March 2008

The other night at Geek Dinner I met Eric from Hollywood MobMov. He’s looking for sites for Mobile movies. He needs parking lots with 50 spaces with flat large walls adjacent. This sounds like so much fun to me! I signed up for the list. I like the idea of stuff like Cinespia (cemetery screenings of movies) Insominac Cinema (midnight movies). Mobile movies is in that zone. Here’s what the website says:

What is the Mobile Movie?
We are the global guerrilla drive-in movement bringing back the forgotten joy of the great American drive-in. Thanks to the wonders of modern technology, what used to be a dark and decrepit warehouse wall springs to life with the sublime sights and sounds of a big-screen movie. Best of all, the MobMov is free.

On my way home from Geek Dinner was stopped by big rig on fire on the Westbound 118 in Porter Ranch near Tampa exit. big rig was engulfed in flame and it was supposedly to do with a wrong-way driver, that’s what KNX1070 radio said anyway. It was some impressive fire that actually included the hillside. I actually was with the group of cars that came on it initially and we had to turn around and go to the prior exit.

Some more SXSW music: Robot Ponies by Laura Barrett

It’s a wonderful science fiction pop song. There is one curse word, in case that bugs you.

Sample lyrics:

christmas eve, 2053
underneath every little girls tree
a robot pony
comb their soft and luscious nylon fur
listen close
hear their clockwork hearts whir
robot ponies
they feed on plastic bags
cut up like lettuce
right out of your hand
things get out of hand
unless you use one of seven preset functions
to make them understand
make them understand
you know best
you know best

choose between seven pony types
some like swimming
we made those babies air-tight
robot ponies

This one is plaintive yet hopeful, funny and downbeat.

I enjoy a science fiction pop song sometimes.

Previously.

the first via Six-Word Reviews of 763 SXSW Mp3s by Paul Ford

Bridget Bardot by Creature

the second via Undercover Black Man:

Everyone I Know is Listening to Crunk by Lightspeed Champion

lyric sample:

my drawings are starting to suck
my best friends are all listening to crunk
i feel like the world’s gone crazy

Go listen.

I was radar gunned by the Los Angeles County Sheriff in Malibu on my way to work. Got a pass because I was with the pack.

The day is beautiful. The Pacific was blue, shimmering, calm and inviting. If only the water temperature were higher. Ah well, no matter—yesterday I went swimming at a public pool in Malibu. It was windy but nice. I managed not to die, which was awesome. I was doing sprints and also did some breath-holding doing laps. I thought my head might explode but I made it across clean twice without breathing. As a younger person swimming underwater was easy as pie and I could hold my breath much longer. Working on conditioning is the thing. I want to have better stamina to enjoy the waves when the ocean temperature is in the range.

Half-considering just going in even if it’s in the 50’s Fahrenheit, though I doubt I’ll last long in there.

On the way home I got a call from my folks. My Mom’s new oral regimen of chemotherapy, meant to be taken daily, had too many side effects so she will cease and regroup. An appointment has been made to see the lead Chemo Doc to see what strategy is next (new drug? new dosage? new scheduling? live with side effects?). It was great to talk to my folks and sister.

Have I mentioned that my sister is getting married next month? Leah and I are flying out to Washington DC and it should be great. We’re all very happy for her. Her fiancee is a great fellow who I shall be proud to call brother-in-law.

In other family news, I helped Dev do his taxes (first time ever!) using TurboTax. He was very pleased and he’ll be applying his refund to paying off some of his own debt. I have to say I was pretty darn middle-aged and stepdaddish, helping him do his taxes. He had lots of questions as he went through their wizards. He actually had some 1099 income, W-2 income, and educational expenses. He also can no longer be claimed as a dependent on his father’s taxes so it’s really his thing now. He’s figuring his stuff out and I’m proud of him. I may not agree with all his decisions but he’s becoming his own man and he listens to counsel with earnestness. He’s got to be himself.

The kids and their Dad and Stepmom are all going to Spain this week and next so we’ll miss them but I gave Al my super-portable Spanish/English dictionary. I hope they have a great time. I entirely forgot that they’ll be there during Holy Week. That should be impressive for them. Leah and I feel a tinge of envy wishing we could do that kind of big trip—but that won’t be financially in the cards for probably three years or so. Hard to remember that we have plenty to provide even if money-wise we’re in a different position. Regardless, we’re taking care of business and them in the way we are able.

Thankful for reconnecting with Al. I’m also very glad to have never been and never having to be a teen girl. That’s a job I’d never want. Mind you, I used to suction sputum from people’s noses and mouths and airways, and I would prefer that to being a teen girl. Like Devon, and yet very differently, Alex is figuring out her stuff and I’m very proud of her and her accomplishments. We attended an awards ceremony and she was lauded as being supportive of the other kids and a standout. She is definitely that. I’m proud of the young woman she’s becoming.

Made some mix CDs for a buddy of mine over the weekend. That was a blast. It was all cover songs. I hope they will be enjoyed. I would post a tracklisting but I don’t want to spoil it for him. I may post a track list later on.

And with that, the week commenceth.

And hey, for old times, onward.

One of my favorite things is sending that last payment of a debt. The other day I got to do that and, while putting it in the mail is gratifying, having the check clear is even better.

This morning I checked the bank account to see what has cleared, and found several cleared checks from the past weeks. The one I sent off earlier in the week that was debt completion was there. Some I can tell from the amount, this one I had to look at. So I do. And what do I see? I see that the bottom right corner of the check includes a little smilie! How’s that for cute?

I took a little screen capture of it:

Mind you, I don’t recall if the images of previous cleared checks included this little “THANK YOU” and smilie.

But I have to admit, I smiled. For the tiny smilie, partly. And for the little zero I get to add to the debt snowball spreadsheet.

Rock on my peoples.

Nice essay in the Village Voice: village voice > news > David Mamet: Why I Am No Longer a ‘Brain-Dead Liberal’ by David Mamet

The Constitution, written by men with some experience of actual government, assumes that the chief executive will work to be king, the Parliament will scheme to sell off the silverware, and the judiciary will consider itself Olympian and do everything it can to much improve (destroy) the work of the other two branches. So the Constitution pits them against each other, in the attempt not to achieve stasis, but rather to allow for the constant corrections necessary to prevent one branch from getting too much power for too long.

Rather brilliant. For, in the abstract, we may envision an Olympian perfection of perfect beings in Washington doing the business of their employers, the people, but any of us who has ever been at a zoning meeting with our property at stake is aware of the urge to cut through all the pernicious bullshit and go straight to firearms.

It turns out I think David Mamet’s Rabbi is awesome. It’s a heckuva challenge to see things as others might see them, and to care about the tone of discourse.

via the excellent Open Culture blog

I’m a sucker for seeing how things get made—“how do they do that?”

So seeing photos over on Rick’s blog of Joe Bennion throwing some of his pottery—well—I was blown AWAY! Really wonderful to see the work being done. And Joe has even more photos over on his blog.

Joe Bennion does beautiful work.

It occurs to me that if rotary telephones were put in back service they’d have to repeat this public service message.

You can put your SIM card in a rotary phone, you know. Portable Rotary Phone – Black.

And here’s an art piece that represents a USB rotary dialer. If i used VOIP I would want to buy this.

The exhibition was called dialog05 / universal connections

I’m moved by this because it speaks to my own feelings about government: Email exchange :: Thomas P.M. Barnett :: Weblog:

A lot of people out there convinced they are completely powerless in this world and that we’re being sucked into wars with no forethought. It’s a sad commentary on where we are right now as a nation that average citizens are so distrustful of their government, believing that it suppresses intelligence or doctors it, sensing that debates are being squelched or hidden from public view when they shouldn’t be—just a strong sense of betrayal.
As somebody who’s worked all over the national security community over the past 18 years, meeting more people than I can remember, I know there tends to be wings and factions on every issue, and that, under normal conditions, they duke it out in the best interest of the country. Average citizens tend to see too many movies and not read enough material that accurately describes the day-to-day workings of things, so their images of decision-making tend to be very dark and nefarious. Nixon’s administration had created a lot of that bad feeling—that sense of hopelessness. It’s sad to see people feeling this way again. It’s depressing.

I continue to enjoy Barnett. He’s writing a third book. I suppose given how much I think about his ideas, and pass them along, I should read one of his darn books!

Previously, previously, previously, previously.