Where's the "Clicker"?

Remember when the remote was literally a clicker?

Like it actually clicked?

Limited features, as well. Simplicity.

All this one did was change the damn channel. Nice.

Why Newspapers Are Going Out Of Business

Finally, people have had enough. They are fed up.

They will not stand (or pay for it) any more.

The reason why newspapers are going out of business?

Two words. I mean one word.

NEWSPRINT

They hate getting newsprint all over their hands

and the smudges on white clothing.

They've had it. Shut 'em down.
If newspapers could figure out a way

to rid the world of this blight,

and still give us paper news,

i am SURE everything would turn around.

Because I hate blackened fingers.

Don't you?

tonight i tried to make yogurt. awaiting results!

Fancy French MRE (Meal Ready To Eat)

I was at my local market the other day. These guys have the most interesting eclectic variety of foods. They had St. Dalfour Gourmet To Go Meals on sale for $2.50 each. I bought a few to try out, kind of because of the container. They seem like the perfect thing to leave at the office when I forget to bring my lunch. They are surprisingly good, but not quite enough food! The can is even microwavable, and it comes with it's own spork. Gotta love that.

BBQ Meals on Wheels

I've had a deep appreciation for taco trucks for a few years now. My local, beloved truck was, in fact, written up in the NY Times in 2007 and has even won some awards.

But I recently read about the Koji BBQ trucks out in L.A., and I am psyched to give them a try this weekend. I'll be staying in Venice for a few days, not far from where they often stop at night.

They've apparently taken the concept to a new level from the quality and preparation of the food, to actually Twittering their location. (Finally, a good reason to Twitter!)

I think the gourmet "taco" truck has huge potential in cities all over the U.S., not just New York and L.A. We'll see if it catches on. As a fan of cheap-but-good food, I hope it does.

To find out more about Koji click here for their site. Or find them on Twitter... if that's your jam.

Birds on Wire, again.

It's, like, becoming a blog theme!

Looks Delicious

I want to try making this. It's pseudo-ricotta/farmer's cheese.

The recipe is available at Cooking Books.

Genetically Predisposed to Pack-rat-ism

I am a keeper.

As was my paternal grandmother and my father before me.

I am still young, and can fight it, for now.

But someday it will win.

I will keep things that I do not need.

That historians will not want. That will serve no purpose.

I will think them a gift to future generations. Future generations will throw them away.

(This lovely picture is available for sale, for just $20 for a high quality archive print here.)

Signs of the Times

Until fairly recently, the owner of this building on my block diligently fought the graffiti tags with regularly applied fresh coats of paint. Several months ago, I guess he gave up. I don't know if it is a sign of the recession, or something else, but I suspect we'll be seeing more of this sort of neglect-to-decay in the months and years ahead. I acknowledge that there can be beauty in that urban ugliness, too. I don't hate all graffiti, but there's something particularly foreboding about this to me. Someone has been unable to hold their own, and others have noticed, taken advantage of it for their own ends, and we are left with something less than what we started with.

Human Limitations

Portuguese straight line
Originally uploaded by PtitBen

"Out of the crooked timber of humanity, nothing entirely straight can be built."

Immanuel Kant (1724-1804)
from Akademische Ausgabe

Prociutto Palace

Tonight we ate at Salumeria Rosi on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It lived up to the hype. The various Italian hams were delicious, as were all the other small dishes we tried. The torte, the lasagna, the onions... all excellent. AND a dude we met paid for our dinner. Cha-ching. (nope, no strings attached!)

Headphones

Red Headphones
Originally uploaded by beech_design

Despite what you think at the time, you actually do NOT look cool mouthing the words that you are listening to on your headphones.

Textually Active

Cell Phone
Originally uploaded by JonJon2k8

My roommate got invited out on a "date" tonight via text. I put the word date in quotes because, depending on your standards and how you count it, it might not, possibly be a date.

Women say things like this because we believe somewhere out there there is a tribunal that decides what counts as a date and what doesn't. And whether or not something is a date MATTERS. Sometimes, nowadays, dates are difficult to have an accurate ruling on. It takes deliberation. And then the decision is written into a very impressive, large, leather-bound book next to your name.

Because, classically, a date would be a phone call or a face-to-face ask, followed by dinner or drinks, for which the man pays. This is the minimum, bare bones classic.

But what if it is intitiated via text? What if it becomes "meeting up"? These are what tribunals are created for. Because texting can be totally fine and friendly, or a little wussy. Like, are you afraid to call? Afraid of the awkwardness? Afraid of rejection? Or do you want to give the impression that it's "no big deal?"

And meeting up can be good, at the beginning. No pressure. Public place. Casual.

But both of these, especially when repeated, become not-so-good to really bad. And then, you'll find yourself heading out of your apartment on something less than a date. Not worth the trouble of shaving the legs, or the time it took to get ready.

It's 11pm, and she isn't home, so I am thinking it was datey enough tonight that she stayed out. Or she made the best of a mediocre situation. Time will tell. This is why roommate stay up writing blogs, so that they can hear the story when the roommate comes home.

Women love stories.

UPDATE: IT WAS A DATE. (She just walked in the door)

Jump for Joy

Life isn't always like this, so let us seek to savor the moment, and the memory.

Let It Snow.

Snow makes everything look like Narnia.

My dad tells me it's snowing where he is.

They are predicting snow here tonight.

This picture was taken where I used to live.

Maxed Out

Wait, who thought this ad campaign was a good idea? And I'm not even going to talk about the size and thickness of this pad. See for yourself on another from that era. (mid 1980's?)

I discovered these relics cleaning out our mountain cabin.

This would pretty much be a vote against ever wanting to time travel to the past. Yikes.