ooof

I am having an uncharacteristically uncomfortable day in my menses. And I could not sleep last night for stupid fretting about concert so I stayed up reading the über-geeky book, Speaker for the Dead.

Surprisingly rather good; I started it thinking would be good soporific. (Yes. I did read it all in one night.)

Also, someone's noxious lunch fumes are colonizing the newsroom. It is also rather chilly outside and I've already packed away all my cashmere.

All this making for a day I'd prefer to be spending communing with my duvet.

for Kai and the master

When shall we three meet again ??

kitchen decor

Have decided I am going to request an original copy of this for my kitchen wall.

Title: FUCK GRAPEFRUIT

little 70s fun

I forgot how many songs Abba actually sang. LIke I do I do I do I do, I doooooo. Or this one.

I am so dressing up as them for Hallowe'en — cause I appreciate teeny sequined skirts and gold lamé boots.

ABBA-licious

The Canadian Tulip Festival sent out a press release today calling tomorrow International Abba DAy. Sadly, they are almost a week too late as the hitherto unknown day falls on April 19. So says The Official International Abba fan club.

What is news is that show ABBAMANIA! (exclamation theirs, not mine) will be performing on Major's Hill Park in Ottawa at 1 p.m. May 3, 4, 11, 17, 18 and 19, 2008. Advance tickets recommended from capitaltickets; they are $20, $10 for 18 and under and students, children under 12 free.

They say if you show up wearing even the tiniest bit of ABBA memorabilia will be given a complimentary gift free. Time to dust off your sequined pantsuit. OOooooyeah.

I still doubt any performance of ABBA will ever be as fun as my nine-year-old self hanging from my knees in the backyard with friend Andrea, t-shirts over our heads, knees skinned, belting out their songs.

Gimme Gimme Gimme remains my favourite.

my song and me

Right.

I think Feist is winning. Even though I have had this album for yonks I am considering adding My Moon, My Man to the spring song list. There is a chance the competition might be moot as I have this song in heavy heavy rotation on my iTunes playlist. One might have thought I'd pick I Feel it all with its catchy dancey sparkliness and yet, not being played as often. hmmmmm.

Send me options. I need to break free from this crowd.

As reminder, contestants (and seeming clear winner) now are:

My moon, my man — Feist Delicious. Subtly sexy and yet, cheerful.



Spoon, The Underdog. Maybe not actual snogging on dance floor but definitely hints of it. Loads o' raucous dancing.




The Killers, Shadowplay growl. Yes. (nuff said)




Camera Obscura, Lloyd, I'm ready to be heartbroken. Flirtatious dancing. Coy eyeing. Ripping clothes off.




Dragonette, I Get Around. Not Subtle. There are moments for that.

sip, do I

From my former colleague, good friend and all round troublemaker Jen Chen (though she lures some into thinking she is harmless and sweet and willing to alter plans once made) comes this glorious word:

Periansipist: [Perian + sip + -ist] — a dabbler in learning: one who learns a little about many subjects, or 'sips' from the Pierian spring (a source of knowledge and inspiration, from the Muses)
"A little learning is a dangerous thing;
Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring;
For shallow draughts intoxicate the brain
And drinking largely sobers us again"
- Alexander Pope, Essay on Criticism
• Wikipedia link here

She rightly concludes this describes most of we journalists aptly.

Opine away, do.

I'm mid argument with an editor at work. (Silent argument, as he does not know the argument happened, or continues).

His position is that this sentence is correct: A teachers union wants to buy a lot of hippos.

I argue an ' is required after teachers, making it "... teachers' union wants to ..."

He argues the noun is collective and therefore does not need an apostrophe. I disagree, teachers is plural yes, but not a collective noun such as women.

Opinions sought.

zut alors

Aside from "lol," a few of these ;-) and an overabundance of *, I am a purist when it comes to language on the interweb.

As such, certain terms' precise meanings escape me. kthnxbai was just explained to me today (though it was slightly evident, lack of precise definition in the OED led to a query for confirmation).

[man. someone is eating something very tasty smelling in the newsroom right now.]

Back to point; I stumbled on this definition at the Urban Dictionary. All is now clear.

zOMG:
ZOMG was the ruler of the planet XYRZON until 2451 AD, when he was overthrown by KFOP after the battle of SHMUR. the battle marked the violent end to ZOMG'S noble reign as ultra-lord. KFOP soon proved to be an incapable ruler of XYRZON, and the planet collapsed into chaos in 2453. since that day, the residents of XYRZON have used ZOMG as a declaration, nay, an exclamation of hope; Hope that one day peace shall return to XYRZON, on the shoulders of a truly worthy king.
ZOMG, i love cupcakes.

dégoutant

I went to yoga with the lower portion of my pant legs covered in dog fur.

I'm betting that somehow goes against the scent/noxiousness-free zone the studio likes to protect. What do pet-owning yoga-ites do? Cause that lululemon stuff is a shedding-dog magnet.

(All your fault Laura. And your damn dog too)

cover your eyes !

Not content with calling me a "cunt" while playing Settlers of Catan — after making me scurry out of band practice early to rush to her house for the game, unfed and unwatered — friend Laura has now begun calling me a "cunt licker."

Somehow, she thinks this is worse.

She's wrong. and twee. She will blame her lack of judgment on being pregnant. The weird weeping and overly smoochy emails may be so explained, the lack of awareness as to vileness of curse word, not so much.

(Note use of the exclamation mark above. I'm trying to get over my extreme hatred of the things through usage, co-opting them into my identity. It is not working. They are ugly and vile. Yes, I hate a communication tool, an inanimate object. beware.)

maybe wrong

I've taken flack since the announcement of new changes to CBC 2 radio's lineup. Originally because I did not think it would be that bad (still classical music during the day, a chance to expand my horizons and something a bit more modern/pop/hopefully interestingly-avant-garde in the evening); that I do have no real attachment to its hosts or programs helped in this. (Details at wikipedia here.)

However, I then got flack from other peers when, after three days of flicking on the station to find inane, juvenile news readers, unable to pronounce the most basic of words (interns, much?) and music that was nowhere near classical in genre I began to bluster and complain. The final motivation towards public fury coming when I flicked between Radio 1 and 2 to find them both broadcasting the same song, simultaneously.

egad.

However, since a particular argument with a certain friend I have found some good exposure to classical music on Radio 2. Give them time to adjust, he had said. Bollocks to that, said I, who mocks those who cannot plan or hire efficient, talented staff.

Still not sure either one of us is right. Except they do need new staff. Competent, new staff.


Sign a petition against the changes here.

what treaty?

American outrage has seemingly led to Absolut vodka pulling an ad, intended for the Mexican market, depicting a 19th century map of what was then Mexico, with the slogan "in an absolut world." Much of what was then northern Mexico was ceded to the U.S. with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

The predominant or loudest American reaction seems to come from those who know not a whit of their own history, but assume Absolut is advocating "illegal immigration" into the U.S. (see this site).

Ludicrously laughable. It's sad Absolut apologized and pulled the ad. Swedes might want to consider funding guerrilla activities against stupidity.
Reuters article linked here, includes comments from Absolut.

how 80s am I

I'm considering buying these glasses from designer face à face after trying them on at the urging of a salesclerk at Spectacle in Toronto.

Friend says they are more 30s than 80s.

Either way, they are big. BIG. They will make me start worrying about my science fair project while sitting at the back of the class.

tulips, bikes, spring song

Was considering spring songs today as I bopped about my apartment dreaming of my old Doc Martens and short skirts.
What are the rules, I asked myself: Must they be released this year, or could they be from years past? If the song has been used in a commercial is it immediately discounted? Must the song make me want to make out ON the dance floor or merely beside it? Are covers too naff for inclusion?

hmmmmm. Ponderous questions.

Here are some current contenders. Votes will be tallied but probably discounted. Suggestions much appreciated.

Spoon, The Underdog. Maybe not actual snogging on dance floor but definitely hints of it. Loads o' raucous dancing.




The Killers, Shadowplay. growl. Yes. (nuff said)




Camera Obscura, Lloyd, I'm ready to be heartbroken. Flirtatious dancing. Coy eyeing. Ripping clothes off.




Dragonette, I Get Around. Not Subtle. There are moments for that.