Hot list

Some random stuff that's kept me entertained this month...


Iron & Wine • Shepherd's Dog
Latest I&W CD is a little more upbeat than his previous efforts. Voice not as breathy as usual, which is a huge plus to me.


Deadwood, Season 2
I promise that this is the last HBO show I'm going to be obsessed with. No, really. Amazing cast, great setting, smart plots. Who doesn't love a little annexation drama in the ollllld west...


Subaru Impreza
My rental car for the past couple of days, even though in the "budget" range, still blows the paint of my poor, old Suzuki Esteem (which is in the shop (sigh) yet again).


TiVoing Ken Burns' 'The War'
I'm sure I'll have seven free hours in the near future.


WPMF 2007
A day show during Midpoint featuring some of the festival's best performers (and a couple great bands that aren't even playing MP).

Filling cavities
Getting my second tooth filled today. I'm an old pro now!

You made a difference.

Thanks to everyone who pushed to make the crazy delicious Mr. Pibb the official beverage of Ronsonville. It was really no contest, though Cranstastic things and Tang made it a close race. I really can't imagine all those poor Ronsonvillians downing Tang. More Ronsonville resolutions to reach poll status soon, so stay tuned...

Back from the beach

Hey, everyone! Just got back from Virginia Beach. It was a good break. We also took a little side trip to historic Williamsburg. Here are a few random highlights from the trip:


Kari as a patriotic cartographer.

They just had these giant beach balls out for enjoyment. They were a whole lotta of fun.

Kari hangs out at a scenic overlook in West Virginia.

Some sheep. They were in Williamsburg, so I'm sure they had some sort of historical significance.
On the way home from the trip. Just one of the many pictures I have of me slouching and drinking coffee in front of mountains...

Emmy shock

Well, one Emmy shock. I'll spare my usual rant on the Emmys to let you know one thing: Amidst the predictable award-dispensing (The Sorpranos, America "Ugly Betty" Ferrera, James Spader - btw, I like James Spader, but I didn't even realize Boston Legal was still on the air), 30 Rock came out of nowhere to when Best Comedy Series. And I actually agreed. Our "Office Watching Party" definitely became an "Office/30 Rock Party" by mid-season, and of TV I watched this year, it was the most consistent, funniest show. So, cheers to them. In her acceptance speech, Tina Fey thanked the "dozens and dozens of viewers" and I was actually a little excited to count myself in that group.

The rest of the Emmys were pretty blah. The parts I watched anyway. Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert handing Best Comedy Actor to Steve Carell was pretty funny though.

Still time to vote!

This is big. YOU can make a difference. The Official Beverage of Ronsonville™ hangs in the balance -- currently a three-way tie. So please, get out there and vote. Below are some of the delicious candidates for your consideration. Thanks. And good luck.

Playlist September

September = Fall = Changes. Aplenty.

Here's what I've been listening to. Indie rock hit a peak this summer (Spoon, Interpol, Ted Leo, The White Stripes, Art Brut), so this fall I'm shifting to a lot of hip hop and random insanity:

UGK - Underground Kingz. This is my first non-Atlanta Southern rap CD (mostly I'm an East Coast hip hop snob). But I like the Outkast collab (Int'l Players' Anthem) and there's a lot of other crossover potential. Sure, it's a little long at over two hours (one trimmed-up disc would've been fine with me) and some questionable lyrics, but overall a solid listen. I was a little surprised.

Junior Senior - Hey Hey My My Yo Yo. Actually, this was disc originally released in 2005, finally released stateside with a bonus EP. Much like UGK, there are some solid songs on here (Can I Get Get, Hip Hop A Lula, Itch U Can't Skratch), but definitely some places where I skip around a bit. Good stuff, especially taken with a grain of salt...

M.I.A. - Kala. This disc is amazing. Arular had a few good songs, but Kala is much more focused, entertaining and solid. This one will definitely end up on my "best of the year" list.

Dungen - Tio Bitar. The most "rock-ish" thing I'm listening to is this follow-up to another in the latest of Sweden's finest imports. Most would likely claim that Ta Det Lugnt is the way to go for this band, but I'm a big fan of their latest, which introduces strings and is a little more laidback than that CD.

Talib Kweli - Eardrum. The latest album to enter my rotation is smart East Coast rapper Talib Kweli. When I heard it initially, I wasn't really blown away, but since I picked it up for 3 bucks at a book sale, I've been able to get into a lot more. I'd throw it in the top hip hop CDs of the year along with Pharoahe Monch's Desire and Common's Finding Forever. Hopefully Kanye's new disc (out next week) will make its way into this list as well...

Hard Times in Ronsonville

Within the week, I found out about the cavity thing, got a parking ticket (for $25 bucks) and discovered I had a flat tire. I'll be spending the rest of Labor Day weekend standing very still in a safe corner of my apartment. Wish me luck!

End of an era

Stock illustration of Mr. FunTooth
Artist Unknown

TWO cavities. First ever. The dentist couldn't have been nicer, but I was crushed nonetheless. Guess I'm getting them filled (that's what they call it, right) later this month. Should have some fun stories then...