Postreal Media
Current journal entries:pretentious and baffling dream of the now ( 2008-06-24 17:24:08 PST )
Dreamt this morning that Dave Eggers' small press printed a book on consumerism that came with an enormous bag of potato chips. The bag was about the size of a bed pillow and was covered with tiny, intricate text closely resembling an early issue of McSweeney's. The chips were herbed cucumber ranch. Since we were in a used bookstore, the bag had (of course?) already been opened. I had a few chips and they were pretty good.
I have decided that what this dream was trying to tell me is that I should try and create Pimm's Cup flavored potato chips. If done correctly I believe they would be quite tasty and sell well in England.
compoundfracturequest 2008 ( 2008-05-21 00:28:21 PST )
In my ongoing quest to be more like both the xkcd guy and a character from Snow Crash, this morning I acquired a sweet electric skateboard for cheap on the internets. If nothing else I hope to use it at that one particular event in the Nevada desert -- it is so deliciously flat there, and virtually commands a person to do stupid things at speed.
One interesting thing is that all the exkate boards feature regenerative breaking, just like a Prius or whatever. I find the thought of commuting down Capitol Hill to work and arriving with more battery charge than when I left incredibly compelling.
put your hands up. for. de. troit. ( 2008-04-09 23:15:58 PST )
Festival season has arrived and I have just purchased some plane tickets. Specifically, to and from the city of Detroit on Memorial Day weekend for DEMF. Direct flights too on NWA (the Fuck Tha Police airline, I guess), though one is a redeye.
Looking for a couch in the area or someone to split a hotel room with. Also for recommendations of anything awesome to eat in the city.
Hooray for booze ( 2008-03-04 04:27:19 PST )
Took a trip to Seattle's largest package store today. Here is what I found:
- Wild Turkey Rye - Mmm, Manhattans.
- Lucid Absinthe - Real absinthe is now legal in the US. This brand is formulated for our market, which is an iffy proposition, but worth a shot anyway.
- Powers Irish Whiskey - On recommendation from Xen's brother.
- Wray and Nephew Overproof Rum - Half of this is going towards a batch of Falernum and the other half to make Pimento Dram.
- Jacquin's Grenadine Liqueur - I was so happy to see a grenadine made out of actual pomegranates.
For those of you keeping score at home, between the last two of those I will soon have the ingredients for really top-notch tiki drinks. An adventure in drinking (and little paper umbrellas) awaits.
last minute obama endorsement ( 2008-02-10 03:06:54 PST )
(Fair warning: You've heard all of this before. Here's what it sounds like when I say it.)
What this primary is actually about is the baby boomer generation.
We can choose to keep them in power, to have another election between somebody who had chosen the political right, already, during the late 1960s and somebody who was on the left, already, during the late 1960s. Then the country can vote, and the candidates will end up within three popular-vote percentage points of each other, max. The candidate from the left will win (it's sort of a cyclical thing, y'know?), but it will be a tough fight and there will be nothing even approaching a national consensus.
Or, instead, we can run somebody who was in grade school during Vietnam and speaks none of the tedious, played-out litany from either of its divisive sides. Somebody who polls six percent higher than the Republican candidate already, and has the kind of gravity in flyover country to potentially make that much higher. A candidate who, I think, is the only one with a prayer of approaching the consensus that the country craves, that we have not had since 1984 or 1972 before that.
I am tired of the boomer bullshit. It has not been interesting for years, and it has allowed into power (twice over!) the likes of George W. Bush. I am done with it, and I am caucusing for Barack Obama.
... now I'm off to buy cat food and attend a caucus!
weekend funs ( 2008-01-03 17:52:30 PST )
On Sunday Xen and I went to the Portland Memorial Mausoleum to do this treasure hunt. It's where she and I had our first date (albeit one chaperoned by Ouro). Notably, this is my only goth cred of any significance. While we did not nearly complete the puzzle, the maze-like city of the dead was well worth returning to. Got some decent pictures too.
Afterwards, we walked through a huge swath of industrial and residential Southeast. Huge as in more than four miles. It was an awesome walk with a number of interesting sights. Here is an annotated, illustrated map of the route, as taken by chance rather than foresight.
While I didn't have any problem with it at the Halfway House NYE party (which was pure win, btw), my left knee started aching something fierce on Tuesday. Today it was put-me-in-an-MRI excruciating and hobbling to the bus after work about killed me. It's not tender to the touch, so I know I didn't drunkenly wreck it into anything. Also, I was not dancing at all that weekend. wtf. If it's not better in a few days I guess I'll consult with a doctor :-(
Believe the hype ( 2007-12-17 21:42:36 PST )
Rock Band actually is that much fun. It is more fun than DDR. It is more fun than Halo. It is carved from a solid block of high-test win. (Though, dude, tracks from Hole and Boston? Those bands do not rock even a little tiny bit.)
Also, does anybody else think these games are totally the future of real musical instruction? The drum set in Rock Band is already there -- a designer said in an interview that if you can play a song on them in expert you could pretty much play it on a real trap kit, and I believe it. I could see a title like New Wave Band maybe that includes drums, a couple of keyboards (or even, god help us all, a keytar) and the microphone. I mean, if you could fit all that on the screen, you're pretty much a few sessions from being able to actually play Devo or Soft Cell or whatever. Somebody publish this game and I will buy it plskthx.
foodstuffs ( 2007-11-20 19:08:32 PST )
Last night I started the bourbon-ginger infusion for this pie, and not a moment too soon. Added a bit of Ouro's recent batch of allspice liqueur as well, which I believe will work actual magic in the recipe.
Mixing up a gravy starter (white wine, garlic, onion, celery salt, and black pepper, pureed) is scheduled for tonight. As for the rosemary gravy, I think this one looks good. With any luck there will be some interesting mushrooms for sale at the coop, and I won't have to go to whole foods.
Still need some ingredients for the turkey brine. Juniper berries especially I have no idea where to get. Again, hopefully the coop will come through. If not, hmm, time to walk around the city and locate the appropriate evergreen?
Tofurkey has been acquired. It is not a large thing; I hope there will be enough. Got some premade cranberry sauce (made from actual fruit at least -- not the loaf-of-goo kind) in case nobody comes through with the real deal. Premade items I still need include biscuits and stuffing mix, and like a gallon of vegetarian stock for various dishes.