Message To The World:

Please pull up your pants.

Thank you.

Holiday - Sans Billie

Oh, I've gotten myself into a pickle.

Why do I always wait to get tickets? I know that it's is virtually impossible to fly anywhere from where I live. All the computers just say 'You can't get there from here.'

poop poop poop.

So, I'm sure it would have been no problem if I have done this earlier, but I just had to look into taking the train, which I love even though for some reason, in the US, you're lucky if your train is only five hours late. So, I dithered and waffled and wiggled... err... Strike that. There was no wiggling.

Anyway, the end result is that my flight on the way back is at 6:30 on Sunday morning. Ye gods... I wonder who is going to get to drive me to the airport? Perhaps they'll drop me off Saturday night and just make me sleep there. I wouldn't blame them...

The plus side - I get to see not only my mom, sister and brother and brother-in-law, all of whom I love dearly - The big bonus is that I get to see the two smartest cutest bestest nieces on the face of the planet. They probably don't even remember who I am (bad bad absent uncle), but I remember them.

Yea!

Ja, Who? Music

I should say at the begining here that I really like the Yahoo Unlimited system. I get unlimited plays and very liberal downloading (anything I want on my Zen Micro for as long as I use the system). All this is for $5/month, although that was an introductory price. I'm not sure it's still that cheap. They've got few nice radio stations and one special one based on the music you rate, too.
There have always been a few troubles though. First off, the Music Engine (the software that plays the music) is butt-ugly. Purple nastiness and flat out poor design. Coming from iTunes, it's particularly noticable. The music selection is okay, but it's still new, so they are still adding a lot of music. There were also occasional crashes, but, hey, it's beta, I can cope with that.
Now, however, it's gone really wacky. It crashes in a fun and exciting way now. It'll not only shut down the music, it won't let me close the program. Even from the task manager, I can't do squat. On top of that, it starts chewing up my CPU. The Music Engine starts taking up 99% of the CPU, and, of course, you can't kill it. So, none of the other programs are able to run happily = reboot time. grrr...
The big problem is that it works well most of the time delivering more than what I want for a good price. That is, it doesn't fail catastrophically enough that I wont use it.

Ain't It Always the Way

I just got back from a big photo gig that I may never get a chance to shoot like I did again. It's a bit difficult to explain, but in the end, I was a bit sad. The funny thing is that I tried a different strategy for this game. Part of it worked well and part of it didn't. Now I wonder at the idea that I'll probably not get a chance to fine tune my new methods...

It's WHEN?!

I just got back from a photo-gig. Editing took waaay longer than it should. I think I am going to need to upgrade the computer.

The upshot is there's no quiz tonight (this morning?). It may take another hiatus for the weekend, as I've got a whole lot of doing to do. It's getting a little harder to get good tunes from the stations I listen to, perhaps I need to change stations :)

Anyway, goodnight internets

goodnight, Jim-bo

goodnight, moon.

The Quiz That Called Wolf

luckybuzz: mistress of the hard rock and the cheesy musicals? Most disturbing :)

Again, apologies for the lack of real blogging.

#1

Que sera Que Sera
Baby, whatever will be,
que sera que sera
Between you and me
Just how true are the rumors
I am hearing
About this crush you have on me

#2

Each night before you go to bed my baby
Whisper a little prayer for me my baby
And tell all the stars above

#3

I want you
I want to feel you by my side
I need you
Don't you know I need you baby

#4

When she woke up late in the morning
Light and the day had just begun
She opened up her eyes and thought
O’ what a morning

#5

I want to be where the sun warms the sky
When it’s time for siesta you can watch them go by
Beautiful faces, no cares in this world
Where a girl loves a boy, and a boy loves a girl

#6

Once I had a love and it was divine.
Soon found out I was losing my mind.
It seemed like the real thing but I was so blind.

#7

I’m young , I know, but even so
I know a thing or two, and I learned from you
I really learned a lot, really learned a lot

#8

Now tell me, how’s life in the big city
I hear the competition’s tough, baby that’s a pity
And every man’s an actor, every girl is pretty
I don’t like what’s getting back to me

#9

She had the sightless eyes
Telling me no lies
Knocking me out with those American thighs

#10 - toooo easy, but I had to put it in here some time...

'Cause the players tried to take the field,
The marching band refused to yield.

#11

Where the kisses are hers and hers and his

Zoom!

That fish is fast - He picked up the slack on the Grease 2 question while I was typing the new quiz.

Spooky, I tells ya.

If It Were A Quiz, It Would Have Bit You.

Very well done, oh, my internet lyrical quizzers (I keep wanting to say quislings, but that would be a tad too rude, even for me)!

Although luckbuzz didn’t get it completely, I’m guessing that the whole wild world knows that Jailhouse Rock is an Elvis tune. Otherwise, Kinky Freidman wouldn’t have written Elvis, Jesus and Coca-cola. I mean, how can you not trust a man named Kinky?

I should also add that I’m not sure I have enough points to award to the Jayfish for his eerie knowledge of Bosom Buddies. Perhaps I can subtract some from Zerodoll because of her admission that there’s a possibility that she has Islands in the Stream on her iPod. Oh, the shame! Hehee

The only one left unguessed was the absolutely classic tune, “Let’s Do It For Our Country” from the outstanding show Grease 2. C’mon, you remember it! They’re in the bomb shelter and the guy is trying to convince the girl that world war 3 has started so they might as well have sex. C’mon, surely someone else has watched as much late night TV as I have! hehe

Another slightly early quiz, hope that doesn’t throw you folks off too much.

#1

Out from the kitchen to the bedroom to the hallway
Your friend apologizes, he could see it my way
He let the contents of the bottle do the thinking
Can't shake the devil's hand and say you're only kidding

#2

My grand-ma and your grand-ma were
Sit-tin' by the fire. - My grand-ma told
Your grand-ma: "I'm gon-na set your flag on fire."—

#3

You can tell from the lines on her face
You can see that she’s been there
Probably been moved on from every place
’cause she didn’t fit in there

#4

And I can remember the fourth of July,
Runnin’ through the backwood, bare.
And I can still hear my old hound dog barkin’,
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there.
Chasin’ down a hoodoo there.

#5

Let's play Twister, let's play Risk. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
See you in heaven if you make the list. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

#6

In the day we sweat it out in the streets of a runaway American dream
At night we ride through mansions of glory in suicide machines
Sprung from cages out on Highway 9
Chrome wheeled, fuel injected and stepping out over the line

#7

Didn’t I, didn’t I, didn’t I see you cryin’?
Oh, didn’t I, didn’t I, didn’t I see you cryin’?
Feelin’ all alone without a friend, you know you feel like dyin’.

#8

You're motoring
What's your price for flight
In finding Mister Right
You'll be all right tonight

#9

You're the right kind of sinner to release my inner fantasy
The invincible winner and you know that you were born to be

#10

One down one to go
Another town and one more show

#11

Well the names have all changed since you hung around,
But those dreams have remained and they're turned around.

Bonus!

When we hit that road, hell-for-leather
Cats and dogs will dance in the heather
Birds and frogs'll sing all together and the toads will hop!

Return to Sender, Ethics Unknown.

Dear Student,

Do you really believe that by claiming plagiarism isn't plagiarism, that it will magically disappear? Do you think that when I noticed that those sentences were identical that maybe I was delusional? You can look at the paper and the text as well as I can. Do you see where I might think you using the exact sentences from the text might be scholastically suspect?

The lesson for today is how to own up to your mistakes and take responsibility. The lesson for today is not obfuscation and evasion. That will be taught in Polysci 9999, Ethics in Governmental Leadership Positions.

Yours in embarrassment,
Overread

BSOC (Big Snark On Campus)

I just wrote out a horribly snarky account of an event today that was a bit more cruel than I should be. I’m trying to hold to the rule not to post anything I wouldn’t want everyone knowing, so I just deleted it.
Here’s the one portion I kept:

I like to think of myself as a curmudgeon. A friend of mine called me a sociable hermit, which I rather liked.

Moral to the story that you don’t get to read:
Sometimes there’s nothing you can say – nothing at all.

In place of that I give you two overheard comments from this week:

Woman #1: “She is like, the goddess of all bisexual women, because she knows how to get women.”
Woman #2: “Oh, then I’ve got to talk to her!”

Completely unrelated women talking on cell phone: “I am so looking forward to getting plastered.”

What, are we filming Fox programming on campus now?

A Quiz in Wolf's Clothing

Whew – The day is flying by. Too much to do and not enough time. No time for real blogging – there’s only time for quizzing! This’ll post early cause I’ve got a whole cartload of things I need to do tonight. Enjoy!

Tricky Tricky Overread… hehe

#4 – Think Top Gun, folks! You’re on the Highway to the Danger Zone by Kenny Loggins. (note: It’s not next door to the Discovery Zone. They’re two very different places.)

#9 – Never Going To Give You Up by Rick Astley

Ah, and the impossible one – #11 - The lyrics to M*A*S*H, Suicide is Painless – Bwahaha!

But, Camera Obscura did plant the seed for the Little Shop one. Get it? "Plant the seed?" OH my! I'm a funny funny man.

New Quizland!

#1 –

See the people walking down the street
Fall in line just watching all their feet
They don't know where they wanna go
But they're walking in time

#2 –

You've got style, that's what all the girls say
Satin sheets and luxuries so fine
All your suits are custom made in London
But I've got something that you'll really like

#3 –

I could see it was a rough-cut Tuesday
Slow-motion weekdays stare me down

#4 –

I want to breathe in the open wind
I want to kiss like lovers do

#5 –

I see you, you see me
Watch you blowin' the lines
When you're making a scene

#6 –

Since you've gone I been lost without a trace
I dream at night I can only see your face

#7 –

I can read your mind
I am the maker of rules
Dealing with fools
I can cheat you blind

#8 –

So many people have come and gone
Their faces fade as the years go by
Yet I still recall as I wander on
as clear as the sun in the summer sky

#9 –

Spider Murphy played the tenor saxophone,
Little Joe was blowin' on the slide trombone.

#10 –

Sail away with me to another world
And we rely on each other, ah-ah
From one lover to another, ah-ah

#11 – Artist, Song Title, and TV Show. Bonus points for the two lead actors’ names.

They will tell you you can't sleep alone
In a strange place
Then they'll tell you you can't sleep
With somebody else

Bonus! – Ah, what a crappy show, but I know somebody out there has got to have seen it!

Bullets are exploding, they'll soon be at the door,
Give something to America you never gave before.
…
If the President were standing here, I'm sure he would approve.
I'll be a mighty soldier before this night is through.

Link Dump!

McSweeney's is hilarious.

Here's a list of how to ask the questions that everybody wants to ask of the President.

An example:

A while back, a wire story on the contents of your personal iPod reported that you were listening to the Knack, Credence Clearwater Revival, and Van Morrison. Noticeably absent from the reported playlist at that time were any classic '70s soul-music artists such as Al Green or James Brown. Perhaps you have added some Marvin Gaye to the rotation since that story. I wonder if you'd like to update us on your current iPod selections. Have you no soul, Mr. President?

Thanks to Snopes, we have a good guide on how to hire women.

An example:

Give every girl an adequate number of rest periods during the day. Companies that are already using large numbers of women stress the fact that you have to make some allowances for feminine psychology. A girl has more confidence and consequently is more efficient if she can keep her hair tidied, apply fresh lipstick and wash her hands several times a day.

Another gem:

Get enough size variety in operator uniforms that each girl can have a proper fit. This point can't be stressed too strongly as a means of keeping women happy, according to western properties.

I love the bit about tidy hair. I think that's so very important to morale. It's a good thing I'm a guy, cause otherwise I would have to wash my hands several times a day before I could be efficient.

Kung Pao Kwiz

Let’s hear it for the return of the lyrics quiz! I’m happy to hear that you guys like it :)

So, pretty well done this morning…

Let’s see, Jeffersons – check

Allison gets bonus points for the word ‘dictatresses.’ I’m going to use that word every day for the rest of my life…

oh, the one nit I’ll pick – The title is Space Oddity, not Major Tom. Hehee cruelty! I love it!

On to bigger and better things!

And more exclamation points!

!

#1 –

I could put my arms around every boy I see
But they'd only remind me of you

#2 –

Tell me did you sail across the sun
Did you make it to the milky way to see the lights all faded
And that heaven is overrated

#3 –

It’s obvious you hate me
Though I’ve done nothing wrong

#4 –

Never say hello to you
Until you get it on the red line overload

#5 –

Show me how you do it
And I promise you
I promise that I’ll run away with you

#6 – tough one… but a cool song

See the lights of a neighbor’s house
Now she’s starting to rise
Take a minute to concentrate
And she opens up her eyes

#7 –

It's tough to handle
This fortune and fame
Everybody's so different
I haven't changed

#8 –

Oh ... sweetness, sweetness, I was only joking
When I said by rights you should be
Bludgeoned in your bed

#9 –

We’ve known each other for so long
Your heart’s been aching, but you’re too shy to say it

#10 –

Darlin' don't say a word
'cos I already heard
What your body's saying to mine

#11 – horrifically hard!

Through early morning fog I see
visions of the things to be
the pains that are withheld for me
I realize and I can see...

Bonus! –

When I was younger, just a bad little kid
My mama noticed funny things I did
Like shooting puppies with a B.B. gun
I'd poison guppies and when I was done
I'd find a pussycat and bash in its head

I'm Loving It

So there’s a commercial for McDonalds where a woman is trying to let a guy know that she’s into him.  She tries to explain that women are like McDonalds Griddle-cake thingies.  When he doesn’t get the hint, and let’s face it, who wouldn’t be bowled over by the woman who likens herself to fast-food, she tries another tack.

She compares women to coffee.

Um.  Wasn’t there a lawsuit about McDonalds coffee?

Is she saying that women cause a burning sensation in the crotch?

Bike Seat

Not mine.

Holy Crap

I mentioned this earlier, but it just became much more real.

I've been offered a lecturing job this summer.

I accepted.

I'm going to be a lecturer at this big impressive university.

I'm probably going to get my very own TA.

Surreal.

Quiz II: The Revenge

Wow, it’s nice to be back. I’m still having grief with my tunes, so this may be a little more random than usual, but here goes!

Oh, first the returns from the last quiz:

The newcomer Liz had the artist, James Taylor, but #1 was Something in the Way She Moves

New Kid was sooo close – #5 was Fooling Yourself by Styx

Luckybuzz had the titles for #6 and #7, Some Kind of Wonderful is by Grand Funk Railroad and MacArthur Park is by a whole bunch of folks – Donna Summer was the one I was gunning for. God, it’s an awful song – cakes in the rain – yeesh

And, #10 was Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, by the Shirelles

Whew! I’m just glad someone got the Fraggle Rock theme :)

New Quiz!

#1 – Here’s another one that I didn’t know was so spooky.

Such a dirty mind.
Always get it up for the touch
of the younger kind.

#2 –

There is nothing fair in this world
There is nothing safe in this world
And there is nothing sure in this world
And there is nothing pure in this world

#3 –

Chapter One we didn't really get along
Chapter Two I think I fell in love with you
You said you'd stand by me in the middle of Chapter Three
But you were up to your old tricks in Chapters Four, Five and Six

#4 –

Father McKenzie wiping the dirt from his hands
as he walks from the grave
No one was saved

#5 –

Hide it in a hiding place where no one ever goes
Put it in your pantry with your cupcakes

#6 –

I met him at the candy store
He turned around and smiled at me
You get the picture? (yes, we see)

#7 –

It's the good advice that you just didn't take
Who would've thought...it figures

#8 –

Annie Are You Ok
So, Annie Are You Ok

#9 –

Johnny take a dive with your sister in the rain
Let her talk about the things you can't explain
To touch is to heal
To hurt is to steal
If you want to kiss the sky
Better learn how to kneel

#10 –

And the papers want to know whose shirts you wear

#11 –

Fish don't fry in the kitchen.
Beans don't burn on the grill.

Bonus!

And as for fortune, and as for fame
I never invited them in
Though it seemed to the world they were all I desired

Giving 110%

Part of my photo-gig world is shooting sports photos, so I go to a lot of games. There’s enough there for a thousand blog posts. Last night, for whatever reason, the crowd was really vocal. The home fans were riotous and rude, as usual, but there was a pretty good group of fans for the visitor’s team too. I got the impression that they really weren’t up to the razzing standards for the event. Anyway, I present for your edification:

Silly Things That Sports People Said Last Night:

‘You’ve got to want it!’

‘Stay hungry!’
That’s one of my favorites. I remember when I played football, that on defense we would say with complete seriousness that the quarterback was a slab of meat and we had to be hungry.

‘He’s going to eat your lunch.’
See above. Also, wouldn’t it be worse to eat someone’s dinner? I never hear that…

‘Kill him!’

Various helpful things said to aid the referees in officiating.
My favorite last night was when a call went in favor of the visitors, one of the visitor’s fans yelled out something to the effect of, ‘Finally! Great call you fucking blind sack of shit!’ I’m sure that’ll help your team’s cause, sir.

‘Put it all out there’/ ‘Leave it all on the field/court.’
Umm... eww…

Somehow I’ve gone blank on the other ones I heard last night. Did I miss any good ones?

I will say that I saw an interview at halftime for some game – when the interviewer asked the question about what the team needed to do to get back in the game in the second half, the interviewee said, “The defense needs to stop them and the offence needs to put points on the board.” I’d say that’s pretty smart thinking there Mr. Coach.

The Open Door Policy

Well, the computer is still feeling a bit under the weather, but things must be typed, so I venture on!  

Something is a bit odd at the homestead.  Well, there are a lot of odd things going on there, but I’ll focus on only one today.  I guess I should reiterate that I’m no fan of where I live.  It’s cramped and insanely expensive.  It’s in a good location though, so I guess all those real estate agents are right.

Anyway, there is a culture of openness among the inmates of the homestead, and I don’t mean about their feelings.  With the exception of bedroom doors, thank goodness, no one closes anything.  For example, last night, I got home at about 2am (I was doing a photo gig, lest any of you get the mistaken idea that I have a social life).  The gate door that leads into the yard: open.  The front door: ajar.  The TV: on – no one awake to watch it, mind you, but it’s on.  

Best of all was that when I wake up this morning, I was surprised to find the main bathroom in use.  Strange because most of the time no one wake up until noonish around here – must be nice.  Anyway, I trundle down to the half-bathroom and see the door is open part way, so I walk in.  Why do you suppose that my roommate’s girlfriend would be inside (wearing a bath towel, but still)?  Gasp, shock!  Did she not think that leaving the door open might invite such a thing in a house of dozens?  This is the second time I’ve walked in on people in the bathroom here.  I guess I’m going to have to start knocking even on open doors.  

Yeesh.  It’s a good thing I’m only there long enough to sleep and shower.  

One day, I swear, I’m going to have my own place.  Maybe then I’ll stay there for longer than 7-8 hours a day.

Grrr.

Many strange computer-related things are afoot.

I regret that there will be a minor hiatus in quizzing.