complex[simplic]ity

When I look at this it really makes me think. You know, Powers of 10 style. Am I odd for saying that?

patience

Hell yes I'll wait 56 years for those files to copy; 1.23 GB of data is totally worth waiting for. I'm actually really looking forward to how awesome it's going to be when it's finished. Until then, this green bar is endlessly intriguing. Fine work Vista, fine work.

Much thanks to my coworker Yong Rhee for sending out the best complaint email ever ( the source of this delightful image).

julia child's kitchen reassembled

Okay, so this news is 7 years old... but it's news to me that the Smithsonian made this exhibit. Interestingly, they did not recreate the room (as so many exhibits do), they actually removed items from her real kitchen in Massachusetts and schlepped it all the way to DC. Remarkable. I love how the room reflects her practicality. She's lovely. So lovely, in fact, that I recommend reading her biography. Derek and I audio booked it during a long drive (rented it from Cracker Barrel... oh the irony) but I would suggest actually reading it. The woman's voice was horrid. And on top of that, it's written in first person... and Julia had such a unique voice that I could never move past it. So for all that love Julia, make the pilgrimage to Washington DC. Bon Appetit!

woah, seriously?

Betty Boop a racist cartoon? Yes indeedy. Now, I'm not putting this up to make light of it... it hurts my heart (the worst offense happening at 3:00 - 4:00). I end up laughing, mainly because I'm uncomfortable... but also because I'm shocked at how far it goes. It starts out offensive and then kicks it up a notch. You know-- good clean fun for the whole family. Not that we don't have a LONG way to go... but look how far we've come in 70 years. I can only hope that we equal progress from where we are now in the next 70 years. So get on it, people. Quit being racist pricks. Ya heard?

"offline"

It's no secret that Microsoft is dork mecca... and one would suspect that as such developers, program managers, etc in this company would fit nicely into the dork box. Apparantly the people who service elevators are equally geeky. I thought printers deserved an "offline" description... not elevators. Elevators are "broken", "out of service", you know... "busted"... offline? Please.

I'd also like to mention how equally cryptic everything else on the page is... I'm just sayin'.

sweet deal!

No way... you mean if I buy THREE 2 liters of Coke I save 2 cents?! It's too good to be true. Man, you guys are good. I'm totally buying three now. Before I would have bought just one, but maybe with all the money I will save from buying three I can finally afford one fifth of a tootsie roll! Oh the joys of smart shopping. :)

like looking in a mirror

Derek recently said to me "I know when our friends watch this they are thinking of us..." and suddenly my jaw dropped. Indeed we make loving jokes at each other's expense, and the delivery is eerily similar as well. The one detail that is decidedly not accurate is that the "Derek" character is eating a cantaloupe half... which would never happen in actual life because it is categorically a fruit. And he doesn't eat those.

amazing man

I get teary every time I look at this picture too long.

a confession

I might as well call my blog "An Extension of the Cool Shit Derek Shows Me", because that's exactly what it is. It goes something like this.

Granted, it's not always like this. I do sometimes make my own obervations... but I need to give credit where credit is due. Derek's unhealthy fixation with StumbleUpon at the very least has an outlet.

pixels and/or crayons

Très awesome. Well done, Christian Faur.

On a related note, don't you hate it when people pronounce crayons weird and say "craowns" instead. It's like towel and "tal". Ugh.

truth.

It's not fair, but we Americans have to convince ourselves of our own superiority by forcing the belief that someone got more shafted in the accent department than we did.

i may have watched this fifty times today

Kittens. And an odd little girl. Aaaaaaaaaaamazing.

But let's not simply dismiss her as strange. I'd say her narration is pretty sophisticated: Fluxus word use like Beck, the visual interpretive prowess of Dimitri Martin... too far? Whatever. I guess what I'm saying is... I admire her. Yes I do.

essentials?

Alright Target, I love you, I do... but boxers with devils and/or flames and/or hearts are decidedly not essential.

words that i read incorrectly... over and over again

soiree
how you're supposed to say it: swah-rey
what i hear when i read it: soy-ree

tarot
how you're supposed to say it: tar-oh
what i hear when i read it: tar-it

paradigm
how you're supposed to say it: par-uh-dahym
what i hear when i read it: par-uh-digum

epitome
how you're supposed to say it: e-pit-uh-mee
what i hear when i read it: eh-pit-ohm

perfectly crafted.

This would fall into the things-that-look-like-other-things category. Like burger candy, or fake bacon (a.k.a. fakon)... it seems like if the cookie monster was going to be anything other than himself he'd be purely a cookie, NOT a cupcake. But maybe it's better this way. Choosing the latter, we might have a scary situation on our hands, and no one wants that.

Om nom nom nom. Thank you, whoever you are.

oh adidas

Ignore the obligatory/stupid graff cameo in the beginning [believe me, if I could edit this to start at 11 secs I would]... but the rest of the commercial is spot-on perfect. It's a moment in time, coolness so concentrated it's down to a syrup.

store-brand packaging steps it up!

I have been a long standing fan of Publix packaging. It's modern, playful, and most importantly uncluttered. I think they have an advantage here; marketing typically just can't help themselves. They need to throw in everything but the kitchen sink to "grab your attention" or what i like to call: an assault on the eyes. While looking for images of said packaging (sadly, I no longer live near a Publix)... I discovered there's a fan site for Publix packaging! Who knew?

Anyway, I think Whole Foods is a follower rather than a leader in this case... but still, I'm digging the 365 bread. That wheat is purdy, no?

kitty kitty

Some things just tickle my funny bone. Yes, I am the person who perpetually watches cat videos... but I give myself points for quality curating. At exactly 8 seconds into this clip, you will have a peek into what makes my soul smile.

hip-hop :: wine

To the untrained ear/pallette, they all sound/taste the same.

... But do the similarities go deeper than that? Characteristics that are specific to each go widely unnoticed, aging is a particularly tricky but vital part of the process, heavy emphasis on the area where it is from... I'd say they're more similar than we might think. I have an uncanny ability to drill things into the ground, so let's see how deep this comparison goes- shall we?

Three 6 Mafia // Cabernet Sauvignon
Enjoyed by experts and novices alike, manages to hold its own regardless of context, sloppiness that you wouldn't accept in other varietals evades your judgment here; with this one it just makes sense.

Common // Sauvignon Blanc
Light in color and content, pleasant for its subtle nods to herbaceous/jazzy flavors, recipient of a lot of praise most of which is undeserved, can be a little boring.

Aesop Rock // Pinot Noir
Complex, delicate and difficult to grow but well worth the effort, a tad pretentious- but no fault of its own, white people love it.

LL Cool J // Rosé
Cheesy but has it's place (if you're into that sort of thing...), beloved by people who are either too young or too old, "romantic".

Jay Z // California Chardonnay
Flying off the shelves at all times, you might find some good stuff if you look hard enough but must be very careful, good for parties with people you don't know very well.

Outkast // French Chardonnay
Accessible and adored by many for good reason, unfairly classified as inferior for association with questionable contemporaries- but flawless aging process has saved it from buttery hell.

Mystikal // Grappa
Almost too strong to drink, subtleties lurk but take patience to find (mainly because your taste buds were burned off), will fuck you up.

2Pac // Pinot Grigio
Many who enjoy this claim to be connoisseurs when in fact they drink nothing else and they can't get past it, neither too complicated nor too straightforward, an acceptable crowd pleaser.

Lil Wayne // Anything Black Box
The box would make you think what's inside completely sucks but its surprisingly amazing, it never seems to run out of new material, available everywhere but you still feel clever for buying in, the air miraculously doesn't get to it.

Biz Markee // Champagne
A moment of joy follows its suggestion every time, you might forget it exists but you'd never turn it down, brings out the silliness in almost everyone, seems special.

Missy Elliot // Anything Yellowtail
Popular, feminine, surprisingly delicious, quirky visual representation yet solid output.

M.I.A. // Sangria
Delightful but not purely wine (there's other stuff in there), ideal for small gatherings of like-minded folks, exotic.

Ludacris // Half-bottle of Champagne
A pleasant surprise, best enjoyed by yourself but you still like to share, festive, little.

Biggie // Merlot
Strong but smooth, nearly impossible to find a situation where it wouldn't fit nicely, a nice default especially if you're feeling indecisive.

Salt-n-Peppa // Port
Strong yet sweet, best enjoyed in small amounts, ideal for nights with staying power.


Busta Rhymes// Chanti
You'll always drink it if it's there, packs a punch, unassuming and slightly silly, goes quickly, an everyday indulgence, not a big fan of "the gays".

Andre 3000 // Syrah
Eccentric, new school with strong roots in all the right places, provocative yet goes down easy, independent in spirit but still very well known.

Kanye West // Krystal
Plastic wrapped, over-consumed, high cost with disproportionately low return, but for all its flaws it still tastes amazing

The Roots // Malbec
Authoritative, can be on the dark/deep side, consistant quality and longevity although still considered obscure by many

Will Smith // German Riesling
Too sugary sweet to actually take seriously, good international appeal, theoretically delightful but thoroughly disappointing execution.

Matisyahu // Kosher Wine
Everyone knows about it but no one really partakes, uhhhh... and Jewish.

and then there was fried chicken

It was a southern food extravaganza: fried chicken, collards with chow chow, baked mac'n'cheese, corn bread, AND lemon meringue pie. Much thanks to Kathi for providing the photo... I was up to my elbows in peanut oil at the time. :)