the fuhyive

uh, so, uh, here are some things that i've been, like, digging, uh...

1) The Forever War by Dexter Filkins - almost done with this incredibly gripping read about the Iraq war. This man is pretty brave. He's been in a lot of places that only soldiers and dead people have been. His writing is immediate and real, that is, it doesn't seem contrived or altered - the man writes about what happened, no changes made to make it more dramatic. This man has some great stories - and insights - about quite a war. I hope it does last forever - so he can write another book! (Just kidding, war is bad.)

2) Gmail. It's pretty good. Convenient. It gets me my mail. Very happy with this thing. Has everyone heard of it?

3) "Horrible People" and "Back On Topps" - two web series(es?). "HP" is a pardoy of a soap opera and it's fucking funny. My favorite kind of humor: so serious it's ridiculous. And it's also just plain ridiculous. A dude fills up a turkey baster with his own semen - what more need I say? And "BOT" is a surpisingly hilarious show starring the Sklar Brothers, you know those guys, you recognize them. They love sports, they were on Entourage, one wears glasses the other doesn't...Both great damned shows. I'd reccommend checking out the two links I've posted and watching these two first episodes and see how you feel.

4) Joe Lo Truglio - cousin to the BLT, the JLT has been on my mind since "Superbad". He's so damned funny in that movie that he doesn't need to be in anything else: "Hey - I'm a nice guy" "Welcome to the thunderdome! We're gonna rock out with our cocks out. No, just kidding. But we are gonna rock out." "Sounds like she fully wants it. And who's gonna give it to her, my man? You, that's who." "So you guys on MySpace or..." I could quote his lines near-perfectly all day and night and smile. But the reason he's on my mind right now is that he is awesome in "Horrible People". Classic JLT - with a beard. He's always been funny in the past, he will be in the future, but, if he never worked again, was never even in a fucking Extenz commercial (call him up, extenz!) for the rest of his life, I would be happy just thinking about him in Superbad. God bless, JLT.

5) The Americano - I had this cocktail recently and enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I'd had Campari before - tasted Campari before - and it was pretty damned bitter, though that's what Campari is, it's a bitter, so what was I expecting? Just that, and I wasn't crazy about it. But after watching Bill Murray ask an intern to get him a Campari on the rocks in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou [Ed. Note. This movie would represent the 6 if this was called "the six"] I knew that it would hit the spot sometime in the very near future. However, Campari on the rocks itself wasn't cutting it, so I did some research and found that the Americano is more or less the standard Campari cocktail: Half Campari and half sweet vermouth, served on the rocks in Collins glass with a splash of club soda and an orange slice. It's a refreshing drink, different than other cocktails that have more hard A in it. And it's also not going to be everyone's cup of tea - it's a little funky, which is fine for me. I mean, recently I made a martini with pickle brine in it (so-so: I need better brine!). For me, though, the beauty of the Americano is the mix of bitter tastes (the Campari) and sweet tastes (the vermouth), with that splash of club really adding that extra crispness you so desire in a well-made cocktail. Personally I think that going half and half with the Campari and vermouth is a guideline - I think it tastes better when it skews slightly towards the bitter side. Then again, you may like it sweeter. Regardless, I think this is a pretty classy drink and, though it's getting colder and the Americano strikes me as a summer drink, I encourage you to try one, if you have the opportunity. I you come over my house, I can surely make you one!