I just finished a little graphic novel titled As the World Burns: 50 Things You Can Do to to Stay in Denial. It succinctly sums up my feelings on the current environmental movement, which is to say that we aren't going far enough and still cling to the impotent notion that the planet's salvation lies in sustainability. Somehow environmentalists have forgotten that the systems our world culture is built on are entirely unsustainable.

By Derrick Jensen, author of the two Endgame books. Check out the Seven Stories Press site for more info on the book. If you're living in NE, I just sent my copy back home to a friend, so if you don't feel like heading to a library or bookstore you can get your hands on it by talking to Rhino.

brett at 04:08 PM on February 24, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's raining again. I don't mind it so much, though, especially when there's so much to do indoors: see Monterey's historic Golden State Theater and their sci-fi film festival! Next to the kabuki theater in Ginza, this is one of the sweetest places I've ever seen a show put on.

This weekend Megan and I managed to catch showings of Mad Max and Blade Runner. I'm very disappointed that I missed Robocop, though.

While I was exploring the balcony bathroom, Megan decided that she would hide outside and scare me. She had planned a terrifying leap--accompanied by scream--but upon execution, Megan found that it wasn't me whom she had frightened, but some other guy who simply happened to leave the bathroom before me. From what I understand, Megan and this man just looked at each other in confusion, completely speechless.

Other things happening in my life include summer internship applications (wish me luck, Washington DC or bust), rain, sciatic nerve pain insanity, the return of music to my life, and yes, school. In the next few weeks will come spring break, Megan's parents, and then Eric. Before long it will be summer and I'll be heading to destination unknown for a bit more work and play.

brett at 02:14 AM on February 24, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here are some of the things that Megan and I ate in San Francisco last weekend:

• Bowl of green lentil soup with a baguette.
• Macaroni and "cheese" with red bell pepper, broccoli and crostini bread
• Seitan "chicken" sandwich with lettuce, tomatoes, onions and pickles on French bread with garlic-lemon sauce.
• Udon with vegetable tempura.
• Vegan glazed donut.
• Uramaki avocado rolls.
• Vegan gyoza

There is much more but I'm forgetting it. Strange to think that Megan and I have become a couple of real vegan tourists; we have actively sought out vegan fare in every city we've visited, often with disappointing results. The vegan world is such a small one that, realistically, there is a chance we'll eat at every truly vegan restaurant in the country within another 5 years.

And speaking of crazy vegan destinations, check out Casa Diablo, the world's first vegan strip club. It just opened in January of this year, but I'm unsure what it means to be a "vegan strip club." As far as I know most gentleman's establisments don't really bother with the food.

brett at 12:43 PM on February 11, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)

And I don't mean to boast. But from the Lincoln Journal Star comes this gem of a lede:

A winter storm rolled over Nebraska on Tuesday, shutting down the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and area schools while grinding life to a frozen halt.

Last week's non-stop rain was a bit annoying, but I'm nowhere near a "frozen halt." Tomorrow it's going to be 60 degrees.

brett at 01:07 AM on February 06, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0)