IAmX
IAmX, IAmX, IAmX, IAmX, IAmX.
Tonight.
IAmX.
Well, I have had my first official tapas experience. Shannon and I drove a two car caravan to Kent Island for a lunch at Lisa’s Small Plates. The atmosphere was very friendly, the restaurant was dead and (consequently) the service was fantastic. And the food, which sometimes seems to take a back seat to everything else, was delicious. We had ensalata caprese, mashed potatoes and blackened asparagus. Everything was washed down with a delicious German Riesling. I followed up my “small plates” with a rather large crème brûlée and espresso. Behold:
Firstly, who knew that putting barcodes on electronic equipment all day long could be a physically exhausting activity? I mean, really…they are stickers. And yet, my back hurts like a witty metaphor as I sit here. Also, my fingers feel like I’ve been pulling Legos apart for countless hours, which is never a good feeling. So here I sit, bloggin’ away because it’s the obvious way to fixing an aching back and soothe the weary fingers…
Anyway, I wanted to talk now about awkward social situations. (Hoover, I fully expect you to chime in here.) Let’s make a list of these things now:
There are probably more, but that’s all I’ve got for now. This is also a ploy to get comments.
Today is Guy Fawkes Day (link contains education), ya’ll! Tonight, Kate and I will be doing the following Brit-astic things to celebrate:
The tea will be hot like a burning Parliament. Total excitement begins now!
…I’ve installed Leopard today. It’s such a strange beast of an Apple OS. I described it to Alex as 40% OS X as we knew it, 40% Windows Vista, and 20% NeXT-ish. Basically, if you’ve seen iTunes recently, you have a general idea of what Leopard is going for. It’s really interesting to see Apple trying to blend several different interface paradigms into one product. We have a smattering of iPhone references (System Preferences icon, rounded menus,) iPod references (CoverFlow, flat Menu Bar) and other various design elements from across the board. I’m glad to see the incorporation – and consolidation – of numerous design languages, but the overall feel for me is a bit jarring. I am starting to like it, though, much the same as I eventually grew to like the newest iTunes. It’s a novelty and breathes some excitement into my nearly 2 year old MacBook Pro. That and a few well-placed caffeine stickers from Kate. 😛
In other geek news, Google has finally deemed my Gmail account worthy of IMAP. So, I’ll be done with multiple inboxes on my iPhone and computer. Hoorah! I hope there are no major hiccups in this transition.
Now, off to get Time Machine working on the lovely Desmond. Ciao!
…he gets so excited to have food in his dish that he chokes himself. It’s one of his more endearing quirks. That, and standing directly on my nuts at 6 am. I love you, Clyde.
So, it’s 11 and I’m at home rather unexpectedly. Well, if I could remember what has been planned, it wouldn’t be quite so unexpected. Kate is at the Lit. House Halloween party thing (or somesuch) and I’m hanging out here until it’s over. So, blog, I thought I’d give you another new post.
*chomp, cough, cough, gulp, mmmmreow*
Flora sent me the oddest letter today. The envelope was addressed to Mr. Nick “Kate” Smerker and inside was a birthday card and a letter written on half an additional envelope. Apparently she had run out of paper and sent a birthday card for Kate to my address. It was adorable and totally eccentric…100% Flora, in other words. One very solid memory of her that I will always have from growing up in her house is seeing her nearly incomprehensible handwriting scrawled on every writable surface. She never did let one scrap of paper go to waste. Cookie recipes mixed in with Trading Post listings for bassinets and always – ALWAYS – coupons, coupons, coupons. They had writing on them, too.
Anyway, yes. I think I’m going to go smoke and enjoy a lovely fall night. Also, I’m bleeding on my wrist rest. Thanks, Bella.
Well, ARoB has been through a tumultuous last two weeks, eh, readers? From the great server fuck up of 2007 to a badly-themed (though harrowing) resurrection, the site has definitely weathered more than its share of troubles. So, to reward it for hanging in there – and to add some novelty to things – we’ve made some changes!
For starters, Hoovah is back as a blogger. Hooray for that! I’m hoping we can all fill in the dead air between posts a little easier since there are more of us and more content to feed off of.
Dusty and I have put in a great new theme for ARoB, too. Things look dramatically different, but don’t fret…it’s all still there, just slightly reorganized. I know I’ve been hoping for a fresher, simpler look and I think you’ll really enjoy it.
So, what do you think?
I’ve been going over and over in my head this morning several different topics for posts here on ARoB. I haven’t posted anything of substance in awhile and I really want something good. “Think, Nick, think…a list? A link? A video?” What can I say that I haven’t said before? That isn’t boring as all hell? I don’t know. Maybe I’ll just ramble at you.
I’m reading House of Leaves because I “borrowed” Kate’s copy on my way out the door the other day. So far, I’m five chapters in and scared out of my mind. Like, to the point where I don’t even really want the book on my nightstand tonight. Is that odd of me? I certainly know that I’ve never felt so off because of a book. Perhaps it’s that the book is so very like my own head…especially the feeling of disconnected observation? More alarmingly, I am accustomed to feeling as though a great, dark thing is always in the periphery of my world. Could that be a Roman Catholic upbringing of pessimism brought into the form of arms and legs? Maybe I’m just the house on Ash Tree Lane…more things on the inside than could ever be expected from the outside?
Or maybe it’s just really close to Halloween and I’ve not been getting enough sleep?
In any case, I tossed and turned last night, not really petrified of anything of substance, just uncomfortable in my thoughts of the uncanny. Remarkably like our narrator in The House of Leaves.
I think I miss Philadelphia. I certainly miss feeling like I am somewhere even when I’m not doing anything. I don’t however, miss living out of a suitcase and I’m greatly looking forward to a weekend of sleeping in and not having to be anywhere at all. Just wake up next to my girlfriend, realize it’s Saturday and go back to sleep…that’s my goal. Maybe we can get a walk in since it’s FINALLY going to be true fall weather here? I shall not dream too big, of course.
Things I need to do to feel at ease:
They are all doable, right? Well, maybe not so much the last one, but I’m going to try at all the rest.
One last thing: Hoover Baiting
During my visit to State College this weekend, I had the pleasure of helping Hannah & Jay set up their swanky new 7.1 surround sound home theatre system. Not content with just merely the sublime beauty of wires well connected, we completed the job with a screening of Children of Men midafternoon. The following is a short review:
Children of Men is set in what may have been the most bleak dystopian future I’ve seen in cinema to date. The year is 2027 and the world is an absolute disaster following a major collapse of the American empire and its dependent nations. To quote the movie, “Only Britain soldiers on.” We meet our primary character, Theo (Clive Owen) as he walks out of a crowd of coffee shop patrons mourning the death of the world’s youngest human and into the wreckage of London. Moments before a bomb rips through the café, no less.
From here, we are swept into the harsh reality of director Alfonso Cuarón’s imagining. Refugees from across the globe are openly herded into containment cages to be shuttled to ghetto cities turned concentration camps. Worse still, not a single child has been born for 18 years. With so little hope for the continuation of mankind, the last humans are left widening the gap between the ultra rich and the rest of society. A fascist government subscribes heavily to preemption – even against its own citizens. The populace is left to the Quietus home suicide kit and increasingly desperate spiritual and political organizations.
But, what happens when it becomes evident that the incurable infertility may perhaps not be all-encompassing? Can Theo help the only pregnant woman on Earth reach the safety of a mysterious hospital ship called “Tomorrow?”
This film left me with an incredible sense of dread: not for the Sci-Fi idea of global infertility so much as for the dead on depiction of a world more bent on the assurance of Homeland Security than on social justice. I have to say, there were several painful scenes that left me with a lump in my throat and even a tear in my eye. The consistency and believability of Cuarón’s 2027 coupled with a beautiful score and stellar performances was an emotional whirlwind to say the least.
Most definitely four stars.
Found taped to my door upon my return from a 3.5 hour drive from State College:
“Neighbors,
Our mother passed away this week. We plan to host a memorial reception in her backyard this Sunday from 2:00 – 6:00. Her backyard is adjacent to your back porches. We would appreciate any courtesy you could extend during this time. Please minimize usage of your back porch during this time.“
Am I the only one that finds this note from neighbors I’ve never met a bit rude?