I never really liked Halloween. It's kind of creepy, and I don't need an excuse to eat candy. I don't even want to eat candy most of the time, so that works out okay. Dressing up is fun, but I can do that any day I feel like it, really.

Most importantly, it steals some of the thunder from Thanksgiving, which is a far superior holiday. Better food, better circumstances. Nobody is pounding on your door demanding free dessert (unless they're family), and the only people who look dead are those who ate too much turkey and passed out at the table.

That said, I missed the usual festivities from the California Kids, and I think this year was the first year in my life that I didn't dress up at any point around Halloween; which makes me kind of sad. I guess I'm an adult now. I was really looking forward to my Elton John Benet Ramses costume, too.

Labels: Life

If Matt Pool had been raised on the mean streets of New York (rather than on the clean slopes of Big Bear) he would create something like these beautiful model railroad slums.

He would also listen to more hip-hop than Fleetwood Mac, drink more Malt Liquor than Jaegermeister, and wear more do-rags than white belts, but that's besides the point.

Labels: Fun

The baseball season has come and gone leaving most of us sad and lonely. We will have to wait far too long to see our friends again.

We'll miss you, Ground into Double Play. See you next spring, Caught Stealing. And no, I didn't forget about you, Blown Save. We've spent many a long hot summer night together. Me: hoping you'd change. You: knowing it was impossible. Well, so long friends. We'll see you in April.

April. April? That's an eternity away. That's from here to to the moon. What am I supposed to do on a lazy Saturday afternoon? Thankfully there's Spring Training, where this year we officially say farewell to Dodgertown.

Next Year.

Next Year.

p.s. iTunes is easing the pain with their MLB Classic Baseball Channel. I just bought game 7 of the 1965 Twins/Dodgers World Series. Did somebody say Koufax shutout?!

Labels: Baseball, Life

A few weeks ago we went to a photography show and were struck by the work of Matthew Pillsbury. He creates hauntingly beautiful images using long-exposures and low-light conditions, often emitted from technological sources.

His series Museum Hours is especially lovely. I absolutely love this self-portrait, "Contemplating Wapiti," which perfectly conveys the wonder and reverence in the air when visiting these places. How often have I found peace-of-mind and solace under the gaze of a bronze statue, oil painting, or taxadermied beast?

Not often enough. I know where I'm going this week.

Labels: Photography

Last night I made L. watch The Peanut Butter Solution.

She had never seen it. She was not privy to the hit Canadian-made horror/comedy about a kid who loses all his hair then applies a magical peanut butter solution to his head which causes his hair to grow incessantly.

I had completely forgotten how crazy-weird this movie is. Like, for instance, the part where Conrad, the lovable subpar-acting Asian sidekick, applies the peanut butter solution to his crotch, and the hair starts growing out the bottom of his pants.

Or how about the fact that The Signor kidnaps little kids and forces them to work in his magic-paintbrush-making sweatshop? Forgot about that. Or the fact that the magic-paintbrushes create life-like paintings that you can walk right into? Nope. Did I remember that Conrad starts pretending to be the Signor's son for some reason. Not at all.

It's a weird movie. It's creepy, and I feel like I should be a whole lot more messed up than I am for watching it such an impressionable age. It is truly bizarre, and you can watch the whole thing on Google video. So you should.

Labels: Film, Fun

When I was in elementary school I had a friend. He was my best friend, and we hung out at one of our houses almost every day. I really liked going to his house because his mom had a stash of Strawberry soda and snack foods that we didn't have at my house (little debbie snack cakes, ding-dongs, and all their equally unhealthy cousins).

He also had a small liquor store a block from his house where we would go and play Street Fighter 2, fueled by jumbo packs of Mambas and Gatorade. He played as Ken. I played as Guile (which strikes me as weirdly patriotic looking back. Or maybe I just liked his haircut). Another friend of ours loved Blanka. I bet you could do a study linking personality to the character picked in Street Fighter 2.

I haven't played SF2 in years now, but it will always be the game that reminds me of adolescence. That feeling of freedom. Leaving the house on your own with 5 dollars in quarters jangling in your pocket. Riding your bike a little farther than you are allowed. The sickly sweet taste of processed sugars.

Now that I'm older, however, I like a little classier of a game. Something that still has the turmoil of a Street Fighter 2, but with a little spiritual depth. That's why I play Bible Fight over at Adult Swim, where Biblical characters go head to head in combat. Jesus sends loaves and fishes. Moses calls a toad hailstorm. Noah induces a stampede of animals. This is the game for the contemplative man.

Labels: Fun, Life, Religion

Link [Via]

Labels: Design, Fun

Labels: Fun, Meow

You want to make high-quality cocktails, but can't figure out why the Martini you bought last night for 12 dollars doesn't taste like your rubbing alcohol monstrosity? Here's a tip: put down that olive brine, stop shaking the hell out of that damn thing, and pay attention to this.

It's Cocktail Kitchen with Nate Dumas.

Learn a few tricks of the trade. Make a few drinks. And if you're lucky you'll learn how to make your drinks go from the cellar to stellar.

Download the First Episode

Labels: Projects, The Drink

Rockies vs. Diamondbacks?

Zzzzz...

Labels: Baseball

Welcome to the new Mouse & the Billionaire. A Change is in the air.

Micah's recent post reminded me of this thing I did a few years back. I just found it the other day. It's pretty entertaining if you've got 15 minutes to kill. Give it a listen.

Rich Richards - Live at the Concert Place (mp3)

Labels: Fun, Music

The all-new and decidedly fantastic Boing Boing Gadgets posted this picture by Alex Brown a few days ago. They named it Sad Vader

You might have already seen this, buy I don't give a damn. I think it is gorgeous.

Labels: Design, Fun, Photography

I always wanted to be a writer.

In fourth grade, I won a creative writing gold medal in my school's Academic Olympics, and thought I was on my way.

Then my sister started writing, and she was better. Much better. From that time on I have wandered back and forth in the literary world, toying with writing, but mostly just reading.

Geroge Orwell's essay Why I Write has inspired me. Maybe I can write. Maybe I should give it another chance. Maybe I can write inspiring words that the world will remember.

But, then again, maybe not. Maybe I should take a nap.

This is my favorite thing right now. YouTube user St. Sanders takes footage of classic guitar fantasticos and overdubs them with lame noodling. It took me a while to figure it out. This Eric Clapton one is fantastic.



[via]

Labels: Fun, Music