velvet_petal

...tinkle...tinkle...tinkle


what's new? Been super busy prepping presentations from the comventiony thing I went to..

Styx ... even the name sucks. Actually, "Too Much Time On My Hands" is hard not to enjoy. But when they jumped on the power ballad wagon (which is probably the worst wagon in the history of wagoneering) with that "Sail Away" travesty, they officially fell behind REO Speedwagon in my mind. That's not a great place to be.

I guess it depends on how much ape calling you do!



I would just pick the carrier that you get reception best with. If they're all about the same these items may help you make up your mind:

* AT&T will drop more calls than Verizon and Sprint
* AT&T has faster data, and you can use it while you're on the phone.
(Verizon and Sprint use a system that does not allow concurrent voice and data).
* AT&T gave your local crack-pot governor $463,000. So there's that.
* Verizon has a reputation for a rock-solid network.
* Sprint has good customer service.
* Only very heavy data users (streaming music and video, etc) will use more than 2GB/month of data. So Sprints unlimited data plans may not be worth the extra cost.

One thing you might keep in mind is that none of these companies will unlock their iPhones, so it may behoove you to get an unlocked one because of your foreign travels. While you can use any of the carrier versions of the iPhone 4S overseas, international data is VERY expensive on US carriers. It would be much cheaper to get a prepaid SIM from a carrier in your host country. You may actually save yourself a bunch of money buying the phone outright, if you were going to do a lot of European travel this year. You can then get service with whomever you want with no contract. The unlocked iPhone 4S won't be on sale until November though.

Here is a breakdown of the costs on all three carriers. It's not especially well laid out, but it's mostly accurate. They did mess up on the Sprint individual section. Unlimited Data is $10. So Sprints plan for 450 min is really ~$80, not ~70.

I found out that the unlocked version is going to be GSM only, so you could only use that one on ATT. I'm not sure why they're doing that exactly, except that CDMA is only in the US, so maybe they're just using a Euro version (which runs on the same technology as ATT).

Los Bastardos!

As full of shit as he often is, Lydon is a huge hero to me. Although I love the first two PiL records more than most anything, I'm a big fan of this album; curious sound it has. When PiL cancelled a show here last Spring, my heart was irreconcilably broken.

I only work 9 hours days (most of the time) so I do get out of work fairly early in the day. Just in time to come home and work on all the things that need doing at the apartment building!

I'm actually happy when I get a 5am wake up. It means I'm sleeping in.

Whee!

Little people? Don't know any such like. Wish we were playing somewhere close to you.

I wonder who's on the phone. And how good the connection is under all of that sand.

I think those Betty Davis records have just come back into print. Pick em up before they disappear again! The Clash's White Riot seems to be my one and only shower song.

Mine is still probably Nixon/Gleason/aliens.

i was keeping it a secret from you because i couldn't stop laughing at the name. and i was afraid you might try it and like it. i've never tried it, pancake batter is so easy to make. but you're right, it probably fits perfectly in a stocking. i heard about a new alcoholic whipped-cream in a can. you know anything about that?

(I know, a little late on this blog) Consumer Reports gave Batter Blaster a good review and noted that, although more expensive than dry mixes, it was comparable if not better in taste and fluffiness, a bit healthier, and definitely more convenient. I haven't tried it, but I've seen it in the upscale markets around here.

Eggnog is never not good. You must have been drinking something else.

My sister and I have an uneasy relationship. By Christmas we should have both cooled off from the latest incident. Of course, there could always be a new incident on Christmas.

The truth of it is that our personalities are so similar that we don't really mesh well. The difference is that I've made big strides in controlling my temper and selfish nature, whereas she has yet to acknowledge her problems. She has a tendency to lash out at me, her husband, and the rest of the family about whatever is bothering her at the moment.

Quite a lot of places, makes me feel like a real anchor. I did loads of traveling in the 80s and 90s but mostly work related and short term. Apart from an apartment I shared with a German guy in Beruit that I spent far too little time at I spent most of my life in Boston or 40 miles north on the coast. Once my 12 year old is off to University I expect to go back, too. Having lived in Wine Country for 10 years now its more than a little surprising to me how strong the pull of home remains.

I hope you have a nice Thanksgiving and thanks again for the recipe (which I have not yet tried to make).

That'll be my next blog.

My goodness, coq au vin? I thought you were a rookie. Your other successes sound fantastic, too. Making me very hungry so its a good thing the chicken rice mess is almost ready.

My cooking is far more pedestrian than yours and leans toward comfort food. I also like to go the the market every day and just see what looks good and bring it home and make something with it. I grill outdoors at least four nights a week (and have for decades) and rice is almost always a part of the menu.

Care to share your coq au vin recipe?

Louise Brooks....more modern than most actresses today. Certainly more grace.

how are you doing over there?

But it's fun to mock vegans, so it's worth the risk.