1. I, for the most part, stopped biting my nails (once Lily came) - but if I get stressed enough, I can tear them all off in minutes.
2. I know how MP3 compression really works.
3. I am shy.
4. I am the only person on the block to take out the trash the night before.
5. I constantly monitor the local and east-coast weather.
6. I won a Pinewood Derby once.
7. My father was the Cub Master. But I quit because I didn’t like the word “god” in their motto.
8. I would rather use a trackpad (only on a MacBook) on a desktop computer than a mouse.
9. I sometimes miss working at DC101.
10. I rarely floss.
11. I wouldn’t mind retiring as an elementary school teacher.
12. My ears hurt sometimes after listening to over compressed radio for long periods of time.
13. I like the sound of CDs equally to that of vinyl.
14. I like my parents, a lot.

Tagging Rules:

1. Tell about six unspectacular quirks of yours
2. Link the person who tagged you
3. Mention the rules in your blog
4. Tag six following bloggers by linking them
5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs letting them know they’ve been tagged

Cole
John
Scott
Dave
Rashmi
David C

When was the last time you restarted?

But on a side note (and to lift the spirits of kids still on the Windows OS), I just found this Robert Smith quote that couldn’t be more true to life:

“If Morrissey told me not to eat meat, then I would eat meat, because I hate Morrissey.”

Today, Emily had the awesome idea of playing hookie like we used to do when we worked for The Man. So we drove up 95 to Gunpowder State Park. It was purty. We all got a little sun and are now thinking of having Lily’s 1st birthday there.

I want answers. I am getting a little impatient. This is the show I’ve watched the longest. Yes, even longer than Melrose Place! I feel like if it’s not over by the next season and there aren’t serious answers, I might have to start a new show.

On a side-TV note, I am really loving this 30 Rock show. Tina Fey is my new hero. At least her character. You dig?

Time to slide the TV back in the closet.

Obama recently said something about autism and vaccinations:

We’ve seen just a skyrocketing autism rate. Some people are suspicious that it’s connected to the vaccines. This person included. The science right now is inconclusive, but we have to research it. [ Washington Post ]

According to the Obama campaign, “this person” refers to someone in the crowd who asked a question about autism, not Obama himself. But regardless, we’ve had to endure another round of “people who doubt vaccines are irresponsible superstitious nutjobs” posts from people who ought to know better.

I say they ought to know better because they are liberal bloggers who have often written about the gross failures of this administration, particularly in health care and regulatory roles. Let’s go over the narrative again:

1. The FDA is underfunded, understaffed, mismanaged, and rushed.
2. The CDC is underfunded and rushed
3. The Bush administration often pressures government researchers to give the answers it wants
4. The Bush administration often suppresses research it deems damaging to its own interests and those of corporate friends.
5. Health care is primarily run for profit in this country.
6. Medical pregnancy care is rife with dangerous advice, contradictory advice, and procedures done for legal cover and physician convenience, not the best interests of the patient.
7. We’ve found lead and date-rape drugs in children’s toys, thanks to failing regulatory infrastructure.
8. There’s recently been a number of high profile, safe drugs pulled from the market which were approved, again, thanks to failing regulatory infrastructure and government pressure.

TECHNOLOGY

Q. What is your wallpaper on your computer? some flowers or weeds. came with osx.
Q. How many televisions you have in your house? 1. 19″ CRT. On a cart so it can be wheeled in to the closet.

BIOLOGY

Q. Are you right-handed or left-handed? left
Q. Have you ever had anything removed from your body? no, other than hair
Q. What is the last heavy item you lifted? the hammond organ or the console furniture
Q. Have you ever been knocked out? no

BULLSHITOLOGY

Q. If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die? no, but sorta yes
Q. If you could change your name, what would you change it to? I can and did change my name
Q. What colour do you think looks best on you? plaid? is that a color?
Q. Have you ever swallowed a non-food item? i used to eat fast food a lot

DAREOLOGY

Q. Would you kiss a member of the same sex for $100? i dont need money
Q. Would you allow one of your little fingers to be cut off for $200,000? no
Q. Would you never blog again for $50,000? i’d consder it, any offers?
Q. Would you pose naked in a magazine for $250,000? probably
Q. Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1,000? probably not
Q. Would you, without fear of punishment, take a human life for $1,000,000? nope

DUMBOLOGY

Q: What is in your left pocket? buck knife, cell phone
Q: Is Napoleon Dynamite actually a good film? i thought it was funny
Q: Do you have hardwood or carpet in your house? hardwood
Q: Do you sit or stand in the shower? stand. people sit in showers?
Q: How many pairs of flip flops do you own? 1

LASTOLOGY

Q: Last person who texted you? i don’t text
Q: Last person who called you? Diane
Q: Person you hugged? Lily

FAVOURITOLOGY

Q: Number? 6, I am fond of evil
Q: Season? fall
Q: Colour? orange

CURRENTOLOGY

Q: Missing someone? yeah, sure
Q: Mood? morning. eh.
Q: Listening to? this new Prince show
Q: Watching? my MacBook
Q: Worrying about? routing my goddam mixer
Q: Wearing? jeans, t-shirt

RANDOMOLOGY

Q: First place you went this morning? to take Frankie for a walk/move the car
Q: What can you not wait to do? get back to the Studio
Q: Do you smile often? probably more than i should
Q: Are you a friendly person? sometimes.

It’s for real, now. We have a weekly ad campaign. It’s 52 weeks. One whole year with the City Paper. Hells yeah. The sticker campaign also started on Monday. Full force. In force.

Check out the site for yourself. And please sign up for the mailing list.

But I have to break my stride. Well, I am not really going to review this new (and stellar) James record. I just want to make you aware of it.

James - the best jam band you never knew they were. Of course they aren’t potheads, and the word edit is part of their music vocab. So really they aren’t a jam band. But they do create their music out of extensive jams. So in that aspect they are really the true meaning of the words: jam band. Anyways, I digress. Let’s actually talk about music…

Somehow in the late 1990s and the 2000s James lost their way. They experimented with electronic music. Andy left. And when he left, the trumpet left. Larry left. When he left, the joy of guitar left. They became a band that was too underdeveloped and bored. Of course there were hidden gems during those years. Most notably on 1999’s Millionaires and 2001’s Please To Me You which the later maybe garnished one or two repeat plays in my library. But instead of talking of the past, let’s get to the present.

Hey Ma. It was released Monday. And I am telling you, this is a keeper. They brought back Andy. They brought back Larry. And it’s evident. They are back in the game again. Who knows what will happen in the United States. They were always overlooked. America’s loss. Of course, they are larger than life in the UK and rightfully so.

Bubbles - The opener track builds up to a great crescendo filled with yearning and hope complete with Larry’s wonderfully gentle guitar playing. Oh yeah, and Andy’s trumpet comes in and gives one goosebumps. Absolute beauty.
Download audio file (Bubbles%202.mp3)

Oh My Heart - It sounds like vintage poppy James, but I can’t really pinpoint the era it’s from. So I guess it’s really just new vintage if that makes sense. Tim’s vocals are amazing. Totally on the verge of melodramatics but still bitterly honest.
Download audio file (Oh%20My%20Heart%201.mp3)

Whiteboy - Again, it’s the trumpet that does it for me. And nice synths in the bridge. Eno rubbed off. What’s not to love. Oh and someone remind me again why Larry Gott isn’t recognized as one of the best guitarists of our time?
Download audio file (Whiteboy%201.mp3)

I Wanna Go Home - The contrast to their pop songs are always the mellow creepers. Not creepy, but creeping. Slow buildups that take you home. They are masters of creepers. Their caboose tracks, much like U2’s are always held in a special place in my heart.
Download audio file (I%20Wanna%20Go%20Home%201.mp3)

You can check out their site here. Or you can order their record below:

In case you forgot:

On the contrary we’re installing Windows (via Parallels) later tonight for Emily’s design work. This, my friend, is a scary moment. Sadly, it’s still a necessary evil in the world of design. Wish her luck and pray the Mac doesn’t die. I give it two weeks. Any bets?

PS. [11:38pm] She’s doing the install for XP and Firefox crashed. This is not looking good.
PPS. [11:58pm] Force quit #1. The install crashed. Go Windows!
PPS. [11:59pm] She’s trying the install again. But I am going to bed.
PPPS. [12:20pm] The first install actually worked, it just crashed at the end. After those first initial hiccups everything is functioning fine.