29 December 2006

My Friend in the New James Bond Flick

My friend Michael Cella has a cameo in the new James Bond flick Casino Royale. Mike (on the right) runs the Globe Cafe & Bookstore here in Prague. On Christmas Day, he talked with my mom when my family called me, as he and I were at a shindig along the river where about 20 expats were hosted by a most-generous Brit & Swede couple.


Quote For the New Year

"Every great advance in natural knowledge has involved the absolute rejection of authority."

~Thomas H. Huxley (1825 - 1895)

24 December 2006

Cyberhugs For Annie Wilkins!

My best new Prague friend Robbie Wilkins is a documentary filmmaker and a typical posterchild for the 'Creative Class'. We observe, think, dream, plan, analyze, and create together, shaping history with every breath. Prior to coming to Prague, Robbie intended to move to... Portland. But since I was leaving Portland to come here, he must have sensed a flux in the universe and came to Prague to prepare for my arrival instead (a rather self-centered perspective, but nonetheless true to my perception).

So this gets better... Robbie's sister Annie is moving to Portland. Here is Annie's blog - and though I've not met her, her editorial blog-eye suggests she's every bit as dynamic a soul as her brother. Please, Portland friends, welcome Annie Wilkins to our fair city on the Left Coast (the American city that tries harder than any other to be 'European' - and almost succeeds).

22 December 2006

T-Shirt Haiku

Saw this on a t-shirt @ www.threadless.com and loved it!

Haikus are easy
But sometimes they don't make sense
Refridgerator

14 December 2006

Self-Inflicted Euro Haircut - Part Deux

Well I told you they were coming, so here they are - pics of my first ever self-inflicted haircut (unless Mom remembers another time when I was a wee lad?). Anyway, this was a huge milestone for me, letting go my desire for a 'professional' and simply trusting in my own perfectionist tendencies. And I saved a few bucks along the way.









The tools... small pair of dull scissors, which I could barely fit my fingers into... small mirror, about 2"x3"... and a rubber band off some vegetables (I don't remember what kind).







The remnants of my wooly winter fluff.
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The results (after an hour or so): Voila! Euro Haircuts rock! Please note that it looked much better after a wash, and looks great now since it's got its curl back.


Thank you for your fascination.

11 December 2006

Genius: Do You Know Who I Am?

I can only hope I will be this clever if ever in a similar situation:

What I Need(ed) For Christmas
(17+ Years Ago)

The alarm clock that runs away and hides when you don't wake up. Clocky gives you one chance to get up. But if you snooze, Clocky will jump off of your nightstand and wheel around your room looking for a place to hide. Clocky is kind of like a misbehaving pet, only he will get up at the right time. Read more...

I know, it may sound crazy, but when I was in high school I would set anywhere from 3-5 alarm clocks all around the room - electric, battery, wind-up, it didn't matter... I'd either sleep through them or get up in my sleep and turn them off. Typically, my waking up required my grandma or my sister shaking me until I came to.

To be fair, I wasn't lazy - I simply rarely got sleep. Living on a hobby-farm meant routine phonecalls from neighbors telling us our cows had gotten through our shabby fences and were in the middle of the road... so I'd often get up at 3:30am (or whenever), round up the cows with a flashlight, 'repair' the fence with bailing twine (or wire), and then go back to bed for an hour or two before school.

And my teachers wondered why I slept through classes...

08 December 2006

Self-Inflicted Euro Haircut

Last night I cut my own hair. I look more 'European' now (no, it's not a Euro-mullet, but it was at one point - til I fixed it). Photos will follow in a few days.

04 December 2006

Murrican Haiku

Expat damsels
crochet cuz they have to
- th'accordion's that intense

~written at Globe Bookstore & Cafe, during Pavel Brycz's reading from his book I, City (Twisted Spoon Press).