That new Missy Elliot video is great. "Hot For Teacher" for the '00s. I mean, it's not about being hot for a teacher, and there's no guitar, and uh... okay, the song is nothing like "Hot For Teacher", but it's got little kids in it that, as far as I can tell, are representing Missy, 'Cris and the rest. Plus, it's got DMC in it.

RIP, JMJ.

Yeah, I'm up late... but it somehow feels justified after a fairly busy day. (I said justified, not logical)

NP :: MTV is actually playing videos
(50 Cent seems to be a surly fellow)
posted by Gray at 2:41 AM | | link

I hope you people can feel the productive energy that is, no doubt, radiating from this page today.
posted by Gray at 11:43 AM | | link

Would You Like To Take A Survey?

Okay, if you have met me in real life, leave a comment, please. In that comment, give your one-word summary of Gray. I'll accept hyphenated words. If this is your first time at comment club, YOU HAVE TO COMMENT.

NP :: MC Hammer is about to be on "Late Night"
posted by Gray at 1:08 AM | | link

There are people who would really watch "Jose Million-pesos", aren't there?
posted by Gray at 6:16 PM | | link

Pass The Co'Cola-yay

How 'bout that "Alias", eh? Sort of a reboot. Simplified, it seems... but super-fun watching. Except that ending... dunno about all that biz. Just don't forget about the ancient secret artifacts. That's the main thing I ask.

Today is a 'sit at home and find job leads' day. I need to get a few other things done, too. Tomorrow, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, I think. Can't wait!
posted by Gray at 2:25 PM | | link

The Pain Train is coming!

The funniest commercial of the evening had to have been Terry Tate, Office Linebacker, from the good folks at Reebok. I highly recommend checking out the 4-minute-long, PG-13 rated version of the commercial on the Reebok site. Damned funny stuff.
posted by Gray at 12:23 AM | | link

DOS

Yeah, so this page is down a lot lately. Thanks, SQL Slammer. As for the lack of Grayscale access, I'm sure it won't cripple any of your lives.

I had a nice birthday. Thanks to all who contributed in one way or another. The party even continued to last night, with free dinner and MORE CAKE. Mmmm. Today... there's some sort of football show on TV before "Alias".

NP :: Perry Como - "Papa Loves Mambo"
posted by Gray at 10:13 AM | | link

Happy Birthday To Me

Well, I'll be 28 in about an hour. At least I'm getting a caramel cake and some darn fine pizza out of the deal.

Actually, the fun started last night. After a free screening of Cidade de Deus, thanks to Janice, I made stops at Zesto and Krispy Kreme on Ponce. What, I was supposed to just pass two of my favorite places in the world when I was hungry and it was almost my birthday? Negative! One double cheeseburger with tots and one hot fresh donut now later, I was fat and happy and rollin' northbound on 85.

Anyway, the movie was very cool. Go see it. There are subtitles. That's okay. You can read. Don't be a wuss.

Oh, and I got the best birthday card ever from Emily.

I predict that after the noonish pizza gathering, the day will involve some reading, some actual work, and perhaps a movie or two... but don't quote me on that.

NP :: Peter Gabriel - "Cloudless"
posted by Gray at 10:30 AM | | link

Dumb Questions of the BBC

[ What is America's interest in Iraq's oil? ]

Uh... maybe something to do with the fact that we're hooked on it like it's grapedy-grape flavored crack rock?
posted by Gray at 5:20 PM | | link

I assisted in some advanced hooky-playing yesterday afternoon. That was fun.

Nell Carter has died. That's sad.

Tomorrow is my birthday. That's a fact.

I don't have much else to say, so I guess That's That.
posted by Gray at 3:50 PM | | link

A crisp, new dollar to the man, woman, child or dachshund who points me toward my first taste of dnL.
posted by Gray at 11:50 AM | | link

2 AM = TV Sucks



I think this is probably the worst block of programming I've ever seen. The Simmons/Dolls combo is really too much to handle on its own, but the Link and the seemingly immortal Susan put things over the top into the area of 'medieval torture methods' on the Pain-O-Meter. Thank goodness for books.
posted by Gray at 2:26 AM | | link

THE STREETS WILL FLOW WITH THE
BLOOD OF THE NONBELIEVERS!

There is no emoticon for the rage I am feeling! "24" is not on tomorrow night because of an "American Idol" special?! RAT BASTARDS. This does explain why the rerun from last week was not on FX tonight... and lessens the urgency with which I am downloading the episode I missed. But I want the urgency.

This does not sit well with me.

Well, I guess it's a good excuse to go out and be social or something tomorrow night. Any takers?
posted by Gray at 11:39 PM | | link

I imagine you have to be a pretty large-scale geek to get a big kick out of an article about the Top Ten Worst Video Game Box Covers ever. Luckily, I am just that type of geek. Pretty funny stuff. I had successfully blocked that Mega Man box from my memory for years...

Props to the s.kitty for the link.
posted by Gray at 11:15 AM | | link

The video for Johnny Cash's cover of "Hurt" that I've mentioned here is available at the director's website. Please watch it all the way through. The last minute or so is especially touching. A simple, emotional video that really hits me somewhere deep inside.

Thanks to Senor Unx for the link.
posted by Gray at 4:30 PM | | link

Back home. Trip long. Gray tired.
posted by Gray at 8:55 PM | | link

Cool things about Memphis:

- Elvis built a racquetball room at Graceland, and it's now covered with awards, floor to ceiling. Awesome.
- I have had 1 good bacon cheeseburger and one awesome bacon cheeseburger.
- Elvis plays in every restaurant.
- Waiting for the rest of my family to finish shopping, through some sort of rip in the very fabric of the universe, I found Ghost Dog playing on a wall-mounted TV in a department store. Did not compute, but I sure enjoyed it.
- My phone actually works here... as opposed to certain other common travel destinations.
posted by Gray at 8:28 PM | | link

As you may have guessed from the commercials and trailers, Adaptation is one screwy movie. I thought it was very clever, and very funny for the most part. I must admit, however, that it didn't rock my world to the extent that Being John Malkovich did. Spike is still a crazy genius, though.

I would say that my company for the film and our chat over dessert afterwards was the true highlight of the evening. I have no complaints about that part whatsoever.

Off to Memphis to see my sister tomorrow. Remote updates may occur.
posted by Gray at 1:07 AM | | link

Wow. "Back in my day, we didn't have room for all those fancy graphics and fonts!"

[ Twister site, circa 1996 ]
posted by Gray at 5:22 PM | | link

I vaguely remember a dream from last night... something about a play, which I think I had written, and some people travelling with me in a van of some sort. I think we may have picked up some people, and let one drive, and they ran us off the road. Hmm... I think it was a pretty elaborate dream. I need a keyboard by the bed so I can start typing these things in as soon as I attain consciosness in the morning.

Anyway, I think the people in the van disagreed about some major plot point, or how some part should be presented. I guess the moral of the story is: don't pick up hitchhikers. They're nothing but trouble.
posted by Gray at 10:14 AM | | link

Almost Cool

I was making one of my regular sweeps of Monster.com, and I saw what I imagined to be one of the coolest jobs around, but then I read it again. Anyway, for about 0.7 seconds, I was under the impression that there was an opening for a VAMPIRE ANALYST in the Atlanta area.

While I may not be qualified to be a "Vantive Analyst", which seems to involve data admin of some sort, I feel confident that I could kick ass as a Vampire Analyst.

Stupid Monster.com... that's a waste of a good domain name if I've ever seen one. If I ran the place, there would most assuredly be a special category for all varieties of Monster Analysis... including Vampires.
posted by Gray at 10:56 AM | | link

Wow... this week started off good, and it just keeps getting BETTER!

[ Game Boy Advance SP ]

AND...



ADVANCE WARS 2! Oh BABY! I honestly don't think I've ever been this excited about a video game announcement. I can't wait.
posted by Gray at 1:27 PM | | link

Street Hawk, eat your heart out! This thing is CRAZY. Terminator: The Motorcycle?
posted by Gray at 12:17 AM | | link

Pass It On - Soapbox
posted by Gray at 4:12 PM | | link

News Flash:

Fox to suck more. Stand by for details.

If it weren't the pure comic genius that is "Andy Richter Controls the Universe", Jack Bauer's Baaaadaaaaass Adventures and a certain barrage of Sunday night cartoons, I'd be putting bricks through their windows by now.

Yeah, good idea cancelling "Firefly", there, Fox... now you have more room for CRAP. Great job! Asses.

update: Also coming soon: BRIDES GONE WILD!

NP :: Dan the Automator - "Wanna Buy A Monkey?"
posted by Gray at 12:42 PM | | link

No Flyin' Bikes Yet

It is windy like a mug outside. I sit here looking out the window and hoping that the gusts don't actually carry away the lighter of the two bags of trash I put out on the curb. As much fun as it would be to chase down a wind-powered rogue Hefty filled with lightweight plastic bottles in jeans and a tshirt, I've got better things to do.

Speaking of meaningful ways to spend your life, I have in front of me a free pass for two to see Just Married this Thursday night. I almost get the feeling that I would be better off staying home and renting Dude, Where's My Car? or maybe hitting my toes with a hammer, but I'm sure I'll fall into their trap and show up because, hey, free movie.

My suckerdom knows no bounds.
posted by Gray at 12:23 PM | | link

Little things make me happy. I just beat S.T.U.N. Runner for the first time. Possibly my favorite arcade game of all time, and I can now play it on my PC with the analog comfort of a Playstation Dual-Shock Controller thanks to an adapter from Radio Shack. AND... I can play Samurai Showdown 2... another of my very favorite video games of all time. These two discoveries alone are worth hours of entertainment over the next couple of years.

Yeah, I'm a freakin' party animal this weekend. Can I get a...?

NP :: Faith No More - "Helpless"
posted by Gray at 1:55 AM | | link

KILL BILL TRAILER!
KILL BILL TRAILER!!
KILL BILL TRAILER!!!

(Yes, the trailer has been in theaters, but only with Gangs of New York... and I'd already seen that when it opened nationwide with the trailer attached.)

I don't know how many of you are Tarantino fans, but I'm pretty darn excited about this one. While I don't hold QT on the ultimate pedestal that some do, I have enjoyed almost everything the guy has done. Hopefully this movie won't disappoint. It should have a rockin' soundtrack, if nothing else.
posted by Gray at 8:57 PM | | link

Thursday's Trivia:

What Does Scroll Lock Do, Anyway?
posted by Gray at 6:19 PM | | link

Well, it's 2003, yo. Even a less-than-exciting New Year's Eve can be improved significantly by a phone call and a good movie.

...and seeing as how I got a certain phone call and watched a good movie, it wasn't a bad evening at all.
posted by Gray at 1:44 AM | | link