Goth House Parlour :

Tue 28 November 2006

08:59 AM PST

How I feel about snow

Love it when big, fuzzy flakes are falling outside the window and a strange hush falls over the world.

Hate it when it takes six hours to drive home from Thanksgiving, much of it stuck behind cars with drivers who don’t seem acquainted with the laws of physics and do things like slow down when they’re going up hills.

Love it when I’m the first one to leave footprints in a field of virgin snow and it squeaks under my boots.

Hate it when it takes twice as long to walk downtown because every sidewalk has been tramped down into a sheet of pure ice, and every step is a potentially painful argument between me and gravity.

Love it when it’s fresh and white and clean and fluffy and sparkly and the whole world looks like it’s covered in dessert topping and diamonds.

Hate it when it’s old and crusty and slushy and slick and dirty.

Love it when all normal routine stops and everyone plays like a little kid in the snow because there’s really nothing else to do.

Hate it when everything is closed, and all normal routine is difficult, dangerous, and cold.

Love it because it’s so novel and exciting, and everything looks different in the snow, mysterious, magical.

Hate it when it stops being an exciting novelty. I’m gonna say, three days. This is day three. Tomorrow, I’m gonna start to hate it.

Permalink : How I feel about snow

Tue 21 November 2006

09:18 AM PST

Another terrorist victory

Saw this bumper sticker on the shiny new beige SUV that pulled in front of us on the freeway early this morning on the way back from Orycon:

Election 2006: Another terrorist victory

“So, Paul, what has to be wrong with you before you think that free people exercising their Constitutionally-guaranteed right to vote for the candidates of their choice constitutes a ‘terrorist victory’?”

“I don't know.”

“It only makes sense if you notice how readily you can fill in the word ‘communist’ for ‘terrorist.’The Soviet Union really was a threat, and terrorists really are a threat, but the way they're used in political rhetoric has absolutely nothing to do with the genuine threat they pose. Imagine the same bumper sticker in 1956. It would be communists. Did people put bumper stickers on their cars in 1956?”

“I don't know.”

Permalink : Another terrorist victory

Fri 17 November 2006

07:43 AM PST

Post-election shtuff roundup

So, the results of last Tuesday’s election probably mean that Americans actually are smarter than most politicians and pundits give us credit for, and we are capable of recognizing poor job performance, and voting accordingly. U-S-A! U-S-A!

Mon 06 November 2006

11:38 PM PST

Election shtuff roundup 061106

Of course, we all wonder — will it be a repeat of election night 2004 ?

“The serious substance abuse began once it was clear that Bush was going to win. People who had been drinking soda began drinking beer. People who had been nursing beers began doing shots. People who had been slamming shots began banging their heads against the wall.”
Dan Savage

Look, you political guys, STOP FRACKING CALLING ME ON THE PHONE!!!!!! For the last time.

I know you're not, technically, engaged in phone solicitation, except that of course you are. Really. I will not vote for your candidate because you call me on the phone. It’s all I can do to not vote against your candidate or party just because of the phone call. I threatened the Blood Bank people that I would never donate another ounce if they didn’t stop calling me. And they’re the Blood Bank! The Blood Bank!

So, just, knock it off, all right?