ditriech probably hates this post

I spend a lot of time alone.

Ok. This is one of those instances in which I think that I am not odd. That I am, in fact, like a lot of other people. But my problem is that I also spend a lot of time observing that I am alone. That’s key. Most people don’t think about it^sd But I do.

Anyhoo, while alone, I spend a lot of time doing things to occupy my time so that I don’t feel so alone. One of those things is writing^sd2. But the major one is watch TV.  Well TV shows. Or shows, that at one point, aired on the television channels that you know and love.

Let me backtrack for a minute. Because this post is, in fact, an example of an evolution. Or something. 

About two years ago The Dutchman introduced me to the brilliance of Firefly. Though he didn't know it at the time, this did three things. 1) Made me rewatch Buffy. 2) Turned me into a Joss fanboy 3) Gave me the idea to name my first daughter Inara.

...

Ok. He probably could have guessed #3. But that’s not the point. I became a Joss fanboy. Which heightened to a fever pitch around the time before Dollhouse started. Notice that I said before. Because when the series started I watched ever episode with antici

pation.

But it really wasn’t a good show. At least for a while. I mean, I recently rewatched the entirety of Dollhouse (during the hiatus) and most of the first season is comically bad.  I mean, its great to watch while you’re drinking^sd3. But other than that…the episodes don't work. Especially w/r/t the greatness that the show has become^sd4.

I know what your thinking right now. Well, you’re probably thinking two(ish) things. 1) wtf is ditriech doing writing?^sd5 and 2) what does this have to do with anything. This is the Beirut song of the weekend. Not the Beirut ditriech rambles on about tv shows of the weekend.

I assure you I’m getting to the latter point.

The reason why I^sd6 was excited about the new Whedon venture is the premise. The same as Firefly^sd7.  A western. But in space. Fucking awesome idea. Dollhouse’s is _even better_

Dollhouse premise: “Ok. So there are people who get their mind wiped. And can be whatever you need them to be. For a price.”

That’s a great premise. because when you hear it you think two major 1) if you can afford to pay for this what do you really need? 2) Is this nothing more than a really great brothel? because most guys just generally want sex.

Then you want to see what Joss does with it. Ok. That’s not technically true. I think that you’d want to see how any great show runner would deal with this^sd8. Because if you had this premise, you’d want to see how they’d reconcile these things.

Whatever the reason you’d first tune into this show as a casual fan, you’dve stopped watching quickly. The first 5 or 6 episodes were pretty bad. Ok, that’s an overstatement. The first 4 were bad, 5 is where it started to be a decent show. But, where it got great was 01x08.

The title of 01x08 is “Needs”. And it is, by far, my favorite episode of Dollhouse. In fact, it may be one of my favorite hour 42ish minutes of TV ever. And I’m going to tell you why^sd9.

Needs completes a mini arch in which the Dolls are glitching. Meaning, that something in their former lives, generally, was messing up them being a doll. Like it was infiltrating the “imprints” or personalities that they were assigned to do for a particular, uh, shift.

It’s really hard doing this show without spoilers. Especially this ep. And I'm going to spoiler something after this here jump. But it’s worth it.

Anyhoo, theses glitches convince the dollhouse upper management to allow certain dolls to fulfill their needs.

To be honest, when I first watched this episode, it didn’t really register. But when I watched it a second time^sd10 I noticed what this episode was doing. Ok, well, to be honest, I guess that all the episodes were kinda doing this. But this one was the most overt.

“Needs” is showing us that even if you completely, and I mean completely, wipe someone’s mind, there are some things we don't lose. Ever. These are the things that make us human^sd11. Well, not just human. These needs make us who we are. Not us as in a group of people. But us as individuals.

What I mean is that even if my mind was wiped, my doll version would probably still show a predilection toward the internet and drinking. It’s part of who I am at my core. And that’s what this show was about. It is about who we are as people individually. And what, if anything, can take that away from us.

The song that plays during the climax of this episode is “Lonely Ghosts” by “O+S”. And, is hauntingly beautiful. Also: this week’s BSOW. I mean, I would go on about how this song is pretty much perfect and all. But I’ve gone on enough about Dollhouse. So just listen and draw your own conclusions.

O+S
Lonely Ghosts
O+S

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sd: but I bet you do now!

sd2: Something that will become more evident over the next moth or so. Probably.

sd3: Not that I do much without drinking. Well work. Most of the time. I think. I don’t know. I’m pretty drunk most of the time.

sd4: Seriously, one of the best TV shows I’ve watched in very long time the last 5 or so eps. Which is why I now think all sci fi shows need an end date

sd5: And why can’t he do more? Ok, fine. You twisted my arm. I’ll write about TV now too. Happy?

sd6: Seriously one of the best show’s I’ve ever watched. And if you’ve never seen it we probably shouldn’t be friends. Or we should, so I can show you how awesome it is. Something.

sd7: see sd4

sd8: To be honest, I didn’t know what a show runner was/did until Dutch introduced me to Firefly. But I really want to see what someone like JJ Abrams or Shawn Ryan could have done with this premise. Not that I think it would be better. But because I enjoy other things they’ve done and it would make me happy.

sd9: what? you thought I wasn't?

sd10: I’ve noticed that I typically watch everything twice. At least. Which is totally new and different for me, because I rarely watch things more than once.

sd11: Which, honestly, is what the show is about. What is human? How are we humans alike? And what makes us different? It, actually, should probably been seen as a counterpart to BSG.
 

Yeah, so. I know I haven’t been writing for a while. Sorry about that. I totally meant to start the first, but you know how that goes. Other stuff got in the way. But I’m back. Sorta. In a way. I guess.

Sometimes you get the bear and sometime the bear gets you.

Ok, I have no idea what that means. But sometimes, so-ometimes you find the YouTube of the week by accident. You are just reading along and it hits you. You see, this week (if I get this post up first), the YouTube of the Week is about hope. And triumph. And the perseverance of the human spirit. Or, its a trailer from an awesome documentary, you decide.

You see American Movie could probably be made about me. In like 5 years. This is mostly because one of my life goals is to have a documentary made about me. Because my life is awesome. But the difference between myself and Mark Borchardt is that I have many obsessions. I mean I have Ohio State Football^sd, I have cofabg, I have the Republic of Nortonia. Borchardt has a singular focus. Coven. Coven is the thing that consumes his life. I mean, I could go on about what American Movie means to me and the American dream and all of that. But I advise you go watch it. Its free on YouTube until the end of the month. Also, it is Rated R, so you need to have a Google or YouTube account to view it. But I know that Bizzo and Dutch have both of them.

Raised Glass to the Mental Floss Blog, one of my favorite blogs on the tubes.

ED NOTE: this week's BSOW is just turrable

I know I've gone on record before with this but I don't dance. Like at all^sd1. I just am too self-conscious^sd2 to even attempt to dance while sober and in front of other people. But it is important to this story. Obliquely, at least

Anyhoo, back in college, I had a crush on this girl who we'll call Serena^sd3. For like a while^sd4. In contrast to the rest of my crushes during this era^sd5, I rarely saw Serena. I mean, we had maybe a couple of classes together early, and of course in the dining halls every now and again. But she seemed like she was rarely around.

Fast Forward to 2005, after a series of (extremely unlikely events that led to me to hanging out at the Beta Acland semi-regularly^sd6. I was there one night during Senior week hanging out, and for some reason the conversation turned to Serena. It seemed as though everyone else there had the same general feeling about her: that she was comely, but unattainable. She just didn't--or wouldn't-- talk to anyone on campus. After a while, and with enormous amounts of liquid courage I^sd7 decided to go next door (which, conveniently, is where she lived) and talk to her. So we knocked on the door and her sister answered. Being that I was drunk (and that it was like 4 years ago now I don't remember what I talked with her about), I do remember that I told her who I was, and that I wanted to talk to Serena, who she said was upstairs asleep. Or something. I then told her about how I had a crush on Serena for like 3 years, yet was scared to tell her for numerous reasons^sd8. The primary one being that I was afraid she wouldn't remember me. After chatting for about 2 or 3 minutes, I turned to leave.

As I was walking back to the Acland, Serena said "I remember you Alan^sd9." So we talked for a while, I'm pretty sure I told her I had a crush on her then I left and went home or to drink more or something. Actually, the two aren't mutually exclusive. Anyhoo, the next night was "80s dance party night" and "Midnight Breakfast" . Seeing as I don't dance, I went for the breakfast option. Because bacon and hash browns are good at any time of day. But especially at like midnight. But, because I have a crippling addiction to 80s Power Pop^sd10 I went upstairs to listen for a while. And, because there wouldn't actually be a point in telling you this if it was otherwise, Serena was there. We look at each other. I went over to talk to her for a while (while, natch, this song was playing), and then I left to go play Kings.

Not the most exciting story in the world, I know, but it is the reason why this song is in my head every three months or so.

Take Me Home Tonight - Eddie Money (f. Ronnie Spector)

Eddie Money (f. Ronnie Spector)
Take Me Home Tonight
Can't Hold Back

While the Caples Bears look on in admiration

Last year, I decided to come up with resolutions for 2008. Seeing as the year is almost over, I thought it would be a good idea to revisit some of these plans, and see how well I did.^sd1

1. Win more often
Let's just say that I completed this goal. Seeing as its pretty much a standing one for me, and if I lost more often than I won this year, then I'd just be sad and depressed and do something lame like read the Book instead of going out for NYE^sd2

2. Liveblog a movie while in the theater
Sad to say, I didn't liveblog anything this year. So complete failure on this and #9

3. Go another year without watching the samizdat
SUCCESS! Unless, of course, some random Nuck grabs me off the street and forces me to watch it tonight. We'll see!

4. Claim that "This is Sparta" as often as possible.
Yeah, the appeal of doing this for me ended about January 2^nd. I'm pretty sure Bizzo still does though.

5. Nickname someone Sloopy. Tell her to hang on as much as possible.
Sadly, I didn't do this. This is definitely going on the list for next year.

6. Go to NASCAR race. Do not get lynched.
I now live closer to a NASCAR track than ever before, and didn't even watch one race this year. One. Nor did I play the video game at all. I think I'm the only one who finds this sad. The whole me not going thing. Not my NASCAR fandom. Pretty much everyone I know finds that sad.

7. Find it necessary to do the Super Bowl Shuffle while at work at least twice.
See #4. Except w/r/t the Bizzo part. The only Super Bowl dances he knows go right. Wide Right even.

...

Thank God he's in Seattle right now. And not, you know, on the way to kill me. Not to say he isn't, just that it will take him much, much longer than if he were in NYC.

8. Restart the "Tuesday Night Drinking Club".
I totally did this. And, I know what you're saying "You only had like four meetings". This is wrong I personally went to 11 meetings of the WNDC. Not my fault if other people didn't show up for 6 of them. Or 5 of them. I'm not quite sure at this point in time.

9. Liveblog both the commute to work and home on the same day
See #2

10. Purchase St. Patrick's Day Tree. Watch as Hilarity ensues.
I wanted to do this, but couldn't find the perfect tree. Plus, my problems with the St. Patrick's Day Holiday and all.

11. Learn how to play tennis.
Granted, all I really want to do is learn how to is lob really well so that I can play Eschaton. Nevertheless, I still want to do this.

12. Write an entire craigslist ad without using the letter "e".
...

Man, if you people only knew how many CL ads I wrote before deleting/burning them. And one didn't have the letter 'E'. Honest.

13. Write more parody songs.
I did write one, "Lush". I love it. So, technically, I guess I did write more than I did in 2007.

14. Find PGOAT.
Scarily, I think that I've already done this. While at fucking Kenyon. More to come. Probably via 2160 and not cofabg. And, trust me, it's totally not what you think. Because I'm almost positive that I never, ever talked about this while sober. And like only once drunk. As opposed to, you know, everything else in college.

15. Find more weird things to Liveblog.
See #2

16. Give more leeway with Rule #2 than Rule #1

Hmm. Time to come out of the basement methinks.

17. Watch my back as I walk through the garden.
mo-zilla: it might help your street side that ive always considered you more of a stringer than an avon
mo-zilla: without the looks or height of course
mo-zilla: so as long as you dont make enemies with assassins and stick-up men you'll come out of this fine
ditriech: that's because you dont see me around non-nortonians really
ditriech: im definitely more an avon
mo-zilla: i just wanted to use assassin in a sentence
mo-zilla: assassin
mo-zilla: assasin?
mo-zilla: bollocks
ditriech: assassin
mo-zilla: mmm
mo-zilla: ass
mo-zilla: ass
mo-zilla: in
mo-zilla: brb

He never did come back.

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^sd1: The original resolution will be in italics, and commentary below. Where italics were used in the original resolution, they will be bolded. (back)

^sd2: I know that before I've stated that I hate NYE and St. Patrick's day for the same reasons: The fact that it's amateur night/day and unbecoming of a drinking professional such as myself, but that's not totally true. The more I thought about it the more I realized that I don't hate NYE, I just place it in the same category as birthdays (for myself that is). Why celebrate something that happens every year? And that everyone else is celebrating? Personally, I like celebrating weird things that no one else really does. Or just getting drunk on a Wednesday Night because I want to. Not because its a special day or anything. Also, it is really fucking amateur night out there and pretty much everyone acts like a fucktard. (back)

Just so everyone knows, this is the one and only email that I actually responded too. I told her my first name. After discussing it with Dutch, referencing the appropriate Achewood first

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Hello my new foreign friend!

How are you today? How is the weather in your country?
I hope you could see all my attached picture easily and I want to tell you I would be glad to receive any pictures from you any time! But I want to warn you do not send me huge size pictures! It is hrd for me to download them! Usually I use computer at my work and we have slow internet connection via modem. So to get your picture will take a lot of time! I can't spend much time for this! I have to work. Please make your pictures little bit smaller. I hope it's not a problem for you and you can understand me. Please let me know if you understood me correctly and will try to send small pictures. It will be more easy and convenient for me. I think if size of picture will be about 200 kilobytes it will be good. I promise I will send you my pictures in my further e-mails too! By the way here is one of pictures for you too! I hope you will like this picture! Almost all my pictures were taken by my friends! Can you tell me who usually take pictures of you? As you know that I am 27 years old and my 28th birthday will come soon! My birthday is 27 January! I think I wrote you that I am pediatrist! This is my main specialty and I have studied during 6 years in medical university. I want to ask you how long people have to study in your country to get specialty? Mostly this period of studying here is 5 years. But to get some kinds of specialtys takes 6 years. Also I have diploma of interior designer. This is my second education. As you know I like art and like to draw so I decided to get this profession and sometimes I work for this profession. But when I have free time only! Mostly it's my hobby but sometimes it help me to get extra money. I like both of my professions. Can you tell me more about your profession in more details? Also I want to give you some more information about myself in this e-mail! I am single lady and have never married. I had relations with men in my past but it were not serious relations or it were not good relations. I was not lucky with men here and I don't understand why it happened? I think I will tell you about my relations some later. Of course if you want to hear about it! I have no children and have never had, but someday I would like to have them. I hope this day will come true and I will be happiest woman in the world! Now here is some personal information about me. I am 174 centimeters tall. I think it's about 5'7 inches. But I am not sure. My weight is about 56 kilograms. I think it's about 123,4 pounds. I know that you use other measurement system. We use here metric system. What kind of system do you use there? I want to tell you about my purposes in my life and close future and also about why I decide to find someone in other country. As I already wrote you before I want to find friend and want to keep in touch with him! Just some time ago( long time ago) I have started the process of getting opportunity to move to the country where you living in. I have consulted with a lot of government agents and agencyes to prepare necessary documents and to get a job of my profession there. I saved my resources and spent much time to get it and one week ago I got some information from government agency. They said I could get all documents in the middle of December! It were great news for me! I was very glad! They said that I have to come to the agency in the middle of December to get exact date when all my documents will be done and I can come to your country. Some time ago I thought it will be impossible for me but after I started to figure out about this possibility the destiny smiled to me and I think I can come to your country to work and to live there. I have never been in your country and I know no one there except for you. This is the second reason why I have decided to write you! Because I want to have a friend in the country I will come. I don't want to be alone there because I think it will be hard for me and even fearfully a little. Do you agree with me? Perhaps one day we could meet each other. But I think it's not a time to talk about it. I think we don't have to hurry. I understand that it would be great to meet you one day but right now I can't be sure that I can come. I need wait the middle of December and after I visit government agency I will know for sure. Do you think I caught the luck and can change my life or I am mistaken? Do you think these news are good and would you like to meet me one day? What do you think about it? Let me know. I am interested to hear your point of view! I hope you could learn more information about me from my e-mail. I will be happy if you will tell me about yourself like I did in this letter. I will finish my message to you and hope you will send me reply back soon! Have a nice day! See you soon!
Hope your friend Victoria(Vika):).

P.S. Tell me your real name. If you will not tell me your name I will think you are not interested in our corresponding and will stop to write you. This letter will be last message I am sending you!

Sometimes, after a day of work slash night of drinking, one comes home not really prepared, mentally or chemically, for a grueling 20 minutes (20 minutes! Who has that sort of time!) of watching water boil, adding packaged pasta, and then throwing a jar of "chemically-enhanced" pasta "sauce" on top and calling it a meal.

This post paid for by AFFECT! [American Federation Forbidding Eating Cute Things]

Copping out, as per usually. This time mostly because I'm actually working on cofabg stuff I've been meaning to do as of late. Also: I suck at life.

(12:13:37) SouljaRoyTellEm:: im about to hop over this counter and punch you in the brain
(12:13:47) SouljaRoyTellEm: i dont see why people complain about the lack of black characters in seinfeld
(12:14:20) SouljaRoyTellEm: i mean you have a driver, a pimp, the violent chick i just referenced, the exterminator, and the security guard who falls asleep on the job when given a chair
(12:14:47) ditriech: haha
(12:15:59) ditriech: there was only one black Friend
(12:16:58) SouljaRoyTellEm: there was a black friend?
(12:17:09) ditriech: Aisha Tyler^sd1
(12:17:22) ditriech: she was also on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
(12:17:32) ditriech: she was Ross's girlfriend
(12:17:33) ditriech: ...
(12:17:41) ditriech: I know way too much about that
(12:18:00) SouljaRoyTellEm: ha ha
(12:18:13) SouljaRoyTellEm: im gonna call you ibdb.com
(12:18:36) ditriech: ?
(12:21:27) SouljaRoyTellEm: internet black database.com
(12:21:35) ditriech: nice
(12:21:42) ditriech: its like kenyon writ large
(12:21:43) SouljaRoyTellEm: also actor who played chris partlow was a star wrestler in college
(12:22:01) ditriech: knew that
(12:23:24) SouljaRoyTellEm: well good then