burning like matchsticks in the face of the darkness

I don't know if there's a specific charity for "Donations in Pat Robertson's name to gay atheist Haitians currently getting abortions" but if there is, I'm sure there's a way to arrange an auction for it. -TBQ

( gym )

VH1 actually plays music videos.  This morning I saw J.Lo's "Do It Well" (YouTube).  I . . . don't even know.

I forget how it came up, but I told Greg and Katie about the modern day Trojan Horse experiment.

I go back and forth about how much I want to see Southland Tales (see May 29, 2005 entry and May 31, 2006 entry).  Today I saw this entry.  I was not taken with Donnie Darko, but I inexplicably wanna see Southland Tales.  [IMDb lists a limited US release date of Nov. 7, 2007.]

At lunch, Katie got brussel sprouts with her salad, and I said I thought I really didn't like them as a child, but I tried them once in college and thought, "Well, doesn't suck."  She cracked up.  I'm still not used to being considered funny -- and I'm a little concerned, because it feels like laughing *at,* but I know she means it well.  She said I remind her a lot of Daria.  Is that not one of the highest compliments?  (Why is that show not out on DVD, btw?  Okay, wikipedia provides me some answers.)

Over lunch, the Muppets came up somehow.  Eric said there was gonna be a "Who Wants to Be a Muppet?" but I think he is either lying or delusional.  (Yes, I Googled.)  MaryAlice talked about the Swedish Chef lobster sketch, which sounded hysterical, but I found it on YouTube and didn't think it was that funny.

One of Prof.B's former students e-mailed:

Hope you're doing well.  Not sure if you remember but I was in your Incentives class during the 2003/2004 school year.  I don't think I ever got to tell you, but I really enjoyed your class and it has been instrumental in my career over the years.  Not sure if you've seen this video but it could be a fun one to show your classes.

Attached was a .wmv of the bud.tv "swear jar" commercial.  (YouTube)  It is hysterical.

On my way out of work, I think I saw two guys kissing.

And I am up to an audience of 4 for my most recent sowrong fic pairing.  Guess I really do have to finish that fic I was working on *checks* 2 years ago [early August, 2005].

***

Game Night tonight at Trelawney and Eric's new place in Wakefield.

Her twin sister and family were there at the beginning, along with Michele from CWM.  I learned that Michele watches HIMYM -- and Heroes.  Nice.  She brought Scene It, but Mike and I weren't really excited about that, plus (more importantly) Mike's work acquaintance Tyler and Michele had both never played Apples to Apples before.  Michele had to leave not too long in, but we did play a few rounds, and she won one hand giving Eric "My Love Life" (the "my" on a card always refers to the Judge) for some positive adjective (Luxurious?).  Later we got the entertainment of Eric arguing that Trelawney's baked beans are Revolutionary.

I got Intelligent (for Men in Black?) and Stereotyped (for Sunday Drivers).  I gave Michelle Dangerous (for Snakes, beating out toys -- which could have won for the entertainment value, if people had argued it in a sexual fashion -- because she argued Snakes on a Plane) and Sue Mystical (for Swiss Chocolate).  Oh and I gave Friendly the win with "Canadians" -- which Michelle validated as beating out Carnival Workers (which I think was her card); I think the winner was Tyler's card.

Mike drove me to and from Game Night.  Tyler just moved to the area (from Ohio?) less than a month ago, and Mike was telling me about how he was asking Mike about places to meet people.  I said I wouldn't even know what to tell people, and said I was so grateful that I found communities of people (church and work) relatively quickly, but finding available people I'd be interested in and who like girls?  Yeah, hard.  And honestly, I'd rather spend what limited time I have cultivating the friendships I have, but I know sometime I will want that and I really don't have good ideas for how to go about it.

***

I watched the CSI premiere (see preceding entry) and found that CBS doesn't show streaming video of Without a Trace.  Not watching the show wouldn't be all that much of a sacrifice, but I am gonna have to get a new tv soonish so I can watch DVDs etc., so I'd like to be able to just jump back in.

A TV/DVD combo is like $200. Even just a tv is like $100.  A DVD/VCR player is like $100, and I think I'm gonna get that, so that if the TV craps out I can still play VHS as well as DVD.

I also need to solve my CD-burner problem.  (In case you missed my post/s, I can't find the USB cord.)

I know, I know, first world problems (as gloss put it recently).

Work was calmer.  Though I was potentially actually less productive because of it.  But I was forward-thinking and proactive at times.

Burritos are the new pasta (i.e., food I eat every day at Spangler).  Possibly I will go back to salad at some point.

Amy says I am "AWESOME."

Phone call = ♥

Nicki had lunch with us today and asked about our (Katie's and my) travels.  Ranjan came in partway through Katie's story-telling.  Filling him in, Nicki said: "We've heard about Ecuador... and cuy... which is guinea pig... on a stick."  Priceless!

Man, I love P!nk's "U + Ur Hand" so much.

I did the elliptical at the gym again.
1mi @ 11:05min
2mi @ 22:29min
2.63mi @ 30min

I left my house this morning and there was a definite coating of snow on the ground.  At first I thought the snow in the air was just loose snow blowing, but at least some of it was definitely falling fresh.  Had a beautiful six-pointed star on the lapel of my coat for a while.  ♥

One of the guys on our floor took an extra fifteen minutes walking to work this morning, stopping all the time to take pictures.  ♥

*

Alyssa and I have been proofing a book our profs are co-writing, and she was thrown by the use of the word "lest" (phrase: "lest you think").  I think it's common.  So,

[Poll #912845]

[Edit: I heart LJ. I post a poll at 9:50pm on a Tuesday night and in the first hour get 13 responses -- all of which agree with me even :) ]

*

links from today:

A Kitten's Guide to Nigerian Tuna Spam (v. v. funny)

cap of Keri Russell and Nathan Fillion in the film Waitress

today's Dinosaur comic: HAPPY "TELL YOUR BEST FRIEND WHAT TURNS YOU ON" DAY the holiday for people with Not Enough Problems (the syn feed allows you to share with the world if not your best friend)

*

I caught up on Heroes schtuff today.  (Eric was mysteriously absent, so I didn't get to chat with him about last night's episode.)

Thoughts on comic #12 "Super-heroics"?
"Wireless" is interesting, though that kind of story doesn't ping me.  Adds interesting info to the HRG story.  I disapprove of that silhouette in Part 3, though.  nbc.com's "Wireless" clip won't load on my computer, but athene proffered the YouTube link.  That was what really pulled me in.
#17 "How do you stop an exploding man?" also has some interesting stuff.

*

When I got on the train at Harvard to come home, there weren't any convenient open poles, so I actually took a seat (something I rarely do).  I'm reading Octavia Butler's Fledgling and apparently got more absorbed in it than I thought 'cause I got off the train and oops, I was at Alewife.  I've actually never been inside Alewife T Station, so that was kinda neat.  If I had a more solid idea as to how to walk home from there I would have just gone out and walked, but there are a bunch of highways around there and I don't really know which direction to go in, so I just got back on the train.

*

Um, just a little while ago I went to turn on the hot water and nothing came out.  Turn the cold water faucet and water comes out, but nothing when turning the hot water faucet.  Er, note to self: set alarm for early, so if this persists I can take a shower at the HBS gym. [Edit: I did indeed get a hot shower at home the next morning. Yay.]

"Whee! I'm sinking into the depths of sin. Whee!" -Skarda, on "slippery slope"

She asked if i'd heard from places yet and i said, "I've gotten rejected from everywhere except UPenn, which i haven't heard from yet. Way to go me." Cheery voice and everything. Her response was very matter-of-fact, take it in stride, which was so comforting, because my anxiety has totally been about having to disappoint people.

There are white and purple crocuses on the patch of grass by the JMG crossroads. First time i've seen flowers growing since i was in Virginia. (Though the museum keeps getting lovely floral displays.)

So many sirens today. "The pedestrians are getting frisky," said Megan (who really meant "uppity").

The Commencement schedule came out.

Oh, and the Buddhism thing turns out to be next weeekend rather than this weekend, and bell hooks is giving a lecture ("Buddhism Beyond Gender") in JMG at 8pm Friday April 8 [edited to correct the date]. Just in case anyone cares.

Instead of going to Finding Neverland (which Kate owns on DVD now), i went to the Spring Dance Concert, which was really very good. I think i need more dance in my life. Who wants to come to the Senior Dance Concert with me Thursday April 14?

doyle_sb4 polled her friends about which fandoms they're a part of. I basically consider myself part of a fandom if i know all the source text and care to engage in meta&fic re: said source text. My instinct is to just say Whedonverse when asked which fandoms i'm part of, so it was interesting to really think about what else i would consider myself part of fandom for (and some of it sounds so weird to call fandom).

This tells me i am 48% Femme and 52% Butch. Somehow we are not surprised.

Room Draw is over. The floor dynamics in my house next year are gonna be weird.

Yay for good discussion about politics, books, and (post-)college plans. Also: ♥ Cat.

P.S. 3 years ago today my LJ was born, thanks to athene. This will be entry #1932. Look at me go.

I really don't do the April Fool's thing. However, in honor of the recently deceased Mitch Hedberg, offbalance posted a list (from lizzola) of examples of his humor. I laughed out loud multiple times.

So, apparently the canonization of a squick/kink on a recent television show has lots of people in a tizzy. (Amusingly, what am i reading right now? Taboo or not Taboo: Sexuality and Family in the Hebrew Bible -- which is not very great so far, but i digress) In response, seanarenay (with prodding from sexonastick) has put out a Blacklist Challenge Redux: Incest (blood ties) only this time.

[Friday night, LiveJournal says: "Our data center (Internap, the same one we've been at for many years) lost all its power, including redundant backup power, for some unknown reason. (unknown to me, at least)"
I say: Incest broke the Internet! ;) ]

mt showed Gregory's Girl. I wasn't particularly looking forward to an 80s teen romance, but trust Michael to pick the ever so awkward (but not painfully so) one; and despite all expectations, i really really enjoyed the movie.
I adore Madeline. I also like the hot geek with the beret :)

Escher Sketch