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//oakland, calif. //age 33 //home //about //last.fm //message //permanent mp3s 
 
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:: 12.16.2000 :: On a day of errands and holiday shopping, I did very little of either. Drove around downtown in the city today, avoided running yuppies, fire trucks, and fur protesters all in an attempt to find my way onto Market street. It took forever, but I made it without flipping it out. It was actually quite nice for awhile watching all the shoppers while I was shielded in my car listening to OK Computer. I swear though, the yuppies in this city think that they're invincible, I almost clipped one with my car and she didn't seem to notice or care. After the downtown fiasco, headed up to the big record store and picked up a few items. Returned that boring Badly Drawn Boy album (which I minidisced in case I decide later that I like it) for credit. Not only did I find things I wanted, the guy at the checkout either a) forgot to ring up the most expensive CD in my stack or b) thought I was so cool that I deserved the new Idaho record for free. Needless to say, I walked out thinking things were a bit cheaper than they should have been. A quick check of the receipt confirmed my suspicions. Total score! I did my "I got a free CD dance" all the way to the car, in the car, and hours later while we were shopping at a suburban Thrift Town. In the tradition of me listing stuff, today I got: Kent: Kevlar Sol CD single (in Swedish!), Cracker: Kerosene Hat (don't laugh, it's great, mostly track #69), Idaho: Hearts of Palm, Low: Dinosaur Act EP, and an unnamed "block rocking beats" anthem CD. We're, uh-um, embarrased by it so we're not going to mention what it is, but it did cause mutual car dancing to occur. Went across the bay to a big 'ole mall to get some holiday gifts, waited in the longest line in Macy's along with people buying loads of Tommy Hilfiger and Nike gear, avoided Cinnabon, pondered getting jewelry engraved, and saw lots and lots of trashy people in tight clothes of just about every ethnic background. After about an hour, I got scared and had to exit the mall, and after a brief panic about not being able to find the "down" escalator, we escaped intact. Which just about leaves me here. We did stop at the above mentioned Thrift Town, and I got a glass that has a picture of a lion who appears to be gagging, along with the words Frasier: The sensuous lion. Who could resist? (6:12 PM) :: (link)
There are these nasty things in our snack machine at work called Globs or Crogs or something, that are slivered almonds roasted and blanched with green onion flavoring. Eww. I guess the brains over at Blue Diamond are always looking for new ways to sell almonds. The package has this little elf dancing around on the cover who bears a strange resemblance to the Keebler Elves. Maybe they'll make green onion flavored versions of E.L. Fudge next. If that's not scary enough, www.bluediamond.com has a section on their website for "industrials products." Machinery made from almonds? They also have an "Almond Research Center", or ARC for short. Sure guys, sure. Pretend all you want that almonds keep the earth rotating.
Finally saw all of Pulp Fiction last night. Good movie. I had seen up to the point where Uma Thurman overdoses from snorting the heroin. Actually, I had seen up until that point *twice* and hadn't finished the movie. So, now I've seen the first third or so three times, and the rest once.
There's this newish radio station around here playing "80's and more." At first, it was all 80s, and now theyr'e totally stretching things. Right now they've got EMF's "Unbelievable" on, and before that it was that horrible stinking piece of trash "More than Words" by Extreme. What a horrible, horrible song. Could you imagine that being a special song to you? Could you also imagine those two fools sitting down in front of thousands of people and playing that song, and trying to act as if they're really *feeling* it. Jeez, sometimes the 80's (and more, apparently) were so damned hokey. That, and "Unbelievable" came out during the 90s. I guess that's what they mean by the "more."
We got offered a room in the city last night. The prospect both excites and scares me. Is it a product of age that I become more and more afraid of change? I'm always looking for it, but when it happens I become afraid of the results. I don't know if the room will pan out, but just thinking about kept me quiet on the drive home.
My top-ten record list is finished, I'm excited to start posting it on the 21st. There actually were alot of good releases in the past year, I think my list hit about 15 or so, so I had to cut out 5. I'm excited to post it.
Off to see San Geronimo play tonight...need to get food first. All whirlwind, ya ya ya.
Up in Petaluma today I brought a delivery to the principal of the high school there. Nobody was in the entire office, so I put the box on her desk and couldn't help but notice a piece of paper with drawings of swastikas and the like on it. Can you imagine how many times you have to deal with that kind of stuff if you're the principal of a high school? It would be difficult I'm sure. It must also be difficult to realize that 90% of that stuff is just some perfectly good kid who wanted to do something "bad" and not really meaning to be racist and offensive at all. Ah, late already.
Never try and ride your bike down 4th street with a hot cup of coffee jammed in between your brake cables and the reflector on the front. I tried that today, and things were going rather smoothy until I hit the smallest bump. Coffee spurted out the hole in the top of my coffee cup and flew into the air, landing all over my yellow shirt and my arms. I (embarrased) had to pull over to the side of the road and try and ride the rest of the way back to work covered in hot, sticky coffee and holding the cup in my hand. Talk about karma.
I tried the link to the MP3 of a week at work today and it worked fine, and then I tried it later on a Mac and I got a 404 error. Try and use the "Save Link As" option, see if that works.
Starting on December 21, I'll start posting my Top Ten Records of 2000 here. Keep your eyes open for a link over there to the left for it. On the 21st I'll start with #10, and start counting down from there, one record a day until New Years eve. Each selection wil be accompanied by a MP3, a picture, and a short review of the record. I'm such a geek. I love it.
Raining, finally. Of course, it rains the same day I have to ride my bike (with teeny skinny tires) from work to the mechanic to get my car back. My legs were soaked and freezing by the time I got there, and I almost got hit by a bus at every single stoplight I came to. All went as planned, and $400.00 later I have my car back. We're making French Onion soup for dinner, and trying to stay warm as the rain falls and knocks the leaves off the trees around us.
Had to wake up at 6:45 this morning. That's the earliest I've gotten up in recent memory. My car has been running so well for so long that I'd forgotten how horrible it is to not have the reliable transportation I'm used to. Sitting around waiting to call the tow truck to take me to my mechanic.
Bought two more albums yesterday, I figured I'd give them a listen before I finish off my Top-Ten list for 2000. I can't figure out whether to have it out by Christmas or the New Year. I'll probably just wait and see.
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