Typing Every Once In A While.
WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS
Liz saying “Sharkfarts” on 30 Rock
Live Meatwad Christmas performance @ Criminal
Hangar steak + jalapeno mac & cheese @ PURE
LOST S1, D3 review w/ Melissa
Polenta pancakes @ Radial (BEST EVER?)
Made it out of Sand People enclave alive in KOTOR
Chicken pizza + a decent new Simpsons episode!
WEEKEND LOWLIGHTS
Working late Friday night
The Weather
Still behind on every project ever started
Had to come back to work today
NP :: The Bird and The Bee - “Diamond Dave”
I used to really enjoy coming up with random little posts. I guess that enthusiasm has mostly just been sapped by Tweeter and the fact that I can upload photos from anywhere. Still, there are plenty of ideas that can’t be squoze into 140 characters. Hopefully I’ll do a better job of throwing them up here from time to time. Or not.
Whatever the case, here’s a quick one.
Amusingly Appropriate Products I Heard Ads For While Listening To Conservative Talk Radio On XM During Drive Time:
Data backup software
Prostate care pills
Wang-enlargement pills (WITH free measuring device)
Hot flash treatment medication
Brandy! (the drink, not the fine girl)
The brandy really tickled me. That just doesn’t seem like something that needs to be advertised. You find a drink you like through word of mouth, or trial and error, and you stick with it. I guess if anyone knows their brandy, though, it’s someone who hosts a talk radio show (???).
I’m grasping at straws here, but I thought it was pretty funny. You couldn’t pick a beverage more closely associated with portly old guys smoking cigars in a secret back room if you tried!
Alright, back to the grind. Stay frosty, Internet.
Thanks to the kindness of The Internet and local merchants, I got to see three great musical acts last night FO’ FREE!
1) I’d been hearing some of The XX on XM (appropriate) for a few months, and definitely liked one of their singles. They played a show at 529 last night, but that sold out with a quickness. FORTUNATELY, the good folks at Criminal arranged for an in-store performance at 8pm. We got about a half-dozen songs from this British trio (recently minus a member), and they sounded really, really good. If you like quiet-ish Brit-pop with an edge of rock to it, check them out.
2) Justin Townes Earle was opening for Dan Auerbach at the Variety, so I entered Criminal’s ticket drawing, and won! I’m a pretty vocal supporter of JTE, having seen him a couple of times in the past. He’s sort of a modern-day version of Hank Williams, I guess? Tall, skinny, country– the voice definitely sounds like Williams to me, but the vocal mannerisms that contribute to that impression are probably not accidental. Anyway, he’s a great song-storyteller, and I recommend. You should buy his EP, Yuma.
3) I’m only a casual fan of The Black Keys, and I never did get that album they made with Dangermouse, but I like their sound. Dan’s the guitarist of the duo (and the primary singer, I guess?) His band, The Fast Five, includes a member of My Morning Jacket and some Weird Beard in a Man With No Name poncho who played the bongos with two maracas in each hand (I think he might have been there mostly for show.) Distractions aside, this band sounds good together, and they know how to rock a set. I didn’t know a single song they played, but it all made the Variety rumble with pleasant frequencies. Approve! Nice use of lighting, too.
So, big thanks to Criminal Records!
Who have you seen perform lately? Were they good?
NP :: Cannibal Ox - “The F Word”
After I finished off the first disc of “The X-Files” Season 1 last night, I turned out the lights, and headed to sleep on the couch. Obviously I wanted to make my bed even less than I wanted to sleep in it.
Anyway, at some point in the wee hours, I had a pretty elaborate dream. Very detailed. I seemed to be on location for a movie shoot– somewhere outdoors for much of the dream, but occaionally inside. I’m pretty sure it was one of the middle volumes of The Chronicles of Narnia, but I couldn’t tell you which one right now without a plot reminder. There were child actors running around, I think, and they all seemed to know me at least a little bit. I didn’t bother them too much though– kinda stayed out of their way.
Here’s the more interesting (to me) part– a couple of my favorite comic book creators were there, just hanging out. Yep. Brian Michael Bendis (who looks kind of like Michael Chiklis) and Mark Texiera (who looks like I don’t know what, as I’ve never seen the guy) were there for who knows what reason, and we were talkin’ comics. It was cool.
I specifically remember trying to think of what my favorite TEX book would be near the end of the dream– I guess I wanted to get something autographed before I left.
In conclusion, this is what happens when you spend all afternoon reading funny comics on the porch, and then eat dry shredded wheats and a fruit bar for supper, I guess?
How was your weekend? I went to a Mexican birthday party, and saw Big Trouble In Little China.
NP :: Silversun Pickups - “Sort Of”
I must admit, this weather is pretty comfortable. As you may know, I’m all about “not being cold,” for the most part. I prefer warmer weather. Do not enjoy shivering. This is a very nice compromise of temperatures we’re enjoying, though.
Pretty big week so far– Ashley and friends visited, we ate some tasty foods, I finally got to try a Coke Freestyle machine (!), we saw U2 and Muse at the Georgia Dome, and I’ve even gotten some work done along the way. My place it a bit cleaner thanks to the threat of company, and I’ve almost got the computer situation figured out, I think.
OH, and we finally checked out The Biscuit Barn up by my mom’s place. As expected, they make some pretty tasty biscuits. Would eat again.
How goes your life, Internet?
NP :: Alice in Chains - “Got Me Wrong”
Hey, gang.
Not the greatest day ever, but I made it through.
Earlier in the week, I was expecting today to be CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION. I had a new computer on the way, you see. I’ve been scraping along on this ol’ Dell for nigh on six years now, and it’s time for an UPGRAYEDD.
I had recently asked one of my most hardware-savvy friends for system recs, and he sent me one– a suggested Dell and a pretty decent/cheap video card that would rock the games I wanted. I didn’t pay enough attention to the config before I hit PURCHASE, though, and realized too late that the card wouldn’t fit that PC. Awesome. Doubly awesome (not) because I’d shared the recommendation with a friend, and he’d ordered, too. Double-D’oh!
Well, boring story short, I found a video card that’ll work for friend, and I’m gonna just figure out an entire alternate system for myself (I refused shipment on my PC today). It’s no fun telling a friend that you guided them into a several hundred dollar mistake, though. I don’t recommend it.
Add all this stress to the fact that I didn’t get much to eat today during my 9+ hours at my desk, and ehhhh… not the best Thursday. I’ll recover, though.
- - -
Checked out Harry Shearer’s SILENT ECHO CHAMBER display at The Contemporary on the way home. Very amusing to stand and watch for 10 minutes or so. Eager to see him speak in a couple of weeks.
Well, at least I got a bit of exercise and a reasonably healthy dinner and some MUST SEE TV out of the evening.
Here’s to hopin’ to a good Friday.
Hey there, Blogue. I ain’t hatin’ on ya.
Lots of time facing movie screens this weekend. Let’s see…
AVATAR Preview (16 minutes), 3D, FauxMAX - Cool, exciting, worth seeing on the big screen, I think. Will your mom care about it? No, she will not.
I Was A Teenage Werewolf - Amusing, old, all about REBELLION. “I am amused by fantasy, but I LIVE…by FACT.” Michael Landon did NOT like to be pushed around.
Inglourious Basterds - Me likey. Great, long scenes full of quality dialogue. Some action. Quite a bit of Nat-zee killin’. Pitt plays a highly amusing Tennessean. Make sure you bring your reading glasses.
Bonnie & Clyde - Still good, but not really a personal favorite. Hackman was very enthusiastic back then. Faye Dunaway was hhhhawwwttttt.
A Perfect Getaway - I only saw it because it was playing after B&C. It’s not great. Olyphant is great, but the movie, itself, is NOT great. Amusing writing at times, though. No boobies, for the record.
NP :: This American Life - “Returning to the Scene of the Crime”
Hey there, America. Other nations– you can listen in, too.
I had a pretty fun weekend. Fortunately, it overlapped into the work week, as I was able to take Monday off. Always makes for an easy week– especially if you’re an orange cat.
Let’s see– MOVIES! Yes. I saw three of them in the theater, and two more on DVD.
The Brothers Bloom - I shouldn’t have waited so long to see this, but that’s okay now. I’ve seen it, I highly enjoyed it, and I’m telling you to mosey over to the Plaza to check it out if you haven’t already. Con men, Lamborginis (plural), and a one-legged cat. It’s excellent and funny.
MOON - This is a small one. Quiet, smart, sci-fi starring the always great Sam Rockwell. The director is David Bowie’s son, and he’s made a really amazing looking flick for (supposedly) $5M. If you call yourself any sort of sci-fi fan at all, you owe it to yourself to see this film. Hit up the Landmark and make it happen!
Public Enemies - It’s pretty good. It’s no HEAT, and I can’t really place what it is that didn’t grab me when Mann’s other films usually do. I’ll revisit it on DVD in a year or so, and see what’s what at that point.
Then later, I watched Donnie Brasco for the first time on DVD. It was a Depp-le feature, if you will. Oh-ho-HO! Anyway, I enjoyed much of it. I consider it to be a pretty sad film, overall. There’s some humor, and Bruno Kirby was still using oxygen at the time, so that’s cool. I should rewatch CASINO one of these days, and see how much I like it nowadays.
NP :: Gordon Gartrell Radio - Hail To The KAING Edition
Were you at the Tabernacle for the TV On The Radio / Grizzly Bear show on Saturday night?
If not, you missed out on some very fine performances.
Also, the added entertainment of walking in the opposite direction of the Keith Urban / Taylor Swift fans before and after the show. Denim skirts for days!
Great adventure, great emotion, great movie.
UP is, I think, Pixar’s second most emotionally touching film, with Toy Story 2 standing strong as the winner in that category. In fact, I think I’m going to go watch Toy Story 2 right now, and leave you with the thoughts of the child behind us in the theater day as the credits for UP began to roll:
That was a really good movie! Can I have one more Skittle?
Check it out in 3D if you get the chance. It’s a very nice looking movie.
NP :: Ghostland Observatory - “Club Soda”