Potpourri

Do any adults play World of Warcraft?

Sunday, July 20, 2008 5:04 PM (permalink)

Cause I don't think so. I enjoy playing a little WoW from time to time, and over the past year I have leveled my pokey little Paladin up to 61. I have never joined a group, or done an "instance" dungeon, but last night I found out that I would need to in order to get some tchotchke or other to get my uber-paladin mount. So I joined a random group for about five minutes. Here is how this went:

Me: Let's Go!

Them: Can you heal?

Me: I am an AoE/Tank, so not really

Them [a bunch of swearing]

Them [more disparaging remarks]

Them "Is this your first 'toon? (character)?

Them "Because it is aoe tank"

Them "Not AoE/Tank"

Them "I don't want people to think you are retarded"

Me: "G'bye and good luck, little jackasses"

Seriously, there must be other adults that play this game, right? Please? Tell me I am not the only one??? Don't tell me I have to put up with dozens of conversations like that one just to get the thingummy I need for my spanky new horse! Cause, more than anything in my life right now, I need that stupid new horse. Who can help lil' ole me???

My little camera-hog

Friday, April 11, 2008 10:08 AM (permalink)

Why do paper cuts hurt so bad?

Saturday, February 9, 2008 8:57 AM (permalink)

Last Vestige of the Roman Empire

Sunday, February 3, 2008 8:42 AM (permalink)

Quick Superbowl Thought: Do I need any other reason to know Roman Numerals? Or will this year's Pats/Giants contest be the last visible evidence of the Roman Empire?

Value in Spam

Sunday, February 3, 2008 8:09 AM (permalink)

My colleague Sean Ross posts that he found Something Of Value In The SPAM Folder. Unbelievable, Sean--only you. Now I am going to go trolling for a better porn star name than Silky Downes.
[The Infinite Dial]

Spongebob in the Situation Room

Saturday, February 2, 2008 12:00 AM (permalink)

The Picture I Will Never Post

Monday, January 28, 2008 4:44 PM (permalink)

...is the one of me today, 3 days after a nasty wisdom tooth extraction, lookin' like Richard Nixon. The only upside of Dry Socket (ugh...) is a complete restock of my Vicodin collection--good times.

Moment of Zen--when the oral surgeon (who was maybe 5 years younger than me) told me that, "at my age" this is considered major surgery. KitchenAid, Set To Puree!

Would You Recognize Brilliance?

Monday, July 9, 2007 10:25 PM (permalink)

This story in the Washington Post is incredible: Joshua Bell played his violin a couple of months ago as a street performer at a Metro station in DC and only one person knew who he was (maybe not so shocking) but hardly anyone even stopped--some threw a couple of quarters into his case, but that is about it. One of the finest living violin players, playing some of the most technically and emotionally brilliant pieces ever written, and he gets a few quarters.I did not feel sorry for Bell, of course--he is very, very well paid (and deservedly so). But it did make me think about whether or not I would have stopped (I was at that very station a couple of weeks ago) and would I have recognized mastery? True art? Being honest, I don't think I would have. I don't think I would have stopped, and I highly doubt I would have given any money. But realizing this makes me feel pretty depressed about the whole thing.

Sam Turns Two

Saturday, November 4, 2006 12:00 AM (permalink)

Hilarity ensues.

Possibly Related:

• Shouldn't they really be the Middle-Aged Mutant Ninja Turtles by now?

Shouldn't they really be the Middle-Aged Mutant Ninja Turtles by now?

Monday, October 23, 2006 8:31 PM (permalink)

http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/teenagemutantninjaturtles/

Tord Gustavsen Trio

Saturday, June 10, 2006 10:07 PM (permalink)

I hear a lot of music in the run of a week (part of the job, mainly) and sometimes it gets a little fatiguing. Still, every few weeks or so I come across something really, startlingly good, and it gets me excited about music again. I am not a Jazz buff--fairly ignorant about it, to be honest--but recently I discovered Norway's Tord Gustavsen Trio, and it spun me right around. I have two of their discs: The Ground, and Changing Places and they have quickly become essential listening during my workday.

Quiet, atmospheric and highly melodic, Gustavsen's music sounds familar and strange at the same time. Superlative playing, and a brilliant recording. The drummer, Jarle Vespestad, is unbelievably good--quiet, yet propulsive and melodic. Maybe my best musical find so far this year. If you don't think you like jazz (and you KNOW you don't like Smooth Jazz) you might be surprised how quickly Gustavsen's discs grow on you.

Burying My Subaru

Saturday, June 3, 2006 1:35 PM (permalink)

After 9 good years, my Subaru and I are getting a divorce. Last night I picked up a spankin' new Honda Civic EX--with gas prices hitting 3 bucks a gallon again (and maybe higher as the summer wears on) I just couldn't take my 21 MPG anymore and had to do better. Tough choice between a Hybrid (price premium exceeds gas savings, by my back-of-the-envelope calculation), a diesel VW (using biodiesel is a nice idea, but I am NOT voiding a warranty, and VW's are just not good values) and the Honda, but I love the new Civic. Now with the $500 a year I will save on gas, I can buy more Mont Blanc refills!