When I looked at the weather forecast online this morning (Friday), this is what I saw. Since the current temperature was 57, and it was Friday, clearly the low for Friday is not 63. What do you think is the logic for leaving the prediction unchanged? Would it be cheating to change the low temperature … Read more
The campus where I work is connected by areas mainly intended for pedestrians. To encourage this, there are several of these automatic gates, which I think only open for campus service vehicles. The gates are equipped with signs like this…I have a hard time envisioning the logistics of this, because the arm only rises when … Read more
This song gets me every time.Is that cheezy? Is it like the “Christmas Shoes” of Celtic music?Is it because I first heard it at a more impressionable point in my life when I still lived in a dorm room? I don’t think so–I think it’s kind of amazing, and so cinematic–the words paint images in … Read more
Feeling the Friday. Thought not exactly in the Rebecca Black way. Though in a metaphorical sense I guess I am always wondering “which seat should I take.” Lot’s of paperwork at work. Lot’s more paperwork at home. Feeling the pain of not enough hours in the day somewhat acutely. It’s easy to feel how years … Read more
“Time Lock” is a Dramatica term. I’ve never fully embraced Dramatica–mostly because it’s confusing to learn, and I like the mode of story analysis that they use at my spelunking school–but I like the term “time lock,” which means–roughly–that a tension in the story will have to resolve at a certain point, because there is … Read more
At the Washington and Crenshaw stoplight, Wednesday morning. In my rearview mirror the black girl in the car behind me dances in the drivers seat. She jumps rope, raises the roof, boogies down. I want to ask her what station she’s listening to. I don’t think it’s retro disco on KCRW. The sun is out, … Read more
To follow up on the recent lottery furor. There have been a lot of conversations that start, “What will you do if you win $_____? I used to say I would invest it and live off the interest. Now, I’m pretty sure I would spend it all immediately. 1) Pay off our student loans. 2) … Read more
Drove my friend Christine to the airport this morning. On the way we talked about the dearth of food on planes these days. I mentioned how I do love to bring food from home onto the plane. I think it reminds me of old stories I’ve read where the young man or woman is sent … Read more
Today I was driving behind some kind of Mercedes SUV, and I noticed a couple of CARLY bumper stickers. Because of the font, it took me a minute to figure out the sticker wasn’t referring to iCarly, but in fact it was for Carly Fiorina. I then saw a second bumper sticker for Meg. I’m … Read more
P.S. This week I learned MORE about Miles Davis. He treated women like shit. He beat his wives and was psychologically cruel. I’m still looking forward to exploring his music, but this information definitely taints things for me. Kinda like how I don’t think if I’ll ever watch Braveheart without thinking of how messed up … Read more