Crisis Management, Ben Stiller-Style

(originally posted at crw.livejournal.com)

The fire alarm went off in my apartment building tonight.  It was very, very loud.  As I pass the elevator toward the stairs, Ben Stiller's voice comes to me: "no elevator! this is a fire!"

When I get outside I think "shit, I forgot Buckley" - then remembered our complex doesn't allow pets.  Bummer.  Anyway, it was a false alarm.

Underscoring the Lazy Zen Attitude

(originally posted at crw.livejournal.com)

A long, rough work day behind me, I settled into my usual corner table at a restaurant near the office.  Pulled out the novel I've been re-reading, though lately I'd not found any inspiration in the wild and free philosophy espoused within.  This particular evening I was cursing my awkwardness, cowardice, and inability to vocalize certain thoughts.

I take that back, I wasn't actually lamenting the situation I'd created through inaction - merely over-analyzing it.  Even on my way to the restaurant I had been thinking of ways to right the situation.  But then, halfway through the entree, the Nick Drake song came on over the satellite radio.  I almost lost it.  I hadn't heard it since...

It brought some clarity to the situation, in a sort of gut-wrenching, soul-searing way... and now I must listen to this song over and over again until it sinks in, or at least until I become numb to it.

Regardless, the lazy zen attitude requires no work, it just comes to you - and hopefully the answer to this dilemma will come to me.

More importantly, a happy birthday greeting to haloform, and a bon voyage to cameo.

Confessions of a Madonna Hater

(originally posted at crw.livejournal.com)

I hate Madonna.  Yep.

At first I thought it was my instinctive distaste towards things-mainstream, but it's deeper than that.  It slowly dawned on me that her much-touted "reinventions" were merely attempts at staying where the money was.  She was late to the electronica party, she latched onto the second Austin Powers flick, and it appears that now she's going to be in an "iPhone" ad.

I'd go so far as to correlate the trotting out of Madonna with a product's "jumping the shark."

I had high hopes for the iPhone, but now I worry...

Countdown

(originally posted at crw.livejournal.com)

13 days until 3 new Stereolab EP's are released.

For the first time in memory, I'm not sure which file-sharing app would be the best bet for finding these before they're released.  If you're "hip" to the pirate "lingo", hook me up.

Yesterday's lesson

(originally posted at crw.livejournal.com)

...as applied today:

Do zen masters do effectively nothing or nothing effectively?

Cheat Codes

(originally posted at crw.livejournal.com)

If real life had cheat codes, I'd use one that would give me a fucking bazooka to blow up the fucking construction equipment that made a fucking racket at fucking 8am and fucking woke me up.

Don't Do Drown?

(originally posted at crw.livejournal.com)

Eloquent as always, we get this pearl of wisdom from brother Jeb: "'We ask people to use common sense after a hurricane.  Turn around don't do drown is our motto the day after the storm,' Bush said."

WTF?  Sad part is, he's likely to be president on day.

Celebrating Ezra

(originally posted at crw.livejournal.com)

No, he didn't die.  He's just leaving us to follow his dreams.  Tonight was the third send off I've been to for the guy - SF just loves him that much.  It was also a sort of housewarming for Anil, who's moving in just down the street.  In a way, I'm proud of myself for coming out and making an attempt to be social.  It's underscored my need (desire?) to get over the insecure feeling that I'm simply not fabulous enough to be hanging out with these people.  I suspect that my self-imposed introversion is beginning to do more harm than good, and it's something I plan to work on.

Working with Ezra was one of the main reasons I wanted to work for SixApart.  The irony being that we never got a chance to work on the same project at the same time.  Perhaps someday that will change, one can only hope.

Pick your battles.

(originally posted at crw.livejournal.com)

This, is retarded.

But I don't think anyone should waste time trying to fight it.  The changes that this country needs are, IMO, too large to allow ourselves to be distracted by these little things.

Public Relations

(originally posted at crw.livejournal.com)

I just spent some time touring the major news sites to read about the death of Peter Jennings.  They all reported that he had died of lung cancer, but the only one that acknowledged him as a "longtime smoker" was foxnews.com.  In all the other articles, smoking wasn't even mentioned.  How can you report on death-by-lung-cancer and not bring up smoking?

note to self

(originally posted at crw.livejournal.com)

dorothy ashby - essence of sapphire, as heard on solid steel @ 1:12.

off "the fantastic jazz harp of dorothy ashby", atlantic 1965

if anyone has a copy of this, please let me know.

Scotty's Fourth of July Visit

(originally posted at crw.livejournal.com)

We had marvelous sushi from KISS (the restaurant, not the band) and explored the Headlands, Mount Tamalpias, and Muir Woods.  He took pictures.

(originally posted at crw.livejournal.com)

Who needs an entry subject?

Today I learned that the office is exactly equidistant to the two closest Quiznos' - 0.3 miles.  I was also briefly reminded that it can be nice to have a technologically-proficient Mother.  Little IM's with familial updates can be humorous or depressing - today's IM was neither, but I was still grateful to receive it.

[MP|RI]AA's Sinister Plot

(originally posted at crw.livejournal.com)

I'm convinced that this breakthrough was masterminded by the MPAA and RIAA to finally have an excuse to cut off our hands when they find we've pirated their crap.

clarity

(originally posted at crw.livejournal.com)

sometimes it's good to be reminded that feeling absolutely nothing can feel so wonderful.

Flickr schwag

(originally posted at crw.livejournal.com)

Just another quick link to free stuff.  This time, Flickr schwag.  I want the "howdy" button.

Beethoven Downloads via BBC

(originally posted at crw.livejournal.com)

As of today, symphonies 1 through 5 in their full un-DRM'd glory.  Check 'em out.  They plan to post the rest as they are broadcasted.  Keen.

Aliens gave me an ankle probe!

(originally posted at crw.livejournal.com)

When I went to bed last night, my ankle felt just fine.  When I awoke, it was searing with pain.  The only possible explanation was that I was abducted by aliens by cover of darkness and given a most humiliating ankle probe.  Oh, the humanity.

Stereolab Playlist on iTMS

(originally posted at crw.livejournal.com)

I feel I'd be remiss in my evangelical duty if I didn't point out the celebrity playlist from Stereolab on the iTunes Music Store.

Every now and then I'll cruise through the celebrity playlists, just for kicks.  David Duchovny's got some funk.  The Cure likes Nirvana and Mogwai.  Reading the little one-line descriptions - even if they're faked by some marketing droid - is entertaining.

From the Stereolab playlist I purchased Barry Adamson and Grace Jones songs based solely on the 30 second clips and description from Laetitia.

One of the celebritys had a Gainsbourg song that I'm going to try to leech from Mena's collection.  It was pretty good.  Don't remember which, but I'll find it.  One of the slogans, perhaps.  Started with an E.

Five Fives

(originally posted at crw.livejournal.com)

Here it is, 5:05 on 05/05/05.  Yep.  Also noteworthy: Cinco de Mayo is Rhea the Dog's birthday.  This year she's three.  Or twenty one.  Depends on your philosophical beliefs in canine mathematics.