Your very own Vicky Pollard

…to see:

• the aristocrats
• broken flowers
• dirty love
• the exorcism of emily rose
• a history of violence
• lord of war
• an unfinished life

…to buy:

• belly . star
• the constantines . tournament of hearts (oct 11)
• elbow . leaders of the free world (sep 27)
• foo fighters . in your honor
• living things . black skies in broad daylight
• metric . live it out (sep 27)
• pelican . the fire in our throats will beckon the thaw
• tinariwen . amassakoul
• wolf parade . apologies to the queen mary (sep 27)
• the zephyrs . when the sky comes down it comes down on your head

Obviously next Tuesday is a big day: three new discs.

My pod neighbourhood at work, big enough for eight people, typically has six people in it. Today…just me. And my boss isn’t around (not that he’s a taskmaster; there’s just always someone coming to talk to him), and the pod right over the wall from me is empty.

So I’m just sitting here, sans interruption, blasting The Duke Spirit on my headphones, plowing through tech articles and research papers like nobody’s bidness.

Oh, and every time I look up I see this picture pinned to my wall and it makes me giggle in a smarmy way.

Eesh. Feel like I haven’t blogged anything more than 20 words in a while. It’s been busy at work this week, plus basketball started Tuesday and we had work drinks last night. I have more drinks coming tonight, though this round is really more about plying the big technical brains with alcohol. Then we’re supposed to be meeting CBGB afterwards. At some point this weekend we have to decide on the upgrades we want for the condo ’cause we have our design meeting on Monday. Speaking of Monday, it’s when I should probably get my ass in gear and take a look at the textbook.

It’s definitely fall. I almost froze this morning on the way to work.

The oh-so-sweet SF yesterday asked me if I was losing weight. I love her for saying it, but she’s just SO wrong. It’s quite the opposite. I haven’t had the time or inclination to go for a run in ages, and on Tuesday night I felt like a buffalo getting up and down the court. Sad.

Here’s an indication of how easy the last course was: All 34 people got an A of some kind. I don’t expect any trouble with this IT strategy course either, but I’m very curious to see everyone’s research papers. We’re supposed to pick specific emerging technologies as they relate to our industry, and some of the topics that people have chosen are things that my department and I have been looking at in depth, so it’ll be interesting to see if they come with any new insights.

OK. Have to get some work done before everyone else gets to the office.

Amanda got mugged.

“Don’t miss The Wiggles?”

Ticketmaster, I have no kids. I’m 30 years old and tend toward indie or alternative music. So what the jeezus makes you think I want to go to a Wiggles “concert”?

Or Gwen Stefani, which was the second headline in your supposedly targeted email. Or Hanson? Bauhaus? MXPX and Relient K? How about Musical Box, Matisyahu, Capleton, The Coup & Lifesavas, Andy Kim, The Yellow Umbrella Tour or Naughty#1 Bhagwant Maan, none of whom I’ve even heard of?

The Dandy Warhols, Ben Lee or The Organ I can at least understand, but seriously. You’re not getting any better at this.

The chocolate croissants from Holt Renfrew: very tasty, and very messy. Do not attempt to eat while wearing a dark suit.

Confluence: Last night Ricky Gervais was on The Daily Show. It was a good time, if a little more subdued than I was expecting. I guess maybe I was hoping for madcap comic genius, but Ricky looked a little freaked out.

“Winchester Cathedral” by Clinic is one of the best songs you’ll ever hear without understanding a goddamn word the singer says.

The latest copy-protection assholes: The Dandy Warhols. Their new CD doesn’t rip. Jackasses.

Models use cocaine? You’re fucking kidding me!

People in Ontario & Quebec say “out west”, meaning the prairies. Somehow we forget about BC. People in the prairies say “out east”, meaning Ontario & Quebec. Somehow they forget about the Atlantic Provinces.

Weird.