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Below are the most recent 24 friends' journal entries.
| Tuesday, May 13th, 2008 | ||
|
qaqaq |
10:09a | Tony Awards nominations The Tony noms have just been announced. I've only seen one show, the dreadful "Young Frankenstein", though as always I look forward to seeing the telecast and deciding what other shows I might want to see, or what cast albums I might want to listen to. There were three good things about YF: Christopher Fitzgerald, Andrea Martin, and the sets. So the Tony voters got it exactly right: those were the three noms it picked up. Go Andrea! And Sondheim is picking up a special award, to go with his mountains of regular Tonys. I have absolutely no problem with that. |
| Monday, May 12th, 2008 | ||
|
opadit |
3:42p | what's your "walk score"? What's your "walk score"? How walkable is the place you live? Can you get to just about everything you need within minutes on foot, or is your place completely unliveable without a motor vehicle? My "walk score" is 98. Via Atrios. |
|
toonhead_npl |
12:20a | Mach GoGoGo! Okay, the movie stinks, but we'll always have the original. Here's Mach GoGoGo, the Speed Racer opening in its original Japanese: same music, different arrangement, but still great |
| Sunday, May 11th, 2008 | ||
|
opadit |
12:32p | awsome lunch I just made (and ate) the most awesome [1] lunch for me and Eleanor. - a hunk of mild-because-pasteurized-for-import robiola due latti - Scandinavian-style crispbread for the cheese - fresh juice: apples, orange, kiwis, and a carrot - a quart of Jersey strawberries from the farmers market Happy Mother's Day to me! [1] I have completely drunk the Kool-Aid, yea, long and deep, about using "awesome" all the time. I remember complaining about it and avoiding it for a while, but eventually I relented. Sigh. |
|
toonhead_npl |
12:06p | professional photographers recreate kids' drawings look look -- and isn't that marriage one wild? and here are some US artists doing likewise (edited to fix links since LJ HTML markup doesn't seem to be compatible with Firebox 3 beta 5 yet) |
|
qaqaq |
11:03a | The other special occasion of the day Happy first birthday to my website, Triple Play Puzzles! In honor of the occasion, I've put up a new puzzle (well, old puzzle): a 21x21 cryptic that was originally titled "Megacryptic" when it appeared in Cryptics Monthly in January 2005, but now goes by the more pedestrian name of "Cryptic Crossword #8". Hey, no one said birthdays were always pretty. |
| Friday, May 9th, 2008 | ||
|
toonhead_npl |
4:57p | your weird-ass website of the day Manbabies. |
|
opadit |
12:08p | attn, ![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} dhpdesign: Don Cherry on "SportsCenter"Don Cherry, who has to wear sunglasses to protect his own eyes from the suits he wears, will be doing pre- and post-game analysis on "SportsCenter" during the Eastern Conference finals. Starting tonight! |
|
opadit |
11:59a | how to make a music video on the cheap Band uses CCTV video and Britain's Freedom of Information Act to make music video. |
| Thursday, May 8th, 2008 | ||
|
jangler_npl |
11:27a | Petition! Petition! Since the ATE A LOT petition seemed to be a success, I once again call upon the crossword-solving contingent of my LJ readership to express their opinion on the new overused made-up (IMO) entry on the block. ( Spoiler for Thursday's CrosSynergy ) |
|
opadit |
10:20a | mosque burial denied on grounds of -- dressing like a woman One more before I go into law school exile for the next ten days. The police call that ultimately led to the murder of officer Steven Liczbinski a few days ago was a bank robbery in a supermarket. Afterward, in the robbers' stolen van, police found disguises, including women's Muslim veils and body coverings. The bank robber who killed police officer Liczbinski a few days ago belonged to the Germantown Masjid mosque here in town. The mosque leadership is refusing to conduct services or bury him at the mosque. Here's why: "We don't tolerate that kind of behavior," [director of the mosque, Tariq] El Shabazz said. "Their actions are not from Islam. You don't dress like a woman, you don't rob people or transgress against them or commit murder. On all three grounds, they are dead wrong" (Daily News).Yes, folks, the first reason that El Shabazz gives for denying a mosque burial for the cop killer and robber is that the criminals disguised themselves as women during the robbery. Of course, listing cross-dressing first doesn't necessarily connote primacy. But he has still listed it on a par with robbery and murder: they're all "dead wrong." |
|
opadit |
9:30a | gun used in robbery that led to cop-killing was from central Penna. Steven Liczbinski, a Philadelphia police officer, was killed in the line of duty a few days ago. Three men had just robbed a bank inside a supermarket, and, after a brief chase, one of them basically executed the officer. It turns out that one of the guns used in the bank robbery -- found in the suspects' stolen van afterward -- came from central Pennsylvania. According to police, this is how the gun found its way to Philadelphia. Levi Swigert, a 19-year-old resident of Duncannon (near Harrisburg), stole the .22 caliber revolver from his mom. She reported the theft in February. Then he bartered it for crack cocaine. The crack seller, who often visits family in Lancaster, was one of the suspects in the robbery (Inky). Maybe the whole "Pennsyltucky" outrage against gun control isn't a self-defense and freedom to hunt thing. Maybe it's actually an economics thing. As the mines, farms, and factories between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh close down, folks can barely make a living any more. Who are we, the urban elitists on the east and west ends of the Commonwealth, to fight for stricter gun laws that would help prevent illegal but profitable gun sales? Rural Pennsylvanians have to put food on the table, too! |
| Tuesday, May 6th, 2008 | ||
|
ennienyc |
10:01p | Dust in the Air I woke up with a swollen lip. Oh no! My allergies have been under control for awhile, and I haven't been exposed to anything different lately (the allergist never figured out the culprit). I had a box of Claritin Hives, but it was empty and I didn't see any pills nearby in the cabinet. I had just cleaned out my purse and the tablets weren't there either, so I have no idea where they are. They expire 11/08 and may still be good if I find them. So I needed to go out to get antihistamines. I also needed greeting cards, and had 4 checks to deposit, so lots of errands. After the bank, I went to a Duane Reade on 94th and Broadway I don't remember seeing before. Gristedes had MM Raspberry Passion (yay) and I got 2, though they were heavy to lug home. I received the purse I impulsively ordered the other day. It is roomy but shouldn't cause problems at bag checks, and fits over the shoulder. The light tan color may get dirty quickly. I think it'll be OK, though this is the most I've ever spent on a purse. Nowhere near the ones movie stars buy that cost as much as cars. It was warm, and I decided to inaugurate the terrace season. At 7 pm, I brought out the chair. The temperature was OK but the air seemed very dusty, probably due to all the nearby construction. The construction had already started last summer, but I never felt it then. Maybe the air is responsible for the allergy flare-up, too, though I always blamed detergent or food. It just wasn't pleasant and I was back in before 8. Oh well. Maybe I should get a face mask. I'll try again, but it may not be comfortable until the new buildings are built. Lately I've noticed a rattling noise at night that seems to be coming from outside or at least the outer wall. I checked the windows while on the terrace and nothing is loose. It seemed to get better when I jiggled the radiator knob, but I could be imagining that. When my computer is on, it's so loud in itself (it groans like an airplane) that I don't notice any other noises. I never did take the antihistamine, but at least I know I have some. |
|
toonhead_npl |
11:45a | FINALLY Apple comes to Boston next week The largest of all Apple Stores, Apple Store Boston, makes its long-awaited debut on Friday, May 16th at 6pm. I am sooooooo glad I didn't book my flight to DC until the 17th. But man, I wish it wasn't such a busy month for me; not sure how early I can get there. |
| Monday, May 5th, 2008 | ||
|
toonhead_npl |
2:21p | I never thought I'd admit this... damn you, Facebook I think I like playing Scrabble. |
| Sunday, May 4th, 2008 | ||
|
opadit |
11:19a | weekend accomplishments - They're putting a new mural on the firehouse across the street, on the South Street side. I brought Eleanor around after her clay studio class, and she painted a little bit of it. They'd marked it out in a grid then put paint-by-numbers marks on all the sections. Anybody walking down the street was welcome to participate, and there was popcorn, pizza, and a DJ. Eleanor did some "number 5," which was an ocher-brown and will be part of W.E.B. DuBois's desk. - On the way to the supermarket yesterday, I got yelled at by some jerk outside Whole Foods soliciting money for City Chase, which is some kind of urban scavenger hunt. He said vaguely that he was collecting money for the environment. I apologized and kept walking. He said, "Oh, I know all about the economy." I wheeled on him and told him I'd apologized politely and would appreciate the same courtesy from him. He said, "Oh, you may go," and waved me away. What a jerk. Later, when my cashier asked me how I was, I answered, "Well, I could do without the fundraisers outside," and told her how rude the guy was. Was I rude like that when I tried to get signatures on petitions at that age? - In cheerier news, Headhouse farmers' market opened today. I got some nice local blue cheese; some thyme, marjoram, and tarragon plants for the window boxes; and a free promo coffee mug exhorting me to eat my 5 fruits and veggies per day. - Laundry. Basically, my weekends are determined by my laundry schedule. |
| Saturday, May 3rd, 2008 | ||
|
ennienyc |
11:44p | But wait, there's more... Club Freetime listed a free concert last Sunday at Town Hall with pianist Richard Goode. The program was good (groan) and the price was certainly right. N has recordings by Goode, and wanted to come, so I went downtown earlier Sunday afternoon and picked up tickets. I might have been able to get them at the door, but wanted to be sure. I thought of hanging out until the concert at the nearby NYT, but there was plenty of time, so I went back home. Then back down for the 5 pm show. It's best to be on the left so you can see the keyboard, and our seats were on the right. But at that price, we couldn't complain. During intermission, people in back of us speculated on trying to move to left-side seats, but they realized they'd have to wait until everyone was back to see what seats were empty and by then there wouldn't be enough time to get to their original seats if necessary. So everyone stayed put. Other than the fact that my cough was pretty bad (I tried to let loose only between movements but it was a struggle), it was a nice concert. He did the Moonlight Sonata, which seemed too fast in the first movement and slow in the second, but just right (blazing fast) in the third. I used to be able to play that, but never with confidence and probably not at full speed. The only other piece I knew was a Chopin mazurka. He did a lot of Chopin, and I'll have to see if any of those pieces are in the books I inherited from my great-aunt. Tomorrow the same free series features Tashi, who I haven't seen since the '70s. They haven't been together lately and this is a reunion. But the program is modern and not appealing to me. Besides, I have work to do. I gave N a tour of the NYT building, and then we met a visiting puzzler for dinner. After some missteps, we found our intended location, Junior's. I don't eat cheesecake but I had a nice piece of chicken. Afterward, we walked around a little and the Times Square area was bustling. It got quieter further north, and I realized I needed toilet paper and headed for the 57th St. Associated. I like the city that never sleeps, where you can always buy supplies. The next day I met (different) N for lunch at Turkuaz. I hadn't eaten there in person since it was under different ownership, and it was quiet and nice. The lunch special menu didn't have my favorite yogurt chicken kebab, but the zucchini pancakes and stuffed cabbage were good. I was feeling fat, but the scale was acting strange and I couldn't weigh myself. I couldn't find the manual, but the indicator LO didn't bode well. I tried removing and reinstalling the battery, but that made it not display at all. The nearby hardware store didn't have the right size, but I picked up a battery at Radio Shack near the movies. At first, nothing displayed even with the new battery (uh-oh!) but I put it in again, waited, and finally the weight registered. It was high. Too much eating out. The Martha Stewart crosswords segment aired yesterday. I'll talk about it when I get a picture they're supposed to send. |
|
ennienyc |
11:09p | Tribeca 2008 This was a busy week as I had 10 Tribeca Film Festival tickets. The movies in this year's festival didn't thrill me in anticipation, but most turned out to be worthwhile. Just like in "Wordplay" Q&A's we could count on the sudoku question, I've come to expect certain generic topics in all Q&A's: How long was the shoot? What was the budget? What did you shoot it in? (these from film school/industry types - do most people really care if they used 16mm or whatever?) Is the movie going to be released? Where did you come up with the idea? How did (famous star) get involved? Not always the most interesting sessions, but I appreciate the filmmakers showing up. They all did, except the "Quiet Chaos" director who was there previously but had already left. My selections were almost all at the AMC Village VII. This is near my cousin B's (and it was her birthday Friday), but I never got in touch or arranged to meet. Sorry. I soon felt like a commuter on the C and L trains. The films: "Hotel Gramercy Park" - This hotel is around the corner from MetLife and we occasionally had luncheons in its faded restaurant. This documentary talks about the property's recent Ian Schrager transformation to a hot boutique hotel. The movie does not forget the longtime owning family and their personal tragedies, as well as a few quirky tenants who stay on through renovation. Best moment: Paris Hilton is turned away from the opening. "Secret of the Grain" - Uh, I don't know how this was because I didn't set the alarm and missed the 12:15pm showing. "Quiet Chaos (Caos Calmo)" - Set in modern Rome, this is a lovely portrait of a man and his young daughter coping with his wife's sudden death. "Fermat's Room" - How could NPLers not like this Spanish thriller that features math/logic problems? "Two Mothers" - Fascinating documentary about German filmmaker Rosa von Praunheim's search for the adoptive parents he didn't know he had until age 58. The subject was there for an interesting and informative Q&A. "Baghdad High" - Ordinary high school students in Iraq were given video cameras to document their senior year. The boys were charming and managed to be typical teens in spite of what was going on around them. I had to miss the Q&A to get to the next movie... ..."Bitter & Twisted" - While waiting for the movie to start, some random people around me were talking and they both happened to be Australian. What a coincidence! But not really - the movie was Australian. The storytelling was elliptical and I couldn't really get into this quirky suburban family's woes after one son dies. The reviews were very positive, but I wasn't on the film's wavelength and even considered walking out. "Yonkers Joe" - I ran into Pen Gwyn the day before and she had tickets to this too, but decided to skip the 10:30am showing. I made it because I was still up from the day before. I took out my contacts for 6 hours during the night, put them back in, and headed back down to the theater. This movie was both gritty (gamblers, con men) and poignant (a Downs syndrome son on the verge of adulthood). Strong performances. "The 27 Club" - after the Strand visit mentioned in the previous entry, I went to this movie at the Village East Cinema a block east on Second Ave. It's about a fictional rock star who OD's at age 27 like other famous rock stars, and the effect on his longtime friend and bandmate. Joe Anderson is an actor to watch. "Story of the Red Hills" - I had another hour to kill before this movie, also at Village East. I could have gone back to the Strand but I was woozy from lack of sleep and wasn't sure I could stay awake, so I headed home. I stuck the ticket in a prominent place in the emergency exit gate of the subway. I didn't see anyone take it and for all I know, it's still there. I went home and was soon asleep. So of the 10 tickets, I only used 8, making the package the same price as individual tickets. Oh well, could have been worse. TFF, if you're reading this, please consider bringing back the Daytimer Pass! Or some pass that doesn't require specific movies that's more reasonable than the $1100 Hudson. All week, my cough was a problem. I finally bought medicine midweek (I had to immediately return a package expiring 10/07 to Duane Reade, but they were nice about replacing it) and I think the cough is fading at last. Meanwhile, I always had my "American Cannibal" water bottle filled and ready, but still probably disturbed people when I just had to cough (like during the graphic sex scene in "Quiet Chaos"). All the water meant I often had to go to the bathroom, which wasn't great since there usually were lines, and one stall in the limited number available had a door that didn't lock. I didn't go out of my way (or even not out of my way) to talk to anyone, so there was no homey feeling like there was at Sundance. By now, enough time has passed so that I was not recognized. But I was there for movies, and that was rewarding. Audiences were enthusiastic and all the showings were well attended, but not uncomfortably packed. Only once did I have to sit way up front in a bad seat, and it was my fault for getting there at the last minute. I was tempted to buy additional ticket packages for night and weekend performances, and I'm still tempted to go to some of the awards showings tomorrow. But I think enough's enough. |
|
ennienyc |
9:44p | Bookish Girl There have been a few times I did NOT take books from the NYT or laundry room shelves (yay), and a few times I did (oy). I used Borders coupons to buy 2 more S&S crossword collections. And I just had to go to the Strand when I had time between Tribeca Film Fest movies in the neighborhood. I brought my want list and only had time to check the outside carts. I got two $1 books that were not on the list, but could have been. With online shopping, I've forgotten the fun of making discoveries at used bookstores. It's the only kind of shopping I enjoy. I'll go back eventually and look inside, but their regular prices aren't always great. I hadn't been there in years - so long, that I forgot where it is and walked downtown instead of up from 11th St. on both Broadway and 4th Ave. and almost had to ask for directions until I finally saw the outside bargain carts. When buying my books, I walked right past the intimidating bag check since I was just going to the register to pay. I was not stopped, but I think my large bag could be a problem, a la Housing Works, if I ever really shop there. When I got home, I happened to get a designer online bag store e-mail and ordered a smaller bag. I think. I'm not sure if it's actually smaller or if it will fit on my shoulder. Even discounted, it was more than I usually pay (3 figures!) but once in a while I splurge. I read: "The Dead Hollywood Moms Society" by Lindsay Maracotta - Funny, biting take on evil Hollywood with a pretty good murder mystery plot. "I Shouldn't Be Telling You This" by Mary Breasted - 1983 novel about a recent Radcliffe graduate working for a newspaper that sounds an awful lot like the NYT. The character smokes, drinks, smokes pot, sleeps with married men and is in over her head at the job. Bleh. The author is Radcliffe '72 and was an NYT reporter, but I'm not claiming the story is in any way autobiographical. Another class of '72 graduate from my own school, Rebecca Goldstein (who I didn't know), wrote "The Mind-Body Problem," about a Barnard grad in the Princeton philosophy department (like the author), struggling with school and her marriage to math genius Noam Kimmel. The book is from 1983 so I don't think Noam is based on any NPL members. The philosophy got too dense for my lazy brain (mattering maps?), and I was happy to finish. I did like the mention of CU artist Sam Steinberg (everyone from my era has a Sam painting), and this observation: "There were Jews at Princeton, of course, but nobody seemed Jewish. At Columbia even the non-Jews had seemed Jewish." |
|
ennienyc |
8:37p | Rising Star I haven't written in a while so I'll do a bunch of separate posts rather than go on and on. Well, I may still go on and on, but in digestible bits. I read about a Barnard freshman named Sarah Dooley reputed to be the next big talent, and it looks like she lives up to the hype. Funny YouTube mockumentary series (locations include a Reid bathroom): http://www.youtube.com/andsarah Original songs: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu |
| Thursday, May 1st, 2008 | ||
|
opadit |
7:15p | Presidential debates of the 1800s according to Fox "News" Guess who's coming to the debate with Lincoln? Go on, look at the graphic that Fox "News" broadcast. I have nothing to add, except for a thanks to supergee for the link. |
|
opadit |
9:04a | de-cluttering update: found an old campaign button Quick update while I get some exam prep done. Over the weekend, I emptied a "bag of doom" [1] from my last move. I forget what I was looking for. Mostly the bag was irritating me because it was sitting in the way of something else in my bedroom clothes closet. (The bag itself is a travel bag that must have been a promo give-away from some baseball game in the late '70s or early '80s. It's the size and shape of the older carry-on flight bags that you see hipsters carrying, it's red, and it says "Phillies" in that 1975-1990 style, the way they had it back when they last won the World Series.) It's a fun bag, though the zipper is a little wonky, and I'm happy to get use of it again now that it's emptied. It's a good size for carrying sunblock, a wallet, a hat, and a light jacket in the summer. But my point, now that I'm getting to it, is that in the bag was a CARTER-MONDALE campaign button that glaucon gave me several years ago. It's green and white, and a quick google search indicates that it's from the 1976 election. I've put it on the denim jacket that I wear almost every day, and it's made some people smile. So that's good.[1] Bags and boxes of disorganized last-minute stuff, from junk drawers and countertops, that doesn't feel right to put in a landfill but doesn't really have a good place to go. |
|
opadit |
8:55a | [sk00l] busy busy busy I'm having a "holy crap, I'm in law school" week. Go about your business. |
| Wednesday, April 30th, 2008 | ||
|
toonhead_npl |
3:46p | cartoons and comics See this picture of Homer Simpson? Notice anything strange if you try to open the image in another window or copy it to you hard drive? It's not an image file: it was drawn completely with CSS. Impressive! ------ And in comic book news, the NY Daily News spoiled the big shocker of Countdown #0. Nice going, dumbasses. I tried to avoid reading what happened, but it was too late. (I'm not going to link to it.) It's something I never imagined DC would do, but I'm surprisingly okay with it. |
