ms pac-man

I've been obsessed with the arcade version of Ms. Pac-Man for most of my life. Many after-school afternoons since the age of maybe 8 were spent at the 7-11 or the lobby of a nearby mini-mall plugging quarters into these machines. I also enjoyed the table-top version that you'd occasionally see at a bowling alley, bar (like Lakeside Lounge, but I haven't been there in years) or bowling alley bar. The bar where I play bocce recently added a Ms. Pac-Man much to my delight. This particular machine is rickety, the joystick is loose and the speeds are off. Still, a visit hasn't passed where I haven't fed the machine. Often, I opt for two player mode with Senor Plus Minuses. I'd say our skill level is fairly even, though he's gotten the higher score most of the time during our head to head matches. We've both been gunning for the high score and have had some near misses. It's not even that great a high score, but it's been untouched for a number of weeks. Last night I made the prediction that one of us had the high score in us and what do you know, I cracked it! Just barely, but it's still the new high score. I hope it lasts for a couple weeks!

pictures from cannes

La plage




Les chiens

This little guy was at the market.


This one was called Molly and taking charge on the Rue, St. Antoine in the old town.


D'avignon radishes at a cute little market in the square near the Cannes 'Eveil cafe


The Croisette at night.


DMR's secret French life: real estate mogul


I loved these dog stands. Little bags are provided for your convenience and the sign reads something like, "for the love of dogs, for the love of clean sidewalks."

facebook

i finally caved in and re-enaged.

hand jobs on the work room wall

my work recently moved to a new building. we still have cubes, but the space is a lot more raw with exposed brick and a ceiling unblemished by any of those horrible chipboard panels. i'm excited because i now actually have a desk with file cabinets that i'm able to use. previously i sat at a set-up that can be compared to a sheet of plyboard set atop two cinder blocks. the framed artwork that adorned the walls at the old office are slowly starting to show up again but they have to share space with doodles from crazy talented illustrator/typographer Michael Perry. some of my favorites:


this l'il toasty guy greets you when you're at the kitchen sink.


a few feet away are some condiment critters.


this wall is right by the area i sit.

you cannes do it, too!

bonjour des garçons et des filles! je suis en france. i "cannes" not believe i haven't made a blog in so many months. i have finished my last meeting of my trip and am about go embark on an adventure to hunt down macaroons. i am also trying to book my seat for the return flight so i am not stuck between a rock and a hard place. i prefer the aisle seat when i am traveling so i have a quick and easy route to the salles the bain. unfortunately on the trip over i was sitting in the aisle seat, but had some difficulty using the toilettes.

i bet you are thinking, what happened? i'm going to tell you.

i unbuckled my seat belt and got up to powder my nose. the two bathrooms were occupied so i was waiting in one of the vestibules. this aggro dickwad flight attendant who looked like robert irvine (sans muscles and HGH) tells me i can't use the bathroom and i need to go sit down because there is turbulence and the captain has turned on the fasten your seatbelts sign. i told him i really needed to pee badly. i just had some water, as well as some wine with my dinner and naturally i needed to use the loo. NO, he barked at me. then he gave me the death stare. honestly, i didn't want to have the police greet me upon landing so i went back to my seat.

15 minutes later, a woman in front of me gets up to use the little ladies and gentlemens room and i follow right behind her. she tucks into one unscathed, but somehow fake robert irvine asshole's radar gets pinged and pops up out of nowhere right as i'm about to enter. he tells me i need to go to my seat. i asked him why it was ok for the lady and again he gave me a death stare. ok, ok, ok. back to my seat. i would have seriously considered going in the aisle if i hadn't checked my luggage. what would my recourse be? i had to go and wasn't allowed to. i tried to get the name of the douchebag but unfortunately he was not wearing a name tag. instead i gave him death stares every time he walked past me.

i did finally get to go, but not for another very long 15 minutes or so. what a tosser.

Sunday Paper

My guess for the headline of tomorrow's back page of the Post or News:

HOOVER, DAMN!

all i know how to write about is top chef

Wow, what an episode. Weasel's comment ignited my curiosity so I went and read all the spoilers before watching the episode. Still, I couldn't have prepared myself for the rage I felt during the hour when I finally did have the chance to watch it last night.

First off, admittedly, Sara N. totally sabotaged herself, but for the judges to tell the chefs on the chopping block that one of them had the personality that's made for a competition like this (Gross Sweaty Howie) and the other not (Sara N.) was ridiculous. Someone like Harold who won Season One despite being unable to finish that first challenge where all he had to do was work a service line in Hubert Keller's kitchen but totally bombed because he was too much of a scaredy cat with rattly hands *is* built to be in a competition like this? I can not stand how the judges constantly manipulate the rules and definitions of the competition on a show to show basis. It stinks. And exactly what is lacking from Sara's personality that made her a poor contestant on this show? The ability to be an asshole? To be passive aggressive? To never want to be held accountable for ANYTHING. To not be able work well with others?

I take back what I said about Joey in my last entry. Howie is the vilest thing ever to be on this show. Please put on a headband, watching you sweat over your food episode after episode makes me want to hurl. Note only is he vile but he's also over the top self-righteous. Throwing Sara N. "over the bus" was so uncalled for. Enough with your bullshit attitude! I'm so sick of hearing you talk like you have 15 Jell-O shots in your mouth. Judges, the fact that you guys continue to keep him here is cause for dismissal for each and every one of you. You're all fired! Even you Ted Allen, who I love.

Poor Sara, she really did just want to go dancing. But how stupid was the cast as a whole to think they were really going to go dancing?

More thoughts:
Hung: He really doesn't get it, does he? Tempura flakes in ice cream for texture? But won't the melty ice cream make the flakes all mushy? I did like how excited he was to go dance.
Dale: Definitely in my top three now. I loved his little dance with Sara in the beginning. Also, his little dinner date with Govind Armstrong made me crack up.
CJ: Now I think I definitely want you to win. I loved that he called Brian Malarkey the most annoying person int he world. He's able to snark without coming across like a big asshole.
Brian: The idea to do a raw bar and prep it outside was genius. Less cooks in the small space. I tip my hat.
Casey: During the judge's table, to me at least, it felt like she was maybe calling out Sara N re: the slow pace of slider making. As dumb as it was, I did love that she put Sriracha in her ice cream.
Sara M.: Was she even in this episode? I hate when they do this.
Tre: Good to see him loosen up. Jeeze! As good as his dish looked, I don't know about the concept of it as a late night snack from a cart. I want something I can hold in one hand, not something I need a fork to eat with. Wrap those grits around the shrimp and deep fry that sucker!
Howie: Go away. How embarrassing for you, Mr. Food Gang, to have all this experience in and with Miami and still not be able to make a decent Cubano. Also, like we're supposed to believe bouncers ever let you into clubs? I don't think so.
Sara N.: Sad to see her go even though she shocked me by lasting this long. I wish she could have articulated herself to Howie a little better. Maybe she did but it was edited out?