Friday, August 29, 2003
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
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
Oh yeah, there are idiots in Britain too. Jsut ask the Black lady who was supposed to get a white foot
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.
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.
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 ...
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.
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.
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 ...
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.
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?
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.
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.
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 ...
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.
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.
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