stuff
1. The Middleman, alas, was an unqualified disaster. I liked the first ep okay although I wasn't bowled over. B, on the other hand, announced, "This is stupid" halfway through, and left the room to go read. :-(
2. I can't seem to copy the HTML, but the Reincarnation Placement Exam sez I shall be a spy in my next life. Which is likely, I gather, to be exciting but short. It's one of the more entertaining quizzies I've done, I have to say.
3. Speaking of woo-woo philosophies a la reincarnation:
Poll Retrograde, shmetrogradeI am a little taken aback by the earnest comments about Mercury retrograde on my flist. I mean, I always thought it was a sort of shorthand joke - like the muttered woeful pronouncement after two misfortunes that "bad luck comes in threes, I'm waiting for the next blow," I figure that "Damn, Mercury must be retrograde" is just a pro forma tossing of blame for sucky things happening, a hopeful claim that the fault lies not in ourselves, but in the stars. Even though we know better. I find it kind of amazing that people believe in astrology, considering there's no plausible mechanism. Then again, I find it kind of amazing that people believe in God; yet several friends whom I respect greatly find it kind of amazing that I don't, so.
4. Two meme posts in a row, avert your eyes. But how can I resist the concert meme, taken from geoviki and bethbethbeth? Warning: if you are not older than dirt, clicking the cut-tag may result in dangerous eye-rolling.
- What was your first concert?
Chicago, in 1977, with a green-eyed boy named Tony who I had a major major crush on. Oh, Tony. I wonder what ever became of you? ♥
- What was the last concert you attended?
Um. Hmm. Does a local jazz band count? Probably not. Maybe Emmylou Harris in, like, 1998.
- Who was the best band to see live?
The Tubes! They put on an amazing show, prancing and dancing and changing costumes every other song. So much fun.
- What was your LIFE CHANGING concert you attended?
I don't think any of the concerts I attended changed my life. Alas.
- Have you ever gotten anything from a band?
Nope.
- Who was the worst band to see live?
The Cars. It was just like putting on their records (this was before CDs, children) and playing them REALLY LOUD. Every "hey" and "oh, baby" was precisely in place. Boooooring.
- How long was the longest concert you've attended?
Probably the Grateful Dead, who I saw in, hmm, 1982-ish.
- How short was the shortest concert you've attended?
Dunno.
- What is the worse thing to buy at a concert?
- What is the best thing to buy at a concert?
I have never bought anything at a concert! Sad but true.
- Have you ever worn a band shirt to the same band your seeing live?
I own no band shirts. Boring, huh? I understand this is considered gauche now, but in my day, sonny, it was no big deal.
- How long was the longest drive to a concert you attended?
Probably only an hour. But it seemed longer, because we had, like, six of us jammed into Dave's old Barracuda. Fortunately Roland was still shorter than me, at the time, and so he had to squish himself under the glass back.
- How short was the shortest drive to a concert you attended?
I walked to see They Might Be Giants at the Boulder Theatre.
- Do you like seats or the pit better?
Depends on the kind of concert.
- What is the most annoying thing at the concert?
The line for the bathrooms. I'm stealing bethbethbeth's answer verbatim.
- Indoor or Outdoor concerts?
Oh, gosh. I love outdoor concerts. I've seen them at Wolf Trap, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Red Rocks (totally awesome) and, um, the outdoor venue near Moffatt Field near Palo Alto, I forget what it's called [ETA: Shoreline Amphitheater? Does that ring a bell? It just popped into my head], where I saw some combination of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. Plus when we were on our boat we anchored near a Willie Nelson concert and got to hear it for free. Not that I liked Willie Nelson much, but still, free!
- Day or Night concerts?
Night. Daytime concerts make me feel guilty, like there's something more practical I should have been doing.
- Small shows or Big shows?
Small. One of my favorite concerts was The Police at DC's Paramount Theatre, just after they had struck it big with Zenyatta Mondatta - they must have booked the venue before they suddenly hit the bigtime, because they could have sold out a much larger place. I was in the very back row, and the place was packed, and nobody sat down all night.
- What is the best season for a concert?
A lazy late summer night, under the stars.
- Do you frame your ticket stubs?
FRAME them? How organized do you think I am? Jeez.
- How many concerts have you been to?
Probably around 100? Mostly between 1978 and 1986.
- How old were you when you went to your first concert?
14.
- What is the farthest you've been to a band?
Not very.
- Have you ever stage-dived?
No, but I have been stage-dived into, at the Ramones concert at Nightclub 9:30. I thought my nose was broken. I was there with a guy named Bob on whom I had a massive crush. Later that night he revealed to me that he was gay.
- Have you ever moshed?
Yep.
- Have you ever crowd surfed?
No.
- Do you still have your ticket stubs?
Yep. They're in a box downstairs but I couldn't get to it this afternoon. Count yourselves lucky; if I had, all these microstories about my concert-going would be much, much longer and more detailed.
- Have you ever snuck into a concert?
Only if you count anchoring within earshot.
- Have you ever stolen anything at a concert?
Nope.
- What concert do you really want to go to?
I regret that I have never seen Lyle Lovett in concert. I'd kind of like to see Great Big Sea, too.
- What concert are you planning to go to?
I live in a land of no concerts. I'm going to see The Capitol Steps in October, but I don't know if that counts.
- What band have you seen most in concert?
David Bowie and Rush I've seen twice each.
2. I can't seem to copy the HTML, but the Reincarnation Placement Exam sez I shall be a spy in my next life. Which is likely, I gather, to be exciting but short. It's one of the more entertaining quizzies I've done, I have to say.
3. Speaking of woo-woo philosophies a la reincarnation:
Poll Retrograde, shmetrogradeI am a little taken aback by the earnest comments about Mercury retrograde on my flist. I mean, I always thought it was a sort of shorthand joke - like the muttered woeful pronouncement after two misfortunes that "bad luck comes in threes, I'm waiting for the next blow," I figure that "Damn, Mercury must be retrograde" is just a pro forma tossing of blame for sucky things happening, a hopeful claim that the fault lies not in ourselves, but in the stars. Even though we know better. I find it kind of amazing that people believe in astrology, considering there's no plausible mechanism. Then again, I find it kind of amazing that people believe in God; yet several friends whom I respect greatly find it kind of amazing that I don't, so.
4. Two meme posts in a row, avert your eyes. But how can I resist the concert meme, taken from geoviki and bethbethbeth? Warning: if you are not older than dirt, clicking the cut-tag may result in dangerous eye-rolling.
- What was your first concert?
Chicago, in 1977, with a green-eyed boy named Tony who I had a major major crush on. Oh, Tony. I wonder what ever became of you? ♥
- What was the last concert you attended?
Um. Hmm. Does a local jazz band count? Probably not. Maybe Emmylou Harris in, like, 1998.
- Who was the best band to see live?
The Tubes! They put on an amazing show, prancing and dancing and changing costumes every other song. So much fun.
- What was your LIFE CHANGING concert you attended?
I don't think any of the concerts I attended changed my life. Alas.
- Have you ever gotten anything from a band?
Nope.
- Who was the worst band to see live?
The Cars. It was just like putting on their records (this was before CDs, children) and playing them REALLY LOUD. Every "hey" and "oh, baby" was precisely in place. Boooooring.
- How long was the longest concert you've attended?
Probably the Grateful Dead, who I saw in, hmm, 1982-ish.
- How short was the shortest concert you've attended?
Dunno.
- What is the worse thing to buy at a concert?
- What is the best thing to buy at a concert?
I have never bought anything at a concert! Sad but true.
- Have you ever worn a band shirt to the same band your seeing live?
I own no band shirts. Boring, huh? I understand this is considered gauche now, but in my day, sonny, it was no big deal.
- How long was the longest drive to a concert you attended?
Probably only an hour. But it seemed longer, because we had, like, six of us jammed into Dave's old Barracuda. Fortunately Roland was still shorter than me, at the time, and so he had to squish himself under the glass back.
- How short was the shortest drive to a concert you attended?
I walked to see They Might Be Giants at the Boulder Theatre.
- Do you like seats or the pit better?
Depends on the kind of concert.
- What is the most annoying thing at the concert?
The line for the bathrooms. I'm stealing bethbethbeth's answer verbatim.
- Indoor or Outdoor concerts?
Oh, gosh. I love outdoor concerts. I've seen them at Wolf Trap, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Red Rocks (totally awesome) and, um, the outdoor venue near Moffatt Field near Palo Alto, I forget what it's called [ETA: Shoreline Amphitheater? Does that ring a bell? It just popped into my head], where I saw some combination of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. Plus when we were on our boat we anchored near a Willie Nelson concert and got to hear it for free. Not that I liked Willie Nelson much, but still, free!
- Day or Night concerts?
Night. Daytime concerts make me feel guilty, like there's something more practical I should have been doing.
- Small shows or Big shows?
Small. One of my favorite concerts was The Police at DC's Paramount Theatre, just after they had struck it big with Zenyatta Mondatta - they must have booked the venue before they suddenly hit the bigtime, because they could have sold out a much larger place. I was in the very back row, and the place was packed, and nobody sat down all night.
- What is the best season for a concert?
A lazy late summer night, under the stars.
- Do you frame your ticket stubs?
FRAME them? How organized do you think I am? Jeez.
- How many concerts have you been to?
Probably around 100? Mostly between 1978 and 1986.
- How old were you when you went to your first concert?
14.
- What is the farthest you've been to a band?
Not very.
- Have you ever stage-dived?
No, but I have been stage-dived into, at the Ramones concert at Nightclub 9:30. I thought my nose was broken. I was there with a guy named Bob on whom I had a massive crush. Later that night he revealed to me that he was gay.
- Have you ever moshed?
Yep.
- Have you ever crowd surfed?
No.
- Do you still have your ticket stubs?
Yep. They're in a box downstairs but I couldn't get to it this afternoon. Count yourselves lucky; if I had, all these microstories about my concert-going would be much, much longer and more detailed.
- Have you ever snuck into a concert?
Only if you count anchoring within earshot.
- Have you ever stolen anything at a concert?
Nope.
- What concert do you really want to go to?
I regret that I have never seen Lyle Lovett in concert. I'd kind of like to see Great Big Sea, too.
- What concert are you planning to go to?
I live in a land of no concerts. I'm going to see The Capitol Steps in October, but I don't know if that counts.
- What band have you seen most in concert?
David Bowie and Rush I've seen twice each.