WHAT MY MIND HAS BEEN FILLED WITH

I have been so incredibly full of stimulation that I haven’t had any idea what to write about. For someone who generally has nothing happen to them, the past week has been overflowing with stuffs and it isn’t over yet. Last Thursday, Monica, Jamie, and I went to dinner and to see Avenue Q. I loved it. There were times when I wasn’t as into it as others but overall it was incredibly fantastic. Monica and Jamie were sucked into the cute world of the Bad Idea Bears, and I liked them too. The bears were hilarious, they had very bad ideas and convinced people that they were good ideas by their powers of cuteness. Come to think of it, Natalie as a child had a lot in common with the Bad Idea Bears. Maybe it was because of that fact that I was not taken in by them. I was immediately in love with Trekkie Monster the second that his hairy face appeared on the stage. Here is a glimpse of him in all his horny glory.


On Saturday Tony and I got a wonderful delivery, our 52inch Samsung Touch of Color Series 7 arrived! Tony was at work and when I saw the TV being carted off the truck I gasped because it was really big. When they set it up on our entertainment center I was still amazed at how big it was. It fits and everything but MAN is that thing big. After I finally got the closed captions to turn off (thanks Dad) I settled down to a weekend of television glory. The picture is amazing, so amazing that we watched golf simply because it was beautiful. Video games are unreal on this thing. I pulled out Uncharted: Drakes Fortune because the graphics were amazing on our old TV (which is still a perfectly fine piece of machinery) to see what it would look like and I was amazed. It’s so real. The only thing is we can’t figure out how to make the 120 Hz stay on. I think it might only kick in for certain things because the TV says it is on but then the info still says 60 Hz. Oh well, I’ll figure it out. Don’t even get me started on the blu-ray stuffs. Man I love my TV.

I guess the fact that an incredibly over stimulating time consisted of a play and a television delivery should maybe make me reconsider my measurement of over stimulating. At least the next few days will be busy.

Tomorrow night I will be going to see Jamie Lidell, again with Jamie and Monica. It will be different from the last show we saw him do because he will have a band. I am very interested to see how it will work. Here’s a glimpse of the last show.


Thursday is my birthday and that is probably the least eventful thing that is going on. I just don’t care about 29. I’ll care next year. On Friday Chanda is having a murder mystery party and I am pretty excited about it. Tony’s mom might be coming into town for Blues Fest this weekend and Mom is going to be coming in for a conference next Tuesday. The stimulation just won’t stop.

1. We’re in the movies/ Watching some people move their mouths/ And a religious figure/ Whose not really a religious figure/ Cause he’s an actor

2. It never really mattered too much to me/ That I was just too damn old to MC/ All that really mattered is if your rhymes was ill/ Girl that’s all that really mattered to me

3. Tulip Baroo/ Tulip Baroo/ The magnetic roller-skater wears a bonnet of blue/ Bonnet of blue

4. Let's all get up and dance to a song that was a hit before your mother was born/ Though she was born a long long time ago/ Your mother should know. Your Mother Should Know, Identified by, Michael.

5. When you sleep/ Where do your fingers go/ What do your fingers know/ What do your fingers show.

TWO OUT OF THREE AIN'T BAD

I didn’t really claim a winner for Dance so we just won’t count that. Plus, a fall in dance is almost unheard of so how was I to know Belbin and Augusto were going to be out before things really even started. They were lucky to pull up to fourth. No one was predicting Buttle would walk away with the gold in the men’s event. As far as pairs, I called first and the couples that came in 2nd and 3rd (The Zhao’s and Dube and Davidson) were mentioned in my post. For ladies, Mao Asada came out on top even with the fantastic opening fall below. I've taken that fall before and it really knocks the wind out of you. I can't believe she got up and did as well as she did. Just as I predicted and Kostner and Kim were right behind her. It’s good to be right.



Other than watching skating I had a pretty calm weekend. Tony was working a lot so I really got to take it easy. We did have time for a few movies though, Bee Movie and No Country for Old Men. I enjoyed them both. Bee Movie was technically pretty horrible but there were some nice messages in there, like we all exploit each other for the good of the world. An odd message for a children’s film but an interesting one. As far as No Country For Old Men is concerned, I didn’t see the other nominated films but this one was pretty freaking good. It left me with one question though, who came up with the idea for a silencer for a shotguns. It’s just evil.

Lyrics reveal

1. Identity/ Identity is the crisis you can’t see/ Identity/ Identity. Identity X-Ray Spex

2. Did I/ See a moment/ With you/ In a half-lit world. Mourning Air, Portishead

3. Ghost, ghost I know you live within me/ Feel as you fly/ In thunderclouds above the city/ Into one that I. Ghost, Neutral Milk Hotel

4. I’m tired of wasting gas living above the planet/ Mister show me the way to earth/ The boys from quadrant 44 with their vicious metal hounds don’t come round here no more. Ballad of Maxwell Demon, Shudder to Think

5. Downtown/ We’ll drown/ We’re in our never splendor/ Flowers/ Showers/ Who’s got the new boy gender. I’ll Tumble For You, Culture Club.

WHAT TO PLAY NEXT

So I had nothing to say at all and then was telling Monica about how this dog she thinks is really cute is only kind of cute which made me remember this Nat Geo program I was watching about a man raising wolves who were rejected by their mother with the aim of teaching them well enough to be released into the wild.

The cutest thing ever was how he taught them to howl. OH MY GOSH a baby wolf howl is the best thing since lions hugging people. I totally love fuzzy animals.



Actually, something did happen this weekend. I beat Assassins Creed. It was a very good but not quite great game. Tony didn’t like it much at all. He found it too repetitive and stopped playing with me after the second assassination and before the fighting got interesting. Although there aren’t many moves, becoming a master assassin is a matter of timing. I read a review that likened the fighting to dancing and it really is. If you are off rhythm you will die. The final scene left some to be desired though. A little more resolution would have been nice. That being said, the graphics were incomparable, the story was interesting, and I liked the stealth and patience that the game required. If you are more about running into a battle guns blazing this is not the game for you.

This means Tony and I have completed all our ps3 games. Luckily, my tax refund got direct deposited last night so I can go buy a new one. Elder Scrolls Oblivion, here I come. It’s been far too long since I’ve had a good RPG to work through. I’m also toying with the idea of getting God of War II (although it was made for ps2). I figure I should play it before III comes out and it should be pretty cheap now. Then again, if anyone has other ideas I would be very open. To get an idea of what we play here is the list of what we have finished.

Ninja Gaiden Sigma- Awesome but incredibly hard and didn't need to be as annoying
Resistance Fall of Man- Tony played but looked awesome
Ratchet and Clank Future:Tools of Destruction- Awesome
The Simpsons Game- Would have been bad had it not been Simpsons
Uncharted: Drakes Fortune- Awesome
Assassins Creed- Awesome to me but not to Tony

As you can see, we are not into sports games so don’t suggest any.

1. Dear I thought I'd drop a line/ The weather's cool/ The folks are fine/ I'm in bed each night by nine. PS I Love You, Billie Holiday

2. Sitting down by my window/ Looking at the rain/ Sitting down my window/ All around I felt it/ All I could see was the rain. Ball and Chain, Janis Joplin

3. I’m a poor boy born in a rut/ Some say my manners aren’t the best/ Some of my friends have been in a whole lot of trouble/ Some say I’m no better than the rest. Good Guys Don’t Wear White, Minor Threat

4. They say some days you're gonna win/ They say some days you're gonna lose/ I tell you I got news for you/ Your losin' all the time you never win. Tightrope, ELO

5. A wannabe gangsta/ Thinking he’s a wise guy/ Rob another bank/ He’s a sock em in the eye guy. If You Have To Ask. Red Hot Chili Peppers. Identified by Jason.

WHITE GIRLS AND GANG SIGNS

I was completely stumped about posting today when I looked in my inbox and found these two gems from Tony. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.

1. Dear I thought I'd drop a line/ The weather's cool/ The folks are fine/ I'm in bed each night by nine

2. Sitting down by my window/ Looking at the rain/ Sitting down my window/ All around I felt it/ All I could see was the rain

3. I’m a poor boy born in a rut/ Some say my manners aren’t the best/ Some of my friends have been in a whole lot of trouble/ Some say I’m no better than the rest

4. They say some days you're gonna win/ They say some days you're gonna lose/ I tell you I got news for you/ Your losin' all the time you never win

5. A wannabe gangsta/ Thinking he’s a wise guy/ Rob another bank/ He’s a sock em in the eye guy

HAPPY DAY OF FORCED LOVE

I'm not so big on Valentines Day. I always thought once I got someone special in my life that it would suddenly mean a lot more. Instead it has come to mean a lot less. It is actually a pleasant surprise.

My dismissive attitude to Valentines Day doesn't mean I don't like love and affection. In fact, I like those things quite a bit. I think hugs are the greatest. To celebrate valentines day I present you all with the best hug I have ever seen in my life.



Don't you all wish you had a friend like that?

I thought about putting up love songs for the guessing today but it was far too much work. It's all shuffle like normal.

1. I see us in the park/ Strolling the summer days/ Of imaginings in my head. Knocks Me Off My Feet, Stevie Wonder. Identified by Mom.

2. Well I went to school/ Oh/ Well I went to school/ Haha/ Well I went to school/ In Olympia. Rock Star, Hole. Identified by Jason.

3. Dear I thought I'd drop a line/ The weather's cool/ The folks are fine/ I'm in bed each night by nine

4. Sitting down by my window/ Looking at the rain/ Sitting down my window/ All around I felt it/ All I could see was the rain

5. I feel pretty/ Oh so pretty/ I feel pretty and witty and gay. I Feel Pretty, West Side Story. Identified by Chatty Knitter.

NOT SO SUBTLE

Our City Councilman sent out a little brochure with descriptions of all the judges and random things that I never pay attention to. I thought it was a pretty nice thing to do. On the back there was a sample ballot. It showed Hillary Clinton’s name right on top. Then Senatorial candidates were listed. I wondered why they didn’t list other possible presidential candidates. Was it some kind of sideways endorsement of Clinton? I found it to be rather disturbing and made me distrust the things inside about the judge types. Very interesting.

While watching G4 last night they held a poll of how many people planned to vote this year. Sadly 64% of the people said they planned to. It shocked me. I can accept that some people may plan to vote but then something happens and they end up not doing it. I still was amazed by how many people simply didn’t plan to participate in any way. In this time I don’t understand how people can sit back and say whoever is President won’t make a difference in their lives. It’s that kind of attitude that will land us a President who walks around like this.

1. It’s over/ You don’t need to tell me/ I hope you’re with someone who makes you feel safe in your sleep

2. I caught it in the face/ Coming round again/ I thought it was worth waiting/ You're caught up in my head. Dry, PJ Harvey. Identified by Chatty Knitter

3. Stand up/ You’ve got to manage/ I won’t sympathize/ Anymore

4. Laid back in an old salon with a peso in my hand/ Watching flies and children on the street

5. Is there anybody going to listen to my story/ All about the girl who came to stay/ She’s the kind of girl you want so much it makes you sorry/ Still you don’t regret a single day. Girl, The Beatles. Identified by Mom.

THIS IS FOR ME JUST AS MUCH AS...MONICA

So while browsing around I found an entire of Montreal concert from their recent tour and decided to put it on this blog because...duh, it's awesome. Sadly, they are playing for the lamest crowd I have ever seen in life. Apparently, people in Amsterdam are notoriously dull concert goers or at least so said a commenter who was there that night. Sadly, the dull concert goers seem to have made the band rather dull as well. Where are the jumping up and down crazy theatrics??? Huh??? Huh??? Wait...they are in Amsterdam. Regardless, if I was at a concert where they played So Begins Out Alabee, Wraith Pinned To The Mist and Other Games, Requiem for OMM2, and many many more awesome jams I would have been a crazed dancing fool. Still, it is great to see some live footage that sounds good. Monica just called me to say I am an of Montreal obsessed fool, and it is true. Whatever, she can't wait to watch.


On another note, I have realized that my blog is now about Figure Skating and of Montreal. I should change the name to Definitely Boring Musings Unless You Love Figure Skating and of Montreal. I won't though. I'll just find some other things to post about.

I could write about those fool ass fools who decided to hold a white supremacy rally in Jena on MLK Day but the absolute mess that was such an event doesn't even warrant my rantings. Even a person completely blind to any and all racial bogusness would understand that one.

Today is exciting because I submitted my first flex spending reimbursement. OOOOHHHHH neat. Now that I have a grown up job I get real grown up job perks. I wonder where my transit card that I ordered through that great pre-tax transit program is? There is less than a week and a half until February. It better get here.

Speaking of transit. I can't believe G-rod (our Gov) made it so people over 65 can ride the CTA for free. I hope that only Srs who actually need the break apply for the card. I guess the CEO types generally take their cars anyway. Regardless, as much as I love the Baby Boomers there are far too many of them and they will all be over 65 in the not too distant future. They also happen to be the richest generation ever. It just doesn't quite seem right. I'm all for not taxing people on seriously fixed income and would be more than supportive of a sliding scale payment tier for Srs that went all the way down to free. I guess that would be too much work though. Eh. I'll just watch awesome concert footage and forget about it. When, oh when, will there be a DVD of their awesomeness?

1. When the Witch Doctor Life/ throws his silent bones/ some are crowned kings/ while others lose their thrones

2. It was a clear black night/ a clear white moon/ Warren g was on the streets trying to consume

3. You sure you want to be with me/ I’ve nothing to give/ Won’t lie and say this lovings best. Overcome, Tricky. Identified by Jason.

4. Hey, hey, mama/ said the way you move/Gonna make you sweat/ gonna make you groove. Black Dog, Led Zepplin, Identified by Katrina

5. riding round town with all the windows down/ Eight track playing all your favorite sounds

SORRY, I AM ALMOST DONE WITH SKATING

I am sure that many of my readers understand that I love Figure Skating more than most people. I accept this fact as well. However, this weekend I think I sunk to extreme Figure Skating dorkdom. Ages ago Mom had taken our beloved Beta tapes from the 1988 Olympics and put them on DVDs for me (although I am still waiting for dance, pairs short, and ladies). Sadly, they would not play on my DVD player or on my ps2. However, I hadn’t tried them on the wonder that is the ps3. Lo and behold they worked! Glory be to me.

It was time to pop some popcorn and settle in for some “Battle of the Brians”. Truly, there was never a greater moment in Olympic history. I also got to watch plenty of Chris Bowman (whose cause of death is still unclear and apparently won’t be knows for many weeks) and was struck by how well he would have fared under the current judging system. His spins were more innovative than virtually anyone else on the scene and he had some decent footwork as well. It is truly amazing how far spinning has come over the past 20 years. Jumping has made some strides as well but not to the extent of spinning. I mean how many rotations can a human being possibly do in the air? I bet someone makes a quintuple jump one of these days but, after that, fuggedaboudid.

Anyway, I remember that the Battle of the Brians was excruciatingly close and was essentially won by Boitano’s higher technical merit marks. I was curious to see if the results would have been as close under the new judging system. Why? Cause I’m an enormous dork. I had to base my results primarily on jumps (because I can easily comprehend their assigned point values) and then factored in spins, footwork, and connecting moves to the best of my ability. The way I calculated the technical marks Boitano came out about five points ahead of Orser. Had I subtracted the points for one of Orsers double axels (it wouldn’t have counted today because it wasn’t in combination) it would have been greater but since they didn’t know about that rule I thought it would be unfair. I also didn’t factor in the 10% bonus for jumps at the end of the program because, again, they didn’t know to backload their programs. The biggest difference was that Boitano did two triple axels (although one got a negative grade of execution for a slight two foot). Orser got a negative grade of execution for a two foot and a “wrunch around” on a triple flip, while Boitano’s triple flip got a positive grade of execution. He also may have gotten a negative grade of execution on his last triple toe. It seems to have been two footed but I am not positive. Both of their spins would have been scoffed at today but it seemed to me that Boitano held his positions a little longer and that they were more precise. That camel Orser did, what was that? A comparison of their Death Drops left Orser in the dust.

However, the presentation mark is something I was unsure about. For the past 20 years I have been trying to understand why Orser so greatly outscored Boitano’s presentation marks. Not that I found anything wrong with Orser’s presentation, it was a fine program, but Boitano’s was a mixture of a cohesive story, emotion, superior positioning on basic skating elements, and general awesomeness. His connecting movements were stellar (the spread eagle heard around the world and those Russian splits that hurt to watch) and the choreography was impeccable. Maybe there is something I simply don’t see? There has been a lot of talk that Orsers scores were inflated because it was "his turn" but there has been a lot of talk the other way as well.

I'm not trying to diminish Orser, he was a great skater and put together an awesome program. Either way, my opinion is that, if the current judging system was around in 88, Boitano would have won by much more. Then again, I didn’t judge the short program (which Orser won) so maybe the seven or eight point difference in the long wouldn’t have meant as much? I doubt it though. Anyway, Here they are if you want to be the judge.
Boitano (the program starts at one minute)

Orser


1. Every second/ of every minute of the day/ I let my fancy play. Spike The Senses, Of Montreal.

2. OOOHH Baby/ Cry Baby/ Cry Baby/ Welcome back home. Cry Baby, Janis Joplin

3. There are people going hungry/ Far away/ They got nothing on their plates. A Cantury of Fakers, belle and Sebastian.

4. Deep in the bosom of the gentle night/ Is when I search for the light/ Pick up my pen and start to write. Insomnia, Faithless.

5. Glue/ Stuck to my shoe/ Does anyone know why/ We play with an orange rind. Putting The Damage On, Tori Amos.

RIP SHOWMAN

This morning I checked my email and saw a link that a champion figure skater had died. I clicked on the link and my jaw dropped when I saw the name Christopher Bowman. I guess i had expected one of the current skaters was in a car crash or something (which would have been equally tragic)Bowman was one of my all-time favorite skaters and I had a huge crush on him (which is a little embarrassing but I was 12 and loved figure skating, who else). In 1991 when the US Nationals were in Minneapolis I took a black baseball cap and put silver puffy paint on it that said “Congratulations Chris”. When I gave it to him I received the sweatiest hug known to man.

He was 40 years old and died in his sleep at a Motel in California. It is posited that it was a drug overdose. He had many problems over the years in that area. Seen as one of the “bad boys” of skating he could easily serve as the prototype for Will Farell’s character in Blades of Glory. As I was reading some comments on the story I was shocked at how many negative things there were about him. People commenting that he couldn’t’ have been that good because they had never heard of him. Maybe they were just too young or maybe they were just assholes.

For those who followed the sport in the late 80s and early 90s, Bowman couldn’t be missed. He had a flair that few skaters have and it earned him the nickname, “Bowman the Showman”. In the article I read Boitano named Chris as one of the top three male figure skaters of all time. Maybe of US male figure skaters…. Regardless, he brought a sense of levity to the sport that is in many ways lacking in this day and age. He’ll be missed.

Bowman’s Short Program from the 1988 Olympics in Calgary. It exemplifies who he was as a skater and you can easily see where he got his nickname.


Bowman’s Long Program from the 1991 Nationals. It’s a more subtle performance, although still great.


1. Every second/ of every minute of the day/ I let my fancy play

2. OOOHH Baby/ Cry Baby/ Cry Baby/ Welcome back home

3. There are people going hungry/ Far away/ They got nothing on their plates

4. Deep in the bosom of the gentle night/ Is when I search for the light/ Pick up my pen and start to write.

5. Glue/ Stuck to my shoe/ Does anyone know why/ We play with an orange rind.

R.O.U.S LIVES

Remember The Princess Bride? It was a great film and I wanted to hug it. The movie had everything you could possibly want, comedy, romance, suspense, sword fighting, and revenge. It also had the Fire Swamp, a place that terrified me as a young person. The idea of catching on fire was not pleasant, even with the loud sound that warned you of the upcoming conflagration. Then there was the lightning sand. Quicker than quicksand this stuff was seriously dangerous, but as long as you didn’t step in it you were ok. No, the true terror of the fire swamp was the R.O.U.S (Rodent of Unusual Size). This guy was horrible. He was a rat the size of a dog, and not a small dog either. I took heed in the fact that they were not real. Or should I say they weren’t real. Researchers discovered a R.O.U.S in the Indonesian jungle. He is still the size of a dog, albeit a much smaller dog that the original R.O.U.S. Check him out.

On a happier note (I think), while reading Metromix’s review of the top 10 albums of 2007 I was pleased to see none other than Of Montreal’s Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer which I continue to listen to like mad and have even begun to like The Past is a Grotesque Animal and to almost tolerate Bunny Ain’t No Kind of Rider. Who knew? While I am incredibly glad the album has been recognized I wonder if that will make it inherently less cool. They wrote “A playful yet intense batch of neuroses from frontman Kevin Barnes, indie rock’s prince of fuzzy glam weirdness.” I guess it’s a pretty accurate portrayal. How about the video for Gronlandic Edit (my favorite song on the album) for you all to enjoy. Why? Cause it’s awesome.



1. Today was the day/ For dancing and for singing/ The birds in the trees/ And all the bells are ringing

2. My head’s been lying dormant like a sleepy little mouse/ What I have inside me it’s enough to fill a house

3. Repair the hull/ Replace the sail/ The monkey wrestles with the ghost

4. City bird/ Haven’t you heard/ hasn’t anybody told you/ the city blocks can hold you/ Your place is in the sky how can I show you

5. She called me up today/ Meet me down at the old café/ I jumped into the shower/ I was getting my marching orders. Step Into My Office, Baby by Belle and Sebastian. Identified by Chatty Knitter

SO VERY FESTIVE

I’m getting the holiday spirit in full force. I spoke to my friend, Friend, and found out that she will be here for a nice chunk of time and I will be able to hang out with her as I have no work and I am incredibly excited about that. I also found out that friend Lakeiya is coming to town for a week or so as well. YEAH! I miss Lakeiya so much. Monica and I will have to do something fun with her. I feel all festive and warm and fuzzy thinking of their smiling faces.

Tony and I made reservations for New Years Dinner at MK, a swanky type spot. We opted for the earlier dinner seating because eating at 7 costs about 35 less than eating at eight although Tony was hoping for a slightly later meal. Oh well. We are only allowed 90min at the table before they kick us out but that is a pretty long dinner for the two of us. We are not slow eaters. We opted for MK because the samples of dinners on the prix fixe menu sounded yummy to Tony and they also have a vegetarian prix fixe option. Two years ago we went to The Green Zebra, a 90% vegetarian restaurant, for New Years (which was 100% vegetarian) I loved the food but Tony wanted some meat. This will work out well. Plus, Tony really wanted a reason to wear a suit. That means when we show up to Dave’s party we’ll be all swanky. That might suck as we head to the beach for fireworks…. Oh well, make it work. Awesome.

And now for something completely different, a very short and very hilarious video spot courtesy of “Tim and Eric Awesome Show Good Job”.



By the way Tim and Eric to have an awesome show and every time it is over I want to say, "good job". They have wonderful guests like Fred Willard, Bob Odenkirk, and John C Riley. They are on adult swim. You might like it.

1. We are two mariners/ Our ships sole survivors/ In this belly of a whale. The Mariner's Revenge, The Decemberists. Partially identified by Identified by Monica

2. I let the beast in too soon/I don't know how to live/ Without my hand on his throat/ I fight him always and still. Fast as You Can, Fiona Apple (I know people don't laugh)

3. Have mercy on me sir/ allow me to impose on you/ I have no place to stay/ And my bones are cold right through. Song of Joy, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Identified by Brooke.

4. Sleepwalking through the all night drugstore/ Baptized in fluorescent light/ I found religion in the greeting card aisle/ And now I know Hallmark was right. Superhero, Ani DiFranco. Identified by Brooke.

5. Confidence is a preference for the habitual voyeur of what is known as /parklife/And morning soup can be avoided if you take a route straight through what is known as/ parklife. Parklife, Blur. Identified by Brooke.

A GOOD WEEK SO FAR

Yesterday I got the chance to do two new things at work. The first was to being my 8-day pre-employment workshop. Even though I am only on day 1.5 of 8 I think it is going quite smoothly and I don’t have anything to worry about. Not even the fact that my career counselor (who teaches much of the workshop with me) will be out of the office next week. I’m not quite sure why she needed to b out during my first class but so it goes. I’m fine with it. The second thing was to offer someone a job. I have told clients that they have been offered jobs before but it isn’t the same at all. This is someone whose resume I reviewed, who I called in for her interview, and who I got to make the hiring decision about. She starts tomorrow! I am so excited. Finally I can get some help around here.

To make things even better they are hiring a volunteer coordinator so I will never *fingers crossed* have to do that stupid job anymore. The candidate that I almost hired for my training assistant position ended up interviewing for that and they are going to offer her the position, unless they already did. The only bummer about that is that it isn’t someone else I had recommended who didn’t get hired because of some stupid stuff but there isn’t anything I can do about that. At least I feel a little better about not offering her the assistant position. I really liked her.

Tomorrow my little sister, Shoshana, will be twenty-five. What a grown-up age. I can hardly believe it. It makes me feel a little old, but not as old as being at that Of Montreal show did so it will be okay.

As I am in a very happy mood I think I will include a youtube clip that made me very happy last night. I was searching for live clips of Of Montreal doing songs I want them to play and but they never will I came across this video that a couple of random dudes made to the ever so wonderful, Tim Wish You Were Born A Girl. It’s less than two minutes long so none of you have any excuse but to watch and see how incredibly adorable and wonderful and sweet this song is. Then, if you are feeling extra happy (which you should be after that song), check out the Hiemdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse video because who doesn’t like a great song with a video that looks as it if cost $10 and makes no sense? I won't be mad it you don't because even though it is under four minutes that is almost twice as long as the first. One of these days I promise I will stop obsessing over this band that no one knows about. I will. Really. I mean it. Random songs are after the videos.





1. If this world were mine/ I would place at your feet/ all that I own/ You’ve been so good to me

2. Oh it’s good/ Good to see you again/ Good to meet your girlfriend/ I’ll try not to wonder where you are/ when you go outside to kiss her in the front seat of your car. Good, Bad, Ugly. Ani DiFranco. Identified by Brooke.

3. I prayed to/ Heaven today/ Bring its hammer down on me/ And pound you out of my head/ I can’t think with you in there

4. Lately I find myself out gazing at stars/ Hearing guitars/ Like someone in love. Like Someone in Love, Bjork. Identified by Brooke.

5. I spend the afternoon in cars/ I sit in traffic jams for hours/ Don’t push me I am not ok

WHAT'S TO BECOME OF ME

Something rather tragic has happened. I don’t know what to watch. If you have been reading this blog for any amount of time you know that I LOVE TV. It makes me so happy that I even rent TV. In fact, for the last two years, Tony and I have been renting Angel and Buffy from Netflix. We finished Angel about a year or so ago and have been watching Buffy ever since. Now, before you write me off, please understand that I too was skeptical of these shows. I thought they were crap for ubernerds to watch because they can’t make friends. I was wrong. They are shows for ubernerds to watch when they don’t feel like seeing their friends or would rather enjoy a nice day on the couch. What I am trying to say is that I really underestimated these shows. I am so glad Tony made me watch them. They are good, like Flight of the Conchords good or even Arrested Development good. Granted, they may not appeal to the same audiences and many people will argue with me but the self-aware ridiculousness of them compiled with strong female role-models and a sci-fi twist really makes for quality television.

Anyway, over the weekend we watched Buffy season 7 disc 6, the final disc in our two series 12 season extravaganza. It was quite a wonderful ending I went through every possible emotion which is the mark of a great series finale. It felt finished unlike Angel, which felt finished but rushed. It was though because they received word mid-season that it would be their last. They had to wrap things up pretty quick. Damn those evil network executives who didn’t know that Angel was easily one of the best shows ever it was easily better than Buffy (although some may disagree) but got two less seasons. Crap.

I digress, what I am trying to say is that I no longer know what TV to rent from Netflix. We rented Undeclared since Tony hadn’t seen it and we like that Apatow but, although a fine program that was cancelled before its time, it isn’t as quality as the shows we just finished watching. Someone suggested that we watch Charmed since we like Angel and Buffy so much but, from what I have seen of that show, it isn’t as smart or as funny or as well done and that would just be a huge letdown. We were pushed toward Firefly since we obviously like Joss Whedon but it is just a little too hardcore Sci-fi for us to get into. Whatever should be done? We need help. I fear nothing will ever come close to satisfying my TV renting again.

Don’t tell me to go out and explore the world. I explore when I feel like it and winter just around the corner. Don’t tell me to watch Desperate Housewives or Grey’s Anatomy, I’ve seen little bits of those shows and am simply not impressed. I need humor, witticism, creativity, and the unexpected. I need to never have watched these glorious series so that I can experience them all over again for the first time. I need a show that I have low expectations for to come in and hook me hard, I need a revelation. What, oh what, should I do? I know, reveal the unguessed songs from last week.

1. I went all the way to Paris/ To forget your face/ Captured in stained glass/ Young lives long since past/ Statues of lovers everyplace. History of Us, Indigo Girls

2. Baby your magic is working/ I lose control of myself/ Whenever you are near me/ I feel myself changing/ From a guy thought too cynical for love into a hopeless romantic. Your Magic is Working, Of Montreal

5. I like a girl with caked up make-up/ in the sunshine smoking cigarettes to pass the time/ Who wakes up to a bottle of wine. So Rich, So Pretty, Mickey Avalon

FOODIE FRIDAY- STUFFED MUSHROOMS

It has been a few weeks since a proper Foodie Friday and I felt it was time to bring out one of my staples that I surprisingly haven’t posted yet. I’m talking stuffed mushrooms.

-1 container large mushrooms, (you can do it with the regular ones but that is a lot of stuffing action) washed, stems removed and diced
-1tbsp olive oil
-1 stalk celery diced
-1 medium onion diced
-2 cloves garlic diced
-1tsp rosemary
-¼ cup bleu cheese crumbled (can be made without or with more, brie also tastes mighty good in these)
-3tbps vegetable stock for stuffing and ½ cup for cooking in
-¼ cup (if I remember correctly but I could be totally wrong) cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

-Preheat oven to 375
-Heat oil over medium heat in a large saucepan
-Add onion and cook about 5 minutes
-Add celery and garlic cook about one minute
-Add mushroom stems and rosemary, cook until tender, about 5 minutes
-Stir in bleu cheese and cook about 1 min until well blended
-Add bread crumbs and cook for about 1 min
-Add 3tbsp vegetable stock and stir until ingredients make a nice paste type substance (you may need to add more crumbs or stock as this is all from memory and I haven’t made them in over a year)
-Spoon filling into mushroom caps placed in a large baking pan
-Pour stock into baking pan making sure the bottoms of the mushrooms are well covered
-Put in oven and cook for about 15-20 minutes
-Baste with stock a few times during the cooking process to make sure they are nice and juicy
Enjoy

I spend a lot of time on this blog talking about my work. Sometimes I don’t feel I do a very good job of explaining what it is that I do. Basically I teach a Customer Service Certification course at a workforce development focused non-profit and manage a contract for the state making sure our files are in order. However, my class and contract are part of a much bigger whole. It is an important whole and it doesn't get talked about very much on here. A prospective film person did a pro bono video for us and I figured I wanted to share.


1. Down in the cellar in the Boho zone/ I went looking for some sweet inspiration/ Oh well, just another hard time and with Negro affectations

2. I just wanna fuck bad bitches/ all them nights I never had bitches/ Now I’m all up in that ass bitches/ Mad at your boyfriend ain’t you

3. Well showing how it used to be/ So hard/ This hard /Used to get those kicks for free/ But now I’m towing the line

4. Oh we could rock/ Or we could bomb/ Or we could try/ Like super hard.

5. I know what you want/ The magpies have come/ If you know me so well then tell me which hand I use. Yes, Anastasia. Tori Amos. Identified by Brooke.

OBLIGATORY PLUG POST

As everyone knows I love TV. TV is a great friend to me. Lately, a new show has found its way into my world. This show is HBOs Flight of The Conchords. This show is so incredibly fantastic and wonderful I can't even tell you. Instead I'll have to show you. I tried to tell Monica about it and she was interested but when she saw it she became REALLY interested.

The band, Flight Of The Conchords, has apparently existed for some time and plenty of concert clips are available on YouTube. The clips have nothing on the show though. Everyone who doesn't have HBO should get it for the sole pleasure of watching these fantastic guys do hilarious things. Sometimes shows I love tend to get cancelled because people don't know how awesome they are. I doubt that will happen with this show because HBO usually gives programs a few seasons to get started. Plus, I have seen people caring about this program and there have only been 4 episodes so far. Just in case, I want to do my part to spread the word.

From the website the premise of the show is as follows:
Bret and Jemaine have moved to New York in the hope of forging a successful music career. So far they've managed to find a manager (whose "other" job is at the New Zealand Consulate), one fan (a married obsessive) and one friend (who owns the local pawn shop) -- but not much else.

This pretty much sums it up, except for the fact that they tend to burst into song a few times an episode. It also doesn't talk about how incredibly adorable Bret and Jemaine are. Then again, many people either don't care how adorable they are or will think I have lost my mind. Most of the time the songs are in their heads but sometimes they are legitimately singing. Their songs aren't just any songs either, they are wonderful hilarious insane songs that make you want to die and stuff. I can't wait until they incorporate "Albie (Racist Dragon)" into an episode. I wish I could show you more general clips from the show but most of the things you can embed are songs. The songs are particularly great though and I like to have some cohesion in my posts so here you go.

Now, before you start thinking how you don't like musicals or things where people randomly break into song you should just take my word for it. It's awesome. The clips are nice and short (about a minute and a half each) so it won't even take up too much of your time to indulge me.

1. If You're Into It. (Episode 4. Yoko. This episode is currently available for viewing on the website)
Bret wrote this song for his girlfriend Coco with the help of Jemaine. Bret's original version had been 2 hours of very off the wall things that Bret would do for Coco. You know, the typical climb the highest mountain kind of stuff. Jemaine pointed out that Bret probably wouldn't do most of those things and suggested he make the song more realistic. They talked about what Bret knew about Coco and decided they had enough material for a song. This is what they came up with.


2.Hip-Hopopotamus vs. The Rhymenocerous (Episode 3. Mugged)
Bret and Jemaine are in the process of being mugged because their manager had them out there bad and looking like obvious tourists. They thought about their rap identities and figured if the muggers knew who they really were they would not be mugged. The muggers just wondered why they were dancing and mugged them anyway.


3. She's So Hot, Boom (Episode 2. Bret Gives Up the Dream)
Bret gets a job holding signs to to supplement the bands income as they have not had any gigs. He gets really into signs. He also meets Coco. At this point, Coco is not yet his girlfriend but he sure does think she's hot. Boom.


4. Robot (Episode 1. Sally)
Murry, the band manager, has decided to make a video. Unfortunately his only video camera is on his cell phone. Ugh. The budget is a bit tight so they had to make costumes. Meanwhile, Jemaine tries to date Bret's ex-girlfriend Sally.


I hope you enjoy these clips a quarter of as much as I enjoy the show. If that is the case you will love them a lot.

To continue my obnoxious plugging of this great band I will give you three random songs by Flight Of The Conchords

1. The aforementioned Albie (Racist Dragon)


2. Part-time Model


3. Bowie Song

sorry for the many videos but if you have made it this far you obviously know these guys are incredibly hilarious and you are happy I included them.
Word.

RAMEN IS A BIT OF A REACH

Before I get started

Happy Birthday Mom-
I love you so much and am so glad to have you as my Mommy. You're the best.

Now back to the task at hand. I know that a ramen recipe is bogu as far as true foodieness goes. However, this was the most delicious bowl of ramen I have ever had and I wanted to share it with you all. It may be able to be improved upon as Monica has discovered that cooking ramen in V-8 is delicious. I didn’t have any V-8 so I couldn’t find out.

Sapporo Ichiban Ramen is essential to this recipe. Mainly because it is one of the only vegetarian ramens out there but also because everyone (that I have asked) agrees that as far as ramen goes, this one is the most delicious.

1 package Sapporo Ichiban original flavor Ramen
Juice of ½ lemon
2tbsp scallion diced
4 oyster mushrooms sliced
1tbsp chili powder
3 dashes cayenne
1 dash garlic powder
1-2tsp Sriracha hot sauce

Put all the stuff in the pot while the water boils. Cook ramen 3 minutes. Add seasoning packet. Enjoy.

As an added bonus, I saw this bit about a ramen noodle shop on my cousin’s myspace page. It just fit so well with Foodie Friday that how could I not include it.

Oh and the Ugly Betty season finale was awesome. Monica is right, depending on what angle you look at her from she looks just like both of us. Super scary. One of my clients told me the other day that I looked just like Ugly Betty. I told him, “thanks seeing how she is all ugly and stuff,” he replied that he didn’t mean it that way and thought we both were cute. I told him it was ok. I think she is cute too, it’s just that no one likes to be told they look like someone whose name is Ugly.

The Egg, Quasi- This reminds me of this movie I saw in Imax called The Egg when I was young. It was very basic computer animation but nothing I have ever seen worked so well with the Imax effect as that movie did. I followed that egg hither and yon through trains tracks and the ocean. I wish I could do it again.

Marriage, Divorce, and Motels, Lenny Bruce- When you listen to this stuff and realize all the mess Lenny Bruce was in for his comedy, you really get an appreciation for how much more we will put up with from comedians these days.

A Peak You Reach, Badly Drawn Boy- Listening to Badly Drawn Boy makes me miss Monica. Good thing I am off to meet her for lunch. Cheerio.