| Hey, do you know about the party after the show? |
[Jul. 3rd, 2005|02:42 pm] |
Ah, it's gonna be the best, I'm so stoked.
I really, really, really don't like how people just hold grudges and continue to be bitter towards and never make any attempt to be friendly towards people that have, at some point, "wronged them". Or whatever. Like, seriously. Can't we all just get along?
Granted, there are people that I don't like. But hell if I go out of my way to care about them or avoid them or whatever. They just aren't there. But if someone wants to hang out or wants to talk or whatever, I'm always friendly.
This post is dedicated to my main man STEVE from World Lit. He raged about as hard as anyone at the concert last night, I imagine. Can't wait to talk to him Tuesday.
LYIN' ON THE FLOOR, LYIN' ON THE FLOOR |
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[Jun. 3rd, 2005|04:18 am] |
Yesterday(?), I bought four pairs of flip-flops from Old Navy (such an economical choice for flip-flop shopping, btw). One black, one navy blue, one brown, and one royal blue. I just can't imagine needing any other color to match something in my wardrobe.
Other than that I just have nothing to say. |
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[May. 23rd, 2005|07:40 am] |
Oh dear. The Postal Service (my favorite band and yours) (well, not really, but we love them regardless), does the most fabulous cover of "Against All Odds" by Phil Collins.
It accompanied the movie Wicker Park , which means it's been around since at least October or so! And here I am just finding out! If I were a ruthless dictator, someone in my web of informants would be harshly reprimanded. Heck, even if I were just a regular dictator and had plenty of ruth.
Sheesh. Anyway. That Josh Hartnett is just such the heartthrob.
And I remembered what I liked the most from the movie Baseketball : sportscaster Al Michaels saying the most inane things one could imagine using his awesome sportscaster voice. Just hilarious.
Take a look at me now. |
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[May. 18th, 2005|05:34 am] |
Have you ever seen the movie Baseketball ? Oh dear, what a fine film.
And I know I had a scene picked out as my favorite to write about, but I seem to have forgotten it. |
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[May. 15th, 2005|07:55 am] |
FUCK
Like, honestly, I'm thisclose to turning this into: The Crusade (against Skip Bayless)
I fucking hate that fucker. |
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[May. 2nd, 2005|01:00 am] |
I've been sitting here flooded in journal reading for my paper for quite awhile and hadn't glanced at the T.V. throughout the reading.
When I finally did, I was puzzled.
Rocky 5 was on, except it wasn't on, because it doesn't exist.
I lifted one of those little half pencils from the library today. The kind you find at golf courses or, well, libraries. They always seem so important to me. Pre-sharpened, they have a seemingly definite purpose. Notes will be jotted with this pencil. Good times.
Oh dear:
Q. What type of bottled water does comedian Steve Martin drink?
A. Arrowhead
I recently reread Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, thus inspiring this line:
"The boy still chewed, his mind on other things of indeterminate importance, sporadically realizing that the Strappleberry's flavor had died. So it goes." |
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[Apr. 16th, 2005|02:19 am] |
I hung out with a friend with whom I had not hung out in almost a year tonight.
Which was fun, blah blah, who cares (Well, I do, but that's not what I'm going to be talking about).
Anyway, despite not visiting their house for well over a year, and really only visiting their house about six or so times total in my life, I easily remembered where they lived. The street, the street name, the turn, the house, all of it. No problem whatsoever.
Anyway, they point is that I have this fabulous capacity for remembering things. Like, some people remember the general idea involved with things, I remember it exactly. My friends will be sitting around quoting some stand-up comedian, and I'll be thinking, "You know, that's the joke, but the word he actually uses is...".
What I'm wondering is if this is just some freak thing that occurred and I was blessed with or if I'm just the only one who is so minutely interested in things and takes the time to memorize distinctly.
Any insights? Just another of those numerous things that define the gigantic gap between myself and other people. I mean, the gigantic gap that exists in my mind, at least. |
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[Apr. 15th, 2005|12:42 am] |
Perhaps I've been misguided.
Then again, perhaps the above sentence is misguided as well.
I certainly am not certain about either.
I'm not sure I'm certain about much at all.
Hopefull, I suppose.
I am certain about my momentary liking of The Killers. I definitely decided that they were a modern revolution after hearing "Mr. Brightside" today. The rest of the album has yet to grow on me, but this one song is quite fine.
Perhaps I won't actively crusade for awhile. Or ever again. I don't know, I'm just unsure right now.
For now, I'll tell you what I can, about what I can.
And what was with the lack of response to the previous entry? I mean, has my readership dwindled so much? or is no one actually happy? Geez. Oh well. |
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[Apr. 6th, 2005|01:19 am] |
I'm smiling, both inside and out.
I love each and every one of you. I hope you feel the same way.
I demand that you post a comment explaining your happiness with life. Testify to the world that is yours and mine.
It might sound stupid, even trite and ridiculous (especially trite and ridiculous). But, please, just do.
Tell me how you feel. Not because of how it is you feel, but because you feel.
Crusade against yourself. |
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[Mar. 27th, 2005|11:58 pm] |
I like the implication in the last post that politics is not upbeat. I mean, it's true and all, but it definitely says something about our perceptions of our leaders and all. Anyway.
Another thing that I don't like the implication of is the preface "I'll be frank". First, it kinda means that the normal expectation is that someone is not going to be truthful or forthcoming, but is going to be rather slippery and deceptive. That's not good to start. But then, it's said with an almost negative tone, like it's a bad thing to be honest and straightforward.
GROSS.
The obvious response when someone says they are going to be frank is to ask, "Can I still be Garth?"
I wonder, sometimes, if it would be possible to exist entirely on chewing gum, cigarettes, and bottled water. |
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[Mar. 25th, 2005|07:38 am] |
I try to keep this upbeat, but I need to get a little political.
Today is something like day five of a NATIONAL MEDIA FRENZY regarding the Terri Schiavo case. Is it overblown and given too much attention? Absolutely. Does that mean we should treat it with contempt and not fight for what we believe is right? Absolutely not.
I don't think I'll get too far into what I think is the correct solution here, but if you ask, I'll tell you.
Instead, I'd like to point out how awful the situation has become.
First and foremost, everyone has an opinion on this. You really can't watch the news without being bomarded with it, and naturally people will take up their sides. I just have a problem with how those sides are being decided upon.
This case has been in the news for years. But just now are people familiarizing themselves with the facts of the case. Problem. A 15 year case has been condensed down to five (admittedly intense) days of media coverage. And Americans are only getting their news in 30 second blips. How could anyone possibly come to a conclusion about this case, a well founded, sound conclusion, with such limited, focused, funneled, and weeded information? I really don't think they can (or should!).
But here we are. Camps have been formed, lines have been drawn in the sands. Americans have participated in polls and made their voices heard.
Terri Schiavo doesn't hear them.
At least I don't think. I mean, from what I hear she probably is incapable.
But I don't know!
Neither do you. Neither do most people!
Terri Schiavo is going to die and you're going to be okay with it. Or maybe you won't. But it doesn't matter to her, she'll be dead.
So that's problem one: assertations of truth without any backing. Get out of the camp, you fools, you are helping no one.
Problem two is the actual case itself.
So I first decided to err on the side of life, because, hey, life is good given an uncertain alternative. Now I've done some research on the case. From what I've gathered, it's still very uncertain what Terri's wishes were. Her condition is far less uncertain, although somewhat uncertain itself.
We have this case that rests on tenuous findings and tenuous laws and we have a woman who hasn't received food in a week. I find this to be a problem.
Now, let's combine the two.
The large contingent of Americans who are anti-Terri are actually claiming to be pro Terri; they think her wishes are being carried out. They may be right, but not through their own product.
It's certainly feasible that Terri wanted to be let go, but as I said earlier, we don't know. The reason that people think that Terri's wishes are being carried out is because they are actually their wishes. All polls that say that most people believe the feeding tube should be left out show is that most Americans wouldn't want to be on a feeding tube themselves. In the absence of certainty about Terri's own wishes, people default to what they find most reasonable. And it's perfectly fine to hold that view, no one will force you to accept a feeding tube if that is against your expressed wishes. But we don't know if that is against Terri's! Everyone wants to pretend like it is, but it is only to make themselves feel better about it.
So we're left with an unclear act of law that ends a woman's life, and a majority of America sanctioning it. People, let's be a little more careful here, please.
And then, (and then!) there comes the macro-political battle that has escalated.
This happens to be an issue where America is fairly left-leaning. The moderates who also fall into the religious realm seem to be siding with the left. That's fine that they don't want to be vegetables. No problem there. But, they take their unformed opinions and make their declarations of righteousness (and do they ever) and then throw out this gem: Conservatives are creating invasive government!
This is parlayed into a claim that Conservatives are using this issue, this poor, poor woman's life, for their political gain. Heck, they probably are. Maybe on some level they actually care, but politicians wouldn't waste time on an issue that has no bearing on anything.
But! The vicious, hypocritical left is using the fact that the right is using this as a tool to further their political stance...as a means to further their political stance!
It's a double twist around, back-bending, side-armbar! Republicans are evil and using this as a tool! Vote for us!
Oh how clever.
Oh how awful.
This issue is not about politics, no matter how much people want it to be -- on both sides.
This issue is about a woman's life and whether or not we are being as fair as we possibly can as a society.
I contend that we are not.
God Bless Terri Schiavo. |
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[Mar. 6th, 2005|06:37 pm] |
So, TBS is showing the Austin Powers movies, and they really just blow my mind.
The first was a spy parody. It was done well and was really funny.
The second was capitalizing on the first's success. And just an excuse to see how much they could get away with.
The third is an ouright parody of the first two. At that point, they knew they could get away with anything. So they did anything.
And it's just absolutely ridiculous. The entire way through.
So crazy. |
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| All the news that's fit to print. |
[Mar. 2nd, 2005|04:19 pm] |
Two news items getting considerable play today. Both are ridiculous. Only one in a good way.
First, the bad news. A kid in Tennessee, of all places (this will make sense in a minute), shot his busdriver dead when she rolled up to pick him up today. Just shot her. The bus kept rolling and rolled into a telephone pole. No one (else) was hurt. I mean, that alone is unbelievable enough. And thank god he didn't, you know, get on the bus first and wait till they were going around a turn. But it still is absolutely inexcusable. I can believe these people exist, I just can't understand them.
But it gets better! According to some, the student and the busdriver had been having an argument over, get this, chewing tobacco! Can you believe that? Some youth in Tennessee arguing with their bus driver over chew? No!
Jesus Christ...
Someone dead over chewing tobacco. Ridiculous.
On a much lighter note. Fabulous Las Vegas' even more fabulous mayor, Oscar Goodman, gave quite the quip in response to a question by a fourth grader. When asked what he would take with him to a deserted isle, Goodman answered, "A bottle of Gin."
Hoo-ah. Gotta love it. Cmon people, Gin! God Bless Oscar Goodman.
On the random, neutral news stories of the day: Shepard Smith, along with bothcing several lines on "The Fox Report" this evening, also claimed that Jackie Robinson broke baseball's color barrier over a century ago.
Geez Shep. |
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[Feb. 27th, 2005|11:19 pm] |
So I've been watching a lot of The O'Reilly Factor lately, and boy does he have a bone to pick with Hollywood.
His argument sums up something like this: Hollywood is made up of elitist leftists who are out of touch with "traditional American values" and they force those values on the poor, unsuspecting common man and make him accept it as "art" or creative expression or whatever.
And really, he's got a point when he criticizes their use of their medium as a political tool and assume that is what people want.
Other than that, I think he's on shaky ground.
If there was such a divide between the two, how would Hollywood even exist? Someone has to support them, and that someone is the public.
Oh uh, I've ceased caring about this topic.
To sum up what my argument would have been" Bill O'Reilly is usually full of crap and preaching to the choir. The choir that is much smaller than he assumes it to be.
Related subject.
I couldn't tell you if I would be a good actor or not.
I've had very, very limited exposure to actually acting at all, and that wasn't exactly in the traditional sense.
I like to think that I have some natural talent for performing and playing a part; but could I actually do it? I don't really know. I probably never will, either.
Unless I fall into my dream job of being a late night talk show host, in which case the opportunity may exist. |
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| For the amusement of one J D D |
[Feb. 24th, 2005|12:14 am] |
A list of songs. One artist representing each letter of the(English) alphabet.
Let's begin.
Anonymous - "Daphne"
From a collection of classical music I lifted(only to copy to my computer) from a friend. Only chosen because I have no other artists here. Also, I adore this name.
Blink-182 - "I Miss You"
I've written in this space before of my love for this band, so I won't repeat myself. But, to do so ever so slightly, so nice, so brilliantly poppy. Wonderful lyrics, too.
Costello, Elvis - "Episode of Blonde"
I was going to go with The Cardigans, but I've written about them here too. 'C' probably will turn out to be the hardest choice for me. Really though, I'm confident this fills the slot nicely. The pacing and placing of the lyrics really is imaginative and wild; I enjoy it.
Dave Matthews Band - "Crash Into Me"
Probably the most cliche Dave song I could choose, but I'm ok with that. Particularly because it is a live version, and Dave live represents a ton more soul. And a ton more alcohol, it seems.
Eagle-Eye Cherry - "Save Tonight"
I'm prety sure this falls into the 'C' category, but that would leave me with only Eminem here. I can't do that to you people. What an awful letter 'E' is.
The 5,6,7,8s - "Woo Hoo"
One of the ultimate rock out dance numbers that I have. Japanese girl groups rule.
Gabriel, Peter - "Solzbury Hill"
When I saw In Good Company this song sealed the deal on me purchasing the soundtrack. The way it was used in the movie and the song in general are both very light, bounch, and uplifting.
Holst, Gustav - "Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity"
Nine minutes of captivating, swirling symphonies. The whole "Planets" series is great. This is the best. Powerful in spots and and light as a feather in others. I wouldn't know for sure, but it's my conjecture that a lot of modern orchestral music borrows from Holst. You can hear it in The LOTR soundtrack and Legend of Zelda games. I can see why they would borrow it.
Incubus - "Privilege"
They grow old after awhile, but are always good for the occasional spin. Relatable lyrics and catchy pop hooks. Geez, I hope somone describes me like that someday.
Jimmy Eat World - "If You Don't, Don't"
A real favorite of mine. JEW has had moderate success, along with the requisite backlash for all groups who go mainstream. Really, I couldn't care less about such issues. This song is good and enjoyable. Bravo, Jimmy Eat World.
Kermit the Frog - "Rainbow Connection"
Oh dear. If this isn't your favorite song ever played by a frog on a banjo in a swamp, I just don't know how we've been friends this long. Someday you'll find it.
Tom Lehrer - "Folk Song Army"
A lark. The foremost figure in the Havard Professor/Musician crossover business, all of Lehrer's songs are insightful and hilarious. The man, simply, is/was a genius.
Modest Mouse - "Ocean Breathes Salty"
This song is a lot of fun. It is trumped, however, by the even greater fun that is its video. Size transmogrification is always funny.
Nirvana - "All Apologies"
I never, ever listen to Nirvana. Only by mistake. But this song is still a great one.
Orff, Carl - "O Fortuna"
Opera classic which you'd recognize if you heard. Lots of chanting and granduer. Apparently, though, what it is talking about ruins the whole spectacle. I haven't the heart yet to look it up and ruin it for myself, so you shall be spared too.
The Pixies - "Where Is My Mind?"
Oooooooo, stop!
Queen - "You're My Best Friend"
Makes me smile so much. If only for a memory or two. And the potential of future ones.
Raitt, Bonnie (With Ray Charles) - "Do I Ever Cross Your Mind?"
Bonnie Raitt is alright, but we really just love Ray Charles.
Sinatra, Nancy - "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)"
This song begins a brilliant duo of movies. It's haunting and beautiful, like all things Nancy related.
Third Eye Blind - "Motorcycle Drive-By"
A little acoustic number off the vastly underrated debut album. Fine, fine stuff.
OK, at 12:30AM I gave up on this project.
Sorry. |
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[Feb. 22nd, 2005|10:12 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  annoyed | ] |
| [ | music |
| | "Somebody Got Murdered" -- The Clash | ] |
Really, I bet girls(well, most girls -- I know some, let me tell ya) don't just all the sudden find themselves with their hand down their pants, without a memory of consciously putting it there.
When you read these types of things from me, remember this: I have "Peanuts" checks.
Of which, I've used a whole eight in what is nearly two and a half years. God bless the internet.
Which reminds me.
PEOPLE! When you are sitting at the internet, at your fingertips is the most thorough and easily accessible library of knowledge man has ever commanded. You can find nearly anything in a matter of moments. Really, it isn't hard at all! You can figure out why something is built a certain way, why a word is spelled a certain way, or who sings that song you really like -- instantly! So, with this knowledge...use it! Don't ask me! Don't ask someone else! Take a step for yourself and see if you can walk. You probably can' it won't be too difficult.
Normally, I would think this sort of thing was OK. But there is value to be had in doing things for yourself. People aren't always going to be there to do it for you. It's a sad thought, I know, but true.
Just do a little work for yourself. You'll benefit from it.
Alright.
I need a ton of design printed black t-shirts. Of fine, sturdy cotton fabric. Size medium, probably.
They are my favorite thing to wear. |
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| Truth in advertising. |
[Feb. 9th, 2005|10:10 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  anxious | ] |
| [ | music |
| | "We Are The Champions" -- Queen | ] |
The truth happens to be that people are really, really dumb. Maybe I just don't understand them.
Example the first: On the bus stops here in fabulous Henderson, Nevada, they have these large (I don't know, 5' x 3'?) advertisements. I'm sure they have them in other cities. Here, they are placed at an angle, so you can see one pretty good as you are driving up to it, but the one on the other side is a little harder to make out unless you are going slow and really look. OK, that's fine, practicality purposes; I'm sure they pay less for those anyway. But, being that it is hard to make out anyway, you would think that those inhabiting the opposite side would make their ads very clear. Well, not the company that has taken out the space on the one near my house. First of all, I don't even know what the advertisement is for since it doesn't say in big, bold letters, like it should. Second, there message is extremely vague and misleading. The full text is "We serve a community, not a congregation." But you wouldn't know that from just glancing at the sign. In big letters at the top is "We serve," and in big letters at the bottom is "a congregation." And then, in the middle is "a community, not" only it's really small and a quick glance just reads "We serve a congregation." I only know what it says because I drive by it everyday, and I still don't even know who put the ad up. Whoever did is really stupid.
Example the second: I saw a commercial for a local attorney here in fabulous Henderson, Nevada today and it absolutely baffled me. First a little background: if you aren't blessed enough to have countless local attorney commercials in your area, I'm really sorry for you. They are absolutely the most hilarious thing ever. They feature really awful looking guys speaking really awkwardly into a camera(with horrible footage quality to boot!). Really, it's downright knee-slapping. Anyway, today I saw one that featured the badly dressed, awkwardly speaking on bad footage lawyer standing in front of an Semi-Truck. And the whole commercial went on to explain that, if you happened to be hit by a Semi-Truck, you should call this lawyer. What?!! Is this that big of a demographic? I would think that, if you did happen to be unfortunate enough to get hit by a Semi-Truck, by the time you awoke from the coma someone would probably have taken care of your legal matters. I don't know, I was just really, really confused. What a stupid ad.
So yeah. I could, at this point(stop using so many commas? Nope!), go into a bitter tirade against business in general, but I've already typed a whole lot. |
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[Feb. 8th, 2005|11:52 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  amused | ] |
| [ | music |
| | "All or Nothing" -- O Town | ] |
SO, it's always a good thing to know what you are.
Your strengths, your weaknesses. Your reasons for doing things. All the things that make up who you are.
It's important to know these things; they make you more able to act accordingly in whatever the situation.
Right now, I know exactly what I am. It's not helping.
This is the only possible thing I can think to write right now. There is only one possible thing I can think that I might think of while sitting in class tomorrow morning. There is only one thing I can think the songs coming from my CD player will remind me of.
At the moment, I'm entirely paralyzed. I'm captivated; I'm terrified.
I'm under some enchanting spell.
I'm being controlled and I like it.
I guess I could wake up tomorrow and go through my day giving it occasional thought, but being generally free of this. Who knows? I don't, really.
I do know what I am now though.
Now I'm stuck.
P.S. This is, of course, an open plea for someone(anyone!) to save me. Really, it wouldn't take a ton, and I'd be ohso grateful.
P.P.S. Hahahahahahaha. Oh how ridiculous.
<3 |
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[Feb. 3rd, 2005|12:09 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  giddy | ] |
| [ | music |
| | "Celebrity" -- Barenaked Ladies | ] |
Note:
Discussing things or decrying things as "unnatural" will no longer be tolerated.
For serious.
That is all.
OK, so I lied. Of course that isn't all.
OK, so when you turn a can of Mountain Dew upside down, the "Dew" almost looks like "Mao". I have no idea what implications this has for "Code Red" Mountain Dew.
Personal Tangent: In 8th and 9th grade my best friend was one Aaron Stutzman. A good kid. Midwestern roots; generally smart; great sense of humor. Anyway, Aaron and I had a list of things we would accomplish in life. Crazy out their things like taking a dump in the White House, getting a low rider truck with a hot tub in the back, those sort of things. The final thing on our list was sky dive without a parachute.
In the middle, somewhere, we had the goal of trying actual mountain dew.
So, styles change, right? And things come and go when it comes to fashion. What is hot one day might not be the next. This is pretty much how it goes.
Lucky for me, being attractive is always cool.
Haha.
ANYWAY.
"I'm not particularly looking for love or friendship. Kind of how I'm not really looking for a million dollars. Sure it'd be nice and I hope I find it someday, but there is so much luck and happenchance involved that you can't really go out looking for it and expect to find it. You kind of just have to find out where the million dollars hangs out, then wait around and hope you catch its eye." |
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[Feb. 1st, 2005|11:28 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | distressed | ] |
| [ | music |
| | "Photobooth" -- Death Cab For Cutie | ] |
I can think of two good reason for bolding or italicizing or changing the color of a word in your writing on the internet.
1) You want specific emphasis to be placed on that word or those word. Therefore you make it stand out in some way.
2) You change a series of word, to the specific purpose of making the series stand out and tell its own separate story. This one is a little confusing, maybe I just do it in my head a lot. At any rate, changing certain words makes a cogent thought or link between those specific word.
If there are other reason, I'm open to hearing them
If not. STOP DOING IT. Really though, random emphasis only makes reading confusing. It completely changes the meaning of what you've written, and if you have no reason for doing that, you're doing both yourself and your reader a disservice.
ALSO: I think we ought to eliminate the use of the added 's' for plural. |
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merschbrock's journal