Hurricane Season

Okay, I feel like a jerk. And here's why.

I'm moving next week. For the first time in 13 years the Clown is packing his bags and going to a new residence. I'm moving from the suburban hell of Webster, TX to the hip, trendy urban midtown area of Houston (by definition, I think, the place becomes no longer trendy when I move there).

The problem is this, something known as Hurricane Dean which is bearing down on the Lesser Antilles as we speak. Now, I'm set to move at the end of next week, and, according to these models, by the time I move, Dean will have either wiped out the Yucatan Peninsula and will have slammed into the upper coast of Mexico. Or it will be destroying New Orleans. Or it will be have just finished turning Houston into New Orleans.

I live in a hurricane evacuation zone. So, if something about a Category Two comes through, my present apartment complex is probably wiped away by the storm surge. I don't want this to happen. I want to make my move -- the midtown area is not in the storm surge area, so there shouldn't be flood issues, just the no power for weeks on end issue.

So, I want to get to moved into my new place. I want to unpack. To relax a bit. I want Dean to wipe out Mexico. It's nothing against Mexico, or the people there, I'm just being a selfish prick, and this is really eating at me right now.

For what it's worth, I'm going to try in the morning to see if the new place will let me move in early, like 4-5 days early. And I doubt I can get the utilities hooked up in time -- these people work on schedules and I'll probably be screwing with that too much, especially with a major hurricane bearing down on the city, but I just kind of want to get my stuff moved to safety -- I can stay at various other places in the city with friends who will may have utilities...

And you guys just don't care. But I'm feeling like a prick for wanting this thing to go into Mexico for my comfort.

Oh, and for any who care, Tropical Storm Erin came into Texas today. This is how accurate the modeling is on these things. It was going to come in around Corpus, and Houston was going to get about 1-3 inches of rain. There was a possibility of flash flooding associated with the storm, but this was to be to the counties and cities south of Houston.

Well, Houston got 1-3 inches alright, between the hour of 9-10 a.m. There were 8 inches of rain on the edges of downtown Houston today, and there was lots and lots of flooding.

And you're bored, so I'll let you guys go on with your lives. Just giving everyone an update.

Later.

God Is Their Co-Pilot

Well, the Astros really suck this season. But it looks like they've found a solution to that suckiness. Saturday is Faith and Family Night at Minute Maid Park. There will be lots of Christian speechifying, Lance Berkman's going to give his testimony then the team's going to go out and lay down a Christian whipping on the Milwaukee Brewers.

The thing is, this appears to be a Christian-only function. The Astros seem to believe that Christians are the only people that have families, or faith.

I don't care, but it bugs me that jocks seem to think that God really gives a damn about each movement. Like it's God's doing that they got a bloop single. Do people really think that God, if He/She exists, really spends time manipulating the happenings on the ball field. And what if the pitcher prays just as much as the batter -- how does God decide who to bless?

Oh well, I don't think it's going to help the Astros any. Not unless God puts on the spikes and joins the starting rotation.

What I'm Listening To, Again

Well, it’s been awhile, so here’s the latest edition of what happens when I hit the shuffle button on my iPod.

1. “Undone (The Sweater Song)” from Weezer. I love this song. This song rocks. There’s a very good video from Spike Jonez shot in slow motion of the band performing the song before a blue backdrop. It doesn’t sound like much, but it works. “Watch me unravel/I’ll soon be naked/lying on the floor/lying on the floor/I’ve come undone.” I always thought that this would be a perfect song for a strip club, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard it played. Then again, I’m not always listening to the music when I’m at a strip club.

2. “Malibu” from Hole’s Celebrity Skin. This is probably Hole’s most commercial, slickest-ever song and it was co-written by Billy Corgan. I think this was the last time Courtney Love was ever in control of anything.

3. “…Baby One More Time” from Britney Spears. Yeah, I’ve got some Britney on my iPod. She must be following the Courtney Love career plan.

4. “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” by Blue Oyster Cult. Cool song. I never really noticed it until I read Stephen King’s The Stand. He quotes the song several times.

5. “I’m Not Like Everybody Else,” by The Kinks. One of my favorite bands. EVER. And this is a very underrated song that doesn’t get much radio airplay. And thankfully, Van Halen didn’t try and ruin this song.

6. “Dreaming” from Blondie. Hot woman. Hot band. Hot song. I like the drum work on this song.

7. “A Life of Illusion” from Joe Walsh. Sometimes, I too can’t help but feeling that I’m living a life of illusion.

8. “Anybody Seen My Baby,” by the Rolling Stones. I don’t like much of the Stones output over the past 20 years. But I’ve got to admit to liking this song. And the video with Angelina Jolie walking the streets of New York in a fur coat and lingerie is also good.

9. “Turn To You,” by The Go-Go’s off of Talk Show. This was the band at its best. This was also the band as it was falling apart.

10. “Somewhere I Belong” by Linkin Park. Heavy metal-rap. Not bad.

11. “Synchronicity II” from The Police. I was afraid Sting would ruin this when the band did it in concert. Happily, I was wrong.

12. “Live Forever” by Oasis. I remember people comparing this band to The Kinks and The Beatles. The band was good. But not that good.

13. “Polyester Bride” from Liz Phair. Very hot woman trying to grow up. This was her mature song off of her mature album. Her next album would be the commercial album.

14. “Tusk” from Fleetwood Mac. I saw Lindsay Buckingham perform this back in January. Just him and the three guys backing him. I didn’t think it could be pulled off. But he did.

15. “I Got You” by the Split Enz. This band would split up and some of its members would go on to form Crowded House, one of my favorite bands. And this is a good song.

And that’s it for this week.

Question of the Month

So, do any of you ever wonder if Ben Affleck looks at Matt Damon's career and goes: that should've been me?

Just curious.

I'm Still Standing

Hey, sorry I haven't written lately. I've got a bunch of excuses. But whether you guys will go for any of it is a different matter.

Excuse One: I've been busy with work. Trust me, I have.

Excuse Two: I've been busy with the blogging over at the Houston Press Sports Blog.

Excuse Three: I'm moving in about two weeks, and I've been really, really busy packing.

Excuse Four: I've been busy dealing with my Dad. He's better, and the situation's somewhat better. But it's still time consuming.

I'll try to get back to regular posting come September.

And please forgive me.