be : a) oblivious to dead HRG and getting her innocent smooch on OR b) terribly sad about her dead father, needing consolation via ... getting her smooch on. HOWEVER, with Claire starting to distrust her Dad , AND West having the traumatic past encounter with HRG (and he is due to identify Mr Bennett as the nefarious HRG of his bad memories in next week's eppy) I think the show is trying to insinuate that that kiss is: c) a "Yaaay--we killed HRG" celebratory kiss.

Who knows. I'm still in HRG's corner...a little less vociferously after his recent COLDHEARTED behavior. If he keeps this up, I intend to downgrade that to "tenatively in his corner".


As for other storylines... my sister really likes this Caitlin dame that Peter is "palling" around with this season. I think she's 10X better than (ick!) Simone, but still awfully dull. I think I'd rather see sweetPete hook up with Elle (Kristen Bell's character) instead. Ok YEAH, she killed his friend (hey, they weren't best friends by any means) and is considerably more on the "evil" side of the spectrum than Peter, but that would make for some compelling relationship drama, no? An intriguing juxtaposition of naughty & nice?


I'm pretty bored with Hiro's lame-ass exploits in 17th century Japan. Oy! That whole snoozefest had better tie in to the central storyline REAL soon. I think that the Kensei character has potential though. It's his banner's symbol that's been scrawled on all the faces in that old photo right? So could he be picking them off? If he can't be killed, I guess it's not a *huge* leap to conjecture that he makes it to the 21st century... They want (they=the writers) us to believe that Parkman's dad is the culprit there, but I don't buy it.


And the only interesting thing about Senora Inkyeyeballs and her twin bro is that they're carting Sylar back into the U.S. I find the brother is marginally more likeable now that Senora has exhibited her other super powers (aside from the killing people one) -- INCREDIBLE naivete and HORRIBLE instincts about people.

ZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I am super sleepy today ..(apparently this is a dull new blog motif w/ me) ...I didn't get all that much sleep this weekend and then last night I stayed up late watching Game 4 of the series. In true dabbler fashion, I didn't watch it from the very start, tuning in at about the start of inning 6. But I did watch it 'til the end...saw Kielty's homerun and even more impressive, Ellsbury slamming into the wall to catch what would've surely been a homer. ..it was a good game. I'm never as interested in these things when one of the teams has a giant lead. Right up until the end, it seemed like it coulda gone either way. But of course, I'm glad it went the way it ultimately did. I wore my Sox hoodie in celebratory homage today. If I were a full-fledged fan, I suppose I would've painted on my car or something...isn't that what those people do? I mean, if I really break down my happy feeling, it's 40% me being happy for the boys and 60% glad that House won't be preempted for a Game 6.



I can't believe that I retained any grogginess after stepping foot outside today!! I definitely was NOT ready for 26 degrees! I wore g-damn MITTENS this morning!! Frost on my pumpkins, indeed!!

Speaking of pumpkins, I have been doing a bit of carving lately. I carved one last Wed night for Sadie (a monster trick or treating on one side/ her name surrounded by polka dots on the other) . Then Sat night I went to a pumpkin carving fete at Lisa's and carved a ghoul jack-o-lantern (learned that a lino tool is a great implement for pumpkin artistry) and last night I carved a bear jackolantern. Other good things I did this weekend: surprised mi amiga Jill for her b-day Fri night, gorged on apple waffles de Billiam, lunched with Celina & Jill on French onion soup that had rather too much bread in it (lunch was otherwise terrif), picked up my Aunt Laurel on my way southward on I89 and brought her to Lucy's birthday party (she turned 3 on the 25th) grazed and watched Lucy-booey open presents and then off to aforementioned carving fete at Lisa's ....where I further gorged on Pepsi, 'ghetti & meatballs & apple crisp. Shit, I ate a lot this weekend. So , that part was not so good. But everything else was maaaahvelous. If only I had a day off for some recouperative slumber...

wake up..a-li'l Snoozie , wake up!!

I had the hardest time dragging my arse outta bed this a.m. I'm sure it doesn't help that I set my alarm for 7:10 with the intent of getting up at 7:40 am, fully intending to avail myself of that snooze button. Rationally, I see how the snooze button is a foolish innovation but I can't quit it. I'm a snooze junkie. As solo inhabitant of my apartment/bed, I guess snooze overuse is my damned prerogative (lame consolation prize though it is).

I am SOOO not a morning person. I swear 8 days outta 10 the first word out of my mouth is "Fuuuuuuuuck!"

I had a dream this morning where I was approached by a peacock as I walked out to my car to go to work. ("approached" makes it sound like he was trying to sell me magazines or something. This was not the case.) It was a seriously fucked up peacock though, all bruised & bedraggled as if he'd been hit by a car. And he's staggering toward me. My conscious mind broke in here and commented "Maybe he wants you to take him to the vet". But DreamSandra, true to my actual anti-bird sensibilities, leapt up on to the top of my car to avoid the wounded bastard. Yeah, I especially didn't trust him because he was wounded. DreamSandra has nary a scrap of mercy, apparently. But them I'm on top of my car and think "Shit, I can't stay up here. I've got to get to work!" So I jump down and shoo the bird away and then head off to work. That's it. I know, I know. Sort of an anticlimatic dream. There's this tense stand off, fraught with all sorts of dramatic/narrative possibilities and then it all resolves so quickly & banally. But this dream hit me after I'd hit the snooze button (for the first or second time? I can't recall...) so I had time constraints to deal with here!! But just you imagine if I'd had all night to dream this dream!! We mighta wound up with some epic human-avian battle!! Something akin to...

newly acquired tuneage

songs I bought / burned to CD this weekend...

1. Radio Nowhere [Bruce Springsteen]- I really dig this song. It surprises me that I like a *new* Springsteen song, though. I had thought he'd lost me for good in the mid '90s when he was doing sappy soundtrack contributions (see:Philadelphia , Jerry Maguire ) But perhaps not. This is the Bruce I like.

2. Lazy Eye [Silversun Pickups]- I'd heard this song on the radio and became quite smitten with it, but had the damnedest time tracking down the song name & artist. I had never heard of the Silversun Pickups (don't think many people have..)

3.When Did your Heart go Missing? [Rooney] This is a recent song, but something about it makes me want to sport Reebok Freestyles with very bulky neon-hued socks and then dance like I'm in Wham's Wake Me Up Before you Go-go vid.

4.An End has a Start[Editors]-- poppy moody neuvo new wave. Nice.

5.LDN [Lily Allen]-- I felt predisposed to like Lily Allen ...on account of her cute Britishness (as opposed to a SCARY Brit a la snaggletooth Amy Winehouse) and even cuter wardrobe. But then I heard this song and thought--you guessed it--"really cute!" I especially like the horns. Evokes Culture Clubs "I'll Tumble 4Ya" but maybe it's just me...I seem to presently be of a mindset to assess all music in 80s pop context.

6.Umbrella [Rihanna]-- Rihanna is also immensely adorable. (So there-- not all young celebrichicks are scary and/or disgusting trainwrecks. Have faith..) I dig this song, even if I did resist it a bit at first. Luckily, I don't own any umbrellas, and generally choose not to use them (just one more thing to schlep around, and I actually like the rain) because I suspect repeated listenings to this song may permanently alter the way I say "umbrella. ella. ella. aye.aye. aye..."

7. Give it To Me [Timbaland/Nelly Furtado/Justin Timberlake] I don't know whose song this is exactly...they all have pretty equal mic time. I think I downloaded off Timbaland's album...

8.Stronger [Kanye West]- I love this song. I didn't want to (I don't want to enable Kanye's attitude problem) but I couldn't help it.

9.How We Operate [Gomez]-- Great beginning of the song (that's a banjo!! I've jammed along to Rainbow Connection enough times to know a banjo when I hear it! BRAVO for rockin' the sadly underutilized banjo, senors Gomez!!) and then when it picks up the pace it is just killer, but it gets a smidge draggy toward the end.

10.1234 [Feist]-- In a cute-off, Feist ANNIHILATES both Rihanna & Lily Allen with this song. I so love this song. The only possible competition (in aforementioned hypothetical cute-off) would be (reaching 30+yrs into the past) Melanie with Brand New Key (ok..good... seems I'm breaking out of that strict 1980s musical frame of ref.)

11.Keep on Lovin' You [REO Speedwagon]-- I'm certainly not the REO Speedwagon nut that my sister is. But this, I do concur, is one of the best sing-alongs ever. And it gets bonus cheez points for being prominently featured in Drive Me Crazy. And there is a rattlesnake sound effect hid in there...I had never noticed that before. How did I miss that??

12. Such Great Heights [Postal Service]

13.Chasing Cars [Snow Patrol]-- the fact that these fellahs are Irish and when, not singing, speak with delightful Irish accents.... that just makes the whole emotional earnestness thing they 've got goin' here oh so much more endearing.

14.I'm On Fire [Bruce Springsteen]-- best Boss song EVER (sez me)!!!

15. Wake Up Call [Maroon 5]

16.Ayo Technology [50 Cent & co.] I really like this one. Y'know.. I find myself wanting Fiddy to bring back that mad catchy "Go-- go-- go SHAWTY Ish yo birfday" in one/some of his new songs. But I don't suppose that will ever happen...WAH.

17. The Way I Are [Timbaland]-- initially I was a li'l peeved at Timbaland for propagating substandard grammar, but after I got past that, I found that I rather enjoy this song.

mean bastard monkeys

From time to time, I find a news item so compelling, I will read it aloud to the office. THIS bit o' international news is one such item.

I only hope that a good amount of those stupid seagull-feeding bastards (that vex me so) will read this news story and make the f***ing connection. . . .

baaaaad girl

Jinkies! I knew I'd been a-slackin' but didn't really realize how SERIOUSLY derelict in my blogging duties I'd been ('til I logged in just now). I'd beg yous to forgive me but... LOVE means never having to say you're sorry, right??

As is my custom, my first post following a mini-drought is going to be short-ish (and lame-ish) as I regain my momentum. So I will use this space/ time to tie up some loose ends left a-dangling from posts past. Ones that you didn't know were dangling because you weren't all that interested in the first place. Stupid, I know. But in the interests of finishing what I started...

My Cosmo bachelor of the year vote--- I whittled the list down to 3 and then decided to NOT decide. I voted for all 3... I used my work email to vote for Connecticut , my home email to vote for Idaho , and my dad's email address to vote for South Dakota.

Halloween costume-- I have resigned to be a .. .um, I don't exactly know what to call what I'm dressing up as. It's sort of like the love child of a zombie-mummy and a vampire. I bought a long black straight wig and a black& white make up kit. Also picked up a black rose because I thought I would like having a prop. And I bought a bunch of cheesecloth, with the intent of making some kinda shroud (I was inspired by the below pic from Martha Stewart mag's Halloween edition)

speaking of Martha Stewart's fine periodical, I was a smidge disappointed in her Halloween edition. I recognized content from years past. I didn't realize it was a "best of" kinda compilation thing, but I'm sure it was intentional. But still...pretty shoddy, Maaaahtha.