iPhone wishlist, as typed on the iPhone

So far, no buyer's remorse.
here's what I'd like to see added to it:
games
chat
custom color schemes

And for myself, better dexterity.

I'm still finding features that just amaze me.

Imagine the coolest thing ever

And then forget it because you can't imagine how cool the iPhone is. Really.

Laurel's Crash Course on Literature

I can't call it the best books ever, because there are still plenty of great books I've not gotten around to reading.
This is in response to Dave's list, which can be read here.

In alphabetical order:

American Psycho, Bret Easton Ellis
Laurel's notes: I love the 80s.
Why it is great: You could almost see this happening in real life. Who doesn't love this 80s?
Why you'll have a hard time with it: B.E.E. loves lists, you may not. Chainsaws and sex don't mix.
Why pick this over Less than Zero? In that case, the movie was actually better than the book.

Me Talk Pretty Some Day, David Sedaris
Laurel's notes: can't talk, still laughing
Why it is great: The Easter story
Why you'll have a hard time with it: you won't
Why pick this over Naked? even funnier

A Prayer for Owen Meany, John Irving
Laurel's notes: had a better story than The World According to Garp, though Garp had a better narrative.
Why it is great: the end is incredibly moving, YOU CAN HEAR OWEN IN YOUR HEAD WHEN HE SPEAKS
Why you'll have a hard time with it: I don't think anyone would have a hard time with this one.
Why pick this over The Cider House Rules? They're both really good, but character development is slightly better in Owen Meany.

The Secret History, Donna Tartt
Laurel's notes: the original art direction for the hardcover of this book was incredible.
Why it is great: a book can be a page-turner without catering to the lowest common denominator crowd (did you hear me, Dan Brown?)
Why you'll have a hard time with it: privileged college students in the Northeast are not especially sympathetic characters sometimes.
Why pick this over The Little Friend? Donna Tartt's next book to come out took so long to finish that apparently the folks at Random House were afraid to edit it.

The Stand, Stephen King
Laurel's notes: the post-apocolyptic novel by which all other post-apocolyptic novels/TV shows are judged. Read the short version first if it's still in print, save the unabridged for later.
Why it's great: I don't know, but it is
Why you'll have a hard time with it: do you REALLY want to be seen picking up a Stephen King book that's not The Dark Tower?
Why pick this over The Dark Tower: it's all contained in one book as opposed to a series.
Why pick this over Cormac McCarthy's The Road: not an Oprah pick

The Stranger, Albert Camus
Laurel's notes: I don't think you can consider yourself educated until you've read this. Is actually really easy to read in the original French.
Why it is great: seminal work of Existentialism but still a good story
Why you'll have a hard time with it: Existentialism is not exactly a cheery way of thinking
Why pick this over No Exit? Good question. It's not like either is particularly lengthy.

The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Haruki Murakami
Laurel's notes: More people should read international fiction
Why it's great: This book has it all.
Why you'll have a hard time with it: you won't
Why pick this over something by Kenzaburo Oë? I don't know, I've never read him, though he did win the Nobel Prize for Literature

Something to listen to

I never listen to KUOW's Weekday in the mornings - Dave and I always switch to Sirius after NPRs 9AM newcast if we're even in the car at 9. But yesterday traffic was brutal and I caught a Friday segment where a local 4-star chef tells listeners what to make from the leftovers in their refrigerators. It was hilarious, and also makes me want to eat at Rover's.

Link for the iTunes-enabled: phobos.apple.com.

Link for the iTunes-challenged:
kuow.org.

My father is now blogging

Read about it at http://joe-joeksblog.blogspot.com/.

Thank you, Gas Fairy!

Both my car and scooter were full of gas this morning! Thanks, Gas Fairy!

Guess it's the Vespa tomorrow

Yesterday when I was driving home the gas light came on in the Volkswagen. So today I took the Aprilia in to work. Well, the gas light came on on it on the way tonight.

I wish there was a gas fairy that would visit your garage at night to keep your tanks full.

SimLaurel and SimDave

For whatever reason, I've picked up my old Sims 2 game lately. So here's what's going on with the SimStewarts.
SimDave is working as a sports mascot. This works out well because the job starts at 3pm. I was having trouble getting SimDave out of bed to work with his previous jobs - gas station attendant and golf caddy. SimDave's goals are to keep buying more things even though 1) he already has these things and 2) the SimHouse isn't big enough to contain any more stuff. Let to his own devices, SimDave likes to paint and has been known to take off his clothes in the kitchen.
SimLaurel doesn't seem to be interested in having a job, but she is quite the bookworm. At first, SimLaurel spent a lot of time on the phone with the fire department because every time she tried to cook something she would set a fire, but now she's doing much better. Too bad all SimDave wants to eat is sandwiches and mac and cheese. SimLaurel's goals are to see a ghost and to be saved from death.
Oh and I used the Simolian cheat to make sure the SimStewarts are independently wealthy.

Welcome back and random thoughts

It actually doesn't suck to be a Mariners fan this season!
Jericho got uncanceled! This show started off really bad, but it turned out kind of good.
Veronica Mars stayed canceled. As well it should. This season was.... not so good.
That's about it really.