Angie Joe - sounds like you've cornered the boy market in Houston. Have fun.
Upma - I so want to see Amelie, and now you're making me even more impatient to see it. I loved City of Lost Children. Maybe I'll go tonight.
Ted returns today after being in Michigan for the last few weeks. I got all domestic last night with the thorough cleaning of the apartment, general sprucing up all around. Stocking the fridge with the juice he likes. I'm really excited to see him again.
Etiquette question: I've been invited to a joint birthday party tomorrow night. I'm good friends with one of the girls (and bought her a gift) but am only a passing acquaintance of the other girl. Is it tacky to show up with only one gift?
Shelly - I get compliments on those fuzzy blue earmuffs you got me a few Hanukkahs ago, every single time I wear them. I got good use out of them the last few days. Now it's sunny and in the 60s. Basically perfect weather.
Have a good weekend everyone.

Good morning.
Zach - I hope you feel better soon. I was sick the week before Thanksgiving and it was all kinds of suck.
So I got upgraded to the next operating system at work, so my computer is speed lightning fast, I love it.
It's 19 degrees today with the windchill. It's the South. It should NOT be that cold. Though we may get "snow dayed" out of work tomorrow if it sleets. (meaning no one here knows how to drive in bad weather). So the plants are covered, the flannel pjs have come out, it's time for winter (well, at least for a week or so). Next week, we're back into fall weather. Ah, Austin.

sorry for being such a bad Blogger this last week. Seriously, all I can think about is Grovestand Orange Juice and sleep. My acute poverty is being matched by a total physical meltdown. I feel really awful. Ugh.

Mike-I got your CD. Very cool. Beatastic. Also got the new Garrison and I like it. I'd totally be into seeing them next week, the only thing is that night is band practice night and there is no way I can skip it, so I wouldn't be able to leave until like 8pm. Also, you can crash on our futon. No sweat.

Others-I love you all. Now I'm going to go find a rent free rock to crawl under.

It's the last day of my trip home. As expected, it's been the height of laziness. Lots of good eating (mostly traditional turkey day stuff), and then as my last New Orleans meal, for lunch I had red beans & rice, cornbread and bread pudding for dessert. Ah, home.
I fly back tonight (the flights were fine coming home, yet it still makes me nervous to be in a plane these days), and then tomorrow is back to work, work, work. And I guess, starting to get presents ready. Hanukkah is early this year (Dec. 10th), but I think I know what I'm getting for my family. Though I do want to do handmade gifts - they're easy to buy CDs, DVDs, etc. for instead. I need to look online for some good homemade gift recipes - maybe bath salts or stuff like that, or those handmade magnets, those are pretty fun.
I went and saw Harry Potter. The sets are incredible, but the theater was filled with kids who started squirming after the movie hit the two hour mark. I don't blame them.
Weezie - I think doing Teach for America sounds great. I have a bunch of friends who did it, and who got a lot out of it, and if you're in Houston, we can meet up with Angie and all have fun.
Upma - how's the timeline going for the Philly move?

So what are you guys doing for Thanksgiving? I fly home to New Orleans tonight. I can't wait for the eating/sleeping/cheesy movie watching fest to begin.

sorry, i've been asleep for the last month and a half. just waking up, a little behind the times. i don't know who half these people are. it makes me think i'm in the wrong business, though.

Kira Kener 99%
Minnie Driver 99%
Sylvana Simons 99%
Shannon Elizabeth 98%
Josee Chouinard 98%

Scott Foley 99%
James Marsters 98%
Marilyn Manson 98%
Michael Schumacher 98%
Christopher Gorham 97%

saw mulhulland drive, it's a great film if you like david lynch. going to paris in january. i'm in a state of complete desirelessness. it's quite comfortable, somewhat productive, little different than apathy i think, it's new to me. if i can manage to get laundry done sometime this week i'll be ok, at least that's what i tell myself. shot some footage of these trees wrapped in burlap to shield them from the frost that seems like it's never going to come. they look like monks or knomes, some look like little budhas, i rub their bellies for luck. i have a quick morning mass with them everyday as i walk to the subway.

send me your stuff:
j.t. rinker
133 elmwood ave. #5
buffalo, ny 14201

i don't ever say how much your work excites me, that you working excites me. i'm putting together some things, will let you all know when i need your addresses. if you're inspired, squeaky wheel is hosting a dysfunctional holiday screening, any work about dysfunction and or holidays under 3 minutes will be screened. deadline is dec. 17.

i'm working up to capitals. will be there soon.

And not only parents - extended family - nieces, nephews, siblings, neighbors, childhood friends

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaccckkkkkkkkkkkkkk

Upma - I'm glad to hear that Philly was so awesome. That's great.
Mike - how did your non-date go?
My weekend was pretty low key. Friday night I watched the Iron Chef USA (Live from Las Vegas! Hosted by William Shatner!! Rock 'n' Roll!). Saturday Ted and I spent five hours putting together an armoire I'd ordered from IKEA. Five hours - five hours! What was I thinking. I don't think I'm doing any more ordering from IKEA. We watched My Dinner with Andre that night, and I totally fell asleep. Yesterday I went to a Thanksgiving potluck hosted by one of my old photo dork friends. (when we were all photographers at the school paper together - we referred to ourselves as the "photo dorks" ) It was nice, lots of photos were taken. Then last night I bought my plane ticket to Michigan (where Ted's family is from) for Christmas. Then I had a bit of a nervous panic moment about meeting parents.

Karaoke tonight. Brian Tipa and Rick Spencer sang "Power of Love." Jennifer Furches and I sang "Somewhere Out There." Then Tipa, Spenser and I sang "Devil Went Down to Georgia." It was fun.

weezie, if you steal Cate from me....

Subbing today. Kids love these things most of all:

Cussing under their breath.
Throwing things.
Complaining.
Giggling.

Also, teens are ugly. Physically ugly.

If I married Cate Blanchett, I could probably quit subbing right?

Angie: so what did you guys do on your non-date? And is there another non-date in your future? Good luck/fingers crossed. And that departmental job sounds awesome. Right up your alley.
So Ted invited me home with him for Christmas. I just got online to look at tickets. $1500. Yea. Don't think I'll be meeting them this year.
Highlight of the work day so far: choosing Star Wars photos to show the math editors to fill a spec
So speaking of sex industry jobs. I've had a husky voice for the past few days due to my cold, my mother, yes, my mother, suggested (okay - so it was jokingly), that I take up some part-time work as a phone-sex operator until it's back to normal.
right.
I didn't like my best matches - so I will not be posting them.

i was 98% with Kid Rock and Hilary Swank.

Thanks for the CD, mike, I'm looking forward to it. When we finish our 8-track stuff I'll send it to you. I think you'd like the stuff we're doing.

And thanks for the info on Peter Wolf.

Our friend Brian Tipa came back from Scotland today with his French wife. In the course of the evening we told them the story of Evan's run-in with John's mom. (For those of you who haven't heard the story...The short version: John's mom calls and thinks she talking to John. Evan thinks he's talking to Jon Gota using a funny voice. Evan says, "Who is this?" John's mom says, "Your momma!" Evan replies, "Oh momma, its been so long since I had my dick in your ass!" John's mom hangs up, then calls back to Evan's horror.) Brian's wife, Cecilia, didn't really get the story, so Brian repeats it for her in French. Christ, I didn't think there was any way to make that story funnier, but it is very much funnier in French. Lord! Sacre bleu!

Upma, if you want to set up a show, do it. I trust your judgement. But, I'd be happy to listen to the CD. I also want to see the video you shot of us.

Surfing today I found a really silly website that preports to determine your compatability with celebrities. They chart the physical, emotional and intellectual compatablity you would have with these people based on your birthday. What your birthdate tells you about compatability with famous people I don't know. You can get your highest compatability alone (mine is some Japanese supermodel who looks about ten.) or you can enter in a celeb of your choice. At the risk of revealing too much about myself, I present my compatability with the celebs of my fancy in the order I checked them. I'm sad to say that none of these lovely ladies scored above 80% compatability with yours truly.

Cate Blanchett 59%
Rachel Weisz 67%
Hilary Swank 78%
Laura Prepon 72%

At this point, discouraged by this highly scientific way to prove my love of Cate Blanchett was meant to be, I began to goof around and discovered I am...

74% compatable with John Le Carre (including a 99% physical compatability---Score)
61% with Zac Hanson
87% with Ellen DeGeneres (what does that mean?)

and best of all

82% compatability with BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN!

check it here.

I know I'm going to be the only person on the blog who doesn't know who Peter Wolf is. So Mike... que?

Louise---Some students were busting prostituting themselves out of the dorms two weeks ago. Then the G-boro cops shut down all the "massage" parlors in town (one about a block away from my house), so I'm thinking any of the sex related industries might not be the longterm career solution I need.

I've been having a couple of low days. My current poverty is becoming extreme. Bills are piling up, groceries are disappearing and I still don't have any real work. I applied for a job at the campus library. I'd love to get it. I have two pluses. One, Krystal works there and can put in a good word. Two, I've worked for the school before and I graduated from there. Minuses include my complete lack of library work experience and the stiff competition (there are 28 applicants). My feeling is that I'm pretty well screwed.

Catering has proven to be more miss than hit. Subbing is killing me. I just hate it.

So, I need a job... bad. And I don't know where to look. Or what kind of thing I want to do. I don't have any skills or experience doing anything really. I have some management experience but I really don't want to do that again.

Anyway, I've been low. Then tonight, at practice, Nathan busted his snare head and had to change it. As he was working on that Benji asked Krystal about a guitar part she had shown us a few weeks ago. So she played it and said that it had become part of a song, but that she didn't think it was something for the band. She and Benji and I started playing around with it. It was pretty good. Nathan fixed his drum head and, honest to god, we played that song almost perfectly the first time we ever tried it. We just GOT it. It was great. We shaped it up for about an hour and that was it. Nathan says its our best song. Maybe so. I just like the fact that we weren't planning to play it. Krystal only showed us with some prodding. And then we just knew it. So nice. That's why I love playing in a band. When we're on, there's nothing in my life as rewarding.

Tomorrow I'm broke and in desperate straits, but tonight I feel pretty good that I rock well.

I have yucky cough medicine taste in my mouth. But if it stops the wheezing I've been doing, I'll be grateful. I kept waking myself up last night with coughing. Not fun.
I went to see Monsters, Inc. on Sunday. I really enjoyed the Pixar short that came before it. More movies should do that, have shorts. One theater in Austin (the Arbor) was going to do a test of that and see what audience/studio reaction was.
The Star Wars trailer was pretty cool as well. I'm having fun imitating the deep Darth Vadar breathing (easy to do in my immune deficient current condition). Anyone else seen it?

Why o why did I take that nap? My head feels like its full of cotton balls.

I went to my friend Katie's wedding on Saturday. She works as a colorist, so there was lots of good hair in the audience. She was such a laid-back bride, she was waving hello to people as she walked down the aisle. I was excited because I was getting to wear a bridesmaid outfit for the 2nd time. Didn't think it would happen. The whole evening was fun. Dancing around with Ted, seeing an old friend from college (Jeff - jeff of jeff and katie - as only shelly might of heard me talk about him before), being outside on a beautiful night for the ceremony. It was an uncheesy wedding, the best kind.
Mike - sorry to hear about your nose - but sounds like you handled in with good humor.
Upma - have fun in Philly - are you house/job hunting on this trip as well?

Oh my god. I'm subbing today for my friend Erin's art
class. In the first block, a girl cussed at me, at
John, accused me of picking on her because she was
white (whu?), and took off to the bathroom screaming
only to be talked out by the assistant principal.
She's on probation I hear. Guys, I was as cool as a
cucumber the whole time. I feel terrible that she
took it that far. But, I'm glad that I didn't do
anything to make it worse. I kept asking her, while
she was refusing to sit down and cursing, "What's the
point of this? Why are you doing this?" Obviously,
it wasn't me. I feel terrible that we all had to
watch that girl lose it over...whatever.

Then, like 45 minutes later, same class, one girl hits
another for putting tape on her and a screaming match
ensues. I'm standing right between them saying "Calm
down, just calm down." And the first girl, Shalla,
the hitter, takes off her shoe and HURLS it past me
toward, DeeDee, the taper. The shoe misses DeeDee and
slams into a metal shelf making a sound like I don't
know what. John rushes in and takes DeeDee out of the
room to calm her down (because Shalla, for being a
violent loony, was totally calm and creepy) and I have
to SHOUT, "SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP" for the class to cool
it.

John says that he's never seen anything like that in
his time as a teacher.

Thankfully, my second and fourth block classes were pretty good. Except that I told a kid to "stop fucking around with the computer" in fourth. It really was an accident. And this kid who probably talks like a sailor to his grandmother, looks at me like I spit in his face. "Ok, dude, you don't have to cuss at me." Jeez....

I think I have to find another job.

mike-I'd totally like a copy of SEIZE HIM! My address is

zm
717 mayflower dr
greensboro, NC 27403

Angie - my mom and Adam's mom work together - so it only took a call home - not great sleuthing.
And I know what you mean about those props. I voted yesterday (swelling of civic pride) but I had to go along with the Austin Chronicle's recommendations on a lot of that stuff because it was making my head ache while reading the League of Women Voters info on all that.

angie - adam's email is anhirsch@yahoo.com

I got to spend my entire day with my brother and my beyootiful niece. She can sit up on her own now. She sits up better than any baby ever.

Since we're on the subject of food, I want to tell you about the meal I had last night (shell - you already got the play by play of this)
Last night Ted and I went to the Eat Drink Watch Movies series held at the Alamo Drafthouse North to see Big Night and eat a multi-coursed meal catered by local Italian restaurants: Asti and La Traviata.
It was amazing.
First off - antipasti: crostini, olives, fresh mozzarella, and this one succulent tomato. When I put that tomato in my mouth, its slippery skin on my tongue, keeping my mouth open to breath in its flavors, then biting down, popping it sweet flesh, letting the flavors soak up on my tongue, layer after layer of different tastes, first basil, then the olive oil that soaked its skin, then on and on, it was quite possibly the best tomato I've ever had. (not to go all erotica in my description of it, but damn if that wasn't what it was like) and champagne to go with the anitpasti. I love the sweet smell of champagne.
second course: tri-colored risotto. it is a bit disarming to not be able to see your food, but you could make out the different colors faintly of each type, depending on taste to discern the difference. and we ate the risotto when the characters in the movie are eating it. so delicious. a basil pesto risotto, an olive risotto and a seafood tomato risotto. perfect. my mouth waters in rememberance.
then red wine
third course: the timpano. the drum they lovingly show the making of in the movie. we ate the drum (and once again, at the same time the characters in the movie are eating it as well). flaky crust. noodles soaked in sauce. the aroma of garlic.
so much good red wine.
fourth course: chicken with an olive tampanade. sigh. getting pretty full at this point. I mostly just ate the roasted vegetables and olive topping (leaving the chicken naked)
red wine is so good.
fifth course: dessert - icy fruit granita served in a martini glass sprinkled with pomegranate seeds (and who uses pomegranate seeds nowadays - it's as chi-chi as chilean sea bass)
At the end of the night, we came home and danced around the living room to Louis Prima.

Wow, the ninth inning was something, wasn't it? What a good series.

Upma, I assume that I know who you're talking about. I guess I don't really know the icy lady or anything, but I'm always a little put off by people who spend all of their time with people who are way younger than they are. And if she's really acting like it seems she is, then maybe you're better off. I mean, what's her trip anyway?

Before we played tonight, Gavin called us "Greensboro's buzz band." Any buzz accorded us was extinguished by the end of our terrible, terrible set. Rarely in my life have I so wanted to disappear. I got the feeling after that people were avoiding me so as not to be forced to lie.

Crimson Spectre and Charles Currier both knocked 'em dead however.

The new issue is back from the printer and it is great. I'll send them to whoever wants one. Email your mailing addresses again please.

I have the Friday afternoon drained feeling. Too much Halloween candy crashing my system probably. I'm going to go see Slaid Cleaves at the Cactus tonight. The biscuit is in town this weekend for a wedding, and I think I've been guilted into going to a meal. Sunday night I'm really excited about this Eat Drink Watch Movies program Ted and I are going to. It's at the Alamo Drafthouse. We're watching Big Night and being fed a seven course meal by two yummy Italian restaurants in town. Upma - I love your pets. I was in heaven yesterday when I was taking a walk around my neighborhood. One house has fuzzy little puppies in front of it and another one had sweet, shy little kitties. All were afraid of coming near, but I coohed and aahed from a distance.
I'm really enjoying listening to Leonard Cohen right now. Shelly - where are you traveling to?
Mike - did you get to watch Survivor last night? I'm really liking Boran more and more.

Z.A.C.H.: Zealous Assassination and Calculation Humanoid

Didn't get to see Slayer tonight. Cost too much. Missed most of the game. Innings 6-12.

Saw Frog and Toad Together and Disband for free instead. Talked to Scott Hicks.

New Slave comes tomorrow. Slave show tomorrow night.

Oh... the sub calls. I ignored those because I have no interest in my on welfare.

I'm not going to pretend I'm the world's most knowledgable baseball fan, but I really enjoyed watching game three. I wish I had caught more than the last few minutes of game 4. Tonight's game (tonight, right?) will be on the box!

Upma: Have you called me? I don't really check my messages anymore. Try my phone: 336.340.6065. Any of you can feel free to call. I got minutes I have to use and all.

i think I'm going Saturday. Death Cab is playing, for those of you not playing attention to the minutae of my life. I'm worried about money. Thad might come too.

Grace the duck will probably stay home.

Angie, if you make it as close as Spartanburg we'll make plans to meet up. That would be fun.

Last night, Crimson Spectre did a set at Cedar St as Black Flag. Then Jimmy, Stan, Nathan and I played "Knowledge" by Operation Ivy with zero practices. It was gnarly but fun. Jimmy followed this by performing three hip-hop versions of OpIvy songs with tracks he made himself on his sequencer.

Then I came home and saw Derek Jeter win Game 4 of the series.

This morning I ignored 9 calls for sub work. I'm digging a hole.

awake and waiting for it to be late enough to call the cab to the airport. jacob is asleep. all the projects i want to work on are packed even though i know i probably won't get a stitch of them done around my family. can't sit still because i'd fall asleep. didn't sleep after halloween revelry. a little bit nervous about flying again even though i shouldn't be.