Chicago: Steve McQueen, The Hunter

http://michaelmanning.tv/blog/uploaded_images/the-hunter-757142.jpg

Atop an El car.

Also featuring a very young Mary Margaret O'Hara as a hostage in said El car.

Speaking of cucumbers:

GODDAMNIT! I had all this fresh lettuce and some carrots and -- best of all -- a big fat cucumber in the fridge, and they were all frozen solid. The carrots might rebound, mayyybe, but everything else will turn to compost as it thaws. Ruined, gone, over, done, sad. So so sad.

Turing down the fridge temp setting, going to get myself another cucumber or two.

Attempting to peel a cucumber that turns out to be frozen solid is kind of interesting. It's all made of jagged little green rocks just under the skin.

I know what you're talking about! The ice destroys the cucumber in a crazy diamond pattern.

Unlike a banana, where the ice makes long flat crystals that go every which a-way. Yeah. It's a very geometric kind of destruction.

Shine on you crazy frozen cucumber.

I'm not tossing this ex-vegetable just yet. I think there's a smoothie in here somewhere. Where there's a Braun 200 watt hand blender, there's a way.

ew
i don't think that's a very good idea

This hand blender is one of the best gifts I've ever gotten. And a solid idea for a baby shower gift, if Sarah doesn't already have one. If you need mush, this bad boy will make some muhfuggin mush.

ew
i don't think that's a very good idea

Trust me.

http://www.thereheis.com/nucleus3.22/media/gallery/20070504-hansolo.jpg

Han blended first.

i love my hand blender and i use it every single day, but i don't think putting a cuke in there is a very delicious idea. makes excellent soups, though. i've gone through three of those things!

I can imagine a cuke being a nice addition to a smoothie.
Cuke.

Cuke and carrot in a juicer is good.

it would be like cucumber sauce -- like applesauce but for cucumbers. some of the...matter (?) should be filtered imo. a juicer would do that.

I find it very satisfying and enjoyable to clean up after a party for some reason. Maybe bc the memory of cleanness is so fresh.

Here we go.

One frozen cucumber.
One medium-sized sweet apple.
About 8 oz of carrot juice.
A couple of heaping dollops of plain yogurt.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3414/4616423113_38bff02675_o.jpg

It's quite good, but ironically, you can still feel the diamond cucumber shards on your tongue. The texture is just a bit wrong. I will make this again, but with a fresh cucumber next time.

Eric beat me to the cucumber and carrot revelation, I see. :)

I want to do an Iron Chef type thing but where I make food for people using ingredients they claim to hate.

I want to freeze a cucumber now to see these cuke diamonds.

A man on broadway just leaned close to me and hissed quietly. =/

I want to do an Iron Chef type thing but where I make food for people using ingredients they claim to hate.
haha i could be your competitor in this! (but we would secretly be working together to make people not hate food)

Oh man, I just got home from 8 hours of working a cash register. DO NOT WANT. Thank god I move to the sales floor tomorrow.

which one are you at? howard? i was there today and i thought of you.

Yup, thats the one.

If you came through my check-out lane I hope my complete and utter exasperation didn't show through!

Sorry, Jon. I am looking forward to your account of it coming into my Reader feed.

I wonder how I would handle being a cashier these days. I did that for....5 years I think.

which one are you at? howard?

Missed the earlier context for this, so I think: working for:
CTA? B@lly's? Marshall's?

Target?

I'm guessing right along, even though I asked before, and I'm sure I was answered. But the answer went into the fifty hole and I forgot about it.

Family Dollar?

I didn't go through your line, doofus. If I had I would have said hi and you would have felt better because there would have been a familiar (?) face:) One of my former students (a nice, smart Romanian woman) works there too. Can't remember her name offhand, but I would recognize it if I heard it.

Btw there are lots of businesses along Howard that are not in the Clark/Howard plaza! Gulliver's, for instance.

Tried out my new commute last night. It's not 100% my ideal (bus or train station right next to my home, no transfers) but it's 10-15 minutes shorter and no subways (I like seeing light), so I'm satisfied.

AGH LISA WHY WHY

Lisa... M@digan?

PS

http://www.zooborns.com/.a/6a010535647bf3970b0133edc0525f970b-pi

PPS: http://www.zooborns.com/.a/6a010535647bf3970b0133edc0591c970b-pi

Oh, haha - Amanda, I just posted the link on FB to A;LDSKJAFAAARGH! WHY LISA MADIGAN, WHY?

What is that thing??

omg that soundboard thing is making me laugh so gd hard
i am in the office just larfing away like a hyena

Does it have "me underwears" on it?

Of course it does.

Jesse, I'm jealous of your future proximity to the lakefront path. I will have to run 1.2 miles before I get there. And deal with two gnarly intersections.

Yes! I right up on the lake! And very near the zoo.

The Market Place Foodstore will be my local supermarket, and it's not bad. It's like Treasure Island, sort of (a negative Yelp review said it was like Treasure Island on acid), but the prices seem pretty much normal. It was disappointing to find that they only have small and $$$ bags of crappy cat food.

Woah, chase scene under the Lake Street El, from the guy who made The Shield:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZKr5r43Ruc

Jesse, I think there's a PetSmart or something big over on Diversey near the river, if you want to load up there (or Costco at Diversey/Damen/Clybourn, if you know someone with a membership).

You can fill your walk-in closet with cat food.

Yowza. Intense.

EZ, Sadly, the PetSmart on Broadway and Diversey closed up shop last week. Grr. I will look for the one you speak of. Or I will just take a big bag on the bus. There is a new Dominick's opening up on Broadway across from Threadless. That will be nice.

xp - ha. I will by Christ get myself on Hoarders one way or another!

I have not heard of this Ride Along show. I will probably watch it (if it's available online) b/c I like seeing Chicago on TV.

yawwwwwwwwwwwwwn

sup

Who here had an eighth grade graduation? Please justify this bizarre custom.

We didn't, but we had a celebratory picnic at the end of 8th grade where we went to a local state park for the day. Dudes from my class broke a bunch of shit in one of the bathroom buildings and harassed girls that they hated to the point where 8th graders weren't allowed to have the picnic any more.

Like, I'm pretty sure there were urine-filled balloons involved.

have only recently heard of such a thing

dude they have like PRESCHOOL graduations. there's graduations for everything.

my grad school graduation ceremony was this past sunday, I was cool and skipped to party instead

wow. that's quite an alternative to a graduation, dan.

i always thought 8th graduations were normal. it's a milestone. you become a high schooler!

jenny, are you familiar with kindergarten graduation? xp

My class included a lot of supreme shitheads.

no one i knew had an 8th gr graduation party, i'll put it that way. i haven't thought much about 8th grade or 8th graders since i was there myself.

i have to survive wednesday and thursday and then you know what happens on friday? do you know?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_PDns23RWY

?

MY BELATED KINDERGARTEN GRADUATION PARTY!

No, actually:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4025/4617581434_57e202fb0e.jpg

omg

i have one more week of sporadic office tending to do, but there are no more grades to turn in, or adjuncts to wrangle. i could bring my new canine friend with me to the office if i want to.

I will go ahead and repeat this "story," though I'm sure everyone knows this like crazy:

At the 2-room school I went to in Montana, Liz Claiborne spoke at the 8th grade graduation. There were two graduates, Tara, and Owen, cousins.

xp!! puppy wupppppy!

Of course there was 8th grade graduation. There was also an 8th grade graduation dance and a 8th grade graduation trip to Great America.

I think we had a more informal 5th grade graduation, too, during the school day. All I can remember is "Don't Worry Be Happy" blaring in the gymnasium.

We had an 8th grade trip, too. Alllllll around Montana and parts of Wyoming. We spent a lot of time in Yellowstone.

7 days of traveling.

I went to an inner-city junior high and there was no graduation, just the suspense of whether someone would write their phone number in their yearbook inscription (thus being available to keep in touch) or not (vanished forever unless we ran into each other at Har Mar or somewhere years later).

So when you people are talking eighth grade graduation, do you mean with gowns and walking across a stage to get your... what? Fake diploma? and a band playing "Pomp and Circumstance"? Or do you mean that you had an assembly and the teacher was like, "Good job, kids. Go to high school now!"

My completion of eighth grade was marked with no ceremony, but my school was divided up so that 7-9 were in one building, and then 10-12 were in another building (where we were thrown together with kids from two other towns that went to 7-9 grade in their own buildings).

Jesse, I have heard of k-garten graduation, but I didn't do that either.

I guess my view on eight grade graduation is that it's not that big of a deal to finish eighth grade.

AMANDA is that dog living in your house with you?

I did not finish my thought:

I guess my view on eight grade graduation is that it's not that big of a deal to finish eighth grade and you shouldn't get some kind of ceremony about it, because you didn't do anything that major. You can't even legally quit school yet! Talk to me when you finish all of your free public schooling, kid.

This is me officially recognizing the privilege inherent in that opinion on eighth grade graduations. I guess for some people it is a pretty big deal.

YES! On Friday! That dog! In MY HOME.

I have only heard of 8th gr graduation ceremonies/parties for "urban" (Chicago) schools where it is a big deal to make it out of 8th grade.

An informal poll of my coworkers suggests that it is a big thing across the state, including in suburbs where making it out of eighth grade is a foregone conclusion and in Chicago private schools. Like, some of my coworkers were joking that they were going to throw me an eighth grade graduation because I did not have one, which they think is weird and sad. I THINK THEY ARE WEIRD AND SAD.

I'm with you, Jenny.

Oh btw, I want to meet that dog, plz.

My 8th grade graduation was a formal affair, but no gowns. As an event it makes sense to me. It was a milestone in that you were leaving grade school and going to high school. So that's a new campus, new students, new teachers, new life.

On the other hand, I don't see the point of any graduations. Or the point of school.

Well, a couple thinks that occurred to me:

1. perhaps 8th grade graduation is a hold over from the time when 8th grade was the end of mandatory schooling (my dad only graduated from 8th grade (in the late 1920s))

2. In my schools it was a BFD to go from 8th grade to 9th b/c you were a high schooler!

Yes, a ceremony with certificates and music, and speakers, and later, cake.

xp - I have been schooled in MN, MT, MI, and NC, and I know for sure that the 8th graders in the schools in the first 3 had 8th grade graduations.

xxp- and now NC too, at least in Jeff's case.

also, LOL Jeff

In terms of relocation, going from 8th to 9th grade at my school meant your locker was in a different hallway. That was basically it.

In Montana, the 8 --> 9 transition meant one thing for certain for the boys: pink belly.

Jenny, I will be happy to tote this dog around town to meet all of you if she'll have it.

I also went to school in Oregon, but I did not learn of their graduation customs.

re: pink belly -- Because of my school having 6-12 in the same building, the terrorizing at the hands of the bigger kids started much earlier. Pink belly was the least of our worries.

wtf is pink belly
why was your school so full of terror? mine was pretty normal, aside from the typical shit that i imagine happens at any high school, fights breaking out periodically, etc.

We had some sort of middle school graduation, but I don't remember much about it. I think it was just like an assembly or something, but not during school. I think I had to wear a tie.

I've actually talked about this with co-workers, and apparently middle school graduations are a HUGE deal for people around here. Like, they have a ceremony and parents spend money for a massive party, etc. etc.

MN and NC were fairly calm (except the horrendous wanna be White Power idiots in my business & finance class), but high school in Montana pretty fucking awful.

Pink belly

"baptisms" in the shower (you wrestle another clothed boy into a laundry cart and shove them into a running shower)

general tackles, beatings, headlocks, and pinch hickies in unmonitored areas

why was your school so full of terror?

isolation, xenophobia, religious fundamentalism, rednecks, etc

oh - pink belly is where you hold someone (usu. a male) down, lift up his shirt and (this is where is stops being hot and sexy) slap his belly as hard as you can, for as long as you can, making it pink. Or if you do it right, purple and bruised.

related: eraser burn

I don't remember any kind of formal 8th grade graduation. There was probably some kind of party/dance at the school, but I don't think it was any different than any other party/dance.

I went to a dance in 8th grade, and it was the only dance I ever went to (except my "commencement ball" in college). My life is so sad.

I am being treated to dinner at Big Star tonight.

With the exception of one contra dance, I've been able to avoid all dances in my life. I'm awesome.

You contra danced?

I went to one HS dance in MT after a basketball game (I was in pep band) and I enjoyed slow dancing and discovered my antipathy toward other dancing.

I wouldn't call it dancing, but I was doing something.

Is Jordan still in France? Does anyone know his itinerary? My boss asked me to contact him re maybe booking a show.

oh man I LOVE contra dancing! i have no shame.

He's in Spain now, I think.

Jeff and I, in a hilarious and tragic attempt to make friends in GSO, went contradancing with our old upstairs neighbors. After a period of isolation and mourning, we fell back on the much more tried and true (and less athletic) method of friend making: booze.

Your upstairs neighbors were kind of tools.

I'm hungry.

They were pretty nice, actually. We just did not have a lot in common.

We lived in the same house. That's about it.

I had to look up contradancing.

Did you ever see their apartment? They had to bathrooms side-by-side. As in when you walked in their front door, it looked like this:

(a view of part of the living room) |BATHROOM||BATHROOM| ~~hall~~ BEDROOM

Two bathrooms, not "to bathroom." They did not have to bathroom side by side. They could go by independently of each other.

I had to look up contradancing.

Haha so can you imagine Jeff and I engaging in such an activity?

Weird. I just know that they:
1. danced contra
2. were hippies
3. were dweebs

4. put cat poop on the compost pile

See I would have just called that square dancing. I guess I can kind of see you guys dancing that way for a bit, but only as a joke.

http://i.huffpost.com/gen/167133/PHANTOM-CAT.jpg

The joke was on us! Sad thing is that I was stone cold sober at the time.

I took a contra dancing class by myself at a community center and I had so much fun I almost cried.
ime square dancing is more hokey and, i dunno, cornpone -- there was something about my contra dancing class that was very genuinely old timey and gentle and wonderful. if square dancing is a brightly checked crisp red and white tablecloth dress, contra dancing was more of a drapey lace number.

it's one of those things, like many hippie arts, that is sullied by the annoying people who do it.

i never did it regularly or anything because it would be weird to constantly go contra dancing by myself but i liked it a lot

My sister's inlaws hired some kind of folk-dance callers for the post rehearsal dinner party before the wedding. I always kind of thought they had this idea of coming to the middle of nowhere where the townfolke dance around the maypole regularly and everyone would be interested in some kind of hoedown.

people can dream, can't they?

As an event it makes sense to me. It was a milestone in that you were leaving grade school and going to high school. So that's a new campus, new students, new teachers, new life.

Yes.

Pretty sure we had gowns, and it was at night (or maybe on a Saturday) so parents could attend.

The "good job" assembly was 5th grade.

I am trying to remember if the boombox I got during spring of '92 was for my 13th birthday, my confirmation into the Catholic Church, or 8th-grade graduation. It was one of them.

I am being treated to dinner at Big Star tonight.

I went there on Friday for the first time. Really delicious tacos (I got the pescado and the poblano).

I just passed a girl talking on her phone on the corner and she was saying "And I was like 'Oh my god, I look like a fucking retard," only she pronounced "retard" like Zach Galifinakis in The Hangover with the emphasis on the second syllable, like we were talking about at the party.

isolation, xenophobia, religious fundamentalism, rednecks, etc

Put that in a wok with a little sesame oil, and you have a stir fry of bad.

I never got picked on in high school. I sort of wish I had, maybe I would have gotten this awesome rage built up that I am just lacking today.

As a matter of bringing myself up to speed:

1. I do not understand 8th grade nor kindergarten graduations. I had neither. But, you've already gotten this from Dan, so I'm just redundant.
2. Dan's class was full of a bunch of jerks. My class was nicer, though with a good smattering of jerkdom. I don't recall urine balloons, but there was a period where you risked getting lubricated condoms in your hair if riding the bus. I did not need to ride the bus, but braved condom assaults for true love. Or committed stalking. Either whichaway.
3. Dan's comment about maypoles made me spit juice on my bed.

there was a period where you risked getting lubricated condoms in your hair if riding the bus

Well at least they had the courtesy to wear condoms. Your hair would have been far worse off otherwise.

Today I have:

* Done work.
* Turned an ILTMI thread about farts into a personal art project.
* Locked myself out of my apartment, walked to Julia's place to get my spare keys, engaged in some light-to-moderate hugging and kissing activity, walked home.
* Eaten three popsicles, because they were really mushy from sitting on the porch for an hour while I went to fetch my spare keys.

Man, I tell ya, it's been a ride.

Make that seven popsicles. I need help.

Not quite popsicle weather yet imo, but I do love an ill-advised number of fla-vor-ice on a hot day.

Gimme a Drumstick and I'll be fine.

These are Edy's fruit bars. They're stupid good.

yessssss those are really good. they have one set that have Splenda in them, so you have to be careful not to accidentally buy those.

I think they're labeled as "sugar-free" or something

i looooove making popsicles but they never fit in my freezer because it is so packed full of other stuff. I would love to have a gigantic deep freezer so I could hoard yet more food.

The Great Depression was really hard on me.

Well, the thing is, Splenda tastes like sugar because it's made from sugar.

We accidentally got those sugar free Edie's popsicles once and I think we ended up just melting them in the sink because they were so disgusting. IN YOUR EAR, GREAT DEPRESSION.

yessssss those are really good. they have one set that have Splenda in them, so you have to be careful not to accidentally buy those.

otm. I have made this mistake. I think I ended up throwing them out eventually.

xp HA!

But consider this: the reason that Splenda tastes like sugar is that it's made from sugar.

Except that it tastes like robot butthole. Not so much sugar.

You can say that all you want, but it will never, ever make it true.

BTW I think a while back we were talking about Chicago TV news personalities and I mentioned my respect of Ron Magers. Yesterday I was driving home from Evanston and I was listening to the talk radio show he appears on every afternoon, and now I respect him even more. Apparently, the day before, they had been talking about how some right-wingers have alleged that the new Miss USA is backed by a dude with connections to terrorism. Magers said something about how the sources for that story didn't seem very reliable and how he'd want to do more research before believing it, then was accused by a caller of being part of the liberal elite media. But he actually did the research, and on yesterday's show, he basically totally discredited the story, carefully detailing how he looked into the story, what he found (or didn't find), explained how the one source for the story was totally unreliable, and went on a rant about how online sources can make up stories and then link to each other to create a facade of respectability/believability. It was pretty awesome.

i made this coffee cake yesterday and it is amazing and contains no splenda
http://markbittman.com/a-return-to-sweeter-times

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4008/4621123581_0f7048972c_m.jpg

It wasn't even a "liberal" argument, it was just like "make sure your sources are legit before you start spreading a story around."

i love coffee cake

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/50/143195082_25b37fbb08.jpg

One of "about 63 results (0.26 seconds)"

you would LOVE THIS COFFEECAKE! it is so so so good.

Looks delicious.

It wasn't even a "liberal" argument, it was just like "make sure your sources are legit before you start spreading a story around."

See, I got into an argument w/ my stepfather about this while we were home. We were talking about @l3xi G1@nnouli@s and my stepfather immediately started in about how AG had loaned money to mobsters while he was bank president, and I was like listen, that is probably not true, but if you want to discredit AG, it's pretty easy - he was the state treasurer when the IL budget tanked really hard, and he was part of a corrupt administration. You don't have to rely on random, unprovable rumors and he got all hot under the collar that I would be defending this mob connected politician and being a Democratic apologist and that's when it occurred to me that my stepdad, who is now a self-professed tea bagger, btw, is less interested in actually examining the policies and political histories of public officials and more interested in retaining his right to believe and share salacious stories about people he classifies as political enemies.

It was really sad, actually. I'm still pretty sad about the whole tea party thing.

(FTR I have no idea if AG loaned money to mobsters or not.)

I'd like to think that during the Bush years I didn't come off as a tea party-style spluttering, desperate hater, grasping at whatever straws I could to find new things to justify my rage against Republicans. Then I remember that Bush et al actually did most all of the things I hated them for, and I feel better.

Along those lines, this is really interesting:
http://contexts.org/socimages/2010/05/18/rumors-and-partisan-politics/

Oh the other thing that makes me nuts about trying to have reasoned political discussions with my sd is that any time I mention a news source for something, he dismisses it as being part of the liberal media. So basically, unless I am referring to Fox News, he doesn't credit any source for my information.

Talking to my dad about this stuff is a challenge, because I don't want to argue with him or get in his face about anything, I honestly don't. I stand to gain nothing on that front, whatsoever. But Glenn Beck has convinced him that inflation is so out of control that we have to abolish the Fed or starve to death. He doesn't understand that what Beck is actually advocating is commonly known as "hard money quackery," and that the argument that going off the gold standard is a horrifying thing to do is about 125 years old and is rooted in the fear that Jews will rule the world one day. And he doesn't understand what "deflation" is. I can only remain calm and do my best to explain this without sounding like some other, different sort of maniac than the people he listens to.

You do hit a wall pretty quick, though. If you're a conspiracy nut, everything is a conspiracy. That's why it's nutty.

Right, right but trying to remain calm and explain how this kind of thing actually works is pointless. I mean, when I counted my parents' claims that BHO was the most socialist president ever with "FDR" they just kept saying, "No, Obama is the most socialist president ever. How can you not see that?"

Crazy teabagger talking point --> Reasoned refutation --> repeat talking point OR accuse person of willful denial OR attack credibility of source

It's not just unwinnable. It's impossible to make any response whatsoever besides total agreement.

Thanks Jenny, I posted that link on my fb so my mom'll see it. She loves that sort of thing.

I highly recommend that blog. It's one of my absolute favorites.

I try to go with facts + some variant of "I could be totally wrong". But leaving the distinct impression that I know I'm not even a little bit wrong.

That might work if it weren't for the immediate yelling about how I could be so smart and yet so dumb about whatever issue we're "discussing." God, I am basically related to Bill O'Reilly. Depressing.

(My mother actually believes that the health care reform act instituted death panels, btw. As in there are government run death panels in action right now. She works for a hospital and has worked in the insurance industry since the late 80s.)

Oof. My mom, I can handle. She goes all "I'm just a silly girl" pretty quick, which is annoying in its own way. But Dad always whips out the "I've seen some things in my time" argument.

He killed a grizzly bear with his looseleaf notebook.

Argh. Jenny, I didn't know your MOM believed in death panels. Your grandmother I knew about, and that was explicable by her otherwise getting odd in her old age, but your mother, FFS, that is bad.

I am really amazed at how liberal my dad was in so many ways considering his religious fundamentalism and age. He loved Bill and Hillary and would probably like BHO.

My dad took me to a small rally protesting a Jerry Falwell speech when I was 11, and we all shouting "Racist! Sexist! Anti-gay! Jerry Falwell go away!"

all shouted, that is

my parents are very reasonable when it comes to politics. i guess i have that to be thankful for?

My problem with the Becks and the "grass roots" organizers and etc. isn't so much that they're bad people saying bad things, though they are that. And it's not that the people who are listening are stupid. It's that they actively prey on the weakness of not knowing how to filter information. We're all a bit information overloaded, but filtering is a skill that people our age and younger grew up with and grew into. I can't imagine my father, for instance, doing research into something Glenn Beck said anymore than I can imagine him going to the library and sifting through microfiche.

http://hphotos-sjc1.fbcdn.net/hs559.snc3/30556_117153874989259_100000839427219_97329_2692807_n.jpg

Mine too, or rather, they are super librul and smart about things. Tho when my mom gets some wine in her the ranting sometime starts. But it's ranting I agree with so it's not so bad. xps

xxp Of course, he didn't go to college, either. This is why the corporate interests that drive this whole "ideology" want to demonize colleges, intellectualism, or really thinking at all. This is a plan many, many years in the works, and it's working like mad on our parents. Who are the people most likely to vote, statistically.

It's all so fucking depressing.

um yes, please stop talking about it.
i have seen some of the dumbest people i knew in high school get very politically active and either become junior league president or leaders of their moose lodges. depressing.

also a couple of them ran for public office. they lost, but ugh.

We're all a bit information overloaded, but filtering is a skill that people our age and younger grew up with and grew into. I can't imagine my father, for instance, doing research into something Glenn Beck said anymore than I can imagine him going to the library and sifting through microfiche.

Wow, yeah, I think you nailed it.

Legal writing LOL of the day:

Making a section of text in your original composition bold, and then appending "(emphasis added)" at the end of the sentence.

Haha. Nice. I hope that person also makes a typo and then writes "(sic)" after it.

I went to the old-man-esque barber shop up the street for a shave and haircut at lunch time, and the lady doing the job misunderstood me at first and thought I had asked her to take a straight razor to my head. I stopped her short of making me a cue ball.

did it cost 2 bits?

It cost 2 bits times 100.

$25?

A "bit" refers to a quarter, right?

1 bit, 2 bits, 4 bits, a dollar?

correct

wait I think 2 bits is a quarter

who knows!

So I was wrong anyway. If two bits were two quarters x 100, your haircunt would have cost $50!

(I left that typo there intentionally. It is a very common one for me and I find it sort of funny.)

HOW MANY DAMN BITS WAS IT

HUH. I learned something today. A bit is 1/8 of a dollar and 2 bits is a quarter.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bit_(money)#United_States

http://theviewfinder.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/roger_rabbit.jpg

1 bit, 2 bits, 4 bits, a dollar?

Actually it's "Two bits, four bits, six bits, a dollar". And so it all comes together perfectly.

I have trouble getting worked up about political stuff, for whatever reason, but the one group that really gets my goat is the birther movement. I realize this is dumb because no one really takes them seriously, even most of the wingnut Republicans. I think it's because it's not based in any kind of political difference, it's just about trying to find a technicality. Although arguing that Obama is a socialist is stupid, at least it's vaguely based in trying to express a philosophical/political point of contention. The birther thing is pure sore loserdom.

Diamanda Galas refers to "two bits" in one of her litanies about societies reaction to AIDS in nineteen-AIDsies and 90s

"two bit and no account ejaculation of the mr. big man with a small dick society of ass and pussy licking scumbags"

Nick, I think that even though reasonable right-wingers don't take the Birthers seriously, they are in solidarity with them tacitly by not denouncing them.

(Not that that was the main thrust of what you were saying)

I am on the internet, talking about the Fire... IN FRENCH

http://www.psgmag.net/866-Interview-Chicago-PSG-et-le

bet you didn't know I spoke French so well

mildly surreal

HA! That's great.

The birther thing is pure sore loserdom.

If only it were that pure. It's mostly racism.

We wound up leaving big star bc the music was so. Fucking. Loud. Which in turn made voices loud. It was the kind of loud that can cause an involuntary rage episode.
I plan to try again when the patio is open. We went to Caoba instaed and got $1 tacos and they were good.

The birthers are pretty hilarious, because a) they are a cult started almost entirely by right wing talking heads and seriously out-there websites, and b) there is simply no argument to be had. We have all seen his birth certificate. You can see it anywhere. If that is not good enough for you, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT A BIRTH CERTIFICATE IS.

Dan, were you asked to do that interview because your surname is the most popular surname in France? :)

xp It's not some magic piece of paper issued at your birth that is some Dead Sea Scroll confirming your existence. It's just a piece of paper endorsed by the state. A phone call would get you the same verification.

No, Kenan, he did not publicized his birth certificate. He showed the world a "certificate of live birth." Don't you know that means he's a terrorist??!?!?!?!?

I'm looking at the wiki page for this. Lewis Carroll couldn't have made this shit up.

Obama getting pulled over in Arizona:

"Can I see your license and registration, please?"

"Sure, there you go."

"I'm sorry, I'm going to need to see your ORIGINAL license and registration."

"My what?"

I plan to try again when the patio is open

Yeah, I ate on the patio and it was nice.

Do you ever eat something that doesn't make you feel full, it just makes you want a cheeseburger really badly? It's like eating anti-matter.

what did you eat?

Some raw veggies and a cup of miso soup. The Trader Joe's miso soup is mad delicious, btw.

that's not exactly filling dude

needs protein

that's not exactly filling dude

Well no, but I wasn't that hungry. But now I am. That's the mystery part. I think I woke up my innards, and now they have demands.

unless you're trying to lose weight, there's no reason to eat that sparely! have some rice or tofu or eggs or something ffs.

You're talking to the guy who had the rest of that box of popsicles for breakfast, remember. I eat. I do not eat sparely. I was merely remarking that sometimes I eat something that turns out to be an appetite stimulant rather than a meal.

I think aj is otm re: protein.

dude sorry but popsicles are not food, they are frozen liquid

dude

duderino

Amanda, if you feel this is an opportunity to lecture me on being too thin, I'm sincerely uninterested.

oh please
just don't complain about being hungry if you eat liquid for breakfast and lunch

When I was a kid, I got into this argument with my mom because she wouldn't let me have a popsicle because it would "spoil my dinner" and I told her that didn't make any sense because it was just frozen liquid and she would let me have a drink if I wanted one.

of course, as per usual in such situation, parental power beat logic and I was not allowed a popsicle. I am still scarred from the incident.

xp I wasn't complaining about being hungry! And anyway, tuna is a perfect food. Mmm... tuna.

AJ, I recommend you heal this old wound by going home and eating an entire box of the popsicles of your choice.

Edy's will be nothing but good to you.

Jenny, I am already on that. I eat popsicles constantly in the spring and summer months, both Edy's and various trader joes varieties. I will get Breyers if I must.

paletas are $8.99/doz. at the place near me (monarca?)
a little more expensive than i had imagined!

Though I suspect that both my popsicle and my beer consumption are still just stand-ins for my late, sorely lamented cigarette habit.

xp

and by habit, I mean addiction

When it's really really hot, popsicles and watermelon are like the only thing I can stand to eat.

I'm scared to bring up the topic, but I remember that we talked previous about how much to tip movers. Did we ever come to any kind of agreement? I was thinking $30 each for 3 movers for 3 hours. Is this high? It doesn't seem low. But I don't know.

I think if you make iced tea special for them, then blow them, you can knock that down to $10 apiece.

$30 each does seem a bit high, yeah. Maybe not crazy high, but a bit.

According to the moving company we're planning on using (probably):

It’s no secret that movers love tips. Our crew hustles as much as possible in part to obtain a tip adequate to the effort exerted. So while tipping is not necessary, it is customary, and moreover is greatly appreciated if you are satisfied with our service. The amount is totally up to you. As a general guideline, however, “good” tips typically amount to an extra $5 per hour per mover, “great” tips to approximately $10 per hour per mover, and “fantastic” tips anywhere beyond $10 per hour per mover.

So by that metric, you should tip at least $15 per mover for three hours of moving services, and if you are very happy with their work, $30 would not be too high.

I am satisfied with that answer, thank you.

Yeah, it probably seems high to me because I'm not moving, and I forget what a nasty mofo it is.

Iced tea would be nice, though.

xp You're welcome.

I'm hoping it only takes 3 hours, which may be optimistic.

I definitely plan on having drinks. Probably coke, water, and gatorade.

Are you hiring a moving company or doing the truck rental/day laborer thing? If it's a moving company, and there are three movers, I bet three hours will take care of it, especially if you are completely packed and have wrapped everything yourself before hand.

Yeah, Jesse, I can't imagine you have much more stuff than I did, and it took the three movers I hired around two hours. The only other thing you have to account for is the distance between your old and new place, which is further than mine was.

(But probably won't be significant.)

Movers w truck. Wolley Movers. They do that crazy thing where they strap a big stack to their backs.

I think I should start packing tonight. Aja.

Xp john, did they move you AND k?

No, just me. Kr was living in a studio (with minimal stuff) a block away from where we are now, so we just packed up cars or walked.

patron: do you have any books on famous person X? My son has to write a report.
me: how old is your son?
patron: he's 10
me: well, unfortunately the only books we have on famous person x are for adults
patron: oh don't worry, I'm gonna read them and tell him what to write

Damn.

Is the person Ro0bert Mappppppplethorpe?

On the Broadway bus, I partially sat on the a normal-looking-but-in-fact-nuts* man b/c he leaned over the seat just as I was assing toward it. He went on slug several concentrated energy drinks, then chow down on a cornucopia of assorted pills.

At the same time a NLBIFN woman (wearing clean business casual apparel in neutral colors and looking well put together) sat behind me and lectured loudly about ????

And then around Roscoe, a man got on with a very large blue barrel. Research indicates it was 55 gallons. He too seemed fairly normal, though perhaps a non-native USAian.

*We need to come up with a term for this fascinating class of people

unhappiness is a bone in your meatloaf

Happiness is boning a meatloaf.

http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l2p8x1zIHL1qbw1soo1_500.jpg

Jenny, I've been meaning to ask you if you're fucking me.

http://scrapetv.com/News/News%20Pages/usa/images-3/train-1.jpg

It's a good thing we are having this exchange on ILX instead of emailing each other; this way everyone gets to enjoy it.

Happy to help.

http://www.meatcards.com/

I really wish I had seen that before Christmas or J or L's birthdays. Maybe I'll give it to L as a condolence gift.

Jenny taught me how to run a train today.

A business card that looks and smells like a dog treat sounds like it would be a good idea!

holy shit.

I'm assuming you're condoling your boss "L" and not our mutual friend "L"(esbian).

I'm condoling Lesbian on being in Pburgh.

Did I mention that Big Star was horrible? I am not sure.... Anyway, the music was excruciatingly loud. Plus the bartender was really terrible. I had to squeeze in between two people seated at the bar to get drinks. We got the drinks (after a long time) but then the bartender left without taking my money, which I had extended to him. I kept trying to flag him down or yell at him (it was too loud for him to her me), but he kept his eyes pointed everywhere except at the patrons.

Then when he FINALLY took my money, he didn't look at me or say a single word. He wasn't actively rude, instead he just seemed completely absent.

I'm pretty sure I did already say this.

Yep. Sorry!

You did not go into as much detail before.

One thing that was weird about Big Star when I went is that I had to stand in line on the sidewalk to get in, even though I was meeting people and there was an empty chair at their table. I guess they must've been operating on a strict capacity number.

That would have really annoyed me.

The hostess was very nice (she was wearing coral colored lipstick).

Ugh. The Republifag went on at length about how he hates Wicker Park. He kept saying how he hates "all the hipsters" which is a really pathetic argument.

that's a perfectly good reason to hate WP imo

He should love Wicker Park as it is a triumph of capitalism and wealth over, well, everything else.

there does seem to be an extraordinary number of odious people in Wicker Park

It's just so easy and lazy. Plus it's changing and the young professionals are showing up. He and a friend went to dinner there and he said "I kept telling him, when will we get back to Lakeview and Lincoln Park!?" Those were his words.

people are revolting. know what is not revolting?
my puppy. tomorrow's the big day.

What big day? I thought the dog was already in your home?

What's her name, btw?

I hope there are lots and lots of pictures of this dogggggiiiieeee.

Nope, we're going to WI to pick her up tomorrow. Her name is Rudy. Rudy Toot. There are going to be shocking numbers of pictures of this doggie on my flickr page; I will only litter this thread with them when they are entirely necessary.

You can call her Fruity, or Nudie, or MacGrudie or Booty or Susan Faludi or Macarooti or whatever. I like the /u/ + /i/ vowel sounds when separated by a flap. (not sure if ILX supports IPA symbol for flap?)

TOMORROW IS RUDY DAY!!! I am so excited for you! Is Carl coming to pick up his li'l sis?

this
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/be/IPA_tap-flap.svg/120px-IPA_tap-flap.svg.png

Carl isn't coming because we want to introduce them on neutral ground, like at a park, and give them time to get to know each other before they realize that they will live together. I'm a little nervous, but Garl was good with Junie, so I think he'll be ok eventually.

I am so freakin excited.

I had plans at Big Star last night, but it was so packed that we went across the street instead. Penny's has outdoor tables along the quiet street (not Damen), and worked out perfectly. Good wines ($10-$14 retail) for $18/bottle, perfect weather, all that.

I've tried to go to Big Star a couple times to meet friends, but the wait has always been terrible.

I expected the wait, and was ready to ride it out at the bar or standing around, but dang, the other problems.

i mean, tacos are tacos and i am not driving that far for tacos that i have to wait for like a chump. maybe if i'm already in the area, but otherwise there are tacos to be eaten elsewhere imo.

The wait was definitely frustrated, but they were pretty delicious tacos, imo. Downable in a few bites, but only $3, so I'm not complaining. And a well-curated list of beer/tequila/whiskey/cocktails. (I had a Green Flash IPA for $4.) Plus, it's nice to sit outside in clement weather. So all that kind of made up for it.

*frustrating

I saw Dr. K this morning. He says to tell everyone hi. And he told me to switch to fake salt ;__;

LOL hahaha pointing and laughing at u and your fake salt

I will salt my food with my tears.

Dr. K said to tell you that he got the test results back and as he feared, your pussy is full of mold.

I am glad I don't go to the same doctorb as all of you.

No offense or anything, but ferreals.

Dan, your doctor just called me and said to tell you that his recommendation is that you grow a pair.

oh he knows I have a pair

That exchange caused me to cackle aloud.

Dan, why would you not want to share a doc with us?

Some things are just best kept separate imo.

Do any of you have a decent laptop or portable computer I could borrow for a few days? It's not an emergency but our laptop is in the shop and I'd rather not drive to Evanston every day for work.

Sorry, Nick, but no.

I just wanted to let you know that the Republifag who loves Palin also deeply adores Hillary.

I have a semi-decent laptop that you can have if you have a Mac power cord.

I need the borrow the cord from you first, though, so I can wipe the hard drive.

Hey, what are people up to tonight? Kr is going to a bridal shower, so I am free to raise ruckus on my own.

If you want beef, then bring the ruckus.

I don't know what I'm doing. If I don't fall asleep when I get home I'd likely be up for something.

Tonight I get to experience one of the major drawbacks of a part-time job, a 4-midnight shift.

Oh, bummer.

I'm meeting a friend for drinks, and won't be out late since I'm getting up early to get my hair cut tomorrow morning. Having an in-demand stylist who dropped down to part time because of a newborn really blows sometimes.

My plan was to spend all night playing RED DEAD REDEMPTION but amazon hasn't gotten it to me yet :( so I guess I'm free to hang out and do something.

I really want a good sandwich.

I make a point not to eat two sandwiches in one day, but yesterday, after having lunch at Hannah's Bretzel, I got home around 9 PM and really didn't feel like spending more than 5 minutes on dinner. So another sandwich it was. (The Hannah's Bretzel sandwich was better.)

That's a crazy life rule.

I really want a sandwich like I had at the fountainhead the other week. But don't want to go get it.

Or maybe Ba Le.

sandwiches are good

I am taking it easy tonight and going top the gymnasium to "train" for the "fun" run on Sunday. I will also probably walk by my new building. Again.

Sandwiches are just too often my default, especially during the week: they're relatively cheap and widely available at most lunch places, and they're easy and fast to make at home for dinner. I figure I should try to vary my diet, though.

I eat approximatley 300 turkey sandwiches a year.

I should really track these things better.

I should go to Jerry's sometime. I've never been.

It's pretty good

So would anyone be interested in going to, I dunno, Long Room?

Tonight, I mean.

Around when were you thinking?

I dunno, 7:30?

Sorry, can't decide what I feel like doing.

That's cool. Thinking now I might just go there by myself and read, so you can join me if you like.

I'm actually just leaving work now -- probably heading straight to Long Room -- so I guess call or text if you want to hang out.

guess what: i have a puppy at my feet. there are pics of her on the look at this fucking puppy thread. also I WAS JUST AT TARGET buying puppy food and a baby gate but i did not see jvc there! i looked too. there was a bit of a rush though because d and puppy were asleep in the car and i was afraid that someone would try to steal my puppy and hurt my sleepy husband so i hightailed it out of there.

god i have such a headache. i spent most of the day in the car driving to and from wisconsin. btw we went to beans and barley in milwaukee for lunch and it was like a carbon copy of the vegetarian place i worked 10 years ago. it was totally ten-years-ago vegetarian food. not that it was bad, necessarily, but not worth an hourlong detour for. oh well. everything's alright now and i am going to watch some tube with my extremely needy baby dog rudy. http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3368/4627703375_351cc85fb5.jpg

^^ not my arm btw

Wow that face.

Wow. That pup is so cute that I don't know what exactly to do.

I wouldn't mind sharing a gool ol' GP with you guys. Just not a psychiatrist or a therapist. That's my line.

Here she is on the couch with the Creepshow poster
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3400/4629184860_dc07815597.jpg

omg cuet!

Amanda, no offense to Carl, in whom I have never expressed an interest, but do you think that I could meet this fella?

Here is a picture of my building, taken from the Xmas tree store at the pay parking lot behind it. The Xmas tree lot sells trees year-round, but apparently in the summer they are live and transplantable. It's a pretty good way of generating extra revenue from the parking lot business.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4065/4628626874_c3b96c6a39.jpg

Of course you can! She's way easier to get along with than Carl. Speaking of, I am on my way to pick him up from the boarding place right now. PLEASE wish us luck. I'm nervous about the introduction. Don't even want to talk about it really. We'll just see how it goes.

From what I can tell so far, she's the kind of dog who could accompany us politely to dinner al fresco. Very nice little lady.

Good luck with the introduction.

Congrats on the dope dawg.

I'm having a breakfast beer.

I'm drinking because fir the next 19 Saturday mornings I'm going to have to wake up before 6 AM.

The future's uncertain and the end is always near.

breakfast of champions

2 was good, probably wouldn't do 3 before 11 am.

Amanda, I'm sure all will be well. Dogs are better about introductions than cats.

Jeff, why are you getting up so early for the next 19 weeks??

two days a week, I don't have to leave for work until 12:30. And so on one bright, warm day a few weeks go, I sat on our porch and had a beer at like 11 AM. It was spectacular.

Part of me wants to do this every day I can, but part of me thinks it is somehow Wrong.

I don't understand how people can drink or get high before (or at) work. It seems like such a fun idea, but the times I've tried it, it's been not fun at all. I was so sleepy and slow in the brain.

Yeah, that's kind of why I think it is Wrong. But one beer won't really do much, unless it's over 7% or whatever.

I am also always tempted to get a beer at lunch, but I've never done so.

It's better if you have a hangover, admittedly. I never was any good at the ol' wake n' bake. It was always like, I'd look up and it was 2pm, and I hadn't really woken up yet. I'd only watched six straight episodes of Babylon 5.

Jesse, CARA marathon training program. Every Saturday morning, 6 AM at Montrose harbor.

Jesus. I'm sorry. :(

I know, right? And I'm paying for this privilege.

It's things like that that make me glad I'm a lazy bastard

Peace in the valley so far!!

Dr. AJ - I apologize to you. I am mortified that I called Sarah JESSICA. I know her name, but I have really hard time with names and other nouns and I panicked and forgot it. 100% truth: one time I had the same sort of panic and blanked on the name of my boyfriend of many months. :(

Don't worry about, no big deal. But I apologize if we "cramped your style" or whatever, assuming that you were on some sort of date.

"Some sort" of date.

No cramping at all. Any way, you walk in Aville, you are likely to see people.

Where did u eat?

We actually ate at the place in front of which we ran into each other, A Taste of Heaven. We liked it a lot, it was low-key and cheap, which is just what we needed after In Fine Spirits. Where were you guys going to and/or coming from anyway?

Haha somebody on ILX used to work there.

For about a week and a half, before the owner, raging on meth, threw me out in an angry fit, screaming about how lazy I am and throwing things at me.

what

Looking forward to your rival cafe, A Taste of Kenan.

lolol

Yeah, that's going to be huge.

what

The meth part is only speculated, but widely.

Dear Jeff and Jenny

Thanks for lending us this laptop, it seems like it will be just fine for work purposes. I appreciate it!

Nick

You have to keep it.

C&J/N&S, here are pictures from today: http://is.gd/cmeAj

Thanks, Jeff.

I got home, showered, then napped like a big dawg. I am sunburnt.

Eric, we went to Hamburger Mary's.

I really want a burger now. that would be number 3 in 24 hours, a personal best.

I napped too. It was awesome.

I just played video games in the dark.

Some pretty awful pics of me there.

Red Dead Redemption? As good as they say?

Yes, yes

mmmmmmmm iced coffee

I kind of feel like mentally I'm on vacation already even though we aren't leaving until Friday. I think it's the heat.

@pril and I went to Kankakee State Park with the pooch yesterday. It was quite lovely, despite not finding the actual hiking trails. Instead, we walked the 7 mile riverside path...which came complete with spooky specimens of NATURE, troubled teens on group outings and warning signs about steep hills...which mostly seemed to be about as steep and long as your average handicapped ramp.

That said, it was beautiful and I'd like to go back and "canoe." I use the quotation marks, because the river seemed to be running at about 45 mph, so I don't think there would be much paddling involved.

It is awful out there today. The A/C is on and I have a fan blowing at my torso. I slept on the couch last night b/c I haven't put the A/C in the bedroom yet. Fuck this shit.

That's my standing message for the summer. I won't bother you with more of the same unless there is an exceptional event or pressing need.

I'll just cosign Jesse's message re: this miserably fucking horrible weather.

Picked the right week to go visit my folks in the 55-degree redwoods...

Your pain is my joy. Life is finally worth living.

What is IRONIC (?) is that it will be in the gross 80s/90s here until the weekend, when it will be cooler, but I will be in NOLA where it will be yucky.

Also, I may have made a huge tiny mistake moving .5 mile from my bus...the walk 1/2 block to the train this morning almost killed me.

What is nice is that we all find enjoyment in various types of things and that is what makes the world go 'round.

Not that I like that your are in pain. I really don't want anyone to suffer in weather that they don't like. I certainly do the same during winter.

Jesse, can't you just hop a Diversey bus to the Halsted bus? Use bus tracker so you don't have to wait, and then you won't have to walk when it's so shit hot outside.

Yes, you're right. I just got scared this morning.

We're filing for summary judgment in a case and I keep thinking of the weather as summery judgment and then I smile.

I don't really like being out in the heat but I like being inside and knowing that it's hot outside.

Your pain is my joy. Life is finally worth living.

You sound like Kr.

my dog is on my lap and i am at the office. her breath smells something fierce.

I actually think I don't care if it's hot all day so long as it's not hot all night. I slept like shit.

Puppy breath is gross. I never got why others seem to like it.

carl had nice puppy breath but rudy smells like a dumptruck

haha up until 30 seconds ago i thought red dead redemption was a beer you guys drank after the 5k

I am housesitting for M@tt & M@rgs this weekend and next, and he just got RedDead. So excited to play it.

Seems like this is the game that gets people (like me) who haven't played home video games to get interested. The stills are amazing. It's pretty much been advertised like a summer movie (billboards, El stations, etc.). I'm convinced.

I think the one obstacle to that is that controls-wise, it's pretty hardcore gamer-y ... there are lots of buttons that do lots of different things in different situations. It's not an intuitive control set, so if you don't play modern video games regularly, it could be kind of confusing and frustrating for a while. But you could still ride around on your horse in the wilderness and look at things, which is pretty fun too.

Jordan, if you're out there, I emailed with Erik and put him in contact with you know who about you know what.

Looks like it would be too much of a time commitment for me. I can't play games if I can't just pick it up and be done after 30 min.

Wait, what is this video game about? The only video game of the last 10 years that has actually made me think, "Hmmm, I might actually like to play that" (bearing in mind that I only really know what I see advertised or hear people talk about) is Grand Theft Auto IV.

Old West + weapons is not particularly enticing. Riding around on a horse in the wilderness and looking at things sounds dope, though.

I've heard both "Deadwood: The Video Game" and "Grand Theft Auto in the Old West".

I really wish I were into games. They look like so much fun for other people, and some are even fun for me for about 5 minutes, then I get distracted.

Yeah it's basically like GTA (same company) but instead of being constrained in a city with lots of people, you can go ride around in the countryside where there's no one around and get mauled by a cougar

I don't know that I've even watched anyone play an adventure-style game since Final Fantasy VII in college. My only video-game experience in recent years, to the best of my knowledge, has been Wii Sports and, before that, Katamari Damacy.

ha ha, did I make you play Katamari? I love that game. Though it's kind of the opposite where it has very intuitive controls (I think) but is just too weird/foreign to be a crossover-to-the-mainstream kinda game.

The video game company Steam was letting people download Portal for free, and I did that, and I really like that game a lot. I'm kind of surprisingly good at it, too, since I usually am terrible at all games except Tetris and Centipede and Plants v. Zombies.

i am only good at games that involve playing toy instruments or dancing

PORTAL IS AWESOME

I thought about saying something about the free download on here but I didn't know if anyone would care.

Anyways you should play it through to the end if possible because it gets more amazing as you go.

I usually am terrible at all games except Tetris and Centipede and Plants v. Zombies.

But you're outstanding at HUMAN CENTIPEDE!

xp to Nick - Cool! I particularly like the hilarious voice that tells me not to be alarmed at the taste of blood in my mouth, etc.

That's what I did yesterday while you were all out running and drinking beer in the sun, btw. I sat in a dim, air conditioned room and played video games. It was delightful.

Jesse, that's not a video game. That's YOU'RE REAL LIFE.

Wait. I've said too much.

Ugh. Your. I RUINED MY OWN DUMB JOKE.

Wait, Jesse, did you see this link from the HC thread?

http://kotaku.com/5546500/the-most-provocative-movie-of-2010-is-now-a-flash-game

Jenny, I did, right after you posted, which is what made me think to make a dumb joke of my own.

Sometimes I sing the George Michael song "Hand to Mouth" as "Ass to Mouth"!!! It's outrageous!

But they kept on living
Ass to mouth
Ass to mouth
Ass to mouth

Here's a song I made up about the weather while I was out and about returning a library book:

Fuck this weather.
Fuck it in the eye.
Fuck this weather.
Seriously. Fuck it.

Haha.

Tomas wrote on FB a few days ago, when it was cloudy and cool "F this weather, Seriously!" Were you quoting him?

Nope!

Tomas is dumb, that weather was just fine.

you and tomas are weather song sisters. and you are incestuous, too.

http://www.lamebook.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/tmia3.png

Jenny.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo jefffffffffffffffffffffffffffff

Yeah, well, he shouldn't have piss me off.

That's some Lysistrata shit right there.

I'm at a show. In my 30s. Imagine that.

What show?

Eluvium.

I can believe that.

http://pleatedjeans.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/sadomasochism.jpg

Listen, we are at least 10% of the population, and if that 68% figure is correct, we need to step it up a bit.

quiet, murderer

Kill all the straight people
Then we'll be free

That's nice of you to offer yourself and your family up like that.

:(
The ashes of the office dog just arrived by UPS. I think I'm going to cry.

wait, no... i might vomit instead

Cover your bases and do both.

Also, I'm really sorry. RIP Ginger.

nope, crying it is, but showing signs of pooping too

unfortunate surname: Kuntz

Wow!

First name: Seymour

apparently the Kuntz family is opening a custard stand in Evanston :-/

hope they don't find this thread where i lament their name
sorry Kuntzes

When I was a kid I played hockey with a Ry@n Kuntz3.

http://themishmash.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/02/17/rusty_kuntz_2.jpg

TS: Rusty Kuntz v. Dick Trickle

Anyone have any new music to recommend? I'm feeling somewhat static in that department.

what u in the mood for -- give me some adjectives (always my first question whether it's food, tunes, movies, books)

I dunno exactly, I mean I don't require happy music, sad music, energetic or whatever. I just want some new sounds. They don't even have to be brand-new, just new to me. Like I'm listening to this band Wounded Lion and they just sound sort of rehashed poppy-ish. On the other hand I picked up a Spiritualized discography and I really like that.

Wounded Lion also have a bit of a Silkworm thing going on which is weird.

so you want something sonically big (i think of spiritualized as pretty BIG) or small (spare, uncomplicated)?
i dunno. i think i hate recommending things to people because i find it exhausting because i desperately want to get it right but i never do.

I haven't heard anything I've been superexcited about in a while, sorry.

the new Harvey Milk is really good but I'm not sure how into it you'd be. I've put them on mixes before but if you haven't heard them, they're like halfway in between Swans and the Melvins.

i've been listening to nurse with wound because it's just the kind of more-or-less nondistracting background music i need atm. not emotional, not melodic, just there.

Yeah, I realized recently I hadn't heard any new music in a few months.

I was enjoying the These New Puritans album this morning, though I guess that's from the beginning of the year (and was possibly discussed here before??)

I have started listening to Boards of Canada.

yes to sonically big!

I am going to try sharing stuff on Google Reader, so hold onto your butts, you might get something shared to you. Let me know.

I hate to ask this, but would any of you be interested in doing a tiny bit of cat-sitting this weekend? We're going to a wedding in MD and we just need someone to go to our apt once and feed the cat etc. I know many of you are heading out of town, but I thought I'd ask. Obviously we would buy you beer or give you money or whatever in recompense.

Already cat-sitting this weekend, sorry.

i have TWO catsitting jobs this weekend, sorry :(

I am not catsitting, but I cannot cat sit, which is why I'm not already catsitting for Jesse! I'm also sorry.

Ha, I guess I should have assumed that this would be a high demand cat-sitting weekend!

This is unrelated to catsitting, but is hilarious. It has everything: localvores gone wild/a fever pitch of pork enthusiasm/crazy Oregon hippies punching each other - http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/05/portland_pig_cook-off_followed.html

We are going to be out of town and have hired a PROFESSIONAL CATSITTER for our cats.

Yeah, we a have a professional cat sitter we use in our neighborhood and she's okay but a little weird. We may end up calling her, but it seems stupid for like three days.

If it was two days, we'd probably just tell Miri to suck it up.

Professional catsitter has got to be better than me, tbh. I'm allergic to cats and can't touch them.

E, we would totally do it but we're going out of town, too. Don't hesitate to ask another time, though!

Also: excited about Portland!

wearing 1st summer dress of the season iirc
yay!

You're going to Portland, John? Try not to get into any arguments about the superiority of mid-west pork, okay?

Also maybe get a whooping cough booster.

Thanks all. we're excited about MD too, though it'll be kind of busy.

I assume there is a story behind mid-west pork arguments?

Yes, I think I will largely be avoiding pork, anyway. We'll be there from Saturday through Wednesday.

My cats are being sat, otherwise I would sit yours too.

getting up at 5:30am every day is catching up with me. sleeeeeeeeeeepy.

btw i saw a mudflap today that had an ad for a company called "Kenan Advantage LLC, inc"

kenan advantage llc inc iirc tbh imo

I might have already told someone this, but I just once again noticed a copy of a marital settlement agreement from an old case. The document is titled "fuckgates.doc"

Jenny, have you heard of this book?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_Hall

I am writing an article about the author.

i think she posted about that book a while ago. i think she loves it. i will let her answer your question though.

Ah, you are right!

Amanda is right! Tell the author I love her and to be my friend.

Ha. I've been reading about her all day; she seems like a pretty cool and smart woman.

I've wanted to read "A Place of Greater Safety," Mantel's novel about the French Revolution, for years, but it's length has kind of put me off. Same thing will probably happen with "Wolf Hall." She wrote some awesome essay about Robespierre for (I think) the London Review of Books though.

Putting Place of Greater Safety on my reading list.

Intimidatingly long books about major historical events is pretty much my favorite genre.

I like pop-up books.

Pop up e-books.

Speaking of, A Place of Greater Safety needs to be an e-book.

so you're into the e-book thing? Your ipad was awesome obv but I'm not sure if I could ever make the switch, at least not for the majority of my reading. I am perhaps a luddite paper lover.

Jenny:

from FB
Hide
N*c0le 0lvera F0ut It's official, Laur3n graduated from 8th grade and I didn't even cry at the ceremony!!!

I'm into paper too. When I'm revising stuff at work I miss a lot of things when reading it on the screen. A Kindle is easier to read, but there is something about the tactile appeal of flipping real pages that is missing.

I also keep a #2 yellow pencil at my desk b/c it is super satisfying to write with a sharp wooden pencil.

Sarah and I both read Wolf Hall; it was good but I felt like I needed more background knowledge of Henry VIII and Thomas Cromwell for some parts of the book. I don't really know that much about that era.

I just finished my first e-book (The Ghost Pirates! Very good!) and I am currently reading the second e-book I've purchased but the first I will probably finish (the first I purchased was the first book in Laurel K. Hamilton's vampire killer books and look, I have a high tolerance for trash but that was so incredibly poorly written and full of fucking grammatical mistakes that I would have throw it across the room in disgust, but it was on the iPad so I just deleted it in disgust) which is The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. So I'm basically dipping my toe into the world of e-books. My desire for A Place of Greater Safety to be available in e-book format is based entirely on its size, which to me is one of the main perks of e-books: not having to carry large, heavy books in my purse. I also like that most classics are available for free through Project Gutenberg. I'm trying to figure out how to get e-books from the library onto my iPad, but I haven't really sat down and fiddled with it yet, and the CPL's e-book selection is pretty limited so I am not really motivated to set aside the time as of yet.

rudy's teething, guys

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Ha, I just wrote the Stieg Larsson article earlier this week.

Eerie! What am I going to read next, John?

How do you feel about poets of the Black Arts Movement?

we were going to check out the audiobook of "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" to listen to on our roadtrip but it didn't come in in time so instead we checked out a Muriel Spark book, "Inherent Vice" and uh "The Da Vinci Code."

i will admit that i enjoyed da vinci code movie. it was enjoyable in the same way that national treasure was. in the same way that combos are.

nothing says ROAD TRIP like a big bag of nacho cheez combos

we watched "Angels & Demons" on Netflix and yeah it seemed a lot like National Treasure.

I will probably eat some Combos sometime on this road trip.

I am looking forward to reading Inherent Vice after I finish The Age of Reagan, which is pretty much the only thing I've read all year.

nothing says ROAD TRIP like a big bag of nacho cheez combos

When I was a kid, our big road-trip snack was JOLLY RANCHERS.

I'm reading an ebook about running injuries.

nothing says ROAD TRIP like a big bag of nacho cheez combos

I keep meaning to ask my mom for her recipe for "chicken Dorito casserole." This is precisely what it sounds like. You line the pan with nacho cheese Doritos like you're making banana pudding with Nilla wafers, and throw in a bunch of chicken, and an unholy amount of condensed cream of mushroom soup, and a bunch of cheese, and some other shit. I forget what all. Point is, it's totally nasty and completely compulsively edible.

It's like something Roseanne would cook when she was tired and didn't feel like listening to the kids bitch about eating something healthy.

Rudy didn't have teeth before?? I don't think I've known a pre-teeth puppy.

Xp wow!

no she has teeth but her adult teeth are coming in

she hates crunching her food. i've been letting it get all gross and waterlogged and then she eats it one piece at a time. she's really an excessively dainty eater. kinda driving me nuts, but hoping she grows out of it.

I bet she'd eat soggy Doritos.

I bet she would!

I haven't read much of Carolyn Rodgers's stuff but what I've read I've liked! Gwendolyn Brooks is one of my favorite poets so it would make sense that I like CR. I'm not much in the mood for poetry these days, however.

I have a shockingly, possibly disgustingly high tolerance for cream of mushroom soup based casseroles (cream of mushroom soup in general, even) and that Dorito concoction sounds truly vile.

I know! But it only sounds that way.

I just... man. I could probably handle it with tortilla chips instead of Doritos, like some sort of trailer park chilaquiles casserole. It's the thought of cheese powder mingled with the other ingredients that does me in.

Also, the DaVinci Code sounds like the perfect road trip audio book.

Especially if read by Bugs Bunny.

"Delta of Venus by Anais Nin. Read by me, Buckwheat."

Hey, ebook people, my employer has a free download every month fyi:

http://www.press.uchicago.edu/ebooks/free_ebook.html

Sweet! Thanks, Dan!

You know what I hate? When a male public speaker makes his (non-existent?) wife the butt of a bunch of jokes in an attempt to warm up/relate to his audience. It's so fucking annoying and alienating and unoriginal. Like, really? Your wife took your last five dollars? That's your wife calling an audience member's cell phone because you turned your phone off and she'll go to great lengths to nag you? Gross.

yuk

maybe the dude's gay and is trying to hide it by talking so much about his wife. in which case his behavior is tragic, not just annoying

I hate that shit, too.

I've never seen so many protests, debates, and filibusters in all my life...

Well, at least not since the last time I tried to put the moves on my wife!

http://www.theonion.com/articles/all-this-tea-party-talk-is-making-me-thirsty,17424/

AJ, he's not gay, but this is also a trend I've seen with pretty much every male seminar facilitator since I've started working here. Dude attorneys, especially dude comp attorneys, are really really bad at recognizing that there are women (some of whom are wives even!) in their audience and tend to just go for the cheap dude laughs. Also - tons of sports metaphors. I hate that shit, too.

If I wanted to spend a lot of time worrying about somebody who never worried about me, I'd raise a kid. Oh, wait. I did! Twice!

HA I swear this guy made a v. similar joke about his kids, too.

full of butterfinger blizzard from the DQ

To everybody who is leaving town this weekend: Safe travels!

thaaaaaaanks

excited about trip but started to get sad last night about leaving our cats alone (except for the catsitter) for more than a week

i can't believe that i have nothing planned for this weekend. nothing. the hubbub surrounding rudy's pickup eclipsed all plans-making and i forgot about memorial day weekend. oh well.

also i found out yesterday that her baby teeth falling out are what's causing her to have bad breath. not that anyone cares, but...that won't stop me from posting about it

That's good - that means the condition is temporary.

planz for weekend:

saturday:
watch USA v Turkey w/ cat on lap
work on p/t project for old job
sunday:
work on p/t project for old job
Fire v. AC Milan
monday:
Hum in Grant Park!

sounds lovely! i actually remembered that i do have something to do tomorrow -- it's graduation day.

Amanda, I care!!!! It's right in my name!

Hey, FYI, I'm going to NOLA in a bit, so go fuck yourself.

WOW it is boring here at work today

i left and went home. now i am going to sit on the couch and read the first of the first 180 pgs of d's new book!

we're getting let out at 3 and it can't come soon enough

I'm leaving as soon as I finish this case and my boss leaves. WHEEEEE. TYPE FASTER, JENNY!

monday:
Hum in Grant Park!

if this is grant park in chicago, tell me more.
on sunday i head for chicago for a few weeks, and have monday to myself.
my appartment is pretty central, so is this park walking distance, and more importantly, who else is playing ?!
also, next weekend is a street festival with pelican and yacht .. so could be a fun few weeks !

It's actually in Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park - http://chicago.metromix.com/music/rock/hum-grant-park-museums/1822175/content

Free show!

whoo.. thats looks like a fun start to my work (ahem) trip.

ta for the pointer.

if you see bloke with northern uk accent, crap dress sense, looking lost, and little hair then say hello.

"excuse me sir, you're nearly bald, dressed poorly, and look lost. is your name mark?"

walking distance depends on your idea of walking distance and where your apt is. summer is a great time to be in chicago, though -- lotsa free stuff to do. welcome! don't be a stranger!

"excuse me sir, you're nearly bald, dressed poorly, and look lost. is your name mark?"

hahaha Is this how people make friends in the UK?

I run into that type every single day.

Why do I always forget how much Electrelane rocks? They do. I think Eric agrees with me.

no one tried to make friends with me while i was in the UK, so i have no idea
i would guess probably

I suck at leaving early.

We are in Cincinnati. It seems interesting.

But humid.

Say hi to President Taft for me.

It's humid here, too, but in a good way.

Yeah, Electrelane rocks. Axes is like a novel of an album.

This guy - http://twitter.com/mikethebig1 - took a bunch of photos of a big bust on the El tonight as it happened.

Where are the pictures? Twitter confuses and enrages me.

Amanda and kenan, I sent u a very important email! Please confirm receipt and understaning.

Why am I awake at this hour?

i understane your message -- i just haven't been over there yet to see if kenan took the key
i'm going to graduation around 9, will check on the kittles after it's over around 12 or so?

Thanks.

Courtney and I are having an EXCELLENT time. I accidentally knocked her over after her shower last night and she landed on her butt, butt-naked and we LOLed. Pics to follow.

We made BFFs last night. We went on a ghost tour and when it ended, I took over and led part of the group on my own tour that led to the mechanical whale. There was a cute ddeeeeerunk 21 year old boy who hit on Courtney, but I guess he is gay? It turned out that the hot guys who were rubbing on the girls were also gay. Then we went dancing and we're friends on FB.

Jeff and I sent our spit off to be analyzed when 23andme.com had their DNA day sale and it turns out I am most genetically similar to someone from the Orkney Islands of Scotland. And one time when I worked at the psychic hotline, I had past life reading and the reader said that many lives ago, my stepfather and I were little girl best friends in Scotland (which, believe you me, has been a fun thing to tease my stepfather about all these years) so anyway, clearly past lives are totally legitimate.

What else did you learn?

This is the guy who put the moves on w/ Courtney. When she rejected him, he held her hand and talked to her and asked if she would get upset if he tried for another woman in our group. A married woman. They made out, but his friend outed him as a homo and he got super upset and looked like he was going to cry, but then it all got better.

http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs591.snc3/31185_394184729268_549499268_3848818_5256804_n.jpg

The straight guy in our group got really protective of me, and he hugged me and said that if anyone tried to fuck with me that he would fuck them up.

Your group of what?

brand new friends

The group that I culled from our tour group and led on my own tour of the French Quarter!
They totally listened to me and followed me for hours. I'm sure I don't have to tell you that I found that extremely gratifying.

And now we're FB friends and one of the homos suggested that our little group get together every Memorial Day Weekend, which would actually be pretty fun.

maybe you guys should just all stay in New Orleans and live in a house, start getting real

I tried to kiss the boys, b ut was turned down. One of the homos is a helicoptor pilot! and he has 2 children.

damn its hot here (chicago) today - the fact i am suffering hang over due to earl brutus gig last night in london isn't helping i suspect.
internet in appt. is mighty fine, and the park for hum gig is literally around the corner.
i wont even have to walk there, just open the window.

they must have put you up in a pretty swanky place!

living the life.
the next 3 weeks could be fun just a shame i have to go into the office during the day.

It is very hot today. This is not expected to continue.

I'm glad you have such nice accommodations!

Wish I was outside!

have to say, the view from the 19th floor is a bit of a head f*ck.
i may have to step outside now to get supplies in, but the jetlag/hangover are kicking in nicely.
time for a ice cold hair of the dog beer methinks.

courtney and my bodies seem to have become dependant on beer. The day doesn't really start till we've had at least one. But we're maintaining low level. Buzzes for the most part, except late last night.
Courtney did a shot out of a waitresses cleavage and then the server took the glass from courtney's mouht w her mouth. I only encouraged this behavior bc I thought the drinks were free.

Holy shit, I love this town so much and I met the friends I made here and it was awesome. This town is the home I never had. Fucking outstanding.

jesse never wants to come home from camp
never!

Oops.

Courtney and I went out and met the boy who I met in jail. Here he is. He is teeeeny tiny, hairy, and drives a Jeep Wrangler. and he's left-handed. These are all "things" for me.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs549.ash1/32069_864349634342_10111482_48622250_4746417_n.jpg

http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs238.snc3/22543_693062889635_38414162_38731862_1481907_n.jpg

http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs220.snc3/22767_1321911978666_1556832886_30836233_6819875_n.jpg

i am looking for something fruitlessly -- will one of you please help me find that link of a bunch of (maybe) 19th c or early 20th c court proceedings? the real words of all sorts of people pleading drunkenness and public indecency and whatnot?

help me find this please

i'm trying to get past jesse's vacation diary here
help us move past mr fleur de lis's chest hair photo after chest hair photo

This is probably not exactly what you're looking for, but it seems awesome: http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/

and yeah the fleur de lis thing is kinda disturbing

i think that is what i was looking for! i just couldn't remember anything specific enough about it to find it.
thanks!

Awesome!

Also, we are back from weekend wedding ma\dness. We were very surprised by how Southern Maryland is -- I'd heard that this was the case, but my only experiences in in MD prior than this were in Baltimore...

i've never been there except to visit this friend of mine from middle school - she was a girl i met while our parents were on a conference together and we wrote letters and stuff and then i went to visit her once. i remember four things about this trip:
1) we went to a mall where they had different department stores, but i didn't say anything because i didn't want to seem provincial
2) i ate a lot of bagels with butter
3) we watched "coming to america" like 500x
4) her sister had a friend who came to dinner and she did irish step dancing (she was in a troupe of some kind, this was long before riverdance) and i was like WTF is THAT

guys Hum was awesome, total nostalgia trip but sooo good

lots of hilarious air-drumming going on across the crowd, loved that too

We were very surprised by how Southern Maryland is

Where were you in MD? DE borders MD and DE being very small, I am very familiar with the culture of MD and its southernness (and DE's southernness).

Also I will take this opportunity to recommend one of my favorite historical books about the Delmarva Peninsula, The Entailed Hat (available for free download for those of you who are into ebooks from Project Gutenberg). It's about Patty Cannon, who was real bad news.

Also Old Bailey Online is delightful. Thank you.

whoa that's a crazy story.

I am now entertaining myself by saying "Wicomico County" in my best Maryland accent.

We were actually right outside Baltimore in Ellicott City, which btw has a really charming and awesome "historic downtown".

whoa that's a crazy story.

Patty Cannon? I know! All that happened around where I grew up. I should have told you about this before, Amanda. It seems like the kind of lurid historical horror story that you would appreciate!

Ellicott City? Haha man, next time go to Salisbury and then we'll talk about the southernness of MD.

PS Don't go to Salisbury.

PPS No offense to anybody from Wicomico County who is reading this. Love your Civic Center!!!

I was just telling Courtney yesterday that I was using ILX as a secret travel diary b/c FB is too public and the parties involved are my FB friends.

This has been an excellent and fun-filled vacation and now I am very ready to sit on my couch and stare at the TV every evening. But I am really going to miss NOLA, and not just in a vacation way. I could see myself living here.

Jesse, you did live there.

hi guys

Hi! Welcome back! How was Spain????

Patty Cannon? I know! All that happened around where I grew up. I should have told you about this before, Amanda. It seems like the kind of lurid historical horror story that you would appreciate!
UM, YEAH

welcome home jordan

Ellicott City definitely seemed southern to me, though more in "new south" kind of way, like suburb of Atlanta or something.

amazing!

I think I'm going to read this next, in honor of this conversation: http://www.amazon.com/Song-Yet-Sung-James-McBride/dp/1594489726

would you seriously recommend the historical account before the fictionalized one? i love reading shit like that.

The Entailed Hat is fictionalized, although nobody has figured out just how fictionalized. It's definitely lurid, though. It's also not an easy read, but I read it when I was much younger and much less tolerant of old literature and I loved it. Then again, a lot of my interest was driven by the fact that I knew where all this went down (and could hop in the car and drive there to check it out, if I were so inclined).

Song Yet Sung is not about Patty Cannon so much as it uses Patty Cannon as a character.

She would make a good subject as the main character of a book, you know, in case you just so happen to know somebody who writes horror novels.

INDEED!

I just so happen to know someone who does that.

If somebody you know were to ever write a book with Patty Cannon as a main character, I would be honored, nay duty bound, to offer my services as a DE native for, well, whatever one needs a DE native for in these circumstances. I could take you on a Swamp Tour of Caroline County, MD and Sussex County, DE.

You could hang out with my uncles and listen to them pronounce "push" and "bush" like "poosh" and "boosh" (with an oo like in pool) or pronounce "dog" with a long o.

You could go rabbit hunting with my second cousins.

Or crabbing off Miss Ida's pier.

Noted!

guys Hum was awesome, total nostalgia trip but sooo good
lots of hilarious air-drumming going on across the crowd, loved that too

glad you enjoyed it.

clearly they are local heros and the large crowd were totally lapping up their noise.

i felt very out of place given that i have never heard them (suspect they never hit big over in UK), and i never liked grunge, but evenso, cant deny was kind of fun watching the whole proceedings for a while.

i think one aspect that was weird for me, was an event like that in UK would definitely have a beer stand (or 4) !

instead people were having to send one of their friends to a local shop and return with supplies.

also, was a little concerned earlier in the day when the heavens opened for 4 hours, i did wonder if the whole event was just going to end up being a wash out, but in the end it all turned out right.

Yeah, there were a lot of nostalgia-fied folks in attendance. I met one guy who drove from Colorado to be there. If I'm not mistaken, alcohol is technically prohibited in the park, but the security were not enforcing anything other than people sitting on walls or smoking outside designated areas. We made a 7-11 run before finding a spot on the grass.

OH MAN ALSO apparently Old Timer's is no more.

(frowny face)

oh no!!
no!
noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

On the one hand, bummer!!!!

On the other hand, I haven't been there in like two years so it doesn't feel like an acute loss.

On the third hand,

http://www.zooborns.com/.a/6a010535647bf3970b0133ef5a648d970b-pi

nice fingers, animal!

http://awfullibrarybooks.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/i-can-be-a-lawyer-2.jpg

What is that floating blob next to the assistant?

Her human dignity?

That illustration does not represent my work environment.

It's hot here.

Those white fluttery things flying around at night in NOLA are not all moths - they are termites. Also saw some flying roaches.

I know I lived there, but that was weird and temporary.

I leave town for a few days and you guys let Old Timers disappear. But memories of my last couple visits there make me not miss it very much.

sup
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4028/4660648662_6846649c5e.jpg

A+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Do you think Rudy's going to mellow Carl out at all? Around other people, I mean.

I dunno. I blame myself for that, but who wants to put anyone through some kind of horrible exposure therapy where my dog barks/growls at them repeatedly?

I was thinking that maybe someday soon we could get together at the Edgewater Lounge (or somewhere in upper A-ville) and I'll walk down there with Rudy so you can see her without facing The Beast.

Aw, Carl's no beast. He's just a little prickly.

These days he galumphs around the house like a fat old grouch most of the time; the rest of the time he's asleep. He does enjoy running with me in the morning, though.

i am on day 3 of an unexpected migraine. not feelin so great.

has anyone rhymed daphne zuniga with vera farmiga? if not, get on that.

I love the doggies on the couch picture. Truly I do.

Remote controls like that make me wish Apple made everything. Everybody has like three of them, and everybody uses like four buttons on them each.

here's another one, taken 10 min later
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4039/4660029241_45f409aa7a.jpg

you're right about the remotes. it takes two of them to adjust the aspect ratio on our tv. blech.

Haha those pictures are even awesomer in a series.

I hope this migraine passes soon, Amanda.

I'm kind of excited about Rod's trial starting today. With his particular defense team, and that particular judge, plus P.Fitz I think this will be very entertaining.

i'm entertained by your blago fascination
give us the highlights!

Here's your first update: it's actually starting tomorrow. Haha.

There was a story on the judge on 848 this morning including a clip of him in some movie from the early 90's, swearing up a storm at Joe Mantenga.

I am going to have to listen to that! He also wrote a book about a judge who successfully stole millions of dollars from the Federal Reserve! This trial would be LOL enough w/ just Rod involved, but there are so many levels of absurdity here that I just cannot wait.

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2010/05/blagojevich-trial-judge-zagel-regarded-as-smart-unflappable.html#more

Rod's lawyers defended R. Kelly. THIS COULD NOT GET ANY MORE AWESOME.

jenny please start a thread for this so we can follow the hilarity without having to read every single article like you're going to do

I just revived this one - The Blagojevich scandal and the Democrats, although I am not being quite so enthusiastic in that thread as I am here among my friends.

Jenny, it's Judge Z@g3l, right? What do you know about him? Did you know he is a novelist?
xp

I am going to have to listen to that! He also wrote a book about a judge who successfully stole millions of dollars from the Federal Reserve! This trial would be LOL enough w/ just Rod involved, but there are so many levels of absurdity here that I just cannot wait.