Thursday the 1st

Morning Commute:

• Started listening to the Planet Money special edition episode of This American Life, but then ran into my neighbor Desiree and had actual human conversation on the bus.

Lunchtime:

• It was a long-ass work day, and I had a late lunch and sat outside catching up on a Story of the Day, about Obama and the war in Afghanistan, and then listened to most of the Culturetopia podcast. Aziz Ansari was on one of the segments, and he's hilarious. He said his goal on Parks and Rec would be to leave the show and have them replace his character with another bearded Indian guy actor, like the Darren switch on Bewitched. Heh.

Evening:

• Survivor. So I still don't like Russell, but his teammates DO seem kind of stupid so it's hard to hate him for running roughshod over them. Jaison's takedown of Ben at Tribal Council was very satisfying, and Jaison is now in the running for my favorite Survivor boyfriend. (Yul is still my number one, though.)


• Project Runway. I gotta hand it to them, a lot of those outfits looked like things INC would produce. And guess what color is coming to INC this winter? I'm going with blue. It's sort of odd how that line is always based on specific color schemes. Anyhoo... the winning dress was pretty, but nothing a girl with boobs could wear. So go ahead and enjoy your pretty clothes, flat-chested bitches. The ruffles were pretty icky - I like Louise's designs, but she's very locked into her specific style.
  
• Models of the Runway. I didn't mean to watch this, but I was intrigued when I realized it would give insight into what other people thought of the clothes and how they actually managed to put some of the looks together. Then it turned out to be kinda lame, bc models are actually sorta dull.

Nightstand:

• A little more Alive in Necropolis.

Monday the 28th

Morning Commute:

• Walking to bus stop, listen to NPR: Story of the Day podcast from last Friday, about Chicago sending Oprah and Michelle Obama to bat to try to get the Olympics there. Feel a bit unpatriotic for thinking I'd rather see Rio de Janeiro win the bid, since America gets to host pretty frequently.
  
• On the bus: NPR: Wait Wait Don't Tell Me podcast. Both Paula Poundstone and Roy Blount Jr. are on the panel this week, so I'm pleased. Wonder if I will ever get the trifecta of Paula, Roy, and Mo Rocca. If I do, I should probably just retire the podcast afterwards.

At work:

• KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic podcast, featuring The Decemberists. One of their female vocalists on the new album grates on my nerves. Her voice is overly dramatic and reminds me of watching a goth fairy tale. And being bored. I'm not enough of a hipster to claim I have been listening forever and wish they'd return to their roots - but enough of a listener to say when I do like The Decemberists it's because of the lead vocals, which are nasal and yet still charming. Remember that episode of Mad Men that featured "The Infanta"? That was awesome.
  
• Current random mix playlist, titled "Feelin' It". Freebies mixed with a bunch of Shawn Colvin, who I'll be going to see at Yoshi's in October.

Evening

• "Ability" episode, last on disc 5 of the Fringe: Season 1 DVD series. I don't love the show, but I enjoy it. I just wish some of the episodes weren't so nauseating. There are some episodes where I shout "Oh come on! We already saw the brain goo and it was gross! We get it! Stop showing it!!" Like most programs, my shouting has little effect. If it were really cutting-edge sci-fi it would respond to me and say "So sorry, we'll just go to a humorous shot of the cow next time."
  
• The Amazing Race premiere. I do not like the twist of leaving a team at the starting gate. It is mean and unnecessary. And did not immediately eliminate the "we-fight-a-lot-and-this-will-determine-our-future-as-a-couple" couple. Sometimes I find it hard to watch TAR because I WANT TO DO IT. I don't wanna watch people start whining in the first leg, or yelling at the locals. And watching people not read clues or figure out puzzles is excruciating. Now if only I could find a clever hook... with someone who can travel well... Anyway, to close: What I Have Learned About Relationships from The Amazing Race: If you are constantly complaining about all the problems your partner has... you. Are the problem.
  
• How I Met Your Mother. First off, Neil Patrick Harris was STILL robbed. Stupid Emmy voters. Probably with no room left on their DVRs to even record HIMYM because they're full of Frasier reruns and still sad it isn't on the air and they can't just keep voting for that show ad infinitum. In fact, I bet it's the most popular write-in vote. This one was a decent episode - I like Ted best when everyone is telling him what a jackass he is, because Ted is kind of a whiny jackass. Although I don't actually fault him for picking on spelling errors in menus. Spell check is not that hard, folks. (She says clicking the spell check button.)

What's Still Languishing in the DVR

• Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus. One day I will watch it and it will be awesome.

From the Nightstand

• Alive in Necropolis by Doug Dorst. It's the SF Reads book of the month, but I didn't know that when I picked it up at the library. I actually checked it out because the main character's name is Michael Mercer, which is weird, because I work with Michael Mercer. Who apparently is unable to see dead people.