After much verizon-based confusion and doubt, I have internet at home. Actually, for the first time ever my net access does not come from a authority figure (university, boss or suchlike). I can spend all the time I like downloading a pure high fructose corn syrup-style diet of internet materials. Crazy.

Job is ok, Baltimore is excellent, new place rocks.

So, what's up? I see we have new fora and are apparently considering leaving altogether. What else goes on these days?

NP: Ted Leo, The Tyranny of Distance

I've not been around much, myself. What's up, bluejayway? go vote on albums in the charts forum, it becomes a bit addictive to scroll through, at least.

Welcome to Maryland.

Shelley!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've missed you and hoped you were settling in nicely on the OTHER side of the world. Glad to hear everything is going smoothly. What sorta exciting things have you been up to?

bluejay and chuck, you've both been missed. things have been a little... extreme without you.

glad to hear you're all settled!

Oh shoot, I didn't mean to slight Colin. Ditto Haq's "you've been missed" comment.

Are ya all done chasing specimen (specimens?) outdoors?

Thanks aaron & tania - I've been messing up my obnish participation by going and having lots of fun with my work. I get to SCUBA dive for cash a couple of times a month, and I'm working with endangered species conservation, and I'm realizing how freaking entertaining Austin is, and it leaves me little time to surf this board.

and people have seemed a little bit . . . "extreme" around here recently, which is a bit offputting. must mean we're getting as cool as hipinion, or something.

well, i gotta get home and put some labels on my latest beers - a belgian white (hoegaardenish) ale and a really frickin' hoppy real ale. and put some merlot yeast in a blackberry wine i'm prepping. and play some guitar. and learn how to podcast . . .

but i'll try to poke my head in here more often.

np: Illinoise! (a podcast)

Sorry that I hijacked this thread a little, Shelley!

scuba diving for cash!
awesome, colin. glad austin is working for ,you.

shelley! i was just thinking about you the other day. it had something to do with this mexican guy's tattoo and pizza, but, well....nevermind. glad you're hooked up.

eXXXtreem

Glad you are both back, Shelly and Colin! You have both definitely been missed.

Hijack away Those charts are kinda tempting, huh? I've gone through and done the ones for albums I have clear and settled opinions on, but there's still the dithering to go, and the adding in shocking omissions, and ...

I'm sorry some of you have had to go through extremeness while I wasn't around. As you know, I do what I can to promote dullness. To that end, I have very long stories about assembly of IKEA furniture, old ECUs at junkyards, my mother 'dropping in' from florida, the new hardware store, the ghetto grocery, the block car cleaning racket, and eight dollar lobster wednesdays at Mamies. I'll let it trickle out slowly over the next month.

In short, I go to work, I run errands, I come home. Work is good--it's like grad school with nicer surroundings and they pay me, which is fucking awesome. New colleagues are cool, though no mexicans with tatts that I've met yet. Hope to get to some gigs and record shops in the near future.

The median GPA and IQ of this board has just sky-rocketed! Thanks, Col-Shel.

I feel like the charts function will lead inevitably to love-matches by computer based on musical tastes. Was this considered at rollout?

oh, my head hurts for you just reading that.

Welcome back, and congrats on the new digs and new job!!!

Also, Colin.... Hoegaardenish? Wow. Went to the annual beer fest this weekend and thought of you! Had an amazing saison from Eugene City Brewing (which I think is affiliated with Rogue) and another saison from Magnolia Brewing in SF. Good stuff!

Welcome back guys.

WHAT ARE YOU NUTS? We've gone like 3 days without reviving that discussion for the billionth time!


welcome back, you are both sorely missed around here. bjw i still have that cd, though i need to remake it (long story). you'll get a pm soon.

meh...it was a boring discussion anyway..glad to see you settled in the City of Brotherly HOMICIDE...there's a nice Popeye's accross from the Medical ICU of John's Hopkins that will serve you food through protective bars.

you and your scientist counterpart in this thread are missed, even though in any argument we are usually on opposite sides. (then again, aside from my friends, no one ever's on my side)