Funniest/saddest part of last night's American Idol? "What about the cheeeldren?" That girl has no right to be sassy with Simon. Seeet down, beeetch.

Great quote from Newsweek:



“France is like an aging actress of the 1940s. She’s still dining out on her looks, but doesn’t have the face for it.” Arizona Sen. John McCain, on France’s opposition to the use of force in Iraq.

Dude, if you're going to make fun of my song list, there certainly are better targets than Jewel. Her last CD was brilliant.

Oh my God, Andrea ...



"vignette.org ::: t.j. is not only a fabulous writer, but really knows how to make a drink. unfortunately, that drink ended up in his shoe and he was more than happy to drink it. too much info? trust me, i've only brushed the tip of the iceberg, go check him out."



What are you talking about?!

OK then. The first ten shuffled songs off of my the iPod...



1. Jewel - The New Wild West

2. Lisa Loeb - I Wish

3. Dar Williams - As Cool As I Am

4. Fiona Apple - The First Taste

5. Paula Cole - I Believe in Love

6. Straight No Chaser - Sitcom Medley (a cappella)

7. The New Radicals - I Hope I Didn't Just Give Away The Ending

8. Dar Williams - End of the Summer (Live)

9. Duncan Sheik - On a High

10. Britney Spears Anticipating

I've been on a quest for the perfect brown shoes. I've been sort of a shoe whore lately, buying more in the past three months than during the previous two years. But these brown shoes have been a problem. The first pair I bought weren't brown at all, they were blue, which I thought could work with the brown-shoe outfits. Only problem? They weren't blue at all, they were black. They were that weird blueish black. I love them, but I didn't need another pair of black shoes. So in a rush to find brown shoes for a holiday party one day I settled on a pair I thought would be very nice - but outside of the store they were more RED than brown. Bastards lighting!



Finally after a failed attempt Saturday in Union Square (where no size 12 brown shoes exist), I hit the wonderful suburban malls of the East Bay. Found the perfect pair - in fact, they're the same show as the blueish black ones I adore, only in true brown. The problem? They seem too big on me. For the love of God, they are the same damn shoe, so I got the same size. Now why don't they fit me the same?!

While my family and friends are buried under a foot or more of snow, I'm sitting on my roofdeck, gazing at the park and the skyline, blogging on my new laptop with its cute wireless card. It's not super nice in the Fran on this President's Day, but high fifties and mostly cloudy is fine with me in mid February.

My name is ridiculous. T.J. DeGroat all together is fine. That is actually a pretty decent byline. But TJ? Or worse yet, tj? When I get an email that starts with "hi tj," I want to scream. What a lame name! Say it outloud, slowly. T-E-E-J-A-Y.



Ridiculous.

The 9-5 grind lends itself to seeing the same people over and over again during the commute. I've seen the same dude reading "Gone with the Wind" every day for the past week. Besides being shocked that anyone over the age of 22 would actually read that (college classes, you know. I was supposed to read it, but typically rented the movie instead and barely got through that), I'm also a bit disappointed that he hasn't gotten very far.

This site, which documents the horror of drunk driving, is one of the most disturbing things I've ever seen. As Candy says, spread the cheer.

You ain't fazin' this caucasian.

I don't think 35-year-old men should call themselves boys. You are not a boy, you are practically middle-aged.

Despite having no talent for painting, drawing or the like, on my way home today I decided I want to be an artist. So, with my credit card in hand, I confidentally walked into Flax, a fancy schmancy art store on Market St. Back in the apartment, with my new canvas, three colors of paint and the cheapest brushes I could find, I set to work feeling motivated. All that inspiration disappeared, though, when I realized I was painting the canvas cobalt blue without having removed the plastic from the bristles of my brush.

I have to go to a crab and wine festival today, despite liking neither crab nor wine. But I suppose spending my weekends the way I really want, meaning in my armchair, with my new inspiron on my lap and my TV on, would be a bad thing.



[Love you]