Rusty's Ranting Robot

2003-05-28T15:09:00.000-05:00

I, Robot, Am Dead

This will be the last entry to Rusty's Ranting Robot. I will not delete the blog, but I'm not linking it from my site, and no one will be allowed to further contribute. I feel that the following lyrics to the song "Jed the Humanoid" by Grandaddy will explain why the robot is dead.

Last night something pretty bad happened.
We lost a friend.
All shocked and broken.
Shut down exploded.

Jeddy 3 is what we first called him.
Then it was Jed.
But Jed's system's dead.
Therefore so is Jed.

We assembled him in the kitchen.
Made out of this and
Made out of that and
Whatever was at hand.

When we finished Jed we were so proud.
We celebrated,
We congratulated,
At what we'd created.

Jed could run or walk or sing or talk and
Compile thoughts and
Solve lots of problems.
We learned so much from him.

A couple years went by and something happened.
We gave Jed less attention.
We had new inventions.
We left for a convention.

Jed had found our booze and drank every drop.
He fizzled and popped.
He rattled and knocked.
And finally he just stopped.

2003-05-20T19:50:00.000-05:00

We Aren't the Robots

I'm considering destroying the robot. Anyone think this is a bad idea?

2003-05-07T03:50:00.000-05:00

Publish or Perish in the Fiery Pits of Regret and Confusion

Tommy and I were talking last night about how we could make a million dollars if we changed the lyrics of Hank Williams Jr.'s "A Country Boy Can Survive" to "America Can Survive" and other appropriately-topical lines, and then Tommy turns on CMT tonight and Hank has already done it, playing to a screaming crowd, singing all the lyrics we came up with.

"Someone keeps repeating what I said one million years before it's said. It doesn't make me feel good."

Liam Lynch, the guy from Sifl and Olly (the sockpuppets, remember?) released a record last month. He included an hour and a half DVD with it. On the DVD, he turned to me and said, "I'm making all this stuff at home. I don't want to sound like everybody else's crap, so I'm just doing it myself. So I want to let you know, since you probably make stuff yourself, that you can do that and people will put it out for you." He told me that, honest. You can watch the DVD yourself and he will tell you too. If you make stuff. If you don't, maybe that part of the DVD won't show up.

It made me both inspired and depressed.

With a little extra initiative, I'm sure we could be living in a world where 'nikcuS is considered "influential" and "seminal." I'll try harder in the future, ladies and gentlemen.

Russell.

2003-04-16T22:46:00.000-05:00

Taco-Flavored Kisses

My psychic link with the South Parketeers is two weeks in a row now, since I've always been personally offended by that "Jenny from the Block" song. There's no excuse for making that song. She deserves a lot worse than they gave her on the show.

2003-04-13T15:35:00.000-05:00

Rusty the Psychic / Rusty Just Agrees with Jason Again

Ding dong, the witch is dead anyone?

I noted the South Park thing. The best song, of course, from that episode was Cartmans "Cause I hate Stan and Kyle... I really hate those guys..."

I also noted the Daily Show thing. I meant to write his quote here (since I'd taped it--it saves me having to sit through ten minutes of commercials to just watch it after it's over... which is what I'm doing for most of my shows--I'm my own Tivo). I felt psychic again when he said that after I'd commented, since it was the perfect representation of that balance that I love.

I suppose this isn't an entirely new thing to hate, but I really do hate when people can easily just pick their "sides" because they already know which side they're on and what the rules for that side are: this goes beyond politics, of course, and extends to clothes to wear, wallpaper to hang, books to read, music to listen to, cars to buy, etc. etc. etc. Just kind of a dull way to live, believing there are things to do and not do based on some little group you want to be in.

Back in the days of manual windows, I was a lot faster at rolling them down than the electric kinds are. I kind of like the one-time push-to-slide-down feature, but when I have to actually hold the button and wait for it to slide up, it's an impatient agony. "Jeez, take one and one half seconds, why don't you?"

2003-04-12T04:00:00.000-05:00

War. Hunh. Good god, y'all. What is it good for? Absolutely nothing... except maybe for stopping evil genocidal dictators who torture and murder lots and lots of innocent people.

(Disclaimer: Yes, I do realize that the current situation and the real reasons and events leading up to it are far more complicated and morally, politically, and legally controversial than that. I just couldn't resist the joke, given the topic of the discussion and my cynical nature.)

That "Have You Forgotten" song made me genuinely confused. I was like, "What the hell kind of anti-war protestors has this guy been listening to? He's responding to nonsensical arguments that people aren't even making..."

Rusty, you must be psychic or something, seeing as how the whole lame-pro-war-country-songs vs. lame-anti-war-rock-songs thing got brought up on South Park the next day.

Agreed on your point about The Daily Show. I liked that bit Jon Stewart said the other night: something along the lines of how if you can't feel the least bit happy that the Iraqi regime is no longer opressing the people, you're hopelessly lost to the extreme left, and if you can't understand that it's bad that it had to come about through war, you're hopelessly lost to the extreme right.

And on a more non-serious note...

You know what I wish someone would invent? I wish there were some kind of method for manually raising and lowering the windows in a car. For all those inevitable times when the electric motors or wiring or window switches stop working, which almost always seems to happen on the front driver's side door. If only they could start putting devices like that in new cars, that'd be great. Someone should try to figure out how to make that work. Maybe that guy who created the Segway scooter is smart enough to think of a way.

2003-04-08T01:46:00.000-05:00

I'm All War Out

Rusty had a good time too. It's fun to lose at Acquire, too, though I usually don't learn that, since I rock the Aquire boat.

What, our government has done something? Really, though, the main thing to talk about in a time of war is... war songs:

I've heard a handful of these, both pro and anti war. For the most part, I think they all suck and that both sides are incredibly naive. All of the pro war songs I've heard are country songs. Garth Brooks has one called "Iraq and Roll." The best (worst?) one is the "Have You Forgotten?" song where he says "I haven't forgot Bin Laden," as if he has anything to do with this at all. But then you get crap like Lenny Kravitz for the anti side (something to the effect of "I want peace" said twenty times in a row), and that's possibly even more horrible.

The thing is this: Most war songs favor the message over what should be a key ingredient, that these are still songs and should be good. Anyone who says "You have to listen to the words to like the song" is missing the point of a song. If someone writing a war song isn't concerned with the goodness of their song, then they should write a poem--or better, an essay. If the argument is that people will hear the radio and that's how their anti/pro war message gets across to the masses, then it's even more important that the song be good.

I heard the new R.E.M. protest song (called "The Final Straw," which is available on their website) and they seem to be a nice exception here. The song isn't the greatest R.E.M. song ever, but it's not a bad song. In fact, it's even better than a war song because it doesn't make any specific references. In fact, if you didn't know any better, you might not know it's a war song at all--which is a plus... certainly in terms of lastability. R.E.M.'s always been pretty good about this, about making good political songs, songs which surpass the time/event they are singing about and go on to be classic in their own rights. Bob Dylan did a few of these (but he had some duds too).

(R.E.M., by the way, is coming to Austin in September. Also to New Orleans on their tour. And some other places that people reading this might be near.)

Celebrities and war is kind of annoying to me anyway. They have as much right as any other US citizen to say what they want, but the fact that they already have a pre-created stage for speaking their mind is kind of unfair to less famous people who probably have smarter things to say, either for or against... or--shudder to think--somewhere in the middle (since really what I'm annoyed by is people jumping quickly to their pre-prescribed "right" sides depending on what is the always-already popular/acceptable thing to say). I haven't heard too many smart, balanced celebrities. Jon Stewart, perhaps? The Daily Show in general seems to be the smartest thing on television right now concerning the war, certainly more than the 24 hour news networks (and I'm not just talking about Geraldo).

Hey look, an actual rant. Possibly I shall transform this into a We Like Media essay.

Woodie Guthrie.

2003-04-06T22:47:00.000-05:00

Practically Impenetrable

Eric and I had a kewl time with Rusty and Liza this weekend. Remember, Rusty, next time dinner's on you. Really.

Some things I learned over the weekend:
It is possible to care too much about speakers.
It is fun to win at Acquire.
It is important to pay attention to what your government is/is not doing.

Sleepwalkers are people too.

2003-04-03T22:01:00.000-06:00

The Only Carnation I Know About Is My Instant Breakfast

I agree with ya, Jason. I more or less believe in the collective unconscious in all of its forms, and that various "spirits" (however you want to define that) go from thing to thing. Which maybe sounds just as far-fetched as reincarnation, but yeah I see what you mean about people automatically jumping to reincarnation.

I really don't drink those instant breakfasts anymore, though. I lied about that. In high school, I was convinced that I was William Blake in a past life, even though I've never believed in reincarnation.

Ghost Dog.

2003-04-01T16:44:00.000-06:00

What's the deal with leaping to conclusions about reincarnation?

Because I'm sure it's still fresh on everyone's minds, back on the subject of the possible afterlife fates of Nell Carter, her vacuum cleaner, and the goldfish, what's the deal with all the assumptions people make about reincarnation? People point to all these past-life-regressions in hypnotherapy as evidence of reincarnation, but how do they know it's that and not something else? Even the term "past life regression" is a major assumption in itself. How do they know that it isn't some bit of genetic memory passed down from one of their ancestors that's being accessed? How do they know they're not tapping into some collective human subconscious, and stumbled across the preserved thoughts of some random person who lived a long time ago? How do they know they're not simply psychically peering into the memories of a ghost? So many possibilities, and yet everyone seems to automatically assume that they're that person's soul reborn into a new body. I don't get it.

And I remember one time reading an article or seeing a report on tv about some small village somewhere where a woman's son died, and the day after the funeral, a giant lizard (like a gila monster or a big iguana or something) crawled into the house and started living there. Everyone claimed it was the reincarnation of the woman's son, since it came to that house and it ate all of his favorite meals and stuff. Didn't anyone bother to ask how the lizard could possibly be his reincarnation, when the lizard was obviously born long before the guy had died? Any rational person would have realized that it was obviously either a normal lizard that had been possessed by the disembodied spirit of the dead son, or a freeloading lizard scam artist who was tired of living in the wild and wanted to live the good life we humans have. Or maybe that her son's mind was transferred into the body of the lizard by a mad scientist before the human body died. Geez! It's so obvious!

2003-03-10T22:36:00.000-06:00

So, anyway...

Bippity-Boppity-Boo.

2003-03-04T23:51:00.000-06:00

Don't You Know That I Work Hard/Don't You Know That I Play Hard

Liza is the jobomatic-fanastic.

Will Oldham

2003-03-04T20:54:00.000-06:00

Good News!

Today I accepted a job at Steck-Vaughn Publishing here in Austin. I will be an Adoptions Contract Specialist. I'll be dealing with schools and book orders and contracts. My understanding of things is pretty vague right now, but I'll learn. My first day is Monday.

Yay for me!

2003-02-25T11:57:00.000-06:00

Burrrrrrr

Texas is weird. Late yesterday afternoon, Mother Nature decided to pull one of her funny tricks. It got really cold and started sleeting. By the time I got out to my car to go home, it was covered in a layer of ice. It took me 2 hours and 20 minutes to drive 15 miles home from work.

Half of Austin is shut down today. The roads are covered in ice, so is my balcony.

The part that makes this weather so crazy is that all weekend I was wearing short-sleeved shirts, and I ran the air conditioner in my car on Saturday afternoon.

It is currently 24 degrees.

On a positive note, I can finally say that I have seen "Hard Day's Night."

2003-02-25T11:14:00.000-06:00

I'm the famous Shirley Manson.

2003-02-21T10:32:00.000-06:00

I'm Famous and I'm bringing Rusty with me.

Oh, and here's an article about the power of the Google.

2003-02-18T23:40:00.000-06:00

Orisinal is indeed cute. I played the piggie game.

What's the deal with Google? They're quietly going to become the next Martha Stewart or something.

Liza is the jobbie girl.

And to Jason from Homer: "Now, Lisa, don't ruin another Love Day." (But yeah, I get kind of pissed at Valentine's, Mother's Day, Father's Day, sometimes Easter, and often Christmas myself. Holidays should probably be about as commital as Columbus Day.)

2003-02-18T22:33:00.000-06:00

For Carrie, a stranger I didn't mean to offend

I wasn't humbugging your Valentine in particular, just the massive scheme manufactured by the greeting card/flower/chocolate/jewelry/military-industrial complex to force some people to have to buy their products at least one day a year and leave the rest with a reminder of their loneliness forced in their faces holiday in general.

(Though I still maintain that bird-like and bat-like wings are the most plausible and least visually-incongruous types of wings for humanoid bodies. At least they're warm-blooded animals with endoskeletons, like humans.)

For Liza, my Buffy-discussion buddy
Good luck on your interview!

2003-02-18T18:52:00.000-06:00

Oh, yeah.

Who has a job interview tomorrow?

It's me, it's me.

2003-02-18T11:23:00.000-06:00

For Jason Bell, a stranger who hum-bugged my special Valentime

a new valentine from the gallery of creepy valentines

Also, did everyone know that this blogger thing is now owned by my beloved Google?

2003-02-17T04:01:00.000-06:00

pure cuteness

Almost everything at orisinal.com.

2003-02-14T17:01:00.000-06:00

Cherubim should not be depicted with butterfly wings

I look at that picture and expect to see feelers, antennae, compound eyes, pointy mandibles, and other insect parts bursting out of their skin. On the other hand, that might look cool...

Bah humbug, everyone!

2003-02-14T06:43:00.000-06:00

hope you get stabbed in the butt by a fat cupid this Valentine's Day

2003-02-12T18:38:00.000-06:00

Slurp, Slurp

But it tastes so good!

2003-02-12T11:10:00.000-06:00

Attention Texans

Do Not Lick the Space Shuttle Debris

2003-02-11T21:24:00.000-06:00

Orange You Glad We're Living In Such Wonderful Times?

Happy end of the world everyone! :)

2003-01-31T22:04:00.000-06:00

doh!

Missed your birthday. Happy happy! To go with the Kikkoman links, check out some shawnimals.

2003-01-30T20:26:00.000-06:00

Yew

You wish you knew.

2003-01-30T18:32:00.000-06:00

Pu-Buh-Tay

Either I told you that puberty is a kind of potato chip, or you are reading my mind.

2003-01-30T16:35:00.000-06:00

Free-tow-lay

Puberty is a brand of potato chips.

2003-01-29T20:51:00.000-06:00

I was having dreams of sugar pastries...

I don't know when the next Rusty Spell show is, but all my fans are awaiting me, I'm sure. Not hungry enough to buy my new records, of course, but at least peckish.

What's really amazing is that Kikkoman looks like Noby, loin cloth and all. Most of you haven't seen Noby since he died and rose from the dead (only to remain just as silent), but his head looks like a fish now.

Thanks for everyone's many happy returns, especially Nyleva who brings her warm beauty to the cold robot once again.

Signed,
Da-Dee.

2003-01-29T14:44:00.000-06:00

Kikkoman!

I finally listened to the Kikkoman songs, and it's amazing how 'nickuS like a song it is. With Noby singing, of course.

Awesome.

2003-01-29T13:16:00.000-06:00

Kiska says Happy Birthday, too.

(Actually, Kiska says 'woof woof,' but that translates to happy birthday da-dee.)

2003-01-29T10:55:00.000-06:00

Rubby Bulbs, 28, etc.

2003-01-29T10:52:00.000-06:00

That ain't worth Kangaroo Jack

Happy Birthday, Rust-a-roo.

Krunk it up.

2003-01-29T09:25:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday, Rusty Spell.

Presents await you in Austin.

I'm da luv.

2003-01-28T17:00:00.000-06:00

You know...

As I was watching that Kikkoman clip, I was actually thinking, "Gee, this would be an interesting song to hear Rusty do a cover of."

2003-01-28T15:19:00.000-06:00

I hope you're going to wear that attractive loincloth in your show

But you may have to participate in a shavedown first, and that may traumatize the children.

When is the next Rusty Spell show, anyway?

2003-01-28T01:36:00.000-06:00

Show me. Show you.

Everyone listen for my cover of "Kikkoman" at the next Rusty Spell show. I'll let someone else do "Banana and Shrimp," because I am not foolish.

2003-01-27T18:00:00.000-06:00

Destroy all foreign sauces

English version of "Fight! Kikkoman"

Spinoff starring Banana and Shrimp

The nearest thing to an explanation I could find

2003-01-27T13:47:00.000-06:00

not about the dead

Though there is some fish imagery in here. Check this website out. I really don't know what to say. It helps if you have sound.

2003-01-24T23:06:00.000-06:00

Generalissimo Francisco Franco is still dead.

We have a blog? Oh yeah... that's right.

Now let's not jump to any conclusions here... Nell Carter could actually be sucking up Hell's goldfish with a vacuum. (Or perhaps being sucked up into a vacuum by Hell's goldfish.) Or she could be sucking up reincarnated goldfish with a vacuum in her next reincarnation. Or she could be sucking up the ghosts of goldfish with the ghost of a vacuum while wandering the earth as a ghost. Lots of possibilities there.

2003-01-24T18:09:00.000-06:00

We See Dead People

Thank goodness celebrities die, or else this no one would ever post to the Blog.

2003-01-24T16:18:00.000-06:00

yes, she's sucking up heaven's goldfish with a vacuum hose.

people should read more google entertainment news.

2003-01-23T23:51:00.000-06:00

Huh? Did Nell Carter die?

Gimme a Break!

2003-01-23T16:55:00.000-06:00

may she rest in peace

joey lawrence on hearing the news: "woah!"

2003-01-18T18:46:00.000-06:00

What's Happenin'!!!

I realized the other night that the central moment in my life was the episode of What's Happenin'!!! when Rerun bootlegged the Doobie Brothers concert and his tape player fell out when he was dancing on the front row.

2003-01-17T01:51:00.000-06:00

We Defy Gravity at Graceland

2003-01-14T22:54:00.000-06:00

The Bunnies May Be Dead, But The Robot Is Living

This is the longest week of my life. The proof is, it's still Tuesday. Waking up early screws me up.

2003-01-08T11:15:00.000-06:00

no no, robot, don't die!

See some pictures here, instead.

Some samples:

and

Oh, and the author's explanation.

2003-01-03T17:47:00.000-06:00

Happy 2003

From all of us at the Almost-Dead Robot to all of you... happy new year.

2002-12-24T04:04:00.000-06:00

Malcolm Christ, The Christ-Men, and Rated Christ Movies

Ah, she's using the Dirrty Dictionarry, I see.

I'm off now to see The Count of Monty Xo, read my Pooh book about Xopher Robin, Xten a boat, and of course try to obtain the power Xal (oh, wait, that doesn't work).

Flubber.

2002-12-24T00:20:00.000-06:00

Christtina

You'd think it would be "Xina," but she actually spells it "Xtina." Itt musst bbe thatt cooll doubble conssonant thinng aggain.

Merrrry Christtmas everryone!

2002-12-23T23:08:00.000-06:00

Merry Christina Aguileramas

Isn't it Xina? It's partially the way that I crappily saved it as a jpg, at a very low resolution or whatever.

Merry Crimble to everyone. Hope everything's all crimbly all around.

Crimble Crumble.

2002-12-21T18:32:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas, kids

2002-12-16T13:20:00.000-06:00

Xtina

They misspelled her name, too.

I haven't seen the actual magazine, so maybe it's just the scan... But is that a painting from a photograph, or a photo that's been so heavily airbrushed/altered that it might as well be a painting?

2002-12-14T02:35:00.000-06:00

They Misspelled Dirrty

2002-12-13T23:43:00.000-06:00

A Post
By Jason B. Bell

I think that I shall never see
A post as lovely as a tree
Because posts are just pieces of wood
Cut from trees and rounded or squared off
And are used to support or hang things on
Like fences and telephone wires
And structural supports for buildings
And for flyers saying work at home for $$$
And advertising generic viagra pills
And ninja lessons and stuff,
While trees are pretty and have leaves
And some even have flowers
Unless it's some kind of sickly,
Dead-looking tree
Then a post might be as lovely or more than that tree
But even that awful tree
That Charlie Brown picked for Christmas
Could be made lovely in the end.

Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown!

2002-12-11T22:50:00.000-06:00

Finally, a New Post
I check the blog every day and was so tired of seeing the same old Calvinism post (clever title, by the way) that I decided I'd just make my own post.

C'mon jobby
Things are pretty good here in Austin, still no job yet, but I've got high hopes for this one job that I interviewed for last week. There will be a second round of interviews in the next couple of weeks, but from what everyone in the know has said, they probably won't hire anyone until after Christmas. So, all of you who hope I get a job, keep your fingers crossed.

Freelancing it
I'm doing some freelance work for a local businessman, mostly internet work. I'm also freelance editing. I've already been given four books to work on. I've finished one and am about to review the revision. It's called "A Town Where Lights Are Blue," and it's supposed to be out this January. The book I'm editing now is more interesting, but I'm not sure when that's going to be out.

Busy
So, between the freelance work and making all of my Christmas presents this year, I'm keeping pretty busy.

Movies
And, I'm patiently waiting for "The Two Towers" to arrive. I believe that Rusty and I will be there opening night with our free tickets. Yay for the Lord of the Rings.

Briga
By the way, for those of you who were worried, Noby Nobriga is indeed alive. I spoke to him myself. I think I speak for everyone when I say, "Glad you're not dead, Noby."

Peanut Gallery
Now, let's have posts from you all.

2002-12-02T18:35:00.000-06:00

Calvinism

I saw the famous Calvin Johnson in Austin this past weekend. He's the guy from Beat Happening, The Halo Benders, and Dub Narcotic Sound System (as well as recently being a solo artist) and the founder of K Records for those not in the know... one of my musical heroes and personages of like mind.

As I was paying my cover, I heard a deep voice saying "I'm playing here tonight" to the guy at the door, and it was Calvin and I turned around and smiled and said "Hey" and then he smiled and said "Hey." I later got to talk to him when I bought a 45 of the new Dub Narcotic Sound System single (guess I'll buy a record player eventually) and got him to sign it. He said, "Good choice." And then after the show I took a picture of him and me together, one of those extended arm pictures. Cause I'm all fanny like that.

Calvin's very nice and approachable, unlike my major musical hero, Stephin Merritt.

Many group-based people released solo stuff this year: Stephin Merritt (The Magnetic Fields, etc.), Calvin Johnson, Doug Martsch (Built To Spill), and Isaac Brock (Modest Mouse) if you count Ugly Cassanova, but I guess I don't.

Other Thanksgiving fun: hanging out with Liza, Nyleva, Eric, and Athena... eating lots of food and turkey... playing Acquire (the kickenest ass game, up there with Monopoly and Buffy) and winning... watching the extended version of Lord of the Rings with Liza (who almost watched it again the next day she luuvs it so much, but instead she just bought it)... getting hard-to-find movies at the I Love Video store (Errol Morris's [i]Gates of Heaven[/i], which I almost payed 30 bucks for on Ebay just to see it; and Peter Jackson's [i]Meet the Feebles[/i] and [i]Forgotten Silver[/i]), cause Austin is cool like that... thrifting through thriftystuffs... seeing too much SNL... seeing [i]Aliens[/i] for the first time since early college... oh, and losing at Trivial Pursuit.

Russell.

2002-11-25T01:55:00.000-06:00

Which is it?

From a box of Lean Cuisine Spaghetti with Meatballs:

"Roasted and seasoned meatballs in a chunky tomato sauce accented with basil and mushrooms. Served with a side of freshly-made spaghetti."

So... is it really Spaghetti with Meatballs or is it actually supposed to be Meatballs with Spaghetti?

2002-11-18T13:45:00.000-06:00

Cartooneys

The same thing happened to me with Encyclopedia Brown. Damn him!

2002-11-18T02:23:00.000-06:00

With Thanksgiving coming up soon, there's something I want to say:

I'm thankful to live in a place where, if someone contracts a mysterious illness that the doctors aren't familiar with, that it wouldn't automatically be assumed to be caused by a magical cartoon villain.

(And those idiots can't even get their imaginary cartoon character mind-control diagnosis right! If it had been the character mentioned in the article, the boys would clearly have become unstoppable killing machines with "M"-shaped markings on their foreheads. Don't they know anything?!? Geez!)

2002-11-11T23:24:00.000-06:00

Recent Dream:

It was the beginning of my freshman year of college. The school in my dream was all one big building/complex--some kind of strange combination of a school, hotel, office building, and shopping mall. It was a really nice place, and located in some kind of big scenic valley with a lake nearby. I was looking around the place, familiarizing myself with the surroundings while lugging around a couple of suitcases as I looked for my dorm room. After finding my room and dropping off my things, I went off to find my high school friend who was also going to be attending this school. She was a combination of Willow Rosenberg from Buffy and my real-life high school & college friend Janice, and I think we may have been dating or having some kind of flirtation going on. The school also had a warehouse-type section, where we went snooping around the loading docks after hearing stories of an evil mummy that had come to life and was lurking around there.

Poochie Lives

Commercials for kids' stuff can be really horrible examples of marketing drone faux-hipness. There's this macaroni and cheese commercial with this totally-radical-to-the-extreme "Maxaroni" character that's so much like Poochie it's frightening.

"Yo! Icee Maker's in the house!"

2002-11-07T17:43:00.000-06:00

DVD City

The day was 12 November, 2002. Three huge DVDs were being released. Star Wars II, Lord of the Rings Extended, and South Park Season One.

I went ahead and ordered them all. I found a coupon for CDNow at cdshopper.cjb.net that takes 15% off (I also had some credit there). It ended up costing a lot less than if I were to zip into Best Buy or something, especially since CDNow costs less anyway.

For those getting South Park, if you don't know, Comedycentral.com is offering a free 5 CD set of the audio commentary for the shows. You only pay for shipping. The Man didn't want to release their dirty talk as part of the DVDs, so the boys are being nice about it and letting us have it by other means. I assume we just have to listen to them (since it's CDs), but I guess we could play the CDs at the same time as the episodes if we want to follow along.

For those getting Star Wars... Yoda Man.

The Lord of the Digital Video Discs.

2002-11-04T23:27:00.000-06:00

Plagiarism

My new album Plagiarism is online for downloading and streaming until Christmas here. But, wait, it's not just an album: it's a game!

The idea behind the album was to write original songs in the style of existing artists, so the game is to guess which artist I was plagiarising. So far Tommy Burton is in the lead, getting 9 right, and Liza Marshall in second place with 7.

Who will get all twelve? Who, who, who?

2002-11-04T21:40:00.000-06:00

Ad-Nauseum

I haven't seen the Star Wars DVD yet, but I'll be looking for it. What's funny is that they're still using the faux-hip terms of like ten years ago. Apparently, no one watched the "Where's Poochie?" episode of The Simpsons.

2002-11-02T23:04:00.000-06:00

The Power of Advertising

I was planning on getting the Attack of the Clones DVD. (Well...at least after The Fellowship of the Ring extended version and Spider-Man and Babylon 5 and G Gundam and the MST3K boxset and South Park and Cowboy Bebop Best Sessions and the new volumes of Excel Saga and Dai-Guard and all the other billions of great DVDs it seems are being released this month) Then I saw the tv ad they're running for it:

"Who da man?"
"Yo-da man!"

Intellectually, I know that it's just a stupid ad that shouldn't have any real effect on whether I want this movie on DVD. Emotionally, though, it's actually managed to sour me on it. Were they trying to deliberately create an ad campaign to decrease interest in the movie?

On a similar note, those Wal-Mart ads with "in-yo-face!" type guys who are so overenthusiastic they must be on some kind of serious stimulants... they manage to somehow make the Spider-Man movie--and the DVD format as a whole--seem a lot less cool.

2002-10-27T19:00:00.000-06:00

New Phrase

A phrase I dreamed last night. I suggested something to some guy, and his way of saying "I'm with ya" or whatever was to say "Okay, I can put my worm on that hook."

2002-10-24T17:39:00.000-05:00

I'll Give This One a Title

I don't know if that was a Freudian slip on my part or what, but of course the real line is a little less conversation, a little more action. D'oh is me.

Used music stores are the best things ever. They have one in Austin that was actually so overwhelming in its largeness that I just had to walk away and prepare myself to come back when I had five hours and a pocketful of money.

You've seen The Ring? Now you have to die.

48 hour film project? Hey, that's how long it took to make our first full-length!

We'd have to worry about you if you liked Nirvana better than Pavement even before seeing the documentary. The only thing that Nirvana did was help make mainstream radio a little more tolerable for a few years (though not necessarily with their songs). I'll have to see this documentary. Is it as good as Meeting People Is Easy?

Underwear.

2002-10-24T00:28:00.000-05:00

The Blob

...Speaking of Blobs, I've gone overboard. Too much Elvis and a lot less other stuff. I'm ODing on this stuff. It must be in Graceland's water. For somebody that wasn't too big an Elvis fan a few months back, I certainly have quite a bit of it.

Paragraphs.

I wathed Slow Century, the new Pavement documentary. I can officially say that I like Pavement better than Nirvana, as far as "important 90s bands" go. I stilll have all the groovy videos and concerts to enjoy. The actual documentary is really good, though. Pavement brings the good.

So, what's up with all this?

Tommy Blob

2002-10-23T18:49:00.000-05:00

I want a little more conversation and action too! Instead, all I get is writing (work) and unpacking (home). This is no good.

So I was in Berkeley for some conference, and man, they have some *amazing* used music stores over there. Like if you're ever there you should go to this place called Amoeba which has just so many albums you wouldn't believe. Oh, and Rasputin Records. I bought too many things of course. Which sucks because now I'm a partial homeowner and stuff so I have these mortgage payment thingies. (I'm adding thingies so as not to sound too adult, which is something I fear. Sounding too adult, I mean.)

I was supposed to see Spirited Away with a friend, but we both bailed on each other last week. Maybe this week. Instead, I've indulged in my love of dark awfulness, and watched The Ring and Das Experiment.

Speaking of 24-hour comics (and in light of the oncoming nanowrimo), you all seen the 48 Hour Film Project? Seems like something you'd be into.

2002-10-23T16:43:00.000-05:00

Hey, I didn't even know the official Jason B. Bell website was open again...

Tommy needs to learn how to paragraph. This is the Blog, Tommy, not the Blob.

I pick on Tommy only because we're lovers. He needs to get in the bed with me.

I think it's funny that Tommy's buying Dressy Bessy and Pavement albums while I'm buying Bob Dylan. Something has flip-flopped in the universe.

I'm also thinking about buying Led Zeppelin albums. How's that for crazy?

And I know what I want to do my first (real) documentary on: sleep paralysis. I'll just put up posters describing it and see if anyone wants to talk about their creepy experiences on camera. I've gotta do some DIY documentary research first, about things like release forms and stuff, just in case I wanna take it to Cannes or Sundance or something later and become famous for something completely different, so that people can say things like "Why's that movie guy trying to write a book?"

Two things I want: (1) a little more conversation, (2) a little more action.

Kingsley Pres.

2002-10-20T12:44:00.000-05:00

New and exciting, kinda...
Well, in the spirit of new stuff being posted, I'll post too. Jason, you know you're always welcome to hang in Memphis whenever you like. I will be here. I'll even go to the movie with you.
Okay, I've been on a CD buying spree. I've got too much crap that I'll never get caught up on. Some of it, the brand new stuff, has been reviewed on We Like Media, so head over to my CD review page for those. As for the rest, here's the run down:
Yeah, I'm a sucker. I've been getting those new Rolling Stones reissues. In my defense, though, they sound unbelievable. I sort of picked one up as a test. I thought that I'd get one of my all time faves (Aftermath) and just see how good it sounded. Well, "Paint It Black" came springing out of the speakers and I knew that I was gonna be spending alot of money. The nice thing about the first run of these discs is that they are hybrids, consisting of a normal CD and the other layer is a Super Audio CD. Maybe I won't have to buy these damn albums again. Did I mention that they sound fantastic? So far, I've got Aftermath, Between The Buttons (UK), Their Satanic Majesties Request, Beggar's Banquet, and Let It Bleed.
In the used bin, I ran across some Bob Dylan I needed. I'm planning on having every Dylan album and I'm really almost done, believe it or not. I picked up Street Legal, Infidels, Empire Burlesque, and Dylan and the Dead (That's the Grateful ones, for those not in the know.).
I not only work for Elvis, but I buy his music, too. I had to grab up a few of his from work as RCA being the geniuses they are, are pulling some of these titles off the market. How many times can we repackage Elvis and squeeze the bucks out of fans? Anyway, I got Elvis Is Back, Pot Luck, and Elvis Country (I'm 10,000 Years Old). These three are leaving, so, if you need some Elvis and want these records, get them while they last. I also got the three disc special edition of That's The Way It Is. Amazingly good period for E. I also couldn't resist the box set called Live In Vegas. Elvis is King, alright.
I found two Marvin Gaye CDs on sale for 6.99 at Cat's. I can't resist super sales. And I really dig Marvin. I got I Want You, which the front cover is the painting as seen on the hit TV show Good Times. I haven't listened to this yet, so I have no idea. The other one I got was a curious LP called Here, My Dear. The story behind this was that Marvin was going through a nasty divorce from Anna Gordy (Motown boss Berry Gordy's sister) and the judge ruled that all the advances and royalties from his next LP would go to her. At first he wanted to just record a bunch of crap and became inspired to something really good. He recorded this very persoanl album of love and lost love and whatnot. It's strange, at best. The back cover features two hands reaching across a fake Monopoly board called "Judgement." The male hand is handing a record to the female hand. Under the male hand is a tape machine and a piano and under her hand is a car and money and a house. People are looking in the window. Anyway, it's heavy shit.
I managed to grab up the first two White Stripes records because I like the White Stripes. They are The White Stripes and De Stijl.
I got a record by an indie guy called David Wolfenberger. It's called Tales From Thom Scarecrow. It's a really good folk/pop type stuff. I saw him palying with Victoria Williams and Mark Olson a couple of weeks ago in Memphis and thought he was really good. Also at that show, I picked up Zola and the Tulip Tree by The Original Harmony Ridge Creek Dippers, which is Mark and Victoria.
As for the rest, I got Pete Townshend and Ronnie Lane's Rough Mix, because I like Ronnie and Pete. I got the reissue of Love's Forever Changes, which is a pretty important album. I got Dressy Bessy's first one, Pink Hearts Yellow Moons, and Bob Seger's Night Moves, which was a childhood fave.
Well, now that I've bored you all with my music ramblings, I will let someone else indulge. I just felt the need to chronicle all this record buying somewhere...
How's that for a new post?
Tommy

2002-10-20T03:15:00.000-05:00

Something New

There. I wrote it.

But, seriously, I haven't been in much of a mood for thinking up things to write down lately. I need to though. So, I'll just post a list of things I want to do:

I want to make plans for a road trip soon to go see Spirited Away, since it's now playing in Memphis and New Orleans. Unfortunately, my car's only plans right now are for a trip to the shop. That's, like, a couple of months or so of having it and not having any trouble with it or getting stranded anywhere in it until today. It's the best car I've ever had!

I want to do a 24-hour comic. It seems like something that'd be a good exercise for me, and perhaps something I need to try. It's just a matter of preparing for it, setting aside the time, gathering materials, and feeling up to a marathon of drawing. I want to try to do it sometime in the next week or two.

I want to plug the LunchBots Store here, since I haven't plugged it here yet.

I want to mention for anyone who hasn't noticed it yet, that the LunchBots Movie Production Diary lives on in the form of the LunchJournal, which has likely stolen away some of my attention from the Robot. I'm sorry, Robot.

I want a million dollars.

I want to find something media-related that will inspire me to write an article about it for We Like Media. Or maybe think of something to write about something I've already seen/read/heard/whatevered.

I want to see Steph in person again so we can get caught up on all those real-life hugs we've missed over the years.

I want to wish the Robot a belated happy birthday:

2002-10-19T11:56:00.000-05:00

New Topic

I got tired of looking at that (admittedly funny) topic over and over, so here's something new.

My dad's going to be here anytime now because he's insane.

I bought some new reccos at the used recco sto. Morphine's Cure for Pain (slowing re-building my Morphine collection--long story), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, the original version (hoorah!), Danny Elfman's Music for a Darkened Theater Volume Two (I had volume one on tape, but now I gotta get it on CD so I don't look like a half-wit), and Bob Dylan's Bob Dylan, to help begin my 60s revolution. I'm adding Bob to my list of 60s artists whose albums I will buy. Right now it's The Beatles, The Velvet Underground, and Simon and Garfunkle (all of their stuff) along with some select things from The Beach Boys and, um, that may be it--and that Phil Spector box set I've been wanting. Since The Mnemonic Devices wouldn't exist without him anyway.

That's all. Thank me now. Or better yet, you write something new.

2002-10-06T00:06:00.000-05:00

Red Draggin' My Butt Out To See This Movie

I saw Red Dragon. It wasn't bad, it may have even technically been approaching "good," but for some reason I thought it would be important or worthy or something. Instead, it was just something we've seen before (the three previous Hannibal-based movies) all rolled into one inferior ball. Read my review on We Like Media.

I'm going to see Stealing Harvard soon to wash it down.

Oh, and the cell phone rate around here for theaters is one cell phone ring every eight minutes. I simply don't understand that. I also don't understand why we have to pay five to ten dollars to watch TV commercials on the big screen for fifteen minutes before movies. Or why people in the audience seem to enjoy them.

2002-10-01T17:28:00.000-05:00

Yo Yo Yo

Wow, happy birthday to the robot. Don't forget, Tommy: "Poor Omnibus 1800s. It's only on a one cent stamp."

About Tommy's offer. I already have, Steph... I already have...

I got real paid today, so in addition to getting the big burrito, I also got Beck. You like the album cover, but which one? I saw two. I bought the one with pink on the back, where you can see Beck's face better. I sat comparing them for five minutes before deciding. What's the deal with multiple covers these days? I think TV Guide started that a few years ago, when they'd put out four different covers for one week. They did it for The Beatles once.

I almost bought the Weezer EP in Austin, but I held off. I'll probably get it soon. I was like, "Eh, live... I can wait." I like that they named it after C.S. Lewis though (if they did).

Potty Stump.

2002-09-29T23:45:00.000-05:00

hey hey hey

Jason--Thank you for the virtual hug on livejournal. I really needed that. Hugs back.

Tommy--you are too flattering. ;) Conversation with you was a pleasure. But I'm in DC, now, not Boston. *Sigh.*

Rusty--You should take Tommy up on his offer. Whatever he meant.

Everyone I haven't met in person--I'd like to meet you some day! Maybe in the future, when enough good bands go to Austin at the same time and we can all meet and go to concerts together. How swell would that be?

Aside--Ooh, I've heard bits of Preston School of Industry too, it's very good. But this is my favorite album lately: Thought for Food, by The Books, a band I only read reviews of because I liked its name. I dunno why, but the album really grabs me. Especially the song Motherless Bastard. Though, um, I'm not sure that the blurb on the page I was sending ya'll to makes much sense.

2002-09-29T23:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Late Birthday, Blog.

We've been blogging here for over a year. Happy Birthday, Robot. Our happy gang has changed a bit and most of us are different locations, but we're here. I'm glad that we are, too. This is a happy little blogger, I must say. And we've said some nice things about each other, too. Well, I'm always up for updates...

Jason Bell...You have indeed made many a trip to Memphis in the last year. I'm glad you have/did. You are a good friend to have. I do like your artwork alot and I hope you keep me around for a little while longer.

Liza...That Burger King site still rules. I hate that you are in Austin and miles away, but I know that's where you need to be. Your Popeye figure and humor will always have a special place in my heart. I love you.

Stephanie...You are the smartest person I have ever known. Rephrase: You are the smartest person who has ever humored me by having a conversation with me. You have the bestest smile and I know that Boston is a brighter place because of your presence.

Rusty...you are, Teela. Poof poof. I saw the light at the end of the tunnel, nobody told me it was train. In the beginning...NGAWD. You can come over to my house for the weekend. Why don't you get in the bed with me? I'll be your daddy...your sugar daddy. Diddy getcha diddy? You don't need to be no baby's daddy; that baby's mine. Yethir. Giddy gitchaw geedir getty bikkit. Sounds like a wonner to me. I should like a basket of sheeps. Why don't you eat a candro bar out of my ass? And maybe a Doctro Pepper. And we're waiting for some calls...

2002-09-26T15:42:00.000-05:00

I Have the Power!

You think you're an idiot? You are, Teela.

I thought there was only one season of The Young Ones. Like six episodes. Guess I was wrong. Rick was always my favorite, the anarchist.

Beck. Beck rhymes with paycheck, which is when I'll get the new Beck album. I heard he was some sort of a songwriter, yes. And Weezer also too. If it were a real album, I'd have just sold my blood or something, but I can wait on a live track EP.

I have yet to get all the Pavement spinoffs, but I'll get the Preston School soon. I wanna compare Spiral Stairs to S.M. Jenkins. I like Stephen Malkmus's record the more I hear it, oddly. It's one of the few "catchy" albums that get better with age. It's a neat trick. The first time, it was like, "Eh, it's catchy enough, but catchy can only last so long," but then it's like the "deepness" of the catchiness grew with each listen. That's magic, baby.

Anyone play The Sims around here? I do, I do.

2002-09-24T21:45:00.000-05:00

I don't sleep, I dream...

...I wish. I thought I had many interesting things to say now, but I have discovered that I am an idiot and really have nothing right now. I'll post anyway, just because you all love to hear from me once on a while.

I am collecting the new He-Man and The Masters of the Universe figures. This is something I grew up with and I like the new series and toys. I'm going to try to get them all.

I got The Young Ones on DVD. So far, I've only watched Series One, but will see Series Two by the end of the week. I loved this show when it aired on MTV in the mid 80s, although I had no idea what it was on about. I've always seemed to have an attraction for all things British, but do not share the love of Monty Python like so many of my American brethren. I like them, but they are just not the only British comedy to be seen. Then there's Benny Hill...My affintity for jolly old Elngland was proven today at work when I noticed a fellow's John Ottway shirt. He was bowled over that I actually knew who John was. I'll let you look that one up on your one, if you're interested.

The new Beck record has impressed me, so far. Beck is a songwriter, in case you didn't know. Expect a full review on We Lie Media very soon. I was also lucky enough to get the new live Weezer ep. It's funny and good. Weezer rocks. Back to Beck: I really like the cover. Speaking of covers, I picked up a CD this weekend based solely on the cover. It's Preston School of Industry. The name of the record is All This Sounds Gas. My next question: Rusty, why don't you have this? Go out and get it. It brings the good. And if Rusty already owns this, then good. Two words: Spiral Stairs.

Have fun, kiddies.

2002-09-24T17:48:00.000-05:00

I am feeling nostalgic for the days when I only posted pictures.

2002-09-23T11:19:00.000-05:00

another scary dream

Last night, I dreamt I had a mullet.

(No offense, o mulleted ones. It's just So. Not. Me.)

2002-09-22T12:48:00.000-05:00

Weird, but pretty typical considering it was a dream.

I had a dream that one of my students was pelting me with small, round dinner rolls. I was covered with syrup so the dinner rolls stuck to me. I responded by squirting my student in the face with yellow mustard. I was very upset. At the end of the dream, I found my brother in bed, tangled in blue sheets, covered in blood. My mother lurked in the corner, crying. I still had dinner rolls all over me.

2002-09-21T14:05:00.000-05:00

i had a weird dream too

So I was dreaming that my roommate (who kept morphing between my roommate now, and one of my former roommates) and I were moving into our new house. My roommate let a police officer in to interrogate one of his suspects, who was mob connected or something, somehow we both knew. The officer needed our basement, for some reason. So showed him down.

After awhile, my roommate and I were wondering what happened to him, because we hadn't heard from him in awhile. My roommate went downstairs and screamed. She ran up and said she found the officer's dead body, stuffed into my iguana's new big cage.

I was too scared to go down. My biggest fear is being framed for a murder I didn't commit.

It was not a terribly good dream.

2002-09-20T15:38:00.000-05:00

I Got Shot

I guess that theory about you not being able to die in your own dreams isn't true, since I got killed in mine the other day.

Some dude pulled up outside my folks' house and asked where my parents were, and I said inside, and he kind of smiled and said he guessed I didn't know what he was there for and I said no, and he said, "Let's just say, someone's getting these handcuffs, and someone else is getting this gun," and he pulled out a gun. Then he walked inside the house.

It took me a while to process that he wanted to rape Mom and murder Dad, but when I did I ran inside straight for him as if I were going to knock him down or something. I think I had my fist out in front of me as if to punch him in the stomach, but then he shot me directly in the heart. I remember thinking first, "I'm dying. I thought this wouldn't happen," and that sort of rejection of the facts that I imagine always happens when someone gets shot, and then I thought, "How selfish of me. I wasn't trying to save my parents. I just didn't want to see them hurt, and now they have to see me hurt and get hurt themselves." And then I died. And didn't wake up. The dream went on to something else after.

So, a fun dream. It wasn't scary or horrible, believe it or not. It didn't hurt much either.

2002-09-19T16:52:00.000-05:00

For those who love Buffy more than me, I offer this, from my e-mail box:

Call for Papers: The Buffyverse pre and post Millennium (10/12/02)

Contributions are sought for an edited edition of critical essays to be published in The Refractory, an e-journal from the University of Melbourne, Australia's Cinema Studies School in January 2003. The collection will seek to explore the aesthetic (style, performative modes), cultural (apocalyptic themes, magik, supernatural), social (teen, mall life) political (feminist, critique of American life) themes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, including the musical episode, and spin off series Angel, and related industry products and people. Critical essays arguing against Buffy and her universe are welcome, as are fan invested critiques.

The Refractory is a peer-reviewed electronic publication that develops research into, and theoretical analysis of, the contemporary cinema, television, and new media and its connections to earlier cinema traditions, optical devices and technologies.

Essays should be between 3000-6000 words in length. Submissions are encouraged to make creative use of html format, otherwise should follow MLA guidelines. The deadline for completed essays is December 10, 2002.

Please send abstracts of no more than 500 words to the editor via email by October 12, 2002:

Felicity J.Colman
Cinema Studies
School of Fine Arts, Classical Studies and Archaeology
The University of Melbourne Victoria 3010 Australia
fcolman@unimelb.edu.au

2002-09-13T01:45:00.000-05:00

A GREAT band name...

I think From Tonight is a great band name. Who wants to join From Tonight?

Tommy Bandman

2002-09-13T01:37:00.000-05:00

I wish they all could be California bright green pleasure machines...

Hey! Remember me? I'm that guy who plays in that rock band. The last time I was around here, me and Rusty got into some pseudo-spiritual debate over rock music. Fun times!

Some stuff I'm listening to right now: Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Simon and Garfunkel...Okay. I'm an old folkie. Sue me. I like the acoustic guitars and nice melodies. The thing is, I prefer Joni's jazzier stuff. I like Bob's later rockier stuff. Simon and Garfunkel had abandoned the traditional folk thing by their third album, but I suppose they held on to quite a bit of that.

I got the UHF DVD. Weird Al is funny and this DVD is proof. It's loaded with the funny. The commentary tracks alone make it worthy. For all fans of Weird Al and Michael Richards: do yourself a favor and get this disc.

I just wrote possible the best song of my entire songwriting career. I usually stumble over the lyrics, but this one happened. I never like my own songs. This one is called "Burning Bridges." I even like the title. I get easily embarrassed over my tunes. Maybe I just opened a new door. Maybe all this folk music is starting to have an effect on me. Although, I can honestly say that this is a true song for the rock stylings of Lately David. I've had a bit of following in our recent direction in that I tend to write these poppy, sappy tunes. Danny writes this edgy stuff. I've just written a rock classic. It's not "Born To Run," but it'll do, pig. (Of course, tomorrow, I'll recognize it for the piece of shit it probably is and know that it won't matter.)

I'm restless right now. It may be because I found out that I have a permanent job at Graceland as opposed to being seasonal, as I thought I was. I like my job, so this is a good thing. I feel like John Merrick must have felt when he found out that he had a permanent home at the hospital, but I also know that this means I have to get an apartment and stuff. I want to write and record a pop masterpiece. I want to paint something. I want to make a great film. I feel like a ton of creativity is inside and is bursting forth. Maybe this is the reason the new song came out pretty good. Restless. That's what I am right now.

Tommy DePalma

2002-09-12T00:24:00.000-05:00

... a joke in your town

I hope everyone remembered the special day: Brian DePalma's birthday.

2002-09-05T21:07:00.000-05:00

Addendum

Actually, the guy won $280,000, which inspired the look even more. And I taped it today, so if anyone would like to drive to Texas, you can watch it with me.

2002-09-05T13:33:00.000-05:00

Thoughts of Tom

Ah, little Tommy Green. He's popular again.

When I saw his character for Stealing Harvard, I thought, "I bet he's trying to look like the guy from American Movie," and Tom just confirmed it on an E! special.

Tom Green's MTV Diary was funny. It makes me feel good to see him with Derek Harvie and Glen Humplik. Buddies. I like people who stay buddies.

They've been showing The Tom Green Show on MTV this week, and it makes me remember that he's still the funniest guy alive right now. One of the few people ever that I like to call "important comics," like Andy Kaufman and Lenny Bruce. Where it's not even quite comedy what they're doing (as many Tom Green haters would quickly say).

But the best moment of all the Stealing Harvard promotion was from Jason Lee. It was on the Comedy Central Canned Ham show, and they shot some of it on a horse betting track. Jason Lee was talking to some old guy there and said, "What's the biggest win you've ever had?" The guy said, "The biggest win I ever had was $131,000." And Jason Lee gave this look to the camera which said "I wasn't expecting that/Good Lord, that's a lot of money/Can you believe that?/Hey, whaddaya think of that?/I'm not even going to respond to the guy, but just look at the camera/cameraman/TV audience/whoever is on the crew." I've been thinking about it for two days.

2002-09-02T19:40:00.000-05:00

Update on the Current Crisis

The Pearl Sack & Save store is evil. They haven't had any Stewart's drinks for like a year or so now. Found some Stewart's Orange & Cream at a gas station on the way home from Memphis today, but the search still continues for a local supplier.

Taco Bell Hybridizations

What's that town between Jackson and Cleveland, MS, where they have that Taco Bell & KFC combo? Noby should go there and be freaked out by that, too.

2002-08-31T22:39:00.000-05:00

One of the Perks of Living Down the Street from a Minor League Baseball Stadium

Besides the always-lovely glow, I just got to watch a fireworks show from my balcony. Ahhh.

2002-08-31T11:08:00.000-05:00

One Week In Texas Update, Labor Day Weekend

I dig it here so far. The palm trees and wind always make it feel like a kind of vacation, as does walking up the stairs to my apartment since I was in a house for so long that coming to the apartment feels like a hotel.

Students are cool. Faculty is cool. Everyone be nice to Rusty.

Wal-Mart across the street, as well as Staples (which I'd never been in, but which are exactly--no exactly--like Office Depot, right down to the store arrangement and color scheme: "Anything Office Depot has? Yeah, we got that."), all sorts of freaky restaurant chains (Peto's being my favorite so far: taco-like stuff that's cheap but so much better than Taco Bell; and the Taco Bell here is combined in the same building as Long John Silver, which freaked Noby out).

I haven't left Edinburg yet to explore the rest of the Rio Grande Valley, but maybe I'll do that this weekend. I might even make it sometime soon to San Padre Island where they had the Miss Teen USA Pageant.

Hollywood Video, Blockbuster Video, several smaller ones. As you can tell, all the "stuff you can buy" places are important to me.

They don't seem to have a music place in town, but in the next town over they seem to (according to phone book). I think even a used one, which is the only "brick and mortar" music store I ever shop from. Half.com is still my major supplier.

I've been taking my lazy-ass time getting my apartment set up, but it's mostly just a few stray things still on the floor, as well as all the empty boxes I shipped stuff in. My books are alphabatized on the shelfs, my CDs and DVDs too, my home theater system set up (which I can't play as loud anymore, of course), music stuffs. All the important junk.

Um, that's all. Happy Labor Day.

2002-08-28T08:24:00.000-05:00

That tangerine cream soda at wal-mart isn't Stewart's brand, it's IBC.

- Grocery Girl.

2002-08-26T22:33:00.000-05:00

To Jason, Non-Stranger

Rusty, Noby and I peeped some Stewart's Tangerine Cream Soda at Wal-Mart last week. Have you tried this? I also saw some Orange Cream Soda at a different Wal-Mart.

Those who do not appreciate Buffy do not understand her.

2002-08-25T21:07:00.000-05:00

This Message is Dedicated to Mr. Jason Bell, a Stranger

On the subject of soda, pop, soft drinks, carbonated beverages, and the like: are you still looking for that Stewart's orange cream soda? Because I saw cases and cases of it at the Sack 'n Save food store in Hattiesburg, so maybe there's some at a Sack 'n Save food store near you, wherever you are. You can sack your soda and also save money on it.

I happen to love Rick Astley. I do not like buffy, even in re-runs.

2002-08-25T18:44:00.000-05:00

Doctro Pepper or Dock Rock Pepper

Red Fusion Dr. Pepper is so "eh" that I forgot I even drank a can until you brought it up.

I'm having fun right now listening to the radio. Wow. They're playing Rick Astley, Paula Abdul, and stuff like that. With each song that comes on, I say, "This song is kinda good." "Forever Your Girl," I never noticed, sounds like a Prince song.

Xander.