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July 18th, 2008
10:03 pm - What I learned at Art Beat tonight
While an Italian heavy metal band with a line-up comprising three bag pipers and two drummers is awesome conceptually, in reality it tends to grow tiresome after about 10 minutes.
Kudos to the band though for dressing in leather to play an outdoor show in Somerville in mid-July with both temperature & humidity breaking 90. These guys were radiating heat like a perimenopausal woman on a post-Hagen Dazs sugar high. Not surprisingly, nobody took them up on their (repeated) offer to come up on stage and dance.
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July 17th, 2008
10:40 am - iTouch me in the morning
As I mentioned in an earlier post my sweet, wonderful CEO is offering me a choice of toys (8 GB apple iTouch, Nokia 810N Internet Tablet, Magellan - Maestro 4250 GPS, Ninetendo DS, The Kindle). I already have a perfectly good GPS and I don't really do electronic games, so that narrowed it to 3. I like the smell and feel of books so much that I'm afraid I'd fine the Kindle frustrating. And, not being a hacker, I wouldn't get the use of the Nokia that some of my colleagues here (many of whom are engineers) would.
However a couple of people commented on the limited capacity of the iTouch. I currently have an 8G iPod (G3, practially luddite!) and like it fine, though more capacity would be good. I asked if I could upgrade to a 16G and pay the difference. I was told that I could get what I like, and then expense up to $400 to the company. Seeing as Apple is selling the 16G for $399 (and it's somewhat cheaper elsewhere), that's a no-brainer. However, I ask you, oh wisdom of the Internet, should I shell out $100 of my own cash to get a 32G instead? Or, those of you who already have such a beast, it is expandable (i.e., if I get the 16 and then realize I need the complete works of Stanley Kubrick on there to get me through a trip to Japan, can I upgrade?)
Boy, my life sure is tough having to make decisions like this, huh?
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July 13th, 2008
10:19 am - Ask Dr LJ - I love my job edition.
To prepare myself for the onslaught when I return to the office tomorrow, I checked my work email. The only message that indicated any work I'd have to do included the sentence, "I hope you're not looking at this till after your vaca," and was largely a comment of appreciation of work I'd done before I left.
There was also a message from the CEO's secretary, thanking me (and several of my colleagues) for the work we'd done recently on a task force to decide how to better incorporate Data & Analytics into the company. He wants to get each of us a "thank you gift" (completely with unnecessary scare quotes) and offers a series of options, from which we are each to pick one.
1. 8 GB apple iTouch
2. Nokia 810N Internet Tablet
3. Magellan - Maestro 4250 GPS
4. Ninetendo DS
5. The Kindle
Being pretty Luddite in my tech usage (I still have a G3 iPod), I'm not as familiar with any of these as I'd like. I'd greatly appreciate any input from anyone who's got one of these. I'm leaning toward either the iTouch or the Nokia, though I admit I'm intrigued by the Kindle.
In other news, my post-Con depression is already starting to peek over my shoulder and remind me that next week there will be no 2:30 am games of Mafia in the hot tub. More about the rest of Con in a later post.
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July 11th, 2008
06:47 pm - Con doesn't officially start for about an hour...
but here are a few things I've done since about 2 am this morning:- Played a neat variant of Pictionary that Dart developed (I'm starting to realize that adding the phrase "that Dart developed" to any game description implies a good time)
- Tried - and failed - to co-solve Elfman's cryptic with Hot. We both decided to go to bed so we could think better
- Worked out
- Co-solved Trick's puzzle with
![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) foggyb; co-solving went a lot better after sleep - Had a lovely lunch with pinecone_4, foggyb, mamagotcha and Crax
- Took a nice long walk around the grounds of the hotel
- Got engaged
- Celebrated engagement
- Took a post-celebration nap
The Con proper starts in an hour or so. I'm sure things will get more interesting then.
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/bitospud/courier/red/amused.gif) jubilant
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11:13 am - Hiking and too much damned drama
Wednesday we headed to Red Rocks, about 15 miles from our hotel, which meant less driving than Monday, much to pinecone_4’s delight. He’s the only one on the rental car insurance (I am a mind-bogglingly horrible driver), so he was stuck behind the wheel for over an hour each way Monday –though we did pull off fairly frequently so he could admire the view.
( rocks that are red and bugs that are red with black dots )
( Gorgeous scenerey and communication problems in the Rockies )
Current Location: Not in a car
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/bitospud/courier/red/happy.gif) relieved
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July 9th, 2008
09:45 am - Denver before the start of Con
pinecone_4 and I arrived in Denver yesterday and have been having a fantastic time. Con proper hasn’t yet started, but I want to try to get down some of what we’ve done so far before it all gets muddled in my head by the end of the week. This is more for my own reminiscences, so feel free to skip it. Unless you’re dwarven_brewer in which case you should read it religiously just to see what you’re missing. ( Saving your fpage cuz I love you all so very much )
Current Location: Inverness Hotel
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/bitospud/courier/red/bouncy.gif) energetic
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July 5th, 2008
09:30 am - Boy this weekend filled up fast
As of last weekend, I had no plans for this weekend, save a T@F workday on Sunday. This was fine - I figured it would give me plenty of time to clean & pack and take care of stuff before I left for Denver on Monday. Somehow or other, between then & now....
Yesterday, I saw WALL-E with smacaski, ayelle, zendzian, plumtreeblossom, and beowabbit. What a delightful movie! Given how few movies I see, I had managed to completely avoid seeing previews for this, and in fact had no idea what it was about. The only thing I'd gleaned from comments from friends were that it was a delightful movie, and that it took place in a post-apocalyptic world. I didn't even know if involved robots. So it was a total newness to me, which was awesome. I love going to movies knowing NOTHING about them, and that happens so rarely now.
The underlying themes made me feel better about Pixar (while I loved The Incredibles the Randian underpinnings really bothered me). And I was very impressed by how quickly they managed to create a reality, and give a full back story, with virtually no dialog. It was a strong enough creation that when something new came into it, it was disturbing to see the new influence interacting with the world in a way that was "wrong," i.e., different than the way that WALL-E interacted with said world.
After the movie, pinecone_4 and I headed to a BBQ at my friend Kim's place. Kim works at my office as an engineer; she's a recent MIT alum, very smart, very geeky. Pretty much everyone else at her BBQ was a current MIT student, or recent grad; I'm sure pinecone_4 and I were the only people over 30, we may have been the only ones over 25. The place had serious geek cred. I mean, there was a signed framed Penny Arcade strip in the living room, right next to the display case of Star Trek action figures. These were the people I wish I'd been able to hang out with in college. Lots of good conversation, including some kudos for pinecone_4 and me for our contributions to the last mystery hunt; and we recruited Kim to join us on Manic Sages for the '09 hunt. Woo hoo!
Then we headed to David's for his BBQ. We've done the foyrth with Dave several time - he lives on the top floor of a building at the top of the hill at Craigie Street, so there's a good view of the fireworks with no crowds. These were more our age peers (except for a couple of guests who were between 8 and 36 months old). Lots of great conversation. I had a long discussion with David's roommate Mitch, who is convinced that within our lifetime (he's estimating by 2040) computers will generate sufficient self-awareness to reproduce and that biolife will become obsolete and die out. I was rather enjoying the conversation until he started postulating that the only way to stop this would be if another Hitler arose to ensure that humanity came out on top in this particular case of natural selection, and further postulated that the original Hitler was simply trying to influence natural selection in a direction that would strengthen the species. I managed to extricate myself from the conversation before I felt obliged to do him physical harm, which surely would have put a damper on the evening. I had at least six or seven other wonderful conversations that evening, and found all these weird connections between myself & other guests I hadn't met before - like three of us had all been at Hunter College High School in the 80s, and one of us had lived three blocks from the school. I met another woman who is allergic to tomatoes, but nothing else, and another person with a PhD in social psych. Now there were fewer than two dozen people at the party, so this really was a web of coincidence lying over the world.
The fireworks were pretty, though we all agreed that they've been a little less spectacular over the past few years, because the city's been paying for them instead of them being sponsored by some eccentric millionaire. We heard the pops playing & at first thought they must just be really, really loud - and then realized it was the sound from a nearby television set. Hah!
Today I'm heading off to Crane's beach for an early b-day celebration for zendzian, and tomorrow I have a work day at T@F and then I'm going to a concert at the Zeitgeist Outpost, where the amazingly talented An*a will be singing (she's got a gorgeous bel canto soprano), and playing recorders, baritone horn and kazoo, and Michael McK will be on accordion and guitar. An*a's got amazing, wonderful, eclectic taste in music (it tends toward the Baroque), and she promises that this event will include Balkan, Klezmer, Italian, American, French, and Swiss music. I'm very much looking forward to it.
Then first thing Monday AM, pinecone_4 and I fly off to Denver. Oh well, I should have an hour or two to pack tomorrow morning....
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July 3rd, 2008
07:12 pm - Meme about me...
Yanked from a variety of places, most recently ayelle. I saw a couple of these today, and really wanted to do it, but was too damned busy at work.( Hathor has been respecting the sanctity of your fpage for over a fiftieth of a century )
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12:28 pm - Lesbian research
Reposted from razzle's LJ, who reposted it from elsewhere. I have no connection to any of these people, but I'm all for research, and this sounds like an interesting topic. Feel free to repost if you like.
Hello! My name is Erin Doolin, and I am a doctoral student in the Counseling Psychology department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I am interested in exploring how sexual minority women know that their community will be there for them. This study asks that you complete a series of questionnaires regarding your definition of community and how connected you feel to that community. I estimate that the questionnaires will take between 30-40 minutes to complete and they are located online.
If you are interested in participating in this study; identify as lesbian, bisexual, queer, or a woman who loves women; and are 18 years of age or older, please contact Erin Doolin at lesbiancommunity@gmail.com You are also welcome to email if you have any questions or concerns. The student's advisor on this project is Bill Hoyt, Ph.D., and he can be contacted at wthoyt@education.wisc.edu This study has been approved by the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Institutional Review Board (IRB).
Thank you so much for your participation and time!
Erin Doolin
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July 2nd, 2008
02:17 pm - Yeah, yeah, each day of the week...
I love I love I love my little calendar geek ...
The lovely and brilliant jedusor, not yet 18, has already started upon her first entrepreneurial endeavor, and it's a doozy. She's decided the fill a gaping hole in the market by providing temporally constrained lovers of brainy passionate women with twelve months worth of dates and photos, delivered to your door for under twenty bucks.
I do have a somewhat vested interest in this, as I am one of the models (not on the samples page, I'm afraid; probably has something to do with me not getting my pictures to her until last week). But those of you who haven't met me but have expressed curiosity as to my corporeal being, here's your chance - just click on the sexy sexy gamer geek above.
I'll be posting a remind in 4 or 5 months, when it's more appropriately calendar-buyin' time, but figured some of you would want to be on the cutting edge of calendar purchasing, and so decided to provide you with the appropriate information.
In the meantime, I leave you with this poorly sound-synced, calendar-based Scopiotone, which (unlike the calendar mentioned above) does not feature me straddling a partially disassembled computer.
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June 30th, 2008
01:35 pm - MABILF
Some time ago - I think in conversation with plumtreeblossom - I realized that while I am certainly in the age-range (and, I flatter myself, attractive enough) to be a MILF , my choice to remain childless renders the acronym unsuitable. Thus I declared myself to be a MABILF, where the first three letters stand for Middle-Aged Broad. I like saying it. I always think that if one of the original Zoom boys got involved with an older woman, ubby-dubby would compel him to refer to her as a muh-bilf, which is how I pronounce it.
I used the acronym in correspondence with qaqaq earlier today, without defining it. He hazarded to guess that the first three letters stand for "mademoiselle avec bazongas." Which, I've decided, they now do. Hey, I came up with the acronym, I can define it as I please!
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/bitospud/courier/red/flirty.gif) bodacious
Current Music: Wynonie Harris - Luscious Woman
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June 29th, 2008
12:35 pm - Scavenging
Yesterday I participated in an awesome Scavenger Hunt put on by Banditos Miseriosos, a group that hosts all sorts of weird events around Boston. ( Hathor has been mindful of your friends page for over a 50th of a century )
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June 26th, 2008
11:11 pm - Harmonies
Ricki Lee Jones and Petra Haden singing harmony on "Troubled Man," John Kirby on accordion.
If I die and go to heaven, the angels can't possibly sound any sweeter.
I don't know if there are any tickets left for the final show (next Thursday, July 3), but hell, you should just go stand outside Johnny D's and listen....
Current Music: Rikki Lee -Stewart's Coat
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June 25th, 2008
04:35 pm - Bitchin' cast!
So back in May I was cast in Playwriting 101: The Rooftop Lesson, one of the one-acts in the sure to be fabulous Nothing Serious, going up at the end of next month at Theatre@First. Our poor director got ill, and we kept on canceling rehearsals. Finally, a couple of weeks ago, she decided she was too ill to make the commitment necessary to to the show. Fortunately, the fabulous bismuthobsidian was able to step in. We had a partial rehearsal last week, but it was just ladrescher and me, because zendzian had a call for Ballyhoo.
Well last night we had our first rehearsal with director and full cast, and I can confidently state that this show is going to kick ass. From the opener (which will likely be Playwriting 101) to the closer (which will likely feature saxikath as well as zendzian - and, I just found out last night, will probably have cameos from lasdrescher and myself as well).
So you should get ready to have your world rocked Thursday July 31 and/or Friday August 1 and/or Saturday August 2 and/or Sunday August 3 (matinee) and/or Thursday August 7 and/or Friday August 8 and/or Saturday August 9.
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June 24th, 2008
06:09 pm - Wheeeeeeeeee! That was FUN!!!
I kinda figured it would suck. But it was really, really FUN!
I just biked home.
Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
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03:39 pm - Who am I to resist a viral meme?
From a large subset of my flist who all know each other, comes a pointer to this strangely moving video of a guy dancing all over the world.
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/bitospud/courier/red/calm.gif) peaceful
Current Music: Soundtrack to "Where the Hell is Matt?"
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June 23rd, 2008
04:03 pm - A most satisfying conversation
Held on the Boston Common, near the Park Street T stop.
SNAG-gy save-the-earthy but still kinda cute Greenpeace guy: You look like someone who cares about the Earth.
Me: I think you have me confused with someone else.
Ss-t-ebskocGg (smiling in a most appealing way): I don't think so.
Me: I hate the Earth.
Ss-t-ebskocGg: I see you out here, enjoying the grass and the sun and the air - and I can tell you love the Earth.
Me: No - I'm simply relishing the fact that with each breath I am pumping more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and and bringing this green, effective planet a few molecules closer to its inevitable demise.
Ss-t-ebskocGg: ....
Me: But I wish you all the best in your futile attempt to save it.
Ss-t-ebskocGg: Thank you. And good luck hastening the Apocalypse.
Current Mood: amused
Current Music: Harry Nilsson-Mother Nature's Son
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June 21st, 2008
01:42 pm - Is this a new code I should be aware of?
So I was at Swing City last night, and bellied up to the bar for a bottle of Adam's Ale. A guy standing next to me looked at me and started the following exchange:
He: You look familiar.
Me: You look kinda familiar too; do you hit a lot of the swing dances?
He: Not so much, I'm new to this.... Do you hang out at the Diesel?
Me: Sometimes.
He (significantly): I'm usually there on Tuesday nights.
Me (light dawning): I don't really pay attention to what night I'm there.
and the conversation changed.
For those not native to Camberville, there's a regular poly meet-up at the Diesel every Tuesday. Since I know a lot of the regulars, I'll often swing back and say hi if I'm there on a Tuesday. Anyway, I thought that was a pretty suave way of sussing out whether I was poly or not. Sort of like asking if you're a friend of Dorothy (or a friend of Bill, I suppose).
I'm curious if there are other subtle ways that people have discovered of finding out mono/poly orientation? I know that I've been on the uncomfortable side of explaining that I'm not poly after someone has made an offer to me. I'm not really complaining; compared to what gays and lesbians go through on a daily basis, the fact that I occasionally have to explicitly state that I'm not looking to date anyone but pinecone_4 is really no big deal. But (especially in this neighborhood), it seems like there should be a less awkward way of doing this than going through the whole clarification when asking someone out, or having the conversation on the first date. I mean, given the challenges that many of my friends (and yours too, I bet) have gone through either trying to be comfortable being monogamous when they feel poly or vice versa, it seems like something you could get out of the way quickly - just like I'd want to know ASAP if someone I'm interested in is only interested in guys.
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June 17th, 2008
03:12 pm - Birthday wishes
Happy birthday to the beautiful, intelligent, and ever amiable classicaljunkie
Current Mood: BIRTHDAY
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June 16th, 2008
05:06 pm - Tonya & Nancy: The Rock Opera - this Sunday here in Som'ville
Want to see Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan duel again -- in song? On a back porch in Somerville? While you sit in a tree drinking a beer?
Pagan Kennedy is throwing another one of her awesome blowouts this Sunday June 22. This one features the Boston debut of the Nancy v. Tonya Rock Opera; this will be a half-hour version of the show that slew Portland, Ore. The show will start at about 4 PM. In the evening, the show will morph into a big outdoor party, replete with cupcakes, hammock-swinging, and schmoozing. The party will rage into the night. There will be intermittent fundraising.
Wait!! Fundraising?!! You didn't say nothing about no fundraising!
This event will be a BENEFIT for Asylum Access, a fantastic non-profit group that provides legal aid to refugees worldwide. So please bring your checkbooks and get ready to donate your ass off! Other than that, there is no admission for this totally awesome event.
It all happens Sunday June 22, starting around 2 pm at
164 Hudson St., Somerville MA 02144. pinecone_4 will be showing up a little early, as we're helping with sound and tech.
IF IT RAINS, COME ANYWAY. We'll figure out how to bring the funk inside.
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Hear what the press has to say: The new TONYA & NANCY: THE ROCK OPERA premiered Feb. 21, 2008 in Portland, Oregon, with Tonya Harding herself enthusiastically in attendance, inspiring nationwide media coverage by AP, CNN, FOX, GOOD MORNING AMERICA and more. Reviews hailed the show as "BRILLIANT AND TOUCHING." It is produced by Triangle Productions with libretto by Elizabeth Searle and Rock music by Michael Teoli. The show is featured in articles in the Portland Oregonian ('TONYA' ROCKS THE STAGE), the Boston Globe (WHY TONYA HARDING VERSUS NANCY KERRIGAN MAKES A PERFECT ROCK OPERA), Seattle Times and elsewhere. TONYA & NANCY: THE ROCK OPERA has had its initial run extended due to popular demand.
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