debate

I don't know exactly why I care this much for all this political stuff, but I was rather looking forward to this debate. Many say as it's the first, it's the most important, as more people will tune in.
The conclusion I've come to is that John Kerry has so much more depth than Bush. It sounds as if he will actually look at the issue before he decides what to do about it. I don't get that from Bush at all. I believe that he takes a superficial look, makes a decision, and then doesn't switch even when all the truth points the other way. As for me, I'd rather have someone who studies the issues.
I wonder if this will help Kerry. I don't think it will help Bush, but I don't think it will necessary hinder him either. He stuck to his points, even though he kept repeating himself. However, Bush talking in platitudes gets annoying real fast.
I think the thing that has stuck is when Kerry said, "I may have made a mistake with my words, but you made a mistake going to war."

Buy my trust for $19.99! Save $5!

You know, I'm not sure I trust these polls:
Poll Shows U.S. Distrust of Politicians 'Epidemic'

About a book

Bob Dylan has written his memoirs. If you want more info...
Bob Dylan Publishes Memoirs, Vows to Speak Truth
THE-TIMES-THEY-WERE-ANNOYIN'!

The book comes out Oct. 12. Just another thing to add to the list...

Oh come on, you know you're jealous!

I'm looking forward to the first presidential debate. They say that the first is the most important, as it sets the tone for the next. Also, it seems as if it's going to be Kerry that has the most work to do to convince the electorate. Bush just has to make sure he doesn't trip, say anything blatantly stupid (people might be ok with the regular stupid), or get angry. It must be nice being a simplistic joe-everyman.
I haven't done one of these for a while. Five questions for a Monday:
1) What are the last five songs you've heard?

• "Not for all the love in the world" - The Thrills
  
• "Telephone" - Shelby Lynne
  
• "Float On" - Modest Mouse
  
• "She will have her way" - Crowded House
  
• "Texas Flood" - Stevie Ray Vaughan
  

2) What's your lucky number?
11:11
3) What do you see when you look to your right?
A photo of my father's; an egret of some sort.
4) Where would you like to spend New Year's?
Times Square, and it would be nice to have someone cool with whom I can share it. Maybe she'll like that I used "whom" correctly. :)
5) Do you really plan that far in advance?
Uh no, I don't have a plan for this weekend, much less December.

I wanted to go sign my lease renewal, but the rent price was rather higher than I thought it would be, so they're gonna check that they have the right price. I really don't want to pay what they were suggesting, so it might be time to look for something new. I hope it doesn't come to that, because I don't want to have to move, and I really don't want to do an apartment serach. I guess we'll see.

I'm ramped up...

On a whim, I got a Red Bull drink for lunch today. I haven't had one in years, as the last one I had, with vodka, managed to be the drink that put me over the edge. Never have that drink after you've had beer. That was a long train ride home from the city, much longer considering that I slept through my stop and had to wait in Trenton for an hour for the next train to princeton junction. Much much longer considering i got sick.
Anyway, back to the point. That drink really works. I was ramped up the whole day and never felt a lack of energy. Plus, I was in a good mood and rather conversational, which is always good.
Tonight, I got The Thrills CD, Let's Bottle Bohemia. WXPN was playing the first single, Not for All the Love In the World, and I really dug. Hopefully, the rest of the CD is as good.

Ghost World

Just finished watching Ghost World. I read the graphic novel years ago, when i first started at the bookstore. In fact, I think it is the first book I ever bought with my discount. The movie came out in 2001, and I've had the movie for a while, but I never got around to watching.
The characters aren't your typical high-school stereotypes, so I was intrigued about that. However, I never really got into it. Not to say that it was bad, but I guess my mind may have elsewhere, and apparently, this is a movie where your head needs to be in the game. Maybe I'll watch it again some time soon.
I also made the unfortunate discovery that liquor stores in my neck of the woods aren't open at 10 on a Saturday night. How the bloody hell is this possible?!? I guess it was all for the best, cuz I don't think tonight is a night that i should have been drinking.
Surreal moment of the day: I was walking down from Lambertville on the path next to the canal, and I saw a gaggle (?) of ducks as well as a sign that read "Feeding ducks prohibited." This lead me to thinking: what if someone made a movie that featured maniacal, genetically mutitated, flesh-eating ducks. That sign could come in particularly good use as a sight gag in a movie. I think this movie would do quite well, as I don't believe ducks, be they maniacal, genetically mutitated, and flesh-eating or not, have been properly used in film. Plus, I think ducks are the next monkeys, as far as funny is concerned.

Preppy kills the hipster star

It could just be that I live in Princeton, Preppy center of the world, but I've noticed a strange phenomon. The retro-preppy look has come back, beating the hipster look to the ground like a punk ass. I don't know when this happened. I thought it was firmly entombed in the 80s, dead like Wham! I think we have Gap to thank for this.
After the electricity went out at my apartment, I went into to town to the movies. I saw "Silver City" tonight, and I really enjoyed it. Kinda makes you think that everything is inevitable, the powers-that-be will always win, and the little guy is always gonna get screwed over. Not quite warm and tingly. However, they got a few good swipes at Bush.

Election like swing dancing

Gotta love it. Within three days, there's a 90 point swing in the electoral count, putting Bush ahead once more. I hope that the debates will kinda clear some of this up, but it's kind of hard to debate against a person who speaks in simplistic slogans.
I'm planning on checking out Silver City tonight, which is a commentary on the political climate as it stands today. Plus, i think it takes some thinly veiled swipes at Bush. :)
For the first time in a while, I don't have to be anywhere or do anything for the weekend, until the bookstore on Sunday. So, hopefully the weather will be nice!
I've been listening to Jeff Buckley's version of "Hallelujah." I've had Grace for years, but I've only listened to the thing the whole way through a few times. With only one completed album, and another that was almost done, it's amazing what lasting influence he had. Wow.

I did not know that

I love waking up to stories like this:
Poll: Having Money Helps With Satisfaction.
Well, that's bloody obvious, no? Maybe since they've figured this out, I can go back to sleep.

Ha Ha

Leave it to the Onion to hit the nail on the head, but maybe making fun of Matchbox 20 is too easy a target.

It's close again

As it looks in today's Electoral Vote, the election is once again a toos up. I like that much better than the trouncing Kerry would have received if the election were last week.
Also, the roommie posted Kerry's speech from yesterday, basically a position paper on Iraq in which he calls Bush's Iraq policy "incompetent." This was fairly obvious to at least half of the general public, but I'm happy that he said it.
Can anyone please tell me why it's been so hard to find those people who are kidnapping and beheading foreigners in Iraq? Another American was beheaded yesterday, with two more threatened for today.
I have to change the subject, and quick. Last night, went off to Small World for a nice cup off tea. They have a new cashier there...she's purty. Then, went to the Princeton Record Exchange to again hunt down a used copy of "lost in translation" soundtrack. No dice.
Everyone at the store will be grabbing a copy of the Star Wars Trilogy on DVD this afternoon.

We were robbed!!

So, the Vols got a bit of extra time to do a few more plays as the 4th quarter clock winded down. I didn't even know I could be upset about the timing of the game until this morning...I thought the only thing was a crap unsprtsmanlike conduct call. The score shouldn't have been that close. Arg! Blasted Gators.
Yesterday was the first Sunday in a while where i didn't feel like climbing the walls to come home. I even left in a good mood!

Blasted Gators!

The Gators lost yet another heartbreaker to Tennessee. I don't know how they did it, but they were once again able to clutch defeat from the jaws of victory. As a Gator fan, I know never to feel too comfortable, even if the gators have a touchdown lead. Crap, they can screw up a three touchdown lead, if they really put there mind to it.
I will, for the next 24-48 hours, saying "Damn it! Damn it Damn it!" just like Doc Brown from Back to the Future. Erg! Damn Gators!
I managed to get back just in time from NY to catch the start of the game, too. We went to the Apple store in Soho this afternoon. I could spend some serious money in there. We also went to something called the Leica Gallery, which is a photography gallery that features work by photographers who use Leica Cameras. They were having an exhibit of Brendan Fraser's work. It was very good!
Then we got rained upon on the way back to subway.
Arg! Blasted Gators!

Rain in NY

Well, here I am in NY. Rain slogged NY...at least the rain takes the city smell away.
This is one of the few weekends my parents are staying in NY, so I wanted to get here Friday evening so that I could get an early start Saturday. I was planning on taking the rollerblades into Central Park, but the rain pretty much washed that idea away. Plus, they would have been a drag to carry through the subway. I will have to try that soon.
My mission today is to find a particular NYC t-shirt.
Also, tonight is the Florida - Tennessee game. Go Gators!!

A Lennon musical?

I'm going to spend the rest trying to get my head around this nugget of information. There is going to be a Lennon musical. We are an odd culture...
This reminds me, tangentially, of something I wrote about Lennon's 20th anniversary of his death:
I've been reading all day about the effect John Lennon had on the masses - the icon he has become and the myth that has formed from his short life.

I must say, I don't get it. It's foreign to me how one person could influence and move so many. I must be a product of my time, as I've never grown up with a living icon.

All our icons are dead, and I've grown up knowing that.

No cultural icons, except the memory, the words and the photos. Maybe the physical presence is not as important as the message, but we can't really separate the two. There is also no replacement for hearing the words in the now, as opposed to reading them in textbooks.

With this understanding, I debated going into New York on December 8 to commemorate the man and his music, the music I grew up with. The Beatles had been, and still are, my favorite band, and John Lennon, by far my favorite of the four - but still I debated.

The solution, for any die-hard John Lennon or Beatles fan, should have been simple. Go up to New York, Central Park, Strawberry Fields. Join the hundreds or thousands who had gathered to share the message with others. Sing. Remember. Go in peace.

But it's been 20 years. His message and his music are still here, but he's not.

I still can't understand why more people gather on the anniversary of his death rather than his birth. Why remember when he was taken away rather than when he arrived?

I think that finally sealed it for me. I didn't want to remember his death. I know too much about it to begin with. I didn't want to be another fan singing with others on the anniversary of his death. That's not doing much.

Then again, that might be too tidy of an explanation. It's cold outside, and New York is 1 1/2 hours away. That might be the real reason.

It's a sad reason none the less. The man who helped shape my beliefs and tastes, and meant so much to me as I was growing up, gave his life, and I can't give him a train ride and a few hours in the cold.

And still I wonder why I feel we have no more prophets. It should be obvious to me. There requires a certain give and take between the messenger and the masses.
And we stopped giving.

Learning to swim

I got this poem from my friend at work...
New Millennium Message from the Hopi Elders
To my fellow swimmers,
There is a river now flowing very fast. It is so great and swift.
And there will be those who will be afraid. They will try to hold onto the shore.
They will feel that they are being
Torn apart and will suffer greatly.
Know that the river has its destination.
The elders say that we must let go of the shore.
Push off into the middle of the river.
Keep our eyes open and our heads above water.

And I say,
See who is there with you and celebrate!
At this time in history we are to take nothing personally,
Least of all ourselves.
For the moment that we do,
Our spiritual growth and journey comes to a halt.
The time of the lone wolf is over.

Gather yourselves!
Banish the word "struggle" from your attitude and vocabulary.
All that we do now must be done
In a sacred manner and in celebration.
We are the ones we have been waiting for.

Go back to bed

I woke up at 330 this morning. It's not like I wasn't tired, but I must have been bored of lying in bed, pretending to sleep. I walked out into the living room and tooled around on the Web. Little makes sense when you're half asleep...
I wanted to sit on my balcony and stare at the sky for a while, as it was dark and peaceful, but I realized that if I didn't go back to bed, I'd be a zombie for the rest of the day.
Update, 7am: I'm getting ready for work now, and it's gray outside. I have a feeling Wednesday will be a long long long...

Sports Night

I finally got my paws on the Sports Night DVD -- the entire series in one convenient package. How cool is that?!
I've watched the first few episodes already, and I'll go through a few more before the evening's up.
Also, picked up the new Tears for Fears CD...it sounds just like a Beatles album. I really like it so far, and "Call Me Mellow" should be a hit, if all is right with the world. Look forward to hearing the rest.

Ghost

A company I used to work for is looking for a Copy Editor. Since I happen to be one of those, I took a look at the job description to see what it was all about. It looks interesting, but I have to weigh that with the fact that these are the same people that laid me off, as well as others, three days before Christmas. So, interesting job vs. Christmas killers.
I may just drop off a resume for shits and giggles. If I get the job, I can get out of the bookstore. A good discount can only keep my interest that long, you know...

Dr. Dean Writes a Book

He might not have gotten a chance to go for the presidency, but at least he got a good book deal. He's got a book coming out sept. 27...
Man, it has been a busy day. Checked out Cranbury Day, and I was surprised how many people were there by 10 in the morning. We will find out later whether my dad sold a whole bunch of candles.
Spent the day playing frisbee, kicking the soccer ball, looking for the soccer ball in dense, thorn-ridden underbrush, and jumping on the trampoline. After all that, I am done!
Looks like I'll be able to take a kayaking class this fall, hopefully before it gets too cold. Also, received a gift card to my favorite store as well as cherries soaked in alcohol. Will have to try some tonight.
Gators won, 49-10! Woohoo.
I think tomorrow will be another interesting day.

Hey, the sun's out!

Bush and Kerry are arguing about all sorts of stuff. When they start arguing about breakfast cereal, we will know the campaign has really gotten ugly.
It seems like August and September are where bad movies go to die. Case in point, Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2.

Man, I can't even think of a title

I have a bit of writer's block at the moment. I guess I just might be tired, considering the last two days. Today, I drove to Somerset, picked up the candles my dad made and dropped them off in Cranbury for this weekend's Cranbury Day. Hopefully, they sell out. I may try to hit it early before I head over to my bro's house for another birthday, this time it's Alex. And me. Nope, can't get it out of that. Tried.
Thankfully, I work on Sunday, so I don't really have to face the prospect of my birthday the whole day. I can focus on being friendly to all sorts of happy customers at the bookstore. Maybe I can chat, or talk at, FCG. It makes going to work interesting again: how much she will or won't talk to me. It's ridiculous to be too shy. I don't think I'm as really as shy as I perceive myself to be. Perception is reality.
Anyway, I may be interested in someone else, but at my 9-5 work. She just started, and we've exchanged a few glances here and there. Unfortuneately, she works all the way at the other end of the building. Nevertheless, I want to learn more about her.
In honor of my writer's block, here's a quick five:
Q: What's the plan for the weekend?
A: Cower from the inevitable.

Q: What was the last topping you had on pizza?
A: Why, bacon, of course.

Q: What's your favorite spot in New Jersey?
A: A levee that juts out into the Delaware river, just a quarter mile south of Lambertville. I take a book out there, and the levee creates small rapids on the river. I get to see a bit of nature, it's close to Plainsboro, and I'm close to water. I love rivers.

Q: Why don't you tell people when your birthday is?
A: I don't really want the attention. (I'm tired right now, so I'm going to ignore that I've told people when my birthday is, right in this very post!)

Q: When do you plan on going to sleep tonight?
A: Right now!

Another day, another dollar

Different day, same stuff, and no more "Office Space" quotes. Drag.

I know why the caged cubemonkey screams

Man, today was just rough. You know how people say "Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed today!" Screw that! I just had to wake up to be in a bad mood. I've no idea where it came from, but i was just aggravated from the get-go, and I absolutely didn't want to go to work to edit those crap reports i have to look at everyday. It's the first time in a while that I really loathed going into work and editing those shiite reports. I have to do 25 a day, and the fact that I even had to do one made me want to do like in the movie Network: "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!"
By late in the afternoon, I was growling at the computer screen, and by 5, I was prepared to claw my way out of there.
Overall, I had an "Office Space" of a day today, so in honor of that, here's some great quotes from that movie:
"PC Load Letter"? What the fuck does that mean?
-----
Joanna : So, where do you work, Peter?
Peter Gibbons : Initech.
Joanna : In-yeah, what do you do there?
Peter Gibbons : I sit in a cubicle and I update bank software for the 2000 switch.
Joanna : What's that?
Peter Gibbons : Well see, they wrote all this bank software, and, uh, to save space, they used two digits instead of four. So like 98 instead of 1998? Uh, so I go through these thousands of lines of code and, uh... it doesn't really matter. I uh, I don't like my job, and, uh, I don't think I'm gonna go anymore.
Joanna : You're just not gonna go?
Peter Gibbons : Yeah.
Joanna : Won't you get fired?
Peter Gibbons : I don't know, but I really don't like it, and, uh, I'm not gonna go.
Joanna : So you're gonna quit?
Peter Gibbons : Nah-uh. Not really. Uh... I'm just gonna stop going.
Joanna : When did you decide all that?
Peter Gibbons : About an hour ago.
Joanna : An hour ago... so you're gonna get another job?
Peter Gibbons : I don't think I'd like another job.
Joanna : Well, what are you going to do about money and bills and...
Peter Gibbons : You know, I've never really liked paying bills. I don't think I'm gonna do that, either.
Joanna : So what do you wanna do?
Peter Gibbons : First I'm gonna take you out to dinner and then I'm gonna go back to my apartment and watch kung fu. Do you ever watch kung fu?
Joanna : I love kung fu.
Peter Gibbons : Channel 39.
Joanna : Totally.
Peter Gibbons : You should come over and watch kung fu tonight.
Joanna : Ok. Ok. Can we order lunch first? Ok.
---------
Bob Slydell : You see, what we're trying to do is get a feeling for how people spend their time at work so if you would, would you walk us through a typical day, for you?
Peter Gibbons : Yeah.
Bob Slydell : Great.
Peter Gibbons : Well, I generally come in at least fifteen minutes late, ah, I use the side door - that way Lumbergh can't see me, heh - after that I sorta space out for an hour.
Bob Porter : Da-uh? Space out?
Peter Gibbons : Yeah, I just stare at my desk, but it looks like I'm working. I do that for probably another hour after lunch too, I'd say in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual, work.
---------
Peter Gibbons : So I was sitting in my cubicle today, and I realized, ever since I started working, every single day of my life has been worse than the day before it. So that means that every single day that you see me, that's on the worst day of my life.
Dr. Swanson : What about today? Is today the worst day of your life?
Peter Gibbons : Yeah.
Dr. Swanson : Wow, that's messed up.
----------
Peter Gibbons : Let me ask you something. When you come in on Monday, and you're not feelin' real well, does anyone ever say to you, 'Sounds like someone has a case of the Mondays'?
Lawrence : No. No, man. Shit, no, man. I believe you'd get your ass kicked sayin' something like that, man.
----------
Peter Gibbons : Human beings were not meant to sit in little cubicles staring at computer screens all day, filling out useless forms and listening to eight different bosses drone on about about mission statements.

It's Wednesday, masquerading like a Monday

Been reading a book called "A Certain Chemistry" by Mil Millington. It's funny, and veddy veddy British. Check it out if you get a chance.

I think I'll take two

Just last week, I said jokingly that I was giving up politics for a week. I think I'm gonna continue it this week, as the news on Electoral-Vote doesn't look all that rosy. Kerry needs to go on the attack, and we'll see what effect that has in the poles in a few weeks. Be all fangs and claws, brutha, and sic!

Tripping the labor day fantastic

Today was a perfectly relaxing day. I think I never actually put my watch on. Took advantage of the sun and headed out to the river and read my book, putting my feet in the water. On the way home, took 29 all the way along the river through Trenton. That's a pretty cool, town, I think. Saw some old stone houses that, considering how they're built, will stay around forever.
Also, went rollerblading for the first time in a while, and managed not to fall.
My friends got home fom Vegas today. Will be eager to hear what they did there, but i guess what happens in vegas stays in vegas. Chatted with Jav for a while before they left the hotel, so i didn't get too many details.
I need to find some decent speakers for my computer. The ones i have now sucked from when i took them out of the box, and they're worse now.
So, on with the rest of the week. The last week of me being in my 20s. Shiite.

So, Sunday happened

It was a rather busy weekend again. Went to the car show one last time, and thanks to the good weather, the turnout was excellent. They had the main street packed, as well as several parking lots too. I got to see one of several dream cars: a mustang GT350, white with blue stripes, convertible. The GT500 was out again, too.
Saturday was spent in Clinton in the morning, and then I trucked out to the poconos to hang with the padre again.
As for Sunday, I thought it would be dramatic, but it didn't turn out as such. Still kinda walking on egg shells.
So, that's the news. Tomorrow, I have a day off, (thanks labor day!) I like not having to be anywhere specific for at least a day. I was thinking I'd go down the shore for the day, but i think everyone and their mother is going. Maybe some rollerblading.
All sorts of fun stuff.

Top 10, Finally

I took me a while to finish this list. And I have a feeling that some of these could change, but I'm gonna force myself not to.

10. THE LEFT BANKE - Walk Away Renee
9. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN AND THE E STREET BAND - Thunder Road
8. MARVIN GAYE - Let's Get It On
7. PAUL SIMON - American Tune
6. NEIL YOUNG/STEPHEN STILLS - Long May You Run
5. BOB MARLEY - No Woman No Cry
4. BOB DYLAN - Positively Fourth Street
3. THE BEATLES - Let It Be
2. THE BEACH BOYS - God Only Knows
1. THE BEATLES - Here Comes the Sun

"Walk Away Renee" might be a stretch for the list, but everything I was stacking against it for the 10th spot didn't match up. I'm also surprised that no John Lennon song, with or without The Beatles, is on the list. I guess I've been a John Lennon fan so long that some of the songs are not as relevant to me, right now, as those on the list. Also, no Cure music. Hmmmm. D'oh!
There's one thing for sure: this list would have been completely different next week or three weeks ago, but I guess at some point, you actually have to jot them down, and leave it be.
88.5 WXPN has others' lists here, (including Michael Stipe's!), and I think they have some sort of discussion board somewhere too. Check out the roommie's list too.

If 10 is really 50, I'm good!

I'm working on a list of my favorite top 10 songs, as inspired by a contest from WXPN, my favorite radio station in the area.
I'm come up with a list of 50 songs that can reasonably get into my top 10, so I've got some work to do.
Sick Day has his list up already. Sheesh, dude, that was quick!