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“The more you know, the more you learn; the more you learn, the more you can do; the more you can do, the more the opportunity – it is very much like compound interest. I don’t want to give you a rate, but it is a very high rate. Given two people with exactly the same ability, the one person who manages day in and day out to get in one more hour of thinking will be tremendously more productive over a lifetime.” — Hendrik Bode

(Found on John Maeda’s SIMPLICITY)

One of my favorite meals for lunch is Trader Joe’s Chicken Masala – it’s a quick and easy thing to throw in the oven, only costs a couple of bucks, and puts to shame every other meal in the frozen food section.

Today though, I’m a bit scared. While enjoying my lunch, I felt a sharp prick on my tongue – and found this little bugger in my food.

So now you understand why I’m afraid to go to the bathroom!

Just picked up El-P’s newest, I’ll Sleep When You’re Dead. I’m a pretty big Definitive Jux fan and have been waiting for this album for sometime. (Unfortunately Brittany doesn’t dig Fantastic Damage as much as I do, so its playback only occurs when she’s not around.) Between reading the sporadic updates on el’s blog and the random news bit about collaborators, I wasn’t sure what to expect but I hoped it wouldn’t disappoint.

Glad to say, it’s an incredible album. I’m a bit leery of albums that are promoted by their featured appearances (between the surprising (and refreshing!) Trent Reznor, The Mars Volta, and Cat Power, plus hip-hop contemporaries Aesop Rock, Murs, and Slug, there are quite a few) but thankfully it’s El-P’s style that comes through all the way.

It’s definitely a progression beyond FanDam – more accessible, more “single-esque” songs – but not at the loss of quality or experimentation.

I had the album on repeat today while I worked, made it through 5 cycles before I switched over to Modest Mouse’s new release, We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank. If you’re a MM fan, you’ll like this album. Not a ton of new sounds, no out-there experimentation – but to be honest, I like ‘em just the way there are, I’m not sure I want an experimental Modest Mouse album. Not exactly fair to them as artists but…

My favorite song (of the moment) has to be track #1. So many singers in the genre try to pull off that straining, bursting-at-the-seams-with-emotion vibe and fall a bit flat, but something in Issac Brock’s voice just does it for me.

Unfortunately I missed their two-night appearance last week. Hopefully I’ll be able to make it to El-P’s show on May 16th.

You heard anything new lately that’s good?

Why do the kids working the cell-phone kiosks in the mall need to wear a suit to work? Who is so overwhelmingly impressed by a dressed-up salesperson that it overcomes the rest of that (used-car salesman-esque) experience?

And on that note — who actually thinks dressing up their sales staff, then having them stand around like preying vultures makes for an inviting retail environment?

(written while waiting for 300 to start, at the mall movie theater…)

Can anybody explain the reasoning why the Post and Preview buttons switch sides depending on whether you are posting a message or a comment?

posting a new message

posting a comment to an already existing message

Ever seen a tiny horse chained up to a metal ring embedded in the sidewalk and wondered to yourself … WTF? I know I did. Here’s the why behind the horses.