Home of the Soul Cookie

Happy Birthday, Noelle.

It’s your birthday!
Go Alex!
It’s your birthday!

Happy Birthday, Steve!

I’m going to Disneyland this weekend, and the one ride I must go on is the newly-reopened Space Mountain.

So imagine my surprise to learn about — and then to watch — a Space Mountain simulation video! I think it’s the new track layout, though that might just be an artifact of a mis-sync between the soundtrack I know and the on-screen movement.

We’ll see, come Saturday.

I’ve got a couple of photos up on Flickr of my Extreme Makeover: Goth Edition.

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When/if I get any pics of my “Drac attack!” costume, I’ll let you know.

It’s been a pretty fun Halloween season so far.

Went to Nate and Crista’s “5th Annual Night of Debauchery Halloween Party” on Saturday night. I was hard-pressed to think of some sort of follow up to last year’s costume that also fit in with the theme set for this year’s bacchanalia:

“Hollywood Horror”
Come as a character from your (or someone else’s) favorite horror flick or as a celebrity who has met an untimely (and even better, brutal/grizzly/horror-filled…. muah ah ah ah) end.

After too much time spent in indecision, I finally settled on going as Dracula. (Thanks for the “well, duh!” nudge, Valli!) So I gathered the pieces for my on-the-cheap costume — white shirt and black slacks I already had, plus a “Dracula medallion” on a red ribbon and a long polyester cape.

And the fangs.

Now, mind you, I didn’t spend a lot of money on my costume, but I did splurge just a little on the fangs to get non-cheesy ones that wouldn’t need to be trashed immediately after Halloween. One of the selling points of these fangs — the most expensive part of my costume — was that their wearers could mix a binary compound (a powder and some sort of liquid) into a mold that would customize their fit.

My fangs, however, had a powder and a small capsule that may have, at one time, contained a liquid, but which now contained something the consistency of superglue that’s been left out in 100+ degree weather to dry and solidify.

So at the time I’d wanted to leave for the party, I’m instead at Safeway picking up (wait for it) a tube of Fixodent with which to temporarily attach my fangs.

Eww.

But at least it let me keep the fangs in for a little while, until I grew so tired of talking like Mushmouth that I exiled them to an Advil bottle-cum-carrying case.

The party itself was quite fun, and there were some really cool costumes — Nate’s Chucky costume was probably my fave of the bunch.

Today, I’ve dressed up as a goth boi for the Halloween festivities at work. Apparently I make quite the imposing Dark One, ’cause I won the “scariest costume” award for our floor’s costume contest. I’ll see if I can get some pics to post.

I got summoned to jury duty this week, and each evening I’ve gone to the jury commission’s website with a twinge of dread that my jury pool number would be ordered to report.

Well, last night, group 615 — my group — got the call.

So I worked from home this morning and made the trek down to the courthouse.

It’s not located in Cracksville by any means, but I did have more than one homeless guy urban survivalist badger me for spare change.

Once at the courthouse, I got to stand in a security queue (bag searches, metal detectors) that, I swear, rivaled some of the TSA’s finest examples of inefficiency.

Some time later — hours or epochs (or, okay, minutes) I cannot say — I made my way to Room 307, the Jury Assembly Room. Give me your tired, huddled masses and I’ll do you one better by adding bored to the mix.

Some random employee (she said her name, but none of us moved to write it down; it’s not like she’s gonna get on our Christmas card lists) came in and explained what the jury selection process would look like, what our obligations would be if we were picked, et cetera.

And then she played the video.

You know the one: California is the greatest state in the union; it’s our civic duty — nay, privilege! — to bring meaning to the entire justice system as jurors; many people who’ve served on juries have enjoyed the experience so much that they keep in touch with their fellow jurors; yadda yadda yadda.

I should point out that I don’t inherently disagree with the “civic duty” part. Hell, I think a real trial could be interesting to compare to Mock Trial and far too many seasons of the Law & Order family of shows.

But that doesn’t mean I’m not gonna ridicule the process of The Process. And here’s where that ridicule comes in handy:

After summoning us, preaching to us (in their completely secular way, of course), and making us wait (and wait), they announce that both of the courtrooms that might’ve needed our presence are not, in fact, ready for us.

And so: “Jurors dismissed; you don’t have to come back for twelve months.”

I’m proud to have done my civic duty. It gave me a great opportunity to catch up on some homework be a key part of the American legal system.

I figured I’d pass on this email I just got from the Rock the Vote people:

TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO REGISTER TO VOTE FOR THE CALIFORNIA ELECTION ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2005.

California will have a statewide special election on November 8, 2005 to consider eight propositions that would change state laws. Some counties may also have elections that day for local candidates and local ballot measures. Shouldn’t you have a say on these issues?

Visit action.rockthevote.org/ctt.asp?u=1638343&l=7584 and use our online voter registration tool to fill out your voter registration form. All you will have to do is fill it out, print it, sign it and mail it, postmarked today, October 24, 2005.

To learn more about the propositions or for the easy voter guide, go to action.rockthevote.org/ctt.asp?u=1638343&l=7585

Not sure if you’re registered to vote? Just fill out the quick and easy form on action.rockthevote.org/ctt.asp?u=1638343&l=7586 and then get it in the mail today!

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD. REGISTER AND ROCK THE VOTE.

Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to you.
Happy birthday, dear Amber,
Happy birthday to you!