Gravity's Angel

Saw Laurie Anderson in concert once years ago. Saw this album in a used book store today, and suddenly had to hear the song.

American Idol is an ARG

It's really hard to explain what I do. I work in an industry so new, that even while several million people have actually been involved in ARGs, (or immersive fiction or interactive experiences, or whatever you want to call it) far more haven't. It's a little like explaining movies to people who have never seen a movie or TV. "It's like a cross between a book and a photograph. The photographs move." People would think they knew what you were talking about, but they wouldn't.

Actually, American Idol is a very primitive form of it. Because the viewer actually, in the most limited way, touches the outcome. Viewers vote. Those votes affect who wins. Much to the pleasure of the show is seeing if the state of Hawaii votes for the girl from Hawaii, even though she isn't the best one up there. Or if the teenaged girl vote really swings it for the cute guy.

It's an extraordinarily popular show, with live events in several cities across the U.S., which uses non-television technology (that is, phones) as an essential part of it's story telling mechanic. Next, American Idol needs to allow you could send you email address in and your favorite contestant would send you out an email before each competition talking about how they feel and who they think their competition is, and what rehearsals have been like.

Bad Unicorn Tattoos

Gotta wonder who thought these were good ideas to print on their skin forever.

New Freezer! So Exciting!

Bob, showing off the freezer Price is Right style.

Bob prepares the first test of the freezer. They said it would be cold in about five hours.

The Tobacco Hornworm Attacks

Watering my tomatoes this morning, I found this. It's a tobacco hornworm, the caterpillar form of the hummingbird moth. I will be watching for more, and if I am infested I will have to buy some Bacillus thuringiensis and visit plague upon the little buggers.

It is cool looking, though. Bob and I were quite interested and looked it up and everything. It's tempting to try to make a horror movie out of the thing, except it won't move. It just clings to it's tomato stalk.

Lots of Tiny Green Tomatoes

There will be tomatoes this year. (Assuming that the tomato plants are not crushed by shingles when we get a new roof.)

My Mother's Day Gift to Myself

Sentimental, I know. But the tomato plants are covered in blossoms and tiny green tomatoes, the pepper plant is got some tiny peppers in it, and the basil is growing, and my refrigerator freezer is already filled with things like stock.

Tomatoes. Tomato sauce. Tomato chutney. I have high hopes for this freezer.

Shelly Gets Her Exercise

This Feels Like Commentary

You know, a comment on the absurdity of commercial television, the domestication of terrible historic events, and the way capitalism infects every aspect of American Life. But it's real. A Jello ad set in WWII Germany. Featuring Carol Channing. <From Steve Peters>

Egg-stra-ordinary

Yesterday I bought a dozen eggs at the farmer's market, white brown and green. (When you crack them open they are all regular eggs inside.)

Today has been all about eggs. I had been thinking about fresh eggs versus store bought eggs (which are a minimum of 7-10 days old.) I'd heard so much about fresh eggs. About the rich color of their yolks. About how good they tasted. I've also been reading about everyday life in Victorian England. Today I made eggs, bacon (thick-sliced and slowly cooked) toast from English Toasting bread slathered with butter, and fresh squeezed orange juice. This isn't particularly English, but it does share with the Victorians a preference for heavy food not particularly distinguished by seasoning. It was a very fine breakfast.

Were the eggs better? I think they were. But I don't think they were astonishingly better.N or did they have the deep orange yolks Mario Batalli says make handmade pasta in Italy so much better than pasta here. But they were really pretty and it was a good breakfast.

I also made a lemon meringue pie. I doubt, after adding gelatin, sugar, and lemon juice, that I will be able to say much about the taste of the eggs in the lemon curd, but I suspect it will be good just the same.