[ Saturday, November 15, 2003 ]
Somebody pulled the fucking fire alarm at 3:30 AM today. This is the kinda shit that REALLY drives me crazy, not just in the half-joking "pet peeve" way, but in the "maybe capital punishment isn't such a bad idea after all" way. Of course, we've been lucky this year. Last year, it used to happen with regularity; once or twice every month. Not the case so far this year, although somebody last night told me that on Oct. 31st - when I was in Green Bay, smelling funny - it happened two different times, along with a couple (and I quote) "stupid fuckers from the sixth floor" running around the building, from floor to floor, screaming at the top of their lungs and (quoting again) "throwing shit." What a bunch of fuckin' barbarians. Sometimes I think
Kevin Smith was talking about Madison when he wrote the line "bunch of savages in this town." I think that thought more than every once in a while.
Reasons to listen to the radio: Pink's new single, "Trouble," rocks. If you don't like it, there's something wrong with you.
Okay, that's all I've got today. Not much has been going on, which isn't such a bad thing. I've gotta start studying tomorrow for a Weather and Climate midterm, which is next week, but that's about it for excitement. Big party next weekend, though, with good folks and good music. (Hopefully some "Texas Lightning," too, which ain't never a bad thing.)
On the box right now: Jay-Z, THE BLACK ALBUM.
Peace...
Dove With Claws [12:14 PM]
[ Wednesday, November 12, 2003 ]
Funny news item I saw today:
"The Monkees' Mickey Dolenz To Star In AIDA"
Struck me funny. I don't really know why...
On the box right now: Obie Trice, CHEERS
Peace...
Dove With Claws [4:13 PM]
[ Tuesday, November 11, 2003 ]
I just got back from seeing THE MATRIX: REVOLUTIONS. It's visually arresting, suitably epic, very fast-paced...
...and completely ludicrous. I hate to be an armchair critic, but the dialogue is horrendous, the acting is totally hackneyed, characters are introduced and then go nowhere, story arcs that seem to be important completely disappear, questions go unanswered and the ending was so monumentally incomprehensible that it left many in the audience holding up their hands saying "what?" Not exactly a fitting way to end a trilogy that I had previously liked.
I'm sure
John will have some things to say about it in his blog. Suffice it to say that it's worth seeing when it comes out on video/DVD if you've seen the previous two, but don't spend too much money on this...
On the box right now: Marvin Gaye, WHAT'S GOING ON?
Peace...
Dove With Claws [10:22 PM]
Something to remember this Veterans Day...
This letter was printed in
my hometown paper, from a soldier in Iraq to his family up there.
"Hello there. It is sure nice to hear from you guys. Things here suck. I lost two friends in an attack and the third lost his leg. One of them died while I had him in my hands doing first aid. It sucks. We were ambushed the other day last week; they weren't expecting us. They were waiting for another convoy.
"We had three trucks with a lot of fire power. They shot out my tire in the front - scared the shit out of me. We had so much firepower we let them have it. When it was said and done, they had two dead, one injured. I only hope it was my bullets that killed them. I hate it here. I hate the people. Like I was telling Sharon, I have so much hate, and then I have so much love for my family.
"So, as you can see, things are bad and seem to only be getting worse. I have wrote numerous letters to everyone over the time I have spent here. Just lately I haven't felt like writing too much. Just know if something happens to me while I am here, I did my job the best I could and I wouldn't want to do anything else. I love my country and am proud to serve it. I love you all back home, and I WILL see you all again.
Love, your son, Thomas Jr."
There is no better way to "support the troops" than to bring them home. War ain't nothing but a heartbreaker...
Peace...
Dove With Claws [1:15 PM]
-Good quote from somebody behind me in Weather and Climate today:
"God, it must suck to have one leg." Can't say I disagree with that.
-Go read
Mr. C's blog entry about teacher pay. It's about as good a summation as I've seen about the issue. No kidding.
-So, I was at the
Orpheum Sunday for an Al Franken reading, and I had a rather interesting encounter, with this guy walking around who clearly worked at the Orpheum. He was a professional. How do I know this, you ask? Because he was wearing a shirt that said so: "I'm a professional. Don't try this at home." I don't exactly know the nature of his profession, but Sunday it appeared to be walking around asking audience membersif they were okay with the pre-event music. "This is Ziggy Marley...is this okay? Cool?" Like that. Of course, being a professional myself (right, Mike?), I am always happy to see another member of our elite group.
Anyway, he saw me, and I knew from the second he did that he was gonna pay me a visit. I had actually run into him the night before; actually, he had decided that we were buds, even though I've never met the guy before. I was sitting at the National Conference On Media Reform when he came up and wished me a good evening and said that he hoped I enjoyed myself. In any case, "The Professional" comes over to talk to me. He started in with the usual small talk, but then quickly decided that it was his job to tell me and the people sitting around me (whom I didn't know, but had seen at the Conference) about "show biz." He actually uttered the red-flag phrase "well, that's show biz" a couple different times. I, of course, was having flashbacks to WAITING FOR GUFFMAN. He prattled on about "show biz" for awhile, never raising himself above the level of pretentious nincompoop...at least he was nice.
On the box right now: Bruce Springsteen, ESSENTIAL Disc 3. Came out today, 2-disc collection of classic tracks with a great bonus disc of rarities, including one of the holy grails, "From Small Things, Big Things Come," one of the better Chuck Berry homages ever written.
Peace...
Dove With Claws [11:06 AM]
