Monday, February 19, 2007

Potential Theme

Michweddigan
This weekend I re-formatted my original design for the Save the Date mailers to facilitate easier mailing and provide a more legible point size. Claire addressed and stuffed envelopes while I toiled with an exacto knife and cutting mat. The first batch is in the mail. I am now in the process of designing a simple, informational website (no online engagement videos, you know who you are). And then I get to sink my teeth into the actual invitations which are more likely to take the form of a 12 page travel guide.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Personal Statement

Why do you want to pursue graduate studies?

So that when I'm done, I can get a job where the day's indignities are doled out by a person whom I actually respect.

Crude Sentiment

In the last two years, during the week leading up to Valentine's Day, I'm reminded of these Valentines I made a while back. I really should make new ones. I really should make all manner of cards. But I'm a busy boy. Feel free to use the old ones if you please.

Monday, February 12, 2007

Jenůfa at The Met

Met

Claire and I saw Janáček's Jenůfa at The Met on Saturday evening. It was a welcome return to what has been, with the exception of last year, an annual tradition of ours. The staging was appropriately bleak, but the story and incorporation of Czech folk music into otherwise traditional operatic forms was really intriguing and made up for the absence of visual stimulation (giant rocks used as metaphor for the burden of a character's guilty conscience isn't terribly original). A doff of the cap to the xylophone player in the pit on Saturday night. He was in excellent form. Moravian villages at the end of the 19th century could definitely use a bit of new blood injected into the bachelor pool. Any woman that considers herself lucky for ending up with the man that mutilated her face in a moment of lustful spite could definitely use a mani/pedi and an e-Harmony account for her birthday.

Friday, February 09, 2007

Common Courtesy

Claire and I were waiting at the elevator bank in a hospital lobby the other day when two paramedics wheeled in a guy on a tricked-out gurney. This wasn’t the emergency room, just the good ol’ fashioned, low-priority front entrance. Now, dude wasn’t spewing anything black and bubbly out of any of his major orifices. Nor was he sporting any new holes or perforations care of a dispute settled with hot lead. But nevertheless, he was on a stretcher. And the rest of us were standing.

That said it was pretty crowded in the lobby. And some of us had been waiting there already for 30, maybe as much as 45 seconds. So I guess you can’t hold it against us for not stepping aside and giving him our place in line. In NY, you better be able to show a little uncoiled intestine if you expect to have any chance of jumping the queue.

Thursday, February 08, 2007

Heartfelt

Dear Writers of LOST,

Why do you suck my balls?

Sincerely,
Steven

Thursday, February 01, 2007

Listen: Podcast, no20

Pleasing To Your Ears

Sweet Christ! I went overboard for the twentieth episode celebration and packed this 'cast with more music than you can shake a cursor at. Be warned, the file is 94mb and will take an eternity to d'load. Enjoy:
“Magick” by Klaxons (video)
“Once and Never Again” by The Long Blondes (video)
“Swallow Tattoo” by The Long Blondes
“Smile” by Lily Allen (video)
“Hunting for Witches” by Bloc Party
“Muscle ‘n Flo” by Menomena
“Underwater (You And Me)” by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
“Monkey & Bear” by Joanna Newsom
“History’s Stranglers” by The Bronx (video)
“What You Know” by T.I. (video)
“Way Down In the Hole” by Five Blind Boys of Alabama
“Wamp Wamp (What It Do) (Feat. Slim Thug)” by Clipse
“How Shall I To Heaven Aspire” by Rock Plaza Central
“Ankle Injuries” by Fujiya & Miyagi
“History Song” by The Good, The Bad & The Queen
“Gravity’s Rainbow” by Klaxons (video)
“Montréal -40°C” by Malajube (video)
“Ruby Tuesday” by Franco Battiato
“The Perfect Me” by Deerhoof
“Political Song for Michael Jackson to Sing” by The Minutemen
As usual, the podcast is available through RSS or iTunes. Here are the appropriate links:
* Subscribe to the enhanced podcast. (rss)
* Subscribe to the mp3 podcast. (rss)
* Click here to visit the "Pleasing To Your Ears" page in the iTunes Music Store, where you can pick and choose from available episodes.
* no20 :: Too Long for Two-Oh (mp3)
* no20 :: Too Long for Two-Oh (enhanced)
That's it for episode 20. Please tell your friends. Please tell me what you think. Please post a link on your blogs. Please use the hotline: (206) 202-3142. Please tune in for a new episode next weekend.