This Just In!

I'm unemployed.

Seriously.

So, if anyone knows of a job, please, do tell.

For now, I am going to walk away from this damn computer, and get some fresh air.

Slo-Mo = Boo-Hoo

Thanksgiving came inbetween me and a post about the latest episode of "Lost." But as far as I can remember, I liked it, and cried at the end, and then got totally pissed that I cried at the end, because they used such cliches to make me cry (reunions, slow motion, and sappy music) and I HATE it when cliched sentiment works on me, (which, incidentally, it usually does.)

On tonight's' episode, we supposedly learn more about "What Kate Did," which I'm guessing is more than shooting a guy to get to a toy airplane. And you better savor the episode, because if this site is correct, it'll be the last new episode until JANUARY 11TH!! I'm all for breaks from the slavery of primetime viewing, but that's a little severe. And what really pisses me off is its leaving doesn't give me the opening to watch any other show I've had to miss because of my "Lost" priorities. Martha's "Apprentice" airs at the same time, but I TiVo that the next day on CNBC already, (and getting to watch it a day earlier is no big score, believe me.)

I WILL however, be truly thankful when this boring-ass season of "The Amazing Race" finally ends, so that I can start watching "My Name Is Earl" or even "Commander-in-Chief" instead. (Of course I could have just stopped watching TAR when I realized it was going to suck, but that's a whole other matter...)

He's So CUUUUUUUUDE!

Don't forget, "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" airs tonight on CBS at 8pm.

While "The Year Without a Santa Clause" is probably a little cooler than "Rudolph," (you just can't beat those Miser-numbers) I probably get the most enjoyment from "Rudolph." That probably has to do with the fact that is has aired every year of my life (give or take one or two years) and has therefore left a bigger impression.

Christmas season doesn't officially begin for me until I get to sit down and watch that deformed reindeer, his gay friend, and a bunch of "special" toys bow to the ultimate dictorial power of Santa Claus.

Hello Doom, Howareya?

Three more series have gotten the axe, and thankfully, I wasn't a fan of any of 'em. (I know this will be sacrilege to all Pamie-worshippers, but "Hot Properties" really, really sucked.)

Misery

Man, today sucked. I woke up with a horrible headache that did not get any better, codeine be damned. So, while I had planned on working (at home) through the pain, it just wasn't happening, so I had to just call in a sick day and rest my throbbing skull on the couch. Unfortunately, I couldn't just end the day there, because Monday nights I have class. And being that I had already missed one class this semester due to the flu, and I will be missing class next Monday because I will be out of town, I had to somehow ignore the pain, and get myself out of my apartment and off to campus.

In the pouring rain.

Without an umbrella.

But, that's fine, right? Because it was only two bus rides, and not much walking between bus stops.

Wrong. Wrong! The bus wait was 20 minutes for both, with little coverage from the downpour. And when I got to campus, I had to walk from one side of campus to the other to get to my class, and by that time it was really coming down. So I popped into the campus shop, dripping wet, to get an umbrella, but couldn't find one for less than 15 dollars!!! And it's not even that good!

So I got through class and thankfully, he let us out a little early. Alas, it wasn't smooth sailing on the way home. The MUNI car was having trouble with its doors, taking what seemed like an eternity to leave the station, only to dump everyone out at Van Ness to wait for another train. And then on the bus ride up the hill to my place, the driver and a passenger got into a pissing match over his transfer. It was 10pm, and his transfer said 9:30, but his argument was he waited for the bus for over 30 minutes--which I think is valid. But the driver wasn't going to move until he paid his fare. So there were many "fuck yous" from the passenger, groans from fellow travelers, and then finally some other dude just went up and put a buck fifty into the til and that was that.

So now I'm home, cold, head still hurting, and I choose to ramble about it all on the Internet.

Things are worse than I thought.

It's Beginning to Feel a Lot Like Christmas

This week's SFist post is now up. All that's missing is some snow.

It's Just a Shot Away

I've been watching the two New Orleans/Hurricane Katrina episodes of "Nova" and "Frontline" on PBS. I can't say I've been enjoying them since they just manage to get me all riled up, once again, over how the response to the disaster was handled (and we're talking about PBS programming here, so that's to be expected) but I have found them pretty fascinating viewing.

Watching them reminded me of some of my initial reactions to the whole thing, such as hearing reports of people getting raped and killed in the Superdome, and how that was just so unfathomable to me. Like, you're sitting in a stinky, cramped, boiling hot sports arena, hungry, tired, dirty, most likely with no home to return to, so what do you decide to do? Go rape somebody. The hell? And I also rememberd how, at the time, that whole thing just got a refrain from the Rolling Stones song "Gimme Shelter" stuck in my head: "Rape, murder, it's just a shot away, it's just a shot away."

I'm sure it's been mentioned before, but if there is a theme song for Katrina 2005, it's definitely "Gimme Shelter." To wit:

Ooh, a storm is threatening my very life today
If I don't get some shelter, yeah, I'm gonna fade away.
War, children, it's just a shot away, it's just a shot away
War, children, it's just a shot away, it's just a shot away.

Ooh, see the fire is sweeping, our very streets today
Burns like a red coal carpet, mad bull lost its way.
War, children, it's just a shot away, it's just a shot away
War, children, it's just a shot away, it's just a shot away.

Rape, murder, it's just a shot away, it's just a shot away
Rape, murder, it's just a shot away, it's just a shot away
Rape, murder, it's just a shot away, it's just a shot away.

Mmmm, the flood is threatening, my very life today
Gimme, gimme shelter or I'm gonna fade away.
War, children, it's just a shot away, it's just a shot away.
It's just a shot, away, a shot away, a shot away.

I tell ya, love, sister, it's just a kiss away, it's just a kiss away
It's just a kiss away, it's just a kiss away, kiss away, kiss away.

One other thing I learned about "Gimme Shelter": On this recent trip to Disneyland, I had to set the radio alarm clock one morning to the ungodly hour of 5:45am. When it went off, the opening guitar chords of "Gimme Shelter" were playing, followed by the "Oooo...oooo...oooo" chorus. And as Chuck can attest, there's probably no cooler song to be awakened by at 5:45 in the morning...

Turkey Blogging

8:55pm - Well, I think it was a success. It was probably a bit of overkill getting a 23 pound turkey for only eight people, but I firmly believe that Thanksgiving is more about the leftovers than it is the Thanksgiving meal. By the time we sat down to eat at around 4:00, and I piled the food on my plate, I was almost instantly stuffed. What's that about? I was also almost instantly sleepy, but there's no mystery with that one..

I can't wait until about midnight, when I start to get the munchies. THAT'S when I'm really going to enjoy me some Thanksgiving fixins.

12:20pm - You know, roasting a turkey is pretty freakin' boring. The only good part about having to baste it every 30 minutes is being able to eat some of the stuffing each time. Sure, it's probably rife with salmonella, but it's SOOO goooood.

Pretty soon potatoes and green bean casserole will have to be prepped, but until then, I'm going to watch some doggies on da TV.

10:30am - I'm pretty sure that's the face of Jesus, or perhaps it's just The Cybernetic Ghost Of Christmas Past From The Future.

8:45am - I'm snagging some WiFi from someone in my parents' building--score! If I had the energy, I'd post some photos of the turkey in progress, but right now I just don't. It's wrapped in a shroud like a turkey from Turin (as per Martha's cooking directions--cheesecloth soaked in butter and wine. Perhaps that's the shroud of Turin's secret?) and I am on basting duty, every half hour.

And it ain't even 9am yet. It's gonna be a long day.

Happy Thanksgiving!

In case I don't get around to doing some Live Turkey Cooking Blogging (which sounds like I'll be cooking a live turkey. I mean "live blogging" the whole cooking process, of course), I wanted to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving!

And be sure to click around The Hunger Site! Your clicks DO help!

I Haven't Even Finished Eating All of My Halloween Candy

Thanksgiving is already upon us, and I was hoping we'd get an airing of "It's a Wonderful Life" tomorrow night, to start off the Christmas season with an appropriate bucketful of tears. Alas, we aren't so lucky. But at least you can sit down and watch "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" and witness a truly dysfunctional holiday gathering.