So I bought the shoes(a), but had a few doubts about the shininess of the patent leather for shoes that I was intending to wear twice a week to work. They didn't have the regular leather version(b) in the store, but since I'd just bought a pair, I knew the exact size. Made my first purchase at Zappo. Sent the link to my sister for an opinion on ( Read more... )

Sat I went hiking with the 'rents in Black Rock State Park. I loaded my pack with 2 gallon jugs of water before we left, plus climbing gear, lunch, and a bottle of water for each in our party, and an extra. At the trailhead, I handed two half-liters to my parents who said, "We're not carrying water!" and put it back in my pack :) Came to roughly ( Read more... )

Does anyone make non-crap printers anymore, other than laser printers? I want a printer such that, when I have to print directions once or twice a month, it will work. Instead, these inkjet printers always seem to conk out and require cleaning EVERY SINGLE TIME I want to print something, and then die after a year or two. Grr. I think it would ( Read more... )

"Oh, Mr. Wolff, what do you think of Balzac?"
"I never trade in them Curb stocks!"

I can't believe it took me this long to read Reminiscences of a Stock Operator: I've had it recommended it to me multiple times over the past ten years. I still think the first third was pornorrific. I wish my father had given me that book instead of Storming the ( Read more... )

A certain picture on LJ reminded me of this one.Last night's date: ...so I'll be going to Club Getaway a lot this summer ( Read more... )

I'm not sure what it says about me that there's a story I read a while back and I can't figure out if it was erotica or science fiction, which makes it very hard to find again. It was told from the point of view of an artist who'd gotten a grant or temporary residency to come to a major planet of his society to show his work, which seemed to be ( Read more... )

Speaking of Lileks, his comments about having dinner with Mark Steyn reminded me of a funny story. MY parents went to a dinner/book signing with Steyn. My mum's name is the same as the Japanese currency, so when Steyn signed her copy of America Alone, he wrote ( Read more... )

One of the most interesting things about playing NationStates is that I've been getting some interesting insights into my own political leanings and indoctrination. For example, while New Messaline is usually an Inoffensive Centrist Democracy, with the occasional day of New York Times Democracy, Capitalist Paradise, or Left-Leaning College State ( Read more... )

So it's 7:08am... and I still haven't 100% decided whether I'm leaving for paradise camp tonight or tmw. *snort* 'course, given that staying means I have a 2-hour board meeting that is going to just plain irritate me, I should clearly have packed last night. Grrr ( Read more... )

I was snickering over the things people want to bring to Broadway (Sidd the Musical based on Siddhartha, Elf the musical based on the movie, etc.) when I came across an article about Xanadu, the Broadway musical. Apparently some guy named Alan Tudyk read the male lead in the first reading. Wash in person. Mmm ( Read more... )