Friday, December 19, 2003

Finally got my grade for this past semester, got a 'B' in History of Literary Criticism. Not too shabby, considering that was one of the toughest courses I've had in a while. A lot of people dropped out of the class including the one really smart chick who I thought would've rocked the class, being a philosophy major and all. Yeah, she balked . . . :P

Has anyone else heard about the great thing Bill Gates is doing? He wants to promote the internet (which Al Gore invented ) by having us all email our friends, and we'll all get money. Lots of it. We'll go to McDonald's after we get our money and buy each other lunch!!! Keep an eye out for the email in your inbox, i'll be sending it soon!!!

Thursday, December 18, 2003

Ok, this is some wierd Flash-thing that chix might dig, like '80's rocker chicks might enjoy . . .

And this, is perhaps one of the silliest and worst poems ever written (thankfully I didn;t write it):

Oh, the Cause of Gauze

Oh, the Cause of Gauze
The Manuels have fondled many memories from my lap
Though each memory has it's own lap
And swimmers swim laps
Even swimmers have laps however
And while in that condition
Many require a delicate gauze
I desire only this in my decrepitude
That I will have one more opportunity to serve as a gauze for my fellow man
And that in that state of gauze
Can somehow disturb the world less often with my prickly fingers.

- Of Montreal

Tuesday, December 16, 2003

Fighting off the Bah Humbugs

I'm starting to see a secondary / tertiary aspect of Christmas: giving us something to look forward to in the deep dark of winter. Dude, winter sucks. . . and if not for that holiday, winter would suck completely. Oh, I like doing stuff in the snow like skating and skiing, and what not. And maybe it's just because I haven't done any of that fun stuff yet this year, or maybe because my Jetta-opy (pronounced like "Jalopy" but with a ' T ' instead of an ' L ') wont' turn over if there's a sneeze of moisture in the air (not to mention that you can't take any more than one passenger now, because the rear doors dont' open, and the handles on the front doors need replaced as well, and the exhaust pipe has a gaping hole), or maybe because I'm still in limbo about how this last semester turned out, or maybe it's the "Single-for-the-Holidays" crap, or maybe it's that there's short, cold days, the darkest of which are now and until January. Or maybe I just needed to rant ...

Fighting off the Bah Humbugs

Monday, December 15, 2003

This was a really good weekend, overall.
Friday five of us went to Johnstown, OH to see a Tambura band (Otrov) play. On the way up, our friend Tara (also on the way up a few miles ahead) called to say she just got a flat tire when WHap-wup-wup WHap-wup-wup Whap-wup-wup WHap-wup-wup ... we got a flat tire too! Kooky! So fortunately we had a spare and I changed the tire. The show was a lot of fun with really good music that got better as the evening wore on. Something beautiful about seeing these guys play at the bar (like AT the bar) while passing shots of slivovitz and still playing and singing. Nasdrovya !!!

Saturday afternoon, got the tree up and decorated, then hung out with Jim and Mikey for a spell over at Josh & Jessies... got to see young Jacob B. Josh lent me a cd from these guys. It's a lot like the review says.

Here's one thing on my Christmas list:
Skyray
and another: Ukulele
and another: an evening out with Audrey Tatau

Friday, December 12, 2003

Right . . . is anybody else completely bored with finding tons of "Nas7y Par1s Hilton - longs fer yer junk like a biZnatch " emails in their bulk mail . . . and why am i getting stuff like "Beat your Menopause" ?

I went to dinner with jim and Ro at Tram's last night, and the plan was to get a Christmas tree afterwards, but when we pulled up to the place by Page Dairy mart, the tree folks were getting in thier trucks to go home for the night. DANG!!!
So we'll get a tree Saturday. Ended up going to Dee's later, to meet up with jim and Ro and Rudy. I met a crazy girl who flirted with me somethin' fierce, asked me for my phone number, but I figure I was back-up-plan-man because she let on that she was waiting for another dude to show. And of course he did. Cool enough dude, but it became readily apparent that girl wasn't fair game when she kissed his mouth. Shortly after that they both left and I went back to hang with my pals. It's fun to flirt/be flirted with, ahh someday ... some girl will figure it out.

Thursday, December 11, 2003

I am finished for the semester. I submitted my Final Exam paper last night around midnight... it was due by 8:00 AM this morning. Now I have to scare up three letters of reference/recommendation for my application.

In other news, I heard some stuff from a girl band called The Likes . . . me likey The Likes. They have two songs from their EP, and both are pretty solid sounding tunes. You can also chek 'em out on my fave, KCRW (see link to the right ... ).

There's another band you can check out: Bedroom Walls. I really dig their chord progressions.

Speaking of which, in the midst of my Final Exam paper writing, I'd relieve my tired brain from its Herculean duty of making sense out of the absurdly abstract Beginnings, by setting myself at the piano. Something happened there in the afternoon, or perhaps over the past few days, and a song came out . . . it's not quite finished yet, but I like to think of it as a fine point of departure where there's plenty of room for stuff to grow.

Monday, December 08, 2003

Today, the Guardian is running an article they ran from Monday December 10, 1980.

A good weekend overall, Saturday was busy busy busy, what with taking apart my spinnet and rearranging the living room furniture with Jim to make room for my new piano ... ok, so it may be 100 years old, but it's been refurbished in the late '60's or early 70's, and been in my family since then.

the New Years eve invites went out, and the party's on... just gots to get some schtuff together in the mean time.

Wednesday, November 26, 2003

I found this page looking around on one of my fave's . . . it's a couple of cartoon/animation-style movie clips, that are in French, but are pretty cool. Although Euro hotty cartoon chix from the club (hinting at girl - girl ?) arent' bad at all, I like the video for the song, "Deux Pieds" best: it seems fitting for so many of us guys, at least this one... and the ending is tops.

there's a cool article from the Guardian about Edouard Manet. The famous painting is Bar at the Folies-Bergères, and if you look closely, you'll notice the bottles of Bass Ale on the bar . . . way to go Eddie!


I hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Thursday, November 20, 2003

"The trouble with our times is that the future is not what it used to be." - Paul Valery

I took my Praxis exam yesterday(it's akin to the SAT or GRE entrance exams, but for teahcers) and scored passing marks for the first half. I gotta wait three weeks to find out about the third protion and the essay portion. And my car is acting up... i think she's tired or something.


Wednesday, November 19, 2003

The author doesn't believe he can get started.

A beginning must be thought possible, it must be taken to be possible, before it can be one. - Edward Said

The mind's work, in order to be done, occasionally requires the possibility of freedom, of a new cleanness or prospective achievement, of special and novel appropriation. - Edward Said

She looks at him, as a fallow field does the farmer
Yearning to be plowed and sown.
He looks at her, as a horse does a pasture
Hungry for space, and grass to graze upon.
Will you ever sow your seed?
Will you let this horse run free?
As if theft wasn't enough to compromise the identity crisis many Americans now face, it seems now that if you laugh your face off, drink your face off, have heinously disfiguring acne, or just want to look like somebody else, you can get a face transplant. 'I saw that guy who has Charlie's face on the bus again today. I have to wonder what the psychological impact of that would be for the families of the old face people, and the new recipients... gives a whole new meaning to saving face. It may be a viable option for those in the WPA.

Monday, November 17, 2003

THis weekend was pretty good. Friday I went with friends to check out this Gypsy Band at the Paparazzi ... the band was excellent. I think some, if not all of their memebers are former Tamburzini's (aka Tamburitzans) from Duquesne. The service at Paparazzi was rotten, either that or they thought I was rotten, but I saw lots and lots of folks getting drinks, but they never gave me one. Eventually some waiter guy took away my empty's, took my order, gave drinks to some other folks and then walked away from the bar, never came back . . . so at least the music was really good. Apparently they weren't expecting such a busy night, and were thus understaffed, but I dunno. I wasn't too impressed. Then we went to Smokin' Joes and then to a friend's house. Saturday night, I did some busking, and had one of my most successful evenings ever. It was good to play cuz it had been almost two months since I last played out. Sunday we had some folks over for a big dinner thing. it was pretty cool.

THis band, the Distillers is kinda cool . . . my friend Kristie is a big big big fan of these cats.

THis weekend was pretty good. Friday I went with friends to check out this Gypsy Band at the Paparazzi ... the band was excellent. I think some, if not all of their memebers are former Tamburzini's (aka Tamburitzans) from Duquesne. The service at Paparazzi was rotten, either that or they thought I was rotten, but I saw lots and lots of folks getting drinks, but they never gave me one. Eventually some waiter guy took away my empty's, took my order, gave drinks to some other folks and then walked away from the bar, never came back . . . so at least the music was really good. Apparently they weren't expecting such a busy night, and were thus understaffed, but I dunno. Then we went to Smokin' Joes and then to a friend's house. Saturday night, I did some busking, and had one of my most successful evenings ever. It was good to play cuz it had been almost two months since I last played out. Sunday we had some folks over for a big dinner thing. it was pretty cool.

THis band, the Distillers is kinda cool . . . my friend Kristie is a big big big fan of these cats.

Thursday, November 13, 2003

most of you will probably have seen this from Tony, but if not check this out:

Flash slot car racing
Ahhh yes . . . the lovely L.U.P.E.C. (Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails) gals are still up and running strong . . . here's a bit about founding LUPEC member Jenn Gottschalk, aka Whiskey Daisy, and her response to a new rag on boozing: Modern Drunkard. Funny, cuz I saw Jenn at the Kelly's Bar last Saturday; I think she and her man were pretty engrossed in something, maybe discussing drinks?

Wednesday, November 12, 2003

President Bush was quoted as saying to British Prime Minister Tony Blair: "The problem with the French is that they have no word for entrepreneur." Blair denied that Bush said it, but the story is plausible because people are always saying similar things about other cultures.

A little bit of humpday eyecandy . . . Basso and Brooke
A NY Times piece on the Johnny Cash Tribute in Nashville.

Monday, November 10, 2003

Good Monday to yinz... Overall it was a pretty good weekend. I had some ups and some downs. Let's look at the 'ups' first:
Ok, the Steelers won against the Cardinals, this is good.
I saw a pretty cool documentary as part of the Three Rivers Film Festival at the Melwood Screening Room (I finally saw a show there!) called "Long Gone." It's about train-riding hobos and tramps, with a score by Tom Waits. . . Funny, cuz it was really interesting, but so many people had 'hives' or 'hangovers' or some other 'gritty in my girly' response for not wanting to go see it.
I saw my friend Karen's new house: it looks pretty cool.

The downs? well check this out:

If There's Still Torches, Be Careful to Not Get Burned.

I'm not sure where I heard that phrase this past week, but t'is sage advice. Just listen:

WTF? Ok, this is what my 'friend' told me about a girl he was involved with: "____, who made me wait and wait Friday to go to dinner, only to cop out and blow me off, ___ is no longer my friend. I'm better off without her. The guy she was not seeing anymore, and then was and then wasn't because he was with another girl, so why don't we give it another try (funny, cuz I was just thinking it was time to give you the boot to the curb), talks with her and they're back together, so I guess I'll be your friend still, but we can't date any more? Yeah, whatever... good luck. Anyways, Mr. Man'll be out on somebody else's ass in two weeks when he gets tired of your stubbly chin (which I was willing to overlook... )."
Suffice it to say, I think we're all better off without self-aggrandizing females whose ridiculously huge egos somehow fail them when it comes time to have real strength, ie, be completely honest with people and not feed them some raggedy bit of bull story just to keep you around, ya know, just in case . . . "Mr. Man and I? Oh we're so done, so why don't we try this out again?" NEVER believe that . . . especially when you've met Mr. Man, when your gut feeling says, she's a flake, and when yer friends all say, give that bag of bones the boot. " Yeah, my poor friend, he'll figure it out one day.

As for me? I remain the Illegible Bachelor.

Friday, November 07, 2003

Congratulations to Brad Yoder (www.bradyoder.com) for having his single 'Used' appear on the Paste Music Sampler III cd. My friend Sarah Lentz (www.sarahlentz.com) has also hooked up with the folks from Paste Music. Go check out some of their stuff.... www.pastemusic.com

Sorry about the no links bits... either blogger or my machine is a bit gakked this morning.

Thursday, November 06, 2003

"My formula for living is quite simple. I get up in the morning and I go to bed at night. In between, I occupy myself as best I can." - Cary Grant

"To fear love is to fear life, and those who fear life are already three parts dead. " - Bertrand Russel

"Youth is to all the glad season of life; but often only by what it hopes, not by what it attains, or what it escapes." - Thomas Carlyle

"There are no original ideas. There are only original people." - Barbara Grizzutti Harrison

Monday, November 03, 2003

This was a really good weekend, all said and done!

Friday night we went to Flux. I painted my face blue with stars and a moonn and went as Night, and I saw some pretty cool costumes. My favorite was the girl who went as a Venus Flytrap: not only was she incredibly hot, but she hada great great costume ... almost made me wish I went as a fly for Halloween.

Saturday I volunteered with Madge and Jolene at the Animal Friends Black Tie and Tails fundraiser. Kinda cool to see a bunch folks all gussied up, and then a bunch of cats and dogs all gussied up, too. I met Jim Leland, former Pittsburgh Pirates manager there, too.

And yesterday, with it's unseasonably warm temps made for a great day. I played softball in the early afternoon, and then afterwards went out on the Monongahela river with my friend MJ in her inflatable kayak. Apparently we were being watched by a bunch of other boaters, because a lot of people came up to us when we docked and got out of the water. Some guy told us we could get fined $300 each for not having life jackets ... and another guy tho;ught we were cops because we went out in that crazy boat without life jackets. He said he gets fined all of the time for stupid stuff, and he was amazed we didn't get one... I guess all the cops were at the Steelers game. After boating, I went over to my folks place, and was apparently pretty tired. I fell asleep on the couch and didn't budge for about an hour before eating dinner.

Friday, October 31, 2003

Sounds more like the title to a bad movie, or something rather than a real headline, but there it is in Philly:

Catholic High School Girls Pummel Man Who Flashed Them and then of course the same story from the Philly Inquirer

Wednesday, October 29, 2003

A Poetry by Nichita Stanescu
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Another Kind of Mathematics

We know that one times one is one,
but an unicorn times a pear
have no idea what it is.
We know that five minus four is one
but a cloud minus a sailboat
have no idea what it is.
We know that eight
divided by eight is one,
but a mountain divided by a goat
have no idea what it is.
We know that one plus one is two,
but me and you, oh,
we have no idea what it is.

Oh, but a comforter
times a rabbit
is a red-headed one of course,
a cabbage divided by a flag
is a pig,
a horse minus a street-car
is an angel,
a cauliflower plus an egg
is an astragalus.

Only you and me
multiplied and divided
added and substracted
remain the same...

Vanish from my mind!
Come back in my heart!


english translation by George Mustea.
For those of you who like creepy stories about people from long long ago . . .

Vlad the Impaler, the Romanian Prince also known as Dracula
And if that doesn't slake your thirst, here's even more on Vlad Tsepesh

Finally, the accounts of blood baths taken by Elizabeth Bathory are thought to account for part of Bram Stoker's tales of horror. This lady was pretty gakked up . . .

Tuesday, October 28, 2003

this is some pretty cool schtuff . . . i think i want my first album to look something like this stuff.
Congratulations to Josh and Jessie Seybert on their new life together! The wedding was fun, and it was cool to wear a tux again. i spent hours walking around and standing with my hands clasped in front of me . . .

for those of you who know why stick people went extinct, and who maybe like Jackie CHan or the movie Kill Bill, go check out this kung fu movie

Wednesday, October 22, 2003

Ok, I always thought Elliot Smith's songs are way cool in their sadness, honesty and just all around good sounds... I didn't know he was really that suicidal. Dang, Elliott . . . we'll miss you.
Steven Paul (Elliott) Smith. August 6, 1969 – October 21, 2003.

Monday, October 20, 2003

manuel ocampo, a dude whose art appeared in beck's album art . . .
Here's a scary story about the future . . . and then a joke:

Concerned about her relationship, a woman approaches her doctor
and says "Doc, I'm getting married this weekend and my fiancee
thinks I'm a virgin, is there anything you can do to help me"?

After the doctor stopped laughing, he says, "Medically, no, but
here's something you can try...on the wedding night, when you're
getting ready for bed, take an elastic band and slide it to your
upper thigh, when your husband puts it in, snap the elastic band
and tell him it's your virginity snapping."

The woman loves this idea, and knows her hubby-to-be will fall
for this. They have a beautiful wedding and retire to the
honeymoon suite. The wife gets ready for bed in the bathroom,
slips the elastic band up her leg, finishes preparing and climbs
into bed with her man.

Things begin to progress, her hubby "slips it in", she snaps the
elastic band, and the hubby asks, "what the *@#% was that?
The wife explains, "oh nothing honey, that was just my virginity
snapping".

The husband cries out, "Well snap it again, it's got my
balls!!!!"

Friday, October 17, 2003

These come courtesy of Jenn Hartz:

GOOD
A policeman had a perfect spot to watch for speeders, but wasn't getting many. Then he discovered the problem - a 12-year-old boy was standing up the road with a hand painted sign, which read "RADAR TRAP AHEAD". The officer then found a young accomplice down the road with a sign reading "TIPS" and a bucket full of money. (And we used to just sell lemonade!)

BETTER
A motorist was mailed a picture of his car speeding through an automated radar post. A $40 speeding ticket was included. Being cute, he sent the police department a picture of $40. The police responded with another mailed photo of handcuffs.

BEST
A young woman was pulled over for speeding. As the motorcycle Officer walked to her car window, flipping open his ticket book, she said, "I bet you are going to sell me a ticket to the Highway Patrolmen's Ball. "He replied, "Highway Patrolmen don't have balls" There was a moment of silence while she smiled, and he realized what he'd just said. He then closed his book, got back on his motorcycle and left. She was laughing too hard to start her car.
Quentin Tarantino's new flick Kill Bill (Vol. 1) is pretty good. You can anticipate sword fighting, split screen shots, and some typical Tarantino moments where you find yourself laughing at something really really violent and then wondering, what's up with that? My favorite moment: the bottle-being-uncorked sound effect when a mosquito bites Uma Thurman. It made me laugh so hard, and the rest of the theater was silent. Apparently I was the only one who either heard it or thought the joke was funny.

Oh yeah, and before your movie, I recommend you go to the Rock Bottom at the Waterfront and order either the Lumpy Dog Ale or the North Star Ale. Sit at the bar, and rest your beer on the chiller to keep it cool. What a great invention! Every bar should have one!

Thursday, October 16, 2003

Wednesday, October 15, 2003

So Beck will be in a movie called Southlander . . . doubt if it will screen here, but it may become available on DVD, VHS. I wonder if anybody involved inthe movie/film biz who digs beck may have any kinda scoop on getting that a screening or something? Yeah, and the soundtrack looks like it might be pretty cool, what with Elliot Smith and Beth Orton (who also appears in the movie) on there.
Rufus Wainwright has his new album out now, go give a listen to the first two tracks. The second one I've heard on the radio a coupla times.

Rufus will also appear in an upcoming Martin Scorsese film, where he plays a club/lounge singer and although he doesn't have any lines, he does sing . . . go figure.

Monday, October 13, 2003

This weekend i got fitted for a tuxedo for josh and jessies wedding in two weeks. Then i went with josh his dad and jim to see Intolerable Cruelty. it was a good flick by the Coen brothers, but not quite "The Big Lebowski" or 'O Brother! Where art thou?'

Rich Engel's brief post from Oct 9 lead's to a site for the artist Zoe Beloff. She will be in town the 17th to discuss some of her stuff. On her webpage, Zoe talks about Baudelaire, and her mention of his ideas in turn makes me think of and even earlier modernist, Edgar Allen Poe and his short story, the Man of the Crowd (1840). The man was pretty far ahead of his time . . . if at least in some of his perception and vision.

Wednesday, October 08, 2003

OK, I don't kow how many of you have seen or sampled the new Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Inside Out (Peanut butter on the outside, chocolate on the inside ... ) but my officemate and I have done a comparison with the new and regular Peanut butter cups and have conclusively said that there is no discernible differnece in taste or texture, and that the visual aesthetic is all that's different. These are not the only new products apparently that they have had out on the market., but the last in a series of Limted Edition candy treats. Give 'em a try and let me know what you think . . . !

Tuesday, October 07, 2003

I saw the movie Lost in Translation last night at the Forward Ave theater with my friend Karen, who looks a little like Sofia Coppola. Bill Murray was funny, the Japanese are so very different from and yet so like us, Scarlett Johansson is a Scandinavian blooded hottie who plays opposite Murray, and there weren't too many hackneyed Hollywood bits or too many arty film bits. There is some beautiful scenes of Japanese gardens. I recommend checking it out. My favorite phrases: "Lip my stocking" and "Have a nice fright."
This article from The Atlantic about torture may be a bit disconcerting for some to read, but I find it somewhat relieving that they admit "legalized coercion, even when strictly regulated, is the ultimate slippery slope . . . ", and that someone had the courage/gumption/chutzpah to investigate this highly sensitive topic.

Monday, October 06, 2003

Much thanks to Ed Finney, who called yesterday asking if I knew anybody who could use a pair of tickets to see the Steelers play the Browns at Heinz Field. Thanks much, Ed!!! It was a good time, even if the Steelers got whooped...


The drunken wino was stumbling down the street with one foot on the
curb and one foot in the gutter. A cop pulled up and said, "I've
got to take you in, sir. You're obviously drunk"
The wasted wino asked, "Ociffer, are ya absolutely sure I'm drunk?"
"Yeah, buddy, I'm sure," said the copper. "Let's go."
Obviously relieved, the wino said "That's a relief - I thought I was a cripple."

> > > > > >

The man was in no shape to drive, so he wisely left his car parked and walked home. As he was walking unsteadily along, he was stopped by a policeman.
"What are you doing out here at 2 A.M.?" said the officer.
"I'm going to a lecture," the man said.
"And who is going to give a lecture at this hour? "the cop asked.
"My wife," said the man.

Friday, October 03, 2003

A pompous minister was seated next to a cowboy on a flight to Oklahoma. After the plane was airborne, drink orders were taken. The cowboy asked for a whiskey and soda, which was brought and placed before him. The flight attendant then asked the minister if he would like a drink. He replied in disgust, "I'd rather be savagely raped by a brazen whore than let liquor touch my lips."

The cowboy then handed his drink back to the attendant and said, " I didn't know we had a choice."

Thursday, October 02, 2003

For you who are interested in numbers, computers, money, or historical fiction, Neal Stephenson has a book out just last week called Quicksilver.
Anyone interested in seeing The Concert for George ? It's playing at the Waterfront at least until next Thursday. Stars include Paul, Ringo, Tom Petty, and some others who dug George. Email me and let me know. We'll go check it out.

Wednesday, October 01, 2003

I would like to thank the anonymous stranger who sent me a letter that read:

"FOUND THIS ON THE STREET"

and enclosed my driver's license. It disappeared Friday night, and I wasn't looking forward to replacing it with a new one.

Thank you, anonymous stranger . . . you rock!!!

I encourage you all to do some small unanticipated favor for someone today. Maybe a friend, maybe a family member, maybe a neighbor. Maybe it's letting somebody pull in front of you on the parkway, maybe sweeping your old-lady neighbor's porch, maybe taking your kid to the park, maybe picking up somebody's license you find on the street and mailing it back to them. Whomever and whatever you decide, don't hesitate, go do it . . they'll appreciate your effort!

This is funny, try it out!

DeathDay 2.0 by quill18
Username
Die onSeptember 19, 2038
Die ofJaywalking
Value of Estate:$7,929,606
Created with quill18's MemeGen!

Monday, September 29, 2003

Friday, September 26, 2003

We'll miss you Robert Palmer . . . this has not been a good year for celebrity folk.

It's probably too late for most of us to enter, but Carson City, NV will be hosting this years World Beard and Moustache Championships November 1, 2003. Thanks for the tip, Christina . . . I'm pulling for Alois Plettl from Bavaria. Yeah, why are there almost entirely German/Austrian contestants?
Just another hairy guy ...

The trifecta race has run! Looks like #2 MoJo Wiseman, finished first, #3 Caring Heart, second and #1 Sweet Italian Ice came in a sluggish third . . . #3 was a little skiddish on the turns, #1 her demise, I blame on the rider (Dave Palone or Jim Pantaleano he is not!). Both looked good out there, but lacked on spirit and follow through ... which was just part of what got #2 running strong. Hard to say when I'll be hitting the track again, but it was fun. We'll probably be seeing more of MoJo Wiseman, and Caring Heart may not be out to pasture yet. Somebody help poor Sweet Italian Ice, she ain't that bad!

And Doctor Who is on the comeback? i think the good Doctor gets several incarnations, right? Everyones fave Tom Baker appears in this article. I had such a mad crush on one his girl assisstants . . .

Thursday, September 25, 2003

Thanks John Bucket, for letting us know about this cool looking series on The Blues starting this Sunday, 9/28:

http://www.pbs.org/theblues/
Ed Said is Dead

His name is really pronounced like Sah-yeed, but it looks like it should rhyme. He was a cool cat, though. We're reading him in my class right now.

On a little brighter side, I watched the movie A Mighty Wind last night with my friend MJ. Brought to you by the same folks who did Best in Show, I recommend checking it out.

Tuesday, September 23, 2003

Anyone remember the debates last fall and early winter between Europe and the U.S. about what the hex we're gonna do in Iraq, and who's gonna help us? there may not have been a lot of buzz about it, but apparently the Treaty of Westphalia entered into the arena. What's that you say?

So in 1648, these cats in Europe signed a treaty that helped define the peace in Europe, appropriate lands, establish countries, and set a standard for peace and war procedures. Apparently there is a clause about justifiably declaring war only if there is imminent danger of invasion. The treaty is called the Westphalia Treaty. Go read about it . . . and think about how it may have effectively or ineffectively entered into the debate between Rumsfeld and Co. and the Europeans.

In a sense it kinda fits with this word:
hermeneutics

\Her`me*neu"tics\, n. [Gr. ? (sc. ?).] The science of interpretation and explanation; exegesis; esp., that branch of theology which defines the laws whereby the meaning of the Scriptures is to be ascertained. --Schaff-Herzog Encyc.

Monday, September 22, 2003

Stendahl Syndrome . . . I suffered from it after visiting the museum at the Papal Palace in Vatican City. Like this guy's description, I've been overtaken by art and beauty, to the point of being disoriented, but never felt guilty about it. Just woozy. . . this is not to be confused with Stockholm Syndrome. As Anders will have you know, the two are a little different.

Wednesday, September 17, 2003

A visit to the dentist's office today, a lot of hygienist work (I think she need some coffee, she was sorta heavy handed) but no cavities. PHeeeeeeeeeeew!!!

And can someone please tell me what is in the water in Athens, GA?
Here's a blurb about one band from there, The Neutral Milk Hotel has a newer album out.
Bu then you get the cats from Of Montreal, REM, the B-52s, and I believe the band Jump Little Children are from there, but I'm not 100% sure.

Monday, September 15, 2003

Is anybody surprised by the obivous abuse of power that comes with the Patriot Act? There are more and more documented cases of common criminals being charged with bullshit terrorist offenses. As an example, a man who made drugs in his bathtub, was charged with manufacturing a weapon of mass destruction?
Check this out for more details.
My response? Watch those dorks just as closely as they are watching you!



Every dog will have his day, but for the neighbor's dog it aint' today.

This morning i walked out my front door and my friend kim is there on the sidewalk. she says, "hey matt, is this your dog?" I said, "no kim, Pancho's your dog," because she was walking her dog. "she says no no not pancho, i mean this dog," and she pointed to my neighbor's dog. he had leapt out the front window he sits in all day through a hole by the air conditioner. it had been blocked by a panel from a case of Mt. Dew ... he was running loose and the neighbors of course were gone for the day. so we tried to catch him so we could stuff him back in the window, but he kept running away and into the street. nearly got run down a couple times. so we thought to put him in the plot of grass at the end of the block, but the gate was locked, kim said. i tried it and it was locked but was able to jimmy it open, and the dog ran in as soon as i opened it. he was safe for the day, nobody would bother him, and he seemed so happy . . . and then we said good dog, and went on our way. ten minutes later it started to downpour and looks like it's gonna rain a good bit today . . . Every dog will have his day, but for the neighbor's dog it aint' today.

For those of you who won't be playing softball at Frick park Tuesday night, there's this to consider checking out:

Chuck Palahniuk, novelist, Talk and Screening of "Fight Club." September 16, 2:00 p.m., Alumni Hall, 7th Floor Auditorium. Reading at 8:00 p.m. Free. For more information please call (412) 624-6506 or see www.english.pitt.edu. Sponsored by The Pittsburgh Contemporary Writers Series, Wyndham Garden Hotel, Book Center, and Film Studies Program.

Friday, September 12, 2003

Thank you Johnny Cash, for all your great music and influence. We'll surely miss you.

And John Ritter too?

Thursday, September 11, 2003

I'm gettin' all Aristotleian on you . . . classnotes and such.

tekhne (the word is conventionally translated as 'craft, 'skill' or 'art') as art is precisely mimesis (a word translated as 'immitation', although many scholars prefer 'representation') as it immitates art.
in the material record, we see the effort of the species grappling with Intelligence . . . the material forms in which Intelligence is manifest.

the function of literature is to articulate and sustain the polis/people. To invoke the people as the function of literature, to articulate and sustain a nation is a dangerous concept.


See if you can relate / see the connection of the above and this . . .

Don't Sweat The Technique Lyrics
Eric B. & Rakim

Don't Sweat The Technique

Don't sweat the Technique(2x)

Let's trace the hints and check the file
Let see who bit to detect the style
I flip the script so they can't get foul.
At least not now it'll take a while
I change the pace to complete the beat
I drop the bass 'till mc's get weak.
For every word they trace it's a scar they keep...
'Cause when I speak they freak
To sweat the technique
I made my debut in '86
Wit a melody and a president's mix
And now I stay on target and refuse to miss
And I still make hits
wit' beats, parties, clubs, in the cars and jeeps
My underground sound vibrates the streets
MC's wanna beef then I play for keeps
When they sweat the technique

Don't Sweat the Technique

They wanna know how many rhymes have I ripped in rep., but
Researchers never found all the pieces yet
Scientists try to solve the context
Philosophers are wondering what's next
Pieces are took to last who observe them
They couldn't absorb them, they didn't deserve them
My ideas are only for the audience's ears
For my opponents, it might take years
Pencils and pens, are swords
Letters put together form a key to chords
I'm also a sculpture, born with structure
Because of my culture, I'm a rip and destruct the
Difficult styles that'll be for the technology
Complete sights and new heights after I get deep
You don't have to speak just seek
And peep the technique

But don't sweat the technique

I speak indiscreet cause talk is cheap
Then I get deep and the weak then complete their
Pull with a seat, never weak or obsolete
They never grow old techniques become antiques
Better then something brand new 'cause it's radiant
And the wild style'll have much more volume
Classical too intelligent to be radical
Masterful, never irrelevant: mathematical
Here's some soothing souvenirs for all the years
They fought, and sought, the thoughts and ideas
It's cool when you freak to the beat
But don't sweat the technique

Don't sweat the technique (2x)

Tuesday, September 09, 2003

This make sme angry. Color Coded airline tickets . . . ? because it is assumed that we're all really dangerous people, terrorists in the making? because we really don't need freedom anymore? who the heck makes these decisions? I think this is ridiculous . . .
I thought Leni Reifenstahl had checked out years ago, but apparently she's part of the Century Club.

most of my firends with blogs don't post anymore it seems . . . i guess they're busy or something.

Monday, September 08, 2003

You can feel that fall is on it's way, it's in the air in the evenings. And then of course winter follows. What i like least about winter, aside from it being cold, is the lack of smells. Outside air smells at least, are far fewer in winter than in spring or summer. Smell is a big part of autumn, no doubt, but there's some summer smells i'm going to miss: rain falling on hot pavement, tomato plants, and sunscreen. the cut grass, the footy weed smell, well these i may not miss so much. i'm ready for fall now ... or ready to begin the adjsutment. i'll still moan hear and there about the cold. tha't jsut who i am. but i'm ready for fall to come
Goodbye Warren Zevon, we'll miss you. Ahhooooooo! Werewolves of London!

Here's a funny story about two dumb chix to make your day a little brighter.

A cool article on Salon about Bjork, if you can't read it let me know, I'll get you the article another way.

Wednesday, September 03, 2003

A little something is born and a little something dies with each season change. Yesterday evening I picked up Eli to go play catch (we didnt think many folks would show up for softball because of the rain, and yup, nobody else did) at Wightman field. School started last week, and I think last week was perhaps the last Tuesday softball game, because despite the rain and mud, there was little league soccer in left field, and girls field hockey in right field. Looks like both organizations have Wightman as their regular practice spot? Does anybody remember from last year how it panned out? Anyways, I'm grateful for a good summer of softball fun, and looks like Sunday softball is still on. Plus, now there's Cathedral lawn soccer on Friday's . . . So something dies, something's born.

Sofia Coppola is not only a subtly attractive woman, but talented and intelligent as well. She's well within my age bracket for chix, trouble is she' maybe married and definitley running in different circles than I do. Anyways, I'll still go check out her upcoming film, Lost in Translation if I can help it. it also has Bill Murray in it. I'm looking forward to seeing him in a role where he is not a loser (Royal Tannenbaums, Rushmore). Maybe it's just those Wilson brothers who like to cast him as a loser.

Tuesday, September 02, 2003

A link describing Stylistic Vices
On another note, here's a good piece from the NY Times on String Theory for all you physics people. It's kind of the Seinfeld of Physics:

Dr. Michael Douglas of Rutgers and the Institute of Advanced Scientific Studies, near Paris, called the plethora of string universes "the Alice's Restaurant" problem.
"You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant," he said. "Is this a theory of something, very many things or nothing? That's what we're trying to establish."


Way to go, Papa!!! Dr. Kevan Yenerall has a new book coming out called Seeing the Bigger Picture. From the Clarion University Newswire, April 30, 2002, a few words about the paper (relevant to the book) he and his colleague Mark Sachleben presented:

YENERALL PRESENTS POLITICS AND FILM PAPER
Kevan M. Yenerall, assistant professor of political science, presented the paper "Seeing the Bigger Picture: Understanding Politics Through Film and Television" at the annual meeting of the Midwestern Political Science Association in Chicago, Ill., April 25-28. The paper was co-authored with Mark Sachleben of Miami University.

"Seeing the Bigger Picture" outlines how the medium of film and the moving image can be employed in the political science classroom. Specifically, Yenerall and Sachleben address the benefits and drawbacks of using film in the classroom, the importance of providing alternative and diverse viewpoints through film, and offer several specific assignments and discussion questions designed to spark critical thinking, discussion and debate in the areas of American politics and international relations. The authors review film and video dealing with globalization, neocolonialism, the presidency, and civil rights and social justice.

Yenerall developed the course "Politics and Film" (PS 301) at Clarion University and also directs an annual Politics and Film series. The second film series will commence in the fall of 2002.


Kevan has a truly distinctive perspective on movies, as evidenced one fine sunday evening at Dee's Cafe when he brought by the movie Gramps starring Andy Griffith.
"That may work in the real world,
but how does it stand up as a theory?"
--Anonymous Frenchman

Sunday, August 31, 2003

Erin and Dan Brown have some great stuff going on at the Renaissance Fair (and who wouldn't want to be King or Queen?) Huzzah!!! Huzzah!!! Huzzah!!! I think this weekend or next, I'd like to go check my pals out at the Renaissance Fair. One of my favorites is the mud show, but one piece of advice, don't sit too close. ;)

Friday, August 29, 2003

If you need some burnination, play Trogdor!
Who knew there was all this stuff about the Dark Side of the Force . . . ?

Wednesday, August 27, 2003

Go talk about Shitty Shitstein and Fucky McFuckface or whatever diatribe of swears you got lined up to the folks at Lucky Pierre's . You have until this weekend for them to record your three minutes of cuss guff.
And if you'r estill not satisfied and havemore angst to vent, you can go to Spain and pelt people with tomatoes. I totally recommend chekcing out the slideshow. Funny stuff . . .

And by the way, dark chocolate is better for you . . .

And perhaps only Anders (as far as readers of this blog go) may have a deeper interest in this guy: Scott of the Antarctic's rival

Tuesday, August 26, 2003

Friday, August 22, 2003

Here's a story from the New York Times about a modern day Bonnie and Clyde. Here's the story of the real criminal duo.

Following is a poem written by Bonnie Parker somewhere in the last weeks of her life: (The punctuation are hers.) She entitled it:

The Story of Bonnie and Clyde

You’ve read the story of Jesse James
Of how he lived and died
If you’re still in need for something to read
Here’s the story of Bonnie and Clyde.

Now Bonnie and Clyde are the Barrow gang,
I’m sure you all have read
how they rob and steal
And those who squeal are usually found dying or dead.

There’s lots of untruths to those write-ups
They’re not so ruthless as that
Their nature is raw, they hate all law
Stool pigeons, spotters, and rats.

They call them cold-blooded killers
They say they are heartless and mean
But I say this with pride, I once knew Clyde
When he was honest and upright and clean.

But the laws fooled around and taking him down
and locking him up in a cell
‘Till he said to me, "I’ll never be free
So I’ll meet a few of them in hell."

The road was so dimly lighted
There were no highway signs to guide
But they made up their minds if all roads were blind
They wouldn’t give up ‘till they died.

The road gets dimmer and dimmer
Sometimes you can hardly see
But it’s fight man to man, and do all you can
For they know they can never be free.

From heartbreak some people have suffered
From weariness some people have died
But all in all, our troubles are small
‘Till we get like Bonnie and Clyde.

If a policeman is killed in Dallas
And they have no clue or guide
If they can’t find a friend, just wipe the slate clean
And hang it on Bonnie and Clyde.

There’s two crimes committed in America
Not accredited to the Barrow Mob
They had no hand in the kidnap demand
Nor the Kansas City Depot job.

A newsboy once said to his buddy
"I wish old Clyde would get jumped
In these hard times we’s get a few dimes
If five or six cops would get bumped."

"The police haven’t got the report yet
But Clyde called me up today
He said, "Don’t start any fights, we aren’t
working nights, we’re joining the NRA."

From Irving to West Dallas viaduct
Is known as the Great Divide
Where the women are kin and men are men
And they won’t stool on Bonnie and Clyde.

If they try to act like citizens
And rent a nice little flat
About the third night they’re invited to fight
By a sub-gun’s rat-tat-tat.

They don’t think they’re tough or desperate
They know the law always wins
They’ve been shot at before, but they do not ignore
That death is the wages of sin.

Someday they’ll go down together
And they’ll bury them side by side
To few it’ll be grief, to the law a relief
But it’s death for Bonnie and Clyde

********************************

And then there's this:

Here's the website of the starwars kid i was telling you about, click "original" first then watch some of the remixes. "Re-mix" and "Dork Clones" are the two funniest. The story behind it is some kid from Canada filmed himself acting like a Jedi with a light sabre and his friends got hold of it. Then internet geeks got hold of it and the rest is history. enjoy.


Wednesday, August 20, 2003

So there's this test you can take and it tells you some stuff, at least in generic terms. It's gotta be those damned super powers that scored me my high rating. A least it isn't a Very High rating . . . I knew I shouldn't have played with that friggin' meteorite I found that one night in the mountains . . .

Disorder | Rating
Paranoid: Low
Schizoid: Low
Schizotypal: High
Antisocial: Low
Borderline: Low
Histrionic: Low
Narcissistic: Low
Avoidant: Moderate
Dependent: Moderate
Obsessive-Compulsive: Moderate

URL of the test: http://www.4degreez.com/misc/personality_disorder_test.mv

Paranoid
Paranoid personality disorder is characterized by a distrust of others and a constant suspicion that people around you have sinister motives. People with this disorder tend to have excessive trust in their own knowledge and abilities and usually avoid close relationships with others. They search for hidden meanings in everything and read hostile intentions into the actions of others. They are quick to challenge the loyalties of friends and loved ones and often appear cold and distant to others. They usually shift blame to others and tend to carry long grudges.

Schizoid
People with schizoid personality disorder avoid relationships and do not show much emotion. They genuinely prefer to be alone and do not secretly wish for popularity. They tend to seek jobs that require little social contact. Their social skills are often weak and they do not show a need for attention or acceptance. They are perceived as humorless and distant and often are termed "loners."

Schizotypal
Many believe that schizotypal personality disorder represents mild schizophrenia. The disorder is characterized by odd forms of thinking and perceiving, and individuals with this disorder often seek isolation from others. They sometimes believe to have extra sensory ability or that unrelated events relate to them in some important way. They generally engage in eccentric behavior and have difficulty concentrating for long periods of time. Their speech is often over elaborate and difficult to follow. (This sounds like so many heads, young and old ... )

Antisocial
A common misconception is that antisocial personality disorder refers to people who have poor social skills. The opposite is often the case. Instead, antisocial personality disorder is characterized by a lack of conscience. People with this disorder are prone to criminal behavior, believing that their victims are weak and deserving of being taken advantage of. They tend to lie and steal. Often, they are careless with money and take action without thinking about consequences. They are often agressive and are much more concerned with their own needs than the needs of others.

Borderline
Borderline personality disorder is characterized by mood instability and poor self-image. People with this disorder are prone to constant mood swings and bouts of anger. Often, they will take their anger out on themselves, causing themselves injury. Suicidal threats and actions are not uncommon. They think in very black and white terms and often form intense, conflict-ridden relationships. They are quick to anger when their expectations are not met.

Histrionic
People with histrionic personality disorder are constant attention seekers. They need to be the center of attention all the time, often interrupting others in order to dominate the conversation. They use grandiose language to discribe everyday events and seek constant praise. They may dress provacatively or exaggerate illnesses in order to gain attention. They also tend to exaggerate friendships and relationships, believing that everyone loves them. They are often manipulative.

Narcissistic
Narcissistic personality disorder is characterized by self-centeredness. Like histrionic disorder, people with this disorder seek attention and praise. They exaggerate their achievements, expecting others to recongize them as being superior. They tend to be choosy about picking friends, since they believe that not just anyone is worthy of being their friend. They tend to make good first impressions, yet have difficulty maintaining long-lasting relationships. They are generally uninterested in the feelings of others and may take advantage of them.

Avoidant
Avoidant personality disorder is characterized by extreme social anxiety. People with this disorder often feel inadequate, avoid social situations, and seek out jobs with little contact with others. They are fearful of being rejected and worry about embarassing themselves in front of others. They exaggerate the potential difficulties of new situations to rationalize avoiding them. Often, they will create fantasy worlds to substitute for the real one. Unlike schizoid personality disorder, avoidant people yearn for social relations yet feel they are unable to obtain them. They are frequently depressed and have low self-confidence.

Dependent
Dependent personality disorder is characterized by a need to be taken care of. People with this disorder tend to cling to people and fear losing them. They may become suicidal when a break-up is imminent. They tend to let others make important decisions for them and often jump from relationship to relationship. They often remain in abusive relationships. They are overly sensitive to disapproval. They often feel helpless and depressed.

Obsessive-Compulsive
Obsessive-Compulsive personality disorder is similar to obsessive-compulsive anxiety disorder. People with this disorder are overly focused on orderliness and perfection. Their need to do everything "right" often interferes with their productivity. They tend to get caught up in the details and miss the bigger picture. They set unreasonably high standards for themselves and others, and tend to be very critical of others when they do not live up to these high standards. They avoid working in teams, believing others to be too careless or incompetent. They avoid making decisions because they fear making mistakes and are rarely generous with their time or money. They often have difficulty expressing emotion.


At least i'm not like this guy so much . . . kind afunny in the sad and pathetic sorta way.

softball last night was cool, finally played on a winning team. hit somewhat better than Sunday, several singles and a lot fewer pop-ups, my fielding was about average, and afterwards, a few of us went to The Sharp Edge for some beers and food. and now that they're all finished with their renovations, i gots to say, the place looks good! it was worth all the schtuff that they did, cuz it's much bigger and looks nice. and whatever their mystery brew was last night, it was tasty......... mmmm . . . beer!

I picked up a few books about Maxfield Parrish at the library the other day. If you don't know his name, you'll know his images once you see them. I've always liked his stuff, the twilight colors, girls on rocks, and the whole Art Nouveau style is pretty frickin cool if you ask me ...

Tuesday, August 19, 2003

I saw the movie Secretary on DVD last night. The guy at the video store said it was really good but strange. And . . . he was right. James Spader is a kook, and so is Maggie Gyllenhaal. Although it's harder to tell who is more gakked in the noggin, they do have some prety cool chemistry that they work. For those who may hope/fear it's a porno, you're gonna be a bit disappointed. I mean, Maggie Gyllenhaal never even wore stockings with the little lines up the back, except for on the movie poster ... if those are even her legs. Try 9 1/2 Weeks maybe? Or maybe you should just rent some porn about secretaries. I dunno but for real, if you want to see more of her, I highly recommend Donnie Darko. I don't know anything about Riding in Cars with Boys (which she's also supposed to be in), except it's supposed to have a good soundtrack.

And apparently the movie Barbarosa is playing somewhere on cable (although I wouldn't know). That's Willie Nelson and Gary Busey, circa 1982.
John Bucket told me about this one: Apparently, guys, in Vegas you can pay $10,000 to 'hunt' naked women (they wear sneakers) with a paintball gun. And yeah, I guess Howard Stern has already covered the deets on this . . . you can visit the homepage here.

For no good reason, this past week I've been told/heard (not witnessed thankfully) several unsolicited masturbation stories. I won't relate any names or said stories, but at least they weren't like these ones.

Monday, August 18, 2003

Visit the Blu-tack Cat Death Gallery page ...
Visit the Women and Dogs page ...
Visit a page that Strong Bad would love . . .
Visit this page if you need a place to park ...
Although I had to miss camping in Ceep Crack, MD with john bucket and marty and stacy and madge and co., the weekend? . . . t'was a good one. Friday night I met Mike, Autumn, Nikki, Dave Burke and Casey at the Inn'Termission for a coupla cold ones. Afters, Mikey and I went out and busked on Carson St., between 17th & 18th where the bum benches used to be (so called because many a bum would hang out/sleep on said benches). We were there not even a minute when some annoying semi-homeless to homeless dude comes up and decides to set up camp. He's telling everyone he's our manager. He's scaring away half the people who walk along. He's saying stump the band, pay a buck and we'll play any song, if we can't play it, we'll pay the dollar (and whose $$$ does he intend to spend?) He's tossing all of his belongings, like his Christmas cards, his pliers, his ball cap, his deck of cards, his sunglasses, Hummel figurines, etc. into my guitar case. He sets his jug of Orange juice inside my yellow tip bucket. He pulls out a towell and unwraps a half handle bottle of whiskey with a label I've never seen before (for a good reason I think) and says he was gonna save this for his old lady but he'll crack it open with us. Uhhh no thanks, keep it for you and your old lady. And about this point Mike gives me the nod. I agree. dude's set up camp and our best move is to move. So all of the crap he tossed into my case after showing passers by, I piled up on the sidewalk, yanked his orange juice out of my tip bucket, gathered our tips and we're off. See ya, we're off to find a better location we tell him. "Oh I'm starting a band in a few weeks, let me get you information, he says." I'll keep an eye out for you and your band says I. Don't worry, we'll call you. We went a bit past 18th and set up outside the American Savings Bank.

Saturday, I busked in Homestead at an art opening thinger Danielle Crumrine asked me to play. That was cool. I learned from Becky that a guy and his girlfriend she met, met me and my girlfriend. I have a girlfriend? i asked. You'll have to introduce me to her, cuz i'd like to go on a date with her ... ya know, my girlfriend. Turns out it's a girl I went to a party with a few weeks ago. She has since moved on to greener pastures, or something. Saturday night Tony wasn't feeling so hot, so he gave me and Jim his tickets to see the pre-season steelers. Pretty cool. Thanks again Tony.

Sunday afternoon softball was hot and sweaty. I started off good, spanked one over the fence on the first at bat, and then singles and pop-ups the whole rest of the game. Too much sun, not enough water I think. Sunday evening, was a dinner hangout kinda night at Joe and Megans place. A nice chill evening out on the porch.

Thursday, August 14, 2003

I was out Monday night checking out Richard Barlow, aka, The Limey spinning his set at the Memphis Lounge (the upstairs of Zythos, 2100 block of Carson), when I met his friend Jim. He and I began talking about the theater (Jim has a show going up this Monday at the Gemini Theater), plays, books, and found that we have a whole string of friends in common. Jim McManus? You're the guy whose name I've heard in a bunch of stories but never had a face to put with the name. We talked a bit about my student teaching at Andover's Summer Session a few years back, and without mentioning any specifics of what courses I taught or what materials we used, Jim began talking about Andre Dubus (pronounced "dub-YOOSE"). As jim described this author he just encountered a few weeks ago, his style, his life story, etc. I'm thinking it's probably the same guy whose essays in Broken Vessels we read for Writing the Personal Essay. Well I hadn't thought about Dubus for some time, and learned that he died since I had first read him, and that he is posthumously gaining greater readership. Go check out Dubus, I recommend him highly. And thanks Jim, for reminding me of what I had forgotten.

Wednesday, August 13, 2003

I was out busking two weeks ago on a Friday, and had a kooky turn of events. I played on my own for about two 2 1/2 hrs. After seeing a movie at the Melwood, my roommate Jim walks by, stops to say hey, and see if I'm up for getting a beer. Sure I say. he says he'll be back in 20 minutes cuz he wants to shower first. See you in 20 minutes I say. It's late already well after 12, and I'm ready to go get a beer anyways.

So I'm playing my last few songs when this cute Goth chick walks by, stops and sits down just to my right. Ok, Goth chick ... of course she's wearing all black, has blonde streaks in her short cropped hair, and a purple bruise under her left eye? Sorta like somebody socked her in the face? Hmmm. She seems a bit timid and scared, and so I'm a bit concerned for her. Are you alright, I ask. She says yeah, sorta like she knows I'm asking about her black eye, but she doesn't want to talk about it. I can play guitar she says, i wrote a song want to hear it? she offers. I'm hesitant to let anybody play my guitar, especially on the street, but she seemed cute and sorta like she needed a distraction. So I hand her my guitar. She sorta looks at it, and frowns, and Plink! Plink! Plink! is doing I don't know what ... but nothing approaching music or a song. mean while a crew of girls walks by, one stops, turns, comes walking back, says to nobody in particular, Uh-uh, that ain't happening, and sets down on the other side of me. Oh, don't mind me, I'm just checking my phone messages, she says. So I ask Goth girl to give me my guitar back and I'll play her a song while she tries to remember the chords. She does, and I start playin another song. Goth's looking sorta miffed or I dunno, maybe like the gig is up. The other chick smiles at me and says, you don't see what's going on do you? I'm thinking that she means, you don't realize that two girls are trying to pick you up, but somehow if I say that POOF! they're both gone. So i play dumb. No, what's going on? you really don't see it do you? No I don't what's going on please tell me what I'm missing. Then Goth girl, after writing something down, stands up, sets a piece of paper down by my guitar case and is walking away saying goodbye. You should kiss her ya know, says the phone girl. YOu're right says me. So I kiss Goth on the cheek , she kisses my cheek, and then she's off. The other girl (Phone girl) looks triumphant... and a little flirty or maybe just drink. looking back, i think she was just drunk. I remember Jim is on his way back in a few minutes. I should ask if she wants to go get a beer. So I start: "Well hey, i don't mean to be uhmmm ..." " Presumptuous? "she chimes in. Yeah, good word choice. presumptuous, but do you want to get a beer with me and my roommate? we're going right down the street to that bar right there. here he comes now. Sure she says. It;s looking good. Jim says he'll run my guitar back home right quick and meet us there. So I pack up my guitar, notice the piece of paper with a phone number on it, stick it in my case, and hand the whole thing off to Jim. me and phone girl go get our beer, Jim joins us a moment later, and it's looking good. She says after a while she's gonna walk home to mt washington, which is like twenty blocks aways and then up the hill and another twenty blocks. I say I'll give you a lift home, and we shortly after are in my car on the way back to her place. We pull up, she says thanks and i ask her for her digits, she obliges and then gives me the finger tip kiss good night, "how presumptuous," she chuckles.
... and is out the door, across the street and inside her place in a flash. so the next day, I figure i got tow girls's numbers. i;ll call Goth girl's number, I mean what could it hurt, right? so I dial what I think is a 481 extension, SouthSide, and the #'s disconnected. Try maybe 401? It rings and rings and voicemail picks up. A sultry sounding woman on the recording gives the name of a 'professional modeling and escort service' business and thanks me for calling. leave a message and they'll get right back to me. i hang up. and then dial agian a few minutes later thinking, no . . . no way that goth chick was ... so I redial, it rings twice. a dude answers. i ask for Goth by name, he asks who is this, i say my name and he hands her the phone. Hello? Hi it's me. i met you yesterday playing guitar? oh yeah she says, I"m a bit out of it from last night still, can you call back? sure, sure i say as i thank her and hang up. the clock says 6:15 PM. And i throw her crumpled phone number into the trash. I'm left to wonder did phone girl knew the scoop on Goth girl, and if so, how? or was she really trying to pick me up and then once the competition was gone she was bored. who knows?
Well, ain't it a good thing we're a relatively safe city to live in?
Looks like our mayor has found a solution to our police problem: let 52 sr. cops go (early retirement), and keep the 102 rookies we just hired. Yeah, I'm not the guy to solve these problems, just noting that this may not be the best solution for our hurting city:

"Early retirement is not an effective means of reducing unemployment: it is an excellent way of making a country poorer."
- Layard, Nickel, and Jackman (1991) Unemployment: Macroeconomic Performance and the Labour Market

How can this be bad? In part because it can cause a reduction in effective labor supply, which in turn places undue upward pressure on the wage level.
Let's just hope it works out, and I'm wrong about this being a bad thing for Pittsburgh . . . As an addendum, let it be known that I'd like for the city to keep as many of our police officers, young and old, as possible. And mad kudos to the bicycle cops I see out and about in Oakland and South Side. You guys add a little something extra for us civilians.

Friday, August 08, 2003

Returning from the ROAD TRIP hiatus today.

Marty and I went to Baltimore and Ocean City, MD for a short vacation this week. We stayed overnight in a tent at the Ramblin' Pines Campground near Woodbine, MD. We played the open mic at Leadbetter's in Fells' Point to a warm and receptive crowd. We stopped by 203 Amity Street, the house where Edgar Allen Poe grew up. They keep pretty odd hours (Friday and Saturday from noon to 3:45 only) so we just saw the plaque outside. Maybe because it's in the projects? who knows? Oh and the spot where he's buried is kinda cool, what with the old 10th century gravemarkers and all.

Then we went on to Ocean City and set up the tent in an RV park. Not bad way to go, we were right by the beach... We met a coupla cool cats there, and got ourselves licenses to busk the boardwalk. That was a lot of fun. And it was cool to sun on the beach, play a little frisbee, fly a kite, and splash around in the waves. Not to mention how sweet a good road trip can be.

Friday, August 01, 2003

The world of idiots is still going strong.
Topping this girl's story is the man from Croatia. Just one more reason that men should not be flashers. "Good doggy, goohoohoohood doggy!"

I think this man has picked his nose too often.

Finally for you fans of rotoscope and stuff ...

Thursday, July 31, 2003

Guido Crepax, an Italian cartoonist and illustrator apparently just died. You may have seen some of his work. Valentina, being his most famous creation, was based on 1920's & 30's film star Louise Brooks. She's got to be one of the sexiest people to ever walk the face of the earth.

Wednesday, July 30, 2003

A cool article about the psychology of lies and lying . . . For the neurotic or paranoid reader? Just relax. No one can yet read our minds, or hearts. For now, there is no technology that will make lying obsolete.

Saturday, July 26, 2003

A Surprise Visit to Another World

I went for a beer with a classmate of mine after class Wednesday and she invited me to a party being thrown in her honor at her friend/coworker's house.

"Bring something to swim in, they have a pool. I'll get you the directions by Friday." Cool enough I thought. So Friday she came to pick me up, we drove up to a housing plan near Cranberry. We followed the directions, and the end part read: "approach the far right gate, dial ____ and we'll buzz you in. " So there's a camera and a phone-type dialer, no guard, and you call the folks you want to visit. I had never visited a gated community before, and after assuming that we were going to an apartment building complex or something, so I was a little freaked out by it at first. Sorta like a condominium complex, but all gated off. Not with barbed wire like the FBI buildings per se, but definitely on top of a ridge, secluded, and secure. The folks there were gracious hosts, friendly, and conversational. Their home was a lot like any condo you've seen, and there was no guard. And not unlike so many pool partied I've been to, nobody went in. I don't understand it, but my guess is it was just cooler air, and why not hang out close to the food and beer and stuff? I dunno, I imagine in my life, I'll probably visit another gated community, and it was cool enough I suppose, but still felt a little wierd, and felt good to get back into the city. I don't know if I could ever live in a place like that.
Picked and plucked from George Eliot's The Lifted Veil: The fluctuations of hope and fear, confined to this one channel, made each day in her presence a delicious torment: to heighten my boyish passion, and make me more and more dependent on her smiles. And when they vanished, the gardens, the summer sky, the consciousness of Bertha's arm being within mine, all vanished.

The shadow passed from between us, and was no longer the object nearest to me. The girl whose light fingers grasped me, whose elfish charming face looked into mine--who, I thought, was betraying an interest in my feelings that she would not have directly avowed,--this warm breathing presence again possessed my senses and imagination like a returning siren melody which had been overpowered for an instant by the roar of threatening waves. It was a moment as delicious to me as the waking up to a consciousness of youth after a dream of middle age.

Friday, July 25, 2003

For all of you who like graPHiC aRts stuff . . . you'll like these comic-book style drawings from fotolog . . . they kinda remind me of comic book style series or something Rich Engel showed me a ways back, a series about depressed hottie english lit type co-ed girls. He said 'you should date girls like this," to which i said, " too bad those girls seem to find me dreadfully boring." maybe i never had enough tattoos or misfits t-shirts or something

Thursday, July 24, 2003

A cool quote about self respect that dan brown turned me onto:

"how to deal with the realization that the goals you work toward aren't worth a candle, while nonetheless understanding that giving up is morally unacceptable"

"get busy livin' or get busy dyin"
once again, i'm reminded of dave burke, because of his outdoor trekking adventures, not his pants.

Wednesday, July 23, 2003

Not a whole lot going on outside of my coursework, work and ya know getting an occasional beer.

I did get a new (new to me) queen size bed. I was in a twin bed for a while, well, I guess since like I moved out of a crib, my bed has been a twin bed. I've slept in Queen and King sized beds, but now I have my own. Sure, for you folks who've had big beds for ever and ever, it's no big deal. But I like waking up in that bed. I mean I like sleeping in it and waking in it and maybe it's just that there's new sheets on it . . . but really, Ilike the s p r a w l factor. And determining which side of the bed I wanna sleep in. Right now I like sleeping in the middle, taking up as much space as I can.

Oh yeah, there was a guy who was gonna pick up my old twin, but never came back. Figures. So, if you or someone you know needs a free twin bed, lemme know ASAP. Or the Goodwill folks'll get it. Good solid Heavy wooden frame. Bookshelf headboard (I'm gonna miss that ... )

Friday, July 18, 2003

So every now and then you poke around and find cool stuff. Dave Burke has a cool thing he's doing with converting photos into illustrations. must be digital, i'm guessing. They look to me like B&W versions of what the hip-hop club kids do with their album covers and stuff. and I think Levi's had this kinda stuff in their ads for a while, must be a term for it but i don't know the name. this style was popular with the dj's and club set in holland a year and a half ago

Tuesday, July 15, 2003

We Americans are 4% of the world's population, but whether it's the Coca Cola, MacDonalds, Hollywood movies, Network television, Blue Jeans, or quality Pantyhose, everyone has an opinion on the US. So what do you think about us?

Well here is a bit of what the rest of the world thinks across a range of issues and a range of countries, as broadcast from a BBC program you can listen to here.

It's a bit lengthy but interesting nonetheless. Tom Cruise is afraid of America! The world loves Homer Simpson! We are arrogant, but the great benefactor. All this you may have known already, except that bit about Tom Crusie being afraid of America.

Monday, July 14, 2003

So this weekend was the South Side Street Spanktacular . . . and I participated minimally. By that I mean, Friday I went to happy hour at Havana, which was cool for the most part. The I went to the Rex to see Louie and the Humans. Missed the show but saw the Humans.

Saturday, I went to Cleveland with Madge and Kathy Jo to see Gord Downie play at the Odeon. What a cool venue and an even cooler show. way different from the Tragically Hip show we saw in Buffalo. Much more chill, and Gord was close enough you could like see his face, if he didn't have his hat pulled down way low.

Softball Sunday was cool. I got a glove so's now I don't have to borrow somebody else's. As I'm thinking about it... the glove I used as a kid was my older brother's mitt. So this is the first glove tha'ts mine, and I'm 29. Hmmm . . . :)

Thursday, July 10, 2003

I challenge you to read ALL of this article from the NY TImes. I bet you can't do it . . .

Wednesday, July 09, 2003

The Ballad of the Sneak . . . .

Who put a bengal tiger in the Kaiser's latrine? It's the sneak, it's the sneak!
Salon dot com is a cock-teasing whore! Here's why:

They offer an interesting headline, say something about Milton's Areopagitica, anything by Cary Tennis, or a number of political and social commentaries. This is the shapely legs in the short black skirt, the low-cut blouse with a revealing peak into the heart of Cleveland, walking by with a pouty mouthed smile. She knows she's Premium. She even calls herself, Salon Premium.

Come (hither) take a look one of two ways: get subscription (be my sugar daddy), or get a free day pass by watching an ad. I've done this free ad thing before . . . and had success: I got to read the article I wanted to read. I flip though the dumb ad, and then Pow!!! there's your Salon Premium! Not any more . . . it'd be one thing if that route worked, like they still claim, but it doesn't work. You click through the ads, and get tossed back to the main non-Premium page. I imagine it as being kinda like the video clip of Princess Leia R2D2 projects for Luke and Ben in Star Wars ... but in a black mini skirt and low-cut blouse. Sure it can still be Carrie Fisher if you want . . . point being, I keep getting the Luke (Luke warm might I add) version and it sucks cuz I know there's more, but I can't see it. I want the Ben version, the full Kenobi.
Disclaimer: I am not insinuating that Carrie Fisher is a cock-tease nor a whore. simply stated she is an accomplished actress (she's been involved in more feature films than I have) and writer who happens to be attractive. Thus if you want to imagine someone attractive in short black skirt giving you a flirty look you can think of Carrie Fisher . . . or whomever else you'd prefer. I was imagining someone more along the lines of say . . . this.


Monday, July 07, 2003

i'm having a good summer.

i saw mikey melczak this past week and i learned the term baloon smuggler. this 4th of july was a good weekend. tied a goody on thursday night, and friday night i tied a different but equally good one on at madge and kathy jo's rockin' 4th/summer party. bar v. party tie ons. yay.
saturday i chilled out and watched about schmidt after helping Ro and jim paint ro's dining room and stairwell/hallway. i played softball sunday, then hungout for dinner with the folks (something pretty choice about walking in the backyard and talking about the trees out there with my dad) and i watched signs with mel gibson at home while i did laundry.

i'm listening to the new gordon downie battle of the nudes album that madge turned me onto, and it's like the first one but different, defintiely growing on me. i wanna go lake swimming when i listen to Gordon Downies solo stuff. it's like he does summer stuff really well. i think i wanna make a summer CD and put a couple of his choice songs on there.

as if the blog wasn't self-indulgent enough, i must confess something, if only to myself: i made a tape for Gabriel, a guy i work with on the afternoon of the 4th, and it was raining so it sounds pretty cool hearing my songs with rain and T-storms in the background. some came out well with that in the background, esp. the Promise Song. dang . . . so i listened to the songs (i squeezed 14 onto side one of a 45 minute tape) and was like, dang matt, that's an album! so i listened to it. all weekend. and didn't drive myself nuts with it. and come today, i was almost loathe to give it away, but really that's what the music is for, right, for sharing? so i'm looking forward to hearing some of his stuff too

Thursday, July 03, 2003

Blogger looks different today. I wonder if that has to do with it's Google merger?
Maybe . . .

Anyways speaking of everyone's googly-eyed over Google, there is an interesting NY Times article from Thomas Friedman about Google

'And that brings me to the point of this column: While we may be emotionally distancing ourselves from the world, the world is getting more integrated. That means that what people think of us, as Americans, will matter more, not less. Because people outside America will be able to build alliances more efficiently in the world we are entering and they will be able to reach out and touch us — whether with computer viruses or anthrax recipes downloaded from the Internet — more than ever.
I am talking about the way information technology — everyone using e-mail, Wi-Fi and Google — will make it much easier for small groups to rally like-minded people, crystallize diffuse hatreds and mobilize lethal force. And wait until the whole world goes broadband. Broadband — a much richer Internet service that brings video on demand to your PC — will revolutionize recruiting, because video is such an emotionally powerful medium. Ever seen one of Osama bin Laden's recruiting videos? They're very effective, and they'll reach their targeted audience much more efficiently via broadband."

None of this means we, America, just have to do what the world wants, but we do have to take it seriously, and we do have to be good listeners. We, America, "have to work even harder to build bridges," argues Mr. Wright, because info-tech, left to its own devices, will make it so much easier for small groups to build their own little island kingdoms. And their island kingdoms, which may not seem important or potent now, will be able to touch us more, not less.


It sounds like Friedman thinks we should be responsible now that we figured out that the other kids like our toys, too. We already share, but we have to play nice. And I have to wonder what those Osama videos are like? I wonder if he has an arabic Frank Capra doing them? or a muslim Leni 'Steel-belted-radials' (I heard that's what 'Riefenstahl' means)? I understand that with video stuff, a cheap camera and an iMac, a boy like me could well make a music video for his songs. I bet a well-funded spigot of angst/terror/poop like bin laden can make a heck of a production. We need to get out of the brambles.

Everyone have good, safe, happy 4th!!! Celebrate the heck out of this wonderful country, cuz even if it's got it's problems, we could be much worse off.

And here's wishing a Happy Birthday to Delia tomorrow!!! You rock, Miss Monkeypants!!!

Wednesday, June 25, 2003

A paper from my class

From the desk of Elizabeth Cady Stanton: A letter never sent.


To the Honorable Frederick Douglas -

I am honored and pleased, dear sir, to have made your acquaintance this past July 20th and to have heard you speak enobling words of support at our convention for the rights of women in Seneca Falls, New York. I thank you for your eloquence and encouragement in our ongoing struggle to be equal participants in the elective franchise.

Too long have the voices of women been silenced in matters that require the strength of numbers, be those matters about the ownership of property, profitable employment, the pursuit of education and intellectual nourishment, or the struggle each of us makes for confidence in our own power, self-respect, and willingness to lead a life of independence.

My steadfast husband Henry and dear friend Lucretia Mott (her husband James you remember of course presided over the second day of the convention) had faith in all of the resolutions I proposed, save that most important one regarding the right to vote. They believed that that motion went beyond the boundaries of prudence. And until your response, ‘right is of no sex,’ I believed that we may have faltered in our cause. But your response helped sway the convention to pass this resolution. As a fellow reformer and courageous soldier in the cause of abolition, you are all too aware that our disenfranchisement can only begin to be undone when our voices are heard and accounted for in the vote. Your voice, heard and accounted for this July 20th, helped to persuade the Seneca Falls convention to pass all of the resolutions found in the Declaration of Sentiments. It is our mutual hope, our shared dream, that every man and woman of every race and creed shall one day soon be heard and accounted for in the assemblies of men. In echoing the righteous words of our Declaration writer Thomas Jefferson and living heroes like your self, Mr. Douglas, the voices of many fortify as one. Though we may hope to see the results of change and reform before the end of our mortal lives, we can be proud to walk the narrow path of freedom, making broad the way for others to follow. Too long have the voices been silent in matters that require the strength of numbers. Too long have the voices been silent.

With sincere admiration and gratitude,

Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Tuesday, June 24, 2003

I saw this article in the Rolling Stone while flying out to Seattle last week, and then again on D. Joseph's page. A good article, all about being a Marine in Iraq.

Yeah, initally I stood (and marched) in opposition to the war in Iraq, mostly because I wasn't effectively convinced by the WMD story, because there are other motivations at work that we are not publicly aware of, because of my concern for our troops, and because the occupation after-bits are a soggy seat we must sit in on the blustery ride home. I still maintain a respect for different cultures, and for our troops, but I have been convinced that Saddam, as Matt Stone and Trey Whoz-his-face say, is more evil than Satan.

Up until Friday, I had a theoretical / academic / network-television-Tom-Brokaw-watching distance from this whole Iraq thing. Then it became much more personal for me. Friday night after the Sondre Lerche / Ed Harcourt show at the Club Cafe (it was good), I geeked out and played my own songs on the street. After about an hour of playing, three old friends of mine from grade school and high school happened by and insisted on dragging me off to Mario's for some beer. Jon lives up the street from me, but the last time I saw my buddy Mark, a Marine veteran from Afghanistan and Iraq, was maybe five years ago. It's probably been even longer since I saw Matt, who's in the Coast Guard. And as the night went on and we had fun, the reality of what has and could've happened occurred to me. Matt, patrolling the coastline, was probably not in so much jeopardy as Mark, but somewhere in there, in the landscape of terror and fear propagated by the mass media, was a real war that my buddies were part of. Now they are back, obviously changed, but seemingly none the worse for wear. That really put a lot of the stupid stuff in my own life that I've been tangling with into sharper perspective. Thanks fellas, for the wake up call, for hanging out, for the beers and thanks especially for your service to our country.