It's All Worth It

Sure it was a hassle to buy shoes on eBay, and maybe it's a little weird to buy an exact duplicate of a pair I already have, but it's all worthwhile when a cute girl says "Nice Pumas!" the first time I ever wear them out of the house.

Mmm, Western Medicine!

There's nothing like ibuprofen and caffeine to cover up the fact that I'm sick! I feel great! As long as the drugs never wear off.

Ow ow ow

I don't really get sick much but when I do I totally fall apart. Like today, I am dizzy, have a terrible headache, and I feel like my eyes are going to pop out of my head. And for some reason I refuse to take any ibuprofen. Maybe I'll do that now.

One Two Three Boo!

PaPeRo's got a brand new bag!

Last Night

On Wednesday nights I can't park on my street, so I drove around for a while and eventually found a spot. Then, hours later, I had the sudden worry that I had parked in front of a driveway, blocking it. So, I decided to go out and see if I had done that. Nope -- the car was only blocking the curb. Awesome story.

I need a nap.

Meet Mocha Matt

You're chocolate. You're the old soul type, people
feel that they have known you their entire
life. Many often open up to you for they view
you as thoughtful and trustworthy. Although
people trust you, you have a hard time trusting
them. You prefer to keep your feelings bottled
up inside, or display them very quietly. It is
alright to open up every once in a while.


Which kind of candy are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Something Hilarious My Eleven-Year-Old Cousin Wrote

I have always wanted to work at McDonalds and be able to say, "I
work under the Golden Arches." Every since I have been looking
for a career my Mom has said that McDonalds is a good way to
start it. Ever since my Mom said that I have wanted to get a job
at one as soon as I am able to. Some of my experiences show that
I am ready for a job at McDonalds:

I have had plenty of job experience serving many people at the
annual Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast for the last five years. At the
pancake breakfasts I have always gotten along very well with the
staff and customers.

I feel that I know the value of teamwork because I have played
soccer for five years.

I have been playing piano for seven years, thus proving that I
know the value of determination and practice.

I have never gotten a tardy in any of my classes. Many parents
and teachers have told me that being on time is of the utmost
importance and now I well and truly believe them.

Also in school I have been given a High Flyer Award by one of my
teachers. A High Flyer Award is an award that is given to a
student for adding to the classroom in a positive manner.

I also believe that the addition of a 4.0 grade average to this
establishment would definitely be a change for the better.
As a McDonalds employee I would introduce humor to the usually
dull atmosphere of the kitchen. That would almost certainly
raise the efficiency and morale of all employees as well as that
of the customers. The cracking of jokes and likewise laughables
would make working fun for me and the co-workers. So these are
your choices: an easily overqualified individual that enjoys
working with all sizes and shapes of people or another dismal and
equally dull person that only says "would you like fries with
that"? I hope you make a good choice!

Best Thing About the Gym

I can drive really fast on the road that the gym is on, and it's really exciting. Really gets the heart rate up!

Kanye West

Is he good? I think he's a good producer and I like the guests on College Dropout but I don't like his own verses that much. But he sure is the best at speeding up samples!

Weird

I woke up this morning with a Rah Digga song ("The Imperial") stuck in my head. I haven't thought about Rah Digga in a long time.

Goodbye Carl

If Only

I had a dream that every person who was on the Atkins diet was about to end the experiment next week: the diet had an expiration date built right in to the plan.

Then again, I also had a dream that Calvin & Hobbes was coming back to newspapers, but with a completely different author; in the last panel, each day, he would list the possible jokes for the next day and let you vote on them online. That's a really dumb idea.

I Was Hoping to be Paul Krugman

You are Maureen Dowd! You like to give people silly
nicknames and write in really short, non
sequitur paragraphs. You're the most playful of
the columnists and a rock-ribbed liberal, but
are often accused of being too flamboyant and
frivolous. You tend to focus on style over
substance, personality over politics. But your
heart is in the right place. Plus, you are a
total fox.


Which New York Times Op-Ed Columnist Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

NESN Wised Up

or something. It used to be that during Red Sox games up here we would get all the local Boston commercials, which was great. Did I miss Bob? I doubt it, but it was still good to see him. At least the commercials don't seem to be coming in the midst of the game right now, which is a plus.

Classic Anxiety Dreams of Last Night

1. Checking Account Balance: $10
2. Someone was hassling me for downloading the new Wilco album, even though I have every intention of buying it anyway when it comes out.

Stressful

That's what I'm going to call the monthe between April and June. Things I have to get done during Stressful:
* find a new apartment and pack up everything
* finish project for CPI
* fly to Arkansas (it's like Kansas with 100% more AR!) and help videotape a week-long seminar in a middle school for Cognisnore
* probably some more stuff
* Oh, finish the website for Cozy (Jess & Noah's brand)

Bad Name For a Bathing Suit Company

Sag Harbor

I'm So Popular!

This is what happens when I don't check my hampshire mail for, oh, 2 years. It's all junk.

Who has the best ex-girlfriend's mom?

That's right, I do! Yesterday, I helped her with a mail merge, and today I get home-made challah and a thank-you card in the mail! Aww.... Thanks Ellen! But where's my parrot newsletter???

The Real Reason I Moved to Portland

I can listen to Air America Radio... on the actual radio! 870 AM, coincidentally the same position on your AM dial as the station I used to work at. Now I can drive around and forget to listen, in addition to sitting at my computer and forgetting to listen.

Here's Why I'm Dirty Today:

While I was taking a shower this morning I noticed a spider in one corner of the tub area, by the ceiling. I can't turn my back on a daddy-long-legs!

What does this mean?

"Have fun watching TV!"

Because Liz Posted It

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 23.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence in your journal along with these instructions.

She pressed her face to the crack to see more clearly, and she could see the Scholars near the screen leaning forward too.

Also redux

I was just talking on the phone to Mel K., and I started with an annoying/funny habit that I hadn't done in years: not actually making a joke, but staking my flag in the area of a joke and reserving it for future jokes. For example, Mel is planning on driving up the Pacific coast, and I said something like, "I know there's a joke in here about the two Portlands, but I'm not going to make it."

Um, Also

To create the last post I had to listen to some more of DMX's oeuvre than I usually do, and, wow, he's got some really good songs! I'm liking everything I've heard off of Grand Champ.

Great idea!

I (or maybe Sarah) just came up with a hilarious idea: indieMX... a cross between indie rock and DMX. The other day I was doing my great[?] DMX impression, and today I was saying how I wasn't drunk enough to reprise the role of DMX. But I was trying, and trying to do DMX along with Lauren's music. So then inDMX (still not sure how to spell it) was born! The problem is: I can't think of any practical examples. Melissa K came up with having inDMX sing an Ani DiFranco song...for example, "Fuck you, and your untouchable face" (as sung by DMX), but that's not really indie enough for INDMX. Hmm... any thoughts?

Caffeine Addiction

I find it really weird: some days I wake up with a terrible caffeine headache, but some days I can go for hours without drinking any coffee. What's up with that?

I'm trying to cut down, but there's no real reason to, I guess.

Dumbest Feature in Flash MX

You can double-click on the title bar of the Output window to make it roll up ala the mac from ten years ago. Fine. But you can't double-click again to unroll it. You have to drag down the bottom of the window.

The First Bird Of Spring

Finally, when the birds aren't starving anymore, they come to my feeder. And I scare them off by taking pictures.

eBoo

Why would you list an auction so that it ends in the middle of the night on Saturday night? Do you not want me to bid at the last minute? Do you want me to drunkenly bid more? Well, I'm sure one or the other of those things will happen. Hello, $100 Pumas worth 15 bucks!

Not Ashamed

Did you know: there are at least 7 remixes of Britney Spears' Toxic?
And did you know: I'm downloading them all right now?
And did you know: they're all GREAT (so far)!

Michel, Ma Belle?

So I got the Michel Gondry DVD on netflix -- it's a collection of his music videos as well as some short films etc. I haven't seen it all, but here are some thoughts: he is clearly the master of photogrammetry, and of synching things to the beat. But as spectacular as those tricks are, seeing them over and over again makes me not appreciate them. Then again, I think this video is better every time I see it, and synching and some form of morphing are really the only tricks in it.

Things I Know

I may not be totally clear on what products need to be refrigerated, but I do know that milk is not enjoyable when there are shards of ice in it.

Attention Maine Residents With Cars Who Want To Save Money

Maine Gas Prices

Odd

Almost every day I get the urge to listen to NPR right around this time. What's stopping me, you may ask? Well, from 5:30 to 6:00 it's "Maine Things Considered", which really just proves Lauren's point. And then when 6:00 rolls around I've moved on.

What the?

Hampshire College just called me and hung up? I would have expected at least some heavy breathing if they were going to prank-call me! At least I have Caller ID to verify it was them!

Fuck you, Moby

I hope that's what RJD2 says whenever they run into eachother on the street. I hope he says, "This is the way to mix old gospel music in with great beats, not the lame-o way you do it." Strong words, I know, but they're RJD2's, not mine!

Also (from that station's website)

Even WORSE Than I Thought

I was just listening to the hip-hop station's "Wayback Lunch" (not its actual name), where they play hip-hop from way back: the 90's. So, I thought what just happened was that they were playing that annoying Fugees song ("Ready Or Not" (the one where they're in a submarine in the video)), which made me mad because I was looking forward to hearing songs I actually liked. But what actually happened was that there's some new terrible song that just lifted the background from that song. Boo.

Everything's coming up Milhouse!

I feel great today! All day yesterday I struggled with an annoying problem in Flash that seemed unsolvable without re-writing a huge amount of code. Well, today, I solved it, and in a good way, too, I think! Hurray! It's such a relief to not be frustrated by it.

I'll Pass

Most people answer 'no' indeed. Who is the sucker who answers 'yes'? Maybe John Kerry does!

Who But M. M. Bargar?

How is it that I can be sleeping while watching the Red Sox game and sleep through a home run, but wake up when the commercials come on?

It could be worse. Much much worse.

Who will you be stuck with at end of time? (sorry, no more pics) by chi_a_baidh
Your name is
Your sex is	MaleFemaleUndecided
Your favorite color is	RedOrangeYellowGreenBluePurpleBlackWhiteOther
You are stuck there because	the penguins saved you
For _____ years	46
With	Jennifer Aniston
He/She will think you are	clever
You will	run far, far away
Created with quill18's MemeGen 3.0!

Portland Presents Patriots Parade

(only, what, two months late?)












Best. Trophy. Ever.

Dear Diary

I am about to make cheesecake with Jane, unless I fall asleep first. It is called "Killer Cheesecake", which seems about right. We decided not to make "Marx Bros. Cheesecake" -- I think it had too many pratfalls for Jane.

I'm never leaving the house again

I drove to Arabica to get some coffee, and when I came back to my car, one of the headlight covers was totally busted, as if someone had tried to pull in in front of me and was waaaaay too close. It had clearly just happened, and some scofflaw had driven away rather than fess up. Grrrr. That makes another weird thing I should get fixed on my car. Dammit.

Whew

Looking at this site really makes me appreciate the fact that I didn't pay $90 for a Walkman in 1995.

Dinner Party

I had a really fun time at a dinner party with Lauren, Luke, Pat, Sara, Megan, and Chris. I just wish I could talk without everybody thinking I was being sarcastic and making fun of them; Megan, I'm really not, and I hope you don't hate me!!! I hope everything is cou de la between us, as they say.

Terrible Taste Sensation

Take one handful unsalted peanuts, mix with one handful Mike & Ikes. Chew liberally. Disgusting.

Serves 1.

One Question: Where Was Q-Tip?

I just think it would be funny if someone got confused and was expecting to see De La Soul instead of Yo La Tengo. Then maybe they'd rip up their ticket and storm out of the gymnasium. But unfortunately that didn't happen. It was good to see Yo La again. I don't understand the concept of playing 6 songs in your encore, but whatever. I really enjoyed their cover of a song by The Mops, a Japanese[?] group. Funny.

Yo Estoy Excited

I'm going to see Yo La Tengo tonight at Bates College... I'm looking forward to it!

Mmm, new colors

If I could wear a shirt that looked just like this, I would be happy!

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Blog

Finally I can read Cedar's post about Eternal Sunshine...; I had been avoiding it because I hadn't seen the movie and I already knew too much about it. I had seen some of the film's stars on Letterman and elsewhere and despite my best intentions, I learned some things from them that I wish I hadn't known. In fact, Dave, I think you spoiled it for me! Well, sort of.

Unlike Cedar, I went into the theater expecting to love the movie -- Michel Gondry, whose career I had followed for years (prove me wrong!) and Charlie Kaufman teaming up couldn't fail, I thought! In fact, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie; it was surprising to me how painful some parts of it were to watch, even, in places, parts that have no relationship to my life; I hid my eyes when Kirsten Dunst started flirting with the professor, for example. I started to worry mid-way through that I could see the ending coming, and, in a way, of course you can: it's not meant to have a surprise ending, precisely. The ending is inevitable. I want freakin' M. Night Shyamalan to see this and stop making lame movies. Could that please, please happen? Also the middle (mmm, let's just say the beginning of Act 2 [again, prove me wrong!]) is some of the most creepy, schizophrenic (for lack of a better word) stuff I've ever seen in a movie, and that definitely includes Patrick Burke's Div III.

Some other thoughts, badly organized (yeah, because the rest of this post is very linear and well-thought-out):
* It's funny to think that a movie made ten years ago and starring Jim Carrey and featuring the music of Beck would have been, let's just say, slightly different. Don't get me wrong, I like Cable Guy and, um, Odelay as much as the next guy (less if they're a robot).
* I wish Cedar would get commenting on her blog; I want to rebut her ESSM post point-by-point (not really, but...). For example, I think that all of the secondary stories are necessary because of their relationship to the story that's at the heart of the movie. For me, they didn't slow things down; they were a snapshot of Joel & Clem's interaction at some point in time, maybe.
* Behind me in the theater, a couple of geniuses. Trivia: Something like "This movie featured a flux capacitor and Michael J. Fox.". Dummies behind me: "Back to the Future... Part 2." Trivia: "This Helen [emphasis mine] won an Oscar for As Good As It Gets." Tweedle-dee et al.: "That woman from Annie Hall... Diane Keaton."
* I have no idea when to use italics to show that something is a title and when to use boldface. So let's just say it's a stylistic, creative decision on my part.

Hates The Day

Have I mentioned that I don't like April Fool's Day on the internet? What's a "funny" "joke", and what's real and lame? Bah humbug.