Not sure what I am going to do with myself, so I may end up watching O Brother or the Big Lebowski for the 90000th time.
Also, too. Front pagers who are not on the contacts list, please email me the email you want published in the rebuild. And my blogmistress says that if she catches any of you installing apps to the new WP build, she will cut you. I didn’t tell her that the only person with cpanel access is me, so if anyone installed things, it was me. Why? Because she scares me. She will cut a mother fucker.
Politically Lost
Started a medically supervised weight loss program today. 800 calories a day for the foreseeable future. I think going to bed hungry is going to be the most difficult part.
I have lost a lot of weight before in my early 20’s but this is looking more challenging now that I’m in my early 40’s…
John Cole
@Politically Lost: HMR?
BO_Bill
Watching CSPAN you learn some things. For instance, just tonight, I learned that Chris Dodd is the CEO of the lobbying group ‘Motion Picture Association of America’. In related news, Mark Patterson is the lobbyist from Goldman Sachs assigned by one Barack Obama to be Tim Geithner’s Chief of Staff.
Both WASPs. At least Chris Dodd is a man of ethics.
Politically Lost
@John Cole:
Had to google HMR. It’s not that particular program, but probably similar. Medilite.
Brother Shotgun of Sweet Reason
Well, I’m watching Speed for the 10,000th time. Couldn’t turn down another chance to watch Sandra Bullock.
Prior show: Top Gear in Bolivia on the Camino del Muerte.
Next up: Network, recorded a couple of months ago.
Belafon (formerly anonevent)
@BO_Bill:
Only if you’re using yourself as the bar.
Also, wouldn’t Geithner be assigning Geithner’s COS?
ETA: After reading his biography, sounds kind of like an OK guy to me. Worked in the senate, then a VP of Sachs, and then COS.
After that Washington Monthly article about Geithner managing to upright the financial ship without costing taxpayers additional money, I kind of give them the benefit of the doubt.
Hill Dweller
They’re airing a Game of Thrones marathon on HBO Signature.
Politically Lost
I’ve had five knee surgeries on one knee and I need a knee replacement. However, the surgeons just don’t want to do it with me being 80lbs overweight.
The combination of constant excruciating knee pain and trying to exercise for weight loss has just not worked out well. So, I’ve signed up for this thing. I think this combo has had a serious effect on my psychological health too.
I am very concerned about putting it all back on but I intend for this to be a true lifestyle change.
Martin
I love that your blog organizationally system is to post questions in open threads and hope to hell your front pagers not only are reading your front page, but will even bother to contact you.
Quite the powerful leadership, that.
BO_Bill
You have much to learn Belafon.
sfinny
@Politically Lost: Holy crap. 800 per day? I’ve gotten down to 1500 to 1800 which has been pretty easy once I got used to it, but that will have be hard. Good luck and hope it goes well.
Martin
@Brother Shotgun of Sweet Reason: The Top Gear Vietnam special is my absolute favorite.
Bolivia is interesting mainly because I don’t know how chain-smoker Jeremy doesn’t straight up die at 16,000 feet.
TooManyJens
@Politically Lost: I have a friend who finished a similar program about three months ago. Not that long, I know, but so far she’s sticking to her lifestyle change. Good luck!
Politically Lost
@sfinny:
800 does seem a tad bit extreme don’t it.
However, I think it will make up for my 4K plus days.
opie jeanne
@Martin: I loved those two episodes, and I also wondered if Jeremy was going to die right in front of the cameras.
The one in Vietnam made me want to visit that country even though I know I never will do it because of the cost.
Spaghetti Lee
@Politically Lost:
Good luck. I don’t think I could ever do that.
sfinny
@Politically Lost: Ah yes I remember those high calorie days too. Back when I had a crazy metabolism that made up for it. Unfortunately it didn’t last past my twenties. :-)
joel hanes
@Politically Lost:
Baked white fish is your friend
Mnemosyne
@Politically Lost:
If it’s allowed, try drinking a cup of hot tea or (decaf) coffee before bed. Sometimes the hot liquid can fool your stomach into thinking it’s full. To use myself as an example, salad before a meal makes me hungrier, but soup makes me feel more full and I eat less of the main meal.
Also, you should seriously consider Weight Watchers once you finish the current program. Full disclosure: I work for them one day a week, but I do it because I really believe in the program and it helped me lose 32 pounds and keep it off. It really focuses on healthy eating these days and prioritizes whole foods (lean proteins, fruits and veggies, whole grains etc.) over junky snacks. If Charles Barkley can do it, so can you.
(And in case it comes up, Barkley didn’t say that the Weight Watchers program is a scam on a live mike — he said that the amount of money they give him to be a spokesperson is a scam because it’s so much easier than being a sports announcer.)
BGinCHI
Big Lebowski never gets tired.
Where’s the money Lebowski?
Where’s the money Lebowski?
Where’s the fucking money Lebowski?
Politically Lost
@Mnemosyne:
Joining weight watchers after this is definitely a part of the plan.
I have to admit that I made a conscious decision about 10 years ago to ignore my hard earned weight loss and just eat what I wanted. I’ve just reached the point where I can’t live like that anymore. So, again another conscious decision, only this time to make the lifestyle change.
Narcissus
Big Trouble in Little China is my go-to relaxation flick.
Yutsano
Home from the Seattle BJ meet-up. Was having so much fun talking and laughing and drinking that I totally fergot to live blog. We had lurkers show up! WOO-HOO! At our max there was 13 of us there, and the restaurant actually gave us a semi-private dining area which was lovely.
One slight note: dollared didn’t make it. So about that drink… :)
suzanne
I miss youse guys.
Im studying for my Building Systems ARE so I can FINALLY become a licensed architect. I study over my lunch breaks, and pretty much every spare minute at home on the weekends. I haven’t gotten to read many threads lately, and I miss this place.
Test is March 29.
Yutsano
@suzanne: We wuvs ya too hon. Give Mia lotsa snuggles too!
opie jeanne
@Yutsano: I haz a sad. :-( Too much birthday party last night, far too late into the night, and drinking too much deplorable blue raspberry vodka. Some whiskey, also.
Mnemosyne
@Politically Lost:
We have two members I can think of off the top of my head who came to us after losing a large amount of weight through other means (one had surgery and one did a medically-supervised liquid diet) because now they wanted to learn how to eat right. So it’s a pretty common thing for people to walk through the door with. The important things are to find a regular meeting that you feel comfortable in and to talk to the staff if you have any questions or issues at all (even ones you think are stupid — don’t worry, we’ve heard ’em all). Good luck!
Sawgrass Stan
OK, sent this to the FP’s but it’s too stupidly wonderful to make you all wait. Surely even liberals have to grocery shop, and not always at that damn Whole Fuuds place, so have a look at the “National Examiner” front page. Go buy a bag of ice or something. Lede:
“MICHELLE WALKS OUT!–after Obama demands: NO MORE WILD SPENDING!!” I’m busy and can’t read the ‘story’, so you’re on your own, but it seems our Pres is sick and tired of Michelle wasting millions of public dollars at Aspen…. etc. Like I said, you read it. I spent $3 so’s I could tell you..
I’ll check in with y’all when I’m done with what I have to do– later
slag
The most recent Muppet movie inspired me to rent the original series. Funnier than I remembered.
Yutsano
@opie jeanne: We did miss you both! But there are definite plans in the future for another meet-up. In fact, there was a suggestion tonight to turn this into a semi-regular thing. If not Jewish Steel is headed our way at some point in June, so that may be the next opportunity. So we’ll see! :)
suzanne
@Yutsano: Mia has been a pissant today. She’s asleep and I shall do NOTHING to disturb that.
I didn’t even get to go and heckle the GOP shitsmears when they came and debated out here. Blech.
Quicksand
Do you see what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps?
(I never get tired of that.)
Omnes Omnibus
Watched Monsters vs. Aliens. Was amused.
Mnemosyne
In other news, I think I have definitely narrowed down to two bikes I may want to get to replace my stolen one. They’re both relatively inexpensive (ie under $500) Dutch-type bikes with fenders and a chain guard to tool around town on. I rode each of them today, and I’m still torn between the Trek Cocoa and the Schwinn Jenny. The Cocoa is a bit more expensive and, frankly, I think it shows — the Schwinn rattles a bit more and the fenders vibrate a little when I ride. BUT the Cocoa is only a 3-speed, and I live in a fairly hilly area. The Jenny has 7 speeds, which might be a little more reasonable for where I live.
The other thing making the decision more difficult is that they’re at two different bike shops with different terrain, so I’m having a hard time comparing them. The Schwinn is in North Hollywood where everything is totally flat, and the Trek is in Pasadena, where it’s a little more hilly. Argh!
Violet
@slag:
Speaking of the Muppet movie, I watched “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” tonight. Much better than I expected and it has Jason Segal, who wrote some of the songs, and also has puppets. I think he used Henson’s studios to do the puppetry. No wonder they let him do the Muppet movie.
Omnes Omnibus
@Mnemosyne: Both bikes are produced by Wisconsin companies, so have an “atta, girl.”
Gravenstone
Broke down and bought an iPod a couple weeks back. I had been trying to use my droid as an mp3 player, but the music management software left way too much to be desired. I have since learned that iTunes is motherfucking crack. I find it entirely too easy to lose myself for an hour or three at a time, wandering around trying to reassemble my music collection from days gone by.
Mnemosyne
@Omnes Omnibus:
Sadly, though, both are built in China. A domestically-built bike is beyond my price range unless I buy vintage.
phil
@Yutsano: phil the lurker reporting in! thanks again for setting up the get-together, that was great! now time to see what all this “game change” is about
Yutsano
@phil: I don’t have cable or a TV (refused to pay the extortion rate) and I’m not much for torrents so I’ll pass on it for now. I will say it was fun meeting you and listening to someone who’s had a much more adventurous life than me. :)
CaseyL
Tonight’s Seattle meet-up was a hoot! Definitely would like to make it a semi-regular thing, esp. with this being an election year. Also there seem to be a few foodies in the group, and it would be fun to try out restaurants.
When I got home I kicked some cash Jay Inslee’s way and signed up to volunteer for stuff.
dead existentialist
@Sawgrass Stan: [Well it is a West Virginny type of blog.]
Omnes Omnibus
@Yutsano: Ocelot wrestling? Stasi agent? Drug mule? Time lord? Wearer of a bearskin coat? Inquiring minds want to know.
phil
@CaseyL: I’m planning on going to drinking liberally meeting this Tuesday, i’ll report back on how it goes
Yutsano
@Omnes Omnibus: Definitely an international man of mystery. I shan’t say more, we were sworn to secrecy.
Jewish Steel
@Gravenstone: My itunes tells me I have nearly 16 days worth of music on my hard drive. Pusillanimous compared to others, no doubt. I still feel like I’m getting started.
Wish I coulda been at the Seattle meet up. Sounded like fun!
Omnes Omnibus
@Yutsano: Bastard (but that has been covered before).
ETA: I am going to go with Stasi and the bearskin coat. It amuses me.
Gravenstone
@Jewish Steel: I only have about 8 days worth on mine. And that is barely 20% disc capacity. I can see this becoming a very bad habit if I’m not careful.
Moe99
The Seattle BJ meetup was super! Food and conversation was terrific and Yutsano and some nice woman whose name I can’t recall (yutsano has the list of attendees) gave me their lamb shank bones for my dogs! Can’t wait for the next one!
Yutsano
@Jewish Steel: You do realize you’re next on the list, amirite? Just let us know when you’re here. We’ll gladly handle the rest! :)
@Omnes Omnibus:
So what if my mom’s name on her birth certificate and marriage license are different? My parents discovered this after 33 years of marriage. Somehow the knowledge either one of them can now walk strengthened it. They’re odd sometimes.
Omnes Omnibus
@Yutsano:
Sometimes? That makes them vastly different from my parents. Mine are simply, and complicatedly, odd.
Jewish Steel
@Yutsano: That is the best! I’ll be on my honeymoon. Just gotta talk the Jewess Steel into meeting a bunch of people from the internet. Piece of cake!
You're a droid, i'm a noid
Hey, can someone do something about the recently frequent problem of the site flipping to Mobile mode? It usually happens when i click on articles to expand. But also on the front page.
And the worst thing is, when it does, the “Switch to our desktop site” link doesn’t even work. WTH!?!
It’s happening with Firefox on my desktop, and on Opera on my iPhone.
Thanks kindly!
Omnes Omnibus
@Jewish Steel: You talked her into marrying you. Meeting internet people should be easy.
burnspbesq
@Gravenstone:
Careful, there. That can get expensive. I had to come down hard on the kid recently for banging the crap out of my AmEx card in the iTunes stores.
Also too, ditch the earbuds that came with your iPod at the first opportunity. Even a $50 pair of in-ear monitors will make a night-and-day difference. Surprisingly given their marketing, Skullcandy makes some of the best stuff in that price range. AVGuide, the online presence of The Absolute Sound magazine, has a great buyers’ guide.
Yutsano
@Jewish Steel: I’ll have MikeJ make another challah (he gave me one tonight, pain perdu in the morning!) and we’ll find a good kosher/halal restaurant for you guys. Or whatever, depending upon how strict you are. Good eats in Seattle are easy to happen by!
Jewish Steel
@Omnes Omnibus: Good point. I’ll tell her as much.
burnspbesq
@Jewish Steel:
If your iTunes library fits on a 1 terabyte hard drive, you’re not trying hard enough. I’m at 2.2 and counting, but it adds up quickly when you start ripping all your old vinyl at 96/24 resolution.
thalarctos
@Moe99: My pleasure! I really enjoyed meeting and talking with you and everyone.
All best to the pupsters!
dollared
@Yutsano: Yup, I still owes ya. (I owes the tax man!!).
My lame excuse is that my visa expires at 6pm on Saturday. My wife invited the Catalan mafia over for dinner, and I had to cook for them.
Glad you guys had a good time. Let’s do it again! We officially have a crowd now!
Jewish Steel
@burnspbesq: Yeah, Skullcandys aren’t too bad. Grados are better for the price tho.
@Yutsano: I’m only ethnically Jewish. And even that just barely as you will behold. We’re just garden variety* vegetarians and merry atheists.
We will straight murder a challah.
* c wat i did there?
Omnes Omnibus
@dollared: Weak sauce, sir. Weak. You should have planned ahead.
Jewish Steel
@burnspbesq: Dude, I am trying as hard as my bank account will allow. Some would say harder than that even.
I have about 200lbs of my dad’s vinyl classical music collection dating back to the 50s to rip if I ever find the time.
burnspbesq
@Jewish Steel:
I’ve never listened to the Grado IEMs. My current faves are the Westone 3s, which are in a whole other price range.
I used to have pair of Grado RS-2s, which I really liked, but they went away when I bought my Sennheiser HD 800s.
dollared
@Omnes Omnibus: I concede the point. I am fully domesticated. At my age, if I screw this one up, my next shot will come from trolling my retirement home. Next time, I’ll lobby for an earlier starting time.
Omnes Omnibus
@Jewish Steel: I haven’t started on my vinyl yet. It is just too daunting a task. Then there is borrowing my parents’ vinyl and ripping it too. The magnitude of the task simply brings me to tears. Of course, I cry easily. It’s a character flaw.
burnspbesq
@Jewish Steel:
Can you feel the jealousy radiating from every pore in my body?
asiangrrlMN
@Yutsano: I haz a jeluz, kinda. Not a people-person, but it sounds like you guys had a blast.
Me, I’m up from a nap and about to eat lunch.
@Omnes Omnibus: Eh. I’ve already put myself out to the pasture. Erryone needs to get offa my lawn.
Omnes Omnibus
@dollared: Shit, I think you are younger than me. Now I feel old and alone. I think I will cry. See, supra.
@asiangrrlMN: Darling, you are definitely younger than I am. Of course, one is only young once, but can be immature forever. I should know.
Jewish Steel
@burns: I’ve neverheard the IEM either. I’ve got their igrados ($50) which sound great but squeeze my big mellon “like a class of sharpened ice tongs” -Spy Magazine.
If I ever win the lottery I will get those crazy looking Stax electrostatic headphones.
Yutsano
@asiangrrlMN: I got to meet gwangung tonight too. He’s hilarious. And he hopes you’ll come out and see some of his stuff. I’m excited.Plus we’d meet up with you. Also. Too. :)
burnspbesq
Tonight was the big annual fundraising event for the kid’s school. They probably raised at least a half mil just in the silent auction.
Some of the famous alums came back and performed with the students. I have to say, I know nothing at all about Glee, but Matthew Morrison is one talented little fucker.
AA+ Bonds
I also had celebrities come back and perform with my kids at their school and saw $500,000 raised this evening
AA+ Bonds
What a coincidence
AA+ Bonds
A half mil, that’s a half of one million dollars, right, I’m a peasant and don’t tend to use these terms
numfar
@Politically Lost:
Good luck to you, Politically Lost.
800 calories a day is a tough row to hoe, so to speak.
Omnes Omnibus
@AA+ Bonds: Do you have a point or are you just being an asshole?
Yutsano
@Omnes Omnibus: Just being an asshole. And incredibly thick. $500K for a college fundraiser is not at all unusual. A good haul, but dedicated alums with deep pockets can do that.
asiangrrlMN
@Omnes Omnibus: ::shrug:: I’ve sworn off love. Sex? Bring it!
@Yutsano: That would be totally awesome to meet you both. Maybe when Jewish Steel is in town?
Omnes Omnibus
@Yutsano: I know. AA+ Bonds wants to define liberals in his own way. Those who fall outside of his particular parameters are anathema. Oh, dear, I have probably been kicked out of the movement. One thinks that Mr. Bonds is very young – and pure.
@asiangrrlMN: The Saab is fast.
handy
@Yutsano:
It was the tone. Especially the little name drop at the end.
Yutsano
@Omnes Omnibus:
Nah. He’s a Republican ratfucker. He fessed up a little while back. So I skip over just about every thing he says. He just has a special jones for Burnsy.
Omnes Omnibus
@handy: Tone is hard to read on a blog. I could be earnest or dripping with disdain right now and you couldn’t tell from what I typed. If you know the poster, you can make a reasonable guess as to tone, but that is it.
asiangrrlMN
@Omnes Omnibus: You have a Saab? I like fast rides. ::smiles sweetly::
@Omnes Omnibus: Are you dripping? With disdain, I mean.
Omnes Omnibus
@asiangrrlMN: Yes, I do. It is lovely. Just bathed today.
@asiangrrlMN: Maybe.
handy
@Omnes Omnibus:
Sure, and the reader naturally brings their own experience into it. “My kid’s school made over half a mil in one night” will not sound the same to everyone’s ears.
The thing is, I’m sure Burns means well and is a swell fella, but this latest post wasn’t the first time I heard this “tone” from him. And I wasn’t alone in that assessment. Again, even if it’s a shared thing I get that it’s still subjective, but I also don’t think it’s nothing either.
Mouse Tolliver
JCole shoutout from Driftglass about 11 minutes in.
http://www.buzzsprout.com/229/43176-ep-118-gop-circles-the-wagons-is-it-okay-to-boycott
asiangrrlMN
@Omnes Omnibus: Is it warm there? It’s in the sixties here, or was. Too damn hot for me. Though, it does mean I can wear less clothing.
Yutsano
@asiangrrlMN: Low 40s and pouring. Please refrain from any stereotypical references. This place is green as hell because of it.
Omnes Omnibus
@handy: You have never made a comment that was, perhaps, calculated to impress someone? A recipe you know? A place you have visited? A sport you played? I have. I’ll admit it. I’ll probably do it again. Hell, I ran over a squirrel while driving the vintage convertible Mustang of the future head of Global Trade Watch when we were both in high school. Wow, huh?
Omnes Omnibus
@asiangrrlMN: 60s today. Weird when I went running. I wore a hat and gloves because it is March in WI, but these were, shall we say, unnecessary.
asiangrrlMN
@Mouse Tolliver: That’s pretty cool. “Be John Cole” to David Frum. Excellent!
@Yutsano: I like hard rain – just not the drizzle shit. It’s 50°ree; here! Sigh.
@Omnes Omnibus: I went to tai chi and left my sweatshirt in the car. If I could have, I would have thrown off my sweats as well (obviously, can’t). Now, I’m free as a bird can be! What are you wearing? ::wink wink::
ruemara
@Politically Lost: Best of luck. I restart my diet on monday. Just a leeetle bit lower in the calorie count than you. 500. But it is doable, so hang in there and drink your water.
PTirebiter
I just read Peter Bergmans obituary. Don’t Crush That Dwarf, Hand Me The Pliers was my go to comedy album in college. Tonight I’ll go to bed with a heavy heart.
Omnes Omnibus
@asiangrrlMN: Clothing. I wear clothing. I am a bit WASpy, as you may know; as a result, although I appreciate the nude, I am not necessarily willing to be it.
Omnes Omnibus
Did DST start this weekend?
Yutsano
@Omnes Omnibus: Yes. And get a room you two. Lawd. :)
Omnes Omnibus
@Yutsano: Fuck. I need to finish my drink and go to bed. Fuck. Clocks and watches to be reset. Fuck.
ETA: All done but the Saab, which will be done next time she goes out.
Martin
@Omnes Omnibus: Yes. Move your clocks ahead one hour. It’s now 4:15 EST, will be 1:15 PST if you’ve already moved it ahead (your computer won’t do it until 2AM)
handy
@Omnes Omnibus:
That’s not what I’m talking about though. You share a story, kick a little knowledge, or jubilantly express something with which you not only have familiarity but passion as well–that’s just normal human interaction. That’s people wanting to connect.
I’ll stress again I know it’s all about perception and experience, but sometimes when I read burns posts I’m hearing in my head a former boss several years ago. This was a guy who was constantly “on.” You just had to know how awesome he was and how he lived life to its fullest and how he hung out with the MC5 in Detroit in the 70s and later Tom Verlaine in Soho and how he was going to make executive VP of our company before 40 (he didn’t–he got fired, but that’s another story).
Again that’s me bringing my stuff to the table. I could be way off on this–I hope I am! I’m just sharing where I’m coming from.
BTW did the squirrel make it or was it game over from the start?
asiangrrlMN
@Yutsano: You paying for the room, fake-hubby o’ mine?
@Omnes Omnibus: You need to fuck? Kidding! Sleep well, OO. I’mma hold you to a Saab ride.
Omnes Omnibus
@handy: The squirrel ran out into the road, I slowed. The squirrel ran back. I hit the gas. The squirrel turned and ran in front of the car. Dude was suicidal. Not my fault. I was blamed once the story came out. There was nothing I could have done. Other stories involving the Mustang being sideways on a side street as a Driver’s Ed car came toward me… Those are true.
Also too, we bring our own prejudices and perceptions to the blog.
Polar Bear Squares
@Narcissus:
Wise and sage comment.
Angela
I KNEW I was someone’s blogmistress, I just couldn’t rememeber whose! Thanks for the reminder. I’m just now coming out of a 20-year fog.
samara morgan
Winning hearts and minds.
How far out are we from Operation Frequent Wind Redux, d’yah think?
Ruckus
@Mnemosyne:
Ex bike shop owner here. Probably going to get a huge amount of flak for this but…
Almost any Trek is going to be a better bike than a Schwinn. All bikes in this price range are going to be built to price. And that’s the point. At this price range, a little more gets a better bike, usually in components. That said more gears are better in the hills. So in this case it comes down to the shop. Better reputation, service or just that feeling that one is better.
By the way I didn’t sell either Trek or Schwinn but have serviced a lot of both, there is a reason Trek has become the company they are. They sell good bikes and support. Schwinn sells bikes.
Ruckus
@Omnes Omnibus:
Schwinn is owned by Dorel which is a Canadian co. It hasn’t been the old Schwinn co for almost 20 yrs. Not a hit on Dorel, they are huge in the market place of mostly lower cost bikes. Own several brands that vary mostly in name as well as Cannondale, which they seem to be keeping as a higher end brand.