alex birthday drunk sombrero

Thanks again to everyone who helped make this birthday a great one, and especially those who put up with me at the end of the night. Here's a bunch of photos on my new flickr page:

This one's atomistic

Writing Club

Look I'm getting better already. A post the day before Writing Club!!! (by all of 5 minutes!).

Anyways see you at 7pm and you can congratulate me.

Readers:

Kat - more on her children's book
Scott - an essay on plagiarism
Rachael - an address to the Queen (don't ask!)
Bean - "if you're lucky" (I asked her what she was going to read next time and this is what she said her title would be)

This World Today

This scares me and I don't know what to do.

"Unwilling to assimilate these new immigrants, European nations have established policies that discourage intermarriage and expand Muslim-only ghettos. Bawer says many European Muslims arrange marriages for their daughters with residents of poor, rural villages back home. These men "put the brakes on -- or even reverse -- whatever progress the European-born spouse might have toward becoming Westernized. " The more challenging part of Bawer's argument rests on two ideas: that many European Muslims reject the West's bedrock values and that the continent's leaders and her people have little interest in aggressively defending the best parts of their culture."

http://www.newsobserver.com/105/story/421976.html

The Evolution of Dance

Somep pretty funny stuff. Starts offa little slow, but he's pretty funny. And does a mean robot too.

MOVIE NIGHT: ARGENTO

I've been a bad boy. This week is a return to catch-up programming. Programming films I should've seen forever ago but never bothered to or simply didn't even know about them. The debate this week was either a Wes Craven (guess which two classics of his I haven't seen and smack me) double bill or a Dario Argento (frequently labeled as the Italian Hitchcock) one. Well by the header you can figure out what was decided.

Mon. May 29

7pm Opera [1987]: Betty, an understudy for a production of Verdi's Macbeth, is given the chance to play the female lead. Her fear of Macbeth's notorious curse seems to have merit when a psychopath begins killing stagehands and a few ravens for good measure. The world of opera and giallo meet in what some consider the last truly good Argento film.

9pm TENEBRE [1975]: The classic and often copied (Halloween and Friday the 13th to name a couple) Argento giallo. An English pianist witnesses a murder of a psychic and finds himself, with the help of a hot reporter lady, on the trail to track the killer. If you like slasher movies this movie is the template to many of your faves. A must see.

RSVP. Pop fund in effect.

Dialogue of Cities

JP and I are going to a series of evening lectures June 1-3rd on the Museum in the city and the city as museum. I know Brendan would be interested but maybe the rest of you have some urban geek inside you wanting to come out.

Details in the Clubhouse Calendar

You can buy tickets individually ~$15 each or a three ticket pack for ~$30.

www.festivalboxoffice.com

Website Blurb:

There are two key questions we are asking our global experts to consider as they discuss their own home cities: ?What is Vancouver?s place in the world of cities, and how can we learn from the successes and failures of other metropolises?? and ?If the city is itself a kind of museum of the peoples and ideas that shaped it, what is the role of new and expanded museums in the contemporary metropolis??

FORMAT and SCOPE: The event consists of a concentrated three-day public program just prior to the main WUF event. June 1 and 2 will feature illustrated slide lectures at two venues downtown (SFU and Robson Square) by seven of the world?s leading architects and critics, focusing on current urban issues and museum-building in some of the world?s most interesting cities. The event will conclude with a June 3 session at Arthur Erickson?s Museum of Anthropology at UBC, where our guest commentators will offer their opinions and suggestions for Vancouver, and then open up a dialogue with the community. All invited guests are design writers and urbanists from all continents, public intellectuals whose writings have been published in many of the world?s leading newspapers, magazines, and design journals.

Moving Help?

So, as it sits now I'm going to be moving Thursday June 1. I realize this is a weekday and most of you have day jobs, however if you do have the day off or have time in the evening to haul furniture, your help would be greatly appreciated and repaid with pizza and beer (or pop).

I'm planning on focusing on boxes and smaller items during the day, then my brother's gonna come by with his truck about 7pm to help with the bigger stuff.

Thanks a million.

Surrey Metal Party (Not in Surrey)

Surrey Hair Metal
vs.
The Tranny Cat Emergency
(a house party)

at east van's graceland
(address available in forum or on Google Calendar)

Friday, June 16. late.

$2-5 suggested donation*
(no one turned away)

dj su-commandante
dj she
dj ruggedy handsome

beer on tap!
karaoke room!

black t-shirts, greasy hair, ripped jeans...
from Madonna to Alannis, Gene Simmons to Axl Rose, we want your best head bangin', beer swillin', air guitarin' surrey rock getup.

Feel free to bring friends, but you are responsible for who you bring. Please circulate to trustworthy friends only.

This is Kevin Tilley's last hoora before moving to Toronto. Come help him bid farewell to the lower classes and send him off to law school.

The Tranny Cat Emergency: earlier this year, Paublo the cat underwent a life-saving sex-change operation. His owner, Krisztina Kun, is raising funds to help pay for Paublo's new tranny lifestyle. Support tranny cats' rights and support the right for poor people to keep their pets alive!

*Proceeds go to paying our downstairs neighbours' night in a hotel and supporting the Tranny Cat Emergency

This Saturday the 27th

I'm not going to the Gorge to have the Flaming Lips sing "Happy Birthday" to me like they did in 2003, but honestly, karaokeing with friends just might be a little better.

First stop, the recently expanded Foundation restaurant for dinner, 2301 Main St @ 7th Ave, 5:15 til just before 7:30. Yes, that's really early, but they open at 5:00 and I hope we can be out of there in time for the main attraction. They don't accept reservations and sometimes the food can take a while, even if you're not in a party of what could be 20 or so. But the food will be worth it. I'm not a vegetarian and neither are most of the friends I've been here with, but there's something for everyone.

Then the Vets Club of course, Main @ 23rd, from 7:30 til 11:30. Best to get there as early as possible and sign up immediately for one or two songs, if you're a singer. I'm really excited for some dareoke! I already warned the request-taking lady that there might be a whole lot of singers who wouldn't normally be there on a Saturday, and she thinks it'll be fine.

And barhopping afterwards if I haven't been liquored up enough.

weekend update.

as far as I can tell, this is the weekend plan for miyuki and me:

friday night - drive north; cameo at 70's shatner dealie if we get through the border in time.

saturday - lunch with non-clubhouse acquaintances; b-day dinner with alex somewhere, karaoke @ vet's

sunday - chineefoo (noon, peking, yadda yadda); afternoon and evening family time (belated mum's day); return home after dinner


unfortunately, that's about all we're going to have time for.

For Mariko

William Shatner interpretting "Rocket Man."


Awesome. Anyone know anyway to save Youtube videos so that it might be shown Friday?

Hmm, can't make fun of HMV anymore...

I stopped at HMV yesterday (looking for the one and only faith no more dvd that will ever be released) and noticed several blowout prices that might be of interest to some of you:

FOX Box sets
Firefly $24.99
Futurama S1-4 $24.99
Arrested Development S1-2 $24.99
Dead Like Me S1-2 $24.99
Family Guy S1-3 $26.99 + Stewie $16.99
+ more

Clearance
X-men $5.99
X2 $5.99
Back to the Future Trilogy $19.99
+ more

Battlefield Earth - They'll pay you $5 if you take one.

Also, CNL is having their 14% off sale from 11:30am to 2:00pm tomorrow (located @ Boundary and Marine).

Single Girls?

You might be interested in my latest post. Or not.

HEY SHIRT LOVERS

I put up a new link on the left for Threadless purchases. Use it.

MOVIE NIGHT: The roots of ALIEN

Sorry for the uber late post but I just got in from Victoria. This week the two major inspirations for the untoppable sci-fi/horror classic ALIEN.

Mon. May 22

7PM It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958): Dan O'Bannon, one of the writers of ALIEN, is always quick to mention how his screenplay was inspired from rewriting one of the movies that scared the heck out of him when he was kid and fix all the problems he had with it. What's the plot? In the year 1973, the future, a rescue mission is sent to Mars to retrieve a marooned expedition. Only one survivor is left, who everyone suspects killed all the others of his mission. Little do they know that whatever killed the members of the Mars expedition has stowed away on their ship back to Earth. Definitely a movie of it's time but an era I've had little exposure to so I'm looking forward to it.

9PM Planet of the Vampires (1965): Set up is basically the same as ALIEN. A pair of spaceships intercept a distress signal from a distant planet. Once they land they discover a ancient downed spacship with mummified alien corpses inside. Similarities end there as the crews are attacked by hordes of disembodied aliens who take control of the crews' minds and bodies. I'm sure John Carpenter had this film in mind when writing the failed GHOST OF MARS. Directed by MARIO BAVA, you can expect tons of creepy technicolor atmosphere.

If you have Monday off

The Pegasus is hosting any and all interested cookie makers in the afternoon hours of Monday the 22nd.

I have heard that people will be off, so here is an open call to indulge in sweet treats.

Please feel free to bring dough if you'd like to come over and play with my "mind as well be an easy bake oven" oven with the rest of us.

12-7pm

(My cell will be on this time. Sorry 'bout that.)

My idea of fun.

Anyone else want to go see The Birthday Party at the Van East this week? It's playing until the 27th. I was thinking of aiming for Tuesday, but I'm flexible. I'm pretty stoked to see it, especially after reading these Amazon.com reader reviews:

"I'm comfortably on the upper half of the food chain when it comes to intelligence, and when I'm at a loss to explain why an author's work is great, it's because his work, in fact, is not great. I wouldn't say the same thing about nuclear physics or brain surgery - when somebody does great work in those fields and I don't understand it, I'll chalk it up to "this guy might be really smart and I just don't know what he's talking about." But literature? Come on... the whole point of literature is that it is supposed to connect with the reader, not bewilder him."

"Informatively I am an avid reader with a vast collection. The Birthday Party did not have one redeeming feature. I could not believe that anything written could be so bad."

"Pinter in his political work presents himself as a spokesman for the oppressed of Mankind and has for years attacked the United States. The United States is without its faults, mistakes and misjudgments nonetheless the single major force in the world which prevents Mankind from falling into a dark night of Totalitarian Terror."

Surprise Party

If you are not in gridlock, I invite you to drop by Hell's Kitchen (my place) tonight and wish Lakshami a happy birthday. (but arrive before 8:00pm or after 9:00pm)

Paintball Sunday @ 9am

Gareth and I (and some others from my work) are going paintballing at Tsawassen Paintball Games near the ferry terminal on Sunday the 21st. We will be leaving Metrotown @ about 9am, and arriving at the field for 945 or 10am. I have cheap entry tickets, which can be purchased from me on the day of (two people get in for the cost of one - but it must be used by two people). I no longer have seats available, but if you have your own vehicle or are willing to transit, you're welcome to join us.

Calendar

There is a new calendar available. If you did not receive an email regarding this you can either leave a message in comments, the forum or email me.

The format is far easier to glance at quickly than the blog, but the blog will still act as a place to post.

Paypal?

Anyone here have a paypal account I can use to order a Sage Francis DVD with? Their site only accepts paypal, no CC. Not really up for starting a new PP account just for this. Anyhoo. Hit me back if you can hook me up.

Market du nuit

Mike wanted me to toss up a reminder that Friday May 19th is the scheduled trip to the night market. Post in comments if you're going.

Because I love you all.

Not safe for work, -ed.

Can You Smell It?

That's right, only 10 days 'till the next Evil Film School!



Remember, beer & popcorn will be available at the concession.

And don't forget to brush up on your Shatner trivia...

(Also, bring gifts as it is Alex's birthday)

Rachael hasn't posted

But a phone call tells me there is a writing group tonight, her pad, 7pm. Readings from Rachael, Trevor and Graeme are scheduled*.

* this is not the truth.

be one with the foo.

so when would bea better time for foo next weekend?

saturday following evil film skool, or sunday following karaoke?

we need to make some plans for the other lunch hour... so a prompt decision would be swell.

MOVIE NIGHT: Biker fun.

I've had a request recently to do a biker double bill of Easy Rider and one of the following movies we're about to see. Well I'm happy to oblige halfway.

Mon May.15

7pm The Wild Angels (1966): Loser (Bruce Dern), a member of the Hell's Angels, has his bike stolen by a group of Mexicans. He calls in his fellow member Blues (Peter Fonda) as well as several of the other members to help him get his bike back. In the attempt to reclaim it a huge melee breaks out and the police soon arrive. Loser, finding himself without a bike, steals the bike of one of the officers and is chased down and shot. Blues and his gang then plan on getting him back from the hospital. Things do not go well.

9pm Hell's Bloody Devils (1970): Al Adamson's lost "Classic". An FBI agent who has been assigned to infiltrate an organized crime ring in cahoots with neo-Nazis and recruited motorcycle gang, The Bloody Devils. Marvel at plot lines introduced, developed and then ignored.

without numbers

so i lost my phone last night, droped it in the cab at the end of the night. so if you need to get a hold of me, email may be the only way, unless you know my parent's number but only the priveleged few who email me and ask for it shall recieve it. to all who are expecting me to call them this week, i can't because i don't have your number.

Those Nasty Habits...

Anybody going to see Ron Cahill's band Nasty Habits tonight?

> Friday 12th May & Sat 13th May........RCL # 83..5289 Grimmer Street BBY.....
> ...8.30pm - 12.30am

His parents (from Birmingham?) will be in the audience. As will Jen and I.

One block south of Kingsway, just off Royal Oak. So pretty close to either Metrotown or Royal Oak skytrain stations...

Logo Competition

Now with prizes!

See that logo up there? That one. We need a new one. Email your design (similar dimensions, please). I will post them here with the option of "Better or worse" than the current logo as they come in (for the purposes of general anonymity). Responses can go either by email or in the comments. Ideally by "the end", we'll have chosen the best one. Let's say the cut off for this first round will be May 31?

If it's popular enough, it may just be an ongoing design function of The Clubhouse as another way for contributors to contribute.

If this were real...

It wouldn't surprise me if the FDA approved it.....The Onion brings the heat.

Birthday plans

I'm going to a Midsummer Night's Dream at Bard on the Beach. Festival seating, so buy tickets, and we'll see each other there.

It's a Wednesday, so most of you will be going to karaoke, but for those who want an alternative, feel free to join me.

Come Live With Me!

I am looking for a room mate for June 1st 2006. Rent is $480 which includes utilities and the room can be furnished. I am located in Strathcoma, near Pender and Hawks. Close to Commercial and Downtown, with easy access to SFU and UBC. If you know anyone who might be interested can you pass the information on.

The Islands + Busdriver

UPDATE: THIS SHOW IS CANCELLED. Mesa Luna is closed. I'm so mad I could just spit!

Threadless... you know you want some

Okay, so I put in a big order yesterday and I accidentally, in a moment of confusion, ordered an extra shirt in guys small. It's about the size of a girls' large, only longer and not baby-tee style. It's called Landline's Revenge. It'll be about $15 when it comes in, call dibs now.

Also, I want to order another shirt (the one with the monster in the theatre seats), so if anyone else wants in on another cheap shirt order, I'll be putting one in around 10pm tonight.

Brendan: I ordered you a Commie shirt for $15; if you want it, it'll cost ya. ;)

He's Baaaaaaaaack.

Blazin Hazen. Booyakasha. Don't front. He's Blazin.

Movie on Thursday

Lance and Brendan and Derek and I are going to see "Art School Confidential" on Thursday night. All are welcome. Open invite styles. Call and/or post for details.

PHANTASM double bill

As promised. Too lazy to write synopis. Just know, classic franchise I've, yet again, never exposed myself to (never seen a Leprechaun movie). Flying orbs, shrunken zombies directed by Don Coscarelli of now Bubba Ho Tep fame (formerly Phantasm fame). Starts as usual a little after 7pm.

The death of time

You all know who already did this, so post your picture links in comments.

Hey who wants to go camping?

I've been floating the idea of a couple of camping trips this summer. One all inclusive at Cultus Lake (Waterslides) and another farther out for just the guys. Anytime this summer (late july to early september) is good except for July 28-29. Comments? Suggestions? Money?

SUMMER OF LOVE! (or Nachtmarkt 2006)

Interesting theme...wonder if the vendors will run with it?

Anyhow, here's the scoop on the Richmond Nightmarket (off Vulcan Way and River Road in Richmond, 2.5 blocks north of Ikea).

Date: May 19 to Oct 01 2006
(Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Long weekends)

Opening hours:
7:00 p.m. to mid-night (Friday and Saturday)
7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. (Sunday and Long weekend)

I'm considering a trip on opening weekend once the date is set for a certain birthday. Great place to get games, movies, computer/cell accessories, books, kitchenware, RonCo knockoffs, cheap food...it's the closest thing Vancouver can offer to uwi...uwa...uwe...Aunt Jemima! (Damn you, Christian!)

TBA - Cascade Falls trip...tentative date July 23rd, but possibly a June date as well if it's hot enough. Hike riverbeds, swim in pools from glacier runoff, slide down naturally formed waterslides. Just east of Mission.

TBAA - Golden Ears is a close second...north beach, lower falls...shelter at peak to camp overnight...just north of Maple Ridge.

The Book Of Liz: a play by The Talent Family

I don't do a whole lot of plays but this one is a must-see because it's written by the Sedaris siblings, David (lots of books and NPR readings) and Amy (the afterschool special parody, Strangers With Candy). There are a few performances coming up. I'd prefer this Saturday or next...please comment if you would like to come along, and we'll fix a date soon.

The following info was cut & paste from here & there:

This is a campy comedy about Elizabeth, who has a bad sweating problem and is living a very routine life making cheese balls. It is the cheese balls that are supporting the community financially. When Elizabeth leaves to see what life is like in the big city, her old community begins to crumble. The recipe she provided is not creating the balls which were so legendary and people back home thinks she has sabotaged them. In the end, it is discovered that there is a secret ingredient that only Elizabeth has.

May 3-6 & 9-13, 8 pm, Havana Theatre (1212 Commercial). Tix $20 at the door/$15 advance at Biz Books, Little Sister's Book Store, and online.

little synth history lesson

Writing Club Cancelled

Sorry I'm way too fucking busy nursing my writer's block.

R