Here are several short and unrelated things that would ordinarily remain in a notebook, locked away from the rest of the world. But because of technology and my inability to draw a distinct line, you get to read them.

• Bitchy review for Ballistic: Ecks Vs. Sever - "Ecks vs. Sever? More like Ecks vs. NEVER!!"
  
• I think the most disappointing thing I've ever seen was a tall, beautifully dressed woman standing very close to a loose arrangement of dog shit.
  
• Do you live in New York City? Did you know we just inherited Seattle's most charming family, The Trachtenburgs? Their show, "The Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players", is running for the next few weeks at Ars Nova Theater (a surprisingly classy theater in a decidedly unclassy location). The brief story on them: they scrounge around estate sales, buying up strangers' slides. Then they write songs about the slides and project them on a screen while performing. Their duties are as follows: Dad on vocals and piano; Mom on slide projector; (NINE YEAR-OLD!!! says all the various media hoping to ruin this kid in less than six months) Daughter on drum kit and back-up vocals. I saw them on Monday and had great fun, though I do wish they had just a little less ironic distance from their material. That very minor complaint aside, it's great fun and just what the doctor ordered after everyone's White Blood Cells have been suffering from prolonged exposure to Strokes and Hives. (get it???)
  
• Shaolin Soccer. Mark my words - SHAOLIN SOCCER!!!