Friday, June 30, 2006

we eat and drink

hahahaha, you guys. Thanks for the chuckles. My turn to return the favor:

Pres. Bush covering "Sunday Bloody Sunday"

Happy holiday weekend, everyone!

Thursday, June 29, 2006

make me laugh

I could use some cheering up. So post something funny! Here, I'll go first:

Two men walk into a bar.
The third ducks.

*jazz hands*

Now, your turn.

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

kitten break

because we haven't had one in awhile. and because, lying across my bed, reading a book, I miss having a warm fuzzy darling sweet kitty around.

Sunday, June 25, 2006

I see you jockin' me

Though I'm bummed Ljungberg was eliminated from the World Cup with Sweden's loss to Germany the other day, I'm pleased as punch that England is still alive. Hopefully Carrick can avoid smiting and burnination this time around.

with auburn hair and tawny eyes

So, weird: I saw a flock of seagulls tonight.

No, wait--that's A Flock of Seagulls.

Yes, seriously. No, I didn't know I'd be seeing them before I headed out for the evening. And truthfully? When a band's a one-hit wonder (whose back catalog you don't celebrate), you're just waiting for them to play the song you know. Which they did, thank heavens, or I'd've ran, ran so far away, I'd just ran, ran both night and day... anyway.

I find it prescient that IDLYITW embedded the "I Ran" video in Monday's link roundup. Will I accidentally see Blondie next week? Or will it be Morris Day and the Time instead? (Perhaps if I rent Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, I could make that last one happen for myself...)

Saturday, June 24, 2006

doing well versus not doing well, whatever that means

So, it's time for me to gripe. Haven't done that in a while--too much happy cheery blogging, not enough schadenfreude for you sadists in the crowd. Tonight's topic: oral allergies.

I developed my tree pollen allergy in spring of 2001. I remember it very, very well: spending many spare moments while in the midst of exam study with a kleenex over my eyes, rubbing with all my might, because they itched so damn bad. (The kleenex had a rougher surface than, say, my hands, so it both felt really good and made things worse at the same time.) Not to mention my itchy, runny nose... I got a prescription for Claritin, and things were ok. For the time being.

Then, that autumn, my folks came for Parents' Weekend, and they brought some apples, cheese and pecans for a light meal one evening in my dorm. We did this all the time when I was in high school--YUM. Except I noticed a little swelling on the inside of both cheeks and my lips tingled a little after eating the apples. Same thing happened the next summer with the influx of bing cherries. Turns out these fruits are both part of the birch family of allergies, and due to my crazy under-worked immune system's unfortunate response, I get an allergic reaction to eating them. It's not awful. I love cherries with every fiber of my being, so I put up with it. And apples are good, too, and not every instance triggers this...

...but twice now in a week, I've had granny smith apples that made my EYES itch. No, I'm not sticking the apple in my eye, thanks. I know what to do with an apple. But I'm starting to worry that I'm pushing it with my allergy issue, and that the more I test my body, the more rigorous a systemic assault it will mount till I'm walking that fine line between enjoying a tasty piece of fruit and anaphylactic shock. Yeah, yeah, I know, hellooo melodrama--but seriously. I HATE this allergy. I also hate that Claritin doesn't seem to work for my tree pollen allergy anymore, and I really, really hate the fact that eating apples makes my eyes itch, for God's sake. Please, immune system--don't make me give up cherries! I won't do it! I won't!

Anyway. Taking my contacts out so I can scratch at my eyes with impunity read in bed till I fall asleep. Nighty-night and sweet dreams.

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

where the world goes by like the humid air

and a quick quick quickie follow-up post, because I have SO MUCH READING OMG to do tonight:

Most of you have probably already seen the Pitchfork round-up of the 100 best YouTube music vids. I take it as a point of pride that I don't read Pitchfork unless directed there by another website. Fortunately, Stereogum made it easy and compiled a list of the films, so you don't have to scroll past all the embedded clips. Two things:

1) I'm SO glad to see "Ana Ng" on the list. One of us may have made a point of DOING the Ana Ng dance at her first (and second) TMBG shows, much to the chagrin of her fellow concertgoers.

I, uh, won't say which of us that was.

2) I'm SO glad to see David Hasselhoff got his props, too. Ooga chaka indeed, my good man. Check out the comments on his Very Best Of Collection--they know what I'm talking about.

we can pay one price for two

okay! I think the meme's been vanquished!

I’ve been tagged by Cella for a meme, which make the first occasion this little blog of mine has, well, meme’d. I guess it’s high time. Also, I didn't try to make this too hard, because the best quotes from movies are the most memorable ones, right?

A. Pick 11 of your favorite movies.
B. Then pick one of your favorite quotes from each movie.
C. Post the quotes on your blog.
D. Have commenters guess what the movie is.
E. Either strike out the quote once it has been correctly identified or place the guesser’s user name directly after the quote.
F. Extra points for knowing the actor or character’s name.

Movie #1
I always tell the girls, never take it seriously. If you never take it seriously, you never get hurt. You never get hurt, you always have fun. And if you ever get lonely, you just go to the record store and visit your friends.

Whitetrashmocha is right--Almost Famous. I can relate to this sentiment--well, feeling like going to a record store is visiting friends, not the whole sleeping-with-band-members part.

Movie #2
But this is going to be the best movie ever! It's a foreign film from Canada.

Bruce knows his foreign films: Stan to his mom in South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut, trying to convince her to let him see the work of cinematic brilliance that is the Terrence and Philip movie.

Movie #3
There are stories of coincidence and chance, of intersections and strange things told, and which is which and nobody knows. And we generally say, "Well, if that was in a movie, I wouldn't believe it."

Trunger got it, but only gets half-credit for not knowing if it was Magnolia (which it is) or Serendipity (which I've actually never seen).

Movie #4
Are… are you serious? I just told you that, a moment ago.

Yay for Bruce getting this one, too: David Duchovny's creepy hand model guy to Derek in Zoolander whilst in the cemetary. What I love is that it was a total accident that Derek repeated himself at all--Ben Stiller just forgot his line. But it's SUCH a great moment.

Movie #5
Here's the Remains of the Day lunchbox. Kids don't like eating at school, but if they have a Remains of the Day lunchbox they're a lot happier.

Cella correctly answered that this is Corky St. Clair in Waiting for Guffman. Perhaps I ought to be carrying a Remains of the Day lunchbox myself to make my own school lunches more interesting. hmm.

Movie #6
Well, technically speaking, the operation is brain damage, but on a par with a night of heavy drinking. Nothing you'll miss.

ChrisChin answered this right last night, but I was knee-deep in my Judicial Practicum journal and didn't get to editing the page: Tom Wilkinson's character in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, which is so beautiful and funny and heartbreaking and makes me cry every time I watch it. (Cella and Bruce get honorable mentions on this one, too.)

Movie #7
Hey, now, be fair. EVERYONE wants Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.

Sha-zam: it's Talcott with the win--Brodie from Mallrats. I thought about using the schooner line, but figured that was way too obvious. (However, I'm not above giving you a link to a whole bunch of stereograms you can attempt in your spare time.)

Movie #8
If nobody comes down here and buys a car in the next hour, I'm gonna club this baby seal. That's right. I'm gonna club this seal to make a better deal.

I'm so pleased that someone else besides friend Matt and I appreciate the high comedic value of UHF, otherwise known as "The Weird Al Movie." Talcott not only wins a spin on the Wheel of Fish for knowing the movie, but he also gets to drink from the fire hose for remembering that it was the Used Car Dealer, Crazy Ernie. (and YAY Cella for enjoying this film, too! I've even got my parents saying that we're going to Spatula City every time we dig around in the Spare Kitchen Utensil Drawer.)

Movie #9
They’ve gone to plaid!

Trunger again--Spaceballs, by Barf re: the curious nature of Ludicrous Speed. I'd seen this film about 10 times before I ever saw any of the Star Wars films. You can see where my family's priorities lie.

Movie #10
I like the smell of my hair treatment. The pleasing odor is half the point.

Three cheers to Jaci for knowing it's a line from O Brother, Where Art Thou?--a reference to Dapper Dan Hair Pomade (NOT Fop, mind you). I was reading through the quotes from this film at IMDB, and they're all so funny. I think I need to re-watch it this weekend.

Movie #11
But what am I going to do with forty subscriptions to Vibe?

Kristine got it! It's Peter from Office Space, and this is totally my favorite line in the whole film. (Unrelatedly, as I msged friend Marj earlier, there's a guy on the Swedish world cup team who's named Ljungberg, and every time I hear "Ball goes to Ljungberg!" I giggle and think, "Yeeeah. I'm gonna have to, uh, ask you to, ah, step away from that ball and, uhh, come in on, um, Saturday. Yeeeah.")

As for my tags, I'm calling out Marginalia and Marj, since they've been talkin' movies lately, anyway.

Monday, June 19, 2006

here's proof: we have suntans

For those of you who don't already subscribe to You Ain't No Picasso, here's the link to John Roderick (of the Long Winters)'s account of Bonnaroo. Now, I love me some Long Winters. I'm very excited for their (his?) next album (Putting the Days to Bed) to come out (July 22!).

But after having read this article? John Roderick is my new hero. I would give a limb (preferably my left arm, the most useless of my limbs) to hang out with him and fellow Barsuk labelmate John Vanderslice, both of whom seem like stand-up awesome human beings and musicians. (Of course, with their both being named John, this might be confusing. Maybe I could invite Flans and Linnell, too, for a whole barrelful of "Huh? No, the OTHER John!" laughs.)

Sunday, June 18, 2006

es ist die Frau die Freitags nicht kann

So, I'm German. Practically 100%. My father's parents were born in Germany and I still have a lot of relatives over there, though I don't really know any of them. My mother's family is far more American, having lived here longer, but she, too, can trace her roots back to Germany (or, at the very least, the Alsace-Lorraine region, which has been alternately occupied by Germany and France for hundreds of years). I studied German for two years in college, even though I'd opted out of the language requirement with French, because I wanted to be able to identify more fully with my heritage. I was even fortunate enough to have the opportunity to travel to Heidelberg, the city of my grandparents, to study German for a month and immerse myself in the culture. Moreover, I will fight to the death for the spelling of my last name, which is the proper, German spelling, but to which American ears want to add a "t." (The German "z" is a "tz" sound, so adding the t is redundant. *grrrowl*)

One challenge that I've had ever since learning about the tragedies of the World Wars (and WWII, in particular) is reconciling my pride in my ancestry with the evils that were perpetrated by a subset of Germans who participated in horrific, inhuman behavior in the name of nationalism. That Germany is nothing I want to identify with--I simply cannot fathom the depths of the soul into which one must descend in order to eradicate so many innocent persons to achieve a highly distorted ideal of a "greater good." It's heartening, therefore, to read this article in the New York Times that shows Germans reclaiming their pre-World War national identity with their flag through the joy of World Cup competition. I'm really delighted to think that the democratic German patriotism that predates and has outlived the Nazi era might be, at last, a source of pride for Germans the world over, even if it's nothing more political than national pride in a sports team. Ich bin keine Berlinerin, aber ich liebe Deutschland (und vielleicht meine Sprache ist jetzt nicht so schlecht...?).

I'm also reminded a particularly amusing Dwight quote from The Office last season: I come from a long line of fighters, my maternal grandfather was the toughest guy I ever knew. World War II veteran. He killed twenty men and then spent the rest of the war in an Allied prison camp...

Saturday, June 17, 2006

till the Atlantic's dry

Well, hello there.

Just when Trunger gets all excited that I'm updating, like, all the time, I go a week without. To be fair, it's been a relentlessly busy week and I'm going to be spinning my wheels all weekend to catch up, but I hate to disappoint. So, here's what I've been doing:
  • Entertaining friend Sanjida while she stayed with me on Sunday. Highlights included brunch at Bongo Room (mmm lemon ricotta pancakes), Fluevogs (purchased by her, NOT me), the Old Town Arts Fair (? I'm not even sure if this is the correct name for it--we wandered into it purely by chance), and Jill Sobule at Martyr's (SO FUNNY. I've really missed seeing her concerts).

  • Meeting with my judge, doing my class reading, going to class, etc etc. Not the most exciting part of my week, but perhaps the most intense by volume.

  • Dinner with friend Belina on Tuesday at Giordano's. Haven't seen Belina since her graduation in '02, I don't think, so it was great to catch up with her again. Plus, we've got a standing date for martinis at the Kit Kat Club when she returns from her travels in July.

  • Brunch and used cd shopping with friend Bruce on Thursday. Haven't seen him in years, either, despite the fact that we both live in Chicago now. I've not yet had a chance to listen to any of my spoils of the day yet (including 2 new mix cds (yay), old Elvis Costello, Augustana, Doves, Kasey Chambers, a replacement copy of Murmur, and the Afghan Whigs' Gentlemen), but I'm anxious to do so.

Perhaps most distressingly, the Boy (he would prefer to be called "The Man," but I would like to think that I'm not on such intimate terms with The Man, as it were) left for London last night. I've heard from him--he made it there safely, found his dorm, has a phone, etc. Six weeks will fly by, since we're both going to be busy busy busy, but it's hard. I haven't been in a Boy-free Chicago since last August, essentially, and I realize I rely on him for a lot, especially in terms of knowing how to get where and other basic things. Plus, he makes for nice warm snuggling in front of the TV. Sigh. Perhaps if I had a warm snuggly alternative, like a kitty, it wouldn't be so hard... hmm.

Oh, and speaking of small cat-like creatures, I highly recommend Animal Planet's Meerkat Manor series, on Fridays at 7pm in Ye Olde Centrale Time Zonee. They're SO cute, and their interactions really make for a compelling narrative (provided by Sean Astin, of hobbit fame). Plus, it's not like there's anything else you're watching this summer (unless you find Law & Order: SVU reruns as riveting as I do). Also, I can't believe I turned away from the TV for a second and missed Ghana's goal in the first 2 minutes of this game against the Czech Republic. BOO! That'll teach me to turn off World Cup coverage. I'm probably better off not turning it on at all so I don't get sucked in. But soccer is eminently easy to watch, and this game does affect the US's standings, soooo... yeah. Need to knock out some work so I can watch the US/Italy match and not feel guilty about it. So much to do this summer, so little time...

edited to add: ho-leeee crap! 2nd goal for Ghana! Incredible! Why aren't more Americans invested in soccer? It's WAY more fun to watch on TV than football is...

Friday, June 09, 2006

a game of high-stakes canasta

short post (because I've been working all afternoon/evening and I'm calling it quits):

Pitchfork Interview w/ Colin Meloy

He talks a LOT about what the new album will be like, and I'm SO EXCITED. Also, I won't miss Petra--she was fine on the album and her violin work is great, but I do NOT like hearing her sing live with Colin. Too strident a sound.

And thanks, Pitchfork, for heeding my cry about the sex of Colin's child (it's a boy, Henry--or Hank, apparantly. Cute).

dad said, son, you must be...

Oh, dear.

From the BNL Ladies Room update email I just received a moment ago:

New album, Sept. 12. Good news. The album's title?

Barenaked Ladies Are Me.

...

...

...huh.

Yeah, so, like, if I could set the mood on this journal, it would currently be "chagrined." But I can't, soooo we'll just have to wait and see if Justin's able to nail a correct guess today, too.

Thursday, June 08, 2006

somewhere a clock is ticking

...but if you ask for whom its bell tolls, it tolls not for thee: just got an email from Ticketmaster saying that the Snow Patrol show on Saturday has been "postponed." The lead singer has been having vocal problems, so it's not completely surprising, but then there's a list in the email of how I can get a "refund." What if I don't want a refund? What if I just want tickets to see them whenever they come back to town? Can these tickets I have in hand be honored? It's a friggin' sold out show--if I have to re-buy the damn things I'm going to be immensely peeved, particularly since the TicketBastard "processing fee" can't be refunded on this original set.

if this were a journal that could indicate such things, I would set my mood to "annoyed." But it's not, so you'll just have to guess how I feel at this very moment. Go on, guess. See? You're good at this game!

this isn't country at all

Blogger's been acting wonky lately (makes me wish I could take the initiative to figure out how to run an RSS-friendly blog from my own damn website, which I'm sure isn't that hard, but I've just got other things to do right now), or I'd've posted this last night: two clips from R.E.M.'s first national TV appearance, on David Letterman. Check it:





I've often said that I wish I'd been around to follow R.E.M. as an up-and-coming band, rather than jumping on the bandwagon with the rest of the world in the 90's (heck, I didn't really start buying music until 1996, so I was really far behind the crest with this band). Seeing these videos only makes that wish more fervent and reminds me that even though I like what they're doing now, I love what they used to do. I mean, I've enjoyed Up and Reveal and Around the Sun as they were released, but none has the staying power of any of their older stuff, any of their--dare I say it?--pre-Bill Berry-departure material. I read in an article a couple years ago that Mike and Michael both love playing around with production in the studio, and that Peter and Bill were the advocates for letting things stand in a more raw form. Now that Bill's no longer there to take Peter's side, he gets outvoted and the music winds up feeling more clinical, more polished, less fierce. Granted, it's hard to maintain the punk sensibility seen in these early clips across a 25-year career, but having seen them in concert (twice!) just a year and a half ago, I know they're still capable of rocking. I only wish it came across more clearly in their albums.

On a lighter note, I love how much hair is present in the videos (both on Michael and Dave), how goshdarn skinny Mike is, and how Peter's wardrobe does not appear to have changed at all in two decades.

If only my almost-two-year-old self had been more into the hip tunes being played on Letterman in October of 1983... *sigh*

Wednesday, June 07, 2006

it's gonna be a glorious day

Today is my lucky day!

For serious! Not only is it gorgeous outside AND I'm having the best sushi in the city this evening, but when I realized I forgot to pack a can of soda in my lunch to take to school (yeah, summer session started, but today was only the first class, so nothing overwhelming), I walked to the machine in our school cafe... and there was a can of Diet Pepsi wedged in the vending slot, still cold, so it must've fallen only moments before. FREE SODA! I remember Cella had the hookup to double cans of soda from a machine first semester, but I never had such luck myself. UNTIL TODAY!

Lucky me! hooray! It really takes so little to bring me such joy. Sunshine. A smile on a child's face. Free soda. Fluevogs. FREE Fluevogs. You know. The simple things.

Now, back to work (but LUCKY work! or, at least, I can pretend it is...)

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

she's a runner, rebel and a stunner

Random point no. 1: I would love to get the smell of bacon out of my apartment.

This would, of course, be easier if I stopped cooking bacon every few days as I have been for the past week, but I had a package of (turkey) bacon to use, and after several rounds of BLTs, it has been vanquished at last. The smell is fairly cloying and I know my hair/clothes absorb a little of it, so I'm constantly wary of walking too close to a leashed dog on my jaunts around the city. I've seen those Beggin' Strips commercials. I know what could happen.

Random point no. 2: I might not be able to walk tomorrow.

The Boy and I bicycled up to Evanston and back this morning, which was really fun--I hadn't ever seen the official NU campus, and it's a nice ride, with only a little bit of scary speeding-car street driving to navigate and bike paths/lanes the rest of the way. I was really hurting on the way back, though, and I have a feeling my legs are going to punish me for it over the next 48 hours. I hope not, but since I didn't stretch out afterwards (I KNOW! I suck! but it huuuurts), signs will likely point to yes.

Random point no. 3: I have the best mommy ever.

For serious. Not only did she send a care package with rice krispy treats (the homemade kind, which are a thousand times preferable to the prepackaged kind in stores) and Zours for the Boy (his fave, no longer available at our local Walgreens), but she sent me an email today telling me about her favorite new radio song (it's "Single" by Natasha Bedingfield, fwiw) and lamenting the fact that she's too old to go out clubbing to "dance to rap and hip-hop." hee!

Random point no. 4: One of the books I sold back to the bookstore a month ago is, ironically, required reading for my summer class.

I don't really need to explain this, do I? I'm sure you can hear the *thump* *thump* *thump* of my head against my desk from wherever you are.

Random point no. 5: I got awesome new running shoes on Saturday.

And two sports bras, two pairs of workout shorts (I hadn't purchased workout gear in over four years; I think I'm overdue, particularly given my desire to get in better physical shape this summer), a cute grey hoodie, a versatile black t-shirt, and a shoe wallet (tried it out today with my keys on the bike ride--works like a charm). Now, I need to STOP SHOPPING. Gah.

And finally... I saw Over the Hedge on Saturday, and I totally recommend it. Not only is the soundtrack supplied by my man and yours, Ben Folds (complete with a re-recorded version of Rockin' the Suburbs), but it's very well animated and absolutely hilarious. Seriously, go--and stay through the credits. You'll hear more of Ben's fine tunes, and there's a cute snippet at the end you won't want to miss. Next on the agenda: X3 (without the Boy, because he's not into "that kind of film," whatever that means. Laaaaaame).

(oh! has everyone already heard that there's a new Decemberists album coming this October? Is everyone as psyched as I am? Does anyone know whether Colin and Carson's newborn child turned out to be a boy or a girl? I figured there'd be some announcement about it in this recent newsletter, but nothing. Hm.)

Anyway. All this 6/6/6 crapola is utter nonsense. Today has turned out splendidly. No demons, no hexes, no omens (and no Omen, either--I'm meh on horror films). Of course, there are still 6 more hours to go, but I'm optimistic.

Saturday, June 03, 2006

it's saturday, a quarter past [noon]

Man, the intarweb just shuts down on weekends. I suppose I should be out gallivanting like the rest of the world, but I'm trying to get caught up on work. And if I manage to do that, then I've got chores I need to do, too. Ugh.

But guess what I saw last night? The underwear gnome episode of South Park! O frabjous day! I don't think I've seen it since the bus ride on YGC Winter Tour '01-'02, so it brought back some fond memories (phase three--profit!). Now, if only I could catch an episode with Towelie...

Thursday, June 01, 2006

k-i-c-k pronounced as kind

Anyone else watching the National Spelling Bee?

I've ignored it all day, but I just popped it on a moment ago to see a girl drop out on collyrium and a boy on paillon (French, dude! c'mon!). Man, are they INTENSE (and the girls are wearing a LOT of blusher and lip gloss). I took it as a positive omen that ESPN re-ran that Cheap Seats with Ned Andrews at the '94 Bee on it the other night so I could watch (and giggle) with sound this time around.

In related news, I've gotten worse at spelling as I've gotten older (not bad, mind you, but not as spot-on as I used to be--I'm more inclined to spell something phonetically, erase it and spell it correctly), so maybe there's something to be said about having kids in their early teens spell competitively. I shudder to think how a Senior Citizen Spelling Bee would go down--we gain a lot of wisdom in our waning years, but I doubt that spelling is part of it.

Ooh! Another kid bailed on sciolto! Sucker.