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883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 06,April,2004 | Bored By Duf Fer I have a friend named MH. When he is bored he picks his nose. I am bored. I thought about picking my nose, but it was taken. Instead, I sniffed markers at my desk. Now I have a headache. Bored. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 06,April,2004 | Fark Headlines of the Day By Duf Fer 'Woman who swallowed diamond ring gets probe-ation.' 'When carrying marijuana through airport security, don't wrap it in tinfoil and walk through the metal detectors. 'Ted Kennedy calls Iraq 'Bush's Vietnam.' In other news, Vietnam now to be known as 'Ted Kennedy's Brother's Iraq.' Jack Daniels still known as 'Ted Kennedy's Pepsi'.' 'Surgeons who play video games make 37 percent fewer mistakes than their counterparts, thus completing the trifecta that beer, sex and video games are good for you.' Affectionate nod to DJS on that last one. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 06,April,2004 | The Greatest American Rock and Roll Band of All Time By Duf 'I've Studied for More than 20 Years' Fer As you all know, I love The Pixies. When they were making music, they just had a way of really reaching me. I still listen to their work, and it still rocks me. I'm thrilled that they are reuinited. If only they had longevity on their side. Many of you also know I love R.E.M. Steeped in a rich history, and they have been making consistently good music since 1979. Their live shows are good too (not great, but good) The Talking Heads were touched by God, there's no doubt about it. The Ramones, the Beach Boys, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Velvet Underground, The Allman Brothers, Metallica, The Grateful Dead (and perhaps Crosby, Stills & Nash - but not Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young (Neil is a dirty Canadian), The Mamas and the Papas on California Dreamin' alone), and The Doors all deserve much praise and mention. I can't ignore Pearl Jam and Nirvana either. I also have a soft spot in my heart for the Replacements. I thought about The Strokes, Foo Fighters (was Dave Grohl the genius behind Nirvana? I'm starting to wonder - no disrespect to Kurt C.) and The White Stripes, but they are a bit too new and until they emerge from the category of artists with two or three really great albums (Soul Coughing and Cake are in this happy place), they will not rank as the greatest. They have potential though... I also am not terribly studied on The Flaming Lips, but I like everything that I have heard - how do you start with a discography that long? You have to give them props for longevity and for being from Oklahoma (quick, name something better to come out of Oklahoma...that's what I thought). Many people like Steely Dan, Bon Jovi and Van Halen, but I'm not there. So, the Greatest American Rock and Roll Band of All Time is Wilco. Think about it. From AM to Yankee Hotel Foxtrot , to their collaboration with Billy Bragg on the Woody Guthrie songs, to their collaboration with Minus 5 last year, everything they touch turns to pure art. When was the last time you listened to Being There ? Have you ever seen them live at First Ave? Ohmigod they ROCK!!! Also, they never sold out, and they challenge their listeners and take their music and all of music in new directions without really changing who they are. They pretty much started the Alt Country subgenre. Their lyrics? Sublime. Their sound? Immediately indentifiable as Wilco. For this reason, I am nominating Wilco as the Greatest American Rock and Roll Band of All Time. When I think of American rock and roll, I think of Wilco. Do you disagree? Here are the rules for disagreeing: 1. You must pick a band. No solo artists. 2. It must be all American. Friends, Led Zeppelin was a British band. 3. They must be a Rock and Roll Band (or else I would have included De la Soul and the Beastie Boys and Parliament). You will arrive at the same answer I did: Wilco. Wilco. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 01,April,2004 | Angels in America By Duf 'Art Lover' Fer If you have a chance, I urge you, nayI plead with yousee urlLink this movie . I saw the play(s) when it (they) was (were) in Minneapolis several years ago. This version was on HBO, and I watched it on a video tape that my in-laws lent me. It is six hours long, so I would encourage you to take it in installments. Still, this play (these plays), this movie (these movies)are art. Kushner won a Pulitzer for the plays, and you can see why: they are art, pure art. The conversations about religion, sexuality, race, patriotism, sickness, convalescence, history, politics, conservatism, liberalism, addiction, parenthood, marriage, divorce (togetherness, separation), mortality, immortality, gain and loss, freedom and slavery are simply amazing. There are moments when it becomes a bit too arty and perhaps too literary (if thats possible), but it succeeds on so many levels that you are left slack-jawed and amazed. As I watched it, I kept thinking I cant believe one person wrote this. The writing is so rich (maybe too rich sometimes) that you imagine some of the ideas were a lifetime in the making. The acting: Emma Thompson is great. Al Pacino is magnificenthas Meryl Streep ever done a poor acting job? Ive never seen it. But the show was stolen (stop, thief!) by Jeffrey Wright (Basquiat) who has to be among our nations best actors. Art lovers, see this film! Panda, you especially must find a way to see this movie. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 28,May,2004 | My favorite question under the 'Quick FAQ's' is: With minor surgery and a little makeup can a large Cicada be made to resemble Ryan Seacrest? Yes, there are many documented cases of Cicadas being successfully altered to look like Ryan Seacrest. Have a great holiday. And keep your children away from the cicadas. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 27,May,2004 | Maybe I wouldn't make such a lousy president... urlLink this story is just great. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 26,May,2004 | Here's my Taurus horoscope for today: You're in the mood for some monkey business. Your overwhelming animal magnetism gives you a head start these days, and that's your cue to start swinging. If the man or woman of your dreams isn't available, you'll have no trouble amusing yourself with some passing fancy. Excellent grooming is essential, but it comes naturally. Even if you're just being casual, others see you as a picture of style and elegance. Get an early start on your weekend. With all that you have going for you, there's a lot of ground to cover. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 26,May,2004 | I've been watching a lot of movies lately. Call it escapism. Oh, and Netflix is a God-send, people! urlLink Coupling: Season 1 , 2000 - 1.5 stars The worst! Ever see 'Friends'? This is a wanna-be, except with stupid talk about sex. People may think a show could be improved with British accents...not the case for this Brit sitcom. Also, they weren't even that good looking...don't know what all the hype was about. urlLink He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not , 2002 - 4.5 stars So damn clever, and with Audrey Tautou you can't go wrong with the cuteness factor. A different side of her here, though. urlLink Little Voice , 1998 - 4 stars Jane Horrocks of urlLink AbFab fame - the girl can sing EXACTLY like Judy Garland. Unbelievable. urlLink Swimfan , 2002 - 3 stars A 'Fatal Attraction' for teens. urlLink Life as a House , 2001 - 4 stars I bawled (but take this from a girl who's cried while watching urlLink Colonial House on PBS). Great cast. urlLink She's the One , 1996 - 3.5 stars A good sequel to The Brothers McMullen. Some sub-par acting and predictability made me rate it a little lower. But Eddie Burns is in it and he's hot, so... urlLink The Opposite of Sex , 1998 - 3 stars Lisa Kudrow is great, but I couldn't really get into this film. It didn't seem to be leading anywhere (not that each film should, but it felt like this one wanted to...does that make sense?). Forgettable. urlLink Beyond Borders , 2003 - 3.5 stars I am surprised I haven't heard more people talk about this film. It has an importance, but only if you look past the Hollywood-ness of the cheesy love story. What fascinated me was that it was filmed on 3 continents with a limited budget and they did not try to make the poverty look pretty. When Angelina Jolie's character was in Africa, she held a boy who was truly starving to death. urlLink Devil's Playground , 2002 - 4 stars OK, don't laugh. This is a documentary about the Amish. For some reason, I am so curious about this culture - this film highlights the time in a young Amish person's life where he/she must decide whether to embrace or leave the church. Excellent. urlLink Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown , 1988 - 3.5 stars I liked the last Almodovar film I saw (Talk to Her) so I thought I'd give this one a try. It's hysterically Spanish and Antonio Banderas is young and squeaky clean! urlLink Tom & Viv , 1994 - 3 stars I'm a fan of TS Eliot, but not a huge fan of this movie. It was extremely difficult for me to watch. urlLink Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! , 2004 - 3 stars Don't hate...I had to throw a teen romance in here somewhere . Plus, I love Topher Grace from That 70's Show. He's so my type. urlLink All About My Mother , 1999 - 3.5 stars Yep, you guessed it...another one from Almodovar (no, he doesn't make every successful Spanish film). What do you want - transvestites, love, death, birth?...you get it all here. urlLink The Ring , 2002 - 3.5 stars Freaked me out. Is still freaking me out. It's freaky....although, when I found out it's a remake from a Japanese horror flic, it didn't seem quite so scary anymore. urlLink Casa de los Babys , 2003 - 3 stars Terrific cast, but too many characters (or too little time?) to develop even one of them appropriately. urlLink Italian for Beginners , 2000 - 4 stars Ever hear of urlLink Dogme 95 ? This was Lone Scherfig's first attempt at this rather pompous way of filmmaking. Dancer in the Dark also attempted to adhere to the Dogme 95 manifesto, but is considered 'Dogme lite' because of some 'cheating' - it's use of music, the director's mention in the credits, etc. Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself is out now, and, from what I've heard from interviews, Scherfig was happy to go to the opposite side of Dogme. She described it as going up to a buffet line and being able to eat all you want again. Filmmaking aside, IFB is a touching story about friends and relationships - and it's Danish! It's amazing when you take the unnatural beauty away from a film, how easier it is to just focus on the characters. urlLink Ma Vie En Rose , 1997 - 4 stars So sweet. And so heart-wrenching. urlLink L.I.E. , 2001- 3.5 stars Difficult and disturbing subject matter - not for the faint of heart. urlLink Things You Can Tell Just By Looking at Her , 2000 - 3 stars I didn't love or hate this movie. It was blah. urlLink I Capture the Castle , 2003 - 3.5 stars There is no action, no suspense, and it's a little contrived at times. It is, nonetheless, an absorbing and enchanting film. urlLink Love Liza , 2002 - 3 stars So, so, so depressing. Perfect part for Philip Seymour Hoffman who always seems so defeated anyway. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 25,May,2004 | To keep my mind from wandering (into a black hole of despair) I've been distracting myself by planning some fun into my life. What's on the schedule? Let me tell you... This weekend: 1 day @ Great America + 1 day of skydiving = one dangerous weekend. I've been skydiving before, so I may just take pictures in the cockpit while my crazy bro and sis-in-law jump to their deaths. I like taking photos, you know. June: Hal and I are flying to Hot-lanta to see our very own Bassy. We're going to spend a couple days in Savannah (pool or sea-side) and it will be a kick-ass time, I'm sure. Plus, it's going to be cheap which you can't beat. Labor Day weekend: going to London - for FREE (staying with my friend Ian and using miles)!! We'll also take a detour to Paris for a day or two. Owwww! Back to work. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 24,May,2004 | Bat Mitzvah : I had a really cool weekend. I went to my friend Sarah's Bat Mitzvah, and it was deeply moving and very beautiful. The synagogue really embraced her as an adult member, and her parents and others joined in saying really great things about her. I have thought about it over and over since I was there. Two thoughts continue: everyone should be celebrated that way at least once in their life (and when better than at age 13), and it was amazing to see Sarah carry the Torah around the congregation to receive mazaltov from friends and family. Cultural Reviews : I also saw 'American Splendor' which is a wonderful film. Highly recommended. All the actors do a great job, and it was just a very creative presentation of a wonderful story. Karen liked it too. Four stars (out of five). We also saw 'The Cooler.' I thought it was uneven, but, for the most part, well done. What the hell, see it. Three stars. We also saw 'Something's Gotta Give' with Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton. I did not care for it. The script was horrible, and while I appreciate the 'bravery' Keaton exhibited in 2 seconds of nudity, I thought she did a horrible job and turned in a thoroughly unbelievable performance. I cannot believe she was nominated for this work. It stuns me when I think about it. One half star. The artistic hit of the weekend, for me, was the new Morrissey album, 'You are the Quarry.' The first three tracks, 'America is Not the World' 'Irish Blood English Heart,' and 'I Have Forgiven Jesus' are sublime, and the rest of the disc does not disappoint. If you don't like Morrissey, this disc will not convert you, but if you come to it as a fan (or with no preconceived notions), my prediction is that you will be favorably impressed. The opening track is a wonderful love song to America (that is also, like all true love songs, lovingly honest and somewhat biting). 'Irish Blood, English Heart' is the high point of the disc. So much conflict, so much honesty. It's amazing. Track three rocks. It is Morrissey forgiving Jesus for making him gay in a world that will not allow him to express his love. Amazingly beautiful. This disc is Morrissey in a microcosm. 'I Like You' is also a great song. You laugh because, on the surface it seems maudlin, but as you let it works its magic, you realize that songs have a depth and candor that is rarely seen and that Morrissey is amazing if only for his refusal to change from being who he is even as he knows that most of the world is not ready for him. Anyway, the album, its production, its music, its lyrics, and the whole package are just very darn good. Five stars. Work : We packed more boxes and prepared to move (coming this Friday). |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 21,May,2004 | I joined a discussion group (yes, an Internet Discussion Group) a while back called 'Movie Geek.' Gee...can't imagine why. Well, I haven't been on there for a while, but I thought I'd check in to see what was going down. Hoo boy. It's like a virus hit the message board. What kind of virus you ask? A porn site virus. There aren't any 'Movie Geek' posts anymore, just subject lines for very suggestive sites geared to entice you into visiting them. I'll keep this on the PG-13 tip (and censor when necessary), but here are some favorites: - I'm not as fat as your girlfriend - Why have an imaginary GF when you can find a real one? - i like to be wacked in the face by c@*k - P#$%y! Free to good Home - My boobs are dripping milk. Do you want a drink? - Ill brush my teeth with your c@*k I think you get the idea. I can't imagine someone stumbling across these ads and saying: You know, I would like to brush some lucky lady's teeth with my manhood. WTF??? Ah well. God bless America, eh? |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 20,May,2004 | I read this on a web site: You owe it to your fellow Americans to go on the 'No CARB' diet in 2004: No C heney No A shcroft No R umsfeld No B ush ...and definitely avoid the Rice!! |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 19,May,2004 | Does anyone have tickets to tonight's Timberwolves war...er...game? Thanks in advance, Duf |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 18,May,2004 | I had been defining urlLink 'Panda Antics' totally differently. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 18,May,2004 | urlLink This is kind of funny. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 17,May,2004 | I think all Americans should read the Seymour Hersh articles in the New Yorker. They all concern the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal, and, considered together present a dark portrait of our policies there. Check them out at www.newyorker.com. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 14,May,2004 | Hal, urlLink this is for you. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 14,May,2004 | My computer is being overhauled right now, and soon I will be able to access the internet and blog again! Yahooey!!! |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 14,May,2004 | Just for fun: The urlLink 10 worst album covers of all time . I'm still laughing. urlLink Jesus Christ Action Figure I can't imagine this is sacriligious...at all. Ever hear of urlLink Richard Cheese ? Neither have I. A Few Political links: urlLink George W. Girls (very, very disturbing) urlLink John Kerry is a douche bag but I'm voting for him anyway. urlLink Let's check some facts. (both sides covered) |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 13,May,2004 | I'm still getting used to this new format, and I still think I'm 'anonymous'. But nice work, DJS... |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 13,May,2004 | Hey, I love animals as much as the next guy. But rats? Who needs 'em? urlLink This site chronicles the efforts of one man and his quest to rid his home of the furry little f%$#ers! He include pictures which aren't exactly for those who've got a weak stomach, but the recap of each of his 54 kills is classic. Anyway, check it out. My little bro (Dr. Rob PhD) sent it over and I'm hooked. Hooked, yo. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 13,May,2004 | I think I could get used this this, DJS. It got rid of all the previous comments, but I'll get over it. So where can you put the pics? Just in the corner? |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 13,May,2004 | Here's the Skinny As a couple of you know, I never received a letter from the BU. So I thought I'd send him a Dear John letter, telling him, basically, we're through. I sent it (via e-mail, no screwing around here) yesterday. He responded with a heartfelt note saying how he was so sorry for his recent behavior and how I was still special to him, and he knows he has trouble expressing his emotions, yadda, yadda, yadda. I thought what he said was all very nice, and at one point I actually thought to myself 'maybe I've been too hard on him'. But then at the end of his little note he asked if he could call me on Sunday. I responded with something like: 'Sure, call me, but why wait until Sunday?' 'Because I'm busy every night until then.' Oh, I see. 'Don't you see I'm STILL not a priority to you?' 'I can try calling you tonight...' To which I responded (as an ode to DJS, these are my exact words, no lie): 'Can't. Busy.' Finally, I just picked up the phone because I thought 'How dumb is it that we're having this lame convo via e-mail.' PB: What is it that you have to say to me? BU: I wanted to see how you were doing. PB: Ah, isn't that apparent ?? So what you're saying is, you want to call me so you feel better? Hmmm, selfish again. BU: I'm not meaning to be selfish. PB: No, BU, you never have. How very sad. When I broke up with someone exactly a year ago, he had some surprisingly wise words to say at the time: 'Unfortunately there's never a good way for these things to end...just varying degrees of bad. If we were able to see how they'd end, though, I suppose we'd never bother to give them a try in the first place.' True that. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 12,May,2004 | Facelift? Friends, I don't know if you're aware, but Blogger has a new version out and quite simply...it's sweet. I'm wondering if you'd all be adverse to giving the ol' blog a much-needed face lift and adding some of the new features it's got. There is the potential that we'll lose some of our links and such, but hey...it's a whole new day, eh? If you give me the go ahead, I'll try to find time in my busy schedule to tinker with it. Perhaps you'd like to look at the other layouts available? Click on the Template and it'll let you look at other layouts and such. For an example of how it can look a lil' better, check out urlLink I'll Be Dashed... (not a shameless plug) |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 11,May,2004 | The award for urlLink 'Least Surprising News I've Heard All Day' goes to... |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 09,May,2004 | Benicio Del Uuuuuuuuuuuzzzzzzzzzzzshhhhhhhh... Check out this urlLink article . It seems Scarlett Johnson and Benich were doing the old in-out, in-out in an elevator. That's not really what's funny. What's funny? The quote in The Sun: Other celebrities at the event were shocked to see gorgeous Scarlett all over Traffic actor Benicio, who is famous for having huge bags under his eyes. Wait...Benicio is famous for having 'bags' under his eyes? Weird. I thought he was a talented actor who took home an effin' Oscar. Nice reporting, Sun. Real nice. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 09,May,2004 | Shiny and new Blogger... hey y'all..just letting you know I'm still kickin. not much new with me, weekends are quiet and weekdays are school. I have to get a job which depresses me more than I thought it would. I just love going to school and that's it. nothing else to worry about. I've contemplated if I could make it on no income and just lived off savings...and it's a no go. :( I'll let you know what I find...I know you're all waiting with bated breath... |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 07,May,2004 | The new pic reminds me of two things... I have to give props to DJS for his 'Brent Dance' at the wedding (or maybe that was just DJS being DJS... hmmmm...) AND for Panda... 'Pull Over!'. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 06,May,2004 | Happy Belated Birthday, Panda David Brent says he misses you. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 05,May,2004 | 459 Pictures...About 5 of Them Worth A Damn You know how at weddings they have those little cameras that encourage people to take pictures and such? Well, we had 'em at our wedding and we went and picked up the photos yesterday from Target. Now, I'm not saying I'm a pro photographer or anything, but holy jumped-up bald-headed Jesus Christ...people do not know how to take pictures. Sure there were a few that were pretty decent. There even happens to be one with 4/5 of the Pandyland Crew that turned out all right...but for the most part? Absolute shit. Examples: - Here's one with DJ LZ's mom in the lower left hand corner looking off into space. The rest of the picture? Black. - Ah yes. The famous split-shot technique. This happens from not advancing the film completely before snapping another shot. One half has my uncle's crotch, the other half? A big spud nose that I don't recognize. - Oh...what's that black blurry number? That's right. Someone didn't think it necessary to use the flash...IN A DARK ROOM. Crazy Kodak. When will they get it right? - Or there's the DJ LZ's Friend Show, in which every single photograph on the camera was of her friend in the purple shirt. Hey, that's great. Now we've got a whole album's worth of pictures featuring her goofy mug. - Oh, cool. Looks like someone got a picture of everyone jamming on the dance floor. Wait never mind. They shot the picture directly in the back of someone who was standing by watching. Of course, even if it was an accident, you think they'd try again. Nope. Can't. Busy. Okay, I realize I sound bitter, but I don't mean to be. It's just I guess we were expecting some sort of composition or consistency in the pictures. Yeah, they're throw-away cameras in the hands of mostly-intoxicated people, but still...it was kind of a disappointment. $110.00 to develop the pictures and they were pretty bad. Let's just hope the real photographers took some decent shots, eh? Or even the shots off of the PandyCam? |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 05,May,2004 | Exactly a year ago today... I experienced the same exact relationship woes as I am experiencing now. I thought a repeat of my post from May 6, 2003 would be appropriate. Keep On Truckin': Why Not to Waste Your Energy on People Who Suck Some people are energy vampires. When you are with them or after you depart, you feel drained or depressed. They are emotionally insatiable; no matter how much attention or time you give them, there is always one more thing they need. If you try to help them feel better, they resist and argue for their problems. They don't recognize their ability to generate joy, love, or prosperity for themselves, so they look to others to sustain them. Watch out for anyone who says, 'I have so much love to give and no one to give it to.' Immediately translate that into, 'I am the emotional black hole of the universe, and I will suck every ounce of life force from you if you let me.' Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 05,May,2004 | A woman urlLink after my own heart . 'Perhaps she has a sweet tooth.' Um, yeah. Line those cookies and margaritas up. I'm having myself a party. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 05,May,2004 | What's Wrong with this Picture? Today is my birthday. My ex-fiance called me to wish me well. My current 'boyfriend' sent me an e-mail telling me he just sent me a letter. (Couldn't even guess what's in that cryptic letter...) Welcome to Dumpsville. Population: the Big Unit. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 05,May,2004 | Oh What A Night... Yeah, I realize it's old news now, but I gotta say...the wedding (or the reception, anyway) was a blast. Crazy times, made even crazier by all of our fun and kick-ass friends. I have to admit, I was worried at first. You always get that way, when you throw a party or what-not. Is anyone going to come? Will everyone think it sucks? What if no one dances? Call me biased, but I think it was one of the most enjoyable wedding/receptions ever...and I wasn't even drunk! I'm not kidding, I had 2 beers all night and just conveniently forgot to drink any more. So yeah, the singing and the stupid, stupid white-guy dancing? All whilst sober, baby!!! Highlights: - Seeing our IT guy from work plowed out of his gourd. - Those two crazy asses Nick and Big J in their Superman t-shirts - DJ LZ sliding in her wedding dress. I was waiting for her to do a backspin, but alas... - The weird Guns N' Roses air-guitar concert that kind of became a much bigger presentation than anyone had thought - The DJ suddenly discovering that it was possible for him to spin the Black Eyed Peas 'Hey Mama' - My friend Benedict informing me that some of the ladies at his table were heading off to the bathroom to 'take pictures of their vaginas.' - The impromptu Bon Jovi karoake...guess I didn't need the lyrics afterall - Dr. Rob PhD (my bro) giving his 'speech.' 'I love my brother and now that DJ LZ and he are married, I guess I love her too.' Lowlights: - My little cousin that wouldn't well...just leave me the $%$& alone! Thankfully, she retired early. So, yeah...great time. Hawaii was incredible and I wish I lived by the ocean and all that jazz. I'll give more 'deets' soon. I'm kind of playing catch-up here at work, y'all. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 30,June,2004 | Dear Mary, I don't envy you. You are either compelled by love of your father or hatred of yourself to act against yourself. You are denying yourself to support your father (or worse to make a big salary). I cannot imagine what it would be like to suppress who I am in order to maintain the approval of my father, and I won't even try to imagine what kind of father would ask a child to do that. I wish for you that your father would love you for who you are, that he would support you as you, and that he would recognize the impact of his policies on his family and on families all over America. I am an African American, and I am married to a white woman. To understand what you are doing, I imagine that my mother is the Vice-President, and that she was advocating for the return of anti-miscegenation laws. I can tell you that if that happened, not only would I not support my mother's campaign (how could I? To do it would be self-hatred, and it would be an acknowledgement that the love I feel for my wife is wrong), but I would work for her enlightenment. If that failed, then I would work for her opponent, and I would be public about it. Feel free to use my strategy if you want to do so. Im sure that John Kerry could meet your salary expectations. The big flaw in your approach is that you are not just denying yourself, you are denying others. It would be one thing if you made the choice to deny yourself in order to maintain peace at home, but in supporting your father, you are furthering an agenda that is aggressively anti-you and therefore detrimental to those gay and lesbian brothers and sisters with whom you share community. I wish for you clarity and conversion. I wish that your father would discontinue his hypocrisy (he cant love you and hate you at the same time he cant love you privately and hate you publicly either to love you, he must love you for who you are and he must do so in all settings), and I wish that, as you channeled your energy into supporting your father, you would work twice as hard to get him to provide for you the full blessings and rights to which you are entitled as a human being. Sincerely, Duf Fer Check out urlLink this site . |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 29,June,2004 | Either he's really perceptive or I'm really obvious. This just in from The Dentist: I really enjoy being with you. I would enjoy being with you this week some more, but if your schedule is too busy I understand. I'll wait to hear from you next week. If, however, this is a round-about way of telling me you are not interested, I won't call or e-mail and be a nuisance. I apologize if that isn't the case, but it seems becoming 'busy', particularly after a second date, is a favorite way for women to give me that hint. If it is all the same, I hope I am wrong about that. It kills me that I find absolutely no spark with this guy considering he could give me everything I ever wanted (houses, cars, stay at home with the kids...the works). I can't bring myself to do it...as much as I try, I'm no gold-digger. I'm all about planning certain things in life, but this guy is on a relentless wife hunt and actually told me he couldn't date a woman 35 or older because she would be too old to bear his children. ('You know...date a year, get married, no kids for a year, and by that time she'll be 38 and this decreases my chances of ever having kids.') The irony in this whole method of thinking would be if HE had slow swimmers. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 29,June,2004 | In a binge purchasing extravaganza two weeks ago, I went into Best Buy naked and walked out cloaked in PJ Harvey, Sonic Youth and the Beastie Boys. As I was working my way through each one, I realized it was like visiting with old friends who just came back to town (with a nod to Panda) all the while sneaking some time in with your new best friend (Modest Mouse). All three discs are immediately recognizable as attributable to the artists who produce them. PJ sounds like PJ, Sonic Youth sounds like Sonic Youth, and the Beastie Boys haven't changed since they decided to stop fighting for their right to party (not strictly true, Pauls Boutique is very different from Check Your Head, right?). The PJ Harvey disc, Uh Huh Her, is fine and dandy until Track 5 when it suddenly decides to get really, really awesome. My God I want to sleep with her (have you seen the picture in Entertainment Weekly? It is very, very compelling to a certain mindset which apparently I must have). Polly Jean just seems so mean and damaged which (for some damn reason) is right up my alley (Mrs. Duf notwithstanding). But I digress...Track 5, 'Letter', may be my song of the summer (which is different from my song of the year which will undoubtedly come from the Modest Mouse CD 'Good News for People Who Love Bad News.' Early favorites are: The World at Large and One Chance) it is just amazing. If you like Sonic Youth, you will like their new album, 'Sonic Nurse.' If you don't, then you really won't. I like Sonic Youth. Sometimes I love them. My biggest problem with Sonic Youth is that I am totally in love with Kim Gordon, and I love them so much more when she is singing lead (which is about 50% of the time). Still, the album is very solid, and to me, represents the best of Sonic Youth which is to say a strict adherence to making the kind of music they want to make and (as near as I can tell) for doing it in a vacuum. I know of no other artists who eschew accessibility and popular appeal as drivers for their art more than Sonic Youth. Their album Goo (fear of a female planet, fear baby) was probably the closest they will ever come to radio play and its not that they dont care, its more that they dont consider it. Best song: Dripping Dream. God I want to sleep with Kim Gordon. Do any of you know her? I do not have a crush on any of the Beastie Boys. I suppose Adam Yauch comes the closest to my style, but I dont swing that way (with nothing but love in my heart for our brothers and sisters who do). But I digressthe Beastie Boys album 'To the Five Burroughs' is clean. Ch-Check It Out, yall. There are some rhymes that miss, but that is the risk them Boys take for rhymes that are just plain fierce. They have an anti-Bush song that I respond to politically, but not musically or lyrically, and there are some misses on the disc (it is hard to rap about post 9/11 New York apparently), but overall, the joy that is apparent as they ply their craft, the intelligence and maturity behind the rhyme, the old skool homage (Ruinite on ice references? E.F. Hutton references? C'mon that's fresh y'all), and the background beats and bass and sampling is so worth the trip, that when the ride is over, all you remember is the good times. Just like when an old friend visits after a long time away, right? |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 29,June,2004 | So, my little brother just got from Hong Kong yesterday. This morning, I got an e-mail from him with 'SARS' in the subject line. Knowing how funny I think SARS is, I opened it like a fat kid opening his fifteenth candy bar. Inside was a message that said: 'Check out these pics of me in Hong Kong.' Maybe I'm a sick bastard, but I think this is the funniest thing I've seen in a long time. There was another picture (in a different location) where he's doing the same thing. Yep. That's my brother. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 29,June,2004 | This morning my daughter, TinyE, woke me up by pulling my hair. It occurred to me that I should not have enough hair to pull. For BB and Panda, who have not seen me VERY recently, my afro is out of control. I swear to all that is holy that I was going to get a haircut last week, but my stylist was out of town for vacation. I even tried to go to a barbershop in (gulp) St. Paul (on Selby Avenue no less), but it closed five minutes before I got there. My daughter's teacher has commented on my hair twice. I actually try to pack it down before I enter elevators so as not to scare the other passengers. But it's no use...my 'fro just grow and grow. This week has been the week from hell at work, and I literally cannot sneak away for a trim. But, today (good Lord willing and the creek don't rise) my last meeting ends at 4:00 at which time I will race to Dinkytown for a much needed bone fade (down to the scalp, ya heard me?). Until then, right on soul brothers and sisters, and remember, Black is Beautiful. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 29,June,2004 | OK, here's the thing. I can't say I liked this movie (critics be damned) although I do admit to liking the message and getting a good laugh. Michael Moore takes risks. Michael Moore is over-the-top. Michael Moore is unabashedly biased, unsubtle, and hates G-Dub with all his heart. Michael Moore has been blessed with the release of his film being impeccably timed. He has also been blessed with getting his hands on some amazing live footage of the president, soldiers, and other politicians doing and saying some stupid, stupid things. However, Michael Moore is not the greatest film-maker to ever live. This is a film about a man who hates the current administration. He is not offering solutions to the problem (i.e. - who would make a good replacement). He is not apologizing for taking things out of context. He is merely presenting his stream-of-consciousness ideologies. Good ol' Mikey lost the focus in Fahrenheit 9/11 that he had captured in Bowling for Columbine. He presents footage in a way that does not flow smoothly, and IMHO, the film is at least 15 minutes too long. If it wasn't for the comical music and his dubbed-over voice, I would have become bored during some parts. I do recommend everyone (except for my father, a Vietnam veteran) go see it, but bring a barrel of salt with you. ps - If I would have written a real review, it would have sounded something like urlLink this . |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 28,June,2004 | Of course it was great, because it started out with The Darkness. What was good: Justin Hawkins' jump suits, lil' DJS knowing all the words, the eclectic crowd, and enjoying some beverages after the show (thanks, friends, for keeping it all on the DL). What was bad: the opening band (sorry...me no likey), the acoustics (thank God for earplugs), and the fact that my stupid ass was in the bathroom when Justin got up on someone's shoulders and played his guitar through the crowd. F-me. I ended up having a date on Saturday night: dinner/drinks on a roof-top patio and riding his motorcycle around the lakes. It truly felt like summer. Since I was concerned about him driving his motorcycle back in the middle of the night (and at bar time, no less), I let him sleep on my couch. The dilemma there was: how do I get him out the next morning since The Dentist was coming to get me for brunch? I told myself I'd be honest with each of these guys throughout this whole process. But I couldn't bring myself to tell him why he needed to be out by 8am on Sunday. So I lied. 'I'm going to church.' Let's hope the God I believe in is a forgiving God, otherwise I'll see y'all in hell. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 25,June,2004 | I thought it would be funny if I put a picture up of me with the Oscar Mayer wienermobile. Big mistake. I've been getting an assortment of responses because of it, the most recent being: 'You want to see a REAL Wiener?' Thanks, but no thanks. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 24,June,2004 | Just to clear things up: The Cuddler = the guy who has his fingers on his mouth in his picture, aka 'cuddlingryan', aka 'are you still interested?' Drama Queen (DQ) = the guy who's coming to the show tonight. I've seen him the most, but mostly because he asks me out the most and bugs me a lot. But he likes cool music, so I'm trying to deal. The Dentist = if any guy is going to 'rise to the top' so to speak at this point, this one seems like he has that potential. He's got his stuff together, and he helped me put on my coat last night. Plus, I gotta get DJS invisalign. The Pilot = the guy with the fake photo below who is too incredibly well-rounded to be for real. We may go out for a drink next week. Apple Guy = works for Apple computers. He's probably e-mailed me about 10 times or so...I'm sorry, ask me out already, otherwise I don't have time to e-mail you anymore. can't. busy. U2 Fan = in my profile title, I make a kind of obscure reference to my favorite band. This guy is the only one who got it. We've e-mailed, but that's about it. There are a myriad of others, but I don't feel like typing anymore...plus, I have a stupid meeting I have to get to. Hope that helps. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 24,June,2004 | No, I'm not talking about the Carlos Beltran trade. I'm talking about my brother finally getting a little pussy, a great picture of my sister-in-law (meow!), and what happens when you type 'determine sex kitten' into Google. It's all happening urlLink here . Happy Friday 'landaz! |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 24,June,2004 | It turns out I have nice teeth. At least that's what a dentist told me last night. Our date must have gone well, because we made another date for this weekend. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 24,June,2004 | Here comes urlLink Maddox . What DJS will like: the rip on Julia Roberts. What I didn't like: the rip on Inuits. (Hal, don't even start.) |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 23,June,2004 | Court is in session... Or is something else in session? Click this urlLink link here to read a nice story about a judge, his jurors, the plaintiff, defendant and a hidden penis pump. God bless urlLink The Smoking Gun |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 23,June,2004 | I needed to post before this site became 'all Panda, all the time'. :) Georgia was great fun, though not as low-brow as Panda makes it sound. We got a Styrofoam cooler with an American flag on it, reflecting our deep love of country. We gladly held the elevator door for fellow hotel guests, certainly preventing unnecessary death/decapitate - it was a very angry door. And we spent Sunday morning checking out the proud historical sites of Savannah. Upon returning, I went to urlLink The Streets show at the Fine Line on Monday night (along with Panda and Markie-Marc). It was a good show... amplified by Marc's massive enthusiasm. Incidentally, I picked up the urlLink second 'Streets' album whilst at the show... I am LOVING it - A Grand Don't Come For Free . I thought the first album was fun, but the latest kicks ass. It's a 'concept album', a phrase which instantly turned me off - 'concept album' being a pseudonym for 'indulgent crap music'. But this is cool - the whole album tells a linear story that takes place (one assumes) over the course of several weeks/months. Each song stands on it's own, but reference situations in other songs. Plus, it's odd to hear such a heartfelt love song such as 'Dry Your Eyes' from a young, cocky, drug-fueled rapper (though I think he's better described as a 'spoken-worder'). Tomorrow night is urlLink The Darkness . Can't wait. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 23,June,2004 | One of the guys who I've been going out with is taking Duf's abandoned ticket to The Darkness on Friday. Please don't give him too hard of a time...and definitely keep the other clowns mentioned here on the DL! |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 23,June,2004 | I think I may wait a day or 2 to respond, but next week should be real interesting. Hello, Yes, I live in Stillwater, and yes I go to Minneapolis all the time. I work in Plymouth, so I pass through it every day to and from the office. I also like going out downtown with friends to clubs, restaurants and sporting events. Maybe we could get together for a drink after work next week. Let me know, Jeremy It's amusing how he makes a point to let me know he's soooo well rounded. Oh, and I'm supposed to go out with a dentist tonight. Anyone need a teeth cleaning or bleaching? |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 23,June,2004 | Remember 'cuddlingryan' (refer to Friday, June 11th archives)?? Well, I just heard from him again. All he said in his note was: Are you still interested? Ryan Translation: I'm bored with these other hussies I've been meeting, how 'bout it? So, in order to stay true to my mission here, I told him 'Why not?'. The sacrifices I make for you people. Egad. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 22,June,2004 | he already responded! Hello, Funny you should ask what my favorite destination is because you just moved back from there. Yep, the windy city tops the list in my book, well, Wrigley field to be exact. I'm a huge Cubs fan. I used to live in Schaumburg, IL. for about two and a half years from 1995 to 1998. I was a restaurant manager for the Rainforest Cafe at the Woodfield Mall. Like yourself, I moved back because I missed Minnesota, my friends, family and the great camping, boating, downhill skiing, state parks, waterways and trails here. I'm a huge outdoorsman and do a lot of camping, hiking, and backpacking as well as running the trails at Taylors Falls and hanging out on the St. Croix river near my house. I loved Chicago for the entertainment and night-life, but it has nothing to offer in the way of esthetics; it's really not a very pretty state. There are no hiking trails, forests, downhill skiing hills, and little water besides lake Michigan there either. I think it's a great place to visit, and I try to get back there a few times a year, but I don't think I would never live there again, unless I could live accross the street from Wrigley! Anyhow, I also like to travel to Hawaii, Mexico and Colorado and have been to each of them three or four times. I really like your profile and it looks like we have a few things in common. Would you be interested in meeting sometime? Maybe we could get together for a drink after work sometime. Talk to you soon, Jeremy So I told him I'd be up for that. My coworker let me know that if we ended up meeting, she'd hide out at the bar with a camera to get his dirty mug on film. Hoo-ha! |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 21,June,2004 | Like this guy: 'Pilot seeks copilot' I am new to this whole internet dating thing, but it seems like the only decent way to meet people at my age. I am extremely active and enjoy boating, downhill skiing, motorcycling, rock climbing, kayaking, bicycling, lifting weights, running, playing softball, basketball and golf. I own a house near the St. Croix river, but I'm rarely home as I travel often and spend most of my time outdoors in the summer, either out boating or just hanging out by my pool. My friends would describe me as an outgoing, athletic, hard-working, driven, succesful, loyal, grateful, generous, educated, fun-loving guy who takes nothing for granted. I am looking for a girl who likes to have fun, doesn't take life too seriously and is not stressed out. Life should be fun, and you should love to laugh, travel and just enjoy all that life has to offer. But what is even more unbelievable than his profile is his picture. Where did he get that chach shot, from the Sears catalog? Sheesh! I just got a note from him - should I reply? Any suggestions? |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 21,June,2004 | Bad news for you Lollapalooza ticket holders. urlLink Cancelled!!! |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 21,June,2004 | Wow - we had a great time. But I have to say, put the three of us together (Bassy, Hal, and yours truly) and it will lead to sick, sick behavior. I always knew I had the inclination to take situations/conversations to the limit, but Hal and Bassy sure gave me a run for my money. Our talks turned filthy, vulgar, inappropriate, uncouth, and downright smutty. We also really enjoyed the Waffle House and the Huddle House restaurants. Grits, anyone? Here are a few examples of our obscene conduct: 1) Before we went out one evening in Savannah, Hal was hanging out on our hotel porch (second floor, overlooking the pool) for a while by herself (with a cocktail, of course). After a half hour I went out there to see what was happening: 'What are you doing out here?' Hal: 'Oh, I've just been watching that dry-humping couple in the pool.' Believe me, we couldn't stop staring - it was foul, and there were young children nearby. The term 'dry humping' later became the theme phrase for the rest of the trip. 2) After it gets to a heat index of about 110, one may find it difficult to describe that kind of heat (especially while sitting on the beach with no umbrella). But I somehow found a way to explain it just right: 'It's hotter than a sweaty ballsack after a long run.' Now, I don't actually have a ballsack or anything, so I could be wrong. 3) We found a great sign at a gas station in Dublin, GA: 'Wash and Lube: Enter in Rear'. That got at least a half hour of hearty chortles, especially after Hal took a picture of me in front of it, with my back to the camera. 4) Our beloved Bassy met a fella (at a place called 'The Bar Bar' - huh?) and on our drive home something happened in the backseat of her Mazda that is too risqu to even describe here. :) However, that incident was perfect for us to bring up the term 'dry humping' again. 5) We watched Zoolander before we went out one night and I was dared to go up to a guy and say 'You can dere-lick my balls cap-i-tan.' I chickened out. And we also couldn't get Bassy to holler 'The South will rise again!' (in a thick Southern accent) - even through that would have been completely appropriate during her backseat escapade. It was fun and laughter for 3-1/2 days straight. Thanks, girls. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 16,June,2004 | I just got a note from a couple creeps. It's interesting to figure out how to translate these things after you've seen a few of them. Title of his profile: 'Attractive guy wanting attractive girl!!' Translation: shallow User Name: 'athleticbusyman' Translation: only wants to have fun; no commitments Marital Status: 'separated' Translation: I'm cheating on my wife. No Photo listed. Translation: I don't want my friends and/or wife to see I'm using this to get chicks on the side. Profile: 'I'm looking for a fun, attractive, and fit girl who is looking to have a good time and not looking to force something to happen. My ideal date would be to hit it off with a girl who has a mutual attraction to me, while not leting her shyness stand in the way of something great. A physically intense relationship is ideal, so please don't be affraid to e-mail me if you like to rattle the headboard from time to time. I'm an honest, good-looking, nice guy,(not a sick-o), and hope that you don't pass me up. I'm pretty sure I'm worth the effort. I look forward to talking to you soon!!!!!!!!!!!!' Translation: None needed...it's obvious he's a perv. (physically intense? keep on truckin'.) A different guy's profile: 'I'm a nice guy, so deal with it! Your going to have to accept me the way I am! lol! I just can't be mean to women! Not in me! I like to treat them like a lady, not dirt! I have 2 kids, 1 by my ex and 1 by a previous relationship, so yes I have some drama in my life but nothing I can't handle! I love my kids and am not willing to move far from this area. I like going to movies(sappy and romantic is good with me!) dance(slowly so I can hold you close), play pool(I'll teach you if you want me to), sing karaoke(not always in tune but much better than some drunks that get up there and do it!), and most of all, I love to snuggle! I'm a teddy bear made of cushion on top, and steel underneath(ask me about that). If you are interested, please respond to my ad! My ideal match? hmmmm.... I guess she should have a heart and a pulse! lol! But truly, no control freaks! It's a major peeve of mine! Neither one of us should be in control, we should be equal partners and be rule our kingdom together. I love a woman whom can dish out compliments as well as receive them, not deny them and tell me they don't deserve what I'm saying,that's a peeve of mine as well. She should be confident in the way she looks, whether she's overweight, too tall, or whatever, I am a man of internal values, it's what's inside that counts, the outside is just the shell of your soul. So show me what your made of!' Translation: Too many exclamation points = trying too hard. If a guy uses the acronym 'lol' -especially more than once- no thanks. And we found ourselves yet another snuggler, but at least he has low expectations (a heart and a pulse??). Snugglers and cuddlers abound on these sites. That is the one thing that I'm sure of. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 14,June,2004 | Woman: What are you eating? Man: Pork Rinds. Woman: What? Man: Pork Rinds. Woman: (disgustingly) Why? Man: They have no carbs. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 14,June,2004 | This urlLink jerk is about to be hunted down like the dog he is! |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 14,June,2004 | Without going into too much detail, here's the breakdown of my Friday night date-o-rama: 1) We did a little bar hopping: Uptown Bar & Grill, Figlio's happy hour (choice), and Bilimbi Bay for a view and a margarita. 2) Along the way we also stopped at Tonic - since there wasn't a line, we went in. When we found out there was a cover, we turned around to leave, and ran into Lee Jeans and friends. In an awkward moment, I hugged Lee and his buddies and then introduced them all to my date. First dates are stressful enough, even without running into ex-boyfriends. 3) On the drive home, my date expressed a desire to go to the bathroom. I suggested we pull over by Lake Harriet...hey, I could care less and it was dark enough. Unfortunately, it was a little too dark, and he ended up almost taking a swim - he fell into the lake up to his knees. Hilarity ensued. 4) We went out again on Sunday. Not sure what to do with the others who have expressed interest, but this guy seems to be a-ok. Despite my preconceived notions of meeting some real clowns, I seem to be enjoying myself. As an interesting side note, a friend of mine in Chicago ran into stupid ol' Randy yesterday, and boy did she let him have it. It's great to have good friends who will rail your ex-boyfriends for you. :) |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 11,June,2004 | I just got an e-mail out of the blue from a guy who calls himself 'cuddlingryan'. I have never e-mailed this guy before, so I was quite shocked to read he already wanted to take me out. Ya think he wants some skin? Um, yeah. I love your profile! If you would be interested I would like to take you out sometime. I'm romantic, athletic, and love to cuddle, not to mention give great back massages! Well hope to hear from you soon! Ryan oxoxoxo What's with all the xoxoxoxo's?? And it sounds like he really likes to cuddle (aka get women in the sack) considering he can't stop talking about it. (note the inquisitive 'finger on mouth' look) So...I responded saying 'when and where?'. Folks, this one should be good. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 10,June,2004 | The date's tonight. We might just have cocktails and/or head to a rock show. Funny piece of trivia: he was at the Jayhawks show that a few of us went to in December. Anyway, I'm actually kind of excited...this is a very strange world I've entered into. I've also been 'talking' to some other fellas...one in particular who works for Apple. Perhaps he can get me a deal on the computer I've been dying to have? Deets next week. Over and out. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 10,June,2004 | I am growing a beard. It will meet its premature end on Sunday night. I like beards. Left to my own devices, I would have one all the time. Why? Because I like them. Also, they are much easy than shaving, and I don't have to worry about ingrown hairs, razor burn, etc. I also think that I look a wee bit better with a beard than without. That's just my opinion. Beards are not doing well in America these days. It has been the case for a long time. Mustaches are fine. Goatees are de riguer, but beards for some reason are not favored. I don't know if it is because of a tie to fundamentalists, or mountain men, or what. I do know that the company I work for has a policy against beards. This always amazes me. No other hair policy exists. Theoretically, I could come in sportin' braids, but I should shave. I could dye my hair blond, but I better come in with a hairless chin. My boss is not much for beards either. I could tell by the way he looked at me when he first saw me this week. Mrs. Duf hates a beard with the best of them. Which is, of course, encouragement in the other direction. I once saw a 60 minutes piece where Ed Bradley was profiled in an airport because he bought a ticket the day of a flight, was black, paid cash and...that's right...had a beard. It just seems odd to me that multiple Presidents have had beards. Jesus had a beard, and so did the entire Allman Brothers band. Yet for some reason, they are frowned upon. So here's my plan: as soon as I retire, I'm growing it out. Big, bad and beautiful. Just like nature intended. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 09,June,2004 | Our little Panda is going on a date. What a difference 24-hours makes. I've had several clowns contact me (one of them had a picture of himself with a hockey jersey on giving the thumbs-up...it was hard to see, but I think his teeth were yellow), but there have also been a few gems in the rough. One of them just asked me out, and since he used the word 'libations' in a sentence, I might just have to go out with him. 'Perhaps we should get together and pontificate over the merits of our lovely metropolitan area here, or maybe even to enjoy one of the interesting local shows along with the requisite libations and such?' How could I say no? And to make it interesting, I may have to get back to yellow-teeth guy too. You know, just to mix it up. Wouldn't want to let my readers down and all... |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 07,June,2004 | No, this isn't another link to something Jesus related. I'm just thinking it's high time we put together another Pandyland Burrito Jamboree. I mean, what's the deal? Panda has been back in town for months and we can't seem to put anything together. I think we need High Life (okay, maybe just me), karoake, and a dirty, filthy bar. Who's with me? Oh, I guess 4/5 of us are going to see these guys in a couple o' weeks: You know...I really do believe in a thing called love. Don't believe me? Just listen to the rhythm of my heart. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 07,June,2004 | Sometimes I think the moment I become single, 'I AM SINGLE' is immediately emblazoned on my forehead for only assholes to see. I was out with my charming lesbian friends on Friday, making me the token single hetero woman in our group for the weirdo guys on the prowl to talk to. It was like flies on shit. Asshole: Do you mind that I smoke? Me: If you're asking whether or not I think it's gross, I think it's gross. Asshole: But honey, don't worry. I won't smoke while we're in bed! Heaven help me. I'm surrounded by idiots. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 03,June,2004 | When I was in high school, I had the great good fortune to be among a group of 100 young men who participated in a mock government program in Washington D.C. As part of our week in Washington, we laid a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier, and we saw one of those precision military rifle groups. The high point of the week was a visit to the White house where we met Reagan in the rose garden. I spent the early part of the visit day waiting to see him so that I could pound him with difficult questions and prove that he was an empty suit. 'Mr. President, you claimed that ketchup is a vegetable...' 'Mr. President, you indicated that there is no homelessness in America, I wonder if you would accompany me...' 'As regards your Star Wars missle defense system, Mr. President...' We got to the White House, made it through elaborate security, and waited for him in the rose garden where I had the best lemonade I have ever had in my entire life. He finally came up, and I walked toward him to ask a question. When I got there, he shook my hand, looked me in the eye with those piercing blues (by the way, he smelled great, and had the broadest shoulders I have yet seen) and started telling a story about young men and horses (I missed his point). There are few men that I disagree with more than I disagreed with Reagan, but I have never met a more charismatic man in my entire life. I walked in wanting to slay him with my rage, and, had he asked me, I would have campaigned for him that afternoon (within a few days, I reverted to form, but still). I will never forget that meeting. The new Modest Mouse CD 'Good News for People Who Like Bad News' is out. It comes recommended to me by my friend Brian B., of Columbus, Ohio. I have only given a few preliminary listens, and I will promise a full review later, but I can tell you, it has potential to be my album of the year. A little Wilco, a little Flaming Lips, a little Frank Black. I particularly admire track two: 'The World at Large.' I went to Perkins for lunch. I had a grilled cheese sandwich to go. The good people at Perkins were kind enough to include a little cup of cole slaw. It was great. I know there are some haters in the land, but for my money, cole slaw is the best possible presentation of cabbage. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 03,June,2004 | I think we need to add a little more spice/interest to the site. Or maybe I'm just bored. Regardless, I have a proposition to make. I thought about joining Match.com. Not to meet 'that special someone', but to go on (mostly horrendous, I presume) dates, and then spill all the gory details here. Would anyone be interested in that kind of journalism? Just wondering. Signed, PB |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 03,June,2004 | I was planning on going to urlLink this on Saturday, June 26th (opening weekend). Anyone want to join me? Here's a decent urlLink review . |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 02,June,2004 | It's not me wearing a mullet, but you still must urlLink check this out . And do yourself another favor by clicking on the ' urlLink clown ' and the ' urlLink truck driver '. Is it just me, or does Jesus seem to be pissing off most of the people in the pictures. For instance, I don't think the urlLink carpet layer appreciates Christ's technical advice. I think the urlLink bank teller is about to turn around and go off on him. And c'mon, he's blatantly getting in the urlLink barber's way! |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 01,June,2004 | All right, it's been some time since we got a picture all up in here, so I present this nugget from the past: There was a time when mullets were king. There was also a time when I bought my car for $300. This time was captured on film and will haunt me for eternity. Here I posed with my beloved 74 Oldmobile Cutlass Supreme which I affectionately named 'The Missile.' DJS, why the wistful look? I had to 86 the car for my blue pickup. Moments after the picture was taken, a scrap collector came and took 'The Missile' to that great automobile graveyard in the sky. Alas, old friend, I hardly knew ye. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 01,June,2004 | It's like urlLink everything I know is wrong . Does this mean that Bono DID NOT die for our sins????? U2 is yet another very worldly, ungodly band claiming 'Christianity'. Their lifestyles reflect their music full of promiscousness, drinking, depression, base profanity and cryptic, double meanings that leave their listeners wrapped in a 'what does this song mean' mystery. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 01,June,2004 | For HAL and BB, but most of all for DJS and Panda, I offer urlLink this . |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 01,June,2004 | urlLink This couldn't have come from anyone but my little brother. It's a keeper! |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 01,June,2004 | As rainy as it was, we still ended up having a grand ol' time in Wisco. My little brother and sister-in-law forced me on every major rollercoaster at Great America. We, of course, saved the best for last: urlLink Superman . You are strapped into the seat and then literally turned head-first into a 'flying' position. I just about crapped my pants as we inched up (your whole body faced the ground) to the first major drop. At one point the ride goes through a loop that has you riding on your back, facing the sky. That's so not right. How my brother summed it up: 'Dude, your body is definitely not made to be subjected to that kind of G-force.' It was killer. We wanted to go skydiving the next morning but our plans were foiled with the incessant rain. So we all went to a urlLink movie instead. This was not my first choice, but I wasn't paying so I had to go along. Now, I'm all for the latest action/thriller/destruction flick with cool special effects, but this film had some 'dramatic' parts that were so over-acted it was comical. I know going in I shouldn't expect Oscar-winning performances, but I did expect more from Dennis Quaid. Here's a quick break-down... What was good: - The special effects - the realism of the destruction of the cities and the progression of the storm was great. Seeing the Statue of Liberty get pounded by a huge tidal wave had terrific entertainment value. - Jake Gyllenhaal = eye candy - The guy who played the Vice-President of the US looked a lot like Dick Cheney - just a little taller, and just as big of a weenie. What was bad: - The token bald kid with cancer with the unresolved ending - you know, because for a drama to be heartwrenching, some kid has to have a terminal disease! - As my very nurturing mother kept pointing out during the snowstorm scenes: 'Dennis Quaid is never wearing mittens!' Bundle up, fella! - After Dennis Quaid's character figured out the potential end-of-humanity storm was on its way, he took the time to make a couple of cups of coffee and talk about 'the good times' with his wife. Yeah right. - How they tied in 2 love stories was so damn contrived. But at least it gave the movie some other subplots to distract me from the kid with cancer. - The wild wolf scene - so fake it was funny...plus, they didn't need this scene anyway. But who cares! Take this one for what it's worth...a summer movie with entertaining visual effects. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 29,July,2004 | Every few weeks or so, when I'm on my way to work, I notice a certain car and groan. It's a very expensive, flashy Lexus convertible with a vanity plate that says 'hotluvr' or 'sexguy' or something on it. The driver is a short (we're talking head barely over the steering wheel), bald, very tan, middle aged (is 55 still middle age? Or is it just old??) man. No, I'm not making this up. Yes, it is straight out of the short/bald/sad-man mid-life crisis book. Anyway, yesterday I noticed a new touch. He got those spinning 'dubs' or rims, or whatever they are called, put on his car. By doing so, I think he's crossed into a whole new world of pathetic. If he has kids, they must be mortified. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 28,July,2004 | Gee, urlLink I feel so bad for the guy . Maybe his highlights weren't quite right? |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 26,July,2004 | If you didn't catch Barack Obama's speech at the DNC last night, don't you worry. You haven't heard the last of him. He might very well be urlLink the future of the Democratic Party ... |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 26,July,2004 | This pretty much sums it up...taken from today's L.A. Times. A turning point for the nation By Barbara Boxer EVERYWHERE I go, I hear the same thing: 'This is the most important election of my lifetime.' I think I know why. We are broke, and current policies are digging us deeper into debt. When President Clinton handed the Oval Office keys to President Bush, we had a projected surplus of $5.6 trillion. Now we have deficits and debt. Our-go-it-alone policy in Iraq has isolated us from our allies and placed the burdens of the war on the backs of American taxpayers and our men and women in uniform. The rollback of more than 350 environmental policies and regulations is leading us toward dirtier air and water, more cancer, more asthma among our children, and a loss of our pristine lands. The No Child Left Behind Act is turning into a hollow, empty promise to millions of children. Then there are the terrorist threats -- this administration holds a press conference about these threats on almost a weekly basis. But where is the plan to protect our people and to catch those who would do us harm? Congress is ready to move on Homeland Security. There is a rail security bill that is waiting for full Senate action. There are also port, nuclear, and chemical security bills that the Senate Majority Leader can call up whenever he pleases. Surely he would focus on national security after Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge warned that Al Qaeda was planning another large-scale attack. But no. Republicans and the president want to talk about an issue they consider more important than saving American lives from another terrorist attack: more important than education or deficit reduction, more important than our kids getting asthma or our sons and daughters losing their lives and limbs abroad. The issue: a constitutional amendment on marriage. Yes, this is the most important election of our lifetime. We need to get our priorities in order. We can start by electing John Kerry president. Barbara Boxer is a US senator from California. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 25,July,2004 | hi folks, the resident Atlantan decided to actually post! I've been checking the site most days and glad to read you all are holding up the web site discussion group quite nicely. this will just be a brief update from my neck of the woods: 1. I got myself a job. So it's the end of the 'After School Couch Project' officially. God I loved it while I had it, but it's time to get up and get some cash in the dwindlin bank account. and I'll also be getting some fitness work for the 'ol resume. 2. I went out for my first night on the town with friends last night. That's right, I said friends. we did some boozing in the Virginia Highlands part of town and had some good times. Although I am generally not a 'go out all the time' kind of gal, I miss being able to call up people to hang out for some drinks, music and conversation. So it felt pretty nice to enjoy the evening. And the Atlanta men were quite the sight for sore eyes...which leads me to #3... 3. I'm done with stupid internet dating. I signed up to meet people when I moved here and if I hadn't met Isaac (drinking and band buddy) it would have been a total bust. Jebus. I suppose my rules of not dating Confederate-flag-totin, ZZ Top-beard-wearin, guys-who-can't-form-a-coherent-sentence really limited me. I'm an independent babe and if I think someone is attractive, I have no problem initiating the conversation (this is over email, for crissakes) but so far NOTHING. Are the girl/guy roles are different in the South?? Anyways, things are going real well here. I miss the 'landahz very, very much and look forward to a jamboree soon (pending airline prices!) take care y'all. -BB |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 23,July,2004 | You may have already seen urlLink this , but it's worth a repeat. Cheers, friends. Enjoy the weekend. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 21,July,2004 | 1) urlLink This . 2) The fact that Hal probably has a wad of singles stuffed in her purse right now. She'll tell you they're for a 'party' tonight if you ask her about it. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 20,July,2004 | Have you heard about urlLink this ? It will be here in October, after stops all over the country (including both the Democratic and Republican Conventions). urlLink Here's some photos . I find it to be an appropriate action in response to the madness. FYI, it's mainly funded/organized by Ben of 'Ben and Jerry's' fame. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 20,July,2004 | Remember the pilot I was supposed to meet a week ago? (The one with the cut & paste picture from a catalog from the June 22 archives.) Well, I never did hear from him (big surprise), but I just looked at his profile. He changed and added a couple pictures. (maybe after I asked him politely to do so?) urlLink These aren't even the same guys!! Who's he foolin'?? |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 19,July,2004 | Perhaps F9/11 just urlLink whetted your appetite ? Check this one out at a Landmark Theater near you on July 30th. With regards to F9/11: I never said F9/11 is not an important film (it is), but as a documentary-junkie I couldn't live with myself and say it was the greatest documentary ever. IMHO, it is an entertaining and powerful FILM only. Go see Winged Migration, Spellbound, Capturing the Friedmans, Touching the Void, or even urlLink The Lost Boys of Sudan for examples of some top-notch documentaries. (Side note: I hear urlLink The Corporation is not to be missed. I plan on RUNNING out to see it.) With such a powerful subject at hand in F9/11, I believe it is difficult for those so vehemently in agreement with Mikey to also be opposed to his method of filmmaking. He is crafty and clever, yes, but I wouldn't say he is artistic. His documentary is more ranting and raving than effective filmmaking. It is sloppy, illogical and formulaic, which begs the question: Can a hatchet job actually elicit sympathy for its sitting-duck target? I do understand that wasn't his point (to be artsy). I'm just sick of reading reviews declaring Moore to be the best documentarian in the biz. Let's see if The Hunting meets my high standards. :) |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 16,July,2004 | In a scene that typifies the entire film Fahrenheit 9/11, Michael Moore shows a stereotypical All-American boy talking about winning the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people and teaching them about freedom and democracy just after a harrowing scene involving a late night (pitch dark) raid into an Iraqi family's home. We don't know why the raid was done or whether it was appropriate or not. We can intuit that since the beginning of the war, some raids have taken place without justification or with ill-founded justifications because we know that war is hell, but this scene, which makes it extremely easy to empathize with the set-upon family, is bone-chilling. As humans, it's impossible to watch without feeling for the family and without being thankful that it's not happening to you. I say it typifies the movie because the emotional impact of the scene and therefore the movie is undeniable. Michael Moore has made Fahrenheit 9/11 with the purpose of affecting a response, and he does it. I laughed out loud several times during the film, I cried at least twice, and I left awestruck and outraged. Presenting the material as he does is extraordinarily manipulative. It is propaganda (in the way that the word, divorced from pejorative connotations, just means to share information in a way that persuades people) of the highest order, and I understand why he has drawn comparisons to some of the great propagandists of all time. Moore uses slight of hand, juxtaposition, irony and maybe commits the sin of omission from time to time, but he is not dishonest. It is one of the finest movies I have ever seen, and I am convinced that it will change the world. It may not lead to regime change here (the film might be so incendiary that it actually makes those who are not inclined to see it Mike's way even more recalcitrant - or, gulp - even more motivated); but it will change the way campaigns are carried out. I have seen two of Michael Moore's other films: 'Roger and Me' which I thought was unique and engaging, but ultimately more tomfoolery than substance, and 'Bowling for Columbine' which I thought was brilliant at times, but lacking in subtlety, and filled with poor decisions (he ends up looking like he was picking on Charlton Heston. Yes, Chuck Heston is an asshole, but the effect Moore wants is not for us to feel sorry for the asshole, and even an asshole comes across as sympathetic when that asshole is about to go down to Alzheimer's. Asshole). Anyway, I tend to judge those I agree with more harshly than those I don't agree with, and Michael Moore earns more of my criticism than he should. In this film, he seems to have invested his heart and soul into its message, his mind and energy into it preparation, and his connections into its distribution and promotion. It is so direct an attack on a sitting President, I had the thought, as I drove home, that Mr. Moore might end up dead here pretty soon. It is that powerful. One review I read said it best: 'as the man said, if you shoot for the King, you better kill him.' It seems that just about every decision he made was the correct one (and yes, logic tells you some things are a bit far fetched. For example, George Bush is criticized for removing the name of a fellow soldier from a medical report that he issued. That soldier goes on to become powerful and connected and corrupt (tied into the whole Carlyle thing). The implication is that Bush removed his name so that we would not see that connection. However, I know from my days in the trade, that when sending records out related to a particular person, it is routine to delete references to private information concerning other persons who are not covered by the authorization to release records. Yes, it is possible that at the Presidential and media level, the rules are different (the media may want to know that soldiers name so that they could interview him about W in his National Guard days), and no, Moore could not go into that level of detail and still have a watch-able movie, but you get the sense that motives are being attributed when they shouldn't be. By contrast, much has been made of Minnesota's own Mark Kennedy who, when confronted about signing up a child to fight in Iraq, apparently said to Moore that he had a nephew in the military (but not in Iraq) only to have his response edited out. When you see the film and you see the look on Kennedy's face just before they cut to another scene, you will know why I would have ended it right there too, if I had Moores flair and talent). I could go on and on, but suffice it to say that for me, the end result will be stunning for some. My life was changed forever, but as I was busy quoting my dear friend HAL who said 'if even 1/10th of it is true, Bush should not be President,' I looked over at Mrs. Duf, who, at some point during my 45 minute tirade, had fallen asleep. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 16,July,2004 | I had another weekend of music combined with some liberal politics, fresh air, beer-drinking, and frisbee. We headed up to the Green Man Festival in Duluth on Friday afternoon and were greeted by throngs of hippies camping out at the festival for the weekend. My version of camping out was booking a hotel room for under $100/night. The festival was kind of dead since Willie Nelson (the headliner for the fest) cancelled at the last minute, but we stayed anyway and played glow-in-the-dark frisbee and stopped at some political and environmental booths and drank Rolling Rock and ate Jamaican jerk chicken. Spirit Mountain was a cool-ass place to throw this party (what a view of Duluth and the lake below!), but unfortunately hippies are no good at running events of this magnitude. Their hearts were there, but the business acumen was definitely lacking. I'd love to whip that group into shape and take over this event for next year. Alas, I have this other crappy day-job to attend to. Cracker was great, aside from the drunk fool who stood next to us and requested (more liked bellowed) 'Low' after each song. We also watched this really impish, quirky folk singer named urlLink Haley Bonar . Not bad at all. Saturday was spent driving along the North Shore and stopping for smoked fish and seeing the lighthouse and waterfall. We stayed at the festival until about 10:30pm and then drove back to the TC (after first stopping at Black Bear casino to try and get a room and some nickel slot gambling in - no vacancy). Sunday night was First Ave's urlLink Rock for Democracy show. All proceeds from tickets, T-shirts, etc went to the DFL party and they had tables scattered throughout the club to register voters. (Duf, I'm this much closer to voting for Kerry, I swear.) Mayor RT Rybak was there wearing a Wellstone T-Shirt. Before the Flops hit the stage, he gave a little speech about getting the current guy out of office, etc, etc...and then he did a stage dive into the crowd. He said he wanted to be the first mayor ever to stage dive at First Ave. So excellent. The Jayhawks all showed up at the last minute to play a 20 minute set. Dave Pirner (formerly of Soul Asylum, now Golden Smog, sans dreads) walked on-stage during Jessy Greene's set and sang a fantastic rendition of 'Black Gold'. Dan (Semisonic) and Matt Wilson (the urlLink Flops ) sang 'Made to Last' together. It was local music overload (in a GOOD way). *whew* |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 16,July,2004 | 1. What color ink pen do you like best? Im true to blue. Like HAL, I use black the most, but I would use blue if left to my own devices. Still, 90% of my pens are black. I dont buy cheeba; I grow it. 2. Do you prefer plain paper or paper with lines (notebook paper)? Paper without lines. Yes. It is difficult to write in straight lines, but the end result is much better. If youre drinking, dont drive, and if youre driving, dont drink. 3. What's better: books from the library, or reading online? It aint even close: the library hands down. Hey ladies in the place Im calling out to yatheres never been a city kid truer and bluer. There's more to me than you'll ever know... 4. Which would you rather get, e-mail or snail mail? This is a total blow out. Give me the snail mail. I get e-mails from friends everyday, and I love to receive them, but getting a letter in the mailtheres nothing like it. All you trekkies and TV addictsdont mean to dis, dont mean to bring staticall you Klingons in the fuckin housegrab your backstreet friend and get loud. 5. Do you have a paper weight on your desk? I have a weight of paper on my desk, but not a paper weight. I looked out the window and seen his bald head. I ran to the fridge and pulled out an egg. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 15,July,2004 | Alright, so I've missed the FF... even if more often than not it sucks. 1. What color ink pen do you like best? I prefer blue, though I use black the most (more widely available??). Red is always fun, and it reminds me of my AP European history class, senior year of High School... Mr. Wurst always had us read photocopied text and underline important passages with a RED pen (no blue ink, and absolutely no highlighters). Teachers are, by definition, eccentrics. 2. Do you prefer plain paper or paper with lines (notebook paper)? All about the lined paper! Plain paper is for people who sketch strangers in bus stations. 3. What's better: books from the library, or reading online? Hands down, books from the library... why spend more time in front of a computer? Though I can't remember the last time I checked out a library book. 4. Which would you rather get, e-mail or snail mail? Beggars can't be choosers. But snail mail is always nice. 5. Do you have a paper weight on your desk? Nothing that is a paper weight per se, but a bunch of crap that could be used as a paper weight in case a wind storm comes through the office. I like nick-nacks. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 15,July,2004 | Yesterday I stopped at the Dairy Queen on West 7th in St. Paul. The best part about the trip? On a nearby power-box, someone had spray-paint-stenciled the image of Tim Pawlenty with the words 'Republican Lapdog' under it. Sadly, recent state funding decreases for the City of St. Paul will mean that there are less resources to clean unsightly graffiti. I think Timmy's face will be there for some time. Suddenly, my cone tasted 100x better. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 14,July,2004 | TinyE is really stepping up the potty training. There are three concerns related to this wonderful happening. But first, some background: When you have a child, there is a phenomenon where friends with children who are older than your child will tell you what to expect with a milestone for your child (like learning to walk or learning to talk). Intuitively, you think that the days when your child is potty trained will be wonderful because, you imagine, you will be done with diapers which are decidedly unfun. Here's what you learn - The nice thing about diapers is that they catch stuff better than underwear does. Enough said? I can elaborate. TinyE, as part of her progress, now proclaims a need to potty when it is very inconvenient. For example, you learn very quickly how few restrooms there are at neighborhood playgrounds. So, while she is swinging or enjoying the slide or monkey bars, you can count on her needing to go, and you can also count on her not being able to hold it while you drive to the nearest Hardee's. Last, for you penny pinchers out there: you are going to lose a lot (and I mean a lot) of toiler paper as your child unrolls it, and puts in in the toilet for no damn reason. Just a heads up... |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 13,July,2004 | Apparently our conceal and carry statute has been ruled unconstitutional by a district court judge. Now, that does not mean that it's all over, but it could be the beginning of the end. The Court of Appeals is the next step unless the Supreme Court wants it on a fast track. The grounds are somewhat technical, but if it works, it works. I will say that it is worth doing. Any police officer or firefighter (ahem) will tell you: we don't need more guns on the streets. A good friend of my just lost his job as a teacher in the Minneapolis Public Schools. So, HAL's blog expressing outrage at the layoffs and the Governor's pathetic nonchalance has now hit close to home. My friend, DS, works with children who have behavioral disorders, and the thought that he won't be there doing that good work is amazing and sad to me. It all comes down to this: as Americans and as Minnesotans we can afford to do better. Those who are aggressively opposed to tax increases (NOTE: as incomes rise and as inflation rises, the cost of government (its administration and the provision of its services) rises too) can keep plenty of money, drive ridiculous SUVs, have lakeside cabins and lead lives of opulence, while still supporting our schools, libraries, environment, infrastructure and way of life. We can afford to prosper and support government services at the same time. Don't make the mistake of seeing it as an either or proposition. Look, I don't want to overdo anything - I don't want to have overfunded schools or libraries, but I want to have an adequate number of teachers and good student/teacher ratios. But hey, if we are going to provide core services, let's at least do a good job of it. Anything worth doing as my grandpa used to say...anything worth doing... BONUS FEATURE (Two 3 Word Paragraphs as an Aside): I miss BB. Bush must go. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 12,July,2004 | It's not that I don't agree with urlLink some of the things Bill says . It's just that I see them as exactly the type of generalization that is emblematic of ignorance. Is it stereotyping to say that stereotyping of this sort is for morons? Yes, there are people (of every culture) who are undereducated and say and do ignorant things. There are folks out there who are not model parents. But, it seems that they get more attention than they are due. There are plenty of hard-working Americans who have less but strive for betterment. The connection that Bill draws between the poor and the ignorant is a bit to cozy for me. Yes, there are many folks (African Americans among them) who cry discrimination too easily. But, Bill's statements here can be sloppy to the point that they undermine legitimate claims or get co-opted. I'm not sure I wouldn't trust an Affirmative Action opponent not to leverage this same argument and cite Bill Cosby as the source. Also, take special note of Jesse Jackson in the background. Is he sleepy? Does he disagree? Is he dreaming of that extra-marital affair he had that one time? |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 09,July,2004 | And what a weekend it was... Friday: They Might Be Giants at First Ave. Never really heard them live before, and don't even have any of their albums, but we had free tickets and damn if they weren't funny and entertaining! Kinda like Barenaked Ladies lite. Afterwards we headed over to the Marshall Field's Music Days free show at Orchestra Hall. Gary Louris (lead singer of the Jayhawks), urlLink Brenda Weiler (cute as a button), and Adam Levy (of Honeydogs fame) each sang 35 minute acoustic sets. It was dreamy. Gary singing 'Stumbling Through the Dark' (just him, his guitar, & his harmonica *sigh*) made me well up. Saturday: The Basilica Block Party. We went to the stage where Dan Wilson (lead singer of Semisonic) was playing. Other than the annoying drunk floozies who parked their over-tanned, over-siliconed selves right next to us, it was heavenly. Danny Boy sang only a couple Semisonic tunes ('Secret Smile' and the overplayed 'Closing Time') but the rest was his own original stuff. Made me want to go out and buy his album ASAP. As we enjoyed some fried cheese curds, we heard Five for Fighting in the distance on the main stage. (or as I like to refer to them as - 'Five for Fucking Horrible') They weren't really that bad, but if I hear that stupid song '100 Years' again, I'm going to barf up my cheese curds. Later on we saw Hal, with a few drinks in her, wearing a leather skirt at a gay bar. She can give you the details on that outing herself. This Coming Friday night: Cracker at the urlLink Green Man Festival in Duluth. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 09,July,2004 | Probably one of the most fun things about dating someone new is figuring out all the cool/interesting/kinky(?) places you can go to on dates. I was perusing the 'Best Of' lists on Citysearch, and found the list for urlLink 'Best Date Spot' . Most of the choices made sense: Zelo, Loring Pasta Bar, WA Frost, etc. But then I got to the bottom of the list. The Olive Garden?? I'm sorry. Am I a snob if I say I'd dump a guy if he took me there on a first date? Not to say the salad/bread stick deal isn't a good idea when you're short on cash...but Holy Christ!! Word to the single fellas: even a cheap bottle of wine in the park would be a better choice. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 09,July,2004 | What the hell have I been doing on Yahoo Personals? I should have gone urlLink here long ago... |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 08,July,2004 | Whilst (nod to HAL) I digest the new Wilco album A Ghost is Born , I wanted to take a moment to say what an exceptional year this has been for music. First of all, the return of the Pixies. That alone would make for a good year. But these albums are great, and if you don't have them, let me know, you can burn mine (my burner is on the fritz). Modest Mouse Good News for People Who Love Bad News (my album of the year so far - almost as good as Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (my album of the decade so far)) Morrissey You are the Quarry (solid, a grand return) Sonic Youth Sonic Nurse (vintage SY) PJ Harvey Uh Huh Her (good until track 5, Letter, then AMAZING) Beastie Boys To the 5 Burroughs (filled with hooks, cuts, beats and rhymes) Wilco A Ghost is Born (a quiet storm with my song of the year so far, Spiders (Kidsmoke)) Loretta Lynn Van Lear Rose (what you've heard is true: this disc is amazing) Any other recommendations out there? |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 08,July,2004 | Gosh, with urlLink dance moves like this, our favorite jackass' re-election may be in the bag! |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 08,July,2004 | I was telling Hal and Bassy yesterday how you can look up profiles that are similar to one you may be looking at by clicking on 'View Similar Profiles'. I'm not sure how it works, but when I did that to Mr. Pilot, it came up with a few similar fake-looking guido types. For example: 1) Freakishly urlLink tight abs ! 2) I love the fake urlLink corporate shot . 3) urlLink Pixels anyone? 4) 'The more physical the better', yet he's not looking for 'Mrs. Right Now?' urlLink I'm confused. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 08,July,2004 | ...and I wrote the pilot guy back saying I'd like to meet up with him, but would like to see some other pictures of him. Instead of calling him on his obviously fake glamour shot, I played dumb: Hi Jeremy, Sure - I'd love to meet up next week. But in the meantime, I was wondering if you have any other pictures of yourself. Since you have only one on your profile, I was curious to see others. :) Most likely, I won't hear from him again...but I guess you never know. If he sends me others (probably cut out of an urlLink International Male catalog ) then Monday will be the big day. |
883,178 | male | 36 | Fashion | Aries | 08,July,2004 | Remember urlLink this guy ? Well, I hadn't heard from him in weeks, but just received an e-mail from him asking me out again . Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner, I was out of town for a few days. Maybe we could meet up next week. I am free on Monday night or Tuesday. Let me know, Hope to hear from you soon. Jeremy Here's my quandary: I've been dating one of the guys I met throught the site almost exclusively. He's great. But I feel, for the sake of this 'project', I need to at least get one last date/meeting in with this weirdo pilot chachi - at least to let y'all know what he REALLY looks like (I'm curious too, of course). How do I explain this to my fella? |
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