I Want...

My God! They're Everywhere!

I'm finally reading Harry Potter

But, as a testament to my true geekdom, I'm not reading it in English. I bought it a year and a half ago during the New York transit strike when most of the kids weren't able to make it to the school. I wanted to have something to read with the kids which would still keep them practicing the language, but which wouldn't be a problem for the others to miss. So, having some extra time on my hands, I'm reading it for myself. What do I think? Eh.

Fun, fun!

Saw Ratatouille with Mom yesterday. Aside from the screaming kids packed to the rafters, it was pretty good. Visually the movie was amazing. They did a fantastic job of rendering the characters' movement and emotions, the actions scenes were exciting, Paris looked beautiful and close to real. I loved the fact that the office of the necrotic food critic was coffin shaped and that the back of his typewriter looked like a skull. Although it wandered at times the storyline was pretty good and there was a nice message that they tried to keep from being too facile. All in all, it was a worthwhile experience, and best seen either on the big screen... or maybe a large hi-def.

Why are we listening?

Once again, Ann Coulter is everywhere. NBC and its affiliates have been especially "good" about giving her the spotlight. And once again, I have to ask, why is anybody paying her any attention at all? Everyone agrees that she says nothing insightful and everything spiteful. She has nothing worthwhile to add to any conversation. This morning she was on MSNBC's Morning Joe, whining over the fact that people are calling her "mean." She gleefully hurls insults and innuendo, publicly wishes that John Edwards be killed, and then has the balls to complain when people call her on it? Does she believe that hoping for someone to die places her in the "good person" category? Honestly, I believe that she must be functionally insane. So why do people tune into this stuff?

Of course, I have to rethink my own sources as well. HuffingtonPost.com is one of several websites I browse to stay informed. I really appreciate Arrianna's take on things and, for the most part, I like their coverage. However, the website focusses a bit too much on the gossipy news, like the Fishwife Coulter's latest rant, Paris Hilton's latest escapade, or Lohan's weight after a night of clubbing. Maybe it's time to take my own advice and drop them.

We'll always have Paris...

Paris Hilton says she's a changed person since being in jail. She says she's going to say goodye to her endless partying. Does this mean she'll stay out of the public eye for a while? Or...

New Music... to me, at least

If you haven't heard The Clientele yet, check them out! They've been around for a couple of years, but I only recently heard about them. Their music sounds very 60's retro, very chill, very enjoyable. You can also check out the following video... but please don't let the fact that it was used in that Keanu Reeves/Sandra Bullock offal spoil it for you.

WTF Update.

Okay. So not only has CBS cancelled Creature Comforts, they apparently have decided that they're not even going to show their last scheduled episodes. The newspaper says that tonight Creature Comforts airs, but when I tune in to CBS I'm presented with back-to-back episodes of The New Adventures of Old Christine, a show which I really wanted to like (because of Julia Louise Dreyfuss) but which I've been forced to hate due to its crap-ass writing. Thank you, CBS, for ruining my Monday evening. (Normally, this wouldn't matter. But remember, I'm in suburbia at the moment, and there's just not that much to do.)

This Just In!

Creature Comforts has been cancelled! WTF?!? American television sucks!

Sunday was Pride Day!

Being in the SF Bay Area, I attended the Gay Pride Parade on Sunday with some of my oldest friends, including a friend I met at my first parade [mumble] years ago. When first we all caught up with each other I was greeted with a boy scout bearing mimosas, so well prepared!

I was surprised with how corporate the entire event has become. Pepsi was passing out Mardi Gras beads with little Pepsi cans on them. Other companies had their own floats.


Tylenol even showcased the resurrected Madame. (If you don't remember Wayland Flowers and Madame, check out her new site.)

But don't worry, there's still more than enough of the grass roots, home grown craziness we expect. Including, my favorites, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

Don't Miss It!

One of my favorite shows on BBC America, Creature Comforts, has been redone for the US. It's on CBS on Monday nights. Okay, I'm not quite as enthralled with the little critters that have American accents, but it's still pretty good.

Taking Care of Mom.

I've flown back to the San Francisco Bay Area in order to spend time with my mother who's recovering from recent surgery. She's not yet well enough to be completely on her own, but she is well enough to indulge in all of her old, annoying "mom" habits. She has a bit of difficulty getting around so I've told her that I'll do things around the house that need to get done. And yet, she doesn't ever say outright exactly what she wants. This leaves me to play a sort of cat and mouse guessing game with her. She wants something, but she doesn't want to impose on me so she hints at it. For example, yesterday we're shopping at Trader Joe's and there's a pile of fresh blueberries in pint boxes. She remarks, "Oh! Blueberries! Those look good!" So I ask, "Should we get some?" To this she answers, "Well, it might be nice to make a pie..." I get it and say, "Well, if you want to make a pie we can. How many blueberries should we get?" She says, "Oh, I think two pints should be enough." I pick up the blueberries and off we go. Today, as I'm preparing lunch, she says, "Are you going to defrost the pie crust?" Note the expertise with which she has taken the assumption, the imperative, that I will be making the pie myself and imbedded it into a seemingly innocent question about the status of the pie crust. Knowing exactly what's going on, I ask, "Why would I be defrosting the pie crust?" To this she asks, all wide-eyed wonder, "Well, I thought you were making the pie today." To this I reply that at no point had I volunteered to make the pie but that I would be happy to do so if that's what she wants. After she squirms for a bit she finally affirms that yes, she would like me to bake the pie.

Honestly, I really feel for my mom. I can see a life time of habits in her that I would love for her to break. She has the hardest time speaking her mind openly and honestly since she doesn't want to be a bother. And no amount of discussion with her is helping her to see that the only bother is trying to decode what she does say. I'm hoping that she'll get past the hinting, but I guess that it'll be fine if she doesn't. She's still Mom.

It's a little bit funny.

All the posts which show on the page at the moment would cause a conservative to go apoplectic. And I think of myself as a pretty moderate, mainstream type of guy.

What to do... what to do...

I haven't been blogging a lot lately... I know, Big Surprise! There's been a lot on my mind... grading and saying goodbye to amazing and irreplacable students, taking care of my mom's health and life, orchestrating a palace coup while simultaneously keeping down other possible usupers, basically the same things that all of you deal with on a daily basis. But now I'm in California on the last weekend of June. Ho hum. What will I do? There's this little something or other going on this weekend that I think I'll check out. Also, some friends of mine have acquired free tickets to some other little thing. Maybe I'll just spontaneously combust this weekend.

Don't Miss It!

NYC Restaurant Week!
July 16-20 and July 23-27, 2007

Three course, prix fixe lunches for $24.07 and dinners for $35 at participating restaurants! It's a great deal for those who care about such things. Check out the website to find out who's available and make your reservations now!

Why Are Movies Sucking So Much Lately?

I mean, seriously!

Military Intelligence

Okay, so I realize that our military is run by a bunch of homophobic assholes and I don't put a great deal of stock in their "broadness of vision." It's a combination that's a more than a little bit scary. Still, I can't believe that this is the sort of thinking is still going on. Apparently, our air force was hoping to create a bomb which would turn enemy soldiers gay. The idea seems to have been to create a chemical weapon which would cause the soldiers find each other irresistable. I suppose this means that the men would simply throw down their weapons, tear off each other's clothing, and be so busy fucking each other that they wouldn't notice when our soldiers came in and took over. Now, this is the plotline of countless gay porns, at least the part where the soldiers get, um, distracted... which makes you wonder who came up with the idea and how, (another scary thought). But the porn studios know that it's fantasy. Apparently the military don't. What I don't get is how they expected it all to work. The story linked above mentions stong aphrodisiacs, which implies that the military idea is based on the premise that if you get guys horny enough they'll become much less picky. Or, perhaps, that all soldiers are already somewhat gay. Either way, it's just plain ridiculous. And the worst thing is, these are the sorts of minds behind our present activity in Iraq. That's what's really scary.

Last Day of Classes

This week I have taught my last classes and given the final exam to my tens. This year the students are especially difficult to let go. Some of them are off to better things. My independent study, whom I call the "Little Prince" due to his natural, relaxed propriety, is off to study in Oxford. My student intern, who is one of the most intelligent, caring, and organized students I've ever had, is off to Princeton. My sevens have been fantastic, but I won't be teaching them next year. I will, however, be teaching them again the following year. My tens this year will still be around the school, but I'll never teach them again as a group so it won't be the same. They've been so much fun and I know that they've had fun as well. They're bright, creative, open... they're definitionally cool. The morning tens gave me a really thoughtful gift. Every day during morning break I buy a cup of coffee which I nurse throughout my next two classes. I should have known something was up when they started asking me all sorts of questions. Did I drink regular lattes? Mochas? What, regular coffee? What, no cream and sugar? Only black? Isn't that gross? Doesn't the coffee get cold? Isn't that really gross? So, apparently overwhelmed with pity that their teacher was drinking lukewarm coffee, they bought me a thermal mug. However, it came with a removable liner and they all signed it. I nearly cried. Additionally, they all pitched in and bought me a Starbucks card for a very healthy amount. When I protested that it was too much, they replied that I was stuck with it since they couldn't return it. They're amazing.