I saw a production of The Tempest at Lake Harriet last night. It was actually pretty good. The woman who played Ariel was this really cute redhead who was a perfect match for the part. Anyway, off to bed.
Jun 152003
Jun 102003
In no particular order…
Tempted to get Radiohead’s new album. OK Computer was one of the best albums of the last decade, but Kid A and Amnesiac just left me feeling cold. BTW, the new album for the New Pornographers kicks ass. They’re coming to First Avenue in July and I hope to be there.
A new V? This miniseries from the 80s holds a special place in my heart even though it’s incredibly cheesy. I have vivid memories of begging my parents to let me stay up to watch it. It will be interesting to see what they do with this.
It’s sad that every new technology will sooner or later be used for prurient purposes. Case in point…
Jun 062003
I just finished Less Than Zero. Besides being a study in upper class West Coast nihilism, it is an amusing study in 80s pop culture detritus. Every ten pages seemed to contain at least one reference to Betamax or Atari or some crappy band. I thought about renting the movie, but the reviews make it sound like some treacly just-say-no anti-drug propaganda. Too bad.
Is it me, or is the whole search for WMD in Iraq turning into a parody? “No, really, we totally know where they are! We’re pretty sure we saw nerve gas cannisters in this ditch outside Tikrit, but then the Rangers had this massive kegger and we kinda forgot about it and when we went back the next morning we were like ‘Dudes, WTF?’ But we swear we saw them sitting there last week. But don’t worry, we got mad skillz when it comes to finding shit and we’ll have a major WMD stash sitting on the front lawn of the White House faster than you can say ‘Osama bin Laden.'”
May 302003
On Wednesday, I had the opportunity to present part of a CLE class (in Minnesota, attorneys need a certain amount of continuing ed credits to maintain their licenses). It wasn’t much; I just did a brief overview of assistive technology that can be used in the workplace. Much of the focus of the class focused on last year’s Minnesota Supreme Court opinion involving li’l ol’ me (which you can read here). We’re doing an encore on June 25th because of popular demand. Can my film debut be far behind?
Mainstream media has done a shit job covering this story, but on June 2nd the FCC is expected to hold a crucial vote that will make it much easier for one media conglomerate to own multiple newspapers and television stations in one market. Remember how much radio sucked after the 1996 Telecom Act? This would make Clear Channel look like a model of corporate restraint. Educate yourself about the issues by going here or here, and then go here to tell the FCC that the airwaves still belong to the people, not to Michael Eisner or Rupert Murdoch.
May 252003
I said goodbye to my med student friend today. Goodbyes always make me a little melancholy, so I’m just sitting here at my desk, listening to music and remembering.
Speaking of music, I got on a Motown kick after recently seeing Standing in the Shadows of Motown. A great film with some great performances of classic songs. “I’ll Be There” by the Four Tops simply kicks ass and I’ve listened to it about five times today.
May 202003
Nothing like writing forty pages and then realizing that it’s just not working. Shit. But I think this abortive effort might have the seeds of something better. And I just got another rejection slip. I only need a few hundred more to begin my wallpapering project.
Hopefully, I’ll be able to see Matrix Reloaded tomorrow evening. I’ve read some of the mixed assessments, but I’m not expecting much more than a couple hours of entertainment. The first film was great, but I don’t think it’s as original as many people think. Add some William Gibson, Japanese anime, kung fu cinema, Philip K. Dick, shake well and serve.
And perhaps I’ll move to this town.
May 102003
I am SO in the wrong profession.
May 092003
Tomorrow I’m going to a graduation party for a friend completing med school and who will be leaving next month to begin her residency at Mass. General. I’ve known this friend for a few years and I’m sad to see her go, but I have no doubt she will be a superb and compassionate physician. The other night, I was thinking about how people move in and out of our lives. In some ways, I think who we are is largely determined by the connections we make with others; the subtle influence of the countless conversations and experiences we share with the people in our lives is more profound than we realize, I think. And so I don’t think we ever truly can say goodbye to someone, because a small part of that person continues to dwell in the recesses of the mind, whispering in our ears.
May 042003
According to the Dante’s Inferno Test:
The Dante’s Inferno Test has banished you to the Sixth Level of Hell – The City of Dis!
Here is how you matched up against all the levels:
| Level | Score |
|---|---|
| Purgatory (Repenting Believers) | Very Low |
| Level 1 – Limbo (Virtuous Non-Believers) | High |
| Level 2 (Lustful) | High |
| Level 3 (Gluttonous) | Low |
| Level 4 (Prodigal and Avaricious) | Very Low |
| Level 5 (Wrathful and Gloomy) | Moderate |
| Level 6 – The City of Dis (Heretics) | High |
| Level 7 (Violent) | High |
| Level 8- the Malebolge (Fraudulent, Malicious, Panderers) | Moderate |
| Level 9 – Cocytus (Treacherous) | Low |
Take the Dante’s Inferno Hell Test
May 042003
Saw X2 yesterday and was actually quite impressed. The story kept my interest and the FX were way cool. I’ve always felt a certain affinity for the X-Men (being something of a mutant myself). But Professor X ain’t got nothing on my set of wheels!
Oh, got my first rejection slip a few days ago. No great surprise. My goal is to have the world’s biggest collection of rejection slips and wallpaper my bedroom with them, thus allowing me to wallow in my own inadequacy.
I’m thinking of trying this Friendster thing. Not for dates, but to find fellow geeks. You see, one of my nurses/geek friends is leaving and I shan’t have anyone with whom to play Doom III! So if you’re a fellow gamer in the Twin Cities area, drop me a line. I’ll supply the Red Bull and hardware/software. You supply a working pair of hands and a willingness to frag until 3 a.m.