Thursday, November 30, 2006

Update

The Mark Kozelek cd is good. The kind of songs I would write if I was any good at writing songs. Acoustic, open tuning, mopey voice and lyrics.

Here is the view from the kitchen this morning:


The dishes have been done and the kitchen is relatively clean.

Addiction to CD's Nuts.

Are you like me? Has it been bothering you for the last few days that when I wrote "inadvertantly and unknowingly" in the last post that I might have been redundant? It's been bugging me, but I've been too lazy to actually dig out a dictionary and check. If it's been bugging you, I'm sorry...

I have been buying cd's like a mofo this week. SInce I last wrote, I purchased a Duke Ellington CD for an absolutely awesome version of 'Auld Lang Syne' that it contains. Then, yesterday at work I saw that Mark Kozelek (from Red House Painters and Sun Kil Moon) has a new live CD. So I had to buy that, too. I know, I know, I should be saving money for when Chipotle opens up down the street. Which should be soon, it looks like. Holy Jeez, what am I going to do?

Today I'm off work and I'm going to do some laundry and take our recycling to the dump.

If you were sitting next to me right now, you'd probably say, "Jeez, Dan, you stink." Because I haven't taken a shower yet today and I smell pretty bad.

Here's what it looked like out of our kitchen window when I got home from work last night:


Monday, November 27, 2006

Questions and Comments are welcome...

Well, thanks to A-Train, I came to discover that I had inadvertantly and unknowingly enabled "comment moderation" on this here blog, which means that the blog wasn't publishing anyone's comments until I approved them, but I didn't know I had to approve them. So I had a big long list of everyone's comments waiting for me to approve. So I have approved them all, and I turned off comment moderation, so feel free to leave your comments and tell me what you think of my life.

So I will now address some of the things that came up in the comments:

1. Sean, you don't get a prize because you are in the picture. Of course you know who took it.

2. No, Becky, I have never cut my fingernails with a knife. It's never gotten that bad.

3. Tim Bantle! Howdy!


And now, on to the things that have been going on...

Last night, A-train Aimee came over and we had some Thanksgiving leftovers and then sat around and shot the proverbial shit. It was a good time, and somewhere in the middle of the conversation I decided that I could go for a nice big G&T, and then another, and another, and by the time Aimee left I was a bit drunk. I always feel a bit strange when I'm the only one who's drinking. Usually because then I'm the only one who's drunk. But I guess it doesn't make me feel too strange, especially when I'm with folks as close as the Jeanners and the Aimers. After Aimee left, the Jeanners and I went out for a walk, and it was a nice quiet night.

Yesterday during the day, the Jeanners and I got some good work done (maybe plugged our mouse hole [if ya know what I mean...] and fixed our annoying squeaky bed) and I also worked a long time on some recording that ended up being not very good. But it was fun to work on it. Maybe I'll stick it up on the Myspace site...

Work has been pretty good. Still owe many phone calls to people.

Sunday, November 26, 2006

Rah, Rah. Sis-Boom-Bah.

Why has writing in the blog seemed not as interesting as it used to? Is this a phase? Will this pass or will the blog slowly die? My guess is this will pass.

At work we are entering the holiday mode, which I don't think will be too bad this year. I wrote a note today to everybody in the department, laying out some helpful hints about how to deal with some of the shit that will undoubtedly come up when the store is full of people, and also just kind of a cheerleading note to say that it could actually be a decent time this year if we all help each other out, because we've got a good crew of fun people. So work was fine, uneventful, and I'm off tomorrow which should be nice. The plan is to hang out with A-Train, who we haven't seen in about a million and a half years, and with whom I will now be able to swap B&N war stories.

I said that work today was uneventful, but I forgot to mention that today I heard that they caught two people having sex in the womens' restroom yesterday at the B&N. Which is fine with me, but I'll bet the two people weren't married, which I think is immoral. I'll bet that people never have sex in the mens' bathroom at the B&N because I keep it smelling like feces so much.

Tom Waits has a new 3-disc set! Zowie!

Thursday, November 23, 2006

Thanksgiving

Well, here it is, Thanksgiving Day, and the Jeanners and I are in the kitchen, listening to Garrison Keillor and preparing our Turkeyday feast. Turkey, stuffing, mashers, vegetables, and many pies. It's a grey, cloudy day here, but we're having a good time so far.

Last night we watched Citizen Kane. I thought it was pretty good. The Jeanners fell asleep.

Tomorrow begins the screaming drive towards Christmas at work. I'm enjoying these last few days before things get crazy. Although I'm hoping that if the department is scheduled well it shouldn't be as hectic as years past.

Hope everyone is having a good holiday!

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Keep Soaping!

Today is a day of mixed emotions. Happy because I have the next two days off, and tomorrow is one of two days during the year when the store is closed and I don't have to think/worry about it. Sad because we're usually in Ohio at this time of year, and we miss our buddies there. But also a little excited because we know that having a break from our usual Thanksgiving festivities will make the next time we get together all the more rockin'. But anyway, I hope that all is well in Ohio and that everyone's Thanksgiving is peaceful and happy.

Today the plan is:

1. hit the gym.
2. inspect our bedroom and kitchen to see where the mousies might be coming in. (we think that the living room has been properly sealed.)
3. make stir-fry. Yeah! Stir-fry!
4. I also, at some point, need to call or e-mail my brother, to whom I have owed an e-mail or call for some time.

'Twas good to hear from Sean about his recent trip back to the Midwest for his (gasp) 30th birthday. When did we all get so damned old? And yet, I'm sure the boy can out party any 18-29 year olds that care to challenge him...

Drew's blog made me laugh today. Perhaps I should change my online alter-ego to turduckenboyden? It seems that fame jumped right from the standard "turkey" directly to the "turducken", and my beloved "turken" never achieved mass popularity. But then, why have a chicken inside a turkey when you can have a chicken inside a duck inside a turkey. 'Tis the American way.

Monday, November 20, 2006

1/2 Day

Sometimes it is more fun to work a half day than it is to have the entire day off. Today was one of those days, I went in to work early for a meeting, stuck around with Elizabeth and got some shite done, and I am now at home, about to put some hot dogs in the pot (not a euphemism, I'm literally going to put some hot dogs in a pot and boil them), and listening to a new cd that I bought for myself.

Today is the type of day I think of when I think "November." Chilly, grey, breezy. Bleak but peaceful. I think the beauty of November is often overlooked after the flashy melancholy of October. But I think it's rapidly becoming my favorite month.

This evening I head in to HCCA to take down the ladders from Love's Labors. Then we're having a meeting to start talking about the summer shows, then a general company meeting. So it'll be a lot of CSC stuff going on this evening. I'll think I'll bring some beer to keep things interesting.

The cd that I bought, by the way, is James Brown's Soul on Top. It's good stuff, especially when you keep in mind that James Brown is absolutely insane. Rolling Stone had a good article a few months ago, and the gist of the article was that James Brown is currently incredibly bonkers, and I believe that article. But anyway, this cd is pretty good, lots of James Brown-esque screaming and wailing, the kind that my dad hates so much. And a big band. It's a big cd, good for playing loud in the car.

Saturday, November 18, 2006

jlhgljhghgfhfgddfg

I have been piss poor on keeping up with the blog lately. Mainly because I've spent the last couple of days wrestling with Jeannie's computer, attempting to rid it of viral infections. Yuck. I hate arguing with machines.

Not too much else going on.

Been enjoying The River in Reverse, by Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint.

Hope all is well at the Schluetermetz house.

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

The Break Up

Ah, I've been working a lot, but I have the next 2 days off. One day of chores and errands, one day of perhaps recording or perhaps sitting on me bum.

The Jeanners and I had a good anniversary. We went to a Greek restaurant called "Samos" located in, well, Greektown. Which is a little distance away, but it was worth it. It wasn't very fancy, the stuff we ordered was relatively cheap, and it tasted almost as good as the stuff at Olympia. I think that with a little lettuce and some feta cheese (which I'm sure can be added next time), the gyros will be just as good as Olympia. And I now know that the Greek sauce-stuff that I like so much is called "tatziki" or something like that.


Yesterday at work a guy came into the department, and looked very well groomed, black leather jacket, vaguely and generically and slightly foreign. He asked if I worked the department, then said he needed my help and knew absolutely nothing of what he was talking about. Then he said, "I will tell you the truth. I am breaking up with my girlfriend, and I want to give her a song that will make her sit and cry for weeks and weeks." Well, at first my mind blanked on good breakup songs. I wanted to say, "Jeez, jackass, the entire Blood on the Tracks album is great for breakups, but he didn't seem like a Bob Dylan type of guy. Plus, I had no idea if the breakup was due to the fact that she did something bad to him [i.e. does he want a mean breakup song?..."Idiot Wind"] or because he did something bad to her [does he want an I'm sorry breakup song?) or did it just end? (in which case a just plain sad breakup song would be in order). In the end I suggested "Gone for Good" by Morphine and "Lost Cause" by Beck. He listened to samples from the songs but didn't seem too impressed. I'm not sure he and I looked at breakups in the same way.

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Year after year of hellacious torture

Tomorrow is the second anniversary of the wedding of the Danners and the Jeanners. We are planning on celebrating by going to a greek restaurant. Whenever we are in St. Louis, we always eat at Olympia (a greek restaurant) and have the deluxe gyros (one of the few instances in which the Jeanners eats meat), and every time we're there we always say, "We have to find a good greek restaurant in Baltimore." So tomorrow, Operation Find a Good Greek Restaurant in Baltimore '06 begins.

In all seriousness, I think this will probably be our last anniversary. I give the marriage maybe six months more, tops.

Sad news has cancelled our Thanksgiving plans. So the Turkeyday will be different this year, and surely not as good as it always is, but we will either find something else to do or else enjoy a few days of doing nothing.

We had our annual holiday meeting today at work. At 6:45 this morning. It's the one time of year when everybody that works at the store is gathered at the same time. Which I always think is kind of fun. Anyway, it was fine.

Thassall for today!

Friday, November 10, 2006

How come you never say "Golly Moses" after we kiss?

The Jeanners and I were going to go see LOVE's LABORS tonight, but I was too damned tired when I got home from work. So we stayed home and watched THE PHILADELPHIA STORY instead, which I was not expecting to like but ended up liking a lot. Basically it's about a bunch of rich white people who get trashed and then hungover. But with Jimmy Stewart, who I always enjoy.

Also, we caught another mouse tonight. I have a feeling that as the weather gets colder we'll be catching bunches. At least we seem to be catching them now before they get a chance to settle in and we really get to know them. Still, it makes a person feel pretty damned guilty.

Had a really rude customer today, someone who was belligerent for no reason, not just annoying. Haven't had one of those in awhile. 'Tis almost the season!

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

US-6 Mice-0

We caught another mouse last night. I think that puts the total at 6 since we moved in at the beginning of July. That's more than 1 a month. The mice still seem to prefer the death trap to the happy trap. Maybe we should just buy a fox...

Right now Jay Farrar is playing on the Itunes radio station we enjoy so much.

Last night I (finally) did not wake up in the middle of the night due to dreams of shoplifters. I did, however, have a dream that I was an usher on Letterman.

I like to think that, in most areas of my life, I employ a healthy mix of cynicism and hope. But when it comes to politics, the cynicism really rears its ugly head. I hope that in the coming years my inner thoughts are proven wrong and that somehow the U.S. government becomes a lot less interested in killing people and more interested in subsidizing the sagging compact-disc industry.

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Cutting off hands seems reasonable to me.

The shoplifters are getting to me. It's very depressing to find a bunch of things stolen every day and not be able to figure out who the f*@# is stealing all this shit?! Especially when you think the person who is stealing all this shit is a damned kid.

This morning before work Jeannie and I were listening to an Itunes radio station and in the course of about an hour I heard Greg Brown, Daniel Lanois, Nick Drake, Elliott Smith, and Ron Sexsmith. Not too shabby.

I think I've decided that when it comes to obscenities in the blog, I'm going to follow the example of The Goonies. Which means that you can say "shit", but the f-bomb is reserved for very extreme circumstances.

Tomorrow night I have plans to go have a half-priced burger with Patrick From Work and then watch LOST. I am looking forward to it.

Everyone Absolutely Must Vote

I do not actually believe the above statement is true, which I'm sure would make some (most) of my friends angry with me. But oh well.

Last night as I was parking my car at the end of the night, I saw a fox rummaging through some garbage and then trotting nonchalantly across the street.

Every night this week I've been waking up in the middle of the night with nightmares about shoplifters. It seems we're having a problem in the department at the B&N with the thievery.

Well, everyone have fun voting!

Sunday, November 05, 2006

Great Scott!

Ah, November 5th, 2006. Twenty-one years ago, Marty McFly took his fateful trip back in time. Thirty years ago, the world welcomed one Seanyboy Spiff. What a day!

It's Sunday morning, and I have the day off, thankfully. Last night at work I felt like I was getting sick, but I'm not sure if that was the case or not.

What shall Jeannie and I do with our day? We have no plans except to make a large stir-fry dinner this evening. We were talking about maybe playing outside, but it's not a very sunny day.


Well, after writing the previous sentences, Jeannie and I went to the gym, went to Trader Joe's, and came home and had a nice bacon n' schmeggs breakfast. Now I'm going to lay on the couch and relax.

Last night I listened to Steinmetz Family Rhymin' at about 1 in the morning and it made me sad, partly because it's so good and partly because I miss my friends a lot. Thanksgiving!

The phrase for the day is: baby seal cracker pig.

Friday, November 03, 2006

"Hello Dear. Senator. Babs."

The title of this post is my favorite line from the Alfred Hitchcock film, Strangers on a Train, which the Jeanners and I watched this evening. It was nice to sit around and chill after a long, relatively annoying day at work.

Love's Labors opened tonight. Hope everything goes well.

Right now the Jeanners and I are resting on the couch, and I have a feeling that we'll be in bed soon. I'm pretty damned tired, and her eyes are closed, which means soon it will sleepy time for us both.

Thursday, November 02, 2006

Hoops and jumping

I am blogging this blog on the road. I'm currently at the Howard County Cente for the Arts (known to those in the know as HCCA) where I was doing a little work on the lights and set for Love's Labors.

I spent my entire day off working on b-crap for the B&N, and I'm still not done. Some of the b-crap will be helpful in the long run, but much of it will not. I wish I could say, "Well, at least I'm getting paid for it." But I'm not. Dammit.

I desperately need a haircut. And I need to call my parents.

It's been beautiful autumness here.

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Potpourri

Strangely divergent things going on for the next few days. I have 2 days off (which hasn't happened in awhile) and here's some of the things on my non-existent to-do list:

1. Laundry (today)
2. Eye Doctor Appointment (today)
3. Go to HCCA to finish and touch-up the set (today)
4. Watch LOST (tonight)
5. Do 2 months worth of hypothetical schedules and daily assignment sheets for work (tomorrow)

That's about it. I guess it's not really as much as it seems like in my head. But doing all the scheduling stuff tomorrow is probably going to take many unpaid hours. Why am I volunteering my time to a huge corporation? Because I care, dammit.

A couple of days ago I switched our music library over to Itunes. I hate all things I-related (ever since the deaths of my Ipod, as well as Apple's practice of making all of their hardware and software incompatible with other brands [to the point that when I install Itunes on the computer, it loads some sort of malicious script that makes it impossible for me to open Musicmatch Jukebox -- and the same thing happened when I tried to install my Creative Zen Touch MP3 player onto the computer; I couldn't install the damn thing until I had uninstalled Itunes]), but Jeannie and I have been enjoying listening to the Internet radio stations included with Itunes. Plus, now we can (easily and legally) download many more This American Lifes for our upcoming road trip to Ohio for Thanksgiving. Yeah, Thanksgiving!

Yesterday was my 4 year anniversary with the B&N. It was also my dad's 4 year anniversary of his retirement.

Here's what the Jeanners looked like (with friend Katie) last night for Halloween:



She asked that I not post this picture, but I believe that freedom of expression is one of the things that makes this country great. I think the lesson here is that if you don't want people to post pictures of you as some sort of blue wizard on their blogs, then you shouldn't take any pictures of yourself when you are dressed up like some sort of blue wizard.

Did anyone else catch Letterman the other night when Borat was on and he made the reference to "wizards sleeves?" Funny stuff.