The Wall on blacktable.com

During the morning commute I heard about this website on the radio (possibly DVE, but my morning station flipping disease prevents me from verifying this information). Holy Funny (and sometimes just wrong)! Here's a brief snippet from the site (regarding the 25th Anniversary of Pink Floyd's The Wall):

Today marks the 25th anniversary of the release of Pink Floyd's The Wall, which is not only responsible for elevating the "concept album" recording to higher, mind-altering cinematic levels, but also for saddling LSD and mescaline users with an irrational fear of gigantic flying pigs. So, in recognition of Pink Floyd's achievement, play a cruel joke on that aging burn-out in your office by sneaking up behind them and yelling " If you don't eat your meat, you can't have any pudding!" and watch them shit their pants and hide under a desk. Good times.

Pickles

Everytime I eat a Brueggars pickle, I imagine what it takes to get all those pickle quarters wrapped. It has to happen daily, otherwise the paper would get way too soggy and gross. It's probaby a newbie job. I can almost see them sitting in front of a pickle tub wrapping pickle after pickle after pickle...until they start sweating pickle juice. It's funny how sometimes the Brueggars people ask if you want a pickle, and sometimes they act as if you don't deserve a pickle. I wonder what determines the pickle worthiness. I tried the "garden party" sandwich today. A newbie made it for me...this of course means it didn't have enough cream cheese and was missing the actual cheese layer altogether. I would have had swiss by the way. Two thumbs up on the cucumber dill cream cheese, but i still like my old standby (green peppers and veggie cream cheese on a plain or asiago bagel) the best. Those pre-decided sandwiches just aren't my thing I suppose. While waiting for the Newbie to put together my garden party, a mid-thirties autistic man walked up to the counter and began talking about his protestant reformation thesis paper. He got a 76, but the professor should have given him an A according to his assessment. The professor doesn't believe in God. The autistic man is Jewish. Interesting things can happen while you wait for cream cheese to be slapped on a bagel. The Brueggars people weren't very receptive to the man and his protestant reformation. They weren't mean, just painfully indifferent...along the lines of "uh huh" "yup" and "oh". I should have jumped in, as it was clear the man was simply looking for a bit of conversation. Harmless conversation. But he went back to his table, so i let it go. hrm. I hope they atleast always give him pickles, if not polite conversation.

Back to work i go ...

So the inevitable return to work is here. Can't say I mind, as 4 days of rest seems long enough. Plus, I have a mini-holiday this weekend...a trip to San Diego (a place I've never been). This may even be the first time I've flown west for the winter. Maybe it'll actually be snowing when i get back. Imagine that. From biking on the ocean in San Diego, to riding down the mountain at Seven Springs. I can dig it.

So I bid on a snowboard last night on ebay, but lost. I'm still on a quest to get my own snowboard before it snows (preferably one that won't cost me an arm, leg, and my first born). Last nights pursuit was centered on a Burton Indie 146. A perfect size for me. Alas, the hunt continues...the board went for $270, and i maintained some self-control and kept my budget below $250. ho hum.
I'll find one though...so it's okay. I best suck down my lackluster Folgers now, before it gets cold. I need to bring a bag of green mountain into work for the holidays - good motivation. Folgers is just an ulcer waiting to happen (well, indigestion waiting to happen at the very least).

Post- Turkey Mind Giblets

So Holiday #1 is over. The past few days have been filled with entirely too much food, and an ongoing flow of people through the house. That about covers it, so I'll not elaborate.

Things on Shannan's Mind Post-Thanksgiving ( in no particular order, thus reflecting my tendancy to think stream of consciously)

1. I must shop, I must shop, I must shop (AND, i must avoid malls at all costs)
2. I think I've eaten a whole person (I should probably work that person off, before I eat another one on Christmas)
3. How much pie is really too much? I think this is an infinite number on Thanksgiving.
4. I like to show much thankfulness on Thanksgiving (especially where pie is concerned)
5. Where's the snow?
6. Can we import some? (snow of course)
7. A snow maker in my backyard would rock! (so would a mountain)

um, that's it for now.

Invisi-biking

So during the football game on Sunday we saw this hilarious commercial that showed some guys "riding" bikes monty Python style (in The Quest for the Holy Grail there is some very convincing pretend horse riding complete with hoove clip-clopping sounds provided by banging coconuts together...). Anyway, by sheer coincidence I happen to find these hilarious air biking photos at http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=60948 . awesome. I did some myself too...man they're funny. I'm still playing around with them...I wonder what other amusing photoshop tricks I might be able to apply. Maybe i'll change the bike to a monkey.

More Air Biking

Air Biking

Rain in Oakland...

feet methodically glide across aqueous cement fields.
a mimicry of each pair before it,
incessant. hurried.
bi-pedal routine captured within drops of rain.


( a short collection of words placed on a page to depict todays weather and the overall persona of Oakland in the rain. Why? Because i feel like being quasi-poetic today. Even if i'm really not a poet)

Gurgle and Gobble

I think I may have eaten some bad chinese last night. My stomach is in one hell of a state of unrest...it's making gurgling noises. Plus, I'm also in a state of caffeine deprivation. Self- induced caffeine deprivation. I feel my stomach would not take kindly to the intrusion on it's gurgling by a river of caffeination. Just a shot in the dark. So the Holidays seem to be arriving. My mom is trying to coerce me into eating Turkey for Thanksgiving. I've been doing well with my vegetarian crusade (well, crusade seems a bit dramatic...). I ate some meatloaf about 2 weeks back - but that's the only meat in about 2 months. So I won't call myself a real vegetarian...kinda more of a hybrid herbivore-carnivore (a harnivore or cerbivore maybe). Anyway, regardless of whether I eat some of the big fat bird on Thanksgiving we're having an organic grain-fed turkey this year. I'm feeling pretty darn accomplished in that I've managed to get my family to eat preservative free and non-abused meat for a holiday. Every little bit helps. And once the turkey eating is through, a-shopping I will go.

Land of Venetian Caffeination

And...it's a Venetian Blend day in the land of the habitulas caffeinatus. Good coffee is nice, but especially on a friday...and on a rainy friday even moreso. It's strange to have my window open on November 19th. I reiterate my plea for snow. Snow, where are you?? I'm sure the salvation army people outside with their red buckets and clanging bells are pleased to not have to stand in a pile of slush and shiver uncontrollably. Perhaps I could offer them an extra scarf in exchange for helping ask the weather for some snow?

This rain stuff is no good, atleast there's the Daily Show

So last night on the Daily Show they did a piece on the University of Pittsburgh. It was on the pre-election conspiracy involving students posing as pro-pot petitioners. They were actually changing party affiliations to Republican when unsuspecting weed lovers signed the petition. "Highly" amusing. One of the ever so eloquent students mentioned how she still voted for Kerry, even tough he's a douche bag. Go Pitt!

And i'm a wee bit irritated that the wrong precipitation is falling from the sky. Note to clouds and all other weather inducing substance: It's November! Time for snow! Get on it.

The Gimp

I forgot to install Photoshop Elements on my work computer, so I perused the internet for some form of free editing gadget. Sometimes, I just love the internet...when it's not sucking my time away in a most annoying fashion. Anyways...I found this program called "The GIMP" . It's referred to as the "free photoshop", and it's pretty darn cool. I'm having issues with the pseudo lasso tool though. All I want is to trace the cortex of the brain, so it's clean (remove what looks like a glowing halo surrounding it)...but everytime I try to cut out the right part, it deletes the inside and not the outside. hrm. I'll have to mess with this tonight. I like messing with computer type stuff, even though I'm not really a techno geek. I work with UNIX a bit, but not to the point that I could be a programming genius (that would be cool though, as a hobby or something. Speaking of hobbies, I'd really like to take another pottery class...)

In other random non-related thoughts...I was thinking about some of the crazy movies out lately. Nothing out of sync from the usual offering of insanity....but SAW and The grudge? eek. Oftentimes I think about what exactly it takes to concoct these stories (like many others do I'm sure). The gory ones are frightening to me. I always imagine someone like Stephen King locked away in his Bangor dungeon concocting tales of evil. Cackling merrily all the while.
But then, as a nice yin to the blood and guts yang, there are those epic films radiating with pure imagination and creativity. Ideas in general are mind-boggling...and it struck me that there are times when I wake up and it seems an entire movie has played through my head in it's entirety. Scripted and acted out in a matter of hours by the subconscious, complete with special effects, plot twists, and amazing clarity. If I could capture my dreams and lock them inside something, it's quite possible I'd have a blockbuster on my hands. Or not. Perhaps I'm trivializing a more complex art.

some thoughts n'stuff

I'm drinking the good 'ol mint chocolate from kiva han...i may yet have a seasonal beverage today though. I'm thinking a pit stop at whole foods to get some apple cider would be the ticket. mmmm, cider. It seems in the winter, my coffee habit morphs into a multi-beverage habit. Cider, Cocoa, seasonal beer, and lattes with added holiday spice. For about 2 months, I crave all these things just as i crave coffee.

So, this morning has consisted of a meeting and a coffee (and this set of minutes right here). The meeting was very productive, as i now have a healthy supply of stress-inducing workload to tackle. I love leaving a meeting feeling like my brain just had a work out...you can feel thoughts just kind of sinking in and leaving impressions. Brain exercise. The efficacy of brain work-outs isn't so good if i haven't had my morning coffee.

so it goes (kurt vonnegut directs my brain exercise sometimes).

Gingerbread

I had my first gingerbread latte today. I've had a seasonal-type beverage almost every day this week. Fall and Winter are such olfactory holidays. I think if i wore a nose plug a week straight before Christmas, i'd be so overcome with the mere smell of the holiday on Christmas morning that tears of joy, giggles of laughter, and dancing of a swirling in circles nature would insue (well, sometimes, I do this anyway :o) Speaking of dancing and twirling...a Meteor shower will be dancing across the sky in the next several days. Visibility is predicted over Eastern North America tonight (4am, so really tomorrow), and on the 19th. If I could manage to hold my eyes open long enough, I'd wait up to seee something. But someone will see The Leonid Meteor Shower , so i hope it's spectacular!

Winter Fires and good beer

I've built a fire every day since the wood was delivered on saturday. I love that it's not frostily cold out (well, we've had a few frost worthy days)...but cold enough that standing in front of a warm and toasty fire is amazingly gratifying. I savor the actual act of building a fire...placing each respective log in just such a way that adequate air flow occurs resulting in a blazing inferno that would make a pyromaniac giddy (disclaimer: pyromania is bad...contained fire for the purpose of comfort and entertainment is good...and it's even practical in this state of ever escalating gas prices!)

In the realm of winter beers, I sampled the Anderson Valley Winter Solstice at FatHeads Friday night. It was quite a treat - so much so that most who tried it had to get one of their own (though some thought it a bit too fruity sweet to drink 12oz of it) It's the perfect beer for a stop in and just have one kind of night. A savory beer. On the Anderson Valley site, they say this about it: "Luscious, creamy, smooth and warming, this medium bodied ale is brewed with caramel and crystal malts to give it just a hint of sweetness, then paired with a private blend of holiday spice"

mmm, beer (a nod to Homer Simpson)

Victory is sweet

The Steelers just beat the Browns, and I just switched from beer to a nice tasty cup of Green Mountain mocha java, mmm...a good Sunday afternoon beverage. I made a 2 hour cameo appearance at work today...just to get a jump start on Monday morning. I like to do this periodically as it makes Monday morning a bit more smooth and makes me less irritated to have people yappin in my ear for extended periods of time when i get to work. This should be an interesting week, as it seems our database manager is being a tad grumpy and difficult and it's carrying over into almost indecipherable e-mails. Back to my coffee.

a useful diversion

I'm not a big vodka drinker, but filtering cheap vodka to make it taste good...i'm sorry I didn't think of it!! Here's a little taste of what a few clever individuals did to improve the rank taste of dirt cheap vodka:

Our theory is that a simple brita water filter can be used to make bad vodka, into good. In our case this meant turning a Vladimir™, into a Ketel One™. At $11.09 for 1.75 liter (Ketel is 11.99 for the 350 ml), Vladimir is a steal. It is, however, painful to drink, has a repugnant aftertaste, posesses a bouquet reminiscent of rubbing alcohol. Our working theory was that these terrible qualities were caused by a lack of proper filtration, and that running our Vlad through a charcoal filter would remove some of the impurities causing these odors and flavors.

I found this on Inner Bitch - another blog I peruse from time to time.

Subconscious mind spatter

I'm not really sure if it was a dream, or a thought i had just prior to drifting off to sleep. It seemed like one of those things lingering just on the edge of my subconscious. It was very simplistic really. I was living in a city with fantastically large skyscrapers. The thing was that the buildings had enormous height and were built with such heavy material that the foundation would sink a quarter of an inch or so every year. Something on a small enough scale that no one really became overly concerned about. The mentality all around the city was "if it gets worse, we'll deal with it". And so it went that every year another quarter inch was lost until an entire level of every building in the city was under ground. Instead of fixing this, entrances were built into the second floor. "Oh, these buildings are 50 stories high and sturdy, they'll be fine, if it gets any worse we'll do something more". And so it continued that the buildings sunk further and further underground, and it seemed to the city folk that it still wasn't worth fussing over. So it went on and on until one day when trying to enter a building I realized it had been completely submerged. Everyone just stood around shocked. We tried to dig at it with our bare hands and finally realized that the city had been lost and the conclusion was to just rebuild a new one on top. And that's it. It was wierd, a procrastination and apathy dream. If the sinking had been dealt with at the onset, the city could have been saved...but instead it sunk deeper and deeper without a care given to the consequences. And when the consequences manifested, the natural progression was to build on top...and forget the folly that created the precarious state to start. The buildings were even rebuilt with the same dimensions...foreshadowing the same outcome for future generations. It was very disturbing. I will try hard to avoid procrastination and apathy and help others avoid it too. the end.

the road too often traveled

I'm so tired i think my brain is stuttering. There's something about the combination of night coming so early and my head having such sinus-induced congestion that I'm in a state of incoherency. I hope it goes away tomorrow, or i may end up being a bigger sloth at work than I was today. I can't work when i feel like my brain has shifted to automatic pilot - it's the same floaty feeling that happens when you end up home and don't remember how you got there...you've just taken the road so many times that the electrical impulses in your brain click in a certain way and all of a sudden you're thinking...how'd that happen, how'd i get home? Maybe i should study that phenomenon. Though it being so unpredictable, I suppose it would be a wee bit impractical. In theory, and interesting idea though. Anyway, i think i need some serious relaxation and meditation tonight...R&R for the brain.

Hrm

In the spirit of optimism, I also have to express a gi-normous amount of joy that the Steelers are rockin the world of Football. Big Ben and the gang are a mountain of good karma...making Steel Town a hub of enthusiasm and excitement. It's funny how city spirit can add a whole different hue to the personality of a town. It's a bit disheartening that some people can't seem to find other things to pump themselves up besides football....then again, I'd rather not over-analyze the phenomenon and just bask in the glow of good old fashion stupidly happy Steelers fans.

In addition, my inexplicable 2 day long blog absence was due to a whirlwind 24 trip to New Haven. Why? You ask. Because i needed to see the place I might end up. Yup, Yale. New Haven may gain a happy-g0-lucky Pittsburgh Brain Imaging Researcher for a year. Nothing like a change of scenery, though Pittsburgh is forever and always my "home". I'm hungry. Time to go home and put together a concoction befitting a dinner type meal (i.e. some form of main course accompanied by some sort of side dish involving a vegetable or starch).

Some more positive post election assessments. Makes me glad to be a liberal...

I especially like the following two exerpts:

The other side may be euphoric, but the intensity of their happiness can't match the intensity of our despair. Honest conservatives, even those who admire President Bush, know he didn't earn a second term. They know he staked his presidency on a catastrophe, and that, by all rights, Iraq should be his political epitaph. Their victory, while sweet, can't be fully enjoyed because it isn't fully deserved.

The Democratic Party has been in the wilderness before. And it has returned to transform the country. Today's despair is so great it sometimes clouds out intelligent thought. And the fear of political oblivion can produce moral lapses. The challenge is to move from despair to strategy. And win the country back.

optimism is good

It seems to be time for optimism in the face of adversity. Excellent blog Nancy - I'm on it. I did enjoy this too though. It still boggles the mind that Dubya is so enthusiastic about his so-called "mandate" to now run the country into the ground. It makes my stomach churn in a most uncomfortable way. In addition, I've been hearing story after story about physicians unwilling to prescribe birth control on the basis of their beliefs (i.e, no birth control if you're not married). I'm amazed. What about women that need birth control for reasons other than contraception? What about the choice to be responsible with your body? There is such a flow of odd energy emanating from many places in this country. Time to work on turning that around. Pig-headed people beware - we WILL educate you!!!

Bush is an Asshole

Check this out and send it to everyone you know:

http://www.filmstripinternational.com

hrrrrrumph!

I tried to remain calm about the Nov. 2 outcome, and to continue my daily optimism. I tried so hard I think I spent two full days in denial...and now I'm drowning in a pool of irritation and befuddlement about the state of America. I appreciate the ranting at Fanatical Apathy, as it prevents me from ranting too emphatically. This country is beginning to scare me.

Excert from the "concession speech" of Fanatical Apathy:

There are some who would say that I sound bitter, that now is the time for healing, to bring the nation together. Let me tell you a little story. Last night, I watched the returns come in with some friends here in Los Angeles. As the night progressed, people began to talk half-seriously about secession, a red state / blue state split. The reasoning was this: We in blue states produce the vast majority of the wealth in this country and pay the most taxes, and you in the red states receive the majority of the money from those taxes while complaining about 'em. We in the blue states are the only ones who've been attacked by foreign terrorists, yet you in the red states are gung ho to fight a war in our name. We in the blue states produce the entertainment that you consume so greedily each day, while you in the red states show open disdain for us and our values. Blue state civilians are the actual victims and targets of the war on terror, while red state civilians are the ones standing behind us and yelling "Oh, yeah!? Bring it on!"

Organic is Good

So I still buy some non-organic produce...mainly becuase making it to whole foods or the co-op everytime I have the hankering for a red pepper just isn't possible. But seeing my precious bell peppers on this list definately has me thinking twice about that. "Whole Paycheck", here i come. (it so depresses me that we have to pay more for healthier food stuff....gotta take it in the, you-know-where, just for wanting to take care of your body).

High-Pesticide Food: Strawberries I Main Nutrient: Vitamin C Healthy Alternatives: Blueberries, raspberries, oranges, grapefruit, kiwifruit, watermelon

High-Pesticide Food: Bell peppers
Main Nutrient: Vitamin C
Healthy Alternatives: Green peas, broccoli, romaine, lettuce

High-Pesticide Food: Spinach
Main Nutrient: Vitamins A and C
Healthy Alternatives: Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus

High-Pesticide Food: Cherries
Main Nutrient: Vitamin C
Healthy Alternatives: Oranges, blueberries, raspberries, kiwifruit, blackberries, grapefruit

High-Pesticide Food: Peaches
Main Nutrient: Vitamins A and C
Healthy Alternatives: Nectarines, watermelon, tangerines, oranges, grapefruit

High-Pesticide Food: Mexican cantaloupe
Main Nutrient: Vitamins A and C and potassium Healthy Alternatives: U.S. cantaloupe grown from May to December, watermelon

High-Pesticide Food: Celery
Main Nutrient: Carotenoids
Healthy Alternatives: Carrots, broccoli, radishes, romaine lettuce

High-Pesticide Food: Apples
Main Nutrient: Vitamin C
Healthy Alternatives: Watermelon, nectarines, bananas, tangerines <>

High-Pesticide Food: Apricots
Main Nutrient: Vitamins A an C and potassium
Healthy Alternatives: Nectarines, watermelon, oranges, tangerines

Oh Canada!

Nice country, that Canada. I wonder how much room they might have for disgruntled Americans?

This is Great

I just saw a guy walking down Forbes Ave. dressed up as George Dubya - and holding a Kerry/Edwards sign.

You know what day it is...

Welp, I got my butt outta bed early and already voted. Chalk up 1 more for Kerry/Edwards.
I best drink a whole lot of coffee today, it's gonna be a long night of excessive news television watching (well, primarily Daily Show Indecision 2004 watching). It strikes such a chord with me that so many people are not just fighting for John Kerry and the Democratic Party, but for the success of democracy. We want a fair election, and a fair and conscious leader. It felt good to be at the polls this morning. I was happy to see that my voting process along with all those in line with me went off without a hitch. Though we know this won't happen everywhere, especially in places such as Florida and Ohio. So I was pleased to see this in Michael Moore's blog this morning:

For my part, I have organized an army of 1,200 professional and amateur filmmakers who will be armed with video cameras throughout the states of Florida and Ohio. At the first sign of criminality, we will dispatch a camera crew to where the vote fraud is taking place and record what is going on. We will put a big public spotlight on any wrongdoing by Republican officials in those two states. They will not get away with this as they did in 2000.
In Ohio, the Republicans are sending almost 2,000 paid “poll challengers” into the black precincts of Cleveland in an attempt to stop African Americans from voting. This action is beyond despicable. Do not let this stop you from voting. I, and thousand of others, will be there to fight for you and protect you.


Thank goodness for the kind-hearted people of America. Today we get to hit G.W. where it really hurts...so go vote!!!!!

cough, hack

I just choked on a lima bean. it sucked. just thought i'd share...i'm in that kinda mood. Happy pre-election day. Let's hope what Bill Clinton said in Philadelphia about a week ago holds true. When asked what he has in common with George Dubya he responded....on November 2nd, they'll both be former Presidents.

Nothin like a good 'ol spankin' ...

...Steelers style. To my delight, we scored some late and free Steelers tickets yesterday afternoon. Late as in...2pm when there was a 4pm start. We got back from Seven Springs just in time to get the call and pick up the tickets. What a game to attend...a record crowd of 64,737 people...and boy did we see a game. I'd rehash the game, but i've already overloaded myself with countless post-game broadcasts and morning papers...so if you're excited to know, check out nfl.com, I'm sure they've got the goods. Steelers fans are definately belligerent...I pity those that took it upon themselves to enter Heinz Field and support the Patriots yesterday. A little good-natured heckling is acceptable, but i definately saw a beer can hurtling through the air aimed at someone wearing a patriots jersey. Not necessary kids. But anyways...
Pre-Steelers game I was up at Seven Springs (and oh what a beautiful day to be there)...watching Jake race, and catching some of the College downhill championships. Those guys did some sick jumps...though if I suited up in armor like pads, I may well go flying off large boulders as well :o) Some of them weren't even that large, thought i know things looks a bit more daunting from a bike's eye view. Friday night we found ourselves at "The World" (formerly "the Rosebud) to see the Poogie Bell Band and the Boogie Hustlers. It was a jazz/jam/funk filled evening. The Boogie Hustlers really blew me away. To see a mid-twenties, corn-row sportin, red suit wearin singer wail this brand of funk transported directly from the 70's was electrifying. It was just the kind of get down, get happy, and damnit, get funky kind of music you should have on a friday night in the strip. And Poogie Bell, well, those guys are phenomenal. I didn't do anything too Halloweenie this year. We went to a Halloween Party at the bar on Saturday night, but didn't dress up. I wasnt' in a super Halloweenie mood. Amusingly though, a fella approached Jake and I and asked what we were trying to portray. For a second I was kinda like "huh?"....then the whole Halloween thing hit me and I assumed he wanted to know what we were dressed as...which was nothing. I told him, "Uh, we're just ourselves"....to which he replied, "Really? Very cool" Perhaps it was the bright orange sweater and blue vans that seemed to indicate I was dressed as something or other...and Jake had a run-of-the-mill tye-dyed shirt on. So together, we were quite colorful. I thought it was funny that we somehow astounded this man in our "ourselves-ness".