I think you should...

• go see There Will Be Blood.
• read What is the What. If you don't want to because you don't like Dave Eggers, you should read it anyway because you quickly forget about him, like after 1 sentence.
• check out this NYTimes article covering the science behind double-dipping. The research was inspired by a Seinfeld episode. This article also says that the "5-minute rule" for dropping food on the floor then eating it, well, it's not a good rule to follow. That sucks!

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I didn't really like Juno. I had a particular problem with it, which wasn't the acting or actors. So when people ask if I liked it, I say no, but I feel guilty about it, because a lot of people really love it. Then again, what am I worried about - that people won't see a movie because I said I didn't like it? Whatever!

I also didn't like Once.

Remember that episode of Seinfeld when the pilot was in the audience and Jerry froze up during his act and bombed (so to speak)? I was thinking about that episode last week because Pete and I were on a plane. That was funny. The pilot just had this blank face all the time, but also forboding. I wonder if people are always asking pilots about that episode?

The stars have come out (along with Pete & me)...

...to congratulate Shaftway on becoming a U.S. citizen! Even Elvis wants to celebrate from beyond the grave!

Congrats Shafty!

Fortunately you're so sweet, no one will ever take you for an asshole American. But because of your red, white and blue stars-n-stripes Speedo, they will take you for an enthusiastic one.


Welcome HOME!

safe

Just wanted to let you know that I attended my weekly meeting yesterday and didn't fall...my colleagues and I were relieved.

It's pouring rain on the skylight which is one of my favorite things - listening to the rain and then peeking out the window to see how much it's really raining compared to how much it seems to be raining when listening to the skylight. Pete is talking in his sleep in the other room. I couldn't understand what he just said but he was certainly very serious. And then:

"Are you ok?" he asked.
"Yes, I'm ok, go back to sleep."

I love that guy. In the few minutes it took me to write this paragraph the rain has already died down and when I peek out the window at the streetlight it shows just a drizzle in its reflection.

I haven't even told you about how Christmas and New Year's went. Christmas in Omaha was awesome and New Year's was good too. We ate black-eyed peas on New Year's Day for good luck (a southern tradition). The recipe we used is called Hoppin' John - perhaps you've heard of it. If ol Hoppin' John is bringing us good luck this year he sure has a frickin fricked up way of showing it. Then again I am sometimes a cynic, and I'm sure blah blah blah. Then again, perhaps he's the one who brought Modest Mouse our way instead of the Goo Goo Dolls. I have heard tell that ol Hoppin' John works in mysterious ways...

Happy Birthday to FW today and KWW on Saturday. Two of the finest Nebraskans I have ever known and certainly will ever know. A toast to you both and all the goodness (and goofiness) you've brought around. I am thankful for you.

Yours always,
Blade

Happy Happy

Happy all things: holidays, new year, etc.

Yesterday at work I went into a meeting of about 10-15 people. It's a weekly meeting so I know everyone. I set down my computer and mug of tea and sat down - except that my butt missed the chair, so I sort of crumpled and landed gently on the floor. My butt sort of nicked the end of the chair so that tilted over onto my head.

Embarassing!

But not as embarassing as the time I was in a meeting and I snuggled my calf up to what I thought was the table leg but turned out to be a developer friend of mine's leg! OMG! I about died but what was really weird is that he claimed not to notice.

Here's to a fab 2008, all you funkhausers!!

[edited to repair tense agreement and typo]