Friday, September 24, 2004

 

A Mean Prank

The new winner of Song Most Likely To Make People Involuntarily Wince At The Mere Mention Of It could be Maroon 5's 2002 opus, "This Love."

Just drop the title in a script. Just mutter it under your breath at the bar. Watch them squirm. It's fun!

posted by Dan 9:52 AM
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Thursday, September 23, 2004

 

The Rita & Burton Goldberg Dept. of Dramatic Plugging III

If you're in the NYC area, I once again urge you down to the St. Marks Theatre to see Giant Tuesday Night of Amazing Inventions And Also There Is A Game, hosted by Francisco Guglioni (Andres Dubouchet, who makes less sense on his site with each succeeding day). It's a lot of comedy value for your entertainment dollar.

posted by Dan 11:38 AM
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Wednesday, September 22, 2004

 

Obvious Hump

This is old news to most, but its presence deserves -- nay, demands -- repeated note: snopes.com, the one-stop debunking center. I'm sure most of you know about it. For you few who missed it: before you pass on that electronic petition, go check its authenticity on this site.

For the love of God, stop sending me emails to save NPR.

posted by Dan 11:59 PM
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Tuesday, September 21, 2004

 

Guest Star Day II

Generation Whatever at 30
Today's topic: Home Improvement

By guest-blogger Matthew Subotnick

I spent this last weekend painting the bathroom in my new (1st!) house, and I gotta tell you, having never painted a bathroom before I would like to give you a word of advice:

Yoga.

I have painted bedrooms before. Simple - four walls, a ceiling, don't get paint on the glass, if you do, scrape it off with a razor.

I have painted sets, you know, giant stretched canvasses, or boxes, easy. Simple. Quick.

So, I watch TLC and HGTV, and all the shows, Trading Spaces, Designing for the sexes, Designers Challenge, Designed to Sell, Decorating Cents, Design on a Dime, While you were Out, Clean Sweep (actually a very good show and a topic for another installment - ask Danny about my mother's home some time), etc...etc....

I figure - I can do this.

I remember watching a carefully edited and narrated half hour show called "Weekend Warriors" where a kitchen was painted not once, or twice, but three times, and it didn't even register on my radar other than, "gee, I wish that wife could make up her mind on color."

Today having painted the 5th coat of paint on the bathroom walls after primer and the first two coats of the original color, I can only say that in my mind, one should be decisive about color. Color is nothing to be trifled with, and I would like to suggest that once you find a color you like, go with it. Revel in it. By all means, stick with it.

We put a "test patch" of a couple different shades of green on the walls. Picked the one we liked, and I painted.

It was too "dark", "rich", whatever, so we got a lighter tint and I repainted.

Never let anyone tell you, "it's only just paint."

Back to the yoga.

Bathrooms have toilets, baths, showers, fixtures, cabinets, drawers, all things that need to be painted around - but not on. As anyone who could never draw between the lines in grade school will tell you: not getting paint on something is impossible. There's little magenetic paint molecules that yearn for glass, porcelain, tile, carpet, anything but drywall or plaster, unless it has drying paint on it - then it seeks its paint molecule bretheren.

Tonight I am going to paint the trim again, and try to replace a light fixture.

If I do not manage to electrocute myself, I'll get you a picture of the finished product.

Provided we keep this color.

If so, I'm told, next step is the office.

Anyone know carpentry?

posted by Dan 11:26 PM
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Monday, September 20, 2004

 

Placeholder

Monday reviews aren't ready, and probably won't be until tonight. But do not shed a tear in your beer, for I bring you love. Via Brian Flemming, a most magical subway story. It has reaffirmed my love of humanity for the next twenty minutes at least.

And -- though Brian will hate me for saying this -- what she did was a Jesus-like response.

posted by Dan 9:09 AM
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