Random musings of a grammar nerd

Saturday, September 24, 2005

Random musings, part 1

The first e-mail I received from my boyfriend ended thusly: "Details are good. Lengthy, random, off-topic musings are better." A friend heard this and commented, "What a wonderful invitation to be yourself!" So that's what you'll get here- random thoughts which might occasionally seem like total non sequitirs. But in my twisty brain, they usually make sense.

About me:

Like: Music- playing & listening (bluegrass, country, folk, rock, jazz), suspenseful TV (Veronica Mars, Alias, Lost, Without A Trace), mystery novels, snark, proper use of apostrophes and homophones, cheese

Dislike: Incorrect use of its/it's or they're/their/there, broccoli, Tom Cruise, Dr. Phil, 7th Heaven, "revising" old movies when releasing them on DVD (George Lucas, I'm looking at you!), Fox News

Websites frequented:
Television Without Pity
Assumption of Command
Homestar Runner (Trogdor!)
Go Fug Yourself-mocking bad celebrity fashion choices
Defamer- random celebrity gossip
WAV files from Joss Whedon TV shows and random movies
Lardlad-sound files and summaries of episodes of "The Simpsons." Excellent source for keeping up with a Simpsons-addicted boyfriend :)

posted by Em @ 9:07 PM  

15 Comments:

  • At 11:51 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Em - Welcome to the world of blogging (not that I am actually one to welcome you - but you get the point, eh?)

    Just a few quick questions for you...

    What musical instruments do you play?

    What did you think of the season premiere of Lost?

    What is snark?

    When can I expect a part two of your random musings?

    And most importantly - why are you taking advice from Dave?!?! :)

    OK, I guess it isn't really fair that I am picking on a guy I haven't even met. Oh well. I am glad to hear that things are going well for you two! (Less than two weeks til I get to meet you)

     

  • At 7:09 AM, Blogger Em said…

    Hi FCC@V- Oh, please, go ahead and continue picking on Dave; we all do it, and it keeps him humble! (Well, okay, he's pretty humble already. But he expects to be given a hard time, and the gang is always willing to oblige.) Besides, I helped with the Strawberry Shortcake packages to Mustang, and I haven't met him yet. I'm looking forward to meeting both of you in a few weeks! You must be so excited to see him again!

    I play guitar, piano, percussion (my major instrument in undergrad), a little banjo, and I used to play the clarinet, though I haven't touched it in years. I mostly sing and use guitar for work.

    And generally, while I take advice from Dave with a grain of salt, seeing as how it would probably lead me into felony indictments for something having to do with his vast knowledge of chemicals, he does occasionally get things right :) And besides, he pointed out the advance screening of "Serenity" and hunted down code to help me get the blog up and running (stupid Mac-unfriendly Blogger!), so he's been pretty good source of info this week.

    Snark is...um...kind of a combination between sarcastic and snide and mocking? I'll try to think of a better definition. Example usage (verb or noun or adjective (snarky)): The MST3K guys used to snark at really bad movies.

    If you'll excuse me, I have to go take a sledge hammer to the car whose alarm keeps going off in the apt. parking lot...

     

  • At 4:33 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Hey Em -

    I am very excited (but in truth getting terrified) of seeing Mustang again. It has been forever long and we didn't have a whole lot of time together before both of us left the country. But anyhow, it is going to be fun regardless to meet the crazy crew I have heard so much about.

    I am definitely impressed with your array of musical talents. Wow.

    I would suggest you try to avoid felony indictments at all costs - although I did think of Dave today when I spilled a chemical on my hands and a few minutes later I stopped long enough to read that the chemical was dangerous if absorbed through the skin....oh well.

    Snark seems to be an interesting word - any clue of its origins?

    More later probably

     

  • At 6:07 PM, Blogger David said…

    FCC@V -- There are times when I think Em created snark! Plus, she failed to mention that she also plays the bass ukulele and the recorder.

    Don't worry too much -- all snark aside (see how easy it is to use in a sentence!), everyone here is ready to welcome you with open arms.

     

  • At 10:15 PM, Blogger Em said…

    #$*! blog ate my comment yesterday and I'm just getting around to reposting.

    FCC@V-Wikipedia thinks "snark" may have Germanic origins (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snark_%28speech%29). Dave & I have an agreement that I suppose should be mutual- he's not allowed to do anything that might get me on the news saying, "I swear, he seemed like such a nice guy! I never thought he'd do such a thing!" So I suppose I'll try to stay away from the felony indictments.

    I own a bass uke now, thanks to Dave's mom, but still need to restring it before it's playable...and then I have to learn how to play it. My recorder skills leave much to be desired, and are about that of a fifth grader, or whatever grade they teach recorder in schools. They never taught it in mine.

    I can understand your nervousness about seeing Mustang again, but Dave's right- we're all very excited to meet you, and they are a very nice (if slightly odd) crew (and really, the oddness is what makes us charming!). And having a group around may take off some of the awkwardness too.

     

  • At 11:35 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Em -

    Do you realize how strangely not comforting the expression "really, the oddness is what makes us charming!" is? :) OK, I guess I will trust you. Any fan of Trogdor can't be too bad in my book. Oh, and I think you and Dave have quite an agreement. I like it!

     

  • At 1:05 AM, Blogger David said…

    Hold on a second, Em. According to my copy of the contract, I can't do anything that would result in you appearing on the news saying, "But he seemed so normal!" Nowhere did it make any requirements about nice! Small change, but it covers a very different class of activities...

     

  • At 6:51 AM, Blogger Em said…

    Well, it's a group of computer programmers. They're contractually obligated and predisposed to be a little odd.

    I promise, it's a nice, welcoming group, though. And they'll all tell you to continue picking on Dave, too!

    Dave, my mistake; I think the original word was "normal." Still, no felony (or misdemeanor) indictments, please. I don't want to spend my KC weekends only getting to see you during visiting hours through bullet-proof glass talking through a phone!

     

  • At 7:46 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Em -

    I will take you at your word, if you say they are a welcoming group, then I will trust you. Also, just as a quick question, we are talking about getting the guys out on the dance floor...in your opinion what dance skills does Dave have to offer?

    Dave -

    I don't know if Mustang bothered to mention this, but he offered me a place to stay at "The Dave House" for the wedding...and so don't be too surprised if I show up! ;) (That is, if it is all right with you that I come and stay for awhile)

     

  • At 11:06 PM, Blogger Em said…

    He will deny this, but Dave does pretty well at a two-step (and looks quite cute in his cowboy boots!). As far as fast dancing, I don't know, but I think he's expressed resistance to the idea. I will see if I can work my feminine wiles into convincing him to get on the dance floor- I'm sure I can drag him out for a slow dance at the least!

     

  • At 11:18 PM, Blogger Em said…

    FCC@V- Ooh! And if you stay at the Dave House, you'll get to personally experience the horror of the wallpaper!!

    Has Mustang told you anything about his dancing abilities? Does he have a similar resistance as Dave?

     

  • At 11:59 PM, Blogger David said…

    FCC@V,

    As a matter of principle, I must deny the claims Em makes regarding my dancing ability. My primary skill seems to be stepping on her feet. And, as far as I'm concerned, there is no such thing as "fast dancing."

    You are, of course, more than welcome to stay at "The Dave House." I'll start cleaning now.

    Finally, I want to emphasize, in all seriousness, that you don't need to worry about meeting the group. We've heard wonderful things about you from a person whose judgement we trust, and are pretty accepting regardless. Case in point: Em had to meet 25 of my friends for the first time all at once (including many of the same people you'll meet), and managed to survive and thrive. She said it was a little scary, but it worked out such that she met people in small groups, and it was less intimidating. And just look at her now -- she can mock Mustang 23 and RCBEEP with the best of them!

     

  • At 8:30 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Y'all -

    Here is a funny story that I will go ahead and tell on myself...but you didn't hear it from me! :)

    Mustang 23 and I were chatting one Wed night via IM as we were oft prone to do and I mentioned I was scared about the upcoming trip to KC. He asked me of what I was afraid. I mentioned a few rational things and then I started throwing in the ones that are entirely irration, yet humorous. One of them was, "I am afraid that I will actually like Dave's wallpaper."

    True to form, Mustang took the entire list and tried to soothe each fear. For that one, he merely responded "Not possible."

    Te he he. He sure is a great guy, isn't he?

    Now on to the topic of dancing...Mustang says that he has no dancing ability whatsoever (save that he knew how to two-step while he was stationed in TX) but that he was willing to do a slow dance or two.

    If Dave looks cute in cowboy boots, then y'all need to head to Nashville and kick up your heels. He'll blend right in!

    Dave - don't worry about cleaning "TDH". Have you forgotten what life is like in a dorm? Unless the dust bunnies have grown legs and eat at the table or the green fuzz in the bathroom starts to blocks your enterance into the shower then I am sure I will be fine.

     

  • At 3:31 PM, Blogger Em said…

    FCC@V, trust me; you won't like the wallpaper. Dave doesn't even like the wallpaper, he's just understandably terrified of how difficult it will be to take it down.

    We're really excited to meet you next week. When do you fly in? I'll be there Thursday night.

    And he's got to at least clean enough to kill the spiders who were taking up residence in the lower level bathroom corners when I stayed with him at the end of July. It was a bad summer for spiders in KC, and I really, really hate them. It's not really that I'm afraid of them, I just have a burning fury that they dare to be inside my (or someone else's) house, or spinning webs all over my porch roof. Dave will attest to my spider-killing rampages on my condo porch with the hose turned up to the highest pressure.

    So part of the deal of me being there for the weekend was that the spiders had to die. Other than that, it can be dorm-roomy.

    Nashville would be fun (and I'd love to see a show at the Grand Old (Ole?) Opry), although I'm afraid that it might bring fresh disappointment. Some of the bars that have dancing are bound to have mechanical bulls, and Dave refuses to ride one, to my chagrin. There's a fun new country dance bar in KC and we took my friend Stacey to it last spring, and she and I rode the bull but could not drag him onto it :'-( But it was an excellent place for people-watching!

     

  • At 9:45 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    The wallpaper is really that bad, eh? I guess I will believe you.

    I get in on Thursday night same as you. In fact (according to Mustang Mama) Dave offered to pick me up. Our flights are at close times I think. I figured Mustang might want to be there - but hey, whatever works. I am in no place to be pushy.

    Dude, you have spider issues.

    GOO is Grand Ole Opry. The entire class went there freshman year and saw a private performance. That was awesome.

    I haven't ever been to any country bars with mechanical bulls (though I have been on one and loved it - sucked at it - but loved it). I recommend the Wild Horse Saloon.

    Hmmm...1) get Dave and Mustang to dance, 2) get Dave on a mechanical bull, 3) don't get injured in the process. Well Em, we have our work cut out for us, don't we?

     

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