Live Oak Times

8:41pm: Blogging Tonight's SYTYCD
First night with the top 20, haven't watched this show probably since season 2 (only really watched season 1). For no good reason, thought I'd do a little "liveblogging":

Couple 1: Hip Hop - they were really good. Choreography helped, it was great... creative and exciting. This is why this show rocks and can not be substituted with Dancing with the Stars

Couple 2: "Broadway" - Definitely one of those pieces that is out of the comfort zone for most of these dancers, but they also didn't do enough with it, attitude etc. wise... a bit going through the motion

Couple 3: Salsa - For the guy it was supposed to be his strength. They both danced technically and individually well, but I couldn't see the connection between them

Couple 4: Slow "only have eyes for you" - they were doing their thing, well matched. So far I put them number 2 behind the first couple.

Couple 5: Hip-hop Now that that ABC show is around, maybe they could just stick to hip-hop, lyrical, and a bit of latin on this show? Another entertaining dance. The judges much harsher.

Couple 6: Bollywood - Obviously out of their element, she wants to be dancing a different style, I get the feeling that mr. natural is adapting better... and whoa! actual kiss. Despite the messiness, again entertaining.

Couple 7: Foxtrot - a.k.a the potential deathtrap because not as inherently flashy as the other styles. That said, these two both had tremendous stage presence and chemistry and flow. Can't comment on the technique.

Couple 8: Jazz - another concept piece, with unergonomic fingers. With the wild set and costumes, it works - I'd be satisfied with seeing this in a professional show.

Couple 9: Lyrical - The oldest dancer in the top 20 is just a shade older than I am, and she is REALLY enjoying being on stage... they came across as more mature.

Copule 10: Samba - they look fabulous, the choreography is a bit plain for this show. The judges loved it.

Based purely on enjoyment: 1, 7, 9, 8, 10, 6, 4, ||| 5, 3, 2
Obviously, I'm vulnerable to primacy and recency effect. Overall, sooo enjoyable. Will be back next week methinks.

1:20am: Happy Thoughts
So, the rest of my week better be low on fun and high on productivity... or else.
To make it through, I'm carrying with me some happy thoughts:

Looking through an old photo album with my grandmother, with pictures from her childhood.

A partner improv in dance class that started awkward and stiff, but got better and better.

Talkin' science (as opposed to doing science)

Somebody at church bringing me many persimmons

My study break tomorrow

The continued awesomeness of the Sharks

The clock/thermometer/pencil holder that I'm now using as a toothbrush holder

Dudes night out (aka watching UFC)

8:05pm: The sunset is beautiful - biking west a few minutes after the sun goes down reveals a skyline silhouette of eucalyptus and palms.
There is so much potential in this world - so much that can be done. I hope to harness a bit of that potential - to be dislodged from the inertial reference frame of internet news and commentary.

11:52am: Coming in January: an Upgrade
Whatever your politics, I think we can all agree that come January we get a presidential upgrade.
Obama and McCain are both smarter and harder-working than Bush.
Biden is likely to do good in the VP office rather than the evil which has infected the Cheney office like it was patient zero.
Palin may have political views that I do not share in the least, but at least she's a novice to usurping executive power.

6:01pm: When the RNC comes to town, democracy (now) suffers
So unlike Denver, which was I assume had "heightened security" last week, the Twin Cities are experiencing a security crackdown that seems to have learned a trick or two from the pre-Olympics preparations in Beijing.

For more on the story, check out this eye-opening Salon article for details on military presence, the arrest of a well-known journalist, and the spinelessness of main stream media.

10:35pm: Olympics Marathon
The NBC website is a very dangerous place these days. Every olympic sport that is not being shown in prime time is viewable live - up to 4 at a time!
Come archery, table tennis, weightlifting, judo, on handball and wrestling and badminton taekwondo. Stream away stream away stream away all!
It's amazing how different this makes the olympics from four years ago when streaming video was barely functional.

4:22pm: Men's Fashion Finally Evolves!
With pleasure I direct your attention to this story on yahoo about mens' business attire.
Specifically, it talks about some places (the UN, Japan) where men are asked to dress more lightly in the summer so less air conditioning is necessary, and also about some individuals that are taking matter into their own hands (though I can't say that the suit-shorts look good).
Cranking up the AC because businessmen are wearing wool suits because of antique fashion trends in Europe always struck me as ridiculous and sad.

11:08pm: Spirit West Coast
SWC is a Christian music festival that has been going on for a while - I went to the first three 97-99 (or 00?). Anyways, I went back today for the first time since then - and was struck by some of the changes.
First off, I felt old - those who were 18 and over were primarily musicians, vendors, or parents.
Second, the clothing vendors have and haven't changed - there were still plenty of reworked corporate logos (my favorite being UFC - Ultimately for Christ), and band shirts. But there were way way more of the new style of t-shirt/hoodie company - Rock&Republic or Affliction style t-shirts... though a lot of those were highly derivative as well.
Also on the vendor front, there are now lots of Christian colleges that set up booths to recruit - the demographic certainly fits.
Lots more people were camping, many fewer were parking for the day, and apparently attendance was off ~25% from the past two (very successful) years. This was explained by lesser-known bands filling out the lineup, and naturally by people deciding they couldn't afford it this year (though apparently the "official" line was that this "so-called" recession was all devil-inspired gloomy defeatism).
The bands I saw had moved beyond the grip of praise and worship songs, but on the alternative stages at least were firmly in the grip of emo-rock. Now I like me some good emo (Yellowcard and Dashboard Confessional have some decent songs, Jimmy Eat World I'd say transcends the label) but at this point, I'm hoping for a trend towards more grown-up sounding male vocalists.
Promotion itself has changed quite a bit too. No record label had a booth. There were several radio stations (all music playing ones... the talk radio people stayed at home), and a big booth by a concert promoter. Otherwise several bands had their own booths - definitely shows the trends in the music industry in general. The big downside for me was, that there were no compilation CDs of new artists available.
Overall, this SWC wasn't even a 1/3 as good as the first couple (fewer stages, less-impressive lineup) but was still good as a cultural experience and a chance to see a few new bands at least.

10:01pm: What's the Deal with Action Movie Company Characters?
So I saw Batman yesterday, and yes it was very well made - brought to mind something that has bothered me before though. Without giving anything away, there is some indication in the movie of where the Joker gets his accomplices... but seriously the supply of tightly-disciplined, effective people willing to work for a homicidal maniac was unreal.
This seems to be an even bigger issue in all those movies where there is some secret, remote base somewhere. Did all the people who build it get killed afterwards without their families knowing where they had gone? Do so many young military men go missing that they could people these secret bases, and contentedly live underground for who knows how long, and get provisioned with no one the wiser?

2:29am: Given gas prices these days, buying an 80's Suburban a la my icon is probably now cheaper than ever.... vaguely tempting.
More importantly, go to http://www.thedailyshow.com and watch the first 5 minutes of the July 24th show -> you'll be happy you did.

10:41pm: From bobbfett
Fans of musicals, superheroes, Joss Whedon, and Neil Patrick Harris are advised to go to http://www.drhorrible.com for inexplicable hilarity.

1:01am: This Place is Ridiculous
So, even though we've had no local lightning storms, a fire still managed to start yesterday that set off 50 years' growth of chaparral on steep terrain that hasn't seen rain since basically February.
This has set off an evacuation notice for people that share my same highway exit (other side of highway) and has maintained a fire that was visible starting last night and obviously was much larger/closer this evening.
The sky was filled with smoke all during the day, ash rained down in the afternoon, and the power went out (for the whole region) from 7:30 until about 11:15. It is pretty awkward when you realize that it's dinner time, you're hungry, all the restaurants are closed, and you live in an all-electric apartment. Hello chips and salsa!
I know many people who live just blocks away from the voluntary evacuation zone. Hopefully the fire will start to move away from civilization, and we can all have a pleasant 4th.
At least the wind has been still tonight, and the stars are even visible.

8:32pm: Rebate Check Poll
Even though (liquid) assets i.e. money are by definition fungible, we often think of money that comes in being "for" something. The most obvious example of this is writing thank-you notes for birthday checks.
I've decided that today I spent my economic stimulus check (aka election year bribe). It got me 1/3 of a car maintenance bill. I know, soooo sexy.
What was the fate of your greenback goose?

3:04am: I am a bit floored by the revelation that a former middle-school classmate is now a regular on one of the big daytime soaps, among other roles. It's usually a bit of a jolt to unexpectedly run into someone you knew long ago, weirder to realize that you accidentally rented a movie that they had a starring role in, and never realized who it was. Makes me wonder what other long-lost acquaintances and classmates are up to...

1:51am: It was just a matter of time
The local expensive gas stations are now at 4.99 9/10ths for regular.
The school year is over - still waiting on my grades but considering how unpleasant the last week or so of the term was, I better get passing grades.
Glad to finally get to Yosemite, though I'd recommend to get a campsite actually in the park and/ or at least to not have sinus issues when you go (lots of elevation changes+ear=bad).
Bring on summer! I hope and trust all my summer days are full, maybe not as full as today's (early meeting, late experiments) but still motion-full. And I hope the same for you!

3:23am: The Bell Tolls for Those Who Listen
On today's homeward commute I discovered that the campus clock tower rings in every hour, including 3 am. The next 180 hours are not going to be fun.

12:25am: Today's Wildlife Espyed
The neighborhood is filled with nocturnal nightlife.
On tonight's late bike commute, I saw:
a raccoon, with very dark coloration (obviously not the famous IV albino raccoon.)
a baby skunk, which looked like there was barely enough body to keep that massive tail aloft.

9:18pm: My usual restriction justified
A few weeks back I realized I was standing next to a used bookstore, so I went in, reflexively bought a series fantasy paperback.
The other night I started reading it but restricted myself to the first few pages.
Today, annoyed by sleeping in, I started reading and didn't stop until I finished. Poof, there goes the day, a chance for a beautiful hike, to see student plays, to do homework, or what have you.
Yes, this is why I don't generally allow myself fiction.

3:23am: An issue with the west coast
Being on the west coast, when I get back from a night out and am too amped to fall asleep, there is no one awake to talk with. Unfortunately.

9:26pm: TV Related Things
Magnificent recent time sink: http://www.cbs.com
They have most of the episodes of MacGuyver, Melrose Place, even Twin Peaks

Speaking of shows no longer on the air, the networks were pretty restrained in axing shows this time around. Only two shows I watched got booted, and frankly New Amsterdam and Moonlight were doomed before their pilots aired. Both were the kind of show I tend to gravitate toward, and both were mediocre examples of the immortal-in-a-city genre.

Certainly, Monday will be overloaded with watchable stuff, and some shows got a reprieve that truly deserve to die, but overall looks like a solid fall lineup. Joss Whedon's new show will also be jammed in on Monday, but since it is being delayed to January (when there won't be new Chuck or Heroes) it should actually have a chance.

Finally, I commend http://youtube.com/user/marcosagostos for your consideration. Included is one of Rich Mullins final concerts in its entirety.

5:59pm: Wedding Opinions
I recently attended a family wedding; I love my family and weddings so needless to say I had a good time. Though I haven't been to a whole lot of weddings, from the ones I have attended here's some preferences and observations:
1. Marriage Ceremony - by itself it's very short. Music, homilies, and mass/other rituals are what push a wedding beyond the 15 minute mark. I advocate adding at least a few little things to get some value out of the whole setting. If someone is going to be giving a homily, choose them carefully (I'll forever be in disbelief of the brother of the groom quoting divorce statistics during a Catholic wedding). Plan ahead of time a way to balance up the aisles if most of the guests are for the bride or groom. If the ceremony is in danger of clocking in at 2 hours or more, that's very long.
2. Photographs - Plan ahead to try and get them done as quickly as possible. It's also nice if the photographer isn't too distracting during the service.
3. Reception - The closer it is to where the ceremony is, the better. Double bonus if transportation is provided back to where people are staying. My cardinal rule of receptions is: don't let the DJ run them. It may be tempting to have the DJ march everyone through the expected reception events, but that can suck out each wedding's unique personal style. Having beer & wine seems to be sufficient. Personally I kind of like assigned seating - lots of work to be sure but I think can also streamline things. Speeches and other activities that don't involve everyone, including the first dance, I think are best kept reasonably short.

Other opinions?

4:42pm: Things That Will Make This Academic Quarter a Challenge
1. NHL playoffs on VS.
2. longer days
3. (slightly) warmer nights
4. hot days
5. writer's strike is over
6. thinking about housing for next year
7. increased general hubbub on campus

9:08pm: So, apparently wishing two people happy birthday on Facebook in the span of 3 minutes is enough to trigger its auto-spam-prevention bot. This unpleasant little bot says "we think you're spamming. Keep it up and we'll delete your account."

12:42am: The Promise of a Mandarin-quat
Through many situations in life, events that are approached with uncertainty and apprehension seem, on the flip side, to turn out in the least surprising way. Once a possibility is foreshadowed, so often the real-life resolution is neither better nor worse than truly expected. Amid this rather blah, unpromising (for me at the moment)scene steps something that I didn't expect.
The mandarin-quat looks like a small tangerine that has somewhat of a lime shape. It has several orange-like seeds, and like the orange is somewhat segmented. The surprise turns out to be the taste. That the flesh is quite tangy, sour even, and not sweet seems wrong. The real surprise for me was the skin, which I was ready to peel off. Turns out the skin, the rind, holds the sweetness of the mandarin-quat.
Perhaps instead of looking for a rain cloud's silver lining, we can look for the mandarin-quat rind in those small things that seem at first to be purely sour.

11:08pm: A Partisan Political Post
( Cut for the election weary )