Monday, October 31, 2005

More mmmmmmmush.

This week is gonna be a real thrill-ride...my ass. One thing I have going for me is a quiet office. I have it all to myself AND since my bosses are out all week, the phones have been quiet as well. I know more about Daimler Chrysler senior management than I've ever wanted to. EVER. My brain just needs nice glass of wine (which I am currently drinking...and enjoying). I'm working on the Bark in the Park script, which is coming along quite well. Throughout my life, I've always had the hardest time with the 'getting started' part of anything, whether it's a research paper or a script or some some crafty-type project. Once I dive in, hours pass by without notice. It's all about emersion - as long as I have the television on in the background. Yep, I'm one of those people.

Sheesh, the trick-or-treaters don't stop! Lots of cute kids. My favorite ones are the groups of four or more that always come with a hardy, out-of-sync "TRICK OR TREAT!" then start in with the laundry list of who they are. The six/seven year olds are always so proud of their costumes! I stopped trick or treating when I was 17...I'm retired.

BON JOVI Battle of the Bands this Saturday. I'll be there...Bon Jovi covers optional.

Back to work. No "Arrested Development" until next Monday? WTF, man? I'll have to make due with Robin Williams "Live on Broadway". High-larious.

Friday, October 28, 2005

MMMMMMMush.

This is why I don't do drugs-this has to be what drugs feel like, and it's terrible. My brain feels like a blob of goopy muck. Icky, sticky, goopy muck. My life with revolve around Daimler Chrysler Services for the next week, and I'm going to be chin-deep in customer satisfaction and innovation and creativity and dealer appreciation and new product launches. By November 5th, I will be watching the Bon Jovi Battle of the Bands and drinking until I see elves in bikinis as they make sausage and sing the theme song to 'Friends.'

Yep, that's a lot of alcohol.

Tomorrow is my first improv workshop - nervous, like always, because I'm trying something new. Eager because I think I might have a small (read: MICROSCOPIC) speck of talent for the funny. But, like we know from Mr. Boylan's experience, being professionally funny is a completely different animal. Roar.

If anyone wants to see me as a pirate, come to Boogie Fever tonight. GARR!!!

Wednesday, October 26, 2005

Good things come around.

No one thinks it will happen to them. The thought of making it into the great 'ellipse' was far from my mind. I was going to see U2...my first show. I'll take Bono as a dot on the horizon. Then my ticket was scanned. And the bell went off. And I was given a second wristband. I was in. I was in the ring, and it was so amazing. This may be the best show I've been to in the last five years. The emotion hit me right away. I was overwhelmed and, yes, there were tears. Rock icons only 20 feet away from me. It didn't even feel like we were in an arena with thousands of our closest friends. Bono pulled out his stunt double from the crowd (a perfect likeness, only 25 pounds lighter), pointed out his pot belly and spoke of social issues, even dedicating 'One' to Rosa Parks. My favorite tiny moment was watching Adam look through the crowd and at Bono as Bono was starting 'Elevation' - he was clearing savoring the moment, smiling on the outside and no doubt on the inside. The sound was crisp as could be. The whole group was full of energy and the crowd was swept away. "With or Without You," "Miracle Drug," "One," and "Vertigo" made me feel like a better person. There was a dash of Beatles ("St. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band," "Blackbird") and now I won't sleep tonight.

The search begins for a set list...

Monday, October 24, 2005

My only NIN post this week...promise.

The NIN Hotline posted this interesting tidbit found in the November 3rd issue of Rolling Stone:

What will Trent Reznor do when Nine Inch Nails U.S. tour ends on November 20th? "I might play theaters by myself, with the piano and some electronics," Reznor reveals to the smoking section. "Just try something that's the antithesis of the shows we're doing now." No way! "This arena tour is spectacle, it's bombast," he continues. "But as a musician it's not like an improvisational situation - primarily, we stick to the script. I have a newfound confidence, a combination of being sober, getting older and being a little more comfortable in my own skin, and I wouldn't mind creating a new environment where the sound is more spontaneous." Reznor also adds that being lucid 24/7 has fired up his songwriting - he hopes to drop a new NIN album in 2006.

For real? Trent Reznor Unplugged? If he comes to the D or the A2, I'm selling a kidney to go to that show. Bank on that, sister.

Oh, also - does anyone know where I can find "Non Entity", the song that Trent sang during the ReAct Now concert? MTV's media player doesn't seem to work with my Mac at work or with Windows Media Player at home. Fuckers.

Sunday, October 23, 2005

Drink yourself an education

Check this out, man. Tiki Bar TV is my favorite video podcast. Take a wacky cast of characters, including a "real" MD; throw in liquor with real-time sampling of said liquor and a recipe or two, cook then chill and you have absolute entertainment! Seriously, check out an episode and don't forget to take some notes!

Friday, October 21, 2005

Remote thoughts for a Friday after-evening

Okay, has anyone else heard the newest Black Rebel Motorcycle Club album? It could possibly be one of the most soulful records I've hear in a long time. It seems as if they're channeling Southern spirits of rock full of acoustic and pedal steel and harmonica. Oh boy, it's good.

Learning your old haunt (aka The Bird) no longer serves your "regular" drink, and had to remember how to make it (vodka, triple seq and lemonade - come on!) = downright depressing. After happy hour yesterday, I had to have a piece of malt shoppe pizza to soak up all of the evil inside my belly. I forget how quickly I get drunk now.

Okay - to review some rather old news, the Mike Doughty show almost didn't happen. I remember how much Amber enjoyed the show, but there was always the lingering thought of "oh yeah, I need some cash to buy a ticket...cash that I shouldn't spend." Ugh, I hate that contraction, shouldn't. Then the mighty Jeff Graham brought it back into memory and I went back and forth and back again. I knew I would regret not going, and I'll be damned if I regret anything I do (well, save for Spring Break 1999...maybe). So, off we went. Mike Doughty with upright bass? Pleasantly unexpected. The songs off of "Haughty Melodic" sounded great and he played MY song, Madeline and Nine! Along with a full cover of "Hungry like the Wolf" and a half-cover of "It's Raining Men", there were plenty of songs off of Skittish and another album (I think) that I heard for the first time and loved, including a nice Soul Coughing throwback or two. I danced, I drank PBR and had an awesome time with the boyz.

CMU was fun - good catch up time with some old profs and whatnot. And Ron Smerigan bought his first CMU t-shirt ever! School spirit five years late? Priceless.

Wednesday, October 19, 2005

You think you know, but you have no idea.

Watching Jon Stewart and Bill O'Reilly spar while you're tispy is one of the funniest things EVER. I'm going to start calling people 'pinhead.' More about Mike Doughty tomorrow. The show was tremendous (brunettes?). We got "Hungry Like The Wolf" AND "It's Raining Men." Quote of the night from Mr. Doughty himself:

"I wanna fuck the daylight out of you."

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

Take my lunch money...

Does this blow your mind? HOW HOT AND BEEFY IS TRENT REZNOR? Miles of smiles.


Take my lunch money

Okay, now I'm done. Off to CMU this Thursday - oh, The Bird, with your steamboats and your moon bread. I'll need a drink before I go and speak to the next generation of television broadcasters. Shit, I am NOT a role model. How was homecoming?

Anywho, hope to see all the cool kids at the Lost party this week!

Wednesday, October 12, 2005

Laughing at the expence of others

Expagtagulacious - Dating on Demand is the best thing to happen to Comcast. It's expagtagulacious.

&%**^dkfkfoihgkajdng'aovnlf@##!!!!!

That's how my brain felt this morning. I am offiicially sick and tired of the recording industry worrying about the 'evils' of technology. You know those discs that you can't rip onto iTunes (Idlewild, BRMC, Foo Fighters), yeah, that's being done on purpose. I know, not a huge shock, but the industry is huffy and puffy at Mr. Jobs and company for, I don't know, making a consumer friendly product that people love to use? Apple refuses to sign the FairPlay contract so the industry decided to 'punish' them? Thanks but Ron and I already bought the new BRMC and Idlewild on iTunes...and it was cheaper. Eat it!!! Oh, and the industry wants Apple to raise the price per song from 99 cents to $1.49 for newer tracks. Jobs calls them 'greedy!' FUCK YEAH THEY ARE! And the response from Warner Music Group: "our artists are being short-changed." Why, because they only receive at most 15 cents from every one dollar of actual record sales? That's not they make their money, but most people don't know that.

Shitty, shitty, shitty. Fearing technology won't make it go away - you'll only allienate music fans and they'll latch onto technology even stronger. Shit, man. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

Sunday, October 09, 2005

Oh my gawd.

I have two new crushes.

Trent Reznor and Jenny Lewis. I little corner of my heart gets all squishy when I see them, or hear them. Um...yeah...he's a chisled piece of beautiful anger. Beefy.

More on the NIN show later. Actually, great set list from Emily...Jackie will recap as well. Tonight: The Big Hair Ball. Hey, it's free and it's an excuse to get dressed up. Maybe I'll see some boombox hair tonight.

Friday, October 07, 2005

TGIF, muthatruckas.

A few thoughts:

Christian Bale is a nut boy. Has anyone see "The Machineist?" He is beyond thin. No camera tricks. No special effects. Just starvation. It really is frightening.

"Twin Cinema": If you don't have this album, there is something wrong with you that is very specific. You probably feel like your missing something in your life. That something is "Twin Cinema." It's neck and neck between Stars and New Pornographers for best album of the year. Fight to the death.

Fall is finally here. Lots of cute jackets and sweaters and cider and fall colors. There something very refreshing and relaxing about the season. I don't know why, but it's a nice refreshing feeling.

I need to get moving on my crafts. Thanks to Ron's sister, I now know how to make kick-ass fleece pillows and blankets along with my belts. Craft season is only eight months away and the good Lord knows I need to make some money.

This weekend will be full of NOTHING, and I'm so excited. Catching on my allotted Best Buy purchases and my comics...and the WDVD video will be the extent of it. Peace out. If you need me, I'll be drinking tea and enjoying the feel of flannel against my skin. Hmmmmm...saucy.

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