Okay. Had to get that last one off the top. Not much more content here.
(What? I'm at work! I shouldn't even be typing THIS!)
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do?
I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? Penis. I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do?
I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do? I feel a strange compulsion to post, but I have nothing to say; what should I do?
It takes all kinds, I guess. How very postmodernly meta something.
Monday, May 28, 2007
Nerd Power
Just got the ball rolling on a teacher blog/discussion board/forum/chat room/speak-easy...and I feel...intense nerdly satisfaction...
If you want in and I didn't email you, let me know!
If you want in and I didn't email you, let me know!
Friday, May 25, 2007
Gentlemen, start your -ism's
Two things have been on my mind of late (as in, you know, this morning).
First, my God...NASCAR is huge. I mean, really friggin huge. I knew before I moved here how big of a deal it is, but I didn't fully appreciate the overwhelming cultural influence it exerts on everyone around here. For example, I have students who, rather than soccer, baseball, football, etc, have always been into racing. That alone would be (and has been) a very interesting cultural shift for me, but I also happen to live just a couple miles from Lowe's Motor Speedway. Now, i drive by the speedway everyday to and from work. It's a little ways off of I-85, which I usually take, but it's right on NC-29, which I use to avoid rush hour traffic. It's an impressive structure to say the least. What I didn't appreciate fully was HOW impressive the track, the surrounding lots, and the fans actually are. The Coca-Cola 600 is this weekend, and it might as well be the World Cup or the Olympics (having attended both, I can verify the similarity). People started setting up RV's 2 WEEKS AGO. Now, there are several miniature cities set up all over the countryside around the speedway, and traffic is a nightmare (so much so that there is a sign on I-85 that warns about "Race Traffic"...which sounds amusingly awkward). For the first time, I actually paid a little attention to the parking lot signs. Of course, by parking lots I mean giant grassy fields which accommodate dozens (probably hundreds) of campers and RV's. The lots are labeled alphabetically. I drove by Z and AA yesterday evening. Yes. The entire alphabet is used...and then starts over. Meaning, as far as I can tell, there are 26+ gypsy cities set up in the surrounding countryside. Amazing.
I'm thinking of establishing both a new word and new ideology. I think I'll call it "disdain-ism": a mode of thought wherein the individual ascribes to a constant, passive feeling of disdain for his surroundings (primarily, the institution of employment). Nothing new, really, but it sounds fancy-ish.
Why do I need a new ideology? Oh, it's mostly because I have TO WORK ON MEMORIAL DAY. Yes, in academia, national holidays and other federal mandates/laws/etc. only count if they have a direct benefit for the institution. For cryin' out loud! I work for the friggin State of North Carolina and I don't get a national holiday off? Come on!
Disdain-ism is born.
First, my God...NASCAR is huge. I mean, really friggin huge. I knew before I moved here how big of a deal it is, but I didn't fully appreciate the overwhelming cultural influence it exerts on everyone around here. For example, I have students who, rather than soccer, baseball, football, etc, have always been into racing. That alone would be (and has been) a very interesting cultural shift for me, but I also happen to live just a couple miles from Lowe's Motor Speedway. Now, i drive by the speedway everyday to and from work. It's a little ways off of I-85, which I usually take, but it's right on NC-29, which I use to avoid rush hour traffic. It's an impressive structure to say the least. What I didn't appreciate fully was HOW impressive the track, the surrounding lots, and the fans actually are. The Coca-Cola 600 is this weekend, and it might as well be the World Cup or the Olympics (having attended both, I can verify the similarity). People started setting up RV's 2 WEEKS AGO. Now, there are several miniature cities set up all over the countryside around the speedway, and traffic is a nightmare (so much so that there is a sign on I-85 that warns about "Race Traffic"...which sounds amusingly awkward). For the first time, I actually paid a little attention to the parking lot signs. Of course, by parking lots I mean giant grassy fields which accommodate dozens (probably hundreds) of campers and RV's. The lots are labeled alphabetically. I drove by Z and AA yesterday evening. Yes. The entire alphabet is used...and then starts over. Meaning, as far as I can tell, there are 26+ gypsy cities set up in the surrounding countryside. Amazing.
I'm thinking of establishing both a new word and new ideology. I think I'll call it "disdain-ism": a mode of thought wherein the individual ascribes to a constant, passive feeling of disdain for his surroundings (primarily, the institution of employment). Nothing new, really, but it sounds fancy-ish.
Why do I need a new ideology? Oh, it's mostly because I have TO WORK ON MEMORIAL DAY. Yes, in academia, national holidays and other federal mandates/laws/etc. only count if they have a direct benefit for the institution. For cryin' out loud! I work for the friggin State of North Carolina and I don't get a national holiday off? Come on!
Disdain-ism is born.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Three random thoughts for the day [Feat. a bonus 4th thought!]
1) When I speak seemingly random, meaningless phrases like "Follow directions," what I REALLY mean is "Don't bother following directions. It won't fucking piss me off or anything."
2) So, if you've got some down time, pick up some of the Dresden Files novels by Jim Butcher. It's good shit. Wizards and noir and detective work and vampires and other crazy ass shit, all in Chicago. Good times. Plus, Butcher's Chi-town geography is pretty good, so as a former resident of the South Side, I was amused by the scene which featured raining frogs...in Jackson Park. I was NOT amused, however, when the titular character visited a bookshop (which resembles a cross between Powell's and 57th Street books) down the street from the campus of the University of Chicago... in LINCOLN PARK. Sigh. No one's perfect, I guess.
3) I ate a turkey reuben for dinner. It was fucking amazing, especially with the mango smoothie (w/ whipped cream, people!). The smoothie was a must, since it's getting all "summer in the south" here.
BONUS: I'm employed for the summer! I have an office job, and after 4 days of work I haven't been fired! Huzzah!
2) So, if you've got some down time, pick up some of the Dresden Files novels by Jim Butcher. It's good shit. Wizards and noir and detective work and vampires and other crazy ass shit, all in Chicago. Good times. Plus, Butcher's Chi-town geography is pretty good, so as a former resident of the South Side, I was amused by the scene which featured raining frogs...in Jackson Park. I was NOT amused, however, when the titular character visited a bookshop (which resembles a cross between Powell's and 57th Street books) down the street from the campus of the University of Chicago... in LINCOLN PARK. Sigh. No one's perfect, I guess.
3) I ate a turkey reuben for dinner. It was fucking amazing, especially with the mango smoothie (w/ whipped cream, people!). The smoothie was a must, since it's getting all "summer in the south" here.
BONUS: I'm employed for the summer! I have an office job, and after 4 days of work I haven't been fired! Huzzah!
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Spiderman 3: The Dashing of Hopes
Okay. Well. I saw Spiderman 3 yesterday. I waited until today to comment, and I'm glad I did. There is perhaps no greater (recent) example of the "really want it to be good because it SHOULD have been so good" syndrome which I have suffered mightily from in the past (see Star Wars: Episode I...or see it six times in the theatre, like I did).
But this movie is not so good. It really should have been. At first there were just a couple of scenes I didn't like:
1) The goofy musical interlude/montage THING leading into the über-ridiculous Moulin Rouge/The Mask style dance number. I mean, come on. Seriously. WHAT...THE...FUCK? That's about 10 minutes of my life I'll never get back.
2) The cheesy news anchor guy announcing the occurrence of the situation that leads to the final battle. In addition to this, the wretched, overblown, melodramatic dialogue that went with it: "This could be the end...of Spiderman." I shit you not.
Honestly, at first I thought those were the two blemishes on an otherwise okay movie. The rest was exciting, it was cool to see Venom and Sandman onscreen...action was good...but really, it's just too busy. It's not as cool as it SHOULD have been since it didn't get the sort of solid treatment that the stuff in the first two did. I like having multiple villains, but this fell sort of flat. Worth watching just to finish off the trilogy, I guess, but man, weakest movie of the three.
But, frankly, I'll probably buy it. I do have Episodes I, II, and III, which combine for just under 2 hours of worthwhile movie, on DVD. Ugh.
But this movie is not so good. It really should have been. At first there were just a couple of scenes I didn't like:
1) The goofy musical interlude/montage THING leading into the über-ridiculous Moulin Rouge/The Mask style dance number. I mean, come on. Seriously. WHAT...THE...FUCK? That's about 10 minutes of my life I'll never get back.
2) The cheesy news anchor guy announcing the occurrence of the situation that leads to the final battle. In addition to this, the wretched, overblown, melodramatic dialogue that went with it: "This could be the end...of Spiderman." I shit you not.
Honestly, at first I thought those were the two blemishes on an otherwise okay movie. The rest was exciting, it was cool to see Venom and Sandman onscreen...action was good...but really, it's just too busy. It's not as cool as it SHOULD have been since it didn't get the sort of solid treatment that the stuff in the first two did. I like having multiple villains, but this fell sort of flat. Worth watching just to finish off the trilogy, I guess, but man, weakest movie of the three.
But, frankly, I'll probably buy it. I do have Episodes I, II, and III, which combine for just under 2 hours of worthwhile movie, on DVD. Ugh.
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Sports mania!
Well, with the Avs missing the playoffs, the Nuggets getting bounced by the Spurs in five, and the routine mediocrity of the Rockies...
THANK GOD FOR THE NFL DRAFT!!!
Am I right, people?
So for Draft Saturday, a day when, surely, I had better things to be doing, I sat there in the bar at Dave and Buster's with John and his friend Drew, drank Coors Light, and pondered with wonderment the fascinating obsession with basically a nationally (poorly) televised, "pro" version of "picking teams" on an elementary school playground.
We stayed for the whole first round. Yes. The longest ever first round of the longest ever draft. We stumbled out of there almost 6 1/2 hours after sitting down. That, my friends, is dedication.
Or idiocy. Or a nice mix of both.
I have a number of lame excuses for staying the whole time... 1) we said we'd stay for the first round...I mean, you can't back out of something like that 2) our teams (Broncos and Panthers) both had trades that changed the draft order, and 3)...yeah, I don't have a three.
Regardless, we had fun. And Coors Light. Also, D&B's actually does have a cocktail drink called:
"The Schizzle"
I shit you not. Try it out. And forget what a nerd I am.
THANK GOD FOR THE NFL DRAFT!!!
Am I right, people?
So for Draft Saturday, a day when, surely, I had better things to be doing, I sat there in the bar at Dave and Buster's with John and his friend Drew, drank Coors Light, and pondered with wonderment the fascinating obsession with basically a nationally (poorly) televised, "pro" version of "picking teams" on an elementary school playground.
We stayed for the whole first round. Yes. The longest ever first round of the longest ever draft. We stumbled out of there almost 6 1/2 hours after sitting down. That, my friends, is dedication.
Or idiocy. Or a nice mix of both.
I have a number of lame excuses for staying the whole time... 1) we said we'd stay for the first round...I mean, you can't back out of something like that 2) our teams (Broncos and Panthers) both had trades that changed the draft order, and 3)...yeah, I don't have a three.
Regardless, we had fun. And Coors Light. Also, D&B's actually does have a cocktail drink called:
"The Schizzle"
I shit you not. Try it out. And forget what a nerd I am.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)