Last night The Jeanners and I took the train downtown and met P. Kilpatrick and Theresa at the Orioles game. Which was fun and a nice change of pace. I got to drink my overpriced beer and eat my not-so-super super dog (though in the name of frugality and moderation I opted out of the nachos). It was kinda strange because the Orioles were playing the Yankees, and the stadium was pretty packed (which usually doesn't happen because the O's, well, kinda suck) [sorry, Elizabeth] (but they won last night!), and there were just as many Yankees fans in the crowd as O's fans. It's kind of an East Coast phenomenon, I think, because the cities are all so close together, that not everyone in a city roots for the same team. It still feels strange to me and kinda wrong, because in St. Louis, pretty much everybody roots for the St. Louis teams, the way God intended it. Anyway, baseball is pretty boring, but it's nice to go sit somewhere strange with friends.
When we got home there was a message on the machine from Korn at the B&N that they had apprehended a shoplifter who's been hitting our store for (at least) the past few days. I found him on the video footage yesterday, and showed him to Korn when she came in, and on the message she said that he came in again last night and she called the manager who called the police who came in and detained the guy, but they weren't able to arrest him or anything because there was no footage of him actually leaving the store with the merchandise. But still, it was nice to actually catch somebody, thanks to Korn's vigilance. Way to go, Korn!
I also heard from Elizabeth, who doesn't know a Mr. Cramer, and after I described him she deduced that it was, infact, Mr. CRAVEN who sent along his hello.
Oh, and our TV broke last night. We're gonna try not getting a new one. Last night we ended up watching MAD ABOUT YOU on Jeannie's computer in bed. Yes, we own MAD ABOUT YOU on dvd. And we like it, too.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Friday, July 27, 2007
Oh, 'bout a week back...
I've had a literal pain in my neck/back for the last few days. I think I slept in a funny position and now I'm uncomfortable.
The Jeanners and I went to watch Edward Scissorhands last night down at the Visionary Arts Museum. It's projected onto the side of the building and then lots of folks sit on a big hill and watch the film. It was kinda boring, though. But it was a nice night to sit outside with my girlfriend.
I've talked to Elizabeth a few times in the last few weeks, she seems to getting settled in and (to the best of my knowledge) enjoying herself. By the way, E-beth, Mr. Cramer from the B&N says hello and sorry he didn't get to say goodbye.
Because I tend to listen to the same things over and over again, I felt like I wasn't updating my music list enough, so I've cut it down to one song, and it's going to be a song that fits a weekly-ish theme. This week's theme: girl groups! I like girl groups because I'm a sucker for background vocals and drums that sound like they were recorded in a concrete room. Ah, the Supremes...
Tomorrow night J-Dog and I are going to an Orioles game courtesy of CSC, which I wouldn't be too excited about except that I'll get to eat hotdogs and nachos, drink beer, and hang out with P. Kilpatrick. Sounds like a plan to me.
The Jeanners and I went to watch Edward Scissorhands last night down at the Visionary Arts Museum. It's projected onto the side of the building and then lots of folks sit on a big hill and watch the film. It was kinda boring, though. But it was a nice night to sit outside with my girlfriend.
I've talked to Elizabeth a few times in the last few weeks, she seems to getting settled in and (to the best of my knowledge) enjoying herself. By the way, E-beth, Mr. Cramer from the B&N says hello and sorry he didn't get to say goodbye.
Because I tend to listen to the same things over and over again, I felt like I wasn't updating my music list enough, so I've cut it down to one song, and it's going to be a song that fits a weekly-ish theme. This week's theme: girl groups! I like girl groups because I'm a sucker for background vocals and drums that sound like they were recorded in a concrete room. Ah, the Supremes...
Tomorrow night J-Dog and I are going to an Orioles game courtesy of CSC, which I wouldn't be too excited about except that I'll get to eat hotdogs and nachos, drink beer, and hang out with P. Kilpatrick. Sounds like a plan to me.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
My wife caught me absentmindedly moving my hand and making sound effects like I was casting a spell while reading the Harry Potter.
Uh, yeah. Let's not talk about that.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
HP
Well, ol' HARRY POTTER went on sale last night at the stroke of midnight, and at the B&N we had our big party, and it was very intense. Lots and lots of people there. But everything went smoothly and I actually had a good time. It was very tiring, though, and when I had to go into work this afternoon I seriously considered calling out sick just because I didn't want to go to work, and I don't think I've ever done that before.
We got out of the store last night at about 2:30, and as I was driving home I was thinking about how nice it would be to have a cigarette. I think that late at night is when I miss smokey treats the most, especially while driving and especially on pleasantly cool nights and especially when I'm tired. And yet, I abstain. And am happy because of / despite it.
The Jeanners and I are gonna go on a date tomorrow after I get home from work! We're gonna go get Thai grub! And try to sit outside!
Happy music news: new Josh Rouse CD at the end of the month.
Other happy news: plans are being hashed out for an August visit to the Schluetermetz'.
We got out of the store last night at about 2:30, and as I was driving home I was thinking about how nice it would be to have a cigarette. I think that late at night is when I miss smokey treats the most, especially while driving and especially on pleasantly cool nights and especially when I'm tired. And yet, I abstain. And am happy because of / despite it.
The Jeanners and I are gonna go on a date tomorrow after I get home from work! We're gonna go get Thai grub! And try to sit outside!
Happy music news: new Josh Rouse CD at the end of the month.
Other happy news: plans are being hashed out for an August visit to the Schluetermetz'.
Friday, July 20, 2007
Business Ass Usual
Well, let's see now: nothing too exciting has been going on. Been working, been hanging out, been working on music and then throwing music away because I didn't like it enough. Been going for walks (the Jeanners and I took an 8 mile walk last weekend. And other walks, too), been sweating a lot.
The last HARRY POTTER book comes out tomorrow night/Saturday morning. It's a big day at the B&N, but in the end it will boil down to a few hours of a bunch of annoying kids and their more-annoying parents running around and making a mess and asking stupid questions. And then life will go back to normal.
The big questions in life right now concern the capital-F (in fact, all caps) FUTURE. Like, what does it hold? There are many options, most of which deal with moving, paring down our life, and somehow living very basically. And yet, all of those options seem to occur in some very vague, cloudy future that exists some time, oh, a ways away. And as a result, it feels like absolutely nothing interesting is happening NOW and it feels very boring. There, I said it: I'm bored. Bored, bored, bored. And how does the song go? "If you're bored then you're boring..." Indeed. Whatever happened to Harvey Danger? I think I need a less frustrating hobby than working on music...
I miss my faraway friends. Except for one of them.
The last HARRY POTTER book comes out tomorrow night/Saturday morning. It's a big day at the B&N, but in the end it will boil down to a few hours of a bunch of annoying kids and their more-annoying parents running around and making a mess and asking stupid questions. And then life will go back to normal.
The big questions in life right now concern the capital-F (in fact, all caps) FUTURE. Like, what does it hold? There are many options, most of which deal with moving, paring down our life, and somehow living very basically. And yet, all of those options seem to occur in some very vague, cloudy future that exists some time, oh, a ways away. And as a result, it feels like absolutely nothing interesting is happening NOW and it feels very boring. There, I said it: I'm bored. Bored, bored, bored. And how does the song go? "If you're bored then you're boring..." Indeed. Whatever happened to Harvey Danger? I think I need a less frustrating hobby than working on music...
I miss my faraway friends. Except for one of them.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
The End of an Era
Friday was Elizabeth's last day at the B&N, where she has worked since the store opened around 1997 or '98, back when most of us were still drunkenly stumbling around the Truman State area. I would be a blubbering wreck, but I know that she and I will keep in touch over cyberspace, a space that has served me well in keeping in touch with faraway friends. Tonight, she and all of her stuff will be caravaning across the country to her new abode in Chicago. So, anybody who's reading this who's still in Chicago, keep an eye out for Bewley for me.
Over the weekend, the Jeanners and I were house-and-dog-sitting for her boss' sister. It was relatively uneventful, just a chance to soak up someone else's AC and watch cable. I did get a chance to catch part of the 80's hockey movie classic, Youngblood, featuring Rob Lowe, Patrick Swayze, and Cynthia Gibb, who once ignited the fires in a pre-pubescent Dan O'Brien's loins.
But don't worry, Jeanners, the marriage is still safe...
Last night, me and J-Dog were in bed shooting the shit, and for some reason
we were talking about possible names for any future children that might
pop out. The newest name choice for any future male J-Dog and D-Bone
progeny: VaJulian Johnson O'Brien. Or, VaJJ O'Brien. For any future female progeny: Cockstrong O'Brien.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
The Glassacre
So much fun schtuff has been happening! Here's a recap:
A) The Beej was in town over the weekend to see the shows. It wasa quick trip and I was working part of the weekend, so I didn't get to see him a ton, but he and Pat and Theresa and I had a sleepover at MAW's empty house, where Beej and Pat and I played geek games until 4am. And I drank 2 Cokes and ate a bag of Doritos. I don't normally drink much caffeine, so by the time 4am rolled around I was pretty wired.
2) Sunday night the Beej and the Jeanners and the A-Train and I headed out for dinner, first to the nice sushi place that we've always talked about going to, but it was closed. So we settled on Rocky Run. A few new phrases have been added to the vernacular as a result of this dinner: borrowing spoons (means "on drugs." Example: "I hear Lindsay Lohan is borrowing spoons."), tide stick (means "a stick that is driven into the ground and then used to tie your arm to so that you eat differently and don't drip food on the same part of your arm each time."), glassacre (doesn't really mean anything but it's a funny word. The glass hooker incident referred to a few posts ago could be considered a 'glassacre.'), and carrying a Mary Poppins bag (which can have many uses, most of them sexual. Example: "When Pat puts on those tight pants, he's really carrying a Mary Poppins bag.").
C) Monday night there was a meeting at Ian's where the next 5 or 10 years of CSC was discussed. It was one of those, "let's have dinner and discuss the big picture" type of artistic meetings that I really really enjoy. It was a good group of people and a fun time. And hopefully some good came out of it.
D) I worked on music today for the first time in a long time and had a lot of fun doing it. Came up with a song that sounds a lot like 'The Same,' but is different enough that I enjoy it and will keep working on it.
Got a day off tomorrow and only a few chores to take care of. Hopefully it won't be 200 degrees in our apartment...
A) The Beej was in town over the weekend to see the shows. It wasa quick trip and I was working part of the weekend, so I didn't get to see him a ton, but he and Pat and Theresa and I had a sleepover at MAW's empty house, where Beej and Pat and I played geek games until 4am. And I drank 2 Cokes and ate a bag of Doritos. I don't normally drink much caffeine, so by the time 4am rolled around I was pretty wired.
2) Sunday night the Beej and the Jeanners and the A-Train and I headed out for dinner, first to the nice sushi place that we've always talked about going to, but it was closed. So we settled on Rocky Run. A few new phrases have been added to the vernacular as a result of this dinner: borrowing spoons (means "on drugs." Example: "I hear Lindsay Lohan is borrowing spoons."), tide stick (means "a stick that is driven into the ground and then used to tie your arm to so that you eat differently and don't drip food on the same part of your arm each time."), glassacre (doesn't really mean anything but it's a funny word. The glass hooker incident referred to a few posts ago could be considered a 'glassacre.'), and carrying a Mary Poppins bag (which can have many uses, most of them sexual. Example: "When Pat puts on those tight pants, he's really carrying a Mary Poppins bag.").
C) Monday night there was a meeting at Ian's where the next 5 or 10 years of CSC was discussed. It was one of those, "let's have dinner and discuss the big picture" type of artistic meetings that I really really enjoy. It was a good group of people and a fun time. And hopefully some good came out of it.
D) I worked on music today for the first time in a long time and had a lot of fun doing it. Came up with a song that sounds a lot like 'The Same,' but is different enough that I enjoy it and will keep working on it.
Got a day off tomorrow and only a few chores to take care of. Hopefully it won't be 200 degrees in our apartment...
Friday, July 06, 2007
OAA's Music For Henry's America!
I have been wanting for a little while to find a music player for this blog that doesn't play automatically so I could link to some good songs (I hate sites that automatically play music). I think I have finally found said player, so feel free to listen to some tunes while surfing the Net. It seems, however, that few people usually like what I recommend, so you will probably not like the songs I have chosen. I'll try to update them with some regularity.
Also, I have taken the liberty of doing some spring cleaning on the "links" portion of the blog. I have removed some inactive blogs and replaced them with OAA, who I know marginally (she's the sister of a friend, and I see her once a year on Christmas Eve at the Ritz in St. Louis) but who writes in a way that makes people who don't even know her want to read about her. She does write a lot about fashion, though, in which I don't have much interest but apparently it's her thing, so as E. Robben used to say, "Gouge away." Which means something like, "Have at it."
I went and saw HENRY V last night, and it was pretty good. The flow was interrupted quite a bit by rain, so there were lots of stops and starts, and the second act was done in a much smaller area under a tent (which actually worked quite nicely) but on the whole it was done well. Pat was really great. I think that his doing ANGELS last year has really pushed his acting to a new level. And again, there wasn't anybody in the show that was bad, which is definitely an improvement over past years.
The Jeanners and I celebrated a very low-key 4th of July. We both worked in the morning, and then headed out together to do a little bit of work in the garden, where she cut a little bit of cilantro for use in her celebratory veggie burgers later that night. We grilled a bunch of food out on the roof, and then Katie came over for dinner. We had planned on watching the downtown fireworks display from our roof, but a big rainstorm put the kaibosh on that.
The word that is in my head this morning for no apparent reason: espadrilles.
Also, I have taken the liberty of doing some spring cleaning on the "links" portion of the blog. I have removed some inactive blogs and replaced them with OAA, who I know marginally (she's the sister of a friend, and I see her once a year on Christmas Eve at the Ritz in St. Louis) but who writes in a way that makes people who don't even know her want to read about her. She does write a lot about fashion, though, in which I don't have much interest but apparently it's her thing, so as E. Robben used to say, "Gouge away." Which means something like, "Have at it."
I went and saw HENRY V last night, and it was pretty good. The flow was interrupted quite a bit by rain, so there were lots of stops and starts, and the second act was done in a much smaller area under a tent (which actually worked quite nicely) but on the whole it was done well. Pat was really great. I think that his doing ANGELS last year has really pushed his acting to a new level. And again, there wasn't anybody in the show that was bad, which is definitely an improvement over past years.
The Jeanners and I celebrated a very low-key 4th of July. We both worked in the morning, and then headed out together to do a little bit of work in the garden, where she cut a little bit of cilantro for use in her celebratory veggie burgers later that night. We grilled a bunch of food out on the roof, and then Katie came over for dinner. We had planned on watching the downtown fireworks display from our roof, but a big rainstorm put the kaibosh on that.
The word that is in my head this morning for no apparent reason: espadrilles.
Monday, July 02, 2007
Finally
Well, the Jeanners and I finally made it down to the beach today, and what a beautiful day it was. Sunny, clear, and about 82 degrees. I got a little sunburned (suprise, surprise). It's nice to spend a whole day at the beach and only have it cost you a half a tank of gas and $2.50 for the Bay Bridge.
We also finally got a chance to see AS YOU LIKE IT on Saturday night. It was ok. Nothing embarassingly bad, but nothing amazingly good, either. I laughed at some parts and didn't laugh at others. P. Kilpatrick as Hymen the Love God, however, has created a stupid character to rival his stupid character in IMAGINARY INVALID, which I think is impressive.
The Beej comes into town soon to see the shows. 'Twill be good to see the boy. Hopefully we'll get a chance to play a round of spades or two.
The Jeanners and I were talking on our way to the beach about how Schlueter should start up a blog when they move to Oregon (or before). How it would be so good and how everyone would be able to read it and keep in touch with how things are going...
Wouldn't that be awesome?!
Things have felt pretty good lately.
We also finally got a chance to see AS YOU LIKE IT on Saturday night. It was ok. Nothing embarassingly bad, but nothing amazingly good, either. I laughed at some parts and didn't laugh at others. P. Kilpatrick as Hymen the Love God, however, has created a stupid character to rival his stupid character in IMAGINARY INVALID, which I think is impressive.
The Beej comes into town soon to see the shows. 'Twill be good to see the boy. Hopefully we'll get a chance to play a round of spades or two.
The Jeanners and I were talking on our way to the beach about how Schlueter should start up a blog when they move to Oregon (or before). How it would be so good and how everyone would be able to read it and keep in touch with how things are going...
Wouldn't that be awesome?!
Things have felt pretty good lately.
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