I'm supposed to be starting my vacation today.

I booked my flight to and from Thailand over a month ago, only to have Continental change the first leg to a flight that has already been cancelled a couple hours ago. Now I'm waiting on hold with customer service (over an hour now) to see what the problem is.

It's not looking to good at this point, and it's crazy. It's not even snowing in DC. There are three airports close in, and the flight leaves at 6 a.m. tomorrow morning.

I am not a happy camper right now.

What's the worst airline travel experience you've ever had?

Just picked up the new QOTSA album. Wow. It's a cross between their first album and Homme's Eagles of Death Metal tunes, in a weird sort of way. It's kinda growing on me.

Also, finished up Rant, Chuck Palahniuk's new book. I gotta say, it's just not as good as some of his other work. It starts off really strong and then sort of nose-dives toward the end. Still worth reading though. I'd just wait to buy it till it hits paperback if I were you.

So what are you reading these days?
Listening to any sweet cd's lately?

Hope your Monday is moving along smoothly.

Ironlung

And so Rage Against the Machine is finally getting back together. I would love to be in CA for that. With my work schedule, probably not going to happen though. Still, maybe we'll get an album out of the deal. Now wouldn't that be something. Zack's solo album has been on the way for so long, I wonder if it will ever get released. I know he put out the one tune with DJ Shadow, but that seems like so long ago now. There has been ALMOST a complete lack of really good heavy music for a long time now. It's really a shame. I know that the young kids with mascara and messed up hair sort of run the show now and a lot of people like it, but I can't shake the feeling that were headed into another area alla main stream eighties music. Songs made in cookie cutter fashion, all sounding alike with no soul behind it. Oh well, I guess it's that music that we have to thank for all the bands that got fed up with it and put out some real rock. As with all things, we shall see.

So what are the newish albums that you dig?

Well,
Here we are again. Not much to speak of since the last entry, but that's never stopped me before. First and foremost, I promised you books, and so books we shall talk about. Over the last two months I've been reading lots. The guy that lived here before me had the sat t.v. subscription in his name. The company wouldn't let him just turn over his subscription to us (mostly because they need to have the 200 dollar start-up and install and equipment lease fees, which they wouldn't get had he been able to simply transfer the damn thing). So we are now at the mercy of those deathly efficient merchants of cable television who, showing the utmost concern for our household, let us know that they'd be here "sometime in the next few weeks. We're pretty busy right now." Thanks guys. Without ATHF, Family Guy, Squid Billies and the barrage of late night cartoons that is Adult Swim, I have been spending a bit more time than usual reading.
In the Last month and a half I'm managed to make it through:

Swan Song
Me Talk Pretty One Day
The Brooklyn Follies
(and half of)
House of Leaves

Now, they were all good books in their own right, but they are definitely not books I would group with each other (with the exception of Swan Song and House of Leaves...Maybe). MTPOD was very funny. I had no idea when I started the book that Amy Sedaris, the author's sister, was the woman in Strangers with Candy. This I can't wait to read the rest of his books. I also want to check out Amy's new book though. It wasn't released that long ago, so I'm not sure when it'll be out in a paperback edition. I hope she's as funny on paper as she is onscreen.

The Brooklyn Follies was recommended to me by a former coworker. I don't know how many of you have coworkers that are always coming up to you saying, "Damn, you gotta read this book." Though I haven't run into a person at my new job who says that. I'm sure They'll turn up eventually. This one wasn't overly funny, and at no point during this book will you be scared. Paul Auster is just a solid writer. The story will kept me interested and the narrative was well done. So take what you will from that. For me it was one of those, Good Change of Pace books. After all, if all books involved some sort of blood-thirsty zombie army, I'd get pretty bored.

Swan Song rocked. I never get tired of those post-apocalyptic quest sort of books like The Stand and suck. The story is good and there is enough going on and enough description to where you really get sucked into the world the characters inhabit. I was betting on some sort of motorcycle gang with skulls and dune-buggies. I won't say if I won the bet or not. That's what the apocalypse has come to mean to me though. Motorcycle/Dune-buggy gangs tearing shit up. It is a device used in books and movies that just can't miss.

I'll save HoL for next time. It's getting late, and some of us have to get up tomorrow. I hope all is well wherever you are.
And again,
What are you watching?
What are you reading?

So I'm still getting my bearings here in DC. For those of you not in the know I moved here almost two months ago. I am finally getting settled in, I think. Took the Metro to L'Enfant Plaza yesterday and walked down to the waterfront. The fish market down there is great. For those of you out there who enjoy cooking or eating seafood, you should get down there. For those that enjoy cooking, there was a great selection. Fresh fish, crab, clam, oyster, lobster, Conch, you name it. And the place is dotted with little stands selling cooked goods. I was thuroughly impressed with the place. I'm a big fan of open air markets though, so I may be showing a bit of favoritism, but it beat the hell out of anything you'd find at Giant or Safeway. There's my two cents for today. Also, I should finally be getting some pics up. So horray for that.

Tomorrow will be about books.
What are you reading?

Well, its finally snowing in Cleveland again. I was beginning to think that it would never happen again. Oh well. I'm beginning to find some cool stuff around town though. I don't know if any of you have been to this "the town fryer" place downtown, but it sounds like a good time. I have never heard of another place on the planet where you can get deep fried Mac'n'cheese. I don't know why, but I feel like I need to try it. Sounds like a heart attack waiting to happen.

Also finishing up Chronicles, Bob Dylan's new book. It's definately worth reading, but it doesn't have as much information in it as I thought it would. How the Dead Live by Will Self is on deck. It came recommended (i spel gud) by a friend of mine. I don't know about all the british slang though. It isn't as disorienting as A Clockwork Orange, but it is a bit harder to get the just of what is being talked about. I'm sure I'll have it down after the first hundred or so pages, but it is frustrating.

So what books are all of you reading nowadays?

I've been living in Cleveland for over a year now (lakewood). Cam anybody tell me why this place is so lame? The bars here are either packed with jackasses or they are empty. I know Cleveland is not the greatest city in the world, but isn't there at least a few cool people living here? I came here because of a job (who doesn't need money these days). It's nice to have some cash, but when you can't meet anyone, what's the point. Has anyone else been experiencing this? I came here because I lived in a cool town but could never do anything cause I was broke. Now I have the cash to go out, but the people and places here are so lame, that there is never anything to do. So fuck Cleveland. Whould anyone like to suggest a cool town with a decent job market?