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.

New Stereolab & a Fond Farewell to Tatsuhiko

(originally posted at crw.livejournal.com)

I received the new Stereolab box set today.  3 CD's of goodness and 1 DVD of video content.  I rushed home from work to pick it up and immediately watched the entire DVD.  By the time it was finished, I needed to get ready for a night out on the town.

I drove out to Portrero Hill for the first time and picked up Randy and Ezra, then headed downtown to collect Tatsuhiko from his hotel.  Tatsuhiko had been in town on business and tonight was his last night so we decided to show him a good time.  We had a lovely dinner at Kiss Sushi (with a bottle of Louis Jadot Pouilly-Fuisse) and then cruised the J-town mall for some drinks.  Afterwards we hit the Boom Boom Room and met up with Garth.  Some Dave Matthews-like band was playing and it was pretty painful for me, but I stuck through it.

We adjourned to Garth's place (which was just a few blocks away) for some Karaoke Revolution and I got my first real taste of Katamari Damacy.  Honestly, I don't see what the big fuss is over it other than the music (which was top notch).  I'll give it more of a chance when I can afford to pick up my own copy.  Oh, and when I get a better TV.

So yeah, a nice day.

Oh, the songs I had to sing for Karaoke Revolution were: Billie Jean, Bizarre Love Triangle, and Son of a Preacher Man.  Though I came in second place on each round, I still feel I need to apologize to the guys for the pain of my off-key, off-tempo, off-off performances must've induced.

Why U-Haul Sucks

(originally posted at crw.livejournal.com)

I search the uhaul.com site for U-Haul locations in my zip code.  I get six results.  Half of those aren't open seven days a week, and it's Sunday.  I call the first that claims to be open.  Closed.  The second?  No trucks.  The third?  On hold.

Five minutes later...

Representative: "Hello, in order to best serve your needs and find you the most affordable solution, I need to take your name."

Me: "My name?"

Rep: "Yes, your name."

Me: "I'm not giving you my name, I just want to know if you have any trucks available."

Rep: "Well I need your name."

Me: "Well you're not getting it.  Do you want my business or not?"

Rep: "Well, ok.  Where do you want to pick your truck up?"

Me: "San Francisco, zip code 94105."

Rep: "Ok, please hold."

...and then she transfers me to a different pickup location altogether.  In Oakland.  Wow.

The DMV

(originally posted at crw.livejournal.com)

The only thing more soul-crushing than wasting an entire day at the DMV is finding out you have to come back again tomorrow.  On a weekend.  And then again next week.  To quote one of my fictional heroes, Professor Hubert J. Farnsworth: "tell them I hate them!"