funny looking kid

The incident with the power going out at Borders reminded me of this incident when I
was about 12 years old. Where I was growing up the book store also sold school supplies,
including all kinds of pens -- drafting pens, fountain pens, all kinds. Anyway, I had been
saving up to buy a nice fountain pen for some time, and I finally had enough to do so. Dad
was supposed to pick me up at the book store at 7:30p.m. and I had arrived there
about half an hour early, so I decided to browse and pass the time. About 7:20,
I went to the counter and said I wanted to buy the fountain pen. I don't
remember which kind it was -- only that it was nice. The lady behind the counter
brought it out and started to demonstrate the features. I was thinking, "Lady, I'm sold.
I said I wanted to buy the thing. I know how to use a fountain pen -- they've made
us use them at school for three years now! Just ring me up already."

What seemed like forever later, she finished the demo and was walking to the cash register
when the power went out. She apologized and explained that she couldn't
ring me up because the cash registers are locked down when the power goes out.
The next time I went back, the pen was no longer there.

The next time Mom gives me a hard time for being an impulse buyer I'll have to
tell her this story.

flk.

Meant to post this last night but the server wasn't cooperating... anyway,
I got up fairly early yesterday morning and had been going all day. By the time
C. and I made it to Borders it was after 9pm and I felt like I was walking around
half-dead. Anyway, C. wanted to keep looking and I didn't really want to. Suddenly
the power went out and the store staff had to clear out the store. As we were
being hustled out, I told C. "See? I tried to be nice and reason with you, but you had
to make me force my hand..." We both laughed.

flk.

Crazy - Alana Davis

You've got your home of the brave and I've got my land of the free
You conform to what society says and i conform to me
Looking for light in the corners getting caught in the spider web
You look at me as if I'm giving a performance when I'm just feeding my head

And you know that I'm doing all right
And i won't explain myself to you just to avoid a right
How I'm living ain't correct but for me it's just right

I'm not completely insane, I'm maybe just a little bit crazy
There's no one to blame, got no shame about game
Don't want nobody to save me

I've got a pair of ruby slippers that I don't wear much anymore
And if I had the nerve I'd click my heels and return
To the wonderland I knew before
I'm waiting to slow boat to China, want to sail away to the sun
I've been searching for myself and I know I'm gonna find her if I break away from everyone

So the way that I act may not fit in
Just because I've got a mind of my own doesn't mean it's a sin
I don't ask you to give up; don't expect me to give in

'Cause I'm not completely insane, I'm maybe just a little bit crazy
There's no one to blame, got no shame about my game
Don't want nobody to save me

Some like to live for the moment taking life into their own hands every day
And if they don't get killed they get so high off the thrill
They could float to heaven anyway
And others want to save for tomorrow thinking money is security
Well I understand the need but I don't get the greed

And they all seem pretty crazy to me
You can tell by the expression I wear
Though I seem a little strange to you -I don't really care
I got the freedom to be and there are others like me everywhere

I'm not completely insane, I'm maybe just a little bit crazy
There's no one to blame, got no shame about game
Don't want nobody to save me

~ o ~

flk.

This morning I went to update a site for JS and added some Javascript code that I wrote
four years ago, liberally borrowing from my work for my former employer (the company
is no longer around). In the course of looking for it, I came across some code
that I (supposedly) wrote but have no recollection of doing so, and it was
code I would never admit to writing :-) So you heard it here first. As Bart Simpson
says, "I didn't do it. Nobody saw me. You can't prove anything."

I've been reading Tiffanie DeBartolo's God-Shaped Hole and enjoying it quite a bit.

Excerpt:

When I was twelve, a fortune-teller told me that my one true love would die young
and leave me all alone [. . . ] It was 1984. That year my true love was John Taylor
from Duran Duran. He played the bass and wore eyeliner. I was sure he'd be dead
by morning.

He survived.

flk.

lyrics for the day:

These Early Days - Everything But The Girl

You're only two
And the whole wide world revolves around you
And nothing's happened yet
That you might ever wish to forget

It doesn't stay that way
If I could I'd make it stay that way
And this you will recall in after years
Though you may weary of this vale of tears

These days remember
Always remember

You're only two
And I've no wish to worry you
So pay no mind
To those who say the world is unkind

That's just something they've read
And if I could I'd strike them dead
And this you will recall in after years
Though you may weary of this vale of tears

These days remember
Always remember

And honey there's no rush
The world will wait for you to grow up
And this you will recall in after years
Though you may weary of this vale of tears
These early days
Remember always

I hope you never change
I'll call you Jimmy, they call you James
Don't ever change
I'll call you Jimmy, they call you James

~ o ~

flk.

lyrics for the day:

"Every Day Is A Winding Road" - Sheryl Crow

I hitched a ride with a vending machine repair man
He says he's been down this road more than twice
He was high on intellectualism
I've never been there but the brochure looks nice
Jump in, let's go
Lay back, enjoy the show
Everybody gets high, everybody gets low,
These are the days when anything goes

Everyday is a winding road
I get a little bit closer
Everyday is a faded sign
I get a little bit closer to feeling fine

He's got a daughter he calls Easter
She was born on a Tuesday night
I'm just wondering why I feel so all alone
Why I'm a stranger in my own life
Jump in, let's go
Lay back, enjoy the show
Everybody gets high, everybody gets low
These are the days when anything goes

Everyday is a winding road
I get a little bit closer
Everyday is a faded sign
I get a little bit closer to feeling fine

I've been living in a sea of anarchy
I've been living on coffee and nicotine
I've been wondering if all the thing I've seen
Were ever real, were ever really happening

Everyday is a winding road
I get a little bit closer
Everyday is a faded sign
I get a little bit closer to feeling fine

~ o ~

flk.

This Or That classic edition:

1. CandyLand or Chutes and Ladders?
Couldn't tell you, as I have no memory of playing either. What can I say, I
was a deprived child.

2. Barbie or GI Joe?
See 1. above.

3. Play-Doh or Silly Putty?
Ah, a tough one. I remember that I liked the consistency of Play-Doh better.
But Silly Putty was more versatile -- you could even do that neat comic book
image transfer operation. Remember that?

4. Lincoln Logs or Tinkertoys?
Lego. Always Lego.

5. The Game of Life or Monopoly?
Monopoly. Definitely.

6. Etch-a-Sketch or Lite-Brite?
Is that even a fair comparison? It's apples and oranges.
(Etch-a-Sketch)

7. The Slinky: metal or plastic?
Metal. (What's this about plastic?)

8. Easy-Bake Oven or Sno-Cone Machine?
Never really used either one so... pass.

9. Hot Wheels or Matchbox cars?
Matchbox. Hot Wheels was a cheap imitation.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

10. Spirograph or Paint-by-Numbers?
Spirograph! How can you even ask that?

flk.

Head of counterterrorism firm charged with having unregistered small warheads

Okay, I can see having one or two of these. But 2500+ ? Where would you keep them?

"Hey Bob, my garage is full, and I was wondering if I can keep a couple of these crates
at your place..."

"Sure, Dave."

"Uhm, just be sure you don't go smoking near them."

"Oh, that's all right. I'm trying to quit anyway."

Yeah.

And the guy's Canadian, too. Maybe this is all part of that Canadian World Domination
plot I linked to at the beginning of August.
 

flk.

I'm going wireless. Here's a link to the wireless card I'm ordering.

It's time.

flk.

Went to BookPeople this afternoon and picked up some postcards for the swap one
of my mailing lists is conducting, as well as a "Keep Austin Weird" bumper sticker.
Found out about the new Jonathan Carroll novel, White Apples. The book tour includes
BookPeople in Austin and Dark Carnival in Berkeley. I can't wait. Carroll is one of my
favorite writers, and it's been too long since he made a book tour appearance that I
could actually attend. (Remember After Silence? That long ago.)

flk.