watching expired appliances align

The other night at bocce practice I bounded into Floyd somewhat energetically. Youthlarge attributed the pep in my step to the Chuck Taylors I was wearing, making a comment about how me wearing Chucks makes her laugh (but in a good way). I'm totally misquoting her, I know. It had something to do with the energy and the shoes and the slight goofiness of it all.

The comment about the shoes caused me to remember this photograph. My scanner isn't working so this is just a photo of a photo. Don't let that ruin your enjoyment of my long hair, weak moustache and casual leaning against the Grafton-Stovall Theatre popcorn machine.

(photo from 1995, probably November)

Posted by Marc at 11:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

During my Thanksgiving vacation cousin Dave gave me the rundown on his holiday gift-giving philosophy. I made a few notes and present the list below.

Only give Christmas gifts if you're going to be there in person.
Children under 5 get a ball.
Boys ages 5-12 get a pocket knife.
Girls ages 5-12 get anything "unicorn." Girls love unicorns.
Boys ages 12-17 get cologne.
Girls ages 12-17 get perfume.
Adults get either a toaster or an alarm clock with big numbers.

I wrote down this list in his presence. At first I wrote "alarm clock" and he corrected me, noting the importance of one with big numbers. "Next year they will tell you how much they appreciate the alarm clock with big numbers on it."

MightyJunior just linked to a color changing ball sold by the MoMA design store. I couldn't be happier. Sadly, it's on backorder.

Posted by Marc at 03:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Dear Friends,

I need your help. Six or seven or maybe even eight years ago the metal strip on my bathroom cabinet door started coming unglued from the door. The tiny metal strip stayed attached to the magnetized part of the cabinet and the door would rest in the wide open position. I swear to you there is nothing in my medicine cabinet that I'm trying to hide. Well, maybe you'll realize I have at least three razors in there but blades for none of them. I run the occasional facial hair update, though. How worried can I really be?

Back to the question at hand - for years I've applied two pieces of foamy double-sided tape. During the past ten months the lifespan for this solution has decreased. As you can see from the tape residue below, I once tried duct tape. No dice. Do I need a different brand of double-sided tape? Is there some sort of industrial grade glue solution? I need your help! Make this problem disappear. I want to walk into the bathroom and look at my face in the mirror.

I've posted a few photos below, to give you and idea of what I have to work with. Please post suggestions in the comments!

(the cabinet door)

(the cabinet - with the metal strip stuck to the magnet)

Thanks,
Your Pal Balgavy

Posted by Marc at 11:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Way back in January I went a little overboard describing and posting pictures from the 2007 New Year's Day Board Game Party. Today I topped that. I just posted a GeekList to boardgamegeek.com.

NOTES FOR HOSTING A NEW YEAR'S DAY BOARD GAME PARTY

I did some serious internet searching last November and December for board game party ideas and couldn't really find that one source of great ideas. I hope this GeekList will encourage others to offer their ideas and make the 2008 party even better.

Posted by Marc at 01:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Instead of checking out bocce courts this weekend, I spent my Sunday afternoon visiting art studios in Gowanus. It was AGAST - the Annual Gowanus Artists Studios Tour. I like these sorts of things and I was bummed about missing the open studios last month in DUMBO.

For some reason, I'm really shy when I go into open studios and talking to artists. I'm bad about talking about art. I think I'm afraid. Anyway, I picked up postcards and business cards from some of the studios I liked. Here's a list:

Megan Piontkowski
Dave Marin
Jacob Roesch
Dana Matthews
Patricia Watwood
Curtis Wallin
LJ Lindhurst
Bonnie Steinsnyder

Posted by Marc at 12:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

As a result of spending last Saturday outdoors, my face got sunburned. I should've used sunscreen. On Tuesday my nose started peeling. On Wednesday it was my cheeks. Today it's my forehead. I just scratched my forehead and saw white flakes fall onto my brown shirt. It would appear I have a dandruff problem. On the other hand, I shaved my beard (aka, my hollywoodian) Sunday night so I don't have a beardruff problem!

Posted by Marc at 12:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Does anyone feel like going out dancing or clubbing or whatever it is that people do these days? I'm sort of in the mood to go somewhere that makes me really uncomfortable because I don't know if they'd let me in or not. And I promise I won't wear sneakers. But I also want to do this on the cheap. Is that possible? Who's with me?

Posted by Marc at 04:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Time to step into the sorta'-way-back machine again. I recall the days between Christmas and New Year's as one haze of partying. I think I went to three parties over the course of three nights. Oh, wait. The third party was the New Year's Day Board Game shindig at my pad. How could I have forgotten about that? Perhaps because I was dancin' like a fiend the night before?

If you've got twenty seconds, and who doesn't, check out these five snapshots taken just after the clock struck Midnight, 2007:

Oh, these two sure know how to party. How can it not be a good year if you start out by double fisting champagne?

Is that Listmaker getting into the swing of things? Actual fist-pumping? Or is he just stomping on the floor and moving his arms and torso along to the music?

Why can't I find myself at a dance party every weekend? It's summertime right now and if I were to purposefully go to a dance party, I think I might convince myself to wear a mesh t-shirt. A totally awesome plan, right?

Nothing says "good dancer" like a guy who forces you to take pictures of him with his camera and then dances with his mouth WIDE open. So, umm, let's cancel that mesh shirt plan.

Listmaker yells at the downstairs neighbors. Or, is he about to start breakdancing? You make the call.

Posted by Marc at 11:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Earlier tonight Listmaker asked me what I do with all the photos I've taken for the last year and a half. "I file them" was my response. And that's it. I might flip through them but I no longer select the best shots and put them together for this webpage. I'm not sure when I lost interest in doing that, but I did. Handwashings mentioned that he missed my podcasts. I sort of miss doing them. I have a secret fear that I'll start smoking again if I do another podcast. It's total superstition.

Anyway, I think I'll post random blog entries in the near future about what I've been doing while in my thirties. Earlier today Handwashings and I took the G to McCarren Park pool for the Band of Horses show. We got there early and caught some rays. Listmaker joined us in time to see the headliners.

(Band of Horses)

(Handwashings is the king of relaxation.)

I had a fun time. I wish Band of Horses had been opening for a band a little more suited to the venue - someone a little more rousing and able to really take control of the space and the crowd. It was a free show, so I'm not really complaining. And I've got to say I'm a huge fan of that venue. Is it the best outdoor space for live music in the city?

Posted by Marc at 09:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

I'm going to assume no one is interested in knowing that I now keep a spreadsheet to track all my grocery store purchases. If you are interested, please note I purchased One A Day Men's Formula vitamins tonight at Pathmark. They're on sale until midnight. I got in just under the wire. I saved 2.7 cents per vitamin. Pretty sweet, huh?

Posted by Marc at 10:54 PM | Permalink

If you’ve hung out with me in the past few months you’ve probably seen me pull out a pen and make a few random notes after buying a drink or slice of pizza. Since November 20th, I’ve kept track of every penny I’ve spent.

Whenever I spend cash, I take a second and jot down the amount and, sometimes, the type of item purchased. (Note the piece of cardstock which tucks halfway into a pocket of my wallet. I cut the cardstock to the perfect size so I can spin it around and use the bottom half when the top part is fully covered.)

After getting home and checking email, I open Excel and transfer that information into a spreadsheet in which I also list a category for the spending. (That $2.16 was for jute twin purchased at the hardware store. I couldn’t find twine at Pathmark or Target. How in the world do the people in my neighborhood recycle their paper goods?)

Every two or three days I copy the cash spent information into Microsoft Money. (Today was a splurge on lunch day as I had a burrito, chips and salsa at Chipotle.)

I know all the recording seems like too many steps with high redundancy, but I’ve found it’s a system that works for me.

The important thing I’ve realized during the past six months of trying to get control of my finances is that using a system that works for me has been key. Is it really that important I note every quarter I spend on a newspaper? Of course not! I’m compelled to do so, though. It’s a rigid little system of organization and I like watching all of it come together at the end of each week or the end of each month. Comparing the dollars I’ve spent versus my ideal budget is an oddly fun exercise that reminds me I’m trying to save a little money (even if it’s for my next trip to Atlantic City).

One of the personal finance websites I’ve been reading since late 2006 wrote about this topic (keeping track of your money – not blowing it at the casino) recently.

Honestly, adding a few personal finance websites to my rss reader has been a huge plus in helping turn around my spending and saving habits. I peruse almost two dozen feeds at the moment and I admit I’m overdoing it by about twenty. Three or four years ago I surfed the web looking for a good blog about personal finance and couldn’t really find anything. The growth in personal finance information and commentary over the past few years has been pretty amazing. If it’s something you’re at all interested in, in addition to Get Rich Slowly, check out The Simple Dollar or Lazy Man and Money. It sounds like I’m totally shilling for these personal finance blogs. I guess I sort of am but the topic is one I’ve been thinking about over the last half year and it’s a topic I wish I’d been paying more attention to since I started drawing a paycheck at fifteen.

Posted by Marc at 10:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

at tonight's white elephant gift exchange jamie (shrewdness of apes) walked away with some fantastic star spangled suspenders. if i wasn't about to pass our from a combination of bourbon and red wine i would post a photo. he put them on over his striped shirt and they were fantastic. no man has ever looked so good while holding his pants up!

Posted by Marc at 12:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sunday night I joined a friend and a few other folks for drinks in midtown. From there it was a short walk to Dave & Buster's. It's been years since I've been to one of the adult sized arcades. I enjoyed a meal of chickfingers (Goldfingers, officially) and mashed potatoes. Sufficiently filled with delicious foodstuffs, I spent the next 1/2 hour closing down the giant trivia machine.

As much as I'd like to pretend I'm good at first person shooter games or that I can really kick ass on fake jet ski 3-d simulations, I can't. Watching a giant screen that flashes a question and 3 multiple choice answers while rewarding you with tickets is something I can do, though. I kept swiping my power card (or something similarly named) and taking on anywhere from one to five other competitors. Five questions. The person who answers the most questions in the shortest amount of time wins. There are consolation tickets for second and third place. It was fun and I was smart in covering all three giant buttons (A, B, C) with both hands, ready to pounce upon seeing an easy answer. I even managed to recognize Lawrence Taylor as a linebacker!

This machine is the future of trivia, despite putting Arts/Sciences into one category! Did I mention that it's giant size? The buttons for the answers are each the size of dinner plates. And the monitor that displays the questions has to be 4 feet wide. It takes up a lot of space. But it's the future. And I was rewarded with an acrylic Dave & Busters highball glass. Can a Sunday night out get any better?

Posted by Marc at 12:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

More photos from 24 hours in Asbury Park coming soon.

Posted by Marc at 11:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Earlier today I noticed the public subscriber lists on bloglines aren't available. "Subscriber" numbers aren't listed either. I liked this function of bloglines because it let me know how many people subscribed to feeds of my blogs (usually 1(me)-5), it gave me a slight ego boost when I could claim to be one of the first subscribers to a cool blog and it was also a great function that let me find "related" feeds.

It's that ability to find related feeds that I'll miss the most. Taking a look at the public subscriptions of other internet users was a very fun, informative sort of thing. Doing so was especially useful when those users were good about structure - putting tv related feeds in a tv folder, music related feeds in a music folder, etc.

So, is this bloglines functionality gone for good? Just a temporary burp, pending an upgrade? Only time will tell.

Here are my public bloglines subscriptions: bloglines.com/public/marcb

UPDATE (4/11/06): The numbers are there. No conspiracy afoot.

Posted by Marc at 05:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's the top of the 9th inning during the Venezuela / Dominican Republic World Baseball Classic game. It's intense stuff. I think people are getting sucked into this whole thing, and I'm one of them. TEJADA ERROR!!!! WOW.

And if you think those are my only baseball thoughts, think again. Below is a list of links I've recently noted to my del.icio.us account.

But first - DUANER SANCHEZ! Is this what we can expect from the new NY Mets bullpen??? The bases are loaded now. Whew. Popout to right field. That was intense.

The Baseball Journals » HOK Renderings of Nationals Ballpark Design
Nothing says top-notch ballpark like a view over the outfield into the parking garage!

The $39 Experiment: Asking Random Companies for Free Stuff
today's distraction
I'm ready for the next baseball game. Is there another baseball game on tonight? Does anyone remember that book "Free Stuff for Kids?" I think I had two different editions when I was young. I remember getting a free "ban handguns" decal. I'm sure I got other things, but I can't remember what they were.

Shades of August: VRE has heat restrictions
Commuter trains from DC to my hometown also slow down every August. How much will it take to fix this and can it be taken care of right away? It's completely silly for modern transportation systems to have these issues.
If I ever live an hour or two from my workplace and find myself able to commute via train, I sure would like to have a group of commuter friends so we could play board games during the trip.

The Baseball Journals » Funding Stadiums: An Unassisted Triple Play Is Easier
A call for MLB to develop a central stadium fund - and a nice summary of what's involved in trying to get a new stadium for a ballclub
If you follow the business of baseball, I think this website is a must-read.

Baseball Prospectus | Baseball Between the Numbers - What Do Statistics Tell Us About Steroids?
no subscription required.
Unrelated - should I order an LCD Soundsystem album?

AZ Snakepit :: Woo! Canada!
I read to this line - "the smug face of Derek Jeter ambled to the plate, and I suddenly was more Canadian than Wayne Gretzky after he's downed a six-pack of Molson." and I knew I had to share.

Overheard in New York: The Voice of the City - Real Bunny Eyes Dissolve, Too
My favorite "overheard" for the month of March.
I'm in favor of pronouncing things "my favorite ___ of the month" before the month makes it to the halfway point.

Stewart gets mixed reviews: What the hell were they expecting? - TV Squad
Regarding Stewart, I've got to agree with the thoughts here. Except there was no sushi at my Oscar party.
Should I order sushi for the next Oscar party? What about for the next game day party? Anyone up for Cluzzle sometime soon?

Ballpark Frank
I so wanted this to be about stadium hot dogs. (via baseballmusings.com)
I'm going on another baseball trip this summer. To the midwest, no less. That's where the good hot dogs are, right? I'm not sure I'll want to have a dog at every stadium. I did that during last year's trip. I need a new hook for this trip!

Pitchfork: Daily Music News - TV On the Radio signs to Interscope
For the record, I'm a fan of any article that starts "Following in the footsteps of Therapy?"
For the record, I'm a fan of sentences I start with "for the record."

NYDN - Entertainment - 'Simpsons' role a Homer run for 'Office' manager
The other day I realized I didn't set the Simpsons as an "always record." I must make sure to record this one.
It airs March 26th. I made this note about three weeks ago and I still haven't set up The Simpsons. But have I grabbed you by the shoulders and told you to start recording CAMPUS LADIES??? If I haven't, I will. The show is that funny.

The House Next Door: To the point
A Matt Zoller Seitz rumination on digital cable guide log lines for movies.

Strange New Products: Beer Can with Lip Wrapper
This will soon sweep across America. Germophobes, get your wallets out.

Daily Graphing: Carl Crawford -- The Hardball Times
A quick, worthwhile look at the lack of walks Crawford takes.
I'm trying to remember if it was acceptable for parents to have beer on the sidelines when I played t-ball. I doubt it was. Man, sipping a 16oz. tall boy in one of those ribboned folding chairs during a hot summer afternoon sounds ideal right now, doesn't it?

AaronGleeman.com - Book Review: The Mind of Bill James
There's a Bill James bobblehead doll??!?!! Sometimes marketing really is the best thing ever.
I think baseballmusings or somone else recently mentioned the new issue of Esquire (the one with Rosario Dawson on the cover) has an interview with James. No talk about this book or the bobblehead doll, though. Speaking of Esquire, does anyone read this? Or any magazines anymore? I heard it contained the James interview and bought the magazine. I've flipped through it a few times. I just don't understand magazines anymore. And I want to. But do I need 1/2 a page telling me "How to Impress Her for Twenty-Five Dollars or Less?" I am never ever going to buy plain white handkerchiefs from Brooks Brothers!!! But just now I saw Leslie Bibb's name! I loved her in POPULAR. I had no idea she's currently on CROSSING JORDAN. Why does no one tell me these things?

A Fan's Guide to the Midwest League
cool. i wonder if this summer's baseball trip will take me through any of these towns?

Baseball Prospectus | Bronx Bummer - The Yankees Stadium Deal
"It shouldn't matter whether the public is putting in 75%, or 33%, or 10%--what should matter is that if we the people are putting in the same share of the cost as the team, we should be reaping roughly the same share of the benefits." (sub. req'd)
This is the all baseball stadium edition of balgavy.com, I guess.

Inside the Dodgers
from the front office of the dodgers. this could be fun. i wish more companies created this sort of thing. (via baseballmusings.com)
I mean that. I'm totally serious when I think that more corporate blogging should be done in this fashion.

Adrants » DVR-Resistant 'Smushed' Ad Grabs Attention
while watching THE OC last week I paused, then watched this ad.
FYI: The baseball game is over, in case you couldn't tell. I'm now watching an old episode of NY NOISE. I dig that OF MONTREAL.

Boing Boing: Google Video DRM: Why is Hollywood more important than users?
must reading for anyone interested in digital delivery of content
So when is everything going to be decided? I just want to download the new version of Quicken and figure out what I owe everyone now for the next year of content I want to bring into my home. Can that happen? HBO, can I give you $50 now for the next year of everything you produce? Or do you want me to send my $10 directly to David Chase? Wait, was that Time Warner calling my name? Do you want a cut? Tell you what - NO. I already give you too much money. I alternately love and hate talking about this kind of stuff.

HBO wants its programming to be off-limits for DVRs
egads. life gets better. life gets worse. (via pvrwire.com)
Have I mentioned that I love cupcakes? They're a great dessert option. Not to take anything away from cake, but there's something fun about cupcakes. The individual decoration on the top of each cake! The challenge of eating a cupcake without getting icing on your moustache! The greatness of not having to force the birthday person to cut his or her own cake. So, yeah, put me down in the pro-cupcake column.

ESPN.com - MLB - Rickey Henderson back with Mets ... as instructor
also scroll to find out PEDRO'S SPECIAL SHOE HASN'T ARRIVED!
Henderson isn't contracted to be an instructor for more than a few random weeks. And that Jose Reyes! Stealing third in the WBC game. Since Reyes is playing in the WBC, does that mean he's missing out on Henderson's instruction??? Can someone answer this right away?

Fimoculous.com: Feeding On Itself
two bits of cereal news! who knew rex @ fimoculous even had a cereal category! (He links to Cereality, a cereal ba & cafe from Philly that's already spread to Chicago and Tempe).

Oooh, I just remembered that I haven't watched last night's Real World/Road Rules Challenge! I'm hitting post post-haste!

Posted by Marc at 10:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Recently DF posted his thoughts about his stay at a fake lodge on the outskirts of Kansas City. Experiencing a made up retreat filled with sanitized notions of fun, relaxation and vacation scarred him. And he can't stop thinking about it. Since reading his post, I can't stop thinking about it, either. And thinking about it just makes me ask more questions.

Is DF overreacting? I don't think so. The conflict he brings up is very real. And it's one that a lot of us face in this format or one that's similar. What makes for a real experience? How does one deal with the guilt of spending extravagant amounts of money for the same "manufactured" experience that hundreds of others experience every weekend? Do some people even confront this issue?

I think I've seen a Great Wolf Lodge, or something similar to it. Two years ago while traveling across Michigan, some friends and I pulled into a chain restaurant for a late breakfast / early lunch. Across the street, and right off the highway, was a massive hotel structure with a giant water park. It was strange. We'd been traveling for hours, surrounded by trees and other aspects of "nature." Out of the blue, a "destination" spot appeared. How close were we to The Dells, a more traditional Michigan vacation spot?

I should be upfront about my biases. A trip to a museum is not my idea of a vacation. I don't have children and I'm not sure I'm currently capable of handling that lifestyle. I can't imagine what it would be like to spend my time planning how those children are going to use their time. I expect I'd become one of those parents who takes his child to museums, but the hand-on touch-the-horseshoe crab-type museums. I'm okay with that. I went to those types of museums as a kid. But I also spent two summers working at a theme park. I still have memories of receiving a plastic wallet card and being told to memorize the corporation's "mission statement." I read websites about the newest technologies and I wonder how I can incorporate those items into my life. I like shopping for and buying expensive toys.

I also want to mention a trip last summer in which a few friends and I found ourselves in Las Vegas for twenty-four hours. DF compares the fake lodge with its indoor, climate-controlled water park to Vegas. I couldn't wait to get to "sin city." I craved the gambling. I wanted to face my reaction to such a manufactured environment. The idea of giant hotels created for the express concern of taking me "out of my day to day reality" (as my Kings Dominion mission statement used to put it) was as exciting as it was repulsive. Was it going to be a day of "forced fun" or were there moments of real joy and entertainment to be had? Were those feelings going to be the result of the environment or the result of interacting with good friends?

After three hours in the big hotel casinos, the urge to visit the seedier, older casinos took hold. And from there, I wanted to see the low-rent casinos, the casinos where the Vegas regulars play. Driving from the strip to the outskirts of town was a quiet thrill. How is the very recently constructed Las Vegas just like the rest of our "fast food nation?" And what are the tiny things that make it different? Besides the glitz and glamour of our very expensive hotel, which was designed to look like a fake New York City, what made Vegas Vegas? I don't have the answers to those questions. I was also interested in playing craps, and my urge to gamble usually wins out over my urge to pretend at being an "urban explorer."

I could go on at length about my interest in towns and what I want to see and the oddities of what makes those small towns or large cities tick, but I want to get back to the bigger questions DF's post has me asking. None of these questions are original. Most of them have been discussed in books and on the internet ad infinitum. I guess this is why blogs are here, so that each of us can join in on "the conversation."

DF alludes to this, but I'm not sure it came through as loud and clear as it could have, "what sort of culture do we want from out lives?"

How does the notion of spending time with our families play into that?

How has our relationship as individuals and nuclear families changed with the increasing geographic distance between extended families?

Do individuals have too much free time on their hands or not enough?

How has global connectivity and shared knowledge changed our perception of ourselves and our "rank" with the others in our lives?

What role does technology play?

Besides identifying these issues, when do we start asking questions that change our habits? How can we go about changing our habits (if we do, indeed, need to make changes)? What other options are out there? Is a vacation to a "real" mountain lodge, nestled by a lake an option for everyone?

How does the sheer number of people in the country alter destination choices?

Is the need to spend vacation time in cramped, artificial spaces an inherent need to reconnect with humanity because we spend so much of our day-to-day private time within the confines of our McMansions?

With regards to parenting, how have priorities changed over the last half-century? Twenty-five years? Decade? Is there too much structure? Too much parenting? Too many options? How does that alter the way parents, and consequently children, perceive relaxation and vacation?

And that's where I start on the topic. What comes next? Do I want to try to answer these questions in subsequent blog entries? Have I had so much exposure to TGIFridays and the like that I feel hopeless about the answers to many of these questions?

UPDATE (2/14/06): Matt Zoller Seitz's take on Disney World. It adds to the conversation in an interesting way, suggesting the merits of large scale productions being personal and conforming to childhood visions.

Posted by Marc at 05:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

If you're not plugged into the feed of my del.icio.us links, you're missing out. Of course, you're not missing much sense I happily re-post most of those links below:

New York City Parks/Parks and Recreation: NYC Bocce Courts
a note for spring
I did some searching around on Google maps. We're going to have to travel around a bit to get to some of these. I'd like to figure out how a bunch of us can go and really get some playing time to ourselves. Maybe we should go soon during a warm-ish weekend.

ESPN.com - MLB - New skipper Girardi: No facial hair for Marlins
I am 100% against this policy. And what's with the shaving of Quarterback Ben's beard on Letterman? Can't people chill out about facial hair?

Strange New Products
i'm finding tiny little bits of happiness from this website

It was a boojum: Curling like me
One of the guys from Off The Wall (a local bocce team) tries his hand at curling.

TheMirl.com - "Enter Sandman" - Wagner & Rivera!!!
(via Ducksnorts) New Mets closer Billy Wagner uses the same intro music as Yankee Mariano Rivera! Spring's going to be interesting.

(BW) ``BUBBLE'' Grosses Estimated $5 Million in Opening Weekend with Day-and-Date Strategy | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
"$2,250 per screen average" - that sounds very low. i would love to see more info about how the simultaneous platforms affected theater-going.

Kansas City Star | 01/15/2006 | The passion’s out there
A few Royals go on a road show. "Affeldt and Brown look exhausted...One thing that does impress everyone is that the trash containers in the mall all have automatic doors that open when you walk up." via Bad Altitude

Popular Transit (Diana Eng's blog)
scroll down to Jan 11 and read "Project Runway Reflections Some thoughts on how Project Runway has changed my life"

TVgasm - The OC: If You Love Something, Set It Free
i can't read this many words. i doubt you can. just scroll down for the "'hey!' count."
I've been loving The OC quite a bit lately. My DVR went all wonky during the last five minutes of last week's episode. Those were the five minutes promoted by Fox as THE FIVE MINUTES YOU CAN'T MISS. I missed them. My friend and I went online looking for a recap. Where do you go when you need a recap of a TV show one hour after it airs on the east coast? I wanted full details involving quoted lines and expressions and a fair level of observation by a group of people just like me. No dice. Perhaps it's time to resume the meetings of the post-OC club?

file : the collection - commuter 02
a plainly gorgeous photo

AaronGleeman.com - Weight Loss (Day 1)
Looks like Aaron Gleeman (of The Hardball Times and elsewhere) is getting a few week jump on Will Carroll. Is there something in the baseball writing air?

The Year of Living Chemically: Part One
Will Carroll of Baseball Prospectus starts a weight-loss blog. I'll admit to being intrigued. I like his writing and it will be an interesting follow-up to THE JUICE. I imagine there's a whole slew of other weight-loss blogs out there, right? And they always start in Jan.

And that's what the internet looked like to me this past January.

Posted by Marc at 04:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As I did a year ago, I spent an October afternoon in Dumbo. This past weekend the event was the 9th Annual D.U.M.B.O. Art Under the Bridge Festival. A lot of artists' studios in that part of Brooklyn were open and since the F train goes right there, it's a tough event to miss. As my legs tired and my brain filled with too many images, I wished I'd visited on Saturday as well as Sunday - if only to provide myself with some rest inbetween the overwhelmingness of everything.

A few of the things I liked:

The Cowboy Images by Brent Spaulding.
In the elevator up to the open studio that featured the images I saw a postcard or flyer. I had no idea some of the images would be so huge. Only a few of the images were 10 feet high, but they were the ones I really loved. Film influenced cowboy culture never looked so good.

The Bird/Clouds/Math Images by Miranda Maher.
I don't think her website is up and running yet, but when it is, check for the series she's working on that features birds in the sky with printed images of geometry on them. Really fun and light and the kind of thing I really want up in my house.

The Animals and Lonely Images by George Boorujy.
Go look at his website. A lot of his work is posted there. I really liked his work which features great animal illustrations. But there's a lot more to it. I bought a print of a roller coaster on the edge of cliff, with lots of white space around it.

It's been a long time since I've written about art, so please forgive my awkward sentences. I had a great afternoon, though. It was really inspiring and I feel like I saw a lot more art I liked this year than last.

Posted by Marc at 09:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

i thought i should make an entry. just a list. perhaps.
i need to create another podcast. i'm stuck on not having any ideas. except for the baseball trips. there are plenty of audio clips from that to use.
and i have one more page of baseball trip photos to post. hopefully, i'll get ot that this weekend.

i've also pretty much stopped writing about tv. there are no new tv shows i'm head over heels crazy for.

Posted by Marc at 12:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Just a question for the peanut gallery - when I'm walking around drinking tap water in a "Smartwater" bottle, am I lying to everyone who walks past?

Here's the list of del.icio.us links I've been meaning to share for the past 2-4 weeks. Now with additional commentary! Whoo!

VIVO - barefoot shoes - Kevin Kelly -- Cool Tools
i just picked up a pair today
for real. i mean it. i got them in brown. i love trying to find a more ridiculous pair of shoes than the last. i think i may have found them! the zippered, removable sole is part kevlar!

Introducing Slate Audio Tours - The commentary museums don't want you to hear. By Andy Bowers
suddenly i can't imagine life without an ipod
useful, but when am i going to remember to do this?

Can't Stop The Bleeding » Paging Mr. Blackwell & Paul Lukas
reminds me of dancing in spain during the summer of '92. i had a ponytail.
click on this link. it will take you two seconds. you've got to see these minor league baseball uniforms.

Rails to Trails (roads with no cars) - Kevin Kelly -- Cool Tools
time to buy a bike?
i have this weird fantasy life where i'm an outdoors sort of guy and i spend a few hours every two weeks or so doing fun outdoor things like riding a bicycle along re-purposed railroad tracks.

Palazzo di Bocce: play bocce, enjoy fine Italian dining at America’s best bocce club
they have a "pro shop." i wish i'd know about this place a year ago.
alex sent this link. i should also let you know there's a bocce tournament before the cyclones game on the 18th.

Posted by Marc at 01:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

i've been busy. here are some fun, random links i've collected to my del.icio.us account during the past few weeks. and by random, i mean mostly about baseball.

Old ballgame has newfangled twist
this is awesome. baseball teams to have the 1st 2 innings of a july game played on x-box, then the real players take the field.

Jimmy Page's Sweater Vest: A little off the top
Andrew Beaujon's search for a cheaper razor blade

Conversational Reading: TAYARI JONES - 2005 AUTHOR
an author discusses the differences of being labeled a "southern" writer for one book and a "black" writer for another

Reason: Locker-Room Liberty: Athletes who helped shape our times and the economic freedom that enabled them
a review of books about joe namath, richie allen and oscar robertson
-but also a lot more

Balls Out | 2005-06-16 | dallasobserver.com
A great profile of Dock Ellis who pitched a no-hitter on acid in 1970. (Ellis had enough experience with LSD to know that it wouldn't be wearing off anytime soon; as a, uh, "precautionary measure," he took somewhere between four and eight amphetamines)

Gothamist: John Vanco, IFC Center
When I start going to movie theaters again, the IFC Center will be at the top of my list.

BRING IT, EFFIE
"Also, I saw Jesus at least 100 times. He wears tevas, by the way. " (Bunny McIntosh goes to Bonnaroo)

file : the collection
"lexington, mass" - my favorite photo of the week

Handwashings: 21 Years Ago in The New Yorker
the wash takes a look at an issue of THE NEW YORKER from 21 years ago

Posted by Marc at 11:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

looks like will leitch is handling some of the chores at gawker this week.

Posted by Marc at 11:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

here are some recent del.icio.us links i've posted:
(special bonus edition - now with more commentary!)

Baseball Prospectus | Articles | The Week In Quotes: May 23-30
scroll to the bottom for cubs manager dusty baker's take on the modern man
-but let me save you the trouble and repeat it here:

"Guys don’t seem to talk as much baseball these days. They talk about a lot of other things like, what do you call those little things that puts 10,000 songs on there? Yeah, an I-Pod, things like that."
--Dusty Baker (Arlington Heights Daily Herald)

Baseball Toaster : Catfish Stew : Blog the Dawgs
rickey henderson in san diego!
(scroll through to the photos to see how rickey loves to slide)

Movies and Theaters - Lets make the Customer King and make more money - Blog Maverick
mark cuban starts getting at some of the details about his plans for movies and integrated distribution of films
(even if you don't agree with him, you've got to like that he's willing to put his ideas out there and openly discuss them in the marketplace. i got tired of watching his reality show, but i'm hooked on his blog.)

Pernice Brothers | Audio / Video
an indie rock cribs pilot?
(joe pernice walks around his place with a video camera. it's a very low key presentation. and very friendly.)

The Bad News Bears « posterwire.com
highly anticipated.
(billy bob thornton's name is huge on this poster. and the 19 year old me is very upset that the current version of me doesn't actually check out this blog on a regular basis.)

Herald.com | 05/20/2005 | From brain to Beast
rarely do i worry about movie or tv casting - but kelsey grammer as the beast in x-men 3????
(is this still for real? has this changed since i learned this news on may 22nd? someone please tell me it has. i mean, i love falling asleep to frasier late at night, but i'm not ready for this.)

Baseball DIY: Publishing punk rock baseball talk since 2004.
there's so much to read. i need to turn off the computer.
(make sure you check out the interview with baseball fan, joe pernice.)

Athletics Nation :: Michael Lewis Returns to AN
good long interview with the author of moneyball
(has anyone read his new book? in this interview he talks about a future book he'll write about a baseball draft class from a few years ago.)

News Askew: [Feature Story]
kevin smith's blog is back with rss feed. whew.
(i can't get enough of this blog. say what you will about his films, and i know most aren't fans, there's something so awesome about smith's rabid fanboy-ness. the fact that this man has become a very successful director and stayed in touch with the things he loves and continues to respect his fan base is really cool. and i use "cool" without any hint of irony. in a gushing, i'm a fan of kevin smith kind of way.)

MoorishGirl: Flight vs Fight of the creative class
The pros and cons of Austin as a city for writers
(every so often it's good to talk about something that's not baseball, movies or tv. ohh, but richard linklater is an austin filmmaker. and his movie IS about baseball.)

Posted by Marc at 10:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

it appears as though the thing to do today, memorial day, is to post pictures of what took place over the past few days. never one to be afraid of jumping on the bandwagon, here's my entry:

saturday at coney island. cyclone and three holes of miniature golf. there was a little skeeball action inbetween, but no photos of said action. also no photos of me playing dance dance revolution:

Posted by Marc at 09:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

i feel like my calves are on fire. any self-respecting blog deserves a good drunken post every now and again. nothing like typing with your eyes closed and pulling balk on your memories of being in tenth grade and learning to touch type. computers. binary. then typing class. whenever holidays appear creating stupdie typed out illustrationsof faces or flags or whatever. i think i got an A or a B-. i passed. and learned to touch type, which is something all of us older non-internet generation kids needed to do because yeah becaus.

feels like my calves are on fire.

on fire. that's all i could think of while i shuffled home from the bar yes shuffled. robert ownsend where are you now?????????
the sound of the keys is so awesome i could sit here and ramble for hours bout i won't. argh. eyes closed. computer screen burning my retinas.

out. peach.

just saw that i typed peach instead of peace. whatevs.

UPDATE (9:55am, 5/21/05):
this state of drunkenness lead to a night which caused dreams in which i tried to ride from San Francisco to Lake Tahoe on a MoPed and argued the efficacy of wearing blue lycra futuristic Birkenstocks in the snow.

Posted by Marc at 02:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

(from del.icio.us/marcb)

Baseball Prospectus | Events | Chat with Paul Lukas
"Paul Lukas: I love that Baseball Prospectus readers can't resist asking stats-oriented questions, even tho I'm the uniform guy..."

Cannes Film Report: Last Days
sounds like Gus Van Sant's newest isn't that impressive at all

News Askew: Kevin Smith's My Boring Ass Life Blog being relocated
and with no RSS feeds anymore!

Fredericksburg.com - City's pear proposal has designer peeved
this is the sort of thing that makes my hometown seem like a small, small town

Saved by the Bell - Box Cover Is Saved: New Art Shows Both Jessie & Tori!
whew. i think everyone i know was worried about this.

Posted by Marc at 06:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

(Last weekend in Virginia)

Posted by Marc at 02:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

all of my products are blue.
or blueish-green.

Posted by Marc at 12:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

just in time for your high school reunion
newjetta.com

Posted by Marc at 12:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

recent del.icio.us links:

Saved by the Bell - Fans Up In Arms Over Manipulated 5th Season Cover Art!
Elizabeth Berkley is always the source of controversy!

Fredericksburg.com - Truck stop to close
Servicetown, near where I grew up, closing after 40 years (a rather comprehensive article)

Ducksnorts: Ducksnorts Unofficial Guide to San Diego Taco Shops
must remember this for the august trip to california

Inept but likable - Love That Gulager!
the best review i've seen of PROJECT GREENLIGHT (and who can resist calling out GULAGER?)

U.S.S. Mariner
a very fine looking seattle mariners blog (courtesy the black table baseball preview)

Posted by Marc at 07:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here are a few of my recent del.icio.us links:

Jimmy Page's Sweater Vest: A butterfly in the Amazon flaps its wings...
some talk of a new minor league ballpark for richmond, va

Undeclared - Apatow talks about music, extras, whether or not there will be a special edition, and whether the release is really in July!
i want it on cable and on-demand! i'm so greedy!

New (sub)Urbanism: Getting Around in Suburbia
with real trolleys you can just jump onto the sideboard, right?

music (for robots) - Smokey Turtle by EYEBALL SKELETON
i just heard this track on WXJM. there's nothing wrong with a good novelty song every now and again.

Posted by Marc at 01:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

here are a few of my more recent del.icio.us links:

MTV.com - Arcade Fire - Rebellion (Lies) - Video
maybe a bit too literal at points, but i really like it. sadly, subterranean just ran it without any identifying credits

The Podcast-Review Blog (copyright safe music for podcasts)
knowing this kind of stuff could keep me in front of the computer for the rest of my life

ESPN.com - MLB - Caple: Driven to succeed (Bobby Madritsch)
bobby madritsch is my favorite baseball player. there should be a new profile of him every week.

music (for robots) - The Hysterics
new york kids make the pretty rock music you can't help but love

Posted by Marc at 12:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

a few days ago salon had an interview with a guy who wrote a book about me culture. i've only just begun reading the interview, but it reminds me of chris larry's blog post from a few weeks ago about egocasting and media culture.

in an effort to give you as much information as i can without actually expressing an opinion, i'll let you know the author's name. it's thomas de zengotita. the book is called mediated : the hidden effects of media on people, places, and things.

umm, and you have to watch a commercial to get to the salon piece.

Posted by Marc at 12:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

i'm caving. after months of seeing del.icio.us links everywhere, i've decided i need to try it out. my del.icio.us links can be found at http://del.icio.us/marcb.

by no means will that decrease my infrequent posting here. it will also not alter the low quality of posting here, as the links i post there will be of only minor interest (albeit quirky and/or valuable).

UPDATE: for my friends who are unwilling to click through to find out what del.icio.us is, i will try to explain. imagine something like flickr - but for web pages instead of photos.

basically, it's just a collection of links to other webpages. my current plan is to write extremely witty and brief commentary for all the links i include. okay, so maybe my comments won't be that witty. i need the practice since i rarely write commentary for the photos i no longer post on my rotating photo pages. anyway, here's an example of what to expect from my del.icio.us posts:

- Suspension of Disbelief
a comic book fact-checking blog! i'm sure it's causing many a fanboy to lose multiple nights of sleep.

- Lost - to DVD Sept. 6th
the first three episodes should've been put on one disk and included on cereal boxes back in december

- HDTV buying - Part I, the basics - Engadget - www.engadget.com
let's pretend i'm bart simpson writing on the chalkboard: i will not read this until i can afford to read this.

Posted by Marc at 10:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

i'm reading middle-aged men pulling muscles (the story of one mets fan's trip to fantasy camp). i'm about six entries in and really enjoying it.

(link via baseball musings via sabermets)

UPDATE (1:49am): yeah. go read it now. it's a lot of fun. and if the author isn't shilling for the mets, he should be. he makes baseball fantasy camp sound like the most fun thing ever!

Posted by Marc at 01:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

i'm not sure if i've mentioned this before or not, but i'm a huge fan of a website called cheap stingy bastard. on a daily basis, the guy behind it lists at least a dozen shopping deals on the web. the deals range from cutlery to discounted recordable dvd's to free magazines.

one of the deals today lists a sale of reaction kenneth cole jackets at nordstrom. when i scrolled past the link polybonded hipster coat, i knew i had to click it. when did it become acceptable to label a coat as a "hipster" coat? yes, i'm too old now to be talking about "cool" and the idea of cool and the right words to use for things. those sorts of discussions begin to become less interesting as you escape from your mid-20's. i can't help it in this case. "hipster." that's one of those words that only works when you toss it around semi-derisively. and now it's being used to label a coat? a coat that almost looks like a jacket i own (except that mine is made from a totally different material and lacks the "soft, luxurious feel")? perhaps my mock indignation here comes from almost being called a hipster? or, perhaps i'm jealous that i don't have this exact coat, and thus i'm not quite a hipster?

we'll never know.

Posted by Marc at 12:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

am i posting these photos of my bedroom because it's the end of the year and that means it's time to take stock of my life? am i posting these snapshots to offer you, gentle readers, quiet insight into my daily life? am i posting these random images to remind you that i own a lot of shoes, like photographing my books and sometimes exclude the photos i take of target receipts?

no. i'm posting these photos because i've been bad about posting here on a regular basis. photos take up so much space! and that means everything on the sidebar should line up smoothly. order. there must be order. and if anyone gives me grief about not having posted photos i took starting in august, i understand and accept your scorn. please be aware that all comments hurled in my direction about the lack of updates to balgavy.com will do nothing to speed the posting process.

also note that i'm listening to that arcade fire disc right now and i'm kind of enjoying it. i guess i should stop talking trash about it (which i've never actually done). like everyone, i have commented that it doesn't live up to the hype. but what does?

while driving around fredericksburg the day before christmas i listened to an album called "let's bottle bohemia." it's the new disk this year from the thrills. while it doesn't make me as happy as their first album, it lifted my mood while weaving in and out of parking lot traffic while completing last minute shopping chores.

onto the pictures:

i bought a bunch of picture frames at macy's the day after christmas. i was so happy about owning them that i rushed home from work monday and immediately filled them with photos i took in louisville.

note to would-be theives: there is a moderately heavy handful of change in that crumpled up plastic bag.
note to aspiring directors: steven soderbergh's diary of the making of sex, lies and videotape is a million times better than the book called "what i really want to do is direct" that i bought for less than a dollar at strand eight years ago.
note to readers who like well observed minutiae of daily life: andrea seigel's book "like the red panda" is an excellent read (as is her blog: this afternoon in drama.)

seeing "moneyball" on the shelf reminds me that i need to return it to jamie. i also need to return paul feig's "kick me" to anne. "sex and death to the age of 14" by spalding gray is sitting on the top shelf of the pictured book shelf. shawn lent it to me about five years ago and i need to return it to her. someone borrowed my copy of "confederacy of dunces" a month or two ago and i would like it back if you've finished reading it. if you are the person who borrowed this book, please identify yourself.

about a month ago i bought a cheap frame at target and stuck a 1992 map of kings dominion inside. for the past five years i've kicked around the idea of framing these maps and putting them up on the wall. i thought it would be a nice play on the idea of framing really old maps of foreign lands. sadly, this map is not as exciting as i would like for it to be, and the frame is a little too big. for more exciting amusement park maps check out theme park maps, which i just learned about a few days ago.

i've got a weird habit of photographing my stacks of shoes. it's something i do every year or two. the idea is so much better than the execution. what's interesting is that seeing the shoes always brings back memories. sadly, they just don't make for interesting photographs.

this photograph is here to serve as a reminder that i really need to clean out my closet before the end of the weekend.

these plants need water. i drank the glass of water pictured here about twenty minutes ago. hidden under that cd from the velvet teen is a packet of brush-ups. has anyone tried these things? they are wild. a crazy invention that could've only been concocted by some savvy oral-b executive while driving drove home from too many nights of debauchery and anonymous one night stands.

i saw sideways for the second time on christmas day. my parents really enjoyed it. it holds up on repeat viewings, i'm happy to report.

Posted by Marc at 11:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

on a saturday in mid-october i spent the afternoon hanging out in dumbo, checking out open studios 2004 (dumbo - art under the bridge). it had been a long time since i'd actually spent an afternoon checking out various galleries. most of what i saw didn't really appeal to me. i think i'm stuck on only liking photography. sometimes everything else just strikes me as not good enough. but one artist's work did catch my eye. i was delighted when i walked into the studio of amy bennett. she paints this oddly realistic images of families. i call them odd because the setting is a doll house. the dollhouse she'd lately been using as a model was one she built herself and it sat in the middle of her open studio. her work was open and free and just a bit fun. i really liked it. and i'm going to the open studios event next year, too. even though i didn't love everything i saw, it was a great way to spend an afternoon.

Posted by Marc at 11:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

outside the speed art museum.

outside the parking garage of the speed art museum.

outside glassworks, downtown.

Posted by Marc at 11:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

i just checked the the ten day forecast for louisville. next friday there is a 40% chance of rain/snow showers. do know how to travel, or what?

Posted by Marc at 03:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

obviously, the comment spam on my blogs is way out of control. for example, please see the following chunk of numerical text. it lists the IP addresses i've blocked for this blog so far this month (with the date i blocked them also included).

195.94.1.203 2004.10.02 218.76.51.3 2004.10.02 203.197.234.177 2004.10.02 217.144.0.140 2004.10.02 200.79.91.6 2004.10.02 61.145.123.203 2004.10.02 213.156.52.96 2004.10.03 195.38.127.26 2004.10.03 207.232.252.3 2004.10.03 12.215.220.247 2004.10.03 81.118.4.10 2004.10.03 81.118.4.10 2004.10.04 66.136.74.227 2004.10.04 24.103.90.87 2004.10.05 148.244.150.58 2004.10.05 203.195.201.29 2004.10.05 83.64.161.34 2004.10.05 164.100.11.92 2004.10.06 195.141.64.150 2004.10.06 202.144.39.154 2004.10.08 66.137.18.140 2004.10.08 62.87.136.125 2004.10.08 218.145.25.11 2004.10.08 62.150.20.166 2004.10.08 61.95.205.231 2004.10.08 81.118.4.7 2004.10.10 81.86.97.45 2004.10.10 202.83.174.42 2004.10.10 195.87.69.26 2004.10.10 81.118.4.13 2004.10.10 81.118.4.16 2004.10.10 220.93.120.39 2004.10.10 168.143.113.128 2004.10.12 168.143.113.124 2004.10.12 168.143.113.126 2004.10.12 168.143.113.128 2004.10.13 168.143.113.126 2004.10.13 168.143.113.124 2004.10.13 168.37.253.30 2004.10.13 200.66.106.253 2004.10.13 66.234.255.2 2004.10.13 203.162.3.145 2004.10.13 200.242.61.26 2004.10.13 200.76.61.198 2004.10.13 80.18.225.2 2004.10.13 82.135.33.100 2004.10.14 80.239.49.154 2004.10.14 80.58.50.42 2004.10.15 208.53.138.8 2004.10.15 65.77.169.165 2004.10.15 66.230.178.42 2004.10.15 200.162.72.131 2004.10.16 62.58.77.21 2004.10.16 203.115.21.155 2004.10.16 67.104.82.62 2004.10.16 207.44.234.22 2004.10.17 193.41.101.169 2004.10.17 192.197.213.25 2004.10.17 68.84.126.83 2004.10.17 195.57.165.180 2004.10.17 200.31.79.214 2004.10.17 24.112.134.155 2004.10.17 82.117.202.247 2004.10.18 195.162.98.199 2004.10.18 195.162.98.199 2004.10.18 200.62.146.126 2004.10.18 193.146.142.66 2004.10.18 68.60.197.232 2004.10.18 209.136.7.125 2004.10.18 208.63.158.141 2004.10.18 211.185.38.61 2004.10.18 207.250.10.170 2004.10.18 65.66.66.145 2004.10.18 202.155.115.68 2004.10.18 69.20.4.149 2004.10.18 195.224.127.34 2004.10.22 200.252.8.134 2004.10.22 200.32.86.243 2004.10.22 203.127.190.22 2004.10.22 219.148.148.180 2004.10.22 66.144.5.25 2004.10.22 208.27.203.131 2004.10.22 80.58.10.170 2004.10.22 210.0.212.102 2004.10.22 213.33.64.68 2004.10.22 82.117.202.241 2004.10.22 218.130.90.113 2004.10.22 81.113.58.197 2004.10.22 203.127.190.22 2004.10.22 219.147.36.253 2004.10.22 210.0.209.47 2004.10.22 80.58.33.46 2004.10.22 212.165.158.100 2004.10.22 64.3.231.3 2004.10.22 80.67.172.1 2004.10.22 209.177.4.130 2004.10.22 195.23.5.116 2004.10.24 64.141.68.16 2004.10.24 134.214.105.102 2004.10.24 218.91.254.3 2004.10.24 212.217.2.36 2004.10.24 202.88.149.72 2004.10.24 66.144.5.24 2004.10.24 69.10.139.36 2004.10.24 209.150.203.162 2004.10.24 195.23.5.116 2004.10.24 80.58.4.111 2004.10.24 149.163.50.22 2004.10.25 206.222.88.10 2004.10.25 63.67.102.226 2004.10.25 156.110.47.251 2004.10.25 63.210.92.58 2004.10.28 80.58.23.235 2004.10.28 80.58.47.44 2004.10.28 203.113.29.1 2004.10.28 80.223.246.97 2004.10.28 195.177.67.169 2004.10.28 209.161.205.12 2004.10.28 205.206.63.123 2004.10.28 61.131.63.186 2004.10.28 202.78.71.20 2004.10.28 66.230.161.122 2004.10.28 66.119.33.186 2004.10.28 160.79.240.52 2004.10.28 218.58.50.70 2004.10.28 82.108.178.34 2004.10.28 212.200.107.221 2004.10.28 82.185.182.115 2004.10.28 68.48.242.253 2004.10.28 209.161.205.12 2004.10.28 219.169.108.66 2004.10.28 62.87.152.58 2004.10.28 218.13.33.247 2004.10.28

Posted by Marc at 12:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

i don't have any plans for the evening. i need some plans. anyone up for doing something? please. for most of the week i locked myself in the house, watched baseball, debates and bad network televsion. i need to escape this rut!

Posted by Marc at 03:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

on the walk home from o'connor's i developed a theory about the "good me" and the "bad me." developed is a strong word. and not entirely accurate. or even precise. i loved that about tenth grade chemistry - that whole difference between accurate and precise. but i digress...my theory isn't a full blown theory. there's not much to back it up. right now the good me is winning. but only by a little bit. a tiny bit. and i know you think this rant will be all weird and oddly personal about the bad me. but the bad me isn't that bad. and the good me is just the part of me that buys paper products in bulk. that's how the idea came to me. the good me takes care of the bad me when the good me buys a lot of paper towels and sort of hides them in two or three locations around the apartment. i almost ran out of paper towels tonight, but then i realized a roll was hidden in some kitchen cabinet i rarely use. saved. the good me one. and the bad me said "hey, marc, check to see if there are any hidden boxes of tissues." sure enough, there were two boxes of tissues, purchased in bulk, hidden in the closet. thank you "good me." during the past week my allergies have been acting up and i've been using paper towels to blow my nose, inbetween taking minor doses of claritin. now i can use tissues. and the red skin underneath my nose appreciates that. i like the good me. i want to be more like that.

Posted by Marc at 03:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

it's time to throw down some links and clean out my bloglines clipblog:

back in june gothamist linked to a few new photoblogs which reminds me that i should update the picture on the front page of balgavy.com and check out all the photoblogs i like. posting jamie's photos from the borrowed camera project would be a good idea, too.

splicing gone wild matt of a whole lotta nothing suggests the idea of the "ego feed" which would combine all of the various feeds he produces with photos and lists and such. i don't fully understand it and i guess that's why i saved it. reminder to self: look back into this two or three months from now.

a link to a review of sharp's kid glove shave gel check out the actual review and all the comments...since it was linked from boing boing and got tons of exposure there are dozens of thoughts on shaving. i have yet to really delve into these. this link also reminds me that this morning i was struck with the urge to shave. i won't be getting rid of my beard but i think i will be carving away a few of the hairs below my lower lip. it's going to look seriously stupid. it's the end of summer, and i'm allowed.

a post from today by jeff jarvis about protests and the convention and the police some interesting thoughts on the nature of protesting and wondering if there's a better way for a group to get their message across.

jon stewart and ted koppel part 2 another link from today, this time from lost remote. i guess jon and todd spoke with each other again and there was good discourse about the nature of media. i'm sorry i missed this. i even watched about 5 minutes of nightline last night, too.

there are one or two other clippings i've yet to really get into but they require some actual thought on my part. i'll have to save those for some other time.

Posted by Marc at 03:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)