File Under: Misc.

[Jim]

Matt wrote: "I am saddened by the lack of emoticons here and am frustrated that I am stuck with paltry words to express myself, but: I love Jim B.
NUFF SAID!"
You're pretty.
I'm glad you were amused by my foolishness.

[Jim]

A puzzling diversion:

Authors by Title Words.

[Jason, Walking Allergen]

Ugh. Only 29 out of 40, although I knew another (Blume) but spelled it "Bloom". I was blanking pretty heavily on a few and it cost me time.

[Jim]

I did even worse, only 24 out of 40, although there were several I knew and I just choked as the clock was ticking down (Tolstoy, Grisham, Woolf, Melville). I admit it, I crumbled under the pressure.

Thanks for the diversion, Jim.

[Matt, I am the Great Went.]

Each day I live, I am more convinced that all things in life are about balance. Age and fatherhood have mellowed me quite a bit, so it's not as much of a struggle to appreciate the simple things, but still, I like to take some time here and there to remind myself IT'S ALL ABOUT THE LITTLE THINGS:
http://youtu.be/mrEk06XXaAw
(I wish could embed the video, but it looks like only Goodreads priests [they call them 'librarians'] can do stuff like that here)
(view spoiler)[The idea of "sudden" music appeals to me, but suddenly being treated to "Bolero" in a station would just floor me. Beautiful. To maintain balance, I must admit it irks me that some people have to use personal devices to tell people elsewhere what's happening instead of actually, you know, enjoying the beautiful bird that landed on their window sill, but whatever. It's still a nice example of a random act of beauty & art. (hide spoiler)]

[Jason, Walking Allergen]

I love Flash Mobs.

[Matt, I am the Great Went.]

This never fails to give me goosebumps or hearten me. Simple and complicated all at once, like life:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJKyth...

[Dave Alluisi, Evolution of the Arm]

Aaaaaaaannnnnndddd they've remade Footloose.

Hollywood has clearly given up on ever getting money from me again.

[Matt, I am the Great Went.]

Dave wrote: "Aaaaaaaannnnnndddd they've remade Footloose.

Hollywood has clearly given up on ever getting money from me again."
I saw the ginormous display at the theater when we went to see Drive and said to Renee "WHAT?! It wasn't even in black and white? @%$^@$!!!" I'm going to wait until they re-remake it. I guess they're remaking Dirty Dancing, too. I can't wait for the remake of Step Up 2 Tha Streetz.

[Dave Alluisi, Evolution of the Arm]

Matt wrote: "Dave wrote: "I can't wait for the remake of Step Up 2 Tha Streetz."

That's most of what gets me about it... not only is it a single generation old, it was a really, really shitty movie to begin with. Not because the special effects need to be updated, it was just a really stupid story with an irritating soundtrack. Anyone who looks at that pile of shit and thinks "I need to bring the magic back for a modern audience!" isn't a creative voice I feel inclined to pay much attention to.

I mean, at least make up your own crappy "the Christians won't let us dance!" movie.

[Jim]

Please join me in wishing Dave a very happy birthday! Many happy returns, dude!

[Matt, I am the Great Went.]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MEESTER DAVE!!!

[Dave Alluisi, Evolution of the Arm]

Happy birthday, Matt!

[Jim]

Dave wrote: "Happy birthday, Matt!"

What he said. Have a great day, Matt!

[Matt, I am the Great Went.]

Thanks, men.

Dave: http://movies.msn.com/photo-gallery-f...

[Robert]

Dang, did I miss your birthday, too?

Happy Birthday, Matt!!!

[Matt, I am the Great Went.]

ALOHA, friends. See you in a week's time.

[Dave Alluisi, Evolution of the Arm]

Have a great time, bruther!

[Matt, I am the Great Went.]

I love soup. I anxiously await the end of summer so I can start making piping hot vats of comfort food again. I like this soup a lot (and am making it tonight):
(view spoiler)[
Red Lentil Soup Recipe


2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 shallots, chopped
1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

6 cups good-tasting vegetable stock (or water)
1 1/3 cup red lentils, picked over and rinsed
1/2 cup brown rice, picked over and rinsed
as much fine grain sea salt as you need

slivered almonds, toasted
black oil cured olives, chopped
feta, crumbled

In a big soup pot, over medium heat, combine the olive oil, onion, shallots, and red pepper flakes. Let them brown, and caramelize a bit, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the broth, bring to a boil, then stir in the lentils and rice. Simmer for about 30 minutes or until the rice is very tender, and not at all toothsome. By this time, the lentils will have collapsed into a thick slop of sorts. If you need to add more water/broth at any point do so a splash at a time, until the soup thins out to the point you prefer.

Unless you used a salty broth, you will likely need to salt generously, until the the soup no longer tastes flat. Serve each bowl topped with almonds, olives, feta, and a slight drizzle of olive oil if you like.

Serves 4 - 6.

Prep time: 10 min - Cook time: 30 min (hide spoiler)]
We like to top it with crumbled feta and avocado chunks (no olives or almonds) and eat it with naan. It's a huge hit with everyone who's tasted it. Make soup, not war.

[Matt, I am the Great Went.]

I have been loving the public domain selection at http://www.feedbooks.com/. If you have an e-reader and want a bigger pool than the Kindle store offers, I'd check it out. And this free program is the easiest, snazziest way to manage all your books (even the ones that need their DRM leash clipped): http://calibre-ebook.com/

[Matt, I am the Great Went.]

Did you know we changed our podcast format? We did! Instead of talking about the book-o'-the-month exclusively every ep, we have decided to do shorter, eclectic shows between a monthly episode that covers the book we read.

A typical month will look like this:
week 1 - no show ("skip week")
week 2 - short show
week 3 - short show
week 4 - long book-o'-the-month discussion

Short shows are: under an hour, we talk about what other stuff we're reading (novels, non-fiction, comics, et al), watching, and doing. Sometimes there'll be a question for everyone (I like asking questions).

We hope the new format keeps things fresh and fun. We'd like to hear your feedback on it, if you have any.

[Matt, I am the Great Went.]

I urge everyone to QUICKLY & PAINLESSLY (seriously: name, e-mail, address, zip) tell their representative to oppose Internet censorship.
http://www.americancensorship.org/

[Jason, Walking Allergen]

Done.

[Robert]

Matt wrote: "I urge everyone to QUICKLY & PAINLESSLY (seriously: name, e-mail, address, zip) tell their representative to oppose Internet censorship.
http://www.americancensorship.org/"

Done and done, sir!

[Jim]

Done. Thanks for the heads-up, Matt!

[Matt, I am the Great Went.]

No, thank YOU!

[Matt, I am the Great Went.]

After nursing me ceaselessly for the last (almost) two weeks, Renee has the gall to go and get sick. What nerve.

I'm making her the BEST MINESTRONE SOUP EVER:
(view spoiler)[
Ingredients
• 6-7 cups vegetable stock
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
• 1 large potato, cubed
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• ½ head cabbage, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans
• 3 cups frozen corn
• 1 large zucchini, sliced
• 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tsp of garlic powder

Directions
In a large soup pot combine the vegetable stock, the undrained tomatoes, potato, onion, celery, carrot, cabbage and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer for about 15 minutes.
Stir in the beans, corn, zucchini and pasta; simmer for 35 more minutes until the vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with grated parmesan cheese.
(hide spoiler)]

[Jason, Walking Allergen]

This is good soup weather.

[Matt, I am the Great Went.]

My favorite piece of poetry is from the movie Little Noises. The credits say the script uses the works of Hart Crane in the film, but I've never been able to find these words in any collection:
I am scared of what I do not understand
like a light in the sky called 'the moon'
like this orphanage I live on called 'the earth'

Kills me every time.

[Matt, I am the Great Went.]

NEW EPISODE: http://bookhouseboyspodcast.podomatic...

As you'll recall, we're experimenting with a new format. We'll try this for a couple months and see what we (and you) think. Feedback very welcome.

BOOKS REFERENCED:
(view spoiler)[
Chinese Ghouls & Goblins By Willoughby-Meade








(hide spoiler)]

[Jim]

Jeez, I just finished the last ep. Notes:
*I loved American Psycho (the movie). Thought the tone and especially Bale's performance were spot-on. "I'm in murders and executions..."
*Never read any Gore Vidal, but I have seen him as a talking head in various historical docs, and at least one mockumentary. Plus, he was stodgy liberal Brickley Paiste in Bob Roberts.
And Matt got to Gore Verbinski before I could post his name here. Drat.
*Eddie Izzard: the first transvestite Long John Silver?
*In the interest of not coming off as a complete illiterate ("Duh, no, but I seen the movie..."): I have read London's Call of the Wild and White Fang, so New York's public school system may not be completely hopeless.
*Actually, I think Frank Miller did lose his mind in one day. That day was September 12, 2001.

Listening to your conversations is always a pleasure, guys.

[Jason, Walking Allergen]

Congratulations to Heather for another great, successful Soiree of Furious Typing for NanoWriMo writers in Portland. If she wasn't already an ace Nike programming guru/girlfriend, she could be an event planner.

[Dave Alluisi, Evolution of the Arm]

Nice! Congrats on crossing the finish line, Heather!

[Matt, I am the Great Went.]

Still proud of you, Heather.

On another note: I was looking up some stuff about the (old) British tradition of telling ghost stories around Christmas time. I found a website where someone asked why the Andy Williams song "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" mentioned ghost stories. Among the replies:
(view spoiler)[
This wondering about Christmas and ghost stories all seems to come out of a general ignorance many Americans have about the very spiritual nature of the holiday in Europe, and the common practice of telling ghost stories, particularly in the British isles, during the Christmas season. In fact, engaging in a variety of supernaturally-related activities and rituals (wassailing) has, traditionally, been part of the British season. In "December Will Be Magic Again," Kate Bush sings, "Light up the candle lights to conjure Mr. Wilde in to the silent night..." a reference, also, to reading Oscar Wilde's fantasy tales on Christmas eve. The writers of "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" knew what they were writing about. Might do for some Americans to "get out more"--other than to Walmart for junk Christmas gifts--and pick up a book or two to learn a few things about the history of the Christmas holiday and its pagan roots. (hide spoiler)]
Ahhh, so many four-letter words to choose from! Which shall I pull from my quiver?

[Dave Alluisi, Evolution of the Arm]

Jesus. I hope that guy dies in a fire on Christmas with his mom watching. Smug TWAT.

[Matt, I am the Great Went.]

Dave wrote: "Jesus. I hope that guy dies in a fire on Christmas with his mom watching. Smug TWAT."
Yeah, that was one of the first things I thought, too. In his defense, he used his name and link to his blog, so at least we can't add coward to that list.

[Dave Alluisi, Evolution of the Arm]

On another To Be Fair note, it is information I didn't know, and it's interesting. I wish we had a few traditions like that in the States, and wouldn't be averse to adding them into my personal Christmas rotation.

Still, besides learning about the "pagan roots" of Christmas (such as that ancient pagan tradition of reading Oscar Wilde stories and listening to Kate Bush tunes (??)), the guy's just going out of his way to be a SMUG. TWAT. And succeeding wildly.

[Dave Alluisi, Evolution of the Arm]

On another Christmas-related note: I love Christmas. Really do. At its best, it's a day of peace and giving. I love visiting family, the traditions, the carols, all that stuff. ON CHRISTMAS DAY.

The month and a half of foreplay, however, I could do without.

[Matt, I am the Great Went.]

Does anybody know why Netflix streaming or similar services will have, oh, say Dr. Phibes Rises Again but not The Abominable Dr. Phibes?! Why only sequels? Is it the distributors/studio not allowing the asset of value to be streamed? It's quite annoying.

[Dave Alluisi, Evolution of the Arm]

I agree. "We'll show you free streaming movies! (Unless they're the movies you want to see)" is no way to grow the streaming model.

The selection has improved in some ways (mostly TV shows), but nearly every time I want to check out a film, they don't have it available on streaming. Note to distributors and studios: This usually leads me to shrug off the film rather than add it to my absurdly long DVD queue, which still has stuff on it that I added 5 years ago.

[Jason, Walking Allergen]

Don't get me started on the streaming selection on Netflix. It's embarrassing.

On Thanksgiving, we thought it might be nice to watch something appropriate. I was like, hey, how about Home for the Holidays? Heather said great, watching that was an old family tradition! Didn't have it.

Okay, I've never seen all of Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Cool, she said, good idea. Didn't have it.

They have movies or television shows I think to watch maybe 10% of the time, and that's probably generous. When I hear that they'd like to transition to a stream only model I have to laugh. I would be glad to, but they have a LONG way to go before that feels feasible.

[Matt, I am the Great Went.]

JUDAS PRIEST! They have Santa Baby 2!!! So, they won't even give you a shitty made-for-TV-movie, just the shitty made-for-TV-movie sequel. How am I supposed to follow the shitty story of the shitty sequel without watching the shitty first shitty story??! SHIT!

[Matt, I am the Great Went.]

Oh, great. The Help is back in my life thanks to Goodreads & a DVD/Blu-Ray release in the near future. ARRRGHHHH!

[Jim]

Re: the most recent catch-all edition: During the discussion of magicians, Dave submitted the winning name: Gob Bluth.
I only point this out because I don't believe Jason or Matt heard it, or they'd have been laughing as hard as I did. Nice job, Dave.

Matt wrote: "Ahhh, so many four-letter words to choose from! Which shall I pull from my quiver? "
Dave wrote: "Smug TWAT."
Dave wins again.

[Jim]

Matt wrote: "Oh, great. The Help is back in my life...."
Only if you want it there, my friend. I saw the trailer once and decided that was all The Help I needed. Go to your happy place...

[Jason, Walking Allergen]

Jim wrote: "Re: the most recent catch-all edition: During the discussion of magicians, Dave submitted the winning name: Gob Bluth.
I only point this out because I don't believe Jason or Matt heard it..."

Nope, you're right, I totally missed that! Dave has a silent assassin quality about him sometimes.

[Matt, I am the Great Went.]

Jim wrote: "Re: the most recent catch-all edition: During the discussion of magicians, Dave submitted the winning name: Gob Bluth.
I only point this out because I don't believe Jason or Matt heard it, or they..."

Wow. I can't believe I missed that! I'm a Bluthophile, too. I'm quite ashamed of myself. I guess I'll have to get used to eating pool food, like curly fries - with club sauce.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnUGsy...

[Dave Alluisi, Evolution of the Arm]

Jim wrote: "Re: the most recent catch-all edition: During the discussion of magicians, Dave submitted the winning name: Gob Bluth.
I only point this out because I don't believe Jason or Matt heard it, or they'd have been laughing as hard as I did. Nice job, Dave."

Ha! I really need to start listening to our shows... I don't remember any of that conversation.

Thanks, Jim. :)

[Matt, I am the Great Went.]

Roger Ebert's explanation for the scene between Marge & Mike in Fargo
(view spoiler)[
There is a scene many viewers find inexplicable. On the evening between her first and second interviews with Jerry, Marge has dinner with a high school classmate, Mike Yanagita (Steve Park). The critic Jonathan Rosenbaum says it's "a disturbing interlude that strikes many others as wrong or dubious," but he finds it a key: "in terms of theme - a lonely individual lying compulsively, trying without success to hide his desperation - it registers as central." I agree. I think Mike works as a mirror of Jerry, and that the dinner scene acts as the link between Marge's first and second interviews with him. The next morning, she is preparing to return to Brainerd when a high school girlfriend tells her that everything Mike said was a lie. That's the wake-up call that leads back to Jerry's desk at the dealership. The Mike interlude not only provides a delicate study of Marge coping with an embarrassing situation, but is infinitely better than the alternative - a single interview with Jerry that simply grinds him down.
(hide spoiler)]
I never understood the purpose of this scene in the plot, but always loved it. What? It says "Misc."!

[Matt, I am the Great Went.]

Add 'pushy sumbitch' to the list of adjectives that describe me-
Please join me in telling our representatives that we don't want our Internet censored a la China:
http://act.demandprogress.org/act/dod...