theblackrainbow

Municipal complaint? There's an app for that
By Michael Levenson
Globe Staff / July 6, 2009

I'll definitely give this a shot once it's made available. Arguments against the app regarding the ease of ability to submit silly or false claims are surely founded, but if it helps resolve even some real issues, it could be useful.

I just finished Season 1 of the HBO series "True Blood," based on Charlaine Harris's "Sookie Stackhouse" (or "Southern Vampire") novels. I know I'm a bit behind the times, as the first three episodes of Season 2 have aired so far (I'm starting those soon!), but this is a fantastic series and I just had to mention it.

The show revolves around Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin--Rogue from the "X-Men" movies), a telepathic waitress, and her friends and family--notably, the vampire Bill (Stephen Moyer), whose attraction to Sookie is apparent early in the series. The invention of a drink called TruBlood--synthetic blood--has allowed vampires to "come out of the coffin" and live among humans if they so choose. In the quiet Southern town of Bon Temps, young women who are known to have had sexual relations with vampires are getting killed--and it just so happens that Sookie's promiscuous brother has been with all of them, too. It's a murder mystery crossed with a love story and some great erotica tossed in, and the characters are wonderful--flawed, believable, and endearing. There's enough backwoods humor to keep audiences laughing, and enough violence to satisfy those of us who enjoy such things. The plot twists are great, and the finale's revelations will surprise you.

I love this show and I can't wait to start watching the second season. I thought that there was no way to make me interested in a vampire/human love story again, but "True Blood" has managed to prove me wrong.

I got a lovely iPhone 3GS for my birthuation from Ericface, so now would be a great time for you all to update your contact info with me so I can make sure you're there in my phone.

Comments screened.

My friend Andrew Tobia was recently published in the Summer 2009 edition of Boston Literary Magazine. "Room to Room" is his first publication in a "real journal." He was, however, the Poetry Editor for Venture this past year. =)

Click here to read it. It's the fourth poem on the page, and it's in the third section.

Congratulations, Andrew!

If there is one person or more on your friends list who makes your world a better place just because they exist, and who you would not have met (in real life or not) without the Internet, then post this same sentence in your journal.

♥

My downloading computer is very unhappy with me, so no Weeds yet, but I remain hopeful.

Good news, everyone! (Besides the return of "Futurama" in 2010!) Just in case anyone can use them, here are some ways to save money on books this summer:

Penguin USA says: Hello Friends!

Tell all your friends and family to come to us.penguingroup.com to receive 15% off their total order.

Just use our special code FRIENDJ09 to receive 15% off your total online order placed now through July 13 at http://us.penguingroup.com.

To receive your discount, simply enter the code FRIENDJ09 into the coupon code field on your shopping cart page, then click the ‘update cart’ button to activate your coupon and see your savings.

Happy Summer from your friends at us.penguingroup.com.

AND

DK says: http://us.dk.com is offering a special friends and family code to receive 15% off their total online order placed now through July 13, 2009.

Please pass along the coupon code DKFRIEND09 to all of your friends and family so that they may take advantage of this special discount.

Simply enter the code DKFRIEND09 into the coupon code field on your shopping cart page, then click the ‘update cart’ button to activate your coupon and see your savings. Happy summer!


Working for a publishing company is great.

-Jess

I'm so happy that Apple is cutting iPhone prices and releasing the iPhone 3.0 soon! I finally decided that I'll go for an iPhone (over a BlackBerry) for a graduation/birthday present, but haven't dragged Ericface out to buy me one yet. Woo! =)

Also, ECSTATIC NANCYFACE (see mood icon) because Weeds season 5 premieres tonight! Not that I have Showtime or anything (maybe when I move!) but it's still exciting because that means my Weeds Tuesday nights can recommence! (Download it tonight, watch it tomorrow night.)

There's less than 24 hours until I leave the 18-21 age bracket forever. =D

Mmm, but yeah, bus to catch. More updates some other time.

Number 22 is next Friday (that's June 5th). I'm not sure exactly what the plan is yet, but getting drinks in the Boston/Somerville area is a likely bet. If anyone wants to join, let me know! Actual plans forthcoming!

Moderately surprised, slightly disappointed, but it's no big deal. I did vote last night, so I'm allowed to complain. ;)

The finale itself, as a show, was pretty cool. Lots of butchered songs, primarily by Megan Joy (who I loved in the show, at least for a couple of episodes, but she just sounded bad tonight), and some big names. It seemed like Fergie got censored for a moment--anyone know what happened with that? (And she was wearing some intense shoes.) A lot of the duets were pretty cool, especially Adam and KISS. I loved the performances with Santana and Queen, and it was nice to see Allison again. =)

I think I'd be stating the obvious if I said that the whole Tatiana thing was staged and pretty stupid... but I just said it anyway. Kara DioGuardi taking on Bikini Girl was funny, but it sucks that she felt the need to prove herself. But hey, at least some charity got donations out of it. Also, Ryan's comment to Bikini Girl--"I was gonna ask you what's new but... I think I already know"--was classic.

( Just in case )

Now, I didn't necessarily expect this result. I'm also not that surprised, though, because the person I pick to win tends not to. I don't usually have the same preferences as the "majority," and that's fine. I'm just glad I did in the Presidential election, where my good opinion was fortunately shared by many. =)

I've faithfully watched a few seasons of AI--not all of them, not even close, but probably three or four--and never has the person I wanted to win actually won, save for David Cook last season. I was a huge Bo Bice supporter, but I'm glad Carrie Underwood pulled it out because she's pretty awesome and Bice's first album totally sucked anyway (ballads? Really, Bo?). But yeah, I don't generally pick winners on American Idol; that's what this whole ramble has been about. =P

The Spring TV season is pretty much over. I really hope there are some good shows on this summer. Anyone have any suggestions?

I'm now the proud owner of a Bachelor's of Arts degree in English!

So far, I've gotten an Xbox 360 and some money, and the graduation party isn't even until the end of June. Eric also plans to get me an iPhone.

My new job starts tomorrow, and the "Survivor" finale is tonight!!!

=)

Well, Season 4's ending was pretty epic, and I can't wait for next season to see what happens. But creator Eric Kripke says he only has another season of story left in him, and both Jared Padalecki (Sam) and Jensen Ackles (Dean) want out when their contracts expire after season 5.

At least, according to this link.

I attended Emerson College's Admitted Student Welcome Reception last night (and I dragged Eric along with me). We were given little envelopes full of suggestions of cool things to do in Boston, then went through an interactive "Painless Networking" presentation/seminar--which turned out to be an event etiquette lesson from Jodi Smith of Mannersmith. We were taught how to give a proper handshake, introduce ourselves, have a "5-8 minute" conversation, and exit gracefully.

The presentation was interesting and the information useful, but the whole thing was a little wacky. Networking and how you present yourself at events is certainly something that can be learned, but through practice and working with your own personality and your strengths/weaknesses, not necessarily through an hour-long seminar. I'm sure some people do learn that way, but Eric and I aren't really those people.

In any case, though, I had a good time talking with some of the current and incoming creative writing people, but I didn't get a chance to meet any other writing & publishing students nor any of the writing faculty members. I managed to get some information on Redivider (the grad student literary magazine) and Ploughshares (similar to Salamander, but it comes out of Emerson). Also, had lots of free wine and snacks. I'm totally not used to free alcohol at student events, as Suffolk is a dry campus, so that part was pretty nifty.

Anyway, I need to go get Emma ready for a trip to the vet. I'm definitely not looking forward to wrestling her into a cat carrier for the third time this week.

Also, having Journey stuck in your head is NOT COOL!

Click here to see epic kitten/young cat cuteness!

( Background info on the cats and this project, for newcomers to my LJ )

Sorry for the delay. This was so much fun, but I will never use Blogger again for a photography project. All of the pictures automatically insert themselves at the top of the post despite where the cursor is placed, and the time it takes to correctly position each one gets really tedious really fast.

Also, here's Charlie and Emma grooming each other:



Anyway, enjoy! ♥

I need to be up in a few hours so I won't say much right now, but I definitely recommend this movie!

ETA: Eric's post on the movie says everything better and with more detail and knowledge of the Star Trek world than I ever could. If you're interested, check it out. Contains spoilers!

Maine approves gay marriage

AUGUSTA, Maine—Maine's governor has signed a bill making the state the fifth to allow gay marriage.

Gov. John Baldacci signed the legislation shortly after the Maine legislature passed it Wednesday.

My home state, New Hampshire, is currently the only New England holdout besides Rhode Island. Since Maine signed the bill, I hope Governor Lynch (NH) will follow shortly.

(Thanks to grayboy (♥) for the tip and Boston.com's Twitter page for the link.)

ETA: Another link

I recently found out (via Rainn Wilson's Twitter) that Dom DeLuise, actor-comedian of Mel Brooks movie fame ("The Twelve Chairs," "Blazing Saddles," "Silent Movie," "History of the World Part I," "Robin Hood: Men in Tights," and "Spaceballs"), passed away on Monday.

As a life-long, die-hard Mel Brooks fan, this is quite upsetting for me. What's also upsetting is it doesn't seem Brooks is going to make any more movies--as the years pass with no news of any upcoming projects, I may actually have to resign myself to the fact that "Dracula: Dead and Loving It" will be the last movie my favorite writer-director-actor will put out into the world.
(ETA: Yes, he revamped "The Producers" for the stage, and then did a remake of the movie. Doesn't count in terms of new projects, IMHO.)

RIP, Dom.

N.H. Senate also passes medical marijuana bill.

Passed, returned to House with minor changes. Governor has concerns about abuses and enforcement difficulties, but has not said he would veto the bill. Doctors would have to certify patients have debilitating ailments, would benefit from marijuana and that other medications don't work.

Only patients in constant pain, having seizures or severe, persistent muscle spasms or having severe nausea or vomiting and who aren't helped by legal medications for at least three months would qualify.

Happy about gay marriage, not happy about transgender rights... but you can't win them all (at once, anyway).

I updated my Books to Read List--I've made very little progress since last summer, but now that I'm graduating I really hope I have some more time.

Re-posting to encourage myself to read, but also so that all of you can give me some suggestions on what to read first. =)

ETA: One more BookMooch Inventory plug. (Hit "cancel" on the log-in screen and it will take you to my inventory.)