That's Pretty Gay...

Thank God for Local News

You know, for all the crappy hairstyles, horrible banter, and awkward transitions ("......leaving sixteen dead in the fiery wreck. Speaking of heat, how's that forecast looking Bob?"), local news really does provide an important service. For instance, this clip from Grand Forks helps to educate the general public on the latest of all dangers to teens, emo culture.

Fargo Rock City

I'm about to finish Chuck Klosterman's Fargo Rock City, which is his
dissertation on why hair metal mattered both to the Big Picture and to
Klosterman as a teenager in a little farm community. It's a very scholarly
take on disposable culture, but very funny. Dave would love it, Joe would hate it.

Here's a taste, and it only tangentially relates to hair metal (so Joe can read this without being offended). Here, Klosterman sums up my feelings exactly about Courtney Love. Or at least my feelings, circa 2001. I don't think about her much now.

"[Courtney] Love's ability to fool intelligent people continues to baffle me. In 1991, she made Pretty On The Inside, and it was as remarkable as a bucket of vomit warming in the afternoon sun. By 1994, she had married Kurt Cobain and - surprise! - proceeded to "write" a record that's pretty amazing (and seemingly unconnected to her debut in almost every possible way.) Tragically, Kurt died the week before it was released. Courtney subsequently stopped making music ... until she renewed her friendship with Billy Corgan and - surprise! - released Celebrity Skin, another exceptional record with virtually no sonic relationship to Live Through This. Funny how this keeps happening. I hope Courtney starts sleeping with Trey Anastasio of Phish, because I'd love to see Hole become a jam band."

And that's just a footnote.

This Looks Good, Plus Insomnia Revisited

Dave, this is what I was originally looking for when I found the live action intro. All the best writers from past seasons are back.

Regarding the insomnia thang, the only other suggestion I can make is to work out, if you're not already. 30 minutes a day on an elliptical trainer or stationary bike three or four days a week can work wonders. I sleep noticeably better on nights when I've worked out.

I Am The Jackass! Goo Goo Ga Joob!

Found this photo while looking through some old slides. (Still digging the negative scanner!)

Yes, that's me in the famous Abbey Road crosswalk, circa 1997. The composition's not exactly right, but the woman and her kids were very friendly. Right before Susan took the picture, I was told by the mom that it didn't count if I wasn't barefooted.

Simpsons Live Action Opening Sequence

This is fickung brilliant. Leave it to the Brits ...

Download This Today While It's Free!

From Giveaway of the Day:

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YOU MUST DOWNLOAD AND INSTALL TODAY or the deal is no good. Hard Drive Inspector retails for $29.95.

Oops

Five little squirrels with acorns to store.
One went to sleep and then there were four!
Four little squirrels hunting acorns in a tree.
One fell down, and now there are three!
Three little squirrels wondering what to do.
One got lost, and now there are two!
Two little squirrels tossing acorns for fun.
One got tired, and now there is one!
One little squirrel playing in the sun.
He ran away, now there are none.

Original Author Unknown

What A Nervous Breakdown Looks Like

The Presidential Timeline of the Twentieth Century

Certainly not as interesting as my dissertation, but along those same lines, here is the Presidential Timeline I've been working on. The big deal of it is the interactive timeline, which is still in development, but is now online. The part I worked on was the 'Educators' section. I would love Dave to look at it and give some feedback. Jay, you can look at it, but I don't care what you think.

The timeline is here.

And a couple of news items about it here and here.

The Only Reason To Watch The 2007 Grammys

Don't know if y'all caught the Grammys, but the Police performed publicly for the first time in a long while. They sounded amazing, but Sting had to work in that annoying vocal tic of his that I assume is supposed to make him sound soulful:

"I won't share, I won't share, I won't share, I won't share, I won't share you with another boy ..."

I did hear a rumor that the background vocals were canned, so that sucks.

Bacchus, Thoth, Krewe d'Etat, I'm on my way!

So tomorrow marks our annual sojourn to New Orleans for Mardi Gras. Oh wait. I used to live there! Its only been a sojourn since last year! You know, it really sucks to go there as a tourist. You have to find places to crash (usually on a floor) and you're always at the mercy of someone else's party. Having said that, it is still much, much better than not going. We'll see friends, catch some parades, eat crawfish, and get really, really drunk. Did I mention the drinking? Seriously though, although it cost us a lot to get airfare, etc., I am not yet psychologically ready to miss Mardi Gras. It's like telling a kid that Christmas is cancelled. And although I will be back in my classroom on Fat Tuesday, at least I'll still have the smell of vomit on my shoes and beautiful memories in my brain.

Kirby

1992 - 2007

Mike Viola (Candy Butchers)

Here's my latest music obsession. Dave probably already knows this, but Mike Viola is the guy who wrote "That Thing You Do" for Tom Hanks's movie a few years back. I always meant to check out his other stuff, but I just recently found a used disc of his at Spin Street for $1.00.

Apparently, the one I picked up (Hang On Mike) is more confessional than his previous work, as it deals directly with his disillusionment with the Big Time ("Superkid," "Hunker Down"), the death of his first wife from cancer ("Painkillers"), and even the abuse that his mother suffered as a child in foster care ("Charlie"). He's got a way with words, as well as the perfect power pop voice: pure as crystal, but rough around the edges when it needs to be.

Anyway, I couldn't find any videos from Hang On Mike, so you get one from Play With Your Head.

Sleeping Beauty and Bad Prescription Drugs

So I've had insomnia for the last couple of months. What a living hell. I've had short bouts here and there in the past but nothing like this. Doesn't matter what time I go to bed, I wake up at 3:40 or 4:00 every single morning. Every. Single. Morning. I could go to bed at 2:00 and I'd still wake up at 4:00. Sometimes I can doze back off, most often not. No proplems getting to sleep, I just can't stay asleep.

So after bitching and moaning and walking around like a zombie and having no energy for the past two months I finally went to the doctor. I suspect I'm having some PTSS issues regarding Katrina, but I really just wanted a little help for the very short term. The doctor prescribed Ambien.

I followed all the directions and took one at bedtime on Satruday night. Woke up at 4:15 a.m. Great stuff. But wait, it gets better. Around 10:00 a.m. Sunday morning I developed extreme nausea, uncontrollable tics and some pretty severe mental disorientation and mild hallucinations. Not the fun kind either. It was like coming down off of some especially potent acid or something. I've got the nail furrows on the tops of my hands to prove it.

I felt better at about 4:00 or so and promptly flushed the rest of my $50 prescription down the toilet. I'm glad it works for some folks, but not for this one. I'd rather have insomnia then ever go through that again.

My school supplies free shrinks to teachers so I've decided to try the therapy route. According to the doc, there's no physical problems. I don't feel stressed (no money problems, things are great with Caroline, job is no more annoying than usual) but there's got to be something in there. Anyway, if you are amongst those who sleep with no problem, thank your lucky stars, cause this sucks.

Advice? Opinions? Cash money?

Are you paying attention, Britney Spears?

Sadly, I doubt Elton John will pen yet another version of 'Candle in the Wind' for this one. RIP.

Technology Integration as Practice: A Case Study Examining Communities of Practice in a Ubiquitous Computing Environment

"The purpose of this study is to examine a ubiquitous/pervasive computing initiative from a community of practice perspective. It seeks to understand how faculty fit technology use into the already paramount goals they have for their students learning, and how that technology’s role becomes (or fails to become) a part of that essential domain. Furthermore, it seeks to determine whether or not a community of practice has emerged around the use of technology as a central practice."

I have my dissertation proposal today and I AM FREAKING OUT!!!

Pray for me.

D - E - D

Number three, for those keeping score. God, I hate squirrels now.

What I'm Reading Lately

I highly, highly recommend this book to you guys.

On the surface, it's the story of a struggle to survive in post-apocalyptic America, and it's just as scary as you would imagine total chaos to be: ALL flora and fauna are dead, food and shelter are scarce, it's cold and rainy, mummified remains litter the landscape ...

But the book's not really science fiction. The relationship between a father and son is what drives this thing, and the hope for a better existence in the face of total desolation. Reading this, it sounds like a real downer, but The Road is actually very uplifting (although there is some pretty grim shit going down).

There are several powerful themes, but here's one that stuck with me: under these same circumstances, would you be capable of killing your child if your own death were imminent?

Learn more here, where I discovered it.

My New Heroes!

This is too funny.

Snow Day!

Ha Ha you sorry sons of bitches. While you're at work, I'm off at home! Snow Day! Snow Day! Snow Day!