Monday Night Reality Show Guilt Fest

I suck. I am fascinated my the emotional carnage and humiliation of reality programming. I need to get out more. Watched The Bachelor: Paris last night again. Do I derive joy in watching drunken women vy "to become a doctor's wife", all the while backstabbing each other? No and yes. It makes me embarassed to admit to people what I do for work at all, and it makes me even more daunted about my "eligible bachelor" status. But yet, when watching these trainwrecks on TV, I derive such joy in watching them suck. Is this narcissism? I know now that Dr. Stork is a genuine tool (but with great abs). Clearly, all the guy does is work and workout - he admitted he hates French food (heathen) and his weekly attempts at speaking French are pathetic. There was a moment when the show seemed to be bleeping out a local cussing out the good doctor. The only interesting contestant, Moana (woman 3rd from left in picture), is the only one that actually seems legitimate, but I kinda wished her breakdown this week to the other catty women was avoided. But hey, good TV. . .
More guilty reality show pleasure came from E!TV's Number 1 Single, a show following 90's cutey Lisa Loeb in her quest to find a beau. Caught the second episode by accident and got hooked. She is a nerdy dreamgirl. She still carries the glasses well. She spent this episode going on a date where she was taken to a donut place in NYC, and she eagerly consumed 3 donuts. Whatta chick (after my own stomach)! Then, she paraded around in a thong on the set of Isaac Mizrahi's talk show! Zow!

Note to self: I need to get a girlfriend. . .

There's a Pervert in Our Pool - Martha!

Last night, in lieu of watching Galactica live, I went to the Deerhoof show at the Ottobar. There, I was really glad to run into artist-filmmaker Martha Colburn, someone I met about 11 years ago through my friend Andy, the enfant terrible. We hung out when she had a show of her films at the New York Underground Film Festival. Nowadays, she's showing her work at Cannes and at the upcoming Whitney Biennial. Her super 8 films are crazy, dirty and fun pieces combining animation, painting, collage, and indie music. She also recently did the new Deerhoof video.
I had a fun time talking with her last night. Despite being a world renowned artist, she' still a regular chick from the MD/PA area. She told me that she's going to be featured in the upcoming issue of RES magazine. Check her stuff out.

Kung Hei Fat Choy!

Happy Chinese New Year. It is 4704, the Year of the D-O-G-G! I would like to wish everyone a happy and prosperous new year. Finally, the Year of the Cock is over- it really sucked (oops, no pun intended).

Memorial Day Planning

Hey, heads up to all. This Memorial day weekend, Baltimore is the home of Maryland Deathfest, touted as America's Most Gruesome Extreme Metal Event! Any takers?

Vultures in Maryland

In recent local news, there is a housing association in lovely Columbia, MD that has become the residence of some 200 Turkey Vultures. These animals are protected by federal law, so the residents can't take aggressive measures to get rid of the birds. Saw on the local news that some birds have up to 6ft wingspans, and there has been a problem with the birds diving at residents and pretty much pooping everywhere. It looks like what drew them was a nearby highway with lots of roadkill and the community's water supply. Read the story.

Monday Night TIVO Frenzy (or I need a life)

Mondays are now a solid block of romantic comedy, kick ass action, and guilty pleasure. I really need to get out more. The best part is 24, mainly because I get to see Mary Lynn Rajskub pout it out while also enjoying a guy get a pair of scissors slammed into his carotid. Also, hearing Sean Astin talk tough rather than, "Mister Frodo" over and over is a nice addition to this season.

How I Met My Mother might be my favorite new show this season. It's written by friends of the Verbler from American Dad and has story editor, Brenda Hseuh, who went to Dan's wedding and is my Chinese connection between Vegas and LA. Alsom the show has Willow from Buffy, Nick from Freaks & Geeks, and Doogie Howser. Last night, Ted might have met the girl of his dreams, the cakemaker at his friend's wedding. Corny, but great ending.


As a nightcap, and also comfirming that I am secretly a little girl, there is The Bachelor: Paris. This season, the women are all vying to become "a doctor's wife." Personally, the guy, Travis, is a tool - no surprise his buddies are orthopedic surgeons (the tools of medicine), he can't say Paris ("Paree") like the French do despite redirection from the locals, and he is hesitant to eat his escargot. But hey, he's ripped, so the ladies swoon. I'm watching because of my favorite bachelorette, Moana (the one on the right who looks like she is thinking, "whatever"). She's the most interesting because, unlike all the other women, she's not totally enamored by the bachelor like the other girls. Sure she's interested, but like most humans, she's not sure about him yet and wants to find out. Meanwhile, the other women deride poor Moana because they can't understand why she doesn't consider Dr. Stork to be the most perfect man in the world. I hope she makes it through the eliminations just so she can keep annoying all the future stepford wives (the original not the remake).

Testing Video Posts

Takeru Kobayashi from this last summer.

The Greatest - Cat Power

Chan's new album comes out this week. Here's a mobile picture from her last gig at the Ottobar. Hit the blue arrow to hear an mp3 from the record.

Battlestar Galactica 2.13 - Epiphanies

Another great episode, this time looking internally into the fleet. Cylon sympathizers, domestic terrorism and sabotage, government ordered abortion, stem cell technology. . . crazy crazy. Although I admit Lost was slightly improved this week, Galactica still kicks Lost's frackin' ass especially in terms of actually advancing it's story. I love Baltar and his interactions with his mental Six and the actual Six cylon - he loves them both?!? oh, and the nuke!?! Wah!

"Nobody Bothers Me... Nobody Bothers Me Either"

Call USA-1000. Jhoon Rhee means might for right! Nobody bothers me. Nobody bothers me either. (wink)

Kneel Before Santino

On Project Runway last night, arrogant designer Santino Rice again escaped being out in a challenge to design a figure skating outfit for U.S. Olympian Sasha Cohen. Right now though, Baltimore is rooting for Belair gal Kimmie Meissner because she is going to Torino in the Women's Figure Skating competition.

I Love Birch Beer

Moving back to the east coast, on top of crazy breakfast foods like Scrapple, has afforded me the abilty to acquire birch beer out of soda fountains. For people reading this blog not from the northeast, birch beer is essentially root beer, but instead of sassafras, the bark of a birch tree is used in the ingredients. It has a distinctly red color and tastes slightly different from root beer. I feel lucky because the lunch counter a few blocks from my house has it in its fountain.

Black Truffles

So, since a Wegman's store opened in Hunt Valley, my mom has become fascinated by black truffles and their price. The store has an enormous mushroom area including a locked plastic box containing rice and black truffles for sale. When the store opened, my mom noted that the price of the truffles was about $399/lb. She has then tracked the price weekly when she goes shopping, and noticed the price go up to $799/lb., more than the price of gold. She's been tracking truffle prices like the stock market.

Friday was Gluttony Day

This week, I went with Sue, Nick and James to Anthony's Chicken and Ribs in Hightstown, NJ- rated best BBQ in Jersey. We got the Chicken & Rib Delight - 16 ribs, 16 pieces of fried chicken, a pound of mac salad, 3 lbs of fries, cheese & gravy for the fries, 6 rolls, a double order of fried 'shrooms, fried ravioli and birch beer to wash it down. It was delicious!

Bodyworlds

So, last night Sue, Nick, Jocelyn and I went to the Franklin Institute to see Gunther Von Hagens' Bodyworlds exhibit. Basically, it consisted of really amazing dissections of bodies preserved using a plasticine process invented by Dr Von Hagens. Several cadavers were in crazy poses like a guy playing basketball, an archer, a dancer, and a horse and rider rearing up. Other bodies were dissected in unique ways like a person opened up vertically and a family of bodies with only their blood vessels showing. The museum was way too crowded, but it was fun to see.

24 returns!

One of the best parts of last year's season of 24 was Chloe, the computer nerd played by Mary Lynn Rajskub. I have been a fan of hers since Mr. Show with Bob and David. I think she used to date David. Anyways, in yet another plug for items on my Tivo, the "nonstop season" of 24 starts tonight on the Fox. Plink. Plink. Plink.

Fashion Nerd

Unfortunately, this week on Project Runway, my favorite designer, Diana Eng was eliminated in the Banana Republic challenge. Diana was refreshing to see because she is a total nerd - her philosophy on fashion design was its integration with technology. She was very different from the usual queens and "cool" designers the show has on. You can read Diana's blog. My favorite story is about her dating a guy with OCD for a month, but it not working out because she enjoyed messing up things subtly in his apartment to trigger his OCD.

Battlestar Galactica 2.12

Well, another week goes by when my feelings for a show are stronger than those for most people.
Resurrection Ship, Part 2 was really less of a conclusion than the start of an interesting direction for the show. Apollo's suicide attempt? 2 Battlestars under Adama? Roslin dying? Baltar's first real overt act on the side of the cylons (no longer in his head). The destruction of Resurrection and what it means in the fight vs. the Cylons? These issues are more important to me than that silly Alito hearing and Iran's nuclear program. Thank you, Sci-fi channel!

Beauty and the Geek 2

I am looking forward to the start of Beauty and the Geek 2 tonight. I probably would have been a good participant when I was in high school or college, but since I am now an Uber-nerd, I can only appreciate from afar (not that far I guess). I am glad they included Asian nerds this year- come on, the first year was all white dorks. This year, at last, the Indian and Asian guys are included. I am pulling for Rubik's Cube World champion Tyson Mao, a kid from Cal Tech who studies astrophysics, plays DDR, and can solve the Rubik's Cube blindfolded. My peeps!

Tyson solves Rubik's Cube Blindfolded

Watch Video

Booyakasha Bachelor in Paris

So, I am a little ashamed to admit, I do watch the Bachelor: Paris on ABC. However, last night embodied why I watch these shameful reality shows. The new bachelor, Travis who is an ER doctor from Nashville, was introduced to the prospective bachelorettes. One lady, Allie G (Respeck!), an oncologist, was a disaster from the beginning. She constantly went on about her biological clock, how her eggs were rotting away when she was concentrating more on her career, and that now she was ready for the next step. Of course, when she first talked to Travis, she said, "I am ready for the reproductive phase of my life."
At the first elimination, of course, Miss Allie G was not selected to receive a rose. Normally it would end there, but the wise producers followed her post-ceremony. She was obviously upset. She started to say that she had tried everything with no success: services, online, and now this reality show. She said it was typical of male doctors to reject her because she was too ambitious. She then went up to Travis and confronted him about why she was not picked: not being pretty, being short, having a small chest. A classic reality show breakdown that made everyone clearly feel uncomfortable. But made for good TV.

Sympathy for Lady Vengeance

I got the new Korean release of Chan-Wook Park's final installment to his revenge trilogy, Sympathy For Lady Vengeance. It stars Yeong-Ae Lee (JSA) and Min-Sik Choi (Oldboy). I don't want to give anything away, but I want to say that I did like Oldboy better. This installment is solid for the first hour - it reminded me a little of the introductions in Amelie, but much darker of course - the ending tends to drag a bit though, but the end is really nice. The dvd has 2 versions of the film- one is all color and the other fades to B&W as it progresses. The film is supposed to get a theatrical release in March, but for those of you who run into me before then, we'll watch the DVD.

Galactica Love

So, I love Battlestar Galactica. Last week's episode was great. How much do I love the show? Well, even though it is TIVO'd, I prefer to watch it live. Also, I had a worry a few days ago about the future of the show - "what if it starts to get bad - jump the shark as it is called" - unnecssary worries about a TV show. This is how much I love it.
In this last episode, there were so many great moments - the Vipers of Pegasus and Galactica facing off, the discovery of the Resurrection ship, Roslin laying it out to Adama, the parallels between the Six who wants to die and the dying Roslin making a joke about getting one of the young blonde bodies, and the parallel cliffhanger moments with Kain and Adama. Best show right now. Oh how I gush. . .

Lindsay Weir Returns

So, I mentioned Linda Cardellini in my last post about the awful Grandma's Boy. Well, I decided to see Brokeback Mountain today, and BAM. . Lindsay Weir is back! In this movies she plays the sexy waitress who tries to pick up on the closeted gay Heath Ledger character.

Then, when looking for pics of her, I learn she was 25 years old when she was in Freaks and Geeks- wow, I completely bought that she was in high school.

How is Brokeback Mountain?
Well, I saw it at the Charles at a matinee. It was totally crowded: mostly older folks, many male couples, and your occasional movie nerd like myself. I would say it is a very Ang Lee film - unrequited love and tragedy. Heath Ledger is like the Chow Yun-Fat character in Crouching Tiger - he can not be with the one he loves. Movie was good, sad.
The gay audience was a little annoying. There is a scene when one of their wives catches the two cowboys kissing, and the audience responded all giggly when clearly the scene had a much more tragic undertone for all the characters.
From a pervo point of view, pleasantly surprised to see the girl from Princess Diaries get naked. From a shallow point of view, I hope my cool cowboy shirts will make me cool this upcoming season. Woo hoo- snaps.

Double Feature of Pot and Boobs

To waste more of my life, today I went to the movies. I decided to see two new releases, Hostel and Grandma's Boy. Oddly enough, both films featured gratuitous nudity and pot smoking. Who could ask for more? Oh, both films had interesting cameos. Takashi Miike in Hostel, and Rob Schneider, David Spade, and Kevin Nealon in Grandma's Boy.
Lessons learned from HOSTEL
1. Eastern European women are hot and aching for sex from Americans.
2. Eastern European women, despite wanting the sex, are going to lead you into deep trouble and dismemberment.
3. The Russian Mafia are scary.
4. Amsterdam is all about pot and the red light district.
5. Japanese girls freak out when disfigured.
6. When in a torture chamber, pretend you are not an American.
7. Bubblegum will help you in a pinch.

Ahh.. Amorality in film. I like it.

Grandma's Boy- Anything worth seeing?
1. Kung Fu Monkey
2. Linda Cardenelli really shaking her booty to Salt-n-Pepa's "Push It"
3. Peter Dante - my favorite member of the Sandler gang
4. Kudos to having a male cast with only geeks and nerds.
5. Masturbating to an action figure
6. . . .i think that's it


Additional: This week on HD, they had Into the Night and Scarface, two early films with Michelle Pfeiffer when she was most hot. Her character in Scarface is from Baltimore, and Tony Montana doesn't know where that is!

Arcade Fire busking a New Order cover

View this clip on Vimeo

Rise in First Class Postage

I must have had my thumb up my butt because I just learned to day that postage for first class mail goes up to 39 cents starting January 8th. The only way I knew this was because I had to pick up a package at my post office. This sucks- time to go to billpay I think.

Battlestar Galactica 2.11

Resurrection Ship. Commander Adama and Admiral Cain (Michelle Forbes)face off to decide the futures of Tyrol and Helo, and also for the rest of the fleet.



Easily my favorite show of 2005 returns this Friday. Nerds away. . .

5-25-77

The date that started modern day nerd-dom is now a film. Don't know what to make of this. It has the kid from Freaks & Geeks and it was edited on a Mac - nerd upon nerd layers. Here is the 5-25-77 Trailer Link.

New Year's Resolutions

Some of these are probably repeats from prior years' resolutions, but here we go:
1. Get to my fighting weight.
2. Take a lover
3. Reduce the purchase of crap
4. Find a way out of the daily grind
5. Don't get so angry at bullshit - be more awesome
6. Avoid eating at "japanese" restarants not run by Japanese
7. Find a reason to wear the tuxedo this year
8. Embroider some old jeans or my jean jacket
9. Visit my friends in Vegas and eat at Ichiza and Bonito Michoacan

10. Visit the National Zoo and see the baby panda
11. Save up for another Brian Eliot raygun

12. Bike around Baltimore more.
13. Read more books
14. Consider my board re-certification
15. Go fishing