Your Mileage May Vary

Light up my room

Background Noise: Viva la Vida

Last Visited: Macy's, the brick and mortar one. Note to Macy's: stores should match the price of items on your website. I love the dress, but seriously, that's obnoxious. 

Random Thought: bored? go learn something 

Mood: another demo down...

Things have been nuts this week and last and i haven't had a moment to mention who the band was at the WWDC beer bash this year! (How could i have forgotten?) I was so thrilled to discover that after years (and years) of predicting Barenaked Ladies... they finally showed up!

So out when the plans for reservations at some quite restaurant with excellent food and even better drinks, and in came the game plan of me grinning like an idiot while singing and dancing along during their (brief) set. Andrew M. even rescued a guitar pick for me near the end; and i have to admit, suddenly, that very very very long day didn't seem bad at all. 

I have to say many many thank you's to Andy for letting me pretend to be him for the day so i could sit on some quite interesting sessions and make it to the bash at the end of the day. 

... on a closing note, do you think the new Elle Woods (gulp, oh my ears, my ears) would find these heeliarious heels, up to her, um, style standards? 

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Continuing the Tradition

Background Noise: The Secret Garden
Last Visited: nwa.com
Random Thought: this is getting to be a bit of a habit
Mood: drained

Well, here we are again, late August; after Joe and Barb's birthday, before Dave's, before football... and once again, i've already bought my plane tickets home for Christmas.

You know, earlier this morning when i actually plunked down my $482 i was a trifle annoyed that it's August and a) there were only 2 seats left on the flight i'm on and b) the ticket was still practically five hundred dollars. But the farther away from the purchase i am, the more i like it: I now know with absolute certainty that i'm going home for Christmas with enough time to enjoy my holiday and take a "real" vacation in the middle, i've already paid for the ticket so i don't have to spend the next four months with this $500-$800 anvil hanging over my head, and really i can just stop worrying in general.

... And start planning a jaunt to London.

Completely off topic, should one have a theme song? Every random quiz seems to ask "what's your theme song?" as if that question was as easy or flip as "what's your sign?" I don't really have a theme song - though i suppose i could find one (or a set) that might do. Do you have a theme song?

And sort of along those lines (though not really), have you ever turned to one of your playlists that you've listened to a million times and suddenly thought: golly, i really hate this music - did i ever really like this?

Expression:

Let's Encyclopedia Brown this B*tch

Background Noise: Once Soundtrack
Last Visited: iTMS Link Maker
Random Thought: i can't imagine a childhood without Encyclopedia Brown.
Mood: we've still got time

Please go see Once right now. Today - if you're lucky enough to have it playing in your area, that is; you won't regret these 88 minutes in the theater.

I really can't add too much to what everyone is already saying about Once except, well, this picture touched me more than any movie, i think, since Before Sunrise. Yeah. That's all. Just go. Go and revel in "Falling Slowly" and "When Your Mind's Made Up" and the rest of the brilliant soundtrack (which, yes, i now own).

... oh, and the ending? Broke my heart.

(apparently i couldn't actually stop talking about it. Oh well.)

I also saw 1408 this weekend - and Al! It was brilliant seeing you on screen - especially in your head scarf - that truely cracked me up since i'm pretty positive you were wearing it the last time we were both home. You lit up the screen, babe. Oh, and the rest of the movie completely freaked me out - i screamed and jumped out of my chair a couple dozen times. Everyone is laughing at me. Or, well, everyone who was there is... um, that is.

:)

Oh, and if anyone can find the link to the BBCRadio piece this weekend about Geothermal Energy and how the Bush Administration has completely cut funding for supporting a local, sustainable, energy source that could support possibly 25% of the country's eneregy needs... i'd love if if you could comment and leave it for me. Thanks!

ps: Happy Birthday, Daddy!

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You're Timeless to Me

Background Noise: Bolero
Last Visited: amazon searching
Random Thought: you know, my wish list isn't in too bad of a shape this year. go figure.
Mood: ready to play hookey

So recently i've been thinking about holiday playlists - mainly how there aren't enough good ones to find on google, but that's a different story - and especially how some of my clearest connections to the holiday season musically are songs and albums that aren't... well, they aren't that obvious. Or normal, probably, but again, different story. So along with your Harry Connick Jr, your Nutcracker, Transiberian Orchestra, and Love Actually Soundtracks, might i offer up the following two works of art by George Winston:

  

They are beautiful, moving, and perfect mood-setting background music for almost any situation. Every time i hear December i think of christmas morning and my Dad making sure the tree lights are on, the fire is lit, the cinnamon rolls are made, and the music is ready before we're allowed to come downstairs to open presents. You know, i used to think the whole full-court press of that setup was cheesy; now? now i just can't wait to be home for it again.

Regardless, the music is beautiful, and i think should be included in any holiday playlist.

(And not that i'm hinting hard to anyone in particular, but the Velveteen Rabbit should not be missed by anyone - especially small children.)

And now? Now i'm going to play hookey a bit and take off to see A Good Year. Because with the way my day has gone today, i deserve to dream a little bit of Provance.

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Good Morning, Baltimore!

Background Noise: I Won't Go Hollywood
Last Visited: Hairspray Tickets
Random Thought: I might be sick, but i still want to go to the theater, damnit
Mood: um... generally icky?

I haven't been to the theater in ages. This is a problem. Anyone want to go to Hairspray this week with me? It's playing in San Jose until sunday.

There are other things i'd like to see, but, well, this is just so... immediately possible. And i'm liking immediate at the moment.

ps - that whole 4th of July thing... would people in this vacinity be interested in beaching / bbq-ing it in Monterey for the fireworks? It's a lot of fun, but really only works if there is a pretty decent sized group going. Just throwing the idea out there :)

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Extemp Demo: Go!

Background Noise: Steady As She Goes
Last Visited: it's Shonda's novel, after all
Random Thought: myspace, facebook, match, CL, orkut, friendster, linked in... dear god, people, get off your asses and meet in person!
Mood: thank goodness that's over. What's next?

I finally - read 2 1/2 years late - had my ergo eval for my office so a) they have to rearrange my desk and b) i get out of this rock i'm sitting on now and into a fabulous new chair. Speaking of fabulous chairs, this is the one i'm getting, it's a Freedom Chair by HumanScale:

I was even thrilled with the color (black) until i looked at the website and realized it also comes in teal and sage and red and grey. Oh well, black is fine... it will match those picture frames i need to bring in.

Oh, and while i'm in a sharing mood, i rereading Good in Bed. Good book, pick it up.

Also, Apple released the new MacBooks (formerly iBooks) today. Woo hoo! Congrats on all your hard work, guys. And did i mention they're widescreen, have CoreDuo processors and come in white and black? Very Sweet.

And sort of speaking of which, but not really: i give you Today's Creative Fable.

And, because i promised Barb that i would share some of the music i've picked up lately, i made a "May" playlist and it looks like this:

• Crazy, Gnarls Barkley


• Steady As She Goes, the Raconteurs


• Amazing Glow, The Pernice Brothers


• Perfect Situation, Weezer


• I Won't Go Hollywood, Bleu


• A Little Less Conversation, Chris Daughtry / American Idol (sue me)


• Suspicious Minds, Elvis


• I Wanna Hold You, McFly


• Red Beans & Rice, Keb Mo & the Crusaders


• I'll Be Ok, McFly


• Till It, Keb Mo & Lyle Lovett (i can't believe it either)


• Just Like You, Keb Mo & Bonnie Raitt

Expression:

I Still Wake Up Screaming

Background Noise: Amazing Glow, Pernice Brothers
Last Visited: uh...
Random Thought: it really is lovely; thank goodness for Gilmore Girls writers knowing awesome, random music
Mood: suddenly sleepy

A rare and wicked skill to change the light or weather
No room was spared No mood shown her mercy
I was a tireless fool I thought I could do better
I left in flames: a paper shade hanging from a light

And when it came to the wrecking ball:
she swung it effortlessly like it had no weight at all
And when it came to her victories:
The genus names of all the flowers that were feeding off her
amazing glow
I changed my master plan I changed my friends and city
I go to sleep I still wake up screaming
A dream so full and real, you'd think I would know better
I try to stave off a new day from rising.

And when it came to the wrecking ball: she swung it effortlessly like it had no weight at all
And when it came to her victories: the genus names of all the flowers that were feeding off her
amazing glow.
-- Amazing Glow, The Pernice Brothers, c/o SongMeanings Lyrics

Expression:

So, Let's Make Our Steps Clear

Background Noise: Gotta love Bruce...
Last Visited:
Random Thought: this is first dance material if i ever heard it
Mood: dip-dip-di-dip

We said we’d walk together baby come what may
That come the twilight should we lose our way
If as we’re walkin a hand should slip free
I’ll wait for you
And should I fall behind
Wait for me

We swore we’d travel darlin’ side by side
We’d help each other stay in stride
But each lover’s steps fall so differently
But I’ll wait for you
And if I should fall behind
Wait for me

Now everyone dreams of a love lasting and true
But you and I know what this world can do
So let’s make our steps clear that the other may see
And I’ll wait for you
If I should fall behind
Wait for me

Now there’s a beautiful river in the valley ahead
There ’neath the oak’s bough soon we will be wed
Should we lose each other in the shadow of the evening trees
I’ll wait for you
And should I fall behind
Wait for me

Darlin’ I’ll wait for you
Should I fall behind
Wait for me

-- Bruce Springsteen, If I Should Fall Behind.

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