why I almost pissed myself with joy tonight: this and this. have I pre-ordered both? you bet. do you care? probably not. I'm a big nerd, after all.

everyone who's anyone has heard of equus by now. well, any and all harry potter fans, anyway. I'm not saying daniel radcliffe is the hottest thing goin. from a legal standpoint, I shouldn't even say that a 17 year old is the most lukewarm thing goin. but there really is something undeniably...am I allowed to say tepid?...about the promo pics. they're easy to find--just google "daniel radcliffe equus." don't expect to find any nudes, though. not yet anyway.

one of my biggest recent pet peeves: people who think that ethanol is the solution to america's oil dependency. am I the only person who researches things before I start flapping my jaw about them? I'm all for alternative fuels, but I won't even get into all the reasons why increased ethanol usage could do as much harm as good, both economically and ecologically. do what I did: read. it's not hard; been doing it since I was three.

while I'm still up on my soaring steed, I guess I gotta comment on the situation at the old alma mater (link to most recent story, if you're shrugging at this). it goes without saying that I'm saddened and disappointed by both the incident itself and the manner in which it was handled. I think that it has brought to light issues that have plagued guilford since well before my time there, notably the lack of synthesis between athletes and the rest of the student body. not that a hate crime is representative of an athlete's mindset...but it can reflect the mind of a jock. there is a difference.

however, I don't believe that said student body is painting an accurate picture of guilford for the press, not unless it's changed considerably in the not quite four years (!!!) since I graduated. Quaker values are very much a part of the college as a whole, yes. they are taken to heart by many of the faculty and students, including yours truly. but at no point--as far as I know--has guilford been a paradise. no one has the right to expect that of it.

more importantly, though, it's much farther from being the demilitarized zone that some folks are talking about. I read students' reports of "rampant racism and bigotry" on campus. I was a pretty socially active guy there, and at no time would I have dreamed of making such a statement. you got sweethearts and assholes, just like any other campus on earth. in the grand scheme of things, guilford is--and, I hope, always will be--more open minded and accepting of differences than most colleges, particularly small ones. it's just that a few scratches on a new rolls-royce are more obvious and inflammatory than a couple dents in an '86 escort. and shouldn't I be seen as an informed source? about the colleges, not the cars.

I ask myself if I'd recommend guilford to my own son/daughter if they were getting ready to fill out their applications today. well, the school's been through a lot of changes, good and bad. but the answer is still yes. my time there was the formative experience of my adult life, something that I'll always treasure. I only wish that everyone could have such a joyous four years at guilford.

and that other people would let them.

fantastic birthday this year! dinner with justin, josh, parents, nadine, and half of carra (she only had time to drop by for bread and beverages) at the melting pot. got the present I asked for: a new kitchen faucet. nothing wrong with the old one, but this one arcs up higher over the sink for ease of use. so many people called/myspaced/texted me with well wishes, people I hadn't heard from in years. thanks!

if you missed this year's twenty-sixth birthday celebration, you can catch the encore in 2008. I'm finished for a while. not gonna turn 27, sorry. my age is frozen until I'm at least 38, hopefully.

random gift from dad: one touch can opener. usually the junk you see advertised on tv is just that, junk. but those things really are nifty.

tax return done. having a mortgage sure does help, oh yeah. my refund is obscene. next year it's justin's turn to claim the interest and property tax, though, so I'm not getting used to it. to celebrate I treated myself to a gig of RAM to punch up the computer a little in case I want to take the windows vista plunge at some point. once I get the money, however, the bulk of it is going into savings to help me bounce back from my post holiday brokedom.

hooray for tax time! at least I hope it turns out to be a hooray. hopefully the interest paid on the house will help.

what the tax preparation companies don't want you to know: if you made less than $52k last year you can e-file your federal return for free. this will be the second time I've done so with h and r block. you'll notice, however, that nowhere on block's website do they have a link to free filing--you gotta sneak in the back door. for a complete list of said back doors, looka here.

phrase I hate: "jimmy hat." please don't say it around me. ever.

can't believe we actually had a little snow last week. for a few shining hours I thought we might actually have a shot at a real winter.

as some of you may know, my birthday is a week from monday. I know it's gauche to ask for presents, but if you consider me a friend there's something you could do for me. if you haven't already, see the film happenstance (the one made in 2000). I netflixed it, but I'm sure that some video stores are cool enough to stock it. check foreign. yeah, it's in french, deal with it. seriously, though. it's been a really, really long time since a movie has left me speechless. just see it. I don't think you'll regret it.

by the way, that picture of audrey tautou in pigtails on the cover is actually from a totally different movie. bizarre.

hollywood filmmakers have completely run out of material. I've suspected this for a while. now I know. halloween is being remade. not another sequel, not even a prequel, but a straight up remake. shooting starts on my birthday, in fact. and I don't care if rob zombie is directing and dee wallace-stone does have a role. this is a bad idea.

it's finally starting to feel like winter. they're even calling for precip tomorrow. being dumb awful nc weather, though, it's "sleet and freezing rain." whatever happened to snow? it just ain't right.

too much negativity. time for a little scott caan to lighten the mood!




ah! I know I feel better. well, a little foolish. "little scott caan" is redundant, after all.

could someone please explain to me how a single person can make nearly $50k per year and have a for-fucks-sake overdrawn checking account? that's not a rhetorical question. I really can't figure it out. except for having a car payment--a pretty low one--my expenses really aren't that different from when I was making ten bucks an hour. I look over my bank statement and the majority of my money is spent on groceries. not really a trimmable expense. and I can't even remember the last time I bought lox.

rumor has it: ikea coming to charlotte. no longer is a trip to d.c. or atlanta necessary to replace a broken plate or glass.

tax time is coming up. please, IRS, let this year's pound of flesh and blood be a few ounces smaller. of course the house can be claimed this year. how it can be claimed I'm not sure, given the joint title and mortgage. I think I'll just break down and let h&r block handle it this year.

ah! she wised up after all!

my new year's wasn't what I planned. I don't want to go into it here--some dirty laundry should be very selectively aired--but the first few days of 2007 were very difficult for me. several very special people helped me through them. you know who you are. God bless and thank you.

I hate dubbed movies. not because I'm a film snob, but because it drives me nuts to see mouths and words not in sync. I'd much rather read subtitles than deal with that.

would someone with more technical knowledge than mine please author a blogger.com toolbar for firefox? it would make me happy. I'll buy you something nice.

I hope that the past few days have treated all well. Christmas eve with my family was wonderful as always, although it was a shame that my sister and her lot stayed in pennsylvania this year. got a new george foreman grill from the 'rents (the fancy kind with the thermostat) and a beautiful crosley stereo from justin--the retro kind with the turntable, and this one even has a cd changer! I took the occasion to buy fleetwood mac's "tusk" on vinyl.

speaking of which, I'm not one of those people who thinks stevie nicks is a witch, but I'm concerned that she may have sold her soul to the devil. I mean, have you seen her? the woman is fifty-eight years old and looks forty tops. and I'm not seeing signs of much work being done. I've gotten pretty good at spotting surgeons' touch ups. of course sometimes it's easier than others, especially with botox. hello, kathy griffin! it's not natural to look surprised ALL THE TIME!

so it's time to begin another year. I reviewed my resolutions from this one. I can't state that I have completely fulfilled any of them save one. I haven't seen hitch yet! eat that, will smith. I'm proud of myself.

I look at a dawning year differently than I used to. it's different when you live in the "real world." when you're a kid you feel secure that life won't change much. even in college there was more of a sense of stability. you would study, party, hang with your friends and your folks, just like the year before. sure, you could flunk out or lose someone you loved. but it didn't feel like you could. then you graduate. you get a career, a relationship, a home. your close friends aren't as close as they used to be. suddenly you realize that your entire world revolves around two or three crucial elements that could change at any time. your day to day existence could fall on its ass at the drop of a hat. a new year can mean a fresh start, a means to a better life. but the fact is, it's the future. and anything can happen. the worst of it is, I'm not writing this snookered. I'm not even in an especially bad mood. it's just the way I see it.

shit, what a grouch. it's a shame I quit smoking. embittered commentary is so much more effective with a cig and a grimace. I know it's important to remember how lucky we are to have the lives we lead. I'm luckier than most. so here's hoping for the best year yet!

if I had to name a worst personal year, it would have to be 2001. chronologically, here's how it went: dropped out of school, was diagnosed with ADD and depression, broke up with fiance, got job that I hated and walked out on, got much too serious with a mentally deranged guy who walked out on me. then, just when school starts back and everything looks hunky dory, 9/11. yeah, it more or less sucked. more, in fact.

so everyone kiss at midnight, eat greens and black eyed peas, and hope that a dark haired man visits. all that good stuff. just think of it as doing your part to prevent further terrorist actions.

so I'm totally supposed to be in wv right now. I couldn't get all my shit together this afternoon, though, and am leaving in a little bit. so I should get there around dawn, just in time for bed.

speaking of the holidays, one of these is tempting, though I don't celebrate it myself.

so bono's being knighted. am I the only one who is surprised that he hasn't been already? I'm not cuckoo for bono or anything, but considering some of the others who've received the honor, well...

are there certain cities that, although you know they're sizable, it's very surprising to learn that individual people actually live in them? little rock is one of those for me. so's saint louis. fort wayne. until recently, harrisburg.

when naming a child, I think that parents should take into account that certain names help predestine attractiveness as an adult. no guarantees, but some names just imply sex. luke and hannah are two good ones, in my opinion.

whomever did the makeup on scrooged gave bill murray too much eyeliner.

it took the recent snl sketches to convince me, but nancy grace really is awful. not ann coulter awful, but possibly bill o'reilly awful.

I hate to do another post that could come across as pro-microsoft, but since I own a toshiba gigabeat I've been following the intro of the zune with interest (since the gigabeat is basically its predecessor). it's absurd that microsoft would introduce zune and immediately admit that it needs improvement--scratch that, they admitted it before introduction. I believe that the zune will be the player to have. just not yet. even if I was in the market for a new device now, I wouldn't buy until at least spring. I'm thinkin that the first redesign will come through by then.

the next post will likely be post-festivities. have good ones!

I think that if anyone in our society can be said to have a superpower, it's justin timberlake. granted he isn't faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, or able to leap tall buildings in a single bound (that we know of). but no matter what he says, does, sings, or wears, he's able to effortlessly convince the public at large that that's the right thing--the fashionable thing--to do. he could bring victorian lace collars back into vogue easily. he could recite dadaist sound poetry and end up in the top 40. he could gain 100 pounds and people the world over would start scarfing twinkies to catch up.

I'm not putting it down. I'm part of the public at large, too.

the information in this post is over two years old, but as it has only now come to my attention it may be new to you as well. sit up and pay attention, class, as this is marginally more interesting than my usual drivel:

I'm a pc user. I am neither proud of that fact nor ashamed of it. I know many mac users. that's their scene, that's okay. I don't want any of them to get offended by what I have to say, because I'm only targeting a small percentage of mac users here. small, but just annoying enough to warrant this little rant.

I'm speaking of the "mac cultists." you know the type. their wee white earbuds are always in, their clothes and hair tend to be fashionably rumpled, and they plaster white apple stickers on most of their personal belongings--particularly the back windows of their vw jettas. it's not just consumer electronics, it permeates their very being. these folks like to crow about mac superiority, bill gates being the devil, and so on and so forth. taking every opportunity to give their poor slob friends o/s envy. for this crowd, the macintosh apple seems to have become the new generation's version of the peace sign: a symbol of individuality, intelligence, and an implied suggestion of screwing the system and loving it.

first off, do you remember this commercial?

I know I do; I remember it well. like many people, I was afraid that it signified the death knell of file sharing. the golden age of free napster was kaput, the feds were cracking down, and we had all better mind our ps and qs.

and only now have I learned that, although the threats weren't empty, we were all getting royally mind fucked.

now watch this and, if you will, read the brief comments that follow the video on the same page (yes, the whole shebang is hosted by mac itself, which makes the whole sitch even more bizarre).

all this may not resonate with you very much. it really hits home with me, though, since I not only remember the tv spot well but was also affected by it in the exact way that pepsi, mac, and the riaa intended. I watch the second clip and think of all those irritating recent mac commercials. you know, the ones with the young hipster verbally squaring off against the stuffy guy in the suit?

wake up, mac nuts. you may consider yourselves party to the lesser of two evils where microsoft is concerned, and maybe you're right. but the apple ain't ambrosia, steve jobs ain't the messiah, and you're not half as rebellious as you'd like to believe.

I'm a fence rider on a lot of issues, I admit. capital punishment is not one of them. here's one of the many reasons why. think that's bad? some of the botched electrocution cases I've studied are much, much worse.

sometimes I wish that, just once, I could give someone 100% and get the same in return. is that selfish?

speaking of percentages, I've realized that I have a set amount of mental energy specifically devoted to worrying. barring catastrophies, I generally worry at the same level all the time. sometimes it's just more equally distributed--several things versus one or two biggies, it can go either way. think pie charts.

I heard a radio commercial refer to the "charlotte-greensboro area."

what?

dirty santa tonight at work. scored a big sampler of tea. heather is now the proud owner of the cordless screwdriver that was my contribution.

another good film seen: sisters, with margot kidder. it's a total hitchcock ripoff, but in a good way. and it takes place on staten island of all locales. I don't think I've seen any other flicks that can claim that. certain scenes, yes, but not entire movies.

adrienne barbeau AND nicholas brendon?!? who wouldn't be looking forward to this movie! and I'm sure you'll agree if you've seen her do it--there is nothing sexier than adrienne holding a gun. nothing.

"jeremy is a big homo" alert: I've discovered the glory that is dita von teese. how does marilyn manson do it? first rose mcgowan, now this lovely lady. I'm missing something.

attention all greensbohemians: eat at backstreets, the new restaurant on battleground. it's good. swank but reasonable. I can't recommend the au gratin potatoes. but order anything else.

where the hell do filmmakers get off listing "special guest stars" in the credits of feature length movies? in my opinion, only tv shows can legitimately list guest stars.

I must not go to perez hilton's website anymore. it's corroding my brain. but, like the proverbial train wreck...

more echos of suburbia: I did a substantial portion of my Christmas shopping at sears.

I think daniel handler might be insane. I think I may be in love with him. too bad he's married. too bad I kindasortamaybeonedayalmostifimlucky am.

the chronicles of narnia. the harry potter series. it was only a matter of time.

lemony snicket.

for an adult, I make a great eight year old.

I usually don't go this long without posting, but I just haven't had the mental energy. I barely have the physical energy to do my daily stuff. I wonder if I should see the doctor. I rely so much on my adderall to give me a kick start and I sleep 12-14 hours on nights that I can get away with it. my diet sucks and I don't exercise for crap, though, and I'm sure those are the primary changes the doc would suggest.

however, I am right on top of Christmas this year. most of my gifts are purchased. and get this: the tree is up. and decorated. it may never happen again.

wanna read the most annoying article ever? I advise against it, but here it is. as a guy I feel obligated to say: "um, no." I've come to the conclusion that there are certain men who can't force themselves to commit to a single partner, but they aren't representational. those guys just shouldn't involve themselves in would-be monogamous relationships; they don't deserve them anyway. if you and your significant other have an "understanding" that you're both fine with, that's cool. but pretending to be committed to one individual when you're playing around is deceitful, cruel, and among the greatest harm you can do to another human being short of killing them outright.

steps off soapbox.

the new centre city park is open downtown. gorgeous fountain--it can even be programmed to do neat tricks like the one at the bellagio. even as a taxpayer, I wholeheartedly approve.

oh, and for your consideration was well worth the wait. go. see. enjoy.

hope everyone ate lots of turkey. or tofurky, if that's your scene. you know, of course, that that whole tryptophan business is essentially a myth. so if dinner made you sleepy, it was probably just your aunt tillie's conversation. that or just massive amounts of food that would make you sleepy regardless of what it was.

think myspace is addictive? pshaw. have some fun with yahoo answers. it's such an easy way of making a difference in the world (and, for students, getting free help with homework). I myself convinced a total stranger to buy a volvo instead of a saab. sorry, saab. and the point accumulation is so addictive. dammit, I WILL get to level two if it kills me!

robert altman has passed away. his death is a great loss for cinema. I don't know that there will ever be another like him.

updated my e-mail link at the top and linked to my myspace profile. I know I should shut petrified fountain down for good, but maybe one fine day I'll actually get motivated.

willow doesn't watch much tv with me. tonight, however, she was completely enthralled with fritz the cat. sat and stared for about an hour. I find this both amusing and disturbing...sort of like the movie itself.

speaking of movies, I'm about to piss myself with excitement over for your consideration next weekend. if your're lucky enough to live where it's playing and have seen it do NOT tell me. I want to watch it with a totally clean slate, without even reading reviews.

many "today's special" clips are on youtube. it's wonderful, and a good remedy for the mean reds. watching segments like this one makes me realize just how gay jeff really was. the things you don't notice as a child!

justin's birthday dinner is at buca di beppo this weekend. I'd better not eat between now and then. I probably won't eat for several weeks following, either.

oh, and the insomnia problem is solved. it had been years since I'd tried melatonin, so I gave it another go. I don't remember that stuff packing so much of a punch. talk about sleeping like the dead.

the new version of blogger is nice.

I want to apologize to anyone associated with me for being off kilter for the past week or so. I've just had a lot on my mind. it's complicated. you know, it's terrible to be depressed and not know why. but I think it can be worse to know why you're depressed and not be able to do anything about it.

a lot of it has to do with how little I see justin these days. he's working a crazy schedule (due to the restructuring of eghs's student body after the fire) that means we don't really see each other during the week. he also has a lot of conferencing and whatnot going on. he can't help it, and he's been more than understanding about my weird hours over the years. it's still tough. if I don't start getting out more I could easily go five days a week without talking with anyone face to face.

speaking of socializing, I was psyched to see the prestige with carra today but I had to stay in bed with a nasty stomachache. yecch. there went my sunday.

I'm so over frosted mini wheats. malt-o-meal blueberry muffin tops cereal blows my mind. I'm going straight into rehab over this stuff.

something else I'm excited about: Christmas. this year I'm truly pumped. I've already started shopping and planning the decor. gives me something to look forward to.

hopefully tonight I can overcome the insomnia that has plagued me lately. it's not good to be going to sleep hours after most of this time zone is awake.