What does Pandora say about you?

Apparently it thinks I'm a 14-year old boy with terrible taste in comedy and music. Now, that may be close to true, but I don't need artificial intelligence throwing it in my face.

What I love: Vol 1.

Here's something new. Instead of talking about stuff I want, which is fun, but ultimately unfulfilling, let me talk about stuff I have and/or love.

* Tree of Smoke, by Denis Johnson. It's a novel about the Viet Nam war and spies and stuff. Not quite done with it, but soon. Helps concrete Johnson in as one of my faves.

* Street Sweeper Social Club. Odd, I never really cared that much of Rage Against the Machine. But this ... I love. It's Tom Morello and Boots Riley and I seriously found it via one of those MySpace featured bands deals. "Promenade" kills me.

* ABC's Defying Gravity. I've only seen the premier, but I am impressed. It's very theoretically, especially for broadcast TV, especially in the realm of shows like More to Love and Dating in the Dark. This is science-fiction. Actual science fiction. On normal TV. There's the typical TV-love drama crap too, but ... Don't get the hopes up. It'll be canceled soon.

What I want: Vol 8

* A Heritage Knife, from Swiss Army. Way better than the crappy red one I carry now.

* A new belt. This one from Nooka, to be exact. Though I'm pretty sure they don't make one small enough for my waist.

* Vibram's Five Finger shoes. It's like being barefoot. Only uglier. If that's possible with my feet.

* A Urwerk watch. Again with the watches, you ask. Yes, I say. Oh god, yes.

Two things

There are two things there are plenty of at my work: Bad coffee and giant cockroaches.

The ocean is a scary ass place.

This is monsterously amazing to me.

I heart cephalopods

Have I said how much I love cephalopods? I mean, they are good for eating, yes, but they could be the most interesting animals on the planet. In my mind. Just look at this video of a cuttlefish eating an octopus. Wow. The ocean is one scary-ass place. Animal like this just don't exist on land. If octopi ever learn to breath air, watch out world.

On the road

There is nothing like a road trip to make you realize you like music, which I had sort of forgotten, what with my broken stereo and my love for a.m. radio. But I borrowed the roomie's car this weekend, rolled down the windows and drove East to the 101 and out on to the coast.

The playlist:

* Old 97s, Blame it on Gravity

I love Rhett, but I'm obsessed with Murry's "Color Of A Lonely Heart Is Blue."

* She and Him Vol. 1

This is pretty close to perfect music in my mind. It has all nostalgic trappings of 1950s and '60s, but is totally contemporary. Zooey's voice is pure magic.

* Roky Erikson and the Explosives, Halloween (Live 1979-1981)

Roky's voice is unbeatable. There's no two ways around. One of my favorite voices in rock music bar none. Singing along makes me happy.

* One Day as a Lion

Big bass-ass beats. There's a Black Sabbath quality to a few of the songs, which I like. It's no Rage, say the Rage fans.