Glorious Day!

This post comes to you from KRCL, where I have returned to with a stack of blank CD-Rs because of all of the new music, most of which isn't even available in stores yet, that has made its way to the station.

I am now the proud owner of the following new records:

Josh Rouse, Nashville - not available for three more weeks
Clem Snide, End of love - released Tuesday
Brazilian Girls, s/t - available next Tuesday
Bright Eyes, I'm wide awake, it's morning - released Tuesday
Bright Eyes, Digital ash in a digital urn -released Tuesday

And the inversion is mostly gone!

Fridays equal ...

... two to four cups of coffee, one nap (preferably) and often one energy drink.

Taurine, great for the heart!

ARRRRRR

Today, while working from the coffee shop, I saw a man, reasonably well-dressed, wearing an eyepatch like the best of the seafarers. As if that wasn't cool enough, he was also wearing reading glasses, which of course brings up the question: Does he receive a discount at Lens Crafters?

In other exciting news, Sherb went ahead and created the newest fashion: Words, inc gear. Don't buy anything until I get him to agree to give me all the money, then, buy lots.

**UPDATE** An agreement has been made. Buy away! Enjoy the Words, inc gear! Flex that credit card.

Step 1: admit you have a problem

I didn't use to be like this, I swear.
Sometime in the last year, I developed an affinity for all things digital/wireless/technical (read: all things geek) and hence, it continues.

The iPod was one thing... It was my first truly material purchase in a long, long time (note: ski gear does not count as material), but this? Come on now.

To further explain "this," I'll need to hit you with some back story. My New Year's resolution -- if you can count it as one -- was to make myself a bit happier by seeking out some new writing/editorial projects and working for myself a bit more via Words, inc. "I'll need to get better organized," I say to myself and decide to investigate the world of PDAs. A crucial point to understanding this story is that I am both frugal and poor.

That said, I spent $50 on an organizer (not a PDA) and thought that it would be sufficient in getting my life in order. The device itself may have been, but the included synchronization software was so poorly designed that it assumed things like the fact that I would be using a computer that doesn’t have an anti-virus or anti-spyware program loaded on it. Right.

Discouraged both as a consumer and a human being, I contacted a few of my more tech-savvy friends who proceeded to tell me that my organizer was actually made by Fischer Price. Arguably the biggest nerd of the bunch, Ozzy, really enjoyed commenting on my foolishness and offered to sell me one of the four or five handheld units that he was no longer using (seriously).

I wanted to get something new, but allowed Ozzy to be my private consultant, if you will. For such a little man located a couple of thousand miles away, Ozzy had a big impact and was very demanding about what I needed in a device; I soon found myself thinking things like:
-"Yeah, I do need wireless internet/email connectivity."
-"Sure, I need to be able to create and edit MS Word documents."
-"I definitely need a handheld device that is arguably more powerful than my ACTUAL computer."

I even called my father thinking that he would know a fair amount about the devices and also talk me out of my perceived need for a Pocket PC. Instead, after hearing my reasoning behind the want, he agreed that it was a good idea (Shoot!) and added that they had come down quite a bit in price. I do have to make mention though that some of Dad's credibility on the issue was lost when after talking about the wifi cards included and the benefits of carrying a "pocket version" of MS Word, he became excited that all of the devices on the market offered a color screen.

So, in the end, I have joined the geeked-out world of Pocket PC owners. In fact, I write to you now on this crazy little device. It's only been two days since joining the ranks, but D-A-M-N! I already understand its worth. The only problem, of course, is that Oz, who was so adamant about my purchasing this thing, is not the one paying for it.

Happy shiny people

Sometimes happy people make me angry.

Returning home from the library, I stopped at my neighborhood chain convenience store, a common occurrence for me, to pick up a couple of sundries. A giant sign in the front window congratulated the new owner. Okay, fine, new owner, congrats.

Stepping inside though, I was swimming in a sea of colorful balloons and couldn't help but laugh at the cake sitting near the entrance, conveniently sliced into equally tiny pieces for me, the customer. Each employee was smiley and well-dressed and I didn't recognize one of them. Odd.

Where is my moody, dark-haired lady clerk? Where is the big-manager-dude with the hideous ties? I fear that they may be gone.

Instead, someone who I am fairly certain to be a former member of 98 Degrees "helped" me. His obscenely insincere smile stretched wide from pierced lobe-to-pierced lobe and his frosted hair sparkled in the fluorescence as he handed me my receipt and offered me cake.

WTF? Just let me pay for my tp and drink and continue on with my gray afternoon, okay?

Fear of commitment

Faced with the simple task of making a list of my ten (or so) favorite records from the last year for my best of '04 Friday Breakfast Jam last week, I decided that making a list of the records I liked from '04 would be a much better idea. Three to four hours later...

Here is the link. Beware, it's messy as hell.

Back in black

Well, actually, I'm wearing navy blue.

So I suppose it’s about time to update ye ole blog. I am back safe and sound in the City of Salt Lake after a very busy, very fun visit to the Northeast. To steal a holiday angle from the story of a girl, how about a list to recap?

9+ hours: approximate time spent on a Delta aeroplane, between SLC and Boston

8.5+ hours: approximate time spent on a Greyhound bus, between NYC and Boston

5: minimum number of family Christmas parties/gatherings I attended while home

2: trips to Dunkin Donuts, a surprisingly low number thanks to two (2) bad cups of coffee

1: number of hot water heaters at my parents' house that not only broke, but caught on fire, forcing the pressure valve to give and allowing it to put itself out (luckily, this happened while I was visiting friends)

4: estimated number of photos I took with my new digital camera (courtesy of my dad and step-mom); I am just not used to taking photos

0: exact number of photos taken in New York, despite having brought said camera

1.1 hours: exact amount of time worked while away (was planning on working about 8)

2: number of handmade gifts I received; an intricately-made scarf from my moms and a cool felt snowman napkin holder from the little bro

2 out of 2: number of days in New York that I made it to a bar by 4pm

3: number of times that my soon-to-be eight-year-old brother beat me in NFL Street for PlayStation II (I should note that he consistently ran the same play on offense)

0: number of times I beat him

1: number of times my sister’s ball joint and axle rod snapped, forcing her wheel to come off while driving

6: number of times I have listened to the Josh Rouse Rarities CD (part of The Smooth Sounds of Josh Rouse DVD package) since receiving it from my Uncle Joe

1: number of diamond engagement rings shown to me by Andrew a few days before he proposed to his girlfriend

4+: approximate number of phone calls it took Shawn, Andrew and I to make sure that our friend who was visiting Sri Lanka is okay (she is, but we still don’t have the exact story)