Thursday, September 30, 2004

Danny Devito! I love your work!

Now listening to: Air (Moon Safari)

Well today was pretty good...aside from waking up to the sound of an obnoxiously irregular chainsaw. My neighbors are huge fans of any and all gas powered engines. The kids ride motorcycles around the yard all the time (it was go carts when they were younger) and the parents are constantly mowing or weedeating or something. Hell, when it's winter they often have a gas-powered generator going for no reason at all (or so it seems to me). Anyway today it was a chainsaw and I considered going across the street and showing the proper technique for dismembering. But since it was around noon I let it go...this time.

I had planned to go out and get my Jeep inspected and apply for a couple of crap jobs...but ended up with a late start. I was surprised to find out that I already had a new inspection sticker that my dad had to have gotten today. What a pleasant surprise.

So I collected a bunch of old games and Trip and I went to Danville for some trade action. A nice meal at Quizno's (we love the subs!! cause they are good for us!) and hit EBGames. I traded in four games and School of Rock and picked up Burnout 3 and paid for half of Halo 2 on a preorder...not a bad deal actually.

We then came home and played Burnout a bit, then watched Mean Girls which was pretty good. It had some slow moments, but there was one line that made me nearly bust a gut. Oh my god I laughed my ass off for 10 minutes after it and am still giggling about it several hours later. It is, of course, the title of this post and honestly I can't tell you why it was that funny...it just was. As for the whole movie I'd say +1 chainmail...although the fact that Lindsay Lohan is so hot makes me consider a higher rating.

After that I came home with the intention of geeking out with my new game...I got sidetracked and ended up finishing The Princess Bride, which was very good. It would have been better if I hadn't seen the movie before, but it was still excellent. Ya know, after thinking about it some I think the movie may be better overall. It's not that the book is bad (not at all) it's just that the movie does a better job of consolidating the story as a whole. Also you get the great characters brought to life with some excellent acting, a la Andre the Giant (Obey the Giant!) and Mandy Patankin. Even Billy Crystal is awesome and how many movies can you say that about (this one and When Harry Met Sally, everything else is kinda ehh...)

Wednesday, September 29, 2004

Disappointing numbers

This site is certified 35% EVIL by the Gematriculator


clearly I've got to work harder or good will win over...

Hell is chrome

Now listening to: Wilco

Well today was a wasted day...although I have to admit I do feel relaxed. I slept late (even later than usual) just because it was raining out and I love that sound while I'm in bed. Then I spent the rest of the day replaying Fable and watching crap TV. I did watch Scrubs which is cool. Gotta like Zack Braff and Heather Graham is nice to look at.

Anyway add leftover pizza and watching bits of Fight Club on fx (how can I not watch the very end when Where is my mind kicks in and the buildings fall? headcavingly orgasmic) and that's my whole day. I'm gonna want that time back someday.

I finished rereading Bloodsucking Fiends and it was as good as I remember it. I started reading the Princess Bride, basically because Trip gave me a copy (along with several other books) and it's good. The book is usually better than the movie and I'm hoping this holds true, because the movie is awesome (Filet Mignon). I'm debating opening a bottle of wine and sipping that while I read it tonight. I'm not sure it's a great idea (the whole drinking alone thing while unemployed is too much of a cliche to become) so I may just forget it.

Tuesday, September 28, 2004

Hideous, screaming pain!

Now watching the Skins/Cowboys game

Hmm where to begin. Yesterday was fairly uneventful after my post. I finally finished Fable and the ending was blah...I took the evil path, which was certainly more fun. After that Corb, Trip and I grabbed dinner and had an intense religious discussion. Corbin has some intense and unbending ideas about religion that caught me off guard. It's his right, I suppose, but it still boggles my mind. While Trip and myself were diametrically opposed to Corb's beliefs the whole affair stayed civil, which is a rarity.

The problem I always have with those discussions (besides the fact that noone has ever had their mind changed because of one) is that ultimately it all comes down to the question of faith. Believers always throw the "You've just got to believe it." ball at you and it's impossible to dodge. The really annoying ones make it seem like it's some fatal flaw in your character that you don't believe in their imaginary friend. That really pisses me off.

Today I managed to stay away from intense philosophical discussions and did very little. I watched Life or Something Like It, which was ok, but nothing I'd be that interested in watching again (Meh.), although I do really like most of Edward Burns' acting roles. After that I went to Trip's and we watched some Invader Zim, American Chopper, The Daily Show and generally just goofed off.

The Redskins are having some issues in this game. Lack of offense to name one. I think the problem is that Joe Gibbs is essentially still playing with Steve Spurrier's players...which isn't the best idea. Oh on a similar football note I'd like to rub in the fact that my Steelers beat Nick's Dolphins. The Phins' offense is kind of floundering about at the best of times. Add hurricane force weather and the Steelers defense and running game managed to grind it out against a suffering squad. Of course Nick is already lamenting the season so I'll let him off easy.

Sunday, September 26, 2004

Committing suicide really slowly

Now watching: all three football games in small doses

Well yesterday was funfilled. It started with a trek to my aunt's wedding, which went incredibly quick. In and out, no muss , no fuss. The only truly notable moment was when the minister talked about psycho weirdos who believe that marriage could be between something other than a man and a woman. Nothing better than a anti-gay marriage rant worked into the wedding ceremony. On a day that's supposed to be about a celebration of love, the minister works in a little bit of bigotted hate. That's nice. Anyway, aside from that debacle I had a good time hanging with the fam. and joking around at the reception.

After I left the reception I hightailed it to Reed's apartment to go and see Wilco with he and Kevin. We had a pretty good time. Some good conversation on the way down and back and the show was kickass (foot massage). Technically those guys were awesome and while they tend to be more on the mellow side usually, when they broke it down, it was excellent. It was also good to hang with Kevin and Reed and break out of the usual. Sometimes I just need something different to do to keep my sanity.

Today I'm gonna kick back a bit. I'm not really that interested in any of the games that are on early, kinda dull. I still need to beat Fable, so I can trade it in for something else and I mean it this time. I may also give Trip a call later and try to see Shaun of the Dead, which I hear is good.

Friday, September 24, 2004

Just like Muhammad Ali, they called him Cassius

Well it's much later and I did call MV about the job. Initially the principal told me to call back later, when I called back he wasn't availiable. So I get to wait all weekend and frankly I'm not that optimistic. Upon further inspection my weird interview may have been a blow off. I realized it the other day and tonight when I mentioned it to my mother, she told me that he'd done that before to people he never hired. So it seems I'm get screwed over.

It's so frustrating. I know I was smarter than a lot of the teachers I had in high school and can undoubtedly do a better job of teaching than they did. However I am being denied because this principal is a douche bag. I'm not sure what I'm gonna do if I don't get this job. Mom mentioned that I should go ahead and take the Praxis, which is probably a good idea. Pass that and I'll be a shoo-in for a job somewhere next year. Of course it'll be a long cold winter in the mean time.

Anyway after all that crap I went to Trip's for our regular Halo night action. It was kind of a letdown. Nobody seemed enthusiastic about anything and we all just sat around mostly. Trip had to rise early anyway so we all called it a night pretty early. Now I'm thinking I'm gonna beat Fable so I can trade it in next week for something good.

I'm gonna take your tongue out and lick my ass with it

I really wanted to post yesterday, but wasn't able to. My internet went down in the afternoon and I just got it back online (with the help of my friendly neighborhood cable dude). Anyway I ended up hanging with Trip yesterday (big surprise) and we went to Danville and did our thing.

We came back and played Def Jam: Fight for NY. My initial thoughts were that this game had to suck, it's licensed crap and looks like a wrestling game, but actually it's really good. I know I was as surprised as you are. Anyway we played that for most of the night and there were some really funny lines in it (a la the title here today). I'm saying it's a foot massage with filet mignon potential. It's just a little difficult at times.

Anyway I am supposed to call about the teaching job in a coupla minutes and see how that goes. Keep your fingers crossed.

I also finished reading Battle Royale by Koushun Takami. It's an interesting book about a totalitarian government that sponsors this killing game where they take a class of 14 year olds and put them on an island and make them kill each other until only one is left. It's a Japanese translation and it's pretty good. The only trouble I had was that sometimes it was obvious that the language difference was hard to overcome. I'm saying this was a foot massage as well.

Oh, Kevin called me today and invited me to see Wilco tomorrow, for free! It's gonna be pretty sweet. I've been meaning to call that cat anyway, so this is a plus. OK I'm going to make the call now.

Wednesday, September 22, 2004

Sticks and rocks

Now watching: Throne of Blood

So last night I finally got to play Star Wars Battlefront with Trip and Corb. It was pretty fun, flawed but fun. We had a good time shooting rebel scum and Ewoks. Corb was playing as Corbacca, which I found to be hilarious. So a good time was had by all. It will probably be even better online or with the system link.

After that I came home and watched the end of the WSOP Tournament of Champions, which was fun. It's always cool to see high level players you're familiar with in action. Between that and Mike's invite to play poker I decided to get a little play money action going. It's not the same as the real thing, but I wanted to play something. I started out on and Omaha table, which was a bad idea as I got school quickly. I then moved to a pot limit hold em table where I did very well. Had some solid hands where a low pocket pair turned into trips and then a full house. After starting with $25 of fake cash I ended the night around $190. Sure it's fake money, but it's always fun to win.

I started watching Thone of Blood yesterday and it's damn good. Another Akira Kurosawa samurai movie that is just well put together. You can't deny the epic battle sequences or the acting of Toshiro Mifune. It's a window into Japanese history, with a bit of fantasy thrown in. An evil spirit delivers information on the future and the main characters end up acting to make them come try, with the help of a meanspirited, needling wife in Mifune's case. It's a morality tale about not betraying trust to further your own goals. A bit of a steal from old Shakespeare, I think, but still excellent. I'm saying foot massage, but admit it's a bit slow paced and not for everyone.

Tuesday, September 21, 2004

It puts the lotion on it's skin or it gets the hose again

Soo my interview was weird. I'm not really sure if I got interviewed or the principal and I just hung out. I had to wait forever before he got to me, which I can understand lots of stuff was going on like someone having a seizure. So that's not a big deal. Once I got in his office I answered like three questions and then we walked around the school. I'm not sure why we walked around the school, but we did.

While we were walking he talked about classroom management and gave me examples of different ways to do it. It was almost as if he believed I'd never been in a classroom before. I just kind of nodded my head and went along with it. I have no idea if it went well or not. I was just there. He told me he'd let me know something on Friday, so let's all hope I get the job.

Anyway after grabbing some lunch I came home and took a nap, which was pleasant I can tell you. Nothing like cool fall air and snuggly blanket. After finally getting up my cousin Mike invited me to a poker game in Roanoke, which I had to turn down because of finances, but it was a nice thought. I'll probably get to see him this weekend at his mother's wedding, which should be an interesting affair to say the least. So I've got that to look forward to.

Archie is not fucking Mr. Weatherbee!

Another wasted day spent playing video games and watching tv. I did call and set up an interview for that teaching job tomorrow. So I get to get up early for that. I also talked to the guys at Danville about the job and they seemed interested. I don't want that job tho, I really don't. Talking to him it occured to me how many things I really hated about working exclusively with sports and newspapers. Of course, should this teaching thing fall through I suppose my options are limited.

I've realized I don't want to have to go back to work, but I'm not happy not working. Of course I'm definitely not happy when I am working. I suppose that means that I'm just not going to be happy. I'm just hoping the sense of dread I have about getting back to work will prove to be unfounded. Generally what I expect is exactly opposite of what actually happens.

It's funny, I have an interview tomorrow, but I'm not really nervous. I was nervous last night about making the phone call, but I'm not worried about the actually interview, or rather I'm worried a lot less. I'm not really sure why that it, I think I'm pretty comfortable in the interview environment, having given them for so long.

Anyway I spent the day watching Chasing Amy again, which may be Kevin Smith's best movie...probably is. Mallrats is still my fav., but Chasing Amy has more depth. I played some Fable and then just flipped through the channels for the rest of the night. I did watch a lot of the Eagles/Vikings game and that was ok. Eagles looked pretty good.

Sunday, September 19, 2004

Try new human rinds

Now: preparing to watch Adult Swim

I've been bummed today as the Steelers were just beat off the ball for most of the game today. They showed a few signs of life in the second half, but it was too little too late. I was impressed with Troy Polamalu, who seemed to always be around the ball. Still a loss put a pallor on the day.

After that I bummed around for a while and then Trip and I went to see Mr. 3000. It was ok, Bernie Mac was funny and it had moments, but it wasn't exceptional. A little too much heartfelt growth and not enough goofy laughs. Angela Bassett did look hot, that woman must really work to keep herself in shape. Well that or she's spent a lot of cash, either way she's hot.

I got a call tonight about the Danville job. It seems they are interested in interviewing me. But I also have a lead on a teaching job, which I'd prefer. I'm gonna see what the deal is there, but I may set up an interview with Danville. Still I'm not looking forward to working nights again, that just sucks.

The one problem I have with this fall weather is that I want to sleep all the time. I know some of you are thinking "But he always wants to sleep all the time." Well I say screw you, I don't, I'm just largely nocturnal. Still with this kind of weather it's so nice to be snuggly under a blanket. I have a real tough time waking up and even once I rouse myself I stay groggy for quite a while. It blows.

We can't park here, this is bat country

Now: ready to go to bed

I've been too distracted to write for the last coupla days, between playing Fable and whatnot. Fable is pretty sweet, but a bit flawed. I still have a ways to go tho before I can make a concrete rating.

Today Trip and I went to Danville to see Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. Actually we went there, had dinner, shopped a bit and then drove home to see the movie. It was an odd circumstance and it just worked out that way. Anyway the movie was pretty good. The critics quotes used in the ads made it seem like it'd be a lot better tho. Still it wasn't bad, just not as immersive as I would have liked. I did like the effects and the design of the villanous robots. I'd say it tetters on the line of +1 chainmail and foot massage.

While shopping I picked up the Guilty Gear X2 Reloaded basically because I'd heard good things and it was only $20. I really like some of the character designs, but man do I suck. I thought I'd be ok, but really I'm pretty clueless. I will need some time to figure out what does what before I hit XBox Live.

Last night I fiddled with Fable and watched a lot of TV. I found myself watching Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas again and giggling quite often. Man is that a great movie. Some of the lines lifted from the book are also incredible...in particular the soliloquey about how you could see the highwater mark where the 60s culture of peace was turned back. That's just good drug-fueled writing. I recommend it to one and all, the movie and the book. (Filet Mignon, with headcavingly orgasmic moments).

In the wake of all the tornados and hurricanes, the weather has turned into fall and I like it. That nip in the air is wonderful, I only wish my Jeep were less open. Still it's nice to go outside and not immediately burst into sweat. I love the smell of fall air too, seems so brisk and refreshing. Plus fall fashions are much more flattering on the big man.

Friday, September 17, 2004

You are the prototype

Now: turning off my television

Having a Falwellian moment, I have decided that the reason that the south is being pelted with hurricanes is because god is mad at them for voting Republican. That's right, all this suffering is brought on by the sinful nature of the right wing. We can only hope they repent and the lord forgives them.

Played a lot of Fable today and after several hours of trying and getting annoyed, then going away, then coming back and trying again I got past the problem I was having. My biggest problem is that sticking to my evil mindset is hard. I always end up with good points for killing stuff, which annoys me.

So anyway, it's supposed to rain like a bastard tomorrow, so I have that to look forward to. Halo night is penciled in, but with Danny already counting himself out it may be a wash. Corb has a tendency to find other stuff to do and inclement weather can also take him out of the game. I may end up sitting here playing Fable all day and night again tomorrow. That would be ok, but I'm already feeling the stir crazy pangs.

Remember to repent and vote Kerry if you want the hurricanes to stop. Also the terrorists win if Bush stays in office (if the argument is good enough for Dick Cheney, then it's good enough for me).

Thursday, September 16, 2004

Happy 1000th visitor to me!

I just noticed that I have over 1K hits now. Woo, in less than a year I've gotten you people to come here 1,000 times. Man are you easy to dupe...err...that is to say...Thank you!

Chickenchaser...do you chase chickens?

Now: preparing to play more Fable

Last night I didn't update because I got Fable and was intent on getting some time in with the game. So far it's pretty kickass, although I still have only scratched the surface.

Yesterday I got a haircut and tried to find a copy of Fable for most of the afternoon. I eventually had to drive to Danville to get it, which was annoying. I had a disgusting meal at IHOP (I won't be going back there soon) and had to wade hip deep in tards at EBGames. Honestly, there was one guy debating buying a warranty for his new XBox and he asked how long a year was no less than three times. Also there were the pair of crack heads selling off an old PS1 and bunch of crappy games for drug money. Finally I was released from the tard-a-thon and went back to Trip's where we goofed off for a while and I let him play a bit.

I decided to apply for the Danville paper job and sent off my resume just now, a la email. I included some salary requirements so I may not get it anyway, but I did apply. But there is no reason to start at a new job and not make as much as I did at the Bulletin, that's just absurd.

Wednesday, September 15, 2004

Froggy went a courting and Bender is great

Now listening to: Cap'n Jazz

A full day of doing nothing. There are few things more satisfying than doing nothing when you are in the mood for it. Today was perfect for it and I vegged to my maximum potential.

I watched The Great Escape, which was very good. Loads of notable actors putting together a solid movie. My only complaint was that it was too long, 2.5 hours. But all in all it was good, I'm saying foot massage. I also watched The Transporter, which was ok. The DVD was scratched so I didn't get to see the very end, which annoyed me, but honestly I don't think the Oscar clip would have been there. I'd rate it +1 chainmail, but that's only because I was in the mood for mindless. Catch me on a different day and it could be Shaq-fu.

I also watched the finale of the World Series of Poker. There were some excellent hands and some interesting moments. I do have to say that this one seemed to have a little less personality than last year's tournament. I think it was partly because Sammy Farha wasn't there. Also when Marcel Luske went out in 10th place, the final table lost a lot of personality.

Anyway I'm still undecided what to do about the whole Danville paper job. I'm really not sure I want to go back to working nights and weekends all the time and making no money doing it. Right now I'm making no money, but at least my nights and weekends are free. It's a question of whether I believe something better is out there for me that I can do well. Also a question of whether I'm willing to wait for it.

Anyway tomorrow I am gonna go and apply at some crap job that I won't get and maybe get a haircut, which I need desperately. I also intend to pick up Fable, which I hope lives up to some of the hype.

Monday, September 13, 2004

Should I stay or should I go?

Now: watching the end of the Packers/Panthers game

Well one of my worst nightmares has come true. A moment of decision, that will dictate how I want to live my life. The Danville Register & Bee just posted an opening for a sports reporter/designer. Essentially the same job I had at the Bulletin. The pay would probably be worse than I made, but the benefits would be better. The question is do I want to go back to that or should I wait for something better? That's no easy question.

Now that my life has settled in a little with unemployment I'm a lot less stressed. Sure I'm still prone to depression derived from not having a job or a lot of money, but when I was working I got depressed for having a job. It's just one of those things. I don't know if I want to go back to working nights and all the other crap that goes with reporting, but it could be a lot better than other jobs I might get. It's a conundrum. I'll have to apply some serious thought and maybe talk it out with some people. Danville isn't great, but it's better than Mville (marginally). So that's where I'm at with that. I am applying for a social studies teaching gig at Radford, that I think would be ok. Maybe I'll get that and all will be well.

That's pretty much taken up my thoughts since I got home from Trip's, where we watched Fear Factor (yesh) and the first half of the game. I can't really think of anything else to talk about right now. I anticipate that it will be difficult falling asleep tonight...although the fact that I stayed up until 7 a.m. finishing Carter Beats the Devil last night. It was a good story and I'd say it rates a foot massage.

Those hats are murder!

Now listening to: Slipknot

It's been a pretty good day. I started things off by watching the Steelers pull out a late victory over the Raiders 24-21 this afternoon and that set the tone right. I'll probably blog about that more at Goal Line Stand. After that I had planned to watch the Giants/Eagles, but the dimwits at the local Fox affiliate decided that the Falcons/49ers game would draw a bigger crowd...I think not. That is just stupid. So I bailed and Trip and I celebrated the Steelers win (ok I celebrated Trip was just there) by eating crab legs at Red Lobster. Which was good.

We returned to Trip's pad and watched Resident Evil. Milla Jovovich is really hot, but the movie was not good. I'm a big fan of zombie movies and this just left me kinda cold. Too many places where I wanted to see more gore and didn't (Meh.). Also I have a question for most zombie movies...if the zombies are basically motivated by their desire to eat, why don't they eat each other? It's the same flesh. The movies where they only want fresh brains I get, but the flesheaters are eating the same thing either way. Just a thought.

We watched the Slipknot video that was on the Resident Evil DVD and Trip remarked that they were kinda crappy. That sparked a debate that covered a defense of death metal (by me), shock rock and how a band's fans don't necessarily provide an accurate picture of what a band is doing. Oh and we bashed the Family Guy for a bit, because that show is really not so good, despite a dedicated fan following. I defend it to Trip, but watching tonight's episode, it really is a poor man's Simpsons.

After that we watched adult swim, which is awesome. High points included a blue buffalo shouting the title of this post, a milkshake firing t-shirts through a window and a man subduing his captors with the power of his ass muscules. I have to say it was pure genius.

Back to Slipknot, I'm listening to Iowa, which I picked up a while back when I didn't exactly know what Slipknot was like. It's not bad, but not great either. They wear odd masks and have their own band lore to pull their fans in. Musically it's got that grinding metal sound a la Korn, with an occasional nod to speed metal/death metal. Lyrically, it certainly appeals to angst filled teenage males, I wouldn't say it'd devoid of worth. They aren't really blazing a new path, but if writing about original things was a requirement then there wouldn't be a whole lot to choose from (although They Might Be Giants might still have a substantial catalogue, but they are rather unsual). I'd say this album ranks about a +1 chainmail, but I do have a higher tolerance for yelling, noise and angsty lyrics than most.

Saturday, September 11, 2004

Curse you devil weeds

Now listening to: Classical webradio

I mowed Trip's grass today and I am TIRED! That weedeater kicked my ass. It's been a while since I worked on the golf course and did that for eight hours at the time. Now 15 minutes of it makes me think I'm in heart arrest. Anyway it's done and I can relax and watch football all day tomorrow.

After my debilitating afternoon, Corb, Trip and myself had dinner at Clarence's and then I watched them play coop Halo for a while. Honestly I was too tired to take part. I just laid on the couch and scratched Bodie (Trip's Boston terrier) behind the ears. Now I'm thinking the bed sounds like a good idea.

Before I went into the world of grass and mowers, I watched the end of Rudy again today. I don't give a damn about Notre Dame really, but man I don't know how you can watch the end of that movie and not get a little sentimental. It's such a great movie, you have to root for the guy. Nighty night.

Friday, September 10, 2004

Blinded me with science

Now: getting ready to read Carter Beats the Devil

The usually Friday night hijinks, Halo at Trip's. Trip also rented The Guy Game, which is basically a party game where women flash their boobs. It's nothing special and if you need to see boobs rent a Girls Gone Wild video. I'd say Meh. is being generous.

I went to bed early last night (around 1 a.m.) and got up early and now I'm feeling tired. Could this be the signs of a normal sleep schedule? I doubt it. I'm also not feeling well, Bojangles did not do me right. So there is that.

Carter Beats the Devil is pretty good. It's set at the turn of the century (the 19th to the 20th, not the more recent turn) and I really enjoy reading about that period. America seemed to have such a different face. The frontier spirit still alive instead of the get rich quick and be a reality tv star mentality we have now.

First down

Now: recovering from the football game and watching ESPN highlights

So I just finished watching and blogging about the opening game of the NFL season. I ended up with like 10 posts through the game, just publishing as thoughts occured to me. Check it out at Goal Line Stand, if you are interested at all. It was a good game and I rambled on and on...

Haven't done much today, started playing Culdcept a little and am already frustrated with it. I can see how it could be addictive, but the learning curve seems a little harsh. I think I may be better served playing an old school PS1 RPG, as that is the urge that this is catering to. I may just not bother until next week when I get Fable.

I also watched the premiere of Joey. It wasn't bad, but I'm not really that intrigued. Seemed like more of the same old sitcom crap.

For some reason I'm feeling tired. I think it was drinking just one beer, that always makes me yawny. The answer is to always drink four or five really quick, then you don't get sleepy, you get drunk.

Thursday, September 09, 2004

Bunk, I say, bunk!

Now listening to: Minor Threat

Another slackass day in the books. Hung around, went to Trip's and we got dinner then did some grocery shopping (we look so gay walking around a grocery store together, it's sad) and then watched some TV. Watched the 60 Minutes on the guy that helped Bush into the Texas Air Guard. I am actually tired of all the Vietnam talk in this election. Can't we just do some talk about the issues...the fact that W hasn't done anything, except start a highly controversial war and destroy the environment. That he's just a corporate toady and needs to go.

Umm, after that we tried to watch the British version of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. It was less than good. I am a little bored with the original (although watching it with friends and making fun of people is fun) and this new version lacked the charisma that the first one had. So we switched to Good Eats, which is a pretty good cooking show.

I came home and applied for a PR job at VCU and am now typing this up and digging some straight edge punk done right. I think I may hook up some Culdcept before bed and if that gets boring move into Virtua Fighter 4: Evo.

Hopefully I won't have as much trouble updating tonight as I did yesterday. It just wouldn't work...I do notice that my few dedicated readers come back to see if I've updated more when I don't. Hmm I could drive up my numbers by making you guys wait. :)

Last night I ended up finishing Grass for his Pillow and it was ok. Clearly there are going to be at least a couple more in this series and this was basically a set up book, putting the pieces in place for the future action. As such, it lacked the energy of the first one and was more about character development. Not bad, but not great, (+1 chainmail). I am now moving on to Carter Beats the Devil by Glen David Gold. It's a loaner from Kevin and I'm only a couple of pages in, but it seems cool. I'm not going to stay up until 6 a.m. reading tonight tho. At least I had a dreamless sleep afterward, that's a definite plus.

Wednesday, September 08, 2004

The early bird dinner special is next

Now listening to: The Grey Album

Man today was stressful. I got up at 1p.m., then fiddled with the interweb for a while. I then chatted with my aunt Yvonne and Trip and then watched Invader Zim on DVD. After all that I had to have a nap. Whew! When I woke up I stayed on the couch for the rest of the night. Well I did move to my chair for some more internet action. I actually found a job in G-Boro that would be cool. I'm giving them a call tomorrow.

Anyway, yeah I'm tremendously slack. I couldn't believe I actually took a nap this afternoon. It's sad. I'm turning into a 29-year-old retiree. I'm going to try and make it out of the house tomorrow and apply for some work and just get out for a while. Maybe do some reading at the library or something. As it's supposed to rain I will likely not be going to G-Boro to play poker, although Nick will probably call me. He's been cool about that I have to say, but I'll save him the call this time. I will get up with you sometime soon dude, but right now I'm both poor and not wanting to drive my soggy ass Jeep.

So I'm reading Grass for his Pillow, the Tales of the Otori book I mentioned before, and it's pretty good. I like the whole Japanese vibe. I recommend it to anyone that enjoys samurai stuff.

Tuesday, September 07, 2004

Balls as smooth as eggs

Now listening to: Ugly Casanova

Had a weird night last night, actually the last couple of nights. I've been having these weird dreams where I'm trying to get somewhere, but never do. They clearly are anxiety driven and I'm not sure what to do about them. I guess not much I can do other than get a damn job. I'm hoping I can get back to non-restless sleep tonight, but we'll see.

Went to Roanoke today with Trip and Danny and had a decent time. I was a little out of sorts at the start, but eventually got into the swing of things. Did a little shopping and guess what...I spent too much money. I bought the new Invader Zim DVD, which simply has to be awesome. I also picked up a couple of books, one the second book in the Tales of Otori storyline I recently started and the other is Porno by Irvine Welsh. I'm hoping Porno is as good as Glue, which really sold me on him (Foot massage). The last thing I read by him was Filth and I didn't enjoy that as much (Meh.). I should probably go back and actually read Trainspotting instead of just relying on my knowledge of the movie...maybe.

I finished reading Battle of Corrin last night and it was good (+1 chainmail). The prequels that Brian Herbert is writing for his father's books have all be ok, but they really don't have the depth of the original Dune series. I guess it's just impossible to live up to the original, which synthesizes politics, religion, ecology, sociology and several other things into one unified story that fits perfectly together. It's simply an astounding achievement (headcavingly orgasmic).

Sunday, September 05, 2004

Mammals have four chambered hearts

Now listening to: Miles Davis (Kind of Blue)

I'm feeling tired and have no real reason to. I goofed off all day, not surprisingly. I read a lot of the new Dune book (Battle of Corrin). It's pretty good. Then Corb picked me up and we went to Trip's and watched Shaolin Soccer, which was fun. Not great, but enjoyable: +1 chainmail. We then grabbed some burgers and played Halo. I was talking shit...my new thing is talking about how I "drop science" after a victory. It amuses me, especially when I illustrate what dropping science is like. It's fun, although I think Corb and Trip may enjoy it less than me.

Anyway, now I am spending more time in front of the computer doing nothing useful. I still feel like ass and my congestion has moved into my ears which makes me totally deaf (and I didn't have that far to go before). I think I'm gonna go watch Adult Swim now.

We're not going to makeout

Now listening to: The Shins

I had an early morning today as Mom woke me up around 9 a.m. I had to finish making some cds to send to Gabe so she could mail them today. It was odd being up in the a.m., but not all bad. After finishing my cd making project I watched TV for a while (the NCAA football pregame on ESPN) then called Trip. We went to see Garden State in Danville.

I knew I was going to like this movie, just judging from the reviews I read and what Nick said about it. I was totally right and it may be one of my fav. movies of the year. It was quirky and a little moody, with just the right amount of funny. I really like Natalie Portman, she's beautiful and just seems like she'd be someone that's just fun to hang around. Maybe I'm just projecting. Anyway I'd say the movie was Filet Mignon. I'm always ranting about how much I love Wes Anderson's work and this movie had some similar motifs.

The one problem was that the movie made me start thinking about how things are going in my life. That's really not a good thing at this point. I've become one of those people that avoids talking to someone they know because they are embarrassed about how their life is going and don't want to hear how great things are for others. Bitterness is not a pretty thing.

Anyway other than that not much happened, the standard Halo playing and goofing off. Oh, we watched part of the Dave Chappelle standup on Showtime and that was pretty cool. He's a funny motherfucker.

I'm now debating downloading some Frou Frou, who were featured heavily in Garden State alongside The Shins. Some Nick Drake might be better, but I think Kevin has some of his stuff. That'd give me an excuse to visit that guy, plus I need to take some of his DVDs back to him.

Saturday, September 04, 2004

I've got the 21st century breathing down my neck

Now listening to: The Smiths

Went to my alba mater's first home football game tonight with Danny and was stunned. With the two schools combining it was a nightmare. The stands were packed and I had to wait forever to get in (which is a stark contrast to the way I used to sneak through). Anyway we finally get in and sit in front of the loudest people, who explained "I payed my $5 I'm gonna yell all I want!" It was obnoxious.

On top of that, Magna Vista didn't look so great. I'm not sure if it's because the team they were playing was so good or if they have just went down a notch. The offense sputtered all night and the defense allowed the Fleming RBs to break tackles all night long. We left at the beginning of the 4th quarter when Fleming picked off a MV pass and returned it for a touchdown to give them more than a 2 TD lead.

We then picked up some beer and hung at Trip's for a while, playing Halo and Soul Caliber 2. We also watched The Daily Show where they rip into Zeb Miller's tirade, particularly when he challenges Chris Matthews to a duel. That is funny stuff, as he's a total wackjob.

Now I am home and considering bed (beer makes me sleepy). Not sure what's on tap for the rest of the weekend. It's Labor Day weekend and I don't have to labor...pretty much like every other day.

Friday, September 03, 2004

Just rip the skin right off of the bone

Now listening to:Fugazi

Ok I've got to be honest, I've got this weird tickling around my rectum. I think it's from where George Bush blew smoke up my ass all night. I watched most of his speech (well I occasionally changed the channel when he would say something so far from the truth that I couldn't stand it). Both he and Dick Cheney talked about respecting the troops, but these are the same people who said yes to the Swift Boat ads that attack a decorated veteran with completely untrue allegations. (And if you think those ads went up without the Bush campaign's knowledge you are far too naive.)

Actually I have to admit a couple of the policies Bush offered for the next four years weren't completely off base. Improving the health care system is a big thing I'm all for, the problem is I don't believe he'll do it. In his last State of the Union address he talked about all kinds of things he would be working on...I ain't seen it. The only thing he's worked on was his campaign.

Of course I shouldn't be getting so upset over this election and the sad state of America. The American people will be getting what they deserve. If they are stupid enough to give Bush power for four more years then it just proves my first rule. (People are stupid.)

Moving away from politics, I have been a useless waste of space again today. Still recovering from my allergies (which seem to be receding thankfully) and just watched tv all day. I watched most of the Steelers/Panthers game and that was ok, nothing special. All in all, a day I'll wish I had back at the end of my life.

Thursday, September 02, 2004

Function is the key

Now listening to: Fugazi

Still feeling ill, the battle with allergens continues unabated. Slacked off most of the day (I know all of you are shocked). I played a little Prince of Persia, which is pretty sweet, but I'm not sure if I'll have the patience to puzzle out all the things I need to do to get from point a to point b. Still it is a well engineered game.

I also went to Trip's for a while and we watched a little TV and then The Italian Job. No not the one with Marky Mark, the original with Michael Caine. It was another case of the slow starting 60s movie. The last half an hour was cool, it was the first hour that really sucked the life out of me. I did like the cliffhanging ending. Still I'm saying Meh.

We then watched Dick Cheney's speech, which throughly pissed me off. Are the Republicans capable of talking without spouting lies and digs at their opponents? Doesn't seem to be the case. We then watched The Daily Show, which had a nice segment on Bush's handling of the war in Iraq. A nice take on how Bush's words haven't ever matched up with the actions. Not surprising, coming from the propaganda machine the Republicans have in place.

I just read an article on Salon about the Republicans' negative oriented campaign tactics. Those guys are just brutal and ignore the facts completely. It's not surprising, they are fascists looking to keep their death grip on America and the world intact. I swear if they win the next election I don't think I'm gonna be able to stand it. The only hope would be that some good oppressed music would come out of it. You'll note that after 12 years of Republican rule, 1992 saw the grunge/alterna-rock scene break out. I'd say there was a definite correlation there.

Wednesday, September 01, 2004

Can you hear me calling?

Now listening to:P.J. Harvey

My allergies have kicked in overtime. I've felt crappy all day and decided to just stay at home. I didn't do anything significant outside of watch Me, Myself and Irene and the new WSOP episodes on ESPN. Currently I feel as though there is a dodgeball lodged between my brain and forehead. It's not a fun feeling. I don't recommend it.

In a fit of boredom I downloaded the iTunes exclusive album that P.J. Harvey recently did. It's pretty cool. Some nice commentary tracks and some cool new versions of old songs. The only annoying thing is some of the tracks are just old versions offered up as new. Still P.J. is always good. I was debating getting the new Bjork, but went with P.J. instead.

I think I may look for a new book to read this evening, I am officially bored with The Bourne Supremacy. I think trying to read it and The Bourne Identity back to back was too much. I'm not sure what my next book will be, I need something light. I can't handle anything serious at this point.