11232257.1I crack myself up.    New cell phone, even more features. This one has voice-recognition, so you don't have to set up the voice addresses. I taught it to say Fuck-face, Shit-for-brains and Dog-breath. The persons whose phone numbers are associated with those terms of endearment shall remain anonymous for now. Can you tell it's a little boring out tonight?

The cell phone is one invention I would very much like to take back with me to the 1940's or 50's when time travel becomes more affordable. The locals would be very impressed with a tiny device which can spew filth seemingly all by itself as well as provide instantaneous live video footage from anywhere on earth to anywhere else on earth. Oh sure, computers are impressive too, but these phones just appeared one day less than 20 years ago and seemed almost like a novelty. I had one of the early ones of course, and I remember they weren't all that portable. There were no pink ones initially, and we didn't decorate them with rhinestones. Though we could have if someone had thought of it. Brother accidentally took a movie of his desk tonight while learning how his phone works, and now he is trying to figure out where it went.

I didn't go anywhere today, so I don't care that gas is up to $4.43. I probably won't care tomorrow either. Rick Macherat


posted by Rick at 11:16 PM

11232256.1Another piece by Jason.    Sorry. No, it's not you, it's me. The piece is by Josh, not Jason or Justin. Josh Tyrangiel writing in TIME about Coldplay. Seems Coldplay is not one of the thousand or so groups that individuals in the 25-35 age cohort know intimately and walk around plugged into at all times but rather one of the THREE that everyone on the planet knows. Okay, I've heard of them, but if they came into Denny's at 4:30 and stood in line singing one of their hits, I wouldn't recognize them. I stared at the photograph of this group in TIME for several long minutes. They really don't have any idea, do they? These guys are as much "in uniform" as any group of newly minted grunts marching off to kick some butt for the US of A someplace. Truthfully, I'd get bored having to pick out imaginative clown clothing every doggone day. Anyway, to the piece .. Josh writes, But even if you pick your way past that pileup of gerunds, the storytelling never takes off. Is that wonderful or what? A perfect patch of alliteration (I always overdo it) and a wurd. I mean, WTF knows what a gerund is anymore? Certainly not a Coldplayer.

Incidentally, I remember so well the year I did learn what a gerund was. Mrs. Dosky, Junior English. Thanks, Mrs. Dosky, for the gerunds and the six-pack of Heineken beer that last day after classes.

What I would dearly like to read is Josh Tyrangiel's review of "Nelo," a group of lads from Austin. The group has a sound and Reid Umstattd has a voice which are beginning to find the niche. They're so close to jumping away from "sounding like" somebody else and walking on the edge, daring the fans to follow. Heck, maybe Josh will check them out. I do know he looks up his name on Google. Rick Macherat


posted by Rick at 11:06 PM

11232255.1Just a little typing.    I went online tonight to finish up the monthly finances, retired-type stuff. Transferred a little money around, mainly from "saved like forever" to "spend now." Too easy. Noticed that the banking site had been at work, posting auto-deposits and withdrawing auto-pays, so my little bit of work fit right in. The auto-income-tax-refund was in there and so was the auto-quarterly-estimated-tax-payment. How nice, the machine figured out both amounts for me. Noticed too that the refund was consumed rather quickly by some auto-bills. Wondered why the machine needs me at all frankly. Wondered too if it realizes that.Rick Macherat


posted by Rick at 10:35 PM