Odd Obsession

1. I will probably never read Moby Dick (Or The Shipping News or anything by Patrick O'Brien) because anything related to the lore of the sea or seafaring puts me right to sleep. All that lowering the mizzenmasts and raising the rigging and swabbing the cabin boy, who cares? I mean, I like to be on a boat, but being on a train or a streetcar is nice too, I don't need to read in exhaustive detail how they are maintained. 2. I'm a third generation non-believer on both sides, so we don't actually eat our young, in case you were wondering. 3. Green peppers are evil! And they smell bad! So stop telling me they have no taste or smell (as if that's a recommendation anyway). 4. The only person I ever wrote a fan letter to was Pauline Kael . She sent me a really nice reply which I still have somewhere. 5. I've never owned a car, but I've helped change a flat tire and been to the impound lot twice. Good times! 6. First concert at First Avenue: Robyn Hitchcock, the...

Yes, Jfro fell for one of those virtual chain letters we call memes again. This list is weighted heavily to older albums, as it is hard to tell if a recent album will be a long-term relationship or just a temporary crush. Think of 15 albums (then add 10 because you can't just stop at 15) that had such a profound effect on you they changed your life or the way you looked at it. They sucked you in and took you over for days, weeks, months, years. These are the albums that you can use to identify time, places, people, emotions. These are the albums that no matter what they were thought of musically shaped your world. When you finish, tag 15 others, including me. Make sure you copy and paste this part so they know the drill. Get the idea now? Good. Tag, you're it! Beat Happening You Turn Me On Big Star Radio City Roxy Music, Siren The Buzzcocks, Singles Going Steady The Wedding Present, Seamonsters Elvis Costello, Trust Fugazi, Repeater Guided by Voices, Alien Lanes The Jesus Lizar...

The tanking of my mutual funds had one good result--mad cash for my tax refund.* After paying my property taxes for the first half of the year, I still have about $1350.** I usually like to get some sort of technology like a TV or computer, and I've narrowed it down to 6 things. Let me know what you think, faithful readers, which 2 or 3 should I go with? IPOD TOUCH 30G ($400) Pros : You get most of the iPhone features without the insane 2-year contract. It can access the Internet with Wi - Fi . Screen is better for playing games and watching TV than an Ipod Classic. Apps, apps, apps! Cons: Expensive for the amount of storage you get compared to iPod Classic, and I have lots of music. Can't access Internet everywhere like iPhone. Apple will come out with a better one next week and I'll be sad. SAMSUNG BLU -RAY PLAYER ($350) Pros : Can finally find out what's so great about Blu-Ray. Will get the most out of my HDTV. It also has Netflix Watch Instantly. Cons. Blu ...