ortsed's blog

I'm documenting the trials and tribulations of putting on a theater show over here.

(Sorry Vox, but Blogspot had a few things I needed to use.)

Never again.  Very few races are decided on the day of the election, so the whole time you're watching you see all of these contrasting tallies of exit polls and current votes.  Sometimes you'll see one guy down by 10 percent and CNN will pick him the winner.  Very confusing, and emotionally draining.  Not to mention how boring it is to watch these political pundits with scroll bars overing up 50% of the screen.

Books, movies, music; what's in your top 5 right now?

1. Green tea to satiate my illness

2. Two Sisters off of the Waits' Bastards CD

3. Watching the Republican meltdown in the runup to midterm elections.

4. Not much else.

Got robbed for the first time this weekend.  Not fun, but not what I expected.  3:00 in the afternoon and this guy steps in our way to the Metro.  

Do you listen to podcasts?  Are there any you'd recommend? 
Inspired by Alex.

I'm all over This American Life podcast now being free.  Retrocrush has many good clips of 80s commercials.  GaragePunk.com is just a general great radio station (too much current garage music though).  

Video Podcasts: Democracy Now can't be beat for news.  Amy Goodman is a saint.  I feel dirty admitting it, but Best Night Ever is usually watchable. The Magnum photographer's podacast on Slate is always beautiful.  Antville's Antcast has essentially replaced MTV.

Also, I originally complained but the Democracy player is finally up to speed and working great as a media interface.  Especially with the Quicktime/VLC integration.

What are your top 25 most played songs? 
Submitted by Cooxie.  

Not sure how to export most played from the last week in iTunes, maybe this is something for Last.FM users.  Just off the top of my head I can tell you I listened to these songs excessively:

Frank Zappa - Peaches en Regalia

Gary WIlson - When You Walk Into My Dreams

Will Head Band - Skillet Good and Greasy

Syd Barrett - Wouldn't You Miss Me

Connie Stevens - 16 Reasons

Yeah, comic sans everybody hates that right?

What's your favorite restaurant?

Not my favorite favorite, but Bagels and Baguettes has treated me so well for the past 2 years I have to give it the respect that it deserves.  It's just a breakfast & sandwich shop on Capitol Hill, which doesn't sound like much, but it's so simple and well done, and amidst all of the jockish bar places for Hill staffers (why do you need 20 TVs in one place?) it's a welcome refuge.  A place where you can sit down and read the paper.  Sandwiches are all made on fresh French bread.  People that work there are friendly.  Without it, I would be starving.

What's the last thing you crafted, constructed or created yourself?

This isn't the last thing made, but it's the closest thing to something being "crafted" (as opposed to websites, food, etc..).  I made the fireplace front from found river rocks.  The mantle was my dad's handiwork and the painting is a friend of the family's.  Not completely finished, as I'm still looking for an appropriate hood.

Mantle

1 comment

What's your musical horoscope?  (Put your music player on shuffle and write down the first 10 songs that come up.)  Inspired by Stephanie.

10. Straight to the Top (Vegas)    Tom Waits    Frank's Wild Years
9. The First Cut is the Deepest    Koobas    Nuggets Boxed Set II
8. "Overdub"    Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band    ( Grow Fins CD 4)  Trout Mask House Sessions
7. Shadow of Leaves    Jandek    Shadow of Leaves
6. Porcelain    Moby    Play
5. Gettysburg    Ratatat    Classics
4. side B - 6    unknown    Asian children's cassette #5
3. Wanderung    Markus Guentner    1981 [Kompakt CD 39] 
2. Sarry No Hitomi    The Rangers    The Fipi Lele Psychedlic Acid Drop Show
1. You Ain't Gonna Bring Me Down To My Knees    Outside Inn    Green Crystal Ties 4

Definitely showing a lot of the [psych] in the collection.  Otherwise a good sample specimen.  Must mean today will be like every other day.  But wow...not much in the way of current music there.  I'd say it's actually the sad state of current music at fault.  Ratatat being the only thing close.  Not sure what that means for today's horoscope.  Living in the Past?