Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Mix Tape 07 Part 2 of 3

Twenty-Two Degrees on a Tuesday Evening.
(right click on link + save as to download file.)
Total playing time: 32.28.


It always ends the same (alone).

1. Super Furry Animals - Hello Sunshine
2. Hello Saferide - The Quiz
3. Devotchka - Queen of the Surface Streets
4. We Are Scientists - Nobody Move (acoustic)
5. Wilco - Will You Still Love Me
6. Elliott Smith - Say Yes
7. The Mountain Goats - Love Love Love
8. Bright Eyes - We Are Nowhere And It’s Now
9. Bjork & Tricky - Black Coffee

identity theft frustration

Blockbuster called me yesterday to tell me that my account was about to be charged $150 for my unreturned videos.

"What?" I asked myself. "I don't rent from Blockbuster."

I promptly called the number left behind via the Robotron voice, only to learn that somebody checked out various episodes of Grey's Anatomy under my name.

"You must have loaned your card out," Blockbuster assured me.

"No, I did not," I assured back. "Check and see how they paid for these videos because I swear to you neither I nor anybody I know would ever rent them."

"With a Visa. Oh, and Becky? It's signed with your name."

"But I don't have a Visa card. And Becky isn't my name. It hasn't actually been my name for decades. Clearly this is an imposter."

"Well, we'll just remove the charges on your behalf."

"Okay... thanks. But shouldn't you call the police or something?" I asked, still mildly horrified by the idea of someone signing my childhood nickname across a credit card receipt, twenty minutes on the other side of town.

"No, you'd be surprised how often this happens. Nine times out of ten, you just loaned your card to a friend and forgot that you did."

"But I'm a 31-year old science teacher. It's not like my friends and I run around town, loaning out our Blockbuster cards to rent back seasons of mediocre television programs."

"Don't worry, we are not going to charge you anything."

"But that's not the point!"

"Well, you can call Customer Service, but there's not actually anything they can do to help you."

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

sandwich vernacular

I've been noticing grinders on menus as of late. At Keysone Resort this weekend. At Starbucks this morning. That's right, Starbucks serves up a grinder.

But theirs isn't right. Their grinder has turkey salami. Lettuce leaves. God only knows what else. Probably chopped onions and sliced pickles.

A grinder should have 1. shredded lettuce and some tomato slices 2. salt & pepper 3. oil 4. provolone and 5. fucking genoa salami. Genoa.

Jeez.

Sunday, January 21, 2007

skiing (gone so wrong)

Voici un photo de Keystone, which would have been glorious if only someone had not stolen my skis in the end. Quel dommage.

Mix Tape 07 Part 1 of 3

Sunday Afternoon in Duluth*.
(right click on link + save as to download file.)
Total playing time: 33.16.


*now! with new directions.

Upon review, I see that two songs are about death (1 and 10). That makes a death sandwich. With a pinch of anger (9), aliens (8), alcohol (7) and sex (4).

1. Architecture in Helsinki - In Case We Die (parts 1-5)
2. Air - Radio #1
3. Tapes 'n Tapes - Insistor
4. Spoon - I Turn My Camera On
5. Feist - Mushaboom
6. Devotchka - Miette
7. Devotchka - Ocean of Lust
8. Radiohead - Subterranean Homesick Alien
9. Delgados - All You Need Is Hate
10.U.N.K.L.E. - Lonely Soul (abridged)

Saturday, January 06, 2007

more on steamboat, less on vegas

My whirlwind trip to Vegas came to a staggering halt when I caught word of yet ANOTHER snowstorm in Denver. To hear it told, it would once again shut down the city. Argh.

So I ran as fast as I could from Las Vegas, catching an earlier flight. Only to arrive seven hours early in Denver, where there was little to no new snow.

No pictures from the city of sin (just a distant memory of whiskey at the Playboy Club), however more pictures from Steamboat:


Wednesday, January 03, 2007

felíz año nuevo

As I slowly emerge from my New Year's daze, I must pack for Vegas. Busy, busy. I spent the weekend on a mini-ski holiday in Steamboat Springs. I was able to keep my 1999 resolution, that is, to never forget another NYE. This one was spent drinking coke and watching fools be fools.