My inability to budget money

Well, I finally could no longer resist the temptation to buy myself a little sump-sumpin', so after searching for a while I finally caved like a cheap hooker that just got punched in the stomach by a fat guy...and bought myself an Xbox360 Elite (boo-ya Blaise).

Anyway, as most of you know (or should know) I am a big fan of deals, and got myself a sweet one. Brand new factory sealed Xbox with Medal of Honor Airbourne, for $325 (that includes shipping). Sorry Craven, looks like you'll be coming over here to play Rock Band....and drink massive amounts of alcohol while we become a true rock band. I am opening auditions for a band (Bastardized Steam), so if you (or others) are interested in trying out you will need several things.

1. Nerd talent
2. Nerd shame
3. Nerd appreciation
4. Money (that's right, it's gonna cost ya)

I know what I need, but this is the lineup I am going for. I need a singer, so based on past history I am nominating Matthew Craven since he clearly has the most vocal talent of anyone I know. When asked in an interview what instruments he played, John Lennon, replied "A bit of piano, and a bit of mouth organ," and I've seen that mouth organ at work, and let me tell you readers, it is an awe inspiring sight to witness and a true blessing on the ear canals.

I need an ax wielder, so I am nominating Steve. Bare in mind I actually want him to carry an ax and protect us from fans, neighbors, zombies, etc. with an ax.

Third, I need some background dancers. Why you ask? Well if I am not motivated by beautiful dancing then why am I bothering, really? So in the dance department I have actually pulled some strings, called in a few personal favors and debts, and resorted to acting out some sexual favors which I swore I would never act out again after that one trip I took to Germany, but I got him ladies and gentlemen. Yes, I got the one man who can bring unity and awesome Bastardized Steam. Chris Martin. He will be dancing around the room like in Viva la Vida. You are welcome, you are ALL welcome.

A drummer is on the list of players, and since I could not get Lars Ulrich, I just went out and got that monkey who bangs cymbals. I personally will not be playing, but rather managing you all until you are a well oiled machine, then we're taking this shit on the road and I will sell the rights and become extremely wealthy while you all slip into poverty. Mwa-ha-ha-ha!

Hmmm, it has been about 45 minutes since I started this post and forgot it was still being worked on, and I had forgotten that I was writing a rant about rock band, but I digress. Moving on to more interesting topics. Firstly (and a reminder), we COULD do something for Steve since he is leaving for Pullman (practically another continent away) on the 1st and we may never see him again since he will be sucked into the shit that is po-dunk farm town. His parental units will be in town today and helping him load up a U-Haul tomorrow, so if we wanted to do something with him tonight may be a good night.

Steve's Going Away

I was thinking that in a couple days Steve will be leaving (all of an hour away I realize but still), and his parents will be in town to help him move to Pullman, but I was thinking we could do something with him. Tomorrow maybe lunch at Taste of India, then that night at 710 barbecue some sausages, drink some beers, smoke a cigar...? Thoughts? I figured that these would all be simple things Steve would enjoy, then his parents will be in town and they'll probably take him to dinner and blah blah blah parent things.

PWN

I just thought we might need a PWN picture to start our days off right. No reason.

What is Emo Music?

Did Rachel just call The Shins Emo?

In a response to an earlier post, she wrote,

Left and Leaving - The Weakerthans
Past and Pending - The Shins


Mmm, symmetrical emo.

Which leads to the question, what is the definition of emo music. According to about.com,

These days, the term emo is used to describe any band playing guitar-based music that is emotional either in approach, lyrical focus or affect.

[...]

Today, "emo" can describe almost anything emotional.

So how can a genre that can describe anything as eliciting emotion be a genre at all? A genre, as the dictionary defines it, is

A category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, marked by a distinctive style, form, or content

And for reference, a wikionary definition of emo.

An open letter to my Spokie neighbors

Dear Neighbors,

Kathy, you've introduced yourself to me three times. Two of those times were within the span of one or two minutes - don't act surprised when I say, "I know" after you say, "I'm Kathy." And no, I'm sorry, you can't "knock on [my] door and use [my] phone" if you're "hard up later." Hard up for what, I ask you? And I know your world is much different than mine, but it made me uncomfortable that you stared at me blankly when I replied, "I'm kind of like a programmer" when you asked what my job at the software company was. Programmer = one who programs. I also won't fix the viruses on your computer. If you have a computer, why don't you have a phone? You should tell your dealer to get email.

Allen, I only knew you before as the guy who owned the creepy blue stalker van that never leaves the space next to mine. But now, you are so much more to me. Unlike Kathy's blank response, you dreamily crooned, "Cyyyyyberspaaaaace" when I told you I was a programmer. And when I was saying goodbye, that I really had to make my dinner and stop talking to you guys, you held up your open hand and said, "High five!" When I leaned in to meet it, you faked me out and slurred, "Cyberspace high five!" Yes Allen, you've gained my hesitant affection.

But please stop drinking Key Lights in mug hugs on the steps and ambushing me after work when I really just want to go inside and make my dinner.

Thanks,
Rachel

A Friends video for Tooley

Just something I was watching today.

The Price Point

I thought I'd tell everybody about the new deal at Amazon MP3. If you don't know, Amazon MP3 is Amazon's online MP3 download service much like the iTunes store. The advantage to the Amazon store is its MP3's don't have DRM (that's what makes it so you can't play iTunes tracks on other computers without a password). Also most albums are $9 compared to iTunes $10.

Now I started using Amazon MP3 when I really wanted to buy a new album. For me, its MP3 or vinyl. I don't feel the need to buy CD's, unless I can get them as cheap as the MP3. I'm only going to rip them anyway and its one less thing to clutter up the apartment. Ok, so Amazon MP3 was working great for me when there was an album I really wanted and couldn't find it on vinyl.

Then Amazon MP3 instituted the Friday 5 deal. Every Friday, Amazon MP3 puts up 5 albums for $5 each. This was bad news for me because I couldn't help but find an album on the list that would buy for $5. Then they started the daily deal. They now add one album a day for $3. I've bought 3 in the past week.

I think Amazon has done what the record industry should have done a long time ago, back when piracy became such a huge deal to them. Amazon has found my price point. There are a lot of albums that I would pay $3 for. They are very few I would pay $10 for. Consider how much Amazon has increased their sales to me just by lowering their price a couple of dollars. It doesn't cost Amazon that much extra to send the bits to me over the internets. They got me to purchase three albums I probably wouldn't have thought about buying for $10, but would buy for $3. That's $9 more than they had before.

For the record the three albums I bought were Peter Gabriel, Interpol, and Elliot Smith. This leads me to my conspiracy theory. Amazon has the perfect opportunity with buyer history to just offer me an album everyday that I would buy for $3. What's stopping them from giving everybody their own "daily deal". I'm not so sure how I would feel about that, except I'm still getting an album I want for $3.

Are You a Man?

From that Askmen.com Survey

Young, single men are fed up with being typecast as immature, insensitive and sex-obsessed, with a survey finding that the majority believe in having a soul mate, aren't scared of commitment, and say real men can cry.

A poll of 70,000 men with an average age of 28 debunked many of the standard stereotypes to show that the modern man is driven by a sense of values, loyalty and family. - Reuters

End of the Year Slideshow Soundtrack

I'm working on a soundtrack for the slideshow my community is making for the JVC slideshow to be shown at Dis-O. If you were to make a soundtrack for something like this, what songs would you include. And no green day.

Yurt Fiction

The New Yorker as a fiction piece about Yurts, I guess.

But that explained nothing. “A yurt?” Ms. Hempel asked. “Is that something . . . Yemenese?” She blushed.

Scrubs isn't really cancelled

It's coming back...on ABC.

Never quite happy on NBC, "Scrubs" has jumped to ABC. Which actually makes some sense, seeing how it's an ABC/Touchstone production, anyway.

Paul's Return

After learning the basics to saving the world, I'll be returning to the NW around August 14th. I'm going to have to go to Spokane by early Spokane to pick up stuff I left with Joos (assuming he didn't get rid of it). Not that I have an idea of any sort of schedule for myself, but what's everyone doing around then?

Update:

Fun Yurt facts (from Yurt People)

The Yurt

is a round dwelling, held together at the eaves by a tension band. It has a cone shaped roof with a central compression ring skylight at the center top of the cone roof. This basic structure, used originally by the Mongolians, is the oldest form of prefab indigenous architecture still in use today and manufactured world wide.

Both in traditional and modern fabrics, are now available through Vital Designs in standard and custom frame panels.

Structural Definition
The Basic Yurt

The basic concept is this:

Both the felt or fabric covered Lattice wall Yurt and the modern day multi-faceted panel frame Yurt share the same principles. Both wall systems form a circular wall which are held together in tension by a cable at the top of the wall or at the roof edge. These panel or lattice walls form a base in tension which when connected to the roof rafters or roof frame panels hold them from pushing outward.

The roof frames or rafters are laid side by side and are attached to the cable along the perimeter. Together they form a conical roof. These rafters or panels at the top center of the truncated cone are cut short of the center and are attached to a central skylight compression ring. This structural system with its perimeter tension cable and central roof compression ring can span large distances with no center pole, resulting in lighter roof timbers for greater spans with a higher efficiency in use of materials.

Wilco + Fleet Foxes

Anybody want to go see Wilco and Fleet Foxes at the Opera House?

Aug. 21 8 PM
$30

Probably one of the better shows that Spokane can get.

Black Dog Music Festival

August 9th (Saturday) there is going to be an 8 hour music festival featuring 4 tribute bands:

No Quarter (Led Zeppelin)
American Night (The Doors)
Whiskey Creek (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
Blink Floyd (Pink Floyd)

Tickets are only $15, and I highly recommend we venture to Idaho and maybe camp there for the night? It should be amazing, No Quarter was fantastic last time, and with the other bands playing I am super excited.

7-eleven

Don't forget free Squishee Day on Friday!

The Moose is Loose in the Hoose with Joos.

Here are some reasons (not including their beer) as to why you should love canada from the Vancouver Sun:

1. The toque. For inventing hat hair, Canuck-style.

2. Joni Mitchell. The Prairie priestess of poetry. For singing Butterbox Babies and A Case of You.

3. Tim Hortons. For brewing coffee that tastes as good as it smells. And for chocolate sour cream Timbits.

4. Pierre Elliott Trudeau. Because he could do handsprings, and drove a gull-wing Mercedes roadster. Because he made us think about what our country means to us.

5. Polar bears. Big, white, beautiful.

6. The anti-gun rack. In which our pickup trucks carry umbrellas, not automatic weapons.

7. McIntosh apple. That sweet crunch was brought to you by Ontario's Johnny (Appleseed) McIntosh, in 1796.

8. Wayne Gretzky. You don't have to be a hockey fan to call the pride of Brantford a great athlete, and one classy guy.

9. Salmon. Our iconic survivor.

10. Greenpeace. For raising global environmental consciousness, and for saving whales.

Here are my reasons:

1. Poutine
2. Mounties
3. Health Care
4. Beer
5. Strange Brew (The Movie)
6. The Accent

Celebrate responsibly.