Brown
I just ordered this shirt from Prophetik. "Love is simple. He loves me. He loves me."

With my immune system focusing on healing my hand, my sinuses have been left to fend for themselves. We'll see if my 1350% Recommended Vitamin C dosage in this C Monster juice does anything.

I'm going home tomorrow. Be back Sunday. Not taking the computer with me.

The Reflex is a Lonely Child
Yesterday afternoon I set a file down on the edge of the copy machine. It started to slip off, and my reflexes took over as I reached out to quickly grab it -- with my left hand. So we quickly went back to square one as far as the pain issue was concerned. I broke down and got my narcotics on the way home. I can see why people like this stuff! I slept like a baby.

"i'm glad that you picked up that pain medication. they give you those prescriptions for a reason.. it's not spare notepaper." -- Tash

No hey Gatos en America
Oh my gosh. Dan sent this to Jack who sent it to me... talk about disturbing. Laughing Cat. (Need sound.)

(The subject heading comes from An American Tail in Spanish... which we got to watch in my freshman spanish class. I've never forgotten the word for "cat" thanks to that song.)

Been Around the World and I-yai-yai...
Okay, so I have photographic evidence that I was at Yellowstone as a baby... and I'm quite sure we went to Niagara Falls at some point before I could walk. However, I don't have any actual recollection of these trips. So the red states are ones that I have visited in the last 10 years. (Cool thing discovered by Bill... but I only discovered that it was working again by seeing Barry's site this morning. However if you don't see the map, that means it's not working again. But just know there was a big chunk of 30 states in the middle that were red.)



create your own visited states map
or write about it on the open travel guide

Get it While the Gettin's Good
30-Cent downloads at m uis i cir e b eil l i o n . cio m today.

Happy Birthday Michael!

Do You Use Your Powers for Good? ...or for Awesome?
I ran across the site PlayDamage while looking for the lyrics to "Dig" so I didn't have to type them over again. At first I thought it was a little weird and quite trippy... but the more I clicked... the better I liked it.. in a trippy way. Excellent music on pages 38 and 26, specifically. And bonus points to anyone who can name the guitar riff on page 48. Just go there and click anywhere for the adventure to begin. (Best with sound.)

P.S. The music on the "Dig" page is not, in fact, "Dig".

Diss Appointment
So I was lying on my couch in a state of semi-drugged stupor watching VH1's Bands Reunited. I have to say that I was extremely disappointed to see that Extreme didn't reunite. Pat and Paul were in -- Gary was on the fence -- but Nuno, the rock god and beautiful man that he is, declined. So sad.

Conversations from the ER
Dr Todd: [about to give the local anesthetic] Now this one is going to feel like a little bee sting.
Me: What if I've never had a bee sting?
Dr T: [giving the shot] This is what a little bee sting feels like.

Dear Britney...
You've already killed "I Love Rock'N'Roll" and "Satisfaction"... please... please quit singing "We Will Rock You"

A Conversation
on the phone with Paul who was relaying to Darren...
Me: What about Mathra -- you know... kind of like Mothra.
P: Mothra?
Me: From the Godzilla movies?
P: [to Darren] What do you think of Mathra?
D: It makes me think of Mothra.
P: Who's Mothra?
D: Mothra's a giant moth who kicks ass in Godzilla.

Song for the Day:
Into the West - Annie Lennox
That woman has got pipes!

Reasons to Use a Spatula instead of a Steak Knife #1
See "Things That Suck #27". (Below)

Things That Suck #27
Stabbing yourself in the hand with a serrated knife, needing a three stitches, and not remembering when your last tetanus shot was. How do I know that sucks? Because it happened to me last night. Grr. But thankfully I didn't lose too much blood... though the trail through the kitchen might lead one to believe otherwise. Spent three hours at the emergency room with the Bossman. (He read Sesame Street books to me to help ease the pain.) Everett, the awesome RN, thanked me as I left, because he said it was nice to have someone with a sense of humor. (Hey, I might be in pain, but I've still got my comedic timing.) I've also got a prescription for narcotics which I'm willing to sell if the price is right. ;) The only thing that concerns me is the lack of feeling in the side of my thumb.

I hope to have no more sucky things to report for a very long time.

And yes, Manda... I blame you. I don't want to hear any I-told-you-so's... because I heard your voice all night!

So yeah. Getting ready this morning sucked too. Any movement or pressure on my thumb causes this most incredible searing pain. You find out how ambidextrous you really are when you cannot use your other hand properly. Putting on deodorant? Yeah, try that with one hand. Getting toothpaste on a toothbrush? Not easy. Opening a freaking bandaid package? My gosh... not fun. And I defy any of you ladies to get a bra on with one hand and the last three fingers of your other hand. That's right. Total suckage.

Yesterday must have been Johnny-Depp Day on USA. They showed both Nick of Time and Blow. Having not seen the latter before, I found it to be pretty intense. Johnny also wrote a nice tribute to George on his website.

Happy (belated?) Birthday to Leslie!

Happy Birthday, Joe! I'm glad you married my sister!

Things That Suck #73:
Locking yourself out of the house with your boss's keychain instead of the keychain that has your house key and car key on it. How do I know that sucks? Because it happened to me last night. Grr. I was so mad at myself. However, thankfully it was beautiful outside, so sitting on the porch waiting for Tina & Phebe to get home wasn't too bad. And also thankfully, Duncan's flight was delayed, so I ended up not being late. All's well.

I need to remember to give a housekey to my friends across the street. (Even though they weren't home last night anyway.)

Subliminal Thoughts
I Say... You Think...
Political:: party
Concentration:: the game
Fish:: sticks
Lunacy:: straight jacket
Red:: head
Imply:: suggest
Recognize:: "Reco'nize this!" (Alan Rickman in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves)
Sexist:: pig
Commercial:: ad
Stricken:: grief

Website Design I Wish I Created:
FoxFires.... oooo, so pretty. Par avion!

Get Back, Witch!
I'm sure it has nothing to do with my powers of persuasion/humiliation and/or the Jedi mind tricks... but Steve watched The Princess Bride yesterday. So you all can go back to believing that he is cool now. (Because for those few days, we all know he wasn't.) :P I feel like TPB and Empire Records are pretty much a tie for most references that can easily be worked somewhat unnoticed into conversation for me. (Come on, how many times haven't you felt mostly dead all day?)

Please, Sir. Can I Have Some More?
Check it out... it's a tour diary of a traveling production of Oliver!. I always thought it would be great to do a real touring production.

Lost is Found
So within the next week or so, I'm hoping to start listing some items on eBay. I'm feeling confident in my eBay buying techniques, but this is my first venture into the whole selling world. I decided it was finally time to part with a lot of the stuff I inherited when the Aussies left. I don't even know if anyone would be interested in that stuff anyway -- lots of books with mild moisture damage, some cds, some clothes. I also found my Union Jack keychain that Adam got me when they went to the UK a couple years ago... and a $1000 check that I am hoping is still depositable. (Don't ask.)

Play Snow Adventure... I was #7 on the Hi-Scores. Too much spare time, I know.

**Public Service Day: Part 4**
Helping those who clearly came here looking for something besides my little commentary on life.
▪ Someone was looking up my elf name - Lessien Carnesir... you probably wanted your own elf name, which you can get here.
▪ You can go here to find online invitations for your superbowl party.
▪ I don't know anything about "I Wish" by Victoria Beckham. Couldn't find a wav file for you either, sorry.
▪ Likewise, I don't have real audio for "To be with You" by Mr. Big, but you might find an mp3 here.
▪ Jeff Buckley Buddy Icons? Here.
▪ Fox Mulder icons? Here or here.
▪ Someone looked up the phrase "hit an owl", and sadly, I know all about that.
▪ And I'm getting all kinds of hits incorporating "hamlet: the text adventure and "newt". I haven't gotten past 74% either, though he apparently added more clues somewhere along the way which tell you how to get to the top of the tower where the newt is. I just can't be bothered going back and questioning all over again.

Why Me??
I live for sleeping in on Saturdays. As far as I am concerned, Saturday mornings do not exist. Especially after my busy weekend last weekend, I just wanted to s-l-e-e-p.

Enter the pharmacy. There's a new drug dealer moving into the neighborhood. Essentially in my backyard, in fact. To my dismay, the beeping of the construction trucks going in reverse is surprisingly similar to the beeping of my alarm clock. I am going to become an activist for construction workers getting weekends off. This is ridiculous.

However, since I am awake, I think I'll go get groceries. I talked to my sister for an hour last night. (And I somehow managed to avoid telling her that I'm coming home next weekend... whee.) She gave me her version of my mom's recipe of these bars that are so delish! Angela's version is slightly gooier than Mom's...

Ang's Special K Bars
1 cup sugar
1 cup white syrup
5 cups special k
12 oz peanut butter

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butterscotch chips

Boil sugar & syrup until bubbling. Pour over cereal & peanut butter. Mix all together. Press down in 9x13 pan. Melt chips together and spread on top. Let harden. Cut in squares and eat with a glass of milk for a "healthy" snack.

Rest in Peace, Captain Kangaroo
Bob Keeshan passed away this morning.

I remember being in the hospital when I was 5. They woke me up early in the morning to take my temperature. Not being able to fall back to sleep, I turned on the television. I was so delighted to see that Captain Kangaroo was on, that I rang the nurse just to tell her.

Keeper
This one will probably be added to the left eventually... Disquiet.com: "Reflections on ambient/electronic music, and interviews with the people who make it"

180 Theses
I know that a few of you are die-hard Lord-of-the-Ringers, so I thought you might be interested in this. This person named Phil came up with a list of discrepencies between the books at the movies. Here is Fellowship of the Ring (Jan.12th) and The Two Towers (Jan.16th)... apparently with Return of the King to follow. (Though in typical blogger fashion, the hotlinks may not work... so scroll to the date.)

They're Taking My Vacation
It seems that these two are taking (mostly) my dream vacation. The former apparently wants to tell about it, whilst the latter doesn't appear to want to share. Whatever -- I just have to figure out how to cram all that into 2.5 weeks instead of half a year.

Friday Five
At this moment, what is your favorite...

1. ...song? Today I'm going to say "Consequence" by The Notwist
2. ...food? Today, Lettuce wraps from PF Changs
3. ...tv show? I have to go with 24.
4. ...scent? I still swoon if I catch a whiff of a gentleman wearing Eternity.
5. ...quote? "You can learn a lot from a dummy."


Do Something Fun for a Stranger Day
Send some guy's Mom a postcard. (Actually, this month they are sending in bottle caps -- and next month is business cards.)

Dancing Days are Here Again
If you missed Fresh Air yesterday... well, you just plain missed it. Thanks to the beauty of the internet, you can still catch it here. It was a whole hour with Robert Plant. He's brilliant. I loved the part talking about how to properly warm up vocally.

Song for the Day:
Ramble On - Led Zeppelin
~Mine's a tale that can't be told, my freedom I hold dear.
How years ago in days of old, when magic filled the air.
T'was in the darkest depths of Mordor, I met a girl so fair.
But Gollum, and the evil one crept up and slipped away with her, her, her...yeah.~

Darren Rocks
The other day Darren called me to mention, among other things, that he is excited to be coming to Nashville in February to record. Since they're staying at Tedd's old house, which is mere blocks from mine, I am excited too. He also thanked me again for leaving my Faultline cd in their van... saying that it has become one of his favorites. And he asked if there was any other music I like that he should know about. (This coming from the guy who introduced me to the world of Sigur Ros... who incidentally are up for a Grammy! Good job, though I doubt ( ) could beat Radiohead.)

Allison's Moving All Over the Place
She's moving house. She's moving her weblog. Goodness, girl! :) Actually, go look at this post on her new LiveJournal to see how ridiculously talented that girl is! (I can totally tell that is your mom! She was a total hottie!) :)

The Boy is Back in Town
Jesse is back from his little escapades recording and touring and all that good stuff. I am invited to Bad Movie Night, because apparently some poor deprived soul has never seen Band of the Hand... which I proudly own. Sweet. I think I'll also take along Combat Academy and Top Secret -- also classics.

Clever Blog Name of the Day:
Tequila Mockingbird. I think if there were a combination of me and Manda, this person would be it.

Everybody Point and Laugh
Steve's never seen The Princess Bride.
I feel bad for him. I really do.

Good Ol' Rocky Top
This week's Rocky Top Brigade Tailgate Party is up over at the home of the president (and possibly only member) of the New Jerseyan branch of the RTB. Woohoo.

In the Famous Words of Mark...
I feel like shinto.

I've lived with my body for about 27 years now, and I kinda know how it works... so I was sort of predicting this bit of hell I'm experiencing now. See, I get all energized when I've got a certain element of stress in my life -- but once the stress is gone, I get sick for a day or two. Whenever we'd wrap a show... the day after a big test... the time following a big event I've helped plan. Yeah. Usually it's migraines, but today it's sore throat yuckiness.

Last night Sandra sent me home with echinachea, aleve, vitamin c, and throat coat tea.

This morning Karl came into my office to tell me something. I turned around in my chair to see him, and he says, "Eww... you look pastey. You need to go home and go to bed."

Gee.... thanks.



I laughed lots when I read this post at Hatamaran. So true. So true.

Bad spellers of the world -- UNTIE!
Could you win the National Spelling Bee? I got 8/10 correct, and I can't spell worth squat. (via sugarfused)

Happy Birthday to Brandon! Move to Nashville.

Love It or Hate It
I can't make up my mind when it comes to songs I like being in advertising. I guess I can't complain about HP's use of "Pictures of You", because having a little subconscious Cure never hurt anybody. Now when K-Mart starts to mess with Jesus Jones, then we've got problems.

That's Not a Knife
I deal with more than my share of Aussies through work. Today I was talking to one of them on the phone trying to get his new address. We were having a bit of a communication error.
Wes: [house number] Vaughn [street ?]
Me: Lawn Street?
W: Vaughn.
M: Lawn? Like L-a-w-n?
W: You're saying Lawn, like grass.
M: I know.
W: I'm saying "Vaughn", "Vaughn" like "Victory".
M: Can you just spell that for me?
W: V-a-u-g-h-n. Now you know what I feel like going to a drive-thru. "Did you say you want a Slig-Slac?" Do you sell Slig-Slacs? No, I want a Big Mac!

Question of the Day
Today Bossman asked me, "What did he mean when Kenny Rogers sang, 'Every hand's a winner, Every hand's a loser, And the best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep'?"

My theory is that if you take everyone's money, they'll all want to kill you... and if you lose all your money, you'll want to kill yourself -- so either way, you're better off just dying in your sleep. But if anyone has any additional insight, I would love to pass it on.

Subliminal Thoughts
I Say... You Think...
Berry:: Scary Barry, the Hairy Fairy (an affectionate name for a friend who was playing Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream)
Fiendish:: Gargamel
Bar:: 23
Frank:: Bielec
Bend:: Radiohead
Fanatic:: Superfan
Belch:: Manda
Flagrant:: foul
Burden:: beast of...
Flimsy:: unstable

Name that Photo over at webel.net. I'm going with a stack of multi-colored lunchroom trays.

The new and improved bluedaniel.com is set to debut today. Anxiously awaiting.

If anyone watched Alias last night and watched in disbelief as they managed to land a plane without either engine and walked away, it has happened before. Quite an impressive story, actually. (I happened to read that article a couple weeks ago, and so I was able to interject that bit of info last night.)

Not Looking, Thanks
I don't know what kind of impression I made this weekend. There were 36 people at this retreat thing, with the average age being probably 38. (3 in their teens and 2, including me, in our 20's.) One lady came up to me this morning and said, "So you're 27 and not married. Do you have anything against 31-year-olds who are divorced with two kids?" Apparently I'd be perfect for her son. Several others mentioned eligible bachelors they know. I guess I'm flattered if nothing else.

I think I just wow'ed people this morning as I could say each person's name as I was handing out something to each of them. I sorta surprised myself, because I'm usually not that good with names.

Because I want to be just like Tommy & Bill...

IMDB's Top 100 Movies.

Bold indicates movies I've seen. Links to movies I own.

1 Godfather, The (1972)
2 Shawshank Redemption, The (1994)
3 Godfather: Part II, The (1974)
4 Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The (2003)
5 Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The (2002)
6 Casablanca (1942)
7 Schindler's List (1993)
8 Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001)
9 Shichinin no samurai (1954)
10 Star Wars (1977)
11 Citizen Kane (1941)
12 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
13 Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
14 Rear Window (1954)
15 Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
16 Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
17 Memento (2000) 8.6/10 (63916 votes)
18 Usual Suspects, The (1995)
19 Pulp Fiction (1994)
20 North by Northwest (1959)
21 12 Angry Men (1957)
22 Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain, Le (2001)
23 Psycho (1960)
24 Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
25 Buono, il brutto, il cattivo, Il (1966)
26 Silence of the Lambs, The (1991)
27 It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
28 Goodfellas (1990)
29 American Beauty (1999)
30 Vertigo (1958)
31 Sunset Blvd. (1950)
32 Matrix, The (1999)
33 Pianist, The (2002)
34 Apocalypse Now (1979)
35 To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
36 Some Like It Hot (1959)
37 Taxi Driver (1976)
38 C'era una volta il West (1968)
39 Third Man, The (1949)
40 Paths of Glory (1957)
41 Fight Club (1999)
42 Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi (2001)
43 Boot, Das (1981)
44 L.A. Confidential (1997)
45 Double Indemnity (1944)
46 Chinatown (1974)
47 Singin' in the Rain (1952)
48 Maltese Falcon, The (1941)
49 Requiem for a Dream (2000)
50 M (1931)
51 Bridge on the River Kwai, The (1957)
52 All About Eve (1950)
53 Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
54 Se7en (1995)
55 Saving Private Ryan (1998)
56 Raging Bull (1980)
57 Cidade de Deus (2002)
58 Wizard of Oz, The (1939)
59 Rashômon (1950)
60 Sting, The (1973)
61 Alien (1979)
62 American History X (1998)
63 Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
64 Léon (1994)
65 Vita è bella, La (1997)
66 Touch of Evil (1958)
67 Manchurian Candidate, The (1962)
68 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
69 Treasure of the Sierra Madre, The (1948)
70 Wo hu cang long (2000)
71 Great Escape, The (1963)
72 Reservoir Dogs (1992)
73 Clockwork Orange, A (1971)
74 Amadeus (1984)
75 Modern Times (1936)
76 Annie Hall (1977)
77 Jaws (1975)
78 Ran (1985)
79 On the Waterfront (1954)
80 Braveheart (1995)
81 High Noon (1952)
82 Apartment, The (1960)
83 Fargo (1996)
84 Sixth Sense, The (1999)
85 Aliens (1986)
86 Shining, The (1980)
87 Strangers on a Train (1951)
88 Blade Runner (1982)
89 Metropolis (1927)
90 Duck Soup (1933)
91 Finding Nemo (2003)
92 Donnie Darko (2001)
93 General, The (1927)
94 Toy Story 2 (1999)
95 Princess Bride, The (1987)
96 City Lights (1931)
97 Great Dictator, The (1940)
98 Lola rennt (1998)
99 Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
100 Notorious (1946)

So... tired... must... sleep.

But I have to mention that I had one of the best cups of coffee in a long time at this little cafe this afternoon. Mmm.

Once this thing is over tomrorow, I'm coming home for a long winter's nap.

Retreat!
No time to think much less write today. I decided that I don't think I should be on event planning committees -- I'm too last-minute, and it makes people freak out.

I'll leave you with this:
West Virginia auction pulled by eBay... that would be an auction for the entire state of West Virginia... not just some auction originating there. (I don't know about you... but I'm kind of surprised that anyone actually wanted it.) :)

The Deep South
I got an email from my uncle yesterday with pictures of my cousin's graduation. (He also mentioned that Brenton is going to Big Day Out in Perth. *jealousy* Muse will be there.)

So I wrote him back letting him know about my plot to make it down there in 2004 and mentioned that I was hoping to make it out west when I do go. I asked if it would be okay if I stayed with them for a few days. I don't need to be entertained. From what I've heard, the experiencing the scenery there would be quite enough for me.

I had an email back from him this morning saying that I was welcome to stay with them whenever and however long I want. He also attached this photo taken from the hills by their house. Yeah, that would be why I want to go there!

Rediscovery
I can't remember when I first came across this site. I don't remember if I even linked to it before. I also don't remember why I quit visiting it... but last night I came back across binaryslaves.com. However, he seems to have moved the weblog portion over to here. (Love the starbucks cup!) Anyone who will quote the lyrics to the "Picture Pages" song has an element of cool which I can only strive to attain.

Also, his post for today reminded me that LOTR:ROTK is playing at the IMAX. Intense!

Jay-Bo
I talked to my buddy Jason last night for the first time since he got married. (Which was last month, but still...) He said he is going to send me a stool (the black one) from his store. I think it would be very cool in my office. or somewhere.

Oh! And I got my new tv for the living room. Yay! I went to the other office yesterday to see if they had a handcart, because the box was monstrous.
Karl: What do you need a handcart for?
Me: I bought something that was a little bigger than I think I can move.
Karl: How big?
Me: Oh... 27 inches.
Karl: [big grin] Nice.

So yeah, Michael had to come over to help me get it up the stairs. I am absolutely serious when I say that the thing literally weighs 96 pounds. But we got it all situated. And then... my Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Special Extended Version came in the mail yesterday, so I had to watch disk 4 of that. (I didn't have time to watch the 4th disk on New Years Day.)

Okay -- I have so much work to do.

Bye Bye, Old Faithful
I am mourning the loss of my television. All of a sudden last night it crapped out on me. It still turns on like normal (using the pen cap to push where the button used to be). But it continuously changes channels going up -- and there is a weird pulsating pattern that distorts the picture. I'm so sad. Here is my tribute... the history of my television:

▪ Started out as the main living room tv at my parent's house.
▪ Got moved to the basement as the upstairs was upgraded.
▪ Moved to Michigan with me when I lived in the dorm.
▪ Moved in with me and Krystal at "The Mansion".
▪ Moved to "The Little House", but got labeled "The Devil Box" so had to live in the garage.
▪ Moved to "Grandma's House" and had a nice cozy window seat.
▪ Moved to Tennessee.
▪ Lived in the basement here until I moved into the master bedroom where it presently sits atop Jesse's awesome table covered with Fiona's awesome vintage material attached to my crappy VCR and PS2.

I can't believe I'm about to go buy two new televisions. I already decided that I was going to get this one for downstairs, since something is wrong with the contrast on that one which makes everything look like nighttime. *sigh*

uberval: "easily the most orange site you have seen today"

I was having a hard time listening to the chorus of Justin Timberlake's "Let's Take a Ride" (clip), because I swore I had heard it before. Last night I figured out what it was... the verse of "I Hate Myself for You" by PM Dawn (clip).

The Making of a Brick: an animation of how Legos are made.

Play Cinema Sequence... where each answer becomes a new question. I'm made CinemaFan with 3675. I know I can do better. I will do better.

Update: 4575 6175

Did I mention we have a big retreat for one of our clients this weekend, I need to design the cd art for an instrumental track by Friday, and I need to finish Bossman's itinerary for his trip next week? I don't have time for this.

Can I Get a Witness?
I am trying to convince Manda that videotaping the birth of a child is the worst idea ever conceived! (pun intended) I have absolutely no idea why people do that. I thank the Lord every day that I was born before camcorder technology -- because lots of people use the excuse that their children might want to watch it some day. No, they won't! Think about what you are saying. Gross. I can only hope the hospital stands by me on this one.

(And Manda just laughs at the thought of me having children someday...)

Happy Birthday, Mark!

Subliminal Thoughts
1. Mitchell:: Chris's son
2. Mercury:: Freddie
3. Cycle:: bicycle
4. Engagement:: Rules of...
5. Alternative:: Medicine
6. Gang:: Kool and the...
7. Emotional:: "Violently Happy"
8. Skinny:: Puppy
9. Hypochondriac:: Manda
10. Insecure:: hmm... me... now and then

Despite the evidence of no apparent plot parallels, whenever I see the trailer for You Got Served, I can't help but think that it is the Karate Kid for the next generation... except less popular.

Last night Phebe and I were at PF Changs for dinner. She was facing the door and says...
P: Is that Brad Paisley?
Me: I don't think I'd know Brad Paisley even if he came up to me and said, "Hi, I'm Brad."
P: He just has a very distinct nose.

Brilliant Blog Quote from Yesterday
"Monday is like the worst cough syrup in the world. You close your eyes and just try not to gag until it's over."
-- Hatamaran

I forgot to mention before that it was great seeing Jay and meeting Pamela on Saturday. Hey, any excuse to go to Demos' is great to me... but the company was exceptional as well.

A New One
Phebe's friend was at our house last night...
Gina: Do people tell you that you look like Debra Messing?
Me: Actually... no.
Gina: Well, I think you do. I think it's the eyes.. and of course, the hair.

I guess that's better than being mistaken for, of all the people in this world, Chelsea Clinton. Ugh. I think I've told that story before.

Curiouser and Curiouser
Vogue's Alice in Wonderland layout is beautiful.

For the Record
I hate the idea of these new pop-top soup cans. Sure, if I were a big camper or something like that, I can see the convenience. But does anyone not have a can opener? I mean really. I think I personally own four... both electric and non. The old-fashioned turn-crank kind (the better kind) only cost a couple of bucks anymore.

I don't buy the "convenience" argument, because these tops are generally found on Campbells Condensed soups. It's not like you're going to be driving in your car, pop the top of that can of chicken soup (with stars), and chug-a-lug.

I think I'm just irritated, because I tried to open a can of broth, and the convenient pop-top was not coming off. Then when it finally did, I spilled half the can on the counter. Grr.

Sandra's Drinking Soup
1 can french onion soup
1 can beef broth
1 can tomato soup
1 can water

Stir. Heat. Drink.

Quoth the Host
"Oprah, do us all a favor and run for president. Just take the paycut and run."
--Charlie Sheen, People's Choice Awards

(Rupert looks like a total stud!)

Random Music News
Whilst perusing Radio & Records, I noticed that Tesla is going for adds on the Rock chart. That's right... they're apparently releasing a new album on March 9th. I can't say for sure whether I'll dig it, but you must know that their "Love Song" is one of my top seven favourite songs of all time.

Liberty's Moving
The show was good. I wasn't really feeling Mandy as some rebellious badass. There was a sweet scene with her and her dad, Agent Gibbs, at the end. JP stole the show as far as I was concerned.

There was an particularly cheesy moment that I was reliving outside at home as Phebe was unlocking the door to the house...

Me: "Here I am..." [dramatic pause] "...at this wonderful school..." [more pausing] "...but there aren't any classes about... love."
Phebe: Yeah, I got your class right here.

Disorientation
Against my wishes, the bossman got me one of these monster flat-screen monitors to use instead of my perfectly fine laptop screen.

I'm not particularly thrilled for two reasons:
(1) I'd like to save the exceeding large-print items for when I actually do go blind. (My gosh, can this get any bigger?)
(2) I don't particularly like the idea of people reading over my shoulder anyway, and now it's just like an open invitation. On any mildly overcast day, anyone can look right in my window if I have the light on. This isn't going to help.

I do have to say that I spent the majority of the afternoon rearranging my desk situation though. I got rid of that freaking printer that drives me crazy. (Besides Karl stole my ink cartridge ages ago.) I put my docking station under my desk, and now just have the phone, monitor, speakers, keyboard, and mouse on top of my desk. Of course that won't last for long, but I like the minimalist look for today.

The only thing is that the keys on this keyboard don't match the arrangement on my laptop. The F4 button is too far from my right Alt button. My home-end-delete buttons are really wonky. But my hallelujah for the day is that it has a number pad... which is all I've ever really wanted.

Let's Go to the Movies... Let's Go See the Stars
Phebes and I are going to see Chasing Liberty tonight. Gotta love Jeremy Piven. There's barely a glimpse of him in the trailer.

A Conversation
Person A: I got Pirates of the Caribbean for Christmas.
Me: Me too!
Person B: You mean that movie with all the killing?
Me: Impalement. Think of it as impalement.

The Red-Headed Sister I Never Had
Last night someone again asked if Sandra and I are sisters. We shut down the pub and caught up on conversation. Good times.

I'm Not An Addict
My old roommate has hooked me up with a legal downloading service. The key is that their pricing system is based on demand. A #1 single might be as high as $1.00 when it is at its peak, where more obscure tracks could be as low as $.10. The thing is that they just opened, so essentially everything is a dime. I now have Justin Timberlake's Justified and Remy Zero's Villa Elaine (again) -- all for a mere $2.40. Email me if you want the hook-up. (I don't want the word to spread before I've gotten everything I want while it's cheap.) :)

I had to laugh at Bill's Legolas link. (Or should I call him Maeglin Anwamane?) ((I'm Lessien Carnesir.))

Hey, everybody loves dancing purple sumo hippos right? (found at the WFV messageboard.) ((and why does this make me think of Jack for some reason?))

Caution: Worlds Colliding
Just found out that Michael, my hockey-watching buddy, is going out on the same tour next month as my buddy Mark, who I don't talk about often because we saw each other more when we lived in different states. Mark and Michael don't know each other. Mark knows a few too many stories from our months stuck in a 15-passenger van together many moons ago. Michael has his own set of stories from the past couple years. I'm not sure how I feel about all this. "Weird" would be a good word right now.

It's a Lip, It's a Lip, It's a Lip, Lip, Lip
I don't love my lips. They are so chapped and ouchie. I've been trying to be conscious of the natural home remedies. I've been lip-balming like crazy and drinking water like nobody's business (which is a big deal for someone who generally doesn't drink much unless it contains some sort of coffee-bean derivative)... but it's not helping. I think we need a humidifier.

I am also making a conscious effort to avoid biting off the drying skin. Not only does that not help, but it pains me to watch other people do it. (Kind of like how I quit chewing gum because I was developing a jaw condition... and how I continue to not chew because I don't like watching other people?)

She Lives
Tash is alive! Back from camp just in time to rest up for Parachute, I presume? :) Not many Americans going this year, I see. If I knew you'd run into Duncan, I'd send something along with him for you.

Song for the Day:
Tea in the Sahara - The Police
~The sky turned to black
Would he ever come back?
They would climb a high dune
They would pray to the moon
But he'd never return
So the sisters would burn
As their eyes searched the land
With their cups full of sand~

Big Sigh
Why can't I live someplace that gets real concerts once in a while?
The Notwist in February: NYC, Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco, LA, even Minneapolis. Nashville? Oh no no.

Seven Days Maybe?
According to the Hawaii Tribune Herald (and about every other news location): "Astronomers atop Mauna Kea have discovered something that challenges the most widely accepted theory of how galaxies form. Studying the faintest light ever dissected into a spectrum, a 12 - member team using the Gemini Observatory found that galaxies develop faster than scientists thought. 'We are seeing that a large fraction of the stars in the universe are already in place when the universe was quite young, which should not be the case,' said Roberto Abraham, the team's co - principal investigator, 'This glimpse back in time shows pretty clearly that we need to rethink what happened during this early epoch in galactic evolution.'"

So Wrong
Hans sent this today. I had to laugh...


Change Your Life Task
I forgot to write that yesterday I was supposed to write the first line of my novel. Having attempted NaNoWriMo twice, you'd think I'd have a better one... but this time I chose:

"Despite the obvious repercussions, it seemed like a good idea at the time."

Song for the Day:
Anything (real audio) - Martina Topley-Bird
~I don't want anything... but you
I don't need anything... but you~

All in a Day's Work
I just love these:

From: Jim
Subject: Fan
I am a great fan of yours and your work and talent. Please send me a personalzied (To Jim) Photo.
[Jim's Address]

Hate to break it to ya, Jim... but the band broke up, and we haven't had photos for about a year now. What's also strange is I had two other ones with essentially the same message (one indicating specifically that they would like a free autographed photo) on the same day. Oh well. I sent them some stickers an an EVC because of my good heart.

I found this site on fanmail etiquette. It addresses mail to actors, but I think it holds true for musicians as well. And speaking of musicians, Mo sent me these this morning....

36 Rules for Bands
1. Never start a trio with a married couple.
2. Your manager's not helping you. Fire him/her.
3. Before you sign a record deal, look up the word "recoupable" in the dictionary.
4. No one cares who you've opened for.
5. A string section does not make your songs sound any more "important".
6. If your band has gone through more than 4 bass players, it's time to break up.
7. When you talk on stage you are never funny.
8. If you sound like another band, don't act like you're unfamiliar with their music ("Oh does Rage Against The Machine also do rap-rock with political lyrics?")
9. Asking a crowd how they're doing is just amplified small talk. Don't do it.
10. Don't say your video's being played if it's only on the Austin Music Network.
11. When you sign to a major label, claim to have inked the best contract ever. Mention "artistic freedom" and "a guaranteed 3 record deal".
12. When you get dropped insist that it was the worst contract ever and you asked to be let go.
13. Never name a song after your band.
14. Never name your band after a song.
15. When a drummer brings in his own songs and asks to perform one of them, begin looking for a new drummer IMMEDIATELY.
16. Never enter a "battle of the bands" contest. If you do you're already a loser.
17. Learn to recognize scary word pairings: "rock opera", "white rapper", "blues jam", "swing band", "open mike", etc.
18. Drummers can take off their shirts or they can wear gloves, but not both.
19. Listen, either break it to your parents or we will; it's rock 'n' roll, not a soccer game. They've gotta stop coming to your shows.
20. It's not a "showcase". It's a gig that doesn't pay.
21. No one cares that you have a web site.
22. Getting a tattoo is like sewing platform shoes to your feet.
23. Don't hire a publicist.
24. Playing in San Marcos & Alpine doesn't mean you're on tour.
25. Don't join a cover band that plays Bush songs. In fact, don't join a cover band.
26. Although they come in different styles and colors, electric guitars all sound the same. Why do you keep changing them between songs?
27. Don't stop your set to ask that beers be brought up. That's what girlfriends/boyfriends are for.
28. If you use a smoke machine, your music sucks.
29. We can tell the difference between a professionally produced album cover and one you made with the iMac your mom got for Christmas.
30. Remember, if blues solos are so difficult, why can so many 16 year olds play them?
31. If you ever take a publicity photo, destroy it. You may never know where or when it will turn up.
32. Cut your hair, but do not shave your head.
33. Pierce your nose, but not your eyebrow.
34. Do not wear shorts onstage. Or a suit. Or a hat.
35. Rock oxymorons; "major label interest", "demo deal"," blues genius", "$500 guarantee", and "Fastball's second hit".
36. 3 things that are never coming back: a)gongs, b)headbands, and c)playing slide guitar with a beer bottle.

Numbers 3 & 13 made me laugh lots.

Ch-ch-changes
Adjusting the sidebar a bit. Steve's smacking days are over -- RIP. The "other" Danielle has moved to Vanilla Flavored, which is set to debut soon. I've added a new feature under "My Entertainment" where I will attempt to review the movies I see this year... that is until I get bored with it, quit, and it becomes completely obsolete.
Right now there are paragraphs, but we may end up just using the Four Word Film Review method after a while.

And It Begins
Funny how quickly one can become accustomed to the whole not working thing. I have two 5.5x2.5 foot desks that come to an "L" in my office. They were mostly cleared off before I left, save for the printer, speakers, phone, and a few files that never move. I come back this morning to find both blanketed in papers to be filed or mailed or opened or closed. Fun fun .

Subliminal Thoughts
I Say... You Think...
1. Vintage:: Thrift store shopping
2. Longing:: Pining
3. Specimen:: Trademark application proof-of-use
4. Mock:: trial
5. Shit:: crap
6. Friday:: I'm in Love
7. Cruel:: Intentions
8. Insufficient:: Evidence
9. Pessimistic:: half-empty
10. Grin:: :D

Song for the Day:
Anna Begins - Counting Crows
~It seems like I should say,
"As long as this is love..."
But it's not all that easy so maybe I should
Snap her up in a butterfly net
Pin her down in a photograph album~

Yesterday morning, it was 13 degrees on the bank clock as I drove out of my hometown at 7:30 in the morning.

This afternoon, Phebe and I sat outside in short-sleeves eating ice cream.

I love the south.

When I was driving yesterday, I was just about to pass the last exit for Omaha when I decided to stop. I managed to find the hospital where my cousin's son had a transplant a couple weeks ago. She was so thrilled that I took the time to visit, and it was really nice to catch up with her again. Even though she lives in North Carolina, we don't see each other all that often. Her son looked really good, and they are calling the transplant a success. Their goal is to be home by March 1st.

I'm so glad I came back yesterday, because I definitely needed today to chill and sort things out. I also needed to go get a new calendar. Tonight was one of my favorite rituals of the new year... writing birthdays and anniversaries in the new calendar. Love it! Might even buy another calendar so I can do it again. If you want to be included in my Hello Kitty Birthday Calendar of Joy and Love, please leave your birthdate in the comments.

Mark Your Calendars -- Oh Wait, I Did
▪ Time Bandits: 2-Disk Collector's Set is being released 1/27.
▪ Jordan Knight (of NKOTB) is playing at 3rd & Lindsley on 1/27.

TBWCYL
So as I mentioned before, I got This Book Will Change Your Life for Christmas. My brother spent the rest of the gift-opening time perusing it and laughing out loud on a regular basis. (I think I have found his birthday present for this year!) I started filling mine in today where they asked me to color in the countries on a world map (green) to which I have been, (blue) to which I plan to go this year, (yellow) to which I hope to visit before I die, and (red) to which I would rather die than visit. I'd also like to point out their online World Mood Chart.

The writers have convinced a gentleman by the name of Jonas to complete all of the tasks listed in the book. You can read all about it on his blog. (A few others are writing about how the book changes their lives: rockinear, Philip Jones, Rosie, vish, the toothfairy, Em and some group blog (which is cool because they use Shag artwork).)

Back

It's 2004 -- When Are We Going to Invent Teleporting Already?
So I am still at my parents' house. Though by a stroke of luck, I discovered that when I sit in the kitchen with my computer, I pick up a low wireless signal. Yippee! I had planned on driving to Des Moines today and then on to Nashville tomorrow, but Mom and I got in that "let's give everything to Goodwill" mood. So we had all kinds of boxes out of the storeroom, and it just wasn't happening for me.

Plus the nephews and niece were coming over, and I thought I could use a little more picture-taking time with them. Nate came over later, and.... (this is such a thrill to say).... we cut all his hair off. Luckily we timed it just right so that my sister, who was schooled in the ways of cosmetology, arrived at the house at about the same time as I was about to hack off the first major chunk. I ended up passing off the clippers for her to do the general shaping, and then I got rid of some more.

He brought over several pictures. We were going for a cross of All This Time-era Sting and Thom Yorke. The key phrase for the night was "don't fight the hairline". I think he looks great. We took before and after photos for the shock value. Nice.

So anyway. I'm driving back in one shot tomorrow. Mapquest estimates 14 hours and 4 minutes. I bite my thumb at Mapquest. Nashville, see you in 12.

Somewhere in Middle America
Mom and I did our annual post-Christmas trip to Omaha yesterday. We got a late start, but we got there by 3:30. I think we spent an hour in Linens 'N' Things coming up with ideas for redoing her bedroom and bathroom which are next on the remodeling list. My next career is Interior Decorator, I tell you.

Then we hit The Old Market. I found a great skirt at The SOUQ (which is also the place where I got my fabulous green velvet dress a few years ago). It's very me.

We hit lots of other shops, but my only other exciting purchase were these wonderful shoes from J.Jill. Manda will hate them, but again, they are very me.

New Year's... Bah Humbug
I'm feeling very uncelebratory tonight. I'd really rather sit home alone tonight watching one of the three audio commentaries on Pirates of the Caribbean. But I think I'm required to go out. Nothing can top "Italian Night" from last year. I think Nate and I are going to do pizza buffet for dinner and then sit around, though I was invited a few other places.

Regardless... I hope everyone has a safe and happy new year!