Sour Times

2007-03-19T19:41:00.000-07:00

Blog has moved:

http://www.myspace.com/future_foe_scenerios

Have a quality day.

2007-03-16T09:45:00.000-07:00

The 80's were such a great time for music, mainly due to Rick James. Please enjoy the following video.

2007-03-15T16:45:00.000-07:00

This is a post from October 2004. It was so good, and timely, I decided to repost it. Enjoy.

Q. How many men does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. One - he just holds it up there and waits for the world to revolve around him.

Let's just get it out in the open: I hate men. I really do. I'm not speaking in some broad all-encompassing gender study kind of way. I'm talking about individually. As a daughter, wife and romantic partner, completely self-centered men have surrounded me. All of these men have expected me to fill some kind of role in their lives - never once considering that maybe I won't neatly fit into a preconceived category just because I have ovaries. They all claim that they support all things feminist, but let me tell you, the misogyny is there bubbling under the surface. When I'm assertive, I'm bitchy (and probably suffering from pre-menstrual syndrome). When I wanted a divorce, I was selfish. When I decided marriage wasn't for me, I was immature and immoral. When I got fed up with financially supporting another man for a ridiculous amount of time while sacrificing my education and career goals, I was accused of not honoring commitment ("...that's what commitment is about..."). When I acknowledge that I'm a sexual being, I'm a slut. When I demand a satisfying relationship, I'm unrealistic. When I express the desire to have a child, it's thought that I'm trying to unfairly "trick" a man into some 1950's notion of responsibility. When I express any intellectual thoughts or theories, I'm patronized, because after all, I'm just a woman. What it all comes down to is that if I'm not living my life without prioritizing the impact it will have on these men first, I'm leading my life the wrong way. The idea that men are so concerned with the image reflected on them by the actions of the women in their life is quite frankly insulting.

Song of the day: "Land of Canaan" - Indigo Girls

2007-03-09T13:16:00.000-08:00

My dear sister Merideth is having spring break in Las Vegas this weekend.

Good luck, Vegas.

2006-12-20T15:39:00.000-08:00

Java Gaia was a coffee house I used to hang out in during high school. It was Downtown, so my click thought it was waaay hip. Unfortunately, in the flood of '93, it was washed away. But I have many a good memory of respectable, clean fun back in the day. For those of my loyal readers who shared Vishnu's and earl grey tea with me while we all still had braces, enjoy!

2006-12-20T15:36:00.000-08:00

"The FBI has released the last 10 documents from its secret files on slain Beatle John Lennon that had been withheld for 25 years on the ground they could prompt "military retaliation" against the United States, campaigners for their release said on Wednesday."

2006-12-19T00:50:00.000-08:00

"Despite being 27 years old, its bitter, pre-manufactured coldness has yet to be equalled in modern popular music. Whereas every other '70s novelty song has been put to rest, it marches onwards, impervious to criticism, unstoppable as the Nazi Blitzkrieg."

2006-12-14T13:09:00.000-08:00

Here is the new Silversun Pickups video for "Lazy Eye". There are a few things that are misrepresented by this video. I saw them live and none of the following occurred:

#1 - The sound is never that good in a club, and they sure as hell weren't lip syncing.

#2 - It wasn't midmorning, or whenever this video is supposed to occur. Who goes to a show in the daylight?

#3 - There was no tense love scene with a Haley Mills look-a-like not wearing pants. Who has time for that when you're rocking?

#4 - The band looks way too clean. At the show I wanted to bust out some Pantene and hand sanitizer for safeties sake.

#5 - That kid doesn't look old enough to have a driver's license, let alone a motorcycle.

I suppose I'm just nitpicking. But seriously, that video is way too target audience-ish.

2006-12-11T23:22:00.000-08:00

I'm going through an interesting phase right now. I'm starting an educational path in midwifery, but it's slow going. I've totally burned out on the career I've had for the last ten years - social service work with the developmentally disabled. The current position I hold (Independent Living Program Director) is great professionally, but I'm so done, I'm hardly giving a care regarding my performance. Transitions are hell. This one is especially difficult. Admitting I don't care enough to do a superior job is hard for me. But there's no use in even attempting to dazzle my boss - in the field the end result is the same no matter how hard you do or don't work.

It's only taken ten years to figure this out. Some people never do, I guess.

Even though my future looks bright, it's hard to see when you're being pulled under by the remnants of a stagnant career.

2006-12-02T17:48:00.000-08:00

Happy holidays everyone!

2006-11-25T23:53:00.000-08:00

My friend from college, Mac Tonnies, has been YouTubed!

Ah, celebrity.

2006-11-22T14:22:00.000-08:00

How much do you love David Cross? How much do you love Spoon? And ASL?

2006-11-09T00:07:00.000-08:00

Well, I guess yesterday and today have been good days for democracy. I'm marginally excited - let's hope all this truly has a trickle down effect.

Songs I'm actually very excited about at the moment:

"When The War Came" - The Decemberists

"Been Here Before" - Jeremy Enigk

"Lazy Eye" - Silversun Pickups

"Friendly Fire" - Sean Lennon

"Way Out" - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Song of the Day: "Young Men Dead" - Black Angels

2006-10-17T23:45:00.000-07:00

I bring you, officially, the worst music video ever.

2006-10-10T16:30:00.000-07:00

Reasons To Be Happy
(besides that you're no longer employed at a job you despise)

#1 - Fred Durst seems, at least for the time being, to have disappeared.

2006-10-10T15:50:00.000-07:00

This is quite possibly the gayest video of all time. Seriously. Morrissey trying to drive a tractor! I rest my case.

2006-10-10T15:33:00.000-07:00

You know, it occurred to me today that I never posted the pictures from our last holiday up to Portland. This is just as good.

2006-10-05T12:12:00.000-07:00

Ok. I am not kidding here. I've become seriously addicted to SSPU.

"that's when it turned on me/
a motorcade of 'meant to be's/
parades of beauty queens/
where soft entwines make kindling/
these many detailed things/
like broken nails and plastic rings/
will win by keeping me/
from speaking to my new darling/
and there's no way to know/
our future foe scenarios/
that's when it turned on me/
where bobby pins hold angel wings"

I haven't heard poetry like that since Jeremy Enigk. Who, incidently, also has a new album out that's quite good. But that's not the point of this story. The point of this story is that SSPU is currently on tour. I saw the opening night at the Rickshaw and was floored. YOU MUST GO SEE THIS BAND ON THEIR CURRENT TOUR NOW, BEFORE THEY START DOING iPOD COMMERCIALS AND START TO STINK OF COMPROMISE. My legion of loyal readers in the KC/Lawrence area should be aware that SSPU will be play at the Jackpot (across from the Replay) tomorrow night. Skip the opening - Viva Voce - it's another Quasi/White Stripes thing. Consider yourself tipped off, kids.

2006-10-05T01:05:00.000-07:00

I quit my job today. For the second time in three days. Here's a letter of resignation I wanted to turn in to a job three years ago. Except for a few minor changes, I feel exactly the same way all over again. Oh, the beauty of working for non-profits!

2006-09-27T23:52:00.000-07:00

Well goddamnit if I can't get through some kind of celebration without pissing the entire party off. It happened again tonight, at my future in-laws house. For some unknown reason, although it's Jason's damn party, someone had to bring up how scrumdiddleyuptious Larry the Cable Guy is (I'll be goddamned if I'm going to link his name). As per usual in this kind of situation, I held my tongue. It's impossible to ever bring that kind of debate to an intelligent level. Everyone is laughing, recounting high lights of his television routine, and in general, letting their "true colors" fly. The kind of "true colors" you only fly when you're sure you're with like-minded company.

Finally, I was asked if I thought he was funny. I'm sure as hell not going to lie to curry favor, so I said no, that I found his work to be insulting.

There was a loooooong silence. And I could see everyone's inner monologue. To put it nicely, it said "uppity bitch".

Thank God for David Cross in these times of trial:

"It's a lot of anti-gay, racist humor which people like in America all couched in 'I'm telling it like it is.' He's in the right place at the right time for that gee-shucks, proud-to-be-a-redneck, I'm-just-a-straight-shooter-multimillionaire-in-cutoff-flannel-selling-ring-
tones act. That's where we are as a nation now. We're in a state of vague American values and anti-intellectual pride."

Yup. And I seem to end up getting into confrontations with every Wal-Mart shopping, Dodge truck buying, evangelical bigot this side of the Rockies. Did I point out I live in northern California, for God's sake? These people have infiltrated everything!

2006-09-25T14:43:00.000-07:00

You know, if I'd gone to work today, I wouldn't have found this. And it needed to be found.

2006-09-25T13:11:00.000-07:00

Top Five Songs to Listen to When You Skip Outta Work On a Monday

1.) "Definition" - Mos Def & Talib Kweli

2.) "Get Myself Into It" - The Rapture

3.) "Over the Pond" - Album Leaf & Sigur Ros (I have a theory that this song was in "Donnie Darko", but no one listens to me)

4.) "Just Drums" - Tapes 'n Tapes

5.) "Gold Lion" - Yeah3

Any feedback on Band of Horses would also be appreciated. I'm being peer pressured into listening to them.

2006-09-11T23:54:00.000-07:00

Having a bad day at work? Has the strumpet in accounting hacked you off? Does your boss assume you read minds? Are you dying to leave an all-company voice mail expressing your concerns over the decrease in benefit coverage? Is the fax machine behaving like it has a personal vendetta against you? Then you need the Samuel L. Jackson Soundboard! Perfect for almost any occupational situation!

(via Posthuman Blues)

2006-09-09T16:07:00.000-07:00

Curious to hear what Sunny Day Real Estate mixed with early Smashing Pumpkins would sound like? Then watch, listen and rock hard...

2006-09-06T23:40:00.000-07:00

I am an IKEA nut. I go absolutely crazy for my annual shop-a-thon. Who knew it was so tawdry?

"We saw this particular photo when the prints came through here in Canada. ...But we can definitely say this is a picture of a dog's leg, and it is not something else."

2006-08-30T19:22:00.000-07:00

I got my period today. Could you tell it was coming by my last two posts?

(Not that I'm backing down. Those are completely legitimate points. I was just more...vocal.)

2006-08-29T21:40:00.000-07:00

So, you know, I get put through some very trying situations at work. It's really a quite stressful place to run. Social service agencies are known for being 24 hour crisis tornados. But this is not the point of this entry. The point of this entry is that, despite the hell I already get put through, I was persecuted today because of my personal beliefs. By four separate people while trapped in a 8 foot by 5 foot cubicle. Let me explain.

I'm easily the coolest person in my department. I have a clique - all the indie underachievers...we're all the same age, we all have credit problems, we all have cardigans, we spend most of the time chatting music rather than doing paperwork. Anyway, so today I brought up what I thought was a viable conversation topic - Weird Al.

There was a lot of silence. Then the slings and arrows of that high school type of "cooler than thou" stuff started. And it was seriously mean-spirited. I was essentially told that I was insane. "Partially schitzophrenic" was the actual term, I believe.

And I just wanted to know if they'd heard his new song, which you shouldn't download at all.

And it kept going on all day.

Here's my opinion on people who "don't get" Weird Al. I think, frankly, Weird Al is pretty much a genius. I mean - how high does your IQ have to be to pair the Beverly Hillbillies theme with a Dire Straights song? And have you ever listened to "Bob"? That's incredible. It's a little more than novelty. And it's fun. But I guess we shouldn't ruin our cynical cool kid attitude with something frivolous. If it's not hopelessly obscure, or bitter and addiction soaked, it's too far to stoop.

Screw that.

Song of the day: "Angry White Boy Polka" - Weird Al.

2006-08-25T22:52:00.000-07:00

I had a sugary breakfast today, and with my blood glucose level soaring, I fired off this rant in an email. I feel it should be shared with my adoring public.

"Bukowski once explained how his childhood impacted his
writing: "When you get the shit kicked out of you
long enough and long enough, you learn to say exactly
what you mean. You get all the pretension kicked out
of you." Isaac Brock once said regarding Hank "Who'd
want to be such an asshole?". I say there's nothing
more all-American than getting a hard on for an
emotionally impotent, inflated myth creating, shitty
ONS (probably shot booze), live-pedestrian-die-slowly,
woman beater. People love to chalk it all up the Beat
Generation brilliance. Anti-establishment, my foot.
God. I don't see anyone drooling to make a fifteenth
film about James Baldwin. There's a serious lack of
standards in contemporary understanding of literature.
Shock fucking sells. Bukowski's no different than
any other drivel that comes out of American
television. And the man playing him in the film does
voice-overs for Pontiac! Jesus fucking Christ. Makes
me want to open my window and start screaming a la
"Network"."

2006-08-22T15:16:00.000-07:00

My dear little sisters, Ginny and Kitty, leave tomorrow for their freshman year of college at Drake University. They grow up so quickly...and I'm so proud of them!

2006-08-20T15:38:00.000-07:00

Remember when music didn't suck?

Example #1

Example #2

Example #3

Example #4

Example #5

Example #6

Example #7

Example #8

Example # 9

Example #10

Example #11

Example #12

Example #13

Example #14

Example #15

Example #16

Example #17

Example #18

Example #19

Example #20

Although I hated highschool, the soundtrack was awesome.

2006-08-15T18:29:00.000-07:00

Friend of a friend (and amazing photographer of Kansas City) Chris Riebschlager has written a strangely relatable biography (minus the hardworking Nebraskan angle).

Song of the day (and you know you've missed this band lately): "A Life of Responsibilities" - Dismemberment Plan

2006-08-13T20:27:00.000-07:00

Stephen Colbert's "Better Know a District" visits California's sixth district - Sonoma/Marin counties...the counties I begrudgingly call home.

2006-08-11T21:43:00.000-07:00

Yeah, what he said.

(courtesy of Michael "Men's Group" Harper)

2006-08-10T23:33:00.000-07:00

I suddenly remembered tonight that I am in love with Claudio Sanchez. He does indeed bring the rock. And if you don't love this song with every fiber of your being, I feel sorry for you.

Yes, even you, Ed.

2006-08-10T15:07:00.000-07:00

You know, there's nothing worse than being attacked at work by a Christian. Oh, they think they're being subtle and PC and not breaking company policy...but they're blatantly transparent. It's always leading questions, casual comments in the break room, and WWJD ribbons posted on an office wall directly across from your desk that you have to stare at for eight hours a day, five days a week. And I'm really sick of their perpetual perkiness - mainlining Jesus makes you into a sugar-coated sheep.

I tried to revolt a little by posting an I.W.W. wall calendar this year in hopes, quite honestly, of starting some sh*t, but by about February I realized no one here has enough education to understand what it is.

2006-07-30T03:19:00.000-07:00

Were you aware?

2006-07-09T03:16:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of me at 16 (the cusp of my adult life). My friend on the right is Colleen. She and I were tight for about a year.

Less than two or three months after this picture was taken (photo booth at Lucille's on Westport), I met the man I would end up dating for seven years, and eventually married and divorced. This picture to me captures the last moments of freedom I had before I was drawn into an adult relationship that most certainly smashed my romantic and emotional ideals. Now that all is said and done, I'm a tired, jaded woman.

It's not a bitter thing, just interesting.

Song of the day: "Nowhere Fast" - The Smiths.

2006-07-04T13:34:00.000-07:00

Music Obsessions You Wish You'd Never Had (Part One in a Series)

1994 - Downset

Yes, I suppose they might have been more "street" than Rage, but that just goes to show talent isn't inborn ladies and gentlemen. I can take comfort in the fact I was only 17, though, and highly impressionable.

2006-07-02T16:31:00.000-07:00

4th of July Tag Party (via Busy3)

Instructions:
1. Go to Wikipedia.
2. In the search box, type your birth month and day (but not year).
3. List three important events that happened on your birthday.
4. List two interesting birthdays and one interesting death.
5. List one holiday or observance (if none, make one up).

Events:
1925 - Scopes Trial: John T. Scopes is indicted for teaching Darwin's theory of evolution.

1977 - Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope opens in theaters and eventually becomes the highest grossing film of all time.

2006 - Kenneth Lay and Jeff Skilling are convicted for their roles in the collapse of Enron.

Births:
1803 - Ralph Waldo Emerson, American essayist and philosopher

1948 - Klaus Meine, German musician (Scorpions) (how awesome is that?)

Death:
2006 - Desmond Dekker, Jamaican ska musician

Observance:
United States - Memorial Day/Decoration Day, a legal holiday (1868)

2006-06-26T23:44:00.000-07:00

"Now, 75 years later in an abundant society where people have laptops, cell phones, iPods, and minds like empty rooms, I still plod along with books." - Harper Lee

2006-06-19T20:45:00.000-07:00

The terrorists have won.

2006-06-16T00:14:00.000-07:00

So this is a joke, right?

2006-06-07T19:57:00.000-07:00

This is my friend/co-worker Chad. Chad is in a band Chadwick. While not my cup of tea, Chad has a large, loyal following that is to be admired.

I am proud of Chad because this past weekend he went to visit his teenage son, Wolfgang, in Kansas City. This took a lot of courage, because he and his son are virtual strangers to each other. There's also a lot of other baggage involved with it, and I'll spare you the details.

This is a photo of Chad at Union cemetery in Kansas City, where as a youngin' my girlfriends and I would walk and attempt to appear wistful and wise. Ha.

Song of the day: "cemetery Gates" - The Smiths.

2006-05-27T00:22:00.000-07:00

I love "Lost". I love Sigur Ros. I do not love them together.

2006-05-26T23:41:00.000-07:00

You know, I hate to judge, but some people shouldn't be allowed to write. Anything. Not even a grocery list.

2006-05-24T18:29:00.000-07:00

Being in a cult - it's just like I thought it would be, but with better eye wear!

2006-05-20T21:31:00.000-07:00

"If you want to see the true face of war, go to the amateur porn Web site NowThatsFuckedUp.com. For almost a year, American soldiers stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan have been taking photographs of dead bodies, many of them horribly mutilated or blown to pieces, and sending them to Web site administrator Chris Wilson. In return for permission to post these images, Wilson gives the soldiers free access to his site. American soldiers have been using the pictures of disfigured Iraqi corpses as currency to buy pornography."

I can't begin to comment on this.

2006-05-07T21:09:00.000-07:00

May Day in Santa Rosa - quite moving.

2006-05-07T11:29:00.000-07:00

This is quite possibly the most disturbing thing I've ever seen. I'm not kidding.

2006-05-01T13:37:00.000-07:00

This is a small part the Santa Rosa, CA "Day Without Immigrants" march. A good majority of the wineries have shut down or modified business today in order to support their workers. Fast food restaurants are closed. The number of people marching is so big, you can't drive through town in an even remotely timely fashion.

And we're just a little suburb.

It makes for one happy May Day!

2006-04-24T22:41:00.000-07:00

Today's post brought to you by the kind folks over at Planned Parenthood...

"An Indiana mother recently accompanied her daughter and her daughter's boyfriend to one of Indiana's Planned Parenthood clinics, but they unwittingly walked into a so-called "crisis pregnancy center" run by an anti-abortion group, one that shared a parking lot with the real Planned Parenthood clinic and was designed expressly to lure Planned Parenthood patients and deceive them.

The group took down the girl's confidential personal information and told her to come back for her appointment, which they said would be in their "other office" (the real Planned Parenthood office nearby). When she arrived for her appointment, not only did the Planned Parenthood staff have no record of her, but the police were there. The "crisis pregnancy center" had called them, claiming that a minor was being forced to have an abortion against her will.

The "crisis pregnancy center" staff then proceeded to wage a campaign of intimidation and harassment over the following days, showing up at the girl's home and calling her father's workplace. Our clinic director reports that the girl was "scared to death to leave her house." They even went to her school and urged classmates to pressure her not to have an abortion.

The anti-choice movement is setting up these "crisis pregnancy centers" across the country. Some of them have neutral-sounding names and run ads that falsely promise the full range of reproductive health services, but they dispense anti-choice propaganda and intimidation instead. And according to a recent article in The New York Times, there are currently more of these centers in the U.S. than there are actual abortion providers. What's more, these centers have received $60 million in government grants. They're being funded by our tax dollars.

A bill has just been introduced in Congress to stop the fraudulent practices of fake clinics, but it desperately needs more support. Tell your representative to take a stand: anti-choice extremists must not get away with this any longer!"

2006-04-17T19:39:00.000-07:00

"Neil Young urges Bush impeachment on protest album"

Gotta love Neil...

2006-04-12T19:12:00.000-07:00

Jason and I are going on a road trip to (semi-hip) Portland, Oregon next week. The last time we went on a road trip, we almost killed each other in the parking garage of a casino in Vegas. So, we'll bravely try to enjoy the all-American past-time of using gas station bathrooms, suffering sciatic pain from sitting in a car six hours a time, realizing the 50 or so albums brought have lasted about three hours and arguing with hotel staff about the number of pillows needed. Not that this will make us say, cranky or anything. I’m not even going to bring up the food issues.

And think – we don’t even have kids yet.

Song of the day: "The Beach" - New Order

2006-04-01T13:57:00.000-08:00

I have two disagreements with this bill board.

#1: It's stupid. Who calls their wedding ring "bling"? Wait, don't answer that.

#2: I really resent the implication that sex is something women use to "lure" men into marriage. I mean, what century are we in? And what is the Iowa Abstinence Mission really concerned about? The emotional impact of casual sex? The number of children born out of wedlock? The rising numbers of sexually transmitted diseases among youth? The prevailing teenage value that oral sex is not sex?

Oh, I think not.

They're afraid that women are sexual creatures. That women might want to engage in sexual activity for a wide variety of reasons that don't include life-long commitments. That women can do this freely because they can control their fertility. And a woman who can control the path of her life can think for herself and make her own choices, without a husband or a church to do it for her. Without the backs of women to walk over, these folks will fall.

The sooner the better.

2006-03-29T22:59:00.000-08:00

Nice, eh?

2006-03-25T14:13:00.000-08:00

Well, duh.

You are a
Social Liberal
(76% permissive)

and an...
Economic Liberal
(6% permissive)

You are best described as a:

Socialist

Link: The Politics Test on OkCupid Free Online Dating
Also: The OkCupid Dating Persona Test

2006-03-22T22:34:00.000-08:00

URGENT!

I have established that this is slightly funnier than this.

But only slightly.

2006-03-20T12:22:00.000-08:00

"The Smiths turned down $5 million reunion offer"

Yeah, but would it have really been the same?

Song of the day: "How Soon Is Now" - The Smiths

2006-03-15T18:35:00.000-08:00

Top Five Indications That You've Left Your Early Twenties College-era, But Aren't Quite An Adult

1.) SXSW is this week, and you could scrape the money together, but haven't been at your job long enough to accrue cred to take off a week.

2.) You have a Section 125 at work, but only use it to pay your health insurance premiums. Come on - as if 26% wasn't enough of a chunk.

3.) You still do your laundry at your parents house (and you get free dinner).

4.) You make fun of the indie teens at the mall, but realize you're carrying the same messenger bag.

5.) You'd become management if only for the exempt status, but "Assistant to the Fuckwit" seems like it might suck you into the career black hole.

Song of the day: "Spider in the Snow" - Dismemberment Plan

2006-03-05T15:25:00.000-08:00

News flash!

"Gay Prevention Programs Harm Teens"

What a surprise. Try this, kiddies.

Song of the day: "Virginia Woolf" - Indigo Girls.

2006-02-15T22:33:00.000-08:00

"24 - The Musical" almost tops my idea of "Cellar Door - A Study in Modern Dance". It's an idea I can definitely get behind.

2006-02-08T13:37:00.000-08:00

"But the truth is that the powerful do not easily give up their power, and the door is now closing again. Equal pay for equal work - a no-brainer, you think? Never happened. A female president? Only on television. Abortion may soon become illegal once again. Birth control is under attack. Even Title IX is under attack. As it turns out, the door may have only opened a little way for a little while, and I was one of the lucky ones who slipped through."

2006-02-05T14:43:00.000-08:00

For 28 years, I have managed to avoid watching the Super Bowl. That ends today. What's worse, it was sprung on me this morning, so I haven't even had anytime to mentally prepare. Nothing but all American good times coming up, kids.

Pray for me.

2006-02-04T13:54:00.000-08:00

Feminist Author Betty Friedan Dies at 85

2006-01-30T23:23:00.000-08:00

If these songs were taken away from me right now, I would probably roll over and expire:

"Over the Pond" - Album Leaf & Sigur Ros
"Comfort Eagle" - Cake
"E.M.P.T.Y." - The Clientele
"I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor" - Arctic Monkeys
"Such Great Heights" - Postal Service (Valentine's Day is coming up, after all)

So as long as everyone leaves my iTunes intact, no one dies...

2006-01-29T12:04:00.000-08:00

"Peter Gabriel's "Big Time" has become the official theme of World Wrestling Entertainment's upcoming "WrestleMania 22," nearly 20 years after the song hit the top 10 in the United States."

You know, I love that song. I was planning to get a shirt with "my heaven will be a big heaven, and I will walk through the front door" so I could see how many people would get it, and how many people would think it was a Jesus-Crispy shirt.

Now I can't do that because I will get associated with wrestling. I never get to have any fun. However, the good news is I don't think people who watch wrestling will necessarily "get" the message of the song. The probably think it's "awesome", like "Born in the U.S.A.".

Still, better not to risk it.

2006-01-28T17:21:00.000-08:00

This person and I chose the same template. Now that's funny...

2006-01-28T11:36:00.000-08:00

Things that are not fair: Death Cab and John Vanderslice touring in Europe together.

"Sometimes that dream is a sad delusion, but sometimes it's true..." - Exodus Revolution, John Vanderslice.

2006-01-28T00:16:00.000-08:00

See that little square cartoon of me to your right? That's an incorrect representation, because I no longer smoke.

Those of you who have known me in my midwestern life, please clean up whatever you spit out of your nose while reading the previous sentence.

After today, and well...after this week...or month...can someone give me one good damn reason to not smoke? And don't pull the "so you grow old and see your grandkids" bit, because I'm not looking forward to weekend benders at Chucky Cheese with Botox leaking out of my forehead.

And you shouldn't either.

2006-01-25T22:27:00.000-08:00

Rant about work: #3 or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

The company I work for, which shall remain nameless, has produced another money-grubbing (i.e. - fund development) groveling piece to recruit uneasy liberals to fork over some of their winery earnings. These earnings go to such staples for the developmentally disabled such as: galleries to showcase their "artwork", independent living skills facilitators who can't teach worth crap because many of them have questionable pasts that include The Dead and lotsa drugs, and of course, monetary loans to go on company sponsored vacations to HAWAII. Oh yeah, that's teaching responsibility indeed.

Never mind that most of the clients are filthy, in questionable health, obese, unemployed and illiterate. But I suppose that's their choice.

Lo, I digress.

Anyway, so there's the new fund development film. Somehow, someone got Demi Moore to narrate this fine piece of kiss-ass. Really. Couldn't they find another has been actress that at least has some cred in this department? Where's Juliette Lewis? At least she's played a retard before.

Not all is terrible. I work with some cool gentlemen - Ed and Michael. They make me mix cds and proclaim my efficiency and hep cat status to anyone and everyone. Little bright spots, I tell ya.

Song o' the day: "This Place is a Prison" - Postal Service

2006-01-24T23:19:00.000-08:00

Rant about work: #2

I have been at my current job for six months. I get evaluated twice in my first year; once at the three month mark, then again at the six month mark. I am evaluated by my entire staff as well as any other random department, organization, etc., I may deal with. I have kept this in mind since my first day. At my three month evaluation, there was not a single negative remark or area of improvement. It was nothing but glowing praise from everyone. Let me assure you, I busted my ass to get that evaluation too.

For this next evaluation, I was told by my supervisor that she "didn't want to sort through all the good comments" and this time my evaluation would consist of a half sheet of paper with one question..."What can Maggie improve upon?".

I'm sure, because my supervisor is the director of the department, and has been with the company for almost thirty years, and has worked her way up from the lowest position to the highest, she must understand it is good management to reward and encourage your employees, especially if they deserve it.

This must be an oversight.

2006-01-24T00:00:00.000-08:00

Rant about work: #1

You know, I don't think it's funny to randomly shout numbers when someone is auditing the petty cash drawer and counting nickels. In fact, I think it's quite rude.

The person shouting has a "WWJD" award-type ribbon hanging up in her office. Can you get an award ribbon for asking a rhetorical question?

Best quote of all time from this person: (this was during a discussion of the looting occurring in New Orleans after the hurricane) "I know I'm a Christian woman, but I would shoot anyone who was stealing stuff out of those stores. It's just wrong, and they know it." I wanted to bring up that pesky "thou shall not kill" bit, but was too shocked to open my mouth.

Song of the day: "God's Love" - Bad Religion.

2006-01-15T01:09:00.000-08:00

Tonight begins a new season of 24. Although it will be predictable and stale, I am giddy none the less.

2006-01-10T23:08:00.000-08:00

"An Australian woman will face court charged with repeatedly stabbing her partner because he played an Elvis Presley song over and over again, police said Tuesday."

I find this to be completely justifiable. When I expressed this to Jason, he brought up my constant compulsion with "MacArthur Park" (including various recordings of it)and how he had never contemplated violence. The implication that Richard Harris and Elvis are musically in the same ring of hell is preposterous. Richard Harris had one hit, and now that he has passed on into Grade B Actors Heaven, no one spots him at 7 Eleven.

Elvis will never die. That poor woman knew that, and tried bravely to rid her house of smarmy oily music that brings nausea to any self-respecting rock-n-roll fan. I, for one, support her!

2006-01-09T23:28:00.000-08:00

My resolution this year, besides being the best ME I can possibly be, is to blagh more. Nine days into the year and this is as far as I've gotten.

Maybe inspiration will strike unexpectedly.

Best album of the year so far that I got for Christmas: Beastie Boys Greatest Hits (excluding all offensive material)

Best song off the best album of the year so far that I got for Christmas: "Brass Monkey". Kick it old school, yo.

2006-01-03T23:47:00.000-08:00

Save Our Bluths!

Song of the day: "Afternoon Delight" - Starland Vocal Band

2005-11-28T23:15:00.000-08:00

I witnessed a miraculous act of God this weekend. More to come.

2005-11-20T10:18:00.000-08:00

So previous to my attending "Purple Rain" live, I had never seen the movie. I got in trouble in first grade for having the record, though, because it had references to s-e-x. Let me tell you, that is one awful, terrible movie. I mean, it's up there with "Pod People", "Manos, the Hands of Fate" and "When a Man Loves a Woman". I'm estimating there were about fifteen plot lines, many of which were never resolved, and if you thought Prince was a bad actor, you should see Morris Day (and the Motherfucking Time). So many questions...like why was Prince still living at home? And was his father Ike Turner?

However, the cast who played the characters live were great. "Prince" could actually dance and writhe all over the stage and look angsty, and "Apallonia" actually did the nude scenes (a la pasties). The music, of course, was totally taking everyone back. People were dancing like it was 1999, y'all. It's been a long time since I had that much fun.

I have just been notified that Vanilla Ice did a "Purple Rain" type movie called "Cool as Ice". Now I have to see it. That's the kind of trainwreck I so love!

Song of the day: "A Love Bizzare" - Prince and Sheila E

2005-11-19T10:11:00.000-08:00

Lately, I've seen some great live stuff. Slint, The Standard, Spoon, Nada Surf, John Vanderslice, Sigur Ros, Death Cab for Cutie, and that homeless guy with the banjo on Haight Street. But I don't think anything will top seeing Purple Rain done Rocky Horror style. At the gay country weekend getaway club. Oh hell yes. They have go-go boys!

Song of the day: "Hung Up" - Madonna (it's a damn sample, stop your bitching)

2005-11-15T21:01:00.000-08:00

True Majority clarifies a few issues...

2005-10-28T17:41:00.000-07:00

Today I was trying to close the books for the department, and that always stresses me out. Reconciling money is always a shaky thing. On top of that, I was coming down off of my Vicodin/Diet Dr. Pepper morning cocktail, and using valuable brain cells scheming ways to get out of work before 5. So of course some damn co-worker comes up to my desk, bubbling with panic and pleading with me to save her or some such nonsense. Seeing that she had just come from the computer room, I halfheartedly feigned concern and asked what was wrong. Evidently, FireFox wasn't "on" the computer she was using. Not really understanding what the issue was, because Safari is installed on all the computers, I asked why she needed FireFox as a specific web browser. Would you like to know what the reason was? Because, of course, she needed to check her Gmail.

Duh.

I explained that Safari would work just as well (maybe better).

I went back to my desk, turned up my iTunes and painstakingly crunched numbers in a concerted effort to not cook the books, all the while wondering why she hadn't even bothered to thank me. What's that expression, again? Taken for granted? What's even more aggravating is the solution I provided should be obvious to anyone and everyone.

And this person makes a dollar more an hour than I do.

2005-10-15T00:20:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my boss, who is a very business-like-seriously-intelligent-no-time-for-messing-around type, who I've worked with for nearly four months and have no idea her husband's name (I'm not complaining - I actually prefer it), who understands that she and I don't have to make small talk ever - we just discuss work and get it done, asked me if I'd seen "The Big Lebowski". I had to profess no. I spent the rest of the afternoon wondering why she'd seen it. I don't really know what's it's about, but the people I know who are way into it are nothing like her. It was kind of odd.

She also brought me taffy from Oregon.

I suppose I should get her a Boss's Day card. She's a pretty good boss after all.

2005-10-14T18:28:00.000-07:00

How did the survey know I was a woman? Hm...

2005-09-24T14:59:00.000-07:00

Attention ladies, underage girls, and federal investigators posing as underage boys:

Lest you get desperate about your dating rut, this is what's out there on the internet.

Song of the day: "Fool's Paradise" - Buddy Holly

2005-09-23T19:48:00.000-07:00

Taken from Truth Explosion, because I feel the exact same way...

Dear Mr. Gibbard,

Seriously Ben, have you been following me around these past few years or so? I’ve been listening to your albums for only a short while now, but this question has been plaguing me the whole time. Here’s the thing though… up until a few minutes ago I didn’t know exactly what the question was. I would listen and listen to song after song and would perpetually be focused on the place I couldn’t quite put my finger on, thinking and thinking, thinking and thinking, thinking and thinking…

I think it was in the middle of Different Names For The Same Thing… I was lost in the warmth of a past memory and with the sudden clarity of a match being struck in the dark, it hit me. The proverbial “aha!” moment as it were, where I saw the forest for the trees.

Something in your music never fails to snatch me back to other times… happy times, sad times, times of depth… all these moments that I’ll never let go of … I know it’s sounds silly, but I listen to your albums and I get this feeling like you’ve been following me around through the years and have been writing songs loosely based on my life… where you changed just enough details to avoid being accused of cribbing ideas.

Like how I first heard Transatlanticism at the time when the two and a half hours of driving distance between me and my love was filling my head with a simple sentiment… I need you so much closer… It wasn’t hard chalking it up to mere coincidence then.

But now? When the love of my life has become an immutable source of continuity in my existence, someone I see with me for the rest of my days and I find my thoughts touching on the fact that one day we will have no choice but to say goodbye… how can I help but to find a sort of synchronicity between this and my receipt of your new Plans disc? I felt almost haunted listening to songs like Soul Meets Body, I Will Follow You Into The Dark and What Sarah Said. It seemed as though you knew exactly where I was going to be at, what I was going to be feeling going through this time, and you wrote these songs, that way on purpose so I’d have a perfect mirror to listen to when the time came.

Of course the whole he-has-been-stalking-me-for-lyrical-substance perspective could be rooted in abject narcissism. Well… ok, I’m sure it looks that way to the outside observer but we know the truth, don’t we Ben? Just don't forget to start sending the royalty checks to me, first name Cain, last name Arsenault, ok?

Cain Arsenault

Song of the day: "Soul Meets Body" - Death Cab

2005-09-21T22:05:00.000-07:00

Quite possibly the most unnecessary article ever written...

2005-09-10T21:40:00.000-07:00

"Firms with Bush ties snag Katrina deals"

Oh, what a surprise...

2005-09-08T23:07:00.000-07:00

"Sitting with her daughter and other relatives, Trolkyn Joseph, 37, said men had wandered the cavernous convention center in recent nights raping and murdering children. She said she found a dead 14-year old girl at 5 a.m. on Friday morning, four hours after the young girl went missing from her parents inside the convention center. 'She was raped for four hours until she was dead,' Joseph said through tears. 'Another child, a seven-year old boy was found raped and murdered in the kitchen freezer last night.'"

2005-09-01T22:46:00.000-07:00

And to make everyone feel a little better, how about a blast from our web past?

2005-09-01T22:35:00.000-07:00

'An old man in a chaise lounge lay dead in a grassy median as hungry babies wailed around him. Around the corner, an elderly woman lay dead in her wheelchair, covered up by a blanket, and another body lay beside her wrapped in a sheet.

"I don't treat my dog like that," 47-year-old Daniel Edwards said as he pointed at the woman in the wheelchair.

"You can do everything for other countries, but you can't do nothing for your own people," he added. "You can go overseas with the military, but you can't get them down here."'

2005-08-28T10:37:00.000-07:00

"God Punishing GIs Over Gays"

I don't even know what to say about this...probably just the typical "Fred Phelps will burn in hell for eternity" type of stuff so many of us Kansas City types have gotten so used to saying.

2005-08-20T13:51:00.000-07:00

2005-08-16T19:13:00.000-07:00

"For other fans, like Dorian Baxter, founder of Christ the King, Graceland Independent Anglican Church in Ontario, Canada, this is more of a pilgrimage.

"Elvis has been a great instrument to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ," said Baxter, a reverend who often performs in Elvis garb as "Elvis Priestly."

"And coming to Memphis in August," continued Baxter, dressed in a white linen suit and black silk shirt, "is just my way of paying respect to the man whose music has helped me bring people to the Lord."

If only you could see the look of contempt on my face right now...

2005-08-13T21:27:00.000-07:00

Jason Sheets and I had the most long, drawn out ending to our marriage. It went on for years, despite new relationships, forced joint employment to keep us both out of poverty and vague excuses to family members. I finally cut the cord in February, even thought the initial separation had happened years earlier. The trip from Kansas to California was one of the most painful things I had ever done, because I knew at that point that part of my life was pretty much over. I listened to a lot of Death Cab on that trip, especially "Title and Registration". And what do you know? Death Cab has made a video for that song that is remarkably similar to what I experienced on that trip (excluding the near death experience on a mountain in New Mexico). Anyway, check it out...

2005-08-04T19:32:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I'm the biggest slacker in the world with this blog. I used to post everyday back when I was youthful and full of ideals and such. Anyway, here are some updates:

*I saw Tom Waits at Safeway. Shopping. While his wife waited in their "I have a small dick so I overcompensate with my auto" SUV.

*I, along with Lisa Ann(e) Carbone, plan to take over the world. Quite soon. We've been having all kinds of meetings at work about it, and no one seems the least bit suspicious. Shout out to the BI folks and all that jazz.

*Bolton's in the U.N., y'all. Ha.

*I scored a previously undiscovered version of "Macarthur Park" at Amoeba last weekend. I found it in the discount 7" bin. It's recorded by a band called The Surprise Package, and it's all organ-y and such. Oh, you thought the Richard Harris version was bad. You ain't heard nothing yet... Now if only Gary Puckett has covered "Ruby Don't Take Your Love To Town"! That would be quite exciting.

*"Lost" is one hell of a show. I would recommend it.

*There's an autographed poster of Ween on the right of our computer desk. On the back wall facing me, there's an "Eraserhead" poster. On the left is a Nirvana poster. I think it's all a great plot by Jason to make me feel so uncomfortable back here I won't stay up all night playing online bingo.

Song of the day: "I Believe" - Stevie Wonder

2005-07-24T18:04:00.000-07:00

Have fun, stay single.

Listen here, oh despairing single friends: Being in a serious relationship is overrated. Ninety percent of the time it's not even enjoyable. It's nothing but uneven compromise and injured emotions. It's a lot of hard work for very little, if any, reward...and it's not like you can transfer those reward points to your next account, if you catch my drift. Just listen to any Death Cab album.

"I became what I always hated/
when I was with you then..."

"There's no blame for how our love did slowly fade/
and now that it's gone it's like it wasn't there at all/
and here I rest where disappointment and regret collide/
lying awake at night..."

"All I see are dark grey clouds/
in the distance moving closer with every hour/
so when you ask "was something wrong?"/
I think "you're damn right there is/
but we can't talk about it now."

And if anyone would know, it would be Ben Gibbard...let's all join in for a rousing chorus of "The Sound of Settling".

2005-06-22T23:09:00.000-07:00

Pack the sunblock...we should head up to Indie Rock Summer Camp y'all..

(courtesy of this Charming Man)

Song of the day: "Cruel Summer" - Bananarama

2005-06-12T23:17:00.000-07:00

In heavy rotation...

* Spoon - Gimmie
* Beck - Guero
* David Bowie - anything
* Coheed and Cambria - anything
* Death Cab - Transatlanticism (quite possibly a perfect album)
* Buddy Holly - anything

Not in heavy rotation...

* The newish Mooney Suzuki
* The newish Tori Amos (sorry to say)
* The new Coldplay (it's been done, dude)
* The new John Vanderslice single (it may be a bad upcoming year for music, kids)

2005-06-06T19:37:00.000-07:00

Blogs are so 2003.

2005-05-25T07:59:00.000-07:00

"Reality Show Will Find New INXS Singer"

Kinda rude, isn't it?