so, as i was “wrapping things up” last night — checking email, etc — after hitting the Outlook with Jackson and Hunter, I noticed Karen, out beloved female kitty going a bit nuts around the front window of our house. I turned to the left to see what was what, and there, sitting just inches from the window was a smallish, grey cat. It scared the living beejeezus out of me, as the cat was lit up by the lamp in the window, and I really hadn’t expected there to be a cat, or really ANYTHING staring in the window at me.

Immediately, the cat-naming gears in my head started turning, and I deemed that this cat should be known as “Stoop Cee-Aye-Double-Tee” (Stoop Catt), as he/she was found upon our stoop after a no-doubt harrowing night livin’ on the streetz. I put out some water and food for this newly-favored kitty, and called it a night. Perhaps he/she shall show up tomorrow? I just don’t know.

i figured it’s my duty to keep you, gentle reader, in the know about the movies i watch. First off, on Sunday, Hunter, Kelly and I watched the Cowboy Bebop movie. I have a deep, deep love for the Cowboy Bebop series — which is odd, because most anime I don’t really care for. Yoko Kanno‘s music is just perfect (another thing I never thought I say when it came to Japanese music of any sort. Sorry, Gary. Most of the music in Anime is just atrocious to me.). It rocks when it needs to rock, and is soft when it needs to be soft. The movie itself is very stylish, and well directed. So well, in fact, that I think Hunter was stunned. I’m not entirely sure. I think he’s a Bebop fan now more than ever.

On Monday, we went to go see 28 Days Later. At first, I thought it was just going to be some post-apocalyptic tale, but then there are the ZOMBIES! Hah. Zombies? Yeah. I know what you’re thinking — “My, that’s just stupid.” Well, listen up buck-o. I liked this movie in much the same way I liked Sling Blade. Both of them have touches of horror in them — but often most of the most horrific of images aren’t spattered with blood. Both films had me near tears at times, and yelping with fright at others. Who says you can’t have an intelligent zombie movie? The music in 28 Days Later is also fantastic, and the gritty cinematography is wonderful as well. According to the UK movie site, there is an alternate ending to the film — and it will be on the DVD when it arrives over here (hopefully in time for Halloween). Oh, I can’t wait. I was completely rapt with this film. Danny Boyle, I forgive you for “The Beach” and “A Life Less Ordinary“.

Apparently, Dusty Baker, the manager for the Chicago Cubs baseball team, made a comment about race and heat and is, um, catching heat for it. Now, I don’t know about you, but his comments — or at least the gist of the idea — make sense to me. People brought up in warmer climates are going to be used to higher temperatures. The reason white people are white is because over many, many generations, they lived in the colder areas of the earth where the sun was not as direct, hence not needing the melanin in their skin. Blacks and latinos lived closer to the equator in hotter areas of the world. Luckily, ol’ Dusty is sticking to his guns and not apologizing.

Clicky for a transcript of Will Ferrell’s Harvard Class Day Speech. Found by m@.

Dust in the wind, you’re shiny little very smart pieces of dust in the wind.

Version 2, with suggestions added:

1. Elvis Costello – Welcome to the Working Week
2. John Cougar Mellencamp – Rain on the Scarecrow
3. Steve Earle & The Del McCoury Band – Harlan Man
4. Bruce Springsteen – Working on the Highway
5. They Might Be Giants – Minimum Wage
6. Tennessee Ernie Ford – Sixteen Tons
7. Tom Waits – I Can’t Wait To Get Off Work
8. The Creation – Painterman
9. Johnny Cash – One Piece at a Time
10. Loretta Lynn – Coal Miner’s Daughter
11. Palace Music – Work Hard, Play Hard
12. Uncle Tupelo – Graveyard Shift
13. King Missle – Take Stuff from Work
14. Police – Dead End Job

Clicky on the more to see the commentation…

{more}

I found Springsteen’s “Working on the Highway” track from Born in the USA — while I have a certain, special, special place in my heart for “Glory Days”, “Working on the Highway” is more on-target for this comp.

Hmm… I’m currently reviewing “Allentown” by Billy Joel. Undecided at the moment. (update: negative.) In regards to Kevin’s suggestions of Loverboy and Johnny Paycheck…. well, I’m trying my damnedest to stay away from the album-oriented FM five-oh-clock standards. Gary — Living on a Prayer? Wow. I know you listen to that as you take the train into the salt mines over there in Japan, but it ain’t gonna make it on this comp.

Now. About FLASHDANCE. No, nevermind.

Jackson’s choice of “Welcome to the Working Week” by Elvis Costello has supplanted to top spot on this comp, because it’s perfect in its rockitude. I’ve also moved “Graveyard Shift” to the end of the list, as it appropriately caps the whole thing.

RE: The Ani DiFranco issue. I enjoy Ani DiFranco, I really do. Between Kelly and I, I think we own a handful of CDs. However, Ani DiFranco is a bit of a compilation-killer. I’m trying to maintain the chugga-chugga of the workingman’s day here.

I’m listening to Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5″ at the moment. It’s a great pop song, but referring back to my five-oh-clock frenzy rule earlier, it will be sadly absent.

I also checked out Van Morrison’s “I’ve Been Working”, but it just doesn’t jive with me. Sorry. Also, he mentions making love to someone. Yeesh. Pee-cha-whoo-won-kee Chew-baa-kaa.

Ah, yes. Oingo Boingo’s “Wild Sex (in the working class)”. I am suffering this one at the very moment. It certainly has the driving beat I’m looking for, but no. Certainly not. Waaaatching the gears move! (it does rock a little bit there)

I haven’t been able to find Orbison’s “Working for the Man”, or Haggard’s “Workingman Blues”, but I’m trying.

Gordon Lightfoot’s “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” was considered for this comp, but frankly, it would only be depressing and long.

Nugent’s “Workin’ Hard, Playin’ Hard” is about to be previewed, as is Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Workin’ for MCA”. I’ve heard the latter, but I’m going to give it a second chance. I am at the moment listening to John Prine’s “Paradise”, but it’s not quite work-themed enough. Oooh! Skynyrd just came on… “Workin’ for MCA” is good. Hmm… it is up for contention. Okay, The Nuge is out.

Just listened to King Missile’s “Take Stuff from Work”. I think it works well… perhaps as some sort of “hidden track”. Tom Wait’s “I Can’t Wait to Get off Work (to See My Baby on Montgomery Avenue)” is fantastic. It’s going on.

Red Hot Chili Pepper’s cover of Bowie’s “Working Class Hero”? Negative.

Devo’s “Workin’ In A Coal Mine”? Eh, no. Ike & Tina’s “Proud Mary”? Hmm… Man, if there was a version that was just the “rough” second half — it’d be on here.

Hah. Okay. The theme to Laverne & Shirley! Yah! No, not really. More later.

Just added The Police’s “Dead End Job”. Also, considering Kevin Spacey’s speech from American Beauty (where he quits).

Hey hey! A couple of shots from my and Kelly’s Fourth of July Party are up. Check ‘em.

i was thinking about a theme for a compilation CD yesterday — “Workingman’s Blues” I think it will be called. So far, I’ve got a couple of songs on it.

1. Uncle Tupelo – Graveyard Shift
2. John Cougar Mellencamp – Rain on the Scarecrow
3. Steve Earle & The Del McCoury Band – Harlan Man
4. Bruce Springsteen – Glory Days
5. They Might Be Giants – Minimum Wage
6. Tennessee Ernie Ford – Sixteen Tons
7. The Kinks – Rush Hour Blues
8. The Creation – Painterman
9. Johnny Cash – One Piece at a Time
10. Loretta Lynn – Coal Miner’s Daughter
11. Palace Music – Work Hard, Play Hard
12. Tina Turner – Proud Mary

Hmm.. perhaps there is a better Springsteen song… but anyway. Suggest some other songs in the comments. Lucky contestants will get a shabbily decorated CDR of this comp.

Rineyville, Kentucky is a town with a lot of problems. If it isn’t the dangeous intersections, it’s the tornados (but you do get some Lotto-Cash from FEMA!). If the murderers don’t stuff you into a suitcase and then drop you in Rough River, then I guess you could always be cited with a DUI on your deathbead.

So, yesterday kelly and I built a picnic table! It turned out pretty well, for neither of us having too terribly much experience with lumber and such. Kelly enjoys hammering a little too much, I think. If you’d like to build your own, I’d suggest these plans we used.

We also had a small celebration for Kelly’s 25th birthday at the Outlook Inn — no actual pictures of kelly in this gallery, but hey — I was to bizzay celebrating.

Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle was so much fun, it was absolutely ridiculous. Ah, so funny and great, and yes, Crispin Glover makes his appearance as “the thin man” — and let me tell you, that character only gets more bizarre and wonderful. Explosions, kicking, good music (Danger! High Voltage!), and plenty of great comedy. Oh my.