I counted my concerts again tonight, because that's what I do on a Saturday when Arizona loses it's homecoming game to USC and the Sabres lose in a shootout because Ryan Miller forgot to man the crease.
I am at 107. I was off a few last time I counted. My 100th show as Black Kids in July, not Rilo Kiley in June. :( That does not include shows at Amoeba nor does it include the second Gemma Hayes show at the Hotel Cafe, which was five songs. It does include Christopher O'Reilly playing Nick Drake arrangements on Piano. I've got two more shows this year ... Jenny Lewis at the Orpheum next Thursday (third row center, holla) and Frightened Rabbit opening for the Spinto Band at Spaceland the night before election day.
Spending update:
$5 on pizza Friday night. I owe roommate actually.
$20 Peruvian dinner. If you live in El Segundo go to Playa Blanca.
$6 gasoline.
$6 Coffee Bean.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
The election
I haven't blogged much about it yet, but I think that it's coming. I read something on CNN.com's ticker blog today that got the passion juices coursing. James Dobson and Sarah Palin got to talking about how God will help out the ultra-religious conservative Republicans come Nov. 4. Before I get too Rovianly UsVThem, let me just say that I fucking hate what people will do/say/(not)think/espouse in the name of organized religion.
It's late, but I still blog
$4 today, technically yesterday, for a caramel latte. I was beyond tired in the morning and I would never have survived work otherwise.
$34ish on groceries Monday, though that is a bit of a guess.
$89.93 for car oil change and accessory drive belt.
Typing of the car. I ran into the inconvenience of green-ness. I am cheap and not a car person, so my car gets washed only when I take it to Saturn for an oil change or other service. I pay more and drive out of my way to get serviced at the dealership, but they have Wi-Fi and courtesy washes so it evened out in my head. Or at least they used to have courtesy washes.
I was informed Monday that they have discontinued them because the dealership lacked the capability of recycling the runoff water for the washes. To be more eco-conscious they instead now provide customers with coupons for free car washes across the street. I have a bad feeling about this.
After my service, I drive to the car wash. As I pull in I notice that there are at leaste half a dozen people sitting waiting for cars, which are stacked waiting to be dried. There appears to be several cars going through the tunnel wash and a line of several cars waiting to enter. I hate the waiting at these places. It never goes quickly.
There is also an obvious entrance to the conveyor wash, but nowhere to check in or anyone to checkin with. One guy, who appeared to be a toweling guy, pointed me toward the tunnel entrance but didn't say anything. There were banners with rates above four detailing stations and two were manned, but no one was offering any directions. There was even a cashier inside, but nowhere to clearly park as a customer.
In a moment of hunger/frustration/confusion I bailed and left with even dirtier car. Oh well, the weather temperature specturm has been so wide-ranging of late that, my car would have been filthy by Tuesday morning, when I went out and it was covered in moisture.
$34ish on groceries Monday, though that is a bit of a guess.
$89.93 for car oil change and accessory drive belt.
Typing of the car. I ran into the inconvenience of green-ness. I am cheap and not a car person, so my car gets washed only when I take it to Saturn for an oil change or other service. I pay more and drive out of my way to get serviced at the dealership, but they have Wi-Fi and courtesy washes so it evened out in my head. Or at least they used to have courtesy washes.
I was informed Monday that they have discontinued them because the dealership lacked the capability of recycling the runoff water for the washes. To be more eco-conscious they instead now provide customers with coupons for free car washes across the street. I have a bad feeling about this.
After my service, I drive to the car wash. As I pull in I notice that there are at leaste half a dozen people sitting waiting for cars, which are stacked waiting to be dried. There appears to be several cars going through the tunnel wash and a line of several cars waiting to enter. I hate the waiting at these places. It never goes quickly.
There is also an obvious entrance to the conveyor wash, but nowhere to check in or anyone to checkin with. One guy, who appeared to be a toweling guy, pointed me toward the tunnel entrance but didn't say anything. There were banners with rates above four detailing stations and two were manned, but no one was offering any directions. There was even a cashier inside, but nowhere to clearly park as a customer.
In a moment of hunger/frustration/confusion I bailed and left with even dirtier car. Oh well, the weather temperature specturm has been so wide-ranging of late that, my car would have been filthy by Tuesday morning, when I went out and it was covered in moisture.
Friday, October 17, 2008
It's a heat wave and I'm freezing
My office was so cold Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday that my hands hurt. Literal pain through coldness. WTF?
I bought a $4 latte just to warm my hand.
I bought a $4 latte just to warm my hand.
Some things are worth paying for
Thursday: Ethiopian dinner with a future great journalist $35.
Thursday: Full tank of gas $34.
Friday: Great sandwich from Sandbag's (because I was a moron and forgot to bring the lunch I had made) ... $6.50.
Friday: way overdue haircut $40.
Thursday: Full tank of gas $34.
Friday: Great sandwich from Sandbag's (because I was a moron and forgot to bring the lunch I had made) ... $6.50.
Friday: way overdue haircut $40.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Spending report -- food for the next couple weeks.
$23.55 at Albertson's, but I saved $3.60 with my Preferred Card. The only semi-indulgent buy was jalapeño havarti cheese.
$7.49 at Target on bread and potato chips. I saved $1.78 buying stuff on sale, though.
$27.87 at Trader Joe's.
$7.49 at Target on bread and potato chips. I saved $1.78 buying stuff on sale, though.
$27.87 at Trader Joe's.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Flyers fans ... you've won me over
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$10 for Chinese lunch, chow mein, curry chicken, vegetarian egg roll, kung pao, large Sprite.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
I am going to miss Coffee Bean
We're moving our offices in a few months. I won't have a Coffee Bean next door to the office. I shall miss it. I would never have survived the biggest Newcomer's Day of all time without my morning latte. ($4)
Friday, October 10, 2008
A victory for human rights ... I should be toasting this
The Connecticut State Supreme Court Friday that same-sex couples can get married. On a day when the stock market burrowed deeper into a recession state of mind. On a day when John McCain's campaign staff had the unmitigated gall to accuse Barack Obama of "attacking" the McCain supporters whom had called out "kill him" in reference to Obama during a campaign rally, just because Barack said that the McCain campaign was using fear tactics to get people riled up. And on a day when SNL caved and allowed Sarah Palin onto the show. There was this blinding strike of justice across the land.
Those four justices—Flemming L. Norcott Jr., Joette Katz, Richard Palmer and Appellate Judge Lubbie Harper, sitting for Chief Justice Chase T. Rogers, who recused herself—realized that a state constitution which guarantees its citizens with equal protection under the law HAD TO ALLOW same-sex couples to marry. It was a courage and a wisdom too often unfound and unwielded in this country right now.
According to the ruling as quoted in the Hartford Courant "the justices ruled that civil unions were discriminatory and that the state's 'understanding of marriage must yield to a more contemporary appreciation of the rights entitled to constitutional protection.'"
"Interpreting our state constitutional provisions in accordance with firmly established equal protection principles leads inevitably to the conclusion that gay persons are entitled to marry the otherwise qualified same sex partner of their choice," the majority wrote. "To decide otherwise would require us to apply one set of constitutional principles to gay persons and another to all others."
I must disagree with Zarella, in that the history of marriage dates back to a legal contract regarding an exchange of property. It is not based on biology. Reproduction is based on our DNA's organismic need to replicate and perpatuate. Sexual intercourse is based on anatomy, parts fitting into other parts.
I was so happy to hear of this decision. That makes three states that have realized that people should be allowed to be happy and have all the freedoms afforded the laws of the land. I know that the religious conservatives will claim that these justices have "legislated" from the bench in the name of "judicial activism." WRONG. All that happened is that the justices rendered a decision that they disagree with. That's LITERALLY THE ONLY THING conservatives mean when they use those phrases.
So tomorrow night, I'm toasting (a day late, but not a dollar short).
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$3 on a candy bar and a Coke.
Those four justices—Flemming L. Norcott Jr., Joette Katz, Richard Palmer and Appellate Judge Lubbie Harper, sitting for Chief Justice Chase T. Rogers, who recused herself—realized that a state constitution which guarantees its citizens with equal protection under the law HAD TO ALLOW same-sex couples to marry. It was a courage and a wisdom too often unfound and unwielded in this country right now.
According to the ruling as quoted in the Hartford Courant "the justices ruled that civil unions were discriminatory and that the state's 'understanding of marriage must yield to a more contemporary appreciation of the rights entitled to constitutional protection.'"
"Interpreting our state constitutional provisions in accordance with firmly established equal protection principles leads inevitably to the conclusion that gay persons are entitled to marry the otherwise qualified same sex partner of their choice," the majority wrote. "To decide otherwise would require us to apply one set of constitutional principles to gay persons and another to all others."
In one of three three separate dissents, Justice Peter Zarella said: "The ancient definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman has its basis in biology, not bigotry," Zarella wrote. "If the state no longer has an interest in the regulation of procreation, then that is a decisionfor the legislature or the people of the state and not this court."
I must disagree with Zarella, in that the history of marriage dates back to a legal contract regarding an exchange of property. It is not based on biology. Reproduction is based on our DNA's organismic need to replicate and perpatuate. Sexual intercourse is based on anatomy, parts fitting into other parts.
I was so happy to hear of this decision. That makes three states that have realized that people should be allowed to be happy and have all the freedoms afforded the laws of the land. I know that the religious conservatives will claim that these justices have "legislated" from the bench in the name of "judicial activism." WRONG. All that happened is that the justices rendered a decision that they disagree with. That's LITERALLY THE ONLY THING conservatives mean when they use those phrases.
So tomorrow night, I'm toasting (a day late, but not a dollar short).
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$3 on a candy bar and a Coke.
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Why I think at least some Republicans can't change their allegiance
It hit me tonight while discussing the election that some people (mainly middle class people who aren't married to a conservative social agenda) are voting Republican in this election because of cognitive dissonance.
They can't accept that they support the people who have done so much to fuck our country and who would do so little to help middle class and poor familes. So they pretend that the bad things (rocketing debt, cratering markets, spiking energy costs, ignoring the realities of Katrina, quagmiring in Iraq, nuclearizing in North Korea, still-at-large Osama bin Laden, deteriorating environment, disappearing civil liberties) didn't happen or more likely rationalize away their negative consequences or assign blame for them to someone else (namely Democrats, even though Republicans have controlled the Presidency and the legislature for most of the past eight years).
Even when they admit that Bush is the least competent president ever.
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Spending tracker blog ... $8 for Arby's!
They can't accept that they support the people who have done so much to fuck our country and who would do so little to help middle class and poor familes. So they pretend that the bad things (rocketing debt, cratering markets, spiking energy costs, ignoring the realities of Katrina, quagmiring in Iraq, nuclearizing in North Korea, still-at-large Osama bin Laden, deteriorating environment, disappearing civil liberties) didn't happen or more likely rationalize away their negative consequences or assign blame for them to someone else (namely Democrats, even though Republicans have controlled the Presidency and the legislature for most of the past eight years).
Even when they admit that Bush is the least competent president ever.
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Spending tracker blog ... $8 for Arby's!
Saturday, October 04, 2008
David Letterman rules
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$2.50 on a caramel latte.
Friends with talent
I've been really lucky since moving to L.A. I've found a great job in the first city I've ever truly felt at home in and most importantly met some amazing friends. So here's one of them. Her name is Amy and she's an artist and pretty much awesomeness. I'll let this speak for her.This is question/answer #9.
First of all, I come from middle-class midwestern stock. My mom is a nurse, and my dad worked for General Motors. My stepfather is a teacher and my stepmom drives a school bus. I'm very familiar with the down-home, blue collar audience that McCain/Palin is trying to court with the 'folksy' attitude she's 'bringing to the table. Policy aside, I think it's totally appalling to see any adult in a position of authority - but especially a woman who is, herself, the parent of three daughters - so completely denigrate education, curiosity, literacy and learning by implying that academic achievement is somehow shameful and elitist. Her embrace of anti-intellectualism is absolutely reprehensible and reckless. She's doing a horrible, horrible disservice to children. She's sending a terrible message, and selling out kids. Her own incuriosity is just as troubling. I really wish she'd been able to name at least one newspaper that she reads-that was really a terrifying moment. I think McCain's choice was cynical and insulting. I appreciate that Barack Obama is a hell of a lot smarter than I am - that's what I'm looking for in a world leader. Presidents, doctors, Generals - we should expect that people in these roles be well-informed and functioning at an expert-level, because we depend on them to keep us safe.
Friday, October 03, 2008
Thursday, October 02, 2008
Because I'm part of the gotcha-journalism-loving, no-ethics having media elite
Watching Sarah Palin's performance with katie couric (not being able to name a newspaper or magazine or cite a supreme court case that she disagrees with) I am coining this phrase ... Sarah Palin doesn't blink, she blanks!
Btw, Howard Kurtz points out in the Washington Post today that ...
In an exchange last night that was replayed on several networks, Couric, after a question about Roe v. Wade, asked Palin what other Supreme Court decisions she disagreed with.
"Well, let's see," Palin said, smiling and stalling for time. "There's -- of course -- in the great history of America rulings there have been rulings, that's never going to be absolute consensus by every American. And there are -- those issues, again, like Roe v. Wade where I believe are best held on a state level and addressed there. So you know -- going through the history of America, there would be others but --"
Asked again, Palin answered without naming a ruling. Surprisingly, she failed to mention the court's June decision to slash the punitive damages awarded to those whose livelihoods were affected by the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound, which Palin denounced at the time.
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$19 on pastries this morning for the office.
$19 on drinks at the Stars concert last night.
$50 for My Bloody Valentine concert ticket tonight.
Btw, Howard Kurtz points out in the Washington Post today that ...
In an exchange last night that was replayed on several networks, Couric, after a question about Roe v. Wade, asked Palin what other Supreme Court decisions she disagreed with.
"Well, let's see," Palin said, smiling and stalling for time. "There's -- of course -- in the great history of America rulings there have been rulings, that's never going to be absolute consensus by every American. And there are -- those issues, again, like Roe v. Wade where I believe are best held on a state level and addressed there. So you know -- going through the history of America, there would be others but --"
Asked again, Palin answered without naming a ruling. Surprisingly, she failed to mention the court's June decision to slash the punitive damages awarded to those whose livelihoods were affected by the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound, which Palin denounced at the time.
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$19 on pastries this morning for the office.
$19 on drinks at the Stars concert last night.
$50 for My Bloody Valentine concert ticket tonight.
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
This is your CHANCE
The deadline to register to vote is coming immediately. If you don't register, you can't vote. And if you don't vote, shut the fuck up. We're going to alter the course of history in a little more than a month, do your part to make sure we're on the right course.
http://www.maps.google.com/vote. OR http://www.declareyourself.com.
Do it now.
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Btw, I spent $5 on coffee this morning.
http://www.maps.google.com/vote. OR http://www.declareyourself.com.
Do it now.
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Btw, I spent $5 on coffee this morning.
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