Catching Ducks

From their coverage of yesterday's game:


"The '10 rushes for 77 yards' [in the box score] doesn't accurately show just how amazing [Russell] Wilson was at times on Sunday. On the 98-yard drive to make it 20-13, Wilson scrambled for a 25 yard gain and later scrambled for 13 yards on 2nd-and-20. On 2nd-and-24, he scrambled for 11 yards, passed to [Doug] Baldwin for 10 yards, then scrambled for four yards to pick up a first down on 4th-and-3. On the 98 yard drive, Wilson picked up 53 yards on running plays that he pretty much had to make up on the spot. That's fucking amazing."

Labels: sports

Next up is another great album, "I'm Not Dead":


The totally awesome "Stupid Girls" (It's a more pop-friendly version of ani difranco's "not a pretty girl"):


(I'm so glad that I'll never fit in/that will never be me/outcasts and girls with ambition/that's what I want to see".)


The melancholy "Who Knew":




The kick ass "U + Ur Hand":




Finally, the hidden track on the album, a duet with her dad called "I Have Seen the Rain":

Labels: music

From "Foosball and Nocturnal Vigilantism" (3.09):


Britta: I'm volunteering at the animal hospital.

Troy: [excited] Animal hospital?

Abed: The animals are the patients.

Troy: [disappointed] Oh. That makes sense.

Labels: Community

From "God's Country":


state trooper thinks I drive too fast
pulled me over to tell me so
I say, out here on the prairie
any speed is too slow
I miss Brooklyn
I miss my crew
let's start over
I missed my cue
guess I forgot
who I was talking to

I should have recognized
that fierce look in his eyes
I've seen it in my mirror
so many times
he's going to put his two cents in
'cause he's got a gun
but I'm gonna put in three
'cause history owes me one

guess I came out here to see some
stuff for myself
I mean, why leave the telling
up to everybody else?
this may be god's country
but this is my country, too
move over mr. holiness
and let the little people through

thank you for serving and protecting
the likes of me
thank you for the ticket
now can I leave?
you know I have left everywhere
that I have ever been
I don't really recommend it though
not like anybody asked me

maybe you and I will meet again someday
I've been known to come down this road
maybe it is destiny
and then again
maybe not
I don't know

Labels: ani difranco

Her third album, "Try This", is my second least-favorite. If you ignore the first album as a studio-driven project, and count "Missundaztood" as her first real album, then this is her sophomore slump. A few great songs and the rest are pretty forgettable. But there are some goodies!


"God Is a DJ":




"Last To Know":




"Oh My God":

Labels: music

From The Rick Mercer Report:


"I suggest you visit the Government of Canada's website about Parliament. In fact, if you would like to see what websites looked like in 1987 -- in what you would call "the olden days" -- this is the website for you!"





p.s. I'm sooo excited that I convinced my parents to watch The Rick Mercer Report. It's such a great show, but I've never known anyone else who watches it!

Labels: history

Pink's second album, "Missundaztood", was very different than her first. And by "very different", I mean "much better". I like or love every song on that album. Here are some of my favorites:


"Just Like a Pill":




"18 Wheeler" was never released as a single, so here's a live version:




I love the video "Family Portrait" -- the concept is really interesting and the little girl actress does a good job:




Another non-single, "Numb":




Ditto, "Gone to California":

Labels: music

From episode 5, "The Shape in Grove Park":


"The Night Vale Green Market Co-op announced today that, after 15 years, they will begin selling fruits and vegetables. Green Market Board President Tristan Cortez said that recent customer surveys indicated that shoppers have grown tired of empty pick-up trucks and vacant tents lining the city hall parking lot every Sunday morning in the summer and fall. Cortez said that research indicates consumers are more likely to buy products if they are available and for sale, and that green market and grocery shoppers tend to purchase food items. Cortez said that the decision to sell food at the Green Market was a controversial one as many board members and co-op shareholders feel fruit and vegetable sales will interfere with their ongoing secretive domestic espionage operations."

Labels: Welcome to Night Vale

The CW's been doing some fun ads for the new season of Supernatural. This one is probably my favorite:

Labels: Supernatural

This one:


Me: “Thank you for calling [store] tech support. This is [my name]. How can I help you?”

Caller: “Uh, yeah. My [video game console] stopped working. Can I get it replaced free?”

Me: “When did you purchase it?”

Caller: “[Date].”

(I collect his information and locate his purchase and warranty in our database.)

Me: “You’re still within the 90 day warranty. What seems to be the problem with it?”

Caller: “We can’t put the game discs in.”

Me: “You mean some piece of the internal hardware is blocking the disc slot?”

Caller: “No. Last night we were having a party. My roommate got pretty drunk and thought the [game console] was the toaster, and he shoved a Pop-Tart in the slot. We can’t get it out.”

Me: “…You have a Pop-Tart stuck in the slot.”

Caller: “Yeah.”

Me: “I’m afraid that isn’t covered under the warranty, sir.”

Caller: “It isn’t?”

Me: “No. Only manufacturer defects are covered. Damage caused by the customer is not covered.”

Caller: “S***. I guess I don’t need to ask about the Blu-Ray player, then?”

Labels: Not Always...

Ped said he didn't know who Pink was. Herein begins your education.


Her first hit, "There You Go":




The only other good song from her debut album, "Most Girls":




Then she was part of the ensemble that did the remake of "Lady Marmalade" for the Moulin Rouge movie:

Labels: music

From their breakdown of the Seahawks/Jaguars massacre....er.... "game":


"It's not over 'til it's over, as they say. Well, this game was over in April. It sounds annoying and cocky (the latter of which is foreign to me, the former of which exemplifies me) to say something like that, but instead of going from 0-to-100, the Win Expectancy Chart for this game should have just read 'We know what's going to happen 99% of the time, and in the other one-percent, North Korea is attacking.' Basically, if the Seahawks didn't win this game, we likely had bigger fish to fry."

Labels: Seattle Seahawks

From and about last night's Storm game:


From the twitter of a neutral observer:

"You gotta have all kinds of respect for the Seattle Storm after that performance. Done, but one hell of a fight."


From the twitter of a Lynx fan:

"Lots of respect for U #StormCrazies. U all were loud on TV would have thought 10k were there."


From the twitter of a Storm fan:

"I know the Storm lost but somehow I feel ok. They exceeded my expectations, I got to say goodbye to Tina [Thompson], and the Lynx were classy winners."


And a couple from WNBAlien:

"WNBA Today, 09/23/2013: Fever and Lynx advance; Sky exit with tails between their legs, Storm and Thompson with heads held high"

[Regarding Chicago's loss to Indiana:] "But it was still sad how little Chicago stepped up when they needed to. Or how little desperation they showed in an elimination game – when we’d seen Atlanta and LA keep their seasons alive in the same situation the night before, and were about to see Seattle put up a hell of a fight."

"The first half had been a taster, but the second half confirmed exactly what kind of game this was turning out to be – an absolute war. The officials had decided at some stage to let a lot of contact go under the rim, so drawing a call or converting a layup in the paint was hard work for both teams. The Storm were playing with fantastic heart and passion, clearly not wanting their season to end."

[In Minnesota's next-to-last possession"] "[Seimone] Augustus took the ball from [Janel] McCarville on the perimeter, crossed over on [Alysha] Clark, and rose up from the elbow to knock down a jumper and re-take the lead for Minnesota with just 25 seconds left. Clark did everything she could, and had a hand up in Augustus’s face, but sometimes the offensive player just wins."

"While it ultimately ended in defeat, Seattle – and Thompson – can go out with their heads held high. This was a gritty, battling, outstanding performance against a team that’s beaten the hell out of them repeatedly this season. The Storm raised their game even further in the fourth quarter when everything was on the line, and just couldn’t quite make the final plays to pull out a win. With Sue Bird and Lauren Jackson expected to return, along with most of this squad, they could be a real threat next year. But this was the farewell for a legend of the game, and she doesn’t seem like the type to have a change of heart and put us all through this again. The Lynx have so much respect for Thompson that they asked her to take a photo with them following the game, and of course Tina happily obliged. She’ll be missed, and it’s a passing of the torch moment for this league. The last of the originals has departed for the final time, but the fight for the 2013 title goes on."

Labels: Seattle Storm

Reporting on the end of the Storm/Lynx playoff game:


After Minnesota beat the Seattle Storm 58-55 Sunday afternoon, the Lynx asked the league's all-time scoring leader [Tina Thompson] if she would honor them by posing for a team photo with them. This is not the way teams generally celebrate sweeping a first-round playoff series. But then, teams don't usually end opponent's careers that are as old as the very league in which they play.

"It was a bigger than basketball moment," Lynx forward Maya Moore said. "We have so much respect for her and we just battled it out with her. And we just wanted to get a picture. 'Hey Tina, can we get a picture?' It was really kind of childlike and beautiful. And she was great. She said, 'Go ahead and win the whole thing guys.'"

Coaches generally don't break down in tears after a victory while talking about an opposing player, either, but again, that's how important Thompson has been to the WNBA. "I'm sad to see Tina go," Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve said, choking back tears. "She's a great player. I want her to keep playing."

Well, you could have lost Sunday to extend Thompson's season at least one more game.

"I didn't feel that strongly about it -- we wanted to send her on a fishing trip," Reeve said, smiling briefly before tearing up again. "It's hard. She's been in the league a long time. A long, long time. Coaching against Tina, in Houston and L.A., I've seen a lot of Tina. So you might think these are tears of joy to see her gone, but she's special. For our league to be moving on ... it's hard."

Labels: Seattle Storm

From Field Gulls, with lots and lots of Richard Sherman gifs.

Labels: sports

From here:

Early in the season, Seattle Times columnist Jerry Brewer wrote a great piece about the blue collar attitude of [the 2013 Seattle Storm] and, whether down 30 or ahead by 1, that attitude never seemed to waver. Storm games haven't been the prettiest thing to watch in 2013 - though much better than a recent Niners game - but it was almost impossible for me not to find myself pulling just a little bit harder for this team that was laying everything out there on the line under circumstances that could have pushed them the other way.

None of this is to say that the Storm aren't talented: Tanisha Wright is one of my favorite basketball players, period. Shekinna Stricklen has taken steps toward realizing her potential this season. Camille Little remains one of the most versatile blue collar players in the league. And Temeka Johnson's forays into the paint at 5'4" have bordered on inspiring. But it's also fair to say that this unit not only exceeded expectations but is almost certainly greater than the sum of its parts, buying into the system laid out for them by coach Brian Agler and literally gutting out wins in games that the numbers suggested shouldn't even have been competitive.

The irrational fan that produced that little personal narrative wants to believe that this team can somehow rain on the Minnesota Lynx's parade to a third consecutive WNBA Finals. The realist knows that all that heart that the Storm have shown this season won't be enough to stop the juggernaut.

Labels: Seattle Storm

From "The Graduates" (3.25):


Summer: You guys ever wonder what life would be like if Atwood never came here?

Marissa: I definitely never would've talked to Seth.

Summer: Ah, hell no. Me either.

Ryan: [to Seth] See, you owe me one, buddy.

Seth: Me? Marissa would still be dating the dude who shaves his chest.

Labels: The O.C.

Seen here:


Customer: “I can’t find your elevator anywhere!”

Me: “It’s a one story building. I am afraid we don’t have one.”

Customer: “That’s horrible! My knees are so bad! I just can’t handle the stairs!”

Me: “We... don’t have stairs.”

[As I am replying, she has turned and walked away. About a week later, I get a call...]

State Employee: “I am calling to investigate a complaint we received that your store is violating ADA. Is it true you don’t have an elevator?”

Me: “Yes. I don’t have a second floor or stairs either.”

State Employee: “So, I just file this under ‘crazy’… gotcha.”

Labels: Not Always...

[h/t Deadspin]

Labels: random awesomeness

From the twitter of Jewel "Kaylee on Firefly" Staite:


"Sorry, what's your name?"
"Jewel."
"Julie?"
"Jewel."
"June?"
"JEWEL."
"Jewan?"
"Yes. Yes, my name is Jewan."

Labels: Firefly

From episode 3, "Station Management":


"Listeners, we are currently fielding numerous reports that books have stopped working. It seems that all over Night Vale, books have simply ceased functioning. The scientists are studying one of the broken books to see if they can understand just what is going on here. The exact problem is currently unclear, but some of the words being used include 'sparks', 'meat smell', 'biting', and 'lethal gas'. For your own safety, please do not attempt to open a book until we have more information on the nature and cause of these problems. The city council has released only a brief statement, indicating that their stance on books has not changed, and that -- as always -- they believe that books are dangerous and inadvisable, and should not be kept in private homes."

Labels: Welcome to Night Vale

Blackadder the Third... Hugh Laurie, Robbie Coltrane, and Rowan Atkinson:



"Every single word, sir?"

Labels: Black Adder

Richard Sherman is quickly becoming my favorite Seahawk. He talks a lot of smack -- but he does it with a smile on his face, and he backs it up with his play on the field.

In this interview he referenced the San Francisco player who did some smack-talk on Twitter:


reporter: After your pick, you were seen dancing with the Sea Gals. Are you looking for a back up career?

Richard Sherman: I was thinking, while I’m here with them, I could catch some of their dance moves and get things jumping. I’m known to get it jumping from time to time. It was an opportunity to try out. I think there was a misogynistic thing said early in the week about “She-Hawks” or something like that. I think he meant the Sea Gals. He didn’t know the name, ah, I get it.

Labels: sports

From his twitter, during tonight's Seahawks game:

"Weather delays suck. Have to try and stay focused. Getting to change into dry socks is nice though. Interesting to watch the body posture of each team coming out of the locker. Seattle looks a little more ready to go, but who knows. Likely due to the fact they know the fans are cheering them. Makes it easier to get psyched up. 49er's are kind of huddled in, enduring."


Bonus quote, from later in the game:

"Also, Sherman technically avoids an unsportsmanlike penalty for doing a 'team celebration' by dancing with the cheerleaders. Well played."

Labels: Seattle Seahawks

Tonight's Storm game was Tina Thompson's last regular-season game, the Storm organization went all out to celebrate. But one of my favorite moments was during the game. With about a minute left, Coach Agler subbed her out. Everyone started applauding .... and kept on applauding. She finally had to come out and do an "encore" wave. No one complained -- not the opposing coach, not the refs, no one. Everyone just let her have the moment.


Jayda Evans:

"No delay of gm at 1:16 mark Sat. KeyArena on feet 5min give [Tina Thompson] ovation for 17yr career. SEA won 85-73. TinaMarie 22p 8r"


Richard Cohen:

"That was nice. Everyone saying thankyou to TT. Even a handshake from the ref, for crying out loud :)."

Labels: Seattle Storm

I love, love, love The Rick Mercer Report. This is a great segment:

Labels: Rick Mercer

From their recap of the Battlestar Galactica Episode "The Eye of Jupiter":


"[They find] the Temple of, [which] is supposed to be home to the Eye of Jupiter, a mysterious artifact that will point the way to Earth. Hallelujah! Except then the Cylons, who as of last episode have also been looking for the Eye of Jupiter, show up too. Instead of immediately blowing the Galactica up they ask permission to send a group of envoys on board. No biggie. They’re just going to shoot the breeze, catch up on gossip, talk about genocide. You know. Normal stuff."

Labels: Battlestar Galactica

Full post here:


Customer: “What kind of meat comes on the vegetarian sub?”

Employee: “Uh… the vegetarian sub doesn’t have any meat on it, ma’am. That’s why it’s called the vegetarian sub.”

Customer: “Well, that sounds bland and boring as h***. Who the h*** would eat that?”

Employee: “A vegetarian?”

Customer: “Well I’m a vegetarian, and I wouldn’t eat a sub with no meat on it!”

Employee: “Uh… how can you be a vegetarian if you eat meat, ma’am?”

Customer: “Huh? What are you talking about?”

Employee: “Vegetarians are people who don’t eat meat.”

Customer: *snorts* “No they’re not, you idiot! A vegetarian is just someone who likes vegetables! It doesn’t mean you can’t eat meat too!”

Employee: “I’m pretty sure it means someone who ONLY eats vegetables, ma’am.”

Customer: “Whatever. I’m never eating here again. If you’re too f****** stupid to understand what a vegetarian is, you’d probably screw up my sandwich anyway!” *storms out*

Labels: Not Always...

As always, from her twitter:


Lady at the fair : "I see you on TV, making those announcements." #ExactLanguageOnMyResume

Labels: random awesomeness

From the American Masters "Billie Jean King" episode:


[In] fifth grade one day, Susan Williams is sitting next to me, and she looks over to me and she goes, "Do you want to play tennis?"

And I look at her and go, "What's tennis?"

She said, "You get to run, jump, and hit a ball."

I said, "Oh! I'll try that. Those are my three most favorite things."

Labels: sports

From WNBAlien, discussing a New York vs Phoenix game in July:


"After coming off the bench in the first half, Plenette Pierson started the second half for New York. She didn’t look back to full speed after re-injuring her right knee recently, but she’s always been the kind of player who’ll give you everything she’s got – however much that might be. And when you’re a power forward in the Eastern Conference, you only get two chances to face Candice Dupree’s defense each season – it’d be a shame to miss them."

Labels: WNBA

So, I took this dialect quiz and.... I'm from the midwest, apparently.



Most similar cities: Des Moines (IA), Wichita (KS), Louisville (KY), Cedar Rapids (IA), and Tulsa (OK).

Huh. I've been to Des Moines, but other than that I've never even been to those cities!

What was most annoying/confusing, though, was the last question:


What do you call an easy course?
- other
- bird
- gut
- crypt course
- blow-off
- crip course
- meat

On some of the other questions they would give an option of "I don't have a word for this concept", but on this one they didn't. Am I being dense? What on earth is an "easy course"? Does anyone here in western Washington use this phrase/concept? Help!!

Labels: grammar

I discovered a great new website: Not Always Right:


Me: “Thank you for calling [airline]; this is [my name]. How can I help you?”

Caller: “Yeah, I want to book a flight from here to Los Angeles.”

Me: “Okay, what city are you departing from?”

Caller: “I want to go to Los Angeles.”

Me: “From where?”

Caller: “From here.”

Me: “What city are you in?”

Caller: “The same as you.”

Me: “I’m in Baltimore, Maryland. Is that where you are?”

Caller: “No. Can’t you tell from my phone number?”

Me: “We have no way of knowing where you’re calling from. If you tell me what city you’d like to depart from, I can look up the flights for you.”

Caller: “Well if you don’t know where I am, what good are you?” *click*

Labels: Not Always...

From his twitter, a quote that kept floating through my head during tonight's game:


"Ooh, Lindsey Moore getting Q1 minutes. Hey Connecticut, that's a dis."


[We lost, but at least Lindsey Moore didn't come into the game until the waning minutes of the fourth quarter. Much more respectable!]

Labels: Seattle Storm, WNBA

Mark Sheppard makes everything more fun.

Labels: White Collar

From "The Play's The Thing" (4.17):


[Gabrielle is casting her play and is thrilled when Dustinus, a centaur, tries out for a part.]

Dustinus: Oh, by the way, I do not play quadrupeds. Make sure the role reflects that.

Gabrielle: What?

Dustinus: I do not play four-legged creatures.

Gabrielle: But you're a centaur.

Dustinus: I am An Actor. I refuse to limit myself.

Labels: Xena

I found it in this gif set, but I'm pretty sure it's from the pilot:


[Veronica sits down at the same table as Wallace in the school cafeteria.]

Wallace: Girl, you should hear what people say about you.

Veronica: So then what are you doing sitting here?

Wallace: You sat next to me!

Veronica: This is my table.

Wallace: And what a fine table it is. What do you suppose this is made of? Oak?

Veronica: Look, if people are saying such awful things...

Wallace: Well, I figure I've got a choice. I can either go hang out with the punks who laughed at me and took pictures while I was taped to that flag pole, or I can hang out with the chick who cut me down.


And that, folks, is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Labels: Veronica Mars

I finally got around to watching Orphan Black. Probably the best new show (certainly the best "genre" show) I've seen in ages.

Labels: Orphan Black

From her twitter:


"In my Fall classes: 6 Emmas; 5 Sophies. Just in case you wanted to know what Gen X named their babies."

Labels: Anne Helen Petersen

From episode 2, "Glow Cloud":


"And now, the news. Have any of our listeners seen the glowing cloud that has been moving in from the west? Well, John Peters -- you know, the farmer? -- he saw it over the western ridge this morning. Said he would have thought it was the setting sun, if it wasn't for the time of day. Apparently, the cloud glows in a variety of colors, perhaps changing from observer to observer. Although all report a low whistling when it draws near. One death has already been attributed to the glow cloud. But listen, it's probably nothing. If we had to shut down the town for every mysterious event that at least one death could be attributed to, we'd never have time to do anything, right? That's what the sheriff's secret police are saying, and I agree. Although, I would not go so far as to endorse their suggestion to 'run directly at the cloud, shrieking and waving your arms, just to see what it does.'"

Labels: Welcome to Night Vale

Seen here:


the year is 2025

scientists are still scrambling to figure out what “zigazig ahh” is so that they can give the spice girls what they really really want

the spice girls are getting impatient

war is upon us

Labels: random weirdness

From "iReunite with Missy" (2.19):


Freddie: Woah -- you look horrible.

Sam: I'm sick. I feel like butt. Remember that time you dared me to lick the swing set?

Freddie: No, I said "Sam, don't lick the swingset," and then you said "Don't tell me what to do, Benson," and then you licked the swingset.

Sam: Whatever. I'm even sicker now then I was then.

Labels: iCarly