Chicago: They paved a fetid swamp/and put up a parking lot

I could really stand to borrow that, though, jokes aside. I have a computer that is essentially a giant (very, VERY heavy) brick, because in transit some card or other became unseated, and now it won't boot. And there's a circular keyhole on the side, and no one one has a key. I would pay you real green money to drill that stupid lock out of my computer, so I can get inside of it and jiggle a couple of cards around and make it work again. Totally serious.

After watching the season 1 finale of Breaking Bad last night, I recommend thermite. I know I'm late and jumping on an already full bandwagaon, but this show is phenomenal.

Thermite would burn the shit out of everything. I just need a broken lock.

After watching the season 1 finale of /Breaking Bad/ last night, I recommend thermite. I know I'm late and jumping on an already full bandwagaon, but this show is phenomenal.

Welcome aboard!

http://boingboing.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/cutehedgehog.jpg

tee hee!!

i guess i don't care much about breaking bad because we've been meaning to watch season 3 for months now but haven't gotten around to it yet. we've been watching a ton of "peep show" on hulu.

_(my ex-bf burned out the motor on my last one)_

Oh. Oh my. You know, you are only supposed to used the normal, custom-fitted attachments, right?

But remember the fuck saw?

You may use my Dremmel, but a drill would work just as well.

You'll all be glad to know that I did go to work today, got ahead of some deadlines, took a slightly long lunch (extra 15 minutes), and am leaving early.

Congrats. I took a long lunch, with wine, which Liggy bought as consolation for losing at trial :(

I'm leaving early, too.

hey me too

this is why the american empire is dying

http://www.feelnumb.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/album-cover-rage-against-the-machine-evil-empire.jpg

Does anyone watch the TV show Episodes? It's great and really hilarious. Watch it. Courtney forced me to watch it, and we watched all of Season 1 in one sitting. Katie was there and she'll vouch for its goodness.

Hey guys I am back from Buenos Aires. Whut whut.

Hi! Did you have fun?

Yes! Had a great time. My flight got in just a few hours ago, so I am taking the day off to acclimate to the mundane.

I'm glad you're home safely and that you had fun. When does Kr return?

the cat in this reminds me a little of jesse

http://louisvsrick.com/post/258980760/louis-vs-rick-episode-1-the-ping

When does Kr return?

Not until Dec. 5! :(

dang, that's a long time!

did anyone make it to hyde park? i feel bad for not going, i'm sorry :(

I made it ^_^

It was a really great concert, the venue was PACKED with people (466 seat auditorium with nary an empty set and ppl standing/sitting in aisles). I am hoping it was recorded so I can share snippets of it with folks.

wow! that's amazing. i am sorry i didn't go, but i would love to hear a recording if there is one.

oh btw, we had our post-concert reception at a place called Norman's Bistro, you should check it out if you have the chance

the cat in this reminds me a little of jesse

http://louisvsrick.com/post/258980760/louis-vs-rick-episode-1-the-ping

Haha. I started reading the other day and bookmarked it for further enjoyment. It's awesome.

Welcome back, jmc.

Dan I'm so glad you had a fabulous turnout! I hope we get to hear some recordings, too.

One of my coworkers brought in a preview of the dish he wants to bring for our work Thanksgiving potluck. It consists of microwaved chicken wings (as in raw chicken wings that he microwaved) covered in Dijon mustard.

He was all excited to bring samples to the AA and me and was all "Try it!" and the AA was like "How did you cook this?" (because it looks absolutely appalling, like somebody poured baby shit into chicken wing shaped molds and used black magic to solidify it) and he was like "I microwaved it! I microwave everything!" and we were both just "We just ate lunch so we'll try it later…" And the AA is going to take it home and throw it away.

Now I know what to do with the pair of wings from my dinner the other night* that I couldn't fit in the roasting pan!

*stewed chickpeas with vegetables & roast chicken from How To Cook Everything = A+

it was so good I just have to post this, a perfect fall meal

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/297652_658706245307_6604982_33959937_2100305579_n.jpg

jenny that story made me lol so loud

as always, your food looks delish dan

One of the highlights of Buenos Aires was the two puerta cerradas ("closed-door" restaurants) we visited. This is a thing in Buenos Aires where chefs host dinners at their own residences once or twice a week for a small group of people who have made reservations in advance.

The first was an all-vegetarian meal that was basically delicious homemade food. The hostess was a cheerful American yoga teacher, the chef was her Costa Rican friend, and we dined with two Norwegians, an Australian, and two locals. (A couple of the hostess's friends showed up, too.) Like a casual post-college dinner party, with free-flowing wine and conversation around a single long table.

The second was more upscale and honestly one of the best meals I've had this year. Excellent gourmet pescatarian cuisine, with some of the ingredients fresh from the herb garden in the backyard. The space was larger, so every party got its own table, but it was still conducive to mingling, and Kr and I spent much of the meal chatting up a 60-ish couple from California. (He produces TV movies, and she's a painter.)

Very much recommended.

One of my coworkers brought in a preview of the dish he wants to bring for our work Thanksgiving potluck. It consists of microwaved chicken wings (as in raw chicken wings that he microwaved) covered in Dijon mustard.

Oh shit, I would not be gentle with such a coworker.

xp I guess I should clarify: these chefs don't actually have other restaurants, this is (presumably) how they make their living. It's a great concept, IMO.

i wonder if microwave dijon wing man thinks he can start his own home restaurant
(those sound like amazing experiences btw jmc)

I also feel like I should correct my typo: puertas cerradas.

Speaking of which: knowing a little bit of Spanish but not enough to have back-and-forth conversations is kind of frustrating. I feel like I have a decent vocabulary, but verb tenses no longer come naturally to me and my comprehension is laughable. As we did in Peru, Kr basically spoke for both of us most of the time. But Buenos Aires being such a big city, there were more opportunities where I really *wished* I would've been able to communicate on my own. Kind of makes me want to brush up on the language.

Hey this show I'm directing is turning out really well and opens Thursday night.

If anyone wants free tix to the preview, Wednesday at 7:30, let me know. The show is a dense 35 minutes long (think dense like a 35-min radio documentary), so it's over by 8:15 and there's a good bar, a good Italian joint, and a good Indian joint across the street.

i could go to that but not wednesday b/c i have to do work stuff :(

Welcome back john; sounds like you had a wonderful time. Makes me wish I had taken spanish instead of french....

I spent the morning in traffic court, which was actually kind of interesting. I'd never been in any kind of court before, and it was weird because there was no receptionist or waiting room or anything...I just walked into the court room and sat down and waited until they called my name.

Then some sort of (kafka-esque) bureaucratic nightmare ensued where they were unable to accept payment for my $200 fine due to some sort of paperwork error. Now I have pay by mail, which will hopefully actually work.

it was weird because there was no receptionist or waiting room or anything

I see a dainty little man who ain't ready for the rawdog style of state and municipal government.

http://o.onionstatic.com/images/personalities/personality/1019/character1_jpg_90x150_upscale_q85.jpg

we're back from indiana. fyi.

Microwave chicken wing man is a sweetheart and we could not bring ourselves to tell him that he had created an abomination.

Nick, you should be Jim Jones for Halloween next year.

i am not ready for the rawdog style, it is true

Nick, you should be Jim Jones for Halloween next year.

I support this costume idea.

i'll only be jim jones if someone else will dress up as the kool-aid man

Oh yeah.

maybe a little nsfw I guess

ugh having one of those "back to work after a day off" days where everything's piled up and hectic

ha I was just reading a bit from the Onion about "giant anthropomorphic glass container found at Jonestown suicide site" or something like that