I was just informed that my Saturday evening plans include a nice bottle of wine! According to the internet, this coming Saturday is Open That Bottle night. Basically, you're supposed to find that bottle of whatever that you've been stashing for a "special occasion" and make a special occasion out of opening it. Examples I heard on NPR's "air" podcast included an old widower drinking the wine in memory of his deceased wife, a woman who had saved wine for her son's wedding since he was a baby (he was in his 30s and not even dating), and a couple who tried to recreate their first date with pizza and their special bottle of wine.
Cheers, everybody, and here's hoping my story is interesting, too :)!
Look me over, I'm the Cap'm / Go ahead and mess with me / You'll find out what will happ'm
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Sunday night at the Oscars
Last night, I went to an Oscar-watching party at the Modern. It was free, and I had my picture taken on the "red carpet." They tried to make it as authentic as possible by asking us where our outfits came from. I think I said "craigslist," but It might actually have been Macy's or somesuch. I honestly don't remember.
They had contests with prizes if you stuck around, but I ended up leaving about 9 pm. A couple of disappointments:
They had contests with prizes if you stuck around, but I ended up leaving about 9 pm. A couple of disappointments:
- Hellboy 2 should have won best makeup. Benjamin Button was almost entirely special effects.
- I think it is somewhat sad that Tina Fey was the only comedic actress they could get to go along with Steve Martin. Not that I don't love her, but she hasn't done any films recently, only TV, right? Surely there's a comedic actress that's done some popular/good comedy recently?
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Recession-proof
Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner! The numbers are in and videogames win. Amid the wailing and gnashing of teeth in the retail sector, a clear trend has emerged. Allow me to expound.
When I was in high school and college, when I finally realized I was destined for nerddom, I played videogames because I had overprotective parents who did not want me to go out late with friends. I developed an intense love for console-based JRPGs. I played them through every chance I got. I have an old photograph of myself wearing my prom dress while playing through an old NES Legend of Zelda game. I lived and breathed videogames when I wasn't at school or at a volleyball game. In fact, I'd say at least 80% of the times I got in trouble were because I "just had to get to a save point." Parents never understand.
In college, I came to recognize my gaming hobby as a method of escape from all manner of stresses. I had boyfriends, tests, roommates, and neighbors to avoid and escape from, and any time not spent with my friends was spent playing Ragnarok Online, Snood, or the latest Final Fantasy game. Escape. That's the key word.
When I was in high school and college, when I finally realized I was destined for nerddom, I played videogames because I had overprotective parents who did not want me to go out late with friends. I developed an intense love for console-based JRPGs. I played them through every chance I got. I have an old photograph of myself wearing my prom dress while playing through an old NES Legend of Zelda game. I lived and breathed videogames when I wasn't at school or at a volleyball game. In fact, I'd say at least 80% of the times I got in trouble were because I "just had to get to a save point." Parents never understand.
In college, I came to recognize my gaming hobby as a method of escape from all manner of stresses. I had boyfriends, tests, roommates, and neighbors to avoid and escape from, and any time not spent with my friends was spent playing Ragnarok Online, Snood, or the latest Final Fantasy game. Escape. That's the key word.
Escape is the reason, I think, that one of the few retailers experiencing not only stability, but growth in our economic supercrisispanicwhatever is GameStop. In the 1930s films and comic books were the escape. People locked themselves in a dark theater for a matinee, nighttime show, and could shut out the sounds of the job market crashing around them. These days, all we have to do is snag a pair of headphones, pop a disc in our videogame machine of choice, and play for hours. Profits don't lie. Videogames have finally become mainstream. Good or bad, that's the state of things.
Enjoy the rest of your Thursday.
Enjoy the rest of your Thursday.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Lists
Three short lists.
Things that might be good for a story:
Things that might be good for a story:
- the exact moment my work building "comes to life" in the morning
- romance between hobos (http://rvb.roosterteeth.com/comics/strip.php?id=568)
- electrons with New York accents
- Waffle House
- my Kindle2
- huuuuuugs
- Blogging (whoops!)
- sleeping
- reading the new book I bought for $3 yesterday
Monday, February 9, 2009
Priority purchasing
Okay folks, as you all are probably aware, Tax Season is upon us. If you're a tax preparer, get ready for massive overtime. If you're in the tax preparation book business, breathe a sigh of relief, as your boredom season is upon you.
For those of us who have nothing to do with the tax preparation industry, please make sure to thank your tax preparer, and perhaps shower him/her/it with kisses or candy as you deem appropriate. This year, I'll be getting a refund, and I'm trying to prioritize what I do with the money.
I'm looking for help to determine what I should do. Current list of stuff I want to do with the money follows. I'll have to eliminate some, most likely, but I'm having trouble cutting out things.
For those of us who have nothing to do with the tax preparation industry, please make sure to thank your tax preparer, and perhaps shower him/her/it with kisses or candy as you deem appropriate. This year, I'll be getting a refund, and I'm trying to prioritize what I do with the money.
I'm looking for help to determine what I should do. Current list of stuff I want to do with the money follows. I'll have to eliminate some, most likely, but I'm having trouble cutting out things.
Amazon Kindle 2. I've wanted one for awhile, but I wanted to wait for the second version to come out, as I heard there were some issues with the first.TOO LATE. I BOUGHT IT! BWAAHAHAHAHA!- I want to actually buy web space for the domain so my podcast can be free of wordpress, and I can actually plop ads on it to make some money.
- A bicycle. I'd have to get someone to teach me how to ride, but I want to start biking to work.
- A new nightstand for the bedroom
- New work clothes. NICE work clothes (I'm talking Ann Taylor/Banana Republic).
- A FigurePrint. You know the ones.
- A piece of beautiful art for my new apartment. I want something that costs more than $100, and that doesn't come from SuperTarget
Thursday, February 5, 2009
I enjoy listening to you breathe.
I'd like to take just a small moment out of your day to tell you to stop breathing like a flat-faced dog. That's not a euphemism for anything. I mean that you breathe like a bulldog. You have a sinus problem, and your insurance will probably cover the surgery. I will help you pay for it if insurance does not. Please get it fixed.
Sincerely,
Listening-to-loud-music-to-drown-out-your-breathing
Sincerely,
Listening-to-loud-music-to-drown-out-your-breathing
Monday, February 2, 2009
Aphorisms for the day.
A lie told often enough becomes the truth. — Vladimir Lenin
(This includes lies we tell ourselves.)
It is better to be hated for what one is, than loved for what one is not. — AndrĂ© Gide
(This is the hardest truth for me to accept.)
Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm. — Ralph Waldo Emerson
(And thus, I shall languish in obscurity.)
Enjoy the rest of your Monday.
(This includes lies we tell ourselves.)
It is better to be hated for what one is, than loved for what one is not. — AndrĂ© Gide
(This is the hardest truth for me to accept.)
Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm. — Ralph Waldo Emerson
(And thus, I shall languish in obscurity.)
Enjoy the rest of your Monday.
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