The Perfect Fit -- The Dresden Dolls
It's a fan video, but they've done a pretty nice job.
I've probably listened to this song sixty times in the last five years, but it just hit me in the gut this week and I could easily add another twenty times listening to to.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Strange Feeling
The other night while I was watching Glee, I realized that the "kids," since all the actors are at least 20, are 16 or 17, right? That means they were born in 1993 or '94. The teacher and the guidance counselor are my age.
It was another one of those odd moments where it really hits that I'm not a kid but I still don't think of myself as/feel like an adult.
Do those moments ever end?
It was another one of those odd moments where it really hits that I'm not a kid but I still don't think of myself as/feel like an adult.
Do those moments ever end?
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Wonderfully Weird Weather
Today's had some wonderfully weird weather:
When I left my apartment this morning, the sun was shining in my eyes and the clouds looked white and fluffy.
At around eight, I could see dark, ominous clouds to the west.
Some time near ten, the sky opened up and sent torrents of rain down upon the world.
By eleven everything looked to be clearing.
One-ish, the darkness returned.
As two rolled around giant drops in massive amounts fell from the sky.
Now, nearly three-thirty, the clouds to the east are black, to the west are fluffy and white, and the sun shines on the dry, except for some puddles, parking lot across the street, but what looms just beyond?
I watch and listen to the people in my office get frustrated at all this. It's almost May, they say, the weather should be clearing. I sit and think how wonderful it is.
I like the rain. The only thing that makes the rain better is when there's thunder and lightening.
Of course, this could be like me liking the snow. I've never lived though snow that piles upon itself day after day for a week and I've never been though tornadoes and hurricanes. And even if that is the reason I like it, I like the rain. I like the smell of the concrete and pavement after the storm. I like the oil slicks on puddles or running down the street after a craptastic car drives by. I like the sound it makes on roofs and my umbrella. I like how it makes my shoes and the cuffs on my pants wet.
I wrote last week about how the weather here has been warm and clear, but every week or so we get a storm and I hope to whatever possible god that may or may not be out there that this cycle continues all summer long. Not just to please me, but to also piss off those around me.
When I left my apartment this morning, the sun was shining in my eyes and the clouds looked white and fluffy.
At around eight, I could see dark, ominous clouds to the west.
Some time near ten, the sky opened up and sent torrents of rain down upon the world.
By eleven everything looked to be clearing.
One-ish, the darkness returned.
As two rolled around giant drops in massive amounts fell from the sky.
Now, nearly three-thirty, the clouds to the east are black, to the west are fluffy and white, and the sun shines on the dry, except for some puddles, parking lot across the street, but what looms just beyond?
I watch and listen to the people in my office get frustrated at all this. It's almost May, they say, the weather should be clearing. I sit and think how wonderful it is.
I like the rain. The only thing that makes the rain better is when there's thunder and lightening.
Of course, this could be like me liking the snow. I've never lived though snow that piles upon itself day after day for a week and I've never been though tornadoes and hurricanes. And even if that is the reason I like it, I like the rain. I like the smell of the concrete and pavement after the storm. I like the oil slicks on puddles or running down the street after a craptastic car drives by. I like the sound it makes on roofs and my umbrella. I like how it makes my shoes and the cuffs on my pants wet.
I wrote last week about how the weather here has been warm and clear, but every week or so we get a storm and I hope to whatever possible god that may or may not be out there that this cycle continues all summer long. Not just to please me, but to also piss off those around me.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
The Non of Sense
In the grand scheme of things, I suppose it doesn't really matter, but it's nice to know that there's at least one other who has my problem, or at least a similar one.
No, I'm not going to go into detail. I just don't want to. It's one of those things where if I think about it, like really think about it, I can't stop. I start obsessing. And that's not good. No, better not to obsess.
You want to know something I've started doing that frustrates me? I've started using emoticons. I'm not a fan of emoticons. I've always thought that the writing should be able to convey the emotion, but then I started posting on message boards rather than just reading them and throwing in an emoticon every now and then really seems to help other understand some of the meaning behind what I write better. After hitting the "submit" button for a post that includes an emoticon, I sicken me, but then I go to another thread and write something else and find that a raspberry would add a punch, so I put a " :b " in the post. Disgusting.
No, I'm not going to go into detail. I just don't want to. It's one of those things where if I think about it, like really think about it, I can't stop. I start obsessing. And that's not good. No, better not to obsess.
You want to know something I've started doing that frustrates me? I've started using emoticons. I'm not a fan of emoticons. I've always thought that the writing should be able to convey the emotion, but then I started posting on message boards rather than just reading them and throwing in an emoticon every now and then really seems to help other understand some of the meaning behind what I write better. After hitting the "submit" button for a post that includes an emoticon, I sicken me, but then I go to another thread and write something else and find that a raspberry would add a punch, so I put a " :b " in the post. Disgusting.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Odds
You know, with all the obsession about vampires out there, has anyone figured out how they defecate? Do they pee? Do they poo? Are they like birds and both kinds of waste at once?
No system is perfectly closed, so there has to be some kind of waste and they're going to have to get rid of it some how. I don't care if vampires have a piece of a demon soul in them, they still have to get rid of the unusable parts.
I've really like the weather in Northern California the past couple of months. We've gotten a storm every 6-10 days with days in between that are sunny or have patchy clouds. It's been nice to have a real variety in weather. I hope it stays this way the rest of the year.
If this is how climate change is going to effect my life, I'm all for it.
I know the stuff is just fan fiction, but is it wrong to get upset inside when I read a story where the author doesn't seem to know the word "than" exists (he only ever writes "then" to mean both "then" and "than") and then read a review praising the author's writing ability as the one of the best out there and even complimenting the grammar as being "spot on"?
Seriously, I don't understand. People out there will pick on writers mixing up "its" with "it's" or "there" with "their" and "they're" or "to" with "two" and "too," but do they not even see the "then"s replacing the "than"s? Maybe they just don't care, but if that's true, why do they pick on other grammatical errors?
I suppose, on the plus side, the author constantly makes this mistake. Consistency is a good thing, right?
For $5 movie Tuesday I went and saw Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
I had to go see it. I like the books: they make me laugh. I liked the movie: it made me laugh.
The director and writers (two of whom were Gabe Sachs and Jeff Judah, which surprised me and made me happy) keep the potty jokes to a minimum and the big one, that I remember, was both well earned and hilarious. (Not that I'm against potty jokes. (Hell I opened this post with a potty joke.) It's that I hate that so many writers and directors out there think it's the only sort of humor that kids like and/or get. Kids ain't that dumb.) The "Total Eclipse Of The Heart" scene was worth the admission price alone, well for me and the mom that brought her son to see it, at least. Also, they animate the art from the book and it's gorgeous.
I just went and checked out the Wikipedia page for the movie and saw the section on the reviews. Rotten Tomatoes says, "Unlike its bestselling source material, Diary of a Wimpy Kid fails to place a likable protagonist at the center of its middle-school humor – and its underlying message is drowned out as a result." Funny thing is, Greg's a jerk in the books, too, it's part of the charm. I found him to be just as likable in the movie as he is in the book. Maybe seeing a real little kid doing the things a cartoon little kid did, not that he does anything horrible.
Bah, I don't need to defend the movie and I don't have to explain myself, but I enjoyed it.
The CDs I bought with the Amazon gift certificates(? Letters? Emails? They're not cards, so what are they exactly?) I got for my birthday got here yesterday. The one I'm most excited about is the cast recording of "Sunday in the Park with George."
Listened to it twice last night.
If only... Right?
No system is perfectly closed, so there has to be some kind of waste and they're going to have to get rid of it some how. I don't care if vampires have a piece of a demon soul in them, they still have to get rid of the unusable parts.
I've really like the weather in Northern California the past couple of months. We've gotten a storm every 6-10 days with days in between that are sunny or have patchy clouds. It's been nice to have a real variety in weather. I hope it stays this way the rest of the year.
If this is how climate change is going to effect my life, I'm all for it.
I know the stuff is just fan fiction, but is it wrong to get upset inside when I read a story where the author doesn't seem to know the word "than" exists (he only ever writes "then" to mean both "then" and "than") and then read a review praising the author's writing ability as the one of the best out there and even complimenting the grammar as being "spot on"?
Seriously, I don't understand. People out there will pick on writers mixing up "its" with "it's" or "there" with "their" and "they're" or "to" with "two" and "too," but do they not even see the "then"s replacing the "than"s? Maybe they just don't care, but if that's true, why do they pick on other grammatical errors?
I suppose, on the plus side, the author constantly makes this mistake. Consistency is a good thing, right?
For $5 movie Tuesday I went and saw Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
I had to go see it. I like the books: they make me laugh. I liked the movie: it made me laugh.
The director and writers (two of whom were Gabe Sachs and Jeff Judah, which surprised me and made me happy) keep the potty jokes to a minimum and the big one, that I remember, was both well earned and hilarious. (Not that I'm against potty jokes. (Hell I opened this post with a potty joke.) It's that I hate that so many writers and directors out there think it's the only sort of humor that kids like and/or get. Kids ain't that dumb.) The "Total Eclipse Of The Heart" scene was worth the admission price alone, well for me and the mom that brought her son to see it, at least. Also, they animate the art from the book and it's gorgeous.
I just went and checked out the Wikipedia page for the movie and saw the section on the reviews. Rotten Tomatoes says, "Unlike its bestselling source material, Diary of a Wimpy Kid fails to place a likable protagonist at the center of its middle-school humor – and its underlying message is drowned out as a result." Funny thing is, Greg's a jerk in the books, too, it's part of the charm. I found him to be just as likable in the movie as he is in the book. Maybe seeing a real little kid doing the things a cartoon little kid did, not that he does anything horrible.
Bah, I don't need to defend the movie and I don't have to explain myself, but I enjoyed it.
The CDs I bought with the Amazon gift certificates(? Letters? Emails? They're not cards, so what are they exactly?) I got for my birthday got here yesterday. The one I'm most excited about is the cast recording of "Sunday in the Park with George."
Listened to it twice last night.
If only... Right?
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Big useless Statements and Ideas
President Barack Obama boldly predicted Thursday his new plans for space exploration would lead American astronauts on historic, almost fantastic journeys to an asteroid and then to Mars — and in his lifetime — relying on rockets and propulsion still to be imagined and built.From this article.
The Moon was supposed to be the first stepping stone, right?
After the Moon, Mars. After Mars, the asteroid belt for mining. After successful mining, on to the outer planets.
The first stepping stone, right? But it didn't accomplish that, and it shouldn't have. Unfortunately, that's what the world, and worse, Congress expected.
What should the Moon landing have led to? More fuel efficient, cheaper, and safer ways to get into orbit. Practice creating artificial gravity. Permanent residence in orbit.
Then we go back to the Moon and set up long term facilities.
You know, I've lost what I was going to say.
Basically, I wish we'd focus our manned space program on learning better/cheaper ways to lob things into orbit. That's the expensive part, right now. After we can successfully and cheaply get people up there start to work on ways to get out of Earth's gravity well and moving to an asteroid or a planet.
I want us to continue to explore. I want us out there. I just don't see taking anymore big steps without setting up an infrastructure to support multiple trips as the way to do it.
Humanity should be done with the Cold War Space Race Bullshit by now.
Why do I get the feeling that it never will be finished, though?
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Since I don't want to think...
I'm repeating a meme I did almost three years ago.
Ah, the links are to the songs I found on YouTube. The Allan Sherman one is not sung by Allan Sherman, which figures since it's not one of his more famous songs. Also, the link for "Life" is not sung by the buy who sings it on myPod.
IF YOUR LIFE WAS A MOVIE, WHAT WOULD THE SOUNDTRACK BE?
So, here's how it works:
1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that's playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button
6. Don't lie and try to pretend your cool... and a lot of the songs fit with the setting
Opening Credits: reptile -- Nine Inch Nails
Waking Up: Vengeance and Fashion -- Electric Six
First Day At School: Pump It Up -- Elvis Costello
Falling In Love: Little Girl Blue -- Janis Joplin
Fight Song: Dodgin' the Draft -- Allan Sherman
Breaking Up: Song 2 -- Blur
Prom: Listen to Your Heart -- Sutton Foster (from Young Frankenstein the musical)
Life: All I need is the Girl -- David Burtka (from the 2003 revival of Gypsy)
Mental Breakdown: Patterns -- Simon & Garfunkel
Driving: That Thing You Do -- The Wonders
Flashback: A Kiss to Build a Dream On -- Louis Armstrong
Getting back together: La Grippe -- Squirrel Nut Zippers
Wedding: Punky's Dilemma -- Simon & Garfunkel
Birth of Child: Boulevard of Broken Dreams -- Green Day
Final Battle: (I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone -- The Monkees
Death Scene: Gimme A Little Sign -- Brenton Wood
Funeral Song: Lavender Blue (Dilly, Dilly) -- Burl Ives
End Credits: Incense And Peppermints -- Strawberry Alarm Clock
Ah, the links are to the songs I found on YouTube. The Allan Sherman one is not sung by Allan Sherman, which figures since it's not one of his more famous songs. Also, the link for "Life" is not sung by the buy who sings it on myPod.
IF YOUR LIFE WAS A MOVIE, WHAT WOULD THE SOUNDTRACK BE?
So, here's how it works:
1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that's playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button
6. Don't lie and try to pretend your cool... and a lot of the songs fit with the setting
Opening Credits: reptile -- Nine Inch Nails
Waking Up: Vengeance and Fashion -- Electric Six
First Day At School: Pump It Up -- Elvis Costello
Falling In Love: Little Girl Blue -- Janis Joplin
Fight Song: Dodgin' the Draft -- Allan Sherman
Breaking Up: Song 2 -- Blur
Prom: Listen to Your Heart -- Sutton Foster (from Young Frankenstein the musical)
Life: All I need is the Girl -- David Burtka (from the 2003 revival of Gypsy)
Mental Breakdown: Patterns -- Simon & Garfunkel
Driving: That Thing You Do -- The Wonders
Flashback: A Kiss to Build a Dream On -- Louis Armstrong
Getting back together: La Grippe -- Squirrel Nut Zippers
Wedding: Punky's Dilemma -- Simon & Garfunkel
Birth of Child: Boulevard of Broken Dreams -- Green Day
Final Battle: (I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone -- The Monkees
Death Scene: Gimme A Little Sign -- Brenton Wood
Funeral Song: Lavender Blue (Dilly, Dilly) -- Burl Ives
End Credits: Incense And Peppermints -- Strawberry Alarm Clock
Monday, April 12, 2010
A(nother) Problem with Work
When I come across a name like Michael Moorcock in the database, no one understands why I get giggly and excited.
(They mistake the reason for the giggly. If it was only his last name, they'd be right about the giggly, but the first name changes everything. Okay, not everything, but enough.)
(They mistake the reason for the giggly. If it was only his last name, they'd be right about the giggly, but the first name changes everything. Okay, not everything, but enough.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)