Bears in Arrowhead

Goodbye, Take Care, My Heart is Already Empty

2011-09-27T10:10:00.001-07:00

This is how I'll always remember you.

Video of the Year

2011-09-11T06:02:00.001-07:00

A list of albums that sound more like the suburbs than The Suburbs

2011-09-06T13:27:00.000-07:00

the Hold Steady, Boys and Girls in America
Fucked Up, David Comes to Life
Less than Jake, Hello Rockview! (though this is somewhat cheating, as it applies to anyone with a hometown I'm guessing)
Jimmy Eat World, Bleed American
Wormrot, Dirge
Spoon, Kill the Moonlight
Black Dahlia Murder, Miasma
Elvis Costello & the Attractions, Armed Forces
10cc, The Original Soundtrack

What's missing?

Mug vs. Super Glass: A scientific test.

2011-08-27T19:07:00.000-07:00

The classy gent Bull E. Vard at KC Beer Blog posted about this article, which examines the history of what people drink beer out of. Mentioned in the article was the Sam Adams Perfect Pint, and Bull offered a couple up as a prize if you posted on his Facebook page with a picture of your favorite beer glass.

I tossed Mug up, and was rewarded with one of those Super Glasses.

Which means I had to find out: how much of this glassware is bullshit, and how much is nerdy douchebaggery.

So here you go, the results of my very scientific taste testing.

CONTROL: Water

You'll likely believe this, but I failed to notice a difference in the taste of water between sexy Mug and fancy Super Glass. I guess I should say, I failed to notice taste. It's water. I'm not a fan of water in general, probably because it reminds me of working out. By the end of this I was thankful I was not working out.

Winner: No one. Here's to the control.

WHY THE FUCK NOT: Orange Juice

I think everyone will agree that every restaurant known for breakfast will fuck you right out of your money to give you a shitty amount of OJ. I'm pretty notorious for drinking a lot, though, so maybe my perception is a bit off. The mug held quite a bit of OJ, and it was likely that rage I have for breakfast joints that made the Perfect Pint taste a bit worse. I can't give you any information about smells or if either glass made the acidity hit harsher or softer, or if one was smoother than the other. I just know that the glass least like a breakfast joint was my sweet Mug.

Winner: Mug

OTHER THINGS: Chocolate Milk

I fully planned on doing this, but we ran out of chocolate milk. I love chocolate milk. Another day...

Beer

Green Flash's Hop Head Red IPA

(Pictured above!) I did this beer first because I've never had it. I know it just started getting to KC recently, so it seemed like the right thing to do. So I pour it in the Super Glass, and the nose of it (can you say that when you're drinking beer?) was very sweet. Not a lot of head on it, and it had that just-syrupy enough fruit scent that good IPAs have, that not-quite-a-double aroma that I love. The taste was excellent, and very active with hops/rye/what have you. I looked this up online later and saw a lot of people who all say said "well, they claim it's an IPA" like it was some sort of issue, but I full on support the IPAness of it. Probably because I'm a huge Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye fan.

For Mug, it had a whole lot of head going on. The sweetness was more faint than in Super Glass, and the bitterness of it was a little more on the overwhelming side. Being that it doesn't have the tapered opening like Super Glass, drinking it pretty much poured that head straight into my mouth before the beer could slip through. This was a good sample to give Super Glass a shot.

Winner: Super Glass

Lagunitas's GnarlyWine

So here we go: high alcohol, quick-settling head, enjoyable to sip with an ABV that suggests you sip (provided you're not in a bad mood). The beer gets out of Mug without too much head interference, and the head is consistency-wise thick and smooth enough that I actually like the way it tastes. There's a lot of habit, a building tradition even, in there that makes me weigh favor towards Mug, but Super Glass impressed me with the last beer, so fuck it, right?

Well, Super Glass had more going against it than I thought. See, there was a comment not too long ago by a KC beer nerd or three about how some beer companies have a certain "taint" that runs through them that essentially ruins all beers from that brewery for them. Lagunitas has the same thing for me, except it's something in all of them that I really like, but makes all of them taste a bit similar. The most different beer I've had of theirs was the Imperial Stout, but I could even pick up a little of whatever it is that makes them familiar. So Super Glass, for me, had to make Gnarly Wine (my favorite of what they offer) taste even more different. And it really didn't. It was still strong, the nose still had that Lagunitas smell to it, and I was happy to drink it. But especially with this beer, I love my Mug.

Winner: Mug

Tallgrass's Halcyon

People think this is one of my favorite beers. It is not. It is, however, the only unfiltered wheat beer I fully support, and it opened me up to trying more. Wheat beer was, essentially, what pilsners are to me now: something I've never enjoyed, and therefore am unwilling to try any more without a real good kick in the ass. Halcyon kicked my ass.

And I'm glad it did, and during summer. Drinking it out of Super Glass brought out more of the fruitiness of its flavor, and let me admire a lot of the color and cloudiness of the beer that I never really see. It's not going to win any beauty competitions, but it is still cool to see for something that I rarely look at (unfiltered wheat beers, that is; not just Halcyon).

So when it was time for Mug, I was sad to not really get a view of it. And what was even weirder to me was that the carbonation seemed a little more intense. It was like having the soda fizzies with that big open Mug-top. But it was still good.

Winner: The Can. Halcyon needs no glassware. Why fuck up the blue-collar aesthetics of drinking beer out of ugly cans? I mean, c'mon: Homeless people drink this stuff.

In The End

So I've been watching Oz & May Drink to Britain, and something that Oz keeps saying is that to really judge a beer, you have to burp it. This is going to sound more stupid than "glasses matter" even sounds, but for whatever reason: speed of consumption, the amount of head, some bullshit "awakening of flavors," the way the glass made the liquid pour down my throat; whatever it was, drinking from the glass produced better burps each time. I know it sounds stupid, but the Super Glass burps were more flavorful, and more in general.

So you win, Super Glass. Be it over-active imagination or science, there were things I noticed in Super Glass that I didn't in Mug, and that's certainly not a bad thing. Though I'll likely utilize Mug more often than not, Super Glass is nice to have around, and I'm sure it'll get plenty of not-OJ play.

A moderate summary of the things that are important to me right now, outside of people

2011-08-25T19:59:00.000-07:00

Beer

I don't know if it's part of the lower-middle-class mythology I try to keep alive despite being further along in life than I thought I'd be (not to say I'm where I want to be, or even doing super well, but I'd have to be a real asshole to not admit that I'm doing alright), but something about the after-work beer is keeping me grounded in reality. Weird, because by the time I hit high school, my dad was pretty much done with beer, and I don't think my mom ever enjoyed it. But I've built ritual around the drink that defined the working class I grew out of, and I can't see it fading anytime soon.

Bears

I'm still a bit confused by the fact that football season is here. I'm not even pissed off at Hester, and I should be cursing his field presence beyond special teams right about now. I should be incredibly concerned that Garza's a center and that Kruetz won't retire as a Bear. Messed up.

Grainger

I miss you, you beautiful building.

The following bands

Beach House
The Weeknd
The National
Wormrot
Between the Buried and Me
How to Dress Well
Dillinger Escape Plan
Sufjan Stevens
Converge
Bon Iver
Feist
Deerhoof
Battles
Joanna Newsom
The Antlers
After the Burial
M83
Bear Vs. Shark
Hewhocorrupts
Ahab
Ulcerate
Titus Andronicus
Sigur Ros
Dying Fetus
GWAR
The Mountain Goats
Destroyer
Tracey Thorn
10cc
Al Stewart

Football season is near

2011-08-16T14:07:00.000-07:00

I'm very excited.

One Project Done

2011-06-24T12:17:00.000-07:00

I have very little advice for you in doing home projects, as I've only owned a home for 6 months. I do however believe in this advice:

Pay someone else to fucking do it.

It is in no way whatsoever worth doing a project with your spouse. We painted the living room. It's finally done, and it looks great. The old green was ok, but the previous homeowners (let's call them The Leibermans) did a shitty job. We didn't feel like matching it to patch up their crapwork, and it was so dark that it turned the living room into this depressing isolation chamber.

So we went with that yellow up above. In the process of painting, though, a task the wife will tell you almost led to her stabbing me multiple times, it became clear that I'm not good at it. On top of that, the extremely detailed stuff (taping, touching up where the walls met the ceiling and the fireplace) she insisted on doing herself. That was a good idea; I'd've definitely muffed that up.

So after two weeks of what we thought would be a weekend project, we've agreed to not paint any of the other rooms. We're just going to throw money at a bunch of people, and not worry about doing it ourselves. Hell, I might even watch them and laugh at the fact I'm not doing it. I fucking hate it that much.

But there've been other things that have been accomplished at the house since moving in.

I gutted a toilet and replaced its inner workings
We had our fence finished off so the dog doesn't have to stay on a leash in the backyard
I redid some of the door hardware that needed fixed (or wasn't there in the first place)
I fixed some cabinets
I poorly trimmed a bunch of plants

You'll notice the "I"s. Solo projects are easier on the relationship. The "we"s involved paying someone else to do it. So we'll see what other things develop in the next sixth-month period of time leading up to the big one-year party.

Mobile: It's Important

2011-06-24T12:12:00.001-07:00

Hey. You can look at this blog on your phone now without dealing with douche design!

And to think, that's the only thing I've had worth saying in a month.

Crow? I don't get you...

2011-05-26T07:21:00.001-07:00

This is one of my favorite clips from the MST3K skits. (From Monster A-Go-Go)

Greetings from Matrimony, KS

2011-05-17T15:02:00.000-07:00

I'm a month away from being married for three years. They've been some of the best, with the two big exceptions of being far away from most of my family and friends, and also having to do a bunch of grown-man business that generally scares the shit out of me. In the course of buying the house and the seemingly billions of things homeowners apparently need, I've pretty much ignored everything but the sanctuary of my living room/cave of isolation. To help me chill the hell out, I've started spending time on my deck (of 'why the fuck do people hang out in their driveways; we all have expensive decks in our backyards' fame).

On the front porch side, however, we've watched a family of robins nest up, be born, and just last week the children learned to fly.

That up above is the next to last baby leaving to explore. The other one took an extra two days. I can't blame him, the parents kept bringing him food.

In addition to hanging out on my deck, I've also been thinking we need a chair for the bedroom, as this is the view from my bed out towards the master bathroom:

Something has to go there, and with our bookshelves, it kind of makes sense. I dunno, I might move a lamp in there or something, too, though there are four damn light switches for this room and I generally only use one of them. I'm not sure another light source is what this room needs.

But in the living room, there's only one source of light.

Cooper, now an 80 pound lapdog instead of a 90 pound lapdog, is still the dumbest, happiest creature in existence. I'm glad he's around, because some days, I only get by on the stupid shit he does. He also keeps Stephanie laughing, which I'm a fan of, so I guess we'll keep him.

Anyway, back on track, it's been nice having a yard to hang out with Cooper in, and I'm sadly a fan of mowing now. I blame Halcyon, because as it's been pointed out, it's the official beer of yard work. But even then, I'm settling in quite nicely.

Now if someone can keep those children off my lawn...

Real Conversations

2011-05-04T11:16:00.000-07:00

(1:12:16 PM) Barry Bailey: SR2 > GTAIV. FACT.
(1:12:21 PM) Barry Bailey: in all ways.
(1:12:41 PM) Tim McCarthy: GTAIV has a distinct lack of Johnny Gat
(1:12:59 PM) Tim McCarthy: And barely any purple
(1:13:32 PM) Barry Bailey: mainly, it's the lack of purple
(1:15:01 PM) Tim McCarthy: FACT: I just bought a purple shirt yesterday. My level of gangster dapperness increased at least 20%

I don't get it

2011-05-02T13:38:00.001-07:00

Yes, that's a truck partially blocking my driveway. No I didn't hurt it, but I mowed right up to it and shot grass all over it.

Everyone in my neighborhood hangs out in their driveways in lawn chairs. There are a billion reasons why I don't get this, but the biggest is that, in Paris, I'd associate such behavior outside of parade-gazing as being pretty low-class. On top of that, the houses in this area have hella-expensive decks in their backyards (most yards happen to be huge, btdubs). This Johnson County behavior is further enforced by posts like this encouraging people to "hack" their garages (link sent to me by bullevard).

You know what a hacked garage looks like? The fucking BatCave. Not a kegerator and a card table.

There's probably some sort of togetherness shit where we can all get together and be up in each other's business, but if I wanted that I'd still live in an apartment community. It would be cheaper, and I wouldn't care when people were on lawns because they wouldn't be mine.

True story: I once caught a dude pissing in some bushes near the corner of the apartment building I was living in. That shit wouldn't fly in my yard, unless it was me after a bottle of Double Jack. But anyway...

I guess I don't get it. I'm kinda glad I don't.

Attention All Neighborhood Children and Irresponsible Parents

2011-04-19T06:34:00.000-07:00

30 Day Music Challenge

2011-04-18T15:43:00.000-07:00

There was another 30 day challenge I stumbled across, and instead of trying to make them all happen in random places, I'm just gonna do them all now and not lose any sleep over it.

day 01 - your favorite song: "Buffalo Stance" by Neneh Cherry
day 02 - your least favorite song: "Hotel California" or "I Kissed a Girl" by the Eagles & Katy Perry, (dis)respectively
day 03 - a song that makes you happy: "It's Time To Party" by Andrew WK
day 04 - a song that makes you sad: "Wolves pt. 1 & 2" by Bon Iver
day 05 - a song that reminds you of someone: "Midnight Radio" from Hedwig. Reminds me of Ryan Miller.
day 06 - a song that reminds you of somewhere: "I'm Trying to Break Your Heart" by Wilco, reminds me of Union Station (Chicago)
day 07 - a song that reminds you of a certain event: "Bombs Over Baghdad" by Outkast, take a wild guess.
day 08 - a song that you know all the words to: "Down" by 311, especially when drunk.
day 09 - a song that you can dance to: "My Favorite Accident" by Motion City Soundtrack.
day 10 - a song that makes you fall asleep: I used to listen to White Pony by the Deftones to get to sleep, so I'll answer with that entire album.
day 11 - a song from your favorite band: my favorite band changes quickly, but I'll go with "43% Burnt" by the Dillinger Escape Plan
day 12 - a song from a band you hate: "Big Church" by SunnO)))

day 13 - a song that is a guilty pleasure: No one should ever feel guilty about music they like. A song that other people give me odd looks over, though, is probably "OMG" by Usher
day 14 - a song that no one would expect you to love: Well, shit, see above. But I guess my obsession with "Midnight Confessions" by the Grass Roots gets people sometimes.
day 15 - a song that describes you: "The Battle of Hampton Roads" by Titus Andronicus
day 16 - a song that you used to hate but now love: "New Millennium Cyanide Christ" by Meshuggah
day 17 - a song that you hear often on the radio: "Torn by Natalie Imbruglia. This many years later, and she's still on those "we do what we want" stations. I thought I'd never hear her again after the initial summer of that song's release.
day 18 - a song that you wish you heard on the radio: "Murmaider" by Dethklok
day 19 - a song from your favorite album: "White Walls" by Between the Buried and Me off of Colors.
day 20 - a song that you listen to when you’re angry: "I" by Meshuggah.
day 21 - a song that you listen to when you’re happy: "Sipping on the Sweet Nectar" by Jens Lekman
day 22 - a song that you listen to when you’re sad: "North by North" by Faded Paper Figures
day 23 - a song that you want to play at your wedding: I didn't want any music played at my wedding, nothing specifically.
day 24 - a song that you want to play at your funeral: I have a list somewhere because it's hilarious, but you'll have to consult Cameron. I'm sure "Round and Round" by RATT makes the cut.
day 25 - a song that makes you laugh: "Who's That? Brooown!" by Das Racist
day 26 - a song that you can play on an instrument: we all taught ourselves how to play "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" on the saxophone because it's hilarious and a convoluted in-joke.
day 27 - a song that you wish you could play: "Home" by Dream Theater.
day 28 - a song that makes you feel guilty: "Soup" by Blind Melon.
day 29 - a song from your childhood: "When I'm With You" by Sheriff.
day 30 - your favorite song at this time last year: as for what was current last year? "A More Perfect Union" by Titus Andronicus

The surprising amount of hip-hop I've listened to in the last 24 hours

2011-04-14T08:53:00.001-07:00

Mos Def
Black Star
Talib Kweli
MF Doom
Cannibal Ox
Tyler, The Creator
Earl
Hodgie Beats
Chiddy Bang
Das Racist
Yelawolf
Bizzy Bone

Odd Future

2011-04-12T06:56:00.000-07:00

This is Tyler, the Creator. If dude ever grows up, he'll be the best rapper on the planet.

30 Day Book Challenge

2011-03-31T07:24:00.000-07:00

It's a thing people are doing, and I've been doing this, I figure I should collect it all in one spot. Updates will follow, so check back if you choose to.

Favorite book: Disgrace by JM Coetzee
Least Favorite: Beloved by Toni Morrison
Book that made me LOL: The Bad Guys Won by Jeff Perlman
Book that made me cry: Charlotte's Web by EB White
Book you wish you could live in: Bearenstein Bears and the Bad Dream. DUDE, those action figures were the shit.
Favorite young adult book: The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey
Book that you can quote/recite: Top 10 by Alan Moore
Book that scares you: Let the Right One In
Book that makes me sick: The Strain by Guillermo del Toro
Book that changed my life: The Complete Short Prose of Samuel Beckett, but specifically the work, "Imagination Dead Imagine".
Book from your favorite author: Nohow On by Samuel Beckett.
Book that is most like your life: Downtown Owl by Chuck Klosterman. Effing read it and suffer my existence.
Book whose main character is most like you: Moby-Dick by Herman Melville. I'm autistic enough to chase a white whale into my own death, become trapped in it, and destroy everyone else near me to get to it. I'm just thankful it hasn't quite happened yet.
Book whose main character you want to marry: Feed by Mira Grant. Georgia was a super cool chick and carried a dormant zombie virus. Winner.
First "chapter book" you can remember reading as a child: The BFG by Roald Dahl.
Longest book you've read: I have no clue on this one. The Bible? Mein Kampf? War and Peace? Let the Right One In?
Shortest book you've read: The Vicar of Nibbleswick by Roald Dahl.
Book you're most embarrassed to say you like: Never be embarrassed for what you like, kids.
Book that turned you on: Aliens: Earth Hive. There's some hot android sex in there, and I read it when I was 13.
Book you've read the most number of times: Moby-Dick, y'all.
Favorite picture book from childhood: Richard Scarry's Peasant Pig and the Terrible Dragon.
Book you plan to read next: aside from the few books I'm currently in the middle of, next on the list is DEADLINE by Mira Grant (go read FEED by her if you haven't. If you haven't, you're a horrible human, or Cameron.)
Book you tell people you've read, but haven't: why would you lie about a book?
Book that contains your favorite scene: Let the Right One In by John Adjvide Lindqvist. I can't say, it'll ruin it, or at least remove some charm. And it isn't really in either film.
Book you read in school: I finished Mein Kampf in 2nd grade.
Favorite non-fiction book: Moneyball? Let's say Moneyball, the best Michael Lewis book easily, easily in my top 5 for favorite ever, and at this moment my very favorite.
Favorite fiction book: Moby-Dick by Herman Melville. This contradicts answer 1, but I've changed my mind in 27 days.
Last book I read: Drawing Heat the Hard Way by Larry Matysik. Amazing book cover to cover about the pro wrestling industry.
Book you're currently reading: There are 3 answers, but I'll go with the first Wheel of Time book by Robert Jordan. It's the biggest, so it will be the most relevant for the longest period of time.
Favorite Coffee Table Book: Sacred Mirrors, the Art of Alex Grey. There are about a billion things I enjoy about this set.

I'm pretty sure this made my week

2011-03-15T06:02:00.000-07:00

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Night Stalker makes it to Kansas City. I freak my ish

2011-03-10T13:25:00.000-08:00

I don't talk about beer in regards to what's happening here or even fancy reviews. The local beer ish is done best here, and the reviews are done best here. But Goose Island's Night Stalker made it to Johnson County today, and I'm pretty excited to try it. Goose Island makes my favorite beer in the world, and reflecting upon this fact has had me ranking, shuffling, and trying to come up with my favorite beers list.

Why? Because I like lists. A lot.

So after a crap load of shuffling, and before I get a chance to drink the Night Stalker, here's a list of my favorite beers, in order.

13: Mephistopheles by Avery. It's a stout with an alcohol content so high, I thought I only liked it because it got me drunk instantly. So I tried it a few more times, and I actually really like it a lot.
12: Duvel by Brouwerij Duvel. It was my first real Belgian beer, but I keep going back to it.
11: Espresso Oak Aged Yeti by Great Divide. I love me some coffee stouts. And I really like all Yeti varieties. I picked this one to go on the list kinda as a place holder for all of them, but also because I decided it was my favorite of the different kinds.
10: 471 IPA by Breckenridge. It's a 15 dollar 6 pack, but I first had it on tap at Barley's. I prefer it that way, actually, by a lot.
9: Pete's Brown Tribute Ale by Bear Republic. Dude who runs KC Beer Blog loves Lagunitas Brown Shugga', and this is similar in taste. Brown sugar-infused ale that I thought would be gross, but ends up tasting amazing. I like the Lagunitas all well and good, but I personally think this one whoops its ass.
8: Matilda by Goose Island. One, it's made in Chicago. Two, it's a Belgian-style beer. They make about a dozen different Belgians, but this one hit me right.
7: Old Rasputin by North Coast. I thought I liked Old Rasputin, and then I had it on tap instead of from a bottle. I guess I prefer almost all beers from tap, but this is probably the biggest disparity in tap-or-bottle differences I've experienced.
6: Orval Trappist Ale by Brasserie d'Orval. Beer! Made by monks! I dunno, even when I'm not concerned about my budget, I end up buying this trappist more than any other. Chimay is good, and so is Rocherfort... Hell, they're all really good. Something about Orval won me over, and if I ever have the beer words necessary to tell you why, I'll do it.
5: Bourbon Barrel Quad by Boulevard. People went batshit for this during its limited release, and some people broke their necks trying to get it. One day, while hanging in Olathe, dude who runs ByThePint sends out a tweet that the poorly named Brown Bag Liquors has a bunch of bottles sitting on its shelf. This was weeks into the BBQ hysteria. Being about 2 blocks from the location, I say "screw it" and pick up a couple bottles. Now I get it, and next year, I'll be one of those idiots breaking their necks trying to secure a bottle or two.
4: Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA by Brasserie d'Achouffe. Screw these guys. My childlike ability to pick through the foreign language on the bottle told me that this was an India Pale Ale, and therefore I decided to try every IPA I could get my hand on, assuming they'd all be this good. I'm an idiot. On the bright side, I did find a lot of beers I liked, but none of them tasted like this, and pretty much none were as good.
3: Gnarlywine by Lagunitas. I drink this beer from a coffee mug, and I kinda recommend you do, too. It's one of the smoothest beers I've ever had, especially for its alcohol content. Beyond that, it's a lazy afternoon beer, and it is dirt cheap. I've been trying to find a good beer to drink during baseball games, and even though this only comes in bombers, they're damn near cheap enough to justify making it my go-to baseball beer this year.
2: Hop Rod Rye by Bear Republic. Bear Republic already make a really good IPA, but this is, obviously, rye-infused. It's one of the few beers I actually sip when I drink and take my time with.
1: Bourbon County Stout by Goose Island. It's made of magic and candy.

Babe Ruth

2011-03-10T12:57:00.000-08:00

This is perfect.

Inside Jokes of Long Ago

2011-03-08T11:14:00.001-08:00

Dear HarperCollins: I Guess I Don't Get It

2011-02-25T11:17:00.000-08:00

I primarily use this space (when I choose to use it) to complain about important things, like football and beer. But today I'll slum it and talk about libraries.

So I was sent this here article by this here librarian that is pissing other librarians off quite a bit. To sum it up: HarperCollins have decided that their library-purchased e-books can only be checked out 26 times per copy before a library wishing to offer said book had to buy it again.

This started inside the lending service OverDrive (which is awesome), and is based supposedly on a study which guesstimates the lifespan of a physical copy of a library book.

Which is to say, to me, that they've equated the value of an intellectual property to the medium they're trying to prevent from dying. Which is stupid in and of itself for a number of reasons, not the least of which being that the structural integrity of an item's format often has nothing to do with the words or pictures on the page.

So here are some more of my own thoughts to amp up the stupid in this argument.

Can I lose an e-book like I could lose a physical book? If I lose (or "lose") a library book, I have to pay the library for it. I pay for the cover value, or the cost it actually requires to replace it. Will there be an opportunity to keep the e-book? Will I have to pay the library a set value based on how many loans they had left? If I get in on the very last loan and buy it, leaving the library with no lending opportunities left, can I actually get the book for free?! Or will the library be a bummer and make me pay a set price, but at least they always get all their loans back?
Currently, software makes e-books useless on your reader or computer once your loan period expires. What if I want to keep reading a book with complete disregard to the rules (like the physical-copy Dresden Files novel sitting at home that someone else has a hold on [suck it, Johnson County!])? I'm willing to pay that 30 cents to keep it an extra day. What if I want to do that with an e-book? Will that price be the same? Will it cut into the loan count? I mean, we want to treat e-books like physical books, wouldn't using a book longer age it faster?
If I have a price for an expirable e-book, then I have a set price per use. What if I just blow my load and, instead of doing what most services do and make a book 'checked out' while one person is reading it, just open up a book for all 26 uses to be done at once? If I wanted to serve my patrons best, wouldn't giving all of them uses as soon as possible, simultaneously, be the responsible public service thing to do?
If we're trying to stick a relational value between electronic and physical books, why not sell them as a combo pack and not allow the book to be replaced without rebuying a digital copy? I'm no business-plan-ologist, but it would seem the fair method of employing the current dumb-assery HarperCollins is implementing.

So that's some of it. Every other thought I have is making me headdesk, so I'm going to put my soapbox up and get back to important things.

Hey. I'm Not Dead.

2011-02-17T16:45:00.000-08:00

We're working on two months of little to no communication with the outside world. Unless you're on Twitter. If that's the case there's been too much communication, and I apologize a little.

But yeah, I'm moved into this big-ass house that has three unused rooms, a basement I don't know what to do with, and a yard that my dog has claimed.

Some how, I've taken next to no pictures, so you'll have to live vicariously through the interactions of the animals.

So this was the day we actually closed on it. I own this room. Well, the bank kinda does, but I quote them when they said "Congrats, you just bought a house," so by all means I'm calling this mine. I was quick to learn that Cooper thinks that the wood floors are the devil's work, so we bought him a rug.

You can see here that he was still giving me the stink eye, even though I think a rug is a pretty generous gift. Also, in the background, you can see that we put his crate entrance right on the corner so he never had to leave the rug except for trips outside.

He's gotten used to it, though. We moved the crate upstairs (which is carpeted), and he prances on the wood floors with a fair amount of ease.

The cat pretty much started running the place from the moment we moved in. I expected him to hide, but he actually started running around without issue. In fact, the first night, he started jumping off of the second story balcony down to the wood floor on the first floor. Stephanie bought some stuff humans can't smell that discourages cats from spraying, and she covered the railing in it. The cat ceased jumping.

But as depicted above, he likes sunbathing. The dog loves trying to figure out why the cat loves it. Actually, I think he's worried his best friend is dead and goes to make sure he's alive.

In all honesty the move's been good for them. You'll find them doing this more often than not. It's a little disgusting.

And a big thanks to FTWinsor for helping me move. He has a mighty reward coming his way, the above being part of it. Illinois people: If you see this beer, buy as much as you can afford. Seriously. This happened to be the last bottle on the shelf. It's been a rare find in the KC area.

So that's it: I bought a house, I work a lot, my animals became mutually best friends, and I bought some beer. It's been a mellow ride, and maybe, if I'm lucky, I'll be back to human activity sooner than later.

Merry Christmas, Guys

2010-12-23T08:05:00.000-08:00

EMBED-Christmas With Gwar - Watch more free videos

Playoffs, Motherfucker!

2010-12-20T20:58:00.000-08:00

PARTY TIL YOU PASS OUT / DRINK TIL YOU'RE DEAD! / DANCE ALL NIGHT TIL YOU CAN'T FEEL YOUR LEGS!!!

My Favorite Albums of 2010

2010-12-16T06:42:00.000-08:00

In between work, hating life, and trying every bad IPA known to man, I've been dicking around with a list of my favorite albums from last year and trying to put them in a decent order. I think I finally got there. So here's my 10 favorite without any explanation.

Titus Andronicus: The Monitor
Janelle Monae: The ArchAndroid
Das Racist: Shut Up, Dude
Sufjan Stevens: The Age of Adz
Dillinger Escape Plan: Option Paralysis
Chiddy Bang: The Swelly Express
Frightened Rabbit: Winter of Mixed Drinks
Atheist: Jupiter
Gaslight Anthem: American Slang
Robyn: Body Talk pt. 1

So there you go. Extended list here.

A Better Interview

2010-12-07T20:34:00.000-08:00

Someone posted something recently on IO wondering what happened to listening to an album you didn’t like multiple times until you felt like you got it. It’s rare to see people marinating in new music anymore.

A mostly unrelated quote from one of the best interviews I've read. It came up seemingly randomly after reading the Pitchfork review for one of the most underrated albums this year. How underrated? Pitchfork gave it an 8.5 and still wouldn't give it the "Best New Music" tag. So listen to Agalloch's Marrow of the Spirit.

This post has nothing to do with the phrase "Does a bear shit in the woods?"

2010-11-11T18:48:00.001-08:00

I kinda want to create a journal with my fellow professors and librarians, make it peer reviewed, and call it CFS (common fucking sense), and have it consist of student submitted suggestions in which the statement should be common sense, but their teachers docked them points for not citing a resource.

If this already exists, direct me to it so I can help the kids.

When I thought Bret Hart was done with the WWF

2010-11-08T15:30:00.000-08:00

The Loudest I've Ever Heard a Bar

2010-10-18T15:49:00.001-07:00

Still makes me tear up.

One Day...

2010-10-11T05:54:00.001-07:00

Tuesday: It's a Little Bit Closer

2010-10-10T17:16:00.000-07:00

Not only does new Sufjan come out, but the second Monstrumologist book will be released as well.

Been listening to some older Sufjan since I've been thinking about this lp nonstop.

And also remembering the monsters from the first Monstrumologist.

Next Tuesday

2010-10-06T18:08:00.000-07:00

Next Tuesday, the first LP from Sufjan since Illinois comes out.

Samples of what will take my money.

Sufjan Stevens - Vesuvius by Le CD est mort

I'm Not Dead

2010-10-06T13:25:00.000-07:00

This happens every football season: my attention is given entirely to the BIAL blog. Kinda hoped that wouldn't happen since Cam and I are letting ESPN handle the hard work. Oh well.

But now that I'm looking here, I have very little to say outside of the general "I'm too stressed" and "I'm listening to too much music" comments you could have filled in yourself.

So here are some highlights from the last while:

Cooper can do a Jay Cutler impression now.

Very good. And this is up in my office now.

So I hope some faculty members are a little more careful with their words now.

I bought this for the cat, and it's the first bed of any we've got for him that he uses regularly.

That's about it.

I'm In The Wrong Occupation. I Was Meant To Dog Dance

2010-09-05T16:17:00.000-07:00

YouTube - Dancing Merengue Dog: ""

I'm just sayin'. Here's hoping Cooper and I make a crapload of money with the circus.

My StarCraft 2 Review

2010-08-28T21:28:00.001-07:00

I'm about 25 hours into the storyline, which I'm told people beat in like, 15.
I've won 3 matches online!!! That's 3 more than I thought I would ever!!!
I love it, even if it has brought posting here to a damn-near halt.

Everything You Need to Know About an Adam Lambert Concert

2010-08-09T11:42:00.000-07:00

First of all, the opening act was opening crap. Then this guy happened between sets.

The person who went up to dance with him was the hottest drag queen I'd ever seen. It took her telling me she was in drag earlier in the lobby for me to even tell it was a dude, but Stephanie pointed out the arm definition, proving I don't look at arms (which I hear a lot of ladies actually appreciate).

Second of all, I shit you not, This is what a third of the crowd looked like.

No foolin', they were raising canes in the air as he performed. Amazing.

And finally, It was actually a kick ass concert, and given recent events, any time I get to see someone fabulous themselves out to 11, I'm pretty happy for them.

Aww! Look at That!

2010-08-01T09:28:00.000-07:00

In Full-on-double-rainbow-all-the-way news, THAT GUY, that guy right there, is engaged. Engaged to be married. To that girl right there, a Stephanie that I don't know. YET. This will change, and she'll be high-fived.

Congratulations to TMC and the Steam Factory for becoming the second TMC to enter engagement this year.

Double wedding? All the way? If TMC the first finds a nice young hottie, then it will start to look like a TRIPLE wedding!

Anyway, back to as serious as I get, congrats to you two kids. In honor of Stephanie's New Jersey roots, I give this engagement 5 Kevin Smiths, 3 Titus Andronicuses, 10 Bon Jovis, and 33 Bruce Springsteens.

Eulogy

2010-07-30T07:16:00.001-07:00

When I met Ryan, he made two things perfectly clear: he had an awful cold, and he wanted me to read my e-mail.

I'd been back home after a particularly shitty week at college (they were all running together as shitty at that point in my life), and I was without a roommate. My previous roommate had dropped out on account of an EverQuest addiction, and the only attempt the college had made to match me with someone was with a racist douche bag who provoked me inform Housing authorities that I'd never live with him.

So I was surprised upon opening my door to see that there was somebody there waiting for me, sitting on the top bunk, working on adding to a pile of used tissues. After Ryan introduced himself, he insisted on me reading my e-mail. Repeatedly. When I finally made it to my e-mail, I had about 5 paragraphs explaining where he was from, the equipment and utensils he could bring, and all the way at the bottom, this statement: "I think it is also important for you to know that I am a homosexual. If you have any questions about this, I would be glad to answer them." I read this and laughed, and said "Dude, the first thing you see when you open the door now is your Hedwig and the Angry Inch poster. I don't think you needed to say anything." Sighs of relief.

Ryan had been chased from his old dorm by homophobic jocks who ended up expelled for their actions, so I was glad Ryan had a comfortable place to live now. From there on, we were tight like brothers. We were instantly drinking buddies, insomniacs, and fuel for each others' curmudgeony demeanor.

The year after that was probably worse. And by that I mean better. I can't chronicle all of the stupid shit we ended up doing, but there was plenty. It's a special connection when you find someone willing to co-invent a demon named Nailgnag who induces fits of screaming and pounding on the wall. At 3am. When your neighbors have already reported you to the RA.

The years that follow are more than complicated, but Ryan always had hermit tendencies. For two more years we shared adjoined apartments, and after that, I was on my way to being a married man. Ryan had started living with his fiance-to-be, Dan. The times we did see each other were always good, even if the only things worth mentioning were reminiscences of years past.

Ryan ended his life at the beginning of this week, and I know I'm supposed to be sad. I know I'm supposed to ask why and be pissed at him for leaving us, and ask a thousand "what if" questions to try and figure out how things that can never be different now could have been. But I can't do that. I can't, not because it could have been different, but because all of the people who loved him (and trust me, it was more than he knew) are dragging themselves down and becoming more sad about something they can't change.

But that's what makes me sad: watching people beat themselves up. Ryan makes me happy, and he always has. I can't even list everything that comes to mind when someone mentions him, now or before this, but the first few are:

The Spite & Malice song
The Anal Berzerker barbarian horror movie that never was
How hilariously frustrated he got when I told him I didn't get the ending of Hedwig and the Angry Inch
"Louis, you look like a goddamn Jubilee victim."
"We call it 'The Grand Canyon'"
Ryan getting drunk, stealing a bicycle riding it around the 6-Pack, crashing it near some bushes and wandering back.
Any time he ever gave anything the stink eye.
The approval tool
The Meatloaf game
sashaying
The insisting that I smash bugs
The Crow obsession
The Voyager obsession
The countless hours we would watch The Golden Girls (Ryan jumpstarted this Betty White shit by at least 6 years. Fuck you, hipsters.)
Deciding to watch all of Twin Peaks in 2 days and then walking around a dead campus on Christmas Break
Playing Silent Hill and having to turn off the PS2 because we were both freaked out.
"OH MY GOD, ITS JESUS!" [slams door]
[High pitched voice] "You got MARRRRBLED!!"

Those memories, whether or not they make sense to any of you, make sense to me, and they're some of the best times I've ever had. Am I sad Ryan and I won't add to what was already an infinite list of good memories? Of course.

But he deserves better than my pouting.

Besides, he'd just try to cheer me up.

Obituary

2010-07-28T22:33:00.000-07:00

D. Ryan Miller, 26 of Urbana, formerly of Sycamore, died Monday, July 26, 2010 at his home.
He was born February 19, 1984 in DeKalb. The son of Dr. Donald T. and Pamela L. (Schauer) Miller, Jr.
He is survived by his fiance, Daniel Linck Davis of Urbana; his parents, Dr. Donald (Pamela) Miller, Jr. of Sycamore; one sister, Bonnie (Arlen) Miller-O'Dell of Sycamore; one niece, Zoe; his paternal grandmother, Lois F. Carter of Fithian; maternal grandmother, Madelyn Schauer of Kingston; three aunts, Peggy K. (John) Lowrey of Waterman, Patsy Ann Schauer of Kingston and Lynda (Ron) Benes of West Chicago; one cousin, Katrina Kobernus of DeKalb; and his future mother-in-law, Cheryl Brown of Urbana.
He was preceded in death by his grandfather, William D. Schauer in 2007 and his cat, Angel.
His Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, July 31 at 4:00 PM at the local family-owned and operated- Butala Funeral Home and Crematory in Sycamore, with Rev. Dr. Janet Hunt officiating.
His Visitation will be on Saturday from 1:00-4:00 PM at the Butala Funeral Home.
Memorials can be made for D. Ryan Miller for the Human Rights Campaign-Chicago in care of the Butala Funeral Home and Crematory, 1405 DeKalb Ave., Sycamore, IL 60178. For info 815-895-2833 or www.ButalaFuneralHomes.com

From Butala's site

This App is a Must

2010-07-27T08:12:00.000-07:00

ATTN: Android Users

You may not know it, but you need this Congress app by Sunlight Foundation. Keep track of your local representatives: who they are, how they vote, how to contact them, what new laws have been passed, and a bunch of other sweet stuff.

I think a lot of people got into politics during the 2008 election fanfare, and while they've seemed to cool down or start caring less, the information has become easier to get. Or, in other scarier situations, people have become more politically active but skipped out on that whole "easy to get information" part.

So do it!

New Robyn Video = Dance

2010-07-26T09:55:00.000-07:00

I, without shame, love Robyn

Popissection

2010-07-14T14:14:00.000-07:00

You can hear the following bands if you listen closely.

Madonna
Darren Hayes
Robyn
Annie
Boston
Pat Benatar
Journey
The Darkness

What else can be heard here? Aside from awesome, that is.

I Like Bears

2010-07-12T09:13:00.000-07:00

I don't share this bear's sentiment, but it made me laugh. A lot.

Thanks to Zach E. for throwing this up on Facebook, which is where I saw it.

Why I Don't Do Facebook Memes, Pt. Many

2010-07-12T05:05:00.000-07:00

After seeing Levi and Kim do this (Kim first, btw, for credit's sake), I decided to try this to prove why I never do these fucking things. My results were... They were awful. Mostly because they're all disturbing.

Soundtrack of your life
THE RULES:
Put iTunes on random, advance to the first song: this is the first result.
For each subsequent result, advance the track twice.

listed as Track - Artist

Waking Up: Big Boys - Elvis Costello
First Day of School: Crutch Field Tongs - The Dillinger Escape Plan
Falling in Love: bombtrack - Rage Against the Machine
Losing Virginity: A lot of Nothing - Coheed and Cambria (literally a 15 second blank track.)
Fight Song: Love Like a Sunset II - Phoenix
Breaking Up: Alive - Pete Yorn
Life: A Lotta Nerve - Allister
Mental Breakdown: The Coolest - Lupe Fiasco
Driving: Widower - The Dillinger Escape Plan
Flashback: Malpractice - Faith No More
Getting Back Together: Figures A and B (Means you and me) - Hellogoodbye
Wedding: Wrapped in Plastic - Marilyn Manson
Birth of Child: Wolf Like Me - TV on the Radio
Final Battle: Out of Egypt, Into the Great Laugh of Mankind, and I Shake the Dirt from My Sandals As I Run - Sufjan Stevens [I shit you not]
Death Scene: Anchorage - Surfer Blood
Funeral Song: Spam Song - Monty Python

BREAKING NEWS: Dad Explains the Appeal of Al Stewart's 'Year of the Cat'

2010-07-09T19:41:00.001-07:00

This is the text conversation that answered everything.

Dad: How do you post on Bears in Arrowhead?

Barry: In the comments?

Dad: You asked about Year of the Cat

Barry: Ha! That's actually my Twitter feed, I just display it there. But I still am curious as to why you like that album.

Dad: Well it starts off with a sweet piano piece, followed up with powerful orchestry, very haunting lyrics, and just when you think it couldn't get any better

Dad: A screeching sax solo kicks you in the nut sack and takes your ass back to a more innocent age. Any other fucking questions?

Barry: That answers more questions than I was expecting answered, and Stephanie's asleep on the couch, and I'm trying not to laugh

Dad: WELL HELL, THAT'S BREAKING NEWS! WAKE HER UP AND SHARE IT WITH HER AND ON YOUR BLOG... Just in case others were wondering

Spelling corrected for texting abbreviations, but I kept the word "orchestry" because it is my new favorite word.

The end result? My dad is now on Twitter. God help us all.

Upon Returning

2010-07-06T04:05:00.000-07:00

I'm away from my office for a 3 day weekend, and upon returning, I see this message on my screen:

Meh: so i'm totally high
Meh: dont tell anyone

Okay. Your secret's safe with me, lady.

Take a Bad Thing, Make it Awesome

2010-07-05T20:05:00.001-07:00

...And Speaking of Elvis Costello

2010-07-03T15:57:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite Elvis Costello cover, from the Dan In Real Life soundtrack, which if you haven't seen, you don't realize you have a hole in your life.

Accidents Will Happen

2010-07-03T15:42:00.001-07:00

You'd figure after Night of the Living Cougars & Single Moms (also known as the Michael Buble concert) I'd have a few free passes. I mean, here's Michael walking around in the crowd, just one minute before walking right past us and Stephanie went for what I can only assume was a back pat.

But, alas, I pulled the ultimate blunder: I compromised the safety of our cat. Apparantly, upon entering the house from the porch, SOMEBODY didn't shut the door. Then that person went to dinner and came back two hours later with his wife, who immediately wondered, not if our stuff had been stolen, but whether or not the cat had wandered out.

Upon finding the cat, I was informed I could only be forgiven upon purchasing three things for the cat, who is a very masculine grumpy cat named Kitty, proving I really knew him.

This task was easy, because the cat and I are well acquainted.

Number One: A new scratchy pad. Of all of the "things you can destroy because you're supposed to," Kitty's only ever taken apart one with fervor. So I got him a new one.

Number Two: A can of tuna. The damn animal refuses to leave me alone any time he hears a can opener. This was an easy pick.

Finally, Number Three: Our very masculine cat has refused to use every bed that was ever purchased, because it was either too collapsable, or too hard. Behold: proof that I know this cat too well.

Those paws belong to a sleeping cat. You're welcome.

The Worst Dancer Ever

2010-06-28T19:28:00.000-07:00

Straight Outta Michael Buble concerts.

From video

AV Club

2010-06-26T10:53:00.000-07:00

The AV Club is doing a list of covers. This is Ted Leo doing a Tears for Fears song. And I like it. The Antlers do a Pink Floyd cover that I like better than the original.

Ted Leo And The Pharmacists cover Tears For Fears

Useless Thought for the Day

2010-06-24T14:41:00.000-07:00

I'm actually doing alright. Like, better than a long time.

The Lowest Common Denominator

2010-06-16T13:24:00.000-07:00

Amanda - Who would win in a fight? Ditka, or Hurricane Ditka? 12:35 PM
Barry - Seeing as he had a brief stint coaching the Saints, I'll defer to New Orleans. 12:54 PM
Amanda - Touché 2:52 PM

I Think I Love My Wife

2010-06-16T10:58:00.000-07:00

I told my wife that I hated the term "guybrarian." And I do! But she decided this was the perfect opportunity to come up with better insulting nicknames for me and what I do. Below are her explanations and labels.

You're a giant wuss so you're more like a crybrarian.
You never get anything done right, so you're more of a trybrarian.
You're the Hamburgler's assistant, so you're the Frybrarin.
You're extra sensitive, so you need to be a 2-plybrarian (this one was probably the best).
You specialize in fortune telling, so you're a scryebrarian. (really?)
You think you're really cool, but you're not, so you're a flybrarian.

Those are the only ones I remember. It went on for quite some time.

Suicide at JCL

2010-06-16T06:39:00.000-07:00

This happened...

Proof that There's a Black Hole in Paris, IL

2010-06-15T13:26:00.000-07:00

Here's a map displaying who comes and goes from what counties.

Here's what Johnson County looks like.
Here's what Edgar County looks like.

Nobody gets in; nobody gets out.

Screw You, Compy

2010-06-14T05:24:00.000-07:00

Under no circumstance should my Playstation 3 have a larger hard drive than a computer I have to use for imaging. Unfortunately, this is the reality I live in.

Fuuuuuuuck that. Honestly, I think I should just run this shit on my PS3. They haven't shut down the Linux project yet, have they???

So if you need me, I'll be dumping more data onto an external... sonofabitch.

HA! HA! Not an Effing Chance!

2010-06-10T09:47:00.001-07:00

Marching Tigers Alumni Needed [like I need Detroit].

Now Hitting Reset

2010-06-05T22:02:00.000-07:00

This is how we roll on shit days. We're out of shit to do and will probably end up at some museums over the next couple days. But since I just found out that the archivist brings her dog to work on weekends, Cooper might become a mainstay.

The Glorious Under

2010-06-01T07:16:00.000-07:00

So here's a summary of what to expect from this musical project.

The story of The Glorious Under is about getting so low that one ends up embracing all of the hideous aspects of one's current station for the sole purpose of making it worse for everyone else.

The central character begins a very structured attempt at handling the processes necessary to live in a semi-future setting. I guess it could occur in modern day, hence semi-, but the microcosm of the main character's life implies a world where every process has been streamlined. Work, sex, love, eating, entertainment, etc. aren't just regimented by some fascist government or corporation, but beings exist to streamline the processes for efficiency.

As the story goes on, it is clear that the functions are a lot like computer functions. To be vulgar, one does not just have sex for a regulated amount of time or a controlled duration, but everything from who/when/where/how long/when to come/satisfaction of orgasm/amount of contact/transition into next function... everything is planned and controlled. Everything is maximized for efficiency and without personality.

There is, however a brief wave of clarity. The character still thinks, and he isn't exactly trapped in this. He realizes that the slightest changes in mentality are enough to annoy whatever is controlling the efficiency product. In the longest song on the album, "Christened in Futility," the main character has what is, in real time in the story, maybe a 5 second breakthrough (the song itself borders on 10 minutes).

From there on, he realizes that he can maintain performance as part of the system, he can continue to live unaltered, and he can resist the urge to do something like rebel and fuck up the system. In doing so, he recognizes that he can actually effect the system more by simply enjoying it. The real threat to the system is feeling emotion. In a soulless organism, one person chooses to conduct these with a manic smile on their face. One person threatens the system not by challenging it, but willfully accepting it.

The album plays out into what sonically equates to the job being accomplished but a bit more insane. What was once mechanical is now oddly off while maintaining the previous structure. The organism has adapted with fear towards the introduction of personality, and the main character ends the album physically and process-wise completely unchanged, but he has made the organism horrifically self-aware and on edge of collapse.

So that's it. I look forward to completion because its probably (for better or worse) the most complete thought I've been able to pen out.

Here are a few things that have influenced the shape of the theme, though not necessarily the music itself.

Too Effing Late w/ Barry

2010-05-31T21:09:00.000-07:00

Current Song: "Archangel" by Burial

My playlist is fluctuating at the moment between metal and more ambient/dancy stuff. From Sigur Ros, to Fields, to Burial; I'm trying to get a hang on what makes soundscapes appealing at all, because a lot of it catches me as horseshit. Some of it, however, makes a whole lot of sense. Burial happen to be good at falling into the latter category.
I believe the next album to poke around inside will be Cannibal Ox's The Cold Vein, which is sort of like ambient hip-hop if you've never jammed to it. After that, I need to listen to Botch.

Last Movie Completed: Return of the Jedi

I remembered I own movies. This weekend, I watched Empire Strikes Back, Eraserhead, Audition, Return of the Jedi, and Jurassic Park. I'm trying to find a theme between all of these, and if you can, please tell me. "They're awesome" is a given, though, sorry.
Next up: Alien, Blade Runner, Jaws, Lost Highway, King Kong (the new one), Destroy All Monsters, Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla, and Planet Terror. Probably in that order.

Last Beverage Consumed: Leffe Belgian beer

I don't know about this stuff yet. It isn't bad, but I'm not 100% on it yet.
Next up: Stephanie bought me some port I have to finish, The Glenlivet is sitting around, I have a big ass bottle of Le Chouffe that needs consumed... I'm guessing the port will go first.

Next time I get to sleep: No clue.

I've been in the middle of this weird creative spurt that lacks direction, so I write for awhile, then try to turn words into pictures or sounds or coherence. It is, thus far, a big bag of fail. Cooper's been keeping my spirits up. He's decided that he can't lay on the couch unless my lap being utilized, and any of my limbs can instantly turn into a chin rest regardless of their position.

Given the path that things are going down, this is going to likely end up in some sort of science fiction outlet. I don't think there's enough for another album worth of material, but certainly something musical. I'll have to update this business when it starts fleshing out. Next post, I'll outline the album that's mostly thought out: The Glorious Under.

I Should Really Keep Doing My Job

2010-05-26T09:14:00.000-07:00

Somebody asked me some questions about digital librarianship, and just where the profession is shifting. I took a little time to discuss it, because a) it's important, b) I like it when people show interest in what we do here, and c) I'm a total egomaniac and I love talking about myself and my job.

I was sincerely touched to receive this in the mail. Not only is it awesome, but it's handmade! So thank you, gracious fan of libraries! You've made my day.

The Post Ratio

2010-05-25T08:30:00.000-07:00

Sing it, Axl.
Right now, there are over 800 posts at BIALeague.

This blog is just barely over 300.

I have sincere issues with this. That, and it has been like, 11 days since I last posted something. More things to say would end up with more posts... but I've got nothing much to talk about at the moment.

End This Jazz/Math Metal Kick! Now

2010-05-14T10:12:00.000-07:00

It's taking me over.

Flash Mobs & Libraries

2010-05-13T12:45:00.000-07:00

We're hoping for a Grease-themed one. We can dream.

K-State Blog (via Marsha C.)

Tell me more

2010-05-13T12:42:00.001-07:00

Another Beer I Like

2010-05-10T04:24:00.001-07:00

I'm picky as all hell with beer. But I think I have a new 2nd place (to Guinness Draught). Old Rasputin is super stout, and it finished with less oat flavor than the rest of the way the beer drinks, which is my biggest complaint with Guinness Stout.

The only downside to Old Rasputin is that a 4 pack of it costs as much as a 6 pack of about ever other beer I drink. Regardless, I love it.

Holy Shit, You Guys...

2010-05-10T04:18:00.000-07:00

Somehow, this is the face of victory. A fucking SWEEP against the Spurs... I DVRed it just in case it would happen because it'll never fucking happen again.

But seeing Nash sink a fucking 3 with one eye swollen shut? No lie, I jumped in my living room.

My Life in 3 Pictures

2010-05-07T20:47:00.000-07:00

See that? That's a leak in the Archives. This was not the way to start my week off. Luckily, my stuff there lived. Regardless, John's quick acting saw that the boxes of garments were covered in plastic just in case.

Stephanie recently got a chaise, which is burb for reclining-chair-thing.

It's actually pretty cool, but I sit in my chair with my feet up on the end of it while she fights the urge to fall asleep outdoors

But this last one is what I've been up to during most free moments: watching either baseball or the playoffs while Cooper curls up next to me... which soon becomes on top of me. Someone needs to tell him he isn't a lapdog. In the background, you'll see the guitar and amp. Heavy usage. Heavy, heavy usage.

All that said, today was ass. I don't know what's going on, but I was done with today around noon. Since then, this has been on infinite repeat:

Holy Shit, You Guys...

2010-05-06T08:03:00.001-07:00

...the Suns are up 2-0 in the series vs. the Spurs...

ELATION.

Tightrope

2010-04-30T12:06:00.000-07:00

I'm digging this. I look forward to her new album.

Another DVD To Pick Up

2010-04-29T13:43:00.001-07:00

Bad. Ass.

Finally

2010-04-29T11:35:00.000-07:00

I found the photographer responsible for the art I'd like to use on the TBA album. Gregory Colbert, ladies and gentlemen.

You Should Read This: Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter

2010-04-29T10:38:00.001-07:00

Pride & Prejudice & Zombies was funny in concept. The book itself was... boring? Boring. With trepidation, I picked up the newest book from the same author, Seth Grahame-Smith, Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter. I figured, hey, I'm from Illinois, maybe I'll give this a go. Then I read some positive reviews and admitted to myself that I was going to read it regardless of my concerns.

I am quite pleased with the result. It takes guts to re-write history, even in a sci-fi environment of obvious fiction, or an Oliver Stone film, but this book takes a shit on the proverbial desk of history. You take one of the most beloved presidents (Abe), one of the most tense and sensitive issues of America's history (the Civil War), and then shift the blame of numerous events from their true executors to vampires. I can see how some people can take issue with this book for removing a lot of the blame of slavery from human monsters and delivering it to vampires. People might see it as a way to, even in fiction, explain away human atrocity, or think that it trivializes what the Civil War was really about, or even think that it might be some acting out of racial or cultural guilt. Honestly, the thing that makes vampires creepy to me (when they are creepy [stephanie meyer: eat a dick]) is that they were human but now have their moral barometer removed whether by necessity or the narcissism that must be born from immortality. I guess I see it more as a conveyance of what some humans are capable of, or would do if they could. Because a lot of people are bastards. I guess there's a point when hating something because it uses fantasy as a metaphor for something more important becomes a simple hatred of fantasy. Not liking this book because of the subject matter would seem to fall on the latter. I suppose I'd feel different if the vampires sparkled in the sunlight.

What's problematic are the very few good-guy vampires. Not because that ruins my "we can all be monsters" theory, but rather enforces my "Because a lot of people are bastards" theory. When confronting the possibility of what one can become, seeing so few living with that and choosing a higher road (if it can be called that) is disheartening in a lot of ways.

The book is quite similar to The Monstrumologist in its overall vibe, and that's a very good thing. The character development is done very well, to the point where I felt honestly bad for a number of people. It also has fairly similar gore descriptions, but less incidents of it. I feel like anything else I say about it will ruin some part of it, so I'll give it a rest. But it is bad ass. A lot.

Notes From the Front Desk

2010-04-27T21:39:00.000-07:00

So, I've fired up my old Twitter account, linked to the right if one cares. If one doesn't, pretend it isn't there, or read it occasionally.

Up above you'll see an "About Page". You likely know what it's about, but I'm MAKING FRIENDS now, and they may be interested to hear me bitch when I'm not present. Ha.

Other than that, BiA continues as per normal.

@TheKotel

2010-04-21T13:44:00.000-07:00

If you think Twitter is 99% bullshit, you're right. But that 1% that doesn't suck is generally highlighted at 140conf. This story was one of the better ones. (This is a close second, because I agree with him).

The Antlers

2010-04-20T12:47:00.000-07:00

This album is currently in heavy rotation, much to stephanie's chagrin.

It's about Hospice! ... I can't really make that cheery

Accurate?

2010-04-20T12:30:00.000-07:00

If you're blessed to not know the source, I won't impose it upon you.

Things You Should Know

2010-04-07T20:46:00.000-07:00

Wichita is a horrible place
I encountered a storm that produced awful winds, rain that instantly flooded a highway, and golf-ball sized hail.

This was the picture I took in case it was the final thing I saw before dying in a stereotypical Kansan way: by being speared by a windmill after I'm thrown into it by a category 30 tornado.

You'll be pleased to know, I made it. The car, also, somehow made it. I don't quite know how, but congrats to my car!

If This Doesn't Make You Happy...

2010-04-04T13:24:00.001-07:00

... then you don't get it... or you love Twilight.
[seen here at io9, something you should be reading anyway]

This Needs Finished

2010-04-02T09:25:00.000-07:00

You can't have cool album artwork and no album; this needs recorded, no matter how many names we add to the bottom credits.

I Like This More and More

2010-04-02T07:46:00.001-07:00

Some days are dark...

The Return

2010-03-29T15:27:00.000-07:00

I haven't had Pumas in forever. But I do again.

Things I haven't had ever:

This here Android phone. I'm liking it quite a bit.

Why We're So Admin Heavy

2010-03-29T08:56:00.001-07:00

I Want This Job

2010-03-26T00:42:00.000-07:00

... but they can't pay me enough.

Corresponding with Some of My Favorite Faculty

2010-03-23T08:28:00.000-07:00

From: David Krug
To: Barry Bailey
Subject: picture

I just noticed that you gave in this year and allowed yourself to be photographed for this year’s JCCC photo directory!! What a handsome young man! You look like the new leader of the Young Republicans in your suit!

David Krug

Krug, when you're right, you're right.

(Though for clarification, letting Bret take my picture for this led to its inclusion into the directory as compensation. Bret's awesome, and staff photos are like Pokemon for him: He's gotta catch'em all.)

Oh, Kansas

2010-03-21T21:59:00.000-07:00

You'll never take this out of my heart. Thanks for trying.

A New Team To Hate Even More

2010-03-17T07:52:00.000-07:00

Washington Redskins: Racist name, horrible new QB.

When You Condense the Truth, You Become an Idiot

2010-03-16T22:08:00.000-07:00

So here's a fact: The NEA is who our faculty association is connected to (KNEA when you get down to it). Our admins are not part of our FA bargaining unit. Because JCCC has become so administration heavy, those big salaries have cost faculty jobs (if not flat-out stole faculty to fill them), and have put us in some shit situations best not ranted about here (yet).

So when Ben Hodge, who didn't get enough votes to retain his seat on the Board of Trustees this last election, makes a statement telling you to not listen to the NEA because the presence of many administrators means everything must be hunky-dory at JCCC... he's just wrong. In addition, faculty chairs aren't what they sound in this, and they aren't admins. You'd think he would have learned more from serving on a Trustee Board than from watching Glenn Beck... Alas, his petition what-have-you is a good read.

If you're going to bitch about administration positions, maybe a real one, like Executive Director of Academic Initiatives, a *poof!* position, would be more warranted.

Actually a quick word about Hodge: The last election became more about who to keep out of the Board of Trustees than who to let in. Because of this, many people were happy that Hodge was ousted... forgetting that they put into place a politician, a businessman, and someone who banned books from a school:

In Kansas City, Kansas, Robert Drummond, the Olathe district school board president, defended banning Annie on my Mind from three high school libraries because, "Homosexuality is a disorder...And the Bible says homosexuality is a sin." The national theocratic organization, Concerned Women for America, took out half-page ads in newspapers across the country, falsely claiming that the National Education Association had endorsed October as gay history month and asking readers to complain to Congress. -Peacework 1995

So while I don't think that Hodge should have retained his seat, I will say that it wasn't fair to make an entire election a crusade to have him lose it. Some people were completely screwed because of this. That, combined with Hodge having too much free time to be cranky, is the real crime.

What I REALLY Meant to Say...

2010-03-16T09:37:00.000-07:00

To the staff member who cut me off in the parking lot: Eat shit.

Do Over!!!

2010-03-11T16:24:00.001-08:00

I think she'd like a second shot at this one.

Mountain Goats on Cemetary Gates

2010-03-11T08:46:00.000-08:00

Seriously, Guys: Steve Vai...

2010-03-09T13:07:00.001-08:00

CURSE YOU AND YOUR CONSTANT E-MAIL TAUNTING!!!

2010-03-08T13:21:00.001-08:00

Higher Learning:

2010-03-07T21:07:00.000-08:00

This concerns me, and I'll tell you why.

This girl got an A and feels she shouldn't have
There is a chance she's right
With only like, 120 characters left, she's opted for the "ur" instead of the "you are". "ur" ladies and gentlemen... "ur".

recurring series: ur welcome, J-Mi

Goodnight, All Other Music in 2010

2010-03-07T20:34:00.000-08:00

So How About That?

2010-03-07T19:38:00.000-08:00

This man's a Bear. Awesome. And while a knife to the wallet, I gotta say that 79.8 million over 6 years was a lot less than I thought he would cost. Which doesn't say much, does it? Eek. Anyway..

So what to do about the Offensive Line?

String Theory

2010-03-01T08:56:00.000-08:00

I saw this a couple nights ago on Palladia. I recommend everyone check this DVD out, especially or even if you think Vai's gone off the deep end. This kinda pulled it all back. I'm totally sold.

Bears in Arrowhead

Goodbye, Take Care, My Heart is Already Empty

Video of the Year

A list of albums that sound more like the suburbs than The Suburbs

Mug vs. Super Glass: A scientific test.

A moderate summary of the things that are important to me right now, outside of people

Football season is near

One Project Done

Mobile: It's Important

Crow? I don't get you...

Greetings from Matrimony, KS

Real Conversations

I don't get it

Attention All Neighborhood Children and Irresponsible Parents

30 Day Music Challenge

The surprising amount of hip-hop I've listened to in the last 24 hours

Odd Future

30 Day Book Challenge

I'm pretty sure this made my week

Night Stalker makes it to Kansas City. I freak my ish

Babe Ruth

Inside Jokes of Long Ago

Dear HarperCollins: I Guess I Don't Get It

Hey. I'm Not Dead.

Merry Christmas, Guys

Playoffs, Motherfucker!

My Favorite Albums of 2010

A Better Interview

This post has nothing to do with the phrase "Does a bear shit in the woods?"

When I thought Bret Hart was done with the WWF

The Loudest I've Ever Heard a Bar

One Day...

Tuesday: It's a Little Bit Closer

Next Tuesday

I'm Not Dead

I'm In The Wrong Occupation. I Was Meant To Dog Dance

My StarCraft 2 Review

Everything You Need to Know About an Adam Lambert Concert

Aww! Look at That!

Eulogy

Obituary

This App is a Must

New Robyn Video = Dance

Recommended

Popissection

I Like Bears

Why I Don't Do Facebook Memes, Pt. Many

BREAKING NEWS: Dad Explains the Appeal of Al Stewart's 'Year of the Cat'

Upon Returning

Take a Bad Thing, Make it Awesome

...And Speaking of Elvis Costello

Accidents Will Happen

The Worst Dancer Ever

AV Club

Useless Thought for the Day

The Lowest Common Denominator

I Think I Love My Wife

Suicide at JCL

Proof that There's a Black Hole in Paris, IL

Screw You, Compy

HA! HA! Not an Effing Chance!

Now Hitting Reset

The Glorious Under

Too Effing Late w/ Barry

I Should Really Keep Doing My Job

The Post Ratio

End This Jazz/Math Metal Kick! Now

Flash Mobs & Libraries

Tell me more

Another Beer I Like

Holy Shit, You Guys...

My Life in 3 Pictures

Holy Shit, You Guys...

Tightrope

Another DVD To Pick Up

Finally

You Should Read This: Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter

Notes From the Front Desk

@TheKotel

The Antlers